{"titles":"BAHIA COCOA REVIEW\n","article":"  Showers continued throughout the week in\n  the Bahia cocoa zone, alleviating the drought since early\n  January and improving prospects for the coming temporao,\n  although normal humidity levels have not been restored,\n  Comissaria Smith said in its weekly review.\n      The dry period means the temporao will be late this year.\n      Arrivals for the week ended February 22 were 155,221 bags\n  of 60 kilos making a cumulative total for the season of 5.93\n  mln against 5.81 at the same stage last year. Again it seems\n  that cocoa delivered earlier on consignment was included in the\n  arrivals figures.\n      Comissaria Smith said there is still some doubt as to how\n  much old crop cocoa is still available as harvesting has\n  practically come to an end. With total Bahia crop estimates\n  around 6.4 mln bags and sales standing at almost 6.2 mln there\n  are a few hundred thousand bags still in the hands of farmers,\n  middlemen, exporters and processors.\n      There are doubts as to how much of this cocoa would be fit\n  for export as shippers are now experiencing dificulties in\n  obtaining +Bahia superior+ certificates.\n      In view of the lower quality over recent weeks farmers have\n  sold a good part of their cocoa held on consignment.\n      Comissaria Smith said spot bean prices rose to 340 to 350\n  cruzados per arroba of 15 kilos.\n      Bean shippers were reluctant to offer nearby shipment and\n  only limited sales were booked for March shipment at 1,750 to\n  1,780 dlrs per tonne to ports to be named.\n      New crop sales were also light and all to open ports with\n  June\/July going at 1,850 and 1,880 dlrs and at 35 and 45 dlrs\n  under New York july, Aug\/Sept at 1,870, 1,875 and 1,880 dlrs\n  per tonne FOB.\n      Routine sales of butter were made. March\/April sold at\n  4,340, 4,345 and 4,350 dlrs.\n      April\/May butter went at 2.27 times New York May, June\/July\n  at 4,400 and 4,415 dlrs, Aug\/Sept at 4,351 to 4,450 dlrs and at\n  2.27 and 2.28 times New York Sept and Oct\/Dec at 4,480 dlrs and\n  2.27 times New York Dec, Comissaria Smith said.\n      Destinations were the U.S., Covertible currency areas,\n  Uruguay and open ports.\n      Cake sales were registered at 785 to 995 dlrs for\n  March\/April, 785 dlrs for May, 753 dlrs for Aug and 0.39 times\n  New York Dec for Oct\/Dec.\n      Buyers were the U.S., Argentina, Uruguay and convertible\n  currency areas.\n      Liquor sales were limited with March\/April selling at 2,325\n  and 2,380 dlrs, June\/July at 2,375 dlrs and at 1.25 times New\n  York July, Aug\/Sept at 2,400 dlrs and at 1.25 times New York\n  Sept and Oct\/Dec at 1.25 times New York Dec, Comissaria Smith\n  said.\n      Total Bahia sales are currently estimated at 6.13 mln bags\n  against the 1986\/87 crop and 1.06 mln bags against the 1987\/88\n  crop.\n      Final figures for the period to February 28 are expected to\n  be published by the Brazilian Cocoa Trade Commission after\n  carnival which ends midday on February 27.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COMPUTER TERMINAL SYSTEMS <CPML> COMPLETES SALE\n","article":"  Computer Terminal Systems Inc said\n  it has completed the sale of 200,000 shares of its common\n  stock, and warrants to acquire an additional one mln shares, to\n  <Sedio N.V.> of Lugano, Switzerland for 50,000 dlrs.\n      The company said the warrants are exercisable for five\n  years at a purchase price of .125 dlrs per share.\n      Computer Terminal said Sedio also has the right to buy\n  additional shares and increase its total holdings up to 40 pct\n  of the Computer Terminal's outstanding common stock under\n  certain circumstances involving change of control at the\n  company.\n      The company said if the conditions occur the warrants would\n  be exercisable at a price equal to 75 pct of its common stock's\n  market price at the time, not to exceed 1.50 dlrs per share.\n      Computer Terminal also said it sold the technolgy rights to\n  its Dot Matrix impact technology, including any future\n  improvements, to <Woodco Inc> of Houston, Tex. for 200,000\n  dlrs. But, it said it would continue to be the exclusive\n  worldwide licensee of the technology for Woodco.\n      The company said the moves were part of its reorganization\n  plan and would help pay current operation costs and ensure\n  product delivery.\n      Computer Terminal makes computer generated labels, forms,\n  tags and ticket printers and terminals.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"N.Z. TRADING BANK DEPOSIT GROWTH RISES SLIGHTLY\n","article":"  New Zealand's trading bank seasonally\n  adjusted deposit growth rose 2.6 pct in January compared with a\n  rise of 9.4 pct in December, the Reserve Bank said.\n      Year-on-year total deposits rose 30.6 pct compared with a\n  26.3 pct increase in the December year and 34.5 pct rise a year\n  ago period, it said in its weekly statistical release.\n      Total deposits rose to 17.18 billion N.Z. Dlrs in January\n  compared with 16.74 billion in December and 13.16 billion in\n  January 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL AMUSEMENTS AGAIN UPS VIACOM <VIA> BID\n","article":"  Viacom International Inc said <National\n  Amusements Inc> has again raised the value of its offer for\n  Viacom's publicly held stock.\n      The company said the special committee of its board plans\n  to meet later today to consider this offer and the one\n  submitted March one by <MCV Holdings Inc>.\n      A spokeswoman was unable to say if the committee met as\n  planned yesterday.\n      Viacom said National Amusements' Arsenal Holdings Inc\n  subsidiary has raised the amount of cash it is offering for\n  each Viacom share by 75 cts to 42.75 dlrs while the value of\n  the fraction of a share of exchangeable Arsenal Holdings\n  preferred to be included was raised 25 cts to 7.75 dlrs.\n      National Amusements already owns 19.6 pct of Viacom's stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROGERS <ROG> SEES 1ST QTR NET UP SIGNIFICANTLY\n","article":"  Rogers Corp said first quarter\n  earnings will be up significantly from earnings of 114,000 dlrs\n  or four cts share for the same quarter last year.\n      The company said it expects revenues for the first quarter\n  to be \"somewhat higher\" than revenues of 32.9 mln dlrs posted\n  for the year-ago quarter.\n      Rogers said it reached an agreement for the sale of its\n  molded switch circuit product line to a major supplier.\n      The sale, terms of which were not disclosed, will be\n  completed early in the second quarter, Rogers said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ISLAND TELEPHONE SHARE SPLIT APPROVED\n","article":"  <Island\n  Telephone Co Ltd> said the previously announced two-for-one\n  common share split was approved by shareholders at the annual\n  meeting.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. GROWING IMPATIENT WITH JAPAN - THATCHER\n","article":"  Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said\n  the U.K. Was growing more impatient with Japanese trade\n  barriers and warned that it would soon have new powers against\n  countries not offering reciprocal access to their markets.\n      She told Parliament that the bid by the U.K.'s Cable and\n  Wireless Plc <CAWL.L> to enter the Japanese telecommunications\n  market was being regarded by her government as a test case.\n      \"I wrote to the prime minister of Japan, Mr Nakasone, on the\n  fourth of March to express our interest on the Cable and\n  Wireless bid. I have not yet had a reply. We see this as a test\n  on how open the Japanese market really is,\" Thatcher said.\n      Thatcher told Parliament that \"shortly ... We shall have\n  more powers than we have now, when, for example the powers\n  under the Financial Services Act and the Banking Act become\n  available, then we shall be able to take action in cases where\n  other countries do not offer the same full access to financial\n  services as we do.\"\n      Cable and Wireless is seeking a stake in the proposed\n  Japanese telecommunications rival to Kokusai Denshin Denwa.\n      But the Japanese minister for post and telecommunications\n  was reported as saying that he opposed Cable and Wireless\n  having a managerial role in the new company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"QUESTECH INC <QTEC> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr loss nil vs profit 19 cts\n      Net loss 3,175 vs profit 284,945\n      Revs 13.6 mln vs 10.6 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 13 cts vs profit 56 cts\n      Net profit 195,202 vs profit 857,006\n      Revs 47.5 mln vs 42.9 mln\n      Note: Current year net includes charge against discontinued\n  operations of 1,060,848 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA OIL EXPORTS RISE 20 PCT IN 1986\n","article":"  Canadian oil exports rose 20 pct in 1986\n  over the previous year to 33.96 mln cubic meters, while oil\n  imports soared 25.2 pct to 20.58 mln cubic meters, Statistics\n  Canada said.\n      Production, meanwhile, was unchanged from the previous year\n  at 91.09 mln cubic feet.\n      Natural gas exports plunged 19.4 pct to 21.09 billion cubic\n  meters, while Canadian sales slipped 4.1 pct to 48.09 billion\n  cubic meters.\n      The federal agency said that in December oil production\n  fell 4.0 pct to 7.73 mln cubic meters, while exports rose 5.2\n  pct to 2.84 mln cubic meters and imports rose 12.3 pct to 2.1\n  mln cubic meters.\n      Natural gas exports fell 16.3 pct in the month 2.51 billion\n  cubic meters and Canadian sales eased 10.2 pct to 5.25 billion\n  cubic meters.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COFFEE, SUGAR AND COCOA EXCHANGE NAMES CHAIRMAN\n","article":"  The New York Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa\n  Exchange (CSCE) elected former first vice chairman Gerald\n  Clancy to a two-year term as chairman of the board of managers,\n  replacing previous chairman Howard Katz.\n      Katz, chairman since 1985, will remain a board member.\n      Clancy currently serves on the Exchange board of managers\n  as chairman of its appeals, executive, pension and political\n  action committees.\n      The CSCE also elected Charles Nastro, executive vice\n  president of Shearson Lehman Bros, as first vice chairman.\n  Anthony Maccia, vice president of Woodhouse, Drake and Carey,\n  was named second vice chairman, and Clifford Evans, president\n  of Demico Futures, was elected treasurer.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MOST EC STATES SAID TO BE AGAINST OILS\/FATS TAX\n","article":"  A majority of European Community (EC)\n  member states are either against or have strong reservations\n  over a tax on both imported and domestically-produced oils and\n  fats proposed by the European Commission, senior diplomats\n  said.\n      They said a special committee of agricultural experts from\n  EC member states had voiced strong objections over the measure\n  during a meeting charged with preparing the ground for the\n  annual EC farm price-fixing which begins next Monday.\n      They added that only France and Italy had indicated they\n  would support the Commission proposal which would lead to a tax\n  initially of 330 Ecus per tonne during the 1987\/88 price round.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GOULD<GLD> COMPLETES SALE OF FRENCH BATTERY UNIT\n","article":"  Gould Inc said it has\n  completed the sale of its French battery business, Compagnie\n  Francaise D'Electro Chimie, to a group of investors including\n  the unit's employees and <GNB Inc> of Minnesota.\n      Gould did not disclose terms of the deal.\n      Gould said the move is part of its previously announced\n  plan to divest assets unrelated to its computer and electronics\n  businesses.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SHOE TOWN INC <SHU> YEAR ENDED JAN THREE 1987\n","article":"  Shr 51 cts vs 75 cts\n      Net 5,524,000 vs 8,094,000\n      Revs 142.4 mln vs 137.2 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 and 1985 year net includes loss 785,000 dlrs or\n  eight cts a share and 59,000 dlrs or one ct a share,\n  respectively, for discontinued operations.\n      1985 year ended December 28, 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRST WISCONSIN <FWB> TO BUY MINNESOTA BANK\n","article":"  First Wisconsin Corp said it\n  plans to acquire Shelard Bancshares Inc for about 25 mln dlrs\n  in cash, its first acquisition of a Minnesota-based bank.\n      First Wisconsin said Shelard is the holding company for two\n  banks with total assets of 168 mln dlrs.\n      First Wisconsin, which had assets at yearend of 7.1 billion\n  dlrs, said the Shelard purchase price is about 12 times the\n  1986 earnings of the bank.\n      It said the two Shelard banks have a total of five offices\n  in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN NURSERY PRODUCTS <ANSY> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Period ended Feb 28\n      Shr profit five cts vs profit four cts\n      Net profit 191,000 vs profit 108,000\n      Sales 6,561,000 vs 5,896,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 28 cts vs loss 40 cts\n      Net loss 871,000 vs loss 990,000\n      Sales 9,310,000 vs 8,894,000\n      Avg shrs 3,086,386 vs 2,465,996\n      NOTE: Full name is American Nursery Products Inc\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL FSI INC <NFSI> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss six cts vs profit 19 cts\n      Net loss 166,000 vs profit 580,000\n      Revs 3,772,000 vs 5,545,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 13 cts vs profit 52 cts\n      Net loss 391,000 vs profit 1,425,000\n      Revs 15.4 mln vs 16.6 mln\n      NOTE: 1985 year figures pro forma for purchase accounting\n  adjustments resulting from March 1985 reeacquisition of company\n  by its original shareholders before August 1985 initial public\n  offering. \n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DISCUS CORP <DISC> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss six cts vs loss seven cts\n      Net loss 125,000 vs loss 140,000\n      Rev 2.4 mln vs 2.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 13 cts vs loss 14 cts\n      Net loss 271,000 vs loss 211,000\n      Rev 10.1 mln vs 8.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ENTERTAINMENT PUBLICATIONS SEES 31 CTS\/SHR 3RD QTR LOSS ON UNITS DISPOSAL\n","article":"\n  ENTERTAINMENT PUBLICATIONS SEES 31 CTS\/SHR 3RD QTR LOSS ON UNITS DISPOSAL\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PAY 'N PAK STORES INC <PNP> 4TH QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 11 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 1,129,000 vs 1,301,000\n      Revs 83.2 mln vs 74.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 57 cts vs 82 cts\n      Net 5,686,000 vs 8,168,000\n      Revs 398.4 mln vs 333.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"(CORRECTED) - MOBIL <MOB> TO UPGRADE REFINERY UNIT\n","article":"  Mobil Corp said it will spend over 30\n  mln dlrs to upgrade a gasoline-producing unit at its Beaumont,\n  Texas, refinery.\n      It said the unit is a catalytic reformer, which converts\n  low-octane components of gasoline into high-octane components\n  for use in Super Unleaded gasoline.\n      The company said the modernization will allow the unit to\n  regenerate catalysts on a continuous basis without shutdown.\n  Currently, it must be shut twice a year.  The unit produces\n  46,000 barrels of gasoline components a day.  Construction will\n  start late this year, with completion set for mid-1989.\n      (Correcting unit's output to barrels\/day from barrels\/year)\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN NURSERY PRODUCTS <ANSY> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends Feb 28\n      Shr profit five cts vs profit four cts\n      Net profit 191,000 vs profit 108,000\n      Revs 6,561,000 vs 5,896,000\n      Avg shrs 3.6 mln vs 2.5 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 28 cts vs loss 40 cts\n      Net loss 871,000 vs loss 990,000\n      Revs 9,310,000 vs 8,894,000\n      Avg shrs 3.1 mln vs 2.5 mln\n      NOTE: Full name American Nursery Products Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VOLVO 1986 RESULT OFF SLIGHTLY FROM 1985\n","article":"  AB Volvo <VOLV.ST> said the weakening\n  dollar caused the drop in its 1986 profits, but company chief\n  executive Pehr Gyllenhammar said 1986 was one of Volvo's best\n  years ever.\n      In its final report released earlier, the company said the\n  group's 1986 profits before allocations and taxes was 7.53\n  billion crowns  compared with 1985's 7.60 billion.\n      Despite the fall, Gyllenhammar said, \"Sales of industrial\n  products have never been higher, and Volvo Cars and Volvo\n  Trucks were both completely sold out at year-end. Operating\n  income was slightly higher than a year earlier.\"\n      He said the company's financial strength gave it\n  exceptional opportunities to invest for the future.\n      Although industrial sales were up, the company's yearend\n  report said total sales were 84.09 billion crowns against\n  1985's 86.19 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<MERIDIAN ENERGY>, CASTONE END LETTER OF INTENT\n","article":"  <Meridian Energy Inc> and Castone\n  Development Corp, a privately-held company, jointly announced\n  that they have decided to terminate the letter of intent under\n  which Meridian would have acquired Castone.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"REPORT EXPECTS SHARP DROP IN WORLD IRON IMPORTS\n","article":"  World seaborne iron ore imports will\n  fall sharply by the year 2000 with declining imports to the EC\n  and Japan only partially offset by increased demand from South\n  East Asia, a report by Ocean Shipping Consultants said.\n      The report predicts annual world seaborne iron ore imports\n  of 267.7 mln tonnes by 2000 versus 312.4 mln tonnes in 1985.\n      It estimates that total bulk shipping demand from the iron\n  ore sector will fall by almost 10 pct, or 200 billion tonne\n  miles, with shipping demand associated with the coking trade\n  down about 17 pct or 130 billion tonne miles.\n      The report sees EC imports falling to 91.7 mln tonnes in\n  2000 from 123.6 mln in 1985 with Japanese imports falling to 89\n  mln from 124.6 mln tonnes. Imports to South East Asia are seen\n  rising to 58.6 mln from 32.6 mln tonnes in 1985.\n      It predicts that EC steel production will fall to 109 mln\n  tonnes in 2000 from 135.7 mln in 1985 with Japanese production\n  falling to 92 mln from 105.3 mln.\n      South Korea and Taiwan are expected to double their output\n  to 40 mln tonnes with Chinese production increasing by 25 mln\n  tonnes to 80 mln, it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GOLDFIELD CORP <GV> 4TH QTR NET LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss four cts vs loss five cts\n      Net loss 527,065 vs loss 1,204,080\n      Revs 622,470 vs 613,205\n      Year\n      Shr profit four cts vs loss 13 cts\n      Net profit 1,099,778 vs loss 3,282,478\n      Revs 7,579,547 vs 6,068,254\n      NOTE: 1985 excludes loss from discontinued operations of\n  four cts per share in the quarter and loss 10 cts in the year.\n  1986 year excludes extraordinary gain of two cts a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BRITISH, FRENCH MINISTERS DISCUSS PUBLIC SPENDING\n","article":"  French Finance Minister Edouard Balladur\n  discussed the need to control public spending in talks here\n  today with British Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson, a\n  Treasury spokesman said.\n      The spokesman said the ministers reviewed their economies,\n  and public spending, domestic and European Community-wide.\n      He declined to comment on whether the subject of concerted\n  action to shore up the dollar had arisen. The U.S. Currency\n  dipped sharply earlier this week after a month of relative\n  stability after an agreement by six major industrialised\n  nations in Paris on February 22 to stabilise their currencies.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FED'S HELLER URGES BROAD REFORM TO AID BANKING\n","article":"  Federal Reserve Board Governor\n  Robert Heller said the banking system could be strengthened by\n  permitting formation of financial services holding companies\n  involved in areas like banking, insurance, real estate and\n  securities.\n      In a speech prepared for delivery in New York to the Bank\n  and Financial Analysts' Association, Heller said, \"I believe\n  that increased diversification along geographic and product\n  lines is the key to strengthening the American banking system.\"\n      He said he supported the idea of financial services holding\n  companies advocated by the Association of Bank Holding\n  Companies in which regulation of various bank, thrift,\n  insurance, investment, securities and real estate subsidiaries\n  would be handled on functional lines.\n      \"Limits would be placed on the extension of credit by the\n  bank to the associated institutions, and all transactions would\n  have to be on an arms-length basis,\" Heller said.\n      Measures would be necessary to avoid abuse of the banks'\n  special position by such holding companies or subsidiaries.\n      Heller said he \"would require the holding company to serve\n  as a 'source of strength' to the bank by making a commitment to\n  maintain the bank's capital.\n      \"In other words, the bank would not be allowed to fail as\n  long as the holding company has a positive net worth.\"\n      Heller also said commercial enterprises should be permitted\n  to own a financial services holding company, again with the\n  provision that capital would flow to the financial enterprise\n  if necessary.\n      Heller said the effects of these actions \"would be banks\n  that are at least as strong as the corporations holding them\" in\n  which customer deposits were assured while any incentive to\n  \"loot the bank\" was removed.\n      Such diversification would give access to national and\n  international financial services to corporations across the\n  United States.\n      Heller said that would mean \"the steady decline of America's\n  banks in the world financial league tables would be arrested\" by\n  permitting them to become more competitive.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FEDERATED DEPARTMENT STORES INC UPS QTLY DIV BY 10.5 PCT, SETS 2-FOR-1 STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"\n  FEDERATED DEPARTMENT STORES INC UPS QTLY DIV BY 10.5 PCT, SETS 2-FOR-1 STOCK SPLIT\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GOULD <GLD> SELLS FRENCH BATTERY UNIT\n","article":"  Gould Inc said it sold its\n  French Battery unit, Cie Francaise d'Electro Chimie, to a group\n  of investors including the unit's employees and <GNB Inc> of\n  Minnesota.\n      Terms of the sale were not disclosed. The unit had 1986\n  sales of 65 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"ADVANCED GENETIC SCIENCES <AGSI> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 30 cts vs loss 73 cts\n      Net loss 3,895,267 vs loss 8,250,222\n      Revs 3,237,235 vs 234,745\n      Note: 4th qtr data not available\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FEDERATED DEPARTMENT <FDS> RAISES QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Federated Department Stores Inc said\n  it raised its quarterly common stock dividend to 74 cts a\n  share, from 67 cts, an increase of 10.5 pct.\n      The company said it also approved a two-for-one stock split\n  in the form of a 100 pct stock dividend.\n      At the same time, Federated said it will ask shareholders\n  to approve an increase in the number of authorized shares to\n  400 mln, from 200 mln.\n      Federated said the dividend is payable on a pre-split basis\n  on April 24 to shareholders of record April 10.\n      New shares from the stock split will be distributed May 11,\n  it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DANZAR INVESTMENT <DNZR> SETS SPECIAL DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Danzar Investment Group Inc said it \n  received 60 mln shares of <Commonwealth Capital Ltd> in\n  settlement of a debt and that it will distribute the shares to\n  its stockholders as a dividend.\n      Danzar said the dividend will also include 18,750,000\n  Commonwealth shares it already holds.\n      The dividend of 39.9 shares per Danzar share held will be\n  paid to shareholders of record April 15, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIDELITY <FNF> UNIT ACQUIRES CALIFORNIA CONCERN\n","article":"  Fidelity National Financial\n  Inc said its Fidelity National Title Insurance Co subsidiary\n  acquired the operations of Safeco Title Insurance Co in the\n  northern California counties of Alameda, Contra Costa and San\n  Mateo.\n      Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HOME SAVINGS BANK <HMSB> SETS INITIAL DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div nine cts\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April six\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FINAL 1986 CROP U.S. COTTON GINNINGS\n","article":"  Final 1986 crop U.S. cotton ginnings\n  totaled 9,438,425 running bales, vs 12,987,834 bales at the end\n  of the 1985 season and 12,544,866 bales at end-1984 season, the\n  U.S. Census Bureau said.\n      The bureau said upland cotton ginnings from the final 1986\n  crop totaled 9,237,296 bales, vs 12,837,088 bales in 1985 and\n  12,418,749 bales in 1984.\n      American Pima ginnings from the final 1986 crop totaled\n  201,129 bales, vs 150,746 bales in the 1985 crop and 126,117\n  bales in 1984, the bureau said.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN BRANDS SEES RECORD FIRST QUARTER RESULTS\n","article":"\n  AMERICAN BRANDS SEES RECORD FIRST QUARTER RESULTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BP MANAGING DIRECTOR SAYS COMPANY DOES NOT PLAN TO HIKE 70 DLRS STANDARD OFFER     \n","article":"\n  BP MANAGING DIRECTOR SAYS COMPANY DOES NOT PLAN TO HIKE 70 DLRS STANDARD OFFER     \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SECURITY <SPC>, USERS, END MERGER TALKS\n","article":"  Security Pacific Corp and\n  <Users Inc>, a credit union data processing concern, said they\n  have mutually agreed to withdraw from further merger\n  negotiations.\n      Users said that since it signed a letter of intent to merge\n  with Security in November, it has received a strong show of\n  support for continuing the credit union ownership of the\n  company with credit unions committing themselves to purchase\n  additional Users common.\n      Users also said it is in the strongest financial position\n  in its 24-year history.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ENTERTAINMENT PUBLICATIONS <EPUB> SEES LOSS\n","article":"  Entertainment Publications\n  Inc said it expects an after-tax loss of 31 cts a share in its\n  third quarter from the disposal of three units it closed.\n      The company said its board approved a plan to discontinue\n  the operations of three subsidiaries, which are primarily\n  involved in direct mail marketing.\n      \"The discontinued units were not likely to meet the growth\n  and profit goals of the company in the future,\" Entertainment\n  Publications said.\n      The three units lost 900,000 dlrs, or 19 cts a share in the\n  six months ended December 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHRIS-CRAFT INDUSTRIES INC <CCN> REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Chris-Craft Industies Inc said it\n  declared a regular two pct stock dividend on both its common\n  stock and class B common stock, which is equal the two pct\n  stock dividends the company paid for the prior quarter.\n      The dividends are payable on April 20 to shareholders of\n  record April six.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<PRECAMBRIAN SHIELD RESOURCES LTD> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.93 dlrs vs profit 16 cts\n      Net loss 53,412,000 vs profit 4,479,000\n      Revs 24.8 mln vs 32.7 mln\n      Note: 1986 shr and net include 51,187,000 dlr writedown on\n  U.S. operations, uneconomic coal operations and other mineral\n  properties\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DENNISON MANUFACTURING <DSN> TO SELL PAPER UNIT\n","article":"  Dennison Manufacturing Co\n  said it has signed a letter of intent to sell its Dunn Paper Co\n  subsidiary to James River Corp <JR> for an undisclosed amount\n  of cash, resulting in a first quarter charge against earnings.\n      The company saiud the loss on the sale may be partly\n  reduced by contingent payments over the next five years and\n  will in the first quarter be more than offset by the gain from\n  the previously-announced sale of its Hygeia Sciences Inc\n  shares.\n      Dunn had sales last year of about 65 mln dlrs.\n      In Richmond, Va., James River said closing is expected by\n  the end of April, subject to approval by both boards and on the\n  reaching of satisfactory labor agreements.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PILLSBURY <PSY> FILES FOR SECOND BURGER KING MLP\n","article":"  The Pillsbury Co said it\n  filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission for the sale of limited partnership interests in a\n  second master limited partnership of its Burger King unit's\n  restaurant properties.\n      Pillsbury said it expects the offering to yield 73-82 mln\n  dlrs, resulting in an after-tax gain of 20-23 mln dlrs.\n      A spokesman for Pillsbury said the company is aiming to get\n  this after-tax gain in the fourth fiscal quarter ending in May.\n      Pillsbury said the sale will occur as soon as practicable,\n  considering the business and legal contigencies.\n      The company said Burger King and another Pillsbury unit,\n  QSV Properties, will be the master limited partnership's\n  general partner.\n      Pillsbury said it expects the interests to be sold to\n  public investors and listed for trading on the New York Stock\n  Exchange.\n      Merrill Lynch will lead the underwriting, Pillsbury said.\n      Pillsbury first sold limited partnership interests in\n  Burger King Investors L.P. in February 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"OLD REPUBLIC INT'L CORP <OLDR> HIKES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 20 cts vs 19-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay June 20\n      Record June 5\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FED'S HELLER SAYS DOLLAR'S CURRENT LEVEL IS APPROPRIATE\n","article":"\n  FED'S HELLER SAYS DOLLAR'S CURRENT LEVEL IS APPROPRIATE\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CARSON PIRIE SCOTT AND CO <CRN> SETS DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 17-1\/2 cts vs 17-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay June 5\n      Record May 22\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BP <BP> DOES NOT PLAN TO HIKE STANDARD <SRD> BID\n","article":"  British Petroleum Co Plc does not\n  intend to raise the price of its planned 70 dlr per share offer\n  for the publicly held 45 pct of Standard Oil Co, BP Managing\n  Director David Simon said.\n      \"We don't seen this as any progressive bidding game,\" he\n  told reporters at a news conference. BP now owns 55 pct of\n  Standard's stock.\n      Simon said BP had carefully considered the amount of its\n  planned bid and he quoted an oil analyst, whom he would not\n  identify, as saying BP's careful evaluation means the company\n  is not going to raise its offer.\n      \"I think that (an increase) would be totally wrong. I think\n  the price is very fair and it is much to early to speculate\n  about ligigation,\" he said. \"Let's wait and see how the offer\n  runs.\"\n      Another official declined to speculate under what\n  circumstances BP might raise its bid.\n      The BP official said the 70 dlrs a share offer is 7.2 times\n  Standard's 1986 cash flow and 56 pct above an independent\n  evaluation of the company's assets, including the value of its\n  oil, natural gas liquids and natural gas reserves.\n      He said the price Royal Dutch\/Shell Group <RD> <SC> paid\n  for publicly held Shell Oil Co shares in 1985 was 5.1 times\n  cash flow.\n      The BP official also said the 70 dlr bid is a 40 pct\n  premium over Standard's stock price over the past year.\n      BP Group Treasurer Rodney Chase said more than half to as\n  much as two-third's of the 7.4 billion dlrs BP needs for its\n  offer will come from existing sources. The rest will be\n  financed by new debt.\n      BP will draw in cash from its operating companies around\n  the world and is also arranging a five billion dlr line of\n  credit, he explained.\n      The company's debt to equity ratio will rise 11 or 12\n  percentage points from the current 33 pct if the offer is\n  completed, Chase said. But the ratio will be back below 40 pct\n  within 12 months, he added.\n      Chase also said 50 to 60 pct of Standard Oil's publicly\n  held shares are held by financial institutions.\n      Simon said Standard's board was informed of the offer on\n  March nine and has been considering it since that time.\n      He said BP does not expect any regulatory problems that\n  would delay completion of the acquisition. \"We have informed\n  Washington of our intentions and we've already been an integral\n  part of ownership of U.S. oil reserves,\" he pointed out.\n      Simon said there is a good chance that current world oil\n  prices of about 18 dlrs a barrel could be maintained, and that\n  the more stable market is due mostly to changes in policy in\n  Saudi Arabia and other OPEC members to control oil production.\n      \"We think there are signals that current conditions are\n  more favorable than they have been for sometime,\" Simon said.\n      \"We have hopes for greater stability, but we do not see\n  prices going much higher,\" he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MONEY MARKET MUTUAL FUNDS FALL 1.19 BILLION DLRS IN LATEST WEEK, ICI SAYS\n","article":"\n  MONEY MARKET MUTUAL FUNDS FALL 1.19 BILLION DLRS IN LATEST WEEK, ICI SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN FURTHER 437 MLN STG HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had provided the\n  money market with a further 437 mln stg assistance in the\n  afternoon session. This brings the Bank's total help so far\n  today to 461 mln stg and compares with its revised shortage\n  forecast of 450 mln stg.\n      The central bank made purchases of bank bills outright\n  comprising 120 mln stg in band one at 10-7\/8 pct and 315 mln\n  stg in band two at 10-13\/16 pct.\n      In addition, it also bought two mln stg of treasury bills\n  in band two at 10-13\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BP<BP> OFFER RAISES EXPECTATIONS FOR OIL VALUES\n","article":"  British Petroleum Plc's plan to pay\n  7.4 billion dlrs for less than half of Standard Oil Co has\n  signalled higher values in the U.S. oil patch, analysts said.\n      \"I think that BP's bid is a very strong affirmation and\n  clear signal that they have confidence in the U.S., and they\n  think the barrel of oil in the ground is going to go higher,\"\n  said Sanford Margoshes of Shearson Lehman Brothers Inc.\n      BP earlier today said its U.S. unit planned to tender at 70\n  dlrs per share for the 45 pct of Standard it does not already\n  own.\n      \"It's a 7.4 billion dlr price that (shows) OPEC has won the\n  war and oil prices are not going to crack,\" said Prescott, Ball\n  and Turben analyst Bruce Lazier.\n      \"Behind that is a huge implication for the rest of the\n  energy issues out there in the stock market, particularly those\n  that are acquisition targets,\" Lazier said.\n      One of those mentioned by Lazier was USX Corp, an\n  energy-steel concern which had been courted by investor Carl\n  Icahn and drew the attention of Australian Robert Holmes a\n  Court last year. Rumors continue to swirl around its stock.\n      Margoshes said he does not foresee major U.S. oil firms\n  falling into takeover situations for several years, with the\n  exception of possibly Amerada Hess Corp <AHC>. He said most of\n  the majors found partners in the last round of matchmaking\n  which ended two years ago, and others restructured to the point\n  that they have become unattractive.\n      U.S. oil stocks rallied in response to the offer. Exxon\n  Corp <XON> rose 1-1\/8 to 88-1\/2. Chevron Corp <CHV> jumped\n  1-1\/8 to 58-7\/8, and Texaco <TX> climbed 1\/4 to 37-3\/4. Unocal\n  Corp <UCL> rose 1-3\/4, while Occidental Petroleum Corp <OXY>\n  climbed 1-1\/8 to 34-3\/4. Amoco Corp <AN> rose 1-3\/8 to 83-3\/4.\n      Standard Oil's stock was up 6-1\/4 in heavy trading to\n  71-1\/8. Earlier in the session it had been at a high of 72-1\/4.\n  Wall Street has speculated British Petroleum may boost its\n  offer by several dlrs per share, but the company maintained it\n  would not raise the 70 dlr bid.\n      British Petroleum stock rose 2-1\/4 to 59-5\/8.\n      Analysts said the fact British Petroleum made such a bid in\n  the first place indicates that the British oil giant has\n  changed its outlook for the oil industry.\n      Analysts said last year British Petroleum held one of the\n  more bearish positions on oil prices.\n      \"They said the real price of oil would stay at 15 dlrs (a\n  barrel) for several years, and I think they beat a hasty\n  retreat from that point of view,\" Margoshes said.\n      \"They are more appropriately today looking more\n  optimistically. I believe they are looking at 18 dlrs\n  (long-term)...also in their heart of hearts they believe that\n  will be exceeded,\" Margoshes said.\n      The U.S. benchmark crude West Texas Intermediate was\n  trading today around 18.60 dlrs per barrel.\n      Analysts said British Petroleum might have been able to buy\n  up the rest of Standard Oil for about 50 dlrs per share when\n  oil prices were falling last year.\n      They said Standard Oil's brightest asset is its slightly\n  more than 50 pct ownership of the Alaskan Prudhoe Bay oil\n  field. Analysts also said the company has other interests in\n  the Alaskan North Slope.\n      Analysts said the Standard investment is extremely\n  attractive to BP because the U.S. is the largest oil market and\n  has hard-to-replace reserves.\n      \"I think it just fits in with their long-range plans to\n  increase their position in the U.S. market,\" Dean Witter\n  analyst Eugene Nowak said.\n      Analysts said it also raises BP's visibility ahead of the\n  British government's announced disposal of 31.7 pct of BP\n  stock. The U.K. government said it would dispose of the holding\n  sometime in the year beginning April one.\n      After acquiring all of Standard, most of BP's reserves\n  would be in the U.S., but only about six pct of its stock is\n  held in the U.S.\n      \"The only way they can sell all that stock is to move it\n  into the United States. No other market can handle all that\n  stock,\" said L.F. rothschild analyst Rosario Ilacqua.\n      In 1986, Standard Oil had net losses of 345 mln dlrs on\n  revenues of 10.02 billion dlrs, compared to a profit the year\n  earlier of 308 mln dlrs on revenues of 13.82 billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED'S HELLER SAYS DOLLAR'S LEVEL IS APPROPRIATE\n","article":"  Federal Reserve Board governor Robert\n  Heller said that the dollar's current level is appropriate but\n  declined to comment on widespread market reports of concerted\n  central bank intervention this week.\n      \"The dollar is stable again... The current level is the\n  appropriate level,\" Heller told reporters after a speech to a\n  meeting of financial services analysts.\n      He said last month's six-nation currency accord in Paris\n  did not include target ranges for the dollar in an \"academic\n  way.\"\n      Heller also said that it was too early to determine whether\n  the parties to the six-nation accord were taking appropriate\n  steps to carry out the longer-term economic adjustments agreed\n  to in Paris.\n      \"Clearly, they've not been implemented yet... No one\n  expects implementation within a week or two,\" he said.\n      Earlier today, U.S. Treasury assistant secretary told a\n  Senate banking subcommittee that he did not believe that West\n  Germany and Japan have yet carried out their international\n  responsibilities.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FALCON CABLE SYSTEMS <FAL> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 3.49 dlrs vs loss 15 cts\n      Net loss 10.8 mln vs loss 459,000\n      Revs 4,384,000 vs 2,542,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 4.41 dlrs vs loss seven cts\n      Net loss 13.7 mln vs loss 218,000\n      Revs 13.9 mln vs 8,864,000\n      Note: net losses included extraordinary losses of 4,904,000\n  in 4th qtr vs 232,000 year ago and extraordinary losses for\n  year of 2,056,000 vs 460,000 a year ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOME SAVINGS BANK <HMSB> SETS INITIAL QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Home Savings Bank said its board\n  declared an initial quarterly dividend of nine cts per share,\n  payable April 30, record April Six.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LOUISIANA-PACIFIC <LPX> TO SELL SAWMILL\n","article":"  Louisiana-Pacific Corp said it\n  plans to sell its sawmill in Lakeview, Oregon and 18,000 acres\n  of timberland to Ostrander Construction Co.\n      The company said the transaciton shoould be finalized in\n  early April. Terms were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUBURBAN BANCORP <SUBBA> MERGER APPROVED\n","article":"  Suburban Bancorp Inc said it\n  received approval from the Federal Reserve Board to acquire\n  <Valley National Bank of Aurora> for an undisclosed price.\n      Suburban said it has received shareholder tenders for 100\n  pct of Valley National's stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"UNIVERSAL HOLDING CORP <UHCO> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr profit nil vs profit nine cts\n      Net profit 2,000 vs profit 195,000\n      Revs 2,623,000 vs 2,577,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 21 cts vs profit 13 cts\n      Net loss 425,000 vs profit 278,000\n      Revs 15.4 mln vs 8,637,000\n      Note: Net includes capital gains of 63,000 vs 211,000 for\n  qtr and 304,000 vs 292,000 for year. Current year net includes\n  charge of 716,000 from contract obligation to former chairman.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GREASE MONKEY HOLDING CORP <GMHC> YEAR NOV 30\n","article":"  Shr nil vs nil\n      Net 130,998 vs 30,732\n      Revs 1,568,941 vs 1,0053,234\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FREEDOM FEDERAL <FRFE> TO RECOGNIZE GAIN\n","article":"  Freedom Federal Savings Bank\n  said it will recognize in its first-quarter earnings a\n  previously deferred 1.5 mln dlr gain which resulted from the\n  sale of an apartment complex in 1983.\n      It said the recognition comes as a result of repayment of a\n  loan which was granted when the complex was sold.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"PARIS G-6 MEET SET NO TARGETS - LEIGH-PEMBERTON\n","article":"  Bank of England Governor Robin\n  Leigh-Pemberton said the Paris pact agreed between six leading\n  industrialised nations set no nominal exchange rate targets.\n      Leigh-Pemberton said in oral evidence to a select committee\n  that \"we did not swap numbers - we reached an understanding\" on\n  how to cooperate towards stabilizing currencies at around their\n  current levels.\n      He said the accord had brought Britain into a form of joint\n  currency float - but one which let it still purse an\n  independent monetary policy. \"I would concede that, since the\n  Louvre Accord, we are acting as if we are in something,\"\n  Leigh-Pemberton said.\n      \"The Louvre and Plaza accords show there is a very effective\n  role for the (Group of) seven central banks to operate together\"\n  towards stabilising exchange rates,\" Leigh-Pemberton said.\n      He did not mention this week's intervention by central\n  banks to support the dollar, after markets decided to test the\n  accord.\n       Leigh-Pemberton said that \"the effectiveness of this\n  (cooperation) is actually larger than many of us had thought in\n  the pre-Plaza days\" before September 1985.\n      He did not indicate what exchange rate levels were broadly\n  sought by the six nations, and noted that \"we are more effective\n  in our agreement if we can leave the markets guessing.\"\n      He did not indicate what exchange rate levels were broadly\n  sought by the six nations, and noted that \"we are more effective\n  in our agreement if we can leave the markets guessing.\"\n      Leigh-Pemberton said that, in principle, the Bank of\n  England favoured full EMS membership for sterling, provided\n  such a move did not endanger U.K. Anti-inflation monetary\n  policy. Asked whether he wanted to see U.K. Interest rates\n  lower, he said \"the two half point cuts (this month in banks'\n  base lending rates) have been appropriate up until now.\"\n      Leigh-Pemberton said he preferred a \"cautious step-by-step\n  approach\" to reducing short term interest rates, not least\n  because \"we have a potential problem with inflation.\"\n      Underlying U.K. Inflation was currently around 4.0 pct, \"one\n  of the highest\" among industrialised nations, he added.\n      Leigh-Pemberton said the Bank of England had not wanted\n  base rates to fall before the unveiling of the 1987\/88 budget\n  on March 17, but he said pressure from financial markets for\n  such a move had proved irresistible. Base rates are now at 10\n  pct.\n      Regarding sterling's relationship with oil, Leigh-Pemberton\n  said that the pound could be seen being undervalued overall.\n      He said the current oil price of some 18 dlrs a barrel\n  might suggest a level of 74 on the Bank of England's sterling\n  index, when compared with the index's level before oil prices\n  dropped from around the 30 dlr level. The index, base 1975,\n  closed here today at 72.1, unchanged from the previous close.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMMERCE CLEARING HOUSE INC <CCLR> HIKES DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 32 cts vs 30 cts prior\n      Pay April 29\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"QUANTECH ELECTRONICS CORP <QANT> 3RD QTR DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr loss 28 cts vs loss six cts\n      Net loss 561,029 vs loss 114,712\n      Revs 3,464,269 vs 4,083,833\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 56 cts vs loss 13 cts\n      Net loss 1,104,472 vs loss 261,791\n      Revs 10.5 mln vs 11.6 mln\n      NOTE: Prior year net includes losses from discontinued\n  operations of 99,209 dlrs in quarter and 202,097 dlrs in nine\n  mths. \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"QUANTECH <QANT> NEEDS ADDITIONAL FUNDS\n","article":"  Quantech Electronics Corp said\n  it is investigating available means of raising additional funds\n  needed to finance continuing operations, but there is no\n  assurance that it will succeed.\n      The company said it continues to experience negative cash\n  flow.  Today it reported a loss for the third quarter ended\n  December 31 of 561,029 dlrs, compared with a 114,712 dlr loss a\n  year before.\n      Quantech said it has received waivers from Marine Midland\n  Banks Inc <MM> through May 26 on covenants in its loan\n  agreement.\n      The company said Marine Midland has agreed to advance it an\n  additional working capital loan that will be personally\n  guaranteed by chairman Henry Ginsburg.  Loans from Marine\n  Midland are secured by substantially all company assets.\n      Quantech also said Bernard Weinblatt has rsigned as\n  president and a director, and until a replacement is found,\n  Ginsberg will act as chief executive and Leonard N. Hecht,\n  formerly chief executive, will act as chief operating officer.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"PDA ENGINEERING <PDAS> HALTS SOFTWARE SHIPMENTS\n","article":"  PDA Engineering said it has\n  temporarily deferred shipmetns of its PATRAN software for IBM\n  computers, due to a technical problem with the program.\n      The company said the deferral will reduce its thrid quarter\n  revenues and earnings.\n      PDA said it anticipates resuming shipments in the fourth\n  quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"P AND F INDUSTRIES INC <PFINA> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 16 cts vs 29 cts\n      Oper net 453,924 vs 726,816\n      Revs 12.0 mln vs 11.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,695,206 vs 2,562,160\n      Year\n      Oper shr 50 cts vs 50 cts\n      Oper net 1,365,655 vs 1,268,847\n      Revs 40.1 mln vs 33.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,695,206 vs 2,562,160\n      NOTE: Net excludes tax credits of 571,000 dlrs vs 496,000\n  dlrs in quarter and 1,347,000 dlrs vs 1,107,000 dlrs in year.\n      Share adjusted for one-for-five reverse split in October\n  1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FAIR LANES <FAIR> SHAREHOLDERS APPROVE MERGER\n","article":"  Fair Lanes Inc said its shareholders\n  approved the previously announced merger with Maricorp Inc, a\n  unit of <Northern Pacific Corp>.\n      Under terms of the merger, Fair Lanes said each of its\n  shares of common stock will be converted into the right to\n  receive 1.3043 shares of <BTR Realty Inc>, which is owned by\n  Fair Lines.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ALLIED RESEARCH ASSOCIATES INC <ARAI> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 63 cts vs 64 cts\n      Net 2,463,214 vs 2,509,832\n      Sales 34.4 mln vs 30.6 mln\n      NOTE: Backlog as of February 28 47.4 mln dlrs vs 34.9 mln\n  dlrs a year before.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"26-FEB-1987\n","article":"  26-FEB-1987\n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ACCEPTANCE INSURANCE HOLDINGS INC <ACPT> YEAR\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 1.80 dlrs vs loss 2.28 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 2,048,0000 vs loss 1,318,000\n      Revs 25.4 mln vs 12.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,135,000 vs 576,000\n      NOTE: Net excludes realized investment gains of 40,000 dlrs\n  vs 13,000 dlrs.\n      1986 net excludes 729,000 dlr tax credit.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CARDENAS SEES NO MAJOR DECISIONS AT ICO MEETING\n","article":"  Jorge Cardenas, manager of Colombia's\n  coffee growers' federation, said he did not believe any\n  important decisions would emerge from an upcoming meeting of\n  the International Coffee Organization (ICO).\n      The ICO executive board is set to meet in London from March\n  31 and could decide to call a special council session by the\n  end of April to discuss export quotas.\n      \"It's going to be a routine meeting, an update of what has\n  been happening in the market, but it's unlikely any major\n  decisions are taken,\" Cardenas told journalists.\n      Earlier this month, talks in London to re-introduce export\n  quotas, suspended in February 1986, ended in failure.\n      Colombian finance minister Cesar Gaviria, also talking to\n  reporters at the end of the weekly National Coffee Committee\n  meeting, said the positions of Brazil and of the United States\n  were too far apart to allow a prompt agreement on quotas.\n      Brazil's coffee chief Jorio Dauster said yesterday Brazil\n  would not change its coffee policies.\n      Cardenas said the market situation was getting clearer\n  because the trade knew the projected output and stockpile\n  levels of producers.\n      He said according to ICO statistics there was a shortfall\n  of nine mln (60-kg) bags on the world market between October,\n  the start of the coffee year, and February.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CB AND T <CBTB> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  CB and T Bancshares Inc said the\n  board of Carrolton State Bank of Carrolton, Ga., has approved a\n  merger into CB and T for an undisclosed amount of stock,\n  subject to approval by regulatory agencies and Carrolton\n  shareholders.\n      Carrolton has 26 mln dlrs in assets.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN BRANDS <AMB> SEES HIGHER 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  American Brands Inc said it expects\n  first quarter net earnings to exceed the record 118.7 mln dlrs\n  or 1.05 dlrs a share it earned for the year-ago quarter.\n      The company also said it believes sales in the first\n  quarter will surpass record sales of 2.1 billion dlrs last\n  year.\n      The company said unit sales of American Tobacco's Lucky\n  Strike Filter line rose 20 pct last year, which led to a gain\n  for he Lucky franchise.\n      American Brands said it will introduce a new low-priced\n  brand of cigarettes called Malibu.\n      The company's U.K.-based Gallaher Ltd unit had a strong\n  performance in 1986 and became the second-largest contributor\n  to operating earnings, American Brands said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"USX <X> SAYS TALKS ENDED WITH BRITISH PETROLEUM\n","article":"  USX Corp chairman David Roderick said\n  the company had ended talks with British Petroleum Co Plc <BP>\n  about the possible sale of some energy assets and said USX has\n  no immediate restructuring plans for its oil businesses.\n      \"We have terminated our discussions,\" Roderick told Reuters\n  after a speech to the Petroleum Equipment Suppliers Association\n  here. He said USX was not conducting talks with any other\n  possible buyer of its energy assets.\n      Earlier today, BP said it planned to offer 70 dlrs per\n  share for the Standard Oil Co's <SRD> publicly held stock.\n      USX said in December the company had held formal\n  discussions with BP about the potential sale of some of its\n  overseas oil assets and USX had received expressions of\n  interest from a half dozen other oil companies.\n      Roderick, in response to a question, said USX had no\n  immediate plans to restructure its Marathon Oil Co, or Texas\n  Oil and Gas Corp. He said USX also did not plan to sell any of\n  its 49 pct interest in the giant Yates Field in west Texas.\n      \"We want to maintain our production in the Yates Field\n  during these difficult times,\" Roderick added.\n      In response to a question, Roderick also said he did not\n  know whether Australian investor Robert Holmes a Court was\n  accumulating USX stock. In recent days, traders have suggested\n  Holmes a Court was buying additional shares.\n      Roderick said Carl Ichan, who terminated an eight billion\n  dlr hostile takeover plan for USX in January, continued to hold\n  a sizable interest in the company. \"Mr. Ichan still apparently\n  has 11.4 pct. He hasn't bought any more stock or sold any,\"\n  Roderick said. \"He's a very satisfied shareholder right now. I\n  talk with him monthly.\"\n      In his speech, Roderick predicted the fall in the value of\n  the dollar would set the stage for the U.S. to solve its trade\n  deficit problem which totaled 170 billion dlrs in 1986.\n      \"I expect by the early 1990s the U.S. will be running a net\n  trade surplus,\" Roderick said. \"I think the worst is over and\n  we can look forward to stability and upward movement ahead.\"\n      However, the USX chairman warned that European trading\n  partners may resist the turn in the U.S. trade deficit. \"Some\n  economic discomfort must be transferred from the United States\n  to our friends, trading partners and allies.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NY TRADERS SAY SOVIETS MADE LARGE SUGAR PURCHASE\n","article":"  The Soviet Union bought almost 90,000\n  tonnes of raw sugar from international trade houses last night,\n  with some of the sugar changing hands at discounts to the spot\n  May world sugar contract, according to trade sources.\n      They said Japanese trade houses sold up to three cargoes of\n  Thai sugar for relatively nearby delivery.\n      British and European-based trade houses sold the remaining\n  six cargoes for shipment between April\/May\/July, they said.\n      Traders said this week's sharp fall in world sugar prices\n  helped to provoke the Soviet Union into covering nearby needs.\n      Yesterday, spot May sugar closed at 7.18 cents a pound.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MARTIN LAWRENCE LIMITED EDITIONS <MLLE> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 20 cts vs six cts\n      Net 861,000 vs 266,000\n      Revs 10.2 mln vs 6,036,000\n      Note: 4th qtr data not given.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COMMONWEALTH ENERGY SYSTEM <CES> DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 68 cts vs 68 cts in prior qtr\n      Payable May one\n      Record April 14\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MINSTAR INC <MNST> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 31 cts vs loss 30 cts\n      Oper net loss 5,429,000 vs loss 5,216,000\n      Revs 257.5 mln vs 243.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 17.5 mln vs 13.5 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss eight cts vs profit 28 cts\n      Oper net loss 1,324,000 vs profit 4,067,000\n      Revs 989.5 mln vs 747.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 17.6 mln vs 15.7 mln\n     \n      NOTE: 1986 operating net loss excludes income from\n  discontinued operations equal to 11 cts in the quarter and 66\n  cts in the year compared with 1.07 dlrs in the quarter and 1.23\n  dlrs in the respective periods of 1985.\n      1986 operating net loss also excludes extraordinary charges\n  of 14 cts in the quarter and 54 cts in the year.\n      1985 operating net profit excludes an extraordinary gain of\n  47 cts.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRANSWORLD TRUST <TWT> SETS INITIAL PAY DATE\n","article":"  Transworld Liquidating Trust said it\n  will distribute proceeds from the sale of Hilton International\n  Co to UAL Inc <UAL> to its holders on April 8.\n      The deal is expected to close March 31, the day trading\n  ceases in the Liquidating Trust shares.\n      UAL will pay 632.5 mln dlrs cash, 2,564,000 shares of UAL\n  common stock and 200 mln dlrs worth of UAL debentures to\n  Transworld, but it may substitute cash for the securities. The\n  initial distribution will include all the cash, stock and\n  debentures received in connection with the sale, the company\n  said.\n      The shares in the Trust formerly represented shares of\n  Transworld Corp common stock.\n      The company said the balance of cash in the Trust will be\n  used to satisfy all liabilities and obligations of the Trust.\n  After satisfaction of the payments, the company will make a\n  second distribution around April 29, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ELECTRO-SENSORS INC <ELSE> VOTES EXTRA PAYOUT\n","article":"  Electro-Sensors Inc said its board\n  voted an extraordinary cash dividend on its common stock of 10\n  cts a share payable May 15, record April 30.\n      The company paid an extraordinary dividend of 10 cts in May\n  1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. HOME <UH> SEES BEST FIRST QTR SINCE 1983\n","article":"  U.S. Home Corp said its first quarter\n  ending March 31, 1987, will be its most profitable first\n  quarter since 1983.\n      The company said in 1983, it recorded a profit of 8,600,000\n  dlrs for its first quarter. The three following first quarters\n  resulted in losses of 3,200,000 dlrs, 3,500,000 dlrs and\n  1,800,000 dlrs, respectively, the company said.\n      U.S. Home declined to put a specific figure on what its net\n  earnings would be for the coming first quarter, but said it\n  would definitely record a profit.\n      In other news, U.S. Home said its shareholders approved an\n  amendment to its company's certificate of incorporation\n  relating to the liability of the company's directors.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROCKEFELLER CENTER PROPERTIES <RCP> UPS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Rockefeller Center Properties Inc said\n  it raised its quarterly dividend to 45 cts from 44 cts a share.\n      The dividend is payable April 27 to shareholders of record\n  April 7.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SANDUSTRY PLASTICS INC <SPI> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr seven cts vs 26 cts\n      Net 200,000 vs 450,000\n      Revs 7,291,000 vs 1,177,000\n      12 mths\n      Shr 37 cts vs 77 cts\n      Net 801,000 vs 1,329,000\n      Revs 26 mln vs 28.6 mln\n      NOTE: 1985 year includes extraordinary gain of 10 cts per\n  share.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHINA SWITCHES U.S. WHEAT TO 1987\/88 FROM 86\/87\n","article":"  China has switched purchases of U.S.\n  wheat totaling 60,000 tonnes from the 1986\/87 season, which\n  began June 1, to 1987\/88 season delivery, the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department said.\n      The department said outstanding wheat sales to China for\n  the current season amount to 90,000 tonnes and sales for\n  delivery in the 1987\/88 season amount to 910,000 tonnes.\n      Total corn commitments for the 1986\/87 season total\n  1,015,800 tonnes, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COCOA CHAIRMAN WORKS TOWARDS BUFFER COMPROMISE\n","article":"  International Cocoa Organization's,\n  ICCO, council chairman Denis Bra Kanon continued work towards a\n  compromise plan on how the ICCO buffer stock should buy cocoa,\n  consumer delegates said.\n      Consumer delegates said Bra Kanon had not formally\n  presented the compromise plan to producers and consumers, and\n  it was unlikely he would do so before Friday, they said.\n      There was widespread confidence a result on the outstanding\n  items could be reached by Friday, when the council session is\n  due to end, consumers said.\n      Bra Kanon completed bilateral consultations with several\n  delegations today on the main sticking points in the draft\n  buffer stock rules package, they said.\n      Certain delegations wanted further discussion on the amount\n  of non-member cocoa the buffer stock will be permitted to buy,\n  differentials for different origin cocoas and limits on buffer\n  stock purchases of nearby, and forward material, the delegates\n  said.\n      The buffer stock working group finalized the remaining\n  buffer stock rules, with only minor modifications to the\n  original draft buffer stock package produced last week, the\n  delegates said.\n      The ICCO council is due to elect a new executive director\n  when it reconvenes Friday, producer delegates said.\n      Producers intend to present a single candidate for the\n  post, and this is most likely to be Edouard Kouame from Ivory\n  Coast, they said.\n      Earlier, the existing executive director, Kobena Erbynn\n  from Ghana, was expected to re-nominated, but he is now likely\n  to withdraw, the delegates said.\n      The executive committee is due to meet Friday at 1100 GMT,\n  with the council unlikely to reconvene until late Friday,\n  consumers said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRANCE WILL FIGHT EC FARM PROPOSALS - MINISTER\n","article":"  French Agricultural Minister\n  Francois Guillaume warned that France would flatly reject\n  proposed reforms of the European Community, EC, cereals, sugar\n  and oilseeds sectors, which he said would disrupt these\n  markets.\n      The EC Commission's proposals to shorten the intervention\n  period and lower monthly premiums for cereals and increase the\n  financial burden on the sugar producers will also result in\n  lower real prices for producers, he told farmers here.\n      \"I give you my word that France, while it will not reject\n  technical adjustments or serious discussion, will simply reply\n  in the negative to these bad reforms,\" Guillaume told the annual\n  conference of the country's major farm union, FNSEA \n  (Federation Nationale des Syndicats Dexploitants Agricoles).\n      Community agricultural ministers are due to meet again\n  Monday to try and agree a package of reforms to curb spiralling\n  EC output and fix farm prices for 1987\/88.\n      Relations between the government and farmers have become\n  strained in France in recent months.\n      There have been sporadic but frequent demonstrations by\n  farmers protesting over sharp falls in meat and pork prices and\n  further cutbacks in Community milk output.\n      But Guillaume's warning that he would reject reorganisation\n  of the EC cereal and sugar markets -- France being a major\n  producer of both crops -- won him warm applause from the\n  FNSEA's farmers.\n      His pledge to fight the EC proposals and push for the\n  complete dismantling of the system of cross border taxes\n  designed to smooth out currency differences known as Monetary\n  Compensatory Amounts, MCA's, however, are unlikely to avoid\n  further protests by producers.\n      Farm leader Raymond Lacombe said the union planned to go\n  ahead with a series of major protests both in France and abroad\n  against the EC Commission's proposals to overhaul the farm\n  sector.\n      \"The Minister's proposals back up our determination to\n  organise union action in the coming weeks,\" he told reporters,\n  adding that this could also act in Guillaume's favour on a\n  ministerial level.\n      Guillaume was head of the FNSEA for many years before being\n  appointed farm minister last spring.\n      Lacombe refused to say whether the farmers felt that\n  Guillaume was doing a good job as farm minister.\n      There have been certain advances on cutting production\n  costs, reducing fiscal costs and awarding drought aid, but\n  there are still areas where more could be done such as on\n  farmers' indebtedness, he said.\n      Guillaume told the conference the government will make\n  available 2.4 billion francs (396 mln dlrs) to help producers\n  reduce milk output and to encourage older farmers to retire.\n      The government has already announced financial aid for the\n  milk sector and it was not clear how much of the package\n  announced today was new aid, Lacombe said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FIRST FINANCIAL <FFMC> BUYS CONFIDATA\n","article":"  First Financial Management Corp said it\n  acquired Confidata Corp, a unit of <North Ridge Bank>, paying\n  500,000 dlrs in cash and pledging a guarantee on a 500,000 dlr\n  Confidata note held by North Ridge.\n      First Financial, which provides data processing services to\n  community banks and other financial institutions, said the\n  acquisition will expand its customer base.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"COMBUSTION ENGINEERING <CSP> UNIT IN BUYOUT\n","article":"  Combustion Engineering Inc said\n  its C-E Environmental Systems and Services Inc unit agreed in\n  principle to acquire <E.C. Jordan and Co>, a privately held\n  firm based in Portland, Me.\n      Terms of the acquisition were mot disclosed.\n      Combustion Engineering said C-E Environmental, which\n  provides environmental sciences and management services, had\n  1986 sales of about 24 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<MARK RESOURCES INC> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr not given\n      Loss 54.9 mln\n      Revs 27.2 mln\n      Note: Prior year results not given. 1986 results include\n  accounts of 89 pct owned <Precambrian Shield Resources Ltd>,\n  acquired November 5, 1986\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PEPCO <POM> TWO MTHS FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 49 cts vs 57 cts\n      Net 25.1 mln vs 28.9 mln\n      Revs 202.8 mln vs 220.9 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 4.05 dlrs vs 3.66 dlrs\n      Net 223.9 mln vs 186.4 mln\n      Revs 1.35 billion vs 1.34 billion\n      NOTE: Full name Potomac Electric Power Co\n      1987 year includes extraordinary gain of 21.7 mln, or 46\n  cts per share, for the June 1986 sale of the company's Virginia\n  service territory to Virginia Power.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ITALIAN 1986 GDP UP 2.7 PCT, UNEMPLOYMENT RISES\n","article":"  Extracts from a report by Italy's Budget\n  Ministry on the country's economic development in 1986 showed\n  gross domestic product (GDP) 2.7 pct higher in real terms than\n  in 1985 but a rise in unemployment.\n      GDP calculated at 1980 prices rose to 434,682 billion lire\n  last year from 423,064 billion in 1985. On a current prices\n  basis, GDP was up 11 pct, totalling 894,362 billion lire in\n  1986 against 805,754 billion in 1985.\n       But growth was insufficient to prevent a rise in\n  unemployment to 11.1 pct last year from 10.3 pct in 1985, the\n  ministry said.\n      The report said falling oil prices and the depreciation of\n  the dollar during 1986 had favoured oil-importing countries\n  such as Italy.\n      These factors helped Italy cut inflation to an average 6.3\n  pct in 1986, down from 9.3 pct in 1985.\n      They also helped a major improvement in the trade balance.\n      On the basis of data recently recalculated by the national\n  statistics institute Istat, Italy had a trade deficit in 1986\n  of 3,722 billion lire, the report said. This slightly revises a\n  previous deficit figure of 3,717 billion issued by Istat and\n  compares with a negative balance of 23,085 billion for 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"26-MAR-1987\n","article":"  26-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FERRUZZI PARIS UNIT SEEN ABSORBING CPC PURCHASE\n","article":"  Sources close to Italy's <Gruppo\n  Ferruzzi> said <European Sugar (France)>, a French company\n  owned by Ferruzzi, would take over control of <CPC Industrial\n  Division>, the corn wet milling business acquired by the\n  Italian group earlier this week from CPC International Inc\n  <CPC>.\n      The sources told Reuters that European Sugar, owned by\n  Ferruzzi subsidiary Eridania Zuccherifici Nazionali SpA\n  <ERDI.MI>, planned to seek a listing on the Paris bourse and\n  make a share offering there.\n      CPC International announced Tuesday it had agreed in\n  principle to sell its European corn wet millng business to\n  Ferruzzi. The deal is worth 630 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DECISION INDUSTRIES <DIC> SEES 1ST QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Decision Industries Corp said it\n  expects to report an operating loss of 19-24 cts a share for\n  the first quarter ending March 31 mainly due to lower profit\n  margins and higher sales and marketing costs.\n      In the 1st quarter of last year, when the company's quarter\n  ended Feb 28, 1986, it earned 957,000 dlrs or 10 cts a share on\n  revenues of 45 mln dlrs.\n      Decision also said it entered into an agreement to sell its\n  International Computerized Telemarketing Inc subsidiary to an\n  investor group headed by the unit's senior management. Terms\n  were not disclosed.\n      Decision also said it consolidated its Decision Development\n  Corp subsidiary into Decision Data Computer Corp, the unit\n  which designs, manufactures and sells its System\/3X peripheral\n  products.\n      It said this restructuring will adversely affect its first\n  quarter earnings, but it said it expects to realize a\n  \"significant savings\" in operating expenses through the\n  remainder of the year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LOMAK <LOMK>, STRATA <STRATA> IN MERGER PACT\n","article":"  Lomak Petroleum Inc and Strata\n  Corp, based in Columbus, Ohio, jointly said they entered into a\n  merger agreement for Strata to become a wholly owned subsidiary\n  of Lomak.\n      Under the merger's terms, Strata shareholders will receive\n  5.7 cts per share of Strata common and warrants to buy about\n  .06 shares of Lomak common at 37.5 cts per share on or before\n  December 31, 1990, for each Strata common share.\n      The merger is subject to approval by the companies' boards\n  and shareholders and agreement of certain Strata creditors,\n  among other things, said the companies.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRANSFORM LOGIC <TOOG> REVISES RESULTS DOWNWARD\n","article":"  Transform Logic Corp said it\n  has revised downward its previously reported fourth quarter and\n  year, ended October 31, results to reflect compensation expense\n  for employee stock options.\n      The company said resolution of this disagreement with its\n  auditors came as a result of Securities and Exchange Commission\n  involvement. The company will amend its option-granting\n  procedure to conform to the SEC decision which will eliminate\n  future charges, it added.\n      Transform said its fourth quarter profit was revised to\n  305,082 dlrs, or two cts a share, from the previously reported\n  580,955 dlrs, which left the company with a fiscal 1986 loss of\n  249,814 dlrs, or two cts a share, instead of the reported\n  26,195 dlrs profit.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CALIFORNIA MICRO <CAMD>, GRUMMAN <GQ> SET PACT\n","article":"  California Micro Devices Corp\n  said it has signed an agreement with Grumman Corp's Tachonics\n  Corp unit to develop and product gallium arsenide\n  seminconductor chips.\n      Under the pact, California Micro Devices will design the\n  chips and Tachonics will manufacture them.\n      Initial products to be developed will be gate arrays with\n  500 to 2,500 gate complexity and radiation hardening\n  capabilities, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"N.Y. BUSINESS LOANS FALL 222 MLN DLRS IN MARCH 18 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  N.Y. BUSINESS LOANS FALL 222 MLN DLRS IN MARCH 18 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. COMMERCIAL PAPER RISES 35 MLN DLRS IN MARCH 18 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. COMMERCIAL PAPER RISES 35 MLN DLRS IN MARCH 18 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEW YORK BUSINESS LOANS FALL 222 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  Commercial and industrial loans on the\n  books of the 10 major New York banks, excluding acceptances,\n  fell 222 mln dlrs to 64.05 billion in the week ended March 18,\n  the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said.\n      Including acceptances, loans fell 390 mln dlrs to 64.74\n  billion.\n      Commercial paper outstanding nationally rose 35 mln dlrs to\n  339.04 billion.\n      National business loan data are scheduled to be released on\n  Friday.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"N.Y. BANK DISCOUNT BORROWINGS NIL IN WEEK\n","article":"  The eight major New York City banks\n  did not borrow from the Federal Reserve in the week ended\n  Wednesday March 25, a Fed spokesman said.\n      It was the second half of a two-week bank statement period\n  that ended on Wednesday. The banks did not borrow in the first\n  week of the period.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICANTURE <AAIX> BUYS AMERICAN ADVENTURE\n","article":"  Americanture Inc said it has\n  purchased American Adventure Inc <GOAQC> for cash, the\n  assumption of liabilities and the issuance of American\n  Adventure Inc common and preferred stock to creditors,\n  shareholders and members.\n      The acquisition was pursuant of a Chapter 11 reorganization\n  plan of American Adventure.\n      The company said the transaction involved assets valued at\n  more than 83 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN STORES <ASC> SEES LOWER YEAR NET\n","article":"  American Stores Co said it\n  expects to report earnings per share of 3.70 to 3.85 dlrs per\n  share on sales of slightly over 14 billion dlrs for the year\n  ended January 31.\n      The supermarket chain earned 4.11 dlrs per share on sales\n  of 13.89 billion dlrs last year.\n      The company did not elaborate.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CAMPBELL SOUP CO <CPB> SETS QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 36 cts vs 36 cts\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 7\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EQUITABLE RESOURCES INC <EQT> IN REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 30 cts vs 30 cts prior\n      Pay June one\n      Record May eight\n      NOTE: Current dividend is equivalent to previous quarterly\n  dividend of 45 cts per share, after giving effect to 3-for-2\n  stock split effective March 3, 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ELECTROSOUND GROUP INC <ESG>3RD QTR FEB 28 LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss one cts vs loss five cts\n      Oper net loss 15,000 vs loss 79,000\n      Revs 6,244,000 vs 8,148,000\n      Avg shrs 1,912,000 vs 1,537,000\n      Nine mths\n      Oper shr profit 19 cts vs profit 22 cts\n      Oper net profit 347,000 vs profit 341,000\n      Revs 22.6 mln vs 28.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,840,000 vs 1,537,000\n     \n      Note: Oper excludes tax losses of 13,000 vs 85,000 for qtr\n  and tax credits of 258,000 vs 235,000 for nine mths.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BP <BP> MAY HAVE TO RAISE BID -  ANALYSTS\n","article":"  British Petroleum Co PLC may have to\n  raise its planned 70 dlrs a share tender offer for the publicly\n  traded shares of Standard Oil Co <SRD>, analysts said.\n      \"There's a lot of speculation here that someway or other\n  they would be forced to come up with another bid,\" said Rosario\n  Ilaqua of L.F. Rothschild.\n      And despite BP managing director David Simon's denial today\n  that BP would raise the offer, the analysts said that remained\n  a distinct possibility.\n      Analysts said they base their thinking on Royal Dutch\/Shell\n  Group's <RD> <SC> bid to buy the outstanding stake of Shell Oil\n  Co in 1984 and 1985. Royal Dutch\/Shell eventually raised its\n  initial 55 dlrs a share offer to 60 dlrs a share, after\n  lawsuits by minority shareholders.\n      \"I think they're going to have to go a little higher\n  eventually, just as Royal Dutch\/Shell had to go a little higher\n  for the Shell Oil minority shares,\" Bruce Lazier of Prescott\n  Ball and Turben said. He estimated a price of 75 dlrs a share.\n      Royal Dutch\/Shell offered 55 dlrs a share for the 30.5 pct\n  of Shell Oil it did not already own in January of 1984. After\n  objections from minority shareholders about the price, Royal\n  Dutch\/Shell raised its bid and began a 58 dlrs a share tender\n  offer in April 1984.\n      But shareholders sued and a court blocked completion of the\n  offer. After months of wrangling over the worth of Shell Oil,\n  Royal Dutch\/Shell agreed to another two dlrs increase.\n      It ended up paying 5.67 billion dlrs for the outstanding\n  Shell Oil stake, a significant premium to its original bid of\n  about 5.2 billion dlrs.\n      The analysts made their comments before Simon's remarks at\n  a BP press conference in New York this afternoon.\n      Sanford Margoshes of Shearson Lehman Brothers Inc told\n  clients this morning that a sweetened offer was possible. The\n  analyst said the bid could be raised by two dlrs a share.\n      Analysts do not expect regulatory hurdles because of the\n  Royal Dutch\/Shell group precedent. But there may be shareholder\n  lawsuits for the same reason, they said.\n      Goldman Sachs and Co, BP's investment advisor, advised the\n  Shell Oil board in 1984 and 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KASLER CORP <KASL> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit three cts vs loss seven cts\n      Net profit 161,000 vs loss 367,000\n      Revs 24.3 mln vs 26.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VIACOM <VIA> SETS RECORD DATE FOR MERGER VOTE\n","article":"  Viacom International Inc said it set\n  April 6 as the record date for shareholders entitled to vote at\n  a special meeting to be held to vote on the proposed merger of\n  Arsenal Acquiring Corp, a wholly-owned subsidiary of <Arsenal\n  Holdings Inc> into Viacom.\n      It said the date of the special meeting has not yet been\n  determined.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NO GRAIN SHIPMENTS TO THE USSR -- USDA\n","article":"  There were no shipments of U.S.\n  grain or soybeans to the Soviet Union in the week ended March\n  19, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department's latest\n  Export Sales report.\n       The USSR has purchased 2.40 mln tonnes of U.S. corn for\n  delivery in the fourth year of the U.S.-USSR grain agreement.\n       Total shipments in the third year of the U.S.-USSR grains\n  agreement, which ended September 30, amounted to 152,600 tonnes\n  of wheat, 6,808,100 tonnes of corn and 1,518,700 tonnes of\n  soybeans.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COURIER <CRRC> SEES SECOND QUARTER LOSS\n","article":"  Courier Corp said it expects to\n  report a small loss for the second fiscal quarter against a\n  profit of 828,000 dlrs a year ago.\n      The company attributed the loss to competitive pressures\n  which have cut gross margins. In addition, it said it is\n  incurring significant expenses from management programs aimed\n  at reducing costs and boosting productivity.\n      It said its Murray Printing Co unit has undertaken a\n  program of extended work hours, and salary and job cuts which\n  will save more than 1.5 mln dlrs annually.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONTINUING CARE ASSOCIATES <CONC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr four cts vs two cts\n      Net 59,700 vs 27,300\n      Revs 3,123,900 vs 1,911,900\n      12 mths\n      Shr six cts vs nine cts\n      Net 94,100 vs 81,600\n      Revs 9,802,000 vs 5,922,000\n      NOTE: qtr 1986 and qtr prior includes tax gain 9,000 and\n  1,900, respectively; and year 1986 and year prior includes tax\n  gain 18,000 and 21,000, respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USDA COMMENTS ON EXPORT SALES REPORT\n","article":"  Corn sales of 2,806,300 tonnes in\n  the week ended March 19 were the highest level since\n  mid-November, 1979, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      The department said the USSR dominated the week's activity\n  with purchases of 1.4 mln tonnes (which were earlier reported\n  under the daily reporting system). Other large increaes were\n  posted for Japan and unknown destinations, it said.\n      Taiwan purchased 296,300 tonnes for the 1986\/87 season and\n  170,000 tonnes for the 1987\/88 season, it said.\n      Wheat sales of 317,200 tonnes for the current season and\n  125,000 tonnes for the 1987\/88 season were down about one-third\n  from the preceding week and the four-week average.\n      Wheat sales to China of 60,000 tonnes were switched from\n  1986\/87 to the 1987\/88 season, it noted.\n      Soybean sales of 483,100 tonnes were 11 pct above the prior\n  week and two-thirds above the four-week average.\n      Japan, the Netherlands, Mexico and Portugal were the main\n  buyers, the department said.\n      Soybean cake and meal sales of 289,400 tonnes were\n  two-thirds above the previous week and the largest of the\n  marketing year, with Venezuela the dominant purchaser.\n      Sales activity in soybean oil resulted in decreases of\n  4,400 tonnes, as reductions for unknown destinations more than\n  offset increases for Canada, the Dominican Republic and Panama,\n  the department said.\n      Cotton sales of 57,900 running bales -- 43,800 bales for\n  the current year and 14,200 bales for the 1987\/88 season --\n  were off 25 pct from the previous week and 50 pct from the\n  four-week average.\n      Turkey, Thailand, South Korea and Canada were the major\n  buyers for the current season, while Thailand, Britain and\n  Japan were the major purchasers from the upcoming season, the\n  department said.\n       Sorghum sales of 178,800 tonnes were two-thirds above the\n  prior week and 75 pct over the four-week average.\n      Venezuela was the leading buyer it said.\n      Sales of 41,800 tonnes of barley were 10 times the previous\n  week and 10 pct greater than  the four-week average. Israel,\n  Cyprus and Saudi Arabia were the main buyers, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. M-1 MONEY SUPPLY RISES 1.2 BILLION  DLRS IN MARCH 16 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. M-1 MONEY SUPPLY RISES 1.2 BILLION  DLRS IN MARCH 16 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. BANK DISCOUNT BORROWINGS AVERAGE 302 MLN DLRS A DAY IN MARCH 25 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. BANK DISCOUNT BORROWINGS AVERAGE 302 MLN DLRS A DAY IN MARCH 25 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. BANK NET FREE RESERVES 603 MLN DLRS IN TWO WEEKS TO MARCH 25, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. BANK NET FREE RESERVES 603 MLN DLRS IN TWO WEEKS TO MARCH 25, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VALLEY FEDERAL <VFED> SPLITS STOCK TWO-FOR-ONE\n","article":"  Valley Federal Savings and\n  Loan Association said its board declared a two-for-one stock\n  split for its common stock.\n      The split will be effected in the form of a 100 pct stock\n  dividend, to be issued April 30 to stockholders of record March\n  31.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ATCOR <ATCO> CUTS DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Atcor Inc said it cut its\n  quarterly dividend to three cts per share from 12 cts because\n  of depressed earnings.\n      The dividend is payable April 15 to holders of record April\n  6.\n      It said it will continue to review the dividend on a\n  quarterly basis.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. M-1 MONEY SUPPLY RISES 1.2 BILLION DLR\n","article":"  U.S. M-1 money supply rose 1.2 billion\n  dlrs to a seasonally adjusted 740.2 billion dlrs in the March\n  16 week, the Federal Reserve said.\n      The previous week's M-1 level was revised to 739.0 billion\n  dlrs from 738.7 billion, while the four-week moving average of\n  M-1 rose to 739.1 billion dlrs from 738.3 billion.\n      Economists polled by Reuters said that M-1 would rise\n  anywhere from 700 mln dlrs to three billion dlrs. The average\n  forecast called for a 1.8 billion dlr increase.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TERRANO CORP <TRNO> YEAR DEC 31 OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 12 cts vs loss 1.15 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 300,286 vs loss 2,855,887\n      Revs 2,456,616 mln vs 2,979,206\n      Avg shrs 2,527,720 vs 2,482,197\n      NOTE: 1986 earnings exclude extraordinary gain from\n  forgiveness of debt through reorganization under Chapter 11 of\n  280,505 dlrs, or 11 cts a share\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ATCOR INC <ATCO> CUT DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div three cts vs 12 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record April 6\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"UNILEVER HAS IMPROVED MARGINS, VOLUMES IN 1986\n","article":"  Unilever Plc <UN.A> and NV group reported\n  improvements in margins and underlying sales volume growth of\n  five pct in 1986 after stripping out the effects of falling\n  prices, disposals and currency movements, Unilever Plc chairman\n  Michael Angus said.\n      He told reporters that volumes in North America increased\n  some 10.5 pct while European consumer goods rose about 2.5 pct\n  after being flat for some years.\n      Much of the disposal strategy, aimed at concentrating\n  activities on core businesses, had now been completed, he\n  noted.\n      But the process of acquisitions would go on, with strategic\n  acquisitions taking place \"from time to time,\" he said.\n      The company earlier reported a 20 pct rise in pre-tax\n  profits for 1986 to 1.14 billion stg from 953 mln previously.\n  In guilder terms, however, profits at the pre-tax level dropped\n  three pct to 3.69 billion from 3.81 billion.\n      Angus said the recent purchase of Chesebrough-Pond's Inc\n  <CBM.N> for 72.50 dlrs a share was unlikely to bring any\n  earnings dilution.\n      However, it would not add much to profits, with much of the\n  company's operating profits paying for the acquisition costs.\n      Finance director Niall Fitzgerald added that while gearing\n  - debt to equity plus debt - rose to about 60 pct at end 1986\n  from 35 pct last year, this was expected to drop back to about\n  40 pct by end-1987.\n      The same divergence was made in full year dividend, with\n  Unilever NV's rising 3.4 pct to 15.33 guilders and Unilever\n  Plc's increasing 29.9 pct to 50.17p, approximately in line with\n  the change in attributable profit.\n      Angus said the prospectus for the sale of parts of\n  Chesebrough was due to be published shortly. However, he said\n  that there was no target date for completing the process.\n      He also declined to say what sort of sum Unilever hoped to\n  realise from the operation, beyond noting that Chesebrough had\n  paid around 1.25 billion dlrs for Stauffer Chemical Co, which\n  operates outside Unilever's core activities.\n      In the U.S., Organic growth from the Lipton Foods business,\n  considerable expansion in the household products business and\n  in margarine had been behind the overall sales increase.\n      However, he noted that the U.S. Household products business\n  had turned in a planned loss, with fourth quarter performance\n  better than expected despite the anticipated heavy launch costs\n  of its Surf detergents.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"STANDARD OIL <SRD> SEES BOOST IN 1987 CASH FLOW\n","article":"  Standard Oil Co expects the sale of\n  assets and federal tax refunds resulting from last year's loss\n  to add about one billion dlrs to its normal cash flows from\n  operations in 1987, its annual report said.\n      Last year, the report noted, the cash flow from operations\n  dropped to 1.8 billion dlrs from 3.5 billion dlrs in 1985 and\n  3.2 billion dlrs in 1984 due principally to lower oil prices.\n      The report, prepared before British Petroleum Co Plc <BP>\n  disclosed plans to seek the rest of Standard's stock, put 1987\n  capital spending at 1.6 billion dlrs, down from the 1.7 billion\n  dlrs projected in January.\n      Standard's capital spending totaled 1.77 billion dlrs in\n  1986.\n      The report showed a decline in proven oil reserves to 2.41\n  billion barrels at the end of 1986 from 2.65 billion barrels a\n  year earlier as discoveries and other additions dropped to 11.4\n  mln barrels last year from 23.2 mln in 1985.\n      But it said gas reeserves rose to 7.31 trillion cubic feet\n  from 7.22 trillion at the end of 1985 despite a 30.9 mln cubic\n  feet downward revision in previous reserve estimates during\n  1986. Discoveries and other additions totaled 200.5 billion\n  cubic feet last year, up from 175.9 billion in 1985, it added.\n      Standard said both oil and gas production increased last\n  year -- to 726,600 barrels per day from 719,700 barrels the\n  previous day and to 154.4 mln cubic feet daily from 10.1 mln in\n  1985.\n      But the average sales price of both dropped -- to 13.83\n  dlrs per barrel from 26.43 dlrs for oil in 1985 and to 1.49\n  dlrs per thousand cubic feet from 2.18 dlrs a year earlier.\n      Standard said its refined product sales also rose last\n  year, to 644,500 barrels per day from 604,200 barrels daily in\n  1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FORMER HERSTATT DEALER CAN BE SUED, COURT RULES\n","article":"  The former chief currency\n  dealer of Herstatt Bank, which collapsed in 1974 on foreign\n  exchange speculation in West Germany's biggest banking crash,\n  can stand trial for damages, a court ruled.\n      The court overturned a claim by Danny Dattel that a case\n  for damages should not be allowed after such a long interval.\n      Herstatt creditors are seeking 12.5 mln marks from Dattel,\n  whom they accuse of causing losses at the bank of over 500 mln\n  marks by manipulating forward foreign exchange contracts.\n      The crash of the private Herstatt bank with losses of over\n  one billion marks stunned West Germany's business community,\n  and led to a tightening of banking regulations.\n      The losses were even greater than the 480 mln marks\n  announced recently by Volkswagen as a result of fraud in\n  currency transactions.\n      Ivan Herstatt, managing director of the bank when it\n  collapsed, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison in\n  1984 but appealed. Six other people associated with the bank\n  were jailed in 1983.\n      But Dattel was freed from prosecution after he produced\n  medical evidence of paranoia caused by Nazi persecution during\n  his childhood, which might have led him to take his own life.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEXT FEW MONTHS CRUCIAL FOR OIL - HERNANDEZ\n","article":"  Energy and Mines Minister Arturo\n  Hernandez Grisanti today told a meeting of regional oil\n  exporters the next few months will be critical to efforts to\n  achieve price recovery and stabilize the market.\n       Hernandez said while OPEC and non-OPEC nations have\n  already made some strides in their efforts to strengthen the\n  market, the danger of a reversal is always present.\n      \"March and the next two or three months will be a really\n  critical period,\" Hernandez said. He said, \"We will be able to\n  define a movement, either towards market stability and price\n  recovery or, depending on the market, a reversal.\"\n      Earlier this week, Hernandez said Venezuela's oil price has\n  averaged just above 16 dlrs a barrel for the year to date. If\n  OPEC achieves its stated goal of an 18 dlrs a barrel average\n  price, he said, Venezuela's should move up to 16.50 dlrs.\n      Hernandez spoke today at the opening of the fifth\n  ministerial meeting of the informal group of Latin American and\n  Caribbean oil exporters, formed in 1983.\n      Ministers from member states Ecuador, Mexico,\n  Trinidad-Tobago and Venezuela are attending the two day\n  conference, while Colombia is present for the first time as an\n  observer.\n      Hernandez defined the meeting as an informal exchange of\n  ideas about the oil market. However, the members will also\n  discuss ways to combat proposals for a tax on imported oil\n  currently before the U.S. Congress.\n      Following the opening session, the group of ministers met\n  with President Jaime Lusinchi at Miraflores, the presidential\n  palace. The delegations to the conference are headed by\n  Hernandez of Venezuela, Energy Minister Javier Espinosa of\n  Ecuador, Energy Minister Kelvin Ramnath of Trinidad-Tobago,\n  Jose Luis Alcudiai, assistant energy secretary of Mexico and\n  Energy Minister Guilermno Perry Rubio of Colombia.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HOWARD B. WOLF INC <HBW> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr two cts vs three cts\n      Net 21,080 vs 35,393\n      Revs 2,026,017 vs 2,476,068\n      Nine mths\n      Shr five cts vs six cts\n      Net 48,567 vs 59,527\n      Revs 6,231,242 vs 6,519,473\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BURR-BROWN <BBRC> SEES LOWER 1ST QTR EARNINGS\n","article":"  Burr-Brown Corp said its first\n  quarter 1987 results will show profits significantly below the\n  1,058,000 dlrs, or 11 cts per share, earned in the first\n  quarter last year.\n      The company said the profit decline will be the result of\n  an increase in reserves for inventory valuation. The increase\n  will be to cover potential write-downs of certain inventories\n  or products used in compact-disc stereo systems.\n      Burr-Brown said the possible write-down is being\n  precipitated by a shift in market demand toward higher\n  performance products.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"26-FEB-1987\n","article":"  26-FEB-1987\n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SARA LEE <SLE> TO BUY 34 PCT OF DIM\n","article":"  Sara Lee Corp said it agreed to buy a 34\n  pct interest in Paris-based DIM S.A., a subsidiary of BIC S.A.,\n  at a cost of about 84 mln dlrs.\n      DIM S.A., a hosiery manufacturer, had 1985 sales of about\n  260 mln dlrs.\n      The investment includes the purchase of 360,537 newly\n  issued DIM shares valued at about 51 mln dlrs and a loan of\n  about 33 mln dlrs, it said. The loan is convertible into an\n  additional 229,463 DIM shares, it noted.\n      The proposed agreement is subject to approval by the French\n  government, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL OIL OUTPUT FELL IN FEBRUARY, USAGE UP\n","article":"  Brazilian crude oil and\n  liquefied natural gas production fell to an average 583,747\n  barrels per day in February from 596,740 in the same 1986\n  month, the state oil company Petrobras said.\n      The drop was due to operating problems in the Campos Basin,\n  the country's main producing area, where output was down to\n  346,011 bpd from 357,420, a Petrobras statement said.\n      Consumption of oil derivatives totalled 1.14 mln bpd in\n  February, 16.7 pct up on February last year but down from the\n  record 1.22 mln bpd used in October last year. Use of alcohol\n  fuel in February was 208,600 bpd, 42 pct above February, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MEDIA GENERAL INC UPS QTLY DIV TO 68 CTS\/SHR FROM 64 CTS, SETS STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"\n  MEDIA GENERAL INC UPS QTLY DIV TO 68 CTS\/SHR FROM 64 CTS, SETS STOCK SPLIT\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CORRECTED - MEDIA GENERAL INC UPS ANNUAL DIV TO 68 CTS\/SHR FROM 64 CTS, SETS STOCK SPLIT (CORRECTS TO SHOW RAISE IN ANNUAL DIV, NOT QTLY)\n","article":"\n  CORRECTED - MEDIA GENERAL INC UPS ANNUAL DIV TO 68 CTS\/SHR FROM 64 CTS, SETS STOCK SPLIT (CORRECTS TO SHOW RAISE IN ANNUAL DIV, NOT QTLY)\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CENTRAL CAPITAL PLANS THREE-FOR-TWO STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  <Central Capital Corp> said it planned\n  a three-for-two split of its common and class A subordinate\n  voting shares, subject to shareholder approval at the April 23\n  annual meeting.\n      It said the split would raise the amount of common shares\n  to about 25.2 mln from 16.8 mln and subordinate voting shares\n  to about 23.9 mln from 15.9 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WHITE HOUSE UNIT DECIDES ON SEMICONDUCTORS\n","article":"  The White House Economic Policy\n  Council made a recommendation to President Reagan whether to\n  retaliate against Japan for alleged unfair practices in\n  semiconductor trade, U.S. officials said.\n      They would not disclose the council's recommendation, but\n  the officials said earlier it was likely the council would call\n  for retaliation and urge that curbs be imposed on Japanese\n  exports to the United States.\n      The officials said it might be several days before Reagan\n  would act and his moves made public.\n      The Senate last week unanimously called on Reagan to impose\n  penalities on Japanese exports. Retaliation was also called for\n  by the semiconductor industry and its chief trade union, both\n  hard hit by Japanese semiconductor trade.\n      In a pact last summer, Japan summer agreed to stop dumping\n  its semiconductors at less than cost in the United States and\n  other nations and to open its own market to the U.S. products.\n      In return, the United States agreed to hold up imposing\n  anti-dumping duties on Japanese semiconductor shipments.\n      U.S. officials say that while Japan has stopped dumping\n  semiconductors on the American market, they have continued to\n  dump them in third countries and that the Japanese market has\n  remained all but closed to the U.S. semiconductors.\n  semiconductors on the American market, they have continued to\n  dump them in third countries and that the Japanese market has\n  remained all but closed to the U.S. semiconductors.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NORTHERN INDIANA <NI> 12 MTHS FEB 28 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 66 cts vs profit 1.07 dlrs\n      Net loss 20,957,000 vs profit 11,041,000\n      Revs 1.54 billion vs 1.85 billion\n      Avg shrs 73.2 mln vs 71.7 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net excludes charge of 94.8 mln dlrs or 1.32\n  dlrs a share from abandonment of Bailly nuclear plant.\n      Northern Indiana Public Service Co is full name of company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHAVIN RAISES STAKE IN MYERS (MYR)\n","article":"  Chicago real estate developer\n  Leonard Chavin told the Securities and Exchange Commission he\n  had raised his stake in the L.E. Meyers Co Group to 11 pct from\n  9.7 pct.\n      He also said an investment banker repesenting him met with\n  Myers' officers, telling them of his plans for a takeover and\n  that he may solicit proxies for a seat on Myers' board.\n      Chavin also said if he takes control of the firm, it could\n  result in delisting Meyers' from the New York Stock Exchange.\n      He told the SEC that while he is trying to buy or acquire\n  the firm, he still may only hold the shares for an investment.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CANAMAX, PACIFIC TRANS-OCEAN APPROVE PRODUCTION\n","article":"  <Canamax Resources Inc> and <Pacific\n  Trans-Ocean Resources Ltd> said they conditionally approved\n  starting production at their jointly owned Ketza River gold\n  deposit in the Yukon after a study recommended the move.\n      They said production was conditional on approval of a water\n  license and arrangement of appropriate financing. They\n  estimated development costs for the mine and mill would total\n  21.1 mln dlrs, including three mln dlrs of working capital.\n      The feasibility study anticipated gold production of 49,600\n  ounces a year at a cost of 129 Canadian dlrs a short ton, they\n  said.\n      Canamax and Pacific Trans-Ocean said the project would\n  yield a 40 pct after-tax real rate of return at a gold price of\n  400 U.S. dlrs an ounce.\n      They said they would mine 460,000 tonnes of proven and\n  probable mineable reserves of oxide ore grading 0.45 ounce gold\n  ton at a yearly rate of 112,000 tonnes for a mine life of 4.25\n  years.\n      Possible reserves of 75,000 tonnes grading 0.38 ounce gold\n  ton at the break zone would extend mine life by a year, with\n  considerable potential for development of further oxide ore\n  reserves at the deposit, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CAMPBELL RED LAKE MINES LTD 4TH QTR SHR 21 CTS VS 10 CTS\n","article":"\n  CAMPBELL RED LAKE MINES LTD 4TH QTR SHR 21 CTS VS 10 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GOLD PRODUCTION TO START AT KETZA RIVER\n","article":"  Canamax Resources Inc and Pacific\n  Trans-Ocean Resources Ltd said they conditionally approved\n  starting production at their jointly owned Ketza River gold\n  deposit in the Yukon after a study recommended the move.\n      They said production was conditional on approval of a water\n  license and arrangement of appropriate financing. They\n  estimated development costs for the mine and mill would total\n  21.1 mln dlrs, including three mln dlrs of working capital.\n      The feasibility study anticipated gold production of 49,600\n  ounces a year at a cost of 129 Canadian dlrs a short ton, they\n  said.\n      Canamax and Pacific Trans-Ocean said the project would\n  yield a 40 pct after-tax real rate of return at a gold price of\n  400 U.S. dlrs an ounce.\n      They said they would mine 460,000 tonnes of proven and\n  probable mineable reserves of oxide ore grading 0.45 ounce gold\n  per ton at a yearly rate of 112,000 tonnes for a mine life of\n  4.25 years.\n      Possible reserves of 75,000 tonnes grading 0.38 ounce gold\n  per ton at the break zone would extend mine life by a year,\n  with considerable potential for development of further oxide\n  ore reserves at the deposit, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"HONEYWELL <HON> DEBT RISES ON SPERRY BUYOUT\n","article":"  Honeywell Inc said its total debt\n  rose by more than 85 pct in 1986, mainly due to its 1.02\n  billion dlr acquisition of the Sperry Aerospace Group.\n      At yearend, according to the company's 1986 annual report,\n  Honeywell's total debt stood at 1.44 billion dlrs, compared\n  with 776.6 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      Honeywell said that if it had acquired the Sperry unit at\n  the beginning of 1986, its loss for the full year would have\n  been 9.88 dlrs a share.\n      Honeywell's actual loss in 1986 was 8.33 dlrs a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MCINTYRE MINES <MP> COMPLETES UNIT SALE\n","article":"  McIntyre Mines Ltd said it completed\n  the previously announced sale of all shares of wholly owned\n  Smoky River Coal Ltd and certain related assets to Smoky River\n  Holdings Ltd for a nominal cash consideration.\n      McIntyre did not specify the cash amount of the sale.\n      Smoky River Holdings is an Alberta company controlled by\n  Michael Henson, former president and chief executive of\n  McIntyre, the company said.\n      McIntyre said it retained an unspecified royalty interest\n  in Smoky River Coal based on net operating cash flows from the\n  company's coal properties.\n      McIntyre also said it provided a three mln dlr last\n  recourse letter of credit to the Alberta government for Smoky\n  River Coal's reclamation obligations.\n      The credit letter expires either when Smoky River completes\n  three mln dlrs of reclaiming activities or December 31, 1992,\n  which ever occurs first.\n      McIntyre said it also remains contingently liable for\n  certain obligations now totalling about seven mln dlrs, which\n  will reduce over time as Smoky River continues to operate.\n      McIntyre's principal asset continues to be its 14 pct\n  interest in Falconbridge Ltd <FALCF>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHINA CALLS FOR BETTER TRADE DEAL WITH U.S.\n","article":"  China called on the United States to\n  remove curbs on its exports, to give it favourable trading\n  status and ease restrictions on exports of high technology.\n      But the U.S. Embassy replied that Chinese figures showing\n  13 years of trade deficits with the U.S. Out of the last 15 are\n  inaccurate and said Peking itself would have to persuade\n  Congress to change laws which limit its exports.\n      The official International Business newspaper today\n  published China's demands in a  editorial to coincide with the\n  visit of U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz.\n      \"It is extremely important that the U.S. Market reduce its\n  restrictions on Chinese imports, provide the needed facilities\n  for them and businessmen from both sides help to expand Chinese\n  exports,\" the editorial said.\n      \"The U.S. Should quickly discard its prejudice against\n  favourable tariff treatment for Chinese goods and admit China\n  into the Generalised System of Preference (GSP).\n      \"Despite easing of curbs on U.S. Technology exports in\n  recent years, control of them is still extremely strict and\n  influences normal trade between the two countries,\" it added.\n      The paper also printed an article by China's commercial\n  counsellor in its Washington embassy, Chen Shibiao, who said\n  that \"all kinds of difficulties and restrictions\" were preventing\n  bilateral trade fulfilling its full potential.\n      He named them as U.S. Protectionist behaviour, curbs on\n  technology transfer and out-of-date trade legislation.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MEDIA GENERAL <MEG.A> UPS DIVIDEND, SETS SPLIT\n","article":"  Media General Inc said it raised\n  the annual dividend on its class A and class B common stock to\n  68 cts a share from 64 cts.\n      The company said it also declared a two-for-one stock split\n  of both stock issues, which is subject to shareholder approval\n  of an increase in the number of authorized class A shares.\n      Media General said the increased dividend is payable June\n  12 to shareholders of record May 29.\n      The proposed stock split will be paid May 29 in shares of\n  class A shares, the company said.\n      The company said it also approved an amendment to its\n  articles of incorporation allowing class B shares to be\n  coverted into class A shares at the option of the holder.\n      Media General said the moves should broaden investor\n  interest in its class A stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INVESTMENT GROUP UPS STAKE IN SCANDINAVIA <SCF>\n","article":"  A multinational shareholder group\n  told the Securities and Exchange Commission it increased its\n  stake in Scandinavia Fund Inc to 35.5 pct, from 30.5 pct.\n      The investors include Ingemar Rydin Industritillbehor AB,\n  of Sweden, and VBI Corp, of the West Indies.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CAMPBELL RED LAKE MINES LTD <CRK> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 21 cts vs 10 cts\n      Net 10,798,000 vs 4,704,000\n      Revs 47.4 mln vs 32.9 mln\n      YEAR\n      Shr 58 cts vs 54 cts\n      Net 29.1 mln vs 25.8 mln\n      Revs 187.7 mln vs 134.7 mln\n      Note: 1986 net includes 2.8 mln dlr extraordinary gain in\n  4th qtr and 6.5 mln dlr fl-yr extraordinary loss involving\n  provision for decline in market value of marketable securities\n  partly offset by gain from sale of stake in Dome Petroleum Ltd\n  <DMP>.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"(CORRECTED)-<AMERICAN VARIETY INTERNATIONAL INC>\n","article":"  Shr loss seven cts vs profit 11 cts\n      Net loss 76,888 vs profit 106,885\n      Revs 752,234 vs 922,036\n      (corrects year ago per share to profit, instead of loss in\n  item that ran on March 23)\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OIL EXECUTIVES SEE GRADUAL RISE IN PRICES\n","article":"  Top executives with Tenneco Corp <TGT>\n  and Sabine Corp <SAB> said they expected world oil prices to\n  gradually increase over the next two years as U.S. reliance on\n  imports of oil from the Middle East grows.\n       \"I believe we have bottomed out and can look forward to a\n  trend of gradually increasing prices,\" C.W. Nance, president of\n  Tenneco Oil Exploration and Production, told a meeting of the\n  Petroleum Equipment Suppliers Association.\n       Nance predicted that by 1990, the Organization of\n  Producing and Exporting Countries would be producing at the\n  rate of 80 pct of capacity.\n      The gain will come largely through increased imports to the\n  United States, he said.\n      \"They will be able to raise the price again but I do not\n  think they will raise it as much as they did in 1979,\" Nance\n  said. He did not say how much of a price hike he expected.\n       Andrew Shoup, chairman of Dallas-based Sabine, predicted\n  that world oil prices would increase from a range of 15 to 20\n  dlrs a barrel in 1987 to a range of 17 to 22 dlrs a barrel in\n  1988. Natural gas prices, Shoup said, should similarly climb\n  from a range of 1.30 to 1.70 dlrs per mcf this year to between\n  1.50 and 1.90 dlrs per mcf in 1988.\n       \"Fuel switching could help us as much as five pct in\n  increased demand,\" Shoup said, referring to the gas industry's\n  outlook for 1987. Repeal of the Fuel Use Act, a federal law\n  prohibiting the use of natural gas in new manufacturing plants\n  and utilities, could increase demand for gas by as much as 15\n  pct, he said.\n       Tenneco's Nance also said that some U.S. cities may\n  experience peak day shortages in natural gas supplies next\n  winter because of the industry's reduced deliverability.\n       Tenneco's gas deliverability, for example, dropped by 20\n  pct during 1986, he said.\n       \"This does not mean the gas bubble is gone,\" Nance said.\n  \"We believe gas prices have bottomed out. The real question is\n  how broad the valley is -- is it one year, two years or three\n  years before we start to climb out?\"\n        J.C. Walter of <Walter Oil and Gas Corp>, said the recent\n  improvement in oil prices was not enough for independent\n  producers to begin new onshore drilling projects.\n       \"If crude oil stays below 20 dlrs a barrel and 1.50 dlr\n  per mcf for natural gas prevails, the prospects for onshore\n  exploration at deeper depths in the Texas Gulf Coast by\n  independents in the 1990s are pretty dismal,\" Walter said.\n       He suggested that some independents may instead turn to\n  exploration in shallow federal offshore leases. Farm-out\n  agreements, cheap rig rates and less competition have held\n  finding costs in those areas to five or six dlrs a barrel,\n  Walter said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. COMMERCE SECRETARY SAYS EXPORT RISE NEEDED\n","article":"  Commerce Secretary Malcolm Baldrige\n  said after the release of a sharply lower January leading\n  indicator index that a pickup in exports is needed.\n      \"The best tonic for the economy now would be a pickup in net\n  exports,\" he said in a statement after the department reported\n  the index fell 1.0 pct in January from December, the sharpest\n  drop since a 1.7 pct fall in July, 1984.\n      The main reasons for the January decline after a 2.3 pct\n  December rise were declines in building permits, new orders for\n  plant and equipment and for consumer and industrial goods.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"REPORT SAYS SOVIET ECONOMIC PLANS TOO OPTIMISTIC\n","article":"  The Soviet economy has grown at an\n  increased rate under Mikhail Gorbachev's leadership, but his\n  goals may be too ambitious, according to a report from U.S.\n  intelligence agencies.\n      The report was prepared jointly by the Central Intelligence\n  Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency for the\n  Congressional Joint Economic committee, which released it.\n      It said the Soviet economy grew by 4.2 pct in 1986,\n  Gorbachev's first full year in power, twice the average rate of\n  growth over the previous 10 years.\n      Gorbachev's policies to improve worker attitudes, remove\n  incompetent officials, reduce corruption and alcoholism and\n  modernize the country's industrial equipment accounted for some\n  of the gains, the report said.\n      \"Although many of the specific policies Gorbachev has\n  adopted are not new, the intensity Gorbachev has brought to his\n  efforts and his apparent commitment to finding long-term\n  solutions are attributes that his immediate predecessors\n  lacked. Nonetheless, Gorbachev's program appears too ambitious\n  on a number of counts,\" the report said.\n      Earlier this week, two U.S. experts on the Soviet Union\n  said Gorbachev was likely to be ousted in three to four years\n  if he continues his reform policies.\n      \"I don't think he can last four years,\" Marshall Goldman of\n  Harvard University told a Congressional hearing. \"He's moving so\n  fast, he's stepping on so many toes.\"\n      A similar comment came from Peter Reddaway of the\n  Smithsonian Institution's Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian\n  studies.\n      The economic report said meeting targets for commodity\n  output would require unrealistic gains in productivity and\n  industrial output targets appear too high to allow time to\n  install more advanced equipment.\n      None of Gorbachev's proposals would change the system of\n  economic incentives that has discouraged innovation and\n  technological change, the report added.\n      \"The first significant resistance to specific policies,\n  although not overall goals, surfaced (in 1986) in both the\n  massive government and party bureaucracy, particularly among\n  enterprise managers who complained that they were being asked\n  to carry out conflicting goals -- such as to raise quality\n  standards and output targets simultaneously,\" the report said.\n      The CIA-DIA report predicted two to three pct growth in the\n  Soviet economy over the next several years. It said the Soviet\n  Union trailed the U.S. by seven to 12 years in advanced\n  manufacturing technologies, such as computers and\n  microprocessors.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GREAT AMERICAN CORP SEES 1ST QTR CHARGE OF 14.1 MLN DLRS AGAINST LOAN LOSS ALLOWANCE\n","article":"\n  GREAT AMERICAN CORP SEES 1ST QTR CHARGE OF 14.1 MLN DLRS AGAINST LOAN LOSS ALLOWANCE\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GREAT AMERICAN <GTAM> SEES CHARGE, WRITEDOWN\n","article":"  Great American Corp said\n  preliminary findings by regulatory examiners of its AMBANK\n  subsidiary will result in a first quarter charge of 14.1 mln\n  dlrs and a writedown of 1.4 mln dlrs.\n      The charge will be made against the allowance for possible\n  loan losses, and the writedown is of other real estate.\n      Great American said the examiners were conducting a regular\n  examination and a final report is not expected for several\n  weeks. Management intends to include the charge and writedown\n  in response to the preliminary findings.\n      Great American said regulatory authorities are not\n  requiring an adjustment of the previously reported financial\n  results for Great American for 1986.\n      However, Great American has revised its previous estimates\n  of provisions for possible losses and has added 9.9 mln dlrs to\n  the allowance account as of December 31, 1986. It said it took\n  the action since the charge-offs will significantly deplete its\n  allowance for possible loan losses and the economic environment\n  does not show signs for significant improvement in the near\n  future.\n      It said the additional provision increases the allowance to\n  26.4 mln dlrs, representing 6.63 pct of the outstanding loan\n  portfolio and 83.2 pct of non-performing loans at year-end.\n      Great American said its revised net loss for the fourth\n  quarter is 14.1 mln dlrs, or 6.36 dlrs per share, compared to a\n  net loss of 2.4 mln dlrs or 1.06 dlrs per share the year\n  earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<MARATHON NATIONAL BANK> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 78 cts vs 51 cts\n      Net 725,000 vs 451,000\n      Assets 98.5 mln vs 85.9 mln\n      Loans 40.5 mln vs 28.8 mln\n      Deposits 90.4 mln vs 78.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MACMILLAN BLOEDEL <MMBLF> STOCK SPLIT APPROVED\n","article":"  MacMillan Bloedel\n  Ltd said shareholders approved the company's previously\n  reported proposed three-for-one stock split.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CTC DEALER TO APPEAL CANADIAN TIRE DECISION\n","article":"  CTC Dealer Holdings Ltd said it would\n  appeal a previously reported Ontario court ruling upholding an\n  Ontario Securities Commission decision to block CTC's bid for\n  49 pct of <Canadian Tire Corp Ltd> common shares.\n      CTC, a group of Canadian Tire dealers, added that it also\n  extended its tender offer to March 31 and was seeking approval\n  to extend its bid while the appeal court heard the case.\n      It said Alfred and David Billes, two of Canadian Tire's\n  controlling shareholders, backed the appeal and would seek\n  leave to appeal while third controlling shareholder Martha\n  Billes supported the appeal but would not join an appeal\n  motion.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PRECAMBRIAN SHIELD TAKES 51 MLN DLR WRITEDOWN\n","article":"  <Precambrian Shield Resources\n  Ltd>, earlier reporting a large loss against year-ago profit,\n  said the 1986 loss was mainly due to a 51,187,000 dlr writedown\n  on its U.S. operations, uneconomic coal and other mineral\n  properties.\n      Precambrian, which is 89 pct owned by <Mark Resources Inc>,\n  said it took the writedown in accordance with new Canadian\n  Insititute of Chartered Accountants guidelines for full cost\n  method accounting by oil and gas companies.\n      Precambrian earlier reported a 1986 loss of 53.4 mln dlrs,\n  compared to profit of 4.5 mln dlrs in the prior year.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"URS CORP <URS> REGULAR STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div five pct stock vs five pct stock\n      Pay April 16\n      Record April six\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DUCOMMUN INC <DCO> QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div five cts vs five cts\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TEKTRONIX INC <TEK> QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 15 cts vs 15 cts\n      Pay May 4\n      Record April 10\n      Note: previous dividend restated to reflect January 26\n  two-for-one stock split.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<MCM CORP> TO DELAY YEAREND REPORT\n","article":"  McM Corp said it has been forced\n  to delay the release of its fourth quarter and yearend results\n  until it can determine the effects on its balance sheet of a\n  possible increase in liabilities at a unit.\n      Earlier this month, the company's Occidental Fire and\n  Casualty Co unit paid 26 mln dlrs to a unit of <Mutual of\n  Omaha> under a commutation agreement.\n      However, McM said it now believes it is possible that the\n  unit's liabilities may exceed 26 mln dlrs.\n      It said a finding on any possible increase should be\n  completed by April 15.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FED DATA INDICATE POLICY LIKELY TO STAY ON HOLD\n","article":"  Federal Reserve data released today\n  indicate that there has been no policy change in recent weeks\n  and that none is likely at next week's Federal Open Market\n  Committee (FOMC) meeting, economists said.\n      \"The Fed continues to be accommodative in its provision of\n  reserves, indicating that there has been no policy shift since\n  the beginning of this year,\" said Harold Nathan, economist at\n  Wells Fargo Bank.\n      \"These numbers and other things suggest the FOMC will not\n  change policy,\" said Robert Brusca of Nikko Securities Co.\n      \"The Fed is sitting fairly pretty now. There's no real\n  reason for it to change policy,\" said Joseph Liro of S.G.\n  Warburg and Co Inc.\n      Liro said the economy is showing moderate growth and does\n  not require immediate policy easing and the money aggregates\n  may well end March at the bottom of their target ranges.\n      All of the economists agreed that the Fed's major concern\n  now is recent weakness in the dollar which early this week was\n  heavily supported by central banks. They said fear of hurting\n  the dollar will cause the Fed to be cautious in lowering\n  interest rates further.\n      Numbers released by the Fed today were all in line with\n  expectations and similar to the data for most of this year.\n      The Fed said that banks' net free reserves averaged 603 mln\n  dlrs in the two-week statement period that ended on Wednesday\n  versus 749 mln dlrs in the previous period.\n      In the single week to Wednesday, banks' borrowings at the\n  discount window, less extended credits, averaged 302 mln dlrs\n  compared with 228 mln dlrs in the first week of the statement\n  period. Meanwhile the Federal funds rate average edged up to\n  6.14 pct from 6.08 pct.\n      The Fed's failure to add reserves in the market on Tuesday\n  and Wednesday surprised some, but economists said the data\n  released today suggest it had no real need to add reserves.\n      The Fed's absence may be explained by the lack of any\n  pressing need for it to supply reserves and by a desire to\n  boost borrowings in the second week of the statement period to\n  meet its borrowings target, said Liro of Warburg.\n      Liro said the Fed probably is shooting for a two-week\n  borrowings average of 300-325 mln dlrs. The borrowings actually\n  averaged 265 mln dlrs in the latest statement period and that\n  was up from 191 mln dlrs in the prior period.\n      Brusca of Nikko agreed that the Fed probably is aiming for\n  two-week average discount window borrowings of around 300 mln\n  dlrs. He said that would correspond to a Federal funds rate of\n  around 6.10 pct.\n      It is nearly impossible for the Fed to hit any borrowings\n  target since the demand for excess reserves is erratic, said\n  Wells Fargo's Nathan. He said the Fed is focusing instead on\n  the funds rate and is trying to keep it roughly within a six to\n  6-1\/4 pct band.\n      Upward funds rate pressure and a big reserve-adding need\n  are anticipated for the statement period that began today.\n   More\n      Brusca believes the Fed will have to add 3.5 to four\n  billion dlrs a day in reserves in this statement period. Liro\n  puts the add need at around 3.9 billion dlrs.\n      To partly address this requirement, many expect the Fed to\n  add permanent reserves with effect next Thursday by offering to\n  buy all maturities of Treasury bills on Wednesday. A similar\n  coupon \"pass\" may be required later.\n      There will be a greater demand for funds in this statement\n  period because it includes the close of the quarter. Further\n  upward pressure on the Federal funds rate may come from window\n  dressing demand as the Japanese fiscal year ends on March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BLASIUS INDUSTRIES INC <BLAS> 3RD QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Qtr ended Feb 28\n      Oper shr loss one ct vs profit 12 cts\n      Oper net profit 3,000 vs profit 218,000\n      Revs 12.0 mln vs 10.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,421,000 vs 1,602,000\n      Nine mths\n      Oper shr profit 28 cts vs profit 24 cts\n      Oper net profit 639,000 vs profit 500,000\n      Revs 34.6 mln vs 31.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,928,000 vs 1,620,000\n      Note: Oper excludes tax credits of 180,000 and 415,000 for\n  year-ago qtr and nine mths.\n      Oper includes writeoff related to subordinated note\n  exchange of 185,000 for current qtr and nine mths.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GAINSCO INC <GAIN> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr nil vs four cts\n      Net 12,000 vs 140,000\n      Revs 4,446,000 vs 3,998,000\n      Avg shrs 4,364,000 vs 3,461,000\n      Year\n      Shr 60 cts vs 22 cts\n      Net 2,257,000 vs 774,000\n      Revs 18.3 mln vs 21.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,788,000 vs 3,461,000\n     \n      Note: Net includes realized gains on investments of 50,000\n  vs 105,000 for qtr and 174,000 vs 202,000 for year.\n      Net also includes tax credit of 64,000 for year-ago 12\n  mths.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GATT WARNS U.S. ON FEDERAL BUDGET, PROTECTIONISM\n","article":"  The United States' emphasis on its\n  foreign trade deficit is misplaced and the country's real\n  problem lies in its large federal budget deficit, the General\n  Agreeement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) said.\n       By stressing its record trade deficit of 169.8 billion\n  dlrs last year, the U.S. Was fuelling protectionist pressure\n  which threatens the world trading system, it said in an annual\n  report.\n      The fundamental problem, the size of the U.S. Federal\n  budget deficit, could be remedied only by cutting government\n  spending or encouraging personal savings to finance the debt,\n  it said.\n      GATT also predicted world trade would grow by only 2.5 pct\n  in 1987 -- a full percentage point lower than in each of the\n  previous two years.\n      GATT experts urged Washington to resist protectionism and\n  instead seek macroeconomic changes to reduce the current\n  account payments deficit -- higher private savings, lower\n  investment and a smaller federal budget deficit.\n      Raising U.S. Trade barriers \"would result in little or no\n  reduction in the current account deficit. It would, however,\n  increase inflation and reduce world trade,\" it said.\n      \"The basic cause -- some combination of insufficient\n  domestic savings and an excessive budget deficit -- would\n  remain,\" the report said.\n      GATT economists said trade expansion would slow this year\n  because of slower growth forecasts in Japan and some West\n  European nations as they adjust production and workforces to a\n  low dollar, risk of higher U.S. Inflation, concerns over Third\n  World debt management and looming protectionism.\n      The report also said imbalances in the current accounts of\n  Japan, West Germany and the U.S. Had increased in 1986.\n      The most likely explanation was that exchange rate changes\n  were not backed by changes in macroeconomic policies, it added.\n      \"Thus the prediction that these imbalances would be reduced\n  as a result of the major realignment of exchange rates was not\n  borne out last year,\" the report said.\n      GATT warned there was a risk of a sizeable increase in the\n  U.S. Inflation rate under the combined impact of a rapidly\n  expanding money supply and low dollar.\n      \"Such a development could worsen the business climate by\n  increasing uncertainty and pushing up interest rates, which, in\n  turn, would adversely affect world trade.\"\n      But the report noted a surprising rise in imports to the\n  United States, despite the dollar's depreciation which makes\n  foreign products more expensive.\n      It suggested that resources idle in the U.S., Both human\n  and in underutilised factories, were not geared to produce the\n  goods and services sought from abroad.\n      World trade in manufactures grew by only three pct in 1986,\n  about half of the rate of the previous year.\n      Trade in agricultural goods expanded by just one pct,\n  continuing a stagnant pattern in that sector this decade, GATT\n  said.\n      Developing countries' exports declined significantly, while\n  their imports increased moderately, although full statistics\n  are not available yet, GATT said.\n      The combined export earnings of 16 major indebted nations\n  were sharply lower, and only five of them (Chile, Colombia,\n  Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand) had higher exports.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"OREGON ALUMINUM SMELTER INCREASING OUTPUT\n","article":"  Northwest Aluminum Co said it\n  will open a second pot line in mid-May, bringing the smelter\n  here to 80 pct of its production capacity.\n      Northwest Aluminum President Brett Wilcox, who leased the\n  30-year-old smelter from Martin Marietta Corp., said production\n  would increase from around 45 tons a year at present to just\n  over 70 tons.\n      Martin Marietta closed and mothballed the smelter in 1984.\n  Northwest Aluminum reopened it last December.\n      Wilcox said a good aluminum market and several months of\n  successful operation led to the decision to expand production.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"KENYAN ECONOMY FACES PROBLEMS, PRESIDENT SAYS\n","article":"  The Kenyan economy is heading for\n  difficult times after a boom last year, and the country must\n  tighten its belt to prevent the balance of payments swinging\n  too far into deficit, President Daniel Arap Moi said.\n      In a speech at the state opening of parliament, Moi said\n  high coffee prices and cheap oil in 1986 led to economic growth\n  of five pct, compared with 4.1 pct in 1985.\n      The same factors produced a two billion shilling balance of\n  payments surplus and inflation fell to 5.6 pct from 10.7 pct in\n  1985, he added.\n      \"But both these factors are no longer in our favour ... As a\n  result, we cannot expect an increase in foreign exchange\n  reserves during the year,\" he said.\n      The price of coffee, Kenya's main source of foreign\n  exchange, fell in London today to about 94 cents a pound from a\n  peak of 2.14 dlrs in January 1986.\n      Crude oil, which early last year slipped below 10 dlrs a\n  barrel, has since crept back to over 18 dlrs.\n      Moi said the price changes, coupled with a general decline\n  in the flow of capital from the rest of the world, made it more\n  difficult to finance the government's budget deficit.\n      Kenya was already spending over 27 pct of its budget on\n  servicing its debts and last year it was a net exporter of\n  capital for the first time in its history, he added.\n      \"This is a clear indication that we are entering a difficult\n  phase as regards our external debts, and it is imperative that\n  we raise the rate of domestic savings and rely less on foreign\n  sources to finance our development,\" he said.\n      \"It will be necessary to maintain strict discipline on\n  expenditure ... And members of this house will have to take the\n  lead in encouraging wananchi (ordinary people) to be more\n  frugal in satisfying immediate needs,\" the president added.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"Japan February consumer prices unchanged (0.4 pct January drop) - official\n","article":"\n  Japan February consumer prices unchanged (0.4 pct January drop) - official\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN CONSUMER PRICES UNCHANGED IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Japan's consumer price index (base 1985)\n  was unchanged at 99.7 in February from a month earlier, the\n  government's Management and Coodination Agency said.\n      The index showed a 0.4 pct drop in January.\n      The February index was down one pct from a year earlier for\n  the third consecutive year-on-year drop.\n      In January, the index fell 1.1 pct from a year earlier, the\n  first drop of over one pct since a 1.3 pct drop in September\n  1958.\n      In February petrol prices increased but winter clothing\n  prices stayed low and vegetable prices fell.\n      The February year on year fall was due to lower vegetable,\n  fuel oil, petrol, electricity and gas prices, and despite\n  higher housing, education, footwear and clothing costs.\n      The unadjusted consumer price index for the Tokyo area\n  (base 1985) in mid-March rose 0.4 pct from a month earlier to\n  100.6, reflecting higher vegetable prices.\n      The index fell 0.3 pct year on year, the third consecutive\n  yearly drop, reflecting lower food and utility costs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"N.Z. FOREIGN RESERVES FALL SLIGHTLY IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  New Zealand's official foreign\n  reserves fell slightly to 7.13 billion N.Z. Dlrs in February\n  from 7.15 billion in January but were sharply above 2.85\n  billion in February 1986, the Reserve Bank said in its weekly\n  statistical release.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"Bank of Japan buys dollars around 149.00 yen - Tokyo dealers\n","article":"\n  Bank of Japan buys dollars around 149.00 yen - Tokyo dealers\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WHITE HOUSE PANEL SAID URGING JAPAN RETALIATION\n","article":"  The White House Economic Policy\n  Council decided to recommend trade sanctions against Japan for\n  violations of the U.S.-Japanese semiconductor agreement,\n  industry sources said.\n      They would give no details, noting that the White House had\n  not commented on the decision. The administration has been\n  under pressure to retaliate.\n      There was no immediate announcement on the council's\n  decision, but U.S. Officials said it was likely the senior\n  policy group's move on curbs reflected growing American\n  frustration over alleged unfair Japanese trade practices.\n      U.S. Officials said President Reagan would probably act on\n  the recommendations in a day or so, after consulting with aides\n  on the foreign policy implications of retaliation.\n      The officials said Reagan might delay retaliation for a\n  last try to persuade Japan to abide by the agreement reached\n  last July governing trade in semiconductors.\n      Under a pact reached last July, Japan was to stop dumping\n  semiconductors in world markets and to open its own market to\n  U.S.-made semiconductors.\n      In return, the U.S. Agreed to hold up imposing anti-dumping\n  duties on Japanese semiconductor shipments.\n      The United States said that dumping has stopped in the U.S.\n  Market but has continued in third countries, and that the\n  Japanese market remains closed.\n      The pressure on Reagan to retaliate included a unanimous\n  call by the Senate last week to impose penalties on Japanese\n  high technology products containing semiconductors.\n      A call for retaliation also came from the semiconductor\n  industry and from its chief trade union.\n      U.S. Officials said the most likely move against Japan\n  would involve duties on semiconductor-based goods, such as\n  televisions, video cassette recorders and computers.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NAKASONE TO VISIT WASHINGTON IN LATE APRIL\n","article":"  Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone will\n  make an official week-long visit to the United States from\n  April 29 and hold talks in Washington with President Reagan,\n  Chief Cabinet Secretary Masaharu Gotoda told reporters.\n      Government sources said Nakasone would try to resolve\n  growing bilateral trade friction and discuss the June Venice\n  summit of Western industrial democracies.\n      Foreign Minister Tadashi Kuranari will accompany Nakasone,\n  ministry officials said.\n      U.S. Industry sources in Washington said the White House\n  Economic Policy Council was recommending trade sanctions\n  against Japan for violating the two countries' agreement on\n  semiconductor trade.\n      Under the pact, Japan pledged to stop dumping microchips in\n  the U.S. And Asia and open its domestic market to U.S.\n  Semiconductors.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INDIA STEPS UP COUNTERTRADE DEALS TO CUT TRADE GAP\n","article":"  India is searching for non-communist\n  countertrade partners to help it cut its trade deficit and\n  conserve foreign exchange.\n      Wheat, tobacco, tea, coffee, jute, engineering and\n  electronic goods, as well as minerals including iron ore, are\n  all on offer in return for crude oil, petroleum products,\n  chemicals, steel and machinery, trade sources told Reuters.\n      Most of the impetus behind countertrade, which began in\n  1984, comes from two state trading firms -- the State Trading\n  Corp (STC) and the Minerals and Metals Trading Corp (MMTC).\n      \"The two state trading corporations are free to use their\n  buying power in respect to bulk commodities to promote Indian\n  exports,\" a commerce ministry spokeswoman said, adding that\n  private firms are excluded from countertrading.\n      One trade source said India has targetted countries that\n  depend on an Indian domestic market recently opened to foreign\n  imports.\n      However, countertrade deals still make up only a small part\n  of India's total trading and are likely to account for less\n  than eight pct of the estimated 18.53 billion dlrs in trade\n  during the nine months ended December, the sources said.\n      Countertrade accounted for just five pct of India's 25.65\n  billion dlrs in trade during fiscal 1985\/86 ended March,\n  against almost nothing in 1984\/85, official figures show.\n      However, the figures exclude exchanges with the Eastern\n  Bloc paid in non-convertible Indian rupees, the sources said.\n      Total trade with the Soviet Union, involving swaps of\n  agricultural produce and textiles for Soviet arms and crude\n  oil, is estimated at 3.04 billion dlrs in fiscal 1986\/87,\n  against three billion in 1985\/86.\n      Indian countertrade, which is being promoted mainly to help\n  narrow the country's large trade deficit, is still\n  insignificant compared with agreements reached by Indonesia,\n  Venezuela and Brazil, the trade sources said.\n      The trade deficit, which hit an estimated record 6.96\n  billion dlrs in 1985\/86, is expected to decline to 5.6 billion\n  in the current fiscal year.\n      But the push to include non-communist countries in\n  countertrade is also due to other factors, including the slow\n  growth of foreign reserves, a tight debt repayment schedule,\n  shrinking aid and trade protectionism, businessmen said.\n      One source said India is showing more dynamism in promoting\n  countertrade deals than in the past, when the deals were made\n  discreetly because they break GATT rules. As a member of the\n  General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), India cannot\n  officially support bartering.\n      The MMTC's recent countertrade deals include iron ore\n  exports to Yugoslavia for steel structures and rails.\n      \"MMTC's recent global tenders now include a clause that\n  preference will be given to parties who accept payment in kind\n  for goods and services sold to India,\" a trade official said,\n  adding that the policy remains flexible.\n      \"We also take into account other factors such as prices at\n  which the goods and services are offered to India,\" the trade\n  official said.\n      Early this year the commerce ministry quietly told foreign\n  companies interested in selling aircraft, ships, drilling rigs\n  and railway equipment to India that they stood a better chance\n  if they bought Indian goods or services in return, the trade\n  sources said.\n      Illustrating the point, the official said a South Korean\n  firm recently agreed to sell a drilling platform worth 40 mln\n  dlrs to the state-run Oil and Natural Gas Commission.\n      In return, the South Koreans gave a verbal assurance to buy\n  Indian goods worth 10 pct of the contract, against the 25 pct\n  sought by New Delhi, the trade official said.\n      \"We selected the Korean firm because its bid was the lowest,\"\n  he added.\n      Countertrade is helping African countries short of foreign\n  currency to import goods. India has signed a trade protocol to\n  buy up to 15,000 tonnes of asbestos fibre from Zimbabwe in\n  exchange for Indian goods, including jute bags and cars.\n      But despite India's new drive, countertrade has some\n  inherent problems, they added.\n      \"It is not always easy to meet the basic requirement that\n  the trade should always be balanced,\" one trade source said. \"The\n  other problem is it is often difficult to supply or buy\n  commodities which the other party wants.\"\n      Another added, \"Barter is also restrictive. We look upon it\n  as a temporary measure to get over the current balance of\n  payments difficulty.\n      \"This is why countertrade has not been made a law in India.\n  It does not even figure in the country's foreign trade policy.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BP AUSTRALIA REPORTS 16.15 MLN DLR YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  The <British Petroleum Co of\n  Australia Ltd> reported a 16.15 mln dlr net loss for 1986\n  against a 73.38 mln dlr profit in 1985 after sales fell to 2.27\n  billion dlrs from 2.94 billion.\n      The British Petroleum Co Plc <BP.L> unit attributed the\n  deficit to stock losses arising from the drop in crude prices\n  in the first half, when it made a 119.93 mln dlr loss.\n      It said government compensation, in the form of subsidies\n  to refiners to partially cover stock losses, together with\n  improved crude prices in the second half, enabled the group's\n  oil business to make a modest pre-tax profit.\n      BP Australia said it had not recommended a dividend.\n      Commenting on the year's performance, the company said it\n  suspended operations at the 60 pct-owned Agnew Nickel mine\n  because of losses sustained from declining nickel prices.\n      The results also included an 11.3 mln dlr extraordinary\n  writedown on the value of the laid-up oil exploration drillship\n  Regional Endeavour.\n      BP Australia said it had sold its 33-1\/3 stake in chemical\n  maker <CSBP and Farmers Ltd> yielding an extraordinary profit\n  of 18.9 mln dlrs and expected to finalise the sale of the 80\n  pct-owned <Kwinana Nitrogen Co> in the first half of 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN SEAMLESS PIPE MAKERS TO FORM EXPORT CARTEL\n","article":"  Four major Japanese steelmakers plan to\n  form a seamless pipe export cartel for markets other than the\n  U.S. And the European Community for a year from April to keep\n  prices above output costs, company officials involved said.\n      The companies are Nippon steel Corp <NSTC.T>, Sumitomo\n  Metal Industries Ltd <SMIT.T>, Nippon Kokan KK <NKKT.T> and\n  Kawasaki Steel Corp <KAWS.T>, which together account for some\n  95 pct of Japan's total seamless pipe exports.\n      The firms will apply to form the cartel to the Ministry of\n  International Trade and Industry today and approval is expected\n  later this month, the officials said.\n      Under the plan, the four companies will set floor prices\n  for exports as prices have fallen sharply due to the yen's\n  appreciation against the dollar, reduced world demand caused by\n  lower oil prices and excess domestic capacity which resulted in\n  price-cutting competition, the officials said.\n      In calendar 1986, seamless pipe exports fell to 2.34 mln\n  tonnes from 2.99 mln in 1985 and 3.12 mln in 1981.\n      The officials declined to give any idea of floor prices,\n  saying it depends partly on volume, but industry sources\n  estimate average export prices would rise by around 20 pct to\n  some 800 dlrs a tonne.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ANZ BANK SAYS IT WILL CUT AUSTRALIAN PRIME TO 18.25 PCT FROM 18.5 ON MARCH 30\n","article":"\n  ANZ BANK SAYS IT WILL CUT AUSTRALIAN PRIME TO 18.25 PCT FROM 18.5 ON MARCH 30\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JARDINE MATHESON HOLDINGS LTD <JARD.HKG> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Shr 126 H.K. Cents vs 42 (adjusted)\n      Final div 30 cents vs 10, making 40 vs 10\n      Net 479 mln dlrs vs 157 mln\n      Turnover 10.4 billion vs 10.5 billion\n      Note - Profits excluded extraordinary items 52 mln dlrs vs\n  losses 426 mln. Dividend payable after general meeting on June\n  4, books close April 22 to May 5.\n      Note - Bonus issue of four new \"B\" shares of par value 20\n  cents each for every one share of par value two dlrs each,\n  books close August 3 to 10.\n   REUTER N\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BHP CO LTD NET PROFIT 603.0 MLN DLRS FIRST THREE QTRS VS 813.0 MLN\n","article":"\n  BHP CO LTD NET PROFIT 603.0 MLN DLRS FIRST THREE QTRS VS 813.0 MLN\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JARDINE MATHESON HOLDINGS LTD <JARD.HKG> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Shr 126 H.K. Cents vs 42 (adjusted)\n      Final div 30 cents vs 10, making 40 vs 10\n      Net 479 mln dlrs vs 157 mln\n      Turnover 10.4 billion vs 10.5 billion\n      Note - Profits excluded extraordinary items 52 mln dlrs vs\n  losses 426 mln. Dividend payable after general meeting on June\n  4, books close April 22 to May 5.\n      Note - Bonus issue of four new \"B\" shares of par value 20\n  cents each for every one share of par value two dlrs each,\n  books close August 3 to 10.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"Japan February industrial production rose 0.3 pct (0.5 pct January drop) - official\n","article":"\n  Japan February industrial production rose 0.3 pct (0.5 pct January drop) - official\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"THE BROKEN HILL PTY CO LTD <BRKN.S> NINE MONTHS\n","article":"  First nine months ended Feb 28\n      Shr 47.4 cents vs 65.2\n      Net 603.0 mln dlrs vs 813.0 mln\n      Sales 6.52 billion vs 6.53 billion\n      Other income 454.9 mln vs 160.2 mln\n      Shrs 1.27 billion vs 1.03 billion.\n      Final div 20 cents vs same, making 37.5 vs same.\n      One-for-five bonus issue\n      Third qtr net 206.0 mln dlrs vs 238.6 mln\n      Third qtr sales 2.11 billion vs 2.10 billion.\n      NOTE - Div pay May 27. Div and bonus reg May 1. Nine months\n  net is after tax 499.1 mln dlrs vs 722.6 mln, depreciation\n  509.5 mln vs 427.3 mln, interest 366.8 mln vs 215.8 mln and\n  minorities 15.3 mln vs 15.7 mln but before net extraordinary\n  profit 60.7 mln vs profit 43.2 mln.\n      Nine month divisional net earnings before minorities were.\n      Petroleum 184.9 mln dlrs vs 472.4 mln\n      Minerals 254.6 mln vs 241.0 mln\n      Steel 148.2 mln vs 191.1 mln\n      Corporate items and investments profit 30.6 mln vs loss\n  75.8 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION RISES IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Japan's industrial production index (base\n  1980) rose 0.3 pct to a seasonally adjusted 122.7 in February\n  from the previous month, the Ministry of International Trade\n  and Industry said.\n      Output fell 0.5 pct in January from a month earlier.\n      The preliminary, unadjusted February index rose 0.6 pct\n  from a year earlier after a 0.5 pct year-on-year rise in\n  January\n      The adjusted February producers' shipment index (base 1980)\n  rose 0.7 pct to 118.5 from January when it fell 0.7 pct from\n  December.\n      The unadjusted shipment index rose 1.4 pct from a year\n  earlier after a 1.0 pct year-on-year January gain.\n      The adjusted February index of producers' finished goods\n  (base 1980) fell 1.3 pct to 104.5 from January when it fell 0.3\n  pct from December.\n      The unadjusted index fell 3.5 pct from a year earlier after\n  a 2.3 pct year-on-year drop in January.\n      A 2.7 pct rise by the electronics industry on higher output\n  of facsimile machines and video tape recorders was a major\n  contributor to the rise in February industrial output, though\n  car production fell from January.\n      The official said industrial production is expected to rise\n  3.2 pct in March on higher production by machinery, steel and\n  chemical makers but will drop 3.4 pct in April on a downturn in\n  the output of those industries. He gave no further details.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SOUTH KOREA PLANS 11-12 PCT BUDGET RISE IN 1988\n","article":"  South Korea plans to increase the size of\n  its budget in 1988 by 11 to 12 pct from this year's 15,596\n  billion won, Economic Planning Board officials said.\n      The proposed boost is based on a government forecast that\n  gross national product (gnp) will grow by more than 7.5 pct and\n  the gnp deflator by 3.5 pct in 1988, against targets of 8.0 pct\n  and 3.5 pct respectively this year, they said.\n      Details of the 1988 budget, in which spending will match\n  revenue, have yet to be worked out, the officials said.\n      The balanced budget in 1986 totalled 13,800.5 billion won.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SCOTT'S HOSPITALITY ACQUIRES CAPITAL FOOD\n","article":"  <Scott's Hospitality Inc> said it\n  acquired all issued shares of Capital Food Services Ltd, of\n  Ottawa. Terms were not disclosed.\n      Scott's said Capital Food had 1986 sales of more than 20\n  mln dlrs and will continue to operate under its present name\n  with existing management.\n      Capital Food provides food services to several Ottawa\n  institutions, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JARDINE MATHESON PLANS FOUR-FOR-ONE BONUS ISSUE\n","article":"  Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd\n  <JARD.HKG> said it planned a bonus issue of four new \"B\" shares\n  of 20 H.K. Cents each for every ordinary share of par value two\n  dlrs.\n      A company statement said the firm expects to pay a total\n  1987 dividend of four cents per \"B\" share, while the \"A\" share\n  dividend will be maintained at last year's level of 40 cents a\n  share.\n      Jardine Matheson announced earlier a 205 pct jump in 1986\n  net profits to 479 mln dlrs from 157 mln in 1985.\n      Shareholders' funds increased to 5.02 billion dlrs from\n  4.77 billion in 1985, the statement said.\n      It quoted chairman Simon Keswick as saying Jardine Matheson\n  achieved the good performance through satisfactory results in\n  most sections, especially Hong Kong Land Co Ltd <HKLD.HKG>,\n  Jardine Fleming Co Ltd, and its business in Japan.\n      He said the group's stake of about 35 pct in Hong Kong\n  Land, which will be lowered to 26 pct after the completion of a\n  reorganisation, is \"a long term investment and now stands at a\n  level which causes us no financial strain or problems of asset\n  imbalance.\"\n      Keswick said the issue of new \"B\" shares will give the group\n  \"the flexibility in the future to issue ordinary shares for\n  expansion without jeopardising the shareholding stability which\n  has been brought about through the group's recent\n  restructuring.\"\n      He said the new issue is pending approval from both the\n  firm's shareholders and warrant holders, adding an appropriate\n  adjustment will be made to the warrant exercise price.\n      The Jardine group has nearly completed its reorganisation,\n  with Jardine Matheson transferring its control of Hk Land to\n  the new unit <Jardine Strategic Holdings Ltd>.\n      Jardine Strategic will also hold majority stakes in the two\n  companies spun off from Hk Land -- <Mandarin Oriental\n  International Ltd> and <Dairy Farm International Holdings Ltd>\n  -- plus cross holdings with Jardine Matheson.\n      Jardine Matheson, which had debts of about 2.7 billion dlrs\n  last year, will become debt free after the restructuring.\n      \"A positive cash flow from operations and disposals,\n  continuing into 1987, has transformed our balance sheet,\"\n  Keswick said. He noted the firm last year sold interests in\n  airfreight operations, Australian properties and trucking\n  business, and its remaining U.S. Oil and gas activities.\n      Jardine Matheson decided to make a provision against its\n  general trading business in the Middle East in view of the\n  continuing weakness of oil prices, Keswick said. But he said\n  the operations would be profitable in the longer term.\n      He said the firm's function \"has evolved into one primarily\n  of strategy, structure and financial and personnel policy.\"\n      He said Jardine Matheson will reduce the size of the board\n  of directors but will simultaneously create a new Pacific\n  regional board. He gave no further details of the change.\n      Jardine Matheson shares rose 20 cents to 24.90 dlrs at\n  midday on the Hong Kong stock market. In early trading it had\n  fallen to 24.30 dlrs because of rumours yesterday that the firm\n  planned a rights issue.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BHP SEES STRONG FOURTH QUARTER BUT LOWER YEAR NET\n","article":"  The Broken Hill Pty Co Ltd <BRKN.S>\n  said it expects a strong full year result, helped by sigificant\n  investment allowance credits in the fourth quarter, but net\n  will fall short of the record 988.2 mln dlrs earned in 1985\/86\n  ended May 31.\n      The group earlier reported its net earnings dropped to\n  603.0 mln dlrs in the first three quarters ended February 28\n  from 813.0 mln a year earlier.\n      Third quarter net fell to 206.0 mln dlrs from 238.6 mln a\n  year earlier and 220.3 mln in the second quarter ended November\n  31, BHP said in a statement.\n      Earnings in the first nine months were at the lower end of\n  share analysts' forecasts yesterday of a range of 600 mln to\n  620 mln dlrs.\n      BHP held its annual dividend unchanged at 37.5 cents after\n  declaring a steady final dividend of 20 cents and announced a\n  one-for-five bonus issue to shareholders registered May 1.\n      The bonus is being made from reserves which will not\n  qualify for tax-free distribution after the introduction of\n  dividend imputation next July 1.\n      The bonus shares will not rank for the final dividend, BHP\n  said.\n      BHP said it should not be expected that the present rate of\n  dividend will be maintained on the increased capital.\n      The level of future dividends will be influenced by the\n  implications of the proposed dividend imputation legislation,\n  it said.\n      As previously reported, dividends will become tax-free in\n  shareholders' hands provided they are paid out of profits that\n  have borne the full 49 pct company tax rate.\n      BHP, which confined comment to the third quarter, said\n  petroleum net earnings dropped to 98.8 mln dlrs from 139.6 mln\n  a year earlier, and steel profit to 27.0 mln from 48.8 mln.\n      BHP said the petroleum division earnings fall reflected\n  generally lower oil prices and sales volumes from Bass Strait\n  while the steel decline was due to a five pct fall in domestic\n  sales and higher costs associated with the commissioning of new\n  plant and some operational difficulties.\n      The rise in third quarter minerals net to 95.7 mln dlrs\n  from 81.5 mln a year earlier largely reflected the increase in\n  ownership of the Mt Newman iron ore project, it said.\n      The 60.7 mln dlr extraordinary gain, all in the third term,\n  reflected a 240.7 mln profit on the sale of <Blue Circle\n  Southern Cement Ltd> offset by a U.S. Oil acreage writedown.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"Japan Feb current account surplus 7.38 billion dlrs (Jan 4.95 billion surplus)\n","article":"\n  Japan Feb current account surplus 7.38 billion dlrs (Jan 4.95 billion surplus)\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"Japan February trade surplus 8.14 billion dlrs (January 5.70 billion surplus)\n","article":"\n  Japan February trade surplus 8.14 billion dlrs (January 5.70 billion surplus)\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN FEBRUARY CURRENT ACCOUNT, TRADE SURPLUS JUMP\n","article":"  Japan's current account surplus rose to\n  7.38 billion dlrs in February from 3.89 billion a year ago and\n  from 4.95 billion in January, the Finance Ministry said.\n      The trade surplus rose to 8.14 billion dlrs in February\n  from 4.77 billion a year earlier and 5.70 billion in January.\n      The long-term capital account deficit widened to 11.40\n  billion dlrs from 8.06 billion a year ago, but it narrowed from\n  12.32 billion in January, the Ministry said.\n      Japan's February exports rose to 16.74 billion dlrs from\n  14.89 billion in February 1986 and from 14.65 billion in\n  January, the Ministry said. Imports fell to 8.61 billion from\n  10.12 billion a year earlier and 8.94 billion in January.\n      The invisible trade deficit fell to 617 mln dlrs in\n  February from 693 mln a year earlier, but was up from a 527 mln\n  deficit in January.\n      Figures do not tally exactly because of rounding.\n      Transfer payments narrowed to a 140 mln dlr deficit last\n  month from a 185 mln deficit a year earlier and a 225 mln\n  deficit in January.\n      The basic balance of payments deficit in February fell to\n  4.02 billion dlrs from 4.17 billion in February 1986 and 7.37\n  billion in January. Short-term capital account payments swung\n  to a 1.28 billion dlr deficit in February from a 1.60 billion\n  surplus a year earlier and a 1.44 billion dlr surplus in\n  January.\n      Errors and omissions were 2.65 billion dlrs in surplus,\n  compared with a 1.27 billion surplus a year earlier and a 1.10\n  billion deficit in January. The overall balance of payments\n  deficit rose to 2.65 billion dlrs from 1.30 billion a year\n  earlier but was down from 7.04 billion in January.\n      The seasonally adjusted trade surplus fell to 9.16 billion\n  dlrs in February from the record 9.58 billion in January, the\n  Ministry said.\n      The seasonally adjusted current account surplus also\n  dropped to 8.4 billion dlrs in February from the record 8.83\n  billion set in January.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PHILIPPINES TO LOBBY U.S. FOR HIGHER SUGAR QUOTA\n","article":"  The Philippines will ask the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department (USDA) to increase its 1987 sugar import\n  quota following market reports that Taiwan will not be able to\n  fulfil its quota, Sugar Regulation Administration (SRA)\n  chairman Arsenim Yulo said.\n      Yulo told Reuters the SRA would also protest a USDA move to\n  award Taiwan's shortfall to the Dominican Republic.\n      The Dominican Republic already has a larger sugar quota,\n  Yulo said. \"Any Taiwanese shortfall should be awarded to the\n  Philippines or at the least we should share a hike with the\n  Dominican Republic.\"\n      The USDA last December listed 1987 sugar import quota\n  allocations for the Dominican Republic at 160,160 short tons\n  and for Taiwan at 10,920 short tons.\n      The Philippines has said it was badly hit by a cut in its\n  quota to 143,780 short tons from 231,660 in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"26-FEB-1987\n","article":"  26-FEB-1987\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ZIMBABWE COFFEE OUTPUT SET TO RISE\n","article":"  Zimbabwean coffee output will reach\n  13,000 tonnes this year, up on just over 11,000 tonnes produced\n  in 1986, the Commercial Coffee Growers Association said.\n      Administrative Executive Robin Taylor told the domestic\n  news agency ZIANA that Zimbabwe earned the equivalent of 33 mln\n  U.S. Dlrs from coffee exports last year. He would not say how\n  much the country would earn in 1987.\n      Taylor said the 173 commercial coffee growers under his\n  association had increased production from 5,632 tonnes in 1980\n  to more than 11,000 tonnes in l986.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INDIA'S 1986\/87 CASTOR OIL EXPORTS FALL - TRADERS\n","article":"  India's castor oil exports are\n  provisionally estimated at 30,000 tonnes in fiscal 1986\/87,\n  ending March 31, against 54,000 tonnes in 1985\/86 due to a\n  shortfall in the domestic castorseed crop, private traders\n  said.\n      Drought in parts of the country is expected to reduce the\n  castorseed crop to a provisionally estimated 350,000 tonnes in\n  1986\/87 from 550,000 tonnes in 1985\/86, they told Reuters.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"UNITED STATES LINES LAYS OFF FAR EAST STAFF\n","article":"  <United States Lines Inc> has laid\n  off 260 employees, almost its entire Far East staff, its Hong\n  Kong office general manager Elliott Burnside told Reuters.\n      He also said calls by two of its container ships to Busan,\n  South Korea and Kaohsiung, Taiwan, had been cancelled.\n      He declined comment on local press reports that U.S. Lines\n  planned to suspend operations because of failure to restructure\n  its 1.27 billion U.S. Dlr debt, but said the firm would make an\n  announcement later today.\n      U.S. Lines filed for protection from its creditors under\n  Chapter Eleven of the U.S. Federal law last November.\n      The English-language South China Morning Post said U.S.\n  Lines decided yesterday to sell its two remaining transpacific\n  service fleets and assets and those of its U.S.-South America\n  operation.\n      It quoted a letter by company's chief executive Charles\n  Hiltzheimer that said the ships and assets will be bought by\n  rival U.S. Shipping companies, subject to approval by their\n  boards.\n      U.S. Lines' Far East operations comprise offices in Hong\n  Kong, Singapore, Manila, Busan, Seoul, Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe\n  and Osaka, Burnside said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"USDA REJECTS SRI LANKA'S 80 U.S. DLR WHEAT PRICE\n","article":"  Sri Lankan Food Department officials\n  said the U.S. Department of Agriculture rejected a U.S. Firm's\n  offer of 80 U.S. Dlrs per tonne CAF to supply 52,500 tonnes of\n  soft wheat to Colombo from the Pacific Northwest.\n      They said Sri Lanka's Food Department subsequently made a\n  counter-offer to five U.S. Firms to buy wheat at 85 U.S. Dlrs\n  CAF for April 8-16 delivery.\n      The company which obtains USDA approval for the proposed\n  price must inform the Department before 1330 gmt, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PHILIPPINE SUGAR CROP SET AT 1.6 MLN TONNES\n","article":"  Philippine sugar production in the\n  1987\/88 crop year ending August has been set at 1.6 mln tonnes,\n  up from a provisional 1.3 mln tonnes this year, Sugar\n  Regulatory Administration (SRA) chairman Arsenio Yulo said.\n      Yulo told Reuters a survey during the current milling\n  season, which ends next month, showed the 1986\/87 estimate\n  would almost certainly be met.\n      He said at least 1.2 mln tonnes of the 1987\/88 crop would\n  be earmarked for domestic consumption.\n      Yulo said about 130,000 tonnes would be set aside for the\n  U.S. Sugar quota, 150,000 tonnes for strategic reserves and\n  50,000 tonnes would be sold on the world market.\n      He said if the government approved a long-standing SRA\n  recommendation to manufacture ethanol, the project would take\n  up another 150,000 tonnes, slightly raising the target.\n      \"The government, for its own reasons, has been delaying\n  approval of the project, but we expect it to come through by\n  July,\" Yulo said.\n      Ethanol could make up five pct of gasoline, cutting the oil\n  import bill by about 300 mln pesos.\n      Yulo said three major Philippine distilleries were ready to\n  start manufacturing ethanol if the project was approved.\n      The ethanol project would result in employment for about\n  100,000 people, sharply reducing those thrown out of work by\n  depressed world sugar prices and a moribund domestic industry.\n      Production quotas, set for the first time in 1987\/88, had\n  been submitted to President Corazon Aquino.\n      \"I think the President would rather wait till the new\n  Congress convenes after the May elections,\" he said. \"But there\n  is really no need for such quotas. We are right now producing\n  just slightly over our own consumption level.\"\n      \"The producers have never enjoyed such high prices,\" Yulo\n  said, adding sugar was currently selling locally for 320 pesos\n  per picul, up from 190 pesos last August.\n      Yulo said prices were driven up because of speculation\n  following the SRA's bid to control production.\n      \"We are no longer concerned so much with the world market,\"\n  he said, adding producers in the Negros region had learned from\n  their mistakes and diversified into corn and prawn farming and\n  cloth production.\n      He said diversification into products other than ethanol\n  was also possible within the sugar industry.\n      \"The Brazilians long ago learnt their lessons,\" Yulo said.\n  \"They have 300 sugar mills, compared with our 41, but they\n  relocated many of them and diversified production. We want to\n  call this a 'sugarcane industry' instead of the sugar industry.\"\n      He said sugarcane could be fed to pigs and livestock, used\n  for thatching roofs, or used in room panelling.\n      \"When you cut sugarcane you don't even have to produce\n  sugar,\" he said.\n      Yulo said the Philippines was lobbying for a renewal of the\n  International Sugar Agreement, which expired in 1984.\n      \"As a major sugar producer we are urging them to write a new\n  agreement which would revive world prices,\" Yulo said.\n      \"If there is no agreement world prices will always be\n  depressed, particularly because the European Community is\n  subsidising its producers and dumping sugar on the markets.\"\n      He said current world prices, holding steady at about 7.60\n  cents per pound, were uneconomical for the Philippines, where\n  production costs ranged from 12 to 14 cents a pound.\n      \"If the price holds steady for a while at 7.60 cents I\n  expect the level to rise to about 11 cents a pound by the end\n  of this year,\" he said.\n      Yulo said economists forecast a bullish sugar market by\n  1990, with world consumption outstripping production.\n      He said sugar markets were holding up despite encroachments\n  from artificial sweeteners and high-fructose corn syrup.\n      \"But we are not happy with the Reagan Administration,\" he\n  said. \"Since 1935 we have been regular suppliers of sugar to the\n  U.S. In 1982, when they restored the quota system, they cut\n  ours in half without any justification.\"\n      Manila was keenly watching Washington's moves to cut\n  domestic support prices to 12 cents a pound from 18 cents.\n      The U.S. Agriculture Department last December slashed its\n  12 month 1987 sugar import quota from the Philippines to\n  143,780 short tons from 231,660 short tons in 1986.\n      Yulo said despite next year's increased production target,\n  some Philippine mills were expected to shut down.\n      \"At least four of the 41 mills were not working during the\n  1986\/87 season,\" he said. \"We expect two or three more to follow\n  suit during the next season.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN SETS ASIDE YEN FUNDS TO PREVENT DLR FALL\n","article":"  The 50-day provisional 1987\/88 budget,\n  adopted today by the government, allows the Finance Ministry to\n  issue up to 14,600 billion yen worth of foreign exchange fund\n  financing bills, government sources said.\n      Foreign exchange dealers said the yen funds would be used\n  to buy dollars, to prevent a further dollar fall.\n      The government sources said the amount, covering the first\n  50 days of the year starting April 1, accounts for more than 90\n  pct of the 16,000 billion yen in bills incorporated in the full\n  budget.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MITSUBISHI BUYS INTO DANISH DAIRY PRODUCT FIRM\n","article":"  Mitsubishi Corp <MITT.TOK> said it has\n  taken a 25 pct stake worth five mln krone in <Danish Dairy\n  Farms Ltd> and will jointly market its produce from April.\n      The company was set up last year by three major Danish\n  livestock cooperative federations to expand markets for their\n  dairy products, a Mitsubishi official said.\n      This is the first time a Japanese trading house has traded\n  non-Japanese dairy products in the world market, he said.\n      He said Mitsubishi expects the Danish company's annual\n  sales to be 10 billion yen in its first year, from April 1.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN ACTS TO COOL U.S. ANGER ON TELECOMS DISPUTE\n","article":"  Japan has sought to assure the U.S. It is\n  not trying to keep foreign equity in a new Japanese\n  international telecommunications company below the legal limit\n  of 33 pct, a Post and Telecommunications ministry official\n  said.\n      In a letter sent yesterday, Postal Minister Shunjiro\n  Karasawa told U.S. Commerce Secretary Malcolm Baldrige that the\n  ministry does not object to foreign participation by those U.S.\n  Firms that have expressed interest.\n      But it does oppose any foreign international\n  telecommunications carrier having a management role, he said.\n      The move appears to be an effort to dampen U.S. Opposition\n  to the planned merger of two rival firms seeking to compete\n  with the current monopoly <Kokusai Denwa Denshin Co Ltd>, and\n  to reduce the share held in any KDD rival by U.K.'s Cable and\n  Wireless Plc <CAWL.L>, industry analysts and diplomats said.\n      One of the rival firms, <International Telecom Japan Inc>\n  (ITJ) has offered a stake in the company to eight U.S. Firms\n  including General Electric Co <GE>, Ford Motor Co <F> and\n  Citibank NA <CCI), and two European companies, ITJ president\n  Nobuo Ito said yesterday.\n      Cable and Wireless holds a 20 pct share in a second\n  potential KDD rival, <International Digital Communications\n  Planning Inc>, along with <C Itoh and Co>. Merrill Lynch and Co\n  Inc <MER> and Pacific Telesis International Inc <PAC>, both of\n  the U.S., Hold three and 10 pct shares respectively.\n      The Post and Telecommunications Ministry has urged the\n  merger of the two firms because it says the market can only\n  support a single KDD competitor.\n      It has also rejected management participation by an\n  international common carrier, such as Cable and Wireless,\n  arguing no international precedent for such a stake exists.\n      Cable and Wireless Director of Corporate Strategy, Jonathan\n  Solomon, yesterday again told ministry officials he opposes a\n  merger proposal that would limit Cable and Wireless' share to\n  less than three pct and total foreign participation to about 20\n  pct, the ministry official said.\n      Channeling the U.S. Firms into a single merged competitor\n  would most probably result in diluting Cable and Wireless'\n  share, industry analysts said.\n      \"Eventually the ministry will get what it wants -- one\n  combined competitor,\" Bache Securities (Japan) Ltd analyst\n  Darrell Whitten said.\n      \"Political ... Leverage may get the total foreign share up\n  to a certain amount, but you won't find any one company with an\n  extraordinarily large holding,\" Whitten said.\n      Western diplomatic sources were more blunt.\n      \"They (the ministry) don't want to see Cable and Wireless\n  with a reasonable share and they think of all sorts of\n  strategies to reduce that share,\" one said.\n      Fumio Watanabe, a senior Keidanren (a leading business\n  organization) official who has been trying to arrange the\n  merger, will present a new outline of his proposal on Thursday,\n  the ministry official said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS HAS 10 PCT OF NORTHERN STAR\n","article":"  <Northern Star Holdings Ltd> said\n  Britain's <Associated Newspapers Holdings Plc> will hold 9.99\n  pct of its enlarged issued capital after applying to acquire\n  15.9 mln shares in its recently announced placement.\n      Associated was one of the major investors participating in\n  the previously reported placement of 128.9 mln shares at 3.75\n  dlrs each, Northern Star said in a statement.\n      The northern New South Wales regional group is emerging as\n  a national media force in the wake of the industry\n  restructuring sparked by the News Corp Ltd <NCPA.S> takeover of\n  the Herald and Weekly Times Ltd <HWTA.S> group.\n      Associated now holds 3.3 pct of Northern Star's current\n  issued capital, a company official said.\n      As previously reported, Northern Star is raising 623 mln\n  dlrs through placements and a subsequent one-for-four rights\n  issue at 2.95 dlrs a share.\n      Of the placements, 56.9 mln shares will go to a number of\n  investors and 72 mln to investment group <Westfield Capital\n  Corp Ltd>, which arranged Northern Star's purchase of News\n  Corp's television assets, three newspapers and three radio\n  stations for 842 mln dlrs. Westfield will increase its stake in\n  Northern Star to about 45 pct from 20 as a result.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BELGIAN DECEMBER INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT FALLS\n","article":"  Industrial production, excluding\n  construction and adjusted for the number of working days, fell\n  1.5 pct in December from year earlier levels, the National\n  Statistics Office said.\n      It was also a sharp 16.8 pct below the November level, it\n  said.\n      The office said the production index, base 1980, stood at\n  97.3 in December against an adjusted 116.9 in November and 98.8\n  in December 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TWO JAPANESE STEELMAKERS' CAPITAL SPENDING FALLS\n","article":"  Kawasaki Steel Corp <KAWS.T> said its\n  parent company's capital spending in the year from April 1 will\n  fall to 75 billion yen from 110 billion in the current year,\n  and Sumitomo Metal Industries Ltd <SMIT.T> said its capital\n  spending will drop to 70 billion yen from 85 billion.\n      Both companies said they do not plan to start new large\n  construction projects linked to production increases in the\n  coming year, because of the yen's appreciation and slow world\n  steel demand.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AVANA DEFENCE DOCUMENT FORECASTS PROFITS RISE\n","article":"  <Avana Group Plc>, defending itself\n  against a bid from Ranks Hovis McDougall Plc <RHML.L>, RHM,\n  forecast a 3.4 mln stg rise in profits in the 1986\/87 year.\n      It said pretax profit should rise to 23.0 mln stg in the\n  year to April 2, 1987 from 19.6 mln previously, and reach 27.5\n  mln in 1987\/88. It expects share earnings to rise to 46.9p from\n  38.7p and to 51.2p in 1987\/88, and the 1986\/87 dividend to be\n  17.0p net, a 41.6 pct increase.\n      The bid from RHM, rejected by the food and bakery group, is\n  worth about 270 mln stg. RHM currently has a 22.9 pct stake in\n  purchases and acceptances.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN BUYS 340,000 TONNES OF U.S. MAIZE\n","article":"  The joint committee of Taiwan's maize\n  importers awarded contracts to five U.S. Companies for seven\n  shipments totalling 340,000 tonnes of maize for delivery\n  between September 1 and December 20, a committee official said.\n      United Grain Corp of Oregon won two contracts for the\n  supply of 110,000 tonnes, priced between 92.44 and 96.00 dlrs\n  per tonne, for September 1-15 and November 5-20 delivery.\n      Cargill Inc of Minnesota also took two shipments totalling\n  110,000 tonnes, priced between 93.45 and 94.65 dlrs per tonne,\n  for October 1-15 and December 5-20 delivery.\n      ADM Export Co of Minnesota received a 54,000 tonne cargo,\n  at 93.75 dlrs per tonne, for November 1-15 delivery.\n      Cigra Inc of Chicago won a contract to supply 33,000\n  tonnes, at 96.89 dlrs per tonne, for November 25-December 10\n  delivery.\n      Elders Grain Inc of Kansas took a 33,000 tonne shipment, at\n  96.06 dlrs per tonne, for December 1-15 delivery.\n      All shipments are c and f Taiwan.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"VIDEO DISPLAY <VIDE> TO SELL CABLE TV UNIT\n","article":"  Video Display Corfp said it has reached\n  a tentiative agreement to sell its existing cable television\n  business for undisclosed terms and expects to report a gain on\n  the transaction.  The buyer was not named.\n      The company said it will redeploy its service assets into\n  manufacturing and distribution.\n      It said the operations being sold accounted for about five\n  pct of revenues for the year ended February 28 and lost money.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET DEFICIT FORECAST AT 700 MLN STG\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it forecast a\n  shortage of around 700 mln stg in the money market today.\n      Among the main factors affecting liquidity, bills maturing\n  in official hands will drain some 501 mln stg while a rise in\n  note circulation and bankers' balances below target will take\n  out around 285 mln stg and 45 mln stg respectively.\n      Partly offsetting these outflows, exchequer transactions\n  will add some 120 mln stg to the system today.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JAPAN ALUMINIUM OUTPUT FALLS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Japanese aluminium output fell to 5,298\n  tonnes in February from 7,472 in January and 14,280 a year\n  earlier, preliminary International Trade and Industry Ministry\n  figures show.\n      Output fell sharply from a year ago as most aluminium firms\n  stopped smelting in the past year due to cheap imports,\n  industry sources said.\n      Sales and end-month stocks in tonnes were:\n              Feb 87   Jan 87   Feb 86\n      Sales   36,557   38,678   75,687\n      Stocks  53,248   56,620  127,083\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":" Bank of France buying dollars for yen - banking sources\n","article":"\n   Bank of France buying dollars for yen - banking sources\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"JAPAN ALUMINIUM IMPORTS RISE IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Japanese primary aluminium imports rose\n  to 98,170 tonnes in February from 91,157 in January and 94,926\n  a year earlier, the Japan Aluminium Federation said.\n      This brought total imports in 1986\/87, ending March 31, to\n  1.09 mln tonnes against 1.25 mln a year earlier.\n      The February total included 19,102 tonnes from the U.S.\n  Against 16,577 in January and 9,933 a year ago, 24,391 from\n  Australia against 19,585 and 21,208, and 12,611 from Indonesia\n  against 5,891 and 16,601.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MITSUBISHI MOTORS AUSTRALIA MAKES 19 MLN DLR LOSS\n","article":"  <Mitsubishi Motors Australia Ltd>\n  (MMAL) reported a 19.64 mln dlr net loss in calendar 1986 from\n  a 5.80 mln dlr profit in 1985 on turnover of 837.79 mln dlrs\n  from 942.89 mln.\n      MMAL, 99 pct-owned by Mitsubishi Motors Corp <MIMT.T> and\n  Mitsubishi Corp <MITT.T>,  said a tight market meant it had\n  failed to recover 19 mln dlrs in costs sustained because of a\n  weak Australian dollar.\n      The company said its Magna car dominated its market segment\n  with sales of 30,500 units against 26,900 in 1985. Total sales\n  were 64,100, down 15,900.\n      In addition, export of components to Japan increased with\n  15 mln dlrs invested in 1986 to expand output of aluminium\n  cylinder heads to 26,000 per month from 6,000, MMAL said.\n      Imported passenger car, light commercial and heavy vehicle\n  sales suffered while local-manufacturing profitability was\n  eroded by sales substantially below production capacity, it\n  said.\n      Australian car sales fell to 530,000 in 1985 from 696,000\n  in 1985, although MMAL said it lifted its market penetration to\n  12.1 pct from 11.5 pct.\n      No dividend was recommended.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INTEK DIVERSIFIED CORP <IDCC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr three cts vs three cts\n      Net 98,20000 vs 91,898\n      Revs 2,843,520 vs 2,372,457\n      Year\n      Shr 13 cts vs 21 cts\n      Net 401,179 vs 681,374\n      Revs 10.5 mln vs 9,699,535\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INDIA BUYS 20,000 TONNES OF RAPESEED OIL\n","article":"  The Indian State Trading Corporation\n  (STC) bought a 20,000 tonne cargo of optional origin rapeseed\n  oil at its vegetable oil import tender yesterday, traders said.\n  The oil was for June 20\/July 20 shipment at 321 dlrs per tonne\n  cif.\n      Traders said the STC attempted to buy eight cargoes of\n  processed palm oil but its price ideas were too low for\n  exporters. It also failed to secure soyoil for the same reason,\n  they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"THAI TIN EXPORTS FALL IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Thailand exported 1,120 tonnes of tin\n  metal in February, down from 1,816 tonnes the previous month\n  and 2,140 tonnes a year ago, the Mineral Resources Department\n  said.\n      It said major buyers last month were Britain, Japan, the\n  Netherlands, West Germany and the U.S.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BOTSWANA BANS ZIMBABWE MEAT PRODUCTS, AGENCY SAYS\n","article":"  Botswana has stopped importing almost\n  all meat products from Zimbabwe after reports of a suspected\n  outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the neighbouring country.\n      Botswana's official news agency, BOPA, announcing the ban\n  last night, quoted Agriculture Minister Daniel Kwelagobe as\n  saying only sterilised and canned animal products would be\n  allowed into the country, with immediate effect.\n      He said Zimbabwean veterinary officials had notified him\n  that they suspected foot and mouth disease had broken out at\n  Insiza, 100 km northeast of Bulawayo, capital of the mainly\n  cattle-ranching southwestern province of Matabeleland.\n      Zimbabwean officials were not immediately available for\n  comment.\n      The ban will affect products such as uncanned meat, milk,\n  ham, butter and bacon, BOPA reported.\n      Botswana exports much of its high-grade beef to the\n  European Community and augments its local supplies with meat\n  imports from Zimbabwe.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALCAN AUSTRALIA BIDS FOR ALCAN NEW ZEALAND\n","article":"  Alcan Australia Ltd <AL.S> said it will\n  make a 39.3 mln N.Z. Dlr cash bid for all the issued shares of\n  <Alcan New Zealand Ltd> at 1.80 N.Z. Dlrs each with a\n  four-for-three share alternative.\n      Both are 70 pct owned by Canada's Alcan Aluminium Ltd <AL>\n  which will take the share swap option, Alcan Australia deputy\n  chairman Jeremy Davis said in a statement. The remainder of\n  Alcan New Zealand's totalled issued 21.84 mln shares are\n  broadly held while Alcan Australia's are primarily held by\n  institutions. Alcan NZ last traded at 1.55 NZ dlrs, while Alcan\n  Australia today ended four cents down at 1.15 dlrs.\n      Davis said the offer, which is subject to approval by the\n  New Zealand Overseas Investment Commission, was a response to\n  the integration of the two countries' markets under the\n  Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations treaty.\n      Alcan New Zealand shareholders who accept the offer would\n  also receive the final dividend of 10 cents a share normally\n  payable on May 27.\n      Alcan Australia would invite New Zealand representation to\n  its board and would apply to list its shares on the New Zealand\n  Stock exchange, Davis said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" Bundesbank bought dollars against yen in Frankfurt - dealers\n","article":"\n   Bundesbank bought dollars against yen in Frankfurt - dealers\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL <ESSI.PA> YEAR ENDED DEC 31\n","article":"  Provisional consolidated net attributable profit 242.1 mln\n  francs vs 240.1 mln.\n      Investments 318 mln vs 317 mln.\n      Dividend on ordinary shares 45 francs vs 42 francs.\n      Dividend on priority shares 51 francs vs 48 francs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SOUTH AFRICAN MAIZE ESTIMATE CALLED CONSERVATIVE\n","article":"  The South African government's\n  maize production estimate of 7.8 mln tonnes for the current\n  year is \"rather too conservative,\" leading grain and produce\n  merchants Kahn and Kahn Pty Ltd said.\n      The company, in a detailed report, estimated the harvest as\n  high as 8.3 mln tonnes and said if this forecast is met the\n  ostensible surplus for export will be approximately 2.25 mln\n  tonnes.\n      \"This paradoxically is creating a problem for the Maize\n  Board,\" Kahn and Kahn said.\n      It said the maize export price currently is depressed and\n  the board is \"probably confronted with the necessity to maintain\n  or slightly increase the internal price of maize again...To\n  offset the ostensible loss which must be faced\" on exporting\n  surplus amounts.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ITALIAN 1987 GDP GROWTH FORECAST AT THREE PCT\n","article":"  Italy's gross domestic product (GDP) will\n  grow three pct in real terms this year and 2.7 pct in 1988,\n  said economic information company Data Resources Europe Inc\n  (DRI).\n      Michel Girardin, DRI Europe's senior economist, said at a\n  conference that Italian GDP growth this year \"will be mainly\n  driven by consumption and especially investment.\"\n      Girardin said the driving force behind GDP growth next year\n  will shift from domestic demand to exports as a result of\n  expected depreciation of the lira against the major currencies.\n      Italy's budget ministry said yesterday that GDP rose 2.7\n  pct in real terms in 1986.\n      DRI forecast that inflation, which was an average 6.3 pct\n  in 1986, will be under five pct this year and that interest\n  rates should drop two pct.\n      Girardin said the lira is expected to appreciate 14 pct\n  against the dollar this year following last year's 22 pct\n  appreciation. An expected German mark appreciation against the\n  dollar means that the lira should lose about six pct of its\n  value relative to the German currency, he said.\n      DRI estimates that foreign demand for Italian products\n  should grow by a 3.2 pct this year following last year's 6.2\n  pct increase.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TRADE SURPLUS WILL POSE ADDED PRESSURES FOR JAPAN\n","article":"  Japan today announced another mammoth\n  monthly trade surplus that economists said would be sure to\n  intensify already mounting pressure on the country for action.\n      \"The world has every reason to be furious with Japan for not\n  moving more quickly,\" Jardine Fleming (Securities) Ltd economist\n  Eric Rasmussen said.\n      The Finance Ministry said today that the trade surplus\n  soared to 8.14 billion dlrs in February from 5.7 billion in\n  January and 4.77 billion a year ago.\n      The current account surplus, which includes trade in\n  services as well as goods, climbed to 7.38 billion dlrs last\n  month from 4.95 billion in January and 3.89 billion a year ago.\n      After being adjusted for seasonal fluctuations, the figures\n  look a bit better, but not much. On that basis, the trade\n  surplus declined slightly in February to 9.16 billion dlrs from\n  a record 9.58 billion in January.\n      \"In the medium term we expect this modest improvement to\n  continue but the pace of progress may be too slow to ward off\n  further protectionism or further yen strength,\" said William\n  Stirling, economist at Merrill Lynch Japan Inc.\n      A strong yen would make Japanese goods more expensive on\n  world markets while making imports into the country cheaper.\n      \"On a seasonally adjusted basis, we appear to be making some\n  progress on getting exports down,\" Jardine's Rasmussen said.\n      But imports do not seem to be picking up much because the\n  Japanese economy remains sluggish, he said.\n      Finance Ministry officials blamed last month's slower\n  import growth on a decline in oil imports as refiners worked\n  off stocks they had built up in January.\n      The officials took comfort from a decline in the volume of\n  exports last month, after an unexpected year-on-year increase\n  in January.\n      This means the effects of the two-year rise of the yen\n  against the U.S. Dollar are finally beginning to have an impact\n  on exports, they said.\n      But economists warned that may not be soon enough for\n  Japan's trading partners.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"THYSSEN SEES GOOD 1987 PROFIT DESPITE STEEL LOSSES\n","article":"  Thyssen AG <THYH.F> said\n  it expects to post a good profit in 1987 despite anticipated\n  losses in its mass steel-making operations this year.\n      Managing board chairman Dieter Spethmann told the annual\n  meeting the group was satisfied with profit developments in the\n  first half of the 1986\/87 financial year to September 30.\n      The group's other three divisions -- specialty steel,\n  capital goods and trading -- had made a profit so far in\n  1986\/87, he added.\n      Spethmann said income from associate companies had also\n  been good in early 1986\/87.\n      In 1985\/86 Thyssen's world group profit fell to 370.1 mln\n  marks from 472.4 mln in 1984\/85, reflecting costs linked to its\n  steel operations. The company's dividend was an unchanged five\n  marks.\n      A Thyssen spokesman told Reuters that planned job cuts at\n  subsidiary Thyssen Stahl AG would be higher than announced\n  earlier. Total job losses by 1989 were now expected to total up\n  to 7,800 against original projections of 5,900. Thyssen Stahl\n  employs some 40,000 people.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ECONOMIC SPOTLIGHT - DUTCH EXCHANGE RATE POLICY\n","article":"  Recent slackness on Dutch capital\n  markets has led some bankers to question the Central Bank's\n  policy of pegging the guilder firmly to the West German mark\n  and to ask for more flexiblility in exchange rate policy.\n      While agreeing with the Bank's commitment to defend the\n  guilder strongly, some bankers want the Bank to make more use\n  of the range within which the guilder and the mark can\n  fluctuate against each other in the European Monetary System\n  (EMS).\n      Roelof Nelissen, chairman of Amsterdam-Rotterdam Bank NV\n  (Amro) said the Central Bank's policy was overcautious.\n      \"I would like to suggest that the Bank use more freely the\n  range given to the guilder in the EMS,\" Nelissen said at the\n  presentation of Amro's 1986 annual report last week.\n      Within the EMS, the mark is allowed to fluctuate against\n  the guilder between 110.1675 and 115.235 guilders per 100.\n      The Central Bank maintains a stricter policy and tries to\n  keep the mark below the 113.00 guilders per 100. It regards a\n  stable exchange rate as its main target, using interest rate\n  policies to influence the exchange rate.\n      The preference of exchange rate goals above interest rate\n  aims goes almost undisputed in the Netherlands.\n      Critics say the Bank keeps the reins unnecessarily short.\n      Rabobank Nederland said in its latest economic bulletin: \"By\n  maintaining the 113.00 limit, the Central Bank raises the\n  expectation it will always intervene above that level. If it\n  suddenly needs more flexibility it will find it very hard to\n  obtain.\"\n      Amro's Nelissen said relatively small changes in interest\n  rates and exchange rates could cause substantial flows of\n  securities business and sharp fluctuations on the Dutch capital\n  market. Large interest rate changes were often needed to bring\n  about small changes in the guilder\/mark exchange rate, he\n  added.\n      Unlike Amro, Algemene Bank Nederland NV (ABN) says this is\n  a price the Dutch have to pay. It fully agrees with the Central\n  Bank's policy, director-general Julien Geertsema told Reuters,\n  noting a 1983 decision not to revalue the guilder fully with\n  the mark in the EMS hurt confidence in the Dutch currency.\n      \"It is a pity we need such a wide interest rate difference\n  between West Germany to maintain the exchange rate,\" he added.\n      Interest rate differentials between West Germany and the\n  Netherlands are the main factors that trigger capital flows\n  between the two countries, as the economic performance of the\n  two does not differ much, economists said.\n      Data on 1986 capital flows between West Germany and the\n  Netherlands have not yet been released, but in 1985 they\n  accounted for only 10 pct of total trade flows between the two\n  countries, put at 110 billion guilders for 1986 by the\n  Dutch-German Chamber of Commerce earlier this month.\n      Economists say capital flows are more sensitive to interest\n  and exchange rates.\n      West Germany is the Netherlands' largest single trading\n  partner, taking 28 pct of Dutch exports and providing 26 pct of\n  imports in the last quarter of 1986, Central Bureau of\n  Statistics figures show.\n      At the moment, the rates for three month euromark deposits\n  trade around 4.0 pct while the same deposits in guilders have a\n  rate of around 5-7\/16 pct.\n      Amro bank argues that the Dutch real interest rate will\n  even rise further because of expectations of deflation here in\n  1987, contrasting with slight inflation in West Germany.\n      In the Netherlands, the cost of living is expected to\n  decrease by 1.5 pct at a GNP growth rate of two pct, the Dutch\n  Central Planning Agency said in its 1987 forecast last month.\n  German GNP is seen rising by two to 2.5 pct, but with inflation\n  between zero and 1.0 pct, according to most German forecasts.\n      But despite this upward push on real Dutch rates, money\n  dealers do not expect the Central Bank to cut official rates\n  independently without prior moves by the Bundesbank.\n      Following the West German interest rate cuts on January 22,\n  the Dutch Central Bank did not lower its rates but set a 0.5\n  pct lower tariff for special advances and abandoned its credit\n  surcharge. Most traders were surprised by this move as they had\n  expected the Bank to follow suit unconditionally, they said.\n      The Bank said it lowered the rate with the largest impact\n  on the money market as far as the exchange rate permitted.\n      While not entirely unsympathetic to critics of its\n  policies, the Central Bank keeps its grip firm and the range\n  narrow.\n      \"The European Monetary System is not only a relationship\n  between the guilder and the mark. Many times widening of the\n  margin between the two would implicate we have to buy or sell\n  large amounts of a third currency,\" Central Bank vice-director\n  Jan-Hendrik Du Marchie Sarvaas said.\n      \"If we allowed the guilder to become a little cheaper, the\n  markets would start to believe it was weak. We don't want that.\n  We want to make clear that the guilder is just as strong as the\n  mark,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WORLD BANK CHIEF URGES MORE JAPANESE INVESTMENT\n","article":"  World Bank President Barber Conable\n  called on Japan to boost investment in developing nations, for\n  its own sake as well as that of the world economy.\n      \"Japan has the means to make a major contribution to\n  development in the Third World,\" he told about 500 Japanese\n  businessmen and academics. \"I would be pleased with additional\n  support.\"\n      With 25 pct of the world's total banking assets, Japan\n  could do more to help assist indebted Third World countries\n  develop roads, bridges and other infrastructure, he said.\n      Conable said additional commercial bank investment would\n  also be to Japan's advantage.\n      It would profit from rechannelling its huge trade surplus\n  into Third World economies -- notably those in South America,\n  China and India -- that are likely to expand faster than those\n  in the developed world, he said.\n      Japan is now the second largest shareholder in the Bank's\n  concessionary lending affiliate, the International Development\n  Association (IDA). It has also agreed recently to expand its\n  contribution to another affiliate, the International Bank for\n  Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), Conable noted.\n      Conable said the World Bank was expanding its structural\n  adjustment loans, designed to encourage developing countries to\n  open their economies more to free competition and trade.\n      \"Adjustment loans could rise to 30 pct (of total World Bank\n  loans) in the near future, though maybe not this year,\" Conable\n  told Reuters after his speech.\n      Such loans currently account for slightly over 20 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HENKEL SELLS HAMBURG OIL AND FATS SUBSIDIARY\n","article":"  Applied chemicals group Henkel KGaA\n  <HNKG.F> said it is selling its Hamburg vegetable oil and fats\n  subsidiary Noblee und Thoerl GmbH to Oelmuehle Hamburg AG.\n      A company spokesman declined to give the purchase price.\n  Noblee, a supplier of specialised refined oils and fats to the\n  food processing industry, had turnover of 161 mln marks last\n  year.\n      A Henkel statement said the divestment was part of the\n  company's strategy of concentrating on its core businesses. For\n  Oelmuehle, the acquisition of Noblee means access to new\n  markets, the statement added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<ELDERS RESOURCES LTD> FIRST HALF ENDED DEC 31\n","article":"  Net shr 7.6 cents vs 3.0\n      Int div 3.0 cents vs nil\n      Net 16.93 mln vs 5.47 mln\n      Sales 160.14 mln vs 2.35 mln.\n      Other income 6.29 mln vs 10.05 mln\n      Shrs 223.16 mln vs 183.68 mln.\n      NOTE - Two-for-seven non-renounceable rights issue of 8.0\n  pct five-year subordinated convertible redeemable unsecured\n  notes at 2.50 dlrs each. Each note is convertible into one\n  share. Div pay May 1. Div and issue reg April 16.\n      Net is after tax 7.04 mln dlrs vs 3.82 mln, interest 2.52\n  mln vs 1.14 mln, depreciation 2.43 mln vs 123,000 and\n  minorities 3.41 mln vs 2.91 mln but before net extraordinary\n  loss 821,000 vs nil.\n      Company is owned 46.99 pct by Elders IXL Ltd <ELXA.S>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. SINGLE-FAMILY HOME SALES FELL 6.8 PCT IN JAN AFTER REVISED 12.1 PCT DEC GAIN\n","article":"\n  U.S. SINGLE-FAMILY HOME SALES FELL 6.8 PCT IN JAN AFTER REVISED 12.1 PCT DEC GAIN\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NAKASONE TO VISIT WASHINGTON IN LATE APRIL\n","article":"  Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone will\n  make an official week-long visit to the United States from\n  April 29 and hold talks in Washington with President Reagan,\n  Chief Cabinet Secretary Masaharu Gotoda told reporters.\n      Government sources said Nakasone would try to resolve\n  growing bilateral trade friction and discuss the June Venice\n  summit of Western industrial democracies.\n      Foreign Minister Tadashi Kuranari will accompany Nakasone,\n  ministry officials said.\n      U.S. Industry sources in Washington said the White House\n  Economic Policy Council was recommending trade sanctions\n  against Japan for violating the two countries' agreement on\n  semiconductor trade.\n      Under the pact, Japan pledged to stop dumping microchips in\n  the U.S. And Asia and open its domestic market to U.S.\n  Semiconductors.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF SPAIN SUSPENDS ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of Spain suspended its daily\n  money market assistance obliging borrowers to take funds from\n  the second window, where on Wednesday rates were raised to 16\n  pct compared with 14 pct for normal overnight funds.\n      Money market sources said in view of high borrower demand\n  the suspension was likely to remain in effect until April 3,\n  the start of the next 10-day accounting period for reserve\n  requirements. The suspension comes after the Bank yesterday\n  gave 1,145 billion pesetas assistance, a record high for this\n  year.\n      It said 90 billion pesetas was provided at the second\n  window.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NAKASONE HARD-PRESSED TO SOOTHE U.S ANGER ON TRADE\n","article":"  Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone will\n  visit Washington next month in a bid to defuse mounting U.S.\n  Anger over Japanese trade policies, but Western diplomats said\n  they believed his chances of success were slim.\n      Boxed in by powerful political pressure groups and\n  widespread opposition to his tax reform plans, Nakasone will be\n  hard-pressed to come up with anything new to tell U.S.\n  President Ronald Reagan and key U.S. Congressmen, they said.\n      News of the week-long visit starting April 29 coincided\n  with news that Japan recorded a 8.14 billion dlr trade surplus\n  last month, more than 70 pct higher than a year earlier.\n      It also came one day after the Reagan Administration's\n  Economic Policy Council decided to take retaliatory action\n  against Japan for its alleged failure to live up to a joint\n  trade agreement on computer microchips.\n      Nakasone wants to go armed with two separate packages - one\n  designed to pep up Japan's sagging economy and imports in the\n  short-term, the other to redirect the country in the medium\n  term away from its over-dependence on exports for growth.\n      But government officials said political infighting could\n  rob both packages of much of their punch and might even prevent\n  one from seeing the light of day.\n      Nakasone has insisted that the government would not draw up\n  a package of short-term economic measures until after its\n  1987\/88 budget passed parliament because he feared that would\n  amount to a tacit admission that the budget was inadequate.\n      But his hopes for quick passage of the budget in time for\n  his trip have been shattered by a parliamentary boycott by\n  opposition parties protesting over the sales tax plan.\n      Faced with the possibility that he might have to go to the\n  U.S. Virtually empty-handed, Nakasone today ordered his ruling\n  Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to come up with its own\n  measures.\n      He can then tell Reagan the LDP package will form the basis\n  of the government's plans, without losing face in parliament\n  over the budget, political analysts said.\n      Officials working on the government's short-term economic\n  package said it would probably include interest rate cuts on\n  loans by government corporations, deregulation, measures to\n  pass on some of the benefits of the strong yen to consumers in\n  the form of lower prices, and accelerated public investment.\n      They said a record portion of state investment planned for\n  the entire 1987\/88 fiscal year will take place in the first\n  half, probably over 80 pct.\n      Diplomats said that was unlikely to be enough to satisfy\n  Reagan, who is under pressure from the Democrat-controlled U.S.\n  Congress to take greater action to cut the huge American trade\n  deficit.\n      To complement the short-term measures, Nakasone is also\n  likely to present Reagan with details of Japan's longer-term\n  economic plans.\n      A high-ranking advisory body headed by former Bank of Japan\n  governor Haruo Maekawa is expected to come up with a final\n  report outlining concrete steps to redirect the economy days\n  before Nakasone is scheduled to leave for Washington.\n      Its recommendations are designed as a follow-up to\n  Maekawa's report last year on economic restructuring and are\n  likely to cover such potentially politically explosive areas as\n  agricultural reform and land policy, officials said.\n      While wanting to make the report as explicit and detailed\n  as possible, they said the political realities might force them\n  to water down some of the committee's recommendations.\n      A subcommittee is considering what the Japanese economy\n  might look like in the medium to longer term after it undergoes\n  massive restructuring, officials said. The subcommittee\n  projects that the current account surplus will fall to less\n  than two pct of Japan's total output, or gross national\n  product, around 1993 or 1995. Last year the surplus, which\n  measures trade in goods and services, amounted to over four pct\n  of gnp.\n      The subcommittee also projects annual economic growth for\n  Japan of nearly four pct over that period and a very gradual\n  appreciation of the yen, to about 130 to the dollar by around\n  1993, from 150 now.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 265 MLN STG ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided the\n  money market with 265 mln stg in assistance this morning.\n      This compares with the bank's estimate of the shortage in\n  the system of 750 mln stg, earlier revised up from 700 mln.\n      The central bank purchased bank bills outright comprising\n  119 mln stg in band one at 9-7\/8 pct, 144 mln stg in band two\n  at 9-13\/16 pct and two mln stg in band three at 9-3\/4 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BANK OF JAPAN INTERVENES TO STEM DOLLAR FALL\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan intervened in the\n  market to keep the dollar above 149 yen but the unit was under\n  strong selling pressure by an investment trust, dealers said.\n      The central bank stepped into the market when the dollar\n  fell towards 149.00 yen, but a trust bank aggressively sold\n  dollars to hedge currency risks, and the Bank intervened again\n  at 149.00, they said.\n      The trust bank apparently changed its earlier view that the\n  dollar would rise and started selling relatively large amounts\n  of dollars, pushing the unit down to 148.80 at one point,\n  brokers said.\n      One dealer estimated that the Bank bought 400 mln to 500\n  mln dlrs as it tried to keep the U.S. Currency above 149 yen.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF FRANCE AGAIN BUYING DOLLARS, SOURCES SAY\n","article":"  The Bank of France intervened in the\n  Paris foreign exchange market this morning for the third\n  successive day, banking sources said.\n      Like yesterday, it bought dollars and sold yen in small\n  amounts, they said.\n      One dealer said it was seen in the market twice in early\n  dealing, buying five mln dlrs each time.\n      Other dealers also reported small-scale intervention to\n  stabilise the dollar after aggressive selling overnight in\n  Tokyo, where the Bank of Japan also intervened again.\n      The dollar steadied at around 6.0650\/0700 francs after\n  easing in early trading to 6.0615\/35 from an opening 6.0700\/50.\n  It closed yesterday at 6.0800\/30.\n      One major french bank said it bought 10 mln dlrs for the\n  central bank, selling yen, within a trading range of 148.20\/30\n  yen to the dollar, compared with yesterday's 149.28 rate at\n  which intervention was carried out here.\n      The yen later firmed to around 147.90\/148.00.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BUNDESBANK BOUGHT DOLLARS AGAINST YEN, DEALERS SAY\n","article":"  The Bundesbank entered the open\n  market in the late morning to buy dollars against yen in\n  concert with the Bank of France, dealers said.\n      The Bundesbank came into the market when the dollar was\n  around 148.10 yen just after it had fallen below 148 to touch\n  147.80 at 1027 GMT. The move had little effect, with the dollar\n  still testing 148 yen ahead of the official fixing.\n      Dealers said the intervention was for fairly small amounts,\n  in contrast to the Bundesbank's activity on Wednesday when\n  dealers reported it bought about 100 mln dlrs.\n      The Bundesbank had no comment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. HOME SALES FELL 6.8 PCT IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Sales of new single-family homes in\n  the United States fell 6.8 pct in January from December to a\n  seasonally adjusted annual rate of 716,000 units, the Commerce\n  Department said.\n      The department revised downward December's sales to a 12.1\n  pct rise to 768,000 units from the previously reported 12.7 pct\n  increase.\n      The January decline in sales was the largest since last\n  October when sales fell 9.3 pct.\n      Before seasonal adjustment, the number of homes actually\n  sold in January was 53,000, up from 49,000 in December but down\n  from 59,000 in January, 1986.\n      The January fall brought home sales to a level 1.6 pct\n  below January, 1986, when they were a seasonally adjusted\n  728,000 units.\n      The average price was a record 127,100 dlrs, surpassing the\n  previous record 119,100 price set in December.\n      The median price of a home in January reached 100,700 dlrs\n  -- the first time the price has exceeded 100,000 dlrs. That\n  compared with a median price of 94,600 dlrs in December and\n  94,000 dlrs in January a year ago.\n      New homes available on the market in January totaled a\n  seasonally adjusted 362,000 units, unchanged from December and\n  equal to a 6.3 months' supply.\n      The supply in December was 5.9 months.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BRIERLEY BIDS 4.35 DOLLARS\/SHARE FOR PROGRESSIVE\n","article":"  <Brierley Investments Ltd> (BIL)\n  launched a full takeover bid for the supermarket group\n  <Progressive Enterprises Ltd> at 4.35 dlrs a share.\n      BIL said in a statement the offer is conditional on minimum\n  acceptances totalling 30 mln shares, just under 25 pct of the\n  120.4 mln Progressive shares on issue.\n      Progressive is currently involved in a proposed merger with\n  <Rainbow Corp Ltd>. Rainbow earlier this week raised its stake\n  in Progressive to 52 pct. BIL opposes the Rainbow merger and\n  analysts say BIL needs a 25 pct stake in Progressive to prevent\n  it occurring.\n      The merger involves shareholders in Progressive and Rainbow\n  both receiving shares in a new company <Astral Pacific Corp\n  Ltd> on a one-for-one exchange basis.\n      The BIL bid is higher than the 4.20 dlrs BIL said it would\n  offer when it first announced on Monday it would make a full\n  bid for Progressive, and it follows much public debate between\n  BIL and Rainbow.\n      BIL Chief Executive Paul Collins said last week that he\n  opposes the Rainbow\/Progressive merger because BIL sees\n  Progressive shares as being worth twice as much as Rainbow's.\n  BIL has not disclosed how many Progressive shares it holds.\n      Rainbow has said the merger is soundly based. Chairman\n  Allan Hawkins said last week that BIL's actions were aimed only\n  at dirsrupting the merger and were not in the interests of\n  Progressive shareholders.\n      Both Rainbow's and Progressive's boards have approved the\n  merger proposal. It has also been approved by the Commerce\n  Commission, but BIL's bid is still subject to the Commission's\n  scrutiny.\n      Progressive shares ended at 4.35 dlrs, Rainbow at 3.42 and\n  BIL at 4.17 at the close of New Zealand Stock Exchange trading\n  today.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" S. African Feb trade surplus 1.62 billion rand vs Jan surplus 906.2 mln - official\n","article":"\n   S. African Feb trade surplus 1.62 billion rand vs Jan surplus 906.2 mln - official\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JAPAN SETS ASIDE YEN FUNDS TO PREVENT DLR FALL\n","article":"  The 50-day provisional 1987\/88 budget,\n  adopted today by the government, allows the Finance Ministry to\n  issue up to 14,600 billion yen worth of foreign exchange fund\n  financing bills, government sources said.\n      Foreign exchange dealers said the yen funds would be used\n  to buy dollars, to prevent a further dollar fall.\n      The government sources said the amount, covering the first\n  50 days of the year starting April 1, accounts for more than 90\n  pct of the 16,000 billion yen in bills incorporated in the full\n  budget.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUGAR MARKET SEES GOOD RECENT OFFTAKE\n","article":"  Reports the Soviet Union has lately\n  extended its recent buying programme by taking five to eight\n  raws cargoes from the free market at around 30\/40 points under\n  New York May futures highlight recent worldwide demand for\n  sugar for a variety of destinations, traders said.\n      The Soviet buying follows recent whites buying by India,\n  Turkey and Libya, as well as possible raws offtake by China.\n      Some 300,000 to 400,000 tonnes could have changed hands in\n  current activity, which is encouraging for a sugar trade which\n  previously saw little worthwhile end-buyer enquiry, they added.\n      Dealers said a large proportion of the sales to the Soviet\n  Union in the past few days involved Japanese operators selling\n  Thai origin sugar.\n      Prices for nearby shipment Thai sugars have tightened\n  considerably recently due to good Far Eastern demand, possibly\n  for sales to the Soviet Union or to pre-empt any large block\n  enquiries by China, they said.\n      Thai prices for March\/May 15 shipments have hardened to\n  around 13\/14 points under May New York from larger discounts\n  previously, they added.\n      Traders said the Soviet Union might be looking to buy more\n  sugar in the near term, possibly towards an overall requirement\n  this year of around two mln tonnes. It is probable that some\n  1.8 mln tonnes have already been taken up, they said.\n      Turkey was reported this week to have bought around 100,000\n  tonnes of whites while India had further whites purchases of\n  two to three cargoes for Mar\/Apr at near 227 dlrs a tonne cost\n  and freight and could be seeking more. Libya was also a buyer\n  this week, taking two cargoes of whites which, for an\n  undisclosed shipment period, were reported priced around\n  229\/230 dlrs a tonne cost and freight, they added.\n      Futures prices reacted upwards to the news of end-buyer\n  physicals offtake, although much of the enquiry emerged\n  recently when prices took an interim technical dip, traders\n  said.\n      Pakistan is lined up shortly to buy 100,000 tonnes of\n  whites although traders said the tender, originally scheduled\n  for tomorrow, might not take place until a week later.\n      Egypt will be seeking 20,000 tonnes of May arrival white\n  sugar next week, while Greece has called an internal EC tender\n  for 40,000 tonnes of whites to be held in early April, for\n  arrival in four equal parts in May, June, July and August.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF FRANCE BUYS DOLLARS AT PARIS FIXING - DEALERS\n","article":"\n  BANK OF FRANCE BUYS DOLLARS AT PARIS FIXING - DEALERS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" swiss national bank says bought dollars against yen\n","article":"\n   swiss national bank says bought dollars against yen\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNION MINIERE TAKES STAKE IN PANCONTINENTAL\n","article":"  <Union Miniere SA> said in a statement\n  that it has acquired an eight pct interest in Pancontinental\n  Mining Ltd <PANA.S> for a sum equivalent to 1.2 billion Belgian\n  francs.\n      Pancontinental operates gold and coal mines in Australia\n  and natural gas and oil fields in Canada.\n      Union Miniere said the location of its interest within the\n  Pancontinental group will be decided later. It did not\n  elaborate.\n      Union Miniere is a wholly owned subsidiary of Societe\n  Generale de Belgique <BELB.BR>.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"S. AFRICAN TRADE SURPLUS RISES SHARPLY IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  South Africa's trade surplus rose\n  to 1.62 billion rand in February after falling to 906.2 mln in\n  January, Customs and Excise figures show.\n      This compares with a year earlier surplus of 958.9 mln\n  rand.\n      Exports rose slightly to 3.36 billion rand in February from\n  3.31 billion in January but imports fell to 1.74 billion from\n  2.41 billion.\n      This brought total exports for the first two months of 1987\n  to 6.67 billion rand and imports to 4.15 billion for a total\n  surplus of 2.52 billion rand against 1.71 billion a year\n  earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC EXTENDS PARTS OF FREE FOOD FOR POOR SCHEME\n","article":"  A scheme to distribute surplus food\n  free to the poor in the European Community (EC), which was due\n  to expire next Tuesday, will be partially extended for a\n  further month, an EC Commission spokesman said.\n      He added the executive Commission has not yet decided\n  whether the scheme should become a permanent feature of the\n  EC's struggle to find a use for its massive stocks of farm\n  produce.\n      Almost 60,000 tonnes of cereals, sugar, beef, butter and\n  other food have been authorised for distribution under an\n  operation sanctioned by EC farm ministers on January 20 in\n  which charities act as executive Commission agents.\n      The original idea was to help the needy survive this year's\n  unusually cold European winter.\n      The spokesman said the Commission was extending the scheme\n  fully in Greece, which has recently been hit by unseasonal\n  snowstorms, for the month of April.\n      Other EC countries would be authorised to use stocks of\n  food for which they have already applied under the scheme up to\n  April 30. The spokesman said this would enable distribution of\n  flour, semolina, sugar and olive oil at a relatively high rate\n  next month.\n      He said the Commission, which has powers to continue most\n  aspects of the scheme without consulting ministers further,\n  will be considering soon whether it should be made permanent.\n      Cost, which has already reached around 65 mln European\n  currency units, would be a major consideration.\n      End-January stocks included 1.28 mln tonnes of butter,\n  520,000 tonnes of beef and over 10 mln tonnes of cereals.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INDIA STEPS UP COUNTERTRADE DEALS TO CUT TRADE GAP\n","article":"  India is searching for non-communist\n  countertrade partners to help it cut its trade deficit and\n  conserve foreign exchange.\n      Wheat, tobacco, tea, coffee, jute, engineering and\n  electronic goods, as well as minerals including iron ore, are\n  all on offer in return for crude oil, petroleum products,\n  chemicals, steel and machinery, trade sources told Reuters.\n      Most of the impetus behind countertrade, which began in\n  1984, comes from two state trading firms -- the State Trading\n  Corp (STC) and the Minerals and Metals Trading Corp (MMTC).\n      \"The two state trading corporations are free to use their\n  buying power in respect to bulk commodities to promote Indian\n  exports,\" a commerce ministry spokeswoman said, adding that\n  private firms are excluded from countertrading.\n      One trade source said India has targetted countries that\n  depend on an Indian domestic market recently opened to foreign\n  imports.\n      However, countertrade deals still make up only a small part\n  of India's total trading and are likely to account for less\n  than eight pct of the estimated 18.53 billion dlrs in trade\n  during the nine months ended December, the sources said.\n      Countertrade accounted for just five pct of India's 25.65\n  billion dlrs in trade during fiscal 1985\/86 ended March,\n  against almost nothing in 1984\/85, official figures show.\n      However, the figures exclude exchanges with the Eastern\n  Bloc paid in non-convertible Indian rupees, the sources said.\n      Total trade with the Soviet Union, involving swaps of\n  agricultural produce and textiles for Soviet arms and crude\n  oil, is estimated at 3.04 billion dlrs in fiscal 1986\/87,\n  against three billion in 1985\/86.\n      Indian countertrade, which is being promoted mainly to help\n  narrow the country's large trade deficit, is still\n  insignificant compared with agreements reached by Indonesia,\n  Venezuela and Brazil, the trade sources said.\n      The trade deficit, which hit an estimated record 6.96\n  billion dlrs in 1985\/86, is expected to decline to 5.6 billion\n  in the current fiscal year.\n      But the push to include non-communist countries in\n  countertrade is also due to other factors, including the slow\n  growth of foreign reserves, a tight debt repayment schedule,\n  shrinking aid and trade protectionism, businessmen said.\n      One source said India is showing more dynamism in promoting\n  countertrade deals than in the past, when the deals were made\n  discreetly because they break GATT rules. As a member of the\n  General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), India cannot\n  officially support bartering.\n      The MMTC's recent countertrade deals include iron ore\n  exports to Yugoslavia for steel structures and rails.\n      \"MMTC's recent global tenders now include a clause that\n  preference will be given to parties who accept payment in kind\n  for goods and services sold to India,\" a trade official said,\n  adding that the policy remains flexible.\n      \"We also take into account other factors such as prices at\n  which the goods and services are offered to India,\" the trade\n  official said.\n      Early this year the commerce ministry quietly told foreign\n  companies interested in selling aircraft, ships, drilling rigs\n  and railway equipment to India that they stood a better chance\n  if they bought Indian goods or services in return, the trade\n  sources said.\n      Illustrating the point, the official said a South Korean\n  firm recently agreed to sell a drilling platform worth 40 mln\n  dlrs to the state-run Oil and Natural Gas Commission.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN FEBRUARY CURRENT ACCOUNT, TRADE SURPLUS JUMP\n","article":"  Japan's current account surplus rose to\n  7.38 billion dlrs in February from 3.89 billion a year ago and\n  from 4.95 billion in January, the Finance Ministry said.\n      The trade surplus rose to 8.14 billion dlrs in February\n  from 4.77 billion a year earlier and 5.70 billion in January.\n      The long-term capital account deficit widened to 11.40\n  billion dlrs from 8.06 billion a year ago, but it narrowed from\n  12.32 billion in January, the Ministry said.\n      Japan's February exports rose to 16.74 billion dlrs from\n  14.89 billion in February 1986 and from 14.65 billion in\n  January, the Ministry said. Imports fell to 8.61 billion from\n  10.12 billion a year earlier and 8.94 billion in January.\n      The invisible trade deficit fell to 617 mln dlrs in\n  February from 693 mln a year earlier, but was up from a 527 mln\n  deficit in January.\n      Figures do not tally exactly because of rounding.\n      Transfer payments narrowed to a 140 mln dlr deficit last\n  month from a 185 mln deficit a year earlier and a 225 mln\n  deficit in January.\n      The basic balance of payments deficit in February fell to\n  4.02 billion dlrs from 4.17 billion in February 1986 and 7.37\n  billion in January. Short-term capital account payments swung\n  to a 1.28 billion dlr deficit in February from a 1.60 billion\n  surplus a year earlier and a 1.44 billion dlr surplus in\n  January.\n      Errors and omissions were 2.65 billion dlrs in surplus,\n  compared with a 1.27 billion surplus a year earlier and a 1.10\n  billion deficit in January. The overall balance of payments\n  deficit rose to 2.65 billion dlrs from 1.30 billion a year\n  earlier but was down from 7.04 billion in January.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN CONSUMER PRICES UNCHANGED IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Japan's consumer price index (base 1985)\n  was unchanged at 99.7 in February from a month earlier, the\n  government's Management and Coodination Agency said.\n      The index showed a 0.4 pct drop in January.\n      The February index was down one pct from a year earlier for\n  the third consecutive year-on-year drop.\n      In January, the index fell 1.1 pct from a year earlier, the\n  first drop of over one pct since a 1.3 pct drop in September\n  1958.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP <COST> 2ND QTR FEB 16 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr five cts vs six cts\n      Oper net 1,100,000 vs 1,463,000\n      Revs 177.8 mln vs 331.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 21.9 mn vs 25.7 mln\n      First half\n      Oper shr six cts vs five cts\n      Oper net 1,121,000 vs 1.090,000\n      Revs 315.3 mln vs 567.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 20.6 mln vs 25.6 mln\n      NOTE: Operating net excludes gains of 659,000 dlrs, or\n  three cts a share, vs 599 dlrs, or two cts a share, in quarter\n  and 676,000 dlrs, or three cts a share, vs 599,000 dlrs, or two\n  cts a share, in year from tax loss carryforward.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SWISS NATIONAL BANK SAYS IT BOUGHT DOLLARS\n","article":"  The Swiss National Bank bought dollars\n  against yen today, a spokesman for the bank said.\n      He declined to say how many dollars the bank bought or when\n  precisely it intervened.\n      Swiss foreign exchange dealers described the National\n  Bank's purchases as modest, perhaps amounting to no more than\n  20 or 30 mln dlrs.\n      The Bank of France, which was reported buying dollars\n  against the yen in Paris, had made inquiries with Swiss banks\n  as well, and the Bundesbank had also intervened. Bank of Japan\n  dollar purchases today were perhaps 1.2 to 1.5 billion dlrs.\n      Dealers said this tended to confirm the market's impression\n  that major industrial countries had agreed at the Paris meeting\n  on an effective floor for the dollar of 148 yen, and the market\n  seemed ready to test it.\n      Commercial clients were also selling dollars against the\n  yen as the end of the Japanese fiscal year on March 31 drew\n  closer. Today's dealings in spot currencies are booked for\n  March 31.\n      One dealer said he had the feeling Japanese companies had\n  been asked by the Bank of Japan not to sell dollars at this\n  point, but some, while sticking to the letter of that request,\n  were offering dollars forward today, rather than lose out if\n  the dollar fell further.\n      The run on the dollar against the yen came in a market\n  thinned by the absence of many dealers for a Forex Club meeting\n  in Hamburg.\n      Trading was, in fact, rather light against currencies other\n  than the yen, the dollar holding little changed through the\n  day.\n      The market now expected the U.S. Federal Reserve to\n  intervene in support of the dollar. \"But they will probably do\n  it only half-heartedly, so I don't think it will matter too\n  much on rates,\" one dealer said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. FEBRUARY CONSUMER PRICES ROSE 0.4 PCT AFTER 0.7 PCT RISE IN JANUARY\n","article":"\n  U.S. FEBRUARY CONSUMER PRICES ROSE 0.4 PCT AFTER 0.7 PCT RISE IN JANUARY\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. CONSUMER PRICES ROSE 0.4 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  U.S. consumer prices, as measured by\n  the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers (CPI-U), rose\n  a seasonally adjusted 0.4 pct in February after a 0.7 pct\n  January gain, the Labor Department said.\n      The CPI for urban wage earners and clerical workers (CPI-W)\n  rose to 329.0 in February, the department said.\n      Prices for petroleum-based energy rose sharply for a second\n  consecutive month during February but by less than in January,\n  the department said.\n      Energy prices rose 1.9 pct last month after a 3.0 pct rise\n  in January, accounting for one-third of the overall CPI rise.\n      For the 12 months ended in February, the CPI rose an\n  unadjusted 2.1 pct.\n      Transportation prices rose 0.5 pct in February after a 1.5\n  pct increase in January. Smaller price rises for motor fuels\n  and declines in new car prices and finance charges were\n  responsible for the moderation.\n      Gasoline prices rose 4.2 pct last month after increasing\n  6.6 pct in January, but were still 18 pct below levels of a\n  year ago, the department said.\n      Housing prices rose 0.4 pct in February after a 0.5 pct\n  January increase, largely due to a rise in fuel oil prices.\n      Fuel oil prices were up 4.4 pct in February after\n  increasing 9.8 pct in January, but were still 15 pct below\n  price levels of February 1986.\n      Food prices rose 0.2 pct last month after a 0.5 pct January\n  increase. Grocery store food prices were up 0.4 pct, the same\n  as in January, but meat, poultry, fish and eggs cost less for a\n  third consecutive month, the department said.\n      Medical care rose 0.3 pct in February to a level 7.1 pct\n  above one year ago, because of higher costs for prescription\n  and non-prescription drugs and medical supplies, the department\n  said.\n      The index for apparel and upkeep rose 0.7 pct in February\n  after a 0.4 pct increase in January. The department said the\n  introduction of higher priced spring merchandise, particularly\n  men's clothing, was responsible for the advance.\n      Prices for other goods and services rose 0.7 pct in\n  February following a 1.1 pct increase in January. Tobacco\n  prices, up 0.9 pct after a 2.0 pct January increase, accounted\n  for 30 pct of the index rise, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MACMILLAN BLOEDEL <MMB> STOCK SPLIT APPROVED\n","article":"  MacMillan Bloedel\n  Ltd said shareholders authorized a previously announced\n  three-for-one stock split, applicable to holders of record\n  April nine.\n      The company said its stock will begin trading on a split\n  basis on April 3, subject to regulatory approvals.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STORMY WEATHER TO DISRUPT NORTH SEA SHIPPING\n","article":"  Very stormy weather is\n  likely in the North Sea through Saturday, disrupting shipping\n  in the region, private forecaster Accu-Weather Inc said.\n      Rain will accompany the strong winds that are expected over\n  the North Sea today into tonight. Saturday will also be very\n  windy and cooler with frequent showers.\n      Winds today will be southwest at 30 to 60 mph, but will\n  become west to northwest tonight and Saturday at 25 to 50 mph.\n      Waves will build to 20 to 30 feet today and tonight and\n  continue Saturday. Wind and waves will not diminish until late\n  in the weekend.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COMMUNITY BANK <CBSI> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Community Bank System Inc said it\n  has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Nichols\n  Community Bank for 2,800,000 dlrs in common stock.\n      It said subject to approval by Nichols shareholders and\n  regulatory authorities, the transaction is expected to be\n  completed later this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NATIOONAL MEDICAL ENTERPRISES INC 3RD QTR OPER SHR 46 CTS VS 51 CTS\n","article":"\n  NATIOONAL MEDICAL ENTERPRISES INC 3RD QTR OPER SHR 46 CTS VS 51 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LIBERIAN SHIP GROUNDED IN SUEZ CANAL REFLOATED\n","article":"  A Liberian motor bulk carrier, the\n  72,203 dw tonnes Nikitas Roussos, which was grounded in the\n  Suez canal yesterday, has been refloated and is now proceeding\n  through the the canal, Lloyds Shipping Intelligence said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL MEDICAL ENTERPRISES INC <NME> 3RD QTR\n","article":"  Periods ended Feb 28\n      Oper shr 46 cts vs 51 cts\n      Oper shr diluted 43 cts vs 50 cts\n      Oper net 34.2 mln vs 39.8 mln\n      Revs 823.3 mln vs 794.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 74.9 mln vs 78.7 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Oper shr 1.29 dlrs vs 1.46 dlrs\n      Oper shr diluted 1.20 dlrs vs 1.43 dlrs\n      Oper net 99.4 mln vs 114.5 mln\n      Revs 2.50 billion vs 2.22 billion\n      Avg shrs 77.0 mln vs 78.3 mln\n      NOTE: Year ago nine months operating net excludes loss of\n  2.0 mln dlrs, or two cts a share, from discontinued operations\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ABIDJAN PORT ACTIVITY RISES\n","article":"  The tonnage of goods passing through\n  Ivory Coast's main port of Abidjan rose 2.3 pct last year,\n  according to the Ivorian Chamber of Commerce.\n      Its monthly report said 9.47 mln tonnes of goods passed\n  through the port last year compared with 9.26 mln the year\n  before. Exports fell to 3.75 mln from 3.89 mln tonnes while\n  imports rose to 5.72 mln from 5.37 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PAPANDREOU SAYS GREEKS READY FOR AGGRESSORS\n","article":"  Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou\n  said today that the Greek armed froces were ready to tackle any\n  aggressors following the sailing of a Turkish research vessel\n  and warships towards disputed waters in the Aegean Sea.\n      Papandreou told an emergency cabinet meeting in Athens \"the\n  military readiness of our country is able now to give a very\n  hard lesson if our neighbours (Turkey) were to carry out\n  military actions.\"\n      He said the activities of the research vessel could be\n  aimed at partitioning the Aegean.\n      \"The air force, navy and army are in a state of alert,\"\n  General Guven Ergenc, Secretary General of the Turkish General\n  Staff, told a news conference.\n      He said the Turkish research ship Sismik 1, escorted by an\n  unspecified number of warships, would sail into disputed waters\n  in the Aegean Sea tomorrow morning.\n      Ergenc told Reuters later that all leave had been cancelled\n  for members of the armed forces in the Aegean coast area.\n      The Turkish government said yesterday it had licensed the\n  state-owned Turkish Petroleum Corp to explore for oil in\n  international waters around three Greek islands off Turkey.\n       Greece and Turkey have long-standing disputes over areas\n  of the Aegean and the presence of Turkish troops in Cyprus.\n      The latest row erupted when the Greek government said last\n  month that it was taking control of a Canadian-led consortium\n  which was already producing oil off the Greek island of Thassos\n  and would drill in the same area after the takeover.\n      Ergenc told the news conference the alert followed a\n  government decision that Turkey should protect its interests\n  \"because of measures Greece has been taking in the Aegean in\n  violation of international agreements.\"\n      Asked how Turkey would react if Greece attacked any of the\n  vessels, he said \"If there is an attack, it is clear what has to\n  be done. An attack on a warship is a cause for war.\" But he\n  added \"We are not in a state of war. The measures taken by the\n  military are directed towards protecting our rights.\"\n      Greece said yesterday it would defend its national rights\n  in the Aegean and urged Turkey to accept reference of the\n  dispute to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.\n      Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Yalim Eralp told\n  reporters today this was unacceptable because of preconditions\n  Athens had attached.\n      In Athens, Greek Prime Minister Papandreou said that if the\n  Turkish vessel Sismik 1 began research operations \"we will\n  hinder it, of course not with words, as it cannot be stopped\n  with words.\"\n      Greek newspapers said the armed forces were on alert and\n  navy ships had gone to the Aegean. But government spokesman\n  Yannis Roubatis did not confirm the move, saying only \"The Greek\n  fleet is not at its naval base.\"\n      Papandreou said that a map issued in Turkey showed 95 pct\n  of the areas proposed for research were on the Greek\n  continental shelf.\n      Papandreou told the U.S. And NATO that if they had a part\n  in orchestrating the present crisis in order to force Greece to\n  negotiate with Turkey, the Greek government would not accept\n  it.\n      Papandreou has maintained in the past that he will not\n  negotiate with Ankara until Turkey recognises Greek rights in\n  the Aegean and withdraws its troops from Cyprus.\n      He said that in the case of war with Turkey it would not be\n  possible for Greece to discuss the future of American military\n  bases here. Asked by reporters if he would close the U.S. Bases\n  in Greece in the event of war, Papandreou replied \"Obviously,\n  and perhaps even before the war.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" Top discount rate at U.K. Bill tender rises to 9.3456 pct\n","article":"\n   Top discount rate at U.K. Bill tender rises to 9.3456 pct\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PORSCHE EXPECTS IMPROVEMENT IN U.S. SALES\n","article":"  Sports carmaker Dr. Ing. H.C.F.\n  Porsche AG <PSHG.F> said it expects to post a satisfactory\n  profit in 1986\/87, with domestic volume sales seen lower but\n  U.S. Sales anticipated higher.\n      Managing board chairman Peter Schutz said domestic sales\n  were expected to fall to 9,000 in the year ending July 31 from\n  11,340 in 1985\/86. U.S. Sales should rise to more than 30,000\n  from 28,670 last year.\n      Schutz made no specific profit or sales forecasts. Last\n  month the company said it expected net profit to fall below 70\n  mln marks this year from 75.3 mln marks in 1985\/86.\n      For sales, Porsche expects its overall world volume this\n  year to be above 50,000. Sales last year stood at 53,254,\n  Schutz said. His expectations of a satisfactory profit were\n  based on a combination of price rises and cost-cutting, he\n  added.\n      The expected drop in West German sales this year would be\n  the result of the so-called \"grey market\" for Porsche cars, he\n  said. When the dollar was strong against the mark, many\n  Porsches had been bought locally in West Germany for illegal\n  export to the U.S.\n      Porsche has previously said domestic sales in the 1986\/87\n  first half fell to 3,267 from 5,387 in the same 1985\/86 period.\n      The fact that U.S. Sales will account for a larger\n  percentage of overall sales this year than before does not pose\n  problems for profit, the Porsche board said.\n      In the last 12 months it has raised U.S. Prices by around\n  20 pct without suffering any decline in sales. At the same time\n  Porsche has hedged its dollar-denominated business for the\n  1986\/87 business year, finance director Heinz Branitzki.\n      Branitzki put Porsche's hedging costs in 1985\/86 at 28 mln\n  marks.\n      In a speech to the annual meeting, Schutz said third-party\n  orders placed with Porsche's engineering research centre in\n  Weissach were rising and should top 100 mln marks this year for\n  the first time.\n      Porsche's net profit dropped sharply to 75.3 mln marks in\n  1985\/86 from 120.4 mln marks in 1984\/85.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DIXONS GROUP PLC BUYS 2,455,000 CYCLOPS SHARES, NOW OWNS 83 PCT\n","article":"\n  DIXONS GROUP PLC BUYS 2,455,000 CYCLOPS SHARES, NOW OWNS 83 PCT\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WORLD MARKET PRICE FOR UPLAND COTTON - USDA\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department\n  announced the prevailing world market price, adjusted to U.S.\n  quality and location, for Strict Low Middling, 1-1\/16 inch\n  upland cotton at 52.69 cts per lb, to be in effect through\n  midnight March 5.\n      The adjusted world price is at average U.S. producing\n  locations (near Lubbock, Texas) and will be further adjusted\n  for other qualities and locations. The price will be used in\n  determining First Handler Cotton Certificate payment rates.\n      Based on data for the week ended February 26, the adjusted\n  world price for upland cotton is determined as follows, in cts\n  per lb --\n   Northern European Price               66.32\n        Adjustments --\n   Average U.S. spot mkt location 10.42 \n   SLM 1-1\/16 inch cotton          1.80 \n   Average U.S. location           0.53\n   Sum of adjustments              12.75\n   Adjusted world price            53.57\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BELGIAN UNEMPLOYMENT FALLS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Belgian unemployment, based on the\n  number of jobless drawing unemployment benefit, fell to 12.1\n  pct of the working population at the end of February from 12.6\n  pct at the end of January, the National Statistics Office said.\n      The rate compares with 12.4 pct at the end of February\n  1986.\n      The total number of jobless stood at 508,392, compared with\n  530,587 at the end of January and 521,219 at the end of\n  February 1986, the Statistics Office said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TEKTRONIX INC 3RD QTR SHR 48 CTWS VS 39 CTS\n","article":"\n  TEKTRONIX INC 3RD QTR SHR 48 CTWS VS 39 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN MEDICAL INTERNATIONAL INC <AMI> PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 18 cts vs 18 cts in prior qtr\n      Payable May one\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COCOA BUFFER STOCK COMPROMISE GAINING ACCEPTANCE\n","article":"  A final compromise proposal on cocoa\n  buffer stock rules presented by International Cocoa\n  Organization, ICCO, council chairman Denis Bra Kanon is swiftly\n  gaining acceptance by consumer and producer members, delegates\n  said.\n      \"We are close, nearer than ever to accepting it, but we\n  still have some work to do,\" producer spokesman Mama Mohammed of\n  Ghana told Reuters after a producers' meeting.\n      European Community, EC, delegates said EC consumers\n  accepted the package in a morning meeting and predicted \"no\n  problems\" in getting full consumer acceptance.\n      Delegates on both sides are keen to come to some agreement\n  today, the last day of the fortnight-long council meeting, they\n  said.\n      The compromise requires that buffer stock purchases from\n  non-ICCO member countries cannot exceed 15 pct of total buffer\n  stock purchases, delegates said. The non-member cocoa issue has\n  been among the most contentious in the rules negotiations.\n      The 15 pct figure, up five percentage points from earlier\n  proposals, represents a concession to consumers, delegates\n  said. They have demanded a larger allowance for non-member\n  cocoa in the buffer stock than producers have wanted.\n      Another problem area, delegates said, was the question of\n  price differentials for different origins of cocoa bought into\n  the buffer stock, by which the buffer stock manager could\n  fairly compare relative prices of different cocoas offered to\n  him.\n      The compromise narrowed the range of differentials between\n  the origins from what previous proposals had detailed -- a move\n  some delegates described as \"just fiddling.\"\n      But the adjustments may prove significant enough to appease\n  some countries that were not satisfied with the original\n  proposed differentials assigned to them, delegates said.\n      The compromise also stated buffer stock purchases on any\n  day would be limited to 40 pct each in nearby, intermediate or\n  forward positions, delegates said.\n      If the compromise is accepted by the council, most\n  consumers and producers want buffer stock rules to take effect\n  next week, or as soon as practically possible.\n      The full council is scheduled to meet around 1500 GMT to\n  discuss the compromise, and could agree on it then if all\n  parties are satisfied, they said. Consumers are due to meet\n  before the council.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DIXONS BOOSTS CYCLOPS <CYL> OWNERSHIP TO 83 PCT\n","article":"  <Dixons Group Plc> said it bought\n  about 2,445,000 Cyclops Corp common shares, boosting its\n  holdings of the company's stock to about 83 pct of those now\n  outstanding and 79 pct on a fully diluted basis.\n      Dixons said the stock was purchased in a single block\n  transaction at 95 dlrs per share.\n      The company said it expects to proceed with a merger and\n  has advised Cyclops it intends to increas the per-share amount\n  to be paid in the merger to 95 dlrs, form 90.25 dlrs, for each\n  of the about 880,000 remaining Cyclops shares outstanding on a\n  fully diluted basis.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INDIA STEPS UP COUNTERTRADE DEALS\n","article":"  India is searching for non-communist\n  countertrade partners to help it cut its trade deficit and\n  conserve foreign exchange.\n      Wheat, tobacco, tea, coffee, jute, engineering and\n  electronic goods, as well as minerals including iron ore, are\n  all on offer in return for crude oil, petroleum products,\n  chemicals, steel and machinery, trade sources told Reuters.\n      Most of the impetus behind countertrade, which began in\n  1984, comes from two state trading firms -- the State Trading\n  Corp (STC) and the Minerals and Metals Trading Corp (MMTC).\n      \"The two state trading corporations are free to use their\n  buying power in respect to bulk commodities to promote Indian\n  exports,\" a commerce ministry spokeswoman said, adding that\n  private firms are excluded from countertrading.\n      One trade source said India has targetted countries that\n  depend on an Indian domestic market recently opened to foreign\n  imports. But countertrade deals still make up only a small part\n  of India's total trading and are likely to account for less\n  than eight pct of the estimated 18.53 billion dlrs in trade\n  during the nine months ended December, the sources said.\n      Countertrade accounted for just five pct of India's 25.65\n  billion dlrs in trade during fiscal 1985\/86 ended March,\n  against almost nothing in 1984\/85, official figures show.\n      However, the figures exclude exchanges with the Eastern\n  Bloc paid in non-convertible Indian rupees, the sources said.\n      Total trade with the Soviet Union, involving swaps of\n  agricultural produce and textiles for Soviet arms and crude\n  oil, is estimated at 3.04 billion dlrs in fiscal 1986\/87.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TEKTRONIX INC <TEK> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends March 7\n      Shr 48 cts vs 39 cts\n      Net 18.7 mln vs 15.6 mln\n      Revs 415.4 mln vs 384.5 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 1.31 dlrs vs 78 cts\n      Net 50.7 mln vs 31.8 mln\n      Revs 1.04 billion vs 1.01 billion\n      NOTE: per share for yr and qtr prior restated to reflect\n  two-for-one stock split in Jan 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WESTINGHOUSE SAYS IT EXPECTS AT LEAST 10 PCT EARNINGS\/SHR GROWTH THROUGH 89\n","article":"\n  WESTINGHOUSE SAYS IT EXPECTS AT LEAST 10 PCT EARNINGS\/SHR GROWTH THROUGH 89\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"METROPOLITAN FINANCIAL<MPC> TO ACQUIRE COMPANY\n","article":"  Metropolitan Financial Corp said it\n  signed an agreement to acquire the stock of closely held\n  Rothschild Financial Corp, St. Paul, Minn.\n      Details of the purchase were withheld.\n      It said Rothschild in 1986 originated 500 mln dlrs of\n  mortgage loans, and its loan servicing portfolio stands at 1.4\n  billion dlrs. Officials of both companies estimated their\n  combined efforts could produce originations of 800 mln dlrs and\n  a loan servicing portfolio \"well over 2.0 billion dlrs by\n  yearend.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN FURTHER 663 MLN STG HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it gave the\n  money market a further 663 mln stg assistance in the afternoon\n  session. This takes the Bank's total assistance so far today to\n  928 mln stg and compares with its forecast shortage which it\n  earlier revised up to 850 mln stg from 750 mln.\n      The central bank purchased bills in band one at 9-7\/8 pct\n  comprising 267 mln stg bank bills, four mln stg local authority\n  bills and one mln stg treasury bills. It also bought 378 mln\n  stg bank bills and 13 mln stg of treasury bills in band two at\n  9-13\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AUSTRIA DOES NOT INTERVENE TO SUPPORT DOLLAR\n","article":"  The Austrian National Bank did not\n  intervene on the foreign exchange markets today to support the\n  dollar, deputy banking department chief Herbert Danzinger told\n  Reuters.\n      He denied a suggestion by a dealer at one Vienna bank that\n  the National Bank had sold marks to support the U.S. Currency.\n      Senior dealers at Creditanstalt and Girozentrale, Austria's\n  two largest banks, said they would have been aware of any\n  National Bank intervention. Any dollar purchases by the Bank\n  today were for purely day-to-day purposes, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HANSON TRUST <HAN> U.S. ARM SELLS CHEMICAL UNIT\n","article":"  Hanson Trust Plc <HAN> said its U.S.\n  subsidiary, Hanson Industries, sold PCR Inc, a specialty\n  chemicals unit, for 6.25 mln dlrs in cash to <Chemical Partners\n  Inc>.\n      Hanson Industries said it acquired PCR Inc in 1986 as part\n  of its purchase of <SCM Corp>.\n      PCR Inc posted an operating loss in 1986 of 381,000 dlrs on\n  sales of 13.2 mln dlrs, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ELDERS EXTENDS OFFER FOR CARLING O'KEEFE <CKB>\n","article":"  <Elders IXL Ltd>, of Australia, said\n  wholly owned IXL Holdings Canada Inc extended its previously\n  announced offer to acquire all outstanding shares of Carling\n  O'Keefe Ltd to midnight April 23, 1987, from March 25.\n      The 18-dlr-a-share offer is being extended for Elders to\n  obtain Canadian federal government approval for the acquisition\n  of control of Carling. Elders said its application to\n  Investment Canada is still being processed under normal review\n  procedures.\n      Up to March 26, 19,962,000 shares or 92 pct of Carling's\n  stock has been deposited under the offer, Elders said.\n      Elders also said it arranged for a credit facility of up to\n  390 mln dlrs, shared equally between two Canadian banks, which\n  would be available to acquire shares under the offer.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STANDARD BRED PACERS <STBD> YR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 35 cts vs loss seven cts\n      Net loss 718,269 vs loss 145,216\n      Revs 1,394,080 vs 2,608,083\n      NOTE: full name of company is standard bred pacers and\n  trotters Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MULTIVEST <MVST> ENDS MERGER TALKS,SETS PURCHASE\n","article":"  Multivest Corp said it has ended talks\n  on <Oryx Capital Corp>'s possible acqusition of Multivest and\n  is starting an offer of 1.51 dlrs a share for all the\n  oustanding shares of <T.B.C. Industries Inc>.\n      Multivest said its T.B.C. tender offer is scheduled to\n  expire April 30.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS CORP <MCCAA> YR NET\n","article":"  Shr 77 cts vs 37 cts\n      Net 13.5 mln vs 4.8 mln\n      Revs 70.8 mln vs 60.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 17.5 mln vs 12.9 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes gain of 18 mln dlrs from sale in\n  Dec 1986 of a 50 pct interest in its cellular telephone\n  operations to BellSouth Corp.\n      Net income also reflects non-recurring charges of 8,400,000\n  dlrs recorded in the fourth qtr 1986, primarily reflecting\n  revaluation of assets.\n      Full name of company is mobile communications corp of\n  america.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TOKHEIM CORP <TOK> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 23 cts vs 12 cts\n      Net 1,535,000 vs 783,000\n      Rev 40.0 mln vs 28.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SPARTECH<SPTN> SETS REVERSE SPLIT,DEBENTURE SALE\n","article":"  Spartech Corp said it plans a one for\n  five reverse stock split and has filed a registration statement\n  with the Securities and Exchange Commission covering a planned\n  25 mln dlr offering of convertible subordinated debentures due\n  1999.\n      Spartech said the debenture offering will be underwritten\n  by Kidder Peabody and Co.\n      The company said the split will be effective on stock of\n  record April eight.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RESTAURANT ASSOCIATES <RA.A> SETS 1ST QTR GAIN\n","article":"  Restaurant Associates Industries Inc\n  said it expects to record a pretax gain of 3.3 mln dlrs in the\n  first quarter from the sale and lease of real estate.\n      The company said it received a 2.5 mln dlrs partial payment\n  in connection with the sale of property in Manhattan and an\n  additional one mln dlrs for early termination of the lease for\n  its headquarters, which was relocated in February.\n      The outstanding balance of about 8.5 mln dlrs on the sale\n  of the property will be paid at closing scheduled for Sept 28,\n  1987, it said.\n      In the first quarter ended March 31, 1986, Restaurant\n  Associates reported net income of 313,000 dlrs or seven cts a\n  share on sales of 40.8 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HUDSON'S BAY TO SELL WHOLESALE UNIT\n","article":"  <Hudson's Bay Co> said it signed a\n  letter of intent to sell its Hudson's Bay Wholesale unit to a\n  private investment group. Terms were not disclosed.\n      The company said Normal Paul, a member of the private\n  investment group, will head Hudson's Bay Wholesale management.\n      The unit's existing management group, headed by Ron\n  McArthur, will also participate in ownership, the company said\n  without elaborating.\n      The wholesale unit is a major distributor of tobacco,\n  confectionary and other products through 34 wholesale and 28\n  vending branches in Canada. 1986 sales were 798 mln dlrs.\n      Hudson's Bay said the sale of its wholesaling unit is part\n  of a program to concentrate financial and management resources\n  on its core business of department stores and real estate.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HENLEY GROUP INC <HENG> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 3.41 dlrs\n      Net loss 354 mln vs loss 53 mln\n      Revs 825 mln vs 830 mln\n      Avg shrs 103.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 5.33 dlrs\n      Net loss 426 mlnm vs loss 66 mln\n      Revs 3.17 billion vs 1.83 billion\n      Avg shrs 80 mln\n      NOTE: The company had no shares outstanding in 1985. On\n  March 16, it had 109,244,315 shares oustanding.\n      Losses include pre-tax restructuring charges of 286 mln\n  dlrs in both 1986 periods vs 47 mln dlrs in both 1985 periods\n      1986 year loss also includes charge of about 100 mln dlrs\n  for amortization of good will\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BAYBANKS INC <BBNK> RAISES QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 36 cts vs 33 cts prior\n      Pay May one\n      Record April 14\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PHARMACIA AB <PHAB ST>  1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Sales 3.65 billion crowns vs 3.40\n  billion.\n       Profit  after financial items 821.2 mln crowns vs 740.2\n  mln.\n      The 1986 results include a once-off writedown of 520 mln\n  crowns for intangible assets, mainly the know-how paid for in\n  the takeover of a number of high-tech companies by the group,\n  Pharmacia said.\n      Earnings per share after real tax including the writedown:\n  1.94 crowns vs 12.05 crowns.\n      Earnings per share after real tax (not including the\n  writedown): 12.38 crowns vs 12.05\n      Earnings per American Depository Receipt (ADR) according to\n  U.S. Accounting principles after real tax including the\n  writedown): 1.96 crowns vs 9.49 crowns.\n      Earnings per ADR according to U.S. Accounting principles\n  after real tax (without the writedown): 9.8 crowns vs 9.49.\n      One ADR represents 0.75 pct of one B Free share in\n  Pharmacia.\n      The board proposed a dividend of 1.55 crowns vs 1.25.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TOKHEIM <TOK> SEES IMPROVING SALES IN 1987\n","article":"  Tokheim Corp, manufacturer of\n  electronic petroleum marketing systems, said it expects\n  shipments of Tokheim Convenience Systems (TCS), its new family\n  of dispensers, to improve its sales trend throughout 1987.\n      Tokheim said shipments of TCS will begin in the second\n  quarter.\n      Earlier, the company reported first quarter, ended February\n  28, earnings of 1.5 mln dlrs, or 23 cts a share, up from\n  783,000 dlrs, or 12 cts a share, in last year's first quarter.\n  Sales rose as well, it said, to 40.0 mln dlrs, from 28.7 mln\n  dlrs in the prior first quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SAFETY-KLEEN <SK> TO BUY MCKESSON <MCK> UNIT\n","article":"  Safety-Kleen Corp said it agreed in\n  principle to acquire McKesson Envirosystems Co, a subsidiary of\n  McKesson Corp.\n      It said McKesson Envirosystems' current annual gross\n  revenues are about 14 mln dlrs.\n      The company collects flammable solvents from its industrial\n  customers for a fee, after which it analyzes and processes the\n  solvents before they are burned.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CCC ACCEPTS BIDS ON BONUS WHEAT TO ALGERIA-USDA\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation,\n  CCC, has accepted bids for export bonuses on 36,000 tonnes of\n  durum wheat to Algeria, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      The department said the bonuses awarded averaged 40.42 dlrs\n  per tonne and will be paid to exporters in the form of\n  commodities from CCC inventories.\n      The bonuses were made to Cam USA, Inc, the department said.\n      The wheat is for shipment May 1-10, 1987.\n      An additional 264,000 tonnes of durum wheat are still\n  avaiable to Algeria under the Export Enhancement program\n  initiative announced on March 16.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WESTINGHOUSE <WX> SEES HIGHER EARNINGS GROWTH\n","article":"  Westinghouse Electric Corp said\n  earnings per share growth will exceed sales growth and will be\n  in the double digit range through 1989.\n      In 1986, the company earned 4.42 dlrs a share on revenues\n  of 10.7 billion dlrs.\n      Speaking at a meeting for securities analysts, Douglas\n  Danforth, Westinghouse's chairman, said the company's sales\n  growth target is about 8.5 pct a year for 1988 and 1989, \"given\n  an economic environment that remains on a moderate growth\n  course.\" He also said the company will make acquisitions, but\n  he did not specify particular targets.\n      Paul E. Lego, senior executive vice president told the\n  analysts \"our plans do not call for a multibillion dlr\n  acquisition, even though our balance sheet can handle one.\n  Despite this disclaimer, if we identify a major acquisition\n  that has significnt value-creating for Westinghouse...we will\n  consider it.\" He said the company would consider an acquisition\n  candidate that is in an area compatable with Westinghouse's\n  primiary businesses.\n      Danforth said the corportation was focused in several key\n  areas including defense electronics, financial services,\n  broadcasting, electrical products and services for construction\n  and industrial and utility markets.\n      Danforth added that he expects Westinghouse's sales to grow\n  faster than the markets the corportation serves and \"surely\n  faster than GNP.\"\n      He said earnings per share growth is expected to\n  consistently exceed the Standard and Poor's 500 index and\n  return on equity will remain in the 18 to 21 pct range.\n      Leo W. Yochum, senior executive vice president for finance,\n  told the analysts \"we will consider buying back stock\" but\n  there are no current plans for such a buyback.\n      Yochum said that at the company's current level of earnings\n  it could comfortably maintain higher debt levels and that\n  Westinghouse will use its debt capacity to improve shareholder\n  value.\n      Last year, Westinghouse established a 790 mln dlrs\n  restructuring reserve to be used for plant consolodation,\n  assett writedowns and other items. Yochum said, the company\n  spent 306 mln dlrs of that reserve in 1986 and will spend 344\n  mln dlrs of the reserves in 1987. The balance will be used in\n  1988. He also said, capital expenditures should be about 400\n  mln dlrs in 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CLEARWATER FINE FOODS ACQUIRES CHANNEL FOODS\n","article":"  Clearwater Fine Foods Inc, a Canadian\n  company minority owned by Hillsdown Holdings PLC of London, has\n  acquired Channel Foods Ltd, a Cornwall, England producer of\n  chilled smoke fish and pate products, Hillsdown said.\n      Privately held Clearwater was sold for three mln stg, the\n  company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GALACTIC RESOURCES LTD <GALCF> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.30 dlrs\n      Net loss 25.6 mln\n      Revs 20.5 mln\n      Note: Prior results not given.\n      Shr and net include change in accounting policy, resulting\n  in loss of 22.8 mln dlrs or 1.16 dlrs share.\n      Results in U.S. funds\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COCOA CONSUMERS ACCEPT COMPROMISE BUFFER PLAN\n","article":"  Consumer members of the International\n  Cocoa Organization, ICCO, accepted a final buffer stock rules\n  compromise, \"on the condition that producers also agree,\"\n  consumer spokesman Peter Baron said.\n      The full council was meeting at 1530 GMT to discuss the\n  compromise, which was put together yesterday by ICCO chairman\n  Denis Bra Kanon.\n      Consumer delegates said they were optimistic the council\n  could reach agreement on the rules fairly quickly.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NATO HOLDS EMERGENCY MEETING ON AEGEAN CRISIS\n","article":"  NATO ambassadors met in emergency\n  session today to discuss tension between members Greece and\n  Turkey over a disputed area of the Aegean Sea on the Western\n  Alliance's southern flank, Greek diplomatic sources said.\n      They said no information had yet emerged from the meeting,\n  called after statements from both countries that they were\n  prepared to back rival oil exploration teams with warships.\n      General Guven Ergenc, Secretary General of the Turkish\n  General Staff, said today the Turkish research ship Sismik 1,\n  escorted by an unspecified number of warships, would sail into\n  disputed waters in the Aegean Sea tomorrow morning.\n      Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou said \"The military\n  readiness of our country is able now to give a very hard lesson\n  if our neighbours (Turkey) were to carry out military actions.\"\n      The row erupted when the Greek government said last month\n  that it was taking control of a Canadian-led consortium which\n  was already producing oil off the Greek island of Thassos and\n  would drill in the same area after the takeover.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HANSON TRUST TO SELL U.S. CHEMICALS UNIT\n","article":"  Hanson Trust Plc <HNSN.L> said its U.S.\n  Subsidiary, Hanson Industries Inc, is to sell PCR Inc, a\n  speciality chemicals unit, for 6.25 mln dlrs cash to <Chemical\n  Partners Inc>.\n      PCR had sales of 13.2 mln dlrs in fiscal 1986 and an\n  operating loss of 381,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTOR PAUL BILZERIAN HAS 7.2 PCT PAY 'N PAK STAKE, MAY SEEK CONTROL\n","article":"\n  INVESTOR PAUL BILZERIAN HAS 7.2 PCT PAY 'N PAK STAKE, MAY SEEK CONTROL\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UK MAY REVOKE JAPANESE FINANCIAL LICENSES\n","article":"  The British government may revoke the\n  licences of selected Japanese banks and securities companies\n  operating in London's financial City when they come up for\n  renewal next summer if progress is not made towards opening up\n  Japan's markets to foreign competition, government sources\n  said.\n      \"We can't say \"yes, we are going to do it (revoke licences)\"\n  but this is definitely being considered,\" an official said.\n      His comments came after the government was formally urged\n  today by a cross-section of influential MPs to take joint\n  retaliatory action with the United States against Japan.\n      Britain has grown increasingly impatient with Japanese\n  trade practices. \"There's a sense of urgency here now, but the\n  emphasis is on securing - not undermining - our interests in\n  Japan,\" another government official told Reuters.\n      Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said on Thursday that\n  Britain would not hesitate to use new powers contained in the\n  Financial Services Act 1986 and the Banking Bill to retaliate\n  against countries that do not offer reciprocal market access.\n      She clearly had Japan in mind, government sources said.\n      The U.K. Last year showed a trade defict with Japan of 3.7\n  billion stg, official figures show.\n      A parliamentary motion, signed by 98 MPs, today urged the\n  U.K. Government to \"coordinate action with the President of the\n  United States, and through the Department of Trade and\n  Industry, to suspend all further applications from Japanese\n  communications companies for equipment approval by the British\n  Approvals Board for Telecommunications, and all further\n  applications from Japanese financial institutions for licences\"\n  until authorities in Japan stopped imposing what the MPs called\n  \"restrictive conditions\" on the bid by (Cable and Wireless PLC)\n  (cawl.L) and its U.S. And Japanese partners for a stake in\n  Japan's international telecommunications market.\n      The motion for retaliatory steps came from a cross-section\n  of MPs, reflecting the strength of feeling inside Parliament.\n  Parliamentarians said their action would increase pressure on\n  the Conservative government to take firm action.\n      Officials said another option now being considered by the\n  U.K. Is to refuse issuing new banking licences to Japanese\n  institutions. That could be done under the government's\n  proposed Banking Bill now moving through parliament.\n      58 Japanese financial institutions are authorised to deal\n  in London, of which 29 are banks. In Tokyo, 14 London-based\n  firms are authorised to do financial business, officials said.\n      The new financial services and banking acts offer Britain\n  an alternative for retaliation which would be otherwise denied\n  under legally-binding international trade agreements.\n      \"The Financial Services Act gives (Trade and Industry\n  Secretary Paul) Channon power to stop firms from engaging in\n  investment, banking and insurance,\" one official said.\n      \"This point has been made to the Japanese at official level\n  a number times,\" the official added.\n      Britain and France are now working together to urge that\n  the European Community take collective action against Japan,\n  but by working within EC treaties, another official said.\n      British Trade Minister Alan Clark said this week in a radio\n  interview that the European Community should build barriers\n  against Japanese imports through certification procedures\n  similar to those facing European exporters in Japan.\n      \"There comes a point where you cannot resist any longer,\" he\n  said, adding \"(such barriers) can't be put in place overnight.\"\n  Clark said the issue of reciprocity regarding visible trade\n  \"strikes at the basis of whether British industry is to have a\n  fair access to an extremely large market (Japan) which is\n  itself in a very dominant position (in) certain aspects of our\n  own domestic market ... It is really a question of fairness.\"\n      The situation is only likely to worsen following news that\n  Japan's trade surplus with the rest of the world rose by more\n  than 70 pct in February, year-on-year, to 8.14 billion dlrs\n  from 5.7 billion in January, political sources said.\n      But Clark said in his interview that the issues of visible\n  trade and access to financial markets should be kept separate.\n      Should Britain decide to act against Japanese financial\n  institutions, it would most likely focus on the smaller, rather\n  than larger ones, to minimise any risks to its role as a global\n  business centre, government sources said. Japan's four largest\n  securities houses are members of the London Stock Exchange.\n      In Washington, White House officials said President Reagan\n  was ready to impose retaliatory trade action against Japan for\n  breaking its semiconductor agreement with the United States.\n      There was no immediate indication when Reagan might act on\n  the recommendations of his Economic Policy Council to curb\n  Japanese exports to the United States but officials said the\n  move could come today or early next week.\n      Trade sources said the actions being weighed by Reagan\n  included tariffs on a wide variety of Japanese exports which\n  use semiconductors.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LSB INDUSTRIES <LSB> AGREES TO ACQUIRE BANK\n","article":"  LSB Industries Inc said it agreed\n  to acquire Northwest Federal Savings and Loan Association for\n  1,500,000 dlrs.\n      As part of the agreement, LSB said it also would transfer\n  assets valued of not less than 30 mln dlrs to Northwest\n  Federal, which is located in Woodward, Okla.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNIVERSAL HOLDING CORP <UHCO> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr NA\n      Net profit 2,000 vs profit 195,000\n      Revs 2,623,000 vs 2,577,000\n      Year\n      Shr NA\n      Net loss 425,000 vs profit 278,000\n      Revs 15.4 mln vs 8,637,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BILZERIAN MAY SEEK CONTROL OF PAY 'N PAK <PNP>\n","article":"  Investor Paul Bilzerian disclosed he\n  holds a 7.2 pct stake in Pay 'N Pak Stores Inc common stock and\n  is considering seeking control of the retail building material\n  firm.\n      Bilzerian said he and a Tampa, Fla., investment firm he\n  controls called Bicoastal Financial Corp \"may acquire additional\n  shares, or they may seek to acquire one or more positions on\n  (Pay 'N Pak's) Board of directors or to acquire a controlling\n  interest in the (company's) shares, by tender offer or\n  otherwise.\" The statement was made in a filing with the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission.\n      Bilzerian said his course of action would depend on the\n  company's prospects, market conditions and other factors.\n      Bilzerian said he and Bicoastal made net purchases of\n  515,600 shares on the New York Stock Exchange Jan 26-March 25.\n      His 7.2 pct stake makes up a total of 722,000 shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED EXPECTED TO ADD RESERVES, ECONOMISTS SAY\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve is expected to\n  enter the U.S. government securities market to add reserves\n  today, economists said.\n      They said the Fed would probably supply temporary reserves\n  indirectly by arranging one to two billion dlrs of customer\n  repurchase agreements.\n      After averaging 6.21 pct yesterday, federal funds were\n  opened at 6-1\/8 pct and remained at that level.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ALLEGHENY INT'L <AG> SELLS THREE OVERSEAS UNITS\n","article":"  Allegheny International Inc\n  said it sold three overseas subsidiaries to Reil Corp Ltd, a\n  North Sydney, Australia, investment group.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      The units sold were Sunbeam Corp Ltd Australia, Sunbeam New\n  Zealand Ltd and Victa (U.K.) Ltd. The units make and distribute\n  various products, including lawn mowers, small appliances and\n  sheep shearing equipment. They employ a total of about 1,750.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PHARMACIA FORECASTS HIGHER 1987 EARNINGS\n","article":"  Pharmacia AB <PHAB ST> forecast\n  earnings after financial items of one billion crowns in 1987 vs\n  821.2 mln last year on condition that exchange rates remained\n  at their present parities.\n      Sales would in such circumstances go up to six billion\n  crowns from 3.65 billion in 1986, it said.\n      A weakening Dollar was mainly responsible for a five pct\n  negative impact on sales during 1986 which the company blamed\n  on currency movements.\n      Last year's results were also badly hit by a once-off\n  writedown of 520 mln crowns for intangible assets.\n      The company said mainly this represented the premium the\n  group had paid for the know-how of various high-tech firms it\n  had taken over.\n      The accounts also showed a financial deficit of 1.87\n  billion crowns vs a deficit of 133 mln which was covered partly\n  by drawing down company liquidity to 738 mln vs one billion and\n  partly by increasing borrowing to 2.23 billion vs 621 mln.\n      Pharmacia said the financial deficit was caused by it\n  having used more funds than generated by group operations,\n  mainly because of the 1.36 billion it paid in cash for shares\n  in LKB-Produkter AB and the assets of Intermedics-Intraocular\n  Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"GALACTIC <GALCF> ADOPTS CONSERVATIVE ACCOUNTING\n","article":"  Galactic Resources\n  Ltd, earlier reporting a 1986 loss of 25.6 mln U.S. dlrs, said\n  it adopted a more conservative accounting policy, similar to\n  other gold producers' accounting for exploration costs.\n      As a result, the company retroactively charged all past\n  exploration and related administration costs incurred on its\n  properties against expenses in 1986, 1985 and 1984.\n      Under the new policy, all future exploration and related\n  administration costs will be written off to expenses rather\n  than capitalized as an intangible asset, it said.\n      Galactic said the accounting change resulted in a 22.8 mln\n  U.S. dlr charge against 1986 earnings. It did not immediately\n  disclose the affect of the change on prior years' results.\n      The new accounting policy is not expected to adversely\n  affect working capital position, future cash flows or the\n  company's ability to conduct ongoing business operations, it\n  said.\n      Galactic said the charge includes 9.9 mln U.S. dlrs of\n  costs concerning its Summitville Mine leach pad and 8.9 mln\n  U.S. dlrs in waste removal costs, dyke construction and other\n  mine developments.\n      Galactic said under the prior accounting policy, the\n  Summitville mine expenses would have been amortized over the\n  life of the mine and charged against future earnings.\n      The change will also result in lower depreciation and\n  amortization charges against income of about 52 U.S. dlrs an\n  ounce of gold produced in future periods, based on total\n  estimated reserves of 617,000 ounces.\n      Galactic said March leaching production at Summitville is\n  expected to exceed 2,500 ounces, raising gold equivalent\n  production since the June 5, 1986 start of leaching to 65,000\n  ounces.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"Cocoa Council agrees new buffer stock  rules - delegates\n","article":"\n  Cocoa Council agrees new buffer stock  rules - delegates\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MARS STORE <MXXX> SEES QTR, YEAR LOSS AND CHARGE\n","article":"  Mars Store Inc said it\n  expects to report a loss of about 800,000 dlrs for the fourth\n  quarter and about 1.1 mln dlrs for the fiscal year ended\n  January 31.\n      As a result of the loss, the company said it has decided to\n  discontinue the operations of its Big Value Outlets division,\n  which will result in a yet undisclosed one time charge against\n  earnings for the year.\n      The estimated 1.1 mln dlrs year loss or about 50 cts a\n  share, compares with earnings of 871,000 dlrs or 42 cts a share\n  recorded last year.\n      \"The fourth quarter loss was affected by an abnormally high\n  inventory shrinkage, lower than planned sales and higher\n  markdowns related to increased promotional activity, all of\n  which reduced fourth quarter gross margins,\" the company said.\n      In order to concentrate on the company's core business, the\n  operation of discount and promotional department stores, Mars\n  said, it has decided to close the Big Value division.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HONEYWELL <HON> COMPLETES COMPUTER BUSINESS SALE\n","article":"  Honeywell Inc said it has\n  completed the sale of 57.5 pct of its Honeywell Information\n  Systems <HIS> computer business to <Compagnie des Machines\n  Bull> of France and <NEC Corp> of Japan for 527 mln dlrs in\n  cash.\n      Honeywell said it will use much of the money to reduce\n  short-term debt incurred last December when the company\n  purchased the Sperry Aerospace Group.\n      Honeywell said the sale of HIS has created a new dedicated\n  computer company jointly owned by Bull, NEC and Honeywell.\n      The new privately held company, named Honeywell Bull, is\n  42.5 pct owned by Honeywell Inc, 42.5 pct by Bull and 15 pct by\n  NEC, the new company said.\n      Honeywell added that terms of the agreement with NEC and\n  Bull allow it to reduce its current 42.5 pct stake in the new\n  company to 19.9 pct at the end of 1988 by selling just over\n  half its shares to Bull. Book value at the time will determine\n  the move's pricing, Honeywell said.\n      Honeywell chairman and chief executive officer, Edson\n  Spencer, said the move is the last major step in Honeywell's\n  restructuring.\n      \"As the leading worldwide supplier of of automation and\n  controls for buildings, industry, aerospace and defense,\n  Honeywell is now focusing its management, technical and\n  financial resources on high market share business,\" Spencer\n  said.\n      Honeywell said it expects to be Honeywell Bull's largest\n  customer, purchasing computers for its own internal data\n  processing, for integration into Honeywell buidling and\n  industrial automation systems and for resale to the U.S.\n  governement.\n      Honeywell said HIS's Federal Systems Division is now a\n  wholly owned unit of Honeywell Inc, and has been named\n  Honeywell Federal Systems Inc.\n      Honeywell said it accounted for HIS as a discontinued\n  operation in 1986, and will account for its future interest on\n  a cost basis, recording any dividends as received.\n      Honeywell Bull said it will continue to develop its product\n  line and build its business in integrated systems for\n  networking, database management and transaction processing.\n      The new company said its board will have nine members,\n  including the chairman and chief executive officer.\n      Bull will have four members, Honeywell two and NEC one, the\n  new company, which began worldwide operations today, said.\n      It added that Jacques Stern, Bull's chairman and chief\n  executive officer, will serve as Honeywell Bull's chairman of\n  the board, while Jerome Meyer, formerly executive vice\n  president of Honeywell Information Systems, was named president\n  and chief executive officer.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DEALERS SAY FED INTERVENED BUYING DOLLARS IN U.S.\n","article":"  U.S. dealers said the New York Federal\n  Reserve Bank has intervened in the foreign exchange market\n  today buying dollars against yen.\n      Fed officials do not comment on such intervention, but\n  dealers said it appeared that the Fed had intervened when the\n  dollar reached 147.50 yen in New York.\n      The dollar subsequently hovered at 147.55\/65 yen.\n      Dealers said they were uncertain about the size of the\n  intervention, but some said it was only for a small amount.\n  They were also uncertain whether the Fed intervened on its own\n  account, or if it executed orders for the Bank of Japan.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<INNOPAC INC> SIX MTHS FEBRUARY 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 22 cts vs 45 cts\n      Net 3,100,000 vs 5,100,000\n      Revs 103.4 mln vs 98.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CORNERSTONE FINANICAL CORP <CSTN> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div eight cts vs eight cts prior\n      Pay May 15\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PEGASUS GOLD <PGULF> STARTS MILLING IN MONTANA\n","article":"  Pegasus Gold Inc said\n  milling operations have started at its Montana Tunnels open-pit\n  gold, silver, zinc and lead mine near Helena.\n      The start-up is three months ahead of schedule and six mln\n  dlrs under budget, the company said. Original capital cost of\n  the mine was 57.5 mln dlrs, but came in at 51.5 mln dlrs, the\n  company said.\n      After a start-up period, the mill is expected to produce \n  106,000 ounces of gold, 1,700,000 ounces of silver, 26,000 tons\n  of zinc and 5,700 tons of lead on an annual basis from\n  4,300,000 tons of ore, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LOWER ASCS CORN PRICES TO AFFECT TEN STATES\n","article":"  The Agriculture Department's\n  widening of Louisiana gulf differentials will affect county\n  posted prices for number two yellow corn in ten states, a USDA\n  official said.\n      All counties in Iowa will be affected, as will counties\n  which use the gulf to price corn in Illinois, Indiana,\n  Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama\n  and Louisiana, said Ron Burgess, Deputy Director of Commodity\n  Operations Division for the USDA.\n      USDA last night notified the grain industry that effective\n  immediately, all gulf differentials used to price interior corn\n  would be widened on a sliding scale basis of four to eight cts,\n  depending on what the differential is.\n      USDA's action was taken to lower excessively high posted\n  county prices for corn caused by high gulf prices.\n      \"We've been following this Louisiana gulf situation for a\n  month, and we don't think it's going to get back in line in any\n  nearby time,\" Burgess said.\n      Burgess said USDA will probably narrow back the gulf\n  differentials when and if Gulf prices recede. \"If we're off the\n  mark now because we're too high, wouldn't we be as much off the\n  mark if we're too low?\" he said.\n      While forecasting more adjustments if Gulf prices fall,\n  Burgess said no other changes in USDA's price system are being\n  planned right now.\n      \"We don't tinker. We don't make changes lightly, and we\n  don't make changes often,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GREECE BUYS 55,000 TONNES FRENCH MAIZE - TRADE\n","article":"  Greece bought a total of 55,000 tonnes of\n  French maize when it tendered yesterday, initially for 30,000\n  tonnes of April delivery, trade sources said.\n      They said 25,000 tonnes, to be shipped from Bordeaux, were\n  sold at 1,603 francs per tonne fob, 15,000 tonnes from Rouen at\n  1,596 francs fob and 15,000 tonnes from Sete at 1,607 francs\n  fob.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANADA REAL 4TH QTR GDP ROSE 1.1 PCT, AFTER 3RD QTR 1.1 PCT RISE - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  CANADA REAL 4TH QTR GDP ROSE 1.1 PCT, AFTER 3RD QTR 1.1 PCT RISE - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COCOA BUFFER STOCK RULES TO TAKE EFFECT  IMMEDIATELY - DELEGATES\n","article":"\n  COCOA BUFFER STOCK RULES TO TAKE EFFECT  IMMEDIATELY - DELEGATES\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DROUGHT CUTS CHINESE WHEAT CROP -- USDA REPORT\n","article":"  Drought has resulted in a reduction\n  in China's estimated wheat crop this year to 87.0 mln tonnes,\n  2.0 mln below last year's harvest, the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department's officer in Peking said in a field report.\n      The report, dated March 25, said imports in the 1987\/88\n  season are projected at 8.0 mln tonnes, 1.0 mln tonnes above\n  the the current season's estimate.\n      Imports from the United States are estimated at 1.5 mln\n  tonnes compared to only 150,000 tonnes estimated for the\n  1986\/87 year, it said.\n      After travelling to major wheat producing areas and\n  obtaining more information on the planted area, the total\n  planted area was estimated down 290,000 hectares due to the dry\n  fall, it said.\n      The report said to compensate for the below normal\n  precipitation irrigation has increased as has the use of\n  fertilizer.\n      While there are pockets where irrigation is not possible,\n  most of the wheat crop has access to some water and therefore\n  has emerged from dormancy and is doing well, the report said.\n      It said scattered rain in many parts of China in the past\n  10 days has improved the situation but information on hail\n  damage in Anhui is incomplete.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CISTRON BIOTECHNOLOGY <CIST> SETS DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Cistron Biotechnology Inc said\n  it will pay a stock dividend declared prior to the initial\n  public offering of its common stock in August 1986 to\n  stockholders of record prior to the common offering.\n      Payment of the dividend was contingent on the closing bid\n  price of the common stock averaging two dlrs or more per shares\n  for the trading days within any consecutive ten day period\n  ending before February 29, 1988. The company said that the\n  contingency has been fulfilled.\n      Payment of the stock dividend increases Cistron's\n  outstanding common stock to 21,390,190 shares from 16,185,354\n  shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WERNER ENTERPRISES INC <WERN> 4TH QTR, YR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends Feb 28\n      Shr 18 cts vs 10 cts\n      Net 2,051,000 vs 901,000\n      Revs 25.8 mln vs 19.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 10.7 mln vs 9,059,600\n      12 mths\n      Shr 87 cts vs 63 cts\n      Net 9,020,000 vs 5,680,000\n      Revs 94.4 mln vs 73.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 10.3 mln vs 9,059,600\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUGAR QUOTA IMPORTS DETAILED -- USDA\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department said\n  cumulative sugar imports from individual countries during the\n  1987 quota year, which began January 1, 1987 and ends December\n  31, 1987 were as follows, with quota allocations for the quota\n  year in short tons, raw value --\n              CUMULATIVE     QUOTA 1987\n                IMPORTS     ALLOCATIONS\n   ARGENTINA        nil          39,130\n   AUSTRALIA        nil          75,530\n   BARBADOS         nil           7,500\n   BELIZE           nil          10,010\n   BOLIVIA          nil           7,500\n   BRAZIL           nil         131,950\n   CANADA           nil          18,876\n                             QUOTA 1987\n                IMPORTS     ALLOCATIONS\n   COLOMBIA         103          21,840\n   CONGO            nil           7,599\n   COSTA RICA       nil          17,583\n   IVORY COAST      nil           7,500\n   DOM REP        5,848         160,160\n   ECUADOR          nil          10,010\n   EL SALVADOR      nil          26,019.8\n   FIJI             nil          25,190\n   GABON            nil           7,500\n                             QUOTA 1987\n                IMPORTS     ALLOCATIONS\n   GUATEMALA        nil          43,680\n   GUYANA           nil          10,920\n   HAITI            nil           7,500\n   HONDURAS         nil          15,917.2\n   INDIA            nil           7,500\n   JAMAICA          nil          10,010\n   MADAGASCAR       nil           7,500\n   MALAWI           nil           9,,100\n                             QUOTA 1987\n                 IMPORTS    ALLOCATIONS\n   MAURITIUS         nil         10,920\n   MEXICO             37          7,500\n   MOZAMBIQUE        nil         11,830\n   PANAMA            nil         26,390\n   PAPUA NEW GUINEA  nil          7,500\n   PARAGUAY          nil          7,500\n   PERU              nil         37,310\n   PHILIPPINES       nil        143,780\n   ST.CHRISTOPHER-\n   NEVIS             nil          7,500\n                            QUOTA 1987\n                  IMPORTS  ALLOCATIONS\n   SWAZILAND          nil         14,560\n   TAIWAN             nil         10,920\n   THAILAND           nil         12,740\n   TRINIDAD-TOBAGO    nil          7,500\n   URUGUAY            nil          7,500\n   ZIMBABWE           nil         10,920\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA 4TH QTR CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT 2.3 BILLION DLRS VS 3RD QTR 1.9 BILLION DEFICIT - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  CANADA 4TH QTR CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT 2.3 BILLION DLRS VS 3RD QTR 1.9 BILLION DEFICIT - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<REVENUE PROPERTIES CO LTD> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss eight cts vs loss 24 cts\n      Net loss 1,150,000 vs loss 3,450,000\n      Revs 55.7 mln vs 78.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FED ADDS RESERVES VIA CUSTOMER REPURCHASES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve entered the U.S.\n  Government securities market to arrange one billion dlrs of\n  customer repurchase agreements, a Fed spokesman said.\n      Dealers said Federal funds were trading at 6-1\/8 pct when\n  the Fed began its temporary and indirect supply of reserves to\n  the banking system.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ICCO COUNCIL AGREES COCOA BUFFER STOCK RULES\n","article":"  The International Cocoa Organization\n  (ICCO) Council reached agreement on rules to govern its buffer\n  stock, the device it uses to keep cocoa off the market to\n  stabilise prices, ICCO delegates said.\n      The date on which the new rules will take effect has not\n  been decided but delegates said they expected them to come into\n  force early next week, after which the buffer stock manager can\n  begin buying or selling cocoa.\n      Since prices are below the \"may-buy\" level of 1,655 Special\n  Drawing Rights a tonne set in the cocoa pact, the manager is\n  likely to buy cocoa sooon to support the market, they said.\n      Delegates and traders said they expected the manager,\n  Juergen Plambeck, to intervene in the market within three weeks\n  of the pact coming into force.\n      The rules permit him to buy and sell cocoa from origins or\n  the second hand market on an offer system, not by means of a\n  posted price as in the previous cocoa accord.\n      The cocoa will be priced according to a fixed set of\n  differentials, ranging from 137 stg for most expensive Ghana\n  cocoa to zero for Malaysian cocoa.\n      Purchases from non-members, such as Malaysia, will be\n  limited to 15 pct of the total stock and those on any one day\n  should be limited to 40 pct each in nearby, intermediate and\n  forward positions.\n      The council meeting, which is expected to conclude two\n  weeks of sessions involving various working groups and the\n  council itself, was continuing, the delegates said.\n      The current cocoa agreement came into force on January 20\n  during a previous meeting of the council which was unable to\n  agree on the rules to implement buffer stock operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COCOA BUFFER STOCK RULES EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY\n","article":"  The cocoa buffer stock rules just\n  decided by the International Cocoa Organization, ICCO, council\n  will take effect immediately, delegates said.\n      That means the buffer stock manager is likely to begin\n  buying cocoa within two or three weeks, after organizing\n  communication systems and assessing the market, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTHAM TO SELL 49 PCT INTEREST IN BRANDON SUN\n","article":"  <Southam Inc> said it agreed to sell\n  its 49 pct interest in Sun Publishing Co Ltd, which publishes\n  The Brandon Sun, to majority shareholder publisher Lewis D.\n  Whitehead.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      Southam said the proposed sale resulted from an offer made\n  by Whitehead, whose family has had majority control of the\n  newspaper since 1905.\n      The Brandon Sun has daily circulation of 19,100.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GLAMIS GOLD <GLGVF> SETS COMMON STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Glamis Gold Ltd\n  said it will ask shareholders at an April 1 extraordinary\n  general meeting to approve a one-and-one-half for one common\n  share split.\n      Record date for the split will be set in the near future,\n  the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NUCLEAR METALS <NUCM> HAS DELAY IN ORDERS\n","article":"  Nuclear Metals Inc said a delay\n  in receiving certain new orders will result in negligible\n  earnings per share for its fiscal second quarter.\n      However, the company said it has been assured that the\n  orders will be placed beginning in its fiscal third quarter and\n  that it expects a strong rebound in earnings for the third and\n  fourth quarters.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRST SARASOTA HOLDERS APPROVE ACQUISITIONS\n","article":"  First Sarasota Bancorp said\n  its shareholders approved the acquisition of its City\n  Commercial Bank subsidiary by First Union Corp's <FUNC> First\n  Union National Bank of Florida.\n      The purchase price of the outstanding shares is about 8.6\n  mln dlrs.\n      The transaction, subject to regulatory approval, is\n  expected to be completed during the second quarter of 1987.\n      After completing the City Commercial acquisition and four\n  other acquisitions having combined assets of 248 mln dlrs,\n  First Union will have assets of 28.6 billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAMAICA BUYS U.S. PL-480 CORN, WHEAT AND RICE\n","article":"  Jamaica bought U.S. corn, wheat and\n  rice at its tender earlier this week using PL-480 funds, a U.S.\n  Department of Agriculture official said.\n      The purchase consisted of the following cargoes -\n   - Cargill sold 1,503.5 tonnes of number two soft red winter\n  (SRW) wheat for May 5\/30 shipment at 117.44 dlrs per tonne FOB\n  Gulf ports.\n   - Continental Grain 8,250 tonnes of number two northern\n  spring\/dark northern spring (NS\/DNS) wheat (14.5 pct protein)\n  for April 15\/May 10 at 123.97 dlrs FOB Gulf, excluding\n  Brownsville.\n   - Nichemen 10,000 tonnes number two SRW wheat for June 12\/July\n  7 at 103.43 dlrs FOB Gulf.\n   - Nichemen 10,000 tonnes number two NS\/DNS wheat (14.0 pct\n  protein) for May 25\/June 20 at 121.89 dlrs FOB Gulf.\n   - Cargill 10,000 tonnes number two SRW wheat for April 10\/May\n  5 at 120.88 dlrs FOB Gulf.\n   - Cargill 8,469.5 tonnes number two SRW wheat for May 5\/30 at\n  117.44 dlrs FOB Gulf.\n   - Louis Dreyfus 4,500 tonnes number three yellow corn (15.0\n  pct maximum moisture) for April 10\/May 5 at 76.09 dlrs FOB\n  Gulf.\n   - Louis Dreyfus 5,300 tonnes same corn April 20\/May 15 at\n  75.89 dlrs FOB Gulf.\n   - Louis Dreyfus 5,300 tonnes same corn May 10\/June 5 at 75.49\n  dlrs FOB Gulf.\n   - Louis Dreyfus 5,300 tonnes same corn June 1\/25 at 75.49 dlrs\n  FOB Gulf.\n   - Loius Dreyfus 3,700 tonnes number two yellow corn (14.5 pct\n  maximum moisture) for Apirl 10\/May 5 at 76.29 dlrs FOB Gulf.\n   - Louis Dreyfus 3,700 tonnes same corn for May 10\/June 5 at\n  75.68 dlrs FOB Gulf.\n      Exporters have not received final PL-480 approval on their\n  sale of a total of 9,500 tonnes of U.S. number five or better\n  long grain brown rice (10 pct maximum broken) for April 10\/May\n  25 shipments.\n      But the USDA official said he saw no hold-up in obtaining\n  that approval.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MCLEAN INDUSTRIES <MII> UNIT TRANSERS SERVICE\n","article":"  McLean Industries Inc said its\n  shipping subsidiary, United States Lines Inc, reached an\n  agreement in principle to transfer its South American service\n  to American Transport Lines Inc, a subsidiary of <Crowley\n  Maritime Corp>.\n      Under the terms of the agreement, United States Lines will\n  lease five vessels to American Transport for 15 months with an\n  option to extend the period up to 10 years, the company said.\n      In return, U.S. Lines will receive a fixed payment and a\n  percentage of revenues for at least three years and possibly as\n  long as American Transport utilizes its vessels and conducts\n  trade in South America, the company said.\n      The companies will consummate the transactions as soon as\n  the required approvals are obtained, McLean said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HUNGARIAN ECONOMY CONTINUES UNFAVOURABLE TREND\n","article":"  Hungary's economy and hard currency\n  trade have failed so far this year to reverse a two-year\n  unfavourable trend, the official Hungarian news agency MTI\n  said.\n      Industrial production in January and February was only 1.3\n  pct up on the same 1986 period, MTI said, while hard currency\n  exports fell six pct as imports rose 10 pct.\n      Hungary's hard currency trade fell into a deficit of 539.4\n  mln dlrs last year from a surplus of 295.3 mln in 1985 and 1.2\n  billion in 1984.\n      MTI quoted a government spokesman saying last December's\n  wage freeze decree would expire on April 1 as envisaged.\n      Gross domestic product grew a sluggish one pct in 1986\n  after stagnating in 1985 and growing 2.6 pct in 1984.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NOBLE AFFILIATES <NBL> FINDS NATURAL GAS\n","article":"  Noble Affiliates Inc said it\n  found natural gas on Ship Shoal 80, located about 10 miles\n  offshore Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico.\n      The discovery well, Samedan Oil Corp's OCS-G 5537 Well\n  Number One, was drilled in 25 feet of water to a total depth of\n  7,500 feet and found 38 feet of net gas pay in a 48-foot gross\n  sand interval, the company said.\n      The well tested gas at a rate of 6.2 mln cubic feet a day\n  through a 26\/64-inch choke with 1,548 pounds flowing tubing\n  pressure. Gas sales should begin in the first quarter of 1988,\n  it said.\n      Samedan, a Noble unit, is operator and owns a 60 pct\n  working interest in the well. Other owners are a New England\n  Electric System <NES> unit, with a 25 pct stake, and\n  Southwestern Energy Production Co, with 15 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOURCE VENTURE CAPITAL INC YEAR\n","article":"  Shr profit nil vs loss nil\n      Net profit 68,895 vs loss 160,893\n      Revs 3.3 mln vs 104,801\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LSB <LSB> IN PACT TO ACQUIRE NORTHWEST FEDERAL\n","article":"  LSB Industries Inc said it\n  entered into an agreement to acquire Northwest Federal Savings\n  and Loan Association of Woodward, Oklahoma.\n      Upon completion of the acquisition, LSB would pay about 1.5\n  mln dlrs to the shareholders of Northwest and transfer to\n  Northwest Federal certain assets having a net current appraised\n  value of not less than 30 mln dlrs.\n      At completion of this transaction, Northwest Federal would\n  be a subsidiary of LSB's non-consolidated wholly-owned\n  financial subsidiary.\n      The acquisition is subject to obtaining approvals, waivers\n  and forbearances from the Federal Home Loan Bank Board and\n  other government approvals.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<BRAMALEA LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 73 cts vs 55 cts\n      Net 26.0 mln vs 17.1 mln\n      Revs 673.3 mln vs 394.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 29.3 mln vs 22.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"REAGAN READY TO IMPOSE TRADE CURBS AGAINST JAPAN\n","article":"  President Reagan was ready to impose\n  retaliatory trade action against Japan for breaking its\n  semiconductor agreement with the United States, White House\n  officials said.\n      There was no immediate indication when Reagan might act on\n  the recommendations of his Economic Policy Council to curb\n  Japanese exports to the United States, but officials said the\n  move could come today or early next week.\n      Trade sources said the actions being weighed by Reagan\n  include tariffs on a wide variety of Japanese exports which use\n  semiconductors.\n      The sources said the tariffs could be slapped on personal\n  computers, television receivers and laser-printers, with the\n  aim of penalizing Japan's major electronic firms, including NEC\n  Corp, Hitachi Ltd, Toshiba Corp and Fujitsu Ltd.\n      They said Reaan could also delay invoking sanctions for a\n  week or two, giving Japan a final opportunity to end the\n  dumping practice, but added that negotiators had already held\n  extensive talks with the Japanese to no avail.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTH AFRICA GDP UP 4.7 PCT IN 1986 LAST QUARTER\n","article":"  The South African Reserve Bank,\n  confirming previous estimates, said real gross domestic product\n  in the 1986 fourth quarter grew at a seasonally adjusted annual\n  rate of 4.7 pct versus 4.6 pct in the third quarter and 1.3 pct\n  in the 1985 final quarter.\n      The bank, in its latest quarterly review, said the nominal\n  growth rate for the year did not quite reach one pct after a\n  1.5 pct contraction in 1985.\n      But it said when the strengthening of the terms of trade is\n  taken into account, the real GNP in 1986 advanced by 1.5 pct\n  compared with a decrease of 0.5 pct in 1985.\n      GDP is the total value of goods and services produced by an\n  economy but omits income from abroad.  GNP includes such\n  payments or outflows.\n      The bank also said there were indications the country's\n  economic recovery was becoming more broadly based.\n      With the exception of commerce all major sectors of the\n  economy contributed to the fourth quarter rise in domestic\n  production.\n      The bank said major increases in foreign reserves were\n  recorded in January, February and the first half of March 1987.\n  Reserves rose by 1.70 billion rand during January and February.\n      Total reserves in 1986 declined by 189 mln rand to 5.70\n  billion rand and were equivalent to about 14.5 pct of the total\n  annual value of import payments.\n      The current account surplus amounted to 7.20 billion rand\n  in 1986 versus 5.90 mln the previous year.\n      The bank said continuing strength of the current account\n  has allowed foreign reserves to be \"rebuilt to more comfortable\n  levels.\"\n      \"This has strengthened the authorities' hands in lending\n  support to the exchange rate of the rand if such action were to\n  be called for,\" the bank said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SOUTHWESTERN PUBLIC SERVICE CO<SPS> 2ND QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 42 cts vs 42 cts\n      Net 19.1 mln vs 19.5 mln\n      Revs 184.9 mln vs 185.1 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 2.17 dlrs vs 2.53 dlrs\n      Net 97.0 mln vs 111.8 mln\n      Revs 793.3 mln vs 828.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 40.9 mln vs 40.5 mln\n      NOTE: Year-ago restated.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"<L.B. NELSON CORP> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr loss two cts vs loss 1.38 dlrs\n      Net profit 34,000 vs loss 3,296,000\n      Revs 3,121,000 vs 1,546,000\n      Year\n      Shr profit 28 cts vs loss 1.61 dlrs\n      Net profit 1,088,000 vs loss 3,546,000\n      Revs 5,266,000 vs 4,169,000\n      Note: Current qtr per share figure adjusted to reflect\n  provision for preferred stock dividends.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOUTHWESTERN BELL VOTES THREE-FOR-ONE STOCK SPLIT, 8.8 PCT DIVIDEND INCREASE\n","article":"\n  SOUTHWESTERN BELL VOTES THREE-FOR-ONE STOCK SPLIT, 8.8 PCT DIVIDEND INCREASE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ANALYSTS PEG U.S. COTTON SEEDINGS 10.6 MLN ACRES\n","article":"  U.S. cotton farmers are likely to\n  plant about 10.6 mln acres in the coming season, based on an\n  average of estimates offered by cotton market analysts gearing\n  up for the U.S. Agriculture Department's 1987 planting\n  intentions report next Tuesday.\n      The annual report gives cotton traders their first glimpse\n  of what U.S. production might be in the 1987\/88 season, which\n  begins August 1.\n      Trade and commission house forecasts ranged from 10.2 to\n  10.9 mln acres.\n      On March 18 of last year, the USDA reported that cotton\n  farmers in 1986 intended to plant 9.71 mln acres.\n      Four months later, the USDA estimated that 9.67 mln acres\n  had been planted as of June 1. By January, its estimate of 1986\n  planted acreage nationwide was 10.06 mln.\n      Analysts said their forecasts for even greater acreage in\n  1987 were spurred in part by belief that this year's good\n  demand and firm prices will be repeated next year. Analysts\n  said those factors make cotton a profitable crop.\n      \"With cotton more attractive price-wise, I think there is\n  going to be a switch in acreage from soybeans to cotton.\n  Soybeans are dirt cheap,\" said Lisbeth Keefe of Cargill\n  Investor Services, whose comments were echoed by other cotton\n  market specialists.\n      Changes in the U.S. cotton program also could lead to\n  increased acreage, analysts said.\n      They recalled that under the 1986 program, cotton farmers\n  who used part of their crop as collateral for government loans\n  were not responsible for the cost of storing that cotton in\n  government warehouses. But under the 1987 plan, the government\n  will not pick up the tab for storage.\n      Analysts said the change will discourage some farmers from\n  participating in the program, which could result in more\n  cotton. \"The cotton program stipulates a mandatory set-aside of\n  25 pct of a farmer's base acreage,\" noted Judy Weissman of\n  Shearson Lehman Brothers. But farmers who elect not to\n  participate in the program are free to plant all the acreage \n  they have.\n      Some analysts said cotton farmers in the high-yielding\n  Western states would be most likely to steer clear of the\n  program. \"Western acreage should be up at least 20 pct,\" said\n  one commission house analyst, whose estimate was based in part\n  on forecasts made by the National Cotton Council during its\n  annual meeting in late January.\n      But others disagreed. \"I think some Western growers have\n  decided they should be in the program for security reasons.\n  There's a lot of comfort in knowing you'll be guaranteed the\n  government's loan price of 52.25 cents a lb. Anyone outside the\n  program is subject to the wiles of the market,\" said Walter\n  Brown, market analyst for a major California cotton producer.\n      Some cotton specialists said their expectations for\n  increased acreage might not be verified in Tuesday's planting\n  intentions report. \"Anything the USDA is announcing now is\n  based on information they gathered before their cotton program\n  was announced (on March 20),\" one analyst cautioned. She said\n  traders will get a better idea of next year's cotton output\n  when the USDA's planted acreage report is released on July 9.\n      Brown took that opinion a step further. \"I don't think\n  planted acreage is important. What counts is the abandonment\n  rate,\" the difference between acreage planted and acreage\n  harvested.\n      Brown said the abandonment rate this year was \"pretty high\"\n  at 15.5 pct because of weather problems in key producing\n  states. \"More normal would be about six pct,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IMATRON INC <IMAT> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 16 cts vs loss seven cts\n      Net loss 3,450,000 vs loss 1,508,000\n      Sales 56,000 vs 1,187,000\n      Avg shrs 22,568,000 vs 20,591,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 38 cts vs loss 29 cts\n      Net loss 7,977,000 vs loss 6,005,000\n      Sales 3,699,000 vs 2,391,000\n      Avg shrs 21,111,000 vs 20,578,000\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NATO CALLS ON GREECE AND TURKEY TO AVOID FORCE\n","article":"  Greece and Turkey's NATO allies today\n  called on both countries to avoid any action that could\n  aggravate an explosive situation in the Aegean and \"avoid\n  recourse to force at all costs.\"\n      After an emergency meeting of NATO ambassadors, a statement\n  was issued saying \"the present situation damages the interests\n  of Greece and Turkey, and of the Alliance as a whole.\"\n      Secretary-General Lord Carrington also offered himself as a\n  mediator in the dispute on the Western Alliance's southern\n  flank.\n      The meeting was called after reports that warships of both\n  countries were sailing towards a disputed oil exploration zone\n  of the Aegean.\n      The statement said the tensions in the area had reached a\n  serious level and called on both countries to begin immediate\n  discussions. \"Any intensification would make things worse,\" it\n  added.\n      No attempt was made at the meeting to resolve the complex\n  dispute which was aimed at damage-limitation. Carrington said,\n  \"I am of course anxious to help in any way I can, provided that\n  both Greece and Turkey, and the other allies, wish me to do so.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PLAZA GROUP COMPLETES MERGER TRANSACTION\n","article":"  <Plaza Group> said it completed a\n  transaction in which it merged its wholly owned subsidiary,\n  Flyfaire International Inc, into Shefra Inc, a public company,\n  in return for a controlling interest in Shefra.\n      With completion of the merger, Shefra changed its name to\n  Flyfaire International Inc.\n      Flyfaire, with annual sales of 100 mln dlrs, is engaged in\n  the wholesale vacation travel business.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONAGRA INC <CAG> REGULAR DIVIDEND SET\n","article":"  Qtly div 14-1\/2 cts vs 14-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay June One\n      Record April 24\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LLC <LLC>, AMALGAMATED REPORT SIX MONTHS NET\n","article":"  Valhi Inc reported earnings of LLC Corp\n  and the Amalgamated Sugar Co for the six month period ended\n  December 31.\n      Effective March 10, Amalgamated merged into LLC, which\n  changed its name to Valhi. The following results reflect the\n  operations of the companies prior to the merger.\n      LLC Corp reported net income of 18.4 mln dlrs or 60 cts a\n  share on revenues of 55.6 mln dlrs compared to 23.2 mln dlrs or\n  75 cts a share on revenues of 79.3 mln dlrs a year ago.\n     This year's net includes an extraordinary loss of 201,000\n  dlrs and a gain of 4.7 mln dlrs. 1985's net included an\n  extraordinary gain of 6.3 mln dlrs, Valhi said.\n      Amalgamated reported net income of 10.65 dlrs per share or\n  69.7 mln dlrs on revenues of 371.3 mln dlrs compared to a net\n  loss of 700,000 dlrs or 10 cts a share on revenues of 254.7 mln\n  dlrs last year.\n      Valhi said effective December 31, it changed its fiscal\n  year-end from June 30 to December 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GROS DENIES COURT ACTION AGAINST BRAZIL\n","article":"  Central Bank president Francisco Gros\n  denied rumours that foreign creditors had filed court actions\n  against Brazil to seek payment of its 109-billion dlr debt.\n      \"There is no court action against Brazil,\" Gros said in a\n  television interview.\n      Brazil last month suspended interest payments on its 68\n  billion dlr debt to commercial banks and yesterday suggested an\n  extension of short-term credit lines for 60 days until May 31.\n      Media reports said some banks rated as small among Brazil's\n  700 creditors had filed lawsuits against the decision to\n  suspend interest payments.\n      Gros said negotiations with the commercial creditors would\n  start within two weeks, when he and Finance Minister Dilson\n  Funaro attend council meetings of the International Monetary\n  Fund (IMF) in Washington.\n      \"Brazil is facing the issue very carefully. We are seeking a\n  negotiation that will give the country space to grow, because\n  only with growth will we be able to meet our commitments,\" Gros\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TALKING POINT\/GOLD\n","article":"  The price of gold bullion and share\n  prices of North American gold stocks are benefiting from\n  continued weakness in the U.S. dollar, analysts said.\n      \"There's been a tug of war between the (currency)\n  speculators and the central banks over the U.S. dollar and it\n  looks like the game has gone to the speculators,\" said John Ing\n  at Maison Placements Canada Inc.\n      The dollar remained close to post-World War II lows today\n  against the Japanese yen despite buying by several central\n  banks, including the Federal Reserve, dealers said.\n      A drop in the dollar means uncertainty and gold is the\n  traditional hedge against uncertainty, Ing noted.\n      Another analyst, Richard Cohen at Brown Baldwin Nisker Ltd,\n  noted that \"a lot of foreign investors are holding U.S. dollars.\n  If they see they are losing money, they move back into gold.\"\n      A dollar decline also has inflationary implications, Ing\n  said, adding that Maison Placements sees inflation rising to a\n  four pct annual rate from the current level of about three pct.\n      Ing predicts gold will peak at 510 dlrs this year from its\n  current level of about 416 dlrs per ounce. Cohen sees an\n  average price of 425 dlrs, and another analyst, Michael\n  Pickens, at Yorkton Securities, puts the average at 450 dlrs,\n  with a possible spike above 500 dlrs.\n      However, gold stocks in the U.S. and Canada have risen far\n  faster in recent months than the price of the metal itself,\n  causing concern among analysts that a correction lies somewhere\n  in the future. But for now, all analysts say there is no sign\n  the buying pressure is slowing down. \"The stocks have run an\n  incredible way,\" Cohen said.\n      On U.S. markets today, ASA Ltd <ASA> rose 4-1\/8 to 61-1\/2,\n  Campbell Red Lake Mines <CRK> was up 1-3\/8 and Newmont Gold\n  <NGC> increased 1-1\/2 to 31-1\/4.\n      The Toronto Stock Exchange gold index today was up 268\n  points at 8067.90. Hemlo Gold gained 1-1\/4 at 26-3\/4, LAC\n  Minerals was up 1-5\/8 at 41, Placer Development rose 1-1\/4 at\n  43-3\/8 and Lacana Mining gained 1 at 18.\n      Ing pointed out that the TSE gold index has gained 51 pct\n  since December 31, 1986, while the price of bullion has\n  increased six pct. \"Canadian golds have been the top performing\n  index this year,\" he noted.\n      In the U.S., there is \"too much money chasing too few\n  stocks,\" Pickens said. And many investing institutions such as\n  pension funds and insurance companies still have excess cash,\n  he added.\n      Cohen also noted that today's silver price break through\n  six dlrs an ounce indicates small investors are entering the\n  precious metals market and he expects the ratio between gold\n  and silver prices to narrow.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTHWESTERN BELL<SBC> VOTES SPLIT, UPS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Southwestern Bell Corp said its board\n  voted a three-for-one stock split and increased the dividend\n  8.8 pct to 1.60 dlrs a share.\n      On a post-split basis, the increased dividend will be 58\n  cts a share, payable May One to holders of record April 10.\n      Southwestern Bell said the stock split is\n  its first. It said shares will be mailed May 22, record May\n  Four.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HONEYWELL BULL SEES REVENUE GROWTH\n","article":"  Honeywell Bull Inc, owned by Honeywell\n  Inc <HON>, <Cie des Machines Bull> and <NEC Corp>, said it\n  expects its 1987 revenues to increase 15 to 20 pct over its\n  current level of about 1.9 billion dlrs.\n      Honeywell Bull president Jerome Meyer also told the press\n  conference the company was profitable, adding the company aimed\n  to improve profits over time.\n      Honeywell Inc earlier today received 527 mln dlrs in cash\n  for the sale of 57.5 pct of its computer business to Bull and\n  NEC. Honeywell will retain a 42.5 pct interest in Honeywell\n  Bull and Bull will own an equal amount.\n      NEC owns 15 pct of the company.\n      Meyer, who had been executive vice president of Honeywell\n  Information Systems, said Honeywell Bull would work closely\n  with NEC and Bull in both developing new products and marketing\n  computers to multi-national companies.\n      \"We haven't been growing as fast as we'd like, but we are\n  going to turn that around,\" Meyer said. He said business was \n  soft in the U.S.\n      He said the company was reorganizing its distribution\n  programs and its staff, reassigning and laying off selected\n  employees. He also said the company was hiring new workers.\n      Honeywell Bull chairman Jacques Stern, who is also chairman\n  of Bull, said he believed the computer industry could be a fast\n  growing market for companies that provide the type of computers\n  customers want. \"I don't believe in the slump of the market,\"\n  he said.\n      The computer company would offer open systems so that\n  customers would not be tied to a specific vendor or\n  architecture, and it will also focus on tying computers\n  together through communications networks.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HANSON <HAN> TO SELL BOND'S DELIVERY SERVICE\n","article":"  Hanson Industries, the U.S. arm of\n  Hanson Trust PLC, said contracts have been exchanged in London\n  for the sale of Bond's Delivery Service to Rockwood Holdings\n  PLC for about 6.0 mln dlrs in cash.\n      Completion is subject to Rockwood shareholder approval.\n      In its most recent financial year, Bond's which was\n  purchased\n  by Hanson Trust Plc in its acquisition of Imperial Group PLC in\n  April 1986, made 960,000 dlrs pre-tax profit on sales of 13.6\n  mln dlrs.\n      Net tangible assets are 5.2 mln dlrs, Hanson said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. PRICE DATA SUGGEST MODERATE INFLATION\n","article":"  Latest consumer price data indicate\n  U.S. inflation will be moderate in 1987 even though it will be\n  above last year's pace, economists said.\n      \"Inflation is not such a constructive factor as this time\n  last year, but it's not building up a large head of steam,\"\n  said Allan Leslie of Discount Corp.\n      U.S. consumer prices, as measured by the consumer price\n  index for all urban consumers, rose a seasonally adjusted 0.4\n  pct in February after a 0.7 pct January gain. Energy prices,\n  which fired January's data with a three pct rise, advanced a\n  more moderate 1.9 pct last month.\n      The CPI came within the range of economists' expectations\n  and had little direct impact on U.S. financial markets.\n      Among the key components of the report, transportation\n  prices rose 0.5 pct in February after a 1.5 pct January gain\n  reflecting smaller price appreciation for motor fuels and\n  declines in new car prices and finance charges.\n      \"There are no pronounced pressures at the retail level,\"\n  said William Sullivan of Dean Witter Reynolds Inc.\n      Economists said the latest CPI supports existing\n  expectations for an inflation rate of 3.5 to four pct in 1987.\n      The CPI rose 1.1 pct from December 1985 to December 1986.\n  Without last year's energy price drop, it rose 3.8 pct.\n      Economists said that upward pressure on import prices as a\n  result of the dollar's drop as well as the volatile energy\n  component warrant attention in case gains in these areas become\n  factored into the wider economic picture.\n      \"As long as those price rises do not become entrenched in\n  cost of living adjustments contained in labor contracts, thus\n  reducing international competitiveness, then the Federal\n  Reserve would probably be willing to tolerate four pct\n  inflation,\" said Larry Leuzzi of S.G. Warburg and Co Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WESTINGHOUSE INTERESTED IN MERGER OF RADIO UNIT\n","article":"  Westinghouse Electric Corp <WX> said\n  it is still open to a merger of its radio operations with\n  General Electrics Co's <GE> NBC radio operations.\n      \"We have left the door open and GE is reassessing the\n  merger and so are we,\" Westinghouse chairman Douglas Danforth\n  told Reuters at the conclusion of a meeting before analysts.\n      Danforth said he continues to see value in a merger between\n  Westinghouse's radio operation and those of NBC. \n      Discussions with NBC on the merger of the two companies'\n  radio units were suspended in December.\n      Danforth reaffirmed that Westinghouse is interested in\n  acquisitions, saying the company is leaning toward acquisitions\n  in the 300 mln to 500 mln dlr range. He said, however, that\n  larger acquisitions are possible if they are the right fit.\n      Danforth, who earlier today said he expects earnings growth\n  in the double-digit range through 1989, said he is comfortable\n  with analysts' predictions of 4.80 dlrs to 5.30 dlrs a share\n  this year. In 1986 the company earned 4.42 dlrs a share.\n      He said the company has targeted waste energy systems and\n  hazardous waste removal, as some of the emerging growth areas\n  for the company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COMPUTER NETWORK TECHNOLOGY <CMNT> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss eight cts vs loss eight cts\n      Net loss 655,457 vs loss 566,429\n      Rev 258,712 vs nil\n      Year\n      Shr loss 31 cts vs loss 26 cts\n      Net loss 2,725,882 vs loss 1,759,675\n      Rev 349,070 vs nil\n      NOTE: Company's full name is Computer Network Technology\n  Corp. 1985 revenues n.a. because 1986 was initial year of\n  product revenue.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BIFFEX LOOKING TO JOIN NEW FUTURES EXCHANGE\n","article":"  The Baltic International Freight Futures\n  Exchange (BIFFEX) said it agreed to pursue negotiations with\n  other futures markets on the Baltic Exchange with a view to\n  merging into a new futures exchange.\n      Legal advisers have already been instructed to implement\n  amalgamation of the London Potato Futures Association, the Soya\n  Bean Meal Futures Exchange and the London Meat Futures\n  Exchange.\n      The London Grain Futures Market has also discussed merging\n  with the other markets.\n      The aim of the merger is to seek Recognised Investment\n  Exchange status as required by the 1986 Financial Services Act.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<CANADIAN SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS> SIX MTHS NET\n","article":"  Period ended February 28\n      Oper shr profit six cts vs loss 15 cts\n      Oper profit 474,000 vs loss 1,175,000\n      Revs 17,946,000 vs 9,271,000\n      Note: Current shr and net exclude tax gain of 513,000  dlrs\n  or five cts share\n      full name <Canadian Satellite Communications Inc>\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRENCH MINISTERIAL MEETING HELD ON CGCT SALE\n","article":"  Finance Minister Edouard Balladur,\n  Industry Minister Alain Madelin and Telecommunications Minister\n  Gerard Longuet met for more than an hour today to discuss the\n  imminent sale of the French telephone switching group <Cie\n  Generale de Constructions Telephoniques>, a spokesman for\n  Longuet said.\n      No decision was announced as a result of the meeting, and\n  the French government has given itself until the end of next\n  month to choose between the candidates.\n      The sale of CGCT, which controls 16 pct of France's\n  telephone market, has been priced at 500 mln francs, and three\n  international consortia are battling for the right to buy it.\n      West Germany's Siemens AG <SIEG.F> has teamed up with the\n  French group Jeumont-Schneider, in opposition to a bid from the\n  U.S. Group ATT <T.N> and the Dutch Philips Telecommunications\n  BV <PGLO.AS> in association with the French telecommunications\n  firm SAT <Societe Anonyme de Telecommunications>.\n      A third bid has been lodged by Sweden's AB LM Ericsson\n  <ERIC.ST>, allied with French defence electronics group Matra\n  <MATR.PA> and Bouygues SA <BOUY.PA>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DEAN FOODS CO <DF> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 35 cts vs 40 cts\n      Net 9,246,000 vs 10,719,000\n      Sales 367.9 mln vs 315.1 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 1.03 dlrs vs 1.13 dlrs\n      Net 27,490,000 vs 30,160,000\n      Sales 1.06 billion vs 915.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DEAN FOODS CO <DF> RAISES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 13-1\/2 cts vs 11-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay June 15\n      Record May 22\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DOSKOCIL <DOSK> SHAREHOLDERS VOTE REVERSE SPLIT\n","article":"  Doskocil Cos Inc said its\n  shareholders approved a one-for-10 reverse stock split, which\n  is expected to become effective by April 30.\n      The company said the reverse split will reduce the its\n  outstanding shares to about six mln from 60 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. ENERGY COSTS ROSE IN FEBRUARY BY 1.9 PCT\n","article":"  Consumer energy costs rose 1.9 pct\n  in February following a sharp rise last month, the Labor\n  Department said.\n      The February increase in the overall energy costs,\n  including petroleum, coal and natural gas, followed a 0.2 pct\n  drop in December and a 3.0 pct rise in January, it said.\n      Energy prices were 12.2 pct below year-ago levels.\n      The department's Consumer Price Index showed that the cost\n  of gasoline rose in February by 4.2 pct, after a 6.6 pct rise\n  in January.\n      Gasoline prices were nonetheless 18.0 pct below their\n  levels as of February 1986.\n      Also, the category including fuel oil, coal and bottled gas\n  rose in February by 3.8 pct, putting it 14.9 pct under the\n  year-ago figure.\n      The index also showed that natural gas and electricity were\n  unchanged last month, but down 3.5 pct from the February 1986\n  figure, the department said.\n      The index has been updated  o reflect 1982-84 consumption\n  patterns; previously, the index was based on 1972-73 patterns.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COLD AIR A THREAT TO SOME U.S. HARD WHEAT AREAS\n","article":"  A cold air mass working its way\n  south from Canada may pose a threat to developing hard red\n  winter wheat in Oklahoma, according to Eugene Krenzler, wheat\n  specialist for the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension.\n      \"There is some threat. Some of the crop is far enough along\n  so that it's probably vulnerable,\" Krenzler said.\n      Accu Weather meteorologist Dale Mohler said cold air moving\n  from the north could put temperatures in the middle 20's\n  fahrenheit as early as tonight, depending on development of a\n  low pressure area over southeast Colorado which could stall the\n  system.\n      If impeded by the low-pressure area, the cold air could hit\n  Oklahoma and Texas as late as Monday morning. Temperatures\n  could stay in the mid-20's for up to eight hours, Mohler said.\n      Krenzler said less than 10 pct of the Oklahoma wheat crop\n  has advanced to boot stage. The closer to that stage the more\n  vulnerable the head of the wheat is to cold weather, he said.\n      \"We can handle probably an hour or so down to 25 or 26\n  degrees (fahrenheit),\" Krenzler said, \"as long as we don't have\n  a lot of wind.\"\n      \"If we do get six hours down below 25 degrees I'd say we\n  have a good chance of significant damage to the heads,\" he\n  said.\n      Krenzler said early planted stands in the north-central and\n  southwestern parts of the state are probably most vulnerable.\n  Crops in the panhandle of Oklahoma and Texas are less developed\n  and have some snow cover protection from the cold, he noted.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SMALL QUANTITY OF UK WHEAT SOLD TO HOME MARKET\n","article":"  A total of 2,435 tonnes of British\n  intervention feed wheat were sold at today's tender for the\n  home market out of requests for 3,435 tonnes, the Home Grown\n  Cereals Authority, HGCA, said.\n      Price details were not reported.\n      No bids were submitted for intervention barley.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EDUCATION SYSTEMS <ESPC> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 27 cts vs 34 cts\n      Net 174,390 vs 222,720\n      Revs 4,948,622 vs 4,516,042\n      Note: Current net includes non-recurring loss on\n  investments of 82,034.\n      Full name is Education Systems and Publications Corp.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BORG-WARNER UP AMID RUMORS IRWIN JACOBS SOLD STOCK, ARBITRAGEURS SAY\n","article":"\n  BORG-WARNER UP AMID RUMORS IRWIN JACOBS SOLD STOCK, ARBITRAGEURS SAY\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CANADA DECEMBER GDP UP 1.2 PCT AFTER NOVEMBER'S 0.2 PCT FALL - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  CANADA DECEMBER GDP UP 1.2 PCT AFTER NOVEMBER'S 0.2 PCT FALL - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HENLEY GROUP <HENG> UNIT WINS TAIWAN CONTRACT\n","article":"  Henley Group Inc's M.W. Kellogg Co unit\n  said it was selected by <Chinese Petroleum Corp> to design,\n  engineer and build a ethylene plant at Chinese\n  Petroleum's Kaohsiung refinery in Taiwan.\n      Terms of the contract were not disclosed, but Kellogg said\n  the total cost of the plant will be 300 mln dlrs.\n      Kellogg said engineering of the plant, which will have a\n  capacity of 400,000 tonnes a year, is already underway and\n  construction will begin in 1988.\n      The plant will go into operation in 1990, Kellogg said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MCLEAN'S <MII> U.S. LINES SETS SALE OF ASSETS\n","article":"  McLean Industries Inc said its\n  two shipping subsidiaries -- UNITED States Lines Inc and United\n  States Lines (S.A.) Inc -- have agreed in principle to dispose\n  of substantially all their remaining operating shipping assets.\n      The units have been operating under protection of Chapter\n  11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code since last November.\n      McLean said U.S. Lines has a letter of intent with CSX\n  Corp's <CSX> Sea-Land Corp subsidiary to transfer assets of its\n  Transpacific\/Hawaii\/Guam Service to Sea-Land.\n      McLean said Sea-Land has tentatively agreed to pay 125 mln\n  dlrs for six vessels, certain port facilities, and various\n  other equipment used in U.S. Lines' Transpacific service and\n  theree Lancer class vessels and subsidy rights owned by the two\n  McLean subsidiaries.\n      As previously announced, U.S. Lines (S.A.) will transfer\n  its South American Service to <Crowley Maritime Corp>'s\n  American Transport Lines Inc subsidiary in return for a fixed\n  lease payment for the four Lancer class vessels and a\n  participation based on American Transport's South American\n  revenues.\n      McLean said the agreement also calls for Crowley to release\n  U.S. Lines (S.A.) for any damages and unpaid charter hire for\n  three vessels leased to U.S. Lines (S.A.) by Crowley which have\n  been returned to Crowley.\n      McLean said the minimum lease payments will be seven mln\n  dlrs and estimated revenue participation during the first four\n  years at about 16 mln dlrs. In addition, U.S. Lines (S.A.)\n  subsidiaries in Brazil and Argentina will be sold to American\n  Transport.\n      The company said both agreements in principle have been\n  approved by directors of the companies involved, but still need\n  court, regulatory and lender approval.\n      McLean said it is requesting the bankruptcy court to\n  schedule a hearing on its motion to approve the agreements,\n  adding that the court has granted the company's request to\n  extend for 90 days the period for the shipping companies to\n  file a proposed plan of reorganization.\n      It said the planned transactions will leave McLean with no\n  significant shipping assets except 12 New York class vessels,\n  which are not in operation and are expected to be sold.\n      McLean said its shipping units are returning the vessels\n  operating in foreign commerce to United States ports to permit\n  the planned transfer to purchasers.\n      The company said U.S. Lines will maintain its weekly\n  service from the U.S. West Coast to Hawaii and Guam until the\n  vessels are transferred and the transaction is completed.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COCOA BUFFER DIFFERENTIALS DETAILED\n","article":"  The International Cocoa Organization\n  (ICCO) council agreed standard price differentials for\n  different origin cocoas to form part of the buffer stock buying\n  and selling procedure, consumer delegates said.\n      The buffer stock manager will accept offers for different\n  origin cocoas according to a sliding scale of price\n  differentials, under which Ghana cocoa will be pegged at a 137\n  stg premium to Malaysian.\n      Thus, if the buffer stock manager was buying cocoa based on\n  a Malaysian price of 1,200 stg a tonne, he would accept Ghana\n  offers up to 1,337 stg.\n      Differentials were fixed as follows,\n   Country       Differential stg\/tonne\n   Malaysia           0\n   Brazil            55\n   Ivory Coast       67\n   Cameroun          77\n   Nigeria          120\n   Togo             130\n   Ghana            137\n      Nigeria's differential is on \"landed weight\" terms. Shipping\n  weight terms will be accepted at a 15 stg discount to this\n  rate.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MINSTAR INC SAID IT SOLD ALL 10 MLN OF ITS BORG-WARNER SHARES\n","article":"\n  MINSTAR INC SAID IT SOLD ALL 10 MLN OF ITS BORG-WARNER SHARES\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"COCOA COUNCIL MEETING ENDS AFTER AGREEING RULES\n","article":"  The International Cocoa Organization\n  (ICCO) council adjourned after agreeing buffer stock rules for\n  the 1986 International Cocoa Agreement, an ICCO spokesman said.\n      The buffer stock will begin operations immediately, he\n  said.\n      He confirmed delegate reports that the buffer stock manager\n  will trade cocoa by means of an offer system, and according to\n  fixed differentials for cocoa from different origins.\n      Purchases from non-members will be limited to 15 pct of the\n  total and buying or selling operations in any one day will be\n  restricted to a maximum of 40 pct each for nearby, intermediate\n  and forward positions, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MINSTAR INC SAID IT IS STILL INTERESTED IN ACQUIRING BORG-WARNER\n","article":"\n  MINSTAR INC SAID IT IS STILL INTERESTED IN ACQUIRING BORG-WARNER\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. URGES RESTRAINT IN AEGEAN\n","article":"  The United States said it was doing\n  what it could to ease tension in the Aegean as Greek and\n  Turkish warships headed for a possible clash over oil drilling\n  rights on the sea's continental shelf.\n      State Department spokesman Charles Redman told reporters,\n  \"We have urged both sides to exercise restraint and avoid any\n  actions which might exacerbate the situation.\"\n      \"In the light of the most recent developments, we are\n  consulting with the parties and with other interested allies on\n  means to reduce tensions,\" he added.\n      Redman declined to elaborate on what Washington was doing,\n  but he said an emergency meeting of NATO ambassadors in\n  Brussels on the subject was only one path it was pursuing.\n      He also refused to say which side was to blame for the\n  renewed confrontation, saying Washington was still trying to\n  ascertain all the facts, as Prime minister Andreas Papanderou\n  said Greece was prepared to tackle any aggressor.\n      \"The crucial point here is that these are two friends and\n  allies. We don't want to see tension rise and we are doing what\n  we can to see if we can help here,\" Redman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRST FEDERAL SAVINGS <FFKZ> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 78 cts vs one dlr\n      Net 1,413,000 vs 1,776,000\n      Assets 705.3 mln vs 597.3 mln\n      Deposits 495.6 mln vs 493.9 mln\n      Loans 260.0 mln vs 379.7 mln\n      Qtly div six cts vs six cts prior qtr\n      Pay April 1 \n      Record March 6\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes charges from accounting changes,\n  from one-time expenses associated with a proxy contest and an\n  increase in loan reserves.\n      First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Kalamazoo is\n  full name of company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CARGILL U.K. STRIKE TALKS ADJOURN TO TUESDAY\n","article":"  Talks between management and unions at\n  Cargill U.K. Ltd's oilseed processing plant at Seaforth\n  adjourned today without a solution to the three month old\n  strike, a company spokesman said.\n      Negotiations will resume next Tuesday, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN MONEY SUPPLY M-1 FALLS 555 MLN DLRS IN WEEK, BANK OF CANADA SAID\n","article":"\n  CANADIAN MONEY SUPPLY M-1 FALLS 555 MLN DLRS IN WEEK, BANK OF CANADA SAID\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEW LME ALUMINIUM CONTRACT WELCOMED BY TRADE\n","article":"  The London Metal Exchange's, LME,\n  decision to introduce a dollar-denominated aluminium contract,\n  with the Port of Singapore listed as a delivery point, is a\n  positive move, physical traders and LME dealers said.\n      Earlier this week the LME declared that a 99.70 pct minimum\n  purity aluminium contract would commence trading on June 1,\n  1987, alongside its long-established sterling-based 99.50 pct\n  contract.\n      This is the LME's first dollar contract and non-European\n  delivery point, and the Board and Committee are looking at\n  Singapore as a delivery point for other contracts.\n      Trade sources said the LME's new contract will conform with\n  existing industry practice, where 99.70 standard re-melt\n  material, priced in dollars, is most commonly traded.\n      The location of a warehouse in Singapore is also a positive\n  move by the LME, given its ideal location for Australian and\n  Japanese traders, who would be able to place metal on to\n  warrant speedily and relatively inexpensively, they said.\n      Hedging during the LME ring sessions becomes much simpler\n  with a dollar contract. At present pre-market trading is almost\n  exclusively dollar-based, but currency conversions have to be\n  done during the sterling rings, they added.\n      LME ring dealers said the new contract would match more\n  closely trade requirements and possibly alleviate some of the\n  recent wide backwardations.\n      Very little physical business is now done in 99.50 pct\n  purity metal, nearly all of which is produced in Eastern Bloc\n  countries, such as Romania.\n      The Soviet Union also produces 99.50 pct, but has declined\n  as an exporter recently, they said.\n      Some dealers said the new 99.70 contract may suffer from\n  liquidity problems initially, as business may continue to\n  centre on the present good ordinary brand (gob) contract, where\n  there are many holders of large short positions on the LME.\n      But others said the new contract would soon attract trading\n  interest, given that much 99.70 metal has already been\n  attracted to the LME's warehouses by backwardations.\n      The LME also has a much more viable liquidity base for a\n  new contract, compared to the Comex market in New York, where\n  high grade aluminium futures are not particularly active, they\n  said.\n      Thus, it seems likely that the sterling contract will\n  eventually lose trading interest and volumes will decline. Like\n  standard zinc, which was superseded by a high grade contract,\n  gob aluminium will probably be replaced, although the process\n  in this case may take longer, they added.\n      Forming a new contract and establishing a Singapore\n  warehouse are constructive moves by the LME but backwardations,\n  which make physical trading difficult, would not totally\n  disappear as a result, the trade sources said.\n      These premiums for prompt metal have become a\n  semi-permanent feature over the last year, due to increased\n  business and volatility in traded options, and are presently\n  around 50 stg.\n      Increasingly large granting of option positions has been\n  taking place. When some of these are declared and exercised at\n  the end of the relevant month, physical tightness and squeezes\n  around these dates are commonplace, they said.\n      Listing Singapore as a delivery point allows Far Eastern\n  operators to deliver aluminium into a LME warehouse instead of\n  having to cover.\n      But tightness and backwardations are seen continuing, even\n  though the LME's new option contracts widen the gap between the\n  declaration and prompt dates.\n      These will be due on the first and third Wednesday of the\n  month, whereas at present most fall on the 20th and 25th.\n      Backwardations will remain while operators continue to\n  grant options where potential tonnage to be delivered exceeds\n  aluminium stock levels, an LME option trader said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN MONEY SUPPLY FALLS IN WEEK\n","article":"  Canadian narrowly defined money supply\n  M-1 fell 555 mln dlrs to 32.42 billion dlrs in week ended March\n  18, Bank of Canada said.\n      M-1-A, which is M-1 plus daily interest chequable and\n  non-personal deposits, fell 559 mln dlrs to 74.86 billion dlrs\n  and M-2, which is M-1-A plus other notice and personal\n  fixed-term deposit fell 439 mln dlrs to 177.30 billion dlrs.\n      M-3, which is non-personal fixed term deposits and foreign\n  currency deposits of residents booked at chartered banks in\n  Canada, fell 696 mln dlrs to 215.74 billion dlrs. MORE\n   More\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CORNING GLASS WORKS<GLW> BUYS FIBER-OPTIC STAKE\n","article":"  Corning Glass Works said it\n  bought a 50 pct interest in Technology Dynamics Inc, a\n  Woodinville, Wash., company involved in research and\n  development of fiber-optic sensors.\n      The purchase price was not disclosed.\n      Privately held Technology Dynamics plans to introduce its\n  first line of fiber-optic sensors later this year, Corning\n  Glass said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRST NATIONAL CORP <FTNC> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss 29 cts vs loss 15 cts\n      Net loss 513,542 vs loss 263,708\n      Revs 38,000 vs nil\n      Year\n      Shr loss 24 cts vs loss 10 cts\n      Net loss 417,552 vs loss 142,010\n      Revs 171,000 vs nil\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BEARD CO <BEC> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 57 cts vs profit 3.02 dlrs\n      Net loss 3,606,000 vs profit 8,294,000\n      Revs 15.3 mln vs 23.9 mln\n      Note: Net includes gains from sale of USPCI Inc <UPC> stock\n  of 1.5 mln vs 20.5 mln\n      Year-ago net includes loss from discontinued operations of\n  10.3 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ESSEX COMMUNICATIONS CORP <ESSXA> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 47 cts vs loss 63 cts\n      Net loss 1,450,000 vs loss 1,930,000\n      Revs 14.7 mln vs 13.3 mln\n      Note: Year-ago resulted restated to exclude Michigan cable\n  systems sold in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GRAIN SHIPS LOADING AT PORTLAND\n","article":"  There were seven grain ships loading and\n  six ships were waiting to load at Portland, according to the\n  Portland Merchants Exchange.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DENNING MOBILE ROBOTICS INC <GARD> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss nine cts loss 12 cts\n      Net loss 585,866 vs loss 455,866\n      Avg shrs 6,841,638 vs 3,651,505\n      Year\n      Shr loss 34 cts vs loss 54 cts\n      Net loss 2,158,709 vs loss 1,931,397\n      Avg shrs 6,296,701 vs 3,586,914\n      Note: Company has no revs as it is in product development\n  stage. Shr and avg shrs data reflect 1-for-25 reverse split in\n  November 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SCOTT'S LIQUID GOLD INC YEAR OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr two cts vs 10 cts\n      Oper net 162,300 vs 773,400\n      Revs 16.6 mln vs 16.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 8,282,480 vs 8,045,493\n      NOTE: Excludes gains of 138,000 dlrs or two cts\/shr vs\n  733,000 dlrs or nine cts from benefit of tax loss\n  carryforwards.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LABOR DEPT REPORTS U.S. REAL EARNINGS ROSE 0.6 PCT IN FEB AFTER BEING UNCHANGED IN JAN\n","article":"\n  LABOR DEPT REPORTS U.S. REAL EARNINGS ROSE 0.6 PCT IN FEB AFTER BEING UNCHANGED IN JAN\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. REAL EARNINGS ROSE 0.6 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  The average weekly earnings of U.S.\n  workers after adjustment for inflation and seasonal changes\n  rose 0.6 pct in February after being unchanged in January, the\n  Labor department said.\n      The department had earlier reported that real earnings fell\n  0.3 pct in January but revised the figure to show earnings\n  unchanged.\n      Between February this year and February, 1986, real\n  earnings rose 0.5 pct, the department said.\n      The rise in February real earnings resulted from a 0.5 pct\n  increase in average hourly earnings and a 0.6 pct increase in\n  average weekly hours. That was partly offset by a 0.4 pct rise\n  in the consumer price index, which measures inflation, the\n  department said.\n      Before seasonal adjustment, weekly earnings last month\n  averaged 307.59 dlrs, up from 305.13 dlrs in January and up\n  from 300.66 dlrs in February, 1986.\n   Reuter...\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN TO STUDY SUSPENDING FOREX CONTROLS\n","article":"  Premier Yu Kuo-Hua ordered financial\n  officials to quicken the pace of relaxing foreign exchange\n  controls and study the possibility of suspending the controls,\n  a cabinet statement said.\n      The statement quoted Yu as telling Finance Ministy and\n  Central Bank officials the relaxation was needed to help reduce\n  Taiwan's surging foreign exchange reserves, which reached a\n  record 53 billion U.S. Dollars this month.\n      Finance Minister Robert Chien told reporters his ministry\n  and the Central Bank would work jointly on new measures to ease\n  the controls, but he did not give details.\n      Yu said the government could maintain the framework of the\n  foreign exchange controls while finding ways to ease them. The\n  controls would be used during emergency.\n      Taiwan's reserves have resulted largely from its trade\n  surplus, which hit 15.6 billion dlrs in 1986 and 10.6 billion\n  in 1985. About 95 pct of the surplus was from Taiwan's trade\n  with the United States, according to official figures.\n      But he said that while easing the controls would help\n  reduce the reserves, it would not do so substantially in a\n  short time.\n      Economists and bankers said the new decision resulted from\n  growing pressure from the United States, Taiwan's largest\n  trading partner, which buys almost half the island's exports.\n      Lu Ming-Jen, economic professor at Soochow University, told\n  Reuters: \"The decision came a little bit late. But it was better\n  than never.\"\n      Ko Fei-Lo, Vice President at First Commercial Bank, said\n  the government should rapidly relax its foreign exchange\n  controls and open its market wider to help balance trade with\n  its trading partners, especially the United States.\n      \"The liberalisation in both imports and foreign exchange\n  controls will not only help our trading partners, but also help\n  our own economic problems,\" he said.\n      He said the mounting foreign exchange reserveshelped boost\n  Taiwan's money supply by 48.22 pct in the year to end-February.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JAPAN'S CHIP MAKERS ANGERED BY U.S. SANCTION PLANS\n","article":"  Japanese computer chip makers reacted\n  angrily to news the United States plans to take retaliatory\n  action against them for allegedly failing to live up to an\n  agreement on trade in computer microchips.\n      Electronic Industries Association of Japan (EIAJ) Chairman\n  Shoichi Saba stated: \"EIAJ believes that it is premature and\n  even irrational to attempt an assessment of the impact of the\n  agreement and our efforts to comply with it only six months\n  after concluding the agreement.\"\n      \"We urge U.S. Governmental authorities to reconsider the\n  decision made, to evaluate fairly the results of Japanese\n  efforts in implementing the objectives of the agreement, and to\n  resist emotional biases,\" he said.\n      Yesterday, Washington announced plans to slap as much as\n  300 mln dlrs in tariffs on Japanese imports in retaliation for\n  what is sees as Japan's failure to comply with the terms of the\n  pact.\n      The agreement, struck late last year after months of heated\n  negotiations, called on Japan to stop selling cut-price chips\n  on world markets and to buy more American-made semiconductors.\n      To salvage the pact, Tokyo has instructed its chip makers\n  to slash production and has helped establish a multi-lateral\n  organisation designed to promote chip imports.\n      Saba said that Japanese chip companies have pledged three\n  mln dlrs over the next five years to the new organisation and\n  expressed regret that no American company has seen fit to join.\n      \"This suggests that American semiconductor manufacturers may\n  not be really interested in participating in the Japanese\n  market,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OVERSEA-CHINESE BANKING CORP LTD <OCBM.SI> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 21 cts vs 20 cts\n      Fin Div 8.0 cts gross vs 9.0 cts\n      Group net 104.8 mln dlrs vs 100.9 mln\n      Note - Fin div pay June 6, record May 19.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UNITED OVERSEAS BANK LTD <UOBM.SI> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 26.9 cts vs 25.1 cts\n      Fin Div 8.0 pct gross vs 8.0 pct\n      Group net 106.1 mln dlrs vs 99.0 mln\n      Note - Fin div pay May 25, record April 18.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STRAITS TRADING CO LTD <STCM.SI> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 8.7 cts vs 7.7 cts\n      Fin div 9.0 cts vs 9.0 cts\n      Group net 23.5 mln dlrs vs 20.8 mln\n      Turnover 212.7 mln dlrs vs 595.4 mln\n      Note - Fin div pay May 27, record May 23. REUTER\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SINGAPORE LAND LTD <LNDH.SI> FIRST HALF FEB 28\n","article":"  Shr 8.43 cts vs 9.61 cts\n      Int div nil vs nil\n      Group net 7.8 mln dlrs vs 8.9 mln\n      Turnover 30.6 mln dlrs vs 33.5 mln\n      Note - The company said group net profits for the year\n  ending this Aug 31 should amount to 13.5 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IVORIAN CHOSEN COCOA COUNCIL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR\n","article":"  Edouard Kouame, Ivorian delegate to the\n  International Cocoa Organization (ICCO), was chosen Executive\n  Director of the ICCO, effective October 1, ICCO officials said.\n      Kouame will succeed Dr. Kobena Erbynn of Ghana in the post.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MALAYSIA EXPECTS RUBBER SHORTAGE IN APRIL\/MAY\n","article":"  Malaysia said it expects a natural\n  rubber shortage in April and May because of the effects of\n  current wintering on rubber trees.\n      The expected shortage and stronger demand for rubber goods,\n  especially condoms and surgical gloves by consumers, is likely\n  to push up prices, the Malaysian Rubber Exchange and Licensing\n  Board said in its latest monthly bulletin.\n      During the annual wintering period from February to April\n  rubber trees shed their leaves and latex output is very low.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ZIMBABWE CONFIRMS HOOF-AND-MOUTH DISEASE\n","article":"  Zimbabwe has confirmed an outbreak of\n  the animal-borne hoof-and-mouth disease, which prompted\n  Botswana on Thursday to stop imports of almost all Zimbabwean\n  meat products.\n      Agriculture Ministry Permanent Secretary Robbie Mupawose\n  said it had been found at a ranch in southwestern Matabeleland\n  province and that all measures were being taken to contain it\n  from spreading. \"The effect of this outbreak on Zimbabwe's beef\n  exports is being examined,\" he added in a statement.\n      Zimbabwe exports a wide range of meat products to\n  neighbouring states and some 8,000 tonnes of high-grade beef to\n  the European Community annually worth about 48 mln U.S. Dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. BANKER PREDICTS FURTHER DOLLAR FALL THIS YEAR\n","article":"  A leading U.S. Banker said the dollar\n  was likely to fall another five to 10 pct this year and an\n  improvement in the huge American trade deficit would be only\n  temporary at current world exchange rate levels.\n      Kurt Viermetz, Worldwide Treasurer of <Morgan Guaranty\n  Trust Co>, told Arab currency traders meeting here that the\n  steady depreciation of the dollar had not gone far enough to\n  rein in U.S. Deficits on a lasting basis.\n      Speaking at the 14th annual congress of the Interarab\n  Cambist Association, Viermetz said an agreement reached last\n  month among major industrial nations to steady the dollar\n  around current levels left many questions unanswered.\n      \"I cannot see any chance for a real turnaround (rise) in the\n  dollar,\" Viermetz said. \"I believe there is room for a further\n  fall of five to 10 per cent in 1987.\"\n      The United States, West Germany, Japan, France, Great\n  Britain and Canada -- G-6 -- agreed in Paris in late February\n  to stabilise major currencies around current levels.\n      The accord came after months of transatlantic argument,\n  with Tokyo and Bonn claiming Washington's policy of talking the\n  dollar lower had made life impossible for West German and\n  Japanese exporters.\n      The Paris accord also brought a pause to the continued\n  slide of the dollar engineered by a meeting in New York in\n  September 1985 when industrial nations agreed to depress the\n  value of the currency to help redress global trade imbalances.\n      But Viermetz said Morgan Guaranty's economic models showed\n  that with no further change in exchange rates -- and continued\n  sluggish growth in West Germany and Japan -- the U.S. Trade\n  deficit would improve only temporarily.\n      He said the deficit might fall to 145 billion dlrs this\n  year from 165 billion in 1986 and further improve to 120\n  billion in 1988 but by 1990, it would be back around 160\n  billion dlrs.\n      \"This is clearly unacceptable for the monetary authorities\n  and politicians in Washington,\" he said.\n      Viermetz said it was only natural that markets should\n  attempt to test the credibility of the Paris accord, struck\n  when the dollar was trading at about 1.83 marks and 152.50 yen.\n      Immediately before the historic 1985 New York agreement or\n  \"Plaza Accord,\" the dollar had been trading at 2.84 marks and 240\n  yen.\n      Viermetz said he believed major nations in Paris wanted to\n  see the dollar hold within a \"loose range\" of 1.75 to 1.90 marks\n  and 145 to 155 yen, with any attempt to push the U.S. Currency\n  lower being countered by central bank intervention.\n      The dollar ended in New York yesterday at 147.15\/25 yen --\n  its lowest level against the Japanese currency in roughly 40\n  years. It closed at 1.8160\/70 marks.\n      Viermetz also said he did not see the U.S. Federal funds\n  rate falling below six pct for fear of provoking an\n  uncontrolled fall in the dollar.\n      But at the same time, worries about the international debt\n  crisis would mean there was little chance of a rise above 6-3\/4\n  pct since this would increase loan costs to the third world.\n      The Middle East foreign exchange conference brings together\n  more than 200 traders and bank treasury chiefs from the Arab\n  world and Arab banks in European and U.S. Financial centres.\n      Formal discussions, which end today, have also centred on\n  the role of Arab banks in world financial markets, with bankers\n  urging them to adapt to a new global trend towards\n  securitisation of  business.\n      Hikmat Nashashibi, President of the Arab Bankers\n  Association, said Arab banks have to shake off their old\n  mentality of commercial banking and concentrate more on\n  investment banking.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OFFICIAL WANTS ARAB FUND TO HELP LEBANESE POUND\n","article":"  Lebanese central bank Vice Governor\n  Meguerditch Bouldikian called for the establishment of an Arab\n  fund to assist the Lebanese pound, which has lost more than 80\n  pct of its value against the dollar since January 1986.\n      Bouldikian told an Arab exchange dealers conference the\n  bank would continue to take measures to defend the currency.\n      But he said Lebanon needed foreign support for its\n  war-battered economy now more than ever before. \"We expect a\n  common effort between the central bank and Arab central banks\n  and monetary authorities to create an Arab fund to support and\n  preserve the value of the currency when needed,\" he said.\n      Twelve years of civil war have devastated productive\n  sectors of the Lebanese economy and created gaping trade and\n  budget deficits.\n      Bouldikian said recent government measures had succeeded in\n  reducing demand for imports and increasing exports. \"These are\n  encouraging factors, but the war has not ended yet,\" he said.\n      \"We believe that with a just political solution acceptable\n  to all sides, confidence will return and this will benefit the\n  Lebanese pound and Lebanon.\"\n      In the meantime, he said the central bank had four main\n  goals:\n      1) to use surplus liquidity to finance the budget deficit\n      2) to increase the role of commercial banks and non-bank\n  financing institutions in financing the deficit\n      3) to limit the transfer of Lebanese pounds into foreign\n  currency deposits\n      4) to protect the financial health of commercial banks.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN JOINING INTERNATIONAL COCOA AGREEMENT\n","article":"  Japan is in the process of joining the\n  International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO), which will bring the\n  number of members in the body to 36, ICCO officials said.\n      Japan is completing constitutional procedures necessary to\n  its accession to the ICCO and is expected to become an\n  importing member in three to four months, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TURKISH SHIP IN OIL ROW HEADS FOR AEGEAN\n","article":"  A Turkish research ship, escorted by\n  warships and air force planes, left for the Aegean to press\n  Ankara's case in an escalating row with Greece over oil rights,\n  the semi-official Anatolian News Agency said.\n      The ship set off this morning from the Dardanelles port of\n  Canakkale with flags flying and watched by sightseers, the\n  agency said.\n      Prime Minister Turgut Ozal said last night the ship would\n  not go into international waters unless Greece did the same.\n      \"We are waiting for the first move from them,\" he told\n  Turkish Radio in London.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PAPANDREOU SHOWS \"RESTRICTED OPTIMISM\" OVER CRISIS\n","article":"  Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou\n  expressed \"restricted optimism\" about a crisis with Turkey over\n  disputed oil rights in the Aegean Sea.\n      Papandreou was speaking to reporters after briefing\n  opposition political leaders on the latest developments in the\n  row as a Turkish research ship escorted by warships and combat\n  aircraft headed for the Aegean.\n      He and other political leaders spoke of qualified optimism\n  following a statement by Turkish Premier Turgut Ozal last night\n  that the research vessel would not enter disputed waters as\n  previously annnounced unless Greek vessels did so.\n      The Prime Minister declined to answer reporters' questions\n  about an announcement last night that Greece had asked the\n  United States to suspend operations at one of the American\n  military bases here due to the crisis.\n      But Opposition leader Constantine Mitsotakis told reporters\n  he thought the suspension would be temporary until the crisis\n  is resolved. A U.S. Defence Department official in Washington\n  said the station was still functioning.\n      Communist Party leader Harilaos Florakis said here \"the\n  climate is calmer today.\"\n      Greek newspapers reported that the Greek army, navy and air\n  force had been moved to strategic Greek islands in the Aegean\n  and to the land border with Turkey at the Evros River.\n      But there was no official word on military movements apart\n  from a comment by the government spokesman that the Greek navy\n  was no longer in port.\n      The United States, NATO and the United Nations all called\n  on Greece and Turkey to exercise restraint.\n      Greek U.N. Representative Mihalis Dounas said in a letter\n  to the secretary-general that the dispute was of a legal nature\n  and could be settled in the International Court in the Hague.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHINA POSTPONES PLAN TO SCRAP PARALLEL CURRENCY\n","article":"  Chinese Vice-Premier Tian Jiyun said\n  plans to scrap the country's parallel currency, Foreign\n  Exchange Certificates (FECs), had been postponed due to\n  objections from foreign businessmen and others.\n      But Tian told a news conference the Chinese government\n  still considered FECs unsatisfactory.\n      Asked about the current state of plans to abolish the FECs,\n  Tian said: \"We have decided to postpone the question. As to\n  whether it will be done in the future, it will be done\n  according to the evolution of the situation.\"\n      He said many people, including foreign businessmen, had\n  raised objections to the plan to abolish the certificates, and\n  added: \"It is rather complicated.\"\n      The FECs were introduced in 1980 for use by foreigners in\n  China. But they now circulate widely among local residents and\n  there is a big black market in the currency, though it is\n  theoretically at par with the ordinary Chinese currency,\n  renminbi.\n      Tian said the government still considered that the FECs had\n  \"many demerits and negative influences.\"\n      Bank of China President Wang Deyan told Reuters earlier\n  this month that he thought it unlikely that the certificates\n  would be scrapped this year.\n      Western diplomats and economists have said the Chinese\n  authorities are having trouble finding a suitable alternative.\n      Vice-Premier Yao Yilin announced at a similar press\n  conference last year that the FECs would be abolished, saying\n  the government had decided it was ideologically unacceptable to\n  have two currencies circulating in China at the same time.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NAKASONE SOUNDS CONCILIATORY NOTE IN CHIP DISPUTE\n","article":"  Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone sounded\n  a conciliatory note in Japan's increasingly bitter row with the\n  United States over trade in computer microchips.\n      \"Japan wants to resolve the issue through consultations by\n  explaining its stance thoroughly and correcting the points that\n  need to be corrected,\" he was quoted by Kyodo News Service as\n  saying.\n      While expressing regret over America's decision to impose\n  tariffs on imports of Japanese electrical goods, Nakasone said\n  Tokyo was willing to send a high-level official to Washington\n  to help settle the dispute.\n      Government officials said Japan would make a formal request\n  next week for emergency talks and that the two sides would\n  probably meet the week after, just days before the April 17\n  deadline set by Washington for the tariffs to take effect.\n      Tokyo is expected to propose a joint U.S.\/Japan\n  investigation of American claims that Japanese companies are\n  dumping cut-price chips in Asian markets.\n      Yesterday, Washington announced plans to put as much as 300\n  mln dlrs in tariffs on imports of certain Japanese electronic\n  goods in retaliation for what it sees as Tokyo's failure to\n  live up to their bilateral chip pact.\n      That agreement, hammered out late last year after months of\n  heated negotiations, called on Japan to stop selling cut-price\n  chips in world markets and to buy more American-made chips.\n      Nakasone's comments seemed distinctly more conciliatory\n  than those of his Trade and Industry Minister, Hajime Tamura,\n  who earlier today said Japan was ready to take \"appropriate\n  measures\" if Washington went ahead with the sanctions.\n      Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI)\n  officials later sought to downplay the significance of Tamura's\n  remark and said that his main message was that the two sides\n  need to talk urgently about the issue.\n      But they admitted that Japan was considering taking the\n  United States to GATT, the Geneva-based international\n  organization which polices world trade, if Washington imposed\n  the tariffs.\n      Any Japanese action would probably be taken under Article\n  23 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), they\n  said. If that article were invoked, GATT would set up a panel\n  to consider the legality of the U.S. Action.\n      But officials here said they hope that can be avoided. \"It\n  may be wishful thinking but there is a possibility the United\n  States may lift its decision at an early date,\" Tamura said.\n      In announcing the U.S. Sanctions yesterday, President\n  Ronald Reagan said he was prepared to lift them once he had\n  evidence that Japan was no longer dumping chips in world\n  markets and had opened up its own market to imports.\n      Japanese government officials said they are confident they\n  can make the pact work.\n      They said that the export of cut-price Japanese chips\n  through unregulated distributors has all but dried up after\n  MITI instructed domestic makers to cut output.\n      While acknowledging that it is harder to increase Japanese\n  imports of American chips, MITI officials said that the\n  ministry is doing all it can to ensure that happens.\n      The Ministry recently called on Japan's major chip users,\n  some of whom are also leading producers, to step up their\n  purchases of foreign semiconductors.\n      A spokesman for one of the companies, Toshiba Corp <TSBA.T>\n  said his firm would do just that and could announce its plans\n  in the next week or so. He expects other Japanese companies to\n  do likewise.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ISLAMIC BANKS ESTABLISH 50 MLN DLR TRADE PORTFOLIO\n","article":"  The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and\n  20 Islamic Banks signed an agreement to establish a 50 mln dlr\n  trade portfolio to finance trade among Islamic countries, IDB\n  sources said.\n      They said IDB's share in the portfolio, which will only\n  finance exports and imports of the private sector, was limited\n  to up to 25 mln dlrs.\n      The sources said shares in the porfolio could be traded or\n  redeemed by the IDB, adding that this was a major step in\n  establishing an Islamic financial market.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TURKISH-GREEK AEGEAN TENSION ABATES\n","article":"  Turkey\"s standoff with Greece over Aegean\n  oil rights appeared at an end after the government said it had\n  been assured Athens would not start prospecting in disputed\n  waters.\n      A Foreign Ministry statement last night hinted Turkey was\n  claiming victory. A Greek-based international consortium, North\n  Aegean Petroleum Co., Had given up plans to start searching for\n  oil in international waters east of Thasos island, it said.\n      \"In the same way it has been understood that Greece will\n  also not undertake oil activities outside its territorial\n  waters,\" the statement added.\n      An Ankara Radio report monitored in London said Foreign\n  Minister Vahit Halefolu had called on Greece to engage in\n  dialogue over the dispute. It was impossible to resolve the\n  dispute by crises, he was quoted as saying.\n      \"We call on Greece to come and engage in a dialogue with us\n  - let us find a solution as two neighbours and allies should,\"\n  he said.\n      The radio said Halefoglu had briefed the leaders of a\n  number of the country\"s political parties on the latest\n  developments.\n      Turkey sent the survey ship Sismik 1 into the Aegean\n  yesterday, flanked by warships, to press its case but having\n  earlier said it would go into disputed waters, declared the\n  vessel would stay in Turkish areas.\n      Prime Minister Turgut Ozal, in London on his way home after\n  heart surgery in the United States, is expected to receive an\n  ecstatic welcome from thousands of Turks when he returns today.\n      He was in defiant mood last night, telling Turkish radio:\n  \"We can never accept that Greece should confine us to the\n  Anatolian continent. If there are riches under the sea, they\n  are for mankind.\"\n      Despite the end of the crisis, Turkish officials\n  acknowledged that the underlying dispute over delimiting the\n  continental shelf in the Aegean remained unsolved.\n      Turkey alleged that the consortium\"s plans would have\n  infringed the 1976 Berne agreement between the two countries,\n  which called for a moratorium on any activities until the\n  delimitation was agreed. Greece earlier this month declared it\n  considers the accord inoperative.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TOLL BROTHERS INC <TOL> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 22 cts vs 12 cts\n      Net 3,243,000 vs 1,656,000\n      Revs 28.4 mln vs 21.5 mln\n      NOTE: All amts reflect 3-for-2 stock split of company's\n  common in form of 50 pct stock dividend paid Feb 26, 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK SEES MODEST RECOVERY IN GULF ARAB ECONOMIES\n","article":"  The Emirates Industrial Bank has\n  predicted a modest economic recovery in the Gulf Arab states\n  following higher oil revenues.\n      A bank study, carried by the Emirates news agency WAM, said\n  total oil revenues of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)\n  countries were likely to reach 39 billion dlrs this year from\n  33.5 billion in 1986.\n      The GCC groups Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia\n  and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).\n      The bank said the improvement would result from higher oil\n  prices made possible by last December's OPEC accord to restrain\n  overall group production.\n      These curbs have pushed up oil prices from around eight\n  dollars a barrel in mid-1986 to around 18 dlrs.\n      \"All signs point to the possibility of a modest recovery in\n  the economies of these (GCC) countries, although this expected\n  growth will not be similar to that of the (1970s) boom years,\"\n  the study said.\n      It added, however, that GCC states would experience higher\n  budget deficits this year because of needs arising from past\n  recession and the difficulty of making fresh spending cuts.\n      The study said the combined GCC bugdet deficits would rise\n  to 23.2 billion dlrs from 17.9 billion last year.\n      It said lower oil exports cut the GCC states' combined\n  trade surplus to 18 billion dlrs in 1986 from 21.5 billion in\n  1985.\n      The UAE suffered a 19.5 pct drop in gross domestic product\n  to 77.6 billion dirhams last year from 96.4 billion in 1985, it\n  added.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ARAB BANKER SAYS TOO SOON FOR SINGLE CURRENCY\n","article":"  Gulf Arab states must coordinate\n  economic policies more closely before moving towards their goal\n  of a unified currency system, the President of the Arab Bankers\n  Association said.\n      Hikmat Nashashibi told a news conference at the end of an\n  Arab currency traders meeting: \"We have to start with\n  coordination of fiscal policies as a prerequisite for a common\n  system of currencies ... There is quite a substantial way to go\n  yet.\"\n      He said only then would a unified Gulf currency system be a\n  plausible project.\n      The six nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council -- Saudi\n  Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab\n  Emirates --  have held a series of meetings this year to\n  examine linking their currencies to a single peg in a system\n  which bankers say could be modelled on the European Monetary\n  System (EMS).\n      At present, five currencies are linked either officially or\n  in practice to the U.S. Dollar, while the Kuwaiti dinar is\n  pegged to a trade-weighted basket of currencies.\n      A common currency system or EMS-style \"grid\" would, in\n  theory, foster regional trade by providing a basis for stable\n  exchange rates, but Nashashibi said inter-Arab trade is at a\n  very low ebb and capital flows between Gulf states remain\n  small. \"Capital markets in the Arab world are still in their\n  infancy,\" he said.\n      Nashashibi said lack of experience among Arab banks, a\n  paucity of financial instruments and a legal framework that\n  often does not recognise the western banking concept of\n  interest have hampered the growth of Arab markets.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CHINA FOREIGN RESERVES EXCEED 10 BILLION DLRS\n","article":"  China's foreign exchange reserves are\n  more than 10 billion dlrs, enough to cover import payments for\n  three to four months, Vice Premier Tian Jiyun said.\n      He told a news conference that China also has considerable\n  reserves of gold. He gave no figure.\n      The last published figure for foreign exchange reserves was\n  10.37 billion dlrs at end-September 1986, down from 10.47\n  billion at end-June and 12.59 billion at end-September 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ITALY RELAXES RESTRICTIONS ON LIRA IMPORTS\n","article":"  Italy is to modify restrictions limiting\n  the amount of lira cash that can be brought in and out of the\n  country, the Foreign Trade Ministry said.\n      A statement said Foreign Trade Minister Rino Formica has\n  signed a measure lifting currency regulations that currently\n  impose a 400,000 lire limit on the value of lira bank notes\n  that can be brought into Italy. It did not say when the new\n  measure would come into force.\n      In future, there will be no limit to the amount of lira\n  bank notes both residents and non-residents can bring into\n  Italy.\n      The statement said the 400,000 lire limit would remain for\n  Italian residents wishing to take cash out of the country, but\n  non-residents could re-export lira cash if they made\n  appropriate declarations at customs points.\n      It said the lifting of the restrictions \"reinforces the\n  international status of the lira and meets the requirements\n  expressed several times by foreign exchange dealers.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ARAB FOREX ASSOCIATION ELECTS NEW CHAIRMAN\n","article":"  The Inter-Arab Cambist Association\n  (ICA) elected Abdullah al-Dakhil of Kuwait's Burgan Bank its\n  new chairman, succeeding Hani Ramadan of Beirut Riyad Bank for\n  a three-year term, ICA officials said\n      The annual meeting elected three Vice-Chairmen -- Ezzedine\n  Saidane of Banque Internationale Arabe de Tunis, Mohammed Osman\n  of Societe Bancaire du Liban and Walid Nasouli of Morgan\n  Guaranty Trust Co of New York.\n      Ibrahim Buhindi of the Saudi National Commercial Bank in\n  Bahrain and Imad Bata of Finance and Credit Corp of Jordan were\n  elected Secretary and Treasurer, respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COFFEE PRICES BAD NEWS FOR LATIN AMERICA -MINISTER\n","article":"  A senior Nicaraguan official said a\n  recent plunge in coffee prices was economically and politically\n  disastrous for Latin American coffee-producing countries.\n      Nicaraguan Foreign Trade Minister Alejandro Martinez Cuenca\n  was in London to brief International Coffee Organisation (ICO)\n  executive board producer members after a meeting last weekend\n  in Managua attended by eight Latin American coffee producers to\n  discuss the fall in coffee prices.\n      London coffee prices slid 300 stg per tonne in March, to\n  1,279 stg from 1,580 stg at end-February.\n      Martinez told reporters the price fall since the ICO failed\n  to agree export quotas on March 1 has had disastrous results on\n  Latin America, both economically and politically.\n      He urged continued negotiations among coffee producers to\n  pave the way for a coffee export quota agreement by September.\n      Coffee export quotas, used to regulate coffee prices under\n  an International Coffee Agreement, were suspended a year ago\n  when prices soared in response to a drought in Brazil.\n      Central American economic ministers have estimated the\n  region will lose 720 mln dlrs in foreign exchange earnings in\n  1987 if coffee prices are not rescued by a quota arrangement,\n  Martinez said.\n      He said ICO quota talks broke down last month because\n  consumer members lack the political will to fully support\n  commodity agreements, and because consumers tried to dictate to\n  producers.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TURKEY LIFTS SURVEY SHIP ESCORT AS TENSION ABATES\n","article":"  Turkey pulled warships back from close\n  escort of its Sismik 1 survey ship as the threat of conflict\n  with Greece over oil rights in the Aegean Sea abated.\n      The semi-official Anatolian Agency said naval vessels ended\n  their close protection of the ship as it continued work in\n  Turkish waters but were following it at a distance.\n      Popular newspapers headlined what they saw as Turkish\n  resolve and international pressure forcing Greece to pull back\n  from planned exploration in disputed international waters.\n      \"Intense United States and NATO efforts bore fruit: Greece\n  will stay in its national waters,\" said the daily Gunes. The\n  top-selling Hurriyet topped its front page with: \"Our resolute\n  stand made Greece see reason.\"\n      But two newspapers, Cumhuriyet and Milliyet, noted in\n  identical headlines -- \"Crisis Frozen\" -- that the basic\n  disagreement over exploration rights remained unsolved.\n      The confrontation eased after the Turkish government said\n  it had been assured Athens would not begin prospecting in\n  disputed waters.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TOKYO BIDS TO STOP CHIP ROW TURNING INTO TRADE WAR\n","article":"  Japan is seeking to prevent its computer\n  chips dispute with the U.S. From erupting into a full-scale\n  trade war, government officials said.\n      \"We hope that the dispute on this specific issue won't have\n  an adverse effect on our overall relationship with the United\n  States,\" a Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI)\n  official said.\n       On Friday, Washington announced plans for as much as 300\n  mln dlrs in tariffs on Japanese electronic goods for Tokyo's\n  alleged failure to live up to a bilateral computer chip pact.\n      That agreement, reached last year after heated\n  negotiations, called on Japan to stop selling cut-price chips\n  in world markets and to buy more American-made semiconductors.\n      Foreign Ministry officials immediately tried to isolate the\n  fall-out from the dispute by seeking to separate it from Prime\n  Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone's planned trip to Washington at the\n  end of April.\n      While Japan has already done about all it can to make sure\n  the chip pact is working, the government is studying measures\n  it can take in other fields to defuse American anger and ensure\n  the trip's success, they said.\n      \"The perception of Japan in the (U.S.) Congress is very bad,\"\n  one official told Reuters. \"We would very much like to do\n  something to respond to that.\"\n      In an apparent effort to prevent the chip dispute from\n  spreading to other areas, MITI officials sought to depict the\n  U.S. Action as a severe warning to Japanese semiconductor\n  makers, not to the government.\n      Faced with a belligerent domestic chip industry and an\n  angry American Congress, the Japanese government has been\n  forced to walk an increasingly fine line in the semiconductor\n  dispute, trade analysts said.\n      They said that it was an open secret that Japan's largest\n  chip maker, NEC Corp, was not happy with what it viewed as the\n  draconian measures MITI was taking to implement the pact,\n  included enforced production cuts.\n      The angry response of Japanese chip makers yesterday to the\n  announcement of the U.S. Tariffs highlighted the difficulties\n  the government faces in taking further action.\n      \"Japanese semiconductor manufacturers have complied with the\n  U.S.\/Japan agreement,\" said Shoichi Saba, Chairman of the\n  Electronic Industries Association of Japan.\n      He accused the U.S. Of being \"irrational.\" He said the U.S.\n  Action had made the bilateral chip pact \"meaningless.\"\n      Saba's comments contrasted with those of Prime Minister\n  Yasuhiro Nakasone, who said Tokyo wanted to solve the dispute\n  through consultations.\n      Japan is expected to send a high-level official to\n  Washington early next month to try to convince the U.S. Not to\n  go ahead with the tariffs on April 17.\n      Trade analysts say Tokyo is likely to outline industry\n  plans to step up purchases of U.S. Chips and to propose a joint\n  investigation into Washington's allegations of chip dumping.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. SEES MORE HARMONY IN TALKS WITH FRANCE\n","article":"  The U.S. Expects more harmonious\n  talks than usual during French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac's\n  first official visit this week as frequently rancorous disputes\n  between the two countries begin to fade.\n      \"The Libyan bombing is a thing of the past, the trade war\n  didn't happen and we have reached reasonably good cooperation\n  on terrorism,\" one U.S. Official told Reuters.\n      \"It looks like a reasonably harmonious visit in prospect,\n  more harmonious than usual.\"\n      Since taking office a year ago, Chirac has been obliged to\n  deal with a series of potentially serious disputes with the\n  United States.\n      During the U.S. Bombing of alleged terrorist targets in\n  Libya last April, France refused to allow British-based U.S.\n  Planes to overfly its territory, forcing them to take a\n  circuitous route. That angered Washington.\n      The U.S. Officials, who asked not to be identified, said a\n  year ago Washington felt the French were not taking strong\n  enough action against terrorism. \"Now they are. We're pleased\n  and they are pleased that we are pleased,\" one said.\n      More recently, a dispute over U.S. Access to the grain\n  markets of Spain and Portugal after they joined the European\n  Community  threatened to become a trade war.\n      In retaliation for what Washington saw as deliberate\n  Community moves to exclude U.S. Grain, the United States was\n  poised to impose swingeing tariffs on European Community food\n  imports and a major trade war was averted at the last minute.\n      Last week, the forces of President Hissene Habre of Chad,\n  supported, trained and armed by Paris and Washington, scored a\n  major success by pushing Libyan troops out of their last bases\n  in northern Chad.\n      A French official added: \"There is also a common interest in\n  getting Japan to cut its trade surplus with the rest of the\n  world by opening up its markets.\"\n      Although relations have improved markedly between the two\n  countries, many irritants remain. At the top of the list is the\n  Community's common agricultural policy (CAP).\n      To Washington, as one official put it, \"CAP is the root of\n  all evil\" in international food trade because it subsidises\n  farmers and sells vast amounts of excess produce at below world\n  prices, thereby eating into U.S. Markets.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BANK FUER GEMEINWIRTSCHAFT AG <BKFG.F> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Year ended December 31, 1986.\n      Group net profit 30 mln marks vs 35 mln.\n      Balance sheet total 61.50 billion marks vs 63.67 billion.\n      Credit volume 42.00 billion marks vs 43.15 billion.\n      Parent bank net profit 20 mln marks vs 20 mln.\n      Transfer to trades union holding co 80 mln marks vs 80 mln.\n      Payment to open reserves 20 mln marks vs 20 mln.\n      Balance sheet total 48.67 billion marks vs 49.01 billion.\n      Partial operating profit 182.6 mln marks vs 313.7 mln.\n      Interest surplus 897.9 mln marks vs 981.1 mln.\n      Surplus on commission 208.8 mln marks 188.1 mln.\n      Ordinary expenditure 969.7 mln marks vs 909.7 mln.\n      Earnings from subsidiaries through profit transfer\n  agreements 494.2 mln marks vs 54.2 mln.\n      Earnings from writing back provisions 326.5 mln marks vs\n  65.6 mln.\n      Published risk provisions 736.3 mln marks vs 224.0 mln.\n      Credit volume 32.63 billion marks vs 33.51 billion.\n      Group figures for 1986 exclude <BSV Bank fueer Sparanlagen\n  und Vermoegensbildung AG> which no longer consolidated.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BFG PARTIAL OPERATING PROFITS FALL SHARPLY IN 1986\n","article":"  Bank fuer Gemeinwirtschaft AG\n  <BKFG.F>, BfG, partial operating profits fell to 182.6 mln\n  marks in 1986 from 313.7 mln in 1985, new majority shareholder\n  Aachener und Muenchener Beteiligungs-AG <AMVG.F>, AMB, said.\n      But total operating and extraordinary profits, including\n  earnings from currency and securities trading on the bank's own\n  account and earnings from the sale of holdings in other firms,\n  were more than double the previous year's level, AMB said.\n      BfG's 1986 accounts were included in a prospectus for AMB's\n  capital increase, which is to finance the insurance company's\n  acquisition of 50 pct plus one share of BfG.\n      Despite the fall in partial operating profits, BfG paid an\n  unchanged 20 mln marks into open reserves and transferred an\n  unchanged 80 mln marks to its trade union holding company,\n  <Beteiligungsgesellschaft fuer Gemeinwirtschaft AG>, from which\n  AMB has acquired the majority stake.\n      The bank has said its business last year suffered from the\n  turbulence around the troubled trade-union-owned housing\n  concern Neue Heimat.\n      AMB said the 500 mln mark drop in BfG's business volume to\n  50.1 billion marks affected the interest surplus.\n      The interest surplus, which fell to 897.9 mln marks from\n  981.1 mln, was also depressed by the 0.1 point fall in the\n  interest margin to 1.9 pct.\n      A rise in the surplus on commission to 208.8 mln marks from\n  188.1 mln was not enough to compensate for this.\n      The rise in total operating profits enabled BfG to step up\n  risk provisions, with country risks particularly emphasised\n  because of the continuing difficulties of some countries.\n      Disclosed risk provisions, which under West German\n  accounting rules do not necessarily reflect the full amount,\n  rose to 736.3 mln marks from 224.0 mln.\n      BfG's parent credit volume eased to 32.63 billion marks in\n  1986 from 33.51 billion. Foreign debtors accounted for 24 pct\n  of this credit volume, and Latin American debtors accounted for\n  14.7 pct of total lending to foreigners.\n      BfG posted extraordinary earnings from the sale of 25.01\n  pct of <Volksfuersorge Deutsche Lebensversicherung AG>, 74.9\n  pct of <BSV Bank fuer Sparanlagen und Vermoegensbildung AG> and\n  five pct of <Allgemeine Hypothekenbank AG>. The sale was linked\n  to AMB's acquisition of a majority of BfG.\n      These sales show up as 494.2 mln marks from profit transfer\n  agreements and 326.5 mln from writing back risk provisions.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PILLSBURY CO <PSY> VOTES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 25 cts vs 25 cts prior qtr\n      Pay 31 May\n      Record 1 May\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DOLLAR OPENS AT A RECORD LOW FOR TOKYO AT 145.80 YEN - DEALERS\n","article":"\n  DOLLAR OPENS AT A RECORD LOW FOR TOKYO AT 145.80 YEN - DEALERS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"Bank of Japan intervenes, buys dollars around 145.90-95 yen -- Tokyo dealers\n","article":"\n  Bank of Japan intervenes, buys dollars around 145.90-95 yen -- Tokyo dealers\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DOLLAR FALLS BELOW 145.00 YEN IN TOKYO -- DEALERS\n","article":"\n  DOLLAR FALLS BELOW 145.00 YEN IN TOKYO -- DEALERS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF JAPAN ALREADY PURCHASED ONE BILLION DLRS IN MORNING INTERVENTION - DEALERS\n","article":"\n  BANK OF JAPAN ALREADY PURCHASED ONE BILLION DLRS IN MORNING INTERVENTION - DEALERS\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"JAPAN CENTRAL BANK BUYS ONE BILLION DLRS IN TOKYO\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan has already purchased\n  more than one billion dlrs in intervention since the opening\n  and continues to buy the U.S. Currency, dealers said.\n      The central bank was supporting the dollar against the yen\n  amid heavy selling pressure from investment trusts and\n  securities houses which had pushed the dollar as low as 144.75\n  yen earlier this morning, they said.\n      The dollar recovered slightly from the intervention and was\n  trading around 145.00, they added.\n      It had opened in Tokyo at 145.80 yen.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"Sumita says he does not repeat not expect dollar to fall further.\n","article":"\n  Sumita says he does not repeat not expect dollar to fall further.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"Japan will continue to cooperate with other nations to stabilize dlr, Sumita\n","article":"\n  Japan will continue to cooperate with other nations to stabilize dlr, Sumita\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SUMITA SAYS HE DOES NOT EXPECT FURTHER DOLLAR FALL\n","article":"  Bank of Japan governor Satoshi Sumita\n  said he does not expect the dollar to remain unstable and fall\n  further.\n      He told a Lower House Budget Committee in Parliament that\n  the Bank of Japan would continue to cooperate closely with\n  other major nations to stabilize exchange rates.\n      The central bank has been keeping extremely careful watch\n  on exchange rate movements since last week, he said.\n      He said the dollar would not continue to fall because of\n  underlying market concern about the rapid rise of the yen.\n      Sumita said the currency market has been reacting to\n  overseas statements and to trade tension between Japan and the\n  U.S. Over semiconductors.\n      The yen's tendency to rise will prevent Japan from\n  expanding domestic demand and undertaking necessary economic\n  restructuring, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BERKSHIRE GAS CO <BGAS> PAYS REGULAR QTLRY DIV\n","article":"  Qtrly div 28.5 cts vs 28.5 cts\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DLR FALLS ON FEAR TOKYO WON'T HIKE DEMAND-MIYAZAWA\n","article":"  Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa said\n  that the dollar's drop today to 145 yen is partly attributable\n  to the perception inside and outside Japan that the country has\n  failed to fulfill its promise to expand domestic demand.\n      He told a Lower House budget committee in Parliament that\n  it was natural for other nations to think that Japan is not\n  doing enough because of the delay in the passage of the 1987\/88\n  budget.\n      The budget has been delayed by opposition boycotts of\n  Parliament to protest government plans for a new sales tax.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN CAREFULLY CONSIDERING MONEY POLICY -- SUMITA\n","article":"  Bank of Japan governor Satoshi Sumita\n  said the central bank will carefully consider its monetary\n  policy in light of the recent sharp fall of the dollar.\n      Asked if the Bank of Japan will consider a further cut in\n  its discount rate, he said he now thinks the bank will have to\n  carefully consider its future money policy.\n      He told a Lower House Budget Committee in Parliament that\n  credit conditions have been eased by the five discount rate\n  cuts by Japan since the beginning of last year.\n      Japan must now be especially careful about a flare-up in\n  inflation, with money supply growth accelerating, he said.\n      Sumita said the central bank would continue to make a\n  judgement on monetary policies while watching consumer prices,\n  exchange rates and economic and financial conditions both in\n  and outside Japan.\n      Asked if the September 1985 Plaza agreement was a failure\n  because the dollar had fallen too far, Sumita said he still\n  thought the pact was a good one in the sense that it had\n  corrected the overvaluation of the dollar. But the Plaza accord\n  did not set any target for the dollar's fall, he said.\n      The dollar's steep fall stems from the market's belief that\n  the trade imbalance will continue to expand, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PERU SAYS NEW GOLD DEPOSITS WORTH 1.3 BILLION DLRS\n","article":"  President Alan Garcia said Peru has found\n  gold deposits worth an estimated 1.3 billion dlrs in a jungle\n  region near the Ecuadorean border about 1,000 km north of here.\n      He told reporters the deposits, located at four sites near\n  the town of San Ignasio, contained the equivalent of 100 tonnes\n  of gold.\n      Garcia said the government would soon install a two mln dlr\n  treatment plant at Tomaque. It will extract enough ore to\n  provide an estimated 25 mln dlr profit by the end of this year,\n  he added.\n      Garcia said the other gold-bearing deposits are located at\n  Tamborapa, Pachapidiana and a zone between the Cenepa and\n  Santiago rivers.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BALDRIGE PREDICTS END OF U.S.-JAPAN TRADE DISPUTE\n","article":"  The United States and Japan will\n  soon settle their trade dispute over semiconductors, U.S.\n  Commerce secretary Malcolm Baldrige said on television.\n      Baldrige, referring to the U.S.-Japan trade agreement on\n  semiconductors, said: \"Their government wants to live up to it.\n  Their industries haven't been doing it, and I think we'll have\n  a good settlement to spare both sides.\"\n      \"I think the Japanese understand full well that they haven't\n  lived up to this commitment,\" he said.\n      He added: \"I do not think there will be a trade war at all.\"\n      On Friday, Washington announced plans to put as much as 300\n  mln dlrs in tariffs on Japanese electronic goods from April 17,\n  because of Tokyo's failure to observe the agreement.\n      The officials said the tariffs would be ended as soon as\n  Japan started adhering to the agreement. But they said there\n  was little chance Japan could react quickly enough to avert the\n  higher tariffs.\n      Baldrige said the Reagan administration hoped the strong\n  U.S. Action against Japan would convince Congress to tone down\n  protectionist trade legislation now being drafted.\n      He denied the action had been taken for that reason.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"29-MAR-1987\n","article":"  29-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. WHEAT AND BARLEY EXPORTS ADJUSTED UPWARDS\n","article":"  The U.K. Exported 535,460 tonnes of wheat\n  and 336,750 tonnes of barley in January, the Home Grown Cereals\n  Authority (HGCA) said, quoting adjusted Customs and Excise\n  figures.\n      Based on the previous January figures issued on February 9,\n  wheat exports increased by nearly 64,000 tonnes and barley by\n  about 7,000 tonnes.\n      The new figures bring cumulative wheat exports for the\n  period July 1\/February 13 to 2.99 mln tonnes, and barley to\n  2.96 mln compared with 1.25 and 1.89 mln tonnes respectively a\n  year ago.\n      January wheat exports comprised 251,000 tonnes to European\n  Community destinations and 284,000 tonnes to third countries.\n      The Soviet Union was prominent in third country\n  destinations, taking 167,700 tonnes while Poland was credited\n  with 54,500 and South Korea 50,000 tonnes. Italy was the\n  largest EC recipient with 75,000 tonnes followed by West\n  Germany with 55,200 and France 52,000 tonnes.\n      Barley exports for January comprised 103,700 tonnes to the\n  EC and 233,000 to third countries. The Soviet Union was the\n  largest single importer with 133,265 tonnes followed by Saudi\n  Arabia with 53,800 tonnes.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BTR NYLEX RAISES OFFER FOR BORG-WARNER AUSTRALIA\n","article":"  <BTR Nylex Ltd> said it will increase\n  its takeover offer for Borg-Warner Corp's <BOR> listed unit,\n  <Borg-Warner (Australia) Ltd> (BWA) to five dlrs each from four\n  dlrs for all issued ordinary and preference shares.\n      The new offer values the diversified auto parts\n  manufacturer's 27.22 mln ordinary shares and 13.22 mln first\n  participating preference shares at 202.2 mln dlrs.\n      Formal documents will be sent to shareholders as soon as\n  possible, it said in a brief statement.\n      BTR Nylex, which manufactures rubber and plastic products,\n  first bid for BWA in late January.\n      As previously reported, Borg-Warner Corp, which owns 65 pct\n  of BWA's ordinary shares and 100 pct of the preferences,\n  advised a month ago that it would not accept the offer.\n      This meant BTR Nylex's 50.1 pct acceptance condition could\n  not be met, BWA said in a statement reporting its parent's\n  decision.\n      BWA advised shareholders to ignore the offer and said other\n  parties had expressed interest in bidding for it.\n      But no other bid has yet emerged.\n      BTR Nylex is a 59.5 pct-owned listed subsidiary of\n  Britain's BTR Plc <BTRX.LON>.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INVESTOR GROUP PUTS PRESSURE ON GENCORP <GY>\n","article":"  An investor group trying to acquire\n  GenCorp Inc said it would move to unseat the board of directors\n  and take other action if GenCorp refuses to discuss a 2.3\n  billion dlr takeover bid.\n      General Acquisition Co, a partnership of Wagner and Brown\n  and AFG Industries Inc <AFG>, reiterated in a statement sent to\n  GenCorp on Friday that it was willing to negotiate its earlier\n  offer of 100 dlrs a share for the tire, broadcasting, plastics\n  and aerospace conglomerate.\n      Analysts have speculated GenCorp could fetch at least 110\n  to 120 dlrs per share if broken up.\n      GenCorp officials declined to comment on the statement, but\n  a spokesman reiterated a request to shareholders to wait until\n  the board renders an opinion before making a decision on the\n  offer. GenCorp has said a statement would be made on or before\n  the company's annual meeting on Tuesday.\n      General Acquisition said the board could not carry out its\n  duties to shareholders and make an informed decision until it\n  has, \"... Explored with us the ways in which our offer can be\n  revised to provide greater value to your shareholders.\"\n      General Acquisition added it was aware the board may be\n  reviewing alternative transactions, which might provide GenCorp\n  shareholders with a payment other than cash.\n      \"If that is the case, you should recognise that our\n  additional equity capital may very well enable us to offer cash\n  and securities having greater value than GenCorp could provide\n  in any similarly structured transaction,\" it said.\n      It added GenCorp's board had an obligation to present any\n  alternative proposal to shareholders in a way that allowed\n  competing offers.\n      General Acquisition requested it be given a chance to bid\n  on a competitive and fair basis before any final decision was\n  made on any other buyout proposal.\n      The statement repeated the request GenCorp remove a \"poison\n  pill\" preferred share purchase rights to shareholders, making\n  any takeover more expensive.\n      It said it might take legal action, or seek the support of\n  shareholders in calling a special meeting to replace the board\n  and consider other proposals.\n      GenCorp should not accept any other proposal containing\n  defensive features, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SUMITOMO MINING <SMIT.T> RAISES NICKEL OUTPUT\n","article":"  Sumitomo Metal Mining Co said it will\n  raise its monthly nickel output to around 1,750 tonnes from\n  April 1 from 1,650 now because of increased domestic demand,\n  mainly from stainless steel makers.\n      Sumitomo produced 1,800 tonnes of a nickel a month until\n  end-1986, but cut output in January because of stagnant demand,\n  a company official said.\n      Calendar 1987 production is likely to fall to around 20,000\n  tonnes from 22,000 in 1986 as a result of the first quarter\n  reduction, he said.\n      Sumitomo is Japan's only nickel producer.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"Nakasone says major nations committed in Paris to stable dlr above 150 yen\n","article":"\n  Nakasone says major nations committed in Paris to stable dlr above 150 yen\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA GDP RISES 3.1 PCT IN 1986\n","article":"  Canada's real gross domestic product,\n  seasonally adjusted, rose 1.1 pct in the fourth quarter of\n  1986, the same as the growth as in the previous quarter,\n  Statistics Canada said.\n      That left growth for the full year at 3.1 pct, which is\n  down from 1985's four pct increase.\n      The rise was also slightly below the 3.3 pct growth rate\n  Finance Minister Michael Wilson predicted for 1986 in\n  February's budget. He also forecast GDP would rise 2.8 pct in\n  1987.\n      Statistics Canada said final domestic demand rose 0.6 pct\n  in the final three months of the year after a 1.0 pct gain in\n  the third quarter.\n      Business investment in plant and equipment rose 0.8 pct in\n  the fourth quarter, partly reversing the cumulative drop of 5.8\n  pct in the two previous quarters.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Miyazawa says major nations have intervened aggressively since dlr fell below 150 yen\n","article":"\n  Miyazawa says major nations have intervened aggressively since dlr fell below 150 yen\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PATON REPORTS U.S. GREEN COFFEE ROASTINGS HIGHER\n","article":"  U.S. roastings of green coffee in the\n  week ended March 21 were about 250,000 (60-kilo) bags,\n  including that used for soluble production, compared with\n  195,000 bags in the corresponding week of last year and about\n  300,000 bags in the week ended March 14, George Gordon Paton\n  and Co Inc reported.\n      It said cumulative roastings for calendar 1987 now total\n  3,845,000 bags, compared with 4,070,000 bags by this time last\n  year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"G-6 WANTS TO HOLD DLR ABOVE 150 YEN - NAKASONE\n","article":"  Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone said\n  that Japan and other industrialized nations committed\n  themselves in Paris last month to stabilize the dollar above\n  150 yen.\n      He told a Lower House Budget Committee in Parliament that\n  the six nations have taken measures, including market\n  intervention, to support the dollar above that level.\n      Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa told the same committee\n  that the six - Britain, Canada, France, Japan, the U.S. And\n  West Germany - had intervened aggressively since the dollar\n  fell below 150 yen.\n      Miyazawa said major nations are trying hard to stabilize\n  exchange rates.\n      Asked if there had been any change in the fundamentals of\n  each nation since the February 22 Paris accord, he said he did\n  not think the fundamentals themselves had changed\n  substantially.\n      But he said the market is sensitively looking at what is\n  happening in major nations. He did not elaborate.\n      Miyazawa added that it was difficult to say why there has\n  been such speculative dollar selling in the market.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BASF 1986 world group pre-tax profit 2.63 billion marks vs 3.04 billion\n","article":"\n  BASF 1986 world group pre-tax profit 2.63 billion marks vs 3.04 billion\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN SUGAR AREAS SAID RECEIVING SOME RAIN\n","article":"  Dry areas of the Australian sugar cane\n  belt along the Queensland coast have been receiving just enough\n  rain to sustain the 1987 crop, an Australian Sugar Producers\n  Association spokesman said.\n      The industry is not as worried as it was two weeks ago, but\n  rainfall is still below normal and good soaking rains are\n  needed in some areas, notably in the Burdekin and Mackay\n  regions, he said from Brisbane.\n      Elsewhere, in the far north and the far south of the state\n  and in northern New South Wales, the cane crop is looking very\n  good after heavy falls this month, he said.\n      The spokesman said it is still too early to tell what\n  effect the dry weather will have on the size of the crop, which\n  is harvested from around June to December.\n      He said frequent but light falls in the areas that are\n  short of moisture, such as Mackay, mean they really only need\n  about three days of the region's heavy tropical rains to\n  restore normal moisture to the cane.\n      But rainfall in the next two or three weeks will be crucial\n  to the size of the crop in the dry areas, he said.\n      \"It's certainly not a disastrous crop at this stage but it\n  might be in a month without some good falls,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BASF AG <BASF.F> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Year to December 31.\n      World group pre-tax profit 2.63 billion marks vs 3.04\n  billion.\n      World group turnover 40.47 billion vs 44.38 billion.\n      World group investment in fixed assets 2.66 billion vs 2.46\n  billion.\n      Parent company pre-tax profit 1.97 billion vs 1.91 billion.\n      Parent turnover 18.72 billion vs 20.46 billion.\n      Parent domestic turnover 7.10 billion vs 8.14 billion.\n      Parent foreign turnover 11.62 billion vs 12.32 billion.\n      Parent investment in fixed assets 1.14 billion vs 884 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN ISOLATED, YEN RISES, WORLD FEELS CHEATED\n","article":"  Japan is becoming dangerously isolated\n  again as the U.S. And Europe feel they have been cheated by\n  Japanese promises to switch from export to domestic-led growth,\n  officials and businessmen from around the world said.\n      As the dollar today slipped to a record low below 145 yen,\n  making Japanese exporters and holders of dollar investments\n  grit their teeth harder, Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa said\n  there was a perception Japan had reneged on its promise.\n      The problem goes deep and centres on misunderstandings by\n  both sides over the key Maekawa report of April, last year.\n      The document was prepared by a private committee formed by\n  Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone and led by former Bank of\n  Japan head Haruo Maekawa. It recommended that to stop friction\n  due to its large trade surpluses, Japan must \"make a historical\n  transformation in its traditional policies on economic\n  management and the nation's lifestyle. There can be no further\n  development for Japan without this transformation.\"\n      Americans and Europeans took the report to heart and have\n  looked in vain for clear signs of this historic change. But the\n  Japanese remain doubtful about the short, or even medium term\n  prospects of totally transforming their economic habits.\n      The bubble of frustration against what appears as Japanese\n  prevarication burst last week. The U.S. Said it intended to\n  raise tariffs of as much as 300 mln dlrs on Japanese exports to\n  the U.S. On the grounds Japan had abrogated a bilateral\n  semiconductor pact.\n      British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher threatened to\n  block Japanese financial firms from London after the Japanese\n  placed what the British say are restrictive conditions on a bid\n  by British firm Cable and Wireless to join a domestic\n  telecommunications joint venture.\n      On Friday, European currency dealers said European central\n  banks, annoyed at restrictive Japanese trade practises, might\n  leave Japan alone to intervene to staunch the rise of the yen.\n      Eishiro Saito, head of top Japanese business group\n  Keidanren, spotted the dangers inherent in such contradictory\n  views last November when he visited the European Community.\n  \"Related to this matter of (trade) imbalance, the point that I\n  found to be of great cause for alarm during this trip to Europe\n  was the excessive degree of hope placed by the Europeans in the\n  results of the Maekawa report,\" he said.\n      \"We explained that the process of restructuring the economy\n  away from its dependence on exports toward a balance between\n  domestic and external demand...Would take time,\" Saito said.\n      Saito's words were ignored. In February, EC Industrial\n  Policy Director Heinrich von Moltke came to Japan and said \"I\n  only know that your government, under the leadership of\n  Maekawa, points to restructuring your economy into a less\n  outward looking, more inward looking one. It is the Maekawa\n  report which has attracted the most attention in Europe.\"\n      And Europeans and Americans want quick action. \"A far better\n  answer than protectionism would be structural change within the\n  Japanese economy, the kind suggested by the Maekawa report. And\n  we hope to see changes occur in the near future,\" visiting\n  Chairman of General Motors Roger Smith said in March.\n      Such expectations are now ingrained, which was partly the\n  fault of Nakasone, who heralded Maekawa's report as a sea of\n  change in Japanese affairs, said U.S. Officials.\n      Months before the report was issued, U.S. And EC business\n  leaders met their Japanese colleagues to discuss the trade\n  problem.\n      \"We are more anxious than ever that the new approach of the\n  Maekawa committee does lead to speedy and effective action,\"\n  said EC Industrial Union leader Lord Ray Pennock.\n      \"The important implication of the Maekawa report is that it\n  is finally looking to let Japanese enjoy the fruits of their\n  labour,\" said Philip Caldwell, Senior Managing Director of\n  Shearson Lehman Brothers.\n      Contents of the report were leaded well ahead of issuance.\n      Japanese officials say they are implementing the report as\n  fast as they can, said a European ambassador who has travelled\n  the country asking about this issue.\n      He said People mentioned many things in line with the\n  spirit of the report, including restructuring of the coal and\n  steel industries.\n      A major misunderstanding is that the private report was\n  government policy. Europeans are confused about this,\n  underlined by von Moltke's reference to the \"leadership\" of the\n  Maekawa report. Even so, Japanese officials point to last\n  September's government programme of new economic measures.\n  \"Without endorsing the report as policy, officials point out\n  that the government has put its signature to a programme\n  designed to implement the report,\" the ambassador said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EAST EUROPE WHEAT WINTERKILL POSSIBLE, ACCU SAYS\n","article":"  Winter wheat crops in the\n  western Soviet Union, Poland and eastern Czechoslovakia through\n  northern Romania may suffer some winterkill over the next two\n  nights, private forecaster Accu-Weather Inc said.\n      Western USSR winter wheat areas have had only light and\n  spotty snow and winterkill is possible tonight and tomorrow\n  night as temperatures drop to minus 10 to 0 degrees F.\n      Snow cover is scant in Poland, with only about 50 pct of\n  the winter wheat areas reporting one to two inches of snow as\n  of this morning.\n      The remaining 50 pct of winter wheat crops do not have snow\n  cover, making winterkill possible on each of the next two\n  nights. Lowest temperatures will be minus 10 to 0 degrees F.\n      Winter wheat areas from eastern Czechoslovakia through\n  northern Romania had light snow flurries yesterday and last\n  night, but amounts were an inch or less. With temperatures\n  expected to fall to near 0 degrees F over the next two nights,\n  some light winterkill is possible, Accu-Weather added.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"Woolworth Holdings says it bidding 244 mln stg for Superdrug stores\n","article":"\n  Woolworth Holdings says it bidding 244 mln stg for Superdrug stores\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INDONESIA LIMITS OIL PRICE IMPACT-FINANCE MINISTER\n","article":"  Indonesia has minimised the economic\n  impact of falling oil prices, kept inflation within limits and\n  boosted exports, Finance Minister Radius Prawiro said.\n      Indonesia was badly hit by last year's steep plunge in\n  crude prices, which cut revenue from oil exports by half.\n      But Prawiro was quoted by Indonesian newspapers as telling\n  President Suharto that inflation was kept to around nine pct in\n  the financial year ending tomorrow, against around 4.3 pct the\n  previous year.\n      Exports were estimated to have risen by seven pct, he said,\n  although he did not give complete figures.\n      The depressed economy forms the main backdrop to general\n  elections next month in Indonesia, a major producer of rubber,\n  palm oil, tin, timber and coffee.\n      Prawiro said 1986\/87 had also been difficult because of the\n  appreciation of currencies like the yen and the mark against\n  the dollar, which increased Indonesia's debt repayments.\n      He said the economy would have suffered more from the world\n  economic recession if the government had not devalued the\n  rupiah by 31 pct last September.\n      In an editorial on the economic outlook, the Jakarta Post\n  said the government must press ahead with measures to\n  deregulate the economy to help boost non-oil exports.\n      The English-language daily said bigger export earnings were\n  needed to finance not only imports but also the country's\n  growing foreign debt, estimated at around 37 billion dlrs.\n      \"About 50 pct of our foreign debt obligations fall due\n  within the next three to five years and will steadily increase\n  the debt servicing burden,\" the paper said.\n      However, end-investors were seen bargain hunting in\n  expectation of a further yen interest rate decline, dealers\n  said.\n      Most dealers were cautious in the face of the dollar's\n  nosedive today and the possibility of a U.S. Interest rate\n  rebound to halt further dollar depreciation.\n      A 4.7 pct coupon and volume of 1,400 billion yen for the\n  April 10-year bond proposed by the Finance Ministry this\n  afternoon were taken favourably by the market.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WOOLWORTH BIDS 244 MLN STG FOR SUPERDRUG\n","article":"  Woolworth Holdings Plc <WLUK.L> said it\n  would make a 244 mln stg agreed bid for <Superdrug Stores Plc>\n  valuing the company's shares at about 696p each.\n      The offer would be made on the basis of 17 new Woolworth\n  ordinary shares for every 20 in Superdrug.\n      Woolworth said it had received acceptances from the holders\n  of 61 pct of Superdrug shares.\n      The bid is Woolworth's second attempt in recent months to\n  acquire a retail chemist chain. Earlier this year it negotiated\n  a possible bid for <Underwoods Plc> buit the talks were broken\n  off two weeks ago.\n      Full acceptance of the offer would involve the issue of\n  about 29.8 mln new Woolworth shares, or 14 pct of the enlarged\n  share capital. A cash alternative would offer 646p for each\n  share in Superdrug. Members of the Goldstein family have\n  accepted the offer for 11.7 mln shares, which have not been\n  underwritten.\n      Another major shareholder, Rite Aid Corp's Rite Investments\n  Corp unit, had accepted the offer for 9.9 mln shares, and would\n  take the cash alternative for 9.0 mln of these.\n      In the year to end-January, Woolworth reported pretax\n  profits sharply higher at 115.3 mln stg after 81.3 mln\n  previously.\n      In the year to end-February, Superdrug reported pretax\n  profits of 12.26 mln after 10.36 mln previously on turnover\n  that rose to 202.9 mln from 164.3 mln. Superdrug shares firmed\n  to 670p from 480p on Friday. Woolworth eased to 813p from 830p.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN HAS LITTLE NEW TO OFFER IN MICROCHIP DISPUTE\n","article":"  The Japanese government appears to have\n  little new to offer to settle a dispute with the U.S. Over\n  computer chips, trade analysts and government officials said.\n      The U.S. Has threatened to impose tariffs worth up to 300\n  mln dlrs on Japanese electronics exports to the U.S., In\n  retaliation for Japan's alleged failure to keep a pact on the\n  microchip trade signed last September.\n      A Foreign Ministry official told Reuters \"Japan has done\n  what it can, and now we must persuade the United States to wait\n  for those steps to take effect.\"\n      The U.S. Alleges that, in defiance of the September\n  agreement, Japan is still selling microchips at below cost in\n  non-U.S. Markets and refusing to open Japan further to U.S.\n  Chip sales. U.S. Tariffs are due to take effect on April 17.\n       Analysts noted Japan's Ministry of International Trade and\n  Industry (MITI) has already ordered chipmakers to cut\n  production in order to dry up the source of cheap chips sold in\n  third countries at non-regulated prices.\n      \"I'm not sure MITI can do much more than it has,\" said\n  Jardine Fleming (Securities) Ltd analyst Nick Edwards.\n      A MITI official said the Ministry was not planning to call\n  for production cuts beyond those already sought, although it\n  would continue to press chip users to buy more foreign goods.\n      Spokesmen for some Japanese electronics firms said they\n  would consider buying more U.S. Chips. But a Matsushita\n  Electric Industrial Co spokesman said a rapid increase in\n  imports was not likely.\n      Most analysts said Japanese exporters would be hard hit if\n  the United States did implement the tariffs, which would be\n  levied on consumer electronics products rather than on\n  microchips themselves.\n      \"If the tariffs remain in place for any length of time,\n  there will be complete erosion of exports to the United States,\"\n  said Tom Murtha, analyst at James Capel and Co.\n      \"The Japanese electronics industry is too powerful to be\n  stopped altogether, but recovery for the industry will be\n  delayed for another year,\" he said.\n      Some analysts said tariffs would also harm U.S. Industry by\n  stepping up offshore production and by reducing demand in Japan\n  for semiconductors U.S. Firms are trying to sell here.\n      \"The American approach is full of contradictions,\" Jardine\n  Fleming's Edwards said.\n      \"If they want to expand (U.S.) exports, the last thing they\n  want to do is hit the makers of the final products because that\n  hurts the final market,\" Edwards said.\n      But other analysts said the dispute reflects not just U.S.\n  Concern over what it sees as a strategic industry, but also\n  frustration with Japan's vast trade surplus. Some analysts\n  argued that to solve the semiconductor problem Japan may have\n  to take action beyond that pledged in the semiconductor pact.\n      Carole Ryavec, an analyst at Salomon Brothers Asia Ltd,\n  said \"The major overall issue is to stimulate the domestic\n  economy and move away from an export-dependent economy.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"H.K. DEALERS SAY NAKASONE G-6 COMMENT TOO LATE\n","article":"  Remarks by Japan's Prime Minister\n  Yasuhiro Nakasone that last month's G-6 meeting agreed to\n  stabilize the dollar above 150 yen have come too late to\n  influence currency trading, dealers said.\n      After Nakasone's statement the dollar rose to 146.40\/50 yen\n  from an initial low of 144.20\/40 and New York's Friday finish\n  of 147.15\/25. But the rebound was largely on short-covering,\n  they said.\n      \"I think (Nakasone's) desperate,\" said a U.S. Bank foreign\n  exchange manager.\n      Nakasone told a Lower House Budget Committee in Parliament\n  that Japan and other industrialized nations committed\n  themselves in Paris last month to stabilize the dollar above\n  150 yen.\n      Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa told the same committee\n  that the six - Britain, Canada, France, Japan, the U.S. And\n  West Germany - had intervened aggressively since the dollar\n  fell below 150 yen.\n      \"His (Nakasone) remarks should have been made and should\n  have had a bigger influence when the dollar was still above 150\n  yen,\" said P.S. Tam of Morgan Guaranty Trust.\n      Tam said the dollar has hit short-term chart targets  and\n  is likely to rebound. But he warned of another dip to below 145\n  yen.\n      Dealers said the worsening trade relations between the U.S.\n  And Japan will continue to depress the dollar.\n      The trade issue has now become a political issue since the\n  Reagan Administration is facing uproar in Congress over\n  th3pYgks in cutting the country's 169.8 billion dlr trade\n  deficit, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ARBED SA <ARBB.BR> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Net profit 890 mln Luxembourg francs\n  vs 1.12 billion.\n      Turnover 57.8 billion francs vs 65.3 billion.\n      Cash flow 5.72 billion francs vs 6.70 billion.\n      Steel production 3.74 mln tonnes, down seven pct.\n      Board will decide on April 24 whether to pay a dividend. No\n  dividend has been paid since 1984.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CHARMING SHOPPES INC <CHRS> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 28 cts vs 22 cts\n      Net 14 mln vs 10.6 mln\n      Revs 163.8 mln vs 127.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 81 cts vs 59 cts\n      Net 40.5 mln vs 28.7 mln\n      Revs 521.2 mln vs 391.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN ACTIVELY BOUGHT U.S. CORN LAST WEEK - TRADE\n","article":"  Japanese feed and starch makers actively\n  bought U.S. Corn last week, C and F basis, for July\/September\n  shipment in view of bullish freight rates following active\n  inquiries by the Soviet Union, trade sources said.\n      Some said the makers were seen buying some 30 pct of their\n  requirements, estimated at about three mln tonnes for the\n  three-month shipment period.\n      \"Belief is growing that freight rates will not decline\n  sharply from current high levels even in the usually sluggish\n  summer season because the Soviet Union's chartering is seen\n  continuing five to seven months from April,\" one source said.\n      The sources said Japanese trading houses were seen covering\n  a total of 500,000 tonnes of Chinese corn for shipment in May\n  to October. But they are believed to have not yet sold most of\n  the corn to end-users in anticipation of further corn price\n  rises in the world market.\n      Supply from Argentina and South Africa for July\/September\n  is still uncertain. But the sources forecast supplies from\n  Argentina may fall to 400,000 to 500,000 tonnes from an\n  anticipated 800,000 in calendar 1987 and from South Africa to\n  700,000 to 800,000 tonnes from an estimated one mln in light of\n  tighter export availability.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ARBED SEES NEED TO MAINTAIN PRESSURE ON COSTS\n","article":"  The recent deterioration in the\n  steel market makes it important for Arbed SA <ARBB.BR> to\n  maintain efforts to reduce costs, the company said in a\n  statement.\n      It reported that its competitive position had weakened\n  considerably in the second half of 1986, leading to a seven pct\n  cut in steel output over the whole of the year to 3.74 mln\n  tonnes.\n      Arbed had managed to make a 890 mln franc net profit,\n  slightly down from the 1.12 billion profit in 1985, thanks to\n  lower raw material costs and prudent management, the company\n  said.\n      Arbed said the early months of 1987 had seen the market\n  deteriorate further, but the decision of the European Community\n  to maintain anti-crisis measures, at least provisionally,\n  should under normal circumstances have a beneficial effect.\n      EC ministers have agreed to extend a quota production\n  system while discussions continue on an industry plan for\n  capacity reductions.\n      Arbed said in current conditions, cost cutting efforts\n  remain necessary to avoid any weakening of resources which have\n  been built up over the last three years.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BASF <BASF.F> SAYS 1986 RESULTS AFFECTED BY DLR\n","article":"  BASF AG said\n  the volatile currency situation last year, particularly the\n  fall of the dollar, led to sharp drops in turnover denominated\n  in marks and to price reductions for exports from domestic\n  production.\n      But in a statement accompanying year-end figures, the group\n  said it expected satisfactory business development over the\n  next months. \"At the moment we do not expect any extraordinary\n  influences such as there were last year,\" it said. Orders in\n  hand and incoming orders were steady at a high level.\n      BASF reported 13.6 pct lower 1986 world group pre-tax\n  profit at 2.63 billion marks compared to 1985.\n      The unusual situation on the crude oil market last year\n  also produced a clear sales slide in the oil and gas sector and\n  forced price declines for petrochemical products, BASF said.\n      The fall in pre-tax profit corresponded to the losses on\n  stocks in the oil and gas sector at the beginning of 1986. In\n  the parent company, the positive earnings development\n  continued, it said, where pre-tax profit rose by 3.2 pct to\n  1.97 billion marks. The decline in parent company turnover was\n  balanced out by increased capacity use and price declines in\n  raw materials. \n      In 1986, world group turnover was off 8.8 pct at 40.47\n  billion marks compared to 1985, BASF said. Parent turnover fell\n  8.5 pct to 18.72 billion.\n      Turnover increases, with the exceptions of the sectors fine\n  chemicals and informations systems, had only been achieved in\n  those areas widened last year through acquisition in 1985.\n      Results from these had been taken only partly into the\n  fourth quarter of that year but fully included in 1986 data.\n      So far in the current year, the investment volume of the\n  parent company and the world group is exceeding that in 1986,\n  BASF said, without giving concrete figures.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BAHRAIN INTRODUCES NEW MONEY MARKET REGIME\n","article":"  Bahrain is introducing a new domestic\n  money market regime to provide dinar liquidity aid centred on\n  the island's newly launched treasury bill programme.\n      The Bahrain Monetary Agency has issued a circular to all\n  commercial banks outlining a new policy from April 1 which\n  gives liquidity aid through sale and repurchase agreements in\n  treasury bills, or through discounting them.\n      The circular, released officially to Reuters, said current\n  arrangements for providing liquidity aid will no longer be\n  valid except \"in quite exceptional circumstances.\"\n      Under the current system, the agency provides the island's\n  20 commercial banks with dinar liquidity by means of short-term\n  swaps against U.S. Dollars and, less frequently, by short-term\n  loans secured against government development bonds.\n      \"The agency considers that it is now appropriate to replace\n  these operations with short-term assistance based on Government\n  of Bahrain treasury bills,\" the circular to banks states.\n      The agency said it will repurchase treasury bills with a\n  simultaneous agreement to resell them to the same bank at a\n  higher price which will reflect an interest charge.\n      The agency said it envisages the repurchase agreements will\n  normally be for a period of seven days.\n      Bahrain launched a weekly tender for two mln dinars of\n  91-day treasury bills in mid-December last year and has since\n  raised a total of 26 mln dinars through the programme.\n      Bahrain's commercial banks are currently liquid and have\n  been making little use of the traditional dollar swaps offered\n  by the agency. But banking sources said the new regime from\n  April 1 will mean banks cannot afford not to hold treasury\n  bills in case they need funds from the central bank.\n      Banking sources said more than half of the 20 banks hold\n  treasury bills, although the need by others to take up paper\n  could increase demand at weekly tenders and push down allotted\n  yields slightly.\n      Last week's yield was six pct, although the programme had\n  started at the end of last year with rates as low as 5.60 pct.\n      Banking sources said the cost of liquidity through\n  repurchase accords will not differ much from that on dollar\n  swaps. But a bank using dollars to obtain liquidity would\n  foresake interest on the U.S. Currency while the underlying\n  treasury bill investment is unaffected in a repurchase accord.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN BUYS LARGE AMOUNT OF BRAZILIAN SOYBEANS\n","article":"  Japanese crushers have bought some\n  214,000 tonnes of Brazilian soybeans for late April\/early July\n  shipment and may buy up to 140,000 to 190,000 tonnes more for\n  June to August shipment, trade sources said.\n      Japan imported 128,089 tonnes of Brazilian beans in\n  calendar 1986, Finance Ministry customs-cleared statistics\n  show.\n      The sources said Brazilian beans were cheaper than U.S.\n  Origin which may account for the heavy purchases, but added\n  there were concerns about deliveries from Brazil in the near\n  term due to labour problems there.\n      The Japanese purchases comprise 30,000 tonnes for April\n  20\/May 10 shipment, 102,000 for May, 15,000 for late May\/early\n  June, 36,000 for June, and 31,000 for late June\/early July\n  shipment, the sources said.\n      As a result of the large volumes of Brazilian beans\n  purchased, Japanese crushers will buy a total of only 150,000\n  tonnes of U.S. Beans for May shipment. Some 100,000 of this\n  shipment has already been purchased, the sources added.\n      They said crushers bought some 270,000 to 280,000 tonnes of\n  U.S. Beans for April shipment.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"DUTCH MONEY SUPPLY HARDLY CHANGED IN DECEMBER\n","article":"  Dutch seasonally adjusted M2 money\n  supply was hardly changed in December at 169.49 billion\n  guilders compared to 169.56 billion in November, Central Bank\n  data show.\n      The figure was 2.6 pct higher than in December 1985.\n      In November, M2 fell 1.9 pct from its level in October and\n  was 3.9 pct above its level a year before.\n      Seasonally adjusted M1 money supply was also hardly changed\n  at 97.21 billion guilders in December, compared to 97.05\n  billion guilders in November. It was up 9.4 pct on its level a\n  year before.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SINGAPORE WELCOMES NEW LME ALUMINIUM CONTRACT MOVE\n","article":"  Singapore welcomed the London Metal\n  Exchange's (LME) decision to list Singapore as a delivery point\n  for the LME's new dollar-denominated aluminium contract.\n      Tay Thiam Peng, manager for international trading at the\n  Trade Development Board, said the decision would boost\n  Singapore's image as a major delivery port.\n      \"We hope this will encourage more metal traders to set up\n  shop here and that Singapore can become a delivery port for\n  other metals as well,\" he said.\n      The new contract, to start trading on June 1, is LME's\n  first dollar-contract.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PANSOPHIC SYSTEMS <PNS> SPLITS STOCK 2-FOR-1\n","article":"  Pansophic Systems Inc said it\n  will split its stock two-for-one effective April two to\n  shareholders of record March 13.\n      It also said it will pay a six cts per share dividend on\n  the pre-split shares, a regular quarterly dividend, on April\n  two to shareholders of record March 13.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BANK OF ENGLAND FORECASTS SURPLUS IN MONEY MARKET\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it forecast a\n  liquidity surplus of around 100 mln stg in the money market\n  today.\n      Among the main factors affecting liquidity, exchequer\n  transactions will add some 985 mln stg to the system today\n  while a fall in note circulation and bankers' balances above\n  target will add around 360 mln stg and 110 mln stg\n  respectively.\n      Partly offsetting these inflows, bills for repurchase by\n  the market will drain some 785 mln stg while bills maturing in\n  official hands and the treasury bill take-up will remove about\n  546 mln stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PHILIPPINE COCONUT AGENCY GETS NEW ADMINISTRATOR\n","article":"  Newly-installed Philippine Coconut\n  Authority Chairman Jose Romero has announced the appointment of\n  lawyer Leandro Garcia as administrator, replacing Colonel Felix\n  Duenas who is returning to military duty.\n      The new constitution does not allow military men to hold\n  positions in civilian agencies.\n      Duenas and four other military men who were assigned to the\n  authority in 1978, will return to the ministry of defence where\n  they worked prior to their appointments at the coconut agency.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TESCO BUYS 5.4 PCT OF HILLARDS\n","article":"  Tesco Plc <TSCO.L> said <County Bank\n  Ltd> had bought 165,000 shares in <Hillards Plc> on its behalf,\n  increasing its stake to 5.4 pct. The shares were bought at\n  313.25p each.\n      Tesco is making an opposed 151 mln stg bid for Hillards.\n      Hillards shares at 0900 GMT were quoted one penny firmer at\n  317p while Tesco was one penny easier at 479p.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROYALE BELGE <RBVB.BR> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Non-consolidated net profit 3.435\n  billion francs vs 2.330 billion.\n      Turnover 39.3 billion francs (no direct comparison)\n      Own funds 20 billion francs vs 9.2 billion after transfer\n  of 1.28 billion francs from profits and 8.5 billion from sale\n  of securities.\n      Note - company said the figure is slightly lower because\n  French branches have become group subsidiaries).\n      Proposed net dividend on ordinary shares 100 francs,\n  including 20 franc supplement due to the exceptional character\n  of results, vs 71.9 francs.\n      Note - Company was created in May 1986 by the merger of\n  (Royale Belge Vie-Accidents) and (Royale Belge\n  Incendie-Reassurance).\n      Vie-Accidents shareholders received eight new shares and\n  Incendie-Reassurance shareholders six for every share held in\n  the old companies.\n      Comparisons are therefore company calculations.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPANESE SHIPYARDS TO FORM CARTEL, CUT OUTPUT\n","article":"  Japan's ailing shipyards have won\n  approval from the Fair Trade Commission to form a cartel to\n  slash production to about half of total capacity for one year,\n  effective April 1, industry sources said.\n      The approval follows an act of parliament passed last week\n  designed to help the industry regroup and shed 20 pct of\n  capacity by March 31, 1988, Transport Ministry officials said.\n      The cartel, comprising 33 yards capable of constructing\n  ships of more than 10,000 gross tonnes, will limit newbuilding\n  output to a maximum of three mln compensated gross registered\n  tonnes in 1987\/88, the Shipbuilders Association of Japan said.\n      Industry sources said the 33 will seek to renew the cartel\n  in 1988\/89 in the belief demand will remain sluggish.\n      Last week's temporary act of parliament also allows\n  shipbuilders to receive favourable taxation terms plus up to 50\n  billion yen in compensation for liabilities incurred through\n  job losses and the sale of excess capacity.\n      Up to 30 billion yen has been allocated for purchasing\n  redundant land and equipment from shipbuilders.\n      The Ministry will start drawing up its restructuring\n  guidelines from April 1 and the yards will implement the\n  guidelines from September, industry sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INDONESIAN RUPIAH SLIPS AGAINST MARK AND YEN\n","article":"  The Indonesian rupiah has held steady\n  since its 31 pct devaluation against the dollar six months ago,\n  but has slipped against the mark and to a lesser extent against\n  the yen, according to central bank figures.\n      In the past month, the rupiah has fallen five pct against\n  the yen. Today's middle rate per 100 yen was 1,129.78 against\n  1,075.20 at end-February and 1,058.6 at devaluation in\n  September.\n      Bank Indonesia's quoted rate for the dollar, the main\n  currency for Indonesia's oil and gas exports, was 1,644.0\n  today, the same rate fixed at the time of devaluation.\n      The rate for the West German mark was 913.28 today, a sharp\n  drop from September when it was 786.06.\n      The British pound has risen to 2,657.93 against 2,429.83.\n     The value of the rupiah is set daily against a basket of\n  currencies by the central bank.\n      The rise in the value of the mark and the yen has hit\n  Indonesia by increasing its debt servicing levels. Its total\n  disbursed foreign debt is estimated by the World Bank at 37\n  billion dlrs.\n      Japan is one of Indonesia's key trading partners, taking\n  half its oil exports.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"LAC <LAC> INTERSECTS MORE GOLD AT DOYON MINE\n","article":"  Lac Minerals Ltd and <Cambior Inc> said\n  they completed a second hole at their jointly owned Doyon mine\n  in Quebec, which showed two significant gold intersections.\n      One intersection graded 0.33 ounce gold a short ton over 44\n  feet at depth of 1,411 feet, while the other graded 0.22 ounce\n  gold a ton over 23 feet at 2,064 feet, the companies said. The\n  hole is 460 feet east of the previously reported first hole.\n      They said they were now drilling another hole 460 feet to\n  the west of the first drill hole and expected to report results\n  in late March or early April.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PHILIPPINE COCONUT INDUSTRY WORRIED BY EC TAX\n","article":"  Philippine coconut oil exports to Europe\n  would be virtually wiped out if the European Community (EC)\n  implements a new tax on vegetable oils, Philippine Coconut\n  Authority (PCA) chairman Jose Romero said.\n      But he told reporters he did not think the EC would impose\n  the tax because of objections from the U.S.\n      \"There's just so much flak coming from many countries,\n  spearheaded by the United States, whose soybean exports would\n  be adversely affected. This would spark a trade war,\" he said.\n      The tax, to be imposed from July, would add about 375 dlrs\n  a tonne to vegetable oils entering the EC.\n      The Philippines exported 43,540 tonnes of coconut oil worth\n  11.7 mln dlrs to Europe in January, against total exports of\n  86,959 tonnes worth 23.8 mln. It also exports copra and copra\n  meal.\n      Agriculture Secretary Carlos Dominguez has also raised\n  objections to the proposed EC tax.\n      He said it could cause the collapse of world demand and\n  prices and destroy the domestic industry.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WALLENBERG GROUP RAISES STAKE IN ERICSSON\n","article":"  Sweden's Wallenberg group said it\n  raised its holding in telecommunications maker Telefon AB L.M.\n  Ericsson <eric.St.> to 37.5 of the voting rights from 28.9 pct.\n      The move by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, one\n  of the institutions at the core of the group of companies\n  formed by the late industrialist Marcus Wallenberg, further\n  consolidated group control over one of its key firms, analysts\n  said.\n      The foundation now controls 14.1 pct of Ericsson's voting\n  rights with 22.3 pct held by the group's investment companies\n  <AB Investor> and <Forvaltnings AB Providentia>.\n      The move comes after the Wallenberg group fought off a\n  hostile takeover bid earlier this month for match and packaging\n  conglomerate Swedish Match AB <smbs.St> from arms and chemical\n  concern Nobel Industrier AB <NOBL.ST> by increasing its stake\n  in Swedish Match to 85 pct from 33 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FRENCH FEBRUARY INFLATION CONFIRMED AT 0.2 PCT\n","article":"  French retail prices rose a confirmed 0.2\n  pct in February, in line with provisional figures released two\n  weeks ago showing a rise of between 0.1 and 0.2 pct, the\n  National Statistics Institute said.\n      The rise compared with a 0.9 pct rise in January.\n      Year-on-year retail price inflation was confirmed at 3.4\n  pct for February compared with a three pct rise year-on-year in\n  January.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SRI LANKA TO UPROOT OR BUD DISEASED RUBBER TREES\n","article":"  Sri Lanka will uproot rubber trees that\n  are more than two years old and affected by the leaf disease\n  corynespora, the head of the government's Rubber Research\n  Institute told Reuters.\n      Rodney De Mel said affected trees less than two years old\n  would undergo base-budding -- attaching a clone as close as\n  possible to the trunk's base and cutting off the top of the\n  tree once the bud has taken. Uprooted or base-budded trees\n  mature later, causing an output loss estimated at 350 kilos per\n  hectare from the sixth year when they begin producing.\n      About 7,000 acres are planted with the high yielding RIC\n  103 variety, the clone afflicted by corynespora.\n      Only about 2,000 acres are affected by the disease, which\n  causes leaves to fall off, De Mel said.\n      Sri Lanka has 508,000 acres planted with rubber trees.\n      De Mel said the disease was detected in nurseries as early\n  as in middle 1985, but it was only in August-September 1986\n  that it became widespread.\n      The Institute is conducting a survey to determine how many\n  trees will be uprooted or base-budded. Healthy trees will be\n  sprayed and remain under observation.\n      T.P. Lilaratne, head of the government's Rubber Controller\n  Department, which monitors the industry, told Reuters\n  replanting and base-budding would have to be undertaken before\n  late May when the monsoon rains begin.\n      De Mel said clones in the nurseries which are susceptible\n  to corynespora, identified as RIC 103, RIC 52, RIC 104, RIC\n  106, RIC 107 and RIC 118, will be uprooted and burned.\n      The same procedures will be undertaken for the foreign\n  clones indentified as NAB 12, RRIM 725, FX25, PPN 2444, PPN\n  2447, KRS 21 and PPN 2058.\n      Lilaratne said the susceptible clones would be replaced by\n  PB 86, RRIM 600, RRIC 110, RRIC 121, RIC 100 and RIC 102.\n      These six varieties would also be used to replace trees\n  uprooted or base-budded, De Mel said.\n      Lilaratne said planters would receive 10,000 rupees per\n  hectare for replanting and plants would be free of charge.\n      \"But no compensation is contemplated at the moment,\" he\n  added.\n      De Mel said a drought in Sri Lanka has helped control the\n  spread of the disease.\n      \"The drought has not stopped the disease, but probably\n  helped in some way because trees have not been affected in\n  areas that are dry,\" he said.\n      Brokers said the disease had not affected prices because it\n  has not caused a drop in production.\n      Prices for the best latex crepe at the Colombo auction last\n  week firmed to 20.19 rupees per kilo from 20.05 rupees at the\n  previous sale.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" Miyazawa expects dollar to rebound soon, spokesman says\n","article":"\n   Miyazawa expects dollar to rebound soon, spokesman says\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PHILADELPHIA EXCHANGE TO EXTEND HOURS FOR ASIA\n","article":"  The Philadelphia Stock Exchange (PHLX),\n  a leading trader of currency options, plans to extend its\n  trading hours to serve Australasian and Far Eastern markets,\n  exchange president Nicholas Giordano said.\n      He told reporters the PHLX will open a new session between\n  1900 and 2300 hours U.S. EST from the beginning of the third\n  quarter this year.\n      The PHLX is also opening an office in Hong Kong to serve\n  clients in the region and educate financial markets about the\n  advantages of currency options, Giordano said.\n      Giordano was in Sydney to start an Asian-Pacific tour by\n  exchange executives promoting the hedging benefits of the\n  exchange-trade currency option market against existing\n  over-the-counter option trading during the local working day.\n      Currency options pioneered by the PHLX in 1982 had become\n  an accepted means of hedging against foreign exchange risk and\n  had grown in popularity, he said.\n      The PHLX now offered options in eight currencies, including\n  a new Australian dollar option, and traded an average 42,000\n  contracts daily with underlying open interest of more than 30\n  billion U.S. Dlrs.\n      Giordano said the exchange had been impressed with the\n  performance of its Australian dollar contract, which since its\n  introduction last year had regularly topped the French franc as\n  the third most popular traded option, with up to 8,000\n  contracts traded daily.\n      Having the Philadelphia exchange open during the\n  Asia-Pacific market day would open new hedging opportunities,\n  set a truer level for over-the-counter option trading, increase\n  arbitraging opportunities and give corporations and treasuries\n  access to a currency option market of much greater depth and\n  liquidity with the security of a clearing house, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MIYAZAWA EXPECTS DOLLAR REBOUND SOON - SPOKESMAN\n","article":"  Japanese Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa\n  expects the dollar to rebound soon, a Ministry spokesman said.\n      He quoted Miyazawa as telling Japanese reporters that major\n  industrial nations are aggressively intervening in currency\n  markets worldwide to prevent a dollar free-fall.\n      The minister believes that market forces will push the\n  dollar back up from its record low of 144.70 yen today,\n  according to the spokesman.\n      Miyazawa told the Japanese reporters the U.S. Unit fell\n  because Japanese investors sold dollars to hedge currency risks\n  before the close of the 1986\/87 fiscal year on March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.K. CONFIRMS FEBRUARY STERLING M3 RISE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said the broad\n  measure of U.K. Money supply, Sterling M3, rose a seasonally\n  adjusted 2.2 pct in February after a 1.1 pct rise in January.\n      The unadjusted year on year rise was 18.9 pct after 17.6\n  pct in the year to January, the Bank said.\n      The narrow measure of money supply, M0, fell by a\n  seasonally adjusted 0.8 pct in February, and rose by a\n  non-adjusted 4.1 pct year on year. In January, M0 fell by an\n  adjusted 0.6 pct, and rose by a non-adjusted 4.1 pct year on\n  year.\n      The figures confirm provisional data issued by the Bank on\n  March 19.\n      The Bank said sterling bank lending grew by a seasonally\n  adjusted 2.91 billion stg in February, after a 1.70 billion stg\n  adjusted rise in January.\n      The measure of private sector liquidity, PSL2, rose an\n  unadjusted 0.9 pct in February, making a year-on-year\n  unadjusted 13.1 pct rise. Adjusted, PSL2 rose by 1.2 pct in\n  February, against a 0.6 pct rise in January, the Bank said.\n      It said the public sector contribution to the growth in\n  Sterling M3 was contractionary by about 40 mln stg after a\n  contractionary contribution of 2.3 billion stg in January.\n      Within this, the Public Sector Borrowing Requirement showed\n  a repayment of 380 mln stg after a 3.7 billion stg repayment in\n  January, while the non-bank private sector's holdings of\n  government debt fell by about 260 mln stg after a 1.1 billion\n  stg fall in January.\n      There was a 50 mln stg rise in notes and coins in\n  circulation in February after a 290 mln stg fall in January,\n  the Bank said.\n      Non-interest bearing sight deposits rose by 460 mln stg\n  after a 1.5 billion stg fall in January and interest-bearing\n  deposits fell 200 mln stg after a 1.6 billion rise in January.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SLOUGH ESTATES VIEWS 1987 PROSPECTS CONFIDENTLY\n","article":"  Slough Estates Plc <SLOU.L> said it\n  views the prospects during 1987 with confidence.\n      In a statement accompanying its 1986 results, it reported a\n  rise of over 10 mln stg in 1986 pretax profit to 49.6 mln stg\n  and said there are signs that the existing threat of excess\n  supply may be lessened in 1987. There has also been a return of\n  interest in industrial investment.\n      An external appraisal of the group's investment properties\n  was carried out last year which found their gross value to be\n  851.3 mln stg as at Dec 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CALMAR <CLMI> SEEKS TO BE ACQUIRED BY <KEBO AB>\n","article":"  Calmar Inc said KEBOO Ab of\n  Sweden, which now owns about 64 pct of Calmark, has approved\n  the acquisition of remaining Calmar shares at 25.375 dlrs in\n  cash at the request of the Calmar board.\n      Calmar said a special meeting of its board will be held\n  March Nine to form a special committee of directors not\n  affiliated with KEBO to evaluate the transaction.\n      KEBO is in turn 60 pct owned by <Investment AB Beijar> of\n  Sweden.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EC COMMISSIONER WELCOMES COCOA ACCORD\n","article":"  The new International Cocoa Agreement\n  should lead to a stabilisation of prices, both benefitting\n  producer countries and promoting an equilibrium in\n  international economic relations, European Community\n  Development Commissioner Lorenzo Natali said.\n      He said in a statement welcoming the agreement on buffer\n  stock rules reached last week in London that it resulted in\n  large part from initiatives taken by the EC Commission after\n  consumers and producers had reached deadlock in initial\n  negotiations.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"RUGBY WELL PREPARED FOR NEW CEMENT COMPETITION\n","article":"  Rugby Portland Cement Plc <RBYL.L> said\n  it was well placed to operate in the new circumstances\n  following the ending in February of the 53-year old cement\n  manufacturers common price and marketing arrangements.\n      In a statement following the release of its 1986 results,\n  IT stated that the current year had started well. It reported\n  that pretax profits in the year rose to 35.46 mln stg from\n  21.84 mln previously on turnover higher at 313.3 mln after\n  252.2 mln.\n      The strong recovery of the first six months continued into\n  the second half, although U.K. Cement demand rose only\n  modestly. Results benefitted from cost cutting and higher\n  volumes.\n      The decision by the Cement Makers Federation to end the\n  pricing agreement reflected pressure from higher competition\n  due to growing imports and the possibility that the system\n  would be taken to the Restrictive Practices Court by the U.K.\n  Government. It stated that its John Carr unit benefitted from\n  strong organic growth, although overseas its Cockburn operation\n  had a difficult period with high maintenance costs and\n  increased depreciation charges.\n      The company is proposing to change its name at the next\n  annual meeting to <Rugby Group Plc>.\n      Rugby said it spent 27 mln stg on acquisitions in 1986. It\n  noted that its Western Australia hotels company had agreed to\n  sell the Parmelia hotel for 31.5 mln Australian dlrs, some\n  seven mln stg above end-1986 book value.\n      The results were largely in line with forecasts and Rugby\n  shares were little changed at 242p after 241 at Friday's close.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MANNESMANN BUYS INDIRECT MAJORITY STAKE IN SACHS\n","article":"  Mannesmann AG <MMWG.F> said it has\n  reached a series of agreements giving it an indirect majority\n  stake in the <Fichtel und Sachs AG> car parts group.\n      The takeover is contingent on approval from the Federal\n  Cartel Office in West Berlin, a spokesman said, adding that\n  Mannesmann was confident the authorities would not block the\n  purchase.\n      Mannesmann is buying 75 pct of <MEC Sachs\n  Vermoegensholding> which owns 37.5 pct of Sachs AG, which in\n  turn holds 96.5 pct of Fichtel und Sachs. The MEC shares will\n  be bought from the granddaughters of the firm's founder.\n      Mannesmann is also purchasing a 25.01 pct stake in Fichtel\n  und Sachs from Commerzbank AG <CBKG.F> and has an option to buy\n  the bank's remaining 10 pct stake, a company statement said.\n      In addition to these firm agreements, Mannesmann is also\n  talking with the state-owned steel group Salzgitter AG\n   <SALG.H> on buying its 24.98 pct stake in Fichtel und Sachs.\n   This would give Mannesmann around 75 pct of Fichtel und Sachs.\n      Salzgitter said it decided to give up its own original\n  plans to seek a majority stake in Sachs after holding talks\n  with the government in Bonn.\n      Earlier this month Mannesmann disclosed that it might want\n  a majority stake in Sachs after previously saying it was\n  seeking to buy only a minority holding in the company, which\n  has annual turnover of 2.2 billion marks and employs 17,000.\n      The acquisition is part of Mannesmann's efforts to\n  diversify into high-technology areas and away from its previous\n  reliance on steel and pipe-making. More\n      A spokesman for the Federal Statistics Office later said\n  the anti-cartel authorities would probably rule on the takeover\n  in the new few weeks.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SINGAPORE M-1 MONEY SUPPLY 2.7 PCT UP IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Singapore's M-1 money supply  rose\n  2.7 pct in January to 10.09 billion Singapore dlrs after a 3.7\n  pct increase in December, the Monetary Authority of Singapore\n  said.\n      Year on year, M-1 grew by 15.6 pct in January compared with\n  an 11.8 pct growth in December.\n      The January rise was largely seasonal, reflecting an\n  increase in currency in active circulation prior to the Lunar\n  New Year. Currency in active circulation rose to 5.42 billion\n  dlrs from 5.03 billion in December and 4.84 billion a year ago.\n      The demand deposit component of M-1 dropped in January by\n  4.67 billion dlrs from 4.79 billion in December and compared\n  with 3.89 billion in January, 1986.\n      Broadly-based M-2 money supply rose 1.1 pct to 31.30\n  billion dlrs in January, after a 1.6 pct rise in December,\n  bringing year on year growth to 12.1 pct in January against\n  10.0 pct in the previous month.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"B AND C REORGANISES COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS\n","article":"  British and Commonwealth Shipping Co Plc\n  <BCOM.L> said that it would reorganise its commercial and\n  service operations into a single public grouping with\n  autonomous management.\n      The group has expanded rapidly in the past year through the\n  672.5 mln stg acquisition of <Exco International Plc> and 90\n  mln bid for <Steel Brothers Holdings Plc>.\n      It noted that its operations were now divided between\n  financial services, including money broking, investment\n  management and forfaiting, and more traditional areas such as\n  aviation, hotels, commodity trading and office equipment.\n      It said that each sector had exciting prospects but\n  required different methods of management and financing.\n      B and C planned to form a new public company to hold the\n  commercial operations and envisaged it operating with a capital\n  of between 400 mln and 600 mln stg.\n      It has retained Barclays de Zoete Wedd to advise on the\n  introduction of independent investors to subscribe for\n  additional capital, and believes that the proportion of equity\n  capital held by outside investors would not exceed 20 pct of\n  the total.\n      The statement said that with the continued support of B and\n  C, together with outside capital, the new grouping would emerge\n  as a major group in its own right with the ability to take\n  advantages of opportunities as they arose. However, the group\n  would not seek a listing for the time being.\n      B and C also said that its chairman, Lord Cayzer, planned\n  to retire in June. The company proposed that he be appointed\n  life president and that current chief executive John Gunn\n  should take over as chairman.\n      B and C shares eased 11p to 459p at 1040 GMT.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN CONDUCTS CURRENCY SURVEY OF BIG INVESTORS\n","article":"  A Finance Ministry official said the\n  ministry has recently conducted a survey on foreign exchange\n  transactions by institutional investors but declined to say if\n  it was aimed at moderating their dollar sales.\n      However, financial market sources said they had heard the\n  ministry has asked life insurance and securities firms to\n  refrain from selling dollars, but they were unable to confirm\n  this directly.\n      Dealers said life insurance firms were not major sellers of\n  dollars in recent trading sessions because they had already\n  sold them to hedge risks.\n      Dealers said securities houses and trust banks on the other\n  hand have aggressively sold the dollar.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BP U.K. REFINERY DUE TO PARTLY RE-OPEN NEXT WEEK\n","article":"  The British Petroleum Co PLC (BP.L) oil\n  refinery at Grangemouth, closed after an explosion and fire\n  eight days ago, is expected to partially reopen next week, a\n  refinery spokesman said.\n      He said the entire 178,500 bpd refinery has been shut since\n  the accident which killed one person and damaged the site's\n  hydrocracker. The main units will resume operation next week\n  but the hydrocracker will be closed for an unspecified period.\n  The spokesman said the refinery had been operating at about\n  half its capacity since end-January due to overhaul work on\n  part of the complex. The overhaul is expected to end by late\n  April.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NO INTERVENTION, DOLLAR FIXED AT 1.8063 MARKS\n","article":"  The Bundesbank did not intervene as\n  the dollar was fixed lower at 1.8063 marks after 1.8231 on\n  Friday, dealers said.\n      Business calmed down after a hectic start, with European\n  operators sidelined because of uncertainty about the short-term\n  direction of the dollar, dealers said. \"At the moment, all the\n  action is taking place in New York and Tokyo,\" one said.\n      The U.S. Currency traded within a 145 basis point range in\n  Europe, touching a low of 1.7940 and a high of 1.8085 marks.\n  But it remained within a narrow 40 basis point span around\n  1.8050 marks after the first hour of European trading.\n      Comments by Japanese officials and Bank of Japan dollar\n  support had pushed it above 145 yen and 1.80 marks after\n  falling as low as 144.50 and 1.7860 respectively in Tokyo.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TOP QUALITIES SOUGHT ON HAMBURG COFFEE MARKET\n","article":"  The green coffee market saw some demand\n  for high quality coffees in the past week, but business was\n  described as generally unsatisfactory, trade sources said.\n      Especially sought were spot East African and Ethiopian and\n  some Brazils, they said, adding that some high grade robustas\n  also met some demand.\n      Sporadic business was noted in the second hand which\n  offered Kenya coffee for May\/June shipment up to 25 dlrs below\n  origin levels.\n      Roasters are said to be well covered and are not expected\n  to enter the market for larger purchases in the near term.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SINGAPORE BANK CREDIT RISES IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Total loans and advances extended by\n  banks in Singapore rose in January to 36.01 billion Singapore\n  dlrs from 35.79 billion in December but fell from 36.93 billion\n  a year ago, the Monetary Authority of Singapore said.\n      It said the increase was concentrated in loans to the\n  manufacturing and real estate sectors, while loans to the\n  commerce sector declined.\n      Deposits of non-bank customers also fell in January to\n  30.44 billion dlrs from 30.61 billion in December but rose from\n  28.33 billion in January, 1986.\n      Total assets and liabilities of banks rose to 77.60 billion\n  dlrs in January from 76.83 billion in the previous month and\n  69.45 billion a year ago.\n      Assets and liabilities of finance companies fell to 6.87\n  billion dlrs from 6.95 billion and compared with 6.85 billion,\n  respectively.\n      Loans extended by finance companies rose to 4.77 billion\n  dlrs from 4.74 billion in December and against 5.34 billion in\n  January last year, while deposits placed with them dropped to\n  4.68 billion against 4.89 and 4.79 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BANK OF ENGLAND DOES NOT OPERATE IN MONEY MARKET\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had not\n  operated in the money market during the morning session.\n      Earlier, the Bank revised its forecast of the liquidity\n  position to flat from its original estimate of a 100 mln stg\n  surplus.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ASIAN DOLLAR MARKET ASSETS FALL IN JANUARY\n","article":"  The gross size of the Asian dollar\n  market contracted to 197.2 billion U.S. Dlrs in January, down\n  3.4 billion dlrs from December, reflecting a decline in\n  interbank activity, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)\n  said in its latest monthly bulletin.\n      The assets stood at 151.7 billion dlrs in January last\n  year.\n      MAS said interbank lending fell in January to 140.9 billion\n  dlrs from 146.6 billion in December but rose from 102.0 billion\n  in january 1986 and interbank deposits to 154.0 billion against\n  159.4 and 117.1 billion, respectively.\n      Loans to non-bank customers increased to 40.1 billion dlrs\n  in January from 38.7 billion in December and 36.9 billion in\n  January, 1986.\n      Deposits of non-bank customers also increased in January to\n  34.9 billion from 33.8 billion a month ago and 27.7 billion a\n  year ago. REUTER\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"H.K. M3 MONEY SUPPLY RISES 1.4 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Hong Kong's broadly defined M-3 money\n  supply rose 1.4 pct in February to 615.59 billion H.K. Dlrs\n  from January when it rose 2.2 pct, the government said.\n      Total M3 rose 22.4 pct from February, 1984. Local currency\n  M3 rose 0.6 pct to 282.11 billion dlrs from January, and 16.8\n  pct on the year.\n      Total M2 rose 2.0 pct to 545.71 billion dlrs in February\n  from January, when it increased by 3.3 pct.\n      Local currency M2 rose 1.0 pct to 251.49 billion dlrs last\n  month after it rose 4.7 pct in January. Total M2 and local M2\n  rose 32.0 pct and 24.9 pct respectively from February, 1984.\n      Total M1 fell 5.3 pct to 59.52 billion dlrs in February\n  after a 12 pct rise in the previous month. Local M1 dropped 6.0\n  pct to  54.47 billion dlrs after January's rise of 12.3 pct.\n      Year on year growth in total M1 and local M1 was 26.3 pct\n  and 27.6 pct, respectively.\n      Total loans and advances rose 1.3 pct to 523.74 billion\n  dlrs from January, when they were up 3.3 pct. However, loans\n  for financing Hong Kong's visible trade fell 1.3 pct to 36.23\n  billion dlrs after a 3.4 pct rise in the previous month.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ALGERIA SETS TENDER FOR RAPE\/SUNFLOWERSEED OIL\n","article":"  Algeria will tender on April 3 for\n  20,000 tonnes of optional origin sunflowerseed oil\/rapeseed oil\n  for Apr\/May loading, traders said.\n      Meanwhile, the market is awaiting results of an Algerian\n  import tender which took place over the weekend for about\n  10,000 tonnes of refined vegetable oils in drums, traders\n  added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ITALY'S BNL NEGOTIATING PURCHASE OF GERMAN BANK\n","article":"  Italy's state-owned <Banca Nazionale Del\n  Lavoro-BNL> said it is negotiating to buy a West German bank as\n  part of its foreign expansion policy.\n      BNL president Nerio Nesi told a news conference the Italian\n  bank was currently involved in talks but declined to name the\n  German institution.\n      He said the takeover move could be seen as BNL's reply to\n  Deutsche Bank AG <DBKG.F>, which entered the Italian market in\n  December 1986, with the purchase of BankAmerica <BACN>\n  subsidiary <Banca D'America e D'Italia>.\n      Nesi said BNL had also approved a 200 mln dlr credit line\n  to the Soviet Union aimed at enabling Soviet companies to pay\n  for Italian imports. He gave no further details.\n      BNL officials said the group had also decided to increase\n  its activities in the Soviet Union by opening a representative\n  office in Moscow this month through its subsidiary <Sogecred>,\n  which specialises in Italian-Soviet trade.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COCOA DEAL SEEN POSITIVE, BUT NO PRICE GUARANTEE\n","article":"  The buffer stock rules agreement reached\n  on Friday by the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) is an\n  improvement on previous arrangements but the price-support\n  mechanism is unlikely to do more than stem the decline in cocoa\n  prices, many ICCO delegates and trade sources said.\n      The accord was reached between producers and consumers of\n  the 35-member ICCO council after two weeks of talks.\n      European chocolate manufacturers and delegates said the\n  accord may boost cocoa prices immediately, but world surpluses\n  overhanging the market will pull prices down again before long.\n      \"If the buffer stock operation is successful, I doubt it\n  will do anything more than stop the price from falling further,\n  and it will have no relevance at all to retail chocolate\n  prices,\" a European dealer said.\n      And if the buffer stock manager delays too long in buying,\n  or is not seen to be using his purchasing power when the market\n  is relying on him to do so, the bearish trade reaction could\n  pressure prices dramatically, dealers said.\n      The buffer stock is the market-regulating tool of the ICCO,\n  into which cocoa can be bought or from which it can be sold to\n  manoeuvre prices into a pre-set stabilization range.\n      A new cocoa agreement came into force in January but\n  delegates could not agree buffer stock rules at that time.\n      The new rules take effect immediately. The buffer stock\n  manager is expected to begin buying cocoa within the next three\n  weeks, after organizing communications with cocoa producing\n  countries and assessing the market, since prices are below the\n  \"must-buy\" level of 1,600 Special Drawing Rights per tonne\n  specified in the agreement, the sources said.\n      The buffer stock theoretically has funds to buy a maximum\n  100,000 tonnes within a five week period, but its approach will\n  be more cautious, buffer stock manager Juergen Plambeck said.\n      The buffer stock has around 250 mln dlrs in funds and a\n  buying limit of 250,000 tonnes of cocoa, 100,000 tonnes of\n  which are already in the buffer stock.\n      ICCO council chairman and Ivorian Agriculture Minister\n  Denis Bra Kanon said the new rules have a good chance of\n  stabilizing prices. Ivory Coast is the world's largest cocoa\n  producer.\n      \"We have established rules which will permit us to withdraw\n  immediately the surplus of cocoa on the world market,\" Bra Kanon\n  told reporters after the council adjourned. Bra Kanon reckoned\n  the world cocoa surplus could be less than half the 94,000\n  tonnes estimated by the ICCO statistics committee.\n      However, some producer and consumer members emerged from\n  the final ICCO council meeting with reservations about the\n  pact.\n      Ghana, whose high-quality cocoa is the world's most\n  expensive and provides 60 pct of the country's export earnings,\n  made a formal protest to the council about the price\n  differentials assigned to its cocoa, saying they were too high\n  for Ghanaian cocoa to be bought for the buffer stock.\n      According to consumer spokesman Peter Baron of West\n  Germany, \"Consumers weren't perfectly happy with the buffer\n  stock rules. We reached a very sensitive compromise...There\n  were no real winners or losers.\"\n      Some European Community delegates were not satisfied that\n  important points were fully discussed during the talks, and as\n  a result, doubted the rules can deal with world surpluses as\n  effectively as they could have, delegates said.\n      Under the new rules, the buffer stock manager would seek\n  offers of different origin cocoas, using price differentials to\n  reflect different qualities. Non-ICCO member cocoa can comprise\n  up to 15 pct of the total buffer stock.\n      London cocoa prices traded today around 1,300 stg per\n  tonne, down from around 1,450 stg in January 1987 and 1,750 stg\n  in January 1986.\n      A cocoa withholding scheme can take a further 120,000\n  tonnes of cocoa off the market if a special council session\n  decides market conditions warrant it, according to the\n  agreement.\n      The withholding scheme can only be used if prices fall\n  below the 1,600 SDR lower intervention price for more than five\n  days and if 80 pct of the maximum buffer stock capacity has\n  been filled, or if the buffer stock runs low on funds, it says.\n      The ICCO will discuss withholding scheme rules at an\n  executive committee meeting on June 9\/12, ICCO officials said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"G-6 WANTS TO HOLD DLR ABOVE 150 YEN - NAKASONE\n","article":"  Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone said\n  that Japan and other industrialized nations committed\n  themselves in Paris last month to stabilize the dollar above\n  150 yen.\n      He told a Lower House Budget Committee in Parliament that\n  the six nations have taken measures, including market\n  intervention, to support the dollar above that level.\n      Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa told the same committee\n  that the six - Britain, Canada, France, Japan, the U.S. And\n  West Germany - had intervened aggressively since the dollar\n  fell below 150 yen.\n      Miyazawa said major nations are trying hard to stabilize\n  exchange rates.\n      Asked if there had been any change in the fundamentals of\n  each nation since the February 22 Paris accord, he said he did\n  not think the fundamentals themselves had changed\n  substantially.\n      But he said the market is sensitively looking at what is\n  happening in major nations. He did not elaborate.\n      Miyazawa added that it was difficult to say why there has\n  been such speculative dollar selling in the market.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MIYAZAWA EXPECTS DOLLAR REBOUND SOON - SPOKESMAN\n","article":"  Japanese Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa\n  expects the dollar to rebound soon, a Ministry spokesman said.\n      He quoted Miyazawa as telling Japanese reporters that major\n  industrial nations are aggressively intervening in currency\n  markets worldwide to prevent a dollar free-fall.\n      The minister believes that market forces will push the\n  dollar back up from its record low of 144.70 yen today,\n  according to the spokesman.\n      Miyazawa told the Japanese reporters the U.S. Unit fell\n  because Japanese investors sold dollars to hedge currency risks\n  before the close of the 1986\/87 fiscal year on March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NAKASONE SOUNDS CONCILIATORY NOTE IN CHIP DISPUTE\n","article":"  Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone sounded\n  a conciliatory note in Japan's increasingly bitter row with the\n  United States over trade in computer microchips.\n      \"Japan wants to resolve the issue through consultations by\n  explaining its stance thoroughly and correcting the points that\n  need to be corrected,\" he was quoted by Kyodo News Service as\n  saying.\n      While expressing regret over America's decision to impose\n  tariffs on imports of Japanese electrical goods, Nakasone said\n  Tokyo was willing to send a high-level official to Washington\n  to help settle the dispute.\n      Government officials said Japan would make a formal request\n  next week for emergency talks and that the two sides would\n  probably meet the week after, just days before the April 17\n  deadline set by Washington for the tariffs to take effect.\n      Tokyo is expected to propose a joint U.S.\/Japan\n  investigation of American claims that Japanese companies are\n  dumping cut-price chips in Asian markets.\n      On Friday, Washington announced plans to put as much as 300\n  mln dlrs in tariffs on imports of certain Japanese electronic\n  goods in retaliation for what it sees as Tokyo's failure to\n  live up to their bilateral chip pact.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMYLUM CHAIRMAN DISAPPOINTED BY FERRUZZI-CPC DEAL\n","article":"  Belgian starch manufacturer <Amylum NV>\n  is surprised and disappointed that its 675 mln dlr offer for\n  the European business of CPC International Inc <CPC.N> was\n  apparently rejected in favour of a lower 630 mln dlr bid by\n  Italy's <Gruppo Ferruzzi>, chairman Pierre Callebaut said.\n      Callebaut told Reuters that Amylum, a leading starch and\n  isoglucose manufacturer in which Britain's Tate and Lyle Plc\n  <TATL.L> holds a 33.3 pct stake, had made an undisclosed\n  initial takeover offer for CPC's European corn wet milling\n  business by the close of CPC's tender on March 17.\n      The offer was raised on March 24 to a final 675 mln dlrs in\n  cash after CPC told Amylum its initial bid was below Ferruzzi's\n  630 mln stg offer, Callebaut said.\n      On the same day, CPC announced it had agreed in principle\n  to sell its European business to Ferruzzi in a 630 mln dlr\n  deal.\n      Noting that Ferruzzi was studying a public offering of\n  shares in its unit <European Sugar (France)> to fund the CPC\n  takeover, Callebaut said Amylum may still succeed in its bid.\n      \"For the time being we just await developments. But I note\n  that whereas our higher offer was in cash, Ferruzzi apparently\n  is still organising finance,\" Callebaut said.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"SUMITA SAYS HE DOES NOT EXPECT FURTHER DOLLAR FALL\n","article":"  Bank of Japan governor Satoshi Sumita\n  said he does not expect the dollar to remain unstable and fall\n  further.\n      He told a Lower House Budget Committee in Parliament that\n  the Bank of Japan would continue to cooperate closely with\n  other major nations to stabilize exchange rates.\n      The central bank has been keeping extremely careful watch\n  on exchange rate movements since last week, he said.\n      He said the dollar would not continue to fall because of\n  underlying market concern about the rapid rise of the yen.\n      Sumita said the currency market has been reacting to\n  overseas statements and to trade tension between Japan and the\n  U.S. over semiconductors.\n      The yen's tendency to rise will prevent Japan from\n  expanding domestic demand and undertaking necessary economic\n  restructuring, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"THREE KILLED IN SOUTH AFRICA ZINC REFINERY CLASH\n","article":"  Three black workers were killed and\n  seven injured in fighting at a South African zinc refinery last\n  night, Gold Fields of South Africa Ltd said.\n      The company said two groups of workers began attacking each\n  other at about 1000 local time with machetes, knives and sticks\n  at a hostel at the Zincor plant, some 40 kms east of\n  Johannesburg.\n      It said the fighting was \"quelled\" after 25 minutes by its\n  own security staff. Police were called but the fighting had\n  ended by the time they arrived.\n      A company spokesman said he had no idea of the cause of the\n  fighting. An investigation was underway, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DLR FALLS ON FEARS, MIYAZAWA SAYS\n","article":"  Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa said\n  that the dollar's drop today to 145 yen is partly attributable\n  to the perception inside and outside Japan that the country has\n  failed to fulfill its promise to expand domestic demand.\n      He told a Lower House budget committee in Parliament that\n  it was natural for other nations to think that Japan is not\n  doing enough because of the delay in the passage of the 1987\/88\n  budget.\n      The budget has been delayed by opposition boycotts of\n  Parliament to protest government plans for a new sales tax.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN ISOLATED, YEN RISES, WORLD FEELS CHEATED\n","article":"  Japan is becoming dangerously isolated\n  again as the U.S. And Europe feel they have been cheated by\n  Japanese promises to switch from export to domestic-led growth,\n  officials and businessmen from around the world said.\n      As the dollar today slipped to a record low below 145 yen,\n  making Japanese exporters and holders of dollar investments\n  grit their teeth harder, Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa said\n  there was a perception Japan had reneged on its promise.\n      The problem goes deep and centres on misunderstandings by\n  both sides over the key Maekawa report of April, last year.\n      The document was prepared by a private committee formed by\n  Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone and led by former Bank of\n  Japan head Haruo Maekawa. It recommended that to stop friction\n  due to its large trade surpluses, Japan must \"make a historical\n  transformation in its traditional policies on economic\n  management and the nation's lifestyle. There can be no further\n  development for Japan without this transformation.\"\n      Americans and Europeans took the report to heart and have\n  looked in vain for clear signs of this historic change. But the\n  Japanese remain doubtful about the short, or even medium term\n  prospects of totally transforming their economic habits.\n      The bubble of frustration against what appears as Japanese\n  prevarication burst last week. The U.S. Said it intended to\n  raise tariffs of as much as 300 mln dlrs on Japanese exports to\n  the U.S. On the grounds Japan had abrogated a bilateral\n  semiconductor pact.\n      British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher threatened to\n  block Japanese financial firms from London after the Japanese\n  placed what the British say are restrictive conditions on a bid\n  by British firm Cable and Wireless to join a domestic\n  telecommunications joint venture.\n      On Friday, European currency dealers said European central\n  banks, annoyed at restrictive Japanese trade practises, might\n  leave Japan alone to intervene to staunch the rise of the yen.\n      Eishiro Saito, head of top Japanese business group\n  Keidanren, spotted the dangers inherent in such contradictory\n  views last November when he visited the European Community.\n  \"Related to this matter of (trade) imbalance, the point that I\n  found to be of great cause for alarm during this trip to Europe\n  was the excessive degree of hope placed by the Europeans in the\n  results of the Maekawa report,\" he said.\n      \"We explained that the process of restructuring the economy\n  away from its dependence on exports toward a balance between\n  domestic and external demand...Would take time,\" Saito said.\n      Saito's words were ignored. In February, EC Industrial\n  Policy Director Heinrich von Moltke came to Japan and said \"I\n  only know that your government, under the leadership of\n  Maekawa, points to restructuring your economy into a less\n  outward looking, more inward looking one. It is the Maekawa\n  report which has attracted the most attention in Europe.\"\n      And Europeans and Americans want quick action. \"A far better\n  answer than protectionism would be structural change within the\n  Japanese economy, the kind suggested by the Maekawa report. And\n  we hope to see changes occur in the near future,\" visiting\n  Chairman of General Motors Roger Smith said in March.\n      Such expectations are now ingrained, which was partly the\n  fault of Nakasone, who heralded Maekawa's report as a sea of\n  change in Japanese affairs, said U.S. Officials.\n      Months before the report was issued, U.S. And EC business\n  leaders met their Japanese colleagues to discuss the trade\n  problem.\n      \"We are more anxious than ever that the new approach of the\n  Maekawa committee does lead to speedy and effective action,\"\n  said EC Industrial Union leader Lord Ray Pennock.\n      \"The important implication of the Maekawa report is that it\n  is finally looking to let Japanese enjoy the fruits of their\n  labour,\" said Philip Caldwell, Senior Managing Director of\n  Shearson Lehman Brothers.\n      Contents of the report were leaded well ahead of issuance.\n      Japanese officials say they are implementing the report as\n  fast as they can, said a European ambassador who has travelled\n  the country asking about this issue.\n      He said People mentioned many things in line with the\n  spirit of the report, including restructuring of the coal and\n  steel industries.\n      A major misunderstanding is that the private report was\n  government policy. Europeans are confused about this,\n  underlined by von Moltke's reference to the \"leadership\" of the\n  Maekawa report. Even so, Japanese officials point to last\n  September's government programme of new economic measures.\n  \"Without endorsing the report as policy, officials point out\n  that the government has put its signature to a programme\n  designed to implement the report,\" the ambassador said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PHILADELPHIA EXCHANGE TO EXTEND HOURS FOR ASIA\n","article":"  The Philadelphia Stock Exchange (PHLX),\n  a leading trader of currency options, plans to extend its\n  trading hours to serve Australasian and Far Eastern markets,\n  exchange president Nicholas Giordano said.\n      He told reporters the PHLX will open a new session between\n  1900 and 2300 hours U.S. EST from the beginning of the third\n  quarter this year.\n      The PHLX is also opening an office in Hong Kong to serve\n  clients in the region and educate financial markets about the\n  advantages of currency options, Giordano said.\n      Giordano was in Sydney to start an Asian-Pacific tour by\n  exchange executives promoting the hedging benefits of the\n  exchange-trade currency option market against existing\n  over-the-counter option trading during the local working day.\n      Currency options pioneered by the PHLX in 1982 had become\n  an accepted means of hedging against foreign exchange risk and\n  had grown in popularity, he said.\n      The PHLX now offered options in eight currencies, including\n  a new Australian dollar option, and traded an average 42,000\n  contracts daily with underlying open interest of more than 30\n  billion U.S. Dlrs.\n      Giordano said the exchange had been impressed with the\n  performance of its Australian dollar contract, which since its\n  introduction last year had regularly topped the French franc as\n  the third most popular traded option, with up to 8,000\n  contracts traded daily.\n      Having the Philadelphia exchange open during the\n  Asia-Pacific market day would open new hedging opportunities,\n  set a truer level for over-the-counter option trading, increase\n  arbitraging opportunities and give corporations and treasuries\n  access to a currency option market of much greater depth and\n  liquidity with the security of a clearing house, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JAPAN CAREFULLY CONSIDERING MONEY POLICY - SUMITA\n","article":"  Bank of Japan governor Satoshi Sumita\n  said the central bank will carefully consider its monetary\n  policy in light of the recent sharp fall of the dollar.\n      Asked if the Bank of Japan will consider a further cut in\n  its discount rate, he said he now thinks the bank will have to\n  carefully consider its future money policy.\n      He told a Lower House Budget Committee in Parliament that\n  credit conditions have been eased by the five discount rate\n  cuts by Japan since the beginning of last year.\n      Japan must now be especially careful about a flare-up in\n  inflation, with money supply growth accelerating, he said.\n      Sumita said the central bank would continue to make a\n  judgement on monetary policies while watching consumer prices,\n  exchange rates and economic and financial conditions both in\n  and outside Japan.\n      Asked if the September 1985 Plaza agreement was a failure\n  because the dollar had fallen too far, Sumita said he still\n  thought the pact was a good one in the sense that it had\n  corrected the overvaluation of the dollar. But the Plaza accord\n  did not set any target for the dollar's fall, he said.\n      The dollar's steep fall stems from the market's belief that\n  the trade imbalance will continue to expand, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TOKYO BIDS TO STOP CHIP ROW BECOMING TRADE WAR\n","article":"  Japan is seeking to prevent its computer\n  chips dispute with the U.S. From erupting into a full-scale\n  trade war, government officials said.\n      \"We hope that the dispute on this specific issue won't have\n  an adverse effect on our overall relationship with the United\n  States,\" a Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI)\n  official said.\n       On Friday, Washington announced plans for as much as 300\n  mln dlrs in tariffs on Japanese electronic goods for Tokyo's\n  alleged failure to live up to a bilateral computer chip pact.\n      That agreement, reached last year after heated\n  negotiations, called on Japan to stop selling cut-price chips\n  in world markets and to buy more American-made semiconductors.\n      Foreign Ministry officials immediately tried to isolate the\n  fall-out from the dispute by seeking to separate it from Prime\n  Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone's planned trip to Washington at the\n  end of April.\n      While Japan has already done about all it can to make sure\n  the chip pact is working, the government is studying measures\n  it can take in other fields to defuse American anger and ensure\n  the trip's success, they said.\n      \"The perception of Japan in the (U.S.) Congress is very bad,\"\n  one official told Reuters. \"We would very much like to do\n  something to respond to that.\"\n      In an apparent effort to prevent the chip dispute from\n  spreading to other areas, MITI officials sought to depict the\n  U.S. Action as a severe warning to Japanese semiconductor\n  makers, not to the government.\n      Faced with a belligerent domestic chip industry and an\n  angry American Congress, the Japanese government has been\n  forced to walk an increasingly fine line in the semiconductor\n  dispute, trade analysts said.\n      They said that it was an open secret that Japan's largest\n  chip maker, NEC Corp, was not happy with what it viewed as the\n  draconian measures MITI was taking to implement the pact,\n  included enforced production cuts.\n      The angry response of Japanese chip makers yesterday to the\n  announcement of the U.S. Tariffs highlighted the difficulties\n  the government faces in taking further action.\n      \"Japanese semiconductor manufacturers have complied with the\n  U.S.\/Japan agreement,\" said Shoichi Saba, Chairman of the\n  Electronic Industries Association of Japan.\n      He accused the U.S. of being \"irrational.\" He said the U.S.\n  action had made the bilateral chip pact \"meaningless.\"\n      Saba's comments contrasted with those of Prime Minister\n  Yasuhiro Nakasone, who said Tokyo wanted to solve the dispute\n  through consultations.\n      Japan is expected to send a high-level official to\n  Washington early next month to try to convince the U.S. Not to\n  go ahead with the tariffs on April 17.\n      Trade analysts say Tokyo is likely to outline industry\n  plans to step up purchases of U.S. chips and to propose a joint\n  investigation into U.S. allegations of chip dumping.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED EXPECTED TO ADD TEMPORARY RESERVES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve is expected to\n  enter the U.S. Government securities market to add temporary\n  reserves, economists said.\n      They expect it to supply the reserves indirectly by\n  arranging 1.5 to two billion dlrs of customer repurchase\n  agreements. The Fed may add the reserves directly instead via\n  System repurchases.\n      Federal funds, which averaged 6.18 pct yesterday, opened at\n  6-3\/16 pct and stayed there in early trading. Analysts said the\n  rate is under upward pressure partly from settlement of 8.25\n  billion dlrs of five-year Treasury notes.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. APPEARS TO TOLERATE FURTHER DLR DECLINE\n","article":"  In a bid to hasten Japan's promise\n  to speed up its economic growth and open markets to foreign\n  trade, top U.S. officials appear once again to have signaled\n  their tolerance of a lower dollar.\n      Treasury Secretary James Baker and one of his top aides,\n  Assistant Secretary David Mulford, said last week there was no\n  target for the dollar, a statement that sent the yen soaring\n  against the dollar, despite massive central bank intervention.\n      \"That was no slip of the tongue,\" said one western monetary\n  official, who asked not to be identified.\n      For now, the strategy appears to be working. Japanese\n  officials said late last week a package to bolster domestic\n  demand will be ready in early April. Until last week, there\n  were few indications the package would be ready anytime soon.\n      The Reagan administration, facing an uproar in Congress\n  over the apparent lack of progress in cutting the 169.8 billion\n  dlr trade deficit, is learning now that to extract results from\n  Japan, dramatic action is required.\n      Last week the White House imposed unprecedented tariffs on\n  certain Japanese electronic goods after Tokyo failed to adhere\n  to a semi-conductor pricing accord between the two countries.\n      The shift in U.S. strategy, in part designed to appease\n  mounting Congressional anger over Japanese policies, comes just\n  two weeks before industrial nations reconvene here to review\n  the Paris agreement to stabilize currencies.\n      And news that Japan earned a record 18 billion dlr trade\n  surplus in the first two months this year just underscored the\n  need for urgent action, in the view of U.S. officials.\n      Nonetheless, U.S. officials see signs of improvement in the\n  deficit. \"I'd be stunned if we were not going to derive some\n  benefits (from the lower dollar) soon,\" said one.\n      In Paris, leading industrial nations agreed to cooperate\n  closely to foster currency stability within ranges reflecting\n  \"underlying economic fundamentals\" or economic reality.\n      The agreement envisages those fundamentals to include Japan\n  and West Germany stimulating their economies and the United\n  States cutting its budget deficit.\n      The three nations, joined by France, Britain and Canada,\n  agree these policies are essential to redress huge global trade\n  imbalances.\n      But analysts say markets have signalled the underlying\n  fundamentals imply a lower dollar, rather than a stable one.\n      Markets, in effect, are less confident than governments\n  that these measures -- including U.S. budget deficit cuts\n  agreed by Congress and the White House --will be carried out.\n      Nonetheless, the dollar's sharp fall has not undermined \n  cooperation. A U.S. economic policymaker said the accord was on\n  track and Tokyo and Bonn seem \"to want more stimulative measures\n  which is what the Paris accord calls for.\"\n      International monetary sources said exchange market\n  developments generally have not unsettled policymakers,\n  although Japan is an obvious exception. \"Everybody feels it can\n  still be managed,\" one source said of market developments.\n      But last week, the Bank of Japan spent an estimated five\n  billion dlrs intervening to halt the rise in the yen, and other\n  central banks about one billion dlrs.\n      Another monetary source said Japan was upset with America's\n  half-hearted attempt to halt the falling dollar, flouting the\n  Paris accord outright.\n      The source, close to the top levels of Japanese economic\n  policymaking, said Japan's understanding of the accord was that\n  the yen would be kept at around 154 to the dollar, the level it\n  stood at when the accord was struck.\n      The source said Tokyo was extremely worried by Washington's\n  use of the exchange rate to change Japanese policies. It was a\n  \"pointed reminder\" to Japan to do something about the trade\n  issues, the source said of the dollar's fall against the yen.\n      By departing last Sunday from the language of the Paris\n  accord -- that nations agreed to foster currency stability\n  around current levels -- Baker triggered a run on the dollar.\n      Later in the week, Mulford too said there was no target for\n  the dollar and called on Japan and West Germany to live up to\n  their international responsibilities and stimulate growth.\n      But U.S. officials said recent market developments will not\n  unravel the spirit of the Paris agreement.\n      \"There's a realisation now that you cannot leave things\n  alone, everyone agrees that the external (trade) imbalances\n  ought to be adjusted,\" one official said.\n      \"While no-one is going to cede national sovereignty, we\n  certainly seem to be moving towards much closer co-operation,\"\n  another U.S. official said.\n      The officials said the meeting here, where the six will be\n  joined by Italy, will be a status report.\n      \"Japan will have to explain what the state of their program\n  is and Germany will report on its plans. Maybe there's a need\n  to move faster,\" one source said.\n      Mulford told Congress last week the Paris accord called, in\n  effect, for currency stability for several months. This would\n  buy time for Japan and West Germany to speed up their economic\n  growth and help bring down the U.S. trade deficit.\n      His comments appeared to serve notice on other major\n  nations that Washington cannot wait too long for action to\n  reduce the gap between the Japanese and German trade surpluses\n  and the U.S. trade deficit.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BALDRIGE PREDICTS END OF U.S.-JAPAN TRADE DISPUTE\n","article":"  The United States and Japan will\n  soon settle their trade dispute over semiconductors, U.S.\n  Commerce secretary Malcolm Baldrige said on television.\n      Baldrige, referring to the U.S.-Japan trade agreement on\n  semiconductors, said: \"Their government wants to live up to it.\n  Their industries haven't been doing it, and I think we'll have\n  a good settlement to spare both sides.\"\n      \"I think the Japanese understand full well that they haven't\n  lived up to this commitment,\" he said.\n      He added: \"I do not think there will be a trade war at all.\"\n      On Friday, Washington announced plans to put as much as 300\n  mln dlrs in tariffs on Japanese electronic goods from April 17,\n  because of Tokyo's failure to observe the agreement.\n      The officials said the tariffs would be ended as soon as\n  Japan started adhering to the agreement. But they said there\n  was little chance Japan could react quickly enough to avert the\n  higher tariffs.\n      Baldrige said the Reagan administration hoped the strong\n  U.S. Action against Japan would convince Congress to tone down\n  protectionist trade legislation now being drafted.\n      He denied the action had been taken for that reason.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. BANKER PREDICTS FURTHER DOLLAR FALL THIS YEAR\n","article":"  A leading U.S. Banker said the dollar\n  was likely to fall another five to 10 pct this year and an\n  improvement in the huge American trade deficit would be only\n  temporary at current world exchange rate levels.\n      Kurt Viermetz, worldwide treasurer of Morgan Guaranty Trust\n  Co, told Arab currency traders meeting here that the steady\n  depreciation of the dollar had not gone far enough to rein in\n  U.S. deficits on a lasting basis.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INVESTOR GROUP PUTS PRESSURE ON GENCORP <GY>\n","article":"  An investor partnership, seeking to\n  acquire GenCorp Inc, said it would attempt to unseat the\n  company's board of directors and take other hostile actions if\n  the firm refuses to discuss its 2.3 billion dlr takeover bid.\n      General Acquisition Co, comprising investors Wagner and\n  Brown and glass-maker AFG Industries, also reiterated its\n  willingness to negotiate with Gencorp.\n      The partnership has earlier offered 100 dlrs per share for\n  GenCorp -- a tire, broadcasting, plastics and aerospace\n  conglommerate.\n      Analysts have speculated that GenCorp, on a break-up basis,\n  could fetch more than 110 to 120 dlrs per share.\n      GenCorp officials had no comment on General Acquisition's\n  statement but a spokesman reiterated an earlier request to\n  shareholders to wait until its board renders an opinion before\n  making a decision on the General Acquisition tender.\n      Gencorp said its statement would be made on or before the\n  company's annual meeting, scheduled for Tuesday.\n      General Acquisition made its statement in a letter sent to\n  the GenCorp board on Friday.\n      The partnership said it was willing to negotiate all points\n  of its offer, including price.\n      The group the board cannot fully carry out its fiduciary\n  duties to GenCorp shareholders and make a fully informed\n  decision about its offer until it has \"thoroughly explored with\n  us the ways in which our offer can be revised to provide\n  greater value to your shareholders.\"\n      General Acquisition said it is aware the board may be\n  reviewing alternative transactions which might provide GenCorp\n  shareholders with a payment other than cash.\n      \"If that is the case, you should recognize that our\n  additional equity capital may very well enable us to offer cash\n  and securities having greater value than GenCorp could provide\n  in any similarly structured transaction,\" the partnership said.\n      General Acquisition also said it believes that GenCorp's\n  board has an obligation to present any alternative transaction\n  it may propose to shareholders in a manner that would allow for\n  competing offers.\n      The partnership requested that if any other proposal is\n  under consideration that it be given the same information\n  available to GenCorp's managers and advisers in constructing a\n  proposal.\n       General Acquisition said that if GenCorp agrees to accept\n  another buyout proposal that it also be given an opportunity to\n  bid on a competitive and fair basis before any final decision\n  is made.\n      General Acquisition repeated its request that GenCorp\n  remove its \"poison pill\" or shareholders rights plan.\n      General Acquisition said if GenCorp does not allow an\n  \"environment for fair competition,\" it will take all steps\n  necessary to create such an enviroment.\n      It said it may take legal action or seek the support of\n  shareholders in calling a special meeting to replace the board\n  and to consider other proposals it might develop.\n      General Acquisition also said if the board decides to\n  accept an alternate proposal it asked that it not accept a plan\n  that would include defensive features.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNITED BANKS COLORADO <UBKS> ACQUISITION CLEARED\n","article":"  United Banks of Colorado Inc said it has\n  received Federal Reserve Board approval to acquire IntraWest\n  Financial Corp <INTW> in an exhcnmage of 0.7234 United share\n  for each IntraWest share.\n      The company said the acquisition is still subject to 30-day\n  review by the U.S. Justice Department and is expected to be\n  completed in the second quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUFFIELD'S <SSBK> COASTAL <CSBK> BUY CLEARED\n","article":"  Suffield Financial Corp said it\n  has received approvcal from the Maine Bureau of Banking for its\n  proposed acquisition of Coastal Bancorp of Portland, Maine, and\n  the acquisition is expected to close around April One.\n      The approval was the last regulatory clearance required for\n  the transaction.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MARKETING SYSTEMS <MASY> SEEKS ACQUISITIONS\n","article":"  Marketing Systems of America Inc\n  said it has retained Richter, Cohen and Co to assist in efforts\n  to redirect its business through merger or acquisition.\n      The company said as consideration for services to be\n  renedered, it has agreed to grant Richter five-year warrants to\n  buy 231,000 common shares at 32 cts each, exercisable starting\n  in March 1988, and a negotiated fee on completion of any\n  transaction.  It said it has the right to cancel the warrants\n  after one year if no transaction has been completed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC INDUSTRY OUTPUT GROWTH SLOWS IN 1986\n","article":"  European Community industrial output\n  increased by an average of around two pct last year, compared\n  with 3.3 pct growth recorded in 1985 against a year earlier,\n  the EC statistics office Eurostat said.\n      Growth was highest in Portugal at five pct, while in Greece\n  output contracted by 0.3 pct, Eurostat said in a statement.\n      Eurostat noted output growth also fell in the U.S. And\n  Japan. U.S. Production increased 1.1 pct after 2.0 pct in 1985,\n  while in Japan output contracted by 0.5 pct after rising 4.5\n  pct a year earlier.\n      Eurostat said EC industrial production in December rose 3.1\n  pct compared with 12 months earlier but added that after\n  adjustment for seasonal factors, output growth had been clearly\n  slowing down since the beginning of the summe\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ORACLE SYSTEMS <ORCL> FILES FOR OFFERING\n","article":"  Oracle Systems Corp said it has\n  filed for an offering of 2,300,000 common shares, after\n  adjustment for a recent two-for-one stock split, including\n  800,000 to be sold by shareholders.\n      The company said lead underwriters are Alex. Brown and Sons\n  Inc <ABSB> and <Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette Securities\n  Corp>.  The offering is expected to be made in early April,\n  with company proceeds used to repay all short-term debt, for\n  working capital and for possible acquisitions.\n      Oracle said after the offering it will have about 28.5 mln\n  shares outstanding.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SKANSKA TO TAKE STAKE IN CANADIAN FIRM\n","article":"  Swedish construction and real estate\n  company Skanska AB <skbs.St.> said it will sell its 49 pct\n  holding in Canadian building firm <Canadian Foundation Company\n  Ltd> to rival <Banister Continental Ltd>.\n      A company spokeswoman told Reuters Skanska will receive\n  Banister shares as payment, giving the Swedish group 15 pct of\n  the stock in the expanded Banister firm.\n      She said Skanska will also be appointing two board members\n  to the Canadian company.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 129 MLN STG ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had provided\n  the money market with assistance worth 129 mln stg in the\n  afternoon session. This compares with the Bank's forecast of a\n  shortage in the system today of around 100 mln stg.\n      The central bank purchased 129 mln stg bank bills in band\n  one at 9-7\/8 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GREECE SCRAPS U.S. BASE CLOSURE REQUEST\n","article":"  Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou has\n  withdrawn a request to Washington to suspend operations at an\n  American army base near Athens as a Greek-Turkish row over oil\n  rights in the Aegean eased.\n      A Turkish research ship which Greece had threatened to\n  tackle if it sailed into disputed waters in the Aegean Sea kept\n  to Turkish territorial waters yesterday, avoiding a potential\n  clash.\n      Papandreou expressed qualified optimism after briefing\n  opposition leaders on Aegean developments early yesterday.\n      The Greek government later withdrew Friday's request to\n  Washington to close down its telecommunications base at Nea\n  Makri, north of Athens, saying that the reasons which had\n  prompted it to make the request were no longer valid.\n      Under the terms of the U.S.-Greek bases accord, Greece has\n  the right to ask for suspension of operations at times when its\n  national interests are threatened.\n      The row in the Aegean erupted after Turkey said it would\n  search for oil round three Greek islands off its coast\n  following an announcement from Greece that it planned to drill\n  east of Thassos island after taking control of a Canadian-led\n  oil consortium operating in the northern Aegean.\n      Turkey accused Greece of breaching the 1976 Berne Agreement\n  under which both sides agreed to preserve the status quo in the\n  Aegean until their continental shelf dispute was settled.\n  Athens says it considers the accord inactive.\n      The Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement it had\n  received an assurance from Greece that it would not carry out\n  oil activities outside its territorial waters. Greece declined\n  comment on the statement.\n      Papandreou repeated an invitation to Turkey to take the\n  long-standing continental shelf dispute to the International\n  Court of Justice at The Hague.\n      Conservative opposition leader Constantine Mitsotakis said\n  he had urged Papandreou to accept an offer from NATO General\n  Secretary Lord Carrington to help resolve the row.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MERIDIAN BANCORP INC <MRDN> SETS REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 25 cts vs 25 cts prior\n      Pay April one\n      Record March 15\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LSB INDUSTRIES INC <LSB> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit five cts vs loss 2.11 dlrs\n      Net profit 375,061 vs loss 10.4 mln\n      Revs 39.9 mln vs 37.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 6,536,008 vs 4,939,895\n      12 mths\n      Shr profit 47 cts vs loss 3.37 dlrs\n      Net profit 2,837,288 vs loss 16.6 mln\n      Revs 169.1 mln vs 149.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 6,037,640 vs 4,937,378\n      NOTE: primary earnings per share are based on the weighted\n  average number of common and dilutive common equivalent shares\n  outstanding during each period after accounting for preferred\n  stock dividends.\n      The qtr and year 1985 includes a 6,000,000 provision for\n  restructuring costs related to the sale of its Energy business\n  and parts of its Bearing business.\n      The qtr and year 1986 includes charges of 1,200,000 and\n  5,200,000, respectively, for restructuring costs and operating\n  losses which were charged against the previously provided\n  accruals for restructuring costs.\n      The qtr and year 1986 includes deferred income taxes of\n  244,000 and 785,000, respectively.\n      Year net 1986 includes operations of Friedrich Climate\n  Master Inc, which the company acquired in August 1985, for the\n  full period, while the comparable period for 1985 includes only\n  operations from August 16, 1985, to Dec 31, 1985.\n      Third qtr 1986 Includes extraodinary tax gain of 270,000 \n  from early extinquishment of certain drafts payable.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PANAMA SUGAR VESSEL SAFELY DOCKED AT GREENOCK\n","article":"  The Panamanian motor vessel Northern 1,\n  4,217 dwt, was safely towed into Greenock over the weekend\n  after having its crankshaft broken off the Scottish coast\n  during severe weather, Lloyds Shipping Intelligence said.\n      Northern 1 was loaded with 3,000 tons of sugar from\n  Demerara.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN SET TO RIDE OUT YEN RISE, OFFICIALS SAY\n","article":"  The government is determined to ride out\n  the latest sharp rise of the yen without taking panic measures\n  because it expects the currency's appreciation to prove\n  temporary, senior officials said.\n      \"The market has already located a ceiling (for the yen) and\n  market forces are pushing the dollar back up a bit,\" one senior\n  Finance Ministry official said.\n      He attributed the dollar's fall in recent days to special\n  factors, in particular, selling by Japanese investors ahead of\n  the March 31 end to their fiscal year.\n      That selling largely came to an end this morning after\n  about one hour of trading here, the senior official said. \"They\n  (the investors) became more or less quiet after 10 o'clock\n  (0100 GMT),\" he said.\n      After falling to a record low of 144.70 yen this morning,\n  the dollar edged back up in late trading to end at 146.20.\n  Dealers attributed the late rise to remarks by Prime Minister\n  Yasuhiro Nakasone that major nations had agreed to stabilise\n  the dollar above 150 yen.\n      Several officials said they did not see any fundamental\n  reason for the dollar's recent sharp fall.\n      One official even called the market's recent actions\n  irrational. If anything, the U.S. Decision to slap tariffs on\n  Japanese electronics goods should support the dollar against\n  the yen because it will cut Japanese exports to the U.S., He\n  said.\n      As a result, several officials said they saw no reason to\n  alter the broad thrust of government policy agreed to at last\n  month's meeting of major nations in Paris.\n      \"We don't see any substantial reason to change our policy\n  stance,\" one senior official said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SAGE ANALYTICS <SAII> SETS STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Sage Analytics International Inc\n  said its board has declared a three-for-two stock split,\n  payable June 22 to holders of record on June Eight.\n      The company also said it will redeem warrants till\n  outstanding on June Two at 10 cts each.  Each two warrants\n  allow the purchase of one common share at six dlrs through June\n  One.  There are presently 800,000 warrants outstanding.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"H.K. DEALERS SAY NAKASONE G-6 COMMENT TOO LATE\n","article":"  Remarks by Japan's Prime Minister\n  Yasuhiro Nakasone that last month's G-6 meeting agreed to\n  stabilize the dollar above 150 yen have come too late to\n  influence currency trading, dealers said.\n      After Nakasone's statement the dollar rose to 146.40\/50 yen\n  from an initial low of 144.20\/40 and New York's Friday finish\n  of 147.15\/25. But the rebound was largely on short-covering,\n  they said.\n      \"I think (Nakasone's) desperate,\" said a U.S. Bank foreign\n  exchange manager.\n      Nakasone told a Lower House Budget Committee in Parliament\n  that Japan and other industrialized nations committed\n  themselves in Paris last month to stabilize the dollar above\n  150 yen.\n      Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa told the same committee\n  that the six - Britain, Canada, France, Japan, the U.S. And\n  West Germany - had intervened aggressively since the dollar\n  fell below 150 yen.\n      \"His (Nakasone) remarks should have been made and should\n  have had a bigger influence when the dollar was still above 150\n  yen,\" said P.S. Tam of Morgan Guaranty Trust.\n      Tam said the dollar has hit short-term chart targets  and\n  is likely to rebound. But he warned of another dip to below 145\n  yen.\n      Dealers said the worsening trade relations between the U.S.\n  And Japan will continue to depress the dollar.\n      The trade issue has now become a political issue since the\n  Reagan Administration is facing uproar in Congress over\n  th3pYgks in cutting the country's 169.8 billion dlr trade\n  deficit, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN CONDUCTS CURRENCY SURVEY OF BIG INVESTORS\n","article":"  A Finance Ministry official said the\n  ministry has recently conducted a survey on foreign exchange\n  transactions by institutional investors but declined to say if\n  it was aimed at moderating their dollar sales.\n      However, financial market sources said they had heard the\n  ministry has asked life insurance and securities firms to\n  refrain from selling dollars, but they were unable to confirm\n  this directly.\n      Dealers said life insurance firms were not major sellers of\n  dollars in recent trading sessions because they had already\n  sold them to hedge risks.\n      Dealers said securities houses and trust banks on the other\n  hand have aggressively sold the dollar.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPANESE SEEN LIGHTENING U.S. BOND HOLDINGS\n","article":"  The dollar's tumble to a record low of\n  144.70 yen in Tokyo today motivated some major Japanese\n  investors to lighten their U.S. Bond inventory further and is\n  expected to spur diversification into investment assets\n  including foreign and domestic shares, dealers said.\n      The key U.S. 7-1\/2 pct Treasury bond due 2016 fell to a low\n  of 96.08-12 in early Tokyo trade against the 98.05-06 New York\n  finish, then recovered to 96.20-22.\n      Some trust bank pension fund acccounts and investment\n  trusts were seen selling several hundred million dollars on the\n  foreign exchange market here today, accentuating the unit's\n  tumble, securities house dealers said.\n      They seem undecided on what to do with the fresh yen cash\n  positions resulting from their dollar sales today, and are\n  sidelined until the currency market stabilises and the interest\n  rates outlook clarifies, a Nikko Securities Co Ltd currency\n  trader said.\n      The dollar's plunge and low yields on U.S. Bonds will\n  further promote diversification into other foreign investments,\n  as well as call back funds into the domestic bond and stock\n  markets from overseas bond markets, securities bond managers\n  said.\n      They said major Japanese investors in the past two years\n  are estimated to have held 50 to 80 pct of their foreign\n  portfolios in U.S. Bonds but many have lightened their U.S.\n  Bond inventory to as low as 40 pct.\n      Since late last year, Japanese investors, seeking\n  substantial liquidity and attractive yields, have used fresh\n  funds to buy mark and Canadian dollar bonds and, after the\n  Paris currency pact, actively bought French franc bonds and\n  gilts while gradually lightening U.S. Bond inventories, the\n  managers said.\n      Dealers said funds tied up in foreign assets had flowed\n  into local bond and stock markets as well.\n      The yield of the key 5.1 pct 89th bond dropped to a record\n  low of 4.080 pct today from the 4.140 Saturday finish and\n  compared with 4.25 pct on three-month certificates of deposit.\n      The key bond has fluctuated less than five basis points for\n  more than a month here, suggesting most dealers could not\n  satisfy their needs for capital gains, dealers said.\n      A market survey by Reuters showed some active accounts in\n  U.S. Treasuries are currently dealing on Tokyo's stock market.\n  The stock market's bullishness late last week was partly due to\n  funds transferred from U.S. Treasuries, dealers said.\n      Japanese net purchases of foreign securities in the first\n  half of March fell an estimated one billion dlrs compared with\n  average monthly net purchases of 7.7 billion for the whole of\n  1986, Finance Ministry sources said.\n      The steep fall is due to Japanese investors' cool attitude\n  towards U.S. Bonds, which had amounted to more than 80 pct of\n  total foreign securities purchased, securities houses managers\n  said.\n      Foreign stock buying in March is expected to exceed the\n  record high of 1.5 billion dlrs seen in December, they said.\n      \"Diversification of foreign portfolios is underway and we\n  have bought bonds in currencies such as marks, the Canadian\n  dollar, the ECU and French franc,\" a fund manager at <Yasuda\n  Trust and Banking Co Ltd> said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PERU ANNOUNCES LARGE NEW GOLD FIND\n","article":"  President Alan Garcia said Peru has found\n  gold deposits worth an estimated 1.3 billion dlrs in a jungle\n  region near the Ecuadorean border about 1,000 km north of here.\n      He told reporters yesterday the deposits, located at four\n  sites near the town of San Ignasio, contained the equivalent of\n  100 tonnes of gold.\n      Garcia said the government would soon install a two mln dlr\n  treatment plant at Tomaque. It will extract enough ore to\n  provide an estimated 25 mln dlr profit by the end of this year,\n  he added.\n      Garcia said the other gold-bearing deposits are located at\n  Tamborapa, Pachapidiana, and a zone between the Cenepa and\n  Santiago rivers.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEWS CORP LTD TO ACQUIRE HARPER AND ROW PUBLISHERS INC FOR 65 DLRS\/SHARE\n","article":"\n  NEWS CORP LTD TO ACQUIRE HARPER AND ROW PUBLISHERS INC FOR 65 DLRS\/SHARE\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN WORLDWIDE ENERGY BUYS TRITON<OIL> UNIT\n","article":"  <Canadian Worldwide Energy\n  Ltd> said it acquired Triton Energy Corp's wholly owned\n  Canadian subsidiary, Triton Petroleum Ltd, for the issue of\n  3.75 mln common shares of Canadian Worldwide, subject to\n  regulatory approvals.\n      The company said the transaction will increase Triton\n  Energy's holding in Canadian Worldwide to 13.25 mln shrs or a\n  60 pct fully diluted interest from 9.5 mln shares.\n      Triton Petroleum's assets consist of proven oil reserves of\n  1.3 mln barrels, exploratory acreage, and unspecified working\n  capital and a significant tax loss carryforward.\n      Canadian Worldwide said it is optimistic the Triton\n  Petroleum Ltd acquisition will strengthen its financial and\n  production base and permit acceleration of its conventional oil\n  exploration program.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CLABIR <CLG> DIVIDENDS NOT TAXABLE\n","article":"  Clabir Corp said it has\n  determined all dividends paid on its Class A common in 1986 are\n  not taxable as dividend income.\n      While this is a preliminary estimate, the company said, it\n  may be used by shareholders when preparing 1986 income tax\n  returns.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MORE GOLD DETECTED AT DOYON MINE\n","article":"  Lac Minerals Ltd and Cambior Inc said\n  they completed a second hole at their jointly owned Doyon mine\n  in Quebec, which showed two significant gold intersections.\n      One intersection graded 0.33 ounce gold per short ton over\n  44 feet at depth of 1,411 feet, while the other graded 0.22\n  ounce gold per ton over 23 feet at 2,064 feet, the companies\n  said. The hole is 460 feet east of the previously reported\n  first hole.\n      Another hole is being drilled 460 feet to the west of the\n  first drill hole and results are expected in late March or\n  early April.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LENNAR <LEN> SEES STRONG EARNINGS FOR 1987 YEAR\n","article":"  Lennar Corp chairman and president,\n  Leonard Miller, said the current backlog of orders and the\n  strong economy point to strong revenues and earnings for the\n  balance of fiscal 1987.\n      He said the company's backlog of sales deposits on Feb 28\n  was 2,416, an increase of 976 units over the previous year.\n      Lennar recorded net earnings for the first quarter 1987 of\n  4,403,000, or 51 cts per share, compared to 1,775,000, or 20\n  cts per share the prior first quarter. It recorded net earnings\n  of 12.5 mln dlrs, or 1.43 dlrs per share, for fiscal 1986.\n      The company also said that at its April 29 annual meeting,\n  shareholders will vote on increasing the company's authorized\n  common stock to 45 mln shares from 15 mln. This will include 30\n  mln shares of common stock and 15 mln shares of class B common\n  stock, it added.\n      Those shareholders who elect to convert their shares into\n  class B stock will be entitled to 10 votes per share while\n  other shareholders will retain one vote per share, Lennar said.\n      The company said if this is approved, it intneds to pay\n  holders of Class B stock a quarterly cash dividend of five cts\n  per share and holders of the other common stock a quarterly\n  cash dividend of six cts per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"YUGOSLAV TRADE FALLS SHARPLY  STATISTICS SHOW\n","article":"  Yugoslav trade is declining rapidly\n  this year in hard currency terms, according to the latest\n  Federal Statistics Office (FSO) figures.\n      The FSO figures showed total exports from January 1 to\n  March 23 valued at 875.59 billion dinars, compared with 667.18\n  billion dinars in the same period last year.\n      These figures were down by 12.5 pct on last year in dollar\n  terms due to exchange rate fluctuations and changes in how the\n  figures were calculated, FSO sources said.\n      This year current exchange rates were used for the first\n  time instead of a fixed rate of 24.53 dinars to the dollar.\n      BELGRADE, March 30 - Yugoslav trade is declining rapidly\n  this year in hard currency terms, according to the latest\n  Federal Statistics Office (FSO) figures.\n      The FSO figures showed total exports from January 1 to\n  March 23 valued at 875.59 billion dinars, compared with 667.18\n  billion dinars in the same period last year.\n      These figures were down by 12.5 pct on last year in dollar\n  terms due to exchange rate fluctuations and changes in how the\n  figures were calculated, FSO sources said.\n      This year current exchange rates were used for the first\n  time instead of a fixed rate of 24.53 dinars to the dollar.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WALBRO <WALB> SEES STRONG 1ST QTR RESULTS\n","article":"  Walbro Corp said it expects\n  its first-quarter results to reach \"all-time highs.\"\n      It projected sales exceeding 32 mln dlrs, or up 21 pct from\n  the 26,488,000 dlrs reported for the 1986 first quarter. It\n  said the previous high for a single quarter was 27,179,000 dlrs\n  for the 1986 fourth quarter.\n      Walbro estimated income for the quarter will exceed\n  first-quarter 1986 income, which was 1,953,000 dlrs, or 66 cts\n  a share, by at least 40 pct. It said the first quarter of 1986\n  had been the previous income record for a single quarter.\n      Walbro cited strong demand for its fuel systems products,\n  especially automotive electronic fuel injection components and\n  carburetors for lawn and garden applications.\n      However, it said it is unlikely the company will sustain\n  the same record pace of sales and income throughout 1987, due\n  to an expected reduction in throttle body sales.\n      \"It now appears likely that the company's throttle body\n  business with General Motors Corp <GM> will peak in the first\n  six months of 1987, continue at reduced levels to July 1988 and\n  suffer an interruption for the period from July 1988 to July\n  1989,\" Walbro added.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CANADA GDP UP 0.1 PCT IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Canada's gross domestic product rose 0.1\n  pct, seasonally adjusted, in January after gaining 1.0 pct in\n  December but falling 0.1 pct and 0.3 pct in November and\n  October, Statistics Canada said.\n      January's rise, in 1981 prices, was fueled largely by a 0.5\n  pct gain in the goods producing sector. Output in\n  services-producing industries declined 0.1 pct from December's\n  level.\n      January's level was 1.29 pct higher than the same month a\n  year ago.\n      The federal agency said it was the second straight gain for\n  goods producing industries. Most of the growth occurred in\n  manufacturing and construction.\n      Within manufacturing, strong gains were posted in the wood,\n  machinery, non-metallic mineral and food product groups.\n  Significant declines were recorded in the output of automobiles\n  and parts, however.\n      In the services sector, increases in finance, insurance and\n  communication were more than offset by declines in\n  transportation, storage and the retail trade.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SRI LANKA APPEALS FOR DROUGHT RELIEF AID\n","article":"  Sri Lanka has appealed to 24 countries\n  for emergency aid to help 2.4 mln villagers affected by the\n  country's worst drought in 36 years, government officials said.\n      Embassies received letters over the weekend outlining aid\n  needed for a sixth of Sri Lanka's population in 13 districts.\n      The letter said the government had to step in \"to avert\n  serious economic hardship\" and because the Social Services\n  Ministry had already used up its entire 1987 budget provision\n  of 23 mln rupees by distributing help to the worst hit areas.\n      The letter said 548.76 mln rupees were needed for a six\n  month period, at least until the May-September (Yala) rice crop\n  was harvested. Over 25,000 tonnes of wheat, rice, flour and\n  other cereals were required, it said, along with supplies of\n  sugar, lentils, dried or canned fish and milk.\n      In some of the most seriously affected districts, the Maha\n  (October 1986-April 1987) crop had been \"almost completely\n  devastated,\" the letter said. Maha paddy output was now\n  estimated at 70 mln bushels, 20 mln less than originally\n  expected.\n      There were two scenarios for the Yala crop, with a high\n  forecast of around 40 mln bushels conditional on adequate\n  rainfall within the next three to four weeks.\n      \"Should the present drought continue, however, production is\n  estimated at around 20 mln bushels,\" the letter added.\n      Total estimated paddy output for 1987 would be between 90\n  and 110 mln bushels, or 1.35 to 1.65 mln tonnes of rice. Last\n  year's output was 124 mln bushels, down from 127 mln in 1985.\n      The letter said villagers in most seriously affected\n  districts had been deprived of any means of subsistence because\n  subsidiary crops had also failed.\n      It said the government's current budget did not permit it\n  to provide sustained and adequate relief to those affected.\n  \"Revenue has been adversely affected by depressed commodity\n  prices and slowing of the economy. Defence commitments continue\n  to exert pressure on the expenditure side.\"\n      The 548.76 mln cash would cover payments of 150 rupees per\n  month for each family, as well as handling, transport and\n  distribution of emergency food. But such an outlay of funds by\n  the government would not be possible without seriously\n  impairing development projects, or \"greatly fuelling inflation\"\n  in the economy, the letter said.\n      The letter said the Food Department would be able to\n  release wheat and rice from the buffer stock to meet the\n  immediate cereal requirements \"provided such stocks are replaced\n  subsequently.\"\n      The Meteorological Department said the country was\n  experiencing its worst drought since 1951 and the four-month\n  dry spell prevailing in most of the areas would only break when\n  the monsoon rains fell in late May.\n      The letter said some areas had been experiencing the\n  drought since August, and in the rice growing district of\n  Kurunegala there had been no effective rainfall since June\n  1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MOBIL FRANCE TO TAKE 10 PCT STAKE IN PRIMAGAZ\n","article":"  Mobil Corp's <MOB> Mobil Oil Francaise\n  unit said it will take a stake of about 10 pct in the French\n  butane and propane gas distribution company <Primagaz> in\n  exchange for the transfer to Primagaz of Mobil's small and\n  medium bulk propane activity.\n      Small and medium bulk propane sales totalled 55,000 tonnes\n  in 1986 and the transfer will increase total business of\n  Primagaz by about 12 pct, equal to 32,000 extra customers.\n      A Primagas spokesman said Mobil will take the stake by\n  means of a capital increase, terms of which have not yet been\n  established.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"METROMAIL <MTML> SEES FLAT YEAR NET\n","article":"  Metromail Corp said it expects\n  earnings for the year to be about flat due to higher expenses\n  caused by an expansion of data processing capabilities and\n  startup costs associated with new cooperative programs that\n  will continue into the fourth quarter.\n      The company today reported earnings for the nine months\n  ended March One of 7,214,900 dlrs, down from 7,752,800 dlrs a\n  year before.  For all of last year it earned 10.9 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"REGENCY CRUISTS <SHIP> CORRECTS EARNINGS\n","article":"  Regency Cruises Inc said its earnings\n  per share for the year 1986 were 36 cts per share, not the 37\n  cts it reported on March 11.\n      The company lost 10 cts per share in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MORRISON INC <MORR> ACQUIRES CUSTOM MANAGEMENT\n","article":"  Morrison Inc, a diversified food\n  service company, said it acquired Custom Management Corp, based\n  in Kingston, Penn., for an undisclosed amount.\n      Custom manages some 215 food contract management operations\n  and about 65 environmental service accounts, producing about\n  100 mln dlrs in annual revenues.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ANECO REINSURANCE CO LTD <ANECF> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 80 cts vs loss 1.60 dlrs\n      Net profit 1,673,960 vs loss 3,292,663\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes gain on bond portfolio of 1,160,000\n  dlrs and 5,600,000 dlr provision for losses on discontinued\n  liability and multi-peril lines of reinsurance.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GULF RESOURCES AND CHEMICAL CORP <GRE> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 34 cts vs loss 53 cts\n      Oper net profit 3,337,000 vs 4,881,000\n      Revs 32.7 mln vs 49.6 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 20 cts vs loss 90 cts\n      Oper net profit 2,374,000 vs loss 9,381,000\n      Revs 126.9 mln vs 160.5 mln\n      NOTES: Operating net excludes loss 6,050,000 dlrs, or 64\n  cts a share, vs loss 24,839,000 dlrs, or 2.61 dlrs a share, in\n  quarter and loss 6,050,000 dlrs, or 64 cts a share, vs profit\n  64,013,000 dlrs, or 6.27 dlrs a share, from discontinued\n  operations\n      1986 loss from discontinued operations includes 6.0 mln\n  dlrs charge, equal to 64 cts a share, to provide for additional\n  liabilities resulting from the 1981 closure of lead, zinc and\n  silver mining, smelting and refining business\n      1986 year operating net includes pre-tax gain of 5.3 mln\n  dlrs, equal to 56 cts a share, from pension plan termination\n  and gain of 5.2 mln dlrs, or 56 cts a share, from reduction in\n  deferred taxes\n      Effective Jan 1, 1987, company changed oil and gas\n  accounting to successful efforts from full cost, increasing\n  1986 year net 9.2 mln dlrs, or 98 cts a share, and increasing\n  1985 loss 4.3 mln dlrs, or 43 cts a share. The cumulative\n  effect of the change was to decrease retained earnings at Dec\n  31, 1986, by 14.0 mln dlrs\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TEXAS INTERNATIONAL CO <TEI> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 36 cts vs loss 36 cts\n      Net loss 20.1 mln vs loss 12.6 mln\n      Revs 12.5 mln vs 24.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 55.8 mln vs 34.7 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.11 dlrs vs loss 1.05 dlrs\n      Net loss 50.8 ln vs loss 31.9 mln\n      Revs 63.7 mln vs 106.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 45.8 mln vs 30.2 mln\n      NOTE: Net includes extraordinary gains of 247,0000 dlrs vs\n  nil in quarter and 809,000 dlrs vs 425,000 dlrs in year.\n      1985 year net includes 6,700,000 dlr credit for previous\n  overpayments of windfall profits taxes.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SCIENTIFIC MICRO <SMSI> SEES HIGHER REVENUES\n","article":"  Scientific Micro Systems\n  Inc said it expects first quarter revenues to rise by about 60\n  pct to 24 mln dlrs, compared with the 15 mln reported for the\n  first quarter last year.\n      The company said it experienced revenue growth across all\n  product lines during the quarter.\n      It also said revenue growth should continue during the year\n  and the company should experience improved profitability in the\n  second half when acquisition and new product introduction costs\n  will not have a significant impact on earnings.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BOLT BERANEK <BBN> FILES FOR DEBENTURE OFFERING\n","article":"  Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc said it\n  filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a\n  registration statement covering a 75 mln dlr issue of\n  convertible subordinated debentures due 2012.\n      A portion of the proceeds will be used to acquire all of\n  the outstanding capital stock of Network Switching Systems Inc.\n   Another part will allow Bolt to exercise its option to\n  purchase all of the limited partnership interests in BBN\n  RS\/Expert Limited Partnership, with the rest used for general\n  corporate purposes. The company named PaineWebber, Merrill\n  Lynch and Montgomery Securities as underwriters.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"HENLEY GROUP SAID HAS CLOSE TO FIVE PCT OR 7.9 MLN SHARES OF SANTA FE SOUTHERN PACIFIC AS INVESTMENT\n","article":"\n  HENLEY GROUP SAID HAS CLOSE TO FIVE PCT OR 7.9 MLN SHARES OF SANTA FE SOUTHERN PACIFIC AS INVESTMENT\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MEXICAN FIRST QTR CRUDE EXPORTS SEEN AT 15.25 DLRS\n","article":"  The average price of mexico's crude\n  oil exports in first quarter 1987 will be 15.25 dlrs per\n  barrel, according to preliminary figures issued in a press\n  release by the state oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX).\n      It gave no direct comparison with the year-ago figure but\n  said crude and products sales were expected to rise to 1.99\n  billion dlrs this quarter, 420 mln dlrs higher than expected\n  and 22 pct better than the year-ago quarter.\n      Prospects for the second quarter were relatively favourable\n  with crude exports seen at 1.320 mln bpd after an expected\n  1.324 mln this month, 1.323 in February and 1.395 mln in\n  January.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TEXAS INTERNATIONAL <TEI> HAS UNQUALIFIED AUDIT\n","article":"  Texas International Inc said it\n  has received an unqualified audit opinion from auditor Arthur\n  Andersen and Co.\n      The company had received a qualified opinion on 1985\n  financial statements subject to its ability to resolve\n  negotiations with its U.S. bank group.  Subsequently, it sold\n  almost all its domestic oil and natural gas properties and\n  retired all U.S. bank debt in March 1987 with part of the\n  proceeds.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TENNECO <TGT> BUYS UNISYS <UIS> UNIT\n","article":"  Tenneco Inc said its Newport\n  News Shipbuilding subsidiary has completed the purchase of the\n  Sperry Marine Systems division of Unisys Corp for about 70 mln\n  dlrs.\n      Sperry Marine has annual revenues of about 100 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BIOGEN <BGENF> MAY SELL EUROPEAN OPERATIONS\n","article":"  Biogen NV said as part of a\n  program to reduce expenses, it is in talks on the sale of its\n  Geneva, Switzerland operations.\n      The company gave no details.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COFFEE TALKS COLLAPSE EASES NEED FOR U.S. BILL\n","article":"  The collapse of International Coffee\n  Organization, ICO, talks on export quotas yesterday removes the\n  immediate need to reinstate U.S. legislation allowing the\n  customs service to monitor coffee imports, analysts here said.\n      The Reagan administration proposed in trade legislation\n  offered Congress last month that authority to monitor coffee\n  imports be resumed. That authority lapsed in September 1986. A\n  bill also was introduced by Rep. Frank Guarini (D-N.J.).\n      However, the failure of the ICO talks in London to reach\n  agreement on export quotas means the U.S. legislation is not\n  immediately needed, one analyst said. Earlier supporters of the\n  coffee bill hoped it could be passed by Congress quickly.\n      \"You're going to have a hard time convincing Congress (now)\n  this is an urgent issue,\" the coffee analyst said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MILTOPE GROUP INC <MILT> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 10 cts vs 29 cts\n      Net 584,000 vs 1,688,000\n      Sales 19.8 mln vs 16.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,959,000 vs 5,762,000\n      Year\n      Shr 68 cts vs 96 cts\n      Net 4,013,000 vs 5,430,000\n      Sales 68.1 mln vs 61.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,934,000 vs 5,679,000\n      Backlog 67.9 mln vs 60.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ALOETTE COSMETICS INC <ALET> 4TH QTR DEC 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 12 cts vs 12 cts\n      Net 337,000 vs 235,000\n      Revs 3,350,000 vs 1,642,000\n      Avg shrs 2,935,734 vs 2,000,000\n      Year\n      Shr 69 cts vs 56 cts\n      Net 1,815,000 vs 1,112,000\n      Revs 12.1 mln vs 7,709,000\n      Avg shrs 2,648,257 vs 2,000,000\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INTERNATIONAL PROTEINS CORP <PRO> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 49 cts vs 22 cts\n      Oper net 1,018,000 vs 468,000\n      Sales 95.0 mln vs 98.3 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes tax credits of 284,000 dlrs vs 310,000\n  dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CSM SYSTEMS INC <CSMS> YEAR ENDED DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 20 cts vs profit 24 cts\n      Net loss 173,578 vs profit 211,324\n      Revs 4,558,244 vs 5,595,644\n      NOTE: Earnings per share restated retroactively for all\n  periods to reflect 20 pct stock dividend in April 1984 and 25\n  pct stock split September 1985.\n      Revenues include progress receivables on long-term\n  contracts not billed to customers, and reflect the\n  proportionate elements of profit as revenues based on stage of\n  completion of long term contracts.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Ia-So Minn direct hogs estimated rcpts 95,000 vs actual week ago 93,000 and actual year ago 93,000.\n","article":"\n  Ia-So Minn direct hogs estimated rcpts 95,000 vs actual week ago 93,000 and actual year ago 93,000.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED SETS TWO BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPURCHASE, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  FED SETS TWO BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPURCHASE, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GLOBAL RAISES HEAVY FUELS PRICES\n","article":"  Global Petroleum Corp said today it\n  raised its posted prices for numbers six fuel cargoes in the\n  new york harbor 70 cts to 1.60 dlrs per barrel, depending on\n  grade.\n      Effective today, the new prices are: 0.3 pct sulphur 22.50\n  dlrs, up 1.25; 0.5 pct sulphur 21.85 dlrs, up 1.60; one pct\n  sulphur 20.10 dlrs, up 70 cts; two pct sulphur 19.85, up 75\n  cts; 2.2 pct sulphur 19.25 dlrs, up 90 cts; 2.5 pct sulphur\n  18.80 dlrs, up 1.20, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED ADDS RESERVES VIA CUSTOMER REPURCHASES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve entered the U.S.\n  Government securities market to arrange two billion dlrs of\n  customer repurchase agreements, a Fed spokesman said.\n      Dealers said Federal funds were trading at 6-3\/8 pct when\n  the Fed began its temporary and indirect supply of reserves to\n  the banking system.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BOW VALLEY INDUSTRIES<BVI> SETS SECONDARY ISSUE\n","article":"  Bow Valley Industries Ltd said\n  it filed a preliminary short form prospectus in Canada and the\n  United States for a secondary offering of 22.8 pct of\n  outstanding common stock, or 9,362,197 common shares, being\n  sold by certain shareholders.\n      The company said Bowcan Holdings Inc, a holding company\n  principally owned by the Seaman brothers of Calgary and Charles\n  Rosner Bronfman Trust of Montreal, is offering to sell all of\n  its holding of 8,279,665 Bow Valley common shares.\n      The balance of the offering is owned directly and\n  indirectly by various trusts of Jean and Charles deGunzberg.\n      Proceeds and expenses from the secondary offering of Bow\n  Valley Industries common shares are for the account of the\n  selling shareholders, the company said.\n      The shareholders will engage Salomon Brothers Inc for\n  distribution of the shares in the United States and McLeod\n  Young Weir Ltd for distribution in Canada.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<CORNUCOPIA RESOURCES LTD> IN DRILLING PROGRAM\n","article":"  Cornucopia Resources Ltd said an\n  extensive drill and sampling program will begin in mid-April at\n  its Ivanhoe gold property in north central Nevada.\n      It said it will seek to increase the present reserves of\n  eight mln short tons grading 0.045 ounce of gold per ton that\n  had been found by USX Corp <X> on a small portion of the\n  13,.000 acre property, determine the location of possible\n  high-grade ore zones at depth and test other targets.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PANSOPHIC SYSTEMS INC <PNS> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 70 cts vs 56 cts\n      Net 6,197,000 vs 4,880,000\n      Revs 24.1 mln vs 17.1 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 1.38 dlrs vs 1.20 dlrs\n      Net 12.1 mln vs 10.4 mln\n      Revs 52.5 mln vs 41.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COGNITRONICS CORP <CGN> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 78 cts vs loss 18 cts\n      Net loss 1,671,000 vs loss 382,000\n      Revs 3,261,000 vs 4,427,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.35 dlr vs loss 15 cts\n      Net loss 2,902,000 vs loss 331,000\n      Revs 13.5 mln vs 16.1 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 and 1985 4th qtr net includes charges of 867,000\n  dlrs or 40 cts a share and 222,000 or 10 cts a share,\n  respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALLEGHENY INTERNATIONAL SELLS WILKINSON SWORD GROUP FOR 230 MLN DLRS\n","article":"\n  ALLEGHENY INTERNATIONAL SELLS WILKINSON SWORD GROUP FOR 230 MLN DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HENLEY <HENG> HAS SANTA FE SOUTHERN <SFX> STAKE\n","article":"  Henley Group said in a 10-K filing\n  with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it has 7.9 mln\n  shares or close to five pct of Santa Fe Southern Pacific Corp,\n  a spokesman said.\n      In response to questions from Reuters, the Henley spokesman\n  said the filing was as of December 31, 1986, but that the\n  company still holds the shares.\n      \"It's an investment and we're very happy with it. Beyond\n  that, I have no comment,\" the spokesman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MEXICAN FIRST QTR CRUDE EXPORTS SEEN AT 15.25 DLRS\n","article":"  The average price of mexico's crude\n  oil exports in first quarter 1987 will be 15.25 dlrs per\n  barrel, according to preliminary figures issued in a press\n  release by the state oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX).\n      It gave no direct comparison with the year-ago figure but\n  said crude and products sales were expected to rise to 1.99\n  billion dlrs this quarter, 420 mln dlrs higher than expected\n  and 22 pct better than the year-ago quarter.\n      Prospects for the second quarter were relatively favourable\n  with crude exports seen at 1.320 mln bpd after an expected\n  1.324 mln this month, 1.323 in February and 1.395 mln in\n  January.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COMBUSTION <CSP> COMPLETES ACCURAY <ACRA> BUY\n","article":"  Combustion Engineering Inc said\n  it has completed the previously-announced acquisition of\n  AccuRay Corp in a merger trasaction that closed Friday at 45\n  dlrs per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. SEES NO NEW COFFEE AGREEMENT TALKS SOON\n","article":"  The United States does not expect\n  the executive board meeting of the International Coffee\n  Organization, ICO, to call for a new round of negotiations on\n  reinstating coffee quotas, a U.S. government official said.\n      The official, a member of the U.S. delegation to ICO talks\n  earlier this year, said no new coffee agreement talks are\n  expected because there is no indication the negotiating\n  positions of major producers and consumers have changed.\n      The U.S. still demands, as a condition of reimposition of\n  coffee quotas, that \"objective criteria\" be set for\n  establishing quotas, said the U.S. official, who asked not to\n  be identified. Brazil, the major producer, insists on quotas\n  based on a traditional formula.\n      The U.S. remains open to a negotiating meeting but only if\n  some new flexibility is apparent from major countries, the\n  official said.\n      The ICO executive board meets tomorrow in London.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS <INP> SETS INITIAL PAYOUT\n","article":"  Intelligent Systems Master\n  Limited Partnership said its board declared an initial\n  quarterly dividend of 25 cts per unit, payable April 10 to\n  holders of record March 31.\n      The partnership, formed at year-end by the conversion of\n  Intelligent Systems Corp from corporate form, said its board\n  has approved in principle quarterly dividend of 15 to 25 cts\n  per quarter for calendar 1987.\n      It said as part of its restructuring it may sell some of\n  its assets this year, with unitholders receiving either cash\n  from the sale or stock in the acquiring company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"QUEST MEDICAL INC <QMED> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss six cts vs profit two cts\n      Net loss 463,473 vs profit 126,835\n      Revs 3,506,066 vs 3,082,499\n      Year\n      Shr loss four cts vs profit three cts\n      Net loss 323,214 vs profit 187,893\n      Revs 13.8 mln vs 10.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FORMER TREASURY OFFICIAL URGES CURRENCY REFORMS\n","article":"  Former Treasury official C. Fred\n  Bergsten said a new exchange rate system is needed to replace\n  the fixed and flexible exchange rate systems which he said had\n  not worked.\n      \"I prefer a move to 'target zones' in which the major\n  countries would determine ranges of 15-20 pct within which they\n  would pledge to hold their exchange rates by direct\n  intervention and, as necessary, by changes in monetary and\n  other policies,\" Bergsten, now the director of the Institute\n  for International Economics, said in a statement to a House\n  Banking subcommittee.\n      \"The substantial correction of the exchange rate that has\n  occurred since early 1985 is enormously welcome, and should\n  produce a sizeable reduction in the U.S. trade deficit this\n  year and next, but the imbalance will not fall much below 100\n  billion dlrs on present policies, so much more is needed,\" he\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TRADE SEES U.S. CORN EXPORTS UP, WHEAT\/BEANS OFF\n","article":"  Grain traders and analysts expect lower\n  wheat and soybean exports and higher corn exports than a year\n  ago in the USDA's export inspection report today.\n      Corn export guesses ranged from 27.0 mln to 32.0 mln\n  bushels, compared with the 27.6 mln inspected last week and\n  20.5 mln a year ago.\n      Soybean export guesses ranged from 14.0 mln to 16.0 mln, up\n  from the 13.4 mln inspected last week but below the 25.5 mln\n  reported a year ago.\n      Wheat estimates ranged from 11.0 mln to 14.0 mln bushels,\n  compared with 12.0 mln reported last week and 18.3 mln a year\n  ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OPPENHEIMER HAS SIX PCT OF CYCLOPS <CYL>\n","article":"  Oppenheimer, the brokerage and\n  investment subsidiary of Oppenheimer Group Inc, told the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission it has acquired 243,400\n  shares of Cyclops Corp, or 6.0 pct of the total outstanding.\n      Oppenheimer said it bought the stake in connection with\n  risk arbitrage and other investment activities in the ordinary\n  course of its business. It said it has no plans to seek control\n  of the company.\n      As of Friday, <Dixons Group PLC> had acquired 2,455,000\n  Cyclops shares, giving it 83 pct of the total.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DUNE RESOURCES LTD <DNLAF> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit one ct vs loss two cts\n      Net profit 27,000 vs loss 69,000\n      Revs 295,000 vs 264,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss eight cts vs loss three cts\n      Net loss 262,000 vs loss 88,000\n      Revs 1,004,000 vs 1,248,000\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AW COMPUTER SYSTEMS INC <AWCSA> YEAR END DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr 18 cts vs 17 cts\n      Net 584,493 vs 540,977\n      Revs 4,685,930 vs 4,524,315\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DOW<DOW> RAISES STYRENE-BUTADIENE LATEX PRICES\n","article":"  Dow Chemical Co said it\n  increased prices by nine cts a pound (solids) for\n  styrene-butadiene latex and plastic pigments, effective May\n  One. Dow did not release the percentage increase.\n      It said the increase will affect the floor covering\n  markets, paper, paperboard and specialty markets.\n      It said the increase is in addition to a previously\n  announced seven cts a pound (solids) increase, effective March\n  One.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ALLEGHENY INTERNATIONAL <AG> SELLS WILKINSON\n","article":"  Allegheny International Inc said it\n  sold its Wilkinson Sword Consumer Group to the <Swedish Match\n  Co> of Stockholm for for 230 mln dlrs.\n      After settlement of intercompany transactions between the\n  Wilkinson Sword groups and Allegheny, the net payment by\n  Swedish Match will amount to about 160 mln dlrs.\n      The Wilkinson Sword Group was transferred to the Swedish\n  Match Co today except for companies in certain countries where\n  approval from government authorities is required, the company\n  said.\n      Allegheny said it acquired a 44 pct interest in Wilkinson,\n  then known as Wilkinson Match Ltd, in 1978, and the remaining \n  share in 1980.\n      This divestiture is part of Allegheny's overall\n  restructuring program and strategy to concentrate primarily on\n  its North American consumer products business, the company\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DATRON CORP <DATR> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 19 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 166,000 vs 118,000\n      Rev 3.2 mln vs 2.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 34 cts vs 30 cts\n      Net 303,000 vs 269,000\n      Rev 10.8 mln vs 10.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"C.O.M.B. <CMCO> SELLS THREE RETAIL STORES\n","article":"  C.O.M.B. Co said it sold three of\n  its retail stores in Omaha to Bob Cummins Enterprises Inc, a\n  retail closeout merchandiser.\n      It said the sale is consistent with its previously\n  announced Retail Division restructuring plans.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CENTRONICS <CEN> SETS PREFERRED PURCHASE RIGHTS\n","article":"  Centronics Corp said its board\n  declared a dividend distribution of one preferred share\n  purchase right on each outstanding common share payable to\n  holders of record April 9.\n      The rights, which will expire 10 years later, will entitle\n  shareholders to buy one-hundredth of a share of a new series of\n  preferred at an exercise price of 20 dlrs.\n      The rights will be exercisable only if some one acquires 30\n  pct or more of Centronic's common or announces an offer which\n  would result in ownership of 30 pct or more of the stock.\n      Centronics said its board will be entitled to redeem the\n  rights at two cts per right at any time before a 30 pct\n  position has been acquired.\n      If the rights become exercisable, the company said, those\n  held by shareholders other than the owner of 30 pct or more of\n  the stock will entitle the holder to purchase a number of\n  common shares having a market value twice the right's exercise\n  price.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MCCLAIN INDUSTRIES <MCCL> SETS STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  McClain Industries Inc\n  said its board declared a four-for-three stock split, payable\n  30, record April 15.\n      The company also said it plans to open within the next 90\n  days a 114,000 square foot plant in Macon, Ga., that will allow\n  it to expand production of transfer trailers and other\n  products.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HERITAGE COMMUNICATIONS <HCI> IN SPECIAL MEETING\n","article":"  Heritage Communications Inc\n  said it expects to hold a special shareholder meeting in May to\n  consider its proposed acquisition by an investor group\n  including members of senior management and Tele-communications\n  Inc <TELE>.\n      The company said it is seeking to obtain all regulatory\n  approvals needed to complete the transaction before or shortly\n  after the special meeting.  Heritage said it has filed\n  preliminary proxy materials with the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission and has applied for a change of control of its\n  broadcast licenses with the Federal Communications Commission.\n      Heritage it and Tele-Communications made required\n  Hart-Scott-Rodino filings with the Federal Trade Commission and\n  Justice Department on March 11 and 12, respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CHEROKEE GROUP INC <CHKE> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 22 cts vs 16 cts\n      Net 2,460,000 vs 1,730,000\n      Sales 37.0 mln vs 27.3 mln\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for two-for-one stock split in\n  February 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LOUISIANA PACIFIC <LPX> TO BUY WALLBOARD PLANT\n","article":"  Louisiana Pacific Corp said it\n  reached a non-binding agreement in principle to buy a gypsum\n  wallboard plant in Seattle from Norwest Gypsum.\n      Purchase price and other details of the agreement were not\n  disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. BANK DISCOUNT BORROWINGS 310 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  U.S. bank discount window borrowings\n  less extended credits averaged 310 mln dlrs in the week to\n  Wednesday February 25, the Federal Reserve said.\n      The Fed said that overall borrowings in the week fell 131\n  mln dlrs to 614 mln dlrs, with extended credits up 10 mln dlrs\n  at 304 mln dlrs. The week was the second half of a two-week\n  statement period. Net borrowings in the prior week averaged 451\n  mln dlrs.\n      Commenting on the two-week statement period ended February\n  25, the Fed said that banks had average net free reserves of\n  644 mln dlrs a day, down from 1.34 billion two weeks earlier.\n      A Federal Reserve spokesman told a press briefing that\n  there were no large single day net misses in the Fed's reserve\n  projections in the week to Wednesday.\n      He said that natural float had been \"acting a bit\n  strangely\" for this time of year, noting that there had been\n  poor weather during the latest week.\n      The spokesman said that natural float ranged from under 500\n  mln dlrs on Friday, for which he could give no reason, to\n  nearly one billion dlrs on both Thursday and Wednesday.\n      The Fed spokeman could give no reason for Thursday's high\n  float, but he said that about 750 mln dlrs of Wednesday's\n  float figure was due to holdover and transportation float at\n  two widely separated Fed districts.\n      For the week as a whole, he said that float related as of\n  adjustments were \"small,\" adding that they fell to a negative\n  750 mln dlrs on Tuesday due to a number of corrections for\n  unrelated cash letter errors in six districts around the\n  country.\n      The spokesman said that on both Tuesday and Wednesday, two\n  different clearing banks had system problems and the securities\n  and Federal funds wires had to be held open until about 2000 or\n  2100 EST on both days.\n      However, he said that both problems were cleared up during\n  both afternoons and there was no evidence of any reserve\n  impact.\n      During the week ended Wednesday, 45 pct of net discount\n  window borrowings were made by the smallest banks, with 30 pct\n  by the 14 large money center banks and 25 pct by large regional\n  institutions.\n      On Wednesday, 55 pct of the borrowing was accounted for by\n  the money center banks, with 30 pct by the large regionals and\n  15 pct by the smallest banks.\n      The Fed spokesman said the banking system had excess\n  reserves on Thursday, Monday and Tuesday and a deficit on\n  Friday and Wedndsday. That produced a small daily average\n  deficit for the week as a whole.\n      For the two-week period, he said there were relatively high\n  excess reserves on a daily avearge, almost all of which were at\n  the smallest banks.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KNUTSON MORTGAGE CORP <KNMC> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Pay April 13\n      Record March 13\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NOBEL'S BOFORS TO SELL ITS SINGAPORE HOLDING\n","article":"  Nobel Industries Sweden SA <NOBL.ST>\n  said its arms subsidiary, <AB Bofors>, plans to sell its 40 pct\n  stake in <Allied Ordnance Co of Singapore Ltd> because of its\n  part in weapons exports which contravene Swedish law.\n      \"The events we have uncovered are unacceptable and highly\n  regrettable incidents in our company's history,\" Nobel chairman\n  Lars-Erik Thunholm told a news conference.\n      Nobel managing director Anders Carlberg said an internal\n  inquiry has revealed an extensive network of international arms\n  smuggling.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ICO BOARD SEEN UNLIKELY TO SET NEW COFFEE TALKS\n","article":"  Chances that the International Coffee\n  Organization, ICO, executive board meeting this week will agree\n  to resume negotiations on export quotas soon look remote, ICO\n  delegates and trade sources said.\n      ICO observers doubted Brazil or key consuming countries are\n  ready to give sufficient ground to convince the other side that\n  reopening negotiations again would be worthwhile, they said.\n      ICO talks on quotas last month broke down after eight days\n  when producers and consumers failed to reach agreement.\n       \"Since we have not seen signs of change in other positions,\n  it's difficult to see a positive outcome at this stage,\"\n  Brazilian delegate Lindenberg Sette said. But quotas must be\n  negotiated sometime, he said.\n       The U.S. has indicated it is open to dialogue on quotas\n  but that Brazil must be flexible, rather than refuse to lower\n  its export share as it did in the last negotiations, delegates\n  said.\n       At this week's March 31-April 2 meeting, the 16-member ICO\n  board is scheduled to discuss the current market situation, the\n  reintroduction of quotas, verification of stocks and some\n  administrative matters, according to a draft agenda.\n      The fact that Brazilian Coffee Institute president Jorio\n  Dauster, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Jon Rosenbaum and\n  chief Colombian delegate Jorge Cardenas are not attending the\n  meeting has signalled to most market watchers that it will be a\n  non-event as far as negotiating quotas is concerned.\n      \"I would imagine there will be a lot of politicking among\n  producers behind closed doors to work up some kind of proposal\n  by September (the next scheduled council meeting),\" Bronwyn\n  Curtis of Landell Mills Commodities Studies said.\n      Traders and delegates said they have seen no sign that a\n  date will be set for an earlier council meeting.\n      If the stalemate continues much longer, analysts expect the\n  coffee agreement will end up operating without quotas for the\n  remainder of its life, to September 30, 1989.\n      When talks broke down, the U.S. and Brazil, the largest\n  coffee consumer and producer respectively, blamed one another\n  for sabotaging negotiations by refusing to compromise.\n      Brazil wanted to maintain the previous export quota shares,\n  under which it was allocated 30 pct of world coffee exports,\n  but consumers and a small group of producers pressed for shares\n  to be redistributed using \"objective criteria,\" which would have\n  threatened Brazil's share.\n      At a recent meeting in Managua of Latin American producers,\n  Costa Rica and Honduras said they were willing to put their\n  objections as members of the group of eight ICO \"dissident\"\n  producers aside, in order to stem the damaging decline in\n  prices, Nicaraguan External Trade Minister Alejandro Martinez\n  Cuenca told reporters Saturday. He was in London to brief\n  producers on the Managua meeting.\n      However, other producers said they were not aware of this\n  move toward producer solidarity.\n      London coffee prices closed at 1,276 stg a tonne today,\n  down from around 1,550 at the beginning of March.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MINISTER SEES ENOUGH EC STATES AGAINST OILS TAX\n","article":"  Enough European Community (EC) states\n  appear to be opposed to the proposals by the EC Commission for\n  a 330 European currency unit (Ecu) a tonne tax on vegetable\n  oils, fats and marine oils to block adoption by EC ministers,\n  British Farm Minister Michael Jopling said.\n      He told a news conference held during a meeting here of EC\n  agriculture ministers that Britain, West Germany, the\n  Netherlands, Denmark, and Portugal were all against the tax.\n      Between them, these five countries had more than enough\n  votes in the weighted voting system used in EC ministers'\n  meetings to block a decision, Jopling said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DRAVO <DRV> TO HAVE FIRST QUARTER LOSS\n","article":"  Dravo Corp said it expects a first\n  quarter loss of about 30 cts per share, compared with a\n  year-earlier profit of one ct, and said operating earnings for\n  all of 1987 may not match 1986's earnings of 61 cts per share\n  from continuing operations.\n      Dravo saidperformance so far this year in its engineering\n  and construction segment has not met earlier expectations.\n      It said the first quarter will be impacted by writedowns\n  resulting fromn revised estimates of costs required to complete\n  projects and by delays in starting work on jobs originally\n  forecasted to contribute to first quarter earnings.\n      Dravo further said it has given the investor group buying\n  Dravo's river transportation, stevedoring and pipe frabrication\n  businesses additional time to structure the necessary\n  permanenty financing, and closing is now expected in the third\n  quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECONOMIC SPOTLIGHT - U.S. CONGRESS RAPS JAPAN\n","article":"  The U.S. Congress is making Japan,\n  with its enormous worldwide trade surplus, the symbol of the\n  U.S. trade crisis and the focus of its efforts to turn around\n  America's record trade deficit.\n      \"Japan has come to symbolize what we fear most in trade: the\n  challenge to our high technology industries, the threat of\n  government nutured competition, and the multitude of barriers\n  to our exports,\" Senate Democratic Leader Robert Byrd said.\n      \"If we can find a way to come to terms with Japan over trade\n  problems, we can manage our difficulties with other countries,\"\n  the West Virginia Democrat said at a Senate Finance Committee\n  hearing on the trade bill.\n      Byrd and House Speaker Jim Wright, a Texas Democrat, have\n  made trade legislation a priority this year and a wide-ranging\n  bill is being readied for probable House approval next month.\n      Japan's bilateral trade surplus jumped from 12 billion dlrs\n  in 1980 to 62 billion dlrs last year. Its surplus rose to 8.14\n  billion dlrs in February from 5.7 billion dlrs in January.\n      Congress points to the record 169 billion dlrs U.S. trade\n  deficit in 1986 and the slow response in the trade imbalance to\n  the dollar's decline in world currency markets as a reason to\n  press Japan to buy more U.S. goods.\n      They are particularly dismayed by the rapid deterioration\n  in U.S. exports of sophisticated computer technology.\n      In response to the growing anger and pressure by the U.S.\n  semiconductor industry, President Reagan Friday announced he\n  intended to raise tariffs as much as 300 mln dlrs on Japanese\n  electronic goods in retaliation for Japan's failure to abide by\n  a 1986 U.S.-Japanese semiconductor agreement.\n      Congress also has been been angered by the administration's\n  lack of success with Japan on a host of other trade issues\n  including beef, citrus, automobile parts, telecommunications\n  goods, and financial services.\n      The bulk of the House trade bill was written last week in\n  four committees. It is a package of trade sanctions and\n  measures to force the administration take tough action against\n  foreign trade barriers and unfair competition.\n      Although most provisions do not single out Japan, in many\n  cases their impact would be to restrict imports of Japanese\n  products or make them more expensive with higher duties.\n      The cornerstone of the trade legislation passed the House\n  Ways and Means Committee by a vote of 34 to 2. Its focus is to\n  force President Reagan to retaliate against unfair foreign\n  competition and to make it easier for U.S. industries to win\n  temporary relief from surges in imports.\n      The most controversial issue, an amendment to restrict\n  imports if countries such as Japan with large surpluses do not\n  buy more U.S. goods was left for an April vote by the House.\n      Rep. Richard Gephardt, a Democratic presidential aspirant\n  from Missouri, has the support of Wright and other key\n  Democrats to press for passage of the amendment.\n      The measure would have the most impact on Japan, West\n  Germany, Taiwan and South Korea. If Japan, for example, does\n  not reduce its barriers by mid-1988, the United States would\n  set import quotas or tariffs to cut Japanese surplus by ten per\n  cent a year for three years.\n      \"I'm tired of going into companies and having managers say\n  to me, 'We're not over competing in Japan because we can't\n  compete in the marketplace.' That argument needs to be taken\n  away from American business,\" Gephardt said.\n      The administration has said it could not support a trade\n  bill containing such a provision.\n      \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GENERAL PUBLIC UTILITIES CORP <GPU> TWO MTHS NET\n","article":"  Shr 97 cts vs 81 cts\n      Net 60.8 mln vs 51.1 mln\n      Revs 487.4 mln vs 529.7 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 3.42 dlrs vs 2.18 dlrs\n      Net 215.0 mln vs 137.2 mln\n      Revs 2.74 billion vs 2.88 billion\n      NOTE: 1986 results restated for change in accounting.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KAUFMAN, BOARD <KB> UNITS CUT QUAKER <KSF> STAKE\n","article":"  Kaufman and Board Inc and its\n  insurance subsidiaries said they lowered their stake in Quaker\n  State Oil Refining Corp to 1,795,908 shares, or 6.9 pct of the\n  total outstanding, from 2,120,908 shares, or 8.1 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the Kaufman and Board group, which includes Sun Life Group,\n  said it sold 325,000 Quaker State common shares between Feb 27\n  and March 23 at prices ranging from 28.00 to 31.00 dlrs each.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BUSINESSMAN HAS 5.7 PCT OF ARDEN GROUP <ARDNA>\n","article":"  Saul Brandman, a California business\n  executive, told the Securities and Exchange Commission he has\n  acquired 118,714 shares of Arden Group Inc, or 5.7 pct of the\n  total outstanding common stock.\n      Brandman, chairman of Domino of California Inc, a Los\n  Angeles garment maker, said he bought the stake for 3.1 mln\n  dlrs for investment purposes.\n      He said he may buy more Arden Group shares, or he may sell\n  some or all of his current stake. He also said he has no plans\n  to seek control of the company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FORD MOTOR CO OF CANADA LTD 4TH QTR SHR 8.17 DLRS VS 55 CTS\n","article":"\n  FORD MOTOR CO OF CANADA LTD 4TH QTR SHR 8.17 DLRS VS 55 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED WILL BUY BILLS FOR CUSTOMER AFTER AUCTION\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve said it will enter\n  the U.S. Government securities market after the 1300 EST weekly\n  bill auction to purchase around 900 mln dlrs of Treasury bills\n  for customers, a spokesman said.\n      He said the Fed will purchase bills with maturities from\n  May through September 10.\n      Dealers said Federal funds were trading at 6-3\/8 pct when\n  the Fed announced the operation.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"METROMAIL CORP <MTML> 3RD QTR MARCH 1 NET\n","article":"  Shr 25 cts vs 32 cts\n      Net 2,414,500 vs 3,027,500\n      Rev 26.2 mln vs 23.5 mln\n      Nine months\n      Shr 76 cts vs 82 cts\n      Net 7,214,900 vs 7,752,800\n      Rev 69.2 mln vs 64.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ORANGE <OJAY> IN DEFINITIVE PACT TO SELL UNITS\n","article":"  Orange Julius International Inc said\n  it entered into a definitive agreement to sell Orange Julius of\n  America and Orange Julius Canada Limited to H.C. Holdings Inc,\n  owned by Branford Castle Inc, a merchant banker, members of its\n  management and certain of its shareholders.\n      Orange said the purchase price will consist of 19 mln dlrs\n  in cash and 10 pct redeemable preferred, 10 pct of HC's common\n  equity, and the right for it to prospectively receive 20 pct of\n  certain royalties under a proposed licensing program.\n      It said HC also agreed to lend up to 600,000 dlrs to it in\n  advance of closing and it had already received 300,000 dlrs.\n      Orange Julius announced the proposed sale of the units when\n  a letter of intent was signed February 17.\n      The company said it is reviewing other offers to buy the\n  units and if it decides to accept another offer it will pay HC\n  an agreed upon amount and reimburse HC for its expenses.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SIERRACIN CORP <SER> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit nine cts vs loss 26 cts\n      Oper net profit 313,000 vs loss 860,000\n      Revs 18.8 mln vs 16.4 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 45 cts vs loss 47 cts\n      Oper net profit 1,543,000 vs loss 1,582,000\n      Revs 72.7 mln vs 61.4 mln\n      Note: Current qtr and year figures exclude losses from\n  discontinued operations of 179,000 dlrs, or five cts per share\n  and 901,000 dlrs, or 27 cts per share, respectively.\n      Prior qtr and year figures exclude losses from discontinued\n  operations of 600,000 dlrs, or 17 cts per share and 1.1 mln\n  dlrs, or 33 cts per share, respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COMPUTER MICROFILM CORP <COMI> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 23 cts vs 14 cts\n      Net 439,100 vs 259,948\n      Revs 9,918,413 vs 9,683,392\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for five pct stock dividend.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COMPUTER MICROFILM <COMI> SEES HIGHER 1987 NET\n","article":"  Computer Microfilm corp said it expects\n  revenues of over 12.5 mln dlrs and higher earnings in 1987.\n      The company today reported 1986 earnings of 439,100 dlrs on\n  revenues of 9,918,413 dlrs, up from earnings of 259,948 dlrs\n  and revenues of 9,683,392 dlrs a year before.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"KEVLIN MICROWAVE CORP <KVLM> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit nil vs profit five cts\n      Net profit 9,879 vs profit 118,852\n      Revs 1,581,894 vs 1,878,052\n      Avg shrs 2,627,952 vs 2,617,090\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss two cts vs profit 24 cts\n      Net loss 51,001 vs profit 619,860\n      Revs 4,006,024 vs 6,646,587\n      Avg shrs 2,532,959 vs 2,621,397\n      NOTE: Nine mth orders 4,601,463 dlrs, up 39 pct, and\n  backlog at end of period 4,906,670 dlrs, up 83 pct from a year\n  before.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNIFAST INDUSTRIES INC <UFST> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 62 cts vs 19 cts\n      Net 961,826 vs 226,429\n      Sales 22.8 mln vs 16.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,543,230 vs 1,172,039\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AZTEC MANUFACTURING CO <AZTC> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 77 cts vs loss 1.49 dlrs\n      Qtly div two cts vs two cts prior\n      Net loss 3,860,000 vs loss 7,541,000\n      Sales 2,538,000 vs 3,648,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 78 cts vs loss 1.58 dlrs\n      Net loss 3,935,000 vs loss 7,999,000\n      Sales 10.5 mln vs 16.3 mln\n      NOTE: Dividend pay April 24, record April 10.\n      1986 net both periods includes pretax charge 2,944,000 dlrs\n  from writedown of assets and provision 726,000 dlrs for\n  obsolete and nonproductive inventory and other items.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GAC LIQUIDATING TRUST <GACTZ> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.05 dlrs vs 27 cts\n      Net 4,193,000 vs 1,070,000\n      Revs 9,377,000 vs 9,444,000\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes gain two mln dlrs from reduction of\n  loss allowance on undeveloped land.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INVESTOR HAS 8.0 PCT OF ALLEGHENY INT'L <AG>\n","article":"  A group of firms and funds\n  controlled by New York investor Mario Gabelli said it has\n  acquired the equivalent of 882,507 shares of Allegheny\n  International, or 8.0 pct of the total outstanding.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the Gabelli group said it bought the stake as part of its \n  business and not in an effort to seek control of the company.\n      It said it may by more shares or sell some or all of its\n  current stake. The stake includes 782,000 common shares and\n  cumulative convertible preferred stock which could be converted\n  into 100,507 common shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. CORPORATE FINANCE - NEW ZEALAND DLR FRNS\n","article":"  Floating-rate notes denominated in a\n  foreign currency, a relatively new wrinkle on Wall Street, will\n  probably be issued infrequently because the so-called \"window\n  of opportunity\" opens and closes quickly, traders say.\n      \"In just two days we had as many issues. As a result, the\n  market became glutted,\" said one trader.\n      He said the window depends more on supply than on foreign\n  exchange or interest rate risk, at least for the moment.\n  \"Obviously, currency risk is important. But there is a limited\n  number of investors right now for the paper,\" he said.\n      On Thursday, Bear, Stearns and Co sole-managed a 100 mln\n  New Zealand dlr offering of three-year floating-rate notes\n  issued by Ford Motor Credit Co, a unit of Ford Motor Co <F>.\n      The initial rate for the notes will be set on April 15, and\n  quarterly after that, at 200 basis points below the 90-day New\n  Zealand bank bill rate. They are non-callable for life.\n      This followed by a week another Bear Stearns-led offering\n  of the same amount of New Zealand dollar notes for Dow Chemical\n  Co <DOW>. The initial rate was also to be initially set on\n  April 15, and quarterly after that, at 340 basis points below\n  the same 90-day New Zealand rate.\n      Because the Dow Chemical notes carried an interest rate\n  floor of 17 pct, the issue saw strong investor demand,\n  underwriters said.\n      But the Ford Credit notes and Friday's offering of 130 mln\n  New Zealand dlrs of floating-rate notes due 1990 issued by\n  General Electric Co's <GE> General Electric Credit Corp via\n  Prudential-Bache Securities Inc, did not have such a floor.\n      \"Obviously, the two firms did not want to issue floaters\n  and face the risk of New Zealand rates falling sharply,\" an\n  underwriter away from the syndicates said. He and others noted\n  that the New Zealand 90-day rate was 27 pct late last week.\n      An underwriter familiar with the Dow Chemical deal pointed\n  out that because of the interest rate and currency swaps Dow\n  did, the issuer felt comfortable setting a rate floor.\n      Domestic offerings of foreign currency denominated date\n  first surfaced in Fall 1985. By using currency and rate swaps,\n  companies can sell debt that pays a high interest rate in a\n  foreign currency like Australian or New Zealand dollars. But\n  the issuers actually realize savings on borrowing costs.\n      \"I would say that every company which issued foreign\n  currency debt saved some basis points when compared to\n  same-maturity plain vanilla U.S. issues,\" an analyst said.\n      Investors, mainly institutions, were attracted to the early\n  issues because of the high interest rates. They were willing to\n  absorb foreign currency risk until mid-1986, when sharp slides\n  posted by the Australian and New Zealand dollars brought such\n  issuance to a quick halt.\n      It was not until late last year, after the currencies\n  stabilized, that companies again started issuing debt\n  denominated in Australian and New Zealand dollars.\n      But many investors have still shied away from the debt,\n  remembering the mid-1986 downturn of the Australian and New\n  Zealand dollars, analysts noted.\n      To attract some of those investors back to the fold,\n  underwriters like Bear Stearns decided to structure the foreign\n  currency issues as floating rate debt, sources said.\n      This occurred against a backdrop of uncertainty over the\n  course of U.S. interest rates for the intermediate term, and\n  predictions by a number of economists that Treasury yields\n  would rise in the second half of the year, the sources noted.\n      A Bear Stearns officer said more than half of the Ford\n  Credit notes were sold by late Friday afternoon, the second day\n  of offering. \"That is quicker than some recent fixed-rate New\n  Zealand dollar note issues,\" he said.\n      However, underwriters away from the Bear Stearns syndicate\n  said the issue may have sold even faster if Prudential-Bache\n  did not offer the General Electric Credit notes on Friday.\n      They pointed out that the Ford notes were rated A-1 by\n  Moody's Investors and AA-minus by Standard and Poor's, while\n  the General Electric notes, which had the same interest rate\n  terms and were also non-callable to maturity, carried\n  top-flight AAA ratings by both agencies.\n      \"We have sold 20 to 25 pct of the GE notes. For first-day\n  sales on a Friday afternoon, I'm happy with the results,\" an\n  officer on Prudential-Bache's syndicate desk said.\n      Investors pay the U.S. dollar equivalent of the foreign\n  currency-denominated notes, underwriters said.\n      Investment bankers said the next floating-rate issue of New\n  Zealand or Australian dollar-denominated debt is probably a few\n  weeks away.\n      \"I would like to underwrite a deal a day. But with the Dow,\n  Ford and GE offerings, the marketplace has had enough for the\n  time being,\" the Prudential-Bache officer admitted.\n      Meanwhile, IDD Information Services said the 30-day\n  corporate visible supply fell to 3.29 billion dlrs last week\n  from 3.98 billion dlrs in the previous week.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"YUGOSLAVIA WHEAT FREE OF WINTERKILL - USDA\n","article":"  There was no evidence of winterkill\n  in Yugoslavian winter wheat during field travel along a line\n  running northwest from Belgrade to near Maribor, the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department's counselor in Belgrade said in a field\n  report.\n      The report, dated February 26, said there is evidence of\n  delayed germination in most areas due to late seeding last fall\n  because of dry conditions.\n      However warm temperatures over the past three weeks have\n  promoted some early growth and will help the crop catch up on\n  last fall's late seeding, it said.\n      Some Yugoslav agriculture officials are concerned about the\n  situation because warm temperatures have brought the grain out\n  of dormancy and taken away snow protection a little early, the\n  report said.\n      Cold temperatures over the next month could cause damage\n  under these conditions, they said.\n      The report said all wheat farmers contacted during the\n  field trip were optimistic about the crop and the way it\n  emerged from winter.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<CLAYTON AND DUBILIER INC> SELLS BURPEE\n","article":"  Privately-held Clayton and Dubilier\n  Inc said it has sold W. Atlee Burpee Co to a new company formed\n  by Wicks Capital Corp, Bankers Trust New York Corp <BT> aND\n  Burpee management for undisclosed terms.\n      The garden supply company was acquired from ITT Corp <ITT>\n  in December along with O.M. Scott and Sons Co.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GCA CORP <GCA> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.77 dlrs vs loss 10.47 dlrs\n      Net loss 24.9 mln vs loss 123.1 mln\n      Revs 123.1 mln vs 156.5 mln\n      NOTE:1985 loss includes loss of 51.2 mln dlrs from\n  discontinued operations. 1986 loss includes gain of 6.8 mln\n  dlrs from discontinued operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DOW <DOW> SEES RECORD ANNUAL PROFITS IN 1987\n","article":"  Dow Chemical Co believes strong margins\n  for chemical products could result in record earnings this\n  year, Chairman Paul Oreffice said.\n      \"I'm hoping we will have the best year in our history\n  profit-wise,\" he told reporters following a speech at The\n  American Institute of Chemical Engineers meeting.\n      \"I believe the entire chemical industry is headed for a\n  record year, or close to it,\" Oreffice said.\n      In 1986, Dow earned 741 mln dlrs an increase from 1985's 58\n  mln dlrs brought about by falling oil prices and resulting\n  cheaper feedstock costs.\n      Oreffice also said Dow's profit margins on chemical\n  products would improve this year over last year.\n      He said reduced capacity in the chemical industry and the\n  weakened U.S. dollar would also contribute to the company's\n  improved performance.\n      Dow will spending about 650 mln dlrs on research and\n  development in 1987 with an emphasis on new specialty\n  chemicals, Oreffice said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHEROKEE GROUP <CHKE> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 22 cts vs 16 cts\n      Net 2,460,000 vs 1,730,000\n      Sales 37.0 mln vs 27.3 mln\n      Per share figures adjusted for two-for-one stock split of\n  February 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CRUDE OIL NETBACKS UP IN U.S., MEDITERRANEAN\n","article":"  Crude oil netback values in complex\n  refineries rose slightly in the U.S. and the Mediterranean \n  last Friday from the previous week but were lower elsewhere,\n  according to calculations by Reuters Pipeline.\n      The soft tone to refining margins reflects large worldwide\n  stocks of petroleum products and thin trading activity, traders\n  said.\n      In the U.S. Gulf, sweet crudes rose in value by as much as\n  26 cts a barrel for West Texas Intermediate, an increase of 1.4\n  pct from the previous Friday, while sour crudes, such as\n  Alaska North Slope, were up one pct.\n      In the Mediterranean, netback values were up 17 cts to 22\n  cts a barrel, with Arab Light up 17 cts a barrel to 18.62 dlrs,\n  a 0.9 pct increase from the previous Friday and Urals were up\n  22 cts a barrel to 19.16 dlrs, a 1.2 pct increase.\n      But netbacks for crude oil refined in Northern Europe was\n  generally lower with Brent valued at 18.89 dlrs, off 30 cts\n  from the previous friday, and Bonny Light was off 17 cts to\n  19.58 dlrs a barrel.\n      Refinery netbacks in Singapore were also lower, with\n  heavier and sour crudes weakest. Arab Heavy dropped 10 cts to\n  16.63 dlrs a barrel and Dubai was off 12 cts to 18.09 dlrs.\n      On the U.S. West Coast, however, netback values for ANS CIF\n  L.A. were weaker with weak gasoline prices sending the yield at\n  cracking plants down 68 cts to 18.42 dlrs from the previous\n  Friday, as shown below in dlrs a barrel.\n  TOPPING.........15.63......16.10......14.30\n  CRACKING........18.42......19.10......16.86\n      The Mediterranean region also showed netback values rising\n  last Friday over the previous week with the largest gains shown\n  by Es Sider and the heavier Urals crude oil, which were each up\n  22 cts a barrel last Friday to 19.40 dlrs and 19.16 dlrs a\n  barrel, respectively.\n      Netback values for the mediterranean region are shown below\n  in dlrs a barrel.\n  GRADE...........MAR 27.....MAR 20.....FEB 27\n  ES SIDER........19.40......19.18......16.44\n  ARAB LIGHT......18.61......18.44......15.52\n  IRAN LT.........19.25......19.08......16.16\n  KUWAIT..........18.51......18.33......15.42\n  URALS cif.......19.16......18.94......16.07\n      Netbacks in Northern Europe's refinery region were lower\n  last friday from the previous week with Brent falling 1.6 pct\n  to 18.89 dlrs a barrel.\n       Netbacks for other grades of oil refined in Northern\n  Europe are shown below in dlrs a barrel.\n  ................MAR 27.....MAR 20.....FEB 27\n  BRENT...........18.89......19.19......16.77\n  BONNY LIGHT.....19.58......19.75......17.15\n  ARAB LIGHT......18.49......18.52......16.07\n  URALS CIF.......19.02......18.98......16.54\n      Refinery netbacks in Singapore were also lower with heavier\n  and sour crudes weakest.\n      Arab Heavy dropped 10 cts to 16.63 dlrs a barrel and Dubai\n  was off 12 cts to 18.09 dlrs.\n       Netbacks for other grades of oil refined in Singapore  are\n  shown below in dlrs a barrel.\n  GRADE...........MAR 27.....MAR 20.....FEB 27\n  ATTAKA..........19.23......19.24......16.72\n  ARAB LIGHT......18.00......18.10......15.55\n  OMAN............18.21......18.25......16.31\n  DUBAI...........18.09......18.21......15.86\n  ARAB HEAVY......16.63......16.73......14.24\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTOR GROUP HAS CIRCLE EXPRESS <CEXX> STAKE\n","article":"  An investor group controlled by New\n  York Investor David Rocker told the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission it has acquired 291,400 shares of Circle Express\n  Inc, or 6.1 pct of the total outstanding common stock.\n      The group, Rocker Partners Ltd and Compass Investments Ltd,\n  said it bought the stake for investment purposes and not as\n  part of an effort to seek control of the company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRENCH 1986\/87 SOFT WHEAT EXPORTS FALL\n","article":"  Exports of French soft wheat for the\n  period July 1, 1986, to March 1, 1987, fell 27.6 pct to 8.21\n  mln tonnes from 11.34 mln tonnes in the same 1985\/86 period,\n  the national cereals office ONIC said quoting customs figures.\n      Of this total, exports to non-EC countries totalled 3.76\n  mln tonnes, 34 pct down on 5.70 mln, and exports to EC nations\n  4.45 mln tonnes, 21.1 pct down on a previous 5.64 mln.\n      Main EC destinations were Italy with two mln tonnes versus\n  1.9 mln, Belgium 500,000 tonnes (one mln), Netherlands 500,000\n  (600,000), West Germany 500,000 (800,000), Spain 300,000\n  (zero), Britain 300,000 (700,000), Greece 200,000 (300,000),\n  and Ireland 100,000 (200,000).\n      In flour, exports totalled 980,000 tonnes, up 6.5 pct on a\n  previous 920,000 tonnes.\n      Exports of maize totalled 4.11 mln tonnes, 37.4 pct up on a\n  previous 2.99 mln. Exports to non-EC countries were 190,000\n  tonnes against 140,000 and to EC countries 3.92 mln tonnes\n  against 2.84 mln.\n      Main EC desinations were Netherlands 900,000 (600,000),\n  Belgium 800,000 (one mln), Britain 700,000 (500,000), West\n  Germany 400,000 (same), Italy 300,000 (200,000) and Greece\n  300,000 (zero).\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"IBC EXPECTED TO MAINTAIN COFFEE EXPORT FORMULA\n","article":"  The Brazilian Coffee Institute,\n  IBC, is expected to maintain its previous pricing system when\n  it reopens export registrations, probably later this week,\n  exporters said.\n      They said IBC President Jorio Dauster is likely to leave\n  the basic formula for the minimum registration price unchanged\n  but raise the contribution quota to partially offset the\n  effects of cruzado devaluation since April registrations were\n  closed in mid-February.\n      To fully compensate for devaluation the quota would have to\n  be around 28 dlrs per bag against 7.0 when registrations closed.\n      However, even a 21 dlr per bag rise in the contribution\n  quota would make Brazil coffees uncompetitive on world markets,\n  and an increase to around 15 dlrs a bag is more likely, the\n  exporters said.\n      They added that Dauster is keen to raise the contribution\n  quota as the Institute needs money to repay Central Governmnet\n  funds released to finance IBC purchases at the guaranteed\n  producer price.\n      Although a vote in the Monetary Council to provide more\n  funds for such purchases was deferred on technical grounds last\n  week, funds are still being released for subsequent approval.\n      The sources said it is still unclear when registrations\n  will be reopened, although most expect it to be by the end of\n  this week.\n      \"Brazil owes it to its customers to make its intentions\n  know. A country like Brazil cannot afford to be permanently\n  closed down,\" one exporter said.\n      However, before announcing its export policy the IBC is\n  likely to wait to see if tomorrow's meeting of the\n  International Coffee Organisation, ICO, executive board in\n  London decides to call a full council meeting to discuss\n  reintroduction of export quotas, sources said.\n      There is also talk of the announcement this week of new\n  measures to adjust the Brazilian economy, and the IBC could be\n  awaiting clarification before making any move, the exporters\n  said.\n      Another factor which could be delaying the opening of\n  registrations is the current strike by bank workers which,\n  while not affecting current shipments, could affect\n  documentation and currency operations for new sales.\n      This would certainly be the case if the IBC was considering\n  obliging exporters to pay the contribution quota within two or\n  three days of registering a sale.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUSIMONT COMPO NV <AUS> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 42 cts vs 39 cts\n      Net 12.3 mln vs 9,382,000\n      Sales 172.0 mln vs 146.00 mln\n      Avg shrs 29.5 mln vs 24.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.63 dlrs vs 1.35 dlrs\n      Net 45.7 mln vs 30.0 mln\n      Sales 665.5 mln vs 446.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 28.0 mln vs 22.3 mln\n      NOTE: translated at 1,339 Italian lire to dollar.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<VISTA MANAGEMENT INC> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Vista Management Inc said it has\n  agreed to acquire General Energy Development Inc for over\n  2,200,000 dlrs in cash, with financing to come from mortgage\n  loans on the National Auto Service Centers General Energy\n  operates.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GOLDEN POULTRY <CHIK> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  golden Poultry Co Inc said it has\n  signed a letter of intent to purchase privately-held food\n  distributor Don Lowe Foods Inc of Pompano Beach, Fla., for\n  undisclosed terms, subject to approval by both boards.\n      It said Tampa operations of Lowe are not involved in the\n  sale.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WILLCOX AND GIBBS <WG> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Willcox and Gibbs Inc said it has\n  agreed to acquire Atlantia electric parts distributor B and W\n  Electric Supply Co for an undisclosed amount of cash.\n      B and W had sales of about eight mln dlrs in its most\n  recent year.\n      Willcox said it plans further expansion in the Atlanta area.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MISCHER CORP <MSHR> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 67 cts vs profit 60 cts\n      Net loss 1,398,000 vs profit 1,250,000\n      Revs 8,834,000 vs 20.9 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 2.81 dlrs vs loss 15 cts\n      Net loss 5,864,000 vs loss 310,000\n      Revs 52.1 mln vs 82.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WICHITA INDUSTRIES INC <WRO> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 32 cts vs profit eight cts\n      Net profit 936,000 vs profit 249,000\n      Revs 348,000 vs 1,150,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 2.15 dlrs vs loss 19 cts\n      Net loss 6,095,000 vs loss 469,000\n      Revs 1,554,000 vs 4,254,000\n      NOTE: Results include credits of 556,000 and 1,141,000 for\n  the latest qtr and yr vs 112,000 and 656,000 for prior periods\n  from tax loss carryforwards.\n      Results include after-tax gains of 567,000 for both 1986\n  periods vs loss of 45,000 for prior periods on disposal of\n  discontinued operations.\n      Prior periods restated to reflect sale of discontinued\n  operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INFODATA SYSTEMS INC <INFD> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 20 cts vs loss 33 cts\n      Net profit 376,470 vs loss 1,555,469\n      Revs 3,615,550 vs 2,896,000\n      Year\n      Shr profit 14 cts vs loss 66 cts\n      Net profit 382,014 vs loss 1,128,160\n      Revs 11.2 mln vs 11.0 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CITY RESOURCES <CCIMF> TO SELL PROPERTY STAKE\n","article":"  City Resources Ltd said it has agreed\n  in principle to sell a 50 pct interest in a group of mineral\n  properties in the southwest Pacific to a buyer it did not name\n  for 30 mln Canadian dlrs.\n      The company said a preliminary estimate of the geological\n  resources of one of the properties to a depth of 200 meters\n  indicates a potential of 1.2 mln ounces of gold, and by the\n  middle of 1987 it expects to establish proven ore reserves\n  containing at least 500,000 ounces of gold.  It said mining\n  could start in 1988, subject to a satisfactory prefeasibility\n  study.\n      The company said completion of the transaction is subject\n  to regulatory and shareholder approvals.\n      City Resources is controlled by City Resources Ltd of\n  Australia.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HUGHES SUPPLY <HUG> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Hughes Supply Inc said it has\n  signed a letter of intent to acquire most of the assets of Tri\n  State Supply Inc, a wholesale distributor of electrinical\n  fixtures and supplies with sales for the year ending tomorrow\n  of about 13 mln dlrs.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      It said clopsing is expected around April 30, subject to\n  approval by Tri State's board and shareholders.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JMB REALTY TRUST <JMBRS> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 31 cts vs 41 cts\n      Net 436,981 vs 583,715\n      Six months\n      Shr 63 cts vs 82 cts\n      Net 901,648 vs 1,160,178\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REPUBLIC PICTURES CORP <RPICA> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss two cts vs profit eight cts\n      Oper net loss 77,000 vs profit 285,000\n      Revs 3,781,000 vs 4,721,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 23 cts vs profit 26 cts\n      Oper net profit 904,00 vs profit 952,000\n      Revs 19.0 mln vs 15.1 mln\n      Note: Current qtr and year figures exclude losses from\n  discontinued operations of 303,000 dlrs, or seven cts per share\n  and 354,000 dlrs, or nine cts per share, respectively.\n      Net earnings for first three months of 1986 restated to\n  reflect reduction of 148,000 dlrs resulting from increase in\n  effvective income tax rate.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"EQUIPMENT CO OF AMERICA <ECOA> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr seven cts vs four cts\n      Oper net 159,000 vs 94,000\n      Sales 4,528,000 vs 3,683,000\n      Avg shrs 2,376,000 vs 2,189,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr 19 cts vs 15 cts\n      Oper net 435,000 vs 339,000\n      Sales 15.7 mln vs 14.4 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes tax credits of 17,000 dlrs vs 39,000\n  dlrs in quarter and 268,000 dlrs vs 294,000 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OHIO MATTRESS <OMT> IN ACQUISITION, SETTLEMENT\n","article":"  Ohio Mattress Co said itr has\n  executed a definitive agreement to acquire Sealy Mattress Co of\n  Michigan Inc, the Detroit licensee of Ohio Mattress's 82 pct\n  owned Sealy Inc subsidiary in a transaction that also involves\n  a settlement between Sealy and Michigan Sealy.\n      The company said on completion of the acquisition, the\n  Sealy stock owned by Michigan Sealy will be redeemed, raising\n  Ohio Mattress' interest in Sealy to 93 pct.  Michigan Sealy has\n  been in litigation against Sealy, alleging violations of\n  antitrust laws, and Sealy was recently found liable for 45 mln\n  dlrs in damages to Michigan Sealy.\n      Under the acquisition agreement, the company said Sealy\n  will enter into a cash settlement of its litigation with\n  Michigan Sealy.\n      The company said shareholders of Michigan Sealy will\n  receive a total of 48.6 mln dlrs, subject to adjustment, from\n  the acquisition and the settlement, both of which are subject\n  to regulatory approvals.\n      Michigan Sealy had sales of about 12.5 mln dlrs in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<TOROMONT INDUSTRIES LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 49 cts vs 47 cts\n      Oper net 1,475,000 vs 1,474,000\n      Revs 85.8 mln vs 90.6 mln\n      Note: Current shr and net exclude extraordinary loss of\n  3,413,000 dlrs or 1.13 dlrs shares, versus extraordinary loss\n  of 63,000 dlrs or two cts share in prior year\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"AMERON INC <AMN> 1ST QTR FEB 28 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 11 cts vs profit six cts\n      Net loss 515,000 vs profit 294,000\n      Sales 62.8 mln vs 65.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"YORK INTERNATIONAL <YRK> TO MAKE ACQUISITIONS\n","article":"  York International Corp said it has\n  agreed to acquire Frick Co and Frigid Coil\/Frick Inc for\n  undisclosed terms.\n      The company said Frick makes refrigeration equipment and\n  compressors and Frigid Coil also makes refrigeration equipment.\n   Together the two had revenues of about 50 mln dlrs in 1986.\n      The company said it hopes to complete the acquisition in\n  May, subject to its review of Frick and Frigid and regulatory\n  approvals.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NUCLEAR SUPPORT <NSSI> TO BUY ITT <ITT> HENZE\n","article":"  Nuclear Support Services Inc\n  said it agreed in principle to buy the business and assets of\n  ITT Henze Service from ITT Corp for an undisclosed amount.\n      Henze, which is engaged in performing nuclear plant repair\n  work, had revenues of 12.7 mln dlrs for the year ended December\n  31, 1986.\n      For 1986, Nuclear Support, a supplier of support personnel\n  and services to the nuclear power industry, had net income of\n  2.4 mln dlrs on sales of 30.6 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COLONIAL BANCGROUP <CLBGA> BUYS FARMERS\n","article":"  Colonial BancGroup said it\n  acquired Farmers and Merchants Bank, a Baldwin County bank with\n  assets of 103 mln dlrs, through an exchange of stock valued at\n  about 12 mln dlrs.\n      Colonial said it also signed letters of intent to acquire\n  First Federal Bank in Opelika, Athens-Limestone Bank in Athens,\n  Jackson County Bank in Scottsboro and Commercial National Bank\n  in Demopolis, with aggregate assets totaling 130 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORTON <NRT> TO SELL SOUTH AFRICAN OPERATIONS\n","article":"  Norton co said it has agreed to\n  sell its remaining South African business, Norton co Pty Ltd,\n  to <Global Mining and Industrial Corp> of South africa for\n  undisclosed terms.\n      The company said the unit accounts for less than two pct of\n  Norton revenues and is being sold because \"Growing societal\n  pressures in the United States and the unsettled situation in\n  south Africa had required a disproportionate amount of\n  management tiome to oversee.\"\n      Norton said the unit is profitable. \n      Norton said it will provide the South Afrcian unit with\n  future technical support, and products makde under that\n  agreement will continue to be marketed under the Norton\n  trademark.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ROCHESTER TELEPHONE <RTC> COMPLETES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Rochester Telephone Corp said\n  it completed its acquisition of the Enterprise Telephone Co,\n  based in New Holland, Pa., in exchange for stock valued at 26.3\n  mln dlrs.\n      Enterprises serves about 16,000 access lines in Lancaster\n  County. Enterprise becomes the third operating telephone\n  subsidiary of Rochester Telephone in Pennsylvania and its sixth\n  largest overall, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CITY RESOURCES TO SELL GOLD PROPERTY STAKE\n","article":"  City Resources Ltd said it has agreed\n  in principle to sell a 50 pct interest in a group of mineral\n  properties in the southwest Pacific to a buyer it did not name\n  for 30 mln Canadian dlrs.\n      The company said a preliminary estimate of the geological\n  resources of one of the properties to a depth of 200 meters\n  indicates a potential of 1.2 mln ounces of gold, and by the\n  middle of 1987 it expects to establish proven ore reserves\n  containing at least 500,000 ounces of gold. Mining could start\n  in 1988, subject to a satisfactory feasibility study.\n      The company said completion of the transaction is subject\n  to regulatory and shareholder approvals.\n      City Resources is controlled by City Resources Ltd of\n  Australia.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HOME SHOPPING <HSN> TO PURCHASE TV STATION\n","article":"  Home Shopping NEtwork Inc said\n  its Silver King Broadcasting Co INc unit entered a definitive\n  contract to buy the broadcasting assets of TV station KWVT,\n  Channel 22 in the Portland\/Salem, Ore. area for undisclosed\n  terms.\n      Additionally, the company said KWVT, which serves 785,000\n  homes, began broadcasting Home Shopping Network full time this\n  morning under an affiliation agreement.\n      Home Shopping also said it entered a definitive contract to\n  buy TV Station KPST, Channel 66 in San Francisco and KLTJ,\n  Channel 49 in Dallas.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COVINGTON TECHNOLOGIES INC <COVT> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit eight cts vs loss 20 cts\n      Oper net profit 1,115,000 vs loss 2,729,000\n      Revs 83.0 mln vs 37.9 mln\n      Note: Current year figures exclude operating loss\n  carryforward gain of 888,000 dlrs and loss from discontinued\n  operations of 73,000 dlrs.\n      Prior year figures exclude loss from discontinued\n  operations of 3.9 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COBANCO INC <CBCO> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 34 cts vs 1.19 dlrs\n      Net 807,000 vs 2,858,000\n      Assets 510.2 mln vs 479.7 mln\n      Deposits 472.3 mln vs 440.3 mln\n      Loans 299.2 mln vs 327.2 mln\n      Note: 4th qtr not available. Year includes 1985\n  extraordinary gain from tax carry forward of 132,000 dlrs, or\n  five cts per shr.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN EXPRESS <AXP> SEEN IN POSSIBLE SPINNOFF\n","article":"  American Express Co remained silent on\n  market rumors it would spinoff all or part of its Shearson\n  Lehman Brothers Inc, but some analysts said the company may be\n  considering such a move because it is unhappy with the market\n  value of its stock.\n      American Express stock got a lift from the rumor, as the\n  market calculated a partially public Shearson may command a\n  good market value, thereby boosting the total value of American\n  Express. The rumor also was accompanied by talk the financial\n  services firm would split its stock and boost its dividend.\n      American Express closed on the New York Stock Exchange at\n  72-5\/8, up 4-1\/8 on heavy volume.\n      American Express would not comment on the rumors or its\n  stock activity.\n      Analysts said comments by the company at an analysts'\n  meeting Tuesday helped fuel the rumors as did an announcement\n  yesterday of management changes.\n      At the meeting, company officials said American Express\n  stock is undervalued and does not fully reflect the performance\n  of Shearson, according to analysts.\n      Yesterday, Shearson said it was elevating its chief\n  operating officer, Jeffery Lane, to the added position of\n  president, which had been vacant. It also created four new\n  positions for chairmen of its operating divisions.\n      Analysts speculated a partial spinoff would make most\n  sense, contrary to one variation on market rumors of a total\n  spinoff.\n      Some analysts, however, disagreed that any spinoff of\n  Shearson would be good since it is a strong profit center for\n  American Express, contributing about 20 pct of earnings last\n  year.\n      \"I think it is highly unlikely that American Express is\n  going to sell shearson,\" said Perrin Long of Lipper Analytical.\n  He questioned what would be a better investment than \"a very\n  profitable securities firm.\"\n      Several analysts said American Express is not in need of\n  cash, which might be the only reason to sell a part of a strong\n  asset.\n      But others believe the company could very well of\n  considered the option of spinning out part of Shearson, and one\n  rumor suggests selling about 20 pct of it in the market.\n      Larry Eckenfelder of Prudential-Bache Securities said he\n  believes American Express could have considered a partial\n  spinoff in the past.\n      \"Shearson being as profitable as it is would have fetched a\n  big premium in the market place. Shearson's book value is in\n  the 1.4 mln dlr range. Shearson in the market place would\n  probably be worth three to 3.5 bilion dlrs in terms of market\n  capitalization,\" said Eckenfelder.\n      Some analysts said American Express could use capital since\n  it plans to expand globally.\n      \"They have enormous internal growth plans that takes\n  capital. You want your stock to reflect realistic valuations to\n  enhance your ability to make all kinds of endeavors down the\n  road,\" said E.F. Hutton Group analyst Michael Lewis.\n      \"They've outlined the fact that they're investing heavily\n  in the future, which goes heavily into the international\n  arena,\" said Lewis. \"...That does not preclude acquisitions and\n  divestitures along the way,\" he said.\n      Lewis said if American Express reduced its exposure to the\n  brokerage business by selling part of shearson, its stock might\n  better reflect other assets, such as the travel related\n  services business.\n      \"It could find its true water mark with a lesser exposure\n  to brokerage. The value of the other components could command a\n  higher multiple because they constitute a higher percentage of\n  the total operating earnings of the company,\" he said.\n       Lewis said Shearson contributed 316 mln in after-tax\n  operating earnings, up from about 200 mln dlrs in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CANADA CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT UP IN QUARTER\n","article":"  Canada's current account deficit widened\n  to a seasonally adjusted 2.27 billion dlrs in the fourth\n  quarter from a deficit of 1.94 billion dlrs in the third,\n  Statistics Canada said.\n      The shortfall for the full year rose to 8.81 billion dlrs\n  from 1985's 584 mln dlr deficit, the federal agency said.\n      The agency said the rise in the merchandise surplus, to\n  2.77 billion dlrs from 2.20 billion dlrs in the third quarter,\n  was more than offset by high deficits in servicies and\n  investment. The total non-merchandise deficit grew to 5.04\n  billion dlrs from 4.14 billion dlrs.\n      The current account deficit was 912 mln dlrs in the fourth\n  quarter of 1985.\n      In the capital account, not seasonally adjusted, there was\n  a total net inflow of 4.76 billion dlrs in the fourth quarter,\n  up from a net inflow of 3.22 billion dlrs in the third quarter\n  quarter.\n      The total net capital inflow rose to 13.74 billion dlrs in\n  1986 from 7.68 billion dlr in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PARIS MEET AGREED NOT TO PUBLISH BANDS - LAWSON\n","article":"  U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel\n  Lawson said the meeting of six major industrial nations in\n  Paris last month agreed not to publish any bands in connection\n  with their pact to stabilise currencies.\n      Questioned by a parliamentary select committee about why\n  the participating countries had not announced any bands, Lawson\n  replied, \"we all agreed it would be much more sensible not to.\"\n  When asked whether that meant an informal joint currency float\n  with set ranges was arranged in Paris, Lawson said \"I do not\n  want to reveal the precise nature of the agreement, so as not\n  to make it easy for\" speculation against the accord.\n      Lawson said the Paris accord presumed that individual\n  countries would take corrective action if their currency began\n  reacting significantly to domestic macroeconomic factors.\n      But if such movements were due to extraneous factors,\n  Lawson said the other pact countries would come to its aid\n  through concerted intervention on the foreign exchanges.\n      \"It is clear that both Germany and Japan are having\n  difficulty adjusting to their very large exchange rate\n  appreciations and making their economies more domestically\n  oriented, just as it is taking time for the United States to\n  make its own economy more export oriented,\" Lawson said.\n      In his oral evidence to Parliament's Select Treasury\n  Committee, Lawson repeated that he was happy with the pound's\n  current level, adding that \"It is an objective ... To try to\n  keep it around that level.\"\n      He said the perception of sterling on foreign exchanges had\n  changed since the steep drop in oil prices, largely because the\n  pound had weathered that period so successfully. \"There has been\n  a reassessment of sterling's fundamentals,\" Lawson said.  He\n  disagreed with what he termed \"the grossly exaggerated claim\"\n  that real U.K. Interest rates were much higher than those of\n  other major industrialsed countries.\n      Using as a reference the key three-month sterling interbank\n  rate as quoted in London, Lawson said Britain now had a real\n  interest rate level of 5.75 pct - the same as Japan did and\n  only a 0.75 percentaage point above the Group of Five average.\n      Lawson confirmed that \"over the medium and longer term, the\n  government's objective is zero inflation.\"\n      He said the government's intention of its PSBR constant at\n  1.0 pct of GDP \"is the modern equivalent of the balanced budget\n  doctrine.\"  He added that \"to allow the debt\/GDP ratio to remain\n  constant on anything other than zero inflation basis is simply\n  a recipe for accelerating inflation.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BASS GROUP SAYS IT HAS HAD TALKS ON SEEKING CONTROL OF TAFT BROADCASTING\n","article":"\n  BASS GROUP SAYS IT HAS HAD TALKS ON SEEKING CONTROL OF TAFT BROADCASTING\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LOWER REFINERY OPERATIONS SEEN PRODUCING PROFITS\n","article":"  U.S. refiners will have to\n  reduce operations if they want to be profitable this year, said\n  industry officials attending the National Petroleum Refiners\n  Association meeting here.\n       \"If the refining sector can discipline itself to refine\n  about 12 mln barrels of crude oil a day, we have a chance to\n  pull down inventories to acceptable levels by the second\n  quarter, said Archie Dunham, executive vice president of\n  petroluem products at Conoco Inc\n      \"If not, the industry will have a tough 1987,\" he added.\n       Last week's American Petroleum Institute report said that\n  U.S. refining capacity rose three pct to 78.7 pct of capacity,\n  with crude oil runs at 12.2 mln barrels per day for the week\n  ended March 20.\n       The API said that with the higher crude oil runs, \n  distillate and gasoline inventories were sharply above year-ago\n  levels. Gasoline stocks were at 245.6 mln barrels, some 17.2\n  mln barrels above year-ago levels. Distillate stocks, at 108.7\n  mln barrels, are 10.9 mln barrels above last year's level, the\n  API said.\n       Henry Rosenberg, chairman of Crown Central Petroleum Corp\n  <CNP> told Reuters that unless refining and marketing return to\n  profitability, oil companies will have to rely on downstream\n  operations to produce an acceptable level of earnings.\n       \"The jump in refining capacity is a concern if it\n  continues,\" said Kenneth Buckler, executive vice president of\n  refining and marketing at <Total Petroleum Co>, a U.S.\n  subsidiary of Cie Francaise Des Petroles of France.\n       Refineries should operate near 75 pct of capacity given\n  the current level of demand but the operating level should\n  increase as gasoline demand picks up in the next quarter,\n  Buckler said.\n       Dunham said the potential operable capacity of U.S.\n  refineries should also be cut about 500,000 barrels of crude\n  per day. \"I expect to see the shutdown of more small refineries\n  over the next five years,\" he said, adding that these\n  facilities refine between 10,000 and 30,000 barrels of crude\n  oil per day. The API said U.S. operations have the capacity to\n  refine 15.6 mln bpd of crude.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"HOME FEDERAL OF THE ROCKIES <HROK> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 2.07 dlrs vs profit 36 cts\n      Net loss 1,088,000 vs profit 187,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 12.23 dlrs vs profit 17 cts\n      Net loss 645,000 vs profit 89,000\n      NOTE: Home Federal Savings and Loan Association of the\n  Rockies.\n      1986 net includes tax credits of 165,000 dlrs in quarter\n  and 189,000 dlrs in year.\n      Net includes pretax loan loss provisions of 1,439,000 dlrs\n  vs 127,000 dlrs in quarter and 1,701,000 dlrs vs 222,000 dlrs\n  in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. EXPORT INSPECTIONS, IN THOUS BUSHELS  SOYBEANS 17,683 WHEAT 20,717 CORN 36,581\n","article":"\n  U.S. EXPORT INSPECTIONS, IN THOUS BUSHELS  SOYBEANS 17,683 WHEAT 20,717 CORN 36,581\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEWMONT MINING <NEM> PLANS 2-FOR-1 STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Newmont Mining Corp's board has\n  proposed a two-for-one stock split subject to shareholder\n  approval of an increase to 120 mln from 60 mln in authorized\n  common shares, the proxy for the company's annual meeting said.\n      If holdings voting at the May six meeting in Wilmington,\n  Del., approve the increase in authorized shares the split will\n  be paid in the form of a stock dividend on June 10 to holders\n  of record May 20, the proxy said.\n      Newmont said it will also ask shareholders to approve\n  amendments to its certificate of incorporation limiting certain\n  liabilities of its directors.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DENPAC CORP <DNPC> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss one ct vs loss one ct\n      Net loss 483,518 vs loss 220,582\n      Sales 381,841 vs 400,518\n      NOTE: 1985 net includes 196,868 dlr gain from forgiveness o\n  accrued interest due to affiliates.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<AIN LEASING CORP> 3RD QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss six cts vs profit 22 cts\n      Net loss 133,119 vs profit 496,391\n      Revs 136,918 vs 737,917\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 21 cts vs profit 15 cts\n      Net loss 478,991 vs profit 340,210\n      Revs 324,011 vs 841,908\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA DECEMBER GDP GAINS 1.2 PCT\n","article":"  Canada's gross domestic product, by\n  industry, rose a seasonally adjusted 1.2 pct in December, the\n  largest monthly gain since April, 1986, Statistics Canada said.\n      GDP, which fell 0.2 pct in November, was 2.1 pct above the\n  December, 1985 level, the federal agency said.\n      Output of goods producing industries rose 1.6 pct in the\n  month, with virtually all the growth occurring in manufacturing\n  and mining. Services producing industries expanded 1.0 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VENEZUELA WANTS TO BOOST ITS REFINING CAPACITY\n","article":"  Venezuela's state oil\n  company Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. wants to raise its\n  worldwide refining capacity by 150,000 barrels of per day, a\n  company official attending the National Petroleum Refiners\n  Association meeting here said.\n      He declined to be identified but said PdVSA has the\n  capacity to refine about 650,000 bpd of crude oil from refining\n  centers\n  in Venezuela, Sweden, West Germany, Belgium, and the United\n  States. The company recently purchased a 50 pct stake in the\n  Corpus Christi, Texas refinery of Champlin Petroleum Co, a\n  subsidiary of Union Pacific Corp <UNP>.\n      Earlier it bought a similar stake in the Lake Charles, La\n  refinery owned by Citgo Petroleum Corp, a unit of Southland\n  Corp <SLC>.\n       According to the official, Venezuela is searching\n  worldwide for the additional refining capacity but he did not\n  mention where the company was looking. \n      Refineries abroad, he said, guarantee a refining outlet for\n  Venezuelan crude oil while ensuring stability of supply to\n  refiners.\n      He said Venezuela currently  produces about 1.4 mln bpd of\n  crude oil, which is in line with its 1.495 bpd OPEC ceiling.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PRIMEBANK <PMBK> SETS 10 PCT STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  PrimeBank Federal Savings\n  Bank said its board declared a 10 pct stock dividend to be\n  distributed about April 15 to holders or record March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN LOCKER GROUP INC <ALGI> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 23 cts vs loss six cts\n      Net profit 319,564 vs loss 84,203\n      Sales 6,419,230 vs 5,583,560\n      Year\n      Shr profit 1.11 dlrs vs profit 43 cts\n      Net profit 1,582,125 vs profit 654,083\n      Sales 26.2 mln vs 22.6 mln\n      NOTE: Full year 1985 includes gains of two cts per share\n  from discontinued operations and four cts per share from\n  disposal of assets.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BASS GROUP SAYS IT HAS HAD TALKS ON TAFT <TFB>\n","article":"  A group led by members of the\n  wealthy Bass family of Fort Worth, Texas, which holds a 24.9\n  pct stake in Taft Broadcasting Co, said it has had talks about\n  taking part in a move to take control of the company.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the group said it has had discussions with other Taft\n  stockholders and some company managers and directors\n  \"concerning participation in a group to acquire control\" of the\n  company.\n      The Bass group, which did not identify any of the other\n  people with whom it said it has had talks, said it plans to\n  continue evaluating Taft and \"will be involved in further\n  discussions relating to the future control and direction\" of\n  the company.\n      The group, which holds 2,291,210 Taft common shares, said\n  its members may buy more shares of Taft common stock, or may\n  decide to sell some or all of its stake.\n      On Friday Taft said it would negotiate with a group led by\n  its vice chairman, Dudley Taft, and a Rhode Island investment\n  firm, which had offered 150 dlrs a share for the company.\n      The Dudley Taft group, Theta Corp, which also includes\n  Narragansett Capital Corp, a Providence, R.I., investment firm,\n  is seeking to take the company private in a leveraged buyout\n  valued at 1.38 billion dlrs.\n      Besides the Bass group, another major Taft shareholder,\n  Cincinnati, Ohio, financier Carl Lindner, has also said he has\n  had talks about increasing his stake in the company, taking\n  part in a takeover effort, or launching one himself.\n      Lindner controls 1,489,298 shares of Taft common stock, or\n  16.2 pct of the total.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SAATCHI AND SAATCHI BUYS CLEVELAND CONSULTING\n","article":"  Advertising agents Saatchi and Saatchi Co\n  Plc <SACHY> said it was buying <Cleveland Consulting Associates\n  Inc> for an initial consideration of 2.0 mln dlrs.\n      Additional payments may be made annually through the year\n  ending March 31, 1991 to bring the total consideration up to\n  9.5 pct of Cleveland's average post-tax profits in the last two\n  years of the period.\n      The purchase of Cleveland is a further step in Saatchi and\n  Saatchi's fast growing consulting industry, the company said.\n  It said its consulting operations now provide a platform for\n  major future expansion.\n      For the 12 months ended 31 March 1986, Cleveland had\n  479,000 dlrs in pretax profits and forecasts one mln for 1987.\n      At the Saatchi and Saatchi annual meeting today, the\n  company reported a particularly strong start to the current\n  year, with profits sharply higher than the same period last\n  year.\n      Saatchi and Saatchi shares rose one pence on the Cleveland\n  announcement to 885p after yesterday's 870p close.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. STEEL PRODUCTION ROSE 1.3 PCT IN WEEK\n","article":"  Steel production rose\n  1.3 pct to 1,696,000 short tons in the\n  week ended March 28 from 1,675,000 short\n  tons, the American Iron and Steel Institute\n  reported\n     Production so far this year was 18,810,000 tons adjusted off\n  14.6 pct from 22,016,000 tons\n  produced by the nations mills a year ago.\n      Utilization for the week of March 28 was   78.7 pct and for\n  the week of March 21 was      was 77.8 pct.      \n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NORTH AMERICAN GROUP <NAMG> 4TH QTR OPER LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 12 cts vs loss 10 cts\n      Oper net loss 474,270 vs loss 369,848\n      Revs 202,500 vs 111,210\n      Avg shrs 3,904,373 vs 3,495,579\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 28 cts vs loss 46 cts\n      Oper net loss 1,069,550 vs loss 893,612\n      Revs 408,031 vs 438,933\n      Avg shrs 3,785,607 vs 1,944,627\n      NOTE: Full name is North American Group Ltd\n      Earnings exclude losses on reorganization expenses of\n  33,453 dlrs, or one ct a share vs 59,520 dlrs, or two cts a sh\n  are in the quarter and losses of 237,859 dlrs, or six cts a\n  share vs 413,444 dlrs, or 21 cts a share for the year\n      Earnings exclude gains on discontinued operations of\n  147,671, or four cts a share in the 1985 quarter and gains of\n  760,603 dlrs, or 20 cts a share vs 520,200 dlrs, or 27 cts a\n  share for the year\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<OXOCO INC> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 6.68 dlrs vs loss 9.95 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 53.9 mln vs loss 69.8 mln\n      Revs 16.5 mln vs 33.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 8,329,492 vs 7,271,668\n      NOTE: 1986 excludes loss 12.9 mln for discontinued\n  compressor operations vs loss 14.9 mln year prior.\n      1986 excludes gain of 98.7 mln for extinguishment of debt\n  from company's chapter 11 filing and subsequent reorganization.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TEECO PROPERTIES L.P. OPER INCOME DOWN\n","article":"  <Teeco Properties L.P.> said the\n  partnership recorded income from operations for 1986 of 140,000\n  dlrs, or two cts a unit.\n      The partnerhsip said this compared to 1985 figures of\n  660,000 dlrs, or 10 cts a unit.\n      Results of operations between both years is not comparable\n  since the partnership's principle objective is to sell or\n  dispose of its assets and distribute proceeds to unit holders,\n  according to the partnership.\n      It said the number of units outstanding for both years is\n  6,479,516.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BROUGHER INSURANCE GROUP INC<BIGI> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss nine cts vs profit 20 cts\n      Net loss 257,157 vs profit 414,890\n      Year\n      Shr profit 54 cts vs profit 1.05 dlrs\n      Net profit 1,295,104 vs profit 2,140,673\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CSC INDUSTRIES UNIT TO INCREASE PRICES\n","article":"  Copperweld Steel Co <CPSL>, a\n  subsidiary of CSC Industries Inc., said it will increase from\n  market price levels its bar, semi-finished and leaded products\n  effective July One.\n      Hot rolled and cold finished bar wil be increase 25 dlrs\n  per net ton, while semi-finished products will be increased 15\n  dlrs per net ton, the company said.\n      Anticipated higher energy and raw material costs, combined\n  with current market trends, were cited by the company as\n  reasons for the increases.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNILEVER'S <UN> CHESEBROUGH OFFERS TO SELL BASS\n","article":"  Chesebrough-Pond's Inc, recently\n  acquired by a unit of Unilever N.V., said it is offering to\n  sell its Bass shoe division, as a result of an\n  ongoing evaluation of the long-term direction of its\n  businesses.\n      The diversified maker of health and beauty aids, said it\n  acquired Falmouth, Maine-based G.H. Bass and Co in 1978, when\n  the company reported annual sales of 59 mln dlrs. Bass is known\n  for its high-quality casual shoes.\n      Chesebrough said Bass's 1986 sales exceeded 170 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"USDA TO UPDATE WINTER WHEAT ACREAGE TOMORROW\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department said\n  it will update its estimate of winter wheat seeded acreage in\n  the prospective planting report, scheduled for release at 1500\n  est (2100 gmt) tomorrow, March 31.\n      The original estimate of seedings of winter wheat was\n  published in January.\n      It said the new survey is possible because of the new\n  integrated nationwide survey program that uses probability\n  sampling procedures that combine information from farmers\n  operating in selected areas and farmers identified on special\n  lists.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SANTA FE <SFX> AWARE OF HENLEY <HENG> STAKE\n","article":"  Santa Fe Southern Pacific Corp said it\n  has discussed with Henley Group that company's almost five pct\n  stake and was told the holdings are for investment purposes.\n      \"We have confirmed with the Henley Group that they own\n  approximately 7.9 mln shares of Santa Fe Southern Pacific\n  common stock. They have informed me that they like our company\n  and purchased the stock last year for investment purposes,\"\n  Santa Fe chairman John Schmidt said in a statement.\n      Henley late Friday filed a 10-K report with the Securities\n  and Exchange Commission concerning the Santa Fe stake.\n      Earlier Santa Fe's stock was up 4-7\/8 to 41 before slipping\n  to be up 1-7\/8 at 38.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. SUGAR IMPORTS DOWN IN LATEST WEEK - USDA\n","article":"  Sugar imports subject to the U.S.\n  sugar import quota during the week ended March 6 totaled 25,192\n  short tons versus 29,043 tons the previous week, the\n  Agriculture Department said.\n      Cumulative imports now total 130,804 tons, it said.\n      The sugar import quota for the 1987 quota year\n  (January-December) has been set at 1,001,430 short tons\n  compared with 1,850,000 tons in the 1986 quota year, which was\n  extended three months to December 31.\n      The department said the Customs Service reported that\n  weekly and cumulative imports are reported on an actual weight\n  basis and when final polarizations are received, cumulative\n  import data are adjusted accordingly.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TEMPLETON ENERGY INC <TMPL> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit four cts vs loss six cts\n      Net profit 967,000 vs loss 1,219,000\n      Revs 10.1 mln vs 4.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit three cts vs loss five cts\n      Net profit 688,000 vs 982,000\n      Revs 24.6 mln vs 16.3 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 includes results of Louisiana Energy and\n  Development Corp acquired in November 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AEL INDUSTRIES <AELNA> 4TH QTR FEB 27 NET\n","article":"  Shr 66 cts vs 33 cts\n      Net 2,955,000 vs 1,563,000\n      Revs 26.1 mln vs 23.9 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 74 cts vs 1.01 dlrs\n      Net 3,321,000 vs 4,739,000\n      Revs 108.4 mln vs 104.9 mln\n      NOTE: year 1987 includes charge of 818,000 dlrs, or 18 cts\n  per share, for sale of Elisra Electronic Systems Ltd.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMOSKEAG <AMKG> TAKEOVER BLOCKED BY COURT\n","article":"  Amoskeag Bank Shares Inc said\n  the New Hampshire Supreme Court overturned its proposed\n  acquisition of Portsmouth Savings Bank in a three-two vote.\n      The acquisition had been opposed by some depositors, who\n  filed an action to block the takeover.\n      \"We will respond to this news as soon as we have had an\n  opportunity to analyze the decision, and any and all options\n  available to us,\" chairman William Bushnell said in a\n  statement.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"METROMAIL <MTMA> PREDICTS FLAT EARNINGS\n","article":"  Metromail Corp said it expects\n  flat operating profits for its 1987 fiscal year ending May 31\n  with last fiscal year's earnings from operations of 9,943,000\n  dlrs, or 1.05 dlrs a share.\n      The company said the flat results will be due to higher\n  than normal expenditures during the fourth quarter for\n  expansion of its data processing capabilities.\n      Earlier, Metromail reported fiscal 1987 third quarter\n  earnings of 2.4 mln dlrs, or 25 cts a share, versus three mln\n  dlrs, or 32 cts a share, the prior third quarter, and nine\n  months net of 7.2 mln dlrs, or 76 cts a share, versus 7.8 mln\n  dlrs, or 82 cts a share the prior nine months.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CONTINENTAL <GIC> SEES 1987 NET UP FROM TAX LAW\n","article":"  Continental Corp said the fresh start\n  provision of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 may add 1.30 to 1.60 to\n  1987 earnings per share.\n      The insurance holding company had net earnings of 449.6 mln\n  dlrs, or, or 7.42 per share, in 1986.\n      John Loynes, Continental chief financial officer, said the\n  fresh start provision allowed the company to discount opening\n  tax reserves to January 1, 1987, which released deferred taxes\n  into earnings.\n      Loynes said the provision's potential benefit would decline\n  gradually over the next four years, during which time\n  Continental will pay 250 mln to 350 mln dlrs more in taxes.\n      Loynes added, however, the higher taxes are not expecetd to\n  have a significant impact on earnings.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BALL <BLL> ENDS TALKS WITH MONSANTO <MTC>\n","article":"  Ball Corp said it was unable to\n  complete negotiations to acquire the plastic container business\n  of Monsanto Co.\n      It said the two companies had entered into exclusive\n  negotiations last October.\n      Neither company provided details on why the talks were\n  terminated.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN BUYS CANADIAN RAPESEED\n","article":"  Japanese crushers bought 2,000 tonnes\n  of Canadian rapeseed in export business overnight for May\n  shipment, trade sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REEF ENERGY <RFEN> ENTERS PIPELINE AGREEMENT\n","article":"  Reef Energy Corp said its\n  board entered into agreements with Penteco Corp, a private\n  Tulsa-based company, to buy a 12-pct interest in the general\n  partnership of Penteco East Central Pipeline and a 10-pct\n  interest in Lincoln Gas and Marketing Corp.\n      Penteco East is a gas gathering and transmission system in\n  southern Kansas and northern Oklahoma.\n      It said Penteco in turn has purchased one mln shares of\n  Reef common and taken options for the purchase of another two\n  mln shares over the next 36 months.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERON INC <AMN> QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Shr 24 cts vs 24 cts prior qtr\n      Pay May 15\n      Record April 24\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JOHNSON ELECTRONICS INC <JHSN> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss three cts vs profit eight cts\n      Net loss 35,000 vs profit 128,000\n      Revs 1,133,000 vs 1,528,000\n      Year\n      Shr profit four cts vs profit 21 cts\n      Net profit 72,000 vs profit 339,000\n      Revs 4,837,000 vs 4,500,000\n      NOTE: 1985 net income included an after tax gain of 195,000\n  or 12 cts per share on sale of real property.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TREASURY BALANCES AT FED FELL ON MARCH 27\n","article":"  Treasury balances at the Federal\n  Reserve fell on March 27 to 2.424 billion dlrs from 2.508\n  billion dlrs on the previous business day, the Treasury said in\n  its latest budget statement.\n      Balances in tax and loan note accounts fell to 9.706\n  billion dlrs from 10.786 billion dlrs on the same respective\n  days.\n      The Treasury's operating cash balance totaled 12.131\n  billion dlrs on March 27 compared with 13.283 billion dlrs on\n  March 26.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MORRISON INC <MORR> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 35 cts vs 29 cts\n      Qtly div 12 cts vs 12 cts prior qtr\n      Net 5,036,000 vs 4,165,000\n      Revs 147.6 mln vs 132.4 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 1.12 dlrs vs one dlr\n      Net 16.1 mln vs 14.4 mln\n      Revs 433.4 mln vs 385 mln\n      NOTE: Per share data reflect March 1986 five pct stock\n  distribution. Cash dividend is payable April 30 to holders of\n  record April 15.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VANDERBILT <VAGO> TO RAISE COMMON, MERGE\n","article":"  Vanderbilt Gold Corp said\n  shareholders at a special meeting approved its reincorporation\n  in Delaware, an increase in authorized common to 25 mln shares\n  from 12 mln shares, and a non-qualified stock option plan.\n      It also said shareholders approved the merger of Morning\n  Star Mine interests held by six corporations in exchange for\n  issuing 2,098,602 shares of its common. It said the acquisition\n  brings its ownership in Morning to over 94 pct and it intends\n  to acquire the remaining interests before mid year.\n      It said its plans call for 1987 production of 30,000 ounces\n  of gold with product costs per ounce at about 200 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LITTLE RISK SEEN FOR TEXAS COTTON FROM COLD\n","article":"  Texas' cotton crop stands little\n  chance of damage from frigid temperatures expected tonight in\n  that state, as very little cotton has been planted, according\n  to Texas agricultural sources and cotton market analysts.\n      \"It's still pretty early for cotton planting. Only six pct\n  of the crop was planted as of last week,\" said Doug Stillmann,\n  a statistician at the Texas Agricultural Statistic Service in\n  Austin, a division of the U.S. Agriculture Department.\n      Stillmann and other cotton market sources said planting had\n  begun in the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas areas only, with\n  planting in the crucial high and low plains areas not slated to\n  begin until next month. The high and low plains accounted for\n  60 pct of the 2.5 mln bales produced in Texas last year,\n  Stillmann said.\n      Temperatures tonight in most of Texas are expected to drop\n  to freezing to the low 20s, although the lower Rio Grande\n  Valley may see more moderate readings in the middle 30s,\n  according to meteorologists at Accu-Weather Inc.\n      The price of new-crop cotton on the New York cotton futures\n  market rallied today on weather-related fears.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REPORT ON EXPORT MARKETS FOR U.S. GRAIN DELAYED\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department's\n  report on Export Markets for U.S. Grain, scheudled for release\n  today, has been delayed until Wednesday, April 1, a department\n  spokeswoman said.\n      No reason was given for the delay in releasing the monthly\n  report.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BILZERIAN TELLS SEC HE UPS PAY 'N PAK STAKE TO 9.9 PCT\n","article":"\n  BILZERIAN TELLS SEC HE UPS PAY 'N PAK STAKE TO 9.9 PCT\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ROYAL DUTCH <RD> UNIT RAISES HEAVY FUEL PRICES\n","article":"  Scallop Petroleum Corp, a subsidiary\n  of Royal Dutch\/Shell group, said today it raised contract\n  prices for heavy fuel 25 cts to 1.75 dlrs a barrel, effective\n  today.\n      The increase brings the price for 0.3 pct sulphur to 22.50\n  dlrs, up 1.75, 0.5 pct sulphur to 21.50 dlrs, up 1.50, 0.7 pct\n  sulphur to 20.25 dlrs, up 75 cts, one pct sulphur to 19.50\n  dlrs, up 25 cts, two pct sulphur to 18.75 dlrs, up 75 cts, 2.2\n  pct sulphur to 18.50 dlrs, up 75 cts, 2.8 pct sulphur to 18.00\n  dlrs, up 75 cts.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FLORIDA WEEKLY CROP REPORT\n","article":"  Florida's citrus groves continue\n  in very good condition, acccording to the latest report by the\n  U.S. Department of Agriculture's Florida Agricultural\n  Statistics Service. Late-week rains and thunderstorms came at\n  an opportune time. Warm daytime temperatures and good soil\n  moisture have produced an abundance of new growth and bloom.\n      Most trees are in some stage of bloom development with\n  petal drop already taking place in many south Florida groves.\n      Harvest of late-type valencia oranges is increasing rapidly\n  with the near completion of the early and midseason varieties.\n  Rain during the week caused some delay in picking.\n      For the week ended March 29, there were an estimated 77,000\n  boxes of early and midseason and 945,000 boxes of late season\n  oranges harvested, the USDA said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BASS GROUP EMERGES AS POSSIBLE TAFT<TFB> BIDDERS\n","article":"  The Bass Group, once thought by\n  analysts to be eager to sell its holdings in Taft Broadcasting\n  Co, emerged as another potential bidder for the Ohio\n  broadcasting company.\n      The Bass Group, which holds 24.9 pct of Taft, said it had\n  talked with other taft stockholders and some company managers\n  and directors \"concerning participation in a group to acquire\n  control\" of the company.\n      The Bass group said it had talks with other Taft\n  stockholders and members of Taft management about participating\n  in a group to acquire control. The group, which is led by the\n  wealthy bass brothers of Fort Worth, Texas, did not identify\n  any of the other people with whom it had talks.\n      Taft said Friday it would negotiate with its vice Chairman\n  Dudley Taft on his group's 150 dlr per share or 1.38 billion\n  dlr offer for the company.\n      At the time, the company said it authorized its adviser,\n  Goldman, Sachs and Co, to explore other takeover proposals and\n  to supply financial data to other interested bidders.\n      \"If indeed, the reason Dudley Taft is no longer president\n  is because the bass group tossed him out, I couldn't see them\n  backing him on any deal,\" said one analyst, who asked not to be\n  identified.\n      \"I think they wanted a way out. Now, this sounds like\n  they're going to join the group and buy themselves out,\" said\n  Edward Atorino, media analyst with Smith Barney, Harris Upham\n  and Co.\n      Analysts have speculated that Carl Lindner may be\n  interested in acquiring the company. they speculated he may be\n  one of the shareholders in talks with the bass group.\n      Lindner, chairman of American Financial Corp, holds 16.2\n  pct of Taft. He was not immediately available for comment.\n      Analysts have said they are baffled by the strength of\n  Taft's stock price compared to what they see as breakup values\n  for the company.\n      Several analysts had estimated a break up value of less\n  than 150. One analyst said he believes it has a breakup value\n  of 160 to 165 dlrs per share.\n      Taft stock closed at 156-1\/2, up 1-3\/4.\n      \"They (investors) are saying here's another one - another\n  family dispute,\" said Dennis McAlpine of Oppenheimer.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. TRADE OFFICIAL SAYS JAPAN ACTION FOOLISH\n","article":"  A high level U.S. trade official\n  said it would be foolish for Japan to strike back against the\n  United States for its sanctions on Japanese semiconductor\n  electronics products.\n      Asked by reporters if Japan was expected to retaliate\n  against U.S. exports, Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce Bruce\n  Smart replied, \"That would be the height of foolishness.\"\n      In addition, he doubted Japan could show enough progress in\n  meeting the conditions of the agreement to avoid the actual\n  imposition of the 300 mln dlrs in tariffs on April 17.\n      Japan's 58.6 billion dlr trade surplus with the United\n  States last year has come under fire in Congress concerned\n  about the loss of jobs to foreign competition and with the\n  record 169 billion dlrs U.S. trade deficit in 1986.\n      President Reagan's sanctions decision won praise today from\n  the two Democratic leaders of Congress.\n      \"I think it's about time,\" Senate Democratic Leader Robert\n  Byrd of West Virginia told reporters. House Speaker Jim Wright\n  of Texas told reporters before the opening of the House\n  session, \"It just shows we were right all along when we said\n  something needs doing.\"\n      Smart testified before a Senate Labor Committee hearing\n  that last Friday's U.S. trade action would help U.S.\n  negotiations on access to Japan for U.S. auto parts.\n      Since last August Smart has been leading talks to open up\n  Japan to purchases of more U.S.-made automotive parts. Last\n  year, Japan racked up a 3.6 billion dlr trade surplus with the\n  United States in these products.\n      Both countries expect to conclude the talks by August 1987.\n      \"It's amazing to me that the Japanese were surprised. I\n  hope it will persuade them we're serious,\" Smart said of the\n  White House trade sanctions.\n      The United States has tried to convince Japanese car\n  companies of the quality of American-made parts and to draw\n  them away from their traditional Japanese suppliers.\n      \"All we ask is a chance. We have a job to do persuading them\n  we can do better than our reputation seems to be,\" he said.\n      Measured per car, each American-made car contained about\n  700 dlrs in Japanese auto parts while each Japanese-made car\n  contained about 26 dlrs in U.S. auto parts, Smart said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BILZERIAN UPS PAY 'N PAK <PNP> STAKE TO 9.9 PCT\n","article":"  Investor Paul Bilzerian, who has\n  said he may seek control of Pay 'n Pak Stores Inc, said he\n  raised his stake in the company to one mln shares, or 9.9 pct\n  of the total, from 721,900 shares, or 7.2 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Bilzerian and Bicoastal Financial Corp, a Tampa, Fla.,\n  investment firm he controls, said they bought 278,000 shares of\n  Pay 'n Pak common stock on March 26 and 27 at prices ranging\n  from 13.29 to 17.04 dlrs a share.\n      Bilzerian last week said he was considering raising his\n  stake in the company, seeking a board seat or control.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FORD MOTOR CO OF CANADA LTD <FC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 8.17 dlrs vs 55 cts\n      Net 67.7 mln vs 4.5 mln\n      Revs 3.67 billion vs 3.54 billion\n      Year\n      Shr 12.19 dlrs vs 24.00 dlrs\n      Net 101.1 mln vs 199.0 mln\n      Revs 14.33 billion vs 13.35 billion\n      Note: 90 pct owned by Ford Motor Co <F>\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FED'S POLICY EASE MAY END WITH 2ND QTR RATE CUT\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve's move to easier\n  monetary policy, begun with four quick half-point discount rate\n  cuts in 1986, will likely end with a final rate drop in the\n  second quarter, analysts said.\n      A poll of 10 economists shows most expect interest rates to\n  edge lower, with the Fed likely to drop its basic lending rate\n  from 5-1\/2 pct late next quarter to help the economy.\n      \"The Fed is not likely to ease policy much further without\n  a full-blown recession,\" said Raymond Stone, chief financial\n  economist at Merrill Lynch Capital Markets.\n      Stone said economic data available by late June may be just\n  weak enough to prompt one more discount rate cut. But he said\n  it may only be a quarter-point drop instead of the usual half\n  point, to avoid hurting the dollar further.\n      All of the economists agreed that the Federal Open Market\n  Committee tomorrow will leave Fed policy unchanged.\n      The average forecast of those surveyed projects roughly\n  quarter-point drops by the end of June in both the Treasury\n  bond yield, to 7-1\/2 pct, and the Federal funds rate at which\n  banks lend to one another, to 5-7\/8 pct. Most expect the prime\n  lending rate at major banks to remain at 7-1\/2 pct.\n      Other broad predictions of the survey, relating mainly to\n  the April-June quarter, follow:\n      - The dollar is likely to decline five to 10 pct further\n  against other major currencies because of a large U.S. budget\n  deficit and a wide, but narrowing, trade gap. Contacted after\n  the dollar's steep drop in the last two business days, the\n  economists reaffirmed this view but stressed the risk is that\n  the dollar will fall more, rather than less, than they expect.\n      - Oil prices in the second quarter are likely to continue\n  trading roughly between 16 and 19 dlrs a barrel and could well\n  test the lower end of that range.\n      - Stocks will continue to outperform bonds next quarter and\n  probably for all of 1987. Stocks should gain on strong\n  foreign demand and a modest second-half economic rise. The\n  outlook for bonds also is less favorable later in the year\n  since both inflation and interest rates may be edging up.\n      - Inflation as measured by the GNP implicit price deflator\n  will rise to around 3.3 pct this year from 2.7 pct in 1986. The\n  sharp fall in the dollar to date will add to inflation, as will\n  a mild economic pickup in the second half of this year.\n      - U.S. real gross national product, which grew at a two pct\n  annual rate in the 1986 second half, should expand at\n  respective rates of about 2.3 pct and 2.5 pct in the 1987 first\n  and second halves. First-quarter growth is put at a 2.4 pct\n  annual\n  rate, slowing to 2.1 pct next quarter.\n      Robert Brusca of Nikko Securities Co International sees\n  both the strongest economy and the highest interest rates among\n  those surveyed. He expects real GNP, which grew at a 1.1 pct\n  rate in fourth-quarter 1986, to expand at a 3.3 pct rate this\n  quarter and 3.5 pct next quarter.\n      \"The economy will bounce back more strongly than many\n  expect,\" Brusca said. He said an involuntary buildup in\n  inventories, largely in autos, will add to first-quarter\n  economic growth, with consumer spending helping later.\n      \"We're running out of special factors to keep the economy\n  afloat,\" said Philip Braverman of Irving Securities Corp. His\n  interest rate and economic forecasts were among the lowest.\n      Braverman said tax law changes and inventory accumulation\n  helped lift fourth and first quarter GNP growth, respectively.\n  He expects 2.5 pct first quarter growth but said that second\n  quarter growth could be zero or negative.\n      Braverman said economic activity next quarter will suffer\n  from a paring of inventories, lower capital investment, slow \n  government spending and less construction. Only a marginally\n  narrower trade deficit will add to growth.\n      He sees a 7.10 pct end-of-June yield on Treasury bonds,\n  with Federal funds and prime rates at 5.50 and seven pct,\n  respectively. Nikko's Brusca projects rates of 8.25 pct for\n  bonds, 6.15 pct for funds and 7.75 pct for the prime rate.\n      Two of the 10 economists revised rate forecasts up mildly\n  after the dollar's fall to 40-year lows versus the yen in past\n  days and news of pending U.S. trade sanctions against Japan.\n      David Resler of Nomura Securities Co International Inc\n  raised his end-June bond yield forecast to 7.50 pct from 7.20\n  pct and a Fed funds rate estimate to six pct from 5.80 pct.\n      Raul Nicho, president of Money Market Services Inc, lifted\n  his forecast of bond and Fed funds rates an eighth of a point\n  to eight pct for bonds and 6-1\/4 pct for funds. Both Nicho and\n  Resler left their end-June prime rate forecast at 7-1\/2 pct.\n      The higher rate forecasts reflected a belief that Japanese\n  investors will be less eager to buy U.S. bonds because of fear\n  about further dollar erosion and perhaps in response to U.S.\n  trade sanctions. Yields may have to rise to lure other buyers.\n  ......END-JUNE U.S. INTEREST RATE FORECASTS....\n  ....................T-bonds..Fed funds..Prime..\n  Nikko Securities.....8.25......6.15......7.75..\n  Money Mkt Services...8.00......6.25......7.50..\n  Discount Corp........7.75......6.25......7.50..\n  Merrill Lynch........7.30......5.75......7.50..\n  Bankers Trust........7.25......5.50......7.50..\n  Wells Fargo Bank.....7.30......5.60......7.00..\n  Irving Securities....7.10......5.50......7.00..\n  Dean Witter..........7.00......5.50......7.00..\n  .FORECAST AVERAGE....7.50......5.875.....7.50..\n  .CURRENT LEVELS......7.80......6.125.....7.50..\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LOUISIANA WEEKLY CROP REPORT\n","article":"  The Louisiana weekly USDA state crop\n  report said there were 2.4 days suitable for fieldwork.\n      Soil moisture supplies rated 41 pct adequate and 59 pct\n  surplus.\n      Winter Wheat - fair to good condition. eight pct headed vs\n  27 pct a year ago and 17 pct average.\n      Corn - eight pct planted vs 64 pct a year ago and 51 pct\n  average. two pct emerged vs 45 y\/a and 23 avg.\n      Spring Plowing - seventeen pct completed vs 66 pct a year\n  ago and 48 pct avg.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SERVICE RESOURCES <SRC> UNIT SETS PURCHASE\n","article":"  Service Resources Corp's Chas. P.\n  Young Co subsidiary said it agreed to acquire Atwell Fleming\n  Printing Ltd, a Canadian financial printer, for about 3.2 mln\n  dlrs.\n      Young said the acquisition, which is expected to close in\n  April, is subject to due dilligence review.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LLE ROYALTY <LRT> SETS MONTHLY PAYOUT\n","article":"  LL and E Royalty Trust said its monthly\n  dividend, for January, to unitholders will be 8.37 cts per unit\n  payable April 15 to holders of record April six.\n      As previously reported, pending a ruling from the Internal\n  Revenues Service, the trust's distribution may be reduced by\n  1.09 dlr per unit, plus interest, spread out over the life of\n  the productive properties in which the trust has an interest.\n      LLE said the working interest owner, to which the IRS sent\n  a notice about a deficiency in the owner's 1983 tax return, is\n  evaluating the necessity of escrowing some funds, which would\n  significantly reduce royalties paid to the trust.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GENOVA <GNVA> TO MERGE INTO GENOVA PRODUCTS\n","article":"  Genova Inc said its shareholders\n  approved a merger into <Genova Products Inc>, which will be\n  consumated within a few days. Under the agreement, Genova said\n  each of its shareholders will receive 5.375 dlrs per share in\n  cash.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROYAL BANK OF CANADA 1ST QTR SHR 88 CTS VS 1.22 DLRS\n","article":"\n  ROYAL BANK OF CANADA 1ST QTR SHR 88 CTS VS 1.22 DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IMPERIAL BANCORP <IBAN> SETS FIVE PCT DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Imperial Bancorp said it declared a\n  five pct stock dividend, payable May 29 to shareholders of\n  record April 17.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TEXAS WEEKLY CROP REPORT\n","article":"  The Texas weekly USDA state crop report\n  said stormy winter weather limited fieldwork before conditions\n  improved later in the week.\n      A snowstorm caused some cattle deaths in the Panhandle, and\n  cold, wet weather covered many areas. Windy weather followed to\n  dry fields and limit planting delays.\n      Small grains made good progress despite cool temperatures\n  which slowed growth. Additional moisture was needed in some\n  areas. Many fields were booting and some were beginning to\n  head. Wheat was rated 16 pct fair, 56 pct good and 28 pct\n  excellent.\n      Corn and sorghum planting progressed, and land preparation\n  was ahead of schedule in the Plains despite snowy weather.\n  Cotton planting progressed in the Lower Valley.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ARKLA <ALG> PROPOSAL TO SETTLE DISPUTE\n","article":"  Arkla Inc said it and\n  International Paper Co <IP> filed a proposal with the Arkansas\n  Public Service Commission designed to resolve the dispute\n  between the two over IP's plan to build natural gas pipelines\n  for its paper mill facilities at Pine Bluff and Camden.\n      Arkla's pipeline division, Arkla Energy Resources,\n  currently delivers all of the natural gas consumed at the two\n  mills.\n      Under the proposal, Arkla will support IP's plan to build\n  the alternate pipelines, while IP will allow Arkla's pipeline\n  division to deliver an equal quantity of competitively priced\n  supplies to other IP facilities.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SERVICE RESOURCES <SRC> UNIT IN ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Chas. P. Young Co, a subsidiary of\n  Service Resources Corp, said it signed a definitive agreement\n  to acquire Atwell Fleming Printing Ltd, of Canada, for about\n  3.2 mln dlrs.\n      The transaction is expected to close in April.\n      ON February 23, Chas. P. Young said it had aquired 19.05\n  pct of the shares of Sorg INc <SRG> to facilitate a newgotiated\n  business combination.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AEC INC <AECE> SETS REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div eight cts vs eight cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 8\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. M-1 MONEY SUPPLY ROSE 2.1 BILLION DLRS\n","article":"  U.S. M-1 money supply rose 2.1 billion\n  dlrs to a seasonally adjusted 736.7 billion dlrs in the\n  February 16 week, the Federal Reserve said.\n      The previous week's M-1 level was revised to 734.6 billion\n  dlrs from 734.2 billion dlrs, while the four-week moving\n  average of M-1 rose to 735.0 billion dlrs from 733.5 billion.\n      Economists polled by Reuters said that M-1 should be\n  anywhere from down four billion dlrs to up 2.3 billion dlrs.\n  The average forecast called for a 300 mln dlr M-1 rise.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BELGIAN MINISTER SEES NEW ACCORD ON EC OILS\/FATS\n","article":"  Belgian Foreign Trade Minister Herman\n  De Croo said he believed there would be a compromise within the\n  European Community, EC, on its proposed tax on vegetable fats\n  and oil, averting a pledged tough trade response by the United\n  States.\n      De Croo, in Washington for talks with Administration\n  officials and Congressional leaders, said at a news conference\n  there is a battle within the community on the tax on fats and\n  oils used in the 12 EC countries.\n      But he added, \"I do not think it will be a big issue because\n  there will be a big debate inside Europe,\" adding \"so there will\n  be a compromise.\"\n      U.S. Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter said yesterday\n  that if the community went ahead with the tax, the United\n  States would respond \"vigorously\" to protect its trade rights and\n  access to community markets.\n      De Croo also said he thought the community would postpone\n  its April 28 deadline for imposing new slaughterhouse rules to\n  cover all meats brought into EC nations if some progress was\n  made toward resolving differences with the United States.\n      U.S. officials say its rules now meet health standards and\n  the EC should require equivalent but not identical standards.\n      He also told reporters he hoped the community could deal\n  with another controversial health proposal that would forbid\n  the feeding of hormones to cattle, which is also opposed by the\n  United States.\n      De Croo gave no deals on how he though the issue might be\n  resolved. That rule is go into effect on January 1, 1988.\n      He said U.S. cattlemen say there is no reason to change\n  slaughterhouse practices in April if the meat is to be banned a\n  few months later by the hormone rule.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SHELL CANADA SCHEDULES ANNUAL REFINERY SHUTDOWN\n","article":"  Shell Canada Ltd, 72 pct owned\n  by Royal Dutch\/Shell Group <RD> <ST>, scheduled its annual\n  maintenance refinery shutdowns during the next two months,\n  company spokeswoman Judy Wish said.\n      Wish said refineries will stockpile production before the\n  shutdowns to maintain normal supply while maintenance is\n  carried out.\n      Production at Shell's major refinery at Strathcona Alberta,\n  will be closed for about one month, Wish said.\n      There will be no layoffs associated with the refinery\n  maintenance, she added.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DIXONS GROUP, AUDIO\/VIDEO <AVA> END LITIGATION\n","article":"  Dixons Group PLC said that pursuant to\n  an agreement with Audio\/Video Affiliates Inc, part of an\n  investor group that made a rival bid for Cyclops Corp <CYL>,\n  all litigation between them has been dismissed.\n      As part of the agreement, Dixons said Cyacq Corp, the\n  Audio\/Video investor group that includes Citicorp Capital\n  Investors Ltd, agreed to \"promptly\" terminate its existing\n  tender offer for all outstanding Cyclops common at 92.50 dlrs\n  per share.\n      Dixons said it agreed to pay an additional 4.75 dlrs per\n  share, or 95 dlrs per share, to each shareholder whose shares\n  were purchased under its offer for Cyclops at 90.25 dlrs per\n  share.\n      On Friday, Dixons announced that it had increased its\n  holdings in Cyclops Corp to about 83 pct of the currently\n  outstanding shares and that it intended to increase to 95 dlrs\n  from 90.25 dlrs the amount per share paid in the merger of a\n  Dixons subsidiary with Cyclops.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. DOT APPROVES AMERICAN <AMR>-ACI <ACF> PACT\n","article":"  The U.S. Department of\n  Transportation (DOT) said it gave final clearance to the\n  proposed 225 mln dlr acquisition of AirCal Inc by American\n  Airlines Inc.\n      \"The acquisition is not likely to substantially lessen\n  competition or to be inconsistent with the public interest,\" the\n  DOT said in a statement.\n      AirCal is a unit of ACI Holdings Inc while American is a\n  unit of AMR Corp.\n      The DOT had given tentative approval to the merger plan\n  Feb. 20.\n      American is the third largest U.S. airline in terms of\n  revenue passenger miles while AirCal--a relatively small\n  carrier that primarily serves West Coast cities--is the\n  nation's 17th largest passenger carrier. Their merger would not\n  alter American's third-place ranking, according to data\n  compiled by Aviation Daily, a leading industry trade magazine.\n      The combination would incrase American's share of the U.S.\n  market to 15.4 pct from its current 14.7 pct, the DOT said.\n      The DOT said the merger was unlikely to substantially\n  reduce competition on the four routes on which both carriers\n  provide either nonstop or single-plane service.\n      At 13 of the 14 terminals served by both carriers, the DOT\n  said it found no evidence that other carriers could not\n  increase or begin service that competed with a merged\n  American-AirCal.\n      Concerning the 14th, \"While entry may not be possible at the\n  Orange County Airport in the near future, DOT found that the\n  service provided at other airports in the Los Angeles area,\n  especially at the Los Angeles International Airport, will\n  provide effective competition for Orange County travelers in\n  long-haul markets,\" the DOT said.\n      The merger would give American control of 37 pct of the\n  authorized takeoff and landing slots at the Orange County\n  terminal, where environmental concerns and a small terminal\n  building limit future opportunities for expansion.\n      The DOT said the Air Line Pilots Association filed comments\n  opposing the merger but \"raised no new facts or arguments.\"\n      Under the merger terms, announced Nov. 17, American will\n  pay 15 dlrs a share for the outstanding stock of ACI Holdings.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. CREDIT MARKETS END UNDER EXTREME PRESSURE\n","article":"  The U.S. credit market ended under\n  extreme pressure as the dollar's continued slide on the\n  currency markets triggered an avalanche of U.S. securities\n  sales, pushing prices to 1987 lows, dealers and analysts said.\n      \"This was a bloodbath,\" said one money market economist.\n  \"We've been trading in a state of total panic at times today,\"\n  said another.\n      Mirroring the dollar's fall to a 40-year low against the\n  yen, the key 7-1\/2 pct 30-year Treasury bond price fell nearly\n  two points to close at 96-7\/32, compared with 98-5\/32 on\n  Friday. The corresponding yield jumped to 7.83 pct from 7.66.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STEEL TECHNOLOGIES <STTX>, MITSUI SET VENTURE\n","article":"  Steel Technologies Inc said it\n  agreed to form a 50-50 joint venture with <Mitsui and Co Ltd>\n  to make steel products.\n      The venture, called Mi-Tech Steel Inc, will be set up to\n  serve Japanese and domestic automobile and appliance parts\n  makers in the U.S.\n      A plant will be located near Murfreesboro, Tenn., and\n  production is expected to begin in the fall 1987, the company\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INLAND VACUUM <IVAC> SETS STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Inland Vacuum Inc said is\n  board proposed a two-for-one stock split payable to\n  shareholders of record April 30.\n      The board also elected Phillip Frost chairman, succeeding\n  John Durkin, who remains president and chief executive officer.\n  Frost in early February bought 49 pct of the company, Durkin\n  said.\n      Stockholders at the annual meeting approved a measure to\n  change the company's name to IVACO Industries Inc. Five new\n  directors were also elected to the company's board. Durkin was\n  re-elected to the board, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JOHNSON PRODUCTS INC <JPC> 2ND QTR FEB 28 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss three cts vs loss 39 cts\n      Net loss 115,000 vs loss 1,544,000\n      Rev 6.9 mln vs 7.3 mln\n      Six months\n      Shr profit four cts vs loss 44 cts\n      Net profit 141,000 vs loss 1,772,000\n      Rev 13.9 mln vs 14.5 mln\n      NOTE: Net includes loss from discontinued operations of\n  78,000 dlrs, or two cts a share, versus 597,000, or 15 cts a\n  share in the prior 2nd qtr.\n      Six months net includes gain from discontinued operations\n  of 104,000 dlrs, or three cts a share, versus a loss of 588,000\n  dlrs, or 15 cts a share, in the prior six months.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STEEL TECHNOLOGIES <STTX> IN JOINT VENTURE\n","article":"  Steel Technologies Inc said it\n  signed an agreement with Mitsui and Co Ltd <MITSY> and its\n  subsidiaries to establish a joint venture corporation to be\n  called Mi-Tech Steel Inc.\n      Mitsui, through its subsidiaries, Mitsui and Co USA Inc and\n  Mitsui Steel Development Co Inc, and Steel Technologies each\n  will own 50 pct of the new company, the company said.\n      Mi-tech Steel will construct, own and operate steel service\n  centers. The facilities will be established to serve Japanese\n  and domestic automobile and appliance parts manufactures in the\n  U.S., the company said.\n      The initial processing center will be located near\n  Murfreesboro, Tenn., and is expected to begin operations in the\n  fall of 1987, Steel Technologies said.\n      Daryl Elser, president of Steel Technologies, will be\n  president of the new company, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MAYNARD OIL CO <MOIL> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 44 cts vs profit 58 cts\n      Oper net loss 2.7 mln vs profit four mln\n      Revs 13.3 mln vs 28.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 6.1 mln vs seven mln\n      NOTE: Prior year excludes extraordinary gain of 21 cts per\n  share.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ANITEC IMAGE TECHNOLOGY CORP <ANTC> 2ND QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 33 cts vs 28 cts\n      Net 3,722,000 vs 3,103,000\n      Sales 33.0 mln vs 31.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 11.2 mln vs 11.1 mln\n      1st half\n      Shr 68 cts vs 58 cts\n      Net 7,585,000 vs 6,346,000\n      Sales 65.9 mln vs 61.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 11.2 mln vs 11.0 mln\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for three-for-two October 1986 stock\n  split.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"KANSAS GAS AND ELECTRIC CO <KGE> FEBRUARY NET\n","article":"  Shr 13 cts vs 5 cts\n      Net 5,568,319 vs 2,968,437\n      Rev 36.5 mln vs 34.0 mln\n      12 months\n      Shr 1.60 dlrs vs 1.79 dlrs\n      Net 72,865,101 vs 85,198,853\n      Rev 521.3 mln vs 420.3 mln\n      NOTE: Twelve months includes the cumulative effect of a\n  change in accounting methods for accruing unbilled revenues of\n  11.4 mln dlrs, or 28 cts per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<JOURNEY'S END MOTEL CORP> SIX MTHS JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 13 cts vs 14 cts\n      Net 1,329,000 vs 1,054,000\n      Revs 20.7 mln vs 11.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 10,100,000 vs 7,500,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEOAX <NOAX> BUYS REXNORD <REX> UNIT\n","article":"  Neoax Inc said it bought\n  Rexnord Inc's Fairfield Manufacturing Co for 70.5 mln dlrs\n  cash.\n      The unit makes custom gears for industrial use and had\n  sales of 84 mln dlrs in its Oct. 31, 1986 fiscal year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<R.L. CRAIN INC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 80 cts vs 79 cts\n      Net 4,212,000 vs 4,142,000\n      Sales 111.1 mln vs 107.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"EXXON (XON) SEES SYNFUELS ROLE BY YEAR 2000\n","article":"  Development of costly shale oil,\n  liquified coal and other kinds of synthetic fuels, halted in\n  recent years because of cheap and abundant petroleum supplies,\n  will become economic again when world oil prices top 30 dlrs a\n  barrel, an Exxon Co USA executive said.\n      Joe McMillan, a senior vice president, told Reuters after\n  addressing a Houston meeting of the American Institute of\n  Chemical Engineers, \"By early in the next century, synthetics\n  should play a significant role in this country's energy\n  supply.\"\n      McMillan also told reporters at a news conference that he\n  believed synthetic fuels would become economic to develop when\n  world oil prices reached a 30 to 40 dlr a barrel price range.\n      \"You're talking about a 50 pct increase in crude oil\n  prices, but I think that time is coming and we've got to be\n  prepared,\" McMillan said.\n      He predicted U.S. oil demand would rise by about one pct\n  annually in the next few years while the nation fails to\n  replace its oil reserves through exploration. By the turn of\n  the century, world oil prices will be significantly higher\n  because of declining supplies, McMillan said.\n      Ashland Oil, Inc. chairman John Hall, who also spoke at the\n  meeting, advocated some form of federal tax incentives to help\n  spur development of synthetic fuels.\n      The United States, Hall said, has nearly 500 billion tons\n  of demonstrated coal reserves, an amount more than triple that\n  of all the world's known oil reserves.\n      \"We must encourage research now in order to make synfuels\n  competitive later,\" Hall said. The average lead time for\n  development of a shale oil or liquified coal project is between\n  five and ten years.\n      Until last year, the federal government had subsidized\n  synfuels development through the U.S. Synthetic Fuels Corp., a\n  research program created during the Carter Administration with\n  the goal of developing replacements for up to two mln barrels\n  of oil.\n      The corporation was shut down last April when Congress\n  refused to continue funding its eight billion dlr budget\n  because of uneconomic projects based on forecasts of 50 dlrs a\n  barrel oil and 10 dlr per mcf natural gas during this decade.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OKLAHOMA WEEKLY CROP REPORT\n","article":"  The Oklahoma weekly USDA crop\n  report said cold weather slowed crop development and caused\n  some cattle deaths.\n      Wheat growth was halted by cold weather, and rain early in\n  the week prevented fertilizer application and weed spraying.\n  Fields in the west were short of nitrogen, and moderate insect\n  activity was noted in the southwest region.\n      Wheat condition was rated 15 pct fair, 84 pct good and one\n  pct excellent.\n      Row crop activity was very slow amid wet conditions.\n  Topsoil moisture was rated 30 pct adequate and 70 pct surplus,\n  and subsoil moisture was rated 100 pct adequate. Only two days\n  were suitable for fieldwork.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DUTCH MONEY MARKET DEBT BARELY CHANGED IN WEEK\n","article":"  Loans and advances from the Dutch\n  central bank to the commercial banks were barely changed at\n  12.9 billion guilders in the week up to and including March 2,\n  the central bank weekly return showed.\n      The Treasury's account with the bank dropped 1.3 billion\n  guilders. Dealers said a larger amount of funds in the form of\n  interest and repayments on state loans went out than came in\n  the form of tax payments to the state.\n      Notes in circulation rose 360 mln to 27.7 billion as the\n  public withdrew cash to celebrate this week's Carnival festival\n  or take an end-of-winter holiday break, dealers said.\n      Current money market rates are at 5-3\/4 to 6-1\/4 pct for\n  call money against 5-1\/4 to 5-3\/8 a week ago, and between\n  5-5\/16 and 5-9\/16 pct against 5-1\/4 to 5-1\/2 for one to 12\n  month periods, dealers said.\n      The cause for the rise was a rather tight 4.8 billion\n  guilders of special advances set by the Bank yesterday compared\n  with 8.0 billion guilders for the previous set, dealers added.\n      They expect the money market shortage to continue around 12\n  billion guilders this week.\n      The weekly return showed total Dutch gold and currency\n  reserves rose 11.3 mln guilders to 56.0 billion guilders.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL TEMPORARILY LEGALISES DLR PARALLEL MARKET\n","article":"  Brazilian President Jose Sarney\n  announced a move which temporarily legalises the purchase of\n  U.S. dollars in the parallel currency market, aimed at\n  promoting imports of foreign goods.\n      In a speech, Sarney justified his measure as a need to face\n  \"current well known difficulties to obtain foreign loans for the\n  purchase of goods.\"\n      The parallel market, although officially tolerated, is\n  technically illegal in Brazil. For the past year, the dollar in\n  the parallel market has sold at between 25 and 100 pct above\n  the official rate.\n      Sarney's decision means Brazilian importers of machinery\n  and industrial equipment can buy dollar currency in the\n  parallel market without having to wait for an official order\n  from the Banco do Brasil's Foreign Trade Department (Cacex).\n      Sarney also announced measures to boost exports in an\n  effort to strengthen the country's trade balance and alleviate\n  the risk of a reduction of foreign loans for this sector of the\n  economy.\n      The president authorised the National Foreign Trade Council\n  (CONEX) to resume operating as the ruling body of Brazil's\n  trade policy, with participation of the private sector.\n      The Council had been closed three years ago by the military\n  government of former President Joao Figueiredo.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USX <X> UNIT RAISES SOME STEEL PRICES\n","article":"  USX Corp said its USS steelmaking\n  division increased prices on plate and H-pile products.\n      Effective with May three shipments, it said the price base\n  on carbon and high-strength low-alloy, or HSLA, H-piles will\n  increase by 1-1\/2 cts per pound.\n      Effective with shipments beginning June 28, the price on\n  carbon, HSLA, and alloy plates will increase by 1-1\/4 cts per\n  pound. Strip mill plate prices will rise by 3\/4 cts per pound.\n      It said the price increases on plate and H-pile products\n  will apply to all shipments from USS plants.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA BANKS COULD SEE PRESSURE ON BRAZIL LOANS\n","article":"  Canada's major banks will likely face\n  stiff pressure to declare their Brazilian loans non-performing\n  if, as expected, major U.S. banks take similar action after the\n  end of their first quarter tomorrow, analysts said.\n      American bankers said last week that slow progress in debt\n  talks with Brazil increased the likelihood that U.S. banks\n  would soon declare their Brazilian loans non-performing.\n      Such action \"would put a lot of pressure on the Canadian\n  banks to do the same,\" Levesque, Beaubien Inc Toronto-based bank\n  analyst Donna Pulcine told Reuters.\n      \"They (banks) like to appear to be conservative,\" said\n  Pulcine, \"and if a major bank puts loans on a non-performing\n  basis and the Canadian banks don't, there is going to be a lot\n  of pressure from shareholders as to why one bank is considering\n  the loans non-performing and another bank is not.\"\n      Wood Gundy Inc bank analyst Patricia Meredith said any\n  willingness by a major Brazilian bank creditor such as Citicorp\n  <CCI> to declare its Brazilian loans non-performing rather than\n  let Brazil dictate settlement terms would provide a compelling\n  example for other creditor banks.\n      \"In order to make that strategy work, they (Citicorp) have\n  to have the support of the other banks,\" said Meredith.\n      Bank analyst Michael Walsh at First Marathon Securities Ltd\n  said at least one Canadian bank, which he declined to identify,\n  \"wants to put (the Brazilian loans) on a non-performing basis\n  and is trying to encourage the others to take that position.\"\n      Canadian banks are owed about seven billion Canadian dlrs\n  by Brazil, which late last month suspended interest payments on\n  its 68 billion U.S. dlr foreign bank debt.\n      Banks in Canada, although allowed to wait up to 180 days\n  before declaring loans on which they are receiving no interest\n  as non-performing, usually move on such loans within 90 days.\n  They could therefore delay action on the Brazilian loans until\n  late May, which falls in Canadian banks' third quarter ending\n  July 31.\n      <Bank of Montreal>, Brazil's largest Canadian bank\n  creditor, said last week it was not currently considering\n  declaring its 1.98 billion dlrs of Brazilian loans as\n  non-performing.\n      \"I think that is just for the benefit of the public,\" Walsh\n  said of Bank of Montreal's statement. \n      Some analysts predicted minimal earnings impact on Canadian\n  banks from a move to declare the Brazilian loans\n  non-performing.\n      They said Brazil would likely resume interest payments by\n  the banks' fiscal year-end on October 31, thus allowing banks\n  to recoup their lost interest income.\n      \"From what Brazil has said, it is quite likely the banks\n  will get the money,\" said Meredith. \"My outlook at this point is\n  optimistic that there will be no adjustment for the full-year's\n  earnings.\"\n      Meredith forecast 1987 fully diluted per share earnings of\n  3.80 dlrs for <Royal Bank of Canada> compared with 3.74 in\n  1986; 4.30 dlrs for <Bank of Montreal> compared with 3.59; 2.25\n  dlrs for <Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce> compared with\n  2.23;  2.15 dlrs for <Bank of Nova Scotia> compared with 1.94,\n  and 2.85 dlrs for <Toronto Dominion Bank> against 2.74.\n      She forecast 1.90 dlrs for <National Bank of Canada>\n  against 3.30 dlrs before a two for one stock split.\n      Analyst Pulcine said she might lower full-year earnings\n  estimates for the banks by between two cts and 10 cts a share,\n  assuming a possible settlement reduced Brazil's interest costs.\n      \"If the banks didn't receive anything for the rest of the\n  fiscal year, the impact could range from 16 cts to 70 cts a\n  share. But I don't see that as a likely scenario,\" Pulcine said.\n      Walsh at First Marathon suggested, however, that the\n  Brazilian debt situation was so complex that \"it could drag on\n  beyond one full fiscal year.\"\n      He said he foresaw having to lower his 1987 fiscal earnings\n  forecasts for the banks. He estimated that Brazil's yearly\n  interest payments to Canadian banks totaled about 575 mln dlrs\n  or about 10 pct of their total 1986 pre-tax earnings.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VENEZUELA PLANS METALS INVESTMENT FOR 1987-89\n","article":"  The Venezuela Guayana Corporation, CVG,\n  which oversees the state steel, iron, aluminum and other\n  industries, will invest 75 billion bolivars in new projects\n  during 1987-89, CVG president Leopoldo Sucre Figarella\n  announced.\n      The investments will go to plant expansion, infrastructure\n  and the extension of hydroelectric facilities in the\n  mineral-rich Guayana region, south of the Orinoco river.\n      Sucre Figarella told a news conference the CVG's 12\n  companies showed an overall increase of 120 pct in profits,\n  which rose from 1.732 billion bolivars in 1985 to 3.926 billion\n  bolivars last year.\n      Among the best performers was steel company Sidor which\n  earned 1.019 billion bolivars, the first time since 1978 Sidor\n  turned a profit.\n      The gain was made possible in part by the refinancing of\n  1.619 mln dollars of foreign debt.\n      CVG's three aluminum companies also showed substantial\n  gains. Interalumina, which makes the intermediate material\n  alumina, had an increase in profits from 116 to 217 mln\n  bolivars, Alcasa earned 487 mln bolivars, as compared to 1985's\n  412 mln and Venalum's profits rose by around half, from 1.042\n  to 1.504 bln bolivars.\n      Meanwhile, the state iron company Ferrominera saw its\n  profits rise from 156 mln bolivars in 1985 to 204 mln bolivars\n  last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INFINITY <INFTA> TO PURCHASE AM\/FM STATION\n","article":"  Infinity Broadcasting Corp said it\n  entered an agreement to acquire radio stations KVIL AM\/FM from\n  Sconninx Broadcasting Co for 82 mln dlrs.\n      Upon completion of the transaction, Infinity will own nine\n  FM and four AM stations in 10 major markets.\n      The transaction is subject to FCC approval.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"N.Z. FEBRUARY CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT 78 MLN V 93 MLN JAN - GOVT\n","article":"\n  N.Z. FEBRUARY CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT 78 MLN V 93 MLN JAN - GOVT\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BULL AND BEAR GROUP INC <BNBGA> YEAR END DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr loss 45 cts vs profit 25 cts\n      Net loss 641,000 vs profit 352,000\n      Revs 5,747,000 vs 3,038,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRETTER INC <FTTR> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr loss five cts vs profit 36 cts\n      Net loss 784,000 vs profit 4,793,000\n      Revs 90 mln vs 79 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 27 cts vs profit 65 cts\n      Net profit 4,010,000 vs profit 8,539,000\n      Revs 273 mln vs 214 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AMFAC <AMA> TO SELL STORE\n","article":"  Amfac Inc said it entered an\n  agreement to sell the last remaining store of its original\n  Liberty House of California operation to H and S - San Mateo\n  Inc.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HARPER INTERNATIONAL <HNT> IN ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Harper International Inc\n  said it intends to buy the major asset, patents and trade name\n  of Demarkus Corp, a designer and installer of process gas\n  systems for the soft drink and brewing industries.\n      The purchase price is about 125,000 dlrs.\n      Demarkus' sales were 470,000 dlrs in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SARNEY TEMPORARILY LEGALISES DLR PARALLEL MARKET\n","article":"  Brazilian President Jose Sarney\n  announced a move which temporarily legalises the purchase of\n  U.S. Dollar currency in the parallel market, aimed at promoting\n  imports of foreign goods.\n      In a speech, Sarney justified his measure as a need to face\n  \"current well known difficulties to obtain foreign loans for the\n  purchase of goods.\"\n      The parallel market, although tolerated, is technically\n  illegal. For the past year, the dollar in the parallel market\n  is being sold at 25 to 100 pct above the official rate.\n      Sarney's decision means that Brazilian importers of\n  machinery and industrial equipment can buy dollar currency in\n  the parallel market without having to wait for the issuing of\n  an official order from the Banco do Brasil's Foreign Trade\n  Department (Cacex).\n      Sarney also announced measures to boost exports in an\n  effort to strengthen the country's trade balance and alleviate\n  the risk of a reduction of foreign loans for this sector of the\n  economy.\n      The president authorised the National Foreign Trade Council\n  (CONEX) to resume operating as the ruling body of Brazil's\n  trade policy, with participation of the private sector.\n      The Council had been closed three years ago by the military\n  government of former President Joao Figueiredo.\n      Tomorrow, Brazil was due to fulfill payment of 15 billion\n  dollars in short range credit lines, but its economic officials\n  have suggested a 60-day extension in the deadline in order to\n  seek a renegotiation with its creditors.\n      Sarney told members of the Council that for Brazil it is a\n  must to recover its annual trade balance surplus to the 12\n  billion dollars average recorded in 1984 and 1985, and which\n  dropped sharply last year to 8 billion dollars.\n      He attributed the poor performance of Brazil's trade\n  balance in 1986 to protectionist moves by industrialised\n  countries, the fall in the prices of basic goods and the crisis\n  faced by several of Brazil's Third World trade partners.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OLSON INDUSTRIES <OLSN> TO SELL EGG OPERATIONS\n","article":"  Olson Industries Inc said\n  it signed a letter of intent to sell substantially all of its\n  remaining egg operations to Sunny Fresh Foods inc.\n      Olson said it expects to receive about nine mln dlrs from a\n  combination of a sale of tangible assets to Sunny Fresh and\n  realization of intangible and other assets by Olson.\n      The transaction is expected to result in a charge for\n  discontinued operations of about two mln dlrs but is also\n  expected to generate substantial cash flow to pay off\n  egg-related indebtedness of about 7.5 mln dlrs and to further\n  improve working capital.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"N.Z. FEBRUARY CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT NARROWS\n","article":"  New Zealand's current account\n  deficit narrowed to 78 mln dlrs in February from 93 mln in\n  January and 233 mln in February 1986, in a smoothed seasonally\n  adjusted measurement, the statistics department said.\n      This is the first time current account figures have\n  appeared in a seasonally adjusted form.\n      Non-seasonally adjusted but smoothed figures show a deficit\n  of 112 mln dlrs against 144 mln in January and 281 mln in\n  February 1986.\n      Totally unadjusted figures show a deficit of 47 mln dlrs\n  against 168 mln in January and 227 mln in February 1986.\n      The smoothed seasonally adjusted series shows a surplus on\n  merchandise trade of 174 mln dlrs after 161 mln in January and\n  33 mln in February 1986.\n      Smoothed but non-seasonally adjusted figures show a\n  merchandise trade surplus of 114 mln dlrs against 81 mln in\n  January and a 47 mln dlr deficit in February 1986.\n      Unadjusted merchandise figures show a surplus of 168 mln\n  against 36 mln in January and 22 mln in February 1986.\n      The deficit on invisibles was 241 mln dlrs against 242 mln\n  in January and 250 mln in February 1986.\n      The smoothed but not seasonally adjusted deficit on\n  invisibles was 226 mln dlrs against 225 mln in January and 234\n  mln in February 1986.\n      The unadjusted deficit on invisibles was 215 mln dlrs\n  against 204 mln in January and 249 mln in February 1986.\n      Seasonally adjusted export and import figures were not\n  available but the department said they will be included in\n  future current account data.\n      Smoothed but non-seasonally adjusted exports were 924 mln\n  dlrs, unchanged from January, against 843 mln in February 1986.\n      Smoothed but non-seasonally adjusted imports were 810 mln\n  dlrs against 843 mln in January and 890 mln in February 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GENCORP REJECTS UNSOLICITED TAKEOVER BID FROM AFG INDUSTRIES\/WAGNER AND BROWN\n","article":"\n  GENCORP REJECTS UNSOLICITED TAKEOVER BID FROM AFG INDUSTRIES\/WAGNER AND BROWN\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GROUP SELLS STAKE IN COMDATA NETWORK <CDN>\n","article":"  A group of investment firms which\n  had once sought control of Comdata Network Inc, told the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission it sold its remaining\n  1,113,500-share, or 5.9 pct, stake in the company.\n      The group, which had owned as much as 9.5 pct of the total,\n  said it sold the stake on March 27 at 15-3\/4 dlrs a share. Last\n  week it sold 455,000 Comdata shares.\n      Group members are CNI Partners, an investment partnership,\n  Mason Best Co, a Texas investment partnership, and Houston\n  Imperial Corp, a real estate development firm.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GENCORP <GY> REJECTS UNSOLICITED TAKEOVER BID\n","article":"  Gencorp Inc said its board urged\n  shareholders to reject the hostile unsolicited 100 dlr a share\n  tender offer made March 18 by General Acquisition Inc, an\n  affiliate of Wagner and Brown and AFG Industries INc.\n      Gencorp also said it is developing a financially superior\n  alternative that would enable shareholders to benefit from the\n  full value of the company.\n      In a letter to shareholders, Chairman A. William Reynolds \n  said the offer is a \"highly conditional, contingently financed\n  bust-up offer\" that seeks to deny shareholders the true value\n  of their investment in Gencorp.\n      Reynolds said the board reached its decision to reject the\n  offer after careful study with legal and financial advisers. He\n  said the board has authorized management to explore\n  alternatives aimed at providing shareholders with a\n  \"financially superior\" alternative to the general acquisition\n  offer.\n      A Gencorp spokesman, in response to questions, would not\n  comment on market speculation that the company's management may\n  develop a leveraged buyout offer of its own. He would also not\n  comment on when a better alternative might be developed.\n      Gencorp's stock has traded well above the 100 dlr offer\n  price since the tender was made. Today, Gencorp closed at\n  114-1\/4, up 1-5\/8.\n      Reynolds said in the letter that for the last few years,\n  Gencorp management has taken action to enhance shareholder\n  value, and the stock price and earnings have improved since he\n  joined the company.\n      Gencorp said the partnership's offer is a \"bargain price\"\n  acquisition that was \"using financing from a syndicate of banks\n  that does not yet exist and a bridge loan from Shearson Lehman\n  brothers that shearson is not obligated to provide.\"\n      Reynolds also said the offer would result in a radical\n  alteration and selloff of Gencorp's assets, including Aerojet\n  General to refinance General Acquisition's borrowings with the\n  profits going to Wagner and Brown and AFG instead of\n  shareholders.\n      The letter also said the General Acquisition offer\n  \"jeopardizes the security and interests\" of its shareholders,\n  employees, customers, suppliers and the communities throughout\n  the country where the company's facilities are located.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DOME MINES LTD <DM> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 17 cts vs loss three cts\n      Net profit 14,918,000 vs loss 2,732,000\n      Revs 74.8 mln vs 54.7 mln\n      YEAR\n      Shr profit 80 cts vs profit 15 cts\n      Net profit 71.6 mln vs profit 12.2 mln\n      Revs 293.4 mln vs 222.8 mln\n      Note: 1986 fl-yr net includes extraordinary gain of 56.3\n  mln dlrs from investment sales, gain on share issue by 57\n  pct-owned Campbell Red Lake Mines Ltd <CRK> and provision for\n  decline in value of marketable securities. 1985 fl-yr net\n  includes gain of 10.1 mln dlrs.\n      1985 revs restated to exclude revenues from discontinued\n  coal mining operations.\n      Under U.S. accounting practises, Dome Mines would have\n  reported 1986 loss of 192.9 mln dlrs or 2.17 dlrs shr vs yr-ago\n  loss of 24.9 mln dlrs or 32 cts shr, reflecting different\n  principles in accounting for 22 pct stake in Dome Petroleum Ltd\n  <DMP> and 1986 oil and gas writedown.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. SHOULD REASSESS MIDEAST POLICY - ANALYST\n","article":"  The U.S. should reassess\n  its Mideast policy in light of its rising dependence on\n  imported oil, according to Charles Ebinger of the Center for\n  Strategic and International Studies.\n       \"The prospect of rising dependence on oil imports from the\n  Gulf, and the recent revelations of the Tower Commission\n  report, mandate more than ever before the need for a\n  fundamental reassessment of U.S. interests in the Middle East,\"\n  Ebinger said.\n       He remarks were made in an address to the National\n  Petroleum Refiners Association meeting.\n       \"Although in the short run it is difficult to see a direct\n  link between Arab anger and threats to oil supplies, in the\n  current environment it will be increasingly difficult for\n  moderate Arab leaders to be seen as friendly to U.S.\n  interests,\" Ebinger said.\n       Oil traders said threats to oil supplies has kept crude\n  oil prices strong recently although some believe prices will be\n  weaker if demand falls in the spring.\n      But William Randol, analyst at First Boston Corp, said\n  crude oil prices will hold  near current levels this spring.\n      There will be no spring downturn, said Randol, speaking at\n  the annual refiner meeting. He said there is a 40 pct chance\n  that crude oil prices could move higher in the second half of\n  the year, following an OPEC meeting scheduled for late June.\n      He said he expects OPEC will extend its current agreement\n  to restrict production.\n      OPEC will renew its production pricing agreement in June\n  because the value of the oil exports of the OPEC producers  has\n  declined along with the U.S. dollar, Randol said.\n      OPEC oil exports are priced in U.S. dollars, and the dollar\n  has fallen about 30 pct in the last 18 months.\n      Randol said U.S. crude oil imports will increase 3.5 to\n  four mln barrels per day by 1990 as consumption rises 1.5 to\n  two mln bpd, and supplies decline two mln bpd.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ENVIROSURE MANAGEMENT CORP <ENVS> 1ST QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Qtr ended Nov 30\n      Shr loss nil vs profit nil\n      Net loss 1,321,940 vs profit 128,164\n      Revs 4,582,260 vs 5,115,456\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COMMERCIAL METALS CO <CMC> SETS QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div eight cts vs eight cts prior\n      Pay April 24\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"IMPERIAL <ICA> DECLARES FIRST DIV SINCE 1981\n","article":"  Imperial Corp of America said\n  it declared a 10 cts dividend and four pct stock dividend on\n  APril 25 to holders of record April 10.\n      This is the first dividend payment since 1981, the company\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"30-MAR-1987\n","article":"  30-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"Japan February unemployment falls to 2.9 pct (3.0 pct in January) - official\n","article":"\n  Japan February unemployment falls to 2.9 pct (3.0 pct in January) - official\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JAPAN UNEMPLOYMENT FALLS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Japan's seasonally adjusted unemployment\n  rate fell to 2.9 pct in February from the record 3.0 pct in\n  January, the government's Management and Coordination Agency\n  said.\n      The January level was the worst since the Goverment started\n  compiling unemployment statistics under the current system in\n  1953.\n      Unemployment was up from 2.8 pct a year earlier.\n      Unadjusted February unemployment totalled 1.86 mln people,\n  up from 1.82 mln in January and 1.64 mln a year earlier.\n      Male unemployment in February remained at 2.9 pct, equal to\n  the second-highest level set in January and December. Record\n  male unemployment of 3.1 pct was set in July 1986.\n      Female unemployment rose to a record 3.1 pct in February\n  from the previous record 3.0 pct marked in January 1987 and in\n  April, August, September and December last year.\n      \"Japan's employment condition was still severe in February\n  as the non-rounded rate of unemployment in February fell only\n  0.03 percentage points to 2.93 pct from 2.96 pct in January,\" an\n  agency official said.\n      Employment in manufacturing industries fell 430,000 from a\n  year earlier to 14.22 mln people in February due to the yen's\n  continued appreciation, while employment in non-manufacturing\n  industries rose 380,000 to 12.11 mln.\n      In manufacturing industries, employment in the textile\n  industry fell 180,000 to 1.94 mln in February, while in\n  ordinary and precision machinery industries it fell 160,000 to\n  1.50 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PARTNERS CALL GENCORP<GY> RESPONSE UNPRODUCTIVE\n","article":"  General Acquisition Co said it was\n  disappointed by Gencorp's response to its tender offer and\n  questioned how the company might give better value to\n  shareholders.\n      Gencorp earlier urged shareholders to reject a 100 dlr per\n  share tender offer from the partnership, which includes Wagner\n  and Brown and AFG Industries Inc. The company said it was\n  studying financially superior alternatives.\n     The partnership called the response inflammatory and\n  unproductive, particularly since it had attempted to discuss\n  the offer with Gencorp.\n       The partnership said Gencorp failed to say how it would\n  provide a \"superior value yet they continue their attempt to\n  prevent a satisfactory offer by failing to redeem their poison\n  pill.\" Poison pills are shareholder rights plan that make\n  takeovers more expensive.\n      Gencorp said in its statement earlier that the date its\n  rights will trade separately from the common stock was extended\n  to April six from April three. It said the extension was\n  subject to further extensions by the board and is conditioned\n  on no person aquiring beneficial ownership of 20 pct or more of\n  Gencorp prior to April six.\n      General Acquisition said it is confident its offer can be\n  completed in a timely manner using its financial arrangements.\n      The partnership in its statement again urged management to\n  work with it to facilitate a transaction.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MIYAZAWA SAYS DOLLAR BELOW 150 YEN IS COUNTER TO PARIS ACCORD\n","article":"\n  MIYAZAWA SAYS DOLLAR BELOW 150 YEN IS COUNTER TO PARIS ACCORD\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DLR BELOW 150 YEN COUNTER TO PARIS PACT - MIYAZAWA\n","article":"  Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa said he\n  regards a U.S. Dollar below 150 yen as counter to the agreement\n  struck by major nations in Paris last month.\n      He told the Upper House Budget Committee in Parliament that\n  Japan intervened in the market when the dollar went below 150\n  yen, as it considered the dollar's fall below that level\n  counter to the spirit of the Paris accord.\n      Commenting on current foreign exchange movements, Miyazawa\n  said Japan would watch developments for another couple of days.\n      Institutional investors appeared to have sold dollars to\n  hedge currency risks ahead of the end of the financial year\n  today, Miyazawa said.\n      Behind the recent dollar fall lies the market perception\n  that major nations were not doing enough to implement their\n  policies under the Paris pact, he said, noting that passage of\n  Japan's 1987\/88 budget has been delayed.\n      He said that now was the time for major nations to act\n  under the Paris accord. The U.S., West Germany, France,\n  Switzerland and Britain have intervened on their own account to\n  prop up the dollar, he said. This was a concerted action.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BANK OF JAPAN BUYS DOLLARS AROUND 145.75 YEN - DEALERS\n","article":"\n  BANK OF JAPAN BUYS DOLLARS AROUND 145.75 YEN - DEALERS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PAKISTAN BIDS FOR IMPORT OF 100,000 TONNES SUGAR\n","article":"  Trading Corp of Pakistan Ltd said it\n  had invited tenders up to April 11, 1987 for the import of\n  100,000 tonnes of white refined crystal sugar up to June.\n      It said each cargo should consist of 15,000 tonnes. Four\n  cargoes should reach Port Bin Qasim or Karachi Port (buyers\n  option) by May 31 and the balance by June 30, 1987, it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LTD <WPLA.S> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Shr nil vs same\n      Final and yr div nil vs same\n      Pre-tax, pre-minorities loss 3.53 mln dlrs vs profit 17.40\n  mln.\n      Net attributable loss 17.14 mln dlrs vs loss 8.73 mln\n      Sales 220.84 mln vs 173.50 mln\n      Other income 17.77 mln vs 12.02 mln\n      Shrs 666.67 mln vs same.\n      NOTE - Attributable net loss is after tax 10.04 mln dlrs vs\n  18.59 mln, interest 82.36 mln vs 65.94 mln, depreciation 64.77\n  mln vs 35.74 mln and minorities 3.57 mln vs 7.55 mln but before\n  net extraordinary loss 1.22 mln vs loss 3.91 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DASA CORP <DASA> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit three cts vs loss 11 cts\n      Net profit 507,000 vs loss 1,823,000\n      Revs 11.2 mln vs 204,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN HOUSING STARTS RISE IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Japan's housing starts in February rose\n  13.4 pct from a year earlier to 109,254, the 10th successive\n  year-on-year gain, the Construction Ministry said.\n      February housing starts were up 16.8 pct from 93,554 in\n  January when they fell 27.4 pct from a month earlier but rose\n  10.3 pct from a year earlier.\n      Higher housing starts were mainly due to a 26.8 pct\n  year-on-year rise in apartment building starts to 51,829 for\n  the 56th consecutive gain, spurred primarily by lower domestic\n  interest rates.\n   RUTER\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WOODSIDE SAYS LOSS REFLECTS LOWER OIL PRICES\n","article":"  Woodside Petroleum Ltd <WPLA.S> said\n  its 1986 net loss largely reflected the drop in oil prices\n  combined with a large tax provision.\n      Woodside earlier reported attributable net loss rose to\n  17.14 mln dlrs in 1986 from 8.73 mln in 1985, although group\n  revenue rose to 220.84 mln from 173.50 mln.\n      It said it should have received a 1.7 mln dlr tax credit\n  but instead made a 10.04 mln dlr tax provision. This largely\n  related to its <Vamgas Ltd> unit, non-allowable exchange losses\n  and tax benefits from the North-West Shelf project not\n  recognised in the accounts.\n      Woodside said the rise in revenue largely reflected full\n  year sales of gas and condensate from the domestic phase of the\n  Shelf project, against six month sales in 1985.\n      Offsetting this was a 23 pct fall in the Cooper Basin gas\n  and liquids revenue of its 50.6 pct-owned Vamgas unit.\n      Since the balance date Woodside has accepted a Santos Ltd\n  <STOS.S> takeover offer for Vamgas.\n      Woodside said a 92.8 mln dlr capital profit on the sale\n  would be included in the 1987 accounts.\n      It said it lifted capital spending on fixed assets to 269.6\n  mln dlrs from 178.3 mln, mostly on the Shelf project.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"THAILAND EXPECTS SMALLER SUGARCANE OUTPUT\n","article":"  Thailand's sugarcane output will fall\n  to about 23.55 mln tonnes in the 1986\/87 (November-October)\n  season from 24.09 mln in 1985\/86, the Agriculture Ministry\n  said.\n      It said a January survey put the total area under sugarcane\n  at 545,528 hectares, down from 556,860 hectares the previous\n  year.\n      The national average yield is expected to fall to 43.17\n  tonnes\/hectare from 43.22 tonnes in 1985\/86, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EUROPEAN COMMUNITY TO SET UP OFFICE IN PEKING\n","article":"  China and the European Community (EC)\n  signed an agreement on the establishment of an EC office here.\n      Chinese vice-foreign minister Zhou Nan and the EC's\n  external relations commissioner, Willy De Clercq, signed the\n  accord. EC sources said the office was likely to open in the\n  second half of this year.\n      In 1986 the EC was China's third largest trading partner,\n  with Chinese imports from the EC worth 5.7 billion dlrs and\n  exports worth 2.6 billion dlrs.\n      De Clercq told the official China Daily that more joint\n  ventures should be set up in China as a way of reducing China's\n  trade deficit with the EC.\n      The EC's affairs in China are currently looked after by\n  whichever country holds the group's six-monthly rotating\n  presidency, now held by the Belgians until the Danes take over\n  in July.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRADE FRICTION THREATENS TO TOPPLE NAKASONE\n","article":"  Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone may have\n  been dealt a fatal political blow by the yen's renewed rapid\n  rise and the threat of a trade war with the United States,\n  political analysts said.\n      Nakasone, already under fire over an unpopular tax reform\n  plan, may now be forced to resign before the June economic\n  summit of seven industrialised nations if local elections later\n  next month go against candidates from his ruling Liberal\n  Democratic Party (LDP), they said.\n      \"The close relationship between Nakasone and President\n  Reagan was an important element of Nakasone's power base,\"\n  Waseda University Political Science Professor Mitsuru Uchida\n  told Reuters. \"So the emergence of U.S. Criticism damages\n  Nakasone.\"\n      Even before the latest trade friction flared, Nakasone was\n  encountering criticism not only from opposition parties but\n  also within his own LDP over his proposal to levy a sales tax.\n      \"Many factions within the LDP are distancing themselves from\n  Nakasone,\" Uchida said. \"His position within the LDP itself is\n  not so strongly established today.\"\n      Nakasone, who has been more popular with the general public\n  than with many LDP members, is now seeing his public support\n  eroded, the analysts said.\n      The yen's rise to record highs and the U.S. Threat on\n  Friday to impose tariffs on Japanese electronics goods in\n  retaliation for Japan's alleged violation of a microchip trade\n  pact are now giving Nakasone's critics fresh ammunition, the\n  analysts said.\n      \"Apparently the special relationship between Reagan and\n  Nakasone hasn't worked effectively,\" Rei Shiratori, director of\n  the Institute for Political Studies in Japan, said.\n      This is making the Japanese people doubt Nakasone's\n  credibility, Shiratori told Reuters.\n      The cumulative impact of the sales tax issue, the yen's\n  rise and mounting trade friction could mean serious LDP losses\n  in the April 11 and 26 local elections, analysts said.\n      \"If the elections go against the LDP, Nakasone may have to\n  resign early,\" Shiratori said.\n      But Nakasone still has a chance to soothe U.S. Tempers\n  before or during his week-long Washington visit from April 29,\n  some analysts said.\n      However, \"unless the Japanese political system can move more\n  quickly to give Nakasone some nice present to take to\n  Washington on smouldering trade issues, he will face a very\n  hostile audience,\" said Merrill Lynch Securities economist\n  William Sterling.\n      \"If the trip is a major disaster, it would seem to put the\n  final nail in his coffin,\" he said.\n      Reagan's own weakened domestic position, and growing\n  Republican as well as Democratic anger with Japan, argue\n  against a quick settlement to the trade dispute, the analysts\n  said.\n      But a desire on both sides to find some solution, coupled\n  with uncertainty at home and abroad over likely successors to\n  Nakasone, could still lead to an attempt to paper over the\n  differences and aid Nakasone, they said.\n      \"One factor against a trade war may be that Washington is\n  not anxious to push Nakasone into his grave,\" Sterling said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CSR SELLING DELHI TO EXXON UNIT, DROPS DELHI FLOAT\n","article":"  CSR Ltd <CSRA.S> and Exxon Corp <XON>\n  unit <Esso Exploration and Production Australia Inc> said CSR\n  has agreed to sell its <Delhi Australia Fund> (DAF) to Esso for\n  985 mln Australian dlrs.\n      The sale is effective from tomorrow, they said in a joint\n  statement.\n      The previously announced float of part of its Delhi\n  interest will not now proceed, CSR said in the statement.\n      Delhi Australia Fund owns <Delhi Petroleum Pty Ltd>, which\n  holds an average of 25 pct in the Santos Ltd <STOS.S>-led\n  Cooper and Eromanga Basin gas and liquids projects.\n      In addition to the purchase price, CSR will share equally\n  in any returns due to increases in crude oil and condensate\n  prices over certain levels for liquids produced from Delhi's\n  interests in the next two years, the statement said.\n      \"The Esso proposal to purchase all the Delhi interest will\n  be more beneficial to our shareholders than proceeding with the\n  float,\" CSR chief executive Bryan Kelman said in the statement.\n      Kelman said the sale of Delhi would enable CSR to focus\n  efforts on expanding business areas such as sugar and building\n  materials in which CSR has had long and successful management\n  experience and strong market leadership.\n      With the sale, CSR will be able to expand those businesses\n  more aggressively and earlier, he said.\n      As reported separately, soon after announcing the Delhi\n  sale CSR launched a takeover bid for the 68.26 pct of <Pioneer\n  Sugar Mills Ltd> that it does not already hold, valuing its\n  entire issued capital at 219.6 mln dlrs.\n      After Bass Strait, the onshore Cooper and Eromanga Basin is\n  Australia's largest oil and gas producing area with current\n  gross oil production of 45,000 barrels per day (BDP), gas\n  liquids output of 30,000 BPD and gas sales of 480 mln cubic\n  feet a day, the CSR-Esso statement said.\n      The purchase gives Esso, a 50\/50 partner with The Broken\n  Hill Pty Co Ltd <BRKN.S> in the Bass Strait, its first onshore\n  production in Australia, they said.\n      Esso's chairman Stuart McGill said he hoped Esso can assist\n  in maintaining the high rate of oil and gas discoveries in the\n  Cooper-Eromanga area.\n      \"These discoveries will help Australia's self-sufficiency in\n  oil reserves thereby offsetting in part the decline in Bass\n  Strait production now under way,\" McGill said.\n      In a separately released letter to CSR shareholders, Kelman\n  said CSR was within days of completing plans for the float of\n  CSR Petroleum when it received an offer from Esso.\n      He said CSR is convinced the sale was the correct decision\n  in view of the risks associated with the oil business.\n      The price-sharing arrangement provides for CSR to share\n  equally with Esso in higher returns if oil prices average more\n  than 20 U.S. Dlrs a barrel in the next two years, he said.\n      Kelman said a revaluation of CSR's investment in Delhi to\n  net realisable value as of today, CSR's annual balance-date,\n  will result in an extraordinary loss of 97 mln dlrs.\n      However, revaluations and profits on sales of other assets\n  will significantly reduce this loss, he said.\n      He also said that CSR is sufficiently encouraged by future\n  prospects and the opportunity to reposition the group in core\n  businesses to foreshadow an increase in final dividend payable\n  in July to 10 cents from nine to make an annual 19 cents\n  against 18 in 1985\/86.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN TO PAY FIVE PCT LESS FOR INDIAN IRON ORE\n","article":"  Japan will pay five pct less for the\n  Indian iron ore it imports in fiscal 1987\/88 starting April 1\n  than the average 18 dlrs a tonne it paid in 1986\/87, a\n  government trade official told Reuters.\n      He said India had agreed to export to Japan about 23 mln\n  tonnes of iron ore in 1987\/88, about the same as in the current\n  year.\n      The official described the agreement as satisfactory\n  overall. He said it was signed by an official Indian trade\n  delegation and Japanese businessmen in Tokyo last week.\n      The official said it was encouraging that Japan had agreed\n  not to reduce ore imports from India although Japan's total\n  iron ore imports would be lower in the coming year because of\n  the recession in the Japanese steel industry.\n      He said Japanese ore imports in calendar 1987 would total\n  96 mln tonnes, compared with 103.5 mln in 1986.\n      Government officials said India's total ore exports are\n  likely to rise to between 33 and 34 mln tonnes in 1987\/88,\n  against a provisionally estimated 31 mln in 1986\/87.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GROUP TRIMS MATERIAL SCIENCES <MSC> STAKE\n","article":"  An investor group led by Central\n  National-Gottesman Inc, a New York investment firm, and its\n  executive vice president, Edgar Wachenheim, said they cut their\n  stake in Material Sciences Corp to less than five pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the group said it sold 19,500 Material Sciences common shares\n  between Feb 11 and 19 at prices ranging from 24.00 to 27.648\n  dlrs a share, leaving it with 239,500 shares, or 4.7 pct.\n      As long as the group's stake remains below five pct, it is\n  not required to disclose further dealings in Material Sciences\n  common stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COMMERZBANK INCREASES DIVIDEND, PARENT NET PROFIT\n","article":"  Commerzbank AG <CBKG.F> said a\n  dividend of nine marks would be proposed for ordinary\n  shareholders on 1986 earnings after eight in 1985.\n      It added in a statement that parent net profit rose to\n  288.2 mln marks in 1986 from 221.7 mln the prior year.\n      A Commerzbank spokesman noted the figures were,however,\n  preliminary and required approval of the bank's supervisory\n  board which meets today.\n      The Commerzbank statement added the distributable profit\n  last year rose to 228.2 mln marks from 161.7 mln in 1985.\n      With inclusion of the corporate tax allowance, qualifying\n  domestic shareholders would receive an effective dividend of\n  14.06 marks per share.\n      Total dividend payout would rise to 186.8 mln marks from\n  142.0 mln on 1985 earnings due to the increase in the dividend\n  and in equity capital, it added.\n      From the parent net profit, 60 mln marks would be placed in\n  published reserves, unchanged from the two prior years.\n      The shareholders' meeting take place on May 22 in Hamburg.\n      The statement said holders of Commerzbank participation\n  certificates in a total nominal value of 425 mln marks would\n  receive the remaining 41.4 mln marks of the distributable\n  profit. Aside from the basic payment of 8.25 pct of nominal\n  value, certificate holders would receive an additional 1.5 pct.\n      The management board of the bank would also propose two\n  capital measures to shareholders in order to be able to react\n  quickly to new challenges.\n      It would ask for authorised capital of a nominal 200 mln\n  marks for the issue of new shares and for 300 mln for the issue\n  of warrant bonds, both for the period until April 30, 1992.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INDIA REDUCES EXPORT DUTY ON COFFEE\n","article":"  India cut the export duty on coffee\n  to 330 rupees per 100 kg from 600 rupees, effective March 23, a\n  Coffee Board official said.\n      The reduction should help India reach its coffee export\n  target of 90,000 tonnes in fiscal 1987\/88 ending March 31,\n  against provisionally estimated exports of 75,000 tonnes in\n  1986\/87 and an actual 99,254 tonnes in 1985\/86, he said.\n      India is likely to press for international export quotas at\n  a meeting of coffee producers in London this week because of\n  depressed prices, he added.\n      The International Coffee Organisation, which represents\n  both consumers and producers, has so far failed to reach\n  agreement on quotas.\n      India feels it will be useful to have quotas now because\n  the slide in prices is unlikely to be halted immediately, he\n  said.\n      Export quotas were suspended in February 1986 when market\n  prices surged after a drought devastated Brazil's coffee crop.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SWEDISH CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT RISES IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Sweden's balance of payments on\n  current account showed a deficit of 500 mln crowns in January\n  after a shortfall of 100 mln in December, Central Bank figures\n  showed.\n      This compared with a deficit of 1.3 billion in January\n  1986, the Bank said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"WORLD ZINC STOCKS FALL 7,700 TONNES IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  World closing stocks of primary zinc\n  at smelters, excluding Eastern Bloc countries, fell 7,700\n  tonnes in February to 459,100 tonnes from 466,800 (revised from\n  449,600) in January, compared with 403,700 in February 1986,\n  provisional European Zinc Institute figures show.\n      February closing stocks of primary zinc at European\n  smelters, excluding Yugoslavia, fell 4,500 tonnes to 160,000\n  from 164,500 (revised from 164,300) in January, compared with\n  126,700 in February 1986.\n      Total world zinc production, excluding Eastern Bloc\n  countries, fell to 390,800 tonnes in February from 419,900\n  (revised from 419,600) in January. February 1986 production was\n  378,600 tonnes.\n      European zinc production, including estimates for\n  Yugoslavia, fell to 152,900 tonnes in February from 164,200 in\n  January, compared with 156,400 in February 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FINNISH ECONOMIC GROWTH PUT AT THREE PCT IN 1987\n","article":"  Finland's gross national product is\n  expected to rise by three pct in 1987 against two pct in 1986\n  and inflation will be unchanged at about 3.5 pct, the private\n  business survey office ETLA predicted.\n      Unemployment in 1987 is put at 5.5 pct, in line with last\n  year, the office predicted in its regular review.\n      The balance of payments would show a five billion markka\n  deficit in 1987, against a 4.2 billion deficit in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SHANDWICK BUYS LOS ANGELES PR COMPANY\n","article":"  Public Relations consultancy <Shandwick\n  Plc> said it had agreed to buy the Los Angeles-based <Rogers\n  and Cowan Inc> which specialises in the entertainment industry.\n      A total of 2.25 mln dlrs is payable on completion, 1.5 mln\n  will be injected into the business through an interest free\n  loan and the expenses of the acquisition amount to 660,000 stg.\n      Shandwick said it would raise 5.1 mln stg through the\n  placing of 1.16 mln shares to finance the deal, with the\n  balance of 2.04 mln stg used to strengthen the balance sheet\n  and in anticipation of future performance-related payments.\n      In the year to end-September Rogers' operating income was\n  more than 10 mln dlrs. After the acquisition Shandwick's U.S.\n  Operating income will be comparable to that it earns in the\n  U.K.\n      Rogers' estimated that pretax profit in the year to\n  end-1987 would exceed 900,000 dlrs. An extraordinary loss of\n  504,000 dlrs in 1986 resulted from the write off of assets.\n      Net tangible assets at end-September were 363,000 dlrs.\n      Shandwick shares were unchanged at 460p.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET OFFERED EARLY ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had invited\n  an early round of bill offers from the discount houses after\n  forecasting a very large shortage of around 1.75 billion stg in\n  the money market today.\n   MORE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HUTCHISON ANNOUNCES BONUS ISSUE OF NEW \"B\" SHARES\n","article":"  Hutchison Whampoa Ltd <HWHH.H>\n  announced a bonus issue of one new \"B\" share of 2.5 H.K. Cents\n  each for every two existing ordinary shares of 25 cents a share\n  par value.\n      A company statement said Hutchison forecast 1987 dividends\n  for existing shares of not less than 32.5 cents a share and not\n  less than 3.25 cents for each \"B\" share.\n      Hutchison said the new issue will help increase flexibility\n  when it is planning future expansion moves or making\n  acquisitions without affecting the existing control structure\n  of the group.\n      \"The move will provide long term stability to ensure\n  continuity of overall control of the Hutchison group in that it\n  provides Hutchison with a stable framework within which\n  management, development and the planned growth of the group's\n  businesses can take place,\" it added.\n      Hutchison shares lost one dlr to end at 53 dlrs each today.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ITALIAN CONSUMER PRICES RISE 0.4 PCT IN MARCH\n","article":"  Italy's consumer price index rose 0.4 pct\n  in March compared with February after an identical increase in\n  February over January, the national statistics institute Istat\n  said.\n      The year-on-year rise in March was 4.2 pct, unchanged on\n  February and compared with 7.2 pct in March 1986.\n      Istat said its consumer price index for the families of\n  workers and employees, base year 1985 equals 100, registered\n  109.5 in March 1987 compared with 109.1 in February this year\n  and 105.1 in March 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" EUROPE ON SIDELINES IN U.S-JAPAN MICROCHIP ROW\n","article":"  Rising imports of Japanese-made cars and\n  electronic goods may upset West European officials, but they\n  generally seem prepared to stay on the sidelines in the latest\n  trade row between the United States and Japan.\n      Japan's huge trade surplus is a sore point in West Europe,\n  as it is in the United States. But U.S. Charges of unfair trade\n  practices involving computer microchips leave Europeans cold.\n      The European Community ran a 18.2 billion dlr trade deficit\n  with Japan last year, and seeks redress when it feels Japanese\n  trade policy hurts Europeans, diplomats and economists said.\n      But only in Britain has there been any suggestion of acting\n  with the U.S. To do something about Japan's huge trade surplus.\n      \"The EC is no more illiberal on trade issues than is the\n  U.S.,\" said Martin Wolf, director of studies at the Trade Policy\n  Research Centre in London. \"Basically, their policies are pretty\n  much the same.\"\n      But that did not mean Europe would support the U.S., Or\n  that the EC would climb on the bandwagon to take advantage of\n  the U.S. Dispute to press its own claims, Wolf said.Basically,\n  Europeans have a different approach to trade problems, he said.\n      \"In the U.S., People talk about fair trade, but not here,\" he\n  added. \"In the U.S., It all has to do with the general ethic of\n  free competition, while in Europe, the general approach is that\n  liberal trade is good because it makes countries rich.\"\n      Wolf said this basic U.S. Attitude explains Washington's\n  tendency to impose so-called \"countervailing duties\" - an import\n  tax designed to offset advantages alleged to be unfair.\n      In Western Europe, the approach to trade disputes tends to\n  be to try to reach a settlement through negotiation, Wolf said.\n      In the latest U.S.-Japan trade row, President Reagan has\n  threatened to raise tariffs on selected Japanese electronic\n  goods by as much as 300 mln dlrs, alleging that Japan has\n  failed to abide by a 1986 U.S.-Japan pact on microchip trade.\n      But the European Community has challenged the agreement as\n  a violation of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)\n  practices that discriminates against its microchip producers.\n      \"It follows that they're not likely to rally to the side of\n  the United States in defence of the agreement,\" said Wolf.\n      Although British parliamentarians are pushing for a tough\n  line on Japanese trade issues, government officials in the rest\n  of Europe told Reuter correspondents they would let the EC take\n  the lead in any response to the U.S.-Japan trade row.\n      A spokeswoman for the EC Commission in Brussels told\n  Reuters there has been no change in the Community's position\n  since a March 16 meeting of foreign ministers which sent a\n  strong warning to Tokyo on trade imbalances.\n      In a statement issued after that meeting, EC foreign\n  ministers deplored Japan's continued trade imbalance and\n  appealed for a greater Japanese effort to open up its markets.\n      EC External Trade Commissioner Willy De Clercq said after\n  the talks there was a growing impatience with Japan in the EC.\n      Diplomats accredited to the EC in Brussels said they saw no\n  signs of any immediate intention to impose any broad-ranging\n  sanctions against Japan. The EC is anxious to avoid provoking a\n  trade war, they said.\n      Instead, the Community is trying to target problem areas in\n  European trade with Japan, including wines and spirits,\n  cosmetics, and financial services, and will continue talking to\n  try to improve the situation, the diplomats said.\n      In Britain, where the government is angered over the\n  difficulties telecommunications giant Cable and Wireless has\n  faced in its bid to crack the Japanese market, officials said\n  last week that retaliatory action is being considered.\n      But government officials said last night, \"We are not\n  talking about days or weeks. This is going to take time.\"\n      They said the government would consider its options at a\n  cabinet meeting on Thursday, but added that no final decisions\n  were expected. The main thing the British would threaten the\n  Japan with is denial of access to London's booming financial\n  markets, government officials said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED SETS 1.5 BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPURCHASE, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  FED SETS 1.5 BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPURCHASE, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GETS 1.14 BILLION STG EARLY HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had provided\n  the money market with 1.143 billion mln stg assistance in\n  response to an early round of bill offers from the discount\n  houses.\n      Earlier, the Bank forecast the system would face a very\n  large deficit today of around 1.75 billion stg.\n      The central bank purchased bank bills outright comprising\n  393 mln stg in band one at 9-7\/8 pct, 649 mln stg in band two\n  at 9-13\/16 pct and 85 mln stg in band three at 9-3\/4 pct.\n      In addition it bought 16 mln stg of local authority bills\n  in band two at 9-13\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LONDON INT'L SELLING HOT WATER BOTTLE UNIT\n","article":"  London International Group Plc <LONL.L>\n  said it had agreed to sell its <Haffenden Moulding Co Ltd> unit\n  to <Melton Medes Ltd> for 2.1 mln stg.\n      Haffenden is a moulder of hot water bottles and also\n  produces a variety of rubber and plastic mouldings. The book\n  value of its assets is 4.4 mln stg.\n      LIG said the disposal was part of its strategy of\n  concentrating on its core activities.\n      LIG shares were one penny firmer at 277p.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CABLE SHARES FIRM ON JAPAN SPECULATION\n","article":"  Shares in Cable and Wireless Plc\n  <CAWL.L> firmed in morning trading on market speculation that\n  its participation in a joint telecommunications venture in\n  Japan would not be curtailed, dealers said.\n      The company's shares were quoted at 372p at 0915 GMT\n  compared with 364p last night.\n      The dealers said the speculation appeared to originate in\n  Japan. Cable has said it is resisting attempts by the\n  Federation of Economic Organisations to merge two Japan-based\n  telecommunications firms, a move which would have cut Cable's\n  stake from 20 pct in one to three pct in the merged unit.\n      However, the dealers were uncertain exactly how the dispute\n  over the shareholdings had been resolved.\n      British prime minister MargaretThatcher said in parliament\n  last week that she regarded Cable and Wireless's participation\n  in the Japanese venture as a test case of how open the Japanese\n  telecommunications market really was.\n      A spokesman for Cable said he was unaware if the\n  speculation had any foundation. Cable itself had issued no\n  statement today on the issue.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF JAPAN MULLS OTHER OPTIONS TO STOP YEN RISE\n","article":"  Today's liberalised financial markets are\n  making it extremely difficult for Japan's monetary authorities\n  to prevent the yen's rise against the dollar, but they have\n  several options other than normal intervention, Bank of Japan\n  sources said.\n      A senior central bank official said that such methods as\n  controlling foreign exchange deals and invoking currency swap\n  agreements with other central banks, which have not been\n  invoked since 1978, are all being considered.\n      \"But the time may not be ripe,\" he said.\n      \"In this era of financial liberalisation, it's almost\n  impossible to control the flow of capital in and out of Japan,\"\n  said another senior bank official.\n      But the first official said: \"From a technical viewpoint,\n  the Bank of Japan could activate swap agreements immediately\n  after other central banks involved agreed to do so.\"\n      A swap agreement, an exchange of currency between two\n  nations, allows both sides to acquire a ready source of the\n  other's currency in case of need.\n      \"If the Bank invokes such swaps, both parties would announce\n  the decision jointly,\" said the first official.\n      The sources said they believed the limit of currency market\n  intervention may be being reached after they saw recent\n  concerted market action by central banks of major industrial\n  nations was increasingly ineffective in propping up the\n  battered dollar.\n      But intervention is at least an option, they said. Further\n  easing of monetary policy will be very difficult with an\n  official discount rate already at a record low of 2.5 pct, they\n  said.\n      Bank of Japan Governor Satoshi Sumita has repeatedly ruled\n  out another rate cut due to fears it could revive inflation.\n      One bank official said he could not deny the possibilty of\n  the Bank of Japan activating currency swap agreements with the\n  U.S. And other central banks, if these banks continue\n  intervening to sell the yen in support of the dollar and run\n  out of their yen cash positions.\n      \"But we don't think they have become short of yen quite yet,\"\n  he said.\n      The bank has established a five billion dlr swap limit with\n  the U.S. Federal Reserve and another 2.5 billion mark and 200\n  billion yen limit with the West German and Swiss central banks,\n  according to the sources.\n      Foreign exchange dealers estimate the Fed had sold two\n  billion dlrs worth of yen from its own account to support the\n  dollar in New York last week.\n      The central bank sources also said Japan may arrange other\n  currency swap agreements with Britain and France if they find\n  it necessary, but added they are not actually talking with each\n  other towards that end.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AKZO REVISES 1986 PROFIT UP SLIGHTLY\n","article":"  Dutch chemicals group\n  Akzo NV <AKZO.AS> said in its annual report it had revised its\n  1986 net profit figure up to 842 mln guilders from a\n  provisional 840 mln guilders announced in January.\n      The turnover figure was unchanged at 15.62 billion\n  guilders.\n      Akzo said it would be difficult to maintain this profit\n  level in 1987 but it expected positive developments \"in the\n  longer term.\"\n      Profits in 1985 totalled 843 mln guilders on a turnover of\n  18.01 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. WHEAT AND BARLEY EXPORTS ADJUSTED UPWARDS\n","article":"  The U.K. Exported 612,000 tonnes of\n  wheat and 498,800 tonnes of barley in February, the Home Grown\n  Cereals Authority (HGCA) said.\n      Based on the previous provisional figures issued for\n  February, wheat exports were increased by 480,200 tonnes and\n  barley by 283,800 tonnes.\n      The new figures bring cumulative wheat exports for the\n  period July 1-March 13 to 3.66 mln tonnes and barley to 3.50\n  mln, compared with 1.47 and 2.09 mln tonnes respectively last\n  season.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"S. KOREA MINISTER TO VISIT U.S. FOR CURRENCY TALKS\n","article":"  South Korea's Finance Minister Chung\n  In-yong will visit U.S. Treasury Secretary James Baker next\n  week to discuss U.S. Requests for an appreciation of South\n  Korea's won against the dollar, finance ministry officials\n  said.\n      They said Chung would leave for Washington on Monday to\n  attend the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Interim\n  Committee meeting and for talks with U.S. Officials on ways of\n  reducing Seoul's trade surplus with Washington.\n      The dates for the Baker-Chung meeting have yet to be set.\n      The IMF committee meeting, scheduled for April 9, is\n  expected to review the resolution reached by the six top\n  industrialised nations in Paris last month calling for newly\n  industrialised countries, such as South Korea and Taiwan, to\n  allow their currencies to rise.\n      The official said Chung is expected to outline Seoul's\n  efforts to increase imports of U.S. Goods and to stress the\n  need for South Korea to maintain a trade surplus in the next\n  few years in order to cut foreign debts totalling some 44.5\n  billion dlrs.\n      South Korea has ruled out a major revaluation of the won,\n  but is allowing its currency to appreciate slowly.\n      Trade Minister Rha Woong-bae told the U.S. Chamber of\n  Commerce earlier this month a sudden won revaluation could\n  result in South Korea running a large trade deficit and being\n  forced to renege on its international debt repayments.\n      The Bank of Korea, the central bank, today fixed the won at\n  a two-year high of 846.90. The won has gained 5.1 pct since the\n  beginning of 1986.\n      South Korea's trade surplus with the U.S. Rose to 7.1\n  billion dlrs last year from 4.3 billion in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ADSTEAM TO ACQUIRE 49 PCT OF U.K. PROPERTY COMPANY\n","article":"  The Adelaide Steamship Co Ltd <ADSA.S>\n  (Adsteam) said it will subscribe to 30 mln shares in listed\n  British property developer, <Markheath Securities Plc>, at 60p\n  each, subject to shareholder approval.\n      The subscription, expected to take place in May, will give\n  Adsteam 49 pct of Markheath, Adsteam said in a statement.\n      Adsteam's managing director John Spalvins will become\n  chairman of Markheath and two other Adsteam nominees will join\n  its board. \"We hope that in time Markheath will become a\n  significant property and industrial company in the same style\n  as Adsteam,\" Spalvins said in the statement.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NIPPON COLUMBIA TO MAKE BONUS STOCK ISSUES\n","article":"  Nippon Columbia Co Ltd <NCOL.T> will make\n  a one-for-20 bonus stock issue on July 14 to pay back remaining\n  premiums accumulated by 4.5 mln shares issued at market price\n  through public placement in September 1980, a spokesman said.\n      The bonus issue will bring its outstanding capital shares\n  to 65.02 mln from 61.92 mln as at March 31 1987. It is open to\n  shareholders registered on May 31.\n      Nippon Columbia's share price fell 20 to 1,260 yen on the\n  Tokyo Stock Exchange today.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BUNDESBANK HAS NOT INTERVENED TODAY, DEALERS\n","article":"  The Bundesbank declined to comment on\n  rumours in Tokyo that it was intervening heavily to support the\n  dollar, but dealers here said they had not seen the German\n  central bank in the market all morning.\n      The dollar was quoted at around 1.8040 marks shortly after\n  midday in nervous but quiet trading, up from its 1.7975\/85\n  opening.\n      Spreads against the mark remained around 10 basis points,\n  with some banks quoting only five point spreads. Dealers said\n  spreads would widen and the dollar would move more sharply if\n  the Bundesbank did intervene.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ANALYSTS APPLAUD CSR'S BOLD MOVE TO SELL DELHI\n","article":"  CSR Ltd <CSRA.S> has made a bold move in\n  selling its oil and gas interests for almost a billion dlrs and\n  ploughing 150 mln into its traditional sugar business, share\n  analysts said.\n      \"It sounds like a good deal,\" Stuart McKibbin of <A.C. Goode\n  and Co> told Reuters.\n      CSR said it had dropped plans to float its oil and gas\n  interests held in the <Delhi Australia Fund> and would instead\n  sell it to Exxon Corp <XON> unit <Esso Exploration and\n  Production Australia Inc> for 985 mln dlrs.\n      In a twin announcement CSR, already Australia's largest\n  sugar refiner, made a 2.20 dlr a share bid for the 70 pct it\n  does not already hold in <Pioneer Sugar Mills Ltd>.\n      \"This will be a big shock to the market, which was under the\n  impression that CSR was well down the road to floating Delhi,\"\n  McKibbin said.\n      A float of part of Delhi would have raised between 200 and\n  300 mln dlrs, but in opting to sell outright, CSR had given\n  itself the cash to practically eliminate its debt and embark on\n  an ambitious expansion programme in its best-performing\n  divisions of sugar and building products, analysts said.\n      CSR not only gets the 985 mln dlrs but also has the right\n  to share equally with Esso any higher returns resulting from an\n  oil price over 20 U.S. Dlrs a barrel in the next two years.\n      Delhi is one of Australia's largest onshore oil producers\n  yielding about six mln barrels a year from the Cooper Basin.\n  Analysts said the deal could net CSR as much as three mln dlrs\n  for every dollar rise in the oil price above 20 dlrs.\n      Neale Goldston-Morris of Sydney broker <Bain and Co Ltd>\n  said the move out of Delhi and investment in the sugar industry\n  was a sensible one but added that it represented the loss of\n  Australian-owned assets to a foreign company.\n      \"The farm they bought back a few years ago is being sold\n  back to the Americans,\" Goldston-Morris said.\n      The Pioneer Sugar investment would make CSR by far the\n  largest player in Australia's 850 mln dlr a year sugar industry\n  and would give it access to some of the best sugar properties\n  and mills in the country, analysts said.\n      They said Pioneer Sugar was expected to recommend\n  acceptance of the bid through which CSR would benefit from the\n  bottom out of a cyclical downturn in sugar prices.\n      Sugar prices are forecast to rise to 340 dlrs a tonne next\n  season from an estimated 270 dlrs this year, they said.\n      Selling Delhi meant CSR has finally quit a damaging\n  investment, made in 1981, which has dragged down the company's\n  overall performance, analysts said.\n      CSR last year wrote off more than 550 mln dlrs in losses on\n  what had been a 591 mln U.S. Dlr investment financed entirely\n  from U.S. Dollar debt, they said.\n      \"It was a bad investment for them. They financed it entirely\n  with debt, the currency collapsed on them and then the oil\n  price collapsed on them,\" Owen Evans of Sydney broker <Meares\n  and Philips Ltd> said.\n      Esso not only picked up Delhi's oil and gas output but also\n  gained as much as 300 mln dlrs in transferable tax losses\n  accumulated in exploration allowances and other concessions.\n      Analysts said Esso also gained its first real onshore stake\n  in Australia in its first major diversification from the 50\/50\n  Bass Strait partnership with The Broken Hill Pty Co Ltd\n  <BRKN.S>.\n      \"Esso has been very keen to diversify from the Gippsland\n  Basin. They haven't found too much oil in Bass Strait lately\n  and Esso needed a large pool of ongoing production,\"\n  Goldston-Morris said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DROUGHT THREAT EASES IN SOUTH CHINA PROVINCE\n","article":"  Rainfall in the past few days has eased\n  the threat of drought in the south China province of Guangdong,\n  the New China News Agency said.\n      It said 75 pct of early rice fields are ready to be planted\n  and seedlings have already been transplanted on 90 pct of rice\n  fields in Hainan island. Some 840,000 hectares of farmland have\n  been planted with cash crops including sugar cane, peanuts and\n  soybeans, 67,000 ha more than in 1986.\n      The provincial government has increased investment in grain\n  and taken effective measures to combat natural disasters this\n  year, the agency said, but gave no further details.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ADC TELECOMMUNICATIONS INC <ADCT> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Periods ended Jan 31\n      Shr 28 cts vs 35 cts\n      Net 2,374,000 vs 2,987,000\n      Sales 35.2 mln vs 34 mln\n      Backlog 36.8 mln vs 33.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KLEINWORT BENSON LONSDALE PLC <KBLL.L> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Shr 53.05p vs 45.79p adjusted\n      Div 8.7p making 14p vs 12p adjusted\n      Pretax profit 78.84 mln stg vs 60.31 mln\n      Net after tax 50.71 mln vs 40.54 mln\n      Extraordinary credit after tax 43.19 mln vs nil\n      Note - The extraordinary credit represents substantitally\n  the after tax profit on sale of company's interest in M and G\n  Group Plc. After providing for the final dividend, retained\n  earnings were 80.07 mln vs 29.90 mln in 1985.\n      Merchant and investment banking 81.47 mln vs 63.22 mln\n      Bullion broking 4.75 mln vs 3.02 mln\n      U.S. Government security dealing 2.94 mln vs loss 329,000\n      Investment management and unit trusts 10.62 mln vs 7.88 mln\n      Other activities loss 3.12 mln vs profit 1.42  mln\n      Interest on loan capital 17.82 mln vs 14.90 mln.\n      Disclosed shareholders funds 365 mln vs 286 mln\n      Disclosed capital resources available 626 mln vs 467 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<CGEE ALSTHOM> YEAR TO END-DECEMBER 1986\n","article":"  Dividend 24 francs vs 30\n      Consolidated net profit 115.7 mln francs vs 108.3 mln of\n  which attributable to group 110.8 mln vs 102.5 mln\n      Consolidated net turnover 11.16 billion francs vs 11.42\n  billion\n      Parent company net profit 115.5 mln vs 95.0 mln\n      Parent co net turnover 9.99 billion vs 9.91 billion\n      Note - The electrical contracting company is 99.9 pct owned\n  by the state-run Compagnie Generale d'Electricite <CGE>.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"THATCHER SAYS TRADE TARGETS SET WITH MOSCOW\n","article":"  British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher\n  said she and Soviet Premier Nikolai Ryzhkov had set targets for\n  increased trade between the two countries during talks earlier\n  today.\n      She said she hoped more economic exchanges between Britain\n  and the Soviet Union \"will also lead to increased friendship and\n  increased understanding.\"\n      Earlier, she told a meeting of Soviet and British\n  businessmen that she had agreed with Ryzhkov that they would\n  work to achieve a total volume of 2.5 billion roubles in\n  bilateral trade by 1990.\n      This would entail an increase by each side of 350 to 400\n  mln stg over their present export levels.\n      \"Mr Ryzhkov handed me a list of import and export\n  opportunities which I hope you will all jump at,\" she told the\n  meeting to mark the opening of new offices of the British-\n  Soviet Chamber of Commerce.\n      After her talks with Ryzhkov, Thatcher and the Soviet\n  Premier were joined for the signing of agreements covering new\n  scientific and cultural exchanges by Kremlin leader Mikhail\n  Gorbachev, who had nine hours of talks with her yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COMMODITY PACTS MORE ORIENTED TOWARDS MARKET\n","article":"  Consuming countries, chastened by the\n  collapse of International Tin Council (ITC) price support\n  operations in 1985, are insisting more than ever before that\n  commodity pacts reflect the reality of the markets they are\n  serving, a Reuter survey showed.\n      They want price ranges to be more responsive to market\n  trends - to avoid overstimulating output and straining the\n  accords' support operations - and intervention rules that avoid\n  the risk of exports by non-members undermining the pacts.\n  Consumers and producers, mindful of ITC buffer stock losses,\n  have also sought strict conditions for buffer operations.\n      Importers and some key exporting countries have shunned a\n  generalised approach to commodity price stabilisation and\n  prefer to assess each commodity case by case, the survey\n  showed.\n      The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) last week set\n  precise limits on what the Buffer Stock Manager (BSM) could do\n  under the new agreement. It imposed daily and weekly purchase\n  limits, prohibited the BSM from operating on futures markets\n  and stipulated, after consumer insistence, that up to 15 pct of\n  total buffer stock purchases could be of non-member cocoa. This\n  will help prevent lower quality cocoa from Malaysia, the\n  world's fourth largest producer, undermining the market.\n      The cocoa pact establishes precise differentials the Buffer\n  Stock Manager must use when purchasing varying grades.\n      A new International Natural Rubber Agreement (INRA) was\n  adopted earlier this month in Geneva. Importing and exporting\n  countries agreed several changes to make the reference price\n  more responsive to market trends and they eliminated provisions\n  under which the buffer stock could borrow from banks to finance\n  operations. Direct cash contributions from members will fund\n  buffer stock purchases. Bank financing was a particular feature\n  of the failed ITC buffer stock which suffered losses running\n  into hundreds of millions of sterling. Legal wrangles continue.\n      Recent International Coffee Organization (ICO) negotiations\n  in London exemplified the degree to which consumers insist that\n  agreements reflect market reality, commodity analysts said.\n      Consumers and a small group of producers argued that\n  \"objective criteria\" should be used to define export quota\n  shares, which would have meant a reduction in the share of\n  Brazil, the world's leading producer. Brazil wanted to maintain\n  its previous quota share of 30 pct. The talks broke down and,\n  although an ICO executive board meeting starts in London today,\n  delegates and trade sources see chances of any near term\n  negotiations on export quota distribution as remote.\n      International agreements exist for sugar and wheat. These\n  do not have any economic clauses but provide a forum for\n  discussions on possible future economic agreements, collect\n  statistics and draw up market analyses. Analysts said\n  differences between sugar exporting countries have held up any\n  progress towards an accord with economic teeth, while sheer\n  competition between major exporters amid a world grain glut\n  militate against any pact with economic provisions for wheat.\n      An alternative focus for commodity discussions are\n  international study groups, made up of governments with advice\n  from industry, such as those for lead and zinc and rubber.\n      The U.N. Common fund for commodities, with a planned\n  directly contributed capital of 470 mln dlrs, has failed to\n  become operational because neither the U.S. Nor the Soviet\n  Union has ratified it. U.S. Officials in Washington said the\n  U.S. Doubts the fund would be able to fulfil its objectives,\n  citing the lack of widespread support.\n      U.S. Officials in Washington and Malaysian officials in\n  Kuala Lumpur expressed a policy of looking at each commodity\n  pact case by case. U.S. Officials said it has been willing to\n  study individual cases for economically sound, market-oriented\n  commodity accords balancing producer and consumer interests.\n      \"We see little to be gained by attempting to increase the\n  price of a commodity whose long-term trend is downward,\"\n  official Administration policy states. The U.S. Currently\n  belongs to only two international commodity agreements that\n  have economic clauses - the International Coffee Agreement\n  (ICA) and INRA - but it is also a member of the sugar and wheat\n  pacts.\n      The U.S. Did not join the International Cocoa Agreement\n  because it considered its proposed price ranges unrealistic and\n  not designed to protect the interests of consuming countries,\n  the State Department said. U.S. Officials singled out the INRA\n  as the one commodity agreement that seems to be working.\n      U.S. Negotiators were successful in getting other members\n  of the pact to agree that the price review and adjustment\n  mechanism of the rubber agreement would accurately reflect\n  market trends and also to continue the accord as a market\n  oriented agreement, U.S. Officials said.\n      Canadian officials in Ottawa also said they have\n  consistently tried to look at membership of commodity pacts on\n  the merits of each case. Malaysian Primary Industries Minister\n  Lim Keng Yaik told Reuters in Kuala Lumpur his country, the\n  world's top producer of rubber, tin and palm oil, decides its\n  participation in international commodity pacts case by case.\n      Malaysia is a member of the Association of Tin Producing\n  Countries (ATPC) which produce 65 pct of world tin. The ATPC\n  launched a plan to limit member tin exports to 96,000 tonnes\n  for a year from March to cut the tin surplus to 50,000 from\n  70,000.\n      Economist in the West German Ministry of Agriculture and\n  delegate to cocoa, wheat and sugar agreements Peter Baron told\n  Reuters in London, \"Agreements with economic clauses to\n  stabilise prices could function if fixed price ranges were\n  close to market reality, if there was full participation by\n  producers and consumers, and if participants were prepared to\n  take their obligations in the framework of the agreement\n  seriously.\"\n      But Baron added, \"No real sanctions are available for a\n  country that doesn't stick to its obligations...The German\n  approach is sceptical. We don't think agreements are the best\n  instrument to help developing countries. They were never meant\n  to be a vehicle for the transfer of resources and that is how\n  developing countries often interpret them.\"\n      Traditionally Britain has always been supportive of\n  commodity agreements, reflecting its strong links with Third\n  World producing countries. But recently demands for more\n  stringent and justifiable pacts with emphasis placed on the\n  need for \"intellectual honesty\" and \"objective criteria\" have\n  grown.\n      British officials stress the need for commodity pacts to be\n  a two way partnership in trade rather than a disguise for aid.\n      It is now seen as essential that any pacts involving direct\n  market participation through a buffer stock have a high degree\n  of transparency and do not contain the risk of open-ended\n  borrowing that occurred in the tin pact, they said. U.K.\n  Delegates talk of stabilisation and the need for prices to\n  reflect changes in market structure and price trends rather\n  than dictate what prices should be.\n      A Foreign Ministry official in Tokyo said Japan urges price\n  realism in commodity pacts, adding high prices inflate supply.\n      A government spokesman in Paris said France is favourable\n  to commodity pacts. France, a large consumer and producer of\n  sugar, favours a sugar pact as long as it reflects the real\n  market situation, particularly regarding stocks.\n      Indonesia's Foreign Minister Mochtar Kusumaatmadja told\n  Reuters in Jakarta: \"These agreements can work as long as the\n  problems are cyclical..But it's another matter when there are\n  structural problems..But we are still committed to commodity\n  agreements as an act of faith.\" Nicaraguan External Trade\n  Minister Alejandro Martinez Cuenca said in London producers\n  cannot afford not to give their backing to commodity\n  agreements.\n      \"The political will is not there on the part of some\n  consumers to make agreements work,\" Martinez Cuenca said.\n      The head of the economics department in the Brazilian\n  Foreign Ministry, Sebastiao do Rego Barros, told Reuters an\n  agreement can be successful if it keeps a link with market\n  reality. If you have an agreement such as coffee with a system\n  of quotas, with a link between prices practised inside the pact\n  and actual market prices, it can work. UNCTAD spokesman Graham\n  Shanley said consuming countries realise steady export earnings\n  enhance developing countries' ability to service debt and mean\n  greater demand for industrialised nations' capital goods.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"JAPAN TO CUT MICROCHIP OUTPUT, BOOST IMPORTS\n","article":"  Leading domestic semiconductor makers\n  will boost imports and cut production of key memory microchips\n  from next month in line with government attempts to ward off\n  U.S. Trade sanctions, company spokesmen said.\n      The moves might persuade the U.S. To call off the\n  sanctions, despite obstacles to full implementation of the\n  plans, analysts said.\n      The tariffs will affect about 300 mln dlrs worth of\n  products and are in retaliation for Japan's alleged failure to\n  honour a semiconductor trade pact.\n      In announcing the sanctions last Friday, President Reagan\n  said Japan had not fulfilled its promise to halt predatory\n  pricing and open Japan's market to foreign products.\n      But U.S. Trade representative Clayton Yeutter said\n  yesterday on U.S. Television that the U.S. Is willing to drop\n  the tariffs if Japan shows a \"clear indication\" that it will open\n  its markets to U.S. Goods.\n      The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) has\n  urged producers to slash output of the chips by 11 pct in the\n  second quarter, following a call to reduce production by more\n  than 20 pct the previous quarter.\n      MITI also urged makers to boost chip imports.\n      Analysts said the moves could encourage Washington to\n  cancel the tariffs ahead of next month's meeting between Prime\n  Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone and President Reagan.\n      \"The U.S. Wants to be satisfied. It has rattled its sword\n  and shown that it can and will do business,\" said analyst Nick\n  Edwards at Jardine Fleming Securities Ltd in Tokyo.\n      But analysts cautioned that although Japanese producers can\n  cut output, boosting imports -- the key to U.S. Withdrawal of\n  the sanctions -- is more difficult.\n      \"The U.S. Does not have the low-end consumer IC's\n  (integrated circuits) that the Japanese need for consumer\n  products. They're well supplied here,\" said Richard May, senior\n  analyst at Barclays de Zoete Wedd Ltd in Tokyo.\n      The U.S. Leads in production of medium and high-end IC's,\n  but Japanese makers are keen to develop their own high-end\n  production skills, the analysts said.\n      \"The Japanese must be prepared to trade some losses on\n  semiconductors in return for free access to other areas,\" said\n  Edwards.\n      A spokesman for Hitachi Ltd <HIT.T>, said the firm's\n  reduced output of 256 kilobit dynamic random access memory\n  (256K DRAM) was unrelated to MITI's efforts to ward off the\n  trade sanctions. Decreased production was a natural result of\n  the company increasing output of one-mln bit DRAM's, he said.\n      Company officials unveiled the following plans -\n      - NEC Corp <NESI.T>, Japan's largest chipmaker, plans to\n  slash production of 256K DRAM semiconductors by 29.41 pct to\n  six mln per month from a monthly average of 8.5 mln last\n  quarter.\n       In the year beginning April 1, NEC will boost chip\n  imports, which comprised some 20 pct of all NEC chip\n  consumption the year before.\n      - Hitachi Ltd's <HIT.T> April output of 256K DRAM's will\n  fall by 25.93 pct to four mln compared to 5.4 mln in March. The\n  company is trying to boost imports but has not set a specific\n  target. Imports are currently very low.\n      - Toshiba Corp <TSBA.T> will reduce April 256K DRAM\n  production by 16.67 pct to just over four mln and is\n  considering ways to boost imports, a company official said.\n      Toshiba has an agreement with Motorola Inc (MOT.N) to sell\n  the U.S. Firm's chips in Japan. The firms are planning a\n  joint-venture production of memory chips in Sendai, northern\n  Japan.\n      - Mitsubishi Electric Corp (MIET.T) will trim second\n  quarter output by about 10 pct to between 5.5 mln to 5.6 mln\n  chips compared to the first quarter. Plans call for increased\n  imports but an official said \"boosting imports will be difficult\n  as it depends on sales demand.\"\n      - Fujitsu Ltd (ITSU.T) will cut production in accord with\n  MITI guidelines and boost imports from currently low levels.\n      - Oki Electric Industry Co Ltd (OKIE.T) will reduce April\n  production by 10 pct from March's 3.2 mln. Oki is studying ways\n  to increase imports by 10 pct in the fiscal year beginning\n  April 1 from the previous year's total of more than five\n  billion yen, a company official said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LONDON AND SCOTTISH MARINE OIL PLC <LASL.L>\n","article":"  Year 1986\n      Div 7.0p vs 12.2p\n      Shr 9.6p vs 31.3p\n      Pretax profit 4.4 mln stg vs 118.0 mln\n      Net 17.6 mln vs 37.7 mln\n      Total turnover 183.8 mln vs 348.0\n      Amortisation 71.4 mln vs 86.3\n      Traded oil purchases 41.2 mln vs 44.5 mln Administration\n  expenses 6.2 mln vs 8.0 mln\n      Net interest payable 6.4 mln vs 4.8 mln\n      Related company's credit 6.1 mln vs nil\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UK MONEY MARKET GIVEN FURTHER 570 MLN STG HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided the\n  market with a further 570 mln stg assistance during the morning\n  after revising its estimate of the liquidity shortage to 1.85\n  billion stg, before taking account of its early round of bill\n  purchases.\n      Initially, the Bank put the likely shortage at some 1.75\n  billion and to help offset this gave early assistance of 1.143\n  billion.\n      Its total help so far today amounts to 1.713 billion stg.\n   MORE\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"31-MAR-1987\n","article":"  31-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TYLAN CORP <TYLN> TO SELL FURNACE PRODUCT LINE\n","article":"  Tylan Corp aid it has retained\n  the investment banking firm Kahn and Harris to sell its furnace\n  product line.\n      The company said it has already been contacted by several\n  potential buyers.\n      In 1986, Tylan's furnace product shipments in the U.S.\n  represented 10.3 mln dlrs of the company's total net sales of\n  28.4 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MAURITIAN SUGAR EXPORTS FALL IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Mauritius exported 47,144 tonnes of\n  sugar (tel quel) in February, down from 57,911 tonnes (tel\n  quel) shipped in January and 89,351 in February 1986, the\n  Mauritius Chamber of Agriculture's Sugar News Bulletin said.\n      Opening stocks at the beginning of last month totalled\n  320,057 tonnes, against 288,406 tonnes at the start of February\n  last year. Closing stocks at the end of February were 270,212\n  tonnes, up from 196,309 tonnes at end-February 1986.\n      The estimate for 1986 sugar production was unchanged from\n  last month at 748,472 tonnes, raw value, the Chamber said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CSR SELLS OIL\/GAS INTERESTS, BIDS TO EXTEND SUGAR\n","article":"  CSR Ltd has made a bold move in selling\n  its oil and gas interests for almost a billion dlrs and\n  ploughing 150 mln into its traditional sugar business, share\n  analysts said.\n      CSR said it had dropped plans to float its oil and gas\n  interests held in the Delhi Australia Fund and would instead\n  sell them to Exxon Corp unit Esso Exploration and Production\n  Australia Inc for 985 mln dlrs.\n      In a twin announcement CSR, already Australia's largest\n  sugar refiner, made a 2.20 dlr a share bid for the 70 pct it\n  does not already hold in Pioneer Sugar Mills Ltd.\n      A float of part of Delhi would have raised between 200 and\n  300 mln dlrs, but in opting to sell outright CSR had given\n  itself the cash to all but eliminate its debt and embark on an\n  ambitious expansion programme in its best-performing divisions\n  of sugar and building products, analysts said.\n      The Pioneer Sugar investment would give CSR by far the\n  largest stake in Australia's 850 mln dlr a year sugar industry\n  and access to some of the best sugar properties and mills in\n  the country, they said. Pioneer Sugar was expected to recommend\n  acceptance of the bid, through which CSR would benefit from the\n  bottoming out of a cyclical downturn in sugar prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"LASMO SET TO BENEFIT FROM FUTURE OIL PRICE RISES\n","article":"  London and Scottish Marine Oil Plc\n  (Lasmo) <LASL.L> will have an advantage when oil prices rise\n  again and it is confident this will happen early in the next\n  decade, the company said in a statement accompanying results.\n      Lasmo said its advantage comes from its reserves of oil and\n  gas which at the end of 1986 stood at 210 mln barrels of oil\n  equivalent, a group record. Reserves have increased every year\n  since 1983 at a compounded rate of 10 pct a year.\n      The company reported a 1986 pretax profit of 4.4 mln stg,\n  down from 118 mln in 1985.\n      It said falling oil prices caused the downturn.\n      The company said it reacted swiftly to the sharp drop in\n  oil prices which began over a year ago. Capital expenditure,\n  which had been budgeted at over 150 mln stg, was cut to 51 mln\n  stg net of disposals. Managers responded well to the demand for\n  lower operating costs and this has been achieved worldwide.\n      The company said had very few exploration wells committed\n  for 1987 and therefore retains maximum flexibility in its\n  exploration program. Even without further success, the existing\n  fields and recent discoveries will contribute significantly to\n  profit and cash flow for some years to come, it said.\n      Lasmo shares were down 2p at 251 after the announcement.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CHINA BUYS MALAYSIAN RBD PALM STEARINE\n","article":"  China bought 6,000 tonnes of Malaysian\n  refined bleached deodorised palm stearine today for May\n  shipment at prices equivalent to around 270 to 275 dlrs per\n  tonne fob, traders said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CALL MONEY PRESSURE FROM LARGE GERMAN BANKS\n","article":"  One or two large West German banks\n  effectively drained the domestic money market of liquidity at\n  the end of the month in order to achieve higher rates from\n  their overnight deposits, money dealers said.\n      As a result, call money soared in active trading to around\n  the Lombard rate of five pct from 3.70\/80 pct yesterday as\n  banks found themselves short of minimum reserve funds.\n      Bundesbank figures showed that banks held an average daily\n  51 billion marks in interest-free minimum reserve assets at the\n  central bank over the first 29 days of the month.\n      Though this was above the March requirement of 50.7\n  billion, actual holdings at the weekend were 44.2 billion.\n      To meet the daily average, dealers said, banks must raise\n  holdings by two billion marks to 46.3 billion today and\n  tomorrow. But liquidity was tight in early business because\n  banks excessively took up the Bundesbank's offer for sale of\n  Treasury bills on Friday. This provides a rate of 3.50 pct for\n  three-day deposits and is an effective floor to the market.\n      Though some liquidity, from bills bought on Thursday,\n  flowed back into the market today, the bulk would not return\n  until tomorrow, the start of the new month, dealers said.\n      Dealers said the large banks, which they did not name,\n  commanded short-term money requirements of as much as five\n  billion marks or so.\n      With a knowledge of their own needs until the end of the\n  month, the banks bought excessive amounts of treasury bills,\n  draining liquidity for three days. When other banks sought\n  funds, rates rose and large banks were able to place excess\n  funds on deposit at a considerably higher average return.\n      One senior dealer said the Bundesbank, with advanced\n  knowledge of the market's needs, should have curtailed its\n  sales of treasury bills on Friday.\n      Though dealers only late in the day learn of the total\n  minimum reserve holdings of the previous day, the Bundesbank\n  has an immediate overview of the situation and could anticipate\n  the strength of demand for funds the following day, he said.\n      \"(Bundesbank dealers) could easily have said we are not\n  selling any treasury bills or we're not selling them in this\n  amount,\" he said. \"If the Bundesbank wants to finely steer the\n  market then they should avoid such excesses. Tomorrow it will\n  be different. Call money will fall back to 4.0 pct or so.\"\n      But the Bundesbank would not approve of the sharp jump in\n  rates, given the delicate state of currency markets.\n      International central banks have been at pains to prevent a\n  dollar fall against major currencies, including the mark.\n  Dealers said a rise in call money gives the mark a firmer\n  undertone, contributing to downward pressure on the dollar.\n      \"The whole tender policy is to have a call money of between\n  three and four pct. In that case the excesses as we have today\n  cannot be very popular,\" the senior dealer said.\n      Dealers said the large banks probably achieved average\n  rates of return on their excess funds of between 3.75 pct or\n  four pct. This is a higher return than they would have earned\n  without the excessive draining through the treasury bill\n  mechanism.\n      Because of the currency situation and the wage negotiations\n  between Germany's major employers and the unions, the\n  Bundesbank would be very unlikely to make any changes to\n  monetary policy at its council meeting on Thursday, they said.\n      Bundesbank figures showed that banks fell back on the\n  Lombard emergency funding facility to draw down 1.5 billion\n  marks yesterday as rates began to tighten in late business.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CSR SELLING DELHI TO EXXON UNIT, DROPS DELHI FLOAT\n","article":"  CSR Ltd <CSRA.S> and Exxon Corp <XON>\n  unit <Esso Exploration and Production Australia Inc> said CSR\n  has agreed to sell its <Delhi Australia Fund> (DAF) to Esso for\n  985 mln Australian dlrs.\n      The sale is effective from tomorrow, they said in a joint\n  statement.\n      The previously announced float of part of its Delhi\n  interest will not now proceed, CSR said in the statement.\n      Delhi Australia Fund owns <Delhi Petroleum Pty Ltd>, which\n  holds an average of 25 pct in the Santos Ltd <STOS.S>-led\n  Cooper and Eromanga Basin gas and liquids projects.\n      In addition to the purchase price, CSR will share equally\n  in any returns due to increases in crude oil and condensate\n  prices over certain levels for liquids produced from Delhi's\n  interests in the next two years, the statement said.\n      \"The Esso proposal to purchase all the Delhi interest will\n  be more beneficial to our shareholders than proceeding with the\n  float,\" CSR chief executive Bryan Kelman said in the statement.\n      Kelman said the sale of Delhi would enable CSR to focus\n  efforts on expanding business areas such as sugar and building\n  materials in which CSR has had long and successful management\n  experience and strong market leadership.\n      With the sale, CSR will be able to expand those businesses\n  more aggressively and earlier, he said.\n      As reported separately, soon after announcing the Delhi\n  sale CSR launched a takeover bid for the 68.26 pct of <Pioneer\n  Sugar Mills Ltd> that it does not already hold, valuing its\n  entire issued capital at 219.6 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CSR BIDS 2.20 DLRS A SHARE FOR PIONEER SUGAR MILLS\n","article":"  CSR Ltd <CSRA.S> said it will offer 2.20\n  dlrs cash each for the shares it does not already hold in\n  <Pioneer Sugar Mills Ltd>.\n      CSR already holds 31.74 pct of Pioneer's 99.80 mln issued\n  shares, it said in a statement.\n      The offer price values the entire Pioneer Sugar share\n  capital at 219.6 mln dlrs and compares with today's closing\n  market level of 1.85 dlrs a share.\n      CSR said it will announce further details of the offer\n  soon, including an alternative offer of CSR shares for Pioneer\n  Sugar stock.\n      It said the offer is generous since it will give Pioneer\n  Sugar shareholders a price equivalent to 29 times Pioneer's net\n  earnings last financial year and a premium of 22 pct over\n  yesterday's market price which CSR said it believed already\n  contained an element of takeover speculation.\n      It also gives a premium of 91 pct over Pioneer's last\n  reported net tangible assets per share, CSR said.\n      CSR said the generous offer price reflects the cost savings\n  which will flow from integrated management of CSR's and\n  Pioneer's raw sugar mills and building materials businesses.\n      These economies can only be achieved through CSR control\n  and management of Pioneer Sugar, it added.\n      The takeover announcement came soon after CSR's earlier\n  reported statement that it will sell its <Delhi Petroleum Pty\n  Ltd> unit to an Exxon Corp <XON> unit for 985 mln dlrs and not\n  proceed with the previously announced float of part of Delhi.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BUNDESBANK HAS NOT INTERVENED TODAY, DEALERS\n","article":"  The Bundesbank declined to comment on\n  rumours in Tokyo that it was intervening heavily to support the\n  dollar, but dealers here said they had not seen the German\n  central bank in the market all morning.\n      The dollar was quoted at around 1.8040 marks shortly after\n  midday in nervous but quiet trading, up from its 1.7975\/85\n  opening.\n      Spreads against the mark remained around 10 basis points,\n  with some banks quoting only five point spreads. Dealers said\n  spreads would widen and the dollar would move more sharply if\n  the Bundesbank did intervene.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FLETCHER CHALLENGE DISAPPOINTED AT NZ FOREST MOVES\n","article":"  <Fletcher Challenge Ltd> (FCL)\n  Managing Director Hugh Fletcher said he was disappointed that\n  <Rada Corp Ltd> had decided to sell its shares in <N.Z. Forest\n  Products Ltd> (NZFP) to Australia's <Amcor Ltd>.\n      He said in a statement that FCL had made an offer for the\n  24 pct of NZFP held by Rada. He said the FCL offer was better\n  than Amcor's because it would have been made to all NZFP\n  shareholders, but he gave no further details.\n      Amcor and NZFP said earlier today they were merging their\n  pulp and paper interests in a joint partnership and were\n  increasing their existing cross-shareholdings.\n      The plan involves NZFP increasing its current holding in\n  Amcor to about 20 pct from four pct. Amcor will acquire Rada's\n  NZFP stake to add to its existing 11 pct and will seek\n  statutory approval to increase its holding to 50 pct.\n      Rada bought its stake for 505.5 mln dlrs from <Wattie\n  Industries Ltd> last year, but it has not disclosed the price\n  to be paid by Amcor.\n      FCL originally launched a takeover bid for NZFP late last\n  year with a scrip and\/or cash offer at 3.90 dlrs a share,\n  valuing the company at 1.3 billion dlrs. NZFP shares ended at\n  3.88 dlrs today.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<ROYAL BANK OF CANADA> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr basic 88 cts vs 1.22 dlrs\n      Shr diluted 83 cts vs 1.10 dlrs\n      Net 114,108,000 vs 140,389,000\n      Avg shrs 107.5 mln vs 100.5 mln\n      Loans 66.4 billion vs 65.9 billion\n      Deposits 82.8 billion vs 84.4 billion\n      Assets 98.7 billion vs 96.7 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUMITOMO CHEMICAL CO LTD <SUCH.T> YEAR TO DEC 31\n","article":"  Group shr 4.91 yen vs 6.59\n      Net 7.72 billion vs 10.38 billion\n      Current 16.81 billion vs 20.84 billion\n      Operating 45.56 billion vs 52.02 billion\n      Sales 734.50 billion vs 996.15 billion\n      NOTE - Company forecast for current year is group net 14\n  billion, current 30 billion and sales 740 billion based on\n  rationalisation efforts and expected market price increases in\n  agricultural chemicals and petrochemical products following the\n  recovery in world oil prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHINA'S CITIC BUYS H.K. HOTEL FROM CHEUNG KONG\n","article":"  The Peking-owned China International\n  Trust and Investment Corp (Citic) bought the unfinished City\n  Garden Hotel in Hong Kong from a subsidiary of Cheung Kong\n  (Holdings) Ltd <CKGH.HKG> for 235 mln H.K. Dlrs, Cheung Kong\n  director Albert Chow said.\n      Cheung Kong's subsidiary <International City Holdings Ltd>\n  will complete work on the hotel by the end of 1988, when it\n  will be handed over to Citic. The deal does not include the\n  decoration or fitting out of the interior of the hotel.\n      The 600-room hotel stands on a 26,700 sq ft site on the\n  eastern side of Hong Kong island.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MANNESMANN SEES DIFFICULT YEAR FOR CAPITAL GOODS\n","article":"  Mannesmann AG <MMWG.F> expects a\n  difficult year for the capital goods industry in 1987, chief\n  executive Werner Dieter told a news conference.\n      Dieter said West German producers would see a downturn in\n  foreign business because of lower energy prices and the higher\n  mark, as well as a deterioration of the economies of customer\n  nations.\n      Domestic business was also declining and orders for West\n  German engineering goods have been falling since July 1986,\n  Dieter said.\n      Mannesmann's profit fell by an undisclosed amount in 1986.\n      Dieter said Mannesmann's pipe activities would suffer a\n  set- back, although measures to cut costs, which were started\n  last year, were now having an effect.\n      Dieter noted, however, that pipes and related products\n  accounted for less than 30 pct of Mannesmann's turnover. The\n  company saw good chances in the automation sector, which Dieter\n  said had become one of Mannesmann's \"strategic aims.\"\n      He said the company's drive to combine activities in\n  mechanical and electronic engineering was a particular \"plus\n  point\" for Mannesmann.\n      Mannesmann, which yesterday announced it had agreed to take\n  a majority stake in the Fichtel und Sachs AG car parts group\n  for an undisclosed sum, saw third party group turnover fall\n  nine pct in 1986 to 16.60 billion marks. Its world group net\n  profit in 1985 was 255.9 mln marks.\n      It has blamed the fall in 1986 profits on the weaker dollar\n  and lack of demand for steel pipe.\n      Dieter said there were signs that prices for steel pipe\n  were bottoming out and would slowly start to rise, but he added\n  the company would continue to cut personnel in this sector this\n  year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF JAPAN TO SELL 800 BILLION YEN IN BILLS\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan will sell tomorrow a\n  total of 800 billion yen worth of financing bills from its\n  holdings to help absorb a projected money market surplus of\n  1,700 billion yen, money traders said.\n      Of the total, 300 billion yen will yield 3.8992 pct on\n  sales from money houses to banks and securities houses in a\n  23-day repurchase accord maturing on April 24.\n      The remaining 500 billion yen will yield 3.8990 pct in a\n  31-day repurchase pact maturing on May 2, they said.\n      The repurchase agreement yields compare with the 3.8750 pct\n  one-month commercial bill discount rate today and the 4.28\/11\n  pct rate on one-month certificates of deposit.\n      Tomorrow's surplus is attributable to excess bank holdings\n  from sales of yen to buy dollars and to huge cash amounts to be\n  redeposited at banks after the current financial year-end\n  today, the traders said.\n      The operation will put the outstanding bill supply at about\n  3,200 billion yen.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":" BRITISH CALEDONIAN GROUP ANNOUNCES BIG LOSSES\n","article":"  <British Caledonian Group>, Britain's\n  second largest airline, has announced a 19.3 mln stg pretax\n  loss for the financial year ending last October, compared with\n  a record pre-tax profit of 21.7 mln stg in 1985, chairman Sir\n  Adam Thomson told reporters.\n      A decline in U.S. Transatlantic traffic following terrorist\n  attacks in Europe, the U.S. Bombing of the Libya, the Chernobyl\n  disaster and a slump in the oil industry which affected Middle\n  East traffic were the main causes of the loss, Thomson said.\n      He said the poor results were caused by \"a range of\n  exceptional circumstances wholly outside our direct control\" and\n  predicted a return to profitability this year.\n      Last year, the airline was forced to axe 1,000 jobs, sell\n  some of its assets and cut the number of its flights across the\n  Atlantic and to the Middle East following the fall in business\n  .\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED ADDS RESERVES VIA CUSTOMER REPURCHASES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve entered the U.S.\n  Government securities market to arrange 1.5 billion dlrs of\n  customer repurchase agreements, a Fed spokesman said.\n      Dealers said Federal funds were trading at 6-1\/4 pct when\n  the Fed began its temporary and indirect supply of reserves to\n  the banking system.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HAPAG ORDERS NEW CONTAINER SHIP FROM CHINA\n","article":"  <Hapag Lloyd AG> said it ordered a new\n  container vessel from China for its Australia service.\n      The order was given to the <Hudong shipyards> in Shanghai\n  after lengthy negotiations with West German shipbuilders, the\n  company said in a statement.\n      The Chinese firm offered to build the vessel at over 30 mln\n  marks less than West German yards, despite government subsidies\n  which Bonn pays its ailing shipbuilding industry, Hapag said. A\n  company spokesman would not comment on the total order value\n  but said the new vessel would replace the 33,333 dwt Sydney\n  Express in 1989 and would carry 2,700 container units.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRENCH CGE UNIT TAKES 34 PCT STAKE IN ESCA CORP\n","article":"  State-owned <Cie Generale\n  d'Electricite>'s electrical contracting unit <CGEE ALSTHOM> has\n  taken a 34 stake in the U.S. Computer firm <ESCA Corp>, CGEE\n  ALSTHOM chairman Philippe Boisseau told a press conference.\n      According to an agreement in principle between the two\n  companies CGEE ALSTHOM could take a majority stake in the\n  future but no time-scale has been set, he added.\n      ESCA, which had a turnover of 13.6 mln dlrs in 1986 and is\n  expected to see this rise to 20 mln this year, is one of the\n  leading U.S. Suppliers of electric despatching and telecontrol\n  systems.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PARTNERS CALL GENCORP <GY> RESPONSE UNPRODUCTIVE\n","article":"  General Acquisition Co said it was\n  disappointed by Gencorp's response to its tender offer and\n  asked how the company might give better value to shareholders.\n      Gencorp had earlier urged shareholders to reject a 100 dlr\n  per share tender offer from General Acquisition, an affiliate\n  of Wagner and Brown and AFG Industries Inc, and said it was\n  studying financially superior alternatives.\n      The General Acquisition partnership called the response\n  inflammatory and unproductive, particularly since it had tried\n  to discuss the offer with Gencorp.\n      The partnership said Gencorp failed to say how it would\n  provide a \"superior value yet they continue their attempt to\n  prevent a satisfactory offer by failing to redeem their poison\n  pill.\" Poison pills are shareholder rights plans that make\n  takeovers more expensive.\n      Gencorp said in its statement earlier that it planned to\n  put off the date its rights will trade separately from the\n  common stock to April 6 from April 3. It said the extension was\n  subject to further extensions by the board and is conditional\n  on no person acquiring beneficial ownership of 20 pct or more\n  of Gencorp before April 6.\n      General Acquisition said it is confident its offer can be\n  completed in a timely manner using its financial arrangements.\n      The partnership in its statement again urged Gencorp\n  management to work with it to facilitate a transaction.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. MAY DROP TARIFFS IF JAPAN OPENS - YEUTTER\n","article":"  The U.S. Is willing to drop tariffs on\n  Japanese electronic imports if Japan shows it will abide by an\n  agreemement opening its markets to American goods, U.S. Trade\n  Representative Clayton Yeutter said in a TV interview.\n      \"But there has to be a clear indication that they are\n  willing to act,\" he said.\n      Yeutter said difficulties in the Japanese economy caused by\n  the U.S. Tariffs and the yen's rise against the dollar are\n  problems \"they have brought on themselves.\"\n      The dollar fell to 40-year lows against the yen today.\n      \"Certainly the movement of the yen is causing some economic\n  turmoil in Japan,\" he said. \"My only response is that we have\n  gone through about five years with the dollar going in just the\n  opposite direction. Although I can sympathise, it's occurred\n  for only a few weeks or months in Japan.\"\n      The tarriffs, announced on Friday by President Reagan, will\n  affect about 300 million dlrs worth of products, only a tiny\n  fraction of Japan's total exports to the U.S.\n      Even so, Reagan's decision \"doesn't give us any joy. We\n  don't want to take retaliatory action here if we don't have to,\"\n  Yeutter said.\n      Yeutter said the meetings scheduled next month in\n  Washington between Reagan and Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone\n  will include \"some difficult items on the agenda.\"\n      Japan has failed to implement two parts of a three-part\n  semiconductor agreement, Yeutter said.\n      Japan has stopped dumping chips in the U.S. But it has\n  failed to open its domestic markets to U.S.-made chips and has\n  failed to end predatory pricing in Third World countries,\n  undercutting U.S. Products, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SEDGWICK BUYS BSI INCORP\n","article":"  Sedgwick Group Plc <SDWK.L> said its\n  wholly-owned Canadian subsidiary Sedgwick Tomenson Inc had\n  acquired BSi Incorp for a maximum eight mln Canadian dlrs.\n      The funds will be raised through the issue of up to 1.16\n  mln ordinary Sedgwick shares to the vendors of BSi by no later\n  than 31 January 1991. Some 427,054 shares already have been\n  issued.\n      BSi is a privately-held Canadian company involved in\n  actuarial, employee and executive benefits consulting and\n  administration. Its 1986 pretax profits excluding extraordinary\n  items totalled 1.14 mln Canadian dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET SHORTAGE FORECAST REVISED UP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had revised\n  its estimate of the deficit in the money market today up to a\n  record two billion stg, before taking account of its morning\n  operations, from 1.85 billion at midday.\n      The Bank has provided the system with around 1.71 billion\n  stg assistance so far today.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REXNORD <REX> SELLS UNIT TO NEOAX <NOAX>\n","article":"  Rexnord Inc, 96 pct owned by Banner\n  Industries Inc <BNR> following a recent tender offer, said it\n  has completed the sale of its Fairfield Manufacturing Co\n  subsidiary to NEOAX Inc for 70.5 mln dlrs in cash.\n      Rexnord said it still plans to sell its Process Machinery\n  Division and Mathews Conveyor Co as part of its planned program\n  to divest five businesses with 200 mln dlrs in assets.\n  Bellofram Corp and Railway Maintenance Equipment Co have\n  already been sold.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. LEADING INDICATORS ROSE 0.7 PCT IN FEB AFTER REVISED 0.5 PCT JAN FALL\n","article":"\n  U.S. LEADING INDICATORS ROSE 0.7 PCT IN FEB AFTER REVISED 0.5 PCT JAN FALL\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN WILL ASK COMPANIES TO BOOST IMPORTS\n","article":"  Japan's Minister of International Trade\n  and Industry, Hajime Tamura, will meet representatives from 151\n  of the nation's largest companies next week and appeal to them\n  to do their best to increase imports, ministry officials said.\n      The meeting was unveiled as part of a plan to boost imports\n  and help head off protectionist legislation in the U.S.\n      Senior officials from the Ministry of International Trade\n  and Industry told reporters that such personal appeals appeared\n  to have paid off in the past, as Japanese imports of\n  manufactured goods have climbed.\n      Leading domestic semiconductor makers will boost imports\n  and cut production of key memory microchips next month in an\n  attempt to help ward off U.S. Trade sanctions, company\n  spokesmen said.\n      The officials also said they expect the government's new\n  trade insurance law to boost imports and encourage Japanese\n  companies to set up production facilities overseas.\n      Under the new law, the government will insure Japanese\n  companies who pre-pay for imports against loss arising from\n  everything from war to bankruptcy of the foreign firm they are\n  dealing with. MITI estimated that it would help solve Japan's\n  trade problem to the tune of about $10 billion dlrs a year.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. LEADING INDEX ROSE 0.7 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  The U.S. index of leading indicators\n  rose a seasonally adjusted 0.7 pct in February after a revised\n  0.5 pct January fall, the Commerce Department said.\n      The department previously said the index fell 1.0 pct in\n  January.\n      The February increase left the index at 187.1 over its 1967\n  base of 100, and was led by a rise in stock prices.\n      A total of four of nine indicators available for February\n  contributed to the increase in the index.\n      Besides stock prices, they were manufacturers' new orders\n  for consumer goods and materials, average work week and\n  building permits.\n      Five of nine indicators were negative. They were change in\n  sensitive materials prices, money supply, vendor performance,\n  average weekly initial claims for state unemployment insurance,\n  and contracts and orders for plant and equipment.\n      The main factor in the January revision was contracts and\n  orders for plant and equipment, the department said.\n      December also was revised to a 2.4 pct rise from an earlier\n  2.3 pct rise due to a change in outstanding credit.\n      The index of coincident indicators, which measures the\n  current economy, rose 0.9 pct in February after a decline of\n  1.3 pct in January and a rise of 0.9 pct in December.\n      The index of lagging indicators, which measures past\n  economic activity, decreased 0.3 pct in February after\n  increasing 1.7 pct in January and falling by 0.5 pct in\n  December.\n      The department said it has suspended net business formation\n  from the leading indicators index because it has deteriorated\n  as a measure of change in the business population.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN FURTHER 168 MLN STG HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had provided\n  the money market with a further 168 mln stg assistance in the\n  afternoon session. This takes the Bank's total help so far\n  today to 1.88 billion stg and compares with its estimate of a\n  record two billon stg shortage in the system.\n      The central bank purchased bank bills outright comprising\n  25 mln stg in band one at 9-7\/8 pct, 138 mln stg in band two at\n  9-13\/16 pct and three mln stg in band three at 9-3\/4 pct.\n      It also bought two mln stg of treasury bills in band two at\n  9-13\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ICO BOARD PASSES OVER COFFEE QUOTA ISSUE\n","article":"  Executive board members of the\n  International Coffee Organization, ICO, passed over the issue\n  of export quota negotiations at its regular meeting here,\n  delegates said.\n      No move was made to reopen dialogue on export quotas and no\n  further discussion on the issue is likely during the three-day\n  talks, they said.\n      Producer and consumer members of the ICO council failed to\n  agree export quota shares in early March.\n      Neither Brazil, the largest producer, nor the U.S., the\n  largest consumer, are ready to be flexible, delegates said.\n      \"The situation is unchanged,\" consumer spokesman Abraham Van\n  Overbeeke told reporters. \"As long as Brazil sticks to its\n  position there will not be quotas -- there is no point in\n  meeting.\"\n      At the last council meeting, Brazil wanted to maintain its\n  previous quota share of around 30 pct of the market. Consumers\n  and a splinter group of eight producers favoured redistribution\n  of export shares using \"objective criteria,\" which would likely\n  have reduced Brazil's share.\n      Brazilian delegate Lindenberg Sette said that, if quota\n  negotiations were to resume, the 1.0 mln bag shortfall Brazil\n  was willing to give up in early March if the producer proposal\n  was accepted would no longer be on the table.\n      \"As we said from the start...No agreement, no one million\n  bags,\" he told Reuters.\n      Shortfalls of 200,000 bags offered by OAMCAF, the African\n  and Malagasy Coffee Organization, and 20,000 bags offered by\n  Angola, are also no longer valid, delegates said.\n      The closest the board came to discussing quotas was a\n  briefing by the Guatemalan ICO delegate Rene Montes on a recent\n  Latin American producers meeting in Managua, delegates said.\n      There, the producers expressed their political will to\n  negotiate basic quotas, particularly in the face of the\n  damaging drop in coffee prices after the council failed to\n  agree quotas, Montes said.\n      The ICO board also reviewed export statistics and stock\n  verification. They expected talks on stock verification to take\n  up the remainder of today's session, delegates said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HUDSON FOODS <HFI> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Hudson Foods Inc said it has\n  agreed in principle to acquire Thies Cos Inc, a poultry, beef\n  and pork products provider to midwest supermarkets and food\n  distributors with sales of about 69 mln dlrs for the year ended\n  November One.\n      The company said a definitive agreement is expected to be\n  signed in April.  Terms were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IVORY COAST BOOSTS MAIZE OUTPUT\n","article":"  Ivory Coast maize output has risen\n  steadily during the last two decades and the country aims to\n  produce two mln tonnes annually \"very rapidly,\" the official\n  daily Fraternite Matin reported.\n      It said the country reached self-sufficiency in maize three\n  years ago and harvested a record 530,000 tonnes in 1985\n  compared with only 200,000 tonnes 20 years earlier.\n      The daily did not detail 1986 output but said further\n  production increases are anticipated in the years ahead as part\n  of a policy of boosting domestic output to cut grain imports.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ESSO MALAYSIA REPORTS HIGHER PROFIT IN 1986\n","article":"  Esso Malaysia Bhd, a unit of Exxon\n  Corp of the U.S., Reported net profit of 70 mln ringgit from\n  its petroleum and ammonia operations in 1986 compared with 48.7\n  mln in 1985. Chairman Gerald F Cox said the improved\n  performance was mainly due to product prices falling more\n  slowly than crude prices during the year.\n      He added that total sales volume increased as a result of\n  higher offtake by affiliated companies, while inland market\n  sales were maintained at around the previous year's levels.\n      But growth prospects in 1987 remained weak and 1986 results\n  are unlikely to be repeated in the current financial year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"THAILAND BUYS YUGOSLAV CRANES IN BARTER DEAL\n","article":"  The Cabinet approved a plan for the\n  Port Authority of Thailand to buy six gantry cranes from\n  Metalna Co of Yugoslavia for about 13.4 mln dlrs, a government\n  spokesman said.\n      He said Thailand will pay for 25 pct of the cost of the\n  cranes in U.S. Dlrs and the rest by sales of rice, textiles and\n  other commodities to Yugoslavia.\n      The Bangkok Shipowners and Agents Association has appealed\n  to the government to scrap the purchase plan. It said it would\n  be an unnecessary expense as most vessels calling at the port\n  already have their own cargo handling equipment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JEWELMASTERS <JEM> SEES NET BELOW ESTIMATES\n","article":"  Jewelmasters Inc said it expects to\n  report net income for the year ended January 31 20 to 25 pct\n  below analysts' estimates of 1,750,000 dlrs or 95 cts per share.\n      Jewelmasters sales sales for the year just ended were about\n  52.5 mln dlrs. In the prior year it earned 1,650,000 dlrs on\n  sales of 45.1 mln dlrs.\n      Jewelmasters said net income for the year was hurt by\n  disappointing sales in December and January, a high level of\n  advertising spending in the fourth quarter, higher than\n  expected opening expenses for 34 additional units and an\n  adjustment to inventory associated with a shift to a more\n  comprehensive inventory system.\n      Jewelmasters said it expects to report audited results for\n  the fourth quarter and year in about three weeks.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALUMINIUM CAPACITY GROWTH TREND SEEN INSUFFICIENT\n","article":"  Aluminium capacity expansion planned for\n  the period after 1990 will be insufficient to supply any\n  acceleration in demand growth, let alone an increase on the\n  scale which seems likely, according to analyst Anthony Bird\n  Associates' 1987 Aluminium Review.\n      By 1995 non-socialist world primary capacity will need to\n  be around 18 mln tonnes, whereas on current plans only 15 mln\n  tonnes are scheduled, Bird said.\n      Bird forecast higher economic growth after 1990 and\n  increased imports by less developed countries.\n      Aluminium consumption growth is not expected to accelerate\n  by as much as general growth, but non-socialist world\n  consumption is nevertheless forecast to increase sharply from\n  13.77 mln tonnes in 1990 to 17.25 mln tonnes in 1995, Bird\n  said.\n      Aluminium companies were slow to adjust to the pace of\n  change after 1973, the review said, and now they have completed\n  this transition they may be in danger of remaining preoccupied\n  with the strategies of retrenchment and survival which have\n  served them well in recent years.\n      In order to encourage the construction of additional\n  smelters aluminium prices will need to settle at a higher\n  level.\n      Production costs are likely to rise again in the years\n  ahead as the glut of alumina capacity vanishes and electricity\n  suppliers take a more aggressive line with aluminium companies,\n  according to the review.\n      At March 1987 prices the three most likely cost-price\n  scenarios call for a long-run aluminium price of between 73 and\n  89.5 cents a lb, depending on exchange rates, Bird said.\n      Such a price development is not expected to cause any\n  marked competitive problems for the metal because of the likely\n  rise in commodity prices as a whole and cost pressures in the\n  pipeline for steel and copper.\n      In the short term, however, the outlook is dull, Bird said,\n  as the world economy has not responded well to the\n  opportunities offered by cheap oil.\n      Its 1987 consumption forecast of 13.01 mln tonnes is 0.4\n  pct down on 1986, while production is forecast six pct higher\n  in 1987 at 12.67 mln tonnes.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALPHA INDUSTRIES <AHA> SELLS DIVISION\n","article":"  Alpha Industries Inc said it has\n  sold its Microelectronics Division to Triax Corp for\n  undisclosed terms, retroactive to February One.\n      It said the division has yearly revenues of about 12 mln\n  dlrs and makes RF microwave components for the defense\n  electronics industry.\n      Alpha said it plans to concentrate on the high frequency\n  portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NORWEGIAN UNEMPLOYMENT FALLS IN MARCH\n","article":"  Unemployment fell in March to 36,510, or\n  1.7 pct of the workforce, compared with 39,700 (1.9 pct) in\n  February and 38,839 (2.2 pct) in March 1986, the Labour\n  Directorate said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"J.C. PENNEY DECLARES TWO FOR ONE SPLIT, RAISES QUARTERLY\n","article":"\n  J.C. PENNEY DECLARES TWO FOR ONE SPLIT, RAISES QUARTERLY\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LONDON MEAT FUTURES NEED MARKETING - CHAIRMAN\n","article":"  Pigmeat and beef futures, which have\n  been thinly traded on the London Meat Futures Exchange, LMFE,\n  despite lower physical prices and the introduction of new\n  contracts, need more effective marketing, LMFE chairman Pat\n  Elmer said in his annual report.\n      In 1986 the Exchange introduced live cattle and pig cash\n  settlement contracts, representing a move away from the\n  problems of cash distortions and squeezes, which initial\n  deliverable \"buyers option\" contracts created, he said.\n      Although the physical industry is aware of the market and\n  follows its prices keenly, this has not been reflected in\n  market volume, Elmer said.\n      \"If we are to achieve our true potential the floor members\n  must give the market much more time and attention,\" he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INTERLINK SAYS NOT PLANNING BID FOR PUROLATOR\n","article":"  British package courier <Interlink\n  Express Plc> does not plan to bid for the whole or part of  \n  Purolator Courier Corp <PCC.N>, a spokesman said.\n      \"There is no intention of making any sort of approach to\n  Purolator,\" the spokesman told Reuters, adding, \"it would be a\n  case of David versus Goliath.\"\n      Interlink shares started trading in the U.K. Unlisted\n  Securities Market in October 1986. It posted pre-tax profits of\n  2.13 mln stg on turnover of 9.6 mln stg in the six months to\n  December 31, 1986. Purolator last year topped turnover of 465\n  mln dollars, the spokesman said.\n  between Purolator and Interlink in view of a takeover or\n  participation. He categorically denied press reports suggesting\n  Interlink was developing a buyout bid.\n      The reports said the proposed bid would be a price above\n  the 35 dlrs per share offered by <E.F. Hutton LBO Inc>. The\n  Hutton offer expires tomorrow.\n      The spokesman said Interlink was seeking to expand\n  business, first in continental Europe and later in the U.S. But\n  the company did not expect to gain foothold in the U.S. Market\n  until 1989 at the earliest, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SUPRADUR COS INC <SUPD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 1.58 dlrs vs 77 cts\n      Oper net 1,648,000 vs 817,000\n      Sales 25.7 mln vs 20.5 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes discontinued operations gain 451,000\n  dlrs vs loss 4,310,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SOUTH KOREA TO RESIST CURRENCY REVALUATION\n","article":"  South Korean Finance Minister Chung\n  In-yong will resist pressure for a currency revaluation to cut\n  South Korea's trade surplus with the United States when he\n  meets Treasury Secretary James Baker next week, Finance\n  Ministry officials said.\n      They said Chung would leave Monday to attend the\n  International Monetary Fund's Interim Committee meeting and to\n  hold talks with Baker and other U.S. officials on ways to\n  reduce the surplus.\n      The April 9 committee meeting is expected to review the\n  agreement by six industrialized nations in Paris last month\n  that newly-industrialized countries, such as South Korea and\n  Taiwan, should allow their currencies to increase in value.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PENNEY <JCP> SETS STOCK SPLIT, RAISES QUARTERLY\n","article":"  J.C. Penney Co Inc said its board\n  declared a two-for-one stock split and raised the quarterly\n  dividend 12 cts per share on a presplit basis to 74 cts.\n      Both are payable May One to holders of record April 10.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HILLENBRAND INDUSTRIES INC <HB> 1ST QTR FEB 28\n","article":"  Shr 31 cts vs 28 cts\n      Net 11.9 mln vs 10.9 mln\n      Revs 167.2 mln vs 154.0 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 215 MLN STG LATE HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had provided\n  the money market with late assistance of around 215 mln stg.\n  This takes the bank's total help today to some 2.096 billion\n  stg and compares with its forecast of a two billion stg\n  shortage in the system today.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CABLE SAYS CONSORTIUM PROPOSALS NOT ACCEPTABLE\n","article":"  Cable and Wireless Plc <CAWL.L> said\n  proposals to resolve a dispute over entry to Japan's\n  telecommunications market were not acceptable.\n      A company spokesman said the proposals appear to have been\n  made in today's edition of the Japanese daily Asahi by Fumio\n  Watanabe, head of a telecommunications committee with the\n  Federation of Economic Organisations.\n      However, the suggestion still recommended a merger between\n  the two consortia tendering for contracts and would give Cable\n  a five pct stake, more than the three pct originally proposed\n  but less than the 20 pct it holds in its original venture, he\n  said.\n      The proposal would also offer a Cable nominee a seat on the\n  board of the merged company.\n      The spokesman said he believed Japan should accept\n  applications from the two rivals for fair review.\n      Earlier today Cable shares firmed on market speculation\n  that the dispute -- which is being treated by Britain's\n  government as a test case of how open the Japanese\n  telecommunications market is -- was near settlement.\n      Cable shares at 1350 GMT were quoted at 375p compared with\n  a close last night at 364p.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S.\/JAPAN TRADE WAR NOT IN UK'S INTEREST - LAWSON\n","article":"  U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel\n  Lawson said the United States and Japan must work to avert a\n  possible trade war, and he added that a trade war would not be\n  in the interests of Britain.\n      Lawson told journalists that \"the prospects for the (U.K.)\n  economy look very very good - providing we can avoid a trade\n  war.\" He stressed that \"a heavy responsiblity in different ways\n  lies on Japan and the United States to ensure that we do avoid\n  such a trade war.\"\n      Asked whether he believed such a trade war could be\n  averted, Lawson replied, \"I very much hope so.\"\n      Britain last week warned that it would retaliate if Japan\n  did not move soon to open its markets to outside competition.\n      Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher gave notice that the U.K.\n  Would fight the Japanese government's attempt to prevent (Cable\n  and Wireless Plc) (CAWL.L) from taking a significant position\n  in a new Japanese international telecommunications venture.\n      But British officials are now trying to dampen\n  anti-Japanese rhetoric, to try to keep developments under\n  control.\n      The British Conservative government will on Thursday\n  consider what legal options are available to it to try to\n  increase U.K. Access to Japanese markets, officials said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GAF CORP OFFERS 36 DLRS A SHARE CASH FOR BORG-WARNER\n","article":"\n  GAF CORP OFFERS 36 DLRS A SHARE CASH FOR BORG-WARNER\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ECONOMISTS CUT AUSTRIAN GDP GROWTH FORECAST\n","article":"  The Institute for Economic Research\n  (WIFO) said it has cut its forecast for Austria's 1987 gross\n  domestic product growth to a real one pct from a two pct\n  forecast made last December.\n      WIFO chief Helmut Kramer told a new conference that he saw\n  the one pct figure, which compares with 1.8 pct last year, as\n  the upper limit of growth. The institute had made the revision\n  due to poor prospects for Austrian exports, he added.\n      A collapse in sales to the Eastern European and oil\n  producing states, combined with the effects of the dollar's\n  fall, mean exports overall are unlikely to rise this year.\n      Kramer said domestic demand alone would fuel growth this\n  year. After last year's 2.8 pct rise in real incomes, private\n  consumption was likely to rise 2.25 pct in 1987 after 1.9 pct\n  in 1986, despite a present trend towards higher savings.\n      Unemployment was likely to rise to almost six pct from 5.2\n  pct last year due to the slack economic activity.\n      Kramer said the current account was likely to run a deficit\n  of about four billion schillings compared with a 2.6 billion\n  surplus recorded last year. The National Bank, Austria's\n  central bank, last month forecast the current account would be\n  roughly in balance this year.\n      However, Kramer said the lower economic growth should have\n  no notable effect on the government's attempts to cut the\n  budget deficit. This year's aim of reducing the deficit to 4.9\n  pct of GDP from 5.1 pct in 1986 could still be achieved, he\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FERRUZZI MAY FLOAT UP TO 49 PCT OF PARIS UNIT\n","article":"  <Gruppo Ferruzzi> is studying a\n  project which could result in a public share offer of up to 49\n  pct of its French unit <European Sugar (France)> and could\n  raise around 400 mln dlrs, Ferruzzi chairman Raul Gardini said.\n      Gardini told Reuters the operation under consideration was\n  aimed at \"international markets\" and that the figure of 400 mln\n  dlrs given in some press reports \"was probably about right.\"\n      European Sugar, wholly-owned by Ferruzzi unit Eridania\n  Zuccherifici Nazionali SpA <ERDI.M>, is expected to absorb the\n  European corn wet milling business of CPC International Inc\n  <CPC.N> which Ferruzzi recently agreed to buy.\n      Ferruzzi announced last week it had agreed in principle to\n  buy the CPC operation for 630 mln dlrs.\n      A Ferruzzi spokesman later confirmed that the group was\n  studying the transfer of the CPC business to European Sugar\n  along with a possible share offering in the Paris unit, but\n  gave no details.\n      The flotation plan has been interpreted by financial\n  analysts as a means of helping finance the acquisition of the\n  CPC business.\n      In London yesterday, chairman of Belgian starch producer\n  <Amylum NV> Pierre Callebaut told Reuters that since Ferruzzi\n  was \"apparently still organising finance,\" his company might\n  still succeed with its rival bid for the CPC business.\n      Gardini, commenting on Callebaut's remarks, said the 630\n  mln dlrs agreed for the CPC acquisition would be paid \"at the\n  date foreseen in the preliminary contract.\"\n      Gardini could not reveal the date in question nor give any\n  indication of the likely timing of an offering of shares in\n  European Sugar, but it was announced last week that Ferruzzi's\n  purchase of the CPC business was expected to be completed by\n  September 30.\n      Callebaut said yesterday that Amylum was surprised and\n  disappointed that its 675 mln dlr bid cash offer for CPC's\n  European business was apparently rejected in favour of\n  Ferruzzi's lower bid.\n      Gardini, commenting on Callebaut's remarks, said \"Amylum\n  should know that one succeeds in a bid by making the right\n  offer at the right moment - exactly as Ferruzzi did in the case\n  of the acquisition of CPC's European business.\"\n      Gardini said it was not Callebaut's business to concern\n  himself with the European Sugar capital raising operation under\n  study, he added.\n      Asked about press reports that Ferruzzi might follow up the\n  European Sugar flotation with the sale of 49 pct of the CPC\n  business, Gardini said: \"We do not exclude having minority\n  partners in the CPC business.\" He declined to elaborate.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CORRECTED - GAF CORP OFFERS 46 DLRS A SHARE CASH FOR BORG-WARNER (CORRECTING AMOUNT)\n","article":"\n  CORRECTED - GAF CORP OFFERS 46 DLRS A SHARE CASH FOR BORG-WARNER (CORRECTING AMOUNT)\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. TREASURY'S BAKER SEES RATE STABILITY\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker said\n  the agreement among the industrial countries reached in Paris\n  last month should foster stability of exchange rates at around\n  current levels.\n      In testimony before the House Appropriations Committee,\n  Baker outlined many of the measures taken designed to achieve\n  more balanced growth and a reduction of trade imbalances during\n  the Paris meeting.\n      \"These measures should also foster greater stability of\n  exchange rates around current levels,\" he said.\n      Baker reiterated that the ministers at the Paris meeting\n  agreed that their currencies were within ranges \"broadly\n  consistent with underlying economic fundamentals and that\n  further substantial exchange rate shifts could damage growth\n  and adjustment prospects.\"\n      He added: \"In these circumstances, we agreed to cooperate\n  closely to foster stability of exchange rates around current\n  levels.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GAF <GAF> SEEKS ALL OF BORG-WARNER <BOR>\n","article":"  GAF Corp said it has made an all\n  cash merger proposal to Borg-Warner Corp at 46 dlrs per share\n  for all the company's common stock.\n      Following a meeting yesterday with Borg-Warner officials\n  and investment bankers, GAF said, it is today delivering a\n  letter to the Borg-Warner board outling the terms of the\n  proposal that would be made by tender offer, pursuant to a\n  mutually acceptable merger agreement to be approved by the\n  Borg-Warner board and conditioned on that board's\n  recommendation of the tender offer and merger.\n      GAF, in its letter, stated it intends to finance the\n  proposed acquisition entirely with its own funds and bank\n  borrowings under a syndicated bank loan from a group of banks\n  led by Chase Manhattan Corp's <CMB> Chase Manhattan Bank.\n      Last week, GAF increased its ownership of Borg-Warner\n  shares to 19.9 pct of those outstanding Minstar Inc <MNST> sold\n  its 12.4 pct holding.\n      GAF emphasized \"the amicable nature of the proposed\n  transaction,\" which it characterized as a partnership.\n      GAF said it wanted to discuss with the Borg-Warner board \n  key roles for Borg-Warner's senior management in the new\n  organization, board representation for Borg-Warner directors on\n  a newly constituted board, and a company name change.\n      GAF said it will be filing an amendment to its 13-D with\n  the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.\n      Borg-Warner has about 85.6 mln common shares outstanding.\n      Minstar chairman Irwin L. Jacobs sold his stake after\n  Borg-Warner after the company failed to respond to his\n  mid-February offer for a negotiated agreement at a minimum\n  price of 44 dlrs a share.\n      In November, Jacobs had offered to enter into acquisition\n  talks with Borg-Warner based on a price of between 43 and 48\n  dlrs a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LIBERTY ALL-STAR <USA> SETS INITIAL PAYOUT\n","article":"  Liberty All-Star Equity Fund said\n  it declared an initial dividend of five cts per share, payable\n  April two to shareholders of record March 20.\n      It said the dividend includes a quarterly dividend of three\n  cts a share and a special payout of two cts a share, which\n  covers the period from November three, 1986, when the fund\n  began operations, to December 31, 1986.\n      The fund said its quarterly dividend rate may fluctuate in\n  the future.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<TRANS CANADA GLASS LTD> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 11 cts vs loss eight cts\n      Net loss 500,000 vs loss 500,000\n      Sales 47.4 mln vs 37.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 70 cts vs profit 89 cts\n      Net profit 4.4 mln vs profit 5.3 mln\n      Sales 195.5 mln vs 148.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL INC <GEO>\n","article":"  Year\n      Oper shr 1.23 dlrs vs 1.85 dlrs\n      Oper shr diluted 1.23 dlrs vs 1.79 dlrs\n      Oper net 6,799,000 vs 9,321,000\n      Revs 7,474,000 vs 12.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,503,000 vs 4,350,000\n      Avg shrs diluted 4,508,000 vs 5,206,000\n      NOTE: Net excludes gains from discontinued operations of\n  386,000 dlrs vs 903,000 dlrs.\n      1986 year net excludes gain 1,910,000 dlrs from sale of\n  discontinued operations.\n      Net includes tax credits of 9,450,000 dlrs vs 11.9 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FIRST CITY INDUSTRIES INC <FCY> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Opoer shr profit 17 cts vs loss 96 cts\n      Oper net profit 2,293,000 vs loss 7,110,000\n      Sales 116.0 mln vs 108.3 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 2.03 dlrs vs loss 2.12 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 13.8 mln vs loss 11.6 mln\n      Sales 454.0 mln vs 446.4 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes gains from discontinued operations of\n  10.2 mln dlrs vs 1,985,000 dlrs in quarter and 4,262,000 dlrs\n  vs 1,320,000 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MAGELLAN PETROLEUM CORP <MPET> 3RD QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr loss nil vs profit nil\n      Net loss 90,656 vs profit 892\n      Revs 2,194,242 vs 2,481,784\n      Avg shrs 19.5 mln vs 16.1 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr profit nil vs loss one ct\n      Net profit 42,824 vs loss 149,150\n      Revs 6,364,992 vs 6,503,811\n      Avg shrs 19.5 mln vs 16.1 mln\n      NOTE: Net includes tax credits of 98,338 dlrs vs 81,492\n  dlrs in quartrer and 193,193 dlrs vs 226,560 dlrs in nine mths.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TERRA MINES LTD <TMEXF> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 89 cts vs loss 17 cts\n      Net loss 13.9 mln vs loss 1,996,000\n      Revs 204,000 vs 2,087,000\n      Note: 1986 includes writedown of 12.5 mln dlrs for the\n  costs of mineral properties and deferred exploration and\n  development Bullmoose Lake in the Northwest Territories.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MERRILL CORP <MRLL> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 17 cts vs 17 cts\n      Net 777,000 vs 595,000\n      Revs 12.9 mln vs 11.7 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 68 cts vs 48 cts\n      Net 2,957,000 vs 1,614,000\n      Revs 49.4 mln vs 38.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,344,204 vs 3,337,284\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"D.O.C. OPTICS CORP <DOCO> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 11 cts vs profit 12 cts\n      Net loss 286,817 vs profit 292,014\n      Revs 9,972,379 vs 9,413,304\n      Year\n      Shr profit 63 cts vs profit 57 cts\n      Net profit 1,547,893 vs profit 1,481,703\n      Revs 43.9 mln vs 41.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,474,820 vs 2,617,768\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. SETS CORN DEFICIENCY PAYMENT HALF PIK CERTS\n","article":"  The upcoming five-month deficiency\n  payments to corn and sorghum farmers will be made half in cash\n  and half in generic commodity certificates, a senior\n  Agriculture Department official told Reuters.\n      Around 300 mln dlrs of the in-kind certificates, or\n  \"certs,\" will be mailed out to farmers around March 15 or 16,\n  Tom von Garlem, Assistant Deputy Administrator for USDA's state\n  and county operations, said.\n      The decision to make the payments in a 50\/50 cash\/certs\n  ratio was made Monday, but payments to producers will be\n  delayed until mid-month due to a problem with USDA's computer\n  program, von Garlem said.\n  get 11.5 cts per bushel in this next payment -- 5.75 cts in\n  certs and around 5.5 cts cash (5.75 cts minus Gramm-Rudman).\n      Farmers who did not receive advance deficiency payments at\n  signup will receive 63 cts per bushel. Slightly more than half\n  of this payment will be in cash, von Garlem said, but he said\n  this will not markedly upset the 50\/50 ratio, since most\n  farmers got advance payments.\n      \"The final certificate payments will be very close to 300\n  mln dlrs,\" he said.\n      When asked if the Office of Management and Budget had\n  resisted the cash\/certs ratio, the USDA official said that \"we\n  proposed 50\/50 and OMB accepted it.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. TREASURY'S BAKER SEES EXPANSION CONTINUING\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker said\n  that the current expansion, which he noted was in its fifth\n  year, will continue in the period ahead.\n      He told the House Appropriations Committee that \"there is\n  every prospect that the current expansion will continue\n  unabated through 1987 and the years beyond.\"\n      Baker said interest rates over the period have continued to\n  decline and that \"policies of the Federal Reserve assure that\n  ample credit was available.\n      He said that the administration's longer term forecast\n  envisioned that \"we will maintain and improve upon our progress\n  in bringing down the rate of inflation.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC APPROVES MEDITERRANEAN FINANCIAL PACKAGES\n","article":"  EC ministers have approved financial\n  packages for several Mediterranean states totalling 1.6 billion\n  European currency units, an EC official said.\n      The packages, part of special EC trade agreements with\n  Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon, Israel, Algeria, Morocco and Jordan\n  until 1992, include 615 mln Ecus in grants, he said.\n      They include one billion Ecus in loans from the European\n  Investment Bank, the EC long-term financing arm. The framework\n  for the transfers was signed yesterday by EC farm ministers\n  after being agreed in principle by foreign ministers earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SOVIET UNION FEATURES IN U.K. GRAIN EXPORTS\n","article":"  The Soviet Union featured prominently in\n  U.K. Grain exports outside the EC for the period July 1\/March\n  13, taking a combined total of 1.10 mln tonnes of wheat and\n  barley out of all-destination U.K. Exports of 7.16 mln tonnes,\n  the Home Grown Cereals Authority said, quoting provisional\n  Customs and Excise figures.\n      The Soviet total comprises 634,000 tonnes of wheat and\n  472,000 tonnes of barley. Grain traders said the figures\n  understate shipments already made by several thousand tonnes\n  and they expect total U.K. Grain exports to the USSR this\n  season to reach 2.5 mln tonnes, comprising 1.5 mln wheat\/1.0\n  mln barley.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY CORP <SHOS> 3RD QTR FEB 28\n","article":"  Shr loss 23 cts vs loss 11 cts\n      Net loss 1,128,412 vs loss 548,054\n      Sales 9,827,784 vs 12.1 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 19 cts vs profit 11 cts\n      Net loss 926,924 vs profit 527,004\n      Sales 32.3 mln vs 37.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ELDER-BEERMAN STORES CORP <ELDR> 4TH QTR FEB ONE\n","article":"  Oper shr 89 cts vs 1.31 dlrs\n      Oper net 3,345,000 vs 4,885,000\n      Sales 126.8 mln vs 120.1 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 1.67 dlrs vs 2.15 dlrs\n      Oper net 6,299,000 vs 8,013,000\n      Sales 380.9 mln vs 352.1 mln\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for five pct stock dividend.\n      Prior year net both periods excludes gain 1,998,000 dlrs\n  from reversion of overfunded pension plans.\n      Year net includes pretax LIFO inventory charge 600,000 dlrs\n  vs credit 900,000 dlrs.*Tax rate 40.6 pct vs 32.0 pct due to\n  impact of Tax Reform Act of 1986.\n      Bad debt writeoffs for year up one mln dlrs pretax from the\n  year before.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER SAYS COOPERATION WORKING\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker said\n  that the agreement in Paris to cooperate in exchange rate\n  changes showed that the process of coordination agreed to at\n  the Tokyo summit was working.\n      He told the House Appropriations Committee the meeting\n  \"demonstrated that the process is working.\"\n      He noted that the industrial surplus countries committed\n  themselves to strengthen their growth prospects while the\n  deficit countries agreed to reduce their domestic imbalances.\n  \n      Baker said that for its part, Japan announced a cut in its\n  discount rate to 2.5 pct and committed itself to prepare a\n  comprehensive economic program to stimulate domestic demand\n  after the Diet completes action on the current budget.\n      He said the United States must also do its share pressing\n  for reductions in the federal budget deficit through spending\n  cuts.\n      \"And we must continue to oppose protectionist pressures,\"\n  he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AKZO PLANNING US INVESTMENTS\n","article":"  Dutch chemicals group Akzo\n  NV <AKZO.AS> said it hoped to consolidate its core activities\n  this year by making small acquisitions in the US.\n     Akzo chairman Aarnoud Loudon told a news conference on its\n  1986 report that the company wanted to achieve the same level\n  of US investments it had before it divested its fibre firm\n  American Enka in December 1985, when US investments represented\n  20 pct of Akzo's total capital.\n     The US expansion plans were not an attempt to compensate for\n  losses in guilder income through the lower dollar, Loudon said.\n      He said a more important factor was the speed of growth in\n  the US, adding \"It's the largest industrial market in the world.\"\n  But he said the company would also be looking at possible\n  acquisitions in Europe.\n      Despite its highly liquid cash flow, Akzo did not plan\n  acquisitions on a scale that would negatively influence the\n  company's debt\/equity ratio, Loudon said.\n     The chairman said in the past two years Akzo had spent 1.1\n  billion guilders on acquisitions, of which nearly two thirds\n  were in the United States.\n  REUTER...\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"OECD SEES MAJOR ADJUSTMENT FOR AUSTRALIA\n","article":"  Australia faces a major medium term\n  adjustment to reduce debt and improve its economic performance,\n  the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said\n  in its latest annual review of the Australian economy.\n      It said Australia had a current external deficit of 5-3\/4\n  pct of gross domestic product, high and rapidly rising external\n  debt equal to 30 pct of GDP, growing servicing costs and\n  inflation above nine pct, far higher than that of other OECD\n  countries.\n      A major policy change in early 1985 helped lay the basis\n  for sustained non-inflationary growth and external\n  competitiveness had improved, but economic performance overall\n  had sharply deteriorated since June 1985.\n      A major shift of real resources to the external sector --\n  about 4-1\/2 pct of GDP by 1990-91 -- was required for the\n  economy to expand in line with potential, for employment to\n  grow, and for the debt\/GDP ratio to stabilize, it said.\n      Success depended on the setting of right policies including\n  tighter fiscal policy, a reduction in the public sector\n  borrowing requirement and on private sector behaviour.\n      Looking ahead over the next 18 months, the OECD expected\n  economic performance to improve, partly as a result of tighter\n  fiscal and monetary policy, and a substantial improvement in\n  trade volumes.\n      It said positive GDP growth of three pct might be restored,\n  the current external deficit could fall to some 4-1\/2 pct of\n  GDP by the first half of next year, while inflation was\n  projected to decelerate to around five to 5-1\/2 pct by\n  mid-1988.\n      Continued real wage moderation was essential to maintain\n  the competitive edge created by the Australian dollar's\n  depreciation, and to maintain if not boost profit shares in\n  order to encourage business investment.\n      The report urged Australia to broaden its export base by\n  developing viable and competitive service and manufacturing\n  industries, and not count on a recovery of commodity markets to\n  correct its external imbalances.\n      It added Australia should reduce protection levels in\n  manufacturing, even though faster trade liberalisation would no\n  doubt hurt the most protected sectors of industry.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. SUGARBEET PLANTINGS SEEN RISING IN 1987\n","article":"  Representatives of U.S. sugar grower\n  organizations said they expect some increase the area planted\n  to sugarbeets this year and said the prospects for the 1987\n  cane sugar crop also are good.\n      Dave Carter, president of the U.S. beet sugar association,\n  said plantings may be up in two major beet growing states,\n  California and Michigan, while sowings could be down slightly\n  in the largest producing state of Minnesota.\n      Overall, Carter predicted beet plantings would rise in the\n  midwest, and this coupled with increases in California would\n  increase U.S. sugarbeet plantings slightly from the 1.232 mln\n  acres sown last year.\n      USDA later today releases its first estimate of 1987 U.S.\n  sugarbeet plantings in the prospective plantings report.\n      The main reason for the expected increase in beet sowings\n  is that returns from competing crops such as soybeans and\n  grains are \"just awful,\" said Carter.\n      In the midwest, bankers are strongly encouraging farmers to\n  plant sugarbeets because the U.S. sugar program offers a loan\n  rate of 18 cents per pound and because payments to farmers from\n  beet processors are spread evenly over the growing season, said\n  Luther Markwart, executive vice president of the American\n  sugarbeet growers association.\n      \"The banks are putting a lot of pressure on these guys,\"\n  Markwart said.\n      In some areas there are waiting lists of farmers seeking a\n  contract with processors to plant beets, Markwart said.\n      USDA's report today will not include any harvested area\n  estimates for sugarcane, but representatives of Florida, Hawaii\n  and Louisiana growers said crop prospects are good.\n      Horis Godfrey, a consultant representing Florida and Texas\n  cane growers, said Florida cane is off to a good start  because\n  for the first time in several years there was no winter freeze.\n  Although area to be harvesteed is about the same as last year,\n  cane production may be up in Florida this year, he said.\n      In Hawaii, area harvested may decline slightly this year,\n  but likely will be offset again in 1987 by increased yields,\n  said Eiler Ravnholt, vice president of the Hawaiian Sugar\n  Planters Association.\n      The acreage planted to sugarbeets will receive more than\n  the usual amount of attention this year because of mounting\n  concern that continued increases in domestic sugar production\n  threaten the U.S. sugar program, industry sources said.\n      The increases in beet plantings have especially caused\n  concern among cane growers who have not expanded plantings,\n  particularly in Hawaii, industry officials said.\n      \"We haven't had a good weather year throughout the beet and\n  cane areas in more than five years,\" said Godfrey, adding that\n  the U.S. may be due for a good weather year.\n      Rep. Jerry Huckaby, D-La., chairman of the House\n  agriculture subcommittee responsible for the sugar program, has\n  threatened to offer legislation next year to curb domestic\n  sweetener output if growers fail to restrain output in 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HECK'S INC <HEX> 4TH QTR JAN THREE NET\n","article":"  Shr losses not given\n      Net loss 7,800,000 vs loss 5,400,000\n      Sales 181.2 mln vs 182.0 mln\n      Year\n      Shr losses not given\n      Net loss 17.8 mln vs loss 4,900,000\n      Sales 566.3 mln vs 523.3 mln\n      NOTE: Company operating in Chapter 11 bankruptcy.\n      1986 year net includes four mln dlr LIFO charge and\n  3,400,000 dlr credit from pension plan termination.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CAPITAL BANCORP <CAPB> SEES GAIN ON UNIT SALE\n","article":"  Capitol Bancorp said it has sold its 80\n  pct interest in CAP Mortgage Co Inc for 3.1 mln dlrs, adding\n  this is expected to result in an after tax gain of about\n  900,000 dlrs to be reported in the first quarter.\n      Capitol Bancorp said the CAP Mortgage interest was sold to\n  Michael M. Bronstein, president of CAP Mortgage, and Robert\n  Fox, president of Fox Properties Inc. Bronstein already held\n  the other 20 pct of CAP Mortgage's stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"4G DATA SYSTEMS <GGGG> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  qtr ends Jan 31\n      Shr nil vs nil\n      Net 2,213 vs 16,288\n      Revs 1,418,019 vs 795,522\n      Avg shrs 6,650,000 vs 4,150,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr two cts vs three cts\n      Net 118,984 vs 103,384\n      Revs 4,066,605 vs 2,741,241\n      Avg shrs 6,650,000 vs 3,969,444\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<NIKI-LU INDUSTRIES INC> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 18 cts vs loss 38 cts\n      Oper net profit 577,000 vs loss 1,147,000\n      Revs 16.3 mln vs 19.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,227,625 vs 3,057,206\n      NOTE: 1986 net excludes 485,000 dlr tax credit.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WALLACE COMPUTER SERVICES INC <WCS> 2ND QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 69 cts vs 64 cts\n      Net 7,046,000 vs 6,492,000\n      Sales 85.7 mln vs 79.6 mln\n      Six Mths\n      Shr 1.28 dlrs vs 1.19 dlrs\n      Net 13,098,000 vs 12,006,000\n      Sales 166.3 mln vs 153.3 mln\n      NOTE: Periods end January 31, 1987 and 1986, respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COLOROCS CORP <CLRX> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 28 cts vs loss 29 cts\n      Net loss 2,086,477 vs loss 1,466,907\n      Revs 218,864 vs 60,000\n      Avg shrs 7,510,781 vs 4,990,168\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CSCE RESTRUCTURES COFFEE FUTURES DAILY LIMITS\n","article":"  The Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange\n  has expanded the normal daily trading limit in Coffee \"C\"\n  contracts to 6.0 cents a lb, from the previous 4.0 cents,\n  effective today, the CSCE said.\n      The new daily limits apply to all but the two nearby\n  positions, currently May and July, which trade without limits.\n      In addition, the 6.0 cent limit can be increased to 9.0\n  cents a lb if the first two limited months both make limit\n  moves in the same direction for two consecutive sessions,\n  according to the CSCE announcement.\n      Before the rule change today, the CSCE required two days of\n  limit moves in the first three restricted contracts before\n  expanding the daily trading limit.\n      Under new guidelines, if the first two restricted\n  deliveries move the 6.0 cent limit for two days the Exchange\n  will expand the limit. The expanded 9.0 cent limit will remain\n  in effect until the settling prices on both of the first two\n  limited months has not moved by more than the normal 6.0 cent\n  limit for other contracts in two successive trading sessions,\n  the CSCE said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KANSAS EXCHANGE HITS CFTC POSITION LIMIT PLAN\n","article":"  The Kansas City Board of Trade,\n  KCBT, has asked federal futures regulators to modify a proposal\n  to raise the Chicago Board of Trade's, CBT, speculative\n  position limits on wheat futures contracts, saying the plan\n  would put the the Kansas exchange \"at a serious competitive\n  disadvantage.\"\n      The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, CFTC, last month\n  proposed raising CBT wheat speculative limits to 1,200\n  contracts all months net from 600 contracts, and to 900\n  contracts for any single month from 600 contracts.\n      At the same time, CFTC proposed leaving KCBT's wheat\n  speculative position limits unchanged.\n      \"Higher limits for CBT wheat than for KCBT wheat would\n  significantly impair the KCBT's ability to compete with the CBT\n  for speculative interest,\" Michael Braude, president of the\n  Kansas exchange, said in a letter to CFTC.\n      A CFTC spokesman said the commission took into account open\n  interest affected by existing speculative limits in proposing\n  to raise CBT's limits.\n      KCBT said the CFTC proposal would reduce hedging\n  efficiency, constrain growth of intermarket spreading and of\n  the exchange's wheat options contract and impair its ability to\n  attract large speculators.\n      The Kansas City exchange asked the commission to amend its\n  proposal to change the limits for KCBT wheat to the exact same\n  bushel amount as specified for CBT wheat.\n      CFTC will consider public comments on the proposal until\n  June 3.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FERRUZZI MAY FLOAT UP TO 49 PCT OF PARIS UNIT\n","article":"  Gruppo Ferruzzi is studying a\n  project which could result in a public share offer of up to 49\n  pct of its French unit European Sugar (France) and could raise\n  around 400 mln dlrs, Ferruzzi chairman Raul Gardini said.\n      Gardini told Reuters the operation under consideration was\n  aimed at \"international markets\" and that the figure of 400 mln\n  dlrs given in some press reports \"was probably about right.\"\n      European Sugar, wholly-owned by Ferruzzi unit Eridania\n  Zuccherifici Nazionali SpA, is expected to absorb the European\n  corn wet milling business of CPC International Inc which\n  Ferruzzi recently agreed to buy.\n      Ferruzzi announced last week it had agreed in principle to\n  buy the CPC operation for 630 mln dlrs.\n      A Ferruzzi spokesman later confirmed that the group was\n  studying the transfer of the CPC business to European Sugar\n  along with a possible share offering in the Paris unit, but\n  gave no details.\n      The flotation plan has been interpreted by financial\n  analysts as a means of helping finance the acquisition of the\n  CPC business.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GANDALF <GANDF> ACQUIRES STAKE IN DATA\/VOICE\n","article":"  Gandalf Technologies Inc said it\n  acquired a significant minority equity interest in privately\n  held Data\/Voice Solutions Corp, of Newport Beach, Calif., for\n  undisclosed terms.\n      Gandalf did not specify the size of the interest.\n      Data\/Voice is a three-year-old designer and manufacturer of\n  a multiprocessor, multiuser MS-DOS computing system that\n  Gandalf plans to integrate with its private automatic computer\n  exchange information system, Gandalf said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KEYCORP <KEY> AGREES TO ACQUIRE UTAH BANK\n","article":"  Keycorp said it has signed a\n  definitive agreement to acquire Commercial Security Bancorp\n  <CSEC> by exchanging Keycorp common valued at 63 dlrs for each\n  Commercial Securities share.\n      Keycorp said this gives the transaction an indicated value\n  of 102 mln dlrs.\n      Keycorp said the amount of its stock to be exchanged will\n  be based on the daily average closing price of the shares for\n  an unspecified period prior to the closing of the acquisition.\n      Based on a maximum of about 2.75 Keycorp shares and a\n  minimum of about 1.8 Keycorp to be exchanged, the agreement\n  provides that if the average price of Keycorp common is less\n  than 21.50 dlrs a share during the pricing period, the\n  agreement will terminate unless a new conversion ratio can be\n  negotiated.\n      Keycorp said the transaction is designed to be tax free to\n  Commercial Security shareholders. The company said it will\n  treat the merger as a pooling of interests.\n      It said the proposal is subject to approval by Commercial\n  Security shareholders and various regulators.\n      Keycorp said the merger is expected to become effective as\n  soon as possible after December 31, 1987, the date Utah's\n  interstate banking law becomes operational.\n      Keycorp said Richard K. Hemingway and certain members of\n  the Hemingway family who own about 30 pct of Commercial\n  Security's outstanding shares have agreed to vote in favor of\n  the transaction and not dispose of their stock.\n       Based in Salt Lake City, Commercial Security ended 1986\n  with assets of 830.3 mln dlrs, net loans of 496.6 mln dlrs and\n  deposits of 707.9 mln dlrs. It had net income of 5.1 mln dlrs\n  or 3.16 dlrs a share on 1.6 mln average shares outstanding last\n  year.                        \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN VANGUARD CORP <AMGD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 57 cts vs 27 cts\n      Net 1,002,000 vs 470,000\n      Sales 15.9 mln vs 12.0 mln\n      Note: 4th qtr data not available\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EXXON <XON> OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION ROSE IN 1986\n","article":"  Exxon Corp said in its annual report\n  that it raised production in 1986 although it did not replace\n  all oil and gas produced.\n      The company said that it added about four pct to production\n  bringing it to 1.8 mln bpd, the highest level since 1979, based\n  largely on increased production of oil overseas but additions\n  to its reserves from new discoveries and reserve acquisitions\n  did not replace all of the oil and gas produced.\n      The company said that the average price for oil and gas\n  declined 41 pct in 1986 from the previous year sparking a 38\n  pct decline in its earnings from exploration and production.\n      Exxon's earnings from exploration and production in 1986\n  fell to 3.1 billion dlrs from 4.9 billion dlrs in 1985.\n      Exxon said that its principal gains in production came from\n  the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska, the North Sea, Malaysia and from\n  oil sands in Canada.\n      Exxon also said that it acquired 11.2 mln acres for\n  expoloration spread over 10 countries including the U.S, Europe\n  and the Far East.\n      But capital expenditures for exploration and production\n  were cut to 4.6 billion dlrs from 7.6 billion the previous year\n  and further reductions were expected in 1987.\n      Exxon said that its net share of crude oil and natural gas\n  liquids produced from offshore fields in the North Sea reached\n  a new high of 422,000 bpd.\n      The light, sweet crudes produced from these North Sea\n  fields also gave the company trading gains as Exxon was able to\n  sell much of this crude and replace it with cheaper, lower\n  quality crude oil for its refineries which have been upgraded\n  over the past several years.\n      The trading gains and lower acquisition costs gave Exxon\n  more of a spread in its refinery operations and added to\n  earnings gains from refining and marketing.\n      Exxon said earnings from refining and marketing operations\n  rose to nearly two billion dlrs in 1986, up from 872 mln dlrs\n  in 1985.\n      The company said petroleum sales slipped slightly to 4.043\n  mln barrels per day from 4.082 mln bpd in 1985 while crude runs\n  rose to 3.0 mln bpd from 2.9 mln bpd the previous year.\n      Exxon's refinery operations benefited from a three year 500\n  mln dlr upgrading program to its Baytown, Texas refinery\n  completed last October and an 850 mln dlr upgrading project in\n  Rotterdam both of which emphasize utilizing lower grade crudes\n  to extract higher proportions of light products.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SOVIET UNION SEEN WATCHING CHINA GATT APPLICATION\n","article":"  China's application to join the General\n  Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is seen as a test case by\n  the Soviet Union, which will probably demand to follow China, a\n  top European Community official said.\n      Willy de Clercq, External Relations Commissioner of the\n  European Communities, told a news conference that China's\n  application would involve long and difficult negotiations.\n      China formally applied to join GATT in July 1986 and in\n  February presented a memorandum backing its application, which\n  De Clercq said was now being studied. Questions would then be\n  presented to China.\n      \"After China, other important state-trading countries\n  including the Soviet Union, will probably demand accession.\n  China's application could be considered a test case,\" he said.\n      He said the EC strongly backed China's application, but\n  others among GATT's 92 contracting parties took a tougher line.\n      Among the numerous problems of a huge centrally-run economy\n  entering a free trade system are tariffs and reciprocity and\n  the expectation that China will practice an open-trade policy\n  without trade discrimination, de Clercq added.\n      De Clercq noted the different dimensions of the Chinese\n  economy and those of Hungary and Yugoslavia, the two current\n  Socialist GATT members.\n      On China's import potential, he said a foreign exchange\n  shortage would force China to import less this year and next\n  than in the past, with an emphasis on technological equipment\n  and capital.\n      During his visit, De Clercq has met top Chinese leaders and\n  today signed an agreement to open a European Community\n  Commission office in Peking.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ROCKY MOUNT UNDERGARMENT <RMUC> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 53 cts vs loss 32 cts\n      Net loss 1,548,000 vs loss 929,000\n      Revs 9,362,000 vs 11.3 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr loss 82 cts vs profit 17 cts\n      Net loss 2,408,000 vs profit 452,000\n      Revs 40.9 mln vs 39.5 mln\n      NOTE: full name of company is Rocky Mount Undergarment Co\n  Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. COMMERCE SECRETARY SEES HIGHER GNP GROWTH\n","article":"  Commerce Secretary Malcolm Baldrige\n  said a 0.7 pct rise in February's index of leading indicators\n  pointed to stronger economic growth in the first half of 1987.\n      In a statement commenting on the rise last month after a\n  0.5 pct January decline, Baldrige noted the leading index was\n  rising at an 8.0 pct annual rate in the six months to the end\n  of February.\n      \"Based on past relationships, that gain is consistent with\n  stepped up growth in real GNP during the first half of 1987,\"\n  Baldrige said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. SENATE LEADERS SEE NO TRADE WAR BREWING\n","article":"  The Senate's Democratic and \n  Republican leaders praised President Reagan for retaliating\n  against Japan for violating a semiconducter accord but dashed\n  cold water on ideas it was the first shot in a trade war.\n      Senate Democratic Leader Robert Byrd and Republican leader\n  Bob Dole both told the Senate Reagan's decision was long\n  overdue and urged Japan to open its markets to U.S. goods and\n  stop dumping on world markets.\n      Each noted in separate speeches that they saw no trade war\n  over the issue, despite concerns in financial markets.\n      \"That fear has no basis in fact,\" Byrd said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DYR LIQUIDATING <DYR> SETS LIQUIDATING PAYOUT\n","article":"  DYR Liquidating Corp,\n  formerly Dyneer Corp, said its board declared a third\n  liquidating dividend of one dlr per share payable to\n  shareholders of record on April 14 and said it will file a\n  certificate of dissolution on that date.\n      The company said shareholders of record on that date will\n  acquire beneficial interests in the liquidating trust that will\n  be formed to hold all of the company's assets.\n      It said it has asked the American Stock Exchange to suspend\n  trading in its common stock at the close on April 6 to ensure\n  settlement of all traded by April 14.\n      DYR said it expects its stock to be withdrawn from\n  registration under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 shortly\n  after April 14.\n      DYR said the pay date for the dividend will be April 28.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NETWORK SECURITY CORP <NTWK> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.24 dlrs vs 19 cts\n      Shr diluted 1.11 dlrs vs 19 cts\n      Net 11.9 mln vs 1,830,000\n      Revs 79.3 mln vs 46.1 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes pretax charge 8,300,000 dlrs from\n  increases and reserves and writeoffs of low-yielding assets and\n  pretax gain 20.8 mln dlrs from sale of Multi-Family subsidiary.\n   Another 3,800,000 dlrs of gain from the Multi-Family sale will\n  be recognized in 1987 if Multi-Family meets targeted operating\n  results.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PEAT MARWICK, KMG MAIN HURDMAN TO COMPLETE MERGER\n","article":"  Peat Marwick and KMG Main Hurdman said\n  their merger will be completed tomorrow.\n      The new firm, to be known as KPMG Peat Marwick, will rank\n  among the largest public account and consulting firms in the\n  U.S. based on combined 1986 revenues of 1.35 billion dlrs,\n  1,825 partners and a total staff of 16,500 in 136 offices.\n      KPMG was created as part of the merger announced last\n  September of Peat Marwick International Klynveld Main Goerdeler\n  to form Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"DUTCH MONEY MARKET DEBT EASES IN WEEK\n","article":"  Loans and advances from the Dutch\n  Central Bank to the commercial banks fell 1.01 billion guilders\n  to 9.5 billion guilders in the week ending March 30, the Bank's\n  weekly return showed.\n      Dealers said payments by the Dutch state, partly in the\n  form of civil service wages, had outweighed payments to the\n  State, causing the money market deficit to ease.\n      The Treasury's account with the Bank dropped 960 mln\n  guilders to 6.5 billion guilders.\n      Liabilities in gold or foreign currency rose 200 mln to\n  11.9 billion guilders.\n      Dealers said it was more likely that the alteration in this\n  item on the weekly return indicated normal commercial foreign\n  exchange business rather than intervention by the Central Bank.\n       The Bank itself does not disclose information on\n  intervention.\n      Seasonal variation brought bank notes in circulation up 190\n  mln guilders to 29.7 billion guilders.\n      Total gold and currency reserves rose 173 mln guilders to\n  56.4 billion guilders.\n      Call money and period rates were barely changed in the\n  week. Today all were traded at 5-3\/8 to 5-1\/2 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BORG-WARNER <BOR> EXAMINING GAF <GAF> PROPOSAL\n","article":"  Borg-Warner Corp in a statement said it\n  has received GAF Corp's 46 dlrs a share acquisition proposal\n  and will have no comment until its board of directors has had a\n  chance to examine it thoroughly.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORTH AMERICAN BIOLOGICALS INC <NBIO> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Oper shr one ct vs three cts\n      Oper net 99,000 vs 327,000\n      Revs 12.1 mln vs 8,800,000\n      Avg shrs 15.5 mln vs 11.3 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr six cts vs 11 cts\n      Oper net 841,000 vs 956,000\n      Revs 44.1 mln vs 34.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 15.3 mln vs 8,519,677\n      NOTE: Net excludes tax credits of 299,000 dlrs vs 29,00000\n  dlrs in quarter and 809,000 dlrs vs 71,000 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CRI INSURED II <CII> ESTIMATES DIVIDENDS\n","article":"  CRI Insured Mortgage Investments\n  II Inc said it expects to distribute about 1.55 to 1.65 dlrs\n  per share from operations for all of 1987 and about 1.68 to\n  1.75 dlrs including the proceeds of the gain from the sale of\n  the Brighton Meadows mortgage through January 31.\n      The company today paid a dividend of 1.1646 dlrs per share.\n   Its first two quarterly payments, in September and December,\n  were 42.5 cts each.\n      CRI said it has not yet declared a distribution on the Park\n  Meadows loan disposition.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LME LISTS BRAZILIAN ALUMINIUM BRAND\n","article":"  The London Metal Exchange (LME) has\n  listed the aluminium brand \"CBA' produced by Cia Brasileira de\n  Aluminio at its Mairinque, Sao Paulo, plant.\n      The brand will constitute good delivery from April 1, the\n  LME said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GUATEMALA TO HOST OTHER MILDS COFFEE MEETING\n","article":"  Guatemala will host a meeting of other\n  milds coffee producers probably in May to discuss basic export\n  quotas, the Guatemalan delegate to the International Coffee\n  Organization, ICO, said.\n      No firm date has been set for the talks, Ambassador Rene\n  Montes told reporters at the ICO executive board meeting here.\n      Producer countries Brazil, Colombia, and a member of\n  OAMCAF, the African and Malagasy Coffee Organization, may also\n  be invited for consultation, he said.\n      ICO producers and consumers could not agree on how to\n  calculate export quota shares at a recent council meeting here.\n      Other milds coffee producers include Costa Rica, Dominican\n  Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India,\n  Mexico, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, and Peru.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AUDIO\/VIDEO <AVA> TO GET EXPENSES FROM DIXONS\n","article":"  Audio\/Video Affiliates Inc said it\n  will receive an undisclosed amount from <Dixons Group PLC> in\n  connection with the termination of Cyacq Corp's 92.50 dlr per\n  share tender offer for Cyclops Corp <CYL>.\n      The company said the amount from Dixons is in lieu of\n  reimbursement expenses for the Cyacq tender.  Citicorp <CCI>\n  was the other partner in Cyacq.\n      The payment was in connection with Dixons' previously\n  -announced agreement to increase its tender price for Cyclops\n  to 95.00 dlrs per share, Cycacq's ending of its competing bid\n  and the ending of litigation between the parties.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REPUBLIC <RSLA> TO MERGE WITH PIONEER SAVINGS\n","article":"  Republic Savings and Loan\n  Association and <Pioneer Savings> of Racine, Wis., said they\n  have signed a definitive agreement to combine the two\n  associations into a publicly held holding company to be called\n  Republic Capital Group Inc.\n      The associations said they would form the company by\n  exchanging Republic's stock for shares in the holding company,\n  which Pioneer savers could purchase when Pioneer converts from\n  mutual to stock ownership.\n      The associations added that they would remain independent,\n  but wholly owned, units of the holding company.\n      The associations said they would continue to do business\n  using their present names and management.\n      The combination of Republic's 459 mln dlrs in assets with\n  Pioneer's 125 mln dlrs would make the new holding company the\n  fifth largest savings and loan organization in Wisconsin, they\n  said.\n      The associations said the move is subject to approval by\n  the Federal Home Loan Bank Board and the Wisconsin Commissioner\n  of Savings and Loan, as well as Republic's shareholders and\n  Pioneer's depositors.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<NEW HARDING GROUP INC> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 19 cts\n      Net 653,000\n      Revs 45.6 mln\n      Note: Prior results not given due to November, 1986\n  acquisition of 56 pct stake in Continuous Colour Coat Ltd\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BROUGHER <BIGI> TO SELL 40 PCT OF SUBSIDIARY\n","article":"  Brougher Insurance Group Inc\n  said it plans to sell 40 pct of the stock of its subsidiary,\n  Intercontinental Corp, for one mln dlrs to three European\n  insurance companies.\n      The parent company said it signed a letter of intent to\n  sell the stock to <WASA Europeiska Forsakrings AB> of Sweden,\n  <Europeiske Reiseforsikring A\/S> of Norway, and <Europeiska\n  Rejseforsikrings A\/S> of Denmark.\n      Brougher said it expects to realize a net after-tax gain of\n  approximately 330,000 dlrs, or 12 cts per share, from issuing\n  stock of Intercontinental.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA INDUSTRY PRICES FALL 0.2 PCT IN MONTH\n","article":"  The Canadian industrial product price\n  index, base 1981, fell 0.2 pct in February after rising 0.2 pct\n  in January, Statistics Canada said.\n      \"A significant part of this monthly decrease was\n  attributable to the impact of the increase of the Canadian\n  dollar on prices for wood pulps, newspaper, aluminum, nickel\n  and motor vehicles,\" the federal agency said.\n      On a year-over-year basis, the index was down 0.8 pct,\n  little change from the 0.9 pct decline posted in January.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OMNICOM GROUP INC <OMCM> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 27 cts vs profit 51 cts\n      Net profit 6,600,000 vs profit 12,231,000\n      Revs 211.7 mln vs 193.4 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr loss 17 cts vs profit 1.27 dlrs\n      Net loss 4,077,000 vs profit 30,142,000\n      Revs 753.5 mln vs 673.4 mln\n      NOTE: in qtr ended 1986 the company recognized expenses of\n  5,948,000 for restructing the combined operations of BBDO,\n  Doyle Dane Bernbach and Needham Harper Worldwide in August 1986\n  before tax gains. These relate primarily to the conosolidation\n  and elimination of duplicate facilities and staff.\n      for the year 1986, the provisions for mergers and\n  restructuring expenses brought non-recurring expenses to\n  40,292,000 before tax gains, of which 8,863,000 represented\n  merger costs and 31,429,000 related to restructuring of the\n  combine operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"KANSAS LEGISLATOR PREDICTS EEP WHEAT TO SOVIETS\n","article":"  Rep. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., predicted\n  the Reagan administration within the next ten days to two weeks\n  will offer subsidized wheat to the Soviet Union under the\n  Export Enhancement Program, EEP.\n      Roberts made the comment at a press conference held by\n  Republican members of the House Agriculture Committee.\n      He did not say on what he based the comment, but an aide\n  said Roberts had been in touch with top Republican officials\n  recently.\n      The possibility of an expansion of EEP to include wheat to\n  Moscow has been rumored for some time, and some industry\n  sources believe a decision on the issue will be made by the\n  Reagan administration before Secretary of State George Shultz\n  goes to Moscow in April.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SUN CITY INDUSTRIES <SNI> SEES HIGHER NET\n","article":"  Sun City Industries Inc said preliminary\n  unaudited results of ongoing operations for the fiscal year\n  ended January 31, 1987 are expected to rise over 580 pct to\n  700,000 dlrs or 70 cts per share from the 125,313 dlrs or 12\n  cts reported last year.\n      Total net income is expected to reach 2.4 mln dlrs, which\n  includes 1.7 mln dlrs of net income realized from sale of\n  property. The combination will result in record earnings of\n  2.40 dlrs a share, the wholesale distributor and processor of\n  eggs said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"YEUTTER SAYS STOCK MARKET OVERREACTED TO JAPAN TRADE DISPUTE\n","article":"\n  YEUTTER SAYS STOCK MARKET OVERREACTED TO JAPAN TRADE DISPUTE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ST LAWRENCE SEAWAY OPENS SHIPPING SEASON\n","article":"  The St Lawrence Seaway said the first\n  ship of the season passed through the St Lambert lock here this\n  morning, officially opening the 2,300-mile-long waterway's 1987\n  shipping season.\n      The seaway has said it expects little increase in freight\n  levels this year from last year when it moved 37.6 mln tonnes\n  of freight between Montreal and Lake Ontario and 41.6 mln\n  tonnes on the Welland Canal, which links Lake Erie and Lake\n  Ontario. The canal is scheduled to open tomorrow.\n      Officials expect the waterway to lose nine to ten mln\n  Canadian dlrs this year, about the same as the estimated\n  deficit for fiscal 1986-87, which ends today.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ACTON <ATN> TO SELL UNIT FOR GAIN\n","article":"  Acton Corp said it has agreed to\n  sell its five Michigan cable television systems to Wisconsin\n  Cablevision Inc for about 9,500,000 dlrs, resulting in a gain\n  of about six mln dlrs.\n      The company said the sale is subject to review by local\n  authorities.  The systems have about 7,500 subscribers.\n      Acton said proceeds will be used to retire bank debt.\n      The company said it has also entered into a 15.5 mln dlr\n  bank credit agreement that will allow it to complete the\n  prepayment of all its obligations to members of its present\n  bank syndicate.\n      The company said the new credit will also allow it to\n  prepay some other debt and redeem its Class C Series Two\n  preferred stock.\n      It said the new facility has allowed it to take full\n  advantage of an early payment discount of about 13 mln dlrs in\n  principal and interest which was negotiated with its banking\n  syndicate in connection with an April 1986 financial\n  restructuring.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BEGHIN-SAY SAYS SUGAR OFFER TO EC STILL STANDS\n","article":"  A plan by European producers to sell\n  854,000 tonnes of sugar to European Community intervention\n  stocks still stands, Andrea Minguzzi, an official at French\n  sugar producer Beghin-Say, said.\n      Last week Beghin-Say president Jean-Marc Vernes said a\n  possible settlement of a row with the EC would lead producers\n  to withdraw their offer, which was made as a protest against EC\n  export licensing policies.\n      The EC policy is to offer export rebates, which fail to\n  give producers an equivalent price to that which they would get\n  by offering sugar into intervention stocks, Vernes said.\n      But Minguzzi said the offer was a commercial affair and\n  that producers had no intention of withdrawing the sugar offer\n  already lodged with intervention boards of different European\n  countries. He said final quality approval for all the sugar\n  offered could come later this week. Some 95 pct had already\n  cleared quality specifications.\n      The EC can only reject an offer to sell into intervention\n  stocks on quality grounds. Minguzzi added that under EC\n  regulations, the Community has until early May to pay for the\n  sugar. He declined to put an exact figure on the amount of\n  sugar offered by Beghin-Say, but said it was below 500,000\n  tonnes.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EXXON <XON> GAINS DUE TO STREAMLINED OPERATIONS\n","article":"  Exxon Corp said that 1986's 15 pct\n  increase in earnings per share to 7.42 dlrs a share were\n  partially based on its streamlined operations which compensated\n  for the weakness in its exploration earnings and the lowest\n  crude oil prices in a decade.\n      Exxon said economies introduced in its operations from\n  reductions in personnel and other savings, such as reductions\n  in exploration expenses, were reflected in an 880 mln dlr\n  reduction in consolidated operating costs from 1985.\n      The company said its more efficient operations would be\n  necessary to offset more adverse oil market conditions ahead.\n      The company also said that its share repurchase plan\n  contributed to the per share gains over 1985.\n      In a breakdown of costs, Exxon said that operating expenses\n  slipped to 9.2 billion dlrs in 1986 from 9.7 billion dlrs the\n  previous year and exploration expenses, including dry holes,\n  slipped back to 1.2 billion dlrs from 1.5 billion dlrs over the\n  same period as the number of wells drilled was lower.\n      The company was also able to use lower interest rates to\n  reduce its interest expenses to 614 mln dlrs in 1986 from 627\n  mln dlrs the previous year.\n      Exxon said that the ratio of debt to capital was cut by 1.6\n  pct in 1986 from the previous year to 19 pct.\n      On December 31, 1986 Exxon's total debt of 7.87 billion\n  dlrs was down slightly from the previous year's 7.9 billion\n  dlrs and long term debt stood at 4.3 billion dlrs, down from\n  4.8 billion dlrs in 1985.\n      Exxon's policy of repurchasing shares on the market for its\n  treasury also contributed to earnings results by a reduction of\n  shares to 722.6 mln shares from 754.1 mln shares the previous\n  year.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. STOCK MARKET OVERREACTS TO TARIFFS - YEUTTER\n","article":"  U.S. Trade Representative Clayton\n  Yeutter said the stock market overreacted to a U.S. decision\n  last week to proceed with tariffs on some Japanese computer\n  products.\n      Speaking to reporters prior to testifying at a House\n  Agriculture Committee hearing, Yeutter said it is \"difficult to\n  comprehend\" that a trade decision affecting only 300 mln dlrs\n  in goods caused the stock market collapse yesterday.\n      \"I have a hunch a lot of other things were involved in that\n  (stock market fall), including simple profit-taking,\" Yeutter\n  said.\n      Yeutter said Japan would be sending a senior official from\n  its trade ministry to Washington next week for talks on the\n  computer chip dispute.\n      \"We will be glad to have him here, but that's not going to\n  affect a decision that's already been made,\" Yeutter said.\n      The decision announced last week would apply higher tariffs\n  on a range of Japanese products in retaliation for the alleged\n  failure of Tokyo to honor an agreement with the U.S. on\n  semiconductor trade.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WEATHER HURTING YUGOSLAV WHEAT - USDA REPORT\n","article":"  Unfavorable late winter weather\n  conditions in the main wheat growing areas of Yugoslavia\n  indicate dimmed prospects for the emerging winter wheat crop,\n  the U.S. embassy's agricultural officer in Belgrade said.\n      The officer, who travelled through an area from Belgrade to\n  Subotica, said in a field report dated March 27 the wheat crop\n  had been set back at least three weeks because of a cold spell\n  that followed a period of warm weather.\n      He said unseasonably warm weather in late February that\n  brought the wheat crop out of winter dormancy early was\n  followed by three weeks of unusually cold weather.\n      Damaging effects were seen in the fields, most of which\n  show stands with a yellow-brown cast indicating extensive leaf\n  and possible root damage from repeated freezings, he said.\n      The report said that since much of the early growth in\n  February was from late seeding rather than from normal\n  development, his view was that the damage may be more extensive\n  than some local observers say.\n      The most seriously affected fields were late-seeded fields\n  on normal maize soils. Stands in these fields were thin and\n  chances of recovery appeared less favorable, he said.\n      However, he said soil moisture conditions were favorable\n  and many of the fields had already been top-dressed, which\n  would aid recovery.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"USX <X>, CONSOLIDATED NATURAL <CNG> END TALKS\n","article":"  USX Corp's Texas Oil and Gas Corp\n  subsidiary and Consolidated Natural Gas Co have mutually agreed\n  not to pursue further their talks on Consolidated's possible\n  purchase of Apollo Gas Co from Texas Oil.\n      No details were given.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ARVIN INDUSTRIES SEES FLAT 1ST QTR PER SHARE NET COMPARED WITH 59 CTS LAST YEAR\n","article":"\n  ARVIN INDUSTRIES SEES FLAT 1ST QTR PER SHARE NET COMPARED WITH 59 CTS LAST YEAR\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROCKY MOUNT <RMUC> EXPECTS PROFIT IN FIRST QTR\n","article":"  Hal Weiss, chairman,\n  president and chief executive officer, of Rocky Mount\n  Undergarment Co Inc, said he expects the company to show a\n  profit for the first quarter fiscal 1987.\n      Weiss said sales for 1987 have been strong following a net\n  loss of 1,548,000 dlrs, or 53 cts a share, for the fourth\n  quarter of fiscal 1986. The company reported a net loss for the\n  year of 2,408,000 dlrs, or 82 cts a share.\n      Rocky Mount recorded net income of 248,000 dlrs, or eight\n  cts per share, for the first quarter of fiscal 1986.\n      Weiss attributed the poor year to problems involving\n  management, manufacturing operations, financial condition and\n  credibility among its suppliers.\n      Weiss predicted the pattern of quarterly lossses which\n  characterized 1986 will be reversed and 1987 will see the\n  company return to profitability.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHUBB CORP <CB> COMPLETES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  The Chubb Corp said it completed the\n  previously-announced merger of its subsidiary with and into\n  Sovereign Corp <SOVR>, a life insurance holding company.\n      Under the terms of the merger, Sovereign stockholders\n  wil receive, in a tax free exchange, 0.1365 of a share of Chubb\n  common stock for each share of Sovereign held, the company\n  said. \n      This equals 9.11 dlrs per share of Sovereign stock based on\n  the closing price of Chubb common stock on March 30.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ENVOY ADVISES NAKASONE TO PREPARE FOR U.S. VISIT\n","article":"  The Japanese ambassador to the U.S.\n  Suggested that Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone make efforts to\n  present \"advanced' proposals on trade issues when he visits\n  Washington next month.\n      Ambassador Nobuo Matsunaga made the recommendation at a\n  meeting with Nakasone, Kyodo News Service said.\n      Matsunaga also advised that the prime minister should be\n  prepared to discuss U.S.-Japan economic issues.\n      Matsunaga cited issues such as a U.S.-Japan micro chip\n  trade pact, foreign access to the Kansai international airport\n  project, and a new international telecommunications firm.\n      Matsunaga returned on Sunday to report to Japanese leaders\n  on recent U.S. Developments over trade, in preparation for\n  Nakasone's visit to Washington, April 29 to May 5.\n      Kyodo quoted Nakasone as telling reporters after meeting\n  the envoy, \"I entirely accept what ambassador Matsunaga\n  recommended.\" Nakasone did not elaborate.\n      The U.S.-Japan trade dispute intensified last week when\n  President Ronald Reagan said the U.S. Would impose heavy\n  tariffs on Japanese imports in retaliation against alleged\n  Japanese breach of the computer chip trade pact.\n      Meanwhile, Nakasone's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)\n  is to consider measures to boost imports and open up the\n  Japanese market, such as government purchase of supercomputers\n  and expanding foreign access to the Kansai airport project,\n  party sources said.\n      The LDP international economic affairs council was\n  responding to Nakasone's request for measures to reduce Japan's\n  increasing trade surpluses with the U.S. And Europe, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"LYNG HAS NO COMMENT ON WHEAT SUBSIDY TO SOVIETS\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture Secretary Richard\n  Lyng declined to confirm statements made today by a farm state\n  congressman that the United States will offer subsidized wheat\n  to the Soviet Union within the next 10 days to two weeks.\n      When asked to clarify comments by Rep. Pat Roberts of\n  Kansas that the administration would soon offer Export\n  Enhancement wheat to the Soviet Union Lyng said, \"well it won't\n  be today,\" and then added, \"we have no official comment one way\n  or the other.\"\n      Lyng would not comment on whether a wheat subsidy offer to\n  the USSR is under more active consideration at the USDA, saying\n  that any remarks by him would be tantamount to an official\n  announcement and could be construed inappropriately.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEW HARDING GROUP SETS FIRST PAYOUT SINCE 1978\n","article":"  <New Harding Group Inc>,\n  formerly Harding Carpets Ltd, said it declared its first\n  dividend since fiscal 1978 of 10 cts per subordinate voting\n  share and multiple voting share, pay April 15, record April 8.\n      The company said the dividend establishes a new policy for\n  the payment of quarterly dividends.\n      New Harding earlier reported profit of 653,000 dlrs or 19\n  cts a share for first quarter ended January 31. It said prior\n  results were not comparable due to the company's November, 1986\n  acquisition of a 57 pct stake in Continuous Colour Coat Ltd.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LAROCHE DROPS CONDITION TO NECO <NPT> OFFER\n","article":"  Investor David F. Laroche said he has\n  decided to drop the condition to his tender offer for 170,000\n  shares of NECO Enterprises Inc at 26 dlrs each that at least\n  170,000 shares be tendered.\n      He said he has extended the expiration of the offer until\n  April 14.\n      Thorugh March 27, he said 45,696 NECO shares had been\n  tendered.\n      Laroche said he may obtain a short-term loan of up to one\n  mln dlrs from Amoskeag Bank to help finance the purchase of\n  shares under the offer, bearing interest of up to nine pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHEVRON <CHV>, NIPPON OIL FORM JOINT VENTURE\n","article":"  Chevron Corp said its Chevron\n  U.S.A. Inc unit and Tokyo-based Nippon Oil Co Ltd agreed to\n  conduct a joint-venture oil exploration and development program\n  on selected Chevron leaseholds in the United States.\n      About 50 onshore and offshore exploratory wells will be\n  drilled under the agreement and Chevron will be the operator of\n  the project and pay some costs, the company said.\n      It said Nippon will contribute an initial investment of\n  more than 100 mln dlrs.\n      The Japanese government will also participate in the\n  venture by providing financing to Nippon through the Japanese\n  Oil Corp, Chevron said.\n      It said drilling will begin during the second quarter.\n      Properties to be evaluated are located in California,\n  Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota,\n  Texas, Utah, and Wyoming, along with Federal Outer Continental\n  Shelf leases offshore Southern California and in the Gulf of\n  Mexico, Chevron said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TELECAST <TCST> COMPLETES ACQUISITION FINANCING\n","article":"  Telecast Inc said it closed on\n  the financing portion of its previously-announced acquisition\n  of approximately 14,600 hotel rooms from <Dynavision Inc>.\n      The three mln dlr financing package was provided by Sanwa\n  Business Credit Corp, a subsidiary of <Sanwa Bank Ltd> of\n  Japan, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEW GASOLINE GRADE TO RAISE U.S. REFINING COSTS\n","article":"  A new grade of unleaded gasoline\n  now being test marketed will increase refining costs when\n  refiners can least afford it, according to officials attending\n  the National Petroleum Refiners Association conference here.\n      The new grade of unleaded gasoline has an octane level of\n  89 compared with over 90 for super unleaded and 87 for regular\n  unleaded gasoline.\n       Amoco Corp <AN> has test-marketed the new mid-grade\n  gasoline and hopes to sell it on a regular basis in the South,\n  East and Midwest by the beginning of June, according to Paul\n  Collier, executive vice president of marketing.\n      Phillips Petroleum <P> expects to begin marketing the new\n  89 octane unleaded gasoline in May, sources said.\n      Converting current refinery operations to produce the 89\n  octane unleaded gsoline could cost hundreds of millions of\n  dollars per refinery but that depends on the present capacity\n  and intensity of the refinery, said Amoco's Collier.\n      But not all oil company's welcome the introduction of\n  another grade of unleaded gasoline.\n      \"Three grades are not warranted,\" said Henry Rosenberg,\n  chairman of Crown Central Petroleum <CNP>. \"Refiners will have\n  to upgrade again,\" he added.\n      \"An investment will have to be made,\" said Archie Dunham,\n  executive vice president of petroleum products at Conoco, an\n  operating subsidiary of DuPont Corp <DD> in order to upgrade\n  refinery operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHARTER POWER SYSTEMS INC <CHP> 4TH QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr profit 18 cts vs loss 21 cts\n      Net profit 766,000 vs loss 510,000\n      Sales 32.4 mln vs 25.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 71 cts vs loss 23 cts\n      Net profit 2,337,000 vs loss 747,000\n      Sales 132.1 mln vs 119.6 mln\n      NOTE: Prior year results pro forma for acquisition of C and\n  D Power Systems divisions of Allied-Signal Inc <ALD>.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"RENAULT <RENA.PA> YR ENDED DEC 31 1986\n","article":"  Consolidated net loss 5.54 billion francs vs loss 10.93\n  billion.\n      Consolidated net turnover 131.06 billion francs vs 122.14\n  billion.\n      Consolidated debt 54.3 billion francs vs 61.9 billion.\n      Net loss car making 4.14 billion francs vs loss 10.99\n  billion.\n      Net loss industrial vehicles 990 mln vs loss 1.54 billion.\n      Note - The company said the consolidated net loss was after\n  costs and provisions for restructuring of 3.90 billion francs,\n  which includes exceptional items arising from the planned sale\n  of its stake in American Motors Corp <AMO> to Chrysler Corp\n  <C>.\n      Full company name is Regie Nationale des Usines Renault.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TUNISIA TENDER EXPECTED FOR 100,000 TONNES WHEAT\n","article":"  Tunisia is expected to tender shortly for\n  100,000 tonnes of soft wheat for shipment between April and\n  June, covered by COFACE export credits, trade sources said.\n      Over 300,000 tonnes of French soft wheat have been sold to\n  Tunisia since the beginning of the 1986\/87 campaign, of which\n  225,000 to 250,000 tonnes have already been shipped, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PIZZA INN INC <PZA> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 48 cts vs loss 35 cts\n      Net loss 1,587,000 vs loss 1,063,000\n      Revs 45.3 mln vs 50.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,322,032 vs 3,054,457\n      Year\n      Shr profit three cts vs loss 19 cts\n      Net profit 112,000 vs loss 587,000\n      Revs 211.2 mln vs 199.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,220,163 vs 3,038,361\n      NOTE: Net includes tax credits 1,411,000 dlrs vs 929,000\n  dlrs in quarter and tax provision 689,000 dlrs vs credit\n  1,288,000 dlrs in year.\n      1986 year revenues include 18.7 mln dlrs from gain on sale\n  of Quality Sausage Co Inc.\n      1986 net includes costs of 900,000 dlrs in quarter and\n  1,200,000 dlrs in year from proposed merger.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER SAYS U.S. REMAINS PREPARED TO FOSTER EXCHANGE RATE STABILITY\n","article":"\n  TREASURY'S BAKER SAYS U.S. REMAINS PREPARED TO FOSTER EXCHANGE RATE STABILITY\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ARVIN <ARV> SES FLAT 1ST QTR RESULTS\n","article":"  Arvin Industries Inc said higher\n  interest costs from borrowings to make acquisitions will\n  produce earnings flat with last year's 59 cts a share results.\n      Arvin said it might earn 57 cts to 60 cts a share in the\n  quarter.\n      These results also reflect the seasonally low sales pattern\n  of automotive replacement parts in that period.\n      Arvin forecast about 85 cts a share net in the second\n  quarter compared with 68 cts in last year's period.\n      The company said revenues for full year 1987 it will exceed\n  1.4 billion dlrs, net earnings will increase more than 30 pct,\n  while per share earnings should increase 12 to 18 pct.\n      Arvin's 1986 revenues were 995.6 mln, net reached 41.2 mln\n  and earnings per share 2.46 dlrs.\n      It based these forecasts due to the addition of Schrader\n  Automotive Inc and Maremont Corp, both acquired last year.\n      Chairman James Baker said 1987 quarterly comparisons will\n  not conform to historical patterns for the year because the\n  acquisitions of Schrader and Maremond occurred in different\n  quarters.\n      He said Arvin will complete the purchase of Systems\n  Research Laboratories in the second quarter of 1987. This will\n  also increase revenues.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER SEES 15-20 BILLION DLR U.S. TRADE DEFICIT REDUCTION THIS YEAR\n","article":"\n  TREASURY'S BAKER SEES 15-20 BILLION DLR U.S. TRADE DEFICIT REDUCTION THIS YEAR\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER SAYS REAGAN UNLIKELY TO ALTER OPPOSITION TO OIL IMPORT FEE\n","article":"\n  TREASURY'S BAKER SAYS REAGAN UNLIKELY TO ALTER OPPOSITION TO OIL IMPORT FEE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED SETS 1.5 BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPURCHASE, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  FED SETS 1.5 BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPURCHASE, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CORTRONIC CORP <CTRN> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 23 cts vs loss 15 cts\n      Net loss 1,121,664 vs loss 640,862\n      Sales 37,485 vs nil\n      NOTE: Company in development stage.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED ADDS RESERVES VIA CUSTOMER REPURCHASES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve entered the U.S.\n  Government securities market to arrange 1.5 billion dlrs of\n  customer repurchase agreements, a Fed spokesman said.\n      Dealers said Federal funds were trading at 6-3\/8 pct when\n  the Fed began its temporary and indirect supply of reserves to\n  the banking system.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WINTER WEATHER HURTS EAST GERMAN GRAIN - USDA\n","article":"  Shifts from mild to very cold\n  weather in East Germany damaged winter barley and late sown\n  winter wheat in central regions and barley north of Berlin, the\n  U.S. agricultural officer in East Berlin said.\n      In a field report, the officer said indications were that\n  winter kill might well be more than 100,000 hectares compared\n  with 38,000 last year.\n      He said the damage was probably more limited in southern\n  and central regions and most widespread in the north.\n      Damage was most severe on plants above the ground where\n  little or no snow cover was present, he added.\n      The officer said heavy frosts at night followed by sunshine\n  during the day led to some heaving, particularly for well\n  developed plants and for winter barley.\n      Furthermore, as the ground surface thawed, some standing\n  water occurred in the fields.\n      The officer said repairing damage will probably call for\n  special measures this spring in fields with damaged plants and\n  where stands are thin. Harrowing, as well as well-timed\n  applications of nitrogen, will be necessary, he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WATSO INC <WSOA> SETS REGULAR PAYOUTS\n","article":"  Qtrly Class A div five cts vs five cts prior\n      Qtrly Class B div four cts vs four cts prior\n      Pay May 29\n      Record April 30\n      NOTE: company changed date for its annual shareholders'\n  meeting to June 24 from June 15 due to a scheduling conflict.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EATERIES INC <EATS> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 10 cts vs loss two cts\n      Net profit 140,332 vs loss 21,290\n      Revs 4,202,305 vs 1,692,976\n      Avg shrs 1,400,945 vs 1,106,500\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" 3-MAR-1987 11:58:47.35\n","article":"   3-MAR-1987 11:58:47.35\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER SAYS U.S. BACKS STABILITY\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker said\n  the United States and the five other industrialized nations\n  signing the recent Paris Accord remain committed to fostering\n  the exchange rate at around current levels.\n      But he declined to comment on what he believed to be an\n  appropriate level of the dollar in world markets.\n      \"I'm not going to comment on that because invariably the\n  exchange markets read either more or less into my remarks than\n  I might intend,\" he said in response to a question from the\n  House Appropriations Committee.\n      Baker said the six nations participating in the Paris\n  meeting in February had \"acknowledged that the currencies are\n  within ranges that are broadly consistent with the economic\n  fundamentals and we and the others as well remain prepared to\n  cooperate closely to foster stability in exchange rates around\n  those levels.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MAY <MA> TO SELL SYCAMORE DIVISION\n","article":"  The May Department Stores Co said it\n  has signed an agreement to sell its Sycamore Specialty Store\n  Division to an investment group that includes Syacmore senior\n  management.\n      May said it expects to close the deal, which includes the\n  entire division and its 1,000 employees, in April.\n      Sycamore has 111 women's apparel stores in Indiana, Ohio,\n  Illinois, Kentucky and Michigan, May said.\n      May added that the Indiana National Bank of Indianapolis\n  provided a portion of the deal's financing.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CPL REAL ESTATE <CNTRS> CUTS REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div 26 cts vs 27 cts prior\n      Payable April 27\n      Record April 10\n      NOTE: full name of company is cpl real estate trust\n  investment.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL BANCSHARES <NBCT> TO HAVE GAIN ON SALE\n","article":"  National Bancshares Corp of Texas\n  said it has completed the previously-announced sale of 90,000\n  credit card accounts of to Lomas and Nettleton Financial Corp\n  <LNF> for 45.6 mln dlrs, resulting in a gain of 5,800,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TRADERS EXPECT SHARP DROP IN U.S. CORN ACREAGE\n","article":"  Grain trade analysts expect a sharp\n  drop in corn acreage, with most expecting a more modest decline\n  in soybeans, in the U.S. Agriculture Department, USDA,\n  plantings intentions report due out at 1500 est (2100 gmt).\n      The average trade guess for 1987 planted corn acreage was\n  66.06 mln acres, ranging from 60.7 to 69.0 mln, all well below\n  the 76.67 mln planted last year due to improved incentives by\n  the USDA for farmers to retire acres. Corn acres totalled only\n  60.22 mln in 1983, when the PIK program was introduced.\n      The average soybean planted acreage quesstimate was 59.49\n  mln, ranging from 58.0 to 63.0 mln and compared with the 61.48\n  mln planted in 1986\n      With substantial grain stocks, less interest was expressed\n  among analysts in the USDA stocks report also scheduled today.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"USDA'S AMSTUTZ CONFIDENT OF EC OILS TAX DEFEAT\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture Undersecretary\n  Daniel Amstutz said he was confident that a European Community,\n  EC, proposal to tax vegetable and marine oils and fats would\n  not be approved by the Community.\n      Asked by Reuters if he was confident the plan eventually\n  would be defeated, Amstutz said, \"Yes, I am, but I also know\n  that things like this take constant vigilance.\"\n      The USDA official said the EC Council of Ministers held an\n  ad hoc meeting yesterday.\n      Commenting on that meeting, he said, \"So far, so good.\"\n      Yesterday British Farm Minister Michael Jopling said enough\n  EC states appeared to be opposed to the proposals by the\n  commission for a 330 European Currency Unit a tonne tax on\n  vegetable oils, fats and marine oils for the moves to be\n  defeated.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CPL REAL ESTATE <CNTRS> SEES LOWER DIVIDENDS\n","article":"  CPL Real Estate Trust\n  Investment said its regular quarterly dividend distribution\n  will be lower than its present 26 cts per share, and could be\n  significantly lower starting with the third quarter of 1987.\n      The company, which lowered the payout from 27 cts to 26 cts\n  this current quarter, said it did not know how low the payout\n  would go.\n      The company said the reason for the cutbacks was because it\n  would not be purchasing a property it had anticipated, and\n  alternative investments will produce significantly lower yields\n  than anticipated.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HANSON TRUST <HAN> SELLS UNIT\n","article":"  Reichhold Chemicals Inc said\n  it is part of a group that has purchased PCR Inc from Hanson\n  Trust PLC's SCM Corp subsidiary.\n      It said other group members include Jacksonville, Fla.,\n  businessman Jack C. Demetree and managers of PCR.\n      Reichhold said it made a \"modest\" cash investment.  PCR\n  makes high-performance materials for a variety of industries.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN RECREATION CENTERS INC <AMRC> 3RD QTR\n","article":"  Shr 13 cts vs 17 cts\n      Net 553,000 vs 728,000\n      Revs 6.9 mln vs 7.5 mln\n      Nine months\n      Shr 17 cts vs 18 cts\n      Net 732,000 vs 776,000\n      Revs 18.5 mln vs 18.2 mln\n      NOTE:Share earnings reflect 5-for-4 stock split effective\n  July 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER SEES REAGAN OPPOSING OIL TAX\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker told\n  the House Appropriations Committee that he believes the\n  president remains opposed to an oil import fee.\n      He said Reagan last year rejected the idea and he added:\n      \"In my personal view he is not likely to change his thinking\n  on that.\"\n      He said Reagan last year opposed the idea because the\n  energy industry was divided on the issue, a tax would require a\n  new bureacracy to administer and the resulting higher energy\n  prices would harm U.S. competitiveness.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRENCH MARKET TALK OF SYRIAN WHEAT PURCHASES\n","article":"  Syria may have bought 80,000 tonnes of\n  French soft wheat, some traders here said.\n      But others said it may instead have given payment\n  guarantees to allow for the shipping of an old contract to go\n  ahead.\n      Syria has bought around 320,000 tonnes of soft French wheat\n  since the beginning of the 1986\/87 campaign, of which only\n  121,000 tonnes had been exported by the end of last month.\n      The country also bought around 30,000 tonnes of EC soft\n  wheat 12 days ago at 80 to 81 dlrs a tonne, fob, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER SEES SMALLER TRADE DEFICIT\n","article":"  Treasury secretary James Baker\n  predicted the U.S. trade deficit would decline 15-20 billion\n  dlrs this year.\n      However, he acknowledged signs were still lacking on such a\n  decline.\n      \"We think we are beginning to see changes,\" he told the House\n  Appropriations Committee.\n      \"It has begun to level off (but) we don't see it beginning\n  to go down yet,\" he told the panel.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BANGEMANN CALLS FOR CURRENCY CALM\n","article":"  West German Economics Minister Martin\n  Bangemann urged a halt to the talking down of the dollar by\n  both official and private institutions in the U.S., Saying calm\n  was needed on the foreign exchanges.\n      Speaking at the opening of the 40th Hanover Industry Fair,\n  Bangemann said radical changes in foreign exchange parities had\n  left their mark on exports and investments. He added that\n  without these external difficulties, West Germany's economy\n  would have grown by 3.5 pct last year instead of the 2.5 pct\n  reported.\n      Bangemann said he could not deny that the economic climate\n  in West Germany had cooled, but he stressed the country was not\n  in a downtrend.\n      The minister also criticised state subsidies, which he said\n  mainly favoured large companies and created a tax burden for\n  smaller and medium sized firms.\n      Bangemann referred specifically to subsidies in the steel\n  industry, which he said had to be fought with all legal means\n  when they did not correspond to European Community guidelines\n  on grants.\n      He added that in light of the declining demand for steel\n  capacities had to be adjusted, saying the Bonn government would\n  not successfully be able to stand in the way of any change in\n  this industry.\n      Bangemann also spoke out against protectionism and called\n  for more competition, citing as an example the Federal Post\n  Office.\n      The Post Office enjoys a monopoly in West Germany,\n  especially as far as deciding who is able to provide\n  telecommunications equipment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NECO <NPT> BIDDER EXTENDS TENDER OFFER\n","article":"  Investor David LaRoche said he has\n  extended his cash offer to buy 170,000 shares of NECO\n  Enterprises Inc at 26 dlrs each until April 14. The tender\n  offer was to have expired yesterday.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  LaRoche, a North Kingstown, R.I., investor who already holds\n  nearly one-third of NECO's total outstanding commonstock, also\n  waived a condition of his offer that a minimum of 170,000\n  shares actually be tendered.\n      NECO has 957,000 shares outstanding.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER PURSUING S. ASIAN REVALUATIONS\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker told\n  the House Appropriations Committee the United States is still\n  pressing newly industrialized south Asian nations that have\n  tied their currencies to the dollar to let those currencies\n  strengthen against the dollar.\n      \"We have seen some strengthening of those currencies (but)\n  not as much as we would like,\" he said.\n      \"We have been somewhat disappointed in the results so far,\n  but we intend to continue these discussions,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PIER 1 IMPORTS <PIR> AMENDING DATES ON SPLIT\n","article":"  Pier 1 Imports Inc said it\n  amended its record and distribution dates for its previously-\n  announced three-for two common and 25 cts preferred stock\n  split.\n      The split common and 25 cts preferred shares will be\n  distributed on July 2, 1987, to shareholders of record June 24,\n  1987.\n      The stock split requires shareholder approval of an\n  increase in authorized shares of common stock to 100 mln from\n  25 mln and an increase of authorized shares of preferred stock\n  to five mln from one mln, the company said.\n      The change in the dates was based on the company's desire\n  to have the additional common and 25 cts preferred shares trade\n  for the shortest practical period of time on a \"when issued\"\n  basis following a favorable shareholder vote at the annual\n  meeting June 24, it said.\n      The previously announced record and distribution dates were\n  May 13, 1987, and June 29, 1987, respectively, the company\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INTERNATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGIES <IBIO> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss 34 cts vs loss 14 cts\n      Net loss 798,000 vs loss 213,000\n      Revs 1.5 mln vs 1.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 61 cts vs loss 2.08 dlrs\n      Net loss 1.4 mln vs 1.0 mln\n      Revs 6.8 mln vs 6.0 mln\n      NOTE:1986 net loss includes non-recurring charges of\n  132,000 dlrs and 270,000 dlrs. Full name is INternational\n  Biotechnologies Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. OFFICIALS DEFEND OIL RESERVE SALE PLAN\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker and\n  Office of Management and Budget chief James Miller defended an\n  administration plan to sell the U.S. Naval Petroleum Reserves.\n      In response to hostile questioning from a member of the\n  House Appropriations Committee, the officials said the plan was\n  justified to help bring the fiscal 1988 budget deficit and to\n  get the government out of the oil business.\n      Miller acknowleged the estimated sale proceeds at 3.3\n  billion dlrs would actually bring down the deficit by about 2.2\n  billion dlrs because of the loss of revenues from the sale of\n  oil from the reserves.\n      Miller said the sale price may end up higher.\n      \"We'd sell it to the highest bidder,\" Miller said.\n      \"If we can get more we'll take it.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRADERS CUT BAHIA TEMPORAO COCOA CROP ESTIMATE\n","article":"  Trade estimates of the coming\n  May\/September temporao harvest in Brazil's main cocoa growing\n  state of Bahia are now in the 1.5 mln to 2.0 mln 60-kilo bag\n  range against 2.0 mln to 2.5 mln two weeks ago.\n      Traders in the state capital Salvador told Reuters the\n  effects of a dry period in the first six weeks of the year had\n  been harsher than thought earlier.\n      Although good flowering had followed the onset of rains in\n  mid-February subsequent pod setting was dissappointing.\n      Last year's temporao, also hit by a dry spell, was 2.77 mln\n  bags. In 1984 severe drought cut the crop to 1.79 mln bags.\n      The traders said another factor leading to lower crop\n  predictions is that many farmers are not caring properly for\n  plantations because of low returns on their investment.\n      Manpower, fertiliser and other costs have been cut back as\n  farmers feel the pinch of the rise in interest rates over the\n  past six months coupled with low bean prices.\n      If such economies continue into the winter months both the\n  temporao and the developing October\/April main crop could face\n  serious damage from pod rot attacks on trees which would\n  normally be treated against the disease.\n      Recent very wet weather has already caused some isolated\n  incidences of pod rot but reports from the growing regions say\n  these are not yet significant.\n      The traders said they expect very low deliveries of\n  temporao beans in the first three months of the harvest and the\n  bulk will not appear until the last month, September.\n      Despite the low loads, trees are said to be in excellent\n  condition and recent flowering and pod setting - which will\n  lead to late temporao\/early main crop beans - has been good.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER NOT CONCERNED BY BOND DECLINES\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker,\n  asked whether he was concerned about yesterdays precipitous\n  decline in bond prices, said he was not.\n      Questioned by reporters as he left a House committee\n  hearing, Baker said \"no,\" when asked about the bond decline,\n  adding that it was a reflection of concern about the\n  possibility of a trade war.\n      \"It is what the markets think would be the adverse\n  consequences of a trade war.\"\n      He said the administration was concerned that protectionism\n  would lead to international trade problems adding that he\n  thought the action against the Japanese was still consistent\n  with this policy.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.S.-JAPAN NOT IN TRADE WAR, YEUTTER SAYS\n","article":"  The United States and Japan are not\n  involved in a trade war, despite U.S. sanctions announced last\n  week against Japanese semiconductors, U.S. Trade Representative\n  Clayton Yeutter said.\n      \"In my judgement, we're not even close to a trade war,\"\n  Yeutter told a House Agriculture Committee hearing.\n      Yeutter said if Japan takes action to honor its agreement\n  with the U.S. on semiconductor trade, \"Then the retaliatory\n  response will last a relatively short period.\"\n      Yeutter said Japan must stop dumping chips in third\n  countries and buy more American computer chips.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CSCE ALTERS RULES ON TRADING LIMITS\n","article":"  The Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange\n  amended regulations governing expanded trading limits on\n  coffee, cocoa and sugar contracts to provide uniformity.\n      Effective today, the exchange will permit normal daily\n  price limits in those commodities to expand whenever the first\n  two limited contract months move the limit in the same\n  direction for two consecutive sessions.\n      The normal daily limits will be reinstated once the first\n  two limited deliveries close by less than the normal limit for\n  two successive trading days.\n      Previously exchange rules required the first three limited\n  months to move the limit in coffee and cocoa. It had required\n  the first two limited sugar deliveries to make such moves for\n  three consecutive sessions.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UAL <UAL> COMPLETES BUY OF HILTON INT'L\n","article":"  UAL Inc said it completed the\n  acquisition of Hilton International from Transworld Corp <TWT>,\n  paying 982.5 mln dlrs in cash and securities.\n      Hilton International will add 90 hotels to UAL's Westin\n  hotel unit, which operates 61 hotels. The two chains will have\n  a total of 151 hotels with 67,000 rooms and 71,000 employees,\n  it said.\n      Harry Mullikin, chairman and chief executive of UAL's\n  Westin Hotel unit, has been elected to the additional post of\n  chairman and chief executive of Hilton International.\n      UAL will change its name to Allegis at its annual meeting.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"OCCIDENTAL <OXY> SELLS UNIT TO <HENKEL KGAA>\n","article":"  Henkel KGaA of Dusseldorf, West\n  Germany, said it has completed the acquisition of the Process\n  Chemicals Division of Occidental Petroleum Corp's <OXY>\n  Occidental Chemical Corp subsidiary for undisclosed terms.\n      Process Chemicals, acquired from Diamond Shamrock Corp\n  <DIA> in September, makes specialty chemicals for a variety of\n  industrial markets and has annual sales of about 160 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY <SWN>, ARKLA <ALG> SET PACT\n","article":"  Southwestern Energy Co said\n  it reached an agreement with Arkla Energy Resources for Arkla\n  to carry gas owned by Southwestern subsidiaries.\n      Under the agreement, the interstate pipeline division of\n  Arkla Inc will carry up to 25 mln cubic feet of gas a day until\n  Dec 31, 1987, and, subject to capacity, up to 50 mln cubic feet\n  a day in 1988 and 75 mln feet a day for the rest of the pact.\n      Payment terms vary depending on the type of service\n  provided, a Southwestern spokesman said.\n      The deal is effective March one, 1987, expires July one,\n  1997, and is renewable yearly thereafter, he said.\n      The pact calls for transmission of gas owned by Arkansas\n  Western Gas Co, Seeco Inc, Arkansas Gas Gathering Co and\n  Southwestern Energy Production Co, Southwestern Energy said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN <AMR> SETS SCHEDULE FOR AIRCAL MERGER\n","article":"  AMR Corp's American Airlines unit said\n  it plans to complete the integration of AirCal into its\n  operations within four to five months.\n      American's merger with AirCal, announced last November,\n  received final approval from the Department of Transportation\n  yesterday.\n      American said Richard D. Pearson, coordinator of the\n  airline's merger activities, will become chairman and chief\n  executive officer of AirCal during the period up to completion\n  of the merger.\n      American said Pearson succeeds William Lyon, who has been\n  elected to AMR's board.\n      It added that David A. Banmiller will continue as AirCal's\n  president and chief operating officer.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GENCORP SAYS IT EXPECTS TO COMPLETE SALE OF WOR TV THIS WEEK, ALL CHALLENGES RESOLVED\n","article":"\n  GENCORP SAYS IT EXPECTS TO COMPLETE SALE OF WOR TV THIS WEEK, ALL CHALLENGES RESOLVED\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CHILEAN CONSUMER PRICES RISE 1.7 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Chile's consumer price index rose 1.7\n  pct in February to 562.01 (December, 1978 equals 100) after\n  increases of 2.0 pct in January and 0.9 pct in February 1986,\n  the government's National Statistics Institute said.\n      Inflation as measured by the index rose to 17.5 pct over\n  the 12 months to the end of February, compared with 16.6 pct\n  last month and 24.5 pct to the end of February, 1986.\n      In the first two months of the year, inflation was 3.8 pct,\n  against 3.6 pct in the same period of 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SYMS CORP <SYM> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr 43 cts vs 25 cts\n      Net 7.6 mln vs 4.4 mln\n      Revs 72.0 mln vs 66.9 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 84 cts vs 72 cts\n      Net 14.8 mln vs 12.7 mln\n      Revs 223.1 mln vs 215.2 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 4th qtr inludes gain of 2.6 mln dlrs on sale of\n  real estate.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NPS TECHNOLOGIES GROUP <NPSGU> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr N.A. vs N.A.\n      Net 46,000 vs 106,000\n      Revs 19.8 mln vs 19.0 mln\n      YEar\n      Shr 26 cts vs 26 cts\n      NEt 1.3 mln vs 1.3 mln\n      Revs 82.1 mln vs 105.3 mln\n      NOTE:1986 net includes 870,000 dlrs charge. 1985 net\n  includes 788,000 credit. No share amounts provided for 4th qtr\n  as NPS completed initial offering in August.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FREEPORT-MCMORAN RESOURCE LP <FRP> QTLY PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly cash distribution 60 cts vs 60 cts prior\n      Pay May 15\n      Record April 30\n      Note: Full name is Freeport-McMoRan Resources Partners LP.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BUTLER <BTLR> TO BUY SKYLIGHT MANUFACTURER\n","article":"  Butler Mfg Co said it signed a\n  memorandum of intent to acquire Naturalite Inc, a manufacturer\n  of skylights.\n      It said Garland, Texas-based Naturalite had sales in 1986\n  of about 20 mln dlrs.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DATA MEASUREMENT CORP <DMCB> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr 83 cts vs 60 cts\n      Net 516,063 vs 328,468\n      Revs 8.3 mln vs 5.7 mln\n      NOTE:Shrs reflect 3-for-2 stock split.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PUBCO CORP <PUBO> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 12 cts vs nine cts\n      Oper net 4,027,852 vs 3,200,837\n      Revs 100.2 mln vs 46.0 mln\n      Note: Oper net excludes tax credits of 517,916 vs 198,000\n      Current year results include proceeds from termination of a\n  pension plan.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COPPER STUDY GROUP CONSIDERED AT GENEVA MEETING\n","article":"  Major copper producing and consuming\n  countries are considering a U.S. proposal to set up a study\n  group to review the world copper market, delegates said.\n      The U.S. initiative was introduced last December at a\n  meeting held here under the auspices of the United Nations\n  Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).\n      The U.S., the world's largest copper consumer and second\n  biggest producer after Chile, has proposed setting up a body to\n  improve statistics and market transparency of the copper\n  economy, and provide a forum for discussion.\n      The new body would not aim at negotiating measures to\n  stabilise depressed world prices.\n      This week's meeting, which began yesterday, is due to end\n  Friday.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<MONTREAL TRUSTCO INC> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 94 cts vs 75 cts\n      Net 27.0 mln vs 18.4 mln\n      Revs 631.6 mln vs 409.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 27.1 mln vs 22.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TRADESTAR <TIRR> ACQUIRES IMAGE VIDEO\n","article":"  Tradestar Corp said it acquired\n  <Image Video Inc> for an undisclosed sum.\n      The company said Image Video produces and distributes\n  videos for the home market.\n      Image Video is scheduled to release 20 video projects in\n  1987, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CHIRAC, REAGAN DISCUSS ARMS CONTROL, TRADE\n","article":"  French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac\n  opened talks with President Ronald Reagan expected to focus on\n  superpower arms control moves and trade issues.\n      French officials said a major aim of Chirac's visit was to\n  present France's concern that the United States might ignore\n  European security interests in any accord with Moscow on\n  removing medium-range nuclear missiles from the continent.\n      But Reagan was expected to assure Chirac that he will not\n  agree to a deal at the Geneva superpower talks that would give\n  the Russians superiority in shorter-range systems, diplomats\n  said.\n      France has expressed doubts about removing U.S. missiles\n  from Europe so long as the Soviet Union maintains an edge in\n  other weaponry, particularly shorter-range rockets,\n  conventional forces and chemical weapons.\n      Speaking last night, Chirac set out the French position\n  saying: \"Any agreement on intermediate nuclear forces should\n  mention how equality can be achieved in short-range missiles.\"\n      Reagan and Chirac meanwhile signed an agreement ending a\n  dispute between two leading research institutes over patent\n  rights to a blood screening test for the deadly disease AIDS.\n      In a joint statement, Chirac and Reagan said the Pasteur\n  Institute in Paris and the National Cancer Institute, of\n  Bethesda, Maryland, agreed to give part of the royalties from\n  the test to a new foundation dedicated to the wordwide fight\n  against AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).\n      \"This agreement opens a new era in Franco-American\n  cooperation, allowing France and the United States to join\n  their efforts to control this terrible disease in the hopes of\n  speeding the development of an AIDS vaccine and cure,\" Reagan\n  said at the signing ceremony. \n      He said the two parties would share the patent and give 80\n  per cent of the royalties received to the new foundation.\n      The foundation would also raise private funds and would\n  donate 25 per cent of its money to combat AIDS in less\n  developed countries. \n      Both leaders stressed the long ties between France and the\n  United States during a welcoming ceremony in the White House\n  East Room, with Reagan describing France as \"America's oldest\n  ally in war and peace.\" \n      \"I have come to tell you that we are remain motivated by the\n  same ideals of freedom, by the same will to face the dangers\n  which we both confront -- terrorism, war, hunger, poverty, new\n  diseases and drugs,\" Chirac replied.\n      But the two countries are likely to have less to agree on\n  over the issue of trade, where Chirac is worried about a rise\n  in protectionism in the U.S. Congress. \n      A senior U.S. official yesterday dismissed a French idea to\n  sell cut-price grain to poor countries in Africa as a way of\n  lessening surplus stocks.\n      Chirac is expected to canvass support for the idea, first\n  proposed by French Agriculture Minister Francois Guillaume,\n  during his two-day visit to Washington.\n      The U.S. official described the idea as a \"grain producers'\n  OPEC\" -- a reference to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting\n  Countries -- and said it went against the Reagan\n  administration's desire to lessen government intervention in\n  trade.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GENCORP SAYS ALTERNATIVE TO HOSTILE TENDER TO BE ANNOUNCED WITHIN A WEEK\n","article":"\n  GENCORP SAYS ALTERNATIVE TO HOSTILE TENDER TO BE ANNOUNCED WITHIN A WEEK\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CANADA'S AIRLINE PROFITS SEEN HIGHER\n","article":"  Canada's airline industry, shaken up by\n  a recent merger that creates a powerful new competitor for\n  government-owned Air Canada, has begun its first serious drive\n  for profitability in 50 years, industry analysts said.\n      \"Now we've got a company that can compete with Air Canada,\"\n  said Thomas Bradley of Richardson Greenshields of Canada Ltd.\n  \"Clearly, it can go head-to-head in any market.\"\n      The new airline, which arose from the 300-mln-Canadian-dlr\n  takeover of Canadian Pacific Air Lines Ltd by the small but\n  cash-rich Pacific Western Airlines Corp, was launched last week\n  as Canadian Airlines International Ltd.\n      Canadian Airlines will have 35-40 pct of the\n  6-billion-Canadian-dlr domestic market, against Air Canada's\n  50-55 pct. Wardair International Ltd is third with about nine\n  pct.\n      Analysts believe Pacific Western's aggressive and\n  cost-conscious chairman Rhys Eyton will develop the true\n  potential of the former CP Air, which floundered for four\n  decades inside the bureaucracy of conglomerate Canadian Pacific\n  Ltd.\n      They said CP Air's management style had been not much\n  different from that of Air Canada, formed 50 years ago, because\n  neither airline was held accountable to its owners.\n      \"Not that long ago, maybe even just six months ago, these\n  two airlines were totally fiscally irresponsible. Neither\n  seemed that concerned about the bottom line,\" said Bradley.\n      \"But with CP Air being run by Eyton, it will be very\n  conscious of profitability and shareholder return. And Air\n  Canada is on the verge of going that way,\" he said.\n      CP Air, always fighting for market share rather than\n  profits, was \"a perennial money-loser,\" analyst Wilfred Hahn of\n  Bache Securities Inc said in a recent report.\n      Prior to its takeover in December, it had accumulated\n  long-term debt of 600 mln Canadian dlrs. From 1981 to 1985, its\n  losses totaled 87 mln Canadian dlrs.\n      Air Canada, widely expected to be privatized later this\n  year in a public share offering, lost 14.8 mln Canadian dlrs on\n  revenues of 2.72 billion dlrs in 1985. It has a debt of more\n  than 2 billion dlrs.\n      Although only a minority interest is likely to be sold to\n  the public, the prospect of privatization at a time of\n  increased competition is forcing Air Canada to pay more\n  attention to finances, analysts said.\n      It recently disclosed that it expects to report a profit \"in\n  excess of 35 mln to 40 mln dlrs\" for 1986. However, this profit\n  recovery was due less to management skill than the fact that\n  all Canadian airlines had a good year in 1986, analysts said.\n      Tourists came to Canada in record numbers last year,\n  attracted by the relatively weak Canadian dollar and Expo 86 in\n  Vancouver, which alone had more than 22 mln visitors.\n      For the next few years, most analysts see three-six pct air\n  traffic growth, and they expect profits will come from\n  cost-cutting and careful spending.\n      Peter Friend of Walywn Stodgell Cochran Murray Ltd said\n  institutional buyers will be eager to add Air Canada to their\n  portfolios as a blue-chip investment, but warned that new\n  competition makes profit growth less certain.\n      \"The airline with something to lose will be Air Canada. At\n  one time, it had a fixed system which was theirs and nobody\n  else's,\" Friend said.\n      Many analysts recommend that investors buy and hold airline\n  shares for at least a year.\n      Analysts said Air Canada's immediate concern ahead of a\n  public stock offering will be unloading unprofitable air routes\n  without setting off a political storm.\n      It also will be faced with an expensive but necessary\n  updating of its aging fleet of 111 aircraft.\n      Wardair, preferring strong medicine now instead of later,\n  already has embarked on a one-billion-Canadian-dlr purchase of\n  a dozen aircraft from Europe's Airbus Industrie.\n      Canadian Airlines, which has 81 aircraft, last week ordered\n  six commuter planes from British Aerospace and said it would\n  soon buy as many as six wide-bodied aircraft from Airbus or the\n  Boeing Co.\n      Analysts said Canadian Airlines, with its newer fleet,\n  needs to make fewer replacements and can afford these without\n  hurting profits.\n      Steven Garmaise of Wood Gundy Inc expects Canadian\n  Airlines' profit in 1988 will more than double last year's 29.8\n  mln Canadian dlrs by Pacific Western.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. DISTILLATE, GASOLINE INVENTORIES SEEN LOWER\n","article":"  Tonight's American Petroleum Institute\n  weekly inventory report is expected to show moderate drawdowns\n  in distillates and gasoline stocks for the week ended March 27,\n  analysts and traders said.\n      They said they expect gasoline stocks to fall three mln\n  barrels or less and heating oil inventories to drop between 1.3\n  and four mln barrels.\n      Some analysts see crude stocks falling by as much as six\n  mln barrels, while others think they could go up as much as 3.5\n  mln barrels. Crude oil runs are expected to be unchanged from\n  the previous week or slightly higher or lower.\n      For the week ended March 20, the API said gasoline stocks\n  fell 2.7 mln barrels. Mosts analysts expect a modest draw for\n  the week ended March 27. They said stocks could fall between\n  700,000 and three mln barrels. Some said there is also a chance\n  gasoline stocks will be unchanged.\n      API said distillate stocks dropped four mln barrels for the\n  week ended March 20. Analysts and traders generally predict a\n  similar or smaller depletion for last week. They said stock\n  levels could drop 1.3 to four mln barrels.\n      The analysts attribute product stockdraws to seasonal\n  factors but they said crude direction is harder to call.\n      Crude inventories rose 8.5 mln barrels in the week ended\n  March 20, API said. Analysts are looking for build of between\n  3.5 mln barrels to a six mln barrel draw for the week ended\n  March 27.\n      API reported the amount of refinery capacity utilized up\n  three pct for the week ended March 20. Analysts said\n  utilization could have remained unchanged, or rose or fell by\n  less than one pct for the week ended March 27.\n      Moderate product stockdraws would strengthen the market\n  slightly, analysts said. But bullish expectations are already\n  partially reflected in today's gains, they added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GENCORP <GY> ALTERNATIVE PLAN DUE WITHIN A WEEK\n","article":"  A. William Reynolds, chairman and\n  chief executive of GenCorp Inc, told shareholders he expects to\n  announce a company alternative to a 100-dlr-per-share hostile\n  tender within a week.\n      Last night the company urged shareholders to reject the\n  tender. Reynolds urged shareholders to be patient, saying the\n  group sponsoring the tender offer had months to evaluate\n  GenCorp while \"we have had only 10 days to respond.\"\n      Reynolds also disclosed the company has resolved legal\n  challenges to its planned sale of WOR TV, serving the New York\n  City market, and expects to complete the sale by Friday.\n      Reynolds said the company expects to book an after tax gain\n  of 250 mln dlrs from the sale of WOR TV. The company plans to\n  sell the station to MCA Inc <MCA> for 387 mln dlrs.\n      Reynolds did not specify whether the legal challenges were\n  dropped or dismissed. The Federal Communications Commission has\n  already approved the station's sale.\n      Money from the sale of the station will play a role in\n  helping develop an alternative to the tender offer co-sponsored\n  by AFG Industries Inc <AFG> and Wagner and Brown, Reynolds\n  said. He provided no other details.\n      Randall Hubbard, chairman of AFG, and Joel Reed, chief\n  financial officer of Wagner and Brown, attended the meeting,\n  which was shifted from a tire plant to a downtown hotel. About\n  300 people were present despite an overnight snowstorm.\n      Hubbard and Reed chatted briefly with Reynolds after the\n  meeting but declined to discuss their proposal with reporters.\n      Reynolds told the shareholders friends and family members\n  have been telling him \"Bill, just don't pay greenmail\" to end\n  the takeover threat. Greenmail describes a buyout of a minority\n  shareholder at a price not available to other holders. Reynolds\n  said he considers it a \"repugnant device.\"\n      Shareholders elected management's slate of 11 directors.\n  Mario Gabelli, head of a New York investment firm which owns a\n  large block of stock, proposed one nominee for the board.\n  Gabelli said the unsuccessful attempt was designed to \"stiffen\n  the backbone of the board to discourage greenmail.\"\n      Hubbard and Reed reiterated previous statements that they\n  are open to negotiations with GenCorp.\n      Asked about severance contracts for key executives in the\n  event of a shift in control of the company, Reynolds asserted\n  \"we're developing alternatives that would not result in a\n  change in control.\"\n      Asked whether the company's plan would be superior to any\n  proposal of AFG and Wagner and Brown, Reynolds commented, \"We\n  know the company, we know the values and we know the\n  opportunities better than any outside group.\"\n      In response to a question about whether any units are up\n  for sale, he said only that GenCorp is evaluating alternatives.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ILLINOIS POWER CO<IPC> TWO MONTHS FEBRUARY NET\n","article":"  Shr 65 cts vs 67 cts\n      Net 49,517,000 vs 47,732,000\n      Revs 229.2 mln vs 245.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 65,994,142 vs 63,293,867\n      NOTE: Per-share results reflect payment of preferred\n  dividend requirements\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"REAGAN RENEWS ANTI-PROTECTIONISM STAND, WHITE HOUSE SAYS TRADE WAR UNLIKELY\n","article":"\n  REAGAN RENEWS ANTI-PROTECTIONISM STAND, WHITE HOUSE SAYS TRADE WAR UNLIKELY\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AVERY <AVRY> SEES QTR, YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Avery Inc said the company will not\n  show a profit in the next quarter and will probably not show a\n  profit in 1987.\n      Speaking at the annual shareholders meeting, chairman\n  Nelson Peltz declined to estimate when the company would become\n  profitable.\n      Peltz said Uniroyal Chemical Co, acquired last year, would\n  increase Avery's operating earnings but that associated\n  acquisition costs would prevent Avery from posting net profits\n  for some time.\n      At the meeting, stockholders approved an increase in the\n  authorized number of common shares to 200 mln from 15 mln.\n      In the fiscal year ended May 30, 1986, Avery reported a\n  loss of 489,000 dlrs. The company has changed its fiscal year\n  to end Sept 30.\n      The increase in common shares would cover, among other\n  things, the exercise of Triangle Industries Inc's <TRI> and\n  Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc's warrants issued in relation to\n  Avery's 710 mln dlr acquisition of Uniroyal Chemical late last\n  year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRADE WAR FEARS MAY PROMPT STOCK MARKETS' DOWNTURN\n","article":"  The threatened trade war between the\n  United States and Japan is just the kind of shock that\n  economists say could send world stock markets into a tailspin.\n      But they are not so sure if that would be a brief\n  corrective dip, or whether this week's falling share prices\n  mark the start of a \"bear\" market.\n      \"It's the billion dollar question,\" said Richard O'Brien,\n  economist at American Express International Bank in London.\n      Japan's trade surplus -- 92.7 billion dlrs last year -- has\n  poured into share and bond markets around the world, and funded\n  a good chunk of the huge U.S. Budget deficit. Around a third of\n  any new sale of U.S. Treasury bonds has been bought by the\n  Japanese. However, Japanese investors have lost money as the\n  dollar falls and will lose more if the United States lets it\n  fall further to cut the trade deficit. The counterpart of\n  improving the trade deficit either through a lower dollar or\n  because the U.S. Increases duties on Japanese electronic goods,\n  may be to hit the capital inflow which has financed the budget\n  deficit.\n     And if the U.S. Trade deficit does fall, the Japanese will\n  have less money to invest. To entice U.S. Investors to fill the\n  gap that would be left if the Japanese stopped buying U.S.\n  Bonds, interest rates would have to soar, O'Brien said. The\n  subsequent shift from shares to bonds could cause major falls\n  on the world stock markets.\n      \"A year ago, we could be pretty confident about the markets,\"\n  said O'Brien. \"Now, it is much less certain.\"\n      Buoyant share prices are supposed to reflect a booming\n  economy. But the world economy, with sluggish growth at best in\n  the industrial nations, a massive load of Third World debt and\n  huge trade imbalances is not in good shape, said O'Brien.\n      Nevertheless, New York analyst William Raferty, of Smith\n  Barney Harris Upham said  \"We're still in a bull market,\" adding\n  that corrections are a normal part of a rising market and \"The\n  bear usually strikes slowly.\"\n      Economist Evelyn Brody, at Morgan Grenfell and Co in\n  London, said the huge sums of money going through the world\n  financial system will keep a floor under share and bond prices.\n      Although interest by the Japanese in putting their money in\n  non-dollar denominated bonds and stocks has increased it's very\n  difficult to see where else they can put their money than in\n  U.S. Dollars and especially the U.S. Treasury (bond) market,\n  according to David Butcher, a senior executive at Yamaichi\n  Securities Co Ltd's bond operation in London.\n      He said the Japanese are paying much closer attention now\n  to the French franc and West German mark.\n      In the longer run, he worries about what trade tensions and\n  the dollar's slide will mean for securities markets.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BIG BEAR INC <BGBR> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 46 cts vs 31 cts\n      Net 3,608,000 vs 2,448,000\n      Revs 223.5 mln vs 218.2 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr 87 cts vs 64 cts\n      Net 6,788,000 vs 4,992,000\n      Revs 441.5 mln vs 439.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NORTHVIEW CORP <NOVC> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 30 cts vs 51 cts\n      Net 966,000 vs 1,470,000\n      Revs 39.8 mln vs 41.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"PENNZOIL SEES LOWER 1ST QTR NET BEFORE UNUSUAL ITEM AGAINST YEAR AGO LOSS 49 CTS\n","article":"\n  PENNZOIL SEES LOWER 1ST QTR NET BEFORE UNUSUAL ITEM AGAINST YEAR AGO LOSS 49 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SCEPTRE RESOURCES LTD <SRL> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr seven cts vs two cts\n      Net 5,500,000 vs 4,300,000\n      Revs 69.1 mln vs 115.3 mln\n      Note: Shr after preferred divs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TALKING POINT\/BORG-WARNER CORP <BOR>\n","article":"  Borg-Warner Corp will vigorously\n  resist GAF Corp's 46-dlr-per-share takeover offer, but the\n  Midwest conglomerate may fall prey to another offer,\n  either from GAF or its own management, analysts believe.\n      Analysts also said Borg-Warner may attempt to escape GAF\n  through a restructuring. The speculation pushed Borg-Warner's\n  stock up 1-3\/8 to 48-1\/2 in heavy trading.\n      Analysts predicted feisty GAF Chairman Samuel Heyman will\n  stage a tough campaign to gain control of Borg-Warner so he can\n  add its profitable plastics and chemical business to GAF.\n      \"It seems from at least their dealing with (raider Irwin)\n  Jacobs that they don't want to be taken over. The question is\n  now do they acquiesce to GAF. I think instinctively, they want\n  to remain independent,\" said Dudley Heer of Duff and Phelps.\n      Borg-Warner has been under siege by takeover speculation\n  for almost a year. Last week, Jacobs' investment vehicle,\n  Minstar Inc, and an investor group sold its 10.1 mln\n  Borg-Warner shares. The same day, GAF Corp raised its stake by\n  9.1 mln shares to 19.9 pct of the outstanding.\n      Jacobs was interested in buying the company, but took no\n  steps toward a transaction.\n      \"Their (Borg-Warner) policy has been to stonewall them for\n  the last nine months. It's been one of the dullest corporate\n  battles I've seen,\" said one analyst.\n      The battle, however, has heated up, and the range of\n  breakup values on Wall Street span from the current market\n  price to almost 60 dlrs per share. Most analysts said they\n  think a price in the low 50s would be appropriate.\n      Arbitragers speculate that GAF will not give up easily on\n  its 3.16 billion dlr offer to buy the balance of Borg-Warner.\n      Analysts who know GAF predict Heyman will either end up\n  with Borg-Warner or enrich his chemicals and building materials\n  company in some other way. Heyman two years ago attempted an\n  unsuccessful takeover of Union Carbide Corp, but GAF benefited\n  from that company's restructuring.\n      \"Borg Warner can't quibble that it's not a legitimate\n  offer. It seems to me the short of it is Borg Warner is kind of\n  between a rock and a hard place. They either have to accept a\n  46 dlr proposal or perhaps work a deal where it's sweetened. I\n  personally think the company is (worth) around 55 dlrs per\n  share,\" said Pershing analyst Richard Henderson.\n      Henderson also speculated the company might attempt a\n  restructuring such as the one carried out by Goodyear Tire and\n  Rubber Co last year when it was being courted by Sir James\n  Goldsmith. The company bought back the financier's stock and\n  carried out a wider share repurchase.\n      Arbitragers, however, said they do not believe Heyman is\n  seeking \"greenmail,\" or the repurchase of his stock by the\n  company at a premium.\n      Analysts noted that Heyman seems to have no problems with\n  financing the transaction.\n      Previously associated with \"junk bond\" experts, Drexel\n  Burnham Lambert Inc, GAf said it would finance its Borg-Warner\n  takeover with bank financing. GAF said it would make a tender\n  offer following a merger agreement approved by the Borg-WArner\n  board and conditioned on the board's recommendation of the\n  tender offer and merger.\n      Heyman said in a letter to Borg-Warner that he expects a\n  merger would provide job security for Borg-Warner employees\n  since the two companies businesses overlap. Analysts, however,\n  believe Heyman would sell off assets he did not want to repay\n  debt from the transaction.\n      GAF's stock rose 1-5\/8 today, to 48-5\/8.\n     \"I believe, obviously, if GAF takes over Borg-Warner at the\n  level it is proposing it would enhance GAF share values\n  substantially,\" said Oppenheimer analyst Charles Rose.\n      He said at 46 dlrs per share, Heyman's average cost for the\n  company's stock would be 44 dlrs per share based on GAF's\n  current holdings.\n      Rose said the Borg-Warner plastics and chemical business,\n  which makes thermo-plastics is the asset attracting Heyman.\n  Analysts said it accounts for a third of Borg's earnings.\n      The plastics are used in telephone equipment, office\n  equipment and appliances. \"Borg has half the market in the U.S.\n  and is the leading technical player and the leading innovator,\"\n  Rose said. Its competitors are Dow Chemical Co <DOW> and\n  Monsanto Corp <MTC>, he said.\n      Borg-Warner also has an automotive parts business, and a\n  protective systems business, which includes Wells Fargo\n  security guards. It also has an information services business,\n  and is trying to sell its financial services business.\n      Borg-Warner earned 206.1 mln dlrs or 2.35 dlrs per share on\n  revenues of 3.62 billion dlrs in 1986. Smaller GAF, in 1986,\n  earned on an operating basis 80.7 mln dlrs or 2.22 dlrs per\n  share on sales of 753.8 mln dlrs.\n      GAF's net earnings included an after tax gain of 201.4 mln\n  from its participation in a Union Carbide exchange offer, a\n  special union carbide dividend, and the sale of its Union\n  Carbide shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MANHATTAN NAT'L <MLC> HOLDERS VOTE STOCK SALE\n","article":"  Manhattan National Corp said its\n  shareholders overwhelmingly approved a proprosal through which\n  <Union Central Life Insurance Co> took control of the company\n  by acquiring about 3.6 mln shares of newly issued Manhattan\n  National common stock for 43.2 mln dlrs.\n      The company said the transaction gives Union Central, a\n  Cincinnati-based mutual insurance company, a total of 8,804,397\n  shares of Manhattan National stock, or 52.2 pct of the total\n  outstanding.\n      Manhattan National said about three mln dlrs of the\n  invested funds will be used to repay short-term debt and two\n  mln dlrs has been earmarked for other short-term needs.\n      The remainder will be available for the company's insurance\n  units, or for other business purposes, it said.\n      Charles C. Hinkley, president and chief executive officer\n  of Union Central, is expected to be named chairman, president\n  and chief executive of Manhattan National, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PENNZOIL <PZL> SEES LOWER FIRST QTR\n","article":"  Pennzoil Co Chairman J. Hugh Liedtke\n  told a meeting of analysts that the company expects its first\n  quarter net to be down considerably, before an unusual item,\n  from the loss of 49 cts a share reported a year ago.\n      Liedtke did not say how large the unusual item would be.\n  \"We're still closing our books on the first quarter, so I don't\n  have final numbers for you,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. WEATHER\/COTTON SUMMARY -- USDA\/NOAA\n","article":"  Cotton planting began in California\n  and was expected to proceed rapidly in the week ended March 28,\n  the Joint Agriculture Weather Facility of the U.S. Agriculture\n  and Commerce Departments said.\n      In a summary of its Weather and Crops Bulletin, the agency\n  said winds and low soil temperature retarded growth and\n  hampered seeding in Arizona.\n      Planting moved into Mohave and Pinal Counties.\n      Cotton planting progressed well in the Lower Valley,\n  Coastal Bend and along the Upper Coast of Texas.\n      However, bad weather continued hampering cotton seedbed\n  preparations in Oklahoma.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"QUANTUM VENTURE UPS COMPUTER NETWORK<CMNT> STAKE\n","article":"  Computer Network Technology Corp\n  (CNT) said that <Quantum Venture Partners LP>, a private\n  investment limited partnership, has acquired an additional\n  600,000 shares of CNT common stock, raising its stake in CNT to\n  15.3 pct from 9.6 pct of the currently outstanding shares.\n      CNT said Quantum bought the shares by exercising 1.5 mln\n  dlrs in warrants, bringing its total investment in CNT to 2.5\n  mln dlrs.\n      CNT also said <Sand Technology Systems Inc> of Canada\n  bought two of its CHANNELink networking units for a data\n  processing service for major health care facilities in Canada.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JAPAN BUYS 5,000 TONNES CANADIAN RAPESEED\n","article":"  Japan bought 5,000 tonnes of Canadian\n  rapeseed overnight at an undisclosed price for April shipment,\n  trade sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ELCOR <ELK> UPS QTLY DIV, SETS STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Elcor Corp said it raised its\n  quarterly common stock dividend to 11 cts a share from nine cts\n  and declared a two-for-one common stock split.\n      The company said the increased dividend will be paid on May\n  13 to shareholders of record April 16.\n      The stock split, Elcor said, will paid in the form of a 100\n  pct stock dividend on May 28 to shareholders of record may 14.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"QUEST <QBIO> SIGNS PACT WITH ALZA <AZA>\n","article":"  Quest Biotechnology Inc said its Quest\n  Blood Substitute Inc subsidiary executed an agreement with Alza\n  Corp <AZA> which will make Alza a preferred shareholder of its\n  subsidiary.\n      Quest said the agreement also offers Alza the right to\n  acquire up to 25 pct of the unit's equity in exchange for the\n  acquisition of patent rights to Alza technology in an area\n  where Quest has an interest.\n      Quest also said its signed a merger agreement with <Hunt\n  Research Corp> and its affiliate <ICAS Corp>. Quest said it\n  expects to complete the merger within the next several weeks.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CHUBB <CB> COMPLETES SOVEREIGN <SOVR> BUYOUT\n","article":"  Chubb Corp said it completed the\n  previously announced acquisition of Sovereign Corp.\n      Under terms of the acquisition, Sovereign shareholders will\n  receive, in a tax-free exchange, 0.1365 share of Chubb common\n  for each Sovereign share held.\n      Chubb said the transaction was valued at 9.11 dlrs a share\n  based on the closing price of its stock on March 30.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"USDA'S AMSTUTZ \"SYMPATHETIC\" TO WOOD CREDITS\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture Undersecretary\n  Daniel Amstutz said he was \"totally sympathetic\" with U.S. wood\n  producers' desire to have their exports eligible for government\n  credit guarantees.\n      But he told the Senate Appropriations Agriculture\n  subcommittee that including wood products in the department's\n  short- or intermediate-term export guarantee programs would\n  conflict with U.S. multilateral trade obligations.\n      Currently, U.S. wood products are not eligible for\n  government export credit guarantee because they are considered\n  \"manufactured products,\" Amstutz said.\n      He said USDA had devoted an \"enormous amount\" of time to\n  considering making wood products eligible for the guarantees\n  and that Congress was considering a measure to do so.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ROYAL BANK\/CANADA SEES HIGHER 1987 LOAN LOSSES\n","article":"  <Royal Bank of Canada> said it\n  estimates 1987 loan losses at one billion dlrs, a 25 mln dlr\n  increase over last year.\n      Royal Bank said it set its provisions \"given the continued\n  debt-servicing problems ... in the North American energy\n  industry and the uncertain outlook for energy prices,\" and also\n  continued to add to its general provisions for loans to\n  troubled borrower countries.\n      The bank's loan loss provision for the first quarter ended\n  January 31 rose to 223 mln dlrs from 187 mln dlrs in the\n  year-ago quarter.\n      The bank said non-accrual loans, net of provisions for loan\n  losses, totalled 2.2 billion dlrs on January 31, up from 2.0\n  billion dlrs a year ago.\n      In reporting lower first quarter earnings, chairman Allan\n  Taylor said problems with credit quality--particularly in loans\n  associated with the energy sector--continue to have a\n  substantial adverse effect on the bank's earnings.\n      Taylor said profitability of the bank's international\n  operations remains weak, reflecting resource-related\n  difficulties of private and public sector borrowers and\n  unsatisfactory results from capital market activities.\n      Taylor said it would be premature to speculate on the\n  outcome of debt resturcturing negotiations with Brazil or their\n  potential impact on the Royal Bank.\n      The bank earlier reported first quarter profit fell to\n  114.1 mln dlrs from 140.4 mln dlrs a year ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"INVERNESS BUYS ASSETS FROM PARENT SILVERTON\n","article":"  <Inverness Petroleum Ltd> said\n  it acquired the oil and gas assets of its controlling\n  shareholder <Silverton Resources Ltd> for 26.4 mln dlrs,\n  effective March 3, 1987.\n      Inverness said it issued 2,640,000 class A convertible\n  retractable redeemable preferred shares in exchange for the\n  assets, which include all Silverton's oil and gas properties,\n  undeveloped acreage and its shares of Australian subsidiary\n  S.R.L. Exploration Pty Ltd.\n      The preferred shares were immediately retracted for cash,\n  the company said.\n      The transaction resulted in a discharge of Silverton's bank\n  debt of 21.0 mln dlrs and a three mln dlr loan to Inverness\n  from Silverton, Inverness said.\n      As a result of the acquisition, Inverness has bank debt of\n  18.0 mln dlrs, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BRISTOL-MYERS TRUST <BYU> EXTENDS EXPIRATION\n","article":"  <Americus Shareowner Service Corp>\n  said the Americus Trust for Bristol-Myers will continue to\n  accept tendered Bristol-Meyers Co <BMY> shares until December\n  one, extending the original expiration date of April one for\n  eight months.\n      If the common stock price exceeds the trust's termination\n  price of 110 dlrs, Americus Shareowner Service said, the trust\n  will be temporarily closed until the price of the underlying\n  stock falls below the termination price.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"QUEST BIOTECHNOLOGY <QBIO> UNIT IN MERGER PACT\n","article":"  Quest Biotechnology Inc said its new\n  subsidiary, Quest Blood Substitute Inc, signed the agreement\n  and plan of merger with Hunt Research Corp and its affiliate,\n  ICAS Corp.\n      It said Quest Blood expects to complete the merger within\n  the next several weeks. Terms were not disclosed.\n      In a related transaction, Quest Blood said it executed an\n  agreement with Alza Corp, which will make Alza a preferred\n  shareholder of Quest Blood and offer Alza the right to acquire\n  a total equity position of up to 25 pct of Quest Blood in\n  exchange for acquisition of patent rights to Alza technology.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"LINCOLN FOODSERVICE <LINN> COMPLETES PURCHASE\n","article":"  Lincoln Foodservice Products\n  Inc said it completed purchasing certain assets of Redco\n  product line of food slicers, cutters and wedgers from the\n  Dean\/Alco Food Prep division of <Alco Foodservice Equipment\n  Co.>\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"I.R.E. FINANCIAL CORP <IF> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 94 cts vs 77 cts\n      Net 2.1 mln vs 1.7 mln\n      Revs 7.8 mln vs 8.8 mln\n      NOTE:Per share data reflects elimination of 500,000 shares\n  owned by 50 pct owned subsidiary and reflect one-for-three\n  reverse stock split effective march 5, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ENERGY VENTURES CINC <ENGY> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Net profit 510,000 vs loss 5,700,000\n      Revs 875,000 vs 4,100,000\n      Year\n      Net profit 871,000 vs loss 4,100,000\n      Revs 4,700,000 vs 14.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PANTERA <PANT> AND PIZZA <PZA> AGREE TO MERGE\n","article":"  Pantera's Corp said it agreed in\n  principle to acquire Pizza Inn Inc in a cash and stock\n  transaction.\n      Under terms of the proposed transaction, each Pizza Inn\n  share can be exchanged for either three dlrs in cash plus the\n  lesser of 1.4 shares of Pantera's common stock or 11.50 dlrs\n  market value of Pantera's stock, or four dlrs in cash plus a\n  unit consisting of one share of Pantera's stock and a\n  non-transferrable right to receive up to 0.55 share of\n  Pantera's stock under certain conditions, it said.\n      Completion of the transaction is subject to arrangement of\n  financing, negotiation of a definitive agreement, and various\n  regulatory approvals, it said.\n      Pantera's said Pizza Inn's largest shareholder, F.J.\n  Spillman, previously granted Pantera's an option to buy more\n  than one mln shares of Pizza Inn common stock owned by him.\n      Pantera's also said it retained Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc\n  to act as its financial advisor in connection with the merger.\n  Pizza Inn has retained Dean Witter Reynolds Inc to act as its\n  financial advisor, Pantera's said.\n      Yesterday, Pantera's stock closed at 9.50 dlrs on NASDAQ,\n  while Pizza Inn's stock was quoted at 12 dlrs when the Amex\n  halted trading pending the announcement of the proposed merger.\n      From its Dallas headquarters, Pizza Inn said completion of\n  the transaction is subject to certain conditions including that\n  the price of Pantera's stock average not less than seven dlrs\n  during the 20 trading days before the merger.\n      Under the agreement, Pizza Inn said it will still be\n  permitted to complete a leveraged buyout agreement with Pizza\n  Inn Acquiring Corp, which has been approved by its\n  shareholders, but is subject to otaining financing.\n     \n   More\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CHINA CROP WEATHER SUMMARY -- USDA\/NOAA\n","article":"  Moderate to heavy rain continued\n  over early double-crop rice areas in eastern Guangxi,\n  Guanghdong, eastern Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian, and Zhejiang in the\n  week ended March 28, the Joint Agricultural Weather Facility of\n  the U.S. Agriculture and Commerce Departments said.\n      In its International Weather and Crop summary, the agency\n  said The moisture lessened the need for irrigation. Moisture\n  for early rice planting is adequate to abundant in most areas,\n  and inundative rain in Guangdong and southern Jiangxi may have\n  washed out some rice fields requiring replanting.\n       Light showers in southern Sichuan increased topsoil\n  moisture for corn planting, which likely is off to a slow start\n  due to earlier dryness, it said.\n      In the North China Plain, dry weather covered winter wheat\n  in the vegetative stage, and rain is needed to meet increasing\n  crop moisture requirements, it said.\n      Weekly temperatures in the North China Plain were near\n  normal, the agency noted.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WILSON BROTHERS COMPLETES SALE\n","article":"  Wilson Brothers said it completed\n  the sale of most of the assets of its Enro Shirt Co Inc,\n  Enro-At-Ease Inc and Foxcroft Shirt Ltd subsidiaries to Enro\n  Acquisition Corp for about 24.2 mln dlrs, half in cash and half\n  in subordinated promissory notes.\n      Enro Acquisition is a newly formed corporation and owns\n  Ramar Intercapital Corp and Wilson's chief operating officer,\n  V. Jerome Kaplan, and other managers.\n      Enro Acquisition also assumed most of the units'\n  liabilities including a 6.2 mln dlrs term loan.\n      Completion of the sale and recent sales of substantially\n  all the assets of the company's 50 pct owned affiliate GMW\n  Industries INc, are expected to result in a net gain of about\n  nine mln dlrs in the first quarter of 1987.\n      For the year ago first quarter, Wilson reported net income\n  of 28,000 dlrs, including a 103,000 dlrs credit, on sales of\n  15.8 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SWISS MONEY MARKET PAPER YIELDS 3.286 PCT\n","article":"  The Swiss Federal Government's new series\n  of six-month money market certificates raised 177.5 mln Swiss\n  francs at an issue price of 98.401 pct to give an average\n  annual yield of 3.286 pct, the National Bank said.\n      Payment date is March 5.\n      The last series of six-month paper issued in January raised\n  159.6 mln francs at 98.392 pct to give an average yield of\n  3.251 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ELSINORE CORP <ELX> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 4.05 dlrs vs loss 2.47 dlrs\n      Net loss 39,598,000 vs loss 24,152,000\n      Revs 96.0 mln vs 87.9 mln\n      Note: Current year figures include 7.2 mln dlr provision\n  for anticipated loss on note receivable, 25.4 mln dlr writedown\n  on asset carrying value and 8.5 mln dlr provision for future\n  operating losses at Elsinore Shore Associates.\n      Prior year figures include 10.5 mln dlr provision for\n  future losses at Elsinore Shore Associates.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EC MINISTER SEES OILS TAX STILL IN NEGOTIATION\n","article":"  The outcome of negotiations on\n  proposals by the European Commission for a 330 Ecus a tonne tax\n  on EC-produced and imported oilseeds and marine oils remains\n  difficult to predict, Belgian agriculture minister Paul de\n  Keersmaeker told a news conference.\n      De Keersmaeker, who chaired a meeting of EC farm ministers\n  which ended today, was asked about reports enough countries\n  were against the tax to ensure that it would be defeated in\n  negotiations on the EC farm price package for 1987\/88.\n      He said it was true some countries were strongly opposed,\n  but others were less so and others basically in favour.\n      \"I think there is room for negotiations, and I would not\n  want to make any predictions at this stage,\" de Keersmaeker\n  said.\n      Yesterday, British minister Michael Jopling said Britain,\n  West Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands and Denmark were\n  opposed to the measure. Between them these countries have more\n  than enough voting power to block it.\n      Diplomatic sources said at today's meeting the Spanish\n  delegation also expressed strong reservations about the idea.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GRUNTAL FINANCIAL <GRU> 2ND QTR FEB 27 NET\n","article":"  Shr primary 33 cts vs 33 cts\n      Shr diluted 27 cts vs 32 cts\n      Net 3,669,000 vs 3,556,000\n      Revs 58.2 mln vs 56.6 mln\n      Avg shrs primary 11.2 mln vs 11.1 mln\n      Avg shrs diluted 15.1 mln vs 11.1 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr primary 43 cts vs 46 cts\n      Shr diluted 37 cts vs 45 cts\n      Net 4,711,000 vs 4,879,000\n      Revs 101.9 mln vs 95.7 mln\n      Avg shrs primary 11.2 mln vs 10.9 mln\n      Avg shrs diluted 15.1 mln vs 10.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC MINISTERS EXTEND BEEF, MILK MARKETING YEARS\n","article":"  European Community agriculture\n  ministers agreed to extend the 1986\/87 milk and beef marketing\n  years to the end of May, Belgian minister Paul de Keersmaeker\n  told a news conference.\n      He said the reason for the two-month extension of the only\n  EC farm product marketing years which end during the spring\n  months was that it would be impossible for ministers formally\n  to agree 1987\/88 farm price arrangements before May 12.\n      This is when the European Parliament is due to deliver its\n  opinion on price proposals from the EC Commission.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WHITE HOUSE DISCOUNTS THREAT OF TRADE WAR\n","article":"  President Reagan has reaffirmed his\n  opposition to protectionism and his chief spokesman said trade\n  sanctions imposed on Japan were unlikely to start a trade war.\n      \"We don't want to go down that road,\" Reagan was quoted as\n  telling Prime Minister Jacques Chirac after the visiting French\n  official expressed concern about the rising tide of\n  protectionist sentiment in the United States.\n      Later, White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater defended the\n  new sanctions against Japan and said administration officials\n  \"do not believe this will result in a trade war.\"\n      \"It is the first time that the United States has taken an\n  action of this type and it is significant but it is nothing to\n  be alarmed about,\" the presidential spokesman added.\n      \"We do not want protectionism ... We do not want a trade\n  war,\" he said.\n      Fitzwater said the president was forced to act in the\n  Japanese microchip case because Tokyo had failed to fulfill \"an\n  agreement to make some corrections.\"\n      Noting that there are \"enormous pressures in the Congress\n  and the land\" for the United States to take a tough stand, he\n  said, \"This was a case where we felt we simply had to act.\"\n      Fitzwater said the decision to impose sanctions was \"well\n  considered by this administration and not taken lightly.\"\n      While the White House official held open the possibility\n  that Washington and Tokyo will settle their trade dispute, he\n  indicated a settlement probably would not come in time to head\n  off the sanctions.\n      \"We are always open to negotations ... Whether it (a\n  settlement) could occur in time to prevent this (the sanctions)\n  from going into effect is questionable at this point,\" the\n  spokesman said.\n      The sanctions take effect in mid-April.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WHITE HOUSE WELCOMES RISE IN INDICATORS\n","article":"  The White House welcomed last\n  month's 0.7 pct increase in the Index of Leading Economic\n  Indicators, the government's key barometer of future economic\n  growth.\n      The increase reversed a decline in January of 0.5 pct.\n      Presidential spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said the new\n  figures signalling more economic growth in coming months showed\n  that the index was \"back on track\" after its downturn at the\n  first of the year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CENTURI INC <CENT> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 13 cts vs six cts\n      Oper net 2,124,013 vs 909,158\n      Revs 168.6 mln vs 157.6 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 and 1985 years exclude loss discontinued\n  operations 6,974,554 dlrs, and 268,000 dlrs, respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STANDEX INTERNATIONAL <SXI> BUYS BRITISH FIRM\n","article":"  Standex International Corp said it\n  acquired <Alan Duffy Engineering Ltd> of Blackburn, Lancashire,\n  England, for an undisclosed amount of cash.\n      The newly-acquired company will operate as part of\n  Standex's Perkins division, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER PURSUING S. ASIAN REVALUATIONS\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker told\n  the House Appropriations Committee the United States is still\n  pressing newly industrialized south Asian nations that have\n  tied their currencies to the dollar to let those currencies\n  strengthen against the U.S. currency.\n      \"We have seen some strengthening of those currencies (but)\n  not as much as we would like,\" he said.\n      \"We have been somewhat disappointed in the results so far,\n  but we intend to continue these discussions,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"STERLING DRUG <STY> SELLS ASSETS OF SUBSIDIARY\n","article":"  Sterling Drug Inc said it sold the\n  assets of its subsidiary Greene Dental Products Inc to Rinn\n  Corp, of Elgin, Ill.\n      The cash purchase price was not disclosed.\n      Greene produces and sells dental X-ray tabs, mount products\n  and record systems.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BALDRIGE SAYS U.S. TO GO AHEAD WITH JAPANESE SANCTIONS\n","article":"\n  BALDRIGE SAYS U.S. TO GO AHEAD WITH JAPANESE SANCTIONS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BALDRIGE SAYS U.S. TO IMPOSE JAPANESE SANCTIONS\n","article":"  Commerce Secretary Malcolm Baldrige\n  said the United States would go ahead with planned 300 mln dlr\n  sanctions against Japanese semiconductor exports, despite any\n  U.S. Japanese talks to avert the trade curbs.\n      He said in a speech to an export-import group that he was\n  sure the United States and Japan could work out their dispute\n  over unfair Japanese trade practices in semiconductor trade,\n  but \"I am sure the sanctions will go in before we work it out.\"\n      Sanctions are to be imposed on April 17.\n      He also said he did not think there would be a trade war\n  with Japan, because Japan had too much value in exports to the\n  United States to risk such a war.\n      \"Those fears are unfounded,\" he said.\n      He told reporters later that the sharp drop in the\n  securities market was not due to fears of a trade war, but fear\n  of inflation and that the Federal Reserve may act on that fact.\n      Market reaction was also due, he said, to the drop in the\n  value of the dollar, although trade issues did have some\n  effect.\n      Baldrige said that observers who were attributing the drop\n  in the market to trade sanctions were \"barking up the wrong\n  tree.\"\n      He said the market observers will realize this shortly.\n      Baldrige said his remarks did not mean to suggest anything\n  about the market or the exchange rate of the dollar.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SENIOR U.S. OFFICIAL TO VISIT JAPAN AS TRADE ROW GROWS\n","article":"  Undersecretary of State Michael\n  Armacost will visit Tokyo next week for meetings with\n  high-level officials that will include discussions of a growing\n  trade row over Japanese semiconductor electronics products.\n      He is the first high-level U.S. official to visit Japan\n  since President Reagan announced last week plans to impose\n  tariffs worth up to 30 mln dls on Japanese electronic goods on\n  April 17 in retaliation for Tokyo's alleged failure to live up\n  to a pact on microchip trade signed last September.\n      The trip is set for April 6-8, the state department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UNION PACIFIC <UNP>CLOSES VENEZUELAN PARTNERSHIP\n","article":"  Union Pacific Corp said it has closed\n  the previously announced 50-50 partnership with Petroleos de\n  Venezuela SA, Venezuela's national oil company, to own a\n  160,000 barrel per day refinery in Corpus Christi, Texas.\n      Union Pacific said the partnership, called Champlin\n  Refining Co, will acquire the refining and distribution system\n  owned and operated by Union Pacific's Champlin Petroleum Co\n  subsidiary. The Venezuelan company also signed a 25-year\n  feedstock agreement with the partnership to supply at least\n  140,000 barrels a day of Venezuelan crude oil and naphtha at\n  market related prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NIGERIA, GUINEA SET UP IRON ORE FIRM WITH LIBERIA\n","article":"  Nigeria and Guinea agreed to set up a new\n  company with Liberia to carry out the 14-year-old\n  Mifergui-Nimba iron ore project, an official communique said.\n      The communique was issued after two days of talks here\n  between Guinean natural resources minister Ousmane Sylla and\n  Nigerian minister of mines and power Bunu Sheriff Musa.\n      Originally, Guinea held 50 pct in the project and Nigeria\n  16.2 pct with firms from several other countries also involved,\n  but the project ran into problems over funding and the slump in\n  world iron ore markets.\n      Musa said Liberia was invited to join and its share will be\n  decided after a project feasibility study. This would be\n  completed in May after which finance will be sought. Officials\n  said the study will be undertaken with the help of the World\n  Bank, which is also expected to give financial support.\n      Production, originally estimated at 15 mln tonnes a year,\n  will be 12 mln initially and is expected to begin in early\n  1990.\n      On an agreement between the two countries to prospect for\n  uranium in Guinea, the communique said Musa and Sylla agreed\n  that because of poor market conditions, it would be extended to\n  cover exploration for gold, diamonds, cobalt, nickel and\n  silver.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SCAN-GRAPHICS, CAPTIVE VENTURE CAPITAL MERGE\n","article":"  <Scan-Graphics Inc> said it has\n  completed a merger with <Captive Venture Capital Inc> in which\n  former shareholders of Scan-Graphics have beome majority\n  shareholders of the merged company and the Scan-Graphics board\n  has been named the board of the merged company.\n      It said the merged company is now known as Scan-Graphics\n  Inc and expects to be listed on the NASDAQ system soon.\n      It said Captive Venture issued 1,600,000 restricted\n  preferred shares convertible into 16 mln common shares for\n  Scan-Graphics.  Captive had 2,649,500 common shares outstanding\n  before the merger.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NODAWAY VALLEY CO <NVCO> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 16 cts vs 23 cts\n      Net 385,747 vs 549,928\n      Revs 10.5 mln vs 9,037,596\n      Year\n      Shr 40 cts vs 58 cts\n      Net 946,024 vs 1,352,709\n      Revs 36.2 mln vs 30.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<LIGHTNING MINERALS INC> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss four cts vs loss six cts\n      Net loss 92,917 vs loss 104,038\n      Revs 21.9 mln vs 5,091,000\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BOBBIE BROOKS INC <BBKS> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 41 cts vs loss 1.13 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 3,093,000 vs loss 7,000,000\n      Revs 35.9 mln vs 31.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 7,508,096 vs 6,207,723\n      NOTE: Current year excludes gain of about 2.5 mln dlrs or\n  33 cts\/shr from benefit of tax loss carryforward and includes\n  pretax gain of about 1.2 mln dlrs from sale of export quota\n  rights.\n      Year-ago includes charge of five mln dlrs from discontinued\n  operations.\n      1985 is for eight mths ended Dec 31, 1985. In that year,\n  company changed to calendar year from previous fiscal year\n  ended April 27, 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CELLULAR COMMUNICATIONS INC <COMM> NINE MTHS\n","article":"  Dec 31 end\n      Shr loss 1.26 dlrs vs loss six cts\n      Net loss 11.4 mln vs loss 400,000\n      Revs 12.5 mln vs 4,049,000\n      NOTEL Company changed fiscal year to December 31 end.\n      Prior year net includes gain 4,454,031 dlrs from sale of\n  minority interests in Connecticut partnerships.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"WILSON BROTHERS 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss 30 cts vs loss 31 cts\n      Net loss 1.0 mln vs loss 1.0 mln\n      Revs 2.3 mln vs 1.7 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 0 10 cts vs loss 45 cts\n      Net profit 508,000 vs loss 1.5 mln\n      Revs 5.8 mln vs 6.7 mln\n      NOTE:1986 year and qtr net includes loss of 37,000 dlrs and\n  538,000 dlrs, respectively from from discontinued operations.\n  1986 net includes 1.7 mln dlr credit. 1985 year and qtr\n  includes gain of 1.0 mln dlrs and loss of 190,000, respectively\n  from discontinued operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"(POLORON PRODUCTS INC) YEAR OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 26 cts vs 16 cts\n      Oper net 948,000 vs 480,000\n      Revs 25.4 mln vs 19.9 mln\n      NOTE: Excludes loss of 6.7 mln dlrs or 1.82 dlrs\/shr vs\n  gain of 453,000 dlrs or 15 cts from discontinued operations.\n  1985 also excludes extraordinary gain equal to 34 cts\/shr.\n      1986 ended Dec 31 and 1985 ended Nov 30. In 1986, company\n  changed fiscal year end to Dec 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"DISTRIBUTED LOGIC CORP <DLOG> 1ST QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Qtr ended Jan 31\n      Shr loss nine cts vs profit 13 cts\n      Net loss 231,256 vs profit 341,730\n      Revs 2,793,677 vs 3,676,296\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GENEX CORP <GNEX> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 94 cts vs loss 1.25 dlrs\n      Net loss 12.1 mln vs loss 15.9 mln\n      Revs 3,307,000 vs 16.2 mln\n      NOTE: Current year includes writedown of 8.5 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BIC CORP <BIC> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 15 cts vs 15 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 14\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CULP INC <CULP> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div two cts vs two cts prior\n      Pay May 26\n      Record April 21\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BROADER U.S. EEP SOUGHT BY REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS\n","article":"  Republican members of the House\n  Agriculture Committee said they will propose amendments\n  tomorrow to a pending trade bill increasing funding for the\n  export enhancement program, EEP, and significantly expanding\n  the scope of the program.\n      At a press conference, Republican lawmakers said they would\n  propose expanding EEP to include all countries \"willing to\n  purchase additional commodities at reasonable prices.\"\n      In addition, the Congressmen said they would propose\n  extending the life of EEP to five years from the current three\n  years and increasing the EEP funding ceiling to 2.5 billion\n  dlrs from 1.5 billion at present.\n      The Agriculture committee tomorrow will begin drafting\n  amendments to an omnibus trade bill now before the House.\n      Responding to the Republican plan, Agriculture Secretary\n  Richard Lyng and Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter said they\n  favor a flexible, targeted use of EEP instead of an\n  across-the-board program which they termed too costly.\n      The Republican Congressmen also said they will offer an\n  amendment to the trade bill instructing the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department to value the bonus commodities used for EEP at the\n  market value, rather than the cost of acquisition.\n      But Lyng said USDA already plans to change to market value\n  accounting rather than acquisition value, in order to avoid\n  hitting a funding ceiling for eep of 1.5 billion dlrs.\n      Lyng said under market value accounting only about 700 mln\n  dlrs of EEP commodities have been used to date. Using\n  acquisition value, USDA officials said the value is higher.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"WALL STREET STOCKS\/AMES DEPT STORES <ADD>\n","article":"  Ames Department Stores Inc fell 1-7\/8\n  to 23 in what analysts said was a reaction to a surprise\n  announcement earlier today by the company that earnings in the\n  fiscal year ended January 31 will decline sharply.\n      Ames said it expects to report earnings of between 72 and\n  77 cts per share compared with 1.19 dlrs per share in the\n  previous year.\n      \"We were looking for 1.15 dlrs,\" said an analyst at a major\n  Wall Street firm who declined to be identified. Ames said most\n  of the decline resulted from an inventory shortage at its\n  Secaucus, N.J. distribution center.\n      \"The obvious suspicion is that there has been some kind of\n  fraud or theft,\" said Ralph Shulansky, senior vice president of\n  Ames. \"We do not have hard evidence we are still putting things\n  together.\"\n      He said it would take several weeks for the company to\n  complete an investigation. He said there are no law enforcement\n  officials involved at this time.\n      He declined to quantify the inventory shortage but said it\n  was the major reason for the decline in earnings. A decline in\n  gross margin percentage and an increase in the effective tax\n  rate also contributed to the downturn, Ames said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TARO VIT INDUSTRIES LTD <TAROF> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss eight cts vs profit nil\n      Net loss 488,759 vs profit 14,289\n      Sales 6,067,676 vs 5,047,383\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TRIBUNE <TRB>, SCRIPPS <SCRP> EXCHANGE PAPERS\n","article":"  Tribune Co said it exchanged cash and\n  the assets of eight of its Sunbelt Publishing Co community\n  publications circulated in the Naples and Fort Myers, Fla.,\n  area for assets of nine community papers in suburban Tampa and\n  St. Petersburg published by Gulf Coast Newspapers Inc.\n      Gulf Coast is a subsidiary of the E.W. Scripps Co (doing\n  business as Scripps Howard).\n      No additional financial details were disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANADA INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION UP 2.53 PCT\n","article":"  Canadian industrial production rose 2.53\n  pct in December after falling 0.51 pct in November, Statistics\n  Canada said.\n      The federal agency said year-over-year production was off\n  0.65 pct in December, compared with a decline of 1.65 pct in\n  November.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. OFFICIAL TO VISIT JAPAN AS TRADE ROW GROWS\n","article":"  Undersecretary of State Michael\n  Armacost will visit Tokyo next week for meetings with\n  high-level officials that will include talks on the growing\n  trade row over Japanese semiconductor electronics products.\n      He is the first high-level U.S. official to visit Japan\n  since President Reagan announced last week plans to impose\n  tariffs worth up to 30 mln dlrs on Japanese electronic goods on\n  April 17 in retaliation for Tokyo's alleged failure to live up\n  to a pact on microchip trade signed last September.\n      Deputy State Department spokeswoman Phyllis Oakley said the\n  trip is set for April 6 to 8.\n      U.S.-Japanese talks of this kind are regularly held each\n  year at this time, she told reporters.\n      The Armacost discussions with Deputy Foreign Minister\n  Ryohei Murata and other senior Japanese officials will focus on\n  U.S.-Japanese foreign aid programs and political security\n  issues of mutual concern, she added.\n      \"Although an exchange of views on bilateral relations is\n  expected, the talks are not directly related to U.S.-Japanese\n  trade relations,\" she insisted.\n      But, in response to questions, Oakley acknowledged that\n  trade will be discussed.\n     Japan's 58.6 billion dlrs trade surplus with the United\n  States last year has come under fire in Congress, which is\n  concerned about the loss of jobs to foreign competition and\n  with the record 169 billion dlrs U.S. Trade deficit in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ROYEX OFFERS 50 DLRS\/SHR AND 40 DLRS\/WARRANT FOR INTERNATIONAL CORONA\n","article":"\n  ROYEX OFFERS 50 DLRS\/SHR AND 40 DLRS\/WARRANT FOR INTERNATIONAL CORONA\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. CARGO PREFERENCE SQUABBLE CONTINUES\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department said\n  it will begin charging interest tomorrow on the over 12 mln\n  dlrs the Department of Transportation, DOT, owes USDA to pay\n  for its share of the cost of shipping food aid on U.S. vessels.\n      USDA General Sales Manager Melvin Sims told the Senate\n  Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee his department had\n  billed DOT 12 mln dlrs, and that interest on that amount and an\n  additional charge would begin accruing April 1.\n      USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator Thomas\n  Kay told Reuters DOT could owe USDA as much as 20 mln dlrs.\n      The two departments are trying to hammer out an accord on\n  how to fund the increasing share of food aid required to be\n  shipped on U.S. flag vessels under a 1985 farm bill provision\n  on cargo preference.\n      Sims said the agencies were near to reaching a memorandum\n  of understanding governing how DOT would pay for its share of\n  the cargo preference costs.\n      Under the 1985 bill, the percentage of food aid shipments\n  carried on U.S. vessels was to increase gradually over three\n  years to 75 pct in 1988 from 50 pct.\n      Although the increased cost was to be funded by DOT, Sims\n  said that department to date has contributed no money.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BARUCH-FOSTER CORP <BFO> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 92 cts vs profit one ct\n      Net loss 2,487,439 vs profit 48,709\n      Revs 1,788,141 vs 4,167,070\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.50 dlrs vs profit 48 cts\n      Net loss 4,073,724 vs profit 1,309,412\n      Revs 8,193,455 vs 15.7 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 year net includes 3,095,305 dlr writedown of oil\n  properties and reserves.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LIFETIME <LFT> TO BUY SHARES OF NIPPON LACE\n","article":"  Lifetime Corp said it agreed to buy\n  five mln shares, or 16 pct, of <Nippon Lace Co Ltd> for 3.28\n  dlrs a share, or 16.5 mln dlrs.\n      It said it plans to enter the health care business in\n  Japan.\n      In addition, it said <Koba Electronics Co Ltd>, an\n  affiliate of Lifetime, will buy four mln unissued shares, or a\n  12 pct stake, of Nippon for 20 mln dlrs or five dlrs a share.\n      The company said Ohta Shoji, chief executive officer of\n  <Toho Mutual Life Insurance Co>, owns the majority of Koba\n  Electronics' shares. Toho Mutual Life is also the largest\n  shareholder in Nippon Lace, the company said.\n      Lifetime also said the <Private Bank and Trust of Zurich>,\n  on behalf of Lifetime director and shareholder Terence Ramsden,\n  intends to subscribe for two mln shares of Nippon Lace at the\n  same price paid by Lifetime.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GOULD <GLD> DIVISION GETS FINANCING\n","article":"  Gould Inc's systems protection\n  division said it selected Merrill Lynch Interfunding INc to\n  provide financing for the purchase of the division from the\n  parent company.\n      Terms were not disclosed. The agreement was announced in\n  February and Gould expects the transaction to be completed by\n  the end of April.\n      The agreement assures the retention of more than 600 jobs\n  at a northeast Philadelphia plant which had been in jeapardy\n  when Gould had accepted a tentative offer from Westinghouse INc\n  which was later terminated.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WELBILT <WELB> COMPLETES ACQUISITIONS\n","article":"  Welbilt Corp said it\n  completed the previously announced acquisitions of the assets\n  of L and M Manufacturing Co and Food Machinery Engineering Co,\n  two manufacturers of automated bakery production equipment\n  headquartered in Toronto.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SCHWAB COMPLETES PURCHASE OF SCHWAB AND CO\n","article":"  Charles Schwab announced the\n  completion of the 280-mln-dlr purchase from BankAmerica Co of\n  Charles Schwab and Co Inc and its holding company Charles\n  Schwab Corp.\n      The leveraged buyout is being financed by a syndicate of\n  seven banks led by the Security Pacific National Bank unit of\n  Security Pacific Corp <SPC>, the announcement said.\n      Charles Schwab and Co is the nation's largest discount\n  brokerage firm.\n      The Schwab announcement said BankAmerica received 175 mln\n  dlrs in cash, 50 mln of 10 pct senior subordinated debentures,\n  55 mln dlrs of nine pct junior subordinated debentures and the\n  right to receive 15 pct of the appreciated value of the common\n  equity of the new company over a maximum period of eight years.\n      Security Pacific also acquired a stock appreciation right,\n  equal to 1.8 pct of the value of the new company's fully\n  diluted common stock, Schwab said.\n      The right is exchangeable into warrants upon transfer to a\n  Security Pacific non-affiliate, Schwab said.\n      BankAmerica originally acquired Schwab in 1983 for 57 mln\n  dlrs worth of BankAmerica common stock.\n      The sale of the profitable discount brokerage firm back to\n  Charles Schwab was aimed at raising capital and was seen by\n  banking analysts as a means of heading off a hostile takeover\n  attempt by First Interstate Bancorp <I>.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INTERMEDICS INC <ITM> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 26 cts vs 18 cts\n      Oper net 2,877,000 vs 1,363,000\n      Revs 44.3 mln vs 40.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 10.9 mln vs 10.5 mln\n      NOTE: prior qtr excludes loss 475,000, or five cts per\n  share, for discontinued operations for the sale of subsidiaries\n  Intermedics Intraocular Inc, Electronics Inc, and Intermedics\n  Infusaid Inc.\n      Excludes 1987 qtr 1,694,000 operating loss carryforwards vs\n  78,000 qtr prior.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ROYEX MAKES BID FOR INTERNATIONAL CORONA\n","article":"  <Royex Gold Mining Corp> said it is\n  making an offer for <International Corona Resources Ltd> of 50\n  dlrs per share and 40 dlrs per warrant.\n      The offer covers four mln Corona common shares and all\n  outstanding 9.50 dlr Corona share purchase warrants expiring\n  August 31, 1987, Royex said.\n      Royex said that if it gains four mln Corona common shares,\n  its interest in Corona will increase to 50 pct from 38 pct. It\n  also said that if more than four mln shares are tendered, it\n  will pay for them on a pro rata basis.\n      Royex said the purchase price for each Corona share\n  consists of one Royex convertible retractable zero coupon\n  Series B first preference share at 20 dlrs nominal value, one\n  Royex convertible 6-1\/2 pct Series C first preference share at\n  20 dlrs nominal value, one five-year 7.50 dlr Royex share\n  purchase warrant and four dlrs in cash.\n      The price for each Corona warrant consists of 1.75\n  convertible retractable zero coupon Series B first preference\n  share at 35 dlrs nominal value and one five-year 7.50 Royex\n  share purchase warrant.\n       Royex said both series of preference shares will be\n  convertible into Royex common shares, initially on a basis of\n  3.33 common shares for each preference share converted.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. 1987 CORN, SOYBEAN ACREAGE ESTIMATES  CORN 67,556,000 ACRES, BEANS 56,885,000 - USDA\n","article":"\n  U.S. 1987 CORN, SOYBEAN ACREAGE ESTIMATES  CORN 67,556,000 ACRES, BEANS 56,885,000 - USDA\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. 87 WINTER WHEAT PLANTINGS 48,195,000  ACRES, DURUM 3,137,000, OTHER SPRING 13,515,000\n","article":"\n  U.S. 87 WINTER WHEAT PLANTINGS 48,195,000  ACRES, DURUM 3,137,000, OTHER SPRING 13,515,000\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. 1987 COTTON, SORGHUM ACRES ESTIMATED ALL COTTON 10,353,700, SORGHUM 11,844,000 USDA\n","article":"\n  U.S. 1987 COTTON, SORGHUM ACRES ESTIMATED ALL COTTON 10,353,700, SORGHUM 11,844,000 USDA\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USDA PUTS MARCH 1 U.S. WHEAT STOCKS AT  2,253,143,000 BU\n","article":"\n  USDA PUTS MARCH 1 U.S. WHEAT STOCKS AT  2,253,143,000 BU\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. 1987 SUGARBEET ACREAGE ESTIMATED BY  USDA AT 1,249,000 ACRES VS 1,232,500 IN 1986\n","article":"\n  U.S. 1987 SUGARBEET ACREAGE ESTIMATED BY  USDA AT 1,249,000 ACRES VS 1,232,500 IN 1986\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"USDA PUTS MARCH 1 U.S. CORN STOCKS AT  8,246,849,000 BU, SOYBEANS - 1,384,208,000\n","article":"\n  USDA PUTS MARCH 1 U.S. CORN STOCKS AT  8,246,849,000 BU, SOYBEANS - 1,384,208,000\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"OVERLAND EXPRESS INC <OVER> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 9.31 dlrs vs loss 1.62 dlrs\n      Net loss 16.2 mln vs loss 2,770,243\n      Revs 99.4 mln vs 96.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"A.H. ROBINS <QRAH> FILES MONTHLY REPORT\n","article":"  A.H. Robins Co said it filed its\n  consolidated net earnings report for February, which amounted\n  to 6,720,000 dlrs, compared to 4,646,000 for the comparable\n  month the year prior.\n      Consolidated net earnings for the two months ended Feb 28,\n  1987, amounted to 23.9 mln dlrs, compared to 15.4 mln dlrs for\n  the comparable period a year earlier, it said.\n      A.H. Robbins, which is in Chapter 11, said it filed the\n  report with the U.S. trustee overseeing its case.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"BUTLER <BTLR> TO PURCHASE NATURALITE\n","article":"  Butler Manufacturing Co said it\n  signed a letter of intent to purchase <Naturalite Inc>, a\n  designer of skylights.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      Naturalite had sales of about 20 mln dlrs in 1986. The\n  transaction is expected to be completed in May and subject to\n  both boards' approvals.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MECHTRON INTERNATIONAL CORP <MCHT> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr three cts vs 80 cts\n      Net 46,000 vs 1,220,000\n      Revs 11.5 mln vs 13.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,608,000 vs 1,530,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DEVON RESOURCE INVESTORS <DIN> YEAR END DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr loss 14 cts vs profit 23 cts\n      Net loss 835,000 vs profit 950,000\n      Revs 8,617,000 vs 11.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SAFETY-KLEEN <SK> COMPLETES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Safety-Kleen Corp said it has\n  completed the acquisition of McKesson Envirosystems Co, a unit\n  of McKesson Corp <MCK> for an undisclosed amount.\n      Safety-Kleen, an industrial, automotive parts cleaning\n  service, said McKesson Envirosystems has solvent recycling\n  plants in Illinois, Kentucky and Puerto Rico.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DOW <DOW> AMENDS RESINS PRICE INCREASE\n","article":"  Dow Chemical Co's Thermoplastic\n  Resin Department said it is amending a recent price increase\n  for Magnum ABS (A) resins announced March 3 for an effective\n  date of April 1.\n      Dow said that effective April 15 the selling prices for\n  most grades of Magnum ABS resins for the injection molding,\n  custom sheet and automotive markets will rise six cts a pound,\n  instead of the three cts a pound announced previously.\n      Dow also said that the selling prices for performance\n  grades of the resins to the same markets will increase eight\n  cts a pound, rather than five cts as announced before.\n      The company said that Magnum ABS resins for pipe extension\n  will increase three cts a pound, effective April 9, as\n  previously reported.\n      Dow said it altered the increase to reflect changes in the\n  industry over the past month.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ECHO BAY HAS NEVADA GOLD DISCOVERY\n","article":"  Echo Bay Mines Ltd said it\n  discovered a gold deposit in the Cove area near its McCoy gold\n  mine in Nevada.\n      Echo Bay said it encountered gold in 39 of 42 drill holes\n  at Cove. It said seven holes averaged 0.185 ounce gold a short\n  ton and 1.8 ounces of silver, with the seven intersections\n  averaging 118 feet in thickness beneath 25 feet of overburden.\n      The discovery is on the McCoy property, one mile northeast\n  of the McCoy open pit, heap leach gold mine, which is expected\n  to produce about 85,000 ounces of gold this year, Echo Bay\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BOWL AMERICA INC <BWLA> UPS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 11 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Pay May 14\n      Record April 17\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONCORD FABRICS INC <CIS> 2ND QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 62 cts vs 38 cts\n      Net 1,110,484 vs 677,192\n      Revs 36.6 mln vs 31.1 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr 92 cts vs 68 cts\n      Net 1,649,453 vs 1,211,597\n      Revs 68.2 mln vs 58.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN PACESETTER <AEC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 92 cts vs loss six cts\n      Oper net profit 1,351,000 vs loss 112,000\n      Revs 22.8 mln vs 28.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,465,926 vs 1,968,601\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 1.81 dlrs vs profit three cts\n      Oper net profit 2,837,000 vs profit 59,000\n      Revs 84.8 mln vs 69.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,569,287 vs 1,980,432\n      Note: Current qtr figures exclude gain from discontinued\n  operations of 533,000 dlrs, or 37 cts per share vs loss of\n  480,000 dlrs, or 24 cts per share.\n      Current year figures exclude gain from discontinued\n  operations of 752,000 dlrs, or 48 cts per share vs loss of\n  452,000 dlrs, or 23 cts per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DEVON <DIN> REPORTS INCREASE IN RESERVES\n","article":"  Devon Resource Investors said as\n  of January one, its estimated proven reserves increased\n  by 443,000 net equivalent barrels to 32.4 billion cubic feet of\n  natural gas and 660,000 barrels of oil, compared with 29.5 bcf\n  of gas and 700,500 barrels of oil as of Jan one, 1986.\n      Devon said that its estimated future net revenues\n  attributable to reserves is about 58 mln dlrs with a present\n  value, discounted at 10 pct, of 38 mln dlrs.\n      It also said that it expects to have sufficient cash flow\n  to cover its annual payout of 60 ct per unit and expand its\n  drilling budget in 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CORRECTED-ELDER-BEERMAN STORES CORP<ELDR>4TH QTR\n","article":"  Feb One end\n      Oper shr 89 cts vs 1.31 dlrs\n      Oper net 3,348,000 vs 4,885,000\n      Sales 126.8 mln vs 120.1 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 1.67 dlrs vs 2.15 dlrs\n      Oper net 6,302,000 vs 8,013,000\n      Sales 380.9 mln vs 352.1 mln\n      NOTE: Prior year net both periods excludes gain 1,998,000\n  dlrs from reversion of overfunded pension plans.\n      Corrects current year operating net.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"31-MAR-1987\n","article":"  31-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GETTY PETROLEUM <GTY> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.54 dlrs vs 1.09 dlrs\n      Qtly div four cts vs four cts prior\n      Net 17.1 mln vs 11.5 mln\n      Revs 953.2 mln vs 1.33 billion\n      Avg shrs 11.1 mln vs 10.5 mln\n      NOTE: Cash dividend payable April 21 to holders of record\n  April 10. Shr figures adjusted for five pct stock dividend\n  declared March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GETTY PETROLEUM <GTY> SETS STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Getty Petroleum Corp said its\n  board declared a five pct stock dividend payable on April 21 to\n  shareholders of record April 10.\n      The company also declared a regular cash dividend of four\n  cts a share and reported 1986 net income rose to 17.1 mln dlrs\n  from 11.5 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"1ST CENTRAL FINANCIAL <FCC> SEES HIGHER EARNINGS\n","article":"  First Central Financial Corp said it\n  expects earnings to rise significantly in 1987 and said it is\n  actively seeking an acquisition.\n      The property and casualty insurance company's chairman and\n  chief executive officer, Martin J. Simon, told Reuters in an\n  interview that he expects earnings of 33 cts a share in 1987\n  compared with 25 cts a year ago.\n      He said, \"the company currently has the sufficient momentum\n  to achieve those earnings and the successful completion of\n  licensing applications to operate in Pennsylvania, Delaware,\n  Connecticut and Ohio should fuel our earnings.\"\n      The company is currently licenced to operate only in New\n  York state.\n      Simon estimated that the company would earn seven cts a\n  share in the first quarter compared to three cts in the same\n  quarter a year ago, and eight cts a share in the second quarter\n  compared to five cts earned in 1986. He expects the company to\n  earn nine cts a share for each of the final two quarters of\n  1987.\n      In addition, Simon said, First Central Financial \"is\n  actively looking for, and has several acquisition brokers\n  looking for a small life insurance company to acquire.\"\n      He said the acquisition should be in the 10 mln dlr range\n  and will be part of a strategy of expanding the company into a\n  \"wide spectrum of insurance services.\" No specific company has\n  been targeted as yet, \"but I would like to make my first\n  acquisition in 1987,\" he said.\n      He said First Central Financial would not itself be an easy\n  takeover target. It wants to remain independent, he said, and\n  has implemented a staggered board of directors system. In\n  addition, Simon, the company's biggest shareholder, holds about\n  960,000 of the 6.2 mln ouitstanding shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ECHO BAY <ECO> HAS NEVADA GOLD DISCOVERY\n","article":"  Echo Bay Mines Ltd said it\n  discovered a gold deposit in the Cove area near its McCoy gold\n  mine in Nevada.\n      Echo Bay said it encountered gold in 39 of 42 drill holes\n  at Cove. It said seven holes averaged 0.185 ounce gold a short\n  ton and 1.8 ounces of silver, with the seven intersections\n  averaging 118 feet in thickness beneath 25 feet of overburden.\n      The discovery is on the McCoy property, one mile northeast\n  of the McCoy open pit, heap leach gold mine, which is expected\n  to produce about 85,000 ounces of gold this year, Echo Bay\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"IMPERIAL OIL <IMO.A> IN TALKS WITH SUPPLIERS\n","article":"  Imperial Oil Ltd, 70 pct-owned by Exxon\n  Corp <XON>, is negotiating with it major crude oil suppliers\n  concerning the effects of a trial deregulation of Alberta's\n  shut-in crude oil production, scheduled to be implemented on\n  June 1, a company spokesman said.\n      \"From our point of view, it's a question of entering into\n  negotiations or discussions to make appropriate changes to\n  contracts to reflect the changes that are going to take place\n  on June 1,\" spokesman John Cote told Reuters in reply to a\n  query.\n      Commenting on published reports that Imperial had suspended\n  its oil supply contracts, Cote said: \"It's not a question of\n  cancelling or suspending any of the agreements at this point.\"\n      On June 1, Alberta's Energy Resources Conservation Board\n  will lift its crude oil marketing prorationing system,\n  regulating shut-in light and medium crude production, on a\n  trial basis to the end of 1987.\n      Under the new system, producers and refiners will be\n  allowed to negotiate volumes of shut-in oil to be delivered\n  under purchase contracts.\n      Shut-in crude is the surplus between the total amount of\n  oil being produced and the amount being purchased by refiners.\n      \"We have talked to a number of our major suppliers, and\n  we've discussed the upcoming change with them, but nothing has\n  been finalized,\" Imperial's manager of western crude supply Gary\n  Strong said.\n      Under Alberta's trial system, Imperial wants to match a\n  reasonable supply of crude against the company's forecast\n  demand for its refineries, Strong said.\n      \"We have to know what they have and how that relates to what\n  we need in total,\" he said.\n      Strong said figures on the amount of crude production\n  Imperial purchases from outside suppliers were not immediately\n  available.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BENEFICIAL CORP TO SELL INSURANCE UNIT, REMOVING COMPANY FROM INSURANCE BUSINESS\n","article":"\n  BENEFICIAL CORP TO SELL INSURANCE UNIT, REMOVING COMPANY FROM INSURANCE BUSINESS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USDA AGAIN EXTENDS FARM OPERATING PLAN DEADLINE\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department said\n  it has extended until April 17 the date by which Agricultural\n  Stabilization and Conservation county offices must determine\n  eligibility of individuals or other entities for payments under\n  1987 farm programs.\n      Jerome Sitter, director of ASCS's Cotton, Grain and Rice\n  Price Support Division, said the decision meant farmers have\n  until April 17 to file a farm operating plan indicating how\n  many persons would be involved in their farming operations.\n      Earlier this year USDA extended the deadline to April 1\n  from March 1, Sitter said.\n      ASCA Administrator Milton Hertz said in a statement that\n  the extension was necessary because of heavy workloads at\n  county ASCS offices.\n      Hertz said ASCS county officials \"have had to make a large\n  number of eligibility determinations for individuals and other\n  entities, such as corporations and partnerships, in preparation\n  for imposing the 50,000-dlr-per-entity cap.\"\n      \"These offices already had a very heavy workload due to the\n  large number of applications for both the 1987 farm programs\n  and the Conservation Reserve Program,\" Hertz said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HARVARD INDUSTRIES <HAVA> ANNOUNCES STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Harvard Industries Inc said its board\n  approved a two-for-one stock split in the form of a special\n  stock dividend of its outstanding common stock.\n      The special dividend is payable May 28, 1987, to\n  stockholders of record April 24, 1987.\n      The split will be effected by one additional share for each\n  common share held, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"OVERLAND EXPRESS INC <OVER> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 9.31 dlrs vs loss 1.62 dlrs\n      Net loss 16.2 mln vs loss 2.8 mln\n      Revs 99.4 mln vs 96.5 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 includes loss of 3.9 mln dlrs from\n  restructuring.\n      NOTE: loss 1986 includes 3.9 mln dlrs for restructuring\n  costs associated with disposal of property.\n      Loss also includes the sale-at-a-loss of the company's\n  aircraft.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USDA ACCEPTS BID FOR BONUS WHEAT TO ALGERIA\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department said\n  it had accepted a bid for an export bonus to cover a sale of\n  durum wheat to Algeria.\n      USDA General Sales Manager Melvin Sims said the Commodity\n  Credit Corp accepted one bid from Cam USA Inc on a sale of\n  18,000 tonnes of durum wheat.\n      Sims said the bonus was 42.44 dlrs per tonne and shipment\n  was scheduled for June 20-30, 1987.\n      An additional 246,000 tonnes of durum wheat are still\n  available to Algeria under the export enhancement program.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ARTRA GROUP INC <ATA> 4TH QTR OPER LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 1.60 dlrs vs loss 1.17 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 4,261,000 vs loss 2,816,000\n      Revs 28.9 mln vs 11.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,817,616 vs 2,685,592\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 23 cts vs loss 1.10 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 863,000 vs loss 2,390,000\n      Revs 85.9 mln vs 60.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,754,258 vs 2,541,967\n      NOTE: Excludes loss of 1.9 mln dlrs vs loss 3.5 mln dlrs in\n  qtr and gain 46,000 dlrs vs loss 3.9 mln dlrs in year from\n  discontinued operations.\n      Also excludes loss of 1.7 mln dlrs in current qtr from\n  reversal of tax loss carryforwards.\n      Includes gain of 6.6 mln dlrs in current year from purchase\n  of Envirodyne Industries Inc shares and charge of 1.4 mln dlrs\n  in current qtr from research and development costs.\n      1986 both periods includes operations of Sargent-Welch\n  Scientific Co, acquired on Nov 30, 1986 and interest in\n  Rosecraft Inc since June 4 and Lawrence Jewelry Corp since Oct\n  22.\n      1985 both periods includes interest in R.N. Koch Inc since\n  Feb 8, 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CCC CREDITS FOR MEXICO SWITCHED TO WHEAT--USDA\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation\n  (CCC) has switched 10 mln dlrs in credit guarantees to Mexico\n  to cover purchases of U.S. wheat, the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department said.\n      The credit guarantees were previously earmarked for sales\n  of U.S. dry edible beans and rice, it said.\n      The action reduces the guarantee lines previously\n  authorized of dry edible beans to by five mln dlrs to 45 mln\n  dlrs and for rice from five mln to zero and increases coverage\n  for wheat sales from five mln to 15 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALLIED-SIGNAL <ALD> COMPLETES UNIT SALE\n","article":"  Allied-Signal Inc said it\n  completed the previously announced sale of its Linotype Group\n  to Commerzbank AG of West Germany.\n      The purchase price was not disclosed.\n      Eschborn, West Germany-based Linotype had 1986 sales of\n  more than 200 mln dlrs, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. OFFICIAL SEES EVIDENCE OF EXPORT GROWTH\n","article":"  Beryl Sprinkel, chairman of the\n  White House Council of Economic Advisers, said he sees \"growing\n  but incomplete evidence that (U.S.) export volumes are finally\n  strengthening.\"\n      In remarks prepared for a speech today in Los Angeles,\n  Sprinkel said the decline in the dollar's value since 1985 had\n  \"largely\" restored U.S. cost competitiveness in world markets and\n  appeared to signal an end to U.S. trade imbalances.\n      \"I am confident that further improvements in our trade\n  performance will contribute significantly to U.S. growth in\n  1987,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CITIBANK SAYS IT RAISES BASE RATE TO 7-3\/4 PCT FROM 7-1\/2 PCT\n","article":"\n  CITIBANK SAYS IT RAISES BASE RATE TO 7-3\/4 PCT FROM 7-1\/2 PCT\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GAF <GAF> PLANS NO CHANGES IF OFFER ACCEPTED\n","article":"  GAF Corp chairman Samuel Heyman told\n  Reuters he did not foresee major changes in Borg-Warner <BOR>\n  if GAF's 46 dlr-per-share offer to acquire Borg-Warner is\n  successful.\n      \"We have great respect for Borg-Warner mangagement,\" Heyman\n  said, following a speech at the American Institute of Chemical\n  Engineers annual meeting. \"We don't have any particular changes\n  in mind.\"\n      Earlier today, GAF announced that a 3.16-billion-dlr-offer\n  was presented to the board of directors of the Chicago-based\n  company.\n      Last week, GAF had purchased additional shares of the\n  company for 40-1\/8 dlrs, increasing its stake in Borg-Warner to\n  19.9 pct.\n      In 1985, GAF made an unsuccessful effort to acquire Union\n  Carbide Corp for five billion dlrs, and has since expressed an\n  interest in acquiring a chemical company that would complement\n  its own chemical business.\n      When asked whether GAF would consider selling the\n  non-chemical assets of Borg-Warner if its takeover offer is\n  accepted, Heyman declined to comment.\n      He also refused to say whether GAF would consider\n  increasing its the dollar value of its takeover offer if the\n  initial proposal is rejected.\n      Heyman emphasized that he considered the GAF offer to\n  Borg-Warner to be a friendly one.\n      \"We think we made a fair offer that is good for Borg-Warner\n  management and good for its shareholders,\" Heyman said.\n       In his speech, Heyman said he feared too many chemical\n  companies were attempting to specialize in the same high margin\n  niche products.\n      He said they were turning their backs on core commodity\n  chemical businesses. \n      Heyman said the chemical industry has taken a total of\n  seven billion dlrs in pre-tax writeoffs during the past two\n  years to trim balance sheets.\n      He predicted that the U.S. chemical industry, which\n  reported a total of 13 billion dlrs in 1986 profits, would see\n  a 20 pct gain in earnings this year because of increasing\n  exports, cheaper feedstock costs and the weakened U.S. dlr.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TRANSWORLD LIQUIDATING <TWT> TO DISTRIBUTE\n","article":"  Transworld Corp Liquidating Trust said\n  it expects to make an initial distribution to beneficiaries\n  valued at 20.10 dlrs per unit from the proceeds of the sale of\n  Hilton International Co.\n      The value of the distribution assumes yesterday's closing\n  price of UAL's common stock of 56.50 dlrs per share.\n      Earlier, UAL announced that it completed the purchase of\n  Hilton International Co for 835.7 mln dlrs in cash and 2.5 mln\n  shares of UAL Inc common stock.\n      Total value of the sale is about 977.2 mln dlrs, Transworld\n  said.\n      Pursuant to the sale, UAL exercised its option to\n  substitute cash for 200 mln dlrs of debentures and 55,493\n  shares of common stock, Transworld Liquidating said.\n      Each unit of beneficial interest in the trust will be\n  allocated 0.051675 shares of UAL common stock.\n      The aggregate value of the distribution is 975.8 mln dlrs.\n  The balance of the cash in the trust will be held by the Trust\n  until April 29 and will be used to satisfy all ouststanding\n  liabilities and obligations of the trust.\n      After satisfaction of its liabilities and obligations, the\n  trust would make a second distribution to its beneficiaries of\n  any remaining cash on or about April 29.\n      Trading in the beneficial interests, which are listed on\n  the New York Stock Exchange, will cease after today. In order\n  to receive the distribution, beneficiaries must surrender the\n  certificates representing their beneficial interests.\n      The trust was formed at year end 1986 to facilitate the\n  sale of Hilton International.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MOBILE AMERICA CORP <MAME> YEAR END DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr 2.25 dlrs vs 1.35 dlr\n      Net 1,199,791 vs 724,755\n      Revs 11.7 mln vs 9,105,952\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. SENATE PASSES HOUSING BILL\n","article":"  The Senate passed a two year\n  extension of federal housing programs, including 15 billion\n  dlrs for lower income housing assistance over two years. The\n  vote was 71 to 27.\n      Total value of the bill was estimated at 31 billion dlrs.\n  The bill permanently extended the authorization for Federal\n  Housing Authority mortgage insurnce.\n      The bill also extended the urban development grant program,\n  the national flood insurance act, the rural housing program as \n  well as several other housing programs. The bill now goes to\n  the House.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INTERNATIONAL DAIRY QUEEN <INDQA> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Ended February 28.\n      Shr 18 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 1,706,601 vs 1,226,609\n      Rev 42.7 mln vs 36.3 mln\n      Avg shares 9,695,444 vs 9,537,043\n      NOTE: Company's full name is International Dairy Queen Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DE TOMASO INDUSTRIES INC <DTOM> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 2.90 dlrs vs 1.44 dlrs\n      Net 8,862,000 vs 4,391,000\n      Revs 221.6 mln vs 265.3 mln\n      NOTE: Translated from Italian lire in U.S. dollar\n  equivalents at the exchange rate prevailing at Dec 31, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COLEMAN SEES 23 CTS A SHR 1ST QTR CHARGE FROM HEAT EXCHANGER REPLACEMENT PROGRAM \n","article":"\n  COLEMAN SEES 23 CTS A SHR 1ST QTR CHARGE FROM HEAT EXCHANGER REPLACEMENT PROGRAM \n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FORD CANADA CUTS ANNUAL DIVIDEND BY SIX DLRS TO SIX DLRS CASH A SHARE\n","article":"\n  FORD CANADA CUTS ANNUAL DIVIDEND BY SIX DLRS TO SIX DLRS CASH A SHARE\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. CREDITS FOR ECUADOR SWITCHED TO VEG OIL\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation\n  (CCC) switched five mln dlrs in credit guarantees to Ecuador to\n  provide for more sales of U.S. vegetable oil, the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department said.\n      The credit guarantees were previously earmarked for sales\n  of U.S. cotton, feedgrains and wheat.\n      The action reduces the guarantee lines previously\n  authorized for sales of cotton from 1.5 mln dlrs to 500,000\n  dlrs, for feedgrains from four mln to two mln and for wheat\n  from 45 mln dlrs to 43 mln dlrs and increases coverage for\n  vegetable oil sales from two mln to seven mln dlrs, the\n  department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COLEMAN <CLN> SEES 1ST QTR CHARGE\n","article":"  Coleman Co said it expects a\n  first-quarter charge against earnings of 1.6 mln dlrs, or 23\n  cts a share, as a result of its voluntary program to replace\n  condensing heat exchangers in its early Model 90 series\n  high-efficiency residential gas furnaces.\n      The company said extensive testing indicates a problem\n  found in the furnaces is not safety related. Coleman said it\n  noted an increasing number of heat exchangers in certain\n  furnaces made from March 1984 through December 1985 were\n  returned because of corrosion.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PHILADELPHIA SUBURBAN <PSC> BUYS SOFTWARE FIRM\n","article":"  Philadelphia Suburban Corp said\n  it acquired Mentor Systems Inc, a Lexington, Ky., computer\n  software company, for common stock.\n      Detailed terms were not disclosed.\n      Mentor specializes in public sector accounting systems. It\n  has 73 employees at its Lexington facility, four branch offices\n  in the Midwest and one in New York.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PACIFIC GAS SAID ACCOUNTING CHANGE WILL REDUCE 1987 NET BY 470 MLN DLRS\n","article":"\n  PACIFIC GAS SAID ACCOUNTING CHANGE WILL REDUCE 1987 NET BY 470 MLN DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TRIBUNE\/SWAB-FOX COS INC <TSFC> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 15 cts vs nil\n      Net loss 4,356,285 vs profit 300,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 12 cts vs profit five cts\n      Net loss 2,744,826 vs profit 2,490,262\n      NOTE: 1985 earnings restated for discontinued operations\n      Per-share results reflect payment of preferred dividends\n      Company did not release revenues\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BARRINGER RESOURCES INC <BARR> YEAR END DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr profit 70 cts vs loss 33 cts\n      Net profit 2,598,000 vs loss 687,000\n      Revs 7,438,000 vs 6,467,000\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes 2,168,000 dlrs or 61 cts a share\n  for gain on cancellation of long-term debt through a debenture\n  offer.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONCORD FABRICS INC <CIS> 2ND QTR OPER NET\n","article":"  Ended March one\n      Oper shr 47 cts vs 41 cts\n      Oper net 840,484 vs 732,000\n      Revs 36.6 mln vs 31.1 mln\n      Six mths\n      Oper shr 77 cts vs 75 cts\n      Oper net 1,379,453 vs 1,338,346\n      Revs 68.2 mln vs 58.5 mln\n      NOTE: Excludes net gain of 27,000 dlrs or 15 cts\/shr in\n  current qtr and six mths from disposal of discontinued\n  operations.\n      Year-ago excludes loss of 54,808 dlrs or three cts in qtr\n  and 126,749 dlrs or seven cts in six mths from discontinued\n  operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"P.C. QUOTE INC <PCQT> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 30 cts vs loss 44 cts\n      Net loss 1,135,805 vs loss 1,461,792\n      Sales 3,398,893 vs 2,075,260\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<EXECUTIVE HOUSE INC> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 26 cts vs loss six cts\n      Net loss 535,110 vs loss 129,433\n      Revs 787,000 vs 622,130\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PAINE WEBBER RESIDENTIAL REALTY INC <PWM> DIV\n","article":"  Qtrly 25 cts vs 16 cts\n      Pay March 30\n      Record March 13\n      NOTE: Prior qtr is for two months operation, October and\n  November and represents a parital dividend.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LORI CORP <LRC> 4TH QTR OPER NET LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 14 cts vs loss 49 cts\n      Oper net loss 22,000 vs loss 441,000\n      Revs 22.6 mln vs 13.6 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 14 cts vs profit 47 cts\n      Oper net profit 1,952,000 vs profit 2,794,000\n      Revs 76.2 mln vs 56.4 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 4th qtr and year oper net excludes a loss of\n  54,000 dlrs for discontinued operations, and a a gain of\n  218,000 dlrs and 2,393,000 dlrs, respecitvely, for\n  extraordinary item.\n      1985 4th qtr and year oper net excludes a loss of 77,000\n  dlrs and about 54,000 dlrs, respectively, for discontinued\n  operations and a loss of 285,000 dlrs and a gain of 2,757,000\n  dlrs, respectively, for extraordinary item.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HONDURAS SEEKING VESSELS FOR BULK WHEAT SHIPMENT\n","article":"  Honduras will tender April 2 for\n  U.S. and non-U.S. flag vessels to import 19,369 tonnes of wheat\n  in bulk, an agent for the country said.\n      The agent said Honduras is seeking vessels to deliver \n  7,369 tonnes during a period that includes laydays of April\n  15-30, and 12,000 tonnes with laydays of May 15-30.\n      Offers are due no later than 1200 hrs EST, April 2, and\n  will remain valid through the close of business the following\n  day, the agent said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OTF EQUITIES INC <OTFE> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 28 cts vs loss 32 cts\n      Net profit 1,190,000 vs loss 686,000\n      Revs 40.8 mln vs 2.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 20 cts vs loss 49 cts\n      Net profit 2,021,000 vs loss 1,162,000\n      Revs 103 mln vs 9.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,206,371 vs 2,124,967\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DOME PETROLEUM LTD YEAR OPER SHR LOSS 6.94 DLRS VS LOSS TWO CTS\n","article":"\n  DOME PETROLEUM LTD YEAR OPER SHR LOSS 6.94 DLRS VS LOSS TWO CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"API SAYS DISTILLATE STOCKS OFF 2.52 MLN BBLS, GASOLINE OFF 260,000, CRUDE OFF 4.23 MLN\n","article":"\n  API SAYS DISTILLATE STOCKS OFF 2.52 MLN BBLS, GASOLINE OFF 260,000, CRUDE OFF 4.23 MLN\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OMNICOM GROUP <OMCM> SETS REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtlry div 24.5 cts vs 24.5 cts\n      Pay April 6\n      Record March 16\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SALEM CORP <SBS> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.82 dlrs vs loss 16 cts\n      Net loss 2,285,000 vs loss 264,000\n      Revs 23.0 mln vs 14.6 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.59 dlrs vs profit seven cts\n      Net loss 2,467,000 vs profit 112,000\n      Revs 77.3 mln vs 75.8 mln\n      NOTE: Includes loss of 1.1 mln dlrs or 70 cts\/shr from\n  asset writedowns and cost reductions.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CONSUMERS POWER SEES ONE-TIME 1ST QTR LOSS OF SEVEN CTS\/SHR FROM SUIT\n","article":"\n  CONSUMERS POWER SEES ONE-TIME 1ST QTR LOSS OF SEVEN CTS\/SHR FROM SUIT\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DOME PETROLEUM TAKES 1986 WRITEDOWNS TOTALLING 2.08 BILLION DLRS\n","article":"\n  DOME PETROLEUM TAKES 1986 WRITEDOWNS TOTALLING 2.08 BILLION DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DOME PETROLEUM LTD <DMP> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 6.94 dlrs vs loss two cts\n      Net loss 2.20 billion vs profit 7.0 mln\n      Revs 1.55 billion vs 2.44 billion\n      Note: 1986 shr and net include writedowns totalling 2.08\n  billion dlrs before a reduction in deferred income taxes of 571\n  mln dlrs. Net also includes 214 mln dlrs in accumulated foreign\n  exchange losses\n      Canadian funds\n      Note continued: shr after preferred dividends\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. STEELMAKERS, UNION SEEK RENEWED IMPORT CURB\n","article":"  The U.S. specialty steel industry\n  and its union said they will seek a three-year extension of\n  President Reagan's import restraint program to give the\n  industry more time to restore competitiveness.\n      They said they will tell the U.S. International Trade\n  Commission (ITC) Thursday that \"termination will have disastrous\n  consequences for American companies and workers.\"\n      The current four-year voluntary program reached with\n  foreign exporters ends this summer and the ITC must advise\n  President Reagan on the economic effect of its termination.\n      The Specialty Steel Industry of the United States and the\n  United Steelworkers Union said in statement that imported steel\n  was still flooding the domestic market and continued curbs were\n  needed to restore the industry's health.\n      Reagan is to decide by July 19 whether to renew the\n  restraint program.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOLDER COMMUNICATIONS <HOLD> TO BUY FIVE FIRMS\n","article":"  Holder Communications Corp said it\n  agreed to buy five privately held companies with combined 1987\n  revenues expected to be about 25 mln dlrs.\n      Holder plans to issue 32 mln common shares to buy the\n  Nashville-based companies, all of which are owned by Jack\n  Norman and Joe Shaw, their families and employees.\n      The companies include radio stations WKXC-AM and WWKZ-FM,\n  which operate in the New Albany\/Tupelo, Miss., market, and\n  General Masonry Inc, a contractor in the Southeast.\n      The acquisitions are subject to approval by Holder\n  shareholders and the Federal Communications Commission.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHELSEA <CHD> SEES LOWER 2ND QTR NET\n","article":"  Chelsea Industries Inc said earnings for\n  its fiscal second quarter ended March 30 will be \"sharply\n  lower\" than the 1,414,000 dlrs or 55 cts a share it earned for\n  the same quarter last year.\n      It also said it lowered its earnings forecasts for the\n  remainder of the fiscal year. In fiscal 1986, the company\n  earned 7,206,000 dlrs or 2.78 dlrs a share.\n      The company cited intensely competitive market conditions\n  in its polyethelyne trash liner business and startup costs\n  related to its acquisition of Artisan Plastic for the reduced\n  earnings outlook.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DOME PETE<DMP> TAKES 2.08 BILLION DLR WRITEDOWN\n","article":"  Dome Petroleum Ltd, earlier\n  reporting a 2.20 billion dlr 1986 loss compared to year-earlier\n  profit of 7.0 mln dlrs, said the loss was mainly due to write\n  downs totalling 2.084 billion dlrs before a reduction in\n  deferred income taxes of 571 mln dlrs.\n      The loss also includes 214 mln dlrs in accumulated foreign\n  exchange losses, the company said.\n      \"The dramatic drop in energy prices in early 1986 reverses\n  much of the progress the company has made in the two previous\n  years,\" Dome chairman J. Howard Macdonald said in a statement.\n      \"But even a net loss of this magnitude has very little\n  bearing on the day-to-day operations of Dome,\" chairman\n  Macdonald said.\n      \"It merely reflects the realistic carrying value of the\n  company's assets in today's economic environment, and the\n  absolute need for reaching a timely agreement with our lenders\n  on a debt restructuring plan to assure the company's continued\n  existence,\" he added.\n      Dome is now trying to reach agreement on a complex plan for\n  restructuring debt of more than 6.10 billion dlrs.\n      Dome said it charged the 214 mln dlrs in accumulated\n  foreign exchange losses to current expenses because of the\n  uncertainty arising from its proposed restructuring plan.\n      Normally the expenses would be amortized over the remaining\n  period of the loans to which they apply, it said.\n      Dome also said the write downs included a fourth quarter\n  reduction in the value of its oil and gas properties of 1.20\n  billion dlrs, before a reduction in deferred income taxes of\n  305 mln dlrs. The fourth quarter writedown was in addition to a\n  charge of 880 mln dlrs on certain other assets, taken mainly in\n  the third quarter.\n      Dome said the 1.20 billion dlr fourth quarter charge\n  resulted from a year-end accounting change made under new full\n  cost accounting guidelines by the Canadian Institute of\n  Chartered Accountants.\n      The company said it previously determined a write down of\n  conventional oil and gas properties was not required at\n  September 30, under the previous method of calculating the\n  limitation of oil and gas values.\n      Dome said the most significant accounting change under the\n  new guidelines is using current oil and gas prices in\n  calculations instead of escalating price forecasts.\n      Terms of Dome's proposed debt restructuring plan preclude\n  the company from making an accurate estimate of future\n  financing costs, which are used in the new accounting\n  calculations, it said.\n      As a result, Dome adopted current prices and costs and a 10\n  pct discount factor in the calculations, which substantially\n  conform with accounting rules prescribed by the U.S. Securities\n  and Exchange Commission, the company said.\n      Dome said operating income from its crude oil and natural\n  gas segments fell by 2.50 billion dlrs to a 1986 loss of 1.71\n  billion dlrs from prior year earnings of 737.0 mln dlrs.\n      Dome said the steep drop in crude oil and natural gas\n  operating income was due to write downs totalling 1.93 billion\n  dlrs and lower energy prices that sharply reduced revenue.\n      Reduced production of natural gas and lower utilization of\n  Dome's offshore drilling fleet in the Beaufort Sea also\n  contributed to the decline, it said.\n      Earnings from its natural gas liquids business fell by 79\n  pct to 42.0 mln dlrs from 199 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      Cash from operations dropped to 5.0 mln dlrs from year-ago\n  542.0 mln dlrs and unrestricted cash balance declined to 202.0\n  mln dlrs from 466.0 mln dlrs.\n      Dome said 1986 crude oil production in 1986 was maintained\n  at prior year's levels through new drilling activity and\n  improvements in productivity.\n      Natural gas production fell by nine pct as a result of\n  lower domestic and export sales, it said.\n      Oil and field natural gas liquids production totalled\n  86,000 barrels a day, compared to 87,000 bpd in the prior year.\n      Natural gas production fell to 536.0 mln cubic feet a day\n  from 591.0 mcf a day.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ORION CAPITAL CORP <OC> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 9.42 dlrs vs loss 3.85 dlrs\n      Net loss 55.5 mln vs loss 21.4 mln\n      Revs 114.9 mln vs 120.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 6,460,000 vs 5,719,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 6.80 dlrs vs loss 4.77 dlrs\n      Net loss 36.0 mln vs loss 26.2 mln\n      Revs 478.9 mln vs 437.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 6,016,000 vs 5,713,000\n      Note: Net includes realized capital gains of 2,610,000 vs\n  2,442,000 for qtr and 18.1 mln vs 13.6 mln for year.\n      1986 net also includes gain on termination of pension plan\n  of 2,614,000 for qtr and year, and tax loss of 3,605,000 for\n  qtr. Includes pretax gain from sale of common stock in Guaranty\n  National Corp of 5,722,000 for year.\n      Revised estimated calculation of workers compensation\n  earned premiums decreased 1986 earned premiums by 10 mln.\n      Year-ago results restated to reflect deconsolidation of\n  Guaranty National.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AVON PRODUCTS <AVP> SEES HIGHER 1987 EARNINGS\n","article":"  Avon Products Inc, the diversifed\n  conglomerate that had a strong turn around in 1986, said it\n  expects sales and earnings to climb higher this year.\n      In its annual report, the company also said it expects to\n  maintain its current annual two dlr dividend on the basis of\n  continued upward earnings.\n      In 1986, Avon's operational earnings rose 24 pct to 158.7\n  mln dlrs from 128.2 mln dlrs a year earlier, and sales rose 17\n  pct to 2.88 billion dlrs. It said the 2.23 dlrs a share earned\n  last year was the highest in five years, but still well below\n  the company's all-time high of 4.06 dlrs a share in 1979.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHASE MANHATTAN RAISES PRIME RATE TO 7-3\/4 PCT FROM 7-1\/2, EFFECTIVE TODAY\n","article":"\n  CHASE MANHATTAN RAISES PRIME RATE TO 7-3\/4 PCT FROM 7-1\/2, EFFECTIVE TODAY\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PACIFIC GAS <PCG> ACCOUNTING CHANGE TO CUT NET\n","article":"  Pacific Gas and Electric Co said\n  it expects to record a 470 mln dlr, or 1.25 dlr per share,\n  reduction in 1987 earnings because of the company's decision to\n  change the method used to record Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power\n  Plant revenues.\n      The accounting change will not affect the company's cash\n  position and the company intends to continue paying its\n  dividend at the annual rate of 1.92 dlrs per share.\n      Last year Pacific Gas reported earnings of 925 mln dlrs, or\n  2.60 dlrs per share.\n      Pacific Gas said the accounting change was prompted by\n  delays in the receipt of a California Public Utilities\n  Commission decision on the company's 1984 application for rate\n  relief to recover the 5.8 billion dlr cost of constructing\n  units one and two of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Project.\n      It said the commission is currently allowing the company to\n  recover 40 pct of the cost of owning and operating the plants.\n      As a result, 63 mln dlrs has been accumulating each month\n  as deferred non-cash account receivable, which has been\n  included in current income.\n      But the accounting change, effective January 1, will\n  reflect only cash received through interim rates approved by\n  the commission, Pacific Gas and Electric said.\n      It also said the commission is now awaiting its Public\n  Staff Division's report which will recommend how much of the\n  5.8 billion dlr investment Pacific Gas should be allowed to\n  recover in rates.\n      The company further stated that it is confident it will\n  receive an objective review of the facts.\n      It also said it intends to seek additional interim rates.\n      Pacific Gas began construction of the two nuclear power\n  units in 1969. After a number of construction delays, unit one\n  went into operation in May 1985 and unit two went on line in\n  March last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GIANT FOOD INC <GFS.A> 4TH QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 50 cts vs 66 cts\n      Net 15.0 mln vs 20.0 mln\n      Revs 861.2 mln vs 725.9 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.55 dlrs vsd 1.90 dlrs\n      Net 46.5 mln vs 57.0 mln\n      Revs 2.53 billion vs 2.25 billion\n      Note: 1986 had 53 weeks vs 52 weeks in 1985. 4th qtr 1986\n  had 17 weeks vs 16 weeks in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INNOVEX <INVX> COMPLETES PURCHASE OF LUCHT\n","article":"  Innovex  Inc said it has completed\n  the purchase of substantially of the interest in Lucht\n  Engineering Inc that it did not already own.\n      Prior to this move Innovex owned 79 pct of Lucht, the\n  company said.\n      Innovex said it bought the shares by exchanging 293,101\n  shares of unregistered Innovex common stock. Innovex president,\n  Thomas Haley, said the exchange is non-dilutive and will cause\n  a slight increase in Innovex's fully diluted earnings per share\n  during the last half of fiscal 1987.\n      Lucht will continue to function as a unit of Innovex,\n  Innovex said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OIL PRICES SAID NOW BASED ON FUTURES PRICE\n","article":"  Energy futures now set the\n  standard for oil pricing, said Arnold Safer, president of The\n  Energy Futures Group Inc, a consulting firm.\n       \"Petroleum futures trading at the New York Mercantile\n  Exchange literally set spot market prices in the U.S.,\" he\n  said, adding that some oil products sellers now offer contracts\n  based on a daily average of NYMEX prices.\n       He also said that petroleum futures are a major market for\n  oil companies as well as for commodity traders. His remarks\n  were made at the National Petroleum Refiners Association.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MCO RESOURCES INC <MCR> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.37 dlrs vs 1.59 dlrs\n      Net loss 38.6 mln vs 42.5 mln\n      Revs 31.4 mln vs 59.4 mln\n      Note: 1986 net includes pretax writedown of 23 mln on oil\n  and gas properties and a 30.3 mln non-cash provision for\n  impairment of geothermal property.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LINEAR FILMS <LNER> SEES LOWER FOURTH QTR NET\n","article":"  Linear Films Inc said it sees lower\n  earnings in the fourth quarter ending March 31 compared with a\n  year ago due to lower profit margins on stretch film from price\n  increases of polyethelene resin, a key raw material.\n      In last year's fourth quarter it earned 1,235,000 dlrs or\n  19 cts a share, a spokesman said.\n      The company said it is raising its stretch film prices by\n  six pct as of April 15 to reflect the higher costs of\n  polyethelene resin. It also said sale volume of stretch film in\n  the fourth quarter was lower than anticipated, although it has\n  returned to normal in recent weeks.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AUDITORS QUALIFY MCO RESOURCES <MCR> REPORT\n","article":"  MCO Resources Inc said its independent\n  auditors have qualified their opinion on the company financial\n  statements for 1986, in which it posted a net loss of 38.6 mln\n  dlrs or 1.37 dlrs a share on revenues of 31.4 mln.\n      MCO said the qualfied opinion related to its realization of\n  the carrying amount of its geothermal property and its ability\n  to continue as an ongoing concern, which is dependent upon the\n  restructuring of the company's bank debt and other obligations,\n  resolution of the uncertainties surrounding its geothermal\n  operations and the success of future operations.\n      The company said its capital spending for 1987 has been\n  virtually eliminated and that an additional staff reduction of\n  about 20 pct is being implemented today.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INTERNATIONAL LEASE FINANCE <ILFC> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 22 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 7,121,000 vs 4,481,000\n      Revs 37.4 mln vs 22.8 mln\n      Avg shrs primary 30,067,000 vs 29,735,000\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ARCO <ARC> SAYS NET TO COVER DIVIDEND PAYOUT\n","article":"  Atlantic Richfield Oil Co said it\n  expects first quarter net income to cover its dividend\n  requirements in the quarter.\n      The company paid a quarterly dividend of one dlr a share\n  earlier this month.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EGYPT TENDERS THURSDAY FOR OPTIONAL ORIGIN CORN\n","article":"  Egypt will tender Thursday for\n  200,000 tonnes of optional origin corn, U.S. number two or\n  equivalent, 14.5 pct moisture, for late April shipment, private\n  export sources said.\n      Shipment will be from the Gulf or Great Lakes if U.S.\n  origin, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KNUTSON MORTGAGE <KNMC> SEES STRONG SECOND QTR\n","article":"  Knutson Mortgage Corp said it\n  expects strong earnings performance for its initial fiscal\n  second quarter earnings ending March 31 since going public in\n  September 1986.\n      Albert Holderson, Knutson chairman, said he expects\n  earnings of about 40 cts per share for the quarter as a result\n  of a strong mortgage business during the quarter.\n      Knutson earlier declared a quarterly dividend of 10 cts a\n  share, versus 10 cts a share prior, payable April 13 to\n  shareholders of record March 13.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SERVOTRONICS <SVT> SETS 10 PCT STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Servotronics Inc said it declared\n  a 10 pct stock dividend, payable May 15 to shareholders of\n  record April 21.\n      The company last declared a stock dividend, also 10 pct, in\n  March 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"STANDARD OIL RAISES ALASKA NORTH SLOPE BY 1.50 DLRS, effective APRIL ONE\n","article":"\n  STANDARD OIL RAISES ALASKA NORTH SLOPE BY 1.50 DLRS, effective APRIL ONE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SERVOTRONICS INC <SVT> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 50.4 cts vs 48.7 cts\n      Oper net 688,000 vs 665,000\n      Revs 12.3 mln vs 10.7 mln\n      Note: Oper excludes tax credits of 559,000 vs 537,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CURRENCY FUTURES CLIMB LIKELY TO BE CHECKED\n","article":"  The surge in currency futures since\n  Friday on the heels of the Reagan administration's proposed\n  tariffs on Japanese imports is likely to be curtailed in the\n  coming week, financial analysts said.\n      \"The market is taking a breather now, and I would expect it\n  to last a little longer,\" said Craig Sloane, a currency analyst\n  with Smith Barney, Harris, Upham and Co.\n      Profit-taking, which robbed the currency futures of some\n  momentum today, is likely to continue, he said.\n      Central banks are likely to play a role in halting the\n  advance in currencies through intervention, the analysts said,\n  even though the dollar fell to a 40-year low against the\n  Japanese yen on Monday despite Bank of Japan intervention.\n      Treasury Secretary James Baker's comments that the G-6\n  nations remain committed to the Paris accord, coupled with his\n  refusal to give any targets for exchange rates, provided a note\n  of stability to the market Tuesday, the analysts said.\n      Furthermore, Merrill Lynch Economics analyst David Horner\n  said G-6 central banks haven't yet shown the full force of\n  their commitment to the Paris accord.\n      \"I'm among those who believe the G-6 have a plan behind the\n  scenes,\" Horner said.\n      Horner said more forceful central bank intervention will\n  firm the dollar and cap the rise in currency futures.\n      \"Coordinated, punishing intervention\" by the central banks\n  -- in contrast to the recent rolling intervention which has\n  only smoothed out the market -- is in the offing, according to\n  Horner.\n      \"I think we're near the top of the range in the Europeans\n  (currencies),\" he said.\n       On the other hand, the upside target for the yen, which\n  set a new contract high today at 0.006916 in the June contract,\n  is at 0.007050, Horner said.\n      Still, other analysts believe currency futures have yet to\n  peak.\n      \"The basic trend in the currencies is higher,\" said Anne\n  Parker Mills, currency analyst with Shearson Lehman Brothers\n  Inc. \"The market wants to take the dollar lower.\"\n      Uncertainty over central bank action and nervousness over a\n  G-5 meeting next week in advance of a meeting of the\n  International Monetary Fund could make for choppy price\n  activity the remainder of the week, Mills said.\n      In addition, although the market shrugged off relatively\n  healthy gains in February U.S. leading economic indicators and\n  factory orders Tuesday, economic data could play a larger role\n  in coming sessions, the analysts said.\n      Friday's employment statistics in particular will be\n  closely watched, Sloane said, adding that a forecast rise of\n  250,000 in non-farm payroll jobs should underpin the dollar.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<POCO PETROLEUMS LTD> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr eight cts vs 30 cts\n      Net 1,100,000 vs 3,900,000\n      Revs 14.9 mln vs 20.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LILLY <LLY> CUTS LIPOSOME CO <LIPO> STAKE\n","article":"  Eli Lilly and Co told the Securities\n  and Exchange Commission it cut its stake in Liposome Co Inc to\n  500,000 shares, or 4.0 pct of the total outstanding common\n  stock, from 900,000 shares or 7.3 pct.\n      Lilly said it sold 400,000 Liposome common shares on March\n  17 at eight dlrs each.\n      As long as Lilly's stake in Liposome is below five pct, it\n  is not required to report any further dealings it has in the\n  company's stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GRAIN REPORTS IMPROVE U.S. FARM OUTLOOK-ANALYSTS\n","article":"  The U.S. grain planting intentions and\n  stocks reports bear optimistic news for U.S agriculture, a\n  grain analyst on a Chicago Board of Trade panel said.\n      The decline in intended soybean acreage and lower stocks\n  are \"the first report we've had for a long time that shows any\n  optimism for anybody,\" said John \"Bud\" Frazier, grain analyst\n  and executive vice president for Balfour MacLaine, Inc.\n      \"I'm really excited about it,\" Frazier said.\n      The U.S. Department of Agriculture said farmers intend to\n  plant 67.6 mln acres of corn, down from 76.7 mln planted last\n  year, and 56.8 mln acres of soybeans, down from 61.5 mln.\n      The report showed March 1 stocks of 1.4 billion bushels of\n  soybeans, 8.3 billion bushels of corn, and 2.3 billion bushels\n  of wheat, all below trade guesses.\n      Frazier was joined by Susan Hackmann, senior grain analyst\n  with AgriAnalysis, and Mark Meyer, a grain analyst with\n  Shearson Lehman Brothers, Inc., on a Chicago Board of Trade\n  panel to discuss the reports.\n      Frazier said the stocks reports in particular were friendly\n  for the market, and soybean prices would jump three to five\n  cents a bushel \"if the bell rang right now.\"\n      \"We're getting our disappearance up. We have less (corn and\n  soybeans) than we thought we had,\" he said, noting that hog and\n  poultry production is up.\n      \"We're seeing low prices generate some interest in demand,\"\n  said Meyer, adding that feed use was up 13 pct last quarter and\n  15 pct in the preceding quarter.\n      However, Hackmann said production could continue to exceed\n  consumption.\n      She noted that most of the reductions in soybean acres came\n  in southeastern states, where yields are usually low.\n      \"We have the potential for record breaking soybean yields\n  this year, (which) will temper the enthusiasm on tomorrow's\n  opening,\" she said.\n      Hackmann said record corn yields also are possible, and the\n  crop could reach 7.1 billion bushels, which would be down from\n  last year's 8.25 billion bushels.\n      \"We'll need very good disappearance next year to reduce\n  stocks,\" she said. The USDA estimated disappearance last year\n  at 6.7 billion bushels.\n      Hackmann said the stocks report was positive for the long\n  term, \"But we still have a long way to go to bring stocks down\n  to where we could start rebuilding prices.\"\n      Frazier also cautioned that the soybean acreage report\n  could prompt farmers to change their plans and plant more\n  soybeans.\n      The panelists agreed that the reports should discourage\n  talk of revising the 1985 farm bill.\n      \"There seems to be no desire ... to change the farm law\n  we're working under today, and this report should reinforce\n  that,\" Frazier said.\n      \"We are seeing the program beginning to work,\" said Meyer.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DANISH RESERVES RISE IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Denmark's net official reserves rose\n  to 36.34 billion crowns in February from 28.00 billion in\n  January, against a revised 45.85 billion in February 1986, the\n  central bank said in its monthly balance sheet report.\n      Total net reserves, including reserves held by commercial\n  and major savings banks, rose to 38.26 billion crowns from\n  30.11 billion in January compared with a revised 35.99 billion\n  in February last year.\n      The bank said provisional figures showed net registered\n  private and public capital imports of 10.3 billion crowns in\n  February.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ACCELERATION <ACLE> CUTS STAKE IN UNITED COASTS\n","article":"  Acceleration Corp said it sold a\n  24.9 pct stake in the common stock of <United Coasts Corp> to\n  the <Sheet Metal Workers' National Pension Fund>.\n      The company said it agreed to sell the fund an additional\n  5.1 pct of Hartford, Conn.-based United when the fund receives\n  approval from the director of insurance of the state of\n  Arizona.\n     The company said today's sale reduced its holdings in United\n  to 25 pct. The second sale, when completed, will lower its\n  stake to 19.9 pct, Acceleration said.\n      The company said the proceeds from both sales will be\n  roughly equal to the 3,330,000 dlrs it originally invested in\n  United Coasts in late 1985 even though it will retain a 19.9\n  pct stake.\n      Acceleration said it plans to include gains from the stock\n  sales in its results for the first and second quarters of 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OPPENHEIMER SELLS SIX PCT CYCLOPS <CYL> STAKE\n","article":"  Oppenheimer, the brokerage and\n  investment subsidiary of Oppenheimer Group Inc, told the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission it sold its entire 6.0 pct,\n  stake of Cyclops Corp.\n      Oppenheimer said it sold the 243,400-share stake on March\n  27 at 95.00 dlrs a share.\n      It said it initially bought the stock in connection with\n  risk arbitrage and other investment activities in the ordinary\n  course of its business.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ANALYSTS SEE SLOW MOVE TO HIGHER U.S. PRIME RATE\n","article":"  Quarter-point prime rate increases to\n  7-3\/4 pct by Citibank and Chase Manhattan Bank today will be\n  followed by other banks only after they see clearer signs of\n  the Federal Reserve's policy intentions, economists said.\n      \"Based on the spread between banks' cost of funds and the\n  prime rate, it probably makes sense for others to follow, but\n  no rush is likely,\" said Paul McCulley of E.F. Hutton and Co.\n      Citibank's surprise base rate increase, quickly followed by\n  Chase, sent U.S. bond prices lower and the dollar higher.\n      McCulley said that once the spread between three-month\n  certificates of deposit and the prime rate narrows to less than\n  1-1\/2 percentage points, there is a strong chance of a prime\n  rate increase. It has been under 1-1\/4 points recently.\n      However, banks are likely to hold rate increases until they\n  see what the Fed intends to do about interest rates in the near\n  term, analysts said. They noted that banks historically like to\n  follow Fed rate movements, rather than lead them. For example,\n  the last prime rate increase occurred in June 1984 when banks\n  lifted the rate to 13 pct from 12-1\/2 pct after a Fed discount\n  rate increase in April of that year.\n      Major banks had been posting a 7-1\/2 pct prime rate since\n  last August 26\/27, when they lowered the rate from eight pct\n  shortly after the Fed's half-point discount rate cut to the\n  current 5-1\/2 pct level on August 20.\n      \"The banks will not rush to raise their prime rates. There\n  should be a split prime for a while with some posting a 7-1\/2\n  pct rate and others 7-3\/4 pct,\" said David Jones of Aubrey G.\n  Lanston and Co.\n      Jones said the Federal Open Market Committee at today's\n  meeting voted no change in Fed policy. But he said the Fed may\n  well foster higher interest rates soon.\n      Jones said that, while the FOMC probably voted no policy\n  change today, it may have decided to apply slight upward rate\n  pressure later if the dollar weakens, inflation pressures heat\n  up or the economy shows sign of strong recovery.\n      \"The Fed clearly indicated that they did not intend to\n  tighten policy when they did today's coupon pass,\" said Joseph\n  Liro of S.G. Warburg and Co.\n      In a move that came a day earlier than most expected, the\n  Fed today supplied permanent reserves to the banking system by\n  offering to buy all maturities of Treasury notes and bonds for\n  its own account. This seasonal reserve add is called a \"pass.\"\n      \"The Fed demonstrated that there has been no policy\n  change,\" said Elizabeth Reiners, economist at Dean Witter\n  Reynolds Inc. \n      She said the spread between banks' cost of funds and the\n  prime rate is now around 137 basis points compared with a 153\n  basis point average in 1986. Reiners said the spread is not\n  really narrow enough to present a clear need for a prime rate\n  increase.\n      The Dean Witter economist said that today's prime rate rise\n  \"may have been less a response to interest rates than an\n  attempt to enhance the (balance sheet) bottom line.\"\n      Reiners said that, given recent problems with loans to\n  developing countries, large money center banks with heavy\n  exposures might be the first to match the higher prime rate in\n  an effort to get more profitable spreads on other loans.\n      The Federal funds rate at which banks lend overnight money\n  to one another could help determine how many banks match the\n  higher prime rate and also how quickly they move.\n      In raising their prime rates, banks cited a higher cost of\n  funds. In the three business days through Monday, the Federal\n  funds rate at which banks lend to one another averaged nearly\n  6-1\/4 pct. But quarter end pressures helped push up funds.  \n      The Fed funds rate was extremely volatile today, reflecting\n  demand pressure associated with the end of the quarter and the\n  close of the Japanese fiscal year. Funds traded between five\n  and 6-3\/4 pct.\n      Once the special distortions end, analysts said the funds\n  rate probably will return to its recent trading level in the\n  6-1\/8 pct area. They said that, if it stabilizes near there,\n  banks may not quickly boost their prime rates.\n      But a consistently higher funds rates would suggest to many\n  that the Fed was fostering somewhat higher interest rates to\n  help the dollar. Then banks would lift prime rates quickly.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TISCH BROTHERS LOWER TOSCO <TOS> STAKE\n","article":"  An investment partnership led by\n  four sons of Loews Corp <LTR> Chairman Lawrence Tisch said it\n  cut its Tosco Corp stake to the equivalent of 1,499,985 shares,\n  or 4.95 pct of the total, from 1,666,650 shares, or 5.5 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the partnership, FLF Associates, said it sold 10,000 shares of\n  Serier E convertible preferred stock on March 26 for 34.125\n  dlrs each and 5,000 shares of preferred stock on March 27 at\n  35.25 dlrs each. The sales leave the Tisch brothers with\n  135,000 shares of preferred stock which can be converted into\n  1,499,985 shares of common stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NATURE'S BOUNTY INC <NBTY> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 10 cts vs loss 38 cts\n      Net loss 393,241 vs loss 1,384,334\n      Revs 43.6 mln vs 40.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COMINCO <CLT> SELLS STAKE IN CANADA METAL\n","article":"  Cominco Ltd said it\n  sold its 50 pct stake in Canada Metal Co Ltd to Canada Metal\n  senior management for an undisclosed sum.\n      Cominco said the sale was part of its previously announced\n  policy of divesting non-core businesses.\n      Canada Metal is a Toronto-based producer of lead alloys and\n  engineered lead products.\n      Canada Metal production figures were not immediately\n  available.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AUDITORS GIVE FIRST CITY <FBT> QUALIFIED OPINION\n","article":"  First City Bancorp of Texas, which lost\n  a record 402 mln dlrs in 1986, said in its annual report it\n  expected operating losses to continue \"for the foreseeable\n  future\" as it continues to search for additional capital or a\n  merger partner.\n      The Houston-based bank's 1986 financial statements received\n  a qualified opinion from its auditors, Arthur Andersen and Co.\n  The auditors said their opinion was subject to First City\n  eventually obtaining additional capital.\n      \"The company believes that in order to address its\n  long-term needs and return to a satisfactory level of\n  operations, it will ultimately need several hundred million\n  dollars of additional capital, or a combination with a more\n  strongly capitalized entity,\" First City said in a note to its\n  financial statements included in the annual report.\n      \"Management believes that sufficient resources should be\n  available to cover interim capital concerns while additional\n  capital is being sought,\" the bank said.\n      To raise cash in the near-term, First City said it may sell\n  or mortgage non-strategic assets, recover excess contributions\n  to its pension plan and obtain special dividends from some of\n  its member banks.\n      \"The losses for 1987 are expected to be substantially less\n  than in 1986,\" First City chairman J.A. Elkins said in a letter\n  included in the annual report. \"However, the ultimate return to\n  satisfactory operating conditions is dependent on the\n  successful resolution of the related problems of credit\n  quality, funding and the eventual need for substantial\n  additional capital.\"\n      First City said it anticipated that certain covenants of a\n  credit agreement with unaffiliated banks requiring most of\n  First City's excess cash to be applied to debt repayments would\n  be modified by the end of the first quarter in order to avoid\n  default.\n      The banks agreed to similar amendments to the covenants\n  last year and First City has reduced its borrowings from 120\n  mln dlrs at 1986 yearend to 68.5 mln dlrs in recent weeks.\n      Although the parent company's capital adequacy ratios\n  exceeded regulatory minimum requirements at the end of 1986,\n  First City said its two largest subsidiaries did not. First\n  City National Bank of Houston had a primary capital ratio of\n  5.34 pct and First City Bank of Dallas had a 4.75 pct ratio.\n      Hard-hit by the collapse in oil and Texas real estate\n  prices, First City's net loan chargeoffs totaled 366 mln dlrs\n  last year, up from 261 mln dlrs in 1985. The bank more than\n  doubled its loan loss provision to 497 mln dlrs at the end of\n  1986.\n      First City said chargeoffs and paydowns reduced its total\n  energy loan portfolio by 32 pct during 1986, to 1.4 billion\n  dlrs at year-end, adding that future energy chargeoffs \"should\n  be more modest.\" The amount represented 15 pct of First City's\n  total loans.\n      In real estate, First City said its nonperforming assets\n  nearly doubled last year to 347 mln dlrs at year-end.\n  Chargeoffs of real estate loans rose to 32 mln dlrs, or nine\n  pct of total loan chargeoffs, and the bank said the amount\n  could go higher.\n      \"The company still faces uncertainties in the real estate\n  market and anticipates further deterioration in the pportfolio\n  so long as the regional recession persists,\" First City said.\n  \"Because the carrying value of many of these loans is\n  collateral dependent, a further decline in the overall value of\n  the collateral base could cause an increase in the level of\n  real estate-related chargeoffs.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. FED EXPLORES COMMODITY BASKET INDEX\n","article":"  The complex task of wielding control\n  over monetary policy in an increasingly fast-moving global\n  economy could be aided by tying policy to commodity prices, the\n  newest member of the Federal Reserve Board says.\n      Commodity prices are already considered by the Fed in the\n  making of monetary policy. But they would be given a much\n  greater role under an idea being floated by Governor Robert\n  Heller, who joined the board last August.\n      He conceeds that much more study of the idea is needed, but\n  argues that such an arrangement, particularly if it were\n  adopted by other major industrial countries, could reduce the\n  volatility of exchange rates.\n      Moreover, it could help stabilize of the prices of\n  commodities themselves, slowing changes in inflation.\n      His idea, which many conservative economists find\n  appealing, has some backing among board members appointed in\n  recent years by President Reagan.\n      It would complement the present system of opening or\n  closing the monetary screws based on the pattern of inflation,\n  key indicators such as unemployment, and the rise or fall of\n  the money supply. Changes in the money supply can lead to\n  changes in interest rates and affect economic activity\n  directly.\n      Discussed on and off for a long time, the commodity concept\n  is part of a growing search for a system that anchors monetary\n  policy and widely-fluxtuating currency prices to a more solid\n  base.\n      \"What is needed is an anchor or reference point that can\n  serve as a guide for both domestic and international monetary\n  purposes,\" says Heller.\n      In the past, this anchor was gold but the United States\n  went off the gold standard because the global economy had\n  vastly outstripped gold supplies.\n      A return to the gold standard is generally dismissed out of\n  hand by most policymakers on the grounds that the largest\n  producers of gold are the Soviet Union and South Africa.\n      The so-called fixed rate system, scuttled in the early\n  1970s, is still considered unworkable in the present world.\n      But the current system of floating currencies in which\n  currencies can fluxtuate widely, adding vast pressures to the\n  monetary system, is also being widely questioned.\n      Some have suggested that the system might benefit from a\n  formal approach that mandates intervention by countries when\n  currencies wander above or below agreed to levels but there are\n  major problems with this also.\n      For one thing, there is justifiable concern that countries\n  might be relunctant to intervene if they felt it might be\n  detrimental to their own domestic economy.\n      Moreover, some question whether concerted intervention can\n  make much of an inpact if the overall market does not agree\n  with the fundamental judgement.\n      The poorest countries have called for a monetary conference\n  to work out a new system that, not surprisingly, helps them\n  cope with their overpowering debt problems.\n      Treasury Secretary James Baker, the Reagan administration's\n  chief economic architect, has preferred to use the so-called\n  Group of Five industrial countries or sometimes, Seven, as a\n  forum to work out cooperative agreements on currency and other\n  economic matters.\n     He appears convinced that officials from West Germany,\n  France, Britain, Japan, Italy and Canada talking quietly behind\n  closed doors can reached reasoned decisions away from public\n  posturing.\n     The Heller approach, while extremely complex, could have a\n  profound impact on the system, ideally stabalizing prices and\n  international exchange rates.\n      As envisioned by Heller, a basket of say, 30 major\n  commodities ranging from wheat to oil, would be put together\n  and prices would be measured on a regular basis.\n      \"In times of rising commodity prices, monetary policy might\n  be tightened and in times of falling commodity prices, montary\n  policy might be eased,\" he says.\n      He notes that commodity prices are traded daily in auction\n  markets, and a commodity price index can be calculated on a\n  virtually continuous basis.\n      Moreover, most commodity prices are produced, consumed and\n  traded on a world-wide basis, so \"that an index has a relevance\n  for the entire world,\" he says.\n      In addition, commodity prices are at the beginning of the\n  production chain and serve as an imput into virtually all\n  production processes.\n      \"Focusing on commodity prices as an early and sensitive\n  indicator of current and perhaps also future prices pressures,\n  the monetary authorities may take such an index into account in\n  making their monetary policy decisions,\" he says.\n      However, he says that any major change in a basic commodity\n  such as occurred in oil during the 1970s because of action by\n  the OPEC cartel, would have to be discounted in such a system.\n      He says the worst thing that could happen is to allow\n  monetary policy to spread a freakish increase in one commodity\n  to the rest of the system and to other commodities.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MICROBIOLOGICAL SCIENCES INC <MBLS>4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 10 cts vs profit nine cts\n      Oper net loss 387,000 vs profit 313,000\n      Revs 6,486,000 vs 5,613,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss two cts vs profit four cts\n      Oper net loss 96,000 vs profit 120,000\n      Revs 23.8 mln vs 21.3 mln\n      Note: 1986 oper excludes extraordinary gains of 299,000 for\n  qtr and year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTOR GROUP CUTS DBA SYSTEMS <DBAS> STAKE\n","article":"  A group led by New York investors\n  David Bellet and Chester Siuda said it lowered its stake in DBA\n  Systems Inc to 100,000 shares, or 3.7 pct of the total\n  outstanding, from 170,000 shares, or 6.3 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the group said it sold 70,000 DBA common shares between Feb 13\n  and March 23 at prices ranging from 18.25 to 20.00 dlrs a\n  share.\n      So long as the group's stake in DBA is below five pct, it\n  is no longer required to report its further dealings in the\n  company's common stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LOWELL INSTITUTION FOR SAVINGS <LIFS> QTLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 7.5 cts vs 7.5 cts prior\n      Pay May 19\n      Record April 24\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EARTHWORM TRACTOR CO INC <WORM> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 11 cts vs profit two cts\n      Oper net loss 1,058,585 vs profit 282,998\n      Revs 24.4 mln vs 23.7 mln\n      Note: 1986 oper includes accrued interest of 686,914 from\n  financing of capital goods transaction with Prudential Bache\n  Trade Corp.\n      Year-ago oper excludes extraordinary gain of 121,000.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INTERMEDICS INC <ITM> 1ST QTR FEB ONE NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 26 cts vs 18 cts\n      Oper net 2,877,000 vs 1,838,000\n      Revs 44.3 mln vs 40.8 mln\n      NOTE: Current 1st qtr oper net excludes operating loss\n  carryforward of 1,694,000 or 16 cts per share. 1986 1st qtr\n  oper net excludes loss carryforward of 78,000 dlrs or one ct\n  per share and loss from discontinued operations of 475,000\n  dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EMERY AIR FREIGHT CORP TO OFFER 40 DLRS\/SHR FOR PUROLATOR COURIER CORP\n","article":"\n  EMERY AIR FREIGHT CORP TO OFFER 40 DLRS\/SHR FOR PUROLATOR COURIER CORP\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EMERY AIR <EAF> TO BID FOR PUROLATOR <PCC> \n","article":"  Emery Air Freight Corp said it\n  plans to begin tomorrow a 40 dlr a share tender offer for 83\n  pct of the outstanding common stock of Purolator Courier Corp.\n      The company said the tender offer is the first step in a\n  plan to buy 100 pct of the Purolator shares.\n      Following the tender offer, Emery said it would offer 40\n  dlrs of junior subordinated debentures for each remaining\n  Purolator share outstanding.\n      On March one, Purolator agreed to a 35 dlr a share\n  leveraged buyout by eight Purolator executives and EF Hutton\n  LBO Inc, a unit of EF Hutton Group Inc.\n      Emery said it had tried unsuccessfully to open merger\n  discussions with Purolator before the company accepted the\n  management-led buyout offer.\n      In a letter to Purolator's chairman, Nicholas F. Brady,\n  Emery's chairman, John C. Emery, said the company would still\n  prefer to negotiate with Purolator.\n      But he said the imminent expiration of the leveraged buyout\n  group's offer has forced the company to make an unsolicited\n  tender offer of its own.\n      Emery said its offer is scheduled to expire at 2400 EST on\n  April 28, unless extended.\n      The company said conditions of the offer include the\n  receipt of at least two-thirds of Purolator's shares\n  outstanding, on a fully diluted basis, and the repeal of its\n  share purchase rights plan.\n      Emery said the offer is also subject to completion of the\n  previously announced sale of Purolator's Canadian operations.\n      Emery said Chemical Bank, Bankers Trust, Morgan Guaranty\n  Trust Co and Salomon Bros had agreed to provide financing for\n  the tender offer.\n      It said the junior subordinated debentures to be issued in\n  the subsequent merger will carry a 13 pct annual interest rate,\n  payable twice a year.\n      For the first three years after the notes are issued,\n  interest will be paid, at Emery's option, in cash or in\n  additional notes, Emery said.\n      It added that the notes will not be subject to redemption\n  for one year after they are issued.\n      Emery said Purolator would operate as a wholly owned unit\n  of the company after the merger. It said it hoped Purolator's\n  management would continue with the company.\n      \"We believe that our two companies provide an excellent fit\n  with each other and that the combination will enable each of us\n  to better serve our existing customers and meet the challenges\n  of the future,\" Emery's chairman said in his letter.\n      He said a merger would significantly enhance the financial\n  turnaround that Purolator's management had previously forecast.\n      Officials at Purolator could not immediately be reached for\n  comment on the offer, which was released several hours after\n  the stock market had closed.\n      Emery's stock closed up 1\/2 at 12-5\/8.\n      Purolator closed at 34-7\/8, off 5\/8.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Bank of Japan buys dollars around 146.30 yen, dealers say\n","article":"\n  Bank of Japan buys dollars around 146.30 yen, dealers say\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN BROAD MONEY GROWTH 10.3 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Australian annual broad money growth rose\n  10.3 pct in February, unchanged from January, but down from the\n  corresponding February growth rate of 13.9 pct, the Reserve\n  Bank said.\n      February broad money growth was steady at 0.7 pct from the\n  previous month and unchanged from February last year.\n      Borrowings from the private sector by non-bank financial\n  intermediaries rose by 8.8 pct in the February year from\n  January's 9.5 pct rise, compared with a 13.6 pct increase in\n  the previous February year.\n      In February, borrowings from the private sector by non-bank\n  financial intermediaries rose by 1.0 pct compared with\n  January's 0.2 pct increase and the previous February rise of\n  1.7 pct.\n      At the end of February, broad money stood at 177.1 billion\n  dlrs up from January's 175.84 billion and compared with the\n  previous February level of 160.60 billion.\n      The Reserve Bank last week reported a February M3 growth\n  rate of 11.2 pct from January's 10.7 pct rise and a previous\n  annual February increase of 14.0 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALCAN AUSTRALIA LIFTS ALUMINIUM INGOT PRICE\n","article":"  Alcan Australia Ltd said it increased the\n  list price of 99.5 pct purity aluminium ingot to 2,050 dlrs a\n  tonne from 1,950 dlrs, effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECONOMIC SPOTLIGHT - CHINA MUST PRESERVE FARMLAND\n","article":"  \"If we go on using up\n  farmland as we have done since 1980, there will be none left in\n  20 years to grow grain on.\"\n      Xu Jinfeng, a middle-aged official in Fengbang village on\n  the edge of Shanghai, sums up the dilemma China faces as it\n  tries to feed its more than one billion people and at the same\n  time let them get richer by building factories and new homes.\n      China has to feed one quarter of the world's population,\n  but only one seventh of its land is arable.\n      Sharp increases in farm output since 1979 turned China into\n  a net grain exporter for the first time in 1985, and again in\n  1986.\n      But the rapid industrialisation of the countryside which\n  has occurred at the same time, has gobbled up arable land for\n  factories and homes for peasants who can now afford them.\n      Official figures show that China lost just under one pct of\n  its arable land to other uses in 1985 and a slightly smaller\n  amount last year. It gained 26 mln new mouths to feed during\n  the two years.\n      \"We lost very little land prior to 1980 when the\n  industrialisation began,\" official Xu said. \"Since then, nearly\n  all the families in the county have built new homes and many\n  factories have gone up.\"\n      \"Last year we lost land to a new railway line,\" Xu said. But\n  land losses in future should fall because nearly all families\n  already have new houses, she added.\n      The issue of land loss is a matter of major concern to the\n  Peking leadership, which announced earlier this month that\n  China will issue nationwide quotas for conversion of grain land\n  for the first time this year.\n      \"The present situation of abusing, occupying unlawfully,\n  wasting and destroying land and land resources is serious,\" said\n  an article in the official press explaining the new measures.\n      \"It has resulted in great losses of cultivated farmland,\" it\n  said. \"China has a large population and its land resources are\n  badly deficient.\"\n      An official of the Shanghai city government said county\n  authorities could approve conversion of only 0.3 hectares of\n  arable land to other uses, while anything more than that must\n  be approved by the city government.\n     The Peking government faces another major obstacle in its\n  efforts to ensure China's people get enough grain to eat. The\n  prices the state pays to farmers for grain are too low, making\n  it more profitable for them to grow other crops.\n      To offset this, the state offers farmers cheap fertiliser\n  and diesel oil and payment in advance for grain it contracts to\n  buy. The state then sells the grain at subsidised prices to\n  China's 200 mln city residents. Rural factories also subsidise\n  grain output, paying farmers bonuses to grow it.\n      Some officials argue that the simplest solution to the\n  problem would be for the state to raise city grain prices.\n      Chen Zuyuan, Communist Party secretary of a village in the\n  eastern province of Zhejiang, said the government listened too\n  much to the demands of \"selfish city people\" and could raise city\n  grain prices without any problem.\n      But the government has ruled out a price rise. \"Raising the\n  price of grain would directly conflict with the goal of social\n  stability,\" said a China Daily editorial this month.\n      The Shanghai official said prices must be reformed over the\n  long term. \"We must be very careful. We have a very large\n  population which is used to price stability and will object to\n  price rises,\" he said. \"The problem is how to do it.\"\n      The Shanghai official said a rise in grain prices might\n  also affect the prices of hundreds of food products made with\n  grain and consumed by city residents.\n      In addition, the state faces the problem of inadequate\n  investment by farmers in land and in grain in particular.\n      The official press has reported that farmers fear farm\n  policy may change and they are putting their new wealth into\n  building graves, memorial halls for ancestors and homes.\n      Under reforms introduced in the late 1970s, farmers sign\n  contracts with the state requiring them to grow certain crops,\n  but they have considerable freedom in how to use their land.\n      \"As the expiration date of the 15-year contract is almost at\n  the halfway mark, farmers are beginning to worry about the\n  future,\" the China Daily said in an editorial last month.\n      Their anxieties stem from the fact that they are allowed to\n  use the land but not own it. For most of the period of\n  Communist rule, the land was organised into collectives where\n  there was little room for individual initiative.\n      \"New measures are needed to reassure them of the consistency\n  of government policies and make them interested in long-term\n  investment,\" the newspaper said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CHINA OFFICIAL CONDEMNS GOVERNMENT GRAIN POLICY\n","article":"  The grain output of a major Chinese\n  grain-producing province is not increasing, because farmers\n  lack incentives, production costs are rising, storage\n  facilities are poor and there is not enough state investment in\n  grain, the province's vice-governor said.\n      The China Daily quoted Yang Jike, vice-governor of Anhui,\n  as saying farmers could earn twice as much growing cotton as\n  they could growing grain, and three times as much growing cash\n  crops like flax. He said production costs had risen to 40 pct\n  of farmers' earnings, from 20 pct in 1982, and lower investment\n  had caused the area of irrigated land to fall.\n      Yang said investment in agriculture fell in 1985 to 9.9 pct\n  of the province's total investment, from 26 pct in 1978.\n      He said an estimated 1.5 billion yuan worth of grain was\n  hit by mildew or rot in state granaries every year, and a\n  further 1.5 mln tonnes was eaten annually by rats.\n      He said government measures to deal with the problem dealt\n  with trifles, rather than the essentials. He called for more\n  investment in grain production, an immediate ban on illegal use\n  of or damage to farmland and a reversal of what he called the\n  tendency to rely on grain imports.\n      The New China News Agency quoted Zhang Yan, a delegate to\n  the National People's Congress, attacking grain policy. He said\n  the government had cut agricultural investment to three to four\n  pct from 11 pct.\n      \"With the abundance of grain and cotton in the past few\n  years, some people got carried away, relaxing their attention\n  to grain and cotton production,\" he said.\n      On Saturday, vice-premier Tian Jiyun said China aimed to be\n  self-sufficient in grain. Now it exports corn from the\n  northeast, but it imports wheat.\n      \"Grain consumption is rising every year. Even if we reach\n  the 1987 target of (405 mln tonnes), it cannot be considered\n  adequate,\" Tian said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CARME INC <CAME> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr nine cts vs one ct\n      Net 247,489 vs 27,301\n      Sales 1,933,107 vs 796,613\n      Six mths\n      Shr 21 cts vs five cts\n      Net 565,106 vs 121,997\n      Sales 3,781,970 vs 1,778,110\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN'S SECOND QUARTER IMPORTS SEEN RISING\n","article":"  Taiwan's imports in the second quarter of\n  1987 are expected to rise to 7.75 billion U.S. Dlrs from 5.82\n  billion a year earlier and from 6.95 billion in the first\n  quarter of this year, the statistics department said.\n      A department official attributed the increase to growing\n  domestic investment by the private and public sectors. It is\n  expected to rise to 4.68 billion U.S. Dlrs from 3.79 billion a\n  year earlier and 3.41 billion during the first quarter.\n      Taiwan's exports in the April-June quarter are expected to\n  rise to 12.03 billion U.S. Dlrs from 9.63 billion a year\n  earlier and 11.28 billion in the first quarter.\n      The official said Taiwan's trade surplus is expected to\n  climb to 4.28 billion U.S. Dlrs in the second quarter of 1987\n  from 3.81 billion a year earlier. It was 4.33 billion in the\n  first quarter of this year.\n      Most of the surplus is expected to come from trade with the\n  U.S., Taiwan's largest trading partner and importer of nearly\n  50 pct of Taiwan's total exports, he said.\n      He said he expected Taiwan's imports, including grains,\n  machinery and power plant equipment, from the U.S. To rise\n  sharply because of government efforts to balance trade with\n  Washington. He declined to give figures.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Bank of Japan intervenes buying dollars at around 147.30 yen - dealers\n","article":"\n  Bank of Japan intervenes buying dollars at around 147.30 yen - dealers\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COMMERZBANK SEES LOWER OPERATING PROFIT THIS YEAR\n","article":"  Commerzbank AG <CBKG.F> management\n  board chairman Walter Seipp said that from the present\n  viewpoint the bank must expect 1987 full operating profit to be\n  lower than in 1986.\n      In the first two months of the year, partial operating\n  profit -- excluding trading on the bank's own account -\n  declined, he said, without giving details.\n      The interest surplus fell 2.8 pct compared with 2\/12ths of\n  1986 results, while the commission surplus, because of the\n  quiet stock exchange business, fell back still more strongly.\n  By contrast the personnel and fixed asset expenses increased.\n      German banks do not report full operating profit. But Seipp\n  said last year the figure for the first time had topped one\n  billion marks for the parent bank, and the group result was\n  around 50 pct higher than this.\n      Commenting on 1986, Seipp said, \"we were able to raise the\n  full operating profit...Slightly above the record result of\n  1985 because own account profits increased slightly.\"\n      He gave no concrete details but added that in January and\n  February, good own account trading profits meant that the drop\n  in full operating earnings was more modest than that in the\n  partial operating figure.\n      The bank would, as a result, be more profit-oriented in\n  future, developing, for example, more into investment banking,\n  keeping a tight rein on personnel costs and dampening\n  expenditures on fixed assets.\n      Turning to 1986 results, Seipp said by year end there had\n  been a strong growth in business volume.\n      Over the year business volume rose by 9.9 pct to 93.2\n  billion marks compared with 1985, Seipp added.\n      Group balance sheet volume rose by 8.0 pct to 148.15\n  billion. It would have been around five billion marks higher\n  still if currency relationships had remained unchanged.\n      In the parent bank, the interest surplus rose nine pct in\n  the year, while the interest margin held roughly at 1985's 2.56\n  pct despite pressure on credit rates.\n      The surplus on commission business, which had soared by a\n  quarter in 1985, rose by 11.6 pct last year thanks almost\n  exclusively to growth in securities commissions, Seipp said.\n      Personnel expenditure was up 11.9 pct last year, at more\n  than 1.5 billion marks. Fixed asset expenditure rose by 9.6 pct\n  to more than 650 mln.\n      As a result, the parent bank partial operating profit rose\n  by 3.2 pct to 752 mln marks.\n      Parent bank tax payment rose to 244 mln marks last year\n  from 233 mln in 1985.\n      Seipp said extraordinary earnings included a \"high\n  two-figure million\" in profit from the sale of the bank's AEG AG\n  <AEGG.F> shares to Daimler-Benz AG <DAIG.F> during the latter's\n  majority stake purchase booked last year.\n      The ability of the bank to write off depreciations in\n  credit business against profits from securities trading and\n  earnings on the sale of stakes had been utilised, as in prior\n  years, to its full extent.\n      Because of numerous insolvencies at home, by far the\n  largest part of the provisions were set aside for individual\n  write-downs from domestic business. Abroad, the circle of\n  problem debtor countries rose last year, although the ratio of\n  credit exposure to provisions improved further.\n      Seipp said that because about half the group's exposure to\n  problem nations was in dollars, the bank had swapped into\n  dollars individual provisions hitherto held primarily in marks.\n      \"This means that no open currency positions exist any longer\n  on the amount of the provision that is made against an actual\n  default,\" he added.\n      Despite the increase in concern over debtor nations in the\n  last few weeks, he said, the international banking community is\n  better armed than it was against payment problems.\n      All banks had significantly strengthened their capital\n  base, most European banks had made considerable provisions\n  against bad debts while goverments and central banks were\n  better prepared for unforseen difficulties.\n      He described debt-equity swaps as a very interesting new\n  approach to indebted nations' problems. There was a lot of\n  interest in direct investment via an equity participation in\n  Latin America, particularly from West German firms.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF JAPAN INTERVENES IN EARLY TOKYO AFTERNOON\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan intervened in the market\n  in the early afternoon, buying dollars around 147.30 yen and\n  continuing to buy them as high as 147.50 yen, dealers said.\n      The Bank intervened just after the dollar started rising on\n  buying by securities houses at around 147.05 yen, and hoped to\n  accelerate the dollar's advance, they said.\n      The dollar rose as high as 147.50 yen.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MALAYSIA CUTS GAZETTED RUBBER PRICE\n","article":"  Malaysia said it cut the gazetted\n  price of rubber to 202-7\/8 cents per kg from 213-1\/2 cents in\n  March, effective immediately.\n      No export duty is applicable at this level, against 3\/8\n  cent per kg last month, because the government raised the\n  export duty threshold price to 210 cents per kg in early 1985.\n      The cess for rubber research and replanting remained\n  unchanged at 3.85 and 9.92 cents per kg respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SEIPP SAYS GERMAN INTEREST RATES SHOULD FALL\n","article":"  The Bundesbank should take further\n  steps to reduce German interest rates to protect the mark from\n  further appreciation and to persuade investors to bring\n  long-term yields lower, Commerzbank AG <CBKG.F> management\n  board chairman Walter Seipp said.\n      But he told the bank's annual news conference this did not\n  mean a cut in leading interest rates, rather a reduction in\n  money market rates through bringing the allocation rates down\n  for Bundesbank securities repurchase agreements.\n      \"Leading interest rates are not the decisive rates,\" he said.\n  \"The money market rates are the important ones.\"\n      Seipp said the Bundesbank should move away from allocating\n  money market liquidity at a fixed 3.8 pct as it has in recent\n  tender allocations.\n      An easier monetary policy would not mean a loss of\n  credibility for the Bundesbank in its containment of monetary\n  growth. A fall in short rates would make the public aware of\n  the high yields in bonds and lead to a longer-term capital\n  formation, braking the expansion of money supply.\n      \"Thus, you can have lower rates and also a normalisation of\n  monetary growth both at the same time,\" he added.\n      Seipp said there were no grounds to paint too black a\n  picture of the German economy, since company profitability had\n  improved over recent years and domestic oriented firms were\n  profiting from cheaper imports because of the rise in the mark.\n      Growth this year should be at least one pct, he said,\n  describing the downturn in production in the first months as a\n  false start, unrepresentative of the rest of the year.\n      After an economic contraction in the first quarter, the\n  economy should show an uptrend in the last three. \"We don't\n  believe that the economy has tipped over, but see it more as a\n  'growth dip,'\" Seipp said.\n      But Seipp also called for support for growth from fiscal\n  policy, saying the top rate of income and corporate tax should\n  be brought down to 49 pct. The current peak rate is 56 pct.\n      The additional tax cuts brought forward to next January\n  were no substitute for support for growth.\n      Seipp added the federal government should make \"further\n  courageous steps to decrease the state's proportion of the\n  German economy and to increase its flexibility.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MALAYSIA RAISES PALM OIL EXPORT DUTIES\n","article":"  The Malaysian government said it\n  raised the export duty on processed palm oil (ppo) to 70.90\n  ringgit per tonne from 64.06 in March, effective today.\n      Export duty on crude palm oil (cpo) rose to 38.30 ringgit\n  per tonne from 16.06 last month.\n      The gazetted price for ppo rose to 819.6600 ringgit per\n  tonne from 796.8604 a month earlier and that on cpo to 711.0037\n  ringgit from 617.8238.\n      The export duty and gazetted price of palm kernel stood\n  unchanged at 191.15 and 955.75 ringgit per tonne respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WILLCOX AND GIBBS INC <WG> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 42 cts vs 76 cts\n      Net 2.3 mln vs 3.3 mln\n      Revs 72.3 mln vs 59.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.48 dlrs vs 2.59 dlrs\n      Net 7.6 mln vs 11.1 mln\n      Revs 261.7 mln vs 224.7 mln\n      NOTE: 1985 net includes extraordinary gain of 1.5 mln dlrs\n  or 35 cts per share in 4th qtr and 5.1 mln or 1.19 dlrs for the\n  year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CURRENCY INSTABILITY WILL NOT LAST - SUMITA\n","article":"  Bank of Japan Governor Satoshi Sumita said\n  the present foreign exchange market instability will not last\n  long as there is caution in the market regarding the rapid\n  decline of the U.S. Unit.\n      He told reporters the major currency nations are determined\n  to continue their concerted intervention whenever necessary to\n  stave off speculative dollar selling in line with their\n  February 22 currency stability agreement in Paris.\n      Sumita also said he did not see the recent dollar drop as\n  anything like a free-fall.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SKYLARK CO LTD <SKLK.T> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Group shr 65.44 yen vs 73.30\n      Net 4.48 billion vs 4.19 billion\n      Current 10.85 billion vs 9.77 billion\n      Operating 9.65 billion vs 9.54 billion\n      Sales 103.53 billion vs 94.39 billion\n      NOTE - Company forecast for current year is group shr 70.05\n  yen, net 4.80 billion, current 11.20 billion and sales 113\n  billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GERMAN 2.2 PCT GROWTH AVERAGE SEEN TO 1991\n","article":"  The economy will grow by an average\n  rate of 2.2 pct a year in real terms between now and the end of\n  1991, Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale (WestLB) said in an\n  annual report.\n      A year ago WestLB had forecast average growth of just under\n  three pct for 1986-1990.\n      The 1987 report said gross national product would only\n  expand a real 1.7 pct this year -- below previous expectations\n  -- because of weaker exports. Growth rates will pick up later,\n  however, producing a 2.2 pct increase on average for the\n  five-year period.\n   MORE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SWEDEN'S BOLIDEN TO ANNOUNCE MAJOR CORPORATE TAKEOVER\n","article":"TODAY - OFFICIAL.\n\n  SWEDEN'S BOLIDEN TO ANNOUNCE MAJOR CORPORATE TAKEOVER\n  TODAY - OFFICIAL.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COURT BLOCKS DELTA-WESTERN AIRLINES MERGER\n","article":"  A U.S. Appeals court last night\n  blocked the 860 mln dlr merger of Delta Airlines Inc <DAL.N>\n  and <Western Airlines> just hours before it was to go into\n  effect because of a dispute over union representation.\n      The ruling came in a lawsuit in which the Air Transport\n  Employees union said Western's management should fulfil a\n  promise to honour union contracts if a merger took place.\n      The airlines argued that Western's promise could not be\n  enforced in a takeover by a larger company. Airlines officials\n  could not be reached for comment on the ruling, which halts the\n  merger until arbitration on the dispute is completed.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BOLIDEN TO ANNOUNCE MAJOR CORPORATE TAKEOVER - OFFICIAL\n","article":"  Boliden AB <BLDS ST> mining and metals\n  group said it will announce a major foreign corporate takeover\n  today involving a company with an annual turnover of two\n  billion crowns.\n      A Boliden spokesman told Reuters details of the\n  announcement would be given at a news conference by chairman\n  Rune Andersson at 1030 gmt today. He said the company involved\n  employed 4,000 people, but declined to name the takeover price\n  or say what field the firm operated in.\n      Share analysts said they expected Boliden to announce it\n  will be taking over the U.S. Allis-Chalmers Corp <AH.O> but\n  company officials refused to confirm the reports ahead of the\n  news conference.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET OFFERED EARLY ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had invited\n  an early round of bill offers from the discount houses after\n  forecasting a shortage of around 1.2 billion stg in the money\n  market today.\n      Among the main factors affecting liquidity, bills for\n  repurchase by the market will drain some 526 mln stg while\n  bills maturing in official hands and the take-up of treasury\n  bills will remove around 1.79 billion stg. A rise in note\n  circulation will take out a further 105 mln stg.\n      Partly offsetting these outflows, exchequer transactions\n  will add around 1.01 billion stg and bankers' balances above\n  target some 185 mln stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TURKEY ESTIMATES 1986 GROWTH AT EIGHT PCT\n","article":"  Turkey's Gross National Product grew an\n  estimated 8.0 pct in 1986 at fixed 1968 prices, compared with\n  5.1 pct in 1985, the State Statistics Institute said.\n      Reporting full-year data, it also said Gross Domestic\n  Product rose 8.3 pct compared with 5.1 pct in 1985. An earlier\n  estimate from nine-month data put full-year GNP and GDP growth\n  both at 7.9 pct.\n      The government's GNP growth target for 1987 is five pct,\n  the same level it had set for 1986.\n      The institute estimated per capita GNP for 1986 at 1,116.6\n  dlrs, up from 1,045.3 dlrs in 1985.\n      Officials blame the high 1986 GNP growth on a surge in\n  domestic demand stemming partly from poorly controlled\n  municipal expenditures in the early part of the year.\n      Industry grew at 11.1 pct in real terms in 1986 compared\n  with 6.6 pct in 1985 while agriculture expanded 7.4 pct\n  compared with 2.8 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 689 MLN STG EARLY HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had provided\n  the money market with early assistance of 689 mln stg in\n  response to an early round of bill offers from the discount\n  houses. This compares with the Bank's estimate that the system\n  would face a shortage of around 1.2 billion stg today.\n      The central bank made outright purchases of bank bills\n  comprising 347 mln stg in band one at 9-7\/8 pct, 207 mln stg in\n  band two at 9-13\/16 pct and 135 mln stg in band three at 9-3\/4\n  pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MALAYSIAN MINERS SAY U.S. SELLING TOO MUCH TIN\n","article":"  Malaysian miners criticised the\n  U.S. For violating an agreement with Southeast Asian producers\n  by selling more stockpiled tin in 1986 than agreed.\n      The U.S. General Services Administration sold 5,490 tonnes\n  of tin in 1986, well above an agreed upon annual limit of 3,000\n  tonnes, the States of Malaya Chamber of Mines said.\n      In its latest annual report, it said the U.S. Had promised\n  to limit sales of tin in a memorandum of understanding signed\n  with the six-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations\n  (ASEAN) in December 1983.\n      \"The U.S. Appears to have lost sight of the U.S.\/ASEAN\n  Memorandum of Understanding,\" the Chamber said.\n      The Chamber estimated the U.S. Strategic stockpile held\n  180,444 tonnes of tin in December 1986, 137,744 tonnes in\n  excess of of its original stockpile goal of 42,700.\n      The main ASEAN tin producers are Malaysia, Indonesia and\n  Thailand, which produce the bulk of the world's tin.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GROUPE BRUXELLES LAMBERT PROFIT UP\n","article":"  Net consolidated profit after deduction\n  for minorities 6.52 billion francs vs 5.40 billion.\n      Non-consolidated net profit 3.46 billion francs vs 3.05\n  billion.\n      Note - Results for year 1986. Company's full name is Groupe\n  Bruxelles Lambert SA <LAMB.BR>.\n      Proposed net final dividend on ordinary shares 70 francs vs\n  65 to take total net payment for year to 120 francs vs 110.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AJINOMOTO TO BUY OUT JOINT FOOD VENTURE PARTNER\n","article":"  Ajinomoto Co Inc <AJIN.T> said it will\n  sign around end-April to buy the 50 pct of <Knorr Foods Co\n  Ltd>, capitalised at four billion yen, that it does not already\n  own from its U.S. Partner <CPC International Inc>.\n      Ajinomoto will also acquire 50 pct each of CPC's two sales\n  subsidiaries and six production units in Hong Kong, the\n  Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand, he said.\n      The total cost of the acquisition is 340 mln dlrs, the\n  spokesman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OMNICOM GROUP INC <OMCM> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 27 cts vs profit 51 cts\n      Net profit 6,600,000 vs profit 12.2 mln\n      Revs 211.7 mln vs 193.4 mln\n      Qtly div 24.5 cts vs 24.5 cts\n      Avg shrs 24.2 mln vs 23.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 17 cts vs profit 1.27 dlrs\n      Net loss 4,077,000 vs profit 30.1 mln\n      Revs 753.5 mln vs 673.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 24.4 mln vs 23.7 mln\n      NOTE: Qtly div payable April six to holders of record March\n  16.\n      1986 4th qtr and year net includes a charge of 5.9 mln dlrs\n  and 31.4 mln dlrs, respectively, for corporate restructuring.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GHANA COCOA PURCHASES SLOW\n","article":"  The Ghana Cocoa Board said it purchased\n  214 tonnes of cocoa in the 24th week, ended March 19, of the\n  1986\/87 main crop season, compared with 456 tonnes the previous\n  week and 372 tonnes in the 24th week ended March 27 of the\n  1985\/86 season.\n      Cumulative purchases so far this season stand at 217,449\n  tonnes, ahead of the 204,256 tonnes purchased by the 24th week\n  of last season.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MERGER CLEARANCES\n","article":"  The Secretary of State for Trade and\n  Industry said he had decided not to refer the proposed\n  acquisition by Reed International Plc <REED.L> of <Technical\n  Publishing Company Inc> to the Monopolies and Mergers\n  Commission.\n      The proposed acquisition by <Rosehaugh Plc> of <The General\n  Funds Investment Trust Plc> was also cleared.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN SEES SHARP DECLINE IN SHIPBREAKING\n","article":"  Taiwan's shipbreaking industry is\n  expected to decline sharply this year despite the boom in 1986\n  because of keener competition from South Korea and China, the\n  rising Taiwan dollar and U.S. Import curbs on steel products,\n  industry sources said.\n      Last year, Taiwanese breakers demolished a record 344\n  vessels totalling 3.69 million light displacement tons (ldt),\n  up on 165 of 2.97 million ldt in 1985, Lin Chung-jung, a Taiwan\n  Shipbreaking Industry Association (TSIA) spokesman, told\n  Reuters.\n      China scrapped vessels of some 1.1 mln ldt last year while\n  South Korea demolished ships of 910,000 ldt, he said.\n      Yao Liu, president of Chi Shun Hwa Steel Co, a leading\n  shipbreaker and steel producer in Kaohsiung, told Reuters, \"We\n  expect to scrap fewer ships this year because of an expected\n  decline in our steel product exports.\"\n      Lin said many breakers predicted a 20 pct decline in\n  scrapping operations this year due to falling demand from the\n  U.S., Japan and Southeast Asia for Taiwanese steel.\n      Taiwan agreed last year to voluntarily limit its steel\n  product exports to the U.S. To 120,000 tonnes in the first half\n  of 1987 from about 260,000 tonnes in the first half of 1986, a\n  Taiwan Steel and Iron Association official said.\n      Yao said the rising Taiwan dollar means Taiwan's steel\n  exports are more expensive than South Korea's and China's.\n      The Taiwan dollar has strengthened by some 16 pct against\n  the U.S. Unit since September 1985 and some bankers and\n  economists said it could appreciate to 32 to the U.S. Dollar by\n  the end of the year from 34.23 today, Yao said.\n      In comparison, the won rose by about five pct and yuan\n  remained stable during the same period, he added.\n      \"We have lost some orders to South Korea and mainland China\n  because foreign importers have switched their purchases,\" he\n  said.\n      Taiwan's steel exports to the U.S., Japan and Southeast\n  Asia slipped to 148,000 tonnes in the first two months of 1987\n  from about 220,000 tonnes a year earlier, the Taiwan Steel and\n  Iron Association official said.\n      He said he expected further declines in later months but\n  did not give figures.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. INTERVENTION FEED WHEAT TENDER RESULT AWAITED\n","article":"  Grain traders said they were still\n  awaiting results of yesterday's U.K. Intervention feed wheat\n  tender for the home market.\n      The market sought to buy 340,000 tonnes, more than double\n  the remaining 150,000 tonnes available under the current\n  tender. However, some of the tonnage included duplicate bids\n  for supplies in the same stores.\n      Since the tenders started last July 861,000 tonnes of\n  British feed wheat have been sold back to the home market.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SINGAPORE'S UIC TO BUY INTO TECK HOCK COFFEE FIRM\n","article":"  Singapore's United Industrial Corp Ltd\n  (UIC) has agreed in principle to inject 16 mln dlrs in\n  convertible loan stock into <Teck Hock and Co (Pte) Ltd>, a\n  creditor bank official said.\n      UIC is likely to take a controlling stake in the troubled\n  international coffee trading firm, but plans are not finalised\n  and negotiations will continue for another two weeks, he said.\n      Teck Hock's nine creditor banks have agreed to extend the\n  company's loan repayment period for 10 years although a\n  percentage of the new capital injection will be used to pay off\n  part of the debt.\n      Teck Hock owes more than 100 mln Singapore dlrs and since\n  last December the banks have been allowing the company to\n  postpone loan repayments while they try to find an investor.\n      The nine banks are Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp Ltd, United\n  Overseas Bank Ltd, Banque Paribas, Bangkok Bank Ltd, Citibank\n  N.A., Standard Chartered Bank Ltd, Algemene Bank Nederland NV,\n  Banque Nationale de Paris and Chase Manhattan Bank NA.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"H.K. BANKS TO RAISE PRIME RATES SOON, DEALERS SAY\n","article":"  Banks in Hong Kong are likely to raise\n  prime rates by half a percentage point to 6-1\/2 pct following a\n  one-quarter point prime rate increase by two major U.S. Banks\n  yesterday, dealers said.\n      They told Reuters local banks may decide on the increase at\n  this weekend's routine meeting of the Hong Kong Association of\n  Banks.\n      G.C. Goh, chief dealer of the Standard Chartered Bank, said\n  prime rate increases by Citibank and Chase Manhattan Bank to\n  7-3\/4 pct from 7-1\/2 may prompt Hong Kong banks to follow suit.\n      Goh said local banks want to restore the prime to 6-1\/2\n  pct, the level at beginning of 1987.\n      The banks raised the prime to the current six pct from five\n  pct on February 28 after cutting it 1-1\/2 points from 6-1\/2 on\n  January 15 in response to upside pressure on the Hong Kong\n  dollar, he said.\n      The medium and longer term interbank rates firmed today,\n  with three months ending at 5-1\/16 to 4-7\/8 pct against\n  yesterday's five to 4-13\/16 close. The overnight rate, however,\n  fell to 3-1\/2 to three pct from 4-1\/2 to four because of\n  increased liquidity for a local stock issue.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FORD MOTOR CO OF CANADA LTD<FC> CUTS ANNUAL DIV\n","article":"  Annual div six dlrs vs 12 dlrs prior\n      Pay March 19\n      Record March 13\n      Note: 1986 payout includes two dlrs a share extra dividend\n      1985 payout includes four dlrs a share extra dividend\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GERMAN CALL MONEY DROPS BACK AT MONTH START\n","article":"  Call money rates fell to 3.85\/95 pct\n  from five pct yesterday in moderate trading as month end\n  tightness disappeared and operators took positions for April.\n      Dealers said they expected rates to remain within a 3.70 to\n  four pct range this month. A minor tax payment period on behalf\n  of customers mid-month, the long Easter weekend and pension\n  payments were unlikely to tighten rates significantly.\n      Next Wednesday, 14.9 billion marks are leaving the system\n  on the expiry of a securities repurchase pact. But dealers said\n  they expected the Bundesbank to fully replace the outflow with\n  a new tender at a fixed rate of 3.80 pct.\n      Commerzbank AG's management board chairman Walter Seipp\n  called on the Bundesbank to reduce interest rates to protect\n  the mark through bringing the allocation rate for securities\n  repurchase agreements down.\n      But dealers said the Bundesbank was unlikely to ease credit\n  policies at the moment. There was little domestic and foreign\n  pressure for lower rates and no signs of a change.\n      Yesterday one or two large West German banks effectively\n  drained the domestic money market of liquidity in order to\n  achieve higher rates from their overnight deposits, dealers\n  said.\n      Bundesbank figures showed banks held an average daily 50.7\n  billion marks in minimum reserves at the central bank over the\n  first 30 days of March, the exact requirement needed just one\n  day before the end of the month.\n      Actual holdings on Monday were 42.0 billion marks.\n      Because rates soared to the level of the Lombard emergency\n  funding rate yesterday, banks fell back on the loan facility to\n  draw down a high 5.3 billion marks in an attempt to meet\n  Bundesbank needs, the data showed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SWEDEN'S BOLIDEN AB TAKES OVER U.S. ALLIS-CHALMERS CORP FOR\n","article":"600 MLN CROWNS - OFFICIAL\n\n  SWEDEN'S BOLIDEN AB TAKES OVER U.S. ALLIS-CHALMERS CORP FOR\n  600 MLN CROWNS - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MITSUBISHI HEAVY, C. ITOH TO SELL TRIGUNA STAKES\n","article":"  Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd <MITH.T>\n  (MHI) and C. Itoh and Co Ltd <CITT.T> have decided to sell\n  their combined 65 pct stake in Indonesia's <Pt Triguna Utama\n  Machinery Industries> to <Caterpillar Tractor Co>,  spokesmen\n  for the two Japanese companies said.\n     Triguna, set up in 1982, is owned 40 pct by MHI and 25 pct\n  by C. Itoh and 35 pct by an Indonesian company. It makes about\n  10 forklift trucks and a similar number of excavators each\n  month in technological cooperation with MHI.\n      The spokesmen said the sale results from an expected\n  restructuring later this year of the 50\/50 Caterpillar\/MHI\n  joint venture Japanese company <Caterpillar Mitsubishi Ltd>,\n  formed in 1963.\n      They said the venture will be renamed <Shin Caterpillar\n  Mitsubishi Ltd> and capitalised at 23 billion yen. It will\n  still be owned equally by MHI and Caterpillar and will be set\n  up with the aim of centralising MHI's excavator business.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SWEDEN'S BOLIDEN AB TAKES OVER MINING GEAR UNITS OF\n","article":"ALLIS-CHALMERS CORP FOR 600 MLN CROWNS\n\n  SWEDEN'S BOLIDEN AB TAKES OVER MINING GEAR UNITS OF\n  ALLIS-CHALMERS CORP FOR 600 MLN CROWNS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUGAR TRADERS FORECAST LIKELY EC SUGAR REBATE\n","article":"  London traders say the European Community\n  is likely to award a maximum rebate of 46.80 European currency\n  units per 100 kilos at today's tender, while traders in Paris\n  predict a maximum award of 46.40 Ecus.\n      Last week the EC awarded licences for 59,000 tonnes at a\n  rebate of 45.678 Ecus.\n      Trade views differed on the amount of sugar likely to be\n  released today.\n      London traders said the EC Commission will probably\n  endeavour to release a large tonnage, and as much as  100,000\n  tonnes may be authorised for export under licences up to\n  end-September.\n      Paris traders put the likely tonnage at around 60,000.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BOLIDEN TAKES OVER ALLIS-CHALMERS DIVISION\n","article":"  Swedish mining and metals group\n  Boliden AB <BLDS ST> said it would buy the mining equipment\n  operations of the U.S. Allis-Chalmers Corp <AH.O>, amounting to\n  more than 50 pct of group sales, for 600 mln crowns.\n      Boliden president Kjell Nilsson told a news conference the\n  acquisition of the Allis-Chalmers unit, which he described as\n  the world's leading producer of equipment for the mineral\n  processing industry, would yield positive synergy effects for\n  Boliden mining, metals and engineering operations.\n      Nilsson said the takeover also will provide opportunities\n  to cooperate with the mining and materials handling operations\n  of Boliden's parent company, <Trelleborg AB>.\n      He said Allis-Chalmers was selling out because it needed\n  new cash after suffering big losses in its farm equipment\n  operation.\n      The deal is subject to approval by Allis-Chalmers' annual\n  meeting, company officials said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PROPOSED JAPAN TAX MAY DAMPEN TOKYO GOLD TRADING\n","article":"  A proposed sales tax on gold transactions\n  could put a damper on the Tokyo market and encourage a shift of\n  trading to Hong Kong and Singapore, senior vice president and\n  Tokyo branch manager of Credit Suisse Paul Hofer told a press\n  conference.\n      \"If you impose five pct on both buy and sell transactions,\n  Tokyo participants in the gold market could be out of business,\"\n  he said. The tax would create such a spread that Japanese would\n  be unable to compete in the international market, he added.\n      \"How can the government really raise taxes if the system\n  they impose is prohibitive of generating business?\" he said.\n      The government now imposes a 15 pct tax on physical trades\n  exceeding 37,500 yen for gold jewellery and coins and a 2.5 yen\n  tax per 10,000 yen on futures transactions, gold dealers said.\n      The new five pct tax would be imposed on companies trading\n  more than 100 mln yen a year and apply to paper gold trades,\n  gold deposits with banks and trading of gold bars as well as\n  that of jewellery and coins, dealers said.\n      However, the tax would lower the rate on jewellery and\n  coins to only five pct from the current 15 pct, they said.\n      Hofer said in 1982 Switzerland had imposed a 5.6 pct gold\n  turnover tax on Jan 1, 1980, but abolished it on Oct 1, 1986.\n      A study by one of the Swiss banks showed that in early\n  1980, the first year of the tax, the volume for all Swiss banks\n  fell by up to 25 pct compared with 1978 and 1979, Hofer said.\n      Transactions of paper gold also fell up to 75 pct of the\n  volume prior to imposition of the tax, he said.\n      While gold transactions in Switzerland decreased, the\n  volume of trades outside the country, particularly in London\n  and Luxembourg, increased between 10-25 pct, Hofer said.\n      Japan is a major importer of gold, buying a yearly average\n  just under 200 tonnes, gold dealers said.\n      Last year Japan imported about 600 tonnes of gold, but the\n  government had bought about 300 tonnes for minting coins to\n  commemorate the 60th year of Emperor Hirohito's reign, dealers\n  said.\n      Gold trading in Tokyo is dominated mainly by Japanese\n  trading companies, while Credit Suisse is the major foreign\n  participant.\n      Daily turnover in the Tokyo spot market ranges between one\n  and 10 tonnes with the average around three tonnes, while\n  futures turnover amounts to about four tonnes, gold dealers\n  said.\n      \"All of us are concerned daily with the fact that the Tokyo\n  market is growing, that Japan is becoming one of the three\n  major financial markets in the world ... And in my personal\n  opinion I think it would be a very big mistake to put a damper\n  on this positive growth or developments by imposing such a tax,\"\n  Hofer said.\n      \"I don't think it fits the philosophy of an\n  internationalising market,\" he added.\n      Officials of several major Japanese trading houses,\n  attending the press conference, said they supported Credit\n  Suisse's call for the government not to impose the gold tax.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INDIAN RATE CUTS TO SPARK INDUSTRY, AGRICULTURE\n","article":"  The Indian Finance Ministry's\n  announcement in Parliament yesterday, changing the nation's\n  interest rate structure, will benefit industry and agriculture\n  by providing loans at lower interest, bankers and brokers said.\n      The changes, effective today, included reducing commercial\n  bank lending rates that have ranged between 15 pct and 17.5 pct\n  by one percentage point.\n      New rates, which affect both Indian and foreign banks, also\n  include a one percentage point gain, to an annual 10 pct, on\n  deposits of two years or more but less than five.\n      Bank deposits of five years or more carrying 11 pct\n  interest have been abolished.\n      Bankers said the interest rate modifications reflect the\n  government's concern to reduce the costs of borrowing and help\n  improve world competitiveness of Indian goods.\n      There is likely to be a shift to short-term bank deposits\n  by long-term depositors, bankers predicted. This will create\n  the flexibility to draw and re-invest funds in either equity\n  shares or short-term bank deposits, they said.\n      A merchant banker also said reduced manufacturing costs due\n  to lower lending rates are likely to boost the share market.\n      Tata Steel, a trend setter on the Bombay Stock Exchange,\n  opened today higher at 1,040 rupees against yesterday's closing\n  of 1,012.50 rupees.\n      A stockbroker said investors may be less enthusiastic now\n  to buy convertible and non-convertible debentures because the\n  Finance Ministry has reduced the annual interest rate to 12.5\n  pct and 14 pct respectively from 13.5 and 15 pct respectively.\n      \"But overall debenture prospects remain bright because the\n  rates of interest on them will still be higher than what banks\n  pay for deposits of similar maturity,\" a merchant banker said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET SHORTAGE FORECAST REVISED UP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had revised\n  its estimate of the shortage in the money market up to 1.3\n  billion stg from 1.2 billion before taking account of its early\n  operations.\n      The Bank has provided 689 mln stg assistance so far today.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INTERNATIO-MUELLER ACQUIRES CANADIAN COMPANY\n","article":"  Internatio-Mueller NV <INTN.AS> said it\n  will acquire <Promac Controls Inc> of Canada but declined to\n  comment on the amount of the payment, which will be in cash.\n      Promac, which produces measurement and regulating\n  equipment, has a work force of 50 and had 1986 turnover of five\n  mln guilders, an Internatio spokesman said.\n      He said the takeover fits into the company's drive for\n  expansion in the U.S and Canada and further acquisitions are\n  possible.\n      Promac Controls will be part of Internatio's\n  electrotechnical sector.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. INTERVENTION FEED WHEAT SOLD TO HOME MARKET\n","article":"  A total of 126,031 tonnes of U.K.\n  Intervention feed wheat was sold to the home market at this\n  week's tender, provisional results show, the Home Grown Cereals\n  Authority (HGCA), said.\n      Actual prices were not reported but the wheat was sold at,\n  or above, the March intervention price of 119.17 stg per tonne.\n      Grain traders sought to buy about 340,000 tonnes.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SRI LANKA TO UPGRADE QUALITY OF COCONUT PRODUCTS\n","article":"  The Sri Lankan cabinet approved\n  recommendations to upgrade the quality of coconut fibre\n  products, the government said.\n      It said the recommendations also suggested that\n  encouragement be given for the manufacture of value-added\n  products from coconut fibre and a market development programme\n  be launched for traditional and value-added products.\n      It also suggested the setting up of a marketing mission on\n  coconut fibre to be sent this month to principal target\n  markets.\n      Sri Lanka is the world's second largest exporter of\n  dessicated coconut after the Philippines.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HOOGOVENS CONCLUDES TAKEOVER OF PHILIPS CIREX UNIT\n","article":"  Dutch steel concern\n  <Hoogovens Groep BV> said it had reached agreement with NV\n  Philips Gloeielampenfabrieken <PGLO.AS> on its takeover of\n  Cirex, a specialised Philips precision wax moulding unit.\n      Neither party would reveal financial details of the deal,\n  initially announced in October.\n      Hoogovens said Cirex turnover had grown in recent years to\n  30 mln guilders in 1986 and it expected further expansion.\n      The unit delivers mainly to the car industry.\n      Hoogovens said the acquisition would strengthen its\n  position as a supplier to industry of high-value metal\n  products.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PRECIOUS METALS CLIMATE IMPROVING, SAYS MONTAGU\n","article":"  The climate for precious metals is\n  improving with prices benefiting from renewed inflation fears\n  and the switching of funds from dollar and stock markets,\n  brokers Samuel Montagu and Co Ltd said.\n      Silver prices in March gained some 15 pct in dlr terms due\n  to a weak dollar and silver is felt to be fairly cheap relative\n  to gold, Montagu said in its monthly silver newsletter. In\n  March the gold\/silver ratio narrowed from 74 to less than 67.\n      The supply\/demand position has improved in the past year,\n  and despite a silver market surplus, the quantity of silver is\n  modest enough to be absorbed by investors, it added.\n      The report said the firmness in oil prices was likely to\n  continue in the short term.\n      A period of consolidation might be necessary before prices\n  attempted to move significantly higher,it said, but so long as\n  the dollar remains under pressure then the outlook for silver\n  was positive.\n      However silver was less likely to continue to outpace the\n  other metals by such a margin, Montagu said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TOTAL U.S. COPPER STOCKS LOWER IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Total copper stocks held by U.S. rod\n  mills and refiners (including wirebars, cathodes, scrap, rod\n  and in-process material) dropped to 155,467,000 lbs at the end\n  of January from 203,513,000 lbs at the end of December, the\n  American Bureau of Metal Statistics said.\n      Rod stocks held by refiners and rod mills decreased to\n  61,384,000 lbs in January from 69,986,000 lbs in December.\n      Cathode inventories at rod mills fell to 86,456,000 lbs in\n  January from 124,409,000 lbs in December, while wirebar stocks\n  were lower at 3,508,000 lbs versus 4,913,000 lbs in December.\n      December rod mill wirebar use nearly doubled to 3,148,000\n  lbs in January from 1,540,000 lbs in December. Cathode use by\n  mills and refiners increased to 255,266,000 lbs in January from\n  238,821,000 lbs in December.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ROTTERDAM GRAIN HANDLERS STAGE LIGHTNING STRIKES\n","article":"  Lightning strikes hit the grain sector\n  of the port of Rotterdam today after employers turned down\n  union demands for shorter working hours in a new labour\n  agreement, transport union FNV spokesman Bert Duim said.\n      Around 140 grain handlers stopped work, 125 of them at the\n  two Europoort locations of Graan Elevator Mij (GEM), which\n  handles about 95 pct of grain, oilseeds and derivatives passing\n  through Rotterdam.\n      GEM managing director Pieter van der Vorm said the\n  facilities were 40 pct operational.\n      The employers had invited the unions for talks later today,\n  but details of the labour agreement would not be on the agenda,\n  Van der Vorm said.\n      It is barely one month since the end of an eight-week\n  campaign of lightning strikes against redundancies in\n  Rotterdam's general cargo sector, which stevedoring companies\n  said cost them millions of guilders.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BOLIDEN TAKES OVER ALLIS-CHALMERS DIVISION\n","article":"  Swedish mining and metals group\n  Boliden AB said it would buy the mining equipment operations of\n  the U.S. Allis-Chalmers Corp, amounting to more than 50 pct of\n  group sales, for 600 mln crowns.\n      Boliden president Kjell Nilsson told a news conference the\n  acquisition of the Allis-Chalmers unit, which he described as\n  the world's leading producer of equipment for the mineral\n  processing industry, would yield positive synergy effects for\n  Boliden mining, metals and engineering operations.\n      Nilsson said the takeover will provide opportunities to\n  cooperate with the mining and materials handling operations of\n  Boliden's parent company, Trelleborg AB.\n      He said Allis-Chalmers was selling out because it needed\n  new cash after suffering big losses in its farm equipment\n  operation.\n      The deal is subject to approval by Allis-Chalmers' annual\n  meeting, company officials said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MALAYSIA DECLINES TO STATE POSITION ON COCOA PACT\n","article":"  Government officials in Malaysia, a\n  major cocoa producer, have declined to say whether it will join\n  the International Cocoa Agreement (ICCA) for which buffer stock\n  rules were agreed in London last week.\n      Ministry of Primary Industries officials said in January\n  the cabinet would decide on Malaysia's participation, but so\n  far a decision has not been announced. The government is said\n  to be in favour of joining the pact, but local cocoa growers\n  and traders told Reuters they are against the idea because\n  certain provisions in it may be to their disadvantage.\n      Malaysia is the world's fourth largest cocoa producer. The\n  government feels that the pact, through its buffer stock\n  mechanism, can help stabilise prices in a market which is\n  labouring under surpluses, officials said.\n      But growers and traders are concerned Malaysia's\n  participation in the pact will require them to pay a levy for\n  exports of cocoa to non-member countries of the ICCA.\n      They estimate the levy at around 100 ringgit a tonne at\n  current prices and said they are not prepared to accept it\n  because a big portion of Malaysia's cocoa exports, officially\n  estimated at 112,000 tonnes in 1986, goes to non-members.\n      Most growers and traders added they are also against a\n  buffer stock measure under the agreement which requires\n  withholding of cocoa stocks when prices slump.\n      Malaysia, which produced 117,000 tonnes of cocoa last year,\n  might be forced to withhold up to 70,000 tonnes worth some 30\n  mln ringgit under such a measure in the long-term, and this\n  might affect their economic viability, they said.\n      \"The cost of maintaining such a stock can be high and it\n  will be a real messy business for the government and the trade\n  if it ever occurs,\" an industry source said.\n      The growers and traders also said that under new buffer\n  stock rules Malaysia can continue to benefit even if it is not\n  a member of the pact, as the buffer stock manager is also\n  allowed to buy from non-members for the stockpile.\n      Under the new rules purchases from non-members, such as\n  Malaysia, will be limited to 15 pct of the total stock.\n      Malaysia has come under pressure from some producers to\n  join the pact soon, officials said, but they noted that it need\n  not rush to do so as there are provisions which allow countries\n  to join the agreement even at a later date.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CURRENCY INSTABILITY WILL NOT LAST - SUMITA\n","article":"  Bank of Japan Governor Satoshi Sumita said\n  the present foreign exchange market instability will not last\n  long as there is caution in the market regarding the rapid\n  decline of the U.S. Unit.\n      He told reporters the major currency nations are determined\n  to continue their concerted intervention whenever necessary to\n  stave off speculative dollar selling in line with their\n  February 22 currency stability agreement in Paris.\n      Sumita also said he did not see the recent dollar drop as\n  anything like a free-fall.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BOND CORP COMPLETES CONSOLIDATED PRESS PURCHASE\n","article":"  Bond Corp Holdings Ltd <BONA.S> said it\n  has completed the 1.05 billion dlr purchase of the electronic\n  media interests of unlisted <Consolidated Press Holdings Ltd>.\n      The new company <Bond Media Ltd> now holds the television,\n  broadcasting and associated businesses previously held by Kerry\n  Packer's Consolidated, Bond Corp said in a statement.\n      Packer, who made the sale in January, will be a director of\n  Bond Media. As previously reported, Bond Media will be publicly\n  floated with a rights issue to Bond Corp shareholders. Bond\n  Media will be 50 pct owned by Bond Corp and is expected to be\n  listed by the end of May, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"H.K. BANKS TO RAISE PRIME RATES SOON, DEALERS SAY\n","article":"  Banks in Hong Kong are likely to raise\n  prime rates by half a percentage point to 6-1\/2 pct following a\n  one-quarter point prime rate increase by two major U.S. Banks\n  yesterday, dealers said.\n      They told Reuters local banks may decide on the increase at\n  this weekend's routine meeting of the Hong Kong Association of\n  Banks.\n      G.C. Goh, chief dealer of the Standard Chartered Bank, said\n  prime rate increases by Citibank and Chase Manhattan Bank to\n  7-3\/4 pct from 7-1\/2 may prompt Hong Kong banks to follow suit.\n      Goh said local banks want to restore the prime to 6-1\/2\n  pct, the level at beginning of 1987.\n      The banks raised the prime to the current six pct from five\n  pct on February 28 after cutting it 1-1\/2 points from 6-1\/2 on\n  January 15 in response to upside pressure on the Hong Kong\n  dollar, he said.\n      The medium and longer term interbank rates firmed today,\n  with three months ending at 5-1\/16 to 4-7\/8 pct against\n  yesterday's five to 4-13\/16 close. The overnight rate, however,\n  fell to 3-1\/2 to three pct from 4-1\/2 to four because of\n  increased liquidity for a local stock issue.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ONE OFFER FOR SRW WHEAT ON CALL SESSION, NO MILO\n","article":"  One offer but no bid was posted for SRW\n  wheat on the call session at the St Louis Merchants Exchange\n  today. There were no bids or offers for milo.\n      June 15-July 15 bill of lading for wheat was offered at 17\n  over July, no comparison, no bid.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GUARDIAN ROYAL PROFIT UP SHARPLY AT 143.8 MLN STG\n","article":"  Year to Dec 31\n      Shr profit 63.6p vs loss 8.7p\n      Final div 24p making 34p vs total 28.75p\n      Pretax profit 143.8 mln stg vs 3.5 mln\n      General underwriting loss on short-term business 79.8 vs\n  154.3\n      NOTE - Company's full name is Guardian Royal Assuance Plc\n  <GREX.L>\n      Underwriting profit on long-term insurance business 21.6\n  mln stg vs 19.1 mln\n      Loss on discontinued international professional indemnity\n  business nil vs 40.6 mln stg\n      Investment income 213.8 mln stg vs 193.6 mln\n      Less interest payable 11.8 mln stg vs 14.3 mln\n      Tax 38.8 mln stg vs 15.0 mln Minorities 3.3 mln stg vs 2.3\n  mln\n      Extraordinary item - contingency claims provisions on\n  discontinued international business nil vs 55.0 mln stg\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"PRECIOUS METALS CLIMATE IMPROVING, SAYS MONTAGU\n","article":"  The climate for precious metals is\n  improving with prices benefiting from renewed inflation fears\n  and the switching of funds from dollar and stock markets,\n  brokers Samuel Montagu and Co Ltd said.\n      Silver prices in March gained some 15 pct in dlr terms due\n  to a weak dollar and silver is felt to be fairly cheap relative\n  to gold, Montagu said in its monthly silver newsletter. In\n  March the gold\/silver ratio narrowed from 74 to less than 67.\n      The supply\/demand position has improved in the past year,\n  and despite a silver market surplus, the quantity of silver is\n  modest enough to be absorbed by investors, it added.\n      The report said the firmness in oil prices was likely to\n  continue in the short term.\n      A period of consolidation might be necessary before prices\n  attempted to move significantly higher,it said, but so long as\n  the dollar remains under pressure then the outlook for silver\n  was positive.\n      However silver was less likely to continue to outpace the\n  other metals by such a margin, Montagu said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SWEDISH MATCH SELLS PORTUGUESE UNIT\n","article":"  Swedish Match AB <SMBS.ST> said it was\n  selling one of its Portuguese subsidiaries, <Sociedade de\n  Iniciativa e Aproveitamentos Florestais Sarl> (SIAF), to the\n  Porto-based <Sonae Group> for an undisclosed price.\n      SIAF, a subsidiary of Swedish Match since 1946, had a\n  turnover last year of 62 mln crowns, the Swedish group said in\n  a statement.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUN LIFE ASSURANCE profit up\n","article":"  Year 1986\n      DIV 18.1p making 28.5p vs 23.74p\n      PROFIT AFTER TAX 17.4 mln stg vs 14.1 mln\n      TAX 0.7 mln stg vs 0.2 mln\n      Bonus distribution rose to new record level of 125.1 mln\n  stg vs 114.9 mln in 1985\n      Full name of company is Sun Life Assurance Society Plc\n  <SULL.L>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUN ALLIANCE PRETAX PROFIT 180.4 MLN STG VS 37.7 MLN FOR\n","article":"1986\n\n  SUN ALLIANCE PRETAX PROFIT 180.4 MLN STG VS 37.7 MLN FOR\n  1986\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LOWER INTEREST RATES SEEN FOLLOWING IRISH BUDGET\n","article":"  Financial markets welcomed public\n  spending cuts announced by Ireland's new minority government in\n  its budget, saying the move would lead to lower interest rates.\n      Finance Minister Ray MacSharry, making cuts across the\n  board, reduced the Exchequer Borrowing Requirement to 1.85\n  billion punts, 10.7 pct of GNP, compared with 2.15 billion\n  punts or 13 pct of GNP last year.\n      Allied Irish Banks foreign exchange dealer John Kearney\n  commented: \"I would see interest rates coming down by two to 2.5\n  pct in the next three months.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SUN ALLIANCE reports sharp profit rise\n","article":"  Year 1986\n      Shr 64.2p vs 14p\n      Div 16p making 23.5p vs 17.5p\n      Pretax profit 180.4 mln stg vs 37.7 mln\n      Net after tax 137.1 mln vs 34.9 mln\n      Minorities 10.5 mln vs 7.2 mln\n      General premium income 1.99 billion stg vs 1.78 billion\n      Long term premium income 704.5 mln vs 576.6 mln\n      General insurance underwritng loss 78.3 mln vs 183.4 mln\n      Long term insurance profits 27.3 mln vs 20.9 mln\n      Investment and other income 231.4 mln vs 200.2 mln.\n      Company's full name is Sun Alliance and London Insurance\n  Plc <SUNL.L>.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BOLIDEN SAYS IT NOW LEADER IN MINING GEAR\n","article":"  Swedish mining and metals group\n  Boliden AB <BLDS.ST> said the takeover of the U.S.\n  Allis-Chalmers Corp's <AH.O> mining machinery division made it\n  the world's leading maker of such equipment.\n      President Kjell Nilsson, announcing the 600 mln crown deal,\n  told a news conference Boliden would now become a truly\n  international concern with operations in Brazil, Chile and\n  other big minerals-producing nations.\n      He said the Allis-Chalmers' division, accounting for some\n  50 pct of the U.S. Group's sales, would fit in well into\n  Boliden.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"U.S. CREDIT MARKET OUTLOOK - PRIME RATE\n","article":"  The prospect that other banks will\n  follow industry leaders Citibank and Chase Manhattan in raising\n  their prime rate is likely to cast a pall over the credit\n  markets today, economists said.\n      Bond prices had been making a smart recovery from two days\n  of heavy selling when Citibank surprised the market by\n  announcing a quarter-point increase in its prime rate to 7-3\/4\n  pct. Chase Manhattan quickly followed.\n      Prices quickly fell by a full point, even though the dollar\n  - the market's overriding concern of late - rose sharply on the\n  news.\n      Citibank cited the higher cost of money, especially in the\n  Euromarket, as the reason for raising its prime rate.\n      Part of this rise in market rates has been caused by fears\n  of a tighter Federal Reserve policy to defend the dollar, but\n  economists said it is too early to tell whether the Fed, whose\n  policy-making federal open market committee, FOMC, meets this\n  week, is already tightening its grip on credit.\n      \"The Fed seems to have been a bit slow in meeting the\n  banking system's reserve needs this statement period, but I\n  wouldn't conclude anything until I've seen the Fed data,\" said\n  Jeffrey Leeds of Chemical Bank.\n   REUTER^M\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CEREALS MCAS TO BE UNCHANGED NEXT WEEK\n","article":"  Monetary compensatory amounts, MCA's,\n  will be unchanged for the week starting April 6, EC Commission\n  officials said.\n      Cereals MCA's are plus 2.4 points for West Germany and the\n  Netherlands, minus two points for Denmark, minus eight points\n  for France, minus nine for Ireland, minus 5.7 for Italy, minus\n  25.7 for Britain, minus 44.1 for Greece and minus 10.5 for\n  Spain.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. SUPREME COURT ALLOWS DELTA-WESTERN MERGER\n","article":"  U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day\n  O'Connor early this morning lifted an Appeals Court injunction\n  blocking the planned merger of Delta <DAL> Airlines\n  Inc and Western Airlines <WAL>, the Court said.\n      O'Connor's action came hours after a three-judge panel of\n  the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco had\n  blocked the merger until a dispute over union representation\n  had been settled by arbitration.\n      A Supreme Court spokesman said O'Connor granted a stay of\n  the injuction, allowing the merger, worth nearly 860 mln dlrs,\n  to go through as planned later today.\n      The Supreme Court spokesman provided no other details. Each\n  of the nine Supreme Court justices has jurisdiction over a\n  particular regional Appellate circuit and has the power to\n  provisionally overturn its rulings without comment.\n      The Appeals Court ruling surprised officials of\n  Atlanta-based Delta, which had been preparing for the merger\n  for months and had already painted Delta logos on airplanes\n  belonging to Western, which has headquartera in Los Angeles.\n      \"Our plans were to finalize the merger at midnight tonight,\"\n  Delta spokesman Bill Berry told the Atlanta Constitution late\n  last night. \"There was really very little that remained to be\n  done.\"\n      The ruling in San Francisco came in a lawsuit that had been\n  filed in a Los Angeles federal court in which the Air Transport\n  Employees union sought to force Western's management to fulfill\n  a promise that it would honor union contracts if a merger took\n  place.\n      The airlines argued that Western's promise could not be\n  enforced in a takeover by a larger company.\n      After learning of the appeals court ruling, Delta officials\n  last night spread the word by telephone that Western employees\n  should report for work today in their old uniforms, not in new\n  Delta outfits.\n      Delta announced last September that it was purchasing\n  Western. The merger took place in December, and Western has\n  been operated as a Delta subsidiary since then. The Western\n  name was to have disappeared at midnight last night.\n      At issue is whether the Western unions would continue to\n  represent Western employees after the integration of the two\n  airlines.\n      While all but eight pct of Western's 11,000 employees are\n  unionized, only Delta's pilots are union members.\n      Delta had maintained that the three unions having contracts\n  with Western -- The Association of Flight Attendants and the\n  Teamsters, as well as the Air Transport Employees -- would be\n  \"extinguished\" after today.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET DEFICIT REVISED DOWNWARDS\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it has revised\n  its estimate of today's shortfall to around 1.25 billion stg\n  from 1.3 billion before taking account of 775 mln stg morning\n  assistance.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ICO COFFEE PRODUCERS TO DISCUSS MARKET SITUATION\n","article":"  International Coffee Organization, ICO,\n  producers will meet at 1500 GMT (0900 est) for a general\n  discussion of the market situation, producer spokesman\n  Lindenberg Sette said.\n      The Brazilian delegate said several producers requested the\n  meeting but Brazil was not among them. The ICO executive\n  board's regular session this week has so far been confined to\n  routine matters, with no attempt by producers or consumers to\n  revive export quota negotiations, delegates said.\n      Talks to restore quotas collapsed early last month when\n  producers and consumers failed to resolve differences on how\n  quotas should be allocated.\n      Producer delegates said there was no sense of urgency among\n  producers to reopen quota talks with consumers, with most\n  countries now prepared to wait for the ICO's annual September\n  council session to restart negotiations.\n      Members of the Inter-African Coffee Organization called for\n  today's producer meeting to exchange views on the market\n  situation, the producer delegates said.\n      The lack of a new debate on export quotas here this week\n  was cited as the reason for renewed weakness in coffee prices\n  in London and New York futures, traders said.\n      Near May in London hit a five-year low this morning at\n  1,220 stg, about 50 stg below last night's close, they said.\n      The executive board session looks set to end today,\n  following a final session at 1600 GMT (1000 est) when a\n  consultancy report of the operation of the ICO will be\n  presented to producers and consumers, delegates added.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CITADEL <CDL> SETTLES WITH GREAT WESTERN <GWF>\n","article":"  Citadel Holding Corp said it\n  has settled its litigation with Great Western Financial corp.\n      The company said under the terms, Great Western has agreed\n  not to acquire or seek to acquire any voting securities of\n  Citadel or propose a merger with Citadel for five years, and\n  Citadel has paid Great Western six mln dlrs.\n      Citadel said it is continuing to pursue its claims against\n  Salomon Inc <SB>, which represented it in connection with the\n  disputed proposed merger with Great Western that was the\n  subject of the litigation.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOSNOFF ENDS DEAL WITH PRATT, SOUTHMARK ON POSSIBLE\n","article":"VENTURE FOR CAESARS BID    \n\n  SOSNOFF ENDS DEAL WITH PRATT, SOUTHMARK ON POSSIBLE\n  VENTURE FOR CAESARS BID    \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BP <BP> STARTS BID FOR STANDARD OIL <SRD> SHARES\n","article":"  British Petroleum Co PLC said it has\n  started its previously announced 7.4 billion dlr offer to\n  purchase the 45 pct interest in Standard Oil Co that it does\n  not already own for 70 dlrs per share.\n      In a newspaper advertisement, the company said the offer,\n  which is not conditioned on receipt of any minimum number of\n  shares, and associated withdrawal rights will expire April 28\n  unless extended.\n      BP said it is asking Standard Oil for the use of its\n  shareholder list in disseminating the offer, on which the\n  Standard board has not yet taken a position.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VISUAL TECHNOLOGY <VSALC> CONTROL CHANGES\n","article":"  Visual Technology Inc said a group\n  led by <Hambrecht and Quist Group> has acquired majority\n  ownership of Visual for 9,250,000 dlrs in equity financing.\n      The company said Hambrecht and Quist president William R.\n  Hambrecht and three other Hambrecht and Quist representatives\n  have been named to the Visual board, with Robert M. Morrill,\n  managing partner of the Boston office of Hambrecht's Hambrecht\n  and Quist Venture Partners unit named chairman.  Clifford G.\n  Zimmer Jr. remains president and chief executive officer.\n      Visual also said about nine mln dlrs of its debt has been\n  converted to equity.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CPC INTERNATIONAL TO SELL STAKES IN ASIAN UNITS FOR 340\n","article":"MLN DLRS TO AJINOMOTO   \n\n  CPC INTERNATIONAL TO SELL STAKES IN ASIAN UNITS FOR 340\n  MLN DLRS TO AJINOMOTO   \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CAREPLUS INC <CPLS> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr loss nil vs profit nil\n      Net loss 17,000 vs profit 31,000\n      Revs 5,429,000 up 27 pct\n      Year\n      Shr profit four cts vs profit five cts\n      Net profit 523,000 vs profit 421,000\n      Revs 18.3 mln vs 11.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 15.2 mln vs 8,941,000\n      NOTE: Year net includes tax credits of 131,000 dlrs vs\n  194,000 dlrs.\n      1986 net both periods includes charge 264,000 dlrs from\n  settlement of overtime wage dispute and addition to provision\n  for uncollectible accounts.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JOHN ADAMS LIFE CORP <JALC> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 24 cts vs profit 24 cts\n      Oper net loss 716,000 vs profit 729,000\n      Revs 3,673,000 vs 7,826,000\n      Avg shrs 2,930,000 vs 2,930,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit nil vs profit 1.31 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 10,000 vs profit 3,200,000\n      Revs 12.9 mln vs 26.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,930,000 vs 2,454,521\n      NOTE: Net excludes realized investment gains of 2,000 dlrs\n  vs 13,000 dlrs quarter and 104,000 dlrs vs 6,000 dlrs year.\n      1985 net both periods excludes 57,000 dlr extraordinary\n  gain.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TEMPO ENTERPRISES INC <TPO> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 40 cts vs 36 cts\n      Net 2,309,000 vs 2,076,000\n      Revs 28.2 mln vs 30.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNITED HEALTHCARE CORP <UNIH> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 10 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 1,553,000 vs 1,541,000\n      Revs 73.1 mln vs 32.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 15,474,000 vs 12,316,000\n      Year\n      Shr 47 cts vs 24 cts\n      Net 7,241,000 vs 2,835,000\n      Revs 216.2 mln vs 101.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 15,492,000 vs 11,921,000\n      Note: Net income includes extraordinary profit from\n  recognition of tax loss carryforward of 920,000 dlrs, or six\n  cts a share, in 1986 year, and of 785,000 dlrs, or seven cts a\n  share, in both 1985 periods.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SWEDEN RAISES FUEL TAXES TO FUND DEFENCE SPENDING\n","article":"  Sweden announced tax increases on\n  petrol and heating oil from July 1, 1987 to help finance a 1.7\n  pct rise in defence spending over the next five years.\n      A Finance Ministry statement said the increase should boost\n  the price of petrol by 0.13 crowns to an average of 4.21 crowns\n  per litre while light-grade heating oil would go up by 30\n  crowns per cubic metre to an average of 1,665 crowns.\n      It said oil companies should absorb part of the tax rise\n  internally and not pass it on to consumers as compensation for\n  a reduction in the stocks that the industry is required to keep\n  for Sweden's national petroleum reserve.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KENYAN MINISTER FORECASTS ECONOMIC EXPANSION\n","article":"  Kenya's economy will continue to expand\n  this year and the government will do more to encourage\n  investment by foreign firms and the local private sector,\n  Planning Minister Robert Ouko said.\n      He told a news conference that the government would soon\n  create a special bureau to expedite processing of investment\n  applications by local and foreign investors.\n      Praising the role of multinational companies and local\n  entrepreneurs in Kenya's economy, the minister promised to\n  maintain a close working contact with the private sector.\n      The economy grew by 5.3 pct last year, up from 4.1 pct in\n  1985, Ouko said.\n      This was owing to high prices for the country's coffee\n  exports, low oil prices, low inflation and rising real incomes,\n  he added.\n      \"Despite rising petroleum prices and falling coffee prices,\n  Kenya's economy is still expected to improve in 1987,\" the\n  planning minister said.\n      \"High aggregate demand arising from low inflation, trade\n  liberalisation and disciplined financial management are\n  expected to increase output in the manufacturing sector,\" he\n  said.\n      Agriculture would expand significantly if favourable\n  weather continued and farmers responded to producer price rises\n  announced in February, the minister added.\n      Kenyan farmers are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the\n  long rainy season, which is due to start about now.\n      Ouko said the production of Kenya's main cash crops\n  increased during the second half of last year.\n      Coffee deliveries to the state-run Coffee Board of Kenya\n  rose 17 pct and tea deliveries rose four pct during the period,\n  he said.\n      Ouko paid tribute to the private sector for its\n  contribution to the economy and promised to improve government\n  cooperation with businessmen by maintaining regular contact\n  with them.\n      \"I wish to pay tribute to the private sector for its\n  contribution to the economy in 1986 and challenge it to\n  maintain the same spirit this year ... The manufacturing sector\n  grew by an estimated 5.8 pct in 1986, in line with the same\n  period the previous year,\" he said.\n      Ouko said the \"one stop\" bureau was intended to stimulate\n  investment and cut the time and bureacracy currently involved\n  in processing applications.\n      The planning minister presented a review of the Kenyan\n  economy during the second half of 1986 which showed inflation\n  falling to 4.3 pct from 10.2 a year earlier.\n      This was owing to higher agricultural production and the\n  Kenyan shilling's relative strength against other major\n  currencies, the report said.\n      The average exchange rate was 16.23 shillings per U.S. Dlr\n  last year, a fall of only 1.2 pct from 16.432 in 1985. The half\n  yearly report said exports increased about 30 pct in\n  July-December 1986, while imports rose by only six pct during\n  the period.\n      This gave Kenya an overall balance of payments surplus of\n  780 mln Kenya shillings (48 mln dlrs) during the period,\n  compared with a 1.4 billion shilling (87 mln dlr) deficit in\n  the second half of 1985, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"PEOPLES BAN CORP <PEOP> SEES 1ST QUARTER NET UP\n","article":"  Peoples Ban Corp said it expects to\n  report first quarter earnings of over six mln dlrs, including a\n  gain of 1,600,000 dlrs from the settlement of a dispute with\n  the Internal Revenue Service and the sale of four banking\n  offices in Vancouver, Wash.\n      The company said it expects to report \"normal\" earnings for\n  the rest ofd the year of 4,500,000 to five mln dlrs per\n  quarter.\n      Peoples earned 105,000 dlrs in last year's first quarter\n  and in all of 1986 lost 1,768,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MAXXAM GROUP INC <MXM> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.61 dlrs vs loss 47 cts\n      Net loss 19.2 mln vs loss 5,716,000\n      Revs 46.4 mln vs 11.0 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 2.01 dlrs vs loss 29 cts\n      Net loss 24.5 mln vs loss 3,548,000\n      Revs 150.2 mln vs 24.4 mln\n      NOTE: 1985 net includes tax credits of 7,336,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and 10.2 mln dlrs in year.\n      Results include 64.7 pct stake in Pacific Lumber Co from\n  December 1985 through February 1987 and 100 pct thereafter.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRENCH CEREAL EXPORTS THROUGH ROUEN UP IN MARCH\n","article":"  French cereals exports through Rouen port\n  rose to 751,563 tonnes between March 1 and March 25 from\n  603,413 tonnes in the same 1986 period, freight sources said.\n      The Soviet Union took 263,051 tonnes of wheat and barley,\n  Saudi Arabia 90,944 tonnes barley, China 87,259 wheat, Algeria\n  64,896 wheat, Bangladesh 30,000 wheat, Morocco 27,500 maize,\n  Greece 26,700 wheat and barley, Spain 25,124 wheat, Poland\n  24,683 wheat, Brazil 24,082 wheat, Italy 21,659 wheat, Cyprus\n  20,700 wheat and maize, Israel 16,500 maize and the U.K. 8,797\n  tonnes wheat.\n      Six ships are loading 120,000 tonnes of wheat, the sources\n  said. They include 30,000 tonnes for China, 31,000 for the\n  Soviet Union, 25,000 for Turkey, and 35,000 for Italy. Another\n  ship is loading 17,000 tonnes of colza for the Soviet Union.\n      Another 12 ships should arrive to load 344,000 tonnes of\n  cereals by the end of the week. Six are to load 186,000 tonnes\n  of wheat for the Soviet Union. Two will load 60,000 tonnes of\n  barley for Saudi Arabia, one 28,000 tonnes of wheat for China,\n  two 25,000 tonnes of wheat each for Algeria and Turkey and one\n  20,000 tonnes of wheat for Italy. Another is expected to load\n  20,000 tonnes of colza for the Soviet Union.\n      Flour exports through Rouen rose to 23,457 tonnes in the 25\n  day period from 5,500 in the equivalent 1986 period, the\n  sources said.\n      Sudan took 19,327 tonnes and west coast Africa 4,130.\n      Four ships are currently loading 32,000 tonnes, including\n  24,000 for Egypt, 6,000 for Tanzania and 2,000 for Mauritania.\n      A ship is expected later this week to load 12,000 tonnes\n  for China.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FAO APPROVES EMERGENCY FOOD AID FOR ETHIOPIA\n","article":"  The United Nations Food and Agriculture\n  Organization, FAO, said it approved emergency food aid worth\n  more than 14.3 mln dlrs for drought victims in Ethiopia.\n      The aid will include 30,000 tonnes of wheat and 1,200\n  tonnes of vegetable oil for farmers in the Wollo and Illubabor\n  regions.\n      FAO said it has also approved more than 1.4 mln dlrs of\n  food aid for 8,000 families in Sri Lanka. In addition, 583,225\n  dlrs of aid will be made available to Malawi to feed 96,700\n  people displaced from Mozambique and a further 340,200 dlrs for\n  cyclone victims in Vanuatu in the South Pacific.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOSNOFF ENDS PRATT <PRAT>\/SOUTHMARK <SM> DEAL\n","article":"  Investor Martin T. Sosnoff said\n  Southmark Corp and affiliate Pratt Hotels Corp have ended talks\n  with his MTS Acquisition Corp on a possible joint venture for\n  the acquisition of Caesars World Inc.\n      Sosnoff said the talks had not been actively pursued since\n  they were announced March 20, but it had been agreed that\n  unless the discussions were formally terminated, Pratt and\n  Southmark would not initiate a competing tender offer for\n  Caesars World or take any other action that would hamper\n  Sosnoff's current offer to acquire all Caesars shares he does\n  not now own for 28 dlrs each.\n      Sosnoff said his 28 dlr per share bid for Caesars, which is\n  scheduled to expire May 15, still stands, and he remains\n  receptive to negotiating a transaction to buy Caesars on\n  friendly terms.\n      Pratt recently made an apparently unsuccessful bid to\n  acquire control of Resorts International Inc <RTB>, seeming to\n  lose out to Donald Trump.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CPC INTERNATIONAL <CPC> TO SELL ASIAN STAKES\n","article":"  CPC International Inc\n  said said it has agreed in principle to sell interests in its\n  grocery products operations in Hong Kong, Malaysia, the\n  Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand to <Ajinomoto Co\n  Inc> of Japan for 340 mln dlrs.\n      The company said the move will reduce Asian overhead and a\n  substantial part of the proceeds will be used to reduce debt.\n      It said as part of the agreement, its current direct\n  investment in its existing non-consolidated joint venture with\n  Ajinomoto will be converted into a cooperative arrangement for\n  the long-term utilization of technology and trademarks.\n      The company said the change in the Japanese arrangement\n  will give Ajinomoto full equity ownership while leaving CPC a\n  continuing earnings stream and cash flow.\n      The transactions are subject to definitive agreements and\n  government approvals.\n      CPC said not included in the 340 mln dlr consideration are\n  proceeds from the sale of some smaller Asian investments,\n  including a 51 pct equity interest in an oat-based food venture\n  to an Australian partner.\n      The company said the actions being taken under its\n  restructuring program, including the sale of its European corn\n  wet milling business and other assets, overhead reductions and\n  other expense items and the Asian transactions, will have a\n  one-time positive effect on 1987 earnings.\n      CPC said \"Although the extent cannot yet be determined, the\n  company expects that 1987 earnings per share will increase by\n  substantially more than the previously estimated 20 pct\n  increase over 1986.\"  In 1986 CPC earned 2.30 dlrs per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ENERGY DEVELOPMENT <EDP> COMPLETES MAY <MEP> BUY\n","article":"  Energy Development Partners Ltd said\n  it has completed the acquisition of May Energy Partners Ltd for\n  1,817,697 depositary units following approval yesterday by May\n  Energy unitholders.\n      Energy Development said May Petroleum Inc <MAYP>, general\n  partner of May Energy, will distribute about 35 Energy\n  Development units for each 100 May Energy Partners units to\n  holders of 100 May Energy Partnners units or more and cash to\n  others.\n      Energy Development said the transaction increases its units\n  outstanding to 12.6 mln and raises total proved reserves as of\n  the end of 1986 27 pct.  Angeles Corp <ANG> is general partner\n  of Energy Development.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. INTERVENTION BOARD DETAILS EC SUGAR SALES\n","article":"  A total 102,350 tonnes of current series\n  white sugar received export rebates of a maximum 46.864\n  European Currency Units (Ecus) per 100 kilos at today's\n  European Community (EC) tender, the U.K. Intervention Board\n  said.\n      Out of this, traders in France received 31,000 tonnes, in\n  West Germany 21,000, in Belgium 19,050, in the U.K. 15,800, in\n  Denmark 8,500, in the Netherlands 6,000 and in Spain 1,000\n  tonnes, it added.\n      Earlier today, London traders had expected the subsidy for\n  the current season whites campaign for licences to end-Sep to\n  be around 46.80 Ecus per 100 kilos while French traders had put\n  the rebate at around 46.40 Ecus.\n      Traders here had also forecast today's total authorised\n  sugar tonnage export awards up to 100,000 tonnes versus 59,000\n  last week when the restitution was 45.678 Ecus.\n      Total export authorisations for the 1985\/86 campaign (42\n   weeks) now stand at 2,076,620 tonnes.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TURKISH INFLATION INCREASES IN MARCH\n","article":"  Inflation in Turkey was 3.7 pct in March\n  compared with 1.7 pct in February and 1.3 pct in March 1986,\n  the State Statistics Institute said.\n      The annual rate rose to 34.7 pct in March compared with\n  31.7 pct in February and 34.2 pct in March 1986. The\n  government's target is to reduce inflation this year to an\n  annual 20 pct.\n      The consumer price index, base 1978\/79, was 1,957.3\n  compared with 1,886.8 in February and 1,452.7 in March, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SCHERING-PLOUGH <SGP> MULLS DR. SCHOLL'S SALE\n","article":"  Schering-Plough corp said it is\n  considering the sale of its Dr. Scholl's businesses in Europe,\n  Latin America and the Far East, which had sales of about 150\n  mln dlrs in 1986.\n      The company said the transaction is not expected to have a\n  material impact on earnings.  It said it has engaged Merrill\n  Lynch and Co Inc <MER> to assist in the sale process.\n      Schering said it will retain Dr. Scholl's businesses in the\n  U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, which had sales of about 135 mln\n  dlrs last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FAMILY DOLLAR STORES INC <FDO> 2ND QTR FEB 28\n","article":"  Shr 28 cts vs 31 cts\n      Net 8,117,095 vs 8,954,904\n      Sales 146.7 mln vs 133.0 mln\n      Avg shares 29.0 mln vs 28.9 mln\n      First half\n      Shr 48 cts vs 53 cts\n      Net 13.8 mln vs 15.2 mln\n      Sales 273.0 mln vs 242.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 29.0 mln vs 28.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MCO HOLDINGS INC <MCO> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 2.27 dlrs vs loss 1.62 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 12.7 mln vs loss 12.1 mln\n      Revs 60.0 mln vs 26.2 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 5.16 dlrs vs loss 1.56 dlrs\n      dOper net loss 29.0 mln vs loss 12.4 mln\n      Revs 139.3 mln vs 110.0 mln\n      NOTE: 1985 operating losses exclude profits of 19.5 mln\n  dlrs, or 2.64 dlrs a share, in quarter and 20.6 mln dlrs, or\n  2.74 dlrs a share, in year from discontinued operations\n      1985 loss in both periods includes pre-tax charge of 16.9\n  mln dlrs on write down of oil properties.\n      1986 year loss includes pre-tax charge of 23.0 mln dlrs for\n  write down of oil and gas properties.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BUNDESBANK WILL NOT HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE TOMORROW\n","article":"  The Bundesbank will not hold a press\n  conference after its regular fortnightly council meeting\n  tomorrow, a spokesman said in answer to enquiries.\n      Bundesbank vice-president Helmut Schlesinger will chair the\n  meeting, as president Karl Otto Poehl has a private engagement.\n      The next meeting is scheduled for April 16.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MANUFACTURERS HANOVER RAISES PRIME RATE TO 7-3\/4 PCT FROM\n","article":"7-1\/2, EFFECTIVE TODAY\n\n  MANUFACTURERS HANOVER RAISES PRIME RATE TO 7-3\/4 PCT FROM\n  7-1\/2, EFFECTIVE TODAY\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RANSBURG CORP <RBG> 1ST QTR FEB 28 LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 19 cts vs profit one ct\n      Oper net loss 1,495,000 vs profit 50,000\n      Revs 52.3 mln vs 48.9 mln\n      NOTE: Earnings exclude gains from utilization of tax loss\n  carryforwards of 82,000 dlrs, or one ct a share vs 300,000\n  dlrs, or three cts a share\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONRAC CORP REJECTS MARK IV INDUSTRIES TENDER OFFER,\n","article":"EXPLORES ALTERNATIVES\n\n  CONRAC CORP REJECTS MARK IV INDUSTRIES TENDER OFFER,\n  EXPLORES ALTERNATIVES\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MANUFACTURERS HANOVER <MHC> RAISES PRIME RATE\n","article":"  Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co became\n  the third major U.S. bank to increase its prime rate to 7-3\/4\n  pct from 7-1\/2, matching a move initiated yesterday by Citibank\n  and Chase Manhattan.\n      The bank, the main subsidiary of Manufacturers Hanover\n  Corp, said the new rate is effective today.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SNYDER OIL PARTNERS LP <SOI> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 30 cts vs 30 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MEDAR <MDXR> ACQUIRES OWENS-ILLINOIS <OI> UNIT\n","article":"  Medar Inc said it\n  acquired Automatic Inspection Devices Inc, a subsidiary of\n  Owens-Illinois Inc, Toledo, Ohio, through an exchange of stock\n  for 80 pct of the company.\n      Automatic Designs and manufactures a line of machine vision\n  systems for the packaging, pharmaceutical, electronics and\n  consumer goods industries.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RAYTECH CORP <RAY> 4TH QTR DEC 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 78 cts vs loss 1.05 dlrs\n      Net profit 2,336,000 vs loss 3,002,000\n      Revs 26.0 mln vs 26.7 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 1.59 dlrs vs loss 6.35 dlrs\n      Net profit 4,688,000 vs loss 18.2 mln\n      Revs 113.5 mln vs 112.4 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 4th qtr and yr includes loss carryfoward of\n  534,000 dlrs and 1,662,000 dlrs, respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALLIS-CHALMERS <AH> ESTIMATES PROCEEDS OF SALE\n","article":"  Allis-Chalmers Corp said it\n  expects cash proceeds from the proposed sale of its solids\n  processing equipment and minerals systems businesses to exceed\n  90 mln dlrs, with no material gain or loss anticipated from the\n  planned sale.\n      Closing of the sale to Boliden AB of Sweden would be part\n  of the overall restructure of Allis-Chalmers, which was\n  announced on March Four, the company said.\n      Allis-Chalmers said the business entities included in the\n  transaction had total sales of about 250 mln dlrs in 1986, with\n  total employment of about 4,300.\n      The solids processing equipment business involves\n  manufacture of crushing and related equipment for mining. It\n  consists of operations in Sweden, Australia, Brazil, France,\n  Great Britain, Spain and Appleton, Wis.\n      The minerals systems business has operations in West Allis,\n  Wis., and Lachine, Quebec, Canada.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ARGENTINE GRAIN SHIPPING SITUATION\n","article":"  One grain vessel was awaiting berth\n  at Bahia Blanca, four at Buenos Aires and five at Rosario, on\n  March 31, National Grain Board figures show.\n      The situation at these ports was as follows, giving the\n  number of ships loading, awaiting berth and expected\n  respectively.\n      Bahia Blanca - 4, 1, 1\n      Buenos Aires - 1, 4, 9\n      Rosario -      6, 5, 7\n      The tonnage of grain and oilseeds to be loaded onto ships\n  loading, awaiting berth and expected at each port was as\n  follows.\n      Bahia Blanca - Wheat 161,360.\n      Buenos Aires - Maize 104,304, Wheat 14,330.\n      Rosario - Wheat 50,400, maize 157,040, subproducts 50,100,\n  sunflowerseed 1,000 and millet 3,100.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"IRVING TRUST <V> RAISES PRIME RATE\n","article":"  Irving Trust Co said it is raising its\n  prime rate to 7-3\/4 pct from 7-1\/2, effective immediately.\n      It becomes the fourth U.S. bank to raise the rate,\n  following Citibank, Chase Manhattan and Manufacturers Hanover\n  Trust.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOG REPORT SHOWS MORE HOGS ON FARMS\n","article":"  The USDA quarterly hogs and pig report\n  yesterday showed more hogs on U.S. farms compared to last year\n  as profitability resulting from low grain prices encouraged\n  producers to step up production, analysts said.\n      Most analysts seemed to agree with Chicago Mercantile\n  Exchange floor traders that the report will be viewed as\n  bearish to pork futures and futures prices may open sharply\n  lower today. Some traders and analysts expect limit declines in\n  nearby contracts, with spillover selling likely in cattle.\n      University of Missouri agronomist Glen Grimes said,\"The\n  report shows that hog producers have responded to a very\n  desirable feeding ratio that they enjoyed for the past 10\n  months.\"\n      Shearson Lehman analyst Chuck Levitt said hog futures\n  prices are above producers' break even points. Even if futures\n  fell the daily limit of 1.50 cents today, producers could still\n  lock in a profit, which increases the likelihood of heavy\n  selling pressure today.\n      \"We have not had a period of profitability of this\n  magnitude since last summer,\" Levitt said. \"In fact, hog\n  operations on many mixed livestock\/grain enterprises have been\n  so profitable that it actually enabled some farmers to get back\n  on their feet and refinance their loans just based on the hog\n  operation alone.\"\n      Levitt said the weight breakdown in the report also was\n  negative, in that some lead time was anticipated before the\n  slaughter increased from the previous year.\n      We expected farmers to increase hog operations, but we\n  didn't expect this degree of expansion to show up in a 10-state\n  spring report, Levitt added.\n      High hog corn ratios (the number of bushels of corn that\n  could be bought for 100 lbs of hog) and the resulting increased\n  profits, encouraged farmers and confinement operations to\n  increase production starting late last year.\n      Analysts also noted that part of the increase in the hog\n  herd resulted from a revision of the December report and\n  without the revision, the March report might have been very\n  close to average expectations.\n      Robin Fuller of Agri Analysis said the USDA made a major\n  upward revision of 105,000 head in the size of the breeding\n  herd in the December 1 report. So the December report was more\n  bearish than initially indicated.\n      But Fuller, as well as other analysts, expected the report\n  to be less negative on deferred futures contracts. Distant\n  contracts are already at a sharp discount to cash because\n  traders anticipated high farrowing intentions, she noted.\n      Discounts in the October and December contracts take into\n  consideration a six to seven pct increase in March\/May\n  farrowing intentions, which was borne out in the March 1\n  report, Fuller said.\n      Grimes said, \"As far as the distant months are concerned,\n  if our first quarter pig crop is up only six pct and under 60\n  lb inventories actually up only five pct, it would take a\n  tremendous discount in price for each percent increase for us\n  to push down to the prices that the current futures show for\n  the July and August period.\"\n      Jerry Abbenhaus, analyst for AGE Clearing noted that\n  distant futures prices are already 15 to 20 dlrs lower than\n  they were last summer.\n      \"If cash hogs at the 7-markets last year averaged 61 dlrs\n  during July, that doesn't mean hogs have to be 15 dlrs cheaper\n  this year because we have six pct more numbers,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONRAC <CAX> REJECTS MARK IV <IV> OFFER\n","article":"  Conrac Corp said its board has\n  rejected MArk IV Industries Inc's tender offer for all Conract\n  shares at 25 dlrs each, and no Conract director of officer\n  plans to tender any shares.\n      The company said financial advisor <Goldman, Sachs and Co>\n  determined the price to be inadequate.\n      It said its board has instructed management to explore and\n  develop with financial and legal advisors alternative courses\n  of action to maximize shareholder values.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TAFT <TFB> HAD NOT COMPLETED TV STATION SALE\n","article":"  Taft Broadcasting Co said the\n  sale of its independent television stations to TVX Broadcast\n  Group, which had been set for yesterday, did not occur.\n      TVX and its investment bankers, Salomon Inc's <SB> Salomon\n  Brothers, advised Taft the closing would not be consumated as\n  scheduled, the company said.\n      TVX and Salomon also advised Taft they hope to be able to\n  close in near future, the company said, adding it is prepared\n  to close at any time.\n      A Taft spokeswoman referred all questions to TVX and\n  Salomon.\n      Taft agreed in November to sell the stations in\n  Philadelphia, Washington, Miami, Fort Worth-Dallas and Houston\n  TVX Broadcast for 240 mln dlrs.\n      At the time, Taft said the transaction would result in an\n  after tax charge of 45 to 50 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"THYSSEN SEES UP TO 20 PCT LOWER SALES IN 1986\/87\n","article":"  Thyssen AG <THYH.F> expects a fall of\n  between 15 and 20 pct in consolidated turnover in 1986\/87,\n  chief executive Dieter Spethmann said.\n      He told journalists the exact decline would depend on\n  dollar developments. The Thyssen group did over 50 pct of its\n  business outside West Germany.\n      Spethmann made no comment on 1986\/87 group earnings. World\n  group net profit fell to 370.1 mln marks in the year ended\n  September 1986 from 472.4 mln a year earlier on group sales\n  which fell to 40.00 billion marks from a previous 44.32\n  billion.\n      Last week Spethmann told the annual meeting Thyssen\n  expected to post a good profit in 1986\/87 despite expected\n  losses in the mass steel-making operations this year.\n      Spethmann said engineering turnover would not be lower this\n  year, but lower steel prices would result in a drop in steel\n  turnover and sales volume. This would also affect Thyssen's\n  trading operations, he said.\n      Spethmann also categorically denied a magazine article\n  published this week which spoke of a dispute between him and\n  Heinz Kriwet, management board chairman of Thyssen Stahl AG,\n  over planned job cuts in steel plants in the Ruhr area.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DATAMAG INC <DMAG> 1ST QTR DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Net loss 92,623 vs profit 11,209\n      Sales 93,483 vs 189,388\n      Note: per share data not available, as company went public\n  in January, 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CYCLOPS <CYL> NAMES DIXONS OFFICIALS TO BOARD\n","article":"  Cyclops corp said it has\n  reconstituted its board to include three <Dixons Group PLC>\n  executives following Dixons' acquisition of 83 pct of Cyclops'\n  4,061,000 shares in a 95 dlr per share tender offer.\n      Cyclops said remaining on the six-member board are chairman\n  and chief executive W.H. Knoell, president and chief operating\n  officer James F. Will and senior vice president William D.\n  Dickey.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTHMARK <SM> COMPLETES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Southmark Corp said it has completed the\n  purchase of Georgia International Life Insurance Co from\n  Capital Holding Corp <CPH> for cash and Southmark securities\n  worth over 85 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"VALHI <VHI> REPORTS PRO-FORMA EARNINGS\n","article":"  Valhi Inc, formed by the March 10 merger\n  of Amalgamated Sugar Co into LLC Corp, said it had unaudited\n  pro-forma earnings of 72 mln dlrs, or 61 cts a share, for the\n  six months ended December 31.\n      Valhi said these results were prepared as if the merger had\n  occurred July 1, 1986, and on substantially the same basis as\n  the pro-forma financial information in LLC's and Amalgamated's\n  joint proxy statement dated February 10.\n      Valhi said it has about 117 mln common shares outstanding\n  with about 85 pct held by <Contran Corp>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROYAL BANK SEES IMPROVED RESULTS\n","article":"  <Royal Bank of Canada>, in reporting a\n  19 pct drop in first quarter earnings, said it expects to\n  report improved results in future earnings periods.\n      \"Healthy consumer credit growth, record fee-based income,\n  highly profitable securities and foreign exchange trading, and\n  a solid capital position...combined with the restraint of\n  non-interest expenses, should lead to improved results in the\n  periods ahead,\" chairman Allan Taylor said in a statement.\n      The bank earlier reported profit for the first quarter\n  ended January 31 fell to 114 mln dlrs from 140 mln dlrs a year\n  ago.\n      Taylor said loans to the energy sector continue to\n  substantially hurt earnings while profitability of the bank's\n  international operations remains weak, reflecting\n  resource-related difficulties of private and public sector\n  borrowers and unsatisfactory results from capital market\n  activities.\n      The bank said earnings from domestic operations rose to 103\n  mln dlrs in the first quarter from 98 mln dlrs a year ago while\n  earnings from international operations plunged to 11 mln dlrs\n  from 42 mln dlrs last year.\n      Royal Bank said first quarter international net interest\n  income declined from last year, reflecting reduced revenues\n  from international investment banking as well as a significant\n  loss on disposal of its affiliate in Trinidad and Tobago.\n      Other income rose to 251 mln dlrs from 220 mln dlrs last\n  year. The rise was due to higher commercial banking and retail\n  deposit service fees, and higher foreign exchange revenue but\n  lower securities commissions from international investment bank\n  operations partly offset the gains, Royal Bank said.\n      The bank said a two billion dlr increase in total assets to\n  98.7 billion dlrs was due mainly to continued growth in\n  consumer lending, particularly residential mortgages.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ACME-CLEVELAND CORP <AMT> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Pay May 13\n      Record April 29\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. OIL\/LARD STATISTICS\n","article":"  U.S. Census Bureau figures released\n  here showed factory and warehouse stocks on Feb 28 included the\n  following, with comparisons, in mln lbs --\n            02\/28\/87    01\/31\/87  02\/28\/86\n   Soybean Oils --\n     Crude  1,663.3-x  1,542.6      893.7\n   Refined    300.5-x    294.7-r    287.4\n     Total  1,963.8-x  1,837.3-r  1,181.1\n  Cotton Oils --\n     Crude     65.7       55.8-r     64.5\n   Refined    122.3      109.6-r    119.6\n     Total    188.0      165.4-r    184.1\n   X-Revised from preliminary data released in the bureau's\n  oilseeds report of March 23. R-Revised.\n  \n       Factory and Warehouse Stocks, continued -\n           02\/28\/87  01\/31\/87   02\/28\/86\n   Corn Oils --\n       Crude   32.5    32.3-r   44.2\n     Refined   65.8    54.4-r   39.9\n       Total   98.3    86.7-r   84.1\n        Lard   31.4    31.5-r   36.4\n    R-Revised.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VMS STRATEGIC LAND TRUST <VLANS> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  VMS Strategic Land Trust declared an\n  initial dividend of 30 cts a share payable May 15 to\n  shareholders of record April 20.\n      The dividend represents a 12 pct annual return based on the\n  company's original offering price in December of 10 dlrs a\n  share. The return is guaranteed through December 31, 1988, the\n  company said.\n      The trust invests in short term junior preconstruction\n  mortgage loans and has total principal amount of investments of\n  approximately 105.7 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CHEMICAL <CHL> RAISES PRIME RATE TO 7-3\/4 PCT\n","article":"  Chemical Bank, the main bank subsidiary\n  of Chemical New York Corp, said it is raising its prime lending\n  rate to 7-3\/4 pct from 7-1\/2 pct, effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<COMINCO LTD> LOWERS PRICE OF LEAD METAL\n","article":"  Cominco Ltd said its\n  Cominco metals division lowered the price for lead metal sold\n  in Canada by 1\/2 Canadian cts per pound to 34 Canadian cts per\n  pound.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MIDWEST CASH GRAIN - SLOW COUNTRY MOVEMENT\n","article":"  Cash grain dealers reported slow country\n  movement of corn and soybeans across the Midwest, with even\n  corn sales from PIK-and-roll activity seen earlier this week\n  drying up.\n      Some dealers said the USDA may further adjust the posted\n  county price at the Gulf to take into account high barge\n  freight rates as a way to keep corn sales flowing, but added\n  the current plan probably will be given a few weeks to see if\n  it will work as hoped.\n      Corn and soybean basis values continued to drop on the\n  Illinois and MidMississippi River due to the strong barge\n  freight rates. Toledo and Chicago elevators were finishing\n  loading the first corn boats of the new shipping season,\n  supporting spot basis values at those terminal points.\n  \n                    CORN             SOYBEANS\n   TOLEDO         5 UND MAY UNC   1 UND MAY UNC\n   CINCINNATI     1 UND MAY UNC   1 OVR MAY UP 2\n   NEW HAVEN     12 UND MAY UNC   2 UND MAY DN 1\n   N.E. INDIANA  10 UND MAY UNC   2 OVR MAY DN 1\n   CHICAGO      1\/2 OVR MAY UNC   5 UND MAY UNC\n   SENECA       51\/2 UND MAY DN 1 7 UND MAY UNC\n   DAVENPORT 61\/2UND MAY DN61\/2 61\/2UND MAY DN11\/2\n   CLINTON        5 UND MAY DN 3       UA\n   CEDAR RAPIDS  11 UND MAY DN 3 13 UND MAY DN 2\n                    HRW WHEAT\n   TOLEDO  58 LB 35 OVR MAY UP 1\n   CHICAGO 57 LB 25 OVR MAY UNC\n   CINCINNATI DP 10 OVR MAY UNC\n   NE INDIANA DP  8 OVR MAY UNC\n   PIK CERTIFICATES - 103\/104 PCT - UNC\/ DN 2\n   NC - NO COMPARISON  UA - UNAVAILABLE\n   UNC - UNCHANGED DP - DELAYED PRICING\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FED BUYING ONE BILLION DLRS OF BILLS FOR CUSTOMER\n","article":"ACCOUNT, FED SAYS\n\n  FED BUYING ONE BILLION DLRS OF BILLS FOR CUSTOMER\n  ACCOUNT, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MIDWEST CASH GRAIN - SLOW COUNTRY MOVEMENT\n","article":"  Cash grain dealers reported slow country\n  movement of corn and soybeans across the Midwest, with even\n  corn sales from PIK-and-roll activity seen earlier this week\n  drying up.\n      Some dealers said the USDA may further adjust the posted\n  county price at the Gulf to take into account high barge\n  freight rates as a way to keep corn sales flowing, but added\n  the current plan probably will be given a few weeks to see if\n  it will work as hoped.\n      Corn and soybean basis values continued to drop on the\n  Illinois and MidMississippi River due to the strong barge\n  freight rates. Toledo and Chicago elevators were finishing\n  loading the first corn boats of the new shipping season,\n  supporting spot basis values at those terminal points.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MARINE MIDLAND <MMB> RAISES PRIME RATE\n","article":"  Marine Midland Banks Inc said it is\n  raising its prime lending rate to 7-3\/4 pct from 7-1\/2 pct,\n  effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FHLBB CHANGES SHORT-TERM DISCOUNT NOTE RATES\n","article":"  The Federal Home Loan Bank Board\n  adjusted the rates on its short-term discount notes as follows:\n      MATURITY   NEW RATE  OLD RATE  MATURITY\n     30-69 days  5.00 pct  5.00 pct   30-124 days\n     70-88 days  5.92 pct  5.90 pct  125-150 days\n    89-123 days  5.00 pct  5.00 pct  151-173 days\n   124-150 days  5.93 pct  5.92 pct  174-182 days\n   151-349 days  5.00 pct  5.00 pct  183-349 days\n   350-360 days  5.98 pct  5.94 pct  350-360 days\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TURKISH CENTRAL BANK SETS LIRA\/DOLLAR, DM RATES\n","article":"  The Turkish Central Bank set a\n  lira\/dollar rate for April 2 of 780.00\/783.90 to the dollar,\n  down from the previous 777.00\/780.89. The Bank also set a\n  lira\/mark rate of 429.15\/431.30 to the mark, up from the\n  previous 430.50\/432.65.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ASARCO LOWERS COPPER PRICE 1.50 CTS TO 67 CTS\n","article":"  Asarco Inc said it is decreasing its\n  domestic delivered copper cathode price by 1.50 cents to 67.0\n  cents a lb, effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED BUYS ONE BILLION DLRS OF BILLS FOR CUSTOMER\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve is buying one\n  billion dlrs of Treasury bills for customer account for\n  delivery today, a spokesman for the bank said.\n      Fed funds were trading at 6-3\/16 pct at the time of the\n  purchase, which came several hours before the Fed normally\n  transacts business for its customers.\n      Economists said the purchase was almost certainly related\n  to the investment of proceeds from recent central bank\n  intervention in the foreign exchanges.\n      The Bank of Japan alone is estimated to have bought about\n  six billion dlrs in March in a bid to prop up the dollar.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GEORGIA-PACIFIC TO HAVE 60 MLN DLR PRETAX GAIN FROM SALE\n","article":"OF GEORGIA GULF STAKE\n\n  GEORGIA-PACIFIC TO HAVE 60 MLN DLR PRETAX GAIN FROM SALE\n  OF GEORGIA GULF STAKE\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"KENYAN MINISTER FORECASTS ECONOMIC EXPANSION\n","article":"  Kenya's economy will continue to expand\n  this year and the government will do more to encourage\n  investment by foreign firms and the local private sector,\n  Planning Minister Robert Ouko said.\n      He told a news conference that the government would soon\n  create a special bureau to expedite processing of investment\n  applications by local and foreign investors.\n      Praising the role of multinational companies and local\n  entrepreneurs in Kenya's economy, the minister promised to\n  maintain a close working contact with the private sector.\n      The economy grew by 5.3 pct last year, up from 4.1 pct in\n  1985, Ouko said. This was owing to high prices for the\n  country's coffee exports, low oil prices, low inflation and\n  rising real incomes, he added.\n      \"Despite rising petroleum prices and falling coffee prices,\n  Kenya's economy is still expected to improve in 1987,\" the\n  planning minister said.\n      Agriculture would expand significantly if favourable\n  weather continued and farmers responded to producer price rises\n  announced in February, the minister added.\n      Kenyan farmers are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the\n  long rainy season, which is due to start about now.\n      Ouko said the production of Kenya's main cash crops\n  increased during the second half of last year.\n      Coffee deliveries to the state-run Coffee Board of Kenya\n  rose 17 pct and tea deliveries rose four pct during the period,\n  he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. VEGETABLE OIL PRODUCTS OUTPUT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  U.S. factories used 1,053.0 mln lbs\n  of various vegetable oils in the production of edible products\n  during February, the Census Bureau reported.\n      That compared with a revised usage of 1,075.0 mln lbs in\n  January and 1,084.2 mln lbs in February, 1986.\n      February production of selected products included the\n  following, with comparisons, in mln lbs --\n                   Feb 87    Jan 87    Feb 86\n       Baking or\n     Frying Fats -- 355.5    387.6-r   427.4\n   Soybean Salad and\n     Cooking Oil -- 388.1    373.3-r   351.7\n   R-Revised.\n  \n      Production, continued (in mln lbs --)\n                     Feb 87    Jan 87   Feb 86\n   Other Salad and\n      Cooking Oils   111.2    111.4-r   114.3\n         Margarine   218.8    216.9-r   214.4\n         Glycerine --\n             Crude    21.5     25.9      31.3\n           Refined    23.5     23.6-r    25.4\n       Fatty Acids   102.9    112.5-r   113.1\n         Meat\/Meal\n           Tankage   410.2    458.2-r   446.2\n   R-Revised.\n  REUTER^M\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BEECHAM GROUP <BHAMY> TO SELL UNIT\n","article":"  Privately-held investment firm\n  <Dubin Clark and Co> said it has signed a definitive agreement\n  for an investment group it heads to acquire Roberts\n  Consolidated Industries from <Beecham Group PLC> for 45 mln\n  dlrs.\n      Roberts makes and distributes accessories, adhesives and\n  tools used in carpet installation.\n      Dubin Clark said its group includes Roberts management and\n  London investment company <J. Rothschild Holdings PLC>.  It\n  said Ronald J. Dubin will become vice chairman of Roberts and\n  J. Thomas Clark chairman.\n  REUTER^M\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.S. TALLOW PRODUCTION AND STOCKS\n","article":"  U.S. factory production of inedible\n  tallow and grease amounted to 421.5 mln lbs in February, vs a\n  revised 471.5 mln lbs the previous month and 419.2 mln lbs in\n  the year-ago period, the Census Bureau said.\n      The bureau placed February factory production of edible\n  tallow at 96.9 mln lbs, vs a revised 111.4 mln lbs the previous\n  month and 122.7 mln lbs in February a year earlier.\n      It estimated factory and warehouse stocks of inedible\n  tallow on February 28 at 410.7 mln lbs, vs a revised 351.6 mln\n  the previous month and 361.9 mln in February, 1986.\n      End-Feb stocks of edible tallow amounted to 41.9 mln lbs,\n  vs a revised 40.1 mln lbs and 48.6 mln lbs in their respective\n  periods.\n      Factory consumption of inedible tallow and grease in\n  February was assessed at 238.3 mln lbs, vs a revised 250.4 mln\n  lbs a month earlier and 220.5 mln lbs in the year-ago period.\n      During February, factories used 65.3 mln lbs of edible\n  tallow, vs a revised 71.8 mln and 84.6 mln, respectively.\n      Total factory production and consumption of tallow in the\n  1987 marketing season, which began Jan 1, vs the 1986 season,\n  were as follows, in mln lbs -- \n    Production -- 1987     1986\n      Inedible    893.0    920.1\n        Edible    208.3    274.7\n   Consumption --\n      Inedible    488.7    473.7\n        Edible    137.1    176.4\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"COMINCO LTD CUTS LEAD PRICE IN CANADA\n","article":"  Cominco Ltd said its\n  Cominco metals division lowered the price for lead metal sold\n  in Canada by 1\/2 Canadian cts per pound to 34 Canadian cts per\n  pound.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MERCANTILE BANK N.A. <MTRC> RAISES PRIME RATE\n","article":"  Mercantile Bancorp said its Mercantile\n  Bank N.A. raised its prime rate to 7-3\/4 pct from 7-1\/2 pct,\n  effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. LARD CONSUMPTION IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  U.S. factory usage of lard in the\n  production of both edible and inedible products during February\n  totaled 22.0 mln lbs, vs a revised 20.2 mln lbs in January,\n  according to Census Bureau figures.\n      In the year-earlier period, usage, which includes\n  hydrogenated vegetable and animal fats and other oils in\n  process, amounted to 31.4 mln lbs.\n      Usage in February comprised 16.6 mln lbs of edible products\n  and 5.4 mln lbs of inedible products.\n      Total lard usage in the 1986\/87 marketing season, which\n  began October 1, amounted to 125.2 mln lbs, vs 185.6 mln lbs in\n  the year-ago period.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AUTOSPA <LUBE> TO BUY CONTROL OF CARDIS <CDS>\n","article":"  Autospa Corp said it has signed an\n  agreement to purchase 2,400,000 shares of eight pct convertible\n  preferred stock of Cardis Corp -- representing voting control\n  -- for 15 mln dlrs.\n      The company said the preferred purchase will be financed by\n  an investment group led by Autospa.\n      It said it will also receive from Cardis five-year options\n  to buy 2,400,000 Cardis common shares at 6.25 to seven dlrs\n  each, depending on the time of exercise, and warrants to\n  purchase about 3,200,000 shares at 6.60 to 7.60 dlrs each.\n      The company said the exercise of all options and warrants\n  by Autospa would result in a tital investment of 50 to 55 mln\n  dlrs.  Execution of a definitive agreement is expected by April\n  22, it said, subject to the completion of financing\n  arrangements, and closing is expected by May 15.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRENCH FARMERS PLAN TO CUT MAIZE PLANTINGS\n","article":"  French farmers are planning to cut their\n  maize sowings by between 100,000 and 150,000 hectares this year\n  from the 1.87 mln ha harvested in 1986, the French Maize\n  Producers' Association, AGPM, said.\n      It said its first estimate of planting intentions indicated\n  cuts of 15 to 20 pct in plantings in the northern region of\n  Picardy and the Paris Basin, which harvested 192,000 ha last\n  year.\n      In the centre-west region of Poitou-Charentes, plantings\n  were estimated four to seven pct up on last year's harvested\n  244,000 ha.\n      Planting intentions in the south-east ranged between nine\n  pct less and two pct more than last year's 125,000 ha. In the\n  south-west the AGPM said producers intended to plant a similar\n  area to last year's 671,100 harvested hectares, provided water\n  supplies are adequate in the Midi-Pyrenees region after the\n  last two years of drought.\n      Meanwhile, the oilseed plant breeding association, AMSOL,\n  said sunflower plantings in France this year are indicated at\n  between 900,000 and 950,000 ha against 829,000 harvested last\n  year, while soya plantings are indicated at 80,000 ha against\n  last year's harvested 48,000.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"WEATHERFORD INTERNATIONAL INC <WII> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 40 cts vs loss 1.30 dlrs\n      Net loss 3,619,000 vs loss 11.3 mln\n      Revs 24.1 mln vs 34.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 4.36 dlrs vs loss 2.09 dlrs\n      Net loss 38.7 mln vs loss 16.8 mln\n      Revs 104.6 mln vs 133.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PROGRESSIVE SAVINGS <PRSL> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.05 dlrs vs profit three cts\n      Net loss 4,477,000 vs profit 107,818\n      Revs 10.9 mln vs 13.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 79 cts vs profit three cts\n      Net loss 3,364,058 vs profit 123,880\n      Revs 50.9 mln vs 57.2 mln\n      Note: Full name Progressive Savings and Loan Association.\n      Current year figures include 5.1 mln dlr incrase to\n  reserves for estimated real estate and loan losses.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALLIED SUPERMARKETS <ASU> FILES PROPOSED MERGER\n","article":"  Allied Supermarkets Inc said it filed a\n  registration statement with the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission for a proposed merger with <The Vons Companies>, a\n  supermarket, combination store operator.\n      Allied said the statement covers 140 mln dlrs of senior\n  subordinated discount debentures and 100 mln dlrs of\n  subordinated debentures, principal amounts, with a proposed\n  aggregate offering price of about 100 mln dlrs for each issue.\n      Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc and Donaldson, Lufkin and\n  Jenrette Securities Inc are co-underwriters of both issues,\n  which Allied expects to offer in early June, Allied said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BELGIAN SAYS EC WOULD REACT TO TEXTILE BILL\n","article":"  Belgian Foreign Trade Minister Herman\n  De Croo said if Congress passed legislation curbing world\n  textile imports the only way the European Community (EC) could\n  react was to retaliate.\n      De Croo said at a news conference \"if you limit textile\n  imports, you will re-orient textiles to Europe.\"\n      And that he said would trigger EC taxes on U.S. goods.\n      Congress passed a textile bill two years ago, but it was\n  vetoed by President Reagan on grounds that curbing imports to\n  protect the domestic textile industry would trigger retaliation\n  U.S. trading partners.\n      A similar bill has been introducted this year, in a\n  Congress with a bigger Democratic majority and with a President\n  weakened by the Iran scandal.\n      De Croo, here for talks with Administration officials and\n  Congressmen, said if a textile bill passed, \"the only way we\n  could react would be retaliation, and it would cause more\n  retaliation, which is not a good way to deal with problems.\"\n      He said if a textile bill was enacted, \"we will impose taxes\n  on a lot of American products.\"  He said \"it would be stupid. We\n  have to avoid that.\"\n      He said Congressmen seem upset mosty with Japan, because of\n  its massive trade suprlus with the United States, and not with\n  EC nations, but EC nations will be hurt by the diverted \n  shipments of Asian textiles.\n      De Croo also criticized the way U.S. officials try to solve\n  EC trade issues, saying \"each time we come in contact, it a\n  conflict contact. The clouts are coming fom the West.\"\n      He said it then is a crisis atmosphere with officials cross\n  the Atlantic and dramatized with headlines.\n      \"This is not the way to work in a serious way between two\n  big powers,\" De Croo said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CERTIFICATED COTTON STOCKS\n","article":"  Certificated cotton stocks deliverable\n  on the New York Cotton Exchange No 2 cotton futures contract as\n  of March 31 were reported at 36,659 bales, unchanged from the\n  previous day's figure. There were no bales awaiting review and\n  985 bales awaiting decertification.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FINLAND REVISES CURRENCY BASKET\n","article":"  The Bank of Finland said it has revised\n  the weightings in its currency basket with effect from today.\n  Weightings  match the respective country's share in Finland's\n  foreign trade.\n      Weights in percentages compared with former weights.\n      Dollar  9.0 (8.8)\n      Sterling 14.3 (13.8)\n      Swedish crown 20.4 (20.6)\n      Norwegian crown 5.2 (5.2)\n      Danish crown 5.2 (5.3)\n      German mark 19.3 (19.6)\n  REUTER^M\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"JOHN O. BUTLER CO <BUTC> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 19 cts vs 18 cts\n      Net 1,230,041 vs 1,153,280\n      Sales 10,909,729 vs 9,675,355\n      Six mths\n      Shr 31 cts vs 29 cts\n      Net 2,019,930 vs 1,857,357\n      Sales 21.0 mln vs 17.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<GUILLEVIN INTERNATIONAL INC> YEAR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 51 cts vs 36 cts\n      Net 2,543,285 vs 1,686,559\n      Sales 153.2 mln vs 120.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"COSMO COMMUNICATIONS CORP <CSMO> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss one ct vs loss 2.16 dlrs\n      Net loss 30,000 vs loss 12.4 mln\n      Revs 27.4 mln vs 38.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LINEAR <LNER> SEES LOWER COMPARABLE 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Linear Films Inc said its fourth\n  quarter earnings for the period ended March 31, will be lower\n  than the 1,235,000 dlrs or 19 cts a share reported in the\n  year-ago quarter on sales of 11.8 mln dlrs.\n      The company attributed the lower earnings to narrowing\n  profit margins on stretch film.\n      Linear also said it is increasing its stretch film prices\n  by six pct effective April 15.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KAY CORP <KAY> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 25 cts vs 1.21 dlrs\n      Oper net 1,366,000 vs 6,287,000\n      Revs 251.3 mln vs 107.1 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 1.10 dlrs vs 1.06 dlrs\n      Oper net 5,552,000 vs 4,982,000\n      Revs 827.5 mln vs 434.4 mln\n      NOTE: Oper net excludes results of Kay Jewelers Inc, a\n  former subsidiary. On Dec 31, 1986 company distributed\n  remaining 80.4 pct interest in subsidiary to Kay Corp holders.\n      1985 amts restated in connection with company's\n  distribution of investment in Kay Jewelers Inc.\n      1986 4th qtr and yr oper net excludes 8,308,000 dlrs or\n  1.52 dlrs per share, and 7,774,000 dlrs or 1.54 dlrs per share,\n  respectively, for equity in net income of spun-off unit. 1985\n  4th qtr and yr oper net excludes 6,806,000 dlrs or 1.28 dlrs\n  per share and 5,770,000 dlrs or 1.09 dlrs per share,\n  respectively, for equity in net earnings of spun-off unit.\n      1985 oper net also excludes 2,778,000 or 52 cts per share\n  for adoption of new pension accounting rules and ine cts per\n  share for gain from assets sales.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STAODYNAMICS INC <SDYN> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr three cts vs six cts\n      Net 54,965 vs 106,147\n      Revs 2,124,983 vs 1,915,928\n      Avg shrs 2,206,017 vs 1,878,438\n      Year\n      Shr 14 cts vs eight cts\n      Net 302,388 vs 157,690\n      Revs 7,952,360 vs 7,495,936\n      Avg shrs 2,139,991 vs 2,051,178\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"1ST SOURCE <SRCE> COMPLETES MERGER\n","article":"  1st Source Bank said it\n  completed its merger with <Community State Bank> of North\n  Liberty, Ind.\n      The bank said Community State Bank's shareholders approved\n  the merger at a meeting last Saturday, while Monday the\n  directors of 1st Source also approved the move.\n      The merger would add Community Bank's 20 mln dlrs in assets\n  to 1st Source's more than one billion dlrs in assets, 1st\n  Source said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRST NATIONAL BANK CORP TO BUY BRANCH\n","article":"  First National Bank Corp,\n  the newly formed parent of First National Bank in Mount\n  Clemens, Mich., and Bankers Fund Life Insurance Co, said it\n  reached an agreement to buy a branch in Clinton Township from a\n  nonrelated financial institution.\n      It said the acquisition brings to 10 the number of bank\n  branches in Macomb County. Terms were not disclosed.\n      Separately, the newly formed holding company also said it\n  named Arie Guldemond as chairman and Harold Allmacher as\n  president and chief executive officer.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GEORGIA PACIFIC <GP> SEES GAIN FROM SALE\n","article":"  Georgia-Pacific Corp said its second\n  quarter results will include a gain of 60 mln dlrs pre-tax, or\n  34 cts per share after-tax, from the sale of its interest in\n  <Georgia Gulf Corp>.\n      The company said it is selling warrants for about 1.8 mln\n  shares of Georgia Gulf common stock to Goldman Sachs and Co in\n  connection with the 4.8 mln share offering of Georgia Gulf.\n      It said it received the warrants when it agreed to sell its\n  commmodity chemical operations to Georgia Gulf in 1984.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S., ARGENTINA SETTLE SOYPRODUCT CASE - YEUTTER\n","article":"  U.S. Trade Representative Clayton\n  Yeutter said the United States and Argentina have settled a \n  case brought by the U.S. soybean crushing industry alleging\n  unfair subsidies to Argentina's crushing industry.\n      Speaking to an Agribusiness Education forum here late\n  yesterday, Yeutter said the case was resolved at a meeting with\n  Argentine Agriculture Secretary Ernesto Figuerras during a\n  trade ministers' meeting in New Zealand last week.\n      Under a verbal understanding between the two ministers,\n  Argentina will soon abolish export taxes on soybeans and\n  products, U.S. and Argentine officials said.\n      The U.S. case brought by the U.S. National Soybean\n  Processors Association alleged Argentina, through differential\n  export taxes, implicitly subsidized domestic soybean crushers.\n      The U.S. crushing industry, in its complaint under Section\n  301 of trade law, said higher Argentine export taxes on\n  soybeans than on products encourage the export of products and\n  represented an unfair trade practice.\n      Yeutter told Figuerras that all agencies of the U.S.\n  government supported the U.S. complaint and unless Argentina\n  took steps to eliminate the taxes, the United States would\n  consider taking further action in the case, U.S. and Argentine\n  officials said.\n      An Argentine official here said no timetable was given for\n  removal of the Argentine export taxes.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CONTINENTAL ILLINOIS <CIL> RAISES PRIME RATE\n","article":"  Continental Illinois Corp said it has\n  raised its prime rate to 7-3\/4 from 7-1\/2.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"THOUSAND TRAILS INC <TRLS> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 4.87 dlrs vs profit 16 cts\n      Net loss 50,422,000 vs profit 1,788,000\n      Revs 113.4 mln vs 173.7 mln\n      Note: Current year figures include 33.3 mln dlr after-tax\n  writedown of land and improvements, a 5.6 mln dlr increase in\n  allowance for doubtful accounts and after-tax gain of three mln\n  dlrs on debt retirement.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VISTA ORGANIZATION LTD <VISA> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit one ct vs loss nine cts\n      Net profit 177,061 vs loss 1,364,878\n      Revs 5,913,334 vs 487,121\n      Avg shrs 18.6 mln vs 15.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TCA CABLE TV INC <TCAT> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div six cts vs six cts prior\n      Pay April 23\n      Record April Nine\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MONSANTO <MTC> INVESTS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY <BIOD>\n","article":"  Biotechnology Development Corp\n  said its Medicontrol Corp subsidiary received a 500,000 dlr\n  investment by Monsanto Co's G.D. Searle and Co subsidiary.\n      The company said the investment was made pursuant to an\n  option Searle held, and increases Searle's stake in Medicontrol\n  to 19.8 pct with a total investment of one mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHASE <CMB> BUYS BORG-WARNER <BOR> UNIT\n","article":"  Chase Manhattan Corp said Chase\n  Trans-Info, a subsidiary of its Chase Manhattan Bank N.A. unit,\n  has bought Borg-Warner Corp's Traffic Services business,\n  including an Illinois processing center, for an undisclosed\n  sum.\n      Borg Warner Traffic Services provides freight bill\n  pre-audit, payment and information services to industry through\n  Borg-Warner Acceptance Corp.\n      Chase Trans-Info, which offers similar services, is now the\n  largest provider of information services for the transportation\n  industry.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MOUNTAIN STATES <MTSR> ADDES TWO PROPERTIES\n","article":"  Mountain States Resources Corp\n  said it acquired two properties to its strategic minerals\n  holdings.\n      The acquisitions bring to its land position a total of\n  5,100 acres of titanium, zirconium and rare earth resources,\n  the company said.\n      Both properties, located in southern Utah, consist of\n  approximately 1,430 acres of unpatented mining claims and one\n  state lease, it said.\n      The company also announced the formation of Rare Tech\n  Minerals Inc, a wholly-owned subsidiary.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OHIO MATTRESS <OMT> MAY HAVE LOWER 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Ohio Mattress Co said its first\n  quarter, ending February 28, profits may be below the 2.4 mln\n  dlrs, or 15 cts a share, earned in the first quarter of fiscal\n  1986.\n      The company said any decline would be due to expenses\n  related to the acquisitions in the middle of the current\n  quarter of seven licensees of Sealy Inc, as well as 82 pct of\n  the outstanding capital stock of Sealy.\n      Because of these acquisitions, it said, first quarter sales\n  will be substantially higher than last year's 67.1 mln dlrs.\n      Noting that it typically reports first quarter results in\n  late march, said the report is likely to be issued in early\n  April this year.\n      It said the delay is due to administrative considerations,\n  including conducting appraisals, in connection with the\n  acquisitions.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PANTASOTE INC <PNT> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss four cts vs loss 33 cts\n      Oper net loss 154,000 vs loss 1,301,000\n      Sales 30.0 mln vs 27.0 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 60 cts vs loss 16 cts\n      Oper net profit 2,364,000 vs loss 608,000\n      Sales 113.5 mln vs 132.8 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes extraordinary charges from provision for\n  roofing products warranties and costs from sale of\n  printing\/laminate division of 320,000 dlrs vs 10.3 mln dlrs in\n  quarter and 4,3200,000 dlrs vs 12.7 mln dlrs in year.\n      Net excludes tax credits of 62,000 dlrs vs 41,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and 127,000 dlrs vs 88,000 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"REPUBLIC SAVINGS AND LOAN <RSLA> SETS DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 30 cts vs 30 cts prior\n      Pay April 27\n      Record April 13\n      NOTE: Company's full name is Republic Savings and Loan\n  Association of Wisconsin.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SHULTZ USSR TRIP FUELS TALK OF EEP WHEAT OFFER\n","article":"  Speculation the United States will\n  offer subsidized wheat to the Soviet Union appears to have\n  reached a new level of intensity in the run-up to Secretary of\n  State George Shultz' visit later this month to Moscow.\n      Rumors of an impending deal have coursed through wheat\n  markets since officials from the two countries held their\n  customary, semi-annual grain talks in February. Moscow's\n  decision at that time to reenter the U.S. corn market\n  strengthened the perception of warming farm trade prospects.\n      Shultz is set to arrive in Moscow April 13.\n      Shultz' statement two weeks ago that he would not stand in\n  the way of a wheat subsidy offer under the Export Enhancement\n  Program, EEP, coupled with the announcement of his visit to\n  Moscow, was interpreted by many grain trade representatives\n  here as a clear signal that the Reagan administration was\n  preparing an offer.\n      Administration officials -- in and out of the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department -- have been extremely tight-lipped\n  about the prospects of a subsidy offer.\n      But USDA officials for the most part have abandoned the\n  contention the proposal is dormant, suggesting that an offer,\n  while not a \"done deal,\" is a live possibility.\n      Prominent U.S. grain trade representatives -- many of whom\n  asked not to be identified -- continue to maintain that an\n  offer to subsidize four mln tonnes of wheat is imminent.\n      Others, who one month ago claimed a deal was not possible,\n  are saying they would not rule one out.\n      Rep. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., yesterday went so far as to\n  predict a subsidy offer would be made within the next ten days\n  to two weeks.\n      Aides to Roberts said he had spoken to Republican leaders\n  who had been in contact with administration officials.\n      Richard Fritz, director of international marketing at U.S.\n  Wheat Associates, said he was confident an export enhancement\n  offer would be made by the middle of this month.\n      Fritz also said he thought the value of the bonus would end\n  up being close to the offer Washington made Peking earlier this\n  year when USDA approved subsidies to China of around 36 dlrs\n  per tonne on one mln tonnes of wheat.\n      Some grain trade representatives say a four-mln-tonne wheat\n  subsidy offer might help stimulate more Soviet purchases of\n  U.S. corn and open the door to U.S. sales of soybeans.\n      As ever, one of the crucial sticking points in a wheat deal\n  would appear to be price.\n      Last summer the administration took the controversial step\n  of offering the Soviets subsidized wheat -- but were\n  embarrassed when Moscow spurned the proposal on the grounds\n  that the 15-dlr-per-tonne subsidy still left U.S. wheat prices\n  far above world market prices.\n      The administration's decision to set the subsidy level up\n  front instead of accepting bids from exporters appeared to be a\n  means of controlling the price while attempting to dampen\n  criticism, grain trade sources said.\n      Nonetheless, the pricing procedure did not prevent Shultz\n  from saying the Soviets were \"chortling\" because Washington was\n  offering Soviet housewives cheaper grain than that available to\n  U.S. housewives.\n      The conventional wisdom among grain trade representatives\n  here is that a general warming of relations between the two\n  countries since last summer, combined with continued hard times\n  in the U.S. grain belt, would favor a subsidy offer.\n      In addition, the USSR has made it clear it would consider\n  buying U.S. wheat if it were priced more competitively.\n      However, observers have not forgotten the circumstances\n  surrounding the administration's announcement of the wheat\n  subsidy offer last summer.\n      Up until the time of the announcment, congressional and\n  industry leaders were led to believe the White House had\n  decided to expand the Export Enhancement Program to include not\n  only the Soviets, but also a much broader list of countries.\n      Instead, the administration scaled back the offer to\n  include only the Soviets.\n      That last-minute change of heart adds a measure of\n  uncertainty even to the predictions of those most convinced\n  that the administration will not now pass up the opportunity to\n  sell four mln tonnes of wheat to the Soviet Union.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KAINES CONFIRMS WHITE SUGAR SALES TO INDIA\n","article":"  London-based sugar operator Kaines Ltd\n  confirmed it sold two cargoes of white sugar to India out of an\n  estimated overall sales total of four or five cargoes in which\n  other brokers participated.\n      The sugar, for April\/May and April\/June shipment, was sold\n  at between 214 and 218 dlrs a tonne cif, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<THL HOLDINGS INC> YEAR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Oper net 94.4 mln vs 74.1 mln\n      Revs 1.3 bilion vs 1.2 billion\n      NOTE: THL is parent to SCOA Industries Inc, acquired in a\n  leveraged buyout in December 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MOUNTAIN STATES ADDS TWO MINERALS PROPERTIES\n","article":"  Mountain States Resources Corp\n  said it acquired two properties to add to its strategic\n  minerals holdings.\n      The acquisitions include a total of 5,100 acres of\n  titanium, zirconium and rare earth resources, the company said.\n      Both properties, located in southern Utah, consist of\n  approximately 1,430 acres of unpatented mining claims and one\n  state lease, it said.\n      The company also announced the formation of Rare Tech\n  Minerals Inc, a wholly-owned subsidiary.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RESTORATION OF COFFEE EXPORT QUOTAS BEFORE\n","article":" OCTOBER SEEMS UNLIKELY - ICO PRODUCER DELEGATES\n\n  RESTORATION OF COFFEE EXPORT QUOTAS BEFORE\n   OCTOBER SEEMS UNLIKELY - ICO PRODUCER DELEGATES\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SHULTZ USSR TRIP FUELS TALK OF EEP WHEAT OFFER\n","article":"  Speculation the United States will\n  offer subsidized wheat to the Soviet Union appears to have\n  reached a new level of intensity in the run-up to Secretary of\n  State George Shultz' visit later this month to Moscow.\n      Rumors of an impending deal have coursed through wheat\n  markets since officials from the two countries held their\n  customary, semi-annual grain talks in February. Moscow's\n  decision at that time to reenter the U.S. corn market\n  strengthened the perception of warming farm trade prospects.\n      Shultz is set to arrive in Moscow April 13.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ROSTENKOWSKI OPPOSES PROTECTIONIST TRADE BILL\n","article":"  House Ways and Means Committee\n  Chairman Dan Rostenkowski said Congress must avoid a temptation\n  to pass a protectionist trade bill this year.\n      In remarks prepared for delivery before the National Press\n  Club, Rostenkowski, D-Ill., predicted major trade legislation\n  will be sent to President Reagan by the end of this year.\n      But he warned that his \"conciliatory message\" on the trade\n  bill did not mean he would oppose a proposal that would warn\n  other countries their access to the American market would be\n  curtailed unless they opened their markets to U.S. goods.\n      \"Complaints about (foreign trade) restraints are not a\n  smoke screen for protectionism, they a plea for fairness,\"\n  Rostenkowski said.\n      \"It is only reasonable to ask the nations that have denied\n  us access to open up in return for continued freedom in the\n  American market,\" he added.\n      However, he said there would likely be changes in the\n  market access proposal from the plan which cleared the House\n  last year. That plan would have set a specific time table for\n  foreign countries to ease import restraints or they would face\n  a 25 pct cut in exports to the United States.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FREDDIE MAC ADJUSTS SHORT-TERM DISCOUNT RATES\n","article":"  The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp\n  adjusted the rates on its short-term discount notes as follows:\n     MATURITY   RATE       OLD RATE  MATURITY\n      32 days   6.00 pct   6.10 pct   1 day\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ICO QUOTAS BEFORE OCTOBER UNLIKELY - DELEGATES\n","article":"  The restoration of coffee export quotas\n  before the end of the current 1986\/87 coffee year (Oct 1\/Sept\n  30) now seems unlikely, given reluctance by International\n  Coffee Organization, ICO, producers and consumers to resume\n  negotiations on an interim quota accord, producer delegates\n  told reporters.\n      Consumers and most producers see no point in reopening the\n  quota dialogue while Brazil's position remains unchanged, they\n  said.\n      Brazil's refusal to accept a reduction in its previous 30\n  pct share of the ICO's global export quota effectively\n  torpedoed talks here last month aimed at restoring quotas\n  before October, the delegates noted.\n      Disappointment at the lack of progress on quotas forced\n  coffee futures in London and New York to new lows today,\n  traders here said. Near May in New York fell below one dlr in\n  early trading at around 99.10 cents per pound, traders said.\n      Producer delegates said that while the possibility of\n  reimposing quotas before October remained on the ICO agenda, in\n  practice the idea had effectively been discarded.\n      The ICO's executive board session here this week has so far\n  barely touched on the quota debate, demonstrating general\n  unwillingness to revive talks while chances of success are\n  still remote, producer delegates said.\n      Some producers are in no hurry to see quotas restored,\n  despite the price collapse seen since the failure of last\n  month's negotiations, they said.\n      \"With Brazil's frost season approaching, who wants to\n  negotiate quotas,\" one leading producer delegate said.\n      Coffee prices normally rise during Brazil's frost season\n  (mainly June-August) as dealers and roasters build up stocks as\n  insurance against possible severe frost damage to Brazil's\n  crop.\n      Many producers are more interested in working towards\n  reimposing quotas from October 1, based on a new system of\n  quota allocations valid until the International Coffee\n  Agreement expires in 1989, they said.\n      Guatemala has already proposed the \"other oilds\" producer\n  group should meet in the next two months to begin talks on how\n  to allocate quota shares.\n      Producers still seem divided on how to overhaul the quota\n  distribution system, with some producer delegates reporting\n  growing support for a radical reallocation, based on the\n  principle of \"objective criteria\" favoured by consumers.\n      At last month's council session a splinter group of small\n  producers backed consumer demands for new quota shares based on\n  exportable production and stocks, while Brazil, Colombia and\n  the rest of the producers favoured leaving quota allocations\n  unchanged, except for some temporary adjustments.\n      A delegate from one of the eight said more producers now\n  supported their cause.\n      The delegate said unless major producers like Brazil showed\n  readiness to negotiate new quota shares, prospects for a quota\n  accord in October also looked bleak.\n      The U.S. and most other consumers are still determined to\n  make reimposition of quotas conditional on a redistribution of\n  quota shares based on \"objective criteria.\"\n      ICO observers remained sceptical that Brazil would be\n  prepared to accept a quota reduction when the ICO council meets\n  in September.\n      Brazil has adopted a tough stance with banks on external\n  debt negotiations and is likely to be just as tough on coffee,\n  they said.\n      They said Brazil's reluctance to open coffee export\n  registrations might reflect fears this would provoke another\n  price slide and force an emergency ICO council session, which\n  would most likely end in failure.\n      Producers met this afternoon to review the market situation\n  but had only a general discussion about how further\n  negotiations should proceed, a producer delegate said.\n      Producers plan to hold consultations on quotas, and then\n  may set a date for a formal producer meeting, but plans are not\n  fixed, he said.\n      The ICO executive board reconvened at 1650 hours local time\n  to hear a report from consultants on ICO operations. The board\n  meeting looks set to end today, a day earlier than scheduled,\n  delegates said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"(GEOFFRION LECLERC INC) SIX MTHS NET\n","article":"  Shr 39 cts vs 26 cts\n      Net 3,466,000 vs 1,913,000\n      Revs 27.7 mln vs 19.4 mln\n      Note: period ended February 28. REUTER\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FHLBB CHANGES SHORT-TERM DISCOUNT NOTE RATES\n","article":"  The Federal Home Loan Bank Board\n  adjusted the rates on its short-term discount notes as follows:\n      MATURITY   NEW RATE  OLD RATE  MATURITY\n                           5.00 pct    30-69 days\n                           5.92 pct    70-88 days\n    30-123 days  5.00 pct  5.00 pct   89-123 days\n   124-150 days  5.93 pct  5.93 pct  124-150 days\n   151-349 days  5.00 pct  5.00 pct  151-349 days\n   350-360 days  5.98 pct  5.98 pct  350-360 days\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TOWLE MANUFACTURING CO <QTOW> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 4.71 dlrs vs loss 14.09 dlrs\n      Oper loss 22 mln vs loss 67.2 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 loss excludes gain on the sale of Gold Lance\n  Corp of 12.1 mln dlrs. Company is operating under chapter 11.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DELTA AIR LINES COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF WESTERN AIR\n","article":"\n  DELTA AIR LINES COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF WESTERN AIR\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER SAYS HE HOPES PRIME RATE INCREASES\n","article":"TEMPORARY\n\n  TREASURY'S BAKER SAYS HE HOPES PRIME RATE INCREASES\n  TEMPORARY\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOUTH ATLANTIC FINANCIAL CORP <SOAF> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr 12 cts vs 33 cts\n      Net 699,037 vs 1,349,077\n      Year\n      Shr 54 cts vs 55 cts\n      Net 2,748,280 vs 1,833,766\n      NOTE: Per shr amounts reported after preferred stock\n  dividend requirements.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CYPRUS LOWERS COPPER PRICE 1.25 CTS TO 67 CTS\n","article":"  Cyprus Minerals Company said it is\n  decreasing its electrolytic copper cathode price by 1.25 cents\n  to 67.0 cents a pound, effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER HOPES PRIME RATE RISE TEMPORARY\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker said\n  he hopes yesterday's small increase in two major money center\n  banks' prime rate was a temporary phenomenon.\n      \"I hope it was a temporary blip upward,\" he told a House\n  Appropriations subcommittee.\n      He said the decline in interest rates since President\n  Reagan took office remains \"one of the significant\n  accomplishments, in the economic area, of this administration.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DELTA <DAL> COMPLETES WESTERN AIR <WAL> BUY\n","article":"  Delta Air Lines Inc said it completed\n  the acquisition of Western Air Lines Inc this morning.\n      The action follows U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day\n  O'Connor's overnight granting of Delta and Western's request to\n  stay an earlier injunction against the deal issued by the U.S.\n  Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.\n   More\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IMTEC <IMTC> GETS MERGER OFFER\n","article":"  Imtec Inc said some\n  shareholders of Computer Identics Inc <CIDN> have proposed a\n  merger of the two companies.\n      The company said the shareholders had previously expressed\n  dissatisfaction with Computer Identics' management and had\n  informed Computer Identics that the present board no longer had\n  the support of a majority of shares held.\n      It said the shareholders had called for the resignation of\n  all but one of Computer Identics' directors and suggested that\n  a new board pursue merger talks with Imtec.  But Imtec said no\n  merger talks havew yet taken place.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN OIL AND GAS CORP <AOG> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 34 cts vs loss 2.14 dlrs\n      Net loss 2,275,000 vs loss 9,560,000\n      Revs 17.0 mln vs 19.9 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 49 cts vs loss 2.11 dlrs\n      Net loss 2,661,000 vs loss 9,283,000\n      Revs 73.5 mln vs 93.6 mln\n  \n      NOTE: Results have been restated to reflects equity\n  investment in WellTech Inc for one month ended Dec 31, 1986 and\n  its investment in American Well Servicing for the 11 months\n  ended Nov 30, 1986 and full year 1985.\n      1986 and 1985 net include loss of 3,512,000 dlrs and\n  5,944,000 dlrs, respectively, for equity in WellTech and\n  predecessor operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MACANDREWS\/FORBES UNIT BEGINS OFFER TO BUY ALL REVLON\n","article":"GROUP NOT ALREADY OWNED\n\n  MACANDREWS\/FORBES UNIT BEGINS OFFER TO BUY ALL REVLON\n  GROUP NOT ALREADY OWNED\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<NEWPARK RESOURCES INC> YEAR ENDED DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 1.99 dlr vs loss 4.88 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 29.1 mln vs 70.8 mln\n      Revs 34.8 mln vs 84.8 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 and 1985 oper net excludes a loss of 5.5 mln\n  dlrs or 37 cts a share and 64.6 mln dlrs or 4.43 dlrs a share,\n  respectively, for discontinued operations.\n      1986 net also excludes a gain of 66.4 mln dlrs or 4.50 dlrs\n  a share for credit on debt restructuring.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TIERCO GROUP INC <TIER> YEAR ENDED DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 72 cts vs loss 1.57 dlr\n      Net loss 1,526,359 vs loss 3,315,834\n      Revs 8,032,798 vs 7,276,517\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MICRODYNE CORP <MCDY> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Semi div three cts vs three cts prior\n      Pay June 12\n      Record May 15\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FHLBB CHANGES SHORT-TERM DISCOUNT NOTE RATES\n","article":"  The Federal Home Loan Bank Board\n  adjusted the rates on its short-term discount notes as follows:\n      MATURITY   NEW RATE  OLD RATE  MATURITY\n                                                                 \n                                30-123 days  5.00 pct  5.00 pct  \n  30-123 days\n   124-150 days  5.90 pct  5.93 pct  124-150 days\n   151-349 days  5.00 pct  5.00 pct  151-349 days\n   350-360 days  5.96 pct  5.98 pct  350-360 days\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CROWNAMERICA INC <CRNA> 2ND QTR ENDED FEB 28\n","article":"  Shr two cts vs 29 cts\n      Net 23,000 vs 338,000\n      Revs 20.2 mln vs 21.5 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr 64 cts vs 97 cts\n      Net 741,000 vs 1,113,000\n      Revs 43.2 mln vs 44.3 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 2nd qtr and six mths ended March one.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DIAMOND SHAMROCK <DIA> SEES BETTER 1987 EARNINGS\n","article":"  Diamond Shamrock Corp, which will split\n  this month into two separate companies, expects to show\n  improved earnings in 1987 over last year, executives of the new\n  company told Reuters.\n      Charles Blackburn, president and chief executive officer of\n  Diamond Shamrock and the new company, which will emphasize\n  exploration and production, said, \"Earnings wil be better than\n  in 1986.\" He declined to say how much better.\n      In 1986 Diamond Shamrock reported a loss of 115.6 mln dlrs\n  on total revenues of 2.543 billion dlrs. Exploration and\n  production lost 18.5 mln dlrs on revenues of 593.5 mln dlrs.\n      Roger Hemminghaus, Diamond Shamrock vice president and\n  soon-to-be chief executive of the spin-off Diamond Shamrock\n  Refining and Marketing Co, said, \"Refining and marketing is a\n  margin business. The margins will return and this will be a\n  better year than 1986.\"\n      In 1986, refining and marketing showed operating profits of\n  40.1 mln dlrs on revenues of 1.636 billion dlrs.\n      \"We are also expecting to be in the black in the first\n  quarter (1987),\" Heminghaus added. In the first quarter of 1986,\n  the refining and marketing segment showed a loss of 27.1 mln\n  dlrs on revenues of 492.1 mln dlrs.\n     \n      The executives were in New york for meetings with\n  institutional investors aimed at increasing interest in the\n  company's stock.\n      On the New York Stock Exchange, Diamond Shamrock was\n  trading at 16-1\/4, down 1\/4.\n      Earlier this year, T. Boone Pickens offered 15 dlrs a share\n  for Diamond Shamrock, and management countered with an offer at\n  17 dlrs and a decision to split off the refining and marketing\n  operation to its shareholders.\n      \"Our advisors convinced us the market would give higher\n  multiples for pure plays,\" Blackburn said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VMS STRATEGIC <VLANS> SETS INITIAL DIVIDEND\n","article":"  VMS Strategic Land Trust said it\n  delcared an initial quarterly cash dividend of 30 cts a share,\n  payable May 15 to shareholders of record April 20.\n      The company also said that effective today it will be\n  trading on the NASDAQ system under the symbol <VLANS>.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BETHLEHEM STEEL <BS> SETS PLATE PRICE INCREASES\n","article":"  Bethlehem Steel Corp said its\n  base price for carbon plates and high-strength and low-alloy\n  plates will be increased by 25 dlrs to 405 dlrs a short ton,\n  effective July one.\n      The company said its composite prices for alloy plates will\n  also be increased 25 dlrs per ton on the same date, adding it\n  does not publish its prices for this product.\n      Bethlehem Steel said its composite prices for strip mill\n  plates will be increased 15 dlrs a ton.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"EQUICOR SEES YEAR REVENUES TO TOP TWO BILLION\n","article":"  Equicor, Equitable HCA Corp,\n  said that the company will likely attain revenues in excess of\n  two billion dlrs in its first year of operations.\n      The company, created last October with initial equity of\n  400 mln dlrs, is owned equally by the Equitable Life Assurance\n  Society of the U.S. and Hospital Corp of America <HCA>.\n      Financial results for the first six months of the company's\n  operations were not disclosed. Equicor provides employee group\n  plans to 1,500 corporations nationwide. It said it aims to\n  double its marketshare in five years from the about 3.5 pct of\n  the employee benefits industry it controls.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MACANDREWS\/FORBES BEGINS REVLON <REV> OFFER\n","article":"  MacAndrews and Forbes Group Inc said it\n  began an 18.50-dlr-a-share cash offer for all common stock of\n  Revlon Group Inc it does not already own.\n      The offer, which is being made by a wholly owned\n  subsidiary, Revmac Acquisition Corp, is subject to financing\n  and at least 28.5 mln shares being tendered, the company said.\n      MacAndrews and Forbes, wholly owned by Ronald Perelman,\n  chairman of Revlon Group, held about 31.8 pct of the voting\n  power of Revlon as of March 27, a spokesman said. The stake\n  includes about 15.1 pct of Revlon common and 95 pct of its\n  series A preferred stock, he said.\n   More\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KAY JEWELERS INC <KJI> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.62 dlrs vs 1.33 dlrs\n      Net 10.3 mln vs 8,459,000\n      Revs 127.5 mln vs 95.7 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.52 dlrs vs 1.20 dlrs\n      Net 9,669,000 vs 7,481,000\n      Revs 278.1 mln vs 232.00 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ARCO <ARC> UP ON HIGHER EARNINGS ESTIMATE\n","article":"  Atlantic Richfield Co's stock rose\n  sharply after analyst Eugene Nowak of Dean Witter Reynolds Inc\n  raised his earnings estmates of the company, traders said.\n      ARCO jumped 1-3\/4 to 81-3\/4.\n      Nowak said that based on an average oil price of 17 dlrs a\n  barrel in 1987, the company should earn about 4.50 dlrs a\n  share. Next year, based on an average oil price of 18 dlrs a\n  barrel, ARCO should earn about five dlrs a share. The company\n  earned 3.38 dlrs a share in 1986. \"If oil prices should rise to\n  an average of 20 dlrs a barrel,\" he said, \"ARCO could record\n  earnings of 6.50 dlrs a share.\n      Nowak said his increased estimates come after the company\n  told analysts yesterday that its first quarter earnings will\n  comfortably cover its quarterly dividend requirement of one dlr\n  a share.\n      Nowak said, \"The company has done an outstanding job\n  reducing expenses, and ARCO is poised to generate greater\n  earnings power.\" He said first quarter earnings will likely\n  exceed the company's expectations stated yesterday and be in\n  the 1.15-1.20 dlr-a-share range.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. SAID PROMISED BULK OF MAIZE EXPORT TO SPAIN\n","article":"  The U.S. Has been promised a near\n  monopoly of maize exports to Spain from third countries\n  guaranteed under an agreement with the European Community, an\n  EC official said.\n      The official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters that\n  the guarantee was given in an unpublished clause of the\n  agreement.\n      Under the accord, which began in January, third countries\n  were guaranteed access for the next four years for two mln\n  tonnes a year of maize to the Spanish market, as well as\n  300,000 tonnes of sorghum.\n      However, the official said the U.S. Had been assured that\n  almost all the exports would be reserved for its traders.\n      The EC Commission is to ask member states to agree either a\n  tender system to fix reduced import levies for the maize or to\n  authorise direct imports by the Spanish intervention board.\n      EC sources noted that under a tender system maize from\n  outside the U.S. Would sometimes be offered on more favourable\n  terms than that from the U.S.\n      No Commission spokesman was immediately available for\n  comment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DEAK INTERNATIONAL BUYS JOHNSON MATTHEY\n","article":"  Deak International, a foreign currency\n  and precious metals firm, announced the acquisition of Johnson\n  Matthey Commodities of New York from Minories Finance Limited,\n  a unit of the Bank of England.\n      The purchase valued at 14.8 mln dlrs follows the recent\n  acquisition of London's Johnson Matthey Commodities Limited,\n  Deak said.\n      The New York firm will be known as Deak International\n  Trading Ltd, the company said.\n      Arkadi Kuhlmann, president and chief executive officer of\n  Deak International said the purchase will expand Deak's\n  operations into the precious metals and wholesale non-ferrous\n  metals trading arenas.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"WALL STREET STOCKS\/PUROLATOR COURIER <PCC>\n","article":"  Purolator Courier Corp stock jumped\n  5-3\/8 on a 40 dlr per share takeover offer from Emery Air\n  Freight Corp <EAF>, traders said.\n      Purolator was trading at 40-1\/4, 1\/4 above the offer price.\n  The Emery offer tops a 35 dlr per share buyout agreement E.F.\n  Hutton LBO Inc reached with Purolator February 27.\n      That offer was to have expired today. Neither Hutton nor\n  Purolator had any immediate comment.\n      \"There's probably some speculation out there that there\n  might be another offer,\" said one analyst.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ARGENTINE CORN SALES TO USSR LOWER - USDA REPORT\n","article":"  Total corn sales by Argentina to the\n  Soviet Union are only 1.5 to 1.8 mln tonnes, with delivery\n  spread out from March to June, the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department's Counselor in Buenos Aires said in a field report.\n      The report, dated March 27, said many sources have stated\n  that the Soviet Union was initially interested in purchasing\n  2.3 mln tonnes lof corn from Argentina.\n      However, Soviet purchases from the United States have\n  tended to displace additional Argentine purchases, the report\n  said.\n      The USDA has to date reported USSR purchases of 2.6 mln\n  tonnes of U.S. corn for delivery in the current U.S.-USSR grain\n  agreement year, which ends this September 30, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BARNES GROUP <B> EXPECTS SALES TO GROW MODESTLY\n","article":"  Barnes Group said it expects\n  sales and net income for 1987 will be up slightly over 1986.\n      Without supplying specific figures, Barnes told\n  shareholders at its annual meeting it expected net income to\n  improve at a rate exceeding its growth in sales, which was two\n  pct higher than 1985.\n      The company said it recorded income from continuing\n  operations of 16.6 mln dlrs, or 2.57 dlrs per share, on sales\n  of 440 mln dlrs in 1986. It said it recorded income from\n  continuing operations of 16.4 mln dlrs, or 2.27 dlrs per share,\n  in the previous year.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ROADWAY MOTOR PLAZAS INC 3RD QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  SHr two cts vs one cts\n      Net 116,843 vs 41,400\n      Revs 17.3 mln vs 12.3 mln\n      Nine months\n      SHr 15 cts vs 10 cts\n      Net 639,448 vs 301,000\n      REvs 37.6 mln vs 35.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"DIONICS INC <DION> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr seven cts vs 10 cts\n      Net 127,000 vs 168,100\n      Revs 2,807,400 vs 3,042,900\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WINN-DIXIE STORES INC <WIN> SETS MONTHLY PAYOUT\n","article":"  Mthly div 15 cts vs 15 cts prior\n      Pay April 30, May 29, June 24\n      Record April 15, May 15, June 10\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WAXMAN INDUSTRIES INC <WAXM> REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div class A two cts vs two cts prior\n      Qtly div class B one ct vs one ct prior\n      Pay April 17\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DEAK BUYS JOHNSON MATTHEY COMMODITIES\n","article":"  Deak International, a foreign currency\n  and precious metals firm, announced the acquisition of Johnson\n  Matthey Commodities of New York from Minories Finance Limited,\n  a unit of the Bank of England.\n      The purchase valued at 14.8 mln dlrs follows the recent\n  acquisition of London's Johnson Matthey Commodities Limited,\n  Deak said.\n      The New York firm will be known as Deak International\n  Trading Ltd, the company said.\n      Arkadi Kuhlmann, president and chief executive officer of\n  Deak International, said the purchase will expand Deak's\n  operations in the precious metals and wholesale non-ferrous\n  metals trading arenas.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ICO PACT UNLIKELY BY AUTUMN - ITALIAN ADVISER\n","article":"  The prospects of the\n  International Coffee Organization (ICO) reaching an agreement\n  on coffee export quotas before September appear dim, Alberto\n  Hesse, former president of the European Coffee Federation,\n  said.\n      \"There is no real goodwill in certain delegations to go to\n  quotas,\" Hesse, who advises the Italian Foreign Affairs Ministry\n  on coffee issues, told Reuters. He declined to name the\n  delegations.\n      A special meeting between importing and exporting countries\n  ended in a deadlock late yesterday after eight days of talks\n  over how to set quotas.\n      The ICO executive board will meet from March 30 to April 1\n  but the full council is not due to meet again until September.\n  \"I am not optimistic about an agreement soon,\" Hesse said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IIF EXECUTIVE SEES INTEREST RATES DECLINING\n","article":"  Institute of International Finance\n  Managing Director Horst Schulmann said that his orgnaization\n  has been forecasting further declines of interest rates in the\n  first half this year and then a levelling off and there is no\n  reason to change that.\n      Speaking to reporters, the bank research group said that\n  the increase in interest rates announced yesterday and other\n  activity in the foreign exchange markets did not indicate a\n  fundamental change in the outlook.\n      Schulmann, speaking broadly about the global debt problem,\n  said that the International Monetary Fund should increase its\n  assistance to third world countries.\n      The remarks come just before next week's meeting of the\n  IMF's Interim Committee and the Joint Development Committee of\n  the IMF and World Bank.\n      In a letter to the committee's, the bank group said,\n  \"Commercial banks cannot be the dominant supplier of balance of\n  payments finance.\"\n      Schulmann said that IMF exposure peaked in 1985 and has\n  declined a bit since then.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPANESE CRUSHERS BUY CANADIAN RAPESEED\n","article":"  Japanese crushers bought 5,000 to 6,000\n  tonnes of Canadian rapeseed for May shipment in export business\n  overnight, trade sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WALKER TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP <WTEL> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss 58 cts vs loss nil\n      Net loss 2.9 mln vs loss 17,818\n      Revs 5.0 mln vs 7.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 45 cts vs profit four cts\n      Net loss 2.0 mln vs profit 174,562\n      REvs 28.5 mln vs 25.2 mln\n     \n      NOTE:1986 4th qtr loss includes loss of 2.2 mln dlrs from\n  discontinuance of operations. 1985 4th qtr includes loss of\n  79,395 dlrs from discontinued operations.\n      1986 4th qtr includes 3.5 mln dlr provision for costs\n  anticipated in connection with disposal of division and 500,000\n  dlrs in adjustments related to write-downs. 1985 4th qtr\n  includes gain of 178,000 dlrs for exchange of telephone\n  inventory for barter credits.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BROKERS SECURITIES INC <BKRS> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 16 cts vs profit 23 cts\n      Net loss 97,600 vs profit 91,980\n      Revs 302,745 vs 359,699\n      Avg shrs 621,036 vs 388,536\n      Year\n      Shr profit seven cts vs profit 36 cts\n      Net profit 36,400 vs profit 140,980\n      Revs 1,610,286 vs 763,071\n      Avg shrs 512,235 vs 388,536\n     \n      Note: Year-ago net includes extraordinary gains of 33,654\n  for qtr and 42,654 for the year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRST WORLD CHEESE INC <FWCH> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 15 cts vs profit nil\n      Net loss 392,428 vs profit 1,255\n      Revs 6,371,092 vs 3,031,091\n      Avg shrs 2,544,000 vs 1,440,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 13 cts vs profit seven cts\n      Net loss 274,951 vs profit 100,534\n      Revs 18.1 mln vs 10.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,072,153 vs 1,440,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WALL STREET STOCKS\/ANACOMP INC <AAC>\n","article":"  Anacomp Inc, one of the most actively\n  traded NYSE issues, rose today as at least one analyst expected\n  earnings to be boosted by its planned acquisition of a\n  micrographics company.\n      Anacomp rose 1\/2 to 6-3\/4 on volume of 950,000 shares after\n  trading as high as seven earlier.\n      Howard Harlow, analyst at Whale Securities Corp, said\n  Anacomp's earnings for fiscal 1987 ending September 31 could be\n  doubled to 80 cts a share from the 40 cts a share he had\n  forecast before Anacomp agreed to buy DatagraphiX, a\n  micrographics firm, from General Dynamics Corp <GD>.\n      \"The company can earn 80 cts a share in fiscal 1987, maybe\n  as much as a dlr a share, because of DatagraphiX,\" Harlow said.\n  \"Most of the benefit will be in the fourth qtr because it will\n  integrate the company in the second half.\"\n      Anacomp's earnings will be less if it has problems\n  integrating DatagraphiX, Harlow said.\n      A spokesman at Anacomp said the company expects to complete\n  its deal for DatagraphiX later this month. She would not say\n  how much it will pay for DatagraphiX, but noted that\n  DatagraphiX contributed 10 mln dlrs in earnings to General\n  Dynamics on revenues of 239 mln dlrs in 1986.\n      Harlow said a fellow analyst at Whale Securities estimates\n  that Anacomp will pay between 100 mln dlrs to 150 mln dlrs for\n  DatagraphiX. \"The estimates on the street narrow it down to\n  between 110 mln dlrs and 130 mln dlrs,\" Harlow added.\n      Anacomp reported net of 2.8 mln dlrs or nine cts a share in\n  its first qtr ended December 31, up from 301,000 dlrs or one ct\n  a share.\n      In Anacomp's fiscal 1986 it earned 4,073,000 dlrs or 13 cts\n  a share.\n      Whale Securities recommends buying the stock, Harlow said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"YUGOSLAV RETAIL PRICES UP 7.0 PCT IN MARCH\n","article":"  Yugoslav retail prices in March rose\n  7.0 pct from February, to stand 93.2 pct higher than in March\n  1986, Federal Statistics Office (FSO) figures show.\n      In February, retail prices rose 7.2 pct from January to\n  stand 91.6 pct higher than in February 1986.\n      The cost of living, which includes rents and costs such as\n  utilities and transport, was up 7.8 pct in March from February\n  to stand 94.8 pct higher than in March 1986, the FSO said.\n      In February the cost of living increased 7.3 pct from\n  January and stood 93.6 pct higher than in February 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GRAIN SHIPS WAITING AT NEW ORLEANS\n","article":"  Ten grain ships were loading and 18\n  were waiting to load at New Orleans elevators, trade sources\n  said.\n   ELEVATOR                     LOADING  WAITING\n   Continental Grain, Westwego     1      3\n   Mississippi River, Myrtle Grove 2      0\n   ADM Growmark                    1      4\n   Bunge Grain, Destrehan          1      0\n      ELEVATOR                LOADING  WAITING\n   ST CHARLES DESTREHAN         1      3\n   RESERVE ELEVATOR CORP        0      1\n   PEAVEY CO, ST ELMO           1      2\n   CARGILL GRAIN, TERRE HAUTE   1      4\n   CARGILL GRAIN, PORT ALLEN    1      0\n   ZEN-NOH                      1      1\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"J.C. PENNEY <JCP> TO BUY EQUITY IN BEEBA'S\n","article":"  J.C. PEnney Co Inc said it signed a\n  letter of intent to acquire one mln shares, or a 20 pct equity\n  interest, of Beeba's Creations Inc <BEBA> for 18.75 dlrs a\n  share.\n      Penney said the agreement also calls for Beeba's, a major\n  supplier of junior sportswear, to work with Penny in the\n  establishment of junior specialty shops to be created in about\n  100 Penney stores in early 1988.\n      Freestanding stores are also being planned, the company\n  said. Beeba's will be the principal source of merchandise to\n  the shops, it said.\n      For the six months ended February 28, Beeba's reported net\n  income of 1.2 mln dlrs on sales of 39.4 mln dlrs.\n      Penney said it will establish an independent merchandising\n  and marketing organization to manage and support the shops\n  which will be staffed by personnel both from within and outside\n  the company.\n      The company said the new agreement would have no impact on\n  its current supplier base and it will continue to work with as\n  braod base of suppliers of junior sportswear as it does in its\n  other merchandise areas.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AUSTRIAN BANKS DIVIDED OVER INTEREST RATE CUT\n","article":"  Calls for a cut in Austrian interest\n  rates have grown in recent days but bank chiefs are divided\n  over the issue.\n      Karl Vak, General Director of the Zentralsparkasse und\n  Kommerzialbank, Wien, called today for a cut of up to half a\n  percentage point in interest rates across the board. But Hannes\n  Androsch, head of Creditanstalt-Bankverein <CABV.VI> told\n  Reuters he opposed a cut because it would hurt small savers.\n      Vak told a news conference that last January's cut in\n  lending rates for commercial customers and for all depositors\n  by a quarter point had been insufficient.\n      The January cut followed the National Bank's lowering of\n  its discount and Lombard rates by half a point in line with a\n  similar Bundesbank move. Prime lending rate is now 8.75 pct and\n  deposit rates vary between 3.25 and 5.75 pct.\n      Yesterday Hellmuth Klauhs, head of the Genossenschaftliche\n  Zentralbank AG, said rates could fall at least a quarter of a\n  point, or even half a point if German rates dropped further.\n      Vak noted that inflation had fallen below one pct. A\n  widening gap between Austrian rates and cheaper West German\n  credit along with forecasts of slow Austrian economic growth\n  this year also justified a further interest drop, he said.\n      Karl Pale, head of Girozentrale und Bank der\n  oesterreichischen Sparkassen AG [GIRV.VI] has also called for\n  lower deposit rates but said lending rates should remain\n  unchanged at the moment. Interest margins were too small,\n  particularly when compared with other West European countries.\n      But Hans Haumer, head of the Erste Oesterreichische\n  Spar-Casse-Bank told Reuters that no cut should be made unless\n  West German rates came down first.\n      Banking sources said no bank seemed ready to lower rates\n  alone and supporters of a cut would have difficulty overcoming\n  opposition from Creditanstalt, Austria's biggest bank.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"A.G. EDWARDS INC <AGE> 4TH QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 81 cts vs 63 cts\n      Net 16,900,000 vs 13,100,000\n      Revs 152.5 mln vs 118.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 2.59 dlrs vs 1.85 dlrs\n      Net 53,700,000 vs 38,100,000\n      Revs 526.3 mln vs 404.3 mln\n      NOTE: Prior year earnings reflect a three-for-two stock\n  split distributed in May, 1986\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PERIPHERAL SYSTEMS <PSIX> AGRESS TO BUY COMPANY\n","article":"  Peripheral Systems Inc said it\n  agreed in principle to acquire the outstanding shares of\n  <Nucell Inc>.\n      The agreement calls for an exchange of one share of\n  Peripheral for each share of Nucell, subject to approval by\n  both companies' boards, it said.\n      Peripheral said its increased involvement in the\n  development of Nucell's nuclear battery technology made the\n  merger practical.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CORRECTED - LIFETIME<LFT> TO BUY NIPPON LACE SAHRES\n","article":"  Lifetime Corp said it agreed to buy\n  five mln shares or 16 pct of <Nippon Lace Co Ltd> for 3.28 dlrs\n  a share, or 16.5 mln dlrs.\n      It said it plans to enter the health care business in\n  Japan.\n      In addition, it said <Koba Electronics Co Ltd>, an\n  affiliate of Nippon, will buy four mln unissued shares, or a 12\n  pct stake, of Lifetime for 20 mln dlrs or five dlrs a share. -\n  Corrects to show Nippon's affiliate Koba buying stake in\n  Lifetime.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MANUFACTURERS NATIONAL <MNTL> UNIT LIFTS RATE\n","article":"  Manufacturers National Corp's\n  Manufacturers Bank-Wilmington said it increased the interest\n  rate on its no-fee variable rate MasterCard to 13.6 pct from\n  13.3 pct.\n      The new interest rate applies to the second quarter. The\n  rate on the card is set quarterly.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRST CHICAGO <FNB> UNIT BUYS BANKS\n","article":"  First Chicago Corp's American National\n  Bank unit said it completed the acquisition of four suburban\n  Chicago banks with combined assets of about 231 mln dlrs.\n      The banks are National Bank of North Evanston, Elgin\n  National bank, First National Bank of Schiller Park and\n  Merchants and Manufacturers State Bank in Melrose Park.\n      American National now owns nine banks.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CENTERRE <CTBC> ACQUIRES BENEFIT PLAN SERVICES\n","article":"  Centerre Bancorp said it completed the\n  acquisition of Benefit Plan Services Inc, Maryland Heights,\n  Mo., which specializes in designing and administering small and\n  moderately sized pension plans.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONOLOG CORP <CNLG> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr two cts vs two cts\n      Net 69,831 vs 107,773\n      Revs 1,068,905 vs 2,401,518\n      Six mths\n      Shr three cts vs three cts\n      Net 129,649 vs 155,089\n      Revs 2,673,141 vs 4,666,104\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHINESE PORK OUTPUT SEEN LOWER -- USDA\n","article":"  High feed prices will cause the\n  Chinese to reduce hog herd growth and pork production this\n  year, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      In its World Production and Trade Report, the department\n  said hog numbers at the start of 1987 were estimated at 331.6\n  mln head, up slightly from 1986, and 10 mln head above earlier\n  projections for 1987.\n      Pork production in 1986 was up 4.2 pct to 17.25 mln tonnes,\n  slightly below earlier estimates, it said.\n      For 1987, production is projected to fall to 17.05 mln\n  tonnes.\n      Feed prices at the end of January were reported 35 to 40\n  pct above year-ago levels, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. EXPORTS BODY GETS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR\n","article":"  Export Credits Guarantee Department has\n  named Malcolm Stephens, director of export finance at Barclay's\n  Bank Plc and a former career civil servant at ECGD for 17\n  years, to the post of executive director, a department\n  spokesman said.\n      Stephens replaces Jack Gill, who is retiring early aged 57.\n      A drop in the ECGD's business volume and a rise in its debt\n  to the Exchequer have led to criticism in Parliament in recent\n  years.\n      Stephens said the fall in business volume was a top\n  convern, adding that the department may have to compete more\n  aggressively with private insurance firms providing similar\n  services.\n      The department's annual report for the year ended March 31,\n  1986, showed exports insured by the department fell to 15.7\n  billion stg from 17.4 billion the year before, while its debt\n  to the Exchequer almost doubled to 756 mln stg.\n      Stephens said he had no specific list of changes. But among\n  his chief concerns was the weakened condition of lesser\n  developed countries and their ability to pay for their imports.\n      The agency will have to review its policies on insuring\n  export credits to lesser credits on a country by country basis,\n  he said. \"Large lump political risk insurance is the sort of\n  thing we want to take a look at.\"\n      \"You have to try to look forward to see if you are simply in\n  a peak and trough situation or it is a more long term thing,\"\n  Stephens said, in response to a qustion about whether ECGD will\n  strike more countries from its list of political risk insurance\n  recipients.\n      He noted that certain countries have already been removed\n  from the list.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANKERS TRUST <BT> RAISES PRIME LENDING RATE\n","article":"  Bankers Trust Co said it has raised its\n  prime lending rate to 7-3\/4 pct from 7-1\/2, effective\n  immediately.\n      This move is the latest in a series of similar actions by\n  leading U.S. money center banks, including Citibank NA and\n  Chase Manhattan Bank NA, over the last 24 hours.\n      AmeriTrust Corp of Ohio also raised its prime lending rate\n  to 7-3\/4 pct from 7-1\/2, effective tomorrow.     \n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BOATMEN'S NATIONAL BANK <BOAT> RAISES PRIME\n","article":"  Boatmen's Bancshares said its\n  Boatmen's National Bank raised the prime rate to 7-3\/4 pct from\n  7-1\/2 pct, effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNICORP VOTING STAKE HIKED IN UNION ENTERPRISES\n","article":"  <Union Enterprises Ltd> said holders of\n  7.2 mln or 80 pct of its class A series one preferred shares\n  requested to retract their shares under terms of the issue,\n  thus raising <Unicorp Canada Corp>'s voting stake in Union to\n  58 pct from 50.\n      Union said it paid about 90 mln dlrs on April 1 for the\n  retraction, using existing credit lines.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OILS\/FATS STOCKS SEEN FALLING SHARPLY IN 1986\/87\n","article":"  Visible stocks of 17 oils and fats are\n  probably peaking now and are likely to fall sharply by October\n  1 this year, the Oil World newsletter said.\n      Oil World forecast that stocks of oils and fats may be cut\n  to only 9.8 mln tonnes at the end of this season, compared with\n  10.6 mln a year earlier.\n      Its survey covered  13 oils -- soy, cotton, groundnut, sun,\n  rape, sesame, corn, olive, coconut, palmkernel, palm, lin and\n  castor  -- and four animal oils and fats -- butter, fish oil,\n  lard and tallow\/greases.\n      Oil World's analysis predicted only a slight production\n  increase of 0.5 mln tonnes in the year to end-September 1987,\n  compared with increases of 3.6 mln and 4.0 mln tonnes in the\n  previous two seasons.\n      It said world consumption was continuing to rise. Unusually\n  low prices prevailing since early 1986 had stimulated demand\n  for both food and non-food purposes, it said.\n      World consumption  could increase by a record 2.8 mln\n  tonnes to 71.8 mln tonnes this season and would be even higher\n  if the Indian government did not artificially curb domestic\n  demand.\n      Oil World said it did not expect the European Community\n  (EC) to introduce a vegetable oils tax, but if such a tax were\n  introduced it would have a negative impact on EC consumption.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STARRETT HOUSING CORP <SHO> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 20 cts vs eight cts\n      Oper net 1,869,000 vs 957,000\n      Revs 41.0 mln vs 22.9 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 52 cts vs 53 cts\n      Oper net 5,386,000 vs 5,147,000\n      Revs 116.8 mln vs 98.3 mln\n      Note: Oper excludes extraordinary reserves related to\n  arbitration of Iranian claims of 2,062,000 vs 3,200,000 for qtr\n  and year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRST WISCONSIN NAT'L BANK<FWB> HIKES PRIME RATE\n","article":"  First Wisconsin National Bank said it\n  has raised its prime rate to 7-3\/4 pct from 7-1\/2 pct,\n  effective today.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GAC LIQUIDATING TRUST <GACTZ> SETS CASH PAYOUT\n","article":"  Unit distribution one dlr vs 1.75 dlrs prior\n      pay June one\n      Record May one\n      Note: Prior distribution declared in April 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"WRATHER CORP <WCO> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 53 cts vs loss 55 cts\n      Net loss 3,865,000 vs 3,963,000\n      Revs 24.2 mln vs 26.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.21 dlrs vs profit 56 cts\n      Net loss 8,758,000 vs profit 4,040,000\n      Revs 108.5 mln vs 113.8 mln\n  \n      Note: Prior qtr figures include income from discontinued\n  operations of 10,000 dlrs, gain on disposal of discontinued\n  operations of 269,000 dlrs, or four cts per share, and\n  operating loss carryforward gain of 936,000 dlrs, or 13 cts per\n  share.\n      Prior year figures include income from discontinued\n  operations of 164,000 dlrs, or two cts per share, gain on\n  disposal of discontinued operation of 3.9 mln dlrs, or 54 cts\n  per share, and operating loss carryforward gain of 3.7 mln\n  dlrs, or 48 cts per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC SUGAR IMPORT LEVIES\n","article":"  The following import levies for white\n  and raw sugar are effective tomorrow, in European currency\n  units (ecu) per 100 kilos.\n      White sugar, denatured and non-denatured 51.94 versus 51.36\n  previously.\n      Raw sugar, denatured and non-denatured 44.05 versus 43.69\n  previously.\n      The rate for raws is based on 92 pct yield.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MURPHY OIL CORP <MUR> SETS REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 25 cts vs 25 cts prior\n      Pay June one\n      Record May 15\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COLOMBIA TRADERS SAY NEW COFFEE STRATEGY VITAL\n","article":"  Coffee producing countries must quickly\n  map out a fresh common strategy following the failure of the\n  International Coffee Organization, ICO, to reach agreement on\n  export quotas, Gilberto Arango, president of Colombia's private\n  coffee exporters' association, said.\n      Arango told Reuters that the most intelligent thing now\n  would be to seek a unifying stand from producers, including\n  Brazil, in order to map out a strategy to defend prices.\n      An ICO special meeting ended last night in London with\n  exporting and consuming nations failing to agree on a\n  resumption of export quotas, suspended one year ago after\n  prices soared following a prolonged drought in Brazil.\n      Arango said there would be no imminent catastrophe but\n  predicted that over the short term prices would undoubtedly\n  plummet.\n      However, he said the market should also take into account\n  evident factors such as Brazil's low stocks and the sale of the\n  near totality of the Central American crop.\n      Trade sources said Colombia's coffee was today quoted at\n  1.14 dlrs a lb in New York, its second lowest price in the past\n  10 years.\n      Cardenas said these countries apparently fail to understand\n  the true impact of such a failure for coffee producing nations\n  as well as for industrialized countries.\n      It is difficult to believe that while efforts are made to\n  solve the problem of the developing world's external debt,\n  decisions are being taken which cut earnings used for repaying\n  those debts, he said.\n      \"In Colombia's case, we watch with consternation that,\n  while we try to effectively combat drug trafficking, countries\n  which support us in this fight seek to cut our jugular vein,\"\n  Cardenas said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LAWSON WANTS STERLING AROUND 1.60 DLRS, 2.90 MKS\n","article":"  U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel\n  Lawson said he wanted sterling to stay roughly where it was,\n  specifying a rate of around 2.90 marks and 1.60 dlrs.\n      He told the National Economic Development Council that the\n  recent Paris meeting of major industrialised nations had agreed\n  on the need for exchange rate stability. There was now a\n  \"reasonable alignment of currencies\" and the U.K. Government\n  intended to keep sterling at about its present level, he said.\n      That meant around 2.90 marks, which is the single most\n  important rate to concentrate on, and 1.60 dlrs, Lawson said.\n      His disclosure of two of the key targets for sterling was\n  highly unusual, foreign exchange market analysts said.\n      In the past he has preferred to be less definite about the\n  Government's exchange rate policy, lest it give foreign\n  exchange markets set limits to test.\n      Lawson told the committee, which is a tripartite forum of\n  government, unions and industry, that the pound would be kept\n  near its present level by a mixture of interest rates and\n  intervention in the foreign exchange markets.\n      The pound finished trading here today at 1.6040\/50 dlrs and\n  2.9210\/45 marks.\n      His disclosure of two of the key targets for sterling was\n  highly unusual, foreign exchange market analysts said.\n      In the past he has preferred to be less definite about the\n  Government's exchange rate policy, lest it give foreign\n  exchange markets set limits to test.\n      Lawson told the committee, which is a tripartite forum of\n  government, unions and industry, that the pound would be kept\n  near its present level by a mixture of interest rates and\n  intervention in the foreign exchange markets.\n      The pound finished trading here today at 1.6040\/50 dlrs and\n  2.9210\/45 marks.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEW VENEZUELA DEBT INTEREST RATE GOES INTO EFFECT\n","article":"  The new interest rate of 7\/8 pct over\n  Libor on Venezuelan public sector debt payments goes into\n  effect today, Finance Minister Manuel Azpurua said .\n      Azpurua told reporters yesterday the reduction from the\n  previous margin of 1-1\/8 pct above Libor will save the country\n  some 50 mln dollars in debt servicing.\n      The new rate is among changes agreed last month to the 20.3\n  billion dlr public sector debt rescheduling. Under the new\n  agreement, Venezula was also able to extend the term from 12 to\n  14 years and to lower debt payments in the 1987-89 period by 64\n  pct.\n      Azpurua said that according to the agreement, the new\n  interest rate will be retroactive to April 1, provided the\n  accord is approved before October 1.\n      He told reporters the term sheet detailing the changes in\n  the rescheduling has already been endorsed by the 13-member\n  debt steering committee and is now being sent to the country's\n  460 creditor banks for their approval.\n      The new agreement replaces a rescheduling accord signed in\n  February 1986, which Venezuela asked to revise to reflect a 45\n  pct drop in oil revenues.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SUNTRUST BANKS <STI> RAISES PRIME TO 7-3\/4 PCT\n","article":"  SunTrust Banks said that Sun Banks in\n  Florida and Trust Co banks in Georgia have raised their prime\n  rate to 7-3\/4 pct from 7-1\/2 pct.\n      The company said the action is effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HORN\/HARDART <HOR> UNIT DISPOSES 33 RESTAURANTS\n","article":"  Horn and Hardart Co said it\n  disposed of 33 Bojangles' Chicken 'N Biscuits restaurants in\n  Florida as part of its previously announced retrenchment of its\n  Bojangles' subsidiary.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      The company said the restaurants in Orlando, Tampa and\n  Jacksonville markets have incurred the majority of Bojangles'\n  operating losses over the last two years.\n      Due to the transaction, Horn and Hardart is projecting a\n  positive cash flow for the unit for the remainder of fiscal\n  1987.\n      A spokesman said the disposition consists of a combination\n  of sale, lease and re-franchise agreements.\n      The transaction involves one-quarter of the company-owned\n  Bojangles' restaurants and is in accordance with its\n  restructuring program announced in October 1986.\n      A spokesman said the company is considering the sale or\n  spinoff of the 91-company owned additional restaurants, which\n  are profitable.\n      The company said the disposition will result in no profit\n  or loss for the company because the costs were anticipated in a\n  34-mln-dlr reserve taken in the third quarter of 1986.\n      The foodservice division, which includes Burger King,\n  Arby's and Tony Roma's, had a pre-tax operating loss of 29.6\n  mln dlrs in 1986, including the 34.0 mln dlr charge to\n  restructure Bojangles. Excluding Bojangles', the group had\n  revenues of 43.8 mln dlrs.\n      The company said that, pursuant to the restructuring, it\n  has cut general and administrative expenses attributable to\n  Bojangle' by 35 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MULTIBANK FINANCIAL CORP <MLTF> IN PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 13 cts vs 13 cts prior\n      Pay April 20\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TENDER LOVING <TLCI>, STAFF <STAF> EXTEND PACT\n","article":"  Tender Loving Care Health Care\n  Services Inc said it and Staff Buildiers Inc have extended the\n  term of their merger agreement until May 31.\n      Tender Loving Care also said <Norrell Corp> agreed not to\n  acquire any additional Staff Builders shares until September\n  30, adding Norrell was paid 750,000 dlrs for the standstill\n  arrangement. \n      Tender Loving Care said it agreed to buy the 610,000 Staff\n  Builders common held by Norrell, about 19.1 pct of those\n  outstanding, for 6,950,000 dlrs immediately prior to the\n  consummation of the merger.\n      Tender Loving Care said the extended merger agreement\n  continues to provide for the exchange of 1.6 of its shares for\n  each Staff Builders share outstanding.\n      As announced February 26, the Staff Builders shareholders\n  meeting to vote on the merger, originally convened and\n  adjourned December 23, will be reconvened on April 22.\n      Tender Loving Care said its payment to Norrell will include\n  1,950,000 dlrs in cash and five mln dlrs of a new series of\n  eight pct Tender Loving Care convertible preferred.\n      Tender Loving Care said it and Staff Builders have filed a\n  revised registration and proxy statement with the Securities\n  and Exchange Commission. Upon clearance of the revised proxy\n  statement by the commission and its distribution to Staff\n  Builders' shareholders, that company's management will continue\n  to solicit proxies for approval of the merger.\n      Tender Loving Care said it will have the power to vote\n  about 15.8 pct of Staff Builders' shares at the adjourned\n  meeting with a spokesman explaining that this represents the\n  proxies held by Norrell, which started buying the stock after\n  the record date for the meeting.\n      In addition, Staff Builders officers and directors own\n  about 13.8 pct of its stock and have agreed to vote in favor of\n  the merger.\n      Accordingly, the vote of an additional 37.1 pct of the\n  outstanding shares will be required to approve the merger,\n  Tender Loving Care said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRST BANK SYSTEMS <FBS> UNITS HIKE RATE\n","article":"  First Bank Minneaplois and First\n  Bank Saint Paul, both units of First Bank Systems Inc, said\n  they raised their reference rates to 7-3\/4 pct from 7-1\/2 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CHEMICAL FABRICS <CMFB> AGREEMENT TERMINATED\n","article":"  Chemical Fabrics Corp said an\n  agreement in principle under which OC Birdair Inc would have\n  purchased assets related to the architectural structures\n  business of Dow Corning corp's ODC Inc division has been\n  terminated.\n      Under that agreement, Chemical Fabrics would also have\n  become distributor of Dow Corning's Vestar silicone-coated\n  fiberglass architecural fabrics.\n      OC Birdair is a joint venture of Chemical Fabrics and Owens\n  Corning Fiberglas Corp <OCF> and Down Corning a venture of Dow\n  Chemical Co <DOW> and Corning Glass Works <GLW>.\n      Chemical Fabrics said once the current project backlog of\n  Dow Corning's ODC division is completed, Dow Corning plans to\n  discontinue its design-engineering, fabrication and\n  installation services.\n      Chemical Fabrics said the companies will cooperate on the\n  development of new products for architectural and industrial\n  applications and may supply architectural materials to each\n  other.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SIS <SISB> COMPLETES WENDY'S <WEN> UNIT BUY\n","article":"  SIS Corp said it has completed\n  the acquisition of its franchisor Sisters International Inc\n  from Wendy's International Inc for 14.5 mln dlrs in stock.\n      It said the purchase includes 35 restaurants in Ohio\n  operates by Sisters, giving SIS a total of 55 restaurants, and\n  franchise relationships in six Midwestern and Southern states.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRITISH SUGAR SOWINGS OFF TO SLOW START\n","article":"  Drilling of this year's British sugar\n  beet crop got off to a slow start due to poor weather\n  conditions with only around one pct sown so far, a spokesman\n  for British Sugar Plc said.\n      This compares with two pct at the same stage last year,\n  three pct in 1985 and 38 to 39 pct in 1984.\n      There is little cause for concern with better weather\n  forecast and the capacity available to drill the contracted\n  area of around 200,000 hectares in about 10 days. Seed beds\n  look good and farmers are advised to wait for soil temperatures\n  to rise, the spokesman said.\n      \"If the crop can be drilled by the third week in April we\n  will be delighted,\" he said. Last year a large proportion of the\n  crop was not drilled until May but it still turned out to be\n  the equal second largest on record.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CURRENCY INTERVENTION TIMING CRUCIAL - ANALYSTS\n","article":"  The dollar's recent decline, despite\n  massive central bank purchases, is a forceful reminder that\n  official intervention in the foreign exchanges can work only if\n  it is well-timed to coincide with shifts in market fundamentals\n  or sentiment, dealers and analysts said.\n      Central banks may succeed in slowing a trend, but, without\n  accompanying policy changes, they stand little chance of\n  reversing the direction of an ever-growing global market in\n  which more than 200 billion dlrs is traded every day, the\n  sources said.\n      \"Timing and psychology are the key to successful\n  intervention,\" said Jim O'Neill, a financial markets economist\n  with Marine Midland Banks Inc. The importance of complementary\n  changes in economic fundamentals was underlined yesterday when\n  a change in interest rates boosted the dollar, instantly\n  achieving what the central banks had tried in vain to do for a\n  week through open market intervention.\n      After Citibank raised its prime rate by a quarter-point to\n  7-3\/4 pct, the first change in the rate since last August, the\n  dollar started to advance and reached a high in Tokyo of 147.50\n  yen, up two yen from Tuesday's New York low.\n      By contrast, monetary authorities spearheaded by the Bank\n  of Japan are estimated to have bought as much as 10 billion\n  dlrs in the last 10 days of March but could not prevent the\n  dollar from skidding through 150 yen and plumbing a 40-year low\n  Monday of 144.70 yen. Some experts worry the central banks have\n  lost more than just a temporary battle to prop up the dollar.\n  The market is wary of being caught wrong-footed by a central\n  bank foray, but is no longer mesmerized.\n      \"They've lost their credibility. The market feels it can\n  take on the central banks and win,\" said Michael Snow, head of\n  treasury operations at Union Bank of Switzerland in New York.\n      The relative failure of recent intervention stands in sharp\n  contrast to the success that central banks scored when they\n  joined forces to drive the dollar down following the September\n  22, 1985, Plaza accord.\n      Then, however, central banks had an easy time of it,\n  because the markets and the Treasuries of the major industrial\n  powers were agreed that the dollar needed to head lower to\n  redress massive worldwide trade imbalances.\n      Now, there is no such consensus. The market is saying that\n  the dollar must fall further because the U.S. trade deficit is\n  showing little sign of improvement, while Japan is resisting in\n  a bid to protect its export industries.\n      For its part, the United States is apparently content to\n  let the dollar fall gradually further and is paying little more\n  than lip service to the February Paris agreement of the Group\n  of Five plus Canada to foster stability, dealers say.\n      Specifically, they said the Fed's dollar-buying\n  intervention has been half-hearted, designed more as a\n  political gesture to Japan than to strike fear into the\n  markets. \"It's been pro-forma intervention,\" said Francoise\n  Soares-Kemp, chief corporate trader at Credit Lyonnais.\n      Because of this discord and the market's momentum for a\n  lower dollar, analysts said intervention looks doomed to fail.\n      \"It's going to take a lot more than the central banks to\n  hold the dollar (at these levels),\" said Snow, who predicts\n  another 10 to 15 pct depreciation.\n      \"There have to be structural changes that occur to make the\n  market stop selling dollars,\" added \"Buying six billion dollars\n  in three weeks is not going to do it.\"\n      Late last decade during the presidency of Jimmy Carter,\n  when the dollar was last under heavy speculative attack,\n  central banks sometimes intervened to the tune of six billion\n  dlrs in a single day but still failed to stop the dollar\n  falling to a record low of 1.70 marks, analysts said.\n      Snow said purchases on that scale now are unlikely. \"I\n  don't think anybody has the stomach for it, because they saw\n  the futility of it in the seventies.\"\n      Indeed, because the market has grown in leaps and bound\n  since then, intervention on an even greater scale would\n  probably be needed to impress the market.\n      Trading volume in London, New York and Tokyo alone last\n  year averaged nearly 188 billion dlrs a day, according to a\n  joint central bank study, about double the previous estimate\n  made just two years earlier by the Group of Thirty private\n  research group.\n      There are signs that central banks, too, realize the\n  futility of swimming against the tide.\n      Bank of Japan sources told Reuters in Tokyo earlier this\n  week that they believed the limits of currency market\n  intervention are perhaps being reached and that other methods\n  for bolstering the dollar, such as invoking currency swap\n  agreements with other central banks, are being considered.\n      \"In this era of financial liberalization, it's almost\n  impossible to control the flow of capital in and out of Japan,\"\n  one senior official in Tokyo said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN TIRE MAJOR HOLDERS NOT EXTENDING PACT\n","article":"  CTC Dealer Holdings Ltd said <Canadian\n  Tire Corp Ltd> controlling shareholders Alfred, David and\n  Martha Billes did not extend an agreement expiring yesterday to\n  tender their shares only to CTC's previously reported offer for\n  49 pct of Canadian Tire common shares.\n      CTC, which already holds 17.4 pct of Canadian Tire common,\n  said it would therefore not take up any shares tendered under\n  its offer unless they totaled at least 1.1 mln or another 32.7\n  pct of Canadian Tire common. The Billes control 60 pct of\n  Canadian Tire common. It added that it extended its offer to\n  May 11 at a fixed price of 165.36 dlrs a share.\n      CTC, a group of Canadian Tire dealers, said it expected to\n  know by May 11 if it would obtain approval to appeal a\n  previously reported Ontario court ruling upholding a regulatory\n  decision to block CTC's offer.\n      The dealers' bid was previously blocked by the Ontario\n  Securities Commission because the offer excluded holders of\n  Canadian Tire class A non-voting shares, which make up about 96\n  pct of company equity.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HUTTON LBO EXTENDS EXPIRATION FOR 35 DLR\/SHR OFFER FOR\n","article":"PUROLATOR TO APRIL 6 FROM TODAY\n\n  HUTTON LBO EXTENDS EXPIRATION FOR 35 DLR\/SHR OFFER FOR\n  PUROLATOR TO APRIL 6 FROM TODAY\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CONRAC SAYS IT IS MULLING RESTRUCTURING OR BUYOUT AS\n","article":"ALTERNATIVES\n\n  CONRAC SAYS IT IS MULLING RESTRUCTURING OR BUYOUT AS\n  ALTERNATIVES\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHIRAC SAYS FRANCE RESOLVED TO SUPPORT CURRENCY PACT\n","article":"  French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac\n  said that on financial issues, the United States and France had\n  \"very close\" views, and he said Treasury Secretary James Baker\n  was determined to support the February 22 Paris agreement on\n  stabilizing foreign exchange parities.\n      \"I was very reassured by the determination of Mr. Baker to\n  support this agreement,\" he said.\n      He described the dollar's sharp fall against the yen at the\n  start of the week as a \"passing incident\" and added, \"Everyone is\n  resolved to support the Paris accord.\"\n      Questioned about his plan to help the world's poorest\n  countries, Chirac said he did not envisage any large-scale debt\n  write-offs.\n      \"I don't think we can talk of write-offs - even the poorest\n  countries have not asked for that,\" he said.\n      Chirac said he wanted commercial banks to give third world\n  countries better terms in rescheduling their debts, and for the\n  International Monetary Fund to soften its conditions.\n      \"One cannot pity the banks - they bear a lot of\n  responsibility due to the encouragement they gave to these\n  countries to take on debts. Now the banks are complaining but I\n  do not weep for them.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CONRAC <CAX> EXPLORING RESTRUCTURING, BUYOUT\n","article":"  Conrac Corp, whose board has\n  rejected a 25 dlr a share tender offer from Mark IV Industries\n  Inc <IV>, said it is exploring alternatives such as a\n  restructuring, leveraged buyout or takeover of the company.\n       In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Conrac said its board of directors authorized its financial and\n  legal advisors to explore a several alternatives to the Mark IV\n  offer, which it said it considers inadequate.\n      The alternatives being explored include a restructuring,\n  leveraged buyout or a takeover of the company by another\n  company, Conrac said.\n      Conrac, which said its board discussed the alternatives at\n  special meetings on March 26 and 30, said that its decision on\n  whether to adopt any of the alternatives would hinge on \"the\n  future actions of Mark IV\" and its unsolicitied tender offer.\n      Putting into effect any of the alternatives being explored\n  could hurt or defeat the Mark IV offer, it said.\n      Board members were also instructed to keep confidential the\n  terms of any transaction that might be entered into until it\n  becomes final, the company said.\n      The board also took other defensive steps, including\n  granting severance agreements to some officers, it said.\n      At a board meeting yesterday, Concac's directors deleted a\n  provision allowing the holder of at least one-third of of all\n  classes of its voting stock to call a special shareholders\n  meeting and deleted another provision allowing shareholders to\n  remove directors without cause, the company said.\n      The defensive moves were taken because Mark IV had said it\n  planned to elect a majority of its designees as directors at a\n  special holders meeting if it succeeded in acquring a majority\n  of the company's common stock in the offer, Conrac said.\n      Conrac's president, vice president and treasurer were given\n  severance agreements, or \"golden parachutes,\" it said.\n      Under the agreements, Conrac President Paul Graf would get\n  a cash payment of twice his annual salary, which was 209,906\n  dlrs last year, if there were a change of control in the\n  company, including acquisition of 30 pct or more of the\n  company's voting stock, Conrac said.\n      Treasurer Joseph Smorada and Vice President Joseph\n  O'Donnell, who made 143,325 dlrs last year, would get\n  one-and-a-half times his salary if there were a change in\n  control. Smorada's salary was not listed in the SEC filing.\n      The executives would also get cash settlements of options\n  plans and continuation of insurance and other benefits.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MORE U.S. BANKS JOIN IN PRIME RATE CUT\n","article":"  Chemical Bank, the main bank subsidiary\n  of Chemical New York Corp, and Marine Midland Banks Inc said\n  they were raising the prime lending rate to 7-3\/4 pct from\n  7-1\/2 pct, effective immediately.\n      In St Louis, Mercantile Bancorp said its Mercantile Bank\n  N.A. was also raising its prime rate to 7-3\/4 pct from 7-1\/2\n  pct, effective immediately.\n      The changes follow similar cuts yesterday by Citicorp and\n  Chase Manhattan.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"CONVEST ENERGY PARTNERS LTD <CEP> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 2.65 dlrs vs loss 2.31 dlrs\n      Net loss 14.3 mln vs loss 12.5 mln\n      Revs 2,887,000 vs 5,321,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 4.38 dlrs vs loss 2.50 dlrs\n      Net loss 23.7 mln vs loss 13.5 mln\n      Revs 13.2 mln vs 22.4 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes oil and natural gas writedowns of\n  12.1 mln dlrs in quarter and 19.0 mln dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOVIET SOYMEAL IMPORTS SEEN RISING IN 1987\n","article":"  Soviet imports of soymeal may reach or\n  exceed one mln tonnes between January and September this year,\n  the Oil World newsletter said.\n      Oil World said it was likely the Soviet Union would reduce\n  soybean imports and step up significantly its imports of meal.\n      At least 500,000 tonnes of soymeal may be shipped from the\n  European Community and South America in the January\/March\n  quarter, with additional large quantities likely to be imported\n  in the April and July quarters from Argentina and Brazil, it\n  said. No figures were given for imports in the corresponding\n  periods of 1986.\n      The change made sense in view of the recent purchases of\n  probably 250,000 tonnes of West European and Polish rapeseed\n  and large scale butter imports that were expected from March\n  onward, it said.\n      Oil World said substantial losses of Soviet winter grain\n  area due to recent severe frosts were probably behind the\n  recent pick-up in Soviet purchases of U.S. Corn.\n      It noted that an additional one mln tonnes of U.S. Corn had\n  been bought recently by the Soviet Union.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<DYLEX LTD> YEAR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 51 cts vs one dlr\n      Net 25.1 mln vs 46.8 mln\n      Sales 1.21 billion vs 1.08 billion\n      Note: 1986 excludes extraordinary gain of 1.1 mln dlrs, or\n  two cts per share, from public issue of affiliate's shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ICO TALKS SET TO END WITH NO QUOTA DEBATE\n","article":"  The International Coffee Organization\n  executive board meeting will end tomorrow without any move to\n  reopen the debate on restoring coffee export quotas, delegates\n  said.\n      Talks have focused on administrative matters and\n  verification of stocks in producer countries, they said.\n      Producers met briefly today to exchange views on the market\n  situation but there seems little chance discussion on quotas\n  will begin much before the ICO's annual council session in\n  September, they said.\n      Delegates earlier thought the meeting would end tonight,\n  but a further session is scheduled tomorrow at 1030 GMT to\n  complete reports on stock verification.\n      Meantime, the executive board will meet May 12 to discuss\n  possible action on the consultancy report on the ICO presented\n  today to the board, consumer delegates said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INTERNATIONAL SEAWAY TRADING CORP <INS> YEAR\n","article":"  Oper shr 64 cts vs 97 cts\n      Oper net 845,000 vs 1,285,000\n      Revs 20.0 mln vs 23 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 and 1985 oper net excludes gain of 315,000 dlrs\n  and 585,000 dlrs, respectively, for extraordinary item.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CALLON PETROLEUM CO <CLNP> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 40 cts vs loss 4.72 dlrs\n      Net loss 3,321,000 vs loss 42.0 mln\n      Revs 4,002,000 vs 7,788,000\n      Avg shrs 9,168,522 vs 8,974,355\n      Year\n      Shr loss 4.20 dlrs vs loss 4.71 dlrs\n      Net loss 37.2 mln vs loss 41.1 mln\n      Revs 18.4 mln vs 34.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 9,168,522 vs 8,991,184\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COUNTY SAVINGS BANK <CSBA> SETS STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  County Savings Bank said\n  its board declared a five pct stock dividend, payable April 10\n  to shareholders of record today.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"E.F.HUTTON <EFH> EXTENDS PUROLATOR <PCC> OFFER\n","article":"  E.F. Hutton Group's E.F. Hutton LBO Inc\n  unit said it extended the expiration date for its 35 dlr per\n  share tender offer for Purolator Courier corp to midnight EST\n  April six from midnight April one.\n      E.F. Hutton lbo inc said its wholly owned PC Acquisition\n  Inc subsidiary, which is the entity making the offer, extended\n  both expiration date and the withdrawal rights period for its\n  pending tender for 6.3 mln shares or 83 pct of Purolator\n  common.\n      Hutton's offer was topped today by a 40 dlr per share bid\n  for 83 pct of the stock from Emery Air Frieght Corp <EAF.>\n      Both offers would pay shareholders a package of securities\n  for the balance of their shares, valued at the respective\n  tender offer prices.\n      Hutton said as of the end of the day yesterday, about\n  880,000 shares of Purolator common stock repesenting 11.5 pct\n  of outstanding shares had been validly tendered and not\n  withdrawn.\n      Manhattan supreme court justice Lewis Grossman today\n  adjourned until Monday a hearing on a stockholder suit seeking\n  to block the Hutton LBO transaction. The judge told attorneys\n  he needed time to hear other cases.\n      Plaintiffs cited their belief that a superior offer would\n  be forthcoming, however one company mentioned in an affadavit,\n  Interlink Express plc, denied that it was interested.\n      Yesterday, Frank Hoenemeyer, a retired vice chairman of\n  Prudential Insurance Co and currently a Purolator board member,\n  said an initial offer from Hutton was rejected by the board of\n  directors February third.\n      Hoenemeyer testified that by the next meeting of the board,\n  February 17, Hutton submitted a revised proposal which was\n  accepted.\n      He also testified a committee of directors had hired\n  Goldman Sachs and Co to consider alternatives to the Hutton\n  offer and also to consider a discussion of possible mergers\n  with other companies including Emery and Federal Express Corp\n  <FDX>.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANKAMERICA <BAC> TO POST GAIN ON UNIT SALE\n","article":"  BankAmerica Corp said it completed\n  the sale of its Consumer Trust Services division to Well Fargo\n  and Co <WFC>, a transaction that will result in a second\n  quarter pre-tax gain of more than 75 mln dlrs.\n      The sale will not affect the services the bank will\n  continue providing to institutional customers through its\n  Employee Benefit Trust Services Division, BankAmerica also\n  said.\n      In a separate announcement, Wells Fargo said the\n  acquisition will increase the amount of personal trust assets\n  it administers to 25 billion dlrs.\n      Last December BankAmerica and Wells Fargo announced a\n  definitive agreement on the sale at a price of about 100 mln\n  dlrs, subject to adjustment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COLOMBIA TO SELL SUGAR, LONDON TRADERS SAY\n","article":"  Colombia is holding a snap selling tender\n  tonight for one cargo of world market raw sugar, traders said.\n      The sugar is for March 15\/April 15 shipment and bids are\n  being sought based on the New York May delivery futures\n  contract, they added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HEAVY RAINS DAMAGE ARGENTINE COARSE GRAINS CROP\n","article":"  Fresh, heavy rains caused further\n  damage to the Argentine 1986\/87 coarse grains crop in the week\n  to yesterday, particularly in Buenos Aires province, trade\n  sources said.\n      They said the sunflower, maize, soybean and sorghum crops\n  were damaged and yield estimates affected. New production\n  forecasts were made for all these crops.\n      The rains over the weekend and up to yesterday registered\n  more than 200 mm on average in western Buenos Aires and\n  worsened the flooding in various parts of the province.\n      The weather bureau said the rains, which in Buenos Aires\n  have surpassed 750 mm in the last 30 days, could continue.\n      The northeast of the country was also hit by heavy rains.\n      In Corrientes province the rains also passed an average of\n  200 mm in some parts, notably the Paso de los Libres area\n  bordering on Uruguay.\n      In Santa Fe and Entre Rios provinces they were over 100 mm\n  in places, in Misiones and San Luis 90 mm and in Cordoba 80 mm.\n      The rains were less intense in Chaco and Formosa.\n      Harvesting in areas not actually under water could also be\n  further delayed due to dampness in the earth, the sources said.\n      The excessive humidity might also produce rotting of the\n  crops, further dimishing the yield, the sources added.\n      Sunflower harvesting before the weekend rains reached 26 to\n  30 pct of the area sown in Santa Fe, Cordoba, La Pampa and\n  Buenos Aires provinces.\n      The production forecast for 1986\/87 sunflowerseed has been\n  lowered to between 2.2 and 2.4 mln tonnes, against 2.3 to 2.6\n  mln tonnes the previous week, making it 41.5 to 46.3 pct lower\n  than the record 4.1 mln tonnes produced last season.\n      The area sown was two to 2.2 mln hectares, down 29.9 to\n  36.3 pct on the record 3.14 mln hectares in 1985\/86.\n      The maize harvest advanced to within 26 to 28 pct of the\n  area sown in Cordoba, Santa Fe and northern Buenos Aires. It\n  will begin in La Pampa within about 10 days, weather\n  permitting.\n      Maize yield this season is now estimated at 9.6 to 9.9 mln\n  tonnes, against last week's 9.9 to 10.1 mln tonnes, down 21.4\n  to 22.6 pct on the 12.4 to 12.6 mln tonnes at which private\n  producers put 1985\/86 production.\n      The new forecast is 22.7 to 25 pct down on the official\n  figure of 12.8 mln tonnes for last season's production.\n      The grain sorghum harvest reached 17 to 19 pct of growers'\n  targets, against 14 to 16 pct the previous week.\n      The production forecast was reduced to between three and\n  3.3 mln tonnes, against 3.2 to 3.5 mln tonnes last week, 21.4\n  to 26.8 pct down on last season's 4.1 to 4.2 mln tonnes.\n      The area sown with sorghum in 1986\/87 was 1.23 to 1.30 mln\n  hectares, down 10.3 to 15.2 pct on the 1.45 mln in 1985\/86.\n      The forecast for soybean yield this season was the least\n  changed in relation to last week. It was put at a record 7.5 to\n  7.7 mln tonnes, against the previous 7.5 to 7.8 mln tonnes.\n      These figures are 4.2 to 5.5 pct higher than last season's\n  record of 7.2 to 7.3 mln tonnes, according to private sources,\n  and 5.6 to 8.5 pct up on the official 7.1 mln tonnes.\n      The adjustment to the production forecast is due to the\n  rains and overcast conditions which have greatly reduced the\n  sunlight needed for this crop, sources said.\n      Producers fear estimates may yet have to be adjusted down\n  further.\n      The humidity could induce rotting and growers are still\n  finding more empty pods due to excessively dry weather earlier\n  in the season.\n      Soybean harvesting is due to start in mid-April in southern\n  Cordoba and Santa Fe and northern Buenos Aires.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LONDON GRAIN FREIGHT ENQUIRIES\n","article":"  Rio Grande\/Azores and Leixoes 26,000 mt\n  hss 14 dlrs basis one to two 4,000\/1,500 Azores and 3,500\n  Leixoes 25\/4-5\/5.\n      Paranagua\/one-two ports Spanish Med 35,000 mt hss 11.50\n  dlrs basis one to one 10 days all purposes 20-30\/4.\n      USG\/Taiwan 54,000 mt hss 10,000 shex\/4,000 shex 20\/4-5\/5.\n      USG\/ARA-Ghent option Seaforth 40,000\/45,000 long tons hss\n  10 days all purposes 9-15\/4 try later.\n      Dieppe\/one-two ports Italian Adriatic 9,500\/11,000 mt bulk\n  wheat 3,000\/2,000 6-12\/4.\n      St Lawrence\/one-three ports Marseilles-Manfredonia range\n  20,000\/35,000 mt bulk wheat 5,000\/222,500 10-15\/4.\n      Chimbote\/Kaohsiung 9,500 mt bulk\/bagged fishmeal 250 ph\/200\n  ph 20\/4-5\/5.\n      Immingham or Foynes\/Red Sea 25,000 mt bulk barley\n  4,000\/3,000 10-15\/4 alternatively try t\/c.\n      USG\/Maracaibo 10,000 mt wheat (three grades) three\n  days\/1,000 1-15\/4.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LONDON METAL FREIGHTS\n","article":"  Rotterdam\/Karachi\n  20,000\/21,000 mt shredded scrap 7,000\/1,100 15-30\/4.\n      Bin Qasim\/Shanghai 25,000 mt pig iron 1,500 fhex\/1,200 shex\n  1-10\/4.\n      Chungjin\/Manila 4,200 mt steel coils 800\/liner discharge\n  23-30\/4.\n      Bilbao\/one port Vietnam 5,000 mt steels fio 1,000\/500 end\n  April\n      Singapore\/Mizushima 6,000\/10,000 mt steel scrap fiot\n  1,200\/3,00 2-12\/4.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CIRO INC <CIRI> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr loss three cts vs profit 16 cts\n      Net loss 119,000 vs profit 637,000\n      Revs 17.5 mln vs 15.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LONDON ORE ENQUIRIES\/FIXTURES\n","article":"  South Africa\/Salvador, Brazil\n  15,000 long tons manganese ore 2,500\/1,500 end April.\n      Callao\/Crotone 5,000 mt minerals 4,000\/2,000 spot.\n      Geraldton\/Tampico 13,500 mt bulk mineral sands fio\n  10,000\/2,000 1-10\/5.\n      Itea\/Dunkirk 20,000 mt bauxite seven days all purposes\n  10-13\/4.\n      Tampico\/North Spain 15,000 mt ore two days shinc\/3,000 shex\n  5-25\/4.\n      One port German North Sea\/USG 10,500 mt bulk ore\n  2,500\/4,000 7-13\/4.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HELM RESOURCES INC <H> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss two cts vs loss 13 cts\n      Oper net loss 236,000 vs loss 1,131,000\n      Revs 26.6 mln vs 26.3 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit two cts vs loss 15 cts\n      Oper net profit 286,000 vs loss 1,292,000\n      Revs 105.3 mln vs 95.3 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes discontinued operations gain 20,000 dlrs\n  vs loss 1,291,000 dlrs in quarter and gain 60,000 dlrs vs loss\n  1,590,000 dlrs in year.\n      Net excludes extraordinary loss 38,000 dlrs vs gain\n  1,941,000 dlrs in quarter and gains 162,000 dlrs vs 1,941,000\n  dlrs in year.\n      1986 net both periods includes writedowns of 290,000 dlrs\n  of oil-related seismic data.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<SASCO PRODUCTS INC> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss eight cts vs profit four cts\n      Net loss 365,430 vs profit 165,508\n      Revs 5,577,244 vs 4,643,803\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes nonrecurring expenses of 408,518\n  dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VARIAN <VAR> IN TALKS WITH PHILIPS ELECTRONICS\n","article":"  Varian Associates Inc said it\n  is holding discussions with Philips Electronics regarding the\n  purchase of Philips' broadcast transmission unit in the United\n  Kingdom, Pye TVT Limited.\n      Pye TVT designs and manufactures broadcast transmission\n  equimpment, specializing in television frequencies.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUSIMONT COMPO <AUS> SELLS UNIT\n","article":"  Ausimont Compo NV said it has\n  sold the assets of its Equipment and Machinery Division for\n  about six mln dlrs to an investment group including the unit's\n  management, resulting in a modest pretax gain that will be\n  included in first quarter results.\n      The unit had sales of five mln dlrs in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ATLANTIC RESEARCH <ATRC> COMPLETES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Atlantic Research corp said it\n  has completed the acquisition of professional services firm ORI\n  Group for 1,414,313 common shares on a pooling of interests\n  basis.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PEABODY HOLDING COMPLETES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  <Peabody Holding Co Inc> said it has\n  completed its acquisition of substantially all Eastern Gas and\n  Fuel Associate's <EFU> coal properties for 15.01 pct of Peabody\n  Holding's stock.\n      Peabody said the purchase includes seven underground mines\n  and seven coal preparation plants currently operated by\n  Eastern, as well as coal properties being mined by several\n  contractors in West Virginia.\n      The acquisition also involves about 800 mln tons of coal\n  reserves, mostly in West Va., and includes Eastern's coal\n  reserves and inactive Powderhorn operations near Palisade,\n  Colo, Peabody said.\n      Peabody added that it expects to announce within the next\n  week how it will staff and operate the properties and offices\n  it has acquired from Eastern.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"LONDON SUGAR FREIGHTS\n","article":"  Delfzyl\/India 14,700 mt\n  bagged sugar about 30 dlrs 750\/1,000 ppt a\/c Benham.\n      Antwerp\/Lagos 12,000 mt bagged sugar 750\/750 try liner\n  discharge 5-20\/4 a\/c E D and F Man.\n      T\/C single or tweendecker 16,000\/19,000 tonnes dw del\n  Queensland mid-April\/early-May for trip with bulk sugar redel\n  China duration about 30 to 40 days a\/c Kawasaki.\n      One port A-H range\/Dubai 6,800 mt bagged sugar 750\/750\n  10-15\/4 a\/c unnamed charterer.\n      enquiries - Rouen-Hamburg\/India 14,000 mt bagged sugar\n  750\/1,000 15-25\/4 a\/c Woodhouse, Drake and Carey.\n      Flushing\/Hodeidah and Mokha 16,800 mt bagged sugar 750\/750\n  9-15\/4 Genoc.\n      Santos\/Hodeidah 10,000 mt bagged sugar about 30 dlrs\n  750\/750 20-30\/4 a\/c Dutch charterer.\n      Cargill is reported to have withdrawn its enquiries for\n  cargoes from South Korea to India, from Constanza to India and\n  from Buenaventura to the U.S.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PENTA SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL INC <PSLI> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss six cts vs loss 76 cts\n      Net loss 343,748 vs loss 4.0 mln\n      Revs 5.1 mln vs 4.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 12 cts vs loss 1.45 dlr\n      Net profit 611,784 vs loss 7.7 mln\n      Revs 21.6 mln vs 19.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FED SAYS IT BUYS 550 MLN DLRS OF BILLS FOR CUSTOMER, MAY\n","article":"THROUGH SEPT 24 MATURITY\n\n  FED SAYS IT BUYS 550 MLN DLRS OF BILLS FOR CUSTOMER, MAY\n  THROUGH SEPT 24 MATURITY\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHIRAC SEES QUICK DECISION ON CGCT\n","article":"  French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac\n  told U.S. congressmen France would announce a decision in two\n  to three weeks on which group is to control its second largest\n  communications firm, Compagnie Generale de Construction\n  Telphoniques, French sources said.\n      They said Chirac promised that France's decision would be\n  based on financial, economic and technical criteria, and not on\n  political grounds.\n      U.S. and German companies are the leading contenders to\n  take control of CGCT.\n      The Reagan administration has warned France and Germany\n  that it may retaliate if control of the company is awarded on\n  political grounds.\n      Jacques Delors, President of the European Community's\n  Executive Commission, called last month for control to go to\n  West Germany's Siemens AG in order to strengthen European\n  industry.\n      The other leading contender is a consortium of American\n  Telephone and Telegraph Co <T> with Philips NV of the\n  Netherlands.\n      Chirac said France would make public its reasons for\n  awarding control, the sources said. He was asked about the\n  company's fate on two occasions, in meetings with leaders of\n  the Senate and House of Representatives.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AGENCY REPORTS 41 SHIPS WAITING AT PANAMA CANAL\n","article":"  The Panama Canal Commission, a U.S.\n  government agency, said in its daily operations report that\n  there was a backlog of 41 ships waiting to enter the canal\n  early today. Over the next two days it expects --              \n               4\/01  4\/02\n                         Due: 34    34\n        Scheduled to Transit: 41    39\n             End-Day Backlog: 34    29\n  \n      Average waiting time tomorrow --\n           Super Tankers  Regular Vessels\n   North End:  25 hrs      11 hrs\n   South End:  24 hrs      31 hrs\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONTROL RESOURCE INDUSTRIES INC <CRIX> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss five cts vs profit eight cts\n      Net loss 152,000 vs profit 214,000\n      Revs 6.2 mln vs 2.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 22 cts vs profit 33 cts\n      Net profit 809,000 vs 853,000\n      Revs 22.4 mln vs 7.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED BUYS 550 MLN DLRS OF BILLS FOR CUSTOMER\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve bought about 550\n  mln dlrs of U.S. Treasury bills for a customer, a spokeswoman\n  said.\n      She said the Fed bought bills maturing from May through\n  September 24 for regular delivery tomorrow.\n      Federal funds were trading at 6-3\/16 pct when the Fed\n  announced the operation.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN WATER WORKS CO INC <AWK> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 32 cts vs 32 cts prior\n      Pay May 15\n      Record May One\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HUNT MANUFACTURING CO <HUN> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div 11 cts vs 11 cts\n      Pay April 21\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ITEL <ITEL> BUYS CASTLE\/COOKE <CKE> UNIT ASSETS\n","article":"  Itel Corp said it has completed the\n  previously-announced acquisition of the container fleet and\n  related assets of Castle and Cooke Inc's Flexi-Van Leasing Inc\n  subsidiary for about 130 mln dlrs in cash and marketable\n  securities, 30 mln dlrs in notes, three mln common shares and\n  the assumption of liabilities.\n      The company said it has obtained 150 mln dlrs in financing\n  from a bank group for the deal, and the common shares are\n  subject to a 10-year restriction on their sale and voting.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PITTSBURGH AND WEST VIRGINIA RAILROAD <PW> NET\n","article":"  4th qtr\n      Shr 14 cts vs 14 cts\n      Net 210,000 vs 211,000\n      Revs 230,000 vs 229,000\n      Year\n      Shr 56 cts vs 56 cts\n      Net 838,000 vs 841,000\n      Revs 919,000 vs 919,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DYNALECTRON <DYN> BUYS AVIATION FACILITY\n","article":"  Dynalectron Corp said it purchased\n  certain assets of Standard Aero Inc including leasehold rights\n  to its aircraft modification and maintenance facility in\n  Phoenix, Ariz.\n      Terms were not released.\n      The facility consists of 285,000 square feet of hangar and\n  shop space. Dynalectron will operate the plan as Dynair Tech\n  Inc and is offering continued employment to about 460 former\n  standard Aero employees.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. FARM REORGANIZATIONS PROVING COSTLY - GAO\n","article":"  U.S. farmers who reorganize their\n  operations to circumvent a cap on federal payments could add\n  2.3 billion dlrs to the cost of the government's agricultural\n  programs by 1989, the General Accounting Office, GAO, said.\n      \"We estimate that should the trend in farm reorganizations\n  continue, reorganizations since 1984 could be adding almost 900\n  mln dlrs annually to program costs by 1989,\" GAO Senior\n  Associate Director Brian Crowley said.\n      \"Cumulative costs for the six-year period, 1984 to 1989,\n  could approach 2.3 billion dlrs,\" he said.\n      Between 1984 and 1986, reorganizations added almost 9,000\n  new persons to U.S. Agriculture Department payment rolls,\n  Crowley told the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Wheat,\n  Soybeans and Feedgrains.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TALKING POINT\/PUROLATOR COURIER <PCC>\n","article":"  Emery Air Freight Corp topped a\n  leveraged buyout offer for Purolator Courier Corp by about 40\n  mln dlrs, but Wall Street is reacting as though another offer\n  may surface.\n      Purolator's stock climbed 5-3\/8 today, to 40-1\/8, 1\/4 over\n  Emery's 40 dlr per share offer. Emery topped a 35 dlr per share\n  or 268 mln dlr offer from E.F. Hutton LBO Inc.\n      Some analysts said the latest, 306 mln dlr offer for\n  Purolator exceeded their expectations.\n      Several analysts previously had said they saw takeover\n  values for the package delivery company in the 35 dlr per share\n  range. At least one, however, estimated the company could be\n  taken over in a range of 38 to 42 dlrs per share.\n      Analysts today would not venture to say whether another\n  offer could be made, but some arbitragers still held to the\n  belief that the bidding could go higher.\n      \"They have no choice to seek out the best possible offer.\n  Emery has shown the courage to go forth,\" said one arbitrager,\n  who speculated other courier companies may also emerge as\n  bidders.\n      \"It makes sense,\" said James Parker of Robinson Humphrey.\n  But \"It won't make out as well as they think. They won't get a\n  100 pct of the synergies.\"\n      Analysts said the acquisition could cost Emery earnings in\n  the short term, but long term, after eliminating redundancies\n  and selling other Purolator assets, it should boost Emery's\n  profitability.\n      Parker said a combined Purolator and Emery would rival\n  United Parcel Service as the second largest U.S. package\n  delivery company after Federal Express Corp <FDX>, which has 47\n  pct of the market.\n      Parker speculated that the combined Emery-Purolator would\n  have about 24 pct of the six to seven billion dlr delivery\n  business.\n      \"This will make Emery a bigger factor in the light weight\n  (delivery) business, but it will not make them a power house,\"\n  said Douglas Arthur of Kidder, Peabody and Co.\n      Purolator today declined comment on the Emery offer, and\n  its chairman Nicholas Brady did not return a phone call.\n      E.F.Hutton LBO also declined comment on the Emery offer,\n  but said it extended the expiration and withdrawal period on\n  its offer to April six at midnight from today at midnight EST.\n      One analyst speculated the extension makes it more likely\n  Hutton will attempt another offer. However, he was skeptical a\n  company outside the package delivery industry would want to\n  outbid 40 dlrs per share because it would not have the same \n  synergies as a courier company.\n      Since Purolator agreed in late February to a buyout by some\n  of its management and the E.F. Hutton Group <EFH> subsidiary,\n  speculation has arisen that more bidding was to come.\n      The buyout was surrounded by controversy since a Purolator\n  board member, Doresy Gardner resigned in March. Gardner said he\n  believed a better offer could be made by another entity.\n      A spokesman for Gardner today said the former director had\n  no contact with Emery, nor did he have any other buyers lined\n  up for Purolator.\n      Purolator's deal with Hutton was also called into question\n  by a shareholder suit filed earlier this week, which attempted\n  to stop the tender offer to allow another bidder to come forth.\n  Hearings in a New York state court were delayed until Monday.\n      Arbitragers had said they believed the Hutton offer could\n  be bettered because the Wall Street firm was not planning to\n  keep its cash tied up in Purolator. Hutton is providing a 279\n  mln dlr \"bridge\" loan that would later be replaced with other\n  debt. Hutton would maintain a majority interest in Purolator.\n      Hutton sources have said the firm was in fact facing risk n\n  its investment since it did not know when it could reclaim its\n  279 mln dlr loan.\n      Emery last year lost 5.4 mln dlrs on revenues of 887.5 mln\n  dlrs. Purolator lost 57.6 mln dlrs on 841.4 mln dlrs in\n  revenues.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK LOWERING VISA RATES\n","article":"  <Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce>\n  said it was lowering the interest rate on its Visa credit card\n  to 15.9 pct from 18.6 pct, effective with the May billing\n  statement.\n      The bank said it was also halving its yearly Visa card user\n  fee to six dlrs, but would retain its 15 ct fee for each\n  transaction.\n      A bank spokesman said the previously reported call by the\n  Canadian Parliament's finance committee on March 20 for a\n  substantial cut in credit card rates \"was a factor\" in the\n  move, but he would not elaborate.\n      Canada's minister of state for finance Thomas Hockin had\n  threatened legislation to reduce the rates, which apply to\n  unpaid balances, if the financial institutions did not\n  voluntarily act.\n      The Canadian Imperial Bank spokesman said \"the bank card\n  market is a very competitive one and we have to move to stay\n  competitive.\"\n      Canadian Imperial's new rates match those of <Toronto\n  Dominion Bank>, which lowered its rates before the finance\n  committee report.\n      Canadian Imperial Bank added that cardholders will be\n  allowed to choose between the 15 ct transaction fee or the six\n  dlr yearly card fee.\n      It will also eliminate the 50 ct minimum monthly\n  transaction fee, it said.\n      Minister of State for Finance, Tom Hockin, said in the\n  House of Commons today he was \"delighted\" with the bank's cut\n  in its credit card rate.\n      \"I would hope retail stores and other financial\n  institutions will look to their rates as well,\" Hockin said\n  during the daily question period.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BUTLER <BTLR> TO SELL PART OF UNIT\n","article":"  Butler Manufacturing Co said it\n  agreed in principal to sell part of its controls division to\n  Enercon Data Corp of Minneapolis.\n      Terms of the sale were not disclosed.\n      The transaction, expected to be closed in March, involves\n  the controls division's energy management and power line\n  carrier product lines.\n      Butler said costs associated with the sale were included in\n  its restructuring charge taken in last year's fourth quarter,\n  and will have no effect on its 1987 earnings.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NISSAN MOTOR <NSANY> SEES SECOND HALF PROFIT\n","article":"  Nissan Motor Co Ltd of Japan said it\n  expects that it was profitable in the second half ended\n  yesterday after a first half operating loss of 17 billion yen.\n      Nissan chief financial officer Atsushi Muramatsu, in a\n  speech before an automotive seminar, said he attributed the\n  improvement to cost reductions and rationalizations of\n  operations.\n      He said if exchange rates stabilize, Nissan will have a\n  strong profit recovery in fiscal 1988 and profits for fiscal\n  1989 better than those before the yen started advancing.\n      Muramatsu said Nissan is studying the possibility of\n  setting up its own finance company to improve access to U.S.\n  and European capital markets.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GEOFFRION LECLERC FORECASTS RESULTS\n","article":"  (Geoffrion Leclerc Inc), in reporting\n  sharply higher earnings for the six months ended February 28,\n  said it expects third quarter results to continue at a strong\n  pace and approximate the preceding quarters.\n      The brokerage firm earlier reported six month profit rose\n  to 3.5 mln dlrs from 1.9 mln dlrs last year. It did not detail\n  second quarter profit.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WALL STREET STOCKS\/POLAROID <PRD>\n","article":"  Rumors that New York investor Asher\n  Edelman has acquired a stake in Polaroid Corp and optimism\n  about tomorrow's status hearing on the patent infringement suit\n  pending with Eastman Kodak Co <EK> sent Polaroid's stock\n  higher, traders said.\n      Polaroid rose 1-1\/8 to 74-1\/2.\n      \"Speculation that Edelman was going to take a stake in\n  Polaroid was kicking around a few months ago, and resurfaced\n  today,\" one trader said.\n      Edelman had no comment on the rumors.\n      A spokesman for Polaroid said the company had not been\n  contacted by Edelman and no filing had been made with the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission about a stake in the\n  company.\n      \"There is some hope among investors that there will some\n  progress in the status hearing tomorrow on the patent\n  infringement suit with Kodak,\" analyst Michael Ellmann of\n  Wertheim and Co said.\n      Traders said it is conceivable that a trial date could be\n  set or some progress made on an out-of-court settlement.\n      The suit, filed by Polaroid in April 1976, charges that\n  Kodak infringed upon Polaroid's instant camera patent. In\n  October 1985, the court barred Kodak from selling cameras or\n  film that infringe upon the patent, the Polaroid spokesman\n  said.\n      Ellmann said he feels it is highly unlikely that any\n  progress will be made in tomorrow's hearing.\n      Ellmann said the stock may have also gotten a boost today\n  from some optimism concerning new products the company is\n  currently working on.\n      \"Polaroid's announcement that a particularly senior company\n  executive had been chosen to work on a major unidentified new\n  product spurred some speculation about their products,\" he\n  said. \"I am speculating that the new product could be an\n  electronic still camera,\" referring to a camera that records\n  its images on magnetic disks as opposed to conventional film.\n      Ellmann said the stock may have also gotten a boost today\n  from some optimism concerning new products the company is\n  currently working on.\n      \"Polaroid's announcement that a particularly senior company\n  executive had been chosen to work on a major unidentified new\n  product spurred some speculation about their products,\" he\n  said. \"I am speculating that the new product could be an\n  electronic still camera,\" referring to a camera that records\n  its images on magnetic disks as opposed to conventional film.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KAUFMAN AND BROAD INC <KB> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 41 cts vs 17 cts\n      Net 8,824,000 vs 4,555,000\n      Revs 301.9 mln vs 196.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 17,644,000 vs 16,085,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ITEL <ITEL> COMPLETES FLEXI-VAN ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Itel Corp said it completed the\n  previously announced purchase of the container fleet and\n  certain related assets of Flexi-Van Leasing Inc for about 130\n  mln dlrs cash and marketable securities, 30 mln dlrs in notes,\n  three mln shares of newly issued Itel common and assumption of\n  certain liabilities.\n      The company said it obtained financing from a syndicate of\n  major banks for 150 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"KAUFMAN AND BROAD INC <KB> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 41 cts vs 17 cts\n      Net 8,824,000 vs 4,555,000\n      Revs 301.9 mln vs 196.4 mln\n      NOTE: Housing backlog 135 mln dlrs, up over 33 pct from a\n  year earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NY ANALYSTS SEE COFFEE FUTURES FALLING FURTHER\n","article":"  New York coffee futures prices will\n  probably fall to about 85 cents a lb in the next month before a\n  consolidation trend sets in, according to market analysts.\n      Yesterday, prices for the spot May contract fell below 1.00\n  dlr a lb for the first time since August 1981 after the\n  International Coffee Organization did not place new export\n  quota discussions on its current agenda.\n      Talks aimed at renegotiating ICO export quotas, after five\n  years of price-supporting agreements, broke down in February.\n      \"Short-term, it looks like a definite test of 90 cents,\n  perhaps 85 cents,\" said William O'Neill, coffee analyst with\n  Elders Futures. \"But the additional downside may not be all\n  that great from current levels.\"\n      \"At this price level the market is very vulnerable to\n  bullish developments,\" O'Neill added. \"Rather than us having a\n  market that will plummet we'll kind of see prices erode --\n  probably to around 85 cents.\"\n      \"I definitely see 90 cents and would not rule out a brief\n  drop to 85 cents,\" said Debra Tropp, a coffee analyst with\n  Prudential Bache. But she said by June worries about a freeze\n  in Brazil growing areas will become more of a market factor,\n  with prices likely to consolidate ahead of that time.\n      A trader at a major international trade house, who asked\n  not to be named, said he expects a 10 cent drop near term but\n  believes if Brazil opens May registrations at a relatively high\n  export price and requires a high contribution quota from\n  exporters the market could steady at the lower levels.\n      Longer term, he added, producer pressure will mount on\n  Brazil to agree to consumers' export quota terms, and a new\n  international agreement could come into force next fall.\n      Since the February talks broke down, the market has fallen\n  from about 130.00 cents a lb to a low of 98.10 cents a lb\n  today, as buyers and sellers sought to reassess supply and\n  demand.\n      Generally, analysts say, producers have a large buildup of\n  stocks, but U.S. roasters have drawn down supplies and will\n  need to do some buying soon.\n      \"Most producing nations have just completed or are about to\n  complete their annual harvests and exportable supplies are at\n  their seasonal peak. Exports remain behind year ago and\n  warehouses in producer nations are becoming increasingly\n  overburdened,\" said Sandra Kaul, coffee analyst for Shearson\n  Lehman, in that firm's forthcoming quarterly coffee report.\n      Kaul said producers' need to procure hard currency to\n  service foreign debt will put further pressure on them to sell,\n  and \"this should keep substantial pressure on exporters to\n  undertake sales despite the drop in prices to six year lows.\"\n      Kaul believes the market will drop to 80 cents a lb before\n  Brazil's frost season begins in June.\n      Accurate assessments of roaster demand are hard to come by,\n  though analysts note the peak winter consumption period is\n  passed and demand usually slows this time of year.\n      Shearson's Kaul estimated U.S. roaster ending stocks as of\n  January 31, including soluble and roasted, at 6.3 mln bags\n  compared with 6.9 mln at end-September 1986, a small drawdown\n  for the usually busy winter roasting season.\n      But Elders O'Neill said, \"The roasters are not overstocked\n  by any means.\"\n      Analysts said picking a bottom to the market is difficult,\n  given the fact prices have fallen into uncharted territory\n  below the long-term support at 1.00 dlr per lb, and several\n  traders said the sidelines might be preferable for the short\n  term.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ENERGY\/U.S. REFINING\n","article":"  U.S. refiners said they are worried\n  that growing supplies of imports, proposed federal\n  environmental regulations, and the marketing of a third grade\n  of unleaded gasoline would cost them dearly and at a time when\n  the industry is recovering from a recent slump.\n       \"We have to look at national security and cut the amount\n  of products and crude coming into the country if it hurts the\n  industry,\" said Archie Dunham, vice president of petroleum\n  products at Conoco, subsidiary of DuPont Corp (DD).\n      U.S. oil imports account for about 38 pct of U.S.\n  consumption but are expected to rise to 50 pct by the mid\n  1990s, according to the Department of Energy.\n      \"Can we afford to import 60 or 70 pct of our oil\n  requirements 15 or so years from now?\" asked John Swearingen,\n  chairman of the board of Continental Illinois Corp <CIL> and\n  former chief executive of Amoco Corp <AN>. \"If your answer to\n  that question raises doubt, then it behooves us to do all that\n  we can now to cope with this situation and improve our\n  position.\"\n      But Swearingen said he opposed the idea of an import fee, a\n  view echoed by others attending this week's National Petroleum\n  Refiners Association meeting in San Antonio, Texas.\n      \"Talk of an import surcharge or controls is not encouraging\n  because those things won't solve our problems and could well\n  compound them,\" said Swearingen. \"Once the government affects\n  values, once an import quota or license has value, it's going\n  to be subverted by government,\" he added.\n       William Martin, deputy Energy Secretary, said the costs of\n  an import fee outweigh its benefits and suggested, as Energy\n  Secretary John Herrington has, depletion tax credits to\n  encourage domestic production and limit oil imports. He also\n  said altnerative energy sources should be encouraged.\n       Restoration of the depletion allowance for a 27 pct\n  deduction from the taxable income of oil companies is \n  controversal but might work, said Dunham.\n      Dunham and other officials opposed the idea of a fee on oil\n  imports but said if one is enacted it must tax crude and\n  product imports.\n      \"Why would companies import crude when they could import\n  products for a smaller cost if there were only a fee on crude?\"\n  asked Henry Rosenberg, chairman of Crown Central Petroleum\n  <CNP>.\n       An import fee would raise the costs of U.S. petrochemical\n  products and make them noncompetive on the world market, Dunham\n  said.\n       \"The energy security issue should be considered when\n  environmental issues are considered,\" Martin said.\n      \"The level of investment for the proposed lowering of\n  sulfur level of diesel to 0.05 pct by weight, for example, is\n  unacceptable,\" Dunham said. \"Most companies cannot afford it.\"\n      George Unzelman, president of HyOx, Inc., said these\n  proposals \"will place pressure on small refining operations and\n  promote further industry consolidation.\"\n       An NPRA survey of of 139 refineries, which was released at\n  the conference, said reducing sulphur content to 0.05 pct\n  weight and aromatics to 20 volume pct aromatics in highway\n  diesel fuel would cost refiners 6.65 billion dlrs.\n       The national average diesel fuel sulfur content in 1986\n  for the survey respondents was 0.27 weight pct while the\n  average aromatics content was 32 pct.\n       Another possible cost to refiners is the upgrading of\n  facilities to produce a third grade of unleaded gasoline which\n  is beginning to be marketed by some companies.\n      \"What will be the standard octane level in various grades\n  of unleaded gasoline?\" asked Dunham. \"A midlevel grade of\n  unleaded gasoline with an octane level of 89 means an\n  investment has to be made,\" Dunham said.\n       This grade is not warranted, said Crown's Rosenberg.\n       Despite these concerns, refiners are expecting margins to\n  move higher in the next few months.\n       \"We are beginning to see a return in wholesale margins,\"\n  said Roger Hemminghaus, chairman of the refining and marketing\n  company that is to spin off from Diamond Shamrock Corp <DIA>.\n       Margins are higher because the OPEC pact is holding, U.S.\n  stocks of gasoline and heating oil are declining, and gasoline\n  demand is rising as the driving season approaches, he said.\n       \"This summer could be a good season for selling gasoline,\"\n  Hemminghaus said, adding that the new company will be primarily\n  a gasoline producer.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CSX CORP <CSX> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 47 cts vs 56 cts\n      Net 73.0 mln vs 85.0 mln\n      Revs 1.89 billion vs 1.69 billion\n      NOTE: figures reflect the merger of Sea-Land Corp completed\n  Feb 11, 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"WALL STREET STOCKS\/LORAL CORP <LOR>\n","article":"  Loral Corp climbed 3-3\/4 to 48-3\/4 amid\n  rumors the company might be a takeover target of General\n  Electric Co <GE>. However, analysts said they were skeptical.\n      \"Jack Welch doesn't want any more exposure to defense\n  markets,\" said one analyst who heard the rumors but doubted\n  their accuracy. The reference was to GE's chairman.\n      The analyst, who requested anonymity, said, \"I wouldn't\n  believe this one unless there's a deal on the table.\"\n      Loral Corp officials were not immediately available for\n  comment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MAGMA LOWERS COPPER PRICE 0.25 CT TO 65.50 CTS\n","article":"  Magma Copper Co, a subsidiary of\n  Newmont Mining Corp, said it is lowering its copper cathode\n  price by 0.25 cent to 65.50 cents a lb, effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SNET <SNG> SEES GOOD 1987 EARNINGS\n","article":"  Southern New England Telecommunications\n  Corp, SNET, said it expects to have good earnings in 1987\n  against 4.46 dlrs per share or 139.2 mln dlrs in 1986.\n      The company also said it expects capital spending to rise\n  to about 355 mln dlrs in 1987, up from 289 mln dlrs a year ago.\n      However, senior vice president of finance Daniel Miglio\n  told a meeting of analysts that there was some uncertainty in\n  its earnings outlook because SNET is currently involved in\n  negotiations with state regulators on its rate of return on\n  equity which currently stands at 16.2 pct.\n      The company also said it expects its SNET Systems business,\n  which is composed of some of its non-regulated businesses, to\n  be profitable by the end of the year.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"STRYKER <STRY> ACQUIRES HEXCEL <HXL> UNIT\n","article":"  Stryker Corp said it acquired\n  Hexcel Medical Corp, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hexcel Corp.\n      The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.\n      The sale completes Hexcel's plan to sell all its medical\n  products businesses, Hexcel said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"OLD STONE <OSTN> COMPLETES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Old Stone Corp said it\n  completed the previously announced acquisition of First Federal\n  Savings Bank of North Carolina, a Shelby, N.C., savings bank,\n  for common stock.\n      The final purchase price, expected to be between seven mln\n  and 7.5 mln dlrs, will be based on an exchange of common stock\n  valued at 1.5 times the book value of First Federal as of the\n  March 31 closing date, the company said.\n      At February  28, First Federal had 129 mln dlrs in assets\n  and 120 mln dlrs in deposits. Old Stone is a Rhode Island-based\n  financial services company with assets of 3.9 billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MOORE MEDICAL CORP <MMD> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Moore Medical Corp said it\n  plans to acquire privately-held Penta Products, a wholesale\n  distributor of generic durgs, for undisclosed terms.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INSPIRATION LOWERS COPPER PRICE TO 66.50 CTS\/LB\n","article":"  Inspiration Consolidated Copper Co, a\n  subsidiary of Inspiration Resources Corp, said it is lowering\n  its base price for full-plate copper cathodes one-half cent to\n  66.50 cents a lb, effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ARGENTINE VEGETABLE OIL SHIPMENTS IN 1986\n","article":"  Argentine vegetable oils shipments\n  during January\/December 1986 totalled 1,796,121 tonnes, against\n  1,577,722 tonnes in the same period of 1985, the Argentine\n  Grain Board said.\n      Breakdown was as follows: cotton 9,000 (27,900), sunflower\n  954,303 (840,440), linseed 119,954 (138,944), groundnutseed\n  26,248 (26,246), soybean 669,094 (524,715), tung 9,047\n  (11,363), olive 2,417 (4,125), maize 6,058 (3,989), rape nil\n  (nil) , grape nil (nil), the board added.\n      Shipments during December 1986 amounted to 102,870 tonnes,\n  against 108,514 tonnes in the same month of 1985.\n      The breakdown, was as follows, in tonnes:\n      Cotton 5,000 (nil), sunflower 25,156 (23,713), linseed\n  6,127 (5,990), groundnutseed nil (738), soybean 65,759\n  (76,371), tung 645 (730), olive 183 (660), maize nil (312),\n  rape nil (nil), grape nil (nil), the board said.    \n      The ten principal destinations during January\/December\n  1986, with comparative figures for the same period of 1985 in\n  brackets, were as follows, in tonnes:\n      Iran 212,043 (209,177), Holland 204,558 (215,784), Soviet\n  Union 173,060 (266,389), Egypt 163,119 (164,252), Algeria\n  116,330 (11,492), South Africa 105,230 (110,064), Brazil\n  101,599 (103,142), Cuba 89,957 (98,740), United States 80,109\n  (44,826), India 67,182 (17,403), the board said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UPLAND MINERALS ACQUIRES BRAZIL MINING FIRM\n","article":"  Upland Minerals and Chemicals Corp said\n  it agreed to acquire Consolidated Brazilian Mines International\n  Inc, a public company with one mln acres of diamond and gold\n  properties in Brazil.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      Consolidated owns 42 mining concessions in three regions of\n  eastern and northern Brazil -- Gammara, Santo Antonio and\n  Diamazon, the company said.\n      Upland also said the previously announced acquisition of\n  Aslaminas Aslambeck Mining Corp, a Minas Gerais, Brazil, mining\n  concern, will produce revenues of 9.6 mln dlrs a year for the\n  next 25 years.\n      New York-based Upland is traded over-the-counter.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INSPEECH <INSP> BUYS NORMA BORK, BORK MEDICAL\n","article":"  Inspeech Inc said it acquired\n  Norma Bork Associates Inc and Bork Medical Services Inc for\n  undisclosed terms.\n      These firms, with combined revenues of about one mln dlrs,\n  are providers of speech pathology, physical therapy and\n  occupational therapy services.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NOLAND CO <NOLD> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Pay April 24\n      Record April 14\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF NEW YORK <BK> RAISES PRIME TO 7-3\/4 PCT\n","article":"  Bank of New York said it raised its\n  prime lending rate a quarter point to 7-3\/4 pct.\n      It said the move is effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HARTMARX CORP <HMX> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 54 cts vs 40 cts\n      Net 11,105,000 vs 8,310,000\n      Sales 282.7 mln vs 290.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 20,599,000 vs 20,760,000\n      NOTE: Per-share results restated for May 1986 three-for-two\n  stock split\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MANUFACTURERS NATIONAL <MNTL> RAISES PRIME\n","article":"  Manufacturers National Bank of Detroit\n  said it increased its prime rate to 7-3\/4 pct from 7-1\/2 pct,\n  effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"UPLAND MINERALS ACQUIRES BRAZIL MINING FIRM\n","article":"  Upland Minerals and Chemicals Corp said\n  it agreed to acquire Consolidated Brazilian Mines International\n  Inc, a public company with one mln acres of diamond and gold\n  properties in Brazil.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      Consolidated owns 42 mining concessions in three regions of\n  eastern and northern Brazil -- Gammara, Santo Antonio and\n  Diamazon, the company said.\n      Upland also said the previously announced acquisition of\n  Aslaminas Aslambeck Mining Corp, a Minas Gerais, Brazil, mining\n  concern, will produce revenues of 9.6 mln dlrs a year for the\n  next 25 years.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TOLL <TOL> IN STOCK SPLIT, PUBLIC OFFERING\n","article":"  Toll Brothers Inc said it\n  declared a two-for-one split of its common stock and said it\n  filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission for a proposed public offering of 5,700,000 shares\n  of common as adjusted for the split.\n      The record date for the split is April 10, and certificates\n  representing the additional shares will be mailed April 20.\n      The company said its stock price will be adjusted to\n  reflect the split on April 21.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL ROYALTY CORP <NROC> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 22 cts vs loss 20 cts\n      Net loss 2,127,334 vs loss 1,629,432\n      Revs 1,306,658 vs 1,091,023\n      Avg shrs 9.7 mln vs 8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 36 cts vs loss 35 cts\n      Net loss 3,519,251 vs loss 2,805,569\n      Revs 5,081,953 vs 4,410,954\n      Avg shrs 9.8 mln vs 8.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HI-PORT INDUSTRIES INC <HIPT> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 29 cts vs eight cts\n      Oper net 222,143 vs 76,605\n      Revs 4,872,279 vs 3,276,404\n      12 mths\n      Oper shr 17 cts vs 28 cts\n      Oper net 111,280 vs 301,623\n      Revs 13.9 mln vs 11.1 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 yr figures excludes extraordinary item of\n  574,363 dlrs, or 60 cts per share, for termination of its non\n  contributory pension plan.\n      1985 yr figures excludes 537,950 dlrs, or 42 cts per share,\n  representing insurance proceeds from a fire that occurrred in\n  1983.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COMEX RAISES MARGINS FOR SILVER FUTURES\n","article":"  The Commodity Exchange Inc said it is\n  increasing the minimum margins for silver futures contracts,\n  effective at the opening of business Thursday, April 2.\n      The margins for speculative trading will be increased to\n  2,000 dlrs per contract from 1,300 dlrs and trade hedge margins\n  will rise to 1,400 dlrs from 900 dlrs, the Comex said.\n      Margins are unchanged for gold, copper, and aluminum\n  contracts, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<SYSTEMS FOR HEALTH CARE INC> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 33 cts vs nil\n      Net loss 603,430 vs profit 4,295\n      Revs 748,628 vs 5,730\n      NOTE: Per-share results give retroactive effect to\n  one-for-50 reverse stock split in March 1987\n      1986 loss includes recurring expenses of 317,062 dlrs\n  related to acquisitions and initial advertising campaigns\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MELLON <MEL>, REPUBLIC <RPT> LIFT PRIME RATES\n","article":"  Mellon Bank NA of Pittsburgh and\n  Republic Bank of Dallas have both raised their prime lending\n  rates to 7-3\/4 pct from 7-1\/2, effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GULF BARGE FREIGHT HIGHER IN NEARBYS ON CALL\n","article":"  Gulf barge freight rates continued to\n  show a firmer tone in the nearbys on the assumption that\n  changes in the Gulf posted prices will encourage increases in\n  both PIK-and-roll activity and barges shipments, with a total\n  of 21 barges traded this morning on the ST Louis Merchants'\n  Exchange call session, versus nine yesterday, dealers said.\n      Quotes included -\n   - This week Mississippi River (Granite City, MLA if P\/O)\n  traded at 175 pct of tariff, five percentage points above\n  yesterday's bid.\n   - Next week Mississippi (Alton\/Granite City, MLA if P\/O) bid\n  five points higher at 175 pct, offered at 190.\n   - Five barges each week April MidMississippi River\n  (Dubuque\/south) traded at yesterday's bid of 170 pct.\n   - April Illinois River (ex Chicago) 160 pct bid, offered 10\n  points higher at 170.\n   - May same section 140 pct bid, offered five lower at 145.\n   - May MidMississippi River (Dubuque\/south) bid 2-1\/2 points\n  higher at 142-1\/2 pct, offered at 145.\n   - June\/July lower Mississippi River (Memphis\/Cairo) offered at\n  120 pct, no bids.\n   - June\/Aug upper Mississippi River (Lacrosse\/Savage) offered\n  at 150 pct, no bids.\n   - Oct\/Nov MidMississippi (Dubuque\/south, L\/H Nov\n  Clinton\/south) 170 pct bid\/177-1\/2 offered - no comparison.\n   - December Illinois River (ex Chicago) 122-1\/2 pct bid\/127-1\/2\n  offered - down 2-1\/2 points on offer.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FERTILITY AND GENETICS RESEARCH <BABY> 1ST QTR\n","article":"  Periods ended December 31\n      Shr loss 10 cts vs loss seven cts\n      Net loss 316,289 vs loss 189,140\n      Revs 61,762 vs 8,934\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<CRIME CONTROL> ASSETS TO BE SOLD TO HAWLEY\n","article":"  Crime Control Inc said it reached a\n  definitive agreement under which a subsidiary of Hawley Group\n  Ltd will buy assets and assume certain liabilities of Crime\n  Control for 51.3 mln dlrs.\n      Of this amount, it said about 47 mln dlrs would be\n  available for distribution to the company's banks, debenture\n  holders and shareholders. The balance would be used to pay\n  various state taxes and other expenses relating to the\n  transaction, and to establish reserves to provide for certain\n  unassumed obligations of the company.\n      Crime Control said it would use proceeds to pay its bank\n  lenders approximately 28.6 mln dlrs, representing about 87 pct\n  of the principal amount of all its indebtedness to bank\n  lenders.\n      It also said it would propose to acquire all of its 20 mln\n  dlrs worth of outstanding 10 pct convertible subordinated\n  debentures for an aggregate of approximately 15.4 mln dlrs and\n  propose liquidation of the company with shareholders receiving\n  an estimated 54 cts a share.\n      As reported earlier, Crime Control is in default on\n  approximately 33 mln dlrs of bank debt and in default under the\n  indenture governing its convertible subordinated debentures.\n      On January 19, 1987, Crime Control, which installs,\n  services and monitors electronic surveillance systems, said it\n  retained Rothschild Inc to arrange for the sale of the company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROYAL\/BANK CANADA UPS U.S. BASE RATE 1\/4 PCT TO 8-1\/4 PCT\n","article":"\n  ROYAL\/BANK CANADA UPS U.S. BASE RATE 1\/4 PCT TO 8-1\/4 PCT\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ARGENTINE SUBPRODUCTS SHIPMENTS IN 1986\n","article":"  Argentine subproducts shipments\n  during January\/December 1986 totalled 5,618,315 tonnes, against\n  4,815,188 tonnes in the same period of 1985, the Argentine\n  Grain Board said.\n      Breakdown was as follows: cotton 26,992 (41,933), sunflower\n  1,403,230 (1,190,862), linseed 261,600 (309,191), groundnutseed\n  23,595 (22,809), soybean 3,275,225 (2,415,492), bran\/pollards\n  wheat 606,352 (659,271), fiber cotton 3,256 (107,752), wheat\n  flour 18,065 (67,878), rape nil (nil), the board added.\n      Shipments during December 1986 amounted to 418,755 tonnes,\n  against 257,844 tonnes in the same month of 1985.\n      The breakdown, was as follows, in tonnes:\n      Cotton 3,002 (6,234), sunflower 86,612 (38,347), linseed\n  23,954 (38,290), groundnutseed nil (nil), soybean 264,650\n  (104,571), bran\/polards wheat 37,724 (49,946), fiber cotton 987\n  (2,121), wheat flour 1,826 (18,335), rapeseed nil (nil), the\n  board said.\n      The ten principal destinations during January\/December\n  1986, with comparative figures for the same period of 1985 in\n  brackets, were as follows, in tonnes:\n      Holland 2,444,260 (2,234,049), Belgium 546,423 (595,635),\n  Italy 430,029 (338,766), Czechoslovakia 365,897 (236,836), Cuba\n  253,067 (222,842), Iran 250,646 (192,430), West Germany\n  232,049) (158,491), Bulgaria 207,030 (300,488), Spain and\n  Canary Islands 176,287 (113,751), Corea 163,304 (37,416), the\n  board added.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LE PEEP RESTAURANTS INC <LPEP> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 27 cts vs loss 81 cts\n      Net loss 998,764 vs loss 1,491,590\n      Revs 2,712,614 vs 1,237,850\n      Avg shrs 3,727,063 vs 1,838,294\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.79 dlr vs loss 2.11 dlrs\n      Net loss 4,559,004 vs loss 3,882,235\n      Revs 8,510,004 vs 3,720,640\n      Avg shrs 2,544,271 vs 1,838,294\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ESTIMATED U.S. POULTRY SLAUGHTER\n","article":"  The United States department of\n  agriculture estimated live poultry slaughter for the week\n  ending April 1  as follows, in thousands -\n              Current      Previous\n   Class      week         week\n   Bro\/Fry      92,552      95,563 \n   Lt Fowl       2,840       3,354 \n   Hvy Fowl        651         789 \n   Check Total  96,043      99,706 \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TOWLE MANUFACTURING CO <QTOW> 4TH QTR OPER LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 1.10 dlrs vs loss 8.63 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 5.1 mln vs loss 42.1 mln\n      Revs 23.1 mln vs 63.3 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 4.71 dlrs vs loss 14.09 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 22.0 mln vs loss 67.2 mln\n      Revs 114.6 mln vs 221.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,910,330 vs 4,851,650\n      NOTE: Current year excludes gain of 12.1 mln dlrs from\n  disposal of discontinued operations.\n      Shr figures after preferred dividend requirements.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROYAL BANK\/CANADA UPS U.S. BASE RATE\n","article":"  <Royal Bank of Canada> said it is\n  raising its U.S. base lending rate by 1\/4 pct to 8-1\/4 pct,\n  effective tomorrow.\n      The move is the first change in the bank's U.S. dollar base\n  lending rate since last August, when it lowered the rate 1\/2\n  point.\n      It follows the announcement yesterday of a 1\/4 point rise\n  to 7-3\/4 pct of two of the largest U.S. banks' prime rates.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ROSTENKOWSKI RELUCTANT TO BACK TAX HIKE\n","article":"  House Ways and Means Committee\n  Chairman Dan Rostenkowski said he would be reluctant to back\n  the tax increase if it did not have President Reagan's support.\n      He told a National Press Club luncheon there would be a\n  number of tax proposals that could be debated if Reagan sought\n  a tax increase to help balance the budget.\n      However, he said he would prefer to leave the tax rates\n  enacted in last year's tax reform bill unchanged.\n      There have been calls in Congress to hold the rates at the\n  1987 level rather than allow them to fall next year.\n      Reagan proposed 22 billion dlrs in revenue as part of his\n  1988 budget proposal, but it did not include general tax\n  increases.\n      On trade issues, Rostenkowski said he did not expect the\n  major trade bill this year would single out any U.S. industry\n  for special protection.\n      \"To go after individual items in a trade bill is suicide,\"\n  he said.\n      This apparently ruled out congressional approval of another\n  textile trade bill to limit quotas on textile imports, as was\n  proposed again this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HARRIS BANK INCREASES ITS PRIME RATE\n","article":"  <The Harris Trust and Savings Bank> said\n  it has increased its prime rate to 7-3\/4 from 7-1\/2 effective\n  immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ANALYSTS SAY USSR MAY PREFER NEW CROP U.S. WHEAT\n","article":"  The Soviet Union would likely be more\n  interested in purchasing new crop wheat than in booking any\n  grain for immediate shipment if offered a subsidy on U.S.\n  wheat, an executive with a major grain export company said.\n      Lower prices and the desire to delay any big purchases\n  until the condition of winter and spring crops is better known\n  make new crop wheat more attractive, said George Hoffman,\n  director of commodity analysis for The Pillsbury Company.\n      \"Pillsbury is assuming that they (Soviets) will be offered\n  a subsidy and that it will be a subsidy that they can respond\n  to,\" Hoffman told Reuters in an interview at an agribusiness\n  education conference here. But if there are too many\n  constraints placed on a subsidy offer, the USSR will take less\n  than an anticipated four mln tonnes, he said.\n      Hoffman said Pillsbury's internal statistics put Soviet\n  Union wheat purchases at only two mln tonnes under a subsidy\n  offer. However, if a subsidy is offered at competitive levels,\n  Moscow would likely buy more, he said.\n      \"If we give the Soviets the same deal as the Chinese, I\n  expect they'll take it,\" said Vernon McMinimy, director of\n  commodity research for A.E. Staley Manufacturing Co.\n      McMinimy told Reuters spring weather and its impact on\n  crops will determine how much wheat Moscow would buy under a\n  subsidy offer.\n      Soviet winter crops did not get off to a good start because\n  of a dry autumn last year, and because of the severe winter\n  \"they probably have had more damage due to winter weather than\n  normal,\" McMinimy said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"STRAWBRIDGE AND CLOTHIER <STRW> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 2.02 dlrs vs 1.94 dlrs\n      Net 14.7 mln vs 13.9 mln\n      Revs 265.6 mln vs 235.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 2.83 dlrs vs 3.36 dlrs\n      Net 20.7 mln vs 24.1 mln\n      Revs 739.1 mln vs 686.9 mln\n      NOTE: Current year includes loss equal to 12 cts\/shr from\n  takeover defense and loss of 13 cts from loss of investment tax\n  credits.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MOBIL RAISES WEST COAST CRUDE PRICES BETWEEN ONE DLR AND\n","article":"1.75 DLRS\/BBL TODAY\n\n  MOBIL RAISES WEST COAST CRUDE PRICES BETWEEN ONE DLR AND\n  1.75 DLRS\/BBL TODAY\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EGYPT AUTHORIZED TO BUY PL 480 WHEAT FLOUR-USDA\n","article":"  Egypt has been authorized to purchase\n  about 125,000 tonnes of U.S. wheat flour under an existing PL\n  480 agreement, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      It may buy the wheat flour, valued at 23.0 mln dlrs between\n  April 8 and August 31, 1987 and ship it by September 30, the\n  department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TUGS TO ATTEMPT REFLOATING KOREAN BULK CARRIER\n","article":"  Seven tugs will attempt to refloat the\n  South Korean motor bulk carrier Hyundai New World tonight,\n  Lloyds shipping intelligence service said in its latest update.\n      The vessel grounded close to Itaqui port in Brazil last\n  night after undocking from Ponta da Madeira terminal.\n      Lloyds said the 200,000 dwt vessel is carrying about\n  180,000 tons of ore.\n      Five holds are partially flooded and there is some leakage\n  of bunkers from double bottom tanks. At low water tide the\n  vessel has a list of five degrees to port and the list\n  increases as the tide rises.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROBERT BRUCE INDUSTRIES INC <BRUCA> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 3.31 dlrs vs profit 94 cts\n      Net loss 6,073,000 vs profit 1,823,000\n      Revs 58.9 mln vs 69.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TCF BANKING AND SAVINGS HIKES PRIME RATE\n","article":"  TCF Banking and Savings FA said it\n  is raising its prime rate to 7-3\/4 pct from 7-1\/2 pct effective\n  today.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CCC SELLS FARMERS STOCK PEANUTS, OFFERS MORE\n","article":"  The U.S. Commodity Credit Corporation\n  (CCC) sold 6,034 short tons of 1986-crop farmers stock peanuts\n  for domestic crushing, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      The peanuts were from the Southwest area and were sold at\n  between 8.05 cts per lb (total kernel content), and 11.7225 cts\n  per lb, the department said.\n      The CCC will offering additional 1986-peanuts for sale at a\n  later date, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CAMPEAU AND EDWARD DEBARTOLO COMPLETE PURCHASE\n","article":"  <Campeau Corp> and the <Edward J.\n  DeBartolo Corp> have closed on their previously-announced \n  purchase of five of the regional shopping centers of Allied\n  Stores Corp.\n      Campeau said it and the DeBartolo Association will each\n  hold a 50 pct ownership interest in the shopping centers.\n      Campeau separately announced that, as required by a bank\n  agreement, it has contributed an additional 50 mln dlrs of\n  capital to Allied.\n      Campeau acquired Allied Stores Corp earlier this year, the\n  company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CCC INTEREST RATE FOR APRIL IS SIX PCT -- USDA\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation\n  (CCC) interest rate on loans disbursed in April will carry a\n  six pct ionterest rate, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      The April rate is up from March's 5-7\/8 pct and reflects\n  the interest rate charged CCC by the U.S. Treasury, the\n  department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<MAGELLAN CORP> SETS MERGER WITH BALZAC\n","article":"  Magellan Corp said it has entered into a\n  letter of intent to acquire Balzac Investments Inc in a\n  transaction that will result in former Balzac shareholders\n  owning about 83 pct of the combined company.\n      The company said on completion of the merger, the combined\n  company wopuld be known as Power-Cell Inc and be engaged in the\n  development of Balzac technology related to its Quick Charge\n  product for charging auto batteries.\n      The transaction is subject to approval by shareholders of\n  both companies.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STANDARD OIL <SRD> COMMITTEE TRIED TO DELAY BID\n","article":"  A committee of independent directors of\n  the Standard Oil Co unsuccessfully sought a delay in a tender\n  offer for Standard shares by British Petroleum Co plc,\n  according to offering documents.\n      BP's offering document for its 70 dlr per share offer\n  describes discussions with Douglas Danforth, who chairs a\n  special committee of independent directors responsible for\n  monitoring relations with BP. BP has been owner of a 55 pct\n  stake in Standard for several years.\n      According to the document, the committee's counsel said it\n  needed one to two months to evaluate the offering price.\n      Danforth, who is chairman of the Westinghouse Electric Co\n  <WX>, first learned of BP's interest in acquiring the rest of\n  Standard in a telephone call March five from Sir Peter Walters,\n  chairman of BP.\n      At a meeting march nine, Danforth informed BP that the\n  special committee had hired First Boston Corp <FBC> as its\n  financial adviser and also retained independent counsel.\n      Danforth's concerns that the special committee did not have\n  sufficient time were expressed to Walters in a telephone\n  conversation and reiterated in a letter from counsel on Monday\n  of this week.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANKAMERICA SAYS 1ST QTR NET TO BE CUT BY 40 MLN DLRS DUE\n","article":"TO BRAZILIAN LOANS\n\n  BANKAMERICA SAYS 1ST QTR NET TO BE CUT BY 40 MLN DLRS DUE\n  TO BRAZILIAN LOANS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANKAMERICA SAYS IT EXPECTS TO REPORT A PROFIT FOR\n","article":"FIRST-QUARTER 1987\n\n  BANKAMERICA SAYS IT EXPECTS TO REPORT A PROFIT FOR\n  FIRST-QUARTER 1987\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MOBIL <MOB> RAISES WEST COAST CRUDE POSTINGS\n","article":"  Mobil Corp said it raised its west\n  coast crude postings, effective today.\n      The Buena Vista light grade, at 26 degrees api gravity, was\n  raised 1.35 dlrs a barrel to 15.55 dlrs\/bbl, while the\n  Huntington Beach light grade, at 16 degrees, was raised about\n  1.75 dlrs\/bbl to 14.10 dlrs\/bbl.\n      The heavier Wilmington grade, at 17 degrees, was increased\n  1.20 dlrs to 14.30 dlrs\/bbl. Kern River crude, at 13 degrees,\n  was increased 1.00 dlr to 13.00 dlrs\/bbl.\n       Mobil also said that effective today it changed its\n  gravity adjustment scale as follows: From 20 degrees to 34\n  degrees API, Mobil will adjust its price 0.015 of a ct per\n  one-tenth of an API degree. Below 20 degrees API, the company\n  will adjust its price 0.020 ct per one-tenth of a degree. Crude\n  grades from 34 degrees API to above 40 degrees are unaffected.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STRAWBRIDGE <STRW> DECLARES STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Strawbridge and Clothier said its\n  board declared a seven pct stock dividend, payable May 14 to\n  holders of record April 14.\n      Earlier, the company reported net income of 20.7 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNITED COS FINANCIAL CORP <UNCF> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 68 cts vs 78 cts\n      Net 2,432,179 vs 2,236,471\n      Revs 50.8 mln vs 35.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,600,000 vs 2,850,000\n      Year\n      Shr 2.82 dlrs vs 3.35 dlrs\n      Net 10.0 mln vs 9,554,658\n      Revs 177.5 mln vs 138.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,567,123 vs 2,850,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LAIDLAW DECLARES THREE FOR TWO SPLIT, BOOSTS PAYOUT to\n","article":"5-1\/4 CTS\/SHR FROM FOUR CTS\n\n  LAIDLAW DECLARES THREE FOR TWO SPLIT, BOOSTS PAYOUT to\n  5-1\/4 CTS\/SHR FROM FOUR CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TRANSDUCER SYSTEMS INC YEAR\n","article":"  Shr profit 12 cts vs loss 49 cts\n      Net profit 117,000 vs loss 506,000\n      Revs 1.1 mln vs 1.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit seven cts vs loss 89 cts\n      Net profit 66,000 vs loss 921,000\n      Revs 4.4 mln vs 3.9 mln\n      NOTE:1986 reflects tax benefit of 24,000. 1985 reflects tax\n  benefit of 186,000 for quarter and 573,000 for year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LAIDLAW TRANSPORTATION LTD <LDMFA> 2ND QTR NET\n","article":"  period ended February 28\n      Shr 26 cts vs 14 cts\n      Net 28.4 mln vs 15.2 mln\n      Revs 305.7 mln vs 179.6 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr 50 cts vs 28 cts\n      Net 54.6 mln vs 30.3 mln\n      Revs 586.2 mln vs 359.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 100,362,000 vs 91,360,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CENTURY BUSINESS CREDIT <CTY> GETS OFFER\n","article":"  Century Business Credit Corp said it\n  received an offer from Stanley Tananbaum, chairman and chief\n  executive officer, to take the company private in a transaction\n  giveing shareholders 24.40 dlrs per share in cash.\n      There were 603,106 shares outstanding as of December 31.\n      The independent directors said they will engage an expert\n  to evaluate the fairness of the offer.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IVACO SEES MINIMAL FIRST QUARTER EARNINGS\n","article":"  (Ivaco Inc) said price pressure on steel\n  products, particularly in the U.S., and the recent increase in\n  the value of the Canadian dollar is expected to result in\n  \"minimal\" first quarter earnings.\n      It said subsequent quarters should show substantial\n  improvement from first quarter levels but 1987 earnings will\n  not reach 1986 levels as long as those conditions continue.\n       Ivaco earlier reported 1986 profit rose to 44.1 mln dlrs,\n  after a one mln dlr extraordinary gain, from 35.1 mln dlrs the\n  previous year. It said demand for the company's products are\n  continuing at high levels and sales are expected to show\n  further growth. Revenues last year rose to 1.94 billion dlrs\n  from 1.34 billion dlrs in 1985.       \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LAIDLAW <LDMFA> SPLITS STOCK, HIKES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Three for two stock split\n      Pay and record date subject to shareholder confirmation May\n  four\n      Qtly dividend 5-1\/4 cts vs four cts\n      Pay May 15\n      Record May one\n      Note: dividends declared on pre-split shares.\n      Laidlaw Transportation Ltd\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"SECURITY PACIFIC, PROVIDENT NATIONAL LIFT PRIME\n","article":"  Security Pacific National Bank and\n  Provident National Bank said they increased their prime lending\n  rates a quarter point to 7-3\/4 pct.\n      They said the move is effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"J.P. MORGAN SAYS BRAZIL ACTION WILL REDUCE FIRST QUARTER\n","article":"NET BY ABOUT 20 MLN DLRS\n\n  J.P. MORGAN SAYS BRAZIL ACTION WILL REDUCE FIRST QUARTER\n  NET BY ABOUT 20 MLN DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOUSTON INDUSTRIES INC <HII> INCREASES DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 72 cts vs 70 cts prior\n      Payable June 10\n      Record May 15\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EMERY <EAF> PLANS PUROLATOR <PCC> ASSET SALES\n","article":"  Emery Air Frieght Corp, which has\n  launched a 40 dlr a share tender offer for 83 pct of Purolator\n  Courier Corp, said it would sell some Purolator assets to help\n  pay the estimated 265 mln dlr cost of the stock purchase deal.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Emery said it would sell or lease Purolator's air hub in\n  Indianapolis, Ind., which is currently under construction, and\n  would divest Purolator's Stant Inc subsidiary.\n      No indications of interest for the assets have been\n  received so far, Emery said.\n      Emery said it would operate Purolator as a subsidiary if it\n  succeeded in the takever, but would integrate its air hub.\n      It said it plans to finance its stock purchases with\n  borrowings from Chemical Bank, Morgan Guaranty Trust Co of New\n  York, Bankers Trust Co and Salomon Brothers Holding Co Inc, the\n  parent of Salmon Brothers Inc, Emery's financial advisor.\n      Emery said it already has a commitment letter from its\n  banks for up to 129.9 mln dlrs for the stock purchases. An\n  unspecified amount of internally generated funds would also be\n  used for the stock purchases, it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CENTURY BUSINESS CREDIT CORP <CTY> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr 39 cts vs 31 cts\n      Net 232,991 vs 198,185\n      Revs 2.9 mln vs 2.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 2.20 dlrs vs 1.12 dlrs\n      Net 1.3 mln vs 715,113\n      Revs 11.3 mln vs 10.1 mln\n      NOTE:1986 revs includes 260,000 dlr finder's fee , net\n  includes 112,000 gain from sale of securities, 115,000\n  dividends, 78,000 dlrs from lease recalculations.\n      1985 revs includes 700,000 finder's fee and 75,000 gain\n  from sale of asset.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"IC INDUSTRIES<ICX> UNIT TO SELL OFF MORE TRACK\n","article":"  Illinois Central Gulf Railroad, a\n  subsidiary of IC Industries Inc, said it will complete the sale\n  to the Chicago, Missouri and Western Railway of its 631-mile\n  line from Joliet, Ill., to St. Louis by April 30.\n      The Chicago, Missouri is a wholly owned subsidiary of the\n  Venango River Corp, a transportation holding company.\n      It said the purchase price of the line is 81 mln dlrs.\n      The Chicago, Missouri will employ 625 workers and start\n  operation immediately upon closing of the transaction.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STRONG DEMAND FOR U.S. CORN IN JAPAN -- USDA\n","article":"  Japan appears to be relying less on\n  corn from China, Argentina and South Africa and more on\n  supplies from the United States, the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department said.\n      In its World Production and Trade report, the department\n  said in the past seven weeks reported U.S. corn sales of nearly\n  three mln tonnes to Japan are about three times the level\n  during this period last year.\n      Reports of short Argentine supplies and the apparent\n  unwillingness of the Chinese to sell at current world prices\n  may have caused Japanese buyers to turn to the United States\n  for corn supplies, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRITISH PETROLEUM RAISES NORTH SEA BUTANE PRICES BY 15.50\n","article":"DLRS A TONNE TODAY\n\n  BRITISH PETROLEUM RAISES NORTH SEA BUTANE PRICES BY 15.50\n  DLRS A TONNE TODAY\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BP <BP> RAISES NORTH SEA BUTANE PRICES\n","article":"  British Petroleum Co plc said it raised\n  its posted butane prices by 15.50 dlrs per tonne to 123 dlrs,\n  fob north sea, effective today.\n      Posted propane prices were unchanged at 110 dlrs per tonne,\n  the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ATLANTIC TO RAISE HIGH SULPHUR FUEL PRICES\n","article":"  Atlantic Fuels Marketing Corp said\n  today it will raise the posted cargo prices for high sulphur\n  fuels in New York Harbor 50 to 75 cts per barrel, effective\n  April two.\n      The increase brings the prices for two pct sulphur to 19.25\n  dlrs, up 50 cts, 2.2 pct sulphur to 18.75 dlrs, up 50 cts, 2.5\n  pct sulphur to 18.50 dlrs, up 50 cts, 2.8 pct sulphur to 18.25\n  dlrs, up 75 cts, the company said.\n      Posted prices for 0.3 pct and one pct low sulphur fuels\n  were unchanged at 22 and 20 dlrs, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON <BKB> RAISES PRIME\n","article":"  The First National Bank of Boston, the\n  main banking unit of Bank of Boston, said it is raising its\n  prime lending rate to 7.75 pct from 7.50 pct, effective\n  immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GENCORP TAKES NO ACTION ON STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Gencorp Inc said its board took no\n  action with respect to a two pct stock dividend at its annual\n  meeting yesterday due to the press of other business,\n  specifically the company's pending takeover offer by General\n  Acquisition Corp, formed by AFG industries inc and Wagner and\n  brown.\n      A spokesman said the two pct stock dividend, normally\n  issued everly year, was not issued in February because the\n  company was examining other dividend alternatives. Management\n  said it would give consideration to this matter at a later\n  time.\n     Yesterday, the company's chairman, A. William Reynolds, told\n  shareholders he would be presenting an alternative to the 100\n  dlrs a share takeover offer within a week.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MORGAN <JPM> PLACES BRAZIL LOANS ON NONACCRUAL\n","article":"  J.P. Morgan and Co Inc, parent of\n  Morgan Guaranty Trust Co of New York, said that it will place\n  1.3 billion dlrs of medium- and long-term loans to Brazil on a\n  non-accrual basis, matching similar action by BankAmerica Corp\n  <BAC> earlier today.\n      The move, which follows Brazil's suspension of interest\n  payments on 68 billion dlrs of commercial bank debt on February\n  20, is expected to reduce first quarter net income by about 20\n  mln dlrs, of which four mln dlrs represents interest accrued\n  prior to 1987 but still uncollected, the bank said.\n      Morgan earned 233.9 mln dlrs in the first quarter of 1986.\n      Morgan also said that, based on current interest rates and\n  assuming cash interest payments are not received for the rest\n  of the year, 1987 net income would be reduced by about 72 mln\n  dlrs. 1986 net income was 872.5 mln dlrs.\n      Although U.S. banks do not have to put loans on nonaccrual\n  until they are over 90 days past due, Morgan said some of the\n  loans affected by the Brazil payment freeze may reach the\n  90-day limit during the second and third quarters.\n      Morgan said it assumes talks between Brazil and commercial\n  bank lenders will proceed \"expeditiously\" and interest payments\n  will resume at the earliest practicable date.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GOULD <GLD> COMPLETES SALE OF DIVISION\n","article":"  Gould Inc said it has\n  completed the sale of its Systems and Simulations Division to\n  the unit's management for an undisclosed price.\n      Gould said the move is part of its plan to divest its\n  defense systems businesses and focus on its computer and\n  electronics sectors.\n      Gould added that it accounted for the division as a\n  discontinued operation.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRENCH SUBSIDIZED CORN FOR TUNISIA\/MOROCCO-USDA\n","article":"  U.S. corn sales to Tunisia, Morocco\n  and other North African countries may face increased\n  competition from European Community (EC) corn sales, the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department said.\n      In its World Production and Trade report, the USDA said\n  sales of French corn for nearby delivery have been confirmed\n  with an export subsidy of about 145 dlrs per tonne, bringing\n  the French price to about 72 dlrs per tonne, FOB.\n      While this is about the same price as U.S. corn, EC corn\n  has lower transport costs, the department noted.\n      The French sales mark the beginning of commercial EC corn\n  exports which could reach 750,000 tonnes to North Africa and\n  the Middle East, areas which have traditionally purchased their\n  corn needs from the United States, the department said.\n      Department officials said the 750,000 tonnes of exports are\n  for the year up to September 30 1987.\n      They said export licenses for about 500,000 tonnes have\n  been issued so far.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEW ZEALAND MAY BUY U.S. WHEAT -- USDA\n","article":"  New Zealand may need about 100,000\n  tonnes of wheat this year, which would normally come from\n  Australia, but may be from the United States, the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department said.\n      In its report on Export Markets for U.S. Grains, the\n  department said with the deregulation of the New Zealand Wheat\n  Board, which normally imports wheat from Australia, there is\n  the possibility of wheat purchases from the united states since\n  the shipping cost between New Zealand and the Eastern Coast of\n  Australia and the West Coast of the United States are about\n  equal.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GRAIN SHIPS LOADING AT PORTLAND\n","article":"  There were five grain ships loading and\n  three ships were waiting to load at Portland, according to the\n  Portland Merchants Exchange.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"FRENCH FIRM HAS FIVE PCT OF CALIF. WATER <CWTR>\n","article":"  Compagnie Generale Des Eaux\n  <EAUG.PA>, a French water, waste treatment and disposal,\n  heating, ventilation and air conditioning concern said it has a\n  5.0 pct stake in California Water Service Co.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Compagnie Generale said it bought its 139,200 California Water\n  shares for a total of 7.0 mln dlrs for investment purposes.\n      While it said it might acquire more shares in the company,\n  it said it has no plans to seek control of it.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USDA REPORT ON CATTLE SLAUGHTER, MEAT PURCHASES\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department said\n  an estimated 8,700 head of dairy cattle were slaughtered during\n  the week ending March 13 as a result of the Whole Herd Dairy\n  Buyout program.\n      The cumulative total of cattle slaughtered under the\n  program from April 1 through March 13 is estimated at 1,032,300\n  head, it said.\n      Cumulative meat purchases through March 27 total\n  376,897,330 lbs, the department said.\n      Dairy cattle reported for export under the program for the\n  period April 1 through March 27 totaled an estimated 55,055\n  head, the department said.\n      Live cattle exports are in addition to the meat purchase\n  requirements, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MAJOR U.S. BANKS MOVE TO HIGHER 7-3\/4 PCT PRIME\n","article":"  Most major U.S. banks today matched\n  Tuesday's quarter-point prime rate cuts by Citibank and Chase\n  Manhattan Bank, the first prime rate boosts since mid-1984.\n      Most cited narrower spreads between the prime and funding\n  costs as justification. Analysts said the prime rate rises may\n  have been triggered partly by a desire by banks to enhance\n  profit margins given problems with developing country loans. \n      Commenting on the prime rate increases, U.S. Treasury\n  Secretary James Baker told a House Appropriations Committee\n  that \"I hope it was a temporary blip upward.\"\n      Among the major banks which today announced prime rate\n  increases to 7-3\/4 pct were Bankers Trust, Chemical Bank,\n  Continental Illinois National Bank, Harris Trust and Savings\n  Bank, Irving Trust, Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co, Marine\n  Midland, and Security Pacific National Bank.\n      Other banking companies announcing prime rate rises\n  included Pittsburgh National Bank, Texas Commerce Bank-Houston,\n  Provident National Bank, First National Bank of Boston, Florida\n  Federal Savings and Loan Association, and SunTrust Banks.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"JEM RECORD INC <JEMR> 2ND QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr three cts vs seven cts\n      Net 52.1 mln vs 112,713\n      Revs 5.1 mln vs 4.4 mln\n      Six months\n      Shr five cts vs 15 cts\n      Net 75,605 vs 244,119\n      Revs 9.5 mln vs 9.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"UNION BANK RAISES ITS PRIME RATE TO 7.5 PCT\n","article":"  The Union Bank subsidiary of\n  Standard Chartered PLC said today it was raising its prime\n  lending rate to 7.75 pct from 7.50 pct, effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FURTHER DECLINES IN U.S. DEBT FUTURES POSSIBLE\n","article":"  After an already steep fall in the past\n  week, U.S. interest rate futures may be in for further declines\n  in the near term, financial analysts said.\n      However, some analysts said recent sharp losses in bond\n  futures have left the bond market somewhat oversold, and the\n  contracts on long-term debt could stage a recovery before\n  resuming their decline.\n      Key to the near-term direction of futures will be the\n  course of the dollar, they said.\n      \"As the dollar goes, so goes the bond market,\" said Dean\n  Witter analyst Karen Gibbs.\n      The recent decline in the dollar, which hit a 40-year low\n  against the Japanese yen Monday, was reversed Wednesday when\n  several large U.S. money center banks unexpectedly raised their\n  prime lending rates by a quarter point, to 7-3\/4 pct.\n      \"Even though the prime rate cut was good for the dollar,\n  foreign exchange traders are not convinced the dollar decline\n  is over,\" Gibbs said.\n      The dollar decline was key in recent weakness in debt\n  futures as it rekindled concern about a pickup in inflation.\n      Indeed, the falling dollar may have been a key topic at the\n  meeting of the Federal Reserve's policy making arm, the Federal\n  Open Market Committee, this week, analysts said.\n      \"To the Fed, the combination of a falling dollar, a\n  steepening yield curve, and rising commodity prices look\n  suspiciously like the traces of expectations of accelerating\n  inflation,\" said Denis Karnosky, analyst at Carroll, McEntee\n  and McGinley Inc.\n      Such expectations could mean that \"a shift in policy toward\n  restriction of bank reserves is likely to get very serious\n  consideration,\" at the FOMC meeting, he said.\n      Any such restriction of reserves will not be a highly\n  visible form of monetary tightening, Karnosky said.\n      Rather, the key to detecting a change will be found in\n  seasonal and adjustment borrowing at the discount window, he\n  said. Borrowings have held near a weekly average of 300 mln\n  dlrs over the past several months, he said.\n      In the meantime, however, \"the market looks a bit\n  oversold,\" said Jim Wysoglad, analyst at Golden Gate Futures.\n      Wysoglad said a recovery from the oversold condition could\n  drive June bonds to a high near 99 before falling back to test\n  chart support near the recent low of 97-13\/32.\n      Technician Leslie Keefe of Technical Data Corp of Boston\n  said that the key test for June bonds will be whether the\n  nearby contract holds above chart support at 96-24\/32.\n      \"All previous selloffs since mid-November have stopped and\n  buyers have surfaced at that level,\" Keefe said.\n      If that level is broken, and the dollar continues to\n  decline, Keefe said she expects the June bond contract to\n  decline to test support between 92 and 93, the primary uptrend\n  line dating back to 1984.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USDA GRAIN INSPECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING\n","article":"  The Federal Grain Inspection Service\n  Advisory Committee will meet here Monday, April 13, the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department said.\n      Items on the agenda for the meeting, which is scheduled to\n  begin at 0830 edt, are grain-quality issues, status of proposed\n  regulations, financial matters and safety matters, the\n  department said.\n      The Federal Grain Inspection Service Advisory Committee is\n  composed of 12 members representing the grain industry who\n  provide advice to the administrator of the Federal Grain\n  Inspection Service.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DEAK BUYS JOHNSON MATTHEY COMMODITIES\n","article":"  Deak International, a foreign currency\n  and precious metals firm, announced the acquisition of Johnson\n  Matthey Commodities of New York from Minories Finance Limited,\n  a unit of the Bank of England.\n      The purchase valued at 14.8 mln dlrs follows the recent\n  acquisition of London's Johnson Matthey Commodities Limited,\n  Deak said. The New York firm will be known as Deak\n  International Trading Ltd, the company said. Arkadi Kuhlmann,\n  president and chief executive officer of Deak International,\n  said the purchase will expand Deak's operations in precious\n  metals and wholesale non-ferrous metals trading.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BRISTOL-MYERS CO <BMY> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 70 cts vs 70 cts prior\n      Pay May One\n      Record April Three\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"COFFEE FUTURES AT SIX-YEAR LOW, UNDER 1 DLR\/LB\n","article":"  Coffee futures dipped further today and\n  closed below 1 dlr a pound for the first time in six years.\n      Coffee for delivery in May ended at 99.28 cents a pound on\n  the Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange, down 0.76 cent and the\n  lowest price since August, 1981.\n       Prices have been falling steadily since the International\n  Coffee Organization failed in February to reach an agreement\n  controlling exports by its members, and pressure was renewed\n  this week as the executive board of the organization met in\n  London without reopening debate on its export quotas.\n      The executive board has limited its current discussions to\n  administrative matters and is set to adourn Thursday.\n      Burdensome supplies have pressed the market down from 1.30\n  dlr a pound in February, when the organization's discussions\n  aimed at re-establishing export quotas broke down.\n      Sandra Kaul, a coffee analyst in New York with Shearson\n  Lehman Brothers, said supplies currently are at their high\n  point for the year because most producing nations have just\n  completed their harvests.\n      In addition, she said, many of those nations are faced with\n  serious debt and need to sell coffee to raise capital.\n      \"This should keep substantial pressure on exporters to\n  undertake sales despite the drop in prices,\" she said.\n      Further, U.S. demand could be sluggish because winter, the\n  period of greatest consumption, is ending. Prices could fall\n  another 10 cents to 15 cnts a pound, analysts said.\n      Gold futures retreated from modest early gains and closed\n  steady while silver prices rallied on the Commodity Exchange in\n  New York.\n      The increase in U.S. banks' prime rates prompted concern\n  about renewed inflation, but the strength of the U.S. dollar\n  discouraged new buying.\n      \"The market is getting mixed signals and it doesn't know\n  which way to go,\" one analyst said.\n      Gold futures retreated from modest early gains and closed\n  steady while silver prices rallied on the Commodity Exchange in\n  New York.\n      The increase in U.S. banks' prime rates prompted concern\n  about renewed inflation, but the strength of the U.S. dollar\n  discouraged new buying.\n      \"The market is getting mixed signals and it doesn't know\n  which way to go,\" one analyst said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BELDEN AND BLAKE ENERGY CO <BBE> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.92 dlrs vs profit five cts\n      Net loss 5.6 mln vs profit 136,598\n      Revs 1.4 mln vs. 2.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 3.81 dlrs vs profit 21 cts\n      Net loss 10.8 mln vs profit 435,176\n      Revs 7.6 mln vs 9.4 mln\n      NOTE:1986 4th qtr includes write-off of about 373,000 dlrs\n  or 13 cts and writdown of assets of 4.0 mln dlrs. 1986 year\n  includes 4.1 mln dlrs 1st qtr writedown.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CROWN RESOURCES <CRRS> PLANS ENERGY UNIT SALE\n","article":"  Crown Resources Corp said it plans to\n  sell its Oklahoma-based oil and gas unit as part of its\n  strategy to focus on developing precious metals properties.\n      The company said it bought the Wyona Water Flood Oil and\n  Gas unit in 1984 for 650,000 dlrs.\n      Crown said the Wyona field is fully developed with 28\n  producing wells.\n      Current oil production is 80 barrels a day, it said, adding\n  that no gas was produced for sale in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"M.D.C. HOLDINGS <MDC> SELLS ENERGY UNIT\n","article":"  M.D.C. Holdings Inc said it sold\n  substantially all the assets of its oil and gas unit, Mizel\n  Petro Resources Inc, and affiliated partnerships, for 38 mln\n  dlrs in cash to <Parker and Parsley Petroleum Co>, Midland,\n  Texas.\n      The company said that, subject to certain post-closing\n  adjustments, it expects to post a small profit on the sale.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"LIVINGWELL INC <WELL> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr six cts vs three cts\n      Net 1.7 mln vs 3.1 mln\n      Revs 187.3 mln vs 129.7 mln\n      NOTE:Increase in earnings due to elimination of preferred\n  dividend requirements.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MEXICO BUYS 51,000 TONNES U.S. SOYBEANS\n","article":"  Mexico bought 51,000 tonnes of U.S.\n  number two yellow soybeans in an overnight tender, for various\n  ocean and rail shipments in May, private export sources said.\n      About 40,000 tonnes sold for ocean shipment at prices\n  ranging from 199.67 to 210.17 dlrs per tonne, c and f, and\n  about 11,000 tonnes sold for rail shipment at prices from\n  205.50 to 217.88 dlrs per tonne, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIDELCOR <FICR> UNIT ACQUIRES LAZERE FINANCIAL\n","article":"  Fidelcor Inc's Fidelcor Business Credit\n  Corp subsidiary said it reached a definitive agreement to\n  acquire a substantial portion of the Bank of New England Corp's\n  <BKNE> Lazere Financial Corp's assets.\n      Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. The\n  acquisition is subject to approval of the Federal Reserve\n  Board.\n      Fidelcor said it would acquire most of Lazere's loan\n  portfolio and other assets, including its Miami office. It said\n  it plans to hire the majority of Lazere's 100 employees.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUNSTATES CORP <SUST> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss 3.51 dlrs vs loss 6.14 dlrs\n      Net loss 3.2 mln vs loss 6.6 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 2.38 dlrs vs loss 5.17 dlrs\n      Net loss 692,872 vs loss 4.5 mln\n      NOTE:1986 loss includes loss of 301,000 for discontinued\n  oeprations vs a loss of 5.5 mln dlrs net of a 1.4 mln credit in\n  1985. 1985 4th qtr includes loss of 3.5 mln dlrs for\n  discontinued operations. share amts relfect dividend\n  requirements.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<BII ENTERPRISES INC> YEAR NOV 30 NET\n","article":"  Shr 86 cts vs 79 cts\n      Net 4,042,000 vs 3,549,000\n      Revs 59.7 mln vs 47.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<SCOTTISH AND YORK HOLDINGS LTD> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 27 cts vs loss 2.27 dlrs\n      Net profit 2,150,000 vs loss 14,700,000\n      Revs 121.3 mln vs 69.8 mln\n      Note: shr after payment of preferred stock dividends\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COFFEE FUTURES UNDER DLR A POUND AT SIX-YEAR LOW\n","article":"  Coffee futures dipped further and closed\n  below one dlr a pound for the first time in six years.\n      Coffee for delivery in May ended at 99.28 cents a pound on\n  the New York Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange, down 0.76 cent\n  and the lowest price since August, 1981.\n       Prices have fallen steadily since the International Coffee\n  Organization failed in February to reach an agreement\n  controlling exports by its members, and pressure was renewed\n  this week as the executive board of the organization met in\n  London without reopening debate on its export quotas.\n      The executive board has limited its current discussions to\n  administrative matters and is set to adourn Thursday.\n      Burdensome supplies have pressed the market down from 1.30\n  dlrs a pound in February, when the organization's discussions\n  aimed at re-establishing export quotas broke down.\n      Sandra Kaul, a coffee analyst in New York with Shearson\n  Lehman Brothers, said supplies currently are at their high\n  point for the year because most producing nations have just\n  completed their harvests.\n      In addition, she said, many of those nations are faced with\n  serious debt and need to sell coffee to raise capital.\n      \"This should keep substantial pressure on exporters to\n  undertake sales despite the drop in prices,\" she said.\n      Further, U.S. demand could be sluggish because winter, the\n  period of greatest consumption, is ending. Prices could fall\n  another 10 to 15 cents a pound, analysts said.\n      Gold futures retreated from modest early gains and closed\n  steady while silver prices rallied on the Commodity Exchange in\n  New York.\n      The increase in U.S. banks' prime rates prompted concern\n  about renewed inflation but the strength of the U.S. dollar\n  discouraged new buying.\n      \"The market is getting mixed signals and it doesn't know\n  which way to go,\" one analyst said.\n      Cattle futures posted new highs on the Chicago Mercantile\n  Exchange, while live hogs rallied from early losses and frozen\n  pork bellies finished sharply lower.\n      Cattle prices continued to draw support from the winter\n  storm that swept the Plains states, leaving animals stranded in\n  snowbound fields and feed lots in miserable condition.\n      Live hogs were pressured early by the Agriculture\n  Department's report Tuesday that producers expanded their\n  breeding herds more than the market expected last quarter.\n  Prices recovered to keep pace with higher cash prices.\n      Frozen pork bellies fell sharply on the outlook for greater\n  production and closed with limit losses.\n      Soybean futures posted sharp gains on the Chicago Board of\n  Trade, while corn and wheat were lower.\n      Soybeans rallied in response to Tuesday's USDA report that\n  farmers intend to plant 56.9 mln acres this year, down from\n  61.5 mln planted last year.\n      Corn prices were pressured by the outlook for 67.6 mln\n  acres of corn, which is down from last year's 76.7 mln acres,\n  but was larger than analysts expected.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INVESTMENT ADVISORS HAVE 10 PCT OF KILLEARN<KPI>\n","article":"  Two executives of a Memphis, Tenn.,\n  investment advisory firm told the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission they have acquired 132,000 shares of Killearn\n  Properties Inc, or 10.4 pct of the total outstanding.\n      The executives, O. Mason Hawkins and William Reid, who work\n  for Southeastern Asset Management Inc, said they bought their\n  Killearn stock with personal funds as an investment.\n      While they said they might increase their stake Killearn\n  Properties, they said they have no plans to seek control of it.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ARGENTINE GRAIN\/OILSEED EXPORT PRICES ADJUSTED\n","article":"  The Argentine grain board adjusted\n  minimum export prices of grain and oilseed products in dlrs per\n  tonne FOB, previous in brackets, as follows:\n      Sunflowerseed cake and expellers 99 (97), pellets 97 (95)\n  and meal 95 (93).                               \n      Sunflowerseed oil for shipments through May 308 (300) and\n  June onwards 314 (307).                         \n      Linseed cake and expellers 137 (136), pellets 115 (114) and\n  meal 105 (104), all for shipments through June. \n      Linseed cake and expellers 146 (145), pellets 124 (123) and\n  meal 114 (113), all for shipments July onwards.\n      Soybean cake and expellers 169 (167), pellets 162 (160) and\n  meal 152 (150), all for shipments through May.  \n      Soybean cake and expellers 166 (164), pellets 159 (157) and\n  meal 149 (147), all for shipments June onwards.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SAVOY INDUSTRIES INC <SAVO> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr loss 42 cts vs loss five cts\n      Net loss 4.0 mln vs loss 446,000\n      Revs 58.9 mln vs 70.3 mln\n      NOTE:1986 net includes gain of 40 cts from discontinued\n  operations. 1985 net includes gain of 22 cts from discontinued\n  operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN HOIST AND DERRICK CO <AHO> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ended March 14.\n      Shr profit 32 cts vs loss 1.30 dlrs\n      Net profit 2,704,000 vs loss 7,589,000\n      Rev 105.2 mln vs 82.3 mln\n      NOTE: Qtr net includes extraordinary gain of 1.1 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" 1-APR-1987 17:39:30.41\n","article":"   1-APR-1987 17:39:30.41\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN BARRICK <ABX> SELLS COAL ASSETS\n","article":"  American Barrick Resources Corp said it\n  sold two coal supply agreements and certain mining equipment,\n  representing substantially all of the assets of its two Ohio\n  coal mines, to Peabody Coal Co, of Kentucky.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      Proceeds from the sale combined with the sale of the\n  company's remaining coal assets should result in full recovery\n  of its investments in the operations, the company said without\n  further elaborating.\n      The sale will complete the planned disposition by American\n  Barrick of all its non-gold assets, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":" 1-APR-1987 18:11:48.24\n","article":"   1-APR-1987 18:11:48.24\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. HOUSE PANEL EXTENDS EEP, URGES USSR OFFER\n","article":"  The U.S. House Agriculture Committee\n  approved proposals to extend the life of the Export Enhancement\n  Program, EEP, through fiscal 1990 and urged the Reagan\n  administration offer EEP wheat to the Soviet Union.\n      The proposals were approved as amendments to a\n  comprehensive trade bill moving through Congress this year.\n      In addition to the amendments on EEP, the committee\n  approved several proposals which could restrict imports of\n  lamb, casein, sugar-containing products and tobacco. Those\n  amendments affecting imports face an uncertain future because\n  the House Ways and Means Committee, which has overall\n  jurisdiction over trade legislation, will oppose them,\n  Congressional sources said.\n      The effect of the EEP amendments would be to extend the\n  life of the program five years through fiscal 1990 rather than\n  the current three years through fiscal 1988.\n      The amendments, offered by Rep. Dan Glickman, D-Kan., also\n  would increase funding for the program to 2.5 billion dlrs from\n  1.5 billion now.\n      Furthermore, the committee passed an amendment offered by\n  Rep. Glickman which instructs the U.S. Agriculture Department\n  to value EEP bonus commodities at market value, not acquisition\n  value. Glickman said the change would make the program 30 pct\n  less expensive to operate.\n      The provision on EEP wheat to the Soviet Union, offered by\n  Rep. Bob Smith, R-Ore., does not require the administration\n  make an offer, but urges such action.\n      The committee approved an amendment, offered by Rep. Glenn\n  English, D-Okla., requiring the Secretary of Agriculture to\n  begin discussions with other major grain producing countries\n  aimed at jointly reducing world grain production.\n      Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter yesterday opposed the\n  amendment, saying such commodity agreements do not work.\n      Among the host of amendments to restrict imports approved\n  by the panel, the most significant would require quotas on\n  imports of goods containing more than 25 pct of a bulk farm\n  product that is subject to U.S. quotas. The amendment, offered\n  by Rep. Arlan Stangeland, R-Minn., is aimed primarily at\n  curbing imports from Canada of products containing sugar and\n  foreign foods containing dairy products. It also may affect\n  peanut, cotton and tobacco imports, Committee sources said.\n      Another amendment would place a quota on U.S. imports of\n  casein, a dairy product shipped to the U.S. primarily by New\n  Zealand and Ireland.\n      The panel also voted to apply to lamb imports the same\n  countercyclical import quota law which is operating for U.S.\n  beef imports.\n      Other miscellaneous amendments included:\n      -- Urging the administration consider retaliating against\n  Japan and South Korea if those countries do not remove\n  restrictions on beef imports.\n      -- Boosting the amount of U.S. grain which must be shipped\n  each year under a food aid program called Section 416 to\n  800,000 tonnes from 500,000 tonnes now.\n      -- Requiring the Agriculture Secretary conduct a study of\n  the Canadian Wheat Board import licensing system for wheat to\n  determine if it is a non-tariff trade barrier.\n      -- Requiring the Agriculture Secretary reimburse the\n  National Corn Growers Association up to 500,000 dlrs for the\n  costs of defending the U.S. feedgrains program against a\n  Canadian countervailing duty case this year.\n      -- Urging the administration oppose the Canadian decision\n  to apply a duty on U.S. corn imports, and a proposal by the\n  European Community to apply a vegetable oils tax.\n      -- USDA conduct a study of the findings of a National\n  Commission on Agricultural Export Policy, which recommended a\n  reorganization of USDA's trade policy apparatus.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NOVAMIN BOARD TO RECOMMEND BREAKWATER <BWRLF> BID\n","article":"  <Novamin Inc> said\n  its board will recommend to shareholders the takeover offer\n  made by Breakwater Resources Ltd.\n      Breakwater is offering to exchange one Breakwater share for\n  each two shares of Novamin, the company said.\n      Breakwater will issue about 3.7 mln shares for all Novamin\n  shares presently issued and outstanding. Additional shraes of\n  Breakwater will be issued if warrants and options of Novamin\n  are exercised.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. FEED SITUATION SUMMARY REPORT DELAYED\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department said\n  its summary report on the Feed Situation and Outlook, scheduled\n  for release April 24, has been delayed until May 15.\n      The department said the delay will enable analysts to\n  incorporate into the report USDA's first supply and demand\n  estimates for the 1987\/88 marketing year and data on farm\n  program participation.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EXOTIC NEWCASTLE DISEASE IN MD\/NEW YORK-USDA\n","article":"  Exotic Newcastle, a highly contagious\n  disease of pet birds and poultry, has been confirmed in two\n  pet-bird dealer facilities in Maryland, and New York, the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department said.\n      The department said no domestic poultry are involved in the\n  outbreak.\n      State quarantines have been placed on the two facilities,\n  in Hunt Valley, Maryland, and Schenectady, New York.\n      The most serious U.S. outbreak of the disease occurred in\n  1971-73 in southern California, where the disease spread from\n  infected pet birds to a dense poultry population and nearly 12\n  mln birds, mostly laying hens, were destroyed at a cost of 56\n  mln dlrs, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEWMONT MINING CORP REDUCES STAKE IN PEABODY\n","article":"  Newmont Mining Corp said it completed\n  the previously announced reduction of its share in <Peabody\n  Holding Co Inc> to 49.97 pct from 61.47 pct.\n      Newmont realized 116.8 mln dlrs in the transaction.\n      For 1986, Newmont reported net income of 74.2 mln dlrs.\n  Peabody, the largest coal producer in the U.S., had net income\n  of 100.8 mln dlrs on sales of 1.4 billion dlrs in 1986.\n      Newmont doubled its ownership in Peabody in January by\n  purchasing 30.74 pct interest held by the Williams Cos for 320\n  mln dlrs.\n      The reduction resulted from completion of an earlier\n  announced agreement by Peabody to sell a 15.01 pct interest in\n  the company to Eastern Gas and Fuel Associates in exchange for\n  all the coal properties owned by Eastern.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MR. GASEKT CO <MRGC> 3RD QTR DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr loss 26 cts vs profit eight cts\n      net loss 2.8 mln vs profit 897,000\n      Revs 27.0 mln vs 30.0 mln\n      Nine months\n      Shr loss 51 cts vs profit 46 cts\n      Net loss 5.4 mln vs profit 4.9 mln\n      Revs 88.4 mln vs 99.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN AIRCRAFT CORP BUYS PRIVATE FIRM\n","article":"  <American Aircraft Corp> said it\n  has acquired a 51 pct interest in privately-held <Hunter\n  Helicopter of Nevada, Inc>.\n      The purchase was made for an undisclosed amount of American\n  Aircraft stock, the company said.\n      It said the acquisition will increase shareholder equity in\n  American Aircraft to 45 cts per share from 18 cts per share.\n      Hunter Helicopter builds two-passenger helicopters that\n  retail for about 50,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DELTAUS CORP <DLTA> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr loss 64 cts vs loss 1.70 dlrs\n      Net loss 13.4 mln vs loss 35.6 mln\n      REvs 47.9 mln vs 72.1 mln\n      NOTE:1985 includes loss of 941,000 from discontinued\n  operations and 5.8 mln dlrs from disposal of net asset solds.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DEROSE INDUSTRIES INC <DRI> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss 56 cts vs loss 71 cts\n      Net loss 809,000 vs loss 1.0 mln\n      Revs 5.3 mln vs 5.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.51 dlrs vs profit 61 cts\n      Net loss 2.2 mln vs loss 2.3 mln\n      Revs 26.5 mln vs 29.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REVLON GROUP <REV> REPORTS 1986 RESULTS\n","article":"  Revlon Group Inc told the Securities\n  and Exchange Commission it had net profits of 16,465,000 on\n  sales of 1.61 billion dlrs for the year ended Dec. 31, 1986.\n      Revlon in a filing with the SEC compared the results to the\n  five months ending Dec. 31, 1985. In that period, it lost 28.4\n  mln dlrs on sales of 262.4 mln dlrs.\n      Earlier today, MacAndrews and Forbes Group Inc began an\n  18.50 dlr a share cash offer for all common stock of Revlon it\n  does not own. Revlon today rose 3\/8 to 19-1\/4 in active\n  trading. MacAndrews controls 31.8 pct of the voting power.\n  \n      For 1986, Revlon said the loss applicable to common stock\n  after preferred dividends is 9.5 mln dlrs. The net loss per\n  share was 24 cts, compared to a net loss of 99 cts per share\n  last year.\n      Revlon said it had a 1986 operating profit of 64.3 mln\n  dlrs, compared to a loss of 13.3 mln dlrs in the year earlier\n  period.\n      The 1986 net includes a provision for estimated loss on\n  dispositions of 57.0 mln dlrs, compared to 15.1 mln dlrs the\n  year earlier. Earnings in 1986 before extraordinary items were\n  7.4 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LIFETIME <LFT> EXCHANGE OFFER ACCEPTED\n","article":"  LIfetime Corp said Retirement Housing\n  Corp has accepted its previously announced acquisition offer.\n      Retirement will operate autonomously as a separate\n  subsidiary.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MANUFACTURERS <MHC> PUTS BRAZIL ON NON-ACCRUAL\n","article":"  Manufacturers Hanover Corp said it\n  placed 1.4 billion dlrs of medium- and long-term loans to\n  Brazilian borrowers on non-accrual as of yesterday, meaning\n  that income will be recorded only when actual cash payments are\n  received.\n      As a result, net income for the first quarter will be\n  reduced by 18 mln dlrs.\n      If Brazil, which suspended interest payments on its term\n  debt on February 20, continues to defer interest payments for\n  the rest of the year, net income for the whole of 1987 would be\n  reduced by a total of 72 mln dlrs.\n      U.S. bank accounting guidelines do not require loans to be\n  placed on nonaccrual unless interest payments are past due 90\n  days or more.  However, Manufacturers Hanover said that, in\n  light of current circumstances, it was more appropriate to\n  record income on its Brazilian loans only when cash payments\n  were received.\n      It added that it believes Brazil will reach agreement with\n  its banks on a debt restructuring and that all interest\n  payments will be received later in 1987.\n      The company earned 102.1 mln dlrs in first-quarter 1986 and\n  410.7 mln dlrs for the whole of the year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AID CORP <AIDC> RAISES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div nine cts vs eight cts in prior qtr\n      Payable March 31\n      Record March 13\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GALVESTON TO AQUIRE MINE PROPERTY INTERESTS\n","article":"  <Galveston Resources Ltd> said it agreed\n  in principle for an option to earn up to a 50 pct interest from\n  <Hemlo Gold Mines Inc> in certain mining properties known as\n  the Interlake Property, subject to regulatory approvals.\n      Galveston said it will earn up to a 50 pct interest by\n  spending a minimum of one mln dlrs in exploration and\n  development work by December 31, 1989.\n      It expects work will commence shortly and continue during\n  the 1987 exploration season.\n      Galveston also said it granted Hemlo Gold options to\n  acquire up to two mln Galveston shares.\n      It said the options can be exercised at 10 dlrs a share up\n  to December 31, 1987, then at 12.50 dlrs a share until December\n  31, 1988, and then at 15 dlrs a share until December 31, 1989.\n      Separately, Galveston said it agreed in principle with\n  <Noranda Inc> unit Noranda Explorations Ltd for an option to\n  earn up to a 50 pct interest in a major mineral property\n  located at the Baie Verte Peninsula, Newfoundland.\n      Galveston can earn a 50 pct interest by spending six mln\n  dlrs in exploration and development work on the property by\n  December 31, 1989.\n      The company also said it granted Noranda an option to\n  purchase two mln Galveston shares.\n      The options can be exercised at 10 dlrs a share until\n  December 31, 1987, then at 12.50 dlrs a share until December\n  31, 1988, and then at 15 dlrs a share until December 31, 1989.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<OCELOT INDUSTRIES LTD> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 15.29 dlrs vs loss 2.80 dlrs\n      Net loss 221.3 mln vs loss 40.4 mln\n      Revs 146.3 mln vs 260.7 mln\n      Note: 1986 loss includes extraordinary loss of 171.6 mln\n  dlrs or 11.85 dlrs shr related to writedown of certain\n  petrochemical assets and reduced by tax gain of 4.2 mln dlrs or\n  28 cts shr.\n      1985 results restated.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DEUTSCHE BANK SEES SLOW START TO 1987\n","article":"  Deutsche Bank AG <DBKG.F> has seen a\n  slow start to 1987 after posting record profits in 1986,\n  management board joint spokesman F. Wilhelm Christians said.\n      Credit business declined in the first few weeks of the\n  year, and the interest margin was squeezed further. The weak\n  German bourse saw earnings on commission fall sharply, and\n  trading in securities also fell. But earnings from currency\n  dealing were still satisfactory, he told a news conference.\n      Deutsche group partial operating profits rose to 3.78\n  billion marks in 1986 from 2.92 billion in 1985 on a balance\n  sheet of 257.22 billion marks after 237.23 billion.\n      Profits were swollen by earnings from the placement of the\n  former Flick group, which have been estimated at some one\n  billion marks, and from record profits in trading on the bank's\n  own account, not included in partial operating profits.\n      Earnings from the Flick transaction were booked through a\n  subsidiary, and therefore showed up as part of the interest\n  surplus in a section current earnings from securities and\n  participations.\n      In the group this nearly doubled to 2.64 billion marks from\n  1.45 billion.\n      As usual the bank did not detail total operating profits.\n      But it said that total operating profits, including own\n  account trading, rose 24.9 pct or 4.5 pct without the Flick\n  transaction in the group, and 35.1 pct or seven pct in the\n  parent bank.\n      Banking analysts said this put group total operating\n  profits at some 6-1\/2 to seven billion marks, and parent bank\n  operating profits at over five billion marks.\n      Christians said Deutsche used the extraordinary earnings\n  from Flick to pay a record five mark bonus on top of its\n  unchanged 12 mark dividend.\n      The bank had decided against raising the dividend itself\n  because of the uncertain business outlook at the end of 1986,\n  and developments so far this year showed that was correct,\n  Christians said.\n      West German banks rarely raise dividends unless they are\n  sure they can maintain the increased payout in subsequent\n  years, preferring to use bonuses for one-of profits.\n      The bank also used its extraordinary earnings to continue a\n  high level of risk provision, Christians said.\n      Disclosed group risk provisions rose to 867 mln marks in\n  1986 from 765 mln in 1985.\n      Under German law, disclosed provisions do not necessarily\n  reflect the full amount of risk provisions.\n      Management board joint spokesman Alfred Herrhausen said\n  Deutsche's total debt exposure to problem countries had fallen\n  to over six billion marks in 1986 from 7.4 billion in 1985\n  because of the fall in the dollar.\n      He agreed with a questioner who asked if over two thirds of\n  such problem country debt had been written off.\n      Deutsche Bank posted a sharp rise in holdings of \"other\n  securities,\" to 4.64 billion marks from 2.71 billion in the\n  parent bank.\n      Christians said this 1.93-billion-mark rise was partly due\n  to its increased activity in international share placements,\n  with some shares such as those from Fiat SpA's international\n  placement last year remaining on its books.\n      Herrhausen said that no concrete measures were planned to\n  place these shares and conclude the original placement.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DEUTSCHE AGREES FULL TAKEOVER OF FORMER EURASBANK\n","article":"  Deutsche Bank AG <DBKG.F> has agreed\n  to take over the outstanding 25 pct in <Deutsche Bank (Asia)\n  AG>, the former <European Asian Bank AG>, from\n  Creditanstalt-Bankverein <CABV.VI>, Deutsche management board\n  joint spokesman Alfred Herrhausen told a news conference.\n      Euras broke even in 1986 and required no funding from\n  Deutsche, he said. He gave no details of the deal with\n  Creditanstalt.\n      Press reports that Deutsche was planning a takeover of\n  Lloyds Bank plc <LLOY.L> were without foundation, he said.\n      Herrhausen said Deutsche had taken part in the recent\n  capital increase of <Morgan Grenfell Group plc>, but had no\n  plans to raise its 4.4 pct share in Morgan Grenfell.\n      <Banca d'America e d'Italia SpA>, in which 98.3 pct was\n  acquired from Bankamerica Corp <BAC.N> late last year, would be\n  consolidated this year, and contribute to further expansion of\n  Deutsche's business, management board joint spokesman F.\n  Wilhelm Christians said.\n      Following a ruling earlier this year from the Federal High\n  Court, Deutsche had included its non-bank holdings in the\n  balance sheet section \"participations,\" Christians said.\n      But Christians said the bank still regarded shares in these\n  non-bank companies as an investment rather than an active\n  participation.\n      Parent bank total participations rose to 6.45 billion marks\n  in 1986 from a comparable 4.57 billion in 1985 including a rise\n  to 3.79 billion from 2.34 billion in bank participations.\n      Herrhausen said the grouping of holdings in the balance\n  sheet in this was was not a first step to floating them off in\n  a separate holding company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WORLD RECESSION UNLIKELY - DEUTSCHE'S HERRHAUSEN\n","article":"  A world recession is unlikely this\n  year as fiscal and monetary policy in most industrialized\n  countries is supporting the economy, Deutsche Bank AG <DBKG.F>\n  management board joint spokesman Alfred Herrhausen said.\n      But growth rates will be smaller than last year, with 1.5\n  to 2.5 pct likely in most industrialized countries, he told a\n  news conference.\n      Herrhausen said he was confident private consumption would\n  support economic growth in West Germany this year, with net\n  income increases turning into purchasing power as long as\n  inflation did not revive.\n      Herrhausen said he did not expect interest rates to rise in\n  West Germany this year, but there was little room for further\n  falls. Rates in the U.S. were however rising, as evidenced by\n  the latest prime rate moves, but this rise would be moderate.\n      Herrhausen said he did not expect any major narrowing of\n  the U.S. Trade and budget deficits in the next few months.\n      One success of the Paris agreement in February to foster\n  currency stability was that U.S. Officials have stopped talking\n  down the dollar, he noted.\n      The recent stability would last until markets decided to\n  test the resolve of central banks, he said.\n      He noted that central banks had spent some 10 billion dlrs\n  this week to stabilize the dollar against the yen in the first\n  such test.\n      \"A massive attack on the mark, which could come if we get\n  bad news out of the U.S., Would require a much higher\n  intervention amount, raising the danger of inflation,\" he said.\n      Turning to the international debt problem, Herrhausen said\n  Brazil's unilateral debt moratorium had surprised banks.\n      But the move showed that a real solution to debt problems\n  was only possible with the involvement of all parties.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SINGAPORE BANKS SAY DIVERSIFICATION KEY TO GROWTH\n","article":"  Singapore's major banks are\n  diversifying and gradually shifting their asset holdings from\n  loans to debt instruments, banking sources said.\n      The banks following the trend are the <Overseas Union Bank\n  Ltd>, <United Overseas Bank Ltd>, <Oversea-Chinese Banking\n  Corporation> and the <Development Bank of Singapore Ltd>.\n      The shift towards securitisation has been helped by\n  volatile financial markets which have developed hedging\n  facilities such as floating rate notes and bonds for risk\n  management, said Overseas Union General Manager Loh Hoon Sun.\n      Loh told Reuters in an interview that Singapore banks see\n  limited growth in credit risk. More and more of them are\n  switching from term lending to major growth areas such as\n  stockbroking and fee based income, he said.\n      Major local banks ventured into stockbroking after being\n  granted seats on the stock exchange. Bankers said they are now\n  moving into the new government securities market and the Stock\n  Exchange of Singapore Dealing and Quotation System.\n      One foreign banker said the Development Bank and the\n  Overseas Union Bank Ltd have become major players in the equity\n  market in Singapore.\n      Loh said the banks' participation in the stock market has\n  increased business transactions and provided long term growth\n  for the market. The banks are not competition for individual\n  stockbroking firms because of the increased business they\n  generate, he added.\n      Loh said the Stock Exchange of Singapore might expand\n  equity issues by as much as one billion dlrs this year because\n  of the increasing ability of foreign and local market\n  participants to absorb new issues.\n      Loh said <OUB Investment management Ltd>, a subsidiary of\n  the Overseas Union Bank Ltd, has teamed up with a U.K. Firm to\n  launch the Union Global Fund. The fund is for local investors\n  seeking capital growth through a diversified international\n  portfolio. It will invest in international shares with the\n  emphasis on U.S. And Japanese markets, he said.\n      <DBS Securities Singapore Pte Ltd>, a subsidiary of the\n  Development Bank of Singapore, has applied to the Hong Kong\n  Stock Exchange to set up a Hong Kong stockbroking firm.\n      Loh predicted fixed deposit and prime interest rates in\n  Singapore will stay low this year. As a result, banks will be\n  forced to provide fund management services for major clients\n  seeking better returns, he said.\n      Economic analysts and bankers are optimistic the major\n  banks will show profits in 1987, helped by higher income from\n  treasury and investment banking activities.\n      They expect the 1987 after-tax profits of Oversea-Chinese\n  and United Overseas to show stable growth of four to eight pct\n  against respective gains of four and seven pct in 1986.\n      Overseas Union's profits are expected to jump to over 40\n  mln dlrs from seven mln dlrs in 1986, economists said.\n      The Development Bank's after-tax profits rose 39.2 pct in\n  1986 mainly due to a dividend of 20.4 mln dlrs paid by\n  <National Discount Company Ltd> before it became a subsidiary\n  of the bank, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WESTPAC IN N.Z. RAISES INDICATOR LENDING RATE\n","article":"  Westpac Banking Corp in New Zealand\n  said it will increase its indicator lending rate by 1.5\n  percentage points to 22.5 pct from April 7.\n      Westpac said in a statement the increase reflects high\n  costs of funding.\n      The bank said nervousness in the wholesale deposit market\n  is creating uncertainty about the immediate outlook for\n  interest rates. Liquidity is expected to remain tight over the\n  next month and this will put upward pressure on interest rates.\n  Base lending indicator rates of the other three trading banks\n  range between 21.0 pct and 21.5 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"THAI TRADERS OPPOSE REIMPOSITION OF COFFEE QUOTAS\n","article":"  Thai coffee exporters said they hoped\n  the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) would not reimpose\n  export quotas even though this may lead to a further slump in\n  world prices.\n      Susin Suratanakaweekul, president of the Thai Coffee\n  Exporters Association, told Reuters that Thailand obtained\n  little benefit from previous ICO quotas which represented only\n  about 30 pct of its total annual exports.\n      Thailand expects increased overall coffee export revenue if\n  there are no restrictions on sales to current ICO members who\n  offer higher prices than non-members, he said.\n      The Customs Department said Thailand exported 21,404 tonnes\n  of coffee last year, up from 20,602 in 1985.\n      Thai coffee production is projected to fall to about 25,000\n  tonnes in the 1986\/87 (Oct\/Sept) season from 28,000 the\n  previous year.\n      However, a senior Commerce Ministry official said the Thai\n  government supports coffee producers' lobbying for reimposed\n  ICO quotas which, he said, would help lift world prices.\n      Somphol Kiatpaiboon, director general of the Commercial\n  Economics Department, said an absence of ICO quotas would\n  encourage producers to rapidly release coffee on to the market,\n  further depressing prices.\n      He said Indonesia is expected to export a substantial\n  amount of coffee this month without such restrictions.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"U.S. GRAIN CARLOADINGS FALL IN WEEK\n","article":"  U.S. grain carloadings totaled 26,108\n  cars in the week ended February 21, down 2.2 pct from the\n  previous week but 22.8 pct above the corresponding week a year\n  ago, the Association of American Railroads reported.\n      Grain mill product loadings in the week totalled 11,382\n  cars, down 1.8 pct from the previous week but 7.6 pct above the\n  same week a year earlier, the association said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SANWA BANK LOOKS TO SECURITIES, WORLD OPERATIONS\n","article":"  The <Sanwa Bank Ltd's> three-year business\n  plan foresees securities and international operations making a\n  greater contribution to operating profits, a bank official\n  said.\n      The bank's plan also emphasises retail and medium and\n  small-sized business operations, he told Reuters.\n      Officials at <Fuji Bank Ltd> and <Mitsubishi Bank Ltd>\n  outlined similar three-year plans.\n      They said lower interest rates and financial liberalisation\n  have cut profits from dealings with big firms to nearly\n  nothing.\n      \"They don't need us, they can do their own financing,\" one\n  official said.\n      Sanwa Bank's plan forecasts that securities and\n  international operations will contribute 40 pct of total\n  operating profits by the end of the fiscal year ending March,\n  1990, compared with 30 pct in fiscal 1985, the Sanwa official\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN DENIES PLANS TO CUT DUTIES ON CHOCOLATE\n","article":"  Agriculture Ministry officials said they\n  are not considering cuts in import duties on chocolate to help\n  ease friction with the United States over agricultural trade.\n      Japan has already lowered the duties sharply and we must\n  consider domestic market conditions, an official said.\n      Duties on chocolate were cut to 20 pct from 31.9 pct in\n  April 1983.\n      Washington has been demanding a cut to seven pct,\n  equivalent to its own duties, ministry sources said.\n      Japanese chocolate imports rose to 8,285 tonnes in calendar\n  1986 from 5,908 in 1985, official statistics show.\n      However, the ministry sources added it is possible the\n  government may make further cuts in response to strong U.S. And\n  European demand.\n      \"Due to concern about the farm trade row with the U.S.,\n  Top-level government officials may press the ministry to cut\n  the duties,\" one said.\n      But he said it would be difficult for Japan to resolve its\n  overall trade row with Washington and reduce its trade surplus,\n  which reached 58.6 billion dlrs in 1986.\n      Agricultural trade issues between Japan and the U.S.\n  Include Japanese import restrictions on 12 farm products.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":" German February industrial output rises 3.2 pct (January fall 3.4 pct) - official\n","article":"\n   German February industrial output rises 3.2 pct (January fall 3.4 pct) - official\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INTERNATIONAL PACT ON OZONE DAMAGE LIKELY IN 1987\n","article":"  An international protocol to severely\n  limit the use of industrial chemicals which are believed to\n  damage the earth's protective ozone layer could be signed this\n  year, officials and scientists here said.\n      \"By the end of this year, we should have an international\n  protocol in place we can all be proud of,\" U.S. Environmental\n  protection agency officer Bill Long told reporters.\n      The chemicals are chiefly chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which\n  are used in refrigeration and making foam plastics, solvents\n  and aerosols. The earth's upper ozone layer absorbs most of the\n  harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun.\n      The officials and scientists were meeting in Tokyo, ahead\n  of an international conference on the problem later this month\n  in either Vienna, or Geneva, Long said.\n      Robert Watson, a program manager for atmospheric problems\n  at the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration said\n  a protocol should demand an initial freeze on the use of CFCs\n  by industry. This should be followed by a gradual reduction in\n  CFC volume until no CFC gases are released into the air, he\n  said. The U.S. Has already banned use of use CFCs in aerosols\n  and Japan has asked for voluntary restraint, but both still use\n  CFCs in industrial processes.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY RATES HARDEN ON LAWSON CURRENCY TARGETS\n","article":"  Money market rates rates showed a harder\n  edge after news U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson\n  has set a target for the pound against the mark and dollar, to\n  be maintained by a mixture of interest rates and intervention\n  in the foreign exchange markets.\n      Dealers said the market was surprised by the Chancellor's\n  disclosure of sterling target rates, around 2.90 marks and 1.60\n  dlrs, and nervous over the implications for domestic interest\n  rates, further reducing the propects for a near term cut in\n  U.K. Bank base rates. The key three months interbank sterling\n  rate gained 1\/16 point at 10 9-7\/8 pct.\n      The pound opened three basis points lower at 71.3 in trade\n  weighted terms, at around 1.59 dlrs and 2.91 marks.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GERMAN INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT RISES 3.2 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  West German industrial production,\n  seasonally adjusted, rose a provisional 3.2 pct in February\n  after a downwards revised decline of 3.4 pct in January, the\n  Economics Ministry said.\n      The ministry had originally estimated that industrial\n  production fell 3.0 pct in January.\n      The February figure is likely to be revised upwards by just\n  under one percentage point next month when the March figure is\n  released, a ministry statement said.\n      The industrial production index, base 1980, stood at a\n  provisional 104.1 in February against 100.9 in January and\n  104.5 in December. The ministry had previously put the January\n  and December indices at 101.6 and 104.7 respectively.\n      In February 1986 the output index had stood at 103.7,\n  producing a year-on-year rise for February 1987 of 0.4 pct.\n      The February rise in production was aided by a sharp 19 pct\n  increase in construction output compared with January, when\n  production in many industrial sectors was depressed by\n  unusually severe winter weather.\n      Manufacturing industry registered a 3-1\/2 pct rise in\n  production in February compared with January. But energy sector\n  output fell nine pct and mining production declined seven pct.\n      The ministry, which considers two-monthly comparisons to be\n  a better guide to trends, said output in January and February\n  together fell around two pct against November and December.\n      The ministry said construction output fell 13-1\/2 pct in\n  January\/February against November\/December due to the cold\n  January weather. Output in the energy sector rose four pct and\n  mining output 10 pct.\n      Manufacturing industry's production fell 1-1\/2 pct in\n  January\/February compared with November\/December.\n      Within this sector, the output of both basic products and\n  of food, tobacco and alcohol fell 1-1\/2 pct. Production of\n  capital goods fell 2-1\/2 pct while output of consumer goods was\n  unchanged.\n      Compared with the same months of 1986, industrial\n  production in January and February 1987 fell 1-1\/2 pct, the\n  ministry said.\n      Manufacturing industry output fell one pct, with output of\n  basic products down three pct, capital goods down one pct and\n  food, tobacco and alcohol production 1-1\/2 pct lower. Makers of\n  consumer goods posted a 1-1\/2 pct year-on-year rise in the\n  two-month period.\n      In other industrial sectors, mining production fell four\n  pct and construction output 4-1\/2 pct. The energy sector saw a\n  slight 1\/2 pct rise, the ministry added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Reckitt and Colman plc pretax profits 1986 yr 145.11 mln stg vs 123.39 mln\n","article":"\n  Reckitt and Colman plc pretax profits 1986 yr 145.11 mln stg vs 123.39 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"C AND W OFFERED ROLE IN NEW JAPAN TELECOM COMPANY\n","article":"  A Japanese businessman announced plans for\n  a new telecommunications firm in which Britain's Cable and\n  Wireless Plc would be a core company.\n      However, the plan, unveiled by senior Federation of\n  Economic Organizations official Fumio Watanabe, does not\n  specify what stake Cable and Wireless would have.\n      \"The share holdings of the core companies should be equal,\"\n  Watanabe said in a statement. \"The actual percentage of\n  shareholdings should be agreed by the core companies.\"\n      He said the eight core companies will provide directors for\n  the firm.\n      \"The new company shall immediately set to work on the\n  feasibility study of constructing a new cable for itself,\"\n  Watanabe said.\n      Watanabe has acted as mediator between two rival groups,\n  one of which included C and W, seeking to compete against\n  <Kokusai Denshin Denwa Co Ltd>, which now monopolizes Japan's\n  overseas telephone business.\n      The Post and Telecommunications Ministry has said it wants\n  only one competitor to KDD and has backed Watanabe's efforts.\n      A British source, who declined to be identified further,\n  said the proposals could open the door to further talks between\n  C and W <CAWL.L> and the other firms involved.\n      C and W had earlier rejected a reported proposal which\n  would have given it a five pct share in the new\n  telecommunications firm, compared to the less than three pct\n  stake Watanabe originally proposed. C and W has a 20 pct stake\n  in one of the two firms Watanabe has proposed should merge.\n      The British source said the decision not to specify the\n  exact shareholdings of the core companies could leave the door\n  open for further discussion.\n      \"It's probably a sensible approach on their part,\" the\n  British source told reuters.\n      C and W has also been pushing hard for permission to lay a\n  new cable between Japan and the U.S.\n      The proposed merger has sparked an international row, with\n  British government sources threatening retaliatory action\n  against Japan for what they see as discriminatory practices\n  against foreign firms.\n      The sources said last Friday that one option for Britain\n  would be to revoke licenses of Japanese banks and securities\n  companies operating in London.\n      The U.S. Has also attacked the original merger plans,\n  saying that both rival consortia should be licensed.\n      Asked about participation by other U.S. And European firms,\n  Watanabe said, \"They will not be core companies but if they wish\n  they could participate.\" Under the Japanese law, total foreign\n  participation would be limited to one-third.\n      \"It might be wise for C and W to join the new firm which has\n  the support of many influential backers and work within this\n  for the realization of their ideas,\" Watanabe told reporters.\n      The other core firms are Mitsubishi Corp <MITT.T>, Mitsui\n  and Co <MITS.T>, Sumitomo Corp <SUMT.T>, Matsushita Electric\n  Industrial Co <MC.T>, Toyota Motor Corp <TOYO.T>, C Itoh and Co\n  <CITT.T>, and <Pacific Telesis International Inc>.\n      Watanabe said that his latest proposal represented his\n  final effort.\n      If it fails to satisfy the British government, it will be\n  up to the Japanese government to explain its position, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BANK OF FRANCE TO BUY FIRST CATEGORY PAPER TODAY\n","article":"  The Bank of France is to inject liquidity\n  against first category paper at a tender this afternoon, a Bank\n  spokesman said.\n      Money market sources were divided as to whether they\n  thought the Bank of France would use the occasion to cut its\n  intervention rate, which has stood at 7 3\/4 pct since it was\n  cut from eight pct on March 9.\n      Some thought a rate cut unlikely given foreign exchange\n  turbulence and the U.S. Prime rate rise to 7 3\/4 pct, while\n  others still counted on a 1\/4 point cut by the Bank of France.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"FIRS 87\/88 EC BEET SUGAR ESTIMATE UNCHANGED 12.63 MLN TONNES WHITE EQUIVALENT\n","article":"\n  FIRS 87\/88 EC BEET SUGAR ESTIMATE UNCHANGED 12.63 MLN TONNES WHITE EQUIVALENT\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET DEFICIT FORECAST AT 800 MLN STG\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it forecast a\n  shortage of around 800 mln stg in the money market today.\n      Among the main factors affecting liquidity, bills for\n  repurchase by the market will drain some 664 mln stg while\n  bills maturing in official hands and the take-up of treasury\n  bills will take out around 508 mln stg and a rise in note\n  circulation some 45 mln stg.\n      Partly offsetting these outflows, exchequer transactions\n  and bankers' balances above target will add some 380 mln stg\n  and 35 mln stg to the system respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SUGAR OFFERED TO DUTCH INTERVENTION REFUSED\n","article":"  The 2,500 tonnes of sugar offered to\n  intervention in the Netherlands has been refused by the\n  intervention board because of wrong packaging, a spokeswoman\n  for the Ministry of Agriculture said.\n      She said the sugar could be offered again to intervention.\n      EC producers have threatened to sell over 800,000 tonnes of\n  sugar to intervention stocks as a protest against EC export\n  licensing policies.\n      Last month Dutch traders said the sugar on offer in the\n  Netherlands was Belgian, but the ministry could not confirm\n  this.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"RISING TAIWAN DOLLAR CAUSES FOREIGN RESERVES LOSS\n","article":"  Taiwan said its foreign reserves suffered\n  about 3.4 billion U.S. Dlrs in exchange rate losses from July\n  1986 to February 1987 as a result of the rise of the Taiwan\n  dollar against the U.S. Currency.\n      Yu Chien-ming, head of the government statistics\n  department, told parliament yesterday he expected the losses to\n  increase as the Taiwan dollar continues to strengthen.\n      The Taiwan dollar, which opened at 34.24 to the U.S. Dollar\n  today, has risen about 16 pct against the U.S. Unit since\n  September 1985. Some bankers expect it to rise to 33 by June\n  and to 32 by the end of this year.\n      Taiwan's foreign exchange reserves now total 53 billion\n  dlrs. At end-February they were 52.1 billion dlrs, the world's\n  third largest after West Germany and Japan.\n      Yu said the interest earned from the reserves totalled\n  about 1.68 billion U.S. Dlrs from July 1986 to February 1987.\n  The reserves are managed by the central bank and deposited at\n  about 170 leading banks in the U.S., Japan, Britain, Canada and\n  Singapore.\n      About 75 pct of the reserves are in the form of cash,\n  mostly in U.S. Dollars. The rest are in government treasury\n  bills, certificates of deposit and bonds.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"EC DENIES MAIZE EXPORTS RESERVED FOR U.S.\n","article":"  The agreement between the U.S. And the\n  European Community (EC) on special imports of maize and sorghum\n  provides an equal chance for all non-EC countries to supply the\n  Spanish market, an EC Commission spokeswoman said.\n      She denied that any unpublished clause of the agreement\n  guaranteed the bulk of the maize export business would go to\n  the U.S., As one EC official told Reuters yesterday.\n      Under the agreement, the EC will import two mln tonnes of\n  maize and 300,000 tonnes of sorghum a year into Spain at\n  specially reduced levy rates for the next four years.\n      The Commission has yet to decide whether the maize will\n  come in through direct purchases by the Spanish intervention\n  board or by a tender system.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY RATES FIRM ON LAWSON STERLING TARGETS\n","article":"  Interest rates on the London money market\n  were slightly firmer on news U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer\n  Nigel Lawson had stated target rates for sterling against the\n  dollar and mark, dealers said.\n      They said this had come as a surprise and expected the\n  targets, 2.90 marks and 1.60 dlrs, to be promptly tested in the\n  foreign exchange markets. Sterling opened 0.3 points lower in\n  trade weighted terms at 71.3.\n      Dealers noted the chancellor said he would achieve his\n  goals on sterling by a combination of intervention in currency\n  markets and interest rates.\n      Operators feel the foreign exchanges are likely to test\n  sterling on the downside and that this seems to make a fall in\n  U.K. Base lending rates even less likely in the near term,\n  dealers said.\n      The feeling remains in the market, however, that\n  fundamental factors have not really changed and that a rise in\n  U.K. Interest rates is not very likely. The market is expected\n  to continue at around these levels, reflecting the current 10\n  pct base rate level, for some time.\n      The key three months interbank rate was 1\/16 point firmer\n  at 10 9-7\/8 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AWB CALLS FOR TIGHTER WHEAT QUALITY CONTROLS\n","article":"  Australia is risking wheat export\n  sales by not providing enough specific quality grades to meet\n  buyer requirements, the Australian Wheat Board (AWB) said.\n      \"Many AWB customers are becoming increasingly quality\n  conscious, demanding strict adherence to contractual quality\n  specifications,\" the board said in a submission to the Royal\n  Commission into Grain Storage, Handling and Transport.\n      \"Many of the specifications are more specific than the\n  current categories used in Australia,\" it said.\n      The commission is trying to identify ways of saving costs\n  and boosting efficiency of the grain handling system.\n      Australia must rely on quality to retain its wheat market\n  share because its competitors are supplying cheaper but\n  lower-quality grades, the AWB submission said.\n      It stressed the need to segregate wheat categories at every\n  stage from receival to shipping.\n      Better industrial relations at grain terminals, more\n  uniform transport systems across the states and extensive stock\n  control were vital to improved marketing, it said.\n      The submission also said Australia's federal system impeded\n  the AWB's role of coordinating and managing the marketing of\n  wheat.\n      The AWB called for an end to physical and legislative\n  constraints at state borders that prevent the efficient\n  transport of grains to other states for shipment.\n      \"It is essential that wheat moves by the most economic mode\n  to the nearest efficient port, irrespective of the state in\n  which the wheat is grown or stored,\" it said.\n      For example, wheat grown in northern New South Wales (NSW)\n  might move more efficiently to Brisbane, in Queensland, than to\n  Sydney or Newcastle in New South Wales, it said. Similarly,\n  southern NSW wheat might better be shipped to Portland or\n  Geelong, in Victoria.\n      Legislation giving state rail authorities a monopoly over\n  grain shipments was one notable impediment, it said.\n      The AWB said the current approach of state-based bulk\n  handling authorities is not essential, although it said it\n  favoured the authorities maintaining at least their current\n  level of control of storage and transport as long as quality\n  was maintained.\n      An appendix on port loading costs showed it cost between\n  26,500 and 34,700 U.S. Dlrs to load a 50,000-tonne vessel at\n  various Australian ports compared with 21,200 dlrs at Houston\n  and 16,300 at Port Cartier, Quebec, for a 60,000-tonner.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Bayer world group 1986 pre-tax profit 3.30 billion marks (3.15 billion) - official\n","article":"\n  Bayer world group 1986 pre-tax profit 3.30 billion marks (3.15 billion) - official\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN MINISTRY ASKS TRUST BANKS TO CUT DLR SALES\n","article":"  The Finance Ministry has asked trust banks\n  to moderate their dollar selling, trust banking sources said.\n      A Ministry official told Reuters earlier this week the\n  Ministry had recently surveyed foreign exchange transactions by\n  institutional investors, but he declined to say whether this\n  was aimed at moderating the dollar sales.\n      Dealers said institutional investors were reluctant to sell\n  dollars aggressively today partly because of the Ministry\n  monitoring.\n      One senior trust bank source said that while sympathizing\n  with the Ministry position, the trust banks had to conduct\n  their foreign exchange operations according to the dictates of\n  the market.\n      A Bank of Japan official said the central bank approved of\n  the survey as long it was not used too forcefully.\n      But another official denied local press reports that the\n  central bank itself had asked investors to moderate their\n  dollar sales. \"We are not legally authorized to do that,\" he\n  said.\n      A Bank of Japan official also said the central bank will\n  renew its call on financial institutions to moderate excessive\n  loans for the purpose of land and securities investment as such\n  investments threaten to cause inflation.\n      Bank of Japan Governor Satoshi Sumita had previously\n  expressed concern about excessive investment in land and\n  securities resulting partly from eased credit conditions.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EC SUGAR TENDER SAID TO MARK NO CHANGE IN POLICY\n","article":"  The maximum rebate granted at\n  yesterday's European Community (EC) sugar tender marked no\n  change in policy towards producers' complaints that they are\n  losing money on exports outside the EC, EC commission sources\n  said.\n      They said this was despite the fact that the commission\n  accepted over 785,000 tonnes of sugar into intervention\n  yesterday from traders protesting that rebates are being set\n  too low.\n      The maximum rebate at yesterday's tender was 46.864 Ecus\n  per 100 kilos, up from 45.678 Ecus the previous week.\n      London traders said yesterday the rebate was the largest\n  ever granted. The commission sources said today the increase\n  was entirely explained by world market conditions. The amount\n  by which the rebate fell short of what producers claim is\n  needed to obtain an equivalent price to that for sales into\n  intervention remained at 0.87 Ecus per 100 kilos, they said.\n      Operators offered a total of 854,000 tonnes of sugar into\n  intervention last month to protest at rebates which they said\n  were too low. The sources said about 706,470 tonnes of French\n  sugar and 79,000 tonnes of German sugar had been accepted, the\n  remainder being rejected as of too low quality.\n      The sources noted the operators could withdraw their offers\n  in the five week period between the acceptance of the sugar and\n  payment for it.\n      They said they saw no sign of planned withdrawals as yet,\n  adding that they would expect operators to wait another week or\n  two to review commission policy before making up their minds.\n      The sources said the commission felt entitled to offer\n  rebates at slightly below the level theoretically justifiable\n  in the light of its 1987\/88 farm price package proposal to\n  reduce guaranteed prices for sugar by two pct from the start of\n  the new season in July.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"KENYAN COFFEE NEEDS RAIN, TRADERS SAY\n","article":"  Kenya's late coffee crop is flowering\n  well, but the main coffee areas were generally dry and hot in\n  the week ended Wednesday, trade sources said.\n      \"Machakos, Embu, Meru and Kirinyaga in eastern Kenya, and\n  Nyeri and Thika in central, have been dry in the past week. The\n  farmers expect rain this week. If it does not fall output of\n  the late (October-November-December) crop will decline sharply,\"\n  one source said.\n      He said that since most growers did not irrigate their crop\n  they could do nothing but wait for rain, the main factor which\n  determines Kenyan coffee production.\n      Two months ago the International Coffee Organization issued\n  a forecast of Kenyan exportable coffee production in the\n  1986\/87 (Oct-Sept) season at 1.82 mln bags.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CARGILL U.K. STRIKE TALKS BREAK OFF WITHOUT RESULT\n","article":"  Two days of talks between management and\n  unions to try to end the 3-1\/2 month labour dispute at Cargill\n  U.K. Ltd's oilseed crushing plant at Seaforth ended yesterday\n  without resolving the situation, a company spokesman said.\n      Fresh talks are expected to be held early next week but the\n  actual date has not yet been fixed, he added.\n      Oilseed processing at the mill has been at a standstill\n  since December 19 and the company has declared force majeure\n  for deliveries of soymeal and soyoil ahead to May.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"PRICES RISE AT BANGALORE COFFEE AUCTION\n","article":"  Prices rose at the fortnightly\n  export auction here on March 25 for sales of 1,907.1 tonnes of\n  coffee from the 1986\/87 and 1985\/86 crops out of a total\n  offering of 1,940.7 tonnes, the Coffee Board said.\n      Withdrawals amounted to 33.6 tonnes. The type and grade,\n  quantity sold, average prices in rupees per 50 kilos, exclusive\n  of sales tax, with previous prices at the March 11 auction in\n  brackets -\n      1986\/87 crop\n      Plantation \"A\" 592.2   1,284.50 (1,223.50)\n      Plantation \"B\" 74.1    1,095.50 (1,122.00)\n      Plantation \"C\"        208.2    1,019.00 (1,017.50)\n      Arabica Cherry \"AB\"    33.3      976.50  (NA)\n      Arabica Cherry \"PB\"    22.5      949.00  (NA)\n      Arabica Cherry \"C\"     58.2      889.50  (NA)\n      Robusta Cherry \"AB\"    90.9    1,256.00  (NA)\n      Robusta Cherry \"PB\"    43.8    1,039.50  (NA)\n      Robusta \"PMT AB\"       49.2    1,255.50  (NA)\n      Robusta \"PMT PB\"       13.5    1,200.00  (NA)\n      REP Bulk \"A\"           93.9    1,057.50 (908.50)\n      REP Bulk \"B\"          256.5    1,079.00 (930.00)\n      Robusta Cherry Bulk    40.2   1,082.50  (NA)\n      Robusta Cherry \"C\"      9.0     997.00  (NA)\n      Robusta Cherry \"BBB\"    9.6     700.00  (NA)\n      1985\/86 crop\n      Arabica Cherry \"AB\"   123.3     961.00  (951.50)\n      Arabica Cherry \"BBB\"  160.8     635.50  (613.50)\n      Robusta Cherry \"BBB\"    4.2     735.00  (704.50)\n      Monsooned coffee\n      Monsooned Robusta \"AA\" 23.7   1,265.50  (NA)\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.K. GRAIN EXPORTS CONTINUE TO RISE SHARPLY\n","article":"  The U.K. Exported 517,600 tonnes of wheat\n  and 315,800 tonnes of barley in the first 25 days of March, the\n  Home Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) said, quoting provisional\n  Customs and Excise figures.\n      This brought combined wheat and barley exports since the\n  season started on July 1 to 7.60 mln tonnes, substantially up\n  on the 4.02 mln exported in the same 1985\/86 period.\n      This season's total comprises 3.94 mln tonnes of wheat and\n  3.66 mln barley, compared with 1.63 mln and 2.39 mln,\n  respectively, a year ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"INDIA'S CREDIT POLICY AIMS TO CONTROL LIQUIDITY\n","article":"  India's credit policy package for\n  fiscal 1987\/88 (April-March) will help ease inflationary\n  pressures and control the growth of overall liqudity, the\n  Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said in a statement.\n      The package, announced earlier this week, will raise\n  commercial bank statutory liquidity ratios to 37.5 pct from 37\n  pct, effective April 25, and will increase cash reserve ratios\n  on foreign currency (non-resident) accounts to 9.5 pct from\n  three pct, effective May 23, it said.\n      Excess liquidity pushed wholesale and consumer retail\n  prices higher in 1986\/87 on previous year levels, RBI governor\n  R. N. Malhotra said in a statement.\n      Malhotra said India's M-3 money supply grew 209.24 billion\n  rupees in the fiscal year to March 13, compared to a growth of\n  155.38 billion in the same period the year before.\n      Commercial bank aggregate deposits rose to 164.10 billion\n  in the same period, against 120.66 billion in the corresponding\n  months of fiscal 1986\/87, he said.\n      The Finance Ministry in a report issued in February\n  predicted India's fiscal 1986\/87 wholesale price-linked\n  inflation rate at about 6.5 pct against 3.8 pct in 1985\/86.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY <ITX> MAKES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  International Technology Corp\n  said it has purchased <Western Emergency Services Inc> in a\n  pooling-of-interests transaction.\n      International Technology, a hazardous materials management\n  company, said it purchased Western Emergency, an environmental\n  services firm, to offer a broader range of environmental\n  services to the Gulf Coast area.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BAYER CONFIDENT OF POSTING GOOD 1987 RESULTS\n","article":"  Chemicals group Bayer\n  AG <BAYG.F> said it expects to post another good result in 1987\n  after raising pre-tax profit to a new record high in 1986.\n      The company said that this was despite the mark's further\n  strengthening against the dollar and other currencies and\n  despite an increase in competitive pressure.\n      \"The further progress of our business will depend largely on\n  the extent to which threats to free trade materialise and on\n  the developments of exchange rates, raw material and energy\n  costs.\n      Bayer said world group pre-tax profit rose to 3.30 billion\n  marks in 1986, exceeding the previous year's record of 3.15\n  billion. Parent company pre-tax profit increased to 1.72\n  billion from 1.62 billion.\n      The company gave no net profit figures or any indication of\n  the likely 1986 dividend. Bayer paid a 10-mark dividend on 1985\n  results, up one mark from a year earlier.\n      Bayer said that world group operating profit declined\n  slightly in 1986 against 1985 but non-operating results showed\n  a further improvement.\n      Bayer said that the decline in world group turnover to\n  40.75 billion marks from 45.93 billion in 1985 reflected mainly\n  the sharp fall in the dollar against the mark.\n      Lower prices on the raw material side had also brought\n  pressure on selling prices, it added.\n      In volume terms, however, 1986 sales rose slightly against\n  1985, the company said without giving details.\n      \"The western Europe, North America and Far East regions\n  developed well in local currency, but here too the translation\n  of local currency sales into marks distorted the picture,\n  especially in the case of North America,\" it said.\n      Bayer said parent company volume sales were also higher in\n  1986, although turnover fell 4.3 pct to 16.77 billion marks.\n      Capacity use was high at the parent company in 1986,\n  resulting in a decline in marginal unit costs. This, combined\n  with savings in raw material and energy costs, helped offset\n  falling prices and cost increases in other areas.\n      The rise in pre-tax parent company profit was due to lower\n  extraordinary expenses and higher net interest income.\n  Plastics, organic chemicals, polyurethanes and coating raw\n  materials all developed well, it said.\n      Turning to the 1986 fourth quarter, Bayer said that world\n  group turnover fell to 9.67 billion marks in the last three\n  months of 1986 from 10.43 billion in the same 1985 period.\n      Parent company turnover in the fourth quarter fell 7.1 pct\n  to 3.69 billion marks, with domestic turnover 4.1 pct lower and\n  foreign turnover 8.6 pct lower.\n      Exports accounted for 65.3 pct of turnover in the quarter\n  against 66.4 pct in the same quarter of 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":" UK reserves rise underlying 1.785 billion dlrs in March - official\n","article":"\n   UK reserves rise underlying 1.785 billion dlrs in March - official\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.K. RESERVES SHOW LARGE UNDERLYING RISE IN MARCH\n","article":"  Britain's gold and currency reserves\n  showed an underlying rise of 1.785 billion dlrs in March after\n  a 287 mln dlr rise in January, the Treasury said.\n      This was considerably above market expectations for a 650\n  mln dlr rise.\n      The underlying trend, which is a guide to Bank of England\n  operations to support the pound on foreign exchanges, is net of\n  borrowings and repayments.\n      The Treasury declined comment on the figures. Last month it\n  said the Bank of England took the opportunity of strong demand\n  to rebuild reserves after losses last autumn.\n      Actual reserves rose by 1.89 billion dlrs, after rising 305\n  mln in February, to 22.26 billion. Total reserves were revalued\n  to 27.04 billion dlrs, but would have totalled 24.15 billion\n  under the previous valuation, the Treasury said. Gold reserves\n  were revalued by 895 mln dlrs, while SDRs, ECU and convertible\n  currency holdings were revalued by 1.995 billion.\n      Accruals of borrowings under the exchange cover scheme were\n  361 mln dlrs last month, after 36 mln in February. Repayments\n  were 240 mln dlrs after the previous 16 mln. Capital repayments\n  totalled 14 mln dlrs, after February's two mln dlrs repayment.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ZAMBIA EXPECTS SHARPLY REDUCED MAIZE CROP\n","article":"  Zambia's marketed maize production will\n  probably fall to less than 630,000 tonnes in 1986\/87 (May-Apr),\n  from 918,000 last year, because of poor rainfall in major\n  producing areas, Agriculture Minister Kingsley Chinkuli said.\n      He told Parliament that in the southern provinces the\n  harvest would be over 50 pct down on the level in the previous\n  marketing year.\n      \"The nation would be lucky to produce over seven mln bags\n  (630,000 tonnes) of maize this year,\" he stated.\n      Chinkuli added that Zambia was setting up an irrigation\n  fund with Canadian aid to lessen the effects of poor rainfall.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN ASKS BANKS TO MODERATE DOLLAR SALES - JIJI\n","article":"  The Finance Ministry has asked commercial\n  banks to moderate their dollar sales, JiJi News Agency\n  reported, quoting financial sources.\n      Finance Ministry officials were unavailable for comment.\n  The report also could not be confirmed by several bank dealers.\n      Earlier, Japanese trust banking sources said the Ministry\n  had asked them to moderate their dollar sales.\n      A Ministry official said earlier this week the ministry had\n  recently surveyed currency transactions by investors, but\n  declined to say whether this aimed at reducing their dollar\n  sales.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ZIMBABWE BANS POLYPROPYLENE BAGS FOR OILSEEDS\n","article":"  Zimbabwe's Grain Marketing Board has\n  banned the packing of oilseeds in locally-made polypropylene\n  bags and will supply jute bags instead, board officials said.\n      It said the quality of oilseeds such as soybeans,\n  groundnuts and sunflower seed packed in polypropylene bags\n  deteriorated after two weeks.\n      Zimbabwe began producing 10 mln polypropylene grain bags\n  this year to replace jute bags imported mainly from Bangladesh.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<D.H. HOWDEN AND CO LTD> INCREASES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Semi-annual 30 cts vs 25 cts prior\n      Pay June 30\n      Record June 15\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GUINNESS TO SELL RETAIL INTERESTS\n","article":"  Guinness Plc <GUIN.L> said that as part\n  of a new strategy for the company it will be selling its retail\n  interests to concentrate resources on developing its\n  international beverage businesses.\n      Among the firms to be sold are Martin's and Gordon Drummond\n  pharmacies, the 7-Eleven convenience stores, speciality U.S.\n  Food importer Richter Brothers and the health products company\n  Nature's Best\/DSL.\n      Guinness said in a statement that the company's strength\n  was in its well known beer and spirits brands.\n      Several had good brand development potential, including\n  Gleneagles, Champneys, Cranks, Hediard and and Guinness\n  publications.\n      Guinness shares were trading at 323p after the announcement\n  after closing yesterday at 317p.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"INDUSTRIAL ACTION ENDS AT SOUTH AFRICAN MINE\n","article":"  About 8,000 black miners returned\n  to work after a week-long industrial action at South Africa's\n  largest gold mine, mine owner Anglo American Corp of South\n  Africa Ltd <ANGL.J> said.\n      A spokesman for the mining house said the action started on\n  Wednesday last week when thousands of miners staged a go-slow\n  at One underground shaft of the Free State Geduld division of\n  Free State Consolidated Gold Mines Ltd <FSCN.J>.\n      The action later escalated into an underground sit-in at\n  the mine over the weekend, prompting management to close the\n  affected shaft because of what the company described as \"the\n  creation of unsafe working conditions.\"\n      Anglo American spokesman John Kingsley-Jones said the\n  company held talks with the National Union of Mineworkers\n  (NUM), South Africa's biggest trade union which claims a\n  membership of 360,000 black workers, but failed to establish\n  the cause of worker dissatisfaction. He acknowledged that the\n  mine suffered a loss of production, but declined to give\n  estimates.\n      Free State Consolidated last year produced 104 tonnes of\n  gold from 28 underground shafts.\n      The NUM was not immediately available for comment on the\n  action. But a spokesman for the union earlier told the South\n  African Press Association that miners had been locked out of\n  the mine at the weekend after staging a strike in protest\n  against being ordered to carry bags containing explosives as\n  well as food for white miners.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COMPROMISE CITED ON SAN MIGUEL SHARES\n","article":"  <San Miguel Corp>, SMC, and <United\n  Coconut Planters Bank>, UCPB, have reached a compromise on a\n  disputed block of 38.1 mln shares of SMC, the head of a\n  government panel that controls the sequestered shares said.\n      Ramon Diaz, Chairman of the Presidential Commission on Good\n  Government (PCGG) told Reuters SMC had offered a price of 126\n  pesos per share for the block, held in trust by the UCPB.\n      \"It looks good,\" Diaz said. But he added several issues,\n  including the identity of the ultimate buyers of the shares,\n  had to be resolved before the PCGG gave its approval to the\n  sale.\n      The PCGG's sequestration last year of 33 mln shares aborted\n  SMC's bid to buy them back from 14 trading companies in the\n  UCPB group. The commission said it suspected the shares were\n  actually controlled by Eduardo Cojuangco, an associate of\n  former President Ferdinand Marcos.\n      Cojuango, who headed the boards of both SMC and UCPB when\n  he fled last year after Marcos was toppled, personally owned 24\n  mln shares in SMC. His holdings are also under sequestration.\n      \"The shares that SMC now proposes to buy from the UCPB are\n  owned by 1.4 mln coconut farmers,\" Diaz said. \"Naturally we do\n  not want them to go back into the hands of Marcos cronies.\"\n      PCGG sources said a compromise would end a row over a down\n  payment of 500 mln pesos made by SMC's Hong Kong subsidiary\n  Neptunia Corp Ltd in a bid to buy back the shares last year.\n      The UCPB had said the 500 mln peso payment would be\n  forfeited because SMC Chairman Andres Soriano III had failed to\n  fulfil his commitment to buy back the shares at an originally\n  negotiated price of 3.3 billion pesos.\n      PCGG sources said SMC, the Philippines' largest food and\n  beverage manufacturer, has agreed to sell 14 mln \"B\" class shares\n  from the 38.1 mln shares to Australian brewer Alan Bond at a\n  price of 150 pesos per share.\n      The PCGG sources said of the proposed 4.79 billion peso\n  transaction, 1.6 billion pesos would be offset against the 500\n  mln peso down payment, the 500 mln pesos worth of preferred\n  shares in UCPB held by SMC, 210 mln pesos in uncollected\n  dividends on the UCPB shares and 400 mln pesos advanced to\n  UCPB-controlled trading companies.\n      The UCPB rejected an original offer of 100 pesos per share\n  made by SMC for 33 mln shares, which grew to 38 mln after a 15\n  pct stock dividend declared in June last year.\n      A spokesman for SMC said the company's 15-member board met\n  today to discuss the proposed compromise.\n      The spokesman declined comment on the outcome of the board\n  meeting, saying the dispute was under arbitration.\n      President Corazon Aquino last month asked SMC and UCPB to\n  set up a three-man arbitration panel to resolve the ownership\n  issue. The panel is due to submit its report by April 15.\n      Eduardo de Los Angeles, a government nominee in the SMC\n  board, filed a formal complaint before the Securities and\n  Exchange Commission last week, accusing Soriano and eight other\n  directors of violating \"fiduciary duty.\"\n      De Los Angeles was said to have opposed a decision by SMC's\n  board last December to assume the 500 mln peso Neptunia loan.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LAWSON REMARKS DASH HOPES OF EARLY U.K. RATE CUT\n","article":"  Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel\n  Lawson's remarks yesterday suggesting there are precise\n  exchange rate targets for the pound undermined sterling,\n  dashing hopes for an early cut in U.K. Base rates, analysts\n  said.\n      But the market's reaction, testing exchange rate levels\n  indicated by Lawson, was probably overdone and the longer term\n  outlook for sterling remained bullish, they agreed.\n      In an apparent break with the previous policy of secrecy,\n  Lawson told a National Economic Development Council meeting he\n  was comfortable with sterling exchange rates around current\n  levels, specifying rates of around 1.90 marks and 1.60 dlrs.\n      Lawson added the U.K. Government intended to keep sterling\n  at about present levels, using currency intervention and\n  interest rates to achieve this.\n      The February 22 Paris agreement of the Group of Five and\n  Canada to stabilise exchange rates is widely believed to\n  include target ranges, but all participants to the meeting had\n  so far refused to specify these.\n      Markets were quick to react to the statement, chopping\n  about one U.S. Cent and over one pfennig off the pound to match\n  the levels mentioned by Lawson.\n      But most analysts polled said they did not believe Lawson's\n  statement signalled a change in U.K. Policy.\n      Keith Skeoch, chief economist at stockbrokers James Capel\n  and Co, said, \"the remarks have been blown out of proportion.\n  Lawson is paying now for a little bit of a slip of the tongue.\"\n      Barclays de Zoete Wedd economist Mark Brett said, \"there is\n  nothing great and fantastic in the Chancellor's statement.\"\n      He said he did not believe the rates indicated by the\n  Chancellor were precise targets, but merely represented central\n  rates around which sterling would be allowed to fluctuate,\n  perhaps by as much as 10 pct.\n      \"It would be insane to pinpoint an exchange rate ahead of an\n  election ... I don't believe Lawson is mad enough to tie\n  himself to a fixed rate,\" Brett said.\n      Currency markets were keen for official statements to\n  clarify the scope of the Paris accord and reactivate currency\n  trading. This mood easily led to over-reaction, analysts said.\n      \"Making similar statements when the market is high strung\n  and ready to bounce is perhaps a mistake,\" one senior dealer\n  with a U.S. Bank said.\n      Capel's Skeoch said, \"it gives the foreign exchange markets\n  something to shoot at.\"\n      \"It is obvious that the government, as a member of the Group\n  of Six, has agreed exchange rate bands. But they are not cut in\n  stone, they can change with time,\" Skeoch said.\n      Brett said, \"we think the 2.90 marks level is a central\n  rate. Give or take 10 pfennigs and all is fine.\"\n      Not all analysts played down the significance of the\n  remarks, however. Chris Dunn, economist at Royal Bank of\n  Canada, said the remarks may signal a decisive move to insulate\n  sterling from the fortunes of the dollar.\n      Although about two-thirds of Britain's trade is conducted\n  with European countries, sterling has traditionally shadowed\n  the dollar rather than the mark, analysts noted.\n      \"Britain must decide whether it wants to follow the U.S. Or\n  throw in its lot with Europe,\" Dunn said.\n      \"It suggests that while the U.K. Is not actually applying to\n  join the European Monetary System, it is seeking protection by\n  shadowing it ... The Bundesbank has made it clear that it wants\n  the U.K. To clarify its position relative to the mark,\" he said.\n      Analysts said sterling's dip on currency markets following\n  Lawson's remarks made an early half-point cut in U.K. Base\n  rates from current 10 pct levels unlikely in the short term.\n      \"Over the next three weeks, a cut is out, unless we get some\n  extremely good economic indicators,\" Capel's Skeoch said.\n      Base rates have been cut twice by one-half point in March,\n  the last after the March 17 budget presentation, and analysts\n  had been expecting another half point cut shortly afterwards.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NV HOOGOVENS 1986 NET PROFIT 154.6 MLN GUILDERS VS 278.8 MLN -- OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  NV HOOGOVENS 1986 NET PROFIT 154.6 MLN GUILDERS VS 278.8 MLN -- OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"RANK MAKES INCREASED AVANA OFFER FINAL\n","article":"  Ranks Hovis McDougall Plc <RHML.L> said\n  it was making an increased and final offer for the Avana Group\n  Plc <AVNA.L>. The company already holds about 22.9 pct or 7.1\n  mln Avana ordinary shares.\n      It said in a statement the terms of the offer will be 13\n  new Rank Hovis shares for every five Avana ordinary shares,\n  valuing each Avana share at 829p.\n      Avana shareholders will be entitled to receive and retain\n  the net interim dividend of 5.25p per Avana share for the year\n  ending 28 March 1987.\n      Accepting Avana shareholders will also be entitled to\n  receive Ranks Hovis's forecast net interim dividend of 2.65p\n  for the financial year ending 5 September 1987.\n      Ranks Hovis said that full acceptance of the increased\n  offer would result in the issue of a maximum of 72.3 mln new\n  Ranks Hovis shares or about 20 pct of the enlarged issued\n  ordinary share capital of the company.\n      The latest offer will lapse on 17 April. Ordinary\n  shareholders in Avana who accept the increased offer will have\n  the opportunity to elect for cash for all or part of their\n  holdings on the basis of 800p cash for each Avana share.\n      Ranks Hovis said the cash required for the cash alternative\n  would be met by one of several methods.\n      For the first 10 mln Avana shares received opting for the\n  cash alternative, Ranks Hovis would make a cash payment from\n  its own resources.\n      For cash alternatives of more than 10 mln Avana shares,\n  Morgan Grenfell, as agent for participants, will make a\n  separate offer to purchase at 300p per share, net of expenses,\n  up to 46.3 mln Ranks Hovis new shares to which such\n  shareholders will be entitled under the increased offer. This\n  is equivalent to 780p per Avana ordinary.\n      In addition, Ranks Hovis will make a further cash payment\n  of 20p per Avana ordinary. Avana shares traded at 800p after\n  the announcement, 32p up from last night's close of 768p. REUTER\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<CO-STEEL INC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 25 cts vs 25 cts\n      Oper net 6,322,000 vs 4,660,000\n      Revs 189.1 mln vs 174.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 23.5 mn vs 17.1 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 1.04 dlrs vs 14 cts\n      Oper net 21,929,000 vs 3,629,000\n      Revs 760.2 mln vs 674.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 20.5 mln vs 17.1 mln\n      Note: Qtr shr and net exclude tax gain of 4,573,000 dlrs or\n  17 cts share, versus gain of 17,259,000 dlrs or 1.02 dlrs share\n      Year shr and net exclude tax gain of 15,992,000 dlrs or 78\n  cts share, versus gain of 18,042,000 dlrs or 1.06 dlrs share\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 345 MLN STG ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had provided\n  the money market with 345 mln stg help in the morning session.\n  This compares with its forecast of a shortage of around 800 mln\n  stg in the system today.\n      The central bank made outright purchases of bank bills\n  comprising 58 mln stg in band one at 9-7\/8 pct, 227 mln stg in\n  band two at 9-13\/16 pct, 56 mln stg in band three at 9-3\/4 pct\n  and four mln stg in band four at 9-11\/16 pct.\n      Dealers noted that this was the first time bills in band\n  four, which have a maturity of between two and three months,\n  have been dealt in the market since mid-February.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CABLE UNIMPRESSED BY NEW JAPANESE TELECOMS OFFER\n","article":"  Cable and Wireless Plc <CAWL.L> said new\n  proposals unveiled by Japan for it to become a core member of a\n  merged telecommunications firm to compete for\n  telecommunications contracts did not remove the group's\n  objections.\n      The suggestions by Federation of Economic Organisations\n  official Fumio Watanabe was a formal announcement of proposals\n  made earlier this week and reported in the Japanese press.\n      Cable has a 20 pct stake in one of the two groups trying to\n  compete against Japan's <Kokusai Denshin Denwa Co Ltd> which\n  monopolises Japan's overseas telephone business.\n      But a Cable spokesman said it still believed a merger of\n  the two consortia would be impracticable. \"They are like oil and\n  water,\" he said.\n      The Japanese authorities want only one competitor and have\n  proposed that the two consortia band together. The issue has\n  been taken up by the British government as a test case on the\n  openness of Japanese markets. Watanabe's latest proposals said\n  that the eight core companies of the new group should have\n  equal share holdings but added that they could work out the\n  precise percentages amongst themselves.\n      The reports earlier this week said that Cable would be\n  offered a five pct stake, up from an originally proposed three\n  pct.\n      Despite the apparent differences in stakes offered, the\n  Cable spokesman said the two offers appeared to be essentially\n  the same.\n      Cable shares at 1100 GMT were quoted nine pence firmer at\n  374p.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" Bundesbank leaves credit policies unchanged\n","article":"\n   Bundesbank leaves credit policies unchanged\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BUNDESBANK LEAVES CREDIT POLICIES UNCHANGED\n","article":"  The Bundesbank left credit policies\n  unchanged after today's regular meeting of its council, a\n  spokesman said in answer to enquiries.\n      The West German discount rate remains at 3.0 pct, and the\n  Lombard emergency financing rate at 5.0 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JAPAN\/U.S. WILL BE AT ODDS WHILE TRADE LOPSIDED\n","article":"  Japan is doing all it can to solve its\n  trade problems with the United States but the two nations will\n  remain at odds as long as the trade account is lopsided in\n  Japan's favour, a senior official said.\n      \"So long as there is an external imbalance there will be\n  trade friction and ...Harsh words between the two governments,\"\n  the Foreign Ministry official told reporters.\n      Last year, Japan racked up a 51.5 billion dlr surplus with\n  the United States and economists said they do not see it\n  falling significantly any time soon.\n      Washington announced plans last week to slap up to 300 mln\n  dlrs in tariffs on Japanese electronic goods, raising the\n  spectre of a trade war between the two countries.\n      \"We take the current situation very seriously,\" said the\n  official, who declined to be identified. \"The basic stance of\n  the Japanese government is to tackle the issues with all\n  available resources.\"\n      The United States has accused Japan of reneging on an\n  agreement that called on it to stop selling cut-price computer\n  microchips in world markets and to try to import more American\n  semiconductors. Tokyo has denied the charges.\n      The Foreign Ministry official refused to rule out Japanese\n  retaliation if America went ahead with its threatened tariffs\n  in the middle of this month. But he said that any response\n  would be in accordance with international law and Japan's\n  international obligations.\n      He added that both Japan and the United States must take\n  account of the impact of their dispute on their own and the\n  world economy.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRANCE SOLD WHEAT FLOUR TO CHINA - ONIC\n","article":"  France has sold between 50,000 to 100,000\n  tonnes of wheat flour to China, the Director General of\n  France's Cereal Intervention Board (ONIC) Bernard Vieux said.\n      He gave no further details of the sale, but added French\n  millers were worried about the unfair competition facing French\n  flour due the lack of end-of-season storage premiums for wheat.\n      ONIC raised its estimate of 1986\/87 flour exports to 1.70\n  mln tonnes compared 1.65 mln forecast in March and the 1.87 mln\n  exported in 1985\/86.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PERU COFFEE CROP UNAFFECTED BY RAINS\n","article":"  Recent heavy rains have not affected the\n  Peru coffee crop and producers are looking forward to a record\n  harvest, the president of one of Peru's four coffee cooperative\n  groups said.\n      Justo Marin Ludena, president of the Cafe Peru group of\n  cooperatives which accounts for about 20 pct of Peru's exports,\n  told Reuters a harvest of up to 1,800,000 quintales (46 kilos)\n  was expected this year. He said Peru exported 1,616,101\n  quintales in the year to September 1986.\n      A spokesman for the Villa Rica cooperative said flood\n  waters last month had not reached coffee plantations, and the\n  crop was unaffected.\n      Floods in early February caused extensive damage in Villa\n  Rica, whose coffee cooperative exported 59,960 quintales last\n  year, according to the state-controlled coffee organisation.\n      Marin said the rains would only affect the coffee crop if\n  they continued through to next month, when harvesting starts.\n      He said Peruvian producers were hoping for an increase this\n  year in the 1.3 pct export quota, about 913,000 quintales,\n  assigned to them by the International Coffee Organisation, ICO.\n      He said Peru exported 1,381,009 quintales to ICO members\n  last year with a value of around 230 mln dlrs, and another\n  235,092 quintales, valued at around 35 mln dlrs, to non-ICO\n  members.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DECISION EXPECTED ON U.K ROYAL ORDNANCE SALE\n","article":"  U.K. Defence secretary George Younger is\n  expected to announce the government's decision on the sale of\n  state-owned arms manufacturer <Royal Ordnance> today,\n  parliamentary sources said.\n      The government originally intended to float the munitions\n  and explosives concern on the stock market, but last July said\n  a private sale was a more appropriate way to dispose of the\n  firm.\n      The bidders for the company were British Aerospace Plc\n  <BAEL.L> and engineering group GKN Plc <GKN.L>. Royal Ordnance\n  sold its Leeds tank factory last summer to Vickers Plc\n  <VICK.L>.\n      Defence electronics manufacturer Ferranti Plc <FNTI.L> and\n  shipping and property group Trafalgar House Plc <THSL.L> both\n  pulled out of the bidding shortly before last month's deadline.\n      Royal Ordnance made pre-tax profits of 26 mln stg on sales\n  of 487 mln stg in calendar 1985, its first full year of\n  commercial operation. The company has assets of around 240 mln\n  stg and employs 17,000 at 15 sites in Britain.\n      Other state-held companies earmarked for privatisation this\n  year include engine maker <Rolls Royce Plc> and the <British\n  Airports Authorities Plc>.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPANESE GROUPS URGE DRASTIC ECONOMIC PACKAGE\n","article":"  Japan's leading economic organisations\n  urged the Government to prepare drastic pump-priming measures\n  even at the cost of shelving Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone's\n  planned tax reforms, officials involved said.\n      Officials of the Federation of Economic Organisations\n  (Keidanren) said in a meeting with government officials the\n  Government should issue construction bonds as an emergency\n  measure to prop up the economy.\n      Keidanren suggested that proceeds from sales of stocks in\n  the newly-privatised Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp should\n  also be used to stimulate the economy.\n      Keidanren Chairman Eishiro Saito said the dollar's fall\n  below 150 yen would create huge unemployment and bankruptcies\n  that could shake the foundation of the Japanese economy.\n      The Keidanren meeting coincided with a written request for\n  drastic reflationary measures sent to the Government by the\n  Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.\n      Both organisations called for stepped-up Bank of Japan\n  intervention to stabilise exchange rates.\n      Chamber head Noboru Gotoh told a press conference the\n  awaited economic package should be powerful enough to push up\n  Japan's Gross National Product (GNP) by about two pct.\n      Gotoh said the Government could cope with the present\n  critical economic condition even if it put off its plan to stop\n  the issue of deficit-covering bonds by fiscal 1990.\n      The plan to reduce the fiscal budget is a pillar of\n  Nakasone's fiscal reconstruction program.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SYRIA SEEKING WHITE SUGAR ON APRIL 8 - TRADE\n","article":"  Syria will hold a buying tender on April\n  8 for 36,000 tonnes of white sugar for shipment in June, July\n  and August at a rate of 12,000 tonnes a month, traders said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HOOGOVENS EXPECTS CLEAR LOSS IN 1987\n","article":"  <Koninklijke\n  Nederlandsche Hoogovens en Staalfabrieken NV> said it expected\n  a \"clear loss\" for 1987.\n       The company reported its 1986 profits were 44 pct lower at\n  154.6 mln guilders than in the year before.\n       Turnover was 18 pct lower than in 1985.\n       The main reason fo the fall in turnover was the lower rate\n  of the dollar, the company said. The lower costs for raw\n  materials and energy, resulting from the lower dollar, could\n  not compensate the fall in revenues.\n       Costs 5.61 billion guilders vs 6.66 billion\n       Depreciation 457 mln vs 493 mln\n       Operating profit 375 mln vs 598 mln\n       Financial charges 155.1 mln vs 169.4 mln\n       Extraordinary loss 12 rpt 12 mln vs 138 mln\n       Crude steel production five mln tonnes vs 5.3 mln\n       Aluminium production 96,000 tonnes vs same.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GERMAN MARCH COST OF LIVING DATA CONFIRMED\n","article":"  The cost of living was unchanged in\n  March compared with February but stood 0.2 pct lower than in\n  the same month in 1986, the Federal Statistics Office said.\n      This confirms provisional figures released at the end of\n  last month.\n      In February the cost of living in West Germany rose 0.1 pct\n  from January to stand 0.5 pct lower than in February 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SEASONAL STABILISATION SEEN FOR COFFEE PRICES\n","article":"  The onset of cooler weather in Brazil\n  during the southern hemisphere winter is expected to have a\n  stabilising effect on a weak coffee market, West German trade\n  sources said.\n      \"The annual fear of frost in Brazil will probably grip the\n  market sometime this month until June or early July,\" one trader\n  said.\n      The trade believes the International Coffee Organization\n  (ICO) is unlikely to tackle the re-introduction of quotas\n  before its September meeting and until then the market will not\n  see any unexpected sharp moves in either direction.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GERMAN INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT RISES 3.2 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  West German industrial production,\n  seasonally adjusted, rose a provisional 3.2 pct in February\n  after a downwards revised decline of 3.4 pct in January, the\n  Economics Ministry said.\n      The ministry had originally estimated that industrial\n  production fell 3.0 pct in January.\n      The February figure is likely to be revised upwards by just\n  under one percentage point next month when the March figure is\n  released, a ministry statement said.\n      The industrial production index, base 1980, stood at a\n  provisional 104.1 in February against 100.9 in January and\n  104.5 in December. The ministry had previously put the January\n  and December indices at 101.6 and 104.7 respectively.\n      In February 1986 the output index had stood at 103.7,\n  producing a year-on-year rise for February 1987 of 0.4 pct.\n      The February rise in production was aided by a sharp 19 pct\n  increase in construction output compared with January, when\n  production in many industrial sectors was depressed by\n  unusually severe winter weather.\n      Manufacturing industry registered a 3-1\/2 pct rise in\n  production in February compared with January. But energy sector\n  output fell nine pct and mining production declined seven pct.\n      The ministry, which considers two-monthly comparisons to be\n  a better guide to trends, said output in January and February\n  together fell around two pct against November and December.\n      The ministry said construction output fell 13-1\/2 pct in\n  January\/February against November\/December due to the cold\n  January weather. Output in the energy sector rose four pct and\n  mining output 10 pct.\n      Manufacturing industry's production fell 1-1\/2 pct in\n  January\/February compared with November\/December.\n      Within this sector, the output of both basic products and\n  of food, tobacco and alcohol fell 1-1\/2 pct. Production of\n  capital goods fell 2-1\/2 pct while output of consumer goods was\n  unchanged.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TOSHIBA REGRETS LINK WITH U.K. ACCESS ISSUE\n","article":"  Toshiba Corp <TSBA.T> said it regrets its\n  plan to enter the U.K. Business facsimile and telephone market\n  may be caught up in a diplomatic row over the position of Cable\n  and Wireless Plc's <CAWL.L> in the Japanese market.\n      Britain is considering how to retaliate against Japan's\n  attempt to prevent Cable and Wireless from taking a major\n  position in a Japanese international telecommunications\n  venture.\n      \"As a matter of timing it is regrettable that this has been\n  linked with the question of market access in Japan,\" a Toshiba\n  spokesman told Reuters.\n      <Toshiba Information Systems (U.K.) Ltd>, a Toshiba\n  subsidiary, said yesterday it planned to enter the U.K. Market\n  under the Toshiba own brand name and had applied for government\n  approval to do so.\n      Toshiba has supplied equipment to U.K. Manufacturers for\n  sale under their brand names since last year.\n      The Toshiba spokesman said the sale of such equipment was\n  not comparable to Cable and Wireless' efforts to take a stake\n  in the new Japanese telecommunications firm.\n      \"They are matters of a different category,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WESTPAC IN N.Z. RAISES INDICATOR LENDING RATE\n","article":"  Westpac Banking Corp in New Zealand\n  said it will increase its indicator lending rate by 1.5\n  percentage points to 22.5 pct from April 7.\n      Westpac said in a statement the increase reflects high\n  costs of funding.\n      The bank said nervousness in the wholesale deposit market\n  is creating uncertainty about the immediate outlook for\n  interest rates. Liquidity is expected to remain tight over the\n  next month and this will put upward pressure on interest rates.\n  Base lending indicator rates of the other three trading banks\n  range between 21.0 pct and 21.5 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF JAPAN INTERVENES JUST AFTER TOKYO OPENING\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan intervened just after\n  the Tokyo market opened, buying dollars at around 147.65 yen,\n  dealers said.\n      They were unsure of the amount of the central bank's\n  purchasing, but it seemed to prevent the dollar from weakening\n  against the yen amid bearish sentiment for the U.S. Currency,\n  they said.\n      The dollar opened at 147.65 yen against 147.20\/30 in New\n  York and 146.90 at the close here yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BUNDESBANK LEAVES CREDIT POLICIES UNCHANGED\n","article":"  The Bundesbank left credit policies\n  unchanged after today's regular meeting of its council, a\n  spokesman said in answer to enquiries.\n      The West German discount rate remains at 3.0 pct, and the\n  Lombard emergency financing rate at 5.0 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN WARNS OF ANTI-U.S. SENTIMENT IN TRADE ROW\n","article":"  Japan is sending a three-man team to\n  Washington to try to halt threatened trade sanctions that\n  officials warn could spark a wave of anti-U.S. Sentiment here.\n      The team will lay the groundwork for high-level emergency\n  talks next week aimed at defusing an increasingly bitter row\n  over trade in computer microchips, officials said.\n      \"The sanctions are against the free trade system,\" Ministry\n  of International Trade and Industry (MITI) director general\n  Noboru Hatakeyama told reporters, adding: \"If these measures are\n  taken, the atmosphere in Japan against the United States would\n  become not so good as before.\"\n      Other officials were more blunt. \"The U.S. Action will have\n  a significant impact on the growing anti-U.S. Feeling (here),\"\n  another MITI official said.\n      A senior Foreign Ministry official, who declined to be\n  identified, told Reuters the U.S. Threats have undercut those\n  in the government who argue for conciliation.\n      \"There is a very strong argument in Japan that since the\n  United States is imposing tariffs unilaterally, why should we\n  bother doing anything,\" he said. \"Anything we do, we will be\n  bashed.\"\n      The senior official sounded pessimistic about the\n  likelihood of Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone defusing U.S.\n  Anger over Japanese trade practices when he visits Washington\n  on April 29.\n      \"I don't think trade friction will be solved all of a sudden\n  (by the visit),\" he said.\n      Nakasone is widely expected to present a package of\n  measures to President Reagan to help contain U.S. Frustration\n  over Japan's large trade surplus.\n      But the senior official played down those expectations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN\/U.S. WILL BE AT ODDS WHILE TRADE LOPSIDED\n","article":"  Japan is doing all it can to solve its\n  trade problems with the United States but the two nations will\n  remain at odds as long as the trade account is lopsided in\n  Japan's favour, a senior official said.\n      \"So long as there is an external imbalance there will be\n  trade friction and ...Harsh words between the two governments,\"\n  the Foreign Ministry official told reporters.\n      Last year, Japan racked up a 51.5 billion dlr surplus with\n  the United States and economists said they do not see it\n  falling significantly any time soon.\n      Washington announced plans last week to slap up to 300 mln\n  dlrs in tariffs on Japanese electronic goods, raising the\n  spectre of a trade war between the two countries.\n      \"We take the current situation very seriously,\" said the\n  official, who declined to be identified. \"The basic stance of\n  the Japanese government is to tackle the issues with all\n  available resources.\"\n      The United States has accused Japan of reneging on an\n  agreement that called on it to stop selling cut-price computer\n  microchips in world markets and to try to import more American\n  semiconductors. Tokyo has denied the charges.\n      The Foreign Ministry official refused to rule out Japanese\n  retaliation if America went ahead with its threatened tariffs\n  in the middle of this month. But he said that any response\n  would be in accordance with international law and Japan's\n  international obligations.\n      He added that both Japan and the United States must take\n  account of the impact of their dispute on their own and the\n  world economy.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF FRANCE FOREIGN ASSETS RISE LATEST WEEK\n","article":"  Weekly figures published by the Bank of\n  France showed its gross foreign assets rose by about two\n  billion francs last week, when it was reported by banks to have\n  intervened on the foreign exchange markets to support the\n  dollar against the yen.\n      The figures showed its gold, foreign currency and other\n  external assets rose to 415.1 billion francs from 413 billion,\n  mainly reflecting a rise to 116.7 billion from 114.7 billion in\n  foreign exchange holdings.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANKAMERICA <BACP> RAISES PRIME RATE TO 7.75 PCT\n","article":"  BankAmerica Corp, following moves\n  by other major banks, said it has raised its prime rate to 7.75\n  pct from 7.50 pct, effective today.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LME DETAILS MARCH 1987 TURNOVER\n","article":"  The London Metal Exchange, LME, issued\n  turnovers for March 1987, with figures for corresponding period\n  1986 in brackets.\n      All in tonnes except Silver which in troy ounces.\n      Copper higher grade nil (2,526,425), Standard cathodes nil\n  (6,325), Grade A 2,429,200 (nil), Standard Copper 17,050 (nil),\n  Lead 443,850 (538,750), Zinc High grade 598,550 (304,825),\n  Silver large 10,350,000 (17,400,000), Small nil (2,000),\n  Aluminium 1,693,375 (1,301,850), Nickel 62,004 (65,040).\n      Cumulative figures for January-March were as follows -\n  Copper higher grade nil (7,703,625), Standard cathodes nil\n  (24,700), Grade A 6,455,525 (nil), Standard Copper 62,075\n  (nil), Lead 1,567,000 (1,979,750), Zinc High grade 1,746,675\n  (1,356,400), Silver large 41,770,000 (65,620,000), Small nil\n  (8,000), Aluminium 4,984,650 (4,974,950), Nickel 199,944\n  (179,328).\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEWS CORP <NWS> STARTS HARPER\/ROW <HPR> BID\n","article":"  News Corp Ltd of Australia said it has\n  started its previously announced tender offer for all shares of\n  Harper and Row Publishers Inc at 65 dlrs per share.\n      In a newspaper advertisement, the company said the offer is\n  conditioned on received of at least 51 pct of Harper and Row's\n  shares.  The offering and withdrawal rights expire April 29\n  unless extended.\n      A merger at the tender price is to follow the offer, which\n  has been approved by the Harper and Row board.  Harper and Row\n  has granted NEw Corp an option to buy up to 800,000 new shares\n  or a 15.4 pct interest at 65 dlrs each.\n      News Corp said if the merger agreement were terminated\n  under certain circumstances, News would be entitled to a 16 mln\n  dlr cash payment.\n      Last month, Theodore Cross offered to acquire Harper and\n  Row for 34 dlrs per share but was soon outbid by Harcourt Brace\n  Jovanovich Inc, which offered 50 dlrs per share.  Late in the\n  month, Harper and Row said its board had received expressions\n  of interest from a number of domestic and foreign companies.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY <ITX> SEES 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  International Technology corp\n  said it expects to report a loss for the fourth quarter ended\n  March 31 of about 20 cts per share, compared with a\n  year-earlier profit of 11 cts.\n      The company blamed the expected loss on regulatory and\n  permitting issues that limited the full utilization of\n  hazardous waste treatment cites in Califoirnia, continued\n  startup delays for major remediation projects, the writeoff of\n  an investment in a subsidiary and a settlem,ent with the\n  California Attorney General's Office and Department of Health\n  Services.\n      The company said the settlement relates to regulatory\n  violations alleged by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agengy\n  and the California Health Services department at the company's\n  Vine Hill and Panoche treatment facilities in Northern\n  California.\n      It said under the agreement, it will pay the state\n  2,100,000 dlrs in civil penalties over a two-year period and\n  pay 500,000 dlrs over five years to local medical facilities as\n  part of a community awareness and emergency response program\n  developed by local communities.  The expenses will be charged\n  against fourth quarter results, it said.\n      The company said it has agreed as well to make compliance\n  and public safety capital expenditures of about 600,000 dlrs.\n      It said it has now received an operating permit for a new\n  250,000 cubic yard landfill cell at its Imperial County,\n  Calif., from the Health Services department.\n      The company said the Panoche facility remains closed but is\n  expected to reopen for liquid and sludge receipts in the near\n  future.  But it said receipts of solid material, which had\n  accounted for the majority of the revenue at the site, could be\n  restricted until 1988 pending resolution of capacity issues in\n  the Panoche site permit.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WESTLB LUXEMBOURG REPORTS LOWER 1986 NET PROFIT\n","article":"  Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale\n  <WELG.F> said its wholly-owned Luxembourg subsidiary WestLB\n  International SA posted a decline in 1986 net profit to 12.6\n  mln marks from 48.5 mln a year earlier.\n      WestLB International will pay a 12.5 mln mark dividend to\n  WestLB, down from 47.7 mln a year earlier.\n      The dividend was lower than in 1985 because the record\n  profit of the previous year could not be repeated, due to\n  changed market conditions, it said. Increased funds were also\n  allocated for provisions. Business in the first three months of\n  1987 developed positively, it added.\n      WestLB International set aside 115.3 mln marks for\n  international credit risks in 1986, up from 97.4 mln marks in\n  1985, bringing the total amount of provisions shown in the\n  balance sheet to 580.3 mln marks.\n      Operating profit fell to 122 mln marks in 1986 from 150 mln\n  in 1985. Balance sheet total fell to 9.7 billion marks from\n  10.8 billion, reflecting the lower dollar and the fact that\n  credit business redemptions were not fully offset by new\n  lending.\n      The statement said WestLB International's business with\n  private customers showed a pleasing expansion last year.\n      This development was aided by cooperation between the bank\n  and the savings banks in the West German state of North\n  Rhine-Westphalia, where parent bank WestLB is based.\n      Deposits by non-banks rose more than 40 pct to a total of\n  1.1 billion.\n      WestLB International said it plans to expand its range of\n  services for private clients.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"40 MINERS TRAPPED BY FIRE IN GASPE COPPER MINE\n","article":"  Some 40 miners were trapped\n  underground today by a fire in a copper mine in the Gaspe area\n  of eastern Quebec, officials said.\n      There were no reports of any deaths.\n      A mine official said that the fire broke out last night and\n  about 25 of the miners made it to safety.\n      He said telephone contact had been established with the\n  trapped miners but they could not be brought to the surface\n  until the fire was extinguished.\n      The cause of the fire was not known.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"OTHER MILDS COFFEE PRODUCERS TO MEET MAY 4\n","article":"  Coffee producers belonging to the \"Other\n  Milds\" group will meet May 4 in Guatemala to discuss the\n  possibility of restoring export quotas, producer delegates told\n  reporters after the closing session of the International Coffee\n  Organization, ICO, executive board meeting.\n      The \"Other Milds\" group, comprising Costa Rica, Dominican\n  Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India,\n  Mexico, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea and Peru, might consult\n  with Brazil and Colombia on this meeting, but it was not\n  certain whether these two countries would attend, they said.\n      The ICO board meeting ended without moves to restart\n  negotiations on quotas, which broke down last month, producer\n  delegates said.\n      Producers are expected to hold other consultations in the\n  coming months on how to proceed with quota negotiations, but no\n  date for a full producer meeting has been mentioned, they said.\n      The board completed reports on stock verification and the\n  next regular board session will be in Indonesia June 1-5,\n  delegates said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<ALOHA INC> BUYOUT COMPLETED\n","article":"  Aloha Inc said its leveraged buyout by\n  AQ Corp, which acquired 91 pct of Aloha common and 82 pct of\n  Aloha preferred in a tender offer that concluded December 26,\n  has been completed for 28.50 dlrs per common or preferred\n  share.\n      AQ is controlled by Aloha chairman Hung Wo Ching, vice\n  chairman Sheridan C.F. Ing and president A. Maurice Myers.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN FURTHER 152 MLN STG HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had given the\n  money market a further 152 mln stg assistance in the afternoon\n  session.\n      This takes the Bank's total help so far today to 497 mln\n  stg and compares with its forecast of a shortage in the system\n  of around 700 mln stg which it earlier revised down from 800\n  mln.\n      The central bank made outright purchases of bank bills\n  comprising 34 mln stg in band one at 9-7\/8 pct, 39 mln stg in\n  band two at 9-13\/16 pct, 51 mln stg in band three at 9-3\/4 pct\n  and 28 mln stg in band four at 9-11\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" BANK OF FRANCE LEAVES INTERVENTION RATE UNCHANGED AT 7-3\/4 PCT - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n   BANK OF FRANCE LEAVES INTERVENTION RATE UNCHANGED AT 7-3\/4 PCT - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HONG KONG FIRM UPS WRATHER<WCO> STAKE TO 11 PCT\n","article":"  Industrial Equity (Pacific) Ltd, a\n  Hong Kong investment firm, said it raised its stake in Wrather\n  Corp to 816,000 shares, or 11.3 pct of the total outstanding\n  common stock, from 453,300 shares, or 6.3 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Industrial Equity, which is principally owned by Brierley\n  Investments Ltd, a publicly held New Zealand company, said it\n  bought 362,700 Wrather common shares between Feb 13 and 24 for\n  6.6 mln dlrs.\n      When it first disclosed its stake in Wrather earlier this\n  month, it said it bought the stock for investment purposes.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRENCH FREE MARKET CEREAL EXPORT BIDS DETAILED\n","article":"  French operators have requested licences\n  to export 422,000 tonnes of free market maize, 212,000 tonnes\n  of barley and 20,000 tonnes of feed wheat at today's EC tender,\n  trade sources said.\n      For the maize, rebates requested range between 129.25 and\n  138.74 European currency units per tonne, for the barley\n  between 138.94 and 145 Ecus and for feed wheat 141.75 Ecus.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF FRANCE LEAVES INTERVENTION RATE UNCHANGED\n","article":"  The Bank of France said it left its\n  intervention rate unchanged at 7-3\/4 pct when it injected funds\n  to the market against first category paper in todays money\n  market intervention tender.\n      Money market dealers had earlier expressed mixed views on a\n  possible quarter point cut.\n      The rate was last adjusted on March 9, when it was reduced\n  to 7-3\/4 pct from the eight pct rate set in January.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"NP ENERGY <NPEEQ> SAYS TRUSTEE APPOINTED\n","article":"  NP Energy Corp said the U.S.\n  Bankruptcy Court has indicated it will appoint a trustee to\n  oversee the company's Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.\n      It said it hopes the appointment will thwart \"hostile\"\n  actions being pursued by two unsecured creditors to whose\n  claims the company objects.\n      NP further said the Nielsen 1-20 well in Duchesne County,\n  Utah, has tested 300 barrels of oil per day.  NP owns a 61 pct\n  working interest.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CPC INTERNATIONAL <CPC> SELLS SOUTH AFRICAN UNIT\n","article":"  CPC International Inc\n  said it has completed the sale of its South African subsidiary\n  Robertsons Pty Ltd to a consortium of European and South\n  African investors for an undisclosed amount in excess of book\n  value due to the increasing difficulty of operating there.\n      It said the operation accounted for less than two pct of\n  worldwide sales of 4.5 billion dlrs in 1986.\n      The company said small royalties expected to result from\n  use of CPC trademarks by the new owners will be utilized for\n  social programs in south Africa.\"  It said no significant\n  impact on earnings is expected from the sale.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<GIANT YELLOWKNIFE MINES LTD> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 23 cts vs 46 cts\n      Net 987,000 vs 1,990,000\n      Revs 14.6 mln vs 15.0 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 89 cts vs 1.32 dlrs\n      Net 3,846,000 vs 5,690,000\n      Revs 58.1 mln vs 56.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NORTH EAST INSURANCE CO <NEIC> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 85 cts vs loss 1.36 dlrs\n      Net loss 1,653,386 vs loss 2,646,876\n      Year\n      Shr loss 12 cts vs loss 1.30 dlrs\n      Net loss 236,469 vs loss 2,522,293\n      NOTE: Year net includes realized investment gains of\n  734,609 dlrs vs 645,438 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. FIRST TIME JOBLESS CLAIMS ROSE IN WEEK\n","article":"  New applications for unemployment\n  insurance benefits rose to a seasonally adjusted 355,000 in the\n  week ended March 21 from 341,000 in the prior week, the Labor\n  Department said.\n      The number of people actually receiving benefits under\n  regular state programs totaled 2,480,000 in the week ended\n  March 14, the latest period for which that figure was\n  available.\n      That was up from 2,454,000 the previous week.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MELLON BANK EXPECTS TO REPORT A FIRST QUARTER LOSS OF 55 MLN TO 65 MLN DLRS\n","article":"\n  MELLON BANK EXPECTS TO REPORT A FIRST QUARTER LOSS OF 55 MLN TO 65 MLN DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FIRST CHICAGO <FNB> RAISES PRIME RATE\n","article":"  First Chicago Corp said its First\n  National Bank of Chicago raised its prime rate to 7-3\/4 pct\n  from 7-1\/2 pct, effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WILLCOX AND GIBBS INC <WG> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 42 cts vs 41 cts\n      Oper net 2,322,000 vs 1,785,000\n      Sales 72.3 mln vs 59.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,527,000 vs 4,355,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr 1.48 dlrs vs 1.40 dlrs\n      Oper net 7,637,000 vs 5,973,000\n      Sales 261.7 mln vs 224.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,165,000 vs 4,277,000\n      NOTE: 1985 operating net excludes gains of 1,523,000 dlrs,\n  or 35 cts a share, in quarter and 5,090,000 dlrs, or 1.19 dlrs\n  a share, in year from tax carryforwards\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MELLON BANK SAYS IT WILL CUT DIVIDEND TO 35 CTS A SHR FROM 69 CTS\n","article":"\n  MELLON BANK SAYS IT WILL CUT DIVIDEND TO 35 CTS A SHR FROM 69 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN BARRICK <ABX> SELLS OHIO ASSETS\n","article":"  American Barrick Resources Corp said it\n  sold two coal supply agreements and substantially all assets at\n  its two coal mines in Ohio to <Peabody Coal Co> of Henderson,\n  Kentucky, for an undisclosed price.\n      The company said proceeds from this sale, together with the\n  sale of the remaining coal assets, should allow it to fully\n  recover its investment in the operations.\n      It said the transactions will complete its previously\n  announced plan to sell all non-gold assets.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMERICA <CMCA> RAISES PRIME RATE\n","article":"  Comerica Inc said it raised its prime\n  interest rate to 7-3\/4 pct from 7-1\/2 pct, effective April 1.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NORTH EAST <NEIC> MAY VIOLATE CAPITAL RULES\n","article":"  North East Insurance Co said due\n  to the magnitude of its losses in 1986 and 1985, it may be\n  found in violation of minimum capital and surplus requirements\n  by officials in Maine and New York and be subject to sanctions\n  and administrative actions in those and other states.\n      The company today reported a 1986 loss of 236,469 dlrs,\n  after realized investment gains of 734,609 dlrs, compared with\n  a 1985 loss of 2,522,293 dlrs, after investment gains of\n  645,438 dlrs.  Its fourth quarter net loss was 1,653,386 dlrs,\n  compared with 2,646,876 dlrs.\n      The company said its fourth quarter and year losses\n  resulted from additions to loss reserves.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ELECTROMEDICS INC <ELMD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit nil vs loss three cts\n      Net profit 140,022 vs loss 882,869\n      Revs 13.3 mln vs 8,870,035\n      Avg shrs 45.0 mln vs 35.0 mln\n      Backlog 1,683,000 vs 978,000\n      NOTE: Current year net includes tax credit of 51,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ELECTROMEDICS <ELMD> TO TAKE 1ST QTR CHARGE\n","article":"  Electromedics Inc said it\n  expects to take a 150,000 dlr charge against first quarter\n  results due to the conversion of debentures.\n      The company said, however, it expects \"positive\" operating\n  comparisons for the period.  Electromedics lost 6,000 dlrs in\n  last year's first quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GE <GE> PROFIT OUTLOOK AIDED BY ENGINE ORDER\n","article":"  One of General Electric Co's biggest\n  businesses, aircraft engines, will ride a wave of increasing\n  profits into 1991 because of a new contract worth 650 mln dlrs,\n  Wall Street analysts said.\n      Previously, it was expected the business would peak and\n  decline at some point in the next five years. The improved\n  outlook results from AMR Corp's <AMR> decision to order 40 new\n  planes powered by CF6-80C2 GE engines.\n      \"Creative financial footwork helped GE get the order,\" said\n  Nicholas Heymann, analyst at Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc.\n      AMR declined to go into detail on financing arrangements\n  for its order of 15 Boeing Co <BA> and 25 <Airbus Industrie>\n  twinjet long distance aircraft.\n      But AMR said it was using \"rent-a-plane leases\" that allow\n  it to operate the aircraft without adding to its debt\n  structure. AMR also has the right to decline delivery of the\n  planes or return them on short notice. The arrangement protects\n  AMR in the case of an unexpected development such as a severe\n  downturn in the economy.\n      From GE's point of view the package looks like a good deal\n  for several reasons, Heymann said.\n      GE will be able to record revenue as a sale at the time of\n  delivery, Heymann noted.\n      And if for some reason AMR decides not to take the planes\n  GE's financial arm, General Electric Financial Services Inc,\n  would have little trouble rounding up another airline that\n  wanted the fuel efficient planes. On the whole, the deal\n  appears to pose little risk for GE, Heymann said.\n      GE's stock declined 1\/4 to 103-1\/2 on 625,000 shares by\n  midafternoon. H.P. Smith, analyst at Smith Barney, Harris Upham\n  and Co said for a 40 billion dlr (revenue) company \"no one\n  order will have much of an effect on the stock.\"\n      Russell Leavitt, analyst at Salomon Brothers Inc, said the\n  order \"will help to maintain a good level of production and\n  profitability in the aircraft engine business\" for GE.\n      Heymann sees operating profits from GE's jet engine\n  business rising from 870 mln dlrs last year to 1.3 billion dlrs\n  by 1991.\n      Revenue from jet engines was close to six billion dlrs last\n  year, with well over half of the business in the military\n  sector, according to analysts' estimates.\n      The rosy outlook for GE's jet engine business coincides\n  with an upbeat performance in other segments.\n      Heymann expects GE to earn 1.39 dlrs per share in the first\n  quarter of 1987. Saying many will be suprised by the results,\n  he believes GE has shown through its acquisition of RCA Corp\n  that it has a \"unique ability\" to buy a major business and\n  reshape it, pruning some parts and recombining parts with other\n  elements of its 14 business areas.\n      Smith sees GE earning 1.35 dlrs per share in the current\n  quarter. He credits good results at RCA, in turn aided by the\n  NBC broadcasting operation, and lower interest rates.\n      Leavitt sees 1.40 dlrs for the current quarter, in part\n  crediting \"significant benefits from the RCA acquisition.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SHELDAHL INC <SHEL> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 24 cts vs four cts\n      Net 663,000 vs 109,000\n      Sales 20.5 mln vs 13.9 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr 48 cts vs nine cts\n      Net 1,311,000 vs 255,000\n      Sales 43.2 mln vs 30.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,719,205 vs 2,804,048\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MELLON <MEL> SEES LARGE FIRST-QUARTER LOSS\n","article":"  Mellon Bank Corp said it expects\n  to report a loss for the first quarter in the range of 55 mln\n  to 65 mln dlrs or 2.13 to 2.15 dlrs a share.\n      The company also said it intends to reduce its second\n  quarter common stock dividend to 35 cts a share from 69 cts.\n      Mellon said it will make a provision for loan losses in the\n  first quarter of 175 mln dlrs, reflecting about 95 mln dlrs in\n  charge-offs and 80 mln dlrs in additions to the loan-loss\n  reserve.\n      It will also put 310 mln dlrs in Brazilian loans on a cash\n  basis, resulting in interest reversals of 10 mln dlrs.\n      In the first quarter of 1986, Mellon earned 60.4 mln dlrs\n  or 2.13 dlrs a share.\n      Chairman David Barnes said the loan charge-offs and\n  increased provisions address four areas of concern in the\n  bank's wholesale lending portfolio - the energy sector,\n  developing countries, some basic industrial companies and\n  several commercial real estate businesses.\n      Mellon said the loan loss reserve at the end of the first\n  quarter is estimated to be 575 mln dlrs, or about 2.5 pct of\n  the loan book, compared with 493.8 mln dlrs or 2.17 pct of\n  total loans at the end of 1986.\n      Mellon said its primary capital ratio at the end of the\n  first quarter will be in line with the end-1986 figure of 7.23\n  pct, well in excess of regulatory guidelines.\n      Non-performing loans at quarter-end are estimated at 1.45\n  billion dlrs, or 6.5 pct of the loan portfolio, compared with\n  928 mln dlrs or 3.94 pct at the end of 1986.\n      Barnes noted that Mellon has a bigger involvement in\n  energy-based lending than many other banks. Because of the lack\n  of a substantial recovery in energy prices this year,\n  especially in natural gas prices, it was felt prudent to\n  increase reserves and take losses on loans in this sector.\n      \"This action relates both to loans to companies directly\n  involved in energy, as well as loans to real estate developers,\n  home builders and financial institutions in the Southwestern\n  United States,\" Barnes said.\n      As for LDC loans, he said Mellon had removed about 80 mln\n  dlrs in fully current Argentine loans from cash basis but had\n  charged off about 20 mln dlrs in private-sector Mexican debt.\n      He said Mellon, which was ordered in December to quit\n  Brazil because of its refusal to renew some short-term credit\n  lines, expects to participate in efforts to helpt Brazil and\n  other sovereign borrowers to reschedule their debts.\n      Loans to basic industries were not major contributors to\n  the increase in non-performing assets or to first-quarter\n  charge offs, but Mellon said it remains concerned about the\n  absence of a strong recovery in steel and related industries.\n      The increase in reserves, the dividend cut and continued\n  management cost-cutting are aimed at ensuring that Mellon has\n  the financial strength to deal with current uncertainties,\n  Barnes said.\n      \"We cannot predict when the uncertainties that presently\n  trouble us will end, but we are confident we are managing them\n  aggressively,\" he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TURKISH CENTRAL BANK SETS LIRA\/DOLLAR, DM RATES\n","article":"  Turkey's Central Bank set a lira\/dollar\n  rate for April 3 of 782.50\/786.41 to the dollar, down from\n  780.00\/783.90. It set a lira\/D-mark rate of 428.30\/430.44 to\n  the mark, up from 429.15\/431.30.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 40 MLN STG LATE HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had provided\n  the money market with around 40 mln stg late assistance. This\n  takes the Bank's total help today to some 537 mln stg and\n  compares with its estimate of a 700 mln stg shortage.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KLOECKNER SEES FURTHER GROWTH IN ENGINEERING\n","article":"  Kloeckner-Werke AG\n  <KLKG.F> should have turnover this year around 1985\/86's 2.4\n  billion marks though more growth is likely in engineering in\n  coming years, management board chairman Herbert Gienow said.\n      He told a news conference at the trade fair here that by\n  the mid-1990s turnover should reach between six and seven\n  billion marks, mainly through acquisitions totalling \"several\n  hundred million marks.\"\n      Kloeckner reported in March higher profits in its\n  engineering sector which enabled it to raise profits by nearly\n  a third in the 1985\/86 year to 45.2 mln marks from 33.8 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CITIBANK SELLS MARK\/AUSTRALIAN DLR WARRANTS\n","article":"  Citicorp said that on behalf of its\n  Citibank N.A. Subsidiary, it is issuing 100,000 naked currency\n  warrants priced at 67-1\/2 marks each to purchase Australian\n  dlrs for marks at a rate of 1.1825 marks per Australian dlr.\n      The current rate is 1.2850 marks per Australian dlr. Each\n  warrant is for a nominal amount of 1,000 marks and the minimum\n  purchase will be for 100 warrants.\n      The warrants expire on January 8, 1988. Payment is due on\n  April 8 and the warrants will be listed on the Luxembourg Stock\n  Exchange.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FIRST FEDERAL FORT MYERS <FFMY> TO MAKE PURCHASE\n","article":"  First Federal Savings and Loan\n  Association of Fort Myers said its board has executed a letter\n  of intent to acquire First Presidential Savings and Loan\n  Association of Sarasota, Fla., for 8,500,000 dlrs in cash.\n      The company said a definitive agreement is expected to be\n  executed by May 15 and the transaction is expected to be\n  completed by year-end.\n      The purchase price is subject to an increase on a dollar\n  for dollar basis to the extent that the net worth of First\n  Presidentail exceeds 4,100,000 dlrs at the time of closing, the\n  company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ELI LILLY AND CO PLANS TO SELL ITS ELIZABETH ARDEN SUBSIDIARY\n","article":"\n  ELI LILLY AND CO PLANS TO SELL ITS ELIZABETH ARDEN SUBSIDIARY\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SAN DIEGO GAS <SDO> SEES DECISION HURTING NET\n","article":"  San Diego Gas and Electric Co said a\n  California Public Utilities Commission decision to reconsider\n  allowing only 20 mln dlrs of the 69 mln dlrs in San Onofre\n  nuclear station costs it disallowed makes it likely that\n  earnings in 1987 will be reduced at least 36 cts per share.\n      The company said if the decision to disallow the other 20\n  mln dlrs is not changed, earnings would be penalized by another\n  19 cts.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ELI LILLY <LLY> TO SELL ELIZABETH ARDEN UNIT\n","article":"  Eli Lilly and Co said its board\n  decided to sell Elizabeth Arden Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary\n  that manufactures and markets cosmetics and fine fragrance\n  products.\n      It said the business, which had sales of 67 mln dlrs when\n  it was acquired in 1971, had sales last year of 398 mln dlrs,\n  up 12 pct from 1985. It had operating profits of about 33 mln\n  dlrs in 1986.\n      Lilly said it retained Morgan Stanley and Co to help\n  evaluate offers.\n      Lilly said it expects to use the after-tax proceeds from\n  the sale of its cosmetics business for general corporate\n  purposes, including the repurchase from time to time of its\n  common stock or warrants on the open market.\n      In a statement, Lilly Chairman Richard Wood said \"This\n  strategic decision was reached on the basis of our belief that\n  in the future the corporation's resources, including its\n  research activities, should be focused on its other business\n  which have a high technology, life sciences orientation.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MADRID METRO HALTED AS SPANISH STRIKES SPREAD\n","article":"  An estimated 1.2 mln metro users in\n  Madrid were stranded today as striking railway workers halted\n  the underground transport system, industry sources said. The\n  strikers joined coal miners, steel and oil refinery workers in\n  Spain's latest wave of stoppages over wage demands.\n      Some 10,000 pitmen in the northern province of Leon entered\n  the second day of an indefinite stoppage to demand wage rises\n  and a five-day working week, the sources said.\n      Oil refinery workers picketed the state-owned Empresa\n  Nacional de Petroleo SA (EMP) to prevent fuel lorries leaving\n  the company's largest plant in Puertollano, central Spain.\n      Paramilitary police were guarding steel mills at Reinosa,\n  in northern Spain, from the daily protests against planned job\n  cuts. A local government official said the police force would\n  remain in place until tempers had cooled down.\n      More than 60 people were injured in pitched battles between\n  police and steel foundry workers in Reinosa last month.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BELGIAN UNEMPLOYMENT FALLS IN MARCH\n","article":"  Belgian unemployment, based on the\n  number of jobless drawing unemployment benefit, fell to 11.8\n  pct of the working population at the end of March from 12.1 pct\n  at end of February, the National Statistics Office said.\n      The rate compares with 12.0 pct at the end of March, 1986.\n      The total number of jobless stood at 495,208, compared with\n  508,392 in February and 504,652 in March last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KEY CENTURION <KEYC> COMPLETES ACQUISITIONS\n","article":"  Key Centurion Bancshares Inc\n  said it has completed the previously-announced acquisitions of\n  Union Bancorp of West Virginia Inc and Wayne Bancorp Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CB AND T <CBTB> COMPLETES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  CB and T Bancshares Inc said it\n  has completed the acquisition of First Community Bancshares Inc\n  Of Tifton, Ga., which as assets of 62 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COLOMBIA BUYS 25,000 TONNES FRENCH WHEAT - TRADE\n","article":"  Colombia recently bought 25,000 tonnes of\n  French soft wheat at 108 dlrs per tonne, c and f, for end-April\n  shipment, trade sources said.\n      This follows the country's tender for 25,000 tonnes of\n  optional origin wheat for shipment April 20-30, they said.\n      France had not sold wheat to Colombia for several years.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GENERAL PUBLIC UTILITIES RESUMES DIVIDENDS ON COMMON STOCK, PAYS 15 CTS\n","article":"\n  GENERAL PUBLIC UTILITIES RESUMES DIVIDENDS ON COMMON STOCK, PAYS 15 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT BUYS INTO ASTRA\n","article":"  The Zimbabwe government has bought 85 pct\n  of the equity in <Astra Corporation> for 25.5 mln dlrs from\n  Netherlands-based <Bommenede Houdstermaatschappij (Nederland\n  BV)>, Astra announced.\n      Astra owns five companies with interests in engineering,\n  paint manufacture and the distribution of farm machinery and\n  equipment, motor vehicles and earthmoving equipment.\n      The company is now locally controlled with 80 pct of its\n  equity owned by the government, 14 pct by the Dutch firm. A six\n  pct stake was donated to the Astra Corporation Workers' Trust\n  by the government and the Dutch company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UTILICORP RECOMMENDS THREE-FOR-TWO SPLIT, DIVIDEND INCREASE AND ADDITIONAL CLASS OF STOCK\n","article":"\n  UTILICORP RECOMMENDS THREE-FOR-TWO SPLIT, DIVIDEND INCREASE AND ADDITIONAL CLASS OF STOCK\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GPU <GPU> DECLARES FIRST DIVIDEND SINCE 1979\n","article":"  General Public Utilities Corp\n  said its board declared a dividend of 15 cts per share on\n  common stock, its first dividend since it omitted payment in\n  February 1980 as a result of the Three Mile Island nuclear\n  accident in 1979.\n      The company said it was able to declare the dividend due to\n  progress in the cleanup of Three Mile Island Unit Two.\n      A company spokesman said GPU expects to continue declaring\n  dividends on a quarterly basis, with the rate depending on the\n  progress of the cleanup and on other company operations.\n      GPU said the dividend is of \"modest size,\" representing\n  less than a third of the amount paid as a dividend by the\n  average electric utility.\n      \"As the operating companies need to return to the capital\n  markets for debt and preferred stock, this should tend to\n  produce lower cost and better terms,\" the company said.\n      The dividend is payable May 29 to holders of record April\n  24.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BRITTON LEE <BLII> SEES FIRST QUARTER LOSS\n","article":"  Britton Lee Inc said it\n  expects to report a loss on lower sales than it had anticipated\n  for the first quarter.\n      The company earned 119,000 dlrs before a 70,000 dlr tax\n  credit on sales of 7,227,000 dlrs in the year-ago period.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEW DUTCH SPECIAL ADVANCES UNCHANGED AT 5.3 PCT\n","article":"  The Dutch central bank announced new\n  12-day special advances at an unchanged rate of 5.3 pct to\n  cover money market tightness for the period April 3 to 15.\n       The amount will be set at tender on April 3 between 0700\n  and 0730 hours GMT.\n      The new facility replaces the current 4.2 billion guilders\n  of nine-day advances which expire tomorrow.\n      Money market dealers said the rate for the new advances was\n  in line with expectations. They added they expect the Bank to\n  allocate between 4.0 and 4.5 billion guilders.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC TO BOOST SPENDING ON JOB CREATION THIS YEAR\n","article":"  The European Community (EC) is to boost\n  spending to help the jobless this year.\n      The EC's executive commission said in a statement spending\n  on its so-called social fund would rise to 3.1 billion European\n  Currency Units from 2.5 billion ECUs in 1986. The fund is\n  designed to help boost job creation and improve worker\n  mobility, and supplement national schemes in the EC's 12 member\n  states.\n      Another 60 mln ECUs could be added if EC ministers switch\n  unused project credits to other programs, the Commission said.\n      Italy is the largest net beneficiary in 1987, getting 635\n  mln ECUs, with Britain in second place with 580 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JACOBS TAKES MAJORITY STAKE IN COTE D'OR\n","article":"  Jacobs Suchard AG said it acquired a\n  \"comfortable majority\" interest in its takeover bid for Cote d'Or\n  SA, Belgium's leading producer of chocolate.\n      In a statement, Jacobs said it had acquired all the shares\n  tendered by the time its offer expired on March 30. The offer,\n  for 100 pct of Cote d'Or at 8,050 Belgian francs per ordinary\n  share, was agreed with the Belgian firm's board.\n      A Jacobs spokesman declined to specify the size of the\n  majority stake and said Jacobs had not decided what it would do\n  about acquiring the outstanding shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"YEUTTER SAYS U.S. SHOULD STRESS TRADE NEGOTIATIONS AS LONG-TERM U.S. TRADE POLICY\n","article":"\n  YEUTTER SAYS U.S. SHOULD STRESS TRADE NEGOTIATIONS AS LONG-TERM U.S. TRADE POLICY\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOLIDAY <HIA> RECAPITALIZATION APPROVED\n","article":"  Holiday Corp said the New Jersey\n  Casino Control Commission has approved its recapitalization\n  plan, providing the final regulatory approval needed.\n      The company said it expects to announce next week the\n  record date for the special 65 dlr per share dividend\n  shareholders will receive under the plan and to pay the\n  dividend during the month of April, with the exact timing\n  depending on the closing of financing arrangements.\n      Holiday operates Harrah's Marina Hotel and Casino in\n  Atlantic City, N.J.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COMP-U-CARD INTERNATIONAL INC <CUCD> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  January 31 end\n      Oper shr profit 16 cts vs loss six cts\n      Oper net profit 2,879,000 vs loss 958,000\n      Revs 41.9 mln vs 24.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 18.2 mln vs 15.8 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 49 cts vs profit 18 cts\n      Oper net profit 8,660,000 vs profit 2,832,000\n      Revs 141.8 mln vs 87.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 17.8 mln vs 15.8 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes extraordinary tax charge 156,000 dlrs vs\n  credit 2,257,000 dlrs in quarter and credits 1,041,000 dlrs vs\n  3,589,000 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"YEUTTER STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF TRADE TALKS\n","article":"  U.S. Trade Representative Clayton\n  Yeutter stressed the importance of trade negotiations to open\n  foreign markets rather than trade restrictions in a statement\n  to the Senate Finance Committee.\n      \"In the long term we cannot repeatedly bludgeon other\n  nations into opening their markets with threats of U.S.\n  restrictions. Rather, we must be able to negotiate credibly for\n  global liberalization,\" Yeutter said.\n      Yeutter did not mention the recent U.S. trade sanctions\n  against Japanese semiconductors in his testimony on the pending\n  trade bill.\n      Yeutter said the trade bill should increase U.S.\n  competitiveness, aid U.S. trade negotiating leverage, and avoid\n  provoking foreign retaliation.\n      He urged Congress to reject provisions that would mandate\n  U.S. retaliation against foreign unfair trade practices.\n      Yeutter emphasized the importance of the new multilateral\n  trade negotiating round and called on Congress to quickly\n  approve an extension of U.S. negotiating authority.\n      \"We want to open foreign markets and establish and enforce\n  rules of international competition, not foster dependence on\n  protection and subsidies,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC MUST EXPLAIN FARM POLICY TO U.S., FRANCE SAYS\n","article":"  The U.S. and the European Community could\n  enter into a new trade dispute unless urgent action is taken to\n  explain EC farm policy to the U.S. Congress, French official\n  sources said.\n      They said Prime Minister Jacques Chirac planned to urge EC\n  Commission president Jacques Delors to send a team of experts\n  to Washington as soon as possible.\n      Chirac returned to Paris this morning after three days of\n  talks in New York and Washington in which trade and\n  protectionism featured prominently.\n      At the centre of the new trade tension is an EC Commission\n  proposal to tax vegetable oils, the sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CENTRONICS CORP <CEN> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 11 cts vs loss 36 cts\n      Oper net loss 2,383,000 vs loss 4,285,000\n      Total income 2,194,000 vs nil\n      NOTE: Resultes restated for discontinued operations and\n  exclude discontinued operations loss 5,755,000 dlrs vs gain\n  4,933,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"FRENCH EXPORTERS SEE HIGHER WHEAT SALES TO CHINA\n","article":"  French exporters estimated that around\n  600,000 tonnes of French soft wheat has been sold to China for\n  delivery in the 1986\/87 (July\/June) year.\n      Around 300,000 tonnes were exported to China between July\n  1986 and February this year.\n      Another 100,000 to 150,000 tonnes will be shipped during\n  this month and around the same amount in April, they said.\n      France sold around 250,000 tonnes of soft wheat to China in\n  1985\/86, according to customs figures.\n      However, certain exporters fear China may renounce part of\n  its contract with France after being offered one mln tonnes of\n  U.S. soft wheat under the Export Enhancement Program in January\n  and making some purchases under the initiative.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SANDSPORT DATA SERVICES INC <SAND> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Feb 28 end\n      Shr nil vs nil\n      Net 132,804 vs 53,510\n      Revs 2,001,107 vs 1,467,742\n      Avg shrs 73.9 mln vs 56.7 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr nil vs nil\n      Net 302,316 vs 171,034\n      Revs 5,230,014 vs 4,112,562\n      Avg shrs 74.4 mln vs 56.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NORTH CAROLINA FEDERAL <NCFS> RAISES PRIME RATE\n","article":"  North Carolina Federal Savings\n  and Loan Association said it has raised its prime rate to 7-3\/4\n  pct from 7-1\/2 pct, effective yesterday, following moves by\n  major banks.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HEALTH IMAGES INC <HIMG> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss one ct vs loss seven cts\n      Net profit 108,419 vs loss 241,192\n      Revs 2,044,882 vs 317,266\n      Year\n      Shr loss 18 cts vs loss 23 cts\n      Net loss 430,027 vs loss 432,982\n      Revs 5,088,065 vs 416,777\n      NOTE: Share after preferred dividends.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SHELL CANADA SEES BETTER PROFIT, LOWER SPENDING\n","article":"  <Shell Canada Ltd>, 72 pct\n  owned by Royal Dutch\/Shell Group, anticipates an improved level\n  of earnings in 1987, assuming a continuation of prices and\n  margins that existed at the end of 1986 and early 1987, the\n  company said in the annual report.\n      Shell previously reported 1986 operating profit fell to 130\n  mln dlrs, excluding a 24 mln dlr unusual gain, from 146 mln\n  dlrs in the prior year.\n      The company also said 1987 capital and exploration spending\n  of 420 mln dlrs will be 160 mln dlrs lower than last year, due\n  to the uncertain short-term outlook.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UTILICORP <UCU> SEEKS TO SPLIT STOCK\n","article":"  Utilicorp United Inc said its\n  management is recommending to the board of directors a\n  three-for-two stock split and an increase in the quarterly cash\n  dividend rate, currently at 37 cts per common share.\n      The company said it is also submitting to shareholders at\n  its May 21 annual meeting a proposal authorizing an additional\n  class of common stock.\n      Utilicorp said the board of directors will vote on the\n  split at its next regularly scheduled board meeting on May 6.\n      It added that its semi-annual four pct stock dividend will\n  not change.\n      Utilicorp said the proposal to create a new class of stock,\n  if approved, will authorize 20 mln shares of Class A common\n  stock with a par value of one dlr.\n      The stock could be issued in various series with terms,\n  rights and preferences designated by the board in each\n  instance, Utilicorp said.\n      The company said the new stock is intended to enhance\n  Utilicorp's ability to carry out future financings,\n  investments, acquisitions or for other corporate purposes.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BANK OF SPAIN GOVERNOR SAYS MONEY GROWTH TOO FAST\n","article":"  Bank of Spain governor Mariano Rubio said\n  the central bank was worried that money supply was growing too\n  fast, reflecting excessive internal demand in the Spanish\n  economy, but added that he was confident recent measures would\n  succeed in restricting money growth.\n      In testimony to the economic commission of Congress, Rubio\n  said the main measure of money supply, the broad-based Liquid\n  Assets in Public Hands, grew at an estimated annualised rate of\n  17 pct in March, the same as in February.\n      The bank's target range for growth in this measure in 1987\n  is 6.5 to 9.5 pct, compared with 11.4 pct last year.\n      Rubio said he was aiming for the lower end of the range.\n      He added that real GDP growth of three pct in 1986 was due\n  to a six pct increase in real internal demand and a three pct\n  real drop in the contribution of the external sector.\n      The aim for 1987 was for the same real growth in GDP but a\n  drop in the internal contribution to 4.5 pct with the negative\n  component of the external sector trimmed to 1.5 pct, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN REALTY <ARB> SETS RECORD DATE FOR OFFER\n","article":"  American Realty Trust said its board has\n  set April 3 as the record date for its previously announced\n  rights offering, and the rights will be issued on April 6 and\n  expire May 22.\n      Shareholders will be able to subscribe for 1.25 shares for\n  each share held, at a price of 3.75 dlrs per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BUCKHORN INC <BKN> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 1.24 dlrs vs profit 19 cts\n      Oper net loss 1,965,000 vs profit 646,000\n      Revs 10.5 mln vs 11.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,741,000 vs 3,581,000\n      12 mths\n      Oper shr loss 1.55 dlrs vs profit 42 cts\n      Oper net loss vs profit 2,051,000 vs 1,492,000\n      Revs 42.9 mln vs 45.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,816,000 vs 3,581,000\n      NOTE: prior qtr excludes loss 229,000, or seven cts per\n  share, for discontinued operations.\n      1986 qtr excludes 159,000 extraodinary loss.\n      Excludes loss 293,000, or 16 cts per share, for 1986 and\n  gain 651,000, or 18 cts per share, for 1985 for discontinued\n  operations.\n      Excludes loss 256,000 for 1986 net for extraordinary item.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CARTER-WALLACE INC <CAR> SETS REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 20 cts vs 20 cts prior\n      Pay June 1\n      Record April 16\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC SETS EXPORT LICENCES ON 20,000 TONNES MAIZE\n","article":"  The European Community Commission awarded\n  export licences for 20,000 tonnes free market French maize at a\n  maximum export rebate of 129.40 European currency units (Ecus)\n  per tonne, trade sources said here.\n      All requests for export licences for free market feed wheat\n  and barley were rejected, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PAKISTAN TO TENDER FOR RBD PALM OLEIN TOMORROW\n","article":"  Pakistan will tender tomorrow for 12,000\n  tonnes of refined bleached deodorised palm olein tomorrow,\n  split in two equal cargo lots for first and second half April\n  shipments, traders said.\n      The tender will be financed with Islamic Development Bank\n  credit.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USDA DENIES CHANGES IN TEXAS GULF DIFFERENTIALS\n","article":"  No changes have been made or are\n  being planned in the Agriculture Department's calculation of\n  price differentials between interior grain locations and the\n  Texas Gulf, a senior USDA official said.\n      Ralph Klopfenstein, USDA deputy administrator for commodity\n  operations, told Reuters, \"We do not anticipate any changes to\n  be made\" in the Texas Gulf differentials used to calculate\n  posted county prices for corn.\n      \"We do not relate the Texas Gulf structure with the\n  Louisiana Gulf structure at all. It's a totally different\n  situation,\" he said.\n      Rumors had circulated through the market this morning that\n  USDA had widened Texas Gulf differentials in a similar manner\n  to last weekend's adjustments with the Louisiana Gulf.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":" Lawson says his sterling target comments were misunderstood, and insignificant\n","article":"\n   Lawson says his sterling target comments were misunderstood, and insignificant\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"J.P. MORGAN <JPM> INCREASES PRIME RATE\n","article":"  J.P. Morgan and Co Inc said it is\n  raising its prime lending rate to 7-3\/4 pct from 7-1\/2 pct,\n  effective today.\n      Most major U.S. banks are now posting a 7-3\/4 pct rate.\n  Citibank was the first to announce an increase on Tuesday.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LAWSON SAYS HIS STERLING-TARGET COMMENTS WERE MISUNDERSTOOD AND INSIGNIFICANT\n","article":"\n  LAWSON SAYS HIS STERLING-TARGET COMMENTS WERE MISUNDERSTOOD AND INSIGNIFICANT\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COLECO INDUSTRIES INC <CLO> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss 6.48 DLS VS PROFIT 23 CTS\n      Net loss 110.6 mln vs profit 4.1 mln\n      Revs 74.0 mln vs 152.0 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 6.52 dlrs vs profit 3.87 dlrs\n      net loss 111.2 mln vs profit 64.2 mln\n      Revs 501.0 mln vs 776.0 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BUCKHORN INC <BKN> SEES HIGHER PROFITS IN 1987\n","article":"  Buckhorn Inc said itd nine\n  million dlr backlog for orders and a less expensive operating\n  environment should yield significant levels of operating\n  profits for 1987.\n      Buckhorn, a manufacturer of reusable plastic shipping and\n  storage containers, recorded 2,051,000, or 1.55 dlrs per share,\n  operating net loss for 1986.\n      Buckhorn said the year's results included a 4,250,000\n  non-recurring expense incurred to complete major restructuring\n  efforts and to defend against the hostile tender offer from\n  Ropak Corporation.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ALCAN, BERTONE MAKE ALUMINUM STRUCTURE CAR\n","article":"  Alcan Aluminium Ltd said it joined with\n  Carrozzeria Bertone S.P.A. to exhibit Alcan's technology in\n  aluminum structured vehicles at Geneva's international auto\n  salon.\n      Alcan said it and Bertone have built several Bertone X1\/9\n  sports cars with structures of adhesively bonded sheet\n  aluminum. It said the bodies were made on presses used for\n  Bertone's steel-structured sports cars.\n      Alcan said two of the cars are currently being tested in\n  Britain by the Motor Industry Research Association.\n       Alcan said it has developed and tested the aluminum\n  structure technology so that it is suitable for modern auto\n  making methods and plants.\n      Alcan said the technology, which reduces the weight of a\n  car's basic structure by up to 50 pct, can improve handling and\n  performance and reduce fuel consumption for any size car. It\n  said the structures also provide long life without the need for\n  rust protection.\n      The structure provides the same stiffness and safety as\n  present materials, while continuously bonded seams allow a 65\n  pct reduction in spot welds, Alcan said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CCR VIDEO 1ST QTR NOV 30 NET\n","article":"  Shr 2-1\/5 cts vs nil\n      Net 156,726 vs 11,989\n      Sales 1,157,883 vs 890,138\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DEL E. WEBB INVESTMENT <DWPA> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr eight cts vs 16 cts\n      Net 188,000 vs 354,000\n      Revs 538,000 vs 594,000\n      Year\n      Shr 31 cts vs 28 cts\n      Net 692,000 vs 617,000\n      Revs 2,640,000 vs 906,000\n      (Del E. Webb Investment Properties Inc)\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 104,000 TONNES OF  CORN SOLD TO UNKNOWN DESTINATIONS FOR 1986\/87\n","article":"\n  U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 104,000 TONNES OF  CORN SOLD TO UNKNOWN DESTINATIONS FOR 1986\/87\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"F.W. WOOLWORTH'S <Z> 1986 PROFITS RISE 21 PCT\n","article":"  The specialty retailing area continues\n  to pay off for F.W. Woolworth Co, once known only as a five and\n  dime store chain, which said its 1986 income rose 21 pct.\n      It was the fourth consecutive year of profit increases for\n  the New York-based retailer which was founded over 100 years\n  ago.\n      Woolworth's 1986 income rose to 214 mln dlrs or 3.25 dlrs\n  per share compared with 1985's profit of 177 mln or 2.75 dlrs\n  per share. Revenues for the year rose to 6.50 billion compared\n  with the prior year's 5.96 billion.\n      For the fourth quarter, the company reported profits rose\n  10 pct to 117 mln dlrs or 1.78 dlrs per share compared with\n  1985 fourth quarter results of 106 mln or 1.64 dlrs per share.\n  Revenues rose to 2.02 billion from 1.85 billion dlrs.\n      Roy Garofalo, Woolworth vice president, told Reuters that\n  income generated by the company's specialty store operations\n  accounted for 52 pct of the parent company's 1986 profits.\n      He said the company now has 4,700 specialty stores\n  operating under 30 different names. Woolworth plans to open 650\n  more specialty stores in 1987. At this time last year, it\n  operated 4,100 specialty stores, Garofalo said.\n      Garofalo said the largest specialty chain operated by\n  Woolworth is Kinney Shoe Stores, followed by the Richman\n  apparel unit. Among other units are Little Folk Shop, a chain\n  of discount children's apparel stores; The Rx Place, a discount\n  drug, health and beauty aid operation; and Face Fantasies,\n  which sells cosmetics. There are currently about 1,700\n  Woolworth general merchandise stores operating worldwide, of\n  which 1,200 are in the United States.\n      Harold Sells, chairman and chief executive of Woolworth,\n  said in a statement, \"These results are especially gratifying as\n  they are an improvement over last year's record earnings.\"\n      Sells that it was the fourth successive year earnings in\n  each quarter improved over the corresponding year-earlier\n  period.\n      Woolworth's variety store operations were hard hit in the\n  1970's and early 1980's by the quickly growing discount store\n  industry. In an attempt to compete in the 1970's, Woolworth\n  opened a discount general store chain, Woolco, and J. Brannam,\n  a discount apparel chain. Both were failures in the United\n  States, although Woolco still operates in Canada.\n      In 1985, however, Woolworth changed its strategy and\n  announced that it would operate specialty stores. At that time,\n  the company said it would create 14 new groups of such stores.\n  Specialty stores generally have higher sales per square foot\n  than general merchandise stores.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DIAMOND SHAMROCK (DIA) CUTS CRUDE PRICES\n","article":"  Diamond Shamrock Corp said that\n  effective today it had cut its contract prices for crude oil by\n  1.50 dlrs a barrel.\n      The reduction brings its posted price for West Texas\n  Intermediate to 16.00 dlrs a barrel, the copany said.\n      \"The price reduction today was made in the light of falling\n  oil product prices and a weak crude oil market,\" a company\n  spokeswoman said.\n      Diamond is the latest in a line of U.S. oil companies that\n  have cut its contract, or posted, prices over the last two days\n  citing weak oil markets.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ROYAL RESOURCES CORP <RRCO> 2ND QTR DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 72 cts vs loss 1.48 dlrs\n      Net loss 4,466,006 vs loss 9,091,688\n      Revs 608,181 vs 1,280,727\n      Six Mths\n      Shr loss 77 cts vs loss 1.51 dlrs\n      Net loss 4,752,455 vs loss 9,265,457\n      Revs 1,444,149 vs 2,791,188\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANADA ECONOMY EXPECTED TO GROW MODERATELY\n","article":"  Canadian economic growth is expected to\n  slow further in 1987, but an improved the trade picture should\n  keep the country from recession, economists said.\n      \"The economy is ready for about a 2.0 pct rate of growth\n  over the course of 1987,\" said Carl Beigie, Chief Economist at\n  Dominion Securities Pitfield Ltd.\n      Statistics Canada reported that gross domestic product,\n  grew 3.1 pct in 1986, the fourth year of continuous expansion,\n  but down from 1985's four pct.\n      In the final quarter, GDP, in 1981 prices and at annualized\n  rates, rose a slight 0.2 pct after expanding 0.8 pct in the\n  third quarter.\n      \"Essentially it is a flat performance,\" said Warren Jestin,\n  deputy chief economist at the Bank of Nova Scotia.\n      Economist Wendy Smith Cork of the brokerage Nesbitt Thomson\n  Bongard Inc said \"it shows the economy is not moving along very\n  steadily, it's not a very promising number.\"\n      \"We weren't surprised, we expected to see one bad quarter\n  in Canada, but we don't think there will be a recession,\" she\n  added.\n      The rise in GDP was below the 3.3 pct increase forecast by\n  Federal Finance Minister Michael Wilson in his budget last\n  month. He also projected the economy would expand  2.8 pct this\n  year.\n      Many economists are less optimistic, predicting growth will\n  likely be in the 2.0 to 2.2 pct range.\n      Statistics Canada also reported the country's trade\n  performance deteriorated sharply last year as the deficit in\n  the current account rose to a record 8.8 billion Canadian dlrs\n  from the previous year's shortfall of 584 mln dlrs.\n      \"The sharp increase in the deficit originated from\n  merchandise trade transactions where imports continued to\n  advance strongly whereas exports were virtually unchanged,\" the\n  federal agency said in a statement.\n      The merchandise trade surplus was pared to 10.13 billion\n  dlrs in 1986 from 17.48 billion dlrs in 1985.\n      But economist Cork said the expected upturn in the U.S.\n  economy will lead to increased demand for Canadian goods, and\n  help fuel the country's modest expansion. Nearly 80 pct of\n  Canada's exports are shipped to the U.S. each year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COOPER BASIN NATURAL GAS RESERVES UPGRADED\n","article":"  Remaining recoverable gas reserves in\n  the areas held by the Santos Ltd <STOS.S>-led Cooper Basin\n  joint ventures have been upgraded to 2,721.7 billion cubic feet\n  (bcf) from the 2,466 estimated last May, Santos said.\n      The upgrading followed a re-review by consultant <Coles\n  Nikiforuk Pennell Associates> in light of the large number of\n  gas finds since May 1986, Santos said in a statement.\n      This means that total contractual commitments of 2,455.5\n  bcf to <The Australian Gas Light Co> of New South Wales and the\n  Pipeline Authority of South Australia can be met with spare gas\n  available for sale in South Australia, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"USDA REPORTS CORN SOLD SOLD TO UNKNOWN\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department said\n  private U.S. exporters reported sales of 104,000 tonnes of corn\n  to unknown destinations for shipment in the 1986\/87 marketing\n  year.\n      The marketing year for corn began September 1, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ANZ BANK TO CUT AUSTRALIAN PRIME RATE TO 18 PCT\n","article":"  Australia and New Zealand Banking\n  Group Ltd <ANZA.S> said it will lower its Australian prime\n  lending rate to 18 pct from 18.25, effective April 6.\n      The cut is the second announced by the bank in the last\n  week, following a cut from 18.5 pct effective last Monday.\n      The ANZ's new rate will be the lowest prime set by the four\n  major trading banks and matches the rate set by one of the\n  smaller foreign banks in January and left unchanged during the\n  rise in primes over the last three months.\n      Other primes range from 18.25 to 18.5 pct, including those\n  of the other three majors.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ANZ BANK IN N.Z. RAISES INDICATOR LENDING RATE\n","article":"  The Australia and New Zealand Banking\n  Group Ltd in New Zealand said it will raise its indicator\n  lending rate to 23 pct from 21.5 pct on April 7.\n      A bank statement said the continuing rise in the cost of\n  funds had to be passed on to the lending customers.\n      ANZ managing director Brian Weeks said: \"Recent developments\n  in the money markets are of deep concern to all participants\n  ... Market participants are understandably nervous and cautious\n  about future developments.\n      These include flows to and from the government relating to\n  the privatisation of seven government departments on April 1.\n      \"We welcome the flexibility evident in the Reserve Bank's\n  move to raise the system cash target yesterday, but feel that\n  to reduce the present nervousness the cash target and primary\n  liquidity level need to be raised further...,\" he said.\n      The Reserve Bank has raised its daily cash target to 45 mln\n  N.Z. Dlrs from its normal 30 mln dlrs.\n      Call rates have traded as high as 65 pct this week because\n  of business year-end March 31 balance date book squaring.\n      Westpac Banking Corp in New Zealand announced yesterday it\n  would increase its indicator lending rate by 1.5 percentage\n  points to 22.5 pct on April 7.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN\/U.S. AGRICULTURE TALKS SET FOR APRIL 17, 20\n","article":"  Agriculture Minister Mutsuki Kato said he\n  will meet U.S. Agriculture Secretary Richard Lyng here on April\n  17 and 20 to discuss bilateral farm trade issues. Lyng will\n  visit Tokyo from April 16 to 27.\n      Kato told reporters after a cabinet meeting all topics ofconcern to the U.S. Will be discussed, such as trade in beef\n  \n  and oranges and import controls on farm products. He said\n  Shintaro Abe, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's executive\n  council chairman, would propose some unspecified measures in\n  response to demands to ease import controls on U.S. Farm\n  products. Kato declined to give any details.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NEW DUTCH ADVANCES TOTAL 4.1 BILLION GUILDERS\n","article":"  The Duth Central bank said it accepted\n  bids totalling 4.086 billion guilders at tender for the new\n  twelve-day special advances at an unchanged 5.3 pct.\n      Bids up to 30 mln guilders were met in full, amounts above\n  at 40 pct.\n      The new advances, covering the period April 3 to 15,\n  replace the current 4.2 billion guilder nine-day facility at\n  5.3 pct, which expires today.\n      Money market dealers said the total amount allocated was in\n  line with expectations and would be sufficient to cover the\n  money market shortage for the duration of the facility.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GERMAN MARCH UNADJUSTED JOBLESS FALLS\n","article":"  West German unemployment, unadjusted\n  for seasonal factors, fell to 2.41 mln in March from 2.49 mln\n  in February, the Federal Labour Office said.\n      The total represents 9.6 pct of the workforce compared with\n  10.0 pct in February.\n      The seasonally adjusted jobless total rose, however, in\n  March to 2.23 mln from 2.18 mln in February, it added.\n      In March last year the unadjusted unemployment total stood\n  at 2.45 mln and represented 9.8 pct of the workforce.\n  Seasonally adjusted unemployment was 2.29 mln.\n      The Federal Labour Office said the number of workers on\n  short time rose by 80,629 to 462,802 and the number of\n  vacancies increased by 15,263 to 180,047.\n      Labour Office President Heinrich Franke, announcing the\n  figures, said the hesitant decline in the unadjusted jobless\n  total reflected continuing bad weather, slack activity in the\n  capital goods sector and structural changes in the coal and\n  steel industry.\n      In a separate statement, the Federal Statistics Office said\n  the rise in the overall number of people in employment had\n  slowed in February.\n      The Office said that, according to estimates for February,\n  25.7 mln people were in work, a rise of around 240,000 or 0.9\n  pct compared with the same month in 1986.\n      It noted that in January the year-on-year rise was 250,000\n  or 1.0 pct and the number in work stood at 25.78 mln. The\n  decline in February compared with January reflected seasonal\n  factors, it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET DEFICIT FORECAST AT 700 MLN STG\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it has forecast\n  a shortage of around 700 mln stg in the system today.\n      Among the main factors, maturing assistance and take-up of\n  treasury bills will drain 546 mln stg, bills for repurchase by\n  the market 76 mln, a rise in note circulation 310 mln and\n  bankers balances below target 105 mln.\n      The outflow will be partly offset by 340 mln stg exchequer\n  transactions.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PORLA CRUDE PALM OIL TRADE REPORT FOR APRIL 2\n","article":"  The Palm Oil Registration and\n  Licensing Authority (PORLA) reports trade in crude palm oil\n  (cpo) on April 2 as follows in ringgit per tonne delivered\n  unless stated.\n      April 752.50 south and central 751 north average 752.50\n  down 6.50. May 750 south down 11.\n      Refined palm oil traded in bulk US dlrs per tonne fob. RBD\n  palm oil May 320. RBD palm olein April 336 May 337.50 June 337.\n  RBD palm stearin May 275.\n      The cpo market was lower in light trading, with April\n  traded between 747.50 and 755 ringgit per tonne.\n      The refined palm oil market was slightly easier and April\n  delivery of RBD palm olein to Singapore traded at 856.50\n  ringgit per tonne.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN ISSUES MORE CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT\n","article":"  The Central Bank issued 5.65 billion dlrs\n  worth of certificates of deposit (CDs), boosting CD issues so\n  far this year to 147.58 billion, a bank spokesman told Reuters.\n      The new CDs, with maturities of six months, one year and\n  two years, carry interest rates ranging from 4.07 pct to 5.12\n  pct, he said.\n      The issues are intended to help curb the growth of the M-1b\n  money supply which has grown as a result of increasing foreign\n  exchange reserves.\n      The reserves hit a record 53 billion U.S. Dlrs last month.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MIM COMPLETES PART OF NORDDEUTSCHE AFFINERIE BUY\n","article":"  MIM Holdings Ltd <MIMA.S> said it has\n  issued 23.33 mln shares to Preussag AG <PRSG.F> to complete the\n  previously announced purchase of 20 pct of <Norddeutsche\n  Affinerie AG> from Preussag.\n      Terms of the acquisition of 10 pct of Norddeutsche\n  Affinerie from Degussa AG <DGSG.F> are currently being\n  resolved, MIM said in a statement.\n      Norddeutsche Affinerie will then be owned 40 pct by\n  Metallgesellschaft AG <METG.F> and 30 pct each by MIM and\n  Degussa, but MIM said it and Metallgesellschaft are proposing a\n  further arrangement to give them 35 pct each.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DANISH UNEMPLOYMENT FALLS TO 7.8 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Denmark's seasonally adjusted\n  unemployment rate fell to 7.8 pct of the workforce in February\n  from 7.9 pct in January, against 7.9 pct in February 1986, the\n  National Statistics Office said.\n      The total number of unemployed in February was 213,200\n  against 215,700 in January and 216,600 in February, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EUROPEAN SOY\/FEED MARKET OPENS QUIETLY\n","article":"  Meals and feed on a cif Rotterdam\n  basis opened quietly this morning with mixed to slighlty firmer\n  seller indications compared with yesterday's midday levels,\n  market sources said.\n      Early buying interest was low despite a weaker dollar\n  against European currencies, they added. No trades were\n  reported so far.\n      US soymeal indicated between unchanged and one dlr a tonne\n  lower compared with yesterday. Brazilian soymeal pellets were\n  offered between one dlr lower and one higher, while Argentines\n  indicated up to two dlrs a tonne higher than yesterday.\n      Cornglutenfeed pellets were indicated between unchanged and\n  one dlr lower, while citruspulp pellets were offered at\n  slightly firmer levels compared with yesterday midday.\n      Seller indications for sunmeal pellets were between one dlr\n  higher and 0.50 dlrs lower than yesterday, while linseed\n  expellers were up to two dlrs above yesterday's midday levels.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PAKISTANI DECISION WILL HURT KENYAN TEA EXPORTS\n","article":"  Pakistan's decision to suspend tea\n  import licences will hurt Kenyan tea exports in the short term\n  while exporters seek new markets, sources close to Nairobi\n  broking houses and exporters said.\n      Broking house officials in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo\n  yesterday told Reuters Pakistan had suspended the licences in\n  order to link tea imports to Pakistani exports.\n      The latest available figures show that Kenyan exports to\n  Pakistan, mainly tea, were worth 75 mln dlrs in 1985, while\n  imports from Pakistan amounted to only 4.8 mln dlrs. Kenya\n  provides over 50 pct of Pakistan's tea imports.\n      The Nairobi sources said the Pakistani decision did not\n  come as a surprise as Pakistan had been complaining of the\n  trade imbalance for some time.\n      \"We are very disappointed that Pakistan took such action ...\n  (it) will certainly hurt Kenya's tea industry in the short term\n  as Pakistan is Kenya's second largest market,\" a source at one\n  broking house told Reuters.\n      One tea broker said Pakistan's move had already affected\n  Kenya's tea trade and was largely responsible for an average\n  fall of two shillings a kilo at the export auction in Mombasa\n  last Monday.\n      \"The trend is likely to continue until other countries\n  replace Pakistan, which usually buys all qualities of our tea,\"\n  he added.\n      Kenya has for a long time relied on Britain, Pakistan,\n  Egypt and, to a lesser extent the United States, as major\n  markets for its tea, the sources added.\n      Small-scale exporters who export mainly to Pakistan would\n  be worst hit by the Pakistani move as it would take them longer\n  to find new outlets, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SWEDISH PRIME MINISTER'S CHINA VISIT BOOSTS TRADE\n","article":"  An big expansion in bilateral trade is\n  expected as a result of Swedish Prime Minister Ingvar\n  Carlsson's visit to China, a official of China's Foreign\n  Economic Relations and Trade Ministry official said.\n      He told the China Daily that petroleum, coal, cotton,\n  non-ferrous metals and electric engines could help balance the\n  trade running at over three-to-one in Sweden's favour.\n      Total trade reached 290 mln dlrs last year, up 32 pct on\n  1985, according to Chinese statistics. Swedish sources said\n  major paper mill projects and an aviation agreement would be\n  discussed during Carlsson's one week visit.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN BUYS 54,000 TONNES OF U.S. SOYBEANS\n","article":"  The joint committee of Taiwan soybean\n  importers awarded a contract to Cigra Inc of Chicago to supply\n  a 54,000 tonne cargo of U.S. Soybeans, a committee spokesman\n  told Reuters.\n      The cargo, priced at 213.87 U.S. Dlrs per tonne c and f\n  Taiwan, is for delivery between April 20 and May 5.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOUTH KOREAN MONEY SUPPLY FALLS IN MARCH\n","article":"  South Korea's M-2 money supply fell two\n  pct to 33,463.4 billion won in March from 34,030.3 billion in\n  February, provisional Bank of Korea figures show.\n      It rose a revised 0.5 pct in February and was up 14.7 pct\n  from a year earlier.\n      M-1 money supply fell 8.7 pct to 7,767.8 billion won in\n  March against a revised rise of 4.3 pct in February. It has\n  increased 8.3 pct since March last year.\n      Bank officials said the March falls were due mainly to\n  various measures by the bank to absorb excess money.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SKANDIA INTERNATIONAL BUYS STAKE IN NEVI BALTIC\n","article":"  <Skandia International Holding AB>,\n  the overseas offshoot of Swedish insurance group Forsakrings AB\n  Skandia <SKDS.ST> said it was buying a 29.9 pct share in the\n  London-quoted property and financial services company <Nevi\n  Baltic Plc>. No financial details were given.\n      Nevi Baltic, with a 1986 turnover of 20 mln stg and total\n  assets of 70 mln stg, is controlled by Norwegian finance\n  company <Nevi AS> which will retain a 30.1 pct stake in the\n  British unit, Skandia said in a statement.\n      The deal is subject to formal approval from the Swedish\n  central bank, the statement added.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN AIRCRAFT BUYS INTO HELICOPTER BUILDER\n","article":"  <American Aircraft Corp> said it\n  has acquired a 51 pct interest in privately-owned <Hunter\n  Helicopter of Nevada Inc> for an undisclosed amount of stock.\n      An American Aircraft official said the company has an\n  option to acquire the remaining 49 pct.\n      Hunter Helicopter is in the business of building a two\n  passenger helicopter retailing for about 50,000 dlrs each which\n  is certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. The\n  helicopters will be manufactured in American Aircraft's Uvalde,\n  Texas, plant, it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LONDON SUGAR OPENS STEADY BUT QUIET\n","article":"  Raw sugar futures had a quiet opening\n  call of 38 lots with prices holding steady from last night with\n  gains of 20 to 80 cents a tonne, dealers said.\n      Aug was trading at 157.60 dlrs from 157.40 asked yesterday.\n      The modest rise continued the recent rally from an oversold\n  situation but, dealers noted, there was little fresh physicals\n  news to stimulate activity.\n      Whites tenders are scheduled for next Wednesday by Syria\n  for 36,000 tonnes and Greece for 40,000 tonnes while Pakistan\n  is due to tender on April 11 for 100,000 tonnes whites, they\n  said.\n      This week has seen whites buying by India and Egypt.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN TUG CREWS DELAY FOREIGN CONTAINER SHIPS\n","article":"  Tug crews are preventing the movement of\n  foreign-flag container vessels in and out of the ports of\n  Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle, shipping sources said.\n      They said maritime unions imposed bans on late Wednesday\n  for reasons that are obscure but seem to be linked with claims\n  for a pay rise above the 10 dlrs a week awarded by the\n  Arbitration Commission nationally to all workers recently.\n      Only about 10 vessels are being delayed but the bans will\n  affect container terminal movements and will disrupt liner\n  schedules, they said.\n      The dispute goes to the Commission on Monday, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.K. WHEAT MARKET EASES ON INTERVENTION RELEASE\n","article":"  U.K. Domestic wheat markets dropped about\n  one stg per tonne early this morning following overnight news\n  that the EC is releasing a further 300,000 tonnes of wheat from\n  British intervention stores for the home market over a three\n  month period.\n      April deliveries of denaturable wheat were offered in East\n  Anglia at 124 stg and May at 125 stg per tonne, both one stg\n  down on yesterday's traded rates.\n      The market is expecting U.K. Wheat futures to show a\n  similar loss at today's opening.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LONDON COCOA TRADES AT LOWS BY MIDMORNING\n","article":"  Cocoa futures fell to session lows by\n  midmorning, posting losses from last night of six to two stg a\n  tonne in 1987 deliveries, dealers said.\n      Weekend profittaking by jobbers and general book-squaring\n  featured the fall which was aided by steady sterling versus the\n  dollar and lack of offtake in the physicals market.\n      Dealers said the market was switch and straddle-bound, in\n  that any pressure on one particular month was certain to be\n  reflected in adjacent deliveries.\n      The undertone, however, remained cautious as operators\n  await an eventual start to ICCO buffer stock buying, dealers\n  said.\n      The market was originally forecast to open with average\n  five stg gains from last night following New York's firmer\n  close yesterday, dealers said.\n      But this was largely counter-balanced by currency factors.\n      Near July traded at its session low of 1,327 stg after one\n  hour versus 1,333 bid last night and an early high of 1,335.\n      Volume midmorning was 730 lots including 350 lots crossed\n  and 108 switches.\n      There was no sign of any origin activity.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HORIZ0N AGREES TO 94.8 MLN STG BID FROM BASS\n","article":"  Bass Plc <BASS.L> and <Horizon Travel\n  Plc> said terms have been agreed for an offer worth around 94.8\n  mln stg for Horizon by Bass.\n      The offer values each Horizon share at some 0.213 of a Bass\n  ordinary share, or 190p. This is based on a price of 892p, the\n  Bass share quotation at 1630 gmt on April 2.\n      Horizon said its board and financial advisers consider the\n  offer to be fair and reasonable and the board will unanimously\n  recommend acceptance to its shareholders.\n      Horizon shares jumped 23p to 188 after the announcement\n  while Bass shares dipped 13p to 879.\n      Bass has for some time regarded overseas holidays as an\n  area for expansion and in pursuit of this objective, acquired a\n  25.6 pct holding in Horizon in 1985 when it set up the jointly\n  owned hotel company.\n      Both Bass and Horizon said that Bass's resources will\n  enable Horizon's businesses to expand strongly this year.\n      On March 30 Bass said it had agreed to sell its Pontins\n  U.K. Holiday camps to a newly formed private company, Pontins\n  Ltd, for some 57.5 mln stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ROTTERDAM'S MAIN GRAIN TERMINAL CLOSED BY STRIKE\n","article":"  Grain handling at Rotterdam port's\n  main grain terminal was at a standstill today as members of the\n  largest Dutch transport union FNV staged a lightning strike for\n  the third day running.\n      Pieter van der Vorm, managing director of Graan Elevator\n  Mij (GEM), which handles 95 pct of grain passing through the\n  port, said their main Europoort terminal was out of action\n  because of a strike by technical staff.\n      The actions, in support of union demands in negotiations\n  over a new labour agreement, began on Wednesday when grain\n  handlers stopped work.\n      Van der Vorm said that if strikes continued on today's\n  scale for some time vessels coming to unload grain in Rotterdam\n  would face delays, but this was not happening yet.\n      Wednesday's actions left GEM's facilities 40 pct\n  operational, and there were only limited strikes yesterday.\n      Talks between unions and employers yesterday and today\n  produced no result, but FNV spokesman Bert Duim said the union\n  was prepared to put their key demand, for a 36 hour working\n  week, at the bottom of the agenda.\n      Van der Vorm said, however, the union's demands on a range\n  of issues were far in excess of the management's final offer.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"PREMIER INDUSTRIAL CORP <PRE> REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 11 cts vs 11 cts in prior qtr\n      Payable April 10\n      Record March 23\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SOUTH KOREA TO PAY MORE FOR JAPANESE ETHYLENE\n","article":"  South Korea will pay about 20 pct more for\n  ethylene imported from Japan in the second quarter of the year\n  because increased plastic production in both countries has\n  boosted demand and tightened supplies, chemical industry\n  sources said.\n      South Korea has agreed to pay Japanese trading houses just\n  over 400 dlrs C and F per tonne, up from an average of 350 dlrs\n  in the first quarter and throughout 1986, they said.\n      South Korean demand for imported ethylene this month has\n  risen to 17,000 tonnes from 10,000 last month, and the country\n  may face difficulties covering the extra volume, they said.\n      <Korea Petrochemical Industries Corp>, a producer of high\n  density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene, will more than\n  double its ethylene requirements to 9,000 tonnes a month from\n  4,000 when it completes a plant expansion at the end of this\n  month, the sources said.\n      <Honan Ethylene Corp's> import requirements have risen to\n  8,000 tonnes a month from 6,000 tonnes last year to meet strong\n  demand from <Honan Petrochemical Co>, which makes HDPE and\n  ethylene glycol, and <Hangyang Chemical>, which produces\n  low-density polyethylene and vinyl chloride monomer, they said.\n      But Japan's ethylene plants are already operating at almost\n  full capacity of 4.5 mln tonnes a year just to fulfill domestic\n  demand, the sources said.\n      \"And even if Japan had the additional ethylene, there is a\n  logistical problem of finding extra appropriate-sized vessels\n  to ship it to Korea,\" said one trading house source.\n      Japanese trading companies are looking to alternative\n  sources to supply South Korea's needs, including Saudi Arabia,\n  Qatar and Mexico, they said.\n      But long-haul voyages are expensive as the product has to\n  be shipped at a temperature of minus 103 degrees centigrade to\n  keep it in a liquid form, they said.\n      Japan has no plans to invest further in the ethylene\n  industry in order to cope with the additional demand, despite\n  rising prices, trading house sources said.\n      South Korea has two projects in hand which will increase\n  its ethylene production capacity by 500,000 tonnes a year by\n  the end of 1989, so the strong demand surge for imports is only\n  a medium-term trend, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SWISS 1988 INFLATION SEEN AT TWO PCT - INSTITUTE\n","article":"  Swiss inflation is likely to rise in 1987\n  and 1988 because of inflationary tendencies in the domestic\n  economy, the Centre for Economic Research of the Federal\n  Institute of Technology said in its spring review.\n      It forecast a rise in consumer prices of two pct in 1988\n  compared with 1.3 pct in 1987. Low import prices in 1986 helped\n  to keep annual inflation down to 0.8 pct.\n      The centre said that in general the outlook for the Swiss\n  economy in 1987 and 1988 remained favourable, despite the more\n  difficult international economic climate facing export\n  industry.\n      The centre repeated its previous forecast that growth in\n  Swiss domestic product would slow to 2.2 pct in 1987 from 2.5\n  pct in 1986. It revised its forecast for 1988 GDP growth to 1.7\n  pct from 1.6 pct in its last autumn review.\n      Domestic demand will continue to replace exports as the\n  motor of economic growth. Private consumption will grow by\n  three pct in 1987 and two pct in 1988 against 3.75 pct in 1986.\n      Growth in goods exports will slow to 1.75 pct in 1987 from\n  2.1 pct in 1986 but pick up slightly to 2.5 pct in 1988. All\n  three figures are well below the Swiss average for recent\n  years. In 1985, for example, exports increased by 9.1 pct.\n      The centre said the strength of the Swiss franc, which has\n  firmed sharply in recent months, would continue to put pressure\n  on Swiss exporters.\n      It forecast that imports of goods would grow by a more\n  modest 4.5 pct in 1987 and 3.25 pct in 1988 than in 1986, when\n  import prices fell substantially and imports rose by 8.2 pct.\n      Industrial production will grow by 1.6 pct in 1987 and 1.2\n  pct in 1988 compared with 4.2 pct in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"LONDON SUGAR TRADES AT SESSION HIGHS BY MIDMORNING\n","article":"  Raw sugar futures firmed to session highs\n  by midmorning, securing gains from last night's basically\n  steady close of 1.00 to 1.80 dlrs a tonne in a 166 lot volume.\n      Shortcovering against an oversold situation continued to\n  play a part in the extended rally with unsettled dollar rates\n  versus sterling providing additional support.\n      Recent and prospective whites buying in the world market\n  was supportive but the raws section lacked feature, dealers\n  said.\n      India and Egypt bought white sugar this week while next\n  week sees tenders by Pakistan, Greece and Syria, they said.\n      May was at 154 dlrs from 152.80 asked last night.\n      All London Daily prices rose two dlrs a tonne on tone.\n      The Raws price was set at 150 dlrs Fob and 173 dlrs (107.50\n  stg) Cif.\n      The Whites price was at 192 dlrs from 190 yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BELGIUM CUTS TREASURY CERTIFICATE RATES\n","article":"  The Belgian National Bank cut interest\n  rates on one, two and three-month treasury certificates to 7.30\n  pct from 7.40 pct effective immediately, the bank said in a\n  telex message.\n      The Bank last adjusted its short-term treasury certificate\n  rates on March 23, when it also reduced rates for all three\n  periods by 0.10 points.\n      A National Bank spokesman said the latest adjustment would\n  bring the rates closer in line with currently prevailing\n  interbank interest rates.\n      The spokesman said it was too early to predict whether the\n  move would herald a reduction in discount rate, which currently\n  stands at eight pct, when the Bank holds its regular weekly\n  meeting at which the rate is discussed next Wednesday.\n      The discount rate generally moves in tandem with the\n  three-month treasury certificate rate. However, there is no\n  formal link and the discount rate was not adjusted following\n  the March 23 changes.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CLOSURE OF BP SWEDEN REFINERY FORECAST\n","article":"  A Swedish Finance Ministry committee\n  forecast that British Petroleum Plc <BP.L> may have to close\n  its refinery in Gothenburg because of an anticipated worsening\n  of the Swedish petroleum industry's competitiveness.\n      It said in a report that the future of the Swedish refining\n  business was bleak due to the steady drop in domestic oil\n  consumption since the mid-1970s, a possible tightening of rules\n  on sulphur content and competition from Norway's Mongstad\n  facility of <Den Norske Stats Olieselskab> (Statoil) <STAT.OL>\n  when its expansion is completed in the 1990s.\n      The committee said the BP refinery, which lacks a\n  de-sulphurisation plant, was likely to be closed or sold unless\n  costly investments were made to enhance the facility's capacity\n  to refine a broader range of products.\n      But the committee noted that capacity utilisation had in\n  recent years been above that of the European refining industry\n  on average. The BP plant, in which Sweden's state-owned <OK\n  Petroleum AB> has a 22 pct, started up in 1967 and has an\n  annual capacity of 4.7 mln tonnes.\n      There was nobody at British Petroleum immediately available\n  for comment.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"RECENT SUGAR FALL SPARKS SOVIET, CHINESE BUYING\n","article":"  The recent fall in world sugar prices,\n  due to increased producer pricing sales and evidence of export\n  availability, has encouraged renewed buying interest from China\n  and the Soviet Union, London trade house E.D.And F. Man said.\n      Further purchases are expected by the Peoples Republic of\n  China at the lower end of the recent price range, which should\n  limit the downside movement, it said in its latest monthly\n  market report.\n     \"And it is believed that the Soviet Union will need to return\n  to the market to take a further 250,000\/350,000 tonnes for\n  May\/June shipment, Man added.\n      The Soviets purchased five cargoes of raws for April\/May\n  shipment towards the end of last month, which brings its total\n  purchases to around 1.65 mln tonnes, Man said.\n      Production estimates for the Thai crop now exceed 2.3 mln\n  tonnes and the final outturn appears set to reach around 2.5\n  mln tonnes. However, this upturn in the Thai crop is being\n  countered by a reduction in China's production forecast to 5.3\n  mln tonnes from 5.5 mln estimated earlier.\n      Market participation by Cuba suggests that its crop could\n  be close to last year's 7.3 mln tonnes. But even with similar\n  production Man expects Cuban exports to be significantly down.\n      Cuba was reported to be carrying 1.3 mln tonnes of stocks\n  in September 1985, of which some 440,000 tonnes were used to\n  boost its 1985\/86 exports to about 6.9 mln. But as it will not\n  be able to draw on surplus stocks this year, Man estimates\n  Cuba's export availabilty will be reduced to 6.4 to 6.5 mln\n  tonnes.\n      However, Cuba is only one of a large number of exporters\n  with reduced availability, Man said.\n      Since 1980 the total free market export supply has fallen\n  to 18 mln from about 22 mln tonnes. But at the same time free\n  market demand has also fallen by almost the same amount, which\n  has left exporters chasing falling import requirements.\n      A fairly tight balance now appears to have emerged. But the\n  difficult task of keeping production advances at bay still\n  remains, as at least one more season of production deficit is\n  needed to eliminate some of the remaining surplus stocks still\n  overhanging the market, Man said.\n      The increasing cases of record production as a result of\n  record yields and better husbandry have forced sugar producers\n  to strive for greater efficiency.\n      As this increase in efficiency reduces the marginal cost of\n  production, sugar exporters may become more responsive to\n  prices and in particular to upward price movements, Man said.\n      Commenting on the current row between the EC Commission and\n  sugar producers, Man said despite the recent improvement in the\n  level of restitutions, they are still insufficient to fully\n  compensate producers when exporting on the world market.\n      Unless there are further improvements, at least some sugar\n  is expected to remain in intervention, it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NO INTERVENTION, DOLLAR FIXED AT 1.8162 MARKS\n","article":"  The Bundesbank did not intervene as\n  the dollar was fixed lower at 1.8162 marks after 1.8270\n  yesterday, dealers said.\n      The dollar firmed slightly from its opening 1.8135\/45 marks\n  in very quiet pre-weekend trading and dealers said they\n  expected business to remain thin this afternoon.\n      \"Trading is at an absolute nil, nobody wants to get involved\n  ahead of next week's meetings,\" one dealer with a U.S. Bank\n  said, referring to the Group of Seven industrial nations and\n  the International Monetary Fund meetings in Washington.\n      Dealers saw the dollar staying at current levels but\n  possibly rising above 1.83 marks on any supporting remarks\n  emerging from the meetings. \"But the dollar's medium-term\n  direction is soft,\" one dealer said.\n      The dollar could well come under renewed pressure after the\n  international forums as attention returned to the U.S. And the\n  U.K.'s trade dispute with Japan, dealers said.\n      Cross currency trading was also subdued though sterling's\n  rise above 1.60 dlrs helped it to firm against the mark. It was\n  fixed higher at 2.924 marks after yesterday's 2.910.\n      The pound was seen staying between 2.90 and 2.93 marks for\n  the next days, dealers said.\n      Eurodollar deposit rates were steady from this morning,\n  with six month funds unchanged at midpoint 6-11\/16 pct. Six\n  month euromarks stayed at midpoint 3-7\/8 pct.\n      The Swiss franc firmed to 119.86 marks per 100 at the fix\n  from 119.71 yesterday and the yen rose to 1.244 marks per 100\n  from 1.243.\n      The French franc was little changed at 30.050 marks per 100\n  after 30.055 yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"HINDUSTAN LEVER PROFITS RISE FOR 1986\n","article":"  Shr 8.4 rupees vs seven\n      Pretax profit 650.7 mln vs 555.6 mln\n      Net profit 390.7 mln vs 325.6 mln\n      Sales 8.24 billion vs 7.07 billion\n      Div 34 pct vs 30 pct\n      Tax 260 mln vs 230 mln\n      Dividend payable on June 3\n      The company is 51 pct subsidiary of Unilever Plc.The full\n  name of the company is HINDUSTAN LEVER LTD <HINU.BO>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET DEFICIT REVISED UPWARD\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it has revised\n  its estimate of today's shortfall to 750 mln stg from 700 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INDIA BUYS VEGETABLE OILS, PAKISTAN TO RETENDER\n","article":"  The Indian State Trading Corporation\n  (STC) bought 20,000 tonnes of optional origin soybean oil and\n  6,000 tonnes of rbd palm olein at its import tender yesterday,\n  traders said.\n      Pakistan, however, rejected offers at its tender for 12,000\n  tonnes of rbd palm oil, but is expected to reenter the market\n  next week, they said.\n      The STC soyoil purchase was for May 20\/Jun 20 shipment at\n  319 dlrs per tonne cif and the palm olein for Apr 25\/May 25\n  shipment at 355 dlrs per tonne.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DUTCH SOYMEAL IMPORTS FALL IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Dutch soymeal imports fell\n  to 75,500 tonnes in January from 97,070 in December and 120,228\n  in January 1986, Central Bureau of Statistics figures show.\n      The U.S. Was the largest supplier in January with 38,760\n  tonnes, down from 46,899 in December and 63,111 in January\n  1986.\n      Brazil supplied 1,263 tonnes in January, down from 7,411 in\n  December and 27,088 in January 1986.\n      Dutch imports of Argentine soymeal in January were 34,663\n  tonnes, down from 41,365 tonnes in December but above the\n  13,375 tonnes in the year ago month.\n      Total Dutch exports of soymeal in January were 128,015\n  tonnes, down from 133,559 tonnes in December and 155,050\n  exported in January 1986.\n      European Community countries were the main destinations for\n  Dutch soymeal exports with 102,355 tonnes compared with 124,026\n  in December and 116,080 in January 1986.\n      Among third country destinations, the Soviet Union was the\n  largest costumer in January, taking 11,985 tonnes compared with\n  nil in December and 26,074 tonnes in January 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SPAIN REVISES ECONOMIC TARGETS FOR 1987\n","article":"  Spain has revised some of its main\n  economic targets for 1987 after studying the performance of the\n  economy in the first quarter, the economy ministry said in its\n  monthly bulletin.\n      Internal demand is now forecast to rise four pct against a\n  previous target of 3.5 pct.\n      Mariano Rubio, governor of the Bank of Spain, the central\n  bank, yesterday said internal demand was currently growing at\n  an annual rate of six pct and it had to be brought down to four\n  pct if the government were to meet its five pct inflation\n  target this year. Inflation was 8.3 pct in 1986.\n      The forecast for private consumption growth remains\n  unchanged at three pct, although public consumption is revised\n  upwards to 2.5 pct from 2.0 pct.\n      Growth in domestic demand will fuel imports, expected to\n  increase by 8.6 pct against an originally estimated 7.1 pct.\n      Export growth has been revised downwards to 3.7 pct from\n  5.2 pct due to the peseta's continuing strength against the\n  dollar and slack external demand.\n      Slow growth of exports and a tight rein on state spending\n  has lowered estimated GDP growth to three pct in 1987 from an\n  earlier forecast 3.5 pct. GDP grew by three pct last year.\n      The economy ministry is holding its inflation forecast to\n  five pct, in spite of minister Carlos Solchaga's doubts last\n  week on whether this target could be maintained if wage\n  settlements continue to rise above the government's recommended\n  five pct ceiling.\n      Unions and employers dispute the average wage increases\n  agreed so far this year. Trade unions calculate wage\n  settlements have produced average rises of 7.3 pct against 5.5\n  pct estimated by the employers' federation CEOE.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET RECEIVES 170 MLN STG HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it has operated\n  in the money market this morning, purchasing 170 mln stg bank\n  bills. This compares with the Bank's revised estimate of a 750\n  mln stg shortfall. In band two the Bank bought 72 mln stg at\n  9-13\/16 pct, in band three 52 mln at 9-3\/4 pct and in band four\n  46 mln at 9-11\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BEGHIN-SAY NOT PLANNING TO WITHDRAW SUGAR\n","article":"  French sugar producer Beghin-Say is not\n  currently planning to withdraw the sugar it has placed into\n  intervention, despite the exceptionally high rebate awarded at\n  this week's European Community (EC) sugar tender, Beghin-Say\n  President Jean-Marc Vernes told Reuters.\n      The maximum rebate of 46.864 Ecus per 100 kilos on\n  Wednesday was the largest ever granted, according to traders.\n      Vernes said he was satisfied the European Commission has\n  started to move in the right direction, but said his company\n  had no plans to change its decision to put sugar into\n  intervention.\n      But Vernes said he hoped that in the next few weeks a final\n  agreement would be reached with the commission which would\n  allow operators to withdraw the sugar from intervention.\n      European operators offered 854,000 tonnes of sugar into\n  intervention to protest about export rebates which they say are\n  too low. Over 785,000 tonnes of this sugar was accepted by the\n  commission on Wednesday, according to commission sources.\n      Under EC regulations, however, operators have another four\n  to five weeks to withdraw the sugar from intervention before\n  payment is made for it.\n      A total of 706,470 tonnes of French sugar and 79,000 tonnes\n  of West German sugar has been accepted into intervention, trade\n  sources said here. This amount represents about a third of\n  annual EC exports to non-EC countries.\n      Beghin-Say declined to specify the amount of sugar it had\n  offered into intervention, but said it was below 500,000\n  tonnes.\n      Producers say they have been losing 2.5 to 3.0 Ecus on\n  every 100 kilos exported due to the failure of rebates to fully\n  bridge the gap between EC and world prices. Wednesday's rebate\n  was 0.87 Ecus short of what producers say is needed to get an\n  equivalent price to that for sales into intervention, traders\n  said.\n      Vernes said operators hope to get a rebate which equates to\n  the full intervention price and said Wednesday's tender was a\n  step in the right direction.\n      Sugar producers here said the volume of sugar authorised\n  for export since the begining of the current campaign had been\n  inadequate and that more should be exported now to compensate.\n      Trade sources said new regulations governing export\n  rebates, which are due to be adopted shortly, may smooth the\n  path for the commission to award larger export rebates in\n  future.\n      One source at a leading French sugar house said it seemed\n  the commission had understood the protest action and was now\n  moving towards adapting the situation accordingly, thereby\n  allowing the operators to withdraw their sugar from\n  intervention once they got satisfaction.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STOLTENBERG SAYS PARIS ACCORD POLICY TO CONTINUE\n","article":"  West German Finance Minister Gerhard\n  Stoltenberg said the currency agreement reached in Paris in\n  February had been successful and would be continued.\n      Stoltenberg told journalists before he attends next week's\n  International Monetary Fund meeting in Washington that: \"The ...\n  Strategy to stabilise currencies around current levels has\n  proven its worth and will also determine future developments.\"\n      Stoltenberg declined to comment specifically on what he\n  would consider to be an undervalued dollar but said a dollar\n  around 1.80 marks created problems for West Germany's exports.\n      Stoltenberg said studies by international organisations had\n  made it clear that especially in the U.S. And in Japan major\n  efforts remained necessary to support adjustments in foreign\n  trade balances via necessary corrections to economic policy.\n      \"No-one would benefit if, after years of over-valuation, the\n  U.S. Dollar fell into the other extreme, that is, strong\n  under-valuation,\" he said.\n      Stoltenberg said West Germany had a keen interest in a\n  swift agreement between the U.S. And Japan concerning the\n  current trade dispute over semi-conductors.\n      Asked whether he believed the markets would test the Paris\n  currency accord, Stoltenberg did not comment specifically but\n  noted that much of what had been discussed in Paris had not\n  been published.\n      The Paris declaration did not state the levels at which\n  central banks of the major industrialised countries would\n  intervene.\n      Stoltenberg said that everything had been carefully\n  considered. He said he had nothing further to add.\n      Stoltenberg also appeared to suggest that West Germany was\n  now no longer under any pressure from the U.S. Government to\n  stimulate its economy.\n      He declined to respond specifically to a question on this\n  subject but said, \"You must attach particular importance to the\n  consensus which was reached in Paris.\"\n      The minister nevertheless added that he would make clear\n  during his trip to Washington that West Germany's nominal trade\n  figures gave a false impression about actual trade flows.\n      Stoltenberg noted that in 1986 Bonn's exports fell by a\n  nominal two pct while its nominal imports fell by 10.7 pct.\n  West Germany's imports dropped largely because of foreign\n  currency developments and the cheaper price of oil and led to a\n  record trade surplus last year.\n      However, Stoltenberg said that in real terms West Germany's\n  exports by volume had increased by 1.5 pct while real imports\n  had risen by a much stronger 6.2 pct.\n      In this way West Germany had made its contribution to\n  economic stability, Stoltenberg added.\n      Stoltenberg noted the government expected imports to rise\n  by a real four to five pct in 1987 with exports stagnating.\n      He said it was too early to revise official forecasts for\n  West Germany's economic growth this year. The government has\n  forecast an unchanged 2.5 pct rise in Gross National Product.\n      The Kiel Institute, a leading research body, is still\n  expecting growth of three pct but some other research\n  institutes have revised forecasts down to below two pct.\n  Stoltenberg said the wide range of predictions showed how many\n  imponderables had to be taken into account and said no drastic\n  changes in official forecasts were needed.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN ASKS BANKS TO CUT DOLLAR SALES - DEALERS\n","article":"  The Finance Ministry has asked Japanese\n  commercial banks to moderate their dollar sales, bank dealers\n  said.\n      They said the Ministry had telephoned city and long-term\n  banks earlier this week to make the request.\n      One dealer said this was the first time the Ministry had\n  made such a request to commercial banks.\n      Finance Ministry officials were unavailable for immediate\n  comment. Dealers said the Ministry has already asked\n  institutional investors to reduce their sales of the dollar.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CBT METALS\/FINANCIALS DELIVERY LOCATIONS\n","article":"  The following deliveries are scheduled\n  for April 6 against Chicago Baord of Trade Futures -\n      Silver - 392 lots at Chicago, Illinois.\n      Kilo Gold - 21 lots. 16 at Chicago, Illinois, 5 at New\n  York, New York.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PIONEER SUGAR SAYS CSR TAKEOVER OFFER TOO LOW\n","article":"  <Pioneer Sugar Mills Ltd> said it\n  considered the proposed 2.20 dlrs a share cash takeover offer\n  announced by CSR Ltd <CSRA.S> on March 31 to be too low in view\n  of the group*hK!UiIe and prospects.\n      CSR's bid for the 68.26 pct of Pioneer's 99.80 mln issued\n  shares it does not already hold values the entire grop_j9culd\n  make an alternative share offer but has not yet announced\n  terms.\n      Pioneer recommended in a statement that shareholders retain\n  their stock, pending the board's response once it receives full\n  details of the CSR offer.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GERMAN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY SEES LOWER PROFITS\n","article":"  West Germany's chemical\n  industry fears mounting risks will hurt earnings but hopes 1987\n  turnover will stabilize around 1986's 140 billion marks, Josef\n  Strenger, a board member of the industry association VCI, said.\n      Strenger, management board chairman of Bayer AG <BAYG.F>,\n  told a news conference at the Hanover trade fair the main\n  dangers were stagnation in world trade, the lower dollar as\n  well as crude oil and commodity prices.\n      Prospects of higher operating costs were also seen harming\n  earnings, he said. Turnover took a considerable downturn at the\n  start of 1987 after falling 5.9 pct in 1986.\n      The chemical industry, which relies heavily on exports, was\n  badly hit by mark appreciation in 1986 and lower turnover was\n  mainly due to foreign exchange losses, Strenger said.\n      Exports fell 6.4 pct to 72 billion marks in 1986 and\n  competition from U.S. And British firms increased. Savings from\n  lower oil and commodity prices were eaten up by price\n  competition and increased costs.\n      Strenger said 1986 operating profits of German chemical\n  firms were slightly worse than the year before but the improved\n  financial and balance sheet structure, after three good years,\n  neutralized the negative impact.\n      Strenger said the industry would try to increase production\n  in the U.S. To make up for lost export possibilities out of\n  West Germany.\n      The lower dollar was the main reason for an 8.3 pct fall in\n  exports to North America, an 11.4 pct drop to Latin America and\n  22.6 pct plunge to the Middle East.\n      Exports to Western Europe eased 3.5 pct and Far East\n  exports, due to an economic revival in Japan, dropped 5.2 pct.\n      Strenger noted that the industry had lost public confidence\n  following several cases of chemical pollution of the Rhine late\n  last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"LIEBERT CORP <LIEB> APPROVES MERGER\n","article":"  Liebert Corp said its shareholders\n  approved the merger of a wholly-owned subsidiary of Emerson\n  Electric Co <EMR>.\n      Under the terms of the merger, each Liebert shareholder\n  will receive .3322 shares of Emerson stock for each Liebert\n  share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY <ITX> BUYS FIRM\n","article":"  International Technology Corp\n  said it has purchased privately-held Western Emergency Service\n  Inc in a stock transaction.\n      Western Emergency, an environmental services firm, has\n  annual sales of between one and two mln dlrs, compared to\n  International Technology's roughly 240-mln-dlr annual sales, a\n  spokesman for International Technology said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GERMAN NET CURRENCY RESERVES RISE\n","article":"  West German net currency reserves rose\n  by 200 mln marks in the fourth week of March to 82.2 billion,\n  following a rise of 300 mln marks in the previous week, the\n  Bundesbank said.\n      Non-currency reserves were unchanged at about 2.5 billion\n  marks, bringing net monetary reserves to 84.7 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LONDON GRAINS SEES WHEAT RECOVER FROM LOWS\n","article":"  U.K. Physical wheat values recovered from\n  initial losses of one to two stg per tonne caused by overnight\n  news of the release of an additional 300,000 tonnes of\n  intervention feed wheat for U.K. Weekly home market tenders.\n      Consumer buyers were attracted by the cheaper offers,\n  traders said, and by early afternoon the market had recovered\n  to one stg down to unchanged.\n      U.K. Wheat futures also rallied to end the morning\n  unchanged to 0.05 stg easier.\n      In East Anglia, April deliveries of feed wheat traded at\n  123 and May at 124 but were subsequently bid one stg a tonne\n      The market for denaturable wheat in Liverpool held\n  comparatively steady with sellers holding back due to uncertain\n  conditions.\n      April deliveries made 127.50 and June 129.50 stg per tonne,\n  basis Liverpool.\n      The fob market for wheat started easier but here again\n  selling pressure lifted around midday. Apr\/Jun shipments traded\n  fob east coast at 123 stg per tonne. This compared with 124\n  paid for April yesterday and 125 for May\/June.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NORSK HYDRO, SAGA SEEK DRILLING RIGHTS IN GABON\n","article":"  Norwegian oil companies Norsk Hydro A\/S\n  <NHY.OL> and Saga Petroleum A\/S <SAGO.OL> said they have\n  applied for offshore exploration drilling licenses in Gabon on\n  Africa's west coast.\n      Saga Petroleum said it has applied for a 35 pct share and\n  operatorship on one block, adding Finnish oil company Neste\n  <NEOY.HE>(25 pct), Spain's Hispanoil (25 pct), and the World\n  Bank's International Finance Corporation (IFS) (15 pct) have\n  joined Saga to fill remaining shares in the application.\n      Saga spokesman Roy Halvorsen told Reuters he expected\n  Gabonese officials would reply to the application by Easter.\n      Halvorsen said this is the first time Saga has applied to\n  operate on OPEC-member Gabon's continental shelf, adding that\n  Italian oil company Agip is heading a group of applicants in a\n  separate bid for the same license.\n      Norsk Hydro has also applied for an undisclosed share in a\n  single exploration license in which U.S. Oil company Tenneco\n  has already been assigned operatorship, company spokesman\n  Bjoern Tretvoll said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TOP DISCOUNT RATE AT UK BILL TENDER RISES TO 9.5261 PCT\n","article":"\n  TOP DISCOUNT RATE AT UK BILL TENDER RISES TO 9.5261 PCT\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. TREASURY POLICIES SAID UNCHANGED BY DEPARTURE\n","article":"  The departure of James Baker's\n  closest aide, Deputy Treasury Secretary Richard Darman, will\n  not change the course of Washington's domestic and\n  international economic policies, U.S. officials said.\n      Darman, who has worked alongside Baker for six years, was\n  widely credited with helping him mastermind initiatives on\n  currency management and international economic cooperation.\n      U.S. Officials said Darman also played a key role in\n  shepherding President Reagan's sweeping tax reform plan through\n  the U.S. Congress.\n      But they flatly dismissed suggestions that his departure,\n  to the investment banking firm of Shearson Lehman Brothers,\n  signaled the Baker team was breaking up, or that the Treasury\n  Secretary himself might leave soon.\n      \"It really does not mean that, he took the opportunity as it\n  came up,\" one official said.\n      Another commented, \"Baker will miss him, but he's not going\n  to stand in his way.\"\n      There has been widespread speculation since last autumn\n  that Darman sought a Wall Street job.\n      Officials said Darman felt the passage of tax reform late\n  last year marked an appropriate moment to bow out.\n      Baker acknowledged Darman would be sorely missed.\n      \"Dick Darman has contributed mightily to the success of this\n  administration over the past six years and his departure\n  represents a substantial loss,\" he said.\n      U.S. Officials admitted Darman's absence would be an\n  undoubted blow to Baker, who has relied on him for policy\n  advice, both at the White House and, in Reagan's second term,\n  at the Treasury. One aide once described Darman as\n  \"indispensable\" to Baker.\n      Baker is widely thought to want a more stable currency\n  system and Darman is generally credited by officials of other\n  nations as Baker's leading theorist on this issue, favouring\n  target zones to limit currency fluctuations.\n      Earlier this year, monetary sources said the U.S. Treasury\n  unsuccessfully sounded out allies on a target zone system.\n      But a U.S. Official disputed the assessment that, with\n  Darman gone, Baker would abandon international initiatives.\n      Baker's work as head of Reagan's Economic Policy Council,\n  spearheading trade policy, and his skills in negotiating with\n  the Democrat-controlled Congress will go on as before.\n      Darman's strength was not as an economist, but as a\n  political strategist \"and that's Baker's strength too,\" the\n  official said.\n      There were already indications that Baker, who throughout\n  his time in government has relied on a closely-knit circle of\n  advisers, has moved swiftly to find a successor.\n      One possibility is that Baker might turn to George Gould,\n  who holds the number three Treasury position of\n  Under-Secretary.\n      Gould, another close confidante, has known Baker for years.\n      Before joining the Treasury in November 1985, Gould was a\n  partner at the Wall Steet firm of Wertheim and Co and formerly\n  headed Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette Securities Corp.\n      The Darman announcement came on the eve of the semi-annual\n  meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank,\n  where many policies Darman helped shape will be debated.\n      He helped Baker devise the September, 1985 Plaza Agreement,\n  when the United States, Japan, West Germany, France and Britain\n  curbed the dollar's strength. The pact was a major turning\n  point in U.S. Policy, ending a period of disdain for economic\n  cooperation and intervention in currency markets.\n      Darman also worked on some other Baker initiatives, like\n  the Tokyo Summit agreement to intensify coordination of\n  economic policies among the leading industrial countries and\n  the recent Paris Agreement to stabilise currencies and\n  stimulate global growth.\n      These policies are collectively aimed at redressing the\n  huge gap between Japan and West Germany's trade surpluses and\n  the United State's massive trade deficit.\n      That policy goal still remains a prime objective of the\n  Reagan Administration and will not change with Darman's\n  departure.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"TOP DISCOUNT RATE AT UK BILL TENDER 9.5261 PCT\n","article":"  The top accepted rate of discount at the\n  weekly U.K. Treasury bill tender rose to 9.5261 pct  from\n  9.3456 pct last week.\n      Applications at the lowest accepted price of 97.625 stg\n   were allotted around 81 pct of the amount applied for, and\n   applications above that price were allotted in full, the Bank\n   of England said.\n      A total of 100 mln stg of Treasury bills was offered for\n  sale this week.\n      Last week, the average rate of discount was 9.3157 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET DEFICIT FURTHER REVISED UPWARD\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it has revised\n  its estimate of today's shortfall to 800 mln stg from 750 mln,\n  before taking account of 170 mln stg morning assistance.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"DUTCH COCOA BEAN IMPORTS RISE IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Total Dutch imports of cocoa beans\n  rose to 17,978 tonnes in January from 13,961 in January 1986,\n  while exports fell to 1,852 tonnes from 3,111, the Central\n  Bureau of Statistics said.\n      Cocoa butter imports rose slightly to 1,699 tonnes from\n  1,507, while exports fell slightly to 6,211 from 6,293 tonnes.\n      Imports of cocoa powder fell to 316 tonnes from 469 and\n  exports to 5,944 from 6,106 tonnes.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DUTCH GREEN COFFEE IMPORTS FALL IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Dutch green coffee imports fell to\n  10,430 tonnes in January from 13,506 tonnes in January 1986,\n  and exports fell to 366 tonnes from 615, the Central Bureau of\n  Statistics said.\n      Imports of Colombian coffee were 2,169 tonnes (3,025 in\n  January 1986), Brazilian 483 (3,715), Indonesian 455 (145),\n  Guatemalan 196 (126), Cameroun 464 (560) and Ivory Coast 353\n  (839).\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC MINISTERS WILL DISCUSS STRENGTHENING EMS FLOAT\n","article":"  European Community finance ministers\n  and central bankers meet in Belgium this weekend to discuss\n  strengthening Europe's joint currency float amid continuing\n  worries about turbulence on foreign exchanges.\n      Belgian Finance Minister Mark Eyskens, who will host the\n  informal talks, told Reuters the ministers and central bank\n  chiefs would discuss the situation on currency markets in the\n  light of the February agreement among leading industrialised\n  countries to stabilise exchange rates around present levels.\n      In an interview, Eyskens said he felt the Paris accord\n  between the United States, Japan, West Germany, France, Britain\n  and Canada had proved itself \"more or less workable.\"\n      But doubts over its effectiveness and durability have been\n  growing since fears of a trade war between the United States\n  and Japan over computer microchips pushed the dollar to a\n  record low against the surging yen early this week.\n      The talks, at the Belgian resort of Knokke, are being held\n  to coordinate the EC's positions on monetary issues and Third\n  World debt ahead of the Spring meetings of the International\n  Monetary Fund and World Bank in Washington next week.\n      The EC gathering begins tonight with a dinner but the main\n  discussions will take place tomorrow.\n      Continued international currency turbulence could undermine\n  plans for reinforcing the European Monetary System, the joint\n  float holding eight EC currencies within narrow fluctuation\n  bands, which will feature high on the weekend agenda.\n      Eyskens has repeatedly said that Europe needs a period of\n  calm on world currency markets, and in particular a more stable\n  dollar, before it can set about strengthening the EMS to make\n  it more resilient against exchange rate swings.\n      The EMS has been taking a battering over the last year as\n  the falling dollar has sent funds surging into the dominant EMS\n  currency, the West German mark, forcing ministers to undertake\n  two major realignments of parities within nine months.\n      In the interview, Eyskens made clear he was hoping for a\n  wide-ranging discussion on the future of the eight-year-old EMS\n  on the basis of proposals for bolstering it drawn up by the\n  EC's Monetary Committee and the Committee of Central Bank\n  Governors.\n      The committees were asked to come up with the proposals\n  after the last reshuffle of EMS exchange rates in January.\n      Eyskens repeated calls for the European Currency Unit, the\n  fledgling EC currency at the core of the system, to take over\n  the mark's dominant role in the EMS - a proposal that has met\n  with a cool response in West Germany.\n      He said EC Commission President Jacques Delors would report\n  to the meeting on problems raised by plans to liberalise\n  capital movements fully within the 12-nation bloc by 1992, such\n  as the need for harmonising taxes and banking controls.\n      Eyskens said liberalisation of capital movements without\n  strengthening the EMS would be an element of destabilisation in\n  the Community. \n      He said the crucial issue in the debate was whether member\n  states were willing to push further towards the EC's goal of\n  monetary integration on the basis of an EMS that included\n  management of exchange rates by some kind of common\n  institution, instead of by national central banks as at\n  present.\n      Plans for the creation of such an institution, foreseen by\n  the EMS's founding fathers, have been thwarted by the\n  reluctance of some countries, notably West Germany, to gove up\n  their sovereignty in the monetary field.\n      EMS development has also been held up by Britain's refusal\n  so far to join the system's core exchange rate mechanism.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANADA MARCH FOREIGN RESERVES RISE 1.23 BILLION U.S. DLRS - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  CANADA MARCH FOREIGN RESERVES RISE 1.23 BILLION U.S. DLRS - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. MARCH JOBLESS RATE FELL TO 6.6 PCT\n","article":"  The U.S. civilian unemployment rate\n  fell to 6.6 pct in March from 6.7 pct in February, the Labor\n  Department said.\n      The number of non-farm payroll jobs rose 164,000 last month\n  after rising a revised 236,000 in February. That was down from\n  the previously reported 337,000 rise in February.\n      The March unemployment rate was the lowest since March,\n  1980. It had remained unchanged at 6.7 pct for three straight\n  months before the March decline.\n      The rise in non-farm payrolls was the smallest since a\n  decline last June of 75,000, the department said.\n      Last month's unemployment rate was down from the 7.2 pct\n  level in March, 1986.\n      Growth in jobs continued in March but was slower than in\n  recent months, with the gains concentrated in service\n  industries.\n      The number of goods-producing jobs fell 68,000 in March,\n  while service-producing jobs rose 232,000 to bring the total\n  jobs in the department's survey of businesses to 102.03 mln in\n  March.\n      Business and health services showed the largest gains in\n  jobs, while manufacturing employment fell by 25,000.\n      The average work week fell to 34.8 hours in March from 35.0\n  hours in February, the department said.\n      Manufacturing hours fell to 40.9 per week from 41.2 hours\n  in February, but overtime hours increased to 3.7 from 3.6.\n      The department's survey of households showed the number of\n  unemployed stood at 7.85 mln out of a work force of 119.2 mln.\n      The number of persons working part time for economic\n  reasons fell in March to 5.46 mln from 5.78 mln in February.\n      The loss of factory jobs brought the March total to 19.19\n  mln jobs and was concentrated in automobile, electrical and\n  electronic manufacturing.\n      Construction employment also lowered the number of jobs in\n  the goods-producing sector, falling by 45,000 after seasonal\n  adjustment, the department said.\n      Mining employment was little changed in March and has not\n  experienced any substantial erosion since the rapid job losses\n  in oil and gas drilling in the first two-thirds of 1986.\n      Other service industries that increased jobs last month\n  were finance, insurance, and real estate.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GETS 347 MLN STG AFTERNOON HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it has operated\n  in the money market this afternoon, buying back bills totalling\n  347 mln stg. This brings the total help so far today to 517 mln\n  stg and compares with the Bank's revised estimate of an 800 mln\n  stg shortfall.\n      The central bank purchased in band one 20 mln stg at 9-7\/8\n  pct, in band two 254 mln at 9-13\/16 pct, in band three 66 mln\n  at 9-3\/4 pct and in band four seven mln stg at 9-11\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALTEX <AII> SETS ACQUISITION OF COMPUTER FIRMS\n","article":"  Altex Industries Inc said it has agreed\n  in principle to buy 82 pct of two privately-held affiliated\n  computer retail companies for an undisclosed amount.\n      Altex said the Denver-based companies had revenues of over\n  seven mln dlrs last year. They are Integrated Management Data\n  Systems Inc, which sells accounting software systems to the oil\n  and gas industry, and Integrated Management Systems Micro\n  Distribution Division Inc, which distributes micro-computer\n  products.\n      Altex said it expects to close the transaction, which is\n  subject to financing, in July.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIA TUG CREWS BAR FOREIGN CONTAINER SHIPS\n","article":"  Tug crews are preventing the movement of\n  foreign-flag container vessels in and out of the ports of\n  Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle, shipping sources said.\n      They said maritime unions imposed bans on late Wednesday\n  for reasons that are obscure but seem to be linked with claims\n  for a pay rise above the 10 dlrs a week awarded by the\n  Arbitration Commission nationally to all workers recently.\n      Only about 10 vessels are being delayed but the bans will\n  affect container terminal movements and will disrupt liner\n  schedules, they said.\n      The dispute goes to the Commission on Monday, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"STANLINE INC <STAN> REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div eight cts vs eight cts in prior qtr\n      Payable April 30\n      Record April 15\n      Company said its board intends to declare cash dividends\n  quarterly and plans to pay a five pct stock dividend annually\n  following the close of each fiscal year. The initial five pct\n  stock dividend was paid December 22 to holders of record\n  November 30.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TALKING POINT\/SANTA FE SOUTHERN <SFX>\n","article":"  Santa Fe Southern Pacific Corp may have\n  more difficulty combining its two railroads than fending off a\n  possible takeover by Henley Group <HENG>, which has accumulated\n  almost a five pct stake in the real estate and railroad\n  conglomerate, analysts said.\n      Takeover speculation has surrounded Santa Fe since Henley\n  disclosed its stake in the company earlier this week, but\n  analysts and a Santa Fe official were skeptical a takeover is\n  its intention.\n      Analysts also said the company has strong defenses that\n  would easily deter any suitor - one of those being its problems\n  combining its two railroad properties, which hang in regulatory\n  limbo.\n      Richard Fischer of Merrill Lynch and Co Inc said that Santa\n  Fe at December 31 had 580 mln dlrs in cash and cash\n  equivalents, while its long-term debt to capital was just over\n  25 pct. \"This gives them plenty of borrowing power,\" he said,\n  which could be used against an unwanted suitor.\n      Henley Group's Chairman Michael Dingman has said he wants\n  to take major positions in undervalued natural resource\n  companies. He also told Reuters in an interview he is seeking\n  an acquisition of from two billion to eight billion dlrs.\n      Santa Fe officials don't appear concerned that Henley might\n  launch a takeover. \"I would not characterize the atmosphere\n  around here as one of concern,\" one Santa Fe executive said\n  about Henley.\n      \"I think it's wrong to assume Dingman has formed a firm\n  strategy with Santa Fe,\" said Mark Hassenberg, who covers\n  Henley for DLJ Securities.\n      Analysts say the potential of Santa Fe's land assets are\n  likely to be realized slowly. They add that Santa Fe's efforts\n  to merge its two railroads remain in regulatory limbo,\n  sidetracking many of its strategic plans for the foreseeable\n  future.\n      These realities, they said, support the Henley Group's\n  statement that its Santa Fe stake is only an investment.\n      The more pressing problem facing Santa Fe is overcoming\n  difficulties in merging its two railroads, the Atchison, Topeka\n  and Santa Fe Railway Co and Southern Pacific Transportation Co.\n  The merger would create the nation's second-longest railroad.\n      Last July the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) denied\n  the merger on anticompetitive grounds.\n      The company since has granted trackage-sharing rights to\n  four western railroads to meet the ICC's concerns and persuade\n  it to reopen the hearings in its three-year-old struggle to\n  merge the lines.\n      \"My guess is the commission will decide in three to six\n  weeks whether to reopen hearings,\" Fischer said.\n      \"I believe they've made an effort to satisfy the ICC's\n  objections,\" he said. \"But in doing so they haven't pleased\n  everyone. Before they had Burlington Northern on their side,\n  now Burlington is opposed to the way trackage rights are set\n  up.\"\n      If the hearings are reopened, analysts predicted it will\n  take six to nine months for everyone to have their say, and up\n  to another year for the ICC to decide.\n      Santa Fe is in the midst of a 50-mln-share stock buyback\n  program begun in 1984. It has bought back 33.7 mln shares as of\n  February 1, when it had 154.7 mln shares outstanding, a\n  spokesman said.\n      Among the shares repurchased were two stakes owned by\n  Norfolk Southern, one of 3.4 mln shares bought in 1986 and\n  another of 1.7 mln shares in 1985, one analyst said.\n      James Voytko at Paine Webber believes Santa Fe could fight\n  off the Henley Group with its cash and credit. Citing the share\n  buybacks from Norfolk Southern, he said one of Santa Fe's\n  options, if threatened, could be to buy the Henley stake.\n      \"It is indeed possible that Dingman sees this as a\n  low-risk, opportunistic investment,\" Voytko said.\n      \"People who follow Santa Fe have given me values of 45 dlrs\n  to 50 dlrs a share,\" said DLJ Securities' Hassenberg. \"But I'm\n  certain that in Dingman's mind, the company is worth more than\n  that in breakup value.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN FOREIGN RESERVES SURGE IN MONTH\n","article":"  Canadian foreign reserve holdings rose\n  1.23 billion U.S. dlrs in March to 7.77 billion dlrs, the\n  Finance Department said.\n      The department said the change from February included a\n  decrease of 258.1 mln dlrs from the repayment, at maturity, of\n  a 1982 Swiss Franc 400 mln issue.\n      Also included was also a 112.8 mln dlr decline from a net\n  redemption of Canada bills. The par value of bills outstanding\n  was 800.7 mln dlrs at March 31.\n      This month's reserves were 4.49 billion dlrs above March,\n  1986's total of 3.28 billion dlrs.\n      Reserve holdings in U.S. dlrs at end of March versus end of\n  February were as follows.\n      - U.S. dlrs 5.98 billion vs 4.47 billion,\n      - other foreign currencies 37.1 mln vs 319.9 mln,\n      - gold 874.0 mln vs 864.1 mln\n      - special drawing rights 191.8 mln vs 188.6 mln,\n      - IMF Reserves 689.7 mln vs 705.7 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CONTINENTAL GENERAL INSURANCE <CGIC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 20 cts vs 21 cts\n      Net 783,564 vs 806,278\n      Year\n      Shr 89 cts vs 86 cts\n      Net 3,443,392 vs 3,242,588\n      Note:Full company name is Continental General Insurance Co\n      Net includes profit from sale of securities of 155,410\n  dlrs, or four cts a share, and 192,896 dlrs, or five cts a\n  share, respectively, in 1986 qtr and year, and of 12,879 dlrs,\n  or nil per share, in 1985 qtr. Net for 1985 year includes loss\n  from sale of securities of 315,763 dlrs, or eight cts a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN STUDY URGES FOREIGN ACCESS TO FARM MARKETS\n","article":"  Japan should increase foreign access to\n  its farm products market, while encouraging further development\n  of domestic agriculture, a government report said.\n      The white paper on agriculture for the year ended March 31\n  said active participation in writing world farm trade rules at\n  the next round of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)\n  talks will help prepare Japan to improve access.\n      Agriculture Ministry sources said the paper marked an\n  easing in Japan's tough position on agricultural imports which\n  stressed the need for strict controls on some products to\n  maintain self-sufficiency in food.\n      Japan now produces only 30 pct of its annual grain needs,\n  down from 61 pct some 20 years ago, official figures show.\n      The paper said Japanese agriculture has been slow to\n  improve productivity and demand\/supply imbalances.\n      The relative shortage of farmland in Japan is mainly\n  responsible for higher domestic prices, it said.\n      The strong yen has meant lower input material prices but\n  has also resulted in higher agricultural imports which has\n  worsened working conditions among part-time farmers, the paper\n  said.\n      This could make it difficult to improve the industry's\n  structure, the paper said.\n      To solve these problems and to reduce farm product prices\n  to more reasonable levels, Japan should try to restructure the\n  the agricultural sector to improve productivity and make it\n  self-supporting, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HILTON <HLT> 1ST QTR EARNINGS UP ABOUT 37 PCT\n","article":"  Hilton Hotels Corp said\n  its first quarter net income rose 37 pct, paced by strength in\n  both hotels and gaming.\n      Based on preliminary results, the company said, net income\n  rose to about 24 mln dlrs, or 96 cts a share, from 17.4 mln\n  dlrs, or 70 cts a share, in 1986's initial three months.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PIONEER SUGAR SAYS CSR TAKEOVER OFFER TOO LOW\n","article":"  <Pioneer Sugar Mills Ltd> said it\n  considered the proposed 2.20 dlrs a share cash takeover offer\n  announced by CSR Ltd <CSRA.S> on March 31 to be too low in view\n  of the group*hK!UiIe and prospects.\n      Pioneer recommended in a statement that shareholders retain\n  their stock, pending the board's response once it receives full\n  details of the CSR offer.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SURALCO OFFERS CASH FOR WORKERS TO LEAVE\n","article":"  The U.S.-owned <Surinam Aluminum\n  Company> (SURALCO) offered workers a lump sum and up to five\n  months' wages to quit the firm because jungle-based rebels have\n  disrupted bauxite mining and alumina smelting, ANP said.\n      The Dutch news agency said SURALCO, a subsidiary of the\n  Aluminum Company of America(ALCOA) wanted to reduce its work\n  force because it had been hard hit by guerrilla attacks that\n  cut power lines to the area in January.\n      All bauxite mining at Moengo ceased four months ago and\n  SURALCO's Paranam alumina smelter is using imported bauxite.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"GENERAL PARTNERS WILLING TO PAY 110 DLRS\/SHARE FOR GENCORP\n","article":"\n  GENERAL PARTNERS WILLING TO PAY 110 DLRS\/SHARE FOR GENCORP\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MARGAUX CONTROLS INC <MARGX> 3RD QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.60 dlrs vs loss 45 cts\n      Net loss 9,883,000 vs loss 2,744,000\n      Revs 1,309,000 vs 3,289,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 2.29 dlrs vs loss 98 cts\n      Net loss 14.1 mln vs loss 6,008,000\n      Revs 4,577,000 vs 11.9 mln\n      NOTE: Current periods include loss of 7.5 mln dlrs from\n  discontinued operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET RECEIVES 205 MLN STG LATE HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it has provided\n  around 205 mln stg late assistance to the market, bringing the\n  total help today to 722 mln which compares with the Bank's\n  revised deficit forecast of 800 mln stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BELGIAN MONEY SUPPLY RISES IN FOURTH QUARTER 1986\n","article":"  Belgian total money stock rose to\n  1,140.4 billion francs at the end of 1986 from 1,115.4 billion\n  at the end of the third quarter of last year and 1,055.0\n  billion at the end of 1985, Belgian National Bank figures\n  showed.\n      Paper money rose to 404.1 billion francs from 394.1 billion\n  and 383.5 billion respectively, other forms of privately held\n  money to 679.5 billion from 652.7 billion and 616.0 billion.\n      Money held by the public authorities fell to 56.8 billion\n  francs from 68.6 billion at the end of the previous quarter but\n  was above the 55.5 billion at the end of 1985, the bank said.\n      The government does not set money supply targets, arguing\n  they are inappropriate to a small economy with major trading\n  and monetary links with much larger trading countries.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STOLTENBERG SAYS PARIS ACCORD POLICY TO CONTINUE\n","article":"  West German Finance Minister Gerhard\n  Stoltenberg said the currency agreement reached in Paris in\n  February had been successful and would be continued.\n      Stoltenberg told journalists before he attends next week's\n  International Monetary Fund meeting in Washington that: \"The ...\n  Strategy to stabilise currencies around current levels has\n  proven its worth and will also determine future developments.\"\n      Stoltenberg declined to comment specifically on what he\n  would consider to be an undervalued dollar but said a dollar\n  around 1.80 marks created problems for West Germany's exports.\n      He said studies by international organisations had made it\n  clear that especially in the U.S. And in Japan major efforts\n  remained necessary to support adjustments in foreign trade\n  balances via necessary corrections to economic policy.\n      \"No-one would benefit if, after years of over-valuation, the\n  U.S. Dollar fell into the other extreme, that is, strong\n  under-valuation,\" he said.\n      Stoltenberg said West Germany had a keen interest in a\n  swift agreement between the U.S. And Japan concerning the\n  current trade dispute over semi-conductors.\n      Asked whether he believed the markets would test the Paris\n  currency accord, Stoltenberg did not comment specifically but\n  noted that much of what had been discussed in Paris had not\n  been published.\n      The Paris declaration did not state the levels at which\n  central banks of the major industrialised countries would\n  intervene. Stoltenberg said that everything had been carefully\n  considered. He said he had nothing further to add.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BRAZILIAN COFFEE RAINFALL\n","article":"  THE FOLLOWING RAINFALL WAS RECORDDD IN\n  THE AREAS OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS\n       PARANA STATE UMUARAMA 10.6 MILLIMETRES, PARANAVAI 12.2 MM,\n  LONDRINA 6.0 MM, MARINGA 8.0 MM.\n      SAO PAULO STATE: PRESIDENZE PRUDENTE 1.0 MM, VOTUPORANGA\n  26.0 MM, FRANCA NIL, CATANDUVA 0.1 MM, SAO CARLOS NIL, SAO\n  SIMAO NIL. REUTER\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AVERAGE DISCOUNT RATE AT UK BILL TENDER 9.5195 PCT\n","article":"  The average rate of discount at today's\n  U.K. Treasury bill tender rose to 9.5195 pct from 9.3157 pct\n  last week, the Bank of England said.\n      This week's 100 mln stg offer of 91-day bills met\n  applications of 327 mln stg, the bank said.\n      Applications for bills dated Monday to Friday at the top\n  accepted rate of discount of 9.5261 pct were allotted about 81\n  pct.\n      Next week 100 mln stg of Treasury bills will be offered,\n  replacing 100 mln stg of maturities.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IMF, WORLD BANK TO MEET AMID NEW INFLATION FEARS\n","article":"  Amid new concerns about inflation,\n  interest rate increases and trade confrontations,\n  finance ministers and central bankers meet next week to discuss\n  a deteriorating global debt and economic situation.\n      The meetings, under the auspices of the International\n  Monetary Fund and World Bank, come as interest rates are\n  turning higher and the already-weak dollar has sunk further,\n  upsetting bond and stock markets.\n      Uncertainty is growing about the vitality of the global\n  economy and whether the heavily-indebted countries can continue\n  to carry the burden of their growing debt without vast new\n  assistance.\n      Monetary and diplomatic sources said there are no signs\n  any new debt initiative of the sort that Treasury Secretary\n  James Baker unveiled 18 months ago in Seoul is in the works.\n      The strategy has drawn a serious challenge from Brazil,\n  which suspended interest payments on 67 billion dlrs of\n  commercial bank debt last month. The Banks have responded by\n  laying the groundwork for writing down Brazilian loans.\n      Separately, French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac, in a\n  visit earlier this week with President Reagan, sounded out the\n  administration on a plan to funnel worldwide grain surpluses to\n  the very poorest states.\n      The French plan is certain to be discussed by the ministers\n  in detail during next week's meetings and will undoubtedly be\n  embraced by the developing countries.\n      \"There's interest on the part of some countries for looking\n  at the support of the special problems of the very poorest\n  countries, because their position is so extreme,\" a Reagan\n  administration official said.\n      He suggested Washington was open to disussing the issue.\n      The meetings will also assess the success of the Baker debt\n  initiative, which called for new funding to help debtor\n  countries grow out of their problems.\n      The largest industrial countries have been attempting to\n  coordinate economic policy in the hope of controlling the\n  decline of the dollar, U.S. trade and budget deficits and other\n  problems.\n      At the same time, the industrial countries see little\n  evidence of a strengthening of economic activity and the Fund\n  forecasts they will grow 2.5 pct.\n      The United States sees 3.2 pct growth for itself, \n  continuing its expansion for a fifth year, and has asked other\n  industrial countries to stimulate their economies.\n      These issues directly affect the debt problem and the\n  ability of the debtor countries to grow out of their\n  difficulties.\n      In recent years, U.S. markets have absorbed the exports of\n  developing country, allowing them to earn critical foreign\n  exchange. But the United States wants to cut its trade deficit,\n  running at a record 169.8 billion dlrs, and is pressing others\n  to import more from developing countries.\n      The discussions, from April six to 10, will be\n  wide-ranging, touching everything from interest rates to the\n  impact of development loans on the environment, according to\n  monetary sources.\n      The talks will include an examination of trade\n  protectionist pressures in the wake of a decision by the Reagan\n  administration to place some 300 mln dlrs in tariffs on\n  microchip products from Japan, the sources said.\n      The move accelerated the dollar's decline as financial\n  markets grew alarmed that trade war was in the offing.\n      There is concern that the action, prompted by U.S. charges\n  that Japan has been selling computer chip products below fair\n  market value and has kept its own market closed to imports,\n  further undermining the international trading system.\n      At the same time, the ministers will discuss the\n  fundamental price weakness in basic commodities, the export\n  mainstay of many developing countries.\n      The so-called Group of Five industrial countries -- the\n  United States, Japan, West Germany, France and Britain -- will\n  gather for the first time since their February talks in Paris,\n  where they agreed to keep the dollar from sliding further.\n      The Five will be joined later by Italy and Canada for\n  further debate on economic policy coordination.\n      As part of the Paris accord, surplus countries such as\n  Japan agreed to stimulate their economies, while America\n  said it would reduce its federal budget deficit.\n      Other major issues of the meetings include a U.S. bid to to\n  have a larger say in approving loans of the Inter-American\n  Development Bank, strengthening the link between loans and\n  economic policy changes in debtor nations.\n      Washington is also pressing the World Bank to take more\n  account of the environment when making loan for dams and other\n  projects.\n      The new head of the Bank, Barber Conable, has said this\n  issue is being reviewed and will be part of a reorganization\n  plan for the Bank, now being prepared.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LONDON FREIGHT MARKET FEATURES USSR TIMECHARTERS\n","article":"  Active timecharter fixing by Soviet\n  operators to cover USSR grain imports featured the freight\n  market, ship brokers said.\n      At least two fixtures were reported on Soviet account to\n  lift EC grain, with a 22,000 tonner booked from Tilbury for a\n  voyage via lower Baltic Sea and redelivery passing Skaw at\n  4,000 dlrs daily and a 27,000 tonner from Ceuta for a voyage\n  via the U.K. And redelivery Skaw-Cape Passero at 4,500 dlrs\n  daily.\n      The Soviets also secured a 34,000 tonner from Gibraltar for\n  a trans-Atlantic round trip at 4,500 dlrs daily and a 61,000\n  tonner for similar business at 6,750 dlrs daily.\n      Brokers said several other fixtures were also thought to be\n  connected with Soviet grain, including a 69,000 tonner from\n  Taranto for five to seven months at 6,500 dlrs daily. Similar\n  fixing was reported yesterday at 6,000 dlrs.\n      Other timecharter fixing included a 14,000 tonner from\n  Indonesia to the U.S. Gulf at 2,800 dlrs daily and a combined\n  carrier of 75,000 tonnes dw from the U.S. Gulf to Italy at\n  9,000 dlrs daily.\n      Severel vessels were booked from Antwerp-Hamburg range,\n  including a 61,000 tonner bound for Singapore-Japan at 7,500\n  dlrs daily and a 16,000 tonner destined for west coast India at\n  5,000 dlrs.\n      Grain fixing was much quieter out of the U.S. Gulf, with no\n  fresh business seen on the significant routes to the Continent\n  or Japan, although tonnage was secured for at least five small\n  corn cargoes from the Gulf to Jamaica at between 21 and 25\n  dlrs. Wheat from the River Plate and Buenos Aires to Sri Lanka\n  received 26 dlrs.\n      Market talk suggested 11 dlrs had been paid for grain from\n  the U.S. North Pacific to Japan but no confirmation was\n  available.\n      Fairly active grain fixing emerged out of the Continent,\n  however, with maize covered from Nantes to Egypt at 15 dlrs,\n  and bagged flour from Greece to China at 27 dlrs.\n      Barley cargoes were arranged from Immingham to the Red Sea\n  at 17.25 dlrs and from Foynes to Jeddah at 17.25 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MERCHANTS GROUP INC <MRCH> 4TH QTR OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 21 cts vs loss 2.13 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 456,000 vs loss 2,454,000\n      Revs 16.3 mln vs 13.1 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 1.39 dlrs vs loss 2.41 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 1,815,000 vs loss 2,779,000\n      Revs 58.0 mln vs 43.8 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 4th qtr and yr oper net exclude realized\n  investment gains of 279,000 dlrs and 1,013,000 dlrs,\n  respectively, which includes provision for income taxes of\n  238,000 dlrs and 863,000 dlrs for the periods, respectively.\n      1986 4th qtr and yr oper net exclude 606,000 dlrs or 38 cts\n  per share and 2,323,000 dlrs or 1.86 dlrs per share, for net\n  operating loss carryovers.\n      1985 4th qtr and yr oper net exclude realized investment\n  gains of 439,000 dlrs and 666,000 dlrs respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NERCO <NER> TO ACQUIRE INTEREST IN GAS FILED\n","article":"  Nerco Inc said it has agreed to\n  acquire a 47 pct working interest in the Broussard Gas Field in\n  southern Louisiana from privately-owned <Davis Oil Co> for\n  about 22.5 mln dlrs in cash.\n      Nerco said the interest being purchased will give it\n  estimated proven oil and gas reserves equal to six billion\n  cubic feet of natural gas. The property includes six gas wells,\n  one oil well two undeveloped drilling locations, a central\n  production facility and a gas gathering system.\n      Nerco is 90 pct owned by PacifiCorp <PPW>.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANRAD <CNRD> ACQUIRES MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS\n","article":"  Canrad Inc said it acquired the\n  Measurement Systems Division of <Page-Wilson Corp> for an\n  undisclosed amount of cash.\n      Canrad said the acquisition is expected to increase its\n  annual revenues by about 10 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PANTERA'S  <PANT> ACQUIRES 10 RESTAURANTS\n","article":"  Pantera's Corp said it closed on its\n  agreement to acquire ten pizza restaurant locations in\n  southeastern Colorado.\n      It said the purchase price was 1,250,000 dlrs, which was\n  paid by cash and stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NORANDA SAYS FIRE CAUSED 10 MLN DLRS IN DAMAGE\n","article":"  <Noranda Inc> said a copper\n  mine fire that killed one miner and trapped 44 others for\n  nearly a day caused an estimated 10 mln Canadian dlrs in\n  damage.\n      The fire, which started Wednesday and burned for more than\n  24 hours, destroyed the mine's three-year-old conveyor system,\n  officials said.\n      Michel Lefebvre, vice president of operations, said Noranda\n  will operate the mine at about one third of its normal 72,000\n  short ton annual finished capacity, using above ground\n  reserves, until it decides whether to keep the mine open.\n      \"The events we sustained yesterday and the day before are a\n  very serious setback for Gaspe Mines operations,\" Lefebvre said.\n  Gaspe Mines is the name of the Noranda division that operates\n  the Murdochville mine.\n      He said it would take four or five months to bring\n  operations up to full capacity if the company decides to do so,\n  adding that he believes there is a good chance Noranda will\n  fully reopen the mine.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GENERAL PARTNERS TO RAISE BID FOR GENCORP <GY>\n","article":"  <General Partners> said it was\n  prepared to raise its bid for GenCorp Inc to 110 dlrs cash per\n  share from 100 dlrs per share.\n      In a letter from General Partners to A. William Reynolds,\n  chairman and chief executive officer of GenCorp, the company\n  stated that if GenCorp could prove the company was worth more,\n  General Partners would be willing to consider an even higher\n  price.\n      General Partners also left open the possibility of an\n  alternative to an all-cash offer.\n      General Partners told GenCorp if it believed shareholders\n  would be better served by a smaller cash price with a security\n  representing a continuing long-term interest in GenCorp's\n  prospects, it would be willing to discuss an alternative.\n      Specifically, General Partners said it was prepared to\n  discuss an acquisition giving shareholders a continuing\n  interest in Aerojet General, a valued business of GenCorp.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MANGOOD CORP <MAB> YEAR OPER LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 6.07 vs loss 7.64 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 6,235,000 vs loss 4,801,000\n      Sales 70.1 mln vs 60.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,028,000 vs 629,000\n      NOTE: 1986 earnings exclude a gain on restructuring of\n  3,143,000 dlrs, or 3.01 dlrs a share\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NORANDA COPPER MINE FIRE CAUSED HEAVY DAMAGE\n","article":"  <Noranda Inc> said a copper\n  mine fire that killed one miner and trapped 44 others for\n  nearly a day caused an estimated 10 mln Canadian dlrs in\n  damage.\n      The fire, which started Wednesday and burned for more than\n  24 hours, destroyed the mine's three-year-old conveyor system,\n  officials said.\n      Michel Lefebvre, vice president of operations, said Noranda\n  will operate the mine at about one-third of its normal 72,000\n  metric ton annual finished capacity, using above ground\n  reserves, until it decides whether to keep the mine open.\n      \"The events we sustained yesterday and the day before are a\n  very serious setback for Gaspe Mines operations,\" Lefebvre said.\n  Gaspe Mines is the name of the Noranda division that operates\n  the Murdochville mine.\n      He said it would take four or five months to bring\n  operations up to full capacity if the company decides to do so,\n  adding that he believes there is a good chance Noranda will\n  fully reopen the mine.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<AMERICAN WEST BANK> FIRST QTR NET\n","article":"  Net 90,501 vs 56,960\n      Assets 42.0 mln vs 34.9 mln\n      Deposits 35.9 mln\n      Loans 27.6 mln vs 23.9 mln\n      NOTE: earnings per share and 1985 deposits figure  not\n  supplied by company.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"R.R. DONNELLY <DNY> TO SELL CABLE SYSTEM\n","article":"  R.R. Donnelly and Sons Co said it\n  reached an agreement with Adams-Russell Co Inc <AAR> to sell\n  Adams its Rockford, Ill., cable system for an undisclosed\n  price.\n      R.R. Donnelly said it expects the deal to close in about\n  120 days, subject to regulatory approvals and other conditions.\n      The cable system serves about 51,000 subscribers in the\n  communities of Rockford, Loves Park, Machesney Park, Cherry\n  Valley, Morristown and Winnebago County, Ill., R.R. Donnelly\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BIOMET INC <BMET> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 18 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 2,133,000 vs 1,384,000\n      Revs 14.1 mln vs 11.7 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 49 cts vs 36 cts\n      Net 5,657,000 vs 3,728,000\n      Revs 39.7 mln vs 31.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CONTINENTAL GENERAL <CGIC> SETS STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Continental General Insurance Co\n  said its board of directors declared a 10 pct stock dividend on\n  common shares, payable April one to shareholders of record\n  March 16.\n      The company yesterday paid a quarterly cash dividend of\n  2-1\/2 cts a share, unchanged from the previous quarter, to\n  shareholders of record February 20.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SPAIN AGREES SALE OF CORN TO GREECE\n","article":"  Greece has agreed to buy between 27,000\n  and 33,000 tonnes of Spanish corn, a spokesman for Cargill's\n  Spanish unit Compania Industrial y de Abastecimiento S.A.\n  (CINDASA) said.\n      He told Reuters the sale price was around 28.95 pesetas per\n  kilo but that the final quantity and delivery date has not yet\n  been set. The corn will be shipped in the coming days from\n  Valencia.\n      He said CINDASA will also ship 6,000 to 7,000 tonnes of\n  Spanish corn to Italy in the second half of this month.\n      The CINDASA spokesman said other corn shipments this month\n  will include between 15,000 and 30,000 tonnes bound initially\n  for Rotterdam and Ghent and destined for unspecified northern\n  European countries. He said shipments of 35,000 to 50,000\n  tonnes of low specific gravity barley were also expected this\n  month and added that Greece, the Netherlands, Ireland and\n  Belgium were considering imports of Spanish flour for milling.\n      Market sources said the corn exports, the absence of\n  imports from the rest of the EC and the delay in shipments of\n  corn from the U.S. Had pushed domestic corn prices up by around\n  0.25 pesetas a kilo today compared with yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EAC INDUSTRIES INC <EAC> 4TH QTR OPER LOSS\n","article":"  Period ended Jan 31\n      Oper shr loss 66 cts vs loss 1.29 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 1,309,000 vs loss 2,522,000\n      Sales 25.1 mln vs 19.9 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 65 cts vs loss 97 cts\n      Oper net loss 1,287,000 vs loss 1,882,000\n      Sales 113.4 mln vs 76.6 mln\n      NOTE: Earnings exclude a loss on sale of discontinued\n  operations of 17,000 dlrs, or one ct a share vs a gain of\n  1,383,000 dlrs, or 70 cts a share in the quarter and gains of\n  300,000 dlrs, or 15 cts a share vs 1,941,000 dlrs, or 1.00 dlr\n  a share for the year\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BUNDESBANK GROSS RESERVES RISE AT MARCH CLOSE\n","article":"  The Bundesbank's gross currency\n  reserves rose 300 mln marks in the last week of March to 104.9\n  billion marks, the Bundesbank said in a statement.\n      At the same time its foreign liabilities rose 100 mln to\n  22.8 billion, producing a rise in net reserves of 200 mln to\n  82.2 billion on March 31.\n      The Bundesbank provided banks with liquidity in the fourth\n  March week by disbursing funds in the money market via\n  government-owned banks. Banks took up the Bundesbank's standing\n  offer of treasury bills to place excess liquidity.\n      Banks received more liquidity through routine month-end\n  payments by public authorities as well as expansionary market\n  factors than was lost through the 2.3 billion mark rise in cash\n  in circulation to 122.3 billion, the Bundesbank said.\n      But banks had to draw heavily on the Lombard emergency\n  financing facility due to month-end tightness, borrowing 5.3\n  billion marks.\n      Overall, banks' holdings at the Bundesbank rose 10.2\n  billion marks to 58.5 billion at the end of the month,\n  averaging 50.9 billion in the whole of March.\n      The minimum reserve requirement for March, before deduction\n  of banks' cash holdings, was set at 61 billion marks.\n      Public authorities' net holdings at the Bundesbank fell to\n  2.2 billion marks in the last March week from 4.4 billion the\n  week before. The federal states' holdings fell 2.6 billion to\n  2.4 billion.\n      The federal government's holdings rose 700 mln marks to 5.1\n  billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TURKISH CENTRAL BANK SETS LIRA\/DOLLAR, DM RATES\n","article":"  Turkey's Central Bank set a lira\/dollar\n  rate for April 6 of 781.95\/785.86 to the dollar, up from\n  782.50\/786.41. It set a lira\/D-mark rate of 430.15\/432.30 to\n  the mark, down from 428.30\/430.44.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"WESSANEN FORESEES STRONG PROFIT GROWTH\n","article":"  Dutch dairy and general foods\n  manufacturer Koninklijke Wessanen NV <WESS.AS>, said it is\n  planning further world-wide acquisitions and forsees strong\n  profit growth over the next 10 years.\n       Company chairman Gerrit van Driel told journalists at the\n  presentation of Wessanen's 1986 report he already expected 1987\n  first quarter profits to show an increase.\n      The company last month reported a 16 pct increase in 1986\n  net profits to 72.7 mln guilders, after 62.3 mln in 1985.\n      This was achieved despite a 25 pct drop in the dollar's\n  guilder value, van Driel said.\n      Van Driel said profits would have been nine mln guilders\n  higher if the US currency had remained at its average 1985\n  level of 3.20 guilders.\n      Turnover, at 3.7 billion guilders in 1986, was 450 mln\n  guilders down because of the lower dollar and lower raw\n  material prices. Total 1985 turnover was 4.2 billion guilders.\n      US activities accounted for 34 pct of 1986 turnover,\n  compared with 22 pct in 1982. Wessanen now has 15 separate\n  businesses in the US out of a total of 62 world-wide.\n      Van Driel said the company would continue an active\n  takeover policy in the US, but would be wary about paying more\n  than its current price\/earnings ratio of 17 times net profit.\n      He added that Wessanen teams were seeking acquisition\n  possibilities in Brazil, Taiwan, Thailand and China.\n      He said the company had an ample cashflow of 100 mln\n  guilders and would if necessary make new share issues.\n      Van Driel said he expected a 1987 US turnover of 700 mln\n  dlrs. He said <Balanced Foods> and <Green's Dairy>, taken over\n  late last year, have a combined annual turnover of 126 mln dlrs\n  which was not included in the 1986 account.\n      All sectors saw strong growth in 1986, resulting in a 13\n  pct increase in operating income to 120 mln guilders. Key to\n  this growth was the successful introduction of new products,\n  which were greatly enhanced by a number of consumer-oriented US\n  acquisitions, van Driel said.\n      Consumer products represented 50 pct of total 1986\n  turnover, compared with 35 pct in 1982, van Driel said.\n      The company, which is already listed on the London, Zurich,\n  Basle and Geneva stock exchanges as well as Amsterdam, aims to\n  be quoted in Frankfurt and Dusseldorf in May, van Driel said.\n      Van Driel stressed that while these listings would not be\n  accompanied by new share issues, they provided easy vehicles\n  for the company to raise capital for future expansion.\n      He estimated that 33 pct of the company's shares were in\n  foreign hands.\n      The company's 1986 US turnover of about 750 mln dlrs made a\n  listing on one of the New York exchanges a logical next step,\n  van Driel said without elaborating.\n      Despite EC dairy restrictions Wessanen, which produces\n  around 10 pct of all Dutch cheese, saw good growth prospects\n  for its dairy sector within Europe, van Driel said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MARGAUX CONTROLS INC <MARGX> 3RD QTR DEC 28 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.60 dlrs vs loss 45 cts\n      Net loss 9,883,000 vs loss 2,744,000\n      Revs 1,309,000 vs 3,289,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 2.29 dlrs vs loss 98 cts\n      Net loss 14.1 mln vs loss 6,008,000\n      Revs 4,577,000 vs 11.9 mln\n      Note: 1986 net losses inlcude 7,507,000-dlr charge from\n  discontinued operations of building management system sold to\n  Cetek System Inc on Jan 30, 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FHLBB CHANGES SHORT-TERM DISCOUNT NOTE RATES\n","article":"  The Federal Home Loan Bank Board\n  adjusted the rates on its short-term discount notes as follows:\n      MATURITY   NEW RATE  OLD RATE  MATURITY\n    30-273 days  5.00 pct  5.00 pct    30-89 days\n   274-294 days  5.92 pct  5.83 pct   90-100 days\n   295-344 days  5.00 pct  5.00 pct  101-181 days\n   345-360 days  5.93 pct  5.82 pct  182-195 days\n                           5.00 pct  196-274 days\n                           5.90 pct  275-295 days\n                           5.00 pct  296-360 days\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" 3-APR-1987 10:09:10.28\n","article":"   3-APR-1987 10:09:10.28\n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"K MART <KM> SELLING KRESGE TO MCCRORY\n","article":"  K mart Corp said it agreed to sell\n  most of the U.S. Kresge and Jupiter stores to McCrory Corp, a\n  subsidiary of privately held Rapid American Corp.\n      It said the agreement covers 76 stores in 21 states\n  including inventory and fixtures. The price depends on the\n  amount of the inventory that will be in the stores on the\n  closing date.\n      K mart said it will continue to operate the stores until\n  early June, when McCrory will take over with no interruption of\n  service.\n      The newly acquired Kresge and Jupiter stores will be\n  renamed McCrory 5 and 10. McCrory currently operates 1,250\n  stores in 38 states.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TANDY <TAN> 3RD QUARTER REVENUES UP 12 PCT\n","article":"  Tandy Corp said consolidated\n  sales and operating revenues for the third quarter, ended March\n  31, totaled nearly 776.0 mln dlrs, up 12 pct from 693.4 mln\n  dlrs last year.\n      The company said third quarter earnings will be released in\n  the latter part of April.\n      Tandy said March sales and oprating revenues totaled 164.4\n  mln dlrs, up 11 pct from March 1986's 238.8 mln dlrs.\n      It said U.S. retail operations revenues rose to 225.8 mln\n  dlrs last month from 202.7 mln dlrs a year earlier. Sales of\n  U.S. stores in existence more than one year increased 10 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PHILIP MORRIS <MO> UP ON RECOMMENDATIONS\n","article":"  The stock of Philip Morris Cos rose\n  today following recommendations by First Boston Corp and Morgan\n  Stanley and Co, traders said.\n      Philip Morris gained 1-3\/4 to 88-1\/4.\n      First Boston's analyst was unavailable for comment.\n      Morgan Stanley's David Hill said he just assumed coverage\n  of Philip Morris and placed it on his recommended list becasue\n  of its attractive earnings growth and because the stock is\n  selling at a discount to the market based on Morgan's figures.\n  Hill expects Morris to earn 7.75 dlrs a share this year and\n  9.50 dlrs in 1988. In 1986, Morris earned 6.20 dlrs a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PAKISTAN NOT SEEN AS MAJOR WHEAT EXPORTER\n","article":"  Pakistan is not emerging as a major\n  wheat exporter as world market prospects are not good enough,\n  Sartaj Aziz, Special Assistant on Food and Agriculture to the\n  Pakistani Prime Minister, said in an interview.\n      No exports are planned for the next 12 months or so and\n  plans last year to sell one mln tonnes to Iran came to nothing\n  because they could not agree a price, he said.\n      Aziz forecast that Pakistan may have exportable surpluses\n  of one mln tonnes or a half mln tonnes over the next few\n  harvests in years when the weather is favourable.\n      The government does not wish to increase output much above\n  this because of low world prices, and the land would be better\n  used for other crops.\n      Aziz said the Pakistani government does not want area sown\n  to wheat to increase from the current seven mln hectares. Some\n  10 pct of that area which gives low yields could be switched to\n  more profitable crops such as oilseeds.\n      The aim is to concentrate on raising yields from the\n  current 1.8 to 1.9 tonnes per ha to at least 2.5 tonnes per ha\n  over the next five to seven years, he said.\n      Aziz said the current 1986\/87 crop, harvesting of which is\n  just beginning, is expected to yield around a record 14.5 mln\n  tonnes. This compares with a target of 14.7 mln and last year's\n  yield of 14.0 mln.\n      He said rains some six weeks ago helped the crop but more\n  recent rains reduced prospects slightly.\n      The long-term wheat production target is for some 17 mln\n  tonnes by mid-1993, taking into account Pakistan's annual\n  population growth rate of more than three pct. Current\n  consumption is some 12.5 mln tonnes.\n      The current wheat reserve is 2.5 mln tonnes, Aziz said.\n  This compares with a minimum reserve commitment of one mln\n  tonnes, which Pakistan will maintain at all costs, and a\n  \"strategic reserve\" target of two mln tonnes.\n      Despite the fact that stocks are a half-mln tonnes over\n  target, the surplus will not be exported at present, he said.\n      The government wants to keep an extra \"safety margin\" until\n  it sees what effect the abolition of a 44-year-old wheat\n  rationing system will have on domestic consumption. New exports\n  will be considered only in about a year's time when the 1987\/88\n  crop can be gauged as well, he said.\n      The new domestic policy, introduced on March 15, is for the\n  government to supply unlimited quantities of wheat at two\n  rupees per kilo. With other costs this means a price in\n  Pakistani markets of between 2.30 and 2.50 rupees per kilo.\n      Under the old system, introduced during World War Two and\n  due to be phased out by April 15, some 50 mln ration cards were\n  issued enabling poor people to buy wheat cheaply.\n      Aziz said following the introduction of a government\n  support price in the 1970s the system become so corrupted that\n  only 20 to 25 pct of subsidised wheat was actually reaching the\n  consumer, the rest being diverted illicitly to the mills.\n      The ration system had also not had the stabilising effect\n  on the internal wheat market that was intended, Aziz said.\n      Prices have already begun to fall with the introduction of\n  the new system. The wheat price in Karachi, the most expensive\n  Pakistani city, had dropped from 3.11 rupees per kilo on March\n  1 to 2.85 rupees on March 30.\n      Aziz said he does not expect the change in system to have a\n  major effect on total consumption, but it may encourage better\n  use of side-products such as bran.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"KLEER-VU INDUSTRIES TO SELL COSMETICS UNIT\n","article":"  <Kleer-Vu Industries> said the\n  company's board authorized the sale of its Neslemur Co, its\n  cosmetic and toiletries company.\n      The company said it is evaluating two separate proposals\n  and will complete the sale within 10 days.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MEMORY PROTECTION <MPDI> COMPLETES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Memory Protection Devices Inc said it\n  completed its acquisition of the assets and liabilities of\n  Bogen, a division of <Lear\/Siegler>, for 9,200,000 dlrs in\n  cash.\n      Under the newly-structured company, Memory said it expects\n  to report consolidated sales of 18 mln dlrs to 20 mln dlrs and\n  should be profitable before allowing for extraordinary items\n  related to the acquisition.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DU PONT <DD> TO SELL CLEVELAND PLANT\n","article":"  Du Pont Co said it agreed to\n  sell its Cleveland chemical plant, the oldest site currently\n  operated by the company, to two employees.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      Closing is expected in the second quarter, following\n  approval of definitive agreements.\n      Products made at the plant represent less than 1\/10 of one\n  pct of Du Pont's annual sales, it said. Quilon chrome complexes\n  and Volan bonding agents will be supplied by the plant to Du\n  Pont under contract.\n      Established in 1866, the plant was acquired by Du Pont in\n  1928. The plant no longer fits the company's long-term\n  strategy, Du Pont said\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SPAIN RAISES CALL MONEY RATE TO 14.5 PCT\n","article":"  The Bank of Spain said it raised its rate\n  for overnight call money to 14.5 pct from 14 pct with immediate\n  effect at today's daily auction for assistance funds.\n      The move followed comments yesterday by central bank\n  governor Mariano Rubio, who said money supply growth was too\n  fast.\n      The bank said later that it was leaving its rate for\n  special assistance funds from its second window unchanged at 16\n  pct, surprising operators who had expected an increase there\n  too.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FEDERAL CO <FFF> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.00 dlr vs 34 cts\n      Net 16.9 mln vs 5,696,000\n      Revs 371.3 mln vs 303.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 16.9 mln vs 16.3 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 3.55 dlrs vs 1.66 dlrs\n      Net 59.3 mln vs 27.1 mln\n      Revs 1.02 billion vs 912.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 16.7 mln vs 16.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FLOWERS INDUSTRIES INC <FLO> HIKES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 14-1\/2 cts vs 14 cts prior\n      Pay May 4\n      Record April 17\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FINE ART ACQUISITIONS LTD <FAAA> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr three cts vs three cts\n      Net 141,224 vs 118,192\n      Sales 5,849,695 vs 3,717,794\n      Avg shrs 4,975,000 vs 4,925,000\n      Year\n      Shr 15 cts vs 10 cts\n      Net 720,126 vs 474,879\n      Sales 18.2 mln vs 11.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,959,932 vs 4,902,778\n      NOTE: 1985 year net includes gain of 58,000 dlrs, or one\n  cent a share, from tax loss carryforward\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NORTHERN TELECOM PROPOSES TWO-FOR-ONE STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"\n  NORTHERN TELECOM PROPOSES TWO-FOR-ONE STOCK SPLIT\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"GERBER <GEB> SETS DEADLINE FOR UNIT'S BUYOUT\n","article":"  Gerber Products Co said it has\n  given management of its CWT Inc trucking subsidiary 60 days to\n  pursue a leveraged buyout of the subsidiary.\n      It said CWT Inc, which has operations in the Midwest and\n  Southeast, has annual revenues of approximately 135 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<ANCHOR FINANCIAL CORP> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 31 cts vs 31 cts\n      Net 226,000 vs 173,000\n      Assets 73.1 mln vs 62.5 mln\n      Deposits 54.6 mln vs 51.5 mln\n      NOTE: earnings per share for 1987 affected by issuance of\n  166,750 shares of common stock in December 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"TSR INC <TSRI> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr seven cts vs four cts\n      Net 161,000 vs 107,000\n      Revs 5,852,000 vs 4,794,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 23 cts vs 24 cts\n      Net 553,000 vs 610,000\n      Revs 18.2 mln vs 14.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TIME <TL> IN TALKS ON CABLE NEWS CONSORTIUM\n","article":"  N.J. Nicholas Jr., president and chief\n  operating officer of Time Inc, told security analysts the\n  company is now engaged in talks to join a consortium of cable\n  companies that will invest in Cable News Network.\n      Nicholas declined to give any details, but said an\n  announcement might be ready in a few days. He also declined to\n  say whether the investment would be made by Time Inc or\n  American Television and Communications Corp, a public company\n  in which Time owns a majority stake.\n      Cable News Network is owned by Turner Broadcasting System\n  <TBS>.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ABNORMAL RADIATION FOUND IN SOVIET TEA\/HAZELNUTS\n","article":"  Abnormally high levels of radiation were\n  found in Soviet tea and hazelnuts more than nine months after\n  the Chernobyl nuclear accident, West German residents in Moscow\n  were advised this week.\n      In a letter to the West German community here, Ambassador\n  Joerg Kastl said laboratory tests on food samples bought in\n  Moscow in February had shown elevated levels of caesium-134 and\n  -137 in tea from Azerbaijan and Ukrainian hazelnuts.\n      Other food samples sent for testing at Cologne University,\n  including honey, fruit, vegetables, pork, milk and butter, were\n  found to be free of radiation, it said.\n      Data in the letter showed the tea and hazelnuts contained\n  caesium levels far in excess of ceilings recommended by the\n  United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).\n      The letter said people who had consumed the tea faced no\n  particular health danger as most of the caesium remained in the\n  tea leaves, but it warned against eating the hazelnuts.\n      The products sent for testing were bought in state shops\n  and private farmers' markets in Moscow, it added. Other Western\n  embassies in Moscow said they had discontinued laboratory\n  testing of Soviet food late last year because no abnormal\n  radiation levels were detected.\n      \"We didn't find anything so we stopped doing it,\" a U.S.\n  Embassy spokesman said.\n      A British spokesman said radiation-monitoring equipment\n  remained in the embassy waiting room for British residents in\n  Moscow who wanted to check their food, but laboratory tests had\n  not been conducted for several months.\n      \"Earlier we sent some food back to Britain as a\n  precautionary measure, but we stopped in the absence of any\n  alarming signals,\" he said. \"If the tests had shown abnormal\n  readings, they would have been resumed.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SALLIE MAE ADJUSTS SHORT-TERM DISCOUNT NOTE RATES\n","article":"  The Student Loan Marketing\n  Association said its rates on short-term discount notes were as\n  follows:\n      MATURITY   NEW RATE    OLD RATE  MATURITY\n      5-14 days  5.65 pct    5.60 pct     5-14 days\n     15-78 days  5.00 pct    5.00 pct    15-81 days\n     79-85 days  5.83 pct    5.75 pct    82-88 days\n    89-360 days  5.00 pct    5.00 pct   89-174 days\n                             5.85 pct  175-180 days\n                             5.00 pct  181-360 days\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HARRIS CUTS STAKE IN BELL INDUSTRIES <BI>\n","article":"  Harris Associates L.P., a Chicago\n  investment advisory limited partnership, said it lowered its\n  stake in Bell Industries Inc to 1,015,800 shares, or 18.7 pct\n  of the total outstanding, from 1,083,800 shares, or 20.0 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Harris said it sold 68,000 Bell common shares between Dec 18\n  and Feb 20 at prices ranging from 20.25 to 25.24 dlrs each.\n      Harris said its dealings in Bell stock are on behalf of its\n  advisory clients.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CYPRUS LOWERS COPPER PRICE ONE CT TO 66 CTS\n","article":"  Cyprus Minerals Company said it is\n  decreasing its electrolytic copper cathode price by one cent  \n  to 66.0 cents a pound, effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FREDDIE MAC ADJUSTS SHORT-TERM DISCOUNT RATES\n","article":"  The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp\n  adjusted the rates on its short-term discount notes as follows:\n     MATURITY   RATE       OLD RATE  MATURITY\n      31 days   5.95 pct   6.00 pct  32 days\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MAVERICK RESTAURANT CORP <MAVR> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Ended Jan 31\n      Shr loss 50 cts vs loss one ct\n      Net loss 2,475,739 vs loss 68,691\n      Revs 3,689,770 vs 3,292,733\n      Year\n      Shr loss 50 cts vs loss two cts\n      net loss 2,472,582 vs loss 112,936\n      Revs 14.8 mln vs 13.2 mln\n      NOTE: Current periods include charge of 2.25 mln dlrs or 45\n  cts for restaurant closings.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GRAPHIC MEDIA INC <GMED> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Ended Jan 31\n      Shr nine cts vs eight cts\n      Net 246,000 vs 369,000\n      Revs 20.4 mln vs 11.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,123,000 vs 1,882,000\n      NOTE: 1985 restated.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TIME <TL> 1987 EARNINGS MAY BE 4.25 DLRS SHARE\n","article":"  Time Inc's chief financial officer,\n  Thayer Bigelow, told security analysts the company is\n  \"comfortable\" with Wall Street estimates that 1987 earnings\n  will be in a range of 3.75 dlrs to 4.25 dlrs per share.\n      In 1986, Time reported earnings of 5.95 dlrs per share,\n  including a number of special items.\n      Bigelow said in adjusting the 1986 results for the special\n  items and also removing the earnings of American Television and\n  Communications Corp <ATCMA>, Time earned 2.35 dlrs per share in\n  1986.\n      Turner Broadcasting System Inc said the investment by the\n  cable consortium would be in Turner Broadcasting, not directly\n  in CNN. The consortium would infuse up to 550 mln dlrs in\n  Turner Broadcasting in return for a 35 pct equity interest.\n      Ted Turner, Chairman, would retain a 51 pct interest, a\n  Turner Broadcasting spokesman said.\n      Bigelow said the company is continuing its previously\n  announced 10 mln share repurchase program and has bought back\n  4.1 mln of its own shares. He said 700,000 shares were\n  purchased in the first quarter of 1987 at an average price of\n  81 dlrs per share.\n      Bigelow said the company will always have a share buyback\n  program in place whenever it believes it is a better long-term\n  investment than starting or acquring a business. But he did not\n  give any specifics on further repurchases beyond the 10 mln\n  shares already announced.\n     \n      On the subject of acquisitions, Richard Munro, chairman and\n  chief executive said the company is not interested in investing\n  in over-the-air broadcasting, but continues to look at all\n  areas in which it is currently engaged.\n      Munro said book publishing is an area that interested Time.\n  In 1986 the company purchased Scott and Foresman, its biggest\n  acquisition ever.\n      N.J. Nicholas, president and chief operating officer, said\n  the company might be interested in a relatively small book\n  business.\n      He said following the recent agreement for the sale of\n  Harper and Row to the News Corp Ltd <NWS>, \"there may be pieces\n  that Murdoch doesn't want,\" referring to News Corp chairman\n  Rupert Murdoch.\n      Asked if the company's SAMI business is for sale, Munro\n  said it is a \"delicate subject\", and \"we're looking at all the\n  options.\" SAMI is a marketing information service for the food\n  industry. Published reports have stated it could be worth as\n  much as 500 mln dlrs.\n     \n      Bigelow said that Time's Home Box Office added  subscribers\n  last year and the trend is continuing in the first quarter of\n  1987. However, he said, HBO's results in the quarter will be\n  down slightly, but in the first quarter of 1986 there was a\n  special gain in the HBO unit.\n      Nicholas said that HBO and Cinemax had combined subscriber\n  growth of 800,000 for last year.\n      He also said the tax rate in 1987 will remain at just under\n  50 pct because of the repeal of investment tax credits and\n  higher state and local taxes. He said he sees a decrease in the\n  tax rate in 1988 of five or six percentage points.\n      Munro said the company does not plan to increase its\n  dividend.\n      Trygve Myhren, chairman and chief executive of American\n  Television and Communications, said the unit is looking at\n  getting involved in the home shopping video area. \"It would be\n  foolish not to be a player there,\" he said.\n      He said the company had talks with Home Shopping Network\n  Inc <HSN> prior to that company's public offering last year,\n  but nothing came of the talks.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FHLBB CHANGES SHORT-TERM DISCOUNT NOTE RATES\n","article":"  The Federal Home Loan Bank Board\n  adjusted the rates on its short-term discount notes as follows:\n      MATURITY   NEW RATE  OLD RATE  MATURITY\n    30-273 days  5.00 pct  5.00 pct   30-273 days\n   274-294 days  5.90 pct  5.92 pct  274-294 days\n   295-344 days  5.00 pct  5.00 pct  295-344 days\n   345-360 days  5.93 pct  5.93 pct  345-360 days\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GOODYEAR <GT> CHAIRMAN CRITICIZES CORPORATE RAIDS\n","article":"  The chairman of Goodyear Tire and Rubber\n  Co, a concern that survived a recent hostile takeover bid,\n  charged that \"terrorists in three-piece suits\" are undermining\n  the nation's industrial base.\n  In a speech to a meeting of south Florida business executives,\n  Goodyear Chairman Robert Mercer lashed out at corporate raiders\n  and takeover specialists, accusing them of causing serious harm\n  to the companies they target.\n    \"Their interest is not in preserving and strengthening\n  America's industrial and providing jobs,\" he said. \"Their\n  product is simply deals, and that is not a product which a\n  country ... can base a future on.\"\n      Last year, Mercer fought off a takeover attempt by British\n  industrialist Sir James Goldsmith.\n      But Goodyear's independence was preserved at a high price,\n  Mercer said.\n      The company bought back Goldsmith's stock for 620 mln dlrs,\n  giving him a 93 mln dlr profit. Goodyear also paid him 37 mln\n  dlrs for expenses and bought about 41 mln other shares for over\n  two billion dlrs.\n      In an effort to trim its new debt, Goodyear closed down\n  three plants Mercer believes otherwise could have been saved,\n  sold its motor wheel and aerospace units and reduced its\n  payroll by 10 pct, he said.\n      Mercer, who plans to testify tomorrow at a Senate hearing\n  on a proposed bill to control corporate raiders, said hostile\n  takeovers have also hurt workers.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED EXPECTED TO TAKE NO MONEY MARKET ACTION\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve is expected to take\n  no reserve-management action in the U.S. Government securities\n  market during its usual intervention period, economists said.\n      They said that, if the Fed does act, it will likely add\n  temporary reserves indirectly by arranging one to 1.5 billion\n  dlrs of customer repurchase agreements.\n      Federal funds, which averaged 6.14 pct yesterday, opened at\n  5-15\/16 pct and remained there in early trading. Analysts\n  believe this probably is about where the Fed wants the funds\n  rate to be.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AGENCY REPORTS 30 SHIPS WAITING AT PANAMA CANAL\n","article":"  The Panama Canal Commission, a U.S.\n  government agency, said in its daily operations report that\n  there was a backlog of 30 ships waiting to enter the canal\n  early today. Over the next two days it expects --              \n               4\/03  4\/04\n                         Due: 36    28\n        Scheduled to Transit: 38    38\n             End-Day Backlog: 28    18\n      Average waiting time tomorrow --\n           Super Tankers  Regular Vessels\n   North End:  19 hrs       8 hrs\n   South End:  20 hrs      16 hrs\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LAND'S END INC <LEYS> VOTES INITIAL PAYOUT\n","article":"  Land's End Inc said its board\n  declared a dividend of 10 cts a share payable April 30, record\n  April 13.\n      It is the company's first dividend since it became a public\n  entity last October.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<TIVERTON PETROLEUMS LTD> NINE MTHS DEC 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr six cts vs five cts\n      Net 459,131 vs 289,433\n      Revs 1,808,832 vs 1,680,240\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALLWASTE <ALWS> TO ACQUIRE SERVICE FIRM\n","article":"  Allwaste Inc said it agreed in principle\n  to acquire all outstanding stock of a company in the industrial\n  service business for 1.98 mln dlrs in common stock.\n      It did not identify the company to be acquired.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GLOBAL RAISES HEAVY FUELS PRICES\n","article":"  global petroleum corp said today it\n  raised the posted cargo prices for number six fuel in the new\n  york harbor 20 cts to 1.45 dlrs a barrel, effective today.\n      the increase brings the prices for one pct sulphur to 21.30\n  dlrs, up 20 cts; two pct sulphur 20.85 dlrs, up one dlr; 2.2\n  pct sulphur 20.50, up 1.25 dlrs, and 2.5 pct sulphur 20.25\n  dlrs, up 1.45 dlrs, it said.\n      prices for 0.3 pct and 0.5 pct sulphur fuels were unchanged\n  at 22.50 and 21.85 dlrs respectively, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOO LINE <SOO> TO SELL LAKE STATES DIVISION\n","article":"  Soo Line Corp said it agreed to sell\n  its Lake States Transportation Division to the newly formed\n  Wisconsin Central Ltd.\n      The division conducts rail operations over about 2,000\n  miles of railroad in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and\n  Illinois. Soo Line said in January it was seeking bids for the\n  property.\n      Terms were withheld, but Soo has estimated that the\n  transaction will result in a one-time after-tax loss of 8.0 to\n  15.0 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BP SAYS NO PLANS TO CLOSE SWEDISH REFINERY\n","article":"  The British Petroleum Co Plc <BP.L> said\n  it had no plans to close its refinery in Gothenburg, despite\n  forecasts by a Swedish finance ministry committee that it might\n  be planning such a move.\n      The committee said the refinery's future looked bleak\n  because the Swedish petroleum industry's competitiveness was\n  expected to worsen unless it invested, and because of the\n  effects of a possible tightening of rules on sulphur content.\n      But BP said the unit, in which Sweden's <OK Petroleum AB>\n  has a 22 pct stake, had performed well both technically and\n  financially up to and including the first quarter of 1987.\n      Current restrictions on sulphur emissions and known future\n  plans for both Sweden and export markets did not cause it any\n  serious problems, it said in a statement.\n      The refinery started up in 1967 and has an annual capacity\n  of 4.7 mln tonnes.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USDA CORRECTS TURKEY CREDIT ANNOUNCEMENT\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department said\n  an announcement by the department yesterday concerning 15.0 mln\n  dlrs in additional credit guarantees for exports of U.S.\n  commodities to Turkey contained two inaccuracies.\n      First, the USDA said its announcement should not have said\n  that plywood was excluded from the additional three mln dlrs in\n  GSM-102 credit guarantees for lumber.\n      The original announcement said the guarantees included\n  three mln dlrs for lumber, except plywood.\n      Melvin Sims, USDA general sales manager, told Reuters he\n  did not anticipate any plywood would be included in the sales,\n  but that \"it's possible it would be.\"\n      Plywood in the past has not been eligible for GSM-102\n  credit guarantees because it is considered by some to be a\n  manufactured product. Members states of the Organization for\n  Economic Cooperation and Development have pledged not to offer\n  concessional credits on manufactured products, Sims said.\n      However, the Reagan administration is considering whether\n  to allow plywood sales to be covered by the credit guarantee\n  program, Sims said.\n      Second, the USDA announcement said 6.0 mln dlrs of a\n  previously announced 6.0-mln dlr line for tallow under GSM-102\n  was available for both public and private sector importers.\n      In fact, the line of credit guarantees for tallow is\n  available only for public sector importers, Walter Stern,\n  Foreign Agricultural Service Turkey analyst, said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PLYWOOD CREDITS EYED BY REAGAN ADMINISTRATION\n","article":"  The Reagan administration is debating\n  whether to provide government credit guarantees for the export\n  of plywood, a U.S. Agriculture Department official said.\n      As a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation\n  and Development, OECD, the United States has agreed not to\n  provide any concessional credits on the export of manufactured\n  products.\n      However, USDA General Sales Manager Melvin Sims told\n  Reuters the administration is considering allowing USDA to\n  provide its first export credit guarantees for plywood on the\n  grounds it is not a manufactured product.\n      Sims said it was clear that wood products such as\n  furniture, tables and window frames would be considered\n  manufactured goods and therefore ineligible for export credit\n  guarantees. However, the case of plywood was less clear.\n      \"As long as it's a basic material, we consider it still just\n  a processed version of the basic agricultural commodity,\" Sims\n  said in a telephone interview.\n      Earlier today, USDA said that plywood was eligible under an\n  export credit guarantee offer for Turkey announced yesterday.\n  In its original announcement yesterday, USDA had said the offer\n  included three mln dlrs for the export of lumber, excluding\n  plywood. However, Sims said he did not expect any plywood\n  exports to be including under the lumber guarantee offer.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"POPE AND TALBOT <POP> SEES HIGHER 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Pope and Talbot Inc said it\n  expects first quarter earnings to total about one dlr per\n  share, compared with a year-earlier loss of nine cts per share.\n      Each of the company's business segments contributed to the\n  sharp improvement, Pope and Talbot said.\n      The wood products company also said it expects to release\n  first quarter results later this month.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MORE INTERMEDIATE U.S. WHEAT CREDITS FOR MOROCCO\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation has\n  approved an additional 45.0 mln dlrs under its interemdiate\n  export credit guarantee program, GSM-103, for sales of U.S.\n  wheat to Morocco, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      The action increases Morocco's cumulative fiscal year 1987\n  program for wheat under GSM-103 to 75.0 mln dlrs.\n      The credit terms extended for exports under the program\n  must be in excess of three years but no more than seven years\n  to eligible for credit coverage. All sales under this line must\n  be registered and exported by September 30, 1987.\n      The department also said the guarantee line for sales of\n  U.S. wheat under the Export Credit Guarantee Program, GSM-102,\n  has been decreased 45.0 mln dlrs to 60.0 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"STARS TO GO <STAR> GETS STORES, AGREEMENT\n","article":"  Stars to Go Inc said it completed\n  its acquisition of 650 video centers previously owned by CVS\n  International Inc and located in Circle K Corp <CKP> stores.\n      In conjunction with the acquistion, Circle K also granted\n  it the exclusive right to install video cassette rental centers\n  in all existing 3,500 Circle K stores, as well as in future\n  stores, for a period of seven years, Stars to Go said.\n      The company also said it currently has a total of 4,650\n  centers in operation and expects to increase the total to 6,000\n  by June 30.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"POLYSAR IN JOINT VENTURE ON FINLAND LATEX PLANT\n","article":"  Polysar Ltd, wholly owned by\n  <Canada Development Corp>, said it agreed to form a joint\n  venture with Raision Tehtaat, of Finland, to build a synthetic\n  rubber latex plant in southern Finland.\n      Project cost and plant capacity were not disclosed.\n      The joint venture, to be 51 pct owned by Raision Tehtaat\n  and 49 pct by Polysar, will build a plant at Anjalankoski, east\n  of Helsinki, to produce carboxylated styrene-butadiene latex.\n      The plant's production will be used by Finland's paper\n  industry for making coated paper and paper board products.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STERLING DRUG INC <STY> INCREASES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div 38 cts vs 33 cts\n      Pay June 1\n      Record May 7\n      NOTE: company said this is the largest dividend increase in\n  15 years.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CAMPBELL'S <CCH> MESTON LAKE SETS GOLD TARGETS\n","article":"  <Meston Lake Resources Inc>, 65.3 pct\n  owned by Campbell Resources Inc, said it will begin commercial\n  output at its Joe Mann mine in the Chibougamu area of Quebec at\n  an initial daily rate of 500 short tons of ore grading 0.15\n  ounce of gold per ton.\n      It said it will improve throughput to 700 tons a day at\n  0.221 ounce of gold per ton.\n      Meston said current ore reserves at the property total\n  910,000 tons grading 0.211 ounces of gold per ton and 0.3 pct\n  copper, but it may be able to develop \"substantially greater\n  tonnage.\"\n    \n      Meston said underground drilling below current developed\n  reserves has intersected the main zone 200 feet below the\n  bottom level, with the average grade assayed at 0.530 ounce of\n  gold per ton over true width of 17 feet.\n      A recent drillhole, east of the current shaft and 600 feet\n  from the reserve boundary, intersected three zones grading,\n  respectively, 0.708 ounce per ton over 5.4 feet at depth of 650\n  feet, 0.706 ounce over seven feet at depth of 765 feet and\n  0.418 ounce over one foot at depth of 1,000 feet. A second\n  surface hole, 500 feet farther east, intersected 1.068 ounce\n  per ton over 5.3 feet.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WARBURG PINCUS DECLINES TO UP SYMBION <SYMB> BID\n","article":"  Warburg, Pincus Capital Co L.P., an\n  investment partnership, said it told representatives of Symbion\n  Inc it would not increase the 3.50-dlr-per-share cash price it\n  has offered for the company.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Warburg Pincus said one of its top executives, Rodman Moorhead,\n  who is also a Symbion director, met April 1 with Symbion's\n  financial advisor, L.F. Rothschild, Unterberg, Towbin Inc.\n      In a discussion of the offer, Warburg Pincus said Moorhead\n  told the meeting there are no plans to raise the 3.50 dlr bid.\n      Moorhead told the Rothschild officials that Warburg Pincus\n  considers the offered price to be a fair one, Warburg Pincus\n  said.\n      Last Month Warburg Pincus launched a tender offer to buy up\n  to 2.5 mln Symbion common shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEW YORK FUTURES EXCHANGE TO RELOCATE\n","article":"  Lewis Horowitz, president of the New\n  York Futures Exchange, said the New York Stock Exchange board\n  yesterday approved in principle an agreement to relocate the\n  futures exchange at the New York Cotton Exchange.\n      The agreement is subject to the approval of the Cotton\n  Exchange board, which meets Tuesday, April 7.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC WHEAT RELEASE UNLIKELY TO SATISFY U.K. DEMAND\n","article":"  The European Commission's decision to\n  release an additional 300,000 tonnes of British intervention\n  feed wheat for the home market will provide only moderate\n  relief in an increasingly tight market, traders said.\n      Some operators had been anticipating a larger tonnage,\n  pointing out that at this week's U.K. Intervention tender the\n  market sought to buy 340,000 tonnes but only 126,000 tonnes\n  were granted.\n      The new tranche of intervention grain is unlikely to\n  satisfy demand, they said, and keen buying competition for\n  supplies in stores is expected to keep prices firm.\n      The release of the feed wheat followed recent strong\n  representations by the U.K. Grain trade to the Commission.\n  There has been growing concern that rising internal prices,\n  triggered by heavy exports, were creating areas of shortage in\n  interior markets.\n      The latest EC authorisation will add 70,000 tonnes at the\n  April 14 tender and a further 30,000 tonnes later in the month.\n  The remaining 200,000 tonnes will be made available in May and\n  June.\n      News of the release produced an early downward reaction in\n  local physical markets, but by midday some sections had halved\n  early two stg losses while others were unchanged.\n      Ministry of Agriculture figures for March indicate 1.85 mln\n  tonnes of wheat and 1.74 mln tonnes of barley remain in the\n  free market. However, some traders believe these figures are\n  overstated and, while some may still be held on the farm, the\n  bulk of wheat is already sold. Some of the grain is also off\n  the market in futures stores.\n      A total of 2.10 mln tonnes of intervention wheat has been\n  sold for export or to the home market since the season started\n  July 1, leaving an unsold balance in intervention of about 1.59\n  mln tonnes.\n      Intervention barley sales have reached just over 1.0 mln\n  tonnes, leaving about 753,000 tonnes, traders said.\n      This season's U.K. Export performance has surpassed all\n  early expectations and has created the present nervous\n  situation in domestic markets where the fear now is free market\n  supplies may not last out until new crop becomes available in\n  August.\n      The market is sticking to its recent prediction of total\n  barley and wheat exports of around 10.5 mln tonnes, a new\n  record and nearly double the previous record of 5.9 mln tonnes\n  achieved in the 1984\/85 season.\n      Traders expect U.K. Wheat exports to reach 6.0 mln and\n  barley around 4.50 mln tonnes.\n      The Soviet Union has booked a record total of 2.5 mln\n  tonnes of British wheat and barley this season, but only 1.28\n  mln had surfaced in Customs export figures by March 25, traders\n  said.\n      Other EC countries have bought large amounts of British\n  grain and for the July 1\/March 25 period had taken 2.59 mln\n  tonnes of wheat and 2.06 mln tonnes of barley. This compares\n  with 1.28 mln and 868,700 tonnes last season.\n      The market is expecting prices, particularly wheat, to stay\n  buoyant for the remaining few months of the season. If supplies\n  become more difficult and prices strengthen further, feed\n  compounders may increase cereal substitute usage, traders said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CALIFORNIA FIRM HAS FIVE PCT OF MODULAIRE <MODX>\n","article":"  PBS Building Systems of America Inc,\n  an Anaheim, Calif., company, told the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission it has acquired 150,000 shares of Modulaire\n  Industries, or 5.0 pct of the total outstanding common stock.\n      PBS, whose subsidiaries design, make, sell and lease\n  nonresidential relocatable modular buildings, said it bought\n  the stake for 855,768.75 dlrs \"to acquire an equity interest in\n  Modulaire, while it evaluates Modulaire.\"\n      Depending on several factors, PBS said it may decide to buy\n  additional Modulaire common shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BOISE CASCADE <BCC> COMPLETES SALE OF UNIT\n","article":"  Boise Cascade Corp said it\n  completed the previously announced sale of its Consumer\n  Packaging Division to Sonoco Products Co <SONO> for\n  approximately 175 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KENTUCKY CENTRAL TO DECLARE STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Kentucky Central Life INsurance Co\n  said the company said it will declare a 200 pct stock dividend\n  on Monday.\n      Accordingly, it said it filed a registration statement with\n  the Securities and Exchange COmmission for a proposed offering\n  of three mln shares of its class a non-voting common stock,\n  which reflects the anticipated dividend.\n      Proceeds will be used for general purposes.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MCA INC <MCA> SETS REGULAR QTRLY PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div 17 cts vs 17 cts prior\n      Pay April 13\n      Record March 25\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CHILE, CHINA TO ESTABLISH PEKING COPPER PLANT\n","article":"  The Chilean state copper corporation,\n  Codelco, the privately-owned Chilean copper fabricator Madeco\n  and Chinese interests are to establish a copper tube plant in\n  Peking, Codelco's U.K. Subsidiary Chile Copper Ltd said.\n      The plant is designed to produce 5,000 tonnes in the first\n  five years and 8,000 tonnes as from year six. Total investment\n  is estimated at 10 mln dlrs, of which the Chileans will\n  contribute two mln.\n      Codelco and Madeco have formed the Chilean Wrought Copper\n  Company to take a 50 pct stake in a new company called Peking\n  Santiago Tube Company with the Chinese holding the other half.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALLIED-SIGNAL <ALD> TO SELL ELECTRONICS UNIT\n","article":"  Allied-Signal Inc said it\n  agreed to sell its Amphenol Products unit to a subsidiary of\n  LPL Investments Group <LPLI>, a Wallingford, Conn., investment\n  company, for 430 mln dlrs cash.\n      Closing is expected soon, pending appropriate approvals,\n  the company said. LPL indicated that at closing, warrants will\n  be sold which, when exercised, will reduce its stake in the\n  subsidiary, Amphenol Acquisition Co, to 60 pct, the company\n  said.\n      Lisle, Ill.-based Amphenol had 1986 sales of about 500 mln\n  dlrs. It makes brand name interconnection products.\n      LPL also said Merrill Lynch and Co has committed to buy 175\n  mln dlrs of subordinated and preferred debt in the new LPL\n  unit, according to Allied-Signal. Canadian Imperial Bank of\n  Commerce has committed up to 340 mln dlrs in senior debt\n  financing, it said.\n      Allied-Signal said in December it was offering for sale\n  Amphenol and six other operating units in its electronics and\n  instrumentation sector.\n      Merrill Lynch, Needham and Co and Lazard Freres served as\n  financial advisors, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPANESE CRUSHERS BUY CANADIAN RAPESEED\n","article":"  Japanese crushers bought 4,000 to 5,000\n  tonnes of Canadian rapeseed in export business overnight for\n  May shipment, trade sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PORTUGAL'S GDP FORECAST TO GROW FOUR PCT THIS YEAR\n","article":"  Portugal's Gross Domestic Product (GDP)\n  will grow around four pct this year, the same rate as in 1986,\n  according to a Bank of Portugal forecast.\n      Total investment this year, the country's second as a\n  member of the European Community (EC), will rise nearly 10 pct,\n  again the same rate as last year, the central bank study said.\n      It added that Portugal's current account was forecast to\n  show a surplus of 400 mln dlrs this year compared with 1.13\n  billion in 1986 and 369 mln the previous year.\n      Last year's high surplus was attributed to cheaper oil and\n  raw materials, lower world interest rates and a weaker dollar.\n      Imports by volume were forecast to grow 10 pct this year\n  and exports four pct compared with increases of 16.5 pct and\n  6.6 pct respectively in 1986, the bank said.\n      The forecasts were calculated on the assumption that the\n  non-expansionary monetary policy carried out by the current\n  government would be maintained, particularly in budget spending\n  and income and in wage policy.\n      The bank added that the 1987 forecasts were also based on\n  the assumption that the international economic situation and\n  Portugal's world trade relations would remain more or less the\n  same as in 1986.\n      The central bank said the high rate of investment estimated\n  for 1986 was due to government policies and to increasing\n  optimism among firms whose financial situation had improved\n  since 1985. This tendency was expected to continue this year,\n  especially in the construction and public works sectors.\n      Financial aid from the EC had also helped to boost\n  investment last year, the bank said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ASAMERA <ASM> TO FORM NEW MINING UNIT\n","article":"  Asamera Inc said it will\n  transfer all its mineral interests into a new wholly owned\n  subsidiary, Asamera Minerals Inc, which will later issue up to\n  15 pct of its shares to the public.\n      The mineral interests will include Asamera's 51 pct\n  interest in the Cannon gold mine in Wenatchee, Wash. Asamera\n  said the mine produced 116,514 ounces of gold in 1986 and is\n  expected to produce 130,000 to 140,000 ounces this year.\n      Asamera said its talks with Breakwater Resources Ltd\n  <BWRLF> on a possible merger of mining interests, including the\n  Cannon mine, have been terminated. It did not elaborate.\n       \n      Asamera said holding all its mineral properties in a\n  separate company will give better and more direct recognition\n  to the value of the assets.\n      Its other mining interests include gold exploration\n  prospects on 13,000 acres in Inyo County, Calif., and 500,000\n  acres in Canada's Northwest Territories, the Gooseberry gold\n  and silver mine in Nevada, chromite properties in northern\n  California and Newfoundland, and a platinum prospect in the\n  Rankin Inlet, Northwest Territories.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"OCCIDENTAL <OXY> UNIT SELLS DIVISION\n","article":"  Occidental Petroleum Corp's\n  Occidental Chemcial Corp said it sold the Process chemicals\n  division it acquired as part of the September 1986  purchase of\n  Diamond Shamrock Chemicals to Henkel KGAA of Dusseldorf, West\n  Germany.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      The division makes specialty industrial chemicals, it said.\n      Later, industry sources said the division, which had\n  worldwide sales of some 160 mln dlrs last year, was sold for\n  just under 200 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOVIET GRAINS SEEN ENTERING SPRING ON SHAKY NOTE\n","article":"  Soviet winter grains could be off to\n  a faulty start this spring after enduring an usually dry fall\n  and cold winter, weather and crop analysts said.\n      Prospects for another near-record grain harvest in the\n  Soviet Union appear dim at this point, but it is premature to\n  forecast any major crop problems, analysts said.\n      But the situation bears careful watching over the next six\n  weeks and will ultimately impact the Soviet grain supply and\n  future buying plans, analysts of the Soviet Union said.\n      \"From a weather standpoint, you can say with certainty that\n  the Soviets are not getting off to a good start and will have a\n  lower crop (than last year),\" Gail Martell, chief meteorologist\n  for E.F. Hutton said.\n      The next six weeks in the USSR's grain growing areas will\n  be the crucial period that will determine the final outcome of\n  the winter crops, Martell and other analysts said.\n      \"Where the crop is really made or broken is still ahead of\n  us,\" an Agriculture Department authority on the USSR said.\n      The Soviet Union recently reported that nine mln hectares\n  of winter grain will have to be reseeded due to winterkill.\n  This would be equal to about 25 pct of the total winter crop\n  and would be the second highest winterkill in ten years, the\n  USDA analyst said.\n      With a timely spring, Soviet farmers would probably be able\n  to reseed the damaged acreage with spring crops, but analysts\n  noted that spring crops normally yield lower than winter crops\n  -- sometimes as much as 30-35 pct lower.\n      Normally winterkill is caused by inadequate snowcover\n  combined with cold temperatures. This winter, however,\n  snowcover in Soviet grain areas has generally been excellent,\n  so the bulk of winterkill, analysts speculate, likely has been\n  due to a very dry fall and subsequent poor crop germination.\n      \"Fall dryness may be a problem. There's a good correlation\n  between mediocre crops and fall dryness,\" Martell said.\n      Precipitation last fall was as little as 25 pct of normal\n  in southern and northern Ukraine, and below normal over the\n  entire winter crop area, she said.\n      Recent cold temperatures in grain areas in which the\n  snowcover has been gradually melting could also have caused \n  problems of ice-crusting and winterkill, Jim Candor, senior\n  forecaster for Accu Weather, said.\n      Livestock feed needs have probably increased because of the\n  fall and winter, analysts said. The dry fall damaged pastures,\n  the cold winter raised feed demands and a late spring would\n  require longer off-pasture feeding, they said.\n      \"The Soviets are not in a desperate situation ... they\n  don't have to buy (grains) now,\" a USDA official said.\n      But if the Soviets are worried about their winter crops and\n  if they feel that last year's huge crop of 210 mln tonnes was a\n  one-time fluke brought on by perfect conditions, more Soviet\n  buying might occur to insure crop supplies, he said.\n      Bad weather during the next six weeks could push the\n  Soviets back into the market, weather analysts said.\n      \"A lot of winterkill could occur during the next month and\n  a half,\" Martell said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORANDA MINE SEEN BELOW FULL OUTPUT FOR MONTHS\n","article":"  Noranda Inc said production\n  will remain shut down at its fire-damaged copper mine here\n  until it can completely examine the mine.\n      If it decides to keep the mine open it would take four or\n  five months before it could resume full production.\n      Company spokesman Dale Coffin said the investigation could\n  take from a few days to several weeks but would not be more\n  specific.\n      Noranda said when it resumes production it plans to operate\n  the mine at about one-third of the normal 72,000 tonnes annual\n  finished capacity.\n      The fire, which started Wednesday and burned itself out\n  late yesterday weakened part of the mine's support structure,\n  Coffin said.\n      One miner was killed and 56 others were trapped underground\n  for about 24 hours before being brought safely out.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. FIRM UPS ITALY FUND <ITA> STAKE TO 12 PCT\n","article":"  Lloyds Investment Managers Ltd, a\n  London-based investment firm, said it raised it stake in Italy\n  Fund to 760,500 shares, or 12.0 pct of the total outstanding\n  common stock, from 466,000 shares, or 7.4 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Lloyds said it bought the additional 294,500 Italy Fund common\n  shares since November 7 for a total of 3.3 mln dlrs. Another\n  70,000 shares of the stake are held by an affiliate, it said.\n      It said its dealings in Italy Fund stock are for investment\n  purposes only and that it has no current plans to increase or\n  decrease its current stake.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INVESTOR HAS FIVE PCT OF SAGE DRILLING <SAGE>\n","article":"  Arthur Appleton, a Chicago investor,\n  told the Securities and Exchange Commission he has acquired\n  39,000 shares of Sage Drilling Co Inc, or 5.1 pct of the total\n  outstanding common stock.\n      Appleton said he bought the stock for 116,554 dlrs for\n  investment purposes.\n      Depending on several circumstances, Appleton said he may\n  buy more Sage common shares, or sell some or all of his current\n  stake.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AM INTERNATIONAL INC <AM> 2ND QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Oper shr loss two cts vs profit seven cts\n      Oper shr profit 442,000 vs profit 2,986,000\n      Revs 291.8 mln vs 151.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 51.7 mln vs 43.4 mln\n      Six mths\n      Oper shr profit nil vs profit 12 cts\n      Oper net profit 3,376,000 vs profit 5,086,000\n      Revs 569.3 mln vs 298.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 51.6 mln vs 41.1 mln\n      NOTE: Per shr calculated after payment of preferred\n  dividends.\n      Results exclude credits of 2,227,000 or four cts and\n  4,841,000 or nine cts for 1986 qtr and six mths vs 2,285,000 or\n  six cts and 4,104,000 or 11 cts for prior periods from\n  operating loss carryforwards.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COLECO INDUSTRIES <CLC> SEES PROFIT IN 1987\n","article":"  Coleco Industries Inc said\n  it expects to return to profitability in 1987.\n      Earlier, Coleco reported a net loss of 111.2 mln dlrs for\n  the year ended December 31 compared to a profit of 64.2 mln\n  dlrs in the year earlier.\n      In a prepared statement, the company said the dramatic\n  swing in operating results was due primarily to the steep\n  decline in sales of Cabbage Patch Kids products from 600 mln\n  dlrs to 230 mln dlrs.\n      Coleco said it changed from a single product company to a\n  more diversified organization through four major acquisitions\n  last year.\n      Products from the new acquisitions and other new product\n  introductions are expected to enable it to return to\n  profitability, it said.\n      At the annual Toy Fair earlier this month, vice president\n  Morton Handel said analysts' 1987 projected earnings of 90 cts\n  a share on sales of 600 mln dlrs are reasonable.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ALCAN (AL) TO CLOSE WEST GERMAN SMELTER\n","article":"  (Alcan Aluminium Ltd) is closing its\n  aluminum smelter in Ludwigshafen, West Germany this June due to\n  high operating costs, an Alcan spokesman said.\n      The smelter, near Frankfurt, had annual capacity of about\n  44,000 metric tons but was operating at about half that in\n  January, spokesman Fernand Leclerc said.\n      Leclerc said Alcan decided it would cost too much to\n  modernize the plant.\n      He said there is a possibility the company will sell the\n  smelter, which currently employs 320 people, before its\n  scheduled closing.             \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NORANDA SETS TEMPORARY MINE SHUTDOWN\n","article":"  <Noranda Inc> said\n  production will remain shut down at its fire-damaged copper\n  mine here until it can completely examine the mine.\n      The fire, which started Wednesday and burned itself out\n  late yesterday, killed one miner and trapped 56 others\n  underground for about 24 hours. The 56 were eventually brought\n  safely out of the mine.\n      Company spokesman Dale Coffin said the investigation could\n  take from a few days to several weeks, but would not be more\n  specific.\n      Noranda said that, when it resumes production, it plans to\n  operate the mine at about one-third of the normal 72,000 metric\n  tons annual finished capacity.\n      The fire weakened part of the mine's support structure,\n  Coffin said.\n      Noranda said if it decides to keep the mine open, it would\n  take four or five months before it could resume full\n  production.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CIS TECHNOLOGIES<CIH> TO SELL SHARES TO SWISS CO\n","article":"  CIS Technologies Inc said it\n  executed a formal share purchase agreement with Swiss\n  Reinsurance Co of Zurich, Switzerland.\n      Under terms of the agreement, Swiss Re will acquire 5.5 mln\n  newly issued CIS stock at 2.50 dlrs a share, or 13.8 mln dlrs.\n  This purchase represents 30 pct of the outstanding shares.\n      Swiss Re will acuqire 500,000 of the shares immediately and\n  remaining shares will be bought after a due diligence report is\n  completed by auditors.\n      The transaction is expected to be complete by June 11.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COPLEY PROPERTIES INC <COP> INCREASES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 42 cts vs 41.5 cts prior\n      Payable APril 28\n      Record April 14\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"COLOMBIAN INFLATION STABLE AT AROUND 20 PCT\n","article":"  Colombia's cost of living index rose 2.71\n  pct in March, after a 2.03 pct increase in February and a 2.21\n  pct rise in March 1986, the government statistics institute\n  said.\n      The result brought year-on-year inflation to 20.36 pct\n  compared with 22.65 pct at end-March 1986 and 19.77 pct for the\n  year ending February 1987.\n      The government has predicted that inflation this year would\n  be slightly lower than in 1986 when it reached 20.9 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FHLBB SAYS MORTGAGE RATES CONTINUE DECLINE\n","article":"  The Federal Home Loan Bank Board said\n  home mortgage rates fell from early February to early March to\n  their lowest point in nine years, but the rate of decline was\n  slower than it had been in recent months.\n      The bank board said the average effective commitment rate\n  for fixed-rate mortgages for single family homes and a 25 pct\n  loan-to-price ratio with a maturity of at least 15 years was\n  9.48 pct in early March.\n      The rate was four basis points lower than a month ago, only\n  one-eighth the size of decline in the previous month, the bank\n  board said.\n      Rates for adjustable-rate mortgages decline eight basis\n  points from early February to 8.43 pct in early March, the bank\n  board said. The drop was far less than the 15 basis point\n  decline in the previous period, the agency said.\n      The average effective interest rate on all loans closed by\n  major mortgage lenders declined nine basis points from early\n  February to early March, the agency said. The fall brought the\n  rate to 9.14 pct was the lowest since December 1977, it said.\n      The effective rate for ARMS was 8.39 pct, 15 basis points\n  below a month earlier. For fixed-rate loans it was 9.36 pct, 14\n  basis points below a month earlier, the agency said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ROYAL RESOURCES CORP <RRCO> 2ND QTR DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 72 cts vs loss 1.48 dlrs\n      Net loss 4,466,006 vs loss 9,091,688\n      Revs 608,181 vs 1,280,727\n      Avg shrs 6,194,000 vs 6,155,461\n      First half\n      Shr loss 77 cts vs loss 1.51 dlrs\n      Net loss 4,752,455 vs loss 9,265,457\n      Revs 1,444,149 vs 2,791,188\n      Avg shrs 6,174,731 vs 6,155,461\n      NOTE: Losses include charges of 4.0 mln dlrs in both 1986\n  periods vs 14.4 mln dlrs in both 1985 periods for write-down of\n  oil and gas properties\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN MONEY SUPPLY M-1 FALLS 291 MLN DLRS IN WEEK, BANK OF CANADA SAID\n","article":"\n  CANADIAN MONEY SUPPLY M-1 FALLS 291 MLN DLRS IN WEEK, BANK OF CANADA SAID\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BENEFICIAL <BNL> UNIT SALE APPROVED\n","article":"  Beneficial Corp said the sale of its\n  American Centennial Insurance Co subsidiary to <First Delaware\n  Holdings Inc> was approved by the Delaware Insurance\n  Department.\n      Under the transaction, American Centennial will receive a\n  cash infusion of 200 mln dlrs, including the settlement of tax\n  sharing agreements with Beneficial Corp, Beneficial said.\n      It will also receive 25 mln dlrs from Beneficial\n  International Insurance Co, another Beneficial subsidiary being\n  purchased by the management-led group of First Delaware, the\n  company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<ITT CANADA LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 5.56 dlrs vs 3.88 dlrs\n      Net 47.5 mln vs 33.2 mln\n      Revs 254.5 mln vs 243.5 mln\n      Note: shr after preferred dividends\n      ITT Corp <ITT> owns 100 pct of ITT Canada common shares\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN MONEY SUPPLY FALLS IN WEEK\n","article":"  Canadian narrowly-defined money supply\n  M-1 fell 291 mln dlrs to 32.44 billion dlrs in the week ended\n  March 25, Bank of Canada said.\n      M-1-A, which is M-1 plus daily interest chequable and\n  non-personal deposits, fell 7 mln dlrs to 75.14 billion dlrs\n  and M-2, which is M-1-A plus other notice and personal\n  fixed-term deposits, fell 56 mln dlrs to 177.54 billion dlrs.\n      M-3, which is non-personal fixed term deposits and foreign\n  currency deposits of residents booked at chartered banks in\n  Canada, rose 321 mln dlrs to 216.67 billion dlrs.\n      Chartered bank general loans outstanding fell 169 mln dlrs\n  to 126.03 billion dlrs.\n      Canadian liquid plus short term assets rose 72 mln dlrs to\n  36.47 billion dlrs and total Canadian dollar major assets of\n  the chartered banks rose 507 mln dlrs to 224.22 billion dlrs.\n      Chartered bank net foreign currency assets fell 231 mln\n  dlrs to minus 2.00 billion dlrs.             \n      Notes in circulation totalled 16.16 billion dlrs, up 50 mln\n  dlrs from the week before.\n      Government cash balances fell 1.17 billion dlrs to 4.63\n  billion dlrs in week ended April 1.\n      Government securities outstanding rose 1.09 billion dlrs to\n  226.42 billion dlrs in week ended April 1, treasury bills rose\n  1.35 billion dlrs to 76.95 billion dlrs and Canada Savings\n  Bonds fell 47 mln dlrs to 43.87 billion dlrs.         \n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"UNION TO PROTEST DART'S SUPERMARKETS <SGL> BID\n","article":"  The United Food And Commercial\n  Workers said that more than 1,000 rank-and-file members of the\n  union will demonstrate Monday at Dart Group Corp's headquarters\n  protesting Dart's proposed 1.73 billion dlr takover of\n  Supermarkets General <SGL>.\n      Supermarkets is best known for its Pathmark chain of\n  supermarket drug stores in the New York and New Jersey area and\n  also owns Rickels home centers.\n      The union said that it is firmly against the Dart bid\n  because \"workers have always ended up with a raw deal in the\n  current takeover mania.\"\n      A Union statement said: \"We do not intend to allow our\n  members to pick up the tab for Supermarket General's executives\n  and the bankers or the Dart Group who stand to make millions.\"\n      Dart is controlled by the Haft family of Washington, which\n  last year made a bid for California-based Safeway Stores Inc.\n  The Hafts lost, but walked away with at least 100 mln dlrs in\n  profits, analysts estimate.\n      The union said that Dart's Safeway bid forced a major\n  restructuring at Safeway to pay the Hafts and their lawyers and\n  caused a loss of thousands of jobs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FCS LABORATORIES <FCSI> TERMINATES DEAL TALKS\n","article":"  FCS Laboratories Inc said merger\n  discussions with an unnamed privately-held company in the\n  health care field have ended without an agreement.\n      The previously announced negotiations began last August,\n  the company said.\n      \"It's disappointing to spend so much time on these\n  negotiations and have them fail,\" said FCS chairman Nicholas\n  Gallo III. \"But the discussions could not produce a deal\n  acceptable to our board in the context of the company's\n  stronger financial position today as compared to six months\n  ago.\"\n      Gallo said FCS will stop actively seeking potential merger\n  partners, but will respond to serious inquiries.\n      \"We are determined to follow our plan to restore this\n  company to profitability,\" he said. \"To continue actively\n  searching for potential acquirers inherently forces us to\n  postpone the implementation of critical decisions which are\n  part of the plan.\"\n      The company, which has 4,475,930 common shares outstanding,\n  reaffirmed it expects to be profitable in the second half of\n  the fiscal year ending September 30, 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WHITE HOUSE SAYS INTEREST RATES REFLECT MARKET\n","article":"  The White House said the rise in\n  interest rates was \"unfortunate in a general sense\" but reflected\n  market forces.\n      \"There's always movement up and down and the basic fact is\n  that we believe the economy is strong and growing and there\n  will always be fluctuations in the interest rate, but the\n  economy is sound and in good shape,\" spokesman Marlin Fitzwater\n  said.\n      Citibank raised its prime rate by one quarter of a point\n  and the move was followed by other banks.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"REGAL PETROLEUM LTD <RPLO> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr loss nine cts\n      Net loss 1.4 mln\n      Revs 630,118 dlrs\n      NOTE:Due to change in fiscal year, prior 4th qth and year\n  cannot be presented on comparable basis. 1986 loss includes\n  writedowns approximating 1.4 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANTERBURY PRESS INC YEAR NOV 30\n","article":"  Shr 1.1 cts vs 1.7 cts\n      Net 26,708 vs 35,084\n      Revs 447,548 vs 243,161\n      NOTE:1986 net includes 4,300 dlrs gain from tax credit and\n  1985 includes gain of 8,300 dlrs gain from credit.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GRAPHIC MEDIA INC <GMED> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr nine cts vs 19 cts\n      Net 188,000 vs 362,000\n      Revs 20.4 mln vs 11.3 mln\n      NOTE:1985 restated for reversal of certain tax benefits.\n  1986 and 1985 reflects preferred stock dividend requirements.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HANSON TRUST <HAN> COMPLETES KAISER PURCHASE\n","article":"  Hanson Trust PLC said Kaiser Cement\n  shareholders today approved the previously announced merger\n  agreement making Kaiser Cement an indirect wholly owned unit of\n  Hanson Trust.\n      Hanson said that promptly following the filing of the\n  certificate of merger Kaiser Cement common shares will be\n  delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.\n      Hanson also said, in accordance with the merger agreement\n  Kasier Cement also has redeemed all outstanding shares of its\n  1.375 dlr convertible preferance stocks and its outstanding 9\n  pct convertible debentures due 2005.\n      The acquisitions total purchase price (including cost of\n  financing the above-mentioned redemptions) will be about 250\n  mln dlrs, Hanson said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"RICHARDSON ELECTRONICS <RELL> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 20 cts vs 20 cts\n      Net 1,981,000 vs 1,689,000\n      Rev 24.7 mln vs 19.6 mln\n      Nine months\n      Shr 59 cts vs 53 cts\n      Net 5,855,000 vs 4,360,000\n      Rev 70.9 mln vs 51.9 mln\n      NOTE: Fiscal 1986 per share data reflects dilutive effect\n  of shares issued for April 1986 convertible debenture\n  conversion. Company's full name is Richarson Electronics Ltd.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DIVERSIFIED HUMAN RESROUCES GROUP <HIRE> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr loss five cts vs profit 72 cts\n      Net loss 79,069 vs profit 829,737\n      Revs 14.4 mln vs 14.1 mln\n      NOTE:1985 includes extraordainy credit of 11 cts.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MID-STATE <MSSL>, FIRST FEDERAL IN DEAL\n","article":"  Mid-State Federal Savings and Loan\n  Association said it and First Federal Savings and Loan\n  Association of Brooksville <FFBV> reached a definitive merger\n  agreement.\n      As previously announced, Brooksville shareholders will get\n  cash and stock in exchange for their shares. The transaction is\n  expected to be completed during the summer 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MEMOTEC DATA COMPLETES TELEGLOBE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  <Memotec Data Inc> said it completed\n  the previously announced 488.3 mln dlr acquisition of Teleglobe\n  Canada from the federal government.\n      Memotec Data said Teleglobe, which has provided Canada's\n  overseas telecommunications services since 1950, now becomes\n  Teleglobe Canada Inc, a unit of Memotec.\n      Teleglobe president and chief executive Jean-Claude Delorme\n  will continue in the same post, the company said.\n      In addition to the sale price, the government will receive\n  Teleglobe's accumulated cash of 102 mln dlrs and a special 18\n  mln dlr dividend, making total proceeds 608.3 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S., JAPANESE OPEN TALKS ON SEMICONDUCTORS\n","article":"  U.S. and Japanese officials meet\n  tomorrow to try to settle a dispute over semiconductor trade\n  and to cut short the 300 mln dlr penalty tariffs President\n  Reagan has ordered imposed on Japanese exports.\n      But U.S. officials held out little hope that any accord\n  could be reached before the tariffs of 100 per cent - up from\n  about five per cent - are to take effect on April 17.\n      The Customs Bureau last week started to levy a bond on the\n  Japanese goods that Reagan ordered penalized. The penalties\n  would be retroactive to March 31.\n      Reagan said on March 27 when ordering the tariffs that he\n  hoped the Japanese would soon end their unfair practices in\n  semiconductor trade and that sanctions could be lifted.\n      Technical meetings are to be held today and tomorrow, with\n  meetings at a more senior level scheduled for Thursday and\n  Friday. Public hearings on the sanctions are set for April 13.\n      The Japanese aides here for the technical talks include\n  Shigeru Muraoka, director-general of international trade policy\n  of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), and\n  Masashi Yamamoto, deputy director-general of the information\n  and machinery bureau.\n      Meeting with them will Glen Fukushima, director of the\n  Japan office of the U.S. Trade Representative's Office, and Jim\n  Gradoville, of trade representative's office of industry and\n  services.\n      The two sides in the Thursday and Friday talks will be\n  headed by Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Michael Smith and\n  MITI vice minister Makoto Kuroda.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERON <AMN> ADOPTS SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN\n","article":"  Ameron Inc said its board\n  adopted a rights plan designed to protect shareholders from\n  potentially unfair takeover tactics.\n      The plan calls for distribution of one right for each of\n  its outstanding common shares and each right entitles the\n  holder to buy one\/one-hundredth of a share of newly authorized\n  Series A Junior Participating cumulative Preferred stock at an\n  exercise price of 55 dlrs, Ameron said.\n      It said the rights are exercisable if a group acquires 20\n  pct or more of its common stock or announces a tender offer for\n  30 pct or more of its shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FCS LABORATORIES <FCSI> ENDS MERGER TALKS\n","article":"  FCS Laboratories said its merger\n  talks with another unidentified company in the health care\n  field ended without agreement.\n      The talks began last August, the company said.\n      The company also said it will no longer actively seek out\n  potential merger partners, but will respond to serious\n  inquiries.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"UK MINISTER LOOKS TO EASE TENSION WITH JAPAN\n","article":"  The U.K. government hopes for a\n  breakthrough on the deadlock with Japan over trade policies\n  during next week's visit to Tokyo by Corporate Affairs Minister\n  Michael Howard, political sources said.\n      Howard, who leaves for Japan tomorrow, told Reuters he will\n  try to promote understanding on trade issues during his visit.\n      Meanwhile, Britain will re-examine a letter from Japanese\n  Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone promising personal help in\n  solving the row over a U.K. firm's bid to win a significant\n  role in Japan's telecommunications market, government sources\n  said.\n      Tensions have risen following Britain's decision to arm\n  itself early with new statutory powers which it says could be\n  used against certain Japanese financial institutions.\n      Britain reacted optimistically at first to the letter from\n  Nakasone to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, seeing it as a\n  signal that he would work towards ensuring a satisfactory\n  outcome to the bid launched by Cable and Wireless Plc,\n  government officials said.\n      But this view has since been clouded by reports from Tokyo\n  that Nakasone's assurances really constituted little more than\n  politeness in the face of British anger, they added.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"CONABLE WARNS PROTECTIONISM MIGHT SPREAD\n","article":"  World Bank President Barber Conable\n  expressed concern that trade protectionism, at the heart of a\n  new showdown between the United States and Japan, might spread\n  throughout the industrial world.\n      But in an interview with Reuters, Conable said the action\n  by the United States to slap tariffs on certain electronic\n  goods from Japan did not mean the countries were heading for a\n  full-scale trade war.\n      Conable said the World Bank has been pressing developing\n  countries to open their markets, arguing that a free trading\n  environment increased the possibility of global economic\n  growth.\n      \"We have, in fact, been making adjustment loans to many\n  countries in the developing world which have encouraged the\n  opening of their markets and we want to be sure that the\n  developed world doesn't close at the same time,\" he said.\n      He said the U.S. action against Japan was \"a significant\n  retaliatory step but it did not constitute a basic change in\n  trade policy.\"\n      The interview came just before next week's semi-annual\n  meetings of the Bank and the International Monetary Fund.\n      Referring to Brazil's recent interest payments moratorium,\n  Conable also said the global debt situation was very serious\n  and must be closely watched.\n      He said the Bank, which in the past has concentrated on\n  making loans that assist the basic underpinnings in the\n  developing world such as dams, roads and sewers, will\n  increasingly make assistance available for economic reform.\n      The Bank has increased these loans, in part because of the\n  debt crisis that has found countries desperately in need of new\n  funds for balance of payments adjustment and economic reforms\n  aimed at opening their markets, encouraging foreign investment\n  and reducing government's role in the economy.\n      \"We're comfortable with adjustment lending, we expect,\n  however, that it will never reach a majority of our portfolio,\"\n  Conable said.\n      He made clear, however, that adjustment lending would\n  continue to increase as a proportion of overall Bank lending\n  for some time.\n      He noted, \"the problem of debt was a severe one and many\n  countries are asking for adjustment assistance because of the\n  problem of debt.\"\n      Conable, is a a former Republican Congressman from New York\n  chosen by President Reagan for the Bank position last year. He\n  is an associate of Treasury Secertary James Baker who launched\n  the U.S. strategy for shoring up indebted nations in October,\n  1985 which included a call for increased adjustment lending by\n  the World Bank.\n      Conable also said that he expected the result of a major\n  study of the Bank's organization to be completed in the next\n  several weeks.\n      He said the decision to seek a reorganization was based, in\n  part, on the fact that the Bank had come under fire from the\n  poorest countries for not doing enough to help and from the\n  richest countries because of inefficiency.\n      the reorganization is considered a major initiative by\n  Conable, and is being closely-watched by the agency's 151\n  member-countries as an indication of his management style and\n  priorities.\n      \"I want to be sure this institution is viewed by those who\n  must support it as soundly constituted so that it will be\n  permitted to grow,\" Conable said.\n      However, he said \"I don't believe there is anything\n  basically wrong with this institution and I don't believe it\n  has to have any redefinition of its purpose.\"\n      He said, however, that it was apparent that the debt\n  initiative proposed by Baker has given the Bank a central role\n  in dealing with the debt crisis.\n      Conable added that cooperation between the Bank and its\n  sister agency, the International Monetary Fund, was good and\n  that he talked often with IMF Managing Director Michel\n  Camdessus on a variety of issues.\n      On a personal level, Conable said that he not feel a need\n  to put his personal stamp on the Bank noting that \"I don't have\n  a particular mission here except to be useful to the\n  institution and to the process of development.\"\n      He added, \"so I don't feel a great calling to personalize\n  the institution.\"\n      On the development needs of sub-Sahara Africa, Conable said\n  that the Bank was constantly reviewing new ways for assisting\n  the region, noting that half of the recently agreed financing\n  of 12.4 billion dlrs for Bank's International Development\n  Association was earmarked for Africa.\n      Leading industrial nations are expected to consider new\n  forms of debt relief for the very poorest nations, like those\n  in the Sub-Sahara, during next week's meetings.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MINAS DE ALMADEN RAISES MERCURY PRICE\n","article":"  Spain's Minas de Almaden y Arrayanes S.A.\n  has agreed with Algerian producer ENOF to establish a minimum\n  price of 300 dlrs per flask for spot mercury sales, Almaden\n  spokesman Jesus Gallego said.\n      In response to enquiries from Reuters, he said his company\n  had raised the minimum price for its spot sales from 240 dlrs\n  per flask following talks with ENOF.\n      In a separate press release, the company said that ENOF and\n  Almaden held talks in Istanbul a week ago with Turkish mercury\n  producers on ways to improve prices, but Gallego said he was\n  not in a position to say what action the Turkish companies\n  would be taking.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. JOBS DATA SAID TO RULE OUT FED TIGHTENING\n","article":"  A steep drop in goods-producing jobs\n  detracted from U.S. March non-farm payroll employment and makes\n  it unlikely that the Federal Reserve will tighten monetary\n  policy to defend the dollar, economists said.\n      U.S. March non-farm payroll employment rose 164,000, less\n  than the gain of 220,000 to 290,000 the financial markets\n  expected. Manufacturing employment fell 25,000, compared with\n  February's 50,000 gain, while March construction employment\n  dropped 45,000 after being unchanged in February.\n      \"The momentum of industrial activity is tapering off as we\n  end the first quarter,\" said Stephen Roach of Morgan Stanley\n  and Co Inc. \"This sets the stage for more sluggish growth in\n  the second and third quarters.\"\n      \"The Fed will view this as a caution flag on the economy,\"\n  he said. \"They will not ease as long the dollar is weak, but\n  clearly they can't tighten.\"\n      David Wyss of Data Resources Inc said that the downward\n  revision in February non-farm payroll employment to 236,000\n  from 337,000 means that employment gains in the first quarter\n  were weaker than expected.\n      While Wyss left his first-quarter forecast of real U.S.\n  gross national product growth at 3.5 pct, he said the March\n  jobs data suggested a downward revision in his second-quarter\n  growth forecast to 2.5 pct from 2.8 pct.\n      Bill Sullivan of Dean Witter Reynolds Inc said the average\n  monthly gain in non-farm jobs in the first quarter was only\n  237,000, compared with 254,000 in the fourth quarter of 1986.\n      \"There's momentum in first quarter labor force activity, \n  but less than assumed,\" he said. \"Gains in goods-producing jobs\n  were subdued at best. This rules out any possibilty of the Fed\n  tightening for exchange-related purposes.\"\n      In March, the average workweek fell back to its January\n  level of 34.8 hours from 35.0 hours in February. Manufacturing\n  hours also fell back to their January level, totalling 40.9\n  hours in March compared with 41.2 hours in February.\n      The Commerce Department noted that loss of manufacturing\n  jobs in March was concentrated in automobile, electrical and \n  electronic manufacturing.\n      Robert Brusca of Nikko Securities International said that a\n  13,000 decline in auto manufacturing employment accounted for\n  nearly half of the total drop in manufacturing jobs.\n      Economists said that a build-up in auto inventories\n  resulting from a steep drop in sales has finally caught up with\n  the labor force and may point to slower growth ahead.\n      Most expect an increase in inventories of as much as five\n  pct to offset a steep four to five pct drop in final sales in\n  the first-quarter GNP accounts.\n      Roach said he expects first quarter U.S. GNP to rise two\n  pct, to be followed by a gain of 1.0-1.5 pct at best in the\n  second and third quarters. He said the March drop in industrial\n  activity \"is a reasonable response in light of the inordinate\n  contribution inventory accumulation made to GNP.\"\n      Economists said the employment data also suggest weak gains\n  in industrial production and personal income for March.\n  They expect only marginal gains, if not small declines, for\n  these indicators, compared with a February increases of 0.5 pct\n  in industrial production and 0.9 pct in personal income.\n      Steve Slifer of Lehman Government Securities said the drop\n  in March construction employment may also signal a drop in\n  March housing starts, which rose 2.6 pct in February to 1.851\n  million units at an annual rate from 1.804 million units in\n  January.\n      The rate of unemployment fell to 6.6 pct, its lowest level\n  since March 1980, from 6.7 pct in February. But Wyss pointed\n  out that this resulted from a drop in the labor force, which \n  fell to 119.2 mln in March from 119.35 mln in February.\n      \"This just means that there were fewer people looking for\n  work, so the drop in unemployment doesn't mean much,\" he said.\n      He said the latest employment report will not concern the\n  Fed because it does points to GNP growth in the first half of\n  2.5-3.0 pct, but \"it does suggest they can't afford to tighten\n  to quickly either.\"\n      The statistical factors used to smooth out seasonal\n  fluctuations in the jobs data may have understated March labor\n  force gains, just as seasonal factors probably overstated them\n  in January and February, Slifer said, but are consistent with\n  his forecast of 1.8 pct first quarter GNP growth.\n      Economic growth remains sluggish, but Silfer does not think\n  that the Federal Open Market Committee changed policy at their\n  meeting this week. \"At some point they will be more inclined to\n  ease,\" he said. For the time being, however, the March\n  employment report \"increases the likelihood they won't tighten,\n  regardless of the dollar.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BRISTOL-MYERS <BMY> REVIEWING SCIMED MERGER\n","article":"  SciMed Life Systems Inc <SMLS> said\n  Bristol-Myers Co is analyzing the pending lawsuit brought\n  against SciMed by <Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Inc> to\n  determine whether to consummate its previously announced plans\n  to merge with SciMed.\n      The company said its was served the suit in Minneapolis on\n  March 31, the day after it announced its definitive merger\n  agreement with Bristol-Myers.\n      SciMed said the suit, which alleges that SciMed infringed\n  on Advanced Cardiovascular patents, is without merit.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"US WEST <USW> HIKES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 82 cts vs 76 cts prior\n      Pay May 1\n      Record April 16\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OIL PRICES RISE ON SAUDI EFFORT\n","article":"  Crude oil prices rallied today, moving\n  over 17.00 dlrs a barrel because of Saudi Arabia's determined\n  effort to support prices, analysts said.\n      \"The Saudis and other OPEC nations are jawboning the market,\n  hoping to restore confidence and prices and to do this without\n  another meeting,\" said Sanford Margoshes, oil analyst with\n  Shearson Lehman Brothers Inc.\n      \"But OPEC is not out of the woods yet by a longshot due to\n  seasonal declines in demand and some cheating,\" he added.\n      Oil industry analysts said Saudi Arabia has led the attempt\n  to get other OPEC members to resist pressures to discount from\n  the official prices agreed to last december.\n      The analysts said that to get others to hold the line,\n  Saudi Arabia pushed hard at the meeting of deputy oil ministers\n  of the Gulf Cooperation Council last weekend and at the\n  Cooperation Council oil ministers' meeting the previous week.\n      The Saudis have also offered to support members having\n  difficulty in selling their oil, analysts said.\n      \"They are trying to make sure that no one discounts, and to\n  prevent that, it appears that Saudi Arabia or some other OPEC\n  member will allocate some of their oil sales to help members\n  that lose sales,\" Margoshes said.\n      He added that the allocations would probably be in the form\n  of loans to be repaid when these nations resume sales.\n      Analysts said this would be useful in keeping in line\n  nations like Qatar, which has had trouble selling oil. But it\n  is also likely that such assistance would be provided to\n  Nigeria which is under pressure to extend discounts.\n      Analysts said that Saudi Arabia, with assistance from OPEC\n  president Rilwanu Lukman, was trying to avoid an emergency OPEC\n  meeting for fear that it would give the appearance that the\n  December pact is falling apart.\n      Daniel McKinley, oil analyst with Smith Barney, Upham\n  Harris and Co said, \"both physical and futures markets have been\n  oversold and it only took a small spark to bring on a short\n  covering rally.\"\n      He believes an Iranian trade mission to Tokyo, which\n  refused discounts to Japanese buyers, brought Japanese refiners\n  into the market to cover their short positions.\n      Oil traders said one japanese refiner came into the market\n  to but 10 cargoes of May Dubai, which sent prices up on Mideast\n  sours, with Dubai trading up to 16.50 dlrs after trading\n  yeterray as low as 15.63 dlrs and then spilled over into the\n  North sea crude oil market.\n      Traders said that there have been persistent rumors today\n  that Japanese buyers are looking to pick up cargoes of Brent\n  for Japan and European trade sources indidate rumors of vessels\n  being fixed to make such shipments.\n      North sea brent today rose over 17.00 dlrs with trades\n  reported as high as 17.05 dlrs, up one dlr.\n      OPEC members' denials that they are producing over their\n  quotas sparked moves to cover short postitions.\n      Indonesian oil minister Subroto said today that OPEC\n  production was below the 15.8 mln bpd quota agreed to last\n  december but he gave no details on OPEC production against\n  claims it was more at least one mln bpd above that level.\n      \"The production probably is about their quota level and\n  largely because Saudi Arabia will not discount and canot sell\n  its oil as a result,\" Margoshes said.\n      Analysts have mixed opinions about the extent of the\n  current rally. Some believe prices can continue to rise if\n  Saudi Arabia and OPEC hold steady in a refusal to discount.\n      But others said that despite the rally today there were\n  still several fundamental factors, including demand, which\n  could cut the rally short.\n      Marion Stewart, an indepedent petroleum economist, said\n  slow growth in the economies of the U.S. and OECD would keep\n  demand for oil slack and he now estimates that demand to rise\n  about 1.4 pct over 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BELL PETROLEUM <BPSIO>, REGAL TO FORM PLAN\n","article":"  Bell Petroleum Services Inc said it\n  agreed to begin talks with Regal International Inc to form a\n  plan of reorganization under which Bell would become a\n  subsidiary of Regal.\n      The plan would be subject to Bankruptcy court approval due\n  to Bell's status as a debtor-in-possesion under Chapter 11. the\n  company's expect to file a plan by the end of May.\n      This agreement terminates litigation between the companies\n  concerning previous attempts at a plan of reorganization..\n      Bell is also free to continue talks with any third parties\n  interested in an acquisition, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HEALTHVEST <HVT> DECLARES THREE-WEEK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Healthvest said its board declared\n  a dividend for the final three weeks of the March quarter of 14\n  cts, payable April 28 to holders of recrod April 15.\n      Previously, it dclared a special interim dividend of 42 cts\n  for January 1 to March 9 in connection with its recently\n  completed offering.\n      The combined dividend totals 56 cts for the March quarter,\n  an increase from the prior quarter's dividend of 55 cts\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CPI CORP <CPIC> 4TH QTR FEB 7 NET\n","article":"  Shr 43 cts vs 36 cts\n      Net 7,209,000 vs 5,574,000\n      Sales 77.7 mln vs 58.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 16,676,000 vs 15,478,000\n      Year\n      Shr 1.12 dlrs vs 1.10 dlrs\n      Net 18,371,000 vs 17,032,000\n      Sales 257.5 mln vs 198.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 16,411,000 vs 15,433,000\n      NOTE: Year-ago period ended Feb 1, 1986\n      Full-year earnings include gains from discontinued\n  operations of 184,000 dlrs, or one ct a share vs 3,143,000\n  dlrs, or 20 cts a share\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ADM GRAIN ELEVATOR EXPLODES IN BURLINGTON, IOWA\n","article":"  A grain elevator in Burlington, Iowa,\n  exploded today, leaving five injured.\n      The elevator, operated by Archer Daniels Midland Co. of\n  Decatur, Ill., is a terminal elevator on the Mississippi River,\n  Doug Snyder, assistant to the vice president said.\n      The cause of the explosion and the extent of damage to the\n  elevator was not immediatley known.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. GRAIN CARLOADINGS FALL IN WEEK\n","article":"  U.S. grain carloadings totaled 25,744\n  cars in the week ended March 28, down 4.3 pct from the previous\n  week but 41.6 pct above the corresponding week a year ago, the\n  Association of American Railroads reported.\n      Grain mill product loadings in the week totalled 10,920\n  cars, up 0.1 pct from the previous week and 12.7 pct above the\n  same week a year earlier, the association said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SEC CLARIFIES POSITION ON TENDER OFFER CHANGES\n","article":"  The Securities and Exchange\n  Commission reminded corporate raiders and others tendering for\n  the shares of companies that they must extend the period their\n  offers are open if key conditions are changed.\n      Specifically, the agency said those making tender offers\n  for companies' stock must extend the offers if they decide to\n  eliminate conditions requiring a minimum number of shares to be\n  tendered in order for the offers to be valid.\n      Tender offers typically include minimum share conditions.\n  As a result, a purchaser would not be bound to buy the shares\n  that were tendered if the minimum level were not reached.\n      In an interpretation of current rules, which officials said\n  clarifies the SEC's present position, the agency said a tender\n  offer must be extended if a minimum share condition is waived,\n  even if the purchaser reserved the right to do so.\n      The interpretation makes clear that waiving a minimum share\n  condition is a \"material change\" of the tender offer under U.S.\n  securities law, SEC officials said.\n      The SEC has already said that other specific material\n  changes, such as changes in the percentage of securities being\n  sought or the price being offered, made during the course of a\n  tender offer require a 10-day extension of the offer.\n      The length of the extension, which is aimed at giving\n  shareholders an adequate chance to assess revisions of a tender\n  offer, was not specified in cases where the minimum share\n  conditions were waived.\n      SEC officials said the length of the extension in such\n  cases would depend on the facts and circumstances surrounding\n  each case, but would generally be between five and 10 days.\n      The agency cited two recent tender offers in which waivers\n  of a minimum share conditios were tried on the last day of each\n  offer, denying shareholders the chance to react to the new\n  information. Officials declined to identify the two offers.\n      \"If a bidder makes a material change near or at the end of\n  its offer, it will have to extend the offer to permit adequate\n  dissemination,\" the SEC said.\n      Federal securities law requires that all tender offers\n  remain open for at least 20 business days.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GENCORP <GY> UNIT COMPLETES WOR-TV SALE\n","article":"  GenCorp said its RKO General Inc\n  subsidiary completed the sale of WOR-TV to MCA Inc <MCA> for\n  387 mln dlrs.\n      The Federal Communications Commission approved the sale\n  last December, GenCorp said. The closing was delayed because\n  that decision was appealed by four parties to the U.S. Court of\n  Appeals, GenCorp explained.\n      WOR-TV is based in  Secaucus, N.J., GenCorp said.\n      Earlier today, <General Partners> said it was prepared to\n  raise its bid to 110 dlrs per share, or even more, in its bid\n  for GenCorp.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GALILEO ELECTRO-OPTICS CORP <GAEO> 2ND QTR \n","article":"  Galileo Electro-Optics Corp\n  said estimated earnings for the second quarter ended March 31,\n  1987, will be over current analysts estimates of 40 cts to 45\n  cts per share.\n      However, the company said it has not closed its books for\n  the quarter and release earnings April 20.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TREASURY BALANCES AT FED ROSE ON FEB 27\n","article":"  Treasury balances at the Federal\n  Reserve rose on Feb 27 to 3.482 billion dlrs from 1.538 billion\n  dlrs the previous business day, the Treasury said in its latest\n  budget statement.\n      Balances in tax and loan note accounts fell to 21.334\n  billion dlrs from 25.164 billion dlrs on the same respective\n  days.\n      The Treasury's operating cash balance totaled 24.816\n  billion dlrs on Feb 27 compared with 26.702 billion dlrs on Feb\n  26.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. SCIENTISTS SAY TROPICAL OILS HEALTH RISK\n","article":"  U.S. scientists said some tropical\n  vegetable oils can be hazardous to consumers whose health is at\n  risk because of high levels of saturated fat, lending weight to\n  a campaign by the American Soybean Association (ASA) for\n  labelling changes.\n      The scientists appeared to support an ASA charge, denied by\n  Malaysian palm growers, that imported coconut, palm and palm\n  kernel oils contain high levels of saturated fat and thus raise\n  blood cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.\n      In a petition filed in January, the ASA asked the U.S. Food\n  and Drug Administration (FDA) to require palm, palm kernel and\n  coconut oils to be identified as saturated fats on food\n  manufacturers' labels.\n      The FDA responded to the ASA in a letter saying it would\n  consider the petition as a comment to a proposed rule dealing\n  with cholesterol and fatty acid labelling of foods.\n      Malaysian oil palm growers have said the charges by the ASA\n  that palm oil consumption increases blood cholesterol and\n  contributes to heart disease are untrue.\n      But Steve Chang, Professor of Food Science at Rutgers\n  University, said, \"Palm oil is definitely not good for human\n  health because it has a high content of saturated fatty acid.\"\n      He added that the higher the fatty acid, the greater the\n  blood cholesterol level. \"It has been well established that\n  high cholesterol levels will have a higher level of heart\n  disease,\" he said.\n      A Malaysian Oil Palm Growers Council official, Borge\n  Bek-Nielsen, has said studies have shown that palm oil is\n  cholesterol-free, low in saturated fats, has anti-cancer\n  properties and prevents blood clotting and blocking of arteries\n  in humans.\n      Bek-Nielsen said Americans consume more saturated fats\n  daily through food like butter, bacon, ham and beef than from\n  palm oil, which, he added is rich in vitamins A and E.\n      David Kritchevsky, Associate Director of the Wistar\n  Institute in Philadelphia, appeared to take the ASA view on\n  labelling. \"What people really have to learn is to read labels,\"\n  said Kritchevsky. \"The more a consumer knows, the more likely he\n  will make an intelligent choice.\"\n      The U.S. scientists said they had no doubt imported palm,\n  palm kernel and coconut oils contain high saturated fat levels.\n      Kritchevsky, a specialist in nutrition, said, \"More\n  saturated fat would raise cholesterol levels...So, from that\n  point of view it's a health risk. High cholesterol levels in\n  the blood are a risk factor for heart disease.\"\n      Susanne Harris, deputy assistant secretary of the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department's Food and Consumer Services Division,\n  said the health risk among consumers of vegetable oils with\n  high saturated fat levels was highest among those who have\n  heart disease.\n      The scientists said more than 50 pct of the fatty acid\n  content of the tropical oils was saturated, whereas less than\n  20 pct of the fatty acid content of soybean oil was saturated.\n      David Ericksen, director of ASA's technical services, said\n  U.S. soybean producers could regain about one-half of the 273\n  mln dlrs in sales lost to imported tropical oils if consumers\n  were aware the vegetable oils were high in saturated fat.\n      Imported tropical oils displace 171 mln bushels of U.S.\n  soybean sales in the U.S. market, ASA estimates.\n      U.S. imports of coconut oil during January totaled 82.9 mln\n  lbs compared with 48.0 mln lbs in December and 106.5 mln a year\n  earlier, according to Commerce Department figures.\n      Imports of palm oil totaled 44.0 mln lbs compared with 51.3\n  mln lbs in December and 85.2 mln a year earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SNYDER <SOI> MAKES CENERGY <CRG> EXCHANGE OFFER\n","article":"  Snyder Oil Partners L.P. told the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission it made an exchange offer to\n  Cenergy Corp that would allow Snyder to acquire up to 49.9 pct\n  of the company's common stock.\n      Under the exchange offer, which was proposed yesterday to\n  Cenergy's officers and directors, each share of Cenergy common\n  stock could be exchanged for 8.50 dlrs in market value of\n  Snyder's limited partnership units, Snyder said.\n      Under the proposal, Snyder, which already holds 1,170,400\n  Cenergy common shares, or 12.0 pct of the total, could boost\n  its Cenergy stake to a total of 49.9 pct, it said.\n      Snyder did not say whether it has received any response to\n  its proposal from Cenergy.\n      If it acquires the 49.9 pct stake, Snyder said in its SEC\n  filing it would use the stock to \"obtain a proportionate\n  beneficial interest\" in the company's assets and liabilities.\n      It said it has not decided its next move it the exchange\n  proposal does not lead to negotiations with Cenergy.\n      Snyder said it may boost its stake or sell some or all of\n  its current holdings. It repeated a statement made in its\n  initial SEC filing last month that it is considering several\n  alternatives, including seeking control of Cenergy.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HARLEYSVILLE GROUP <HGIC> SEEKS TO ACQUIRE FIRM\n","article":"  Harleysville Group Inc said it\n  was in talks to acquire Atlantic Mutual Fire Insurance Co, a\n  property and casualty insurer licensed in five southern states.\n      The company said it believes an acquisition could be\n  completed by June 30, subject to approval by regulatory and\n  Atlantic Mutual policyholders.\n      Harleysville plans to invest about four mln dlrs in the\n  business if the deal is completed.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"KROGER <KR> TO BUY EIGHT FOOD STORES\n","article":"  Kroger Co said it agreed to buy nine \n  retail food stores from the Dallas division of <Safeway Stores\n  Inc>, which announced it was closing the 141-store division as\n  part of a restructuring.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      Kroger expects to take over operation of the stores, one of\n  which is under construction, in late April. The addition of the\n  stores will bring Kroger's Dallas division to 75 stores, it\n  said.\n      It operates more than 1,300 stores in 20 states.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<DOUGLAS COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr seven cts vs one ct\n      Net 178,919 vs 34,429\n      Sales 3,148,420 vs 1,912,438\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MEDICAL STERILIZATION INC <MSTI> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 65 cts vs loss 1.31 dlrs\n      Net loss 1,366,340 vs loss 2,148,656\n      Revs 2,664,852 vs 799,864\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CCC ACCEPTS EXPORT BONUS FOR WHEAT TO SRI LANKA\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department said\n  it has accepted a bid for an export bonus to cover the sale of\n  50,000 tonnes of hard red winter wheat to Sri Lanka.\n      A bonus of 37.44 dlrs per tonne was awarded to Continental\n  Grain Co on the shipment scheduled for April 8-16, Melvin Sims,\n  USDA general sales manager said.\n      An additional 10,000 tonnes of wheat are still available to\n  Sri Lanka under the export enhancement program, Sims said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"RVIAL TO UNION CARBIDE EMERGES IN FRENCH BID\n","article":"  <Carburos Metalicos> of Spain has bid\n  2,205 francs a share for French chemicals group <Duffour et\n  Igon>, rivalling the 2,100 franc bid announced yesterday by\n  Union Carbide France, the French subsidiary of the U.S.\n  Chemical giant Union Carbide Corp <UK.N>, the stockbrokers'\n  assocation (CSAC) said here.\n      Duffour et Igon's capital is comprised of 133,100 shares\n  with a nominal value of 100 francs each. Shares were last\n  quoted at 856 francs on January 9.\n      Banque Paribas will act for Carburos Metalicos, while Union\n  Carbide France's bid is being led by Rothschild et Associes\n  Banque.\n      Duffour et Igon shares will be suspended on April 6 and 7\n  and will resume trading on April 8.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL TO BUY 30,000 BPD OF KUWAITI OIL\n","article":"  Brazil will import 30,000 barrels\n  per day of crude oil from Kuwait, a spokesman for the state oil\n  company Petrobras said.\n      He said that, unlike Saudi Arabia, Kuwait did not impose\n  any conditions on Brazil.\n      Last month, Petrobras cancelled a 40-mln dlr oil purchase\n  from Saudi Arabia after the Saudis refused to accept credit\n  guarantees from the official Bank of Brazil.\n      The Saudis eventually lifted the condition and Brazil\n  decided to reconfirm the purchase.\n      Brazil currently consumes 1.1 mln barrels of oil per day.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. DURUM WHEAT BONUS BID TO ALGERIA ACCEPTED\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department said\n  it has accepted a bid for an export bonus to cover the sale of\n  18,000 tonnes of U.S. durum wheat to Algeria.\n      A bonus of 43.25 dlrs per tonne was awarded to Cam USA Inc\n  on the shipment scheduled for June 20-30, Melvin Sims, USDA\n  general sales manager, said.\n      An additional 228,000 tonnes of durum wheat are available\n  to Algeria under the department's export enhancement program,\n  Sims said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"USDA OFFERS EEP BARLEY MALT TO COLOMBIA\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department\n  announced Colombia has been made eligible for sales of up to\n  15,000 tonnes of barley malt under the department's export\n  enhancement program, EEP.\n      As with the previous 64 EEP initiatives, sales of U.S.\n  barley malt would be made to buyers in Colombia at competitive\n  world prices, USDA said.\n      The export sales would be subsidized with commodities from\n  the inventory of the Commodity Credit Corp and enable U.S.\n  exporters to compete at commercial prices in the Colombian\n  market, USDA said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TEXAS PETROLEUM ACQUIRES OIL AND GAS PROPERTIES\n","article":"  Texas Petroleum Corp said it issued 14.4\n  mln shares of restricted common stock in exchange for oil and\n  gas properties and joint ventures located in the U.S. and\n  overseas.\n      The properties were acquired from <North American Oil and\n  Gas Corp> and Texas Petroleum Corp in Canada, the company said.\n  It added the acquisitions were the first step toward creating\n  an oil and gas exploration and development enterprise.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"METROMEDIA BUYS WARRANT FOR SHARES OF ORION\n","article":"  <Metromedia Co> said it\n  purchased from Time Inc's <TL> Home Box Office Inc a warrant to\n  purchase 800,000 shares of common stock of Orion Pictures Corp\n  <OPC>.\n      The price for the warrant was 10 mln dlrs, Metromedia said.\n  It added that it now owns 16.4 pct of the outstanding common\n  stock of Orion.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BANK OF MONTREAL LOWERS CREDIT CARD RATE\n","article":"  Bank of Montreal said it will reduce the\n  interest rate it charges on outstanding MasterCard balances to\n  18.3 pct from 21 pct, beginning in July.\n      The bank said it will continue its policy of not charging\n  any annual fee or transaction fees to credit card holders.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KASLER CORP <KASL> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit three cts vs loss seven cts\n      Net profit 161,000 vs loss 367,000\n      Revs 24.3 mln vs 26.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ENEX RESOURCES CORP <ENEX> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr not given\n      Net loss 330,613 vs profit\n      Revs 2,170,628 vs 614,511\n      Year\n      Shr loss one ct vs profit nine cts\n      Net loss 212,289 vs profit 829,747\n      Revs 5,397,167 vs 3,785,688\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OSHAP TECHNOLOGIES LTD <OSHUF> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 12 cts vs loss three cts\n      Net loss 646,000 vs loss 96,000\n      Revs 9,414,000 vs 9,899,000\n      Avg shrs 5,382,833 vs 3,722,833\n      NOTE: Converted using Dec 31 exchange rate of 40.05 Belgian\n  francs to the U.S. dlr.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<DOUGLAS COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL> YEAR END 1986\n","article":"  Shr seven cts vs one ct\n      Net 178,919 vs 34,429\n      Revs 3,148,420 vs 1,912,438\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA OIL INDUSTRY SET FOR RECOVERY - ANALYSTS\n","article":"  Firmer crude oil prices, government aid\n  packages and corporate spending cuts will help Canada's oil\n  industry recover from last year sharp downturn, industry\n  analysts said.\n      They said there will be significant earnings gains in 1987\n  compared to last year's dismal results when oil prices dropped\n  about 50 pct.\n      On Canada's stock exchanges, energy shares have soared to\n  their highest levels since 1983, with many issues trading at\n  record highs.\n      \"This is reflecting a tremendous amount of optimism on the\n  part of the investment community that the outlook for the\n  industry for the future is extremely attractive,\" Peters and Co\n  Ltd oil analyst Wilf Gobert said.\n      Financial statements from Canada's major oil companies,\n  culminating with Dome Petroleum Ltd's 2.20 billion Canadian dlr\n  1986 loss reported this week, painted a bleak picture of last\n  year's results, analysts said.\n      \"But the financial statements are a snap shot and a\n  recording of history. The stock market is the indication of the\n  future,\" Gobert commented.\n      The Toronto Stock Exchange's oil and gas index of 41\n  companies is up to 4065.4 so far in trading today from 3053.15\n  at the end of 1986.\n      Among Canada's largest oil companies, class A shares of\n  Imperial Oil Ltd <IMO.A>, 70 pct owned by Exxon Corp <XON>, is\n  trading at 71, up from a 52-week low of 34-3\/4.\n      Shell Canada Ltd, 72 pct owned by Royal Dutch\/Shell Group,\n  is at 40-1\/2, up from a low during the last year of 18-3\/4.\n  Texaco Canada Inc <TXC>, 78 pct owned by Texaco Inc <TX>, is\n  at 34-7\/8, up from a low of 24-1\/2.\n      Levesque Beaubien Inc oil analyst Robert Plexman forecasts\n  operating profit for 10 of Canada's largest oil and gas\n  companies will rise 37 pct in 1987 to about 1.44 billion dlrs\n  and operating cash flow will increase 12 pct to 3.24 billion\n  dlrs, based on an average oil price for the year of 16.50 U.S.\n  dlrs a barrel. \"However, if prices hold about 18 U.S. dlrs a\n  barrel...1987 net operating income could show a 69 pct increase\n  with cash flow 27 pct higher,\" analyst Plexman said.\n      \"Although it is difficult to forecast the extent of the\n  profit improvement this year, the gain should be significant,\"\n  he added.\n      Those improvements follow a sharp downturn in 1986, when\n  operating income for the ten companies dropped 47 pct to 1.05\n  billion dlrs and operating cash flow fell 22 pct to 2.90\n  billion dlrs.\n      But one industry source doesn't think oil prices will hold\n  recent gains and more government assistance is needed.\n      Canadian Petroleum Association technical director Hans\n  Maciej sees industry cash flow falling another 10 pct in 1987,\n  after dipping about 60 pct last year. Maciej said he sees crude\n  oil supply outweighing demand and doesn't believe a recent OPEC\n  production accord will continue to support prices.\n      However, several companies share the optimistic industry\n  outlook expressed by a majority of analysts.\n      Shell Canada and <Norcen Energy Resources Ltd> forecast\n  improved 1987 earnings in their annual reports issued this\n  week, assuming oil prices remain at or above 1986 levels.\n      \"The industry's outlook for 1987 is positive, but not\n  robust,\" Texaco Canada said in its annual report.\n      \"While oil prices have strengthened somewhat and there is\n  good reason to believe that the general level is sustainable,\n  continued volatility is likely,\" Texaco Canada added.\n      In the face of short-term uncertainty, many companies have\n  pared 1987 spending plans from last year's lower levels,\n  deferring most frontier exploration work.\n      \"The industry is becoming very selective in investments,\n  very conservative and cautious, which is not unexpected,\"\n  Canadian Petroleum Association's Maciej said.\n      Federal and Alberta goverment aid measures helped cushion\n  the industry downturn in 1986 and are improving 1987 results.\n      The most significant help came last September when the\n  federal government lifted the 10 pct Petroleum Gas Revenue Tax\n  (PGRT) 28 months earlier then planned.\n      Analysts estimate the tax relief will save larger oil\n  companies about 1.50 billion dlrs by the end of 1988.\n      The PGRT cut helped brake the steep profit and cash flow\n  decline in 1986 for many oil companies and prevented further\n  exploration spending cuts, analysts said.\n      \"For a number of companies, the PGRT cut was absolutely\n  necessary to even maintain the kind of reduced investments that\n  were made, otherwise the reduction would have been considerably\n  more,\" Maciej said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. GOLD PRODUCTION ROSE IN DECEMBER\n","article":"  U.S. mine production of gold rose to\n  244,900 troy ounces in December from 244,749 ounces in\n  November, the U.S. Interior Department's Bureau of Mines said.\n      U.S. imports of gold in December were 692,700 ounces, vs\n  2,011,754 ounces in November and 611,811 ounces in December,\n  1985.\n      Gold exports totaled 243,191 ounces in December, vs\n  November's 374,468 ounces and 350,078 ounces in December a year\n  earlier.\n      Mine production of gold in the 12-month period Jan-Dec,\n  1986, totaled 2,951,151 ounces, vs 2,475,436 ounces over the\n  same period in 1985.\n      Gold imports in Jan-Dec, 1986, totaled 15,749,447 ounces,\n  vs 8,225,999 ounces for the same period in 1985, while exports\n  stood at 4,612,919 ounces and 3,966,678 ounces over the\n  respective periods, the bureau said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JACK WINTER INC <JWI> 4TH QTR JAN 3 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 67 cts vs loss seven cts\n      Net loss 2,410,000 vs loss 245,000\n      Revs 11.0 mln vs 10.9 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr loss 21 cts vs profit 43 cts\n      Net loss 748,000 vs profit 1,571,000\n      Revs 46.9 mln vs 40.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. SILVER PRODUCTION ROSE IN DECEMBER\n","article":"  U.S. mine production of silver rose\n  to 2,295,230 troy ounces in December from 2,181,082 in\n  November, the Interior Department's Bureau of Mines said.\n      U.S. imports of silver in December were 8,458,000 ounces,\n  vs 19,950,000 in November, and 8,840,000 in December, 1985.\n      Silver exports totaled 1,549,000 ounces in December, vs\n  2,346,000 in November and 1,504,000 ounces in December, 1985.\n      Silver mining production in the 12-month period Jan-Dec,\n  1986 totaled 31,720,769 ounces, vs 39,357,197 ounces produced\n  over the same period in 1985.\n     Imports of silver in Jan-Dec, 1986 totaled 144,890,000\n  ounces, vs 152,601,000 ounces in Jan-Dec, 1985, while silver\n  exports stood at 25,114,000 ounces and 24,756,000 ounces over\n  the respective periods, the bureau said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COFFEE MAY FALL MORE BEFORE NEW QUOTA TALKS\n","article":"  Coffee prices may have to fall even lower\n  to bring exporting and importing countries once more round the\n  negotiating table to discuss export quotas, ICO delegates and\n  traders said.\n      The failure last night of International Coffee\n  Organization, ICO, producing and consuming countries to agree\n  export quotas brought a sharp fall on international coffee\n  futures markets today with the London May price reaching a\n  4-1\/2 year low at one stage of 1,270 stg per tonne before\n  ending the day at 1,314 stg, down 184 stg from the previous\n  close.\n      The New York May price was down 15.59 at 108.00 cents a lb.\n      Pressure will now build up on producers returning from the\n  ICO talks to sell coffee which had been held back in the hope\n  the negotiations would establish quotas which would put a floor\n  under prices, some senior traders said.\n      The ICO 15 day average price stood at 114.66 cents a lb for\n  March 2. This compares with a target range of 120 to 140 cents\n  a lb under the system operating before quotas were suspended in\n  February last year following a sharp rise in international\n  prices caused by drought damage to the Brazilian crop.\n      In a Reuter interview, Brazilian Coffee Institute, IBC,\n  President Jorio Dauster urged producers not to panic and said\n  they need to make hard commercial decisions. \"If we have failed\n  at the ICO, at least we have tried,\" Dauster said, adding \"now it\n  is time to go and sell coffee.\"\n      But Brazil is keeping its marketing options open. It plans\n  to make an official estimate of the forthcoming crop next\n  month, Dauster said. It is too difficult to forecast now. Trade\n  sources have put the crop at over 26 mln bags compared with a\n  previous crop of 11.2 mln. Brazil is defining details of public\n  selling tenders for coffee bought on London's futures market\n  last year.\n      A basic condition will be that it does not go back to the\n  market \"in one go\" but is sold over a minimum of six months.\n      The breakdown of the ICO negotiations reflected a split\n  between producers and consumers on how to set the yardstick for\n  future quotas. Consumers said \"objective criteria\" like average\n  exports and stocks should determine producer quota shares,\n  Dauster said.\n      All elements of this proposal were open to negotiation but\n  consumers insisted they did not want a return to the \"ad hoc\" way\n  of settling export quotas by virtual horse trading amongst\n  producers whilst consumers waited in the corridors of the ICO.\n      Dauster said stocks and exports to ICO members and\n  non-members all need to be considered when setting quotas and\n  that Brazil would like to apply the coffee pact with a set\n  ratio of overall quota reflecting stock holdings.\n      It is a \"simplistic misconception that Brazil can dictate\"\n  policy to other producers. While consumer countries are welcome\n  to participate they cannot dictate quotas which are very\n  difficult to allocate as different \"objective criteria\" achieve\n  different share-outs of quota, Dauster said.\n      Other delegates said there was more open talking at the ICO\n  and at least differences were not hidden by a bad compromise.\n      Consumer delegates said they had not been prepared to\n  accept the producers' offer to abandon quotas if it proves\n  impossible to find an acceptable basis for them.\n      \"We want the basis of quotas to reflect availability and to\n  encourage stock holding as an alternative to a buffer stock if\n  supplies are needed at a later stage,\" one delegate said.\n      Some consumers claimed producer support for the consumer\n  argument was gaining momentum towards the end of the ICO\n  session but said it is uncertain whether this will now collapse\n  and how much producers will sink their differences should\n  prices fall further and remain depressed.\n      The ICO executive board meets here March 30 to April 1 but\n  both producer and consumer delegates said they doubt if real\n  negotiations will begin then. The board is due to meet in\n  Indonesia in June with a full council scheduled for September.\n      More cynical traders said the pressure of market forces and\n  politics in debt heavy Latin American producer countries could\n  bring ICO members back around the negotiating table sooner than\n  many imagine. In that case quotas could come into force during\n  the summer. But most delegates and traders said quotas before\n  October are unlikely, while Brazil's Dauster noted the ICO has\n  continued although there were no quotas from 1972 to 1980.\n      A clear difference between the pressures already being felt\n  by importers and exporters was that consumers would have been\n  happy to agree on a formula for future quotas even if it could\n  not be imposed now. At least in that way they said they could\n  show a direct relationship between quotas and availability.\n      In contrast producers wanted stop-gap quotas to plug the\n  seemingly bottomless market and were prepared to allow these to\n  lapse should lasting agreement not be found.\n      \"Producers were offering us jam tomorrow but after their\n  failure to discuss them last year promises were insufficient\n  and we wanted a cast iron commitment now,\" one consumer said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GRAIN SHIPS LOADING AT PORTLAND\n","article":"  There were five grain ships loading and\n  three ships were waiting to load at Portland, according to the\n  Portland Merchants Exchange.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PLANTERS CORP <PNBT> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 32 cts vs 28 cts\n      Net 2,194,000 vs 1,929,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LOWER U.S. RICE STOCKS, STRONG EXPORTS - USDA\n","article":"  Rising demand for U.S. rice may\n  gradually reduce surpluses while a marketing loan should help\n  increase the U.S. share of the world rice market despite\n  sluggish trade this year, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      In its quarterly rice outlook and situation summary, the\n  department said U.S. rice use may surpass production during the\n  1986\/87 marketing year, causing stocks to fall about 10 mln\n  hundredweight from a year earlier to an estimated 67 mln cwt on\n  July 31.\n      Long grain acreage as a percentage of total acreage is\n  expected to decline this year, the report said.\n      USDA said factors once supportive of increased long grain\n  acreage have turned around. Domestic prices of medium grain\n  relative to long grain have increased, the loan differential\n  has been greatly reduced and increases in long grain yields\n  relative to those of other classes have leveled off.\n      With the drop in domestic prices resulting from the\n  marketing loan, domestic rice use is expected to grow at a\n  faster rate, USDA said.\n      \"Development of new products and increased promotion have\n  helped make rice more available and visible to a wider range of\n  consumers,\" USDA said.\n      USDA said world trade is expected to fall in 1987 because\n  of large production and stocks but a weaker market should\n  affect competing exporters more than the U.S.\n      \"The United States has already recovered a substantial share\n  of the European Community market and made inroads into markets\n  in the Middle East and Africa,\" the report said.\n      World rice consumption is projected to reach record levels\n  in 1986\/87, the report said, as higher per capita incomes,\n  increased domestic production and low import prices have\n  allowed people in many countries to substitute rice for coarse\n  grains.\n      China, India and South Korea have increased output, while\n  the Middle East and Africa have doubled imports since the\n  mid-1970s, the report said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"HUTTON <EFH> STILL INTERESTED IN PUROLATOR <PCC>\n","article":"  E.F. Hutton LBO Inc is still interested\n  in an acquisition of Purolator Courier Corp, and is examining\n  the possibility of raising its 35 dlr per share offer, an E.F.\n  Hutton spokesman said.\n      Hutton's offer was topped by a 40 dlr per share offer from\n  Emery Air Freight Corp <EAF> earlier this week.\n      \"We're definately not out of it at this point,\" the Hutton\n  spokesman said.\n      \"We want to see what the offer is completely and understand\n  it fully, and then fashion our response,\" the spokesman said.\n      After Emery made its offer, Hutton extended the deadline on\n  its offer to Monday. The offer was to have expired Wednesday.\n      Analysts said it might be difficult for Hutton to raise the\n  offer since Emery, an overnight courier, might have an easier\n  time justifying a lofty price since it would realize cost\n  savings by combining its business with those of Purolator.\n      Purolator, a New Jersey-based overnight courier, has\n  declined comment.\n      Purolator had traded above the Hutton offer price on\n  speculation a new bidder would emerge. It was up 1\/8 today at\n  40-3\/8, above the Emery offer.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<DREYFUS A BONDS PLUS INC> MONTHLY PAYOUT\n","article":"  Mtly div 10.4 cts vs 10.8 cts prior\n      Paid April 1\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TURKEY ELIGIBLE FOR U.S. BONUS RICE\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department said\n  Turkey has been made eligible for the sale of up to 70,000\n  tonnes of medium grain milled rice under the department's\n  export enhancement program, EEP.\n      As with the 65 previous EEP initiatives, the export sales\n  would be subsidized with commodities from the inventory of the\n  Commodity Credit Corp and made at competitive world prices,\n  USDA said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SEAMAN FURNITURE <SEAM> IN STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Seaman Furniture Co Inc said\n  its board declared a two-for-one split of the company's\n  outstanding stock.\n      It said holders of its common will receive one additional\n  share for each share held as of March 20. It said certificates\n  representing additional shares will be distributed as soon as\n  possible after April 10.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INTERNATIONAL LPG PRICES MIXED\n","article":"  International LPG prices were mixed in\n  the past week, with North Sea prices easier while prices in the\n  Mediterranean and the Gulf were up in April, traders said.\n      In the North Sea market, small cargoes of propane were sold\n  as high as 126 dlrs per tonne on the f.o.b. basis early in the\n  week, but prices eased after the majors posted their April\n  contract prices, traders said.\n      British Petroleum plc <BP> left propane unchanged at 110\n  dlrs and raised butane prices 5.50 dlrs to 123 dlrs, Shell, a\n  unit of Royal Dutch\/Shell Group <RD> <ST> raised propane three\n  dlrs to 113 and butane 5.50 dlrs to 123 dlrs, they said.\n      In the Mediterranean, prices firm in Lavera as Algerian\n  supplies were not always available. Spot propane was unchanged,\n  while butane rose about 25 dlrs from last week, traders said.\n      They said, however, the Mediterranean butane market was\n  very thin, making it subject to wide price swings.\n      In the Gulf, strong demand from the Far East pushed premium\n  on small cargoes five to 10 dlrs above government selling price\n  (gsp) for propane and 10 dlrs for butane, traders said. \n      The rising premium over gsp, however, was partially offset\n  by about 10 pct decline in shipping, making prices for propane\n  about unchanged and butane five dlrs higher, basis c. and f.\n  Japan, the traders said.\n  SPOT.(DLRS\/TONNE)......PROPANE..............BUTANE...........\n  NORTH SEA (FOB)........113\/117..............125\/130..........\n  NORTH SEA (CIF)........120\/125..............135\/140..........\n  MEDITERRANEAN.(CIF)....140\/145..............175\/180..........\n  THE GULF (FOB).........130\/135..............140\/145..........\n  JAPAN (C AND F)........155\/160..............160\/165..........\n  OFFICIAL PRICES-FOB..........................................\n  SAUDI ARABIA (3\/1)........125.................125............\n  ALGERIA......(3\/1)........120.................130............\n  BP\/POSTED PRICE.(4\/1).....110.................123.00.........\n  SHELL\/POSTED PRICE.(4\/1)..113.................123.00.........\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SCOTT INSTRUMENTS CORP <SCTI> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 15 cts vs loss 27 cts\n      Net loss 1,905,774 vs loss 2,160,717\n      Revs 868,117 vs 307,135\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SCOTT INSTRUMENTS <SCTI> GETS QUALIFIED AUDIT\n","article":"  Scott Instruments Corp said its\n  independent public accountants qualified the report on Scott's\n  1986 financial statements because of its weak financial\n  condition.\n      The report indicates the realization of the company's\n  assets is dependent on it obtaining enough working capital to\n  finance operations and additional funds to meet other\n  liabilities, among other things.\n      These factors indicate the company may be unable to\n  continue its existence.\n      Earlier, Scott reported a 1986 loss of 1.9 mln dlrs\n  compared to a loss of almost 2.2 mln dlrs in 1985. Total assets\n  were nearly 1.1 mln dlrs at year end, down from 1.2 mln dlrs\n  the prior year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<THORATEC LABORATORIES CORP> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.64 dlrs vs loss 2.08 dlrs\n      Net loss 9,761,000 vs loss 10,977,000\n      Revs 4,409,000 vs 2,697,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BAYOU INTERNATIONAL GETS STAKE IN AMALGAMATED\n","article":"  Bayou International Ltd said it\n  acquired 19.9 pct of <Amalgamated Equities Ltd> of Australia\n  for 710,000 dlrs.\n      Bayou is 55.2 pct owned by <Australia Wide Industries Ltd>.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<SCOTT'S HOSPITALITY INC> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr eight cts vs eight cts\n      Oper net 5,219,000 vs 4,377,000\n      Revs 214.9 mln vs 182.5 mln\n      NINE MTHS\n      Oper shr 51 cts vs 51 cts\n      Oper net 29.6 mln vs 27.9 mln\n      Revs 634.5 mln vs 569.3 mln\n      1986 net excludes extraordinary gain of 8,031,000 dlrs or\n  15 cts shr.\n      1987 net reflects three-for-one stock split in 2nd qtr and\n  issue of 1.5 mln subordinate voting shares in 1st qtr.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NETWORK <NETW> TO TAKE 3RD QTR CHARGE\n","article":"  Network Control Corp said it\n  intends to take a 250,000 dlr charge against earnings for the\n  third quarter ended March 31 and said sales for the quarter\n  would be about 400,000 dlrs, about 50 pct below sales in the\n  same year-ago quarter.\n      Network said it is taking the charge due to the significant\n  increase in accounts receivable which remain uncollected for\n  more than 90 days after billing. It said it ultimately will\n  collect most of those accounts.\n      It attributed the sales decline to a transition period for\n  its new products and a delay in a major order.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"PETROBRAS SEES RAISING EXPORT OF FUEL IN 1987\n","article":"  Brazil's state oil company\n  Petrobras is pledging to export 4.6 mln cubic meters of fuel,\n  or 28.9 mln barrels in 1987, a company spokesman said.\n      He said that represents a total sale worth 600 mln dlrs.\n  The volume is 27 pct higher over 1986 sales, which totalled 3.6\n  mln cubic meters, or 22.6 mln barrels.\n      The United States, Africa and Latin American are Brazil's\n  main fuel buyers, the spokesman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. BUSINESS LOANS FELL 822 MLN DLRS IN MARCH 25 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. BUSINESS LOANS FELL 822 MLN DLRS IN MARCH 25 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BAKER REPEATS HE HOPES PRIME HIKE TEMPORARY\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker\n  reiterated his hope that this week's rise in prime rates would\n  be a temporary blip upwards.\n      \"I would hope that it would simply be a temporary blip\n  upward as we've seen in the past,\" Baker said in television\n  interview with the Cable News Network. The interview airs\n  tomorrow but CNN released extracts from his remarks today.\n      Baker also repeated his position that the reaction of\n  financial markets to U.S. tariffs on Japanese electronic goods\n  showed \"the importance of the United States not going\n  protectionist. The markets were telling us...be careful.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" 3-APR-1987 16:24:53.34\n","article":"   3-APR-1987 16:24:53.34\n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. MEAT PROCESSORS ASK FOR LABELLING CHANGE\n","article":"  Four U.S. meat processors have asked\n  the federal government to relax a labelling requirement which\n  they said discourages the use of mechanically separated meat,\n  the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      The petition, filed by Bob Evans Farms, Odom Sausage Co,\n  Sara Lee Corp and Owens Country Sausage, asks USDA to allow\n  mechanically separated meat to be listed on product labels as\n  the species from which it was derived.\n      For example, \"pork\" would be listed on the ingredients\n  statement instead of \"mechanically separated pork.\"\n      Under the petition, the calcium content of the meat product\n  would have to be stated on the label and the mechanically\n  separated meat could constitute no more than 10 pct of the meat\n  and poultry portion of the product.\n      Mechanically separated meat is a high-protein, low-cost\n  product that has been approved for use since 1978, USDA said.\n      Current regulations allow use of mechanically separated\n  ingredients at levels up to 20 pct of the meat and poultry\n  product, but require it to be listed in the ingredient\n  statement as \"mechanically separated (species),\" USDA said.\n      USDA said the petitioning firms claimed companies avoid\n  using mechanically separated meat in their products because the\n  term carries an \"unwarranted negative connotation\" in the minds\n  of many consumers. The petitioners also noted that no similar\n  regulation exists for poultry products.\n      Mechanically separated meat is made by placing carcass\n  parts, which usually have been hand-trimmed but still have some\n  remaining meat, into specialized processing equipment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TELXON CORP <TLXN> SEES HIGHER REVENUES\n","article":"  Telxon Corp reported it expects\n  revenues for the quarter ending March 31 to be between 26 to 28\n  mln dlrs.\n      The company said earnings per share for the period should\n  be between 23 cts to 26 cts.\n      \"The company is making an announcement at this time in\n  response to analysts fourth quarter revenues and earnings per\n  share estimates of 29 mln to 32 mln and 24 cts to 30 cts,\n  respecivtely,\" said Raymond Meyo, president and chief executive\n  officer.\n      Telxon recorded revenues of 24.2 mln dlrs for the quarter\n  last year, and earnings per share of 22 cts, adjusted for a\n  three-for-two stock split in May 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IROQUOIS BRANDS <IBL> REBUFFS LYON FOODS CLAIMS\n","article":"  Iroquois Brands Ltd said it has\n  been sued by Lyon Food Cos Inc which is seeking 2.3 mln dlrs in\n  damages in connection with the April 1986 nine mln dlrs\n  purchase of Iroquois' former specialty food products segment.\n      Iroquois said that based upon the defenses it will assert,\n  it does not believe that any charge against income is required\n  as a result of the claim.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FEBRUARY FOMC VOTES UNCHANGED MONETARY POLICY\n","article":"  The Federal Open Market Committee at\n  its February 10-11 meeting voted nine to one to maintain the\n  then-existing degree of reserve restraint, minutes showed.\n      The FOMC issued an asymmetric inter-meeting policy\n  directive which gave greater possibility to firmer rather than\n  easier policy. The Committee set a six to seven pct January\n  through March annualized growth target for M-2 and M-3 and no\n  M-1 goal. At the prior meeting in mid-December, the FOMC set a\n  seven pct target for M-2 and M-3 for November through March.\n      The February FOMC kept the four to eight pct Federal funds\n  rate \"reference\" range for policy, as in other recent meetings.\n      At a telephone conference on February 23, committee members\n  discussed the possible implications of the decisions reached in\n  Paris for U.S. intervention in foreign exchange markets. No\n  conclusions were contained in the minutes.\n      In its inter-meeting policy directive, the February FOMC\n  said that \"somewhat greater reserve restraint would, or\n  slightly lesser reserve restraint might, be acceptable\n  depending on the behavior of the aggregates, taking into\n  account the strength of the business expansion, developments in\n  foreign exchange markets, progress against inflation, and\n  conditions in domestic and international credit markets.\"\n      The February FOMC voted nine to one for an unchanged\n  policy. Thomas Melzer, St Louis Federal Reserve Bank president\n  favored some tightening of reserve conditions.\n      He noted the strong growth in bank loans in November\n  through January and the firm federal funds rate that had\n  prevailed despite the extraordinary pace of reserve growth. He\n  also cited the recent declines in the dollar's value.\n      Finally, looking ahead, Melzer pointed out the potential\n  for a further rise in inflationary expectations. He believed\n  that prompt restraints might avert the need for more\n  substantial tightening later.\n      Regarding inter-meeting policy adjustments, the FOMC\n  minutes showed, \"the members generally felt that policy\n  implementation should be especially alert to the potential need\n  for some firming of reserve conditions.\"\n      In this view, the FOMC said somewhat greater reserve\n  restraint would be warranted if monetary growth did not slow in\n  line with current expectations and there were concurrent\n  indications of intensifying inflationary pressures against the\n  background of stronger economic data.\n      One indication of potential price pressure might be a\n  further tendency for the dollar to weaken.\n      The minutes showed that one member, presumably Melzer,\n  preferred a directive that did not contemplate any easing\n  during the weeks ahead. However, \"most of the members did not\n  want to rule out the possibility of some slight easing during\n  the inter-meeting period, although they did not view the\n  conditions for such a move as likely to emerge.\"\n      The FOMC members assumed that future fluctuations in the\n  dollar's value would not be of sufficient magnitude to have any\n  significant effect on the Fed's economic projections. In\n  addition, they anticipated that considerable progress would be\n  made in reducing the federal budget deficit.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" 3-APR-1987 16:36:25.80\n","article":"   3-APR-1987 16:36:25.80\n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. BUSINESS LOANS FELL 822 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  Business loans on the books of major\n  U.S. banks, excluding acceptances, fell 822 mln dlrs to 277.94\n  billion dlrs in the week ended March 25, the Federal Reserve\n  Board said.\n      The Fed said that business loans including acceptances fell\n  971 mln dlrs to 280.22 billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROYAL RESOURCES <RRCO> SETS VOTE ON SALE\n","article":"  Royal Resources Corp said its board set\n  an April 21 a shareholders' meeting to vote on the sale of its\n  oil and gas properties for 3,650,000 dlrs, an increase in\n  authorized common to 20 mln shares from 15 mln and the change\n  of the company's name to Royal Gold Inc.\n      The company has agreed to sell its oil and gas properties\n  to <Victoria Exploration N.L.> of Perth, Western Australia.\n      Royal Resources also said the sale of its interest in two\n  gold properties -- the Colosseum Mine in San Bernardino County,\n  Calif., and the Camp Bird mine near Ouray, Colo. -- was closed\n  on February 27. The company said it received 4.4 mln dlrs and\n  cancellation of the remaining balance due on the acquisition of\n  the interest, adding this represents 2.5 mln dlrs more than it\n  paid for the interest.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ARGENTINE GRAIN SHIPMENTS IN THE WEEK TO APRIL 1\n","article":"  The Argentine Grain Board issued\n  the following figures covering shipments of major export grains\n  in the week to April 1, in tonnes, with comparisons for the\n  previous week and the same week in 1986.\n      Bread wheat        235,800    205,700    115,500\n      Maize              158,400    189,000    272,700\n      Sorghum             26,500     18,700     39,900\n      Soybean                nil        nil        nil\n      Sunflowerseed        1,800     18,800        nil\n      Cumulative figures for April 1 and this calendar year, with\n  the previous year's figures in brackets, are as follows, in\n  thousands of tonnes:\n      Bread wheat        64.3   (44.5),    3,074.4   (2,851.4)\n      Maize              48.3  (107.7),      486.1     (922.4)\n      Sorghum             5.1   (22.2),      108.1     (188.8)\n      Soybean             nil    (nil),        nil       (nil)\n      Sunflowerseed       0.9    (nil),       43.2       (nil)\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TEXAS AMERICAN <TXA> BANKS TO BE MERGED\n","article":"  Texas American Bancshares Inc\n  said three of its Texas American banks will be merged into\n  Texas American Bank\/Galleria.\n      The corporation said the Spring Branch, Fonderen and\n  Gulfway Texas American banks will become separate banking\n  offices of TAB\/Galleria.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BIW CABLE SYSTEMS INC <BIWC> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.50 dlrs vs loss 14 cts\n      Net loss 3,395,933 vs loss 318,225\n      Revs 8,963,097 vs 12.6 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 2.93 dlrs vs profit two cts\n      Net loss 6,613,327 vs profit 49,421\n      Revs 44.4 mln vs 48.7 mln\n      NOTE: Current periods include 2.2 mln dlr charge for\n  possible obsolete inventory and provision of 356,000 dlrs for\n  consolidation of cable manufacturing plant.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DOE ISSUES OFFER TO BUY ALASKA POWER UNIT\n","article":"  The U.S. Energy Department issued a\n  request for proposals to buy the Snettisham Hydroelectric\n  project, a major part of the Alaska Power Administration.\n      It said invitations were sent to two Alaskan electric\n  utilities, the city and borough of Anchorage and the state of\n  Alaska.  It did not cite a possible purchase prices.\n      The requests were limited to Alaskan entities because the\n  purpose of privatization of the administration was to put the\n  local utility into the hands of a local body, the DOE said.\n      It added that proposals are due back by August three.\n      The DOE said it then had 120 days to select a proposal that\n  it would recommend to Congress, which then would vote the\n  recommendation up or down.\n      Proposals to buy the other major part of the Alaska Power\n  Administration, the Eklutna project, was expected to be issued\n  in early June, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN VANGUARD CORP <AMGD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 57 cts vs 27 cts\n      Net 1,002,000 vs 470,000\n      Sales 15.9 mln vs 12.0 mln\n      Note: 4th qtr figures not given.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"IBC COULD CLOSE MAY EXPORT REGISTRATIONS TONIGHT\n","article":"  The Brazilian Coffee Institute\n  (IBC) could close May export registrations tonight following\n  extremely heavy sales today, exporters said.\n      They estimated registrations today at between 1.0 mln and\n  1.2 mln 60 kilo bags. Yesterday 645,000 bags were registered.\n      The exporters said over 1.0 mln bags of total registrations\n  could have been the declaration of sales made in the six weeks\n  during which books were closed. The rest would be new sales.\n      When the IBC opened May registrations from yesterday it did\n  not set any volume limit. April registrations opened and closed\n  on February 16 when a daily record 1.68 mln bags were declared.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PERU CONSUMER PRICES RISE 5.3 PCT IN MARCH\n","article":"  peru's consuemr price index rose 5.3 pct\n  last month to 13,914.4 (base 100) following a 5.3 pct increase\n  in february and 5.3 pct rise in march 1986, the national\n  statistics institute said.\n      It said that the accumulated inflation for the first three\n  months of 1987 was 18.5 pct compared to 15.4 pct for the same\n  period last year.\n      Inflation for the 12-month period ending march 1987 was\n  67.4 pct compared to 120.8 pct for the 12-month period ending\n  march 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ARGENTINE GRAIN\/OILSEED EXPORT PRICES ADJUSTED\n","article":"  The Argentine Grain Board adjusted\n  minimum export prices of grain and oilseed products in dlrs per\n  tonne FOB, previous in brackets, as follows:\n      Maize 71 (72), grain sorghum 65 (66).      \n      Roasted groundnutseed, according to grain size, 510 (520),\n  400 (410), 375 (385), 355 (365).               \n      Soybean pellets for shipments through May 164 (162) and\n  June onwards 161 (159).\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WAREHOUSE CLUB <WCLB> TO TAKE CHARGE\n","article":"  Warehouse Club Inc said it expects to\n  take a one-time charge of about five mln dlrs on its June 30\n  third quarter results from closing of two unprofitable Chicago\n  area units.\n      The company said it will continue to operate 12 warehouses\n  in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.\n      It added that it expects future operating results to be\n  improved because of the closing of the two warehouses.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SCI <SCIS> BUYS FORTUNE <FSYS> COMPUTER ASSETS\n","article":"  Fortune Systems Corp and SCI\n  Systems Inc said they signed a letter of intent covering the\n  purchase of Fortune's microcomputer business assets for an\n  unspecified amount of cash.\n      Fortune Systems makes a desktop computer systems.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EXPORT BUSINESS - GRAINS\/OILSEEDS COMPLEX\n","article":"  Grain and oilseed complex export\n  business reported since yesterday by government agencies and\n  private exporters -\n      Japanese crushers bought 4,000 to 5,000 tonnes of Canadian\n  rapeseed in export business overnight for May shipment...Greece\n  has agreed to buy 27,000 to 33,000 tonnes of Spanish corn for\n  spot shipment, with Italy buying 6,000 to 7,000 tonnes of\n  Spanish corn for last\/half April shipment, a spokesman for\n  cargill's spanish unit said...Taiwan bought 54,000 tonnes of\n  U.S. soybeans for April 20\/May 5 delivery C and F...\n      (Continued) - The India State Trading Corp bought 20,000\n  tonnes of optional origin soybean oil for May 20\/June 20\n  shipment and 6,000 tonnes of RBD palm olein for April 25\/May 25\n  shipment at its import tender yesterday...Pakistan rejected\n  offers at its tender for 12,000 tonnes of RBD palm oil, but is\n  expected to retender next week...The U.S. Department of\n  Agriculture (USDA) said it has accepted a bid for an export\n  bonus to cover the sale of 50,000 tonnes of U.S. hard red\n  winter wehat to Sri Lanka for April 8\/16 shipment, with an\n  additional 10,000 tonnes of wheat still available to Sri Lanka\n  under the Export Enhancement Program (EEP)...\n      (Continued) - The USDA said it has accepted a bid for an\n  export bonus to cover the sale of 18,000 tonnes of U.S. durum\n  wheat to Algeria for June 20\/30 shipment, with an additional\n  228,000 tonnes still available to Algeria under the EEP.\n      Tenders - Jordan will tender Monday, April 6, for 225,000\n  tonnes of U.S. hard and soft wheats for various April\/Nov\n  shipments under the EEP.\n      Market talk and comment - The USDA said Turkey has been\n  made eligible for the sale of up to 70,000 tonnes of medium\n  grain milled rice under the EEP...\n      Market talk and comment (continued) - The USDA announced\n  Colombia has been made eligible for sale of up to 15,000 tonnes\n  of U.S. barley malt under the EEP...The Canadian Grain\n  Commission reported Canadian wheat exports in the week ended\n  March 29 totalled 447,200 tonnes, compared with 277,700 the\n  previous week, with 1986\/87 season exports so far up to\n  10,228,600 tonnes versus 10,637,500 for the 1985\/86 season,\n  with barley exports 38,800 tonnes, 106,700 tonnes, 4,804,500\n  and 1,892,600 respectively, rapeseed 43,900 tonnes, 50,700\n  tonnes, 1,292,600 and 920,000 respectively and flaxseed 20,700\n  tonnes, 13,600 tonens, 450,900 and 392,600 respectively...\n      Market talk and comment (continued) - Pakistan is not\n  emerging as a major wheat exporter as World market prospects\n  are not good enough, a government official said...Active\n  timecharter fixing by Soviet operators to cover USSR grain\n  imprts featured the ocean freight market this morning, ship\n  brokers said...Dry cargo futures on the BIFFEX extended\n  yesterday's strong advance, with sharp gains of 22 to 17 points\n  in response to rumors of higher rates for grain business from\n  the U.S. Gulf to Japan, dealers said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CULLEN\/FROST <CFBI> TO OMIT DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Cullen\/Frost Bankers Inc said\n  it will defer paying a cash dividend for the next 12 months,\n  due to the economic slump in the Texas economy. It previously\n  paid a five cents a share dividend in recent quarters.\n      It also said its first quarter earnings ended March 31,\n  which it said it will release later this month, will be similar\n  to its fourth quarter earnings last year.\n      In 1986 the company reported a loss of 6,565,000 dlrs or 91\n  cts a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTOR GROUP CUTS ROSPATCH <RPCH> STAKE\n","article":"  A group of New York investors said it\n  lowered its stake in Rospatch Corp to 170,250 shares, or 7.0\n  pct of the total outstanding common stock, from 202,108 shares,\n  or 8.3 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the group said it sold a net 31,858 shares of Rospatch common\n  stock between February  2 and March 31 at prices ranging from\n  21.50 to 25.13 dlrs a share.\n      The group includes Brookehill Equities Inc, a brokerage\n  firm, and Moore, Grossman and deRose Inc, an investment\n  advisor.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COLOMBIA'S MAIN OIL PIPELINE ATTACKED\n","article":"  State-run oil company Ecopetrol said\n  Colombia's main oil pipeline was bombed again and pumping of\n  170,000 barrels per day was suspended.\n      A spokeswoman for the company said that the early morning\n  dynamite attack was the 31st in the last nine months on the\n  Cano Limon-Covenas pipeline, which links Colombia's biggest\n  oilfied at Cravo Norte to the Caribbean.\n      She said about 2,000 barrels of crude were spilled and\n  could not indicate when pumping would resume. The attack was\n  near Magangue in northeastern Bolivar province.\n      Ecopetrol is exploiting Cravo Norte in association with\n  Occidental Petroleum Corp <OXY> and Shell Petroleum N.V., a\n  unit of the Royal Dutch\/Shell Group <RD> <ST>.\n      Ecopetrol said in a communique that bombings since last\n  July led to a loss of more than 110,000 barrels of crude, or\n  the equivalent of 10 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. DEFENDS STOCKPILED TIN SALES IN 1986\n","article":"  The United States defended its sales\n  of stockpiled tin in 1986 in reaction to criticism from\n  Malaysian miners who have said it violated an agreement with\n  southeast Asian producers.\n      \"The United States has continued to abide by the spirit of\n  the memorandum of understanding and has consulted with the\n  ASEAN states on GSA tin disposals,\" a State Department spokesman\n  said in a statement.\n      \"The views of the ASEAN governments have been taken into\n  account in determining disposal levels,\" the statement said.\n      The United States and the ASEAN countries signed a\n  memorandum of understanding concerning tin disposals by the\n  U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) in December 1983.\n      In its latest annual report, the States of Malaya Chamber\n  of Mines said the GSA sold 5,490 tonnes of tin in 1986, well\n  above an agreed upon annual limit of 3,000 tonnes. \"The United\n  States appears to have lost sight of the U.S.\/ASEAN Memorandum\n  of Understanding,\" it said.\n      The State Department statement said GSA tin disposals\n  increased in calendar year 1986 due to changed market\n  conditions. During the first quarter of calendar year 1987,\n  they have been running at a lower rate compared to 1986.\n      The spokesman declined to say how much stockpiled tin the\n  GSA sold last year, however.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LOCTITE <LOC> SEES BETTER THAN EXPECTED NET\n","article":"  Loctite Corp said it expects\n  third quarter earnings to be higher than security analysts'\n  forecasts of 75 to 80 cts a share.\n      Last year the company earned 53 cts per share in the third\n  quarter.\n      It attributed its better than expected forecast to sales\n  growth, which it said were particularly strong overseas. It\n  also said it will have a lower effective tax rate.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TIME <TL> SEES DILUTION FROM SCOTT, FORESMAN\n","article":"  Time Inc said the acquisition of Scott,\n  Foresman and Co last year will dilute earnings per share by\n  about 17 cts a share for the full year in 1987.\n      For the first quarter the acquisition will have a negative\n  impact of about 20 cts per share, chief financial officer\n  Thayer Bigelow told security analysts.\n      He said Scott, Foresman, a textbook publisher, will\n  contribute more than 50 mln dlrs in operating income before\n  depreciation and amortization for the full year.\n      N.J. Nicholas, president and chief operating officer, said\n  Soctt Foresman will have over 200 mln dlrs in revenue in 1987.\n      Bigelow said the textbook business, which normally has its\n  highest profit in the third quarter and incurs a loss in the\n  first quarter, will have an \"adverse impact of 15 mln dlrs' on\n  book publishing income for the first quarter.\n      \"First quarter performance for the rest of Time Inc will be\n  better than last year,\" Bigelow said.\n      The dilution of 17 cts per share for 1987 includes the\n  effects of financing the acquisition. Bigelow also said the\n  company is \"comfortable\" with estimates that earnings will be\n  between 3.75 dlrs and 4.25 dlrs per share for the year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CYACQ TERMINATES TENDER FOR CYLCOPS <CLY>\n","article":"  CYACQ Corp said it terminated its\n  February six tender offer for Cyclops Corp.\n      CYACQ was unsuccessfully bid against Dixons Group Plc for\n  control of Cyclops. As of March 27, Dixons Group Plc had\n  acquired more than 80 pct the stock under an increased tender\n  offer.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INVESTOR LIFTS MYERS <MYR> STAKE TO 12.1 PCT\n","article":"  Leonard Chavin, a Chicago real estate\n  developer who has said he is considering seeking control of\n  L.E. Myers Co Group, said he raised his stake in the company to\n  273,100 shares, or 12.1 pct, from 219,600, or 9.7 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Chavin said he bought 53,500 Myers common shares between March\n  10 and 31 at prices ranging from 5-1\/2 to six dlrs a share.\n      Last January, Chavin said he retained investment banker\n  R.G. Dickinson and Co to advise him on his Myers stock\n  dealings. He has also said he would be unable to seek control\n  of Myers unless he gets financing.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"IBC REGISTERS 1.4 MLN BAGS OF EXPORT SALES\n","article":"  The Brazilian Coffee Institute\n  today registered 1.4 mln 60 kilo bags of green coffee for May\n  shipment, an IBC statement said.\n      This brings the total in the two days registrations have\n  been open to 2.05 mln, including 4,868 bags of soluble.\n      Today's registrations comprised 1,076,226 bags to members\n  and 326,259 to non-members of the International Coffee\n  Organisation. No soluble sales were registered today.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. COMPANY EARNINGS HIGHLIGHTS\n","article":"  First Quarter\n   Anchor Financial Corp shr 31 cts vs 31\n   Nine Months\n   Biomet Inc shr 49 cts vs 36\n   Federal Co shr 3.55 dlrs vs 1.66\n   Richardson Electronics shr 59 cts vs 53\n   Year\n   Eac Industries Inc oper shr loss 65 cts vs\n   loss 97 cts\n   Fine Art Acquisitions shr 15 cts vs 10\n   Mangood Corp oper shr loss 6.07 dlrs vs  loss  7.64\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FREEDOM SAVINGS AND LOAN ASS'N <FRDM> YEAR END\n","article":"  Shr loss 31.09 dlrs vs loss 1.86 dlrs\n      Net loss 112.7 mln vs loss 5.5 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 loss includes operating loss of 109.4 mln dlrs\n  or 30.21 dlrs a share, including an additional loan loss\n  provision of 68 mln dlrs, write downs in the value of real\n  estate of 13 mln dlrs and an extraordinary loss of 3.3 mln dlrs\n  for early retirement of long-term debt.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INVESTOR MULLS KAPPA<KPA>-RADIATION<RADS> MERGER\n","article":"  Michael Krupp, a Golden, Colo.,\n  businessman and major shareholder of Kappa Networks Inc, said\n  he and Kappa's management are considering seeking a merger\n  between Kappa and Radiation Systems Inc.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Krupp said companies he controls and Kappa acquired a combined\n  292,000 Radiation System shares, or 5.25 pct of the total.\n      Krupp, who has a 24.4 pct stake in Kappa, said he and Kappa\n  management believe a Kappa-Radiation Systems combination would\n  be good for both companies. But no decision has been made on\n  whether or how to proceed with a merger attempt, he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"OLIN <OLN> UNIT ACQUIRES IMAGE TECHNOLOGY\n","article":"  Olin Corp's Olin Hunt\n  Specialty Products Inc said it acquired Image Technology Corp\n  for undisclosed terms.\n      Image Technology makes chemicals for the semiconductor\n  industry.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"KEY CENTURION <KEYC> TO BUY BANK OF BUCKHANNON\n","article":"  Key Centurion Bancshares Inc\n  said it reached an agreement in principle to acquire Central\n  National Bank of Buckhannon, in W. Virginia.\n      Terms call for an exchange of 2.75 shares of Centurion\n  shares for each share of Central National. The transaction is\n  valued at 16.2 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STURM, RUGER SUBMITS BID FOR SMITH AND WESSON\n","article":"  Sturm, Ruger and Co Inc said it\n  submitted a bid in excess of 60 mln dlrs for Smith and Wesson,\n  a manufacturer of law enforcement firearms, and a unit of Lear\n  Siegler.\n      Smith and wesson is among a number of companies being sold\n  by Forstman and Little after its recent acquisition of Lear\n  Siegler.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FREEDOM SAVINGS <FRDM> MAY SEEK SALE OR MERGER\n","article":"  Freedom Savings and Loan Association\n  said it may seek a possible sale or merger of the association\n  as it reported a net loss of 112.7 mln dlrs or 31.09 dlrs a\n  share for 1986.\n      The loss included a number of charges, including additions\n  to its loan loss provision of 68 mln dlrs and write-downs on\n  the value of its real estate of 13 mln dlrs.\n      It said it is continuing to work with investment bankers to\n  find sources of new capital, return its non-performing assets\n  to earning status, and reduce operating expenses and\n  liabilities, among other things.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"26-FEB-1987\n","article":"  26-FEB-1987\n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HARPER INTERNATIONAL INC <HNT> 3RD QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr 12 cts vs 19 cts\n      Net 369,000 vs 358,000\n      Revs 7,076,000 vs 6,712,000\n      Avg shrs 3,050,000 vs 1,850,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 53 cts vs 63 cts\n      Net 1,523,000 vs 1,158,000\n      Revs 22.6 mln vs 20.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,852,198 vs 1,850,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL MAKES SECOND AMAZON OIL DISCOVERY\n","article":"  The Brazilian state oil company\n  Petrobras has made a second oil discovery in the Amazon region,\n  President Jose Sarney said.\n      He said the well had an initial flow of 150,000 cubic\n  meters of gas and 220 barrels of oil per day. It is situated 14\n  kilometres from the first well to be discovered in the region\n  last year, which is currently yielding 500,000 cubic meters of\n  gas and 900 barrels of oil daily.\n      The wells, the biggest onshore well in the country, are on\n  the banks of the river Uruc in the Amazon basin 3,600\n  kilometres (2,250 miles) north of Brasilia.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IBC CLOSES EXPORT REGISTRATIONS - EXPORTERS\n","article":"  The Brazilian Coffee Institute\n  (IBC) tonight closed export registrations, exporters said.\n      They said they heard of the closure from IBC officials but\n  no officials could be reached immediately for confirmation.\n      Earlier an IBC statement said registrations for May, the\n  only month which was open, today totalled 1.4 mln bags of 60\n  kilos to bring the total registered for the month to 2.05 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TELEBYTE TECHNOLOGY INC <TBTI> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr loss 10 cts vs loss 13 cts\n      Net loss 197,779 vs loss 245,190\n      Revs 4.0 mln vs 3.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOUSTON OIL ROYALTY TRUST <RTH> DISTRIBUTION\n","article":"  MONTHLY dist 2.1 cts vs 2.1 cts prior\n      Payable April 25\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PUBLISHERS EQUIPMENT <PECN>, TRENTONIAN IN DEAL\n","article":"  Publishers Equipment Corp said it reached\n  an agreement to incorporate flexo printing technology into The\n  Tentonian, an Ingersoll newspaper in Trenton, N.J.\n      It said that mid-1988 will be the target date for start-up\n  for the new equipment which will double the size of its present\n  press.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GABELLI GROUP CUTS GENCORP <GY> STAKE TO 6.3 PCT\n","article":"  A group led by New York investor\n  Mario Gabelli told the Securities and Exchange Commission it\n  cut its stake in Gencorp Inc to 1,410,184 shares, or 6.3 pct of\n  the total, from 1,626,233 shares, or 7.3 pct.\n      The Gabelli group said it sold 216,049 Gencorp common\n  shares between March 20 and 30 at prices ranging from 108.75 to\n  114.75 dlrs a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GABELLI EXPLAINS SALE OF GENCORP <GY> SHARES\n","article":"  Mario Gabelli, head of New York\n  investment firm Mario Gabelli and Co, said he sold some shares\n  of GenCorp Inc <GY> as part of a \"portfolio rebalancing\"\n  process to meet the needs of his more than 600 clients.\n      He said as the stock moved up following acquisition\n  proposals from a group formed by AFG Industries Inc <AFG> and\n  Wagner and Brown, some of his clients were overweighted.\n      Regarding the company's shareholders meeting Tuesday,\n  Gabelli told Reuters, \"there was nothing said that caused me to\n  sell or buy.\" He still thinks \"values are 140 dlrs per share or\n  more\" and has clients that asked to buy more.\n      Gabelli said he amended certain filings with the Securities\n  and Exchange Commission because his clients are now passive\n  investors. \"We wanted to remove our clients from the process\n  unfolding between GenCorp and Wagner and Brown,\" he said.\n      He said he was pleased that chairman A. William Reynolds\n  stated at the meeting that he found the concept of greenmail to\n  be \"repugnant.\" Greenmail refers to a corporation buying out a\n  shareholder at a premium not available to others.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INVESTOR BOOSTS FIRST WESTERN <FWES> STAKE\n","article":"  Poul Erik Moller, a Santa Monica,\n  Calif., investor said he raised his stake in First Western\n  Financial Corp to 412,000 shares, or 6.5 pct of the total\n  outstanding common stock, from 347,000 shares, or 5.5 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission\n  Moller said he bought 65,000 First Western common shares\n  between Jan 20 and March 26 at prices ranging from 10.000 to\n  10.625 dlrs a share.\n      Moller said he bought the stock as a long-term investment\n  and may buy more, but has no plans to seek control of the\n  company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTOR BOOSTS FIRST WESTERN <FWES> STAKE\n","article":"  Poul Erik Moller, a Santa Monica,\n  Calif., investor said he raised his stake in First Western\n  Financial Corp to 412,000 shares, or 6.5 pct of the total\n  outstanding common stock, from 347,000 shares, or 5.5 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission\n  Moller said he bought 65,000 First Western common shares\n  between January 20 and March 26 at prices ranging from 10.000\n  to 10.625 dlrs a share.\n      Moller said he bought the stock as a long-term investment\n  and may buy more, but has no plans to seek control of the\n  company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<COMTERM INC> YEAR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 30 cts vs profit eight cts\n      Oper net loss 5,887,996 vs profit 1,620,312\n      Revs 32.4 mln vs 48.5 mln\n      Note: 1987 net excludes extraordinary gain of 2.7 mln dlrs\n  or 14 cts shr from settlement of provision for discontinued\n  operations vs yr-ago tax gain of 562,248 dlrs or three cts shr.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WITCO CORP <WIT> SETS REGULAR QTLY PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 28 cts vs 28 cts prior\n      Pay April one\n      Record March 13\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SABINE ROYALTY TRUST <SBR> SETS MONTHLY PAYOUT\n","article":"  Cash distribution 13.3 cts vs 8.4 cts prior\n      Pay April 29\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PROVIDENCE ENERGY CORP <PVY> REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 45 cts vs 45 cts prior\n      Pay May 15\n      Record April 24\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GULF STATES (GSU) SEES END TO CASH BY MAY\n","article":"  Gulf States Utilities Co said\n  its condition has \"significantly deteriorated\" and that its\n  operating cash reserves will be inadequate by May 1987 unless\n  it receives additional financing or rate relief from state\n  public utilities commissions in Texas and Louisiana.\n      In the company's newly-released annual report and 10-K\n  filing, Gulf States said its bank lenders had notified the\n  utility last month that no additional credit would be granted.\n  Gulf States said the banks had requested the utility to begin\n  making prepayments by the end of April of 45 mln dlrs more than\n  the estimated 1987 lease payments of 40 mln dlrs.\n      \"The circumstances increase the likelihood that the company\n  may have to seek protection from its creditors under the\n  bankruptcy code,\" Gulf States said.\n      The utility had previously said it might be forced to\n  consider filing for bankruptcy because of limited rate\n  increases granted by state regulators in connection with Gulf\n  States' 4.3 billion dlr River Bend nuclear plant in Louisiana.\n      \"If the regulatory commissions approve the company's\n  proposed rate moderation plan and grant the increases provided\n  for in such plan during the initial three-year phase-in period,\n  the company believes it could achieve financial stability,\"\n  Gulf States said.\n      In February, the Texas Public Utilities Commission granted\n  Gulf States an interim rate increase of 39.9 mln dlrs\n  contingent upon the utility obtaining a new 250 mln dlr line of\n  credit to pay operating expenses. The utility had sought 144.1\n  mln dlrs in rate hikes in Texas.\n      Gulf States has appealed a decision by Louisiana state\n  regulators rejecting its application for 100 mln dlrs in\n  emergency rate relief.\n      In 1986, Gulf States earned 244.9 mln dlrs on revenues of\n  1.47 billion dlrs, compared to profits of 265.4 mln dlrs on\n  sales of 1.85 billion in the previous year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" HK SHANGHAI BANK, STANDARD CHARTERED BANK RAISE PRIME ONE-HALF POINT TO 6.5 PCT.\n","article":"\n   HK SHANGHAI BANK, STANDARD CHARTERED BANK RAISE PRIME ONE-HALF POINT TO 6.5 PCT.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HONG KONG BANKS RAISE PRIME ONE-HALF POINT TO 6.5 PCT\n","article":"  Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp and\n  Standard Chartered Bank raised their prime rate one-half point\n  to 6.5 pct, effective Tuesday, the Association of Banks said.\n      The association said in a statement deposit rates have also\n  been increased by 1\/4 to 1\/2 percentage point.\n      The banks last announced an adjustment on February 28 when\n  they raised the prime rate by one point to six pct.\n      The deposit interest rates are now savings and 24 hours two\n  pct, seven-day call, one week and two weeks 2-1\/4 pct, one\n  month and two months 2-3\/4 pct, three and six months 3-1\/4 pct,\n  nine months 3-1\/2 pct and 12 months four pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTH KOREAN WHOLESALE PRICES UP 0.2 PCT IN MARCH\n","article":"  South Korea's wholesale price index, base\n  1980, rose 0.2 pct to 125.1 in March after a 0.2 pct rise in\n  February but was 0.6 pct lower than its March 1986 level, the\n  Bank of Korea said.\n      The March consumer price index, same base, rose 0.5 pct to\n  146.0 after a 0.1 pct gain in February, for a year-on-year rise\n  of 1.7 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INSTITUTE SEES W.GERMAN OUTPUT FALL IN 1987\n","article":"  Production in the manufactured goods\n  industry has been falling since mid-1986 and will decline by\n  between one and two pct this year after a 2.5 pct increase in\n  1986, the Ifo economic institute said.\n      An Ifo report said recessionary influences were affecting\n  the engineering industry particularly. It saw a decline of two\n  to three pct in this sector after a 5.2 pct rise in 1986.\n      Orders, especially from abroad, were also falling sharply\n  for capital goods in the electronics sector, it added.\n      Ifo also predicted stagnation in the automobile industry in\n  1987 after a particularly successful 1986 when production rose\n  5.1 pct.\n      Chemical industry production, which fell by 0.9 pct last\n  year, was likely to stagnate or decline by one pct in 1987.\n  This sector suffered from slack demand from abroad and from low\n  domestic consumption.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PANCANADIAN TO SELL NORTH SEA PROPERTIES, UNIT TO WHITEHALL FOR CASH\n","article":"\n  PANCANADIAN TO SELL NORTH SEA PROPERTIES, UNIT TO WHITEHALL FOR CASH\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IBC CLOSES EXPORT REGISTRATIONS - IBC OFFICIAL\n","article":"  The Brazilian Coffee Institute\n  (IBC) confirmed having closed May export registrations,\n  effective April 6.\n      On Friday night exporters said they had heard of the\n  closure from IBC officials, but the officials could not at the\n  time be reached for confirmation.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"LAWSON SAYS U.K. ELECTION NOT ONLY EMS BAR\n","article":"  British Chancellor of the\n  Exchequer Nigel Lawson said the next U.K. Election was not the\n  only element standing in the way of full British membership of\n  the European Monetary System (EMS).\n      But he added that arguments against joining had weakened.\n      Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, widely believed to be the\n  strongest government opponent of full EMS membership, has made\n  clear she does not expect to consider joining until after the\n  next UK election, due by mid-1988 at the latest.\n      But Lawson, in answer to a question, told reporters after\n  an informal European Community finance ministers' meeting here\n  that other factors apart from the upcoming election stood in\n  the way of full membership.\n      In addition to the question of the exchange rates at which\n  Britain should enter the EMS's core exchange rate mechanism,\n  there was also the impact of sterling membership on the system\n  to be considered, he said.\n      British entry would change the EMS from a monopolar system\n  based on the West German mark to a bipolar mark-sterling\n  system, he noted. \"We have to make sure it would work.\"\n      But Lawson added that some of the considerations that had\n  made it difficult for Britain to join in the past now posed\n  less of a problem.\n      As an example he cited sterling's role as a petrocurrency,\n  which he said was diminishing. \"That argument has clearly\n  weakened,\" he said.\n      Lawson restated that the government was keeping the\n  question of membership under review.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"EC AGREES ON NEED TO STRENGTHEN EMS\n","article":"  European Community (EC)\n  finance ministers and central bankers agreed on the need for\n  greater cooperation to strengthen the European Monetary System\n  (EMS) against international market turbulence, officials said.\n      \"There was a general will to reinforce the European Monetary\n  System, with all that implies,\" Belgian Finance Minister Mark\n  Eyskens said yesterday after hosting a one-day session of\n  informal talks at this Belgian coastal resort.\n      The gathering was the first such discussion since the\n  second major realignment of EMS parities within nine months in\n  January.\n      The system has come under severe strain as funds have\n  flowed out of the slumping dollar and into the dominant EMS\n  currency, the West German mark, sending it soaring against\n  weaker currencies in the system.\n      But Eyskens said February's agreement between leading\n  western industrialised nations to stabilise exchange rates at\n  around current levels was working and this would allow the EC\n  to speed up its efforts to boost the internal stability of the\n  EMS.\n      He told a news conference yesterday's meeting agreed on the\n  need for closer coordination among EMS member governments of\n  interest rate policies and of interest rate differentials\n  between different countries.\n      They also agreed they needed better coordination of\n  exchange market intervention to hold currencies stable, both\n  when they reached their fixed EMS limits and within their\n  agreed margins.\n      But Eyskens said this coordination raised a whole range of\n  technical problems and ministers would discuss these further in\n  Luxembourg in June on the basis of proposals from the EC's\n  Monetary Committee and Committee of Central Bank Governors.\n      He said the EC needed a set of indicators of economic\n  convergence betwen Community countries and it was important\n  that interest rates fulfilled this role together with exchange\n  rates and inflation rates.\n      The Belgian minister, whose country presently holds the\n  presidency of the community, made clear the meeting had not\n  produced any agreement to move radically forward in developing\n  the EMS towards the EC's long term goal of economic and\n  monetary integration.\n      \"We have committed ourselves to reestablishing the normal\n  functioning of the system,\" Eyskens said.\n      Eyskens has repeatedly stressed that he believes the EMS\n  has to be reinforced if the EC's plans to liberalise all\n  movements of capital across national borders by 1992 are to go\n  ahead.\n      EC executive Commission President Jacques Delors told the\n  meeting the authority would put forward proposals for a final\n  phase of capital market liberalisation in October that would\n  include safeguard clauses for member countries for which the\n  move would create difficulties.\n      Eyskens said the ministers and central bankers also\n  discussed the need to \"dedramatise\" realignments of EMS parities\n  by letting high-ranking monetary officials carry them out by\n  telephone rather than calling a meeting of finance ministers.\n      However, West German sources said Bonn Finance Minister\n  Gerhard Stoltenberg was unenthusiastic about the idea.\n      British Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson told\n  journalists that one of the technical issues raised by greater\n  coordination of exchange market intervention was the question\n  of which currencies should be used to intervene and held in\n  central bank reserves.\n      He said several EMS member countries believed the EMS would\n  work better if central banks held each other's currencies -- an\n  issue of particular importance regarding West Germany since the\n  Bundesbank holds only dollars in its foreign exchange reserves.\n      He said the debate on dedramatising EMS realignments\n  reflected a general feeling among participants that the way the\n  January reshuffle had been conducted was unsatisfactory.\n     The realignment was marked by acrimony between France and\n  West Germany, with each side blaming the other for strains in\n  the system that forced the parity overhaul.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ZAMBIAN CURRENCY FALLS AT FOREIGN EXCHANGE AUCTION\n","article":"  The Zambian currency further depreciated\n  yesterday at the second auction since the introduction of a\n  two-tier foreign exchange system last month.\n      The (central) Bank of Zambia said the kwacha was pegged at\n  16.99 to the dollar, compared to last week\"s rate of 15 to the\n  dollar.\n      The bank, which offered six mln dlrs at the auction,\n  reported demand for 13.4 mln dlrs. At the previous auction, the\n  government offered eight mln dlrs.\n      Last month the government set a fixed exchange rate of nine\n  kwacha per dollar, subject to adjustment against a basket of\n  five currencies, for certain official transactions.\n      It also introduced a new weekly foreign exchange auction\n  only for parastatal organisations and the private sector, where\n  the exchange rate is allowed to float in accordance with market\n  demand.\n      The new auction system is designed to be more restrictive\n  than the previous one, suspended in January after the central\n  bank fell 10 weeks in arrears to successful bidders.\n      Under the new system, no bidder, except the the state oil\n  company Zimoil and the national airline Zambia Airways, is\n  allowed to bid for more than five pct of the foreign exchange\n  on offer.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. NAVY SAID INCREASING PRESENCE NEAR GULF\n","article":"  Defence Secretary Caspar Weinberger has\n  ordered the U.S. Navy to increase its presence near the Gulf in\n  an effort to fulfil President Reagan's pledge to keep oil\n  flowing to Europe and Japan, The New York Times reported.\n      The newspaper quoted Pentagon officials as saying the Navy\n  would keep the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk on station in the\n  Arabian Sea and the rest of the Indian Ocean until May, three\n  months longer than planned.\n      The Navy would then have a carrier battle group of six to\n  eight warships in the area at all times rather than part of the\n  time, as happens now, the paper said.\n      The paper said that last month U.S. Intelligence sources\n  said they had spotted land-based anti-ship missiles of a\n  Chinese design known in the West as the HY-2 near the Strait of\n  Hormuz.\n      It said their purpose was seen as a signal Iran was ready\n  to continue and perhaps step up the Gulf shipping war against\n  Iraq.\n      U.S. Carriers or battleships would sail out of range of\n  those missiles, but within striking distance, the paper quoted\n  officials as saying.\n      From several hundred miles at sea, carriers could launch\n  aircraft bombing runs or missile strikes, and battleships could\n  fire long-range missiles, the paper said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALGERIAN, SPANISH FIRMS AGREE QUICKSILVER PRICE\n","article":"  Algerian and Spanish producers which\n  together meet 40 pct of the Western market's needs in\n  quicksilver have agreed to apply a minimum selling price of 300\n  dlrs per unit, the Algerian news agency APS said.\n      The agreement was made during a meeting here last week\n  between Algeria's Entreprise Nationale des Non-ferreux et\n  Substances Utiles (ENOF) and Spain's Almaden to discuss the\n  market situation.\n      The two firms \"took note with regret that prices quoted by\n  some specialised publications do not reflect the reality of the\n  whole market since they take into account only part of the\n  deals made,\" a statement by ENOF said.\n      The result is that the prices quoted are far away from two\n  firms' production costs.\n      \"They have thus decided that their selling price would not\n  be linked any more to the prices quoted by these publications\n  and that sales would be made at a minimum price of 300 dlrs fob\n  per jar, which is close to their production cost,\" the statement\n  said.\n      It added that Turkish producers would join in when the two\n  firms meet again in Madrid later this month.\n      The price of quicksilver on the London Metal Exchange\n  hovered around 200 dlrs this week.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHINA'S FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES FALL DURING 1986\n","article":"  China's foreign exchange reserves\n  totalled 10.514 billion dlrs at end-1986, up from 10.37 billion\n  at end-September but down from 11.9 billion at end-1985,\n  according to central bank figures published by the New China\n  News Agency.\n      The agency said 2.072 billion dlrs of the reserves was held\n  by the state treasury, down from 2.26 billion at end-September,\n  while 8.442 billion was held by the Bank of China, up from 8.11\n  billion.\n      China's outstanding foreign debts rose to 7.572 billion at\n  end-1986 from 5.067 billion at end-1985. Gold reserves stood at\n  12.67 mln ounces, unchanged over the year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IEA SEES ONE PCT GROWTH IN 1987 OECD OIL DEMAND\n","article":"  Growth in oil consumption in the Western\n  industrialised countries is likely to slow to around one pct\n  this year compared with 2.3 pct in 1986, the International\n  Energy Agency (IEA) said.\n      Oil use in the 24 countries of the OECD increased by around\n  one pct in first quarter 1987 to 35.9 mln bpd, the IEA said in\n  its Monthly Oil Market Report.\n      Growth in OECD countries is expected to come primarily from\n  transport fuels, as in 1986. But if average consumer prices are\n  higher than 1986, the rate of growth for these fuels may be\n  below last year's 3.6 pct, it said.\n      The IEA said that assuming crude oil and product prices\n  stay close to current levels, some destocking by end-users can\n  be expected. If that happens, natural gas will also regain some\n  of the market share it lost to heavy fuel in 1986, and there\n  may be slightly less growth in transport fuels.\n      IEA estimates on April 1 put oil stocks in the OECD area at\n  428 mln tonnes, representing 98 days of forward consumption.\n  This is about the same level as at the begining of the year.\n      The agency said this flat trend is explained by the\n  projected seasonal consumption decline in the second quarter of\n  the year which offset a reduction in stocks.\n      It said initial estimates indicate that company stocks fell\n  by 1.2 mln bpd in OECD countries in the first quarter of the\n  year. This followed a small rise in January of 0.4 mln bpd but\n  a decline of 1.5 mln bpd in February and 2.5 mln bpd in March.\n      It is possible that final data will show a larger draw,\n  particulary for March, it said. As crude production also fell,\n  there is likely to have also been a decline in non-reported\n  stocks, particularly at sea, the IEA said.\n      Company stocks on land in the OECD rose to 326 mln tonnes\n  on April 1 against 316 mln on April 1 1986. Governments built\n  up strategic stocks to 102 mln tonnes against 97 mln in the\n  period.\n      The year-on-year trend of government stock building is\n  continuing with year-on-year company stocks also rising, more\n  or less in line with consumption, after declining for five\n  years, the IEA noted.\n      Oil stocks on land in the U.S. And Canada were put at 206.6\n  mln tonnes on April 1, down from the 214 mln tonnes on January\n  1 and equivalent to 94 and 98 days of consumption,\n  respectively.\n      Oil stocks in Western Europe were 147.4 mln tonnes on April\n  1, down from the 154 mln on January 1 but still equivalent to\n  94 days of consumption.\n      World oil supply fell in the first quarter by about two mln\n  bpd to 45.2 mln bpd from 47.2 mln bpd in last quarter 1986.\n      This drop was mostly due to a decline in OPEC crude\n  production to around 15.5 mln bpd in February\/March from 16.5\n  mln bpd in January and to the seasonal drop in exports from\n  centrally-planned Economies, the IEA said.\n      Total OPEC crude oil supply was 15.8 mln bpd in the first\n  quarter, plus 1.4 mln bpd of NGLs, compared with 17.3 mln bpd\n  of crude in the last three months of 1986 and 17.9 mln average\n  for the whole of 1986. Supply from non-OPEC countries totalled\n  28 mln bpd, against 28.5 mln bpd in the fourth quarter 1986.\n      A drop in Saudi Arabian output to a tentatively forecast\n  3.3 mln bpd in March from 3.6 mln bpd in February was the\n  largest factor behind the OPEC production decline, the IEA\n  said.\n      Saudi Arabia\"s Opec-assigned output quota is 4.133 mln bpd.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MARCH U.S. PURCHASING MANAGERS INDEX UP AT 53.9\n","article":"  The U.S. economy in March improved at a\n  faster rate than in February, with the National Association of\n  Purchasing Management's composite index rising to 53.9 pct from\n  51.9 pct, the NAPM said.\n      The first quarter average for the index also was 53.9 pct.\n  The NAPM said that, if this average were to continue for the\n  rest of 1987, it would be consistent with real gross national\n  product growth of about three pct.\n      An index reading above 50 pct generally indicates that the\n  economy is in an expanding phase. One below 50 pct implies a\n  declining economy.\n      The NAPM said the economic improvement was evident in all\n  of the indicators in the index except inventories, which\n  declined slightly.\n      New orders rose sharply in March, with production also\n  higher. Vendor deliveries slowed, another sign that the economy\n  improved in March. Employment expanded for the first time since\n  August 1984.\n      Robert Bretz, chairman of the NAPM's business survey\n  committee and director of materials management at Pitney Bowes\n  Inc <PBI> said \"the economy ended the first quarter with a\n  healthy, if not substantial improvement.\"\n      Bretz said the sharp rise in the growth of new orders in\n  March assures a good beginning for the second quarter.\n      Some 50 pct of the purchasing managers reported that they\n  were paying higher prices in March than at the end of 1986. Of\n  those paying higher prices now, the average increase was put at\n  2.5 pct.\n      The estimated average price increase anticipated by members\n  for the remainder of 1987 is 2.1 pct. While prices continue to\n  rise, the NAPM said that most purchasers do not see them as\n  being significant.\n      The composite index is a seasonally adjusted figure, based\n  on five components of the NAPM business survey - new orders,\n  production, vendor deliveries, inventories and employment.\n      The monthly report is based on questions asked of\n  purchasing managers at 250 U.S. industrial companies.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<MDS HEALTH GROUP LIMITED> IN QTLY PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div six cts vs six cts prior\n      Pay April one\n      Record March 23\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. CREDIT MARKET OUTLOOK - CAUTIOUS TRADING\n","article":"  U.S. Bond trading is likely to remain\n  cautious in the near term with a possible downward price bias\n  as market participants focus on trends in the dollar, the\n  economy and Federal Reserve policy, economists said.\n      Most expect the economy to continue showing modest gains,\n  that the dollar has more room to fall and that the Fed will\n  keep policy essentially steady, perhaps for several months.\n      Until trends are clearer, \"the market can only attempt to to\n  establish and hold a new trading range at higher interest\n  rates,\" said economists at Merrill Lynch Capital Markets.\n      Merrill Lynch economists Raymond Stone and Ward McCarthy\n  said that while the fundamentals generally bode for a healthy\n  investment climate, the market will have no confidence in this\n  environment until there is illumination of and confidence in\n  U.S. Dollar\/trade policy.\n      Salomon Brothers' Henry Kaufman said the bond market,\n  highly sensitized to dollar movements, could be encouraged if\n  currency markets seem to be stabilizing or if U.S. And overseas\n  economic growth is perceived as slowing sharply.\n      \"The crucial question, however, is how soon either of these\n  developments is likely to occur,\" Kaufman said.\n      \"Market uncertainties and the erosion of portfolio manager\n  confidence could continue portfolio selling pressure a while\n  longer,\" said Philip Braverman, chief economist at Irving\n  Securities Corp.\n      However, Braverman said that, \"from a longer term\n  perspective, current (bond) prices provide a buying\n  opportunity.\"\n      Despite a nearly one-point bond price rebound Friday on\n  unexpectedly weak March employment data, key 30-year Treasury\n  bonds lost 2-1\/4 points in price for the week as a whole and\n  Thursday's 7.93 pct closing yield was a 1987 high.\n      Braverman said historical evidence suggests that a long\n  bond yield in the 7.93 pct area provides a basis for optimism.\n  Bonds closed at 7.86 pct on Friday.\n      The Irving economist noted that three times last year, in a\n  similar \"paroxysm of pessimism,\" the key bonds reached a similar\n  closing yield high. Within three to six weeks in each instance,\n  however, Braverman said bond prices recovered to bring the\n  yield down sharply by 63 to 82 basis points.\n      Mitchell Held of Smith Barney, Harris Upham and Co Inc said\n  that many portfolio managers now believe yields could approach\n  nine pct by midyear, which he considers unlikely.\n      Held said that, since late 1986, Smith Barney analysts have\n  spoken about the risk that interest rates could move higher and\n  they continue to believe that an upward bias is likely to\n  persist over the next few months.\n      Held said that in conversations with portfolio managers\n  last week there appeared to be increasing belief that the rate\n  rise had just begun and that yields could approach nine pct by\n  midyear. Naturally, that would mean a sharp bond price fall.\n      \"Yields could rise further over the next few months, but the\n  rise should be less than the 65 basis point rise we've seen\n  since the start of the year,\" Held said.\n      Most expect Fed policy to be neutral for bonds near term.\n      \"The Fed is currently frozen into a fixed stance,\" said\n  economists at Aubrey G. Lanston and Co Inc.\n      They said the Fed cannot tighten policy and push up\n  interest rates as might be appropriate to stabilize the dollar\n  and head off renewed inflationary psychology. That might harm\n  the fragile U.S. Economic expansion.\n      The Lanston economists said, \"The Fed cannot ease its policy\n  stance to both foster more rapid economic growth and calm\n  domestic and Third World debt jitters without the threat of\n  causing a further decline in the dollar.\"\n      Minutes of February's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC)\n  meeting released Friday showed that while the FOMC left policy\n  unchanged it was more inclined to firm rather than ease policy\n  later if conditions in the economy, foreign exchange or credit\n  markets warranted a policy shift.\n      However, economists generally believe that continued fairly\n  sluggish U.S. Economic growth and the financial strains on U.S.\n  Banks resulting from their problem loans to developing\n  countries rule out any Fed policy firming.\n      There is broad agreement among economists that the FOMC at\n  last Tuesday's meeting also left Fed policy unchanged.\n      This week's U.S. Economic data are expected to have little\n  impact. February consumer instalment credit numbers are due on\n  Wednesday, with March producer price data out Friday.\n      There may be mild relief in some quarters that the U.S.\n  Purchasing Managers Composite Index, a closely-watched economic\n  indicator, rose only to 53.9 pct in March from 51.9 pct. A\n  Friday rumor had put the number far higher. The index's first\n  quarter average also was 53.9 pct, translating into real GNP\n  growth of about three pct if continued through 1987.\n      Federal funds traded at 5-15\/16 pct late Friday and are\n  expected to open about there today with no Fed action seen.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LOWERS BENCHMARK PRIME\n","article":"  National Australia Bank Ltd <NABA.S>\n  said it lowered its benchmark prime lending rate to 18.25 pct\n  from 18.5, effective today, but left its base rate at 18.5.\n      The benchmark reduction brings the rate into line with the\n  prime rates of most of Australia's trading banks, including\n  those of two of the other three major trading banks.\n      However, the rate is above the 18 pct - the lowest ruling\n  rate - set by the other major, the Australia and New Zealand\n  Banking Group Ltd <ANZA.S>, on Friday and effective today.\n      The benchmark is based on short-term interest rate\n  movements while the base rate is tied to longer-term trends.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CAESARS WORLD BOARD APPROVES RECAPITALIZATION\n","article":"  Caesars World Inc <CAW> said its\n  directors unanimously approved a recapitalization plan under\n  which stockholders will get a cash distribution of 25 dlrs per\n  share via a one-time special cash dividend and will retain\n  their common stock ownership in Caesars World.\n      Caesars World said it expects to raise the approximately\n  one billion dlrs needed to pay the 25 dlr per share dividend\n  and the expenses of recapitalization through around 200 mln\n  dlrs in bank borrowings and a public sale of approximately 800\n  mln dlrs of debt. Some outstanding debt will be retired.\n      Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc, Caesars' financial advisor, has\n  told the company it is confident it can arrange the entire\n  financing needed for the recapitalization.\n      Henry Gluck, chairman and chief executive officer of the\n  hotel, casino and resorts company, said in a statement the\n  board believes the recapitalization plan is financially\n  superior to a 28 dlr a share tender offer by Martin Sosnoff.\n      Gluck said the Caesars World board once again recommends\n  that shareholders reject the Sosnoff offer.\n      The stock closed at 29.25 dlrs a share on Friday.\n      \"Our ability to restructure along these lines is possible\n  primarily because of the financial stability and the strong\n  operating results achieved by management in recent years,\" Gluck\n  said.\n      He said that after the recapitalization takes effect,\n  proforma net income for the fiscal year ended July 31, 1988 is\n  expected to be about 28.7 mln dlrs.\n      Fiscal 1988 primary earnings per share are projected to be\n  76 cents, based on about 37.8 mln in post-recapitalization\n  common and common-equivalent shares outstanding.\n      Commenting on the company's longer term earnings outlook,\n  Gluck said \"we project net income to increase to 86.2 mln dlrs\n  in 1992, reflecting increased operating income and lower\n  interest expense due to the retirement of 267 mln dlrs of debt\n  incurred in connection with the recapitalization.\"\n      He said the company does not usually release projections,\n  but has done so now beause of the significance of the\n  recapitalization.\n      Gluck said the recapitalization plan will be submitted for\n  stockholder approval at a special meeting expected in June.\n      The plan will require the approval of stockholders and that\n  of the Nevada and New Jersey gaming regulatory authorities.\n      As part of the plan, the company will change its state of\n  incorporation from Florida to Delaware by means of a merger of\n  Caesars World into a wholly owned subsidiary of the company.\n      The new incorporation certificate and bylaws will provide\n  for, among other things, a \"fair price\" provision requiring that\n  certain transactions with interested 15 pct stockholders be\n  approved by an 80 pct vote of stockholders, excluding shares\n  held by such interested stockholders.\n      Caesars World said in a statement that \"the cash\n  distribution will result in a substantial deficit in\n  stockholders' equity.\" It did not give an estimate of the size\n  of this deficit.\n      But the company said its financial advisors have said they\n  believe that after the recapitalization, Caesars World should\n  have the financial flexibility and resources necessary to\n  finance its current and projected operating and capital\n  requirements.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN GAS LIGHT CO COUNTER-BIDS FOR TMOC\n","article":"  <The Australian Gas Light Co> (AGL) said it\n  will offer one share plus one dlr cash for every two shares in\n  oil and gas producer <TMOC Resources Ltd> in a counter-bid to\n  the previously reported takeover offer by Santos Ltd <STOS.S>.\n      The offer values TMOC shares at 4.75 dlrs each, based on\n  AGL's closing price of 8.50 dlrs on Friday. TMOC shares jumped\n  to 4.60 dlrs on the announcement from its Friday closing price\n  of 4.15.\n      The AGL offer, the third to be made for TMOC this year,\n  compares with the Santos cash offer of 4.00 dlrs a share.\n      Based on TMOC's issued capital of 62.08 mln shares, the AGL\n  offer values the entire company at 249.9 mln shares.\n      AGL said in a statement that it already holds 10.5 pct of\n  TMOC's issued capital. This compares with the Santos stake of\n  3.1 pct when it announced its bid in March 23.\n      <Elders Resources Ltd> began the auction for TMOC about\n  three months ago with an unsuccessful 2.55 dlrs a share\n  on-market offer that has since lapsed.\n      AGL said its offer is above the upper end of the range of\n  values placed on TMOC by its advisers in the company's response\n  urging rejection of the Elders Resources bid.\n      AGL said it will make the same offer for TMOC's convertible\n  notes. Accepting share and note holders will participate in\n  AGL's planned one-for-one bonus issue.\n      It said TMOC is already a partner with AGL in the Alice\n  Springs to Darwin gas pipeline and has a number of businesses\n  complementary with those of AGL.\n      AGL is the New South Wales natural gas utility while TMOC\n  has extensive onshore holdings, mainly in Queensland where it\n  owns the Moonie oil field and in the Northern Territory where\n  it operates and holds 43.75 of the Mereenie oil-gas field. It\n  also has interests in a number of gas or oil pipelines.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IEA FORECASTS SLOWER GROWTH IN OECD OIL DEMAND\n","article":"  Growth in oil consumption in the Western\n  industrialized countries is likely to slow to around one pct\n  this year compared with 2.3 pct in 1986, the International\n  Energy Agency said.\n      Oil use in the 24 member countries of the Organization for\n  Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) increased by around\n  one pct in the first quarter of 1987 to 35.9 mln barrels a day,\n  the IEA said in its latest monthly report.\n      Growth in OECD countries is expected to come primarily from\n  transport fuels, as was the case in 1986. But if average\n  consumer prices are higher than 1986, the rate of growth for\n  these fuels may be below last year's 3.6 pct.\n      The IEA said assuming crude and product prices remain nar\n  current levels, some destocking by end-users can be expected.\n      If that takes place, natural gas will also regain some of\n  the market share it lost to heavy fuel in 1986, it said.\n      IEA estimates on April one put oil stocks held in the OECD\n  area at 428 mln tonnes, or 98 days of forward consumption. This\n  is about the same as at the begining of the year.\n      The agency said this flat trend is explained by the\n  projected seasonal consumption decline in the second quarter of\n  the year which offset a reduction in stocks.\n      Company stocks on land in the OECD rose to 326 mln tonnes\n  on April one this year compared with 316 mln tonnes in calender\n  1986 while governments also built up their strategic stocks to\n  102 mln tonnes against 97 mln in 1986.\n      The year-on-year trend of government stock building is\n  continuing with company stocks rising, more or less in line\n  with consumption, after declining for five years, IEA said.\n      Oil stocks on land in the United States and Canada were put\n  at 206.6 mln tonnes down from the 214 mln tonnes on January one\n  and equivalent to 94 and 98 days of consumption, respectively.\n      Oil stocks in Western Europe were 147.4 mln tonnes, down\n  from the 154 mln tonnes on January one but still equivalent to\n  94 days of consumption.\n      The IEA said that initial estimates indicate that company\n  stocks fell by 1.2 mln bpd in OECD countries in the first\n  quarter of the year. This followed a small rise in January of\n  400,000 bpd but a decline of 1.5 bpd in February and 2.5 bpd in\n  March.\n      And it is possible that final data will show a larger draw,\n  particulary for March, it said.\n      As crude production also fell, there is likely to have also\n  been a decline in non-reported stocks, particularly at sea, the\n  IEA said.\n      World oil supply fell through the first quarter by about\n  two bpd to 45.2 bpd from 47.5 bpd in the last quarter of 1986.\n      This drop was mostly due to a decline in OPEC crude\n  production to around 15.5 bpd in February\/March from 16.5 bpd\n  in January and to the seasonal drop in exports from Centrally\n  Planned Economies, the IEA said.\n      Total OPEC oil supply totalled 17.2 bpd in the first\n  quarter of 1987 compare with 19.3 bpd in the last three months\n  of 1986 while supply from non-OPEC countries totalled 28 bpd as\n  against 28.2 bpd in the same 1986 period.\n      A drop in Saudi Arabian output to a tentatively forecast\n  3.3 bpd in march from 3.6 bpd in February was the largest\n  factor behind the OPEC production decline, the IEA said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"PHILIPPINE COFFEE EXPORTS SEEN FALLING SHARPLY\n","article":"  Philippine coffee exports are expected\n  to fall sharply due to a combination of the International\n  Coffee Organisation's (ICO) decision not to revive export\n  quotas and higher local prices, ICO Certifying Agency official\n  Dante de Guzman told Reuters.\n      He said exporter registrations dropped from an average\n  weekly 500 tonnes in March to 45 tonnes last week, with exports\n  in coffee year 1986\/87, ending September, forecast to total\n  about 8,000 tonnes against 48,000 in 1985\/86.\n       \"Because of the relatively higher level of domestic prices,\n  it has become difficult to service exports,\" de Guzman said,\n  adding that most exporters are taking a wait and see attitude.\n      Coffee production was expected to drop slightly to about\n  one mln bags of 60 kg each in the 1986\/87 crop year ending June\n  from 1.1 mln bags last year, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HARPER INTERNATIONAL INC <HNT> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ended Jan 31\n      Shr 12 cts vs 19 cts\n      Net 369,000 vs 358,000\n      Revs 7,076,000 vs 6,712,000\n      Avg shrs 3,050,000 vs 1,850,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 53 cts vs 63 cts\n      Net 1,523,000 vs 1,158,000\n      Revs 22.6 mln vs 20.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,852,198 vs 1,850,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MIYAZAWA SEES BIG NATIONS REAFFIRMING PARIS PACT\n","article":"  Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa told a\n  parliamentary committee he expects major nations to reafffirm\n  the currency pact they struck in Paris when they meet this week\n  in Washington, political sources said.\n      The Minister also was quoted as saying he expects major\n  nations to take coordinated action to ensure exchange rate\n  stability.\n      Finance Ministry officials were unavailable for immediate\n  comment. In Paris on February 22, six nations - Britain,\n  Canada, France, Japan, the U.S. And West Germany - pledged to\n  cooperate to hold their currencies stable.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LEADING COCOA PRODUCERS DISCUSS INTERNATIONAL PACT\n","article":"  Leading cocoa producers will discuss\n  whether newly-agreed rules on an international cocoa buffer\n  stock will succeed in reversing a sharp fall in world prices\n  when they start four day's of talks here later today,\n  conference sources said.\n      Another topic likely to be discussed at the twice-yearly\n  meeting of the Cocoa Producer Alliance (CPA) is the pact's\n  second line of market support -- a witholding scheme under\n  which exporters can take up to 120,000 tonnes of cocoa off the\n  market if buffer stock purchases fail to defend prices.\n      The International Cocoa Organisation is due to discuss the\n  scheme at a meeting in June, and exporters could use the\n  Yaounde talks to work out a common position on the issue, the\n  sources said.\n      Delegates will also be briefed on arrangements for an\n  international cocoa research conference due to take place in\n  Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic next month, CPA\n  secretary general D.S. Kamga said.\n      The 11-member CPA include the world's top three producers\n  of Ivory Coast, Brazil and Ghana and accounts for around 80 pct\n  of world output.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" 5-APR-1987 23:45:47.90\n","article":"   5-APR-1987 23:45:47.90\n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SOUTH KOREA'S 1987 GNP SEEN GROWING NINE PCT\n","article":"  South Korea's gross national product (gnp)\n  is forecast to grow by nine pct in 1987, surpassing the\n  government's original forecast of eight pct and against a 12.5\n  pct rise in 1986, an Economic Planning Board report said.\n      The report reviewing the country's economy in the first\n  three months of this year said year-on-year gnp was\n  provisionally estimated to have grown by about 12 pct in the\n  period, against a 10.5 pct growth in the same 1986 period.\n      Board officials said the gnp rise in the January-March\n  period is due largely to increased exports, which totalled 9.34\n  billion dlrs against 6.9 billion a year earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BURST AGRITECH INC <BRZT> YEAR NOV 30 LOSS\n","article":"  Net loss 705,496 vs loss 182,766\n      Sales 642,590 vs 1,126,315\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"THAI RICE EXPORTS FALL IN WEEK TO MARCH 31\n","article":"  Thailand exported 75,160 tonnes of rice\n  in the week ended March 31, down from 88,785 tonnes the\n  previous week, the Commerce Ministry said.\n      It said the government and private exporters shipped 36,552\n  and 38,608 tonnes respectively.\n      Private exporters concluded advance weekly sales for 22,086\n  tonnes against 44,483 tonnes the previous week.\n      Thailand exported 1.23 mln tonnes of rice in January\/March,\n  down from 1.29 mln tonnes a year ago. It has commitments to\n  export another 381,171 tonnes this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"26-FEB-1987\n","article":"  26-FEB-1987\n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"API SAYS DISTILLATE STOCKS OFF 4.4 MLN BBLS, GASOLINE OFF 30,000, CRUDE UP 700,000\n","article":"\n  API SAYS DISTILLATE STOCKS OFF 4.4 MLN BBLS, GASOLINE OFF 30,000, CRUDE UP 700,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHINESE CROPS HIT BY FROST, SNOW AND RAIN IN MARCH\n","article":"  Wheat and rapeseed crops in east China\n  suffered considerable damage because of frost during a spell of\n  unusually cold weather in late March, the China Daily said.\n      It said average temperatures for the last 10 days of March\n  in most of east China were three to five degrees centigrade\n  below average. Snow fell in Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei and Henan,\n  making early rice sowing difficult.\n      Heavy snow blanketted central and south Jilin and north\n  Liaoning, leaving farmland too muddy for spring ploughing and\n  sowing, the paper said.\n      The paper said rainfall during the last 10 days of March in\n  areas south of the Yangtze had been much higher than normal.\n      Heavy rain fell last Sunday in parts of Guangdong, ending a\n  particularly arid dry season and marking the start of the flood\n  season, it said. It gave no further details.\n      The New China News Agency said rain and snow in Henan had\n  improved the prospects for wheat, sown on 4.8 mln hectares, and\n  caused a drop in grain prices at rural fairs since late\n  February. It gave no 1986 figures for comparison.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN CENTRAL BANK INTERVENES IN TOKYO AFTERNOON\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan intervened in early\n  afternoon Tokyo trading to support the dollar against active\n  selling by institutional investors and speculative selling by\n  overseas operators, dealers said.\n      The central bank had also bought dollars against the yen in\n  morning trade.\n      The dollar traded around 145.20\/30 yen when trading began\n  in the afternoon here and weakened only slightly, the dealers\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CHASE-AMP BANK TO LOWER AUSTRALIAN PRIME RATE TO 17.75 PCT FROM 18.25 TOMORROW\n","article":"\n  CHASE-AMP BANK TO LOWER AUSTRALIAN PRIME RATE TO 17.75 PCT FROM 18.25 TOMORROW\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ALCAN TO CLOSE WEST GERMAN SMELTER\n","article":"  Alcan Aluminium Ltd is closing its\n  aluminum smelter in Ludwigshafen, West Germany this June due to\n  high operating costs, an Alcan spokesman said.\n      The smelter, near Frankfurt, had annual capacity of about\n  44,000 tonnes but was operating at about half that in January,\n  spokesman Fernand Leclerc said.\n      Leclerc said Alcan decided it would cost too much to\n  modernize the plant.\n      He said there is a possibility the company will sell the\n  smelter, which currently employs 320 people, before its\n  scheduled closing.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KUWAIT MAY RE-REGISTER GULF TANKERS - NEWSPAPER\n","article":"  Kuwait may re-register part of its\n  tanker fleet with foreign flag jurisdictions, including the\n  U.S. And USSR, in an attempt to protect them from Iranian\n  missile attacks in the Gulf war zone, U.S. Officials were\n  quoted by the New York Times as saying.\n      The transfers would allow the country of registration to\n  escort Kuwaiti-owned ships in the Gulf. Kuwait had earlier\n  declined an offer of U.S. Naval escorts as too public an\n  admission of its need for protection, they said.\n      Kuwait is also looking at flagging-out to European\n  registries, the officials said.\n      Soviet flag tankers transporting Kuwaiti oil through the\n  Gulf may get Soviet escorts, the officials said.\n      Kuwait had earlier considered having both USSR and U.S.\n  Escorts, but the U.S. Was unwilling to give the Soviet Union a\n  naval role in the region, the newspaper quoted the officials as\n  saying.\n      Kuwait has backed Iraq in the seven-year war against Iran\n  and its ships have increasingly been the target of Iranian\n  attacks.\n      The U.S. And Kuwait have been negotiating for over a month\n  on methods of protecting Kuwaiti ships.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CHASE-AMP BANK CUTS AUSTRALIAN PRIME TO 17.75 PCT\n","article":"  <Chase-AMP Bank Ltd> said it will lower\n  its prime lending rate to 17.75 pct from 18.25, effective\n  tomorrow.\n      The bank is the first to lower its prime rate below the 18\n  pct set by a few banks in the last few days in a continuation\n  of a downward trend which began late last month.\n      Other prime rates range from 18.25 to 18.5 pct, with the\n  majority on 18.25.\n      The bank said the reduction reflected the recent downturn\n  in money market rates, the improved economic outlook and\n  adequate liquidity in the second quarter tax rundown period.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SWISS CONSUMER PRICES RISE ONE PCT IN MARCH\n","article":"  Swiss consumer prices rose one pct in the\n  year to March, the same rise as in the year to February, and\n  against 0.9 pct in the year to March 1986, the Federal\n  Statistics Office said.\n      In March alone, prices rose 0.1 pct after a 0.3 pct rise in\n  February.\n      The March index, base 1982, was 109.7 against 109.5 in\n  February.\n      The Statistics Office said the March increase reflected\n  rises in certain sectors such as food, clothing and household\n  goods and falls in transport, heating and lighting.\n      Both home produced and imported goods rose by 0.1 pct\n  during the month. But over the year as a whole, domestically\n  generated inflation reached 2.5 pct, offset by a 2.8 pct drop\n  in imports.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Nixdorf world group 1986 net profit 222.42 mln marks vs 172.29 mln, div 10 marks\n","article":"\n  Nixdorf world group 1986 net profit 222.42 mln marks vs 172.29 mln, div 10 marks\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PANCANADIAN TO SELL BRITISH INTERESTS\n","article":"  <PanCanadian Petroleum Ltd>\n  said it agreed to sell its working interest in its North Sea\n  properties and its British unit, Canadian Pacific Oil and Gas\n  of Canada Ltd, to Whitehall Petroleum Ltd, a private British\n  company.\n      PanCanadian, 87 pct-owned by Canadian Pacific Ltd <CP>,\n  said it would receive 1.7 mln British pounds cash (3.5 mln\n  Canadian dlrs) at closing, expected in two to three months.\n      It said the deal is subject to approval by regulators and\n  its partners in the properties, which consist of exploration\n  wells. It will also retain a royalty interest in the\n  properties.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN'S LIPC TO BUY BEEF ON APRIL 23\n","article":"  Japan's Livestock Industry Promotion Corp\n  (LIPC) said that on April 28 it will import 7,515 tonnes of\n  beef for the first half of the 1987 fiscal year started on\n  April 1 under the simultaneous buy and sell tender system,\n  against 6,813 a year ago.\n      The system calls on the agency to buy beef from trading\n  houses and simultaneously sell it to users in one tender. The\n  tender quota in April-September is 10 pct of the agency's beef\n  import share. Japan's beef import quota in 1987\/88 was set at\n  93,000 tonnes against 85,000 for the same period in 1986\/87.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JAPAN'S LIPC TO BUY BEEF ON APRIL 23\n","article":"  Japan's Livestock Industry Promotion Corp\n  (LIPC) said that on April 28 it will import 7,515 tonnes of\n  beef for the first half of the 1987 fiscal year started on\n  April 1 under the simultaneous buy and sell tender system,\n  against 6,813 a year ago.\n      The system calls on the agency to buy beef from trading\n  houses and simultaneously sell it to users in one tender. The\n  tender quota in April-September is 10 pct of the agency's beef\n  import share. Japan's beef import quota in 1987\/88 was set at\n  93,000 tonnes against 85,000 for the same period in 1986\/87.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TELXON <TXLN> SEES SLIGHTLY HIGHER 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Telxon Corp said it expects\n  per-share earnings for its fourth quarter ending March 31 to be\n  about 23 cts to 26 cts on revenues of 26 mln dlrs to 28 mln\n  dlrs.\n      For the year-ago quarter, the company earned 22 cts a\n  share, adjusted for a three-for-two stock split, on revenues of\n  24.2 mln dlrs.\n      The company said it made the earnings estimate in response\n  to analysts' forecasts, which it said called for per-share\n  earnings of 24 cts to 30 cts and revenues of 29 mln dlrs to 32\n  mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TESCO EXTENDS HILLARDS OFFER\n","article":"  Tesco Plc <TSCO.L> said it was extending\n  its 151 mln stg contested bid for <Hillards Plc> until May 1.\n      It said it now controlled 9.8 pct of Hillards shares,\n  comprising acceptances of the offer for 1.5 mln, or 3.1 pct,\n  and 3.2 mln, or 6.7 pct, owned by itself, its pension fund or\n  its associates.\n      It also controlled 23,250 convertible preference shares, or\n  0.2 pct.\n      Hillards shares were unchanged at 313p while Tesco was two\n  pence firmer at 475p.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" Bundesbank sets 28-day securities repurchase tender at fixed 3.80 pct\n","article":"\n   Bundesbank sets 28-day securities repurchase tender at fixed 3.80 pct\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GULF APPLIED TECHNOLOGIES <GATS> SELLS UNITS\n","article":"  Gulf Applied Technologies Inc said it\n  sold its subsidiaries engaged in pipeline and terminal\n  operations for 12.2 mln dlrs.\n      The company said the sale is subject to certain post\n  closing adjustments, which it did not explain.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REID-ASHMAN <REAS> TO DIVEST TEST PRODUCT UNIT\n","article":"  Reid-Ashman Inc said it has\n  decided to divest its test products division, located in Santa\n  Clara.\n      The company said it will entertain offers through March 30.\n  It also said Steven Reid, a company founder and president of\n  the test division, has made an offer to purchase the unit.\n      The company's test division accounted for about ten pct of\n  total revenues in the year ended Sept 30, 1986 and is currently\n  running a revenue rate of under two mln dlrs per year, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BUNDESBANK SETS NEW REPURCHASE TENDER\n","article":"  The Bundesbank set a new tender for a\n  28-day securities repurchase agreement, offering banks\n  liquidity aid at a fixed bid rate of 3.80 pct, a central bank\n  spokesman said.\n      Banks must make their bids by 1400 GMT today. Funds will be\n  allocated by 0900 GMT tomorrow and credited to accounts later\n  in the day. Banks must repurchase securities pledged on May 6.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PACIFIC LIGHTING COPR <PLT> QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 87 cts vs 87 cts\n      Pay Feb 17\n      Record Jan 20\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CETEC CORP <CEC> QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div five cts vs five cts\n      Pay May 22\n      Record May 8\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"API SAYS DISTILLATE, GAS STOCKS OFF IN WEEK\n","article":"  Distillate fuel stocks held in\n  primary storage fell by 4.4 mln barrels in the week ended Feb\n  27 to 127.10 mln barrels from 131.50 mln the previous week, the\n  American Petroleum Institute (API) said.\n      In its weekly statistical bulletin, the oil industry trade\n  group said gasoline stocks fell 30,000 barrels to 252.92 mln\n  barrels from a revised 252.95 mln, while crude oil stocks rose\n  700,000 barrels to 329.38 mln from a revised 328.68 mln.\n      It said residual fuel stocks fell 380,000 barrels to 38.04\n  mln from 38.42 mln barrels.\n      API said refinery runs in the week fell to 12.17 mln\n  barrels per day from a revised 12.42 mln and refinery use of\n  operating capacity was 78.1 pct, off from a revised 79.7 pct.\n      Crude oil imports in the week fell to 3.98 mln bpd from a\n  revised 4.22 mln, API added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MOET-HENNESSY PROPOSES HIGHER DIVIDEND\n","article":"  YEAR TO END-DEC 1986\n      Proposed dividend 45 francs vs 34.50 francs\n      Note - Full name of company is Moet-Hennessy SA <MHSP.PA>\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JONES MEDICAL INDUSTRIES INC <JMED> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr six cts vs five cts\n      Net 199,037 vs 135,587\n      Sales 1,594,895 vs 1,368,959\n      Avg shrs 3.1 mln vs 2.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 25 cts vs 19 cts\n      Net 695,398 vs 446,426\n      Sales 5,785,365 vs 4,520,781\n      Avg shrs 2.8 mln vs 2.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MAUI LAND AND PINAPPLE CO INC QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 12-1\/2 cts vs 12-1\/2 cts\n      Pay March 31\n      Record Feb 27\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SOVIET GRAIN PRODUCTS MINISTRY CRITICISED\n","article":"  The Soviet Communist Party has criticised\n  the country's Grain Products Ministry for failing to ensure\n  proper grain storage, turning out poor quality bread and for\n  unsatisfactory book keeping, Pravda said.\n      The party daily said that losses in the industry owing to\n  waste and theft amounted to 7.3 mln roubles over the last two\n  and a half years.\n      The situation was particularly bad in the Central Asian\n  republic of Kazakhstan, which has been severely criticised\n  since the ousting of its veteran leader Dinmukhamed Kunayev\n  last December.\n      Its new leader, Gennady Kolbin, has said that at times the\n  grain-growing republic has performed so badly that it has been\n  obliged to seek grain supplies from national reserves.\n      Tass news agency announced yesterday that Grain Products\n  Minister Grigory Zolotukhin, 75, was being retired and replaced\n  by Alexander Budyka, a senior food industry official.\n      Pravda added today that the crisis in the industry had been\n  drawn to Zolotukhin's attention and two of his deputies\n  reprimanded.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COCOA BUFFER STOCK MAY FACE UPHILL BATTLE - TRADE\n","article":"  The International Cocoa Organization\n  (ICCO) buffer stock could face an uphill battle to halt the\n  downtrend in world cocoa prices when it begins buying\n  operations in the next few weeks, cocoa traders said.\n      Traders said they believed buffer stock purchases could\n  reach 75,000 tonnes in a matter of weeks without lifting prices\n  significantly, given the amount of surplus cocoa overhanging\n  the market. The buffer stock may begin buying shortly as the\n  ICCO 10 day average indicator price is now at 1,578.03 Special\n  Drawing Rights (SDR) per tonne, below the 1,600 \"must buy\" level.\n      Rules governing buffer stock operations were agreed last\n  month by the ICCO council. Buying will begin once the buffer\n  stock manager has completed preparations, traders said.\n      Some traders said the buffer stock manager may delay buffer\n  stock buying until mid or end-April when changes in months used\n  to calculate the ICCO indicator may lift the 10 day average\n  above the 1,600 SDR \"must buy\" level.\n      The ICCO indicator price is calculated from the average of\n  the second, third and fourth positions on the London and New\n  York futures markets. The daily price was 1,577.61 SDR per\n  tonne yesterday.\n      Months used currently for the indicator are May, July and\n  September, but these are set to change to July, September and\n  December on April 15, prior to May becoming the New York spot\n  month, traders noted.\n      The introduction of December into the calculations may lift\n  the daily SDR price as December is currently quoted about 75\n  stg above May on the London terminal market.\n      But the buffer stock manager would have to wait for the\n  higher daily price to feed through into the 10-day average, the\n  indicator which governs his activities, traders said.\n      \"The buffer stock manager is obviously looking at the\n  implications of delaying until forward prices lift the\n  indicator since it might mean he has to buy less cocoa,\" an\n  analyst from a leading cocoa trade house said.\n      Traders said the buffer stock purchases could reach 75,000\n  tonnes fairly quickly once buying starts. If purchases reach\n  this level within six months, buying is suspended pending an\n  ICCO council review of price ranges. But some cocoa market\n  watchers said the buffer stock may benefit from recent\n  forecasts for a poor Brazilian Bahia temporao crop at 1.5 mln\n  to two mln 60 kilo bags against initial expectations of up to\n  three mln.\n      A lower than expected Brazilian crop may cut the 1986\/87\n  world surplus to between 50,000 and 70,000 tonnes, compared\n  with a recent forecast by the ICCO statistics committee of\n  94,000 tonnes, traders said.\n      In these circumstances, the buffer stock may only need to\n  buy between 20,000 and 30,000 tonnes to lift prices above the\n  \"must buy\" level.\n      But some dealers said the ICCO buffer stock rules may put\n  constraints on how quickly and effectively the buffer stock\n  manager can remove cocoa from the market.\n      The buffer stock system of price differentials set\n  according to quality and a 15 pct limit on purchases from\n  non-members could limit the buffer stock's scope for action,\n  dealers said.\n      Most of the cocoa readily available to the buffer stock is\n  nearby in-store material of Malaysian and Ivory Coast origin.\n      But the buffer stock can only buy 15 pct Malaysian cocoa as\n  Malaysia is not an ICCO member, while purchases of nearby cocoa\n  can only reach 40 pct in any one day, which forces the buffer\n  stock to buy some intermediate and forward shipment material.\n      Limits on buffer stock purchases of nearby and non-member\n  cocoa will reduce the impact on terminal prices which are\n  pressured by the overhang of Malaysian material, traders said.\n      Buffer stock purchases of forward shipment cocoa from\n  quality producers such as Ghana will have only a limited impact\n  on futures, but is likely to widen physical market premiums for\n  this cocoa over futures.\n      Ghana's premium to the terminal has risen to about 50 stg\n  from 25 to 30 stg a month ago partly in anticipation of buffer\n  stock buying, dealers said.\n      \"The buffer stock may not help the terminal market, but will\n  provide a backstop for quality cocoas,\" one trader said.\n      Traders cautioned that views on the impact of the buffer\n  stock were \"all prognostication\" and that no one could hope to\n  predict accurately what the result would be. Psychologically\n  buffer stock buying should help prices, but since the buffer\n  stock already holds a carryover of 100,000 tonnes from the\n  previous cocoa agreement and the market is in surplus, dealers\n  expressed doubts purchases can counter bearish pressure.\n      In June the ICCO is due to discuss rules for a withholding\n  scheme as an additional market support mechanism.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" German February capital account deficit 7.53 billion marks vs Jan 11.91 billion surplus - Bundesbank\n","article":"\n   German February capital account deficit 7.53 billion marks vs Jan 11.91 billion surplus - Bundesbank\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. WINE EXPORTS ROSE 15 PER CENT LAST YEAR\n","article":"  Exports of American wine rose 14.9\n  per cent last year to a total of 7.2 million gallons, the Wine\n  Institute said.\n      The San Francisco-based promotional group said 95 per cent\n  of the exported wine was from California and the top three\n  markets were Canada, Japan and Britain.\n      Japan, which edged out Britain as the leading importer of\n  American wines in 1985, continued in second place.\n      Canadian imports rose 3.2 per cent to 2.6 million gallons;\n  Japan, 9.9 per cent to 1.2 million gallons, and Britain, 20.2\n  per cent to 962,360 gallons.\n      A spokesman for the institute said the declining value of\n  the dollar and strong promotional efforts on the part of the\n  California wine industry contributed significantly to the\n  increased shipments.\n      The 1986 wine exports were valued at 34.7 mln dlrs, up from\n  27.6 mln dlrs the previous year.              \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GERMAN CAPITAL ACCOUNT IN DEFICIT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  West Germany recorded a net outflow of\n  7.53 billion marks on the February capital account, combining\n  long and short term capital flows, compared with a net inflow\n  of 11.91 billion marks in January, the Bundesbank said.\n      This compared with a net outflow of 3.51 billion marks in\n  February 1986, the Bundesbank said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN TRADE SURPLUS WIDENS IN FIRST QUARTER\n","article":"  Taiwan's trade surplus widened to 4.18\n  billion U.S. Dlrs in the first quarter of 1987 from 3.05\n  billion a year ago, the government statistics department said.\n      First quarter exports rose to 11.25 billion U.S. Dlrs from\n  8.38 billion in the same period in 1986. Imports rose to 7.08\n  billion from 5.33 billion last year.\n      The March trade surplus was 1.45 billion dlrs compared with\n  1.32 billion in February and 1.02 billion in March 1986.\n  Exports rose to 4.07 billion U.S. Dlrs from 3.85 billion in\n  February and 2.99 billion in March last year. Imports were 2.61\n  billion dlrs against 2.53 billion in February and 1.96 billion\n  in March 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTMENT GROUP RAISES ROBESON <RBSN> STAKE\n","article":"  A group of affiliated Miami-based\n  investment firms led by Fundamental Management Corp said it\n  raised its stake in Robeson Industries Corp to 238,000 shares,\n  or 14.6 pct of the total, from 205,000 or 12.8 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the group said it bought 32,800 Robeson common shares between\n  Jan 26 and Feb 9 for 175,691 dlrs.\n      The group said it may buy more shares and plans to study\n  Robeson's operations. Afterwards it may recommend that\n  management make changes in its operations. Fundamental\n  Management Chairman Carl Singer was recently elected to the\n  Robeson board.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"USDA TO REDUCE CITRUS ESTIMATING PROGRAM\n","article":"  the U.S. Agriculture Department's\n  National Agricultural Statistics Services (NASS) said it will\n  change its citrus estimate program for California and Arizona,\n  starting in 1988.\n      NASS said it will discontinue California forecasts for\n  lemons during December, February, March, May and June and for\n  grapefruit and tangerines for those months plus November.\n      Forecasts for lemons will be issued in October, November,\n  January, April and July and for grapefruit in October, January,\n  April, and July and for tangerines in October,  January and\n  April. There will be no change in the estimating program for\n  California oranges.\n      Arizona forecasts will be dropped for lemons, oranges,\n  grapefruit and tangerines in November, December February,\n  March, May and June, with forecasts retained in October,\n  January, April and July, it said.\n      There will be no changes in the estimating program for\n  citrus in Texas or Florida.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AGREEMENT REACHED IN GREEK ALUMINA DEAL WITH MOSCOW\n","article":"  Greece and the Soviet Union have reached\n  agreement in Moscow on a joint venture for a 450 mln dlr\n  alumina plant in Greece, government spokesman Yannis Roubatis\n  said.\n      Roubatis told reporters the Soviet Union agreed to buy the\n  plant's entire annual output of 600,000 tonnes of alumina. More\n  details would be given later by Greek Industry Undersecretary\n  George Petsos, who was in Moscow.\n      The project was due to start in 1986, but problems over\n  plans to sell some alumina to Bulgaria caused delays. The\n  Soviet Union, which was to take 400,000 tonnes, later agreed to\n  take the full production.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<TRIMAC LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr nine cts vs six cts\n      Net 3,500,000 vs 2,500,000\n      Revs 294.0 mln vs 351.5 mln\n      Note: 1986 year includes tax gain of 1,700,000 dlrs\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NO INTERVENTION, DOLLAR FIXED AT 1.8218 MARKS\n","article":"  The Bundesbank did not intervene as\n  the dollar was fixed lower at 1.8218 marks after 1.8243\n  yesterday, dealers said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF JAPAN INTERVENES SHORTLY AFTER TOKYO OPENS\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan bought a small amount of\n  dollars at around 145.95 yen shortly after the Tokyo market\n  opened, dealers said.\n      But the dollar then fell on speculative selling by trading\n  houses, they said.\n      The dollar had opened here at 145.95 yen against 145.85\/90\n  yen in New York and 146.00 yen at the close here yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF JAPAN TO SELL 800 BILLION YEN IN BILLS\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan will sell tomorrow a\n  total of 800 billion yen worth of financing bills from its\n  holdings to help absorb a projected money market surplus of\n  1,300 billion yen, money traders said.\n      Of the total, 400 billion yen will yield 3.8502 pct on\n  sales from money houses to banks and securities houses in a\n  41-day repurchase accord maturing on May 19.\n      Another 400 billion yen will yield 3.7991 pct in a 20-day\n  repurchase pact maturing on April 28, they said.\n      The repurchase agreement yields compare with the 3.8125 pct\n  one-month, and 3.7500 pct three-week commercial bill discount\n  rates today.\n      Tomorrow's surplus is attributable to government tax\n  allocations to local governments and public entities.\n      The operation will put outstanding bill supply at about\n  4,300 billion yen, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NO INTERVENTION, DOLLAR FIXED AT 1.8218 MARKS\n","article":"  The Bundesbank did not intervene as\n  the dollar was fixed lower at 1.8218 marks after 1.8243\n  yesterday, dealers said.\n      Dealers said dollar trading was very quiet over the\n  European morning, with operators made wary by today's meeting\n  of the Group of Five finance ministers and central bank chiefs\n  ahead of the full IMF\/World Bank session in Washington.\n      It was undermined by remarks from U.S. Council of Economic\n  Advisers Chairman Beryl Sprinkel who told Iowa bankers the U.S.\n  Had no objective regarding the value of the dollar.\n      Sprinkel also called the reference to stabilizing exchange\n  rates at about current levels, made at the Paris meeting on\n  February 22, a \"vague statement,\" casting doubt on operators'\n  assumptions that a secret target level had been set.\n      Sprinkel added that if West Germany and Japan made progress\n  to stimulate their economies as the Paris agreement envisaged,\n  \"there would not be the necessity of significant declines in the\n  dollar.\"\n      One dealer for a U.S.-based bank noted the dollar tended\n  easier after the remarks. \"They were obviously regarded as being\n  negative. And if the market starts regarding anything that\n  comes out negatively then it means that the underlying\n  sentiment is negative,\" he said.\n      Some early selling pressure softened the dollar's\n  undertone.\n      Most operators overlooked intervention by the Bank of Japan\n  to support the dollar against selling in favour of the yen by\n  institutional investors and overseas operators, dealers said.\n      After the strong focus on the dollar\/yen rate in recent\n  weeks up to the end of the Japanese financial year on March 31,\n  interest and activity was likely to switch, dealers said.\n      \"We can start to look at a point in time where the interest\n  shifts away from dollar\/yen and more into dollar\/mark and the\n  other European currencies,\" the U.S. Bank dealer said.\n      Despite the softer undertone, traders would remain wary of\n  taking significant new positions during the Washington\n  meetings, dealers said. Aside from the G-5 session today,\n  Bundesbank President Karl Otto Poehl is due to meet the German\n  Affairs group on international monetary issues later.\n      The mark gained some strength from news the Bundesbank set\n  a new securities repurchase tender to add money market\n  liquidity at a fixed 3.80 pct, unchanged from those over the\n  last several weeks. Some expectation had been growing that it\n  might cut the rate or move to a minimum interest rate tender,\n  signalling a desire for a slight easing in credit policy.\n      Bundesbank central bank council member Lothar Mueller said\n  the Bundesbank had not given up its focus on money supply. A\n  monetary policy which took into account exchange rates and\n  capital flows could not be confused with an exchange-rate\n  oriented policy, he said, contradicting some growing sentiment.\n      Sterling eased a touch to 2.950 marks at the fixing from\n  2.957. The yen's unabated strength, despite the intervention,\n  brought it up to 1.2555 marks per 100 from yesterday's 1.2480.\n      The Swiss franc rose to a fix of 120.515 marks per 100 from\n  120.180. The French franc eased to 30.055 marks per 100 after\n  30.060, Belgian franc was little changed at 4.829 marks per\n  100.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WORMALD TO ACQUIRE STAKE IN HOLMES PROTECTION\n","article":"  Fire protection and security group\n  Wormald International Ltd <WOIA.S> said British-listed <Holmes\n  Protection Group Inc> has agreed to issue it with 6.15 mln\n  common shares of one U.S. Cent par-value at 1.72 stg each.\n      The two groups have also begun exploratory talks on a\n  possible merger of the Holmes business with the compatible\n  businesses of Wormald, comprising some or all of its fire\n  protection and security businesses in the Americas and Europe,\n  Wormald said in a statement.\n      The issue of shares in the New York-based Holmes is\n  conditional upon shareholder approval at a general meeting.\n      Wormald said its stake will represent 9.99 pct of Holmes'\n  existing issued shares and 9.09 pct of the enlarged capital.\n      The issue will raise 10.6 mln stg which will be used for\n  further development of the Holmes business.\n      Wormald said the businesses of the two groups are largely\n  complementary in terms of both geographical spread and the\n  nature of their activities, with Holmes concentrating on\n  burglar alarms and Wormald on fire systems.\n      Holmes's operations are concentrated in and around New York\n  amd Miami. It earned 11 mln U.S. Dlrs pre-tax in its last\n  reported full year, 1985, and 6.0 mln in first half 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WEST GERMAN 1986 OIL MEALS, CAKES USE UP\n","article":"  West German consumption of oilmeals and\n  oil cakes last year rose by 2.4 pct to 6.3 mln tonnes, the\n  agriculture ministry said.\n      It said in a statement the increase was exclusively due to\n  sharply higher use of rape products, which went up by 8.9 pct\n  to 1.08 mln tonnes.\n      Use of soy products dropped 7.2 pct to 2.89 mln tonnes, it\n  added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OPPENHEIMER UPS VIACOM <VIA> STAKE TO 7.7 PCT\n","article":"  Oppenheimer and Co, a New York\n  brokerage firm, said it raised its stake in Viacom\n  International Inc to the equivalent of 2,709,600 shares, or 7.7\n  pct of the total, from 2,232,400 shares, or 6.3 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Oppenheimer said it bought a net 477,200 Viacom common shares\n  between Jan 19 and March 3 at prices ranging from 40.50 to an\n  average of 49.31 dlrs each. Part of its stake is in options.\n      It said it bought the shares as part of its arbitrage and\n  investment business. Movie theater magnate Sumner Redstone and\n  a Viacom management group are in a bidding war for Viacom.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KUWAIT MAY RE-REGISTER GULF TANKERS - NEWSPAPER\n","article":"  Kuwait may re-register part of its\n  tanker fleet with foreign flag jurisdictions, including the\n  U.S. And USSR, in an attempt to protect them from Iranian\n  missile attacks in the Gulf war zone, U.S. Officials were\n  quoted by the New York Times as saying.\n      The transfers would allow the country of registration to\n  escort Kuwaiti-owned ships in the Gulf. Kuwait had earlier\n  declined an offer of U.S. Naval escorts as too public an\n  admission of its need for protection, they said.\n      Kuwait is also looking at flagging-out to European\n  registries, the officials said.\n      Soviet flag tankers transporting Kuwaiti oil through the\n  Gulf may get Soviet escorts, the officials said.\n      Kuwait had earlier considered having both USSR and U.S.\n  Escorts, but the U.S. Was unwilling to give the Soviet Union a\n  naval role in the region, the newspaper quoted the officials as\n  saying.\n      Kuwait has backed Iraq in the seven-year war against Iran\n  and its ships have increasingly been the target of Iranian\n  attacks.\n      The U.S. And Kuwait have been negotiating for over a month\n  on methods of protecting Kuwaiti ships.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHASE-AMP BANK CUTS AUSTRALIAN PRIME TO 17.75 PCT\n","article":"  <Chase-AMP Bank Ltd> said it will lower\n  its prime lending rate to 17.75 pct from 18.25, effective\n  tomorrow.\n      The bank is the first to lower its prime rate below the 18\n  pct set by a few banks in the last few days in a continuation\n  of a downward trend which began late last month.\n      Other prime rates range from 18.25 to 18.5 pct, with the\n  majority on 18.25.\n      The bank said the reduction reflected the recent downturn\n  in money market rates, the improved economic outlook and\n  adequate liquidity in the second quarter tax rundown period.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN CENTRAL BANK INTERVENES IN TOKYO AFTERNOON\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan intervened in early\n  afternoon Tokyo trading to support the dollar against active\n  selling by institutional investors and speculative selling by\n  overseas operators, dealers said.\n      The central bank had also bought dollars against the yen in\n  morning trade.\n      The dollar traded around 145.20\/30 yen when trading began\n  in the afternoon here and weakened only slightly, the dealers\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EMPI INC <EMPI> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 25 cts vs profit 11 cts\n      Net loss 446,005 vs profit 185,325\n      Sales 2.4 mln vs 2.5 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr loss 16 cts vs profit 41 cts\n      Net loss 282,305 vs profit 709,787\n      Sales 10.1 mln vs nine mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 224 MLN STG ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had provided\n  the money market with 224 mln stg help in the morning session.\n  This compares with the Bank's forecast of a shortage in the\n  system today of around 850 mln stg which it earlier revised up\n  from 800 mln.\n      The central bank bought bank bills comprising 27 mln stg in\n  band one at 9-7\/8 pct, 21 mln stg in band two at 9-13\/16 pct\n  and 171 mln stg in band three at 9-3\/4 pct.\n      It also purchased three mln stg of treasury bills and two\n  mln stg of local authority bills in band three at 9-3\/4 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION GROWTH HALTS IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Industrial production in the European\n  Community (EC) in January showed no growth compared with\n  January 1986, the EC statistics office, Eurostat, said in a\n  report.\n      It said the EC industrial production index, base 1980,\n  stood at 103.9 in both months.\n      EC officials said while the lack of growth may have been\n  due in part to the icy weather which gripped large parts of the\n  EC in January, it also reflects a worrying trend.\n      Eurostat said for the last three months for which figures\n  are known, industrial output rose by only 0.9 pct compared with\n  the year-earlier period.\n      Annual growth in the 12 months to January averaged about\n  1.8 pct, well below the 2.8 pct figure recorded in the 12\n  months ending last June, the office said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. SENATE PANEL COULD CONSIDER TRADE MEASURE\n","article":"  The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee\n  may take up a bill tomorrow that would strengthen the\n  activities of U.S. agricultural trade teams in selected\n  developing countries, committee staff said.\n      The measure, sponsored by committee Chairman Patrick Leahy\n  (D-Vt.) and Sen. John Melcher (D-Mont.), would establish trade\n  teams of between six and nine persons drawn from federal\n  agencies and private voluntary organizations, staff said.\n      The trade missions would seek to generate interest in the\n  U.S. government's food donation and commercial programs --\n  PL480, Section 416, export credit and export enhancement -- and\n  upon return be required to advocate extension of concessional\n  or commercial benefits to interested countries.\n      The trade teams would be made up of representatives of the\n  U.S. Agriculture Department, State Department, the Agency for\n  International Development and private voluntary organizations\n  such as U.S. Wheat Associates.\n      The bill would require teams within six months to visit\n  seven countries: Mexico, Philippines, Indonesia, India,\n  Bangladesh, Senegal and Nigeria.\n      Within one year after passage of the measure, another eight\n  countries would have to be visited: Peru, Kenya, the Dominican\n  Republic, Costa Rica, Malaysia, Venezuela, Tunisia and Morocco.\n  Other countries could be added to the list.\n      Senate staff members said the bill, still in the drafting\n  stages, had broad support and was expected to be approved by\n  the committee tomorrow.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FLORIDA PUBLIC <FPUT> SPLITS STOCK, UPS DIV\n","article":"  Florida Public Utilities Co\n  said its board declared a three-for-two stock split on its\n  common stock.\n      It said holders of record April 15 will receive one\n  additional share May one for each two shares held.\n      The company also said it raised the dividend on its common\n  stock by two cts to 33 cts a share on a pre-split basis.\n      The dividend is payable April one to holders of record\n  March 18.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GAO LIKELY TO SHOW CERTS MORE COSTLY THAN CASH\n","article":"  A study on grain certificates due out\n  shortly from the Government Accounting Office (GAO) could show\n  that certificates cost the government 10 to 15 pct more than\n  cash outlays, administration and industry sources said.\n      Analysis that the GAO has obtained from the Agriculture\n  Department and the Office of Management and Budget suggests\n  that certificates cost more than cash payments, a GAO official\n  told Reuters.\n      GAO is preparing the certificate study at the specific\n  request of Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), former chairman of the\n  senate agriculture committee.\n      The report, which will focus on the cost of certificates\n  compared to cash, is scheduled to be released in mid March.\n      The cost of certificates, said the GAO source, depends on\n  the program's impact on the USDA loan program.\n      If GAO determines that certificates encourage more loan\n  entries or cause more loan forfeitures, then the net cost of\n  the program would go up. However, if it is determined that\n  certificates have caused the government grain stockpile to\n  decrease, the cost effect of certificates would be less.\n      GAO will not likely suggest whether the certificates\n  program should be slowed or expanded, the GAO official said.\n      But a negative report on certificates \"will fuel the fire\n  against certificates and weigh heavily on at least an increase\n  in the certificate program,\" an agricultural consultant said.\n      The OMB is said to be against any expansion of the program,\n  while USDA remains firmly committed to it.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"CITY INVESTING TRUST <CNVLZ> SETS CASH PAYOUT\n","article":"  City Investing Co Liquidating Trust\n  said it declared a cash distribution of 25 cts a unit, payable\n  April 10 to unit-holders of record April one.\n      The trust last paid a stock distribution of General\n  Development Corp <GDB> shares in July.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FCOJ SUPPLIES SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE YEAR AGO-USDA\n","article":"  Total supply of frozen concentrated\n  orange juice (FCOJ) in 1986\/87 is expected to be significantly\n  above year-earlier levels, even with carry-in stocks well below\n  the previous season, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      In a summary of its Fruit Situation Report, the Department\n  said Florida's imports of FCOJ, mostly from Brazil, have shown\n  sharp gains to date.\n      The Department noted the price of FCOJ will probably be\n  affected by the final decision, scheduled for April 22, on\n  whether the U.S. considers Brazilian FCOJ exports to the U.S.\n  have caused injury.\n      Continuing strong demand for fresh and processing fruit\n  coupled with seasonal declines in supplies mean that grower\n  prices will remain higher this spring than a year earlier.\n      The department said stocks of fresh apples in cold storage\n  at the beginning of February were moderately larger than a year\n  earlier, but strong demand has kept apple prices firm.\n      In view of the strong demand and seasonally reduced\n  supplies, apple prices are projected to stay firm.\n      During the remainder of 1986\/87, supplies of most processed\n  noncitrus fruit will be smaller than a year ago, it said.\n      Movement of canned fruit has improved, and remaining\n  suppies for some canned fruit items are tight and as a\n  consequence prices have strengthened, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"OCCIDENTAL <OXY> IN BIG PERU HEAVY OIL FIND\n","article":"  Occidental Petroleum Corp said the\n  Shiviyacu-23 development well on Block 1-AB in the Peruvian\n  Amazon jungle is producing 6,593 barrels of 22 degree gravity\n  oil per day from depths of 9,543 to 9,547 and 9,556 to 9,599\n  feet.\n      The company said it is drilling a new exploration well on\n  the block, Southeast Shiviyacu-1, 2.5 miles away.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"LIEBERMAN ENTERPRISES INC 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 51 cts vs 46 cts\n      Shr diluted 44 cts vs 41 cts\n      Net 2,267,000 vs 2,055,000\n      Sales 87.3 mln vs 70.4 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 1.20 dlrs vs 1.12 dlrs\n      Shr diluted 1.07 dlrs vs 1.03 dlrs\n      Net 5,318,000 vs 4,958,000\n      Sales 243.7 mln vs 198.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FLORIDA COMMERCIAL BANKS INC <FLBK> DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 14 cts vs 19 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 16\n      Note: Quarterly dividend for prior quarter included special\n  payout of five cts a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BP SCOTTISH REFINERY SET TO RESTART THIS WEEK\n","article":"  The British Petroleum <BP.L> Co Plc's\n  refinery at Grangemouth, Scotland, shut down after an explosion\n  and fire in the hydrocracker on March 22, will probably be back\n  in operation towards the week-end, a refinery spokesman said.\n      He said the refinery will resume at about half its 178,500\n  barrels per day (bpd) capacity, as work on overhauling the\n  North Side of the complex, which began at the end of January,\n  will not be completed before the end of April.\n      He said the refinery had been closed for longer than\n  originally expected due to the lengthy safety checks being\n  carried out prior to restarting.\n      The explosion and fire, in which one worker was killed,\n  caused extensive damage to the central part of the 32,000\n  hydrocracker and the spokesman said today this unit would be\n  out of operation for several months. The remainder of the\n  refinery, including the 19,000 catalytic cracker, was\n  undamaged.\n      He said inquiries into the accident, which happened while\n  the hydrocracker was not in operation, were continuing.\n      In an earlier incident, two people were killed in an\n  explosion and fire at the refinery on March 13.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<TIMMINCO LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 33 cts vs 33 cts\n      Oper net 3,330,000 vs 2,969,000\n      Revs 95.9 mln vs 92.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 8,610,068 vs 7,603,219\n      Note: 1986 net excludes extraordinary gain of 577,000 dlrs\n  or seven cts shr vs yr-ago gain of 71,000 dlrs or one ct shr.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRITAIN WARNS JAPAN OVER TRADE ROW\n","article":"  British corporate affairs minister Michael\n  Howard told Japan to resolve the row over the U.K. Firm Cable\n  and Wireless Plc's <CAWL.L> shareholding in a new Japanese\n  telecommunications company or face an abrupt deterioration in\n  trade relations.\n      In meetings with both the foreign and telecommunications\n  ministers Howard said he expressed deep concern about the way\n  Tokyo had handled the dispute and about the continuing trade\n  imbalance between the two countries.\n      \"I put it to the (post and telecommunications) minister that\n  I was sure he did not want to be responsible for an abrupt\n  deterioration in the trading relations of our countries which\n  would have widespread reverberations elsewhere in the world,\"\n  Howard told reporters.\n      \"He listened very carefully and I have little doubt the\n  message got home,\" he added.\n      British frustration over the lopsided trade balance -\n  nearly six billion dlrs in Japan's favour last year - has\n  reached boiling point over the telecommunications issue, Howard\n  said.\n      Howard has accused Japan of trying to shut out Cable and\n  Wireless from having a major role in the international\n  telephone market in Japan.\n      \"I want a fair crack of the whip for Cable and Wireless as I\n  want a fair crack of the whip for Britain generally in trading\n  relations,\" Howard said. \"We simply aren't prepared to continue\n  to accept the imbalance which has been the position for such a\n  long time.\"\n      Post and Telecommunications Ministry officials were unable\n  to comment on Howard's meeting with their minister.\n      But Foreign Ministry officials said Foreign Minister\n  Tadashi Kuranari said that British exports to Japan are\n  increasing, but acknowledged the continuing imbalance in trade.\n      Kuranari said he wants everyone in the telecommunications\n  dispute, including Cable and Wireless, to be satisfied.\n      Howard told reporters that Britain was actively considering\n  possible retaliatory measures if it did not get its way on the\n  telecommunications issue.\n      \"There are measures which are under consideration if we\n  continue to suffer from the imbalance in our trading relations,\"\n  he added, but gave no details.\n      He said he had received a reassuring response from the\n  Japanese he has spoken with.\n      \"But of course we've had reassuring signs from the Japanese\n  for quite some time,\" he added. \"What I've made plain is we\n  expect to see action.\"\n      Howard ruled out using powers in Britain's Financial\n  Services bill to retaliate against unfair trade practices.\n  Those powers, which allow London to ban foreign financial firms\n  like banks from Britain, are designed to ensure U.K. Firms\n  equal access to overseas financial markets.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CARDINAL INDUSTRIES <CDNI> RESTATES NET LOWER\n","article":"  Cardinal Industries Inc said it\n  restated earnings for the first nine months of 1986 to 235,000\n  dlrs, or nine cts per share, from 485,000 dlrs, or 18 cts,\n  reported previously due to the failure of an automated\n  accounting system installed in mid-year and replaced in the\n  fourth quarter.\n      The company said its Reliance segment sustained a\n  significant operating loss for the full year 1986 due to the\n  accounting problems and increased promotional and advertising\n  expenses.  For the full year, it said it earned 284,000 dlrs,\n  or 10 cts a share, up from 271,000 dlrs, or 10 cts, in 1985.\n      Cardinal Industries said revenues for the year were 30.7\n  mln dlrs, up from 23.0 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      The company said for the first quarter of 1987, earnings\n  were about 48,000 dlrs, up from 13,000 dlrs or nil per share in\n  the year ago period.  The year-ago first quarter earnings,\n  however, have been restated from 101,000 dlrs or four cts per\n  share.  It said sales for the first quarter were about\n  8,363,000 dlrs, up from 6,636,000 dlrs.\n      For the first half of 1986, the company said it restated\n  earnings to 141,000 dlrs or five cts per share from 340,000\n  dlrs or 12 cts per share reported previously.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<UNITED FIRE AND CASUALTY> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 31 cts vs loss 20 cts\n      Net profit 1,044,424 vs loss 515,425\n      Avg shrs 3,406,841 vs 2,544,531\n      Year\n      Shr profit 2.83 dlrs vs profit 42 cts\n      Net profit 8,811,142 vs profit 1,058,503\n      Avg shrs 3,111,464 vs 2,544,531\n      Note: Full company name is United Fire and Casualty Co\n      Net includes realized gains of 93,551 dlrs and 764,177\n  dlrs, respectively, in 1986 qtr and year, and of 92,075 dlrs\n  and 972,935 dlrs, respectively, in 1985 qtr and year.\n      1985 results restated for three-for-two stock split. Net\n  income for 1985 has been restated due to a change in the method\n  used in computing deferred acquisition costs.\n      1986 results include the effect of a stock offering\n  resulting in the issuance of an additional 862,500 shares of\n  common stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EGYPTIAN CENTRAL BANK DOLLAR RATE UNCHANGED\n","article":"  Egypt's Central Bak left the dollar rate\n  for Commercial banks for April 8 unchanged at 1.353\/67 pounds.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<POWER CORP OF CANADA> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 30 cts vs 24 cts\n      Oper net 38,686,000 vs 28,384,000\n      Revs 42.3 mln vs 31.2 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 1.05 dlrs vs 94 cts\n      Oper net 136,594,000 vs 110,831,000\n      Revs 153.3 mln vs 125.1 mln\n      Note: Fourth quarter results exclude extraordinary and\n  other items which raised final 1986 net to 62,485,000 dlrs or\n  49 cts a share and lowered final 1985 net to 18,941,000 dlrs or\n  16 cts a share in 1985.\n      Full-year results exclude extraordinary and other items\n  which raised final 1986 net to 237,961,000 dlrs or 1.87 dlrs\n  per share and 1985 net to 152,049,000 or 1.29 dlrs per share.\n      1985 results restated to reflect June, 1986 two-for-one\n  stock split.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL SEAMEN'S STRIKE ENDS\n","article":"  A Brazilian seamen's strike, which\n  began on February 27 and has been tapering off for weeks, has\n  now ended, a seamen's spokesman said.\n      The spokesman said the seamen had signed an agreement with\n  the state-owned Lloyd Brasileiro company on Saturday for a 120\n  pct salary rise.\n      The national strike had been tailing off since mid-March as\n  seamen struck individual accords with companies. At the height\n  of the stoppage, seamen said about 200 ships were strike-bound.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. CORN, SORGHUM PAYMENTS 50-50 CASH\/CERTS\n","article":"  Eligible producers of 1986 crop U.S.\n  corn and sorghum will receive an estimated 600 mln dlrs in\n  deficiency payments -- 50 pct in generic commodity certificates\n  and 50 pct in cash, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      It said corn producers will receive about 515 mln dlrs and\n  sorghum producers about 85 mln dlrs.\n      Only the cash portion of the payments will be subject to\n  the 4.3 pct reduction in compliance with the Gramm-Rudman\n  budget deficit control act of 1985, it said.\n      Corn and sorghum producers who requested advance deficiency\n  payments have already received about 2.8 billion dlrs and 225\n  mln dlrs, respectively, USDA said.\n      The Department said deficiency payment rates of 51.5 cents\n  per bushel for corn and 49 cents per bushel for sorghum were\n  received by producers requesting advance payments.\n      Deficiency payments are calculated as the difference\n  between an established target price and the higher of the basic\n  loan rate, or the national average price received by farmers\n  during the first five months of the marketing year --\n  September-January.\n      National weighted average market prices for the first five\n  months of the season were 1.46 dlrs per bushel for corn and\n  1.33 dlrs per bushel for sorghum. Eligible corn producers will\n  be paid 63 cts per bushel, based on the difference between the\n  3.03 target price and the 2.40 dlr per bushel basic loan rate.\n      Sorghum producers' deficiency payment rate will be 60 cents\n  per bushel, based on the difference between the 2.88 dlrs per\n  bushel target price and the 2.28 dlrs per bushel basic loan\n  rate.\n      The deficiency payment rates for both commodities are the\n  maximum permitted by law, the department said.\n      Eligible corn and sorghum producers will receive another\n  1986 crop deficiency payment in October if the national average\n  market prices received by farmers during the entire marketing\n  year for both commodities are below the basic loan rates, the\n  department said.\n      The payments will be issued through local Agricultural\n  Stabilization and Conservation Service offices, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD HOLDINGS RISE IN MARCH\n","article":"  South African gold holdings rose 172.56\n  mln rand to 4.17 billion rand in March after rising 39 mln rand\n  to 4.0 billion rand in February, Reserve Bank figures show.\n      In volume terms gold holdings rose to 5.51 mln ounces in\n  March from 5.26 mln ounces in February, valued at 757.24 rand\n  an ounce for March versus 754.59 rand an ounce for February.\n      Total gold and foreign assets rose to 6.30 billion rand\n  from 6.22 billion, of which the gold content increased to 66.22\n  pct from 64.3 pct.\n      Foreign bills remained at zero in March while investments\n  fell slightly to 105.69 mln rand from February's 106.56 mln\n  rand and other assets to 2.02 billion rand from 2.11 billion,\n  the figures showed.\n      Total liabilities fell to 12.21 billion rand in March after\n  rising to 13.62 billion in February.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MAGMA RAISES COPPER PRICE 0.50 CT TO 66.00 CTS\n","article":"  Magma Copper Co, a subsidiary of\n  Newmont Mining Corp, said it is raising its copper cathode\n  price by 0.50 cent to 66.00 cents a lb, effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INTERCO INC 4TH QTR SHR 99 CTS VS 97 CTS\n","article":"\n  INTERCO INC 4TH QTR SHR 99 CTS VS 97 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KANEB ENERGY <KEP> SAYS JURY RULES FOR IT\n","article":"  Kaneb Energy Partners Ltd, 82 pct owned\n  by Kaneb Services Inc <KAB>, said a juiry in Circuit Court of\n  Tuscaloosa County, Ala., has ruled in its favor and that of Jim\n  Walter Corp <JWC> against Sonat Inc <SNT> in a dispute over a\n  natural gas sales contract.\n      The company said the suit was filed seekiong to enforce\n  Sonat's obligations under the contract to pay for methane gas\n  produced by the Brookwood Coal Degasificiation Project in the\n  Black Warrior Basin of Alabama, which is equally owned by Kaneb\n  and Jim Walter.\n      Kaneb said the jury awarded it and Jim Walter about 22 mln\n  dlrs for required payments for deliveries through January 1987\n  plus interest through March 16 -- the full amount sought -- and\n  rejected Sonat's counterclaim of fraud.\n      It said the decision may be appealed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WHITTAKER <WKR> COMPLETES SALE OF MEDICAL UNIT\n","article":"  Whittaker Corp said it has completed\n  the previously-announced sale of its wholly-oiwned Whittaker\n  General Medical Corp subsidiary to R.A.B. Holdings Inc for\n  undisclosed terms.\n      Whittaker General Medical has annual revenues of about 450\n  mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"STARTEL <STAS> TO HAVE LOSS, SALES DROP\n","article":"  StarTel Corp said it expects to\n  report a first quartter loss on a 25 to 30 pct revenue fall\n  from the year-earlier 2,524,000 dlrs.\n      The company earned 64,000 dlrs in last year's first quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DATRON SYSTEMS <DTSI> SEES LOWER YEAR NET\n","article":"  Datron Systems Inc said it\n  expects to report a falloff in earnings for the year ended\n  March 31 of about 25 pct from fiscal 1986 levels.\n      In fiscal 1986, Datron earned 1,776,000 dlrs.\n      The company said new orders for the year just ended,\n  however, rose 50 pct to 26 mln dlrs, bringing backlog at\n  year-end to 19 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DATA GENERAL TO TAKE 18.2 MLN DLR PRETAX CHARGE TO REDEEM 150 MLN DLRS OF DEBT\n","article":"\n  DATA GENERAL TO TAKE 18.2 MLN DLR PRETAX CHARGE TO REDEEM 150 MLN DLRS OF DEBT\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ENTERRA CORP <EN> SELLS TWO UNITS\n","article":"  Enterra Corp said it has completed the\n  sale of its Hale Fire Pump co and Macomson Machine Co\n  subsidiaries to a company formed by Los Angeles investment firm\n  McBain, Rose Partners for about 27 mln dlrs in cash.\n      Both Hale and Macomson make fire pumps and related\n  equipment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<FMD INC> IN MERGER AGREEMENT\n","article":"  FMD Inc said it has agreed to acquire\n  Bankers Protective Financial Corp for 28,836,000 common shares,\n  subject to approval by the Texas State Board of Insurance.\n      Bankers Protective is a life insurance company based in\n  Texas.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<BEDFORD COMPUTER CORP> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr not given\n      Net profit 1,033,000 vs loss 4,346,000\n      Sales 6,060,000 vs 5,818,000\n      NOTE: Company operating in Chapter 11 bankruptcy.\n      1985 sales exclude contract revenues of 3,217,000 dlrs.\n      1986 net includes reversal of 597,000 dlrs of reserves no\n  longer deemed necessary and tax credit 340,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INTERCO INC <ISS> 4TH QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 99 cts vs 97 cts\n      Net 31,011,000 vs 30,899,000\n      Sales 651.5 mln vs 583.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 3.13 dlrs vs 2.92 dlrs\n      Net 98,643,000 vs 92,347,000\n      Sales 2.61 billion vs 2.51 billion\n      NOTE: 1986 results reflect two-for-one stock split of July\n  23, 1986\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"USDA PROPOSES NAME CHANGES IN BEEF GRADE\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department\n  proposes to rename the \"USDA Good\" grade of beef to \"USDA Select.\"\n      The department said the proposed change is in response to a\n  petition from Public Voice for Food and Health Policy and would\n  present a more positive image of this grade of beef and help\n  calorie-conscious consumers select leaner cuts of meat.\n      Under current rules, the \"good\" grade of meat has less\n  marbling and fat than the \"prime\" or \"choice\" grades, it said.\n      Standards for all of the grades would remain unchanged\n  under the proposal.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOUSEHOLD INT'L <HI> PROJECTS EARNINGS RISE\n","article":"  Household International\n  Inc said it expects its fully diluted earnings per share for\n  the first quarter to be about 35 pct above the same year-ago\n  period.\n      It also looks for 1987 full-year fully diluted earnings to\n  be about 20 pct higher than the record 4.31 dlrs a share\n  reported for 1986.\n      Chairman Donald Clark, in remarks prepared for delivery to\n  New York security analysts, cited increased earnings from\n  Household Financial Services and \"excellent return on equity\n  from Household Manufacturing, combined with the impact of our\n  share repurchase program, will result in higher earnings per\n  share and improved return on equity in 1987.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. INTERVENTION WHEAT SOLD TO HOME MARKET\n","article":"  A total of 14,685 tonnes of British\n  intervention feed wheat were sold at today's tender for the\n  home market, the Home Grown Cereals Authority said.\n      Bids amounted to 19,115 tonnes against offerings of 31,528.\n  Prices paid were at, or above, the prevailing intervention feed\n  wheat price of 120.71 stg per tonne.\n      Grain traders said a large part of the tonnage on offer was\n  in stores, which would mean high transport costs to deficient\n  areas. The European Commission recently made available 70,000\n  tonnes for next week's tender.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DATA GENERAL <DGN> TO TAKE 2ND QTR CHARGE\n","article":"  Data General Corp said it\n  expects to record an extraordinary pretax charge of about 18.2\n  mln dlrs in the second quarter ended March 28.\n      The company said the charge will result from a redemption\n  of debt. On May 18, Data General said, it will redeem 150 mln\n  dlrs of outstanding 12-3\/8 pct sinking fund debentures due\n  2015.\n      The redemption price will be 111.138 pct of the total\n  principal amount of notes then outstanding plus accrued\n  interest to the redemption date, it said.\n      No interest will accrue or will be payable on the\n  debentures starting May 18, the computer and communications\n  company said.\n      Data General reported a loss of 1.8 mln dlrs or six cts a\n  share for the second quarter ended March 29, 1986. The loss\n  included a charge of 3.8 mln dlrs from redemption of\n  debentures. In the year-ago quarter, revenues fell less than\n  one pct to 318.8 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PALM OIL OUTPUT SEEN DROPPING SHARPLY - OIL WORLD\n","article":"  Malaysian and Indonesian palm oil\n  production is likely to drop sharply this year, due to lower\n  yields, the Hamburg-based newsletter Oil World said.\n      The publication expects total Malaysian output during\n  Jan\/Sept 1987 to decline by eight pct to 3.05 mln tonnes. For\n  East Malaysia, it put production during the period at 297,000\n  tonnes after 312,000 a year earlier and for West Malaysia 2.75\n  mln compared with just over 3.0 mln during Jan\/Sept 1986.\n      It said new plantings had slowed markedly in both\n  countries, but the effects of this will not be felt until\n  1988-90.\n      Above normal yields during recent years resulted in trees\n  reacting to the stress by changing the sex ratio to more male\n  inflorescences and\/or aborting more female, Oil World said.\n      Yields per hectare are also likely to be adversely affected\n  this year by insufficient rain up to 25 months ago. This could\n  especially affect trees in West Malaysia during April\/June,\n  while in East Malaysia the impact will be in February\/April and\n  July\/Dec, and in Indonesia July\/Sept.\n      Last year's cut in fertilizer use will hit this year's\n  yields and bigger effects are expected within the next three\n  years, Oil World said without elaborating.\n      Opening stocks in West Malaysia at the start of this year\n  were put at only 565,000 tonnes compared with 914,000 in\n  January 1986, Oil World said.\n      West Malaysian net exports are therefore expected to drop\n  500,000 tonnes to 2.54 mln during Jan\/Sept, while those of East\n  Malaysia are likely to decline by 10 pct to 280,000 tonnes.\n      Indonesian palm oil production is forecast to fall about\n  eight pct during Jan\/May, but to rise from June on. Overall\n  Indonesian output during Jan\/Sept is forecast to rise three pct\n  to 933,000 tonnes. Indonesian stocks as of April 1, however,\n  are put at only 65,000 tonnes compared with 160,000 a year ago.\n      Indonesian export commitments and domestic requirements are\n  both running at high levels, Oil World said, and it expects the\n  country's imports to reach a record 110,000 tonnes during\n  Jan\/Sept. The bulk of this will arrive during Feb\/May, ahead of\n  the April elections and the religious Ramadan festival\n  throughout May, it said.\n      Indonesian net exports, therefore, may fall by 29 pct to\n  350,000 tonnes, Oil World said. The possibility that recent\n  Indonesian palm oil purchases will not actually enter the\n  country but be transshipped to other countries to fulfill\n  Indonesia's export orders cannot be ruled out, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN FURTHER 284 MLN STG HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided the\n  money market with a further 284 mln stg assistance in the\n  afternoon session.\n      This takes the bank's total help so far today to 508 mln\n  stg and compares with its revised estimate of a 900 mln stg\n  shortage in the system which it earlier revised up from 850\n  mln.\n      The central bank made outright purchases of bank bills\n  comprising 100 mln stg in band one at 9-7\/8 pct, 56 mln stg in\n  band two at 9-13\/16 pct, 112 mln stg in band three at 9-3\/4 pct\n  and 16 mln stg in band four at 9-11\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SESOSTRIS SELLS 18,000 TONNES BARLEY TO GREECE\n","article":"  Sesostris, the Spanish subsidiary of the\n  international grain trader Dreyfus, sold 18,000 tonnes of\n  barley to Greece for delivery from Mediterranean ports from\n  April 14 to 30, a company spokesman said. He gave no details on\n  price.\n      The barley has a 14 pct humidity.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VENDO CO <VEN> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.48 dlrs vs loss 36 cts\n      Net loss 4,036,000 vs loss 983,000\n      Sales 16.6 mln vs 17 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr loss 1.88 dlrs vs profit 71 cts\n      Net loss 5,113,000 vs profit 1,904,000\n      Sales 85.4 mln vs 88.5 mln\n      Note: Prior year net includes extraordinary loss of 298,000\n  dlrs in qtr and extraordinary profit of 718,000 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BOW VALLEY <BVI> TO SELL NORWEGIAN SUBSIDIARY\n","article":"  Bow Valley Industries Ltd said\n  it agreed to sell its wholly owned Norwegian subsidiary to Elf\n  Aquitaine Norge A\/S of Stavanger, Norway for 13 mln Canadian\n  dlrs.\n      The principal asset of the subsidiary, Bow Valley\n  Exploration Norge A\/S, is  an eight pct interest in the Heimdal\n  gas and condensate field offshore Norway.\n      The sale is expected to conclude by the middle of April,\n  Bow Valley said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SYNGOLD DEFINES RESERVES ON DEKA PROPERTY\n","article":"  <Syngold Exploration Inc> and <Corp\n  Falconbridge Copper> said they defined undiluted reserves of\n  911,000 tons of ore with an average grade of 0.43 ounces of\n  gold per ton in two separate deposits on the Deka property\n  located at Noranda, Quebec.\n      Assay results from 20 suface holes drilled on 250 foot\n  centers indicate that the Donalda number one deposit contains\n  possible reserves of 611,000 tons at an average grade of 0.48\n  ounces of gold per ton.\n      The number one deposit's reserves are contained between a\n  vertical depth of 750 and 1200 feet at a strike length of 900\n  feet.\n      Reserves of the Donalda number-two deposit, located 1,000\n  feet below the number-one deposit, were recalculated at 300,000\n  tons with an average grade of 0.33 ounces of gold per ton.\n      Syngold has earned a 20 pct interest in the Deka property\n  from the operator, Corp Falconbridge Copper.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT TO PAY SUBSIDIES--USDA\n","article":"  The Australian Government will likely\n  reimburse the Australian Wheat Board, AWB, about 132 mln (U.S.)\n  dlrs to pay wheat farmers for their 1986\/87 crop, the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department said.\n      In its report on Export Markets for U.S. Grains, the\n  department said the sharp fall in world wheat prices has\n  reduced the export sales revenue of the AWB to levels\n  insufficient to cover its breakeven export price estimated at\n  around 98 dlrs per tonne.\n       For example the recent large sales of wheat to China (1.5\n  mln tonnes) and Egypt (2.0 mln tonnes) were well below the\n  breakeven export price, it said.\n      Australian wheat farmers normally receive an advance\n  payment known as the Guaranteed Minimum Price, GMP, calculated\n  at 90 pct of the average of estimated returns in the current\n  year and the two lowest of the previous three years, the\n  department said.\n      In addition, deductions for taxes, freight, handling and\n  storage are deducted from the GMP the farmer receives.\n      But the department said the Australian Bureau of\n  Agricultural Economics, BAE, predicts wheat production will\n  drop sharply from 17.8 mln tonnes in 1986\/87 to 13.5 mln in\n  1989\/90.\n      The decline will result from low world grain prices leading\n  to shifts to livestock and other crops which could benefit U.S.\n  wheat exports, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EMERY AIR FREIGHT SAID HUTTON GROUP ENDS OFFER FOR PUROLATOR COURIER\n","article":"\n  EMERY AIR FREIGHT SAID HUTTON GROUP ENDS OFFER FOR PUROLATOR COURIER\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LAWSON PRODUCTS INC <LAWS> RAISES QTLY PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div seven cts vs six cts prior\n      Pay April 17\n      Record April three\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORANDA BUYS SHARES OF SANIVAN GROUP\n","article":"  <Noranda Inc> said it agreed to buy an\n  initial 1,000,501 treasury shares of <Sanivan Group Inc> at\n  5.25 dlrs per share.\n      Noranda also has an option until June 30, 1988, to acquire\n  an additional 1,000,501 Sanivan treasury shares at 5.75 dlrs\n  per share.\n      Sanivan is the largest hazardous waste management company\n  in Canada.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KANEB ENERGY <KEP> MAY OMIT FUTURE PAYOUTS\n","article":"  Kaneb Energy Partners Ltd said it may be\n  forced to omit or lower future quarterly cash distributions\n  because of a contract dispute with two major customers and the\n  continued slump in oil and gas prices.\n      The partnership said, however, that it will pay a regular\n  quarterly distribution of 60 cts a unit on April 15 to holders\n  of record March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HUTTON <EFH> ENDS PUROLATOR <PCC> BID\n","article":"  Emery Air Freight Corp said it has\n  entered into an agreement with E.F. Hutton Group Inc EFH under\n  which Hutton will terminate its merger agreement with Purolator\n  Courier Corp and its pending 35-dlr-per-share tender offer,\n  effective April 13.\n      Under its merger agreement, Hutton has the right to\n  unilaterally terminate the merger agreement under certain\n  circumstances, including its receipt of less than 66-2\/3 pct of\n  Purolator shares or the start of a higher competing tender\n  offer, such as Emery's competing 40 dlr per share offer for\n  Purolator stock.\n      Yesterday, Hutton's PC Acquisition Corp subsidiary extended\n  its tender offer, which was to have expired at midnight, for\n  two more days.  It said it only about 450,000 shares, or 6.5\n  pct, of Purolator shares had been tendered and not withdrawn,\n  down from an 11.5 pct interest held earlier.\n      Emery's bid expires April 28.\n      Emery said pending the termination of PC Acquisition's\n  merger agreement, PC has released Purolator from an agreement\n  not to discuss Emery's acquisition proposal with Emery. Emery\n  said as a result it is renewing its request that Purolatr enter\n  into merger negotiations with it.\n      Emery said if it were to acquire 51 pct of Purolator shares\n  or control of the Purolator board, it has agreed not to dispute\n  PC Acquisition's right to receive fees that Purolator agreed to\n  pay if PC were unsuccessful in acquiring control of Purolator\n  due to the acquisition of control by another party.\n      The company said it has also agreed to let Purolator pay\n  all of PC Acquisition's documented expenses in connection with\n  the merger agreement up to three mln dlrs and Emery has agreed\n  to pay the amounts itself should Purolator fail to do so.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SOUTH AFRICAN GOLD HOLDINGS RISE IN MARCH\n","article":"  South Africa gold holdings rose 172.56\n  mln rand to 4.17 billion rand in March after rising 39 mln rand\n  to 4.0 billion in February, Reserve Bank figures show.\n      In volume terms gold holdings rose to 5.51 mln ounces in\n  March from 5.26 mln ounces in February, valued at 757.24 rand\n  an ounce for March versus 754.59 rand an ounce for February.\n      Total gold and foreign assets rose to 6.30 billion rand\n  from 6.22 billion, of which the gold content increased to 66.22\n  pct from 64.3 pct.\n      Foreign bills remained at zero in March while investments\n  fell slightly to 105.69 mln rand from February's 106.56 mln\n  rand and other assets to 2.02 billion rand from 2.11 billion,\n  the figures showed. Total liabilities fell to 12.21 billion\n  rand in March after rising to 13.62 billion in February.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SPAIN TO SELL BARLEY TO SAUDI ARABIA\n","article":"  Spain will shortly sign with Saudi Arabia\n  an order for barley for April\/May delivery, trade sources said.\n      They gave no details on amounts or prices, but said it\n  would be a \"major\" order.\n      Saudi Arabia bought 500,000 tonnes of Spanish barley last\n  year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DAHLBERG INC <DAHL> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 10 cts vs loss seven cts\n      Net profit 286,870 vs loss 156,124\n      Revs 10.0 mln vs 7,577,207\n      Year\n      Shr profit five cts vs profit 42 cts\n      Net profit 160,109 vs profit 906,034\n      Revs 38.1 mln vs 31.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 2.9 mln vs 2.2 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 year includes 53 weeks.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BRASCAN LTD <BRS.A> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 50 cts vs 46 cts\n      Net 43.0 mln vs 34.8 mln\n      YEAR\n      Shr 1.55 dlrs vs 1.38 dlrs\n      Net 136.8 mln vs 112.9 mln\n      Note: Holding company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FLORIDA COMMERCIAL BANKS INC <FLBK> QTLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 14 cts vs 14 cts prior\n      Payable March 31\n      Record March 16\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"VOLCKER SAYS FURTHER SIZEABLE DECLINE IN DOLLAR COULD BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE\n","article":"\n  VOLCKER SAYS FURTHER SIZEABLE DECLINE IN DOLLAR COULD BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRAZILIAN COFFEE RAINFALL\n","article":"  THE FOLLOWING RAINFALL WAS RECORDED IN\n  THE AREAS OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS\n      PARANA STATE: UMUARAMA NIL, PARANAVAI NIL, LONDRINA NIL,\n  MARINGA NIL.\n      SAO PAULO STATE PRESIDENTE PRUDENTE NIL, VOTUPORANGA NIL,\n  FRANCA NIL, CATANDUVA NIL, SAO CARLOS NIL, SAO SIMAO NIL.\n      MINAS GERAIS STATE: GUAXUPE 33.0 MILLIMETRES, TRES PONTAS\n  5.0 MM. REUTER\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VOLCKER SAYS EXCHANGE RATE ADJUSTMENT ENOUGH TO NARROW U.S. TRADE DEFICIT\n","article":"\n  VOLCKER SAYS EXCHANGE RATE ADJUSTMENT ENOUGH TO NARROW U.S. TRADE DEFICIT\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<CHAUVCO RESOURCES LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 16 cts vs 35 cts\n      Net 476,000 vs 929,000\n      Revs 3,000,000 vs 3,600,000\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"VOLCKER SAYS REDUCING U.S. BUDGET DEFICIT NEEDED TO IMPROVE TRADE BALANCE\n","article":"\n  VOLCKER SAYS REDUCING U.S. BUDGET DEFICIT NEEDED TO IMPROVE TRADE BALANCE\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"VOLCKER SAYS MORE STIMULUS ABROAD NEEDED FOR ADJUSTMENTS IN TRADE BALANCES\n","article":"\n  VOLCKER SAYS MORE STIMULUS ABROAD NEEDED FOR ADJUSTMENTS IN TRADE BALANCES\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN CUTTING CHINA CORN COMMITMENTS - USDA\n","article":"  Japanese traders have apparently\n  sharply reduced commitments to buy Chinese corn over the next\n  six months due to high prices, the U.S. Agriculture Department\n  said.\n      In its World Production and Trade Report, the department\n  said traders indicated China may lack supplies or be unwilling\n  to sell at current low world prices.\n      If the reports are confirmed, China's major export\n  destinations such as USSR, Japan, and South Korea, could\n  increase purchases of U.S. corn, it said.\n      China is currently forecast to export 5.5 mln tonnes of\n  corn during 1986\/87 (Oct-Sept), it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GRAIN RESERVE HOLDINGS -- USDA\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department gave\n  a preliminary breakdown of grain in the Farmer-Owned Grain\n  Reserve as of April 1, with comparisons, based on telephone\n  reports from farmers filed with the department's Kansas City\n  field office, in mln bushels --\n             April 1   Previous\n   Wheat     657.6      659.7\n   Corn    1,406.5    1,397.0\n   Sorghum    95.8       95.5\n   Barley    122.1      122.0\n   Oats        3.7        3.7\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ON-LINE SOFTWARE <OSI> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr primary 34 cts vs 17 cts\n      Shr diluted 33 cts vs 17 cts\n      Net 1,487,000 vs 686,000\n      Rev 19.8 mln vs 8.8 mln\n      Nine months\n      Shr primary 77 cts vs 43 cts\n      Shr diluted 75 cts vs 43 cts\n      Net 3,240,000 vs 1,710, 000\n      Rev 42.2 mln vs 25.0 mln\n      NOTE: Company's full name is On-Line Software International\n  Inc.\n      The qtr and year-to-date results include the operations,\n  since the end of October 1986, of a business purchase from\n  Martin Marietta Corp <ML>.\n      In fiscal 1987 ending May 31 the company initially adopted\n  FASB statement number 86 and, as required, capitalized certain\n  software deveopment costs. During the qtr and nine months\n  period ended Febraury 28, 1987 the company capitalized pre-tax\n  amounts of 746,000 dlrs and 1,445,000 dlrs of development\n  costs, respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GRAIN RESERVE HOLDINGS BREAKDOWN\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department gave\n  the following breakdown of grain remaining in the farmer-owned\n  grain reserve as of April 1, in mln bushels, by reserve number\n  --\n               I    II  III    IV      V      VI\n   Wheat      nil  nil  0.1   0.3    10.5  479.7\n   Corn        --   --   --   4.1 1,231.9     --\n   Sorghum-x   --   --   --   0.1    38.8     --\n   Barley      --   --   --   0.1    73.9     --\n   x - mln cwts. Note - USDA says above totals may not match\n  total in reserve numbers.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RUDING AGAINST FURTHER DOLLAR FALL, TRADE CURBS\n","article":"  Shifts in domestic economic policy,\n  not a further fall in the dollar or trade restrictions, are the\n  key to reducing imbalances in trade and payments, Dutch Finance\n  Miniister H. Onno Ruding said.\n      Ruding told a meeting of the World Trade Forum here that\n  protectionism would naturally lead to retaliation and aggravate\n  the problems of heavily indebted developing countries.\n      \"The main contribution towards resolving the still enourmous\n  U.S. trade deficit is not repeat not a further fall in the\n  dollar, is not still more protectionism in your country.\"\n      \"No, it is - like in other countries - changes in domestic\n  economic and financial policies,\" Ruding said.\n      Ruding said he was less worried about a crisis of the\n  weakening dollar than he was in January before the Paris accord\n  to stabilize foreign exchange rates.\n      He said the highest priority should be given to policy\n  changes in the United States, especially reducing the budget\n  deficit and encouraging domestic savings.\n      But he said other countries, such as Japan and West\n  Germany, also needed to take greater steps toward reducing\n  their trade surpluses.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SAUDI SUCCESS SEEN IN CURBING OPEC PRODUCTION\n","article":"  Saudi Arabia will succeed in pressuring\n  other members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting\n  Countries to stay within their production quotas, said Morgan\n  Stanley Group managing director John Wellemeyer.\n      Wellemeyer, speaking to reporters at an offshore oil\n  engineering conference, also said he expected OPEC nations to\n  attempt to hold prices under 20 dlrs a barrel for several years\n  to keep industrial demand for residual fuel oil strong.\n      \"Over the next few weeks I think you'll see a concerted\n  effort by the Saudis to get production down,\" Wellemeyer said.\n      \"The Saudis are committed to that price level (of 18 dlrs a\n  barrel) and are willing to make it happen again,\" he said.\n      In recent weeks, oil prices fell to the 16 to 17 dlrs a\n  barrel level on market reports of some OPE members producing\n  above their quota, pushing total OPEC production to 15.8 mln\n  barrels per day. But prices rebounded today, with April U.S.\n  crude prices up about one dlr to over 17 dlrs a barrel on a\n  belief Saudi Arabia is attempting to curb OPEC output.\n      Wellemeyer said that sharp declines in U.S. oil production\n  could push demand for OPEC oil above 20 mln barrels per day as\n  early as 1989 and up to 24 mln barrels per day by 1993.\n      Although the projected increases in demand for OPEC oil\n  should strengthen world prices, Wellemeyer said he believed the\n  organization would hold its official price below 20 dlrs a\n  barrel for some time to prevent residual fuel users from\n  switching to natural gas supplies. The interfuel swing market\n  accounts for about eight mln barrels a day, or 18 pct of the\n  world demand for oil.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CAROLYN BEAN <CBEN> COMPLETES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Carolyn Bean Publishing Ltd said\n  it has completed the acquisition of greeting card company\n  Millen Cards, which had sales of over 1,500,000 dlrs in 1986,\n  for undisclosed terms.\n      The company said 90 pct of Millen's cards have been sold in\n  the northeast and mid-Atlantic states, but Bean expects to\n  increase sales to 2,500,000 dlrs this year by distributing the\n  line nationally.\n      Millen specializes in Jewish religious cards and also sells\n  traditional greeting cards.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHESAPEAKE <CSK> SEEKS TO SELL UNIT\n","article":"  Chesapeake Corp said it has\n  retained Salomon Inc <SB> to help it sell Plainwell Paper Co\n  Inc, a maker of premium coated and uncoated printing papers and\n  technical specialty papers with a capacity of 85,000 short tons\n  a year.\n      The company said it has decided to sell Plainwell in ordfer\n  to focus on the production of kraft and tissue products,\n  containers and treated wood products.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BALL <BLL> TO SUPPLY PENNY BLANKS TO MINTS\n","article":"  Ball Corp said it was awarded a\n  one-year 12,750,000 dlr contract to supply copper-plated zinc\n  penny blanks to the U.S. mints in Philadelphia and Denver.\n      The new contract, effective in June, calls for shipping\n  23,200,000 pounds of blanks to the mint in Philadelphia and\n  7,600,000 pounds to Denver. It said the blanks will be\n  manufactured in Greenville, Tenn.\n      Ball began supplying blanks to the San Francisco and West\n  Point mints in 1981 when the penny's content was changed to\n  zinc from copper.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC DRIVING TO CAPTURE BRAZIL WHEAT MARKET - USDA\n","article":"  The European Community, EC, sold\n  75,000 tonnes of soft wheat at a subsidized price of between 85\n  and 89 dlrs per tonne FOB for March delivery in a continuing\n  bid to establish itself in the Brazilian wheat market, the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department said.\n      The sale sharply undercut the U.S. offer of 112 dlrs per\n  tonne FOB for 33,000 tonnes of wheat, it said in its latest\n  report on Export Markets for U.S grains.\n      EC sales to Brazil total about 225,000 tonnes during\n  1986\/87 (July-June) in stark contrast to only 50,000 tonnes in\n  the 1985\/86 season, it said.\n      The increasing presence of EC wheat in Brazil comes at a\n  time when the Brazilian Wheat Board, BWB, expects the wheat\n  import market will expand to 3.4 mln tonnes from the current\n  forecast of 3.0 mln in the 1986\/87 year.\n      The BWB cites record consumption and an eventual decline in\n  domestic production, and says government plans to lower the\n  guaranteed price of wheat from 242 dlrs per tonne to 180 dlrs\n  will contribute to greater import demand, the USDA said.\n      It said the BWB expects the U.S. to be major supplier of\n  the additional 400,000 tonnes, but commitments for purchase of\n  U.S. wheat through two-thirds of 1986\/87 year total only\n  600,000 tonnes versus 700,000 a year ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VOLCKER URGES INDUSTRIAL NATIONS TO KEEP TRADE MARKETS OPEN TO FOSTER GROWTH\n","article":"\n  VOLCKER URGES INDUSTRIAL NATIONS TO KEEP TRADE MARKETS OPEN TO FOSTER GROWTH\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TYCO LABORATORIES <TYC> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr primary 58 cts vs 66 cts\n      Shr diluted 54 cts vs 66 cts\n      Net 10.1 mln vs 11.4 mln\n      Revs 266.2 mln vs 194.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 17.4 mln vs 17.1 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr primary 1.78 dlrs vs 1.58 dlrs\n      Shr diluted 1.65 dlrs vs 1.58 dlrs\n      Net 30.9 mln vs 27.1 mln\n      Revs 823.8 mln vs 511.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 17.4 mln vs 17.3 mln\n      NOTE: prior qtr and nine mths include 3.1 mln dlrs, or 18\n  cts per share, from gain on partial settlement on an insurance\n  claim.\n      nine mths 1987 includes seven cts gain for partial\n  settlement on an insurance claim.\n     Results of Flow Control operations have been included since\n  its acquisition from ITT Corp on Jan 31 1986.\n     nine mths prior includes extraordinary gain 2.3 mln dlrs, or\n  14 cts per share, for replacement of a pension plan.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CITY NATIONAL CORP <CTYN> RAISES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Shr 16 cts vs 13 cts\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GOLD FIELDS OF S. AFRICA PROFIT FALLS IN QUARTER\n","article":"  1ST QTR TO MARCH 31\n      Working profit 487.50 mln rand vs 559.59 mln\n      Tax 274.28 mln vs 302.15 mln\n      Net 264.32 mln vs 300.99 mln\n      Tonnes milled 3.74 mln vs 3.72 mln\n      Gold production 30,865 kgs vs 30,236 kgs\n      Gold revenue 846.05 mln rand vs 907.36 mln\n      Working costs 358.56 mln vs 347.77 mln\n      Avg price per kg 27,371 rand vs 29,964\n      NOTE - Full name of company is Gold Fields of South Africa\n      Ltd <GLDF.J>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VOLCKER WARNS AGAINST SIZEABLE DLR DECLINE\n","article":"  Federal Reserve Board Chairman Paul\n  Volcker said a further large drop in the value of the dollar\n  could be counterproductive for world economic growth.\n      Testifying before the Senate Banking Committee, Volcker\n  said that Europe and Japan were slowing exports and that growth\n  in those countries was also decreasing.\n      \"In that kind of situation, further sizeable depreciation\n  of the dollar could well be counterproductive,\" he said.\n      Domestic expansion in foreign industrial countries has not\n  been enough to offset the effects of slower exports, Volcker\n  said.\n      On the value of the dollar, Volcker said he could not say\n  whether it should be higher or lower to restore balance in\n  trade.\n      \"What we do know is that a substantial exchange rate\n  adjustment has already been made,\" he said.\n      \"That adjustment should be large enough, in a context of a\n  growing world economy and fiscal restraint in the United\n  States, to support the widespread expectations of a narrowing\n  in the real trade deficit in the period ahead,\" he said.\n      Volcker said U.S. exports were now growing substantially\n  while import growth should slow.\n      Volcker said that to improve the trade deficit with a\n  minimum of inflationary pressure, the United States would have\n  to slow its spending growth.\n      It would also have to achieve a better balance between\n  investment and domestic savings if it wants to be able to\n  dispense with foreign capital.\n      \"The constructive way to work in the needed direction would\n  be to reduce our budget deficit, year by year, paving the way\n  for improvements in our trade accounts,\" he said.\n      Relying on depreciation of the dollar alone would risk\n  renewed inflation, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WALL STREET STOCKS\/MARION LABS <MKC>\n","article":"  Marion Laboratories Inc's stock rose\n  sharply today after the company presented a bullish earnings\n  scenario at a meeting for pharmaceutical analysts Monday,\n  traders and analysts said.\n      The company said it expects earnings for fiscal 1987,\n  ending June 30, to rise more than 75 pct over a year ago.\n      That pronouncement encouraged analyst David Crossen of\n  Sanford C. Bernstein and Co to raise his earnings estimates for\n  the company to 1.28 dlrs a share in 1987, compared to his\n  previous estimate of 1.20 dlrs a share. Last year the company\n  earned 70 cts a share.\n      Marion's stock gained 3-1\/4 to 75-1\/2.\n      At the meeting of pharmaceutical analysts, Marion's\n  president Fred Lyons Jr. said Wall Street eanrings estimates of\n  1.10-1.15 dlrs a share for fiscal 1987 \"are expected to cause\n  even the aggressive side of this range to be 10 to 15 cts low.\"\n      Lyons said the strong performance in the second half of\n  this year will result from the fourth quarter introduction of\n  90 mg and 120 mg Cardizem tablets. Analyst Crossen said that\n  Cardizem, which treats angina, is also expected to be approved\n  for the treatment of hypertension by the end of the year.\n      Crossen said \"because Marion is still just a small company,\n  the growth of Cardizem is having a big impact on the bottom\n  line.\" He raised fiscal 1988 earnings estimates to 2.15 dlrs a\n  share from his previous estimate of 2.05 dlrs a share.\n      \"The company has a broad new product pipeline in the\n  industry and as far as I am concerned, it is the most\n  innovative company in the business,\" he said.\n      For the five years through 1991, Crossen expects Marion to\n  have a growth rate of 55 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. CALLS FOR GREATER GATT CHECKS ON TRADE\n","article":"  The United States has appealed for\n  stronger powers for the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade\n  (GATT) to enforce world trade rules.\n      The call by U.S. Deputy Trade Representative Michael Smith\n  at a special committee meeting into the future of GATT follows\n  a series of bilateral trade rows which have clouded efforts by\n  the 93-nation body to promote fair trade.\n      Today's meeting was part of the Uruguay trade round\n  launched by ministers last September. The round, which covers\n  13 areas of trade in agriculture, manufactured goods and\n  services will take four years to negotiate.\n      Smith called for boosting GATT's links with financial\n  institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and World\n  Bank. He also urged greater involvement of trade ministers to\n  ensure the success of the Uruguay Round.\n      \"The GATT as an institution needs to be strengthened to\n  assure that the GATT plays its proper role in management of the\n  world trading system and the global economy,\" Smith said.\n      \"Rules can and will be ignored if the institution is weak,\n  or perceived as unable to adapt to the changing world economy.\"\n      He also also urged that member states be accountable to\n  each other for their trade policies.\n      Smith, who flies to Brussels today for talks with European\n  Community (EC) officials, told Reuters the committee wanted to\n  stress GATT's importance and did not discuss specifics.\n      \"We are interested in more periodic ministerial\n  involvement...Whether in formal or informal meetings,\" he said.\n      GATT's ruling council is due to hear a complaint from the\n  12-nation EC on April 15 about the U.S.-Japanese accord on\n  semiconductors. The EC charges the accord breached GATT trade\n  rules by allowing Tokyo to set minimum prices for Japanese\n  chips sold in third countries and is requesting a GATT dispute\n  panel be set up to review the agreement.\n      President Reagan, who strongly supported the Uruguay trade\n  round to promote freer trade, has said Washington will impose\n  tariffs against Japanese electronic goods.\n      He said Tokyo had not shown willingness to open its markets\n  to U.S. Exports.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ZENITH LABS <ZEN> WILL REPORT 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Zenith Laboratories Inc said the\n  company will report a fourth quarter loss, and the amount will\n  be determined on completion of its year end audit. The company\n  did not elaborate further.\n      For the third quarter ended Sept 30, 1986, Zenith reported\n  a loss of 3,451,000 dlrs or 16 cts per share, adjusted for a\n  May 1986 2-for-1 stock split.\n      The company also said it received Food and Drug\n  Administration approval to market Cefadroxil, a generic version\n  of an antibiotic with domestic sales exceeding 50 mln dlrs in\n  1986.\n      Zenith said it will not market the drug until \"questions\n  relating to the applicability of certain patents have been\n  resolved.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHINA SOYBEAN OUTPUT DOWN SLIGHTLY - USDA REPORT\n","article":"  China's soybean crop this year is\n  forecast at 11.5 mln tonnes, down slightly from 11.55 mln\n  estiamted for last year, the U.S. Agriculture Department's\n  officer in Peking said in a field report.\n      The report, dated April 2, said Chinese imports this year\n  are projected at 300,000 tonnes unchanged from last year's\n  level.\n      Exports are forecast to increase to 1.0 mln tonnes from\n  800,000 tonnes exported last year, the report said.\n      Imports of soybean oil are estimated at 200,000 tonnes,\n  also unchanged from last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TURKISH CENTRAL BANK SETS LIRA\/DOLLAR, DM RATES\n","article":"  The Turkish Central Bank set a\n  Lira\/Dollar rate for April 8 of 784.50\/788.42 to the Dollar,\n  down from the previous 784.35\/788.27.\n      The Bank also set a Lira\/Mark rate of 430.60\/432.75 to the\n  Mark, down from the previous 429.35\/431.50.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MANDATORY PRODUCTION CONTROLS DEBATED AT APC\n","article":"  Delegates to the American Pork Congress\n  will decide whether or not they want mandatory production\n  controls when they vote on the official pork producer policy\n  wednesday, the National Pork Producers Council said.\n      The American Pork Congress, APC, delegates, listened to\n  both sides of the question when former Iowa Congressman Berkley\n  Bedell and Bill Lesher, USDA Assistant Secretary for Economics\n  for the years 1981 to 1985 debated at the convention in\n  Indianapolis.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN BUYS 25,000 TONNES U.S. SOYBEANS\n","article":"  Taiwan bought 25,000 tonnes U.S.\n  soybeans today at 203.40 dlrs a tonne, C and F, Gulf, for May\n  15-30 shipment, private export sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VOLCKER URGES QUICK AID TO DEBTOR NATIONS\n","article":"  Federal Reserve Board Chairman Paul\n  Volcker said that debtor nations have made much progress in\n  laying the groundwork for economic growth, but a solution to\n  world debt difficulties was endangered by inaction on new\n  financing.\n      \"There is clearly a danger that adequate financing\n  arrangements are not being negotiated and put in place in a\n  timely way,\" Volcker told the Senate Banking Committee.\n      The borrowing countries need to be able to proceed with\n  confidence that the necessary funds will be available to them,\n  he said.\n      Brazil has the potential for becoming a leading world\n  economic power, but it is in a difficult position today,\n  Volcker said.\n      He said it will take a concerted effort to regularize\n  Brazil's external payments.\n      \"The key prerequisite is clearly in the hands of Brazilian\n  authorities,\" he said.\n      Both Brazil and its creditors have a strong incentive to\n  work together, Volcker said.\n      Regarding trade imbalances, Volcker said that it was\n  critically important that markets be kept open by the\n  industrial nations.\n      In addition, the United States must reduce its budget\n  deficit and foreign nations need to provide stimulus to their\n  domestic economies, Volcker said.\n      \"We need time for those actions and the earlier\n  depreciation to work their effects,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BUNDESBANK RETAINS MONEY SUPPLY POLICY\n","article":"  Bundesbank council member Lothar\n  Mueller said the bank has not given up its money supply policy\n  and that restraining money supply growth does not always mean\n  pushing up interest rates.\n      Mueller said in an article for the Boersen Zeitung\n  financial daily that a monetary policy which took into account\n  exchange rate expectations and capital flows could not be\n  confused with an exchange rate oriented policy.\n      The article followed international press speculation that\n  the Bundesbank had abandoned money supply targetting in favour\n  of an exchange rate policy.\n      Mueller, a member of the Bundesbank council in his position\n  as president of the regional state central bank in Bavaria,\n  noted that the Bundesbank's decision in January to cut leading\n  interest rates amid continuing strong monetary growth had led\n  some people to think it was dropping monetary targetting.\n      \"Simply to ignore the external economic context would be\n  risky and dangerous for monetary policy,\" he explained.\n      Mueller said the cuts in official interest rates had put an\n  end to interest rate speculation. The Bundesbank could now\n  assume that upward pressure on the mark would ease and currency\n  inflows slow down.\n      Lower money market rates, achieved by widening short and\n  long term interest rate differentials, also encouraged\n  investors to re-invest funds parked in liquid accounts, Mueller\n  said.\n      The measures therefore aimed clearly at bringing monetary\n  growth back onto the desired path, he said.\n      \"Finally, of course, and there is no need to keep this\n  quiet, the cut in interest rates was also in line with the\n  changed economic situation of the last few months,\" he added.\n      \"All in all, the Bundesbank in no way abandoned its money\n  supply policy with the January discount rate cut, despite\n  suppositions to the contrary,\" Mueller said.\n      \"Keeping money supply developments in check is not always\n  synonymous with raising interest rates, especially when\n  excessive liquidity due to inflows from abroad, rather than\n  growth in bank credits, is the cause of rising monetary\n  holdings of non-banks,\" Mueller said.\n      Now that West Germany no longer ran large external deficits\n  other concepts were needed for monetary policy.\n      Mueller said it would be both difficult and dangerous for\n  monetary policy to pursue a specific mark\/dollar exchange rate.\n      In any case, the exchange rate partly depends on U.S.\n  Currency and budgetary policy and the U.S. Economy, he said.\n      But an exchange rate orientation would also mean the end of\n  a strict stability policy because both interest rates and\n  liquidity would be affected by required currency intervention\n  and could no longer be steered autonomously by the Bundesbank.\n      Even interest rates are not in the centre of the\n  Bundesbank's considerations, but reflect competition and other\n  market conditions, Mueller said.\n      A cut in bank liquidity will not directly influence central\n  bank money stock, the Bundesbank's main money supply indicator.\n      This does not reflect banking liquidity, but the liquidity\n  of industry and households which cannot be directly reached\n  with the Bundesbank's instruments, Mueller said.\n      The less dependent non-banks are on bank credits, the\n  harder it is to steer money supply. This has increasingly been\n  the case recently, because non-banks have received considerable\n  sums from current account surpluses and capital imports.\n      \"If the Bundesbank had tried to brake the money supply rise\n  with higher interest rates, as would have been appropriate if\n  credit was growing excessively, it would not only have missed\n  its target but probably even set off further inflows,\" he said.\n      Mueller said growth in money supply was still too high.\n      In the last three months money stock grew at an annual rate\n  of seven pct, down from 10 pct in the previous quarter.\n      The growth curve has therefore come closer to the three to\n  six pct 1987 target corridor for central bank money stock\n  growth, pointing to the success of the current policy, he said.\n      But high monetary stocks can be a warning sign and there\n  should be no change in priorities. \"Monetary policy must be\n  first and foremost stability policy and successful stability\n  policy is money supply policy -- nothing else,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN PASSES ON U.S. CORN, WILL RETENDER\n","article":"  Taiwan passed on its tender overnight\n  for 25,000 tonnes of U.S. corn and 49,000 tonnes U.S. sorghum,\n  private export sources said.\n      Taiwan will retender for the corn, for May 15-30 shipment\n  if via the Gulf, or June 1-15 via Pacific northwest, on March\n  6, but has not rescheduled a tender for sorghum, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VOLCKER URGES GREATER EXCHANGE RATE STABILITY\n","article":"  Federal Reserve Board Chairman Paul\n  Volcker said international policymakers should make improving\n  the stability of exchange rates a major priority.\n      In testimony before a Senate Banking subcommittee, Volcker\n  said he does not have any specific proposals for improving\n  exchange rate stability, but thought it was worthy goal.\n      \"I do think we ought to be thinking about and working toward\n  greater exchange rate stability,\" Volcker said. \"I think that the\n  objective of greater exchange rate stability ought to loom\n  larger among our various policy priorities.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ITALY SAYS G-7 GIVES CHANCE TO VERIFY TOKYO ACCORD\n","article":"  This week's Group of Seven (G-7) meeting in\n  Washington provides an opportunity to verify an accord reached\n  at the Tokyo summit last May to include Italy and Canada in\n  Group of Five (G-5) talks on management of the international\n  monetary system and related issues, the Italian Treasury said.\n      It said in a statement the G-7 meeting, which Italy plans\n  to attend, will provide a forum for considering the Tokyo\n  accord in the light of events in Paris in February this year.\n      On February 22, Italy boycotted a meeting in Paris of its\n  G-7 partners - the United States, Japan, West Germany, France,\n  Britain and Canada - after being excluded from an earlier\n  session of talks involving G-5 members.\n      Today's statement from the Italian Treasury said-\n      \"Nobody denies the existence of G-5 but we should like it to\n  be remembered that the Tokyo accords provided for the\n  enlargement of the group to Italy and Canada whenever \"the\n  management or the improvement of the international monetary\n  economic policy measures are to be discussed or dealt with.'\"\n      Italy refused to attend the Paris G-7 meeting on the\n  grounds that G-5, grouping the United States, Japan, West\n  Germany, France and Britain, had reduced Italy's role to rubber\n  stamping agreements already taken.\n      The Italian Treasury said today that Italy was \"certain that\n  this time incidents would not occur.\"\n      But it said it would be opportune to look in depth at the\n  role and the procedures of G-7 in relation to those of G-5.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANGLADESH PASSES ON TENDER FOR SOFT WHEAT\n","article":"  Bangladesh passed on its weekend tender\n  for 100,000 tonnes of optional origin soft wheat, private\n  export sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KUWAIT SAID SEEKING FOREIGN PROTECTION FOR OIL\n","article":"  Kuwait has asked at least four\n  countries, including the United States, Soviet Union, Britain\n  and China, for temporary use of their flags or tankers to\n  protect Kuwaiti oil shipments in the troubled Persian Gulf,\n  Reagan Administration officials said.\n      The officials confirmed a New York Times report that Kuwait\n  wants to transfer some of its oil tankers to U.S. or Soviet\n  registration in hopes Iran would be reluctant to launch new\n  \"Silkworm\" missiles at superpower flags.\n      The United States has vowed to keep the gulf open to\n  international oil traffic and has warned Tehran against using\n  the Chinese-made missiles recently installed in Iran near the\n  mouth of the gulf.\n      \"They (the Kuwaitis) have also asked Britain, China and\n  possibly some other European countries to lease tankers to\n  carry their oil,\" one of the administration officials, who asked\n  not to be identified, told Reuters.\n      The United States is considering the request to temporarily\n  transfer Kuwaiti ships to American registration, but such a\n  move could create insurance and other problems, the officials\n  said.\n      U.S. defense officials told Reuters yesterday that Kuwait\n  had decided for at least the time being not to accept a U.S.\n  offer to use American warships to escort its tankers in the\n  gulf, where both Iran and Iraq have been attacking shipping.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ROLLS APPROACHES FLOAT WITH PROFITS SET TO RISE\n","article":"  State-owned engine maker <Rolls Royce\n  Plc> launches its prospectus for privatisation tomorrow with\n  many analysts forecasting higher profits this year. But it is\n  likely to miss contracts to power the proposed <Airbus\n  Industrie> A340 aircraft.\n      The company's so-called \"pathfinder prospectus\" gives all the\n  details of its stock market flotation except for the price at\n  which shares will be offered.\n      Last month, the company announced that pretax profits rose\n  in 1986 to 120 mln stg from 81 mln the year before.\n      Brokers Barclays de Zoete Wedd, BZW, sees 155 mln profit\n  for 1987.\n      Analyst Tim Harris of Phillips and Drew said rising profits\n  and a low tax charge would be offset by the fact that Rolls\n  operated in a sector which traditionally attracted low ratings.\n      Assuming the company was valued at around eight times\n  earnings, this would give a selling price valuing it at about\n  1.2 billion, though he said the recent good performance of the\n  aerospace sector could nudge this figure upwards.\n      BZW is currently forecasting a higher sale price at between\n  1.5 billion and 1.7 billion.\n      The price will be increased by it being likely to have much\n  of its debt wiped off by a government anxious to assure the\n  company's health when it has to fend for itself. Rolls was\n  rescued from bankruptcy and taken into state ownership in 1971.\n      When the government announced the sale, it said it would\n  inject permanent capital equivalent to net debt -- around 250\n  mln stg at end-1986 -- into the company.\n      Analysts noted this was necessary to ensure Rolls a credit\n  rating to match those of its main competitors such as General\n  Electric Co <GE.N> and United Technologies Corp's <UTX.N> Pratt\n  and Whitney unit.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PORK CHECKOFF REFUNDS LESS THAN EXPECTED\n","article":"  The National Pork Board announced at the\n  American Pork Congress convention in Indianapolis that refunds\n  under the legislative checkoff program are running less than\n  expected.\n      The Board oversees collection and distribution of funds\n  from the checkoff program that was mandated by the 1985 farm\n  bill. Virgil Rosendale, a pork producer from Illinois and\n  chairman of the National Pork Board, said over 2.2 mln dlrs was\n  collected in January and refunds are running almost nine pct,\n  considerably less than expected.\n      \"We believe that this indicates good producer support for\n  the new checkoff. We're getting good compliance from markets,\n  from packers and from dealers,\" Rosendale said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"VOLCKER SEES DOLLAR AS FACTOR IN MONETARY POLICY\n","article":"  Federal Reserve Board Chairman Paul\n  Volcker said the performance of the dollar in exchange markets\n  could be a factor in the U.S. central bank's decisions on\n  monetary policy.\n      \"The performance of the dollar in the exchange market might\n  become a factor bearing on our provision of reserves,\" Volcker\n  said in testimony to the Senate Banking Committee.\n      He said that fiscal policy changes in the United States,\n  Germany and Japan would be more important that intervention to\n  instill confidence in current exchange rate levels.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTH AFRICA CORN EXPORTS COULD BE REDUCED-USDA\n","article":"  Despite earlier optimistic\n  indications, the South African corn crop is at a critical stage\n  in its development and recent reports of heat stress could\n  reduce production and therefore exportable supplies, the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department said.\n      In its report on Export Markets for U.S. Grains, the\n  department said South Africa's corn exports in the 1986\/87\n  (Oct-Sept) season are estimated at 2.5 mln tonnes, up 40 pct\n  from the previous year.\n      The re-emergence of South Africa as a competitor follows a\n  period of severe droughts, which at one point required South\n  Africa to import 2.7 mln tones of U.S. corn in 1983\/84, it\n  said.\n      Since those imports in 1983\/84, the U.S. has been facing\n  increased competition from South Africa in Taiwan and Japan.\n      But if South Africa is perceived as lacking available\n  supplies, purchases of U.S. corn may be further stimulated, the\n  department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED EXPECTED TO SET CUSTOMER REPURCHASES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve is expected to\n  intervene in the government securities market to supply\n  temporary reserves indirectly via customer repurchase\n  agreements, economists said.\n      They said the Fed is expected to execute anywhere from\n  1.5-2.0 billion dlrs of customer repos to offset seasonal\n  pressures on bank reserves.\n      Federal funds, which averaged 6.20 pct yesterday, opened at\n  6-1\/8 pct and remained there in early trading.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BROWN-FORMAN INC <BFD> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr one dlr vs 73 cts\n      Net 12.6 mln vs 15.8 mln\n      Revs 337.3 mln vs 315.2 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 3.07 dlrs vs 3.08 dlrs\n      Net 66 mln vs 66.2 mln\n      Revs 1.59 billion vs 997.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<PAGE PETROLEUM LTD> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.98 dlrs vs loss 5.24 dlrs\n      Net loss 23.3 mln vs loss 44.8 mln\n      Revs 13.6 mln vs 29.6 mln\n      Note: 1986 net includes nine mln dlr extraordinary loss for\n  oil and gas writedowns and unrealized foreign exchange losses\n  vs yr-ago loss of 32.5 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"VOLCKER PUSHES SPENDING CUTS OVER TRADE BILL\n","article":"  Federal Reserve Board Chairman Paul\n  Volcker said reducing the federal budget deficit was a more\n  important goal for Congress than drafting trade legislation.\n      \"Reduce the budget deficit,\" Volcker responded when asked by\n  a member of the Senate Banking Committee about trade\n  legislation priorities.\n      \"If you don't deal with the budget deficit, everything else\n  you do is going to be counterproductive,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN SPORTS ADVISORS <PIKS> TO LIQUIDATE\n","article":"  American sports Advisors Inc\n  said it has agreed to sell its sports handicapping and\n  publication business to Professor Enterprises for about\n  1,650,000 dlrs and intends to liquidate after closing.\n      The transaction is subject to shareholder approval.\n      Professor is owned by American Sports president Edward C.\n  Horowitz and Mike Warren, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"VOLCKER SAYS RESTRICTIVE MONETARY POLICY WOULD HURT INVESTMENT\n","article":"\n  VOLCKER SAYS RESTRICTIVE MONETARY POLICY WOULD HURT INVESTMENT\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<DEXLEIGH CORP> SIX MTHS DEC 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr four cts vs three cts\n      Net 4,505,000 vs 4,493,000\n      Revs 23.3 mln vs 21.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CBT TRADERS LOOK AHEAD TO SPRING PLANTINGS\n","article":"  Chicago Board of trade grain traders and\n  analysts voiced a lot of interest in how farmers planned to\n  handle their upcoming spring plantings, prompting sales of new\n  crop months of corn and oats and purchases in new crop soybeans\n  in the futures markets.\n      Professionals in the grains trade think that farmers will\n  be more willing to stick with corn acres than soybeans because\n  corn is protected by the acreage reduction program. That gives\n  deficiency payments to farmers if corn prices stay low.\n      Farmers can place soybeans under the loan program if they\n  sign-up for reduced acreage, but they have no price guarantees.\n      With the price outlook for both commodities so dismal,\n  traders believe farmers will want to stick with a sure thing\n  rather than gamble on soybeans, even though the new crop\n  soybean\/corn ratio of 2.9\/1 would make planting soybeans more\n  attractive under normal circumstances.\n      An announcement late Friday that the USDA will lift the\n  limited cross-compliance requirement for the 1987 oats crop,\n  means farmers will be able plant an estimated two to three mln\n  more oat acres this year than last without being penalized,\n  traders said.\n      Here too, acres some farmers may have been thinking of\n  shifting to soybeans will now be planted with oats, due to the\n  more attractive deal from the government, they added.\n      Cotton prices are almost twice what they were just six\n  months ago, which should prompt many farmers in the South to\n  put soybean land back into cotton.\n      One of the reasons for the steady increase in soybean\n  production in recent years has been a general shift of acres in\n  traditional cotton producing regions of the South to soybeans,\n  which are easier to grow, one commercial trader said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VOLCKER SEES TIGHT POLICY HURTING INVESTMENT\n","article":"  Federal Reserve Board Chairman Paul\n  Volcker said a restrictive monetary policy would be damaging to\n  investment and that a better course would be to restrain\n  spending.\n      \"A restrictive monetary policy would hit investment. You\n  don't want to put interest rates up unless you have to,\" Volcker\n  told the Senate Banking Committee.\n      \"That is not a constructive way to proceed,\" he said.\n      Volcker said that given a choice between squeezing the\n  budget deficit or squeezing investment, he would favor\n  squeezing the budget deficit.\n      In response to a question about banks, Volcker said he\n  would be pleased if Congress decided to give banks a tax\n  writeoff as an incentive for them to take greater reserves\n  against loans to debtor countries.\n      \"If you give a tax writeoff for reserving against loans,\n  then we will see more reserving and that would make me happy,\"\n  Volcker told Committee Chairman Sen William Proxmire (D-Wisc).\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. CONGRESS TO LOOK AT SOIL PROGRAM EXEMPTIONS\n","article":"  The Senate Agriculture Committee is\n  expected to take up a bill tomorrow that would exempt from\n  government conservation regulations those farmers who have\n  rotated alfalfa and other multiyear grasses and legumes with\n  row crops, committee staff said.\n      Under current so-called \"sodbuster\" law, farmers who planted\n  alfalfa and other multiyear grasses and legumes on highly\n  erodible land in the years 1981 through 1985 lose federal farm\n  program benefits if they produce a row crop on that land in\n  later years.\n      Sen. Edward Zorinsky (D-Neb.), sponsor of the measure, said\n  recently that those crop rotating practices resulted in less\n  erosion than the practices of many farmers who produced\n  strictly row crops.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEW BEDFORD INSTITUTION FOR SAVINGS <NBBS> YEAR\n","article":"  Net 12.3 mln vs 6,438,000\n      NOTE: Company went public in March.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL PORK BOARD ALLOCATES 2.4 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  The National Pork Board on Monday\n  allocated 2.4 mln dlrs in discretionary funds, collected from\n  the 100 pct national checkoff program, to three industry\n  organizations.\n      The National Pork Producers Council, NPPC, will receive\n  almost 1.8 mln dlrs for use in the areas of food service,\n  consumer education and marketing. In addition the board\n  allocated 375,000 dlrs in use in \"Pork - The Other White Meat\"\n  campaign, according to a Pork Board spokesperson.\n      The National Livestock and Meat Board will receive 644,000\n  dlrs to continue work in educating health care officials.\n  120,000 dlrs in matching funds will be provided to the meat\n  board for use in the development of a better market for\n  processed meats.\n      The Meat Export Federation was awarded 50,000 dlrs to\n  increase the market for chilled and processed U.S. pork in\n  Japan and Singapore. Retail stores in these two countries will\n  be providing additional funding for the program.\n      A total of 5,000 dlrs for work in encouraging McDonalds to\n  expand its McRib sandwich to Japan and Singapore was also\n  awarded to the Meat export Federation.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"NIPPON STEEL INVESTS 8 MLN DLRS IN GTX CORP\n","article":"  GTX Corp said Nippon Steel Co of Japan,\n  in a move to diversify into high technology, invested eight mln\n  dlrs in GTX.\n      Nippon's move was the result of current exchange rates and\n  the revaluation of the yen, which \"have made the U.S.\n  electronics industry an attractive investment opportunity for\n  Japanese corporations,\" according to a GTX statement.\n      GTX noted that Nippon is expecting sales of 27 billion dlrs\n  by 1995. Of that amount, six billion dlrs is targeted for\n  electronics. GTX, located in Phoenix, makes computerized\n  systems that read drawings and transfer them into data bases.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PHOTRONICS CORP <PHOT> YEAR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 64 cts vs 38 cts\n      Net 1,062,000 vs 585,000\n      Sales 13.6 mln vs 9,262,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OCEAN BIO-CHEM INC <OBCI> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr eight cts vs seven cts\n      Net 215,821 vs 196,873\n      Sales 3,112,571 vs 2,649,003\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TELE-COMMUNICATIONS <TCOMA> SELLS CABLE SYSTEMS\n","article":"  Knight-Ridder Inc <KRI> said its TKR Cable\n  Co joint venture with Tele-communications Inc has signed a\n  letter of intent to acquire cable television systems with\n  55,000 basic subscribers in Wildwood, N.J., and Ramapo and\n  Warwick, N.Y., from Tele-Communications for undisclosed terms.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ENVIRONMENTAL POWER CORP <POWR> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 25 cts vs loss 15 cts\n      Net profit 998,000 vs loss 612,000\n      Revs 8,086,000 vs 365,000\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GERMAN LONG-TERM CAPITAL INFLOW SLUMPS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  The inflow of long-term capital into\n  West Germany slumped to 606 mln marks in February from\n  January's record 11.91 billion, with foreign purchases of\n  German bonds and shares declining sharply, the Bundesbank said.\n      While foreigners bought only four billion marks worth of\n  German bonds in February after 13 billion in January, they sold\n  a net 500 mln marks in shares and promissory notes of public\n  authorities after sales worth 300 mln in January.\n      With German investors' purchases of foreign securities\n  steady around 1.3 billion marks, only 2.2 billion marks were\n  imported through securities transactions, after 11.2 billion.\n      Direct investment abroad led to a capital outflow of 1.60\n  billion marks in February after 2.83 billion in January.\n      There was a deficit of 8.14 billion marks in the short-term\n  capital account after a surplus of 194 mln in January.\n      Banks alone exported some 8.6 billion marks in funds while\n  domestic companies increased their short-term financial assets\n  abroad by 700 mln. But public authorities received some one\n  billion marks from abroad, the Bundesbank said in a statement.\n      Combining long and short term capital outflows, West\n  Germany recorded a net outflow of 7.53 billion marks in\n  February against a net inflow of 11.91 billion in January.\n      The Bundesbank confirmed the German trade surplus widened\n  to 10.45 billion marks in February from January's 7.20 billion.\n      Taking the two months together the seasonally adjusted\n  surplus was slightly below the figure for the previous two. In\n  terms of current as well as constant prices, the narrowing of\n  the surplus was progressing, the bank said.\n      Germany's current account surplus widened to 6.63 billion\n  marks in February from 4.79 billion in January, but was down on\n  the 7.26 billion figure for February 1986. Seasonally adjusted,\n  the February current account surplus narrowed against January.\n      While exports in February fell a half pct against the same\n  month last year, imports fell 10-1\/2 pct largely due to the\n  drop in prices. Exports grew three pct in volume and imports\n  two pct.\n      In the balance of services, a fall in net investment income\n  led to a 300 mln mark deficit in February after a 300 mln mark\n  surplus in January.\n      The deficit in transfer payments widened to 3.70 billion\n  marks from 2.69 billion, largely due to a sharp jump to 2.3\n  billion marks from 200 mln in payments to the European\n  Community budget.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"C.T.C. DEALER EXTENDS BID FOR CANADIAN TIRE\n","article":"  C.T.C. Dealer Holdings Ltd said it\n  extended its previously announced offer for 49 pct of <Canadian\n  Tire Corp Ltd> to midnight on March 26.\n      CTC, a group of Canadian Tire dealers, which already owns\n  17 pct of Canadian Tire, is currently appealing in an Ontario\n  court against a previously announced Ontario Securities\n  Commission ruling blocking CTC's 272 mln dlr bid.\n      The blocked bid did not include non-voting shareholders,\n  who hold 96 pct of Canadian Tire equity.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC SOURCES SAY UK WHEAT PLAN YET TO BE APPROVED\n","article":"  The European Commission has not taken a\n  decision on applications from the British government for the\n  release of 200,000 tonnes of intervention feed wheat onto the\n  British market in May and June, Commission sources said.\n      They said last week's cereals management committee agreed\n  to release 70,000 tonnes of feed wheat through weekly tenders\n  between April 14 and May 26. It also indicated it planned to\n  allow the release of another 30,000 tonnes from April 23.\n      However, it decided to leave consideration of the release\n  of further wheat until later.\n      The British government had applied for the release of a\n  further 100,000 tonnes in both May and June from British\n  intervention stores to prevent market prices rising.\n      However, the sources said, the Commission wanted to review\n  the market situation nearer the time before giving its\n  approval.\n      The Commission was given new powers last year to control\n  the release of intervention cereals onto the market, the\n  sources noted.\n      Following last week's committee meeting, the U.K. Ministry\n  of Agriculture said the Commission had given an assurance that\n  additional quantities of intervention wheat would be made\n  available in May and June. It also said that it was envisaged\n  that monthly releases would be at least 100,000 tonnes,\n  depending on the state of the market.\n      This lead to the widespread assumption that the Commission\n  had actually approved the release of 300,000 tonnes during the\n  three months of April, May and June at last week's meeting.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BROKERAGE FIRM UPS STAKE IN ALLEGHENY <AG>\n","article":"  The New York brokerage firm of Spear,\n  Leeds and Kellogg told the Securities and Exchange Commission\n  it had increased its preferred stock in Allegheny International\n  Inc to 8.6 pct, from 7 pct.\n      It said it may buy additional shares, but had not decided\n  whether to offer its shares in response to a tender offer by\n  Sunter Acquisition Corp, a unit of First Boston Inc.\n      The brokerage firm said it bought the Allegheny shares\n  March 30-April 2 for 86.50-87.25 dlrs each.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ROCKWELL <ROK> SEES IMPROVEMENT IN 1987\n","article":"  Rockwell International Corp\n  continues to expect significant improvement in 1987 results,\n  despite the somewhate disappointing performance of one of its\n  business segments, President Donald Beall told Reuters.\n      Rockwell reported net earnings in its first quarter ended\n  December 31 of 149.4 mln dlrs, or 1.05 dlrs per share, compared\n  to 125.8 mln dlrs, or 84 cts per share a year ago.\n      Operating earnings, however, were off about four pct, and\n  analysts have attributed the decline to Rockwell's\n  Allen-Bradley unit, which has suffered from weakness in the\n  industrial automation market.\n      \"It is in a soft market now, but we are not concerned. It\n  is moving forward with market development and is enhancing\n  market share,\" Beall said of Allen-Bradley unit.\n      Beall, who was in Los Angeles to address a Technology\n  management conference, said first quarter sales for the\n  Allen-Bradley unit were flat as compared to a year earlier. He\n  said the company does not break out operating earnings by unit\n  on a quarterly basis.\n      Beall said the recent trend toward cost sharing in the\n  research and development phase of government contracts should\n  not have a major impact on Rockwell's near-term performance.\n      He noted, however, the increasing focus on cost sharing\n  could limit technological innovation.\n      \"I worry that we are heading into a period of misuse of\n  contracting approaches too early in the development stages of\n  important military contracts,\" Beall said, adding, \"long-term,\n  we have a very serious problem.\"\n      In addition, Beall told the conference the greatest\n  competitive threat to defense contractors is in defense\n  electronics, due to the government's attempt to take advantage\n  of competitively priced products made outside the U.S.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MALTA TENDERS FOR WHITE SUGAR TODAY - TRADE\n","article":"  Malta is tendering to buy 3,000 tonnes\n  white sugar today for arrival in two equal parts in May and\n  June, traders said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED SETS TWO-DAY SYSTEM REPURCHASES, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  FED SETS TWO-DAY SYSTEM REPURCHASES, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CORROON AND BLACK <CBL> COMPLETE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Corroon and Black Corp said it\n  completed the acuqisition of <Contractors Planning Group Inc>\n  in an exchange of shares.\n      Contractors is headquartered in Garden City, N.Y., and has\n  branch offices in Philadelphia, Boston, and Cheshire, Conn.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COLONIAL <CLBGA> TO ACQUIRE PENSACOLA BANK\n","article":"  Colonial BancGroup said it and\n  The Liberty Bank of Pensacola, Fla., signed a letter of intent\n  for Colonial to acquire Liberty.\n      Terms of the acquisition were not dislcosed.\n      Colonial said the acquisition was its first move toward\n  acquiring and out-of-state bank under Alabama's regional\n  interstate banking law.\n      Liberty has total assets of 35 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUPER RITE FOODS INC <SRFI> SETS QTRLY PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div five cts vs five cts prior\n      Pay April 27\n      Record April 20\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MILTON ROY CO <MRC> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 11 cts vs 11 cts prior\n      Pay June 15\n      Record May 15\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GOLDSIL AND GOLDEN RULE AGREE TO MERGE\n","article":"  <Golden Rule Resources Ltd> and\n  Goldsil Resources Ltd said they had agreed to merge.\n      The merged company will issue to each Golden Rule\n  shareholder 1-1\/2 shares and one warrant. The warrant will be\n  for a term of two years. Payment of 3.10 dlrs and delivery of\n  two warrants will entitle the shareholder to one additional\n  share of the merged company, the companies said.\n      Each Goldsil shareholder will receive one share and\n  one-half warrant. The warrant will be for a term of two years.\n  Payment of 3.10 dlrs and delivery of two warrants will entitle\n  the shareholder to one additional share of the merged company.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FED SETS TWO-DAY SYSTEM REPURCHASES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve entered the\n  government securities market to arrange two-day repurchase\n  agreements for system account, a spokeswoman for the New York\n  Fed said.\n      Fed funds were trading at 6-1\/8 pct at the time of the\n  direct injection of temporary reserves, dealers said.\n      Most economists had expected a less aggressive injection of\n  reserves via customer repurchase agreements.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COLONIAL BANCGROUP INC <CLBGA> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 25 cts vs 55 cts\n      Net 1.3 mln vs 2,460,000\n      NOTE: 1987 1st qtr includes loan write-offs at banking\n  subsidiary, The Colonial Bank of Mobile, due to loan losses, of\n  1.3 mln dlrs or 25 cts a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" Dresdner to propose 1986 dividend 10 marks vs same, one-for-18 bonus share issue\n","article":"\n   Dresdner to propose 1986 dividend 10 marks vs same, one-for-18 bonus share issue\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN CUTS CHIP SUPPLY, MAY PRODUCE SHORTAGE\n","article":"  Japan is attempting to cut back\n  semiconductor production to forstall the 300 mln dlrs in U.S.\n  tariffs on Japanese electronic goods set to take effect April\n  17, industry analysts said.\n      The move is likely to create a sharp price rise and a\n  possible shortage of the key computer components in the next\n  few weeks, the analysts said.\n      \"Prices have gone up for memory components, the mainstay of\n  the Japanese semiconductor industry,\" analyst Drew Peck of\n  Donaldson Lufkin and Jenrette said.\n      But analysts said the price rises have been slight so far,\n  and some questioned whether Japan would be successful in\n  forcing Japanese companies to cut production in the long run.\n      Others, however, were more optimistic, saying evidence was\n  already in hand that Japan has cut back prodution and halted\n  sales to the grey market, the third country brokers that sell\n  chips at below production costs.\n      \"We've seen the grey market begin to dry up for D-RAMS, and\n  it has virtually dried up for EPROMS,\" said Merrill Lynch\n  analyst Thomas Kurlack of the two key memory chips used in\n  computers.\n      \"Prices are inching up and lead times on deliveries are\n  stretching,\" Kurlack added.\n      Industry analysts said Japan's Ministry of International\n  Trade and Industry, or MITI, had requested the cut backs in\n  production to meet the terms of last year's semiconductor\n  accord with the U.S.\n      The Reagan adminsitration recently proposed tariffs on\n  Japanese electronic goods, alleging that Japan had failed to\n  live up to the accord and continued to dump the computer\n  components in the U.S. market.\n      But some analysts said Japan's attempt to mollify the U.S.\n  was a double edged sword, and might be read at a subtle form of\n  trade retaliation for the tariffs proposed by the U.S.\n      As production in Japan is cut, these analysts argue, prices\n  will rise in the U.S. and few American semiconductor\n  manufactures will be able to take up the slack since most long\n  ago exited the market for memory chips. U.S. computer makers\n  that use the chips in their machines will then be pressured.\n      \"The Japanese are looking for ways to reduce trade\n  pressures from Washington, but at the same time they're\n  demonstating their muscle,\" analyst Peck said.\n      The cut backs in Japanese production are expected to\n  benefit U.S. chip makers.\n      \"I think this could be a very important factor for U.S.\n  semiconductor manufacturers,\" industry analyst Elliot Levine of\n  Ladenburg Thalmann Co said.\n      But analyst Peck said, \"it will take a few weeks to see\n  whether Japan has genuinely cut production.\"\n      He said Japanese manufactures were likely to view MITI's\n  request unfavorably because chip capacity was still high and\n  production cut backs would lead to significant write-offs in\n  plant and equipment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IDB COMMUNICATIONS GROUP INC <IDBX> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Period ended December 31.\n      Shr 25 cts vs 20 cts\n      Net 801,000 vs 703,000\n      Revs 6,318,000 vs 3,926,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MICKELBERRY CORP <MBC> SETS QTLY PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 1-1\/2 cts vs 1-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 13\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTORS RAISE STAKE IN PUROLATOR <PCC>\n","article":"  Two New York management investment\n  firms told the Securities and Exchange Commission they had\n  increased their holdings in Purolator Courier Corp to 7.2 pct,\n  from 6.2 pct.\n      Mutual Shares Corp and Mutual Qualified Income Fund Inc\n  said they were weighing offers to buy Purolator shares from PC\n  Acquisition Inc, a unit of E.F. Hutton LBO Inc, for 35 dlrs a\n  share, and from EAF Acquisitions Corp Inc, a unit of Emery Air\n  Freight Corp. at 40 dlrs\n      They told the commission they had bought their new\n  Purolator shares March 25-27 for 34.875-35.250 dlrs each.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DUTCH MONEY MARKET DEBT RISES IN WEEK\n","article":"  Loans and advances from the Dutch\n  Central Bank to the commercial banks rose by 1.2 billion\n  guilders to 10.7 billion in the week up to and including April\n  6, the Bank's weekly return showed.\n      Paper discounted with the Bank also rose, by 477 mln\n  guilders to 916 mln.\n      These rises were balanced by a 1.6 billion guilders rise in\n  the Treasury's account at the Bank, made up mainly of\n  repayments on housing loans by local authorities.  The\n  Treasury's account stood at 8.1 billion guilders, the weekly\n  return showed.\n      The Bank's gold and currency reserves rose by 484 mln to\n  56.89 billion guilders, while the value of non-gold holdings\n  rose by 140 mln guilders, analysts said.\n      They added that the rise in the reserves was merely the\n  result of commercial currency transactions by the Bank.\n      Call money and period tariffs were only fractionally\n  changed this week and were seen sustaining their stable levels\n  since no dramatic changes in the money market debt, currently\n  around 10.25 billion guilders, are expected.\n      Today call money traded between 5-3\/8 to 5-1\/2 pct and\n  period tariffs all between 5-5\/16 to 5-7\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SWAP DEALERS UNVEIL STANDARD CONTRACT\n","article":"  The International Swap Dealers\n  Association has developed the first standard form contract for\n  use by arrangers of currency and interest rate swap\n  transactions, said Thomas Jasper, the Association's\n  co-chairman.\n      The contract, unveiled at a press conference , is expected\n  to make the 300 billion dlr a year swap market more efficient,\n  he said. \"The contracts wil accelerate the process and reduce\n  the expense of swap documentation,\" Japsper said.\n      Privately, eurobond traders estimate that about 80 pct of\n  all new issues eventually become part of either an interest\n  rate or currency swap.\n      An interest rate swap occurs when two issuers, usually\n  acting through a bank middleman, agree to accept each other's\n  interest payments on debt securities. Usually, the issuer of a\n  floating rate debt security swaps into fixed-rate debt and vice\n  versa. But the obligation for repayment of the debt remains\n  with the original borrower.\n      Bank regulators have become concerned about the use of\n  swaps because the middleman, usually a bank, takes on some\n  portion of the risk but is not required to show it on the\n  balance sheet as a liability and may not have sufficient\n  capital to cushion it.\n      Kenneth McCormick, a co-chairman of the ISDA and president\n  of Kleinwort Benson Cross Financing Inc, said the Bank of\n  England and the U.S. Federal Reserve Board were expected later\n  today to announce joint proposals for setting minimum capital\n  standards for counterparties in swaps.\n      The standards are part of the recently announced\n  convergence agreement between the two countries in which\n  regulators have attempted to set similar capital requirements\n  for institutions.\n      McCormick told reporters the ISDA was concerned that a\n  \"level playing field\" be maintained in the swaps market.\n      He said if U.K. And U.S. Banks were required to hold more\n  primary capital against swap transactions than is the current\n  practice, the additional costs would have to be passed on to\n  issuers.\n      The issuers might then choose to do business with\n  lower-cost banks which are not subject to U.S. Or U.K. Banking\n  rules.\n      He said the ISDA had been working on a code of conduct for\n  swap dealers as part of its self-regulatory effort.\n      That code should be completed within the next few weeks, he\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KUWAIT ASKS TO USE FOREIGN FLAG TANKERS, U.S SAYS\n","article":"  Kuwait has asked at least four\n  countries, including the United States, Soviet Union, Britain\n  and China, for temporary use of their flags or tankers to\n  protect Kuwaiti oil shipments in the troubled Persian Gulf,\n  Reagan Administration officials said.\n      The officials confirmed a New York Times report that Kuwait\n  wants to transfer some of its oil tankers to U.S. or Soviet\n  registration in hopes Iran would be reluctant to launch new\n  \"Silkworm\" missiles at superpower flags.\n      The United States has vowed to keep the gulf open to\n  international oil traffic and has warned Tehran against using\n  the Chinese-made missiles recently installed in Iran near the\n  mouth of the gulf.\n      \"They (the Kuwaitis) have also asked Britain, China and\n  possibly some other European countries to lease tankers to\n  carry their oil,\" one of the administration officials, who asked\n  not to be identified, told Reuters.\n      The United States is considering the request to temporarily\n  transfer Kuwaiti ships to American registration, but such a\n  move could create insurance and other problems, the officials\n  said.\n      U.S. defense officials told Reuters yesterday that Kuwait\n  had decided for at least the time being not to accept a U.S.\n  offer to use American warships to escort its tankers in the\n  gulf, where both Iran and Iraq have been attacking shipping.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. GRAIN CERTS SAVE 50-100 MLN DLRS - AMSTUTZ\n","article":"  The use of generic commodity\n  certificates, or \"certs,\" for fiscal years 1986-88 will save\n  the government 50 to 100 mln dlrs, Department of Agriculture\n  Undersecretary Daniel Amstutz said.\n      Speaking at a House agriculture subcommittee hearing on the\n  use of the certificates, Amstutz said that the issuance of 8.5\n  billion dlrs of certificates during fiscal years 1986-88 could\n  result in government outlays of up to 400 mln dlrs.\n      However, the use of certificates preclude the need for 450\n  to 500 mln dlrs in storage and handling costs, resulting in net\n  savings for the government of 50-100 mln dlrs, he said.\n      Without the use of certificates, Amstutz said nearly the\n  entire 1985 crop which had been put under loan would have been\n  forfeited to the Commodity Credit Corporation, CCC.\n      In addition, 260 mln bushels of grain that have been\n  redeemed from CCC inventory through certificate exchanges would\n  have remained in the goverment inventory, he said.\n      When asked to comment on a recent study by the General\n  Accounting Office that concluded certificates result in a net\n  cost to the government, Amstutz said, \"GAO underestimated the\n  benefits and overstated the costs\" of the certificate program.\n      Amstutz said while certificates encourage more loan\n  entries, they also encourage heavier loan redemptions rather\n  than forfeitures.\n      GAO underestimated this net loan activity, Amstutz said.\n      \"There is no question in the mind of the Department of\n  Agriculture that these certificates have been very useful,\"\n  Amstutz said.\n      Immediate benefits of certificates include greater market\n  liquidity, improved market price competitiveness, higher farm\n  income, and improved debt situation and decreased carrying\n  costs, he said.\n      Certificates are an integral part of USDA's long-range\n  market-oriented farm policy, he said.\n      Amstutz told subcommittee Chairman Rep. Dan Glickman,\n  D-Kans., that USDA is in the process of preparing an official\n  response to the GAO study on certificates and will submit it to\n  the subcommittee when completed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VOLCKER SAYS FED POLICY NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR PRIME RATE RISE\n","article":"\n  VOLCKER SAYS FED POLICY NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR PRIME RATE RISE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. URGES SURPLUS NATIONS TO BOOST GROWTH\n","article":"  Leading industrial nations will be\n  reviewing the Paris agreement to stabilize exchange rates,\n  foster increased worldwide growth and reduce trade imbalances\n  but the U.S. thinks the accord has been successful so far, a\n  senior U.S. Treasury official said.\n      \"The Paris accord will be reviewed at this meeting. It has\n  been successful and continues to be succesfull,\" a senior U.S.\n  Treasury official told reporters.\n      In a briefing ahead of this week's semiannual IMF and World\n  Bank meetings, he also said the U.S. was looking to West\n  Germany and Japan to bolster their economic growth.\n      The official said both surplus countries, like West Germany\n  and Japan, and deficit countries, like the U.S., agreed to play\n  a role in bringing about more balanced economic growth.\n      He reaffirmed the U.S. would press ahead with efforts to\n  reduce its budget deficit, resist protectionism and boost U.S.\n  competitiveness.\n      The official also said that he expected trade issues, like\n  the dispute between the U.S. and Japan over microchips, to be\n  included in the discussions.\n      The official made no direct comment on the content or\n  schedule of forthcoming Group of Five and Group of Seven\n  discussions. He said that industrial countries are concerned\n  that the large external imbalances remain a threat to the\n  international monetary system.\n      He added that the meetings will also provide an opportunity\n  to discuss economic policy coordination efforts.\n      The official said indicators would be used to measure\n  policy objectives of industrial countries and their economic\n  projections.\n      They would also be used to assess progress of policy goals.\n      Asked whether the U.S. was proposing a new initiative\n  regarding the indicators, the official said the issue would be\n  reported to the Venice Summit in June. Monetary sources said\n  the U.S. proposal envisages using the indicators to make policy\n  coordination agreements, like the Paris Accord, more binding.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"METROPOLITAN FEDERAL <MFTN> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Metropolitan Federal Savings\n  and Loan Association said it has signed a letter of intent to\n  acquire American Trust of Hendersonville, Tenn., for an\n  undisclosed amount of cash.\n      American Trust had year-end assets of over 40 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ACME PRECISION <ACL> SETS HOLDER VOTE ON BUYOUT\n","article":"  Acme Precision Products Inc said it set\n  its annual meeting for May 14 for shareholders to vote on the\n  proposed management-led leveraged buyout of the company.\n      The record date for the meeting will be April 16, with\n  proxy materials to be sent to shareholders on or before April\n  20.\n      The buyout proposal, which was previously announced, will\n  be structured as a one for 100,000 reverse stock split. It must\n  be approved by a majority of shareholders. Acme Precision has\n  1,008,857 shares outstanding.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GM'S <GM> PONTIAC HAS INTEREST RATE INCENTIVES\n","article":"  General Motors Corp said its\n  Pontiac Division has established an interest rate support\n  incentive program, effective immediately, as an alternative to\n  its current option bonus program.\n      The company said qualified buyers of Pontiacs may now\n  select special finance rates of 3.9 pct on 24-month contracts,\n  7.9 pct on 36-month contracts, 8.9 pct on 48-mopnth contracts\n  or 9.9 pct on 60-month contracts.  The program is scheduled to\n  expire April 30.\n      Under the option bonus program, which is also scheduled to\n  expire April 30, buyers receive cash bonuses on the purchase of\n  Pontiacs equipped with option group packages, with the amount\n  depending on the option level on each vehicle.\n      The company said the special interst rate program applies\n  to ann new 1986 and 1987 Pontiacs sold from dealer stock and\n  delivered to customers during the program period.  A customer\n  may choose only one program, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VOLCKER SAYS FED POLICY NOT LINKED TO RATE RISE\n","article":"  Federal Reserve Board Chairman Paul\n  Volcker said that he did not believe there was a connection\n  between the Fed's policies and the recent rise in the prime\n  interest rate by most major U.S. banks.\n      Asked by reporters following testimony before the Senate\n  Banking Committee whether the Fed had anything to do with the\n  rise to 7-3\/4 pct in the prime, he replied, \"not that I was able\n  to detect.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<WESTAR MINING LTD> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr not given\n      Oper loss 5,900,000 vs profit 9,300,000\n      Revs 105.3 mln vs 131.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr not given\n      Oper loss 21.7 mln vs profit 34.7 mln\n      Revs 370.7 mln vs 515.1 mln\n      Note: 67 pct owned by <British Columbia Resources\n  Investment Corp>\n      Note continued: 1986 qtr excludes extraordinary loss of 3.6\n  mln dlrs versus loss of 294.0 mln dlrs in prior year\n      1986 year excludes extraordinary loss of 79.1 mln dlrs\n  versus loss 221.5 mln dlrs in prior year\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WEIS MARKETS <WMK> IN THREE FOR TWO STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Weis Markets Inc said its board\n  declared a three-for-two stock split for holders of record May\n  1, 1987, with a distribution date of May 22, 1987.\n      The company also said a regular quarterly dividend of 16\n  cts per share on the pre-split shares will be paid May 22 to\n  shareholders of record May 1.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MCCORMICK CAPITAL <MKOR> 1986 YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr primary 24 cts vs 25 cts\n      Shr diluted 21 cts vs 25 cts\n      Net 530,583 vs 493,423\n      Revs 10.2 mln vs 9,834,578\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DOW CHEMICAL <DOW> TO SELL SOUTH AFRICAN UNIT\n","article":"  Dow Chemical Co said it has\n  agreed in principle to sell its industrial chemicals and\n  plastics business interests in South Africa and related assets\n  to a group of South African investors for undisclosed terms,\n  completing the sale of the company's South African assets\n      Dow said it will continue to support its educational and\n  health programs for South African blacks.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. SAYS NO PACT ON RELIEF FOR POOREST STATES\n","article":"  There is no consensus so far among\n  industrial countries on an agreement providing debt relief for\n  the world's poorest nations, a senior U.S. Treasury official\n  said.\n      The official said, \"There has not been a consensus reached\n  yet,\" when asked about reports the Paris club of western\n  creditors had agreed to long-term stretch outs of African debt\n  at concessional interest rates.\n      The official, briefing reporters on this week's semiannual\n  IMF meetings, said the issue would be discussed this week and\n  the U.S. had an open mind on the proposal but it did object to\n  concessional interest rate relief.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. MINT SEEKING OFFERS ON COPPER, NICKEL\n","article":"  The U.S. Mint said it is seeking\n  offers on 3,701,000 lbs of electrolytic copper and 629,000 lbs\n  of electrolytic cut nickel cathodes or briquettes that it\n  intends to purchase.\n      It said both metals are for delivery in the week of May 11\n  to Olin Corp, East Alton, Ill.\n      Offers for the copper are due by 1100 hrs EDT, April 21,\n  while offers on the nickel are due at 1100 hrs EDT on April 14.\n      The Mint said that firms, in submitting their offers,\n  select to receive payment by standard check or be wire\n  transfer. Awards are determined by whichever of the two methods\n  is most cost advantageous, based on the cost of money at that\n  time.\n      The minimum acceptance periods for each solicitation is\n  three calendar days for the copper and 10 calendar days for the\n  nickel, the Mint said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FAMILY HEALTH SYSTEMS <FHSY> TO MAKE PURCHASE\n","article":"  Family Health System Inc said\n  The Federal Bankruptcy Court in Fort Worth, Texas has approved\n  its offer to purchase <Sheppard Dental Centers Inc's> assets\n  from a Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceeding for about 300,000 dlrs.\n      FHS administers and markets multiple office dental\n  practices in the Dallas metropolitan area as well as dental\n  offices in the Dallas Metroplex.\n      The company said it plans to open 12 locations in Dallas by\n  the end of 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ARMOR ALL PRODUCTS CORP <ARMR> QUARTERLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div ten cts vs ten cts\n      Pay April 1\n      Record March 9\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"OLD FASHION FOODS INC <OFFI> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 10 cts vs 10 cts\n      Net 131,000 vs 135,000\n      Revs 4,222,000 vs 3,656,000\n      Avg shrs 1,278,529 vs 1,356,672\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 31 cts vs 31 cts\n      Net 406,000 vs 426,000\n      Revs 12.3 mln vs 11.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,330,511 vs 1,361,421\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CONSOLIDATED-BATHURST SEES BETTER MARKET\n","article":"  (Consolidated-Bathurst Inc) said it\n  expects improvement in the pulp and paper sector shown in the\n  second half of 1986 to continue this year. The continued\n  improvement would be due to good market demand, better product\n  prices and high operating capacity, the company said in its\n  annual report.\n      Consolidated-Bathurst, which reported operating profit of\n  104 mln dlrs last year on sales of 2.02 billion dlrs, said its\n  joint-venture acquisition of a market pulp mill at Castlegar,\n  B.C. last year broadens its product range and will contribute\n  to equity earnings.\n      Last year's results were up from 1985 operating profit of\n  80 mln dlrs and sales of 1.73 billion dlrs.\n      The company said it views its near-term prospects with\n  improved optimism.\n      It said results from its Bridgewater newsprint mill in the\n  U.K. should improve greatly this year due to stronger capacity\n  and production and more favorable market conditions.\n      It said it anticipates a return to profitability in 1987\n  for its Diamond-Bathurst Inc (DBH) subsidiary, which lost 6.2\n  mln U.S. dlrs and underwent a reorganization last year, and\n  expects higher sales and earnings for its other North American\n  packaging divisions.\n      Consolidated-Bathurst said the outlook for its Europa\n  Carton unit is mixed. It said the effect of trade disputes\n  between the United States and the European Economic Community\n  on the West German economy and the higher value of the mark may\n  lead to increased costs which could not be offset by price\n  increases.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MORE U.S. GRAIN CERTIFICATES NEEDED, STUDY SAYS\n","article":"  More generic grain certificates\n  should be released onto the market in order for the U.S.\n  certificate program to have its full effect on commodities,\n  according to a study by Sparks Commodities Inc.\n      The Agriculture Department should make grain deficiency\n  payments and paid land diversion payments in a two-third\n  certificate, one-third cash ratio through fiscal year 1989, \n  Carroll Brunthaver, president of Sparks Commodities, told a\n  House agriculture subcommittee hearing on certificates.\n      Thereafter, government payments should be issued in roughly\n  a 50-50 split between cash and certificates, Brunthaver said.\n      The Sparks study on certificates examined two possible\n  scenarios through the 1990 growing season -- a \"zero\n  certificate case,\" where no certificate program was assumed,\n  and an alternative case labeled \"adequate certificate case\" in\n  which sufficient certificates would be released so that grain\n  prices would not be artificially supported by market shortages\n  due to acreage reduction programs or government holdings.\n      The study showed that total grain use under the adequate\n  certificate scenario would exceed the zero certificate scenario\n  by 11.2 pct.\n      Usage would be markedly more in 1989 and 1990, when grain\n  usage under a certificate program was estimated to exceed the\n  zero certificate case by 15 to 19 pct.\n      For the five-year period examined, government expenditures\n  under the adequate certificate case were 7.0 billion dlrs, or\n  7.5 pct less than under the zero certificate case.\n      The Sparks study said that 5.1 billion dlrs, or 70 pct of\n  those savings resulted from smaller government storage costs.\n      The study also estimated that government grain stocks under\n  the adequate certificate case would be 4.7 billion bushels\n  below the zero certificate case at the end of the period\n  examined.\n      The Sparks study said that while certificates permit market\n  prices to fall below loan levels, these lower prices increase\n  commodity usage and reduce the net costs of certificates versus\n  cash.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CUMMINS ENGINE <CUM> SEES IMPROVED EARNINGS\n","article":"  Cummins Engine Co said it told\n  shareholders higher engine orders to the North American\n  heavy-duty truck market will result in improved earnings in the\n  first quarter.\n      Cummins said the company should make progress this year and\n  next toward its goal of five pct profitability.\n      Cummins recorded net income of 3,743,000 dlrs, or 38 cts\n  per share, on sales of 516.9 mln dlrs.\n      It said it expects 1987 North American heavy-duty truck\n  production to total 135,000 units, an 8.5 pct increase from\n  1986.\n      Cummins said it expects capital expenditures to total about\n  155 mln dlrs, down from 274 mln dlrs the year before.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NORTH-WEST TELECOM <NOWT> MAKES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  North-West Telecommunications Inc\n  said it acquired the assets and customer base of Com-Tel\n  Systems Inc, a telephone interconnect firm that operates in La\n  Crosse and Stevens Point, Wis. and Rochester, Minn.\n      It said the purchase only includes the businesses in La\n  Crosse and Rochester.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"MILTON ROY CO <MRC> SETS REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 11 cts vs 11 cts prior\n      Pay June 15\n      Record May 15\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"OHIO MATTRESS CO <OMT> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 15 cts vs 15 cts\n      Net 2,407,000 vs 2,393,000\n      Revs 117.2 mln vs 67.1 mln\n      Note: Aggregate judgments in antitrust and other suits of\n  77 mln dlrs not included in year-ago or 1987 1st qtr results.\n  Company said any portion of this amount, including related\n  interest or attorneys' fees, would be proportionately reflected\n  as a reduction in its minority interest of Sealy recorded on\n  its consolidated balance sheet upon final settlement of\n  litigation.\n      Note: Consolidated balance sheet as of end of 1st qtr\n  reflects after-tax impact of 50 mln dlr settlement won by Sealy\n  licensee in Michigan.\n      1987 results include all operations of all acquired\n  Sealy-brand licensees and 82 pct of Sealy. Remaining 18 pct of\n  Sealy is recorded as minority interest.\n      Proceeds of 170 mln dlrs from sale of stock and debt were\n  used to reduce balance of revolving credit agreement to 80 mln\n  dlrs. Accordingly, 250 mln dlr obligation to banks under credit\n  agreement was recorded as a long-term liability as of end of\n  1st qtr.\n      Note: In April, company intends to acquire Michigan Sealy\n  licensee and fund transaction with 25 mln dlrs in cash and\n  borrow balance required from banks.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WILLIAMS COS <WMB> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 6.97 dlrs vs profit 92 cts\n      Net loss 240 mln vs profit 31.6 mln\n      Revs 1.9 billion vs 2.5 billion\n      NOTE: 1986 includes loss of 250 mln dlrs or 7.27 dlrs a\n  share from discontinued operations and writedowns of holdings\n  in Texasgulf Inc. 1985 restated.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GEONEX SEES SALES HURT BY PRODUCTION SHIFT\n","article":"  Geonex Corp <GEOX> said\n  BellSouth Corp <BLS> unit Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph\n  Co's decision to postpone the start up of new conversion\n  assignments at Geonex's Chicago Aerial Survey unit could\n  negatively affect its fiscal 1987 revenues.\n      The company said it had expected higher revenues from the\n  records conversion work, but it now foresees revenues from\n  Southern Bell work at about eight mln dlrs, the same level as\n  last fiscal year.\n      Geonex said Southern Bell will let CAS continue work in\n  progress and it expects to perform mechanized posting and\n  records conversion for Southern Bell through 1989.\n      But, it added that the Southern Bell decision has forced it\n  to pursue opportunities with other telephone companies and\n  municipalities to replace the Southern Bell work.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"USSR CROP WEATHER SUMMARY -- USDA\/NOAA\n","article":"  Gradual warming continued in most\n  regions of Western Soviet Union in the week ended April 4, the\n  Joint Agricultural Weather Facility of the U.S Agriculture and\n  Commerce Departments said.\n      In its International Weather and Crop Summary, the agency\n  said most of the region's precipitation fell as rain.\n      The southern snow cover boundary continued to slowly\n  retreat northward and eastward, it said.\n      Moderate to deep snow cover the northern half of the\n  Ukraine, northern North Caucasus, and the lower Volga, about\n  one month later than usual, it said.\n      The agency said average weekly temperatures were below\n  normal in the southeast, near normal in the southwest and\n  northeast, and above normal in the northwest.\n      Winter grains remained dormant over the region, but warm\n  weather promoted greening in crop areas adjacent to the Black\n  Sea coast, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NWA INC 4TH QTR SHR PROFIT 45 CTS VS LOSS NINE CTS\n","article":"\n  NWA INC 4TH QTR SHR PROFIT 45 CTS VS LOSS NINE CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. WEATHER\/COTTON SUMMARY -- USDA\/NOAA\n","article":"  Cotton planting continued progressing\n  in the week ended April 5, but cold, wet weather in the South\n  hampered seedbed preparation, the Joint Agricultural Weather\n  Facility of the U.S. Agriculture and Commerce Departments said.\n      In a summary of its Weather and Crops Bulletin, the agency\n  said planting increased in California as soil temperatures\n  improved.\n      Texas planted 10 pct compared with an average of eight pct.\n  Arizona and Georgia planted 35 pct and two pct, respectively,\n  it said.\n      Oklahoma farmers prepared 10 pct of their cotton seedbeds,\n  15 points below average, the agency said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" UK INTERVENTION BD SAYS EC SOLD 60,500 TONNES WHITE SUGAR AT REBATE 43.147 ECUS.\n","article":"\n   UK INTERVENTION BD SAYS EC SOLD 60,500 TONNES WHITE SUGAR AT REBATE 43.147 ECUS.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"GRAIN SHIPS WAITING AT NEW ORLEANS\n","article":"  Nine grain ships were loading and 16\n  were waiting to load at New Orleans elevators, trade sources\n  said.\n   ELEVATOR                     LOADING  WAITING\n   Continental Grain, Westwego     1      5\n   Mississippi River, Myrtle Grove 1      0\n   ADM Growmark                    1      2\n   Bunge Grain, Destrehan          1      0\n      ELEVATOR                LOADING  WAITING\n   ST CHARLES DESTREHAN         1      1\n   RESERVE ELEVATOR CORP        1      0\n   PEAVEY CO, ST ELMO           1      1\n   CARGILL GRAIN, TERRE HAUTE   1      4\n   CARGILL GRAIN, PORT ALLEN    0      0\n   ZEN-NOH                      1      3\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GENERAL PARTNERS IS TERMINATING OFFER FOR GENCORP INC\n","article":"\n  GENERAL PARTNERS IS TERMINATING OFFER FOR GENCORP INC\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"(CRIME CONTROL INC) 4TH QTR NET LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 2.03 dlrs vs loss 85 cts\n      Net loss 10,742,113 vs loss 3,700,712\n      Revs 8,027,065 vs 8,689,008\n      Avg shrs 5.3 mln vs 4.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 2.45 dlrs vs loss 1.73 dlrs\n      Net loss 11,607,104 vs loss 7,442,825\n      Revs 32.6 mln vs 33.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 4.7 mln vs 4.3 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net loss includes a fourth quarter charge of\n  10.5 mln dlrs from writeoffs of certain assets.\n      1985 net loss includes a charge of about 2.3 mln dlrs from\n  settlement of class action lawsuit.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BURLINGTON NORTHERN INC 1ST QTR SHR PROFIT 93 CTS VS LOSS 3.55 DLRS\n","article":"\n  BURLINGTON NORTHERN INC 1ST QTR SHR PROFIT 93 CTS VS LOSS 3.55 DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IOWA GRAIN ELEVATOR EXPLODES, BURNS\n","article":"  An explosion and fire today\n  damaged a grain elevator in Bancroft, Iowa, destroying\n  thousands of bushels of grain, authorities said.\n      The pre-dawn explosion ripped the wooden elevator open, and\n  a fire that followed continued burning at late morning but had\n  been contained, according to a dispatcher at the Algona Police\n  Department.\n      No injuries were reported at the Lone Rock Coop facility.\n      The dispatcher said the elevator was filled with corn, and\n  a nearby drying building holding soybeans was on fire.\n      The explosion was the second in four days in Iowa following\n  the destruction of an Archer Daniels Midland elevator in\n  Burlington last Friday.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ARTISTIC GREETINGS <ARTG> SEES RECOVERY IN NET\n","article":"  Artistic Greetings Inc said it\n  expects a rebound in profits and an increase in sales in 1987\n  as costs connected with computerization, staffing, traning and\n  catalog sales start to taper off.\n      Today it reported 1986 earnings of 294,650 dlrs, down from\n  371,064 dlrs a year before, on revenues of 8,157,864 dlrs, up\n  from 7,054,709 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PARTNERSHIP BUYS 5.1 PCT ORANGE-CO <OJ> STAKE\n","article":"  Parsow Partnership Ltd, an Elkhorn,\n  Neb., investment partnership, said it bought a 5.1 pct stake in\n  Orange-Co Inc common stock as an investment.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Parsow said it had bought all its 220,000 Orange-Co shares in\n  the open market with funds from its working capital.\n      The partnership, whose sole general partner is Elkhorn\n  investor Alan Parsow, said it \"has no present intention of\n  effecting any change in the control of Orange-Co Inc.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COOPERATIVE ENERGY TESTS OIL AT TWO WELLS\n","article":"  <Cooperative Energy Development\n  Corp> said two exploratory oil wells in the Zama area of\n  Alberta tested 1,020 and 950 barrels a day, and will increase\n  the company's daily oil production by 30 pct.\n      The company did not immediately elaborate on total\n  production figures.\n      The wells, flowing oil from the Keg River formation, will\n  be constrained to combined production of about 450 barrels a\n  day to optimize reserve recovery, the company said.\n      Permanent production facilities are being installed and the\n  wells will produce to pipeline by mid-April.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"OPEC MAY HAVE TO MEET TO FIRM PRICES - ANALYSTS\n","article":"  OPEC may be forced to meet before a\n  scheduled June session to readdress its production cutting\n  agreement if the organization wants to halt the current slide\n  in oil prices, oil industry analysts said.\n      \"The movement to higher oil prices was never to be as easy\n  as OPEC thought. They may need an emergency meeting to sort out\n  the problems,\" said Daniel Yergin, director of Cambridge Energy\n  Research Associates, CERA.\n      Analysts and oil industry sources said the problem OPEC\n  faces is excess oil supply in world oil markets.\n      \"OPEC's problem is not a price problem but a production\n  issue and must be addressed in that way,\" said Paul Mlotok, oil\n  analyst with Salomon Brothers Inc.\n      He said the market's earlier optimism about OPEC and its\n  ability to keep production under control have given way to a\n  pessimistic outlook that the organization must address soon if\n  it wishes to regain the initiative in oil prices.\n      But some other analysts were uncertain that even an\n  emergency meeting would address the problem of OPEC production\n  above the 15.8 mln bpd quota set last December.\n      \"OPEC has to learn that in a buyers market you cannot have\n  deemed quotas, fixed prices and set differentials,\" said the\n  regional manager for one of the major oil companies who spoke\n  on condition that he not be named. \"The market is now trying to\n  teach them that lesson again,\" he added.\n      David T. Mizrahi, editor of Mideast reports, expects OPEC\n  to meet before June, although not immediately. However, he is\n  not optimistic that OPEC can address its principal problems.\n      \"They will not meet now as they try to take advantage of the\n  winter demand to sell their oil, but in late March and April\n  when demand slackens,\" Mizrahi said.\n      But Mizrahi said that OPEC is unlikely to do anything more\n  than reiterate its agreement to keep output at 15.8 mln bpd.\"\n      Analysts said that the next two months will be critical for\n  OPEC's ability to hold together prices and output.\n      \"OPEC must hold to its pact for the next six to eight weeks\n  since buyers will come back into the market then,\" said Dillard\n  Spriggs of Petroleum Analysis Ltd in New York.\n      But Bijan Moussavar-Rahmani of Harvard University's Energy\n  and Environment Policy Center said that the demand for OPEC oil\n  has been rising through the first quarter and this may have\n  prompted excesses in its production.\n      \"Demand for their (OPEC) oil is clearly above 15.8 mln bpd\n  and is probably closer to 17 mln bpd or higher now so what we\n  are seeing characterized as cheating is OPEC meeting this\n  demand through current production,\" he told Reuters in a\n  telephone interview.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. INTERVENTION BOARD DETAILS EC SUGAR SALES\n","article":"  A total 60,500 tonnes of current series\n  white sugar received export rebates of a maximum 43.147\n  European Currency Units (Ecus) per 100 kilos at today's\n  European Community (EC) tender, the U.K. Intervention Board\n  said.\n      Out of this, traders in the U.K. Received 43,500 tonnes, in\n  the Netherlands 12,000, in Denmark 4,000 and in West Germany\n  1,000 tonnes.\n      Earlier today, London and Paris traders said they expected\n  the subsidy for the current season whites campaign for licences\n  to end-July to be between 43.00 and 43.45 Ecus per 100 kilos.\n      They had also forecast today's total authorised sugar\n  tonnage export awards to be between 60,000 and 80,000 tonnes\n  versus 103,000 last week when the restitution was 43.699 Ecus.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CUMMINS ENGINE CO INC <CUM> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 55 cts vs 55 cts prior\n      Pay June 15\n      Record June 1\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CENTRAL BANCSHARES <CBSS> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 52 cts vs 45 cts\n      Net 10.9 mln vs 9,498,000\n      Assets 3.60 billion vs 3.25 billion\n      Deposits 2.45 billion vs 2.23 billion\n      Loans 2.16 billion vs 1.67 billion\n      NOTE: full name of company is Central Bancshares of the\n  South Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. CERTIFIED COFFEE STOCKS DOWN IN LATEST WEEK\n","article":"  The amount of coffee stored in New York\n  and New Orleans warehouses and certified for delivery against\n  the New York Coffee \"C\" futures totalled 585,555 bags as of\n  April 3, compared with 585,794 bags the previous week, a net\n  decrease of 239 bags, the New York Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa\n  Exchange said.\n      The total comprised 392,845 bags in New York, an increase\n  of 261 bags, and 192,710 bags in New Orleans, a drop of 500\n  bags.\n      The exchange said there were nil bags pending\n  classification. There were 56,578 bags pending certification,\n  including 32,553 in New York and 24,025 in New Orleans, the\n  exchange said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TEXTRON <TXT> PLANS SALE OF AVCO DIVISION\n","article":"  Textron Inc said it plans to\n  sell its Avco Specialty Materials Division as part of its debt\n  reduction and restructuring.\n      The company said it will use proceeds from the sale to\n  reduce the debt incurred by its acquisition of Ex-Cell-O Corp\n  last year.\n      Textron said Morgan Stanley and Co will represent it in the\n  sale.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GREEN TREE ACCEPTANCE INC <GNT> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 50 cts vs 40 cts\n      Net 9,421,000 vs 9,312,000\n      Rev 37.7 mln vs 36.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 17,049,920 vs 21,173,570\n      NOTE: Per-share results adjusted for two-for-one common\n  stock split in June 1986\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. IMMIGRATION RULES SPARK CONGRESS OBJECTIONS\n","article":"  New immigration rules relating to\n  alien farm workers and reportedly being drafted by the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department are meeting with objections in Congress,\n  sources on Capitol Hill said.\n      USDA is drafting regulations, required by a 1986 law, that\n  would offer amnesty to illegal aliens if they worked in the\n  cultivation of fruits, vegetables and other perishable\n  commodities.\n      The department is considering including in its definition\n  of perishable commodities such farm products as tobacco, hops,\n  Spanish reeds and Christmas trees, while excluding sugar cane,\n  the New York Times reported yesterday.\n      Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif., would like to see the\n  definition extended to include sugar cane, cultivation of which\n  is \"a breeding ground for one of the scandals of the nation,\"\n  Gene Smith, a spokesman for Berman, said.\n      Livestock, dairy and poultry producers have been lobbying\n  USDA hard to have their products covered by the amnesty\n  provision, farm industry sources said.\n      Chuck Fields of the American Farm Bureau Federation said\n  livestock producers were \"desperate\" because they fear they will\n  be unable to retain the many illegal aliens who have joined\n  that industry.\n      A House staff member involved in drafting the landmark 1986\n  immigration law who asked not to be identified said Congress\n  did not mean to extend special amnesty provisions to workers\n  who helped cultivate tobacco, and that inclusion of hops and\n  Spanish reeds was \"marginal.\"\n      In addition, lawmakers made it clear during consideration\n  of the bill that lumber workers were not to be covered by the\n  the amnesty provisions, making the inclusion of Christmas trees\n  \"a tough call,\" this source said.\n      USDA officials declined to comment on the draft regulation\n  except to say it was subject to change before it will be\n  released, probably some time later this month.\n      While lawmakers may object to the USDA rule under\n  consideration relating to perishable commodities, Congress is\n  not likely to reopen debate on the controversial immigration\n  question, congressional sources said.\n      The amnesty provision specially designed for farm workers\n  was crucial to passage of the overall immigration bill.\n      Congressional staff members estimate the special farm\n  worker amnesty provision would apply to between 250,000 to\n  350,000 aliens. The law would allow eligible farm workers who\n  worked for 90 days during the year ending May 1, 1986, to apply\n  for temporary, then permanent, resident status.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN FIRM DEVELOPS ULTRA HEAT-RESISTING RUBBER\n","article":"  Shin-Etsu Chemical Co Ltd said it had\n  developed an ultra thermal resistance rubber which can be used\n  at 250 centigrade continuously without losing its properties.\n      Shin-Etsu put potential demand for the product at two\n  tonnes a month mainly for microwave ovens and as a sealant.\n      But increasing use of the product in parts attached to car\n  engines will raise demand and the company will boost output to\n  10 tonnes by March 1988 from two now, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CUBA CRUDE SUGAR HARVEST FAR BEHIND SCHEDULE\n","article":"  Cuban president Fidel Castro told a\n  Congress of the Union of Young Communists here that the\n  production of crude sugar during the harvest still in progress\n  is 800,000 tonnes behind schedule.\n      In a speech Sunday, published in today's official paper\n  GRANMA, Castro said unseasonable rains since January seriously\n  interrupted harvesting and milling operations especially in the\n  central and western parts of the island.\n      The Cuban leader said the mechanical cane harvesters\n  scheduled to cut over 60 pct of the cane this year were\n  particularly \"vulnerable,\" as muddy fields prevent operations.\n      Neither Castro nor the Cuban press have given out figures\n  to estimate tonnes of crude production during the present\n  harvest or the goals for the sugar campaign.\n      However, a cuban sugar official told Reuters that the\n  country will be lucky if crude output reaches last year's 7.2\n  mln tonnes. Output of crude for the previous 1984-85 harvest\n  was 8.2 mln tonnes.\n      The harvest was scheduled to end April 30 but due to the\n  present shortfalls it will be extended into May and June, the\n  official said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CASTLE AND COOKE INC <CKE> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 76 cts vs loss 21 cts\n      Net loss 31.9 mln vs loss 3,288,000\n      Revs 380.2 mln vs 311.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 47.1 mln vs 41.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 56 cts vs profit 56 cts\n      Net profit 43,925,000 vs profit 46,433,000\n      Rev 1.74 billion vs 1.60 billion\n      Avg shares 43,602,000 vs 41,014,000\n      NOTE: Fourth quarter includes after tax loss from\n  discontinued Flexi-Van operations of 33.9 mln dlrs. Primary\n  earnings per share data calculated after deducting preferred\n  dividend requirements.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VOICEMAIL INTERNATIONAL INC 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 21 cts vs loss 14 cts\n      Net loss 838,069 vs loss 433,875\n      Revs 1,080,068 vs 1,793,398\n      Avg shrs 4,004,826 vs 3,172,537\n      12 mths\n      Shr loss 39 cts vs 11 cts\n      Net loss 1,387,500 vs loss 334,463\n      Revs 6,456,882 vs 5,605,680\n      Avg shrs 3,542,217 vs 3,071,456\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AVON SAYS IT TO BUY GIORGIO INC, A FRAGRANCE COMPANY, FOR 185 MLN DLRS\n","article":"\n  AVON SAYS IT TO BUY GIORGIO INC, A FRAGRANCE COMPANY, FOR 185 MLN DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MAGMA LOWERS COPPER PRICE 0.50 CT TO 65.50 CTS\n","article":"  Magma Copper Co, a subsidiary of\n  Newmont Mining Corp, said it is lowering its copper cathode\n  price by 0.50 cent to 65.50 cents a lb, effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IRAQ CCC CREDIT GUARANTEES SWITCHED - USDA\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation\n  (CCC) has transferred 21.0 mln dlrs in credit guarantees\n  previously earmarked for sales of U.S. corn and 5.0 mln dlrs\n  for sales of oilseeds to increase available coverage on sales\n  of U.S. poultry meat to Iraq, the U.S. Agriculture Department\n  said.\n      The department said the action was taken at the request of\n  Iraq's State Trade Organization for Grains and Foodstuffs.\n      The guarantee line for sales of corn has been reduced from\n  78.0 mln dlrs to 57.0 mln and the line for oilseeds from 5.0\n  mln dlrs to zero.\n      The guarantee line for sales of frozen poultry has been\n  increased from 30.0 mln dlrs to 56.0 mln dlrs, USDA said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AVON PRODUCTS <AVP> TO BUY GIORGIO FOR 185 MLN\n","article":"  Avon Products Inc said it reached an\n  agreement in principle to purchase <Giorgio Inc>, a fragrance\n  company, for 185 mln dlrs in cash.\n      Giorgio's annual revnues are more than 100 mln dlrs, Avon\n  said. The acquisition has been approved by Avon's board, with\n  the closing set for May 7.\n      The transaction would have no impact on Avon's current\n  dividend rate, it said.\n      Giorgio's boutique in Beverly Hills, Calif., will be sold\n  back to Fred Hayman, one of the shareholders, who will continue\n  to operate it independently, Avon said.\n      Avon said it identified Giorgio more than a year ago as a\n  preferred acquisition candidate. It said it is launching a\n  prestige fragrance developed in conjunction with Catherine\n  Deneuve this spring.\n      Giorgio will be operated as a separate subsidiary, Avon\n  said, and would not compete with Avon's direct selling beauty\n  products business.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MOLECULAR GENETICS INC <MOGN> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 22 cts vs loss 13 cts\n      Oper net loss 1,712,916 vs loss 769,539\n      Revs 2,292,972 vs 2,157,895\n      Avg shrs 7,961,602 vs 6,200,293\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 53 cts vs loss 45 cts\n      Oper net loss 3,562,151 vs 2,543,366\n      Revs 9,117,311 vs 8,251,136\n      Avg shrs 7,169,871 vs 6,186,51\n      NOTE: Current year net both periods excludes charge 430,649\n  dlrs from cumulative effect of accounting change for patents.\n      1986 net both periods includes charge of about 458,000 dlrs\n  from severance obligations.\n      1986 year net includes charge 156,000 dlrs from writeoff of\n  seed commitments.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HONDURAS SEEKING PL-480 VESSELS FOR BULK WHEAT\n","article":"  Honduras will tender April 13 under\n  Public Law 480 for U.S. and non-U.S. flag vessels to deliver\n  approximately 52,500 tonnes of various wheats in bulk, an agent\n  for the country said.\n      The agent said deliveries of northern spring\/dns wheat will\n  include laydays of July 1-10 for 7,500-9,500 tonnes, August\n  1-10 for 8,000-10,000 tonnes, and September 15-25 for\n  12,500-14,500 tonnes.\n      Deliveries of hard red winter wheat will have laydays of\n  June 20-30 for 5,000-7,000 tonnes, July 15-25 for 6,500-8,500\n  tonnes, and September 15-25 for 7,000-9,000 tonnes.\n      Offers are due by 1200 hrs EDT, April 13, and will remain\n  valid until the close of business April 14, the agent said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MAGMA LOWERS COPPER PRICE 0.50 CT TO 65.50 CTS\n","article":"  Magma Copper Co, a subsidiary of\n  Newmont Mining Corp, said it is lowering its copper cathode\n  price by 0.50 cent to 65.50 cents a lb, effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CENERGY <CRG> REPORTS 4TH QTR NET PROFIT\n","article":"  Cenergy Corp reported fourth quarter net\n  income of 790,000 dlrs or seven cts per share on revenues of\n  7.7 mln dlrs.\n      For the year it reported a net loss of 6.5 mln dlrs or 70\n  cts per share as a result of writedowns in the book value of\n  its oil and gas properties in the first two quarters. Revenues\n  were 37 mln dlrs.\n      Following the company's fiscal year ended March 31, 1985,\n  it changed to a calender year end.\n      For the nine months ended Dec 31, 1985, it reported a loss\n  of 63.4 mln dlrs or 6.54 dlrs per share on revenues of 47.6 mln\n  dlrs, which it said was a result of noncash writedowns of oil\n  and gas properties.\n      For the year ended March 31, 1985, Cenergy reported net\n  income of 3,705,000 dlrs or 36 cts per share on revenues of 71\n  mln dlrs.\n      The company said its reserves during the year fell to five\n  mln barrels from 6.4 mln barrels of oil and to 60.1 bilion\n  cubic feet of gas from 63.7 BCF. It said these reserves did not\n  disappear but are available to produce as prices recover.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GENCORP <GY> SAYS BUYBACK BETTER THAN TAKEOVER\n","article":"  GenCorp Inc said the decision by\n  General Partners, comprised of AFG Industries and Wagner and\n  Brown, to end its hostile offer for the company supports its\n  belief that the buy back offer it announced yesterday was a\n  \"financially superior alternative.\"\n      GenCorp said it would annouce details of its plans to buy\n  back 54 pct of its stock for 1.6 billion dlrs, or 130 dlrs a\n  share, later this week. GenCorp's buy back was made to fend off\n  the hostile 2.3 billion dlr, 100-dlr-a-share, tender offer by\n  AFG and Wagner and Brown.\n      Earlier today AFG and Wagner and Brown said that without\n  the benefit of additional information available to GenCorp's\n  management, it cannot compete economically with GenCorp's\n  proposal.\n      The group said it is ending its tender offer for GenCorp\n  and promptly return to tendering shareholders all shares\n  tendered pursuant to its offer.\n      The group owns 9.8 pct, or 2,180,608 shares, of GenCorp's\n  outstanding shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BERRY PETROLEUM, NORRIS OIL <NOIL> TO MERGE\n","article":"  Berry Petroleum Co said its board\n  and the Norris Oil Co board approved a merger agreement that\n  calls for Norris to become a wholly-owned Berry subsidiary.\n      Berry, a privately-owned company which already owns 80.6\n  pct of Norris Oil's stock, said the agreement calls for Norris'\n  public shareholders to receive 0.0333 Berry common shares for\n  each Norris share held.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CCC CREDITS FOR BANGLADESH AMENDED - USDA\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation\n  (CCC) has reallocated 5.0 mln dlrs in credit guarantees\n  previously earmarked for sales of U.S. wheat to provide\n  coverage for sales of U.S. vegetable oil to Bangladesh, the\n  U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      USDA said the action was taken at the request of the\n  Bangladesh government and reduces the guarantee line authorized\n  for wheat sales from 25.0 mln dlrs to 20.0 and creates a new\n  line of 5.0 mln dlrs for vegetable oils.\n      To be eligible for coverage under the CCC's Intermediate\n  Export Credit Program, credit terms must be in excess of three\n  years, but not more than seven years.\n      All sales covered by the credit guarantees must be\n  registered and shipped by September 30, 1987, USDA said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CCC SEED CREDIT GURANTEES FOR ALGERIA - USDA\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation\n  (CCC) has authorized 2.0 mln dlrs in credit guarantees to cover\n  sales of seeds for planting to Algeria, the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department said.\n      The department said the additional guarantees increase the\n  cumulative fiscal year 1987 program for sales of U.S.\n  agricultural products to Algeria to 466.0 mln dlrs.\n      To be eligible under the new seed credit guarantees, all\n  sales must be registered by September 30, 1987, and shipped by\n  December 31, 1987, USDA said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"USDA ANNOUNCES WORLD MARKET RICE PRICES\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department\n  announced the following prevailing world market prices of rice\n  on a loan-rate basis, with previous prices --\n      -- Long grain whole kernels 5.87 cts per lb vs 5.70\n      -- Medium grain whole kernels 5.28 cts per lb vs 5.12\n      -- Short grain whole kernels  5.22 cts per lb vs 5.06\n      -- Broken kernels 2.94 cts per lb vs 2.85\n      The repayment rate for 1986-crop warehouse or farm-stored\n  rice loans are the higher of the world price or 50 pct of the\n  loan rate of 7.20 dlrs per cwt.\n      The prices will remain in effect for a week, but new prices\n  could be announced earlier if warranted, USDA said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TOTAL SYSTEM SERVICES INC <TSYS> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr nine cts vs seven cts\n      Net 1,356,000 vs 1,041,000\n      Revs 9.7 mln vs 8.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HUBCO INC <HCO> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 38 cts vs 30 cts\n      Net 1,356,754 vs 1,048,340\n      Assets 448.5 mln vs 407.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MERRIMAC INDUSTRIES INC <MMAC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr five cts vs 29 cts\n      Net 92,641 vs 466,668\n      Sales 4,448,011 vs 4,122,301\n      Year\n      Shr 34 cts vs 1.16 dlrs\n      Net 553,310 vs 1,864,417\n      Sales 16.3 mln vs 16.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE INC> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Period ended Jan 31\n      Shr loss three cts vs loss two cts\n      Net loss 183,500 vs loss 163,800\n      Sales 608,800 vs 1,156,100\n      Year\n      Shr loss 16 cts vs loss 21 cts\n      Net loss 1,128,600 vs loss 1,081,600\n      Sales 3,811,200 vs 6,968,700\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TOTAL SYSTEMS SERVICES <TSYS> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr nine cts vs seven cts\n      Net 1,356,000 vs 1,041,000\n      Revs 9,729,000 vs 8,367,000\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BERMUDA STAR <BSL> LEASES VESSEL\n","article":"  Bermuda Star Line Inc said it has\n  leased a 23,500 ton passenger vessel from Orley Shipping Co\n  Inc, of Liberia for a term with options extending for 15 years.\n      The vessel, SS Liberte, will be renamed the Canadian Star\n  and will be used for cruises to Montreal from New York,\n  beginning in June.\n      Orley SHipping is partially owned by Common Brothers PLC, a\n  U.K. maritime firm which owns 60 pct of Bermuda Star's shares\n  and arranged debt financing for the ship's purchase.\n      Orley acquired the vessel from Banstead Shipping Ltd. Terms\n  were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"PREMDOR PLANS TWO-FOR-ONE STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  <Premdor Inc> said it planned a\n  two-for-one common stock split, subject to shareholder approval\n  at the May 4 annual meeting.\n      It said the split, if approved, would take effect on May\n  20.\n      Premdor manufactures and sells wood doors.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TELETRAK ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss two cts vs loss two cts\n      Net loss 183,597 vs loss 136,990\n      Rev 36,600 vs 61,763\n      Avg shares 12,355,000 vs 9,205,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss five cts vs loss five cts\n      Net loss 571,336 vs loss 416,595\n      Rev 103,327 vs 61,763\n      Avg shares 12,355,000 vs 8,705,000\n      NOTE: Company's full name is <Teletrak Advanced Technology\n  Systems Inc and it is a unit of Helm Resources <H>. 1985 net\n  loss includes loss from discontinued operations of 278,156\n  dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CANNON <CAN> SELLS STAKE IN HBO\/CANNON VENTURE\n","article":"  Cannon Group Inc said it agreed in\n  principle to sell its 50 pct interest in the HBO\/Cannon Video\n  joint venture to the Home Box Office unit of Time Inc <TL>.\n      The company said it is making the sale because in the near\n  future all of its video products will be licensed in the United\n  States and Canada to either the Warner Brothers unit of Warner\n  Communications Inc <WCI>, or to Media Home Entertainment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOUSTON OIL TRUST <HO> HALTS ROYALTIES\n","article":"  Houston Oil Trust said there will be no\n  royalty funds available for distribution to unit holders in\n  April.\n      It also said that based on recent independent petroleum\n  engineers' estimates of Oct 31, 1986, there may be no amounts\n  avialable for distribution the rest of the year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"UPPER PENINSULA POWER CO <UPEN> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly dividend 52-1\/2 cts vs 52-1\/2 cts\n      Pay May one\n      record April 17\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ITT CORP <ITT> DECLARES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 25 cts vs 25 cts prior\n      Pay July 1\n      Record May 7\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PACIFIC LIGHTING CORP <PLT> QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Shr 87 cts vs 87 cts prior qtr\n      Pay May 15\n      Record April 20\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STALEY CONTINENTAL <STA> REGULAR DIVIDEND SET\n","article":"  Qtly div 20 cts vs 20 cts previously\n      Pay June Eight\n      Record May 22\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ITT CORP <ITT> REGULAR QTRLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 25 cts vs 25 cts prior\n      Payable July one\n      Record May 7\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SUN <SUN> RAISES HEATING OIL BARGE PRICE\n","article":"  Sun Co's Sun Refining and Marketing Co\n  subsidiary said it raised the price it charges contract barge\n  customers for heating oil in New York harbor by 0.50 cent a\n  gallon, effective today.\n      The increase brings the contract barge price to 50.50 cts a\n  gallon, Sun said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"B.C. RESOURCES HAS AGREEMENT ON CREDIT FACILITY\n","article":"  <British Columbia\n  Resources Investment Corp>, earlier reporting higher full year\n  operating losses, said it reached agreement in principle with\n  five lenders providing for a 360 mln dlr credit facility over a\n  four year term.\n      The company said the credit facility is extendable under\n  certain circumstances, with annual principal payments of five\n  mln dlrs. The agreement is subject to certain lender approvals\n  and completion of formal documentation.\n      It earlier reported 1986 losses before extraordinary items\n  rose to 26.4 mln dlrs from year-ago 7.2 mln dlrs.\n      B.C. Resources also said dividends on its series 2\n  preferred shares and exchangeable preferred shares will remain\n  suspended.\n      However, payment will be made on account of the quarterly\n  dividend on the exchangeable preferred shares by the company's\n  trustee from a deposit account, B.C. Resources said.\n      Sufficient funds should be available to pay full amount of\n  the March 31, 1987 dividend to exchangeable preferred\n  shareholders, with payment expected in early April to\n  shareholders of record March 31, the company said.\n      If future dividends are not declared after the April\n  exchangeable preferred quarterly payout, future payment will\n  depend on the amount of dividends received from Westcoast\n  Transmission Co <WTC>, B.C. Resources said.\n      The company said its increased fourth quarter and full year\n  operating losses primarily resulted from lower oil prices and a\n  four month labor shutdown at its Balmer coal mine in British\n  Columbia.\n      B.C. Resources also recorded a 99.9 mln dlr extraordinary\n  loss, which included losses on disposition of North Sea oil and\n  gas interests by 67 pct owned <Westar Mining Ltd>.\n      B.C. Resources' 1986 extraordinary charge also included a\n  writedown of its investment in Westar Petroleum. Gains on the\n  sales of Westar Timber's Skeena and Celgar pulp mills and\n  Terrace sawmill partially offset the extraordinary loss, the\n  company said.\n      The company said the asset sales have eliminated B.C.\n  Resources' long term financing commitment in the North Sea and\n  exposure to the fluctuating pulp market.\n      It also said it cut long term debt in 1986 to 900 mln dlrs\n  from 1.3 billion dlrs at year-end 1985, and management changes\n  and staff cuts have significantly reduced costs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SPORTSCENE ACQUIRES CHRISTOPHE VAN HOUTTE CHAIN\n","article":"  (Sportscene Restaurants Inc) said it\n  acquired (Cafe Christophe Van Houtte Inc), a cafe chain with\n  ten franchises and one corporate restaurant, for an unspecified\n  amount of cash and Sportscene shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. CONSUMER CREDIT ROSE 1.77 BILLION DLRS IN FEB VS REVISED 789 MLN JAN GAIN\n","article":"\n  U.S. CONSUMER CREDIT ROSE 1.77 BILLION DLRS IN FEB VS REVISED 789 MLN JAN GAIN\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"RONSON CORP <RONC> 4TH QTR DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr loss 21 cts vs loss seven cts\n      Net loss 971,000 vs loss 318,000\n      Revs 8.3 mln vs 9.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 43 cts vs profit 14 cts\n      Net loss 1.9 mln vs profit 606,000\n      Revs 32.5 mln vs 31.9 mln\n      NOTE:1986 loss includes reserves of 329,000, 1985 includes\n  tax benefit of 352,000, 96,000, and 570,000 dlrs.1986 4th qtr\n  includes 850,000 dlrs writedowns, 499,000 dlr gain from sale.\n      1985 net includes extraordinary items of 108,000 and gain\n  on sale of 1.6 mln dlrs , tax carryforward gain of 246,000\n  dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 85 MLN STG LATE HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had provided\n  the money market with late assistance of around 85 mln stg.\n      This brings the bank total help so far today to some 87 mln\n  stg and compares with its latest forecast of a 250 mln stg\n  shortage in the system today.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WESTMIN TO RAISE MYRA FALLS CAPACITY BY 33 PCT\n","article":"  Westmin Resources Ltd said it\n  plans to increase capacity at its Myra Falls, British Columbia,\n  base and precious metal mine and mill complex by 33 pct to\n  4,400 short tons of ore a day, subject to regulatory approvals.\n      The company said the expansion will cost about 24 mln dlrs\n  and could be in operation by 1988.\n      Economies of scale from the expansion should pay back net\n  expansion cost in less than one year, Westmin said.\n      The Myra Falls complex processed 3,257 tons of ore a day\n  during 1986. Myra Falls 1986 production was 44,000 ounces of\n  gold, 966,266 ounces of silver, 45.5 mln lbs of copper, 96.2\n  mln lbs of zinc and 777,000 lbs of lead, a company spokesman\n  said.\n      Myra Falls 1986 production was 44,000 ounces of gold,\n  966,266 ounces of silver, 45.5 mln pounds of copper, 96.2 mln\n  pounds of zinc and 777,000 pounds of lead, a company spokesman\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TREASURY BALANCES AT FED ROSE ON APRIL 6\n","article":"  Treasury balances at the Federal\n  Reserve rose on April 6 to 4.262 billion dlrs from 3.876\n  billion dlrs on the previous business day, the Treasury said in\n  its latest budget statement.\n      Balances in tax and loan note accounts fell to 4.950\n  billion dlrs from 5.004 billion dlrs on the same respective\n  days.\n      The Treasury's operating cash balance totaled 9.212 billion\n  dlrs on April 6 compared with 8.880 billion dlrs on April 3.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MANUFACTURERS <MHC> IN BUILDING FORECLOSURE\n","article":"  Manufacturers Hanover Corp said its OFP\n  Inc unit acquired a Dallas office building through foreclosure.\n      The company said it foreclosed on the Allied Bank Tower, a\n  1.2 mln-square-feet office building at One Fountain Place,\n  Dallas.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HI-SHEAR INDUSTRIES INC <HSI> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div 11 cts vs 11 cts prior\n      Pay April 28\n      Record April 20\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COCA-COLA BOTTLING <COKE> TERMINATES TALKS\n","article":"  Coca-Cola Bottling Co\n  Consolidated said it terminated negotiations with the proposed\n  purchaser of its wholly owned subsidiary headquartered in\n  Vancouver, B.C.\n      The company said it is vigorously continuing its efforts to\n  sell its Canadian operations, substantially on the terms and\n  conditions previously announced.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NORTHERN TELECOM LTD <NT> DECLARES STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Two-for-one stock split\n      Pay May 12\n      Note: split is subject to approval of shareholders at April\n  23 annual meeting.\n      Company also said it will increase dividend on post-split\n  shares to six cts from five cts.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CML GROUP INC <CMLI> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 72 cts vs 58 cts\n      Net 4,791,000 vs 3,803,000\n      Sales 83.0 mln vs 72.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 6,668,309 vs 6,545,722\n      1st half\n      Shr 88 cts vs 70 cts\n      Net 5,872,000 vs 4,614,000\n      Sales 141.6 mln vs 121.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 6,669,488 vs 6,525,051\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPANESE CRUSHERS BUY CANADIAN RAPESEED\n","article":"  Japanese crushers bought 5,000 tonnes\n  of Canadian rapeseed in export business overnight for late\n  May\/early June shipment, trade sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CAREPLUS <CPLS> SEEKS APPROVAL IN ACQUISITION\n","article":"  CarePlus Inc said it will seek shareholder\n  approval of its proposed acquisition of certain assets and\n  assumption of certain liabilities of Professional Care Inc\n  <PCI>.\n      In connection with the acquisition, shareholders will be\n  requested to approval the merger of CarePlus into its newly\n  formed Delaware subsidiary, CarePlus said.\n      CarePlus said its board has tentatively determined that its\n  stock would be exchanged for common stock of the new\n  corporation at the rate of seven for one.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DRESS BARN INC <DBRN> 2ND QTR JAN 24 NET\n","article":"  Shr 30 cts vs 21 cts\n      Net 3,358,000 vs 2,276,000\n      Sales 43.3 mln vs 33.5 mln\n      1st half\n      Shr 60 cts vs 42 cts\n      Net 6,654,000 vs 4,638,000\n      Sales 86.6 mln vs 66.4 mln\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for three-for-two stock split in May\n  1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. FEB CONSUMER CREDIT ROSE 1.77 BILLION DLRS\n","article":"  U.S. consumer instalment credit rose\n  a seasonally adjusted 1.77 billion dlrs in February after a\n  revised rise of 789 mln dlrs in January, the Federal Reserve\n  Board said.\n      The annual rate of growth in February was 3.7 pct, up from\n  1.6 pct in January. Previously the Fed said consumer credit\n  rose 536 mln dlrs in January.\n      Among the credit categories, auto credit rose in February\n  by 717 mln dlrs after increasing 416 mln dlrs in January, the\n  Fed said.\n      Revolving credit in February rose 1.04 billion dlrs after\n  falling by 23 mln dlrs in January.\n      Mobile home credit was down by 59 mln dlrs in February\n  after rising 141 mln dlrs in January.\n      The category referred to as \"other,\" covering bank and credit\n  union loans, increased by 74 mln dlrs in February after rising\n  by 255 mln dlrs in January, the Fed said.\n      Before seasonal adjustment, consumer credit outstanding\n  totaled 576.05 billion dlrs at the end of February, compared\n  with 530.41 billion dlrs at the end of February, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GROUP TO BUY MORE INTERMEDICS <ITM> SHARES\n","article":"  An investor group including Bessemer\n  Securities Corp and Cilluffo Associates told the Securities and\n  Exchange Commission it asked federal antitrust regulators for\n  advance clearance to hold more than 30 mln dlrs of Intermedics\n  Inc common stock.\n      The group said it currently holds 1.8 mln shares or 17.6\n  pct of the total outstanding following purchases of 84,300\n  shares March 18-April 1. A group spokesman would not disclose\n  the total purchase price of its current holdings.\n      The group has said it is accumulating Intermedics stock for\n  investment purposes.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY <SGAT> 3RD QTR MARCH 3 NET\n","article":"  Shr 81 cts vs 24 cts\n      Net 40,453,000 vs 11,833,000\n      Sales 267.1 mln vs 127.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 50,226,000 vs 48,337,000\n      Nine Mths\n      Shr 2.07 dlrs vs 38 cts\n      Net 102,564,000 vs 18,127,000\n      Sales 708.0 mln vs 318.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 49,573,000 vs 48,024,000\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GROUP RAISES TEXSTYRENE <FOAM> STAKE TO 11.7 PCT\n","article":"  An investor group led by Dart\n  Container Corp, a Sarasota, Fla., plastic utensil maker, told\n  the Securities and Exchange Commission it raised its stake in\n  Texstyrene Corp to 420,500 common shares or 11.7 of the total\n  outstanding.\n      The group said it bought the shares for investment and\n  intends to continue to buy Texstyrene stock in the future.\n      The group said its most recent purchases included 106,000\n  shares bought March 10-31 in ordinary brokerage transactions.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ENRO HOLDING BUYS ENRO SHIRT AND FOXCROFT\n","article":"  Enro Holding Corp said it acquired Enro\n  Shirt Co and Foxcroft Ltd from Wilson Bros for 30 mln dlrs.\n       Enro Holding is owned 50 pct by investors and 50 pct by\n  management and others. The investor group bought 50 pct of the\n  common equity and supplied five mln dlrs in mezzanine\n  financing. Management bought the other 50 pct. Congress\n  Financial Group supplied 28 mln dlrs in senior financing and\n  the seller took back a note for 12.1 mln dlrs.\n      Enro Shirt has annual sales of about 42 mln dlrs and\n  Foxcroft has sales of about 13 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SPARTECH <SPTN> REVERSE STOCK SPLIT APPROVED\n","article":"  Spartech Corp said shareholders at the\n  annual meeting approved a reverse stock split of the common\n  stock, on a one-for-five basis.\n      The company said the split was necessary in preparation for\n  an offering of 25 mln dlrs in convertible subordinated\n  debentures, expected to be made soon through Kidder, Peabody\n  and Co.\n      It said the new common stock will begin trading April 8\n  under the symbol \"SPTNd.\"\n      Separately, Spartech said its board appointed Bradley\n  Buechler as president, filling a vacancy.\n      It said Lawrence Powers remains as chairman.\n      Buechler, prior to his promotion, was executive vice\n  president and chief operating officer. He will retain his\n  duties as chief operating officer.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PEOPLE RIDESHARING SYSTEMS <RIDE> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr primary profit two cts vs loss nine cts\n      Shr diluted profit one cent vs loss six cts\n      Net profit 17,156 vs loss 89,594\n      Revs 2,360,220 vs 3,208,802\n      Avg shrs 870,000 vs 1,026,627\n      NOTE: full name of company is People Ridesharing Systems\n  Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DESJARDINS GROUP LOWERS VISA INTEREST RATE\n","article":"  (La Confederation des Caisses\n  Populaires et d'Economie Desjardins), the Quebec credit union\n  group, said it is lowering the interest rate on unpaid balances\n  on its Visa credit card to 15.9 pct from 18.0 pct, effective\n  with June billing statements.\n      The move follows cuts in credit card interest rate charges\n  by several Canadian banks.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SEEQ TECHNOLOGY INC <SEEQ> 2ND QTR MARCH 31\n","article":"  Shr profit eight cts vs loss 1.84 dlrs\n      Net profit 785,000 vs loss 4,279,000\n      Revs 10.4 mln vs 8,464,000\n      Avg shrs 9,649,000 vs 2,664,000\n      Six Mths\n      Shr loss nine cts vs loss 4.09 dlrs\n      Net loss 262,000 vs loss 9,689,000\n      Revs 19.2 mln vs 15.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,874,000 vs 2,660,000\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":" 7-APR-1987 16:46:14.77\n","article":"   7-APR-1987 16:46:14.77\n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WILLIAMS <WMB> HAS 4TH QTR CHARGE\n","article":"  Williams Cos said a fourth quarter charge\n  of 250 mln dlrs from discontinued operations and writedowns\n  contributed to a 1986 net loss of 240 mln dlrs or 6.97 dlrs a\n  share against earnings of 31.6 mln dlrs or 92 cts in 1985.\n      The loss in the quarter was 232.3 mln dlrs or 6.75 dlrs\n  against income of 10.7 mln dlrs or 31 cts a year ago. Revenues\n  in the quarter fell to 521.1 mln dlrs from 716.9 mln and in the\n  year fell to 1.9 billion dlrs from 2.5 billion in 1985.\n      Williams also said the previously announced sale of its\n  Agrico Chemical Co unit to Freeport-Mcmoran Resource Partners\n  Ltd has cleared antitrust review and should close next week.\n      The 1987 first quarter will include proceeds from the\n  Agrico sale, for 250 mln dlrs cash at closing plus deferred\n  payments, and proceeds of 320 mln dlrs from the sale of a stake\n  in Peabody Holding Co, completed in January.\n      In the 1986 first quarter, Williams reported net of 14.2\n  mln dlrs or 41 cts a share on sales of 796.4 mln dlrs.\n      Williams said the charges in the current year were related\n  to an ongoing restructuring. The company said the restructuring\n  moves had improved its balance sheet and improved the outlook\n  for future stability and growth in earnings.\n      Operating profit at the company's Northwest Pipeline Corp\n  unit fell 4.5 pct to 150 mln dlrs from lower sales. The\n  Williams Natural Gas unit had operating profit of 50.5 mln dlrs\n  compared to 90.9 mln dlrs on lower sales volumes.\n      Profit at Williams Gas Marketing rose to 26 mln dlrs from\n  about 22 mln and the William Pipe Line Co had operating profit\n  of 49.4 mln dlrs versus 63.6 mln dlrs a year ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NACCO INDUSTRIES <NC> TO REPORT 2ND QTR GAIN\n","article":"  Nacco Industries Inc said it will\n  report a gain in the second quarter of about 11.5 mln dlrs or\n  1.25 dlrs a share from the sale of stock of a subsidiary.\n      Nacco said its North American Coal Corp unit has received\n  notice that Consolidation Coal Co, a unit of Du Pont Co <DD>,\n  will exercise an option to buy all of the stock of Quarto\n  Mining Co, a subsidiary of North American Coal.\n      For the stock, North American Coal will receive about 15.2\n  mln dlrs, 5.2 mln of which will be paid at closing April 10 and\n  the rest in installments, the company said.\n      In addition, Quarto will pay a dividend to North American\n  Coal of about 10 mln dlrs from retained earnings before\n  closing. The funds were previously used to finance mining\n  operations.\n      Consolidation Coal got the option from the Capco Group of\n  utilities, which received the option from Nacco in 1981.\n      Nacco reported earnings of 10.8 mln dlrs or 1.11 dlrs a\n  share in last year's second quarter.\n      In 1986, Quarto generated 5.9 mln dlrs in net income, equal\n  to 62 cts a share, of Nacco's total 1986 earnings of 3.48 dlrs\n  a share.\n      Quarto produced about 3.6 mln short tons of the 24.3 mln\n  tons produced by North American Coal in 1986, Nacco said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PERRY DRUG STORES INC <PDS> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 13 cts vs 37 cts\n      Net 1,300,000 vs 3,700,000\n      Sales 189 mln vs 163 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BUFFTON <BUFF> TO POST INVESTIGATION CHARGE\n","article":"  Buffton Corp said it will    \n  conduct an investigation on a plant designated as a Superfund\n  Site, which will result in a charge of about six cts per share\n  in its second quarter.\n      In the year ago second quarter, Buffton reported net income\n  of 10 cts a share or 330,000 dlrs on sales of 10.3 mln dlrs.\n       The study should be completed in nine months and will\n  determine any clean-up or remedial action that may be required.\n  Robintech Inc, the plant's former owner, will split the cost.\n  Buffton said its share will cost 400,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN DYNAMICS <AMDC> TO SELL 51 PCT STAKE\n","article":"  American Dynamics Corp and\n  <Meridian Reserve Inc> said they signed a definitive agreement\n  under which Meridian will buy 81.9 mln shares, or 51 pct, of\n  American Dynamics' common stock.\n      Under terms of the agreement, Santa Ana, Calif.-based\n  Meridian said it will pay Columbus-based American Dynamics one\n  mln dlrs in cash and notes over five years and about 500,000\n  shares of its common stock.\n      Meridian said it has the option to issue an additional\n  1,500,000 shares of its common over the next two years in\n  payment of certain of the notes.\n      Meridian, an oil and gas company whose operations are\n  primarily in Oklahoma, said the acquisition will increase its\n  its consolidated assets to 30 mln dlrs and its contractually\n  committed gas reserves to more than 40 mln dlrs at discounted\n  present value.\n      American Dynamics is engaged in gas gathering, transmission\n  and liquids extraction, also in Oklahoma.\n      The companies said they have five extracting plants and\n  about 525 miles of transmission lines in five adjoining\n  Oklahoma counties.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":" 7-APR-1987 17:01:06.32\n","article":"   7-APR-1987 17:01:06.32\n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":" 7-APR-1987 17:02:48.51\n","article":"   7-APR-1987 17:02:48.51\n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GRAIN SHIPS LOADING AT PORTLAND\n","article":"  There were six grain ships loading and\n  six ships were waiting to load at Portland, according to the\n  Portland Merchants Exchange.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ITALY'S ENI TO INVEST IN VENEZUELAN PROJECTS\n","article":"  Italy's state-owned Ente Nazionale\n  Idrocarburi (ENI) will invest 197 mln dlrs in two joint\n  ventures in coal and petrochemicals with Petroleos de\n  Venezuela, S.A, ENI president Franco Reviglio said.\n      Speaking at a news conference, Reviglio said the two\n  projects will eventually bring in some 300 mln dlrs annually in\n  foreign exchange to Venezuela and help diversify the country's\n  export base. \"Joint ventures are the principal instrument for\n  allowing the resources of the industrialized countries to be\n  channeled to the developing world so as to lead future growth\n  for both,\" Reviglio said.\n      ENI's subsidiary Ecofuel will join Pequiven, the\n  petrochemical subsidiary of PDVSA in building a 160 mln dlr\n  plant to produce mtbe, a gasoline additive used to increase\n  octane levels.\n      The 500,000 mt per year plant will be constructed at Jose\n  in eastern Venezuela, and fed by butane produced at PDVSA's\n  eastern cryogenic complex. ENI owns 48 pct of the joint venture\n  company, Super Octanos, C.A., while Pequiven has 49 pct, with\n  the remaining three pct to be sold to private investors.\n      Production is set to begin in third quarter 1989. Ecofuel\n  officials said the plant is modeled after one in Saudi Arabia.\n      Another ENI subsidiary, Agip Carbone, will sign a letter of\n  intent in Caracas tomorrow to enter a partnership with PDVSA to\n  mine the coal deposits at guasare in western zulia state, he\n  said.\n      Feasibility studies are still being done on the carbozulia\n  project, with a definitive accord slated for august, he added.\n      Agip carbone and atlantic richfield coal, an arco\n  subsidiary have formed a consortium which will own 48 pct of\n  the carbozulia project, whose total cost is estimated at 500\n  mln dlrs, the company said. Agip carbone will invest 24 pct, or\n  120 mln dlrs, in the project, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NWA INC <NWA> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 45 cts vs loss nine cts\n      Net profit 9.8 mln vs loss two mln\n      Revs 1.15 billion vs 631.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 3.26 dlrs vs profit 3.18 dlrs\n      Net profit 76.9 mln vs profit 73.1 mln\n      Revs 3.59 billion vs 2.66 billion\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REPUBLICBANK <RPT> TO RECLASSIFY BRAZIL LOANS\n","article":"  RepublicBank Corp said it has placed\n  182.6 mln dlrs of all intermediate and term loans to Brazil on\n  a non-accrual basis as of March 31.\n      It said the reclassification will reduce first quarter\n  earnings by 2.8 mln dlrs after taxes, and 11 mln dlrs after\n  taxes for all of 1987, if Brazil does not change its position\n  of a moratorium on interest payments.\n      RepublicBank also said its net income for the first quarter\n  is expected to be about 10.4 mln dlrs or 30 cts a share on a\n  fully diluted basis. In the year-ago first quarter the company\n  earned 23.1 mln dlrs or 75 cts a share.\n      The company also said its first quarter results are\n  expected to include a provision for loan losses of 55 mln dlrs,\n  about 20 mln dlrs over net loan-charge-offs of about 35 mln\n  dlrs. It said the provision will increase loan losses to about\n  328 mln dlrs or 2.2 pct of loans.\n      RepublicBank, with total assets of about 21 billion dlrs,\n  announced in December an agreement with InterFirst Corp <IFC>\n  to form First RepublicBank Corp. If the merger is approved by\n  regulatory agencies and stockholders, it would create the 12th\n  largest bank holding company in the United States.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUPPLIES, MIDEAST TENSION FUEL GAINS IN OIL\n","article":"  Petroleum futures rallied today in a\n  market that was expecting declines in domestic supplies and\n  became further unsettled by escalated Mideast fighting.\n      Crude oil, gasoline and heating oil all posted gains on the\n  New York Mercantile Exchange, with crude oil prices matching\n  life-of-contract highs. Crude for delivery in May closed 17\n  cents higher at 18.84 dlrs a barrel.\n      \"Crude futures could jump above 19 dlrs a barrel but will\n  not remain there long if products are not strong,\" Robert\n  Murphy, account executive at E.F. Hutton, said.\n      Traders said prices were supported by anticipation that the\n  American Petroleum Institute would report a decline in domestic\n  inventories of petroleum products in a weekly report.\n      Traders said prices also were supported by an escalation in\n  the Iran-Iraq war, with the Iranians reportedly launching a new\n  offensive against Iraqi positions, and Iraq attacking offshore\n  oil fields and an oil export depot.\n      Buying by speculators continued to prompt gains in gold and\n  silver futures on the Commodity Exchange in New York.\n      Gold prices retreated at midday, but rallied before the\n  close with support from the silver market, which was\n  approaching two-year highs, traders said.\n      Soybean futures posted strong gains on the Chicago Board of\n  Trade, while corn and wheat were mostly higher.\n      Traders said cash sales have been slow in the country, and\n  the soybean harvest in Brazil has been delayed by rain, which\n  is limiting supplies.\n      In addition, the Agriculture Department last week projected\n  a substantial drop in soybean acreage this year.     Monday's\n  report that the USDA inspected 46 mln bushels of corn for\n  export last week was unexpectedly high and, coupled with a lack\n  of farm sales, provided support for the corn market, traders\n  said.\n      Live hogs and frozen pork bellies rallied on the Chicago\n  Mercantile Exchange, while cattle ended lower.\n      Live hogs pushed ahead on a lack of supplies because many\n  farmers are turning their attention to spring planting rather\n  than marketing livestock, traders said, noting that cash sales\n  have been lighter than expected this week.\n      The lack of marketing also has supported pork bellies, but\n  prices drifted lower for moderate losses in nearby months as\n  speculators sold contracts to take profits, traders said.\n      Cattle prices closed lower but continued to show strength\n  related to tight supplies.\n      Prices pushed ahead to new contract highs, extending gains\n  past three-year peaks set Monday, as tight supplies forced meat\n  packers to bid aggressively for available animals.\n      However, some traders sold contracts to take profits after\n  the extended rally, which has seen the April delivery contract\n  soar to 69.90 cents a pound from 56 cents a pound at the start\n  of the year.\n      New York coffee futures closed higher on trade talk Brazil\n  would not be an aggressive seller near term, analysts said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TORCHMARK <TMK> AUTHORIZES STOCK REPURCHASE\n","article":"  Torchmark Corp said its board\n  authorized the purchase from time to time of a significant\n  portion of its 7-3\/4 pct convertible subordinated debentures.\n  As of February 25, it said there were outstanding 150 mln dlrs\n  of the principal amount of debenures.\n      The company also said it plans to redeem the debentures on\n  June eight.\n      It also declared a regular quarterly dividend of 25 cts per\n  share on its common payable May one to shareholders of record\n  April 10.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" 7-APR-1987 17:17:34.97\n","article":"   7-APR-1987 17:17:34.97\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"API SAYS DISTILLATE STOCKS UP 628,000 BBLS, GASOLINE UP 2.29 MLN, CRUDE UP 8.52 MLN\n","article":"\n  API SAYS DISTILLATE STOCKS UP 628,000 BBLS, GASOLINE UP 2.29 MLN, CRUDE UP 8.52 MLN\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTHERN TEXAS GRAIN DIFFERENTIALS ADJUSTED\n","article":"  Posted county prices in 99 southern\n  Texas counties have been changed to reflect only one market\n  differential instead of the usual two-terminal market pricing\n  system, a senior Agriculture Department official said.\n      Interior grain and soybean prices in the affected counties\n  will now be based solely against the Texas Gulf. Prior to the\n  change, county prices were also priced against the Amarillo\n  market.\n      The changes were made to better reflect local market\n  conditions, said Ralph Klopfenstein, deputy administrator for\n  commodity operations at USDA.\n      \"The Texas Gulf has always been the dominant market in those\n  counties. Amarillo never became effective for that area,\"\n  Klopfenstein told Reuters.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" 7-APR-1987 17:25:13.75\n","article":"   7-APR-1987 17:25:13.75\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CAMCO INC <CAM> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 11 cts vs 11 cts prior\n      Pay April 14\n      Record March 17\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMOSKEAG BANK <AMKG> TO SEEK REHEARING\n","article":"  Amoskeag Bank Shares Inc and\n  <Portsmouth Savings Bank> said they will file motions for a\n  rehearing with the New Hampshire Supreme Court of its March 30\n  ruling that overturned state regulatory approval of Amoskeag's\n  acquisition Portsmouth.\n      \"The ramifications of this decision, we believe, go well\n  beyond the affiliation of Amoskeag and Portsmouth Savings\n  Bank,\" said Amoskeag chairman William S. Bushnell.\n      The transaction was opposed by a group of Portsmouth\n  investors who wanted the bank to remain independent, according\n  to press reports.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EGYPT SAID TO CANCEL PL480 SOFT WHEAT TENDER\n","article":"  Egypt has cancelled its Export Bonus\n  tender for 200,000 tonnes of soft red winter wheat for May-June\n  shipment after failing to bid a price acceptable to USDA,\n  private export sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DOE RECOMMENDS SPECIAL UNIT TO ENRICH URANIUM\n","article":"  Energy Secretary John Herrington told\n  Congress that a federally chartered corporation would be the\n  best way to manage and operate the government's uranium\n  enrichment program.\n      He said in a letter to Congressmen that unless the program,\n  now run by the Energy Department, is improved, sales worth five\n  billion dlrs could be lost between 1990 and 2000.\n      The program now has annual commercial sales of about one\n  billion dlrs and holds 50 pct of the free world market for\n  enrichment services.\n      A department official said the world market for enriched\n  uranium for reactors for power utilities is increasingly\n  competitive and private entity could better tap it.\n      The Administration's plan to spin off the department's \n  uranium enrichment operation is in line with it effort to\n  reduce the federal government's role in areas where it feels\n  private enterprise could be more efficient.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JORDAN BOOSTS BIDS IN EXPORT BONUS WHEAT TENDER\n","article":"  Jordan has boosted its bids for U.S.\n  soft and hard wheat under Export Bonus, private export sources\n  said.\n      Jordan today bid 74 dlrs per tonne for soft wheat and 75\n  dlrs per tonne for hard red winter wheat in its tender for\n  225,000 tonnes of hard and soft wheat for April through\n  November shipment. Earlier today, USDA rejected its bids of 70\n  dlrs for both varieties, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MOROCCO TENDERS THURSDAY FOR PL 480 WHEAT\n","article":"  Morocco will tender Thursday for\n  120,000 to 210,000 tonnes of U.S. wheat, cheapest variety\n  preferred, for May and June shipments under PL 480, private\n  export sources said.\n      The tender will consist of three lots of up to 70,000\n  tonnes each for shipment May 1-30, May 10-June 10, and May\n  25-June 25, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TRILON DECLARES STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  <Trilon Financial Corp> said it declared\n  a stock dividend of one class A share for each two class A\n  shares held, payable May 15 to shareholders of record on April\n  30.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"API SAYS DISTILLATE, GASOLINE STOCKS UP IN WEEK\n","article":"  Distillate fuel stocks held in\n  primary storage rose by 628,000 barrels in the week ended April\n  three to 106.96 mln barrels from a revised 106.33 mln the\n  previous week, the American Petroleum Institute said.\n      In its weekly statistical bulletin, the oil industry trade\n  group said gasoline stocks rose 2.29 mln barrels to 247.91 mln\n  barrels from a revised 245.62 mln, and crude oil stocks were up\n  8.52 mln barrels to 337.73 mln from a revised 329.21 mln.\n      It said residual fuel stocks rose 28,000 barrels to 38.25\n  mln from a revised 37.98 mln barrels.\n      API said refinery runs in the week rose to 12.54 mln\n  barrels per day from 12.21 mln and refinery use of operating\n  capacity was 80.4 pct, up from 78.3 pct.\n      Crude oil imports in the week fell to 3.40 mln bpd from a\n  revised 3.60 mln, API added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALLEGHENY <AG> PREFERED SHAREHOLDERS FILE SUIT\n","article":"  Allegheny International Inc, which has\n  agreed to a merge with a jointly-formed First Boston Inc\n  affiliate in a deal worth 500 mn dlrs, said shareholders of its\n  preferred stock have filed a class action complaint against the\n  company.\n      The complaint alleges, among other things, that the company\n  and its board agreed to pay First Boston an illegal seven mln\n  dlr topping fee if it received a higher offer for the company\n  prior to the buyout.\n      The suit contends that this fee hampers Allegheny's ability\n  to attract other offers or take other actions that would\n  benefit holders of preferred stock. The complaint also alleges\n  federal securities laws violations and breach of fiduciary\n  duty.\n      The suit requests an injunction against proceeding with the\n  pending offer being made by Sunter Acquisition to acquire\n  Allegheny. Sunter Acquisition Corp and Sunter Holdings Corp\n  were formed by First Boston and Allegheny.\n      Allegheny said it and the Sunter concerns intend to\n  vigorously defend the complaint's charges.\n      The complaints were filed by Robert Moss and other parties\n  who are believed to own about 230,000 shares of Allegheny's\n  preferred stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CANADIANS URGE EXEMPTION FROM U.S. TRADE BILL\n","article":"  A group of Canadian lawmakers from\n  Ontario today asked their U.S. counterparts to exempt Canada\n  from the mandatory trade retaliation provisions in a major\n  trade bill being considered by the U.S. Congress.\n      At a meeting of the Northeast-Midwest Coalition, an\n  organization of U.S. legislators, David Cooke, chairman of the\n  Ontario Parliament's Select Committee on Economic Affairs, said\n  the exemption would help trade relations.\n      The trade legislation to be considered by the full House in\n  late April would require President Reagan to retaliate against\n  foreign unfair trade practices unless the trade actions would\n  harm the U.S. economy.\n      Currently, Reagan can reject trade sanctions on any\n  grounds.\n      Cooke, a member of the Liberal party, told the U.S.\n  congressmen, \"I can understand (the trade bill). I think it has\n  to do with concerns you have with the other parts of the world.\"\n      \"I would suggest to you that we are your best friends. You\n  do not have those concerns with Canada and you should sincerely\n  consider exempting our country from that bill,\" he added.\n      Canada is the United States' largest trading partner, with\n  two-way trade more than 113 billion dlrs in 1985, according to\n  the coalition. But the U.S. ran up a 23 billion dlr deficit in\n  manufactured goods that year compared to a 14 billion dlr\n  surplus in services trade with its neighbour.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN AGRONOMICS CORP <AGR> 2ND QTR FEB 28\n","article":"  Shr profit one cts vs loss three cts\n      Net profit 641,000 vs loss 992,000\n      Revs 26.0 mln vs 19.0 mln\n      Six months\n      Shr profit six cts vs loss six cts\n      Net profit 2.8 mln vs loss 1.8 mln\n      Revs 39.0 mln vs 37.4 mln\n      NOTE:1987 six months includes gain of four cts from change\n  in accounting principle.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HELIG-MEYERS CO <HMY> INCREASES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div eight cts vs seven cts prior\n      Payable May 15\n      Record APril 29\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HELIG-MEYERS CO <HMY> YEAR FEB 28\n","article":"  Shr 1.30 dlrs vs 1.07 dlrs\n      Net 13.6 mln dlrs vs 10.2 mln\n      Revs 271.2 mln vs 182.3 mln\n      NOTE:1986 results reflect year 11 month period because\n  company changed fiscal year to end February 28 from March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"KELLY OIL AND GAS PARTNERS <KLY> YEAR DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr 36 cts vs 43 cts\n      Net 1.3 mln vs 1.7 mln\n      Revs 9.0 mln vs 7.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN SEEKS TO STRENGTHEN PARIS CURRENCY ACCORD\n","article":"  Japan will seek to strengthen the\n  Paris accord on currency stability at the meeting of the group\n  of seven leading industrial nations tomorrow, Japanese\n  officials said.\n      However, the officials travelling with Japanese Finance\n  Minister Kiichi Miyazawa and who asked not to be identified,\n  would not provide any details of how they wanted the accord,\n  which was signed by the six leading industrial democracies in\n  February, to be strengthened.\n      Currency target zones, or reference ranges, will not be\n  discussed at the G-7 meeting which is scheduled for tomorrow,\n  the Japanese officials said.\n      The meeting, which is being held in conjunction with this\n  week's International Monetary Fund\/World Bank sessions, will\n  reaffirm the currency pact and there is no need for changing \n  the language used in the Paris accord, the officials said.\n      Miyazawa met with U.S. Treasury Secretary James Baker early\n  in this afternoon and discussed the dollar\/yen exchange rates,\n  officials said, but they declined to disclosed the details of\n  that discussion.\n      The Japanese officials also declined to detail what\n  Miyazawa and Baker discussed on the subject of greater joint\n  intervention in currency markets to stabilize the dollar or on\n  independent American intervention.\n      The officials said such a money market action to stabilize\n  the dollar is not only for the benefit of Japan, which is\n  suffering from a sharp appreciation in its currency, but also\n  for the benefit of the United States as well.\n      As to U.S. urgings for Japan to take steps to boost its\n  domestic demand to reduce its trade surplus, Japan will explain\n  economic measures to the G-7, the officials said.\n      However, Miyazawa failed to outline the size of the\n  Japanese economic package in his meeting with Baker today\n  because the Japanese 1987\/88 budget has not been authorized by\n  the Diet, or parliament, despite the new fiscal year which\n  started April one, the officials said.\n      Japan's ruling liberal democratic party revealed its own\n  economic package today calling for more than 5,000 billion yen\n  in additional spending.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TCW CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES <CVT> SETS DIVIDEND\n","article":"  TCW Convertible Securities Fund Inc\n  said its board declared an initial quarterly dividend of three\n  cents per share, payable April 30 to shareholders of record\n  April 17.\n      TCW said it anticipates paying a regular quarterly\n  dividend. The company made its initial public stock offering\n  March five.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CURRENCY FUTURES TO KEY OFF G-5, G-7 MEETINGS\n","article":"  News of an agreement among G-5 and G-7\n  finance ministers meeting in Washington this week will be key\n  to the direction of currency futures at the International\n  Monetary Market, but any such agreement will need to go beyond\n  the Paris accord to stem the recent rise in futures, financial\n  analysts said.\n      \"If they (the finance ministers) give the market something\n  really new to look at -- that is, some package that goes beyond\n  the Paris agreement -- you could have a real boost in the\n  dollar,\" said Shearson Lehman Brothers analyst Anne Mills.\n      On the other hand, \"anything neutral would tend to be\n  bearish for the dollar,\" Mills said.\n      Traders and analysts agree a simple reaffirmation of the\n  Paris accord will not be enough to halt the decline in the\n  dollar, nor will central bank intervention.\n      \"A lot of people are looking for a reason to buy currencies\n  and sell the dollar,\" said one trader for a large retail firm\n  on the floor of the IMM.\n      \"If there is no concrete resolution, they will be looking\n  to sell the dollar, possibly down to the 1.80 mark level,\" he\n  said.\n      Technically, most currency futures are poised for another\n  rise, said Smith Barney Harris Upham analyst Craig Sloane.\n      Sloane noted that June yen futures set a new contract high\n  on Tuesday and closed at its best level ever, while June\n  sterling set a new contract high on Monday.\n      \"Everything seems to be coming to a head right now and you\n  don't need much to get things rolling,\" Sloane said.\n      In particular, the June Canadian dollar, for which Sloane\n  recently put out a buy recommendation, has hovered in a range\n  between 0.7600 and 0.7660 in recent weeks, forming a triangle\n  on the charts from which it may soon break out on the upside.\n      A close above the contract high of 0.7665 would signal a\n  breakout, Sloane said, and would likely mean the nearby\n  Canadian dollar contract would extend its advance to near the\n  0.7800 level. June Canadian dollar closed at 0.7656 Tuesday.\n      Mills noted, however, that interest rate differentials\n  between Canadian securities and U.S. securities have narrowed\n  dramatically recently, with yields on 10-year Canadian bonds\n  only about 80 basis points above U.S. 10-year notes.\n      What has helped the Canadian currency, she noted, is an\n  increasing proportion of foreign funds flowing into the\n  Canadian equity market, particularly from Japanese investors.\n      Other analysts, however, said currency futures may be near\n  the top of their long-term rally.\n      \"Something will be done at the (G-5 and G-7) meeting to\n  calm people,\" said David Horner of Merrill Lynch Economics.\n      The Paris accord has pretty much fixed where major European\n  currencies will trade, Horner said.\n      But sterling futures may still make another run for new\n  highs, up to 1.6300 to 1.6500 dlr in the June contract, on the\n  positive atmosphere that will prevail before British elections\n  and possibly another interest rate cut, Horner said. The June\n  British pound closed at 1.6080 on Tuesday.\n      Horner said that new boundaries for the trading range of\n  the yen are likely to come out of the G-5 and G-7 meetings.\n      The most likely range will be a bottom for the dollar\n  between 140 to 142 yen per dollar and a top near 150 to 152\n  yen, Horner said. In yen futures, the bottom of the dollar's\n  range would be equivalent to 0.007100 to 0.007150 in the June\n  contract. June yen closed at 0.006913 on Tuesday.\n      If such a range does emerge from the meetings, \"we will\n  have one more rally in the yen,\" Horner said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SENATE'S PROXMIRE URGES CURBS ON TAKEOVERS\n","article":"  Senate Banking Committee chairman\n  William Proxmire called for curbs of hostile corporate\n  takeovers and new restrictions on risk arbitrageurs.\n      \"At the very least, it is high time that we require all risk\n  arbitrageurs to register seperately and specifically  with the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission and that we consider\n  precluding brokerage firms and their employers from investing\n  in, or owning any securities issued by, third party risk\n  arbitrage operations,\" Proxmire said at the start of a hearing\n  on corporate takeovers.\n      \"A burning issue must be whether there ought to be a\n  complete seperation in the future of risk arbitrage and\n  investment banking,\" Proxmire said.\n      He said he was concerned that hostile takeover attempts\n  were hurting the economy, a view shared by corporate executives\n  who tesitified at the hearing. \"I believe that takeovers have\n  become so abusive and so tilted in favor of the financial\n  buccaneers that remedial action is required,\" USX Corp chairman\n  David Roderick said. \"For Congress to allow the takeover game to\n  continue unchecked, would be economic suicide,\" Champion\n  International Corp chairman Andrew Sigler added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"POEHL WARNS AGAINST FURTHER DOLLAR FALL\n","article":"  Bundesbank President Karl Otto Poehl\n  said a weaker dollar would be risky and a further appreciation\n  of the mark would damage prospects for sustained West German\n  economic growth.\n      In a speech to the Institute of Contempory German Affairs\n  here, Poehl said \"It would be an extremely risky policy to aim\n  for a further substantial decline in the value of the dollar to\n  correct the trade deficit.\"\n      He said the United States could face a vicious circle of\n  depreciation, inflation and more depreciation if it took that\n  route.\n      Poehl noted West Germany had already taken steps to meet\n  U.S. Demands for greater stimulation of its domestic economy,\n  accelerating tax cuts, cutting interest rates and tolerating\n  above-target money supply growth.\n      He said he would have been happy to have brought forward\n  five billion marks of tax cuts now planned for January 1988 to\n  the beginning of this year, but he said the government faced\n  political constraints getting such measures through the upper\n  house of the West German parliament.\n      But there were also limits to the impact West Germany could\n  accept on exports from a rising mark, he said.\n      Poehl said West Germany relied on exports for about\n  one-third of its gross national product, so a substantial\n  erosion of export markets could not be offset by increasing\n  demand at home.\n      \"A further appreciation of the mark could even be an\n  obstacle to further growth,\" he said.\n      Poehl said the Bundesbank had tolerated rapid money supply\n  growth last year because the country enjoyed low inflation and\n  because external factors, including low oil prices and\n  favourable terms of trade, had given some extra leeway.\n      But Poehl said West Germany now faced a difficult dilemma\n  over monetary policy.\n      The underlying rate of inflation was now two pct, not the\n  reported negative inflation rates last year, and West Germany\n  was affected more than before by exchange rate developments.\n      \"For the time being, we will have to focus our policy more\n  on the external side, and we can live with a more expansionary\n  money supply. But we must be very careful,\" he said.\n      He said he shared some of the U.S. Concern about Japan's\n  trade surpluses, which affected European countries as well as\n  the United States.\n      Poehl welcomed the so-called Louvre accord of monetary\n  officials of major industrialized countries, saying the\n  importance of the February 22 agreement to stabilize exchange\n  rates had been underestimated.\n      All partners had agreed that the dollar was at about the\n  right level, and that further changes would damage growth, he\n  said.\n      \"This was a remarkable change in attitude, especially on the\n  part of our American colleagues,\" he said.\n      But he said there was still a danger that the correction of\n  the dollar's value could overshoot.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"N.Z. UNEMPLOYMENT RATE 3.9 PCT IN DECEMBER QUARTER\n","article":"  New Zealand's unemployment rate was\n  3.9 pct of the workforce in the quarter ended December 31,\n  unchanged from a revised 3.9 pct (preliminary 3.8 pct) in the\n  previous quarter but slightly above 3.8 pct in the year-earlier\n  quarter, the Statistics Department said.\n      The Department, citing the Household Labour Force Survey,\n  said in a statement the number of unemployed in October-\n  December 1986 was 61,500 against 60,500 in the September\n  quarter and 60,500 a year earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Bank of Japan buys dollars shortly after opening at around 145.30 yen -- dealers\n","article":"\n  Bank of Japan buys dollars shortly after opening at around 145.30 yen -- dealers\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF JAPAN INTERVENES SOON AFTER TOKYO OPENING\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan bought a small amount of\n  dollars shortly after the opening at around 145.30 yen, dealers\n  said.\n      The central bank intervened as a medium-sized trading house\n  sold dollars, putting pressure on the U.S. Currency, they said.\n      The dollar was also supported by a major electrical\n  consumer goods company, which was a speculative dollar buyer at\n  around 145.25 yen, they added.\n      The dollar opened at 145.33 yen against 145.60\/70 in New\n  York and 145.25 at the close here yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SPAIN TO LAUNCH EXPORT DRIVE\n","article":"  Spain unveils a 105 billion peseta plan\n  this month aimed at boosting exports to reach European\n  Community levels, director-general of the INFE export\n  institute, Apolonio Ruiz Ligero, said.\n      \"The target is to raise exports to 20 pct of Gross Domestic\n  Product over the next four years compared to 15 pct now,\" he\n  said.\n       \"This is the minimum prevailing level in the EC and there\n  is no reason why we should lag behind countries like Italy,\n  which have a similar productive structure,\" he said.\n      The plan calls for providing soft loans, tax cuts and other\n  fiscal benefits to exporters and raising Spain's presence in\n  international trade fairs.\n      Consumer goods such as fashion and wine, as well as\n  traditional industrial exports will be promoted.\n      Ruiz Ligero said INFE would double its annual budget to 20\n  billion pesetas to finance the four-year plan, while the\n  government's development aid fund (FAD) would provide a special\n  25 billion peseta grant.\n      The plan calls for boosting exports by five to six pct in\n  real terms this year after a 7.4 pct decline last year.\n      Ruiz Ligero attributed this drop to a lack of demand in\n  developing countries and a rally in domestic consumer demand,\n  which rose six pct last year after 1.9 pct in 1985.\n      He added that 80 pct of Spain's exports went to\n  Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)\n  countries.\n      The EC accounts for 60 pct of the market and exports to the\n  Community rose seven pct last year. The government plans to\n  concentrate efforts on Western Europe and the U.S.\n      \"The problem is convincing businessmen that exports are\n  vital to survival in the context of EC competition,\" he said.\n      He said Spanish businessmen traditionally turned to the\n  domestic market to satisfy rises in consumer demand, while\n  turning their backs on foreign markets.\n      \"They have to realise their share of the home market is\n  going to shrink with growing deregulation,\" he said. \"Foreign\n  companies are taking up positions in the domestic economy and\n  it is it vital to secure a market share abroad.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN RUBBER STOCKS FALL IN MARCH\n","article":"  Japan's rubber stocks fell to 44,980\n  tonnes in March from 46,198 in February and from 53,784 in\n  March 1986, the Japan Rubber Trade Association said.\n      The stocks (in tonnes), with February and year-earlier\n  comparisons, were -\n                      March 87  Feb 87    March 86\n      Crude Rubber     41,536   42,094     49,551\n      Synthetic         3,334    3,978      4,044\n      Latex               110      126        189\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOUTH KOREAN WON FIXED AT 25-MONTH HIGH\n","article":"  THE BANK OF KOREA SAID IT FIXED THE\n  MIDRATE OF THE WON AT 844.30 TO THE DOLLAR, ITS HIGHEST LEVEL\n  SINCE FEBRUARY 26, 1985, WHEN IT WAS 843.90.\n      THE WON WAS SET at 845.50 YESTERDAY.\n      THE WON HAS RISEN 2.03 PCT AGAINST THE DOLLAR SO FAR THIS\n  YEAR, AFTER RISING 3.34 PCT IN 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ROSSIGNOL UNIT BUYS CANADIAN SKI BOOT MAKER\n","article":"  French ski and tennis equipment maker\n  <Skis Rossignol> said its 97.7-pct owned subsidiary <Skis\n  Dynastar SA> agreed to buy Canadian ski stick and boot\n  manufacturer <CFAS> from <Warrington Inc>.\n      A Rossignol spokesman declined to give financial details\n  but said turnover of CFAS was about 100 mln French francs,\n  doubling the Rossignol group's activities in the boot and stick\n  sectors.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NIPPON MINING LOWERS COPPER PRICE\n","article":"  Nippon Mining Co Ltd said it lowered its\n  selling price for electrolytic copper by 10,000 yen per tonne\n  to 260,000, effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN UNIONS LAUNCH NEW SOUTH WALES STRIKES\n","article":"  Australian trade unions said they have\n  launched week-long strikes and other industrial action in New\n  South Wales (NSW) to protest against new laws that would reduce\n  injury compensation payments.\n      Union sources said talks with the state government broke\n  down last night, but the two sides are scheduled to meet later\n  today in an attempt to find a compromise.\n      Rail freight and shipping cargo movements in the country's\n  most populous state were the first to be affected, and union\n  officials said almost every business sector will be hit unless\n  there is a quick settlement.\n      The state government recently introduced a new workers'\n  compensation act which would cut the cash benefits to injured\n  workers by up to a third. The act is now awaiting parliamentary\n  ratification.\n      NSW state premier Barrie Unsworth has said workers'\n  compensation has risen steeply in recent years and the proposed\n  cuts would save hundreds of mlns of dollars a year.\n      Union officials said industrial action could spread to\n  other states as the federal government also plans to make sharp\n  cuts in workers' compensation.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USF AND G CORP <FG> RAISES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 62 cts vs 58 cts in the prior quarter\n      Payable April 30\n      Record March 20\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<BRNF LIQUIDATING TRUST> SETS DISTRIBUTIONS\n","article":"  BRNF Liquidating Trust said\n  trustees declared a 13th liquidating dividend of 1.10 dlrs per\n  unit, payable April One to holders of record of its Series A, B\n  and C certificates on March 18.\n      The trust had paid a 12th liquidating distribution on\n  January 15 amounting to 1.750 dlrs on Series A, 1.815 dlrs on\n  Series B and 1.765 dlrs on Series C certificates.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STANLINE INC <STAN> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 20 cts vs 15 cts\n      Net 345,970 vs 257,252\n      Revs 14.0 mln vs 13.4 mln\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for five pct stock dividend in\n  December 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DOW CHEMICAL CO <DOW> UNIT INCREASES PRICES\n","article":"  The Dow Chemical Co said its\n  Engineering Thermoplastics Department will increase the selling\n  prices of standard grades of MAGNUM ABS resins by three cts per\n  pound.\n      It also announced an increase of five cts per pound for\n  performance grades of the resins.\n      Both increases are effective April 1, 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SWIFT ENERGY CO <SFY> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 12 cts vs eight cts\n      Net 485,866 vs 316,193\n      Revs 1,741,508 vs 1,440,154\n      Year\n      Shr 28 cts vs 20 cts\n      Net 1,108,314 vs 778,197\n      Revs 5,073,178 vs 3,687,160\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BROWNING-FERRIS INDUSTRIES INC <BFI> IN PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 20 cts vs 20 cts prior\n      Pay April 10\n      Record March 20\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BUFFTON CORP <BUFF> BUYS B AND D INSTRUMENTS\n","article":"  Buffton Corp said it completed\n  the purchase of B and D Industruments Inc for two mln dlrs cash\n  and 400,000 shares of common stock.\n      It said B and D is a private company headquartered in\n  Kansas, and had sales of 4,700,000 dlrs in 1986.\n      Buffton said the company designs and manufactures aviation\n  computer display systems and engine instrumentation.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"VEREINS- UND WESTBANK TO REORGANIZE NETWORK\n","article":"  und Westbank AG <VHBG.F> plans\n  to streamline its branch network to improve its distribution of\n  financial services, management board member Eberhard-Rainer\n  Luckey said.\n      He told a news conference on 1986 results that branches in\n  Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein would be merged or closed, a\n  branch in Frankfurt opened and that the bank was considering\n  opening a branch in London.\n      Luckey said the bank's total operating profits rose nearly\n  29 pct in 1986. Parent bank net profit rose to 47.7 mln from\n  42.2 mln and the dividend remained unchanged at 12 marks.\n      The group balance sheet, including for the first time\n  VereinWest Overseas Finance (Jersey), rose 9.2 pct to 17.9\n  billion marks, Luckey said.\n      The parent bank balance sheet rose 89 mln marks to 13.2\n  billion, while business volume was almost unchanged at 14.8\n  billion. Credit volume eased to 9.1 billion from 9.2 billion\n  while loans to companies rose seven pct.\n      Foreign business and securities trading turnover also\n  increased. Higher earnings from trading on the bank's own\n  account contributed to record operating profits.\n      Net interest income rose on firmer interest margins by 16.1\n  mln marks to 381.6 mln. Net commission income rose 6.6 mln to\n  156.7 mln, Luckey said.\n      Foreign commercial business was influenced by a fall in\n  West German foreign trade but earnings were still satisfactory.\n      The bank's exposure in Latin America was less than two pct\n  of its total foreign credit and in Africa less than one pct.\n      The bank continued to sell some of its exposure in 1986,\n  and will also continue to stock up risk provisions, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BALDRIGE CONCERNED ABOUT KOREAN\/TAIWAN DEFICITS\n","article":"  Secretary of Commerce Malcolm\n  Baldrige expressed concern about the continuing U.S. trade\n  deficits with South Korea and Taiwan and said that without an\n  adjustment in exchange rates there is little likelihood of\n  improvement.\n      Speaking to the President's Export Council, an industry\n  advisory group, Baldrige said the trade deficit issue was under\n  discussion with those countries.\n      \"I feel that unless we see an exchange rate adjustment we\n  probably won't be able to see much of a change in the large\n  surplus that Taiwan in particular has with us,\" he said.\n      In a wide-ranging discussion on U.S. trade matters,\n  Baldrige also repeated U.S. concern about an attempted takeover\n  by Japan's Fujitsu company of Fairchild Computer.\n      He said that the Japanese were resisting allowing U.S.\n  companies into the giant computer business while at the same\n  time attempting to acquire control of a U.S. company that does\n  major computer business in the U.S. market.\n      Lastly, Baldrige said that the United States was hopeful\n  that it could complete a free market agreement with Canada by\n  the autumn, but said major issues, including acid rain,\n  remained unresolved.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALLWASTE <ALWS> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Allwaste Inc said it has agreed in\n  principle to acquire an air-moving and related industrial\n  services company it did not identify for up to 1,400,000 dlrs\n  in common stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CASTLE AND COOKE <CKE> TAKES FOURTH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Castle and Cooke Inc said it would\n  take a fourth quarter after-tax loss of 33.9 mln dlrs from the\n  previously reported sale of its Flexi-Van container leasing\n  business to Itel Corp <ITEL> for about 215 mln dlrs.\n      Earlier, the company reported a loss for the fourth quarter\n  ended January 3 of 31.9 mln dlrs, or 76 cts a share, compared\n  with a loss of 3.3 mln dlrs, or 21 cts per share, in 1985's\n  fourth quarter.\n      For the year, however, the diversified holding company\n  reported a net profit of 43.9 mln dlrs, or 56 cts a share,\n  versus 46.4 mln dlrs, or 56 cts a share, in 1985.\n      David Murdock, chairman and chief executive officer, said,\n  \"Both our food business and our real estate operations\n  increased their earnings during the year (1986).\"\n      But, he added that Flexi-Van's 1986 results were hit by\n  depressed daily rental rates for leased equipment caused by\n  oversupplies.\n      The company also reported that George Elkas, formerly\n  executive vice president,  has been named president and chief\n  operating officer of Flexi-Van Corp, while William Burns has\n  been named executive vice president of Flexi-Van.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED EXPECTED TO ADD TEMPORARY RESERVES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve is expected to\n  enter the U.S. Government securities market to add temporary\n  reserves, economists said.\n      They expect it to supply the reserves indirectly by\n  arranging around 1.5 of customer repurchase agreements.\n      Federal funds, which averaged 6.22 pct yesterday, opened at\n  six pct and remained there in early trading.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONVENIENT FOOD MART <CFMI> AGREES TO BUY CHAIN\n","article":"  Convenient Food Mart Inc said it\n  has tentatively agreed to buy all the outstanding stock of\n  Plaid Pantries Inc and two associated businesses in Oregon and\n  Washington for undisclosed terms.\n      Plaid Pantries owns and operates 161 convenience stores in\n  the Portland and Seattle areas. The other business are two\n  companies involved in the wholesale distribution of groceries\n  and health and beauty aids, it said.\n      Closing is expected by May 15.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"WAL-MART STORES INC 4TH QTR SHR 65 CTS VS 47 CTS\n","article":"\n  WAL-MART STORES INC 4TH QTR SHR 65 CTS VS 47 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TECHAMERICA GROUP INC <TCH> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss six cts vs not available\n      Net loss 562,231 vs profit 10,253\n      Revs 8,871,874 vs 9,549,308\n      Year\n      Shr loss 60 cts vs loss nine cts\n      Net loss 5,058,145 vs loss 766,185\n      Revs 34.3 mln vs 35.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MARINE MIDLAND <MM> BUYS BROKERAGE ASSETS\n","article":"  Marine Midland Banks Inc said it has\n  acquired the customer account base of New York discount\n  brokerage firm Ovest Financial Services Inc for undisclosed\n  terms to expand its discount brokerage operations in the\n  Northeastern U.S.\n      It said it will combine Ovest's activities with those of\n  its Marine Midland Brokerage Service unit.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. TREASURY DEPUTY ASST SECRETARY BERGER SAYS FURTHER DOLLAR DROP COULD CAUSE INFLATION\n","article":"\n  U.S. TREASURY DEPUTY ASST SECRETARY BERGER SAYS FURTHER DOLLAR DROP COULD CAUSE INFLATION\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DOM REPUBLIC SELLS CZARNIKOW 35,000 TONS SUGAR\n","article":"  The Dominican Republic sold\n  35,000 long tons of sugar for immediate delivery, with an\n  option for 25,000 tons more, to Czarnikow Rionda of New York,\n  the state sugar council announced.\n      It was not immediately clear when the sale was made or at\n  what price. A council communique said \"the sale was made at the\n  best prevailing conditions in the world sugar market.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"WILFRED AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL <WAE> REGULAR DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div three cts vs three cts prior\n      Pay April three\n      Record March 13\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC BACKS NEW MOVE TO ENCOURAGE UNLEADED GASOLINE\n","article":"  The EC Executive Commission has backed\n  a plan to allow member countries to ban regular leaded gasoline\n  in a move designed to encourage use of unleaded fuel.\n      It said in a statement it backed a proposal to allow EC\n  states to ban sales of regular grade gasoline containing lead\n  at six months notice. The proposal, which needs approval by EC\n  ministers, would not force any member state to impose the ban.\n  \"It's an option, not an obligation,\" a spokesman said.\n      But the Commission said imposing the ban would encourage\n  the use of unleaded fuel, as well as making it easier for gas\n  stations by cutting the number of types of gasoline they had to\n  stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SUN RAISES CRUDE OIL POSTINGS ONE DLR ACROSS BOARD. WTI NOW 17.00 DLRS\/BBL\n","article":"\n  SUN RAISES CRUDE OIL POSTINGS ONE DLR ACROSS BOARD. WTI NOW 17.00 DLRS\/BBL\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<DEVTEK CORP> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 14 cts vs nine cts\n      Net 1,180,000 vs 640,000\n      Revs 25.6 mln vs 20.1 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr 26 cts vs 12 cts\n      Net 2,103,000 vs 853,000\n      Revs 44.8 mln vs 33.0 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SAXTON INDUSTRIES LTD <SAXIF> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 13 cts vs 41 cts\n      Net 1,079,100 vs 3,535,205\n      Revs 13.6 mln vs 16.2 mln\n      Note: Current results for 16 months after change in fiscal\n  year end to December 31 from August 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TORONTO SUN PLANS TWO-FOR-ONE STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  <Toronto Sun Publishing Corp> said it\n  planned a two-for-one split of its common shares, subject to\n  regulatory approval and approval by shareholders at the April\n  21 annual meeting.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SERVO CORP OF AMERICA <SCA> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 43 cts vs 41 cts\n      Net 316,000 vs 298,000\n      Sales 4,857,000 vs 4,543,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ELECTRO-NUCLEONICS INC <ENUC> 2ND QTR DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.77 dlrs vs profit 15 cts\n      Net loss 8,036,000 vs profit 576,000\n      Sales 16.2 mln vs 17.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,539,437 vs 3,816,580\n      1st half\n      Shr loss 1.96 dlrs vs profit 26 cts\n      Net loss 8,231,000 vs profit 996,000\n      Sales 30.9 mln vs 32.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,205,707 vs 3,814,141\n      NOTE: Current half net includes 68,000 dlr tax credit.\n      Current year net both periods includes 6,700,000 dlr\n  writedown of inventory of clinical chemistry products.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WAL-MART STORES INC <WMT> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 65 cts vs 47 cts\n      Net 184.3 mln vs 133.1 mln\n      Sales 3.85 billion vs 2.77 billion\n      Year\n      Shr 1.59 dlrs vs 1.16 dlrs\n      Net 450.1 mln vs 327.5 mln\n      Sales 11.91 billion vs 8.45 billion\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DREXEL OFFICIAL HAS STAKE IN EPSILON DATA <EPSI>\n","article":"  A senior official of Drexel Burnham\n  Lambert Inc and his father told the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission they have acquired 258,591 shares of Epsilon Data\n  Management Inc, or 9.4 pct of the total outstanding.\n      Kenneth Thomas, senior vice president-investments at\n  Drexel's Los Angeles office, and his father, retired university\n  professor C.A. Thomas, said they bought the stake for 2.1 mln\n  dlrs primarily for investment purposes.\n      They said they may buy more stock or sell some or all of\n  their stake, depending on market conditions, but have no plans\n  to seek control of the company.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<MIRTONE INTERNATIONAL INC> 1ST QTR DEC 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr two cts vs two cts\n      Net 407,396 vs 376,243\n      Revs 5,341,353 vs 4,292,819\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. TREASURY AIDE WARNS ON INFLATION\n","article":"  Thomas Berger, Deputy Assistant\n  Secretary of the Treasury, said that a further drop in the\n  exchange value of the dollar could cause prices to go up and\n  trigger inflation.\n      He told a meeting of the President's Export Council that\n  the Japanese and the Germans have cut their profit margins to\n  reflect recent drops in the dollar, so prices have remained\n  much the same.\n      But he added that if the dollar dropped further there could\n  be inflation in the United States.\n      Berger also said that a further devalued dollar may cause\n  economic depressions in some U.S. trading partners, and that\n  would not be in America's interest because it would close those\n  markets to U.S. goods.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LEAF DISEASE HITS SRI LANKA RUBBER\n","article":"  A leaf disease affecting seven pct of\n  Sri Lanka's rubber plantations may reduce output this year and\n  raise currently depressed prices, industry officials and\n  researchers told Reuters.\n      About 2,900 hectares of rubber planted with the Rubber\n  Research Institute (RRI) clone 103 have been hit by the fungus\n  \"corenes pora\" which attacks the roots of the tree and kills the\n  leaves. The disease was first discovered about six months ago.\n      Trade sources say prices might boom once again if the\n  crisis leads to output below the 1987 target of 143,000 tonnes.\n  Last year's output is estimated at between 133,000 and 135,000\n  tonnes.\n      Researchers say the fungus could spread to other rubber\n  clones if no immediate action is taken.\n      \"The RRI is considering asking estates to remove the trees\n  seriously affected by the fungus because it was too late to use\n  chemicals to kill the disease,\" an Institute spokesman said.\n      Senior industry and research officials met yesterday at\n  Padukka, east of here, to discuss ways of controlling the\n  fungus which is affecting estates mostly belonging to the State\n  Plantations Corp and Janatha Estates Development Board.\n      The two state-owned groups account for 30 pct of rubber\n  land with the balance belonging to small private producers with\n  a total of 145,600 hectares.\n      The RRIC 103 is a new clone propagated by the Research\n  Institute as high yielding and recommended two years ago for\n  planting. Only the two state groups seriously planted these\n  clones while smallholders preferred the low-yielding but older\n  PBX Malaysian clones.\n      Officials at yesterday's crisis meeting said it was decided\n  to uproot only some of the affected trees while others would be\n  treated. They declined to comment on other decisions taken.\n      Trade sources said supplies had improved in the past week\n  but prices had hit their lowest since last December. \"If there\n  is a shortage of rubber, prices are bound to rise,\" a spokesman\n  for a company buying on behalf of the Soviet Union said.\n      Rubber prices, particularly crepe, fell sharply by about\n  four rupees a kilo between December and March. The best crepe\n  one-X traded at 23.68 rupees a kilo, averaged 19.75 at this\n  week's auction. Sheet prices fell by a rupee in the same\n  period.\n      Quantities offered at the auction also fell to an average\n  of 300 tonnes per auction last month from 800 tonnes in\n  December because of wintering in early February in producing\n  areas.\n      Over 550 tonnes were offered at this Tuesday's auction with\n  the supply position showing improvements.\n      Trade sources said the smaller availability of rubber last\n  month did not raise prices as on previous occasions.\n      \"Some factors, like less storage space from excess stocks,\n  meant we could not buy much at the auction until we disposed of\n  the rubber we already had,\" one buyer said.\n      Other sources said there were few forward contracts and\n  speculative buying last month, while delays in steamer arrivals\n  aggravated the problem.\n      European buyers delayed their purchases because of winter\n  closures of factories and also in the hope that prices would\n  ease further.\n      They said another problem that could hit the industry is\n  the dry spell in producing areas. \"If the inter-monsoonal rains\n  expected in late March\/April are delayed, we would have further\n  shortages,\" one official said.\n      \"But this again could benefit prices,\" a buyer said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PYRO ENERGY CORP <BTU> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 36 cts vs 66 cts\n      Net 4,775,000 vs 9,342,000\n      Revs 105.5 mln vs 130.0 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EC COMMISSION DETAILS SUGAR TENDER\n","article":"  The European Commission confirmed it\n  authorised the export of 60,500 tonnes of current series white\n  sugar at a maximum rebate of 43.147 European Currency Units\n  (ECUs) per 100 kilos.\n      Out of this, traders in the U.K. Received 43,500 tonnes, in\n  the Netherlands 12,000, in Denmark 4,000 and in West Germany\n  1,000 tonnes.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"UNITRODE CORP <UTR> 4TH QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 13 cts vs profit 10 cts\n      Net loss 1,804,062 vs profit 1,370,063\n      Revs 33.5 mln vs 40.4 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr loss 51 cts vs profit cts\n      Net loss 7,030,235 vs profit 9,163,141\n      Revs 149.4 mln vs 167.9 mln\n      NOTE: income before taxes for the 12 mths ended Jan 1987\n  includes gains 895,000 for fire insurance settlement, and\n  unusual charges of 7,900,000 for provisions for estimated cost\n  of severance pay for terminated workers and a one-time\n  writedown of inventory and equipment.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BUEHLER INTERNATIONAL INC <BULR> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr five cts vs 20 cts\n      Qtly div two cts vs two cts prior\n      Net 223,000 vs 1,418,000\n      Sales 15.3 mln vs 17.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 61 cts vs 81 cts\n      Net 3,106,000 vs 5,940,000\n      Sales 63.0 mln vs 59.5 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes tax credits of 63,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and 1,365,000 dlrs in year.\n      1986 net both periods includes 500,000 dlr pretax inventory\n  writedown.\n      Dividend pay March 27, record March 5.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STANHOME INC <STH> RAISES QUARTERLY TWO CTS\n","article":"  Qtly div 23 cts vs 21 cts prior\n      Pay April 1\n      Record March 16\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INSTRON CORP <ISN> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div three cts vs three cts prior\n      Pay April 2\n      Record March 16\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GERMAN INSTITUTE SEES INFLATION RISING IN 1987\n","article":"  The cost of living in West Germany will\n  likely be about 0.5 pct higher on average in 1987 than in 1986,\n  when the cost of living actually fell by an average 0.2 pct in\n  the first recurrence of \"negative inflation\" since the 1950s, the\n  HWWA economic research institute said.\n      The re-emergence of inflation will result mainly from the\n  fading of two factors which influenced the fall in the 1986\n  cost of living - the steep decline in both oil prices and the\n  value of the dollar, the institute said in a report.\n      The institute said inflation will see a rising trend in the\n  course of 1987, but will average only 0.5 pct for the year as a\n  whole because year on year rates will remain negative in the\n  first part of 1987.\n      Provisional inflation figures for February released last\n  week showed the cost of living last month was 0.5 pct lower\n  than in February 1986. In January prices had fallen 0.8 pct\n  against the same month a year earlier.\n      The HWWA said its forecast assumed the dollar would remain\n  around 1.80 marks and oil prices would range between 15 and 17\n  dlrs per barrel.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED DRAFTS CURRENCY, RATE SWAP RISK GAUGE\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve Board voted\n  unanimously to propose a formula for calculating the risk of\n  interest rate and currency swaps as part of its ongoing effort\n  to come up with a new capital standard for U.S. banks that\n  takes into account the riskiness of a bank's loans and other\n  assets.\n      Fed officials said an identical proposal was being issues\n  today by the Bank of England.\n      The Fed set a 60-day period for public comment on the plan.\n      The proposal adopted today addresses only the credit risks\n  associated with interest rate swaps, forward foreign exchange\n  contracts and similar financial instruments.\n      Previously, the Fed Jan. 8 proposed a series of guidelines\n  for calculating the risk of other off-balance-sheet activities\n  that banks would be required to take into account in\n  calculating the minimum financial cushion they would need to\n  maintain.\n      Both guidelines set five broad categories of risk for loans\n  and other bank assets and assigned to each a level of risk that\n  would establish a bank's minimum capital needs.\n      The additional guidelines proposed today would determine\n  the amount of capital support required for a bank's current\n  exposure for a given asset and the potential future exposure.\n      The current exposure would be measured by the\n  mark-to-market value of the asset, which would reflect the\n  replacement cost.\n      Potential future increases in the replacement cost would be\n  calculated using credit conversion factors based on statistical\n  analyses by the staffs of the Bank of England and U.S. banking\n  regulators. Future exposure would rise over the life of the\n  asset.\n      The Fed staff said the risk gauge attempted to balance\n  conflicting needs for precision and simplicity.\n      They ignore, for example, the relative volatility of the\n  particular currencies involved in exchange rate contracts.\n      Board officials said the new gauge could increase the\n  capital required of the largest money center banks, which are\n  the principal participants in these types of activities.\n      They cautioned the Fed board to take account of the\n  potential impact of the plan on the ability of U.S. banks to\n  compete in world financial markets.\n      However, the staff concluded, \"The credit risks inherent in\n  such contracts now constitute a significant element of the risk\n  profiles of some banking organizations.\"\n      The Fed proposal would exempt all but the 20-25 largest\n  participants in this market, on grounds the benefits of\n  including the smaller banks would be outweighed by costs.\n      Also excluded would be interest rate and foreign exchange\n  contracts traded on organized exchanges.\n      Governor Martha Seger said she was concerned that Japan was\n  not involved in the U.K.-U.S. effort to draft new capital\n  rules.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"IDEAL SCHOOL SUPPLY CORP <IDEL> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 10 cts vs eight cts\n      Oper net 325,000 vs 228,000\n      Sales 7,070,000 vs 6,483,000\n      Avg shrs 3,313,000 vs three mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 69 cts vs 51 cts\n      Oper net 2,124,000 vs 1,536,000\n      Sales 31.2 mln vs 22.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,071,000 vs three mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net both periods includes 72,000 dlr tax credit.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SALOMON INC <SB> SETS REGULAR QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 16 cts vs 16 cts prior\n      Pay April One\n      Rcord March 20\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JANUARY CRUDE OIL MOVEMENTS FALL SEVEN MLN TONS\n","article":"  Worldwide spot crude oil movements fell\n  to 30.07 mln long dwt in February from 37.25 mln tons in\n  January and 41.44 mln in December, London shipbroker Howard\n  Houlder said.\n      The decline mainly reflected a sharp drop in movements out\n  of the Mideast Gulf, which totalled 7.4 mln tons last month\n  against 11.65 mln in January. These included shipments to\n  western options at 2.05 mln tons against 3.59 mln previously.\n      Liftings from the Gulf to eastern options fell to 4.15 mln\n  tons from 5.94 mln and those from the Gulf to other areas\n  dropped to 1.2 mln tons from 2.13 mln, Howard Houlder said.\n      U.K.\/Continent coastal movements declined sharply to 2.91\n  mln tons from 4.77 mln but those from the U.K.\/Continent to the\n  U.S. rose to 1.99 mln from 1.69 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC SOURCES DETAIL NEW FARM SOCIAL PACKAGE\n","article":"  The 350 mln Ecu three-year package of\n  social and structural measures agreed early today by European\n  Community farm ministers features a plan to compensate farmers\n  for reducing output of certain surplus products, EC Commission\n  sources said.\n      The ministers agreed that under this \"extensification\"\n  scheme, farmers would qualify for compensation if they cut\n  output of specific products by at least 20 pct.\n      The plan would initially apply to cereals, beef, veal and\n  wine, they added.\n      Cereals farmers would have to achieve their output cuts by\n  reducing acreage, while cattle farmers would reduce their\n  number of head and vinegrowers would cut yield. In each case,\n  farmers would have to undertake not to step up their capacity\n  for output of other products which are in surplus in the EC.\n      The sources said payment levels have not yet been fixed but\n  will be designed to compensate farmers for loss of profit on\n  the production they forego.\n      The sources said the package also contains provisions for\n  payments to farmers who embark on a program aimed at protecting\n  or improving the environment.\n      It would also mean compensatory allowances in less favoured\n  farming areas would be extended to crops. At present such\n  allowances are available only for livestock.\n      The package would provide 20 mln Ecus for research into\n  alternative farming techniques, the sources added.\n      At a news conference EC Farm Commissioner Frans Andriessen\n  said the Commission is also working on proposals to enable the\n  EC and member states to provide direct income supports for\n  relatively poor farmers.\n      Andriessen did not give full details, but said member state\n  aid would be subject to \"strict criteria to avoid distortion of\n  competition.\"\n      EC payments would aim to help farmers to survive a\n  difficult period while the EC tackles the problems of surplus\n  production.\n      The Commission withdrew from the package agreed last night\n  proposals to pay \"early retirement\" pensions to farmers aged 55\n  or over who gave up production. Those who took their land\n  completely out of farm production, rather than passing it on to\n  their heirs, would have received more generous payments.\n      Andriessen said the Commission plans to present revised\n  proposals along these lines in an effort to get a scheme\n  agreed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S., BRITAIN AGREE FURTHER BANK CAPITAL PROPOSALS\n","article":"  The Bank of England and the U.S. Federal\n  Reserve Board have agreed new proposals for joint standards to\n  measure the risk of an array of credit exposures that do not\n  show up in bank balance sheets, the Bank of England said.\n      The plan, covering swaps, forward contracts and options\n  involving interest or exchange rates, complements proposals\n  agreed in January between the two central banks to make\n  commercial banks in the U.S. And Britain subject to similar\n  standards for measuring capital adequacy, the proposal said.\n      It said no final decisions had been reached yet and banks\n  have until April 16 to comment on the trunk proposals.\n      The Bank of England and Fed said they had faced a dilemma.\n      \"On the one hand (we) are determined to require adequate\n  capital support for potential future exposure -- on the other\n  hand (we) are concerned that overly stringent capital\n  requirements might unnecessarily affect the ability of U.S. And\n  U.K. Banking organisations to price...Contracts competitively.\"\n       At the basis of the new proposals lies the concept of the\n  so-called credit equivalent amount - the current value of a\n  currency or interest rate contract and an estimate of its\n  potential change in value due to currency or interest rate\n  fluctuations until the contract matures.\n      In treatment similar to that agreed in January for balance\n  sheet assets, the credit equivalent will be assigned one of\n  five risk weights between zero and 100 pct, depending on the\n  quality of the counterparty, the remaining maturity of the\n  contract and on collaterals or guarantees to the contract, the\n  plans showed.\n      The proposal showed that collaterals and guarantees would\n  not be recognised in calculating credit equivalent amounts.\n      They would, however, be reflected in the assignment of risk\n  weights. The only guarantees recognised are those given by U.S.\n  And U.K. Governments or, in the U.S., By domestic national\n  government agencies, the proposals showed.\n      The paper said the proposed rules would not cover spot\n  foreign exchange contracts and securities traded in futures and\n  options exchanges.\n      It said U.S. Regulatory authorities and the Bank of England\n  were keen to encourage banks to \"net\" contracts -- consolidate\n  multiple contracts with the same counterparty into one single\n  agreement to create one single payments stream.\n      It recognised that \"such arrangements may in certain\n  circumstances reduce credit risk and wish to encourage their\n  further development and implementation,\" and said some of the\n  current proposals may be changed to take this into account.\n      The paper said the proposed rules would not cover spot\n  foreign exchange contracts and securities traded in futures and\n  options exchanges.\n      It said U.S. Regulatory authorities and the Bank of England\n  were keen to encourage banks to \"net\" contracts -- consolidate\n  multiple contracts with the same counterparty into one single\n  agreement to create one single payments stream.\n      It recognised that \"such arrangements may in certain\n  circumstances reduce credit risk and wish to encourage their\n  further development and implementation,\" and said some of the\n  current proposals may be changed to take this into account.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PIEDMONT AVIATION <PIE> BOARD TO MEET TODAY\n","article":"  Piedmont Avaition Inc's board of\n  directors will conduct a special meeting beginning at 1400 est\n  today, a Piedmont spokesman said.\n      The spokesman would not say what was on the agenda.\n      In mid-February, Piedmont said its board would meet to\n  discuss all proposals to acquire the company. Its board also\n  withdrew a recommendation to accept a 65 dlrs a share cash\n  offer from Norfolk Southern Corp <NSC> in light of a competing\n  revised bid from U.S. Air Group Inc <U>. U.S. Air offer to buy\n  50 pct of the company's stock for 71 dlrs a share cash, and the\n  remaining for 73 dlrs a share of its stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRST UNION <FUR> LEAVES DIVIDEND UNCHANGED\n","article":"  First Union Real Estate Investments\n  said its board left the quarterly dividend unchanged at 37-1\/2\n  cts per share, payable April 30, record March 31.\n      The trust, which has raised its quarterly dividend\n  frequently in the past two years and in the first quarter in\n  both years, said the Tax Reform Act of 1986 has limited its\n  flexibility on dividends, and trustees will now consider the\n  appropriateness of any dividend increases only during the later\n  quarters of the year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RYKOFF-SEXTON INC <RYK> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 21 cts vs 28 cts\n      Net 1,456,000 vs 1,925,000\n      Sales 258.7 mln vs 290.2 mln\n      Nine Mths\n      Shr 77 cts vs 1.10 dlrs\n      Net 5,384,000 vs 7,658,000\n      Sales 804.3 mln vs 760.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SYSTEM SOFTWARE ASSOCIATES <SSAX> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Periods end January 31, 1987 and 1986\n      Shr 12 cts vs nine cts\n      Net 507,000 vs 362,000\n      Revs 5,010,000 vs 3,558,000\n      NOTE: System Software Associates Inc is full name of\n  company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GEICO CORP <GEC> RAISES QTRLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtrly div 34 cts vs 27 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 16\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"STANLEY WORKS <SWK> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 19 cts vs 19 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 12\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NOVELL INC <NOVL> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 31 cts vs 20 cts\n      Net 3,541,000 vs 2,071,000\n      Sales 29.9 mln vs 14.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 11.6 mln vs 10.4 mln\n      NOTE Fourteen vs 13-week periods.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<NOVA> WINS GOVERNMENT OKAY FOR HUSKY <HYO> DEAL\n","article":"  Nova, the Canadian company that\n  owns 56 pct of Husky Oil Ltd, said it received government\n  approval for a transaction under which <Union Faith Canada\n  Holding Ltd> would buy a 43 pct stake in Husky.\n      Nova said the Minister of Regional and Industrial\n  Expansion, Michel Cote, ruled that Union Faith's purchase of\n  the Husky stake would not result in Husky ceding control to a\n  non-Canadian company. It said this ruling was a key condition\n  in completing the deal.\n      Union Faith is equally owned by <Hutchison Whampoa Ltd> and\n  <Hong Kong Electric Holdings Ltd>.\n      Under the agreement with Union Faith, Husky will become a\n  private company with Union Faith and Nova each holding 43 pct\n  of its stock.\n      Nine pct of Husky would be owned by relatives of Li\n  Ka-Shing, chairman of Hutchison, and five pct by the Canadian\n  Imperial Bank of Commerice.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FROST NOT EXPECTED TO DAMAGE POLAND'S WHEAT\n","article":"  Poland's winter wheat is likely to\n  survive recent frosts but the impact of the cold will not be\n  known until late April, the Polish meteorology institute said.\n      Some varieties of winter wheat sown in Poland can survive\n  ground temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees C, Spokesman\n  Teresa Tomaszewska told Reuters.\n      Even though an earlier thin protective layer of snow mainly\n  melted in February, air temperatures down to minus 30 C should\n  not be harmful, she said, but added that wheat can still be\n  damaged by cold spells in March and April, when young shoots\n  may be exposed to night frosts.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BROWN-FORMAN <BFDB> TO CHANGE RECORD DATES\n","article":"  Brown-Forman Inc said at the\n  suggestion of the American Stock Exchange it has changed the\n  record date for the 28 ct per share quarterly dividend on its\n  Class A and Class B common stock that is payable April One to\n  March 20 from March 13, to coincide with the record date for a\n  three-for-two stock split declared February 26.\n      It said the record date for the dividend on its four pct\n  cumulative preferred stock has also been changed to March 20\n  from March 13.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GOODYEAR TIRE <GT> DETAILS 1986 TAX REFUND\n","article":"  Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co said its\n  1986 results include a tax refund of 75.7 mln dlrs from the\n  costs of restructuring the company in a successful defense\n  against a takeover attempt by James Goldsmith.\n      Chairman Robert Mercer said, \"Heavy restructuring costs\n  related to the takeover attempt combined with government tax\n  incentives for investments ... resulted in this federal tax\n  refund.\"\n      The refund was included but not broken out in its initial\n  1986 results, a spokesman said. It reported 1986 net income of\n  124.1 mln dlrs against 412.4 mln dlrs a year earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GREAT NORTHERN NEKOOSA <GNN> ANNOUNCES SPLIT\n","article":"  The Great Northern Nekoosa Corp\n  said it will recommend to shareholders a two-for-one common\n  stock split.\n      The company said it will make the proposal to shareowners\n  at its annual mmeting May 6 in Dothan, Ala., near the company's\n  Great Southern Paper division operations.\n      In conjunction with the stock split proposal, the\n  shareowners will be asked to approve an increase in the\n  authorized common stock from 60 mln to 150 mln shares, the\n  company said.\n      The company said it will propose an increase in its\n  dividend rate if the split is approved effective with the June\n  payment.\n      The company said the present rate on GNN common is 43 cts\n  per share. The company said it would recommend a quarterly rate\n  of 23 cts a share on the split stock. This would be equal to a\n  dividend of 46 cts a share on the present common, seven pct\n  higher than the current rate.\n      The company said it had increased the dividend by 13 pct\n  last December. Great Northern Nekoosa's last common stock\n  split, a three-for-two, was in December 1983, it said.\n      As of Dec 31, 1986, there were 26,661,770 shares of GNN\n  common stock outstanding, according to the company.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HARRIS LIFTS BUILDERS TRANSPORT <TRUK> STAKE\n","article":"  Harris Associates L.P., a Chicago\n  investment advisor, said it raised its stake in Builders\n  Transport Inc to the equivalent of 466,754 shares, or 9.1 pct\n  of the total outstanding, from 335,800 shares, or 6.7 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Harris said it bought 36,700 Builders Transport common shares\n  on Feb 10 at 17 dlrs a share. It also said it bought debentures\n  on Feb 23 that could be converted into 94,254 shares.\n      Harris said its dealings in Builders Transport were on\n  behalf of its advisory clients. It has also said it has no\n  intention of seeking control of the company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COFFEE TALKS FAILURE SEEN PRESSURING U.S.\n","article":"  Failure of talks on re-establishing\n  International Coffee Organization, ICO, coffee quotas last week\n  may put political pressure on the United States, particularly\n  the State Department, to reassess its position, but the U.S. is\n  unlikely to back away from its basic demand quotas be set by\n  \"objective criteria\", U.S. officials said.\n      Jon Rosenbaum, assistant U.S. trade representative and head\n  of Washington's delegation to the talks, told Reuters on his\n  return from London that the United States is willing to resume\n  the coffee negotiations as early as April if necessary.\n      Rosenbaum said the United States will be \"flexible\" in\n  discussing the method of establishing objective criteria and\n  any transition to new quotas, but not on the basic aim of\n  establishing an objective method of setting quotas.\n      At the ICO talks major consuming nations, led by the U.S.,\n  proposed that future coffee export quota shares be calculated\n  by a formula incorporating a producer's recent exportable\n  production and verified stocks, while large producers led by\n  Brazil proposed maintaining the traditional ad hoc division of\n  shares. The consumer position would have in effect reduced the\n  market share of Brazil, by far the world's largest producer.\n      Rosenbaum said the administration would continue to support\n  legislation now before Congress which would allow the U.S.\n  customs service to monitor coffee imports, as a way to comply\n  with any future coffee quotas.\n      He said the Reagan administration would be reviewing the\n  coffee policy situation following the collapse of the London\n  talks, but \"nobody is proposing we change our position.\"\n      However, other U.S. government officials involved in coffee\n  policy said they are bracing for a diplomatic and coffee market\n  offensive from producer countries, led by Brazil and Colombia,\n  to soften the consumer position.\n      \"Knowing that its next crop is fairly large, Brazil will\n  kind of want to test the resolve of other producers and\n  consumers,\" said one U.S. official.\n      The U.S. official, who asked not to be identified, said\n  Brazil and Colombia may flood the coffee market in the next few\n  months in an effort to drive down prices and pressure other\n  countries, particularly the splinter group of small producers\n  who differed with the major producers in London.\n      This in turn could lead to urgent appeals from Latin\n  American countries, faced with mounting debt problems, to the\n  U.S. State department, and to the National Security Council in\n  the White House, for an easing of the U.S. position, U.S.\n  officials said.\n      The State department, a major player in setting U.S. coffee\n  policy, may then face conflicting pressures, particularly from\n  politically-sensitive U.S. allies in Central America, U.S.\n  officials said.\n      El Salvador and Guatemala both backed Brazil and Colombia\n  at the London talks in resisting pressures for quotas based on\n  objective criteria. But the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica\n  joined the splinter group, which said it would agree to\n  objective criteria.\n      There is a strong feeling among some in the State\n  Department that the United States should continue to support\n  the splinter group of producers who have taken the\n  politically-risky step of opposing Brazil on the objective\n  criteria question, U.S. officials said.\n      Within the consuming countries there also is expected to be\n  some pressure to reassess positions.\n      In London, the U.S. was supported by the U.K., the\n  Netherlands, West Germany, Japan, Australia and New Zealand on\n  the issue of objective criteria, U.S. officials said.\n      This bloc represented enough votes among consuming nations\n  to successfully prevent adoption of the producer proposals.\n      However, U.S. sources said West Germany's support was at\n  times qualified and there is some concern that the European\n  Community could come under pressure to be more accommodative to\n  producers in future talks. France backed the Ivory Coast and\n  other African producers during the talks.\n      A softening of the EC stance would make it more difficult,\n  although not impossible, for the U.S. to block producer plans.\n      While political manuevering by small producers and\n  consuming countries will be important, U.S. officials said the\n  key to any future outcome will be Brazil's position.\n      U.S. officials blamed Brazil's intransigence for the\n  failure of the talks and said a more flexible position from\n  Brasilia would be the most important step toward agreement.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INVESTORS HAVE 12.9 PCT OF EXOVIR <XOVR>\n","article":"  Mark Hammer, a private investor from\n  Melville, N.Y., and members of his family told the Securities\n  and Exchange Commission they have acquired a total of 375,200\n  shares of Exovir Inc, or 12.9 pct of the total outstanding.\n      Hammer said his group has been accumulating Exovir stock\n  since Oct 28, 1985 for investment purposes and may buy more\n  shares or sell all or part of his current stake.\n      While he said he has no intention of seeking control of the\n  company, Hammer said that because of his \"extensive business\n  experience\" and his interest in Exovir stock, he may be\n  \"invited\" to become a member of the company's board.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TORRENTIAL RAINS HALT ARGENTINE GRAIN HARVEST\n","article":"  Torrential rains throughout\n  Argentina's grain-producing areas virtually paralysed coarse\n  grain harvesting in the week to yesterday, trade sources said.\n      Sunflower, maize and sorghum harvests were particularly\n  affected, they said. But the rains proved to be a great aid to\n  soybean crops as their harvesting will not begin until April or\n  May.\n      The rains did no damage to maize, sunflower and sorghum\n  crops though fresh rains in similar volume could reduce yields\n  and cut the total volume of this year's harvest.\n      Rainfall measured between 15 and 270 mm in Buenos Aires,\n  with the heaviest rains in the province's western sectors,\n  between 15 and 100 mm in Cordoba, 15 and 120 mm in La Pampa, 10\n  and 75 mm in Santa Fe, 10 and 60 mm in Entre Rios, five and 40\n  mm in Misiones, and five and 50 mm in San Luis.\n      No rain was recorded in Corrientes, Chaco and Formosa.\n      Growers did not revise their estimates for total volume of\n  the coarse grain harvest over last week's estimates.\n      Maize harvesting continued moving forward in central Santa\n  Fe, though slowly. Growers had harvested seven to nine pct of\n  total planted area, compared to five to seven pct last week.\n      Total maize area planted for the 1986\/87 harvest was\n  estimated at between 3.58 and 3.78 mln hectares, or two to\n  seven pct less than the 3.85 mln hectares planted in the\n  1985\/86 harvest.\n      Maize production is expected to total between 10.4 and 11\n  mln tonnes, or a drop of 17.5 to 19.4 pct over the 12.4 to 12.6\n  mln tonnes harvested last year according to private estimates,\n  or 18.9 to 21.9 pct lower than last year's volume, according to\n  official figures.\n      The sunflower harvest advanced to between seven and nine\n  pct of total planted area.\n      Two to 2.2 mln hectares have been planted with sunflowers\n  for this harvest, down 29.9 to 36.3 pct from last year's figure\n  of 3.14 mln hectares.\n      Sunflower production is expected to total between 2.4 mln\n  and 2.7 mln tonnes, which would mean a drop of between 34.1 and\n  41.5 pct against the record 4.1 mln tonnes harvested in the\n  1985\/86 harvest.\n      Grain sorghum harvesting inched forward to between two and\n  four pct of total planted area, which this harvest is 1.23 to\n  1.30 mln hectares or 10.3 to 15.2 pct less than the 1.45 mln\n  hectares planted in the 1985\/86 harvest.\n      Sorghum production is expected to total between 3.2 mln and\n  3.5 mln tonnes, or 16.7 to 22 pct less than the 4.1 to 4.2\n  million tonnes harvested in 1985\/86.\n      Soybean production, by contrast, is expected to hit a\n  record 8.0 to 8.4 mln tonnes, which would mean an increase of\n  11.1 to 15.1 pct over last year's record figure of 7.2 to 7.3\n  mln tonnes, according to private estimates. Official figures\n  put last year's soybean harvest at 7.1 mln tonnes.\n      Soybean crops were reported to be in generally very good\n  condition, helped by abundant rains and high temperatures.\n      Total soybean-planted area for the 1986\/87 harvest is\n  expected to be a record 3.7 to 3.8 mln hectares, up 10.8 to\n  13.8 pct from last year's harvest figure of 3.34 mln hectares.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"LOTUS <LOTS> TO ACQUIRE <COMPUTER ACCESS CORP>\n","article":"  Lotus Development Corp said it\n  has signed a letter of intent to acquire substantially all of\n  the assets of Computer Access Corp for undisclosed terms.\n      Computer Asscess makes BlueFish full-text search and\n  retrieval software for International Business Machines Corp\n  <IBM> and compatible personal computers.\n      The company said the acquisition is subject to approval by\n  both boards.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EQUITABLE OF IOWA COS <EQICA> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 78 cts vs 51 cts\n      Oper net 7,030,000 vs 4,944,000\n      Revs 126.6 mln vs 120.9 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 1.59 dlrs vs 89 cts\n      Oper net 14.7 mln vs 9,864,000\n      Revs 425.1 mln vs 416.9 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes realized gains on investment of 73,000\n  dlrs vs 4,224,000 dlrs in quarter and 6,253,000 vs 14.5 mln\n  dlrs in year.\n      Net excludes discontinued Massachusetts Casualty operations\n  loss 5,180,000 dlrs vs gain 778,000 dlrs in quarter and gain\n  9,214,000 dlrs vs gain 3,504,000 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CORROON AND BLACK CORP <CBL> RAISES QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 21 cts vs 16-1\/4 cts prior\n      Pay April One\n      Record March 17\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EC APPOINTS NEW TRADE CHIEF\n","article":"  The European Community Commission today\n  appointed its chief spokesman, Hugo Paemen, as its top official\n  in charge of multilateral trade negotiations, a Commission\n  spokesman said.\n      Paemen, a Belgian official who had previously been chief\n  aide to former External Affairs Commissioner Etienne Davignon,\n  has been in his post since January 1985.\n      The spokesman said Paemen will continue as chief spokesman\n  until the retirement on May 1 of Paul Luyten, who is now in\n  charge of EC departments handling negotiations in the world\n  trade body GATT, the OECD and other forums.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. SENATOR TO PROPOSE 0\/92 FOR 1987 CROPS\n","article":"  Sen. Rudy Boschwitz, R-Minn., said he\n  intended to offer legislation that would allow 1987 producers\n  of wheat, feedgrains, cotton and rice to receive at least 92\n  pct of their deficiency payments, regardless of how much they\n  planted.\n      Boschwitz told the Senate Agriculture Committee that\n  applying the so-called 0\/92 provision to 1987 crops was\n  supported by the Reagan administration and would save\n  approximately 500 mln dlrs, including 266 mln dlrs in corn\n  payments, 90 mln dlrs in wheat and 30 mln dlrs in cotton.\n      The Minnesota senator said he might offer the bill on the\n  Senate floor or in a conference committee with the House of\n  Representatives in the event a similar bill before the House\n  Agriculture Committee is approved by that body.\n      Boschwitz told Reuters that neither he nor the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department had decided whether or how deficiency\n  payments should be guaranteed to farmers who might choose not\n  to plant under the decoupling scheme.\n      If payments are not set in advance under decoupling, market\n  prices conceivably could rise, thereby leading to diminished\n  deficiency payments.\n      Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.,\n  said he wanted to go to conference with the House as soon as\n  possible on the issue, but would have to study the matter\n  further before deciding how he would vote on it.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INDIA BUYS UP TO 10 CARGOES SUGAR - TRADERS\n","article":"  India bought up to 10 cargoes of white\n  sugar at a buying tender today which originally called for just\n  two to three cargoes of March\/April shipment, traders said.\n      London trader E D and F Man said it sold two cargoes at 233\n  dlrs a tonne CIF for March\/April shipment with an option to\n  sell an additional two cargoes at the same price.\n      Traders said at least one other international trader made a\n  similar contract while a French house sold two cargoes at an\n  outright price of 233 dlrs CIF without the option. This brought\n  total Indian purchases to at least six cargoes with traders\n  having options to sell another four.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"POTOMAC ELECTRIC POWER CO <POM> JANUARY NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 27 cts vs 29 cts\n      Oper net 13.5 mln vs 14.6 mln\n      Revs 104.6 mln vs 110.3 mln\n      12 mths\n      Oper shr 4.10 dlrs vs 3.66 dlrs\n      Oper net 205 mln vs 186.8 mln\n      Revs 1.4 billion vs 1.3 billion\n      NOTE: 1986 12 mths oper net excludes extraordinary gain of\n  21.7 mln dlrs or 46 cts per share from sale of Virginia service\n  territory to Virginia Power.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HAYES-ALBION <HAY> DELAYS SPECIAL MEETING\n","article":"  Hayes-Albion Corp said it has\n  delayed the special meeting at which shareholders will vote on\n  its merger into Harvard Industries Inc <HAVA> until March 24\n  from March 17 due to a delay in Securities and Exchange\n  Commission clearance of proxy materials.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GROSSMAN'S INC <GROS> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss nine cts vs profit 12 cts\n      Oper net loss 1,791,000 vs profit 2,336,000\n      Sales 242.9 mln vs 225.8 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 15 cts vs loss 17 cts\n      Oper net profit 2,925,000 vs loss 3,324,000\n      Sales 1.01 billion vs 875.6 mln\n      NOTE: Net includes discontinued operations gain 2,437,000\n  dlrs vs loss 190.0 mln dlrs in quarter and losses 75.6 mln dlrs\n  vs 227.7 mln dlrs in year.\n      Net includes loss 294,000 dlrs vs nil in quarter and gain\n  224.8 mln dlrs vs loss 1,750,000 dlrs in year from settlement\n  of liabilities under plan of reorganization from Chapter 11\n  bankruptcy.\n      1986 quarter net includes 2,300,000 dlr provision for loss\n  on future store closings offset by reduction in pension\n  liabilities.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMDATA NETWORK <CDN> IN NEW ACQUISITION TALKS\n","article":"  Comdata Network Inc said it is\n  in active talks with other parties on a possible acquisition or\n  recapitalization of Comdata in an effort to maximize\n  shareholder values.\n      Comdata said <Rosewood Financial Inc> together with\n  <Cypress Partners LP> and <Driftwood Ltd> have acquired over\n  five pct of Comdata stock and Rosewood intends to acquire over\n  15 pct of Comdata.\n      Comdata said it has not yet reached a definitive agreement\n  with <Mason Best Co> for the previously-announced\n  recapitalization and self-tender offer.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORTHGATE <NGX> QUEBEC ORE RESERVES DECLINE\n","article":"  Northgate Exploration Ltd said year-end\n  1986 ore reserves at its two Chibougamau mines in Quebec fell\n  to 8,141,150 short tons grading 0.077 ounce gold a ton and 1.63\n  pct copper from year-earlier 8,462,000 tons grading 0.077 ounce\n  gold ton and 1.67 pct copper.\n      The company said it launched a 700,000 dlr exploration\n  program at the mines to increase production and ensure the\n  operations' continued long life.\n      Ore production totaled 650,653 tons last year, it said,\n  estimating year-end reserves contained about 627,000 ounces of\n  gold and 265 mln pounds of copper.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WEBCOR ELECTRONICS INC <WER> 3RD QTR DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr loss 51 cts vs loss 44 cts\n      Net loss 1.8 mln vs loss 1.5 mln\n      Revs 3.1 vs 5.4 mln\n      Nine months\n      Shr loss 1.16 dlrs vs loss 1.33 dlrs\n      Net loss 4.0 mln vs loss 4.6 mln\n      Revs 9.9 mln vs 12.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS INC <CSII> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 12 cts vs 10 cts\n      Net 613,986 vs 534,093\n      Revs 9,494,570 vs 7,591,564\n      Year\n      Shr 41 cts vs 59 cts\n      Net 2,151,130 vs 3,111,317\n      Revs 35.9 mln vs 33.7 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes gains from discontinued operations\n  equal to three cts compared with nine cts in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TURKEY SEES 1.5 BILLION DLR DEFICIT IN 1986\n","article":"  Turkey expects a 1986 balance of payments\n  deficit of 1.5 billion dlrs, well over target, but is taking\n  steps to improve its performance in this and other fields, Ali\n  Tigrel, director of economic planning at the State Planning\n  Organisation said.\n      He told Reuters the shortfall was a direct consequence of\n  economic growth of nearly eight pct, up from 5.1 pct in 1985,\n  which he said resulted mostly from a surge in domestic demand.\n      Tigrel acknowledged a need to cut inflation further after a\n  drop of more than 12 points to 24.6 pct in the Treasury\n  wholesale index last year.\n      This year's target of 20 pct \"might be attainable but the\n  economic management will have to be careful,\" he said.\n      Tigrel, whose department produces the annual programme\n  which is central to the government's economic planning, said\n  Turkey's creditworthiness was at risk over the current account\n  shortfall, originally targeted at 695 mln dlrs.\n      \"We must alleviate the current account substantially to\n  sustain the creditworthiness that we have managed to secure\n  over the last five years,\" he added.\n      His comment echoed last October's Organisation for Economic\n  Cooperation and Development report on Turkey, which said\n  Ankara's case for more medium-term financing on better terms\n  would look better if inflation were lower and the current\n  account deficit cut or turned into a surplus.\n      \"In 1987 we must reduce the rate of growth in public sector\n  investments, we must reduce the public sector deficit as a\n  percentage of GNP and we must achieve a very visible\n  improvement in the current account deficit,\" he said.\n      Tigrel said a surge in public sector spending last year was\n  also to blame for the high deficits.\n      Appropriations to government departments had been cut by\n  eight pct since the budget was passed in December and foreign\n  borrowing by municipalities had been restrained.\n      \"We are trying make sure that public bodies stick to the\n  investment programme and do not exceed their appropriations,\" he\n  said. It was hoped to bring the public sector borrowing\n  requirement down to five pct of GNP in 1987 from an estimated\n  5.6 pct in 1986.\n      More modest GNP growth of five pct for 1987 was also\n  targeted, Tigrel said. Measures were being taken to encourage\n  exports, and production incentives were being considered.\n      \"We must try to make sure that more capacity is injected\n  into the Turkish economy in the coming years. The promotion\n  policy is geared to make sure that both foreign investment and\n  local private capital come more into play as far as\n  manufacturing capacity is concerned,\" Tigrel said.\n      He said the process of structural adjustment of the Turkish\n  economy to free market policies, begun in 1980, was still under\n  way. Trade had been liberalised and a freer exchange rate\n  policy applied, but he acknowledged there was more to be done\n  in a country where the state still dominates industry and the\n  currency is only partially convertible.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ENERGY\/CALIFORNIA OIL PRODUCTION\n","article":"  Drilling for oil in California is\n  likely to continue at last year's sharply reduced levels\n  despite recent gains in crude oil prices, industry analysts\n  said.\n      Because much of the crude oil in California fields is\n  thick, heavy and expensive to extract, oil prices would have to\n  increase to near 1985's levels before any significant recovery\n  is seen in drilling, they said.\n      \"Companies will probably only drill their best prospects,\"\n  said John Curti, an analyst with Birr Wilson Securities Inc.\n      Few new wells now are being drilled.\n      Only 33 rigs, about one-quarter of the total available,\n  were drilling for oil onshore in California last week, compared\n  to about 70 last year, said Bill Bolster of Munger Oil\n  Information Services, which tracks California drilling\n  activity.\n      \"It's in the dregs right now,\" said Bolster of the state's\n  drilling activity.\n      Current prices are not enough to justify increased\n  drilling, said Ed Malmgreen of the California Independent\n  Producers Association.\n      While an Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries pact\n  to curb production boosted oil prices early this year, prices\n  eventually fell.\n      Prices for California's marker grade, Line 63 blend, have\n  slumped about 20 pct in the last month to 14 dlrs from a high\n  of about 17 dlrs.\n      More than half of California's oil comes from stripper\n  wells, those producing less than 10 barrels a day, and that\n  much of that oil costs between 18 and 25 dlrs a barrel to\n  extract, Malmgreen said.\n      \"It's not unusual for a stripper well to cost 18 dlrs,\"\n  Malmgreen said.\n      Many stripper wells along the southern California coast\n  produce eight times as much water as crude oil, and inland\n  wells frequently require the use of steam injection to spur\n  extraction of the thick, heavy oil, he said.\n      The outlook for future production in California is clouded\n  by a lack of exploratory drilling now, analysts said.\n      In the heart of California's oil patch, Kern County, which\n  produces about two-thirds of the state's oil, exploratory\n  drilling has slowed to a crawl.\n      Only 55 exploratory wells were drilled in Kern County in\n  1986, compared to 137 in 1985, according to David Mitchell of\n  the state energy commission. So far this year only five\n  exploratory wells have been drilled.\n      \"I don't think they'll even get to what they did last\n  year,\" Mitchell said.\n      No pickup in exploratory drilling is likely for the rest of\n  the decade, Mitchell said.\n      Along with the fall in drilling has come a decrease in the\n  number of producing wells and overall production.\n      Between February and October of 1986, the number of\n  producing oil wells in California fell 14 pct to 43,521 from\n  more than 50,000, said Bill Guerard of the California Energy\n  Commission.\n      In line with that decrease, California's crude oil output\n  fell about 10 pct last year due to low oil prices and is\n  expected to remain at that lower level, analysts said.\n      Between February and October 1986, California's crude oil\n  production slipped from an all-time high of 1.185 mln barrels\n  per day to 1.066 mln bpd, Guerard said.\n      Total estimated crude oil production in California for 1986\n  was 408 mln bbls, compared with 424 mln bbls in 1985 and 405\n  mln bbl in 1983, according to the California Department of\n  Conservation.\n      \"Production in 1987 will probably hold around 1986 levels,\"\n  Guerard said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"STANDARD OIL <SRD> IN TEXAS NATURAL GAS FIND\n","article":"  Standard Oil Co said the Friendswood\n  Development Number One well in the Fostoria or Deep Wilcox\n  Field of Montgomery County, Texas, flowed 4,500,000 cubic feet\n  of natural gas per day from depths of 14,252 to 14,486 feet\n  through a 14\/64 inch choke.\n      It said it has contracted for Perry Gas Cos Inc to purchase\n  natural gas from the well, and Perry will build a four-inch\n  gathering pipeline to connect to Natural Gas Pipeline Co's\n  transmission line.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SUFFIELD FINANCIAL <SSBK> GETS FED APPROVAL\n","article":"  Suffield Financial Corp said the\n  Federal Reserve Board approved its application to acquire\n  Coastal Bancorp <CSBK>, Portland, Me.\n      Suffield said it still needs the approval of the\n  superintendent of Maine's banking department.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WEBCOR ELECTRONICS <WER> IN TECHNICAL DEFAULT\n","article":"  Webcor Electronics Inc said it\n  remains in technical and payment default under its revolving\n  credit agreement and in technical default under certain other\n  obligations to its lender.\n      Although its lender has not enforced its right to demand\n  payment of the debt in full, it continues to reserve its right\n  to do so at any time, it said.\n      Earlier, Webcor reported a third quarter net loss of 1.8\n  mln dlrs and nine months net loss of 4.0 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRST SAVINGS BANK FLORIDA <FSBF> SETS MEETING\n","article":"  First Savings Bank of\n  Florida said it expects a special shareholder meeting to be\n  held around May 21 to consider the proposed merger into\n  Gibraltar Financial Corp <GFC>.\n      It said the annual meeting will be held April 30 to elect\n  two directors and ratify the appointment of auditors.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IZVESTIA SAYS SOVIET WINTER CROPS NEED RESEEDING\n","article":"  The government daily Izvestia said a\n  considerable amount of Soviet winter crops need to be reseeded\n  and the state 1987 grain harvest target of 232 mln tonnes will\n  not be easy to fulfil.\n      Without giving figures, the newspaper said: \"A considerable\n  part of the winter crops must be reseeded, but that creates\n  extra effort in the fields in spring.\"\n      The Soviet Union has previously said nine mln hectares of\n  winter grain will have to be reseeded because of winterkill.\n      A U.S. Department of Agriculture analyst in Washington has\n  said the figure of nine mln hectares would equal about 25 pct\n  of the total winter crop and would be the second highest\n  winterkill in 10 years.\n      \"The planned task of bringing in no less than 232 mln tonnes\n  of grain is not simple,\" Izvestia said.\n      This week's sudden fall in temperatures has affected large\n  parts of the country and has caused fieldwork to stop in the\n  Ukraine, it said, adding that temperatures fell to as low as\n  minus 30 centigrade in Byelorussia.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BORMAN'S <BRF> TO BUY SAFEWAY'S UTAH DIVISION\n","article":"  Safeway Stores Inc said it\n  agreed to sell the assets and operations of its Salt Lake City\n  Division to Borman's Inc under undisclosed terms.\n      The division includes 60 operating supermarkets in five\n  states, most of which are in Utah, Idaho and Wyoming, together\n  with distribution and manufacturing facilities, Safeway said.\n      It said sales for the division for the year ended January\n  three were about 350 mln dlrs.\n      Safeway also said the transaction is subject to Borman's\n  ability to obtain financing and to successfully negotiate new\n  labor agreements with the various unions involved.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FISHER FOODS <FHR> SAYS STAKE IN FIRM SOLD\n","article":"  Fisher Foods Inc said\n  <American Financial Corp> has sold its 1,500,000 Fishers\n  shares, a 44 pct interest, to a group consisting of <American\n  Seaway Foods Inc>, <Rini Supermarkets Inc> and <Rego\n  Supermarkets Inc>.\n      The company said in connection with the transaction, all\n  five American Financial representatives have resigned from its\n  board.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AFG INDUSTRIES INC <AFG> QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div four cts vs four cts\n      Pay April 3\n      Record March 23\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. SENATE PANEL MAKES CONSERVATION EXEMPTION\n","article":"  The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee\n  approved a measure that would exempt farmers who planted\n  alfalfa or other multiyear grasses and legumes between 1981 and\n  1985 from a federal conservation requirement.\n      Sen. Edward Zorinsky, D-Neb., said his bill would restore\n  equity under federal sodbuster rules, which currently deny farm\n  program benefits to farmers who, between 1981 and 1985, planted\n  alfalfa and other multiyear grasses and legumes without\n  interrupting the plantings with a row crop.\n      An official from a leading conservation group, who asked\n  not to be identified, said the panel's move was \"an unfortunate\n  first action\" because it could lead to the exemption of\n  potentially millions of acres from the sod buster regulations,\n  established under the 1985 farm bill.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PICO PRODUCTS INC <PPI> 2ND QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr profit three cts vs loss nine cts\n      Net profit 103,664 vs loss 326,675\n      Revs 7.6 mln vs 6.9 mln\n      Six months\n      Shr loss two cts vs loss 15 cts\n      Net loss 78,246 vs loss 522,868\n      Revs 14.7 mln vs 12.9 mln\n      NOTE:1986 net includes gain of 43,185 or one cts in 2nd qtr\n  and six months for discount on early long-term debt repayment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OUTBOARD MARINE <OM> RISING ON TAKEOVER RUMOR\n","article":"  Wall Street traders said the stock of\n  Outboard Marine Corp was rising on a rumor over a cable\n  television program that Outboard is a likely takeover target of\n  Sun Chemical Corp <SNL>.\n      Outboard was up 3-1\/8 to 34-5\/8. On Tuesday it rose 1-3\/8\n  to 31-1\/2 Tuesday.\n      A report on Cable News Network today said Sun Chemical has\n  4.9 pct of Outboard and is conducting a study on whether to go\n  for control of the whole company.\n      An Outboard Marine spokesman would not comment on the\n  rumor.\n      The cable program said a buyout of Outboard would be for up\n  to 40 dlrs a share, or for a total of 680 mln dlrs.\n      A spokesman for Sun Chemical was not immediately available.\n      Outboard Marine last June adopted a shareholder rights plan\n  that will be triggered when a person or group acquires\n  beneficial ownership of 20 pct or more of its common or begins\n  a tender offer that would result in 30 pct ownership.\n      Wayne Jones, vice president at Outboard for strategic\n  planning, said management wants to stay independent. \"We are\n  not trying to sell the company. We are proceeding with our\n  strategic plans,\" he said.\n      That plan includes integrating five boat companies that\n  Outboard Marine has bought since the middle of December. Jones\n  said all five will cost between 100 mln dlrs to 120 mln dlrs.\n      An analyst who wanted anonymity said 40 dlrs a share is a\n  \"decent\" price for outboard. \"A bdding war to 50 or 60 dlrs a\n  share is stretching it. Maybe 45 dlrs a share tops,\" he said.\n      Outboard, which has 17 mln shares outstanding, is in\n  registration for a two mln common share offering with Morgan\n  Stanley Inc. It makes sense, the analyst said, for Sun Chemical\n  to strike before the offering is underway.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<ALGOMA CENTRAL RAILWAY> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 36 cts vs 39 cts\n      Oper net 1,391,000 vs 1,485,000\n      Revs 61.6 mln vs 58.5 mln\n      YEAR\n      Oper shr 70 cts vs 1.16 dlrs\n      Oper net 2,677,000 vs 4,410,000\n      Revs 207.6 mln vs 200.2 mln\n      Note: 1986 net excludes extraordinary loss of 297,000 dlrs\n  or eight cts shr vs yr-ago gain of 514,000 dlrs or 13 cts shr.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GENOVA INC <GNVA> 1ST QTR DEC 27 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit four cts vs loss four cts\n      Oper net profit 151,448 vs loss 170,709\n      Sales 11.5 mln vs 9,581,406\n      NOTE: Prior year net includes 123,650 dlr tax credit but\n  excludes 52,409 dlr gain on early debt retirement.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<GSW INC> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 2.16 dlrs vs 2.07 dlrs\n      Oper net 8,037,000 vs 7,710,000\n      Revs 136.4 mln vs 133.3 mln\n      Note: 1986 net excludes extraordinary gain of 13 mln dlrs\n  or 3.50 dlrs shr from sale of <Camco Inc> shares vs yr-ago loss\n  of 4.3 mln dlrs or 1.14 dlrs shr.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRENCH WHEAT EXPORTS TO EC FALL\n","article":"  French soft wheat exports to other\n  European Community countries fell 18 pct to 4.13 mln tonnes in\n  the first seven months of the 1986\/87 season to January\n  compared with 5.04 mln in the same 1985\/86 period, the French\n  Cereals Intervention Office (ONIC) said.\n      According to latest ONIC statistics, the main buyers were\n  Italy with 1.89 mln against 1.63 mln in the same 1985\/86\n  period, West Germany 480,450 tonnes against 717,689, the\n  Netherlands 462,048 (532,299) and Belgium 417,887 tonnes\n  (919,337).\n      British and Greek imports of French soft wheat during this\n  period were below year-ago levels. Between July 1 last year and\n  January 31, Britain bought 274,665 tonnes against 642,800\n  tonnes, ONIC figures showed.\n      But Spanish purchases were up sharply at 258,507 tonnes\n  against 2,751 tonnes in the same 1985\/86 period and Portugal\n  bought 37,599 tonnes compared with zero.\n      ONIC said the drop in French exports to other Community\n  countries was due to British competition.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUPREME EQUIPMENT\/SYSTEMS CORP <SEQP> 2ND QTR\n","article":"  Shr 61 cts vs 18 cts\n      Net 670,000 vs 194,000\n      Revs 10.7 mln vs 10.4 mln\n      Six months\n      Shr 73 cts vs 35 cts\n      Net 798,000 vs 377,000\n      Revs 19.5 mln vs 19.8 mln\n      NOTE:1987 net includes gain of 362,000 dlrs in 2nd qtr and\n  431,000 dlrs in six months from tax loss carryforward.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GULF APPLIED TECHNOLOGIES INC <GATS> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Oper shr loss five cts vs loss 24 cts\n      Oper net loss 165,000 vs loss 802,000\n      Revs 4,988,000 vs 3,101,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 13 cts vs loss 1.33 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 454,000 vs loss 4,407,000\n      Revs 23.1 mln vs 8,937,000\n      NOTE: Results restated for discontinued operations.\n      1986 net both periods excludes 143,000 dlr tax credit.\n      Net excludes gains from discontinued pipelines and\n  terminals operations of 216,000 dlrs vs 99,000 dlrs in quarter\n  and 527,000 dlrs vs 296,000 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VAN DORN CO <VDC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 55 cts vs 80 cts\n      Net 2,517,443 vs 3,633,217\n      Revs 79.1 mln vs 76.3 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 2.57 dlrs vs 3.41 dlrs\n      Net 11.7 mln vs 15.4 mln\n      Revs 305.1 mln vs 314.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIELDCREST CANNON INC <FLD> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 17 cts vs 17 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 17\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VARIAN <VAR> BUYS ANALYTICHEM INTERNATIONAL\n","article":"  Varian Associates Inc said it\n  acquired all the outstanding stock of closely-held Analytichem\n  International Inc for an undisclosed amount of cash.\n      Analytichem, based in Harbor City, Calif., is a supplier of\n  bonded phase preparation products used to prepare chemical\n  samples for analysis, Varian said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SANTA ANITA REALTY <SAR> QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 51 cts vs 51 cts\n      Pay April 9\n      Record March 25\n      (Santa Anita Realty Enterprises Inc)\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KANEB SERVICES INC <KAB> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 1.05 dlrs vs profit nine cts\n      Oper net loss 30.5 mln vs profit 3,930,000\n      Revs 23.9 mln vs 45.6 mln\n      12 mths\n      Oper shr loss 5.30 dlrs vs profit 34 cts\n      Oper net loss 155.8 mln vs profit 16.0 mln\n      Revs 113.7 mln vs 178.8 mln\n      Note: Oper excludes loss from discontinued operations of\n  9,127,000 dlrs vs 12.4 mln dlrs for qtr and 28.4 mln dlrs vs\n  960,000 dlrs for 12 mths.\n      Note: Oper includes writedown of offshore drilling\n  equipment of 5,070,000 dlrs for qtr and 27.9 mln dlrs for 12\n  mths.\n      Also includes writedowns of oil and gas assets and tubular\n  goods inventory of 82.2 mln dlrs and 4,246,000 dlrs,\n  respectively, for 12 mths.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SUSPENSIONS\/PARTS INDUSTRIES LTD <SPILF> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 33 cts vs 60 cts\n      Net 1.1 mln vs 1.7 mln\n      Revs 11.7 mln vs 10.6 mln\n      NOTE:Full name is Suspensions and Parts Industries Ltd.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ESTIMATED FRENCH BARLEY STOCKS WORRYING - ONIC\n","article":"  The size of French 1986\/87 carryover\n  barley stocks, estimated at 1.72 mln tonnes compared with\n  700,000 tonnes in 1985\/86 is worrying, French Cereals\n  Intervention Office (ONIC) Director Bernard Vieux said.\n      He told journalists these estimates were unchanged at the\n  end of February from the previous month while export forecasts\n  were lowered to 4.5 mln tonnes from 5.76 mln in 1985\/86.\n      Vieux called on the EC Commission to help by awarding a\n  larger volume of export certificates and said if no outlets are\n  opened for French barley a large amount could be put into\n  intervention.\n      A small amount of French barley has already been put into\n  intervention, Vieux said without detailing the amount.\n      The outlook for French maize is better with 1986\/87 exports\n  to non-EC countries now put at 700,000 tonnes against 200,000\n  tonnes at the end of January and against 155,000 tonnes in\n  1985\/86.\n      The higher estimate is due to the EC Commission's decision\n  to hold special export tenders for French maize, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MITCHELL ENERGY AND DEVELOPMENT CORP <MND>PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div six cts vs six cts prior\n      Pay April Two\n      Record March 18\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FROST AND SULLIVAN INC <FRSL> 2ND QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr profit 12 cts vs loss two cts\n      Net profit 182,173 vs loss 28,977\n      Revs 4,483,047 vs 3,994,808\n      1st half\n      Shr profit 14 cts vs loss eight cts\n      Net profit 221,376 vs loss 120,435\n      Revs 8,270,947 vs 7,150,265\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"S. KOREAN TRADE SURPLUS WITH U.S. SEEN FALLING\n","article":"  South Korea's record 7.1 billion dlrs\n  trade surplus with the U.S. is bound to diminish as the\n  country switches purchases from Japan in favor of U.S.\n  companies, Trade Minister Woong-Bae Rha said.\n       He rejected suggestions the Korean Won is undervalued, and\n  denied any plans for a \"drastic and sudden\" revaluation.\n      Rha is heading a trade mission to 37 U.S. cities. Last year\n  South Korea ran a 4.3 billion dlr trade surplus, including a\n  record 7.1 billion surplus with the U.S. and a 5.5 billion dlr\n  deficit with Japan.\n      Rha told Reuters in an interview the current trade mission\n  is looking for 2.0 billion dlrs in purchases from U.S.\n  companies, about a quarter of which represents \"transferred\n  purchases from Japanese sources.\"\n      Rha said the items being sought by the current mission are\n  \"mainly chemicals, machinery and parts.\"\n      He said South Korea is the fourth largest importer of U.S.\n  agricultural products. The current mission is not involved in\n  that area but there are plans to buy \"substantial amounts of\n  cotton\" from the U.S.\n      He noted his country \"is clearly not as open as the American\n  market. Nor is it reasonable to expect that it should be,\"\n  considering South Korea has a 40 billion dlr foreign debt and\n  spends six pct of its gross national product on defense.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CRI INSURED <CII> TO SET SPECIAL DISTRIBUTION\n","article":"  CRI Insured Mortgage Investments\n  Inc said its advisor will recommend a special distribution of\n  50 cts per share due to the sale of a federally insured first\n  mortgage on Park Meadows I in Madison, Wis., for 4,267,871\n  dlrs.\n      It said it received a 3,695,465 dlr return of capital and\n  572,406 dlrs in income on the sale, and the 50 ct distribution\n  would represent a 43.294 ct return of principal and a 6.706 ct\n  capital gain and would be payable June 30 to holders of record\n  May 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KANEB ENERGY PARTNERS LTD <KEP> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Unit loss one ct\n      Net loss 186,000\n      Revs 10.7 mln\n      11 mths\n      Unit loss 7.26 dlrs\n      Net loss 121.4 mln\n      Revs 46.9 mln\n      Note: Partnership formed in February 1986.\n      Net includes writedown of oil and gas assets of 124.8 mln\n  dlrs for 11 mths to comply with full-cost accounting methods.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DIGICON <DGC> COMPLETES SALE OF UNIT\n","article":"  Digicon Inc said it has completed the\n  previously-announced disposition of its computer systems\n  division to an investment group led by <Rotan Mosle Inc's>\n  Rotan Mosle Technology Partners Ltd affiliate.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LIQUID AIR CORP <LANA> QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 40 cts vs 40 cts\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 16\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TEXAS EASTERN <TET> BUYS PETROLEUM TERMINAL\n","article":"  Texas Eastern Corp said it has completed\n  the purchase of an idle petroleum products terminal near Norris\n  City, Ill., from <Growmark Inc> for undisclosed terms and will\n  reopen it in September after remodeling.\n      The company said the terminal will handle leaded and\n  unleaded regular gasolines, number two fuel oil, ethanol and\n  natural gasoline.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"STERLING IN TEXAS GAS AND OIL DISCOVERY\n","article":"  <Sterling Investment Group>\n  said it successfully drilled and completed a significant\n  development well 65 miles southwest of Houston, Texas.\n      The well has a choke of 11\/64 of an inch and is 10,097 feet\n  deep.\n      The well initially tested at a maximum daily flow rate of\n  two mln cubic feet of gas and 304 barrels of condensate.\n      Participants in the new well, along with Sterling, are\n  Trafalgar House Ltd of the U.K. and <Texstar NOrth America Inc.>\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COMPUTER HORIZONS <CHRZ> IN ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Computer Horizons Corp said it\n  purchased ComputerKnowledge Inc, a software training education\n  company headquartered in Dallas.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"POLICY MANAGEMENT <PMSC> MAKES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Policy Management Systems Corp\n  said it has acquired the majority of the assets and business of\n  Allied Research Inc of Salem, Ore., and Consolidated Insurance\n  Services Inc, of Springfield, Va., for undisclosed terms.\n      It said the two companies, which had combined 1986 revenues\n  of about two mln dlrs, provide underwriting information\n  services to property and casualty insurers.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UNICORP CANADA<UNI.A> CUTS PUROLATOR<PCC> STAKE\n","article":"  Unicorp Canada Corp told the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission it cut its stake in\n  Purolator Courier Corp to 286,500 shares, or 3.7 pct of the\n  total outstanding, from 962,400 shares, or 12.4 pct.\n      Unicorp, a management and investment holding company\n  controlled by its chairman, George Mann, said it sold 675,900\n  Purolator common shares on March 2 and 3 at 34.782 and 34.750\n  dlrs a share.\n      Purolator agreed this past weekend to be acquired by\n  managers of its U.S. courier business and E.F. Hutton LBO Inc\n  in a leveraged buyout valued at 265 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"(MARSHALL STEEL LTD) YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr five cts vs 36 cts\n      Oper net 508,000 vs 3,450,000\n      Revs 296.7 mln vs 298.0 mln\n      Note: former name Marshall Drummond McCall Inc.\n      Results include extraordinary gains of 952,000 dlrs or 11\n  cts per share in 1986 and 2,569,000 dlrs or 29 cts in 1985 from\n  income tax reduction.              \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRM ACQUIRES <AMERICAN NUTRITION WORKS INC>\n","article":"  <Nusource Investments Inc>, a\n  publicly held shell company, said it acquired American\n  Nutrition Works Inc through a transaction in which American\n  Nutrition shareholders received 28 mln shares of Nusource stock\n  in exchange for their shares.\n      American Nutrition operates a chain of stores sellings\n  vitamins and health products.\n      Nusource said shareholders elected a new board consisting\n  of Richard A. Trydahl, Samuel Mineo and Charles E. Flink and\n  voted to change the name of the company to ANW Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA WHEAT BOARD ADVISES CUT IN GRAIN PRICES\n","article":"  The Canadian Wheat Board has advised\n  the federal government to sharply cut initial prices paid to\n  farmers for their wheat, oats, and barley in the crop year\n  beginning August 1, a board spokesman said.\n      The spokesman declined to give the size of the recommended\n  price drops but said it would not be good news for western\n  Canadian grain growers.\n      \"They're all lower,\" he said. \"This is really getting\n  pretty serious. We're talking nuts and bolts economic survival\n  and whether it's worthwhile for farmers to put in a crop.\"\n      Farm leaders and economists have estimated the board will\n  recommend cuts of around 20 pct in the initial prices.\n      Farmers receive the initial payment when the grain is\n  delivered to the elevators used by the wheat board.\n      If the wheat board, which markets most of Canada's grain,\n  obtains higher than expected prices on world markets, the\n  farmers receive a final payment at the end of the crop year. If\n  prices are lower, the federal treasury makes up the difference.\n      The final decision on the initial prices, usually made in\n  April, rests with Wheat Board Minister Charles Mayer and the\n  federal cabinet.\n      Last year Mayer cut the initial prices between 19 and 27\n  pct but last fall the government announced a one billion\n  Canadian dlr aid program to compensate for the price cuts.\n      But federal agricultural officials have already warned\n  farmers not to depend on additional government aid this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GATT COUNCIL DEFERS DECISION ON SEMICONDUCTORS\n","article":"  The ruling GATT Council deferred a\n  decision on whether to set up a dispute panel on the basis of a\n  European Community complaint against the U.S.- Japanese\n  agreement on exports of computer semiconductors.\n      David Woods, spokesman of the General Agreement on Tariffs\n  and Trade (GATT), told a news briefing that the main parties\n  would continue bilateral talks. This was in the hope of\n  resolving the row before the next Council meeting on April 15.\n      The five-year accord signed in July 1986 aims to protect\n  the U.S. Market from dumping of low-price Japanese microchips,\n  officially known as semiconductors.\n      The E.C. Complained the accord breached GATT trade rules by\n  allowing Tokyo to monitor prices, allowing it to set minimum\n  prices for Japanese chips sold in third countries.\n      The 12-nation Community also charged the agreement gave\n  U.S. Producers preferential access to the Japanese market.\n      Woods said many nations -- Hong Kong, Canada, Switzerland,\n  Singapore, Sweden, Malaysia and Nigeria -- had supported the EC\n  complaint during the heated Council debate.\n      Japan's delegate, Minoru Endo, and U.S. Ambassador Michael\n  Samuels replied in the debate that the E.C. Charges were\n  unfounded, but they were willing to continue bilateral talks.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRST SOUTHERN <FSFA> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  First Southern Federal Savings and\n  Loan Association said it has agreed in principle to acquire\n  Horizon Financial Corp and Horizon Funding corp from <Victor\n  Federal Savings and Loan Association> of Muskogee, Okla., for\n  undisclosed terms.\n      The company said the purchase is subject to approval of the\n  boards of First Southern and Victor and regulatory agencies.\n      Horizon Financial services mortgage loans and Horizon\n  Funding is a wholesale loan purchasing operation. Horizon\n  services 3.2 billion dlrs in mortgage loans.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DANAHER CORP <DHR> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 71 cts vs 43 cts\n      Net 7,274,000 vs 4,447,000\n      Rev 161.6 mln vs 77.6 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.51 dlrs vs 1.32 dlrs\n      Net 15,401,000 vs 13,525,000\n      Rev 454.0 mln vs 304.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRM AGREES TO MERGE WITH LOTOQUIK INT'L\n","article":"  <Chatsworth Enterprises\n  Inc>, a publicly held shell corporation, said it signed a\n  letter of intent to merger with <Lotoquik International Ltd>, a\n  Nassau, Bahamas-based maker of video lottery machines.\n      Under terms of the merger agreement, Chatsworth said\n  Lotoquik shareholders would own a majority of the surviving\n  company.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ASBESTEC TO BUY CONTRACTOR, RECEIVES CONTRACT\n","article":"  <Asbestec Industries Inc> said\n  it signed a letter of intent to buy asbestos abatement\n  contractor <P.W. Stephens> for three mln dlrs in cash, stock\n  and notes.\n      The transaction is expected to be completed early in the\n  third quarter of its fiscal year ending September 30, 1987.\n      Asbestec also said it expects to sign March six a 900,000\n  dlr contract to remove asbestos from a major apartment complex\n  in Washington, D.C. The project is scheduled to begin on March\n  nine.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MARSHALL STEEL DETAILS GAIN FROM UNIT SALE\n","article":"  (Marshall Steel Ltd), formerly Marshall\n  Drummond McCall Inc, said it will report a 17 mln dlr net gain\n  before taxes this year from the sale of its Drummond McCall\n  division, which was sold effective January one.                \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GATT SETS UP DISPUTE PANEL ON CANADIAN HERRING\n","article":"  The ruling GATT Council set up a formal\n  dispute panel to examine a U.S. Complaint that a Canadian law\n  prohibiting export of unprocessed herring and salmon was\n  discriminatory.\n      David Wood, official spokesman of the General Agreement on\n  Tariffs and Trade (GATT), told a news briefing the decision was\n  taken after bilateral consultations failed to resolve the row.\n      U.S. Ambassador Michael Samuels charged during the Council\n  debate that Canada was trying to preserve domestic jobs by\n  insisting that herring and salmon be processed at home.\n      Robert White, Canada's deputy chief of delegation, replied\n  the law was in line with GATT rules, and was for conservations\n  reasons. But he agreed to setting up the dispute panel.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COLOMBIAN INFLATION RISES 2.03 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  colombia's cost of living index rose 2.03\n  pct in february after a 3.27 pct increase in january and a 3.15\n  pct rise in february 1986, the government statistics institute\n  said.\n      The rise brought year-on-year inflation to 19.77 pct\n  compared with 23.72 pct at end-february 1986 and 21.66 pct for\n  the year ending january 1987.\n      The government has predicted that inflation this year would\n  be lower than in 1986 when it reached 20.9 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TALKING POINT\/GENERAL MOTORS <GM>\n","article":"  General Motors Corp staged an explosive\n  rally on Wall Street after a share buyback program announced\n  yesterday, but analysts said GM's future remains clouded by\n  stiff competition and erosion of market share.\n      GM shares rose 3-1\/2 to 79-1\/8 in active trading. Analysts\n  agreed that investors liked the repurchase program but they \n  differed sharply over the carmaker's long term prospects.\n      \"I'm very positive on GM,\" said Jack Kirnan of Kidder\n  Peabody and Co. \"They're clearly committed to enhancing\n  shareholder value.\"\n      However, some analysts worry about how GM will pay for the\n  buyback and whether new models will enable the carmaker to\n  recapture lost market share.\n      After the market had closed yesterday, GM said it would buy\n  back 20 pct of its common stock by the end of 1990. The\n  announcement sent investors today scrambling for GM shares,\n  with more than 3.2 mln shares changing hands by mid-day.\n      The buyback plan caused several analysts bullish on the\n  stock to reiterate buy recommendations this morning, and at\n  least one increased his earnings estimates for GM based on a\n  good performance expected from new car models.\n      But David Healy of Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc said the\n  repurchase program is not a positive.\n      \"The buyback doesn't really change the earnings outlook and\n  puts more stress on the balance sheet,\" he said, since GM will\n  have to borrow money to pay for the stock purchases. The stock\n  should settle back down to around 76, he added.\n      Healy projects GM will earn five dlrs a share in 1987 and\n  5.50 dlrs in 1988, compared to 1986 earnings of 8.21 dlrs.\n  Healy's numbers are near the low end of Wall Street estimates,\n  which range from five dlrs to 7.80 dlrs in 1987 and from four\n  dlrs to 10.80 dlrs in 1988.\n      Like other analysts, Healy sees GM's share of the domestic\n  car and truck market falling in 1987. \"On balance, GM cars are\n  not selling as well as their competitors,\" he said.\n      In late February, GM car sales fell 8.6 pct from the\n  year-ago period while competitors Ford Motor Co <F> and\n  Chrysler Corp <C> both posted increases. But GM said February\n  sales showed improvement over January, adding that it expects\n  improvement in coming months.\n      Overall, GM's share of U.S. car and truck sales should fall\n  to around 38 or 39 pct in 1987 from 41 pct at the end of 1986,\n  analysts said. The numbers include imports.\n      Kidder Peabody's Kirnan said cost reductions and product\n  improvements this year should lead to positive cash flow by the\n  fourth quarter, which will help GM finance the buyback.\n      \"GM (stock) has been a real laggard and now it's rolling up\n  its sleeves and getting serious. I think there's a major\n  earnings surprise in the winds,\" he said.\n      Kirnan raised his earnings estimates slightly today, in\n  part in reaction to the announced buyback, and sees GM earning\n  5.65 dlrs this year and 9.75 dlrs in 1988. \"The company is more\n  concerned than ever about improving their relative valuation\n  with respect to Ford and Chrysler,\" he said.\n      Another positive for the stock is GM's dividend, currently\n  five dlrs a share annually, which gives it a higher yield than\n  its competitors, Kirnan said. And GM will raise the cash\n  dividend 25 to 50 cts a share next year, he predicted.\n      But analyst Michael Lucky of Shearson Lehman Brothers Inc\n  said U.S. car sales will weaken, and GM's new products, if\n  successful, will only slow but not halt the erosion of its\n  market share.\n      \"I believe their new cars will be successful, but that will\n  only curtail losses in market share,\" which will fall to around\n  35 pct by 1990, Lucky said.\n      Philip Fricke of Goldman Sachs and Co falls in the middle\n  of the bulls and bears. While he is recommending GM stock, he\n  said results will not improve until 1988.\n      \"I'm not looking for improvement this year. This is a\n  transition year for GM,\" he said.\n      Fricke, who estimates 1987 earnings at 7.80 dlrs and 1988\n  at 10.80 dlrs, said cost cutting and new car models will not\n  affect 1987 results. \"But the key thing isn't so much what they\n  earn this year. It's the momentum beyond this year that's\n  important.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PARTNERSHIP CUTS STAKE IN ERC INTERNATIONAL<ERC>\n","article":"  Parsow Partnership Ltd, a Nevada\n  investment partnership, said it lowered its stake in ERC\n  International Inc to 343,500 shares or 8.3 pct of the total\n  outstanding common stock, from 386,300 shares, or 9.3 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Parsow said it sold 42,800 ERC common shares between Jan 9 and\n  March 2 at prices ranging from 12.125 to 14.50 dlrs each.\n      The partnership said its dealings in ERC stock are for\n  investment purposes and it has no intention of seeking control\n  of the company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IRANIAN OIL MINISTER DUE IN ALGERIA ON FRIDAY\n","article":"  Iranian Oil Minister Gholamreza Aqazadeh\n  is expected here on Friday for talks with his Algerian\n  counterpart Belkacem Nabi, the official Algerian news agency\n  APS said today.\n      Aqazadeh, who will be accompanied by a large delegation,\n  will have talks on bilateral relations in the field of energy\n  and exchange views with Algerian officials on the current world\n  energy situation, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<GOLDOME FSB> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Net 52.9 mln vs 21.9 mln\n      NOTE: Company is mutual savings bank.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BEAR AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE <BEAR> 4TH QTR OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 18 cts vs 28 cts\n      Oper net 1,076,000 vs 1,441,000\n      Sales 22.6 mln vs 21.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,970,000 vs 5,080,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr 55 cts vs 49 cts\n      Oper net 3,007,000 vs 2,521,000\n      Sales 82.9 mln vs 73.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,429,000 vs 4,484,000\n      Note: Full company name is Bear Automotive Service\n  Equipment Co\n      Oper shr excludes extraordinary profit from utilization of\n  tax loss carryforward of 231,000 dlrs, or four cts a share and\n  1.2 mln dlrs, or 22 cts a share, respectively, in 1986 qtr and\n  year, and of 441,000 dlrs, or nine cts a share and 1.1 mln\n  dlrs, or 23 cts a share, respectively, in 1985 qtr and year.\n      1985 year oper net excludes loss from cumulative effect of\n  change in accounting principle of 67,000 dlrs, or one ct a\n  share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MAYFAIR INDUSTRIES INC <MAYF> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 21 cts vs 18 cts\n      Oper net 659,000 vs 523,000\n      Revs 7,866,000 vs 5,503,000\n      Avg shrs 3,141,217 vs 2,925,294\n      12 mths\n      Oper shr 70 cts vs 46 cts\n      Oper net 2,075,000 vs 1,358,000\n      Revs 25.9 mln vs 19.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,980,247 vs 2,925,294\n      Note: Excludes tax gain of 295,000 dlrs for qtr and year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. OIL INDUSTRY SAID NOT PERMANENTLY DAMAGED\n","article":"  The U.K. Offshore oil industry has\n  suffered from last year's collapse in oil prices but should not\n  sustain any permament damage, Minister of State for Energy\n  Alick Buchanan-Smith said.\n      The drilling, diving and supply vessels sectors had been\n  most affected, Buchanan Snith told the House of Commons energy\n  committee. He noted, however, that oil companies were still\n  spending six mln stg a day to maintain North Sea production.\n      He added that a report by the manpower services committee\n  which said 14,000 jobs were lost in the industry in 1986 should\n  be seen in the context of a total workforce of 300,000.\n      Prices of North Sea Brent-grade crude dipped to a low of\n  8.50\n  dlrs a barrel last July from a peak of over 30 dlrs the\n  previous November.\n      They recovered to around 18 dlrs a barrel after last\n  December's OPEC meeting and Brent traded today around 17.15\n  dlrs.\n      Buchanan-Smith said the U.K. Has no intention of adopting\n  OPEC style quotas, noting that Britian is an oil-consuming as\n  well as an oil-producing nation.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CHASE MANHATTAN STUDYING ITALIAN EXPANSION\n","article":"  <Chase Manhattan Bank N.A.> is considering\n  expanding its operations in Italy, particularly in the consumer\n  banking sector, a Chase Manhattan official said.\n      Robert D. Hunter, Chase Manhattan area executive for\n  Europe, Africa and the Middle East, said at a news conference\n  that plans to broaden the bank's activities on the Italian\n  market have not been finalised, however.\n      Asked if Chase Manhattan would consider an acquisition in\n  Italy, Hunter said: \"We will look at any opportunity, but the\n  prices of Italian banks have been quite high.\" Chase Manhattan\n  has branches in Milan and Rome.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HRS <IHIRF> REDUCING STAKE IN HAL ROACH <HRSI>\n","article":"  International H.R.S. Industries Inc said\n  it would reduce its stake in Hal Roach Studios Inc to 22 pct\n  from 52 pct in return for 6.3 mln U.S. dlrs from Qintex Inc's\n  Qintex America (Media) Ltd unit.\n      H.R.S. said that under the deal's first stage, closng March\n  22, it would sell Qintex 900,000 Hal Roach shares at seven U.S.\n  dlrs a share each for a total of 6.3 mln dlrs and Roach will\n  repay H.R.S. 3.3 mln U.S. dlrs of advances.\n      Qintex will also complete the 16.8 mln U.S. dlr buy of 2.4\n  mln Roach treasury shares at seven dlrs each and provide Roach\n  with 50 mln U.S. dlrs of financing for expansion, H.R.S. said.\n      H.R.S. said that the agreement also provided for a second\n  stage over one year in which it had a put option exercisable \n  one year from closing to sell Qintex all or part of its two mln\n  Roach shares for 8.50 U.S. dlrs a share.\n      It said Qintex had a 30-day call option, exerciseable nine\n  months from closing, to buy from H.R.S. all or part of one mln\n  Roach shares at the greater of 8.50 dlrs each or the average\n  Roach share price for three months before exercise date.\n      Qintex will also acquire another 2.4 mln Roach treasury\n  shares at seven dlrs a share 12 months after closng for another\n  16.8 mln dlrs, H.R.S. said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TOTAL STILL EXPECTS 1.5 BILLION FRANC 1986 LOSS\n","article":"  French oil group Total Cie Francaise des\n  Petroles <TPN.PA> is still expecting a 1.5 billion franc\n  consolidated net loss, including minority interests, for 1986,\n  after taking account of stock losses of 7.5 billion francs, the\n  company said in a communique after a board meeting here.\n      In late January group president Francois-Xavier Ortoli told\n  journalists that the slump in oil prices and the weak dollar\n  had caused the stock depreciation, turning a consolidated net\n  profit, before losses on stocks, of six billion francs into a\n  consolidated net loss of 1.5 billion francs.\n      Earlier today Armand Guilbaud, president of Total's\n  refining and distribution subsidiary Cie de\n  Raffinage-Distribution (CRD) Total France <RAFF.PA>, told\n  journalists that 1986 had marked a return to profit for the\n  subsidiary before stock depreciation.\n      CRD made a net profit before stock depreciation and\n  currency factors of 1.95 billion francs last year after a 1.16\n  billion loss in 1985.\n      But its net loss last year, taking account of that\n  depreciation as well as currency fluctuations, was 1.16 billion\n  francs after a 1.05 billion loss in 1985.\n      In 1986 CRD's sales fell 5.7 pct to 19.7 mln tonnes from\n  20.9 mln \"due to the growth in imports by independent\n  distributors following a relaxation of regulations,\" Guilbaud\n  said.\n      The subsidiary is expecting to cut its workforce to 6,000\n  this year and 5,000 in 1988 from 6,800 last year, under a job\n  reduction scheme which will eventually save the group 600 mln\n  francs, he said.\n      Concerning business in 1987, he said that \"January was a\n  good month, but the situation deteriorated in February.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"STEEGO CORP <STG> 3RD QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 16 cts vs loss 10 cts\n      Oper net loss 1,569,000 vs loss 990,000\n      Sales 50.3 mln vs 50.1 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Oper shr loss nine cts vs loss two cts\n      Oper net loss 849,000 vs loss 199,000\n      Sales 159.9 mln vs 156.6 mln\n      NOTE: Current nine mths net includes 1,036,000 dlr pretax\n  gain on sale of property.\n      Prior year net both periods includes pretax gain 1,095,000\n  dlrs on pension plan termination.\n      Current quarter net includes 580,000 dlr tax credit.\n      Prior year net includes losses from discontinued operations\n  of 200,000 dlrs in quarter and 573,000 dlrs in nine mths.\n      Results restated for discontinued operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"E-SYSTEMS INC <ESY> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 12-1\/2 cts vs 12-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay April One\n      Record March 13\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"RESOURCE EXPLORATION <REXI> IN DRILLING PACT\n","article":"  Resource Exploration Inc said it has\n  agreed to let <Langasco Energy Corp> drill 50 oil and\n  natural gas wells on its Clinton Sandstone formation within its\n  Tuscarawas and Harrison County, Ohio area of operation.\n      Resource said it would receive a cash payment and an\n  overriding royalty interest on oil and gas production from\n  wells drilled on the property.\n      Resource said gas produced from the property will be\n  transported through its existing pipeline. Also, Resource said\n  it will provide service work to complete the wells and it will\n  operate the wells after they are completed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TEXAS OIL REGULATOR CALLS FOR STATE TAX BREAKS\n","article":"  Texas Railroad Commissioner James\n  Nugent, saying that the ailing oilpatch cannot wait for\n  Congress to act, today urged Texas state lawmakers to adopt\n  incentives to find new oil reserves and to exempt severance\n  taxes on oil produced from stripper wells.\n      Nugent said in a speech to the Texas house of\n  representatives that the state must take the initiative in\n  molding U.S. energy policy and finding new ways to assist\n  troubled oil producers.\n      His proposal to revitalize Texas' oil industry would exempt\n  stripper wells that produce 10 barrels of oil or less each day\n  from the state's 4.6 pct severance tax. He said that the\n  majority of Texas' oil wells fall within the stripper well\n  category and a price swing of two to three dlrs a barrel can be\n  crucial in determining if the well remains in production.\n      Nugent also called for state lawmakers to exempt new\n  wildcat wells from the state severance tax for up to five years\n  as a financial incentive to explore for new oil reserves.\n      Secondary and tertiary oil production, expensive methods of\n  production that inject water or gas into the ground to recover\n  oil, should also be exempted from the severance tax, Nugent\n  said. His plan would exempt existing secondary and tertiary\n  wells that produce at a rate of less than three barrels a day\n  for three years, or until the price of oil reaches $25 a\n  barrel.\n      \"We've been sitting back and waiting on two federal\n  administrations to develop a coherent energy policy for the\n  nation to follow. I say we have waited long enough,\" Nugent\n  said. \"In other words, let's tell Washington to either lead,\n  follow, or get out of the way.\"\n      Nugent said that the financial losses to the state treasury\n  by exempting marginal oil production from state severance taxes\n  would be more than made up by stimulating new business for the\n  oil supply and service industry.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"UNICORP AMERICAN CORP <UAC> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 15 cts vs 15 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 13\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COLOMBIA BLASTS U.S. FOR COFFEE TALKS FAILURE\n","article":"  Colombian finance minister Cesar Gaviria\n  blamed an inflexible U.S. position for the failure of last\n  week's International Coffee Organisation, ICO, talks on export\n  quotas.\n      \"We understand that the U.S. Position was more inflexible\n  than the one of Brazil, where current economic and political\n  factors make it difficult to adopt certain positions,\" Gaviria\n  told Reuters in an interview.\n      The U.S. and Brazil have each laid the blame on the other\n  for the breakdown in the negotiations to re-introduce export\n  quotas after being extended through the weekend in London.\n      Gaviria stressed that Colombia tried to ensure a successful\n  outcome of the London talks but he deplored that intransigent\n  attitudes, both from producing and consuming nations, made it\n  impossible.\n      In a conversation later with local journalists, Gaviria\n  said the U.S. attitude would have serious economic and\n  political consequences, not necessarily for a country like\n  Colombia but certainly for other Latin American nations and for\n  some African countries.\n      He told Reuters that Colombia, because of the relatively\n  high level of its coffee stocks, would probably suffer less.\n      According to Gaviria, Colombia can hope to earn about 1,500\n  mln dlrs this calendar year from coffee exports, which\n  traditionally account for 55 pct of the country's total export\n  revenue.\n      That estimate would represent a drop in revenues of 1,400\n  mln dlrs from 1986.\n      Colombia, which held stockpiles of 10.5 mln bags at the\n  start of the current coffee year, exported a record 11.5 mln\n  bags in the 1985\/86 coffee year ending last September 30.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LIBERTY FINANCIAL GROUP <LFG> REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 12.5 cts vs 12.5 cts in prior qtr\n      Payable March 13\n      Record February 27\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PACTEL <PAC> SEES EARNINGS GROWTH\n","article":"  Pacific Telesis Group chairman Donald\n  Guinn told a meeting of security analysts that the company sees\n  continued earnings growth in 1987 above the 1.08 billion dlrs,\n  or 5.02 dlrs per share, earned in 1986.\n      Guinn also said that capital spending stood at about 1.8\n  billion dlrs in 1986, and the company expected the figure to\n  remain flat each year through 1989. He noted that all captial\n  spending will be internally financed.\n      Guinn also told analysts that the company faced some\n  regulatory uncertainties in ongoing rate cases at its Pacific\n  Bell operating company.\n      In rates hearings before, the California Public Utility\n  Commission, Guinn said the company faced a potential 76 mln dlr\n  revenue reduction, and due to ongoing discussions with the\n  commission, he said the figure might even be greater.\n      The company also faces some opposition to a 225 mln dlr\n  rate hike requested for 1986. Guinn said the commission found\n  180 mln dlrs of the hike was based on questionable calculations\n  and assumptions, while 45 mln dlrs might represented unneeded\n  modernization costs.\n      Guinn also said that the company is still studying whether\n  to join an international consortium that plans to lay a\n  transpacific telephone cable between the U.S. and Japan.\n      \"We have not agreed to anything,\" Guinn said, but added he\n  would soon recieve a feasibility study on the venture and the\n  company would make a decision soon on participating.\n      Asked by an analyst about the recent recommendation by the\n  U.S. Department of Justice which would allow the Bell operating\n  companies to offer limited long distance services, Guinn said\n  the company would likely shy away from that type of expansion.\n      \"(Long distance services) is a very competitive business.\n  It's a commodity business and becoming more so,\" he said. \"I'm\n  not so sure we would be interested in getting back into that\n  business.\"\n      However, Guinn generally applauded the U.S.\n  recommendations, saying they would give more latitude for the\n  Bell operating companies to expand into non-regulated\n  businesses and provide more flexibility to form strategic\n  alliances with other companies.\n      He added that while the company welcomes the expansion into\n  new areas, it is not currently involved in any acqusition\n  talks. \"We do not have anything actively under consideration,\"\n  he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TRANS WORLD AIRLINES MAKES 52 DLR\/SHARE CASH MERGER PROPOSAL FOR USAIR\n","article":"\n  TRANS WORLD AIRLINES MAKES 52 DLR\/SHARE CASH MERGER PROPOSAL FOR USAIR\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"UNICORP AMERICAN CORP <UAC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 13 cts vs 70 cts\n      Net 1,279,000 vs 7,979,000\n      Revs 16.4 mln vs 19.6 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 89 cts vs 2.43 dlrs\n      Net 10.3 mln vs 29.8 mln\n      Revs 56.2 mln vs 83.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 12.1 mln vs 13.1 mlnm\n      NOTE: 1986 year net includes gain 12.9 mln dlrs from sale\n  of eight real estate properties.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"KENYA SIGNS PACT TO ESTABLISH OWN SHIPPING LINE\n","article":"  Kenya has signed an agreement with\n  British and German interests to establish a shipping line that\n  will handle 40 pct of the country's external trade, sources\n  close to the deal said.\n      The state-owned Kenya Ports Authority, KPA, signed an\n  agreement with the Hamburg-based shipping line Unimar\n  Seetransport to establish the Kenya National Shipping line,\n  with an initial capital of 100 mln shillings, sources said. KPA\n  will hold 70 pct of the shares in the new company.\n      The line will initially charter vessels to operate services\n  between Mombasa and the main ports of industrial Europe, but\n  may eventually build or buy its own ships. The sources said it\n  would aim to carry a large part of Kenya's coffee and tea\n  exports and oil and fertiliser imports.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NEW BANK RULES TOUGHER THAN NEEDED, DEALERS SAY\n","article":"  U.S. and U.K. bank regulators are asking\n  banks to set aside more reserves than is necessary to cushion\n  them against the risks posed by the interest rate and currency\n  swap transactions they carry, swap dealers said.\n      After viewing proposed guidelines released jointly today by\n  the Bank of England and the Federal Reserve Board, dealers said\n  that in effect, regulators are asking them to set aside\n  reserves twice for the same risk.\n      Market participants will have 60 days to respond to the\n  proposals.\n      Adoption of stiffer capital requirements is especially\n  significant in the eurobond markets, which saw new issue volume\n  of about 183 billion dlrs in 1986 according to figures compiled\n  by Euromoney magazine. While no firm figures exist, dealers in\n  eurobonds estimate that 80 pct of all new issues are involved\n  in some swap arrangement. Separately, the ISDA estimates that\n  about 300 billion dlrs worth of swap transactions are\n  outstanding. Kenneth McCormick, co-chairman of the\n  International Swap Dealers Association (ISDA) and President of\n  Kleinwort Benson Cross Financing Inc, said that the Association\n  has no comment and will study the proposals.\n      \"What they are proposing is really double counting,\" Patrick\n  de Saint-Aignan, managing director of swaps for Morgan Stanley\n  and Co, said. Instead, he argues, banks should either be\n  required to hold a percentage of the face value -- say one pct\n  per year to maturity -- or to hold a percentage of the cost of\n  replacing the contract in the event of a counterparty default.\n      \"The potential risk factors are very large relative to what\n  we had expected,\" said a director at one U.K. merchant bank.\n  \"What they are really doing is asking you to capitalize now --\n  to borrow money now -- to cushion you against risk you might\n  have 10 years from now,\" he added.(Adds title first paragraph).\n      Dealers also said they believe that banks not covered by\n  the agreement, such as those based in Japan, will have a\n  competitive advantage because they will not have to pass the\n  costs on to customers.\n      Indeed, regulators are apparently also concerned about the\n  exclusion of other countries from the new requirements. Federal\n  Reserve Board Governor Martha Seger, following approval of the\n  proposed guidelines by the Fed, said she is concerned that\n  Japan was not involved in the U.K.-U.S. effort to draft new\n  capital rules.\n       Dealers said they were somewhat relieved to see that bank\n  regulators recognized the concept of netting, that is,\n  offsetting the amounts receiveable from and payable to a single\n  counterparty against each other.\n      The paper said that regulatory authorities \"recognize that\n  such arrangements (netting) may in certain circumstances reduce\n  credit risk.\" Furthermore, the paper said, if a netting\n  agreement could be reached that would withstand legal tests, it\n  might be willing to reduce capital requirements accordingly.\n      But dealers said they fear regulators may insist on an\n  airtight netting agreement that is impossible to design.\n       \"One problem is that there has never been a major default\n  in the swaps market. So we don't know if any of the swap\n  arrangements will really stand up in court,\" said one bank\n  official.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SHAW'S SUPERMARKETS INC <SHAW> YEAR JAN 3\n","article":"  Shr 1.23 dlrs vs 1.33 dlrs\n      Semi-annual div six cts vs six cts prior payment\n      Net 16.2 mln vs 14.8 mln\n      Sales 1.09 billion vs 909.4 mln\n      NOTE: Dividend is payable April one to holders of record\n  March nine\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DYNAMICS CORP <DYA> IN SETTLEMENT WITH CTS <CTS>\n","article":"  Dynamics Corp of America said\n  it has reached an agreement with CTS Corp resolving all\n  differences between the two companies.\n      It said as a result of the settlement, CTS's special board\n  committee has stopped soliciting orders to purchase some or all\n  of CTS.\n      Dynamics, which now owns 27.5 pct of CTS' outstanding\n  stock, said it agreed to limit its shareholdings to not more\n  than 35 pct of the outstanding shares for a year following the\n  company's 1987 annual meeting.\n      Dynamics said the CTS board will recommend CTS shareholders\n  vote at the 1987 annual meeting in favor of the company paying\n  Dynamics 2,178,000 dlrs as a reimbursement for its CTS releated\n  costs and granting Dynamics an option to buy enough CTS common\n  at 29.625 dlrs a share to give it ownership of 35 pct of the\n  outstanding stock.\n      Dynamics said the price of stock under the option,\n  exercisable for one year, is based on the average closing price\n  for the stock for the five days ending March two.\n      Dynamics said CTS Chairman George F. Sommer will assume the\n  additional title of President. Former President Robert D.\n  Hostetler is resigning as a director, as is Chief Financial\n  Officer Gary B. Erekson, Ted Ross and Donald J. Kacek.\n      Dynamics said the CTS board will be reduced to seven\n  members for eight with the remaining four members of the\n  current board and three representatives of Dynamics as new\n  directors.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"RENEWAL OF U.S.\/USSR GRAIN PACT SAID UNCERTAIN\n","article":"  Prospects for renewal of the\n  five-year U.S.\/USSR grains agreement are uncertain at this\n  point, a Soviet trade official told Reuters.\n      The current trade imbalance between the United States and\n  the Soviet Union, high U.S. commodity prices, and increased\n  world grain production make a renewal of the supply agreement\n  next year less certain, Albert Melnikov, deputy trade\n  representative of the Soviet Union, said in an interview.\n      The current agreement expires on Sept 30, 1988.\n      Melnikov said that world grain markets are different than\n  when the first agreement was signed in 1975.\n      Statements from both U.S. and Soviet officials have\n  indicate that a long term grains agreement might not be as\n  attractive for both sides as it once was.\n      \"We have had one agreement. We have had a second agreement,\n  but with the second agreement we've had difficulties with\n  prices,\" Melnikov said.\n      \"I cannot give you any forecasts in response to the future\n  about the agreement.... I do not want to speculate on what will\n  happen after Sept 30, 1988,\" he said.\n      Melnikov noted that he has seen no indications from Soviet\n  government officials that they would be pushing for a renewal\n  of the agreement.\n      \"The situation is different in comparison to three, five or\n  ten years ago ... We can produce more,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"DANAHER <DHR> EXPECTS EARNINGS INCREASE IN 1987\n","article":"  Danaher Corp said it expects higher\n  earnings in 1987 versus 1986.\n      \"We expect significant increases in earnings and revenues\n  in 1987,\" Steven Rales, Danaher chairman and chief executive\n  officer, said.\n      Earlier, the company reported 1986 net earnings of 15.4 mln\n  dlrs, or 1.51 dlrs a share, versus 13.5 mln dlrs, or 1.32 dlrs\n  a share, in 1985.\n      It also reported fourth quarter net of 7.3 mln dlrs, or 71\n  cts a share, up from 4.4 mln dlrs, or 43 cts a share, in the\n  previous year's fourth quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DANAHER CORP <DHR> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 71 cts vs 43 cts\n      Net 7,274,000 vs 4,447,000\n      Rev 161.6 mln vs 77.6 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.51 dlrs vs 1.32 dlrs\n      Net 15,401,000 vs 13,525,000\n      Rev 454.0 mln vs 304.9 mln\n      NOTE: Fourth qtr net includes extraordinary gain of 3.8 mln\n  dlrs, or 37 cts per share, versus 2.9 mln dlrs, or 28 cts a\n  share, in 1985's fourth qtr, and an extraordinary charge of\n  642,000 dlrs, or six cts a share. 1986 net includes\n  extraordinary gain of 7.4 mln dlrs, or 72 cts a share, versus\n  8.0 mln dlrs, or 78 cts a share, in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TWA <TWA> MAKES MERGER OFFER FOR USAIR <U>\n","article":"  Trans World Airlines said it has\n  proposed a cash merger of USAir Group with TWA in which the\n  holders of USAir common would receive 52 dlrs in cash in\n  exchange for their stock.\n      TWA said the offer was made in a letter to Edmin Colodny,\n  chairman and president of USAir.\n      TWA said, however, that if the negotiated deal is not\n  acceptable it may make an offer directly to USAir's\n  shareholders for up to 51 pct of USAir's outstanding stock, to\n  be purchased in a voting trust at a price lower than today's\n  offer.\n      TWA said it is filing an application with the Department of\n  Transportation seeking approval of the merger as well as an\n  application for approval, on an expedited basis, of its\n  purchase of up to 51 pct of USAir common and the deposit of the\n  stock in a voting trust, pending DOT approval.\n      TWA said that in respect to USAir's recent offer for\n  Piedmont Aviation <PIE> it believes that USAir's shareholders\n  would prefer a cash merger proposal for USAir over its proposed\n  acquisition of Piedmont.\n      TWA said, however, it also would be interested in\n  discussing a three way deal among USAir, Piedmont and TWA.\n      TWA said the merger is subject to the USAir board redeeming\n  the preferred stock purchase rights (the poison pill) issued to\n  shareholders last year and taking action so that the vote of a\n  majority of the outstanding common stock is required to approve\n  its proposed move.\n      Additionally, TWA said it would need a satisfactory due\n  diligence review of USAir.\n      TWA said it has not yet had an opportunity to obtain the\n  necessary financing for the deal, but added it is confident\n  that it will get it.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CTS <CTS> AND DYNAMICS <DYA> REACH ACCORD\n","article":"  CTS Corp and Dynamics Corp of\n  America reached an agreement resolving all outstanding\n  differences between them, according to a joint statment.\n      As a result of the settlement, a special committee of the\n  board of directors of CTS stopped soliciting offers to buy all\n  or part of the company, it said.\n      CTS and DCA also agreed to dismiss all pending litigation\n  between the two companies except for one appeal pending before\n  the U.S. Supreme Court relating to the Indiana Control Share\n  Chapter, it said.\n      Under the agreement, the CTS board will immediately be\n  reduced to seven from eight with four current directors and\n  three representatives of DCA being elected to the board, it\n  said. This board will be presented as the slate for CTS' 1987\n  annual shareholders meeting, it added.\n      CTS' directors will recommend to shareholders that they\n  approve reimbursement to DCA of about 2.2 mln dlrs in expenses\n  relating to CTS, and grant DCA an option to buy up to 35 pct of\n  CTS' shares, it said.\n      In addition, DCA said it agreed to limit its ownership in\n  CTS for the year following the 1987 annual meeting to not more\n  than 35 pct of the outstanding stock. DCA currently holds 27.5\n  pct of the outstanding shares of CTS.\n      Both companies said they support the agreement and believe\n  it to be fair to both sides.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MEASUREX <MX> SELLS SOUTH AFRICAN UNIT\n","article":"  Measurex Corp said it\n  completed the sale of its Measurex (South Africa Pty)\n  subsidiary to a group of employees who manage the operation.\n      Measurex, a maker of computer integrated manufacturing\n  systems, said the subsidiary represented less than one pct of\n  worldwide revenues and the sale will have no impact on this\n  year's earnings.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JEFFERIES MAKING MARKET IN USAIR <U>\n","article":"  Jefferies and Co said it is making a\n  market in the stock of USAir Group Inc at 48-1\/2 to 50.\n      USAir received an offer from Trans world airlines to buy\n  the airline at 52 dlrs cash per share.\n      USAir was halted on the New York Stock EXcahnge for\n  dissemination of the news. It was indicated at 47 to 54.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRANS-LUX <TLX> SETS FIVE PCT STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Trans-Lux Corp said its board\n  declared a five pct stock dividend payable April nine to\n  holders of record March 20.\n      The company said directors also declared regular quarterly\n  dividends on presently outstanding shares of both classes of\n  common, payable April nine to holders of record March 16.\n      It said an unchanged dividend of two cts will be paid on\n  the common and 1.8 cts on the Class B stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"KANEB ENERGY PARTNERS LTD <KEP> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss one cent\n      Net loss 186,000\n      Revs 10.7 mln\n      11 mths\n      Shr loss 7.26 dlrs\n      Net loss 121.4 mln\n      Revs 46.9 mln\n      NOTE: In February 1986, Kaneb Services Inc contributed all\n  of its domestic oil and gas operations to Kaneb Partners, which\n  was newly formed, and exchanged approximately 3,200,000\n  depositary units respresenting limited partnership interests in\n  KEP for approximately 6,400,000 million shares of the\n  outstanding common stock of Kaneb Servies Inc. Kaneb now owns\n  approximately 82 pct of KEP.\n      During the 11 mths of operation, the partnership wrote down\n  the carrying value of its oil and gas properties by 124.8 mln\n  dlrs. The write downs reduced income by 7.46 dlrs per limited\n  partnership unit.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DALTON COMMUNICATIONS INC <DALT> 3RD QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr profit three cts vs loss two cts\n      net profit 157,500 vs loss 60,200\n      Revs 1.1 mln vs 1.0 mln\n      Nine months\n      Shr profit five cts vs profit six cts\n      Net profit 223,400 vs profit 260,800\n      Revs 3.2 mln vs 3.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" 4-MAR-1987 15:35:42.66\n","article":"   4-MAR-1987 15:35:42.66\n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WTD INDUSTRIES INC <WTDI> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 13 cts vs loss one ct\n      Net profit 853,000 vs loss 22,000\n      Sales 41.1 mln vs 20.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 6,349,753 vs 4,403,852\n      Nine Mths\n      Shr profit 57 cts vs profit 28 cts\n      Net profit 2,869,000 vs profit 1,252,000\n      Sales 119.0 mln vs 67.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,054,844 vs 4,403,852\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"LNG IMPORTS FROM ALGERIA UNLIKELY IN 1987\n","article":"  Liquefied natural gas imports from\n  Algeria are unlikely to happen in 1987 even though its\n  economically feasible, U.S. industry analysts sources said.\n      Youcef Yousfi, director-general of Sonatrach, the Algerian\n  state petroleum agency, indicated in a television interview in\n  Algiers that such imports would be made this year.\n      \"Contract negotiations, filing with the U.S. government and\n  the time required to restart mothballed terminals will delay\n  the import until 1988\/1989,\" Daniel Tulis, a natural gas\n  analyst with Shearson Lehman Bros. said.\n      Sonatrach is currently negotiating with two of its former\n  customers, Panhandle Eastern <PEL> and Distrigas, a subsidiary\n  of Cabot Corp <CBT> to resume LNG export, company officials\n  told Reuters. A third, El Paso Gas, a subsidiary of Burlington\n  Northern <BNI>, has expressed no interest.\n      Industry analysts said some imports of Algerian LNG were\n  feasible. \"On a marginal cost basis, the companies that have\n  made capital investment to handle LNG import can operate\n  profitably even in the current price environment,\"  Frank\n  Spadine, an energy economist with Bankers Trust, said.\n     Analysts did not forsee a major impact from Algerian imports\n  on U.S. prices which are currently soft but expected to trend\n  higher by the end of 1987.\n      A decline in gas drilling and the time lag to bring Gulf of\n  Mexico productions onstream will tighten gas supplies and firm\n  prices, Shearson's Tulis said.\n     In this context, Algerian LNG import would be a source of\n  supplemental supply to U.S. domestic production, he added.\n      Company sources currently in talks with Algeria agree,\n  saying that Algerian LNG would only serve to meet peak demand.\n      Company sources also said that any negotiations with\n  Algeria would emphasize looser arrangements which would relate\n  volumes to market requirements and prices to U.S. spot market\n  values.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HEALTHVEST <HVT> SELLS SHARES\n","article":"  Healthvest, a Maryland real estate\n  investment trust, said it began selling five mln shares of\n  common stock at 21 dlrs a share.\n      The company said it is also selling 543,237 shares to\n  Healthcare International Inc <HII>, giving the company a 9.8\n  pct stake in Healthvest.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CACEX DENIES BRAZIL FCOJ PRICE RISE RUMOURS\n","article":"  There has been no rise in the\n  price of Frozen Concentrated Orange Juice, FCOJ, a spokesman\n  for the Banco do Brasil's Foreign Trade Department, Cacex,\n  said.\n      He was responding to rumours in the international market\n  that Brazil had raised its FCOJ prices in range of 1,075 to\n  1,150 dlrs per tonne.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"E-SYSTEMS <ESY> SETS QTRLY PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div 12.5 cts vs 12.5 cts prior\n      Pay April 1\n      Record March 13\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PIEDMONT MANAGEMENT CO INC <PMAN> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr 70 cts vs 4.91 dlrs\n      Net 3.7 mln vs 26.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.99 dlrs vs 3.35 dlrs\n      Net 10.7 mln vs 18.0 mln\n      NOTE:1986 year, 4th qtr include capital gains of 3.5 mln\n  dlrs and 1.1 mln dlrs, respectively and extraordinary gain of\n  3.4 mln dlrs and 1.2 mln dlrs respectively. 1985 year and 4th\n  qtr include capital gains of 24.0 mln dlrs and 23.3 mln dlrs\n  respectively and extraordinary gain of 3.9 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"EASTPARK REALTY TRUST <ERT> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.52 dlrs vs 17 cts\n      Net 1,306,000 vs 144,000\n      Rev 758,000 vs 670,000\n      Year\n      Shr 2.68 dlrs vs 2.63 dlrs\n      Net 2,313,000 vs 2,285,000\n      Rev 2.8 mln vs 2.7 mln\n      NOTE: Fourth qtr and 1986 had gains on real estate\n  investments of 933,000 dlrs, or 1.08 a share, and 970,000 dlrs,\n  or 1.12 a share, respectively.\n      This compares with a loss of 137,000 dlrs, or 15 cts a\n  share, and again of 1.3 mln dlrs, or 1.45 a share, for the\n  fourth qtr and year respectively in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NL INDUSTRIES INC <NL> SETS QTRLY PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div five cts vs five cts qtr\n      Pay April One\n      Record  March 16\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WTD INDUSTRIES INC <WTDI> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 13 cts vs loss one ct\n      Net profit 853,000 vs loss 22,000\n      Revs 41.1 mln vs 20.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 6,349,753 vs 4,403,852\n      Nine mths\n      Shr profit 57 cts vs profit 28 cts\n      Net profit 2,869,000 vs profit 1,252,000\n      Revs 119.0 mln vs 67.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,054,844 vs 4,403,000\n      Note: Company went public in October 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALASKA AIR GROUP INC <ALK> QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Shr four cts vs four cts prior qtr\n      Pay May five\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"USAIR <U> HAS NO COMMENT ON TWA <TWA> OFFER\n","article":"  USAir Group Inc said it had no comment\n  on an offer it received from Trans World Airlines to buy USAir\n  for 52 dlrs cash per share.\n      USAir spokesman David Shipley also declined comment on\n  Piedmont Aviation Inc <PIE>. USAir has offered 71 dlrs cash per\n  share for half of Piedmont's stock, and 73 dlrs in its own\n  stock for the balance.\n      Piedmont also received an offer from Norfolk Southern Corp\n  <NSC> of 65 dlrs cash per share. Piedmont's board was meeting\n  today, but the company declined to say what was on the agenda.\n  A spokesman said he could not comment on the twa action.\n      A Norfolk Southern Corp <NSC> spokesman said the company\n  had no comment on TWA's offer for USAir or on its proposal to\n  negotiate a three-way merger between TWA, USAir and Piedmont.\n      \"We don't have all the details,\" a Norfolk Southern\n  spokesman said. The company's 65 dlr-a-share cash offer for\n  Piedmont stands, he said.\n      In its offer, TWA said as an alternative to a merger with\n  USAir, it would be interested in discussing a three-way\n  combination among USAir, Piedmont and TWA. It said the\n  three-way merger would serve the best interests of the\n  shareholders of all three companies, employees and consumers.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MORE PRESSURE URGED FOR ASIA TO TAKE U.S. BEEF\n","article":"  Congressmen from beef producing\n  states and representatives of the U.S. livestock industry \n  urged the Reagan administration to press Japan and South Korea\n  to open up their markets to imports of beef.\n      Testifying at a House subcommittee hearing on livestock\n  issues, Rep. Hal Daub (R-Nebr.), said the administration should\n  push hard for greater beef imports by Japan and South Korea.\n  Daub was joined by several other lawmakers.\n      U.S. assistant trade representative Suzanne Earley, replied\n  \"we're not going to let Japan off the hook, or Korea.\" She\n  noted trade representative Clayton Yeutter met with a senior\n  Korean official last week on the beef issue, and that Yeutter\n  and Agriculture Secretary Richard Lyng will visit Tokyo in\n  April for discussions on farm trade issues.\n      Japan maintains a quota on beef imports, set at 58,400\n  tonnes high quality beef in fiscal 1987. South Korea has banned\n  beef imports but there are indications Seoul may bow to U.S.\n  pressure and allow some imports soon, industry officials said.\n      In testimony today, Tom Cook, director of industry affairs\n  for the National Cattlemens Association said \"the Congress,\n  administration and the industry must take a strong, tough and\n  united stand to impress the Japanese that we mean business and\n  that we expect them to open their markets.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTH AFRICAN FOREIGN RESERVES UP SHARPLY IN FEB\n","article":"  South Africa's total gold and\n  foreign assets rose by 700 mln rand in February to 6.2 billion\n  rand after rising by almost one billion rand in January,\n  Reserve Bank Governor Gerhard de Kock said.\n      De Kock, interviewed on state-run television, gave no\n  breakdown of the reserves.\n      He also said that to curb inflation, salary increases would\n  have to be below the inflation rate. The state must set an\n  example by keeping wage increases below the inflation rate, he\n  said.\n      Consumer prices rose by 16.1 pct in the year to January.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MORE SOVIET GRAIN BUYING FROM U.S. TIED TO PRICE\n","article":"  Whether the Soviet Union will fulfill\n  its buying obligations under the U.S.\/USSR grains agreement\n  depends entirely on the United States, a Soviet trade official\n  told Reuters.\n      \"How can I tell that we are ready to fulfill the agreement\n  if the United States does not want to offer us grain at\n  competitive prices?\" said Albert Melnikov, deputy trade\n  representative of the Soviet Union to the United States.\n      \"We are in the market for grains, but it is up to the\n  United States to be the seller ... to offer Soviets competitive\n  prices,\" he said in an interview.\n      Melnikov said that the United States has not lived up the\n  agreement by failing to make available to Moscow U.S. grain at\n  prevailing market prices.\n      \"We are being accused of not implementing this agreement.\n  We do not consider we are at fault,\" Melnikov said.\n      Article I in the agreement states that \"purchases\/sales of\n  commodities under this Agreement will be made at the market\n  price prevailing for these products at the time of\n  purchase\/sale and in accordance with normal commercial terms.\"\n      \"The United States should supply to the Soviet Union\n  definite quantities of grain at competitive prices ... Is the\n  United States ready to supply this?\" he said.\n      The Soviet official said that near-term corn demand has\n  been met by the recent Soviet purchases of U.S. corn, which he\n  confirmed at 1.5 mln tonnes, but said that if U.S. corn prices\n  remain competitive, the Soviets will buy more if they need it.\n      Wheat buying, however, is a different story, Melnikov said.\n      \"If the United States is interested in selling its wheat,\n  then they must offer competitive prices, and it's up to the\n  United States to decide how these competitive prices will be\n  offered,\" he said.\n      Last year's U.S. offer of subsidized wheat to the Soviets\n  was rejected because of an insufficient subsidy, Melnikov said.\n  He said that at the time of the 13 dlr per tonne subsidy offer,\n  U.S. wheat prices were 26 dlrs over world levels.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LEASEWAY TRANSPORTATION CORP <LTC> QTLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 37.5 cts vs 37.5 cts prior\n      Pay April eight\n      Record March 16\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"PERU SUGAR HARVEST SEEN LOWER -- USDA\n","article":"  Sugar production in Peru for the\n  1986\/87 season has been revised to 593,000 tonnes (raw value),\n  down 10 pct from the previous forecast and 21 pct below the\n  1985\/86 harvest, the U.S. Agriculture Department said in its\n  World Production and Trade Report.\n      It said while rains in the northern mountain region are\n  improving the supply of irrigation water, the major benefits\n  will not occur until the 1987\/88 season.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ITEL <ITEL> GETS FINANCING FOR ANIXTER BUY\n","article":"  Itel Corp said it obtained commitments\n  from a syndicate of banks for a six-year secured loan of about\n  325 mln dlrs and had separately filed registration statements\n  for two public offerings for a total of 150 mln dlrs to fund\n  its December 1986 acquisition of <Anixter Bros Inc>.\n      It said one of the offerings will be a new 75 mln dlrs\n  issue of convertible exchangeable series C preferred and the\n  other will be a 75 mln dlr issue of seven-year senior\n  subordinated notes. Both offerings will be through Merrill\n  Lynch Capital Markets.\n      It said a portion of the proceeds from the offerings,\n  together with the proceeds form the new bank loan, wll be used\n  to repay the 395 mln dlr bridge loan Merrill Lynch and Co Inc\n  <MER> provided for Itel to buy Anixter.\n      Itel said the banks it obtained commitments from include\n  Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co <MHC>, <Chemical Bank of New\n  <York>, and the <First National Bank of Chicago>.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GREAT AMERICAN <GTA> GAINS OVER 80 MLN IN LOANS\n","article":"  Great American First Savings Bank said\n  the bank recorded gains exceeding 80 mln dlrs on sales of loans\n  and mortgage securities valued at 1.1 billion dlrs.\n      The San Diego-based bank said in a prepared release of its\n  report to analysts here that the gains included 6.6 mln dlrs in\n  arbitrage profits from the premium paid for the separation of\n  interest and principal components of new Federal National\n  Mortgage Association strip securities.\n      The bank said it reported a profit of more than 20 mln dlrs\n  on the transaction, involving 390 mln dlrs of FNMA securities,\n  including the arbitrage gain.\n      Great American recently announced plans to acquire <Capital\n  Savings Bank>, Olympia, Wash., and last year acquired <Home\n  Federal Savings and Loan Association>, Tucson, Ariz., and <Los\n  Angeles Federal Savings Bank>, which resulted in 66 new offices\n  and three billion dlrs in assets.\n      The bank also said it plans to expand into other major\n  western banking markets and is considering an acquisition in\n  Colorado.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SWISS ECONOMY IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, OECD SAYS\n","article":"  Switzerland's economy, combining low\n  unemployment, financial stability and a large external payments\n  surplus, is in excellent condition and faces a satisfactory\n  future, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and\n  Development, OECD, said.\n      This reflected the success of stable and relatively tight\n  fiscal and monetary policies followed by the government, it\n  said.\n      The OECD, in its annual report on Switzerland, picked out\n  some signs of a slowdown in activity and a slight pick-up in\n  inflation this year, but said these gave no cause for concern.\n      The study forecast a decline in Gross Domestic Product\n  growth to 1.75 pct this year from an estimated two pct in 1986\n  and a small rise in consumer price inflation to 1.25 pct after\n  last year's sharp fall to 0.75 pct from 3.6 pct in 1985.\n      But it said job creation should continue to absorb a modest\n  increase in the workforce, leaving the unemployment rate\n  unchanged at around one pct, the lowest in the 24-industrial\n  nation OECD area.\n      Assuming an average exchange rate of 1.71 Swiss francs to\n  the dollar this year, against 1.69 in the second half of 1986,\n  the report forecast a 2.75 pct rise in exports and a 3.5 pct\n  rise in imports this year after rises of 3.25 pct and 6.5 pct\n  respectively in 1986.\n      The faster growth of imports compared with exports this\n  year and last, reflecting buoyant private consumption, meant\n  that the contribution of the foreign payments balance to GDP\n  would shrink in both years.\n      But \"given Switzerland's large external surplus, there\n  should be no concern if domestic demand grows faster than\n  GDP...Which, if only in a small way, would contribute to\n  improving international balances,\" the OECD said.\n      Real private consumption appeared to have been unusually\n  buoyant last year, with a 3.25 pct growth rate, after several\n  years of relative weakness, it noted.\n      In 1987 private consumption was expected to slow somewhat\n  to a 2.25 pct growth rate, but should still outstrip overall\n  GDP, it added.\n      The outlook for investment in plant and machinery remained\n  bright into 1987, and with capacity use at near record levels\n  last year there was scope for rationalisation and modernisation\n  in both the industry and service sectors, it said.\n      As a consequence, growth in machinery and equipment\n  investment is likely to decelerate only slightly this year\n  after vigorous growth in 1986.\n      But the report raised a questionmark over the prospects for\n  tourism and the banking industry, two major service sector\n  earners of foreign exchange.\n      The long-term appreciation of the Swiss Franc, and the\n  accelerating deregulation of foreign banking markets, could\n  lead to a loss of international market share for both, it said.\n      Particularly for the banks, \"recent developments in\n  international financial markets give rise to the question\n  whether the Swiss financial system, which has shown substantial\n  flexibility in the past, is adapting itself at the speed\n  required ... To preserve its competitive position,\" it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TANDY BRANDS <TAB> SELLS UNIT\n","article":"  Tandy Brands Inc said it sold\n  its Grate Home and Fireplace division to an investor group that\n  includes some members of Grate's management for 1,600,000 dlrs\n  in cash and secured notes.\n      The company said the sale will not materially offset the\n  9,848,000 dlr non-recurring charge it took against the sale of\n  the division.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN FARM BUREAU OPPOSES FARM BILL CHANGES\n","article":"  The directors of the American Farm\n  Bureau, the nation's largest farm organization, voted Tuesday\n  to urge Congress to leave the 1985 farm bill in place without\n  alterations.\n      \"We are solidly opposed to opening up the 1985 farm bill,\"\n  said Dean Kleckner, president. \"The current farm bill has been\n  in place for just a little over a year and in our judgment\n  there is more to be gained at the present time from maintaining\n  the legislation.\n      \"Several independent studies ... indicate the 1985 farm\n  bill is better on balance than any of the alternatives being\n  advanced,\" Kleckner said.\n      The Farm Bureau also urged Agriculture Secretary Richard\n  Lyng to adjust the loan rate for 1987 crop soybeans as much as\n  he deems possible under the farm bill to keep soybeans\n  competitive in the world market.\n      A Farm Bureau proposal suggests that producers should be\n  eligible for supplemental payments in the form of PIK\n  certificates for the difference between 5.02 dlrs a bushel and\n  the new loan rate.\n      The organization also urged Lyng to authorize deficiency\n  payments to farmers who were unable to plant 1987 winter wheat\n  because of adverse weather.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BROWING-FERRIS <BFI> DECLARES 2-FOR-1 SPLIT\n","article":"  Browning-Ferris Industires Inc said its\n  board declared a two-for-one stock split payable April 24 to\n  holders of record March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PENNWALT CORP <PSM> QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 55 cts vs 55 cts prior\n      Payable May one\n      Record April three\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BANNER INDUSTRIES INC <BNR> COMPLETES PURCHASE\n","article":"  Banner Industries Inc said it completed\n  the purchase of all Rexnord Inc <REX> common shares for its\n  26.25 dlrs per share cash tender offer that ended Feb\n  27, 1987.\n      The purchase follows Banner receiving earlier today 310 mln\n  dlrs under a credit agreement with Citicorp Industries Credit\n  Inc and the Bank of Nova Scotia, and an additional 260 mln dlrs\n  from offerings made for Banner and its subsidiary through\n  Drexel Burnham and Lambert.\n      As a result of the tender offer, Banner said it will own\n  approximately 96 pct of the outstanding shares of Rexnord. The\n  company said a merger of Rexnord and a subsidiary of Banner\n  will be completed before mid-May.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MURPHY RAISES CRUDE OIL POSTED PRICES ONE DLR\/BBL. WTI TO 17.00 DLRS TODAY\n","article":"\n  MURPHY RAISES CRUDE OIL POSTED PRICES ONE DLR\/BBL. WTI TO 17.00 DLRS TODAY\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"DEAN FOODS <DF> SEES STRONG 4TH QTR EARNINGS\n","article":"  Dean Foods Co expects earnings for the\n  fourth quarter ending May 30 to exceed those of the same\n  year-ago period, Chairman Kenneth Douglas told analysts.\n      In the fiscal 1986 fourth quarter the food processor\n  reported earnings of 40 cts a share.\n      Douglas also said the year's sales should exceed 1.4\n  billion dlrs, up from 1.27 billion dlrs the prior year.\n      He repeated an earlier projection that third-quarter\n  earnings \"will probably be off slightly\" from last year's 40\n  cts a share, falling in the range of 34 cts to 36 cts a share.\n      Douglas said it was too early to project whether the\n  anticipated fourth quarter performance would be \"enough for us\n  to exceed the prior year's overall earnings\" of 1.53 dlrs a\n  share.\n      In 1988, Douglas said Dean should experience \"a 20 pct\n  improvement in our bottom line from effects of the tax reform\n  act alone.\"\n      President Howard Dean said in fiscal 1988 the company will\n  derive  benefits of various dairy and frozen vegetable\n  acquisitions from Ryan Milk to the Larsen Co.\n      Dean also said the company will benefit from its\n  acquisition in late December of Elgin Blenders Inc, West\n  Chicago.\n      He said the company is a major shareholder of E.B.I. Foods\n  Ltd, a United Kingdom blender, and has licensing arrangements\n  in Australia, Canada, Brazil and Japan.\n      \"It provides ann entry to McDonalds Corp <MCD> we've been\n  after for years,\" Douglas told analysts.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. WHEAT BONUS TO SOVIET CALLED DORMANT\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department is not\n  actively considering offering subsidized wheat to the Soviet\n  Union under the export enhancement program (EEP), senior USDA\n  officials said.\n      However, grain trade analysts said the proposal has not\n  been ruled out and that an offer might be made, though not in\n  the very near future.\n      \"The grain companies are trying to get this fired up again,\"\n  an aide to Agriculture Secretary Richard Lyng said. \"But there\n  just isn't much talk about it, informally or formally.\"\n      Most analysts interviewed by Reuters were more confident\n  than USDA officials that bonus wheat would be offered to the\n  Soviets, even though U.S. officials did not make such an offer\n  when they held grain talks with Soviet counterparts earlier\n  this week.\n      But administration and private sources agreed that if the\n  Reagan administration did decide to offer subsidized wheat to\n  Moscow, it could take several months.\n      \"I just don't see any proposal like that sailing through any\n  interagency process,\" the aide to Lyng said.\n      \"An export enhancement offer is not consummated overnight,\"\n  said one former USDA official, who noted that the\n  administration took three months to decide in favor of selling\n  China wheat under the subsidy program.\n      An official representing a large grain trade company said\n  deliberations within USDA might be nudged along by members of\n  Congress, a number of whom urged USDA this week to make a wheat\n  subsidy offer to the Soviets.\n      But Lyng's aide said that during a day-long visit to\n  Capitol Hill yesterday, House members did not press the\n  secretary on the subsidy question a single time.\n      The administration's interagency trade policy review group,\n  comprised of subcabinet-level officials, has not been asked to\n  clear a request to offer Moscow wheat under the EEP, officials\n  at the U.S. Trade Representative's Office said.\n      In their talks this week, the two sides discussed the\n  administration's previous EEP offer but did not talk about any\n  new initiative. One USDA official who took part in the\n  consultations this week described them as an exchange of \"calm,\n  basic, factual economics.\"\n      Another USDA official said there was \"not even an informal\n  suggestion or hint\" that the Soviets would live up to their\n  pledge to buy four mln tonnes of wheat this year if they were\n  granted more favorable terms.\n      USDA and private sources agreed that consideration of an\n  EEP initiative by interagency review groups likely would be\n  delayed because of disarray within the White House stemming\n  from the Iran arms affair.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PHOENIX STEEL RECEIVES OFFER FOR CLAYMONT MILL\n","article":"  <Phoenix Steel Corp> said a group\n  of investors offered to buy its Clayton steel plate mill for\n  eight mln dlrs and the assumption of a bond obligation.\n     Phoenix did not disclose the indentity of the investors.\n      Phoenix was forced to close the Clayton mill last month.\n      The company said the offer represents a major step in\n  restructuring the company.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"KEANE INC <KEAN> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr 17 cts vs 15 cts\n      Net 229,000 vs 201,000\n      revs 10.5 mln vs 9.9 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 21 cts vs 55 cts\n      Net 283,000 vs 766,000\n      Revs 40.4 mn vs 39.7 mln\n      NOTE:1985 shares adjusted to reflect the distribution of\n  one share of Class B common stock for every two shares of\n  common stock held of record as of July 1, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VIACOM <VIA> MERGER EXPECTED IN 60 TO 90 DAYS\n","article":"  Sumner Redstone, president of National\n  Amusements, Inc, predicted he can win regulatory approvals to\n  wrap up the 3.4 billion dlr acquisition of Viacom International\n  Inc in 60 to 90 days.\n      Redstone, 63, catapulted himself into the big leagues of\n  entertainment early today when a group of Viacom managers and\n  their financial backers decided not to top National's bid.\n      \"We've had counsel working for some time in every region\n  where Viacom has cable televison systems\" Redstone told Reuters\n  in a telephone interview.\n      Redstone also said \"Viacom is committed to working very\n  closely with us to obtain approvals.\" Viacom has been seeking\n  approvals for transfer of its broadcast licenses and cable\n  systems since September when its management group first\n  advanced a buyout plan.\n      But Redstone turned the situation into a spirited bidding\n  contest which was capped by the announcement this morning that\n  Viacom's independent directors on behalf of Viacom entered into\n  a defintive merger agreement with National.\n      National is a family business which operates a chain of\n  movie theaters. It is dwarfed by Viacom.\n      Redstone said he was weary after talks dragged on through\n  the night but also excited at the prospect of running a leading\n  electronic media company. He noted that the number of motion\n  picture admissions in the U.S. has shown no growth in 15 years.\n      Of nine satellite television channels operated by Viacom,\n  four are motion-picture oriented pay channels. Redstone said\n  exclusive contracts with pay television networks are the\n  emerging trend. \"Up until recently you could see any motion\n  picture on any pay channel,\" Redstone said.\n      He noted Viacom has exclusive agreements with two studios\n  and plans to sign a deal with a third company next month.\n      Redstone said the management group's investment bankers\n  will be paid what is due for termination of its merger\n  agreement. Such fees could total about 30 mln dlrs. \"That will\n  be a company expense,\" Redstone said.\n      He said BankAmerica <BAC> Corp has had numerous inquiries\n  from lenders who want to participate in a 2.25 billion dlr\n  financing for the deal. BankAmerica will provide 592 mln dlrs.\n      After the merger, Viacom will be a subsidiary of National\n  but 17 pct of the company will be in public hands.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRITISH AIDE CRITICIZES U.S.PROTECTIONISM\n","article":"  A senior British official said that\n  protectionist bills being considered by Congress could trigger\n  retaliation by the European Community (EEC) and threaten the\n  global trading system.\n      Paul Channon, secretary for trade and industry, said if\n  Congress passed legislation to curb textile imports, which\n  would hit EC shipments as well as shipments from major Asian\n  textile producers, \"the community would have to retaliate.\"\n      His comments echoed those made yesterday by Belgian Trade\n  Minister Herman De Croo, who said if the bill passed, the\n  community would retaliate by imposing taxes on U.S. exports.\n      Channon made his remarks at a news conference after two\n  days of talks with Reagan Administration officials and members\n  of Congress.\n      De Croo was also in Washington for trade talks.\n      Channon said there was a greater protectionism sentiment in\n  Congress since his visit here last year as Congress and the\n  Administration tried to find ways to reduce the U.S. trade\n  deficit, which last year hit a record 169.8 billion dlrs.\n      Channon also called for greater EC-U.S. cooperation to\n  force Japan to open its markets to foreign goods.\n      Channon said Japan's trade surplus is causing everyone\n  problems - its surplus with the United States last year was\n  51.5 billion dlrs and with EC nations, 16.7 billion dlrs.\n      \"The more united pressure there could be, the better,\" he\n  said.\n      Channon also called for increased U.S.-EC cooperation to\n  avoid trade disputes.\n      He said the two sides narrowly avoided a confrontation\n  earlier this year over lost grains sales when Spain and\n  Portugal joined the community and its liberal imports\n  regulations were tightened to conform to EC standards.\n      \"But if both sides drew back from the brink that time,\" he\n  said, \"\"it does not mean that they would do so on another\n  occasion.\"\n      Channon added that \"There is increasing reesentment in\n  Europe over the U.S. tactic of negotiating under the pressure\n  of unilaterally imposed deadlines.\"\n      He said other potential conflicts are already in sight -\n  alleged European government subsidies of Airbus aircraft and\n  taxes on fats and oils - and \"the commuity and the United States\n  must therefore learn to manage their relations better.\"\n      He said another bill to let the United States retaliate\n  against a nation if that nation's market was not open to U.S.\n  goods would bypass the trade pact GATT (General Agreeeement on\n  Tariffs and Trade) as an arbiter of trade practices.\n      He said foreign trade law should be judged by GATT and not\n  by the United States, adding \"if the (trade) law is to be\n  interpreted by the United States and not by the GATT, what is\n  to happen to the rest of us?\"\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"YEUTTER SEEKS STRONGER TAIWAN, S.KOREA CURRENCIES\n","article":"  U.S. Trade Representative Clayton\n  Yeutter said he hoped the U.S. dollar would continue to decline\n  in relation to the currencies of Taiwan and South Korea as a\n  way to improve the U.S. trade picture.\n      Testifying before the House Appropriations subcommittee\n  which must approve his agency's 1988 budget, he said, \"In my\n  judgment economic factors justify a continued decline.\"\n      Asked by a committee member if he expected a further\n  decline, and how much, Yeutter said the Taiwan and South Korean\n  currencies should be adjusted to reflect \"positive factors\" in\n  their economies.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NL INDUSTRIES INC <NL> SET REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div five cts vs five cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 16\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CHINA SUGAR OUTPUT SEEN LOWER -- USDA\n","article":"  China's 1986\/87 sugar crop has been\n  revised to 5.26 mln tonnes (raw value), down four pct from the\n  previous forecast and five pct below the previous season, the\n  U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      In its World Production and Trade Report, the department\n  attributed the decline to relatively poor profitability of\n  sugar, causing harvested area of cane and beets to decline\n  seven pct from 1985\/86.\n      Beet sugar production for 1986\/87 is now estimated at\n  837,000 tonnes, five pct less than earlier forecast and down\n  five pct from the previous season, while cane output is\n  projected at 4.423 mln tonnes, down four pct from previously\n  forecast and five pct below the previous season, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GENERAL HOST <GH> SEES YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  General Host Corp said it will\n  report a loss from continuing operations and a sharp decline in\n  net income for the year ended January 25, 1987, due to\n  substantial operating losses in its Frank's Nursery and Crafts\n  unit. For the year ended January 25, 1986, General reported net\n  income of 29.7 mln dlrs.\n      The company said it discovered problems in its unit's\n  computerized accounts payable system. It said results of its\n  other nursery and craft unit, Flower Time Inc, are not\n  affected. It said its accountants are investigating the\n  problem, which will delay release of its full-year results.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MEDTRONIC INC <MDT> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly dividend 22 cts vs 22 cts\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"LOUISVILLE GAS AND ELECTRIC CO <LOU> DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly dividend 65 cts vs 65 cts\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ALATENN RESOURCES INC <ATNG> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 75 cts vs 52 cts\n      Net 1,699,124 vs 1,177,786\n      Revs 45.6 mln vs 31.6 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 2.22 dlrs vs 2.20 dlrs\n      Net 5,057,292 vs 4,961,085\n      Revs 130.2 mln vs 126.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KAISER ALUMINUM <KLU> RAISES PRODUCT PRICES\n","article":"  Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical\n  Corp said it is increasing prices for a broad range of common\n  alloy coil, flat sheet and plate products.\n      The company said prices to distributors and direct\n  customers on shipments of new orders placed March 4 and after\n  will be increased by four to eight cts per lb.\n      Kaiser said the increases are due to increased demand and\n  the need to set prices relative to the cost of primary\n  aluminum.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROBERTSON UPS CAPITAL WIRE<CWCC> STAKE TO 12 PCT\n","article":"  New York investor Julian Robertson\n  and several investment partnerships he controls said they\n  raised their stake in Capital Wire and Cable Corp to 481,800\n  shares, or 12.2 pct of the total, from 430,200, or 10.9 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission\n  Robertson and his Tiger, Jaguar, Puma and Tiger Management Co\n  entities said they bought 51,600 Capital Wire common shares\n  between Feb 3 and 17 at 13.25 dlrs a share.\n      Robertson said his group has spent a total of 5.9 mln dlrs\n  on its investment in the company so far.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TWA <TWA> TANGLES PIEDMONT <PIE> SITUATION\n","article":"  Trans World Airlines Inc complicated\n  the bidding for Piedmont Aviation Inc by offering either to buy\n  Piedmont suitor USAir Group or, alternatively, to merge with\n  Piedmont and USAir.\n      Piedmont's board was meeting today, and Wall Street\n  speculated the board was discussing opposing bids from Norfolk\n  Southern Corp and USAir. The TWA offer was announced shortly\n  after the Piedmont board meeting was scheduled to begin.\n      TWA offered to buy USAir for 52 dlrs cash per share. It\n  also said it was the largest shareholder of USAir and\n  threatened to go directly to USAir shareholders with an offer\n  for 51 pct of the stock at a lower price.\n      TWA also said it believed its offer was a better deal for\n  USAir shareholders than an acquisition of Piedmont, but it said\n  it alternatively would discuss a three-way combination of the\n  airlines.\n      Market sources and analysts speculated that TWA chairman\n  Carl Icahn made the offer in order to put his own airline into\n  the takeover arena.\n      \"We're just wondering if he's not just trying to get TWA\n  into play. There's speculation on the street he just wants to\n  move onto somthing else,\" said one arbitrager. \"We think TWA\n  might just be putting up a trial balloon.\"\n      Analysts said the offer must be taken seriously by USAir,\n  but that the airline will probably reject it because the price\n  is relatively low compared to other airline deals.\n      They also said Icahn must prove his offer credible by\n  revealing financing arrangements. \"They need to show their\n  commitment and their ability to finance. I think it's a\n  credible offer,\" said Timothy Pettee, a Bear Stearns analyst.\n      \"I think it's certainly on the low end of relative values\n  of airline deals,\" said Pettee. Pettee estimated 58 dlrs would\n  be in a more reasonable range based on other airline mergers.\n      USAir stock soared after TWA made public its offer. A\n  spokesman for USAir declined comment, and said USAir had not\n  changed its offer for Piedmont. USAir offered of buy 50 pct of\n  that airline's stock for 71 dlrs cash per share and the balance\n  for 73 dlrs per share in USAir stock.\n      USAir closed up 5-3\/8 at 49-1\/8 on volume of 1.9 mln\n  shares.\n      Piedmont, which slipped 1\/2 to close at 69-5\/8, also\n  remained silent on the TWA action. Piedmont has an outstanding\n  65 dlr cash per share offer from Norfolk Southern Corp.\n      Norfolk Southern declined comment, but said it stuck with\n  its offer for Piedmont. Norfolk owns about 20 pct of Piedmont\n  and opened the bidding when it said it would propose a takeover\n  of Piedmont.\n      Some analysts said Icahn may be trying to acquire USAir to\n  make his own airline a more attractive takeover target.\n      \"Icahn I think had wanted to sell his airline and there\n  were no takers. I think the strategy might have called for\n  making his investment more attractive. One way to accomplish\n  that specific objective is to go out and acquire other\n  airlines,\" said Andrew Kim of Eberstadt Fleming.\n      \"I don't know whose going to buy them, but at least this\n  way it becomes a much more viable package,\" said Kim.\n      But Icahn's financing ability for such a transaction\n  remains in doubt, in part because of TWA's heavy debt load.\n      Wall street sources said TWA has some cash with which to do\n  the offer.\n      The sources said Icahn has not lined up outside financial\n  advisers and plans to make his own arrangements.\n     Icahn earlier this year abandoned plans to buy USX Corp <X>\n  and still retains 11 pct of that company's stock.\n      Some Wall street sources said the financier's USX plan was\n  impacted by the cloud hanging over his adviser, Drexel Burnham\n  Lambert Inc, because of Wall Street's insider trading scandal.\n      Industry sources also predicted USAir might reject the TWA\n  offer on price and financing concerns. \"It's littered with\n  contingencies and it doesn't even have a financing\n  arrangement,\" said one executive at another major airline.\n      But the executive conceded a merged TWA-USAir would be a\n  strong contender with USAir's east coast route system and\n  planned west coast presence from PSA. USAir could feed the\n  intenrational flights of TWA, which has a midwest presence in\n  its St. Louis hub. Adding Piedmont, dominant in the southeast,\n  to the mix would develop an even stronger force.\n      The combined entity would also have TWA's pars reservation\n  system.\n      Such a merger would be complex and analysts said it would\n  result in an airline iwth an 18 pct market share.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FOREST OIL CORP <FOIL> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss 29 cts vs profit eight cts\n      Net loss 2.0 mln vs profit 568,000\n      year\n      Shr loss 1.37 dlrs vs profit 88 cts\n      Net loss 9.3 mln vs profit 6.0 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"YEUTTER PLANS TRADE TRIP TO CHINA THIS SUMMER\n","article":"  U.S. Trade Representative Clayton\n  Yeutter said he plans a July trip to China to discuss trade\n  issues including China's admission to the General Agreements on\n  Tariffs and Trade.\n      Yeutter told a congressional hearing it was possible China\n  could be a member of GATT before the end of the year.\n      \"They are making major moves to becoming a full scale member\n  of the world economy,\" he told the House Appropriations\n  subcommittee which oversees his agency's budget.\n      Depending on how the negotiations go on the terms of\n  China's GATT membership, Yeutter said he could put the final\n  touches on the U.S. part of the agreement during his trip.    \n  The admission of China to GATT, which is the multinational\n  group of nations which negotiates international rules on trade,\n  would offer both potential export markets and potential\n  competition for U.S. industries, he said.\n      \"That has a lot of potential as well as risks for U.S.\n  business,\" Yeutter said.\n      \"I think China will develop into a fine market for us,\" he\n  added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"RIO COFFEE TRADE PREFERS NO PACT TO QUOTA CUT\n","article":"  The failure of talks to introduce\n  new coffee export quotas within the International Coffee\n  Agreement, ICA, was preferable to the alternative of Brazil\n  having a sharply reduced quota, as had been proposed, President\n  of the Rio de Janeiro Coffee Trade Association Carlos Calmon\n  said.\n      He told Reuters proposals to reduce Brazil's quota to 25\n  pct of the world share from 30 pct at present were unacceptable\n  as the country has large stocks and a good harvest is expected.\n      \"Brazil has the capacity to export 20 mln bags this year,\"\n  Calmon added.\n      Calmon said, assuming a 58 mln bag global ICA quota,\n  Brazil's share under the proposals would have been 14.5 mln\n  bags, of which soluble would have accounted for 2.0 mln,\n  leaving just 12.5 mln bags of green coffee for export.\n      \"It's a pity the talks broke down, but for Brazil this was\n  better than such a quota reduction,\" he added.\n      In 1985 Brazil exported 19.6 mln bags of soluble and green\n  coffee, including about two mln bags to non-members. A severe\n  drought and marketing problems cut exports last year to under\n  10 mln bags.\n      Calmon estimated stocks as of January 1 at 18 mln bags, of\n  which 5.0 mln have already been sold for export. The harvest\n  this year should be around 30 mln bags, he added.\n      The latest Brazilian Coffee Institute estimate for last\n  year's harvest is 11.2 mln bags, although many traders believe\n  it was higher than this.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ISRAEL TENDERS TONIGHT FOR CORN AND\/OR SORGHUM\n","article":"  Israel will tender overnight for\n  33,000 long tons of U.S. sorghum and\/or 22,000 long tons of\n  U.S. corn for April shipment, private export sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. CABINET COUNCIL SET TO MULL FARM ISSUES\n","article":"  The Reagan administration's\n  cabinet-level Economic Policy Council is scheduled to meet\n  Friday to discuss, among other issues, the status of\n  agricultural legislation, administration officials said.\n      The officials said discussion of a U.S. Agriculture\n  Department wheat export subsidy to the Soviet Union was not on\n  the agenda. Matters not on the agenda, however, can be brought\n  before the council, the officials said.\n      Grain trade officials have speculated that USDA would make\n  a wheat export enhancement offer to Moscow, but USDA officials\n  have said the matter is not under active consideration.\n      USDA today transmitted to Congress a package of legislative\n  proposals, including bills that would cut target prices and\n  speed up loan rate reductions.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UNICORP AMERICAN CORP <UAC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 13 cts vs 70 cts\n      Net 1,538,000 vs 8,614,000\n      Revs 16.4 mln vs 19.6 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 89 cts vs 2.43 dlrs\n      Net 10.3 mln vs 29.8 mln\n      Revs 56.2 mln vs 83.8 mln\n      Note: 1986 net is before preferred dividend payments and\n  includes after-tax gain from sale of real estate properties of\n  12.9 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BANNER <BNR> COMPLETES REXNORD SHARE PURCHASE\n","article":"  Banner Industries Inc said it completed\n  the previously announced purchase of Rexnord Inc <REX>. It said\n  it owns 96 pct of Rexnord's outstanding following the purchase\n  of all Rexnord's common validly tendered pursuant to its 26.25\n  dlr per share cash tender offer ended February 27.\n      Banner also said it received 310 mln dlrs pursuant to a\n  credit agreement with <Citicorp Industrial Credit Inc> and the\n  <Bank of Nova Scotia> and 260 mln dlrs from an offering made\n  through Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc.\n      The merger of Rexnord with a subsidiary of Banner will be\n  copmleted before mid-May, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.S. REAFFIRMS OPPOSITION TO EC OILS TAX PLAN\n","article":"  A meeting among government agencies\n  today reaffirmed the strong opposition of the United States to\n  a proposed new tax on vegetable oils and fats in the European\n  Community, U.S. trade officials said.\n      Representatives of the major government agencies agreed at\n  a trade policy review group meeting, which includes officials\n  of the deputy secretary rank, to continue diplomatic pressure\n  on EC member states.\n      \"We (all agencies) are together on this,\" said one U.S.\n  trade official.\n      One source said the U.S. would continue to make clear to\n  member states and to the EC commission that if Brussels\n  proceeds with the vegetable oils tax \"there will be a great\n  cost.\"\n      U.S. officials said no formal list of European products on\n  which the U.S. might retaliate, has yet been drawn up.\n      \"I don't think we're at that point yet,\" said one trade\n  official, adding that the EC has only begun deliberations on\n  its farm price package.\n      Suzanne Early, assistant trade representative, told Reuters\n  the interagency meeting was to discuss U.S. strategy on the\n  vegetable oils issue. Asked about retaliation, she said\n  \"sometimes its better not to be specific.\"\n      U.S. trade representative Clayton Yeutter Monday warned\n  another major transatlantic trade row will develop if the EC\n  proceeds with the vegetable oils tax.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<CCL INDUSTRIES INC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 15 cts vs 18 cts\n      Net 4,500,000 vs 5,300,000\n      Revs 156.7 mln vs 152.0 mln\n      YEAR\n      Shr 72 cts vs 1.11 dlrs\n      Net 21.7 mln vs 33.0 mln\n      Revs 695.4 mln vs 653.5 mln\n      Note: Shr profit relates to class B non-voting shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"VERSATILE TO SELL UNIT TO VICON\n","article":"  <Versatile Corp> said\n  it agreed in principle to sell its Alberta-based Versatile\n  Noble Cultivators Co division to Vicon Inc, of Ontario, for\n  undisclosed terms.\n      The division manufactures tillage and spraying equipment.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"EIA SAYS DISTILLATE STOCKS OFF 3.4 MLN BBLS, GASOLINE OFF 100,000, CRUDE UP 3.2 MLN\n","article":"\n  EIA SAYS DISTILLATE STOCKS OFF 3.4 MLN BBLS, GASOLINE OFF 100,000, CRUDE UP 3.2 MLN\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"(G.T.C. TRANSCONTINENTAL GROUP LTD) 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 11 cts vs nine cts\n      Net 2.1 mln vs 1.6 mln\n      Revs 60.8 mln vs 32.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 19.7 mln vs 17.2 mln\n      Note: period ended January 31.\n   Reuter\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PIEDMONT AVIATION RECESSES MEETING WITHOUT TAKING ACTION ON MERGER PROPOSALS\n","article":"\n  PIEDMONT AVIATION RECESSES MEETING WITHOUT TAKING ACTION ON MERGER PROPOSALS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EIA SAYS DISTILLATE, GAS STOCKS OFF IN WEEK\n","article":"  Distillate fuel stocks held in\n  primary storage fell by 3.4 mln barrels in the week ended Feb\n  27 to 128.4 mln barrels, the Energy Information Administration\n  (EIA) said.\n      In its weekly petroleum status report, the Department of\n  Energy agency said gasoline stocks were off 100,000 barrels in\n  the week to 251.5 mln barrels and refinery crude oil stocks\n  were up 3.2 mln barrels to 333.0 mln.\n      The EIA said residual fuel stocks fell 2.2 mln barrels to\n  37.9 mln barrels and crude oil stocks in the Strategic\n  Petroleum Reserve (SPR) were up 700,000 barrels to 516.5 mln.\n      The total of all crude, refined product and SPR stocks were\n  unchanged at 1,575.1 mln barrels, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANADA CENTRAL BANK HEAD SEES MODERATE GROWTH\n","article":"  Bank of Canada Governor John Crow said he\n  expects the Canadian economy will grow moderately in the coming\n  year, despite the near flat growth in the final quarter of\n  1986.\n      \"We see moderate growth,\" Crow told a news conference\n  following presentation of the central bank's annual report in\n  the House of Commons today.\n      He said there were positive signs of growth in the economy,\n  particularly the drawdown of business inventories in the fourth\n  quarter. Yesterday, Statistics Canada reported gross domestic\n  product expanded a slight 0.2 pct in the quarter.\n      Crow reiterated the bank's previous statements that\n  inflation remains a major priority in setting monetary policy\n  and said only zero inflation would be acceptable. Canada's\n  inflation rate is currently hovering around the four pct mark.\n      The governor said Canada's banking system remains sound\n  despite recent concern about exposure by the country's banks in\n  debt plagued countries such as Brazil.\n      \"It (the debt problem) is not a happy development but I\n  think it can be overplayed in terms of its impact,\" Crow told\n  reporters.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"VIDEOTRON BUYS INTO EXHIBIT COMPANY\n","article":"  (Groupe Videotron Ltd) said it agreed to\n  buy 50 pct of (Groupe Promexpo Inc), a company which\n  specializes in product exhibits, for three mln dlrs.           \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALLIS-CHALMERS <AH> PROPOSES RESTRUCTURING\n","article":"  Allis-Chalmers Corp said it asked\n  lenders and other groups to approve a restructuring plan that\n  would cause a dilution of the company's existing common stock.\n      The company said it would sell all of its businesses other\n  than the American Air Filter business, make a public financing\n  of more than 100 mln dlrs and pay part of the currently\n  outstanding debt with the proceeds.\n      Under the plan, which was presented to institutional\n  lenders, the company's unions and the Pension Benefit Guaranty\n  Corp, \"substantial amounts\" of institutional debt would be\n  converted to common stock of the restructured company.\n      Allis-Chalmers said it will exchange existing preferred\n  stock for common. The exchange of the institutional debt and\n  preferred stock for common equity will cause a \"resulting\n  dilution of the existing common stock,\" Allis-Chalmers said in\n  a statement.\n      Under the plan, holders of existing common would hold about\n  15 pct of the restructured common stock. Holders of existing\n  preferred would hold about 35 pct of the new common.\n      Allis-Chalmers said its only alternative to the plan is\n  bankruptcy. The restructuring must be approved by creditors,\n  common and preferred holders,and present and former employees.\n      Allis-Chalmers said a bankruptcy filing \"appears to\n  represent the company's only alternative if agreement upon the\n  terms of the plan cannot be reached.\"\n      The spokesman said in response to an inquiry that he was\n  not aware of any extraordinary charge against earnings that\n  would result from the restructuring.\n      \"It is too early to talk about a charge\" because the plan\n  must still be approved by the lenders and unions, he said.\n      Also under the plan, payments to Allis-Chalmers' private\n  lenders would be deferred. Trade payables and obligations\n  incurred in the ordinary course of business will be met.\n      Payment of health benefits for active and retired employees\n  would be made \"at substantially reduced levels.\"\n      Allis-Chalmers, once one of the leading farm equipment\n  companies, sold all of its farm equipment operations to Deutz\n  of West Germany for 107 mln dlrs, leaving the company with\n  businesses in lift trucks, air conditioning, fluids handling\n  and solid materials processing.\n      Last year, Allis-Chalmers sold the lift truck business to\n  AC Material Handling Co of Columbus, Ohio.\n      Under the restructuring plan, Allis-Chalmers will sell its\n  solid materials processing and fluids handling businesses.\n  Solid materials processing, which makes equipment to crush\n  stones for highway construction, accounted for 288 mln dlrs of\n  Allis-Chalmers's total 1985 revenues of 886 mln dlrs.\n      The company will also sell its fluids handling operations,\n  which makes pumps and valves. That business accounted for 196\n  mln dlrs of the company's 1985 revenues.\n      Allis-Chalmers in 1986 reported a net loss of 8.6 mln dlrs,\n  or 1.09 dlrs a share. In 1985, the company lost 168.4 mln dlrs,\n  or 12.27 dlrs a share.\n      The company's last profit was in 1980, when it earned 52.4\n  mln dlrs on sales of 2.1 billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMVESTORS FINANCIAL CORP <AVFC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 11 cts vs loss 27 cts\n      Oper net profit 662,625 vs loss 774,002\n      Revs 43.9 mln vs 18.4 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 37 cts vs loss 37 cts\n      Oper net profit 1,487,796 vs loss 1,119,626\n      Revs 150.1 mln vs 51.7 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 4th qtr and yr oper net excludes 6,134 dlrs and\n  720,500 dlrs or 20 cts per share, respectively, for realized\n  investment gains.\n      1986 qtr and yr oper net also excludes 102,300 dlrs and\n  257,300 dlrs, respectively, for tax loss carryforwards.\n      1985 4th qtr and yr oper net excludes realized investment\n  gains of 449,920 dlrs or 15 cts per share and 897,949 dlrs or\n  30 cts per share, respectively.\n      1985 4th qtr oper net also excludes a loss of 42,820 dlrs\n  for carryforward.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PIEDMONT <PIE> TAKES NO ACTION\n","article":"  Piedmont Aviation Inc said\n  its board meeting recessed today without taking action on\n  proposals to combine Piedmont with other corporations.\n      Piedmont has received opposing bids from Norfolk Southern\n  Corp and US Air Corp.\n      Earlier today, Trans World Airlines Inc offered to either\n  buy Piedmont suitor US Air or, alternatively, to merge with\n  Piedmont and U.S. Air.\n      IN a prepared statement, Piedmont said there would be no\n  further announcements concerning this situation today.\n      The company declined to say when the board would meet\n  again.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"YEUTTER CONCERNED ABOUT U.S. EXPORT PICTURE\n","article":"  U.S. Trade Representative Clayton\n  Yeutter said he expects imports to fall soon but he was\n  concerned about the lack of improvement in U.S. exports given\n  the dollar's decline in the last 18 months.\n      \"I'm convinced we're about to see an improvement on the\n  import side. I'm more concerned about the export side,\" he told\n  a House Appropriations subcommittee.\n      Part of the blame goes on other countries which have not\n  generated the economic growth to increase demand for U.S. goods\n  and part to some U.S. companies which are not generating\n  competitive exports, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"<MEMOTEC DATA INC> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 81 cts vs 66 cts\n      Net 5,011,000 vs 2,314,000\n      Revs 57.3 mln vs 17.6 mln\n      Note: results include extraordinary gains of 1,593,000 dlrs\n  or 26 cts a share in 1986 and 451,000 dlrs or 13 cts a share in\n  1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOUSE TRADE BILL DRAFTING POSTPONED\n","article":"  The House Ways and Means trade\n  subcommittee postponed until next week its opening session to\n  start drafting major changes to U.S. trade laws, a committee\n  aide said.\n      The subcommittee had not yet completed the preparatory work\n  to start writing the legislation, the aide said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<LUMONICS INC> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 20 cts vs profit 66 cts\n      Oper net loss 1,995,000 vs profit 5,820,000\n      Revs 65.2 mln vs 53.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 9,891,000 vs 8,811,000\n      Note: 1986 loss excludes extraordinary loss of 2,413,000\n  dlrs or 25 cts shr including corporate reorganization,\n  discontinuing of U.S. operations and inventory writedown of\n  U.S. subsidiaries vs yr-ago loss of 3,140,000 dlrs or 36 cts\n  shr.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HCC INDUSTRIES <HCCI> QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div three cts vs three cts\n      Pay March 27\n      Record March 16\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOUTHLAND <SLC> UNIT RAISES CRUDE PRICES\n","article":"  Southland Corp's Citgo Petrleum Corp\n  said it raised the contract price it will pay for all grades of\n  crude oil by one dlr a barrel, effective today.\n      The increase brings Citgo's posted price for West Texas\n  Intermediate to 17.00 dlrs a bbl. West Texas Sour is also now\n  priced at 17.00 dlrs\/bbl, and Light Louisiana South is posted\n  at 17.35 dlrs\/bbl.\n      On February 25 Citgo lowered its crude postings 50 cts to\n  1.50 dlrs per bbl, and cut WTI one dlr to 16.00.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<WESTERN SECURITY BANK> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit ten cts vs loss six cts\n      Net profit 43,000 vs loss 26,000\n      Year\n      Shr profit 46 cts vs profit 12 cts\n      Net profit 193,294 vs profit 51,029\n      Assets 44.4 mln vs 25.3 mln\n      Deposits 40.0 mln vs 21.4 mln\n      Loans 25.3 mln vs 15.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"RECENT U.S. OIL DEMAND UP 2.1 PCT FROM YEAR AGO\n","article":"  U.S. oil demand as measured by\n  products supplied rose 2.1 pct in the four weeks ended February\n  27 to 16.39 mln barrels per day (bpd) from 16.05 mln in the\n  same period a year ago, the Energy Information Administration\n  (EIA) said.\n      In its weekly petroleum status report, the Energy\n  Department agency said distillate demand was down 2.1 pct in\n  the period to 3.37 mln bpd from 3.44 mln a year earlier.\n      Gasoline demand averaged 6.60 mln bpd, up 2.4 pct from 6.44\n  mln last year, while residual fuel demand was 1.47 mln bpd, up\n  1.9 pct from 1.44 mln, the EIA said.\n      Domestic crude oil production was estimated at 8.38 mln\n  bpd, down 8.7 pct from 9.18 mln a year ago, and gross daily\n  crude imports (excluding those for the SPR) averaged 4.11 mln\n  bpd, up 36.9 pct from three mln, the EIA said.\n      Refinery crude runs in the four weeks were 12.21 mln bpd,\n  up 2.2 pct from 12 mln a year earlier, it said.\n      Year-to-date figures will not become available until March\n  26 when EIA's Petroleum Supply Monthly data for January 1987\n  becomes available, the agency said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COFFEE PRICE DROP NOT AFFECTING COLOMBIA'S DEBT\n","article":"  the sharp fall in international coffee\n  prices will not affect colombia's external credit situation,\n  finance minister cesar gaviria told reuters.\n      \"our foreign debt is high, but we can pay, and I hope the\n  foreign banking community will maintain its position toward us,\"\n  he said.\n      He said the current decline on world coffee markets was not\n  totally unexpected and would have no immediate bearing on\n  colombia's financial state, which he described as sound.\n      Gaviria said the decline in coffee prices could mean a loss\n  of 1.5 billion dlrs in revenues for 1987.\n      The conservative party and the country's largest trade\n  union called this week for the debt to be rescheduled following\n  the price drop.\n      Colombia, the only major latin american country not to have\n  rescheduled its external public debt, has a total foreign debt\n  of 13.6 billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"USDA WOULD SCRAP COTTON, RICE, BEAN PRICE FLOORS\n","article":"  The package of proposed farm policy\n  changes that the Reagan administration sent to Congress today\n  includes a provision that would eliminate minimum price support\n  levels for upland cotton, rice and soybeans.\n      The package, obtained by Reuters, also includes a\n  provision, outlined in advance by USDA officials, that would\n  increase the annual permissible cut in the basic price support\n  levels for all major crops to 10 pct from five pct.\n      Under current law, the basic support prices for upland\n  cotton, rice and soybeans between 1987 and 1990 cannot be cut\n  below 50 cents per lb, 6.50 dlrs per hundredweight and 4.50\n  dlrs per bushel, respectively.\n      USDA's intention to propose scrapping price floors for\n  cotton, rice and soybeans had not been disclosed previously.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SOUTH AFRICAN FOREIGN RESERVES UP SHARPLY\n","article":"  South Africa's total gold and\n  foreign assets rose by 700 mln rand in February to 6.2 billion\n  rand after rising by almost one billion rand in January,\n  Reserve Bank Governor Gerhard de Kock said.\n      De Kock, interviewed on state-run television, gave no\n  breakdown of the reserves.\n      He also said that to curb inflation, salary increases would\n  have to be below the inflation rate. The state must set an\n  example by keeping wage increases below the inflation rate, he\n  said.\n      Consumer prices rose by 16.1 pct in the year to January.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WTC INTERNATIONAL <WAF> SETS SOUTH AFRICA TRUST\n","article":"  WTC International N.V. said it\n  has sold its affiliates in South Africa to an independent\n  trust, created to continue the operations in that country.\n      The purchase price was about 8.4 mln dlrs, represented by a\n  ten-year interest-bearing note, payable annually at 11 pct, to\n  be paid by the trust out of proceeds from the South African\n  operations, the company said.\n      WTC said its board concluded in view of the social,\n  political and economic situatin in South Africa, it was best to\n  separate the company from its interests there.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"IVORY COAST SAYS COFFEE PRICE FALL SHORT-LIVED\n","article":"  Ivory Coast today predicted that the\n  present coffee price crash recorded after the collapse of the\n  recent International Coffee Organisation (ICO) meeting in\n  London would not last long.\n      Commenting on Monday's failure by producer and consumer\n  nations to agree on new export quotas needed to tighten an\n  oversupplied coffee market, Ivorian Agriculture Minister Denis\n  Bra Kanon told reporters that traders would eventually be\n  obliged to restore their positions.\n      \"I am convinced the market is going to reverse by April,\" he\n  told a news conference here at his return from the failed\n  London talks.\n      Robusta coffee beans for May delivery ended the day in\n  London down about 50 sterling at 1,265 sterling a tonne, the\n  lowest since 1982.\n      Bra Kanon estimated at at least 535 billion CFA francs\n  (1.76 billion dlrs) the overall loss in revenues earned by\n  Ivory Coast from all its commodities exports this year if the\n  slide on the world markets continues.\n      He disclosed that his country - the world's biggest cocoa\n  producer and the third largest for coffee -- would spearhead an\n  African initiative to reach a compromise formula by the end of\n  next month.\n      Ivory Coast has been chosen by the Abidjan-based\n  Inter-African Coffee Organisation (IACO) to speak on behalf of\n  the continent's 25 producer nations at the London talks.\n      \"An initiative from IACO is likely very soon,\" he said\n  without elaborating.\n      \"Following the London collapse, we have immediately embarked\n  on a concertation course to avoid breaking an already fragile\n  market,\" he said.\n      Questioned by journalists, the minister said President\n  Felix Houphouet-Boigny estimated for the moment that his\n  government would not be forced to reduce the price guaranteed\n  by the state to Ivorian coffee-growers for the current season.\n      Last year, the West African nation announced that the\n  coffee producer price would stay at 200 CFA francs (65 cents)\n  per kilo.\n      Bra Kanon said that his country would strive to diversify\n  its agricultural production to avoid beeing too dependent from\n  world market fluctuation.\n      A communique read over the state-run television tonight\n  said that during today's weekly cabinet meeting, the veteran\n  Ivorian leader reaffirmed \"his faith in Ivory Coast's bright\n  (economic) future\" despite the commodities price slide.\n      The Agriculture Minister also announced the government\n  decided to earmark a sum of 7.5 billion CFA francs (24.71 mln\n  dlrs) to support the country's small farmers.\n      Financially-strapped Ivory Coast, long regarded as one of\n  Africa's showpiece economies, is going through difficult times\n  following the sharp slump in the world price of cocoa and\n  coffee.\n      Ivory Coast's real gross domestic product is expected to\n  grow only one pct this year compared to five pct in 1986,\n  according to a recent Finance Ministry estimate.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TEXACO CANADA CUTS CRUDE PRICES 64 CANADIAN CTS\/BBL, PAR GRADE TO 22.26 CANADIAN DLRS\n","article":"\n  TEXACO CANADA CUTS CRUDE PRICES 64 CANADIAN CTS\/BBL, PAR GRADE TO 22.26 CANADIAN DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"N.Z. CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT NARROWS IN JANUARY\n","article":"  New Zealand's current account deficit\n  narrowed to 180 mln N.Z. Dlrs in January from 203 mln, revised\n  from 207 mln, in December and 305 mln in January 1986, in a\n  smoothed measurement, the Statistics Department said.\n      Unsmoothed figures show a deficit of 162 mln dlrs for\n  January against 107 mln, revised from 75 mln for December 1986\n  and 575 mln in January 1986.\n      The smoothed series -- adjusted to iron out random\n  fluctuations -- shows a widening surplus on merchandise trade\n  to 46 mln from a surplus of 33 mln, revised from 43 mln dlrs in\n  December and a 71 mln deficit in the a year ago period.\n      Exports were 905 mln dlrs against 929 mln, revised from 971\n  mln in December and 816 mln a year earlier, while imports fell\n  to 858 mln from 895 mln, revised from 928 mln in December and\n  888 mln in January 1986.\n      Unadjusted merchandise figures show a surplus of 53 mln\n  dlrs vs 141 mln, revised from 203 mln surplus in December 1986\n  and a 323 mln deficit a year earlier.\n      The deficit on invisibles on unsmoothed figures eased to\n  215 mln dlrs from 248 mln, revised from 277 mln in December and\n  252 mln in January 1986.\n      The smoothed deficit on invisibles fell to 226 mln from 237\n  mln, revised from 250 mln in December and 234 mln in the year\n  ago period.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"REAGAN'S REMARKS HELP GOLD TO RECOVER IN HONG KONG\n","article":"  Gold rose by about 50 U.S. Cents an\n  ounce, following a statement by President Ronald Reagan that\n  the arms-for-hostages deal with Iran \"was a mistake,\" dealers\n  said.\n      Bullion rose to 409.40\/90 dlrs from an initial low of\n  408.90\/409.40. This compares with the opening of 409.00\/50 and\n  New York's close of 410.00\/50.\n      Dealers noted mild short-covering in the metal after some\n  initial selling by local investors. Trading was fairly quiet\n  this morning partly owed to the slow U.S. Dollar activities,\n  they added.\n      However, Reagan's remarks had only a short-lived bullish\n  impact on the gold price, which is now stabilising at 409.10\/60\n  dlrs, dealers said.\n      On the local market, the metal traded in a narrow range of\n  3,800 and 3,805 H.K. Dlrs a tael against yesterday's 3,778\n  close.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN ISSUES MORE CDS TO CURB MONEY SUPPLY GROWTH\n","article":"  The central bank has issued 7.08 billion\n  dlrs worth of certificates of deposit (CDs), bringing the value\n  of CD issues so far this year to 93.29 billion, a bank\n  spokesman told Reuters.\n      The new CDs, with maturities of six months, one year and\n  two years, carry interest rates ranging from 3.9 to 5.15 pct.\n      The issues are designed to help curb the growth of the M-1B\n  money supply which has expanded along with Taiwan's foreign\n  exchange reserves, the spokesman said. The reserves reached a\n  record high of more than 51 billion U.S. Dlrs Wednesday.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"BONUS WHEAT FLOUR FOR NORTH YEMEN  -- USDA\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation, CCC,\n  has accepted an export bonus offer to cover the sale of 37,000\n  long tons of wheat flour to North Yemen, the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department said.\n      The wheat four is for shipment March-May and the bonus\n  awarded was 119.05 dlrs per tonnes and will be paid in the form\n  of commodities from the CCC inventory.\n      The bonus was awarded to the Pillsbury Company.\n      The wheat flour purchases complete the Export Enhancement\n  Program initiative announced in April, 1986, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"UNUSUALLY DRY WEATHER AFFECTS CHINA'S AGRICULTURE\n","article":"  Abnormally warm and dry weather over most\n  parts of China is seriously affecting crops, the New China News\n  Agency said.\n      It said the drought has made rice planting difficult in\n  eight provinces, including Guangxi, Sichuan and Hunan. Plant\n  diseases and insect pests have increased in wheat-producing\n  areas, it said.\n      The agency said some areas of Guangxi, Hubei, Shanxi and\n  other provinces have been suffering a drought for more than\n  seven months.\n      The agency said the dry weather had reduced the amount of\n  water stored by more than 20 pct compared with last March,\n  lowered the water level of many rivers, reduced hydroelectric\n  power supplies and caused water shortages for industry and\n  consumers.\n      The upper reaches of the Yangtze are at their lowest levels\n  in a century, causing many ships to run aground and making\n  harbour manoeuvres difficult, it said.\n      The drought has also increased the number of forest fires.\n  More than 1,000 fires in southern China had destroyed 13,340\n  hectares of forest by mid-February, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN SHIPBUILDER LOOKS FOR JAPANESE VENTURES\n","article":"  Taiwan's state-owned China Shipbuilding\n  Corp (CSBC) plans to seek joint production agreements with\n  Japan and further diversify into ship repairing to try to trim\n  its debts, chairman Louis Lo said.\n      He told Reuters in an interview that CSBC's first joint\n  production venture, to build two hulls for <Onomichi Dockyard\n  Co Ltd>, was a success. Talks on similar projects have been\n  held with other Japanese firms, including Mitsubishi Heavy\n  Industries Co Ltd <MITH.T> and Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy\n  Industries Co Ltd <JIMA.T>, he said.\n      Lo said CSBC delivered the hulls of two 2,200-TEU (twenty\n  foot equivalent unit) container ships this year to Onomichi,\n  which would complete production.\n      \"We expect the successful cooperation between us and\n  Onomichi will pave the way for further cooperation with other\n  Japanese shipbuilders in the future,\" Lo said.\n      He said Japanese firms would gain from the lower cost of\n  shipbuilding in Taiwan while CSBC would benefit from Japanese\n  technology and marketing. This would pose a challenge to\n  competitors in Europe and South Korea.\n      Lo said CSBC has made losses of about 100 mln U.S. Dlrs\n  since beginning operations in 1975. Its total debt now stands\n  at about 500 mln dlrs, with annual interest payments of nearly\n  three mln dlrs.\n      But he said the company, which is Taiwan's largest\n  shipbuilder, still has full government support and had begun\n  diversifying into ship repairing and manufacture of pipes and\n  other machinery.\n      \"We hope we can survive and prosper through diversification,\"\n  he said.\n      Lo said income from ship repairing almost doubled to 20 mln\n  U.S. Dlrs in the year ended June 1986 compared with the\n  previous financial year. He estimated income would rise to more\n  than 25 mln dlrs in 1986\/87.\n      CSBC has orders to build 10 ships totalling 460,000 dead\n  weight tons (dwt) this financial year, compared with 11 ships\n  of 462,000 dwt in 1985\/86, he said.\n      Lo said the prospects for shipbuilding were gloomy at least\n  until 1991 due to overtonnage, but the outlook for ship\n  repairing was bright.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CREDITORS SEEK SWIFT RESCUE PACKAGE FOR JAPAN LINE\n","article":"  A group of creditor banks hopes to work\n  out a rescue package for Japan Line Ltd <JLIT.T>, one of the\n  world's largest tanker operators, by the end of Japan's\n  business year on March 31, a spokesman for the Industrial Bank\n  of Japan Ltd <IBJT.T> (IBJ) said.\n      Japan Line's cumulative debt was 68.98 billion yen at the\n  end of September, which exceeded shareholders' equities and\n  reserves totalling 63.40 billion.\n      In December, Japan Line asked banks to shelve repayment of\n  about 124 billion yen in outstanding loans and about 153\n  billion in loans to its subsidiaries.\n      Japan Line said then that the yen's steep rise and the\n  world shipping recession had hit the company hard.\n      The Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun said today that IBJ and\n  three other banks plan to abandon a total of 16 billion yen in\n  loans to Japan Line and a group of creditor banks plans to buy\n  seven billion yen of new Japan Line shares.\n      The spokesman for IBJ, Japan Line's largest creditor, said\n  the package may write off part of the outstanding loans and\n  will be worked out before long.\n      Commenting on the article, he said the details of the\n  package have not yet been settled.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN WHEAT EXPORTS RISE IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Australian wheat shipments rose to\n  1.33 mln tonnes in February from 1.01 mln in January, an\n  Australian Wheat Board official said.\n      February's shipments were down on the 1.54 mln tonnes\n  shipped in February 1986.\n      Cumulative shipments for the first five months of the\n  October\/September wheat year were 6.12 mln tonnes, as against\n  6.54 mln a year earlier, the official said.\n      The major destinations in February were: China (419,196\n  tonnes), Egypt (301,909), Iraq (142,055), Japan (110,261),\n  South Korea (100,847) and the Soviet Union (100,056 tonnes).\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"OPEC STICKING FIRM ON OFFICIAL PRICES - SUBROTO\n","article":"  OPEC countries are all sticking firmly to\n  official crude oil prices but the volatility of spot prices is\n  likely to continue into the third quarter, Indonesian Minister\n  of Mines and Energy Subroto told Reuters.\n      Subroto, attending a Pacific Energy Cooperation conference,\n  blamed recent rapid spot price changes on unbalanced supply and\n  demand. \"If we stick to the production limitation, the third\n  quarter will be in better balance.\"\n      He said the market is in a period of transition while the\n  impact of OPEC's December agreement to cut output and fix\n  prices at an average 18 dlrs a barrel is worked through.\n      Asked whether OPEC members of the Gulf Cooperation Council\n  (GCC) had any concrete proposals to help Qatar sell its crude\n  oil in the face of strong resistance to its official prices,\n  Subroto said: \"Apparently they have taken care of that.\"\n      \"They (the GCC) meet very often among themselves. I think\n  they'll help each other,\" he said.\n      Subroto said that as he was not a member of OPEC's Price\n  Differentials Committee he did not know why the meeting had\n  been postponed from its scheduled April 2 date.\n      \"Maybe they find it is better not to have the meeting\n  because ... Everyone is sticking to official prices,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TEXACO CANADA <TXC> LOWERS CRUDE POSTINGS\n","article":"  Texaco Canada said it lowered the\n  contract price it will pay for crude oil 64 Canadian cts a\n  barrel, effective today.\n      The decrease brings the company's posted price for the\n  benchmark grade, Edmonton\/Swann Hills Light Sweet, to 22.26\n  Canadian dlrs a bbl.\n      Texaco Canada last changed its crude oil postings on Feb\n  19.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"THAI COFFEE EXPORTS RISE IN 1986\n","article":"  Thai coffee exports rose to 22,068\n  tonnes in 1986 from 20,430 a year earlier, the Customs\n  Department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTH KOREAN MONEY SUPPLY RISES IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  South Korea's M-2 money supply rose 0.39\n  pct to 33,992.0 billion won in February from 33,858.4 billion\n  in January, when it fell a revised 0.04 pct from December,\n  provisional Bank of Korea figures show.\n      The February figure was up 18.89 pct from a year earlier.\n      M-1 money supply rose 4.13 pct to 8,492.1 billion won in\n  February from January, when it fell 7.82 pct from December. The\n  February figure marked a year-on-year rise of 18.45 pct.\n      The bank previously said M-2 fell 0.06 pct in January.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PAKISTAN'S FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES FALL\n","article":"  Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves\n  fell to 8.43 billion rupees in February from 8.96 billion in\n  January, compared with 12.97 billion in February 1986, the\n  State Bank of Pakistan said.\n      The bank gave no reason for the fall but local bankers said\n  big import bills had affected the reserves.\n      The Federal Bureau of Statistics has not yet released last\n  month's import and export figures.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"THAILAND REDUCES MAIN RICE CROP PROJECTION\n","article":"  Thailand's main paddy crop is expected\n  to fall to 15.4 mln tonnes in the 1986\/87 (Nov\/Oct) season from\n  a previous 15.68 mln estimate in November and an actual 17.35\n  mln a year ago, the Thai Rice Mills Association said.\n      It said a joint field survey late last month by the\n  association, the Commerce Ministry and the Bank of Thailand\n  indicated that paddy output in Thailand's northeast region is\n  lower than expected because of a drought in several provinces.\n      The association said rice growing areas in Nakhon\n  Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen and Mahasarakam were\n  especially affected by low rainfalls in the second half of\n  1986.\n      It said last November that the drought reduced total\n  national areas sown with paddy to some 8.25 mln hectares this\n  year, down from 8.84 mln a year ago.\n      The main crop represents about 85 pct of Thailand's paddy\n  output.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HOECHST GROUP PRE-TAX PROFIT FALLS IN 1986\n","article":"  Hoechst AG <HFAG.F> said its group\n  pre-tax profit in 1986 would be slightly lower than the 3.16\n  billion marks posted in 1985, while parent company pre-tax\n  profits rose slightly from the 1.62 billion in 1985.\n      Group turnover fell slightly to 38 billion marks from 42.72\n  billion in 1985, and parent company turnover fell to around 14\n  billion marks from 15.35 billion, the company said in a\n  statement.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BHP TO FLOAT GOLD UNIT WITH ONE-FOR-THREE ISSUE\n","article":"  The Broken Hill Pty Co Ltd <BRKN.S>\n  (BHP) said it plans a renounceable one-for-three issue of\n  rights to float a new company, <BHP Gold Mines Ltd> (BHPGM),\n  which will hold most of BHP's gold interests.\n      In a statement BHP said the 25-cent par rights would be\n  priced at 50 cents for 430 mln of the BHPGM shares on offer.\n  BHP will subscribe for the remaining 540 mln shares, or 56 pct\n  of issued capital, on the same terms.\n      BHPGM will pay 440 mln dlrs for BHP's gold interests,\n  excluding its stake in Papua New Guinea's <Ok Tedi Mining Ltd>\n  and those interests held by BHP's <Utah International Inc>.\n      The BHP statement said the issue will be made to\n  shareholders registered on March 27. It opens April 4 and\n  closes April 29, and is underwritten by <J.B. Were and Son>.\n  Rights will be traded on Australian stock exchanges from March\n  23 to April 22, and the new shares will be quoted from June 4.\n      BHP said the new company will be one of Australia's larger\n  gold producers, with annual output exceeding 170,000 ounces. It\n  said there are plans to boost production to 300,000 ounces by\n  the early 1990s. BHPGM's portfolio will include several\n  Australian mines -- 30 pct of Telfer, 100 pct of Ora Banda and\n  Browns Creek and 20 pct of the new Boddington development.\n      The statement said BHPGM would also hold BHP's 45 pct stake\n  in the Coronation Hill Property in the Northern Territory, and\n  its 55 pct stake in a new venture near Gympie, Queensland.\n      BHPGM chairman-designate John Gough said it was a quality\n  gold stock.\n      \"The diversity and depth of BHP Gold's portfolio ... Give\n  the company a sound foundation in current gold production and\n  an exciting potential for growth,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HK BANK EXPECTED TO POST 10 TO 13 PCT PROFIT RISE\n","article":"  The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp\n  <HKBH.HK> is likely to show a rise in profit of between 10 and\n  13 pct for 1986, reflecting stronger than expected loan growth,\n  share analysts polled by Reuters said.\n      Their estimates of the bank's net earnings for last year\n  ranged from 2.99 to 3.1 billion H.K. Dlrs. Results will be\n  announced on Tuesday. The 1985 net profit was 2.72 billion.\n      They forecast a final dividend of 29 cents for a total of\n  42 cents for the year against 38 cents in 1985, adjusted for a\n  one-for-five bonus issue.\n      Analysts said they expected the bank to recommend a bonus\n  issue this year, probably one for three or one for five.\n      The bank's 61.5 pct subsidiary Hang Seng Bank Ltd <HSGH.HK>\n  is to report its 1986 results on Friday.\n      Analysts expect Hang Seng to announce net profit of more\n  than one billion dlrs for the first time, an increase of 10 to\n  12 pct.\n      They expect Hang Seng to pay a final dividend of 1.37 dlrs\n  for a total of 1.75 dlrs for the year against 1.60 in 1985.\n      Analysts said that while the use of undisclosed inner\n  reserves by banks here makes forecasting very imprecise,\n  Hongkong Bank benefited from the unexpected strength of the\n  Hong Kong economy in 1986, when gross domestic product grew by\n  nearly nine pct against an initial forecast of 4.5 pct.\n      \"They benefited considerably from the pickup in loan demand,\n  as their loan portfolio is well balanced,\" an analyst at Mansion\n  House Securities (F.E.) Ltd said.\n      Government figures show that total loans and advances rose\n  by 13.8 pct in 1986, compared with a 4.5 pct increase in 1985.\n      Loans to finance Hong Kong's visible trade, the mainstay of\n  the local economy, rose by 15.1 pct against a decline of five\n  pct in 1985.\n      Low interest rates also helped the bank. Interest received\n  on loans was low, with the prime rate at 6.5 pct at end-1986,\n  but interest paid on savings was two pct. Hongkong Bank and\n  Hang Seng Bank control half of all deposits in the banking\n  system, giving them access to a large base of low-cost funds.\n      The strength of the real-estate market was another major\n  income source for the bank group. Loans to finance property\n  development and instalment mortgages rose sharply.\n      \"The Hongkong Bank group is still the leader in mortgage\n  business despite tough competition from the Bank of China group\n  and other foreign banks,\" one analyst said.\n      The high level of activity on the capital and equities\n  markets in 1986 contributed to a sharp improvement in Hongkong\n  Bank subsidiaries Wardley Ltd <WAIA.HK> and <James Capel and\n  Co>, analysts said. \"Wardley had a tremendous year acting as\n  financial adviser and underwriter,\" an analyst said.\n      Wardley was underwriter for last year's billion-dlr\n  flotation of <Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd>, of which Hongkong\n  Bank owned 30 pct at the time.\n      The bank's stake has since been cut to 16.4 pct in return\n  for 1.57 billion dlrs. It also sold its entire 48.8 pct stake\n  in <South China Morning Post Ltd>, the larger of two\n  English-language daily newspapers here, for 1.18 billion dlrs.\n      The proceeds will go to reserves for acquisitions and will\n  not show up in the profit and loss accounts, analysts said.\n      Analysts said the bank had also been helped by a reduced\n  need to write off bad debts. \"The need for provisions was much\n  lower than the year before,\" said Tony Measor of Hong Leong\n  Securities Co Ltd. \"Last year's profits should have been 2.8 to\n  2.9 billion dlrs if not for the huge provisions.\"\n      Former Hongkong Bank chairman Michael Sandberg said the\n  bank wrote off hundreds of millions of dollars against its\n  shipping exposure in 1985. Lesley Nickolds of County Securities\n  Asia Ltd said she saw no major shipping writeoffs in 1986. She\n  forecast profit of 2.99 billion dlrs.\n      The bank's Latin American exposure, mainly through its\n  51-pct owned Marine Midland Banks Inc <MM>, appears to have\n  improved substantially, analysts said. Marine Midland's 1986\n  fourth-quarter loan-loss provisions fell to 44.1 mln U.S. Dlrs\n  from 89.2 mln a year before. Its 1986 net profit rose to 145\n  mln U.S. Dlrs from 125 mln in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HUGHES TOOL DIRECTORS REJECT MERGER WITH BAKER\n","article":"  The directors of Hughes Tool Co\n  <HT> said they would recommend to shareholders that they reject\n  a merger with Baker International Corp <BKO> today.\n      Hughes vice-president Ike Kerridge said the recommendation\n  would be put to shareholders at a meeting scheduled for 10 A.M.\n  Local time (1600 GMT) to discuss the proposed merger.\n      Kerridge said the board met yesterday to discuss the merger\n  but decided against it.\n      The Hughes board objected to a U.S. Department of Justice\n  requirement that Baker sell off several specialised\n  subsidiaries in businesses related to oil-drilling.\n      The Hughes board last week indicated that it might cancel\n  the merger because of the Department of Justice requirement.\n      The board of directors of the California-based Baker had\n  approved the merger. On February 17 Baker said it had signed an\n  agreement to sell one of the subsidiaries.\n      The companies had been given until April 22 to comply with\n  the Justice Department requirement, Kerridge said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANON INC (CANN.T) YEAR ENDED DECMEBER 31\n","article":"  Group shr 18.34 yen vs 58.72\n      Net 10.73 billion yen vs 37.06 billion\n      Pretax 27.76 billion yen vs 84.78 billion\n      Operating 30.06 billion yen vs 88.81 billion\n      Sales 889.22 billion vs 955.78 billion\n      Note - The company attributed the profit fall largely to\n  the yen's appreciation during the period. Domestic sales rose\n  0.4 pct to 274.17 billion yen from a year earlier while exports\n  declined 9.9 pct to 615.04 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEW CURRENCY PROBLEM SEEN AMONG U.S, EUROPE, JAPAN\n","article":"  The highly visible drama involving the\n  yen's sharp rise against the U.S. Dollar is obscuring the fact\n  that the Japanese currency has hardly budged against major\n  European currencies, thus creating a new set of exchange rate\n  distortions, Japanese and European research officials said.\n      The officials, looking beneath the rhetoric of statements\n  by the Group of Five (G-5) industrial nations, told Reuters the\n  currency movements of the past two years are also creating a\n  fundamentally new world trade picture, which is throwing up new\n  trade tensions and imbalances.\n      Trade figures show that the new currency alignments are\n  already changing the Japan-U.S. Trade axis into a Japan-\n  European Community (EC) axis, to the discomfort of Europe.\n      In many ways, not least in terms of rare international\n  cooperation, the September, 1985 New York Plaza pact between\n  the U.S., Japan, West Germany, Britain and France to cut down\n  the value of the dollar was a historic one.\n      But it is the underlying peaks and troughs of the major\n  currency movements which lay bare the real picture, in which\n  the Plaza pact appears as an event of prime importance, but not\n  necessarily central significance, the officials said.\n      The officials said that when the Plaza agreement took\n  place, the dollar was already on its way down. The agreement\n  simply helped it on its way. Senior EC financial expert in\n  Tokyo Tomas de Hora has watched the movements closely.\n      \"You have to look at the dollar's peak compared with now,\n  and that was well before Plaza,\" he said.\n      On February 25, 1985, the dollar peaked against the yen at\n  263.15 yen. On September 20, the Friday before Plaza, it was\n  242. Since then, despite massive Bank of Japan intervention and\n  periodic market frights about further G-5 concerted action, the\n  dollar trend has been down, down, down.\n      Yet the ECU is now around 173.4 yen. The historical cross\n  rates for sterling and the mark tell much the same story. The\n  European currencies are moving back up against the yen.\n      The close relationship between exchange rates and trade\n  flows makes it difficult to see which is driving which, but\n  undoubtedly the trade equation between the big three is\n  changing. In 1986, Japanese imports and exports with the EC\n  both grew by around 50 pct in dollar terms, five pct in yen.\n  This gave Japan a 16 billion dlr trade surplus.\n      Last January, Japanese exports to the EC totalled half of\n  of sales to the U.S, against about a third in recent years.\n      Trade with the U.S in 1986 rose 23 pct for exports and 12\n  pct for imports in dollar terms, but fell 13 pct for exports\n  and 21 pct for imports in yen terms.\n      \"The basic meaning for Europe is that Japanese firms have a\n  tremendous interest in exporting to Europe, where every unit\n  sold maximises profits in yen terms, which is what is important\n  to them. Suddenly, instead of the U.S., It is Europe that is\n  laying the golden egg,\" said de Hora.\n      The EC is worried. EC business also had a remarkable year\n  in Japanese sales, but this can be explained partly due to its\n  start from a small base, compared with total Japan-U.S. Trade.\n      The Japanese think EC firms are now more competitive than\n  U.S. Firms, a factor which is aggravating the exchange rate\n  imbalance, and which will cause problems.\n      \"This currency alignment between Japan and the EC is\n  reflecting the excellent performance of the EC countries. But\n  therefore, Japanese goods may keep their price competitive\n  edge,\" said Azusa Hayashi, Director of the First International\n  Economic Affairs Division of the Foreign Ministry. \"If you want\n  my objective view, I don't expect a drastic improvement in our\n  trade imbalance. Last year, we asked for moderation in exports,\n  and this year we may have to do so again,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"THAI TIN EXPORTS RISE IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Thailand exported 1,816 tonnes of tin\n  metal in January, up from 1,731 in December and 1,330 a year\n  ago, the Mineral Resources Department said.\n      It said major buyers last month were Singapore, Japan,\n  Britain, the Netherlands, Malaysia and the U.S.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"USDA SAID UNLIKELY TO BROADEN CORN BONUS OFFER\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department\n  probably will not offer a two dlr per bushel bonus payment to\n  corn farmers for any erodible cropland they enrolled in the\n  conservation reserve program last year, an aide to USDA\n  Secretary Richard Lyng said.\n      Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) said yesterday that Lyng had\n  indicated he would consider giving those farmers the same two\n  dlr bonus offered corn farmers who are signing up for the 1987\n  program this month.\n      But the aide to Lyng said it was doubtful that the\n  department would offer a retroactive bonus to farmers who\n  enrolled land in the 10-year conservation reserve last year.\n      \"How are you going to stop the tide,\" he said, referring to\n  demands that would follow from other commodity groups.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET OFFERED EARLY ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had invited\n  an early round of bill offers from the discount houses. The\n  Bank forecast the shortage in the system today at around 1.15\n  billion stg.\n      Among the main factors affecting liquidity, bills maturing\n  in official hands and the take-up of treasury bills will drain\n  some 732 mln stg and exchequer transactions some 245 mln. In\n  addition, bankers' balances below target and a rise in note\n  circulation will drain a further 135 mln stg and 30 mln stg\n  respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BELGOLUX TRADE MOVES INTO SURPLUS IN 1986\n","article":"  The Belgo-Luxembourg Economic Union\n  (BLEU) moved into a narrow trade surplus of 4.7 billion francs\n  in 1986 after a 140.4 billion franc deficit in 1985, figures\n  given by a spokesman for the National Statistics Institute\n  show.\n      He said imports fell last year to 3,061.8 billion francs\n  from 3,304.1 in 1985 while exports were also lower at 3,066.6\n  billion francs against 3,163.7 billion.\n      In December, the BLEU had an 11.9 billion franc trade\n  surplus after a 10.9 billion franc surplus in November and a\n  2.3 billion franc surplus in December 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SPAIN RAISES BANKS' RESERVE REQUIREMENT\n","article":"  The Bank of Spain said it raised the\n  reserve requirement for banks and savings banks to 19 pct of\n  deposits from 18 pct to drain excess liquidity which threatened\n  money supply and inflation targets.\n      In a statement issued late last night, the central bank\n  said the measure would take effect from March 13.\n      \"In recent weeks, there has been excess liquidity in the\n  Spanish economy which, if not controlled, would threaten the\n  monetary and inflation targets set by the government,\" the\n  statement said.\n      Banking sources said the measure would drain about 200\n  billion pesetas from the system. The maximum reserve\n  requirement allowed by law is 20 pct.\n      The move follows a half-point increase yesterday in the\n  Bank of Spain's key overnight call money rate, which now stands\n  at 13.5 pct. At today's auction, however, the bank left the\n  rate unchanged.\n      Spain's principal measure of money supply, the broad-based\n  liquid assets in public hands (ALP), grew at annualised rate of\n  8.3 pct in January compared with 11.4 pct during the whole of\n  1986 and a target of eight pct for 1987.\n      Banking sources said that although the January money supply\n  figures were good, compared with annualised rates of 13.9 pct\n  in December and 10.2 pct in January 1986, ALP growth appeared\n  to have accelerated in February, raising government concern.\n      Regarding inflation, recent figures have suggested that\n  prices were under control.\n      Secretary of State for Trade, Miguel Angel Fernandez\n  Ordonez, said this week that the annualised inflation rate for\n  February, not yet officially announced, fell to 5.5 pct from\n  six pct in January, compared with inflation of 8.3 pct during\n  1986 and a government target of five pct for this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INDIA AND JAPAN TO DISCUSS IRON ORE PRICES\n","article":"  The state-owned Minerals and Metals\n  Trading Corp will send a team to Japan next week to negotiate\n  an iron ore export contract for 1987\/88 beginning April 1,\n  trade sources said.\n      Japan, the biggest buyer of Indian iron ore with imports of\n  around 23 mln tonnes a year, has asked India to reduce prices\n  from the current average of 18 dlrs a tonne, the sources said.\n      \"Japan has said it may be forced to reduce ore imports from\n  India next year if New Delhi fails to reduce the price,\" one\n  source said, but declined to give further details.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MARATHON PETROLEUM REDUCES CRUDE POSTINGS\n","article":"  Marathon Petroleum Co said it reduced\n  the contract price it will pay for all grades of crude oil one\n  dlr a barrel, effective today.\n      The decrease brings Marathon's posted price for both West\n  Texas Intermediate and West Texas Sour to 16.50 dlrs a bbl. The\n  South Louisiana Sweet grade of crude was reduced to 16.85 dlrs\n  a bbl.\n      The company last changed its crude postings on Jan 12.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES HIT NEW HIGH\n","article":"  Taiwan's foreign exchange reserves hit a\n  new high of more than 51 billion U.S. Dlrs on March 4, compared\n  with 50 billion in mid-February and 25.1 billion a year\n  earlier, the central bank said.\n      Bank governor Chang Chi-Cheng told reporters the increase\n  came mainly from the bank's purchases of more than one billion\n  U.S. Dlrs on the local interbank market between February 18 and\n  March 4.\n      He said the rise showed signs of slowing, however, because\n  Taiwan has liberalised import policy and expects its trade\n  surplus to decline over the next few months as a result.\n      Chang declined to predict how high the reserves might rise,\n  but local economists have forecast they will hit 60 billion\n  U.S. Dlrs by the end of 1987.\n      In January, Taiwan reduced import tariffs of up to 50 pct\n  on some 1,700 foreign products. It had been under growing U.S.\n  Pressure to cut its 1986 record 13.6 billion dlr trade surplus\n  with the U.S. Taiwan's 1985 surplus with the U.S. Was 10.2\n  billion, according to official statistics.\n      Wang Chang-Ming, Vice Chairman of the Council for Economic\n  Planning and Development, told Reuters the government is\n  planning another round of deep tariff cuts in the second half\n  of this year.\n      The reserves could support imports of more than two years\n  for Taiwan, compared with about three months for Japan and the\n  U.S.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BELGIAN ECU COIN ISSUE PRICED, SALE DATE SET\n","article":"  A limited Belgian issue of silver Ecu\n  coins with a face value of five Ecus will go on sale from March\n  23 at a price of 500 Belgian francs each, a Finance Ministry\n  spokesman said.\n      Gold Ecu coins with a face value of 50 Ecus will be sold\n  from the same day. The spokesman told Reuters the price for\n  these would be fixed just before they go on sale but was likely\n  to be between 8,500 and 9,000 francs.\n      At least two mln silver coins and several hundreds of\n  thousands of the gold coins will be minted, he said. They will\n  be sold both in Belgium and abroad.\n      The coins will be the first ever denominated in the Ecu,\n  the \"basket\" comprised of the 12-nation European Community's\n  currencies except the Spanish peseta and the Portuguese escudo.\n      The issue is being made to mark the 30th anniversary of the\n  EC's founding Treaty of Rome this month. Finance Minister Mark\n  Eyskens, who currently presides over the EC's council of\n  economic and finance ministers, has called the issue a\n  political act of symbolic value which aimed to make the\n  Community's goal of monetary integration more concrete.\n      The coins will be legal tender in Belgium but most demand\n  is expected to come from coin collectors.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 17 MLN STG EARLY HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided just\n  17 mln stg assistance to the money market in response to an\n  early round of bill offers.\n      Earlier, the Bank had estimated the shortage in the system\n  today at around 1.15 billion stg.\n      The central bank purchased bills for resale to the market\n  on April 2 at an interest rate of 10-15\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRS SLIGHTLY RAISES EC BEET SUGAR OUTPUT ESTIMATE\n","article":"  The French sugar market intervention\n  board, FIRS, raised its estimate of 1986\/87 beet sugar\n  production in the 12-member European Community to 13.76 mln\n  tonnes white equivalent in its end-February report from 13.74\n  mln a month earlier.\n      Its forecast for total EC sugar production, including cane\n  and molasses, rose to 14.10 mln tonnes from 14.09 mln.\n  Portugal, which joined the Community in January 1986, was\n  estimated at 12.75 mln tonnes white equivalent, unchanged from\n  the previous forecast and compared with 12.41 mln tonnes for\n  1985\/86.\n      Production for the current campaign in Spain was higher\n  than reported last month at 1.03 mln tonnes compared with\n  997,000 tonnes.\n      Beet sugar production, expressed as white equivalent, was\n  estimated at 3.44 mln tonnes in France, 3.17 mln tonnes in West\n  Germany, 1.72 mln in Italy, 1.30 mln in Britain, 1.22 mln in\n  the Netherlands, 936,000 tonnes in Belgium\/Luxembourg, 499,000\n  in Denmark, 287,000 in Greece, 183,000 in Ireland and 4,000 in\n  Portugal.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PAPUA NEW GUINEA PLANS RESOURCES INVESTMENT AGENCY\n","article":"  The Papua New Guinea Government\n  will establish a public corporation to invest in resources\n  projects, Minerals and Energy Minister John Kaputin said.\n      \"We intend to provide a means through which less privileged\n  individuals can become part owners and beneficiaries from the\n  development of mining and petroleum projects,\" he told\n  Parliament.\n      Existing policy allowing the state up to 30 pct equity in\n  major mining projects and 22.5 pct in oil and gas projects\n  would be maintained, he said. The planned agency could take\n  over the state's equity in current developments.\n      Kaputin said Papua New Guinea was experiencing a boom with\n  exploration companies spending about 60 mln kina annually on\n  about 150 mining and 23 petroleum projects.\n      \"The Government is determined to ensure that Papua New\n  Guinean ownership in minerals and petroleum projects increases\n  in an orderly way,\" he said.\n      Kaputin did not say when the corporation would be\n  established or exactly what form it would take, but said the\n  government would study whether it should be directly involved\n  in exploration or development.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NIGERIAN CURRENCY FIRMS AT LATEST AUCTION\n","article":"  The Nigerian naira firmed 2.6 pct against\n  the dollar after 17 banks were disqualified from bidding at\n  today's weekly foreign exchange auction, the central bank said.\n  The naira finished at 3.8050 to the dollar, against 3.9050 last\n  week.\n      Only 38.39 mln dlrs of the 50 mln dlrs on offer was sold,\n  with all 27 bidding banks successfully obtaining hard currency.\n      The effective rate, including a central bank levy, for\n  transactions in the coming week, was 3.8241 against 3.9246 last\n  week.\n      The failure to sell the whole allocation was due to the\n  central bank's unprecedented disqualification of 17 banks as\n  punishment for inadequate documentation in previous\n  transactions.\n      Banks are required to submit proof that their bids are\n  based on valid commercial transactions and the central bank has\n  complained in the past that many are failing to produce the\n  right paperwork within the specified time.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. TELLS JAPAN TO DO MORE TO CUT TRADE SURPLUS\n","article":"  U.S. Undersecretary of State for Economic\n  Affairs Allen Wallis said he had urged Japan to do much more to\n  reduce its large trade surplus with the United States.\n      \"Our central message to Japan this week was that while we\n  have made progress in some areas, much needs to be done,\" he\n  told a press conference after three days of talks.\n      \"What we need is a resolution of trade issues, we need\n  visible efforts to restructure the economy to encourage more\n  imports and we need greater domestic-led growth.\"\n      Forecasting sluggish economic growth in Japan this year,\n  Wallis urged Tokyo to stimulate domestic demand to help reduce\n  its trade surplus, which hit a record 83 billion dlrs in 1986.\n      He named several areas of particular concern to Washington\n  -- computer microchips, supercomputers, Kansai airport,\n  agricultural products and car telephones.\n      He warned that the U.S.\/Japan agreement governing trade in\n  semiconductors was in jeopardy. Despite the pact, Japanese\n  producers are still dumping microchips in foreign markets other\n  than the United States while U.S. Penetration of the Japanese\n  market has not increased, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN BUYS 60,000 TONNES OF U.S. MAIZE\n","article":"  The joint committee of Taiwan's maize\n  importers has awarded contracts to two U.S. Companies to supply\n  two shipments of maize, totalling 60,000 tonnes, a committee\n  spokesman told Reuters.\n      Continental Grain Co of New York received the first 30,000\n  tonne cargo contract, priced at 93.86 U.S. Dlrs per tonne,\n  while Peavey Co of Minneapolis won the second shipment, also\n  30,000 tonnes, at 93.36 dlrs per tonne.\n      Both shipments are c and f Taiwan and are set before March\n  16, the spokesman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GERMAN ECONOMIC OUTLOOK SEEN FAIRLY BRIGHT\n","article":"  The outlook for the West\n  German economy is relatively bright, with gross national\n  product expected to expand by three pct this year, Kiel\n  University's Institute for World Economy said.\n      The GNP forecast by the institute, one of five leading\n  economic research bodies in West Germany, is more optimistic\n  than that of the other institutes, some of which have recently\n  reduced their GNP forecasts to between two and 2.5 pct.\n      In a report the Kiel institute said West Germany's export\n  outlook has not deteriorated fundamentally despite the mark's\n  strength against the dollar and other major currencies.\n      \"The danger that exports will slump in 1987 appears, all in\n  all, limited,\" the report said. \"On the contrary, a slight rise\n  in exports can be expected.\"\n      The institute said past experience has shown West German\n  exporters will move to counterbalance currency factors by\n  cutting costs, trying to penetrate new markets and adjusting\n  their product ranges.\n      They will be aided in 1987 by an expected slight rise in\n  economic growth in industrial countries. At the same time, the\n  decline in exports to oil producing countries looks set to slow\n  this year.\n      West German GNP growth in 1987 will be led by renewed\n  advances in domestic consumption and investment spending, both\n  of which will in turn be buoyed by an expansionary monetary\n  policy, the institute said.\n      However, it said the labour market would see only a slight\n  improvement because companies will be reluctant to hire\n  additional workers due to higher labour costs caused partly by\n  agreed reductions in working hours.\n      The institute cautioned that the expansionary stance of\n  monetary policy in West Germany was likely to bring a marked\n  acceleration of inflation.\n      It also warned that what it called the worldwide\n  synchronization of monetary policy heightened the risk of a new\n  global recession. It said central banks in industrialized\n  countries, including the Bundesbank, had followed the Federal\n  Reserve Board's expansionary course.\n      The institute said this in turn was bound to lead\n  eventually to a rise in worldwide inflation and a shift in U.S.\n  Policy towards a more restrictive policy. Other central banks\n  were likely to follow suit, causing a recession that could\n  aggravate the debt crisis of developing countries as well as\n  increase protectionism around the world.\n      Although Germany cannot entirely shield itself from the\n  negative effects of the global synchronization of monetary\n  policy, it should do all it can to strengthen the forces of\n  growth at home.\n      The institute said this could be done by ensuring that\n  fiscal policy fosters a willingness to work and invest. Taxes\n  should be cut by a greater amount than currently planned, and\n  wage increases in 1987 and 1988 should be markedly lower than\n  in 1986. It also said the Bundesbank should reduce inflationary\n  pressures by cutting the current rate of growth in money supply\n  to about four pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<GEORGE WESTON LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 2.31 dlrs vs 1.96 dlrs\n      Net 119.0 mln vs 101.0 mln\n      Revs 10.03 billion vs 8.88 billion\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CREDITOR BANKS MAY BUY INTO SINGAPORE COFFEE FIRM\n","article":"  The nine creditor banks of the\n  Singapore coffee trader <Teck Hock and Co (Pte) Ltd> are\n  thinking of buying a controlling stake in the company\n  themselves, a creditor bank official said.\n      Since last December the banks have been allowing the\n  company to postpone loan repayments while they try to find an\n  overseas commodity company to make an offer for the firm.\n      At least one company has expressed interest and\n  negotiations are not yet over, banking sources said.\n      However, the banks are now prepared to consider taking the\n  stake if they find an investor willing to inject six to seven\n  mln dlrs in the company but not take control, the banking\n  sources said.\n      Teck Hock's financial adviser, Singapore International\n  Merchant Bankers Ltd (SIMBL), will work on the new proposal\n  with the creditor banks, they said.\n      Major holdings are likely to be held by the two largest\n  creditor banks, Standard Chartered Bank <STCH.L> and\n  Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp Ltd <OCBM.SI>, they added.\n      Teck Hock owes over 100 mln Singapore dlrs and the creditor\n  banks earlier this week agreed to let Teck Hock fufill\n  profitable contracts to help balance earlier losses.\n      The nine banks are Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp Ltd, United\n  Overseas Bank Ltd <UOBM.SI>, <Banque Paribas>, <Bangkok Bank\n  Ltd,> <Citibank NA>, Standard Chartered Bank Ltd, Algemene Bank\n  Nederland NV <ABNN.AS>, Banque Nationale De Paris <BNPP.PA> and\n  <Chase Manhattan Bank NA.>\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. 4TH QTR TRADE DEFICIT 2.6 BILLION STG, CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT 760 MLN - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  U.K. 4TH QTR TRADE DEFICIT 2.6 BILLION STG, CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT 760 MLN - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ECONOMIC SPOTLIGHT - POLISH SANCTIONS\n","article":"  Poland says U.S. Sanctions have cost its\n  economy 15 billion dlrs and has made clear it wants Washington\n  to take a lead in repairing the damage after lifting remaining\n  restrictions two weeks ago.\n      Polish officials are unable to provide a precise breakdown\n  of the figure, saying it takes into account a number of\n  hypothetical losses. Some of them are \"too sophisticated to\n  convert into financial terms,\" one banking source said.\n      But Western economic experts say the effect of sanctions is\n  impossible to calculate.\n      They say it is blurred by the poor performance of Poland's\n  economy, and dismiss the 15 billion dlr figure as illusory.\n      \"Sanctions have provided a very useful excuse for under-\n  achieving. They did have a bad effect, yes, but they only\n  contributed to largely internal, economic problems,\" one said.\n      The U.S. Imposed the measures and withdrew Most Favoured\n  Nation (MFN) trading status from Poland in 1982 in retaliation\n  for suppression of the Solidarity free trade union under\n  martial law. The estimated cost to the Polish economy was\n  originally devised several years ago by the Institute of\n  National Economy, an offshoot of the central planning\n  commission.\n      According to one Western envoy, an expert on Polish\n  economic affairs, it extrapolated 1979 information on growth\n  trends in trade with the United States, as well as increases in\n  credits from Western commercial and government lenders.\n      But the calculations were based on a time when trade was\n  booming and credits still flowed freely, he said, dismissing\n  the estimate as \"a theoretical projection based on a high point,\n  which has no real scientific evaluation.\"\n      A foreign trade ministry official said Polish exports to\n  the U.S. In the late 1970s averaged around 400 mln dlrs\n  annually and had fallen by half since the sanctions were\n  imposed.\n      Imports have suffered, slumping from around 800 mln dlrs to\n  200 mln, as credits ran out. Poland has a dwindling trade\n  surplus with the West. Last year it was one billion dlrs\n  against a targeted 1.6 billion, official figures show.\n      Acknowledging that sanctions have lost Poland important\n  U.S. Markets -- including agricultural equipment, textiles,\n  chemicals and some foodstuffs -- Western economists say credits\n  dried up for economic not political reasons.  \"Poland is\n  accusing the West of letting economic relations deteriorate for\n  political reasons,\" said one expert. \"It's an illusion based on a\n  misunderstanding of Western economy.\"\n      \"There's a limit to how much you can go on giving someone\n  who has no hope of repaying it,\" another said, adding that\n  Poland had benefited from a global phenomenon of easy credits\n  in the 1970s which were no longer today's reality.\n      Describing the 15 billion dlr assessment as \"nebulous,\" one\n  diplomat said it also included losses of hypothetical orders\n  and setbacks to Polish research through the curbing of\n  scientific links and exchanges.  Western officials say the\n  lifting of sanctions and new MFN status will have little impact\n  on Poland, which has a hard currency debt of 33.5 billion dlrs\n  and lacks the means to modernise its industry.\n      \"MFN doesn't really mean anything, only that Poland will not\n  be treated worse than other countries. It will be difficult to\n  regain access to the U.S. Market because different forces are\n  in play now,\" said one Western envoy.\n      He said Polish products were not competitive, and their\n  quality was too low. Trade wars and possible protectionist\n  measures amongst the U.S., Japan and Europe would also hamper\n  Poland's efforts to regain entry.\n      Deputy foreign trade minister Janusz Kaczurba recognised\n  this fact recently.\n      Kaczurba told the official PAP news agency recently, \"Making\n  up our lost position will take a long time and be uncommonly\n  difficult, and in certain cases impossible... In a period of\n  two to three years it will be possible to increase the level of\n  exports by only about 100 mln dlrs.\"\n      While Poland is unlikely to seek compensation, it says it\n  has a \"moral right\" to assistance from the U.S. Which it says\n  imposed the sanctions illegally. But a Western economist said\n  \"The argument that U.S. Sanctions were a unilateral torpedoing\n  of the Polish economy won't cut any ice. The Americans will\n  just reply that the Poles acted immorally in crushing\n  Solidarity.\"\n      Nevertheless, Polish National Bank head Wladyslaw Baka, in\n  talks in Washington last week with the International Monetary\n  Fund (IMF) and World Bank, made it clear that Poland was\n  looking for a lead from the United States.\n      He was quoted by PAP as saying that Poland would meet its\n  financial obligations to the United States, \"but not in a short\n  time and not without a cooperative stand on the part of its\n  foreign economic partners.\"\n      He stressed that the U.S. \"had a particular opportunity to\n  play a part in the cooperative policy of Poland's partners\n  interested in the settlement of Polish debt.\"\n      Putting it more sharply, one senior banking official blamed\n  Washington for obstructing talks with the World Bank, IMF and\n  Paris Club of Western creditor governments in recent years and\n  said it should now play a more positive role.\n      \"As a major superpower the United States can influence\n  international organisations,\" he said, citing recent meetings\n  aimed at stabilising currencies as an example of the extent to\n  which Western nations were prepared to cooperate.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. FOURTH QUARTER TRADE DEFICIT 2.6 BILLION STG\n","article":"  Britain had a visible trade deficit of\n  2.6 billion stg in the fourth quarter of 1986 against a revised\n  deficit of 2.9 billion in the third quarter, official\n  statistics show.\n      Seasonally-adjusted figures issued by the Central\n  Statistical Office (CSO) show the current account was in\n  deficit by 760 mln stg against an upwardly revised third\n  quarter shortfall of 930 mln.\n      For 1986 as a whole, visible trade was in deficit by 8.3\n  billion stg, sharply up from 1985's 2.2. Billion shortfall and\n  a 4.4 billion deficit in 1984.\n      Preliminary figures for invisible transactions in the\n  fourth quarter show a surplus 1.8 billion stg to give an\n  estimated surplus for 1986 of 7.2 billion. The fourth quarter\n  figure was in line with CSO projections released on Friday.\n      The third quarter invisibles surplus was revised down to\n  1.9 billion stg from 2.25 billion.\n      In 1985 the invisibles surplus was 5.1 billion stg.\n      The reduced deficit on visible trade in the fourth quarter\n  was due to an increase in the surplus on oil of 200 mln stg and\n  a reduction in the non-oil trade deficit of 100 mln, the CSO\n  said.\n      However, 1986's surplus on oil trade was 4.0 billion stg\n  lower than in 1985, while the deficit on non-oil trade\n  increased by 2.1 billion.\n      The figures were broadly in line with market expectations.\n      The CSO stressed that figures for invisible transactions,\n  particularly for the most recent quarters are liable to\n  substantial revisions as later information becomes available.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"BELGIAN WHOLESALE PRICES FALL IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Belgian wholesale prices fell by 5.9\n  pct in January from a year earlier after a 5.7 pct year on year\n  fall in December, figures from the economics ministry show.\n      A ministry spokesman said the wholesale price index, base\n  1953 and excluding value added tax, stood at 250.9 in January.\n  This compared with 251.9 in December, 265.5 in Janua~y, 1986\n  and 267.2 in December, 1985.\n      In January 1986, wholesale prices were 3.9 pct lower than a\n  year earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CARGILL U.K. STRIKE TALKS POSTPONED TILL MONDAY\n","article":"  Talks set for today between management\n  and unions to try to solve the labour dispute at Cargill U.K.\n  Ltd's Seaforth oilseed crushing plant have been rescheduled for\n  Monday, a company spokesman said.\n      Oilseed processing at the mill has been at a standstill\n  since December 19.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FRENCH INTERVENTION RATE CUT LIKELY, DEALERS SAY\n","article":"  The Bank of France is likely to cut its\n  money market intervention rate by up to a quarter point at the\n  start of next week.  This follows a steady decline in the call\n  money rate over the past 10 days and signals from the Finance\n  Ministry that the time is ripe for a fall, dealers said.\n      The call money rate peaked at just above nine pct ahead of\n  the meeting of finance ministers from the Group of Five\n  industrial countries and Canada on February 22, which restored\n  considerable stability to foreign exchanges after several weeks\n  of turbulence.\n      The call money rate dropped to around 8-3\/8 pct on February\n  23, the day after the Paris accord, and then edged steadily\n  down to eight pct on February 27 and 7-3\/4 pct on March 3,\n  where it has now stabilised.\n      Dealers said the Bank of France intervened to absorb\n  liquidity to hold the rate at 7-3\/4 pct.\n      While call money has dropped by well over a percentage\n  point, the Bank of France's money market intervention rate has\n  remained unchanged since January 2, when it was raised to eight\n  pct from 7-1\/4 pct in a bid to stop a franc slide.\n      The seven-day repurchase rate has also been unchanged at\n  8-3\/4 since it was raised by a half-point on January 5.\n      The Bank of France has begun using the seven-day repurchase\n  rate to set an upper indicator for money market rates, while\n  using the intervention rate to set the floor.\n      Sources close to Finance Minister Edouard Balladur said\n  that he would be happy to see an interest rate cut, and dealers\n  said any fall in the intervention rate was most likely to come\n  when the Bank of France buys first category paper next Monday,\n  although an earlier cut could not be excluded.\n     A cut in the seven-day repurchase rate could come as early\n  as tomorrow morning, banking sources said.\n      They said recent high interest rates have encouraged an\n  acceleration in foreign funds returning to France, discouraging\n  the authorities from making a hasty rate cut. But they also\n  pointed out that money supply is broadly back on target, giving\n  scope for a small fall in rates.\n      M-3 money supply, the government's key aggregate, finished\n  1986 within the government's three to five pct growth target,\n  rising 4.6 pct compared with seven pct in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"RELIEF TO U.S. CORN\/OATS GROWERS SAID LIKELY\n","article":"  U.S. farmers who in the past have\n  grown oats for their own use but failed to certify to the\n  government that they had done so probably will be allowed to\n  continue planting that crop and be eligible for corn program\n  benefits, an aide to Agriculture Secretary Richard Lyng said.\n      Currently a farmer, to be eligible for corn program\n  benefits, must restrict his plantings of other program crops to\n  the acreage base for that crop.\n      Several members of Congress from Iowa have complained that\n  farmers who inadvertantly failed to certify that they had grown\n  oats for their own use in the past now are being asked to halt\n  oats production or lose corn program benefits.\n      USDA likely will allow historic oats farmers to plant oats\n  but not extend the exemption to all farmers, Lyng's aide said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.K. GRAIN\/POTATO FUTURES VOLUME DOWN IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Traded volumes for U.K. Grain and potato\n  futures in February were down on the previous month while\n  pigmeat and pig cash settlement futures were higher, official\n  figures show.\n      Combined wheat and barley futures trade declined to 892,700\n  tonnes from 1.19 mln in January, and the value fell to 97 mln\n  stg from 129 mln, Grain and Feed Trade Association (GAFTA)\n  figures show.\n      A total of 984,960 tonnes were registered for main crop\n  potato futures in February valued at 157 mln stg, versus\n  992,760 and 164 mln stg in January.\n      Soymeal futures trade totalled 76,340 tonnes against 90,680\n  in January, and value declined to nine mln stg from 10 mln.\n      Nine pigmeat contracts were traded in February, six more\n  than in the previous month, representing 450 carcases against\n  150, valued at 29,347 stg against 9,847 stg.\n      Pig cash settlement futures saw 201 contracts traded,\n  against 19 in January, and the value rose to 659,864 stg from\n  119,610 stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BUNDESBANK LEAVES CREDIT POLICIES UNCHANGED\n","article":"  The Bundesbank left credit policies\n  unchanged after today's regular meeting of its council, a\n  spokesman said in answer to enquiries.\n      The West German discount rate remains at 3.0 pct, and the\n  Lombard emergency financing rate at 5.0 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TURKEY TO IMPORT 100,000 TONNES OF CRYSTAL SUGAR\n","article":"  Turkey has announced a tender to import\n  100,000 tonnes of white crystal sugar with an advertisement in\n  local newspapers.\n      Turkish Sugar Factories said in the advertisement there was\n  a 50 pct option to increase or decrease the amount and bids\n  should reach it before March 24.\n      The semi-official Anatolian Agency recently quoted Turkish\n  Minister of Industry and Trade Cahit Aral as saying Turkey will\n  export 100,000 tonnes of sugar this year and import the same\n  amount.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN FURTHER SMALL ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided the\n  money market with a further 20 mln stg of assistance during the\n  morning. It again bought bills for resale to the market on\n  April 2 at a rate of 10-15\/16 pct. Earlier this morning, it\n  bought 17 mln stg of bills at the same rate and for resale on\n  the same date.\n      The Bank has thus given a total of 37 mln stg so far today,\n  which leaves the bulk of a 1.15 billion stg shortage still in\n  the system. Dealers noted that money market rates again eased\n  this morning and the Bank may have refused bill offers from the\n  discount houses at rates below its established dealing levels.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"N.Z. MONEY SUPPLY RISES 3.6 PCT IN DECEMBER\n","article":"  New Zealand's broadly defined,\n  seasonally adjusted M-3 money supply grew an estimated 3.6 pct\n  in December after rising a revised 2.4 pct in November and 4.04\n  pct in December last year, the Reserve Bank said in a\n  statement.\n      It said unadjusted M-3 increased to an estimated 30.07\n  billion N.Z. Dlrs from a revised 28.30 billion in November and\n  25.53 billion in December 1985.\n      Year-on-year M-3 rose 17.77 pct from a revised 15.34 pct in\n  November and 20.50 pct in December 1985.\n      Narrowly defined year-on-year M-1 growth was 15.89 pct\n  against a revised 27.52 pct in November and 12.3 pct a year\n  earlier.\n      M-1 grew to an estimated 5.03 billion dlrs against a\n  revised 4.77 billion in November and 4.34 billion in December\n  1985.\n      Year-on-year private sector credit grew 30.68 pct in\n  December against a revised 22.30 pct in November and 23.2 pct\n  in December 1985. Private sector credit grew to 22.24 billion\n  dlrs from a revised 20.92 billion in November and 17.01 billion\n  in December 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ICE UNCHANGED AT SOVIET OIL PORT OF VENTSPILS\n","article":"  Ice conditions are unchanged at the\n  Soviet Baltic oil port of Ventspils, with continuous and\n  compacted drift ice 15 to 30 cms thick, the latest report of\n  the Finnish Board of Navigation said.\n      Icebreaker assistance to reach Ventspils harbour is needed\n  for normal steel vessels without special reinforcement against\n  ice, the report said.\n      It gave no details of ice conditions at the other major\n  Soviet Baltic export harbour of Klaipeda.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"SWISS OFFERS NEW SERIES OF MONEY MARKET PAPER\n","article":"  The Swiss Finance Ministry is inviting\n  tenders for a new series of three-month money market\n  certificates to raise about 150 mln Swiss francs, the Swiss\n  National Bank said.\n      Bids would be due on March 10 and payment on March 12.\n      The last issue of three-month paper conducted on February\n  12 yielded 2.969 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"EGYPTIAN CENTRAL BANK DOLLAR RATE UNCHANGED\n","article":"  Egypt's Central Bank today set the dollar\n  rate for commercial banks for March 6 at 1.373\/87 dollars,\n  unchanged from the previous rate.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"BAKER INTERNATIONAL CORP SUES HUGHES TOOL SEEKING MERGER COMPLETION\n","article":"\n  BAKER INTERNATIONAL CORP SUES HUGHES TOOL SEEKING MERGER COMPLETION\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"USAIR GROUP REJECTS TRANS WORLD AIRLINES TAKEOVER BID\n","article":"\n  USAIR GROUP REJECTS TRANS WORLD AIRLINES TAKEOVER BID\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CIRCUIT SYSTEMS <CSYI> BUYS BOARD MAKER\n","article":"  Circuit Systems Inc said it has\n  bought all of the stock of (Ionic Industries Inc) in exchange\n  for 3,677,272 shares of its common.\n      Following the exchange there will be 4,969,643 shares of\n  Circuit Systems stock outstanding. Ionic holders will own about\n  74 pct of the outstanding stock of Circuit Systems, it said.\n      Ionic, a maker of circuit boards, had revenues of 8.4 mln\n  dlrs and pretax profits of 232,000 dlrs in 1986, up from\n  revenues of 5.9 mln and pretax profits of 204,000 dlrs in 1985,\n  Circuit Systems said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"EARLY MARCH OPEC OUTPUT SEEN WELL BELOW CEILING\n","article":"  OPEC crude oil output in the first few\n  days of March was running at about 14.7 mln bpd, down from a 16\n  mln bpd average for February and well below the 15.8 mln bpd\n  ceiling the group adopted in December, a Reuter survey shows.\n      The figures were polled by Reuters correspondents from oil\n  traders, industry executives and analysts in Europe, the Middle\n  East, Africa, Latin America and Asia.\n      They back recent statements by OPEC ministers that the\n  group is producing within its ceiling to support the return to\n  a fixed price system, which came into effect last month.\n      OPEC output for the whole of February was about 200,000 bpd\n  above the ceiling, largely because of overproduction by the\n  United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, the figures show.\n      The UAE, together with the much smaller producer Ecuador,\n  was also producing above quota in the first days of March, the\n  survey reveals.\n      But such overproduction was compensated for by a sharp fall\n  in Saudi Arabian output, together with Iran\"s inability to\n  export as much as its quota allows.\n      Iraq rejected its OPEC quota of 1.466 mln bpd and produced\n  1.75 mln bpd in February and early March, the figures showed.\n      Saudi output -- excluding movements into stocks -- fell to\n  3.1 mln bpd in early March from 3.5 mln bpd in February,\n  against a 4.133 mln bpd quota. The Saudi figures include a\n  200,000 bpd share of Neutral Zone production.\n      Kuwait, which has consistently denied quota violations, was\n  estimated to be pumping 1.4 mln bpd in February and 1.15 in\n  early March -- both figures including 200,000 bpd as its share\n  of Neutral Zone output -- against its 948,000 bpd quota.\n      Reports of customer resistance to fixed prices set by some\n  OPEC states were reflected in output from Qatar and Nigeria,\n  both substantially under quota in February and early March.\n      Qatar's February output was 230,000 bpd, and this fell to\n  180,000 bpd in early March compared with its 285,000 bpd quota.\n      Industry sources say Japanese buyers are resisting Qatar\"s\n  prices and Gulf Arab oil states have pledged to make up for any\n  shortfall in sales which a fellow Gulf state suffers.\n      Nigeria's early March output was about one mln bpd, down\n  from 1.14 mln bpd in February and its quota of 1.238 mln bpd.\n      Industry sources say Nigeria's customers believe its Bonny\n  grades are overpriced compared with compatible Brent crudes\n  from the U.K. North Sea.\n      Country-by-country production figures are as follows, in\n  mln bpd -\n   COUNTRY        CURRENT        FEBRUARY    QUOTA\n   ALGERIA        0.64           0.64        0.635\n   ECUADOR        0.26           0.26        0.210\n   GABON          0.15           0.15        0.152\n   INDONESIA      1.16           1.16        1.133\n   IRAN           1.80           2.20        2.255\n   IRAQ           1.75           1.75        1.466\n   KUWAIT         1.15           1.40        0.948\n   LIBYA          0.95           0.95        0.948\n   NIGERIA        1.00           1.14        1.238\n   QATAR          0.18           0.23        0.285\n   SAUDI ARABIA   3.10           3.50        4.133\n   UAE            1.10           1.15        0.902\n   VENEZUELA      1.50           1.50        1.495\n   TOTAL          14.7           16.0        15.8\n   Reuter\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BAKER <BKO> SUES TO FORCE HUGHES <HT> MERGER\n","article":"  Baker International corp said it has\n  filed suit in state court in Houston to compel Hughes Tool Co\n  to complete its proposed merger with Baker.\n      Late yesterday, Hughes said it had terminated the merger\n  agreement because Baker would not agree to an alternative\n  divestiture plan devised by Hughes.  Hughes' board had\n  previously found unacceptable a U.S. Justice Department consent\n  decree that would have required broader divestitures.\n      Baker said it has not obtained any satisfactory explanation\n  from Hughes of its objections to the provisions of the Justice\n  Department consent decree.\n      Hughes yesterday adjourned the special meeting at which\n  shareholders were to vote on the merger without permitting the\n  counting of votes on the deal.  Baker said it believes the vote\n  was overwhelmingly in favor of the merger.\n      Baker said the new terms that Hughes proposed for the\n  merger, as an alternative to the consent decree, were \"more\n  burdensome\" than those of the consent decree themselves.\n      Baker said divestitures under the consent decree would\n  reduce revenues for the combined company by about 65 mln dlrs\n  or three pct.\n      Baker said it will continue to pursue the divestitures of\n  the units named in the consent decree.\n      It said its suit names as defendants Hughes and certain of\n  its directors and seeks either an injunction forcing Hughes to\n  live up to the merger agreement or \"substantial\" monetary\n  damages it did not name.\n      Baker said it believes the merger to be in the best\n  interests of shareholders of both companies.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SPAIN DEREGULATES BANK DEPOSIT INTEREST RATES\n","article":"  Spain's Finance Ministry deregulated bank\n  deposit rates in an effort to raise competition among banks and\n  bring legislation into line with the European Community (EC), a\n  ministry spokesman said.\n      The measure was published today in the Official State\n  Gazette. It takes effect tomorrow and lifts restrictions on\n  rates, now limited to six pct on deposits of up to 180 days.\n      The government also enacted a decree cutting to one pct\n  from 13 pct the proportion of total assets which banks must\n  lend at favourable rates to industries classified \"of public\n  interest.\"\n      Some bankers expect the deregulation of rates to result in\n  a 20 pct drop in profits this year.\n      Secretary of State for the Economy Guillermo de la Dehesa\n  told Reuters in a recent interview the reduction in fixed asset\n  investments would offset losses from the rate liberalisation.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USAIR <U> REJECTS TWA <TWA> TAKEOVER BID\n","article":"  USAir Group Inc said its board has\n  rejected Trans World Airlines Inc's offer to acquire USAir for\n  52 dlrs per share in cash as grossly in adequate and not in the\n  best interests of USAir shareholders, employees or passengers.\n      The company said the unsolicited bid by the Carl C.\n  Icahn-led TWA was \"highly conditional.\"\n      USAir said its board and that of Piedmont Aviation Inc\n  <PIE> met separately yesterday to consider USAir's offer to\n  acquire 50.1 pct of Piedmont for 71 dlrs per share and\n  remaining shares for 1.5 to 1.9 common shares each, valued at\n  about 73 dlrs per share based on the average closing price of\n  USAir common during a period just before the merger.\n      The company said it is continuing talks with Piedmont on\n  arriving at a definitive merger agreement and the two companies\n  hope to reach one very shortly.\n      USAir said \"In light of the highly conditional nature and\n  other terms of the TWA offer, the timing of the offer and the\n  circumstances under which it was made, USAir Group believes\n  that the purpose of the TWA offer is to interfere with USAir\n  Group's proposed acquisition of Piedmont.\n      \"TWA's proposal is nothing more than an attempt by Carl\n  Icahn to disrupt at the eleventh hour USAir Group's acquisition\n  of Piedmont, a transaction which the USAir Group board views as\n  most beneficial to USAir Group shareholders, employees and\n  passengers and which Mr. Icahn obviously regards as contrary to\n  his own personal interests.\"\n      USAir said its board has authorized counsel to explore all\n  appropriate legal remedies against what it called TWA's\n  last-minute attempt to interfere with USAir Group's acquisition\n  of Piedmont.\n      The company said conditions to the TWA offer include TWA\n  obtaining financing, the USAir board redeeming defensive rights\n  issued to shareholders last year and acting to render the \"fair\n  price\" provision contained in USAir's charter inapplicable to\n  the TWA offer and Transportation Department approval.\n   Reuter...\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FALLING SOYBEAN CRUSH RATIOS CUT OUTPUT\n","article":"  The sharp decline in soybean crush ratios\n  seen in the last few weeks, accelerating in recent days, has\n  pushed margins below the cost of production at most soybean\n  processing plants and prompted many to cut output of soybean\n  meal and oil.\n      The weekly U.S. soybean crush rate was reported by the\n  National Soybean Processors Association this afternoon at 21.78\n  mln bushels, down from the 22 mln bushel plus rate seen over\n  the past two months when crush margins surged to the best\n  levels seen in over a year.\n      Active soymeal export loadings at the Gulf had pushed\n  soybean futures and premiums higher, prompting a pick-up in the\n  weekly crush number.\n      However, much of that export demand seems to have been met,\n  with most foreign meal users now waiting for the expected surge\n  in shipments of new crop South American soymeal over the next\n  few months.\n      U.S. processors are now finding domestic livestock feed\n  demand is very light for this time of year due to the milder\n  than normal winter, so they steadily dropped offering prices in\n  an attempt to find buying interest, soyproduct dealers said.\n      Soybean meal futures have also steadily declined in recent\n  weeks, setting a new contract low of 139.70 dlrs per ton in the\n  nearby March contract today.\n      \"Many speculators down here bought March soymeal and sold\n  May, looking for no deliveries (on first notice day tomorrow,\n  which would cause March to gain on deferreds),\" one CBT crush\n  trader said.\n      \"But they've been bailing out this week because the March\n  has been acting like there will be a lot delivered, if not\n  tomorrow, then later in the month,\" he added.\n      As a result of the weakness in soymeal, the March crush\n  ratio (The value of soyproducts less the cost of the soybeans)\n  fell from the mid 30s earlier this month to 22.6 cents per\n  bushel today, dropping over five cents in just the last two\n  days.\n      The May crush ended today just over 17 cents, so no\n  processors will want to lock in a ratio at that unprofitable\n  level, the trader said. Hopefully, they will now start to cut\n  back production to get supplies in line with demand, he added.\n      With futures down, processors are finding they must bid\n  premiums for cash soybeans, further reducing crush margins.\n      A central Illinois processor is only making about 30 cents\n  for every bushel of soybeans crushed at current prices, down\n  sharply from levels just seen just a few weeks ago and below\n  the average cost of production, cash dealers said.\n      Most soybean processing plants are still in operation, with\n  little talk of taking temporary down-time, so far. But\n  processors will start halting production in the next few weeks\n  it they continue to face unprofitable margins, they added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. FIRST TIME JOBLESS CLAIMS FALL IN WEEK\n","article":"  New applications for unemployment\n  insurance benefits fell to a seasonally adjusted 332,900 in the\n  week ended Feb 21 from 368,400 in the prior week, the Labor\n  Department said.\n      The number of people actually receiving benefits under\n  regular state programs totaled 3,014,400 in the week ended Feb\n  14, the latest period for which that figure was available.\n      That was up from 2,997,800 the previous week.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAGUAR SEES STRONG GROWTH IN NEW MODEL SALES\n","article":"  Jaguar Plc <JAGR.L> is about to sell its\n  new XJ-6 model on the U.S. And Japanese markets and expects a\n  strong reception based on its success in the U.K., Chairman Sir\n  John Egan told a news conference.\n      Commenting on an 11 pct growth in 1986 group turnover to\n  830.4 mln stg and pre-tax profits at 120.8 mln stg, slightly\n  below 1985's 121.3 mln, Egan said Jaguar aimed at an average\n  profit growth of 15 pct per year. However, the introduction of\n  the new model had kept this year's pre-tax profit down.\n      Jaguar starts selling XJ-6 in the U.S. In May and plans to\n  sell 25,000 of its total 47,000 production there in 1987.\n      U.S. Sales now account for 65 pct of total turnover,\n  finance director John Edwards said.\n      A U.S. Price for the car has not been set yet, but Edwards\n  said the relatively high car prices in dollars of West German\n  competitors offered an \"umbrella\" for Jaguar. He added the XJ-6\n  had also to compete with U.S. Luxury car producers which would\n  restrict the car's price.\n      Jaguar hedges a majority of its dollar receipts on a\n  12-month rolling basis and plans to do so for a larger part of\n  its receipts for longer periods, John Egan said.\n      In the longer term, capital expenditure will amount to 10\n  pct of net sales. Research and development will cost four pct\n  of net sales and training two pct.\n      Jaguar builds half of its cars and buys components for the\n  other half. The firm is in early stages of considering the\n  building of an own press shop in Britain for about 80 mln stg,\n  but Egan said this would take at least another three years\n      On the London Stock Exchange, Jaguar's shares were last\n  quoted at 591p, down from 611p at yesterday's close, after\n  reporting 1986 results which were in line with market\n  expectations, dealers said.\n   REUTER...\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CCC ACCEPTS BONUS BID ON WHEAT FLOUR TO IRAQ\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation,\n  CCC, has accepted bids for export bonuses to cover sales of\n  25,000 tonnes of wheat flour to Iraq, the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department said.\n      The department said the bonuses awarded averaged 116.84\n  dlrs per tonne.\n      The shipment periods are March 15-April 20 (12,500 tonnes)\n  and April 1-May 5 (12,500 tonnes).\n      The bonus awards were made to Peavey Company and will be\n  paid in the form of commodities from CCC stocks, it said.\n      An additional 175,000 tonnes of wheat flour are still\n  available to Iraq under the Export Enhancement Program\n  initative announced January 7, 1987, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DIAMOND SHAMROCK RAISES CRUDE POSTED PRICES ONE DLR, EFFECTIVE MARCH 4, WTI NOW 17.00 DLRS\/BBL\n","article":"\n  DIAMOND SHAMROCK RAISES CRUDE POSTED PRICES ONE DLR, EFFECTIVE MARCH 4, WTI NOW 17.00 DLRS\/BBL\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORD RESOURCES CORP <NRD> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 19 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 2,656,000 vs 1,712,000\n      Revs 15.4 mln vs 9,443,000\n      Avg shrs 14.1 mln vs 12.6 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 98 cts vs 77 cts\n      Net 13.8 mln vs 8,928,000\n      Revs 58.8 mln vs 48.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 14.0 mln vs 11.6 mln\n      NOTE: Shr figures adjusted for 3-for-2 split paid Feb 6,\n  1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NO QUAKE DAMAGE AT CHUQUICAMATA - MINE SPOKESMAN\n","article":"  The earthquake which hit northern Chile\n  today, registering 7.0 on the open-ended Richter scale, caused\n  no damage to the copper mine at Chuquicamata, a mine spokesman\n  said.\n      Chuquicamata public relations director Guillermo Barcelo\n  told Reuters by telephone from the mine that the quake had\n  caused no problems and operations continued as usual.\n      A spokesman for the state Chilean Copper Commission in\n  Santiago confirmed there had been no damage at Chuquicamata.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ORBIT INCREASES OIL AND GAS RESERVE VALUES\n","article":"  <Orbit Oil and Gas Ltd> said\n  the value of its oil and gas reserves increased by 19 pct to\n  52.6 mln dlrs from 44.2 mln dlrs reported at year-end 1985,\n  according to an independent appraisal.\n      Orbit said it has reserves of 2.4 mln barrels of oil and\n  natural gas liquids and 67.2 billion cubic feet of natural gas.\n      In addition, 75 pct owned <Sienna Resources Ltd> has\n  Canadian reserves of 173,000 barrels of oil and 1.6 bcf of\n  natural gas with a current value of 2.2 mln dlrs, Orbit said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CCC ACCEPTS BONUS BID ON SEMOLINA TO EGYPT\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation,\n  CCC, has accepted a bid for an export bonus to cover a sale of\n  2,000 tonnes of semolina to Egypt, the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department said.\n      The department said the bonus was 233.91 dlrs per tonne and\n  was made to International Multifoods Corp. The bonus will be\n  paid in the form of commodities from CCC stocks.\n      The semolina is for shipment during June 1987, it said.\n      An additional 13,000 tonnes of semolina are still available\n  to Egypt under the Export Enhancement Program initiative\n  announced on August 6, 1986, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MAIL BOXES ETC <MAIL> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 23 cts vs 18 cts\n      Net 509,144 vs 277,834\n      Revs 2,258,341 vs 1,328,634\n      Avg shrs 2,177,553 vs 1,564,605\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 55 cts vs 42 cts\n      Net 1,150,633 vs 649,914\n      Revs 6,169,168 vs 3,178,115\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FIVE GROUPS APPLY TO BUY FRENCH TELEPHONE GROUP\n","article":"  Five consortia have applied to buy the\n  French state-owned telephone equipment manufacturer <Cie\n  Generale de Constructions Telephoniques (CGCT)>, which will\n  give the owners control of 16 pct of the French telephone\n  switching market, sources close to Finance Minister Edouard\n  Balladur said.\n      The French government has given itself until the end of\n  April to decide which applicant will be accepted, they added.\n      While several foreign groups have said they want to gain a\n  foothold in the French market, their potential stake in CGCT is\n  limited to 20 pct under privatisation laws passed last year,\n  with 80 pct to be left in French hands.\n      The Finance Ministry sources gave no details of the groups\n  interested in CGCT, but several have publicly announced their\n  candidacies.\n      U.S. Telecommunications giant American Telephone and\n  Telegraph Co <T.N> which has been at the centre of the two-year\n  battle for CGCT, has teamed up with the Dutch-based <Philips\n  Telecommunications Industrie B.V.>, a subsidiary of NV Philips\n  Gloeilampenfabriek <PGLO.AS> and <Societe Anonyme de\n  Telecommunications> (SAT) to present a joint bid, in\n  association with holding company Cie du Midi SA <MCDP.P> and\n  five French investment funds.\n      A second bid has come from the West German electronics\n  group Siemens AG <SIEG.F>, which hopes to take a 20 pct stake\n  in CGCT, with the French telecommunications <Jeumont-Schneider>\n  taking the remaining 80 pct.\n      Sweden's <AB LM Ericsson> has also submitted a bid for the\n  maximum 20 pct permitted, in association with French defence\n  electronics group <Matra>, which would hold between 40 and 49\n  pct, and construction group <Bouygues>.\n      Matra has already acquired CGCT's private telephone\n  business.\n  REUTER...\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BLIZZARD CLOSES BOSPHORUS\n","article":"  Blizzard conditions halted shipping\n  through the Bosphorus waterway and piled snow up to 70 cms deep\n  in central Istanbul, paralysing the city for the second day\n  running.\n      Snow whipped by 48 kph winds continued to fall on Istanbul\n  and northwest Anatolia after 36 hours and weather reports\n  predicted no relief for another two days.\n      Port officials said at least six large vessels in the Black\n  Sea and 13 in the Sea of Marmara were waiting for conditions to\n  improve.\n      Istanbul's Ataturk international airport has been closed\n  since yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN FUND <JPN> SEEKERS CONFIDENT OF FINANCING\n","article":"  The <Sterling Grace Capital Management\n  L.P.> group said it is confident financing can be arranged if\n  The Japan Fund's board recommend's the group's acquisition\n  proposal.\n      The group, which also includes <Anglo American Security\n  Fund L.P.> and T.B. Pickens III, Tuesday proposed an entity it\n  controls acquire for cash all the assets of Japan Fund for 95\n  pct of the fund's aggregate net asset value.\n      The group said it has had a number of meetings over the\n  past few days with domestic and overseas financial institutions.\n      The Sterling Grace Capital group said certain of these\n  institutions have expressed serious interest in providing\n  financing for the proposed acquisition of Japan Fund, \"adding\n  we are reasonably confident that the financing can be quickly\n  arranged if the Japan Fund's board of directors is willing to\n  recommend the transaction to shareholders.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PEGASUS GOLD INC <PGULF> 3RD QTR DEC 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 20 cts vs loss two cts\n      Net profit 2,665,000 vs loss 202,000\n      Revs 12,141,000 vs 5,993,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr profit 35 cts vs loss 11 cts\n      Net profit 4,653,000 vs loss 1,167,000\n      Revs 35.1 mln vs 18.0 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MUNSINGWEAR INC <MUN> 4TH QTR JAN 3 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 32 cts vs loss seven cts\n      Net loss 1,566,000 vs loss 292,000\n      Revs 39.4 mln vs 34.7 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 79 cts vs profit 74 cts\n      Net profit 3,651,000 vs profit 3,020,000\n      Revs 147.9 mln vs 114.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,639,000 vs 4,059,000\n      Note: Per shr adjusted for 3-for-2 stock split July 1986\n  and 2-for-1 split May 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<KELTIC INC> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 99 cts vs 1.25 dlrs\n      Net 418,733 vs 235,572\n      Revs 2,777,425 vs 2,024,116\n      Note: 1986 shr after November, 1986 600,000 class A\n  subordinate floating share issue\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN HELP, OFFERED FACILITIES\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had given the\n  money market 206 mln stg of assistance this afternoon and\n  offered the discount houses borrowing facilities to take out\n  the rest of the 1.10 billion stg shortage, revised down from an\n  initial 1.15 billion estimate.\n      It made no alteration to its established dealing rates,\n  buying 95 mln stg of band one bank bills at 10-7\/8 pct and 111\n  mln of band two bank bills at 10-13\/16 pct. This brings the\n  Bank's total assistance so far today to 243 mln stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"E.F. HUTTON <EFH> STARTS PUROLATOR <PCC> BID\n","article":"  E.F. Hutton Group Inc said it has\n  started its previously announced offer to purchase up to\n  6,332,471 common shares of Purolator Courier Corp at 35 dlrs\n  each.\n      In a newspaper advertisement, the company said the offer,\n  proration period and withdrfawal rights will expire April One\n  unless extended.  The offer is conditioned on receipt of at\n  least 5,116,892 Purolator shares, or a 66.7 pct interest, and\n  is the first step in a merger agreement that has been approved\n  by the Purolator board.\n      Hutton said it reserves the right to buy more than\n  6,332,471 shares but has no present intention of doing so.  It\n  said it may waive the condition that at least 5,116,892 shares\n  be tendered as long as it received at least a 50.1 pct\n  interest.  If it were to receive fewer shares than that, it\n  said it would only purchase sharesd with the consent of\n  Purolator.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"YEUTTER PUTS CURRENCY BURDEN ON TAIWAN, KOREA\n","article":"  Responsibility for the appreciation of\n  the Taiwan dollar and the South Korean Won lies soley with\n  those countries, said U.S. trade representative Clayton Yeutter\n      Speaking to the Asia Society, Yeutter said that it is in\n  those countries' own long-term interest to raise the value of\n  their currencies against the dollar.\n      Yeutter was responding to a question about what the U.S.\n  could do to encourage appreciation of those currencies against\n  the dollar in order to reduce the large U.S. trade deficits\n  with Taiwain and Korea.\n      \"An undervalued currency will help those countries' exports\n  in the short term, but in the long run they have to be\n  concerned about how they are perceived in the international\n  business community,\" Yeutter said.\n      For Taiwan, Yeutter said that with its per capita trade\n  surplus with the U.S., much larger than that of Japan's, and\n  with huge foreign exchange reserves, it was difficult to defend\n  the high import tarrifs and other barriers that prevail in that\n  country.\n      He also said that the south Korean Won should begin to move\n  to reflect underlying economic fundamentals, \"otherwise in two\n  or three years' time, Korea will be in the same situation that\n  prevails in Taiwan.\"\n      Turning to the U.S. deficit with Japan of more than 50\n  billion dlrs, Yeutter said that this situation was not\n  sustainable.\n      \"Something must give soon. If not, there is a great threat\n  of U.S. legislative action to counteract that trend,\" Yeutter\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"PRINCEVILLE DEVELOPMENT CORP <PVDC> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr diluted loss 31 cts vs profit 17 cts\n      Net loss 2,806,005 vs profit 1,513,395\n      Revs 15.0 mln vs 10.4 mln\n      Avg shrs diluted 8,982,754 vs 8,804,899\n      NOTE: Current year includes loss of 3.4 mln dlrs from\n  takeover defense expenses. Also includes losses of 1.8 mln dlrs\n  vs 332,000 dlrs from equity in limited partnerships.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ORANGE-CO <OJ> HOLDER RAISES STAKE\n","article":"  Orange-Co Inc said its\n  largest shareholder, <Summit Resoureces Inc>, has increased its\n  stake to 15 pct from 14 pct and now owns 644,727 shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HORIZON CORP <HZN> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 1.66 dlrs vs loss eight cts\n      Oper net profit 12.0 mln vs loss 572,000\n      Revs 27.4 mln vs 4,311,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 1.36 dlrs vs loss 43 cts\n      Oper net profit 9,817,000 vs loss 2,433,000\n      Revs 35.0 mln vs 13.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 7,224,000 vs 6,731,000\n      NOTE: 1985 net includes tax credits of 492,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and 2,433,000 dlrs in year.\n      1985 net both periods excludes 168,000 dlr loss from\n  discontinued operations.\n      1986 net both periods includes pretax gain 21.8 mln dlrs\n  from sale of remaining interest in Paradise Hills, N.M.,\n  development.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"<INTERNATIONAL THOMSON ORGANISATION LTD> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 33p vs 38p\n      Net 97 mln vs 111 mln\n      Revs 1.71 billion vs 1.76 billion\n      NOTE: Figures in sterling.\n      Share results after deducting preferred share dividends of\n  one mln pounds sterling in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED DATA SUGGEST STABLE U.S. MONETARY POLICY\n","article":"  Latest Federal Reserve data suggest that\n  the central bank voted to maintain the existing degree of\n  pressure on banking reserves at its regular policy-making\n  meeting two weeks ago, money market economists said.\n      \"The numbers were a little disappointing, but I think we\n  can take Mr Volcker at his word when he said that nothing had\n  changed,\" said Bob Bannon of Security Pacific National Bank.\n      Fed Chairman Paul Volcker told a Congressional committee\n  last Thursday that the Fed's policy \"has been unchanged up to\n  today.\"\n      Although Volcker's statement last Thursday allayed most\n  fears that the Fed had marginally tightened its grip on\n  reserves to help an ailing dollar, many economists still wanted\n  confirmation of a steady policy in today's data, which covered\n  the two-week bank statement period ended yesterday.\n      This need for additional reassurance was made all the more\n  acute by the Fed's decision yesterday to drain reserves from\n  the banking system by arranging overnight matched sale-purchase\n  agreements for the first time since April of last year,\n  economists added.\n      Today's data showed that the draining action was for a\n  fairly large 3.9 billion dlrs, economists said.\n      \"The one thing that caught my eye were the relatively\n  sizeable matched sales on Wednesday,\" said Dana Johnson of\n  First National Bank of Chicago. \"But there was a clearly\n  justified need for them. There was nothing ominous.\"\n      \"The Fed couldn't have waited until the start of the new\n  statement period today. If it had, it would have missed its\n  (reserve) projections,\" added Security Pacific's Bannon.\n      A Fed spokesman told reporters that there were no large\n  single-day net miss in reserve projections in the latest week.\n      Economists similarly shrugged off slightly higher-than-\n  expected adjusted bank borrowings from the Fed's discount\n  window, which averaged 310 mln dlrs a day in the latest week,\n  compared with many economists' forecasts of about 200 mln.\n      For the two-week bank statement period as a whole, the\n  daily borrowing average more than doubled to 381 mln dlrs from\n  160 in the prior period.\n      \"There were wire problems at two large banks on Tuesday and\n  Wednesday, so I am not too bothered about the borrowings,\" said\n  Scott Winningham of J.S. Winningham and Co. The Wednesday\n  average rose to 946 mln dlrs from 148 mln a week earlier.\n      Lending further support to the stable policy view was a\n  relatively steady federal funds rate of about six pct in the\n  latest week and persistently high levels of excess reserves in\n  the banking system, economists said.\n      \"For the time being, the Fed is following a neutral path,\n  with fed funds at about six to 6-1\/8 pct,\" said Darwin Beck of\n  First Boston Corp. \"I expect it to continue in that vein.\"\n      \"Excess reserves fell but they are still over a billion\n  dlrs,\" added First Chicago's Johnson. Banks' excess reserves\n  averaged 1.03 billion dlrs a day in the latest statement\n  period, down from 1.50 billion in the previous one.\n      After the Fed declined to assign a 1987 target growth range\n  to the wayward M-1 money supply measure last week, little\n  attention was paid to a steeper-than-anticipated 2.1 billion\n  dlr jump in the week ended February 16.\n      Looking ahead, economists said the Fed will have to tread a\n  fine line between the dollar's progress in the international\n  currency markets and the development of the domestic economy.\n      \"The market has perhaps exaggerated the dollar's effect on\n  Fed policy,\" said First Chicago's Johnson. \"Of course, it will\n  take the dollar into account in future policy decisions but if\n  the economy is weak, it won't pull back from easing.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EQUATORIAL COMMUNICATIONS CO <EQUA> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 3.84 dlrs vs nil\n      Net loss 56,879,000 vs profit 23,000\n      Rev 10.3 mln vs 17.7 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 4.60 dlrs vs profit 14 cts\n      Net loss 67,818,000 vs profit 1,807,000\n      Rev 50.9 mln vs 56.1 mln\n      Avg shares 14,734,000 vs 12,801,000\n      NOTE: Fourth qtr net includes a one-time restructuring\n  charge of 45.2 mln dlrs. 1985 net income includes extraordinary\n  gain of 3.2 mln dlrs, or 25 cts.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INTERNATIONAL THOMSON ORGANISATION LTD YEAR SHR 33P VS 38P\n","article":"\n  INTERNATIONAL THOMSON ORGANISATION LTD YEAR SHR 33P VS 38P\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TRIMEDYNE <TMED> TO SPIN OFF STAKE IN UNIT\n","article":"  Trimedyne Inc said it will\n  distribute one Class B common share of <Automedix Sciences Inc>\n  for each four Trimedyne shares held of record on March Nine.\n      The company said in the spinoff it is distributing its\n  entire 44 pct interesdt in Automedix.  The spun-off stock will\n  not be saleable for 13 months, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CASEY'S GENERAL STORES INC <CASY> 3RD QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr 16 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 1,900,000 vs 1,600,000\n      Sales 68.2 mln vs 69.6 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 60 cts vs 43 cts\n      Net 7,100,000 vs 4,700,000\n      Sales 214.0 mln vs 219.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRENCH FREE MARKET CEREAL EXPORT BIDS DETAILED\n","article":"  French operators have requested licences\n  to export 40,000 tonnes of free market feed wheat, 32,500\n  tonnes of soft bread wheat, 375,000 tonnes of barley and\n  465,000 tonnes of maize at today's European Community tender,\n  trade sources here said.\n      Rebates requested ranged between 134 and 136.50 European\n  currency units (Ecus) a tonne for the feed wheat, 137.39 and\n  141.50 Ecus a tonne for the bread wheat, 137.93 and 142.95 Ecus\n  for the barley and 133.75 and 140.25 Ecus for the maize.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DIAMOND SHAMROCK <DIA> RAISES CRUDE OIL POSTINGS\n","article":"  Diamond Shamrock said it raised its\n  posted prices for all grades of crude oil one dlr a barrel,\n  effective yesterday.\n      The one dlr increase brings West Texas Intermediate, WTI\n  the U.S. benchmark crude, to 17.00 dlrs a bbl, the company\n  said.\n      Diamond Shamrock joined Sun Co, Coastal, Citgo and Murphy\n  Oil in raising crude oil posted prices one dlr a barrel\n  yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OAK HILL SPORTSWEAR CORP <OHSC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 27 cts vs 28 cts\n      Net 1,026,000 vs 1,025,000\n      Sales 27.8 mln vs 25.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 95 cts vs 16 cts\n      Net 3,682,000 vs 598,000\n      Sales 102.1 mln vs 100.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,858,000 vs 3,700,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OAK INDUSTRIES INC <OAK> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss five cts vs loss 50 cts\n      Oper net loss 3,862,000 vs loss 15,900,000\n      Sales 42.6 mln vs 38.8 mln\n      Avg shr 72.1 mln vs 31.7 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 51 cts vs loss 2.10 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 30.3 mln vs 51.3 mln\n      Sales 151.7 mln vs 153.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 59.4 mln vs 24.4 mln\n      Backlog 57.1 mln vs 52.9 mln\n      NOTES: Operating losses exclude profits from discontinued\n  operationgs of 1,000,000 dlrs, or one cent a share, vs\n  2,493,000 dlrs, or eight cts a share, in quarter and 65.0 mln\n  dlrs, or 1.09 dlrs a share, vs 13.7 mln dlrs, or 56 cts a\n  share, in year\n      1986 year operating loss also excludes extraordinary gain\n  of of 25.6 mln dlrs, or 43 cts a share\n      Backlog, which includes only orders to be shipped within 12\n  mths, was 63.0 mln dlrs on January 31. Orders to be shipped\n  beyond 12 mths were 27.6 mln dlrs vs 17.1 mln dlrs at December\n  31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REGIS CORP <RGIS> REGULAR DIVIDEND SET\n","article":"  Qtly div 4-1\/2 cts vs 4-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 24\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MANNESMANN SEEKS STAKE IN U.S. FIRM\n","article":"  Mannesmann AG <MMWG.F>, the\n  diversified engineering and pipe-making group, is interested in\n  taking a stake in a U.S. Company or companies but has not yet\n  found a suitable firm, a spokesman said in reply to questions.\n      Mannesmann managing board chairman Werner Dieter told the\n  business weekly Wirtschaftswoche in an interview that\n  Mannesmann wanted to invest in a U.S. Company in order to\n  strengthen its presence on the U.S. Market.\n      Dieter said Mannesmann would act quickly when and if it\n  found a firm in which it wanted to take a stake.\n      The Mannesmann spokesman declined to say in which\n  industrial sector the group may make a U.S. Acquisition or how\n  big the acquisition might be.\n      He also said the group had not yet completed taking over a\n  stake in car components firm <Fichtel und Sachs AG>.\n      Mannesmann had said in January it hoped to take a 37.5 pct\n  stake in Fichtel und Sachs's holding company, Sachs AG, in the\n  first quarter. The spokesman said Mannesmann had a letter of\n  intent on the takeover from the heirs of the company's late\n  owner but completion has been delayed by legal questions\n  concerning the inheritance.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN INT'L GROUP INC <AIG> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.83 dlrs vs 77 cts\n      Net 296.6 mln vs 120.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 4.90 dlrs vs 2.76 dlrs\n      Net 795.8 mln vs 420.5 mln\n      NOTE: Includes gains of 139.2 mln vs 46.8 mln in year and\n  94.0 mln vs 11.6 mln from capital gains from investments.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SYSTEMS FOR HEALTH CARE IN ONE-FOR-50 SPLIT\n","article":"  Systems for Health Care Inc said it\n  repositioned the company through a one-for-50 reverse stock\n  split.\n      It said there are now 3,002,500 common shares outstanding\n  with a quoted price of about 7\/8 bid, compared to 150,125,000\n  shares outstanding prior to the split.\n      In another recent development, Systems for Health Care\n  formally changed its name to its present form from Orcas Corp.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROYAL DUTCH\/SHELL U.S. EARNINGS SHARPLY LOWER\n","article":"  Royal Dutch\/Shell Group <RD.AS> earnings\n  for 1986 from the U.S. Fell sharply because of difficult market\n  conditions, lower crude and gas prices and also due to\n  different accounting methods, Shell chairman Peter Holmes said.\n      The Shell Oil dollar net income fell 47 pct in the year,\n  while the additional effect of currency movements reduced the\n  contribution to group net income by 57 pct to 472 mln stg.\n      The group earlier reported a drop in net income for the\n  year to 2.54 billion stg from 3.03 billion previously, with\n  lower crude prices outweighing the effect of increased sales by\n  volume.\n      Although the figures were lower, they were nonetheless at\n  the top end of market forecasts. Shell Transport and Trading\n  Plc <SC.L> shares, the U.K. Arm of the group, rose to 11.39 stg\n  from a close last night of 11.06 stg. Analysts noted that a\n  general collapse in exploration and production volumes was\n  partially offset by earnings from chemicals rising to 462 mln\n  stg from 205 mln in 1985.\n      Also, a windfall tax credit and lower than expected\n  currency losses had added about 100 mln stg onto fourth quarter\n  results, which was the main reason for the figures exceeding\n  forecasts, industry analyst Chris Rowland of Barclays de Zoete\n  Wedd noted.\n      However, he added there could well be a sharp fall in\n  performance in the first quarter of 1987, due to the\n  improbability that the group would be able to repeat the high\n  refining and marketing margins of first quarter 1986.\n      The impact of recovering oil prices would come through\n  faster on the downstream side than on the upstream as such a\n  high proportion of upstream activity centred on gas, which\n  typically reacted to oil price changes with about a half-year\n  lag, analysts said.\n      Holmes said that in the upstream U.S. Sector the third\n  quarter of 1986 had been the worst of all.\n      Only two of the oil majors had managed to make a profit in\n  the period, with Shell Oil being one of them. The decrease in\n  U.S. Earnings had been accentuated by tax rates but the group\n  had increased share to become volume market leader, Holmes\n  added.\n      Continued low crude oil prices would continue to subdue\n  U.S. Exploration activity. \"Exploration is currently pretty\n  flat. We are going to go on, but at 16-18 dlrs there will be no\n  massive upturn,\" he said.\n      A renewal of exploration in high cost areas of the North\n  Sea and the U.S. Requires prices of around 25 dlrs a barrel.\n      Ultimately this would lead to a rise in U.S. Imports. \"If\n  you are not exploring you are not going to find anything,\" he\n  noted.\n      U.S. Oil production had dropped some half mln barrels a day\n  (bbd) in 1986 and would continue to fall if the price stayed\n  below 20 dlrs a barrel.\n      This favored OPEC's attempts to stabilise prices, as the\n  lower the price the more likelihood there was of non-OPEC\n  marginal production shutting down. \"OPEC has done pretty\n  extraordinarily well...Everything is moving in (its) direction,\"\n  he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANKERS WELCOME SPANISH RESERVE REQUIREMENT HIKE\n","article":"  Bankers welcomed the Bank of Spain's\n  decision to raise the reserve requirement for banks and savings\n  banks, saying it reflected the socialist government's\n  determination not to ease up in the fight against inflation\n  despite the painful social effects of four years of austerity.\n      The central bank last night raised the requirement by one\n  percentage point to 19 pct from March 13, saying that excess\n  liquidity threatened money supply and inflation targets.\n      Bankers said the move represented a change of tactic by the\n  Bank, which until now has relied on raising interest rates to\n  choke off money supply growth.\n      \"I think it's a good measure,\" a senior foreign banker said.\n  \"It's a faster way to get the job done than using interest rates\n  and avoids unpleasant effects on other areas of the economy.\"\n      \"It shows that the political will is very strong. They know\n  that controlling inflation will make industry more competitive\n  and bring down unemployment in the long run,\" he added.\n      The head of another foreign bank said that only a month\n  ago, the Bank of Spain had dismissed his suggestion of a rise\n  in reserve requirements, preferring to pursue its strategy of\n  raising interest rates.\n      But bankers said the high real interest rates on offer now\n  -- around eight pct for overnight funds -- was attracting money\n  from abroad, strengthening the peseta and making Spanish\n  exports less competitive.\n      The government says industry's competitiveness is also\n  being hit hard by inflation. At 8.3 pct last year, the rate was\n  way above that of Spain's major trading partners in the\n  European Community, which it joined a year ago.\n      To help meet this year's target of five pct, it is\n  insisting pay rises stay at that level, setting the stage for\n  clashes with trade unions, who say they have made enough\n  sacrifices.\n      Demonstrations by workers, students and farmers, whose\n  demands essentially involve more government spending, have\n  become an almost daily occurrence. But Prime Minister Felipe\n  Gonzalez insists that the state is doing as much as it can.\n      Bankers said the reserve requirement increase could have\n  some impact on commercial lending rates but should not hit the\n  money market too hard.\n      The Bank of Spain, which only yesterday raised its key\n  overnight call money rate to 13.5 pct, left it unchanged at\n  today's auction. The rate has been increased nine times since\n  the start of the year, when it was below 12 pct.\n      Bankers said commercial lending rates were set to rise in\n  any case with the end of the six pct maximium interest rate\n  banks can offer for time deposits of up to six months.\n      The measure will take effect tomorrow, following the\n  publication of the decree in today's official gazette. Bankers\n  say the liberalisation will increase the cost of funds and,\n  inevitably, push lending rates higher.\n      A companion measure, reducing the proportion of funds which\n  banks must invest in specific areas, also takes effect\n  tomorrow. Officials said when the cut was approved last month\n  that it was aimed partly at compensating banks for higher\n  interest rates.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GAMBRO AB <GAMB ST> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  133.5 mln crowns vs 101 mln.\n      Sales 1.61 billion vs 1.51 billion.\n      Proposed dividend 0.80 crowns vs 0.40 crowns.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TRANSPORTATION AGENCY GIVES FINAL OKAY FOR US AIR PACIFIC SOUTHWEST ACQUISITION\n","article":"\n  TRANSPORTATION AGENCY GIVES FINAL OKAY FOR US AIR PACIFIC SOUTHWEST ACQUISITION\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"S AFRICA MINE MANAGERS FACE CHARGES IN DISASTER\n","article":"  Seven managers and employees at\n  General Mining Union Corp Ltd's Kinross Mines Ltd will face\n  charges of culpable homicide following last year's disaster\n  when 177 gold miners died, the Attorney General's Office said.\n      The mineworkers were killed last September at Kinross when\n  a fire set off toxic fumes which suffocated miners underground.\n      Three of the accused face alternative charges of breaking\n  safety regulations set out in the Mines and Works Act.\n      The spokesman said the case would probably be heard in\n  Witbank Regional Court, near Kinross, in mid-May.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WESTERN CANADA HURT BY INTERNATIONAL FORCES\n","article":"  Western Canada's resource-based economy\n  is being hurt by international market forces and there is\n  little Ottawa can do about it, Finance Minister Michael Wilson\n  said.\n      \"If you can tell me how we can get the international energy\n  price up and how we can get the price for copper up and how we\n  can get the price for wheat up, then we will listen,\" Wilson\n  told the House of Comnons Finance Committee.\n      Although under pressure from oil companies and wheat\n  farmers for help in battling depressed commodity prices, Wilson\n  said it has to be recognized the area was a \"prisoner of market\n  forces outside the boundaries of this country.\"\n      Wilson, appearing before the committee to discuss the\n  government's spending estimates released earlier this week,\n  said the government is doing what it can in the region, citing\n  more than 3.5 billion dlrs in aid for western agriculture.\n      \"Those resources are a reflection of very real concerns on\n  our part in dealing with a very difficult problem,\" Wilson said\n  in response to questions about management of the economy from\n  opposition party members.\n      He said the long term answer for depressed regions of the\n  country was reaching a free trade pact with the United States,\n  which he claimed would improve the outlook for Western Canada.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN SOFTWARE <AMSWA> SETS STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  American Software Inc said its board\n  declared a three-for-two stock split on Class A and Class B\n  common shares, payable March 31, record March 16.\n      The company said it expects to increase its semiannual\n  dividend 12.5 pct to six cts per share post-split from eight\n  cts pre-split.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMDATA <CDN> IN MERGER AGREEMENT\n","article":"  Comdata Network Inc said\n  it has entered into a letter of intent with a limited\n  partnership managed by Welsh, Carson, Anderson and Stowe (WCAS)\n  to merge Comdata into a corproration to be formed by WCAS.\n      Comdata said in the merger each share of the company's\n  stock would be converted at the holders election into either 15\n  dlrs in cash or a combination of 10 dlrs in cash and a unit of\n  securities including common stock.\n      Comdata said the terms are subject to the condition that\n  WCAS' affiliate investors would own a minimum of 60 pct of the\n  fully diluted stock of the new entity.\n      Comdata said WCAS and its affiliate investors would commit\n  50 mln dlrs to buy the securities comprising the new entities\n  units of securities resulting from the merger in the same\n  proportions and at the same price as the company shareholders.\n      Comdata said the move is subject to execution of definitive\n  agreement and approval by Comdata shareholders as well as\n  obtaining up to 200 mln dlrs in debt financing.\n      WCAS told Comdata it believes that it can get commitments\n  for this financing.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOYBEAN GROUP HEAD URGES USDA ACTION ON LOAN\n","article":"  The Agriculture Department must make\n  a decision soon on how to change the current U.S. soybean loan\n  or more soybeans will continue to be forfeited to the\n  government and foreign soybean production will increase, the\n  president of the American Soybean Association, ASA, said.\n      \"The USDA will have to bite the bullet one way or another\n  ... USDA can dodge and dart around it (the soybean loan) as\n  much as they want, but they have to eventually address this\n  problem,\" David Haggard, ASA president, told Reuters.\n      USDA is not offering any new soybean loan options, and\n  Agriculture Secretary Richard Lyng has not consulted ASA on the\n  soybean loan, Haggard said.\n      \"I don't know if USDA is really very serious about\n  addressing the soybean loan problem,\" he said.\n      At ASA's annual winter board of directors meeting here, ASA\n  leaders refused to change their official position on the  loan\n  -- still calling for income support at 5.02 dlrs.\n      The association backs current bills of Rep. Bill Emerson,\n  R-Mo. and Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., which call for either a\n  5.02 marketing loan or a producer option payment.\n      Haggard said he does not know what chances the ASA-backed\n  proposals have but said, \"in all honesty, we do not want to see\n  the farm bill be torn apart.\"\n      He said if USDA feels it cannot withdraw its opposition to\n  a market loan, there are still numerous ways the USDA could\n  change the loan without new legislation.\n      Making the loan partially in certificates which would not\n  have to be paid back would be one option, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<WAJAX LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 78 cts vs 1.16 dlrs\n      Net 6.7 mln vs 9.5 mln\n      Revs 278 mln vs 290 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRANCE FACES PRESSUE TO CHANGE POLICIES\n","article":"  France's right wing government is facing\n  growing pressure to modify its economic policies after revising\n  down its 1987 growth targets and revising up its inflation\n  forecasts for this year.\n      Moving reluctantly into line with most private sector\n  forecasts the government yesterday raised its 1987 inflation\n  estimate a half percentage point to 2.5 per cent and cut its\n  economic growth estimate to between two and 2.8 per cent from a\n  2.8 per cent target written into the annual budget last\n  september.\n      Finance Minister Edouard Balladur said the revised figures\n  would not push the government off its chosen mix of price\n  deregulation, budget-cutting rigour and pay restraint.\n      But Trade Union leaders served immediate notice they would\n  push to protect the purchasing power of their members, raising\n  the spectre of a vicious spiral of wage and price rises.\n      And bank economists contacted by Reuters said they believed\n  Prime Minister Jacques Chirac could be forced by slow growth\n  and rising unemployment to reflate the economy later this year,\n  perhaps in the autumn, to boost his prospects in Presidential\n  elections due by April 1988.\n      \"The outlook is more worrying than it was a few weeks ago,\"\n  said Societe Generale economist Alain Marais. \"We have the\n  impression it may be difficult to get even two per cent growth\n  this year.\"\n      \"The big question is whether the government's policy of wage\n  moderation will be maintained,\" he added.\n      The government has set public sector wage rises at aboout\n  1.7 per cent this year, with a three per cent ceiling for rises\n  justified by increased productivity.\n      But the head of the socialist CFDT union federation, Edmond\n  Maire, meeting with Chirac today, renewed union demands already\n  rejected by the government for indexation clauses to be built\n  into future pay contracts to safeguard workers against higher\n  prices.\n      Calling the government's policies \"unbalanced and unjust,\" he\n  also demanded investment incentives to boost employment. He\n  announced after his meeting that Chirac had told him the\n  government would spend two billion francs on a series of\n  measures to boost employment and training\n      Andre Bergeron, a widely respected leader of the moderate\n  Force Ouvriere labour group, put similar demands to Chirac\n  earlier in the week while the Communist-led CGT, the largest of\n  France's unions, declared the defence of its members earnings\n  its top priority.\n      But with unemployment nearing 11 per cent last month, and\n  still rising, government supporters and some economic analysts\n  said they were confident Chirac could resist union pay demands.\n      \"Salary indexation was ended by the previous Socialist\n  government and I dont think this administration is going to\n  reverse that,\" commented Michel Develle, economist at\n  recently-privatised Banque Paribas.\n      Damaging transport and electricity strikes over Christmas\n  and the New Year, partly blamed by the government for higher\n  inflation, had undermined the unions power and popularity, he\n  said.\n      Develle said Paribas expected inflation to rise even more\n  than the governments revised forecast, perhaps to 2.6 or 2.7\n  per cent this year against last years 2.1 per cent.\n      \"But that would still be an exceptional achievement\n  considering that for the first time since the Second World War\n  all french prices have been freed,\" he commented.\n      Finance Ministry officials said that the governments\n  abolition of price and rent controls last year was responsible\n  for nearly a quarter of a 0.9 per cent surge in January living\n  costs.\n      But they claimed it was a once-off phenomenon that should\n  have no knock-on impact on the rest of the year.\n      Both Marais and Develle said they agreed with that, so long\n  as the government kept wages under control.\n      Prices could rise 1.5 per cent in the first three months of\n  1987 and two per cent in the first half year, fractionally more\n  than forecast this week by the National Statistics Institute,\n  INSEE,  Marais said. But the second half year should be better,\n  he added.\n      Ironically, one side effect of higher inflation could be to\n  help the government achieve its aim of cutting the state budget\n  deficit, several analysts said.\n      So long as public sector wages are held down, higher Value\n  Added Tax receipts resulting from rising prices should offset a\n  loss in revenues that otherwise would result from slower than\n  expected growth, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN SOFTWARE INC <AMSWA> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 42 cts vs 19 cts\n      Net 2,903,000 vs 1,307,000\n      Revs 13.1 mln vs 8,937,000\n      Avg shrs 6,877,360 vs 6,874,970\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 98 cts vs 62 cts\n      Net 6,740,000 vs 4,085,000\n      Revs 33.9 mln vs 27.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 6,875,706 vs 6,605,879\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NO SOVIET WHEAT BONUS TALK PLANNED FOR MEETING\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture Secretary Richard\n  Lyng does not intend to discuss a wheat export enhancement\n  initiative to the Soviet Union at a cabinet-level Economic\n  Policy Council meeting set for tomorrow, an aide to Lyng said.\n      \"He (Lyng) does not intend to bring it up,\" the aide said,\n  adding that the subsidy offer remains \"dormant.\"\n      Lyng plans to spend \"about five minutes\" reviewing the status\n  of farm legislation on Capitol Hill before the Economic Policy\n  Council, which is responsible for guiding the administration's\n  economic policy, the aide said.\n      The USDA secretary met this morning with members of the\n  House Foreign Affairs Committee, but the handful of lawmakers\n  present did not ask whether the administration intended to\n  offer Moscow a wheat export bonus, the aide said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANKAMERICA <BAC> TO SELL GERMAN BANKING UNIT\n","article":"  BankAmerica Corp said it agreed to\n  sell <Bankhaus Centrale Credit AG>, its German consumer banking\n  subsidiary, and German credit card operations to <Banco de\n  Santander> of Spain.\n      Terms were not disclosed. The deal is expected to close in\n  the second quarter, the bank holding company said.\n      Bankhaus Centrale Credit, with 31 branches, had total\n  assets of 927 mln marks at year-end 1986. The credit card\n  operation services 115,000 Visa card holders and 35,000\n  merchants in Germany, it said.\n      Reached later, a BankAmerica spokesman said the company\n  would record a pretax gain of 45 mln dlrs from the\n  transactions.\n      The spokesman declined, however, to disclose the price paid\n  for the operations by Banco de Santander or other terms of the\n  deal.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" French official reserves 375.95 billion francs end Jan (421.00 billion end Dec) - official\n","article":"\n   French official reserves 375.95 billion francs end Jan (421.00 billion end Dec) - official\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COPLEY PROPERTIES INC <COP> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 30 cts vs 36 cts\n      Net 1,211,000 vs 1,428,000\n      Revs 1,536,000 vs 1,743,000\n      Year\n      Shr 1.36 dlrs vs 62 cts\n      Net 5,438,000 vs 2,498,000\n      Revs 6,567,000 vs 2,971,000\n      NOTE: Company began operations after its July 29, 1985\n  public offering, therefore annual data are not directly\n  comparable.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GTI CORP <GTI> 4TH QTR OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit six cts vs loss two cts\n      Oper net profit 225,000 vs loss 91,000\n      Revs 4,814,000 vs 3,339,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 12 cts vs loss two cts\n      Oper net profit 415,000 vs loss 73,000\n      Revs 16.4 mln vs 16.9 mln\n      Note: data does not include from discontinued operations,\n  4th qtr 1986 gain of 632,000 dlrs, or 19 cts per shr; 4th qtr\n  1985 loss of 250,000 dlrs, or seven cts per shr; 1986 year loss\n  of 4,054,000 dlrs, or 1.17 dlrs per shr; and 1985 year loss of\n  606,000 dlrs, or 17 cts per shr.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNITIL CORP <UTL> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 79 cts vs 72 cts\n      Net 581,915 vs 536,040\n      Revs 13.9 mln vs 13.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 3.28 dlrs vs 3.21 dlrs\n      Net 2,413,407 vs 2,360,048\n      Revs 54.9 mln vs 54.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"RYDER <RDR> BUYS BRITISH CALEDONIAN UNIT\n","article":"  Ryder System Inc said it has acquired\n  Caledonian Airmotive Ltd from <British Caledonian Group PLC>\n  for undisclosed terms.\n      Caledonian Airmotive repairs and rebuilds aircraft engines.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TRELLEBORG TAKE LARGER SLICE OF BOLIDEN\n","article":"  Swedish tyres, process equipment and\n  components firm <Trelleborg AB> said it was taking a larger\n  stake in mining and metals concern Boliden AB <BLDS.ST> than it\n  had originally intended.\n      Trelleborg had previously announced it was exercising an\n  option to acquire up to 65 pct of Boliden's voting rights.\n      In a statement, the company said they had received offers\n  of up to 68 pct of the rights, and that they would accept all.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"POLAROID <PRD> UP ON REAFFIRMED OPINION\n","article":"  Shares of Polaroid Corp rose following\n  a reiterated recommendation by Merrill Lynch and Co that\n  focused on strong earnings momentum for the company, traders\n  said.\n      \"We have been recommending the stock since it was in the\n  50s, but we reiterated today because of expectations of strong\n  earnings momentum, its benefits from the lower dollar and\n  anticipation of nice gains in margins,\" Merrill Lynch\n  analyst Charles Ryan said. He said a negative opinion by\n  another brokerage house hurt the stock Wednesday, and it can be\n  bought at a relatively bargain price today.\n      Ryan said \"you always have to look at Polaroid at its\n  weakness. Its a volatile stock that has to be caught on\n  weakness.\" Polaroid's stock, which gained more than a point\n  early this morning, was trading at 76-1\/8, up 5\/8. It was down\n  over three points Wednesday morning before closing down 7\/8.\n      \"Polaroid is working overtime on production of cameras and\n  film, so we expect first quarter earnings to be up about 40\n  pct,\" Ryan said, estimating earnings of 70 cts a share in the\n  first quarter compared to 52 cts a share earned a year earlier.\n  He expects the company to earn four dlrs a share in 1987 as\n  compared to 3.34 dlrs a share last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SWEDISH MATCH AB <SMBS.ST> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Profit after net financial items\n      500 mln crowns vs 359 mln\n      Sales 10.90 billion crowns vs 10.72 billion\n      Proposed dividend 12.50 crowns vs 10.50 crowns\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"HOUSTON OIL <HO> RESERVES STUDY COMPLETED\n","article":"  Houston Oil Trust said that independent\n  petroleum engineers completed an annual study that estimates\n  the trust's future net revenues from total proved reserves at\n  88 mln dlrs and its discounted present value of the reserves at\n  64 mln dlrs.\n      Based on the estimate, the trust said there may be no money\n  available for cash distributions to unitholders for the\n  remainder of the year.\n      It said the estimates reflect a decrease of about 44 pct in\n  net reserve revenues and 39 pct in discounted present value\n  compared with the study made in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRENCH OFFICIAL RESERVES FALL SHARPLY IN JANUARY\n","article":"  French official reserves fell 45.06\n  billion francs to 375.95 billion at the end of January from\n  421.00 billion at the end of December, the Finance Ministry\n  said in a statement.\n      It said the fall was largely due to sales of foreign\n  currency that preceded the January 11 realignment of the\n  European Monetary System (EMS).\n      Foreign currency reserves fell by 8.91 billion francs\n  during the month, the ministry said.\n      This reflected outflows of 10.26 billion francs through\n  operations of the French exchange stabilisation fund,\n  counterbalanced by a gain of 1.35 billion francs resulting from\n  the quarterly adjustment in the value of dollar deposits held\n  with the European Monetary Cooperation Fund (FECOM).\n      But most of the decline reflected a 33.90 billion franc\n  deficit that France built up during the month with FECOM as a\n  result of using very short-term financing instruments.\n      The Bank of France, in conjunction with the Bundesbank and\n  other central banks, intervened heavily in foreign exchange\n  markets between late December and the January 11 EMS accord, in\n  an attempt to hold down the mark, which was attracting a flight\n  of funds from the dollar, and simultaneously shore up the\n  franc.\n      On January 11, the mark was revalued by three pct against\n  the French franc, relieving pressure on the French currency.\n      The fall in foreign exchange reserves took these reserves\n  to 98.83 billion francs at the end of January from 107.74\n  billion at end December.\n      Gold reserves were unchanged at 218.45 billion francs.\n      Reserves of European Currency Units fell to 73.25 billion\n  francs from 75.27 billion at end December.\n      Claims on the International Monetary Fund fell 219 mln\n  francs to 19.31 billion francs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SL INDUSTRIES INC <SL> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 22 cts vs 20 cts\n      Oper net 1,153,000 vs 1,068,000\n      Revs 15.7 mln vs 15.8 mln\n      Six mths\n      Oper shr 38 cts vs 38 cts\n      Oper net 2,039,000 vs 2,051,000\n      Revs 31.4 mln vs 31.6 mln\n      NOTE: exlcudes 145,000 discontinued operations for 1986\n  oper net for six mths for sale of electronics division.\n      Oper shr for qtr and six mths 1986 adjusted for stock split\n  and dividend distribution in November.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"GENERAL REFRACTORIES <GRX> TO SELL OPERATIONS\n","article":"  General Refractories Co said it\n  agreed to sell its European refractories and building products\n  operations for about 62 mln dlrs to an Austrian investor group.\n      The European operations had sales of 186 mln dlrs in 1985,\n  the last year for which results have been released, the company\n  said.\n      The sale, to a group headed by Girozentrale Bank of\n  Austria, is subject to shareholder approval by April 24, 1987,\n  it said. Its board has approved the deal, it said.\n      General Refractories' mineral operations are not affected.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL HAS NO SET COFFEE EXPORT TARGETS - IBC\n","article":"  Brazil has no set target for\n  its coffee exports following this week's breakdown of\n  International Coffee Organization talks on export quotas,\n  President of the Brazilian Coffee Institute, IBC, Jorio Dauster\n  said.\n      He told a press conference Brazil now had to reconsider its\n  export plans and that the 15.5 mln bag export figure which it\n  had proposed for itself earlier should no longer be taken as\n  the country's export target to ICO-member countries.\n      The 15.5 mln bag offer had been made on the assumption an\n  agreement would bring stability to world markets, he added.\n      It had been a gesture to ease negotiations, but the lack of\n  an agreement leaves it no longer valid and exports could be\n  above or below 15.5 mln bags, he said.\n      Dauster said he would talk to producers, exporters and\n  market analysts before taking any decision on export policy,\n  but any future policy would be flexible and adjusted to market\n  conditions.\n      \"We will not take any short-term decisions which might cause\n  markets to panic,\" Dauster added.\n      He said it would be a policy which shows Brazil has coffee\n  to sell and that it could do so without an ICO agreement.\n      \"Brazil has coffee (to sell) and wants to show that it does\n  not need an ICO agreement as a crutch,\" Dauster said.\n      Commenting on the breakdown of the talks, Dauster said\n  consumer proposals would have implied a reduction of one to two\n  mln bags in Brazil's export quotas.\n      \"It was a proposal which would lead to a substantial loss\n  for Brazil and which would be difficult for the country to\n  recover,\" he said.\n      The consumer proposal to base quotas on a six-year moving\n  average of exportable production surpluses would lead to\n  overproduction as countries boosted output to win higher\n  quotas, he said.\n      Dauster rejected reports which said Brazil's inflexibility\n  had been the cause for the breakdown of talks, noting that its\n  stance had the backing of 85 pct of producing countries.\n      Close links would continue with these producers,\n  particularly Colombia, Mexico and Francophone African\n  countries, but Dauster said no joint marketing action was\n  envisaged at present.\n      He also said Brazil currently had no plans to return to a\n  system of roaster buying contracts, although \"no hypothesis has\n  been abandoned.\"\n      Dauster said he had not yet decided when registrations for\n  May shipment coffee will be opened.\n      He declined comment on whether the IBC will adopt a policy\n  of opening registrations for up to six months in advance, as\n  some exporters had suggested.\n      He noted export registrations for the first four months of\n  the year totalled around 5.5 mln bags, more than half the 9.9\n  mln exported in 1986 when drought reduced the crop to between\n  11.2 mln and 12 mln bags.\n      He said that, although he had heard forecasts of 30 mln\n  bags for the coming crop, the IBC would not make any estimate\n  until late April.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PEPSICO <PEP> UPGRADED BY KIDDER PEABODY\n","article":"  Kidder Peabody and Co analyst Roy Burry\n  issued a strong buy recommendation on Pepsico Inc, citing an\n  improved profit outlook for both domestic soft drinks and\n  Frito-Lay snack foods.\n      Pepsico climbed 7\/8 to 34-3\/4 on 615,000 shares by\n  midmorning.\n      Burry forecast earnings of 2.00 dlrs per share in 1987 and\n  2.30 dlrs in 1988. In 1986 the company earned 1.75 dlrs per\n  share. Burry previously had a sell recommendation on Pepsico.\n  \"We're looking at 10 to 15 pct earnings growth for Frito-lay in\n  1987, a trend that should continue through the decade.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SHAD SEES PROGRESS ON INSIDER TRADING\n","article":"  Securities and Exchange Commission\n  chairman John Shad said progress was being made in stopping\n  insider trading, but the chairman of a House subcommittee with\n  jurisdiction over securities laws said he was concerned about\n  conditions on Wall Street.\n      \"Greed has created a feeding frenzy on Wall Street and in\n  the process laws are broken and multi-billion dlr corporations\n  have become easy prey,\" Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass, the\n  chairman of the Telecommunications and Finance said at the\n  start of a hearing on SEC activities.\n      \"Congress is understandably nervous. We perceive the\n  current scandals as a warning of even worse things to come,\"\n  Markey said. \"The frenzy and disruption created by merger mania\n  is particularly distressing.\"\n      Shad said the recent cases involving Ivan Boesky, Dennis\n  Levine and others was a warning that those who engage in\n  insider trading were taking a heavy risk of imprisonment, high\n  fines and disbarment from the securities industry.\n      \"Insider trading has not been eradicated, but it has been\n  inhibited and multimillions of dollars of profits that Boesky\n  and others have been siphoning off the markets are now flowing\n  through to legitimate investors and traders,\" Shad said in his\n  statement.\n      Shad said insider trading cases involved only 10 pct or\n  less of SEC enforcement actions in recent years but they have\n  increased significantly to 125 cases brought during the past\n  five years compared to 77 cases in the preceeding 47 years.\n      Markey said he did not favor banning takeovers but thought\n  the tender offer process needed reform including earlier\n  disclosure of takeover attempts.\n      N.J. Rep. Mathew Rinaldo, the senior subcommittee\n  Republican, said he was introducing legislation to create a\n  five member commission to study the securities industry for a\n  year and report its findings and recommendations to Congress.\n  Commission members would be appointed by the SEC.\n      \"Its primary mission would be to analyze the extent of\n  illegal trading on insider trading and to assess the adequacy\n  of existing surveillance systems and government oversight\n  operations. The commission would advise Congress as to what\n  additional resources or civil or criminal remedies are needed\n  to combat fraud and improve compliance with federal laws,\"\n  Rinaldo said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FAMOUS RESTAURANTS INC <FAMS> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 2.07 dlrs vs loss eight cts\n      Net loss 11,445,000 vs loss 501,000\n      Revs 14.5 mln vs 11.0 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.91 dlrs vs profit four cts\n      Net loss 12,427,000 vs profit 211,000\n      Revs 60.8 mln vs 51.5 mln\n      Note: includes non-recurring charges of 12,131,000 dlrs in\n  the 4th qtr and 12,500,000 dlrs in the year for reserve for\n  underperforming restaurants.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"OPEC SAYS FEBRUARY OUTPUT UNDER CEILING\n","article":"  OPEC output in February was \"well below\"\n  the 15.8 mln bpd ceiling it set in December and all countries\n  are strictly adhering to their quotas, the OPEC news agency\n  Opecna quoted an OPEC secretariat official as saying.\n      The official was quoted as saying that lower output was the\n  result \"of member countries' firm determination to defend the\n  organisation's official price of 18 dlrs per barrel, and to\n  refrain from selling any quantity below that price.\"\n      The unnamed official was further quoted as saying that no\n  OPEC meeting was foreseen before the next biannual OPEC session\n  planned to start on June 25.\n      The official gave no figure for February output. The\n  statement said only that \"the reduction in total supplies,\n  namely actual exports of crude oil and products, plus local\n  deliveries in member countries, is even more pronounced as\n  those supplies fell very noticeably during that month.\"\n      \"No matter what the pressure on member countries by lifters\n  to align the official selling price to the ongoing market\n  price, member countries are, without exception, strictly\n  adhering to the official selling price in spite of the\n  financial hardship this may entail,\" the statement said.\n      \"The very recent improvement in the price structure is an\n  indicator of such determination by the organization to stick to\n  the official selling price,\" the statement said.\n      Free spot market prices rose from around 14.50 dlrs a\n  barrel in early December last year to near OPEC's official\n  levels towards the end of the year, after the OPEC pact.\n      There has been oil industry speculation that OPEC might\n  have to hold an extraordinrary meeting prior to its scheduled\n  June session to discuss reports of overproduction by some\n  states and strains on the differential matrix, which prices\n  each OPEC crude according to its quality and distance from main\n  markets.\n      The official said in the statement that no such emergency\n  session was scheduled \"because of member countries' firm\n  determination to defend the price (system)\" agreed in December.\n      Opec\"s differential committee was to have met in Vienna\n  starting April 2 but this session has been postponed, with no\n  new date set, according to an official of the United Arab\n  Emirates, which chairs the seven-state body.\n      Other members are Algeria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Libya,\n  Nigeria and Qatar.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE 1ST QTR SHARE BASIC 61 CTS VS 64 CTS\n","article":"\n  CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE 1ST QTR SHARE BASIC 61 CTS VS 64 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PERKIN-ELMER <PKN> ACQUIRES HIGH TECH FIRM\n","article":"  Perkin-Elmer Corp said it\n  acquired <Atomika Technische Physik>, based in Munich, West\n  Germany, a high technology concern specializing in surface\n  science instruments.\n      Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.\n      It said Atomika will became a part of its Physical\n  Electronics Division, based in Eden Prairie, Minn., The\n  division is part of its Materials Surface Technology Group.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. OKAYS USAIR <U> PACIFIC SOUTHWEST PURCHASE\n","article":"  The U.S. Department of Transportation\n  said it gave final approval to USAir Group's proposed 400 mln\n  dlr acquisition of Pacific Southwest Airlines.\n      The department said the acquisition is not likely to\n  substantially lessen competition and would not harm the public\n  interest.\n      The department had given its tentative approval of the\n  acquisition in January.\n      The department said it decided to make final its tentative\n  decision after reviewing the public response to it.\n      The agency said it rejected an assertion by Air North\n  America, which currently is not operating but plans to start\n  service to some of the cities served by USAIR and PSA, that the\n  acquisition would lessen chances of new entry into those\n  markets by other carriers.\n      The agency said Air North America provided no support for\n  its claim that the transaction would give the two carriers\n  monopoly power in some markets.\n      The transportation agency said Air North America also\n  failed to show that there are barriers that would prevent new\n  entrants into those markets or prevent other carriers from\n  increasing their service.\n      The agency noted in its final order that PSA operates\n  exclusively in the West and Mexico while USAir serves the West\n  for the most part with some long-haul flights from the East and\n  Midwest.\n      The two carriers serve five point in common; Los Angeles,\n  San Diego, San Francico, Phoenix and Tucsonm, the agency said.\n       The transportation department also rejected a request by\n  the Teamsters Union, which represents some PSA workers, to\n  require protections for PSA workers.\n      The agency noted that USAir has promised to give protective\n  benefits to PSA workers and that unions representing PSA\n  workers have collective bargaining agreements that provide such\n  protections.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN CONSUMER PRICES FALL 0.4 PCT IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Japan's unadjusted consumer price index\n  (base 1985) fell 0.4 pct to 99.7 in January from the previous\n  month, the government's Management and Coodination Agency said.\n      The fall compares with a decline of 0.2 pct in December.\n      The January index compared with a year earlier was down 1.1\n  pct, the first drop larger than 1.0 pct since it fell 1.3 pct\n  in September 1958.\n      Food costs rose in January from December but prices fell\n  for clothing, footwear and utilities, causing the overall\n  decline for the month.\n      Housing, medical and educations costs increased in January\n  compared with a year earlier but the cost of utilities,\n  gasoline and vegetables fell.\n      The unadjusted consumer price index for the Tokyo area\n  (base 1985) was down 0.1 pct in mid-February from a month\n  earlier at 100.2, reflecting lower prices for food, clothing\n  and footwear. Compared with a year earlier, the index was down\n  0.7 pct due to lower vegetable, fuel oil and utility costs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MCI <MCIC> PRESIDENT SEES PROFIT IMPROVEMENT\n","article":"  MCI Communications Corp President\n  Bert Roberts said he expects MCI's financial performance to\n  improve in the current quarter compared to the previous\n  quarter.\n      He said American Telephone and Telegraph Co long-distance\n  rate cuts had cut into MCI's fourth quarter performance but\n  added: \"There's going to be a continuing impact (on profits) but\n  we expect this quarter to be better than the fourth quarter.\"\n      The current quarter ends March 31.\n      For the fourth quarter, MCI reported a 448 mln dlr loss,\n  due mainly to write-offs and staff reductions.\n      Roberts said the ATT long-distance rate reductions, which\n  had been ordered by the Federal Communications Commission have\n  had \"A significantly negative impact on our profits.\"\n      As reported earlier today, MCI said it plans to ask the FCC\n  to immediately deregulate ATT, apparently in hopes that an\n  unregulated ATT would pocket a greater proportion of its\n  revenues rather than cut rates further.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL GYPSUM CO 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Net 5,521,000 vs NA\n      Revs 358.1 mln vs 359.0 mln\n      Year\n      Net 55.3 mln vs NA\n      Revs 1.43 billion vs 1.34 billion\n      NOTE: Current year includes earnings of 49.6 mln dlrs for\n  the four months ended April 30, 1986. Year-ago earnings not\n  comparable because of acquisition by Aancor Holdings Inc on\n  April 29, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ZAYRE CORP 4TH QTR SHR 73 CTS VS 60 CTS\n","article":"\n  ZAYRE CORP 4TH QTR SHR 73 CTS VS 60 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<DET OESTASIATISKE KOMPAGNI A\/S> (EAST ASIATIC CO)\n","article":"  Results for year 1986 -\n      Group pre-tax profit 385 mln crowns vs 380 mln\n      Net turnover 14.17 billion crowns vs 16.69 billion\n      Dividend eight pct vs nil\n      Group profit after tax 16 mln crowns vs 244 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AVERY <AVY> SETS TWO FOR ONE STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Avery said its board authorizerd\n  a two for one stock split, an increased in the quarterly\n  dividend and plans to offer four mln shares of common stock.\n      The company said the stock split is effective March 16 with\n  a distribution of one additional share to each shareholder of\n  record March 9.\n      It said the quarterly cash dividend of 10.5 cts per share\n  on the split shares, a 10.5 pct increase from the 19 cts per\n  share before the split.\n      Avery said it will register with the Securities and\n  Exchange Commission shrortly to offer four mln additional\n  common shares. It will use the proceeds to repay debt, finance\n  recent acquisitions and for other corporate purposes.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<SIGNTECH INC> NINE MTHS JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 55 cts vs 24 cts\n      Net 1.9 mln vs 800,000\n      Revs 17.6 mln vs 12.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE> 1ST QTR\n","article":"  Period ended January 31\n      Shr 61 cts vs 64 cts\n      Shr diluted 60 cts vs 60 cts\n      Net 96.5 mln vs 87.0 mln\n      Loans 44.87 billion vs 48.07 billion\n      Deposits 69.86 billion vs 68.45 billion\n      Assets 83.92 billion vs 78.93 billion\n      Note: shr after preferred dividends\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<TRIUMPH CAPITAL INC> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Triumph Capital Inc said it has signed a\n  letter of intent to acquire First Securities Transfer Systems\n  Inc of Pompano Beach, Fla., for undisclosed terms.\n      The company said it is also entering the commercial finance\n  business through the formation of Triumph Financial corp.\n      It said the new wholly-owned unit has extended a 350,000\n  dlr secured line of credit to Micro Designs Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CONCHEMCO INC <CKC> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Pay April Six\n      Record March 16\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DST SYSTEMS INC <DSTS> REGULAR PAYOUT SET\n","article":"  Qtly div five cts vs five cts prior\n      Pay April 17\n      Record March 16\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED NOT EXPECTED TO TAKE MONEY MARKET ACTION\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve is not expected to\n  intervene in the U.S. government securities market to add or\n  drain reserves, economists said.\n      Most economists said they did not expect the Fed to add\n  reserves with Federal funds trading below six pct.\n      They said the funds rate's softer tone may indicate that\n  the need to add reserves in the current bank reserve\n  maintenance period is smaller than previously estimated.\n      Fed funds opened at 5-15\/16 pct and remained at that level.\n  Yesterday funds averaged 6.01 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BROWN GROUP INC 4TH QTR SHR 77 CTS VS 76 CTS\n","article":"\n  BROWN GROUP INC 4TH QTR SHR 77 CTS VS 76 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REGAL INTERNATIONAL <RGL> UPS BELL <BPSIQ> BID\n","article":"  Bell Petroleum Services Inc said\n  Regal International Inc has doubled its offer for Bell stock to\n  one Regal share for each Bell share from half a share\n  previously.\n      The company said it is seriously considering the new offer\n  but has also received an expression of interest for a possible\n  merger into a Fortune 500 company it did not identify that will\n  be investigated at meetings to be held later this week.\n      It said it will explore all possibilities before\n  recommending a final course of action.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"26-FEB-1987\n","article":"  26-FEB-1987\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EQK GREEN ACRES LP <EGA> RAISES QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 26-1\/4 cts vs 25 cts prior\n      Pay Aug 14\n      Record June 30\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MERCANTILE STORES CO INC 4TH QTR SHR 3.26 DLRS VS 3.17 DLRS\n","article":"\n  MERCANTILE STORES CO INC 4TH QTR SHR 3.26 DLRS VS 3.17 DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WINLAND ELECTRONICS INC 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss one ct vs profit 15 cts\n      Net loss 10,863 vs profit 176,344\n      Revs 672,073 vs 766,066\n      Year\n      Shr loss seven cts vs loss one ct\n      Net loss 77,804 vs loss 16,627\n      Revs 1,717,810 vs 1,317,402\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ANTIBIOTICS IN FEED AID DEADLY BACTERIA: STUDY\n","article":"  A study of salmonella poisoning has\n  uncovered new evidence that the common practice of feeding\n  antibiotics to cattle is helping to create deadly bacteria that\n  can infect humans and resist medicines.\n      Researchers at the federal Centers for Disease Control\n  tracked the spread of an unusual strain of salmonella that is\n  resistant to the drug chloramphenicol and were able to link the\n  resulting food poisoning to farms that used the drug to promote\n  the growth of cattle.\n      Cattlemen often give their animals a constant supply of\n  antibiotics in feed to help them grow faster. But critics have\n  been warning for years that the constant exposure to the drugs\n  is helping bacteria learn to resist the drugs.\n      Industry officials have disputed this, saying the diseases\n  that develop a resistance in cattle probably do not affect\n  humans.\n      But the new study, reported in Thursday's New England\n  Journal of Medicine, shows the diseases can spread to humans.\n      The research team, led by Dr. John Spika, said the number\n  of people who have developed the chloramphenicol-resistant\n  infection in Los Angeles County alone jumped from 69 in 1984 to\n  298 the following year. Two of those victims died and half the\n  victims in their study of 45 patients had to be hospitalized\n  for their illness.\n      They also discovered that cooking the meat didn't always\n  prevent the disease. Only 15 pct of the victims reported eating\n  raw, infected hamburger. Thus, the researchers concluded, \"the\n  majority of cases appear to have been caused by eating\n  hamburger that was at least partially cooked.\"\n      The researchers said the results show that \"food animals are\n  a major source of antimicrobial-resistant salmonella infections\n  in humans, and that these infections are associated with\n  (antibiotic) use on farms.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC REJECTS ALL FREE MARKET WHEAT EXPORT  OFFERS AT WEEKLY TENDER - TRADERS\n","article":"\n  EC REJECTS ALL FREE MARKET WHEAT EXPORT  OFFERS AT WEEKLY TENDER - TRADERS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC AWARDS 123,000 TONNES BARLEY EXPORT  LICENCES AT 138.75 ECUS PER TONNE - TRADERS\n","article":"\n  EC AWARDS 123,000 TONNES BARLEY EXPORT  LICENCES AT 138.75 ECUS PER TONNE - TRADERS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRENCH CEREAL EXPORTS THROUGH ROUEN FALL\n","article":"  French cereal exports through the port of\n  Rouen fell 6.4 pct to 725,023 tonnes during the period February\n  1 to 25, from 774,704 for the period February 1 to 26 last\n  year, trade sources said.\n      Main destinations were Saudi Arabia with 158,109 tonnes of\n  barley, the Soviet Union 147,214 of wheat, Italy 104,704 of\n  wheat, Spain 91,381 of wheat and maize, China 52,500 of wheat\n  and Algeria 41,000 of wheat.\n      Between February 26 and today, five ships have loaded\n  137,000 tonnes of cereals, the sources added.\n      The 137,000 tonnes comprised 59,500 tonnes of wheat for\n  China, 53,000 of wheat for the Soviet Union and 24,500 of wheat\n  for Algeria.\n      By this Friday, sources estimated a further 233,600 tonnes\n  of cereals will have been loaded, comprising 47,000 tonnes of\n  barley, 78,600 of wheat and 25,000 of rapeseed for the Soviet\n  Union, 30,000 of wheat for Sri Lanka, 28,000 of wheat for China\n  and 25,000 of wheat for Poland.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL CONVENIENCE <NCS> TO HAVE 3RD QTR LOSS\n","article":"  National Convenience Stores Inc said it\n  expects to report a loss for the third quarter ending March 31\n  due to continued poor sales in Texas, especially in Houston.\n      In last year's third quarter, National Convenience earned\n  1,788,000 dlrs or eight cts per share, including a gain of\n  2,883,000 dlrs from the sale of 186 stores to another operator.\n   It said the results also included earnings from gasoline\n  operations of 2,500,000 dlrs or 11 cts per share caused by\n  unusually high gross margins on gasoline sales of 12.7 cts per\n  gallon that were caused by rapidly falling oil prices.\n      National Convenience said its third quarter is usually weak\n  due to winter weather.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MARATHON RAISES CRUDE POSTED PRICES 50 CTS A BBL, EFFECTIVE TODAY, WTI AT 17 DLRS\/BBL.\n","article":"\n  MARATHON RAISES CRUDE POSTED PRICES 50 CTS A BBL, EFFECTIVE TODAY, WTI AT 17 DLRS\/BBL.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"REPORT DUE ON OIL IMPORTS AND NATIONAL SECURITY\n","article":"  A presidential commission that has\n  been studying oil imports, including their effect on national\n  security, is to to make its report soon, the White House said.\n      Spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said the panel, set up last\n  October to examine U.S. oil import needs, would make its report\n  soon, probably within the next few weeks.\n      He said National Security Adviser Frank Carlucci \"will wait\n  until that report is in and then see if there is any special\n  action needed to be taken in the national security area to\n  implement it.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CHRYSLER SETS THREE-FOR-TWO STOCK SPLIT, RAISES DIVIDEND\n","article":"\n  CHRYSLER SETS THREE-FOR-TWO STOCK SPLIT, RAISES DIVIDEND\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. COMMERCE DEPT'S ORTNER SAYS YEN IS 10 OR 15 PCT UNDERVALUED\n","article":"\n  U.S. COMMERCE DEPT'S ORTNER SAYS YEN IS 10 OR 15 PCT UNDERVALUED\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. COMMERCE DEPT'S  ORTNER SAYS DOLLAR FAIRLY PRICED AGAINST EUROPEAN CURRENCIES\n","article":"\n  U.S. COMMERCE DEPT'S  ORTNER SAYS DOLLAR FAIRLY PRICED AGAINST EUROPEAN CURRENCIES\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BROWN GROUP INC <BG> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 77 cts vs 76 cts\n      Net 13,843,000 vs 14,478,000\n      Sales 374.6 mln vs 368.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 18,003,000 vs 19,025,000\n      Year\n      Shr 2.16 dlrs vs 2.65 dlrs\n      Net 39,503,000 vs 51,573,000\n      Revs 1.41 billion vs 1.41 billion\n      Avg shrs 18,269,000 vs 19,497,000\n      NOTE: 1986 period ended February One\n      Company changed fiscal yearend to January 31 from October\n  31. 1986 results were restated to reflect the change.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EC AWARDS EXPORT LICENCES FOR 25,000  TONNES MAIZE - PARIS TRADE.\n","article":"\n  EC AWARDS EXPORT LICENCES FOR 25,000  TONNES MAIZE - PARIS TRADE.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ZAMBIAN LATE 1986 COPPER OUTPUT UP, SALES DOWN\n","article":"  Zambian copper production rose 3.2 pct to\n  113,275 tonnes in fourth quarter 1986 from 109,767 in the same\n  1985 period but sales fell 18.7 pct to 119,967 tonnes from\n  147,537, Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines, ZCCM, said.\n      A spokesman for the government-controlled mining company\n  said the country's cobalt production fell 24 pct to 879 tonnes\n  over the same period, while cobalt sales rose 92 pct to 1,734\n  tonnes. He did not give figures for the fourth quarter of 1985.\n      Lead production fell 22.9 pct to 1,670 tonnes from 2,165\n  and zinc production dropped 14 pct to 4,830 tonnes, he added.\n      ZCCM, which monopolises copper mining in Zambia and\n  accounts for about 90 pct of the country's foreign exchange\n  earnings, made a net loss of 718 mln kwacha in 1986 compared\n  with a net profit of 19 mln kwacha the previous year.\n      The 1986 losses were after taking into account net interest\n  payments of 426 mln kwacha, an exchange loss of 412 mln kwacha\n  and taxes of 235 mln kwacha.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BAD WEATHER CLOSES ALEXANDRIA PORT, OIL TERMINAL\n","article":"  Strong winds and high seas\n  today closed Alexandria, Egypt's biggest port, and an oil\n  pipeline terminal nearby, officials said.\n      Facilities of the Suez-Mediterranean Arab Petroleum\n  Pipelines Company at Sidi Kreir, 32 km southeast of Alexandria,\n  were closed this morning after one tanker loaded and sailed.\n      Officials said that five other tankers were waiting outside\n  the terminal for conditions to improve.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PEGASUS GOLD INC <PGULF> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 20 cts vs loss two cts\n      Net profit 2,665,000 vs loss 202,000\n      Revs 12.1 mln vs 5,993,000\n      Year\n      Shr profit 35 cts vs loss 11 cts\n      Net profit 4,653,000 vs loss 1,167,000\n      Revs 35.1 mln vs 18.0 mln\n      NOTE: Current qtr includes gain of 1.1 mln dlrs from tax\n  benefit.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. COMMERCE'S ORTNER SAYS YEN UNDERVALUED\n","article":"  Commerce Dept. undersecretary of\n  economic affairs Robert Ortner said that he believed the dollar\n  at  current levels was fairly priced against most European\n  currencies.\n      In a wide ranging address sponsored by the Export-Import\n  Bank, Ortner, the bank's senior economist also said he believed\n  that the yen was undervalued and could go up by 10 or 15 pct.\n      \"I do not regard the dollar as undervalued at this point\n  against the yen,\" he said.\n      On the other hand, Ortner said that he thought that \"the yen\n  is still a little bit undervalued,\" and \"could go up another 10\n  or 15 pct.\"\n      In addition, Ortner, who said he was speaking personally,\n  said he thought that the dollar against most European\n  currencies was \"fairly priced.\"\n      Ortner said his analysis of the various exchange rate\n  values was based on such economic particulars as wage rate\n  differentiations.\n      Ortner said there had been little impact on U.S. trade\n  deficit by the decline of the dollar because at the time of the\n  Plaza Accord, the dollar was extremely overvalued and that the\n  first 15 pct decline had little impact.\n      He said there were indications now that the trade deficit\n  was beginning to level off.\n      Turning to Brazil and Mexico, Ortner made it clear that it\n  would be almost impossible for those countries to earn enough\n  foreign exchange to pay the service on their debts.  He said\n  the best way to deal with this was to use the policies outlined\n  in Treasury Secretary James Baker's debt initiative.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC REJECTS WHEAT EXPORT BIDS, GRANTS BARLEY\n","article":"  The European Community's cereal\n  management committee rejected all bids to export free market\n  soft wheat at today's weekly tender, traders said.\n      The committee awarded 123,000 tonnes of free market barley\n  export licences at a maximum export refund of 138.75 Ecus per\n  tonne.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CORNING GLASS WORKS <GLW> UNIT TRANSFERS STOCK\n","article":"  Corning Glass Works' subsidiary\n  Corning International Corp said it agreed to transfer 55 pct of\n  its capital stock of an Argentine glass manufacturer to a\n  European group.\n      It said it will transfer the capital stock of Rigolleau,\n  S.A., to the group controlled by Camillo Gancia, an Argentine\n  industrialist.\n      The company said the transaction would reduce Corning's\n  ownership in Rigolleau to approximately 20 pct. The company\n  said the change will not impact on its net income for th year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ZAYRE CORP <ZY> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 73 cts vs 60 cts\n      Net 43,792,000 vs 36,480,000\n      Rev 1.78 billion vs 1.34 billion\n      Year\n      Shr 1.49 dlrs vs 1.61 dlrs\n      Net 88,974,000 vs 94,647,000\n      Rev 5.35 billion vs 4.04 billion\n      NOTE: 4th qtr net includes pre-tax gain of 9.7 mln dlrs\n  from sale of real estate and real estate development company.\n      Fiscal 1986 net includes extraordinary charge of 3.5 mln\n  dlrs, or six cts a share. All per share data reflects a\n  two-for-one stock split paid June 25, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FARMERS CONCERNED ABOUT BRITISH SUGAR OWNERSHIP\n","article":"  The National Farmers Union, NFU, remains\n  concerned about the future ownership of British Sugar despite\n  last week's decision by the government to block bids from\n  Italy's Gruppo Ferruzzi and Britain's Tate & Lyle Plc.\n      The union's sugar beet committee met yesterday to consider\n  the implications of a government Monopolies and Merger\n  Commission, MMC, report issued last week. \"We are still\n  concerned about S and W Berisford being long-term owners of\n  British Sugar,\" a spokesman said. \"We do not view Berisford as\n  providing the long-term stability we want.\"\n      The Trade and Industry Secretary accepted a recommendation\n  last week by the MMC that it block a bid by Tate and Lyle for S\n  and W Berisford Plc and stop Gruppo Ferruzzi buying a majority\n  of British Sugar, owned by Berisford.\n      Union officials believe a new bid for the monopoly beet\n  processor is now likely. \"We are looking again at the\n  undertakings that we have demanded of existing bidders and\n  which we would seek of any future bidders,\" the spokesman said.\n  The NFU, which represents Britain's 11,500 sugar beet growers,\n  is also taking legal advice on particular paragraphs in the MMC\n  report which it says need further explanation.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ZAYRE <ZY> PLANS MORE STORE OPENINGS IN 1987\n","article":"  Zayre Corp said it plans to\n  open 25 additional Zayre Stores, 35 new T.J. Maxx stores and 50\n  Hit or Miss Shops in 1987.\n      In addition, Zayre said it plans to add six new BJ's\n  Wholesale Clubs and eight new HomeClubs to its warehouse group.\n      Earlier, the company reported 1986 earnings, ended January\n  31, of 89.0 mln dlrs, or 1.49 dlrs per share, versus 94.6 mln\n  dlrs, or 1.61 dlrs per share, in fiscal 1985. It also reported\n  fourth quarter net of 43.8 mln dlrs, or 73 cts a share, versus\n  36.5 mln dlrs, or 60 cts a share in 1985's fourth quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DUTCH GROWTH LIKELY TO SLOW, JOBLESS RISE IN 1987\n","article":"  Leaks of a major Dutch official\n  economic forecast due to be published on Monday indicate\n  reduced economic growth and a renewed rise in unemployment this\n  year, political and market sources say.\n      Concern over an anticipated fall in Dutch competitiveness\n  this year against a background of an average 2-1\/2 pct wage\n  increase, zero inflation and a firm guilder has triggered some\n  calls for a change in monetary policy to help boost growth.\n      But whatever the government's response, the central bank\n  will stick to its policy of keeping the guilder firm, they say.\n      The official forecasting agency Centraal Planbureau (CPB)\n  publishes its 1987 outlook at the start of a week which will\n  also see a key parliamentary debate on government finances and\n  the economy.\n      Merchant bank Pierson, Heldring en Pierson - in an estimate\n  reflecting general sentiment - said last month that Dutch\n  economic growth was now seen around one pct.\n      Domestic consumer spending is not expected to offset the\n  decline in export growth caused by slowing growth in West\n  Germany, the main Dutch trading partner, and the lower dollar,\n  Pierson said in its February economic outlook.\n      The latest growth forecasts are well below a 1.5 to two pct\n  growth figure seen by the CPB early last month and forecasts of\n  2.5 pct economic growth in 1987 made last September.\n      The fall in unemployment is bottoming out and the\n  government has already admitted it will not meet its goal of\n  reducing unemployment by an annual 50,000 from 1986 to 1990.\n      Some analysts and industry leaders have questioned central\n  bank policy of pegging the guilder firmly to the mark and if\n  necessary keeping interest rates up to support the guilder.\n      Employers federation NCW chairman Fred Lempers criticised\n  the guilder's revaluation in line with the West German mark in\n  last January's European Monetary System (EMS) realignment and\n  expressed concern over its effect on competitiveness.\n      But the employers federation VNO noted the Dutch economy\n  had become more competitive since 1980 and the fall of the\n  dollar was affecting this gain more than the EMS realignment.\n      Some analysts also question the central bank's decision not\n  to copy the latest Bundesbank discount rate cut and instead\n  lower money market rates and abolish a credit quota surcharge.\n      Central bank president Wim Duisenberg has defended the move\n  saying the bank had adjusted the rates with the most impact on\n  the money market, noting \"the (4.5 pct) discount rate is at the\n  moment not the most important Dutch rate because it is already\n  far below the market rates.\"\n      Central bank officials say the heavy dependence on trade of\n  the Dutch economy requires a stable exchange rate, and interest\n  rate policies serve that goal.\n      Analysts noted a large capital outflow from the Netherlands\n  recently as foreign investments in Dutch stock are being sold\n  to take profits.\n      Loosening the tie between the guilder and the mark would\n  reduce international confidence in the guilder and make it more\n  dificult to attract foreign capital, they said, noting Dutch\n  interest rates rose sharply when the guilder was not revalued\n  completely in line with the mark in a 1983 EMS realignment.\n      Many Dutch banks have reacted favourably to the decision\n  not to copy the last German discount rate cut, but Pierson\n  warned it could actually add to uncertainty over the guilder.\n      Some analysts noted friction between the Finance Ministry\n  and the central bank, with Finance Minister Onno Ruding having\n  said before the Bundesbank discount rate cut he favoured lower\n  Dutch rates but that the Germans should move first.\n      One analyst said Ruding wanted to bring interest rates down\n  to reduce the government debt burden.\n      A Finance Ministry spokesman said lower interest rates were\n  needed but denied any suggestion of conflicting views between\n  the ministry and the central bank. \"The cabinet's policy is\n  steady, the guilder has to stay with the mark,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHRYSLER <C> SETS STOCK SPLIT, HIGHER DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Chrysler Corp said its board declared a\n  three-for-two stock split in the form of a 50 pct stock\n  dividend and raised the quarterly dividend by seven pct.\n      The company said the dividend was raised to 37.5 cts a\n  share from 35 cts on a pre-split basis, equal to a 25 ct\n  dividend on a post-split basis.\n      Chrysler said the stock dividend is payable April 13 to\n  holders of record March 23 while the cash dividend is payable\n  April 15 to holders of record March 23. It said cash will be\n  paid in lieu of fractional shares.\n      With the split, Chrysler said 13.2 mln shares remain to be\n  purchased in its stock repurchase program that began in late\n  1984. That program now has a target of 56.3 mln shares with the\n  latest stock split.\n      Chrysler said in a statement the actions \"reflect not only\n  our outstanding performance over the past few years but also\n  our optimism about the company's future.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MAGMA LOWERS COPPER 0.75 CENT TO 66 CTS\n","article":"  Magma Copper Co, a subsidiary of Newmont\n  Mining Corp, said it is cutting its copper cathode price by\n  0.75 cent to 66 cents a lb, effective immediately.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"N.Z. CENTRAL BANK SEES SLOWER MONEY, CREDIT GROWTH\n","article":"  Monetary and credit growth rates in\n  New Zealand are not expected to continue at current levels\n  following the Reserve Bank's move to tighten liquidity late\n  last year, Reserve Bank Governor Spencer Russell said.\n      The monetary and credit growth figures for the December\n  quarter were probably artifically inflated by unusually high\n  growth in inter-institutional lending activity on the short\n  term money market, Russell said in a statement.\n      The bank moved to tighten liquidity when the initial signs\n  of the recent expansion became apparent in September and\n  October last year, Russell said.\n      Broadly defined M-3 figures released today showed growth of\n  17.8 pct in the year ended December compared with 13.1 pct in\n  the year ended September.\n      Annual growth of private sector credit in calendar 1986 was\n  30.7 pct compared with 16.5 pct in the September year.\n      \"Available evidence suggests that corporate customers,\n  including non-bank financial institutions, have been exploiting\n  differences between interest rates on overdrafts with trading\n  banks and rates in the call market,\" Russell said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANCO SANTANDER TO BUY WEST GERMANY'S CC-BANK\n","article":"  <Banco Santander> signed a letter of\n  intent with Bank of America <BAC> to purchase its West German\n  affiliate <Bankhaus Centrale Credit AG>, CC-Bank, the bank said\n  in a statement amplifying an earlier report from Frankfurt.\n      \"The incorporation of CC-Bank in our group will provide a\n  major boost...For chanelling investment between Spain and the\n  European Community,\" the statement said.\n      \"This operation enables us to take up a solid position in\n  West Germany ahead of Spain's full integration into the EC's\n  financial system in five years' time.\"\n      The deal included the license for Visa credit cards.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN IMPERIAL SEES LOWER LOAN LOSSES\n","article":"  <Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce>,\n  earlier reporting higher net income for the first quarter ended\n  January 31, said it expects loan losses to be lower than last\n  year's 697.0 mln dlrs.\n      However, the bank said it will maintain the high level of\n  provisioning for loan losses established last year because of\n  many market uncertainties. Commerce bank set loan loss\n  provisions of 636.0 mln dlrs in fiscal 1986, ended October 31.\n      The bank earlier said first quarter net income rose to 96.5\n  mln dlrs from 87.0 mln dlrs in the prior year. Profit per basic\n  share after dividends fell to 61 cts from year-ago 64 cts.\n      Commerce Bank said because of market uncertainties, it used\n  an estimate of 600.0 mln dlrs for fiscal 1987 loan losses in\n  calculating first quarter results.\n      The bank's first quarter provision for loan losses rose to\n  172.0 mln dlrs, from 152.0 mln dlrs in the prior year.\n      Commerce Bank also said it will continue to adopt an\n  agressive posture in adding to its general provisions against\n  loan exposure to 34 countries designated by the federal\n  government's Inspector General of Banks.\n      First quarter net partly benefitted from net interest\n  income, up to 561.8 mln dlrs from year ago 540.9 mln dlrs.\n      Commerce Bank said improved other income, which rose to\n  213.6 mln dlrs from year-earlier 170.1 mln dlrs, and net income\n  was partially offset by the increased loan loss provisions,\n  non-interest expenses and income taxes.\n      The bank said first quarter total assets increased to 83.92\n  billion dlrs from 78.93 mln dlrs in the prior year, due mainly\n  to continued expansion in consumer loan and mortgage fields.\n      Return on assets increased by two cts to 46 cts per 100\n  dlrs of average assets from the first quarter in fiscal 1986,\n  but declined two cts from fiscal 1986 fourth quarter.\n      The bank also said total non-accrual loans increased to 2.4\n  billion dlrs in the first quarter from year-ago 1.8 billion\n  dlrs. However, non-accrual loans declined 130 mln dlrs from\n  fiscal 1986 year-end.\n      \"Despite the recent announcement of the suspension of\n  interest payments by Brazil, virtually all of the bank's loans\n  to this country were income producing up to January 31, 1987,\n  and there was little adverse impact on the bank's earnings\n  prior to the announcement,\" Commerce bank said.\n      The bank did not disclose a forecast of the impact on\n  future earnings by Brazil's suspension of interest payments.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MERCANTILE STORES CO INC <MST> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends Jan 31\n      Shr 3.26 dlrs vs 3.17 dlrs\n      Net 47.9 mln vs 46.7 mln\n      Revs 673.1 mln vs 630.2 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 7.54 dlrs vs 6.95 dlrs\n      Net 111.1 mln vs 102.4 mln\n      Revs 2.03 billion vs 1.88 billion\n  .\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INDIA BOUGHT AT LEAST EIGHT CARGOES SUGAR--TRADE\n","article":"  India bought eight cargoes of white\n  sugar at a buying tender this week but also gave sellers\n  options to sell an extra eight cargoes at the same prices,\n  traders said.\n      Four international firms shared the business which gave\n  each of them sales of two cargoes of Mar\/Apr shipment sugar at\n  233 dlrs CIF and options on two cargoes of Apr\/May.\n      This brings recent options India has given traders to some\n  200,000 tonnes at fixed prices and makes future Indian\n  purchases very dependent on price fluctuations, traders said.\n      At 233 dlrs CIF the sugar sold this week was at a discount\n  of up to 10 dlrs to current prices, some traders said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNITEL VIDEO SHAREHOLDER PROPOSES POSSIBLE SALE OR LIQUIDATION OF COMPANY\n","article":"\n  UNITEL VIDEO SHAREHOLDER PROPOSES POSSIBLE SALE OR LIQUIDATION OF COMPANY\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AVERAGE YEN CD RATES FALL IN LATEST WEEK\n","article":"  Average interest rates on yen certificates\n  of deposit, CD, fell to 4.27 pct in the week ended February 25\n  from 4.32 pct the previous week, the Bank of Japan said.\n      New rates (previous in brackets), were -\n      Average CD rates all banks 4.27 pct (4.32)\n      Money Market Certificate, MMC, ceiling rates for the week\n  starting from March 2          3.52 pct (3.57)\n      Average CD rates of city, trust and long-term banks\n      Less than 60 days          4.33 pct (4.32)\n      60-90 days                 4.13 pct (4.37)\n      Average CD rates of city, trust and long-term banks\n      90-120 days             4.35 pct (4.30)\n      120-150 days            4.38 pct (4.29)\n      150-180 days            unquoted (unquoted)\n      180-270 days            3.67 pct (unquoted)\n      Over 270 days           4.01 pct (unquoted)\n      Average yen bankers' acceptance rates of city, trust and\n  long-term banks\n      30 to less than 60 days unquoted (4.13)\n      60-90 days              unquoted (unquoted)\n      90-120 days             unquoted (unquoted)\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ALLEGHENY POWER SYSTEM INC <AYP> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 73 cts vs 73 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 16\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<SELKIRK COMMUNICATIONS LTD> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 57 cts vs 73 cts\n      Oper net 6,051,000 vs 7,818,000\n      Revs 50.0 mln vs 56.0 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 1.06 dlrs vs 1.24 dlrs\n      Oper net 11,301,000 vs 13,203,000\n      Revs 171.9 mln vs 207.4 mln\n      NOTE: Current oper net excludes extraordinary income of\n  180,000 dlrs in qtr and 1,119,000 dlrs in year vs previous\n  losses of 2,345,000 dlrs and 515,000 dlrs, respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOUSTON OIL ROYALTY TRUST <RTH> PAYOUT LOWER\n","article":"  Mthly div 2.108 cts vs 2.158 cts prior\n      Pay March 26\n      Record March 16\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ENGELHARD CORP SETS THREE FOR TWO STOCK SPLIT AND RAISES QUARTERLY\n","article":"\n  ENGELHARD CORP SETS THREE FOR TWO STOCK SPLIT AND RAISES QUARTERLY\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PARIS TRADE DETAILS EC GRAIN TENDER RESULT\n","article":"  The EC Commission rejected all bids for\n  free market bread-making and feed wheat and all bids for the\n  special West German tender at today's weekly EC cereals tender,\n  trade sources said here.\n      It granted export licences for 123,000 tonnes of free\n  market barley at a maximum rebate of 138.75 Ecus per tonne and\n  25,000 tonnes of maize at a maximum rebate of 133.75 Ecus, they\n  said.\n      Licences for 100,000 tonnes of the barley were awarded to\n  French trade houses, they added.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HOLDER PROPOSES UNITEL <UNV> SALE OR LIQUIDATION\n","article":"  Michael Landes, a major stockholder\n  in Unitel Video Inc, said he has asked the company to consider\n  liquidating, or selling some or all of its assets.\n      \"Mr. Landes has requested the company to implement a\n  program to maximize shareholder values, which might include a\n  sale of all or part of the company or a liquidation,\" he said\n  in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.\n      Landes and another Unitel Video investor, Albert Schwatz,\n  have formed a shareholder group and together hold 329,225\n  common shares, or 15.2 pct of the total outstanding common\n  stock.\n      Landes and Schwartz had reached an agreement in principle\n  with the New York video tape service company on a 12.50 dlr a\n  share takeover proposal last September, but subsequent merger\n  talks broke down in October.\n      The investors told the SEC they are continuing to review\n  their positions company and may acquire more shares or sell\n  some or all of their current stake.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HUGES TOOL COMPANY SAYS BAKER INTERNATIONAL MERGER PLAN NOT TERMINATED\n","article":"\n  HUGES TOOL COMPANY SAYS BAKER INTERNATIONAL MERGER PLAN NOT TERMINATED\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROYAL DUTCH\/SHELL GROUP OF COS 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr Royal Dutch Petroleum Co <RD> 2.30 dlrs vs 2.90 dlrs\n      Final Royal Dutch dividend of 8.30 guilders for total 12.80\n  guilders vs 12.80 guilders for 1985\n      Shr Shell Transport and Trading Co PLC <SC> 1.38 dlrs vs\n  1.65 dlrs\n      Final Shell Transport dividend 118.0 pence for total of\n  172.0 pence vs 140.0 pence for 1985\n      Group Net 1.07 billion vs 1.24 billion\n      Group Sales 20.42 billion vs 25.84 billion\n      Year\n      Shr Royal Dutch 8.65 dlrs vs 9.11 dlrs\n      Net Shell Transport 4.78 dlrs vs 5.16 dlrs\n      Group Net 3.71 billion vs 3.88 billion\n      Group Sales 81.40 billion vs 94.57 billion\n      NOTES: Group is 60 pct owned by Royal Dutch and 40 pct by\n  Shell Transport\n      Dollar amount of Royal Dutch dividend will depend on\n  guilder\/dollar exchange rate on May 14. Final dividend is\n  payable June 16 to holders of record May 26\n      Shell Transport dividend and per share results based on New\n  York shares, which are equal to four ordinary shares. Dollar\n  final dividend will be determined by sterling\/dollar exchange\n  rate May 18. At current rate, with tax credits, is equal to\n  2.59 dlrs. Final dividend is payable May 28 to holders of\n  record April 10\n      Fourth quarter U.S. dollar figures for group translated\n  from sterling at average rate of exchange for the quarter which\n  was 1.43 dlrs per pound in 1986 and 1.44 dlrs in 1985. Full\n  year U.S. dollar figures are sum of sterling translations to\n  U.S. dollars for first, second, third and fourth quarters\n      Net includes FIFO inventory gain 217 mln dlrs vs loss 80\n  mln dlrs in quarter and loss 1.23 billion dlrs vs loss 178 mln\n  dlrs in year. If LIFO accounting had been used, company said,\n  Royal Dutch per share net would have been 1.78 dlrs vs 3.17\n  dlrs in quarter and 11.60 dlrs vs 9.53 dlrs in year, Shell\n  Transport per share net would have been 1.10 dlrs vs 1.81 dlrs\n  in quarter and 6.36 dlrs vs 5.40 dlrs in year\n      Net includes restructuring credit 114 mln dlrs vs charge 72\n  mln dlrs in quarter and credit 67 mln dlrs vs charge 467 mln\n      Per share impact of restructuring on Royal Dutch was credit\n  27 cts vs charge 17 cts in quarter and credit 16 cts vs charge\n  1.10 dlrs in year, on Shell Transport was credit 15 cts vs\n  charge 10 cts in quarter and credit nine cts vs charge 62 cts\n  in year\n      Net also includes currency exchange losses of 20 mln dlrs\n  vs 69 mln dlrs in quarter and 170 mln dlrs vs 401 mln dlrs in\n  year. Exchange losses had per share impact on Royal Dutch of 14\n  cts vs 31 cts in quarter and 96 cts vs 1.26 dlrs in year and on\n  Shell Transport of eight cts vs 17 cts in quarter and 51 cts vs\n  71 cts in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WORLD GRAIN TRADE RECOVERY MAY BE UNDERWAY\n","article":"  World grain trade could be turning\n  the corner and heading toward recovery in the 1986-87 season, a\n  Cargill, Inc. analyst said.\n      Writing in the March issue of the Cargill Bulletin, David\n  Rogers of Cargill's Commodity Marketing Division cited a\n  gradual rise in world wheat trade in recent months, with a slow\n  rise in wheat prices after recent historic lows.\n      He said the wheat trade, because wheat can be produced in\n  many nations, is a good barometer of world grain trade and\n  could lead to more activity in other grain markets.\n      Rogers said that with world grain prices at their lowest\n  level in over a quarter of a century in real terms, demand has\n  begun to rise while producing nations are re-examining their\n  expensive price-support policies and reducing planted acres.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTMENT FIRM BOOSTS PUROLATOR <PCC> STAKE\n","article":"  Halcyon Investments, a New York\n  investment partnership that deals mainly in risk arbitrage and\n  stock trading, said it raised its Purolator Courier Corp stake\n  to 726,700 shares, or 9.5 pct, from 474,900, or 6.2 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Halcyon, whose managing partner is Alan B. Slifka and Co, said\n  it bought 201,800 Purolator common shares between Feb 3 and\n  March 2 at prices ranging from 28.689 to 34.811 dlrs each.\n      Halcyon, which said it has spent 20.1 mln dlrs for its\n  Purolator common shares, said it also acquired options on Feb\n  27 giving it the right to buy 50,000 shares for 1.8 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AETNA <AET> TO SELL CANADIAN OPERATIONS\n","article":"  Aetna Life and Casualty Co said\n  its Aetna Life and Casualty of Canada Ltd subsidiary has agreed\n  in prnciple to sell its casualty-property subsidiary, Aetna\n  Casualty Co of Canada to <Laurentian Group> of Montreal for\n  undisclosed terms.\n      The company said the agreement is subject to Canadian\n  government approval.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NPPC DELEGATES APPROVE DISEASE AND DRUG PROGRAMS\n","article":"  Delegates from the National Pork\n  Producers Council, NPPC, yesterday approved programs for\n  control and eradication of pseudorabies and establishment of a\n  national safe drug use program.\n      The delegate body, attending the American Pork Congress in\n  Indianapolis, approved a pseudorabies control and eradication\n  program at the state level after a recommendation from NPPC's\n  PRV (pseudorabies virus) oversight committee.\n      The PRV committee received results of a three year, five\n  state pilot project which had a 97.5 pct success rate in\n  eradication of the disease within 116 hog herds. The project\n  was jointly funded by the USDA and NPPC.\n      \"Primarily it (the program) allows individual states to\n  deal with their own problems according to a timetable that\n  suits them best,\" Mike Wehler, member of the NPPC's PRV\n  oversight committee said.\n      In regards to safe drug use, the delegates approved a plan\n  asking that NPPC be active in establishing a national safe drug\n  use program.\n      The program would establish better relationships between\n  producers and veterinarians and eventually lead to a quality\n  assurance program in pork production, according to the plan.\n      \"This program basically communicates to the FDA that we are\n  concerned about safe drug use and will do our part to use drugs\n  safely, if FDA will allow the same policy to continue in\n  effect,\" Wehler said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOUTHERN MINERAL CORP <SMIN> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss two cts vs profit three cts\n      Net loss 77,400 vs profit 134,000\n      Revs 418,500 vs 435,900\n      Year\n      Shr profit eight cts vs profit 27 cts\n      Net profit 315,100 vs profit 1,082,700\n      Revs 1,761,900 vs 2,511,200\n      NOTE: Per-share figures adjusted for four-for-three stock\n  distribution effective Dec 14, 1984\n      1985 results include an extraordinary tax benefit of 55,000\n  dlrs, or one ct a share in each period\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF ENGLAND RESISTS PRESSURE FOR RATE CUT\n","article":"  The Bank of England again fought against\n  money and bond market pressure for a pre-Budget interest rate\n  cut, leaving the pound to take the strain with a further rise\n  in its trade-weighted index to a six-month high.\n      It closed at its best level since September 12, at 71.4 pct\n  of its 1975 value on the index, as foreign investors continued\n  to buy into a currency which offers high relative returns and\n  the possibility of short-term capital gains, dealers said.\n      Meanwhile, opinion is divided over whether the Bank can\n  stop a cut before Budget Day, March 17, and why it should want\n  to.\n      The Bank's latest strong signal to the market that it wants\n  rates to stay steady for the moment came in midafternoon, when\n  it lent to the discount houses at a penal rate of 11-3\/4 pct to\n  relieve a money market shortage.\n      \"They're really making the discount houses suffer,\" said\n  Stephen Lewis, economist at brokerage house Phillips and Drew.\n  \"Eleven and three-quarters pct is way above money market rates.\"\n      This money market signal was apparently not accompanied by\n  any sterling sales on the foreign exchanges, talk of which had\n  inhibited strong rises yesterday and Tuesday, so buyers came\n  strongly into the pound.\n      The pound surged to a high of 1.5798\/808 dlrs at the London\n  close, up from the previous finish at 1.5650\/60, and 2.8900\/60\n  marks, up from 2.8720\/50.\n      \"If this pressure keeps up...There is a possibility that\n  rates could drop before the Budget,\" said Jeremy Hale, economist\n  at finance house Goldman Sachs International Corp.\n      Some gilt traders are forecasting a half-point cut in the\n  base rate from the current 11 pct as early as tomorrow.\n      However, analysts said the Bank of England will need to be\n  convinced that the present rise is a fundamental re-rating\n  rather than a result of short-term speculative gains.\n      There are valid reasons for the Bank to be cautious, said\n  Peter Fellner, U.K. Economist at brokers James Capel and Co.\n      Markets have become highly optimistic about the chances of\n  a Conservative Party victory in any early general election, and\n  disappointment if Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher decides to\n  hold back could lead to a decline in the pound and a setback\n  for bonds, Fellner said.\n      An election could be delayed until mid-1988, but most\n  forecasts say it will be this year.\n      Others note that the pound could yet prove vulnerable to\n  oil price losses or a change of fortune for the dollar.\n      However, analysts agree the Bank is largely trying to set\n  the timing of a cut than holding out against one altogether.\n      The authorities traditionally prefer a single sustainable\n  rate move, one way or the other, to half points here and there.\n      Some add the Bank will be influenced by signs that at least\n  a proportion of the latest bout of sterling buying is long-term\n  capital coming into the London market, notably from Japan.\n      They argue that the pound is being perceived as a safer bet\n  than the dollar, given the latters recent sharp falls and\n  current political upheavals in Washington.\n      The Bank may want to see another few points on the\n  trade-weighted index before the Budget, argued Lewis. \"But by\n  then sterling should be firm enough to satisfy even the Bank of\n  England,\" he added.\n      The Bank declined to comment on its reasons for resisting\n  pressure for a rate move before the budget, but banking sources\n  said the authorities see the recent rise in sterling as more\n  than just marking up by foreign exchange traders.\n      Meanwhile, analysts noted the market ignored potentially\n  harmful news on the trade front, today's figures showing that\n  the current account deficit in 1986 was 1.1 billion stg.\n      This was above previous estimates of the current account\n  deficit and compares with a surplus of 2.9 billion stg in 1985.\n      Fellner said that under more normal conditions this would\n  have given the bond and currency markets a pause, but that they\n  were too bullish to worry about such fundamentals.\n      The guessing game over the timing of a cut has the clearing\n  banks divided as well as the markets. Privately, some bank\n  officials forecast the Bank will hold out at least for this\n  week, but at least one bank says a rise is possible tomorrow.\n  If a move comes before March 17, forecasts are for a half-point\n  cut, with another half or full point about Budget day.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ENGELHARD CORP <EC> SETS STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Engelhard Corp said its board\n  declared a three-for-two stock split and raised the quarterly\n  dividend to 19-1\/2 cts per share presplit from 19 cts, both\n  payable March 31 to holders of record March 17.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"EGYPTIAN 1986 CRUDE OIL OUTPUT DOWN ON 1985\n","article":"  Non-Opec Egypt produced 40.3 mln tonnes\n  (about 295 mln barrels) of crude in 1986 against 44.3 mln\n  tonnes (about 323 mln barrels) in 1985, according to official\n  figures released today by the Egyptian General Petroleum Corp.\n  (EGPC).\n      Officials say Egypt can produce up to one mln bpd per day,\n  but production was cut when world prices plunged last year.\n      In an attempt to help OPEC stabilize the world market,\n  Egypt cut its 1987 production target of 940,000 bpd to its\n  current output of 870,000 bpd.\n      Egypt, which exports a third of its output, currently sells\n  its top Suez and Ras Bahar blends for 17.25 dlrs a barrel.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TRADERS DETAIL IRISH INTERVENTION BARLEY TENDER\n","article":"  The European Commission authorised the\n  export of 33,500 tonnes of Irish intervention barley at today's\n  tender for non-European Community destinations at 53.10 Ecus\n  per tonne, grain traders said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"H AND H OIL TOOL CO <HHOT> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss six cts vs profit two cts\n      Net loss 196,000 vs profit 71,000\n      Revs 2,512,000 vs 5,776,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.09 dlrs vs loss 18 cts\n      Net loss 3,509,000 vs loss 587,000\n      Revs 12.0 mln vs 21.0 mln\n      Note: 1986 year includes special charge of 1,600,000 dlrs,\n  or 50 cts per shr on write-down of rental equipment.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CB AND T FINANCIAL CORP <CBTF> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 2.10 dlrs vs 1.72 dlrs\n      Shr diluted 1.98 dlrs vs 1.72 dlrs\n      Net 2,228,000 vs 1,730,000\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AMOSKEAG BANK <AMKG> TO ACQUIRE ENTREPO\n","article":"  Amoskeag Bank said it signed an\n  agreement to acquire <Entrepo Financial Resources Inc>, a\n  Philadelphia-based company which leases and remarkets high\n  technology equipment.\n      Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.\n      It said Entrepo has assets of 20 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WASHINGTON NATIONAL CORP <WNT> VOTES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 27 cts vs 27 cts prior qtr\n      Pay 1 April\n      Record 16 March\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KAINES SELLS JORDAN TWO CARGOES OF WHITE SUGAR\n","article":"  Trade house Kaines said it sold Jordan\n  two cargoes of white sugar at its buying tender today.\n      The sale comprised two 12,000 to 14,000 tonne cargoes (plus\n  or minus 10 pct) for Mar\/Apr shipment, a Kaines trader said.\n      Traders said the business was done at 235.5 dlrs a tonne\n  cost and freight.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMMUNITY BANK SYSTEM <CBSI> BUYS NICHOLS BANK\n","article":"  Community Bank Systems Inc and\n  the <Nichols National Bank> said they have signed a definitive\n  agreement for Nichols to become a member of the CBSI Group of\n  banks for an exchange of stock worth 2.8 mln dlrs.\n      CBSI said it expects to complete the deal, pending Nichols'\n  shareholder and regulatory approval, later this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EASTMAN KODAK ACQUIRES 18.7 PCT INTEREST IN ENZON INC\n","article":"\n  EASTMAN KODAK ACQUIRES 18.7 PCT INTEREST IN ENZON INC\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TURKEY SEEKING 100,000 TONNES SUGAR - TRADE\n","article":"  Turkey is holding a buying tender for\n  100,000 tonnes of white sugar on March 24, traders here said.\n      The sugar is being sought for early arrival and will\n  probably be met with April\/May shipment sugar, they added.\n      Earlier today newspapers in Turkey carried an advertisement\n  from Turkish Sugar Factories inviting offers of 100,000 tonnes\n  of crystal sugar with a 50 pct option to increase or decrease\n  the amount.\n      Over the 1983\/85 period Turkey each year has exported\n  between 240,000 and 350,000 tonnes of whites to Iran and\n  between 62,000 and 230,000 tonnes to Iraq.\n      Following lower sugar crops in the past two years analysts\n  said Turkey needs to import sugar now if it is to continue\n  filling these export contracts, and may need to buy more.\n      Last month London broker C Czarnikow estimated Turkish\n  1986\/87 production at 1.42 mln tonnes raw value against 1.4 mln\n  in 1985\/86 and an average 1.76 mln in the previous three\n  seasons.\n      The semi-official Anatolian Agency recently quoted Turkish\n  Minister of Industry and Trade Cahit Aral as saying Turkey\n  would export 100,000 tonnes of sugar this year and import the\n  same amount.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SHAD FAVORS SHORTENING DISCLOSURE PERIOD\n","article":"  Securities and Exchange Commission\n  Chairman John Shad said the SEC favors shortening the current\n  10-day period for disclosing takeover attempts but opposes\n  putting restrictions on the use of so-called junk bonds.\n      \"We favor shortening the disclosure period to two days,\"\n  Shad told members of the House Telecommunications and Finance\n  subcommittee when asked for his recommendation.\n      He said the SEC's responsibility was to provide full\n  disclosure for securities, including junk bonds, and not to\n  make decisions based on merit. He said junk bonds had some\n  value because of their liquidity.\n      Shad said he opposes proposals to require those attempting\n  takeovers to file a statement on the impact the takeover would\n  have on the communities involved.\n      \"We've opposed it in the past. It goes far beyond investor\n  protection,\" Shad said.\n      He said he had no comment on a proposal by House Speaker\n  Jim Wright, D- Texas, to tax securities transactions.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CORRECTED - PEGASUS GOLD INC<PGULF> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 20 cts vs loss two cts\n      Net profit 2,665,000 vs loss 202,000\n      Revs 12,141,000 vs 5,993,000\n      Year\n      Shr profit 35 cts vs loss 11 cts\n      Net profit 4,653,000 vs loss 1,167,000\n      Revs 35.1 mln vs 18.0 mln\n      NOTE: company corrects reporting period to 4th qtr and year\n  from 3rd qtr and nine mths\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN EXPECTED TO CUT BASE RATE FOR STATE BODIES\n","article":"  Japan is expected to cut the base lending\n  rate for state financial institutions to 5.5 pct from 6.2 as\n  part of the recent pact by major industrial nations in Paris,\n  Finance Ministry sources said.\n      They said the cut is based on a revision of the Trust Fund\n  Bureau Law, which should be approved by parliament on March 3,\n  abolishing the 6.05 pct minimum interest rate on deposits with\n  the bureau.\n      The bureau channels funds to government financial\n  institutions for public works and other official uses, they\n  said.\n      The base lending rate for state bodies such as the Japan\n  Development Bank, People's Finance Corp and the finance\n  corporations of local public enterprises usually moves in\n  tandem with long-term prime rates, the sources said.\n      However, it was impossible for them to follow the last cut,\n  to 5.8 pct from 6.2 pct on January 28, because the Trust Fund\n  Bureau rate was legally set at 6.05 pct.\n      The ministry will abolish the minimum rate and introduce a\n  market-related one to resolve the problem and stimulate the\n  domestic economy, they said.\n      On Tuesday, the ministry allowed long-term bankers to cut\n  their prime to a record low of 5.5 pct, effective February 28.\n  The move suggested it had reached agreement with depositors\n  using the bureau, the postal savings system of the Posts and\n  Telecommunications Ministry and the Japan welfare annuity of\n  the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the sources said.\n      These ministries are trying to determine which market rates\n  should be considered when setting the bureau's deposit rate,\n  the ministry sources said.\n      Coupon rates on new 10-year government bonds, minus 0.1\n  percentage points, is the likeliest choice, they added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HUGHES TOOL <HT> SAYS BAKER <BKO> MERGER ALIVE\n","article":"  Hughes Tool Co Chairman W.A. Kistler\n  said its counter proposal to merge with Baker International\n  Corp was still under consideration and that a merger was in the\n  best interests of both companies.\n      \"Our hope is that we can come to a mutual agreement that is\n  good for both companies,\" Kistler said of the proposed merger\n  that would result in a 1.2 billion dlr oil field service\n  company. \"We're working very hard on this merger.\"\n      Hughes' board today again adjourned a shareholders meeting\n  to vote on the proposed merger and rescheduled it for March 11\n  to give Baker more time to consider the counter proposal.\n      The Hughes board, which had previously expressed concern\n  about a U.S. Department of Justice consent decree that would\n  require Baker to sell its drilling bit operations and\n  submersible pump business, met yesterday and threatened to\n  terminate the proposed merger.\n      The Hughes board made a counter proposal that the two\n  companies first find acceptable buyers for the businesses\n  before signing the decree.\n      The directors of Baker immediately after receiving the\n  counter proposal filed a law suit in Texas in a Texas state\n  court to force to Hughes to complete the merger.\n      \"The uncertainty as to the price and conditions that might\n  be imposed by the Department of Justice makes us very nervous\n  about what the outcome might be,\" Kistler said, in explaining\n  why Hughes had made the counter proposal.\n      \"We need additional time to understand why Baker did not\n  accept our proposal.\"\n      Kistler also said that the law suit filed by Baker \"was not\n  a factor\" in the board's decision to keep its merger proposal\n  on the table.\n      He declined to comment on the allegations in the lawsuit.\n      Kistler said Hughes would be willing to consider a\n  compromise counter proposal, but declined to be more specific.\n      The Justice Department in January said it would block the\n  Hughes and Baker merger on anti-trust grounds unless both\n  companies agreed to sign a consent decree that would provide\n  for the sale of the assets after the merger took place.\n      The Hughes board said it would not sign the decree because\n  its was too \"unreasonable.\" Hughes said that Baker should\n  instead complete the sale of the disputed assets before the\n  merger is finalized and given government approval.\n      Under the decree, if Baker is unable to find acceptable\n  buyers within a specified period of time after the decree is\n  approved, a federal trustee would become responsible for\n  finding a buyer.\n      Kistler said that under those terms, the trustee could take\n  up to 10 years to complete the sales.\n      He also expressed concern that the combined companies might\n  be required by the government's conditions to license some of\n  its technology to any purchaser of the assets.\n      Baker said last night in a statement that the required\n  assets to be sold would reduce revenues by about 65 mln dlrs,\n  representing about three pct of the revenues of the combined\n  companies.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AEQUITRON MEDICAL INC <AQTN> 3RD QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Period ended January 31\n      Shr loss five cts vs profit eight cts\n      Net loss 247,100 vs profit 345,300\n      Sales 4,529,300 vs 3,482,800\n      Nine mths\n      Shr profit six cts vs profit 18 cts\n      Net profit 261,300 vs profit 793,700\n      Sales 12.3 mln vs 9,957,200\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LOWE'S COS INC <LOW> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 18 cts vs 31 cts\n      Net 7,168,000 vs 11.3 mln\n      Sales 497.4 mln vs 475.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 39.6 mln vs 37.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.34 dlrs vs 1.64 dlrs\n      Net 52.2 mln vs 59.7 mln\n      Sales 2.28 billion vs 2.07 billion\n      Avg shrs 39.0 mln vs 36.5 mln\n      NOTE: Current year net both periods includes charge\n  2,885,000 dlrs or seven cts shr from early note retirement and\n  charge seven cts shr from reversal of tax credits.\n      Current year net both periods includes gain six cts shr\n  from plywood manufacturers litigation settlement.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FRANCE TO SELL STAKE IN SOCIETE GENERALE UNIT\n","article":"  The French government is to\n  sell to the public its 47.42 pct direct holding in Societe\n  Generale <STGN.PA>'s regional bank subsidiary <Societe Generale\n  Alsacienne de Banque>, SOGENAL, from next Monday, SOGENAL\n  officials said.\n      SOGENAL, founded in 1881 and nationalised in 1982, is the\n  leading French regional bank and has branches in Austria,\n  Belgium, Luxembourg, East and West Germany and Switzerland.\n      Chairman Rene Geronimus told a news conference the share\n  offer price, expected to be announced tomorrow by Finance\n  Minister Edouard Balladur, would be between 110 and 130 francs.\n      Societe Generale, which will itself be privatised later\n  this year, will retain its 52.58 pct majority holding in the\n  bank, Chairman Marc Vienot said.\n      SOGENAL officials said they forecast 1987 consolidated\n  group profit of around 170 mln francs after an estimated 160\n  mln this year and 159 mln in 1985.\n      SOGENAL's privatisation will be preceded by a capital\n  increase to 320 mln francs from 263 mln, earning about 250 mln\n  francs in new funds. Its shares will be divided by eight,\n  giving a capital of 12.8 mln shares of 25 francs nominal.\n      The bank will be listed on the Nancy stock exchange, in\n  line with the Finance Ministry and government's aim of a\n  regional operation, Geronimus said.\n      He said he was hoping for shareholders to total around\n  30,000 to 35,000 against the 12,500 before nationalisation. Ten\n  pct of the capital to be floated will be reserved for employees\n  with the rest offered to the public. There will not be a share\n  reserved for foreign investors. \"This is too small an operation\n  and anyway they will be able to buy shares in France,\" he said.\n      Stockbroker sources said that a likely share offer price of\n  120 francs would value SOGENAL at 1.5 billion francs.\n      Geronimus said the bank's future aim would be to reinforce\n  its existing strong points, with no major projects planned\n  apart from the opening soon of a Basle branch.\n      SOGENAL is the only French bank in Austria, it set up the\n  first foreign exchange dealing room outside Paris at its\n  Strasbourg headquarters in 1985, and is the only foreign\n  banking subsidiary to be a broker on the Zurich Bourse.\n      The government's banking adviser for the operation was\n  <Banque Privee de Gestion Financiere>, BPGF, owned by French\n  financier Pierre Moussa's <Pallas> group, assisted by Britain's\n  <Hambros Bank Ltd>.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MIDLAND <MLA> SETS STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Midland Co said its board declared a\n  two-for-one stock split, subject to approval of a doubling of\n  authorized common shares at the annual meeting on April 9, and\n  an increase in the quarterly dividend to 12 cts pre-split from\n  10 cts.\n      The dividend is payable April 8, record March 17, and the\n  split would be payable May 7, record April 23.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE YEAR EARNINGS\n","article":"  The Prudential Insurance Company of\n  America, a privately held company, said today that net income\n  in 1986 rose to 2.8 billion dlrs from the 2.3 billion dlrs\n  reported the year earlier.\n      Assets under management rose to 177.5 billion dlrs in 1986\n  from 150.1 billion dlrs in 1985, while consolidated assets\n  jumped to 134.5 billion dlrs from 115.7 billion dlrs.\n      Discussing its major subsidiaries, the company said that\n  Prudential Capital and Investment Services Inc, the holding\n  company for brokerage house Prudential-Bache Securities and\n  certain other related subsidiaries, earned 142 million dlrs in\n  1986. Of that, the securities operations of Prudential-Bache\n  netted 81.7 mln dlrs after taxes and a charge of 25 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"EC OPENS SPECIAL REBATE FOR MAIZE - PARIS TRADE\n","article":"  The EC Commission decided to open a\n  special daily export rebate today for maize exports to Morocco,\n  Israel, Canary Islands and zone 5c (Sub-Saharan Africa), trade\n  sources said here.\n      The rebate was set at 153 European currency units per tonne\n  for March and 133 for April through July.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"AEQUITRON <AQTN> SEES 4TH QTR CHARGE\n","article":"  Aequitron Medical Inc said costs\n  related to its previously announced plan to consolidate Life\n  Products operations in Boulder, Colo, are expected to total\n  720,000 dlrs, or eight cts a share for the fourth quarter\n  ending April 30.\n      It said the costs including moving expenses, severance pay\n  and future lease payments.\n      The company said it will consolidate Life Products into the\n  company's headquarters and manufacturing operations in\n  Minneapolis.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BIG B INC <BIGB> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 23 cts vs 17 cts\n      Net 1,742,000 vs 1,1512,000\n      Sales 62.6 mln vs 53.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 7,854,000 vs 6,617,000\n      Year\n      Shr 61 cts vs 61 cts\n      Net 4,469,000 vs 4,039,000\n      Sales 209.8 mln vs 175.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 78,369,000 vs 6,610,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WILSHIRE <WOC> CHIEF NAMED TO JACOBS <JEC> BOARD\n","article":"  Wilshire Oil Co of Texas, which has a\n  9.8 pct stake in Jacobs Engineering Group Inc, said its\n  chairman, Siggi Wilzig, was appointed to the Jabobs board.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Wilshire, which holds 417,100 Jacobs common shares, said Wilzig\n  was appointed to the Jacobs board of directors on March 3 after\n  the company's annual shareholder meeting.\n      Wilshire also said that Jacobs Chairman Joseph Jacobs has\n  agreed to recommend a second Wilshire nominee for election to\n  the board if the person was found to be qualified.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FEBRUARY U.S. RETAIL SALES NOT SIGN OF UPTURN\n","article":"  U.S. retailers posted stronger than\n  expected sales in February, but not enough to prompt analysts\n  to change their expectations of sluggish sales growth for the\n  first half of 1987.\n       \"My feeling is that it (February) borrowed some of the\n  business we normally see later in the quarter and the real\n  strength of general merchandise sales will be in the second\n  half of 1987,\" said Bear Stearns and Co analyst Monroe\n  Greenstein.\n      \"I don't think March will be as strong because Easter falls\n  in April this year,\" said Morgan Stanley analyst Walter Loeb.\n     Analysts generally average the sales results of March and\n  April to account for the variation of Easter's occurrence.\n      Analyst Edward Johnson of Johnson Redbook Associates said\n  sales for February rose between six and 6.5 pct, compared to a\n  3.6 pct increase last year.\n       Analysts noted that February is considered a small,\n  transitory month between winter and spring.\n      In addition, sales comparisons were boosted by an\n  especially soft February last year which was adversely affected\n  by severe weather.\n      Apparel sales outshone other product groups in sales,\n  according to retailers and analysts.\n      \"February's strong sales reflected a lot of fresh\n  merchandise on the shelves and higher consumer income due to\n  tax reductions,\" said Greenstein of Bear Stearns.\n      Analysts expect apparel sales to remain good as sales of\n  durable and houseware items grow softer due to the continuing\n  high levels of consumer debt.\n       May Department Stores Co <MAY> and K Mart Corp <KM> were\n  among the strong performers, posting comparable store sales\n  gains of 9.4 pct and 8.2 pct, respectively. May had an overall\n  sales gain of 15.0 pct and K Mart had a 13.1 pct sales gain \n  last month.\n      \"Favorable consumer response to our merchandise programs\n  continued to positively impact our sales comparisons. IN\n  addition to the strong contribution by K Mart stores, all our\n  specialty retailing companies had excellent February sales,\"\n  said K Mart chairman Bernard Fauber.\n      Sears Roebuck and Co <S> posted a 4.9 pct increase.\n  \"Domestic sales were led by better than average increases in\n  apparel, home fashions and hardware and especially strong\n  catalog sales,\" said Sears chairman Edward Brennan.\n      Analysts were a little disappointed by J.C. Penney Co Inc\n  <JCP> which started out with especially strong sales early in\n  the month. Penney posted a 5.5 pct increase on a comparitive\n  store basis and a 5.3 pct gain in overall sales.\n      Penney chairman William Howell said, \"store sales were\n  strongest during the early part of the month, while catalog\n  demand was consistently strong throughout the period.\n      Store sales activity varied throughout the country, ranging\n  from good in the East to weak in the depressed southwest.\n      Analysts also said gross profit margins were high as\n  retailers were not overly promotional due to leaner inventories\n  than a year ago.\n      \"February is not a big month seasonally but these numbers\n  suggest a fairly good trend for consumer spending,\" said Drexel\n  Burnham Lambert analyst Jeff Edelman.\n      FEBRUARY SALES FOR MAJOR U.S. RETAILERS\n      STORE          PCT      1987       1986\n   SEARS             4.9      1.8 BILL   1.8 BILL\n   K MART            13.1     1.5 BILL   1.3 BILL\n   WAL-MART          44.0     885 MLN    615 MLN\n   JC PENNEY         5.3      780 MLN    741 MLN\n   FEDERATED         9.6      720 MLN    657 MLN\n   MAY               15.0     632 MLN    550 MLN\n   DAYTON HUDSON     19.5     602 MLN    504 MLN\n   ZAYRE             25.7     327 MLN    260 MLN\n   MONTGOMERY WARD   11.1     277 MLN    249 MLN\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIA'S KEATING CHANGES ECONOMIC FORECASTS\n","article":"  Domestic demand is now expected to make\n  no contribution to Australian economic growth in fiscal\n  1986\/87, ending June 30, while net exports will account for all\n  of the overall increase, Treasurer Paul Keating said here.\n      However, he did not say in his speech to the Economic\n  Planning Advisory Council (EPAC) if the forecast 2.25 pct rise\n  in gross domestic product (gdp) had been revised.\n      But Keating said domestic demand could fall slightly this\n  financial year and net export growth will provide the total\n  source of gdp growth.\n      The August budget had forecast domestic demand would\n  contribute 0.75 percentage points to non-farm gdp growth of 2.5\n  pct while net exports would account for 1.75 points.\n      Keating said the overall impact of the changed economic\n  parameters is welcome as it appears to have contributed to a\n  slightly more rapid correction in the current account deficit\n  than first anticipated.\n      \"The government initially forecast a current account deficit\n  for 1986\/87 of 14.75 billion -- our present expectation is that\n  the result will be somewhat lower, around 14 billion,\" he said.\n      Partial indicators released since the last meeting of EPAC\n  in December indicate that the 1986\/87 budget strategy is\n  broadly on track, Keating said.\n      \"They indicate that domestic demand has been a little more\n  sluggish than was expected at budget time,\" he said.\n      \"On the other hand, net exports seem to be expanding by more\n  than expected at budget time, and this is underpinning growth\n  in domestic production and employment.\"\n      Keating said it now seems likely that the 1986\/87 inflation\n  rate will exceed the budget forecast of eight pct.\n      \"Nevertheless, there is likely to be a marked slowing in\n  inflation over coming quarters as depreciation and budgetary\n  effects wane,\" he said.\n      Keating said the government expects economic growth to pick\n  up moderately in 1987\/88 due to a further significant rise in\n  net exports and a very moderate but positive contribution from\n  private domestic demand.\n      He said domestic demand growth will be due to a\n  strengthening in real household disposable income.\n      The moderate rise in economic growth next financial year\n  should be sufficient to sustain employment growth at a level\n  broadly equivalent to that of the current fiscal year.\n      \"The current account deficit will continue to show\n  improvement in 1987\/88,\" Keating said.\n      \"As the impact of the exchange rate depreciations of recent\n  years recede further, and given continued effective wage\n  restraint, inflation should moderate markedly in 1987\/88,\" he\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"QUARTZ ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS <QRTZ> 1ST QTR\n","article":"  Qtr ended Dec 31\n      Shr nil vs nil\n      Net loss 59,922 vs loss 357,203\n      Revs 714,263 vs 926,964\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KODAK <EK> BUYS STAKE IN ENZON <ENZN>\n","article":"  Eastman Kodak Co said it has\n  acquired an 18.7 pct equity interest in Enzon Inc, a\n  pharmaceutical company specializing in protein therapy.\n      Kodak said it secured worldwide marketing rights for three\n  of Enzon's PEG enzymes used in the treatment of oxygen toxicity\n  disorders, hyperuricemia and gout.\n      The company said it acquired two mln Enzon shares for 15\n  mln dlrs, with loans to Enzon of two mln dlrs and interest of\n  30,000 dlrs credited against the purchase price.\n      Kodak said the drugs covered by the marketing rights are in\n  initial stages of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration\n  approval process.  It said the investment should provide the\n  necessary capital to complete the FDA review process and\n  provide a marketing outlet for the drugs.\n      The drugs are PEG-superoxide disdmutase and PEG-catalase,\n  for use against oxygen toxicity disorders that cause the\n  often-fatal tissue damage associated with severe burns, organ\n  transplants, heart attacks and trauma, and PEG-uricase, for\n  treatment of gout and other conditions caused by the buildup of\n  high levels of uric acid in the body.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GEMCRAFT INC <GEMH> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 42 cts vs 1.21 dlrs\n      Net 2,317,000 vs 5,847,000\n      Sales 360.0 mln vs 282.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,463,000 vs 4,829,000\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes 4,700,000 dlr pretax charge from\n  writedown of land and abandonment of land and pretax charges of\n  5,800,00 dlrs from pending rescission offer, settlements with\n  U.S. agencies, adjustment of the prior booking of residuals\n  arising from collateralized mortgage obligation bond issues,\n  writedowns of land held by a joint venture, startup costs\n  associated with entering new markets, an increase in reserves\n  for customer service and writeoffs and reserves for\n  mortgage-related receivables to reflect current market values.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"APPLIED SOLAR ENERGY CORP <SOLR> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ended Jan 31\n      Shr profit nine cts vs loss 30 cts\n      Net profit 317,000 vs loss 997,000\n      Sales 6,338,000 vs 3,119,000\n      Note: 1986 net includes extraordinary gain of 90,000 dlrs,\n  or two cts per shr.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PACIFIC NUCLEAR SYSTEMS IN <PACN> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 19 cts vs profit seven cts\n      Net loss 851,000 vs profit 227,000\n      Revs 2,600,000 vs 4,800,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 46 cts vs profit 19 cts\n      Net loss 2,100,000 vs profit 600,000\n      Revs 9,900,000 vs 15.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED'S JOHNSON STRESSES PRICE STABILITY\n","article":"  Federal Reserve Board Vice Chairman\n  Manuel Johnson said that maintaining price stability was\n  critical to achieving non-inflationary economic growth in the\n  world and said that progress was being made.\n      \"It is worth reiterating that the Federal Reserve's\n  promotion of price stability is critical to the successful\n  implementation of virtually all of the important ingredients\n  for growth,\" he told the Eastern Economic Association.\n      Johnson said initial progress has been made on a variety of\n  fronts. \"Federal Reserve monetary policy, the\n  Gramm-Rudman-Hollings legislation, the G-6 agreement, and the\n  Baker debt initiative for example all have moved us in the\n  right direction,\" he said. G-6 is comprised of U.S., Britain,\n  France, Japan, West Germany and Canada.\n      On the budget deficit, Johnson said meeting precise\n  numerical goals was less important than a continuing commitment\n  toward slowing the growth of federal spending.\n      There was evidence deficits as a pct of Gross National\n  Product were declining and would continue to drop, he said.\n      But Johnson warned against reliance on inflow of foreign\n  capital to finance investment and the budget deficit and keep\n  interest rates stable.\n      \"This situation, however, cannot continue indefinitely.\n  Sooner or later progress must be made in controlling excessive\n  federal spending,\" he said.\n      A disinflationary monetary policy should continue to be the\n  main objective of the Fed, Johnson said.\n      He also said a more stable and sustainable alignment of\n  exchange rates was needed for long-term growth.\n      On the trade deficit, Johnson warned against \"quick fix\"\n  solutions, which he identified as excessive dollar depreciation\n  or protectionist trade legislation.\n      \"What is important is that we attempt to maintain healthy\n  returns to capital and adopt policies encouraging genuine\n  economic growth,\" he said.\n      Such an approach would finance the trade deficit but allow\n  for its gradual resolution over time.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ANGLO AMERICAN GOLD INVESTMENT CO LTD <AAGIY>\n","article":"  Year to Feb 28\n      Shr 1,700.3 cts vs 1,533.0\n      Pre-tax 373.3 mln rand vs 341.0 mln\n      Net 373.3 mln vs 336.5 mln\n      Tax nil vs 4.5 mln\n      Final div 900 cts making 1,600 cts vs 1,450\n      Div payable April 24, register March 20\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"THAI RICE EXPORTS RISE IN WEEK ENDED FEBRUARY 24\n","article":"  Thailand exported 84,960 tonnes of rice\n  in the week ended February 24, up from 80,498 the previous\n  week, the Commerce Ministry said.\n      It said government and private exporters shipped 27,510 and\n  57,450 tonnes respectively.\n      Private exporters concluded advance weekly sales for 79,448\n  tonnes against 79,014 the previous week.\n      Thailand exported 689,038 tonnes of rice between the\n  beginning of January and February 24, up from 556,874 tonnes\n  during the same period last year. It has commitments to export\n  another 658,999 tonnes this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HARRIS CUTS TRIAD SYSTEMS <TRSC> STAKE TO 18 PCT\n","article":"  Harris Associates L.P., a Chicago\n  investment advisory partnership, said it lowered its stake in\n  Triad Systems Corp to 1,355,296 shares, or 17.9 pct of the\n  total outstanding, from 1,463,962 shares, or 19.3 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Harris said it sold a net 108,666 Triad common shares between\n  Dec 16 and Feb 23 at prices ranging from 10.00 to 14.25 dlrs a\n  share.\n      It said its dealings in Triad common stock were done on\n  behalf of its advisory client.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. TREASURY SAYS NO COMMENT ON YEN VALUE\n","article":"  A Treasury Department spokesman\n  refused comment on statements by Robert Ortner, undersecretary\n  of economic affairs for the Commerce Department, that the\n  Japanese yen was undervalued.\n      Ortner, senior economist at the Commerce Department, told\n  an Export-Import Bank conference \"the yen is still a little bit\n  undervalued,\" and \"could go up another 10 or 15 pct.\"\n      Asked for reaction, a Treasury spokesman said officials\n  were aware of Ortner's comments but had no intention of making\n  any comment on them.\n      Ortner, who stressed he was expressing personal views, said\n  he thought the U.S. dollar was \"fairly priced\"\n  against most European currencies and added \"I do not regard the\n  dollar as undervalued at this point against the yen,\" he said.\n      But the yen should go up 10 or 15 pct in value, Ortner\n  said, because it is undervalued against the dollar.\n      The United States and major trade allies West Germany,\n  France, Britain, Japan and Canada met recently in Paris to\n  discuss maintaining stability in international currency values.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TOKYO GRAIN EXCHANGE TO RAISE MARGIN REQUIREMENTS\n","article":"  The Tokyo Grain Exchange said it will raise\n  the margin requirement on the spot and nearby month for U.S.\n  And Chinese soybeans and red beans, effective March 2.\n      Spot April U.S. Soybean contracts will increase to 90,000\n  yen per 15 tonne lot from 70,000 now. Other months will stay\n  unchanged at 70,000, except the new distant February\n  requirement, which will be set at 70,000 from March 2.\n      Chinese spot March will be set at 110,000 yen per 15 tonne\n  lot from 90,000. The exchange said it raised spot March\n  requirement to 130,000 yen on contracts outstanding at March\n  13. Chinese nearby April rises to 90,000 yen from 70,000.\n      Other months will remain unchanged at 70,000 yen except new\n  distant August, which will be set at 70,000 from March 2.\n      The new margin for red bean spot March rises to 150,000 yen\n  per 2.4 tonne lot from 120,000 and to 190,000 for outstanding\n  contracts as of March 13.\n      The nearby April requirement for red beans will rise to\n  100,000 yen from 60,000, effective March 2.\n      The margin money for other red bean months will remain\n  unchanged at 60,000 yen, except new distant August, for which\n  the requirement will also be set at 60,000 from March 2.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" 5-MAR-1987 13:15:11.82\n","article":"   5-MAR-1987 13:15:11.82\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IDEA INC <IDEA> TO BUY PRIVATE FIRM\n","article":"  IDEA Inc said it signed a\n  letter of intent to buy privately-held Structural\n  Instrumentation Inc.\n      The purchase, for an undisclosed sum, will be made mostly\n  with IDEA common stock, the company said.\n      IDEA said the purchase will add about 32 cts per share to\n  its fiscal 1988 earnings.\n      IDEA reported earnings of four cts per share for the\n  quarter ended October 31, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DUCOMMUN INC <DCO> SELLS DIVISION\n","article":"  Ducommun Inc said it sold its\n  Airdrome Parts Co division to a group of investors headed by\n  Airdrome's management for a cash price of 12 mln dlrs.\n      Ducommun said the sale, coupled with its sale last month of\n  Metermaster, were steps taken to improve the company's balance\n  sheet and that no further sales are being contemplated.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HOOPER HOLMES SHERLOCK INC <HOOP> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 22 cts vs 25 cts\n      Net 472,000 vs 454,000\n      Revs 16.2 mln vs 15.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,135,315 vs 1,835,325\n      12 mths\n      Shr 71 cts vs 70 cts\n      Net 1,393,000 vs 1,285,000\n      Rwevs 61,805,000 vs 55,367,000\n      Avg shares 1,960,319 vs 1,835,325\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BROWN-FORMAN <BFDB> SETS STOCK SPLIT, UPS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Brown-Forman Inc said its board\n  has approved a three-for-two stock split and a 35 pct increase\n  in the company cash dividend.\n      The company cited its improved earnings outlook and\n  continued strong cash flow as reasons for raising the dividend.\n      Brown-Forman said the split of its Class A and Class B\n  common shares would be effective March 13.\n      The company said directors declared a quarterly cash\n  dividend on each new share of both classes of 28 cts, payable\n  April one to holders of record March 20. Prior to the split,\n  the company had paid 31 cts quarterly.\n      Brown-Forman today reported a 37 pct increase in third \n  quarter profits to 21.6 mln dlrs, or 1.00 dlr a share, on a\n  seven pct increase in sales to a record 337 mln dlrs.\n      Brown-Forman said nine month profits declined a bit to 66.0\n  mln dlrs, or 3.07 dlrs a share, from 66.2 mln dlrs, or 3.08\n  dlrs a share, a year earlier due to a second quarter charge of\n  37 cts a share for restructuring its beverage operations.\n      The company said lower corporate tax rates and the\n  restructuring \"are expected to substantially improve\n  Brown-Forman's earnings and cash flow in fiscal 1988.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TEXON ENERGY <TXON> IN TALKS ON ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Texon Energy Corp said it has entered\n  into a preliminary agreement to purchase an 80 pct interest in\n  a privately-held specialty plastics manufacturing company it\n  did not name.\n      Texon said completion of the acquisition is subject to the\n  consent of banks and third parties and the acquisition would be\n  made for promissory notes and common stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALLIED <ALD> AFFILIATE RESTATES LOSS LARGER\n","article":"  Allied-Signal Inc's 49.7 pct owned\n  <Union Texas Petroleum Co> affiliate said it has restated its\n  fourth quarter and full-year losses and revenues to increase\n  the provision for the proposed settlement of a price dispute\n  involving Indonesian liquefied natural gas.\n      It said the restated increases the provision against 1986\n  fourth quarter earnings to 23.5 mln dlrs from 15.5 mln dlrs\n  estimated earlier.\n      Union Texas said its fourth quarter loss was increased to\n  29.5 mln dlrs from 21.5 mln dlrs reported previously and\n  revenues reduiced to 214 mln dlrs from 228 mln dlrs.\n      Union Texas said for the full year it restated its loss to\n  57.5 mln dlrs from 49.5 mln dlrs and revenues to 1.26 billion\n  dlrs from 1.27 billion dlrs.\n      the restatement results from a tentative agreement reached\n  in February with Pertamina, the Indonesian state-owned\n  petroleum enterprise, and Japanese purchasers of LNG.\n      Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Co also owns 49.7 pct of Union\n  Texas and the remainder is owned by management.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMREP CORP <AXR> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 12 cts vs 34 cts\n      Net 787,000 vs 2,250,000\n      Revs 23.6 mln vs 23.6 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 70 cts vs 1.06 dlrs\n      Net 4,598,000 vs 6,974,000\n      Revs 73.1 mln vs 73.6 mln\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for three-for-two stock split in\n  December 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ICI <ICI> SEES GROWTH IN PHARMACEUTICALS\n","article":"  Imperial Chemical Industries PLC\n  expects earnings from its pharmaceuticals operations to grow  \n  to about 35 pct of world profits within the next five years\n  compared with a current 30 pct, chairman elect Denys Henderson\n  told financial analysts.\n      \"Over the next five years we expect to launch one major new\n  product each year,\" Henderson said.\n      He also said research and development spending in this\n  business segment will be increased to 14 pct of total sales\n  income in 1987 from 13 pct, or 130 mln sterling, in 1986.\n      ICI, the world's fifth largest chemicals firm in terms of\n  sales, recently reported 1986 profits of about 888 mln dlrs on\n  15 billion dlrs in sales, compared with income of 817 mln dlrs\n  on 15.87 billion dlrs in sales a year earlier.\n      Sales in the United States totaled about three billion\n  dlrs, ICI executives said.\n      In addition, Henderson said overall corporate growth will\n  come from ICI's research and development activities, but the\n  company intends to continue to grow through an acquisition\n  program.\n      ICI spent just under one billion dlrs for acquisitions\n  during 1986, the largest of which was the 580 mln dlr purchase\n  of Cleveland, Ohio-based Glidden Inc, a paints, resins and\n  coatings company, from <Hanson Trust PLC>.\n      ICI financial director Alan Clements said the company's\n  borrowing limits are at a level of about 6.3 billion sterling,\n  1.5 billion of which have already been used.\n      While the company has no current plans for a major\n  acquisition, \"we are ready to move quickly in the acquisition\n  field if the need arises,\" Clements said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SAFECARD SERVICES <SFCD> SETS SPLIT, UPS PAYOUT\n","article":"  SafeCard Services Inc said\n  its board declared a three-for-two stock split and is\n  maintaining the quarterly dividend on post-split shares at the\n  same six cts it now pays for an effective 50 pct increase.\n      Both the split and the dividend are payable April 30 to\n  holders of record March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WILTON ENTERPRISES INC <WLTN> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit two cts vs loss 31 cts\n      Oper net 72,000 vs loss 1,130,000\n      Sales 7,896,000 vs 9,333,000\n      1st half\n      Oper shr profit 32 cts vs profit eight cts\n      Oper net profit 1,187,000 vs profit 299,000\n      Sales 21.3 mln vs 26.0 mln\n      NOTE: Current year net excludes tax credits of 54,000 dlrs\n  in quarter and 945,000 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ROTTERDAM PORT SUBSIDY TO END JULY 1 - MINISTER\n","article":"  Dutch Social Affairs Minister Louw de\n  Graaf announced he is withdrawing the annual 10 mln guilder\n  labour subsidy for Rotterdam's strike-hit general cargo sector\n  as from July 1.\n      Late last month de Graaf said that if the dispute was not\n  settled by Monday this week he would withdraw the subsidy.\n      The chairman of the port employers' organization, SVZ,\n  Jacques Schoufour, said he was unhappy with the decision and\n  added there was now no alternative to proceeding with\n  redundancy plans.\n      The series of strikes in the sector started on January 19\n  in protest at employers' plans to make 800 redundancies from\n  the 4,000-strong workforce by 1990 starting with 350 this year.\n      Meanwhile, the port and transport union, FNV, attacked loss\n  figures given for the port for this year.\n      The figures, issued by accountants on behalf of the SVZ,\n  put total losses for last year at 34 mln guilders and in 1985\n  at 37 mln. Earlier, the employers had put the figure at around\n  30 mln.\n      The FNV said the actual losses were nearer 17 to 20 mln and\n  said the employers had inflated the figures as part of their\n  plan to restructure completely the port's general cargo sector.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"S.A.Y.<SAYI> TO TAKE 3RD QTR LOSS FROM SALE\n","article":"  S.A.Y. Industries Inc said it\n  expects a loss of about two mln dlrs in its third quarter ended\n  February 28 from the proposed sale of its Omnilab Inc health\n  care unit.\n      S.A.Y said its board of directors approved the unit's sale\n  because Omnilab was losing about 140,000 dlrs a quarter.\n      \"We no longer see a near-term prospect for a reasonable\n  return on our investment,\" Romilly Humphries, S.A.Y. president\n  and chief executive officer said.\n      S.A.Y. said proceeds from the sale would be used to\n  increase the company's market share in automotive products\n  packaging and diversify its packaging capabilities.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SONESTA INTERNATIONAL HOTELS CORP <SNST> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr profit 26 cts vs loss 86 cts\n      Oper net profit 780,000 vs loss 2,609,000\n      Revs 12.2 mln vs 17.1 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 5.28 dlrs vs loss 1.11 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 16.1 mln vs loss 3,311,000\n      Revs 64.9 mln vs 69.8 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 year net excludes 598,000 dlr tax credit.\n      1986 net includes pretax gains on sale of property of\n  2,330,000 dlrs in quarter and 24.5 mln dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PRODUCER SPLIT HEATS UP COFFEE QUOTA TALKS\n","article":"  Talks on the possibility of reintroducing\n  global coffee export quotas have been extended into today, with\n  sparks flying yesterday when a dissident group of exporters was\n  not included in a key negotiating forum.\n      The special meeting of the International Coffee\n  Organization (ICO) council was called to find a way to stop a\n  prolonged slide in coffee prices.\n      However, delegates said no solution to the question of how\n  to implement quotas was yet in sight.\n      World coffee export quotas -- the major device used to\n  regulate coffee prices under the International Coffee Agreement\n  -- were suspended a year ago when prices soared in reaction to\n  a drought which cut Brazil\"s output by nearly two thirds.\n      Brazil is the world\"s largest coffee producer and exporter.\n      Producers and consumers now are facing off over the\n  question of how quotas should be calculated under any future\n  quota distribution scheme, delegates said.\n      Tempers flared late Saturday when a minority group of eight\n  producing countries was not represented in a contact group of\n  five producer and five consumer delegates plus alternates which\n  was set up to facilitate debate.\n      The big producers \"want to have the ball only in their court\n  and it isn\"t fair,\" minority producer spokesman Luis Escalante of\n  Costa Rica said.\n      The majority producer group has proposed resuming quotas\n  April 1, using the previous ad hoc method of carving up quota\n  shares, with a promise to try to negotiate basic quotas before\n  September 30, delegates said.\n      Their plan would perpetuate the status quo, allowing Brazil\n  to retain almost all of its current 30 pct share of the export\n  market, Colombia 17 pct, Ivory Coast seven pct and Indonesia\n  six pct, with the rest divided among smaller exporters.\n      But consuming countries and the dissident producer group\n  have tabled separate proposals requiring quotas be determined\n  by availability, using a formula incorporating exportable\n  production and stocks statistics.\n      Their proposals would give Brazil a smaller quota share and\n  Colombia and Indonesia a larger share, and bring a new quota\n  distribution scheme into effect now rather than later.\n      Brazil has so far been unwilling to accept any proposal\n  that would reduce its quota share, delegates said.\n      Delegates would not speculate on prospects for agreement on\n  a quota package. \"Anything is possible at this phase,\" even\n  adjournment of the meeting until March or April, one said.\n      If the ICO does agree on quotas, the price of coffee on the\n  supermarket shelf is not likely to change sinnificantly as a\n  result, industry sources said.\n      Retail coffee prices over the past year have remained about\n  steady even though coffee market prices have tumbled, so an\n  upswing probably will not be passed onto the consumer either,\n  they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<DOMCO INDUSTRIES LTD> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr four cts vs 12 cts\n      Net 248,000 vs 647,000\n      Revs 23.7 mln vs 21.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UNICORP AMERICAN <UAC> ACQUISITION ADVANCES\n","article":"  Unicorp American Corp said it has\n  signed a definitive agreement for the previously-announced\n  acquisition of Lincoln Savings Bank.\n      The company said the transaction is still subject to\n  regulatory approvals.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRST EASTERN CORP <FEBC> COMPLETES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  First Eastern Corp said it has\n  completed the acquisition of Peoples Bank of Nanticoke, Pa., in\n  an exchange of 11 First Eastern shares for each Peoples share.\n      Peoples has assets of about 24 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BISHOP GRAPHICS <BGPH> COMPLETES STORE SALE\n","article":"  Bishop Graphics Inc\n  said it completed the sale of its Newport Beach Art Supply\n  Center to Standard Brands Paint Co's <SBP> Art Store unit.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      Bishop also said it has opened a new sales and service\n  office in Irvine, Calif.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"STRIKING BRAZILIAN SEAMEN HOLD PAY TALKS\n","article":"  Striking Brazilian seamen, who say\n  they have made idle 158 ships and halted Brazilian exports,\n  today held pay talks in Rio de Janeiro with Labour Minister\n  Almir Pazzianotto, union officials said.\n      Jorge Luis Leao Franco, a senior official of the National\n  Merchant Marine Union, told Reuters he was optimistic the talks\n  would lead to an end of the stoppage, which began last Friday.\n      Brazil's 40,000 seamen are seeking a pay rise of 275 pct.\n      The union official said the strike had halted a total of\n  158 vessels, including 50 in Brazil's main port, Santos, and\n  about 50 more in Rio de Janeiro.\n      Abroad, six ships lay idle, in the Netherlands, Spain,\n  Venezuela, France and South Africa, he said.\n      Economic analysts said the strike was of serious concern to\n  the government, which has already had to suspend interest\n  payments on part of Brazil's foreign debt following a drastic\n  deterioration in the country's trade balance.\n      The head of the National Merchant Marine Authority, Murilo\n  Rubens Habbema, was quoted in today's Gazeta Mercantil\n  newspaper as saying that if the strike continued foreign ships\n  could be authorized to transport Brazilian exports.\n      \"Brazil is living through a crisis at the moment, and it is\n  not conceivable that exports be hit,\" he said.\n      \"But even using foreign ships we must not forget that we are\n  going to lose foreign exchange paying freight charges abroad,\n  and all this through the fault of the seamen,\" Rubens Habbema\n  said.\n      A spokesman for the port of Santos, which has been the\n  scene of labour unrest and congestion in recent months, said\n  movement of ships out of the port was running at about half its\n  normal level of 12 ships a day.\n      He said a total of 76 ships were either waiting at anchor\n  on moored in the harbour.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED'S JOHNSON SAYS DOLLAR IS VERY CLOSE TO APPROPRIATE EXCHANGE RATE LEVEL \n","article":"\n  FED'S JOHNSON SAYS DOLLAR IS VERY CLOSE TO APPROPRIATE EXCHANGE RATE LEVEL \n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ITALIAN TREASURY CUTS INTEREST ON CERTIFICATES\n","article":"  The Italian treasury said annual coupon\n  rates payable March 1988 on two issues of long-term treasury\n  certificates (CCTs) would be cut by about four percentage\n  points compared with rates this March.\n      Coupon rates on 10-year certificates maturing March 1995\n  will fall to 9.80 pct from 13.65 pct and rates on 10-year\n  issues maturing in March 1996 would fall to 10.05 pct from\n  14.30 pct.\n      The Treasury also cut by 0.60 point six-monthly coupons\n  payable this September on six issues maturing between September\n  1988 and September 1991.\n      The issues carry terms of between five and seven years and\n  will have coupon rates of between 4.85 and 5.65 pct in\n  September compared with 5.45 and 6.25 pct this March.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BROWN GROUP INC <BG> VOTES REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 37-1\/2 cts vs 37-1\/2 cts prior qtr\n      Pay 1 April\n      Record 16 March\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BLOCKER ENERGY CORP <BLK> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 11 cts vs loss 2.45 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 3,594,000 vs loss 81.9 mln\n      Revs 38.5 mln vs 48.2 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net excludes 68.5 mln dlr gain from debt\n  extinguishment.\n      1985 net includes 72.0 mln dlr writedown of drilling rigs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LTX CORP <LTXX> 2ND QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 28 cts vs loss 32 cts\n      Net loss 2,585,000 vs loss 2,885,000\n      Sales 27.6 mln vs 23.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 9,352,000 vs 9,049,000\n      1st half\n      Shr loss 63 cts vs loss 94 cts\n      Net loss 5,867,000 vs loss 8,405,000\n      Sales 51.9 mln vs 43.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 9,349,000 vs 8,966,000\n      NOTE: Prior year net includes tax credits of 1,827,000 dlrs\n  in quarter and 5,347,000 dlrs in half.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"YEUTTER SAYS U.S. BUDGET DEFICIT REDUCTION KEY TO TRADE DEFICIT SOLUTION\n","article":"\n  YEUTTER SAYS U.S. BUDGET DEFICIT REDUCTION KEY TO TRADE DEFICIT SOLUTION\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CALPROP CORP <CPP> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 40 cts vs 25 cts\n      Net 1,369,602 vs 628,193\n      Revs 12.5 mln vs 4,909,369\n      Avg shrs 3,460,217 vs 2,610,913\n      Year\n      Shr 97 cts vs 54 cts\n      Net 2,952,830 vs 1,414,369\n      Revs 37.0 mln vs 13.5 mln\n      Avg shr 3,031,494 vs 2,609,313\n      Note: Prior qtr and year per share figures restated for 10\n  pct stock dividend of December 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SIS CORP <SISB> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr one ct vs nil\n      Net 9,949,000 vs 3,799,000\n      Revs 15.5 mln vs 13.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AMOSKEAG CO <AMOS> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 30 cts vs 30 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March Five\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MEDTRONIC INC <MDT> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 22 cts vs 22 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 10 \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SCITEX CORP <SCIXF> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 46 cts vs loss 1.17 dlrs\n      Net loss 4,990,000 vs loss 12.8 mln\n      Revs 47.0 mln vs 42.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 3.08 dlrs vs loss 1.28 dlrs\n      Net loss 33.7 mln vs loss 13.3 mln\n      Revs 132.8 mln vs 132.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 10.9 mln vs 10.4 mln\n      NOTE: Includes losses of 501,000 vs 83,000 in qtr and 2.2\n  mln vs 83,000 in year from equity of 50 pct-owned companies.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"STANLEY WORKS <SWK> MAKES ACQUISITIONS\n","article":"  Stanley Works said it has acquired Acme\n  Holding corp, a maker of sliding and folding door hardware, and\n  the designs, patents and other righs of Plan-A-Flex Designer\n  Co, which provides kits for home design and remodeling\n  projects.\n      It said Acme had 1986 sales of over 50 mln dlrs.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ANITEC IMAGE TECHNOLOGY CORP <ANTC> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 7-1\/2 cts vs 7-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay April 10\n      Record March 27 \n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GREEN MOUNTAIN POWER CORP <GMP> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 45 cts vs 45 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 20 \n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DUAL-LITE INC <MDT> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div eight cts vs eight cts prior\n      Pay May 11\n      Record April 24 \n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INDONESIAN AGRICULTURE GROWTH EXPECTED TO SLOW\n","article":"  Indonesia\"s agriculture sector will grow\n  by just 1.0 pct in calendar 1987, against an estimated 2.4 pct\n  in 1986 as the production of some commodities stagnates or\n  declines, the U.S. Embassy said in a report.\n      Production of Indonesia\"s staple food, rice, is forecast to\n  fall to around 26.3 mln tonnes from an embassy estimate of\n  26.58 mln tonnes in 1986, according to the annual report on\n  Indonesia\"s agricultural performance.\n      The government officially estimates 1986 rice production at\n  26.7 mln tonnes, with a forecast 27.3 mln tonnes output in\n  1987.\n      The report says wheat imports are likely to fall to 1.5 mln\n  tonnes in calendar 1987 from 1.69 mln tonnes in 1986 because of\n  a drawdown on stocks.\n      \"Growth prospects for agriculture in 1987 do not look\n  promising as rice production is forecast to decline and the\n  production of sugarcane, rubber and copra show little or no\n  gain,\" the report says.\n      \"The modest overall increase which is expected will be due\n  to significant gains in production of corn soybeans, palm oil\n  and palm kernels.\"\n      Constraints to significant overall increases in\n  agricultural output include a shortage of disease resistant\n  seeds, limited fertile land, insect pests and a reluctance by\n  farmers to shift from rice production to other crops, the\n  report underlines.\n      The fall in rice production is caused by an outbreak of\n  pests known as \"wereng\" or brown plant hoppers in 1986 which\n  largely offset gains in yields.\n      The outbreak has forced the government to ban the use of 57\n  insecticides on rice because it was believed the wereng are now\n  resistant to these varieties, and to use lower-yielding, more\n  resistant rice types.\n      The government is depending on increased production of\n  export commodities such as coffee, tea, rubber, plywood and\n  palm oil to offset revenue losses brought on by falling crude\n  oil prices.\n      Palm oil production is expected to increase by over 7.0 pct\n  in 1987 to 1.45 mln tonnes from 1.35 mln, with exports rising\n  to an estimated 720,000 tonnes from 695,000 tonnes in 1986, the\n  report says.\n      But while production of soybeans in 1987\/88 (Oct-Sept) will\n  rise to 1.075 mln tonnes from 980,000 in 1986\/87, imports will\n  also rise to supply a new soybean crushing plant.\n      The report says that imports of wheat, soybeans, soybean\n  meal and cotton are not likely to decline as a result of last\n  September\"s 31 pct devaluation of the rupiah because of a rise\n  in domestic demand.\n      The report said that Indonesia\"s overall economic\n  performance in calendar 1986 was about zero or even a slight\n  negative growth rate, the lowest rate of growth since the\n  mid-1960s. It compares with 1.9 pct growth in 1985 and 6.7 pct\n  in 1984.\n      The dramatic fall in oil prices last year was responsible\n  for the slump.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SCIENCE MANAGEMENT CORP <SMG> 4TH QTR OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 14 cts vs loss 31 cts\n      Oper net profit 374,000 vs loss 707,000\n      Revs 19.1 mln vs 15.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,610,000 vs 2,560,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 20 cts vs loss 69 cts\n      Oper net profit 530,000 vs loss 1,376,000\n      Revs 69.1 mln vs 64.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,603,000 vs 2,565,000\n      NOTE: Excludes gain of 309,000 dlrs vs loss 72,000 dlrs in\n  qtr and gains of 458,000 dlrs vs 23,000 dlrs in year from tax\n  loss carryforwards. Includes gains of 76,000 dlrs and 378,000\n  dlrs in 1985 qtr and year, respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"YEUTTER SAYS BUDGET CUT KEY TO BETTER U.S. TRADE\n","article":"  A reduction of the U.S. federal budget\n  deficit will be needed to help eliminate the nation's huge\n  trade deficit, U.S. trade representative Clayton Yeutter said.\n      Speaking to the New York Chamber of Commerce and Industry,\n  Yeutter said \"Capital and trade flows are clearly\n  inter-releated now.\n      \"Unless we get the budget deficit down, we will not get the\n  trade deficit down.\"\n      He did not elaborate on his views of the linkages between\n  the two deficits.\n      Private analysts have said that the financing of large U.S.\n  budget deficits requires heavy capital inflows from overseas\n  investors through purchases of U.S. Treasury and, to a lesser\n  extent, other U.S. securities as well.\n      \"We'll make some progress in reducing the 170 billion dlr\n  trade deficit in 1987, but there's still a long way to go,\"\n  Yeutter said.\n      He said the problem must be approached on many fronts and\n  focus most strongly on U.S. and overseas fiscal and monetary\n  policies to foster economic growth, U.S. competitiveness and\n  the establishment of a \"level playing field\" for trade.\n      The U.S. trade representative said the Federal Reserve\n  under Chairman Paul Volcker has done its part to improve the\n  trade situation by getting interest rates down.\n      On the fiscal side, Yeutter said \"the budget deficit is\n  still our biggest problem\" and there has not been enough\n  progress toward reducing that deficit.\n      In the international area, he said that \"our major trading\n  partners could still do more to stimulate domestic growth.\"\n  Commenting on Japan, which is running around a 80 billion dlr\n  trade surplus with the United States, Yeutter said \"Japan is\n  just not doing the job on the import side.\"\n      Yeutter declined to comment on statements relating to the\n  dollar made earlier today by Commerce Dept undersecretary of\n  Economic Affairs Robert Ortner.\n      In a Washington address to an Export-Import Bank sponsored\n  meeting, Ortner said he believed the dollar at current levels\n  was fairly priced against most European currencies, but that\n  the yen is 10 or 15 pct undervalued.\n      \"The market will determine the dollar's proper value in the\n  end,\" Yeutter said. However, he added that, if the U.S. and\n  other nations do not take the necessary steps to cut the U.S.\n  trade deficit, \"the dollar will be the equalizer.\"\n      Yeutter said there is no quick fix to the trade problem and\n  any resort to such tactics as protectionist trade legislation\n  or trade restrictions poses real dangers.\n      He said \"there's relatively little that Congress can do to\n  legislate a solution to the trade problem.\"\n      Protectionist legislation will only provoke retaliation by\n  U.S. trading partners, Yeutter said.\n      \"There is no doubt in my mind about the willingness of our\n  trading partners to retaliate against unfair trade\n  legislation,\" Yeutter said, adding that policy flexibility is\n  essential in solving international trade problems.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CARMEL CONTAINER SYSTEMS LTD<KML> YEAR OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 1.18 dlrs vs 58 cts\n      Oper net 2,266,000 vs 1,037,000\n      Revs 45.8 mln vs 41.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,924,000 vs 1,800,000\n      NOTE: Excludes gain of 73,000 dlrs vs 290,000 dlrs from\n  benefit of tax loss carryforward.\n      Results for Tel Aviv, Israel-based company translated at\n  rate of one dlr to 1.485 new Israeli shekels.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"NEW CURRENCY PROBLEM SEEN AMONG U.S, EUROPE, JAPAN\n","article":"  The highly visible drama involving the\n  yen's sharp rise against the U.S. Dollar is obscuring the fact\n  that the Japanese currency has hardly budged against major\n  European currencies, thus creating a new set of exchange rate\n  distortions, Japanese and European research officials said.\n      The officials, looking beneath the rhetoric of statements\n  by the Group of Five (G-5) industrial nations, told Reuters the\n  currency movements of the past two years are also creating a\n  fundamentally new world trade picture, which is throwing up new\n  trade tensions and imbalances.\n      Trade figures show that the new currency alignments are\n  already changing the Japan-U.S. Trade axis into a Japan-\n  European Community (EC) axis, to the discomfort of Europe.\n      In many ways, not least in terms of rare international\n  cooperation, the September, 1985 New York Plaza pact between\n  the U.S., Japan, West Germany, Britain and France to cut down\n  the value of the dollar was a historic one.\n      But it is the underlying peaks and troughs of the major\n  currency movements which lay bare the real picture, in which\n  the Plaza pact appears as an event of prime importance, but not\n  necessarily central significance, the officials said.\n      The officials said that when the Plaza agreement took\n  place, the dollar was already on its way down. The agreement\n  simply helped it on its way. Senior EC financial expert in\n  Tokyo Tomas de Hora has watched the movements closely.\n      \"You have to look at the dollar's peak compared with now,\n  and that was well before Plaza,\" he said.\n      On February 25, 1985, the dollar peaked against the yen at\n  263.15 yen. On September 20, the Friday before Plaza, it was\n  242. Since then, despite massive Bank of Japan intervention and\n  periodic market frights about further G-5 concerted action, the\n  dollar trend has been down, down, down.\n      Yet the ECU is now around 173.4 yen. The historical cross\n  rates for sterling and the mark tell much the same story. The\n  European currencies are moving back up against the yen.\n      The close relationship between exchange rates and trade\n  flows makes it difficult to see which is driving which, but\n  undoubtedly the trade equation between the big three is\n  changing. In 1986, Japanese imports and exports with the EC\n  both grew by around 50 pct in dollar terms, five pct in yen.\n  This gave Japan a 16 billion dlr trade surplus.\n      Last January, Japanese exports to the EC totalled half of\n  of sales to the U.S, against about a third in recent years.\n      Trade with the U.S in 1986 rose 23 pct for exports and 12\n  pct for imports in dollar terms, but fell 13 pct for exports\n  and 21 pct for imports in yen terms.\n      \"The basic meaning for Europe is that Japanese firms have a\n  tremendous interest in exporting to Europe, where every unit\n  sold maximises profits in yen terms, which is what is important\n  to them. Suddenly, instead of the U.S., It is Europe that is\n  laying the golden egg,\" said de Hora.\n      The EC is worried. EC business also had a remarkable year\n  in Japanese sales, but this can be explained partly due to its\n  start from a small base, compared with total Japan-U.S. Trade.\n      The Japanese think EC firms are now more competitive than\n  U.S. Firms, a factor which is aggravating the exchange rate\n  imbalance, and which will cause problems.\n      \"This currency alignment between Japan and the EC is\n  reflecting the excellent performance of the EC countries. But\n  therefore, Japanese goods may keep their price competitive\n  edge,\" said Azusa Hayashi, Director of the First International\n  Economic Affairs Division of the Foreign Ministry. \"If you want\n  my objective view, I don't expect a drastic improvement in our\n  trade imbalance. Last year, we asked for moderation in exports,\n  and this year we may have to do so again,\" he said.\n   REUTER...\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TANDEM COMPUTERS <TNDM> SEES HIGHER NET\n","article":"  Tandem Computers Inc said it expects\n  higher earnings and revenues in its second fiscal quarter\n  ending March 31 against a year ago.\n      \"We feel we will continue to see higher growth in the\n  quarter,\" James Treybig, president and and chief executive\n  officer, told a meeting of securities analysts.\n      In the second fiscal quarter last year, Tandem earned\n  9,950,000 dlrs or 29 cts per share on revenues of 176.3 mln\n  dlrs.\n      Treybig declined to offer specific projections for the\n  quarter but he said the results might be lower than those for\n  the first quarter of fiscal 1987, when Tandem earned 27.1 mln\n  dlrs or 58 cts a share. He said Tandem's second quarter is\n  traditionally slower than the first.\n      L.F. Rothschild Unterberg Towbin analyst Frederic Cohen\n  estimated Tandem's second quarter net at 40 to 45 cts per\n  share. For the full year, he said he expects the computer maker\n  to earn about 2.40 dlrs a share. In fiscal 1986, Tandem earned\n  1.44 dlrs a share.\n      Treybig, who founded the Cupertino, Calif.-based company,\n  said he has seen a rebound in computer orders in the United\n  States. \"The U.S. economy is picking up, and buying decisions\n  are being made. We didn't see that a year ago,\" he said.\n      The executive said Tandem will increase its research and\n  development spending to about 100 mln dlrs this year from 87\n  mln dlrs in fiscal 1986.\n      He said the company plans to introduce several products,\n  including two low-end systems and a data base that uses the SQL\n  programming language, an industry standard. Tandem also won a\n  major order from the <Bank of Tokyo>.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FED'S JOHNSON SAYS HE DOES NOT SEE INCREASING PRESSURE ON INTEREST RATES\n","article":"\n  FED'S JOHNSON SAYS HE DOES NOT SEE INCREASING PRESSURE ON INTEREST RATES\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIA ATTACKS U.S. GATT FARM RULES EXEMPTION\n","article":"  Australia accused the U.S. of increasing\n  protectionism on agricultural products and called for an end to\n  Washington's special 32-year exemption from certain GATT rules\n  on agricultural trade.\n      Robert Arnott, Australia's delegate to the General\n  Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), made the appeal at a\n  special annual meeting which reviews the 1955 U.S. waiver.\n      \"Australia today said the United States' goals of reducing\n  U.S. barriers to agricultural trade were being contradicted by\n  actions which in fact increased protection in trade in\n  agriculture,\" the Australian delegation said in a statement.\n      \"The United States section 22 waiver is one of the basic\n  flaws in the GATT coverage of agriculture,\" Arnott told the\n  meeting.\n      Arnott said the waiver had continually been used as a\n  justification for \"dubious protective measures\" by the U.S. He\n  listed a recent Dairy Export Incentive Program and steps to\n  close the U.S. sugar market to imports.\n      He also told Reuters the waiver allowed Washington to\n  impose quotas on imports of farm products where it had domestic\n  support programs. This covered imports of dairy products,\n  peanuts, cotton and sugar.\n      Asked to comment, Michael Samuels, U.S. ambassador to the\n  GATT, told Reuters: \"These charges have been made since the very\n  beginning. The waiver is part of domestic U.S. agricultural\n  policy, part of our law when we joined the GATT\".\n      \"We have agreed to put the waiver on the table during the\n  Uruguay Round and invite other countries to do the same with\n  their programs. We can negotiate them all,\" Samuels added.\n      Ninety-two nations are taking part in the four-year Uruguay\n  round of talks launched in Punta del Este last September.\n  Bargaining in agricultural goods and services (banking,\n  tourism, insurance) is included for the first time as well as\n  manufactured goods.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"KUWAIT SAYS NO PLANS FOR EMERGENCY OPEC TALKS\n","article":"  Kuwait\"s Oil Minister, in remarks\n  published today, said there were no plans for an emergency OPEC\n  meeting to review oil policies after recent weakness in world\n  oil prices.\n      Sheikh Ali al-Khalifa al-Sabah was quoted by the local\n  daily al-Qabas as saying: \"None of the OPEC members has asked\n  for such a meeting.\"\n      He denied Kuwait was pumping above its quota of 948,000\n  barrels of crude daily (bpd) set under self-imposed production\n  limits of the 13-nation organisation.\n      Traders and analysts in international oil markets estimate\n  OPEC is producing up to one mln bpd above a ceiling of 15.8 mln\n  bpd agreed in Geneva last December.\n      They named Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, along with\n  the much smaller producer Ecuador, among those producing above\n  quota. Kuwait, they said, was pumping 1.2 mln bpd.\n      \"This rumour is baseless. It is based on reports which said\n  Kuwait has the ability to exceed its share. They suppose that\n  because Kuwait has the ability, it will do so,\" the minister\n  said.\n      Sheikh Ali has said before that Kuwait had the ability to\n  produce up to 4.0 mln bpd.\n      \"If we can sell more than our quota at official prices,\n  while some countries are suffering difficulties marketing their\n  share, it means we in Kuwait are unusually clever,\" he said.\n      He was referring apparently to the Gulf state of qatar,\n  which industry sources said was selling less than 180,000 bpd\n  of its 285,000 bpd quota, because buyers were resisting\n  official prices restored by OPEC last month pegged to a marker\n  of 18 dlrs per barrel.\n      Prices in New York last week dropped to their lowest levels\n  this year and almost three dollars below a three-month high of\n  19 dollars a barrel.\n      Sheikh Ali also delivered \"a challenge to any international\n  oil company that declared Kuwait sold below official prices.\"\n      Because it was charging its official price, of 16.67 dlrs a\n  barrel, it had lost custom, he said but did not elaborate.\n      However, Kuwait had guaranteed markets for its oil because\n  of its local and international refining facilities and its own\n  distribution network abroad, he added.\n      He reaffirmed that the planned meeting March 7 of OPEC\"s\n  differentials committee has been postponed until the start of\n  April at the request of certain of the body\"s members.\n      Ecuador\"s deputy energy minister Fernando Santos Alvite said\n  last Wednesday his debt-burdened country wanted OPEC to assign\n  a lower official price for its crude, and was to seek this at\n  talks this month of opec\"s pricing committee.\n      Referring to pressure by oil companies on OPEC members, in\n  apparent reference to difficulties faced by Qatar, he said: \"We\n  expected such pressure. It will continue through March and\n  April.\" But he expected the situation would later improve.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FIRST UNION <FUNC> TO BUY FLORIDA BANK\n","article":"  First Union Corp said it has\n  agreed to acquire First State Bancshares Inc of Pensacola,\n  Fla.,  and its First State Bank of Pensacola subsidiary for\n  about 457,000 common shares.\n      First State has assets of about 110 mln dlrs.  The\n  acquisition, expected to be treated as a pooling of interests,\n  is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 1987\n  subject to approval by regulatory agencies and First State\n  shareholders.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"OPPENHEIMER RAISES NWA <NWA> EARNINGS ESTIMATE\n","article":"  Oppenheimer and Co analyst Robert\n  McAdoo raised his 1987 earnings estimate for NWA Inc, parent of\n  Northwest Airlines, following a strong quarterly report by the\n  company yesterday, according to Oppenheimer market strategist\n  Michael Metz.\n      NWA shares rose 1-5\/8 to 74-3\/8 in active trading.\n      McAdoo raised his 1987 estimate to 7.50 dlrs a share from\n  five dlrs and maintained a buy recommendation on the stock,\n  Metz said.\n      McAdoo was traveling and could not be reached for comment.\n      Yesterday, Minneapolis-based NWA reported fourth quarter\n  net of about 9.8 mln dlrs or 45 cts a share against a loss of\n  two mln dlrs or nine cts in the 1985 quarter.\n      For the year, earnings rose to 76.9 mln dlrs or 3.26 dlrs\n  from 73.1 mln or 3.18 dlrs. The 1986 results include Republic\n  Airlines since NWA acquired it Aug 12, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"HOUSE 0\/92 FARM PROPOSAL SEEN SPARKING DEBATE\n","article":"  A House Agriculture Committee meeting\n  later today to draft a disaster aid bill is expected to spark a\n  debate between lawmakers who want to expand the 0\/92, or\n  \"de-coupling,\" provision to cover feedgrains, and those who\n  oppose 0\/92 or want it severely limited, Congressional sources\n  said.\n      The disaster aid bill as it now stands calls for a one-year\n  0\/92 pilot program for 1987 crop wheat and the 1988 winter\n  wheat crop. The bill would allow farmers to forego planting and\n  still receive 92 pct of deficiency payments.\n      The administration has strongly urged that the bill be\n  expanded to feedgrains and to more than one year.\n      It is difficult to tell in what form the 0\/92 provision\n  will emerge from the committee, the sources said.\n      Proponents of an expansion of 0\/92 maintain there are large\n  estimated cost savings of such a bill -- ranging from estimates\n  by the administration of 200 to 500 mln dlrs.\n      Opposition to a reopening of the 1985 farm bill at this\n  time is the major reason cited by those against an expansion of\n  the bill, committee staffers said.\n      The 0\/92 plan is scheduled to be discussed at 1530 EST. A\n  conflicting floor vote delayed the start of the meeting, and\n  staffers said it may have to be delayed even until next week.\n      Such a delay would not bode well for proponents of an\n  expanded 0\/92 program, since spring planting in many areas of\n  the country will be underway in the next few weeks and signup\n  for the 1987 wheat and feedgrains program ends March 30.\n      Farmers are now making their planting decisions, so\n  something has to be done quickly if a 0\/92 program is to be\n  implemented, an Agriculture Department source said.\n      An expansion of 0\/92 to feedgrains was opposed in last\n  week's subcommittee hearing on the bill, with subcommittee\n  chairman Dan Glickman, D-Kan., saying that more study of the\n  consequences of decoupling on feedgrains plantings was\n  necessary.\n      Major commodity groups, including the National Corn\n  Growers, the American Farm Bureau and the National Cattlemen's\n  Association, have voiced strong opposition to 0\/92.\n      But proponents of an expanded 0\/92 argue that the bill\n  currently is not equitable for all grains producers, so it\n  should be extended to other crops.\n      There will be difficulty in limiting 0\/92 to wheat, said\n  Gene Moos, aide to house majority leader Tom Foley, D-Wash.\n      Projected cost savings, in the current atmosphere of try to\n  decrease farm expenditures, would also be hard to ignore in the\n  debate to expand the 0\/92 application, Moos said.\n      Rep. Charles Stenholm, D-Tex., may be planning to introduce\n  a bill to restrict 0\/92 to only 1987 crop wheat, with the\n  argument that now is not the time to vote in favor of any major\n  changes in the farm bill.\n      \"Stenholm's bill is not a rejection of 0\/92, only of the\n  timing,\" a congressional staff member said.\n      Rep. Arland Stangeland (R-Minn.) is reported to have an\n  amendment to expand the 0\/92 provision to 1987 and 1988\n  feedgrains.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INDONESIA SEEN AT CROSSROADS OVER ECONOMIC CHANGE\n","article":"  Indonesia appears to be nearing a\n  political crossroads over measures to deregulate its protected\n  economy, the U.S. Embassy says in a new report.\n      To counter falling oil revenues, the government has\n  launched a series of measures over the past nine months to\n  boost exports outside the oil sector and attract new\n  investment.\n      Indonesia, the only Asian member of OPEC and a leading\n  primary commodity producer, has been severely hit by last year\"s\n  fall in world oil prices, which forced it to devalue its\n  currency by 31 pct in September.\n      But the U.S. Embassy report says President Suharto\"s\n  government appears to be divided over what direction to lead\n  the economy.\n      \"(It) appears to be nearing a crossroads with regard to\n  deregulation, both as it pertains to investments and imports,\"\n  the report says. It primarily assesses Indonesia\"s agricultural\n  sector, but also reviews the country\"s general economic\n  performance.\n      It says that while many government officials and advisers\n  are recommending further relaxation, \"there are equally strong\n  pressures being exerted to halt all such moves.\"\n      \"This group strongly favours an import substitution economy,\"\n  the report says.\n      Indonesia\"s economic changes have been welcomed by the World\n  Bank and international bankers as steps in the right direction,\n  though they say crucial areas of the economy like plastics and\n  steel remain highly protected, and virtual monopolies.\n      Three sets of measures have been announced since last May,\n  which broadened areas for foreign investment, reduced trade\n  restrictions and liberalised imports.\n      The report says Indonesia\"s economic growth in calendar 1986\n  was probably about zero, and the economy may even have\n  contracted a bit. \"This is the lowest rate of growth since the\n  mid-1960s,\" the report notes.\n      Indonesia, the largest country in South-East Asia with a\n  population of 168 million, is facing general elections in\n  April.\n      But the report hold out little hope for swift improvement\n  in the economic outlook. \"For 1987 early indications point to a\n  slightly positive growth rate not exceeding one pct. Economic\n  activity continues to suffer due to the sharp fall in export\n  earnings from the petroleum industry.\"\n      \"Growth in the non-oil sector is low because of weak\n  domestic demand coupled with excessive plant capacity, real\n  declines in construction and trade, and a reduced level of\n  growth in agriculture,\" the report states.\n      Bankers say continuation of present economic reforms is\n  crucial for the government to get the international lending its\n  needs.\n      A new World Bank loan of 300 mln dlrs last month in balance\n  of payments support was given partly to help the government\n  maintain the momentum of reform, the Bank said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"YELLOW FREIGHT <YELL> SEES LOWER 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Yellow Freight System Inc said\n  its expects 1987 first quarter profits to be substantially\n  below the 14.2 mln dlrs or 50 cts a share earned in the same\n  period a year ago.\n      Revenues have been depressed by recent price discounting,\n  added costs from expansion programs, lower shipping volumes and\n  increased costs associated with severe weather conditions\n  on the East coast, company officials told analysts here.\n      An industry-wide rate hike of 2.9 pct, set for April one,\n  will cover Yellow Freight's upcoming labor and other costs but\n  will not make a contribution to operating margins, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NOVA SUBSIDIARY RAISES U.S. POLYETHYLENE PRICES\n","article":"  Novacor Inc, a unit of <Nova,\n  an Alberta Corp>, said it would raise prices for U.S. customers\n  by five cts a pound on linear low-density and low-density\n  polyethylene, effective April 1.\n      The company did not immediately disclose the actual new\n  prices.\n      A Novacor official later said in reply to an inquiry that\n  the new prices, effective April 1, would range from 31 U.S. cts\n  a pound to about 38 cts.\n      The official said the increase reflected improved market\n  conditions, although he noted the new prices would still be\n  lower than those of three years ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MOULINEX STAKE SOLD TO SOME 50 INSTITUTIONS\n","article":"  The 20 pct stake in Moulinex SA <MOUP.PA>\n  sold by <Scovill Inc> of the U.S. Was spread among at least 50\n  institutional investors worldwide, a spokesman for brokers\n  James Capel said. Capel handled the deal.\n      The buyers were based in centers ranging from Europe to\n  North America and Japan, he added.\n      Moulinex's capital is split among Jean Mantelet, president\n  of the company, with 42 pct, along with private investors\n  holding 38 pct and the 20 pct which has just been sold, company\n  sources said earlier in Paris.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TALKING POINT\/PIEDMONT <PIE>\n","article":"  Carl Icahn's bold takeover bid for\n  USAir Group <U> has clouded the fate of Piedmont Aviation Inc,\n  which was being courted by USAir.\n      Yesterday, Icahn's Transworld Airlines Inc <TWA> made a 1.4\n  billion dlr offer for USAir Group. The move complicated a USAir\n  takeover offer for Piedmont, which was believed to be close to\n  accepting the bid.\n      Today, USAir rejected Icahn's 52 dlr per share offer and\n  said the bid was a last-minute effort to interfere in its\n  takeover of Piedmont. Icahn was unavailable for comment.\n      Piedmont fell one to 68-5\/8 on volume of 963,000. TWA was\n  off 3\/8 to 31-1\/2. USAir fell 1-3\/8 to 47-3\/4 as doubt spread\n  it would be taken over.\n      Analysts and market sources view the TWA bid as an attempt\n  to either trigger a counter offer from USAir or to attract a\n  suitor who might want both airlines once they merged.\n     \"The next move is either Icahn starts a tender offer or\n  Piedmont and USAir announce a deal,\" speculated one arbitrager.\n      Some arbitragers said there is now some risk in the current\n  price of Piedmont since it is not clear that USAir's bid will\n  succeed.\n      Piedmont's largest shareholder and other suitor, Norfolk\n  Southern Corp <NSC> has offered 65 dlrs per share for the\n  company. USAir offered 71 dlrs cash per share for half of\n  Piedmont stock, and 73 dlrs per share in stock for the balance.\n      Some arbitragers, however, believe the depressed price of\n  Piedmont offers a buying opportunity since the airline is\n  destined to be acquired by someone. USAir, they said, is the\n  least likely to be bought.\n      Icahn, who has long talked about further consolidation in\n  the airline industry, also offered USAir the alternative of a\n  three-way airline combination, including TWA and Piedmont.\n      But Wall Street has given little credibility to Icahn's\n  offer, which lacked financing and was riddled with\n  contingencies.\n      Still, he has succeeded in holding up a merger of two\n  airlines - both of which analysts said would fit well with TWA.\n      \"You can't discount him,\" said one arbitrager.\n      Analysts, however, said Icahn would have to prove he is\n  serious by following through with his threats or making a new\n  offer. In making the offer for USAir, Icahn threatened to go\n  directly to shareholders for 51 pct of the stock at a lower\n  price if USAir rejected his offer.\n      \"It's clear Icahn wants to sell and he's bluffing,\" said\n  one arbitrager.\n      Analysts said the 52 dlr per share offer was underpriced by\n  about six dlrs per share.\n      Some analysts believe Icahn's proposed three-way airline\n  combination might face insurmountable regulatory hurdles, but\n  others believe it could be cleared if the companies are\n  acquired separately.\n      \"TWA would have to be the surviving company for the deal to\n  work,\" said one analyst.\n      Analysts said such a merger would be costly and\n  complicated. TWA has the best cost structure, since Icahn\n  succeeded in winning concessions from its unions.\n      In order for the other carriers to come down to TWA's wage\n  scale in a merger, TWA would have to be the surviving entity,\n  analysts said.\n      Such a move does not necessarily free Icahn of TWA, they\n  said. They said he showed skill in reducing Ozark Airlines'\n  costs when he merged it into TWA last year, and he might be a\n  necessary ingredient for a merger to work.\n      However, other analysts speculated the managements of\n  Piedmont and USAir would not tolerate Icahn as head of a new\n  company. They said a USAir acquisition of TWA might be a way\n  for him to exit the company if USAir's airline is then merged\n  into TWA.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BAKER INT'L <BKO> HOPES TO COMPLETE MERGER\n","article":"  Baker International Corp treasurer Eric\n  Mattson said the company hoped to iron out snags in a proposed\n  merger with Hughes Tool Co <HT> but declined to say if or what\n  compromises might be acceptable to it.\n      The proposed merger that would create a 1.2 billion dlr\n  oilfield services company was thrown into limbo yesterday when\n  Hughes management, balking at the terms of a government consent\n  decree, offered a counter-proposal to Baker.\n      Earlier today, Hughes adjourned a shareholders meeting\n  called to vote on the proposed merger until March 11 and said\n  it hoped to resume negotitations with Baker.\n      Hughes chairman W.A. Kistler told reporters that Hughes did\n  not want to sign the Department of Justice consent decree until\n  after Baker's submersible pump and drilling bit operations were\n  sold.\n      Mattson told Reuters that Baker still believed a merger was\n  possible between the two giant oilfield service companies.\n      \"The company's position is we would like to see the merger\n  be completed, which is in the best interests of our\n  shareholders and their shareholders,\" Mattson said.\n      \"Our goal is for a merger to occur. Because of the\n  litigation, I can't go any further than that,\" he said.\n      Baker filed a lawsuit in Texas state court late yesterday\n  to force Hughes to abide by terms of the proposed consent\n  decree.\n      Mattson also declined to comment on whether the directors\n  of Baker and Hughes have scheduled any meetings to discuss the\n  merger.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LUCKY STORES INC REINSTATES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND AT 12.5 CTS PER SHARE\n","article":"\n  LUCKY STORES INC REINSTATES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND AT 12.5 CTS PER SHARE\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HOMESTEAD FINANCIAL <HFL> UPS CASH DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Homestead Financial Corp\n  said it has increased the dividend on its Class A common shares\n  to 6-1\/4 cts a share, from five cts prior, while declaring an\n  initial dividend on its Class B common stock of 3-3\/4 cts a\n  share.\n      Homestead said the two classes of stock emerged as part of\n  its recapitalization plan which also doubled the number of\n  authorized common, comprising both classes, to 11 mln shares.\n      Homestead said the dividends are payable on April 6, to\n  shareholders of record March 20.\n      Homestead also said that class b shareholders who want to\n  increase their dividends may exchange their shares for an equal\n  number of class A shares on or before March 20.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ELECTRO-SENSORS INC <ELSE> YEAR OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 52 cts vs 51 cts\n      Oper net 626,013 vs 613,127\n      Sales 4,544,929 vs 4,402,572\n      NOTE: Earnings exclude extraordinary securities loss of\n  29,532 dlrs, or two cts a share vs a gain of 81,358 dlrs, or\n  seven cts a share\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHINA ADDS, CANCELS WHEAT COMMITMENTS - USDA\n","article":"  China has added 90,000 tonnes of U.S.\n  wheat to its purchases for delivery in the 1987\/88 season and\n  cancelled 30,000 tonnes of wheat purchases for delivery in the\n  1986\/87 season, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      According to the department's Export Sales Report covering\n  transactions in the week ended February 26, China has\n  outstanding wheat commitments for the 1986\/87 season of 30,000\n  tonnes and 420,000 tonnes for delivery in the 1987\/88 season.\n      The wheat season begins June 1.\n      China has total corn commitments for 1986\/87 of 1,011,200\n  tonnes and soybeans commitments of 157,500 tonnes.\n      The season for corn and soybeans began September 1.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"OPEC PRESIDENT SAYS OUTPUT WELL BELOW CEILING\n","article":"  Opec Conference President Rilwanu Lukman\n  said the group was producing well below the 15.8 mln bpd\n  ceiling it set in December, partly because liftings had been\n  delayed or postponed by customers unwilling to pay fixed Opec\n  prices.\n      Lukman, during a brief visit to London on his way home from\n  Jamaica, told Reuters in a telephone interview that in\n  February, Opec had underproduced partly because members were\n  strictly abiding by production quotas and partly because they\n  were resisting the temptation to sell at discounts to official\n  prices of around 18 dlrs a barrel.\n      \"We are determined to stand firm by the (December) accord,\"\n  he said. \"I have spoken to every other Opec minister and they\n  are committed to making the accord work,\" he said.\n      Lukman gave no specific figures for February output. He\n  said the Opec secretariat in Vienna was finalizing these\n  figures.\n      Told of a Reuters survey published today which estimated\n  that Opec output so far this week was below 15 mln bpd, he\n  said; \"That could well be correct.\"\n      Opec\"s news agency Opecna today issued a statement saying\n  group output was \"well below\" its ceiling in February. But it\n  gave no figures.\n      But one source close to Opec indicated that February output\n  may have been between 15.3 and 15.5 mln bpd.\n      The Reuter survey estimated Opec February output at around\n  16 mln bpd.\n      Opec agreed in December to cut output by 7.25 pct to 15.8\n  mln bpd and to return to fixed prices starting February 1.\n      Lukman said Qatar, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Iran had all\n  produced in February below their Opec quotas. Iraq, which said\n  it would not honour its 1.466 mln bpd quota under the December\n  pact, had produced less than had been anticipated, he said.\n      Lukman said that some industry reports \"may be correct\" that\n  in February, Nigeria propuced 75-100,000 bpd below its 1.238\n  mln bpd quota, Saudi Arabia 500,000 bpd less than its 4.133 mln\n  allocation and Qatar 20 to 30 pct under its 285,000 bpd quota.\n      He said that sweet crudes such as those produced by his\n  country were coming under price pressure because they were\n  currently officially priced above sweet North Sea grades and\n  the United States\" West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude.\n      However, he said Opec in December had anticipated that\n  demand would be slack at this time of year for seasonal reasons\n  and expected the market to firm in two to three weeks.\n      \"We have to be patient for two or three weeks. The market is\n  now firming on actual fundamentals,\" he said, adding that he\n  expected it to go \"up and up\" even beyond official prices after\n  early April. This is when, traditionally, there is more demand\n  for gasoline-rich crudes such as Nigeria\"s.\n      The Opec President said producers such as Kuwait, Venezuela\n  and Indonesia were having less problems with output than\n  producers like his own country because they exported oil\n  products.\n      Also, some of Venezuela\"s heavy grades were outside the Opec\n  pricing system, he said.\n      Lukman said that if refiner-buyers, now refusing to lift\n  some Opec oil at official prices, instead used their own stocks\n  and ran them down to \"dangerous levels,\" they would eventually\n  have to buy Opec oil.\n      \"When they realise it is not a free-for-all (in the market)\n  they will realise they should buy now instead of paying more\n  later on,\" he said.\n      Lukman, asked about industry reports that Nigeria was being\n  pressured by equity producers for better terms, said it was\n  important to know that terms with them were negotiable,\n  flexible and under constant review, not only when the market\n  seemed weak.\n      He said that so far, no meeting of the seven-nation\n  ministerial differentials committee had been scheduled and that\n  such a meeting, now twice-postponed, was not a high priority\n  for Opec at the moment.\n      \"At this time, we have to get our priorities right,\" he said.\n  \"The most important thing now is ensuring that the accord is\n  working, not dealing with a differential of cents between\n  grades.\"\n      But if any Opec member raised concerns or objections over\n  the differential system, a meeting would be called, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LUCKY STORES INC <LKS> REINSTATES QUARTERLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 12.5 cts vs nil\n      Pay April 3\n      Record March 16\n      Note: in quarters preceeding 4th qtr, dividend was 29 cts.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"CARMEL CONTAINER SYSTEMS LTD<KML> YEAR OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 1.18 dlrs vs 58 cts\n      Oper net 2,266,000 vs 1,037,000\n      Revs 45.8 mln vs 41.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,924,000 vs 1,800,000\n      NOTE: Excludes gain of 73,000 dlrs vs 290,000 dlrs from\n  benefit of tax loss carryforward.\n      Results for Tel Aviv, Israel-based company translated at\n  rate of one dlr to 1.485 new Israeli shekels.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CUBAN CATTLE THREATENED BY DROUGHT\n","article":"  Over 750,000 head of cattle are suffering\n  the effects of a severe shortage of feed as a result of a\n  prolonged drought in the normally rich sugar and cattle\n  producing province of Camaguey, the newspaper Granma reported.\n      The province produces 23 pct of Cuba's beef and is the\n  island's number two province in milk production. Granma said\n  20,000 head of cattle are now in imminent danger.\n      The newspaper said a \"cattle emergency\" had been decreed and\n  the cattle are being rounded up.\n      Some 110,000 head have been transferred to the sugar cane\n  conditioning centers where newly harvested cane is cleaned\n  before being sent to the mills. The cattle are being fed the\n  residue left after cleaning the cane stalks. 32,000 head have\n  been sent to nearby provinces of Las Tunas and Ciego de Avila.\n      Despite Cuba's ambitous cattle development plans, beef\n  rationing has been in effect over the past 25 years. In Havana,\n  each Cuban receives approximately 3\/4 lb of rationed beef every\n  18 days.\n      In a major area hit by drought, San Miguel, practically no\n  rain has fallen in the past 14 months. Grazing lands are\n  parched and the region was unable to produce 117,000 tonnes of\n  silage projected in its annual plan.\n      Granma said rainfall over the past year has been less than\n  50 pct of normal precipitation.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. TO SET ORANGE JUICE DUTIES MONDAY\n","article":"  The Commerce Department on Monday\n  will set final dumping duties on frozen orange juice from\n  Brazil, department officials said.\n      A preliminary duty of 8.54 pct was set last Oct 17 on the\n  imports, which run at about 700 mln dlrs a year. Commerce's\n  ruling on Monday will reset the duties on the basis of more\n  detailed cost information, industry officials said.\n      The duties now are being assessed on a temporary basis,\n  pending a final ruling by the U.S. International Trade\n  Commission (ITC) on whether the imports are injuring the\n  domestic orange industry.\n      The ITC ruled provisionally last June 18 that the domestic\n  industry was being injured by Brazilian orange juice imports.\n      A complaint that the Brazilian imports were being dumped at\n  below costs on the U.S. market was filed on behalf of U.S.\n  growers by the Florida Citrus Mutual, a Lakeland, Fla., group,\n  Alcoma Packing Co, Inc, and Barry Citrus Products.\n      U.S. officials say about half of the orange juice consumed\n  in the United States comes from Brazil.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"LONGVIEW FIBRE CO <LFBR> QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 40 cts vs 40 cts\n      Pay April 10\n      Record March 25\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BEI HOLDINGS LTD <BEIH> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 13 cts vs eight cts\n      Net 1,364,712 vs 881,082\n      Rev 11.6 mln vs 11.5 mln\n      NOTE: Qtr includes extraordinary gain of 586,826 dlrs, or\n  six cts a share, versus 183,850 dlrs or two cts a share in\n  fiscal 1986's first qtr.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ENDEVCO <EI> AGREES TO BUY MISSISSIPPI PIPELINE\n","article":"  Endevco Inc said it has agreed to acquire\n  a 17.5-mile, 16-inch pipeline in Marion and Pearl River\n  Counties, Mississippi, for undisclosed terms.\n      The company said the pipeline was recently constructed from\n  the Poplarville gas field in Pearl River County to a proposed\n  interconnect with a pipeline operated by Occidental Petroleum\n  Corp's <OXY> United Gas Pipe Line Co subsidiary in Marion\n  County but has nmot been placed in service.\n      Endevco said it plans to extend its existing Mississippi\n  Fuel Co System in southern Mississippi 18 miles to the new\n  pipeline.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ATLANTIC CITY ELECTRIC CO <ATE> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 65-1\/2 cts vs 65-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 19\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KEMPER CORP <KEMC> REGULAR PAYOUT SET\n","article":"  Qtly div 15 cts vs 15 cts previously\n      Pay May 29\n      Record May Eight\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FFB <FFCT> SETS INITIAL QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  FFB Corp, parent of the First\n  Federal Bank of Connecticut FSB, said it declared an initial\n  quarterly dividend of five cts per share.\n      The company said the dividend is payable March 31 to\n  holders of record March 17.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ESQUIRE RADIO AND ELECTRONICS INC <EE> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr profit 15 cts vs profit four cts\n      Annual div 72 cts vs 72 cts prior yr\n      Net profit 72,000 vs profit 16,000\n      Revs 7,075,000 vs 2,330,000\n      12 mths\n      Shr profit 42 cts vs loss 11 cts\n      Net profit 203,000 vs loss 55,000\n      Revs 16.1 mln vs 3,971,000\n      NOTE: annual dividend payable April 10, 1987, to\n  stockholders of record on March 27, 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UNION CARBIDE SAYS OPERATING PROFITS FOR 4th qtr WERE 181 MLN DLRS VS LOSS THREE MLN DLRS\n","article":"\n  UNION CARBIDE SAYS OPERATING PROFITS FOR 4th qtr WERE 181 MLN DLRS VS LOSS THREE MLN DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MONEY MARKET FUND ASSETS ROSE 552.5 MLN DLRS IN LATEST WEEK TO 237.46 BILLION\n","article":"\n  MONEY MARKET FUND ASSETS ROSE 552.5 MLN DLRS IN LATEST WEEK TO 237.46 BILLION\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COMBINED INTERNMATIONAL <PMA> SEES STRONG 1987\n","article":"  Combined International Corp should have\n  another strong year, President Patrick G. Ryan told analysts,\n  although he declined to forecast earnings specifically.\n      In 1986, the company reported operating income of 5.51 dlrs\n  a share, up from 4.84 dlrs a share a year earlier. Revenues\n  increased to 1.81 billion dlrs from 1.36 billion dlrs.\n      Ryan said Combined is testing a direct response long-term\n  care product through its Union Fidelity Life Insurance Co and\n  has plans to offer it through Ryan Insurance Group.\n      In answer to a question on Combined's possible exposure to\n  AIDS-related health claims, Ryan said it was \"minimal\" although\n  he conceded that every carrier who provides coverage is\n  vulnerable.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA DLR DRIVEN BY FOREIGN BUYERS - WILSON\n","article":"  Finance Minister Michael Wilson said\n  large inflows of capital into Canada, principally into the\n  country's bond market, is a major reason behind the sharp\n  recovery in the Canadian dollar.\n      He said the inflow of funds, mainly from Japan, Europe and\n  the United States, is the result of \"confidence in the\n  direction this country is going in.\"\n      \"That is the reason why the (Canadian) dollar today is\n  higher than 75 cts (U.S.) compared to this time last year (when\n  it was) a little over 69 cts,\" Wilson told the House of Commons\n  daily question period.\n      Figures released this week show foreigners purchased a\n  record 23.1 billion dlrs of Canadian bonds in 1986, more than\n  double the previous year, with Japan investing a record 9.5\n  billion dlrs in the market.\n      Wilson was responding to opposition party questions about a\n  possible loss of jobs from the rise in Canadian investment\n  abroad. Canadian investment, including the buying of foreign\n  companies, stocks and bonds, rose to 12.53 billion dlrs from\n  6.19 billion dlrs in 1985.\n      The minister said the flow of funds from abroad would\n  generate many new jobs in Canada.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHARTWELL GROUP LTD <CTWL> 4th qtr net\n","article":"  Shr nine cts vs three cts\n      Net 549,000 vs 72,000\n      Rev 7.0 mln vs 2.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 49 cts vs 32 cts\n      Net 2,441,000 vs 801,000\n      Rev 19.6 mln vs 9.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CHINESE WHEAT CROP THREATENED BY PESTS, DISEASE\n","article":"  China's wheat crop this year is seriously\n  threatened by plant pests and diseases, the New China News\n  Agency said.\n      More than 5 mln hectares of wheat-producing land in North\n  China could be affected because relatively warm and dry weather\n  had allowed bacteria and insect eggs to survive the winter, the\n  agency added.\n      China\"s Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and\n  Fisheries has called for measures including the timely supply\n  of pesticides to farmers to combat the threat, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PITT-DES MOINES INC <PDM> TO ACQUIRE STEEL UNIT\n","article":"  Pitt-Des Moines Inc said it will\n  acquire <Chicago Steel Corp> in exchange for a portion of its\n  stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GIANT BAY <GBYLF> DETAILS GORDON LAKE DEPOSIT\n","article":"  Giant Bay Resources\n  Ltd said a metallurgical study of its Gordon Lake gold deposit\n  indicated an overall recovery of 95 pct to 96 pct of the gold\n  can be achieved by either direct cyanidation of ore or\n  flotation followed by cyanidation of concentrate.\n      Continuation of an underground program on the property will\n  begin in June, extending an existing drift along the\n  200-foot-level where the main ore zone was encountered, Giant\n  Bay said.\n      The company did not elaborate on production figures for the\n  property.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CONSENSUS BUILDS FOR WORLD AGRICULTURAL REFORM\n","article":"  Top U.S. and European farm trade and\n  government representatives called for a sweeping reform of\n  world agriculture to redress a critical demand and supply\n  imbalance.\n      Speakers at a conference on world agricultural markets here\n  demonstrated a growing U.S.-European consensus on the need for\n  an urgent and collective overhaul of world farm trade and\n  production.\n      \"It is vital that we work together to bring more freedom and\n  harmony into the world agricultural trade...(if not) the\n  disruptions in markets may grow even more severe, the walls of\n  protection climb higher and the level of possible retaliation\n  become more harmful,\" U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy\n  Administrator William Bailey said.\n      Bailey said his attendance at the two-day meeting, which\n  ends tomorrow, demonstrated the U.S. recognises the need to\n  adjust its policies to the changing market environment.\n      The need for urgent reforms is justified by the \"imbalance\n  and tensions of the world economy,\" the secretary general of the\n  Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development\n  Jean-Claude Paye said.\n      And the forum for such a reform is the General Agreement on\n  Tariffs and Trade, he noted.\n      Paye stressed the need for a progressive and joint\n  reduction of agricultural subsidies as well as social measures\n  to help farmers in unprofitable areas.\n      Another possible solution would be to stop supporting farm\n  prices, allowing them to be fixed by supply and demand, and\n  instead help farmers through income support and adjustment\n  aids, proposed James Howard, Executive Vice-president of\n  Cargill (USA), one of the world's largest cereal houses.\n      Franz-Josef Feiter, agricultural adviser to West German\n  Chancellor Helmut Kohl, agreed the European Community must take\n  greater heed of market constraints in fixing farm prices.\n      However, \"differentiated policy treatment is required\" to\n  take account of large disparities in the situation around the\n  EC, he said.\n      \"Agriculture is an efficient sector of the European economy\n  and will remain so if the right policy is pursued within the\n  Community,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REXCOM <RXSC> TO ACQUIRE MARKETING FIRM\n","article":"  Rexcom Systems Corp said it agreed to\n  buy all the assets of Postech Inc from Comtech Group\n  International Ltd, a Canadian computer service company, for 70\n  pct of Rexcom's voting shares.\n      The purchase will be for Rexcom common and preferred stock.\n      Postech, the Canadian firm's U.S. marketing arm, sells\n  computerized restaurant management systems and security systems\n  in the U.S.\n      The deal is subject to approval by the boards of Postech\n  and Rexcom.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SAUDI RIYAL DEPOSIT RATES REMAIN FIRM\n","article":"  Saudi riyal interbank deposits were\n  steady at yesterday's higher levels in a quiet market.\n      Traders said they were reluctant to take out new positions\n  amidst uncertainty over whether OPEC will succeed in halting\n  the current decline in oil prices.\n      Oil industry sources said yesterday several Gulf Arab\n  producers had had difficulty selling oil at official OPEC\n  prices but Kuwait has said there are no plans for an emergency\n  meeting of the 13-member organisation.\n      A traditional Sunday lull in trading due to the European\n  weekend also contributed to the lack of market activity.\n      Spot-next and one-week rates were put at 6-1\/4, 5-3\/4 pct\n  after quotes ranging between seven, six yesterday.\n      One, three, and six-month deposits were quoted unchanged at\n  6-5\/8, 3\/8, 7-1\/8, 6-7\/8 and 7-3\/8, 1\/8 pct respectively.\n      The spot riyal was quietly firmer at 3.7495\/98 to the\n  dollar after quotes of 3.7500\/03 yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ASCS BUYS PEANUT PRODUCTS, VEG OIL\/SHORTENING\n","article":"  The Agricultural Stabilization and\n  Conservation Service (ASCS) bought 2.3 mln pounds of peanut\n  products at a cost of 2.1 mln dlrs and 7.4 mln pounds of\n  vegetable oil\/shortening for 2.0 mln dlrs, for domestic\n  distribution April 1-15 and April 16-30, an ASCS spokesman\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GENERAL REFRACTORIES CO <GRX> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 17 cts vs 84 cts\n      Net 709,000 vs 3,605,000\n      Rev 86.4 mln vs 87.0 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.79 dlrs vs 1.10 dlrs\n      Net 7,452,000 vs 4,695,000\n      Rev 362.8 mln vs 316.0 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes gains from sale of non-operating\n  assets of 800,000 dlrsm versus 1.2 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      1985 net includes nonrecurring cost of 2.6 mln dlrs and\n  provision for separation pay of 1.5 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HOUSE 0\/92 FARM PLAN MARKUP DELAYED TILL TUESDAY\n","article":"  A House Agriculture Committee meeting\n  to draft a disaster aid bill containing a controversial 0\/92\n  provision has been postponed until next Tuesday, committee\n  staff members announced.\n      The bill contains a provision implementing a 0\/92 acreage\n  reduction plan for 1986 wheat and 1987 winter wheat, thereby\n  making payments available to farmers who were not able to plant\n  last year's winter wheat crop because of flooding.\n      Controversy exists over whether the 0\/92 provisions of the\n  bill should be expanded, cut back or left as is.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNION CARBIDE <UK> SAYS LONG TERM DEBT RISES\n","article":"  Union Carbide Corp said its 1986\n  long term debt was 3.06 billion dlrs compared to 1.71 billion\n  dlrs in 1985.\n      The company released its audited 1986 results.\n      The company also said its long term debt was reduced by\n  about 1.5 billion dlrs from the third quarter to the end of the\n  year by asset sales and equity offerings. Union Carbide sold\n  its battery products, home and automobile products and\n  agricultural products businesses in 1986. In the fourth\n  quarter, it offered 30 mln shares of stock, raising about 650\n  mln dlrs.\n      The asset sales and equity offering were part of a\n  recapitalization plan undertaken by the chemicals company last\n  year.\n      Audited net earnings in 1986 of 496 mln dlrs or 4.78 dlrs a\n  share compared to a 1985 loss of 581 mln dlrs or 2.78 dlrs were\n  unchanged from the company's preliminary earnings report made\n  on Jan 28. The earnings results for the fourth quarter were\n  also unchanged.\n      Included in the 1986 numbers are a 564 mln dlr gain from\n  sale of the different businesses, a 270 mln dlr pension credit\n  and a charge of 473 mln dlrs from the purchase of long term\n  debt at a premium under the recapitalization.\n      In the audited results released today, the company broke\n  down results by business segment.\n      Operating profit in the fourth quarter for all of the\n  company's operations on a consolidated basis, before corporate\n  and interest expense and taxes, was 181 mln dlrs against a loss\n  of three mln dlrs in the 1985 quarter.\n      In the year, operating profit was 791 mln dlrs compared to\n  a loss of 253 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      In a statement, the company said it defeated a hostile\n  takeover attempt, by GAF Corp <GAF>, and recapitalized the\n  company, adding, \"While all this was going on, our continuing\n  businesses performed very soundly, with substantial operating\n  profit improvement over 1985.\"\n      Carbon products posted operating profit of eight mln dlrs\n  in the quarter, down from 29 mln dlrs, and 49 mln dlrs in the\n  year against a loss of 146 mln dlrs.\n      Chemicals and plastics had fourth quarter operating profit\n  of 122 mln dlrs compared to a year-ago loss of 49 mln dlrs. In\n  the year, chemicals and plastics earned 472 mln dlrs against\n  losses of 142 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      Operating income at industrial gases rose to 64 mln dlrs\n  from 55 mln in the quarter and to 276 mln dlrs from 222 mln in\n  the year.\n      The company's specialties and services segment cut its\n  losses in the quarter to 13 mln dlrs from 40 mln dlrs and in\n  the year to three mln dlrs from 181 mln dlrs.\n      Eliminations of business conducted between the company's\n  industry segments contributed two mln dlrs to fourth quarter\n  1985 profits but did not affect the 1986 quarter. The\n  eliminations caused losses of three mln dlrs compared to six\n  mln dlrs in the year.\n      The 1985 operating results include a host of unusual\n  writeoffs and depreciation charges totaling 134 mln dlrs in the\n  quarter and 906 mln dlrs in the year.\n      Capital expenditures rose to 524 mln dlrs in 1986 from 501\n  mln dlrs.\n      By segment, spending at carbon products fell to 42 mln dlrs\n  from 57 mln dlrs and spending fell at specialties and services\n  to 126 mln dlrs from 143 mln dlrs.\n      At chemicals and plastics, expenditures rose to 147 mln\n  dlrs from 133 mln and at industrial gases they rose to 209 mln\n  dlrs from 168 mln dlrs.\n      The company's cash and equivalents fell to 299 mln dlrs at\n  year end from 430 mln dlrs at year end 1985, after a net\n  decrease of 131 mln dlrs during 1986.\n      Current assets at year-end fell to 2.41 billion dlrs from\n  4.43 billion dlrs and current liabilities fell to 1.88 billion\n  dlrs from 2.38 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FIRST COMMERCIAL BANCORP <FCOB> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 49 cts vs loss 1.36 dlrs\n      Net loss 928,835 vs loss 1,648,665\n      Year\n      Shr loss 33 cts vs loss 4.21 dlrs\n      Net loss 593,533 vs loss 4,970,951\n      Assets 203.9 mln\n      Loans 151.5 mln\n      Deposits 192.0 mln\n      Note: 1986 loss included non-recurring expenses of\n  1,275,000 dlrs comprised of asset write-downs, legal proceeding\n  and a 930,000-dlr provision for loan losses.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HARCOURT BRACE JOVANOVICH INC <HBJ> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 23 cts vs 28 cts\n      Net 8,877,000 vs 9,530,000\n      Revs 342 mln vs 278.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 39.4 mln vs 34 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.91 dlrs vs 1.62 dlrs\n      Net 70.5 mln vs 50.5 mln\n      Revs 1.3 billion vs 990.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 37 mln vs 31.3 mln\n      NOTE: On Dec one, 1986, company acquired Holt, Rinehart and\n  Winston and W.B. Saunders and The Dryden Press and their\n  foreign subsidiaries. By including these companies for the\n  single month of December 1986, 4th qtr earnings were raised by\n  seven cts per shr and for the year by eight cts per shr.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LONE STAR<LCE> AGREES TO BUY CONCRETE OPERATIONS\n","article":"  Lone Star Industries Inc said\n  it has agreed to acquire ready-mixed concrete and aggregates\n  businesses from <Riedel International Inc> of Portland, Ore.,\n  for an undisclosed amount of cash.\n      Lone Star's one sentence statement gave no further details\n  and company spokesmen were not available.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SHELL FRANCAISE RETURNS TO PROFIT IN 1986\n","article":"  Shell Francaise <SFMF.PA>, a subsidiary of\n  <Shell Petroleum NV>, returned to the black last year for the\n  first time since 1982, with parent company net profit of 43 mln\n  francs against losses of 968 mln in 1985 and 1.07 billion in\n  1984. In 1982 it posted a profit of 329 mln.\n      The company said in a statement that cash flow had improved\n  strongly although it remained negative at 182 mln francs\n  against 1.34 billion in 1985, due largely to improved\n  performances by its main profit centres.\n      It said the results could have been even better had it not\n  been for the collapse of refining and sales profit margins in\n  the last quarter of the year.\n      In 1986 Shell sold 14.74 mln tonnes of oil products against\n  14.52 mln tonnes in 1985.\n      The company said the results were in line with its targets\n  for the second year of its three-year recovery programme.\n      Meanwhile, <Societe Shell Chimie) said it also returned to\n  profit in 1986, for the first time since 1976, posting net\n  profit of 160 mln francs against a 1985 loss of 57 mln. No\n  other details were available.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL SUSPENDS IMPORT OF 500,000 TONNES MAIZE\n","article":"  Brazil has suspended the importation\n  of 500,000 tonnes of maize ordered last year because of the\n  excellent domestic maize harvest expected this year,\n  Agriculture Minister Iris Resende said.\n      The Agriculture Ministry expects a record maize crop of\n  27.7 mln tonnes, a 36 pct increase on last year's crop of 20.3\n  mln tonnes.\n      Brazil's total grain crop is expected to be 65.3 mln\n  tonnes. \"This is a record in the history of Brazilian\n  agriculture,\" a ministry spokesman said.\n      Resende announced suspension of the maize imports at a news\n  conference in Brasilia yesterday.\n      The ministry spokesman said he had no other details on the\n  maize transaction.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FAIRMOUNT CHEMICAL CO INC <FMTC> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 28 cts vs loss 29 cts\n      Net loss 584,100 vs loss 459,500\n      Sales 1,339,800 vs 1,6390,800\n      Year\n      Shr loss 64 cts vs loss 79 cts\n      Net loss 1,314,700 vs loss 1,237,100\n      Sales 7,249,600 vs 6,311,500\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HUMANA INC <HUM> REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 19 cts vs 19 cts in prior qtr\n      Payable May one\n      Record April two\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. COMMERCIAL PAPER FALLS 1.27 BILLION DLRS IN FEB 25 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. COMMERCIAL PAPER FALLS 1.27 BILLION DLRS IN FEB 25 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"N.Y. BUSINESS LOANS RISE 523 MLN DLRS IN FEB 25 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  N.Y. BUSINESS LOANS RISE 523 MLN DLRS IN FEB 25 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FINANCIAL CORP <FIN> UNIT BUYS BRANCHES\n","article":"  Financial Corporation of\n  America's American Savings and Loan Association unit said it\n  signed a definitive agreement to buy three retail savings\n  branches from Gibraltar Financial Corp's <GFC> Gibraltar\n  Savings unit.\n      The purchase, which must be approved by the Federal Home\n  Loan Bank and the California Department of Savings and Loans,\n  would increase American Savings' deposits by about 40 mln dlrs.\n      The branches are in La Jolla, La Mesa and San Juan\n  Capistrano, Calif.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PORK DELEGATES VOTE ON FARM BILL, FARM CREDIT\n","article":"  Delegates from the National Pork\n  Producers Council, NPPC, attending the American Pork Congress\n  in Indianapolis, voted overwhelmingly to recommend the U.S.\n  congress not to change the farm bill. While there are no\n  specific pork items in that legislation, feed grain prices\n  directly affect pork producer profits, the NPPC said.\n      Don Gingerich, a delegate from Iowa, said \"to have\n  unpredictable changes come along periodically makes it very\n  difficult to plan and causes a lot of disruption.\"\n      Other members said the farm bill has some imperfections but\n  that's a price pork producers are willing to pay for\n  legislative stability, an NPPC spokesman said.\n      Delegates also passed unanimously a resolution that\n  Congress and the administration should act swiftly to identify\n  problems in the farm credit system.\n      Farm Credit Task Force chairman and newly elected Vice\n  President of the NPPC Ray Hankes, said delegates wanted a\n  program that all commodity groups can work with and bring a \n  resolution to this problem with legislators in Washington.\n      Hankes added that the National Pork Producers Council will\n  work to save farmers and keep credit available, but not to save\n  or create any one credit system.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CONFIDENCE IN OPEC FIRMS U.S. ENERGY FUTURES\n","article":"  Renewed confidence in OPEC's ability to\n  limit production helped U.S. energy futures settle above\n  yesterday's closing prices, according to analysts.\n      They also said the heating oil contract found additional\n  support from a short-covering rally on the close.\n      April crude closed 24 cts higher to 17.75 dlrs. April\n  heating oil was 1.47 cts higher to 47.91 cts a gallon.\n      \"Most traders expected follow through profit-taking from\n  yesterday but the market found suport from bullish reports that\n  OPEC is producing within its quota,\" said Simon Greenshields, a\n  vice president with Morgan Stanley and Co Inc.\n      News today, including OPEC President Rilwanu Lukman\n  statement that OPEC February production did not exceed its\n  official quota of 15.8 mln barrels per day, helped bouy prices,\n  traders said. A Reuter survey found OPEC production in early\n  March was 14.7 mln bpd.\n      In addition to short-covering, heating oil found support\n  from traders buying it against sales of gasoline and crude, as\n  well as from expectations for continued drawdowns in stocks as\n  refiners shut down for maintenance, traders said.\n      Unleaded gasoline for April finished 0.55 cent higher to\n  51.24 cts a gallon.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TREASURY SAYS ONLY REAGAN, BAKER SPEAK ON DLR\n","article":"  The U.S. Treasury repeated a White\n  House statement that only President Reagan and Treasury\n  Secretary James Baker are authorized to speak on the dollar.\n      A Department spokesman was commenting on remarks by\n  Commerce Department Under-Secretary Robert Ortner that the yen\n  was undervalued 10 or 15 pct against the dollar but European\n  currencies were fairly priced against the U.S. currency.\n      \"As Larry Speakes said on January 14 this year, only two\n  people in this administration are authorized to speak on the\n  dollar and that is the president and the secretary of the\n  treasury,\" the spokesman told Reuters.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"USDA COMMENTS ON EXPORT SALES \n","article":"  Corn sales gained 2,494,900 tonnes in\n  the week ended February 26, the highest weekly total since\n  August 1984 and two and three-quarter times the prior week's\n  level, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      In comments on its Export Sales Report, the department said\n  sales of 1.0 mln tonnes to the USSR -- previously reported\n  under the daily reporting system -- were the first sales for\n  delivery to the USSR under the fourth year of the U.S.-USSR\n  Grains Supply Agreement, which began October 1.\n      Japan added 689,700 tonnes to previous purchases and sales\n  to unknown destinations rose by 429,800 tonnes.\n      Wheat sales of 362,400 tonnes for the current season and\n  151,000 for the 1987\/88 season were down by more than half from\n  the previous week's combined sales, it said.\n      Egypt, Japan and Iraq were the major wheat buyers for\n  delivery in the current year, while sales to China decreased by\n  30,000 tonnes for the current season, but increased by 90,000\n  tonnes for the 1987\/88 season, which begins June 1.\n      Net sales of soybeans totalling 274,200 tonnes equaled the\n  preceding week, but were nearly a third below the four week\n  average. Major increases were for Belgium, South Korea, Mexico\n  and Italy, it said.\n      Soybean cake and meal sales of 103,700 tonnes were 2-3\/4\n  times the previous week's marketing year low, but six pct less\n  than the four week average.\n      Major increases for West Germany, Belgium, Spain, Italy and\n  Australia were partially offset by declines to unknown\n  destinations.\n      Soybean oil sales of 5,400 tonnes were the result of\n  increases for Venezuela and reductions of 500 tonnes for\n  unknown destinations.\n      Combined sales activity in cotton of 75,200 running bales\n  -- 44,700 bales for the current year and 30,500 bales for the\n  1987\/88  bales -- were 56 pct below the prior week's good\n  showing, the department said.\n      Major purchasers for the current season were South Korea,\n  Japan, Taiwan and Thailand, while South Korea and Indonesia\n  were the major buyers for the 1987\/88 season, which begins\n  August 1.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FAIRFIELD COMMUNITIES INC <FCI> 10 MOS DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.62 dlrs vs profit 83 cts\n      Net loss 17.2 mln vs profit 8.3 mln\n      Revs 264.0 mln vs 338.0 mln\n      NOTE:Year ago figures based on 12 months ended February 28,\n  1986 because company changed reporting period to end December\n  31.\n     1986 10 months loss includes 10.3 mln dlrs writedown of\n  certain assets.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CARVER CORP <CAVR> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 20 cts vs 17 cts\n      Net 680,000 vs 533,000\n      Sales 6,473,000 vs 5,996,000\n      Year\n      Shr 57 cts vs 84 cts\n      Net 1,967,000 vs 2,099,000\n      Sales 20.8 mln vs 19.0 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"QATAR UNVEILS BUDGET FOR FISCAL 1987\/88\n","article":"  The Gulf oil state of Qatar, recovering\n  slightly from last year's decline in world oil prices,\n  announced its first budget since early 1985 and projected a\n  deficit of 5.472 billion riyals.\n      The deficit compared with a shortfall of 7.3 billion riyals\n  in the last published budget for 1985\/86.\n      In a statement outlining the budget for the fiscal year\n  1987\/88 beginning today, Finance and Petroleum Minister Sheikh\n  Abdul-Aziz bin Khalifa al-Thani said the government expected to\n  spend 12.217 billion riyals in the period.\n      Projected expenditure in the 1985\/86 budget had been 15.6\n  billion riyals.\n      Sheikh Abdul-Aziz said government revenue would be about\n  6.745 billion riyals, down by about 30 pct on the 1985\/86\n  projected revenue of 9.7 billion.\n      The government failed to publish a 1986\/87 budget due to\n  uncertainty surrounding oil revenues.\n      Sheikh Abdul-Aziz said that during that year the government\n  decided to limit recurrent expenditure each month to\n  one-twelfth of the previous fiscal year's allocations minus 15\n  pct.\n      He urged heads of government departments and public\n  institutions to help the government rationalise expenditure. He\n  did not say how the 1987\/88 budget shortfall would be covered.\n      Sheikh Abdul-Aziz said plans to limit expenditure in\n  1986\/87 had been taken in order to relieve the burden placed on\n  the country's foreign reserves.\n      He added in 1987\/88 some 2.766 billion riyals had been\n  allocated for major projects including housing and public\n  buildings, social services, health, education, transport and\n  communications, electricity and water, industry and\n  agriculture.\n      No figure was revealed for expenditure on defence and\n  security. There was also no projection for oil revenue.\n      Qatar, an OPEC member, has an output ceiling of 285,000\n  barrels per day.\n      Sheikh Abdul-Aziz said: \"Our expectations of positive signs\n  regarding (oil) price trends, foremost among them OPEC's\n  determination to shoulder its responsibilites and protect its\n  wealth, have helped us make reasonable estimates for the coming\n  year's revenue on the basis of our assigned quota.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INTER-CITY GAS CORP 4TH QTR SHR 36 CTS VS 68 CTS\n","article":"\n  INTER-CITY GAS CORP 4TH QTR SHR 36 CTS VS 68 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNICORP <UAC>, LINCOLN IN DEFINITVE PACT\n","article":"  Unicorp American Corp said it signed a\n  definitive agreement to acquire Lincoln Savings Bank FSB.\n      Under terms of the agreement announced in January, Lincoln\n  would be acquired by a unit of Unicorp which is minority-owned\n  by Lincoln president Alton Marshall.\n      The acquisition will take place through a voluntary \n  conversion of Lincoln to a federally chartered stock savings\n  bank from a mutual federal savings bank.\n      In connection with the conversion, Unicorp will contribute\n  150 mln dlrs in cash to Lincoln.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. M-1 MONEY SUPPLY RISES 1.9 BILLION DLRS IN FEB 23 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. M-1 MONEY SUPPLY RISES 1.9 BILLION DLRS IN FEB 23 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. BANK DISCOUNT BORROWINGS AVERAGE 233 MLN DLRS A DAY IN MARCH 4 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. BANK DISCOUNT BORROWINGS AVERAGE 233 MLN DLRS A DAY IN MARCH 4 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COFFEE FALL NOT SEEN AFFECTING COLOMBIA'S DEBT\n","article":"  The sharp fall in international coffee\n  prices will not affect Colombia's external credit situation,\n  finance minister Cesar Gaviria told reuters.\n      He said the current depression on world coffee markets was\n  not totally unexpected and would have no immediate bearing on\n  Colombia's financial state which he described as sound.\n      \"Our foreign debt is high, but we can pay and I hope the\n  foreign banking community will maintain its position toward us,\"\n  he said.\n      Colombia, the only major latin american country not to have\n  rescheduled its external public debt, has a total foreign debt\n  of 13.6 billion dlrs.\n      Calls for a rescheduling of the debt have come this week\n  from the opposition conservative party and the biggest trade\n  union following the coffee price drop. Gaviria said lower\n  coffee prices this year could mean a loss of 1.5 billion dlrs\n  in revenues for 1987.\n      Gaviria submitted to the world bank and the inter-american\n  bank last week in new york a borrowing plan, for a total of\n  3.054 billion dlrs to be disbursed over the next four years,\n  which he said was approved.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. M-1 MONEY SUPPLY RISES 1.9 BILLION DLRS\n","article":"  U.S. M-1 money supply rose 1.9 billion\n  dlrs to a seasonally adjusted 738.5 billion dlrs in the\n  February 23 week, the Federal Reserve said.\n      The previous week's M-1 level was revised to 736.6 billion\n  dlrs from 736.7 billion dlrs, while the four-week moving\n  average of M-1 rose to 736.7 billion dlrs from 735.0 billion.\n      Economists polled by Reuters had forecast M-1 in a range\n  from down 500 mln dlrs to up 4.5 billion dlrs.\n      The average forecast called for a 2.2 billion dlr M-1 rise.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GULF BOND, STOCK MARKETS LAG BEHIND, GIB SAYS\n","article":"  Gulf money markets have grown reasonably\n  well during the past decade, but bond and stock markets remain\n  to a large extent fragmented and lag behind, <Gulf\n  International Bank BSC> (GIB) said.\n      The bank's economist Henry Azzam said in a review of Gulf\n  capital markets that investors have to relinquish traditional\n  investment vehicles such as real estate, foreign currency bank\n  accounts and precious metals.\n      \"Greater financial sophistication is needed coupled with\n  more diversified capital market instruments and a change in the\n  disclosure requirements on company accounts,\" he said.\n      The GIB study reviewed capital markets under three\n  categories -- money markets, stock and bond markets.\n      Azzam said Gulf states had been making greater use of\n  short-term money market instruments and banks in the region had\n  floated various euronotes and underwriting facilities.\n      \"Nevertheless, bond and stock markets remain, to a large\n  extent, fragmented and lagging behind,\" he said.\n      Most debt in the region is still raised by syndicated loans\n  and bank facilities and very few companies had made use of\n  stock or bond issues. Only Kuwait has an official stock\n  exchange, while other Gulf nations have yet to establish\n  exchanges.\n      But with dwindling financial surpluses in the Gulf,\n  governments are actively pursuing ways to develop capital\n  markets and set up domestic stock exchanges, Azzam said.\n      He said recession stemming from sliding oil prices had\n  \"clearly had a negative impact on the development of capital\n  markets in the region.\"\n      In addition, family firms are reluctant to go public,\n  financial awareness among investors is still lacking and\n  investment analysis and corporate reporting standards lack\n  depth. A sharp fall in share prices in the early 1980s prompted\n  investors to hold on to shares hoping for an eventual recovery.\n      Azzam said the absence of proper commercial law in some\n  Gulf countries and authorities' apparent reluctance to adopt\n  financial innovations had also hampered capital markets.\n      He called for clearly defined laws governing incorporation\n  of joint stock companies and the flotation of debt instruments.\n      Azzam said capital market instruments should be made\n  available to all citizens and institutions of Gulf Cooperation\n  Council (GCC) states -- Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi\n  Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Some moves had been\n  taken in this direction, with Bahrain allowing GCC nationals to\n  own up to 25 pct of locally incorporated companies.\n      Azzam said Gulf money markets had received greater depth\n  from the introduction of treasury bill offerings in Bahrain and\n  the expansion of securities repurchase regulations in Saudi\n  Arabia.\n      But he added there is \"no bond market to speak of\" in Saudi\n  Arabia, Qatar, Oman or the UAE, with the last Saudi riyal\n  denominated bond issued in 1978.\n      While Bahrain plans an official stock exchange and trading\n  in Saudi Arabia has picked up, establishment of formal\n  exchanges in Qatar, Oman and the UAE does not appear imminent,\n  Azzam said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HUMANA <HUM> DECLARES SHAREHOLDERS RIGHTS PLAN\n","article":"  Humana Inc said its board\n  approved a shareholder rights plan, or so-called poison pill\n  plan, to ensure its shareholders receive fair treatment in the\n  event of a proposed takeover.\n      Humana said it is now aware of any effort to gain control\n  of the company.\n      Under the plan its board declared a dividend distribution\n  of one right for each outstanding common share held as of March\n  16. It said each right entitles holders to purchase a unit of\n  1\/100 of a share of newly authorizes series A participating\n  preferred at 75 dlrs per unit.\n      Humana said the rights become effective after an entity\n  acquires 20 pct or more of its outstanding common or tenders\n  for 30 pct of its stock. After such an acquisition, then each\n  right entitles holders to purchase securities of the company or\n  an acquiring entity having a market value of twice the right's\n  exercise price.\n      Humana said the rights expire March 4, 1997, unless\n  redeemed earlier. It said the rights may be redeemed by the\n  company for one ct per right at any time prior to 10 days\n  following a public announcement that a 20 pct position has been\n  acquired.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FREMONT GENERAL CORP <FRMI> 4TH QTR OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 63 cts vs loss 1.15 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 6,629,000 vs loss 12.4 mln\n      Revs 23.6 mln vs 22.4 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 1.65 dlrs vs loss 1.28 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 17.5 mln vs loss 13.8 mln\n      Revs 93.1 mln vs 86.8 mln\n      Note: Oper data does not include loss from discontinued\n  operations of 7,932,000 dlrs, or 73 cts per shr in 4th qtr\n  1985, loss of 40.5 mln dlrs, or 3.83 dlrs per shr in the 1986\n  year or gain of 104.3 mln dlrs, or 9.68 dlrs per shr in 1985.\n  Also does not include 4th qtr 1985 extraordinary loss of\n  1,028,000 dlrs, or ten cts per shr.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GREAT WESTERN FINANCIAL <GWF> UNIT BUYS BANKS\n","article":"  Great Western Financial\n  Corp's subsidiary Great Western Bank said it will purchase\n  three retail banking branches in south Florida with total\n  deposits of 90 mln dlrs.\n      Great Western said it will purchase branches in Deerfield\n  Beach and Hollywood with approximately 80 mln dlrs in deposits\n  from Guardian Savings and Loan Association, and one in Palm\n  Beach with approximately 10 mln in deposits from Goldome\n  Savings Bank.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HUGHES <HT> CHANGES STANCE ON MERGER AFTER SUIT\n","article":"  A one billion dlr lawsuit pushed\n  Hughes Tool Co into an about-face on its rejection of a\n  proposed merger with Baker International Corp <BKO>, Wall\n  Street analysts said.\n      Last night, Hughes said the planned merger with Baker was\n  off. Baker then filed a suit seeking punitive damages from\n  Hughes for calling off the merger. At midday today Hughes said\n  it was still interested in the merger.\n      The analysts also said Hughes may be worried that its\n  troubles could make it a takeover candidate.\n      There was speculation today that Harold Simmons, the Dallas\n  investor, might try to acquire Hughes, but Simmons told Reuters\n  he is not interested.\n      Simmons said he intends to file a 13-D with the Securities\n  and Exchange Monday reporting a stake of five pct or more in\n  some publicly traded company. He declined to identify the\n  target other than to rule out Hughes.\n      One analyst said another factor in the latest Hughes\n  turnabout was Borg-Warner Corp <BOR>, which owns 18.5 pct of\n  Hughes. Borg-Warner ex-chairman J.F. Bere, who serves on the\n  Hughes board, is believed to favor the merger with Baker.\n      Despite the Hughes statement that it is interested in a\n  merger, and Baker's response that a merger is still possibile,\n  analysts said no one could be certain where the situation was\n  going.\n      \"I think the merger is not going through,\" said Phil Pace,\n  analyst at Kidder, Peabody and Co. He said the merger \"lost a\n  lot of its appeal\" when the U.S. Department of Justice required\n  that Baker sell off its Reed Tool Co operation.\n      Although the Reed operation is relatively small in view of\n  the total size of a combined Baker-Hughes, Pace said \"30 to 40\n  pct of the cost savings are tied up in that.\"\n      \"They (Hughes) are obviously concerned about the lawsuit,\"\n  said James Crandell, analyst at Salomon Brothers Inc.\n  \"Apparently they are willing to continue discussions but\n  whether they will alter their position, I don't know.\n      \"It's getting a little confusing,\" said James Carroll,\n  analyst at PaineWebber Group Inc. He said the arguments cited\n  by Hughes yesterday for not doing the merger \"tend to be weak.\"\n  Hughes said yesterday that as a condition of the merger it\n  wanted Reed Tool and other businesses sold prior to April 22,\n  the projected merger date. A government decree allowed a longer\n  period of time.\n      Hughes contended it was better to formally combine the\n  companies with the status of Reed already settled. Baker\n  apparently sees no reason to speed up the sale.\n      Carroll said Baker had previously estimated 110 to 130 mln\n  dlrs in savings if the companies were combined without selling\n  Reed. But he said Baker now thinks 75 to 85 mln dlrs will be\n  saved while Hughes sees a saving of only 50 to 60 mln dlrs.\n      Carroll also noted that since the merger accord was first\n  signed \"the outlook for the industry has improved materially.\"\n  Hughes may simply feel the pressure on the oil service industry\n  is lifting.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ARMTEK <ARM> SELLS TIRE, TRUCK TIRE BUSINESS\n","article":"  Armtek Corp, formerly known as\n  Armstrong Rubber Co, said it signed agreements with <Condere\n  Corp> for the sale of its Natchez, Miss. tire plant and its S\n  and A Truck Tire Sales and Services Corp.\n      Terms were not disclosed. Armtek spokesman John Sievers\n  said S and A is a 50 mln dlr business.\n      Earlier this week, Armtek announced the sale of its\n  industrial tire and assembly business division to Dyneer Corp\n  of Scotsdale, Ariz.\n      Cash proceeds from both sales will be used to reduce\n  outstanding debt.\n       Under a long term supply agreement with Condere, it is\n  anticipated that truck tires produced at the Natchez plant will\n  be supplied to the Armstrong Tire Co, an Armtek operating\n  company, the company said.\n      The closing is scheduled to be concluded by March 31, it\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ELXSI LTD <ELXSF> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss four cts vs loss 34 cts\n      Net loss 2,922,000 vs loss 19.9 mln\n      Revs 4,071,000 vs 8,012,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 23 cts vs loss 79 cts\n      Net loss 17.3 mln vs loss 46.2 mln\n      Revs 22.4 mln vs 28.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<NEWSCOPE RESOURCES LTD> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 94 cts vs profit 28 cts\n      Net loss 6,319,337 vs profit 1,702,016\n      Revs 2,899,513 vs 5,239,106\n      Note: 1986 net includes 5,250,000 dlr writedown of oil and\n  gas properties.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SAUDI ARABIA REITERATES COMMITMENT TO OPEC PACT\n","article":"  Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Hisham Nazer\n  reiterated the kingdom's commitment to last December's OPEC\n  accord to boost world oil prices and stabilise the market, the\n  official Saudi Press Agency SPA said.\n      Asked by the agency about the recent fall in free market\n  oil prices, Nazer said Saudi Arabia \"is fully adhering by the\n  ... Accord and it will never sell its oil at prices below the\n  pronounced prices under any circumstance.\"\n      Nazer, quoted by SPA, said recent pressure on free market\n  prices \"may be because of the end of the (northern hemisphere)\n  winter season and the glut in the market.\"\n      Saudi Arabia was a main architect of the December accord,\n  under which OPEC agreed to lower its total output ceiling by\n  7.25 pct to 15.8 mln barrels per day (bpd) and return to fixed\n  prices of around 18 dlrs a barrel.\n      The agreement followed a year of turmoil on oil markets,\n  which saw prices slump briefly to under 10 dlrs a barrel in\n  mid-1986 from about 30 dlrs in late 1985. Free market prices\n  are currently just over 16 dlrs.\n      Nazer was quoted by the SPA as saying Saudi Arabia's\n  adherence to the accord was shown clearly in the oil market.\n      He said contacts among members of OPEC showed they all\n  wanted to stick to the accord.\n      In Jamaica, OPEC President Rilwanu Lukman, who is also\n  Nigerian Oil Minister, said the group planned to stick with the\n  pricing agreement.\n      \"We are aware of the negative forces trying to manipulate\n  the operations of the market, but we are satisfied that the\n  fundamentals exist for stable market conditions,\" he said.\n      Kuwait's Oil Minister, Sheikh Ali al-Khalifa al-Sabah, said\n  in remarks published in the emirate's daily Al-Qabas there were\n  no plans for an emergency OPEC meeting to review prices.\n      Traders and analysts in international oil markets estimate\n  OPEC is producing up to one mln bpd above the 15.8 mln ceiling.\n      They named Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, along with\n  the much smaller producer Ecuador, among those producing above\n  quota. Sheikh Ali denied that Kuwait was over-producing.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FERC ISSUES TAKE-OR-PAY GAS POLICY PLAN\n","article":"  The Federal Energy Regulatory\n  Commission (FERC) issued a proposed policy statement for the \n  recovery of take-or-pay costs imposed by existing natural gas\n  contracts between producers and pipelines.\n      It put out the statement, by 5-0 vote, for a 30-day comment\n  period. It also put out an alternative policy statement by\n  Commissioner Charles Stalon.\n      FERC said in a press release that \"the proposed policy\n  statement estblishes an exception to the commission's general\n  policy that take-or-pay buy-out and buy-down costs must be\n  recovered through pipeline' commodity sales rates.\"\n      FERC added that \"specifically, in cases where pipelines\n  assume an equitable share of buy-out or buy-down costs, the\n  commission proposes to permit the pipelines to recover the\n  remaining costs through their demand rates.\"\n      It said it wanted guidelines for buying out and reforming\n  existing contracts to help spread the impact of these\n  take-or-pay costs in a responsible, fair and equitable way.\n      Commission chairwoman Martha Hesse said \"this proposal\n  represents the commission's sincere attempt to help the\n  industry through this difficult period of transition to a more\n  competitive market.\"\n      Hesse said \"it is my hope that our proposed policy will\n  encourage and guide the timely resolution of take-or-pay\n  contractual disputes that have impeded the industry's\n  transition to a more competitive environment.  It is vital to\n  the industry that we get this problem behind us.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TIMES MIRROR CO <TMC> QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 41 cts vs 41 cts\n      Pay June 10\n      Record May 29\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INTER-CITY GAS CORP <ICG> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 36 cts vs 68 cts\n      Net 10.0 mln vs 16.1 mln\n      Revs 441.6 mln vs 470.8 mln\n      YEAR\n      Shr 86 cts vs 1.77 dlrs\n      Net 29.1 mln vs 44.1 mln\n      Revs 1.43 billion vs 1.54 billion\n      Note: 1986 fl-yr net includes 9.3 mln dlr writedown of U.S.\n  oil and gas properties partly offset by 1.1 mln dlr\n  extraordinary gain from tax gains and proceeds from sale of\n  Minnesota utility operations. 1985 net includes extraordinary\n  gain of 892,000 dlrs.\n      Shr after preferred divs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BROWN TRANSPORT CO INC <BTCI> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 26 cts vs profit 10 cts\n      Net profit 1,371,000 vs profit 482,000\n      Revs 48 mln vs 45.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 5.20 mln vs 5.15 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr profit 1.05 dlrs vs loss 34 cts\n      Net profit 5,454,000 vs loss 1,766,000\n      Revs 191.7 mln vs 185.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 5.20 mln vs 5.15 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"METRO MOBILE CTS INC <MMCT> FIRST QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Qtr ends Dec 31\n      Shr loss 33 cts vs loss 16 cts\n      Net loss 5,632,426 vs loss 2,373,358\n      Revs 3,277,976 vs 1,535,550\n      Avg shrs 16.9 mln vs 14.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COFFEE QUOTA TALKS CONTINUE, NO ACCORD SEEN LIKELY\n","article":"  The International Coffee Organization\n  (ICO ) council talks on reintroducing export quotas continued\n  with an extended session lasting late into Sunday night, but\n  delegates said prospects for an accord between producers and\n  consumers were diminishing by the minute.\n      The special meeting, called to stop the prolonged slide in\n  coffee prices, was likely to adjourn sometime tonight without\n  agreement, delegates said.\n      The council is expected to agree to reconvene either within\n  the next six weeks or in September, they said.\n      The talks foundered on Sunday afternoon when it became\n  apparent consumers and producers could not compromise on the\n  formula for calculating any future quota system, delegates\n  said.\n      Coffee export quotas were suspended a year ago when prices\n  soared in response to a drought which cut Brazil's crop by\n  nearly two-thirds. Brazil is the world's largest coffee\n  producer and exporter.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<SPAR AEROSPACE LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr basic 42 cts vs 1.41 dlrs\n      Shr diluted 42 cts vs 1.33 dlrs\n      Net 4,394,000 vs 13,070,000\n      Revs 191.0 mln vs 223.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PESCH UNIT SEEKS BALANCE OF REPUBLIC HEALTH\n","article":"  Alpha Health Systems Corp, a\n  wholly-owned subsidiary of Pesch and Co, said it submitted a\n  merger proposal to the board of REPH Acquisition Co, the parent\n  company of Republic Health Corp, which is 64 pct owned by Pesch\n  interests.\n      The balance of REPH's common stock is owned by members of\n  Republic management, McDonnell Douglas Corp <MD>, Donaldson,\n  Lufkin and Jenrette and Pacific Asset Holdings L.P.\n      Republic currently owns 44 hospitals and manages 46 other\n  facilities, in 25 states.\n      Details of the proposal were not disclosed.  Company\n  representatives were not immediately available.\n      The proposal provides that REPH would become a wholly-owned\n  subsidiary of Alpha and that the existing REPH common\n  stockholders would become stockholders of Alpha, it said.\n      REPH's board has appointed a special committee to negotiate\n  terms of the proposed merger, Pesch said.\n      Last year, Republic was acquired by REPH in a leveraged\n  buyout transaction led by Dr. LeRoy Pesch, the principal\n  shareholder of Pesch and Co.\n      Alpha recently submitted a second offer to acquire the\n  stock of American Medical International Inc (AMI) at 22 dlrs a\n  share in cash and securities, which is still being considered\n  by American Medical's board, Pesch said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SPAR SEES SEES STRONG FIVE-YEAR GROWTH\n","article":"  <Spar Aerospace Ltd>, reporting a\n  sharply lower 1986 profit, said it anticipated solid profit and\n  revenue growth during the next five years.\n      \"Looking to the longer term, Spar is confident that its\n  continuing concentration on advanced robotics, satellite-based\n  communications and electro-optical defense systems will lead to\n  significant growth in revenues and earnings over the next five\n  years,\" the company said.\n      It also forecast higher 1987 sales due to an increased\n  order backlog. Revenues last year fell to 191 mln dlrs from\n  223.3 mln while profit fell to 4.4 mln dlrs from 13.1 mln.\n      Spar added that lower development costs in the\n  communications group and a return to normal operations in gears\n  and transmissions and aviation services \"will remove a serious\n  drain on profits\" this year.\n      It attributed its reduced 1986 earnings to communications\n  group losses resulting from continued heavy investment in new\n  products and market development, a four-month strike at its\n  Toronto plants and delays in receipt of authorization from\n  customers to start work on new programs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CHESAPEAKE UTILITIES CORP <CHPK> REGULAR DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 28-3\/4 cts vs 28-3\/4 cts prior\n      Pay April three\n      Record March 13\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MEATPACKERS REJECT OCCIDENTAL <OXY> UNIT OFFER\n","article":"  United Food and Commercial Workers Union\n  Local 222 rejected a new contract proposal from Iowa Beef\n  Processors Inc and remain out of work, union spokesman Allen\n  Zack said.\n      In mid-December, Iowa Beef, a subsidiary of Occidental\n  Petroleum Corp, closed its beef processing plant at Dakota\n  City, Nebraska, because it said \"it had no alternative to\n  threats by meatpackers to disrupt operations.\"\n      About 2,800 UFCWU members are affected by what the union\n  terms as a lockout.  A 3-1\/2 year labor contract at the plant\n  expired December 13.\n      Zack said IBP's proposal included elimination of a two-tier\n  wage structure, a 60 cent an hour wage cut for slaughterers and\n  a 45 cent an hour wage reduction for processors.\n      The new proposal also included a bonus system of 1,000 dlrs\n  for workers who had been at the plant for two years, Zack said.\n  The annual turnover rate at the facility is 100 pct, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SWIFT INDEPENDENT PACKING CO <SFTPr> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Periods ended January 31\n      Net 1,443,000 vs 3,539,000\n      Revs 765.2 mln vs 685.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CHEMLAWN SAYS IT REJECTS 27 DLRS PER SHARE TENDER OFFER FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT\n","article":"\n  CHEMLAWN SAYS IT REJECTS 27 DLRS PER SHARE TENDER OFFER FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRANCE, YUGOSLAVIA COMMISSION TO BOOST TRADE\n","article":"  France and Yugoslavia agreed to set up a\n  joint economic commission as part of efforts to promote\n  commercial links and industrial cooperation between the two\n  countries.\n      The French Finance Ministry said the commission, to be\n  composed of businessmen, was agreed during talks between\n  Foreign Trade Minister Michel Noir and Yugoslavian minister\n  without portfolio Egon Padovan.\n      A ministry statement said both sides had agreed on the need\n  to boost trade links in keeping with an accord signed last year\n  calling for a 50 pct rise in commercial exchanges between the\n  two countries over the next six years.\n      French trade with Yugoslavia has grown little over the past\n  two years.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHEMLAWN <CHEM> REJECTS WASTE'S <WMX> OFFER\n","article":"  ChemLawn Corp said its board\n  rejected Waste Management Inc's 27 dlr-per-share tender offer\n  and urged its shareholders not to tender their shares.\n      ChemLawn said its board asked management and its financial\n  advisor, Smith Barney, Harris Upham And Co Inc, to seek other\n  purchasers of the company to maximize shareholder value.\n      ChemLawn also said it adopted a shareholder rights plan, or\n  \"poison pill,\" during a 120-intermin safeguard period its board\n  adopted to deter attempts to acquire the company through any\n  means other than an all-cash tender offer while it seeks other\n  purchasers.\n      ChemLawn also said it began litigation against Waste\n  Management in federal court in Columbus, seeking injunctive and\n  other relief.\n      The suit alleges, among other things, that certain Waste\n  Management officers and directors purchased ChemLawn's stock\n  before making the tender offer. ChemLawn claimed such purchases\n  possibly violated the officers' fiduciary duties and the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission's insider trading rules.\n      Last week, Waste Management made a tender offer to acquire\n  ChemLawn for 27 dlrs per share or 270 mln dlrs.\n      ChemLawn said its board was determined that Waste's offer\n  was inadequate and not in the best interest of shareholders,\n  and could \"adversely affect\" the interests of its employees,\n  suppliers, creditors, and customers.\n      \"Our board carefully reviewed Waste Management offer and\n  concluded that it does not fully reflect the value of the\n  company. We strongly urge our shareholders not to tender their\n  shares to Waste Management,\" said Chairman L. Jack Van Fossen.\n      ChemLawn said its rights plan is designed to protect\n  shareholders against abusive tactics, such as \"market\n  accumulations by Waste Management or others.\"\n      Under the plan, one comon stock purchase right will be\n  distributed as a dividend on each outstanding share of ChemLawn\n  common.\n      ChemLawn said its rights holders can buy a share of its\n  common for one dlr if any entity acquires 25 pct or more of its\n  commmon, other than by an all cash tender offer for all its\n  shares or an approved acquisition agreement by its board.\n      It said the rights expire July three 1987, or 60 days after\n  they become exercisable if later than that date. It said its\n  board may redeem the rights for five cts per right any time\n  prior to their exercise date.\n      ChemLawn said the plan will not be triggered by purchases\n  purusant to Waste Management's present tender offer.\n      It said the dividend will be paid to shareholders of record\n  March 20.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"(CAMBIOR INC) FIVE MTHS DEC 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 39 cts vs not given\n      Net 8,801,000 vs not given\n      Revs 33.2 mln vs not given\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONAGRA <CAG> TO ACQUIRE MONFORT <MMFT>\n","article":"  ConAgra Inc agreed to acquire\n  Monfort of Colorado Inc in a stock transaction, both companies\n  said.\n      According to the letter of intent signed by the companies,\n  ConAgra will acquire all of Monfort's 4.3 mln outstanding\n  shares for 10.75 mln of its own shares.\n      Based on ConAgra's closing price of 34 dlrs today, the\n  transaction is worth about 356.5 mln dlrs. The merger is\n  expected to be completed in June, they said.\n      The companies said the acquisition will result in a\n  restatement of ConAgra's earnings for the fiscal year ending\n  May 31, but the restatement is not expected to materially\n  change the previously reported, or upcoming, fiscal year-end\n  earnings. In fiscal 1986, ConAgra had net income of 105.3 mln\n  dlrs on sales of 5.9 billion dlrs.\n      For its fiscal year ending August 1986, Monfort reported\n  25.1 mln dlrs in earnings on sales of 1.6 billion dlrs. The\n  company is one of the largest lamb and beef producers in the\n  U.S., producing, transporting and selling the products\n  domestically and internationally.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HOUSE 0\/92 PLAN SEEN SCALED-BACK TO 1987 WHEAT\n","article":"  Key members of the House Agriculture\n  committee have agreed to scale-back the 0\/92 provision of a\n  pending disaster aid bill to cover only 1987 crop wheat, but a\n  broader 0\/92 proposal is likely to be resurrected later,\n  Congressional sources said.\n      The sources said key lawmakers including Reps. Glenn\n  English (D-Okla.), and Dan Glickman (D-Kan.) agreed to support\n  an amendment to be offered next week by Rep. Charles Stenholm\n  (D-Tex.) which would limit 0\/92 only to producers of 1987 crop\n  winter and spring wheat.\n      This would scale-back the 0\/92 provision to the original\n  proposal by English allowing a pilot 0\/92 program for 1987\n  wheat only. That provision was later broadened by the\n  subcommittee to include 1988 crop winter wheat.\n      Under 0\/92, a farmer can forego planting a crop but still\n  collect 92 pct of deficiency payments.\n      Earlier today, the House Agriculture committee postponed\n  until next Tuesday a meeting to consider the disaster aid bill\n  and 0\/92.\n      The agreement to limit 0\/92 to a wheat pilot program\n  follows vocal criticism of the proposal by some influential\n  farm groups who are concerned about the major impact of 0\/92,\n  and by members of Congress wary of reopening the farm bill.\n      Congressional sources said there has not been enough time\n  to study the implications of a broad 0\/92.\n      \"The timing (of the proposal) is off,\" said one aide to a\n  House Agriculture committee member.\n      However, several Congressional sources said they expect a\n  broader 0\/92 provision to emerge again when the House\n  Agriculture committee is faced next month with the need to make\n  spending cuts in the agriculture budget for fiscal 1988 as part\n  of an overall deficit reduction package.\n      Gene Moos, aide to House Majority leader Tom Foley\n  (D-Wash.), predicted agriculture's share of budget cuts may\n  exceed one billion dlrs.\n      A broader 0\/92 might be resurrected later because both the\n  Congressional Budget Office and the Reagan administration\n  estimate it would result in significant budget savings.\n      A U.S. Agriculture Department official said 0\/92 for all\n  1987 crops would save 300 to 400 mln dlrs and more than 1.5\n  billion dlrs over five years.\n      Another factor which could affect the 0\/92 debate is the\n  approach of planting season, Congressional sources said.\n      Some officials said it already is late for implementation\n  of a 0\/92 in 1987 because farm program signup ends March 31 for\n  wheat and feedgrains.\n      If Congress approved 0\/92 later in the year sign-up either\n  would have to be extended or reopened, sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FAVORED TRADE STATUS FOR MOSCOW STILL OPPOSED\n","article":"  The Reagan administration wants to\n  encourage expanded trade with the Soviet Union but does not\n  believe Moscow yet warrants most-favored-nation treatment,\n  Deputy Secretary of State John Whitehead said.\n      \"It seems to me that more trade between us is better than\n  less trade,\" he told a forum on U.S.-Soviet trade relations.\n      To that end, the administration in January allowed foreign\n  policy controls on the export of oil and gas equipment to the\n  Soviet Union to lapse, he said.\n      Also, Washington and its allies are reviewing remaining\n  export controls in hopes of simplifying the list of prohibited\n  items and speeding up the licensing process, he said.\n      Whitehead said, however, the prefential treatment that\n  comes with most-favored-nation status is out for the moment.\n      U.S. law prohibits most-favored-nation status for countries\n  that restrict emigration and other rights.\n      \"What we have seen so far (in improved rights under Soviet\n  Leader Mikhail Gorbachev) are promising trends,\" he said.\n      But, he added: \"We don't know if they will continue, we\n  don't know how significant they will be.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MCDONNELL DOUGLAS <MD> NOT APPROACHED BY PESCH\n","article":"  McDonnell Douglas Corp, which has a five\n  mln dlr investment in Republic Health Corp <REPH>, said it has\n  not been approached to sell its shares in Republic Health.\n      Earlier, Alpha Health Systems Corp, a unit of Pesch and Co,\n  said it submitted a merger proposal to the board of REPH\n  Acquisition Co, the parent of Republic Health. LeRoy A. Pesch\n  is the principal stockholder of Pesch.\n      \"We have not been approached by Mr. Pesch or anybody else\n  with respect to our holdings\" in Republic Health, a McDonnell\n  Douglas spokesman told Reuters.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PARADYNE <PDN> PLEADS GUILTY TO CRIMINAL CHARGE\n","article":"  Paradyne Corp said it pleaded guilty\n  to criminal charges of conspiracy to defraud the Social\n  Security Administration and agreed to pay 1.2 mln dlrs in fines\n  and costs to the U.S. Government.\n      The company also reached agreements in principle for an 8.1\n  mln dlr settlement of class action law suits.\n      About 2.9 mln dlrs of the class action settlement will be\n  provided by Paradyne's insurance carrier. The settlement is\n  contingent on court approval after notice to class members, it\n  said.\n       The criminal case settlement dismisses all charges\n  including bribery and false statement, except for conspiracy to\n  which Paradyne pleaded guilty.\n      The criminal settlement includes the lifting of the\n  government's suspension, the dismissal of the federal civil\n  false claims suit and all charges against the individuals.\n      Of the 2.9 mln dlrs the insurance carrier will provide for\n  the civil settlement, 750,000 dlrs will go to settle a\n  derivative lawsuit.\n      For the year ended December 31, Paradyne reported a net\n  loss of 38.5 mln dlrs. The year-end results include an 8.0 mln\n  dlrs provision for future legal and or settlement costs to\n  cover the civil and criminal settlements announced today.\n      Paradyne also said it named Jerry Kendall as president and\n  chief executive officer, succeeding Robert Wiggins who resigned\n  as chairman and chief executive officer as part of the\n  settlement of the indictment.\n      Kendall formerly served as executive vice president and\n  chief operating officer.\n      The company also said that due to the sluggish marketplace,\n  it does not expect to be profitable in the first quarter but is\n  optimistic about the outlook for the year.\n      For the first quarter of 1986, the company reported net\n  income of 875,000 dlrs on sales of 66.0 mln dlrs.\n      Wiggins was among five Paradyine executives who were\n  charged along with three former officers in a 1985 federal\n  indictment stemming from a 115 mln contract awarded to Paradyne\n  in 1981 to build a computer network for the Social Security\n  Administration.\n      The men were accused of conspiring to bribe government\n  officials and defaud the Social Security Administration.\n  Wiggins and other defendants were also charged with providing\n  false testimony and obstructing justice during a Securities and\n  Exchange Commission investigation.\n   \n     Under the settlement announced today, federal prosecutors\n  agreed to defer all charges against Wiggins and three other\n  defendants under a one-year pretrial agreement.\n      The charges would then be dropped if the defendants\n  successfully complete the probation period. Details of the\n  requirements in the agreement were not immediately available.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTH AFRICAN FIRM TO CONTINUE TESTS\n","article":"  South Africa's state-owned energy\n  firm Soekor said it would continue tests after striking oil\n  some 120 kms (75 miles) south-southwest of Mossel Bay.\n      During production tests, about 5,000 barrels of oil and\n  five mln cubic feet of gas per day were produced, it said.\n      \"This oil discovery will be followed-up as soon as possible\n  by further seismic surveys and drilling. Should further\n  drilling and tests in the area yield positive results oil\n  production from a floating platform could be considered.\"\n      Director General of Mineral and Energy Affairs Louw Alberts\n  announced the strike earlier but said it was uneconomic.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GREECE REPEATS IT CAN DECIDE ON AEGEAN DRILLING\n","article":"  Greece, replying to a warning from Turkey\n  that it will stop Athens from seeking oil in the Aegean Sea,\n  repeated today that it has an exclusive right to decide where\n  or when to drill in the area.\n      A government spokesman said in a statement that if Ankara\n  believed Greece was contravening international law, it could\n  bring the issue before the courts.\n      The spokesman was responding to a statement by Turkish\n  Foreign Ministry spokesman Yalim Eralp that Ankara would take\n  action to stop Greece's oil activities beyond its territorial\n  waters as they were a violation of the 1976 Berne accord.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NCA CORP <NCAC> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 45 cts vs loss 1.34 dlrs\n      Net loss 1,240,000 vs loss 3,621,000\n      Revs 6,264,000 vs 4,626,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 90 cts vs loss 2.01 dlrs\n      Net loss 2,487,000 vs loss 5,406,000\n      Revs 20.8 mln vs 21.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BIOMEDICAL DYNAMICS CORP <BMDC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit one ct vs loss two cts\n      Net profit 52,405 vs loss 67,967\n      Sales 289,572 vs 188,713\n      Year\n      Shr loss one cts vs loss five cts\n      Net loss 51,019 vs loss 201,680\n      Sales 1.1 mln vs 490,935\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SANTA FE SOUTHERN PACIFIC APPEALS MERGER RULING\n","article":"  Santa Fe Southern Pacific Corp will\n  later today formally ask the U.S. Interstate Commerce\n  Commission (ICC) to reconsider its earlier rejection of the\n  merger of the holding company's railroad assets, a company\n  spokesman said.\n      \"We expect to file papers late tonight\" asking the ICC to\n  reopen the rail merger case, spokesman Rich Hall said in a\n  telephone interview from the company's Chicago headquarters.\n      The ICC had rejected in July, on grounds it would reduce\n  competition, the merger of the Santa Fe and Southern Pacific\n  Railroads.\n      The deadline for seeking ICC reconsideration of the merger\n  plan is midnight tonight.\n      Santa Fe Southern Pacific owns the Santa Fe railroad and\n  holds the Southern Pacific railroad assets in trust while\n  awaiting federal approval of the merger plan.\n      The ICC had ordered the holding company to divest one or\n  the other railroad but stayed its ruling pending a decision on\n  the request for reconsideration.\n      If the ICC ultimately decides not to reopen the case, it is\n  expected to reinstate the divestiture order.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL DEBT SEEN PARTNER TO HARD SELL TACTICS\n","article":"  Brazil's recent announcement of a\n  suspension in interest payments on 68 billion dlrs of foreign\n  debt gave the banking system the jitters and confirmed views\n  among many international economists and commodities analysts\n  that Brazil will continue to flex its trading muscles in 1987.\n      The developing world's most indebted nation is also its\n  most prolific exporter of agricultural commodities such as\n  coffee and soybeans, and might maximize foreign exchange\n  revenue by selling hard on world markets, economists said.\n      \"That sounds like a reasonable strategy. But there is no\n  way they can trade their way out of this situation,\" Aldo\n  Roldan, Vice President for International Services at Chase\n  Econometrics, said.\n      Roldan told Reuters that Brazil not only had to tackle the\n  problems of satisfying domestic demand and competing on glutted\n  world markets, but also had to work to make its position on\n  foreign exchange markets more profitable.\n      \"Domestic costs have increased (due to inflation) and\n  exporters have not had the same offsetting movement in exchange\n  rates,\" Roldan said.\n      The Chase economist also said commodities markets were\n  depressed and generally did not appear very promising for a\n  country like Brazil, where pure commodities account for some 50\n  pct of exports and in 1986 had a total value of around 23\n  billion dlrs.\n      But he added: \"They are always pretty aggressive and they\n  have good foreign marketing channels.\"\n      Analysts said a key factor in Brazilian trade will be\n  coffee, and even without background pressure from foreign\n  creditors the world's largest producer was expected to hit the\n  market this year with a vengeance.\n      Negotiations between International Coffee Organization\n  (ICO) members to re-establish producer export quotas broke up\n  earlier this week with major producers and consumers accusing\n  each other of intransigence.\n      \"Brazil would not tolerate a change in ICO regulations,\n  which others wanted changed,\" one senior coffee dealer said.\n      The dealer, who declined to be named, said Brazil wanted to\n  preserve its market share. At the end of the talks, he said\n  Brazil hinted it could sell more than anyone else and others\n  would suffer.\n      Brazil will be an aggressive seller under any scenario but\n  as yet there is no sign of unusually heavy Brazilian sales, the\n  dealer said.\n      \"If they do come into the market at this level it will go\n  lower and you could breach a dollar, ninety or eighty cents,\"\n  he said.\n      New York coffee futures for May delivery settled 2.29 cents\n  lower Thursday at 104.68 cents a lb, while more distant\n  deliveries fell the six-cent maximum trading limit.\n      President of the Brazilian Coffee Institute, Jorio Dauster\n  told a press conference in Rio de Janeiro today that Brazil has\n  no set target for its coffee exports following the breakdown of\n  the ICO talks on export quotas.\n      Many economists and analysts believe soybeans could be the\n  focus of possible stepped-up Brazilian marketing efforts. \"They\n  will be more aggressive this year than they have ever been,\"\n  according to Richard Loewy, analyst for Prudential-Bache\n  Securities Inc.\n      Loewy believes the foreign debt problem, a good crop, plus\n  difficulties with storage would help motivate selling of the\n  Brazil soybean crop. \"Brazilian farmers also need cash flow and\n  they can't afford to store the crops,\" he said.\n      The Chicago soybean complex has been nervous for some time\n  about large South American crops developing under near ideal\n  conditions towards record yields.\n      \"We are going to see a very rapid decline, earlier than\n  usual, this year in our (U.S.) exports,\" Loewy said.\n      Tommy Eshleman, economist for the American Soybean\n  Association (ASA), said this year's Brazilian soybean harvest\n  could total 18 mln tonnes, versus 13.7 mln last year.\n      Marketings will be very aggressive this summer when prices\n  are usually high relative to the rest of the year due to the\n  vulnerability of the U.S. crop to bad growing weather.\n      Another incentive to sell might be trade anticipation of a\n  reduction in the U.S. government soybean loan rate, offered to\n  farmers who give crops as collateral, Eshleman said.\n      He said there has been some uncertainty this year about the\n  soybean loan rate, which acts as an effective floor for prices\n  by keeping supplies away from the free market. Farmers can\n  forfeit their beans to the government rather than repay the\n  loan.\n      \"We're getting into a period when they (Brazil) are\n  starting to harvest and starting to export,\" Eshleman said. But\n  he added it will be a while before U.S. exports fall to below\n  10 mln bushels a week from around 20 mln bushels currently.\n      Jose Melicias from the research department of Drexel\n  Burnham Lambert said Brazil would be trying to export as much\n  as it can this year because of its economic situation.\n      He said the debt situation was a major consideration. \"The\n  Brazilian government also does not have enough money to pay for\n  storage,\" he added.\n      Asked if a return to an inflationary environment in Brazil\n  would make farmers inclined to hold onto crops, Melicias said\n  it would not make a big difference.\n      On other commodity markets, Brazil's selling impact may be\n  muted no matter its need to generate capital.\n      Brazil is faced with a poor 1986\/87 sugar harvest, which\n  could limit exports to the world market, analysts said. The\n  country may have oversold and be unable to honor export\n  commitments, and this plus higher domestic demand caused by\n  consumer price subsidies on ethanol and refined sugar, will\n  give it little room to stretch exports, they said.\n      Brazil's other major crop, cocoa, is in its third year of\n  surplus. \"Cocoa consumption is basically flat and last year it\n  fell, so I don't think they can start throwing out cocoa and\n  find many more markets for it,\" one analyst said.\n      \"If they come out as aggressive sellers, the market would\n  collapse and they can't afford to do that,\" she added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IEA SAYS OPEC FEBRUARY CRUDE OUTPUT 16.1 MLN BPD\n","article":"  OPEC produced an average 16.1 mln barrels\n  per day (bpd) of crude oil in February, down from 16.5 mln the\n  previous month and an overall 17.3 mln bpd in fourth quarter\n  1986, the International Energy Agency said.\n      A few OPEC countries last month exceeded the production\n  quotas set at their last conference in December, but liftings\n  were reduced from several countries, it said in its latest\n  monthly oil market report.\n      These cutbacks were due in part to buyer resistance to\n  fixed prices, introduced from February 1, particularly for\n  fixed volumes over an extended period.\n      It gave this breakdown for OPEC crude output, in mln bpd\n                      FOURTH QTR 1986  JANUARY 1987  FEBRUARY\n  1987\n      SAUDI ARABIA    4.9              3.7           3.8\n      IRAN            1.6              2.2           1.9\n      IRAQ            1.6              1.6           1.7\n      UAE             1.3              1.2           1.2\n      KUWAIT          1.0              1.0           1.0\n      NEUTRAL ZONE    0.5              0.4           0.4\n      QATAR           0.3              0.3           0.2\n      NIGERIA         1.3              1.2           1.2\n      LIBYA           1.0              1.0           1.0\n                      FOURTH QTR 1986  JANUARY 1987  FEBRUARY\n  1987\n      ALGERIA         0.6              0.6           0.6\n      GABON           0.1              0.2           0.2\n      VENEZUELA       1.6              1.6           1.6\n      ECUADOR         0.2              0.2           0.2\n      INDONESIA       1.3              1.2           1.2\n      TOTAL           17.3             16.5          16.1\n      The IEA said while Saudi production stayed below its quota\n  of 4.133 mln bpd, actual sales might exceed output due to\n  Norbec stock disposals. Contracts for Saudi crude have been\n  signed, but it is understood they have much leeway in required\n  liftings.\n      The report said the reduction in Iraqi air attacks on\n  Iranian export facilities allowed Iran's output to reach 2.2\n  mln bpd in January, but buyer resistance to fixed prices\n  apparently cut February production.\n      It said Iraqi exports are about 1.0 mln bpd through the\n  Turkish pipeline, 0.1-0.2 mln by truck through Jordan and\n  0.2-0.3 mln via the Saudi pipeline to Yanbu. Internal\n  consumption is some 0.3 mln bpd.\n      The IEA estimated total non-communist world oil supply in\n  February at 45.0 mln bpd, down from 45.4 mln in January and\n  47.0 mln in the fourth quarter.\n      The February world supply figure is made up of 16.1 mln bpd\n  OPEC crude production, 1.4 mln bpd OPEC natural gas liquids\n  (ngls), 16.6 mln bpd OECD crude and ngls, 8.3 mln bpd other\n  developing countries' crude and ngls, net trade of 1.1 mln bpd\n  with centrally planned economies, 0.5 mln bpd of\n  non-conventional crudes (such as tar sands and oil from coal)\n  and 1.0 mln bpd from processiing gains.\n      Within the OECD, preliminary Norwegian data show record\n  1.06 mln bpd output in January, with lower production expected\n  in February in accordance with government curtailments of\n  approximately 80,000 bpd, announced in support of OPEC.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. SENATE GROUP URGES SUBSIDIES FOR USSR\n","article":"  A majority of the Senate Agriculture\n  Committee urged President Reagan to reverse his opposition to\n  export subsidies to the Soviet Union as a way to get its\n  negotiators to purchase some 500 mln dlrs in American wheat.\n      The group, led by committee chairman Patrick Leahy, a\n  Vermont Democrat, urged Reagan to step up negotiations with the\n  Soviet Union by providing export subsidies to help U.S.\n  farmers.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ENFIELD CORP PLANS NOTES, PREFERRED ISSUE\n","article":"  <Enfield Corp Ltd> said it planned to\n  issue 60 mln dlrs principal amount of notes and 1.6 mln class E\n  preferred shares at 25 dlrs a share.\n      The notes would bear 8 pct yearly interest, mature March\n  31, 2002 and be convertible to common shares on either March\n  31, 1997 or the business day before a fixed redemption date at\n  13.50 dlrs a share, Enfield said.\n      It said each preferred share would be convertible to 1.85\n  common shares on either March 31, 1997 or the business day\n  before a fixed redemption date. Gordon Capital Corp and\n  Dominion Securities Inc agreed to acquire the issues, it said.\n      Enfield said it would use proceeds to retire short-term\n  bank debt and boost its 22 pct stake in <Consumers Packaging\n  Inc> and its interest in <Federal Pioneer Ltd> through open\n  market purchases.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WICHITA <WRO> TO BUY FOUNTAIN OIL <FGAS>\n","article":"  Wichita Industries Inc said it\n  agreed to buy Fountain Oil and Gas Inc.\n      Wichita said it it will acquire all of the outstanding\n  shares of Fountain in an exchange for about 11 mln newly issued\n  Wichita common shares. Wichita presently has about 3.6 mln\n  shares outstanding.\n      The transaction calls for the issuance of 1-1\/2 shares of\n  Wichita common for each outstanding Fountain share.\n      Wichita also said it made a number of refinancing\n  agreements in connection with the acquisition.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ARGENTINE INFLATION ROSE 6.5 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Argentina's cost of living index\n  grew 6.5 pct in January, down from last month's 7.6 pct, the\n  National Statistics Institute said.\n      It said consumer prices rose 98.9 pct over the last 12\n  months, against 81.9 pct inflation in the calendar year 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CANADA-EGYPT WHEAT NEGOTIATIONS TO CONTINUE\n","article":"  Canadian and Egyptian wheat negotiators\n  failed to conclude an agreement on Canadian wheat exports to\n  Egypt during talks last week, but the Canadian team will return\n  to Cairo for further negotiations, Canadian embassy officials\n  said.\n      An embassy official declined to identify which issues\n  remained to be resolved and when the talks would resume.\n      In a five-year protocol signed in 1985, Cairo agreed to\n  purchase 500,000 tonnes of Canadian wheat a year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PEMEX LOWERS FEBRUARY FAR EAST CRUDE OIL PRICES\n","article":"  The Mexican state oil company\n  Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) said its Far East customers would\n  be charged 17.25 dlrs per barrel for Isthmus crude in February\n  and 14.45 dlrs for the heavier Maya.\n      Pemex said this was 32 cts less than January Isthmus and 15\n  cts less than January Maya.\n      Far East customers, primarily Japan which buys an average\n  180,000 barrels per day of which 150,000 is Isthmus, pay\n  retroactively while European and U.S. clients are charged per\n  delivery.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"N.Z. DECEMBER QUARTER RETAIL SALES FALL 13.2 PCT\n","article":"  Retail sales in the quarter ended\n  December 31 fell a seasonally adjusted 13.2 pct compared with a\n  7.8 pct rise in the September quarter and a 1.3 pct fall a year\n  ago period, the Statistics Department said.\n      Actual retail sales in the December quarter totalled 6.17\n  billion N.Z. Dlrs compared with 6.70 billion in the previous\n  quarter and 6.10 billion a year ago period.\n      The largest decreases in the December quarter were recorded\n  by the same stores which recorded the highest increase in sales\n  in the September 1986 quarter before the introduction of a 10\n  pct value added goods and services tax on October 1, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REPH ACQUISITION TO NEGOTIATE PESCH MERGER BID\n","article":"  REPH Acquisition Co said its board\n  appointed a special committee to negotiate the terms of an\n  offer made earlier today by <Pesch and Co> to merge with its\n  Republic Health Corp <REPH> unit.\n      Pesch, through its Alpha Health Systems Corp unit, offered\n  to acquire the 36 pct of Republic Health stock that it does not\n  already own.\n      Terms of Pesch's offer have not been disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HUNT GROUP HAS COMDATA STAKE, SEEKS INFLUENCE\n","article":"  An investor group led by members of\n  the Hunt family of Dallas, Texas, told the Securities and\n  Exchange Commission it has acquired a 6.2 pct stake in Comdata\n  Network Inc <CDN> and may try to influence company policy.\n      The investor group, led by Rosewood Financial Inc, said it\n  opposes a company recapitalization plan worked out between\n  Comdata and Mason Best Co, a Texas investment firm, which last\n  reported holding about 9.5 pct of the company's stock.\n      The Hunt group said it offered on March 3 to buy the entire\n  5.3 pct stake held by dissident shareholder Donald Carter at 14\n  dlrs each, but has received no reply as of yesterday.\n      Rosewood, which is owned by the Caroline Hunt Trust Estate,\n  whose trustees include Margaret Hunt Hill, also said it has\n  notified the Federal Trade Commission of its intent to buy\n  between 15 and 25 pct of Comdata's common stock.\n      Under federal law, it cannot buy more than 15 pct of\n  Comdata's stock until a 15 to 30 day waiting period is over,\n  unless the FTC gives it early approval.\n      Under the proposed Comdata recapitalization plan, the\n  company would buy up to 10 mln of its common shares at 13.25\n  dlrs each.\n      Mason Best, which belongs to CNI Parnters, a Texas\n  partnership, would not tender any of its stake under the plan,\n  but would instead buy another one mln Comdata common shares and\n  would get representation on the company's board.\n      The Hunt group said it has told Comdata that it considers\n  required payments under the plan, such as a 1.5 mln dlr fee and\n  the issuance of a warrant to buy 500,000 common shares to be a\n  waste of the company's assets.\n      The Hunt group, which also includes securities Texas firms\n  Cypress Partners L.P and Driftwood Ltd, said it spent 15.2 mln\n  dlrs on its 1,197,700 Comdata common shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"ARGENTINA-BRAZIL TRADE JUMPED 90 PCT IN 1986\n","article":"  Trade between Argentina and Brazil\n  jumped 90 pct in 1986 versus 1985, Foreign Minister Dante\n  Caputo said.\n      Speaking to reporters, Caputo said the near doubling in\n  trade showed the \"tangible and immediate results\" of a wide-\n  ranging economic integration accord signed by the presidents of\n  both countries last July.\n      He said trade last year totalled 1.3 billion dlrs versus\n  700 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      The accord provided for capital goods trade between the two\n  countries to rise to 2.0 billion dlrs over four years.\n      Argentine wheat exports to Brazil will increase from\n  1,375,000 tonnes in 1987 to 2.0 mln tonnes in 1991, the accord\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SANTA FE SOUTHERN PACIFIC APPEALS MERGER RULING\n","article":"  Santa Fe Southern Pacific Corp will\n  later today formally ask the U.S. Interstate Commerce\n  Commission (ICC) to reconsider its earlier rejection of the\n  merger of the holding company's railroad assets, a company\n  spokesman said.\n      \"We expect to file papers late tonight\" asking the ICC to\n  reopen the rail merger case, spokesman Rich Hall said in a\n  telephone interview from the company's Chicago headquarters.\n      The ICC had rejected in July, on grounds it would reduce\n  competition, the merger of the Santa Fe and Southern Pacific\n  Railroads.\n      The deadline for seeking ICC reconsideration of the merger\n  plan is midnight tonight.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"E.A. VINER HOLDINGS LTD <EAVKF> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 10 cts vs profit seven cts\n      Net loss 918,000 vs profit 585,000\n      Revs 5,475,000 vs 4,430,000\n      YEAR\n      Shr profit 32 cts vs loss 24 cts\n      Net profit 2,909,000 vs loss 1,501,000\n      Revs 23.7 mln vs 15.0 mln\n      Note: 1986 4th qtr net includes 1.5 mln U.S. dlr, or 17 ct\n  shr, writedown of stake in Heck's Inc <HEX> and 300,000 U.S.\n  dlr, or three ct shr, writedown of arbitrage positions. 1986\n  fl-yr net includes 900,000 dlr net writedown of stake in\n  Heck's.\n      U.S. dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INDONESIAN WHEAT IMPORTS EXPECTED TO FALL IN 1987\n","article":"  Indonesia's wheat imports are expected\n  to fall to 1.5 mln tonnes in calendar 1987 from 1.69 mln in\n  1986, the U.S. Embassy's annual agriculture report said.\n      It said the drop was expected, because there will be a\n  drawdown on stocks built up near the end of 1986.\n      It said wheat stocks at the end of 1986 were 390,000\n  tonnes, up from 223,000 at end-1985. It forecast end-1987\n  stocks at around 290,000 tonnes.\n      The main suppliers in 1986 were Australia (44 pct), the\n  U.S. (29 pct), Canada (12 pct), Argentina (8 pct) and Saudi\n  Arabia (5 pct).\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CARPET FIRM UNIT CUTS ALLIED PRODUCTS<ADP> STAKE\n","article":"  A group led by GFI Nevada Inc, a\n  subsidiary of General Felt Industries, a Saddlebrook, N.J.\n  carpet maker, said it cut its stake in Allied Products Corp to\n  169,888 shares, or 3.4 pct, from 288,652 shares, or 5.8 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  GFI said it sold 114,000 Allied Products common shares on March\n  3 at 42 dlrs each and donated another 4,746 shares to two\n  universities.\n      It said its dealings in the company's common stock were for\n  investment purposes only.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TALKS FAIL TO END BRAZILIAN SEAMEN'S STRIKE\n","article":"  Pay talks aimed at ending a\n  week-old national seamen's strike collapsed today and the\n  strike will continue, a union official said.\n      The walkout by Brazil's 40,000 seamen has idled 160 ships\n  in various ports, Jorge Luis Leao Franco, a senior official of\n  the National Merchant Marine Union, told Reuters.\n      The strikers, who are seeking a 275 pct pay increase, have\n  rejected offers of a 100 pct raise from the state oil company\n  Petrobras and an 80 pct increase from the National Union of\n  Maritime Navigation Companies (Syndarma).\n      Leao Franco said eight hours of talks in Rio de Janeiro\n  with Labor Minister Almir Pazzianotto ended today without\n  resolving the dispute.\n      He said six ships were idle abroad -- in the Netherlands,\n  Spain, Venezuela, France and South Africa.\n      Economic analysts said the strike was of major concern to\n  the government, which has suspended interest payments on part\n  of Brazil's foreign debt following a drastic deterioration in\n  the country's trade balance.\n      The head of the National Merchant Marine Authority, Murilo\n  Rubens Habbema, was quoted today as saying that if the strike\n  continued foreign ships could be authorized to transport\n  Brazilian exports.\n      \"Brazil is living through a crisis at the moment and it is\n  not conceivable that exports be hit,\" he told the Gazeta\n  Mercantil newspaper.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SHEARSON HAS 5.4 PCT OF CHICAGO MILWAUKEE <CHG>\n","article":"  Shearson Lehman Brothers Inc, the\n  brokerage subsidiary of American Express Co <AXP>, said it has\n  acquired 131,300 shares of Chicago Milwaukee Corp, or 5.4 pct\n  of its total outstanding common stock.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Shearson said it bought the stake for 18.8 mln dlrs for\n  investment purposes and has no intention of seeking control of\n  the company.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VINER <EAVKF> VIABLE AFTER HECK'S <HEX> MOVE\n","article":"  E.A. Viner Holdings Ltd said the earlier\n  reported Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of Heck's Inc <HEX>, in\n  which Viner holds 408,000 shares, would not materially affect\n  Viner's capital position or its ability to carry on its\n  profitable brokerage business.\n      Viner said its brokerage subsidiary, Edward A. Viner and Co\n  had regulatory capital of 24.5 mln U.S. dlrs at year-end 1986.\n      The company said Heck's Chapter 11 filing could, however,\n  affect Viner's previously reported legal action to recover\n  costs from an aborted merger agreement with Heck's.\n       It said it and the Toussie-Viner group, with which it made\n  the merger offer, were assessing their options regarding the\n  Heck's investment.\n      Viner earlier reported a fourth quarter loss of 918,000\n  U.S. dlrs after a 1.5 mln dlr writedown of its stake in Heck's.\n  It earned 585,000 dlrs in the previous fourth quarter.\n      Full-year earnings totaled 2.9 mln dlrs against a\n  year-earlier loss of 1.5 mln dlrs. The full-year earnings\n  included a 900,000 dlr net writedown of the Heck's stake, it\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TWA <TWA> SUES USAIR <U> OVER POISON PILL\n","article":"  Trans World Airlines Inc said it filed\n  suit in Delaware Chancery Court against USAir Group Inc and its\n  board of directors seeking to invalidate its \"poison pill\"\n  anti-takeover plan.\n      TWA vice president and general counsel Mark Buckstein said\n  TWA also sought a declaratory judgement from the court that its\n  52 dlr per share takeover offer for USAir would in no way\n  interfer with USAir's possible buyout of Peidmont Aviation Inc\n  <PIE>.\n      Buckstein said TWA asked the court to enjoin the\n  enforcement of USAir's shareholder rights plan, or \"poison\n  pill.\" Such provisions, which typically allow for the issue of\n  securities to shareholders in the event of a hostile takeover\n  bid, are aimed at deterring takeovers by making them more\n  expensive.\n      USAir earlier today rejected TWA's offer, saying TWA's bid\n  was an attempt to interfer with its buyout of Piedmont.\n      USAir also had said its counsel would investigate the\n  matter. Tonight, a spokesman for USAir said the airline had no\n  comment on TWA's lawsuit.\n      USAir did respond, however, to a TWA request to the\n  Department of Transportation for permission to buy up to 51 pct\n  of USAir stock and place the stock in a voting trust pending\n  approval of a takeover.\n      USAir said the request was \"hastily pasted together in\n  order to take advantage of a regulatory anamoly that would\n  allow TWA to accomplish in a regulated environment actions that\n  would be impermissable in the non-regulated economy at large.\"\n      USAir called on the transportation department to reject\n  TWA's request.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<FOUR SEASONS HOTELS INC> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 99 cts vs 54 cts\n      Oper net 9,515,000 vs 3,449,000\n      Revs 509.3 mln vs 440.5 mln\n      Note: 1985 net excludes extraordinary gain of 1.2 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<IVEY PROPERTIES INC> RAISES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Ivey Properties Inc said it\n  raised its quarterly dividend to 18 cts a share from 14 cts and\n  declared both an extra dividend of 27 cts a share and a 50 pct\n  stock dividend.\n      It said the dividends will be paid April one to\n  shareholders of record March  16.\n      For the stock dividend, Ivey said it will pay for\n  fractional shares at 25 dlrs per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MEXICO SUSPENDS OVERSEAS COFFEE SALES\n","article":"  Mexico has temporarily suspended\n  overseas coffee sales due to falling prices triggered by the\n  failure of the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) meeting\n  to agree a quota system at its latest meeting, the official\n  Notimex news agency said.\n      \"We're just waiting a while for prices to improve,\" an\n  unidentified Mexican trader told the agency.\n      Mexico has already sold 80 pct of its export coffee\n  produced in the year to last September, the source said. The\n  country exports about 3.3 mln 60-kilo bags a year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GROUP BOOSTS SCANDINAVIA FUND <SCF> STAKE\n","article":"  A shareholder group led by a Swedish\n  investment firm and a Norwegian investor said it raised its\n  stake in the Scandinavia Fund Inc to 2,165,300 shares, or 33.3\n  pct of the total, from 1,978,900 shares, or 30.5 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the group, which includes Ingemar Rydin Industritillbehor AB,\n  the firm, and investor Erik Martin Vik, said it bought the\n  additional shares between Feb 24 and March 9.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OFFSHORE INVESTMENT FIRM UPS FRANCE FUND STAKE\n","article":"  VBI Corp, an offshore-based\n  investment firm, told the Securities and Exchange Commission it\n  raised its stake in the France Fund Inc <FRN> to 681,800\n  shares, or 9.1 pct of the total, from 551,000, or 7.4 pct.\n      VBI, which is based in Turks and Caicos Islands, the\n  British West Indies, said it bought the additional shares\n  between Feb 24 and March 4.\n      It has said it bought its France Fund stake for investment\n  purposes only.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COSTA RICA OPTIMISTIC ABOUT REFORMING ICO\n","article":"  Costa Rica's economy minister said he\n  sees new hope for winning changes in the International Coffee\n  Organisation system of export quotas.\n      Minister Luis Diego Escalante, who serves as president of\n  the Costa Rican Coffee Institute, said he was hopeful because\n  of the support offered Costa Rica and other smaller producing-\n  nations by such major consumers as the United States, Britain\n  and the Netherlands at last week's ICO meeting in london.\n      Escalante told a news conference here he \"carried the weight\n  of the negotiations\" at the meeting by calling for larger export\n  quotas for the smaller coffee-growing nations.\n      Costa rica is insisting, Escalante said, on a new quota\n  system based on a producing nation's real export capacity, once\n  it has satisfied internal demand.\n      \"There are countries such as our own whose sales\n  possibilities are close to or above 100 pct of their current\n  quotas,\" Escalante said.\n      At the same time, there are countries favoured by the\n  current system that have been assigned quotas far above their\n  export potential, he said.\n      The current ICO quota system is \"unfair and autocratic,\"\n  Escalante said.\n      Escalante attributed the nosedive in international coffee\n  prices over the last week to speculation rather than real\n  matters of supply and demand.\n      \"Be careful,\" he warned, \"there's not as much coffee in the\n  world as they say. What there is are bags of sawdust.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. MONEY GROWTH SLOWS SHARPLY, ECONOMISTS SAY\n","article":"  U.S. money supply growth is slowing\n  down rapidly, and some economists believe that all three of the\n  Federal Reserve's main monetary aggregates may even have\n  contracted in February.\n      A contraction is unlikely to be a major concern for the\n  Fed, especially as it would follow a long period of torrid\n  growth, but it could give the central bank extra leeway in the\n  weeks ahead if it decided that a relaxation of monetary policy\n  was justified on account of weakness in the economy.    \n      M-1 money supply for the week ended February 23, reported\n  today, rose 1.9 billion dlrs to 738.5 billion, but preliminary\n  forecasts call for a drop next week of around two billion dlrs.\n  The monthly average in January was 737.1 billion dlrs.\n      M-1 makes up about a quarter of M-2 and a fifth of M-3.\n  With other components of M-2, such as money-market deposit\n  accounts and small time deposits, also falling, the stage is\n  set for falls in the broader aggregates too, economists say.\n      M-1 has been largely discredited because its traditional\n  link to economic growth has disintegrated under the impact of\n  falling interest rates and banking deregulation.\n      But the consistent behavior of all three aggregates is\n  likely to impress the Fed, said Ward McCarthy of Merrill Lynch\n  Economics Inc.\n      \"The Fed has confidence in the aggregates when they're all\n  sending the same signal. This is going to raise some eyebrows\n  at the Fed,\" McCarthy said.\n      Stephen Slifer of Shearson Lehman Brothers Inc added, \"We\n  have some very good-looking monetary aggregate data. It's\n  coming in a lot weaker than I thought.\"    \n      The economists were quick to caution that one month's data\n  prove nothing, especially because money growth previously had\n  been so rapid. M-1 in the last 52 weeks has grown at a 16.7 pct\n  rate and at a 19.1 pct rate in the past 13 weeks.\n      Moreover, some of the contraction in M-2 can probably be\n  explained by a shift of funds from savings vehicles into the\n  booming stock market and is thus not an indication of a\n  slowdown in the business expansion.\n      But the data raise the tantalizing possibility for the bond\n  markets that the slowdown in money growth is partly a\n  reflection of a weaker economy that needs more Fed stimulus.\n      McCarthy noted that the slower money growth coincides with\n  signs that the economy is losing momentum as the quarter\n  progresses. \"Some of the economic indicators are not as rosy as\n  they were a month ago,\" he noted.\n      He expects only five to six pct M-1 growth in March and\n  rises in M-2 and M-3 of about four pct.\n      Slifer sees stronger growth of 10 pct in M-1 and five pct\n  or less for M-2 and M-3, but the rates would still be moderate\n  enough to encourage the Fed to ease policy if gross national\n  product for the first quarter proved to be weak. \"You'd\n  certainly be more inclined to ease than you would in the past.\"\n      There was certainly nothing in the Fed's latest balance\n  sheet, however, to suggest a change of policy is already under\n  way, economists said. Discount window borrowings were in line\n  with expectations at 233 mln dlrs a day.\n      Robert Brusca of Nikko Securities Co International Inc\n  argued that an easier Fed policy is unlikely to do much to\n  solve America's most urgent economic problem, its massive trade\n  deficit. Because of the possibility that further dollar\n  depreciation - and thus rising inflation - may be needed to\n  close the trade gap, Brusca said \"I'm not prepared to be all\n  that optimistic about the bond market.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECUADOR'S CONSUMER PRICES RISE 2.5 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Ecuador's consumer price index rose 2.5\n  pct in February to 562.4 (base 1978), the National Statistics\n  and Census Institute said.\n      The rise compared to a 1.8 pct rise in January and a 2.5\n  pct rise in February 1986.\n      The Institute said accumulated overall inflation for the\n  first two months of this year was 4.0 pct compared to 5.0 pct\n  for the same period last year.\n      Inflation for the 12 months ending February 1987 was 25.5\n  pct compared to 13.0 pct for the 12 months ending February\n  1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WEST GERMAN FISHMEAL IMPORTS HIGHEST IN 15 YEARS\n","article":"  West German gross fishmeal imports rose\n  60,260 tonnes, or 14.6 pct, last year to 471,891 tonnes, the\n  highest level since 1972, trade sources said.\n      Re-exports fell by 6.6 pct, resulting in a surge in net\n  imports from 175,901 to 251,708 tonnes, an increase of 43 pct.\n      Total West German consumption was estimated at around a\n  high 287,000 tonnes, largely reflecting attractive prices. The\n  sources, however, could not give comparative figures for 1985.\n      South American producer countries supplied 97 pct of West\n  German requirements, with Chile shipping 229,176 tonnes (1985 -\n  182,959) and Peru 210,513 (147,014) tonnes.\n      The two South American countries' share of the West German\n  market rose to 93.2 pct from 80.2 pct because imports from\n  Ecuador fell to 21,110 tonnes in 1986 from 51,722 in 1985.\n      West Germany imported 56,823 tonnes of fishmeal in\n  December, up from 46,236 tonnes in the same 1985 month, with\n  re-exports at 22,262 tonnes after 25,062 a year earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TPA OF AMERICA INC <TPS> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss five cts\n      Net loss 753,000\n      Revs 8,932,000\n      Avg shrs 16.0 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss seven cts\n      Net loss 995,000\n      Revs 27.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 14.8 mln\n      NOTE: Company started operating in August 1985.\n      Results reflect change in fiscal year from November 30 end.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SILVER STATE MINING <SSMC> SEES PRODUCTION RISE\n","article":"  Silver State Mining Corp said it expects\n  gold production this year to be more than double 1986's 17,458\n  ounces.\n      The company's 1985 production was 2,050 ounces.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ZAMBIA TO RETAIN CURRENCY AUCTION, SAYS KAUNDA\n","article":"  Zambia will retain its foreign-exchange\n  auction system despite the suspension of weekly auctions since\n  January 24, President Kenneth Kaunda said.\n      \"We have not run away from the auction. It hasn't been\n  abolished at all,\" he told Reuters in an interview.\n      He said the system would be reintroduced after current\n  talks with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund\n  and, he hoped, would be backed by fresh foreign aid funds.\n      Kaunda dismissed central bank statements the new auction\n  system would be used to allocate foreign exchange to private\n  bidders but not to fix the exchange rate.\n      Kaunda said the auction system had faltered because of the\n  government's shortage of foreign exchange to meet demand.\n      It was suspended when the kwacha's rapid devaluation and\n  strong fluctuations made economic planning almost impossible\n  for the government and the private sector, he said.\n      Weekly foreign-exchange auctions began in October 1985. The\n  kwacha fell from 2.20 to the dollar to about 15 in 16 months.\n  In January 1987 the government was more than two months in\n  arrears in paying foreign currency to successful bidders, and\n  the auction was suspended and replaced with a fixed exchange\n  rate of nine kwacha to the dollar.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MCGRATH RENTCORP <MGRC> SEES NET RISING\n","article":"  McGrath RentCorp said as a\n  result of its December acquisition of Space Co, it expects\n  earnings per share in 1987 of 1.15 to 1.30 dlrs per share, up\n  from 70 cts in 1986.\n      The company said pretax net should rise to nine to 10 mln\n  dlrs from six mln dlrs in 1986 and rental operation revenues to\n  19 to 22 mln dlrs from 12.5 mln dlrs.\n      It said cash flow per share this year should be 2.50 to\n  three dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SILVER STATE MINING CORP <SSMC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr one ct vs one ct\n      Net 528,790 vs 286,969\n      Revs 2,537,803 vs 773,729\n      Year\n      Shr seven cts vs one ct\n      Net 2,429,576 vs 404,394\n      Revs 6,726,327 vs 1,150,961\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SIZZLER RESTAURANTS INTERNATIONAL INC <SIZZ> NET\n","article":"  Shr 15 cts vs 14 cts\n      Net 2,547,000 vs 2,242,000\n      Revs 56.7 mln vs 44.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 17.6 mln vs 15.6 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 54 cts vs 54 cts\n      Net 9,249,000 vs 8,334,000\n      Revs 173.3 mln vs 134.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 17.1 mln vs 15.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MCANDREWS AND FORBES ARE OFFERING 18.50 DLRS PER SHARE FOR REVLON STOCK\n","article":"\n  MCANDREWS AND FORBES ARE OFFERING 18.50 DLRS PER SHARE FOR REVLON STOCK\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET DEFICIT REVISED TO 550 MLN STG\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had revised\n  its estimate of the shortage in the money market back to its\n  initial forecast of 550 mln stg.\n      At midsession the central bank changed the shortfall to 500\n  mln and provided assistance worth 96 mln stg through bank bill\n  purchases in bands one and two at established dealing rates.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DONEGAL GROUP INC <DGIC> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr six cts\n      Net 155,764\n      Revs 6,506,792\n      NOTE: Company formed in August 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PETER MILLER APPAREL GROUP 3RD QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 28 cts vs profit seven cts\n      Net loss 931,000 vs profit 7,000\n      Revs 2.3 mln vs 2.0 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 55 cts vs profit seven cts\n      Net loss 1,619,000 vs profit 185,000\n      Revs 7.7 mln vs 7.1 mln\n      NOTE: Shr figures adjusted for issue of 600,000 shares in\n  October, 1986. Avg shrs not given.\n      Full name is <Peter Miller Apparel Group Inc>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KRELITZ INDUSTRIES INC <KRLZ> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Period ended Jan 31\n      Shr seven cts vs 14 cts\n      Net 136,000 vs 274,000\n      Sales 48.4 mln vs 38.2 mln\n      Nine mths\n      \n      Shr 30 cts vs 17 cts\n      Net 573,000 vs 328,000\n      Sales 140.0 mln vs 102.4 mln\n      NOTE: Prior year period ended Sept 30\n      Comparable periods reflect change in fiscal yearend to\n  April from December\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"DONEGAL <DGIC> PROJECTS FULL YEAR RESULTS\n","article":"  Donegal Group Inc, which today\n  reported earnings of 155,764 dlrs on revenues of 6,506,792 dlrs\n  for the period from August 26 startup through the end of 1986,\n  said it expects \"much improved\" profits for the full year 1987\n  on revenues of about 32 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MACANDREWS AND FORBES HOLDINGS BIDS FOR REVLON\n","article":"  McAndrews and Forbes Holdings Inc said\n  it will offer 18.50 dlrs per share for all of Revlon Group\n  Inc's <REV> outstanding common stock.\n      McAndrews said terms of the acquisition have not been\n  determined and are subject to the acquisition of financing.\n      Revlon closed yesterday on the New York Stock Exchange at\n  14-3\/4.\n      The company said it would bid for all stock it or its\n  affiliates do not already own.\n      McAndrews and Forbes said it informed the board of\n  directors of Revlon that it expects to make a formal proposal\n  in the near future. It also said there can be no assurance as\n  to the terms of the proposals or that the deal can be\n  concluded.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HOG AND CATTLE SLAUGHTER GUESSTIMATES\n","article":"  Chicago Mercantile Exchange floor\n  traders and commission house representatives are guesstimating\n  today's hog slaughter at about 300,000 to 305,000 head versus\n  292,000 week ago and 316,000 a year ago.\n      Saturday's hog slaughter is guesstimated at about 30,000 to\n  55,000 head.\n      Cattle slaughter is guesstimated at about 128,000 to\n  130,000 head versus 129,000 week ago and 119,000 a year ago.\n      Saturday's cattle slaughter is guesstimated at about 20,000\n  to 40,000 head.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BOREALIS IN GOLD EXPLORATION PACT WITH FARAWAY\n","article":"  <Borealis Exploration Ltd> said\n  it entered into an agreement with <Faraway Gold Mines Ltd> of\n  Vancouver, British Columbia, under which Faraway will acquire\n  an interest in Borealis's Whale Cove Gold Property in the\n  Keewatin district of the Northwest Territories.\n      Faraway will spend 1.5 mln dlrs on exploration over three\n  years and will hold 50 pct of the property until all expenses\n  are paid out, when the interest will drop to 40 pct.\n      Also, Borealis and Faraway will issue treasury shares to\n  each other and Faraway will buy 575,000 Borealis shares from\n  Borealis president Lorne Spence.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GETS 350 MLN STG AFTERNOON HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided\n  assistance worth 350 mln stg during the afternoon session which\n  takes total help so far today to 446 mln stg against a shortage\n  estimated at around 550 mln stg.\n      The central bank purchased outright bank bills comprising\n  120 mln stg in band one at 10-7\/8 pct and 227 mln stg in band\n  two at 10-13\/16 pct. It also bought treasury bills worth one\n  mln stg in band one and two mln stg in band two at the same\n  rates of interest as bank bills.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"IMRE <IMRE> SELLS STOCK TO EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS\n","article":"  IMRE Corp said it has received\n  commitments for a group of European institutions to buy about\n  400,000 IMRE shares for 2,500,000 dlrs, with closing expected\n  on March 16.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INSTRUMENTARIUM ACQUIRES NOKIA SUBSIDIARY\n","article":"  Finland's medical group Instrumentarium\n  Oy <INMR.HE> said it has acquired electronics components\n  importers and marketers <Ferrado Oy> and <Insele Oy>,\n  subsidiaries of Finland's electronics group Nokia Oy <NOKS.HE>.\n      It said in a statement Ferrado and Insele will be merged\n  into Instrumentarium's Professional Electronics and Information\n  Systems Division.\n      It did not disclose a price for the acquisitions but said\n  it had issued 30,000 restricted B shares as partial payment to\n  Nokia.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FUQUA INDUSTRIES INC <FQA> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div six cts vs six cts prior\n      Pay April One\n      Record March 20\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<M-CORP INC> YEAR DEC 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 73 cts vs 55 cts\n      Net 1,691,878 vs 1,117,747\n      Revs 7.1 mln vs 4.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 2.3 mln vs 2.0 mln\n      NOTE: Share results reflect two-for-one stock split in\n  June, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DOME PETROLEUM REAFFIRMS DOME MINES STAKE FOR SALE AT RIGHT PRICE, SPOKESMAN SAYS\n","article":"\n  DOME PETROLEUM REAFFIRMS DOME MINES STAKE FOR SALE AT RIGHT PRICE, SPOKESMAN SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COMMONWEALTH MORTGAGE <CCMC> BUYS ARMONK FIRM\n","article":"  Commonwealth Mortgage Co said\n  it purchased Westfiar Funding Corp of Armonk, N.Y., for an\n  undisclosed amount of cash.\n      Commonwealth said Westfair originated 60 mln dlrs of\n  residential mortgage loans during 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<M-CORP INC> RAISES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Semi-annual div 7-1\/2 cts vs five cts\n      Pay April nine\n      Record March 26\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PERMIAN <PBT> RAISES CRUDE PRICES\n","article":"  Permian Corp said that effective march 5\n  it raised its posted prices for crude oil 50 cts a barrel.\n      The raise brought its posted prices for West texas\n  Intermediate up by 50 cts to 17.00 dlrs a barrel.\n      West Texas Sour was also raised by 50 cts to 17.00 dlrs a\n  barrel.\n      A Permian spokesman said that the South Louisiana sweet\n  posted prices was also raised 50 cts a barrel to 17.35 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN STORES CO 4TH QTR SHR 1.57 DLRS VS 1.60 DLRS\n","article":"\n  AMERICAN STORES CO 4TH QTR SHR 1.57 DLRS VS 1.60 DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INDONESIAN SUGAR OUTPUT SEEN SHORT OF TARGET\n","article":"  Indonesia's raw sugar output is likely\n  to be 1.8 mln tonnes in calendar 1987, unchanged from 1986 and\n  below the government's 1987 forecast of 2.5 mln, the U.S.\n  Embassy said in its agricultural outlook for 1987.\n      Indonesia bought 162,500 tonnes of raw sugar on world\n  markets in late 1986, the report said.\n      The embassy estimated Indonesia's calendar 1986 raw sugar\n  production at 1.8 mln tonnes, against a government estimate of\n  1.99 mln.\n      It said that Indonesia's move into sugar self-sufficiency\n  in 1984 may have been short-lived.\n      The report said, \"The government continues to promote\n  sugarcane production through its smallholder intensification\n  program and a relatively high guaranteed price to sugarcane\n  producers.\n      \"However, there are considerable indications that farmers\n  are reluctant to plant cane because its economic return is not\n  as good as that of other crops.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CENTRAL SPRINKLER CORP <CNSP> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 19 cts vs 20 cts\n      Shr diluted 18 cts vs 18 cts\n      Net 578,000 vs 554,000\n      Sales 10.7 mln vs 10.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,006,s302 vs 2,795,820\n      Avg shrs diluted 4,271,488 vs 4,081,534\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<FAR WEST INDUSTRIES INC> RAISES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Annual div four cts vs 1.76 cts\n      Pay March 20\n      Record March 15\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<FAR WEST INDUSTRIES INC> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 23 cts vs 17 cts\n      Net 761,000 vs 490,000\n      Revs 7.3 mln vs 4.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.K. OFFICIALS STUDY SALMONELLA\/CALF FEED LINK\n","article":"  U.K. Officials are studying the possible\n  link between the use of antibiotics in calf feeds and the\n  spread of drug-resistant strains of salmonella in humans, a\n  Ministry of Agriculture official said.\n      A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine\n  yesterday stated that the spread of an unusual strain of\n  salmonella that is resistant to the drug chloramphenicol had\n  been shown to be linked to farms that used the drug to promote\n  the growth of cattle.\n     The U.K. Ministry of Agriculture is working with the\n  Department of Health and the Public Health Laboratory to\n  investigate the whole subject of resistant strains of\n  salmonella.\n      \"The Ministry of Agriculture is concerned about the possible\n  effects on human and animal health,\" the official said. The\n  government is also studying a recommendation from the Farm\n  Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) to restrict the trade of calves\n  under 56 days old through markets. The FAWC says this would\n  help reduce the spread of salmonella.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA RULES U.S. CORN INJURING CANADIAN FARMERS, UPHOLDS DUTY \n","article":"\n  CANADA RULES U.S. CORN INJURING CANADIAN FARMERS, UPHOLDS DUTY \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DOME<DMP> REPEATS DOME MINES<DM> STAKE FOR SALE\n","article":"  Dome Petroleum Ltd's 23.2 pct stake of\n  gold producer Dome Mines Ltd continues to be for sale \"at the\n  right price,\" spokesman David Annesley said in response to an\n  inquiry.\n      Reaffirming remarks made last year by chairman Howard\n  Macdonald, Annesley said the company is considering selling its\n  stake in Dome Mines.\n      Concerning Dome Petroleum's 42 pct stake in <Encor Energy\n  Corp Ltd>, Annesley said \"Encor is a strategic investment for\n  Dome, and we have no intention of selling it.\"\n      Dome spokesman Annesley said in answer to a question that\n  he was not aware of any negotiations now under way toward the\n  sale of Dome Petroleum's 20.9 mln Dome Mines shares.\n      He also declined to specify at what price the company would\n  consider selling it shares.\n      \"Clearly today's prices of more than 15 dlrs a share (of\n  Dome Mines stock) are very attractive,\" Annesley commented.\n      \"We were considering the sale 'at the right price' at a time\n  when the shares were priced around nine to 10 dlrs,\" he added. A\n  price of around 15 dlrs a share would be considered \"fairly\n  attractive,\" Annesley said.\n      Annesley also Dome Petroleum may be able to sell its Dome\n  Mines' shares at a premium to market prices. \"There might be an\n  opportunity to pick up a premium on that because it would be\n  virtually a control block in Dome Mines,\" he said.\n      Dome Mines shares traded earlier at 15-1\/4 dlrs, off 1\/4 on\n  the Toronto Stock Exchange.\n      Dome Petroleum is now negotiating a plan to restructure\n  debt of more than 6.1 billion Canadian dlrs with a group of 56\n  major creditors, which includes Dome Mines and Encor Energy.\n      The company previously said it expects to detail the plan\n  to lenders early next week.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA RULES U.S. CORN INJURING CANADIAN  FARMERS, UPHOLDS DUTY\n","article":"\n  CANADA RULES U.S. CORN INJURING CANADIAN  FARMERS, UPHOLDS DUTY\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NIPPON KOKAN STEEL AFFILIATES CONSIDERING MERGER\n","article":"  Toshin Steel Co Ltd <TOSS.T> and <Azuma\n  Steel Co Ltd>, affiliates of Nippon Kokan KK <NKKT.T>, are\n  considering a merger, company spokesmen said.\n      Toshin Steel, owned 41.9 pct by Nippon Kokan, and Azuma\n  Steel, owned 41.3 pct by Nippon Kokan, are expected to decide\n  by the end of March, they said. Both firms have been struggling\n  with losses caused by the recession in the steel industry and\n  the yen's appreciation.\n      Azuma Steel's current losses are estimated at 3.1 billion\n  yen in the year ending March 31 against a 6.99 billion loss a\n  year earlier, a spokesman said. The firm employs 1,100 workers\n      Toshin Steel, with 1,700 workers, has given no forecast for\n  the year ending March 31.\n      But industry sources said they expected the company to show\n  current losses of about five billion yen or more in 1986\/87\n  compared with a 2.98 billion loss in 1985\/86.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEW DUTCH SPECIAL ADVANCES ANNOUNCED AT 5.3 PCT\n","article":"  The Dutch central bank announced new\n  eleven-day special advances at an unchanged 5.3 pct to aid\n  money market liquidity, covering the period March 9 to 20.\n      The amount will be set at tender on Monday March 9 between\n  0800 and 0830 GMT. The new facility will replace the current\n  4.8 billion guilders of seven-day advances expiring Monday.\n      Money dealers estimated today's money market shortage at 11\n  to 11.25 billion guilders, barely changed from yesterday.\n      They said call money was still relatively high at 6-1\/8 to\n  6-1\/4 pct as a result of the tight set of bids accepted by the\n  Bank for the previous seven-day facility.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SELECTERM INC <SLTM> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss not given vs profit 16 cts\n      Net loss 309,000 vs profit 426,000\n      Revs 6,358,000 vs 6,747,000\n      Year\n      Shr profit 27 cts vs profit 76 cts\n      Net profit 713,000 vs profit 2,021,000\n      Revs 24.9 mln vs 27.1 mln\n      NOTE: Pretax net profits 113,000 dlrs vs 824,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and 1,863,000 dlrs vs 3,606,000 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STONE CONTAINER <STO> COMPLETES WAITING PERIOD\n","article":"  Stone Container Corp said it and\n  Southwest Forest Industries Inc <SWF> completed all waiting\n  period requirements under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Anti-Trust\n  Improvements Act of 1976.\n      Stone said it will proceed with its previously proposed\n  acquisition of Southwest.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ICO QUOTA TALKS FAILURE PARALYSE HAMBURG MARKET\n","article":"  The failure of International Coffee\n  Organization talks on the reintroduction of quotas has\n  paralysed business on the Hamburg green coffee market in the\n  past week, trade sources said.\n      There was only sporadic activity for spot material, which\n  was mainly requirement buying, they said, adding that\n  pre-registered coffees were no longer available.\n      They said they expected Brazil and Colombia to open export\n  registrations for May shipment next week. However, the\n  president of the Brazilian Coffee Institute, Jorio Dauster,\n  said yesterday he had not yet decided when its registrations\n  would reopen.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS INC <RMI>PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 24 cts vs 24 cts prior\n      Pay April 10\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTHWEST <SWF>, STONE <STO> COMPLY FOR MERGER\n","article":"  Southwest Forest Industries said\n  it and Stone Container Corp have complied with all federal\n  waiting period requirements for Stone's proposed 32.25 dlr per\n  share cash acquisition of Southwest.\n      Southwest currently has 12.3 mln shares outstanding. The\n  companies entered into a merger agreement on January 27, and\n  made their initial findings with the Department of Justice and\n  the Federal Trade Commission on February three.\n      Southwest said the waiting period expired on March 5,\n  without receiving a formal second request for information.\n     \n  REUTER...^M\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OKC LIMITED PARTNERSHIP <OKC> SETS LOWER PAYOUT\n","article":"  OKC Limited Partnership said it will make\n  a five ct per share distribution to unitholders, down from 15\n  cts in December and payable March 30 to holders of record March\n  18.\n      The partnership said the payout is the largest quarterly\n  cash distribution allowable under terms of its letter of credit.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BIOTECH RESEARCH LABORATORIES INC <BTRL> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr profit one ct vs loss seven cts\n      Net profit 63,761 vs loss 43,006\n      Revs 1,961,219 vs 1,413,859\n      Year\n      Shr loss seven cts vs loss 20 cts\n      Net loss 380,273 vs loss 1,108,151\n      Revs 6,245,012 vs 5,368,522\n      Shr out 5,950,000 vs 5,462,547\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CANADA UPHOLDS COUNTERVAIL DUTY ON U.S. CORN\n","article":"  The Canadian Import Tribunal ruled today\n  subsidized U.S. corn imports were injurious to Canadian growers\n  and upheld a countervailing duty of 84.9 U.S. cts a bushel set\n  earlier this year.\n      The ruling is the result of trade action launched in 1985\n  by the Ontario Corn Producers Association that contended U.S.\n  subsidies were driving American corn prices below Canadian\n  production costs.\n      A spokesman for the Department of Revenue said a study of\n  the level of the duty will be undertaken in the next six months\n  to determine if it should be adjusted.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FEBRUARY U.S. JOBS GAINS SHOW STRONGER ECONOMY\n","article":"  Momentum in th U.S. economy may be\n  picking up given solid across-the board increases in the\n  February U.S. employment report, economists said.\n      U.S. non-farm payroll employment rose 337,000 in February,\n  twice what the financial markets expected. This follows a\n  319,000 gain in January, revised down from a previously\n  reported 448,000 increase.\n      \"Even if you look at January and February together, this is\n  still a much stronger report than the consensus expectation in\n  the market,\" said Allan Leslie of Discount Corporation.\n      Economists stressed that gains in hours worked signal much\n  larger gains in February U.S. production and income than\n  previously forecast.\n      The average work week rose 0.2 hours to 35.0 hours from\n  34.8 hours in January. The average manufacturing work week rose\n  0.3 hours to 41.2 hours, the longest factory work week since\n  November 1966, the Commerce Department said.\n      \"The gains in manufacturing employment point to a very\n  large increase in industrial production of between 0.5 and 0.7\n  pct,\" said Joe Carson of Chemical Bank. This compares to a 0.4\n  pct  gain in January U.S. industrial production.\n      Peter Greenbaum of Smith Barney Harris Upham and Co Inc\n  noted that the average wage rate increased to 8.87 dlrs an hour\n  in February from 8.83 dlrs in January.\n      \"Combined with the increase in hours worked, this means\n  we'll get a pretty healthy gain in personal income vis-a-vis\n  the wage and salary disbursement,\" he said.\n      Greenbaum said that February U.S. personal income should\n  rise at least 0.5 pct after being flat in January.\n      He said the February employment gains are consistent with\n  his firm's first quarter U.S. real gross national product\n  growth forecast of 3.7 pct.\n      Economists agreed that the employment data were negative\n  for the credit markets in that they signal a healthier economy\n  and no easing in the Federal Reserve's monetary policy. But\n  most said that the market need not fear tighter policy either.\n      \"This report is another reason for the Fed to not consider\n  easing,\" said Ray Stone of Merrill Lynch Capital Markets Inc.  \n    \"It gives them more room to address the dollar situation,\" he\n  said. \"If they had to nudge policy tighter, they could do so,\n  but it's most likely they'll sit and wait.\"\n      \"The data have not been uniform,\" Stone added. \"Durable\n  goods were weak in January and now employment is strong.\"\n      In January, U.S. durable goods orders dropped 7.5 pct,\n  followed by a 4.0 pct drop in U.S. factory goods orders. U.S.\n  retail sales fell 5.8 pct, and the U.S. merchandise trade gap\n  widened to 14.8 billion dlrs.\n      \"Things just aren't adding up,\" said Steve Slifer of Lehman\n  Goverment Securities Inc. \"Consumer spending, capital spending,\n  goverment spending, and net exports data show very weak first\n  quarter GNP growth of one pct,\" he said.\n      \"The employment and production data point to a big\n  inventory build-up, but that's what we thought in the fourth\n  quarter and we only got 1.3 pct GNP growth.\"\n      Manufacturing employment gained 50,000 after falling 15,000\n  in January. Economists estimated that 30,000 of the gain was\n  accounted for by striking workers in the steel and machinery\n  industries returning to work.\n      Even so, some economists said that the manufacturing gains\n  have resulted from an improving trade outlook.\n      Jason Benderly of Goldman, Sachs and Co noted that the U.S.\n  trade picture improved in the fourth quarter as net exports\n  grew at a 20 pct annual rate while the rate of increase in\n  imports fell to only six pct, and that it continues to improve\n  in the first quarter.\n      \"Not only the official statistics for the fourth quarter,\n  but evidence of a pick up in orders from overseas for paper\n  products, chemicals, high-tech goods, and capital goods show\n  that trade is improving,\" Benderley said.\n      \"The economy is moving between extremes,\" he said. \"Some\n  reports are going to look bad and some good, but first quarter\n  GNP is going to grow in the middle at about three pct.\"\n      A 287,000 gain in services employment comprised the greater\n  part of February's employment gain. Retail services employment\n  rose 129,000 in February, compared to a gain of 117,000 in\n  January, previously reported at 166,000.\n      Construction employment rose a slim 2,000 in February. But\n  this follows a robust 113,000 gain in January, revised down\n  from a previously reported 142,000 gain.\n      The U.S. civilian unemployment rate was unchanged in\n  February at 6.7 pct. This means the jobless rate has stayed at\n  6.7 pct for three consecutive months, the lowest reading since\n  March 1980, the Commerce Department noted.\n      \"The Federal Reserve has to be pleased with this report,\"\n  Carson said. \"This takes away the Fed's flexibility to ease,\n  but there's no reason to tighten. It's way too early for that.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN STORES CO <ASC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.57 dlrs vs 1.60 dlrs\n      Net 55.7 mln vs 56.5 mln\n      Revs 3.7 billion vs 3.6 billion\n      Year\n      Shr 3.79 dlrs vs 4.11 dlrs\n      Net 144.5 vs 154.5 mln\n      Revs 14.0 billion vs 13.9 billion\n      NOTE: 1986 4th qtr and yr per shr amts includes reduction\n  of 15 cts per shr for establishment of reorganization reserves.\n  Tax increase reduced 1986 yr per shr by 26 cts.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BAKER SAYS G-6 PACT JUST A START\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker said\n  the agreement among industrial nations in Paris last month is\n  only a start in Washington's drive to intensify economic\n  cooperation among leading countries.\n      In a speech to the National Newspaper Association, Baker\n  said \"the six steps beginning with the Plaza Agreement and\n  culminating in the Paris Accord, are only a start.\"\n      He added \"we see our role as a steward of a process in which\n  we sit down with our industrial allies to find ways to promote\n  more balanced international growth.\"\n      The Paris agreements called trade surplus countries to\n  strengthen their growth and on the U.S. to reduce its budget\n  deficit. Under such circumstances, the countries agreed their\n  currencies were within ranges broadly consistent with economic\n  fundamentals.\n      Baker also said he still sees \"ominous\" signs of pressure for\n  protectionist trade legislation \"and this pressure for\n  protectionism is coming from new areas of society.\"\n      But he also said he believed a coalition was forming that\n  supported free trade.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER FORECASTS REDUCTION IN JAPANESE TRADE SURPLUS THIS YEAR\n","article":"\n  TREASURY'S BAKER FORECASTS REDUCTION IN JAPANESE TRADE SURPLUS THIS YEAR\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER SAYS THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN U.S. POLICY ON DOLLAR\n","article":"\n  TREASURY'S BAKER SAYS THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN U.S. POLICY ON DOLLAR\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED NOT EXPECTED TO ACT IN MONEY MARKETS\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve is unlikely to\n  operate in the U.S. government securities market during its\n  usual intervention period this morning, economists said.\n      Fed funds opened comfortably at 5-15\/16 pct and remained at\n  that level. Yesterday Fed funds averaged 5.99 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BOSTON BANCORP <SBOS> SETS TWO FOR ONE SPLIT\n","article":"  Boston Bancorp said its board declared a\n  two-for-one stock split, payable March 31, record March 17.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BAKER DENIES CHANGE IN U.S. POLICY ON DOLLAR\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker said\n  there has been no change in U.S. policy on the value of the\n  dollar.\n      Baker, when asked if the policy was changed in view of\n  comments yesterday by a senior Commerce Department official who\n  said he thought the Japanese yen was undervalued against the\n  dollar by 10 to 15 pct, replied, \"No.\"\n      Yesterday Robert Ortner, Undersecretary of Commerce for\n  Economic Affairs, said he thought the yen was undervalued but\n  said that was his personal view.\n      This remark caused the dollar to drop as it appeared to\n  conflict with a recent agreement in Paris by the United States\n  and five other industrial nations that currency rates were at\n  about the right level to reflect underlying economic\n  conditions.\n      Baker, who spoke earlier to the National Newspaper\n  Association, declined to elaborate on his statement about U.S.\n  policy.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" 6-MAR-1987 11:01:16.74\n","article":"   6-MAR-1987 11:01:16.74\n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOME SHIPPING RESTRICTIONS REMAIN ON RHINE\n","article":"  Limited shipping restrictions due to high\n  water remain in force on parts of the West German stretch of\n  the Rhine river between the Dutch border and the city of Mainz\n  but most are expected to be lifted this weekend.\n      water authority officials said The restrictions, caused by\n  high water levels, include speed limits and directives to keep\n  to the middle of the river to prevent damage to the river\n  banks. The high water was expected to recede within two days to\n  below levels at which the restrictions come into force.\n      Traffic was halted briefly late Tuesday night, Wednesday\n  and parts of Thursday on stretches of the Rhine between Bonn\n  and Koblenz but the shipping bans were lifted, the officials\n  said. Shipping is now permitted on all parts of the West German\n  section of the Rhine, with restrictions in some areas.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HAWKER SIDDELEY OFFER FOR CLAROSTAT <CLR> ENDS\n","article":"  <Hawker Siddeley Group PLC>'s offer of\n  74 dlrs a share for all of Clarostat Mfg Co Inc's stock was\n  scheduled to expire at 2400 EST yesterday.\n      Company officials were unavailable for comment as to why\n  the American Stock Exchange had stopped trading in Clarostat's\n  stock for a pending news announcement.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TAFT <TFB> GIVEN DEADLINE ON BUYOUT PROPOSAL\n","article":"  Narragansett Capital Inc <NARR>\n  said it and Dudley S. Taft have requested a response from Taft\n  Broadcasting Co by March 12.\n      Earlier today, Taft Broadcasting said Taft, the company's\n  vice chairman, and Narragansett had offered 145 dlrs for each\n  of Taft's 9.2 mln outstanding shares.\n      The company said the offer is conditioned on approval of\n  its board, but a spokesman declined comment on whether or not\n  the board has scheduled a meeting.\n       The Narragansett\/Taft group will provide the equity portion\n  of the offer by contributing at least 125 mln dlrs in cash and\n  Taft Broadcasting common, Narragansett said.\n      It said the group has been advised by First Boston Inc's\n  <FBC> First Boston Corp that the investment banker is \"highly\n  confident that financing for the acquisition can be\n  consummated.\"\n      Narragansett said the offer is subject to negotiation of a\n  definitive merger agreement and definitive financing agreements\n  as well as approval by regulators, Taft's board and Taft's\n  stockholders.\n      The Narragansett\/Taft group said its letter to Taft's board\n  states the group intends to return control over a significant\n  portion of the company's equity to the Taft family while\n  providing other stockholders with a means of realizing a very\n  attractive value for their shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<PETER MILLER APPAREL GROUP INC> 3RD QTR LOSS\n","article":"  period ended January 31\n      Shr loss 28 cts vs profit seven cts\n      Net loss 931,000 vs profit 7,000\n      Sales 2,303,000 vs 2,006,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 55 cts vs profit seven cts\n      Net loss 1,619,000 vs profit 185,000\n      Sales 7,684,000 vs 7,059,000\n      Note: per share reflects issue of 600,000 shares in October\n  1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SANTA FE SOUTHERN <SFX> APPEALS MERGER RULING\n","article":"  Santa Fe Southern Pacific Corp said it\n  filed a petition asking the U.S. Interstate Commerce Commission\n  to reconsider its earlier rejection of the merger of the\n  holding company's railroad assets.\n      The ICC had rejected in July the merger of the Santa Fe and\n  Southern Pacific Railroads on the grounds that it would reduce\n  competition.\n      Santa Fe in its petition outlines an array of\n  pro-competitive agreements with other railroads which would\n  preserve the economic benefits of the merger for the merged\n  railroad and the public.\n      If the commission agrees that public benefits and\n  competitive enhancements will result, it can vote to reopen the\n  merger case. Interested parties have until March 25 to file\n  statements in response to the supplemental petition.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BAKER SEES LOWER JAPANESE TRADE SURPLUS\n","article":"  U.S. Treasury Secretary James Baker\n  said the Japanese trade surplus would begin to decline this\n  year.\n      He told the National Newspaper Association \"You're going to\n  see a reduction in the Japanese trade surplus -- some of it\n  this year\".\n      But he said the reduction would be due principally to the\n  exchange rate shifts since the Plaza Agreement, and these\n  shifts would take a long time to work their way through the\n  system.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CINEPLEX ODEON CORP YEAR OPER SHR BASIC 1.04 DLRS VS 77 CTS\n","article":"\n  CINEPLEX ODEON CORP YEAR OPER SHR BASIC 1.04 DLRS VS 77 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MONFORT <MNFT> SOARS ON ACQUISITION AGREEMENT\n","article":"  Monfort of Colorado Inc soared 21-1\/2\n  to 75 in over-the-counter trading, responding to an\n  announcement late yesterday that the firm will be acquired by\n  Conagra Inc <CAG>.\n      According to a letter of intent signed by both companies,\n  Conagra will offer 2.5 of its own shares for each of Monfort's\n  4.3 mln outstanding shares.\n      Conagra fell one to 33 on the New York Stock Exchange.\n  Monfort is an integrated beef and lamb producer.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORDBANKEN TO AUCTION ITS FERMENTA SHARES\n","article":"  Sweden's <Nordbanken> banking group\n  said it would sell the 4.2 mln B free shares deposited as loan\n  collateral by Fermenta AB's <FRMS.ST> founder and former chief\n  executive Refaat el-Sayed and it planned to buy them up itself.\n      The bank said the sale - by public auction on March 16 --\n  was because of a debtor's inability to repay an overdue loan.\n      The B free shares closed at 16.50 crowns on the bourse's\n  unofficial list -- down from a peak of 300 in January 1986.\n  Nordbanken said it did not exclude accepting a suitable bid for\n  the shares although it expected to buy them back itself.\n      The statement said the sale did not represent any\n  withdrawal from Nordbanken's undertakings towards the Fermenta\n  group and that it had been sanctioned by the other main\n  shareholders.\n      Nordbanken is Fermenta's third largest creditor with loans\n  of 155 mln crowns. It was one of the four Swedish banks which\n  last month agreed to advance the group 110 mln crowns to solve\n  its immediate liquidity problems. Together with two other main\n  shareholders, it also advanced Fermenta an additional 65 mln\n  crowns until a new equity issue could be made.\n      Fermenta is due to hold an extraordinary shareholders'\n  meeting on Tuesday to approve the planned equity issue.\n      Nordbanken had to make a provision against a 200 mln crown\n  loan to el-Sayed in its 1986 results.\n      Fermenta's new management originally hoped to raise 160 mln\n  crowns through the new one for four rights issue and an extra\n  170 mln from an issue to Nordbanken, another major creditor and\n  shareholder <Gotabanken> and the group's new majority owner\n  <Industrivarden AB>.\n      The share price was to be 20 crowns. But there has been\n  doubt over the plans since the stock fell below this level this\n  week after Fermenta's former chairman Kjell Brandstrom said the\n  company was in a much worse state than he thought.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNITED INDUSTRIAL CORP <UIC> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.27 dlrs vs profit 43 cts\n      Net loss 17.0 mln vs profit 5,667,000\n      Sales 67.8 mln vs 70.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 69 cts vs profit 2.18 dlrs\n      Net loss 9,174,000 vs profit 29.1 mln\n      Sales 272.5 mln vs 269.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 13.3 mln vs 13.4 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes tax credits of 14.5 mln dlrs in\n  quarter and 8,408,000 dlrs in year.\n      1985 year net includes 616,000 dlr loss from discontinued\n  operations and 10.6 mln dlr gain on their disposal.\n      1986 net both periods includes 19.1 mln dlr provision for\n  future losses from several major projects in defense contractor\n  subsidiary.\n      Backlog 310 mln dlrs, up six pct from a year before.\n      Share adjusted for 10 pct stock dividend in February 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<CINEPLEX ODEON CORP> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr basic 1.04 dlrs vs 77 cts\n      Oper shr diluted 89 cts vs 60 cts\n      Oper net 31.6 mln vs 12.5 mln\n      Revs 500.6 mln vs 170.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 29.1 mln vs 14.3 mln\n      Note: 1985 net excludes extraordinary gain of 1,756,000\n  dlrs or 12 cts shr basic and eight cts shr diluted.\n      1986 net involves 53-week reporting period to reflect\n  change in yr-end to coincide with calendar yr.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MINE SAFETY APPLIANCES <MNES> TO SELL UNIT\n","article":"  Mine Safety Appliances Co said it\n  agreed to sell its filter products division to Donaldson Co Inc\n  <DCI> for undisclosed terms.\n      It said the filter products unit will be relocated from its\n  plant in Pennsylvania to a Donaldson facility in Illinois. It\n  said it expects a number of the unit's 100 employees will be\n  offered positions with Donaldson.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PROSPECT GROUP INC <PROSZ> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 10 cts vs loss 50 cts\n      Net loss 1,830,000 vs loss 3,584,000\n      Revs 40.7 mln vs 26.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 19.2 mln vs 7,115,847\n      12 mths \n      Shr profit 10 cts vs loss 91 cts\n      Net profit 1,422,000 vs loss 6,195,000\n      Revs 185.7 mln vs 126.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 14.8 mln vs 6,811,280\n      NOTES: In May 1986 Prospect raised 101,810,0000 dlrs from\n  an initial public offering of common stock.\n      The company purchased in March 1986 MidSouth Corp, a\n  regional railroad company in Mississippi and Louisiana, which\n  contributed sales of 39.5 mln dlrs and operating income of 16.3\n  mln dlrs during first nine months of operation.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRANCE FUND INC <FRN> SETS INITIAL DIVIDEND\n","article":"  France Fund Inc said its board declared\n  an initial dividend of 1.12 dlrs per share, payable April six,\n  to holders of record March 20.\n      The fund said the dividend represents two cts per share for\n  net investment income realized during 1986 and 1.10 dlrs from\n  net taxable gains realized during the year.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"HEINEKEN N.V. <HEIN.AS> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Pre-tax profit 513.2 mln guilders vs 545.5 mln\n      Net profit 285.3 mln guilders vs 265.4 mln\n      Consolidated net turnover 6.68 billion guilders vs 6.40\n  billion\n      Net profit per 25.00 guilder nominal share 11.11 guilders\n  vs 10.33, taking into account one-for-three scrip issue last\n  year\n      Final dividend two guilders vs same, making total 3.50\n  guilders vs same\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL SECURITY INSURANCE CO <NSIC> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 15 cts vs profit 57 cts\n      Oper net loss 151,000 vs profit 570,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 2.08 dlrs vs loss 12 cts\n      Oper net profit 2,122,000 vs loss 127,000\n      NOTE: Net excludes realized capital loss 19,000 dlrs vs\n  gain 896,000 dlrs in quarter and gains 1,646,000 dlrs vs\n  1,331,000 dlrs in year.\n      1986 net both periods excludes tax credit 1,288,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INDONESIA UNLIKELY TO IMPORT PHILIPPINES COPRA\n","article":"  Indonesia is unlikely to import copra\n  from the Philippines in 1987 after importing 30,000 tonnes in\n  1986, the U.S. Embassy's annual agriculture report said.\n      The report said the 31 pct devaluation of the Indonesian\n  rupiah, an increase in import duties on copra and increases in\n  the price of Philippines copra have reduced the margin between\n  prices in the two countries.\n      Indonesia's copra production is forecast at 1.32 mln tonnes\n  in calendar 1987, up from 1.30 mln tonnes in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CYPRUS MINERALS <CYPM> NAMED IN SUITS\n","article":"  Cyprus Minerals Co said along with about\n  40 other companies, it has been named a defendant in 23 product\n  liability lawsuits filed in California by individual\n  tireworkers aleging injury as a result of exposure to talc and\n  other products.\n      It said other suits are expected to be brought.\n      Cyprus, which produces talc, said it has significant\n  factual and legal defenses and substantial insurance coverage\n  and does not expect the suits to have a material adverse impact\n  on its financial condition.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DONALDSON <DCI> TO BUY MINE SAFETY <MNES> UNIT\n","article":"  Donaldson Co Inc said it reached an\n  agreement to buy the assets of the Filter Products Division of\n  Mine safety Appliances Co for undisclosed terms.\n      It said Filter Products will operate as part of Donaldson's\n  Industrial Group and its manufacturing operations will be\n  relocated to Dixon, Ill., from Evans City, Pa.\n      Donaldson said the acquisition complements its\n  microfiltration business and internal research and development\n  efforts.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ARUNDEL CORP <ARL> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.73 dlrs vs 1.66 dlrs\n      Net 3,637,000 vs 3,789,000\n      Revs 27.6 mln vs 26.6 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 3.47 dlrs vs 2.34 dlrs\n      Net 7,815,000 vs 5,340,000\n      Revs 94.3 mln vs 81.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GULF STATES UTILITIES <GSU> GETS QUALIFIED AUDIT\n","article":"  Gulf States Utilities Co said\n  auditor Coopers and Lybrand has issued a qualified opinion on\n  1986 financial statements.\n      Gulf States said the audit opinion satated that without\n  sufficient rate increases or funds from other sources, Gulf\n  states may be unable to maintain its financial viability,\n  which is necessary to permit the realization of its assets and\n  the liquidation of its liabilities in the ordinary course of\n  business.\n      IT said it received a similar qualified opinion in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED SETS ONE BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPURCHASE, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  FED SETS ONE BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPURCHASE, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MIDMISSISSIPPI RIVER OPENS TODAY FOR SEASON\n","article":"  The Mississippi River is now open for\n  barge traffic up to the Twin Cities in Minnesota after repairs\n  were completed and the first barges moved upstream through Lock\n  and Dam 20 near Quincy, Ill at 0600 CST today, an Army Corps of\n  Engineers spokesman said.\n      About 14 to 15 inches of ice were reported between locks\n  three and four on the upper Mississippi River, but other\n  sections were generally free of ice, the spokesman said.\n      Midwestern weather has been so mild that barges probably\n  could have kept loading at Mid-Mississippi River terminals\n  through the winter, if Lock and Dam 20 had not been scheduled\n  for repairs, he said.\n      The Peoria and La Grange locks on the Illinois River are\n  still scheduled to close July 13, for two months of repairs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FED SETS ONE BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPO\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve entered the\n  government securities market to arrange one billion dlrs of\n  customer repurchase agreements, a spokesman for the New York\n  Fed said.\n      Fed funds were trading at 5-15\/16 pct at the time of the\n  indirect injection of temporary reserves, dealers said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GERMAN CASH IN CIRCULATION UP AT FEBRUARY'S CLOSE\n","article":"  Cash in circulation in West Germany\n  rose by 2.8 billion marks in the last week of February to 121.5\n  billion, a gain of 8.3 pct over the same month last year, the\n  Bundesbank said.\n      Cash in circulation is one of two components of the West\n  German money supply which the German central bank is targeting\n  to grow between three and six pct this year.\n      Gross currency reserves in the week rose by 200 mln marks\n  to 109.5 billion. Foreign liabilities fell 100 mln to 22.9\n  billion, giving a net currency reserves increase of 300 mln to\n  86.6 billion.\n      Commercial bank minimum reserve holdings at the Bundesbank\n  fell 300 mln marks to 51.9 billion marks at the end of\n  February, averaging 51.2 billion over the month.\n      The rediscount debt of the banking system fell 800 mln\n  marks to 55.2 billion marks, the Bundesbank said.\n      Banks made heavy use of the Lombard emergency funding\n  facility to meet month-end payments and borrowed 3.1 billion\n  marks, a rise of 2.9 billion over the week before.\n      The net position of public authorities at the Bundesbank\n  declined 6.7 billion marks in the last week of February.\n      The federal government drew down 3.8 billion marks of its\n  Bundesbank cash deposits, which had stood at 4.1 billion in the\n  third week of February, and also borrowed a 1.8 billion in\n  credit from the central bank.\n      Federal states' deposits fell 1.5 billion marks to 1.3\n  billion and their cash credits dropped 400 mln to 300 mln.\n      The Bundesbank balance sheet total rose around 5.44 billion\n  to 222.22 billion marks.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUN ELECTRIC CORP <SE> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 15 cts vs loss six cts\n      Net profit 1,051,000 vs loss 381,000\n      Revs 50.8 mln vs 41.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 7,033,00 vs 6,557,000\n      NOTE: 1987 net includes tax credits equal to six cts vs one\n  cent in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECUADOR SAYS SUSPENDS OIL EXPORTS DUE EARTHQUAKE\n","article":"  Ecuador today suspended its crude oil\n  exports indefinitely due to an earthquake last night that\n  damaged pumping and crude transport installations, an Energy\n  and Mines MInistry statement said.\n      It said the state oil firm Corporacion Estatal Petrolera\n  Ecuatoriana (CEPE) notified foreign customers that it was\n  declaring force majeure on its crude exports due to the tremor.\n      Ecuador\"s OPEC oil output quota is 210,000 barrels per day\n  (bpd).\n      A senior energy ministry official said that one pumping\n  station at El Salado on Ecuador's main pipeline was damaged.\n      He also said an 180 metre section of the pipeline attached\n  to the bridge over the Aguarico river collapsed.\n      The pumping station was about 20 km from the Reventador\n  volcano, near the epicentre of the quake, which Ecuadorean\n  seismologists said registered six on the 12-point international\n  Mercalli scale. The Aguarico bridge was also close to the\n  volcano, he said.\n      The quake struck northern Ecaudor and southern Colombia,\n  according to Ecuadorean officials. No injuries were reported.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"LEASEWAY TRANSPORTATION CORP <LTC> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 39 cts vs profit 62 cts\n      Oper net loss 4,628,000 vs profit 7,256,000\n      Revs 338.1 mln vs 327.9 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 1.12 dlrs vs profit 1.88 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 13.2 mln vs 22.2 mln\n      Revs 1.32 billion vs 1.29 billion\n      NOTE: Net excludes gains from discontinued leasing\n  operations of 37.6 mln dlrs vs 40.3 mln dlrs in year and 32.6\n  mln dlrs vs 34.3 mln dlrs in quarter.  Results restated for\n  discontinued operations.\n      1986 net both periods includes charge 6,300,000 dlrs from\n  elimination of investment tax credits.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NCH CORP <NCH> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 51 cts vs 44 cts\n      Net 4,710,000 vs 4,086,000\n      Sales 109.2 mln vs 98.2 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 1.62 dlrs vs 1.39 dlrs\n      Net 15.0 mln vs 13.6 mln\n      Sales 314.6 mln vs 279.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NATIONWIDE HAD 1986 PROPERTY-CASUALTY LOSS\n","article":"  <Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co>\n  said its property-casualty companies had a net loss of 56 mln\n  dlrs last year while its life insurance operations earned 66.8\n  mln dlrs.\n      Nationwide said its property-casualty group, the\n  fourth-largest U.S. property-casualty insurer had a 106 mln dlr\n  loss in 1986. Nationwide Life Insurance Co earned 62.8 mln dlrs\n  in 1985, with last year's profit including record capital gains\n  of 14.4 mln dlrs, up from gains of 2.6 mln dlrs the previous\n  year.\n      The company said its property-casualty group had a record\n  loss from insurance operations last year of 859 mln dlrs after\n  policyholders' dividends, up 25 pct from 1985's 710 mln dlrs.\n      Nationwide said a surge in claims from personal auto\n  insurance and the volatile commercial liability coverages\n  during a period of unprecedented sales growth generated the\n  loss.\n      The company said over 576 mln dlrs of last year's group\n  losses came from commercial insurance lines and 282 mln dlrs\n  from its personal auto insurance business.\n      Partially offsetting 1986's record insurance losses,\n  Nationwide said, were record investment gains of 775 mln dlrs\n  and a 28 mln dlr federal tax credit. The investment gains were\n  up 39 pct from 1985's gains of 559 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUN <SUN> RAISES HEATING OIL BARGE PRICE\n","article":"  Sun Co's Sun Refining and Marketing\n  subsidiary said it increased the price it charges contract\n  barge customers for heating oil in New York harbor 0.50 cent a\n  gallon, effective today.\n      They said the 0.50 cent increase brings Sun's contract\n  barge price to 49 cts. The recent price hike represents the\n  fifth this week, totalling 4.75 cts. The increases are\n  following sharp spot and futures price rises, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FRENCH PRIMARY BOND MARKET SHOWS NEW SPARKLE\n","article":"  The French primary bond market is showing\n  signs of renewed effervescence after several weeks of lethargy\n  and the trend is expected to continue if hopes of imminent\n  interest rate cuts are fulfilled, market operators said.\n      The Bank of France is generally expected to give a signal\n  to the market, possibly at the beginning of next week, by\n  announcing a quarter point cut in its intervention rate, which\n  has stood at eight pct since January 2, or in its seven-day\n  repurchase rate, set at 8-3\/4 pct since January 5.\n      The central bank's averaged-out day to day call money rate,\n  the reference rate for interbank money market operators, which\n  reached 8-3\/4 pct on February 18 has fallen to 7-3\/4 pct this\n  week, dealers noted.\n      The Bank of France's \"open market\" policy to regulate the\n  money markets since December has been based on a floor and\n  ceiling of rates within the limits of its intervention and\n  seven day repurchase rates.\n      For the moment the sentiment is of \"wait and see\" on rate\n  cuts, but there are now more optimists than pessimists among\n  market operators, a dealer for a major French bank said.\n      Dealers said there is abundant liquidity on the bond\n  market, noting that this week's monthly Treasury tap issue of\n  11.87 billion francs had a good reception and was fairly easily\n  absorbed.\n      The Treasury had set an upper limit on the issue of 12\n  billion francs and was likely to continue to try and sell as\n  much paper as it could over coming months to meet its borrowing\n  needs for this year of around 150 billion, one banker said.\n      Dealers said there was no difficulty in placing liquidity\n  in the primary market at the moment despite competition from\n  the surge in investments on the Paris stock exchange.\n      There has been a flood of large bond issues, but with\n  formulas well adapted to market conditions and investor demand\n  - with warrants or a mix of fixed and floating-rates - which\n  have been snapped up, and with generally broadly negative fees.\n      Dealers pointed to the recent Caisse d'Aide a l'Equipement\n  des Collectivites Locales (CAECL) 8.90 pct two billion franc\n  bond with warrants exchangeable for floating-rate bonds issued\n  over 13 years and 80 days at 97.04 pct with payment date March\n  9, which was today quoted at -0.90 to -1.10 pct.\n      Even classic fixed-rate issues, after being neglected since\n  the end of last year, are finding buyers, one banker said.\n      Dealers said that now the question was to see how the terms\n  of imminent operations would be set, with great market interest\n  focussed on the likely three next issues.\n      These will include an expected four to five billion franc\n  issue for Electricite de France, to be followed by a bond of\n  around one billion francs for Auxiliaire du Credit Foncier, a\n  subsidiary of the banking group Credit Foncier de France, and a\n  new issue by tender from the mortgage agency Caisse de\n  Refinancement Hypothecaire.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FIRST WOMEN'S BANK INVESTOR GROUP OFFER EXPIRES\n","article":"  The investor group owning about 42 pct\n  of the outstanding capital stock of <The First Women's Bank>\n  said a cash tender offer for the bank's remaining outstanding\n  shares at 11 dlrs per share expired on March three.\n      The investors said about 132,000 shares, or about 20 pct of\n  the outstanding, had been tendered.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"UNITED PRESIDENTIAL CORP <UPCO> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 39 cts vs 50 cts\n      Net 1,545,160 vs 2,188,933\n      Revs 25.2 mln vs 19.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.53 dlrs vs 1.21 dlrs\n      Net 6,635,318 vs 5,050,044\n      Revs 92.2 mln vs 77.4 mln\n      NOTE: Results include adjustment of 848,600 dlrs or 20 cts\n  shr for 1986 year and both 1985 periods from improvement in\n  results of its universal life business than first estimated.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COMPUTER MEMORIES INC <CMIN> 3RD QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Period ended December 31.\n      Shr loss nine cts vs loss 1.92 dlrs\n      Net loss 950,000 vs loss 21,334,000\n      Revs 580,000 vs 22.2 mln\n      Nine Mths\n      Shr loss six cts vs loss 1.23 dlrs\n      Net loss 694,000 vs loss 13,710,000\n      Revs 5,129,000 vs 111.9 mln\n      Note: Current qtr includes tax loss of 118,000 vs loss of\n  476,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRENWICK GROUP INC <TREN> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 18 cts vs loss four cts\n      Oper net profit 1,847,000 vs loss 282,000\n      Revs 25.9 mln dlrs vs 8,626,000 drs\n      12 mths\n      Oper shr profit 39 cts vs loss 24 cts\n      Oper net profit 3,262,000 vs loss 1,555,000\n      revs 67.5 mln vs 27.9 mln dlrs.\n      NOTE: 1986 qtr and year excludes investment gains of\n  1,541,000 and 1,865,000, respectively, and 1985 qtr and year\n  includes investment gains of 301,000 dlrs and 1,424,000.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IMF URGES BELGIUM TO MAKE FURTHER SPENDING CUTS\n","article":"  The Belgian government, which\n  introduced large-scale public spending reductions last year,\n  has been told by an International Monetary Fund team there is\n  scope for further cuts in 1988.\n      The suggestion is contained in the preliminary conclusions\n  of the annual IMF consultations with Belgium on its economic\n  policy, a copy of which was distributed to journalists at the\n  weekly press conference following meetings of the cabinet.\n      The IMF team also urges Belgium to adopt a firm interest\n  rate policy, with a particular emphasis on long-term rates.\n      The team's report to the government praises last year's\n  spending cuts, which are due to reduce 1987 government spending\n  by 195 billion francs, and says 1986 saw the Belgian economy\n  perform \"better, on a broader basis, than at any time so far in\n  the 1980s.\"\n      However, it adds that with lower inflation, stabilisation\n  of the debt to gross national product ratio requires a much\n  lower budget deficit than the seven pct of GNP target the\n  government has set itself for 1989.\n      The government's net financing requirement was 11.0 pct of\n  GNP in 1986.\n      The report says \"The most that can be afforded over the next\n  few years is a zero growth of real non-interest expenditure of\n  general Government.\"\n      It says there is a need for a revision of the Belgian tax\n  system to iron out distortions and meet hopes of a reduced tax\n  burden but substantial progress is needed in stabilising the\n  debt to GNP ratio before this is possible.\n      \"Because of the difficulty of sustaining zero expenditure\n  growth and of likely growing impatience (for) tax reductions,\n  we feel that your position would be stronger if you could\n  decide on rather sharp expenditure reductions in 1988,\" the\n  report adds.\n      The IMF urges a strong interest rate policy to signal the\n  government's determination to keep its currency strong and to\n  curb inflation.\n      It says firmer long-term rates would slow private net\n  long-term capital outflows, which increased strongly in 1986.\n      It also urges net repayments of foreign currency debt and\n  an overhaul of domestic capital markets to facilitate the\n  subscriptions by non-residents of government bond issues in\n  Belgian francs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN FEBRUARY INTERIM TRADE SURPLUS JUMPS\n","article":"  Japan's customs-cleared trade surplus in\n  the first 20 days of February jumped to 3.58 billion dlrs from\n  1.94 billion a year earlier, the Finance Ministry said.\n      The February interim surplus was sharply up from a 965.04\n  mln dlr surplus in the same January period.\n      FOB exports rose 14.6 pct from a year earlier in the first\n  20 days of February to 10.91 billion, while CIF imports fell\n  3.2 pct to 7.33 billion.\n      The average dollar\/yen rates were 152.32 for exports and\n  152.31 for imports against 196.61 for exports and 196.27 for\n  imports a year earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BUSH <BSH> REVISES 4TH QTR, YEAR RESULTS UP\n","article":"  Bush Industries Inc said that\n  after an audit it has revised upwards its 1986 fourth quarter\n  and year end results. On February 12 it reported unaudited\n  results.\n      Under the audited amounts, 1986 fourth quarter income was\n  1,098,978 mln dlrs, or 55 cts a share. The unaudited income for\n  the period was 1,014,000, or 51 cts per share.\n      For the year, the audited amounts showed earnings of\n  2,505,978, or 1.25 dlrs per share. The prior results reported\n  income of 2,421,000, or 1.21 dlrs per share. Sales figures for\n  both periods did not differ significantly from prior amounts.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FURNITURE (UFURF) UPS BENCH CRAFT (SOFA) STAKE\n","article":"  Universal Furniture Ltd said in a\n  filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it had\n  increased its stake in Bench Craft Inc common stock to\n  2,548,975 shares or 45.3 pct of the total outstanding.\n      Universal said its Universal Furniture Industries N.V. unit\n  bought 235,750 Bench Craft shares March 4 in the\n  over-the-counter market.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"CLEVITE INDUSTRIES INC <CLEV> 4TH QTR OPER LOSS\n","article":"  Oper net loss 411,000 vs profit 875,000\n      Sales 69.7 mln vs 70.5 mln\n      Year\n      Oper net profit 6,258,000 vs profit 4,785,000\n      Sales 299.5 mln vs 297.2 mln\n      Note: Company made initial public offering in June, 1986.\n  Assuming the offering had occurred on Jan. 1, 1986, operating\n  net income per share would have been 85 cts a share for 1986.\n      1986 oper net excludes one-time charge of 16.8 mln dlrs, or\n  2.46 dlrs a share, in qtr and year due to the February 1987\n  sale of the company's engine parts division. Oper net for 1986\n  year also includes profit from discontinued operations of\n  360,000 dlrs, or five cts a share.\n      Oper net for 1986 excludes extraordinary loss of 1.1 mln\n  dlrs, or 17 cts a share, due to the June 1986 write-off of\n  unamortized debt issue costs from the public offering. 1985\n  oper net excludes extraordinary profit of 1.1 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NIPPON LIGHT METAL CONTINUES ALUMINIUM OUTPUT CUT\n","article":"  Nippon Light Metal Co Ltd <NLGT.T>, which\n  has annual capacity of 63,000 tonnes, will continue primary\n  aluminium production at a rate of 35,000 tonnes owing to low\n  domestic and world prices and low water supplies at its\n  hydroelectric power plant, a company official said.\n      Nippon, which has no plans to restore output to the 48,000\n  tonnes a year at which it was working until late 1986, will\n  become Japan's only smelter.\n      <Ryoka Light Metal Industries Ltd> will stop smelting in\n  April owing to high power costs and low prices, and <Mitsui\n  Aluminium Co Ltd> has said it stopped smelting in February.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CMS ADVERTISING SETS 3-FOR-2 STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  <CMS Advertising Inc> said its\n  board has approved a three-for-two stock split in the form of a\n  dividend payable March 30 to holders of record March 16.\n      The company said a similar split was paid December eight,\n  leaving it with 2,344,200 shares outstanding.\n      CMS Advertising said the next split will result in a\n  proportionate reduction in the exercise price of its stock\n  purchase warrants to 1.67 dlrs a share from 2.50 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CIE FINANCIERE DE PARIBAS <PARI.PA> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Parent company net profit 385 mln francs vs 226.9 mln\n      Dividend five francs vs no comparison\n      Note - The financial and banking group was privatised by\n  the government in January this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" 6-MAR-1987 12:28:37.20\n","article":"   6-MAR-1987 12:28:37.20\n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BANK OF ENGLAND PRESSURE HOLDS BASE RATES\n","article":"  This week's Bank of England resistance to\n  strong market pressure for lower interest rates succeeded in\n  holding bank base rates at 11 pct.\n      But at a cost of threatening the Chancellor of the\n  Exchequer Nigel Lawson's policy, stated at the end of the Paris\n  Group of Six meeting last month, that he wanted to see sterling\n  broadly stable about then prevailing levels, market sources\n  said.\n      Since then, the pound has risen to 71.8 pct on its closing\n  trade-weighted index, up from 69.7 pct imediately after the\n  Paris meeting and up 0.4 on the day.\n      Today's peak at 72.0 pct was its highest since August 19.\n      A Treasury spokesman said Lawson had said he neither wanted\n  a substantial rise or fall in sterling. The question is\n  therefore how large a rise he is ready to see before acting.\n      Paul Temperton, chief economist at Merrill Lynch Europe\n  Ltd, estimated that the government wanted to see the\n  trade-weighted index about 72-73 pct. \"Even after this action\n  over the last few weeks, sterling's only just within striking\n  distance of that range,\" he said.\n      Other analysts agree that the government probably has some\n  broad target range around this area.\n      However, they said Lawson would be prepared to see the\n  pound go higher at least in the short term, despite the risk of\n  a loss of export competitiveness and cheaper prices on imports.\n      \"If the Bank of England keeps the interest rates as they\n  are, what's to stop it (going higher),\" said John Cox, executive\n  director of EBC Amro Bank Ltd, a major operator on the London\n  foreign exchange market.\n      Cox estimates that the Bank of England has been active\n  selling sterling over the past few days, despite the lack of\n  general market talk of such intervention, and this has helped\n  keep it below 1.60 dlrs.\n      The pound rose to 1.5870 dlrs from 1.5764 yesterday and\n  1.5400 February 23, the day after the Paris meeting.\n      But Cox says the government must be worried with sterling\n  heading toward 2.95 marks and would be very concerned if it\n  holds around these levels.\n      He warned the Bank may run the risk of missing the interest\n  rate boat. \"If rates don't come down, the market will say they\n  ought to have come down and will sell sterling,\" he said.\n      Most dealers agree there is a good deal of \"hot money\" being\n  invested in sterling, money simply attracted by high overnight\n  or one-week rates, which could flow out at equally short\n  notice.\n      However, the authorities will hope that at least a\n  proportion of the buying reflects long-term investment.\n      \"The last thing they want to do is reduce them (rates) and\n  have to jack them back up again,\" said Richard Jeffrey,\n  economist at brokerage house Hoare Govett Ltd.\n      He said a half point cut would ensure continued support for\n  sterling, at least in the near term.\n      However, most analysts are still looking for a full point\n  about March 17, Budget Day.\n      The Bank must hold out until it sees the reaction to the\n  Budget, said Temperton.\n      The Budget is widely forecast to be a vote winner in the\n  run-up to a general election, the major factor behind current\n  bullishness in the government bond and currency markets.\n      \"Lawson wants to delay a cut in base rates until the budget.\n  He wants it to be crowned with the glory of an interest rate\n  cut,\" said Ian Harwood, economist at Warburg Securities, the\n  equities arm of Mercury International Group.\n      Speculation a clearing bank might break ranks and lead the\n  way lower were confounded today. There was excitement a fall in\n  the weekly Treasury Bill rate to 9.7 pct from 10.2 pct last\n  Friday might mean the Bank had changed its mind.\n      This followed the imposition of penal lending rates of 11\n  3\/4 pct on the discount houses yesterday, and was the lowest\n  since base rates were at 10 pct, early last October.\n      However, with this Bill rate pertaining to three-months\n  money, banking sources said the market could not take the cut\n  as a guide to the Bank's intentions on short term rates.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"LYNG DISAPPOINTED BY CANADA CORN INJURY DECISION\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture Secretary Richard\n  Lyng said he is \"very disappointed\" by a Canadian government\n  finding that U.S. corn has injured Ontario Corn growers.\n      \"This action is not helpful in the context of the ongoing\n  U.S.-Canada free trade talks or in the new round of\n  multilateral trade negotiations,\" Lyng said in a statement.\n      The Canadian government today said Ottawa would continue to\n  apply a duty of 84.9 cents per bushel on U.S. corn imports.\n      Lyng said the U.S. made a case that U.S. corn imports are\n  not the cause of any problem of Canadian corn producers, adding\n  that U.S. corn exports to Canada are declining.\n      \"Apparently they (Canada) have ignored the fact that\n  Canadian corn and other coarse grain production is rising\n  faster than consumption,\" Lyng said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BANCROFT <BCV> SHAREHOLDERS REBUKE ZICO OFFER\n","article":"  Bancroft Convertible Fund Inc, the\n  target of an unfriendly cash offer by <Zico Investment Holdings\n  Inc>, said its shareholders approved proposals requiring a\n  66-2\/3 pct affirmative vote of all outstanding shares before\n  fundamental changes in its status could be made.\n      Previously, only a simple majority of outstanding shares\n  was needed to change Bancroft's investment status from a\n  diversified to a non-diversified fund, among other things.\n      Bancroft said its board continues to recommend that\n  stockholders not tender their shares to Zico, a British Virgin\n  Islands company which it said had ties to South Africa.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INT'L TOTALIZATOR <ITSI> SEES BETTER 1ST QTR\n","article":"  International Totalizator Systems Inc\n  Vice President of Finance Joel Graff said he expects to report\n  an improved first quarter compared to the 377,000 dlr loss\n  reported in the year ago quarter.\n      \"A profit looks quite favorable,\" Graff said.\n      Last week, the automated ticket systems supplier reported a\n  loss of 1.2 mln dlrs for the 1986.\n      Graff said \"we invested heavily in 1986, which we believe\n  will result in higher future growth and earnings for the\n  company.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SAUDI FEBRUARY CRUDE OUTPUT PUT AT 3.5 MLN BPD\n","article":"  Saudi crude oil output last month fell\n  to an average of 3.5 mln barrels per day (bpd) from 3.8 mln bpd\n  in January, Gulf oil sources said.\n      They said exports from the Ras Tanurah and Ju'aymah\n  terminals in the Gulf fell to an average 1.9 mln bpd last month\n  from 2.2 mln in January because of lower liftings by some\n  customers.\n      But the drop was much smaller than expected after Gulf\n  exports rallied in the fourth week of February to 2.5 mln bpd\n  from 1.2 mln in the third week, the sources said.\n      The production figures include neutral zone output but not\n  sales from floating storage, which are generally considered\n  part of a country's output for Opec purposes.\n      Saudi Arabia has an Opec quota of 4.133 mln bpd under a\n  production restraint scheme approved by the 13-nation group\n  last December to back new official oil prices averaging 18 dlrs\n  a barrel.\n      The sources said the two-fold jump in exports last week\n  appeared to be the result of buyers rushing to lift February\n  entitlements before the month-end.\n      Last week's high export levels appeared to show continued\n  support for official Opec prices from Saudi Arabia's main crude\n  customers, the four ex-partners of Aramco, the sources said.\n      The four -- Exxon Corp <XON>, Mobil Corp <MOB>, Texaco Inc\n  <TX> and Chevron Corp <CHV> -- signed a long-term agreement\n  last month to buy Saudi crude for 17.52 dlrs a barrel.\n      However the sources said the real test of Saudi Arabia's\n  ability to sell crude at official prices in a weak market will\n  come this month, when demand for petroleum products\n  traditionally tapers off. Spot prices have fallen in recent\n  weeks to more than one dlr below Opec levels.\n      Saudi Arabian oil minister Hisham Nazer yesterday\n  reiterated the kingdom's commitment to the December OPEC accord\n  and said it would never sell below official prices.\n      The sources said total Saudi refinery throughput fell\n  slightly in February to an average 1.1 mln bpd from 1.2 mln in\n  January because of cuts at the Yanbu and Jubail export\n  refineries.\n      They put crude oil exports through Yanbu at 100,000 bpd\n  last month, compared to zero in January, while throughput at\n  Bahrain's refinery and neutral zone production remained steady\n  at around 200,000 bpd each.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BOC GROUP COMPLETES SALE OF UNIT TO CONTROLS\n","article":"  <BOC Group Inc>'s Airco\n  Distributor Gases finalized the sale of its Virginia-based gas\n  appaturs business to <Controls Corp of America>, a newly formed\n  investment group organized by former Airco employees.\n      Under the terms of the sale, Airco said Controls will\n  continue to make the gas apparaturs product line under the\n  Airco brand name, marketing the products exclusively through\n  the Airco's distributor network.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INDONESIAN PALM OIL OUTPUT EXPECTED TO RISE\n","article":"  Indonesia's palm oil output is expected\n  to rise and exports to increase, the U.S. Embassy said in its\n  annual report on Indonesia's agriculture sector.\n      The Indonesian government said crude palm oil (CPO) output\n  is expected to rise to 1.56 mln tonnes in 1987 and 2.11 mln in\n  1988, up from a projected 1.45 mln tonnes in 1986 and 1.26 mln\n  in 1985.\n      The 1986 projection of 1.45 mln tonnes is up from a\n  provisional figure of 1.3 mln tonnes.\n      A U.S. Embassy assessment puts 1987 output at 1.45 mln\n  tonnes, against 1.35 mln in 1986 and 1.208 mln in 1985.\n      \"More realistic estimates indicate that 1988 production will\n  be between 1.5 and 1.6 mln tonnes,\" the report said.\n      The report said the abolition of the five pct CPO export\n  tax, the devaluation of the rupiah in September 1986 and higher\n  international palm oil prices should lead to a modest increase\n  in exports this year.\n      Exports are forecast to rise to 720,000 tonnes against\n  695,000 tonnes in 1986, the report added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. WHEAT GROWERS WANT EEP TO SOVIET UNION\n","article":"  The U.S. National Association of\n  Wheat Growers (NAWG) urged the Reagan administration offer the\n  Soviet Union wheat under the export enhancement program (eep).\n      In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Richard Lyng, NAWG\n  stated its \"strong support\" for an eep offer to Moscow.\n      \"We believe that a solid case continues to exist for Soviet\n  EEP eligibility, and the recently announced and reported Soviet\n  purchases of U.S. corn indicate a Soviet willingness to\n  purchase U.S. grain if it is competitively priced,\" NAWG said.\n      \"Consequently, we believe it is important to renew the U.S.\n  eep offer and do all that is reasonably possible to ensure\n  mutual adherence to the terms of the U.S.-Soviet grain\n  agreement,\" the letter said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ABN SAYS PROFIT RISE ENCOURAGING IN VIEW DOLLAR\n","article":"  Algemene Bank Nederland N.V. <ABNN.AS>\n  chairman Robertus Hazelhoff said the bank's 10.3 pct increase\n  in net 1986 profit to 527 mln guilders from 478 mln in 1985 was\n  encouraging in view of the sharply lower dollar.\n      Hazelhoff, speaking at a press conference after the release\n  of ABN's 1986 results, said a sharp decrease in foreign\n  earnings had been compensated by a strong domestic performance,\n  notably in the securities business.\n      He said the bank was also proposing a one for 10\n  share-split which should facilitate trade in the bank's stock.\n      News of the split sparked a 14 guilder rise in ABN's share\n  price on the Amsterdam bourse to a close of 517 guilders.\n      Prospects for 1987 hung on three uncertainties, namely the\n  future trend of the dollar, the level of interest rates and\n  ABN's share of equities trade, Hazelhoff said.\n      Provisions for general contingencies were reduced in 1986\n  by 4.1 pct to 575 mln guilders, while taxes increased by 2.1\n  pct to 242 mln guilders, he added.\n      Lower global interest rates in 1986 had nipped earnings\n  margins via traditional lending activities, he said.\n      Hazelhoff said ABN was unlikely to continue reducing risk\n  provisions in the future but he noted the bank was not overly\n  concerned about default by Latin American debtors, a factor\n  which brokers say has distanced Dutch insititutions from bank\n  stocks recently.\n      He said that of the bank's estimated 25 financially\n  troubled sovereign debtors, about one quarter were Latin\n  American countries. These would ultimately pay up, he said.\n      He added that losses incurred through loans to tin\n  producers in the wake of the tin council crisis at end-1985 had\n  been written off.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN MONEY SUPPLY M-1 RISES 217 MLN DLRS IN WEEK, BANK OF CANADA SAID\n","article":"\n  CANADIAN MONEY SUPPLY M-1 RISES 217 MLN DLRS IN WEEK, BANK OF CANADA SAID\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN MONEY SUPPLY RISES IN WEEK\n","article":"  Canadian narrowly-defined money supply\n  M-1 rose 217 mln dlrs to 32.80 billion dlrs in week ended\n  February 25, Bank of Canada said.\n      M-1-A, which is M-1 plus daily interest chequable and\n  non-personal deposits, rose 556 mln dlrs to 75.19 billion dlrs\n  and M-2, which is M-1-A plus other notice and personal\n  fixed-term deposit rose 651 mln dlrs to 176.87 billion dlrs.s\n      M-3, which is non-personal fixed term deposits and foreign\n  currency deposits of residents booked at chartered banks in\n  Canada, rose 992 mln dlrs to 216.03 billion dlrs.\n      Chartered bank general loans outstanding rose 481 mln dlrs\n  to 124.99 billion dlrs.\n      Canadian liquid plus short term assets fell 854 mln dlrs to\n  35.40 billion dlrs and total Canadian dollar major assets of\n  the chartered banks fell 118 mln dlrs to 221.20 billion dlrs.\n      Chartered bank net foreign currency assets fell 23 mln dlrs\n  to minus 1.92 billion dlrs.\n      Notes in circulation totalled 16.24 billion dlrs, up 76 mln\n  dlrs from the week before.\n      Government cash balances fell 565 mln dlrs to 4.31 billion\n  dlrs in week ended March 4.\n      Government securities outstanding rose 1.25 billion dlrs to\n  224.09 billion dlrs in week ended March 4, treasury bills rose\n  950 mln dlrs to 74.55 billion dlrs and Canada Savings Bonds\n  fell 57 mln dlrs to 44.34 billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FRENCH GOVERNMENT TO STEP UP AID TO JOBLESS\n","article":"  The government plans to go ahead with a\n  three billion franc package to help the long-term unemployed,\n  with the aim of guaranteeing social security payments to\n  everyone becoming redundant, government officials said.\n      At present only about one-third of the country's 2.6 mln\n  jobless, corresponding to 10.9 pct of the workforce, receive\n  unemployment benefit.\n      Prime Minister Jacques Chirac told a television\n  interviewer, \"As soon as the law is approved, and it will be in\n  a matter of weeks, all workers made redundant will have the\n  right to social benefits.\"\n      The money, which will be used to alleviate unemployment\n  through retraining or project finance, will come from a 7.5\n  billion franc government fund set up last month to finance\n  spending on special areas of concern.\n      Apart from unemployment, these include relief to farmers\n  hit by European Community cost-cutting measures.\n      French unemployment has risen by more than 40 pct from 1.8\n  mln when socialist President Francois Mitterrand took office in\n  1981.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USSR WHEAT BONUS OFFER SAID STILL UNDER DEBATE\n","article":"  The Reagan administration continues\n  to debate whether to offer subsidized wheat to the Soviet\n  Union, but would need assurances from the Soviets that they\n  would buy the wheat before the subsidy offer would be made, a\n  senior U.S. Agriculture Department official said.\n      \"I think it still is under active debate whether or not it\n  would be advisable\" to make an the export enhancement offer to\n  the Soviets, Thomas Kay, administrator of the department's\n  Foreign Agriculture Service, told Reuters.\n      \"We'd need some assurances from them (the Soviets) that they\n  would buy if offered\" the wheat under the subsidy plan, he said.\n  Kay called reports that such an offer was imminent \"premature.\"\n      The Reagan administration's cabinet-level Economic Policy\n  Council is set to meet today to discuss, among other matters,\n  agricultural policy but is not expected to address a wheat\n  subsidy offer to the Soviet Union, administration officials\n  said earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUN ELECTRIC CORP <SE> 1ST QTR JAN 31 OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit nine cts vs loss seven cts\n      Oper net profit 628,000 vs loss 491,000\n      Sales 50.7 mln vs 41.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 7,033,000 vs 6,557,000\n      Note: Oper net excludes extraordinary profit of 423,000\n  dlrs, or six cts a shr, and 110,000 dlrs, or one ct a share,\n  respectively, in 1987 and 1986 quarters, from utilization of\n  tax loss carryforwards.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CANADA CORN DECISION UNJUSTIFIED - YEUTTER\n","article":"  U.S. trade representative Clayton\n  Yeutter said Canada's finding announced today that U.S. corn\n  imports injure Canadian farmers is \"totally unjustified.\"\n      \"U.S. corn exports to Canada are so small that it is\n  inconceivable that they injure Canadian corn farmers by any\n  reasonable measure,\" Yeutter said in a statement.\n      He said if other countries follow Canada's lead it could\n  result in \"a rash of protectionist actions throughout the\n  world.\" French corn growers have recently indicated they will\n  challenge U.S. corn gluten feed shipments to Europe.\n      Yeutter said the U.S. will examine the Canadian decision\n  closely and if the U.S. believes the decision was not based on\n  facts, \"will carefully evaluate appropriate responses.\" Yeutter\n  did not say what steps the U.S. may take in response.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INDONESIAN TEA, COCOA EXPORTS SEEN UP, COFFEE DOWN\n","article":"  Indonesia's exports of tea and cocoa\n  will continue to rise in calendar 1987 but coffee exports are\n  forecast to dip slightly in 1987\/88 (April-March) as the\n  government tries to improve quality, the U.S. Embassy said.\n      The embassy's annual report on Indonesian agriculture\n  forecast coffee output in 1986\/87 would be 5.77 mln bags of 60\n  kilograms each. That is slightly less than the 5.8 mln bags\n  produced in 1985\/86.\n      In 1987\/88 coffee production is forecast to rise again to\n  5.8 mln bags, but exports to dip to 4.8 mln from around 5.0 mln\n  in 1986\/87. Exports in 1985\/86 were 4.67 mln bags.\n      The embassy report says coffee stocks will rise to 1.3 mln\n  tonnes in 1987\/88 from 1.15 mln in 1986\/87. It bases this on a\n  fall in exports as a result of the \"probable\" re-introduction of\n  quotas by the International Coffee Organisation.\n      Cocoa production and exports are forecast to rise steadily\n  as the government develops cocoa plantations. Production of\n  cocoa in Indonesia increased to 32,378 tonnes in calendar 1985\n  from 10,284 tonnes in 1980. It is projected by the government\n  to rise to more than 50,000 tonnes by 1988.\n      Production in 1986 is estimated by the embassy at 35,000\n  tonnes, as against 38,000 tonnes in 1987.\n      The report forecasts cocoa exports to rise to 35,000 tonnes\n  this year, from 33,000 tonnes in 1986 and 31,000 in 1985.\n      The Netherlands is at present the biggest importer of\n  Indonesian cocoa beans.\n      The report forecasts that in calendar 1987, Indonesia's CTC\n  (crushed, torn and curled) tea exports will increase\n  significantly with the coming on stream of at least eight new\n  CTC processing plants.\n      Indonesia plans to diversify its tea products by producing\n  more CTC tea, the main component of tea bags.\n      Production of black and green teas is forecast in the\n  embassy report to rise to 125,000 tonnes in calendar 1987 from\n  123,000 tonnes in 1986.\n      Exports of these teas are likely to rise to 95,000 tonnes\n  in 1987 from 85,000 in 1986 and around 90,000 in 1985.\n      The embassy noted the ministry of trade tightened quality\n  controls on tea in October 1986 in an effort to become more\n  competititve in the world market.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CETEC CORP <CEC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr two cts vs eight cts\n      Oper net 41,000 vs 153,000\n      Sales 7,456,000 vs 7,965,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr 22 cts vs 50 cts\n      Oper net 434,000 vs 1,103,000\n      Sales 31 mln vs 33.6 mln\n      Note: Current qtr and year figures exclude loss from\n  discontinued operations of 384,000 dlrs, or 20 cts per share.\n      Prior qtr and year figures exclude losses from discontinued\n  operations of 1.9 mln dlrs, or 88 cts per share and 2.3 mln\n  dlrs, or 1.07 dlrs per share, respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RICHTON INTERNATIONAL CORP <RIHL> 3RD QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr 18 cts vs 39 cts\n      Net 507,000 vs 762,000\n      Sales 11.3 mln vs 11.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,789,000 vs 1,961,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 39 cts vs 90 cts\n      Net 1,076,000 vs 1,752,000\n      Sales 32.9 mln vs 33.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,771,000 vs 1,955,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VALTEK INC <VALT> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 18 cts vs 19 cts\n      Net 400,413 vs 421,451\n      Revs 9,343,228 vs 8,213,449\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 39 cts vs 46 cts\n      Net 853,891 vs 1,011,999\n      Revs 24.6 mln vs 22.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"THE WRITER CORP <WRTC> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 30 cts vs profit 11 cts\n      Net loss 1,247,000 vs profit 454,000\n      Revs 12.3 mln vs 17.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 24 cts vs profit 32 cts\n      Net loss 979,000 vs profit 1,303,000\n      Revs 60.6 mln vs 61.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROCKY MOUNTAIN MEDICAL CORP <RMEDU> 1ST QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Dec 31\n      Shr loss one ct\n      Net loss 176,639\n      Revs 150,300\n      NOTE: Company went public in April 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FIRST AMERICAN BANK AND TRUST <FIAMA> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 91 cts vs 1.25 dlrs\n      Net 8,710,000 vs 11.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 9,526,287 vs 9,362,379\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for 10 pct stock dividend in May 1986.\n      Net includes loan loss provisions of 12.7 mln dlrs vs\n  2,400,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"INDIA AGAIN IN MARKET FOR SUGAR - TRADE\n","article":"  India has called a fresh buying tender\n  for up to four 13,000 tonne cargoes of white sugar on March 11,\n  traders here said.\n      The tender calls for one cargo of prompt sugar and two to\n  three with March\/April shipment sugar, or the same as the eight\n  cargoes bought at a tender two days ago. That tender originally\n  only sought two to three cargoes but resulted in the sale of\n  eight. India also granted the sellers options to sell twice\n  that amount at the same price but for April\/May shipment.\n      Depending on prices, traders said it would be likely for\n  India again to buy more than the tonnage formally sought.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<WARRANTECH CORP> 3RD QTR DEC 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit nil vs loss nil\n      Net profit 28,565 vs loss 204,553\n      Revs 507,529 vs 6,563\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss nil vs loss nil\n      Net loss 404,011 vs loss 649,495\n      Revs 938,345 vs 32,535\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PIONEER GROUP <PIOG> UNIT GETS MORE LAND\n","article":"  The Pioneer Group Inc said its 70\n  pct-owned Teberebie Goldfields Ltd venture has been granted an\n  additional concession of land in Ghana to look for and mine\n  gold.\n      The State Gold Mining Corp of Ghana granted the venture an\n  additional 14.5 square kilometers in Teberebie, Ghana,\n  contiguous to 11.5 square kilometers granted earlier, the\n  company said.\n      The original concession appears to have a substantial\n  amount of gold bearing material containing about 2 grams, or\n  6\/100 ounces, of gold per metric ton.\n      But the venture has no firm estimates on the costs of\n  extracting the gold and no assurances can be given that the\n  reserves can be mined profitably, the company said.\n      It said Teberebie Goldfields has not conducted tests on the\n  newly granted land but added the land seems to be similar in\n  geological characteristics to the original land.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INSITUFORM <IGLSF> RAISES STAKE IN UNIT\n","article":"  Insituform Group Ltd of Guernsey,\n  Channel Islands, said it has exercised an option to convert a\n  250,000 stg loan to affiliate Insituform Permaline Ltd to\n  common shares, raising its stake in the unit to 75 pct from 50\n  pct.\n      The remainder is held by Permaline's management and an\n  investment group.\n      Insituform also said James Colclough has resigned from its\n  board for health reasons and secretary Scott Saltpeter has\n  resigned, effective June Five.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COPPER MEETING AGREES GOALS OF STUDY GROUP\n","article":"  The world's major copper producing and\n  consuming countries have reached \"a degree of consensus\" on\n  objectives and functions of a future study group aimed at\n  reviewing the world copper market, officials said.\n      Governments represented at a meeting to consider a proposed\n  forum for copper have recommended that another session be held\n  in September to consider further the nature of such a group, a\n  spokesman for the United Nations Conference on Trade and\n  Development (UNCTAD) said.\n      The one-week meeting, which ended today, was held to\n  examine a U.S. Initiative to set up a copper study group.\n      The new body would not aim at negotiating measures to\n  stabilise depressed world prices.\n      Its objectives would include increasing market\n  transparency, through improved statistics, and undertaking\n  activities aimed at developing the copper market and\n  contributing to improvement of demand.\n      UNCTAD's spokesman said, \"Once they have agreed on detailed\n  functions and objectives, then the way will be cleared to\n  setting up the body.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LIFFE FEBRUARY VOLUMES DOWN, BUT EURODOLLARS UP\n","article":"  Total futures and options turnover on the\n  London International Financial Futures Exchange (LIFFE) fell\n  slightly during February, although daily average Eurodollar\n  volume set a new record, LIFFE said today.\n      Total futures and options turnover last month was 822,378\n  contracts, down from January's 881,778, but sharply above the\n  comparative February 1986 figure of 463,146 lots, it said.\n      Eurodollar turnover during February was 140,417 lots,\n  against January's 100,941 and the year ago figure of 81,648.\n  The daily average was a record 7,020 lots, up four pct from the\n  previous record, set in March 1985.\n      February trading encompassed a new daily record of 66,087\n  contracts on the 19th of the month, exceeding the previous\n  record of 61,398, which had been set on February 6, LIFFE said.\n      FT-SE 100 index futures volume was sharply higher during\n  February, with 22,109 contracts trading, against January's\n  15,279 and the year-ago level of 8,181.\n      Open interest also set new records last month in\n  Eurodollars at 29,372 contracts, in FT-SE 100 at 4,898 and in\n  short sterling interest rate futures at 19,846 lots.\n      Key futures volumes as detailed by LIFFE were:\n                   Feb'87   Jan'87    Feb'86\n   Long gilt      424,865  525,354   134,420\n   Eurodollar     140,417  100,941    81,648\n   Short sterling  94,720   87,619    67,640\n   T-bond          84,694   87,980   133,766\n   FT-SE           22,109   15,279     8,181\n   Currencies       2,799    2,112     7,737\n   Short gilt          74       85     6,516\n      Key options volumes as detailed by LIFFE were:\n                Feb'87    Jan'87     Feb'86\n   Long gilt     44,640    54,329     ----\n   Eurodollar     3,580     1,720     2,844\n   T-bond         1,737     3,479     ----\n   Sterling       1,466     2,223    18,191\n   FT-SE          1,277       657     ----\n   Total options 52,700    62,408    23,238\n      (Long gilt, T-bond and FT-SE index options were not trading\n  in February 1986).\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COLOMBIAN OIL EXPORTS NOT AFFECTED BY QUAKE\n","article":"  Colombian oil installations were not\n  damaged by an earthquake which shook Ecuador and southern\n  Colombia last night and there are no plans to suspend exports,\n  a spokesman for the state-run oil company Ecopetrol said.\n      He said no damage was reported, unlike in Ecuador where\n  indefinite force majeure was declared on crude exports.\n      Colombia currently produces about 360,000 barrels per day\n  (bpd) of crude. Exports in january totalled 123,000 bpd.\n      The quake, which in Colombia measured between 6.5 and seven\n  on the 12-point international Mercalli scale, caused panic\n  among residents but no injuries were reported.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CHICAGO MILWAUKEE <CHG> GREETS SHEARSON STAKE\n","article":"  Chicago Milwaukee Corp said it welcomed\n  an investment by Shearson Lehman Brothers Inc in its company.\n      Yesterday, Shearson Lehman, a subsidiary of American\n  Express Co (AXP), disclosed in a Securities and Exchange\n  Commission filing that it holds a 5.35 pct interest in Chicago\n  Milwaukee.\n      Chicago Milwaukee's stock edged up 2-1\/8 to 138 on turnover\n  of 8,100 shares, as one of the biggest gainers on the NYSE. The\n  stock has been trading in a 154 to 128 range for the last 52\n  weeks.\n      Edwin Jacobson, Chicago Milwaukee president, declined to\n  comment on movement of the company's stock but said,\"From an\n  investment point of view, we are pleased to have Shearson,\n  Lehman as a substantial investor.\"\n      Shearson, Lehman purchased the shares for investment\n  purposes and may continue buying shares depending on market\n  conditions, according to the filing.\n      Chicago Milwaukee, which sold its railroad interests to Soo\n  Line Railroad Co (SOO) in February 1985, currently manages and\n  sells its real estate which consists of 28,000 parcels in 11\n  states.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DAUPHIN DEPOSIT <DAPN> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Dauphin Deposit Corp said it has\n  signed a letter of intent to acquire Colonial Bancorp Inc of\n  New Holland, Pa., in an exchange of 3.6 to 4.4 Dauphin shares\n  for each colonial share, depending on the market value of\n  Dauphin shares just before the merger takes place.\n      The company said the acquisition is subject to approval by\n  Colonial shareholders and regulatory authorities.  Colonial had\n  assets at year-end of about 150 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VAN DORN CO <VDC> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 27-1\/2 cts vs 27-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay May One\n      Record April 17\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"M.D.C. HOLDINGS INC <MDC> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 16\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHUBB CORP <CB> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 42 cts vs 42 cts prior\n      Pay April Seven\n      Record March 20\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CRUDE OIL PRICES UP AS STOCKS, OUTPUT FALL\n","article":"  U.S. crude oil prices rose above 18 \n  dlrs a barrel this week and industry analysts said the price\n  could rise another dollar as inventories fall.\n      \"OPEC is keeping its production down, and in the cash market\n  there is tight supply of crude with short transportation time\n  to major refining centers,\" said Daniel McKinley, oil analyst\n  with Smith Barney, Harris Upham and Co. \"That could send prices\n  50 cts to a dollar higher,\" he added.\n      The U.S. benchmark crude West Texas Intermediate rose to\n  18.15 dlrs a barrel today, a rise of 1.50 dlrs this week.\n      The rally in oil prices this week came after prices fell in\n  February more than two dlrs from its high of 18.25 dlrs a\n  barrel.\n      \"Oil traders were pulling prices down on the assumption that\n  oil stocks were building and OPEC was producing well above its\n  15.8 mln bpd quota, but now both of those assumptions have come\n  under question,\" McKinley said.\n      Yesterday the International Energy Agency in its monthly\n  report said that oil stocks in the OECD area, or in\n  industrialized nations, were drawn down by 1.3 mln bpd during\n  the first quarter of this year.\n      IEA estimates that the draw in oil stocks during the first\n  quarter of this year will come largely from oil companies whose\n  inventory levels by April one will be an estimated 326 mln\n  tonnes, or about 74 days consumption.\n      Industry analysts also said the estimate of a 3.5 mln bpd\n  draw in stocks made by Shell Chairman Peter Holmes yesterday\n  fed speculation that other major companies were destocking.\n      Traders said the destocking has come about as a result of a\n  so-called buyers strike, which kept refiners from buying\n  officially priced OPEC oil in an effort to get the organization\n  to offer discounts to the official price.\n      \"This struggle between the companies and OPEC is the\n  ultimate game of chicken but it will be resolved relatively\n  soon. I would imagine by about the middle of the month (March),\"\n  the general trading manager of an international oil company\n  told Reuters in a telephone interview.\n      For its part OPEC has moved to win this game by cutting\n  excess supplies from the market by a reduction of its own\n  output, traders said. A Reuter survey estimates OPEC output to\n  be 14.7 mln bpd this week.\n      Also, an earthquake in Ecuador yesterday led it to suspend\n  oil exports indefintiely and force majeure its shipments.\n      \"This will reduce short-haul availabilities by about 250,000\n  bpd almost immediately and the longer the suspension continues,\n  the larger the draw in stocks will be for companies expecting\n  it to be there,\" McKinley said.\n      International oil traders said that other short-haul\n  crudes, such as North Sea Brent, were also scarce because Asian\n  refiners bought the oil after absorbing a lot of the readily\n  available Mideast crudes earlier this week.\n      If this pattern continues then oil companies will bid up\n  the price of oil as they purchase for their refineries, trading\n  managers at several companies told Reuters.\n      But there were skeptics who said they wondered how long\n  OPEC can retain its unity if buyer resistance continues.\n      Stephen Hanke, chief economist at Friedburg Commodity\n  Management, said OPEC production was lower \"because of the\n  Saudi cut (to 3.1 mln bpd) and this could spell trouble if it\n  gives other members an incentive to exceed their quotas.\"\n       He added, \"The Saudis will be picking up the tab for other\n  members who produce over their quota, and the drain on the\n  Saudis will continue, forcing them to cut output maybe as low\n  as 2.5 mln bpd to support the 18 dlrs average price,\" he added.\n      There are also signs of some OPEC crudes being sold in the\n  spot market at below OPEC official prices, traders said.\n      Oil traders said Nigerian Brass River sold for delivery\n  into the U.S. Gulf at a price related to North Sea brent, which\n  traded this week at 17.60 dlrs, far below the official price of\n  18.92 dlrs for the similar quality Bonny Light.\n      Iranian oil is also surfacing in the U.S. Gulf and the Far\n  East at reported discounts to its 17.50 dlrs official price.\n      \"There is a lot of oil priced on government-to-government\n  deals, which are below official prices and this is probably\n  being resold,\" one international trader said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MGE PLANNING APRIL 6 START UP OF HFCS CONTRACT\n","article":"  The Minneapolis Grain Exchange (MGE)\n  will start trading futures contracts in high fructose corn\n  syrup on April 6 if the Commodity Futures Trading Commission\n  (CFTC) approves the contract as expected next week.\n      Pat Henderson, spokesperson for the MGE, said the exchange\n  expects contract approval at CFTC's Tuesday meeting. It has\n  been under review since the exchange submitted the proposal in\n  December, 1985.\n      The proposed contract is based on 48,000 pound lots of\n  55-pct high fructose corn syrup, the equivalent of one tank\n  truck of the sweetening agent derived from corn in the wet\n  milling process. The syrup, commonly called HFCS-55, is most\n  commonly used as a sweetener in soft drinks and other\n  beverages.\n      Delivery would be by shipping certificate from production\n  facilities designated by the exchange. The contract, designated\n  by the symbol \"HF,\" would trade from 0900 to 1315 CST. Months\n  traded would correspond with the Chicago corn futures months of\n  March, May, July, September and December.\n      Contract price will be quoted per hundred weight, with a\n  minimum price fluctuation of one cent and maximum fluctuation\n  of one dlr per CWT.\n      \"We hope the producers and users of fructose will be\n  actively involved, those producers being the large processors,\n  the corn wet millers, and the users being the beverage\n  bottlers,\" Henderson said. \"But there are potentials for all\n  types of people to use it. There is quite a list of industries\n  that utilize fructose.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FIRST FEDERAL BROOKSVILLE <FFBV> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div four cts vs four cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 20\n      NOTE: First Federal Savings and Loan Association of\n  Brooksville.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALUMINUM CO OF AMERICA <AA> REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 30 cts vs 30 cts in prior qtr\n      Payable May 25\n      Record May one\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<TECHNIGEN PLATINUM CORP> IN METALS FIND\n","article":"  Technigen Platinum corp said it\n  initial results of a 13-hole drilling program on its R.M. Nicel\n  platinum property in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, indicate\n  \"extensive\" near-surface zones \"highly\" enriched in gold,\n  platinum and palladium were found in rocks on the periphery of\n  a sulphide deposit.\n      It said values of up to 0.073 ounce of platinum, 0.206\n  ounce palladium, three pct copper and 4.5 pct nickel were found\n  over a drill section of 13 feet.\n                    \n   More\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SIEMENS WANTS TO AMEND TELECOM PLUS <TELE> PACT\n","article":"  Telecom Plus International Inc\n  said <Siemens AG>'s Siemens Information Systems wants to amend\n  its agreement to purchase Telecom's 65 pct interest in Tel Plus\n  Communications to delay payment of 25 mln dlrs for 11 months.\n      Telecom's shareholders are scheduled to vote on the 165 mln\n  dlr transaction Monday.\n      Telecom said it advised Siemens it intends to close the\n  transaction on March 16, as scheduled, if it is approved by\n  shareholders. A spokesman said this means Telecom will decide\n  before the 16th whether or not to accept the proposed change.\n      Explaining its request for the amendment, Siemens informed\n  Telecom it had recently become aware of information causing\n  concern with respect to certain accounting and other matters.\n      Siemens said it will therefore need to continue its review\n  beyond March 16 to determine whether certain representations\n  and warranties are true.\n      Telecom said it advised Siemens it knows of no information\n  which would make its representations and warranties untrue.\n      Siemens already owns the remaining 35 pct of Tel Plus. The\n  65 pct represenmts Telecom's principal operating asset.\n      A Telecom spokesman said the agreement calls for payment of\n  all but 29 mln dlrs of the price at closing. Of this, 21 mln\n  dlrs was to be paid 11 months later and two mln dlrs per year\n  on the anniversary date of the transaction.\n      He said Siemens is now proposing that 25 mln dlrs be added\n  to the 21 mln dlrs to be paid in 11 months.\n      Telecom said the proposed amendment would also permit\n  Siemens to defer repayment of up to an additional 50 pct of\n  certain intercompany debt until completion of the review.\n  Telecom said it estimates this to ba about 15 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LUCKY STORES SAYS IT AND INVESTOR EDELMAN REACHED STANDSTILL AGREEMENT\n","article":"\n  LUCKY STORES SAYS IT AND INVESTOR EDELMAN REACHED STANDSTILL AGREEMENT\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"PIONEER GROUP UNIT GETS MORE GHANA GOLD LAND\n","article":"  The Pioneer Group Inc said its 70\n  pct-owned Teberebie Goldfields Ltd venture was granted an\n  additional concession of land in Ghana to seek and mine gold.\n      The State Gold Mining Corp of Ghana granted the venture an\n  additional 14.5 square kilometers in Teberebie, Ghana,\n  contiguous to 11.5 square kilometers granted earlier.\n      The original concession appears to have a substantial\n  amount of gold bearing material containing about 2 grams, or\n  6\/100 ounces, of gold per tonne. But the venture has no firm\n  estimate on the costs of extracting the gold and no assurances\n  can be given that the reserves can be mined profitably, the\n  company said. It said Teberebie Goldfields has not conducted\n  tests on the newly granted land but added the land seems to be\n  similar in geological characteristics to the original land.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INTERNATIONAL MULTIFOODS CORP <IMC> DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 29-1\/2 cts vs 29-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 27\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HADSON CORP <HADS> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit four cts vs loss 99 cts\n      Net profit 545,000 vs loss 13.1 mln\n      Revs 75.3 mln vs 37.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 14.8 mln vs 13.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 34 cts vs profit 34 cts\n      Net profit 4,908,000 vs profit 4,487,000\n      Revs 216.8 mln vs 117.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 14.6 mln vs 13.1 mln\n      NOTE: 1985 net included gain on sale of foreign properties\n  of 15.5 mln dlrs or 1.19 dlrs per share and a writedown of oil\n  and gas properties of 12.5 mln dlrs or 96 cts per share. 1985\n  4th qtr net included writedowns of oil and gas properties.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN'S NTT FORECASTS PROFITS FALL IN 1987\/88\n","article":"  <Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp>\n  (NTT) expects its profits to fall to 328 billion yen in the\n  year ending March 31, 1988 from a projected 348 billion this\n  year, the company said.\n      Total sales for the same period are expected to rise to\n  5,506 billion yen from a projected 5,328 billion this year, NTT\n  said in a business operations plan submitted to the Post and\n  Telecommunications Ministry.\n      NTT said it plans to make capital investments of 1,770\n  billion yen in 1987\/88, including 109 billion for research and\n  development, as against a total of 1,600 billion this year.\n      An NTT spokesman said increased competition from new\n  entrants to the telecommunications field and the effect of a\n  sales tax scheduled to be introduced next January, were the\n  major factors behind the projected decrease in profits.\n      The Japanese telecommunications industry was deregulated in\n  1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LUCKY STORES <LKS>, EDELMAN IN STANDSTILL PACT\n","article":"  Lucky Stores Inc said it and\n  investor Asher Edelman agreed on a settlement that prohibits\n  Edelman and his group from taking specified actions to obtain\n  control of the company and that limits the Edelman group's\n  ownership of Lucky's stock to less than five pct of any voting\n  securities.\n      The arrangement also provides for the dismissal of pending\n  litigation between the parties, Lucky Stores said.\n      The settlement also calls for the withdrawal of Edelman's\n  motion to intervene in pending shareholder actions against\n  Lucky Stores and its directors, the company said.\n      In addition, the standstill provisions also apply to\n  Hancock Fabrics after it is spun off to Lucky stockholders, the\n  company said.\n      Lucky Stores said the arrangement also calls for the\n  company to submit to stockholders at a special meeting set for\n  December 31 a proposal from Edelman seeking their views\n  concerning repeal of a charter provision that limits the voting\n  power of substantial Lucky stockholders.\n      Edelman, who owns about five pct of Lucky Stores' stock,\n  last year was rebuffed in his effort to acquire the company.\n      Last October Lucky Stores implimented a restructuring\n  program that included the repurchase of 28 pct of its own\n  common shares and reincorporation in Delaware.\n      The spinoff of Hancock Textile Co, a chain of 324 retail\n  stores, was one of the key parts of the restructuring program.\n      Edelman and his Plaza Securities Co partnership\n  subsequently sued in an attempt to block the proposed\n  reincorporation, which was a condition of the repurchase and\n  restructuring plan.\n      Under this latest arrangement, Lucky Stores said it agreed\n  to reimburse the Edelman group for 2.8 mln dlrs of\n  out-of-pocket expenses, which include litigation and other\n  costs.\n      \"This agreement serves the interests of Lucky stockholders\n  by avoiding the significant cost of continued litigation and\n  the accompanying demands on management time,\" Lucky Stores\n  chairman John Lillie said in a statement.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ATT <T> PHONE PROPOSAL TO HELP PROFITS\n","article":"  American Telephone and Telegraph Co's\n  proposal to deregulate its long distance phone service is\n  unlikely to produce a radical change in phone rates, but it\n  should help the company's profits, analysts said.\n      \"Deregulation will mean more pricing discounts for large\n  volume users, but status quo for residential users,\" said\n  PaineWebber Group analyst Jack Grubman.\n      But the proposals will scrap the pricing formula that has\n  constrained the company's profits in the long distance\n  business, leading to higher profit margins, analysts said.\n      ATT has long pushed for deregulation of its long-distance\n  business, the profits of which have been limited by a regulated\n  rate-of-return on the company's investments. The rate was cut\n  last year to 12.20 from 12.75 pct.\n      Earlier today the company proposed to the Federal\n  Communications Commission to scrap the formula, cut the amount\n  of time needed to approve rate proposals, and leave it up to\n  its competitors to oppose it filings.\n      MCI Communications Corp <MCIC> made a similar filing\n  yesterday, saying greater the moves would increase competition\n  in the telephone business.\n      Analysts said the proposals will allow ATT to cut costs in\n  the long-distance unit, and increase its profit margins\n  previously constrained by the rate of return. But many said\n  they did not expect the proposals to lead to higher prices in\n  the industry, simply because of the competition the phone\n  industry giant faces.\n      \"You probably wouldn't see as much of a price decline,\"\n  said Gartner Group analyst Fritz Ringling. \"But you wouldn't\n  see a rise.\" Grubman said the proposals will allow ATT to\n  selectively raise or lower prices, depending on the market. \"It\n  will give ATT a lot more flexibility,\" he said.\n      ATT now faces a period of comment in which a number of\n  companies will be able to respond to the proposals in FCC\n  hearings.\n      It may face at least one strong opponent, U.S. Sprint, the\n  long distance joint venture between GTE Corp <GTE> and United\n  Telecommunications Inc <UT>.\n      \"We think the Congress of the FCC should establish a\n  reasonable rate of return. Someone should establish it,\" a U.S.\n  Sprint spokesman said. But he added the company was not opposed\n  to greater competition.\n      It may also take some time for the proposals to go through,\n  and in the process they may be altered by the various\n  constituencies affected by the move.\n      \"There's so much complexity, so much inertia, so much\n  bureacracy, that stricly speaking about the mechanisms, it\n  won't happen that fast,\" said analyst Victor Krueger of the\n  Gartner Group.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CME SETS MAY 29 START FOR LUMBER FUTURES OPTIONS\n","article":"  The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME)\n  board of governors announced today the options on Random Length\n  lumber futures will begin trading on May 29.\n      The contract received Commodity Futures Trading Commission\n  (CFTC) approval on January 21 after being submitted for review\n  last October 13.\n      Initially, only January, March and May delivery months will\n  be listed for trading. The size of the underlying futures\n  contract is 130,000 board feet. Regular trading hours for the\n  contract will be from 0900 to 1305 Central Time. However, on\n  the first day of trading the market will open at 1000.\n      On March 4 the CME board amended the contract to eliminate\n  Christmas Eve expirations for the January option. This\n  amendment has been submited to the CFTC, the CME said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TWA CONFIRMS OWNERSHIP OF 15 PCT OF USAIR GROUP\n","article":"\n  TWA CONFIRMS OWNERSHIP OF 15 PCT OF USAIR GROUP\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STRUTHERS WELLS <SUW> SEES 1986 NOV 30 LOSS\n","article":"  Struthers Wells Corp said it expects\n  to report a loss, without tax benefit, of about 16 mln dlrs for\n  the fiscal year ended November 30, 1986, versus a profit of\n  295,000 dlrs in fiscal 1985.\n      The company added, however, that about 13.6 mln dlrs of the\n  loss relates to discontinued operations and disposal of\n  subsidiaries.\n      The company said the loss is part of its previously\n  announced restructuring that includes the sale of its foreign\n  and domestic units.\n      Struthers added that it has filed with the Securities and\n  Exchange Commission for an extension to file its annual report\n  on form 10-K as a result of delays caused by the restructuring.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOROS GROUP TELLS SEC IT MAY BUY UP TO 49.9 PCT OF FAIRCHILD INDUSTRIES\n","article":"\n  SOROS GROUP TELLS SEC IT MAY BUY UP TO 49.9 PCT OF FAIRCHILD INDUSTRIES\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TWA <TWA> CONFIRMS OWNERSHIP OF USAIR <U> STOCK\n","article":"  Trans World Airlines Inc said it owns\n  more than four mln USAir Group shares or about 15 pct of the\n  total outstanding.\n      TWA said it may acquire additional shares in the open\n  market, in private transactions, through a tender offer or\n  otherwise, subject to Department of Transportation approval.\n      TWA has offered 52 dlrs per share for USAir Group. USAir\n  rejected the offer yesterday, calling it a last-minute attempt\n  to interfere with its takeover of Piedmont Aviation Inc.\n      A TWA spokesman said the company has filed an application\n  for approval on its offer to buy USAir with the Department of\n  Transportation, and later today it will file a response to\n  USAir's motion with the DOT to dismiss the TWA application.\n      TWA said it made the statement today on its stock position\n  in USAir in response to inquiries.\n      Traders said they believed TWA Chairman Carl Icahn was the\n  buyer of an 855,000 share block crossed today by Salomon\n  Brothers.\n      USAir stock was trading at 50-3\/4, up 2-1\/4 on heavy volume\n  of 3.1 mln shares. TWA stock fell 3\/8 to 30-5\/8.\n      While analysts and arbitragers have speculated that Icahn\n  may have made the offer for USAir in order to trigger the\n  acquisition of his own airline, Wall Street today began to take\n  Icahn's effort more seriously.\n      \"I think he's going to be the next Frank Lorenzo of Wall\n  Street,\" said one market source. Lorenzo, chairman of Texas\n  Air, has added to his airline with the acquisitions of Eastern\n  Airlines and People Express Airlines.\n      There was also speculation that Icahn would like to buy\n  USAir and then sell TWA as a merged company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SILVER STATE MINING <SSMC> CORRECTS NET\n","article":"  Silver State Mining Corp said it has\n  corrected its 1986 fourth quarter net income to 485,380 dlrs\n  from 528,790 dlrs reported earlier today.\n      The company earned 286,969 dlrs in last year's fourth\n  quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STEWART-WARNER CORP 4TH QTR SHR LOSS 3.86 DLRS VS PROFIT 37 CTS\n","article":"\n  STEWART-WARNER CORP 4TH QTR SHR LOSS 3.86 DLRS VS PROFIT 37 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GROUP TO BOOST FAIRCHILD INDUSTRIES (FEN) STAKE\n","article":"  An investor group led by New York\n  investor George Soros said it was dissatisfied with Fairchild\n  Industries Inc management and was considering boosting its\n  holdings to as much as 49.9 pct of the aerospace and aviation\n  company's outstanding stock.\n      The group already controls 1,647,481 Fairchild Industries\n  shares or 11.5 pct of the total outstanding.\n      The group said it filed on Wednesday with federal antitrust\n  regulators for advance clearance to buy enough additional\n  shares to increase its total stake to up to 49.9 pct of the\n  total outstanding stock.\n      The group said its representatives had met with Fairchild\n  Industries officials to inform them \"that they do not believe\n  management has been successful in enhancing or protecting\n  shareholder values.\"\n      It said it was considering the additional share purchases\n  to enable it to \"assert a greater degree of influence over the\n  future management and policies of the issuer.\"\n      It said a decision on the specific level of share ownership\n  it would seek depended on market prices, future changes in\n  management policies, available financial resources and other\n  factors.\n      The group said it also reserved the right to pursue other\n  measures intended to influence Fairchild management and\n  policies, either alone or in concert with other investors.\n      The group includes Soros and Quantum Fund, an offshore\n  investment firm headquartered in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles\n  that is advised by Soros.\n      The group said that since its last SEC filing, made Jan. 2,\n  it had purchased no additional Fairchild shares and had sold\n  6,700 shares on the New York Stock Exchange Jan. 19.\n      A Fairchild Industries official later said Soros had told\n  the company he was not dissatisfied with its management.\n      \"Contrary to the filing, Mr. Soros has told the company\n  today that he is not dissatisfied with management,\" Fairchild's\n  Bill Fulwider told Reuters.\n      However, Fulwider said the company would have nothing to\n  say at this time about Soros' disclosure that he may buy up\n  enough additional Fairchild shares to hold as much as 49.9 pct\n  of the company's outstanding stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PAYLESS CASHWAYS <PCI> SEES BETTER FIRST QTR\n","article":"  Payless Cashways Inc chairman David\n  Stanley told analysts the company's first quarter results to be\n  reported March 17 will be better than the seven cts per share\n  reported in the year ago quarter.\n      \"It was not a wonderful sales quarter, but it only\n  represents 14 pct of the year's total results,\" Stanley said.\n      Stanley also said that 1987 full year sales will be in\n  excess of 1.8 billion dlrs as compared to the 1.5 billion dlrs\n  reported in 1986. He also said that analysts' estimates of 1.55\n  dlr per shr for 1987 \"are not crazy.\"\n      Payless reported net income of 1.22 dlr per share in 1986.\n      \"The economy may not get a lot better, but we expect our\n  advantages in the lumber industry and cost cutting measures to\n  keep us competitive,\" Larry Kunz, chief financial officer,\n  said.\n       The company acquired Knox Lumber Co for about 24.3 mln\n  dlrs in October 1986.\n      Stanley said the company's stronger-than-optimal balance\n  sheet will enable it to make further acquisitions but no\n  negotiations are going on at the current time.\n      He said some benefits of a new management information\n  system will be felt in 1987 and more substantially in 1988.\n     \n  REUTER...^M\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STEWART-WARNER CORP <STX> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 3.86 dlrs vs profit 37 cts\n      Net loss 24,973,000 vs profit 2,389,000\n      Sales 62.5 mln vs 65.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 3.22 dlrs vs profit 1.32 dlrs\n      Net loss 20,861,000 vs profit 8,515,000\n      Sales 268.0 mln vs 272.7 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 earnings include a provision for restructuring\n  costs of 23,675,000 dlrs, or 3.66 dlrs a share (pre-tax) and\n  the effect of adoption of FASB 87 which reduced pension expense\n  by 617,000 dlrs for the quarter and 1,817,000 dlrs for the year\n  before taxes\n      Earnings include nonoperating income from the effect of\n  nonrecurring gains of 1,811,000 dlrs in the 1st Qtr of 1986\n  from the sale of its minority interest in Plexus Corp and\n  1,480,000 dlrs in the 3rd Qtr of 1985 related to the sale of\n  excess property\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MONITERM CORP <MTRM> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 15 cts vs loss 11 cts\n      Net loss 632,000 vs loss 437,000\n      Revs 3,206,000 vs 2,650,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 19 cts vs loss 24 cts\n      Net loss 793,000 vs loss 1,004,000\n      Revs 11.5 mln vs 14.4 mln\n      NOTE: Prior year figures restated to reflect merger in\n  March 1986 with Amtron Corp.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"THE CHUBB CORP <CB> SETS QTRLY PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly 42 cts vs 42 cts prior\n      Pay April 7\n      Record March 20\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHINA SIGNS WORLD BANK LOAN FOR TIANJIN PORT\n","article":"  China has signed a 130 mln dlr loan\n  agreement with the World Bank to partly finance 12 new berths\n  with an annual capacity of 6.28 mln tonnes at the 20 mln tonne\n  a year capacity Tianjin port, the New China News Agency said.\n      China will provide 370 mln yuan for the project and a\n  Chinese company won a bid against 12 other firms from seven\n  countries to do the foundation work, it said.\n      It said 11 of the new berths will be able to handle ships\n  of more than 10,000 tonnes, three will handle containers and\n  the expansion will enable the port to handle coke, non-metal\n  mineral ores and mining equipment for the first time.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTHTRUST <SOTR> TO ACQUIRE FOUR BANKS\n","article":"  SouthTrust Corp, a 5.1 billion\n  dlr multibank holding company, said it entered into agreements\n  to acquire four Florida banks with assets totalling more than\n  233.2 mln dlrs.\n      Terms of the agreements were not disclosed.\n      The four banks are: Central Bank of Volusia County, with\n  assets of 59.3 mln dlrs, Bank of Pensacola with assets of 63.8\n  mln dlrs, and Vista Bank, which operates Vista Bank of Volusia\n  County with assets of 37.8 mln dlrs and Vista Bank of Marion\n  County with assets of 72.3 mln dlrs.\n      It said the agreements are subject to regulatory approval.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CARLING O'KEEFE SELLS STAR OIL UNIT TO UNITED COAL CANADA FOR 57 MLN DLRS\n","article":"\n  CARLING O'KEEFE SELLS STAR OIL UNIT TO UNITED COAL CANADA FOR 57 MLN DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HUGHES TOOL <HT> UP ON MERGER SPECULATION\n","article":"  Hughes Tool Co rose one to 12-1\/4 on\n  1,658,000 shares, apparently reflecting a belief that Baker\n  International Corp <BKO> will be able to persaude Hughes to go\n  along with a previously announced merger, analysts said.\n      This week Hughes seemed to back out of the merger but then\n  said it was still interested in talking.\n      \"It sounds like Baker wants it and if people are convinced\n  a deal is going to go through the stock goes up,\" said analyst\n  Phil Pace of Kidder, Peabody and Co. Holders of Hughes would\n  get 0.8 share of Baker for each Hughes share. \n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AETNA <AET> REACHES AGREEMENT TO BUY COMPANY\n","article":"  Aetna Life and Casualty Co said\n  it reached an agreement to acquire a 49 pct interest in\n  Universal Life and General Insurance Sdn Bhd <ULG>, a Malaysian\n  composite insurance company.\n      The company said the 51 pct balance will continue to be\n  owned by Malaysia Apera Group of private investors.\n      The transaction is valued at approximately 37.8 mln dlrs\n  and is expected to be completed by March 31, 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CARLING O'KEEFE<CKB> SELLS OIL UNIT, TAKES GAIN\n","article":"  Carling O'Keefe Ltd said it sold its\n  Star Oil and Gas Ltd unit to United Coal (Canada) Ltd for about\n  57 mln dlrs cash.\n      Carling said it will record an extraordinary gain of about\n  two mln dlrs after tax, or nine cts a common share resulting\n  from the sale.\n      The company did not elaborate further on financial terms.\n      A Carling official later said in reply to an inquiry that\n  Carling would record the extraordinary gain in its fourth\n  quarter ending March 31.\n      The move came after Carling's 50 pct-owner <Rothmans Inc>\n  agreed last week to sell its Carling stake to <Elders IXL Ltd>,\n  of Australia, for 196.2 mln Canadian dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHANNEL FERRY REPORTED SINKING OFF BELGIUM\n","article":"  The channel ferry Herald\n  of Free Enterprise from the British Townsend Thorensen company\n  was sinking off the Belgian coast tonight with 463 people on\n  board, the Dutch newsagency ANP reported today.\n      An unspecified number of people had fallen into the water,\n  it said, quoting the pilot organisation in this south-western\n  Dutch port city near the Belgian border.\n      It said the vessel had capsized after a collision but gave\n  no more details.\n      Dan Kaakebeen a spokesman for the Dutch salvage firm Smit\n  International told Reuters by telephone from Rotterdam that the\n  vessel was just off the Belgian port of Zeebrugge with 463\n  passengers and crew when the accident occurred at 1850 GMT.\n      Kaakebeen said the firm had one vessel at the scene and\n  another on its way with divers on board.\n      A spokesman at the port authority of nearby Vlissingen said\n  attempts were being made to pull the vessel into shallow\n  waters.\n      Weather conditions were good with no fog or wind, and there\n  were many other vessels in the area.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PATRICK PETROLEUM CO <PPC> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.22 dlrs vs profit 27 cts\n      Net loss 8,812,432 vs profit 1,847,560\n      Revs 7,981,198 vs 10.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 7,187,941 vs 6,828,368\n      NOTE: Current year includes tax credit of 800,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EPITOPE INC <EPTO> 1ST QTR DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 24 cts vs loss nine cts\n      Net loss 216,697 vs loss 47,344\n      Sales 144,403 vs 118,391\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<CLARY CORP> 4TH QTR DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 12 cts vs loss 16 cts\n      Net loss 214,000 vs 309,000\n      Revs 3,056,000 vs 2,545,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 43 cts vs loss nine cts\n      Net loss 754,000 vs loss 159,000\n      Revs 11.4 mln vs 11.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LLOYDS BANK CANADA 1ST QTR PROFIT RISES SHARPLY\n","article":"  Lloyds Bank Canada, a unit of <Lloyds\n  Bank International PLC>, said net profit soared to 3,053,000\n  dlrs for the first quarter ended January 31 from 9,000 dlrs a\n  year earlier.\n      Loan loss provisions, a mandatory five-year averaging of\n  actual loan losses, also rose in the first quarter to 6,375,000\n  dlrs from year-ago 113,000 dlrs, the bank said.\n      Lloyds Bank Canada became Canada's largest foreign bank\n  last autumn with its 200 mln Canadian dlr acquisition of\n  Continental Bank of Canada.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL STRIKES CAUSE GOVERNMENT MAJOR PROBLEMS\n","article":"  Strikes by Brazil's 40,000\n  seamen and by petrol station owners in four states are causing\n  major headaches to a government already wrestling with a debt\n  crisis.\n      A week ago seamen began their first national strike for 25\n  years and union leaders say they have seriously affected\n  Brazilian exports by making idle 160 ships.\n      On February 20 the Brazilian government suspended interest\n  payments on part of its huge foreign debt following a sharp\n  deterioration in its trade balance.\n      Today the government faced a fresh problem, when most\n  petrol station owners in Sao Paulo, the country's industrial\n  heartland, and in three other states closed down to press for\n  higher fuel prices.\n      There were fears that the combination of the two stoppages\n  could lead to a serious fuel shortage.\n      The seamen's leaders say their strike has halted 48 of the\n  72 ships belonging to the state oil company Petrobras.\n      The Jornal do Brasil newspaper, in an editorial today\n  entitled \"Dangerous Confrontation,\" said: \"From the economic\n  point of view the seamen's strike carries an alarming cost,\n  with grave consequences for the supply situation and for the\n  country's external trade.\"\n      The seamen are seeking a 275 pct pay rise and have rejected\n  offers of up to 100 pct.\n      Later today the Higher Labour Tribunal in Brasilia is due\n  to rule on whether the seamen's strike is legal. But a senior\n  official of the National Merchant Marine Union, Jorge Luis Leao\n  Franco, told Reuters that the strike would continue regardless\n  of the tribunal's ruling.\n      Labour unrest has worsened in Brazil following the collapse\n  over the last few months of the government's Cruzado Plan price\n  freeze. Prices have been rising at about 15 pct a month. Not\n  only workers but also businessmen are restive. Petrol station\n  owners said many garages had closed indefinitely today in Sao\n  Paulo, Parana, Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul.\n      Television reports said that in the Parana state capital of\n  Curitiba petrol stations were only supplying fuel for\n  exceptional cases such as ambulances and funeral processions.\n      Brazilian garage owners want to be allowed to raise their\n  profits on alcohol fuel and petrol sales to 1.26 cruzados (six\n  U.S. Cents) a litre from 0.56 cruzados (about 2.5 cents).\n      Queues formed at petrol stations in Sao Paulo late last\n  night as motorists filled up their tanks while they still\n  could.\n      Political sources said the government of President Jose\n  Sarney was closely following the strikes and the overall fuel\n  supply situation.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Japan February external reserves record 51.73 billion dlrs (January 51.46 billion)\n","article":"\n  Japan February external reserves record 51.73 billion dlrs (January 51.46 billion)\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DOME PETE<DMP> SAID TO BE PRESSED TO SELL ENCOR\n","article":"  Dome Petroleum Ltd is under pressure\n  from one of its largest creditors, <Canadian Imperial Bank of\n  Commerce>, to sell its 42 pct stake in <Encor Energy Corp Ltd>,\n  energy industry analysts said.\n      Dome has pledged its 42.5 mln Encor shares as security for\n  part of its debt to Commerce Bank, estimated last year at 947\n  mln Canadian dlrs, and the bank wants Dome to sell the stock to\n  pay down debt, analysts said.\n      \"The Commerce has been slowly but surely moving Encor in the\n  direction that might make it a saleable asset,\" said one analyst\n  who asked not to be named.\n      Dome earlier said it was not considering selling Encor\n  Energy, but reaffirmed the company's 23.3 pct interest in\n  Canadian gold producer Dome Mines Ltd <DM> is up for sale \"at\n  the right price.\"\n      Dome, now negotiating a plan to restructure more than 6.10\n  billion dlrs in debt, sees Encor as a strategic investment that\n  it does not intend to sell, spokesman David Annesley said. The\n  Encor shares do not pay dividends.\n      A Commerce Bank spokesman also declined comment when asked\n  whether it is pressing Dome to sell its Encor stake.\n      At current market prices, Dome's stake in Encor would be\n  valued at about 308 mln dlrs, while its 20.9 mln Dome Mines\n  shares would be worth about 319 mln dlrs.\n      Recent strength in the price of Encor shares may also\n  prompt Commerce Bank to press Dome to divest its holding in the\n  Canadian oil and gas producer, analysts said.\n      \"Encor's stock price has improved quite substantially in\n  recent weeks with a runup in crude prices,\" Peters and Co Ltd\n  oil analyst Wilf Gobert commented.\n      \"The possibility is that Commerce Bank would like to see it\n  sold at these levels because they can get more for it now than\n  they have been able to in recent years,\" he added.\n      Encor traded earlier on the Toronto Stock Exchange at\n  7-1\/8, near its 52-week high of 7-1\/2 and up from around six\n  dlrs in early February.\n      The company also recently set up its own operating\n  management, which was previously carried out by Dome Petroleum,\n  Maison Placements Canada Inc analyst Denis Mote commented.\n      Dome and Encor \"are actually going to get farther apart. So\n  (the sale) does make a lot of sense,\" Mote said.\n      However, analysts said Dome will resist any moves to divest\n  Encor in favor of retaining the operating assets since sale\n  proceeds would likely go directly to pay down Dome's debt to\n  Commerce Bank.\n      \"I think they'll probably try to hang onto Encor as long as\n  they can,\" said Bache Securities Inc analyst Doug Weber.\n      Some of Dome's group of 56 major creditors might move to\n  block such a sale, arguing they have a claim on company assets.\n      \"Other creditors generally all want to make sure that\n  something they might be able to get a piece of is not being\n  sold out from under them,\" said analyst Gobert.\n      Another stumbling block would be Encor's 225 mln dlr joint\n  liability in loans to Dome Petroleum advanced by Arctic\n  Petroleum Corp of Japan for Beaufort Sea exploration.\n      Analysts said a similar hurdle could also hinder the\n  possible sale of Dome Petroleum's interest in Dome Mines.\n      Dome Mines has guaranteed 225 mln dlrs of Dome Petroleum's\n  debt and has a \"right of consent\" to the sale of Dome Petroleum's\n  holding.\n      Presumably, a potential buyer of the Dome Mines shares\n  would seek some type of relief on the company's debt\n  obligations connected with Dome Petroleum, Gobert said.\n      Dome spokesman Annesley earlier declined to specify at what\n  price the company would consider selling its Dome Mines shares,\n  but said current prices of more than 15 dlrs a share \"are very\n  attractive.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PATRICK PETROLEUM CO <PPC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr nil vs one ct\n      Net 59,608 vs 95,909\n      Revs 2,921,629 vs 2,918,682\n      Avg shrs 7,062,172 vs 7,273,020\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.22 dlrs vs profit 27 cts\n      Net loss 8,812,432 vs profit 1,847,560\n      Revs 3,070,327 vs 3,195,710\n      Avg shrs 7,187,941 vs 6,828,368\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"INLAND VACUUM INDUSTRIES INC <IVAC> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends Jan 31\n      Shr six cts vs eight cts\n      Net 103,436 dlrs vs 134,360 dlrs\n      Revs 1,762,270 vs 1,282,463\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IRANIAN OIL MINISTER ARRIVES IN ALGERIA\n","article":"  Iranian Oil Minister Gholamreza Aqazadeh\n  arrived in Algiers at the head of a large delegation for talks\n  on stabilizing oil prices, the official news agency APS said.\n      In a brief arrival statement, he said Iran and Algeria were\n  engaged in \"continuous and stronger cooperation\" on the world\n  petroleum market and had \"deployed considerable efforts to\n  stablise petroleum prices.\"\n      He was greeted on arrival by Belkacem Nabi, the Algerian\n  Minister of Energy, Chemical and Petro-Chemical Industries.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DEL LABORATORIES INC <DLI> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 16 cts vs 55 cts\n      Net 232,000 vs 814,000\n      Revs 22.4 mln vs 22 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 2.07 dlrs vs 2.43 dlrs\n      Net 3,108,000 vs 3,670,000\n      Revs 106.7 mln vs 101.1 mln\n      NOTE: Per share figures adjusted to reflect four-for-three\n  stock split paid March 26, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN FEBRUARY RESERVES RECORD 51.73 BILLION DLRS\n","article":"  Japan's external reserves rose to a record\n  51.73 billion dlrs at the end of February from the previous\n  record of 51.46 billion at end-January, the Finance Ministry\n  said.\n      End-February reserves last year were 27.58 billion dlrs.\n      In January, the nation's foreign reserves showed the\n  largest-ever monthly increase at 9.22 billion dlrs due to\n  massive Bank of Japan dollar buying intervention during the\n  month as the dollar fell briefly to an all-time low of 149.98\n  yen on January 19, foreign exchange dealers said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CHILEAN GDP UP 5.7 PCT IN 1986, CENTRAL BANK SAYS\n","article":"  chile's gross domestic product rose 5.7\n  pct last year to 18.8 billion dollars, compared to a 2.4 pct\n  rise in the previous year, the central bank said.\n      It said initial projections were for a 4.6 pct increase in\n  gdp this year.\n      The sectors which registered the greatest growth in 1986\n  were fisheries with 10 pct, agriculture at 8.7 pct, transport\n  and communications with 8.1 pct and industry at 8.0 pct, the\n  bank added.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LANDMARK SAVINGS <LSA> COMPLETES OFFICE SALE\n","article":"  Landmark Savings Association said it\n  completed the sale of its Whitehall, Pa., office, including\n  deposits of about 31 mln dlrs, to Parkvale Savings Association.\n      Landmark said it realized a gain of about 1.1 mln dlrs on\n  the sale. The price was not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. FEEDGRAINS GROUP ATTACKS CANADA CORN RULING\n","article":"  The U.S. Feedgrains Council is\n  surprised and disappointed by the Canadian Import Tribunal's\n  decision that imports of corn from the U.S. are materially\n  injuring Canadian corn producers, a council spokesman said.\n      \"At a time when the world is attempting to liberalize trade\n  in the new rounnd of multilateral negotiations, it is\n  incomprehensible that a country that stands to gain so much\n  from the reduction in agricultural trade barriers would\n  threaten that process by caving in to pressures for\n  protectionism,\" council president Darwin E. Stolte said.\n      Canada's finding will strain the U.S.\/Canadian trading\n  relationship, could damage the future of U.S. feedgrains \n  support for the free trade negotiations, and also negatively\n  impact farm trade reform with other nations, the council said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HOLLY SUGAR CORP <HLY> SETS REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 25 cts vs 25 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 18\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CORADIAN CORP <CDIN> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit one cent vs loss 37 cts\n      Net profit 148,000 dlrs vs loss 1,686,000\n      Revs 11.4 mln vs 10.9 mln\n      NOTE: Company said net is before extraordinary items and\n  taxes and declined to provide data on those items\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"USDA TO CONDUCT SURVEY FOR AVIAN INFLUENZA\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture Department animal\n  health officials are conducting a national survey of live-bird\n  markets and auctions to check for signs of avian influenza, an\n  infectious viral disease of poultry, the department said.\n      The survey will locate poultry dealers and live-bird\n  markets that sell live birds directly to the consumer and once\n  the dealers and markets are identified, there will be tests to\n  determine any past or present exposure to avian influenza\n  viruses, it said.\n      In 1983-84, an outbreak of avian influenza in Pennsylvania,\n  Maryland, Virginia and New Jersey cost taxpayers 65 mln dlrs to\n  control and required the destruction of more than 17 mln birds,\n  it said.\n      The survey is expected to be completed by April 15.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TWO HUNDRED PEOPLE RESCUED FROM SINKING FERRY\n","article":"  About 200 people were rescued, some\n  badly hurt, from a sinking cross Channel ferry carrying\n  approximately 540 people off the Belgian port of Zeebrugge, a\n  port control spokesman said.\n      The spokesman, contacted by telephone, said only one third\n  of car ferry, the Herald of Free Enterprise owned by the\n  British company Townsend Thoresen, remained above water.\n      Divers have been sent down to try to rescue passengers\n  believed trapped in the ferry, which was on its way from\n  Zeebrugge to the English port of Dover and capsized just off\n  the pier, he added\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FOXBORO CO <FOX> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss one ct vs loss 2.65 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 100,000 vs loss 32.7 mln\n      Revs 142.3 mln vs 168.8 mln\n      12 mths\n      Oper shr profit 57 cts vs loss 2.76 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 7,072,000 vs loss 34.2 mln\n      Revs 544.0 mln vs 572.2 mln\n      Note: 1986 oper net excludes tax credits of 2,149,000 dlrs\n  for qtr and 2,200,000 dlrs for 12 mths. Includes restructuring\n  charges of 120 mln dlrs for qtr, 527 mln dlrs for 12 mths.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LYNG SAYS NO DECISIONS TAKEN AT CABINET COUNCIL\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture Secretary Richard\n  Lyng said no decisions were taken today at a White House\n  Economic Policy Council meeting.\n      Speaking to reporters on his return from the meeting, Lyng\n  said only about five minutes of the session dealt with\n  agriculture issues.\n      \"It was not a decision making meeting,\" Lyng said.\n      Aides to Lyng earlier said the administration's agriculture\n  legislative proposals would be the farm-related topic on the\n  agenda. Lyng would not comment on what farm issues were\n  discussed.\n      Asked how he would respond to farm groups and Congressmen\n  urging the U.S. to offer a wheat bonus to the Soviet Union,\n  Lyng said he would be listen but be \"non-committal.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TREASURY BALANCES AT FED FELL ON MARCH 5\n","article":"  Treasury balances at the Federal\n  Reserve fell on March 5 to 3.467 billion dlrs from 3.939\n  billion dlrs the previous business day, the Treasury said in\n  its latest budget statement.\n      Balances in tax and loan note accounts fell to 14.350\n  billion dlrs from 14.391 billion dlrs on the same respective\n  days.\n      The Treasury's operating cash balance totaled 17.817\n  billion dlrs on March 5 compared with 18.330 billion dlrs on\n  March 4.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NICARAGUA, ROMANIA, PARAGUAY LOSE TRADE RIGHTS\n","article":"  President Reagan formally ended\n  preferential duty-free trade treatment for exports from\n  Nicaragua, Romania and Paraguay under the Generalized System of\n  Preferences (GSP).\n      He took the action after determining that the three\n  countries are not taking steps to give their workers\n  internationally recognized rights.\n      U.S. Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter had announced the\n  intended action on January 2. The United States conducts no\n  trade with Nicaragua and very little trade with Romania and\n  Paraguay.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. FEEDGRAIN 0\/92 SUPPORTERS EVALUATE POSITION\n","article":"  Advocates of a 0\/92 plan for\n  feedgrains will likely delay offering their proposals if a\n  disaster aid bill before the House Agriculture Committee is\n  scaled back to include only 1987 winter wheat, congressional\n  sources said.\n      The disaster aid bill, introduced by Rep. Glenn English\n  (D-Okla.), sparked sharp controversy with its proposals to\n  implement a 0\/92 program for 1987 wheat and 1988 winter wheat.\n      An agreement has been reached to trim the bill back to 1987\n  wheat, but supporters of a 0\/92 feedgrains plan said even that\n  scaled-down version would not be equitable for farmers.\n      Unless the English bill pertains only to 1987 winter wheat,\n  it is more than a simple disaster payment and feedgrains should\n  be treated equally, they said.\n     If the bill is narrowed to just winter wheat, then\n  supporters of a 0\/92 feedgrains amendment will probably not\n  offer their proposals next week, sources said.\n     English has agreed to support an amendment by Rep. Charles\n  Stenholm (R-Tex) to narrow the bill to 1987 wheat only, but\n  whether he would also back a further reduction is unclear.\n      Agricultural aides to English said the congressman's first\n  choice is to make the option available to all 1987 wheat\n  farmers. However, if the political reality is that disaster aid\n  for winter wheat farmers would be unavailable because of\n  controversy over spring wheat, then English might consider an\n  even greater cutback in the bill, they said.\n      Under a 0\/92 plan, farmers could forego planting and still\n  receive 92 pct of deficiency payments.\n      Rep. Arlan Stangeland (R-Minn.) and Harold Volkmer (D-Mo.)\n  have both expressed interest in expanding the English bill to\n  include a 0\/92 program for feedgrains.\n      An aide said Stangeland does not want to reopen the farm\n  bill, but to be fair to all crops.\n      Only a small percentage of spring wheat farmers would\n  likely sign up for 0\/92 since the incentives to plant are\n  greater than to idle the land, economists said.\n      Opponents to a 0\/92 feedgrains program argue it is\n  premature to make major changes in the farm bill and that the\n  House Agriculture Committee needs to study more closely the\n  impacts of such a program.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ALFIN INC <AFN> 2ND QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 20 cts vs profit 14 cts\n      Net loss 1,417,000 vs profit 933,000\n      Revs 5,623,000 vs 5,403,000\n      Avg shrs 6,957,300 vs 7,115,248\n      Six mths\n      Shr loss 18 cts vs profit 43 cts\n      Net loss 1,269,000 vs profit 3,079,000\n      Revs 15.7 mln vs 14.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 7,195,720 vs 7,115,248\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BELL AND HOWELL <BHW> COMPLETES SALE OF UNIT\n","article":"  Bell and Howell Co said it\n  completed the sale of its computer output microfilm business to\n  COM Products Inc, a unit of privately-held <LeBow Industries\n  Inc>.\n      The sum of the deal was not disclosed.\n      The unit makes a device that prints data directly from a\n  computer onto microfilm.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. BUSINESS LOANS FALL 618 MLN DLRS IN FEB 25 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. BUSINESS LOANS FALL 618 MLN DLRS IN FEB 25 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. BUSINESS LOANS FALL 618 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  Business loans on the books of major\n  U.S. banks, excluding acceptances, fell 618 mln dlrs to 278.88\n  billion dlrs in the week ended February 25, the Federal Reserve\n  Board said.\n      The Fed said that business loans including acceptances fell\n  897 mln dlrs to 281.23 billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HYPONEX CORP <HYPX> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 85 cts vs 1.20 dlrs\n      Net 5,130,000 vs 7,236,000\n      Revs 93.6 mln vs 91.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HMO AMERICA INC <HMOA> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 33 cts vs profit 38 cts\n      Net loss 2,359,978 vs profit 2,805,389\n      Revs 76.2 mln vs 61.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 7,096,886 vs 7,392,586\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TECHNIGEN PLATINUM CORP IN METALS FIND\n","article":"  Technigen Platinum corp said initial\n  results of a 13-hole drilling program on its R.M. Nicel\n  platinum property in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, indicate extensive\n  near-surface zones highly enriched in gold, platinum and\n  palladium.\n      The metals were found in rocks on the periphery of a\n  sulphide deposit.\n      It said values of up to 0.073 ounce of platinum, 0.206\n  ounce palladium, three pct copper and 4.5 pct nickel were found\n  over a drill section of 13 feet.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN PORK CONGRESS TO BE OVERHAULED IN 1988\n","article":"  The National Pork Producers Council,\n  NPPC, announced at this year's American Pork Congress, APC,\n  that the Congress and trade show will be divided into two parts\n  in 1988.\n      Next years APC, held in Atlanta, will be a business session\n  only and will continue to be the first week of March.\n      The trade show is being changed into a new international\n  event called the World Pork Expo. The first expo will be held\n  in June 1988 in Des Moines with an expanded format, they said.\n      Executive vice-president Orville Sweet said the decision to\n  spilt the show and Congress came about because there are\n  producers who never get to see the trade show floor.\n      \"It makes sense that we divide the business session from\n  the trade show,\" Sweet said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<DTD ENTERPRISES INC> IN REORGANIZATION\n","article":"  DTD Enterprises Inc said it filed an\n  8-K report indicating that <EaglesLair Development Corp> had\n  assumed control of the company under a reorganization plan\n  signed last month.\n      The company said D. Gerald Lach, president of EaglesLair,\n  was named president and a director of DTD.\n      In addition, DTS's board resigned and EaglesLair appointed\n  new directors, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SCHWAB SAFE CO <SS> UPS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 13 cts vs 12 cts prior\n      Pay April 17\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PHYSICIANS INSURANCE CO <PICO> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 31 cts vs 53 cts\n      Net 960,143 dlrs vs 1,631,011 dlrs\n      Revs 27.4 mln dlrs vs 18.9 mln dlrs\n      Avg shrs 3,079,533 vs 3,096,095\n      12 mths\n      Shr 1.01 dlrs vs 92 cts\n      Net 3,113,337 dlrs vs 2,855,755 dlrs\n      Revs 106.5 mln dlrs vs 78.3 mln dlrs\n      Avg shrs 3,079,516 vs 3,089,140\n      NOTE: per share amounts for qtr and year prior have been\n  restated to reflect a six-for-five stock split in August 1986.\n      Revs for qtr include capital gains of 3,049,564 vs\n  2,010,972, and for year of 9,841,204 vs 5,798,995.\n      Revs for qtr include non-insurance revenues of 1,627,518 vs\n  1,550,329, and for year of 7,289,973 vs 4,639,162.\n      Revs for qtr include life subsidiary account deposits of\n  548,538 vs 241,465, and for year of 2,104,840 vs 300,404.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRADLEY <BRLY> ANNOUNCES LONG-TERM LEASE\n","article":"  Bradley Real Estate Trust said it signed\n  a 99-year lease for property in downtown Minneapolis to BCED\n  Minnesota Inc.\n      The lease will increase net income by about 24 cts a share\n  on a post-February 1987 three-for-two stock split basis. For\n  1986, the Trust reported net income of 1.3 mln dlrs or 38 cts a\n  share on a post-split basis.\n      Bradley will also be entitled to a one-time additional\n  rental payment of 30 cts a share upon BCED entering into a\n  space lease with a prime national tenant and a share in a\n  portion of net cash flow from operations on the property.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DUMEZ UNIT HAS 94 PCT OF WESTBURNE (WBI)\n","article":"  (Dumez Investments I Inc) said 94.7 pct\n  of Westburne International Industries Ltd's outstanding common\n  shares have been deposited under its takeover bid.\n      It said it has received about 11,070,000 shares under its\n  22.50 dlrs per share offer which expired yesterday.\n      Dumez said it will proceed to acquire the remaining common\n  shares to give it 100 pct ownership of Westburne.\n      Dumez is a private company owned jointly by (Dumez S.A.)\n  and (Unicorp Canada Corp).            \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN NATURAL RESOURCES TO SELL STAKE\n","article":"  <Canadian Natural Resources\n  Ltd> said it agreed in principle to sell 80 pct of its working\n  interest in certain producing and non-producing natural gas\n  properties located in southwestern Saskatchewan.\n      The transaction is expected to close on April 1, 1987, the\n  company said. It did not identify the buyer nor give the\n  selling price.\n      Proceeds will be used to satisfy a February 1987 repayment\n  demand by one of the company's lenders. Any excess proceeds\n  will be added to working capital, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MALRITE BUYS COX'S RADIO STATION UNIT\n","article":"  <Malrite Guaranteed Broadcast Partners\n  L.P.> said it bought WTRK Inc from <Cox Enterprises Inc> for\n  13.8 mln dlrs in cash.\n      It said WTRK owns and operates WTRK-FM, a Philadelphia\n  radio station. Transfer of the license for the sation has been\n  approved by the Federal Communications Commission.\n      Malrite Guaranteed said it is a limited partnerhip formed\n  to acquire and operate radio and tv stations. It said Malrite\n  Communications Group Inc <MALR> is the general partner.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JANUARY HOUSING SALES DROP, REALTY GROUP SAYS\n","article":"  Sales of previously owned homes\n  dropped 14.5 pct in January to a seasonally adjusted annual\n  rate of 3.47 mln units, the National Association of Realtors\n  (NAR) said.\n      But the December rate of 4.06 mln units had been the\n  highest since the record 4.15 mln unit sales rate set in\n  November 1978, the group said.\n      \"The drop in January is not surprising considering that a\n  significant portion of December's near-record pace was made up\n  of sellers seeking to get favorable capital gains treatment\n  under the old tax laws,\" said the NAR's John Tuccillo.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ICO TALKS ON COFFEE QUOTAS TO RESUME AT NOON\n","article":"  Talks on coffee export quotas at the\n  International Coffee Organization (ICO) special council session\n  will resume at noon gmt today, following a last minute decision\n  taken early this morning to extend the meeting 24 hours, ICO\n  officials said.\n      An 18 member contact group will meet at midday to examine\n  new ideas, and the full council is to convene at 1900gmt, they\n  said.\n      The extension resulted from a last ditch effort by Colombia\n  to salvage the talks, which by late yesterday looked perilously\n  close to ending without agreement on quotas, delegates said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CYACQ EXTENDS TENDER FOR CYCLOPS <CYL>\n","article":"  Cyacq Corp said it extended its 80\n  dlr a share tender offer for Cyclops Corp to March 20 from\n  today.\n      Cyacq was formed by Citicorp Capital Investors Ltd and\n  Audio Video Affiliates INc <AVA> to acquire Cyclops. THe tender\n  offer began on February six.\n      The offer is conditioned upon at least 80 pct of the\n  outstanding shares and at least 80 pct of the voting securities\n  being tendered before expiration of the offer.\n      As of March six, only 353 shares of Cyclops' 4.1 mln\n  outstanding shares had been tendered.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MONO GOLD SAYS PARTNERSHIP AGREES TO BUY SHARES\n","article":"  <Mono Gold Mines\n  Inc> said <NIM and Co Ltd> Partnership agreed to buy\n  flow-through shares with an aggregate purchase price of up to\n  300,000 dlrs.\n      It said, subject to fulfillment of certain conditions, the\n  price of the shares to NIM will be 79.6 cts per share, and said\n  it will issue 376,955 shares to the partnership.\n      Mono also said options to buy up to 300,000 dlrs of its\n  capital stock at 65 cts per share expire March three. It said\n  39,000 options have been exercised to net the company 25,530\n  dlrs to be added to working capital.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USLICO CORP <USVC> INCREASES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 22 cts vs 20 cts prior\n      payable March 27\n      Record March 18\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USAIR GROUP REQUESTS TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT ORDER TWA TO DIVEST STAKE\n","article":"\n  USAIR GROUP REQUESTS TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT ORDER TWA TO DIVEST STAKE\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DIPLOMAT ELECTRONICS <DPEC> TO CUT COSTS\n","article":"  Diplomat Electronics Corp said it\n  will reduce expenses by four mln dlrs a year in an effort to\n  stem losses and return to a positive net worth.\n      The company also said certain lenders agreed to take a 24\n  pct stake in the company by converting seven mln dlrs of debt\n  into preferred stock.\n      Diplomat said it will cut costs by several means, including\n  dismissal of 100 workers at its corporate headquarters,\n  consolidation of its warehousing and shipping operations and\n  reduction of management salaries. Moreover, it said it will\n  relocate its headquarters to Glendale, Calif.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.S. CORN GROWERS BLAST CANADA CORN RULING\n","article":"  Canada's ruling in favor of a duty on\n  U.S. corn was a keen disappointment to the National Corn\n  Growers Association and has set a dangerous precedent for other\n  nations to follow, said Mike Hall, lobbyist for the\n  association.\n      \"The French corn growers will clearly charge ahead now and\n  just change corn to corn gluten feed\" in their complaint, Hall\n  told Reuters.\n      A Canadian government agency ruled today that U.S. farm\n  policies are causing injury to Canadian corn farrmers and\n  supported an earlier imposed countervailing duty of about 85\n  cts per bushel.\n      \"This was cleary a political decision,\" Hall said. \"The\n  amount of corn we export to Canada is insignificant.\"\n      The unexpected ruling appeared to be based on the agrument\n  that Canada bases its corn prices on U.S. futures prices and\n  that American farm policy has driven down these prices, thus\n  causing lower prices to Canadian farmers and larger government\n  payments through its farm stabilization program, Hall said.\n      Hall said this is a new definition for injury, but that\n  other nations might also now apply this same argument to attack\n  U.S. farm programs.\n      The French corn growers could now charge that U.S. farm\n  programs create an unfair subsidy for corn gluten feed, Hall\n  said. The French have long wanted to control the imports of\n  U.S. corn gluten feed into the community, saying that the\n  imported feed was unfairly displacing European grain.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DOLLAR GENERAL CORP <DOLR> QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div five cts vs five cts prior\n      Payable April three\n      Reocrd March 20\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HEALTHCARE SERVICES <HSAI> SEES WRITE-OFFS\n","article":"  Healthcare Services Of America\n  Inc said it will write off about 16 mln dlrs in non-recurring\n  expenses in 1986.\n      It also said it expects income from operations to be about\n  breakeven for 1986 and the estimated loss for the year to be\n  about the same as the writeoffs.\n      Results will be released by March 31, 1987.\n      Included in the writeoffs were six mln dlrs in\n  developmental costs, six mln dlrs in unamortized loan costs and\n  debt discounts and four mln dlrs in other non-recurring costs.\n      The company said it continues to be in default of certain\n  financial and non-financial covenants set forth in its major\n  loan documents.\n      It said negotiations continue with the banks, but has no\n  assurance that such funding will continue.\n      It said it authorized Smith barney, Harris Upham and Co to\n  seek a business combination with third parties.\n      Healthcare also said the board has authorized the sale or\n  lease of certain assets to reduce the cash required from the\n  revolving credit line for completion of current construction\n  projects.\n      For the year ended December 31, 1985 Healthcare reported\n  net income of 3.5 mln dlrs on sales of 54.4 mln dlrs\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USAIR <U> SEEKS ORDER AGAINST TWA <TWA>\n","article":"  USAir Group said it sought the help\n  of the U.S. Department of Transportation in its takeover fight\n  with Trans World Airlines Inc, asking the Department to order\n  TWA to sell its USAir shares.\n      \"What they have done is in direct violation of the Federal\n  Aviation Act,\" USAir said.\n      It said TWA week filed a cursory application with the\n  Department of Transportation for approval of its proposed 1.65\n  billion dlr takeover of USAir.\n      USAir rejected the offer and said it asked the Department\n  of Transportation to dismiss the application.\n      USAir said it requested the dismissal because TWA avoided\n  pre-merger notification requirements, and also did not provide\n  a competitive and public interest analysis required under\n  regulations.\n      USAir said if the application is dismissed, TWA would be\n  limited to buying only 1.5 pct of its 31.7 mln outstanding\n  shares. If the application is approved, TWA could buy up to 10\n  pct, it said. TWA has said it owns less than 10 pct of USAir's\n  stock.\n      TWA today revealed that it has increased its holdings to\n  more than four mln USAir shares, 15 pct of the outstanding.\n      TWA vice president general counsel Mark Buckstein said the\n  company had made appropriate filings with the DOT and was in\n  compliance with the law.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PARK-OHIO INDUSTRIES INC <PKOH> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr loss 52 cts vs profit 1.07 dlr\n      Net loss 2,917,000 vs profit 5,963,000\n      Revs 34.1 mln vs 40.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.39 dlr vs profit 1.24 dlr\n      Net loss 7,749,000 vs profit 6,946,000\n      Revs 138.6 mln vs 186.2 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes certain non-recurring charges of\n  about 5,506,000 dlrs for a number of items.\n      1985 4th qtr and yr net includes extraordinary credit of\n  4,974,000 dlrs or 89 cts per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BMC INDUSTRIES INC <BMC> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.20 dlrs vs loss 1.97 dlrs\n      Net loss 6,248,000 vs loss 10.2 mln\n      Revs 33.1 mln vs not given\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.25 dlrs vs loss 13.44 dlrs\n      Net loss 6,508,000 vs loss 69.6 mln\n      Revs 123.4 mln vs not given\n      NOTE: Results include charges of five mln dlrs or 96 cts\n  shr for 1986 qtr and year, compared with charge of 72.2 mln\n  dlrs or 13.94 dlrs shr in prior year from discontinued\n  operations and disposal of discontinued operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"UNITED COMPANIES <UNCF> DECLARES STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  United Companies Financial Corp\n  said its board declared a two pct stock dividend payable APril\n  eight to holders of record March 17.\n      The board also declared a regular quarterly cash dividend\n  of 12.5 cts payable April one to holders of record March 16.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. FARM PROGRAMS HELP CANADIAN CORN PRODUCERS\n","article":"  An American Farm Bureau\n  Federation (AFBF) official said that far from hurting Canadian\n  corn producers, U.S. farm programs benefit all foreign\n  producers.\n      AFBF president Dean Kleckner made the comments in response\n  to the ruling earlier today by the Canadian Import Tribunal\n  that subsidized U.S. corn imports were injurious to Canadian\n  growers. The tribunal upheld a countervailing duty of 84.9 U.S.\n  cents a bushel.\n      \"Farm Bureau specialists went to Ottawa and testified\n  previous U.S. farm programs have actually benefited all foreign\n  producers by reducing the amount of corn grown in the U.S. (and\n  losing market share), while exerting an upward influence on the\n  price of corn Worldwide,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.N. ISSUES REPORT ON NATURAL GAS CLAUSES\n","article":"  The U.N. Centre on Transnational\n  Corporations has issued a report containing guidelines and\n  recommendations for negotiating natural gas clauses in\n  agreements between transnational petroleum corporations and\n  host countries.\n      The U.N. said the report was aimed at promoting petroleum\n  exploration in areas perceived as being gas prone. The 49-page\n  report contains an in-depth examination of the problems of gas\n  developoment and looks at different ways in which contractual\n  terms might deal with the risks in gas development associated\n  with pricing, marketing and volume.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAFT<TFB> BIDDERS WOULD SELL ENTERTAINMENT UNIT\n","article":"  A proposed buyout of Taft Broadcasting\n  Co by Dudley Taft and other investors includes a plan to sell\n  the company's Entertainment Group, according to one of the\n  investors.\n      Jonathan Nelson, managing director of Narragansett Capital\n  Corp <NARR>, which is participating in the buyout plan,\n  declined to say if buyers have already been lined up for the\n  Entertainment Group. \"We are considering selling the group,\"\n  Nelson said. Wall Street analysts said any of the Hollywood\n  film studios which might be interested.\n      Taft Broadcasting Co did not comment on the 145 dlr per\n  share offer. Taft has 9.2 mln shares outstanding, of which 12\n  pct are owned by the Taft and Ingalls families.\n      Dudley Taft relinquished the title of president in July but\n  continues as vice chairman of the company.\n      Taft-Narragansett requsted a response to its proposal by\n  March 12.\n      If the plan is accepted, Taft would be a private company\n  financed by high yield bonds and bank debt, Nelson said.\n  Narragansett is an investment management company specializing\n  in leveraged buyout transactions.\n      Taft shares climbed 19 to 151-1\/2, causing arbitrageurs to\n  say investors believe the bidders may raise their price.\n      Robert M. Bass, who controls 25 pct of the stock, and\n  American Financial Corp, holder of 15 pct, did not return\n  telephohe calls seeking comment.\n      But Dennis McAlpine, analyst at Oppenheimer and Co, said \"I\n  don't think it's worth 150 dlrs.\" He noted Taft recently agreed\n  to sell a group of independent television stations at a loss.\n  He said the entertainment group, which includes the\n  Hanna-Barbara animation studios, is currently hampered by a\n  glut of animated product.\n      Taft Broadcasting has never commented on reports that its\n  major stockholders met recently to discuss a break-up of the\n  company.\n      MacAlpine said there are lots of options for reshaping the\n  company with a distribution of various pieces to the major\n  shareholders among the possibilities.\n      Analyst Alan Gottesman of L.F. Rothschild, Unterberg Towbin\n  Inc said the Bass group has been increasing its stake in the\n  belief the company would be worth more with a change in its\n  strategy. He said Bass pushed for sale of the independent\n  television stations because the company paid too much.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"POSITIVE OUTLOOK TEMPERED IN U.S. DEBT FUTURES\n","article":"  Higher oil prices and stronger than\n  expected U.S. employment growth led to sharp losses in U.S.\n  interest rate futures and diminished what had been a positive\n  chart outlook, financial analysts said.\n      The increase of 319,000 in non-farm payroll employment\n  during February was above market expectations for a rise of\n  170,000 to 200,000 jobs and sparked selling in Treasury bond\n  futures that drove the June contract through key technical\n  support at 101-2\/32 at the opening Friday, they noted.\n      \"I don't like that fact that we had a close below 101,\"\n  said Prudential Bache analyst Fred Leiner. The 101-2\/32 level\n  in the June bond contract had been the top of a three-month\n  trading range, which when penetrated during the rally Wednesday\n  led to bullish forecasts by chartists.\n      But analysts called it a false breakout on the weekly\n  charts when the June bond closed at 100-10\/32 Friday.\n      Some also forecast that the high of the week at 101-19\/32\n  may signal a bearish double top formation portending steep\n  losses.\n      \"I tend to go along with the double top scenario,\" said\n  Northern Futures analyst Eileen Rico.\n      Rico noted that the possible formation, along with the fact\n  that the rally of the last two weeks in bond futures has\n  occurred on relatively low volume, were negative signals.\n      Despite what could be a negative chart outlook, Leiner\n  remains cautiously optimistic, and June bonds should find\n  support between 100 and 99-16\/32 next week.\n      The optimistic outlook, as well as Leiner's expectation\n  that the yield curve will flatten in the near term, is based on\n  an improving inflation outlook.\n      With the dollar stable and economic data giving the Federal\n  Reserve little room to ease monetary policy, \"the inflation\n  outlook is improving,\" Leiner said, and that should lead to\n  relatively stronger bond prices than bill and Eurodollar\n  prices.\n      Still, Leiner noted that the recent rise in oil prices\n  remains a concern for the inflation outlook.\n      Oil rose during the week on reports that OPEC nations were\n  maintaining production quotas and official prices, and got an\n  extra boost Friday due to the suspension of oil exports from\n  Ecuador after an earthquake Thursday.\n      \"The runup in crude oil will be a short-lived phenomenon,\"\n  said Carroll McEntee and McGinley analyst Brian Singer.\n      The rise in oil prices over the past week has been largely\n  \"media induced,\" Singer said. He noted that even though OPEC\n  production may be within quotas, \"oil stocks are at\n  tremendously high levels.\"\n      Although the Ecuador situation could cause a delay, oil\n  prices will eventually decline to the lows of late February, he\n  said, and that will be a supportive influence for bond prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SANDOX BUYS STAUFFER SEEDS\n","article":"  Sandoz Corp's Northrup King Co said\n  it bought Stauffer Seeds, a unit of Stauffer Chemical Co.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ENERGEN <EGN> BUYS MUNICIPAL GAS SYSTEM\n","article":"  Energen Corp said it has\n  acquired the distribution system of the City of Clanton, Ala.\n  for about 1.2 mln dlrs.\n      The 1,800 customer system is the fourth municipal system\n  acquired by Energen's Alabama Gas subsidiary since October\n  1986, adding a total of 9,600 customers.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SIERRA PACIFIC RESOURCES INC <SRP> DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 43 cts vs 43 cts prior\n      Payable May one\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"METEX CORP <MTX> 4TH QTR DEC 28\n","article":"  Shr 22 cts vs 49 cts\n      Net 296,994 vs 657,416\n      Revs 6.5 mln vs 9.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 78 cts vs 1.51 dlrs\n      Net 1.0 mln vs 2.0 mln\n      Revs 27.6 mln vs 29.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INDIAN SUGAR OUTPUT RISES IN FIRST FOUR MONTHS\n","article":"  India's sugar output to January 31 in\n  the 1986\/87 season (October\/September) rose to 3.66 mln tonnes\n  from 3.46 mln in the same 1985\/86 period, the Indian Sugar\n  Mills Association said.\n      Total offtake in the first four months of the current year\n  was 2.71 mln tonnes (including 241,000 tonnes imported) for\n  domestic use and 4,000 tonnes for export, against 2.81 mln\n  tonnes (including 993,000 imported) for domestic use and 3,000\n  tonnes for export in the corresponding period of 1985\/86.\n      Factory stocks at end-January were 3.05 mln tonnes (96,000\n  imported) against 3.13 mln (96,000 imported) a year earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOUSTON OIL TRUST <HO> OMITS MARCH DISTRIBUTION\n","article":"  Houston Oil Trust said there will be no\n  cash distribution to the unit holders in March.\n      The most significant factor for the lack of a distribution\n  this month is the establishment of additional special cost\n  escrow accounts, the company said, adding, that there may be no\n  cash distribution in other months or during the remainder of\n  the year.\n      For March, the working interest owner will place 1.9 mln\n  dlrs in special cost escrow accounts.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES <MABS> BUYS COMPANY\n","article":"  Monoclonal Antibodies Inc\n  said it signed an agreement in principle to buy <Genesis Labs\n  Inc> for about 10 mln dlrs of common stock.\n      The agreement is subject to shareholders approval and other\n  conditions.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. TREASURY PROPOSES SOME S. AFRICAN IMPORTS\n","article":"  The Treasury proposed allowing \n  temporary imports of South African uranium ore and uranium\n  oxide until July 1 under certain conditions pending\n  clarification of anti-apartheid laws passed by Congress last\n  fall.\n      The proposal to be published in the Federal Register next\n  week requests written congressional and public comment within\n  60 days and deals with uranium ore and oxide that is imported\n  for U.S. processing and exporting to third countries.\n      The Treasury said it proposed allowing the temporary\n  imports because it felt Congress had not intended when it\n  passed the comprehensive South African sanctions bill last fall\n  -- overriding President Reagan's veto -- to hurt U.S. industry.\n      \"The domestic uranium conversion industry and the federal\n  government's enrichment industry could be seriously injured in\n  a manner not intended by Congress if the . . . import ban on\n  uranium ore and oxide were implemented to bar imports for\n  processing and export through a mistaken interpretation of the\n  act,\" the Treasury brief said.\n      The Treasury said an outright U.S. ban of uranium ore and\n  oxide might cause foreign electric utilities to divert their\n  South African origin ore and oxide to other countries including\n  the Soviet Union for processing.\n      Treasury said it would allow imports of the South African\n  ore and oxide until July 1 for processing and re-export\n  \"provided that the imported ore or oxide is accompanies by a\n  license for importation issued by the Nuclear Regulatory\n  Commission.\"\n      The Treasury brief also proposed allowing U.S.-origin goods\n  to be imported temporarily from South African state-controlled\n  organizations for repair or servicing in the United States.\n      \"The U.S. Customs will allow such importation to be made\n  under bond,\" the brief said.\n      The South African sanctions law, enacted by the United\n  States to protest the apartheid laws of racial segregation\n  practiced by South Africa's white minority government,\n  prohibited imports of uranium ore and oxide, iron and steel,\n  coal and textiles at the end of 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRANIFF INC <BAIR> 4TH QTR LOSS JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr loss 37 cts vs loss 13 cts\n      Net loss 4.5 mln vs loss 1.5 mln\n      Revs 63.3 mln vs 53.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 74 cts vs profit 1.87 dlr\n      Net loss 9.0 mln vs profit 23.0 mln\n      Revs 239.5 mln vs 244.3 mln\n      NOTE:1986 net includes extraordinary gain of 10.6 mln dlrs\n  from tax loss carryforward in year and loss of 198,000 dlrs in\n  4th qtr.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"JUSTICE DEPT. SUPPORTS DISMISSAL OF TWA APPLICATION FOR USAIR CONTROL\n","article":"\n  JUSTICE DEPT. SUPPORTS DISMISSAL OF TWA APPLICATION FOR USAIR CONTROL\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT DISMISSES TWA APPLICATION FOR USAIR CONTROL\n","article":"\n  TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT DISMISSES TWA APPLICATION FOR USAIR CONTROL\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. TREASURY PROPOSES S.AFRICAN URANIUM IMPORTS\n","article":"  The U.S. Treasury proposed allowing \n  temporary imports of South African uranium ore and uranium\n  oxide until July 1 under certain conditions pending\n  clarification of anti-apartheid laws passed by Congress last\n  fall.\n      The Treasury said it proposed allowing the temporary\n  imports because it felt Congress had not intended when it\n  passed the comprehensive South African sanctions bill last fall\n  -- overriding President Reagan's veto -- to hurt U.S. industry.\n      The Treasury said an outright U.S. ban of uranium ore and\n  oxide might cause foreign electric utilities to divert their\n  South African origin ore and oxide to other countries including\n  the Soviet Union for processing.\n      The Treasury also proposed allowing U.S.-origin goods to be\n  imported temporarily from South African state-controlled\n  organizations for repair or servicing in the U.S.\n      The South African sanctions law, enacted by the U.S. to\n  protest the apartheid laws of racial segregation practiced by\n  South Africa's white minority government, prohibited imports of\n  uranium ore and oxide, iron and steel, coal and textiles at the\n  end of 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"26 REPORTED DEAD IN FERRY DISASTER\n","article":"  At least 26 people died when\n  a car ferry struck a pier as it left Belgium for Britain, a\n  nurse who took part in the rescue operation said.\n      Jan Van Moerbeke, a male nurse, said on coming off the\n  Herald of Free Enterprise that he had found six people on top\n  of the vessel who were dead. There were at least another 20\n  dead inside the boat, he added.\n      The governor of West Flanders province said 240 people were\n  still unaccounted for.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONTINENTAL FEDERAL <CONF> HOLDER TO SELL STAKE\n","article":"  Continental Federal Savings and\n  Loan Association said it was told that an estate holding 38 pct\n  of its stock plans to sell its stake at a premium over the\n  current stock price.\n     Continental said the estate of Harold Vernon and certain\n  parties have signed a letter of intent to sell the stock for\n  12.25 dlrs a share, for a total of about 6,538,000 dlrs.\n  Continental's stock closed at seven in over-the-counter\n  trading.\n      The thrift said the buyer is <BAC Inc>, a corporation\n  acting for certain unindentified parties.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BROKER'S CHOICE TO BUY RUBBERTECH\n","article":"  Broker's Choice Capital Inc said\n  it signed a letter of intent to buy Rubbertech Inc.\n      If approved by shareholders, Broker's Choice will issue\n  about 71 mln shares of authorized, but unissued shares of\n  restricted common stock to Rubbertech Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ARGENTINA UNAFFECTED BY BRAZIL'S MAIZE DECISION\n","article":"  A government official said that a\n  decision by Brazil not to import maize because it forecast a\n  record harvest would not affect Argentina's exports.\n      \"We have heard nothing about this, but if Brazil has decided\n  not to import maize that is no problem for us as it is not one\n  of our main customers,\" Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries\n  Under-Secretary Miguel Braceras said.\n      Private sources also said Argentina's exports would not be\n  affected by Brazil's decision, which Agriculture Minister Iris\n  Resende announced yesterday in Sao Paulo.\n      Brazil had not asked for any Argentine maize, they said.\n      They also said a smaller crop and adverse weather this\n  summer in Argentina had reduced production.\n      Braceras said that last year Brazil bought 800,000 tonnes\n  of Argentine maize but in some years it had not imported any\n  from Argentina.\n      The Soviet Union was Argentina's main customer and Japan\n  was also becoming a bigger importer of the country's maize, he\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DOT DISMISSES TWA <TWA>, USAIR <U> APPLICATION\n","article":"  The U.S. Department of Transportation\n  (DOT) said it dismissed on technical grounds an application by\n  Trans World Airlines Inc for DOT approval for it to take\n  control of USAir Group.\n      The DOT added, however, that TWA was free to refile when it\n  could put together an application for control that met the\n  agency's procedural requirements.\n      The DOT acted shortly after the U.S. Department of Justice\n  disclosed that it supported dismissal of the TWA application.\n      It was not immediately clear what impact the denial would\n  have on TWA's bid to take over USAir.\n      In its control application, TWA had acknowledged that\n  additional documentation was required to meet DOT rules and\n  said it would file more material on the morning of March 9.\n      But the DOT said it would not wait.\n      \"We have determined to dismiss TWA's application for\n  approval of the acquisition of USAir,\" it said in an order\n  issued late Friday.\n      \"TWA's application clearly fails to comply with the filing\n  requirements of our regulations...and TWA has provided no\n  reason why we should accept such a deficient filing,\" it added.\n      \"Accordingly, we will dismiss the application. TWA, of\n  course, may refile it when it is able to comply with our\n  procedural rules,\" the DOT said.\n      The agency added that it would continue to consider a\n  separate TWA request for federal clearance to purchase USAir\n  stock through a voting trust.\n      USAir had said earlier today that it asked the DOT to\n  dismiss the TWA control application, on grounds the TWA filing\n  did not meet DOT requirements.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TWA <TWA> TO REFILE WITH U.S. AGENCY\n","article":"  Transworld Airlines Inc plans to refile\n  an application Monday with the Department of Transportation for\n  approval to acquire USAir Group <U>.\n      The DOT late today dismissed TWA's application to acquire\n  USAir.\n      \"When the DOT opens for business on Monday morning, we will\n  be refiling a perfected and completed section 408 application,\"\n  said TWA general counsel Mark Buckstein.\n      Buckstein said the DOT ruled the application, which was\n  filed Wednesday, was incomplete. He said he did not yet know\n  why the agency objected.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JUSTICE ASKS U.S. DISMISSAL OF TWA (TWA) FILING\n","article":"  The Justice Department told the\n  Transportation Department it supported a request by USAir \n  Group that the DOT dismiss an application by Trans World\n  Airlines Inc for approval to take control of USAir.\n      \"Our rationale is that we reviewed the application for\n  control filed by TWA with the DOT and ascertained that it did\n  not contain sufficient information upon which to base a\n  competitive review,\" James Weiss, an official in Justice's\n  Antitrust Division, told Reuters.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HONG KONG BANKS LEAVE INTEREST RATES UNCHANGED\n","article":"  The Hong Kong Association of Banks\n  said it decided to leave interest rates unchanged at today's\n  regular weekly meeting.\n      Current rates are 1-3\/4 pct for savings accounts, 24-hours,\n  seven-day call, one-week and two-weeks. One-month is 2-1\/4 pct,\n  two-months 2-1\/2 pct, three- and six-months are both three pct,\n  nine-months 3-1\/4 pct and 12-months 3-3\/4 pct.\n      Prime rate is six pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SAVINGS ACUISITION IN CALIFORNIA ANNOUNCED\n","article":"  The Federal Home Loan Bank Board\n  (FHLBB) announced the acquisiton of South Bay Savings & Loan\n  Association in Gardena, Calif., By Standard Pacific Savings of\n  Costa Mesa, Calif.\n      The FHLBB said South Bay had assets of 62.5 mln dlrs and\n  Standard Pacific had 312.8 mln dlrs in assets.\n      It was the fourth federally-assisted merger or acquisition\n  of a troubled savings institution this year, the FHLBB said.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"COLOMBIA DENIES SELLING COFFEE BELOW MARKET\n","article":"  Colombia denied having sold 440,000 60-kg\n  bags of old crop coffee below current market prices to clients\n  in Europe and Asia.\n      A spokesman for the National Coffee Growers Federation,\n  commenting on rumours which had circulated in market circles,\n  said these were false.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TWO HUNDRED FEARED DEAD IN FERRY DISASTER\n","article":"  About 200 people are feared\n  dead after a British cross-channel ferry rolled on its side off\n  the Belgian coast last night -- but almost 350 passengers were\n  plucked to safety from the ice-cold sea.\n      Belgian Transport Minister Herman de Croo told reporters: \"I\n  fear the dead could be in hundreds, perhaps 200. Given the\n  state of the water, I fear there is no hope.\"\n      Townsend Thorensen, owners of the 7,951 tonne Herald of\n  Free Enterprise, said the ferry was carrying 543 people and\n  that 345 had been rescued. All but one were British.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MALAYSIA BAILS OUT ANOTHER COMMERCIAL BANK\n","article":"  Malaysia's central bank said it\n  acquired a 59.2 pct stake in ailing <United Asian Bank Bhd>\n  (UAB), the sixth largest commercial bank in the country, to\n  rebuild public confidence in it.\n      UAB called for a rights issue last November to raise 152.49\n  mln ringgit to rectify its capital deficiency following an\n  accumulated loss of 107.61 mln ringgit at end-1985, the central\n  bank, Bank Negara, said in a statement.\n      But only 16.99 mln ringgit in shares was taken up by\n  shareholders, mainly local Indian and Malay businessmen and the\n  Indian Government.\n      Bank Negara said it subsequently took up the unsubscribed\n  shares, totalling 135.5 mln of UAB's new paid-up capital of\n  228.74 mln ringgit.\n      It said the shares, held in trust, will be eventually sold.\n      The central bank early this week also announced that it had\n  bought 49.4 pct stake in another troubled commercial bank,\n  <Perwira Habib Bank Malaysia Bhd>, after the latter raised its\n  capital to 405 mln ringgit from 105 in mid-January this year.\n      Bank Negara said it does not intend to hold on to the\n  shares of the two banks.\n      \"The injection of capital in PHB and in UAB including the\n  recamp of management in these banks are some of the measures\n  taken by the bank to strengthen public confidence in the\n  stability of the these banks,\" it added.\n      The central bank said it is invoking Section 39A of the\n  Banking (Amendemnt) Act 1986 empowering it to grant loans to an\n  ailing bank or to buy a stake in it.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ECUADOR ADOPTS AUSTERITY MEASURES AFTER QUAKE\n","article":"  OPEC member Ecuador adopted austerity\n  measures to conserve fuel after oil production was paralyzed by\n  a strong earthquake.\n      Energy and Mines Minister Javier Espinosa announced on\n  television the country would cut domestic fuel sales by 30 pct.\n  A ministry statement had earlier announced indefinite\n  suspension of crude oil exports, declaring force majeure.\n      Deputy Energy Minister Fernando Santos Alvite told a\n  television interviewer that it could possibly take more than a\n  month to repair Ecuador's main pipeline linking Amazon basin\n  oil fields to the Pacific Ocean coast.\n      The quake on Thursday, which registered six on the 12-point\n  Mercalli scale, killed at least six people and was centred near\n  the Reventador volcano about 90 km (50 miles) east of Quito.\n      Ecuador had recently been pumping 260,000 barrels per day.\n      The government's austerity measures ban the sale of\n  aviation fuel to foreign airliners on international routes and\n  no fuel will be available for ships owned by foreign lines.\n      Ecuador also banned the sale of petrol on weekends and\n  holidays and limited sales on weekdays, an Energy and Mines\n  Ministry communique said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FERRY DISASTER MAY RANK AMONG WORST TRAGEDIES\n","article":"  Fading hope for passengers trapped aboard\n  a partially-sunk Channel ferry raised fears the accident could\n  rank among this centuries' worst peacetime shipping tragedies.\n      Belgian Transport Minister Herman de Croo said there was no\n  hope of rescuing any of about 220 passengers trapped in the\n  Herald of Free Enterprise after it capsized off the Belgian\n  coast last night.\n      If confirmed, the toll would make the incident the world's\n  worst since a Soviet liner, the Admiral Nakhimov, collided with\n  a freighter in the Black Sea last September and sank with the\n  loss of nearly 400 lives. A further 856 people were rescued.\n      The world's deadliest single peacetime incident at sea was\n  the sinking in 1912 of the Titanic with a loss of 1,500 lives.\n      The second biggest loss of life in peacetime was in 1914\n  when 1,014 people drowned when the liner Empress of Ireland\n  collided with a freighter on the St Lawrence river in Canada.\n      The world's worst maritime disaster was in wartime that\n  took 7,700 lives when the German liner Wilhelm Gustloff was\n  torpedoed by a Soviet submarine in January 30, 1945.\n      In 1985, more than 200 were feared dead after two ferries\n  sank near Dhaka, 174 drowned when a ferry capsized in China and\n  147 died when a launch sank off the Malaysian state of Sabah.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALMOST 200 DEAD IN FERRY DISASTER\n","article":"  There are no more survivors from a\n  British cross-Channel ferry disaster off the Belgian coast and\n  almost 200 people seem certain to have perished, a senior\n  Belgian official said.\n      Jacques Thas, in charge of rescue for the Herald of Free\n  Enterprise, said his men had searched all of the ship except\n  some inaccessible cabins and the control room.\n      \"I am afraid there are no more survivors,\" he said. Thas said\n  32 of the 543 passsengers and crew were confirmed dead and 160\n  were missing, bringing the total of dead or presumed dead to\n  192.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEW DUTCH ADVANCES TOTAL 4.8 BILLION GUILDERS\n","article":"  The Dutch Central Bank said it has\n  accepted bids totalling 4.8 billion guilders at tender for new\n  seven-day special advances at 5.3 pct covering the period March\n  2 to 9 aimed at relieving money market tightness.\n      Subscriptions to 300 mln guilders were met in full, amounts\n  above 300 mln at 50 pct.\n      The new facility replaces old five-day advances worth 8.0\n  billion guilders at the same rate.\n      Dealers expect this week's money market shortage to be\n  around 12 billion guilders.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<SIME DARBY BHD> SIX MONTHS TO DECEMBER 31\n","article":"  Shr 3.9 cents vs 4.2 cents\n      Interim dividend three cents vs same\n      Group net 35.8 mln ringgit vs 39.1 mln\n      Pre-tax 77.3 mln vs 99.8 mln\n      Turnover 1.16 billion vs 1.05 billion\n      Note - dividend pay May 22, register April 24.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<CONSOLIDATED PLANTATIONS BHD>\n","article":"  Six months to December 31\n      SHR 2.6 cents vs 5.2 cents\n      Interim dividend four cents vs same\n      Group net 12.4 mln ringgit vs 24.3 mln\n      Pre-tax 26.6 mln vs 53.5 mln\n      Turnover 235.3 mln vs 333.9 mln\n      Note - dividend pay April 30, register April 3.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<TRACTORS MALAYSIA HOLDINGS BHD>\n","article":"  Six months to December 31\n      SHR 8.8 cts vs 0.5 ct\n      Interim dividend 12.5 cts vs nil\n      Group net 9.5 mln ringgit vs 0.6 mln\n      Pre-tax 11 mln vs 1.1 mln\n      Turnover 88.9 mln vs 70.8 mln\n      Note - dividend pay May 15, register April 17.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<DUNLOP MALAYSIAN INDUSTRIES BHD>\n","article":"  Six months to December 31\n      SHR 1.4 cts vs 1.6 cts\n      Interim dividend one cent vs same\n      Group net 4.1 mln ringgit vs 4.7 mln\n      Pre-tax 6.7 mln vs nine mln\n      Turnover 100.8 mln vs 112.1 mln\n      Note - dividend pay April 28, register April 3.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANGLADESH SUGAR PRODUCTION ALMOST DOUBLES\n","article":"  Bangladesh's sugar production increased by\n  nearly 60,000 tonnes over last year's season to total 140,000\n  tonnes at the end of this year's season, the Sugar and Food\n  Industries Corp said.\n      The increased output will enable Bangladesh to cut imports.\n  Corporation officials told Reuters the country has already\n  imported 37,000 tonnes of sugar and will buy 113,000 tonnes\n  more to make up shortfall in the 1986\/87 year ending June 30.\n      Imports in 1985\/86 totalled 224,000 tonnes, of which nearly\n  100,000 tonnes are still in stock, they said without giving\n  further details.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GERMAN 1988 TAX CUTS RAISED BY 5.2 BILLION MARKS\n","article":"  Senior officials in the West German\n  coalition government said tax cuts planned for next year would\n  be increased by 5.2 billion marks, in line with a pledge made\n  by Finance Minister Gerhard Stoltenberg at last month's\n  international monetary conference in Paris.\n      Gerold Tandler, General Secretary of the Christian Social\n  Union Party, detailing the cuts at a news conference also\n  attended by officials from the Christian Democratic Union and\n  Free Democratic Party, said all of the additional 5.2 billion\n  mark reduction would represent net tax relief.\n      An increase in revenue from other sources was not planned.\n      The reductions will be added on to a package of tax cuts\n  already planned for 1988 amounting to some nine billion marks.\n      Tandler said three billion marks of the extra tax relief\n  would be accounted for by reducing the rate of marginal\n  increase in income tax.\n      An increase in personal tax allowances would save taxpayers\n  1.4 billion marks. Extra tax allowances for people whose\n  children are being educated would cut 300 mln marks from the\n  tax bill. A further 500 mln marks would be accounted for by\n  increasing the level of special depreciations for small- and\n  medium-sized companies.\n      The extra fiscal measures planned for next year are part of\n  a general reform of the tax system which will come into effect\n  in 1990. Stoltenberg had said in Paris that part of this\n  reform, which will cut taxes by a gross 44 billion marks, would\n  be introduced next year, ahead of schedule.\n      The West German government had come under pressure from the\n  United States to stimulate its economy with tax cuts. But\n  Stoltenberg said in a speech last night in Hamburg that, while\n  the economy would continue to expand this year, the rate of\n  growth was uncertain.\n      The government said in January it was aiming for real\n  growth in Gross National Product this year of 2.5 pct, but some\n  economists have revised their predictions down to two or below.\n      Stoltenberg said: \"We remain on a course of expansion.\n  Whether (this will be) under two pct, as some people believe,\n  or around 2.5 pct as some others expect, or even closer to\n  three pct, as the Kiel World Economic Institute forecast a few\n  days ago, remains open at the moment.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"YIELD FALLS ON 30-DAY SAMA DEPOSITS\n","article":"  The yield on 30-day bankers security\n  deposit accounts issued this week by the Saudi Arabian Monetary\n  Agency (SAMA) fell to 5.84073 pct from 6.21950 last Saturday,\n  bankers said.\n      SAMA increased the offer price on the 900 mln riyal issue\n  to 99.51563 from 99.48438. One-month interbank riyal deposits\n  were quoted today at 6-1\/4, six pct.\n      SAMA offers a total of 1.9 billion riyals each week in 30,\n  91 and 180-day paper to banks in the Kingdom.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EXPERTS HAD EXPRESSED FEARS OVER RO-RO SAFETY\n","article":"  As a British government investigation got\n  under way into the sinking of the car ferry Herald of Free\n  Enterprise with heavy loss of life, experts said doubts had\n  already been expressed about the roll-on roll-off type of ship.\n      Shipping minister Lord Brabazon said a preliminary\n  investigation had started into why the 7,951 tonne ferry\n  capsized and sank in little over a minute as it manoeuvred to\n  leave Zeebrugge on a routine four hour crossing to Dover.\n      Initial reports spoke of water flooding the car decks\n  through the bow doors. But a spokesman for the owners, Townsend\n  Thoresen, said it was also possible the ferry had been holed.\n      Townsend Thoresen operate two other ships identical to the\n  Herald of Free Enterprise, but Brabazon said it was not planned\n  to pull them out of service at present.\n      \"Our investigator is there already. We shall have to wait\n  and see. But it is too early to say what happened,\" he told BBC\n  radio.\n      As the work of retrieving bodies from the half-submerged\n  hulk continued, maritime safety experts in London said doubts\n  had already been expressed about the design of so-called \"RoRo\"\n  ferries such as the Herald of Free Enterprise.\n      In 1980 the Inter-Governmental International Maritime\n  Consultative Committee issued a report saying more roll-on\n  roll-off vessels were lost in accidents than ships with deck\n  areas divided by bulkheads.\n      Townsend Thoresen say the ship, built at the West German\n  yard of Bremerhaven in 1980, was built to the highest safety\n  standards.\n      But salvage expert William Cooper said passengers would\n  have had problems getting off this type of ship because of its\n  design.\n      Former Townsend Thoresen navigating officer Clive Langley\n  said the RoRo type of vessels were similar in some respects to\n  a barge.\n      \"As any sailor knows it only takes two or three inches out\n  of line and you can turn a barge over. An ordinary ship is\n  compartmentalised and you have more stability,\" he said.\n      Cooper said cross-Channel ferries were normally perfectly\n  stable but had huge wide deck areas above the water level.\n      \"If you do get water into that area then you can get very\n  severe effects on the stability of the ship,\" he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN BUYS SOME 95,000 TONNES SOYBEANS FROM CHINA\n","article":"  Japanese importers bought some 95,000\n  tonnes of Chinese soybeans late last month for May to September\n  shipment, under the semi-annual trade accords, trade sources\n  said.\n      The FOB premium rose to 13.50 dlrs per tonne, up 2.50 dlrs\n  from the premium for the November to April shipment, but down\n  from 13.80 for the last May to September shipment.\n      Flat prices for Chinese beans are based on futures prices\n  in Chicago plus the FOB premium.\n      Japanese purchases of Chinese soybeans, including spot\n  buying, may have totalled 240,000 to 250,000 tonnes of the 1986\n  crop for November to April 1987 shipment, down from some\n  300,000 tonnes the previous year, the sources said.\n      Domestic demand for edible-use soybeans is expected to\n  remain stable at about 240,000 to 250,000 tonnes a year, the\n  sources said.\n      In recent years Japanese importers have overbought Chinese\n  edible-use soybeans and sold the surplus to domestic crushers,\n  but low 1986 U.S. Crop prices have discouraged the purchase of\n  Chinese origin beans for crushing, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IRAQ-TURKEY OIL PIPELINE CUT BY LANDSLIDE\n","article":"  Turkey oil pipeline near the southern town of Adana after it\n  was cut by a landslide, the Hurriyet and Anatolian news\n  agencies said.\n      Little oil was lost in the landslide Friday night because\n  taps on the one mln bpd line were switched off after the\n  accident, they said.\n      The pipeline, which carries oil for Turkey and other\n  customers from Iraq's Kirkuk field to the Yumurtalik terminal\n  on the Turkish Mediterranean coast, is Iraq's main oil outlet.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL SEAMEN CONTINUE STRIKE AFTER COURT DECISION\n","article":"  Hundreds of marines were on alert\n  at 11 key Brazilian ports after 40,000 seamen decided to remain\n  on indefinite strike, even after the Higher Labour Court\n  yesterday ruled it illegal, union leaders said.\n      The halt, the first national strike by seamen in 25 years,\n  started on February 27, and union leaders said they would not\n  return to work unless they got a 275 pct pay rise. Shipowners\n  have offered a 100 per cent raise, which the seamen rejected.\n      \"We have nothing to lose. If they want to lay off the\n  workers, fine, but we are determined to carry on with our\n  protest until the end,\" a union leader said.\n      He said they had decided in a meeting that if the marines\n  take over the ships, the seamen would abandon the vessels and\n  let the marines handle the situation by themselves.\n      A spokesman for the Rio de Janeiro Port said the order to\n  send marines to take over the ports was given by Navy Minister\n  Henrique Saboya on grounds that ports are areas of national\n  security. But he said there were no incidents. The strike has\n  cut exports and imports and made an estimated 160 ships idle.\n      Petrol station owners in four states also continued their\n  shutdown and there were fears that the combination of the two\n  stoppages could lead to a serious fuel shortage.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECUADOR TO EXPORT NO OIL FOR FOUR MONTHS, OFFICIAL\n","article":"  The suspension of Ecuador's crude oil\n  shipments after an earthquake cut an oil pipeline will last at\n  least four months, a senior Energy Ministry official said.\n      The official said Ecuador could resume exports after\n  repairing a 40 km section of the 510 km pipeline, which links\n  jungle oil fields at Lago Agrio to Balao on the Pacific coast.\n  It would take about 100 mln U.S. Dlrs to repair the pipeline,\n  the official, who did not want to be named, told Reuters.\n  Ecuador had enough oil to meet domestic demand for about 35\n  days and would have to import crude to supplement stocks.\n      The earthquake last Thursday night registered six on the\n  12-point international Mercalli scale. The damage to the\n  pipeline was a severe economic blow to Ecuador, where oil\n  accounts for up to two-thirds of total exports and as much as\n  60 pct of government revenues.\n      Financially pressed Ecuador, a member of the Organisation\n  of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), was recently pumping\n  about 260,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude, about 50,000 bpd\n  above the output quota assigned by the cartel, another Energy\n  Ministry spokesman said. Last year, it exported an average of\n  173,500 bpd, according to the central bank.\n      However, Ecuador might build an emergency 25 km pipeline,\n  costing 15 to 20 mln dlrs, to hook up with a Colombian\n  pipeline, the first official said. He estimated it could take\n  about 60 days to build.\n      Ecuador, squeezed by the slide in world oil prices in 1986,\n  had only 138 mln dlrs in net international reserves at the end\n  of January, about equal to one month's imports.\n      It suspended interest payments in January on 5.4 billion\n  dlrs owed to about 400 private foreign banks. The country's\n  total foreign debt is 8.16 billion dlrs, the eighth largest in\n  Latin America.\n      In Caracas, President Jaime Lusinchi said Venezuela would\n  loan five mln barrels of crude to Ecuador over the next three\n  months to make up for losses from damage to the pipeline.\n      Ecuador asked for the loan to guarantee domestic supplies\n  and would ship an equivalent volume back to Venezuela in\n  repayment in May, Lusinchi said.\n      A commission headed by Venezuelan Investment Fund Minister\n  Hector Hurtado and including representatives from the interior\n  and defence ministries and the state oil company Petroleos de\n  Venezuela will travel to Ecuador Tuesday to evaluate and\n  co-ordinate an emergency relief program, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"EC FARM LIBERALISATION SEEN HURTING THAI TAPIOCA\n","article":"  Any European Community decision to\n  liberalise farm trade policy would hurt Thailand's tapioca\n  industry, said Ammar Siamwalla, an agro-economist at the\n  Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI).\n      He told a weekend trade seminar here that any EC move to\n  cut tariff protection for EC grains would make many crops more\n  competitive than tapioca in the European market.\n      The EC is the largest buyer of Thai tapioca, absorbing more\n  than two thirds of the 5.8 mln tonnes of pellets exported by\n  Thailand last year. Thailand has an EC quota of an average 5.25\n  mln tonnes a year until 1990.\n      Ammar said Thailand had benefited from an EC tariff\n  loophole that subjects Thai tapioca to a preferential six pct\n  import duty.\n      Ammar, head of the agricultural research group of the TDRI,\n  suggested tapioca farmers diversify to other crops.\n      He said: \"If cereal prices in Europe fall so that they are\n  close to world prices, the tapioca market there will disappear\n  completely.\"\n      He said the issue may put Thailand in a dilemma because it\n  had recently joined other major commodity producers in calling\n  on the EC to cut its farm product export subsidies.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHINA RAISES CROP PRICES TO INCREASE OUTPUT\n","article":"  China has raised the prices it pays\n  farmers for cotton, edible oil, sugar cane and beets to reverse\n  a decline in output in 1986, He Kang, Minister of Agriculture,\n  Animal Husbandry and Fisheries said.\n      The China Daily quoted He as saying China should adopt\n  intensive farming to increase per hectare output and improve\n  crop quality and maintain arable land at 111 mln hectares. He\n  gave no details of the price increases.\n      On grain, He said the state will cut the quota it purchases\n  from farmers by 50 mln tonnes and abolish the practice of\n  purchasing through agents.\n      He said the state will increase investment in agriculture\n  and supplies of fertiliser, diesel oil and other production\n  materials and stabilise fertiliser and diesel oil prices.\n      The state offers cheap fertiliser and diesel oil and\n  payment in advance to farmers who contract to supply grain at a\n  low state-fixed price.\n      He said China aims to produce between 425 and 450 mln\n  tonnes of grain by 1990, up from a target of 405 mln this year\n  and an actual 391 mln last year.\n      He gave no more details.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIA SELLS 180,000 TONNES OF SUGAR TO USSR\n","article":"  Australia sold 180,000 tonnes of raw\n  sugar to the Soviet Union for shipment in the next few weeks,\n  Queensland Primary Industries Minister Neville Harper said.\n      Loading of a 50,000-tonne cargo on the Soviet freighter\n  Nikolay Kuznetsov for shipment to Odessa was completed today at\n  the Lucinda terminal, he said in a statement.\n      The balance will be shipped from Mackay by end-March,\n  Harper said.\n      Australia exported 159,000 tonnes of sugar to the Soviet\n  Union in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"THAI NATURAL RUBBER EXPORTS RISE IN 1986\n","article":"  Thai natural rubber exports rose to\n  763,331 tonnes in 1986 from 689,964 a year earlier, the private\n  Board of Trade said.\n      Japan, the biggest buyer, imported 384,622 tonnes of Thai\n  rubber in 1986, up from 348,855 the previous year, it said.\n      Other major buyers were the U.S. At 86,383 tonnes, up from\n  81,629 in 1985, China 69,952 (60,296) and West Germany 32,172\n  (25,909).\n      Exports to France rose to 20,479 tonnes from 12,143 in\n  1985, Austria 6,048 (4,104), and Italy 4,014 tonnes (1,340).\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN BEEF OUTPUT DECLINES IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Australian beef output declined to\n  104,353 tonnes carcass weight in January from 112,262 in\n  December and 105,715 a year earlier, the Statistics Bureau\n  said.\n      This followed a decline in the cattle slaughter to 472,900\n  head from 509,500 in December and 478,800 in January 1986, the\n  bureau said.\n      But cumulative beef output for the first seven months of\n  fiscal 1986\/87 ending June 30 rose to 838,416 tonnes from\n  746,837 a year earlier following a rise in cattle slaughter to\n  3.84 mln head from 3.40 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GERMAN GOVERNMENT NEEDS SEEN RAISING BOND YIELDS\n","article":"  Increased federal government borrowing\n  needs and a growing unwillingness by foreign investors to buy\n  mark assets could push yields in German public authority bonds\n  higher this year, bond market sources say.\n      \"At the moment we have a sideways movement in the short-term\n  rates. But how rates move in the long end will depend strongly\n  on foreigners,\" one portfolio manager for a large securities\n  investment house in Frankfurt said.\n      The sources also said the government had already stepped up\n  its borrowing programme in anticipation on increased needs.\n      Friday's loan stock was the third this year already, the\n  sources noted. It carried a 10-year maturity, a coupon of six\n  pct and price of 100-1\/4 to yield 5.97 pct at issue.\n      This compared with the last issue which had a 5-3\/4 pct\n  coupon priced at 99-3\/4 pct for a yield of 5.75 pct.\n      But dealers said the terms were not enough to attract\n  foreign investors, and the federal government would have to\n  push yields higher in future if it wanted to borrow again soon.\n      Sources noted federal government issues had also increased\n  in size, with the introduction of a four billion mark volume\n  only starting last May.\n      One finance ministry economist said \"It isn't more. It's\n  just the size (of each bond) which has increased.\" He added\n  conditions in the capital market currently remained fairly\n  favourable for raising new debt.\n      Until recently, federal issues sold very strongly abroad,\n  with up to 90 pct of some being placed with foreign investors.\n      With the recent stabilisation of the U.S. Dollar, however,\n  foreign investors have begun to back away from the market, as\n  hopes of further currency gains in marks diminish.\n      Sources said the government has may have already stepped up\n  its borrowing, having raised more than 18 billion marks.\n      The government made net borrowings of 23 billion marks in\n  1986. But Bundesbank statistics showed that net borrowing\n  through bonds was 26.6 billion.\n      The sources said this indicated a move by the government\n  out of other types of debt to gain access to foreign funds\n  through the more acceptable loan stock form.\n      Although new credit needs were partly inflated by a large\n  amount of issues maturing recently, other factors, including\n  the government's tax reduction program, would also reduce\n  income next year. \"The problem here will be the tax reform,\" the\n  portfolio manager said.\n      He added that the government's cut in its top income tax\n  rate to 53 pct from 56 pct in 1988 would make it difficult for\n  the government to reduce borrowings.\n      The sources said the government would fall far short of\n  covering all of its 40 billion marks in lost revenue from the\n  tax reform by making expenditure cuts and would be forced to\n  fall back on debt markets in one form or the other.\n      The portfolio manager noted that besides the three federal\n  government loan stocks so far this year, it has also fallen\n  back twice to raise a total 6.43 billion marks through the\n  issue of fixed-rate medium-term \"Kassenobligation\" notes.\n      A finance ministry economist said the government did not\n  expect to have any trouble keeping to its plan to borrow only a\n  net 22.3 billion marks this year.\n      Though many sources agreed, they added that the trend would\n  probably not continue next year as the further tax cuts come\n  into effect.\n      \"I would expect the efforts for a further tax reform would\n  mean government borrowing will increase,\" the manager said.\n      Bond prices last week were slightly firmer on balance, with\n  the Bundesbank's public authority bond yield calculation\n  falling to 5.64 pct on Friday from 5.66 a week earlier.\n      But sources said foreign demand for the new federal\n  government loan stock was slack, as sentiment grows that the\n  dollar may now rise against the mark.\n      \"The demand wasn't so good,\" a dealer for a German bank in\n  London said.\n      The dollar's recent slight appreciation against the mark\n  even meant that foreign investors have sold mark bonds\n  recently, some dealers said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SHV SAYS IT MAKING TENDER OFFER FOR UP TO 33 MLN SHARES IN IC GAS\n","article":"\n  SHV SAYS IT MAKING TENDER OFFER FOR UP TO 33 MLN SHARES IN IC GAS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"USSR TO CUT COAL PRICE FOR JAPANESE STEELMILLS\n","article":"  The Soviet Union has agreed to cut its\n  coking coal export prices to Japanese steel mills by about five\n  dlrs a tonne in 1987\/88 starting April 1 in exchange for an\n  increase in export volume, industry sources said.\n      The prices were set at 44 dlrs a tonne for Neryungrinsky\n  coal and at 43.80 dlrs for Kuznetsky coal, fob.\n      Japan will import a total of 4.9 mln tonnes from both\n  areas, up from 4.2 mln a year earlier, they said.\n      The steelmakers had asked Moscow to agree to a cutback to\n  3.7 mln tonnes in 1987\/88, but the Soviet Union urged Japan to\n  increase the amount to 6.5 mln, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PLACER PACIFIC HOPES FOR MISIMA GOLD APPROVAL SOON\n","article":"  <Placer Pacific Ltd> said it hopes the\n  Papua New Guinea government will approve development of the\n  Misima gold project next month, following the submission of its\n  final environmental plan in Port Moresby today.\n      This completes the major documentation required to gain\n  official approval to proceed, Placer said in a statement.\n      Placer has estimated the epithermal deposit, located on the\n  eastern half of Misima Island off the southeastern coast of\n  Papua New Guinea, contains proven and probable reserves of 62.1\n  mln tonnes grading 1.35 grams\/tonne gold and 20 grams\/tonne\n  silver, and exploration is continuing.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANGLADESH TRADE DEFICIT NARROWS IN OCTOBER 1986\n","article":"  The Bangladesh trade deficit narrowed to\n  1.91 billion Taka in October from 5.64 billion in September and\n  2.43 billion in October 1985, the Central Bank said.\n      Imports dropped to 4.31 billion Taka in October from 8.22\n  billion in September and 4.72 billion in October 1985.\n      Exports totalled 2.4 billion Taka in October, as against\n  2.58 billion in September and 2.29 billion in October 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CHEUNG KONG (HOLDINGS) LTD <CKGH.HK> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Shr 3.25 H.K. Dlrs vs 1.40\n      Final div 52 cents vs 38, making 75 cents vs 57\n      Net 1.28 billion dlrs vs 551.7 mln\n      Note - Earnings excluded extraordinary gains of 983.6 mln\n  dlrs vs 81.3 mln. Bonus issue one-for-four vs nil. Share split\n  four-for-one. Dividend payable June 3, books close May 11-21.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SWISS INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT RISES IN FOURTH QQUARTER\n","article":"  Swiss industrial output rose nine pct in\n  the fourth quarter last year after a four pct third quarter\n  decline, and was up three pct from the final three months of\n  1985, the Federal Office of Industry, Trade and Labour said.\n      For the full year 1986 the index, base 1963, stood at 166\n  after up four pct from the 159 recorded the previous year.\n      Incoming orders gained four pct in the quarter after a five\n  pct third quarter fall and were up one pct from the year\n  earlier level. In the full year they gained one pct. The order\n  backlog fell eight pct, the third straight quarterly decline\n  and ended three pct under the year earlier level.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ASIAN DOLLAR ASSETS EXCEED 200 BILLION DLRS\n","article":"  The Asian dollar market continued to\n  expand in December with total assets and liabilities rising to\n  200.60 billion U.S. Dlrs from 188.54 billion in November and\n  155.37 billion in December 1985, the Monetary Authority of\n  Singapore said.\n      It said the increase came mainly from interbank activity,\n  with interbank lending rising to 146.61 billion dlrs in\n  December from 134.76 billion in November and 104.93 billion in\n  December 1985.\n      Interbank deposits increased to 158.52 billion dlrs against\n  147.95 billion and 120.03 billion, respectively.\n      Loans to non-bank customers increased in December to 38.74\n  billion dlrs from 38.64 billion in November and 37.44 billion\n  in December 1985.\n      Deposits by non-bank customers rose to 33.81 billion dlrs\n  against 33.60 billion and 28.02 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SINGAPORE M-1 MONEY SUPPLY UP 3.7 PCT IN DECEMBER\n","article":"  Singapore's M-1 money supply rose 3.7\n  pct during December to 9.82 billion dlrs, after a 2.0 pct\n  increase in November, the Monetary authority of Singapore (MAS)\n  said.\n      M-1 growth for calendar 1986 was 11.8 pct compared with 4.0\n  pct growth over the year ending in November.\n      MAS said in its latest monthly statistical bulletin the\n  December increase was largely due to seasonal year-end demand.\n      The demand deposit component of M-1 increased to 4.79\n  billion dlrs in December from 4.62 billion in November and 4.05\n  billion in December 1985.\n      Currency in active circulation rose to 5.03 billion dlrs in\n  December from 4.85 billion in November and 4.74 billion a year\n  earlier.\n      Broadly-based M-2 money supply rose 1.6 pct to 30.95\n  billion dlrs during December after a 1.7 pct rise in November,\n  bringing year-on-year growth to 10.0 pct for the year ending in\n  December against 10.2 pct for the year ending in November.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHINESE INDUSTRIAL GROWTH RATE UP AFTER WEAK 1986\n","article":"  The value of China's industrial output in\n  January and February this year was 14.1 pct higher than in the\n  same 1986 period, the New China News Agency said.\n      Output increased by 5.6 pct from January 1985 to January\n  1986 and 0.9 pct from February 1985 to 1986.\n      The agency said the most recent increase was largely due to\n  last year's poor performance. \"No significant improvement was\n  made in economic results,\" it said, adding that some successes\n  were reported in readjusting the industrial product mix in the\n  last quarter of 1986.\n      The agency said the amount of tied up working capital rose\n  and sizeable funds were occupied by unsaleable goods in 1986.\n      It quoted unnamed economists as saying they expect 1987\n  industrial production to increase at a proper rate and with\n  better results, due to a cost-efficiency drive underway\n  throughout the country. It gave no more details.\n      The official industrial growth target this year is seven\n  pct, down from an actual 9.2 pct last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NEW DUTCH ADVANCES TOTAL 6.5 BILLION GUILDERS\n","article":"  The Dutch central bank said it has\n  accepted bids totalling 6.5 billion guilders at tender for new\n  eleven-day special advances at 5.3 pct covering the period\n  March 9 to 20 aimed at relieving money market tightness.\n      Subscriptions to 500 mln guilders were met in full, amounts\n  above 500 mln at 35 pct.\n      The new facility replaces old seven-day advances worth 4.8\n  billion guilders at the same rate.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IRAN SELLING DISCOUNTED CRUDE, JAPAN TRADERS SAY\n","article":"  Japanese customers have bought nearly six\n  mln barrels of crude oil from the National Iranian Oil Company\n  (NIOC) at a substantial discount to the official price, and\n  Western traders have received even larger discounts, Japanese\n  traders involved in the transactions told Reuters.\n      NIOC has sold its crude for March shipment to Japanese\n  customers with different formulas. One company has bought\n  800,000 barrels of Iranian Heavy at a straight discount of\n  30-35 cents below the official price, the sources said.\n      Other deals have been fixed with prices linked to Oman and\n  Dubai spot prices less a discount, they said.\n  \n      Iran's discounted sales have not, however, managed to\n  reverse the bullish tone in the crude oil and products spot\n  markets, oil traders said.\n      Market sentiment is being influenced more by the colder\n  weather in Europe, and reports that OPEC's February output was\n  below its self-imposed quota of 15.8 mln barrels per day.\n      Firmer gas oil on the London futures, and more bullish\n  sentiment on the New York Mercantile Exchange futures market\n  are supporting spot price levels, they said.\n  \n      Another Japanese trading house has paid the official price\n  but through a processing arrangement will effectively receive a\n  discount, the sources said. \"It's just disguised cheating,\" one\n  Japanese trader said.\n      The sources said only one Japanese company had paid the\n  official price for Iranian oil. It has purchased 1.5 mln\n  barrels of Iranian Heavy for April shipment for refining in\n  Singapore. They said about nine VLCCs of Iranian crude have\n  been sold to Western traders with pricing based 60 pct on the\n  official price and 40 pct on spot prices, or with part of the\n  price related to processing arrangements.\n  \n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ICI SELLS STAKE IN LISTER AND CO\n","article":"  Imperial Chemical Industries Plc <ICI.L>\n  said it had today placed its 19.4 pct stake in Lister and Co\n  Plc with L Messel and Co and that it had now been placed widely\n  among institutions.\n      Lister is a manufacturer, dyer and finisher of cotton, silk\n  wool and man-made fibres.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ASSETS OF MONEY MARKET MUTUAL FUNDS ROSE 720.4 MLN DLRS IN LATEST WEEK\n","article":"\n  ASSETS OF MONEY MARKET MUTUAL FUNDS ROSE 720.4 MLN DLRS IN LATEST WEEK\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET SHORTAGE FORECAST AT 250 MLN STG\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it forecast a\n  shortage of around 250 mln stg in the money market today.\n      Among the factors affecting liquidity, it said bills\n  maturing in official hands and the treasury bill take-up would\n  drain around 1.02 billion stg while below target bankers'\n  balances would take out a further 140 mln.\n      Against this, a fall in the note circulation would add 345\n  mln stg and the net effect of exchequer transactions would be\n  an inflow of some 545 mln stg, the Bank added.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BANK OF FRANCE SETS MONEY MARKET TENDER\n","article":"  The Bank of France said it invited offers\n  of first category paper today for a money market intervention\n  tender.\n      Money market dealers said conditions seemed right for the\n  Bank to cut its intervention rate at the tender by a quarter\n  percentage point to 7-3\/4 pct from eight, reflecting an easing\n  in call money rate last week, and the French franc's steadiness\n  on foreign exchange markets since the February 22 currency\n  stabilisation accord here by the Group of Five and Canada.\n      Intervention rate was last raised to eight pct from 7-1\/4\n  on January 2. Call money today was quoted at 7-11\/16 7-3\/4 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"AMOCO REPORTS SOUTH CHINA SEA OIL FIND\n","article":"  The U.S. <Amoco Petroleum Corp> has\n  reported an offshore oil find at its Pearl River basin\n  concession in the South China Sea, the New China News Agency\n  said.\n      It said the Liu Hua 11-1-1 A well produced at around 2,240\n  barrels per day at a depth of 305 metres.\n      The news agency said Amoco plans to drill a second well in\n  the area this year, but gave no further details.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL WESTMINSTER BANK SAYS IT CUTTING BASE LENDING RATE TO 10.5 PCT FROM 11 PCT.\n","article":"\n  NATIONAL WESTMINSTER BANK SAYS IT CUTTING BASE LENDING RATE TO 10.5 PCT FROM 11 PCT.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL WESTMINSTER BANK CUTS BASE RATE\n","article":"  National Westminster Bank Plc said it has\n  cut its base lending rate  0.5 percentage points to 10.5 pct\n  today.\n      National Westminster said that it was responding to general\n  easing in money market rates.\n      Its move followed a signal from the Bank of England earlier\n  this afternoon that it would endorse a half point cut in the\n  base rate, a surprise move following its strong signals last\n  week that such a move would be premature.\n      However, since then the pound has continued to gain\n  strongly.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. FACILITIES <USRE> SEMI-ANNUAL DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Semi-annual dividend 4 cts\n      Pay May 29\n      Record April 14\n  Note: full name is U.S. Facilities Corp. This is first dividend\n  declared since company completed its initial public offering on\n  November 7.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"STANDARD PACIFIC <SPF> ACQUIRES SOUTH BAY S\/L\n","article":"  Standard Pacific LP said it\n  has acquired substantially all of the assets and liabilities of\n  South Bay Savings and Loan Association of Newport Beach.\n      The firm said over the weekend that it will conduct its\n  savings and loan activities through Standard Pacific Savings\n  FA, a Federal stock association.\n      On Friday, the Federal Home Loan Bank Board in Washington\n  said it approved the acquisition of South Bay S and L, a 62.5\n  mln dlr state-chartered stock association, by Standard Pacific,\n  which has 312.8 mln dlrs in assets.\n      The Bank Board said that the Federal Savings and Loan\n  Insurance Corp will make a cash contribution, provide capital\n  loss coverage and indemnify Standard Pacific against\n  undisclosed liabilities.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. TO ALLOW TEMPORARY IMPORTS OF S.A. URANIUM\n","article":"  The Treasury Department said it would\n  temporarily permit imports of South African uranium ore and\n  oxide pending clarification of anti-apartheid sanctions laws\n  passed by Congress last fall.\n      The decision was announced late Friday. It applies, until\n  July 1, to uranium ore and oxide imported into the U.S. for\n  processing and re-export to third countries.\n      The Treasury said it took the action because it felt that\n  when Congress passed the comprehensive South African sanctions\n  bill last fall over President Reagan's veto it had not intended\n  to hurt U.S. industry.\n      In addition, the Treasury said it would permit U.S.-made\n  goods to be imported temporarily from South African\n  state-controlled organizations for repair or servicing.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PIEDMONT <PIE> AGREES TO USAIR <U> BUYOUT\n","article":"  USAir Group Inc said Piedmont Aviation\n  Inc has agreed to be acquired for 69 dlrs per share.\n      The company, in a newspaper advertisement, said it has\n  started a tender offer for all Piedmont shares at that price,\n  and the Piedmont board, with two directors absent, has\n  unanimously approved the bid.  The offer and withdrawal rights\n  are to expire April Three unless extended, and the bid is to be\n  followed by a merger at the same price.\n      USAir said Piedmont has granted it an irrevocable option to\n  buy up to 3,491,030 new shares under certain circumstances.\n  Piedmont now has about 18.6 mln shares outstanding.\n      USAir said the tender is conditioned on receipt of enough\n  shares to give USAir at least a 50.1 pct interest in Piedmont\n  on a fully diluted basis and approval by the U.S. Department of\n  Transportation of a voting trust agreement permitting USAir to\n  buy and hold shares pending review of its application to gain\n  control of Piedmont.\n      The company said its merger agreement with Piedmont\n  provides that the offer is not to be amended without Piedmont's\n  prior written consent in any way that would be adverse to\n  Piedmont shareholders, but it said it could cut the number of\n  shares to be bought without Piedmont's consent.\n      USAir said it could reduce the number of Piedmont shares to\n  be purchased in the offer to no less than the minimum number\n  needed to cause the voting trust condition of the bid to be\n  satisfied.\n      In that case, it said if more than that minimum number of\n  shares were tendered, it would buy shares on a pro rata basis.\n      In February USAir had offered to pay 71 dlrs per share in\n  cash for 50 pct of Piedmont's stock and 1.55 to 1.90 USAir\n  shares for each remaining Piedmont share.\n      Last week, Carl C. Icahn-controlled Trans World Airlines\n  Inc <TWA> made a conditional offer to acquire USAir for 52 dlrs\n  per share, a bid that was rejected by the USAir board.\n      The Transportation Department on Friday rejected TWA's\n  application to acquire USAir on the grounds that the\n  application failed to comply with department regulations by\n  omitting necessary information.  TWA said it would refile\n  today, providing the information needed.\n      On Friday TWA said it had already acquired four mln shares\n  or 15 pct of USAir.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"API REPORTS SHARP FALL IN DRILLINGS\n","article":"  Estimated oil and gas drilling\n  completions in the United States dropped by almost 41 per cent\n  in 1986 from 1985, the American Petroleum Institute said.\n      API, an industry group, said that of the 42,387 wells\n  completed last year, a total of 19,741 were oil wells, 8,645\n  were natural gas wells and 14,001 were dry holes.\n      In 1985, a total of 71,539 wells were drilled - 36,834 oil\n  wells, 13,036 gas wells and 21,669 dry holes.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.K. CREDIT BUSINESS FALLS IN JANUARY\n","article":"  New credit advanced by finance houses,\n  retailers, bank credit cards and other specialist providers of\n  credit slipped to 2.66 billion stg in January from 2.78 billion\n  in December - but remained close to the average level for\n  1986's fourth quarter, the Department of Trade and Industry\n  said.\n      Of the January total, 1.15 billion stg was advanced on bank\n  credit cards.\n      On a three-month basis, total advances in November to\n  January were 3.0 pct lower than in the previous three months.\n  Within this total, lending to consumers fell by 6.0 pct and\n  lending to businesses declined by 5.0 pct.\n      At end-January 1987, the total amount outstanding was 24.07\n  billion stg, up from December's 23.77 billion stg and 3.0 pct\n  above the total three months earlier, the department said.\n      January saw a rise of 300 mln stg in amounts outstanding to\n  finance houses, other specialist credit grantors and retailers.\n      The department said advances on credit cards rose by 1.0\n  pct between the latest two three-month periods. Retailers\n  advanced 3.0 pct less in the latest three months than in the\n  previous three months, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BRAZILIAN SEAFARERS' STRIKE DAMAGES OIL EXPORTS\n","article":"  A strike by Brazil's 40,000 seafarers\n  who want pay rises of up to 180 pct may have cost the\n  state-owned oil company Petrobras 20 mln dlrs in lost export\n  orders, the company's commercial director Arthur de Carvalho\n  was quoted as saying in press reports.\n      More than 170 ships in Brazil, and about nine more in\n  foreign ports, have been halted by the strike, which began on\n  February 27.\n      Marines began blockading the ships on Friday after the\n  strike was ruled illegal, and some strikers are running short\n  of food, National Merchants Marine Union president Edson Areias\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"OECD TRADE, GROWTH SEEN SLOWING IN 1987\n","article":"  The 24 nations of the Organisation for\n  Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), hampered by\n  sluggish industrial output and trade, face slower economic\n  growth, and their joint balance of payments will swing into\n  deficit in 1987, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU ) said.\n      The EIU said in its World Trade Forecast it revised OECD\n  economic growth downwards to 2.5 pct this year, compared with a\n  2.8 pct growth forecast in December.\n      It said the new areas of weakness are West Germany and the\n  smaller European countries it influences, and Japan, hardest\n  hit by currency appreciation this year.\n      The independent research organisation cut its 1987 growth\n  rate forecasts for West Germany to 2.2 pct from 3.2 pct in\n  December and to 2.3 pct from three pct for Japan.\n      It said it expected the OECD to post a current account\n  deficit of some 13 billion dlrs in both 1987 and 1988, due in\n  large part to a 1.50 dlrs a barrel rise in 1987 oil prices.\n      It said the U.S. Current account deficit looked likely to\n  fall even more slowly than forecast, to 125 billion dlrs in\n  1987 and 115 billion in 1988 from 130 billion in 1986.\n      It said it expected West Germany to post a 31 billion dlr\n  payments surplus and Japan a 76 billion dlr surplus this year.\n      The EIU said it saw oil prices dropping to around 16.50\n  dlrs a barrel by end-1987 and 15.50 dlrs in 1988 from about 18\n  dlrs last year, as adherence to OPEC output policy becomes\n  increasingly ragged.\n      It said the dollar is poised to resume its decline in\n  foreign exchange markets, and will lose a further 13 pct on its\n  trade-weighted index this year and five pct in 1988 after last\n  year's 18.4 pct drop. The average mark\/dollar rate is put at\n  1.80 marks this year and 1.70 in 1988 while the yen\/dollar rate\n  is expected to break through the 150 yen barrier with an\n  average value of 150 yen in 1987 and 146 yen in 1988, it said.\n      \"This is not a crash scenario but the dollar's steeper\n  angle of descent increases the risk of ending with a fireball\n  rather than a three-point landing,\" the EIU said.\n      \"Talking will not stop the dollar's slide for long and the\n  February meeting (of finance ministers of the Group of Five and\n  Canada) produced scant promise of either a decisive shift to\n  more expansive policies in West Germany and Japan, or a tighter\n  U.S. Fsical policy,\" it said.\n      It said the key to the dollar's fortunes was the\n  willingness of Japanese institutions to buy U.S. Government\n  assets despite prospects of sustaining a currency loss.\n      \"Thus far they have been willing,\" the EIC said, adding\n  that if Japan was deterred from buying U.S. bonds the dollar\n  would collapse.\n      To contain such a currency crisis, dollar interest rates\n  would have to soar, bringing recession and a Third World debt\n  crisis, it said.\n      On trade, the EIU said prospects for 1987 look\n  \"increasingly sick.\"\n      Import growth, forecast in December at 4.5 pct, is now seen\n  slowing down to around 3.8 pct in 1987 with a recovery only to\n  4.2 pct in 1988, it said.\n      The weakness of the West German economy is the biggest\n  single factor, with import growth there expected to feature a\n  sluggish 3.5 pct growth in 1987 against the 6.5 pct forecast in\n  December, the EIU said.\n      On the export side, it said it saw weak demand in West\n  Germany affecting export prospects elsewhere in Europe, while\n  Japan's exports in 1987 would remain flat and sales by U.S.\n  Exporters would respond only marginally to a lower, more\n  competitively-priced dollar.\n      It said in most of Europe and in Japan, raw materials and\n  oil will cost less in domestic currency in 1987 than in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WALLENBERGS FIGHT BID FOR SWEDISH MATCH STAKE\n","article":"  Sweden's Wallenberg group fought back\n  a bid by the London-based Swedish financier Erik Penser to\n  secure a large stake in Swedish Match <SMBS ST>, one of the\n  companies at the core of their business empire.\n      A statement issued by the Wallenberg holding companies AB\n  Investor and Forvaltnings AB Providentia said they had taken\n  over an option held by Nobel Industrier Sweden AB to acquire 33\n  pct of the voting rights in Swedish Match.\n      Thre Wallenbergs paid Nobel Industrier <NOBL ST>, in which\n  Penser group has a 72 pct stake, about 20 pct over the market\n  price for the Swedish Match option, the statement said.\n      Swedish Match's B shares open to foreign buyers closed at\n  424 crowns on Friday. The A shares -- with increased voting\n  rights -- closed at 450 crowns for the restricted and 455 for\n  the free shares.\n      The statement said the deal increased Investor's stake to\n  49.4 pct of the voting rights and 14.8 pct of the share capital\n  while Providentia is left holding 34.1 pct of the voting rights\n  and 14.5 pct of the share capital in Swedish Match.\n      The Wallenbergs' stake in Swedish Match had previously\n  amounted to 52 pct of the voting rights in the company.\n      The Swedish Match deal will cost the Wallenbergs about 400\n  mln crowns, share analysts said, making it one of the most\n  expensise moves the group has undertaken in the last four years\n  to defend its far-flung interests from outside predators.\n      The Wallenbergs originally sold Nobel Industrier, an arms\n  and chemicals group, to Penser in 1984 to pay for buying Volvo\n  <VOLV ST> out of two other key group companies, Atlas Copco\n  <ASTS ST> and Stora Koppabergs <SKPS ST>.\n      Since then, the Wallenbergs were ousted as the largest\n  shareholders in SKF (SKFR ST> by Skanska AB <SKBS ST> and\n  Frederik Lundberg wrested control of Incentive AB from them.\n      Lundberg, a Zurich-based Swedish property tycoon, also\n  managed to acquire a 25 pct stake in another Wallenberg\n  company, the diary equipment firm Alfa -Laval AB <ALFS ST>.\n      During 1986, the Wallenbergs have been concentrating on\n  building up their stake in Investor and Providentia to prevent\n  any raid on the heart of their business empire.\n      But analysts say the Wallenbergs' position in the\n  electrical engineering firm ASEA AB <ASEA ST> is also too small\n  at 12.6 pct of the voting rights and there has been growing\n  speculation that the group will be forced to sell off fringe\n  interests to protect its core activities.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"POEHL SAYS FURTHER RATE CUT POSSIBLE - SOURCES\n","article":"  Bundesbank president Karl Otto Poehl\n  told a closed investment symposium that West Germany could cut\n  leading interest rates again if the United States makes a\n  similar move, banking sources said.\n      The sources were reporting Poehl's remarks at a symposium\n  in Duesseldorf last week organised by Deutsche Bank Ag. Press\n  representatives were not invited.\n      The sources, speaking separately, said Poehl told about 200\n  bankers in reply to questions that a cut in U.S. Interest rates\n  would give room for a matching measure in Germany.\n      \"It was a definite hint at lower German interest rates,\" said\n  one banker who attended the symposium.\n      A Bundesbank spokesman said the central bank would have no\n  comment on the reported remarks, made at the private meeting.\n      But, according to a second source, who also declined to be\n  identified, Poehl's comments were seen by bankers present as a\n  direct pointer to further moves by the central bank to defend\n  German industry from an additional revaluation of the mark.\n      \"He said if the Americans drop their interest rates then the\n  Bundesbank would also drop them. He said that quite clearly,\"\n  the second source said.\n      In reply to questions, Poehl also said the half-point cut\n  in the discount and Lombard rates on January 22 came after the\n  U.S. Had signalled it would be prepared to attend a meeting to\n  discuss the level of the dollar on condition Germany made such\n  a move in advance, the sources said.\n      Asked if American authorities could have been persuaded, by\n  cuts in German rates, to come to the bargaining table as early\n  as last September, one of the sources quoted Poehl as saying,\n  \"No, they wouldn't have been. We checked that.\"\n      The Paris meeting of the Group of Six industrial nations\n  took place exactly one month after the German cut in rates.\n      Poehl emphasised in his comments the very close talks\n  between central banks before and after the G-6 meeting, saying\n  that financial markets had not fully realised the significance\n  of the Paris session and the U.S. Agreement to stem further\n  falls in the value of the dollar, the sources said.\n      For the first time all participants at the summit agreed\n  that a further fall in the dollar would be harmful for all\n  world economies, including the U.S., Poehl had said.\n      The sources said the tone of Poehl's comments boosted\n  growing sentiment that the dollar would be stabilised around\n  current levels by international central bank cooperation.\n      One source said Poehl's remarks also underlined the fact\n  that the Bundesbank was now more prepared to be accommodative\n  in monetary policy in order to prevent a further slowdown in\n  West Germany's economic growth.\n      Poehl and other Bundesbank officials have in the past\n  stressed that the German central bank had no direct\n  responsibility for growth and was solely concerned with\n  combatting inflation.\n      This led, for instance, to the introduction of a tighter\n  monetary stance from the beginning of December until the\n  half-point cut in rates in late January.\n      The sources quoted Poehl as saying that the current\n  overshooting of the German monetary target would not directly\n  respark inflation. The Bundesbank was not obliged to react\n  immediately whenever such overshooting occurs.\n      Latest data for central bank money stock, the Bundesbank's\n  main measure of money supply, showed the measure was growing at\n  7-1\/2 pct in January, outside its three to six pct 1987 target.\n      Share prices rose in very active trading today, with\n  dealers reporting that Poehl's remarks, coupled with a bullish\n  outlook on stock prices from Deutsche at the same symposium,\n  brought in strong bargain hunting at current low levels.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"SOSNOFF STARTS BID FOR CAESARS WORLD <CAW>\n","article":"  <MTS Acquisition Corp>, a company\n  formed by Martin T. Sosnoff, said it has started a tender offer\n  for all shares of Caesars World Inc at 28 dlrs each.\n      In a newspaper advertisement, MTS said the offer and\n  withdrawal rights expire April Three unless extended.\n      Sosnoff, a New York investor, already owns about four mln\n  of Caesars' 30.3 mln shares outstanding, or about 13.3 pct, and\n  is Caesars' largest shareholder.  Caesars owns casino hotels in\n  Nevada and honeymoon resorts in Pennsylvania's Pocono\n  Mountains.  It also controls Caesars New Jersey Inc <CJN>,\n  which owns an Atlantic City, N.J., casino hotel.\n      For the second quarter ended January 31, Caesars World\n  earned 12.6 mln dlrs on revenues of 190.4 mln dlrs, up from\n  earnings of 7,500,000 dlrs and revenues of 163.8 mln dlrs a\n  year before.  For all of fiscal 1986, the company earned 41.0\n  mln dlrs on revenues of 694.4 mln dlrs.\n      MTS said the offer is conditioned on receipt of at least\n  enough shares to give Sosnoff a majority interest on a fully\n  diluted basis, the arrangement of sufficient financing to buy\n  all Caesars shares not already owned and pay related costs and\n  approval by the New Jersey Casino control Commission and the\n  NEvada Gaming Commission and State Gaming Control Board.\n      MTS said Marine Midland Banks Inc <MM> has committed to\n  lend it 100 mln dlrs for the acquisition and use its best\n  efforts to syndicate another 400 mln dlrs in senior financing\n  for the transaction.\n      It said its financial adviser, PaineWebber Group Inc <PWJ>,\n  has stated in writing that subject to market conditions, it is\n  highly confident that it can arrange commitments for up to 475\n  mln dlrs in \"mezzanine\" financing.\n      MTS said it does not expect problems in obtaining New\n  Jersey and Nevada regulatory approval for the acquisition,\n  since ownership in a Caesars stake has already been cleared.\n      In June 1986, Sosnoff requested a seat on the Caesars World\n  board, a request that has not yet been granted.  In September\n  1986, Sosnoff, who is chairman of <Atalanta\/Sosnoff Capital\n  Corp>, filed for clearance under U.S. antitrust laws to raise\n  his interest in Caesars World to 25 pct.\n      Sosnoff said, in a letter to Caesars World chairman and\n  chief executive officer Henry Gluck, that \"The decision to go\n  directly to the shareholders was made at the urging of may\n  financial and legal advisors, who repeatedly stressed to me the\n  lack of responsiveness of the management in the past.\"\n      Sosnoff, who said he has made numerous efforts to express\n  his views to management on ways of maximizing shareholder\n  values, said Caesars twicce refused his request for a board\n  seat.  \"My advisers felt that, had I given you advance notice,\n  you would have used the time to throw up obstacles to my offer\n  rather than giving it serious consideration,\" he said.\n      Sosnoff said he hopes that Caesars World management will be\n  willing to negotiate an acquisition agreement with him.\n      \"As I have indicated publicly in the past, I believe\n  operating management of the company has performed well and that\n  appropriate consideration should be given to a significant\n  equity interest for them in the company following the\n  acquisition,\" Sosnoff said in the letter to Gluck.\n      MTS said Sosnoff has asked the company to fix March 27 as\n  the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled\n  to authorize action without a meeting -- including the election\n  or removal of directors.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DUTCH PLANNING AGENCY FORECASTS LOWER GROWTH\n","article":"  Dutch economic growth is slowing as a\n  firming guilder cuts competitiveness abroad and industries\n  reduce the pace of investment, the Dutch official planning\n  agency CPB said.\n      The Centraal Planbureau, publishing its 1987 economic\n  outlook, said Dutch Net National Income (NNI) was expected to\n  grow by one pct this year, down from two pct growth recorded in\n  1986 and 2.5 pct in 1985 and 1984.\n      Dutch Gross National Product is expected to rise to 432.20\n  billion guilders in 1987 in constant prices, a two pct increase\n  from last year's 423.95 billion.\n      The CPB, forecasting an 8.5 pct increase in the value of\n  the guilder on a trade-weighted basis compared with 10.0 pct\n  last year, said the dollar was expected to trade at an average\n  of 2.0 guilders in 1987 compared with 2.45 guilders in 1986.\n      \"The higher guilder is causing a substantial fall in unit\n  labour costs abroad, when measured in guilder terms, while\n  these are rising slightly in the Netherlands,\" the CPB said.\n      More of economic growth now depended on domestic\n  consumption, the CPB said, but noting that higher margins set\n  by domestic producers and importers mitigated the effect on\n  purchasing power of lower import costs and deflation.\n      Consumer prices were set to fall by 1.5 pct this year, the\n  CPB said. Inflation was zero last year.\n      Gross investment in industry was expected to grow by five\n  pct this year, a slowdown compared with 11.5 pct growth last\n  year, the CPB said.\n      Exchange rate and oil price fluctuations will continue to\n  condition the Dutch economy in the future as it has in recent\n  years, the CPB said, noting a continued depressing impact of\n  these factors on Dutch competitiveness.\n      In addition, it noted a slight rise in taxation and social\n  security costs to employers.\n      The CPB, forecasting a rise in the budget deficit to 7.2\n  pct of Net National Income in 1987 from 6.3 pct last year,\n  urged the government to cut expenditure further to bring down\n  the deficit and reduce tax and social security payments in\n  future.\n      Dutch government revenue is being depressed further by\n  falling income from natural gas sales in 1987, the CPB said.\n      It said unemployment was expected to fall to 675,000 this\n  year from 710,000 last year.\n      While the two pct GDP growth forecast set by the CPB is\n  within its latest forecast, issued last month, of 1.5 to two\n  pct growth, the figure is well above recent market estimates.\n      Dutch merchant bank Pierson, Heldring en Pierson said in\n  its February economic outlook that GDP growth at constant\n  prices was expected to be 1.1 pct this year and market analysts\n  had expected the CPB's final forecast to be below its own\n  latest estimate.\n      \"It is too early to comment because I haven't seen the whole\n  document yet, but it would seem we are more pessimistic in some\n  of our estimates,\" a Pierson economist said.\n      The CPB forecast 2.5 pct export growth in volume terms in\n  1987, after four pct growth last year. Excluding energy\n  exports, the 1987 figure would be two pct, it said.\n      Imports were set to rise by 4.5 pct this year compared with\n  four pct in 1986 in volume terms, the CPB said.\n      The balance of payments would see a sharp decline in the\n  surplus, to six billion guilders in 1987 compared with 12.1\n  billion last year, the CPB forecast.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRUMP MAKES BID FOR CONTROL OF RESORTS <RTB>\n","article":"  Casino owner and real estate developer\n  Donald Trump has offered to acquire all Class B common shares\n  of Resorts International Inc, a spokesman for Trump said.\n      The estate of late Resorts chairman James M. Crosby owns\n  340,783 of the 752,297 Class B shares.\n      Resorts also has about 6,432,000 Class A common shares\n  outstanding. Each Class B share has 100 times the voting power\n  of a Class A share, giving the Class B stock about 93 pct of\n  Resorts' voting power.\n   More\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"IOMEGA <IOMG> SETS MANAGEMENT, LABOR LAYOFFS\n","article":"  Iomega Corp said it has laid off over\n  a quarter of its professional and management staff and nearly\n  half of its direct labor force as part of a restructuring and\n  downsizing of its business.\n      The company also said it will receive a qualified opinion\n  from the auditors of it 1986 financial statement subject to the\n  outcome of two suits. The company is a defendant in a\n  consolidated class action law suit which seeks damages in an\n  unspecified amount and is also a defendant in a related\n  shareholder action.\n      Iomega said the auditors state in their opinion letter that\n  both actions are in the early stages of discovery and the\n  likely outcome can not be determined at this time.\n      The company said a corporate wide reduction of its\n  professional, management and indirect labor will result in the\n  permanent elimination of 183 positions in all functional areas\n  of the company's business. This represents over 25 pct of\n  professional, management and indirect employees, it added.\n      In addition, Iomega announced layoff of about 182\n  employees, principally from its manufacturing direct labor\n  force. Those affected represent about 46 pct of direct labor.\n      Commenting on the layoffs, Iomega said those from among the\n  direct labor force affects personnel building the Alpha Eight\n  Inch Disk Drive and Bernoulli Boxes.\n      \"This action is required as we bring our finished goods\n  inventory and inventory in our distribution channels down to\n  acceptable levels,\" it explained.\n      The company stated this layoff does not affect the\n  production of its new 5-1\/4 inch Beta 20 product which is\n  currently being built to a backlog of orders.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL SEAMEN CONTINUE STRIKE DESPITE COURT\n","article":"  Hundreds of marines were on alert\n  at 11 key Brazilian ports after 40,000 seamen decided to remain\n  on indefinite strike, even after the Higher Labour Court\n  Saturday ruled it illegal, union leaders said.\n      The halt, the first national strike by seamen in 25 years,\n  started on February 27, and union leaders said they would not\n  return to work unless they got a 275 pct pay rise. Shipowners\n  have offered a 100 per cent raise, which the seamen rejected.\n      \"We have nothing to lose. If they want to lay off the\n  workers, fine, but we are determined to carry on with our\n  protest until the end,\" a union leader said.\n   more\n      He said they had decided in a meeting that if the marines\n  take over the ships, the seamen would abandon the vessels and\n  let the marines handle the situation by themselves.\n      A spokesman for the Rio de Janeiro Port said the order to\n  send marines to take over the ports was given by Navy Minister\n  Henrique Saboya on grounds that ports are areas of national\n  security. But he said there were no incidents. The strike has\n  cut exports and imports and made an estimated 160 ships idle.\n      Petrol station owners in four states also continued their\n  shutdown and there were fears that the combination of the two\n  stoppages could lead to a serious fuel shortage.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INDONESIAN SOYBEAN IMPORTS FORECAST TO RISE\n","article":"  Soybean imports are forecast to rise to\n  425,000 tonnes in 1987\/88 (October\/September) from an estimated\n  300,000 in 1986\/87 and 375,000 in 1985\/86, the U.S. Embassy\n  said in its annual report on Indonesia's agriculture.\n      It said Indonesia did not achieve its goal of\n  self-sufficiency in soybean output in calendar 1986 because it\n  did not meet a planned increase in area planted and because\n  yields have remained below target.\n      Soybean meal imports are forecast to fall to around 190,000\n  tonnes in 1987\/88 from 270,000 tonnes in 1986\/87 and 295,000\n  tonnes in 1985\/86.\n      Domestic soybean production is forecast to rise steadily to\n  1.08 mln tonnes in 1987\/88 from 980,000 in the current year and\n  890,000 in 1985\/86, the report said.\n      Imports are forecast to fall in the current year but to\n  rise in 1987\/88 because of a new soybean crushing plant due to\n  come on stream in early 1988.\n      China is the main supplier with a 79 pct share, while the\n  U.S. Provides the rest, it said.\n      \"This pattern will likely continue during 1986\/87 since\n  domestic soyfood processors prefer Chinese beans and are\n  willing to pay a premium for them,\" it said.\n      Area planted is expected to increase by 10 pct in both\n  1986\/87 and 1987\/88.\n      \"Yield increases continue to be hampered by an insufficient\n  supply of quality seeds, along with pest and disease problems,\"\n  the report said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BONN SERIOUS ABOUT CURRENCY PACT, SAYS TIETMEYER\n","article":"  West Germany takes \"very seriously\" the\n  recent undertaking by major industrial countries to promote\n  exchange rate stability around current levels, Finance Ministry\n  State Secretary Hans Tietmeyer said.\n      Talking to journalists before a meeting of European\n  Community Economy and Finance Ministers here, Tietmeyer\n  declined to say whether the February 22 Paris accord by the\n  Group of Five countries plus Canada included secret agreements\n  for stabilising currencies.\n      But he noted the official communique said the participants\n  agreed to cooperate closely to foster stability of exchange\n  rates around current levels. \"We're taking this sentence very\n  seriously,\" he said.\n      Tietmeyer remarked that the dollar had hardly moved against\n  the mark since the meeting.\n      He said a slowdown in West German economic growth had been\n  caused by sharp exchange rate swings and that the Paris\n  agreement should help in this respect.\n      Economics Ministry State Secretary Otto Schlecht said the\n  Bonn government saw no current need for measures to bolster the\n  economy but was paying close attention to the slower growth and\n  had not ruled out \"appropriate and timely\" action if necessary.\n      Schlecht and Tietmeyer were speaking ahead of a discussion\n  by the EC ministers of the latest EC Commission report on the\n  economic situation in the 12-nation bloc.\n      The Commission has sharply revised down expected German\n  gross national product growth this year to two pct from 3.2 pct\n  predicted last autumn and says Bonn has the most room of any EC\n  country to stimulate economic activity.\n      Schlecht said the upturn in West Germany's economy slowed\n  in the fourth quarter of last year and the first quarter of\n  1987. But he said there was no cumulative downwards trend in\n  view that would make quick remedial action necessary.\n      He said a number of favourable indicators such as high\n  level of investment and a good climate for consumption meant a\n  recovery could be expected, while exports would pick up\n  slightly during the course of the year.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"UGANDA DISAPPOINTED BY COFFEE TALKS FAILURE\n","article":"  Uganda, Africa's second largest coffee\n  producer, was disappointed by the stalemate in recent coffee\n  talks in London, the chairman of the state-run Coffee Marketing\n  Board, CMB, said.\n      \"This has not been good for coffee producers, more so in a\n  situation where the prices dropped by 200 pounds per tonne of\n  robusta coffee,\" J. Makumbi said when he returned from London on\n  Friday.\n      Producers and consumers failed to agree on a quota formula\n  to share the world's coffee production during International\n  Coffee Organisation, ICO, talks that ended last week.\n      Makumbi blamed the failure to set quotas, which were\n  suspended in Feburary last year, on Indonesian demands that its\n  quota be increased dramatically.\n      Uganda -- which earns about 400 mln dlrs annually from\n  coffee exports, over 95 pct of its foreign exchange earnings --\n  had sought to raise its ICO quota to 3.0 mln from 2.45 mln\n  60-kilo bags, according to sources close to the CMB.\n      The CMB has estimated that production will rise 20 to 25\n  pct in the current 1986\/87 October-September season to over\n  three mln bags.\n      For several years Uganda had been unable to meet its ICO\n  export quota as rebel activity disrupted the coffee industry.\n      The Ugandan government depends on coffee export duties for\n  about 60 pct of its sales tax revenue and the industry employs\n  over half of salaried manpower.\n      In Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's Agriculture and Livestock\n  Development Minister Paul Bomani said today Third World\n  countries would suffer from the failure of the London coffee\n  talks.\n      \"It is only the middlemen who will benefit, he said.\n      Bomani called on the ICO to convene another meeting within\n  two months, saying, \"Once tempers have cooled and delegations\n  have had time to report back to their headquarters, common\n  sense will prevail.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" Chrysler to take over Renault stake in American Motors, says Renault\n","article":"\n   Chrysler to take over Renault stake in American Motors, says Renault\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ADDITIONAL CCC CREDIT GUARANTEES FOR HUNGARY\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation,\n  CCC, has authorized an additional 8.0 mln dlrs in credit\n  guarantees for sales of vegetable protein meals to Hungary for\n  fiscal year 1987, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      The additional guarantees increase the vegetable protein\n  meal credit line to 16.0 mln dlrs and increases the cumulative\n  fiscal year 1987 program for agricultural products to 23.0 mln\n  dlrs from 15.0 mln, it said.\n      The department also announced an extension of the export\n  period from September 30, 1987, to December 31 for sales of\n  vegetable protein meals.\n      To be eligible for the credit guarantees all sales must be\n  registered before export but not later than September 30.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SOUTHERN CO TO TAKE 226 MLN DLR CHARGE ON PROJECTED VOGTLE COST RISE\n","article":"\n  SOUTHERN CO TO TAKE 226 MLN DLR CHARGE ON PROJECTED VOGTLE COST RISE\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"APPLIED CIRCUIT<ACRT> SELLS ELECTRONICS BUSINESS\n","article":"  Applied Circuit Technology Inc\n  (ACT) said it has agreed in principal to sell its primary\n  computer electronics business to the <Sanpao Group> of San\n  Francisco.\n      ACT said it has not disclosed the deal's terms, but added\n  that 50 pct of the sale price is in cash, with the remainder to\n  be paid over a two year period.\n      The deal is expected to close on March 31, ACT said.\n      ACT said it made the move to concentrate resources on its\n  pharmaceuticals subsidiaries.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"USAIR <U> ACQUIRES 9.9 PCT OF PIEDMONT <PIE>\n","article":"  USAir Group Inc said it has\n  acquired 2,292,599 Piedmont Aviation Inc shares, about 9.9 pct\n  on a fully diluted basis, from Norfolk Southern Corp <NSC>.\n      The acquisition of Piedmont by USAir has been approved by\n  the directors of both companies.\n      USAir said it has been advised by Norfolk Southern that the\n  company supports the proposed merger and intends to tender all\n  of its remaining 1,477,829 Piedmont common shares in response\n  to USAir's tender offer which began today. This total includes\n  shares issuable upon conversion of Piedmont preferred, USAir\n  noted.\n      USAir said Piedmont has about 23.1 mln common shares on a\n  fully diluted basis, adding its offer is conditioned on the\n  tender of at least 9,309,394 shares, representing 40.2 pct of\n  the oustanding shares on a diluted basis.\n      USAir said the 3,491,030 new shares it has an option to buy\n  represent 18.5 pct of Piedmont's currently outstanding shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SHV SAYS IT MAKING TENDER OFFER FOR IC GAS\n","article":"  <SHV (United Kingdom) Holding Co Ltd>\n  said it was making a tender offer for up to 33 mln ordinary\n  shares in Imperial Continental Gas Association.<ICGS.L>.\n      It said in a statement the offer was on the basis of 700p\n  for each IC Gas ordinary and 252p for every one stg nominal of\n  IC Gas loan stock.\n      SHV already holds 6.8 mln IC Gas ordinary stock units\n  representing around 4.9 pct of the current issued share\n  capital.\n      Successful completion of the offer would increase SHV's\n  stake in IC Gas to 39.8 mln shares, representing around 27.9\n  pct of issued share capital, it said.\n      The offer capitalises IC Gas at around one billion stg.\n      It said it was tendering for both ordinary stock and loan\n  stock, which when fully converted, gave a total of 33 mln IC\n  Gas ordinary. It is making the tender offer through N.M.\n  Rothschilds.\n      IC Gas said in a statement it noted the SHV tender offer\n  and the terms were being considered.\n      It said a further statement would be made as soon as\n  possible.\n   REUTER...\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BRAZILIAN COFFEE RAINFALL\n","article":"  THE FOLLOWING RAINFALL WAS RECORDED IN\n  THE AREAS OVER PAST 72 HOURS\n      PARANA STATE: UMUARAMA NIL, PARANAVAI 1.5 MILLIMETRES,\n  LONDRINA NIL, MARINGA NIL.\n      SAO PAULO STATE: PRESIDENTE PRUDENTE O.6 MM, VOTUPORANGA\n  12.0 MM, FRANCA 28.0 MM, CATANDUVA 10.0 MM, SAO CARLOS NIL, SAO\n  SIMAO NIL. REUTER11:43\/VB\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GENCORP TO SELL LOS ANGELES TELEVISION STATION TO WALT DISNEY CO\n","article":"\n  GENCORP TO SELL LOS ANGELES TELEVISION STATION TO WALT DISNEY CO\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NATIONWIDE CELLULAR <NCEL> COMPLETES PURCHASE\n","article":"  Nationwide Cellular Service\n  Inc said it has completed the previously-announced acquisition\n  of privately-held Nova Cellular Co, a Chicago reseller of\n  mobile telephone service with 1,800 subscribers, for about\n  65,000 common shares.\n      Nova Cellular has an accumulated deficit of about 650,000\n  dlrs and had revenues of about 2,600,000 dlrs for 1986, it\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL WESTMINSTER BANK CUTS BASE RATE\n","article":"  National Westminster Bank Plc said it has\n  cut its base lending rate  0.5 percentage points to 10.5 pct\n  today.\n      National Westminster said it was responding to general\n  easing in money market rates.\n      Its move followed a signal from the Bank of England earlier\n  this afternoon that it would endorse a half point cut in the\n  base rate, a surprise move following its strong signals last\n  week that such a move would be premature.\n      However, since then the pound has continued to gain\n  strongly.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN FURTHER HELP AT NEW RATES\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided the\n  market with further assistance during the afternoon, buying\n  bills worth 166 mln stg at the lower rates introduced this\n  morning.\n      It bought 45 mln stg of local authority bills plus 27 mln\n  stg of bank bills in band one at 10-3\/8 pct together with 94\n  mln stg of band two bank bills at 10-5\/16 pct.\n      The bank also revised its estimate of the market shortage\n  up to 300 mln stg from 250 mln this morning. It has given total\n  assistance of 213 mln stg today.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HUTCHISON UNIT BUYS CONTAINER CRANES FROM JAPAN\n","article":"  Container port operator, <Hong Kong\n  International Terminals Ltd>, a 89 pct held unit of Hutchison\n  Whampoa Ltd <HWHH.HK>, said it has placed a 164 mln H.K. Dlr\n  order for seven quayside container cranes of 800 tons each with\n  Japan's Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co Ltd <MSET.T> for\n  May 1988 to August 1989 delivery.\n      Hong Kong International Terminals operates 32 cranes.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BOSPHORUS SHIPPING MOVES, ISTANBUL OFFICES CLOSE\n","article":"  Istanbul remained at a virtual\n  standstill today under snow up to a meter deep but shipping was\n  moving through the narrow Bosphorus waterway linking the Sea of\n  Marmara and the Black Sea, officials said.\n      The authorities ordered government offices closed until\n  Wednesday. Many banks, businesses and schools stayed shut as\n  workers struggled to keep main roads and supply lines open in\n  this city of 6.5 mln people.\n      The second blizzard to hit Istanbul in a week stopped\n  yesterday afternoon and the international airport reopened\n  today after a two-day closure. It was also shut earlier last\n  week.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ECUADOR TO EXPORT NO OIL FOR 4 MONTHS, OFFICIAL\n","article":"  The suspension of Ecuador's crude oil\n  shipments after an earthquake cut an oil pipeline will last at\n  least four months, a senior Energy Ministry official said.\n      The official said Ecuador could resume exports after\n  repairing a 40 km section of the 510 km pipeline, which links\n  jungle oil fields at Lago Agrio to Balao on the Pacific coast.\n  It would take about 100 mln U.S. Dlrs to repair the pipeline,\n  the official, who did not want to be named, told Reuters.\n  Ecuador had enough oil to meet domestic demand for about 35\n  days and would have to import crude to supplement stocks.\n      The earthquake last Thursday night registered six on the\n  12-point international Mercalli scale. The damage to the\n  pipeline was a severe economic blow to Ecuador, where oil\n  accounts for up to two-thirds of total exports and as much as\n  60 pct of government revenues.\n      Financially pressed Ecuador, a member of the Organisation\n  of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), was recently pumping\n  about 260,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude, about 50,000 bpd\n  above the output quota assigned by the cartel, another Energy\n  Ministry spokesman said. Last year, it exported an average of\n  173,500 bpd, according to the central bank.\n      However, Ecuador might build an emergency 25 km pipeline,\n  costing 15 to 20 mln dlrs, to hook up with a Colombian\n  pipeline, the first official said. He estimated it could take\n  about 60 days to build.\n      Ecuador, squeezed by the slide in world oil prices in 1986,\n  had only 138 mln dlrs in net international reserves at the end\n  of January, about equal to one month's imports.\n      It suspended interest payments in January on 5.4 billion\n  dlrs owed to about 400 private foreign banks. The country's\n  total foreign debt is 8.16 billion dlrs, the eighth largest in\n  Latin America.\n      In Caracas, President Jaime Lusinchi said Venezuela would\n  loan five mln barrels of crude to Ecuador over the next three\n  months to make up for losses from damage to the pipeline.\n      Ecuador asked for the loan to guarantee domestic supplies\n  and would ship an equivalent volume back to Venezuela in\n  repayment in May, Lusinchi said.\n      A commission headed by Venezuelan Investment Fund Minister\n  Hector Hurtado and including representatives from the interior\n  and defence ministries and the state oil company Petroleos de\n  Venezuela will travel to Ecuador Tuesday to evaluate and\n  co-ordinate an emergency relief program, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"FRENCH JAN M-3 MONEY SUPPLY ROSE PROV ADJUSTED ONE PCT (O.7 PCT FALL IN DEC) - OFFICIAL.\n","article":"\n  FRENCH JAN M-3 MONEY SUPPLY ROSE PROV ADJUSTED ONE PCT (O.7 PCT FALL IN DEC) - OFFICIAL.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MALAYSIA SAYS RUBBER PACT DEPENDS ON CONSUMERS\n","article":"  Malaysia said the success of talks\n  opening today on a new International Natural Rubber Agreement\n  (INRA) depends on how flexible consumer countries are.\n      Rubber producer and consumer countries meet for 12 days in\n  Geneva from tomorrow to try to hammer out a rubber pact after\n  they failed to reach agreement last November to replace the\n  current accord, which expires next October.\n      Primary Industries Minister Lim Keng Yaik said in a\n  statement that Malaysia wants to continue with a second INRA\n  and is prepared to accept modifications that would strengthen\n  the present agreement.\n      He said the second INRA would allow for an orderly disposal\n  of the accumulated buffer stock of 375,000 tonnes, since the\n  market is now capable of absorbing such releases.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"MCDOWELL <ME> TO MERGER WITH <INTERPHARM INC>\n","article":"  McDowell Enterprises Inc said\n  it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire an 80 pct\n  interest in privately held Interpharm Inc for a 19.9 pct\n  interest in McDowell.\n      The company said subject to contigencies, including future\n  sales and profit levels, McDowell could over a four-year period\n  acquire 100 pct of Interpharm in exchange for up to 51 pct of\n  McDowell's voting stock.\n      It said the transaction is expected to be completed within\n  60 days, at which time the McDowell board would be restructured\n  to include Interpharm management. \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"RENAULT, CHRYSLER IN ACCORD FOR CHRYSLER TO BUY AMC\n","article":"  Regie Nationale des Usines Renault\n  <RENA.PA> said it and Chrysler Corp <C> have signed a letter of\n  intent in which Chrysler plans to buy American Motors Corp\n  <AMO.N>, 46 pct owned by Renault.\n      Renault President Raymond Levy said in a statement issued\n  by the French state car group the agreement was an important\n  stage in Renault's redeployment. \"It will allow Renault to\n  continue its export programme to the U.S. And also opens a\n  perspective of cooperation with a major American constructor,\"\n  the statement said. Under the terms of the letter of intent,\n  Chrysler will purchase Renault's stake held in the form of\n  bonds and shares.\n      The Renault statement quoted Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca\n  as saying, \"We welcome AMC shareholders into the Chrysler\n  family.\"\n      He added that the accord would allow Renault and Chrysler\n  to study the development of future products destined to be\n  distributed by Renault and Chrysler in the North American and\n  world markets.\n      \"Renault is a leader in our industry and I am happy to be\n  working with them,\" Iacocca was quoted as saying.\n      Chrysler will pay for Renault's AMC interests held in bonds\n  by a 200 mln dlr bond and will pay up to 350 mln dlrs for\n  Renault share interests, depending on AMC sales and future\n  profits, the Renault statement said.\n      The statement said the agreement in principle gave each\n  side 30 days to put together a definitive accord. Approval\n  would also be necessary from the Renault, Chrysler and AMC\n  boards, from AMC shareholders and the relevant government\n  authorities.\n      If the deal goes ahead, the statement said, AMC\n  shareholders other than Renault will receive Chrysler shares\n  for each of their shares valued at four dlrs.\n      AMC shareholders with convertible preferential shares will\n  have the possibility to exchange them for Chrysler shares on\n  the same conditions as those they would have had in exchanging\n  them for AMC shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HOG AND CATTLE SLAUGHTER GUESSTIMATES\n","article":"  Chicago Mercantile Exchange floor\n  traders and commission house representatives are guesstimating\n  today's hog slaughter at about 285,000 to 300,000 head versus\n  292,000 week ago and 309,000 a year ago.\n      Cattle slaughter is guesstimated at about 125,000 to\n  131,000 head versus 129,000 week ago and 119,000 a year ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" Bank of France said it cut money market intervention rate to 7-3\/4 pct from eight pct\n","article":"\n   Bank of France said it cut money market intervention rate to 7-3\/4 pct from eight pct\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FIRST BOSTON AFFILIATE TO ACQUIRE ALLEGHENY INT'L FOR 24.60 DLRS\/SHR\n","article":"\n  FIRST BOSTON AFFILIATE TO ACQUIRE ALLEGHENY INT'L FOR 24.60 DLRS\/SHR\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SOUTHERN <SO> TO TAKE CHARGE ON VOGTLE COST\n","article":"  Southern Co said it will take an\n  after-tax charge of 226 mln dlrs against earnings no later than\n  January 1988 because the projected cost of the Vogtle nuclear\n  power plant has risen abover the amount which retail customers\n  in Georgia will be asked to pay.\n      The company's largest subsidiary, Georgia Power Co, said\n  the budget for the plant has increased by 6.3 pct, or 522 mln\n  dlrs, to 8.87 billion. However, because of a pledge the made\n  last year to Georgia's Public Service Commission, the increased\n  cost will not be included in the utility's retail electric\n  rates.\n      Geogia Power also said its board has delayed the scheduled\n  completion of Vogtle's Unit Two to June 1989 from September\n  1988. Unit Two is about 60 pct complete, it added.\n      The utility said fuel loading has been completed at Unit\n  One and the unit is being put through a series of low-power\n  tests before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is asked for a\n  full-power license.\n      The nuclear power plant, located near Waynesboro, Ga., is\n  co-owned by <Oglethorpe Power Corp>, the Municipal Electric\n  Authority of Georgia and the city of Dalton.\n      Georgia Power said the revised Vogtle budget estimate was\n  due to several factors, including additional labor costs\n  incurred to keep the plant's first unit on schedule for\n  commercial operation by June. The new figure represents the\n  first change in the plant's budget since August 1985, when it\n  was estimated at 8.35 billion dlrs.\n      In March 1986, the utility told Georgia regulators it would\n  \"cap\" the price of Vogtle its customers would be asked to pay\n  at 3.56 billion dlrs, the company's share of the then projected\n  8.35 billion dlr total. Under the new budget, Georgia Power\n  said, its share amounts to 3.87 billion dlrs.\n      Noting that Georgia Power's share of the Vogtle increase is\n  313 mln dlrs, Southern said this will result in a charge\n  against earnings of 177 mln dlrs after taxes.\n      In addition, the company said, Georgia Power's contracts\n  with the joint owners require the utility to buy back\n  significant amounts of Vogtle capacity during the plant's\n  initial years of operation. Under terms of the cap on costs, it\n  will not attempt to recover the portion of the budget increase\n  that applies to the buybacks.\n      This bings the total amount that must be charged against\n  earnings to 2326 mln dlrs after taxes, Southern said.\n      Southern said new rules of the Financial Accounting\n  Standards Board, which are effective in January 1988, require\n  any costs that are determined nonrecoverable to be charged\n  against earnings once that determination is made.\n      The company also said its board has approved a capital\n  budget of 2.1 billion dlrs in 1987, including work on the\n  Vogtle project.\n      It said a 5.9 billion dlr capita budget for the three-year\n  period 1987-1989 was also outlined at the board meeting, noting\n  this is 700 mln dlrs below the comparable figure for the years\n  1986-1988.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"STORA CLOSE TO COMPLETING PAPYRUS TAKEOVER\n","article":"  Sweden's Stora Kopparbergs Bergslags\n  AB <SKPS ST> said it had now acquired 90 pct of shares in rival\n  pulp and paper makers Papyrus AB, thus passing the threshold\n  above which it can compulsorily buy the rest of the company.\n      Remaining shareholders would have until later this month to\n  sell their shares to Stora, the company said in a statement.\n      Stora announced last September it would acquire Papyrus at\n  a price of 5.8 billion crowns, thus forming Europe's second\n  largest forest group after London-based Reed International Plc\n  <REED L>.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"OECD TRADE, GROWTH SEEN SLOWING IN 1987\n","article":"  The 24 nations of the Organisation for\n  Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), hampered by\n  sluggish industrial output and trade, face slower economic\n  growth, and their joint balance of payments will swing into\n  deficit in 1987, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU ) said.\n      The EIU said in its World Trade Forecast it revised OECD\n  economic growth downwards to 2.5 pct this year, compared with a\n  2.8 pct growth forecast in December.\n      It said the new areas of weakness are West Germany and the\n  smaller European countries it influences, and Japan, hardest\n  hit by currency appreciation this year.\n      The independent research organisation cut its 1987 growth\n  rate forecasts for West Germany to 2.2 pct from 3.2 pct in\n  December and to 2.3 pct from three pct for Japan.\n      It said it expected the OECD to post a current account\n  deficit of some 13 billion dlrs in both 1987 and 1988, due in\n  large part to a 1.50 dlrs a barrel rise in 1987 oil prices.\n      It said the U.S. Current account deficit looked likely to\n  fall even more slowly than forecast, to 125 billion dlrs in\n  1987 and 115 billion in 1988 from 130 billion in 1986.\n      It said it expected West Germany to post a 31 billion dlr\n  payments surplus and Japan a 76 billion dlr surplus this year.\n      The EIU said it saw oil prices dropping to around 16.50\n  dlrs a barrel by end-1987 and 15.50 dlrs in 1988 from about 18\n  dlrs last year, as adherence to OPEC output policy becomes\n  increasingly ragged.\n      It said the dollar is poised to resume its decline in\n  foreign exchange markets, and will lose a further 13 pct on its\n  trade-weighted index this year and five pct in 1988 after last\n  year's 18.4 pct drop.\n      The average mark\/dollar rate is put at 1.80 marks this year\n  and 1.70 in 1988 while the yen\/dollar rate is expected to break\n  through the 150 yen barrier with an average value of 150 yen in\n  1987 and 146 yen in 1988, it said.\n      \"This is not a crash scenario but the dollar's steeper angle\n  of descent increases the risk of ending with a fireball rather\n  than a three-point landing,\" the EIU said.\n      \"Talking will not stop the dollar's slide for long and the\n  February meeting (of finance ministers of the Group of Five and\n  Canada) produced scant promise of either a decisive shift to\n  more expansive policies in West Germany and Japan, or a tighter\n  U.S. Fiscal policy,\" it said.\n      It said the key to the dollar's fortunes was the\n  willingness of Japanese institutions to buy U.S. Government\n  assets despite prospects of sustaining a currency loss.\n      \"Thus far they have been willing,\" the EIC said, adding that\n  if Japan was deterred from buying U.S. Bonds the dollar would\n  collapse.\n      To contain such a currency crisis, dollar interest rates\n  would have to soar, bringing recession and a Third World debt\n  crisis, it said.\n      On trade, the EIU said prospects for 1987 look \"increasingly\n  sick.\"\n      Import growth, forecast in December at 4.5 pct, is now seen\n  slowing down to around 3.8 pct in 1987 with a recovery only to\n  4.2 pct in 1988, it said.\n      The weakness of the West German economy is the biggest\n  single factor, with import growth there expected to feature a\n  sluggish 3.5 pct growth in 1987 against the 6.5 pct forecast in\n  December, the EIU said.\n      On the export side, it said it saw weak demand in West\n  Germany affecting export prospects elsewhere in Europe, while\n  Japan's exports in 1987 would remain flat and sales by U.S.\n  Exporters would respond only marginally to a lower, more\n  competitively-priced dollar.\n      It said in most of Europe and in Japan, raw materials and\n  oil will cost less in domestic currency in 1987 than in 1986.\n      However, rates of inflation will edge up in 1988 to over\n  the current OECD average of three pct. Non-oil commodity prices\n  will show a modest dollar price increase in 1988 for the first\n  time since 1984, the EIU said.\n      After a rise of 18 pct in 1986, the dollar price of\n  internationally traded manufactures will go up by 8.5 pct in\n  1987 and by five pct in 1988, it said.\n      It said OECD industrial production would rise by only 1.6\n  pct in 1987 after a weak 1.5 pct increase in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN LATE HELP WORTH 15 MLN STG\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided the\n  market with unspecified late assistance worth 15 mln stg.\n      It has given the market total assistance of 228 mln stg\n  today compared with a liquidity shortage it estimated at a\n  revised 300 mln stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BANK OF FRANCE CUTS INTERVENTION RATE\n","article":"  The Bank of France said it cut its money\n  market intervention rate to 7-3\/4 pct from eight pct when it\n  injected money against first category paper.\n      The bank also cut its seven-day repossession rate to 8-1\/2\n  pct from 8-3\/4 pct.\n      The intervention rate has stood at eight pct since it was\n  raised from 7-1\/4 pct on January 2 as the French franc came\n  under pressure ahead of the EMS realignment on January 11.\n      The bank said the purchase, effective tomorrow, is for five\n  pct of private paper and fixed rate Treasury bills maturing\n  between March 25 and June 25 and of other Treasury bills\n  maturing between March 25, 1987 and March 25, 1989.\n      The rate cut had been expected since the bank announced a\n  money market intervention tender earlier today.\n      Money market dealers said conditions seemed right for a\n  quarter percentage point cut, reflecting an easing in the call\n  money rate last week, and the French franc's steadiness on\n  foreign exchange markets since the February 22 currency\n  stabilisation accord here by the Group of Five and Canada.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WHITE ENGINE BOUGHT BY PRIVATE INVESTOR\n","article":"  White Engine, a manufacturer of\n  industrial and automotive diesel and gasoline engines with more\n  than 100 mln dlrs in sales, said it has been sold to a group of\n  group investors.\n      White Engine said the purchase is led by Donald Stewart, a\n  private investment banker, along with White senior executives.\n      A source close to the transaction said the purchase prices\n  is being set at more than 55 mln dlrs.\n      The company said it will change its name to Hercules\n  Engines Inc, and Stewart will be the majority interest owner,\n  as well as the president and chief executive officer.\n      In addition, John Lennon, current chairman and chief\n  executive officer, will remain as chairman, he company said.\n  And Joseph G. Scheetz, currently president, will be vice\n  chairman, according to the company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET DEFICIT FORECAST AT 800 MLN STG\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it forecast a\n  shortage of around 800 mln stg in the money market today.\n      Among the main factors affecting liquidity, bills maturing\n  in official hands and the take-up of treasury bills will drain\n  some 1.61 billion stg.\n      Partly offsetting this outflow, exchequer transactions and\n  a fall in note circulation will add around 425 mln stg and 360\n  mln stg respectively. In addition, bankers' balances above\n  target will add some 20 mln stg to the system today.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"STORA CLOSE TO COMPLETING PAPYRUS TAKEOVER\n","article":"  Sweden's Stora Kopparbergs Bergslags\n  AB <SKPS.ST> said it has now acquired 90 pct of shares in rival\n  pulp and paper makers Papyrus AB, thus passing the threshold\n  above which it can compulsorily buy the rest of the company.\n      Remaining shareholders would have until later this month to\n  sell their shares to Stora, the company said in a statement.\n      Stora announced last September it would acquire Papyrus at\n  a price of 5.8 billion crowns, thus forming Europe's second\n  largest forest group after London-based Reed International Plc\n  <REED L>.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ALLEGHENY INT'L <AG>, FIRST BOSTON SET MERGER\n","article":"  Allegheny International Inc said it\n  has entered into an agreement to merge with an affiliate of\n  First Boston Inc's <FPC> First Boston Corp in a transaction\n  valued at about 500 mln dlrs.\n      Allegheny said the agreement calls for holders of its\n  common to receive 24.60 dlrs a share. Holders of the company's\n  2.19 dlrs cumulative preference shares will receive 20 dlrs a\n  share and those owning its 11.25 dlrs convertible preferred\n  will receive 87.50 dlrs a share.\n      Allegheny International said the agreement calls for the\n  First Boston affiliate to start a cash tender offer for all\n  outstanding shares of Allegheny's common, cumulative preferred\n  and convertible preferred.\n      The company said First Boston has committed to provide all\n  financing necessary to acquire such securities in the tender\n  offer which is estimated to be about 500 mln dlrs.\n      It said the agreement is also subject to the waiver by\n  March 13 of certain conditions under the company's existing\n  bank credit agreement.\n      Allegheny International's statement did not name or\n  describe the First Boston affiliate involved in the agreement.\n      It did say the offer for the company's stock will be\n  conditioned also on the valid tender of securities representing\n  at least a majority of the voting power for the election of\n  directors of the company and the valid tender of at least two\n  third's of the outstanding cumulative preferred and convertible\n  preferred shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRENCH JANUARY M-3 MONEY SUPPLY RISES ONE PCT\n","article":"  French money supply, measured in terms of\n  M-3, rose a provisional one pct in January after falling 0.7\n  pct in December, the Bank of France said.\n      M-3 is the main money supply aggregate used by the French\n  monetary authorities. It has been joined as a second main money\n  supply aggregate for 1987 by M-2, which rose a provisional 1.2\n  pct in January after falling a confirmed 0.9 pct in December.\n      Calculated on a three-month moving average basis, M-3 rose\n  4.4 pct year-on-year in the quarter based on December after\n  rising 5.4 pct in the quarter centred on September.\n      The M-2 aggregate, centred on a three-month moving average,\n  rose year-on-year by four pct, within a 1987 target range of\n  four to six pct.\n      M-1 rose 2.5 pct after a 1.1 pct fall in December. M-1\n  measures notes and coins in circulation plus sight deposits.\n      M-2 adds in short-term bank deposits and M-3 adds in other\n  short-term deposits.\n      The central bank's widest measure of liquidity, L, rose 1.5\n  pct in January after one pct fall in December. The bank said\n  the money supply growth reflected a net increase of sight\n  deposits and renewed interest in money market instruments.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHRYSLER SAYS AMC HOLDERS TO GET CHRYSLER STOCK WORTH FOUR DLRS A SHARE UNDER BUYOUT PLAN\n","article":"\n  CHRYSLER SAYS AMC HOLDERS TO GET CHRYSLER STOCK WORTH FOUR DLRS A SHARE UNDER BUYOUT PLAN\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TURKISH CENTRAL BANK SETS LIRA\/DOLLAR, DM RATES\n","article":"  The Turkish Central Bank set a\n  Lira\/Dollar rate for March 10 of 773.05\/776.92 to the Dollar,\n  down from the previous 769.60\/773.45.\n      The Bank also set a Lira\/Mark rate of 417.20\/419.29 to the\n  Mark, up from the previous 419.15\/421.25.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONTINENTAL BANK\/CANADA SETS DISTRIBUTION\n","article":"  Continental Bank of Canada, a subsidiary\n  of Lloyds Bank PLC <LLOY.L>, said it intends to redeem all\n  existing preferred shares and distribute a stock dividend to\n  common shareholders.\n      The initial distribution will be in cumulative redeemable\n  retractable floating rate class A preferred shares series II,\n  which will carry a retraction right enabling holders to receive\n  12.75 dlrs for each share.\n      Continental said the 58.6 mln dlrs of existing outstanding\n  preferred shares will be paid off at par plus accrued dividends.\n       Continental said the notes will carry a dividend rate of\n  72 pct of prime and it expects that the shares will trade at\n  12.75 dlrs or more, enabling shareholders who wish to receive\n  cash to do so.\n      The bank said it expects the distribution will be made in\n  early May, subject to various approvals.\n      Continental also said that, as of March 2, it had cash of\n  more than 250 mln dlrs and equity of about 284.6 mln dlrs,\n  allowing for a final total distribution of 16.60 dlrs per\n  common share.\n      Continental Bank said it continues to expect that the final\n  distribution to shareholders will be in the range of 16.50 dlrs\n  to 17.25 dlrs per share and will take place in late 1988 or\n  early 1989.\n      Until the initial stock distribution takes place, regular\n  dividend payments will be maintained on the existing preferred\n  shares, the bank said.\n      The distribution is part of the terms of Continental Bank\n  of Canada's sale of its banking assets to Lloyds Bank Canada, a\n  subsidiary of Lloyds Bank PLC.\n      Continental Bank said Lloyds Bank Canada paid the balance\n  of the purchase price but that it was lower than originally\n  anticipated since Continental was unable to transfer certain\n  income tax deductions to Lloyds Bank. Continental did not give\n  further details.\n   More\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STUDY SAYS U.S., CANADA PACT WOULD SPUR ECONOMIES\n","article":"  A free trade pact between the United\n  States and Canada could spur the economies of both sides\n  substantially, according to a study released by the Institute\n  for International Economics.\n      The study, by Paul Wonnacott, said a successful conclusion\n  to the free trade talks now under way could raise Canada's\n  gross national product by more than five pct and expand U.S.\n  export's by about seven pct.\n      He said the pact could resolve the knotty issue of\n  government subsidies, end curbs on trade in services and\n  investments and pave the way for new global talks under the \n  General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.\n      The United States and Canada - the world's two biggest\n  trading partners with cross border shipments of about 150\n  billion dlrs a year - opened free trade talks last June. They\n  are aiming for a pact by next October.\n      Wonnacott, an economics professor at the Univerity of\n  Maryland, said an agreement should include:\n      - Elimination of tariffs between the two countries, phased\n  in over a five to 10-year period;\n      - Equal access to federal government procurement in the two\n  countries, replacing current \"Buy America\" and \"Buy Canada\"\n  provisions with a \"Buy North America\" provision;\n      - Fewer restrictions in trade in services, chiefly finance\n  and transportation;\n      - A commitment not to screen foreign investments in favor\n  domestic producers;\n      - A commission to resolve bilateral trade disputes.\n       Wonnacott said that to resolve the subsidy problem, the\n  two sides should permit export subsidies of exports of up to\n  2.0 or 2.5 pct without imposing coutervailing duties.\n      The limit on subsidies is now 0.5 pct.\n      He proposed that any attempt to impose new duties to offset\n  subsidies should go first a special disputes commission for\n  resolution at an early stage.\n      Wonnacott said \"bilateral free trade would contribute to the\n  efficiency of the North American economies and to their\n  competitiveness in facing overseas producers.\n      He said it would it would open U.S. markets to Canadian\n  goods and enable them to benefit from the economies of mass\n  production.\n      Benefits to the United States would be fewer than those to\n  Canada proportionately, he said, because of the already large\n  U.S. gross national product.\n      Wonnacott said also that a U.S.-Canada pact in such areas\n  as export subsidies and the creation of a dispute commission\n  could set an example for the current attempt by GATT to write\n  new and more liberal global trading regulations.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GULF RESOURCES <GRE> TO HAVE GAIN ON STOCK SALE\n","article":"  Gulf Resources and Chemical Corp said it\n  has sold 9,534,633 shares of <Imperial Continental Gas\n  Association> for 720 pence a share, or 68.6 mln stg, in a\n  private transaction for a pretax gain of about 19.6 mln dlrs.\n      Gulf Resources said it still owns 6.7 mln shares of\n  Imperial Continental, or a 4.6 pct interest, and continues to\n  study various alternatives.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROTTERDAM GRAIN HANDLER SAYS PORT BALANCE ROSE\n","article":"  Graan Elevator Mij said its balance in\n  port of grains, oilseeds and derivatives rose to 136,000 tonnes\n  on March 7 from 31,000 a week earlier, after arrivals of\n  523,000 tonnes and discharges of 418,000 tonnes last week.\n      The balance comprised 38,000 tonnes of grains and oilseeds\n  and 98,000 tonnes of derivatives.\n      This week's estimated arrivals total 194,000 tonnes, of\n  which 45,000 are grains\/oilseeds and 149,000 derivatives.\n      The figures cover around 95 pct of Rotterdam traffic in the\n  products concerned.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"DONALD TRUMP SAID HE HAS AGREED TO PURCHASE CROSBY ESTATE'S RESORTS SHARES\n","article":"\n  DONALD TRUMP SAID HE HAS AGREED TO PURCHASE CROSBY ESTATE'S RESORTS SHARES\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. AGRICULTURAL FUTURES MARKETS TO MERGE\n","article":"  Three London markets which trade potato,\n  soymeal and meat futures said they will merge to form a new\n  Agricultural Futures Exchange.\n      Legal advisers have been instructed to implement the\n  amalgamation of the London Potato Futures Association, LPFA,\n  the London Meat Futures Exchange, LMFE, and the Grain and Feed\n  Trade Association's, GAFTA, Soya Bean Meal Futures Association,\n  SOMFA. No timetable was given.\n      Members of the three exchanges have been consulted,\n  Agricultural Futures Exchange secretary Bill Englebright told\n  Reuters, and no objections have been raised to the merger.\n      Three markets are involved at present but the new exchange\n  could ultimately combine five markets.\n      Discussions are taking place with the Baltic International\n  Freight Futures Exchange, BIFFEX, and the GAFTA London Grain\n  Futures Market is considering the possibility of joining the\n  other markets, market officials said.\n      The BIFFEX board is expected to reach a decision on the\n  merger at its meeting at the end of this month, after members\n  are consulted at a meeting on March 16.\n      The grain futures market also intends to consult its\n  members soon, GAFTA director general James Mackie said.\n      The aim of the amalgamation is to limit regulatory and\n  administrative costs and achieve the recognition required under\n  the 1986 Financial Services Act. This legislation requires a\n  futures market to become a Recognised Investment Exchange, RIE,\n  for trading to continue.\n      Representatives of all the futures markets on the Baltic\n  Exchange have been discussing the possibility of a single RIE\n  structure since the beginning of the year.\n      The new exchange now planned will apply to the Securities\n  and Investments Board for recognition as an RIE \"at the\n  appropriate time,\" the Agricultural Futures Exchange said.\n      \"This commitment by the markets will enable progress to be\n  made to develop a stronger and more effective exchange to the\n  benefit of all those involved in the industry,\" the chairman of\n  the formation committee, Pat Elmer, said.\n      The merged markets will remain at the Baltic Exchange.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BSN <BSN> SHARE SALE ADVANCES\n","article":"  BSN Corp said its agreement to sell\n  1,750,000 new common shares, or a 25 pct interest, to 31\n  unaffiliated European institutional investors for 30.4 mln dlrs\n  has become definitive.\n      The company said closing is expected shortly after the\n  filing of a registration statement with the Securities and\n  Exchange Commission, which is expected to be made this month.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GENCORP<GY> UNIT TO SELL LOS ANGELES TV STATION\n","article":"  Gencorp said its RKO General\n  subsidiary agreed to sell KHJ-TV in Los Angeles to Walt Disney\n  Co <DIS> for 217 mln dlrs cash plus working capital and other\n  adjustments at closing.\n      The company said under the agreement in principle, RKO's\n  application to renew the station's broadcast license would be\n  dismissed and the competing application of Fidelity Television\n  would be granted. Disney would then acquire privately held\n  Fidelity for about 103 mln dlrs and other adjustments.\n      Renewal of the KHJ-TV license has been challenged in\n  regulatory proceedings for more than 20 years.\n      The deal is subject to prior approval by the Federal\n  Communications Commission, the company said.\n      Late in 1985, Gencorp cut a deal with Fidelity, a Los\n  Angeles investor group, and Westinghouse Electric Corp <WX> to\n  settle the license proceedings and sell KHJ-TV for 313 mln\n  dlrs, 70 pct of which would go to Westinghouse and the\n  remainder to Fidelity. But on Jan 28, 1987, Westinghouse\n  withdrew from the deal because the FCC would not approve it.\n      In early 1986, Gencorp and RKO agreed to sell WOR-TV in\n  Secaucus, N.J., to MCA Inc <MCA> for 387 mln dlrs. The FCC has\n  approved the transaction, but several parties have appealed.\n      The FCC has not said when it would rule on the appeals,\n  according to a spokemsan for Akron, Ohio-based Gencorp.\n      Fidelity Television originally filed a competing\n  application for the RKO license for KHJ, an independent\n  station, in 1965.\n      In 1980, the FCC disqualified RKO as licensee of WNAC-TV in\n  Boston, citing anti-competitive trade practices and inaccurate\n  financial reporting to the agency, causing renewals previously\n  granted to RKO in New York, for WOR, and Los Angeles, for KHJ,\n  to be denied.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BARCLAYS BANK SAID IT CUTTING BASE LENDING RATE TO 10.5 PCT FROM 11 PCT.\n","article":"\n  BARCLAYS BANK SAID IT CUTTING BASE LENDING RATE TO 10.5 PCT FROM 11 PCT.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MIDLAND BANK SAID IT CUTTING ITS BASE RATE TO 10.5 PCT FROM 11 PCT.\n","article":"\n  MIDLAND BANK SAID IT CUTTING ITS BASE RATE TO 10.5 PCT FROM 11 PCT.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IMATRON <IMAT> SELLS STAKE TO MITSUI <MITSY>\n","article":"  Imatron Inc said\n  Mitsui and Co Ltd of Japan has purchased a two mln dlr equity\n  interest in Imatron at market price and was granted a 120-day\n  option to make another two mln dlr investment at the same price.\n      Imatron said Mitsui, the exclusive importer of Imatron's\n  Ultrafast computed tomography scanners into Japan, is scheduled\n  to take delivery of its first scanner next month for\n  installation in a large cardiology center.\n      It said it has entered into preliminary discussions with\n  Mitsui on the formation of a joint venture to finance the\n  accelerated development of Imatron's technology and its\n  commercialization in Japan.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BLACK MINERS SUPPORT S. AFRICAN MINES TAKEOVER\n","article":"  Thousands of black\n  mineworkers roared support for a union proposal to seize\n  control of South Africa's gold, uranium, platinum and coal\n  mines if the owners refuse to improve conditions for migrant\n  black workers.\n      About 15,000 miners attended a rally here to endorse moves\n  proposed by last week's annual meeting of the 200,000 strong\n  National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).\n      They also supported a proposal for a national strike at the\n  end of this month if the owners refused to begin negotiations.\n      Migrant workers from surrounding countries make up more\n  than half of the labour force in the mines.\n      It was not stated how the union would \"seize control.\"\n      The miners' leaders also demanded an end to the system of\n  single sex hostels for migrant workers, to be replaced by\n  housing schemes so that workers could live with their families.\n      The crowd, one of the largest to attend a meeting since\n  South Africa declared a state of emergency last June, also\n  shouted approval of a proposal to work closely with\n  anti-apartheid movements such as the United Democratic Front\n  (UDF) which claims two mln members. They also shouted their\n  support for a demand that jailed black nationalist leader\n  Nelson Mandela be released.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"A.H. ROBINS'S <QRAH> JANUARY EARNINGS UP\n","article":"  A. H. Robins Co, the drug company\n  in bankruptcy proceedings due to litigation over its Dalkon\n  Shield contraceptive device, reported consolidated net earnings\n  for the month ended January 31 of 17.3 mln dlrs.\n      In the corresponding year-ago period it reported net\n  earnings of 13.8 mln dlrs.\n      Robins said the filings were made with the U.S. trustee\n  overseeing its chapter 11 bankruptcy case.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BARCLAYS, MIDLAND FOLLOW NATWEST BASE RATE CUT\n","article":"  Barclays Bank Plc <BCS.L> and Midland\n  Bank Plc <MDBL.L> said they are cutting their base lending\n  rates to 10.5 pct from 11 pct. The cuts follow a similar move\n  by National Westminster Bank Plc <NWBL.L>\n      The rate changes take effect tomorrow.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONTROL DATA <CDA> TO BUY PERIPHERALS STAKE\n","article":"  Control Data Corp said it\n  agreed to acquire Unisys Inc's <UIS> 13 pct stake in <Magnetic\n  Peripherals Inc>.\n      The letter of intent provides that Unisys converts from an\n  owner in Magnetic Peripherals to a customer of Control Data's\n  data storage products group over a two year period.\n      Under the agreement, Control Data will continue to furnish\n  disk drives to Unisys, it said.\n      No other details of the proposed agreement were available.\n      Magnetic Controls, managed by the data storage products\n  group of Control Data, was founded in 1975 as a joint venture\n  to maintain a technological base in data storage, and supply\n  peripheral equipment for the computer systems of its owners.\n      The venture has become a developer and manufacturer of high\n  performance, high-capacity data storage products sold by\n  Control Data to computer systems manafacturers worldwide, it\n  said.\n      After conversion of the Unisys interest, Control Data will\n  own 80 pct, Honeywell Inc <HON>, 14 pct and Bull S.A. of\n  France, six pct, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DONALD TRUMP TO BUY CROSBY RESORTS <RTB> STOCK\n","article":"  Casino hotel operator and real estate\n  developer Donald Trump said he has agreed to purchase the Class\n  B common stock of Resorts International Inc held by the family\n  and estate of late Resorts chairman James Crosby for 135 dlrs\n  per share.\n      Trump said he is also considering a tender offer for\n  remaining Class B shares at the same price but has no interest\n  in Resorts' Class A shares.\n      Trump said the shares he has agreed already to buy\n  represent a 78 pct interest in the Class B stock. The estate\n  itself owns 340,783 of the 752,297 Class B shares. There are\n  also about 6,432,000 Class A shares outstanding, but Trump said\n  \"I have no interest in the Class A shares.\"\n      Each Class B share has 100 times the voting power of a\n  Class A share.\n      In Atlantic City, Resorts said in a statement that the\n  Class B shares being sold to Trump represents 73 pct of the\n  combined voting power in Resorts.\n      It said closing is dependent on receipt of necessary\n  regulatory approvals and other matters, and after closing,\n  Trump will tender for remaining Class B shares at the same\n  price.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USAIR <U> WINS COURT ORDER AGAINST TWA <TWA>\n","article":"  USAir Group Inc said a U.S. District\n  Court in Pittsburgh issued a temporary restraining order to\n  prevent Trans World Airlines Inc from buying additional USAir\n  shares.\n      USAir said the order was issued in response to its suit,\n  charging TWA chairman Carl Icahn and TWA violated federal laws\n  and made misleading statements.\n      TWA last week said it owned 15 pct of USAir's shares. It\n  also offered to buy the company for 52 dlrs a share cash or 1.4\n  billion dlrs.\n   More\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GREASE MONKEY <GMHC> GETS, REJECTS MERGER OFFER\n","article":"  Grease Monkey Holding Corp said it has\n  received and rejected an unsolicited merger offer from Jiffy\n  Lube International Inc <LUBE>.\n      The company said the proposal involved an exchange of\n  Grease Monkey common stock for a combination of Jiffy Lube\n  securities with an estimated current value substantially below\n  Grease Monkey's current market\n   price.\n      It said it will not disclosed details.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. RULING ON BRAZIL FCOJ MAY COME TOMORROW\n","article":"  A decision on final dumping duties on\n  frozen orange juice from Brazil may not be issued until\n  tomorrow, Commerce Department officials said.\n      They said the department has until midnight tonight to set\n  the duty but may not make the finding public until tomorrow.\n      A preliminary duty of 8.54 pct was set October 17, 1986.\n      The final ruling will be based on more detailed\n  information, the officials said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"THAILAND ANNOUNCES THIRD TAPIOCA QUOTA FOR EC\n","article":"  Thailand's Commerce Ministry announced a\n  new tapioca export quota of 737,987 tonnes for the European\n  Community against 762,860 tonnes for the previous allocation.\n      The ministry said the fresh allocation, for the February\n  27-July 7 shipment period, is the third under a maximum 5.5 mln\n  tonne overall quota that Thailand obtained from the EC for\n  calendar 1987.\n      It said the quota allocation was based on a national\n  tapioca pellet stock of 4.34 mln tonnes surveyed last week, up\n  from 3.05 mln in mid-January.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHRYSLER <C> IN DEAL TO BUY AMC <AMO>\n","article":"  Chrysler Corp said it agreed in\n  principle with French state-owned Renault to acquire American\n  Motors Corp., in which Renault is controlling shareholder,\n  under a deal in which AMC stockholders other than Renault would\n  receive Chrysler common stock with a market value of four dlrs\n  for each AMC common share they hold.\n      Chrysler said the letter of intent for the deal, which\n  needs government and AMC shareholder and board approval,\n  provides that AMC holders will receive not more than .0840 or\n  less than .0687 of a share of Chrysler common for each share of\n  AMC common they hold.\n   more\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BARCLAYS, MIDLAND FOLLOW NATWEST BASE RATE CUT\n","article":"  Barclays Bank Plc <BCS.L> and Midland\n  Bank Plc <MDBL.L> said they are cutting their base lending\n  rates to 10.5 pct from 11 pct. The cuts follow a similar move\n  by National Westminster Bank Plc <NWBL.L>\n      The rate changes take effect tomorrow.\n      The base rate reductions came after the Bank of England cut\n  its dealing rates this morning in a signal to the money markets\n  that it would not resist a half percentage point drop in bank\n  base lending rates, market sources said.\n      Until the end of last week, the central was holding out\n  staunchly against market pressures for lower rates in an\n  apparent effort to preserve the expected rate cuts for around\n  the time of the government's annual Budget on March 17.\n      Sterling remained firm around 1.59 dlrs compared with its\n  close here on Friday at 1.5865 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. MINT SEEKING 4,784,000 LBS ZINC\n","article":"  The U.S. Mint said it is seeking\n  offers on 4,784,000 lbs of special high-grade zinc that it\n  intends to purchase.\n      It said selling offers will be due at 1100 hrs EST, March\n  24.\n      The Mint said two increments of 1,300,000 lbs each are for\n  delivery the weeks of April 13 and april 20 to Ball Corp,\n  Greeneville, Tenn., and two increments of 1,092,000 lbs each\n  are to be delivered the weeks of April 20 and April 27 to\n  LaSalle Rolling Mills, LaSalle, Ill.\n      Firms, in submitting offers, may elect to receive payment\n  from the Mint by standard check or by wire transfer. Awards\n  will be based on whichever method is most cost advantageous to\n  the goverment at the time the awards are determined.\n      The offers will have a minimum acceptance period of 10\n  calendar days, the Mint said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA BUILDING PERMITS RISE IN NOVEMBER\n","article":"  Led by the non-residential sector,\n  Canadian building permits issued in November rose 0.7 pct to\n  2.18 billion dlrs, seasonally adjusted, from 2.16 billion dlrs\n  in October, Statistics Canada said.\n      Residential permits fell 3.9 pct to 1.25 billion dlrs from\n  1.30 billion dlrs in October while the number of units approved\n  fell to 17,552 from 19,079 units.\n      The value of non-residential projects rose 7.6 pct to 927.6\n  mln dlrs in the month.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DIXIE YARNS <DXYN> TO ACQUIRE TI-CARO INC\n","article":"  Dixie Yarns Inc and <TI-CARO\n  Inc> jointly said they signed a merger agreement calling for\n  Dixie to acquire all TI-CARO's stock in exchange for three mln\n  of Dixie's common.\n      The companies said the previously announced merger has been\n  approved by TI-CARO's board and is expected to close by early\n  April.\n      They said the revenues of the combined companies will be\n  over 600 mln dlrs, and Dixie said the merger will not dilute\n  its 1987 results. TI-CARO was taken private in 1984 in a\n  management led leveraged buy-out.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. HAS TO MIDNIGHT TO SET ORANGE JUICE DUTIES\n","article":"  A decision on final dumping duties on\n  frozen orange juice from Brazil may not be issued until\n  tomorrow, Commerce Department officials said.\n      They said the department has until midnight tonight to set\n  the duty, but may not make the finding public until tomorrow.\n      A preliminary duty of 8.54 pct was set last Oct. 17.\n      The final duty will be based on more detailed information,\n  the officials said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ATPC MEMBERS FIND WAYS TO CURB TIN EXPORTS\n","article":"  Mine and industry officials from\n  most member states of the Association of Tin Producing\n  Countries (ATPC) say they have found ways to limit group\n  exports to 96,000 tonnes in the year started March 1, according\n  to views polled by Reuter correspondents.\n      The plan to curb exports, agreed in January, is aimed at\n  cutting the world surplus to 50,000 tonnes from 70,000 now and\n  boosting prices to about 19 ringgit a kilo from just over 16.\n      Members of the seven-member Kuala Lumpur-based ATPC account\n  for some 65 pct of the world's tin output.\n      Under the ATPC plan, Malaysia has been allocated an export\n  quota of 28,526 tonnes, Indonesia 24,516, Thailand 19,000,\n  Bolivia 13,761, Zaire 1,736 and Nigeria 1,461.\n      Australia has said it is not setting any export quota.\n  However, the tonnage allocated to it, 7,000 tonnes, is roughly\n  equal to its expected output this year.\n      Comment from officials in Zaire was unavailable.\n      Mine officials in Malaysia, the world's leading producer,\n  said only 188 mines will be allowed to operate to ensure that\n  output is limited to around 31,500 tonnes in the year started\n  March 1.\n      Chief Inspector of Mines Redzuan Sumun told Reuters that\n  excess output of some 3,000 tonnes after exports of 28,500 in\n  the one-year quota period would be kept in the national stock.\n      Mine owners in Malaysia have welcomed the ATPC export curb\n  and asked the government not to issue new mining licences. More\n  than 100 applications for licences are pending.\n      Redzuan said the Mines Department would approve new mining\n  licences only if a six-month review of production trends showed\n  that local mines were not overproducing.\n      ATPC chairman and Indonesia's Mining and Energy Minister\n  Subroto has pledged his country's support for the export curb.\n      A spokesman for the state-owned tin mining company PT\n  Tambang Timah told Reuters it would be easy for Indonesia to\n  stick to an export quota of 24,516 tonnes because this was\n  close to exports in calendar 1986 of 24,636.\n      In Bangkok, Thai Industry Minister Pramual Sabhavasu said\n  Thailand would keep to its 19,000 tonne quota and added this\n  would not cause the local industry hardship at current prices.\n      To insure adherence, the industry ministry and sole tin\n  exporter Thailand Smelting and Refining Co would encourage\n  bigger stockpiles, and income tax exemptions would be\n  permitted, he said.\n      The Thai Mineral Resources Department is expected to\n  disallow new tin mines opening this year to prevent excessive\n  production, industry sources said.\n      But Mining Industry Council President Dam Teutong told\n  Reuters that if the tin price rose above 18 ringgit a kilo,\n  Thai miners would press for the opening of more new mines.\n      Thailand exported 18,367 tonnes in 1986, up from 17,359 in\n  1985, Pramual said.\n      Bolivia said it expects to export less tin this year than\n  its allocated 13,761 tonne quota.\n      Mining Minister Jaimie Villalobos told Reuters in La Paz\n  that Bolivia expected to export about 9,000 tonnes of tin in\n  calendar 1987.\n      He said this was due to the sacking after the tin crisis of\n  October 1985 of about 20,000 of the 28,000 workers at the state\n  mining company Comibol, which produces more than 80 pct of\n  Bolivia's total exports.\n      He said there were risks in the ATPC plan to cut exports\n  but added he was confident the goals set by the plan would be\n  achieved. He did not elaborate.\n      Mines, Power and Steel Minister Bunu Sheriff Musa said in\n  Lagos that Nigeria would have no difficulty keeping within its\n  ATPC quota of 1,461 tonnes because its metals output had\n  declined due to poor demand and high production costs.\n      Industry sources told Reuters that Nigeria's output was\n  less than 1,000 tonnes last year.\n      ATPC officials said they would monitor member countries'\n  export figures every three months using customs documents and\n  make projections from such data to see if quotas were likely to\n  be breached within the year-long quota period.\n      The ATPC officials said members that appeared likely to\n  breach their quotas would be told to take remedial measures.\n      They added that if member countries were unable to fulfil\n  their quotas their extra tonnage would be reallocated to other\n  members at the ATPC's discretion.\n      The ATPC would have produced and exported an estimated\n  106,000 tonnes of tin in 1987 without the plan.\n      Non-members Brazil and China have pledged to cooperate with\n  the ATPC and limit their exports to 21,000 and 7,000 tonnes\n  respectively during the quota period.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GALE FORCE WINDS BUFFET GREAT LAKES\n","article":"  The National Weather Service said\n  warnings of gale force winds remained in effect over lakes\n  Erie, Huron and Michigan.\n      Also, warnings have been posted for large waves and beach\n  erosion along the shores of the Lakes. Winds gusting to 45 mph\n  caused four to six foot waves along the western and southern\n  shores of Lake Michigan during the morning.\n      Advisories for low wind chill temperatures have also been\n  posted across portions of upper Michigan and northern lower\n  Michigan. Early morning gusty winds brought the wind chill to\n  15 and 25 degrees below zero.\n      Freezing rain was scattered over central Colorado by mid\n  morning, also over central Kansas and northeast Illinois.\n      Snow reached from south central Montana across Wyoming,\n  western Nebraska and western Kansas. Snow also extended across\n  northern Wisconsin, upper Michigan and northern lower Michigan.\n      Rain reached along the northern Pacific Coast, across\n  northwest Utah, Maryland, Deleware, Virginia, the Carolinas,\n  Georgia and northern Alabama.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. ISSUES ONE BILLION STG BOND TRANCHE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it was taking\n  onto its books a further one billion stg tranche of 8-3\/4 pct\n  Treasury Loan stock due 1997, payable 40 stg pct on\n  application. The stock was issued to the Bank at 96.50 stg pct\n  and will be available for dealings from March 11, with the\n  remainder of the amount payable on May 5. The Bank said the\n  bonds would yield 9.28 pct at the issue price and would be free\n  of tax to residents overseas. The issue would be designated\n  8-3\/4 pct Treasury Loan 1997 \"B.\"  A further 100 mln stg was\n  reserved for the National Debt Commissioners.\n      The market dropped by up to 1\/2 point following the Bank's\n  announcement, with the Treasury 13-1\/2 pct stock due 2004\/08\n  quoted one full point lower at 134-12\/32 stg pct around 20\n  minutes after the news.\n      Dealers said the announcement had to be viewed against the\n  backdrop of intense pressure for lower U.K. Interest rates\n  which had built up over the past two weeks as a result of\n  sterling's strength.\n      The Bank this morning finally signalled it was prepared to\n  see lower rates and U.K. Clearing banks this afternoon\n  announced cuts in their base lending rates to 10.5 pct from 11\n  pct.\n      The Bank had initially been reluctant to countenance a rate\n  cut because, dealers said, the authorities had wished to delay\n  a reduction until around the time of the U.K. Budget on March\n  17, thereby preserving the full impact of Chancellor of the\n  Exchequer Nigel Lawson's package of measures.\n      However, in the face of sterling's apparently inexorable\n  climb, the authorities today decided to cede to pressure and\n  allow a half-point cut.\n      Today's one billion stg tap issue was viewed by the market\n  as a move by the Bank to eradicate hopes for a further early\n  rate cut which might arise as a result of strong sterling.\n      Most market participants believe that Lawson will now\n  foster a further half point interest rate reduction at the time\n  of the budget, although one or two said they would not be\n  surprised to see a full point decline at this stage.\n      Dealers noted that as part of the authorities' attempts\n  last week to ease pressure for lower rates, the Bank had issued\n  a one billion stg tap stock with a view to subduing the\n  Government bond market.\n      To the surprise of most participants, the issue was sold\n  out within hours of becoming available for trading and the\n  market pushed on to register further sharp gains.\n      Dealers said that at this stage it seemed unlikely that the\n  issue announced today would be absorbed by the market as\n  rapidly as last week's.\n      However, they noted that although sterling had edged down\n  from its highs following the base rate cut, it had still closed\n  on a trade-weighted basis at 72.4, well ahead of Friday's final\n  71.8 and only just beneath the peak of 72.5 touched at 1300\n  GMT.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMC SAYS IT IS \"STUDYING\" CHRYSLER BUYOUT PROPOSAL AND WILL COMMENT WHEN \"APPROPRIATE\"\n","article":"\n  AMC SAYS IT IS \"STUDYING\" CHRYSLER BUYOUT PROPOSAL AND WILL COMMENT WHEN \"APPROPRIATE\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PETRO-CANADA TO DRILL TWO TERRA NOVA TEST WELLS\n","article":"  Petro-Canada, Canada's\n  state-owned oil company, said it will drill two delineation\n  wells this summer at the Terra Nova oil field offshore\n  Newfoundland.\n      Evaluation of test results and preliminary engineering work\n  should put Petro-Canada in a position to propose a development\n  plan for the Terra Nova field in 1988, the company said.\n      Depending on time required for regulatory approvals,\n  construction could begin in 1989, with first oil production as\n  early as 1991, Petro-Canada said.\n      \"We have a high degree of confidence that the western\n  portion of the (Terra Nova) field contains at least 11 mln\n  cubic meters of recoverable oil, or more than 70 mln barrels,\n  and that we could produce it economicly using a floating\n  production system,\" Petro-Canada said.\n      The Terra-Nova field, lying 350 kilometers east of St.\n  John's and 35 kilometers southeast of Hibernia field, was\n  discovered by Petro-Canada in 1984.\n      \"We've had encouraging results from the eastern portion of\n  the field, and we hope this summer's drilling will prove up\n  additional reserves there,\" the company said.\n      Petro-Canada believes Terra Nova field is a good commercial\n  prospect and the company wants to move some of those resources\n  towards development so it can start generating a return on\n  investments, Petro-Canada said.\n      Petro-Canada, which will act as operator of the two wells,\n  has a 75 pct interest in the western portion of Graven block of\n  the Terra Nova field and a 26 pct interest in the field's East\n  Flank block, a company spokesman said later. Other field\n  participants include Canterra Energy Ltd, Mobil Oil Canada Ltd,\n  Gulf Canada Resources Inc, ICG Resources Ltd, Trillium\n  Exploration Corp and general partnership PAREX.\n      Petro-Canada estimates reserves in the Terra Nova field's\n  Graven block of between 68 mln and 70 mln barrels of oil,\n  company spokesman Bob Foulkes said from Petro-Canada's Calgary\n  office.\n      Combined reserves for Graven Block and the field's East\n  Flank block are estimated between 70 mln and 130 mln barrels,\n  he added.\n      Petro-Canada expects to spend about 500 mln Canadian dlrs\n  to bring the field to production by about 1991, and the\n  development budget could double if the company builds a\n  production system combining both blocks in the field, he said.\n      Petro-Canada estimates the Terra Nova field Graven block\n  would produce between 25,000 and 26,000 barrels average daily\n  production, with a production system that would have maximum\n  capacity of 40,000 bpd, company spokesman Foulkes said in\n  answer to a query.\n      The company estimates a production system combining both\n  Graven and East Flank blocks in the Terra Nova field could\n  produce about 45,000 bpd average daily production, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHARAN SEES AT LEAST 50 PCT RISE IN 1987 PROFIT\n","article":"  (Charan Industries Inc), a distributor\n  of toys and other consumer products, expects 1987 net profit to\n  rise at least 50 pct over last year's 6.1 mln dlrs, president\n  Earl Takefman told reporters before the annual meeting.\n      \"We grew basically 100 pct last year, I'm not sure we're\n  going to be able to grow 100 pct again this year but we\n  certainly will grow at least 50 pct over last year,\" Takefman\n  said.\n      Charan reported profit of 3.0 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      Takefman said he expects sales to rise to about 100 mln\n  dlrs this year from 57.3 mln dlrs in 1986.\n      Fiscal 1985 ended September 30, while fiscal 1986 ended\n  November 30.\n      Takefman said the company is actively looking for\n  acquisitions in the consumer products industry, likely in\n  Canada.\n      The company said it expects to resolve delivery problems\n  this year which last year hindered the growth of its toy\n  distribution business, which accounts for about one-third of\n  revenues.\n      Charan is the exclusive distributor in Canada for <Worlds\n  of Wonder> toys, which include the Teddy Ruxpin voice-activated\n  talking plush bear.\n      Takefman said new products this year, which will be on the\n  shelves for Christmas, include a smaller version of Teddy\n  Ruxpin, a talking Mickey Mouse toy, dancing plush toys, a doll\n  with a voice activated by sound, touch, light and heat, and\n  talking books.\n      The company is also marketing an extended line of \"laser\n  tag\" kits, which shoot rays of light and tell you when you've\n  hit someone.\n      Other products include a recorder device which allows\n  students to leave taped messages in each others' school\n  lockers, retailing for about 60 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MAYFAIR SUPER MARKETS <MYFRA> SALES INCREASED\n","article":"  Mayfair Super Markets said its\n  sales for the second qtr ended Feb 28 were 122.0 mln dlrs, an\n  increase of more than 15 pct compared to sales of 105.9 mln\n  dlrs in the comparable quarter last year.\n      The company said sales for the first six months of the year\n  were 242.0 mln dlrs, more than 15 pct above the 210.1 mln dlrs\n  reported in the same period last year.\n      This was the 12th consecutive quarterly gain, the company\n  said.  The company said it expects to release earnings in\n  April.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOUTH KOREA TO HOLD CURRENT ACCOUNT SURPLUS DOWN\n","article":"  South Korea plans to take steps to keep\n  its 1987 current account surplus below five billion dlrs,\n  Economic Planning Board Minister Kim Mahn-je said.\n      Kim told reporters the government would repay loans ahead\n  of schedule and encourage firms to increase imports and\n  investment abroad to prevent the current account surplus from\n  rising too quickly.\n      Last year South Korea's current account surplus was 4.65\n  billion dlrs. It widened to 622 mln dlrs in January from 484\n  mln in December and compared with a deficit of 334 mln in\n  January 1986, Bank of Korea figures show.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PPG INDUSTRIES <PPG> SELLS ETHYLENE INTERESTS\n","article":"  PPG Industries Inc said a group of\n  investors led by <Sterling Group> of Houston said it has agreed\n  to acquire PPG's ethylene products business, including its\n  inteest in an ethylene glycols joint venture with du Pont Co\n  <DD> in Beaumont, Texas, for undisclosed terms.\n      The company said completion is expected in the second\n  quarter.\n      It said the business had sales of over 50 mln dlrs in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FED EXPECTED TO ADD TEMPORARY RESERVES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve is expected to\n  intervene in the government securities market to add temporary\n  reserves via customer repurchase agreements, economists said.\n      Most economists said the Fed will add 1.5 to two billion\n  dlrs of temporary reserves via customer repurchase agreements,\n  but some said there is a slim chance the Fed will inject\n  permanent reserves via three-day system repurchase agreements.\n      Federal funds opened at 6-1\/16 pct and firmed to 6-1\/8 pct\n  in early trading. Funds averaged six pct on Friday.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BARCLAYS, MIDLAND FOLLOW NATWEST BASE RATE CUT\n","article":"  Barclays Bank Plc <BCS.L> and Midland\n  Bank Plc <MDBL.L> said they are cutting their base lending\n  rates to 10.5 pct from 11 pct. The cuts follow a similar move\n  by National Westminster Bank Plc <NWBL.L>\n      The rate changes take effect tomorrow.\n      The base rate reductions came after the Bank of England cut\n  its dealing rates this morning in a signal to the money markets\n  that it would not resist a half percentage point drop in bank\n  base lending rates, market sources said.\n      Until the end of last week, the central was holding out\n  staunchly against market pressures for lower rates in an\n  apparent effort to preserve the expected rate cuts for around\n  the time of the government's annual Budget on March 17.\n      Sterling remained firm around 1.59 dlrs compared with its\n  close here on Friday at 1.5865 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"UNITED AUTO WORKERS UNION SAYS IT SUPPORTS CHRYSLER-AMC MERGER\n","article":"\n  UNITED AUTO WORKERS UNION SAYS IT SUPPORTS CHRYSLER-AMC MERGER\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LLOYDS BANK MATCHES BASE RATE CUT TO 10.5 PCT\n","article":"  Lloyds Bank Plc <LLOY.L> said it is\n  cutting its base lending rate to 10.5 pct from 11 pct,\n  effective tomorrow.\n      The reduction follows similar moves from the three other\n  British clearing banks.\n      National Westminster Bank Plc <NWBL.L> led the way this\n  morning after the Bank of England lowered its dealing rates in\n  a signal that it would tolerate a half percentage point\n  reduction.\n      The central bank's surprise signal followed its strenuous\n  efforts last week to prevent market forces from bringing down\n  base rates before the U.K. Budget on March 17.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORCROS BREAKS OFF MERGER TALKS WITH WILLIAMS\n","article":"  Norcros <NCRO.L> Plc said it has no\n  intention of proceeding any further with talks on Williams\n  Holdings Plc's suggestion that there would be benefits arising\n  from a merger between the two groups.\n      Norcros said any such benefits could be achieved through\n  normal trading and did not warrant a closer formal association.\n      Norcros shares firmed 30p to 342p after the news on\n  investor speculation of a possible hostile bid from Williams,\n  dealers said. Williams rose 2p to 742.\n      Williams earlier informed Norcros that it holds some\n  2,890,000 of its ordinary shares or 2.2 pct of those issued.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DUTCH OILSEEDS\/FATS IMPORTS ROSE IN 1986\n","article":"  and oil-bearing\n  raw materials, fats and oils rose to 2.16 mln tonnes on a\n  fat\/oil basis in 1986 from 2.12 mln tonnes in 1985, the\n  Commodity Board for Margarine, Fats and Oils said.\n      Exports of the same commodities fell to 1.35 mln tonnes\n  from 1.38 mln on a fat-oil basis.\n      Fat- and oil-bearing raw materials imports rose to 760,000\n  from 709,200 tonnes on a fat\/oil basis and to 3.47 mln tonnes\n  actual weight from 3.32 mln.\n      Soyabeans were the main component, with imports rising to\n  2.82 mln tonnes actual weight from 2.75 mln. Sunflowerseed\n  imports fell to 308,200 from 342,900 tonnes while rapeseed\n  imports rose to 292,000 from 201,400 tonnes.\n      Exports of fat- and oil-bearing raw materials rose to\n  28,700 tonnes from 19,800 on a fat\/oil basis and to 137,200\n  from 89,900 tonnes actual weight.\n      Soyabean exports rose to 119,400 tonnes actual weight from\n  73,200 tonnes.\n      Imports of vegetable fats, including palm oil, rose to\n  445,400 tonnes from 362,500 and exports to 151,500 from\n  139,800.\n      Vegetable oil imports fell to 227,500 tonnes in 1986 from\n  286,300 in 1985, and exports to 661,400 from 683,400 tonnes.\n      Soyabean oil imports were 32,000 (48,200), sunflower oil\n  61,600 (92,800), rape oil 82,900 (94,900) and groundnut oil\n  9,300 (12,200). Exports of soybean oil were 325,900 (338,800),\n  sun oil 172,100 (189,800), rape oil 114,300 (103,400) and\n  groundnut oil 7,000 (10,400).\n      Animal fat imports rose to 371,700 from 345,800 tonnes and\n  exports to 124,100 tonnes from 113,000. Fishoil imports fell to\n  190,600 from 265,600 and exports to 56,500 from 85,500 tonnes.\n   reuter...\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LLOYDS BANK MATCHES BASE RATE CUT TO 10.5 PCT\n","article":"  Lloyds Bank Plc <LLOY.L> said it is\n  cutting its base lending rate to 10.5 pct from 11 pct,\n  effective tomorrow.\n      The reduction follows similar moves from the three other\n  British clearing banks.\n      National Westminster Bank Plc <NWBL.L> led the way this\n  morning after the Bank of England lowered its dealing rates in\n  a signal that it would tolerate a half percentage point\n  reduction.\n      The central bank's surprise signal followed its strenuous\n  efforts last week to prevent market forces from bringing down\n  base rates before the U.K. Budget on March 17.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LESS GRAIN FLOWS INTO WEST GERMAN INTERVENTION\n","article":"  The West German Intervention Board said\n  it accepted 962,192 tonnes of grain from the start of the\n  current agricultural year to the end of last month, compared\n  with 1.8 mln tonnes during the July\/February period in 1985\/86.\n      It said it accepted 336,097 tonnes of bread wheat (nil in\n  the year-earlier period), 16,818 (nil) tonnes of high quality\n  wheat, 33,623 (523,625) tonnes of feed wheat, 3,426 (168,682)\n  tonnes of rye, 88,494 (32,766) tonnes of high quality rye,\n  2,313 (105,005) tonnes of summer barley and 481,421 (972,794)\n  tonnes of winter barley.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"LLOYDS BANK MATCHES BASE RATE CUT TO 10.5 PCT\n","article":"  Lloyds Bank Plc said it is cutting its\n  base lending rate to 10.5 pct from 11 pct, effective tomorrow.\n      The reduction follows similar moves from the three other\n  British clearing banks.\n      National Westminster Bank Plc led the way this morning\n  after the Bank of England lowered its dealing rates in a signal\n  that it would tolerate a half percentage point reduction.\n      The central bank's surprise signal followed its strenuous\n  efforts last week to prevent market forces from bringing down\n  base rates before the U.K. Budget on March 17.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRENCH 13-WEEK T-BILL AVERAGE RATE FALLS TO 7.37 PCT FROM 7.69 PCT - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  FRENCH 13-WEEK T-BILL AVERAGE RATE FALLS TO 7.37 PCT FROM 7.69 PCT - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LITTLE MOVEMENT ON HAMBURG FISHMEAL MARKET\n","article":"  The Hamburg fishmeal market saw little\n  movement in the past week with demand slack as in other protein\n  feed sectors, trade sources said.\n      Prices edged up on firmer origin offering levels and the\n  stronger dollar. Sellers quoted 64 pct fishmeal at between 640\n  and 650 marks per tonne free on truck for spot and between 630\n  and 640 marks for April\/Dec.\n      International demand was also slow but some inquiries from\n  Far Eastern buyers were noted in South American producer\n  countries, the sources said.\n      Chile is said to have good catches in northern and southern\n  fishing grounds, with offers unchanged at 330 dlrs per tonne c\n  and f North German ports.\n      Peru's catches differ regionally and stocks are low.\n  Sellers quoted a nominal offering level of 320 dlrs per tonne c\n  and f north German ports. Ecuador was not in the market and\n  catches are said to be poor.\n      Denmark has seasonally low catches, with 72 pct meal\n  offered at 315 crowns per 100 kilos cif North European ports\n  for April\/Oct deliveries. Iceland has good catches and sellers\n  quoted a price of 5.45 dlrs per percentage point protein cif\n  North European ports. Norway was not in the market.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UK MONEY RATES FALL AS BANK APPROVES BASE RATE CUT\n","article":"  A half point cut in base lending rates\n  was announced by the big four clearing banks today after the\n  Bank of England finally endorsed such a move following weeks of\n  downward pressure, dealers said.\n      During its routine intervention in the market, the bank\n  trimmed the rates at which it deals with the discount houses by\n  half a point and National Westminster led the other clearing\n  banks in reducing its base rate to 10-1\/2 pct from 11 pct.\n      The timing of the Bank of England move took operators by\n  surprise after its recent action seemingly designed to dampen\n  hopes of a base rate cut ahead of the U.K. Budget on March 17.\n         For some time, fundamentals have\n  led the market to push for a one point cut in base lending\n  rates to 10 pct but the central bank has declined to follow\n  wholesale money market rates down.\n      Although political considerations -- the government's wish\n  to see a fall in base rates coincide with the Budget -- had\n  been suggested by operators last week as reasons for the Bank's\n  delaying action, worries about the real strength of sterling\n  and perhaps about the market's reaction to the content of the\n  Budget may have been behind the central bank's caution, dealers\n  said.\n      In the event, sterling continued firm after the rate cut,\n  leaving the market still looking for another half point fall.\n      Consequently, rates in the money market eased during the\n  day, one-month interbank sterling shedding 5\/16 point to\n  10-9\/16 7\/16 and three-months trading 1\/16 point down at\n  10-5\/16 3\/16 pct. Sterling cd's were similarly down between\n  5\/16 point in one month and 1\/8 point in one year.\n      Overnight interbank money for tomorrow was indicated at\n  around 11 pct, almost a point below the levels ruling at the\n  end of last week. Today, overnight touched a high of some\n  11-3\/4 pct after the Bank took out 228 mln stg of an estimated\n  300 mln stg shortage.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GRAIN CERTIFICATE REDEMPTIONS PUT AT 240 MLN BU\n","article":"  Over 240 mln bushels of government\n  grain have been allocated in redemptions for commodity\n  certificates since the program began April 30, according to the\n  Commodity Credit Corporation.\n      Redemptions included 11.4 mln bushels of corn valued at\n  17.0 mln dlrs, or an average per-bushel price of 1.492 dlrs,\n  since the current grain catalogs were issued December 1 by CCC.\n      Wheat redemptions totaled 9.6 mln bushels, valued at 23.7\n  mln dlrs, since December 1.\n   More\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AMC <AMO> STUDYING CHRYSLER <C> PROPOSAL\n","article":"  American Motors Corp said it\n  is studying a proposed merger with Chrysler Corp.\n      American Motors said it received a letter from Chrysler\n  Corp \"advising us of their proposal to enter into a merger\n  transaction with American Motors Corp.\"\n      In a brief statement, the company said, \"We are studying\n  the proposal. We will have further comment when it is\n  appropriate.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CHINA'S HEILONGJIANG PROVINCE BOOSTS GOLD OUTPUT\n","article":"  Gold output in the northeast China\n  province of Heilongjiang rose 22.7 pct in 1986 from 1985's\n  level, the New China News Agency said. It gave no figures.\n      It said the province, China's second largest gold producer\n  after Shandong, plans to double gold output by 1990 from the\n  1986 level. China does not publish gold production figures.\n      However, industry sources estimate output at about 65\n  tonnes a year, with exports put between 11 and 31 tonnes.\n      China is selling more gold abroad to offset large trade\n  deficits in recent years, western diplomats said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WALL STREET STOCKS\/AMERICAN EXPRESS <AXP>\n","article":"  American Express Co's stock fell\n  sharply, reflecting, in part, investors' disappointment that\n  the company did not make an announcement about its plans for\n  brokerage unit Shearson Lehman Brothers, traders said.\n      The company has said it is studying options for its\n  Shearson unit. Traders said many investors anticipated an\n  announcement this weekend that it would spin off Shearson\n  Lehman. Also, they said, a flurry of arbitrage related sell\n  programs that pounded the general market today accelerated the\n  selloff of American Express, a component of the Dow Industrial\n  Average. American Express fell 3-1\/8 to 77-3\/8.\n      \"It was part programs and part that there was anticipation\n  of an announcement of a spinoff or something with Shearson this\n  weekend, and that announcement never happened,\" one trader\n  said.\n      In the last few minutes of trading on Friday, another\n  trader said, the stock jumped to close up 3-3\/8, largely on\n  anticipation that the company would make a weekend\n  announcement.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RANGER <RGO> COMPLETES U.S. PROPERTY SALE\n","article":"  Ranger Oil Ltd said it\n  completed on March 2 the previously announced sale of its U.S.\n  oil and gas properties held by subsidiaries Ranger Oil Co and\n  Ranger Inc to Ampol Exploration Ltd, of Australia, for 18.5 mln\n  U.S. dlrs.\n      Ranger said that under the deal, it would retain a five pct\n  gross overriding royalty on its stake from blocks east cameron\n  65 and 82 in the Gulf of Mexico offshore Lousiana.\n      It said the sale did not include U.S. properties acquired\n  from <Berkeley Exploration and Production PLC> last December.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AMOCO'S FIRST SOUTH CHINA SEA EXPLORATORY WELL FLOWS 2,240 BARRELS OF OIL DAILY\n","article":"\n  AMOCO'S FIRST SOUTH CHINA SEA EXPLORATORY WELL FLOWS 2,240 BARRELS OF OIL DAILY\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TRADERS SAY USDA MAY LOWER ORANGE CROP ESTIMATE\n","article":"  The U.S. Department of Agriculture will\n  probably decrease its estimate of the 1986\/87 Florida orange\n  crop today to as low as 123 mln boxes from 129 mln boxes,\n  analysts and industry sources said.\n      The Department is scheduled to release the new estimate at\n  1500 hrs EST (2100 gmt) today.\n      Analysts said the market is anticipating a downward\n  revision and much of the bullish impact has been discounted.\n      The estimate, which the USDA has left unchanged since\n  October, should be affected this time by recent evidence of a\n  shortfall in the early and midseason crop now that those\n  harvests are complete. Analysts said based on earlier USDA\n  projections, the harvests should have been five to seven mln\n  boxes larger than they were.\n      \"They are going to cut their estimate,\" said Bob Tate, an\n  FCOJ broker with Dean Witter Reynolds in Miami. \"The only\n  question is whether they will admit the whole thing in this\n  estimate.\"\n      Tate said it is possible the USDA will lower its estimate\n  by a lesser amount, perhaps three mln boxes, and continue to\n  drop the estimate in subsequent reports as the crop picture\n  clarifies. The late season harvest, consisting mostly of\n  Valencia oranges, has not yet started, he noted.\n      \"They'll temper it,\" said Judy Weissman, FCOJ analyst with\n  Shearson Lehman Bros. \"The main drop will probably come in\n  July.\"\n      She expects today's estimate will be 126 mln boxes.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SALE TILNEY BUYS STAKE IN U.S. INSURANCE BROKER\n","article":"  <Sale Tilney Plc> said it has purchased\n  80 pct of the ordinary share capital of <B and R International\n  Inc.>, a U.S. Insurance broker, for 5.6 mln dlrs.\n      Sale is paying 3.6 mln dlrs in cash on completion, with the\n  balance plus interest to be paid in equal instalments over the\n  next six years.\n      B and R posted pretax profit of 855,000 dlrs in the year to\n  Dec 31, 1986 when it had net tangible assets of 563,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UAW SAYS IT BACK CHRYSLER <C>, AMC <AMO> MERGER\n","article":"  The United Auto Workers <UAW> union said\n  it supports Chrysler Corp's proposal to buy American Motors\n  Corp as creating \"a good match that potentially points the way\n  to a more secure future for workers at both companies.\"\n      \"We believe our members' interests can be well served\n  within the Chrysler family, and we are committed to making that\n  happen,\" UAW president Owen Bieber and vice president Marc\n  Stepp said in a statement.\n      \"We believe Chrysler's purchase is a logical and sound step\n  for all concerned,\" the union said.\n      The UAW is negotiating with AMC over the carmaker's demand\n  for economic concessions covering workers at its Wisconsin\n  operations, without which AMC has said it would cease vehicle\n  production at its Kenosha, Wisconsin, assembly plant by 1989.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TWA <TWA> DECLINES COMMENT ON USAIR <U>\n","article":"  A Transworld Airlines Inc official said\n  the airline has no comment on USAir Group Inc's planned buyout\n  of Piedmont Aviation Inc.\n      TWA, however, has pursued its application with the\n  Department of Transportation for a takeover of USAir, according\n  to Mark Buckstein, TWA general counsel and vice president. TWA\n  filed a revised application today, following the DOT's\n  rejection Friday of an incomplete application filed last week.\n      Earlier USAir said it agreed to buy Piedmont for 69 dlrs\n  cash per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MOODY'S MAY DOWNGRADE PIEDMONT AVIATION <PIE> \n","article":"  Moody's Investors Service Inc said it\n  may downgrade 120 mln dlrs of debt of Piedmont Aviation Inc\n  because of the airline's agreement to be acquired by USAir\n  Group Inc <U>.\n      The rating agency said its review would focus on the effect\n  of the acquisition on Piedmont's financial leverage and its\n  debt-service requirements. Moody's said it is also examining\n  the potential use of the airline's borrowing capacity to\n  finance the merger.\n      Piedmont currently carries Baa-2 preferred stock and\n  Prime-2 commercial paper.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"RUBBER PRODUCERS, CONSUMERS START NEW PACT TALKS\n","article":"  The chairman of the conference on a new\n  International Natural Rubber Agreement (INRA), Manaspas Xuto of\n  Thailand, said it was imperative to try to settle the main\n  outstanding issues this week.\n      The INRA renegotiation conference, which resumed today\n  under the auspices of the United Nations Conference on Trade\n  and Development (UNCTAD), is scheduled to last until March 20.\n      Xuto told delegates this session of the conference\n  presented a promising opportunity to conclude a new pact but it\n  had to be the last before the current accord expires in\n  October.\n      Xuto said in his consultations with representatives of\n  major exporting and importing countries over the last few\n  months, \"I have found a constructive attitude and willingness to\n  be flexible on the part of all concerned.\"\n      \"It is imperative that we try to settle the major\n  outstanding issues in the course of this week, since a\n  considerable amount of technical drafting work will remain to\n  be completed.\" He said he will immediately start consultations\n  with producers and consumers.\n      The last October negotiations collapsed in disagreement\n  over buffer stock operations.\n      Consumer demands for tighter buffer stock controls, aimed\n  at preventing INRA from following the collapse of the\n  International Tin Agreement (ITA), were rejected by producers\n  who argued for unchanged INRA terms.\n      The tin pact failed when its buffer stock manager ran out\n  of funds to support prices.\n      Three previous rounds of talks between rubber producers and\n  consumers for a new five-year pact ended without agreement. The\n  INRA, originally due to expire in October 1985, was extended to\n  October 1987 to facilitate renegotiation.\n      Wong Kum Choon, head of the Malaysian delegation, said he\n  was cautiously optimistic \"that together we should be able to\n  save INRA and prevent it from being scuttled.\"\n      Without INRA, he added, prices of natural rubber would\n  become more volatile.\n      Calling on delegates to show a sense of purpose and\n  reality, he said, \"There is no reason why we could not put aside\n  differences and come up with a successor agreement.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"USAIR <U> AND UNIT REMAIN UNDER MOODY'S REVIEW\n","article":"  Moody's Investors Service Inc said the\n  212.75 mln dlrs of debt of USAir Group Inc and its USAir Inc\n  unit remain under review for possible downgrade.\n      The rating agency cited USAir Group's proposed acquisition\n  of Piedmont Aviation Inc <PIE>, as well as Trans World Airlines\n  Inc's <TWA> proposed cash merger with USAir.\n      However, the status of TWA's bid for USAir Group is\n  currently uncertain. The U.S. Transportation Department has\n  rejected TWA's application to acquire USAir on deficiency\n  grounds, but TWA has said it will file a revised application,\n  Moody's noted.\n      Under Moody's review for possible downgrade are USAir\n  Group's Baa-1 senior debt and Baa-2 subordinated debentures,\n  along with the USAir unit's A-3 senior debt and Baa-1\n  subordinated debentures.\n      Moody's said it would examine the effects of the proposed\n  mergers on USAir Group's financial measurements, as well as\n  potential damage to the company's financial flexibility because\n  of the probability of increased debt-service requirements.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED SETS 2.5 BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPURCHASE, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  FED SETS 2.5 BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPURCHASE, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BALLY <BLY> TO TAKE 17.3 MLN DLR 1ST QTR CHARGE\n","article":"  Bally Manufacturing Corp said it\n  expects a charge to earnings in the first quarter of this year\n  of 17.3 mln dlrs as a result of its deal to buy back 2.6 mln of\n  its common shares from real estate developer Donald Trump.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the Chicago-based hotel, casino, gambling and amusement concern\n  also said the anticipated charge against first quarter earnings\n  will not be deductible for federal income tax purposes.\n      Under a February 21 deal, Bally agreed to buy 2.6 mln of\n  the 3.06 mln shares held by Trump at 24 dlrs a share, or 62.4\n  mln dlrs, while Trump agreed not to try to seek control of\n  Bally.\n      The agreement also calls for Bally to pay Trump another 6.2\n  mln dlrs for certain agreements, claims and expenses related to\n  his purchase of the Bally common stock, Bally said.\n      Trump agreed not to buy any more Bally stock or to try to\n  seek control of the company for 10 years, it said.\n      Bear, Stearns and Co Inc signed a similar standstill\n  agreement with Bally for three years, Bally said. But it can\n  still deal in Bally stock as a broker, it said.\n      The deal also obligates Bally to buy Trump's remaining\n  stake in the company for 33 dlrs a share if the stock price\n  does not reach that level by February 21, 1988, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SHELL CANADA SAID IT RAISED CRUDE PRICES BY 47 CANADIAN CTS A BARREL TODAY\n","article":"\n  SHELL CANADA SAID IT RAISED CRUDE PRICES BY 47 CANADIAN CTS A BARREL TODAY\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HUDSON BAY MINING CUTS U.S., CANADA ZINC PRICES\n","article":"  Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Co Ltd\n  said it cut prices for all grades of zinc sold in North America\n  by one U.S. cent a pound and by one Canadian cent a pound,\n  effective immediately.\n      The new price for high grade zinc is 37 U.S. cents and\n  49-1\/2 Canadian cents a pound, the company said.\n      Special high grade, prime western and continuous\n  galvanizing grade with controlled lead now costs 37-1\/2 U.S.\n  cents and 50 Canadian cents a pound. The new price for\n  continuous galvanizing grade alloyed with controlled lead and\n  aluminum additions is 37-3\/4 U.S. cents and 50-1\/4 Canadian\n  cents a pound.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED ADDS RESERVES VIA CUSTOMER REPURCHASES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve entered the U.S.\n  Government securities market to arrange 2.5 billion dlrs of\n  customer repurchase agreements, a Fed spokesman said.\n      Dealers said Federal funds were trading at 6-3\/16 pct when\n  the Fed began its temporary and indirect supply of reserves to\n  the banking system.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COURT REJECTS BUITONI APPEAL OVER IRI FOOD UNIT\n","article":"  An appeal by Buitoni SpA against a court\n  ruling that an accord under which it was to acquire Italian\n  state food firm SME - Societa Meridionale Finanziaria was not\n  contractually binding has been rejected, court officials said.\n      An appeal court rejected Buitoni's claim that the 497\n  billion lire accord with the state industrial company IRI -\n  Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale was a binding\n  contract. The decision upholds a court ruling of last July.\n      Buitoni is controlled by CIR - Compagnie Industriali\n  Riunite, an investment company itself controlled by Ing C\n  Olivetti EC SpA (OLIV.MI> chairman Carlo De Benedetti.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALLEGHENY <AG> AIMS TO DIVEST MORE BUSINESSES\n","article":"  Allegheny International Inc,\n  the consumer products concern that today announced a merger\n  agreement with a First Boston Corp <FBC> affiliate in a deal\n  worth about 500 mln dlrs, said it intends to divest more units\n  as a way to increase profits.\n      \"We're going to reduce AI to a size consistent with our\n  financial resources,\" said Chairman Oliver S. Travers.\n      \"We have made a conscious, strategic choice to become a\n  smaller, financially sound, consumer products company which\n  operates predominantly in the stable political and economic\n  environment of North America,\" he said.\n  \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HAMILTON OIL <HAML> SAYS RESERVES RISE\n","article":"  Hamilton Oil Corp said reserves at the\n  end of 1986 were 59.8 mln barrels of oil and 905.5 billion\n  cubic feet of natural gas, or 211 mln barrels equivalent, up 10\n  mln equivalent barrels from a year before.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ESTIMATED DROP IN JAPAN CORPORATE PROFITS TRIMMED\n","article":"  The combined profits of Japan's major\n  corporations, excluding financial institutions, are forecast to\n  fall 19.2 pct in the 1986\/87 year ending March 31, compared to\n  the 19.9 pct decline projected in late November, Wako Research\n  Institute of Economics said.\n      The private research body also said in a statement that 437\n  of the 1,084 firms listed on the first section of the Tokyo\n  Stock Exchange foresee an 11.6 pct fall in sales in the year\n  against an 11.4 pct fall estimated last November.\n      Current profits are projected to fall 4.4 pct in 1987\/88 on\n  sales seen increasing by 4.2 pct, it said.\n      Rationalisation measures taken by manufacturing industries\n  to cope with the yen's sharp rise are beginning to brighten\n  their business outlook, the institute said.\n      It said lower interest rates, which are expected to reduce\n  corporate borrowing costs, are also behind the improved\n  performance outlook.\n      Earnings performance in the non-manufacturing sector will\n  be supported by firm demand in the real estate and construction\n  businesses, it said.\n      The forecast was based on average exchange rate estimates\n  of 160 yen to the dollar in 1986\/87 and 155 yen in 1987\/88.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GRAHAM-MCCORMICK <GOP> SELLS OIL AND GAS STAKE\n","article":"  Graham-McCormick Oil and Gas\n  Partnership said it completed the sale of interests in two\n  major oil and gas fields to <Energy Assets International Corp>\n  for 21 mln dlrs.\n      The company said it sold about one-half of its 50 pct\n  interest in the Oak Hill and North Rucias fields, its two\n  largest producing properties.\n      It said it used about 20 mln dlrs of the proceeds to prepay\n  principal on its senior secured notes. Semi-annual principal\n  payments on the remaining 40 mln dlrs of notes have been\n  satisfied until December 1988 as a result, it said.\n      The company said the note agreements were amended to\n  reflect an easing of some financial covenants, and an increase\n  of interest to 13.5 pct from 13.0 pct until December 1990.\n      It said the noteholders exercise price for 1,125,000\n  warrants was also reduced to 50 cts from 1.50 dlrs.\n      The company said Energy Assets agreed to share the costs of\n  increasing production at the Oak Hill field.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ADVANCED TOBACCO <ATPI> MERGER TALKS END\n","article":"  Advanced Tobacco Products Inc\n  said it has ended talks on being acquired by Sterling Drug Inc\n  <STY> but has resumed acquisition talks with other parties.\n      The company had previously announced that a \"major U.S.\n  based company\" that it did not identify was evaluating its\n  nicotine technology.\n      Advanced said Sterling's board has decided not to enter the\n  nicotine product market.\n      It said it received a 200,000 dlr payment to deal\n  exclusively with Sterling through March Six.\n      Advanced said it had suspended merger talks with other\n  parties as a result of the exclusivity agreement.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"T.H.E. FITNESS <RFIT> BUYS LIVINGWELL UNIT\n","article":"  T.H.E. Fitness INc said it\n  agreed to buy Livingwell Inc's manufacturing unit, Powercise\n  INternational Inc, for 11.0 mln T.H.E. Fitness shares valued at\n  about 30 mln dlrs.\n      This acquisition includes all of Livingwell's rights to its\n  recently announced Powercise fitness equipment.\n      IN a separate transaction, Livingwell INc, an operator of\n  300 health clubs, placed a six mln dlrs order with Powercise\n  INternational to install the Powercise equipment in all of its\n  clubs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EXXON <XON> RAISES HEATING OIL PRICE, TRADERS\n","article":"  Oil traders in the New York area said\n  Exxon Corp's Exxon U.S.A. increased the price it charges\n  contract barge customers for heating oil in New York harbor by\n  1.5 cts a gallon, effective Saturday, March 7.\n      They said the increase brought Exxon's contract barge price\n  to 50 cts a gallon.\n      Traders said the price hike followed higher spot and\n  futures market prices for heating oil.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HUDSON BAY MINING CUTS U.S., CANADA ZINC PRICES\n","article":"  <Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Co Ltd>\n  said it cut prices for all grades of zinc sold in North America\n  by one U.S. ct a pound and by one Canadian ct a pound,\n  effective immediately.\n      The new price for high grade zinc is 37 U.S. cts and 49-1\/2\n  Canadian cts a pound, the company said.\n      Special high grade, prime western and continuous\n  galvanizing grade with controlled lead now costs 37-1\/2 U.S.\n  cts and 50 Canadian cts a pound. The new price for continuous\n  galvanizing grade alloyed with controlled lead and aluminum\n  additions is 37-3\/4 U.S. cts and 50-1\/4 Canadian cts a pound.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANKAMERICA <BAC> COMPLETES MORTGAGE UNIT SALE\n","article":"  BankAmerica Corp's Bank of America\n  unit said it completed the previously announced sale of\n  BankAmerica Finance Ltd to <Bank of Ireland> for an expected\n  pre-tax gain of 23 mln dlrs.\n      BankAmerica Finance provides residential mortgages in south\n  east England.\n      Its total assets at the end of 1986 were about 1.2 mln\n  dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUPERMARKETS GENERAL GETS UNSOLICITED BID FOR 41.75 DLRS\/SHR CASH\n","article":"\n  SUPERMARKETS GENERAL GETS UNSOLICITED BID FOR 41.75 DLRS\/SHR CASH\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL TREASURY TO RELEASE COFFEE BUYING FUNDS\n","article":"  The Treasury Department is due to\n  release funds for the Brazilian Coffee Institute, IBC, to pay\n  for the coffee purchased from local producers, the IBC said in\n  a statement.\n      IBC production director Oripes Gomes said in the statement\n  that payment would be made within the official guarantee\n  prices.\n      The statement said the IBC is sending a document to the\n  National Monetary Council asking the government to set a budget\n  for the purchase by the Institute of up to five mln bags of\n  coffee until June 30.\n      Gomes said in the statement there have been no problems in\n  the concession of funds by the Treasury for payment of the\n  coffee delivered to the IBC warehouses by the producers.\n      He said producers have already delivered 2.2 mln bags, of\n  which 1.5 mln bags have been paid for.\n      In the future, according to an agreement to be signed with\n  the Treasury, the Institute will no longer need to seek\n  approval by the Treasury to seek the release of additional\n  funds to buy coffee, the statement said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SHELL CANADA <SHC> RAISED CRUDE OIL POSTINGS\n","article":"  Shell Canada, a wholly owned subsidiary\n  of the Royal Dutch\/Shell Group <RD> said that it raised crude\n  oil prices by about 47 Canadian cts a barrel today.\n      The increase riased its posted price for Light sweet crude\n  oil to 21.95 dlrs a barrel from its march one level.\n      Light sour crudes were raised to 19.95 dlrs a barrel, the\n  company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GHANA COCOA PURCHASES 1,323 TONNES IN  LATEST WEEK, CUMULATIVE 216,095 TONNES - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  GHANA COCOA PURCHASES 1,323 TONNES IN  LATEST WEEK, CUMULATIVE 216,095 TONNES - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MGE CORN SYRUP FUTURES CONTRACT CLEARS HURDLE\n","article":"  The staff of the Commodity Futures\n  Trading Commission, CFTC, recommended that the regulatory\n  agency approve the Minneapolis Grain Exchange's application to\n  trade high fructose corn syrup-55, HFCS-55, futures contracts.\n      The commission is expected to approve the application at a\n  meeting tomorrow.\n      The proposed contract would provide for the delivery of\n  48,000 lbs, plus or minus two pct, of bulk HFCS-55, a liquid\n  food and beverage sweetener produced through processed corn\n  starch by corn refiners.\n      Under proposed rules, a shipping certificate has a limited\n  life, as it expires 30 days following the last day of trading\n  of the expiring contract month. A premium charge of 14.40 dlrs\n  per contract per day would be assessed under the proposal.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WORLD BANK TO BRING BORROWING FORWARD THIS YEAR\n","article":"  The World Bank intends to bring\n  borrowing forward into the first half of 1987 because it\n  expects global interest rates to rise by year end, World Bank\n  vice president and treasurer Eugene Rotberg said.\n      He told a news conference that rates in the U.S., Japan,\n  West Germany and Switzerland were near their lows. \"The weight\n  of opinion is (that in a year from now) there is a higher\n  probability there will be one pct higher than one pct lower\n  interest rates,\" he said.\n      The World Bank had not issued floating rate notes so far\n  this year because of the expectation of higher interest rates.\n      The policy of the World Bank was to maintain liquidity at a\n  level that gave the bank flexibility to decide when, where and\n  how much to borrow, Rotberg said.\n      Cash in hand was now about 50 pct of the next three years'\n  anticipated net requirement and comprised 25 pct of outstanding\n  debt and 66 pct of its debt maturing within five years.\n      Although the World Bank had pioneered the swap market, it\n  did not intend to launch new financial instruments just for the\n  sake of innovation, Rotberg said.\n      Of a total of 74.5 billion dlrs debt outstanding, only some\n  eight billion had been swapped into another currency.\n      Many recent innovations were either unfair to investors or\n  unfair to borrowers. Until the World Bank was confident that\n  this was not the case, it would not adopt new instruments.\n      The World Bank would raise 90 pct of the funds needed over\n  the next year with methods used before, Rotberg said. However,\n  for some 10 pct of new requirements the bank would try out new\n  instruments such as bonds with warrants.\n      The World Bank had publicly offered 60 bonds in Germany\n  since the first issue was launched in 1959, he said.\n  \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SERVICEMASTER <SVM> SETS QUARTER DISTRIBUTION\n","article":"  ServiceMaster L.P. approved\n  a second quarter cash distribution of 58 cts, payable April 10,\n  record March 23.\n      Previously, ServiceMaster said it would pay in 1987 an\n  indicated cash distribution of 1.50 dlrs a share, including  95\n  cts a share which would be paid before April 15, 1987.\n      In other action, the company set May eight as the date of\n  its annual shareholders' meeting.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WALL STREET STOCKS\/CHRYSLER <C>, AMC <AMO>\n","article":"  The proposed 757 mln dlr deal under\n  which Chrysler Corp would acquire American Motors Corp was\n  described by analysts as a reasonable deal for both companies.\n      Ronald Glantz of Montgomery Securities said AMC common\n  stock could be fairly valued at \"just under five dlrs a share\"\n  given changes brought by tax reform and that Chrysler's offer\n  to pay four dlrs a share of Chrysler stock to AMC holders other\n  than Renault as a \"a good price for Chrysler.\n      AMC common shares opened at four dlrs this morning after\n  the Renault-Chrysler announcement, up 3\/8, while Chrysler\n  shares lost 1\/4 to 52-1\/4.\n      Though AMC issued a statement saying that it was studying\n  the proposed buyout and had no other comment, Glantz said he\n  regarded the proposal as a \"done deal\" because \"I can't believe\n  anybody else would make a bid.\"\n      \"It's a reasonable deal for both sides,\" the analyst told\n  Reuters.\n      \"Chrysler gets the jeep franchise and the (new AMC)\n  Bramalea, Ontario, plant and the (new Renault) Premier\n  (mid-sized car) and AMC's sales will go up because buyers will\n  have more confidence that the manufacturer will still be around\n  to service the products,\" Glantz said.\n      Analyst Thomas O'Grady said Chrysler would be getting more\n  manufacturing capacity, including a brand-new plant in Canada,\n  for a bargain price and Renault would be getting some return\n  after its prolonged loss-making investment in AMC.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KOREANS TO BUY 1.8 BILLION DLRS IN U.S. GOODS\n","article":"  South Korean Foreign Trade Minister\n  Rah Woon Bae said his country's firms have agreed to buy 1.8\n  billion dlrs worth of U.S. goods during his two-week buying\n  trip to the United States.\n      Rah said most of the purchases represented shifts from\n  Japanese firms to U.S. firms as part of South Korea's effort to\n  reduce its seven billion dlr trade surplus with the United\n  States.\n      South Korea has a five billion dlr trade deficit with\n  Japan.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INDIA BUYS 46,000 TONNES OF VEGETABLE OILS\n","article":"  The Indian State Trading Corporation\n  purchased 46,000 tonnes of vegetable oils at its import tender\n  on Friday, market sources said.\n      The business was for April shipments and comprised 20,000\n  tonnes of European rapeseed oil at 318 dlrs, 20,000 tonnes of\n  soyoil, believed South American origin, at 314, and 6,000\n  tonnes of Malaysian rbd palm olein at 347 dlrs, all per tonne\n  cif.\n      Palm oil sellers were disappointed at the light purchase of\n  rbd olein and early trading saw the market ease nearly 10 dlrs\n  under Malaysian refiner and dealer selling. April shipments\n  traded down to 326 dlrs per tonne, fob.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FITZWATER SAYS REAGAN STRONGLY AGAINST TAX HIKE\n","article":"  White House spokesman Marlin\n  Fitzwater said President Reagan's record in opposing tax hikes\n  is \"long and strong\" and not about to change.\n      \"We're opposed to tax increases.... We will fight tax\n  increases.... We will deal with it politically in every forum\n  possible,\" said Fitzwater when questioned about whether there\n  was any change in the administration's position.\n      Fitzwater said Reagan's strong feelings against a tax hike\n  included opposition to an oil import fee.\n      \"The President's position is that he is opposed to it,\" he\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUPERMARKETS GENERAL <SGL> GETS UNSOLICITED BID\n","article":"  Supermarkets General Corp said\n  it received an unsolicited proposal from a third party to\n  acquire the company at 41.75 dlrs per share in cash.\n      Supermarkets also said it retained Shearson Lehman Brothers\n  Inc to advise its board of directors on the proposal.\n      Supermarkets General currently has about 38.5 mln shares\n  outstanding.\n      Its stock is currently trading at 34-1\/4 on the New York\n  Stock Exchange.\n      The Woodbridge, N.J., supermarket operator of over 180\n  supermarkets and other specialty retail stores, convenience\n  food stores and drug stores.\n      For the nine months ended November 30, Supermarkets\n  reported net income of 41.7 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPANESE CRUSHERS BUY CANADIAN RAPESEED\n","article":"  Japanese crushers bought 5,000 to 7,000\n  tonnes of Canadian rapeseed in export business over the weekend\n  for April shipment, trade sources said.\n      Japanese crushers continue to concentrate on rapeseed\n  purchases since it converts to a higher percentage of oil than\n  other oilseeds, they said. A glut of feed meals makes other\n  oilseeds, such as soybeans, less desirable because they would\n  add to already large meal stocks.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ABMS SAYS U.S. ZINC STOCKS HIGHER IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Total U.S. slab zinc stocks held by\n  smelters rose to 24,735 short tons at the end of February  from\n  22,120 short tons at the end of January, the American Bureau of\n  Metal Statistics reported.\n      Zinc production increased to 26,732 short tons in February\n  from 25,786 short tons in January.\n      Shipments from smelters' plants declined to 23,560 short\n  tons in February from 24,564 short tons in January.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DIAMOND SHAMROCK OFFSHORE <DSP> IN FIND\n","article":"  Diamond Shamrock Offshore Partners said\n  it has started development drilling on West Cameron 178 block\n  off Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico after a significant natural\n  gas find on the block.\n      It said the discovery well there encountered 46 feet of net\n  natural gas pay. No flow tests have been conducted, it said.\n      Diamond Shamrock Offshore said it has a 46.15 pct interest\n  in the block, Phillips Petroleum Co 28.85 pct and Santa Fe\n  Energy Partners LP <SFP> 25.00 pct. Diamond Shamrock Corp <DIA>\n  owns 80.3 pct of Diamond Shamrock Offshore.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. LEAD INVENTORIES RISE IN FEBRUARY - ABMS\n","article":"  Lead stocks held by U.S. refiners rose\n  to 37,295 short tons at the end of February from 34,224 short\n  tons (revised higher) at the end of January, the American\n  Bureau of Metal Statistics reported.\n      Production of lead decreased to 33,619 short tons in\n  February from 38,759 short tons in January.\n      Shipments from plants increased to 30,467 short tons in\n  February from 27,041 short tons (revised lower) in January, the\n  ABMS said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<SHARON STEEL CORP> EXTENDS EXCHANGE OFFER\n","article":"  Sharon Steel Corp said it extended\n  from March six to March 31 the expiration date for its debt\n  exchange offer to allow time to complete the sale of its\n  Mueller Brass Co unit and to meet other conditions of the\n  offer.\n      The exchange offer covers Sharon's outstanding 13.5 pct\n  subordinated sinking fund debentures due 2000 and its 14.25 pct\n  subordinated sinking fund debentures due 1990.\n      Sharon said that as of March six, 31.6 pct of the 13.5 pct\n  notes and 20.9 pct of the 14.25 pct notes were tendered. The\n  Mueller sale is conditioned on receipt of 80 pct of the notes.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FERRY DISASTER CLAIMS COULD TOP 30 MLN STG\n","article":"  U.K. Insurers could face more than 30 mln\n  stg of insurance claims following the Zeebrugge ferry disaster,\n  a spokesman for Lloyds of London said.\n      It could take weeks before the extent of the compensation\n  claims for passengers, crew and cargo was known and also before\n  it was known how much, if any, of the ship could be salvaged,\n  said David Larner of Lloyds.\n      The hull and machinery of the Herald of Free Enterprise\n  were valued at 25 mln stg and were insured by Townsend\n  Thoresen's parent company Peninsular and Oriental Steam\n  Navigation Co Plc <PORL.L>.\n      The vessel was in turn reinsured in the London market with\n  Lloyds and various other companies, Larner said.\n      Passengers, crew and cargo were insured by the Standard\n  Steamship Protection and Indemnity Association, one of several\n  shipowners' mutual insurance funds worldwide. These were also\n  underwritten by Lloyds and other companies.\n      Larner said claims from passengers could be expected to\n  total at least five mln stg, given the number of deaths and the\n  normal level of liability set by the Athens Convention of 1974\n  of between 30,000 stg and 50,000 in case of death.\n      Shipping sources said, however, that these claims could\n  soar if a court found there was negligence or design faults\n  involved.\n      Larner said estimates of compensation claims \"were pure\n  guess work\" at this time. But if the ship could not be salvaged,\n  the claims would total at least 30 mln stg.\n      Shares of insurances on the London stock exchange fell\n  across the board in a generally weak market.\n      General Accident fell 21p to 936, Royal Insurance dropped\n  18p to 966 and Prudential fell 9p to 888.\n      P and O shares stood at a late 616, 27p lower on the day.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CITIBANK FOLLOWS U.K. BASE RATE CUT TO 10.5 PCT\n","article":"  <Citibank NA> said it has cut its British\n  base lending rate to 10.5 pct from 11 pct, with effect from\n  tomorrow.\n      This move follows similar cuts by four major British\n  clearing banks, led by National Westminster Bank Plc <NWBL.L>.\n      Lower rates were signalled by the Bank of England this\n  morning in an attempt to curb recent upward pressure on the\n  pound, market sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN TO PROMOTE INTEREST RATE LIBERALISATION\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan decided at a policy\n  board meeting to promote further interest rate liberalisation\n  by lowering the minimum denomination of regulation-free large\n  deposits and by raising the interest rate ceiling on money\n  market certificates (MMCs), a central bank official said.\n      The new guideline will go into effect on April 6, the bank\n  said.\n      Under the guideline, the minimum denomination of\n  regulation-free large deposits will be lowered to 100 mln yen\n  from 300 mln.\n      The interest rate ceiling of MMCs with maturities of\n  between one year and two years will be set at 0.5 percentage\n  point below the prevailing certificate of deposit rate, the\n  bank said.\n      But the ceiling on MMCs with maturities of one year or less\n  will remain the same, or 0.75 percentage point below the CD\n  rates.\n      The minimum denomination of MMCs will be lowered to 10 mln\n  yen from 30 mln.\n      The bank also said time deposit rates will be lowered by\n  0.37 point, effective March 16, in line with the half-point cut\n  in the official discount rate on February 23.\n      New interest rates on two-year and one-year deposits at\n  banks, for example, will be 3.64 pct and 3.39 pct per annum,\n  respectively.\n      Demand deposit rates, however, will remain the same.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF ZAMBIA PAYS OUT FOREIGN CURRENCY ARREARS\n","article":"  The Bank of Zambia has paid out foreign\n  exchange arrears from three auctions conducted last year, a\n  bank spokesman said.\n      \"We have now cleared three auctions and are left with only\n  four, worth eight mln dlrs,\" the spokesman said without\n  specifying the amount paid out.\n      The bank had not paid foreign exchange to private firms\n  since it suspended the weekly auctions on January 28.\n      It has said the auctions were suspended because it planned\n  to introduce a modified system after talks with the World Bank\n  and the International Monetary Fund.\n      President Kenneth Kaunda announced last month that the\n  auction would be retained for allocating foreign exchange to\n  approved private sector bidders, but would not be used to\n  determine the kwacha's exchange rate.\n      Last week, he said the auction had run into trouble because\n  of a shortage of foreign exchange.\n      The government has fixed the exchange rate at nine kwacha\n  per dollar, effectively revaluing the kwacha by 67.7 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INVESTORS HAVE 5.5 PCT OF DATAREX SYSTEMS <DRX>\n","article":"  A small investor group led by Melvyn\n  Gelch, a Providence, R.I., surgeon, told the Securities and\n  Exchange Commission it has acquired 60,840 shares of Datarex\n  Systems Inc, or 5.5 pct of the total outstanding common stock.\n      The Gelch group said it bought the stake for about 935,000\n  dlrs for investment purposes only.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GHANA COCOA PURCHASES FALL, CUMULATIVE STILL UP\n","article":"  The Ghana Cocoa Board said it purchased\n  1,323 tonnes of cocoa in the 21st week, ended February 26, of\n  the 1986\/87 main crop season, compared with 1,961 tonnes the\n  previous week and 1,344 tonnes in the 21st week ended March six\n  of the 1985\/86 season, the board said.\n      Cumulative purchases so far this season stand at 216,095\n  tonnes, still up on the 201,966 tonnes purchased by the 21st\n  week of last season, the Board said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC SUGAR IMPORT LEVIES\n","article":"  The following import levies for white\n  and raw sugar are effective tomorrow, in European currency\n  units (ecu) per 100 kilos.\n      White sugar, denatured and non-denatured 49.70 versus 50.05\n  previously.\n      Raw sugar, denatured and non-denatured 41.35 versus 41.35\n  previously.\n      The rate for raws is based on 92 pct yield.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTOR HAS TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT <TDCX> STAKE\n","article":"  Leon Greenblatt, a Chicago investor,\n  told the Securities and Exchange Commission he has acquired\n  89,450 shares of Technology Development Corp, or 5.3 pct of the\n  total outstanding common stock.\n      Greenblatt said he bought the stock for 350,000 dlrs soley\n  as an investment and has no intention of seeking control of the\n  company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN POWER FIRM PLANS MORE FOREIGN DEBT CUTS\n","article":"  State-owned (Taiwan Power co) will boost\n  its domestic borrowings to further cut its foreign debt in line\n  with a government policy to trim the island's huge foreign\n  exchange reserves, a company official said.\n      The company's foreign debt, mainly from the Japanese and\n  U.S. Banks, was cut nearly by half to 66.2 billion taiwan dlrs\n  equivalent in calendar 1986 from 124.6 billion in 1985, he\n  said.\n      Its domestic borrowings however rose to 105.2 billion\n  taiwan dlrs from 80.6 billion in the same period, he added.\n      Taiwan's foreign exchange reserves now stood at 50 billion\n  U.S. Dlrs, due to its 1986 record trade surplus of 15.6\n  billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ANALYST SAYS DART GROUP LIKELY BIDDER FOR SUPERMARKETS GENERAL\n","article":"\n  ANALYST SAYS DART GROUP LIKELY BIDDER FOR SUPERMARKETS GENERAL\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HARRIS CUTS CYCLOPS <CYL> STAKE TO 11.1 PCT\n","article":"  Harris Associates L.P., a Chicago\n  investment advisory firm, said it cut its stake in Cyclops Corp\n  to 437,425 shares, or 11.1 pct of the total outstanding common\n  stock, from 524,775 shares, or 13.3 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Harris said it sold 87,350 Cyclops common shares between Jan 6\n  and March 2 at prices ranging from 65.75 to 91.00 dlrs a share.\n      Harris said its dealings in Cyclops common stock were made\n  on behalf of its advisory clients.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHRYSLER <C> VALUES AMC <AMO> AT 757 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  Chrysler Corp said it valued its\n  proposed buyout of American Motors Corp at 757 mln dlrs, not\n  counting the effect of a contingent payment that could reach\n  350 mln dlrs based on AMC's future profits.\n      A Chrysler spokesman told Reuters that the letter of intent\n  signed with Renault, AMC's controlling shareholder with a 46.2\n  pct direct stake, includes a provision for Renault to be paid\n  35 mln dlrs in cash for AMC's finance subsidiary and 200 mln\n  dlrs in the form of an eight pct note. He said he did not know\n  the maturity of the note.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DART SAID LIKELY SUPERMARKETS GENERAL SUITOR\n","article":"  Dart Group <DARTA> is likely seeking to\n  buy Supermarkets General <SGL>, analysts said.\n      \"There's been rumors that they've taken a position in the\n  company, said Wood Gundie analyst Edward Comeau.\n      Last year, Dart Group, owner of Auto Trak INc and Crown\n  Books, competed against Kohlberg, Kravis to acquire Safeway\n  Stores INc.\n      The company later reached an accord under which it would\n  buy 20 pct of the company after Kohlberg Kravis completed its\n  leveraged buyout of the company.\n      The company later sold its 20 pct stock for about 180 mln\n  to 200 mln dlrs, according to analysts.\n       Dart Group Corp was not immediately available for comment.\n      Jerry Ballan, analyst with Conner Ballan division of Edward\n  Viner and Co, said, \"They <Dart> has been rumored to be buying\n  some other supermarkets as well, such as Stop and Shop.\"\n      \"My guess is that Supermarkets General does not want to be\n  bought out,\" said Ballan.\n      Analysts, however, said Supermarkets General is facing\n  problems due to its Purity Supreme and Rickels operations,\n  which might make it difficult to thwart a bid.\n      Supermarkets General is expected to report about 1.70 dlrs\n  a share compared to a 1.73 dlrs a share reported for 1985 on a\n  post stock split basis.\n      For the first quarter, Comeau predicts the company will\n  earn 39 cts a share from 35 cts a share a year ago, and should\n  earn about 2.05 dlrs for 1987.\n      \"But that estimation could go to a 1.80 dlrs easily, due to\n  Purity Supreme in New England,\" Comeau said.\n      He said competition among supermarkets is getting heated in\n  that area and that the company has had difficulty with\n  integrating Purity Supreme with its Pathmark store operations.\n      Rickels, a home center business, has faced problems due to\n  the state of that industry, and has reported lower returns as\n  an operating unit, according to analysts.\n      Analysts said that if Dart buys Supermarkets General it\n  would probably divest the company's operations.\n      Analyst Comeau said \"supermarkets general may seek a\n  combination with another supermarket company.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ADVO-SYSTEM INC <ADVO> SEES BREAK-EVEN 2ND QTR\n","article":"  ADVO-System Inc said it could\n  report a break even second quarter ending March 28, 1987\n  compared with a loss of 1.8 mln dlrs, or 16 cts a share, in\n  fiscal 1986's second quarter ended March 29, 1986.\n      ADVO said it previously announced it would report a net\n  loss for the quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED WATCHERS SEE U.S. ECONOMIC, INFLATION UPTURN\n","article":"  This year will see a pickup in U.S.\n  economic growth and inflation, the Shadow Open Market Committee\n  said in its semi-annual policy statement.\n      The SOMC, a group of basically \"monetarist\" private\n  economists, said that \"economic growth will accelerate in 1987\n  in response to powerful stimulative actions by the Federal\n  Reserve.\"\n      The group said the Fed's actions have been excessive. As a\n  result, it said that \"inflation and ultimately another\n  recession now loom on the horizon.\"\n      The SOMC said that central bank policies that rely on\n  progressively larger swings in monetary expansion will not lead\n  to sustainable economic growth and stable prices.\n      The group made no specific nominal forecasts of economic or\n  inflation growth in its policy statement. However, the\n  Committee at its Sunday policy-making meeting said it was\n  basically in accord with projections by Jerry Jordan, who is a\n  member of the SOMC and economist at First Interestate Bancorp.\n      Jordan expects real GNP growth to be about one percentage\n  point higher than in the past two years. He expects consumer\n  prices to rise about 4-1\/2 pct this year.\n      The SOMC said in recent months rapid money growth has been\n  a principal cause of the devaluation. To avoid another costly\n  inflation and disinflation, the SOMC urged the Fed to \"abandon\n  its inflationary policy and set the growth rate of the monetary\n  base on the path toward sustained lower inflation.\"\n      The Fed in February said it would no longer target the\n  narrow M-1 money supply because the link between M-1 and\n  economic growth has been largely severed.\n  \n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN PACIFIC LTD 4TH QTR OPER NET 30 CTS VS 20 CTS\n","article":"\n  CANADIAN PACIFIC LTD 4TH QTR OPER NET 30 CTS VS 20 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DUTCH CURRENT ACCOUNT SURPLUS FALLS IN 1986\n","article":"  The Dutch current account surplus fell\n  5.4 billion guilders last year to a provisional 12.1 billion\n  guilders, the Finance Ministry said in a statement.\n      The surplus is expected to fall further in 1987, the\n  statement said, but gave no details. Earlier today, the\n  official planning agency CPB said it expected the surplus to\n  fall to six billion guilders during 1987.\n      The visible goods surplus excluding energy fell by 5.6\n  billion guilders in 1986 to 11.4 billion due to declining terms\n  of exchange, while more goods were imported as consumer\n  spending and investment increased.\n      While the energy trade balance surplus rose by 5.4 billion\n  guilders, 4.7 billion of this gain was caused by temporary\n  improvements of terms of exchange and was aided by the delay\n  between the fall in oil and gas prices.\n      The current account showed a 5.2 billion guilder deficit on\n  invisibles, compared with a balance in 1985, the Finance\n  Ministry said, noting the surplus on transport services was\n  reduced substantially due to the lower dollar and oil price\n  falls.\n      The fourth quarter current account showed a deficit, for\n  the first time since 1980, of 700 mln guilders, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GRANDVIEW ACQUIRES CONTROL OF U.K. TICKET GROUP\n","article":"  Consolidated Grandview Inc said it\n  acquired a 60 pct stake in <All Ticket Group PLC>, of London,\n  for undisclosed terms. The seller was also undisclosed.\n      All Ticket is a special events travel company with\n  exclusive European rights to UAL Inc <UAL>'s United Airlines\n  Apollo system, booking all United Airlines flights in Britain\n  and Europe. All Ticket and its subsidiaries will also\n  co-sponsor various events this year including the British Open\n  golf tournament and rowing's Henley Regatta.\n      Its 1986 revenues totaled 12 mln Canadian dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNITED CITIES <UCIT> MAKES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  United Cities Gas Co said it\n  has acquired Lyle Propane Gas Co, a Cairo, Ga., propane gas\n  distributor, for undisclosed terms.\n      It said Lyle has sales of about four mln gallons annually\n  and serves about 4,000 customers in seven counties in southwest\n  Georgia and north Florida.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. BILL AUCTIONS SEEN AT 5.63-65, 5.59-61 PCT\n","article":"  The U.S. Treasury's weekly auction is\n  expected to produce an average rate of 5.63-65 pct for\n  three-month bills and one of 5.59-61 pct for six-month bills,\n  dealers said.\n      Shortly before auction time on the new bills, the rate on\n  the outstanding three-month bills was unchanged at 5.64 pct\n  bid, while the rate on the six-month bills was one basis point\n  higher at 5.68 pct bid.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MEDICAL PROPERTIES <MPP> SETS MONTHLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  The board of Medical Properties\n  Inc said it has declared an initial monthly cash dividend of\n  11-1\/2 cts a share and has adopted a monthly dividend policy.\n      The initial dividend will be payable April 10 to\n  shareholders of record March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LONDON GRAIN FREIGHTS\n","article":"  wheat Ria Luna 20,000 mt\n  Norrkoping and Djuron\/EC Mexico 12.50 dlrs option loading\n  Uddevalla at 50 cents less 4,000\/1,500 16-23\/3 Continental.\n      Reference New York Grain Freights 2 of March 6, brokers say\n  the charterer of the Saturn from US Gulf to Japan is reported\n  to be Nordstrom and Thulin, while the Antigone is reported to\n  have been arranged from Tilbury to the Black Sea by Soviet\n  charterers.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IMMUCOR <BLUD> SPLITS STOCK\n","article":"  Immucor Inc said its board of\n  directors has declared a five-for-four stock split in the form\n  of a 25 pct stock dividend payable April 15 to shareholders of\n  record March 27.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BERMUDA STAR LINE <BSL> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Bermuda Star Line Inc said it has\n  agreed in principle to acquire 815-passenger SS Liberte from\n  Barnstead Shipping Ltd for use in its New York\/Montreal\n  \"Northeast Passages\" cruises, starting this summer.\n      The company said it is working to conclude a lease\n  financing or other financing for the purchase of the 23,500 ton\n  vessel, which is to be delivered in early April and renamed\n  Canada Star.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TALKING POINT\/CAESARS WORLD <CAW>\n","article":"  <MTS Acquisition Corp's>\n  28-dlr-per-share offering price for Caesars World Inc is\n  thought to be much too low and is likely to attract other\n  suitors for the hotel\/casino company, industry analysts said.\n      \"I think someone else will probably come in, or they (MTS)\n  will have to raise their bid,\" said Marvin Roffman, an analyst\n  at Janney Montgomery Scott Inc.\n      MTS, a company formed by Martin Sosnoff, Caesars World's\n  largest shareholder, today began a tender offer, valued at\n  725.2 mln dlrs, for all shares Sosnoff doesn't already own.\n      \"I think the offer is too low by at least five points,\"\n  said Roffman, who described Caesars World as the operator of\n  \"one of the finest casinos in the world.\"\n      Sosnoff, a New York investor, already owns 13.3 pct of\n  Caesars World's 30.3 mln shares.\n      Following news of the tender offer Caesars World's shares\n  were trading at 27-7\/8, up 3-3\/8.\n      A Caesars World spokesman said the company was declining\n  comment on the Sosnoff move for the moment, but Caesars may\n  issue a public statement after it has studied the offer.\n      Roffman said Caesars World has considerable growth\n  potential and he is forecasting fiscal 1988 earnings of two\n  dlrs per share.\n      Caesars World owns casino hotels in Nevada and honeymoon\n  resorts in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains. It also controls\n  Caesars New Jersey Inc <CJN>, which owns an Atlantic City,\n  N.J., casino hotel.\n      For its fiscal year ended July 31 Caesars World reported\n  net income of 41 mln dlrs, or 1.36 dlrs per primary share.\n      The company reported second quarter net income of 12.6 mln\n  dlrs, or 41 cts per share, compared with income of 7.5 mln\n  dlrs, or 25 cts per share a year earlier.\n      Daniel Lee, an analyst at Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc, said\n  that although Sosnoff's relatively low bid may attract other\n  suitors willing to pay a higher price for Caesars, there is\n  little likelihood that a competing bid would start a battle for\n  the company.\n  \n  \n  \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALLEGHENY <AG> OFFICERS TO RUN COMPANY\n","article":"  Allegheny International Inc said its\n  chairman and chief operating officer will remain in their\n  positions following the merger of the company with an affiliate\n  of First Boston Corp.\n     \"It is expected that Oliver S. Travers will continue as\n  chairman, president and Chief executive officer, and Thomas J.\n  Albani will continue as chief operating officer,\" said an\n  Allegheny spokesman.\n      Allegheny today said it agreed to a buyout from First\n  Boston at 24.60 dlrs per share. The transaction was valued at\n  500 mln dlrs. Its stock rose 8-5\/8 to 24 in active trading.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IC GAS MAKES NO RECOMMENDATION ON TRACTEBEL OFFER\n","article":"  Imperial Continental Gas Association\n  <ICGS.L>, IC Gas, said its board is not making a recommendation\n  on the partial tender offfer at 710p per share announced by\n  <Tractebel SA> and <Groupe Bruxelles Lambert SA>.\n      At the same time, however, the board would not recommend a\n  general offer for all the shares at a price of 710p, the\n  statement added.\n      Shareholders wondering whether to tender either to the\n  Tractebel consortium or to the rival 700p per share partial\n  offer from <SHV Holdings NV> should consult professional\n  advisers.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NAT'L HEALTHCARE <NHCI> TO SELL FIVE HOSPITALS\n","article":"  National Heathcare Inc said it\n  signed an agreement to sell five rural hospitals to a private\n  corporation for about 18 mln dlrs, including the assumption of\n  six mln dlrs of debt.\n      The company said it plans to complete the sales, which are\n  subject to various regulatory approvals, by the end of July.\n      National Healthcare said it expects no material gain on\n  loss on the sales and that substantially all proceeds will be\n  used to reduce debt.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USX <X> CHAIRMAN CALLS FOR LOWER DOLLAR\n","article":"  USX Corp chairman David Roderick called\n  for a lower value for the U.S. dollar against other currencies\n  to help speed a correction in the U.S. trade deficit, which\n  last year reached 170 billion dlrs.\n      In remarks prepared for a speech before the Economic Club\n  of Detroit, Roderick said, \"There should be total resolve that\n  the dollar versus other major currencies, as well as the\n  currencies of other nations having a substantial trade surplus\n  with us, must continue to decline so that the correction in our\n  trade deficit starts on the road to recovery.\"\n      Roderick said the U.S. should be understanding of the\n  \"economic pain\" our trading partners experience as a result of\n  a falling dollar.\n      But, he added, \"As painful as the correction may be to our\n  trading partners, it is less painful than leaving the problem\n  uncorrected because that would lead us into an inevitable,\n  lengthy and steep world recession.\"\n      Roderick said between February 1985 and December 1986 the\n  dollar fell by more than 40 pct in real terms against major\n  industrial currencies and by 30 to 35 pct against a broader\n  group of currencies of nearly all developing nations.\n      At the end of 1986, he said, the value of foreign assets in\n  the U.S. exceeded the value of U.S. assets abroad by 240\n  billion dlrs, compared to five years ago when the U.S. had a\n  surplus in assets of 141 billion. A company spokesman said the\n  data were provided by economic consultants to USX.\n      The primary reason for the trade imbalance was the 70 pct\n  rise of the dollar between 1980 and 1985, although other\n  factors were involved, Roderick said. But it is wrong, he said,\n  \"to attribute the massive trade deficit to a fundmental\n  deterioration of U.S. productivity or of American product\n  quality.\"\n      These areas need to be improved but they are not the root\n  cause of the trade gap problem, Roderick said. He urged\n  American manufacturers to become more competitive so they can\n  compete in global markets.\n      In the speech, the USX chairman also called for changes in\n  securities laws to curb what he called abuses by corporate\n  raiders and speculators.\n      Among his proposals, which he presented to the Senate\n  Banking Committee in testimony last week, were a requirement\n  that raiders give 24-hour notice for every one pct of stock\n  they acquire in a company.\n      Roderick proposed that tender offers must be made for all\n  cash to all stockholders on equal terms and that raiders be\n  required to have financing in place before a tender is made.\n      Further, raiders should be required to make an all-cash\n  tender offer once they acquire 10 pct of a target company's\n  stock, he said. And payment of greenmail, or a preferential\n  price by a target company to buy back a raider's stake, should\n  be prohibited under the revised laws.\n      Roderick said changes were necessary to curb abuses but\n  that he did not want laws that would hurt the financial markets\n  or discourage \"fair price to all\" takeovers.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN PACIFIC (CP) CONFIRMS EARNINGS\n","article":"  Canadian Pacific Ltd said fourth\n  quarter 1986 operating profit rose to 91.6 mln dlrs, or 30 cts\n  a share, from 50.7 mln dlrs, or 20 cts a share, a year ago.\n      The statement confirmed released preliminary earnings\n  figures the company released in February.\n      A 102.6 mln dlr gain on the sale of CP's Cominco Ltd\n  interest helped raise final 1986 fourth quarter profit to 193.8\n  mln dlrs or 65 cts a share.\n      The company said a drop in 1986 full-year operating profit\n  to 150.1 mln dlrs from a restated 252.7 mln dlrs in 1985 was\n  due mainly to lower world oil prices.\n      The company said its CP Rail division reported 1986 net\n  income of 119.4 mln dlrs, compared with 133.4 mln dlrs in 1985.\n  It said grain traffic recovered from drought-affected levels of\n  a year ago but was offset by weakness in other traffic areas\n  and increased expenses.\n      It said the net loss from its Soo Line increased to 33.5\n  mln dlrs loss from 8.7 mln dlrs loss in 1985, mainly due to\n  restructuring charges.\n      Canadian Pacific said favorable developments during the\n  year included reduced bulk shipping losses as a result of a\n  recovery in tanker markets and a turnaround in the forest\n  products sector.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DUTCH ANIMAL FEED USAGE DOWN IN FIRST HALF SEASON\n","article":"  Dutch animal feed usage in the first\n  half of the current season from July through December 1986 fell\n  7.6 pct to 6.5 mln tonnes from 7.1 mln in the same period of\n  1985, figures in the latest newsletter from the co-operative\n  Cebeco-Handelsraad show.\n      Tapioca usage fell 9.1 pct to 1.4 mln tonnes from 1.6 mln\n  in the first half of the 1985\/86 season.\n      Grain usage fell 6.1 pct to 1.1 mln tonnes from 1.2 mln,\n  while soymeal usage fell 10 pct to 967,000 tonnes from 1.1 mln.\n      Cornglutenfeed usage fell 17.8 pct to 729,000 tonnes from\n  887,000, but cornfeedmeal usage nearly doubled to 399,000\n  tonnes from 201,000.\n      Citruspulp usage dropped 62.8 pct to 149,000 tonnes from\n  400,000 tonnes, while rapeseed and meal usage rose 9.6 pct to\n  217,000 tonnes from 198,000 and sunmeal rose 25.6 pct to\n  216,000 tonnes from 172,000 tonnes.\n      During the whole of the season from July 1985 to June 1986,\n  Dutch soymeal usage fell 12 pct to 1.9 mln tonnes from 2.1 mln\n  the previous season, while sunmeal usage rose 25 pct to 408,000\n  tonnes from 325,000.\n      Rapeseed and meal usage during the season also rose 14 pct\n  to 409,000 tonnes from 360,000, but citruspulp fell 37 pct to\n  516,000 tonnes from 826,000.\n      Meanwhile, the value of exports of agricultural products\n  from the Netherlands in calendar 1986 fell 5.4 pct to 48.7\n  billion guilders from 51.5 billion in calendar 1985, figures\n  from the Ministry of Agriculture show.\n      During the same period imports of agricultural products\n  dropped 13.1 pct to 31.2 billion guilders from 35.8 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FORD <F> SHARES RISE ON HIGHER EARNING ESTIMATE\n","article":"  Ford Motor Co's stock rose 1-1\/4 to\n  82-1\/4 after analyst Maryann Keller of Furman Selz Mager Dietz\n  and Birney raised earnings estimates on the company, traders\n  said.\n      Keller said that she expects the company's 1987 earnings to\n  rise to between 13.50-to-14 dlrs a share as compared to 12.32\n  dlrs a share earned last year.\n      She said Ford's already good market share is expected to\n  remain favorable and earnings from overseas are expected to\n  improve.\n      In addition, Keller said, the company is selling more of\n  its expensive model cars, which are more profitable.\n      The non-automotive operations, including Ford Motor Credit,\n  are also expected to post improved earnings this year.\n      Keller said she expects the company to split its stock and\n  raise its dividend to at least three dlrs a share this year.\n      She noted that Chrysler Corp's <C> announcement of a merger\n  proposal for American Motors Corp <AMO> should have no short\n  term effect on Ford but could cut into Ford's share of the\n  truck market in the long term.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ITALY SHOWS INTEREST IN U.K. NEW CROP WHEAT\n","article":"  Italy has shown interest in British new\n  crop wheat recently but the actual volume booked so far by\n  Italian buyers has not been large, traders said.\n      They put purchases at around 50,000 tonnes for Sept\/Dec\n  shipments but said some of the business was transacted at the\n  start of the year.\n      Italian interior home markets have been active in recent\n  weeks and traders said around 200,000 tonnes have traded\n  between dealers and home consumers. Some of this has been\n  covered in the market here and more possibly will be, traders\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DUTCH RETAILER AHOLD SEES UNCHANGED 1987 PROFIT\n","article":"  Dutch food retailer Ahold\n  NV <AHLN.AS> expects unchanged profits in 1987 but said it will\n  take advantage of the lower dollar to expand further in the\n  U.S.\n      Turnover will grow but net profits are expected to remain\n  around the 1986 level of 132.4 mln guilders due to higher Dutch\n  taxes and a three-year expansion plan, Ahold Chairman Albert\n  Heijn told a news conference.\n      The profit forecast allows for a dollar rate around current\n  levels of just over three guilders.\n      Turnover and net profit in 1986 were hit by the dollar,\n  which fell to an average 2.46 guilders from 3.35 in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PITT-DES MOINES <PDM> GETS QUALIFIED AUDIT\n","article":"  Pitt-Des Moines Inc said it will\n  receive a qualified opinion from auditors on its 1986 and 1985\n  financial statements.\n      It said the qualification related to its inability to\n  determine the effects, if any, of the final resolution of a\n  suit filed against it by <Washington Public Power Supply\n  System>.  The 1985 suit was dismissed in a 1986 lower court\n  action, but the ultimate outcome of the matter is still\n  uncertain since Washington Public Power has appealed to the\n  U.S. Court of Appeals.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"READING <RDGC> TO SELL PHILADELPHIA PROPERTIES\n","article":"  Reading Co said it has agreed in\n  principle to convey properties it owns in and around the\n  Philadelphia Convention Center site to the city of Philadelphia\n  and the Philadelphia Convention Center Authority.\n      It said in exchange it will receive about 23 mln dlrs in\n  cash, rights to acquire 22 acres adjacent to the Philadelphia\n  International Airport and an option to acquire the development\n  rights over the Gallery II shopping mall on Market Street in\n  downtown Philadelphia.\n      Reading said it will be responsible for the demolition and\n  cleanup of certain of the properties, for which a portion of\n  the cash proceeds will be escrowed.\n      The company said it will continue to own and operate the\n  Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia.\n      The land it is giving up amounts to about seven acrease and\n  includes part of the Reading Terminal Train Shed, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MONTEDISON ACQUIRES ARCO RESEARCH UNIT\n","article":"  Montedison SpA <MONI.MI> has acquired a 70\n  pct stake in <Plant Cell Research Institute - PCRI> of\n  California from Atlantic Richfield Co <ARC.N> for \"several tens\n  of millions of dollars,\" a senior Montedison executive said.\n      Renato Ugo, a member of Montedison's management committee,\n  told reporters that <Stanford Research Institute International>\n  of Menlo Park, California, had acted as a partner in the\n  purchase, itself acquiring a stake in PCRI of under 10 pct.\n      PCRI, based in Dublin, California has a biotechnology\n  research laboratory.\n      Ugo said the price paid included outlays for the laboratory\n  technology and staff.\n      He said other negotiations were under way with\n  biotechnology companies in the health care and diagnostics\n  sectors through Montedison's health care subsidiary <Erbamont\n  NV>, but gave no details.\n      \"We hope they will be concluded by the year end,\" he said.\n      Montedison currently invests around 30 billion lire a year\n  in biotechnology research and expects to increase this figure\n  to around 50 billion lire in the next few years.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LMFE TO CONCENTRATE ON CASH SETTLED CONTRACTS\n","article":"  The London Meat Futures Exchange, LMFE,\n  will cease trading in its deliverable pigmeat contract from\n  April 3, the LMFE said.\n      The move will enable the exchange to concentrate on the\n  cash settled contracts introduced last year.\n      \"This allows the exchange and its members to concentrate our\n  marketing on the pig and live cattle contracts,\" LMFE official\n  Peter Freeman said. \"These two have already shown their\n  effectiveness for hedging, and the trade in both contracts is\n  increasing,\" he added.\n      \"Using the futures market allows better planning and forward\n  price fixing that our industry needs,\" chairman Pat Elmer said.\n      Some 131 pig contracts were settled against the Meat and\n  Livestock Commission's Average All Pigs Price in February,\n  which represents hedging for over 13,000 pigs, more than twice\n  the number cash-settled in January, the LMFE said.\n      Cash settlement on the new cattle and pig contracts was\n  introduced last June in the expectation that the appeal of the\n  futures market to farmers, abattoirs and users of meat would\n  increase because of the absence of a delivery requirement.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CBT TRADERS SEE LOWER SOYBEAN EXPORT INSPECTIONS\n","article":"  The USDA's weekly export inspection\n  report is expected to show a decline in soybean exports and\n  steady to slightly lower corn and wheat exports, according to\n  CBT floor traders' forecasts.\n      Traders projected soybean exports at 15 mln to 16 mln\n  bushels, down from 20.3 mln bushels a week ago and 25.5 mln\n  bushels a year ago.\n      Corn guesses ranged from 20 mln to 25 mln bushels, compared\n  with 21.9 mln bushels a week ago and 28.2 mln a year ago.\n      Wheat guesses ranged from 13 mln to 18 mln bushels,\n  compared with 14.1 mln bushels a week ago and 17.9 mln a year\n  ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PRIMARY EUROSTERLING MARKET BOOMS DESPITE RATE CUT\n","article":"  Two new eurosterling bonds were launched\n  today, making a total of 10 new deals in the sector so far this\n  month, as borrowers rush to cash in on a bull sterling market\n  fueled by the strength of the pound and pre-budget euphoria.\n      The Bank of England finally gave way to a 1\/2 point cut in\n  banks' base lending rates earlier today, but dealers said this\n  had been largely discounted and was not likely to detract from\n  the current popularity of sterling-denominated investments.\n      \"Sterling, in any shape or form, is flavor of the month and\n  we're set to see many more eurosterling deals,\" one dealer said.\n      Today's new eurosterling bonds were a 10-year, 100 mln stg\n  deal for Sweden at 9-1\/2 pct and priced at 101-1\/4 pct, lead by\n  Baring Brothers and Co Ltd and a 14 year 60 mln stg convertible\n  deal for Storehouse Plc launched by SBCI International Ltd. \"We\n  thought we saw a proverbial flood of new deals with the 14 we\n  had last month but it seems March will beat February hands down\n  with 10 already,\" one eurosterling specialist said.\n      \"Optically, psychologically, these single figures are much\n  more attractive for the borrower. Eurosterling looks like a\n  cheap and attractive way to raise your money,\" he added.\n      This accounts for the wide variety of borrowers who have\n  tapped the sector recently, ranging from sovereigns such as the\n  Kingdom of Sweden today, continental banks including\n  Commerzbank and Deutsche Bank and British corporations.\n      Another U.K. Merchant bank analyst noted that the current\n  vogue for eurosterling enabled several corporate borrowers last\n  month to offer paper priced below comparative gilt yields.\n      A Storehouse official confirmed that the issue was aimed at\n  Swiss and German investors who were showing good interest.\n      This is the first entry into the long term international\n  capital markets by Storehouse, British designer Terence\n  Conran's retail conglomerate which incorporates U.K. Chain\n  stores Mothercare, British Home Stores and Habitat.\n      \"We have been considering the move for quite some time now\n  and the current strength of the eurosterling sector provided\n  the perfect opportunity and spur for us to finally tap the\n  market,\" Lance Moir, corporate treasurer at Storehouse Plc told\n  Reuters.\n  \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EUROPE SHIPPING EXPORTS TO S AFRICA OFF 40 PCT\n","article":"  The volume of European exports to\n  South Africa carried by container line vessels has declined 40\n  pct in the last two years, British shipping executive Antony\n  Butterwick said.\n      Butterwick told reporters that despite the drop and low\n  freight rates, the shipping conference he heads will increase\n  the frequency of sailings to South Africa as a \"very strong act\n  of faith and confidence\" in the country's future.\n      He is chairman of the Europe South and South-East African\n  Conference Lines and joint managing director of P and O\n  Containers Ltd.\n      A statement issued by the conference here said frequency of\n  Southern Africa\/Europe container service sailings is being\n  increased from nine to seven days.\n      \"This is the most positive development on the shipping front\n  between South Africa and its main trading partners in Europe\n  for more than four years, when the service last operated\n  weekly,\" it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MATHEMATICAL APPLICATIONS SETS OPERATIONS SALE\n","article":"  Mathematical Applications Group\n  Inc said it has signed a letter of intent to sell all of its\n  operating business and will propose a plan of liquidation\n  following the sale.\n      If the company is unsuccessful in obtaining the approvals\n  needed for the sale and liquidation, it said, the company may\n  be required to initiate reorganization proceedings under\n  federal bankruptcy law to facilitie the distribution of its\n  assets.\n      Mathematical Applications said it tentatively agreed to\n  sell its direct marketing business to Pagex Inc for 400,000\n  dlrs plus an amount equal to the working capital of the\n  business at closing as well as a 1.7 mln dlr note payable in\n  installments over six years.\n      Mathematical Applications said the business' working\n  capital is estimated to be about 600,000 dlrs.\n      Pagex has been formed by Paul A. Goldner the owner of Pagex\n  Systems Inc, which is also engaged in the direct marketing\n  computer service business.\n      Mathematical Applications said the tentative agreement\n  calls for Pagex to buy substantially all of the assets and\n  liabilities related to the direct marketing business and\n  continue to use the Mathematical Applications name.\n      It said the sale is also subject to renegotiation of a real\n  estate lease and approval of a definitive agreement by the\n  company's board, stock holders and debenture holders.\n      The company said it has obtained waivers from holders of\n  its six mln dlrs principal amount of debentures due March 31,\n  1993, to defer interest payments aggregating 270,000 dlrs\n  through March 31, 1987. The company said it will seek waivers\n  to defer these interest payments, and those due March 31, for\n  enough time to enable the company to accomplish the proposed\n  sale of its operations.\n      Mathematical Applications said it is talking to debenture\n  holders, its landlord, a lessor of equipment to the marketing\n  operation and holders of other liabilities not being assumed by\n  Pagex to arrange distribution of assets after the proposed\n  sale, adding that these assets will be significantly less than\n  its liabilities.\n      The company said it has obtained waivers from holders of\n  its six mln dlrs principal amount of debentures due March 31,\n  1993, to defer interest payments aggregating 270,000 dlrs\n  through March 31, 1987. The company said it will seek waivers\n  to defer these payments, and those due March 31, for enough\n  time to accomplish the proposed sale of its operations.\n      Mathematical Applications said it is talking to debenture\n  holders, its landlord, a lessor of equipment to the marketing\n  operation and holders of liabilities Pages is not assuming to\n  arrange distribution of assets after the proposed sale, adding\n  these assets will be significantly less than its liabilities.\n      As part of the distribution of assets, the company said, it\n  expects shareholders to receive an amount based on the bid\n  price of the company's stock, which was 1\/16 on March five.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FINANCIAL CORP <FIN> UNIT COMPLETES PURCHASE\n","article":"  Financial Corp of America's\n  American Savings and Loan Association said it completed the\n  previously announced purchase of 16 retail savings branches\n  from Great Western Financial Corp's <GWF> Great Western\n  Savings.\n      American Savings said the purchases boost its deposits by\n  about 550 mln dlrs, but do not affect its asset base.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CENTRAL BANKERS SATISFIED WITH PARIS ACCORD\n","article":"  Central bankers said they\n  were generally satisfied with the response to the Paris accord\n  two weeks ago to stabilize currencies at around current levels.\n      Speaking after a meeting at the Bank for International\n  Settlements (BIS), which reviewed the agreement, they also\n  welcomed interest rates cuts in France and today's drop in\n  British rates.  One top official said the rate cuts would help\n  to stimulate growth generally in Europe and welcomed that\n  countries other than West Germany were seen to be helping\n  sustain the economy. \n      The central bankers, who spoke on the condition they not be\n  named, said the meeting of governors from the Group of 10\n  countries also heard a report from Michel Camdessus, the new\n  managing director of the International Monetary Fund, on the\n  IMF's latest assessment of the debt crisis. In particular, they\n  discussed Brazil's debt moratorium.\n      But there was no sense of urgency, they said, and Brazil\n  had made no appeal for bridging loans from the BIS or central\n  banks.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JOHNSON PRODUCTS <JPC> SELLS TWO SUBSIDIARIES\n","article":"  Johnson Products Co Inc said it\n  completed the sale of Debbie's School of Beauty Culture Inc and\n  the assets of Ultra Precise Beauty Boutique Inc to management.\n      It said the sale price of 2,533,000 dlrs consisted of\n  700,000 dlrs cash, a secured promissory note for 1,506,000 dlrs\n  and the forgiveness of a debt of 327,000 dlrs owed by Johnson\n  Products to Debbie's School.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USAIR <U> SEEKS TWO BILLION LOAN FOR TAKEOVERS\n","article":"  USAir Group Inc said it seeking two\n  billion dlrs in bank debt to complete its takeover of Piedmont\n  Aviation Inc <PIE> and its pending acquisition of PS Group\n  Inc's Pacific Southwest Airlines.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission\n  that details its proposed 69 dlr a share cash tender offer for\n  Piedmont, USAir said Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co <MHC>\n  \"indicates its willingness\" in a March 6 letter to provide up\n  to 500 mln dlrs of the financing.\n      Manufacturers Hanover would also to act as agent for a bank\n  group to raise the rest of the financing, USAir said.\n      USAir said a Manufacturers Hanover affiliate is currently\n  agent for its 400 mln dlrs revelving credit facility, which\n  would be replaced by the proposed two billion dlr financing.\n      USAir put its total cost of completing the tender offer at\n  1.7 billion dlrs. Its Pacific Southwest takeover, which has\n  received federal approval and is due to come up for shareholder\n  approval later this month, is for 17 dlrs a share, or 400 mln\n  dlrs total.\n      USAir said it has already bought 2.3 mln Piedmont common\n  shares, or 9.9 pct of the total outstanding from Norfolk\n  Southern Corp <NSC> for 161.9 mln dlrs.\n      The tender offer, which is being made through a USAir\n  subsidiary, USAG Acquisition Corp, would not be valid unless\n  USAir is left with more than half of Piedmont's total\n  outstanding common stock after the April 3 expiration.\n      While negotiations on terms and interest rates of its bank\n  loans are not yet complete, USAir said it expects them to be in\n  the form of a one billion dlr two-year term loan and a one\n  billion dlr seven-year revolving credit facility.\n      The company said it expects to repay the two-year loan\n  through equity, preferred and debt offerings and possibly\n  internal funds and the sale and\/or leaseback of aircraft.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. EXPORT INSPECTIONS, IN THOUS BUSHELS  SOYBEANS 18,616 WHEAT 16,760 CORN 25,193\n","article":"\n  U.S. EXPORT INSPECTIONS, IN THOUS BUSHELS  SOYBEANS 18,616 WHEAT 16,760 CORN 25,193\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. CONFIRMS JANUARY STERLING M3 RISE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said the broad\n  measure of U.K. Money supply, Sterling M3, rose a seasonally\n  adjusted 1.1 pct in January after a 0.2 pct rise in December.\n      The unadjusted year-on-year rise was 17.6 pct after 18.1\n  pct in the year to December.\n      The narrow measure of money supply, M0, fell by a\n  seasonally adjusted 0.6 pct in January, and rose by a\n  non-adjusted 4.1 pct year-on-year, the Bank said.\n      The figures confirm provisional data issued by the Bank two\n  weks ago.\n      In December, M0 grew by a seasonally adjusted 1.4 pct and\n  by a non-seasonally adjusted 5.2 pct year-on-year.\n      The Bank said sterling bank lending grew by a\n  non-seasonally adjusted 1.75 billion stg in January. This also\n  confirmed provisional figures issued in February.\n      The measure of private sector liquidity, PSL2, fell 0.2 pct\n  in January, but after seasonal adjustment rose 0.6 pct, the\n  Bank said.\n      The Bank said the public sector contribution to the growth\n  in Sterling M3 was contractionary by about 2.3 billion stg.\n      Within this, the Public Sector Borrowing Requirement (PSBR)\n  showed a repayment of 3.7 billion stg, while the non-bank\n  private sector's holdings of government debt fell by about 1.1\n  billion stg.\n      There was a fall of 290 mln stg in notes and coin in\n  January, a fall of 1.5 billion stg in non-interest bearing\n  sight deposits, and a rise of 1.6 billion stg in interest\n  bearing sight deposits, the Bank said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JANNOCK ACQUIRES 50 PCT OF INTERCON SECURITY\n","article":"  <Jannock Ltd> said it acquired a 50 pct\n  interest in Intercon Security Ltd for five mln dlrs and\n  Intercon founders Brian Legge and Richard Grange will hold the\n  remaining 50 pct and will continue to manage the company.\n      Intercon Security, employing 850 people, provides a full\n  range of security equipment and services, Jannock said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" CANADIAN OIL COMPANIES RAISE CRUDE PRICES\n","article":"  Petro-Canada, the state-owned oil\n  company, said it raised the contract price it will pay for\n  crude oil 64 Canadian cts a barrel, effective March six.\n      Petro-Canada's posted price for the benchmark light sweet\n  grade, Edmonton\/Swann Hills at 40 api gravity, now stands at\n  21.95 Canadian dlrs\/bbl. Their light sour grade is posted at\n  19.88 Canadian dlrs\/bbl.\n      Earlier today, Shell Canada <SHC> said it raised its crude\n  postings about 47 Canadian cts\/bbl, bringing Edmonton light\n  sweet to 21.95 Canadian dlrs\/bbl, and the light sour crude to\n  19.95 Canadian dlrs\/bbl.\n      Imperial oil <IMO.A>, a 70 pct owned subsidiary of Exxon\n  Corp, said that effective March five it also raised its light\n  sweet crude posting to 21.95 Canadian dlrs\/bbl.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DART GROUP SAID IT OFFERS TO BUY SUPERMARKETS GENERAL AT 41.75 DLRS\/SHR\n","article":"\n  DART GROUP SAID IT OFFERS TO BUY SUPERMARKETS GENERAL AT 41.75 DLRS\/SHR\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FINAL 50\/50 CORN CERTS SEEN AT 1.6 BILLION DLRS\n","article":"  The Agriculture Department will have\n  to release an estimated 1.6 billion dlrs worth of in-kind\n  certificates, or certs, to corn farmers this fall if USDA\n  decides to maintain an equal split of total 1986 feedgrain\n  deficiency payments in cash and certs, USDA officials said.\n      Final 1986 crop deficiency payments will be available to\n  feed grain producers in October. Wheat deficiency payments for\n  the 1986 crop, now complete, were made in a 50\/50\n  cash-certificate split, and USDA officials have indicated they\n  want to do the same for feedgrains.\n      Over 3.2 billion dlrs of an estimated 6.0 billion in corn\n  deficiency payments have already been announced, with 1.42\n  billion dlrs (43 pct) set in certificates. The final payment\n  must be 1.6 billion dlrs in certs (57 pct) for a 50\/50 split.\n      However, the release this month of almost 600 mln dlrs of\n  deficiency payments was equally divided in cash and certs,\n  doing nothing to bring up the percentage of certs.\n      Some USDA analysts said the payments reflected hesitation\n  from the Office of Managament and Budget to allow another huge\n  release of certs onto the market.\n      Bills are pending in Congress to move up the final\n  feedgrain deficiency payment to \"as soon as five months after\n  harvest as possible,\" rather than the current year lag time.\n      Neither Rep. Edward Madigan (R-Ill.) nor Sen. Bob Dole\n  (R-Kans.), sponsors of the bills, have brought the legislation\n  forward. Aides said timing will depend on budget discussions.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BCI HOLDINGS TO SELL BOTTLED WATER DIVISION\n","article":"  <BCI Holdings Corp>  said its <Beatrice\n  U.S. Food Corp> retained Shearson Lehman Brothers Inc to assist\n  in the sale of its national bottled water business.\n      It said products of the subsidiary, based in Monterey Park,\n  Calif., are sold under the Arrowhead brand name in California\n  and Arizona, the Ozarka name in Texas and the Great Bear name\n  in 11 northeastern states.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EXCO BUYS U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES BROKER\n","article":"  <Exco International Plc>, a subsidiary of\n  British and Commonwealth Shipping Co Plc <BCOM.L>, said it had\n  agreed in principle to buy an 80 pct stake in <RMJ Holdings\n  Corp> for about 79 mln dlrs.\n      Exco Chairman Richard Lacy told Reuters the acquisition was\n  being made from Bank of New York Co Inc <BK.N>, which currently\n  holds a 50.1 pct, and from RMJ partners who hold the remainder.\n      Bank of New York and the partners will retain about 10 pct\n  each and these stakes will be bought over the next six years.\n      RMJ is the holding company of RMJ Securities, one of the\n  largest U.S. Government securities brokers.\n      It is also involved in broking notes, obligations and other\n  instruments sponsored by U.S. Federal agencies.\n      Lacy said Exco had been considering buying a U.S.\n  Government securities broker for the past four years and had\n  made an offer for RMJ when it was sold by Security Pacific Corp\n  <SPC.N> in 1985. RMJ was then valued at about 50 mln dlrs.\n      B and C managing director Peter Goldie said RMJ would be\n  bought at about the same multiple as Exco, suggesting net\n  income of around 16 mln dlrs.\n      The company's earnings had not been hit by the halving of\n  brokerage fees some 14 months ago as volumes had since doubled.\n      Lacy said that RMJ employed some 300 people, with 200 in\n  the brokerage business and about 70 in its <SMS> unit, which\n  provided computer software for the financial services\n  community.\n      RMJ Securities had offices in New York, where total market\n  turnover of U.S. Government securities was 110 billion dlrs a\n  day, and in London where it has 15 billion.\n      It was also given permission last week to open an office in\n  Tokyo where total market turnover had lifted rapidly to about\n  five billion dlrs a day.\n      The acquisition would contribute between five and 10 pct of\n  B and C's share earnings in 1987 on a proforma basis.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LCE AND IPE ELECT FIRST TRADED OPTIONS MEMBERS\n","article":"  The first 23 members have been elected to\n  the joint traded options facility of the London Commodity\n  Exchange (LCE) and the International Petroleum exchange (IPE),\n  the exchanges said in a statement.\n      More firms have applied and the final tranche will be\n  admitted on April one and trading is planned to start in early\n  June on the new trading floor on Commodity Quay.\n      Traded options need a volatile and liquid futures base to\n  succeed and chairman of the joint formation committee Jack\n  Patterson said the existing LCE cocoa, coffee, sugar and IPE\n  gas oil contracts should have no difficulty in providing this.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USDA ESTIMATES 1986\/87 USSR GRAIN IMPORTS  26.0 MLN TONNES VS 23.0 IN FEB, 29.9 IN 1985\/86\n","article":"\n  USDA ESTIMATES 1986\/87 USSR GRAIN IMPORTS  26.0 MLN TONNES VS 23.0 IN FEB, 29.9 IN 1985\/86\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USDA ESTIMATES 1986 SOVIET GRAIN CROP  AT 210 MLN TONNES VS 210 IN FEB, 192 YEAR-AGO\n","article":"\n  USDA ESTIMATES 1986 SOVIET GRAIN CROP  AT 210 MLN TONNES VS 210 IN FEB, 192 YEAR-AGO\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DART <DARTA> MAKES OFFER FOR SUPERMARKETS <SGL>\n","article":"  Dart Group Corp said it offered to\n  buy Supermarkets General Corp for 41.75 dlrs per share in cash.\n      Earlier Supermarkets General said an \"unsolicited third\n  party\" had made the offer. Analysts estimated the value at\n  about 1.6 billion dlrs, based on 38.5 mln shares outstanding.\n      Kidder, Peabody and Co Inc told Dart that Kidder's\n  affiliate will be prepared to advance up to 750 mln dlrs on a\n  subordinated basis.\n  \n  \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"USDA ESTIMATES SOVIET WHEAT, COARSE GRAINS\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department\n  forecast the Soviet 1986\/87 wheat crop at 92.30 mln tonnes, vs\n  92.30 mln tonnes last month. It put the 1985\/86 crop at 78.10\n  mln tonnes, vs 78.10 mln tonnes last month.\n      Soviet 1986\/87 coarse grain production is estimated at\n  103.30 mln tonnes, vs 103.30 mln tonnes last month. Production\n  in 1985\/86 is projected at 100.00 mln tonnes, vs 99.99 mln\n  tonnes last month.\n      USSR wheat imports are forecast at 15.00 mln tonnes in\n  1986\/87, vs 14.00 mln tonnes last month. Imports in 1985\/86 are\n  put at 15.70 mln tonnes, vs 15.70 mln tonnes last month. USDA\n  estimated Soviet 1986\/87 coarse grain imports at 10.00 mln\n  tonnes, vs 8.00 mln tonnes last month, and 1985\/86 imports at\n  13.70 mln tonnes, vs 13.70 mln tonnes last month.\n  \n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"USDA ORANGE JUICE YIELD ESTIMATE\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department\n  projected an average yield of 1.47 gallons of frozen\n  concentrated orange juice per box (42.0 degree brix equivalent)\n  from Florida's 1986\/87 crop.\n      That compares with 1.46 gallons per box previously and 1.38\n  gallons per box from the 1985\/86 crop.\n      The crop reporting board said the estimates for the 1986\/87\n  season are based on maturity and yields tests as of March 1.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"USDA WINTER\/SPRING POTATO ESTIMATES\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department\n  estimated 1987 winter potato production, based on March 1\n  conditions, at 2,788,000 cwts (100 lbs), vs 2,764,000 cwts\n  indicated last month and 2,991,000 cwts last year.\n      The department estimated winter potato area for harvest at\n  11,900 acres, vs 11,900 acres last month and 12,300 acres in\n  1986.\n      The yield per harvested acre for winter potatoes is\n  estimated at 234 cwts per acre, vs 243 cwts last year.\n      The department also projected 1987 spring potato crop area\n  planted at 79,300 cwts, vs 77,400 cwts last year, and area for\n  harvest at 76,700 acres, vs 75,900 acres harvested last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MEATPACKERS STRIKE MORRELL SIOUX CITY PLANT\n","article":"  About 800 members of the United Food and\n  Commercial Workers Union, UFCWU, struck John Morrell's Sioux\n  City, Iowa, pork processing plant at midnight Sunday, a\n  spokesman for the UFCWU national said.\n      Meatpackers at the plant have been working without a\n  contract since the old pact expired January 31, UFCWU spokesman\n  John Mancuso said. The plant can slaughter and process about\n  13,000 to 14,000 hogs a day, he estimated.\n      The UFCWU bargaining committee and full membership rejected\n  in late January a contract proposal by John Morrell, a\n  subsidiary of United Brands Inc, he said.\n  \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PAKISTAN TO TENDER FOR RBD PALM OIL\n","article":"  Pakistan will hold an import tender\n  tomorrow for 6,000 tonnes of refined bleached deodorised palm\n  oil for second half March shipments, traders said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CAESARS WORLD <CAW> BID VALUED AT 907 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  MTS Acquisition Corp said it will need\n  about 907 mln dlrs to acquire the 31,781,461 Caesars World Inc\n  shares not owned by its owner, Martin T. Sosnoff.\n      The estimate came in MTS Acquisition's proxy statement to\n  Caesars World shareholders describing its offer of 28 dlrs a\n  share for their stock which was announced this morning.\n      In that announcement, MTS Acquisition said its bank and\n  investor bankers felt they could provide financing totaling 975\n  mln dlrs for the offer.\n      Sosnoff is Caesars World's largest shareholders with\n  4,217,675 of the company's shares. That is about 11.7 pct of\n  the outstanding stock on a fully diluted basis, the proxy said.\n      Besides being the sole owner of MTS Acquisition, Sosnoff\n  owns 61 pct of Atalanta\/Sosnoff Capital Corp's <ATL> stock and\n  is chairman of that investment management and brokerage firm.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CAROLIN MINES HAS NEW GOLD ASSAY RESULTS\n","article":"  Carolin Mines Ltd\n  said recent assays of tailings at its Hope, British Columbia\n  mine ranged from 0.50 to 0.64 ounces of gold per ton. \n      There were only trace amounts of platinum and palladium,\n  the company said.\n      Carolin said the results sharply disagreed with an earlier\n  assay performed by Intergold U.S.A. Inc which showed 1.0 ounce\n  of gold per ton and 0.50 ounce of platinum per ton.\n      Carolin also said it expects to receive results of further\n  tests and assays of the tailings within two to three weeks.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CCC WHEAT CREDIT GUARANTEES FOR NORTH YEMEN\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation,\n  CCC, has authorized 25.0 mln dlrs in credit guarantees to North\n  Yemen to cover purchases of U.S. wheat under the Intermediate\n  Export Credit Guarantee Program (GSM-103), the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department said.\n      Under the program credit terms extended must be in excess\n  of three yeras, but not more than seven years.\n      All sales under the line must be registered and exports\n  completed by September 30, 1987, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CCC ACCEPTS EXPORT BONUS BARLEY MALT TO NIGERIA\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation,\n  CCC, has accepted one bonus offer from an exporter on the sale\n  of 4,400 tonnes of barley malt to Nigeria, the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department said.\n      The department said the bonus awarded was 100.00 dlrs per\n  tonne and was made to Rahr Malting Co and will be paid in the\n  form of commodities from the inventory stocks of the CCC.\n      The barley malt is scheduled for shipment during April,\n  1987.\n      An additional 76,300 tonnes of barley malt are still\n  available to Nigeria under the Export Enhancement Program\n  initiative announced December 10, 1986, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CAROLIN MINES <CRLNF> HAS NEW ASSAY RESULTS\n","article":"  Carolin Mines Ltd\n  said recent assays of tailings at its Hope, British Columbia\n  mine indicated that ounces of gold per ton ranged from 0.64 to\n  0.50.\n      There were only trace amounts of platinum and palladium,\n  the company said.\n      Carolin said the results sharply disagreed with an earlier\n  assay performed by Intergold U.S.A. Inc which showed one ounce\n  of gold per ton and 1\/2 ounce of platinum per ton.\n      Carolin also said it expects to receive results of further\n  tests and assays of the tailings within two to three weeks.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SEAMAN'S STRIKE CONTINUES, MARINES UNLOAD SHIPS\n","article":"  Brazilian marines were today\n  working on the unloading of ships at the local port as a\n  national strike by 40,000 seamen entered its 10th day without\n  signs of an agreement.\n      The halt, the first national strike by seamen in 25 years,\n  started on February 27, and union leaders said they would not\n  return to work unless they received a 275 pct pay rise.\n      Shipowners have offered a 100 pct raise, which the seamen\n  rejected.\n      \"Television reported that the port was operating at full\n  speed, but that's not true,\" a striking seaman told Reuters.\n      \"The marines are doing their best, but they don't have the\n  manpower nor the experience to control the situation in such a\n  quick period,\" he said.\n      Port officials said the national halt had already caused\n  losses estimated at 1.5 mln dlrs.\n      Despite the presence of marines, there were no reports of\n  incidents.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"USDA RAISES SOVIET GRAIN IMPORT ESTIMATE\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department\n  increased its estimate of Soviet 1986\/87 grain imports to 26\n  mln tonnes from last month's projection of 23 mln tonnes.\n      In its monthly USSR Grain Situation and Outlook, USDA said\n  the increase reflected the return of the Soviet Union to the\n  U.S. corn market and continued purchases of both wheat and\n  coarse grain from other major suppliers.\n      USSR wheat imports were projected at 15 mln tonnes, up one\n  mln from last month's estimate and 700,000 tonnes below the\n  preliminary 1985\/86 figure.\n      Soviet grain for feed use was estimated at a record 129 mln\n  tonnes. Record or near-record livestock inventories, along with\n  a dry fall which likely reduced late season pasturage, and a\n  cold winter have increased feed demand, USDA said.\n      USSR meat and egg production in January rose only slightly\n  from the previous January's level, while milk production\n  increased by nearly six pct.\n      Unusually cold weather in January and smaller increases in\n  roughage supplies during 1986 than in 1985 kept livestock\n  production from expanding as much as it did a year earlier,\n  USDA said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECUADOR QUAKE TO CUT OIL REVENUES 800 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  up to 300 people were feared dead and more\n  than 15,000 people left homeless by thursday's earthquake,\n  which will cost Ecuador close to 800 mln dlrs in lost petroleum\n  revenues, authorities said.\n      They estimated the cost of repairing a damaged oil pipeline\n  at 150 mln dlrs.\n      \"the magnitude of the damages caused by the earthquake is\n  gigantic,\" president leon febres cordero said after inspecting\n  the damages in napo, the hardest-hit jungle province, 100 miles\n  from here.\n      The quake damaged 40 km of an oil pipeline, forcing this\n  opec nation to suspend crude exports for four months, president\n  febres cordero said in a statement issued today by the\n  presidential press office.\n      The country would lose an estimated 800 mln dlrs in crude\n  exports until the pipeline was repaired, the president said. It\n  would cost 150 mln dlrs to repair the pipelline which carries\n  oil from jungle oil fields over the andes to Balao, a pacific\n  ocean port.\n      Crude traditionally accounts for up to two-thirds of\n  ecuador's exports.\n      the quake triggered landslides, swelling the aguarico river\n  which burst it banks carrying away homes and huts in napo\n  province, health minister jorge brancho told reuters.\n      \"we fear that up to 300 people died in napo though there is\n  no way of now knowing the exact figure because many people have\n  disappeared,\" he said.\n      Other estimates ranged as high as 500 dead.\n      So far 20 corpses have been recovered, bracho said.\n      Information Minister Marco Lara told reporters: \"the number\n  of dead and injured is not known ... because we do not know how\n  many people lived in the homes hit by the landslides.\"\n      Bracho said at least 15,000 were left homeless in the\n  cayambe district.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BUSINESS EDITOR THEODORE CROSS OFFERS 34 DLRS SHARE FOR HARPER AND ROW\n","article":"\n  BUSINESS EDITOR THEODORE CROSS OFFERS 34 DLRS SHARE FOR HARPER AND ROW\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"USDA ESTIMATES CANADIAN CROPS\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department\n  estimated Canada's 1986\/87 wheat crop at 31.85 mln tonnes, vs\n  31.85 mln tonnes last month. It estimated 1985\/86 output at\n  24.25 mln tonnes, vs 24.25 mln last month.\n      Canadian 1986\/87 coarse grain production is projected at\n  27.62 mln tonnes, vs 27.62 mln tonnes last month. Production in\n  1985\/86 is estimated at 24.95 mln tonnes, vs 24.95 mln last\n  month.\n      Canadian wheat exports in 1986\/87 are forecast at 19.00 mln\n  tonnes, vs 18.00 mln tonnes last month. Exports in 1985\/86 are\n  estimated at 17.71 mln tonnes, vs 17.72 mln last month.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USDA ESTIMATES AUSTRALIA WHEAT CROP\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department\n  forecast Australia's 1986\/87 wheat crop at 17.30 mln tonnes, vs\n  17.50 mln tonnes last month. It estimated 1985\/86 output at\n  16.13 mln tonnes, vs 16.13 mln last month.\n      Australian wheat exports in 1986\/87 are forecast at 14.50\n  mln tonnes, vs 15.00 mln tonnes last month, while exports in\n  1985\/86 are estimated at 15.96 mln tonnes, vs 15.96 mln last\n  month.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BUSINESS EDITOR OFFERS 34 DLRS FOR HARPER <HPR>\n","article":"  Theodore Cross, editor of Business\n  and Society Review, a business publication, said an investor\n  group he heads has offered to buy Harper and Row Publishers Inc\n  for 34 dlrs a share cash.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Cross said he proposed the takeover to the board of the New\n  York publishing house today.\n      Cross, whose investor group includes his wife, Mary, said\n  they already hold 261,650 Harper and Row common shares, or 6.0\n  pct of the total outstanding common stock. They said they have\n  spent 3.5 mln dlrs on their stake so far.\n      Cross said he proposed in a letter to Harper and Row that\n  the company be merged into a company Cross is forming.\n      Suggesting that the total cost of completing the merger\n  would be 190 mln dlrs, Cross said he would use 20 mln dlrs of\n  his own money for the deal and up to 170 mln dlrs which would\n  be borrowed from the First National Bank of Boston under a\n  revolving credit facility the bank has agreed to provide.\n  \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRANCE TO REQUEST PERMANENT MAIZE REBATES\n","article":"  French maize producers will ask the EC\n  Commission to grant permanent maize export rebates following\n  the recent EC\/U.S. Accord guaranteeing the U.S. An annual\n  export quota of two mln tonnes of maize for Spain over four\n  years, the French maize producers association, AGPM, said.\n      The Commission has already decided to accord rebates for\n  the export of 500,000 tonnes of French maize, of which rebates\n  for around 100,000 tonnes have been granted.\n      The request will be made when export certificates have been\n  granted for all the 500,000 tonnes, the AGPM said.\n      The association said that the request would cover exports\n  to all destinations, adding that the Soviet Union, which has\n  important maize needs, is currently excluded from the list of\n  destination countries for the 500,000 tonnes of French maize.\n      The U.S. Agriculture Department has forecast Soviet maize\n  imports for the 1986\/87 campaign at 4.90 mln tonnes against\n  10.40 mln in 1985\/86.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. PAYMENTS GAP TO PERSIST, EX-FED CHIEF SAYS\n","article":"  The dollar will decline over the next\n  two to three years, but this is unlikely to result in a\n  complete reduction of the U.S. current account deficit, said\n  Anthony Solomon, chairman of S.G. Warburg (USA) Inc and former\n  president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.\n      In a presentation to the Japan Society, Solomon said\n  without elaboration that he expects a \"significant decline in\n  the dollar,\" within the next three years.\n      \"The dollar will fall more, but the current account deficit\n  will stop being reduced when it reaches its structural core,\"\n  he said.\n      Solomon described the structural core as about one-half of\n  the current 150 billion dlr annual deficit. He cited several\n  factors which will prevent an elimination of the deficit.\n      For one thing, it is unlikely that there will be any new\n  investment in those manufacturing industries that shrank when\n  the dollar was at uncompetitive levels, he said.\n      In addition, he said that the U.S. has an increased\n  propensity to import in order to satisify consumer tastes.\n      Solomon forecast inflation at 4.5 pct by year-end, but said\n  it could be kept below five pct in the medium-term if oil\n  prices are stable and commodity values remain low.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CCC ACCEPTS EXPORT BONUS DAIRY CATTLE TO MOROCCO\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation,\n  CCC, has accepted a bonus offer from an exporter on the sale of\n  13 head of dairy cattle to Morocco, the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department said.\n      The department said the bonus awarded was 1,505.00 dlrs per\n  head and was made to Brown Swiss Enterprises Inc. It will be\n  paid in the form of commodities from CCC inventories.\n      The cattle are for delivery during March 9-September 30,\n  1987.\n      The department said the purchase completes the Export\n  Enhancement Program initiative for dairy cattle to Morocco\n  announced on April 16, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COLOROLL AGREES TO BUY U.S. WALLCOVERINGS COMPANY\n","article":"  <Coloroll Group Plc> said it has entered\n  into a conditional agreement to acquire the business and assets\n  of <Wallco Inc> and related companies for 14.5 mln dlrs.\n      Miami-based Wallco manufactures and distributes\n  wallcoverings and showed a pretax profit of 1.5 mln dlrs on\n  turnover of 37 mln in the year ending June 1986. The total U.S.\n  Market was estimated to be worth 840 mln dlrs in 1986, having\n  grown by 47 pct in the previous five years, Coloroll said.\n      The combined sales and profit of the enlarged Coloroll U.S.\n  Business would be 67 mln and four mln dlrs respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CCC EXPORT BONUS DAIRY CATTLE FOR CANARY ISLANDS\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation,\n  CCC, has accepted a bonus offer from an exporter on the sale of\n  75 head of dairy cattle to the Canary Islands, the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department said.\n      The department said the bonus awarded was 1,459.00 dlrs per\n  head and was made to T.K. International Inc. It will be paid in\n  the form of commodities from the inventory of CCC stocks.\n      The cattle are for delivery during March-June, 1987, it\n  said.\n      An additional 3,925 head of dairy cattle are still\n  available to the Canary Islands under the Export Enahcnement\n  Program initiative announced July 28, 1986, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. CONSUMER CREDIT ROSE 536 MILLION DLRS IN JAN VS 144 MILLION DEC GAIN\n","article":"\n  U.S. CONSUMER CREDIT ROSE 536 MILLION DLRS IN JAN VS 144 MILLION DEC GAIN\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USX <X> UNIT RAISES SOME CRUDE POSTINGS\n","article":"  Marathon Petroleum Company, a\n  subsidiary of USX Corp <X>, said it raised the contract price\n  it pays for three grades of crude oil, effective March 6.\n      Illinois Sweet and Indiana Sweet are both being raised 50\n  cts a barrel to 16.75 dlrs\/bbl, and the Southern Michigan grade\n  is being raised 25 cts\/bbl, also to 16.75 dlrs a bbl.\n      The West Texas Intermediate grade was unchanged.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UNITED BRANDS INC 4TH QTR SHR PROFIT SIX CTS VS LOSS 11 CTS\n","article":"\n  UNITED BRANDS INC 4TH QTR SHR PROFIT SIX CTS VS LOSS 11 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL FUEL GAS <NFG> SETS SPLIT, HIGHER PAYOUT\n","article":"  National Fuel Gas Co said its board has\n  approved a two-for-one stock split and will consider an\n  increased cash dividend at its June meeting.\n      The company also said management will recommend, at the\n  June board meeting, an increase of 12 cts per share in the\n  current annual dividend rate of 2.28 dlrs a share, raising it\n  to 2.40 dlrs per share, or 1.20 dlrs a share after the split.\n      National Fuel Gas said the split will be paid to holders of\n  record May 29.  A spokeswoman said the distribution date for\n  the split has not been determined.\n      The company said the split is subject to approval of the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission under the Public Utility\n  Holding Act. The company now has 11,928,871 shares outstanding.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SENSORMATIC <SNSR> UPS CHECKROBOT <CKRB> STAKE\n","article":"  Sensormatic Electronics\n  Corp said it upped its investment in CheckRobot Inc in the form\n  of 2.5 mln dlrs of convertible preferred stock, raising its\n  stake in CheckRobot to 42 pct from 37 pct on a fully diluted\n  basis.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNION, SHIPPERS AGREE TO CUT N.Y. PORT COSTS\n","article":"  The New York Shipping Association and\n  International Longshoremen's Association said they agreed to\n  cut cargo assessments at the Port of New York and New Jersey by\n  more than 50 pct on some labor intensive cargos.\n      The charges on cargo handled by union workers will be\n  reduced to 2.85 dlrs a ton from 5.85 dlrs a ton, effective\n  April one, according to the agreement between the union and\n  shippers. The assessments are used to fund workers' benefits.\n      \"What were doing is lowering the price to get more bulk\n  cargo flowing through here,\" a spokesman for the New York\n  Shipping Association said.\n  \n  \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TREASURY BALANCES AT FED ROSE ON MARCH 6\n","article":"  Treasury balances at the Federal\n  Reserve rose on March 6 to 3.879 billion dlrs from 3.467\n  billion dlrs the previous business day, the Treasury said in\n  its latest budget statement.\n      Balances in tax and loan note accounts fell to 12.453\n  billion drls from 14.350 billion dlrs on the same respective\n  days.\n      The Treasury's operating cash balance totaled 16.332\n  billion dlrs on March 6 compared with 17.817 billion dlrs on\n  March 5.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CSX <CSX> UNIT SETS IMPROVED SHIPPING SERVICE\n","article":"  CSX Corp's Sea-Land Corp unit\n  said it will offer improved containership services between\n  Puerto Rico and the East Coast and Gulf Coast of the United\n  States, beginning March 16.\n      The carrier said it will provide shorter door-to-door\n  transit times, more convenient cargo availability and better\n  rail connections for traffic moving between Puerto Rico and\n  North America.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"WORLD BANK REPORT CRITICISES PERU ECONOMIC PLAN\n","article":"  a confidential world bank report on the\n  peruvian economy said the government's strategy does not offer\n  good prospects for medium and long-term growth and is likely to\n  quickly lead to inflation.\n      The report, published today by an economic monthly, the\n  peru report, said the success of president alan garcia's\n  government in stimulating output last year to achieve eight pct\n  gross domestic product growth \"represents gains in the short\n  term at the expense of the long.\"\n      Government officials had no immediate comment on the\n  report, which advised a reduction in the overall size of the\n  public investment programme and greater emphasis on the\n  preservation of peru's export potential.\n      The report said that although the government had succeeded\n  in cutting inflation 50 pct a year in the first half of 1985 to\n  under 70 pct, its stabilisation and reactivation programme was\n  encountering increasing difficulties.\n      \"an early renewal of inflationary pressures, linked to\n  monetary expansion, exchange rate devaluation and an easing of\n  price controls, appears not improbable,\" it added.\n  \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MINISTERS FEEL EC FORECASTS TOO PESSIMISTIC\n","article":"  European Community finance ministers\n  discussed the economic outlook for the 12-nation bloc and many\n  said a recent gloomy forecast by the EC Commission was too\n  pessimistic.\n      The Commission, the EC's executive authority, two weeks ago\n  cut its forecast for economic growth in the Community to 2.3\n  per cent for this year from 2.8 per cent predicted last autumn.\n      It said economic prospects had been less promising over the\n  past few months because of a sharp fall in the value of the\n  dollar and a slowing of world trade -- factors which would\n  restrain Community exports.\n      But diplomats said several member states, led by West\n  Germany, Britain and France, felt the forecast was too gloomy,\n  especially since it was drafted before a recent agreement\n  between the leading Western economic powers to stabilise\n  currencies around current levels.\n      \"Many delegations feel the (Commission's) report is rather\n  too pessimistic,\" said Belgian Finance Minister Mark Eyskens,\n  who chaired the meeting.\n      The Commission, which slashed its growth forecast for West\n  Germany to two per cent from 3.2 per cent, has made clear it\n  feels Bonn has room to introduce additional measures to\n  stimulate its economy that would benefit the rest of Europe.\n      But two top German officials, State Secretaries Otto\n  Schlecht and Hans Tietmeyer, told reporters Bonn saw no need at\n  the moment for action to bolster the EC's biggest economy.\n      The diplomats said they were backed by Britain and France,\n  while Italy, Greece and Denmark supported the Commission's view\n  that Bonn should bring in new measures to aid EC growth.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. CONSUMER CREDIT ROSE 536 MLN DLRS IN JAN\n","article":"  U.S. consumer instalment credit rose\n  a seasonally adjusted 536 mln dlrs in January after a revised\n  rise of 144 mln dlrs in December, the Federal Reserve Board\n  said.\n      The annual rate of growth in January was 1.1 pct, up from\n  0.3 pct in December. Previously the Fed said consumer credit\n  rose 105 mln dlrs in December.\n      Among the credit categories, auto credit fell in January to\n  1.02 billion dlrs from 2.06 billion dlrs in December, the Fed\n  said.\n      Revolving credit in January fell by 366 mln dlrs after\n  rising by 552 mln dlrs in December.\n      Mobile home credit was up by 130 mln dlrs after falling by\n  21 mln dlrs in December.\n      The category referred to as \"other,\" covering bank and credit\n  union loans, fell by 250 mln dlrs in January after declining by\n  2.44 billion dlrs in December, the Fed said.\n      Before seasonal adjustment, consumer credit outstanding\n  totaled 580.37 billion dlrs at the end of January, compared\n  with 531.29 billion dlrs at the end of January, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONOCO RAISES CRUDE OIL PRICES UP TO ONE DLR BARREL, WTI AT 17.50 DLRS\n","article":"\n  CONOCO RAISES CRUDE OIL PRICES UP TO ONE DLR BARREL, WTI AT 17.50 DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VIACOM <VIA>, NAT'L AMUSEMENTS SEEK FAST MERGER\n","article":"  The chiefs of Viacom International Inc\n  and <National Amusements Inc> said they met and agreed to work\n  together to complete the previously announced merger of the two\n  companies \"as expeditiously as possible.\"\n      A spokeswoman for Viacom declined to say if the executives\n  had set a timetable for closing the deal.\n      Viacom last week agreed to be acquired by National\n  Amusements for a combination of cash and stock with an\n  estimated value of 53 dlrs a share, or a total of about 3.4\n  billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ASCS BUYS PROCESSED PRODUCTS FOR DOMESTIC USE\n","article":"  The Agricultural Stabilization and\n  Conservation Service (ASCS) bought 25.7 mln pounds of wheat\n  flour at a cost of 2.8 mln dlrs for domestic shipment April\n  1-15 and April 16-30, an ASCS spokesman said.\n      ASCS also bought 11.1 mln pounds of bakers flour for 1.1\n  mln dlrs, 1.9 mln pounds of pasta for 408,258 dlrs, 1.4 mln\n  pounds of processed cereal products for 304,043 dlrs, 4.8 mln\n  pounds of corn products for 474,944 dlrs, and 16.3 mln pounds\n  of milled rice for 2.0 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GENERAL CINEMA CORP 1ST QTR OPER SHR 43 CTS VS 47 CTS\n","article":"\n  GENERAL CINEMA CORP 1ST QTR OPER SHR 43 CTS VS 47 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET SHORTAGE FORECAST REVISED DOWN\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it revised its\n  forecast of the shortage in the money market down to around 700\n  mln stg from its original estimate of 800 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK BOARD SAYS MORTGAGE RATES DOWN IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  The Federal Home Loan Bank Board said\n  interest rates on both fixed rate and adjustable rate home\n  mortgage loans were down substantially in early February.\n      The bank board said the average effective commitment rate\n  for fixed mortgages with a maturity of at least 15 years for\n  new home purchases dropped to 9.54 pct in early February, a 30\n  basis point decline from early January.\n      The commitment rate on adjustable rate mortgages declined\n  by 16 basis points in the same period bringing the average rate\n  to 8.5 pct, the bank board said.\n      The average effective interest rate on all loans closed by\n  major lenders declined 27 basis points from early January to\n  9.26 pct in early February, the lowest rate since March 1978,\n  the bank board said.\n      The average effective rate for fixed mortgages was was 9.51\n  pct, down 30 basis points from the early January level. The\n  average effective rate for adjustable rate mortgages declined\n  22 basis points to 8.61 pct, the bank board said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NORANDA TO SPIN OFF FOREST INTERESTS INTO SEPARATE COMPANY\n","article":"\n  NORANDA TO SPIN OFF FOREST INTERESTS INTO SEPARATE COMPANY\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"API PRESIDENT SEES OPTIONS TO AVERT OIL CRISIS\n","article":"  American Petroleum Institute President\n  Charles DiBona said no options should be rejected to combat \n  growing U.S. dependence on foreign oil.\n      \"No action should be ruled out--import fees or quotas,\n  floor prices, tax incentives or other alternatives--while a\n  national dialogue on the issue continues,\" DiBona said at a \n  paper institute conference in New York today.\n      DiBona said there is no unanimity within the industry on\n  how to stimulate energy production but there is consensus on\n  removing several government policies that hinder investments in\n  new prospects.\n      DiBona said the windfall profit tax should be abolished\n  immediately and current proposals for increased environmental\n  regulations on acid rain and waste disposal should be not\n  adopted. He also suggested that the Arctic National Wildlife\n  Refuge in Alaska should be opened up for leasing to oil\n  companies, DiBona said.\n      \"This is a battle the industry cannot afford to lose if the\n  nation is to continue to benefit from Alaskan oil,\" DiBona\n  said. Since 1986 U.S. oil production has fallen while\n  consumption rose and that has raised dependence on imported\n  oil, particularly from OPEC, DiBona said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. SELLS 3-MO BILLS AT 5.63 PCT, STOP 5.64 PCT, 6-MO 5.59 PCT, STOP 5.60 PCT\n","article":"\n  U.S. SELLS 3-MO BILLS AT 5.63 PCT, STOP 5.64 PCT, 6-MO 5.59 PCT, STOP 5.60 PCT\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL DISTILLERS <DR> CLOSES ALMADEN SALE\n","article":"  National Distillers and\n  Chemical Corp said it completed the sale of Almaden Vineyards\n  Inc to Heublein Inc for about 128 mln dlrs.\n      Heublein, a former subsidiary of RJR Nabisco Inc <RJR>, was\n  recently acquired by <Grand Metropolitan PLC>.\n      Almaden, based in San Jose, Calif., makes and sells table\n  wines, champagnes and brandies as well as some premium wines\n  under the Charles Lefranc Cellars label.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CEASARS WORLD SAYS IT IS STUDYING UNSOLICITED 28 DLR-PER-SHR OFFER BY MARTIN SOSNOFF\n","article":"\n  CEASARS WORLD SAYS IT IS STUDYING UNSOLICITED 28 DLR-PER-SHR OFFER BY MARTIN SOSNOFF\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. BILL AUCTION RATES AVERAGE 5.63, 5.59 PCT\n","article":"  The U.S. Treasury said its weekly\n  auction of three-month bills produced an average rate of 5.63\n  pct, with a 5.59 pct rate on six-month bills.\n      These rates compared with averages of 5.47 pct for the\n  three- and 5.51 pct for the six-month bills sold last week.\n      The bond-equivalent yield on three-month bills was 5.81\n  pct. Accepted bids ranges from 5.61 pct to 5.64 pct and 29 pct\n  of the bids at the high, or stopout rate, were taken. For six\n  months, the yield was 5.85 pct and the bids ranges from 5.56\n  pct to 5.60 pct with 30 pct of the bids accepted.\n      The Treasury said it received 30.9 billion dlrs of bids for\n  the three-month bills, including 1.0 billion dlrs in\n  non-competitive bids from the public. It accepted 6.6 billion\n  dlrs of bids, including 2.2 billion dlrs from the Federal\n  Reserve and 9.1 mln dlrs from foreign and international\n  monetary authorities.\n      Some 25.7 billion dlrs in bids for six-month bills were\n  received, including 785 mln dlrs in non-competitives. The\n  Treasury accepted 6.6 billion dlrs, including 1.9 billion dlrs\n  from the Fed and 942 mln dlrs from foreign and international\n  authorities.\n      The average price for the three-month bills was 98.577 and\n  prices ranged from 98.574 to 98.582.  The average price for the\n  six-months bills was 97.174, and prices ranged from 97.169 to\n  97.189.\n      The average yield on the three-month bills was the highest\n  since 5.66 pct on Feb 17. The average yield on the six-month\n  bills was the highest since 5.70 pct on Feb 17.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA MULLING SELLING PETRO-CANADA - MULRONEY\n","article":"  Prime Minister Brian Mulroney said the\n  government was considering selling Petro-Canada and the sale\n  would proceed if it were in the national interest to do so.\n      Mulroney told the House of Commons assets of the huge oil\n  company would be examined before a decision was made, just as\n  other state-run companies were studied before being sold under\n  Ottawa's privatization program.\n      \"The government is going to examine assets of this nature\n  to ascertain if they continue to play an appropriate role in\n  public policy and we will make a determination as we have in\n  other cases,\" Mulroney told the daily question period.         \n      Asked by opposition members to clairify Finance Minister\n  Michael Wilson's statement on Friday that Petro-Canada no\n  longer has any pubilic policy role, Mulroney said his\n  government has long promised to sell off companies that could\n  be better run by the private sector.\n      Outside the House, Energy Minister Marcel Masse said\n  Petro-Canada would be worth between three and four billion dlrs\n  and, because of the size, could be difficult to sell.\n      He also said he would prefer to see Canadians participating\n  in any privatization, but would not give any details on timing\n  of a sale.          \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEWS CORP <NWS> COMPLETES PURCHASE OF NEWSPAPER\n","article":"  The News Corp said the South China\n  Morning Post Ltd of Hong Kong become a wholly-owned subsidiary\n  March 7 as previously announced.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RICHMOND HILL<RICH>, RIVERHEAD END MERGER TALKS\n","article":"  Richmond Hill Savings Bank and\n  <Riverhead Savings Bank FSB> said they terminated their\n  previously announced merger negotiations.\n      The banks gave no reason for ending the talks, which began\n  on January 14.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SWEDEN TO GO AHEAD WITH S. AFRICAN TRADE SANCTIONS\n","article":"  Sweden's ruling Social Democratic\n  Party gave full power to the government to decree unilateral\n  trade sanctions against South Africa, Prime Minister Ingvar\n  Calrsson said.\n      Carlsson told a news conference the party decided the fight\n  against apartheid took priority over Sweden's traditional\n  policy of only adopting sanctions with the backing of the U.N.\n  Security Council.\n      The government will decide later what form the trade\n  boycott will take and when it will come into force.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GENERAL CINEMA <GCN> POOR SEASON LOWERS NET\n","article":"  General Cinema Corp said\n  lower attendence at its theatres against last year's record\n  Christmas season lowered its first fiscal quarter operating\n  earnings nine pct to 15.9 mln dlrs.\n      \"While we are not off to as good a start in fiscal 1987 as\n  we would like, business has picked up in the last few weeks,\"\n  chairman Richard Smith said.\n      He said that the company expected net pricing to be higher\n  and unit volume to improve in the remaining quarters of the\n  fiscal year.\n      The company added that operating earnings in its theatre\n  unit will be higher in fiscal 1987 if the important summer\n  season film releases perform well.\n      In addition, its other key business, General Cinema\n  Beverages, is expected to achieve record operating results for\n  the full year, Smith said.\n      The company's superstar video business which rents video\n  cassettes in supermarkets continues to operate at an expected\n  loss, the company added.\n      General Cinema said the financing costs associated with its\n  purchase of 3.5 mln Carter Hawley Hale Stores Inc <CHH> shares\n  for 177.9 mln dlrs, and its 89.7 mln sterling investment in\n  <Cadbury Schweppes PLC>, lowered first quarter net.\n      But it said the loss was offset by a 2.5 mln dlr gain on\n  the sale of common shares of Sea-Land Corp, a unit of CSX Corp\n  <CSX>.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CEASARS WORLD <CAW> STUDYING SOSNOFF OFFER\n","article":"  Ceasars Wold Inc said its board is\n  studying the unsolicited and conditional tender offer for all\n  its common shares at 28 dlrs per share from Martin T. Sosnoff.\n      A company spokesman said the board expects to make a\n  recommendation \"shortly\", but could not specify a time period.\n      Ceasars World Chairman Henry Gluck in a statement urged\n  shareholders not to take any action with respect to the offer\n  prior to the board's recommendation.\n      Sosnoff made the offer directly to shareholders in a\n  newspaper advertisement through a company he formed, called MTS\n  Acquisition Corp. It expires April 3.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICUS TRUST <BYU> <BYP> INITIAL QTRLY DIV\n","article":"  Americus Trust For Bristol Myers shares\n  announced an initial dividend of 68.75 cts payable May 12 for\n  shareholders of record April 3.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNITED SECURITY <UNSE> TO BUY ROBERT BROWN UNIT\n","article":"  United Security Financial Corp of\n  Illinois said it has signed a letter of intent to buy Robert\n  Co. Brown and Co Inc's <RCBI> MAGIC Insurance Group unit.\n      Robert C. Brown and Co would receive newly issued United\n  Security stock. United Security said it is anticipated that\n  such stock would represent a substantial majority of the shares\n  outstanding after the merger.\n      United Security's principal subsidiary is United Security\n  Life Insurance Co of Illinois. The MAGIC Group owns Pilgrim\n  Life Insurance Co of America and Middle Atlantic Life Insurance\n  Co.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GRAIN SHIPS LOADING AT PORTLAND\n","article":"  There were three grain ships loading\n  and two ships were waiting to load at Portland, according to\n  the Portland Merchants Exchange.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WARRINGTON SELLS SHOE DIVISIONS\n","article":"  (Warrington Inc) said it sold its shoe\n  divisions to Montreal-based (Taurus Footwear Inc) for\n  undisclosed terms.\n      The divisions manufacture and distribute Greb, Hush\n  Puppies, Kodiak, and Santana brand shoes and had revenues of\n  about 69 mln dlrs last year, Warrington said. It said the sale\n  of the shoe divisions and the previous sale of its ski boot\n  businesses will result in an unspecified net gain.\n      Warrington said it plans to concentrate on its Canstar\n  Sports Group Inc skate and athletic footwear division, the\n  largest ice skate manufacturer and distributor in the Western\n  world.\n      Warrington said it decided to rationalize the balance of\n  its ski businesses, which is expected to result in a divestment\n  loss which could outweigh the net gains on the sales of its\n  shoe and ski boot divisions.\n      Taurus said the acquisition is expected to increase its\n  annual sales to about 100 mln dlrs and make it Canada's largest\n  footwear manufacturer.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DUPONT <DD> UNIT RAISES CRUDE OIL PRICES\n","article":"  Conoco Inc, a subsidiary of DuPont\n  Corp, said it was increasing its contract prices for crude oil\n  between 10 cts and one dlr a barrel, effective today.\n      Conoco said the increase brings its price for the U.S.\n  benchmark crude West Texas Intermediate to 17.50 dlrs a barrel,\n  up one dlr.\n      South Louisiana Sweet, also up one dlr, is now 17.85 dlrs.\n  West Texas Sour was up 10 cts to 16.60 dlrs a barrel.\n      Conoco was the last company to raise prices following a\n  series of increases initiated last week by Sun Co <SUN>, which\n  reversed the posted price cuts made at the end of February.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CBT DISCUSSES MAJOR CHANGES FOR RENOVATION\n","article":"  Chicago Board of Trade (CBT)\n  agricultural and financial futures markets could be in for a\n  period of major upheaval later this year if the exchange goes\n  ahead with planned renovation.\n      A CBT spokesman told Reuters the exchange was looking at a\n  number of options to identify the most cost effective and\n  efficient way to proceed, including one which would involve\n  moving the entire grains floor out of the building and into the\n  nearby MidAmerica Commodity Exchange.\n      \"One of (CBT Chairman) Karsten Mahlmann's agenda items has\n  been to proceed with renovation in the financial futures room,\"\n  the spokesman said.\n      Another CBT official, executive vice president George\n  Sladoje, said the issue would be discussed this Friday at a\n  special meeting on the exchange floor.\n      A number of presentations have been made with regard to\n  renovating the financial futures room, Sladoje said. \"We've\n  looked at five or six different alternatives, involving such\n  things as flip-flopping the trading rooms,\" he added.\n      It is conceivable that under a couple of these plans, we\n  might use the MidAmerica Exchange temporarily for some CBT\n  markets, Sladoje said.\n      \"If we move out of one floor entirely, then the\n  construction period will be about a year,\" he said, adding that\n  the issue was likely to go to a membership vote first and then\n  be on the drawing board for eight months to a year.\n      The CBT spokesman stressed that discussions were very\n  preliminary at this stage and nothing was likely to begin until\n  this summer at the earliest.\n      In order to renovate the crowded financial futures pits,\n  exchange officials have discussed providing them a temporary\n  home next door in the present grains-dominated area.\n      This could involve moving CBT markets in U.S. Treasury Bond\n  futures, Treasury Notes, Muni-bonds, and options on T-Bonds and\n  T-Notes through an adjoining corridor, while utilizing the\n  MidAmerica floor for such CBT futures contracts as corn, wheat,\n  soybeans, soybean products and agricultural options.\n      Any such moves could meet with opposition among some CBT\n  members.\n      One senior floor trader said the financial futures room\n  badly needs renovating.\n      \"There is talk the grains floor will shift to the MidAm and\n  the financials will move to the grains area,\" he said.\n      The CBT spokesman said another option being discussed was\n  to renovate the financial floor in quadrants, one quarter at a\n  time. \"The first step, after deciding the most effective way to\n  proceed, would be to get architectural and engineering\n  drawings,\" he said.\n      He added that it was difficult at present to determine an\n  exact time frame for any possible moves. \"This is a major\n  undertaking and a process that would spread out over next\n  year,\" he said.\n      Floor traders at the MidAmerica Commodity Exchange, which\n  merged with the CBT about a year ago, said they were preparing\n  to vacate their floor at the end of this month.\n      Space has recently been cleared for them at the CBT by\n  moving its Major Market Index pit into the area once reserved\n  for lightly-traded CBT gold and silver futures, which now share\n  their trading area.\n      The MidAm specializes in mini-contracts in grains,\n  livestock, metals, financials and foreign currencies as well as\n  some options contracts.\n      \"Rumor has it that the CBT grains are coming over here\n  because the bonds are too crowded,\" one MidAm trader said.\n      Another source at the MidAm said this change could take\n  place by July or August.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GROUP SEEKS PRIME MEDICAL <PMSI> HOLDER LIST\n","article":"  A group of investment firms led by\n  Far Hills, N.J., investor Natalie Koether said it is seeking\n  information about the shareholders of Prime Medical Services\n  Inc, over which it has said it is seeking control.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the group, which includes Shamrock Associates, included a March\n  6 letter to Prime which asks for a complete list of all\n  shareholders and their addresses.\n      The group said it wants the information so it can contact\n  shareholders on issues, including election of an opposition\n  slate of directors to the board and other proxy contests.\n      The Koether group's letter gives the company five days to\n  respond to its request. If there is no response from Prime\n  Medical, the group said it would consider the demand refused\n  and would take \"other proper steps\" to get the information.\n      The group said it already holds 1,483,886 Prime Medical\n  shares, or 17.5 pct of the total. It said it has taken legal\n  action to try to force the company to set an annual meeting and\n  require all directors to stand for election.\n      In a previous SEC filing, the group has said it has decided\n  to try to seek control of Prime Medical through a tender offer,\n  exchange offer, proxy contest or other ways.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<GRAND METROPOLITAN PLC> UNIT TO SELL BUSINESS\n","article":"  Grand Metropolitan PLC said its\n  Grandmet USA Inc unit decided to sell its physical fitness and\n  exercise equipment business.\n      The company said Morgan Stanely and Co Inc is advising it\n  on the sale of the business.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHRYSLER <C> AMC BUYOUT VALUED AT 1.55 BILLION\n","article":"  Chrysler Corp's proposed acquisition of\n  American Motors Corp is valued at about 1.55 billion dlrs,\n  including the cost of acquisition and the 767 mln dlrs in\n  American Motor' debt that Chrysler will assume, analysts said.\n      They said Chrysler's cost of acquisition was valued at  782\n  mln dlrs, paid in cash, notes and Chrysler shares.\n      The analysts told Reuters that at a New York briefing\n  Chrysler treasurer Fred Zuckerman outlined his company's\n  agreement with Renault to assume AMC's debt as well as 332 mln\n  dlrs in unfunded pension liabilities, though the latter is not\n  included valuing the transaction.\n      Analysts were generally positive on Chrysler's proposed\n  purchase of its much-smaller rival, but said they expected the\n  transaction would carry with it a short-term dilution in\n  Chrysler's earnings.\n      A Chrysler financial source, speaking anonymously, told\n  Reuters that the proposed purchase price was smaller than it\n  would have been had a deal been struck last year because the\n  impact of the new U.S. tax law removes Chrysler's ability to\n  assume AMC's large reserve of tax-loss carryforwards\n  accumulated from its losses since 1980.\n      \"There were very serious discussions last fall but we\n  didn't pull it off,\" the source said in a reference to the\n  assassination in November of former Renault chairman Georges\n  Besse.\n      \"It's too bad because the tax benefits fell on the floor.\n  And Renault could have gotten a much better price if we'd done\n  it before the end of last year.\"\n      In addition to AMC's debt and its pension liabilities, the\n  source said Chrysler would also assume any liability from\n  lawsuits over the safety of Jeeps, which he called \"an overhang\n  to the company.\"\n      Analysts quoted Chrysler officials as having told them that\n  the deal includes payment to Renault of 200 mln dlrs principal\n  in the form of a 10-year note at eight pct interest, 35 mln\n  dlrs cash for Renault's equity in AMC's finance subsidiary, 25\n  mln dlrs in cash for \"transaction fees\" in connection with the\n  acquisition and 522 mln dlrs worth of Chrysler stock to be paid\n  AMC shareholders.\n      \"The big number is the 767 mln dlrs in debt assumption,\"\n  analyst Jack Kirnan of Kidder Peabody and Co told Reuters.\n       Moody's Investors Service Inc said it may downgrade 12\n  billion dlrs of Chrysler Corp and unit debt due to the deal.\n       But the Chrysler source said that in assuming AMC's\n  liabilities, his company will refinance at a lower rate any AMC\n  debt that is being carried at \"non-market\" rates.\n      He said there were difficulties in negotiating with the\n  previous Renault management on the acquisition because they\n  were committed to the group's business plan of which AMC was an\n  integral part.\n      \"The new management didn't have that problem - AMC wasn't\n  their baby,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WASHINGTON NAT'L <WNT> BUYS UNITED PRESIDENTIAL\n","article":"  Washington National Corp's\n  Washington National Insurance Co said it bought the remaining\n  15 pct of United Presidential Corp's <UPCO> outstanding shares\n  at 19 dlrs a share cash.\n      The acquisition of the shares is part of a plan of exchange\n  approved by United Presidential shareholders at a special\n  meeting March 6.\n      The purchase of the remaining United Presidential stake\n  follows Washington National's buying 85 pct of United\n  Presidential in a 19 dlrs a share tender offer which terminated\n  December 12.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CONAGRA <CAG> COMPLETES MERGER WITH TRIDENT\n","article":"  Conagra Inc said it completed the\n  merger of its Sea-Alaska Products Co unit and <Trident Seafoods\n  Corp.>\n      Conagra said the new company, in which it holds a 45 pct\n  stake, will be called Trident Seafoods Corp. Charles Bundrant,\n  president of Trident before the merger, was named president of\n  the new company, Conagra said.\n      Conagra said it also completed the previously announced\n  acquisition of <Bristol Monarch Corp> and that Trident\n  completed the purchase of the remaining 50 pct stake of <San\n  Juan Seafoods Inc.>\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MARKET DISCOUNTS HIGHER SOVIET GRAIN IMPORTS\n","article":"  Grain analysts said the increase of\n  three mln tonnes in 1986\/87 Soviet grain imports is unlikely to\n  affect the market Tuesday.\n      They said the market already has discounted higher Soviet\n  imports, partly on news last month that the Soviet Union bought\n  one mln tonnes of U.S. corn, and on rumors that the Reagan\n  administration is pushing for authority to sell the Soviets\n  U.S. wheat under the Export Enhancement Program.\n      In its supply-demand report, the USDA raised its estimate\n  for 1986\/87 Soviet grain imports to 26 mln tonnes from 23 mln.\n      \"That was business already done, for all practical\n  purposes,\" said Drexel Burnham analyst Dale Gustafson,\n  reflecting similar statements made by other analysts.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<ATCO LTD> SEES GAIN FROM SALE\n","article":"  Atco Ltd said its Atco\n  Development unit agreed to sell the Canadian Utilities Center\n  in Edmonton, Alberta and the Canadian Western Center in\n  Calgary.\n      The sales, together with the previously-announced sale of\n  Atco's Australian operations, will gross 114 mln dlrs and\n  result in an after-tax gain of 31 mln dlrs, which will be\n  reflected in Atco's fiscal year results.\n      Its fiscal year ends March 31, the company said. In\n  addition, the sales will produce 47 mln dlrs cash after debt\n  reduction of 67 mln dlrs, Atco said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LINDNER TELLS SEC HE HAS HAD TALKS WITH TAFT ON SEEKING CONTROL OF COMPANY\n","article":"\n  LINDNER TELLS SEC HE HAS HAD TALKS WITH TAFT ON SEEKING CONTROL OF COMPANY\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BANCROFT <BCV> FILES SUIT AGAINST ZICO\n","article":"  Bancroft Convertible Fund Inc said it\n  filed a lawsuit in federal court in Newark, N.J., seeking to\n  block a hostile 30 dlr a share takeover offer by <Zico\n  Investment Holdings Inc.>\n      Bancroft said the suit also names Michael B. Javett,\n  principal officer of Zico, and First Fidelity Bancorp's <FFB>\n  First Fidelity Bank unit, the depositary for Zico's offer.\n      Bancroft said the suit also names <Georgeson and Co Inc>,\n  Zico's information agent, and <Luthie Intercontinentale Inc>, a\n  Panamanian corporation.\n      Bancroft said its complaint alleges that Zico's tender\n  offer materials include false and misleading information and\n  that the offer violates the Investment Company Act of 1940.\n      The company said its stockholders approved proposals that\n  will insure that it remains independent.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET RECEIVES 37 MLN STG ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had provided\n  the money market with 37 mln stg assistance in the morning\n  session. This compares with the Bank's downward revised\n  estimate of the shortfall in the system today of around 700 mln\n  stg.\n      The central bank purchased bank bills outright comprising\n  four mln stg in band one at 10-7\/8 pct and 33 mln stg in band\n  two at 10-13\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WORLD BANK REPORT CRITICISES PERU ECONOMIC PLAN\n","article":"  A confidential World Bank report on the\n  Peruvian economy has said the government's strategy does not\n  offer good prospects for medium and long-term growth and is\n  likely to lead to an early renewal of inflationary pressure.\n      The report, published today by the economic monthly, The\n  Peru Report, said the success of president Alan Garcia's\n  government in stimulating output last year to achieve a growth\n  in gross domestic product of over eight pct \"represents gains in\n  the short term at the expense of the long.\"\n      Government officials had no immediate comment on the\n  report, which advised a reduction in the overall size of the\n  public investment program and greater emphasis on the\n  preservation of Peru's export potential.\n      The report said that although the government had succeeded\n  in cutting inflation from 250 pct a year in the first half of\n  1985 to under 70 pct, its stabilisation and reactivation\n  program was encountering rising difficulties.\n      \"An early renewal of inflationary pressures, linked to\n  monetary expansion, exchange rate devaluation and an easing of\n  price controls, appears not improbable,\" it added.\n      The world bank report said the government's policies had\n  reduced inflation and short-term increases in consumption at\n  the apparent cost of price distortions, overvaluation of the\n  currency, balance of payments disequilibrium, reserve losses,\n  and sharply diminished creditworthiness.\n      It said unless the government took action quickly to fix a\n  competitive exchange rate and control the public sector\n  deficit, \"the higher the probability will be that the government\n  will eventually have to resort to drastic curtailment of\n  domestic demand and either sharp devaluation or still further\n  controls on imports in order to stem inflation and support the\n  balance of payments.\"\n      It said the bank would place more emphasis on the\n  preservation of peru's export potential, external links and\n  overall economic efficiency.\n      The government's incentive policies towards the mining and\n  petroleum sectors, among its main traditional exports,\n  suggested that it did not accord high priority to their\n  economic viability, it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LINDNER SAYS HE DISCUSSED CONTROL OF TAFT <TFB>\n","article":"  Financier Carl Lindner, who holds a\n  16.2 pct stake in Taft Broadcasting Co, told the Securities and\n  Exchange Commission he has discussed with the company the\n  possibility of seeking control of it.\n      Lindner, the Cincinnati, Ohio, investor who controls\n  American Financial Corp, said his talks with some of Taft's\n  managers and directors have been aimed at \"achieving an\n  increased ownership position\" in the company.\n      Lindner said his increase in ownership would be made either\n  by making an offer to acquire control of Taft or taking part in\n  a group to acquire the company.\n      Lindner, who holds his Taft stake through American\n  Financial and its subsidiaries, said he is also considering\n  buying more Taft stock on the open market or in private deals.\n      He did not say whether the talks with Taft officials led to\n  any agreements or understandings.\n      But Lindner said he intends to review his investment in\n  Taft and may be involved in further talks or take other steps\n  regarding the future control and direction of Taft.\n      Lindner's investor group recently raised its Taft stake to\n  1,489,298 shares, or 16.2 pct from 1,439,498 shares, or 15.6\n  pct, after buying 49,800 shares for a total of 5.8 mln dlrs.\n      Although he recently received clearance from the Federal\n  Trade Commission to raise his stake in the company to 24.9 pct,\n  Lindner in previous SEC filings has always stressed that his\n  interest in Taft was for investment only and not was not\n  seeking to control the company.\n      An investor group headed by members of the wealthy Bass\n  family of Fort Worth, Texas, also holds about 24.9 pct of\n  Taft's common stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTORS SET DEADLINE FOR JAPAN FUND <JPN>\n","article":"  An investor group that includes T.\n  Boone Pickens III said it set a deadline of 1600 EST on March\n  11 for its offer to acquire Japan Fund Inc.\n      The group, which also includes <Sterling Grace Capital\n  Management Inc LP> and <Anglo American Security Fund LP>, said\n  it was willing to deposit in escrow 100,000 Japan Fund shares,\n  worth about two mln dlrs, to insure its ability to obtain\n  financing if Japan Fund approves its offer.\n      The group said Japan Fund has not responded to its offer,\n  worth about 525 mln dlrs at current market prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INVESTOR FIRMS HAVE 25.5 PCT OF SYMBION <SYMB>\n","article":"  A group of affiliated firms led by\n  Warburg, Pincus Capital Co L.P., a New York venture capital and\n  investment partnership, said it has acquired 1,920,527 shares\n  of Symbion Inc, or 25.5 pct of the total outstanding.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the Warburg Pincus group said it bought the stake for\n  investment purposes.\n      Although the group said it is considering buying more\n  shares of Symbion, it said it has no plans to seek control of\n  the company.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"OFFSHORE INVESTOR HAS 5.9 PCT OF HAUSERMAN<HASR>\n","article":"  Kindness N.V., a Bahamas-based firm\n  owned by U.K. investor and Bahamas resident John Templeton,\n  said it has acquired 137,900 shares of Hausereman Inc, or 5.9\n  pct of the total outstanding common stock.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Templeton said he bought the shares for investment purposes\n  only and has no intention of seeking control of the company.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INVESTMENT FIRMS UP STAKE IN MCGILL MFTG <MGLL>\n","article":"  A group of affiliated investment\n  firms led by Bermuda-based Fidelity International Ltd and\n  Boston-based FMR Corp, told the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission it raised its stake in McGill Manufacturing Co Inc.\n      The group said it raised its stake to 88,580 shares, or 6.2\n  pct of the total outstanding common stock, after buying 14,135\n  McGill common shares between Jan 19 and March 2 at prices\n  ranging from 33.57 to 34.57 dlrs a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. INTERVENED TO BUY 50 MLN DLRS AGAINST YEN ON JANUARY 28, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. INTERVENED TO BUY 50 MLN DLRS AGAINST YEN ON JANUARY 28, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN, U.S. SET TO BEGIN HIGH-LEVEL TRADE TALKS\n","article":"  Japan and the U.S. Kick off top-level\n  trade talks tomorrow amid signs officials from both sides are\n  growing increasingly irritated with each other.\n      The talks, held annually at sub-cabinet level to review the\n  whole gamut of U.S.\/Japan economic relations, will pave the way\n  for American Secretary of State George Schultz's one day\n  stop-over here at end-week on his way home from China.\n      Faced with growing Congressional protectionist pressure,\n  the U.S. Administration is pressing Japan for speedy action to\n  reduce its still huge trade surplus, U.S. Officials said.\n      \"We appreciate their frustration,\" a senior Japanese\n  government official said. \"But we are also frustrated.\"\n      The official said the 40 pct rise of the yen over the last\n  18 months has hit Japan hard, forcing exporters to slash\n  spending and lay off workers to make up for lost sales abroad.\n  That has not yet shown up in dollar-based statistics on trade,\n  but it will, he said.\n      He said the U.S. Administration was ignoring the progress\n  that has been made and instead emphasizing the problems that\n  remain when it talks with Congress.\n      \"It would only take five minutes to list their\n  accomplishments,\" a senior U.S. Official replied.\n      The talks begin tomorrow with high-level discussions on the\n  economic structures of both countries and how they affect the\n  bilateral trade imbalance, which last year amounted to 51.48\n  billion dlrs in Japan's favour.\n      On the following two days, the topics will range from\n  multilateral trade talks under the auspices of the General\n  Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) to such bilateral trade\n  problems as super computers.\n      The structural talks are intended to be free-wheeling\n  discussions among senior officials. Tomorrow's topics include\n  savings and investment issues such as consumer credit and\n  housing, and the implications of government budget deficits.\n      These talks come at a particularly delicate time for the\n  Japanese government, which is facing increasing domestic\n  pressure to abandon its tight-fisted fiscal policy and\n  stimulate the sagging economy by spending more.\n      Some U.S. Officials complained Japan has no intention of\n  boosting domestic demand and imports, as Washington wants.\n      Japanese officials in turn pointed the finger at the huge\n  U.S. Budget deficit as one of the main culprits for the trade\n  imbalance. That budget deficit has meant that the U.S. Is\n  buying more imports.\n      Japan seems particularly peeved at being singled in a draft\n  trade bill before the Senate as a nation following adverserial\n  trade practices. \"It condemns Japan without due process,\" one\n  Japanese official said.\n      That reference spoils what is otherwise a well-thought-out\n  bill introduced by Democratic Senator Lloyd Bentsen, he said.\n      Japan is also not totally happy with the administration's\n  trade bill, particularly its proposal to establish reciprocal\n  access to foreign markets as one criteria for retaliatory trade\n  action by the U.S., Officials said.\n      Nevertheless, Japanese officials said they remain in a weak\n  bargaining position, especially with the threat of a trade bill\n  overhanging them.\n      \"We have no leverage,\" one official admitted.\n      As a result, Tokyo is striving to meet U.S. Complaints\n  about its trade practices in a variety of fields, including\n  super computers.\n      The U.S. Is pressing for greater access to the Japanese\n  super computer market.\n      The Japanese government has sent a long questionnaire to\n  public institutions like universities which buy the\n  sophisticated machines in hopes of eventually setting up\n  informal bidding procedures easily understood by all potential\n  sellers, officials said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CTS <CTS> INCREASES 1986 LOSS\n","article":"  CTS Corp said it increased its\n  1986 loss from continuing operations to 26.6 mln dlrs from the\n  previously announced 23.8 mln dlrs loss.\n      The 1986 figure was increased to include expenses involved\n  with its settlement of a dispute with Dynamics Corp of America\n  <DYA>.\n      The settlement involved a takeover bid for CTS by Dynamics\n  Corp, which had offered to buy the shares of CTS that it did\n  not already own.\n      CTS made a profit of 7.9 mln dlrs from continuing\n  operations in 1985.\n      CTS said it charged an additional 2.8 mln dlrs in special\n  expenses to its 1986 operations as a result of the Dynamics\n  Corp settlement.\n      The additional expenses include the obligation to reimburse\n  Dynamics Corp, subject to approval of CTS shareholders, a total\n  of 2.1 mln dlrs for Dynamics Corp's expenses and other costs\n  relating to CTS.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. INTERVENED TO AID DLR IN JANUARY, FED SAYS\n","article":"  U.S. authorities intervened in the\n  foreign exchange market to support the dollar on one occasion\n  during the period between the start of November 1986 and the\n  end of January, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said in a\n  report.\n      The Fed's quarterly review of foreign exchange operations\n  said that the U.S. bought 50 mln dlrs through the sale of yen\n  on January 28. This operation was coordinated with the Japanese\n  monetary authorities and was funded equally by the Fed and the\n  U.S. Treasury.\n      The Fed's intervention was on the morning after president\n  Reagan's State of the Union message and was \"in a manner\n  consistent with the joint statement\" made by U.S. Treasury\n  secretary James Baker and Japanese finance minister Kiichi\n  Miyazawa after their January 21 consultations.\n      At that meeting, the two reaffirmed their willingness to\n  cooperate on exchange rate issues.\n      The Fed's report did not say at what level the intervention\n  occurred. But on January 28, the dollar closed at 151.50\/60 yen\n  after dipping as low as 150.40 yen earlier in the session. It\n  had closed at 151.05\/15 yen the previous day.\n      The dollar had plumbed a post-World War II low of 149.98\n  yen on January 19 and reached a seven-year low of 1.7675 marks\n  on January 28. It ended that day at 1.7820\/30 marks.\n      The Fed noted that, after trading steadily throughout\n  November and the first half of December, the dollar moved\n  sharply lower until the end of January.\n      It closed the three-month review period down more than 11\n  pct against the mark and most other Continental currencies and\n  seven pct lower against the yen and sterling. It had fallen\n  four pct against the Canadian dollar.\n      During the final days of January, pressure on the dollar\n  subsided. Reports of the U.S.-Japanese intervention operation\n  and talk of an upcoming meeting of the major industrial\n  countries encouraged expectations for broader cooperation on\n  exchange rate and economic policy matters, the Fed said.\n      Moreover, doubts had developed about the course of U.S.\n  interest rates. The dollar's swift fall had raised questions\n  about whether the Fed would let short-term rates ease.\n      Thus the dollar firmed to close the period at 1.8320 marks\n  and 153.70 yen. According to the Fed's trade-weighted index, it\n  had declined nine pct since the beginning of the period.\n      The dollar had risen as high as 2.08 marks and 165 yen in\n  early November.\n      The Fed last intervened in the foreign exchange market on\n  November 7, 1985 when it bought a total of 102.2 mln dlrs worth\n  of marks and yen.\n      The Fed's action followed the September 1985 Plaza\n  agreement between the five major industrial nations under which\n  they agreed to promote an orderly decline of the dollar.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTMENT FIRM RAISES CERTRON <CRTN> STAKE\n","article":"  Louart Corp, a Los Angeles investment\n  firm, said it raised its stake in Certron Corp to 237,000\n  shares, or 7.8 pct of the total outstanding common stock, from\n  164,000 shares, or 5.4 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Louart said it bought 73,000 Certron shares between Sept 9 and\n  March 6 at a total of 109,315 dlrs a share.\n      It said its dealings in Certron were for investment only,\n  but said it might increase its stake. It said it has no plans\n  to seek control of the company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOGAN SYSTEMS <HOGN> IN ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Hogan Systems Inc said it acquired\n  <Systems 4 Inc> of Durango, Colo., for 1.7 mln dlrs.\n      Hogan said Systems 4 provides integrated applications\n  software and processing services to about 30 community banks.\n      Systems 4 has revenues of 1.5 mln dlrs a year, Hogan said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USSR SEEN LIKELY TO HONOR CORN COMMITMENT\n","article":"  The Soviet Union will likely honor\n  its commitment with the United States to buy a minimum of four\n  mln tonnes of corn this year, an Agriculture Department\n  official said.\n      \"They have always honoured the agreement, and there's no\n  reason now to think they won't this year,\" he told Reuters.\n      \"They have an aggressive buying campaign from the European\n  Community, from Canada, from the U.S. They're active buyers\n  from all sources at this point,\" the official said in\n  explaining why the Department raised its Soviet grain imports\n  estimate today by three mln tonnes to 26 mln tonnes.\n      This is a dramatic shift from just a few months ago when\n  analysts were saying the USSR might not buy any U.S. corn for\n  the first time in 15 years.\n      A drawdown of corn supplies in China and Argentina, concern\n  over Soviet winter crops, and increasing competition for U.S.\n  corn were all cited as possible factors in creating Moscow's\n  recent interest.\n      Lower corn production prospects in some major supplying\n  countries have stirred activity from big buyers such as Japan,\n  and the Soviets are also closely watching the situation, the\n  official said.\n      \"The Soviets will try to out-capitalize the capitalists\"\n  and buy corn before prices get too high, the official said. \"As\n  soon as they need corn, they'll buy it,\" he added.\n      USDA has confirmed one mln tonnes of corn sold to the\n  Soviet Union, but both U.S. and Soviet analysts have said the\n  purchases stand at 1.5 mln tonnes.\n      The USDA official would not speculate on when the Soviets\n  would enter the U.S. market again.\n      \"There has definitely been an evolving mind set -- from the\n  situation of slow grain buying a couple months ago to one of\n  frenetic buying now,\" the official said.\n      However, the situation in wheat is \"a different story,\" he\n  said. Greater world supplies of wheat, heavier Soviet purchase\n  commitments and less competitive U.S. wheat prices make Soviet\n  purchases of U.S. wheat less likely, he said.\n      Speculation has continued for several days that the U.S.\n  is considering making an export bonus wheat subsidy offer to\n  the Soviets, but U.S. officials have provided no confirmation.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INDIA TO HOLD WHITE SUGAR BUYING TENDER\n","article":"  India will hold a buying tender on\n  Wednesday, March 4, for two to three cargoes of white sugar for\n  March\/April shipment, traders said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PICKENS SEES CONTINUED SLUMP IN WORKING RIGS\n","article":"  T. Boone Pickens, the Texas oilman and\n  financier, said he believes the heady days the oil service\n  industry had in the early 1980s, when over 4,500 oil rigs were\n  once reported operating, will not return in his lifetime.\n       Pickens told Reuters he expects the rig count to drop to\n  below 600 before recovering. He added that oil prices will\n  eventually rise to 35 dlrs, then to 50 dlrs after 1990.\n       Currently, some 700 oil rigs are operating in the U.S.,\n  down sharply after oil prices slipped from 30 dlrs in late 1985\n  to around 10 dlrs in 1986. Prices are now around 18 dlrs. The\n  highest number of working rigs was 4,500 in December 1981.\n       \"The rigs won't go back to work until the price of oil\n  gets above 30 dlrs,\" he said, adding that while he expects to\n  see 50 dlr a barrel oil, he does not expect to see 2,000 rigs\n  operating in his lifetime. Pickens is 58.\n       Pickens, who is currently touring the country promoting\n  his autobiography \"Boone,\" said he does not believe the U.S.\n  should impose an oil import fee in order to stimulate the\n  domestic oil industry.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MIYAZAWA SAYS PARIS ACCORD HELPING STABILISE RATES\n","article":"  Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa said the\n  Paris currency accord has contributed to the stability of\n  exchange rates.\n      Miyazawa told a press conference the agreement reached last\n  month in Paris by six major industrial nations to cooperate in\n  bringing about currency stability has prevented speculative\n  concerns from being active in money centres.\n      The decision in Paris is being understood by the market, he\n  said. The yen-dollar exchange rate has been moving in a narrow\n  range since finance ministers of Britain, Canada, France,\n  Japan, the U.S. And West Germany reached the accord.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN RESERVE BANK IN BUYING INTERVENTION\n","article":"  The Reserve Bank said at 1230 local time\n  it was offering to buy short-dated government securities in the\n  short-term money market.\n      The bank's action followed its purchase of short-dated\n  government stock and six-day repurchase agreements earlier in\n  the session.\n      Money market traders said the move was aimed at easing cash\n  market interest rates which had risen on demand for funds to\n  meet PAYE tax and treasury note settlement commitments.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RUBBER LEAF DISEASE SEEN AFFECTING SUPPLY\/PRICES\n","article":"  The leaf disease corenes pora,\n  which has affected some rubber trees in Sri Lanka and\n  Indonesia, is likely to force a cut in supply and push up\n  depressed prices, a Malaysian rubber disease researcher said.\n      Trees with leaves hit by the fungus disease cannot be saved\n  and must be felled, Chee Kheng Hoy, Head of the Crop Protection\n  and Microbiology Division in the Rubber Research Institute of\n  Malaysia (RRIM), told Reuters.\n      He was commenting on a Reuter report which said corenes\n  pora had hit seven pct of Sri Lanka's plantations and may cause\n  output to drop below its 1987 target of 143,000 tonnes.\n      The report said the Sri Lankan Rubber Research Institute\n  may ask estates to remove trees seriously affected by the\n  disease and added that most estates affected belong to the\n  State Plantations Corp and Janatha Estates Development Board.\n      Chee said corenes pora is an old disease which only affects\n  certain rubber clones in Sri Lanka and Indonesia and that\n  further use of such clones must be discontinued.\n      Clones not resistant to the disease are the Rubber Research\n  Institute of Sri Lanka clone 103, Indonesia's PPN 2058, 2444,\n  2447 and PR 265 and Malaysia's RRIM 725, he said.\n      Chee said corenes pora affected trees from the RRIM 725\n  clone planted in Malaysia several years ago but had been curbed\n  after use of such clones were discontinued.\n      Fungicide may be used to curb the disease, which also\n  affects leaves of 30 other species of plants, but experience\n  has proven that it is uneconomical and expensive, he added.\n      \"The disease is extremely difficult to control. If it is not\n  curbed in the two affected countries their rubber output may\n  drop and prices can rise,\" he said.\n      He added that the RRIM was aware of the disease outbreak in\n  Sri Lanka and was monitoring the situation.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SEARCH FOR BRITISH FERRY'S TOXIC CARGO CONTINUES\n","article":"  The search continued for a\n  cargo of poisonous chemical substances loaded on the Herald of\n  Free Enterprise Ferry which capsized in Zeebrugge harbour\n  Friday.\n      A total of 72 drums of various toxic materials which were\n  loaded on trucks in the ship's hold have been recovered, but\n  Belgian authorities warned it was essential to recover a\n  further 61 containers of a cyanide-based solution.\n      A net has been thrown over the gaping loading doors at the\n  front of the ship to prevent any more drums floating out.\n      Salvage workers have moved cranes into place alongside the\n  wreck of the 7,951 ton roll-on, roll-off ferry which now lies\n  partly submerged on a sandbank outside the harbour.\n      The ferry's owner is <European Ferries Plc>, majority owned\n  by Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co Plc <PORL.L>.\n      The operation to right the vessel began yesterday after\n  divers abandoned their search for more bodies. Experts said it\n  could take months to refloat the ship and free the 80 bodies\n  estimated to be trapped amid debris.\n      \"The problem is that in these waters you can normally expect\n  one working day out of four,\" said Daan Kaakebeen of Dutch\n  Salvage experts Smit Tak International of Rotterdam. He\n  estimated the job itself would require 35 working days.\n      Using reinforced cables, salvage experts intend to raise\n  the ship and set it down into a trench dug alongside.\n      Salvage work could pinpoint the exact cause of the loss of\n  the ferry, one of three sister vessels plying cross-Channel\n  routes from England to continental Europe.\n      Suspicion at present is focused on the ferry's main vehicle\n  loading doors, set close to water level.\n      In London, Transport Secretary John Moore told parliament\n  yesterday that the ship keeled over after water gushed in\n  through the bow doors. He said a major government inquiry into\n  the disaster will be held, all similar ferries sailing from\n  Britain will be inspected and owners will be asked to fit\n  lights to give warning if bow doors are not properly closed.\n      Experts carrying out tank and computer tests to determine\n  how the accident occurred will focus attention on the ship's\n  doors, its ballast system and crew procedures, he added.\n      Two other investigations into the disaster have also begun,\n  one Belgian and one by the ferry's owners.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SOVIET ECONOMIST SEES FEW 1987 GAINS IN U.S. TRADE\n","article":"  There is little chance Soviet exports\n  to the United States will rise in 1987, but Moscow's current\n  trade reforms should result in more trade in manufactured goods\n  in future, a Soviet economist said.\n      Sergey Frolov, chief economist at Amtorg Trading Corp, an\n  agent for Soviet trade organisations and industries, told a\n  U.S.-USSR business meeting the Soviet Union produces few items\n  that western nations want.\n      But reforms, including upgrading the quality of goods and\n  allowing joint ventures with foreign firms, will encourage\n  modest export gains in future.\n      Frolov said the Soviet Union exported 500 mln dlrs worth of\n  goods to the United States in 1986 and imported 1.5 billion\n  dlrs worth. He gave no trade forecast for 1987.\n      But he said that even if all obstacles were removed, total\n  trade between the two countries would remain between two and\n  three billion dlrs a year.\n      \"The post-detente embargoes have taught the USSR to limit\n  its trading with the U.S.,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHINA ALLOWS NATIONWIDE FOREIGN EXCHANGE SAVING\n","article":"  People throughout China can now open\n  foreign exchange accounts at the Bank of China, the official\n  Shenzhen Economic Zone Daily said.\n      Previously only residents of Guangdong and Fujian provinces\n  could do this.\n      The paper also said the minimum for opening a fixed deposit\n  account had been cut to 50 yuan equivalent, from 150 yuan. The\n  minimum for a current account is 20 yuan equivalent.\n      The paper said depositors could now withdraw all or part of\n  their account, subject to a branch's reserves, instead of only\n  a fixed amount as previously.\n      The paper said deposits may now be opened in French francs\n  as well as the already available U.S. Dollar, Hong Kong dollar,\n  sterling, yen and marks.\n      Bank of China branches in Hainan island also accept\n  deposits in Singapore dollars, and those in Wenzhou, Zhejiang\n  province, accept deposits in Dutch guilders, the paper said.\n      It gave no further details.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SICHUAN BRACED TO FIGHT DROUGHT\n","article":"  The Sichuan government has ordered that\n  any work or meeting which interferes with the fight against\n  drought must be cancelled or postponed to save time, energy and\n  manpower, the People's Daily domestic edition said.\n      Sichuan is one of six provinces threatened by drought.\n      Wen Wei Po, a Hong Kong daily, said the drought, the worst\n  for more than 20 years, is affecting nearly two mln hectares in\n  100 counties in Sichuan, the country's biggest agricultural\n  producer.\n      Sichuan has experienced temperatures three degrees\n  Centigrade higher than normal and rainfall up to 70 pct less\n  than normal since early February, affecting wheat, oil-bearing\n  crops, rice planting and dryland cash crops, it said.\n      The paper said 43,000 hectares in Meixian county in\n  Guangdong are seriously short of water.\n      The People's Daily said Henan, Shaanxi, Gansu and Hebei are\n  also suffering from drought.\n      Henan's grain output fell by 2.5 mln tonnes last year from\n  the 1985 level because of drought which has been affecting the\n  province since May.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECONOMIC SPOTLIGHT - JAPAN PUSHES ITS CHIPMAKERS\n","article":"  Japanese microchip makers are being\n  strong-armed into compliance with a U.S.-Japan pact on\n  semiconductors halting predatory pricing and opening Japan's\n  market to foreign chips, industry analysts said.\n      But doubts remain over whether the Ministry of\n  International Trade and Industry (MITI), which is pressuring\n  the firms, can successfully battle market forces and whether\n  the U.S. Industry is geared up to take advantage of any\n  breathing space, they said.\n      U.S. Threats to scrap the agreement signed last September\n  have pushed MITI to try harder to get recalcitrant Japanese\n  chipmakers to abide by the pact, the analysts said.\n      \"MITI has been moving hot and heavy throughout the industry\n  to get things done,\" said Bache Securities (Japan) associate\n  vice president Peter Wolffe.\n      Last month, MITI told chipmakers to cut production for the\n  January to March period by 10 pct to help dry up inexpensive\n  chips that have escaped from Japan to grey markets not subject\n  to the pact's price controls.\n      The ministry also asked electronics firms to provide\n  distributors with certificates designating them as authorised\n  exporters, in an effort to close loopholes through which grey\n  marketeers sneak chips out of Japan, market analysts said.\n      U.S. Trade negotiators here last week said the pact was in\n  jeopardy because of continued dumping in non-American markets\n  and little sign of increased foreign sales in Japan.\n      But major Japanese firms appear to have agreed to the\n  production cuts, several analysts said. Last week, NEC Corp\n  said it would cut production in line with MITI's request.\n      \"NEC has been the most aggressive in resisting MITI's\n  demands,\" said David Keller, analyst at James Capel and Co. \"Once\n  NEC cuts production, it means they all have.\"\n      Still, pressures remain to keep production high. Japanese\n  firms need high output to cut unit prices for U.S. Sales that\n  the Commerce Department assigns them under the pact.\n      \"The best way to lower cost is to produce more,\" said Salomon\n  Brothers Asia Ltd analyst Carole Ryavec.\n      Preparations for a possible upturn in demand could also\n  spur higher production next quarter, Merrill Lynch analyst Matt\n  Aizawa said.\n      Grey marketeers may also be able to outfox any new\n  restrictions, some industry officials said.\n      \"It's like tax avoidance schemes,\" said Steve Donovan, head\n  of MMI Japan K.K. \"As soon as you close one route, another\n  opens.\"\n      MITI's pressure has annoyed some makers, who had earlier\n  shrugged off MITI guidance.\n      \"It's getting to be like communism,\" said one.\n      But analysts said output cuts could help by making it\n  easier to increase prices as planned on April 1 and forcing\n  firms to stop extending market share by selling at a loss.\n      \"They're going to have to start running their businesses\n  like businesses,\" Bache's Wolffe said.\n      MITI has also been conducting a highly public campaign\n  urging chip users to buy foreign-made chips, but U.S. Industry\n  officials said response has been mixed at best.\n      \"There has been some change, but it's not across the board,\"\n  said one U.S. Spokesman. \"The companies have a varying degree of\n  urgency.\"\n      The ultimate impact of all these efforts by MITI on the\n  troubled U.S. Industry remains in doubt, analysts added.\n      Pressure to cut production of 256 kilobit DRAM (dynamic\n  random access memory) chips could merely speed the transition\n  to one megabit chips, where Japan now leads, analysts said.\n      Whether U.S. Firms are able to stage a comeback in memory\n  chips, or interested in doing so, also remains unclear, they\n  said.\n      Analysts are watching with interest the fate of a new U.S.\n  Consortium which hopes to challenge Japan by developing the\n  most advanced technology for microchip manufacturing.\n      Even in the thorny area of access, much depends on U.S.\n  Commitment as well as on Japanese openness, some said.\n      \"The SIA (U.S. Semiconductor Industry Association) doesn't\n  even have an office here,\" a source close to the industry said.\n  \"You could question just how committed they are.\"\n      In addition, some industry analysts question the\n  effectiveness of a bilateral agreement that leaves out third\n  country chipmakers such as those in South Korea.\n      \"(South) Korea's gaining market share,\" said one analyst.\n  \"They're the real winners from the agreement.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Sumita says little room for Bank of Japan to further ease credit policy\n","article":"\n  Sumita says little room for Bank of Japan to further ease credit policy\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUMITA SAYS LITTLE ROOM FOR BANK TO EASE POLICY\n","article":"  Bank of Japan governor Satoshi Sumita\n  said there is little room left for the central bank to further\n  ease its credit policy as interest rates levels are now\n  approaching their lower limit.\n      \"The government should instead seek ways of making the best\n  use of its fiscal policy,\" he told a press conference.\n      His remarks were concerned with a comprehensive economic\n  stimulative package the government plans to adopt in the coming\n  days.\n      At the recent talks among the six major industrialised\n  nations in Paris, Japan promised to work out a comprehensive\n  economic package to boost domestic demand, which in turn would\n  help increase its imports and reduce its trade surplus.\n      Sumita also said the economy will show a gradual upturn in\n  the second half of the year if the yen remains stable.\n      He said there is caution in the foreign exchange market\n  against a further rise of the yen and mark and this explains\n  the recent stability in the currency markets. Conflicting\n  economic indicators from the U.S. Have also been dampening\n  market activity, he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CARLTON COMMUNICATIONS OPTIMISTIC FOR 1987\n","article":"  <Carlton Communications Plc> has started\n  the current financial year well, with accounts for the first\n  four months showing a healthy increase on the same period last\n  year, and Chairman M.P. Green told the annual meeting he looked\n  forward to 1987 with optimism.\n      The issue of 4.6 mln shares in ADR form had now been\n  successfully completed, he added.\n      Carlton intended to increase its presence in the U.S. Which\n  represented 50 pct of the world television market. Conditions\n  worldwide in the television industry continued to look buoyant,\n  the Chairman noted.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IRANIAN OIL MINISTER IN UAE TALKS\n","article":"  Iranian Oil Minister Gholamreza\n  Aqazadeh is in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to discuss oil\n  prices and the general market situation, Iranian officials\n  accompanying him said.\n      He will meet UAE President Sheikh Zaid bin Sultan\n  al-Nahayan and Oil Minister Mana Said al-Oteiba.\n      Aqazadeh arrived last night after a brief stopover in\n  Riyadh, where he met Saudi Arabia's Oil Minister Hisham Nazir.\n      The official Saudi Press Agency quoted him as saying his\n  talks at Riyadh with Nazir had been constructive and good.\n      Aqazadeh said Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries\n  (OPEC) members were agreed on holding production stable and he\n  reiterated the importance of maintaining oil prices.\n      OPEC members agreed in December to limit production to 15.8\n  mln barrels per day for the first half of this year and on a\n  benchmark price of 18 dlrs a barrel from February 1.\n      Aqazadeh also visted OPEC members Gabon, Algeria and Libya.\n  The Iranian news agency, IRNA, quoted him as saying before\n  leaving Tripoli that OPEC should do everything possible to make\n  oil prices permanently stable.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN MAY INCREASE ITS BRAZILIAN SOYBEAN PURCHASES\n","article":"  Japanese crushers are likely to buy at\n  least 200,000 tonnes of Brazilian soybeans this year and\n  another 100,000 to 200,000 if quality and shipping conditions\n  are good against 128,089 tonnes in 1986, trade sources said.\n      A Japanese trading house recently bought about 31,000\n  tonnes of soybeans for April 10\/May 10 shipment, they said.\n      \"Because Brazilian soybean prices are now some 10 cents a\n  bushel cheaper than U.S. Origin due to the bumper harvest, it\n  is highly likely that Japanese crushers will increase their\n  buying volume,\" one source said. Brazilian beans are available\n  to Japan for shipment from May to July.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN METAL TRADER LINKS TO ASTURIANA DE ZINC\n","article":"  <Metal Traders Australasia Ltd> said a\n  newly-formed subsidiary, the <Austmet Ltd> group, has\n  negotiated an exclusive long-term contract with Spain's\n  <Asturiana de Zinc> to market its zinc metal exports.\n      Metal Traders said in a statement the contract would\n  underpin the worldwide zinc, copper and lead trading activities\n  of Austmet, a wholly-owned London-based company with a U.S.\n  Unit in Stamford, Connecticut.\n      Austmet has recruited a group of base metal traders,\n  currently operating out of Britain and the U.S., Who have\n  handled Asturiana's business for the past five years, it said.\n      Asturiana has a three-year option to purchase 25 pct of the\n  Austmet group, to be priced on an independent valuation at the\n  time of exercise, Metal Traders said.\n      Austmet will have an initial equity base of one mln stg, a\n  turnover of 200 mln Australian dlrs rising to 300 mln in the\n  first year, and credit lines of up to 30 mln U.S. Dlrs.\n      Austmet should be generating profits from July 1 and a\n  1.5-2.5 mln dlr net is envisaged within two years, it said.\n      Metal Traders said Asturiana has the largest zinc smelting\n  capacity in Europe -- nearly 200,000 tonnes a year of 99.995\n  pct high-grade zinc, at Aviles in northern Spain.\n      Metal Traders, a listed company, was formerly <Pyrotech\n  Resources N.L.> whose chief activity was the development and\n  marketing of high-technology smelting processes invented in\n  Australia, notably the Siromelt Zinc Fuming Process.\n      But in late 1986, control of the company changed and it\n  expanded by acquisition into metal trading in Australia and\n  Asia. It then changed its name.\n      It also has the marketing contract for mineral sands\n  produced by <TiO2 Corp N.L.>, of which it holds 17.5 pct.\n      In today's statement, Metal Traders also said it is\n  reviewing possible acquisition of a mineral producer.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SAUDI ARABIA'S KING FAHD WANTS STABLE OIL PRICES\n","article":"  King Fahd said today Saudi Arabia wants\n  oil price stability and he called on non-OPEC producers to\n  avoid harmful competition with the 13 nation group.\n      His plea, in an interview with Reuters and the television\n  news agency Visnews, came ahead of a state visit he will make\n  to Britain later this month.\n      King Fahd was asked whether Saudi Arabia would be prepared\n  to reduce its oil output below its OPEC quota of 4.133 mln\n  barrels per day (bpd) to defend the 18 dlr benchmark price\n  agreed to by OPEC last December.\n      The King replied: \"Saudi Arabia doesn't decide prices by\n  itself but certainly desires price stability.\"\n      Non-OPEC countries \"must help us in a framework of common\n  interest so that there is no type of competition which could\n  prove harmful to everyone,\" he said.\n      Asked if he saw the 18 dlr per barrel benchmark as a first\n  step towards higher world oil prices, King Fahd said it was not\n  for Saudi Arabia but for all OPEC countries to determine such\n  issues. Iran and Algeria have already called for a higher\n  benchmark.\n      In recent weeks the 18 dlr level has come under pressure,\n  due partly to quota violations by some OPEC members. King Fahd\n  said Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, was\n  adhering to decisions made at OPEC's December conference which\n  set a 15.8 mln bpd output ceiling for the first half of 1987.\n      A major non-OPEC producer, Britain has so far resisted the\n  group's pleas to curb its North Sea oil output.\n      The King also urged the world community to help the\n  Palestinians return to their homeland and called for a peaceful\n  end to the Iran-Iraq war. The 6-1\/2-year-old war could not be\n  resolved on the battlefield, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HILLSDOWN HOLDINGS PLC <HLDN.L> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 16.3p vs 12.2p\n      Div 2.75p vs 2.25p making 3.8p vs 3.15p adjusted for\n      Three-for-one capitalisation\n      Pre-tax profit 54.9 mln stg vs 33.4 mln\n      Turnover 1.70 billion vs 1.13 billion\n      Tax 7.6 mln vs 2.6 mlnProfit attributable 51.9 mln vs 30.1   \n   Mln\n      Cost of Sales 1.49 billion vs 999.3 mln\n      Gross profit 215.9 mln vs 136.2 mln\n      Distribution costs 90.3 mln vs 57.2 mln\n      Adminstrative expenses 65.9 mln vs 40.8 mln\n      Other operating income 3.9 mln vs nil\n      Interest payable 8.7 mln vs 4.8 mln\n      Minority interests 1.0 mln vs 0.7 mln\n      Extraordinary credit (sale of share in S and W Berisford\n  Plc) 5.6 mln vs nil\n      Operating profit includes -\n      Poultry, eggs and animal feed 21.7 mln vs 17.2 mln\n      Food processing and distribution 15.4 mln vs 6.9 mln\n      Furniture and timber distribution 8.4 mln vs 3.4 mln\n      Fresh meat and bacon 8.0 mln vs 4.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN CRUSHERS START APRIL U.S. SOYBEAN BUYING\n","article":"  Japanese crushers, starting to buy U.S.\n  Soybeans for April shipment, have recently made purchases of\n  some 48,000 tonnes, trade sources said.\n      The sources said they could not estimate the total volume\n  to be purchased for April shipping because Japan's crushing\n  program for April and June is unclear.\n      They had predicted earlier that crushers' April shipment\n  U.S. Bean purchases would drop to 260,000 to 270,000 from the\n  monthly average of 300,000 to 330,000 tonnes due to low soybean\n  meal prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"KAUFHOF CONSIDERING TAKING STAKE IN HAPAG-LLOYD\n","article":"  West German retail group Kaufhof AG\n  <KFHG.F> is considering taking a stake in shipping and\n  transport group Hapag-Lloyd AG <HPLG.F> but has yet to reach a\n  final decision, a spokesman said in response to queries.\n      Press reports said Kaufhof wanted a stake of up to 12.5 pct\n  in Hapag-Lloyd.\n      The Kaufhof spokesman noted any decision on purchasing\n  shares in the shipping group would have to be approved by the\n  supervisory board, which is due to hold a meeting tomorrow.\n      Late last year the Gevaert group of Belgium and West\n  Germany's VEBA AG <VEBG.F> said they had each acquired a 12.5\n  pct stake in Hapag-Lloyd from Deutsche Bank AG <DBKG.F> and\n  Dresdner Bank AG <DRSD.F>.\n       Industry sources estimate Deutsche and Dresdner,\n  Hapag-Lloyd's majority shareholders, held about 75 pct of\n  Hapag-Lloyd's share capital before selling portions of it to\n  Gevaert and VEBA.\n      The two banks have said they eventually wanted to reduce\n  their stake in the shipping group to 15 pct each.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC OPENS ANTI-DUMPING ENQUIRY INTO SOVIET MERCURY\n","article":"  The European Community Commission said\n  it has opened an enquiry into allegations that the Soviet Union\n  is dumping mercury on the European market at below-cost prices.\n      The Commission said its decision follows a complaint from\n  EC non-ferrous metals producers that the sales of Soviet\n  mercury were harming their business and threatening jobs in the\n  European industry.\n      According to the complaint, Soviet mercury sales in the EC\n  had risen from zero in recent years to 100 tonnes between\n  August and October last year and threaten to capture 25 pct of\n  the EC market if they continue at the same pace.\n      The industry said the mercury was being sold at more than\n  40 pct below prices charged by EC producers, forcing them to\n  cut their prices to levels that no longer covered costs. The\n  imports had caused producers heavy financial losses, it said.\n      The Commission said the industry would probably be unable\n  to hold prices at current levels and that any increase would\n  result in loss of sales and jobs.\n      The so-called anti-dumping procedure opened by the\n  Commission will allow all interested parties to state their\n  cases to the authority.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN AND THAILAND TO JOINTLY EXTRACT RARE METALS\n","article":"  Japan's Agency of Natural Resources and\n  Energy said it will begin experiments with Thailand at the end\n  of March to start commercial production of rare metals in 1989\n  under a joint project.\n      An agency official said it will set up a 500 mln yen pilot\n  plant in Bangkok which will extract high quality rare metals\n  such as titanium and niobium from sand left over from tin\n  production processes in Thailand.\n      The plant wilq use about a tonne of sand per day, although\n  it is unclear how much rare metal will be extracted, the\n  official said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HUNGARY TO DEVALUE FORINT AGAINST WESTERN UNITS\n","article":"  Hungary is to devalue the forint by an\n  average of eight pct against Western currencies, the official\n  news agency MTI said.\n      MTI did not say when the devaluation would become\n  effective, but it expected new rates to be announced later\n  today.\n      Hungary devalued the forint by a similar amount last\n  September 23. Western bankers say the forint is more\n  realistically valued than currencies of Hungary's COMECON\n  allies.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HILLSDOWN SAYS EARLY 1987 RESULTS ENCOURAGING\n","article":"  Hillsdown Holdings Plc <HLDN.L> said\n  early results for 1987 were encouraging, and the combination of\n  its investment and acquisition strategies enabled it to look\n  forward confidently for an excellent result for the year.\n      The company was commenting on 1986 results which showed\n  pre-tax profit rising to 54.9 mln stg from 33.4 mln previously\n  on turnover that lifted to 1.70 billion from 1.13 billion.\n      The figures initially boosted the share price to 286p from\n  281p last night, but they then eased back to 283p by 0830 GMT.\n      Hillsdown said capital expenditure rose in 1986 to 60 mln\n  stg from 31.5 mln and would continue at this high level in\n  1987.\n      The placing of 82.5 mln shares last year raised 160.7 mln\n  stg and enabled shareholders' funds to more than double to 352\n  mln at year-end.\n      Net borrowings were 20 pct of shareholder's funds and the\n  group had listed investments of 47.1 mln.\n      The company said it had bought a total of 40 companies\n  during the year for a total price of some 180 mln stg. Although\n  these had made minor contribution to profits the real benefits\n  would come in 1988 and beyond.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NIPPON OIL SEES SHARPLY LOWER SALES AND PROFITS\n","article":"  Nippon Oil Co Ltd <NPOL.T> predicted\n  parent company net profit of about nine billion yen in the year\n  ending March 31, down 10.4 pct from a year earlier, president\n  Yasuoki Takeuchi told a press conference.\n      Current profit for the year was estimated at 17 to 18\n  billion yen, down 20 to 24 pct from a year earlier, he said.\n      Takeuchi said sales are expected to fall 40 pct to 1,700\n  billion yen for the fifth consecutive year-on-year drop. This\n  year's fall was due to lower selling prices for end-users,\n  which more than offset the yen's appreciation. The company will\n  retain six yen dividend for 1986\/87.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN TO TENDER FOR 27,000 TONNES U.S. SOYBEANS\n","article":"  The joint committee of Taiwan's soybean\n  importers will tender March 12 for a 27,000 tonne cargo of U.S.\n  Soybeans for March 20 to April 5 delivery, a committee\n  spokesman told Reuters.\n      Taiwan's soybean imports in calendar 1987 are provisionally\n  set at 1.81 mln tonnes compared with a revised 1.74 mln tonnes\n  imported last year.\n      The 1.74 mln tonne figure was revised from 1.76 mln tonnes.\n      Taiwan imports all its soybeans from the United States.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BEJAM GROUP PLC <BJAM.L> 27 WEEKS TO JANUARY 3\n","article":"  Shr 5.95p vs 4.41p\n      Div 2.25p vs 2.0p\n      Pre-tax profit 11.6 mln vs 9.1 mln\n      Tax 4.2 mln vs 3.6 mln\n      Turnover 256.3 mln vs 185.3 mln\n      Note - company said it was unlikely second-half profits\n  will show same rate of increase as first. But it had great\n  confidence in prospects for future growth.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NIPPON STEEL, INLAND DISCUSSING U.S. JOINT VENTURE\n","article":"  Nippon Steel Corp <NSTC.T> and <Inland\n  Steel Co> of the U.S. Are negotiating to set up a joint steel\n  venture in Indiana, a Nippon Steel spokesman said, declining to\n  give more details.\n      Several local newspapers reported the joint venture would\n  be capitalised at 150 mln dlrs, owned 60 pct by Inland and 40\n  pct by Nippon Steel, and have annual production capacity of one\n  mln tonnes of steel to supply car makers.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN'S JOBLESS SEEN RISING TO 3.3 PCT IN 1987\/88\n","article":"  The yen's rise against the dollar is\n  expected to boost Japan's unemployment rate to an average 3.3\n  pct in the 1987\/88 fiscal year beginning April 1 from January's\n  record three pct, the private Nomura Research Institute said.\n      The official 1987\/88 estimate is 2.9 pct.\n      The research arm of Nomura Securities Co forecast\n  unemployment would exceed two mln by mid-fiscal 1987, against\n  an estimated 1.75 mln for the current year.\n      Nomura urged the government to take pump-priming measures\n  to help redress trade imbalances and boost employment.\n      Employment in manufacturing during fiscal 1987\/88 was\n  predicted to fall 550,000 from the current year due to higher\n  job losses in the steel, shipbuilding and heavy electrical\n  machinery sectors, Nomura said.\n      Employment in the non-manufacturing sector will continue to\n  increase, the institute said, without giving figures.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WORK AT CHITTAGONG PORT HALTED BY STRIKE\n","article":"  Cargo handling remains\n  halted at Bangladesh's Chittagong port since nearly 7,000\n  workers walked out on Monday following a pay dispute, the Port\n  Workers Association said today.\n      Fourteen ships are stranded at the port.\n      Port officials said they would meet Association leaders\n  today to try to resolve the dispute.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CREDITANSTALT-BANKVEREIN <CABV.V> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Cons banking gp net profit 496.7 mln schillings vs 354.5\n  mln\n      Cons banking gp balance sheet total at year-end 453.4\n      Billion schillings vs 425.4 billion\n      Parent bank net profit 370.6 mln vs 253.0 mln\n      Parent bank balance sheet total 372.5 billion vs 348.2\n      Billion\n      Parent bank dividend 12 pct vs 10 pct\n      Parent bank div payout 363.0 mln schillings vs 247.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" Ultramar 1986 net loss 62.1 mln stg vs 71.6 mln profit\n","article":"\n   Ultramar 1986 net loss 62.1 mln stg vs 71.6 mln profit\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TESCO ASSOCIATE BUYS 4.2 PCT OF HILLARDS\n","article":"  Tesco Plc <TSCO.L> said that <County\n  Ltd> had yesterday bought on its behalf 2.06 mln shares, or\n  around 4.2 pct, in <Hillards Plc> for between 302p and 310p a\n  share.\n      Tesco yesterday launched a 151.4 mln stg bid for the north\n  of England supermarket chain, which Hillards promptly rejected.\n      Hillards shares were last quoted at 324p, compared with\n  last night's close of 313p.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ULTRAMAR PLC <UMAR.L> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 8.1p loss vs 26.3p earnings\n      Div 3.25p making 5.25p vs 10.5p\n      Net loss 62.1 mln stg vs 71.6 mln profit\n      Operating profit before tax 73.6 mln vs 273.8 mln\n      Turnover 1.47 billion vs 1.74 billion\n      Cost of sales 1.22 billion vs 1.39 billion\n      Gross profit 241.8 mln vs 357.6 mln\n      Distribution costs and administrative expenses 152.2 mln vs\n      123.1 mln\n      Share of profits in associates 17.1 mln vs 68.2 mln\n      Other operating income 15.8 mln vs 16.9 mln\n      Financing charges 48.9 mln vs 45.8 mln\n      Tax 63.9 mln vs 169.7 mln\n      Exceptional items 4.9 mln debit vs 5.5 mln debit\n      Net results of discontinued operations 15.6 mln debit vs\n      20.9 mln debit\n      Loss on ordinary activities before minority interest 10.8\n      Mln vs 77.7 mln profit\n      Minority interest 11.3 mln vs 6.1 mln\n      Extraordinary debits 40.0 mln vs nil\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GKN 1986 pretax profit 132.4 mln stg vs 132.7 mln\n","article":"\n  GKN 1986 pretax profit 132.4 mln stg vs 132.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET SHORTAGE FORECAST AT 300 MLN STG\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it forecast a\n  liquidity shortage of around 300 mln stg in the market today.\n      Among the main factors, the Bank said bills maturing in\n  official hands and the treasury bill take-up would drain 483\n  mln stg from the system while below target bankers' balances\n  and a rise in the note circulation would take out 50 mln and\n  100 mln stg respectively.\n      Partially offsetting these, exchequer transactions would\n  add around 355 mln stg, the Bank added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BELGIAN CENTRAL BANK BUYS CURRENCY TO REPAY DEBT\n","article":"  The Belgian National Bank bought\n  foreign currencies against francs on the open market in the\n  week ended March 9, a Bank spokesman said.\n      In line with central bank policy he declined to give any\n  details of the amount bought.\n      The foreign currency purchased was used by the Treasury to\n  repay foreign debt and did not affect the Bank's foreign\n  exchange reserves. They slipped 394 mln francs to 37.33\n  billion, mostly due to sales of dollars for Special Drawing\n  Rights, the spokesman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GKN PLC <GKNL.L> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 28.5p vs 26.6p.\n      Final div 8p, making 13p vs 12p.\n      Pre-tax profit 132.4 mln stg vs 132.7 mln.\n      Net profit befire minorities  81.0 mln vs 74.4 mln.\n      Sales 2.06 billion stg vs 2.20 billion.\n      Extraordinary debit 36.5 mln vs 20.4 mln.\n      Trading surplus after depreciation 145.7 mln stg vs 158.1\n      Mln\n      Investment and interest income 5.4 mln vs 3.8 mln\n      Interest payable 42.5 mln vs 43.9 mln\n      Profits from related companies, less losses, 23.8 mln vs\n      14.7 mln\n      Tax 51.4 mln vs 58.3 mln\n      Profit attributable to outside shareholders' interests 12.6\n      Mln vs 11.2 mln\n      Note - Extraordinary debit included charge for\n  restructuring auto parts distribution in France and loss of 10\n  mln stg on sale of steel stock business.\n      Trading surplus comprised -\n      Automotive components and products 101 mln stg vs 105 mln\n      Industrial services and supplies 30 mln vs 21 mln\n      Wholesale and industrial distribution 11 mln vs 22 mln\n      Steels and forgings four mln vs 10 mln\n      By region, Britain contributed 34 mln stg vs 47 mln\n      Continental Europe 77 mln vs 56 mln\n      U.S.A. 28 mln vs 51 mln\n      Rest of world seven mln vs four mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECONOMIC SPOTLIGHT - CHINA'S FOREIGN DEBT UP\n","article":"  China's foreign debt reached 27 billion\n  dlrs by the end of 1986, but despite an over-exposure to\n  short-term credits and yen borrowing, China remains very\n  creditworthy with an improved 1987 export outlook, foreign\n  bankers and Chinese officials told Reuters.\n      Foreign bankers said China's total debt rose sharply from\n  an estimated 20 billion dlrs at end-1985 to cover increased\n  import commitments but the debt\/equity ratio remains low,\n  between eight and 10 pct.\n      China remains a cautious and popular borrower, they said.\n      Zhang Haoruo, vice minister of Foreign Economic Relations\n  and Trade, said last Friday that China signed foreign loan\n  agreements for 6.94 billion dlrs last year, 96.6 pct up on\n  1985, with actual loans amounting to 4.83 billion, up 93 pct.\n      Officials said China would borrow 25 to 30 billion dlrs in\n  the 1986-90 five year plan period, but foreign bankers said\n  they estimate foreign loans at 30 to 40 billion.\n      A Western banker said China's portfolio contains too much\n  short-term debt and too much of it is denominated in yen as a\n  result of aggressive lending by Japanese banks and attractive\n  low interest rates in the Japanese market.\n      The strong yen appreciation has cost China dearly and is\n  likely to make it reduce new yen borrowings, the banker said.\n      A Chinese trade official estimated the yen component of the\n  country's total debt at about 30 pct.\n      The Peking representative of a Japanese securities house\n  said the rapid yen rise had caught China and his firm unawares.\n      \"Interest rates in Japan are at a historical low, but China,\n  which will remain an active borrower this year, is likely to go\n  elsewhere for capital, to get a better currency spread,\" he\n  said.\n      The Western banker said the excess of short-term loans is\n  in part a result of China's inexperience in the foreign capital\n  markets, which it entered only in the early 1980s.\n      \"Officials do not think of China but of their own department\n  or firm. Some loans that were entered into did not have the\n  full backing of the People's Republic of China,\" he said.\n      \"The dilemma for China, in foreign borrowing as in other\n  areas, is to balance central control with giving reasonable\n  autonomy to firms. It is searching for the mechanisms to\n  exercise indirect controls,\" he said.\n      The banker said officials have stressed repeatedly over the\n  past six weeks that China's foreign borrowing will not be\n  affected by a drive against \"bourgeois liberalism,\" a phrase\n  meaning Western political ideas, following the dismissal of\n  Communist Party chief Hu Yaobang on January 16.\n      A U.S. Banker said there is no evidence that China's\n  foreign exchange reserves have fallen below the officially\n  stated figure of 10 billion dlrs.\n      \"The Bank of China is both a buyer and a seller in the\n  market, which would know quickly if it was buying heavily in\n  advance of an announcement the reserves were down,\" he said.\n      The banker said such buying has not been going on. \"Things\n  are normal. Trade deficits such as China had last year and in\n  1985 are normal for a country at its stage of development.\"\n      Customs figures show China had a trade deficit of 11.9\n  billion dlrs in 1986, down from 14 billion in 1985.\n      A Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade official\n  said this year's outlook for exports, which account for more\n  than 75 pct of foreign exchange earnings, is much healthier\n  than a year ago.\n      The renminbi has matched the U.S. Dollar fall, he said. It\n  was quoted at 3.72 today, little changed from 3.7 a year ago.\n      The official said China has taken measures to improve its\n  export performance, including incentive offers to exporters and\n  the establishment of export production bases.\n      \"We expect higher prices for our oil exports this year,\" he\n  added.\n      Official estimates put China's 1986 export losses from the\n  drop in world oil prices at three billion dlrs.\n      A Western diplomat said China's foreign debt needs careful\n  management but its debt service ratio remains very low at six\n  to eight pct.\n      \"We base our assessment not on China's foreign exchange\n  reserves but on its export performance, just as you assess a\n  company on its performance, not its bank account,\" he said.\n      He said China performed very well in the export field last\n  year and remains a very creditworthy country which will have\n  few difficulties in increasing its borrowing.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GULF ARAB DEPUTY OIL MINISTERS TO MEET IN BAHRAIN\n","article":"  Deputy oil ministers from six Gulf\n  Arab states will meet in Bahrain today to discuss coordination\n  of crude oil marketing, the official Emirates news agency WAM\n  reported.\n      WAM said the officials would be discussing implementation\n  of last Sunday's agreement in Doha by Gulf Cooperation Council\n  (GCC) oil ministers to help each other market their crude oil.\n      Four of the GCC states - Saudi Arabia, the United Arab\n  Emirates (UAE), Kuwait and Qatar - are members of the\n  Organiaation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and some\n  face stiff buyer resistance to official OPEC prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ULTRAMAR SAYS FOURTH QUARTER SHOWED IMPROVEMENTS\n","article":"  Ultramar Plc <UMAR.L> said that while\n  its fourth 1986 quarter had improved from the operational point\n  of view, several special charges adversely affected results.\n      Overall the year had not been a good one, with upstream\n  operations dramatically hit by the fall in crude oil prices and\n  downstream operations also affected in the first half by large\n  losses on inventories.\n      But margins improved in the second half and in particular\n  refining and marketing in Eastern Canada showed a good\n  recovery.\n      The company was commenting on results that showed a net\n  loss for the year of 62.1 mln stg after a 71.6 mln profit in\n  1985.\n      The fourth quarter charges included a 20.8 mln stg\n  provision on a retroactive price agreement recently initialled\n  by Pertamina and Japanese buyers of the company's liquid\n  natural gas and 4.7 mln for the early months of its ownership\n  of Gulf Canada's marketing assets.\n      Ultramar said it had also included the estimated cost of a\n  further reorganisation programme, which was partly offset by a\n  withdrawal of surplus funds from U.S. Pension schemes, and a\n  13.5 mln stg provision for the estimated cost of selling its\n  U.S. Flag shipping operation.\n      The immediate outlook for crude oil prices was uncertain\n  although it was unlikely there would be any sizeable increase\n  in the near term. However, Ultramar said it was optimistic\n  prices would strengthen over the longer term.\n      Its substantial reserves of crude oil and natural gas put\n  it in a good position to benefit from any price recovery.\n      In the meantime, Ultramar's objectives were to improve\n  profitability by selling or restructuring weak operations while\n  strengthening core businesses and developing a sound\n  operational and financial base.\n      Proven, probable and possible reserves at end-1986 totalled\n  about 700 mln barrels net on an oil-equivalent basis.\n      Ultramar shares firmed on the announcement to 187p from\n  181p at last night's close.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"QUEENSLAND PRESS BOARD RECOMMENDS MURDOCH OFFER\n","article":"  The <Queensland Press Ltd> (QPL) board\n  said it unanimously recommended the one billion dlr takeover\n  bid by <Cruden Investments Pty Ltd>, a family company of News\n  Corp Ltd <NCPA.S> chief executive Rupert Murdoch.\n      The 23 dlrs a share cash-only offer is nearly double the\n  market price before News announced its now-completed bid for\n  The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd <HWTA.S> in early December and\n  no other offer is likely, it said in a statement.\n      Independent adviser, <Wardley Australia Ltd>, had also\n  concluded the offer was fair and reasonable, it added.\n      QPL is already owned 48.3 pct by HWT.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC COMMISSION DECLINES COMMENT ON SUGAR OFFER\n","article":"  The European Community (EC) Commission\n  declined to give an official reaction to reports that a group\n  of european operators plan to offer one mln tonnes of sugar\n  into intervention in protest at Commission export policies.\n      However, a spokesman for the Commission confirmed the\n  offers had been made to intervention agencies in various member\n  states, and said it would now take up to three weeks for the\n  agencies concerned to complete all necessary documentation.\n      The spokesman said that under current regulations, the EC\n  would have to accept all the offers if there were no technical\n  problems.\n      The spokesman said the Commission would only have to\n  reimburse the member state for the cost of buying-in the sugar\n  after the product was sold out of intervention stores at a\n  later date.\n      He said that at present there was virtually no sugar held\n  in intervention stores.\n      Last year, 45,000 tonnes were sold into intervention and\n  during the 1984-85 campaign 108,000 tonnes.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INDONESIAN BANKS RAISE INTEREST RATES\n","article":"  A tight money market has pushed\n  interest rates on three to six month time deposits to between\n  15 and 18 pct from 13 to 15 pct a month ago, bankers said.\n      March is usually a tight month for the money market because\n  of tax payments and banks' need to attract funds for their\n  year-end accounts on March 31.\n      This year the situation has been made worse by December's\n  rush to buy dollars by companies and businessmen who feared\n  imposition of exchange controls. Much of that outflow has yet\n  to be converted back into rupiah.\n      \"A lot of small money has come back in, but the big money is\n  holding out until after April,\" one U.S. Banker said.\n      The tight money policy of Bank Indonesia, the central bank,\n  is helping to keep rates high.\n      Short-term lending rates now average 25 pct a year, with no\n  prospect they will be lowered soon, the bankers said.\n      Central Bank governor Arifin Siregar said earlier this week\n  that Indonesia could look forward to better economic prospects\n  in 1987\/88, but added the \"speculators\" who led a run on the\n  rupiah late last year could again pose problems.\n      Indonesia holds general elections on April 23, the first in\n  five years, and most businessmen expect no new government\n  economic packages or incentives before then.\n      \"Some people are nervous about what the government will do\n  after the election,\" one banker said. \"They normally try to do\n  things before the IGGI (Inter-Governmental Group on Indonesia)\n  meeting (in June) to prove they are doing something about the\n  economy to show they deserve a couple of billion dollars.\"\n      The IGGI, which groups 14 industrialised donor countries\n  and four agencies, gave Indonesia 2.5 billion dlrs in soft\n  loans and grants last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HIGHVELD (HGVJ.J) SEES LOWER 1987 EARNINGS\n","article":"  Highveld Steel and Vanadium Corp\n  Ltd said it expects 1987 earnings will be lower than last\n  year's previously reported 85 cts a share.\n      But profits \"will be at a satisfactory level,\" the company\n  said in the annual report without giving a specific estimate.\n      Highveld said it expects appreciation of the rand will be\n  offset to some extent by increasing U.S. Dollar prices for its\n  exports as the year progresses.\n      Highveld said measures taken last year by the European\n  Economic Community and the United States prohibiting all South\n  African steel products \"presents a challenge to management to\n  place the steel in other areas.\"\n      The company said overall world vanadium consumption in 1987\n  is expected to be similar to last year although China's role is\n  still an unknown factor in the total supply-demand situation.\n      \"World vanadium production capacity is still believed to be\n  adequate to cater for any foreseeable demand,\" it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SAUDI ARABIA BUYS 5,000 TONNES RBD PALM OLEIN\n","article":"  Saudi Arabia bought 5,000 tonnes of\n  refined bleached deodorised palm olein at its import tender\n  yesterday for April 16\/25 shipment at 353 dlrs per tonne cost\n  and freight Jeddah, traders said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" Belgium cuts discount rate to 8.0 pct from 8.50 - official\n","article":"\n   Belgium cuts discount rate to 8.0 pct from 8.50 - official\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PREUSSAG SAYS PAYMENT OF A 1986 DIVIDEND NOT CERTAIN\n","article":"  A spokesman for Preussag\n  AG <PRSG.F> said it was not yet certain whether the company\n  would pay a dividend on 1986 results\n      He was commenting on a Preussag statement which said\n  results in 1986 were lower than in 1985. Preussag has\n  frequently said its results came under further pressure in 1986\n  following a difficult year in 1985.\n      Managing board chairman Guenther Sassmannshausen said in\n  December the board would prefer to stick to its policy of not\n  dipping into reserves to pay dividends. The spokesman noted the\n  final dividend decision rests with the supervisory board.\n      The Preussag statement said results fell in 1986 compared\n  with 1985 because declines in earnings in metals, oil and\n  shipping were not entirely compensated by positive trends in\n  the group's other divisions.\n      The spokesman said it was not clear whether the domestic\n  group would show a net profit in 1986, adding this would depend\n  partly on the level of provisions.\n      Preussag cut its 1985 dividend to eight marks from nine\n  marks on 1984 results after parent company net profit dropped\n  to 65.0 mln marks from 103.0 mln the year before.\n      The Preussag world group made a net loss of 13.1 mln marks\n  in 1985 after a net profit of 154.5 mln the year before.\n  Domestic group net profit fell to 77.9 mln from 122.2 mln.\n      The statement said its results in 1986 were affected by\n  unsatisfactory selling prices for metals and oil as well as by\n  poor use of capacity in the supply ship sector.\n      The reduction in natural gas prices in the fourth quarter\n  of 1986 to reflect earlier falls in oil prices was an\n  additional factor behind the drop in results.\n      Preussag said rationalization measures already introduced\n  would not begin to take full effect until this year.\n      Preussag's domestic group turnover rose to 4.48 billion\n  marks in 1986 from 4.29 billion in 1985, helped by the first\n  time consolidation of 951.8 mln marks of turnover from its\n  majority-owned oil and gas subsidiary C. Deilmann AG.\n      Domestic group turnover in the 1986 fourth quarter alone\n  was 1.1 billion marks, it said without giving comparison\n  figures.\n      Preussag said its domestic crude oil production fell 4.0\n  pct to 94,400 tonnes in 1986, while foreign oil production rose\n  to 182,900 tonnes from 174,500 tonnes.\n      Preussag said its Amalgamated Metal Corporation Plc (AMC)\n  subsidiary, whose results are included in the world group\n  accounts, made an unspecified profit in the fourth quarter of\n  last year.\n      AMC's large losses in 1985, caused principally by the\n  international tin crisis, were the reason behind the world\n  group losses that year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"OIL FIRMS CUT 1987 INDONESIAN EXPLORATION SPENDING\n","article":"  Foreign oil companies will spend less\n  on exploration in Indonesia this year than last, budgeting 2.7\n  billion dlrs for calendar 1987 against 1986 spending of 2.8\n  billion dlrs, the state oil company Pertamina said.\n      Actual spending last year fell short of the budgeted figure\n  of 3.2 billion dlrs, as oil companies slashed expenditure\n  because of the crash in world oil prices.\n      Jumardi Jukardi, head of Pertamina's coordinating board for\n  foreign contractors, said foreign companies will drill 110\n  exploration wells and 431 development wells this year, against\n  108 and 330 last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INDONESIA OIL CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS END THIS MONTH\n","article":"  Negotiations between Indonesia's state\n  oil company Pertamina and foreign oil contractors on extension\n  of the standard 30-year production sharing contract will be\n  concluded by the end of this month, a Pertamina official said.\n      Jumardi Jukardi, head of Pertamina's foreign contractors\n  coordinating board, gave no details about the outcome of the\n  talks.\n      But Pertamina President Abdul Rachman Ramly has said\n  priority will be given to extending contracts for companies\n  whose exploration and production contracts expire within the\n  next seven to 10 years.\n      Jukardi, speaking to Indonesian reporters, said the\n  negotiations would determine whether the 85-15 production\n  sharing split in favour of Pertamina would be adhered to or\n  altered in some cases as oil companies are asking for.\n      Hardjoko Seputro, spokesman for the Mines and Energy\n  Ministry, has said that President Suharto has agreed in\n  principle to extension of the standard 30-year production\n  sharing contract to reflect better current depressed conditions\n  on the international oil market.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TRADE SAYS EC SUGAR TENDER HARD TO FORECAST\n","article":"  Traders here and in Paris said the\n  results of today's EC white sugar tender are hard to forecast\n  because of plans by a group of French, West German, Dutch and\n  Belgian operators to sell one mln tonnes of sugar into\n  intervention.\n      London traders said bids for licences have been reported\n  between 43.00 and 44.00 Ecus per 100 kilos and if any licences\n  are granted they are likely to be towards the lower end of that\n  range, possibly 43.30\/43.50 Ecus.\n      Traders in Paris said they expect maximum rebates of\n  between 43 and 43.50 Ecus.\n      Other than the Commission releasing no sugar for export,\n  the likely tonnage is expected to be very small, the London\n  traders said, while the French sources declined to estimate\n  volume in view of the psychological impact of the planned sales\n  into intervention in protest against EC export policies.\n      Last week licences for 60,500 tonnes were awarded at a\n  maximum rebate of 43.147 Ecus.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KOREA PLANS TO OPEN MARKETS TO EASE WON PRESSURE\n","article":"  South Korea will further open its market\n  to help cut its trade surplus with the U.S. And to fight off\n  pressure to revalue the won against the dollar, a government\n  spokesman said.\n      The spokesman said Korean trade minister Rha Woong-Bae's\n  stand in Washington yesterday against pressure from industrial\n  nations to revalue the won underlined the government's\n  determination to stand firm.\n      Rha told the U.S. Chamber of Commerce \"Demands that Korea\n  carry out a drastic and sudden currency revaluation of five or\n  10 pct are, I believe, extremely ill-advised.\"\n      Deputy prime minister Kim Mahn-Je told a meeting of local\n  businessmen \"The government's policy on the question of\n  revaluing the won is to maintain a steadfast position.\"\n      Kim said South Korea was ready to move slowly to raise the\n  won's value because of its heavy foreign debt which stood at\n  44.5 billion dlrs at the end of 1986.\n      Six industrialised nations agreed in Paris last month that\n  newly industrialising countries, such as South Korea and\n  Taiwan, should allow their currencies to appreciate.\n      But local businessmen have said won\/dollar parity has\n  already reached \"a crisis level.\"\n      An official of the Korea Traders' Association (KTA) said if\n  the won strengthened another five pct, this would mean the loss\n  of profitability for nearly half of all South Korean exporters.\n      \"We are determined not to go the way of Latin American\n  debtor nations which have suspended interest payments of their\n  debts,\" the spokesman said. \"The only way to keep our good record\n  is to maintain our exports.+\n      The trade minister said yesterday should Seoul revalue the\n  won suddenly Korea would run \"a tremendous trade deficit and\n  could degenerate into a country, like many other developing\n  countries, which is reneging on its international obligations.\"\n      The spokesman said South Korea had been gradually\n  appreciating its currency, ruling out a major revaluation. So\n  far this year, the won has gone up by 0.8 pct against the\n  dollar after a 3.34 pct revaluation in 1986.\n      He said South Korea was selecting \"many\" of 122 items on\n  which Washington recently asked Seoul to lower tariffs to help\n  narrow its trade surplus with the U.S. No further details were\n  given.\n      Seoul announced in January the lifting of bans on 158\n  items, including sensitive agricultural products and large\n  cars, effective from July.\n      South Korea posted its first ever current account surplus\n  last year, due largely to a trade surplus with the U.S. Of 7.1\n  billion dlrs, against a 4.3 billion deficit in 1985. It earlier\n  forecast that its current account surplus could reach eight\n  billion dlrs this year.\n      But the government official said the surplus would be held\n  at around five billion dlrs to avoid further pressure by\n  industrialised nations to push up the value of its currency.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GERMAN CALL MONEY EASES AFTER LIQUIDITY INJECTION\n","article":"  Call money eased to 3.75\/80 pct from\n  3.80\/85 yesterday following a net injection of 6.7 billion\n  marks at a rate of 3.80 pct in fresh funds from this week's\n  securities repurchase agreement, dealers said.\n      But rates were expected to rise toward the end of the week.\n      A major tax payment period by banks on behalf of customers,\n  payments for the federal railways loan stock and repayments of\n  mark liabilities incurred by foreign central banks with the\n  Bundesbank in the framework of the European Monetary System\n  (EMS) are likely to significantly burden the system. Banks\n  built up minimum reserves today, ahead of the expected outflow.\n      The Bundesbank credited banks with a gross 15.2 billion\n  marks, but some 8.5 billion left the system at the same time as\n  an earlier securities repurchase pact matured.\n      Dealers estimated the EMS related outflow as high as six\n  billion marks.\n      The Bundesbank declined to comment, but a spokesman said\n  yesterday although the funds now due may be allowed to roll\n  over, the possibility that other central banks may choose to\n  redeem them meant a net infusion was needed.\n      Dealers forecast tax payments of 25 and 30 billion marks,\n  but much of it is expected to burden the system only next week.\n      Banks' minimum reserve holdings at the Bundesbank totalled\n  53.6 billion marks on Monday, averaging 54.0 billion over the\n  first nine days of March.\n      Dealers said although the figure was well above an expected\n  requirement of around 51 billion marks, the expected outflow of\n  funds was so large that banks might find it difficult to meet\n  the requirement toward the end of March.\n      No securities repurchase agreement is expiring next week,\n  but dealers said the Bundesbank could offer fresh liquidity if\n  conditions significantly tighten. \"The Bundesbank wants to keep\n  rates around 3.80 pct,\" one dealer said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BTR PLC <BTRX.L> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 21.2p vs 16.0p\n      Div 4.75p making 8.25p vs 5.83p\n      Pretax profit 505 mln stg vs 362 mln\n      Turnover 4.02 billion vs 3.88 billion\n      Tax 128 mln vs 85 mln\n      Operating profit 527 mln vs 421 mln\n      Operating profit includes -\n      Other income 30 mln vs 41 mln\n      Financial costs 52 mln vs 100 mln\n      Minorities 25 mln vs 16 mln\n      Earnings 352 mln vs 261 mln\n      Extraordinary credit 78 mln vs 34 mln debit.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SAUDI ARABIA REITERATES COMMITMENT TO OPEC ACCORD\n","article":"  Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Hisham Nazer\n  reiterated the kingdom's commitment to last December's OPEC\n  accord to boost world oil prices and stabilize the market, the\n  official Saudi Press Agency SPA said.\n      Asked by the agency about the recent fall in free market\n  oil prices, Nazer said Saudi Arabia \"is fully adhering by the\n  ... accord and it will never sell its oil at prices below the\n  pronounced prices under any circumstance.\"\n      Saudi Arabia was a main architect of December pact under\n  which OPEC agreed to cut its total oil output ceiling by 7.25\n  pct and return to fixed prices of around 18 dollars a barrel.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN'S JOBLESS SEEN RISING TO 3.3 PCT IN 1987\/88\n","article":"  The yen's rise against the dollar is\n  expected to boost Japan's unemployment rate to an average 3.3\n  pct in the 1987\/88 fiscal year beginning April 1 from January's\n  record three pct, the private Nomura Research Institute said.\n      The official 1987\/88 estimate is 2.9 pct.\n      The research arm of Nomura Securities Co forecast\n  unemployment would exceed two mln by mid-fiscal 1987, against\n  an estimated 1.75 mln for the current year.\n      Nomura urged the government to take pump-priming measures\n  to help redress trade imbalances and boost employment.\n      Employment in manufacturing during fiscal 1987\/88 was\n  predicted to fall 550,000 from the current year due to higher\n  job losses in the steel, shipbuilding and heavy electrical\n  machinery sectors, Nomura said.\n      Employment in the non-manufacturing sector will continue to\n  increase, the institute said, without giving figures.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SPAIN EXTENDS RESERVE REQUIREMENT\n","article":"  The Bank of Spain has extended the\n  reserve requirement for banks to their convertible peseta funds\n  in an attempt to curb speculation in short-term capital which\n  is currently fuelling money supply growth.\n      In a statement issued late last night, the central bank\n  said convertible peseta accounts, funds which are not subject\n  to exchange controls, would also be subject to a 19 pct reserve\n  requirement with effect from Friday.\n      Convertible peseta funds had been previously exempt from\n  reserve requirements.\n      The measure comes one week after the central bank raised\n  reserve requirements on domestic deposits by one percentage\n  point to 19 pct, also with effect on Friday.\n      Banking sources say the high real interest rates on offer\n  now -- around eight pct for overnight funds -- have attracted a\n  large influx of speculative foreign capital which is\n  threatening the government's monetary targets.\n      They say this influx is largely responsible for Spain's\n  principal measure of money supply, the broad-based liquid\n  assets in public hands (ALP), to have grown by an estimated 17\n  pct annualised rate in February, compared with January's 8.3\n  pct rise and an 11.4 pct rise during the whole of 1986. The\n  target for 1987 is eight pct.\n      The Bank of Spain today did not provide assistance funds to\n  banks in a move to drain excess liquidity from the money\n  market. Liquidity will be further tightened by the fortnightly\n  Treasury Bill auction tomorrow and Friday's hike in reserve\n  requirements, expected to absorb over 200 billion pesetas from\n  the system.\n      The immediate reaction was a hike in interbank interest\n  rates today to 13.75\/14.00 pct from yesterday's 13.46 pct\n  average for deposits.\n      Bank of Spain officials said this was an understandable\n  response \"given that the market is short of funds.\"\n      But banking sources noted that a continued rise in interest\n  rates would neutralize the central bank's attempts to curtail\n  short-term speculation with foreign funds by making the Spanish\n  money markets more attractive.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HUNGARY TO DEVALUE FORINT AGAINST WESTERN UNITS\n","article":"  Hungary is to devalue the forint by an\n  average of eight pct against Western currencies, the official\n  news agency MTI said.\n      MTI did not say when the devaluation would become\n  effective, but it expected new rates to be announced later\n  today.\n      Hungary devalued the forint by a similar amount last\n  September 23. Western bankers say the forint is more\n  realistically valued than currencies of Hungary's COMECON\n  allies.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SUMITA SAYS LITTLE ROOM FOR BANK TO EASE POLICY\n","article":"  Bank of Japan governor Satoshi Sumita\n  said there is little room left for the central bank to further\n  ease its credit policy as interest rates levels are now\n  approaching their lower limit.\n      \"The government should instead seek ways of making the best\n  use of its fiscal policy,\" he told a press conference.\n      His remarks were concerned with a comprehensive economic\n  stimulative package the government plans to adopt in the coming\n  days.\n      At the recent talks among the six major industrialised\n  nations in Paris, Japan promised to work out a comprehensive\n  economic package to boost domestic demand, which in turn would\n  help increase its imports and reduce its trade surplus.\n      Sumita also said the economy will show a gradual upturn in\n  the second half of the year if the yen remains stable.\n      He said there is caution in the foreign exchange market\n  against a further rise of the yen and mark and this explains\n  the recent stability in the currency markets. Conflicting\n  economic indicators from the U.S. Have also been dampening\n  market activity, he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KUWAIT MINISTER SAYS NO EMERGENCY OPEC TALKS SET\n","article":"  Kuwait's oil minister said in a newspaper\n  interview that there were no plans for an emergency OPEC\n  meeting after the recent weakness in world oil prices.\n      Sheikh Ali al-Khalifa al-Sabah was quoted by the local\n  daily al-Qabas as saying that \"none of the OPEC members has\n  asked for such a meeting.\"\n      He also denied that Kuwait was pumping above its OPEC quota\n  of 948,000 barrels of crude daily (bpd).\n      Crude oil prices fell sharply last week as international\n  oil traders and analysts estimated the 13-nation OPEC was\n  pumping up to one million bpd over its self-imposed limits.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIA LEADING INDEX CONTINUES RISE IN DECEMBER\n","article":"  Westpac Banking Corp and the\n  Melbourne University Institute of Applied Economic and Social\n  Research said their leading index of Australian economic\n  activity rose for the ninth successive month in December.\n      The index rose to 134.1 (base 1980) from 129.8 in November\n  and 122.8 a year earlier, the Westpac-Institute report said.\n      Annualised, it rose 13 pct in December against seven pct in\n  November and one pct a year earlier, based on the ratio of the\n  latest index to the average over the previous 12 months.\n      The report said the index is now 12 points or 9.8 pct above\n  its trough in March 1986.\n      Westpac's chief economist Bob Graham said the consistent\n  upward trend in the leading index emphasised the need for a\n  tough mini-budget in May. \"An untoward increase in consumption\n  spending before the balance of payments improves would have\n  disastrous consequences,\" he said.\n      The coincident index also rose an annualised three pct in\n  December against zero movement in November and a seven pct rise\n  a year earlier, Westpac and the Institute said.\n      They said this index continued to show the current\n  recession is shallow and is more likely to involve a slowing in\n  real growth than an absolute fall in economic activity.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN CANNOT BEAR FURTHER YEN RISE, MINISTER SAYS\n","article":"  Japan cannot bear a further rise of the\n  yen, Foreign Minister Tadashi Kuranari said.\n      \"A further stronger yen would be a misfortune for Japan and\n  the Japanese people would not be able to bear such a burden,\" he\n  told reporters.\n      The minister said he wants to tell U.S. Political leaders\n  of the sacrifices Japan is making to cut its trade surplus.\n      Kuranari was widely expected to fly to Washington tomorrow\n  for talks focussing on trade. But departure remains uncertain\n  because of the continuing parliamentary boycott by opposition\n  parties protesting plans for a new sales tax.\n      If the boycott is lifted tomorrow, Kuranari would probably\n  have to remain in Japan to attend parliamentary discussions on\n  the government's 1987\/88 budget, Japanese officials said.\n      Kuranari said both the U.S. And Japan should approach the\n  trade imbalance in a calm, unemotional manner.\n      But, he added, \"If the issue of rice is to be raised...I\n  would mention the feelings of the Japanese people.\"\n      Japanese politicians have said repeatedly the country\n  cannot bow to U.S. Pressure to liberalize rice imports because\n  the issue is too sensitive.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF ENGLAND DOES NOT INTERVENE IN MONEY MARKET\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it did not\n  operate in the money market during the morning.\n      Initially, the bank forecast a liqudity shortage of some\n  300 mln stg for the market today.\n      Overnight interbank sterling traded at the 11-1\/4 1\/8 pct\n  level for most of the morning while period rates have eased on\n  the strength of sterling, dealers said. At 1200 gmt, sterling's\n  trade-weighted index was up 0.6 at 72.7.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. URGES BANKS TO WEIGH PHILIPPINE DEBT PLAN\n","article":"  The U.S. is urging reluctant\n  commercial banks to seriously consider accepting a novel\n  Philippine proposal for paying its interest bill and believes\n  the innovation is fully consistent with its Third World debt\n  strategy, a Reagan administration official said.\n      The official's comments also suggest that debtors' pleas\n  for interest rate concessions should be treated much more\n  seriously by the commercial banks, in cases where developing\n  nations are carrying out genuine economic reforms.\n      In addition, he signaled that the banks might want to\n  reconsider the idea of a \"megabank,\" where Third World debt would\n  be pooled, and suggested the administration would support such\n  a plan, even though it was not formally proposing it. At the\n  same time, however, the official expressed reservations that\n  such a scheme would ever get off the ground.\n      The Philippine proposal, together with Argentine\n  suggestions that \"exit bonds\" be issued to end the troublesome\n  role of small banks in the debt strategy, would help to\n  underpin the flagging role of private banks within the plan,\n  the official said in an interview with Reuters.\n      \"All of these things would fit within the definition of our\n  initiative as we have asked it and we think any novel and\n  unique approach such as those should be considered,\" said the\n  official, who asked not to be named.\n      In October 1985, Washington outlined a debt crisis strategy\n  under which commercial banks and multilateral institutions such\n  as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)\n  were urged to step up lending to major debtors nations.\n      In return, America called on the debtor countries to enact\n  economic reforms promoting inflation-free economic growth.\n      \"The multilaterals have been performing well, the debtors\n  have been performing well,\" said the official. But he admitted\n  that the largest Third World debtor, Brazil, was clearly an\n  exception.\n      The official, who played a key role in developing the U.S.\n  Debt strategy and is an administration economic policymaker,\n  also said these new ideas would help commercial banks improve\n  their role in resolving the Third World debt crisis.\n      \"We called at the very beginning for the bank syndications\n  to find procedures or processes whereby they could operate more\n  effectively,\" the official said.\n      Among those ideas, the official said, were suggestions that\n  commercial banks create a \"megabank\" which could swap Third World\n  debt paper for so-called \"exit bonds\" for banks like regional\n  American or European institutions.\n      Such bonds in theory would rid these banks of the need to\n  lend money to their former debtors every time a new money\n  package was assembled, and has been suggested by Argentina in\n  its current negotiations for a new loan of 2.15 billion dlrs.\n      He emphasised that the \"megabank\" was not an administration\n  plan but \"something some people have suggested.\"\n      Other U.S. Officials said Japanese commercial banks are\n  examining the creation of a consortium bank to assume Third\n  World debt. This plan, actively under consideration, would\n  differ slightly from the one the official described.\n      But the official expressed deep misgivings that such a plan\n  would work in the United States.\n      \"If the banks thought that that was a suitable way to go,\n  fine. I don't think they ever will.\"\n      He pointed out that banks would swap their Third World\n  loans for capital in the megabank and might then be reluctant\n  to provide new money to debtors through the new institution.\n      Meanwhile, the official praised the Philippine plan under\n  which it would make interest payments on its debt in cash at no\n  more than 5\/8 pct above Libor.\n      \"The Philippine proposal is very interesting, it's quite\n  unique and I don't think it's something that should be\n  categorically rejected out of hand,\" the official said.\n      Banks which found this level unacceptably low would be\n  offered an alternative of Libor payments in cash and a margin\n  above that of one pct in the form of Philippine Investment\n  Notes.\n      These tradeable, dollar-denominated notes would have a\n  six-year life and if banks swapped them for cash before\n  maturity, the country would guarantee a payment of 7\/8 point\n  over Libor.\n      Until now, bankers have criticised these spreads as far too\n  low. The talks, now in their second week, are aimed at\n  stretching out repayments of 3.6 billion dlrs of debt and\n  granting easier terms on 5.8 billion of already rescheduled\n  debt. The country, which has enjoyed strong political support\n  in Washington since Corazon Aquino came to power early last\n  year, owes an overall 27.8 billion dlrs of debt.\n      But the official denied the plan amounts to interest rate\n  capitalisation, a development until now unacceptable to the\n  banks. \"It's no more interest rate capitalisation than if you\n  have a write down in the spread over Libor from what existed\n  before,\" the official said in comments suggesting some ought to\n  be granted the rate concessions they seek. \"Some people argue\n  that (cutting the spread) is debt forgiveness... What it really\n  is is narrowing the spread on new money,\" he added.\n      He said the U.S. Debt strategy is sufficiently broad as an\n  initiative to include plans like the Philippines'.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"POUND AND CANADIAN DOLLAR CAPTURING ATTENTION\n","article":"  Interest in the currency futures market\n  has shifted to the soaring British pound and the potentially\n  explosive Canadian dollar, and away from the dull Continental\n  and Japanese currencies, analysts said.\n      The June pound, which added 6.3 cents over the past\n  week-and-a-half to reach a new contract high of 1.5930 to the\n  dollar on Monday, has spawned a new-found speculative boom.\n      \"Brokers have to push their clients somewhere...and\n  technically, the pound is in the best shape,\" PaineWebber\n  analyst Jason Gillard said.\n      \"We've tried to take a bullish approach to the pound, and\n  we're going to stay with that, there's no reason to change,\"\n  Smith Barney analyst Craig Sloane said.\n      Many traders took on long pound\/short West German mark\n  futures positions, although some of those cross-trades were\n  liquidated yesterday, Sloane said.\n       The fundamental keys to the pound's rise have been\n  relatively high U.K. interest rates and a vague optimism\n  surrounding the British economy, analysts said.\n      \"Money seems to be chasing yields,\" William Byers, of Bear\n  Stearns, said of the 10-1\/2 pct U.K. base lending rate.\n      Many analysts are skeptical about further gains in the\n  pound, on the inference that the Bank of England will seek to\n  relieve upward pressure on the currency by pushing down\n  interest rates after the nation's budget is released March 17.\n      The budget itself could have an impact, depending on how\n  well it is received, but analysts say relative interest rates\n  and oil income remain the main influences on the currency.\n      However, the market may be able to absorb lower U.K.\n  interest rates, as it has done when other countries have cut\n  their discount rates, and extend the pound's rally, Sloane\n  said.\n      The Canadian dollar has not been rising like the pound, but\n  Sloane and other analysts cautiously predicted a big move soon.\n      The sideways price pattern in the June contract, with\n  smaller and smaller price ranges, has formed a \"bull flag\" on\n  price charts, technically-oriented analysts said.\n      \"It makes for an explosive type of situation that often\n  leads to a breakout,\" in this case to the upside, Sloane said.\n      Byers agreed there was potential for the June Canadian\n  dollar to rally above the 77.00 cent level from the most recent\n  close at 74.80 cents to the U.S. dollar.\n      \"At this stage of the game I'd call the market long-term\n  positive, but for the technical burden of proof you need a\n  close above (the previous contract high of) 75.25,\" Byers said.\n      As to the traditionally more active currencies, stability\n  was the catchword and reluctance the watchword among analysts.\n      Sloane said it was important that June Swiss francs and\n  June German marks held above support at 0.6400 and 0.5400,\n  respectively, closing at 0.6438 and 0.5430.\n      Yesterday's rebound showed the market was still very\n  respectful of the Paris accord, and the threat of central bank\n  intervention by the G-5 nations plus Canada.\n      \"We may still probe to see what the parameters are,\" Byers\n  said, \"but people are very reluctant because they don't know\n  where the central banks will be (to intervene).\"\n      Gillard said the mark could drop to a previous price\n  consolidation area around 0.5250 based on the profoundly\n  sluggish West German economy, but that he would be a buyer at\n  that level.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NEW WORLD PICTURES TO HAVE GAIN FROM SALE OF FIVE PCT OF TAFT BROADCASTING\n","article":"\n  NEW WORLD PICTURES TO HAVE GAIN FROM SALE OF FIVE PCT OF TAFT BROADCASTING\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAMAICA AGREES DRAFT BANK DEBT RESCHEDULING\n","article":"  Jamaica agreed in principle with its\n  bank advisory committee on a rescheduling of 181 mln dlrs of\n  foreign commercial bank debt falling due between 1987 and 1989,\n  the Jamaican Information Service said.\n      Repayments on the debt will be stretched out over 12 years\n  with 8-1\/2 years' grace at 1-1\/4 percentage points over the\n  London Interbank Offered Rate, Libor. The margin on previously\n  restructured debt also will be cut to 1-1\/4 point from 2-1\/2.\n      The package should save Jamaica about 3.3 mln dlrs a year.\n      Prime Minister Edward Seaga, who led the Jamaican\n  delegation, called the terms very favourable to his country.\n      The agreement in principle with the bank advisory committee\n  led by the Bank of Nova Scotia <BNO.TO> comes five days after\n  Jamaica successfully concluded a 125.5 mln dlr rescheduling\n  accord with the Paris Club of creditor nations.\n      That pact in turn followed the International Monetary Fund\n  (IMF)'s approval on March 5 of a 85 mln special drawing rights\n  standby arrangement and a 40.9 mln sdr drawing under the\n  compensatory financing facility.\n      Of Jamaica's foreign debt of 3.3 billion dlrs only 12 pct\n  is owed to commercial banks, and Seaga yesterday reaffirmed the\n  government's policy of not seeking new bank loans.\n  REUTER...^M\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN PLANS NEW TARIFF CUTS\n","article":"  Taiwan plans another round of deep tariff\n  cuts this year to help narrow its trade surplus with the U.S.,\n  A senior economic planner said.\n      Wang Chao-Ming, vice-chairman of the council for economic\n  planning and development, told Reuters Taiwan would further\n  reduce import tariffs on 1,700 products sometime in the second\n  half of this year.\n      Cuts of up to 50 pct on those items were made last year and\n  Wang said further cuts would go much deeper.\n      \"We have to speed up liberalisation and cut import tariffs\n  faster and more substantially,\" he said.\n      The United States, Taiwan's main trading partner, has said\n  the island's import tariffs, still ranging from a high of\n  almost 60 pct, were unacceptable. It has criticised the cuts as\n  too selective.\n       Taiwan's trade surplus with the United States hit 13.6\n  billion dlrs last year. The surplus has boosted foreign\n  exchange reserves to 50 billion dlrs, which Wang said made\n  Taiwan a target for U.S. Protectionism.\n      Wang said the trade surplus and the reserves weakened\n  Taiwan's position in talks with Washington over export quotas,\n  particularly for shoes, textiles and machine tools which are\n  among the island's main export-earners.\n      A special Taiwanese trade delegation leaves for Washington\n  tomorrow to try to renegotiate an agreement signed last year\n  limiting exports of Taiwan textiles.\n      Under the accord, Taiwan's textile export growth was\n  limited to 0.5 pct each year until 1988. Taipei has said it is\n  losing markets to South Korea and Hong Kong which were given\n  more generous terms.\n   REUTER...\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VEGETABLE OILS MAY TIGHTEN DESPITE SEED SURPLUS\n","article":"  Lower production of coconut\n  and palm oils could lead to a decline in vegetable oil stocks\n  this year despite growing supplies of oilseeds, senior oilseeds\n  analyst for Merrill Lynch Capital Markets Mario Balletto said.\n      Balletto told a conference of Canadian farmers at Alberta\n  Agriculture's annual farm outlook conference that the world\n  vegetable oil situation is one of potentially tight supplies.\n      \"Prices for edible oils appear to have more upside\n  potential reflecting strong world demand and an unprecedented\n  decline in the production of tree oils,\" Balletto said.\n      Balletto estimated production of palm, coconut and palm\n  kernel oils this year at 8.5 mln tonnes, down from 9.1 mln\n  tonnes last year, enough to offset higher oilseed output.\n      He estimated total vegetable oil production this year at\n  33.4 mln tonnes, up from 33.0 mln last year, and disappearance\n  at 34.0 mln tonnes, up from 32.6 mln.\n      Unless oilseed crushing increases sharply, he said,\n  disappearance of vegetable oils could exceed production by\n  600,000 tonnes, the largest deficit since 1976.\n      \"If world protein meal demand stagnates, thus limiting the\n  crush of soybeans ... the need for serious supply rationing in\n  the edible oils sector could develop,\" he said.\n      \"This would be relatively favorable for the prices of high\n  oil yielding seeds,\" Balletto said.\n      Oilseeds, on the other hand, remain at depressed prices\n  because of burdensome supplies, he said.\n      World ending stocks of oilseeds are estimated to increase\n  for the fourth straight year to a record 28.4 mln tonnes,\n  compared with 25.4 mln last year.\n      The increase should result from lower disappearance, as\n  production is expected to fall to 184.0 mln tonnes from 185.7\n  mln last year, he said.\n      World soybean production in 1987 totalled a record 98.9 mln\n  tonnes, up from 90.6 mln the previous year, Balletto said,\n  while production of other oilseeds was lower.\n      Higher soybean production in South America and Europe made\n  up for lower production in the United States, he said.\n      Soybeans account for the bulk of the surplus, and U.S.\n  stocks make up most of those, Balletto said.\n      The Commodity Credit Corporation owned 12.7 mln tonnes,\n  about half of the world soybean surplus, he said.\n      Since 1983-84, he said, world oilseed stocks have increased\n  13.1 mln tonnes.\n      \"During the same period, U.S. soybean stocks increased 12.1\n  mln tonnes, becoming the dumping ground of the entire world\n  surplus, courtesy of the CCC and highlighting the artificially\n  high prices caused by the U.S. loan program.\"\n      \"Soybean prices and, to a great extent, world oilseeds\n  prices are likely to be dominated by the loan program, as long\n  as the U.S. soybean surplus continues.\n      For the 1987 crop, he said, prices are likely to hover in a\n  range tied to the U.S. loan program.\n      \"Upside potential for prices is limited by the huge supply\n  overhang while strong underlying support is provided by the\n  U.S. loan rate.\"\n      The problem is likely to become worse as the artificially\n  high prices encourage producers in South America, Canada and\n  Australia to shift from grains to oilseeds, Balletto said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PORTUGUESE TRADE DEFICIT NARROWS IN 1986\n","article":"  Portugal's trade deficit narrowed in\n  1986 to 336.5 billion escudos from 354.8 billion in 1985,\n  according to provisional National Statistics Institute figures.\n      Imports totalled 1,412.6 billion escudos and exports\n  1,076.1 billion compared with 1,326.5 billion and 971.7 billion\n  in 1985.\n      Expressed in terms of dollars, imports rose 21.2 pct and\n  exports 26.1 pct and the trade deficit increased by 7.8 pct.\n      In its first year as a member of the European Community,\n  Portugal recorded a deficit of 98.1 billion escudos in its\n  trade with the other Community states compared with a deficit\n  of 2.4 billion escudos in 1985.\n      Imports from the EC in 1986 totalled 830.2 billion escudos,\n  while exports to the Community were 732.1 billion, compared\n  with 609.5 billion and 607.1 billion the previous year.\n      Portugal's deficit with Spain was 83.2 billion escudos\n  against 57.7 billion in 1985, with Italy it was 70.4 billion\n  against 30.3 billion, and with West Germany 40.5 billion\n  against 19.1 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL'S GROS TO MEET BANKS ON TRADE LINE ISSUE\n","article":"  Brazil's central bank governor\n  Francisco Gros will meet senior commercial bankers here today\n  in a new attempt to defuse the anger generated by the country's\n  unilateral suspension of interest payments on 68 billion dlrs\n  of foreign commercial bank debt, bankers said.\n      Gros will meet representatives of Citibank, the head of\n  Brazil's bank advisory committee, and of co-heads Morgan\n  Guaranty Trust Co and Lloyds Bank Plc.\n      High on the agenda will be banks' complaints about Brazil's\n  accompanying freeze on some 15 billion dlrs of short-term trade\n  and interbank lines, the bankers said.\n      Brazil's several hundred creditor banks worldwide agreed\n  last March to extend the credit lines until March 31, 1987, as\n  part of a 31 billion dlr financing package.\n      Bankers said the looming expiry of this commitment, coupled\n  with Brazil's freeze, raised a spate of technical and legal\n  questions that the banks want to discuss with Gros.\n      They said they face problems because of the freeze\n  requirement that any payment due to be made by a Brazilian bank\n  under the trade facility must be deposited instead with the\n  central bank. This means foreign bankers cannot easily switch\n  their credit lines from one borrower to another.\n      The requirement to deposit with the central bank has also\n  meant Brazilian banks have been able to negotiate lower\n  interest-rate spreads, because foreign banks would rather\n  accept a reduced margin than see their money deposited with the\n  central bank.\n      \"It's caused a lot of ill-will with the banking community,\"\n  one banker said.\n      Gros is also expected to brief the banks on the results of\n  a 10-day tour of Europe and Japan that he and finance minister\n  Dilson Funaro have just completed to seek official support for\n  Brazil's debt stance.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SERVICE RESOURCES CORP <SRC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit five cts vs loss 1.71 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 196,000 vs loss 2,388,000\n      Sales 40.5 mln vs 43.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,212,000 vs 1,482,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 71 cts vs loss 6.24 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 1,799,000 vs loss 8,991,000\n      Sales 154.5 mln vs 145.0 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes losses from discontinued operations of\n  712,000 dlrs vs 2,843,000 dlrs in quarter and 1,972,000 dlrs vs\n  10.6 mln dlrs in year.\n      1986 net excludes extraordinary loss 1,167,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and gain 628,000 dlrs in year.\n      1986 year net includes gain one mln dlrs from sale of\n  building and gain 3,200,000 dlrs from termination of pension\n  plan.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS INC <TDS> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 22 cts vs 22 cts\n      Oper net 2,058,000 vs 2,129,000\n      Revs 44.5 mln vs 35.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 9,589,000 vs 9,348,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr 94 cts vs 94 cts\n      Oper net 8,889,000 vs 8,570,000\n      Revs 155.0 mln vs 123.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 9,450,000 vs 9,174,000\n      NOTE: Net excludes discontinued operations gain 1,637,000\n  dlrs vs loss 720,000 dlrs in quarter and gain 4,679,000 dlrs vs\n  loss 720,000 dlrs in year.\n      1986 net both periods includes charge 865,000 dlrs from\n  repal of investment tax credits.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NEW WORLD PICTURES <NWP> SELLS TAFT <TFB> STAKE\n","article":"  New World Pictures Ltd said it sold\n  456,900 shares or about five pct of Taft Broadcasting Co common\n  stock for a gain of 17.8 mln dlrs.\n      The company said in a brief statement that it acquired the\n  stock in late 1986.  It gave no further details and company\n  officials were not immediately available for comment.\n      On Friday, Taft vice chairman Dudley S. Taft and\n  Narragansett Capital Inc <NARR> offered to acquire Taft for 145\n  dlrs per share.  Dudley Taft and his family have owned 12 pct\n  of the company.\n      An investment group leds by Robert M. Bass, one of the Bass\n  brothers of Fort Worth, Texas, has been reported as owning\n  about 25 pct of Taft stock, and <American Financial Corp>\n  chairman Carl Lindner has been reported to own about 16 pct. \n  Both Bass and Linder have acquired Taft shares in recent months.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOVIET ECONOMIST SEES FEW GAINS IN U.S. TRADE\n","article":"  There is little chance Soviet exports\n  to the United States will rise in 1987, but Moscow's current\n  trade reforms should result in more trade in manufactured goods\n  in future, a Soviet economist said.\n      Sergey Frolov, chief economist at Amtorg Trading Corp, an\n  agent for Soviet trade organisations and industries, told a\n  U.S.-USSR business meeting the Soviet Union produces few items\n  that western nations want.\n      But reforms, including upgrading the quality of goods and\n  allowing joint ventures with foreign firms, will encourage\n  modest export gains in future.\n      Frolov said the Soviet Union exported 500 mln dlrs worth of\n  goods to the United States in 1986 and imported 1.5 billion\n  dlrs worth. He gave no trade forecast for 1987.\n      But he said that even if all obstacles were removed, total\n  trade between the two countries would remain between two and\n  three billion dlrs a year.\n      \"The post-detente embargoes have taught the USSR to limit\n  its trading with the U.S.,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SWISS SIGHT DEPOSITS FALL 2.88 BILLION FRANCS\n","article":"  Sight deposits of commercial banks at\n  the Swiss National Bank fell 2.88 billion Swiss francs in the\n  first 10 days of March to 7.65 billion, the National Bank said.\n      Foreign exchange reserves rose 3.30 billion francs to 33.94\n  billion.\n      Sight deposits are a major indicator of money market\n  liquidity in Switzerland.\n      The National Bank said banks paid back 5.5 billion francs\n  of central bank credit taken out at the end of February for the\n  end-month liquidity requirement.\n      This drain was offset in part by new currency swaps, which\n  had the effect of increasing the National Bank's foreign\n  exchange holdings.\n      Bank notes in circulation fell 309.1 mln francs to 24.49\n  billion, and other deposits on call -- basically government\n  funds -- rose 1.06 billion to 2.10 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ECUADOR CRUDE OIL EXPORTS STOPPED FOR FIVE MONTHS\n","article":"  Ecuador needs 120 mln dlrs to repair the\n  damage to its oil export pipeline caused by last week\"s\n  earthquake, which will stop crude exports for five months,\n  energy and mines minister Javier Espinosa Teran said.\n      Espinosa said yesterday the pipeline, which carries crude\n  from jungle fields to the Pacific Ocean coast of Balao, would\n  be repaired with the help of Texaco Inc <TX.N> and a Mexican\n  and an Argentine firm.\n      President Leon Febres Cordero said two days ago that\n  Ecuador, an OPEC member, would have to suspend crude exports\n  for four months due to the quake.\n      Oil traditionally accounts for up to two-thirds of\n  Ecuador's total exports and as much as 60 pct of government\n  revenues.\n      Deputy energy minister Fernando Santos Alvite said Ecuador\n  would have to import six to seven mln barrels of crude oil to\n  meet its needs until the line was repaired.\n      The Ecuadorean minister at the Presidency, Patricio\n  Quevedo, told reporters that Venezuela will lend Ecuador five\n  mln barrels of crude, which would repaid in kind after a\n  180-day period.\n      He added the Caracas-based Andean Development Corp had\n  granted a loan of 11.7 mln dlrs towards repairing the pipeline,\n  50 km of which had been damaged in the quake.\n      In Quito, Foreign Minister Rafael Garcia Velasco yesterday\n  summoned ambassadors from about 40 countries to whom he issued\n  appeal for emergency aid for the country. Only three countries,\n  the U.S., Colombia and Venezuela, had offered assistance.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOUTHLIFE HOLDING CO <SLHC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr seven cts vs 20 cts\n      Oper net 347,855 vs 787,117\n      Revs 6,748,868 vs 6,849,499\n      Avg shrs 5,391,666 vs 4,277,157\n      Year\n      Oper shr 56 cts vs 46 cts\n      Oper net 2,617,528 vs 2,003,661\n      Revs 27.1 mln vs 27.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,763,793 vs 3,377,157\n      NOTE: Net excludes realized gains on investments of 925,576\n  dlrs vs 577,389 dlrs in quarter and 1,776,341 dlrs vs 797,932\n  dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ALGERIA REGULATES USE OF COFFEE ADDITIVES\n","article":"  The Algerian authorities have regulated\n  the addition of chickpeas and barley used to make imported\n  coffee go further, the official APS news agency reported.\n      Taking advantage of scarcity, private roasters were selling\n  ground coffee mixtures which were 75 pct non-coffee, it said.\n  Since the beginning of March, the coffee market has been\n  strictly regulated by the state food marketing monopoly Enapal.\n      Now a third of imported coffee will be sold as pure beans\n  and two thirds as a ground mixture with a choice of 30 pct\n  chickpeas or 30 pct barley. In March private dealers will\n  handle 2,050 tonnes of pure coffee and Enapal 6,050 tonnes of\n  mixtures.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HUTCHISON SEES HIGHER PAYOUT, SATISFACTORY PROFITS\n","article":"  Hutchison Whampoa Ltd <HWHH.HK>\n  expects satisfactory profits in 1987 and will pay a higher\n  dividend for the year, chairman Li Ka-shing said.\n      He did not make any specific projections for the company's\n  earnings this year but he said the firm will pay a dividend of\n  not less than 32.5 cents per share after a proposed\n  four-for-one stock split and a one-for-four bonus issue.\n      It paid total dividends of 1.30 dlrs per share last year,\n  equal to 26 cents per share, adjusting for the bonus and share\n  split.\n      Hutchison, which has operations ranging from trading to\n  property and container terminals, earlier reported after-tax\n  profits of 1.62 billion dlrs against 1.19 billion dlrs in 1985.\n      The 1986 total excluded extraordinary gains of 563 mln\n  dlrs, partly from the sale of some of its stake in the South\n  China Morning Post, the leading English language newspaper,\n  compared with 369 mln dlrs the previous year. It said it\n  expects another 277 mln dlr gain in 1987 from the sale of the\n  remaining shares.\n      Li said Hong Kong's property market remains strong while\n  its economy is performing better than forecast with its largely\n  export-led growth.\n      Gross domestic product grew by nearly nine pct last year\n  against an initial government projection of 4.5 pct.\n      But he said Hong Kong's large trade deficit with the U.S.\n  May result in protectionist measures that will adversely affect\n  the British colony.\n      He said all of the company's major operations showed\n  improved results in 1986.\n      Hutchison said earlier it will sell its entire 23.5 pct\n  interest in Hongkong Electric Holdings Ltd <HKEH.HK> to\n  <Cavendish International Holdings Ltd>, itself a spin-off from\n  Hongkong Electric.\n      Under a reorganisation announced separately, Hongkong\n  Electric will spin off all its non-electricity related\n  activities into Cavendish, which will be listed on the local\n  stock exchange. Hongkong Electric shareholders will receive one\n  share in Cavendish for every Hongkong Electric share.\n      Cavendish will buy the 348.2 mln Hongkong Electric shares\n  from Hutchison by issuing 975 mln new shares.\n      The spin-off and the sale of Hongkong Electric shares will\n  give Hutchison a 53 pct stake in Cavendish.\n      Li said the decision to spin-off Cavendish is to relieve\n  Hongkong Electric of public criticism of the power company for\n  making risky investments. But he denied there was pressure from\n  the government for the spin-off.\n      He said Cavendish will have seven billion dlrs of assets\n  and will be almost debt free, with 340 mln dlrs of liabilites.\n  Its major assets are the Hong Kong Hilton Hotel, property\n  development, and interests in Husky Oil Ltd <HYO.TO> of Canada\n  and Pearson Plc <PSON.L> of Britain.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TALKING POINT\/OIL SERVICES TURNAROUND SEEN\n","article":"  The oil services industry is on the\n  verge of a recovery because of rising crude prices, oil\n  industry analysts said.\n      The analysts, who issued buy recommendations on some\n  stocks, said the recovery in oil services should begin in the\n  second half of 1987, after drilling activity bottoms out in the\n  first half, and continue into the next decade.\n       \"People, however, cannot afford to wait for drilling to go\n  up to start buying,\" said Sandi Haber Sweeney, senior research\n  analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein and Co Inc.\n      Among the recommended buys are Schlumberger Ltd <SLB>,\n  Halliburton Co <HAL>, Dresser Industries <DI>, Baker\n  International <BKO>, and McDermott International Inc <MDR>,\n  which may be the target of a takeover by Harold Simmons, a\n  Dallas-based investor.\n      Analysts said although major oil companies are increasing\n  exploration and development overseas, they expect the pickup in\n  oil services will begin in the U.S.\n      \"Activity in the U.S. is so depressed it should move up\n  faster,\" said Vishnu Sharp of Goldman Sachs.\n      The number of active oil drilling rigs in the U.S. was 766\n  last week compared with 1,212 rigs one year ago, Huges Tool Co\n  <HT> figures show.\n      The average number of working rigs in the U.S. for 1987 is\n  projected at 978 versus 964 in 1986, according to Ike Kerridge,\n  vice president of stockholder relations at Hughes Tool. \"The\n  first significant pickup in drilling activity will occur in the\n  second half of 1988,\" Kerridge said.\n      Overseas drilling activity is expected to follow a similar\n  pattern, Kerridge said.\n      \"Halliburton is the best value,\" said Jeffrey Freedman,\n  vice president at Smith Barney, Harris and Upham Inc, adding\n  the company controls the greatest amount of liquidity of common\n  stock market value, is diversifed in non-oil field businesess,\n  and has the lowest multiple of stock price to operating cash\n  flow including debt.\n      Schlumberger is Freedman's second favorite oil service\n  stock.\n      \"Schlumberger is expected to continue to be the dominant\n  technical leader in the industry,\" Freedman said.\n      \"Schlumberger's management shift, asset restructuring,\n  including a pending merger of Fairchild Semiconductor, and its\n  considerable cash horde sets the stage for the company to\n  maximize its significant industry advantage and capitalize on\n  the project upturn in exploration and development activity,\"\n  according to a report by George Gaspar, first vice president at\n  Robert W. Baird and Co Inc.\n      Gaspar estimates earnings per share for Schlumberger at 25\n  cts for 1987 and one to 1.75 dlrs in 1988 compared with 20 cts\n  in 1986 excluding a fourth quarter special charge of 1.87\n  billion dlrs.\n      Bernstein's Sandi Sweeney is recommending a group of oil\n  service companies and said choosing among them is difficult.\n  Her favorite is Baker International, which is involved in a\n  possible merger with Hughes Tool Co.\n      Dresser Industries will also benefit from the recovery but\n  possibly not as much as other companies because it is not a\n  pure service company, Sweeney said.\n      Dresser is expected to improve profitability owing to cost\n  reductions and streamlined operations, including the sale and\n  leaseback of its headquarters, said Swarup.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CREDITANSTALT SEES HIGHER 1987 DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Creditanstalt-Bankverein <CABV.VI> is\n  likely to raise its 1987 dividend from the 1986 payment of 12\n  pct of share capital, deputy general-director Guido\n  Schmidt-Chiari said.\n      The 1985 dividend was 10 pct, unchanged from the previous\n  year and Schmidt-Chiari noted that the parent bank's share\n  capital had risen to 3.1 billion schillings at the end of 1986\n  from 2.7 billion a year earlier.\n      Schmidt-Chiari made the forecast at a news conference when\n  the bank announced a 1986 consolidated banking group net profit\n  of 496.7 mln schillings for 1986, against 354.5 mln in 1985.\n      Schmidt-Chiari did not elaborate on his dividend forecast.\n      The banking group's consolidated balance sheet total rose\n  to 453.4 billion schillings at year-end from 425.4 billion.\n      General director Hannes Androsch said higher investment\n  would lead to continuing growth in profits in future. Last\n  year's better profits had resulted from improvements in\n  services provided by the bank and also in profits on schilling\n  lending.\n      Schilling lending had grown last year and interest rate\n  margins had also improved but remained unsatisfactory when\n  compared with those in other countries, he said.\n      Increased provisions for possible bad debts at home and\n  abroad, particularly in Latin America, had lowered profits,\n  Androsch said, but declined to give an exact figure.\n      Schmidt-Chiari said that foreign lending business had\n  fallen significantly due to exchange rate fluctuations,\n  removing some 22 billion schillings from the balance sheet\n  total.\n      In an attempt to generate more foreign business,\n  representative offices would be opened this year in Tokyo, Hong\n  Kong, Moscow and Prague. Androsch welcomed government plans to\n  abolish legal controls on foreigners buying voting shares and\n  drawing dividends.\n      Preference shares of state-controlled Creditanstalt rose\n  eight schillings on the Vienna Bourse today to 2,008. Brokers\n  said improved results had been widely expected by investors.\n      Androsch said industrial holdings had performed better in\n  1986 than in previous years, giving a return on investment of\n  2.6 pct compared with 1.3 pct in 1985. Creditanstalt, Austria's\n  largest bank, holds majority interests in 10 medium-sized and\n  large Austrian companies.\n      But he forecast its biggest industrial subsidiary, Steyr\n  -Daimler-Puch AG <SDPV.VI> would return a 1987 result similar\n  to the expected 1986 operating loss of 700 mln schillings.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CPC <CPC> TO SELL UNIT TO HI-PORT <HIPT>\n","article":"  CPC International Inc\n  said it has agreed in principle to sell its Peterson\/Puritain\n  Inc subsidiary to Hi-Port Industries Inc.\n      CPC said the sale is not expected to have a significant\n  impact on its earnings and is subject to approval by boards of\n  both companies.  Terms were not disclosed.\n      Peterson\/Purittan is a contract packager of personal care\n  and household products.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PULITZER PUBLISHING CO <PLTZC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 47 cts vs 40 cts\n      Net 4,258,000 vs 5,942,000\n      Revs 92.6 mln vs 77.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 8,977,000 vs 15.0 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.22 dlrs vs 1.34 dlrs\n      Net 16.4 mln vs 20.0 mln\n      Revs 329.1 mln vs 272.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 13.5 mln vs 15.0 mln\n      NOTE: Interest expense 4,384,000 dlrs vs 545,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and 6,979,000 dlrs vs 2,425,000 dlrs in year.\n      1986 year net reflects undisclosed amount of expenses for\n  defense of takeover effort.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HUGHES TOOL SAYS IT APPROVES REVISED TERMS FOR MERGER WITH BAKER INTERNATIONAL\n","article":"\n  HUGHES TOOL SAYS IT APPROVES REVISED TERMS FOR MERGER WITH BAKER INTERNATIONAL\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OPEC REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO FIXED PRICES, CEILING\n","article":"  OPEC has reaffirmed its commitment to\n  fixed crude oil prices of around 18 dlrs a barrel and an\n  overall output ceiling of 15.8 mln barrels per day (bpd) to\n  defend prices, its president Rilwanu Lukman said.\n      He told a news conference here \"After due consultation with\n  my colleagues in OPEC, I hereby wish to emphasize that Nigeria\n  and all member countries of OPEC remain determined to uphold\n  the December agreement by adhering strictly to their various\n  quotas and official selling prices.\"\n      Lukman added no extraordinary OPEC conference was planned.\n      \"We are in a position to re-confirm that, despite misleading\n  news in foreign media to the contrary, ... OPEC member\n  countries as a whole produced below their agreed quota in the\n  month of February,\" Lukman, who is Nigerian oil minister, said.\n      Lukman put the overall OPEC output shortfall in February at\n  900,000 bpd and said this was as a result of their firm\n  determination to defend official selling prices of 18 dlrs\n  agreed upon last December in Geneva.\n      The December agreement set an overall output ceiling for\n  OPEC of 15.8 mln bpd for first half 1987 and restored fixed\n  prices as from February 1 around a reference point of 18 dlrs.\n      Oil prices rallied immediately after the Geneva accord but\n  fell again last month on reports that OPEC was producing more\n  than the agreed level.\n      \"The idea was to suggest that OPEC's agreement would not\n  hold and this caused some customers to hold back purchases of\n  OPEC oil and resort to destocking to meet their needs,\" Lukman\n  said.\n      He said the 900,000 bpd shortfall last February was based\n  on the verified figure for 10 out of OPEC's 13 members, adding\n  that Nigeria alone had a shortfall in production of 100,000\n  bpd.\n      Iraq disassociated itself from the December agreement,\n  while the production figures of Ecuador and the United Arab\n  Emirates needed to be verified, Lukman said.\n      \"If that is the price we have to pay to make the agreement\n  succeed, we are ready ... OPEC is not changing its price level\n  of 18 dlrs,\" the group's president said.\n      He said the OPEC price differentials committee meeting\n  formerly postponed to April had been put off indefinitely.\n      \"Furthermore, no extraordinary meeting of the conference is\n  at the moment contemplated since most agreements reached in\n  December are being adhered to,\" he said.\n      Asked if the committee did not need to meet soon to narrow\n  the gaps in the prices of the various OPEC crudes -- fixed in\n  relation to the 18 dlr benchmark -- Lukman replied \"We consider\n  the defence of our prices much more crucial than differentials.\"\n      Lukman said OPEC was aware that consumers had heavily drawn\n  on stocks of both crude oil and refined products to levels well\n  below this time last year and soon they would return to the\n  market in search of crude.\n      \"We don't see that there is going to be any difficulty in\n  maintaining the 18 dlr price throughout the rest of the year,\"\n  Lukman said.\n      The OPEC president praised non-OPEC oil producers, which he\n  said had contributed to the group's efforts to stabilise\n  prices, but he criticised Britain for maintaining its long-held\n  view not to do anything to help the market.\n      \"We are quite confident, however, that in the long-term with\n  two-thirds of the world's reserves in OPEC hands, the future is\n  ours. We will use that advantage responsibly,\" he said.\n      Lukman described the disruption in Ecuador's output\n  following an earthquake as tragic, but refused to say if the\n  South American country would be allowed a higher output quota\n  when it recovered from the disaster.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DUTCH PORT UNION TO MEET PARLIAMENTARIANS TODAY\n","article":"  Dutch port and transport union, FNV,\n  is presenting its case against 800 planned redundancies in\n  Rotterdam's general cargo sector to parliament's standing\n  committee on social affairs today, a union spokesman said.\n      With 285 of the 4,000-strong workforce on strike, the union\n  will tell the committee the government has a duty to help solve\n  the dispute that has been disrupting the general cargo sector\n  for more than seven weeks, the spokesman added.\n      The union will also take its case against the redundancies,\n  350 of them planned for this year, to a court in Amsterdam\n  tomorrow, he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"QINTEX AGAIN EXTENDS PRINCEVILLE <PVDC> OFFER\n","article":"  <Qintex America Ltd> said it is again\n  extending its offer of 13 dlrs a share for 3.3 mln Princeville\n  Development Corp shares until today from yesterday.\n      At midnight yesterday, 7,242,117 Princeville shares had\n  been tendered, up from 5,887,165 shares 24 hours earlier.\n      Qintex said it is extending the offer to allow Princeville\n  to comply with federal law restricting the ownership of U.S.\n  airlines by non-U.S. citizens and to finalize the terms and\n  conditions of the letter of credit or bank guarantee required\n  under the previously announced acquisition agreement.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ST. JOE GOLD <SJG> TO DEVELOP MINE\n","article":"  St. Joe Gold Corp said it plans to\n  proceed with development of its Golden Patricia gold property\n  in northwestern Ontario.\n      It said about five mln dlrs will be spent to continue\n  underground development and obtain operating permits and\n  another 10.2 mln dlrs is expected to be required to complete\n  underground development, construct a mill and provide the\n  infrastructure needed to put the mine into commercial\n  production.\n      St. Joe Gold said if the necessary operating permits were\n  granted in time, it would start gold production in the second\n  half of the year ending October 31, 1988 at an annual rate of\n  about 40,000 troy ounces.\n      The company said the property is estimated to contain over\n  500,000 troy ounces of gold, and the initial mining project\n  covers only seven of 192 claims, with drill-indicated reserves\n  of 293,000 short tons grading 0.88 troy ounce of gold per ton.\n      It said initial mine output is expected to be about 150\n  tons of ore daily.\n      St. Joe Gold said the Golden Patricia vein has not been\n  tested at depth or along strike to the east and west and\n  exploration is continuing on the Golden Patricia property and\n  the adjacent wholly-owned Muskeg Lake property.\n      The company also said its Richmond Hill gold and silver\n  deposit in the Carbonate district of western South Dakota has\n  been shown by drilling to contain about 3,900,000 tons grading\n  0.055 troy ounce of gold and 0.23 troy ounce of silver per ton.\n   It said preliminary results are encouraging and a feasibility\n  study is nearing completion.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NOVELL <NOVL> SETS TWO FOR ONE STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Novell Inc said its board\n  declared a two-for-one stock split, payable to holders of\n  record at the close of business on MArch 31.\n      It said shareholders at the annual meeting approved a\n  doubling of authorized common shares to 30 mln from 15 mln and\n  a limitation of directors' liability.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AGENCY TO REVIEW JOHNSON\/JOHNSON <JNJ> SWEETNER\n","article":"  Johnson and Johnson said the U.S.\n  Food and Drug Administration has notified the company its food\n  additive petition for a high-intensity sweetener has been\n  formally accepted and now will be reviewed by the agency.\n      The company said the product, with the generic name of\n  sucralose, is made from sugar and tastes like sugar, but is\n  about 600 times sweeter.\n      It yields no calories and does not promote tooth decay.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HEART FEDERAL <HFED> SETS TWO FOR ONE SPLIT\n","article":"  Heart Federal Savings and Loan\n  Association said its board declared a two-for-one stock split,\n  payable April 30 to holders of record April 15.\n      The company said the split is subject to shareholder\n  approval at the April 15 annual meeting of an increase in\n  authorized common shares to 10 mln from five mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NOVO INDUSTRI A\/S (NVO.CO) YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Pre-tax income 788 mln Danish crowns vs 872 mln\n      Sales 4.21 billion crowns vs 4.11 billion\n      Income after tax 521 mln crowns vs 604 mln\n      Earnings per 20-crown share 20.45 crowns vs 23.79\n      Dividend 20 pct (unchanged).\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"OVERMYER CORP <OMCO> REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts in prior qtr\n      Payable March 31\n      Record March 23\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UNIFORCE TEMPORARY PERSONNEL INC <UNFR> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr 18 cts vs 14 cts\n      Net 556,036 vs 403,945\n      Sales 15.6 mln vs 13.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,132,555 vs 2,934,285\n      Year\n      Shr 60 cts vs 48 cts\n      Net 1,805,229 vs 1,400,247\n      Sales 60.1 mln vs 52.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,012,917 vs 2,940,219\n      NOTE: 1985 share data adjusted to reflect three for two\n  stock split effective June 30, 1986\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 106 MLN STG ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it gave the\n  money market assistance worth 106 mln stg this afternoon,\n  buying bank bills at the rates established on Monday.\n      The Bank bought 11 mln stg of band one bills at 10-3\/8 pct\n  and 95 mln stg of band two paper at 10-5\/16 pct. This is the\n  first time that it has intervened today.\n      The Bank has revised its estimate of the liquidity shortage\n  in the market down to 250 mln stg from 300 mln initially.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PIC'N'SAVE CORP <PICN> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 45 cts vs 50 cts\n      Net 18.0 mln vs 19.9 mln\n      Sales 116.1 mln vs 108.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.01 dlrs vs 1.04 dlrs\n      Net 39.8 mln vs 41.1 mln\n      Sales 304.5 mln vs 278.1 mln\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for three-for-two split in June 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GOODYEAR TIRE TO RECEIVE 588 MLN DLRS FOR GOODYEAR AEROSPACE FROM LORAL CORP\n","article":"\n  GOODYEAR TIRE TO RECEIVE 588 MLN DLRS FOR GOODYEAR AEROSPACE FROM LORAL CORP\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HUGHES TOOL <HT> BOARD APPROVES MERGER\n","article":"  Hughes Tool Co said its board voted at\n  a special meeting last night to approve a new agreement with\n  regulators that would allow the company to complete its\n  proposed merger with Baker International Corp <BKO>.\n      The agreement, approved by the U.S. Department of Justice\n  yesterday, will give the merged company, Baker Hughes, six\n  months instead of three to sell certain assets.\n      The pact also allows a three-month extension, if warranted,\n  and limits the obligation of the new company to give financial\n  support to the businesses to be divested, pending their sale.\n      The company said its board recommended that shareholders\n  approve the merger of the oilfield service companies. A\n  previously adjourned meeting of Hughes Tool stockholders will\n  be resumed this afternoon, it said.\n      \"Hughes will work with Baker and the Justice Department\n  towards negotiating the final form of the consent decree and\n  filing it as soon as possible,\" the company said in a\n  statement. Closing of the merger would occur immediately after\n  the filing, it said.\n      The assets to be sold under the consent decree consist of\n  Baker's domestic oilfield drilling bit business and its\n  domestic submersible electric pump business. Baker has an\n  agreement to sell the pump business to Trico Industries Inc\n  <TRO>.\n      The financial terms of the merger are unchanged, a Hughes\n  spokesman said. Under those terms, each Baker common share and\n  Hughes common share would be converted into one share and 8\/10\n  of a share, respectively, of Baker Hughes Inc, which would be\n  formed as a new holding company.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AGENCY TO REVIEW JOHNSON AND JOHNSON SWEETENER\n","article":"  Johnson and Johnson said the U.S.\n  Food and Drug Administration has notified the company its food\n  additive petition for a high-intensity sweetener has been\n  formally accepted and now will be reviewed by the agency.\n      The company said the product, with the generic name of\n  sucralose, is made from sugar and tastes like sugar, but is\n  about 600 times sweeter.\n      It yields no calories and does not promote tooth decay.\n      Johnson and Johnson said the sweetner is being jointly\n  developed with Tate and Lyle PLC <TATL>.\n      Tate and Lyle is seeking approval in Canada, the United\n  Kingdom and other European countries, Johnson and Johnson said.\n  The company noted its petition covering the product and its\n  safety evaluation were submitted to the FDA last month.\n      While awaiting FDA approval, the company said, it is\n  proceeding with plans for commercialization through its McNeil\n  Specialty Products Co subsidiary.\n      Johnson and Johnson said it is operating under a licensing\n  agreement with Tate and Lyle, whose collaborative research with\n  scientists at Queen Elizabeth College in London led to the\n  discovery of Sucralose in 1976.\n      Patents and licensing agreements control the use of\n  sucralose through the year 2001, Johnson and Johnson said.\n      Sucralose is a chlorinated derivative of ordinary sugar.\n  The carbon-chloride bonds in sucralose are stable and are not\n  broken during digestion or metabolism.\n      Sucralose is essentially not metabollized by the body. The\n  chlorine content enhances sweetness without providing calories.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HANSON TRUST PLC UNIT TO SELL KAISER CEMENT TERMINAL AND PLANT FOR 50 MLN DLRS\n","article":"\n  HANSON TRUST PLC UNIT TO SELL KAISER CEMENT TERMINAL AND PLANT FOR 50 MLN DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRITON ENERGY <OIL> AFFILIATE IN CANADIAN FIND\n","article":"  Triton Energy Corp said its 70 pct owned\n  <Canadian Worldwide Energy Ltd> affiliate's Lasmo et al\n  Tableland 4-36-2-10W2 well in Saskatchewan flowed 567 barrels\n  of 37 degree gravity oil through a 17\/64 inch choke from depths\n  of 8,531 to 8,548 feet and 636 barrels of oil per day through a\n  20\/64 inch choke from depths of 8,500 to 8,507 feet.\n      Triton said because of the well's status as a deep\n  exploratory well, production qualifies for a five-year royalty\n  holiday under the Saskatchewan drilling incentive products.\n      It said the well's initial production is expected to be\n  restricted to an allowable level of about 300 barrels a day,\n  although it is capable of sustaining much higher rates.\n      The company said London and Scottish Marine Oil PLC owns a\n  50 pct interest in the well and its spacing unit, Canadian\n  Worldwide 25 pct, <Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Corp> 10 pct,\n  <Interprovincial Pipeline Ltd's> Home Oil Co Ltd 7.5 pct and\n  Scurry-Rainbow Oil Ltd <SRB> 7.5 pct.\n      Triton said Royal Dutch\/Shell Group's <RD> <SC> Shell\n  Canada Ltd <SHC> affiliate retains a convertible overriding\n  interest in the well.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HUNGARY HOPES DEVALUATION WILL END TRADE DEFICIT\n","article":"  National Bank of Hungary first\n  vice-president Janos Fekete said he hoped a planned eight pct\n  devaluation of the forint will spur exports and redress last\n  year's severe trade deficit with the West.\n      Fekete told Reuters in an interview Hungary must achieve at\n  least equilibrium on its hard currency trade.\n      \"It is useful to have a devaluation,\" he said. \"There is now a\n  real push to our exports and a bit of a curb to our imports.\"\n      The official news agency MTI said today Hungary would\n  devalue by eight pct and it expected the new rates to be\n  announced later today. Fekete said the rates would come into\n  effect tomorrow.\n      He said one reason for the devaluation was that Hungary had\n  a higher rate of inflation over the past two years than its\n  main partners (around eight pct in 1985 and between five and\n  5.5 pct in 1986).\n      This was partly an after-effect of action Hungary took to\n  prevent inflation from soaring during the oil price shocks of\n  the 1970s, he added.\n      Hungary devalued by a similar amount last September and by\n  between three and four pct early last year.\n      But the country's hard currency trade balance nevertheless\n  fell into a deficit of 539.4 mln dlrs from a surplus of 295.3\n  mln in 1986 and 1.2 billion in 1985.\n      Fekete said Hungary was hoping for a hard currency trade\n  surplus of between 200 and 300 mln dlrs this year, but that a\n  more likely outcome would be closer to equilibrium on total\n  hard currency trade of around 10 billion dlrs.\n      One Western commercial attache here said: \"Devaluation of\n  itself will not change anything. It will only be useful if they\n  also make efforts to restructure industry and improve the\n  quality of their export goods.\"\n      Fekete said he hoped to raise credits on good terms this\n  year to invest in restructuring industry.\n      It would be his role to persuade international banks to\n  cooperate in this process. He noted Hungary had been given an\n  AA rating enabling it to raise money on the Japanese Samurai\n  bond market.\n      Hungary's net hard currency debt soared to 7.79 billion\n  dlrs last year from 5.01 billion in 1985, partly because of a\n  current account deficit of 1.42 billion dlrs and partly because\n  the fall in the dollar increased the dollar value of debt\n  denominated in marks or yen.\n      He said he feared net debt would also rise slightly this\n  year, but he was in favour of borrowing for the purpose of\n  modernisation.\n      \"I am for credits to invest for that purpose,\" he said. \"I am\n  against credits for consumption.\" He forecast gross domestic\n  product growth of two pct this year, from one pct in 1986.\n     Fekete said Hungary would continue to restructure its debt\n  profile by prepaying high interest shorter and medium term\n  loans with cheaper long term money for which it was looking\n  more and more to the fixed interest rate bond market, where he\n  considered rates to be low.\n      Hard currency foreign exchange reserves would stay at\n  around 3.5 billion dlrs, he said. On the budget deficit, which\n  tripled to a provisional 47 billion forints last year after\n  quadrupling in 1985, Fekete said the finance ministry was\n  working out measures to reduce an approved target deficit for\n  this year of 43.8 billion forints to between 30 and 35 billion\n  forints.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECUADOR DEPUTY MINISTER SEEKS OIL AID IN VENEZUELA\n","article":"  Ecuador's deputy energy minister\n  Fernando Santos Alvite arrived here last night for talks on\n  further Venezuelan assistance to his country's oil industry\n  following last week's earthquake, officials said.\n      Ecuador was obliged to suspend crude oil exports for an\n  expected five months as a result of damage to 25 miles of\n  pipeline linking its jungle oil fields with the Pacific port of\n  Balao. Oil normally accounts for 60 pct of its exports.\n      Fellow OPEC member Venezuela has already agreed to lend\n  Ecuador five mln barrels of crude, to be repaid in kind after\n  180 days, to help meet its domestic consumption needs.\n      The officials could neither confirm nor deny reports that\n  Venezuela will temporarily produce Ecuador's entire OPEC quota,\n  set at 210,000 barrels per day for first half 1987.\n      \"All options are open at this moment in the context of\n  cooperation on oil production,\" a Venezuelan energy and mines\n  ministry source said.\n      Discussions are also under way to arrive at a formula to\n  compensate Ecuador for the loss in oil export revenue while the\n  pipeline is repaired, officials said.\n      Santos Alvite last night met Venezuelan energy and mines\n  minister Arturo Hernandez Grisanti and will today hold talks at\n  technical level, officials said.\n      Industry sources said that among the options are for\n  Venezuela to produce Ecuador's entire quota, or for Venezuela\n  and non-OPEC Mexico to share it and for the latter to supply\n  Ecuador's Far Eastern clients.\n      But the ministry source said that no decision has yet been\n  reached on the matter, and that an announcement would be made\n  in due course.\n      Santos Alvite said earlier in Quito that Ecuador would have\n  to import six to seven mln barrels of crude oil to meet its\n  needs until the line was repaired.\n      Ecuador energy and mines minister Javier Espinosa Teran\n  said last night his country needs 120 mln dlrs to repair the\n  damage to the export pipeline caused by the earthquake.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOG AND CATTLE SLAUGHTER GUESSTIMATES\n","article":"  Chicago Mercantile Exchange floor\n  traders and commission house representatives are guesstimating\n  today's hog slaughter at about 295,000 to 308,000 head versus\n  305,000 week ago and 308,000 a year ago.\n      Cattle slaughter is guesstimated at about 128,000 to\n  132,000 head versus 130,000 week ago and 126,000 a year ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GOODYEAR <GT> TO RECEIVE 588 MLN DLRS FOR UNIT\n","article":"  Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co said it\n  will receive about 588 mln dlrs in cash from Loral Corp <LOR>\n  for the business of Goodyear Aerospace Corp.\n      Goodyear said the previously announced acquisition by Loral\n  is expected to be completed March 13. When Loral announced the\n  transaction January 12, the company said it was paying 640 mln\n  dlrs for Goodyear Aerospace.\n      Goodyear said the price it will receive is after\n  adjustments for such items as pension and benefits provision,\n  allocation of liabilities and asset valuations. Last year\n  Goodyear Aerospace had revenues of 695 mln dlrs.               \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VEBA'S RAAB KARCHER RAISES 1986 OPERATING PROFIT\n","article":"  Raab Karcher AG, a trading\n  subsidiary of VEBA AG <VEBG.F>, said it increased operating\n  profit in 1986 despite a sharp decline in turnover, and added\n  there were good chances this profit level could be held in\n  1987.\n      Operating profit rose to just under 120 mln marks in 1986,\n  from around 100 mln in 1985.\n      However, the group's third party sales fell sharply to 7.2\n  billion marks from 9.4 billion the year before, largely due to\n  lower prices for energy products, particularly oil and coal,\n  managing board chairman Klaus Giesel told a news conference.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES <HOV> SPLITS STOCK\n","article":"  Hovnanian Enterprises Inc said\n  its board of directors has declared a two-for-one split of its\n  outstanding common stock.\n      The company said shareholders will receive one additional\n  share for each share held at the close of business on March 23,\n  1987 and additional shares will be distributed on April 13,\n  1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRITISH AEROSPACE RAISES SYSTEM DESIGNERS STAKE\n","article":"  British Aerospace Plc <BAEL.L> said it\n  has increased its stake in <Systems Designers Plc> to 22.1 pct\n  or 25.46 mln ordinary shares following the purchase of 10.45\n  mln ordinary shares.\n      The British Aerospace Pension Fund holds 2.15 mln ordinary\n  shares in Systems, representing a stake of 1.9 pct.\n      A spokesman for British Aerospace said it has no present or\n  future intention of making a full bid for Systems Designers.\n  System Designers shares were nine pence higher at 100 prior to\n  the share stake announcement, and have showed little movement\n  since.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"OWENS AND MINOR INC <OBOD> RAISES QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div eights cts vs 7.5 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 13\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ESSELTE BUSINESS SYSTEMS INC <ESB> UPS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 18 cts vs 14 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 25\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KATY INDUSTRIES INC <KT> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 32 cts vs loss 66 cts\n      Oper net profit 2,454,000 vs loss 3,558,000\n      Sales 96.1 mln vs 91.4 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 72 cts vs loss 63 cts\n      Oper net profit 6,495,000 vs loss 1,833,000\n      Sales 368.1 mln vs 322.1 mln\n      NOTE: Earnings exclude losses from discontinued\n  consolidated operations of 460,000 dlrs, or eight cts a share\n  vs 5,364,000 dlrs, or 86 cts a share in the quarter and\n  11,334,000 dlrs, or 1.82 dlrs a share vs 11,637,000 dlrs, or\n  1.88 dlrs a share for the year\n      Earnings exclude a loss on the sale of discontinued\n  consolidated operations of 200,000 dlrs, or three cts a share\n  in the 1986 quarter and a loss of 4,960,000 dlrs, or 80 cts a\n  share vs a gain of 4,404,000 dlrs, or 71 cts a share for the\n  year\n      NOTE: 1985 earnings exclude losses from discontinued\n  unconsolidated operations of 5,488,000 dlrs, or 89 cts a share\n  in each period\n      1985 earnings exclude gain from termination of defined\n  benefit pension plan of 490,000 dlrs, or eight cts a share in\n  the quarter and 1,438,000 dlrs, or 23 cts a share for the year\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<PMI FUND INC> SETS MONTHLY DIVIDENDS\n","article":"  PMI Fund Inc said its board declared\n  monthly dividends of six cts for April, four cts for May, five\n  cts for June, seven cts for July and six cts for August.\n      The fund, which customarily omits dividends in March and\n  September, last paid six cts in February.  Dividends declared\n  today are payable April Three, May Six, June Four, July Three\n  and August Six to holders of record March 23, April 17, May 15,\n  June 12 and July 17.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MERRY-GO-ROUND ENTERPRISES INC <MGRE> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Jan 31 end\n      Shr 51 cts vs 38 cts\n      Net 3,254,000 vs 2,423,000\n      Sales 65.9 mln vs 51.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.18 dlrs vs 1.15 dlrs\n      Net 7,485,000 vs 7,285,000\n      Sales 207.5 mln vs 164.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TENERA LP <TLPZV> SETS INITIAL QUARTERLY\n","article":"  TENERA LP said it will make an\n  initial quarterly distribution of 17 cts per unit on April 15\n  to holders of record March 31.\n      The partnership said the dividend is greater than it had\n  expectd to pay and was warranted by fourth quarter results and\n  anticipated results for this year's first quarter.\n      TENERA said it expects a comparable distribution for the\n  second quarter.  It said about 13 cts per share of the first\n  quarter amount will be taxable income.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HANSON <HAN> UNIT TO SELL KAISER TERMINAL\/PLANT\n","article":"  Hanson Industries, the U.S. arm of\n  Hanson Trust PLC <HAN>, said it has proposed to sell, in\n  separate transactions, Kaiser Cement's Northwest Terminals and\n  Montana City plant, to Lone Star Industries Inc <LCE> and <Ash\n  Grove Cement West Inc>, respectively for a total of 50.2\n  mln dlrs.\n      Hanson said the deals are subject to normal conditions of\n  closing.\n      Hanson Industries completed the purchase of Kaiser Cement\n  on March 3, for about 250 mln dlrs.\n      Hanson said Kaiser Cement is now an indirect wholly owned\n  unit of Hanson Trust and forms part of its building products\n  group.\n      \"These sales are a continuation of an asset redeployment\n  program at Kaiser Cement and will allow Kaiser to concentrate\n  its efforts in the California marketplace, where it is the\n  largest cement producer and holds a premiere market position,\"\n  Hanson Industries chairman Gordon White said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECUADOR OFFICIAL SEEKS OIL AID IN VENEZUELA\n","article":"  Ecuador's deputy energy minister\n  Fernando Santos Alvite arrived here last night for talks on\n  further Venezuelan assistance to his country's oil industry\n  following last week's earthquake, officials said.\n      Ecuador was obliged to suspend crude oil exports for an\n  expected five months as a result of damage to 25 miles of\n  pipeline linking its jungle oil fields with the Pacific port of\n  Balao. Oil normally accounts for 60 pct of its exports.\n      Fellow OPEC member Venezuela has already agreed to lend\n  Ecuador five mln barrels of crude, to be repaid in kind after\n  180 days, to help meet its domestic consumption needs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SCIENTIFIC MICRO SYSTEMS <SMSI> ACUIRES SUPERMAC\n","article":"  Scientific Micro Systems Inc said it\n  has acquired Supermac Technology, a rapidly growing supplier of\n  enhancement products and disc drive subsystems for the Apple\n  personal computer market.\n      Scientific Micro said it acquired all the common stock of\n  Supermac in exchange for 1.05 mln shares of its own common\n  stock. The stock closed at 5.50 dlrs bid on Friday.\n      Supermac, a privately held firm based in Mountain View,\n  California, as is Scientific Micro, reported a net profit of\n  300,000 dlrs on revenue of 9.5 mln dlrs in fiscal 1986. It\n  expects its revenue to approximately double in 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. 4TH QTR BALANCE OF PAYMENTS TRADE DEFICIT WAS RECORD 38.37 BILLION DLRS\n","article":"\n  U.S. 4TH QTR BALANCE OF PAYMENTS TRADE DEFICIT WAS RECORD 38.37 BILLION DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NY TRADERS SAY E.C. SOLD 71,000 TONNES  OF WHITE SUGAR AT TENDER.\n","article":"\n  NY TRADERS SAY E.C. SOLD 71,000 TONNES  OF WHITE SUGAR AT TENDER.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN LATE HELP OF 240 MLN STG\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided the\n  money market with unspecified late assistance of around 240 mln\n  stg.\n      This brings its total assistance on the day to 346 mln stg\n  compared with a liquidity shortfall it estimated at a revised\n  250 mln stg.\n      Overnight interbank sterling was being offered at eight pct\n  shortly after the Bank's announcement.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OUTOKUMPU RESTRUCTURES COPPER DIVISION\n","article":"  Finland's mining and metals group\n  Outokumpu Oy <OUTO.HE>, which last week reported a 1986 loss of\n  83 mln markka after three successive years of profits, said it\n  restructured its key copper processing division in an attempt\n  to rationalize production and improve profitability.\n      Outokumpu's Managing Director Pertti Voutilainen told a\n  news conference the reorganization involved a split of the\n  division into a new independent division with six profit\n  centres.\n      Outokumpu group had a 1986 loss before appropriations and\n  taxes of 83 mln markka after a profit of 355 mln in 1985. It\n  had profits in 1984 and 1983 but a loss, 171.2 mln, in 1982.\n      Outokumpu acquired two Swedish copper manufacturers in\n  January 1986, <Metallverken Ab> and <Wirsbo Bruks Ab>, that\n  were merged into its copper processing division.\n      The division had a turnover of 3.2 billion markka last\n  year, 42 pct of Outokumpu's group turnover of 7.58 billion.\n      The new Outokumpu division, called Copper Products\n  Industry, is to incorporate Outokumpu's copper production\n  plants, including its two U.S. Subsidiaries <Nippert Co> and\n  <Valleycast Inc>, as well as Metallverken and part of Wirsbo.\n      Outokumpu is planning to make Wirsbo an independent\n  division in the Outokumpu group and transfer only Wirsbo's\n  copper tube production into one of the new division's profit\n  centres. A definite decision on Wirsbo will be taken later this\n  year.\n      The new division will have production plants in Finland,\n  Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and the U.S.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. TRADE DEFICIT 38.37 BILLION DLRS IN 4TH QTR\n","article":"  The U.S. merchandise trade deficit\n  on a balance of payments basis was a record 38.37 billion dlrs\n  in the October to December fourth quarter, the Commerce\n  Department said.\n      The record trade shortfall came after a revised 37.15\n  billion dlr third quarter deficit. The department previously\n  reported the third quarter deficit was 37.67 billion dlrs.\n      For the full year 1986, the merchandise trade deficit was a\n  record 147.7 billion dlrs, up from 124.4 billion dlrs in 1985,\n  the department said.\n      During the final quarter last year imports rose 2.78\n  billion dlrs or three pct to 95.7 billion dlrs, while exports\n  rose 1.56 billion dlrs or three pct to 57.33 billion dlrs.\n      The trade report on a balance of payments basis excludes\n  such factors as military sales and the costs of shipping and\n  insurance.\n      The Commerce Department said non-petroleum imports in the\n  quarter were up 2.7 billion dlrs or three pct to 87.7 billion\n  dlrs, with the largest increases in consumer goods, which rose\n  1.2 billion dlrs, and in non-monetary gold and passenger cars\n  from Canada, up 900 mln dlrs each.\n      Lumber imports from Canada fell 300 mln dlrs or 33 pct\n  because of a 15 pct duty on imports from Canada, the department\n  said. Passenger car imports fell 600 mln dlrs because of an 18\n  pct decrease in the number of South Korean-made imported cars\n  and a nine pct decrease from Japan.\n      On the exports side, agricultural exports rose 600 mln dlrs\n  or nine pct to 7.1 billion dlrs, primarily because of a 104 pct\n  or 600 mln dlr increase in soybean exports.\n      Soybean shipments to Western Europe rose sharply because\n  supplies from Brazil, a traditional major exporter, were\n  limited by drought.\n      Commerce said the U.S. trade deficit with Latin America\n  rose 900 mln dlrs to 2.6 billion dlrs, with Japan increased 700\n  mln dlrs to 14.8 billion dlrs and with Western Europe rose 200\n  mln to 7.2 billion dlrs in the quarter.\n      The deficit with newly industrialized Far East countries,\n  including Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan, fell\n  500 mln dlrs to eight billion dlrs and with Canada the deficit\n  decreased 200 mln dlrs to 3.3 billion dlrs in the quarter.\n      In the full year 1986, imports rose 30.6 billion dlrs or\n  nine pct to 369.5 billion dlrs. Exports increased by only 7.3\n  billion dlrs or three pct to 221.8 billion dlrs.\n      Commerce said petroleum imports during 1986 fell 16.6\n  billion dlrs or 33 pct to 33.9 billion dlrs because of lower\n  prices. The average price per barrel decreased to 14.72 dlrs\n  from 26.41 dlrs.\n      Agricultural exports fell by 2.6 billion dlrs or nine pct\n  to 26.9 billion during the year. The average price of rice fell\n  27 pct, cotton was down 22 pct, corn 18 pct, wheat 16 pct and\n  soybeans nine pct.\n      The trade deficit with Japan for all of 1986 rose 11.1\n  billion dlrs to 54.6 billion dlrs and with Western Europe\n  increased 7.2 billion dlrs to 28.6 billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" UK INTERVENTION BD SAYS EC SETS WHITE SUGAR TENDER REBATE 43.248 ECUS.\n","article":"\n   UK INTERVENTION BD SAYS EC SETS WHITE SUGAR TENDER REBATE 43.248 ECUS.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BAYER USA <BAYRY> AFFILIATES INCREASED SALES\n","article":"  Bayer USA Inc said sales of its\n  affiliated operating cmpanies based in the U.S. increased in\n  1986 by 4.4 pct from the previous year.\n      Combined sales were 4.2 billion dlrs, up from 4.0 billion\n  dlrs in 1985, the company said.\n      However, the company said net income was 106.9 mln dlrs,\n  three pct below 1985.\n      Bayer said its operating companies include Mobay Corp,\n  Miles Laboratories Inc, Agfa-Gevaert Inc, Compugraphic Corp,\n  Haarmann and Reimer Corp, Deerfield Urethane Inc and Helena\n  Chemical Co.\n      Bayer said Mobay, its primary chemicals company, reported\n  net income of 83.4 mln dlrs, up eight pct of 1985. It also said\n  Miles, its pharmaceutical and healthcare company, recorded\n  net income of 29 mln dlrs, a 44 pct increase over 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN EXPRESS <AXP> VIEWING SHEARSON OPTIONS\n","article":"  American Express Co, rumored to be\n  considering a spinoff of part of Shearson Lehman Brothers Inc,\n  said it is studying a range of options for its brokerage unit\n  that could improve Shearon's access to capital and help it meet\n  broadening international competition.\n      In a joint statement, American Express and Shearson said\n  the actions under consideration are an integral part of\n  American Express' worldwide financial services strategy and\n  that the two companies have been having both internal and\n  external discussions on the matters.\n      American Express said no decision has been reached on the\n  strategic options and that it and Shearson could ultimately\n  decide to follow growth plans already in place.\n      Last week, rumors circulated on Wall Street that the\n  financial services giant was considering a spinoff of part of\n  Shearson and there was speculation it may be considering\n  selling a stake to a Japanese firm. Analysts said the\n  speculation also focused on American Express selling 20 pct of\n  the profitable brokerage firm to the public.\n      There was some speculation that American Express had also\n  considered a total spinoff of Shearson, but the plan was\n  considered highly unlikely, analysts said.\n       American Express said in the statement on Sunday that it\n  will not comment on rumors and speculation and a spokesman\n  would not go beyond the statement. The company also remained\n  silent last Thursday and Friday, as rumors drove American\n  Express stock up a total of 5-1\/2 dlrs in two days to bring it\n  to a Friday close at 74.\n       It said it issued the statement on Sunday because a\n  similar statement was being circulated to employees.\n      Analysts have been divided on whether it makes sense for\n  American Express to give up a stake in the wholly-owned\n  brokerage, which improved its after-tax earnings by about 50\n  pct in the last year.\n      Some analysts said American Express may consider spinning\n  off part of Shearson because it is concerned that its stock\n  price does not fully reflect the value of the brokerage firm.\n       Shearson contributed 316 mln dlrs of American Express'\n  1.25 billion dlr net in 1986.\n      American Express' ambitious plans for international growth\n  may be also enhanced by the added cash that spinning out part\n  of Shearson would bring. Analysts speculated that all of\n  Shearson would have a market value of about 3.5 billion dlrs.\n      To some however, the need for added capital is puzzling.\n  \"(American) Express is in a position where they can raise\n  capital if they need to,\" said Larry Eckenfelder of\n  Prudential-Bache Securities.\n      Analysts said rumors were fed by the reorganization of\n  Shearson management Wednesday. Chief operating officer Jeffrey\n  Lane got the added, previously vacant, post of president.\n       The reorganization also created four new positions for\n  chairmen of Shearson's operating divisions, a move analysts\n  speculated would allow Shearson to be a stand alone company.\n       Analysts, contacted on Sunday said the statement does\n  little to clarify last week's market speculation. It does\n  confirm, however, that the financial services firm, which\n  unsuccessfully attempted to expand Shearson with a major\n  acquisition last year, is looking beyond its own walls for\n  growth and positioning in the global market competition.\n      Late last year, Shearson's takeover offer to the E.F.\n  Hutton Group Inc was rejected by Hutton, and analysts said\n  there had been speculation that Shearson also was rebuffed when\n  it approached another major Wall Street brokerage.        \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DEB SHOPS INC <DEBS> SETS STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Deb Shops Inc said its board\n  declared a 100 pct stock dividend and will increase the\n  quarterly dividend to four cts from 3-1\/4 cts after adjustm,ent\n  for the split.\n      The company said the split is payable April 17 to holders\n  of record March 25.  The dividend increase will be effective\n  with the April 30 payment, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CANADA LEADING INDICATOR UP 0.4 PCT IN DECEMBER, AFTER 0.4 PCT NOVEMBER GAIN - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  CANADA LEADING INDICATOR UP 0.4 PCT IN DECEMBER, AFTER 0.4 PCT NOVEMBER GAIN - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CONTINENTAL HEALTH <CTHL> PURCHASES MARKETECH\n","article":"  Continental Health\n  Affiliates Inc said that it has acquired <Marketech Inc>, an 80\n  pct partner in <Diatronics Nutrition Services>.\n      Continental said Diantronics Nutrition Services is a joint\n  venture with physicians providing patient-ready home infusion\n  therapy products and services to outpatients of five northern\n  New Jersery hospitals representing over 1,900 inpatient beds.\n      Continental said the terms of the deal were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"VISUAL GRAPHICS SETS DIVIDENDS\n","article":"  Visual Graphics Corp <VGCA> <VGCB>\n  said its board declared a quarterly dividend of 7-1\/2 cts per\n  share on its class \"B\" common stock and 8-1\/4 cts per share on\n  class \"A\" common stock payable April Three to shareholders of\n  record as of March 23.\n       The company set up the two classes of common stock in\n  February. Previously, the company had paid a 7-1\/2 cent per\n  share quarterly dividend on one class of common stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DEB SHOPS INC <DEBS> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 71 cts vs 57 cts\n      Net 5,457,000 vs 4,299,000\n      Sales 62.9 mln vs 50.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.65 dlrs vs 1.37 dlrs\n      Net 12.6 mln vs 10.4 mln\n      Sales 181.4 mln vs 147.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SIGMA MINES DETAILS GOLD ORE RESERVES\n","article":"  <Sigma Mines (Quebec) Ltd>, 65 pct\n  owned by Dome Mines Ltd <DM>, said its Sigma Mine had proven\n  and probable reserves at the end of 1986 of 4,902,940 tons,\n  with an average grade of 0.139 ounces of gold a ton.\n      Sigma said the reserves are equivalent to 10 years future\n  production at current milling rates.\n      The reserves comprise 1,640,779 tons proven reserves\n  grading an average of 0.163 ounces of gold a ton and 3,262,161\n  tons probable reserves grading an average of 0.127 ounces of\n  gold a ton.\n      Sigma said it changed its 1986 reserve reporting method\n  following Dome Mines previously reported move to adopt general\n  industry practice of reporting proven and probable ore\n  reserves.\n      Prior to 1986, Sigma conservatively reported only proven\n  reserves that could be mined without future development costs.\n      Proven reserves as of December 31, 1985 were 978,000 tons\n  grading an average of 0.194 ounces of gold a ton, equivalent to\n  about two years future production.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"REGENCY CRUISES INC <SHIP> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit nine cts vs loss two cts\n      Net profit 1,419,000 vs loss 314,000\n      Revs 8,097,000 vs 4,794,000\n      Avg shrs 15.8 mln vs 15.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 37 cts vs loss 10 cts\n      Net profit 5,695,000 vs loss 1,268,000\n      Revs 40.9 mln vs 4,794,000\n      Avg shrs 15.6 mln vs 12.5 mln\n      NOTE: Company began operations Nov 17, 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SEAMAN FURNITURE CO INC <SEAM> 3RD QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr 64 cts vs 51 cts\n      Net 4,373,000 vs 3,346,000\n      Sales 59.8 mln vs 45.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 6,808,000 vs 6,600,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 1.57 dlrs vs 1.18 dlrs\n      Net 10.7 mln vs 7,745,000\n      Sales 167.0 mln vs 123.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NOVO INDUSTRI EARNINGS FALL DESPITE INCREASED SALES\n","article":"  Danish-based insulin and enzymes\n  producer Novo Industri A\/S (NVO.CO) said pre-tax earnings fell\n  almost 10 pct in 1986 though sales rose by two pct.\n      The pre-tax figure fell to 788 mln crowns from 872 mln in\n  1985, on sales increased from 4.1 billion to 4.2 billion,\n  giving net earnings of 521 mln crowns against 604 mln in 1985.\n      Earnings per 20-crown share went from 23.79 crowns to 20.45\n  crowns but the company proposed an unchanged 20 pct dividend.\n      \"Foreign exchange fluctuations in 1986 were a very\n  significant factor behind developments in the result before and\n  after tax,\" Novo said in a statement.\n      \"Not only the U.S. Dollar but also other currencies\n  essential to Novo fell in 1986 in relation to the Danish crown,\"\n  the statement added.\n      In November 1986, Novo purchased 75 pct of shares in A\/S\n  Ferrosan, which heads a group specialising in research and\n  development of CNS (central nervous treatment) treatments and\n  the sale of pharmaceuticals and vitamins in Scandinavia.\n      The 357 mln crowns paid in goodwill \"had a very limited\n  effect on the 1986 result,\" the Novo statement said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SCS\/COMPUTE INC <SCOM> 3RD QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 30 cts vs loss 43 cts\n      Net loss 891,000 vs loss 969,000\n      Revs 1,930,000 vs 1,815,000\n      Avg shrs 2.9 mln vs 2.2 mln\n      Nine Mths\n      Shr loss one dlr vs loss 1.36 dlrs\n      Net loss 2,622,000 vs loss 3,037,000\n      Revs 4,638,000 vs 4,105,000\n      Avg shrs 2.6 mln vs 2.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SECURITIES DEALER HAS LEASEWAY <LTC> STAKE\n","article":"  Alpine Associates, a Cresskill, N.J.\n  securities dealer, told the Securities and Exchange Commission\n  it has acquired 565,100 shares of Leaseway Transport\n  Corp, or 5.9 pct of the total outstanding common stock.\n      Alpine, a limited partnership, said it bought the stock for\n  28.1 mln dlrs as an investment in the ordinary course of its\n  business as a securities dealer.\n      It left open the possibility that it might buy more\n  Leaseway stock or sell some or all of its current stake, but\n  said it has no plans to seek control of the company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EMPIRE OF CAROLINA INC <EMP> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.26 dlrs vs 67 cts\n      Net 7,299,000 vs 3,607,000\n      Revs 52.4 mln vs 40.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 6,028,755 vs 2,408,766\n      NOTE: 1985 results restated to include Deltona Corp <DLT>\n  investment on equity method.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VHC LTD <VHCL> 4TH QTR OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 18 cts vs loss one ct\n      Oper net profit 387,832 vs loss 29,312\n      Revs 6,872,630 vs NA\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 39 cts vs loss 23 cts\n      Oper net profit 835,010 vs loss 441,836\n      Revs 20.8 mln vs NA\n      Avg shrs 2,135,909 vs 1,885,909\n      NOTE: Excludes gains of 378,000 dlrs or 18 cts and 715,000\n  dlrs or 33 cts in current qtr and year, respectively, from\n  benefit of tax loss carryforwards. Year-ago excludes losses of\n  75,809 dlrs or four cts in qtr and 146,061 dlrs or eight cts in\n  year from discontinued operations. 1985 restated.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRANSTECH INDUSTRIES INC <TRTI> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 91 cts vs seven cts\n      Oper net 4,356,774 vs 289,764\n      Revs 69.2 mln vs 50.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,736,692 vs 4,151,672\n      NOTE: 1985 net excludes 3,027,714 dlr loss from\n  discontinued operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"THAI SUGAR PRODUCTION INCREASES\n","article":"  Thai sugar production totalled 960,788\n  tonnes in January, an increase of 12.7 pct on January 1986,\n  according to figures received by the International Sugar\n  Organization.\n      November and December production figures also exceeded last\n  year's totals with the result that output in the first three\n  months of the season showed a 23.1 pct increase over 1985\/86.\n  Production in the November 1986 to January 1987 period totalled\n  1.29 mln tonnes.\n      Thai exports in December and January were down, however.\n  January exports fell from 73,164 to 35,910 tonnes.\n      Domestic consumption increased 7.3 pct to 192,069 tonnes\n  for the three month period, but this was not sufficient to\n  prevent a significant rise in stocks, which climbed to 1.62 mln\n  tonnes by the end of January, compared with 1.52 mln a year\n  earlier.\n      Thai Agricultural Ministry officials have previously\n  forecast a decline in 1986\/87 raws output to around 2.3 mln\n  tonnes from 2.48 mln in 1985\/86.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA DECEMBER LEADING INDICATOR UP 0.4 PCT\n","article":"  Canada's leading composite indicator\n  advanced 0.4 pct in December after gaining 0.4 pct in the two\n  previous months, Statistics Canada said.\n      The unfiltered index rose 0.8 pct in the month, a\n  turnaround from the 0.3 pct decline in November, the federal\n  agency said.\n      The manufacturing groups continued to post advances while\n  goods production rose 1.6 pct, the third increase in the last\n  four months. The advances, however, were offset by a\n  deceleration in household demand.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ANOVA VENTURES SETS DIVIDEND IN DUEVEL SHARES\n","article":"  <ANova Ventures Corp> said its board\n  declared a dividend payable in the form of registered shares of\n  stock in <Duvel Corp>, a blind public pool.\n      ANova describes itself as a publishing and financial\n  services firm specializing in arranging revers acquisitions and\n  mergers between blind pools\/shells and private companies.\n      ANova said it created Duvel to act as a blind pool and will\n  seek an operating private company to merger with Duvel. Duvel\n  has sold 300,000 common shares to a private investor group to\n  finance expenses of registration and 640,000 shares will be\n  paid to ANova stockholders as a dividend, it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHRYSLER <C> DEAL LEAVES UNCERTAINTY FOR AMC WORKERS\n","article":"  Chrysler Corp's 1.5 billion dlr bid to\n  takeover American Motors Corp <AMO> should help bolster the\n  small automaker's sales, but it leaves the future of its 19,000\n  employees in doubt, industry analysts say.\n      It was \"business as usual\" yesterday at the American Motors\n  headquarters, one day after the proposed merger was unveiled by\n  Chrysler and AMC's French parent Renault, according to company\n  spokesman Edd Snyder.\n      But AMC's future, to be discussed at a board meeting today,\n  would be radically different as a Chrysler subsidiary than if\n  it had continued with the state-run French car group as its\n  controlling shareholder.\n      Industry analysts said the future of AMC's car assembly\n  plant in Kenosha, Wis., and its Toledo, Ohio, Jeep plant would\n  be in doubt if the overcapacity predicted in the North American\n  auto industry by the early 1990s comes to pass.\n      Both plants are far from \"state of the art\" for car\n  manufacturing sites, and AMC has a history of poor labor\n  relations at each.\n      \"Chrysler doesn't need that many new plants,\" said Michael\n  Luckey, automotive analyst for the Wall Street firm Shearson\n  Lehman Brothers. \"They probably will close the Toledo plant and\n  move Jeep production to Canada.\"\n      Ronald Glantz of Montgomery Securities said that at the\n  very least, the new owner of the Toledo plant would be able to\n  wring concessions from the United Automobile Workers union\n  local representing Jeep workers.\n      \"The UAW won't be able to hold them up for ransom as they\n  have AMC because during a down year, Chrysler will have\n  underutilized facilities to transfer production,\" he said.\n      Analysts said they foresaw no major complications that\n  would abort a combination which historians said would be the\n  auto industry's biggest merger since American Motors was formed\n  in 1954.\n      AMC was in need of a financial savior because of its losses\n  of more than 800 mln dlrs since 1980 and pressures in France\n  for Renault to cut its backing. The company had said it could\n  not forecast consistent profitability until 1988 at the\n  earliest.\n      In announcing the takeover agreement, Chrysler chairman Lee\n  Iacocca cited AMC's Jeep division as well as its new 675 mln\n  dlr assembly plant at Bramalea, Ontario, and its network of\n  1,200 dealers as the major attractions.\n      Analysts reasoned that Chrysler might feel moved eventually\n  to sell off or close some of the older plants to cut overhead\n  costs in view of the new debts and liabilities it would incur\n  in the AMC buyout.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ST. JOE GOLD TO DEVELOP ONTARIO MINE\n","article":"  St. Joe Gold Corp said it plans to\n  proceed with development of its Golden Patricia gold property\n  in northwestern Ontario.\n      It said about five mln dlrs will be spent to continue\n  underground development and obtain operating permits and\n  another 10.2 mln dlrs is expected to be required to complete\n  underground development, construct a mill and provide the\n  infrastructure needed to put the mine into commercial\n  production.\n      St. Joe Gold said if the necessary operating permits were\n  granted in time, it would start gold production in the second\n  half of the year ending October 31, 1988 at an annual rate of\n  about 40,000 troy ounces.\n      The company said the property is estimated to contain over\n  500,000 troy ounces of gold, and the initial mining project\n  covers only seven of 192 claims, with drill-indicated reserves\n  of 293,000 short tons grading 0.88 troy ounce of gold per ton.\n      It said initial mine output is expected to be about 150\n  tons of ore daily.\n      St. Joe Gold said the Golden Patricia vein has not been\n  tested at depth or along strike to the east and west and\n  exploration is continuing on the Golden Patricia property and\n  the adjacent wholly-owned Muskeg Lake property.\n      The company also said its Richmond Hill gold and silver\n  deposit in the Carbonate district of western South Dakota has\n  been shown by drilling to contain about 3,900,000 tons grading\n  0.055 troy ounce of gold and 0.23 troy ounce of silver per ton.\n   It said preliminary results are encouraging and a feasibility\n  study is nearing completion.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NUCOR CORP <NUE> RAISES QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div nine cts vs eight cts prior\n      Pay May 12\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<KELSEY-HAYES CANADA LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.60 dlrs vs 3.12 dlrs\n      Net 10.6 mln vs 20.6 mln\n      Revs 162.5 mln vs 214.6 mln\n      Note: 1985 shr restated to reflect January 31, 1986 stock\n  split.\n      73 pct-owned by Kelsey-Hayes Co.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RIGGS NATIONAL CORP <RIGS> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 27-1\/2 cts vs 27-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<PACER SYSTEMS> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Pacer Systems said it has\n  agreed in principle to acquire the assets of Sea Data Corp, a\n  maker of low-powered electronic systems including undersea\n  intelligent recording sensors and high-density digital data\n  recorders, for one mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROPAK <ROPK> HAS 34 PCT OF BUCKHORN <BKN>\n","article":"  Ropak Corp said it received\n  and accepted about 456,968 common shares and 527,035 Series A\n  convertible preferred shares of Buckhorn Inc at four dlrs and\n  5.75 dlrs each respectively in response to its tender offer\n  that expired Friday, and it now owns 34.4 pct of Buckhorn\n  voting power.\n      The company had owned 63,000 common and 25,100 preferred\n  shares before starting the hostile tender.  Ropak said it is\n  borrowing the funds needed to buy the Buckhorn shares from its\n  bank lender and will not need to use any funds that another\n  bank had committed to provide under a margin loan.\n      Ropak said it waived minimum acceptance requirements to buy\n  the shares and intends to evaluate a number of possible ways of\n  completing an acquisition of Buckhorn.  It said it hopes that\n  Buckhorn's board will reevaluate its position and enter into\n  meaningful negotiations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SPAIN QUALIFIES RESERVE REQUIREMENTS STATEMENT\n","article":"  A Bank of Spain spokesman qualified a\n  bank statement announcing an extension of reserve requirements\n  to convertible peseta funds held by banks, saying the move\n  applied only to future rises above current balances.\n      \"The 19 pct reserve requirement will only be applied to\n  further increases in bank's convertible peseta funds,\" the\n  spokesman said. Convertible peseta funds previously were exempt\n  from reserve requirements. The spokesman said the measure was\n  intended to curb an influx of short-term foreign speculative\n  capital which threatened the government's money supply growth\n  target.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SPAIN'S MONEY SUPPLY GROWTH DOUBLES IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Spain's broad based M-4 money supply\n  rose at an annualised rate of 16.7 pct in February against 8.1\n  pct in January and 22.4 pct in February last year, Bank of\n  Spain figures show.\n      The broad-based money supply is measured as liquid assets\n  in public hands plus quasi-monetary assets.\n      Money supply growth was 11.4 pct last year. The government\n  wants to reduce the rate to eight pct this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DEALERS WARY OVER STERLING INTERVENTION RUMOUR\n","article":"  Foreign exchange market rumours that the\n  the Bank of England has been selling sterling to halt its rise\n  prompted a wary response from dealers who said they saw no\n  obvious confirmation, market sources said.\n      Bank of England officials were not immediately available\n  for comment. Earlier this week, the Bank sanctioned a cut in\n  bank interest rates in a surprise move, which aimed at limiting\n  sterling's rise ahead of the March 17 budget.\n      But today the pound has strengthened to 72.7 on its\n  trade-weighted index from 72.1 last night, though the U.K.\n  Currency is below its day's high against the dollar.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TELEPHONE SUPPORT SYSTEMS INC <TSSI> 3RD QTR\n","article":"  Nov 30 end\n      Shr four cts vs 11 cts\n      Net 62,986 vs 174,158\n      Sales 720,906 vs 907,542\n      Year\n      Shr 18 cts vs six cts\n      Net 277,852 vs 94,263\n      Sales 2,247,374 vs 2,030,390\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NETWORK VIDEO INC <NVID> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr one ct vs five cts\n      Net 50,745 vs 161,019\n      Revs 478,700 vs 1,048,543\n      Avg shrs 4,350,000 vs 3,217,500\n      Nine mths\n      Shr four cts vs 12 cts\n      Net 169,275 vs 390,179\n      Revs 1,478,066 vs 2,658,692\n      Avg shrs 4,350,000 vs 3,217,500\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COMTECH INC <CMTL> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit one ct vs profit two cts\n      Oper net profit 63,000 vs profit 84,000\n      Sales 5,009,000 vs 4,042,000\n      1st half\n      Oper shr profit two cts vs loss 17 cts\n      Oper net profit 87,000 vs loss 794,000\n      Sales 9,838,000 vs 7,368,000\n      Backlog 17.8 mln vs 11.4 mln\n      NOTE: Current year net excludes tax credits of 32,000 dlrs\n  in quarter and 45,000 dlrs in half.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BALTEK CORP <BTEK> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 21 cts vs 34 cts\n      Oper net 480,000 vs 765,000\n      Revs 6,386,000 vs 5,862,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr 1.20 dlrs vs 78 cts\n      Oper net 2,692,000 vs 1,732,000\n      Revs 25.2 mln vs 20.3 mln\n      NOTEL Net excludes tax credit 35,000 dlrs vs reversal of\n  credit 40,000 dlrs in quarter and credits 79,000 dlrs vs 72,000\n  dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SAHLEN AND ASSOCIATES <SALNU> COMPLETES PURCHASE\n","article":"  Sahlen and Associates Inc\n  said it has completed the purchase of Gleason Securities\n  Service Inc of New York and Gleason Plant Security Inc of\n  Connecticut.\n      Sahlen said the deal's terms were not disclosed, but added\n  that the acquired companies had combined annual revenues of\n  over 18 mln dlrs.\n      Sahlen, a private invetigation company, said the Gleason\n  companies provide security guard services to corporations in\n  the tri-state area.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MEM CO INC <MEM> DECLARES QTLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 15 cts vs 15 cts prior\n      Pay May 11\n      Record March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"INSITUFORM OF NORTH AMERICA INC <INSUA> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr nine cts vs four cts\n      Net 658,159 vs 299,930\n      Revs 3,770,341 vs 2,614,224\n      Avg shrs 7,382,802 vs 6,747,442\n      Year\n      Oper shr 33 cts vs 18 cts\n      Oper net 2,287,179 vs 1,045,799\n      Revs 13.1 mln vs 8,577,853\n      Avg shrs 6,874,505 vs 5,951,612\n      NOTE: 1985 year net includes 13,000 dlr tax credit.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PHILADELPHIA PORT CLOSED BY TANKER CRASH\n","article":"  The port of Philadelphia was closed\n  when a Cypriot oil tanker, Seapride II, ran aground after\n  hitting a 200-foot tower supporting power lines across the\n  river, a Coast Guard spokesman said.\n      He said there was no oil spill but the ship is lodged on\n  rocks opposite the Hope Creek nuclear power plant in New\n  Jersey.\n      He said the port would be closed until today when they\n  hoped to refloat the ship on the high tide.\n      After delivering oil to a refinery in Paulsboro, New\n  Jersey, the ship apparently lost its steering and hit the power\n  transmission line carrying power from the nuclear plant to the\n  state of Delaware.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MAJOR REALTY CORP <MAJR> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 19 cts vs profit 11 cts\n      Net loss 1,140,270 vs profit 590,463\n      Revs 1,259,164 vs 3,225,512\n      Year\n      Shr loss 67 cts vs profit 10 cts\n      Net loss 4,004,840 vs profit 580,488\n      Revs 3,184,480 vs 9,123,041\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NUTMEG INDUSTRIES INC <NUTM> YEAR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 14 cts\n      Net 510,917\n      Sales 12.3 mln\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for five for four stock split in\n  January 1987.\n      Backlog 13.0 mln dlrs vs 3,733,000 dlrs.\n      Company began operating January 27, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HENRY ANSBACHER HAS 51 PCT OF ADAMS AND PORTER INC\n","article":"  <Henry Ansbacher Holdings Plc> said it\n  has acquired a 51 pct interest in the U.S. Retail and general\n  corporate insurance broker <Adams and Porter Inc>.\n      The move is the first step in building a new international\n  insurance broking group following the appointment of a new\n  management team for its Seascope Insurance Holdings unit.\n      Ansbacher said A and P has exciting growth potential,\n  particularly on the east coast of the U.S. And has an annual\n  revenue of more than four mln dlrs. Ansbacher shares were up\n  4-1\/2p to 90-1\/2, helped by the announcement earlier today of a\n  1986 pretax profit rise to 5.56 mln stg from 2.74 mln in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"NATWEST, RABO UNIT REPORTS 8.8 PCT PROFIT GROWTH\n","article":"  Dutch bank F. Van\n  Lanschot Bankiers N.V., Co-owned by National Westminster PLC\n  <NWBL.L> and RABOBANK B.A. <RABN.A> , said 1986 net profit rose\n  8.8 pct to 24.1 mln guilders on a 4.8-pct higher balance sheet\n  total of 6.2 billion.\n      Van Lanschot Bankiers is a subsidiary of Van Lanschot\n  Beleggingscompagnie B.V. In which Britain's National\n  Westminster Bank PLC and Dutch cooperative bank RABOBANK\n  Nederland B.A. Each have a 40-pct stake. Commercial Union's\n  Dutch insurance unit <Delta Lloyd Verzekeringsgroep N.V.> has a\n  5.4-pct stake in Van Lanschot, which lowered risk provisions to\n  22.5 mln guilders.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PENRIL <PNL> SEEKS TO SELL TWO UNITS\n","article":"  Penril Corp said it is seeking to\n  sell its Triplett Electrical Instrument Corp subsidiary in\n  Bluffton, Ohio, and Triplett's Alltest division in Hoffman\n  Estates, Ill., as part of a plan to concentrate on its three\n  profitable division and reduce its debt load.\n      The company also said it is evaluating a plan to satisfy\n  its obligations under its 10-7\/8 pct subordinated notes but\n  gave no details.  Interest on the notes is due today.\n      Penril further said director Clifford L. Alexander Jr. has\n  resigned from the board.  It gave no reason.\n      Penril said shareholders at the annual meeting approved the\n  limitation of directors' liability.   \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LICHT SEES RISE IN EUROPEAN BEET AREA: TRADE\n","article":"  West German sugar statistician F.O.\n  Licht estimates European beet plantings this year at 7.22 mln\n  hectares compared with a revised 1986 figure of 7.21 mln,\n  traders said.\n      In its first estimate for 1987, it puts EC plantings at\n  1.85 mln hectares compared with 1.89 mln in 1986, while it\n  estimates sowings in Western Europe (including EC) at 2.49 mln\n  hectares compared with 2.50 mln in 1986.\n      Traders said Licht forecasts Eastern Europe plantings at\n  4.73 mln hectares against 4.72 mln in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FED EXPECTED TO ADD RESERVES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve is expected to\n  intervene in the government securities market to add temporary\n  reserves via customer or system repurchase agreements,\n  economists said.\n      Most economists said the Fed will inject reserves\n  indirectly via customer repurchases, but they added that the\n  Fed might opt for a direct injection of reserves via overnight\n  system repurchases.\n      Federal funds opened at 6-3\/8 pct and eased to 6-5\/16 pct\n  in early trading. Funds averaged 6.29 pct yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BEN AND JERRY'S HOMEMADE INC <BJIC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 10 cts vs two cts\n      Net 163,832 vs 31,063\n      Sales 5,434,430 vs 3,167,735\n      Avg shrs 1,712,231 vs 1,533,277\n      Year\n      Shr 59 cts vs 41 cts\n      Net 1,016,375 vs 550,625\n      Sales 19.7 mln vs 9,755,018\n      Avg shrs 1,710,256 vs 1,327,172\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BONNEVILLE PACIFIC CORP <BPCO> 3RD QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr 52 cts vs 41 cts\n      Net 4,921,601 vs 3,157,070\n      Revs 35.8 mln vs 31.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 8,939,955 vs 7,600,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 52 cts vs 34 cts\n      Net 4,604,406 vs 2,585,621\n      Revs 36.0 mln vs 32.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 8,939,955 vs 7,600,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JC PENNEY <JCP> UP ON SMITH BARNEY OPINION\n","article":"  J.C. Penney Co's stock rose sharply \n  after analyst William Smith of Smith Barney recommended the\n  stock, based on the company's strong earnings momentum and the\n  possibility of a stock buyback, dividend hike or stock split,\n  traders said.\n      \"I am very impressed with the strong basic earnings story,\"\n  analyst Smith said, noting that the company has \"fine tuned its\n  buying and inventories, and has admirably controlled costs in a\n  time that they needed to.\"\n      The stock jumped 2-1\/2 to 98-3\/4.\n      Smith said the company ended 1986 with a strong cash\n  position of about 639 mln dlrs as compared to 158 mln dlrs the\n  year before. \"This implies the possibility of a share buyback,\n  or significant dividend increase or a stock split,\" he said.\n      In addition, he said the company has been gradually\n  adjusting its merchandise mix and its gross margins have been\n  improving.\n      Smith expects the company to earn 8.25-to-8.50 dlrs a share\n  in 1987 as compared to the 7.06 dlrs a share earned last year.\n  Last year's results include a 69 cent charge for the buyback of\n  debt.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COMPUTER LANGUAGE RESEARCH IN <CLRI> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss 22 cts vs loss 18 cts\n      Net loss 3,035,000 vs loss 2,516,000\n      Revs 20.9 mln vs 19.6 mln\n      Qtly div three cts vs three cts prior\n      Year\n      Shr profit two cts vs profit 34 cts\n      Net profit 215,000 vs profit 4,647,000\n      Revs 93.4 mln vs 98.7 mln\n      NOTE: Dividend payable April one to shareholders of record\n  March 17.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GERMAN SUGAR OFFERS PUT AT ABOUT 100,000 TONNES\n","article":"  The West German intervention board said\n  about 100,000 tonnes of sugar have been offered into\n  intervention so far.\n      A spokesman, speaking from Frankfurt, told Reuters offers\n  have increased recently but contracts have not yet been\n  concluded. A European Commission spokesman in Brussels earlier\n  confirmed that one mln tonnes of sugar had been offered to\n  intervention boards in various member states. The intervention\n  board spokesman in Frankfurt said, \"One million tonnes is an\n  awful lot and the Community's coffers are almost empty. This\n  could turn into a serious political problem.\"\n      West German trade sources said they believed the one mln\n  tonne offer by the EC sugar industry into intervention would\n  have a neutral market impact overall.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BANKERS TRUST CO RAISES BROKER LOAN RATE\n","article":"  Bankers Trust Co said it raised its\n  broker loan rate to 7-1\/4 pct from seven pct, effective\n  immediately.\n      U.S. Trust Co, which also quotes its broker loan rate\n  publicly, is posting a 7-1\/2 pct rate.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SIGMA MINES DETAILS GOLD ORE RESERVES\n","article":"  <Sigma Mines (Quebec) Ltd>, 65 pct\n  owned by Dome Mines Ltd, said its Sigma Mine had proven and\n  probable reserves at the end of 1986 of 4,902,940 tons, with an\n  average grade of 0.139 ounces of gold a ton.\n      Sigma said the reserves are equivalent to 10 years future\n  production at current milling rates.\n      The reserves comprise 1,640,779 tons proven reserves\n  grading an average of 0.163 ounces of gold a ton and 3,262,161\n  tons probable reserves grading an average of 0.127 ounces of\n  gold a ton.\n      Sigma said it changed its 1986 reserve reporting method\n  following Dome Mines' previously reported move to adopt general\n  industry practice of reporting proven and probable ore\n  reserves.\n      Prior to 1986, Sigma conservatively reported only proven\n  reserves that could be mined without future development costs.\n      Proven reserves as of December 31, 1985 were 978,000 tons\n  grading an average of 0.194 ounces of gold a ton, equivalent to\n  about two years future production.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MOORE MCCORMACK <MMC> TO SELL GLOBE UNIT\n","article":"  Moore McCormack Resources Inc said it\n  agreed in principle to sell its Globe Metallurgical Inc unit to\n  Cyprus Minerals Co <CYPM> for undisclosed terms.\n      The sale, expected to close by mid-April, is subject to\n  certain conditions, including board approval at both companies.\n      Globe produces silicon metals and magnesium ferrosilicon.\n  The products are used in the chemical, aluminum, iron, rubber\n  and semiconductor industries.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. HOSUING COMPLETIONS FELL 0.2 PCT IN JANUARY\n","article":"  U.S. Completions of new homes fell\n  0.2 pct in January to a seasonally adjusted rate of 1.884 mln\n  units from 1.888 mln in December, the Commerce Department said.\n      The January fall came after a strong 6.4 pct rise from\n  November's rate of 1.774 mln units and brought completions to\n  6.7 pct above the January, 1986 level of 1.765 mln units.\n      In January, completions of single-family units rose 0.4 pct\n  to a seasonally adjusted 1.183 mln units from 1.178 mln units\n  in December while multi-family units fell 1.3 pct to 701,000\n  units in January, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<DALE BURDETT INC> FACES DAMAGE CLAIM\n","article":"  Dale Burdett Inc said it\n  faces damages claims totalling about 420,000 dlrs from the\n  former owners of Burdett Publications Inc.\n      The company said on February 20, 1986, its predecessor\n  Nolex Development Inc acquired Burdett Publications Inc in an\n  exchange of 17 mln common shares for all Burdett Publications\n  shares, but the transaction was not qualified with the\n  California Department of Corporations.\n      As a result, it said, the former Burdett Publications\n  owners have a claim for damages against Dale Burdett as\n  successor to Nolex for one yuear starting January 21, 1987,\n  with the damages measured by the difference in values of shares\n  exchanged plus interest from February 20, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REVIEWS ICAHN USAIR FILING\n","article":"  The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)\n  is reviewing whether Trans World Airlines Inc <TWA> and\n  Chairman Carl Icahn violated federal antitrust law by failing\n  to seek advance clearance from the DOJ or the Federal Trade\n  Commission for his extensive open-market purchases of USAir\n  Group Inc <U> stock, a DOJ official told a Senate panel.\n      \"This is a matter that is being looked into,\" Charles Rule,\n  acting assistant attorney general-antitrust, told the Senate\n  Judiciary Committee's Antitrust Subcommittee.\n      Rule declined further comment while the review was\n  continuing.\n      Rule was responding to panel Chairman Howard Metzenbaum\n  (D-Ohio), who had asked why the department was not acting\n  against \"what appears to be a clear violation of the law.\"\n      Metzenbaum said Icahn had failed to file a pre-merger\n  notification form with the FTC prior to purchasing more than 15\n  mln dlrs' worth of USAir stock.\n      But Rule said that, for airline companies, a purchaser\n  would be exempt from the requirement if it instead had filed a\n  merger application with the U.S. Department of Transportation.\n      Icahn filed such an application with the DOT, but the\n  filing was thrown out by the DOT on Friday.\n      The DOT threw out the application late Friday on grounds it\n  lacked the necessary data for the government to review the\n  proposed USAir takeover bid.\n      Icahn refiled a more complete application form Monday.\n      Rule pledged to act against Icahn and TWA if a violation\n  were found.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"T CELL SCIENCES INC <TCEL> 3RD QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss one ct vs loss 16 cts\n      Net loss 117,989 vs loss 528,394\n      Revs 820,484 vs 35,186\n      Avg shrs 8,226,577 vs 3,150,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss seven cts vs loss 37 cts\n      Net loss 527,864 vs loss 1,177,434\n      Revs 1,975,487 vs 90,875\n      Avg shrs 7,277,418 vs 3,150,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DUTCH ADJUSTED UNEMPLOYMENT UNCHANGED IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Dutch seasonally-adjusted\n  unemployment totalled 690,600 people in February, unchanged\n  from January but down from 732,700 in February 1986, a Social\n  Affairs Ministry spokesman said.\n      The unadjusted figure stood at 708,700 at the end of last\n  month, a decline of 3,800 from the January total of 712,500 and\n  comparing with 750,000 at the end of February last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PUROLATOR <PCC> IN BUYOUT WITH HUTTON <EFH>\n","article":"  New Jersey-based overnight messenger\n  Purolator Courier Corp said it has agreed to be acquired for\n  about 265 mln dlrs by a company formed by E.F. Hutton LBO Inc\n  and certain managers of Purolator's U.S. courier business.\n      Analysts have said that Purolator has been for sale for\n  some time. Purolator announced earlier it was mulling a\n  takeover bid, but analysts wrongly predicted the offer was from\n  another courier company.\n      Hutton LBO, a wholly owned subsidiary of E.F. Hutton Group\n  Inc, will be majority owner of the company.\n      Hutton said the acquiring company, PC Acquisition Inc, is\n  paying 35 dlrs cash per share for 83 pct of Purolator's stock\n  in a tender offer to begin Thursday. The rest of the shares\n  will be purchased for securities and warrants to buy stock in a\n  subsidiary of PC Acquisition, containing Purolator's U.S.\n  courier operations.\n      If all the shares of Purolator are tendered, shareholders\n  would receive for each share 29 dlrs cash, six dlrs in\n  debentures, and a warrant to buy shares in a subsidiary of PC\n  Acquisition containing the U.S. courier operations.\n      Hutton said in the merger shareholders would get 46 mln\n  dlrs aggregate amount of guaranteed debentures due 2002 of PC\n  Acquisition and warrants to buy 15 pct of the common stock of\n  the PC courier subsidiary. Hutton said the company has valued\n  the warrants at two to three dlrs per share.\n      Purolator's stock price closed at 35.125 dlrs on Friday.\n  While some analysts estimated the company was worth in the mid\n  30s, at least one said it would be worth 38 to 42 dlrs.\n      This follows sales of two other Purolator units. It agreed\n  recently to sell its Canadian Courier unit to Onex Capital for\n  170 mln dlrs, and previously sold its auto filters business.\n      Purolator retains its Stant division, which makes closure\n  caps for radiators and gas tanks. A Hutton spokesman said the\n  firm is reviewing its options on Stant.\n      Purolator's courier business has been lagging that of its\n  U.S. rivals because of the high price it paid in the past\n  several years to add air delivery to its ground fleet.\n      E.F. Hutton will provide 279 mln dlrs of its funds to\n  complete the transaction. This so-called \"bridge\" financing\n  will be replaced later with long-term debt most likely in the\n  form of bank loans, Hutton said. Hutton LBO is committed to\n  keeping the courier business, its president Warren Idsal said.\n      \"Purolator lost 120 mln dlrs over the last two years\n  largely due to U.S. courier operations, which we believe the\n  management is turning around. We belive it will be a very\n  serious competitor in the future,\" said Idsal.\n      William Taggart, chief executive officer of U.S. Courier\n  division, will be chief executive officer of the new company.\n      The tender offer will be conditioned on a minimum of two\n  thirds of the common stock being tendered and not withdrawn to\n  the expiration of the offer as well as certain other conditions.\n      The offer will begin Thursday, subject to clearances from\n  the staff of the Interstate Commerce Commission and will expire\n  20 business days after commencement unless extended.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. HOUSING COMPLETIONS FELL 0.2 PCT IN JAN\n","article":"  Completions of new homes fell 0.2\n  pct in January to a seasonally adjusted rate of 1.884 mln units\n  from 1.888 mln in December, the Commerce Department said.\n      The January fall came after a strong 6.4 pct rise from\n  November's rate of 1.774 mln units and brought completions to\n  6.7 pct above the January, 1986, level of 1.765 mln units.\n      In January, completions of single-family units rose 0.4 pct\n  to a seasonally adjusted 1.183 mln units from 1.178 mln units\n  in December while multi-family units fell 1.3 pct to 701,000\n  units in January, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MITCHELL ENERGY AND DEVELOPMENT CORP <MND> NET\n","article":"  4th qtr Jan 31\n      Shr five cts vs 28 cts\n      Net 2,448,000 vs 13.3 mln\n      Revs 156.1 mln vs 225.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 47.3 mln vs 47.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 18 cts vs 1.01 dlrs\n      Net 8,430,000 vs 48.2 mln\n      Revs 587.9 mln vs 843.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 47.4 mln vs 47.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. HOUSING COMPLETIONS FELL 0.2 PCT IN JANUARY\n","article":"  U.S. Completions of new homes fell\n  0.2 pct in January to a seasonally adjusted rate of 1.884 mln\n  units from 1.888 mln in December, the Commerce Department said.\n      The January fall came after a strong 6.4 pct rise from\n  November's rate of 1.774 mln units and brought completions to\n  6.7 pct above the January, 1986 level of 1.765 mln units.\n      In January, completions of single-family units rose 0.4 pct\n  to a seasonally adjusted 1.183 mln units from 1.178 mln units\n  in December while multi-family units fell 1.3 pct to 701,000\n  units in January, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED SETS TWO BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPURCHASE, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  FED SETS TWO BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPURCHASE, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GROUNDWATER TECHNOLOGY INC <GWTI> 3RD QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr 19 cts vs 12 cts\n      Net 850,000 vs 432,000\n      Sales 9,850,000 vs 4,783,000\n      Avg shrs 4,504,000 vs 3,527,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 57 cts vs 37 cts\n      Net 2,400,000 vs 1,281,000\n      Sales 25.2 mln vs 12.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,233,000 vs 3,485,000\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SEVEN OAKS INTERNATIONAL INC <QPON> IN PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div four cts vs four cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 23\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED ADDS RESERVES VIA CUSTOMER REPURCHASES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve entered the U.S.\n  Government securities market to arrange two billion dlrs of\n  customer repurchase agreements, a Fed spokesman said.\n      Dealers said Federal funds were trading at 6-5\/16 pct when\n  the Fed began its temporary and indirect supply of reserves to\n  the banking system.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CHINA BUYS U.S. HARD AND SOFT WHEAT\n","article":"  Private exporters said China bought a\n  total of 550,000 tonnes of U.S. wheat under the export\n  enhancement program, with final confirmation by the U.S.\n  Department of Agriculture of the subsidies still awaited.\n      The purchase consisted of a total of 340,000 tonnes of hard\n  red winter wheat for various May\/Aug shipments, with 210,000\n  tonnes of soft red winter for Aug\/Sept, the exporters said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PROPERTY TRUST OF AMERICA <PTRAS> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Ope shr 63 cts vs 80 cts\n      Oper net 3,169,000 vs 3,757,000\n      Revs 9,585,000 vs 10.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,070,000 vs 4,721,000\n      NOTE: Net excludes gains from sale of investments of\n  887,000 dlrs vs 304,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PAKISTAN COTTON OUTPUT REACHES 7.7 MLN BALES\n","article":"  Pakistan cotton production during the\n  current crop season (Sept\/March) reached 7.7 mln bales of 375\n  pounds each, up 500,000 from last season, Shafi Niaz, Chairman\n  of the Agricultural Prices Commission, said.\n      Official sources said Pakistan was likely to use 3.4 mln\n  bales of cotton during the current financial year ending June\n  after 2.96 mln in 1985\/86 and 2.70 mln in 1984\/85.\n      They said consumption would increase due to a rise in\n  demand for cotton yarn in domestic markets and abroad. Pakistan\n  produced 540 mln kilos of yarn in fiscal year 1985\/86 and\n  exported 157 mln.\n      The State-owned cotton export corporation was likely to\n  export 3.8 mln bales of cotton during the current fiscal year\n  compared with 3.86 mln last year, cotton traders said.\n      The traders said there would be 1.3 mln bales of cotton\n  carryover this fiscal year compared with just over a mln bales\n  last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHI-CHI'S INC <CHIC> 3RD QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 38 cts vs profit eight cts\n      Net loss 10.4 mln vs profit 2,144,317\n      Revs 72.9 mln vs 67.4 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 21 cts vs profit 38 cts\n      Net loss 5,747,393 vs profit 10.1 mln\n      Revs 224.6 mln vs 200.6 mln\n      NOTE: Current year net both periods includes 20.0 mln dlr\n  pretax charge for disposition of 21 underperforming\n  company-owned restaurants.\n      Current year net includes tax credits of 3,205,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and 7,305,000 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CHEMLAWN CORP SAID IT IS TALKING WITH NEW SUITORS ABOUT BEING ACQUIRED\n","article":"\n  CHEMLAWN CORP SAID IT IS TALKING WITH NEW SUITORS ABOUT BEING ACQUIRED\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHI-CHI'S <CHIC> TAKES 20 MLN DLR CHARGE\n","article":"  Chi-Chi's Inc said it has taken\n  a 20 mln dlr pretax charge against earnings for the third\n  quarter ended January 31 to cover the cost of disposing of 21\n  \"underperforming\" company-owned restaurants.\n      The company also said it has agreed to repurchase up to\n  three mln common shares on the open market.\n      The company now has about 27.1 mln shares outstanding.\n      Chi-Chi's today reported a loss for the third quarter ended\n  January 31, after the pretax charge and a 7,305,000 dlr tax\n  credit, of 10.4 mln dlrs, compared with a year-earlier profit\n  of 2,144,317 dlrs.\n      Chi-Chi's said it believes the disposition of the\n  restaurants has the potential of increasing its pretax earnings\n  by about two mln dlrs next fiscal year.\n      The company said it will use existing cash resources for\n  the share repurchases.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DUPONT <DD> UP ON RECOMMENDATIONS\n","article":"  Shares of Du Pont Co rose today after\n  accumulating recommendations from Shearson Lehman Brothers and\n  First Boston, traders said.\n      Du Pont, which opened with a two point gain, stood at\n  109-1\/8, up 1-1\/8.\n      First Boston's analyst was not available for comment.\n      Analyst Theodore Semegran of Shearson said he raised his\n  earnings estimates for the company to 7.25 dlrs a share in 1987\n  and eight dlrs a share in 1988. The company earned 6.35 dlrs a\n  share in 1986.\n      \"Good domestic demand, higher operating earnings and a\n  strng export business, probably benefitting from a lower dollar\n  and effects of reduced imports in chemicals will continue to\n  aid Du Pont.\" He also noted that energy earnings in the first\n  quarter are better than expected because of the rise in crude\n  prices. Semegran expects first quarter earnings\n  of about 1.85 dlrs a share from 1.67 dlrs last year.\n      He also expects the company to raise its annual dividend\n  about 20 to 30 cts a share, from its current dividend of 3.20\n  dlrs a share, \"and a stock split is possible but it has a low\n  probablility.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CHEMLAWN <CHEM> IN TALKS ON BEING ACQUIRED\n","article":"  ChemLawn Corp said it has\n  started talks on the possible sale of the company with \"various\n  parties\" that it did not identify.\n      The company said the talks began after it considred and\n  rejected Waste Management Inc's <WMX> 27 dlr per share tender\n  offer for all its sharesd.\n      ChemLawn gave no details on the talks.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SHV WITHDRAWS IC GAS OFFER\n","article":"  SHV Holdings NV said it is\n  withdrawing its take-over bid for Imperial Continental Gas\n  Association <ICGS.L> after failing to gain the minimum number\n  of pledges sought from IC Gas shareholders.\n      SHV said in a statement it had sought to gain 750,000 IC\n  Gas shares under a 700p offer for IC Gas ordinary stock but was\n  informed that level was not reached when the deadline expired.\n  \"The tender offer is therefore void,\" it said.\n       SHV also offered 252 pence for every one stg nominal of IC\n  Gas loan stock under the bid, made by <SHV (United Kingdom)\n  Holding Co Ltd>.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PROGRESS AT RUBBER PACT TALKS REPORTED SLOW\n","article":"  Negotiators at a United Nations\n  conference on natural rubber are making slow progress towards\n  reaching an agreement, delegates said.\n      The conference, which began Monday, is widely seen as the\n  final effort to adopt a new International Natural Rubber\n  Agreement (INRA) before the current one expires in October.\n      Some 40 producing and consuming countries are taking part\n  in the two-week meeting. This is the fourth such conference in\n  nearly two years.\n      Delegates said both sides still appeared divided on the key\n  issue of the price adjustment mechanism.\n      Consumers want frequent price reviews at 12 month intervals\n  instead of 18 months as at present, a proposal currently\n  rejected by producers.\n      And while consumers press for the price adjustment to be\n  automatic, producers have resisted reducing the role of the\n  International Rubber Organization Council in the price\n  adjustment procedure.\n      Conference chairman Manaspas Xuto of Thailand has said it\n  was \"imperative\" to settle outstanding issues this week so that\n  technical drafting work can be done next week.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LORD ABBETT AND CO DECLARES MUTUAL FUND DIVS\n","article":"  LORD ABBETT VALUE APPRECIATION FUND\n      Annual div 33 cts vs 23 cts prior\n      Long term capital gain 2.06 vs 75 cts prior\n      Short term capital gain 18 cts vs 11 cts prior\n      Pay April 6\n      Record March 12\n      \n      LORD ABBETT U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND\n      Daily div .029 cts vs .029 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record April 15\n      LORD ABBETT TAX FREE INCOME NATIONAL SERIES\n      Daily .068 cts vs .068 prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record April 15\n      \n      LORD ABBETT TAX FREE INCOME FUND NY SERIES\n      Daily .067 cts vs .067 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record April 15\n      \n      LORD ABBETT TAX FREE INCOME FUND TEXAS SERIES\n      Daily .059 cts vs .059 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record April 15\n      LORD ABBETT CALIFORNIA TAX FREE INCOME FUND\n      Daily .062 vs .063 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<ASSOCIATES CORP OF NORTH AMERICA> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ended Jan 31\n      Net 55.3 mln dlrs vs 51.7 mln dlrs\n      Revs 419.1 mln vs 391.7 mln\n      Note: Revs include investment and other income of 18.4 mln\n  dlrs vs 18.5 mln dlrs.\n      Company is wholly owned by Gulf and Western Corp <GW>.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEWPORT PHARMACEUTICALS <NWPH> 3RD QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Period ended January 31.\n      Shr loss six cts vs profit one ct\n      Net loss 536,000 vs profit 166,000\n      Revs 2,099,000 vs 3,149,000\n      Avg shrs 10,429,000 vs 9,943,000\n      Nine Mths\n      Shre loss nine cts vs loss five cts\n      Net loss 790,000 vs loss 377,000\n      Revs 7,089,000 vs 7,646,000\n      Avg shrs 10,406,000 vs 9,351,000\n      Note: Full name Newport Pharmaceuticals International Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"THE RAYMOND CORP <RAYM> DECLARES QTLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 11-3\/4 cts vs 11-3\/4 cts prior\n      Pay March 27\n      Record March 13\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MITCHELL ENERGY <MND> AGAIN CUTS CAPITAL OUTLAYS\n","article":"  Mitchell Energy and\n  Development Corp said it plans to hold its capital spending in\n  fiscal 1988, ending January 31, to 96 mln dlrs, down from the\n  123 mln dlrs spent in 1987 and 213 mln dlrs in 1986.\n      The company also said its natural gas revenues so far this\n  year have been reduced by lower contract customer purchases due\n  to mild weather and soft economic conditions.\n      \"But the contracts call for the lower 'takes' to be made up\n  during the course of the year,\" Mitchell Energy said. Meanwhile\n  it will sell additional quantities of gas on the spot market.\n      Mitchell Energy said the additional spot sales will tend to\n  lower the average price realized for gas in the early part of\n  fiscal 1988.\n      However, it said the average for the full year is not\n  expected to be significantly lower than the 2.99 dlrs per\n  thousand cubic feet averaged in fiscal 1987.                   \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTOR TO TAKE CONTROL OF RIVER OAKS <ROI>\n","article":"  River Oaks Industries Inc said\n  it agreed in principle to give control of the company to Benson\n  Seizer, a New York investor, in return for 2.6 mln dlrs in\n  capital.\n      The company, a maker of mobile homes, said it terminated\n  merger discussions with <Nursing Centers of America>.\n      River Oaks said it will place a 2.6 mln dlr convertible\n  note with Seizer, who in turn will name six additional members\n  to the company's five-member board. One of the new directors\n  will take over as chairman and chief executive officer, River\n  Oaks said.\n      River Oaks said the note will be convertible into two mln\n  shares of its common stock at one dlr a share. The company\n  currently has 14 mln shares outstanding.\n      The company said it will also grant Seizer an option to buy\n  an additional 2.6 mln shares during the next four years at 1.25\n  dlrs a share during the first year and 1.50 dlrs a share\n  thereafter.\n      The company said the money raised from Seizer will further\n  strengthen its balance sheet and enhance its ability to seek\n  selective expansion opportunities.\n      Seizer is experienced in turnaround situations and is\n  expected to take direct involvement in River Oaks management,\n  said Charles F. DeGroot, who will remain a director of the\n  company after giving up the post of chairman to one of Seizer's\n  board nominees.\n      Don Manning will cede his post as chief executive but will\n  remain president, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FINANCIAL SANTA BARBARA <FSB> TO MAKE PURCHASE\n","article":"  Financial Corp of Santa\n  Barbara said it has signed a definitive agreement to purchase\n  Stanwell Financial, the lending operations unit of mortgage\n  banking company <Stanwell Mortgage>, for undisclosed terms.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GEVAERT NV <GEVN.BR> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Consolidated group net profit 1.88 billion francs vs 1.29\n  billion.\n      Net financial and operating profit 1.11 billion vs 825.1\n  mln.\n      Extraordinary earnings 774.7 mln vs 462.8 mln.\n      Net dividend 165 francs vs 150.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL SAVINGS MOVE POINTS TO LOWER U.K. RATES\n","article":"  U.K. Interest rates look set to move\n  lower even after Monday's half-point cut in bank base rates to\n  10-1\/2 pct, analysts said, citing as evidence the suspension of\n  a British National Savings issue yesterday.\n      The Department of National Savings, effectively a Treasury\n  Department unit, yesterday suspended its 32nd issue, launched\n  in October and paying a high tax-free 8-3\/4 pct on five-year\n  private investments between 25 and 5,000 stg. A spokesman said\n  the suspension was just a reaction to yields on national\n  savings bonds being way out of line with the rest of the\n  market.\n      The move was followed by a surprise sell-out within minutes\n  today of a Bank of England one-billion stg tap issue, the\n  second such issue in as many weeks, analysts noted.\n      They said the near-instant sale of the entire new gilts\n  issue, for which the Bank of England had required a high 40 pct\n  downpayment, was clear evidence that the market thought rates\n  had to drop sooner rather than later.\n      The sale of the tranche of 8-3\/4 pct treasury bonds due\n  1997 occurred in an active, bullish gilts market as downward\n  pressure on money market rates remained intact, with the\n  bellwether three-month interbank rate down 1\/8 point at\n  10-9-7\/8 pct.\n       It coincided with another strong sterling rally which\n  pushed the pound to four-year highs against the dollar.\n      \"That government stock disappeared very quickly indeed,\" said\n  Stephen Lewis, head of economic research at stockbrokers\n  Phillips and Drew; \"It is an indication that the market believes\n  rates are going to fall further ... At least by a half-point\n  immediately after the budget (on March 17), and some people\n  hope for more.\"\n      Stockbrokers James Capel said in a comment the move by the\n  National Savings Department was \"of considerable significance.\"\n      It said, \"the real message ... Is that the decks are being\n  quickly cleared so as to facilitate a speedy decision by the\n  building societies to cut their rates when the inevitable cut\n  in bank base rates to 10 pct materialises.\"\n      Building societies have said a drop in bank base rates\n  would normally have to exceed half a point to give rise to a\n  reduction in mortgage lending rates.\n      Lewis of Phillips and Drew said he too believed the\n  National Savings issue suspension may reflect new U.K. Treasury\n  policy to point building societies towards a mortgage rate cut.\n      \"National Savings has been competing too effectively with\n  the building societies of late. Building society income has\n  been depressed in recent months,\" he said.\n      He and other analysts said Chancellor of the Exchequer\n  Nigel Lawson was keen to see mortgage rates fall to keep a lid\n  on U.K. Inflation.\n      Underlying upward pressure on prices is stronger in Britain\n  than in most other Western economies with inflation seen rising\n  well above four pct this year and above five pct in 1988 after\n  last year's 3.7 pct.\n      Emphasising the impact of mortgage rates on consumer\n  prices, Lewis said a one-point cut in building society rates\n  would reduce inflation in Britain by about 0.4 pct.\n      But Lewis and others noted that building societies had been\n  complaining to the government about intense competition from\n  National Savings, which they argued reduced the scope for early\n  mortgage rate cuts.\n      \"The Chancellor need not be worried about losing some PSBR\n  funding from National Savings, but he must be taking the\n  building societies' criticism to heart. It looks like the\n  National Savings move reflects this,\" one senior dealer said.\n      A Savings Department spokesman refused to comment on this\n  interpretation, saying the suspension of the issue was merely a\n  reaction to the recent fall in U.K. Interest rates, which had\n  pushed yields on national savings bonds way out of line with\n  the rest of the market.\n      \"We are not politically motivated ... Funding was just\n  becoming too expensive and we don't need all that money,\" he\n  told Reuters, adding the department had suspended issues at\n  least twice in the past, when offered interest rates were above\n  or below market rates.\n      He said demand for the issue had risen sharply of late as\n  U.K. Money market rates continued their steady decline and\n  income was threatening to overshoot an unofficial three billion\n  stg target set for fiscal 1986 ending March 31.\n      In the first 10 months of fiscal 1986, National Saving's\n  contribution to government funding totalled 2.72 billion stg,\n  compared with 2.01 billion stg in the same period of the\n  previous year, official figures show.\n      Figures for February, out on Monday, are expected to show a\n  further increase of between 300 and 400 mln stg, pushing the\n  total for 11 months above target, government officials said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NICOR INC <GAS> REGULAR DIVIDEND SET\n","article":"  Qtly div 45 cts vs 45 cts previously\n      Pay May 1\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HANDLEMAN CO <HDL> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 14 cts vs 14 cts prior\n      Pay April 10\n      Record March 27\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PERINI CORP <PCR> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 20 cts vs 20 cts prior\n      Pay June 16\n      Record May 22\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JONES AND VINING SAID VULCAN CORP OFFERS FIVE DLRS A SHARE FOR JONES\n","article":"\n  JONES AND VINING SAID VULCAN CORP OFFERS FIVE DLRS A SHARE FOR JONES\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INTERNATIONAL BANKNOTE CO INC <IBK> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 11 cts vs loss 14 cts\n      Oper net loss 1,963,000 vs loss 2,199,000\n      Revs 17.5 mln vs 40.9 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit nine cts vs profit two cts\n      Oper net profit 1,555,000 vs 456,000\n      Revs 86.3 mln vs 143.7 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes extraordinary tax charges of 115,000\n  dlrs vs 995,000 dlrs in quarter and credits 8,096,000 dlrs vs\n  1,173,000 dlrs in year.\n      1985 year net includes pretax gain 7,400,000 dlrs from\n  termination of pension plan.\n      1985 net includes pretax charge 1,200,000 dlrs in quarter\n  and gain 1,400,000 dlrs in year from restructuring and\n  consolidation.\n      1985 quarter net includes 1,480,000 dlr tax credit.\n      1986 year net includes pretax gain 17.2 mln dlrs from sale\n  of foreign subsidiary.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ALCAN TO CLOSE WEST GERMAN ALUMINIUM SMELTER\n","article":"  <Alcan Aluminiumwerke\n  GmbH>, a subsidiary of Alcan Aluminium Ltd <AL.N> of Canada,\n  said it plans to close its aluminium smelter in Ludwigshafen at\n  the end of June.\n      A spokesman said Alcan was closing the smelter, with annual\n  capacity of 44,000 tonnes and 320 employees, because of high\n  electricity costs and the low world market price of aluminium.\n      Alkan had said earlier this year it would close half the\n  plant's capacity but decided to shut down completely when talks\n  with potential cooperation partners failed, the spokesman said.\n  He declined to name the other companies involved in the talks.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC CONCERNED OVER U.S. TEXTILE IMPORT MOVES\n","article":"  The European Community (EC) expressed\n  disquiet over protectionist moves in the United States to limit\n  imports of textiles and said it would retaliate immediately if\n  EC exports were hit.\n      A spokeswoman for the EC Commission said EC External Trade\n  Commissioner Willy De Clercq had written to his U.S.\n  Counterpart, special U.S. Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter,\n  outlining the concerns of the 12-nation Community.\n      The draft legislation under consideration by Congress would\n  impose permanent quotas on products entering the U.S. and seek\n  to limit any increase to a growth in the overall trade.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SPEED-O-PRINT BUSINESS <SBM> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr loss seven cts vs profit 17 cts\n      Net loss 102,000 vs profit 258,000\n      Revs 1,695,000 vs 1,371,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 33 cts vs profit 26 cts\n      Net loss 488,000 vs profit 384,000\n      Revs 6,700,000 vs 4,774,000\n      NOTE: 1986 results include operations of radio stations\n  WJYE-FM for the full year and WNNR-AM for the last six months.\n      Speed-O-Print Business Machines Corp is full name of\n  company.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ASBESTEC INDUSTRIES <ASBS> SETS STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Asbestec Industries Inc said\n  its board declared a three-for-two stock split, payable April\n  17, record April Three.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"QUAKER OATS CO <OAT> REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 20 cts vs 20 cts previously\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 23\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JONES AND VINING <JNSV> GETS VULCAN <VUL> BID\n","article":"  Jones and Vining Inc said\n  Vulcan Corp, one of its main competitors in the production of\n  shoe lasts, has offered to acquire Jones and Vining for five\n  dlrs a share.\n      Jones and Vining said a management effort to take the\n  company private will go ahead at 4.50 dlrs per share. The form\n  of the buyout has not yet been determined and the buyout is\n  subject to a nunber of conditions, it said.\n      Jones and Vining said its board believes that a transaction\n  with Vulcan would be difficult to complete, but it has asked\n  Vulcan for further information to explore the bid.\n      On January 23, Jones and Vining said its board had\n  recommended that shareholders aprove a management buyout at\n  4.50 dlrs a share.\n      On February Six, Vulcan initially offered to acquire Jones\n  and Vining for five dlrs a share, but Jones and Vining\n  dismissed the offer as \"frivolous\" and \"without substance\" and\n  said the bid failed to comply with provisions of the Securities\n  Act of 1934.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"PPG INDUSTRIES <PPG> SEES GROWTH IN 1987\n","article":"  PPG Industries Inc will continue to\n  show earnings growth in 1987 despite a difficult economic\n  climate, the company said in its annual report, mailed to\n  shareholders today.\n      For 1986, the company's earnings rose five pct, to 316 mln\n  dlrs, on revenues that increased eight pct, to 4.7 billion\n  dlrs. Earnings per share were 2.66 dlrs, compared with 2.27\n  dlrs.\n      The company added that in 1986 its return on equity reached\n  17.3 pct, up from 15.5 pct in 1985 and close to its goal of 18\n  pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BELGIAN MINISTER UNVEILS PRIVATISATION PLAN\n","article":"  Belgian Budget Minister Guy\n  Verhofstadt has proposed a plan to sell off shares in several\n  state-owned enterprises, including national airline Sabena and\n  the postal and telecommunications authority, government sources\n  said.\n      They said the plan could raise more than 25 billion francs\n  in revenue over the next five years according to Verhofstadt's\n  projections, helping the government to reduce its huge budget\n  deficit, targetted this year at 418 billion francs.\n      But the scheme had received a guarded reception from the\n  Social Christian parties in Belgium's centre-right coalition\n  when Verhofstadt unveiled it at a cabinet meeting yesterday.\n      Discussion of the plan was likely to be long and difficult,\n  the sources said.\n      Verhofstadt proposes beginning the selloffs in the last\n  quarter of 1987, with the sale of 30 to 40 pct of state\n  investment company SNI. He expects the sale to raise three\n  billion francs, they added.\n      A 25 pct share in Sabena would be sold in mid-1989 for 1.5\n  billion francs, while 50 pct of the postal and\n  telecommunications authority would be sold off in two stages in\n  mid-1990 and early 1992, raising at least seven billion francs.\n      Also on Verhofstadt's list are the Maritime Transport\n  Authority, leading gas distributor Distrigaz, CGER savings\n  bank, CGER, and several other credit institutions.\n      Le Soir daily quoted CGER vice-president Paul Henrion as\n  expressing strong opposition to the privatisation of his bank.\n      \"Public company we are and public company we wish to stay,\"\n  Henrion told the paper.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BBC AG BROWN BOVERI UND CIE <BBCZ.Z> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Parent Company net profit 12.8 mln Swiss francs vs 7.5 mln.\n      Orders received 2.21 billion francs vs 2.61 billion.\n      Sales 2.25 billion francs vs 2.49 billion.\n      Group sales 13.83 billion francs vs 13.88 billion.\n      Group orders 11.03 billion francs vs 13.00 billion.\n   REUTE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SCIENCE DYNAMICS CORP <SIDY> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 24 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 704,803 vs 385,081\n      Revs 5,669,682 vs 4,142,095\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FOODARAMA SUPERMARKETS INC <FSM> 1ST QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr 42 cts vs 35 cts\n      Net 570,000 vs 476,000\n      Sales 122.4 mln vs 123.1 mln\n      NOTEL Prior year net includes pretax charge 453,000 dlrs\n  for reopening of eight stores.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ENGINEERING MEASUREMENTS CO <EMCO> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends Jan 31\n      Shr four cts vs 12 cts\n      Net 102,508 vs 264,910\n      Revs 2,278,083 vs 2,536,312\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 18 cts vs 15 cts\n      Net 489,253 vs 404,877\n      Revs 6,679,745 vs 6,613,551\n      NOTE: Excludes discontinued operations gain of 40,519 dlrs\n  in the third quarter fiscal 1986, and loss of 9,666 dlrs in the\n  nine months fiscal 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BOOTHE FINANCIAL CORP <BCMP> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr one ct vs 24 cts\n      Net 43,000 vs 1,032,000\n      Revs 10 mln vs 4.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 3.7 mln vs 4.3 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 1.02 dlrs vs 1.62 dlrs\n      Net 3,950,000 vs 7,308,000\n      Revs 30.8 mln vs 33.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 3.9 mln vs 4.5 mln\n      NOTE: 1985 restated to reflect tax loss carryforwards.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CONSOLIDATED NATURAL GAS CO <CNG> IN PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 37-1\/2 cts vs 37-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay May 15\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SANDUSKY PLASTICS INC <SPI> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div six cts vs six cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 20\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MARRIOTT <MHS> TO SELL HOTEL\n","article":"  <Four Seasons Hotels> said it and <VMS\n  Realty Partners> of Chicago have agreed to purchase the Santa\n  Barbara Biltmore Hotel from Marriott Corp for an undisclosed\n  amount.\n      It said the venture will rename the hotel the Four Seasons\n  Biltmore at Santa Barbara and invest over 13 mln dlrs in\n  improvements on the 228-room property.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"REXNORD <REX> TO SELL RAILWAY EQUIPMENT UNIT\n","article":"  Rexnord nc said it signed a\n  definitive agreement to sell its Railway Maintenance Equipment\n  Co subsidiary to Banner Industries Inc. Terms were withheld.\n      It said Railway Maintenance had 1986 sales of 16 mln dlrs\n  and employs 100 people.\n      Rexnord said the sale is part of a major program to divest\n  several of its businesses representing about 200 mln dlrs in\n  net assets. Still to be divested are the Process Machinery\n  Division with sales of 137 mln dlrs and Mathews Conveyer Co,\n  with sales of 83 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LICHT SEES STAGNANT EUROPEAN BEET AREA\n","article":"  The overall area devoted to sugar\n  beet in Europe is forecast to remain stagnant this year at 7.22\n  mln hectares compared with 7.21 mln ha in 1986, West German\n  statistician F.O. Licht said.\n      It was feared that the recent steep rise in sugar prices\n  would have a marked effect on planting intentions this year,\n  Licht said, but judging by this first estimate the effect was\n  probably minimal.\n      The total beet area in the European Community is forecast\n  to fall two pct to 1.85 mln ha against 1.89 mln in 1986.\n      The total Western Europe area is put at 2.49 mln ha,\n  against 2.50 mln in 1986. Eastern Europe area is forecast at\n  4.73 mln ha against 4.72 mln.\n      Individual West Europe country estimates, in 1,000 hectares\n  (with 1986 figures in brackets), are, Belgium\/Luxembourg 114\n  (118), Denmark 69 (69), France 419 (421), Greece 35 (44),\n  Ireland 36 (38), Italy 270 (275), Netherlands 129 (138),\n  Portugal 1 (1), Spain 192 (190), U.K. 200 (201), West Germany\n  385 (399), Austria 32 (28), Finland 30 (31), Sweden 51 (52),\n  Switzerland 15 (14), Turkey 355 (340), Yugoslavia 160 (136).\n      Eastern Europe plantings are forecast as follows, USSR 3400\n  (3440), Albania 10 (9), Bulgaria 52 (50), Czechoslovakia 195\n  (196), East Germany 210 (205), Hungary 108 (96), Poland 460\n  (440), Romania 295 (280).\n      On the basis of average yields this year, Licht said these\n  area forecasts pointed to a total European beet sugar crop in\n  1987\/88 of 29.8 mln tonnes, raw value, down from 31.4 mln\n  tonnes in 1986\/87. Licht said sugar yields were fairly high\n  last season, thanks to favourable weather, and this increases\n  the chances of a significant reduction in production in\n  1987\/88.\n      Based on average yields, EC beet sugar production could\n  fall nearly 10 pct this year to 13.5 mln tonnes from 14.9 mln\n  in 1986\/87, while total Western Europe production could be 16.9\n  mln tonnes against 18.1 mln. Eastern Europe production could be\n  12.9 mln tonnes against 13.3 mln in 1986\/87.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BRITAIN TO MINT NEW \"BRITANNIA\" GOLD COIN\n","article":"  Britain will from next autumn mint and\n  market a new bullion coin called the \"Britannia\" containing one\n  ounce of 24 carat gold, together with bullion coins of smaller\n  denominations, a Treasury official said.\n      The new investment coin, to be sold worldwide, will\n  fluctuate in price according to the international price of\n  gold.\n      The smaller coins will be in denominations of a half ounce,\n  a quarter ounce and a tenth of an ounce. REUTER\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MEESE SEES A PLUS IN CHRYSLER-AMC MERGER\n","article":"  Attorney General Edwin Meese said he\n  saw some benefit in the proposed purchase of American Motors Co\n  <AMO> By Chrysler Corp <C> in that it would return the smallest\n  of the U.S. auto manufacturers to American hands.\n      Meese told the House Appropriations Subcommittee that\n  consideration would be part of the Justice Department's review\n  of the proposed merger. He said the agency has not yet received\n  a formal notice of the merger which would start the review\n  process.\n     Chrysler has made a 1.3 billion dlr bid to buy AMC from its\n  French parent Renault.\n      \"I think one of the things that has to be recognized in that\n  merger is that it appears, at least, that a good portion of the\n  ownership of American Motors, which has been in overseas hands\n  will be put back in American hands,\" Meese told the\n  subcommittee.\n      \"That may be one of the factors that would be weighed in the\n  judgment,\" he added.\n      Renault currently holds about 46 pct of AMC.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DUTCH PARLIAMENT OFFERS LITTLE HELP IN PORT ROW\n","article":"  Dutch members of parliament said they\n  could do little to help resolve the dispute over redundancies\n  in Rotterdam port's general cargo sector and urged the union\n  and employers to sort out their differences themselves.\n      Both sides gave evidence to the all-party standing\n  committee on Social Affairs today, but committee members said\n  they saw little chance of parliamentary intervention.\n      The dispute began on January 19 in protest at employers'\n  plans for 800 redundancies from the 4,000-strong workforce,\n  starting with 350 this year. The port and transport union, FNV,\n  is to challenge the redundancies in an Amsterdam court\n  tomorrow.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SOSNOFF SAYS CAESARS <CAW> OFFERED STOCK BUYBACK\n","article":"  Martin Sosnoff, who has offered to\n  buy Caesars World Inc for 28 dlrs a share, said senior\n  officials of the company have offered to buy back the Caesars\n  stake he already holds, now 13.6 pct of the total outstanding.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Sosnoff, a New York investor and money manager, said the offers\n  to buy back his stock occurred \"on several occasions during the\n  past year.\"\n      The offers were made by several Caesars World\n  representatives, including its chairman, Henry Gluck, he said. \n     Sosnoff said he rejected all of the proposals.\n      The Caesars World official suggested various forms of\n  payment for Sosnoff's stake, including other securities of the\n  company and cash, he said. Sosnoff did not detail the value of\n  the proposed compensation.\n      Also suggested was a deal involving \"put\" and \"call\" option\n  regarding Sosnoff's Caesars World holdings, he said.\n      The proposed deals would have also included a \"standstill\"\n  agreement, which would have restricted Sosnoff's right to buy\n  more Caesars World stock or \"to take any action adverse to\n  incumbent management,\" he said.\n      Sosnoff's report on the offers he received for his Caesars\n  World shares were amended to his official offer to purchase the\n  company, as well as reported to the SEC.\n      Sosnoff now holds about 4.1 mln Caesars World shares, or\n  13.6 pct of the company's 30 mln shares outstanding.\n      The Sosnoff offer to buy the shares of the company he does\n  not already hold has been valued at 725.2 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ENERGY\/FOREIGN INVESTORS\n","article":"  Lured by the weakening dollar and the\n  conviction that oil prices are poised for a rebound, European\n  energy companies are buying up cheap U.S. oil and gas reserves\n  to replenish their supplies, oil industry analysts said.\n      They said owning oil reserves in a politically stable\n  United States is good insurance against future shortages.\n  However, the quick pace of foreign investment has heated up\n  competition among European firms, well-heeled U.S.\n  institutional investors and major oil companies to snare choice\n  domestic oil properties.\n      Strevig and Associates, a Houston firm that tracks oil and\n  gas reserve sales, said growing interest among foreign buyers\n  had helped push reserve prices in recent months higher. All\n  buyers of U.S. reserves paid a median price of 6.45 dlrs a\n  barrel of oil during the fourth quarter of 1986 for\n  acquisitions, up from 5.33 dlrs in the third quarter and five\n  dlrs in the second quarter, according to the firm's research.\n      \"Foreign investors have been here nibbling a long time, but\n  we're seeing new names and smaller companies coming in,\" said\n  Arthur Smith, an oil property appraisal specialist and\n  president of John S. Herold Inc in Greenwich, Conn.\n      \"Europeans, especially, do not have much indigenous oil and\n  gas and realize the tide will eventually turn in favor of the\n  Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries,\" he added.\n      Smith and other oil industry analyst and economists believe\n  the trend in foreign investments will continue in 1987 because\n  of the fall in value of the U.S. dollar, the perception that\n  oil prices have hit bottom and the fact that it is cheaper to\n  buy new reserves than to explore for them.\n      Plenty of properties are available on the market, thanks to\n  the need of many companies to raise cash for debt payments and\n  general restructuring throughout the oilpatch.\n      In two of the biggest transactions of recent months,\n  French-owned Minatome Corp., a unit of <Total Compagnie\n  Francaise des Petroles>, spent more than 230 mln dlrs to\n  separately acquire oil assets of Texas International <TEICC>\n  and Lear Petroleum Partners <LPP>. A spokesman for Minatome\n  said the company is searching for additional acquisitions.\n      A partnership of two Belgian-owned firms, <Petrofina S.A.>\n  and <Cometra Oil S.A.> paid 150 mln dlrs late last year to buy\n  virtually all the exploration assets of the Williams Cos <WMB>,\n  the Oklahoma pipeline firm.\n      But Japanese investors prefer entering into joint ventures\n  with experienced U.S. companies to explore for new oil. Japan's\n  <Nippon Oil> is a partner of Texaco Inc's <TX> Texaco USA in a\n  100 mln dlrs U.S. drilling program, and has joined with\n  Dupont's <DD> Conoco Inc in a similar 135 dlrs mln deal.\n      Most buyers said the pay-back period of a property, its\n  geographic location and the lifting cost of the crude oil are\n  more important factors in evaluating potential acquisitions\n  than relying on a simple price-per-barrel formula.\n      Rich Hodges, a Houston-based land manager representing\n  International Oil and Gas Corp, a partnership of <Preussag\n  Corp> and <C. Deilmann Inc> of West Germany, said the firm had\n  earmarked at least 50 mln dlrs to spend on oil reserves in\n  Texas, Oklahoma or Louisiana in the coming months.\n      But he called that a small amount compared to the amount\n  other investors have for acquisitions. PaineWebber's Geodyne\n  Energy Income Fund, for example, has said it plans to spend up\n  to 300 mln dlrs on oil and gas properties.\n      \"The competition is stiff, not only from other foreign\n  investors but from the brokerage houses and U.S. oil\n  companies,\" he said. \"Our company is shopping around because we\n  feel it's substantially less risky than pure exploration. If\n  you're going to take the risk inherent in exploration, you need\n  prices higher than the current market,\" he added.\n      In addition to the foreign investors and U.S. brokerage\n  houses, analysts said many of the major oil companies were also\n  competing for prime properties.\n      Houston-based Shell Oil Co, a unit of Royal Dutch\/Shell Group\n  <RD>, has been one of the most active companies in buying and\n  selling reserves, Smith said. Since 1982, Shell has acquired\n  two billion dlrs in new reserves, including 470 mln barrels of\n  oil equivalent at a net cost of 2.80 dlrs a barrel, he said.\n      \"Buying reserves is a good strategy for most of these\n  companies,\" Smith said. \"Domestic production has dropped by one\n  mln barrels a day because of cutbacks in drilling and it may\n  drop by another one mln barrels a day in 1988.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<CINRAM LTD> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 45 cts vs 58 cts\n      Net 1.1 mln vs 829,000\n      Sales 7.9 mln vs 9.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,332,397 vs 1,428,000\n      Year\n      Shr 1.22 dlrs vs 1.06 dlrs\n      Net 2.9 mln vs 1.5 mln\n      Sales 25.7 mln vs 22.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,332,397 vs 1,428,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AUSTRIAN 1987 GROWTH SEEN BETWEEN 0.5 AND 1.5 PCT\n","article":"  A meeting of leading politicians,\n  bankers and economists has forecast Austrian real gross\n  domestic product growth for this year at between 0.5 and 1.5\n  pct, a government spokesman said.\n      This compared with a two pct growth forecast made by the\n  semi-official Institute for Economic Research (WIFO) last\n  December.\n      Helmut Kramer, spokesman for Chancellor Franz Vranitzky,\n  told Reuters that the forecast had been made during the meeting\n  attended by Vranitzky, Finance Minister Ferdinand Lacina,\n  National Bank President Stefan Koren and a WIFO representative.\n      Economists have been cutting growth forecasts recently\n  mainly due to expectations of a poor export performance this\n  year, notably to Eastern Europe and oil exporting states.\n      Hannes Androsch, general director of\n  Creditanstalt-Bankverein <CABV.VI>, today put 1987 GDP growth\n  at between one and 1.5 pct.\n      Kramer also said the meeting had heard that unemployment\n  for the year would be above the 5.5 pct forecast, but was\n  unlikely to be more than six pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<FOR BETTER LIVING INC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit primary 91 cts vs loss 86 cts\n      Shr profit diluted 90 cts vs loss 86 cts\n      Net profit 787,000 vs loss 751,000\n      Sales 20 mln vs 12.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit profit 2.63 dlrs vs profit five cts\n      Shr profit diluted 2.59 dlrs vs profit five cts\n      Net profit 2,273,000 vs profit 43,000\n      Sales 70.1 mln vs 47.1 mln\n      Note: Prior qtr and year figures include gains on disposal\n  of discontinued operations of 76,000 dlrs and 79,000 dlrs,\n  respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEWPORT ELECTRONICS INC <NEWE> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr loss nine cts vs loss four cts\n      Oper net loss 108,000 vs loss 55,000\n      Sales 3,029,000 vs 2,694,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 42 cts vs profit 15 cts\n      Oper net profit 511,000 vs profit 177,000\n      Sales 13.3 mln vs 11.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,233,136 vs 1,217,981\n      Note: Current qtr and year figures exclude operating loss\n  carryforward gain of 26,000 dlrs vs gain of 88,000 dlrs in\n  prior year periods.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRANSCO EXPLORATION PARTNERS LTD <EXP> IN PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 44 cts vs 44 cts prior\n      Pay June One\n      Record May Eight\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRANSCO ENERGY CO <E> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 68 cts vs 68 cts prior\n      Pay June One\n      Record May Eight\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BROWN BOVERI OMITS DIVIDEND, PLANS WARRANT BOND\n","article":"  BBC AG Brown Boveri und Cie\n  <BBCZ.Z> said it will omit dividend in 1986 for the second\n  consecutive year.\n      It said it planned to invite shareholders and non-voting\n  stockholders to subscribe to a warrant bond issue of around 150\n  mln Swiss francs to be made after the June 2 annual meeting.\n      The value of the stock subscription rights should\n  correspond roughly to the dividend of 30 francs per share paid\n  in 1984. The company also plans to issue participation\n  certificates with a par value of 70 mln Swiss francs, from\n  which existing shareholders are excluded.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TOTAL ERICKSON RESOURCES LTD <TLEXF> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit nine cts vs loss 45 cts\n      Net profit 2,500,000 vs loss 9,900,000\n      Revs 16,800,000 vs 3,300,000\n      Note: 1986 net includes 2.6 mln dlr or nine ct a shr\n  writedown of nine pct stake in <Trans-Canada Resources Ltd>.\n      1985 results reflect only six mths of mining operations due\n  to merger of Erickson Gold Mines Ltd and Total Eastcan\n  Exploration Ltd on June 30, 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VERSAR <VSR> TO BUY MARIETTA <ML> UNIT\n","article":"  Versar Inc said it has agreed\n  in principle to acquire Martin Marietta Corp's Martin Marietta\n  Environmental Systems unit for about 5,300,000 dlrs.\n      Versar said it would use its working capital and an\n  established life of credit to find the purchase, which is\n  subject to approval by both boards and is expected to be\n  completed in April.\n      Marietta Environmental had 1986 revenues of about nine mln\n  dlrs.\n      Versar said the acquisition should have a \"moderately\"\n  favorable effect on its earnings this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.K. BANKS OFFER FIXED-RATE MORTGAGES AT 10.2 PCT\n","article":"  Two major U.K. Clearing banks announced\n  they will offer a total of 800 mln stg in new mortgages at a\n  fixed interest rate of 10.2 pct for the first three years,\n  below current bank base lending rates of 10.5 pct.\n      Midland Bank Plc <MDBL.L> said it has initially allocated\n  500 mln stg for home loans at this rate, while Lloyds Bank Plc\n  <LLOY.L> will offer 300 mln stg.\n      Earlier this week, Midland said it would cut its standard\n  rate of mortgage payment to 11.5 pct from April 1, following a\n  half a percentage point reduction in leading banks' base\n  lending rates from 11 pct.\n      Building society and other bank mortgage rates are largely\n  still well above the new base rate level, although last year\n  Lloyds offered a fixed rate of 9.9 pct on certain home loans.\n      A Midland spokesman said his bank calculated that at the\n  current level of 2.7 billion stg, its existing mortgage book\n  accounts for about 5 pct of the total British home loan market.\n      Lloyds said it has 3.6 billion stg in outstanding mortgage\n  loans, but had not estimated its total market share.\n      Among other major clearing banks, Barclays Plc <BCS.L> and\n  National Westminister Bank Plc <NWBL.L> said they had no\n  immediate plans to announce similar fixed rate schemes.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JIM WALTER <JWC> BUSY OWENS-CORNING <OCF> PLANT\n","article":"  Jim Walter Corp said it completed\n  the acquisition of Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp's mineral\n  ceiling and fiberboard plant in Meridian, Miss.\n      Terms were not disclosed\n      The plant's operations will complement existing ceiling\n  materials production within jim Walter's building material's\n  group, which last year generated income of 54.9 mln dlrs on\n  sales of 740 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VIACOM SAID IT HAS NEW NATIONAL AMUSEMENTS, MCV HOLDINGS BIDS\n","article":"\n  VIACOM SAID IT HAS NEW NATIONAL AMUSEMENTS, MCV HOLDINGS BIDS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN PRESIDENT <APS> TO LEASE MORE SHIPS\n","article":"  American President Cos Ltd said\n  its American President Lines shipping subsidiary  obtained\n  final approval from U.S. and Japanese authorities to lease four\n  new ships from Lykes Bros Co.\n      The move will will enable it to boost service in the\n  Pacific by 15 pct in 1987, American President said.\n      The company said it will lease the ships for three years\n  and hold two additional three-year options.\n      It said American President Lines is currently operating at\n  capacity in the Pacific and the new ships will arrive in time\n  for the normal demand surge of the spring and summer seasons.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BOWNE AND CO INC <BNE> SETS STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Bowne and Co Inc said its board\n  declared a two-for-one stock split, payable May 10 to holders\n  of record April 17.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTMENT FIRM BOOSTS AMERFORD <AMRF> STAKE\n","article":"  Louart Corp, a Los Angeles\n  investment firm, said it raised its stake in Amerford\n  International Corp to 105,615 shares, or 7.8 pct of the total\n  outstanding, from 69,715 shares, or 5.2 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Louart said it bought 35,900 Amerford common shares between\n  March 19, 1986 and Jan 30, 1987 at prices ranging from 3.92 to\n  4.29 dlrs a share.\n      It said it bought the shares for investment purposes and\n  might increase its stake in the future.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CORRECTED - AUSTRIA 1987 GROWTH FORECAST REVISED\n","article":"  Austrian gross domestic product growth\n  for this year is likely to be between 0.5 and 1.5 pct, Helmut\n  Kramer, head of the semi-official Institute for Economic\n  Research (WIFO) said.\n      This compared with a two pct growth forecast made by the\n  WIFO last December.\n      Kramer made the forecast at a meeting today on Austria's\n  economic outlook also attended by Chancellor Franz Vranitzky,\n  Finance Minister Ferdinand Lacina and National Bank President\n  Stefan Koren.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRST BOSTON <FBC> SWISS AFFILIATE BOOSTS STAKE\n","article":"  First\n  Boston, the Swiss affiliate of First Boston Inc, said it raised\n  its stake in the company to 11,262,307 shares, or 35.5 pct of\n  the total, from 10,262,307 shares, or 32.8 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Financiere Credit Suisse said it bought 870,100 First Boston\n  common shares between Feb 10 and 27 at prices ranging from\n  48.125 to 53.000 dlrs a share, or 22.5 mln dlrs total.\n      It said it bought the shares as part of an agreement to\n  raise its minority stake in First Boston to 40 pct, the same\n  stake level First Boston holds in Financiere Credit Suisse.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NUMAC OIL AND GAS LTD <NMC> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 23 cts vs 77 cts\n      Oper net 5,255,179 vs 17.6 mln\n      Revs 37.8 mln vs 73.7 mln\n      NOTE: Cash flow 19.5 mln dlrs or 86 cts shr vs 36.7 mln\n  dlrs or 1.62 dlrs shr.\n      1985 net excludes 32 ct shr loss from discontinued\n  operations.\n      Gross proven and probable reserves of crude oil and natural\n  gas liquiids 18.4 mln barrels, off 7.6 pct from a year before.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FARAH <FRA> AGAIN OMITS QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Farah Inc said it omitted its\n  quarterly common stock dividend for the second consecutive\n  quarter.\n      The company, which last paid a quarterly common dividend of\n  22 cts a share in December, said it will consider future\n  dividend payments on the basis of improved profitability and\n  cash flow.\n      Farah said it expects to turn a profit for the balance of\n  1987. For its first quarter ended January 31, Farah lost\n  1,891,000 dlrs, or 32 cts a share, on sales of 71 mln dlrs.\n      In addition, Farah said it received shareholder approval to\n  change its name to Farah Inc from Farah Manufacturing Co.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JORDAN-PETROCANADA AGREE OIL EXPLORATION PROJECT\n","article":"  A two-year project to search for oil and\n  gas in Jordan was agreed in Amman by Jordan's Natural Resources\n  Authority (NRA) and the Canadian company, Petrocanada\n  International Assistance Corporation (PCIAC).\n      The 19.1 mln dlr assistance agreement was signed by\n  Jordan's Minister of Energy Hisham al-Khatib and PCIAC chairman\n  Peter M. Towe.\n      PCIAC is a Canadian government corporation providing\n  assistance to countries like Jordan to reduce their dependence\n  on oil imports, Towe said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NUMAC OIL <NMC> SEES RESULTS IMPROVING\n","article":"  Numac Oil and Gas Ltd said it expects\n  significant improvement in operating performance during 1987.\n      The company today reported 1986 earnings from continuing\n  operations of 5,255,179 dlrs, down from 17.6 mln dlrs a yuear\n  earlier, due to lower prices for crude oil and pipeline\n  capacity constraints.\n      Numac said changes introduced by federal and provincial\n  governments during 1986 should help results.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DOLE SAYS 0\/92 OPTION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED\n","article":"  U.S. Senate Republican leader Robert\n  Dole said Congress should consider legislation to apply the\n  so-called 0\/92 option to producers of major commodities.\n      Dole told the National Corn Growers Association that he\n  thought the proposal, supported by the Reagan administration,\n  \"should be seriously considered\" because a refusal to do so could\n  \"play into the hands of those who want mandatory controls\" placed\n  on production.\n      However, Dole did not say whether he would support the 0\/92\n  option, which would offer producers at least 92 pct of their\n  income support payments regardless of how much they planted.\n      The Senate Republican leader said the 0\/92 option posed two\n  problems. First, it is viewed, he said, by some as welfare. In\n  addition, debate on the proposal could open up the whole farm\n  bill, Dole said.\n      Dole also repeated his call for an across-the-board export\n  enhancement program, saying a subsidy offer to the Soviet Union\n  could help improve U.S. relations with that country.\n      Dole said that the United States has made the decision to\n  trade with Moscow and that it's important to offer competitive\n  prices.\n      The senator predicted Congress would have to decide this\n  year whether to require an expansion of the export subsidy\n  program, which currently targets benefits to recapture markets\n  lost to other suppliers which subsidize.\n      Dole, who last year pledged to offer legislation to require\n  a marketing loan for major crops but never did so, again called\n  for the marketing loan for wheat and feedgrains.\n      The Reagan administration's proposed farm policy changes\n  \"are not going anywhere\" this year, Dole said, singling out the\n  proposal to cut target prices 10 pct per year.\n      Asked by reporters after his speech whether he sensed a\n  shift in the State Department towards supporting an export\n  enhancement initiative for the Soviet Union, Dole said he\n  didn't see any change.\n      Dole also said it would be a very close call in the Senate\n  whether to open up the farm bill to general debate this year.\n      Dole said he was encouraged by the selection of Republican\n  David Karnes to replace the late Sen. Edward Zorinsky (D-Neb.)\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"H.J. HEINZ CO 3RD QTR SHR 55 CTS VS 46 CTS\n","article":"\n  H.J. HEINZ CO 3RD QTR SHR 55 CTS VS 46 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"H.J. HEINZ RAISES QUARTERLY TO 28 CTS FROM 25 CTS\n","article":"\n  H.J. HEINZ RAISES QUARTERLY TO 28 CTS FROM 25 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<RANCHMEN'S RESOURCES LTD> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss seven cts vs loss 3.83 dlrs\n      Net profit 1,700,000 vs loss 13,900,000\n      Revs 18.7 mln vs 25.6 mln\n      Note: Current shr after preferred dividends of 2.0 mln dlrs\n      Prior shr and net includes 34.5 mln dlr writedown on oil\n  properties\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DOLE MULLS BILL TO EXTEND ETHANOL TAX EXEMPTION\n","article":"  U.S. Senate Republican leader Robert\n  Dole (R-Kan.) said he and a group of Republican lawmakers are\n  considering introducing legislation to extend the ethanol tax\n  exemption through the year 2000.\n      Dole, addressing the National Corn Growers Association\n  board, said the proposal was under consideration by a rural\n  task force of Republican members of Congress and governors.\n      Gasoline containing at least 10 pct ethanol now receives a\n  six cents per gallon exemption from a nine cent federal excise\n  tax. The exemption is to expire the end of 1992.\n      Ethanol is produced primarily by a few large agribusiness\n  firms including Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and A.E. Staley.\n  The tax exemption has helped bolster ethanol production despite\n  a sharp drop in the prices of competing crude oil.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"OAK INDUSTRIES <OAK> TO BUY REXNORD <REX> UNIT\n","article":"  Oak Industries said it signed\n  a definitive agreement to buy the stock of Rexnord Inc's\n  Railway Maintenance Equipment Co unit, for an undisclosed sum.\n      The company said Railway Maintenance had 1986 revenues of\n  16 mln dlrs.\n      Oak said the acquisition is part of its two-tier strategy\n  of buying releated and unrelated businesses.\n      Oak had a tax loss carryforward of 125 mln dlrs at the end\n  of 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUMITOMO BANK <SUMI> DECLARES STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Sumitomo Bank of California said\n  it declared a 7-1\/2 pct stock dividend in addition to its\n  regular quarterly cash dividend of 29 cts per share.\n      Both dividends are payable April 27 to shareholders of\n  record March 31, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LSB BANCSHARES INC <LXBK> RAISES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 18 cts vs 17 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record April One\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"H.J. HEINZ CO <HNZ> 3RD QTR JAN 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 53 cts vs 46 cts\n      Qtly div 28 cts vs 25 cts prior\n      Net 74.7 mln vs 63.2 mln\n      Revs 1.08 billion vs 1.01 billion\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 1.78 dlrs vs 1.60 dlrs\n      Net 244.4 mln vs 219.7 mln\n      Revs 3.33 billion vs 3.15 billion\n      Note: Dividend payable April 10 to shareholders of record\n  March 23.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PERU GUERRILLAS INTERRUPT TRAIN ROUTE TO MINES\n","article":"  Maoist guerrillas using dynamite derailed\n  two locomotives and four train wagons, interrupting traffic on\n  Peru's sole railway line linking the capital to the central\n  Andes, where most of the country's mining centres are located,\n  authorities said.\n      Damages was estimated at 800,000 dlrs in the dynamite blast\n  yesterday at Chacapalca, where the explosion wrecked the train\n  laden with minerals and 45 metres of the railway line.\n      Crews hoped to restore traffic to the line later today\n  after clearing the damaged train and repairing the tracks at\n  Chacapalca, 225 km east of the Capital, Lima.\n      An official at Mineroperu comercial (Minpeco), Peru's state\n  minerals marketing firm, said the agency was assessing the\n  situation. There had not been a declaration of force majeure on\n  contracts to ship minerals abroad.\n      Foreign sales of silver, copper, zinc and other minerals\n  earn Peru over half of its export income. Most of the minerals,\n  extracted and refined in the central peruvian andes, are\n  shipped down the central railway to the lima port of callao.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WALL STREET STOCKS\/TENNECO INC <TGT>\n","article":"  Tenneco Inc, a company that has long\n  been rumored to be a takeover candidate, rose sharply today\n  when speculation surfaced that investor T. Boone Pickens may be\n  targeting the company for an acquisition, traders and analysts\n  said.\n      Tenneco spokesman Joseph Macrum said \"we have no comment to\n  make whatsoever.\" Pickens was not available for comment.\n      Traders noted that activity in the stock increased today\n  after a published report linked Pickens to Tenneco.\n      Tenneco rose two points to 48-3\/4.\n      Paul Feretti, an analyst with New Orleans-based Howard,\n  Weil, Labouisse, Friedrichs, Inc, said he was not surprised at\n  market rumors that Tenneco might be the target of a takeover\n  attempt.\n      \"It's pure market speculation that Boone Pickens and his\n  group may be interested,\" Feretti said.\n      \"But Tenneco would be a challenge to run because of its\n  sheer size and diversity. Mr. Pickens is a man who likes a\n  challenge.\"\n      Pickens, who made an unsuccessful attempt to take over\n  Dallas-based Diamond Shamrock Corp <DIA> last winter, has made\n  no secret of his plans to acquire additional natural gas\n  reserves in the belief that gas prices will stabilize sooner\n  than oil prices. Tenneco holds natural gas reserves estimated\n  in excess of 3.5 trillion cubic feet, analysts said.\n      Feretti conservatively estimated Tenneco's breakup value at\n  58 dlrs a share and said the company generated a cash flow of\n  about 10 dlrs a share \"which is probably very attractive to\n  Pickens.\" Other analysts, however, estimate a breakup value\n  well into the 60 dlr a share range.\n      \"I strongly doubt that there is going to be any hostile\n  takeover,\" Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc's Houston-based analyst\n  John Olson said, putting little credence in the rumors.\n      \"Tenneco is a gargantuan enterprise with seven billion dlrs\n  in long-term debt and preferred stock outstanding.\" He said the\n  buyer would also have to deal with \"the intractable problems\"\n  Tenneco faces with its farm equipment unit and energy\n  businesses.\n      Analysts suggested that Tenneco could use a number of\n  defensive strategies to fend off an unwanted buyer, such as\n  spin off some of its non-energy businesses directly to\n  shareholders, buy back shares or create a limited partnership\n  out of its natural gas pipeline interests.\n      An analyst who asked to remain unidentified, discouraged\n  the Pickens rumor. \"Pickens has a plateful already with his\n  holdings in Burlington Northern and Amerada Hess,\" he said. \"I\n  don't think he would be willing to take on Tenneco's problems\n  with Case (the farm equipment unit), which has been losing\n  about 180 mln dlrs annually and is worth less than a billion\n  dlrs on the market today.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOFTWARE AG <SAGA> SEES WEAK RESULTS\n","article":"  Software AG Systems Inc said it\n  expects to report earnings for its third quarter \"substantially\n  weaker\" than earnings of prior periods due to an unexpected\n  shortfall in U.S. domestic license revenues.\n      For the second quarter ended November 30, Software AG\n  earned 2,089,000 dlrs, down from 5,014,000 dlrs a year before.\n  In last year's third quarter, Software AG earned 1,598,000\n  dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MILES LABORATORIES INC 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Net 3,563,000 vs 2,821,000\n      Sales 318.6 mln vs 305.4 mln\n      Year\n      Net 28,950,000 vs 20,167,000\n      Sales 1.22 billion vs 1.17 billion\n      Note: Company is a subsidiary of Bayer AG of West Germany.\n  1986 figures exclude Miles' Bayvet animal health business, sold\n  Jan. 1, 1986, to Mobay Corp, another Bayer AG affiliate.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PLACER <PLC> TO INCREASE STAKE IN EQUITY SILVER\n","article":"  <Equity Silver\n  Mines Ltd> said it agreed to sell 6.6 mln shares of a new class\n  of par value voting stock to Placer Development Ltd for 37.1\n  mln dlrs, increasing Placer's stake in Equity to 74.5 pct from\n  68 pct.\n      The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and a\n  vote by Equity minority shareholders at the April 23 annual\n  meeting, the company said.\n      Proceeds from sale of the shares, priced at 5.625 dlrs\n  each, will be used to buy and deliver 4,985,000 ounces of\n  silver to Placer, Equity said.\n      Equity Silver said the silver remains to be delivered under\n  its sale agreement with Placer, after delivery of its 750,000\n  ounce minimum commitment for 1987.\n      Equity said it arranged to acquire 4,985,000 ounces of\n  silver at 7.40 dlrs an ounces, subject to selling the shares to\n  Placer.\n      Purchase and delivery of the silver to Placer will result\n  in an after-tax gain of about 6.6 mln dlrs, Equity said.\n      It also said the stock and silver transactions will create\n  a 37,059,000 dlr fund out of which dividends will be paid when\n  cash is available.\n      The cash fund will enable Equity Silver to continue to pay\n  dividends on its preferred shares and increase the likelihood\n  that it may be able to pay dividends on its common shares, the\n  company said.\n      It did not elaborate on what common share dividends might\n  be paid.\n      The company normally pays quarterly preferred dividends\n  totalling 619,000 dlrs from retained earnings, Equity Silver\n  said.\n      Equity Silver had retained earnings of 2,312,000 dlrs at\n  December 31, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL'S SARNEY MEETS STRIKES WITH SHOW OF FORCE\n","article":"  With troops in place in Brazil's\n  ports and oil installations, the government of Prersident Jose\n  Sarney today sought to end a wave of labour unrest by a show of\n  force.\n      Yesterday the government sent thousands of troops supported\n  in some instances by tanks to occupy nine oil refineries and\n  six areas of oil production.\n      The state-oil company Petrobras requested the intervention\n  because of a threatened strike by 55,000 oil industry\n  employees.\n      The government had already dispatched more than 1,000\n  marines to occupy the country's main ports after a national\n  seamen's strike was ruled illegal last Friday.\n      The strike by 40,000 seamen, now in its 13th day,\n  represents a stern challenge to the government.\n      The stoppage has delayed exports at a time when Brazil\n  desperately needs foreign exchange.\n      It was a deterioration in the country's trade balance which\n  precipitated Brazil's current debt crisis and the decision on\n  February 20 to suspend interest payments on 68 billion dlrs of\n  commercial debt.\n      There was no sign today of an early end to the seamen's\n  strike, which has badly hit the port of Santos -- the most\n  important in South America -- and the country's other main\n  ports.\n      Small groups of marines armed with submachineguns stand on\n  the quays near the strike-bound ships, but the military\n  presence here is generally discreet.\n      A total of 800 marines are inside the docks but most are\n  out of sight.\n      Yesterday marines and police occupied one ship, the\n  Docemarte, seamen's leaders said. After explaining to the\n  captain that the strikers faced up to one year in jail because\n  the strike was illegal, the men returned to work.\n      One of the strike leaders, Elmano Barbosa, said \"it is a\n  psychological war. They are using force and we are using\n  peaceful methods.\"\n      Port sources said only two Brazilian ships in Santos, the\n  Docemarte and the Henrique Leal, were working.\n      At the seamen's national strike headquarters in Rio de\n  Janeiro, spokesmen say a total of about 190 ships are\n  strike-bound in Brazil and in foreign ports.\n      Contradicting earlier reports from strike headquarters in\n  Rio de Janeiro, seamen in Santos said the strikers on board\n  ships here were not running out of food.\n      The current labour unrest is the worst faced by Sarney's\n  civilian government since it came to power two years ago.\n      Yesterday, in a separate protest, hundreds of thousands of\n  farmers held rallies directed largely against high bank\n  interest rates.\n      The current rash of labour unrest in industry and\n  agriculture stems from the failure of the government's\n  now-collapsed Cruzado Plan price freeze.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"LAROCHE STARTS BID FOR NECO <NPT> SHARES\n","article":"  Investor David F. La Roche of North\n  Kingstown, R.I., said he is offering to purchase 170,000 common\n  shares of NECO Enterprises Inc at 26 dlrs each.\n      He said the successful completion of the offer, plus shares\n  he already owns, would give him 50.5 pct of NECO's 962,016\n  common shares.\n      La Roche said he may buy more, and possible all NECO\n  shares. He said the offer and withdrawal rights will expire at\n  1630 EST\/2130 gmt, March 30, 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS MLP <INP> 3RD QTR DEC 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 20 cts vs profit five cts\n      Net profit 2,273,000 vs profit 563,000\n      Rev 38.7 mln vs 30.3 mln\n      Avg shares 11,138,503 vs 10,982,699\n      Nine months\n      Shr profit 40 cts vs loss 10 cts\n      Net profit 4,448,000 vs loss 1,123,000\n      Rev 108.4 mln vs 75.2 mln\n      NOTE: Third qtr net includes gain from discontinued\n  operations of 3.5 mln dlrs, or 31 cts a share, vs 271,000, or\n  two cts a share, in fiscal 1985's third qtr. Nine months net\n  includes gain from discontinued operations of 3.8 mln dlrs, or\n  34 cts a share, vs 731,000 dlrs, or seven cts a share, in the\n  first nine months of fiscal 1985.\n  \n  \n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SHADOWFAX RESOURCES LTD <SHFXF> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss three cts vs profit 14 cts\n      Net loss 79,778 vs profit 458,176\n      Revs 1,063,623 vs 1,165,186\n      Note: 1986 year includes 400,000 dlr writedown on Utah oil\n  and gas properties\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PARALAX <VIDO> AGREES TO ACQUIRE AMERICAN VIDEO\n","article":"  Paralax Video Enterprises Inc said it\n  has agreeed to acquire <American Video Group Inc> in exchange\n  for 287,700 Paralax restricted common shares and three year\n  warrants to buy 318,600 restricted shares at six dlrs a share.\n      Paralax said holders of some American Video convertible\n  debentures have elected to exchange them for Paralax restricted\n  common with a market value of about 380,000 dlrs with that\n  value to be determined in about 45 days.\n      American Video is a closely held company operating video\n  rental concessions in post and base exchanges at 54 Army, Air\n  Force, Navy and Coast Guard installations. In its most recent\n  year, the company had revenues of about 1.5 mln dlrs.\n      Paralax said the acquisition is scheduled to close March\n  16. The company now has about 5.5 mln shares outstanding.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"KURZWEIL MUSIC SYSTEMS INC <KURM> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 21 cts vs loss 29 cts\n      Net loss 1,246,000 vs loss 1,420,000\n      Revs 2,120,000 vs 1,186,000\n      Avg shrs 5,853,587 vs 4,880,427\n      Year\n      Shr loss 85 cts vs loss 1.21 dlrs\n      Net loss 4,968,000 vs loss 5,274,000\n      Revs 6,536,000 vs 5,056,000\n      Avg shrs 5,854,543 vs 4,367,864\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"J.P. MORGAN AND CO INC <JPM> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Dividend 34 cts vs 34 cts previously\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 23\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BAYLY <BAYL> BUYS MAJORITY OF CHUTES\n","article":"  Bayly Corp said it acquired 55 pct\n  of Chutes Corp, a maker of denim-oriented sportswear\n  headquartered in Seattle, Wash.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<SDC SYDNEY DEVELOPMENT CORP> NINE MTHS LOSS\n","article":"  Period ended December 31, 1986\n      Oper shr loss 1.08 dlrs vs loss 84 cts\n      Oper loss 7,700,000 vs loss 1,700,000\n      Revs 11,800,000 vs 9,800,000\n      Note: Current shr and net exclude extraordinary gain of\n  300,000 dlrs or five cts shr, versus extraordinary gain of\n  200,000 dlrs or four cts shr\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CFTC APPROVES MGE CORN SYRUP FUTURES CONTRACT\n","article":"  The Commodity Futures Trading\n  Commission has approved the Minneapolis Grain Exchange's\n  application to trade high fructose corn syrup-55, HFCS-55,\n  futures contracts, the commission said.\n      The contract provides for the delivery of 48,000 lbs, plus\n  or minus two pct, of bulk HFCS-55 meeting specified standards\n  regarding its physical and chemical properties.\n      CFTC said the exchange plans to begin trading a July 1987\n  HFCS-55 contract on April 6.\n      CFTC said the soft drink industry currently buys at least\n  95 pct of all U.S.-produced HFCS-55, a liquid food and beverage\n  sweetener produced through the processing of corn starch by\n  corn refiners.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS MLP <INP> MAKES CASH PAYOUT\n","article":"  Intelligent Systems Master\n  Limited Partnership said it will make a cash distribution of 25\n  cts a unit in early April to unitholders of record as of March\n  31.\n      The company said continued strength in its results prompted\n  the move.\n      Intelligent Systems added that if current plans to sell\n  some of its assets, as previously announced, are successful, it\n  may make further distributions estimated at 15 cts to 25 cts a\n  unit.\n      Earlier, the company reported fiscal third quarter ended\n  December 31 net income of 2.3 mln dlrs, or 20 cts a share, up\n  from fiscal 1985 third quarter results of 563,000 dlrs, or five\n  cts a share.\n      In addition, it reported fiscal 1986 nine months' net\n  income of 4.4 mln dlrs, or 40 cts a share, versus a loss of 1.1\n  mln dlrs, or 10 cts a share, in fiscal 1985's first three\n  quarters.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KURZWEIL <KURM> HAS REDUCED WORK FORCE\n","article":"  Kurzweil Music Systems Inc said\n  it has taken steps this year to reduce costs, including a 10 to\n  15 pct reduction in its work force.\n      A spokesman said the company now has about 70 employees.\n      It said other reductions include the use of professional\n  services, administrative costs, manufacturing overhead and\n  non-essential development services, adding these cuts are\n  expected to have a significant impact beginning in the second\n  quarter.\n      Earlier today Kurzweil reported a 1986 loss of 85 cts a\n  share compared to a 1985 loss of 1.21 dlrs a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AIDE SAYS FRANCE SUPPORTS OIL AND FATS TAX\n","article":"  France supports the European Commission's\n  plans for a European Community (EC) fats and oils tax but\n  objects to some of its oilseeds proposals, Yves Van Haecke, an\n  aide to French agriculture minister Francois Guillaume said.\n      He told a general assembly of France's Oilseeds Federation\n  (FFCOP) that a suppression of monthly increases of oilseed\n  support prices, for example, was unacceptable.\n      French oilseeds experts added the principle of a single tax\n  regardless of varying quality was clumsy and capable of\n  unneccessarily alienating exporters such as the U.S.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SENIOR ENGINEERING MAKES 12.5 MLN DLR US PURCHASE\n","article":"  <Senior Engineering Group Plc> said it\n  reached agreement with <Cronus Industries Inc> to acquire the\n  whole share capital of <South Western Engineering Co> for 12.5\n  mln dlrs cash. This sum is being financed by a term loan.\n      South Western is one of the U.S.'s leading manufacturers of\n  heat transfer equipment, with a turnover of 54.86 mln dlrs and\n  pre-tax profits of 1.72 mln in 1986.\n      Completion of the deal is conditional on approval under\n  U.S. Hart-Scott-Rodino regulations which is expected within 30\n  days. Some 350,000 dlrs is payable immediately, 12 mln dlrs\n  payable on completion with the balance due by June 30, 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HEINZ <HNZ> HAS HIGHER NET DESPITE HIGHER COSTS\n","article":"  H.J. Heinz Co said net income for\n  the third quarter rose 18.2 pct despite an 17.2 pct increase in\n  marketing expenses.\n      Meanwhile, the company said it raised its quarterly\n  dividend to 28 cts a share from 25 cts a share in part on the\n  expectation that its tax rate under the new tax law will result\n  in greater cash flow.\n      For the third quarter ended January 31, Heinz earned 74.7\n  mln dlrs, or 55 cts a share, up from earnings of 63.2 mln dlrs,\n  or 46 cts a share, for the year-ago quarter.\n      For the nine months, the company posted a profit of 244.4\n  mln dlrs, or 1.78 dlrs a share, compared with a profit of 219.7\n  mln dlrs, or 1.60 dlrs a share, for the year-ago period.\n      \"Based on the company's performance for the first nine\n  months, we expect to achieve our 23rd consecutive year of new\n  growth records,\" Anthony J.F. O'Reilly, Heinz's newly elected\n  chairman.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BRAZILIAN FCOJ OFFICIAL WELCOMES U.S. DUTY CUT\n","article":"  Mario Branco Peres, president of\n  the Brazilian Association of Citrus Juice Industries\n  (Abrassuco), welcomed a decision by the U.S. Commerce\n  Department sharply cutting its duties on imported frozen\n  concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) from Brazil.\n      Speaking by telephone from Sao Paulo, Peres said, \"With its\n  decision, the U.S. government recognised the honesty of\n  Brazilian exporters, who never have the intention of practising\n  dumping.\"\n      In a final ruling yesterday, the U.S. government eliminated\n  the duties shipped by Sucocitrico Cutrale and cut to 1.96 pct\n  the duty on Citrosuco. Duties of 8.54 pct had been set last\n  October.\n      Peres said Brazil had enough orange juice to meet the needs\n  of its major clients.\n      \"We do not have in stock what we would like to have, but we\n  certainly have enough orange juice available to supply our\n  buyers,\" Peres said, declining to estimate the amount of the\n  current stock. \"To keep it a secret is part of our strategy,\" he\n  added.\n      Peres said the price policy of the orange juice was based\n  on market conditions.\n      \"There is nothing better than a free trade policy,\" he said.\n      Cutrale and Citrosuco officials were not immediately\n  available for comment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WALL STREET STOCKS\/ICH CORP <ICH>\n","article":"  ICH Corp's stock\n  continued under pressure because of lower earnings\n  expectations, Wall Street analysts said.\n      The stock was down one today at 17-1\/4, and down about four\n  since Thursday, when ICH announced it would be reporting\n  lower-than-expected fourth quarter net income.\n      The company said it would report full year 1986 net income\n  of 2.00 dlrs per share compared to 2.32 dlrs per share in 1985.\n  Analysts said they had estimated 1987 net at 3.00-4.00 dlrs and\n  were now looking for at 2.50 dlr to 2.80 dlr range.\n      ICH officials were unavailable for comment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVACARE CORP <IVCR> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 26 cts vs profit 19 cts\n      Net profit 1,458,000 dlrs vs profit 1,070,000 dlrs\n      Rev 30.9 mln dlrs vs 27.5 mln dlrs\n      12 mths\n      Shr profit 60 cts vs loss 19 cts\n      Net profit 3,367,000 dlrs vs loss 1,061,000 dlrs\n      Revs 111.5 mln dlrs vs 94.3 mln dlrs\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<RENAISSANCE ENERGY LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 47 cts vs 31 cts\n      Net 4,757,000 vs 2,466,000\n      Revs 32.8 mln vs 33.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 12,638,000 vs 8,941,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USDA ACCEPTS OFFERS FOR 550,000 TONNES  OF BONUS WHEAT FOR CHINA\n","article":"\n  USDA ACCEPTS OFFERS FOR 550,000 TONNES  OF BONUS WHEAT FOR CHINA\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"QUEBEC FEBRUARY HOUSING STARTS FALL\n","article":"  Quebec housing starts fell in February\n  to 2,191, a four pct drop from last year when growth in Quebec\n  housing starts was among the highest in the Canada, the Canada\n  Mortgage and Housing Corp said.\n      The February rate seasonally adjusted now stands at 40,000,\n  down from 79,000 in January, the government agency said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INVACARE <IVCR> EXPECTS HIGHER 1987 SALES\n","article":"  Invacare Corp chairman, president\n  and chief executive officer A. Malachi Mixon III said he\n  expects the home healthcare equipment company to post sales\n  increases in the 10 to 15 pct range in 1987.\n      Mixon said the increases should come from internal growth\n  as well as potential acquisitions.\n      \"Invacare is aggressively seeking acquisitions to\n  complement the company's existing product lines,\" Mixon said.\n      Earlier, the company reported fourth quarter 1986 net of\n  1.5 mln dlrs, or 26 cts a share, up from 1.1 mln dlrs, or 19\n  cts a share, in 1985's fourth quarter.\n      Invacare also reported 1986 net income of 3.4 mln dlrs, or\n  60 cts a share, up from a loss of 1.1 mln dlrs, or 19 cts a\n  share, in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHEUNG KONG CHAIRMAN SEES STRONG RESULTS IN 1987\n","article":"  Cheung Kong (Holdings) Ltd <CKGH.HK>\n  is expecting strong results this year after reporting better\n  than expected profits in 1986, chairman Li Ka-shing said.\n      He did not give a specific earnings projection but he told\n  reporters the firm will pay total dividends of not less than 19\n  cents a share this year after a one-for-four bonus issue and a\n  four-for-one stock split.\n      The company earlier declared total dividends equal to 15\n  cents a share for 1986, adjusting for the stock split and bonus\n  issue.\n      Cheung Kong's earnings rose to 1.28 billion H.K. Dlrs in\n  1986, well above market expectations of 920 mln to one billion\n  dlrs. They compared with profits of 551.7 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      Cheung Kong also reported extraordinary gains of 983.6 mln\n  dlrs mainly from the firm's sale of the Hong Kong Hilton Hotel\n  to Hongkong Electric Holdings Ltd <HKEH.HK> for one billion\n  dlrs. It had gains of 81.3 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      Li attributed the surge in 1986 earnings to a buoyant local\n  property market and substantial increases in contributions from\n  associated companies.\n      \"Looking ahead, 1987 should be another year of stability for\n  the property market,\" Li said. \"The growth in (Hong Kong's)\n  exports is expected to stimulate the demand for industrial\n  buildings.\"\n      Cheung Kong is cash rich and is looking for new projects in\n  the British colony, Li said, noting the firm is interested in a\n  land reclamation project along the Hong Kong harbour and is\n  exchanging views with the government on a proposal to build a\n  second airport.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LAMSON AND SESSIONS CO <LMS> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 26 cts vs profit five cts\n      Oper net loss 1,506,000 vs profit 312,000\n      Revs 42 mln vs 27.9 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 43 cts vs profit 16 cts\n      Oper net loss 2,535,000 vs profit 1,236,000\n      Revs 129.9 mln vs 120.3 mln\n      NOTE: Excludes discontinued operations loss 1.42 dlrs a\n  share versus loss nine cts in the quarter, and loss 1.62 dlrs a\n  share versus loss 12 cts in the year.\n      Also excludes extraordinary loss of six cts a share in the\n  fourth quarter 1985, and gain of 1.81 dlrs a share in full year\n  1985.\n      Also excludes 1986 full year gain of 80 cts per share from\n  accounting change.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ARGENTINE MEAT EXPORTS LOWER IN 1986\n","article":"  Argentine meat exports during\n  Jan\/Dec 1986 totalled 220,911 tonnes, against 223,204 tonnes\n  shipped in the same 1985 period, the National Meat board said.\n      Shipments in tonnes with comparative figures for the 1985\n  period, in brackets, included: beef 120,184 (137,686), horse\n  meat 25,651 (33,892) and beef offal 50,100 (47,745).\n      Argentina's meat exports totalled 20,481 tonnes in December\n  1986, against 15,801 tonnes in the same 1985 month.\n      Shipments in tonnes, with comparative figures for December\n  1985, in brackets, included: beef 14,384 (10,339), horse meat\n  1,609 (1,539) and beef offal 3,388 (3,098), the board said.\n      Main destinations for refrigerated beef (bone in\n  equivalent) were as follows, in tonnes, with comparative\n  figures for 1985 in brackets:\n      E.C. 46,300 (49,700), Israel 16,200 (17,600), Brazil 18,100\n  (unavailable), Peru 8,100 (2,300), Angola 4,800 (12,100), Chile\n  3,400 (8,200), Switzerland 3,000 (3,000), Canary Islands 2,400\n  (3,700), Singapore 1,900 (1,700), Aruba\/Curazao 1,600 (1,700).\n      Main destinations for canned meat and cooked beef (bone in\n  equivalent) in tonnes, with figures for 1985 in brackets, were:\n  United States 88,300 (102,900), E.C. 30,700 (24,100).\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTH KOREA TO KEEP TRADE SURPLUS 3-5 YEARS\n","article":"  South Korean Trade Minister Rha\n  Woong Bae said his nation would maintain a trading surplus for\n  three to five years as a way to cut its foreign debt.\n      He said in an interview with Reuter that after a few years\n  it was likely South Korea would drop barriers to foreign goods\n  and move toward a more balanced trade position.\n      He said the present trade surplus was vital if his nation\n  was to reduce its 44.5 billion dlr foreign debt.\n      Rha said that 1986 was the first year South Korea had a\n  trade surplus - 4.5 billion dlrs, against a 1985 deficit of \n  900 mln dlrs.\n      Rha made his remarks at the end of a two-week trade mission\n  here during which a team he led agreed to buy U.S. products\n  valued at 1.8 billion dlrs.\n      About 800 mln dlrs of the purchases here were in goods of\n  the type South Korea normally bought from Japan.\n      Rha leaves today for Ottawa for trade talks with Canadian\n  officials and businessmen.\n      Asked if South Korea would retaliate against U.S. goods if\n  Congress closed U.S. markets to its products, he said \"at this\n  moment, we have no thought of retaliation.\"\n      South Korea is a major exporter to the U.S. of textiles and\n  apparel and electronic goods, such as television sets, video\n  cassette records and personal computers.\n      Its purchases from the United States include electronic\n  testing equipment, grains and cotton.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RESTURANT ASSOCIATES INDUSTRIES INC <RAA>4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr 26 cts vs 36 cts\n      Shr diluted 25 cts vs 36 cts\n      Net 1,389,000 vs 1,412,000\n      Revs 56.9 mln vs 35.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,412,000 vs 3,962,000\n      Year\n      Shr 90 cts vs 75 cts\n      Shr diluted 86 cts vs 75 cts\n      Net 4,692,000 vs 2,961,000\n      Revs 201.4 mln vs 140.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,234,000 vs 3,954,000\n      NOTE: Results for 14 and 53 week periods ended January 3,\n  1987, vs 13 and 52 week periods ended December 28, 1985\n      1985 net in both periods includes gain of 99,000 dlrs from\n  tax loss carryforward\n      Spokeswoman said average shares outstanding on a diluted\n  basis were not available\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"USDA ACCEPTS BONUS WHEAT OFFERS FOR CHINA\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corp (CCC) has\n  accepted bids for export bonuses to cover sales of 340,000\n  tonnes of hard red winter wheat and 210,000 tonnes of soft red\n  winter wheat to China, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      The bonuses awarded averaged 36.22 dlrs per tonne, and the\n  wheat is scheduled for delivery during May-Oct 1987.\n      The bonus awards were made to Cargill, Inc (305,000\n  tonnes), Continental Grain Co (155,000 tonnes), Mitsubishi\n  International Corp (60,000 tonnes) and Richco Grain Co (30,000\n  tonnes).\n      Bonuses will be paid to the exporters in the form of\n  commodities from CCC stocks.\n      The purchases complete the Export Enhancement Program\n  initiative for China announced Jan 26.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND TELECOM <SNG> DECLARES DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 72 cts vs 72 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 23\n      NOTE: Company's full name is Southern New England\n  Telecommunications Corp.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"VENEZUELA MOVES CLOSER TO CHAMPLIN PURCHASE\n","article":"  the council of ministers approved\n  petroleos de venezuela's planned purchase of a half interest in\n  the champlin petroleum refinery at corpus christi, texas,\n  government sources said.\n      The cabinet authorized energy and mines minister arturo\n  hernandez grisanti to approve the purchase in the shareholders\n  assembly of the state oil company petroleos de venezuela\n  (pdvsa).\n      Pdvsa last april 14 signed a letter of intent to buy a half\n  interest in champlin's corpus christi refinery for an\n  undisclosed sum.\n      Under the terms of the provisional agreement, venezuela\n  would supply up to 160,000 barrels a day to the plant through a\n  new company which would be jointly owned by the pdvsa and\n  champlin, a subsidiary of the union pacific corp <unp>.\n      The deal would also allow pdvsa a joint share in champlin's\n  refinery and distribution network.\n      The purhcase is one of a series of overseas joint ventures\n  by which venezuela has managed to assure markets for some\n  400,000 barrels of its approximately 1.5 mln bpd exports.\n      Hernandez grisanti told reporters after the cabinet meeting\n  that pdvsa will pay 93 mln dlrs for its half ownership in the\n  champlin refinery - 33 mln dlrs in cash and 60 mln dlrs crude\n  oil and products.\n      Through the deal, he said, venezuela will be assured the\n  sale of at least 140,000 bpd of crude and products.\n      Hernandez said pdsva has entered similar joint ventures\n  with veba oel of west germany, nynas petroelum in sweden, and\n  citgo in the united states.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"EMPIRE OF CAROLINA INC <EMP> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 71 cts vs 15 cts\n      Net 4,234,000 dlrs vs 803,000 dlrs\n      Revs 15.4 mln dlrs vs 10.3 mln dlrs\n      12 mths\n      Shr 1.26 dlrs vs 67 cts\n      Net 7,299,000 dlrs vs 3,607,000 dlrs\n      Revs 52.5 mln dlrs vs 40.7 mln dlrs\n      NOTE: Empire's investment in the Deltona Corp is reported\n  on the equity method beginning the fourth qtr of 1986. Amounts\n  for 1985 and the first three qtrs of 1986 have been restated to\n  reflect the retroactive application.\n      During 1986, the 17-1\/2 pct debentures and 9-7\/8 dlrs\n  preferred stock were redeemed or converted resulting in\n  6,028,755 common shares outstanding at December 31, 1986 as\n  compared to 2,408,766 common shares outstanding at December 31,\n  1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ENSECO INC <NCCO> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss six cts vs profit seven cts\n      Oper net loss 481,517 vs profit 487,432\n      Revs 7,492,686 vs 5,575,043\n      Avg shrs 8.5 mln vs 7.2 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss six cts vs profit 34 cts\n      Oper net loss 465,043 vs profit 2,283,811\n      Revs 29.5 mln vs 19.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 7.8 mln vs 6.7 mln\n      NOTE: Excludes extraordinary credit of four cts a share in\n  fourth quarter 1986, and 15 cts in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CORRECTED - REXNORD <REX> TO SELL RAILWAY UNIT\n","article":"  Rexnord Inc said it signed a\n  definitive agreement to sell its Railway Maintenance Equipment\n  Co subsidiary to Oak Industries Inc. Terms were withheld.\n      Also participating in the agreement was Banner Industries\n  Inc, which previously agreed to acquire Rexnord.\n      Railway Maintenance had 1986 sales of 16 mln dlrs.\n      Rexnord said the sale is part of a major program to divest\n  several of its businesses representing about 200 mln dlrs in\n  net assets. Still to be divested are the Process Machinery\n  Division with sales of 137 mln dlrs and Mathews Conveyer Co,\n  with sales of 83 mln dlrs. -- Corrects mame of purchaser\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WALL STREET STOCKS\/SUPERMARKETS GENERAL <SGL>\n","article":"  Dart Group Corp <DARTA>, which wants\n  to acquire Supermarkets General Corp for 1.62 billion dlrs, is\n  not likely to give up without a fight if its target seeks\n  another buyer, arbitrageurs said.\n      Speculation that Dart's offer of 41.75 dlrs per share could\n  be just the beginning of a bidding contest helped Supermarkets\n  shares gain one to 42-1\/8  on 2.3 mln shares.\n      One rumor had Federated Department Stores Inc <FDS> taking\n  a look at Supermarkets General. \"Our policy is that we do not\n  comment on any rumors or speculation of this nature,\" a\n  Federated spokeswoman said.\n      An arbitrageur noted that Dart, controlled by chairman\n  Herbert H. Haft and his son Robert, last year raised its\n  initial bid for Safeway Stores by approximately 10 pct when\n  Safeway resisted.\n      However, that company was later sold to a buyout group that\n  topped the Hafts.\n      If history repeats itself, the Hafts could raise their bid\n  to 46 dlrs if they are rebuffed by Supermarkets General, the\n  arbitrageur said. But another arbitrageur said the Hafts'\n  present bid seemed \"quite fair.\" He said the offer amounts to\n  10 times after-tax-cash flow which is \"probably fully priced.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 455,000 TONNES  OF WHEAT SOLD TO CHINA FOR 1986\/87 AND 1987\/88\n","article":"\n  U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 455,000 TONNES  OF WHEAT SOLD TO CHINA FOR 1986\/87 AND 1987\/88\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN MOTORS <AMO> WEIGHS TAKEOVER PROPOSAL\n","article":"  American Motors Corp said its\n  directors met Wednesday to review the takeover proposal which\n  the corporation received Monday from Chrysler Corp <C>.\n      AMC said its board has retained independent investment and\n  legal advisers and expects to meet periodically over the next\n  several weeks on the proposal.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANGOR HYDRO-ELECTRIC CO <BANG> SETS DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 25 cts vs 25 cts\n      Pay April 20\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN <KSU> MERGER RESPONSE\n","article":"  Kansas City Southern\n  Industries Inc said an attempt by Santa Fe Southern Pacific Co\n  <SFX> to reopen the proposed merger of the Atchison, Topeka and\n  Santa Fe Railway Co and the Southern Pacific Transportation Co\n  offers \"nothing truly new.\"\n      In a letter to shippers, Kansas City Chairman Landon\n  Rowland stated \"This proposed merger is plainly\n  anti-competitive, as found by the ICC and urged by the\n  Department of Justice. Nothing has changed.\"\n      Landon said Kansas City Southern is continuing its efforts\n  to acquire the transportation operation of Santa Fe Railway.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WHITTAKER CORP 1ST QTR OPER SHR 17 CTS VS 25 CTS\n","article":"\n  WHITTAKER CORP 1ST QTR OPER SHR 17 CTS VS 25 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COKE AFFILIATE TO SELL DELAURENTIIS <DEG> STAKE\n","article":"  De Laurentiis Entertainment Group\n  Inc said Embassy Communications, a Californai general\n  partnership affiliated with Coca-Cola Co <KO>, plans to sell\n  its 10.1 pct stake in the company.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission for\n  a secondary offering, De Laurentiis said Embassy will offer its\n  entire stake in the company of 964,936 shares of common stock\n  in the public sale.\n      De Laurentiis said it has 9.6 mln shares outstanding.\n      PaineWebber Inc will underwrite the offering.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HERLEY MICROWAVE <HRLY> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr nine cts vs 17 cts\n      Net 275,000 vs 490,000\n      Rev 2.4 mln vs four mln\n      Six months\n      Shr 29 cts vs 31 cts\n      Net 885,000 vs 884,000\n      Rev 6.1 mln vs 7.1 mln\n      NOTE: Company's full name is Herley Microwave Systems Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WILLIAMS COS <WMB> COMPLETES SALE OF UNIT\n","article":"  Williams Cos said it completed the\n  sale of its Agrico Chemical Co unit to Freeport-McMoRan\n  Resource Partners L.P. <FRP> for an initial 250 mln dlrs cash.\n      The company said it will also receive an additional 100 to\n  250 mln dlrs in five years based on the operating performance\n  of the unit.\n      It said the cash proceeds will be used to lower its debt\n  costs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC COMMISSION REJECTS SUGAR THREATS - SOURCES\n","article":"  The European Community Commission has\n  told EC member states that it is not prepared to discuss EC\n  sugar prices while sugar traders threaten to make a huge sale\n  into intervention stocks to protest against its policies,\n  Commission sources said.\n      \"Our position is that we are not willing to discuss the\n  problems of market prices at a time when traders are making\n  threats,\" one source said.\n      The sources said the Commission's view was made clear at a\n  meeting of its sugar management committee today.\n      They said French, West German and Dutch officials had\n  informed the committee that traders in their countries intended\n  to sell just over 850,000 tonnes of sugar into EC intervention\n  stocks.\n      The Commission riposted by signalling that it would sell\n  the sugar sold into intervention back onto the EC market by\n  tender, a move that would push down prices.\n      The sources said French traders planned to sell 775,000\n  tonnes into intervention stocks, West German traders 7,500\n  tonnes and Dutch traders 2,500.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VIACOM <VIA> RECEIVES TWO REVISED OFFERS\n","article":"  Viacom International Inc said it\n  received revised merger offers from <National Amusements Inc>\n  and <MCV Holdings Inc>.\n      The company said the special committee plans to meet later\n  today to review both offers.\n      Viacom said National Amusements' Arsenal Holdings Inc\n  raised the value of its offer for the Viacom shares not held by\n  National Amusements in three areas. National Amusements holds\n  19.6 pct of Viacom's stock.\n      The cash value of the offer was raised to 42.00 dlrs from\n  the 40.50 dlrs a Viacom share offered February 23 while the\n  value of the fraction of a share of exchangeable preferred\n  being offered was increased to 7.50 dlrs a share from six dlrs.\n  The interest rate to be used to increase the cash value of the\n  merger, if delayed beyond April 30, was raised to nine pct from\n  eight pct and 12 pct after May 31.\n      A Viacom spokesman said the Arsenal Holdings's offer\n  continues to include a 20 pct interest in Arsenal for present\n  Viacom shareholders.\n      Viacom said MCV Holdings, a group which includes the\n  company's senior management and the Equitable Life Assurance\n  Society of the United States, raised the value of its offer by\n  increasing the value of the preferred being offered to 8.50\n  dlrs from 8.00 dlrs a share and raising the ownership in the\n  new company to be held by present Viacom shareholders to 45 pct\n  from 25 pct. MCV called its previous offer, made February 26,\n  the \"final\" proposed revision of its agreement with Viacom.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TREASURY BALANCES AT FED FELL ON MARCH 10\n","article":"  Treasury balances at the Federal\n  Reserve fell on March 10 to 2.842 billion dlrs from 3.073\n  billion dlrs the previous business day, the Treasury said in\n  its latest budget statement.\n      Balances in tax and loan note accounts fell to 9.828\n  billion dlrs from 11.418 billion dlrs on the same respective\n  days.\n      The Treasury's operating cash balance totaled 12.670\n  billion dlrs on March 10 compared with 14.490 billion dlrs on\n  March 9.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTH KOREA TO MAINTAIN TRADE SURPLUS 3-5 YEARS\n","article":"  South Korean Trade Minister Rha\n  Woong Bae said his nation would maintain a trading surplus for\n  three to five years as a way to cut its foreign debt.\n      He said in an interview with Reuters that after a few years\n  it was likely South Korea would drop barriers to foreign goods\n  and move toward a more balanced trade position.\n      He said the present trade surplus was vital if his nation\n  was to reduce its 44.5 billion dlr foreign debt.\n      Rha said that 1986 was the first year South Korea had a\n  trade surplus - 4.5 billion dlrs, against a 1985 deficit of 900\n  mln dlrs.\n      Asked if South Korea would drop its trade barriers once its\n  foreign debt was substantially reduced, he said \"yes, I think\n  so.\"\n      Rha made his remarks at the end of a two-week trade mission\n  here during which a team he led agreed to buy U.S. products\n  valued at 1.8 billion dlrs.\n      About 800 mln dlrs of the purchases are in goods of the\n  type South Korea normally bought from Japan.\n      Rha was to leave later today for Ottawa for trade talks\n  with Canadian officials and businessmen.\n      He said in the interview the U.S. purchases were to reduce\n  his country's 7.1 billion dlr surplus with the United States\n  and also to cut its 5.6 billion dlr shortfall with Japan.\n      Rha said it was also due to a shift in exchange rates\n  between the U.S. dollar and the yen that made it cheaper to buy\n  U.S. goods than Japanese goods.\n      He said South Korea heavily relied on foreign trade and he\n  hoped the leaders of major trading nations could find a way to\n  resolve the growing trend toward protectionist legislation.\n      Rha said \"I hope the leaders can get together to find a\n  solution by making some mutually satisfactory concessions.\"\n      But he added \"the leaders seem hesitant to make concessions\n  because of domestic political reasons.\"\n      Speaking of his own country, he said \"We have made a lot of\n  concessions already.\"\n      He cited regulations permitting foreign investment in\n  industrial firms, allowing increased foreign banking activity\n  and cracking down on piracy of intellectual property by\n  strengthening protection of copyrights and patents.\n      Rha said South Korea had also lowered many of its tariffs.\n      Asked if South Korea would retaliate against U.S. goods if\n  Congress closed U.S. markets to its products, he said \"at this\n  moment, we have no thought of retaliation.\"\n      South Korea is a major exporter to the United States of\n  textiles and apparel and electronic goods, such as television\n  sets, video cassette records and personal computers.\n      Its puchases from the United States include electronic\n  testing equipment and grains and cotton.\n      The trade mission's purchases here included three Boeing\n  passenger planes for 400 mln dlrs, four McDonnell Douglas\n  planes for 300 mln dlrs; and machinery worth 725 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HONG KONG FIRM UPS CALMAT <CZM> STAKE TO 9.8 PCT\n","article":"  Industrial Equity (Pacific) Ltd, a\n  Hong Kong investment firm, said it raised its stake in Calmat\n  Co to 1,480,830 shares, or 9.8 pct of the total outstanding\n  common stock, from 1,217,230 shares, or 8.0 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Industrial Equity, which is principally owned by Brierley\n  Investments Ltd, a publicly held New Zealand firm, said it\n  bought 263,600 Calmat common shares between Feb 17 and March 9\n  for 13.1 mln dlrs.\n      It has said it bought the stock for investment purposes,\n  but may raise its stake to 15 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PARALAX VIDEO <VIDO> TO BUY AMERICAN VIDEO\n","article":"  Paralax Video Enterprises Inc said it\n  signed a definitive agreement to buy <American Video Group Inc>\n  for stock.\n      According to the merger proposal, American Video\n  shareholders will receive about 287,700 restricted Paralax\n  shares, and warrants to buy another 318,600 restricted shares\n  at six dlrs a share. The warrants run for three years.\n      In addition, it said holders of American Video convertible\n  debentures agreed to exchange their holdings for about 380,000\n  dlrs worth of Paralax stock.\n      American Video operates stores in U.S. military bases.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LAMSON\/SESSIONS <LMS>DROPS RAIL PARTS OPERATIONS\n","article":"  Lamson and Sessions Co said it has\n  decided to discontinue operations of Youngstown Steel Door, a\n  maker of components and equipment for railroad freight cars.\n      The company said the unit is to be sold sometime this year,\n  so was included as discontinued operations in its 1986 results\n  announced earlier today.\n      The company reported a loss from continuing operations of\n  2.5 mln dlrs for the year, against a 1985 profit of 1.2 mln\n  dlrs. For discontinued operations, it reported a loss of 9.5\n  mln dlrs compared to a year earlier loss of 922,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROCHESTER TELEPHONE <RTC> TO BUY CANTON PHONE\n","article":"  Rochester Telephone Corp said\n  it agreed to buy <Canton Telephone Co> for undisclosed terms.\n      Canton serves customers in northeastern Penn. In 1986, it\n  had operating revenues of about 1.3 mln dlrs, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OREGON LUMBER COMPANY TO SELL WOOD TO IRAQ\n","article":"  A Portland-based wood\n  products company has signed a 13 mln dlr contract with the\n  Iraqi government to supply finished softwood lumber to Iraq,\n  Edward Niedermeyer, president of Niedermeyer-Martin Co said\n  yesterday.\n      Niedermeyer told the House Foreign Affairs sub-committee on\n  International Economic Policy and Trade in Washington that the\n  sales agreement contains an option that could make lumber\n  exported worth more than 20 mln dlrs.\n      The delivery of about 8.0 mln dlrs worth of plywood, in\n  addition to lumber, hinges on whether the U.S. Department of\n  Agriculture will interpret plywood as an agricultural commodity\n  under the credit guarantee program, he said.\n      Niedermeyer said the government export credit guarantee\n  program (GSM-102) administered by the USDA was the key to\n  opening the Iraqi market which up to now had been captured by\n  Scandinavian lumber producers.\n      \"This is the first time we have been able to sell wood\n  products in Iraq, he said. Without the USDA program it would\n  not have been possible. We hope this will lead to a long term\n  export market for U.S. lumber products.\"\n      He said the contract calls for supplying 21 mln board feet\n  to 30 mln board feet of softwood lumber for housing,\n  construction and furniture manufacturing. He estimated the\n  profit potential for his company on the sale at five to six\n  pct.\n      Niedermeyer spent two weeks in Baghdad negotiating the sale\n  late last month and early March. He is a member of the United\n  States-Iraq Business Forum, a non-profit group designed to\n  promote commerce with Iraq.\n      The forum members include Westinghouse and General\n  Electric, but Niedermeyer's company is the only wood products\n  firm on the membership roster.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WALLACE COMPUTER SERVICES INC <WCS> DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 15 cts vs 15 cts previously\n      Pay June 19\n      Record June One\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IROQUOIS BRANDS LTD <IBL> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 97 cts vs loss 73 cts\n      Oper net loss 883,000 vs loss 659,000\n      Revs 19.4 mln vs 16.7 mln\n      12 mths\n      Oper shr loss 2.37 dlrs vs loss 1.97 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 2,228,000 vs loss 2,145,000\n      Revs 72.4 mln vs 63.8 mln\n      NOTE: Excludes gain 3.41 dlrs a share versus gain 41 cts in\n  the quarter, and gain 5.68 dlrs a share versus gain 1.99 dlrs\n  in the year from discontinued and disposed operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALABAMA INVESTOR UPS PENOBSCOT SHOE <PSO> STAKE\n","article":"  Donaldson Bramham Lee, an investor\n  from Birmingham, Alabama, said he raised his stake in Penobscot\n  Shoe Co to 40,500 shares, or 6.6 pct of the total outstanding\n  common stock, from 33,500 shares, or 5.5 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Lee said he bought 7,000 Penobscot common shares between Feb 12\n  and March 2 at prices ranging from 13.75 to 16.25 dlrs a share.\n      Lee has said he bought the Penobscot stock for investment\n  purposes only and has no plans to seek control of the company,\n  although he may buy more stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. CORN DEMAND GROWING IN JAPAN, SOUTH KOREA\n","article":"  The recent purchase of 1.5 mln\n  tonnes of U.S. corn by Japan and 600,000 tonnes by South Korea\n  suggests that the two countries' demand for reliable supplies\n  of corn is increasing, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      In its World Production and Trade Report, the department\n  said that view is reinforced by the expectation of a decline in\n  exportable supplies of Argentine corn and uncertainty over the\n  availability of South African and Chinese corn.\n      With these corn purchases, Japan is committed to buying 7.7\n  mln tonnes of U.S. corn in 1986\/87 (Sept-Aug), nearly 400,000\n  tonnes greater than year-ago figures to date.\n      South Korea's cumulative commitments amount to 2.5 mln\n  tonnes, up 1.5 mln compared to last year, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRENCH ESTIMATE 86\/87 WHEAT DELIVERIES UNCHANGED\n","article":"  The French Cereals Intervention Board,\n  ONIC, left its estimate of French 1986\/87 (July\/June) soft\n  wheat deliveries unchanged from its last forecast at 21.98 mln\n  tonnes.\n      This compared with deliveries of 24.38 mln tonnes in\n  1985\/86 (August\/July).\n      Estimated 1986\/87 maize deliveries were also left unchanged\n  from ONIC's previous forecast at the beginning of February at\n  9.91 mln tonnes against 10.77 mln the previous season.\n      Barley deliveries were also unchanged at 6.62 mln tonnes\n  against 7.7 mln in 1985\/86.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MEXICO VEG OIL TAX NOT AIMED AT SUNFLOWER--USDA\n","article":"  The Mexican Secretariat of Commerce\n  has told the U.S. that recent implementation of a 10 pct ad\n  valorem tariff for fixed vegetable oils, fluid or solid, crude,\n  refined or purified, was not targeted at sunflower oil, the\n  U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      In its World Production and Trade Report, the department\n  said the increase in tariffs on this category which includes\n  sunflower, corn and rapeseed oils, was a reaction to importers\n  using basket categories to avoid paying tariffs on specific\n  high-tariff products.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AERO SERVICES <AEROE> SEES BETTER 1987\n","article":"  Aero Services International Inc\n  said it expects to achieve improvements in overall operations\n  in the year ending September 30, 1987.\n      Earlier, Aero reported a 1986 year end net loss of 3.0 mln\n  dlrs compared to a profit of 483,000 dlrs in 1985.\n      The company said the loss was attributable to costs\n  associated with its acquisition costs and operating losses of\n  nine Beckett Aviation fixed base operations purchased in August\n  1985 and discontinued weather service and flight simulator\n  segments.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AERO SERVICES INTERNATIONAL INC <AEROE> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr loss 63 cts vs profit 10 cts\n      Net loss 3.0 mln vs profit 483,000\n      Revs 61.9 mln vs 43.7 mln\n      NOTE:1986 net loss includes loss of 1.4 mln dlrs or 28 cts\n  a share from discontinued operations. 1986 revenues include\n  revenues for the last eight months of Beckett Aviation,\n  acquired in September of 1985. Year ended September 30, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VISTA RESOURCES INC <VIST> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.36 dlrs vs one dlr\n      Net 1,010,249 vs 750,856\n      Revs 15.2 mln vs 11.9 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 3.24 dlrs vs 2.18 dlrs\n      Net 2,407,186 vs 1,627,250\n      Revs 57 mln vs 53.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL COFFEE EXPORTS DISRUPTED BY STRIKE\n","article":"  An 11-day-old strike by\n  Brazilian seamen is affecting coffee shipments and could lead\n  to a short term supply squeeze abroad, exporters said.\n      They could not quantify how much coffee has been delayed\n  but said at least 40 pct of coffee exports are carried by\n  Brazilian ships and movement of foreign vessels has also been\n  disrupted by port congestion caused by the strike.\n      A series of labor disputes and bad weather has meant\n  Brazil's coffee exports have been running at an average two\n  weeks behind schedule since the start of the year, one source\n  added.\n      By the end of February shipments had fallen 800,000 bags\n  behind registrations, leaving around 2.4 mln bags to be shipped\n  during March. By March 10 only 230,000 bags had been shipped,\n  the sources said.\n      Given Brazil's port loading capacity of around 100,000 bags\n  a day, even if normal operations were resumed immediately and\n  not interrupted by bad weather, some March registered coffee\n  will inevitably be shipped during April, they added.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ALCOA DECLINES SPECIFIC COMMENT ON OPTIONS TRADE\n","article":"  Alcoa officials acknowledged the\n  possibility that they may have a position in the off-exchange\n  aluminum options market, but declined specific comment on trade\n  speculation that the company is holding a large outstanding\n  position.\n      An Alcoa (Aluminum Company of America) source involved in\n  terminal trading for the company said: \"We use all means\n  available to manage our business, so it's a possibility we're\n  trading options.\"\n      \"We won't go into specifics about what we're doing. But\n  when you're dealing in un-alloyed ingot, it's a commodity\n  business where there are a lot of tools available (for hedging)\n  and Alcoa is using all of those tools,\" said Al Posti, Alcoa's\n  manager of corporate news.\n      Trade sources have said Alcoa is long call options equal to\n  30,000 to 50,000 tonnes of aluminum due to mature in April and\n  May. However, some New York-based aluminium traders said they\n  believe the size of Alcoa's position has been exaggerated.\n      The possibility that Alcoa may be long call options is one\n  factor indicating that supply tightness may worsen in the\n  second quarter, traders said.\n      \"If they decide to exercise their right to buy, it would\n  mean really squeezing the market,\" one New York trader said,\n  noting that aluminum stocks on the London Metal Exchange were\n  90,500 tonnes at the end of last week.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BRAE CORP <BRAE> 3RD QTR DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.32 dlrs vs profit two cts\n      Net loss 5,666,000 vs profit 84,000\n      Revs 12.0 mln vs 21.7 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 1.87 dlrs vs loss 71 cts\n      Net loss 8,030,000 vs loss 3,062,000\n      Revs 40.9 mln vs 53.0 mln\n      Note: includes losses from discontinued operations of\n  190,000 dlrs vs loss 185,000 dlrs in 3rd qtr and 731,000 dlrs\n  loss vs 815,000 dlrs loss in nine mths.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MARATHON TO RAISE CRUDE PRICES 50 CTS\/BBL TOMORROW WTI  TO 17.50 DLRS\n","article":"\n  MARATHON TO RAISE CRUDE PRICES 50 CTS\/BBL TOMORROW WTI  TO 17.50 DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WASTE MANAGEMENT CORP VOTES TWO FOR ONE STOCK SPLIT AND BOOSTS QTLY DIVIDEND TO 18 CTS\n","article":"\n  WASTE MANAGEMENT CORP VOTES TWO FOR ONE STOCK SPLIT AND BOOSTS QTLY DIVIDEND TO 18 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GENERAL ELECTRIC <GE> TO SELL DATEL UNIT\n","article":"  General Electric Co's GE\n  Semiconductor Business said it agreed to sell its Datel unit to\n  a group led by the unit's president, Nicolas Tagaris.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      Tagaris founded the company, which produces precision data\n  acquisition, conversion and control components and subsystems,\n  in 1970. He sold it to GE in 1979.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TRICO <TRO> SETS DATE FOR ACQUISITION VOTE\n","article":"  Trico Industries Inc said it\n  set March 31 as the date for a special shareholders meeting for\n  a vote on the proposed acquisition of the company by Paccar Inc\n  <PCAR>.\n      In January the two companies announced an agreement\n  covering a proposed acquisition by Paccar of Trico's\n  approximately 8.2 mln shares outstanding for eight dlrs per\n  share in cash.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HUGHES TOOL SHAREHOLDERS APPROVE MERGER WITH BAKER INTERNATIONAL\n","article":"\n  HUGHES TOOL SHAREHOLDERS APPROVE MERGER WITH BAKER INTERNATIONAL\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<CANADIAN GYPSUM CO LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 3.13 dlrs vs 2.02 dlrs\n      Net 39.1 mln vs 26.9 mln\n      Revs 203.2 mln vs 173.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CREW UNION SETS PACT WITH PACIFIC SOUTHWEST <PSG>\n","article":"  Pacific Southwest Airlines said it\n  reached an agreement with the Southwest Crew Controllers\n  Association needed to satisfy conditions of USAir Group's <U>\n  proposed acquisition of PSA.\n      PSA said this is the third of four unions agreement is\n  needed with for USAir's acquisition to be consummated.\n      Under the agreement, PSA crew controllers received\n  assurances they will be provided with labor protective\n  provisions and a seniority integration process.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTHERNNET INC <SOUT> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 32 cts vs four cts\n      Net 3,370,000 vs 353,000\n      Revs 27.8 mln vs 20.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 35 cts vs 67 cts\n      Net 3,543,000 vs 3,845,000\n      Revs 103.6 mln vs 74.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SENATOR LUGAR CALLS FOR CARGO PREFERENCE REPEAL\n","article":"  The senior Republican on the U.S.\n  Senate Agriculture Committee, Richard Lugar of Indiana, called\n  for repeal of the cargo preference law that aids the American\n  shipping industry but which he said hurts farmers.\n      \"Cargo preference is a costly special interest operated at\n  the expense of American farmers and dockworkers,\" Lugar said in\n  signing on as a co-sponsor or cargo preference repeal\n  legislation.\n      The law requires shipment of U.S. goods on American ships\n  rather than foreign vessels which are less costly.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EIA SAYS DISTILLATE STOCKS OFF 8.8 MLN, GASOLINE OFF 500,000, CRUDE OFF 1.2 MLN\n","article":"\n  EIA SAYS DISTILLATE STOCKS OFF 8.8 MLN, GASOLINE OFF 500,000, CRUDE OFF 1.2 MLN\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SYLVAN LEARNING CORP <SLVN> NINE MONTHS DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr loss 43 cts vs profit eight cts\n      Net loss 3.1 mln vs profit 502,896\n      Revs 5.6 mln vs 4.2 mln\n      NOTE:1986 net includes negative effect of accounting change\n  of 354,650 or five cts a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BIG U.S. CONSERVATION ENROLLMENT EXPECTED\n","article":"  Enrollment in the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department's fourth conservation signup is expected to be\n  announced tomorrow, and USDA officials said the figure may be\n  higher than total enrollment for the first three signups.\n      Enrollment will be in the range of seven to 12 mln acres,\n  USDA conservation specialists said. Total enrollment so far in\n  the 10-year conservation program is 8.9 mln acres.\n      Producers submitted bids to enter 11 to 12 mln acres into\n  the program, Milton Hertz, administrator for USDA's\n  Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service said at a\n  congressional hearing yesterday. Not all the bids will be\n  accepted, Hertz said, but enrollment is expected to be high.\n      As in the first three signups, the Great Plains area is\n  expected to attract the greatest enrollment.\n      \"The Great Plains area will be the predominate area which\n  we'll get signup in,\" a USDA conservation specialist said.\n      Marginal corn acreage will likely be the bulk of the\n  acreage pulled from that area, he said.\n      Fringe soybean acres in the southeast and some bean acreage\n  in the midwest are also expected to be taken out of production,\n  but the USDA source said this would be a relatively small\n  percent of the total.\n      A special two dlr bonus to corn producers who enroll part\n  of their corn base acreage into the program has sparked more\n  interest in this latest signup, USDA officials said.\n      Under the program, USDA pays farmers annual rents to take\n  land out of production for 10 years. The average rent payment\n  accepted in the first three signups was 43.50 dlrs per acre.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PITTSTON AGREES TO ACQUIRE WTC INTERNATIONAL IN EXCHANGE OF STOCK\n","article":"\n  PITTSTON AGREES TO ACQUIRE WTC INTERNATIONAL IN EXCHANGE OF STOCK\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"EIA SAYS DISTILLATE, GAS STOCKS OFF IN WEEK\n","article":"  Distillate fuel stocks held in\n  primary storage fell by 8.8 mln barrels in the week ended March\n  six to 119.6 mln barrels, the Energy Information Administration\n  (EIA) said.\n      In its weekly petroleum status report, the Department of\n  Energy agency said gasoline stocks were off 500,000 barrels in\n  the week to 251.0 mln barrels and refinery crude oil stocks\n  fell 1.2 mln barrels to 331.8 mln.\n      The EIA said residual fuel stocks fell 1.5 mln barrels to\n  36.4 mln barrels and crude oil stocks in the Strategic\n  Petroleum Reserve (SPR) rose 200,000 barrels to 516.7 mln.\n      The total of all crude, refined product and SPR stocks fell\n  10.3 mln barrels to 1,564.8, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MORE HEAVY RAINS IN ARGENTINE GRAIN AREAS\n","article":"  Heavy rains fell again in\n  Argentina's main grain growing areas in the week to yesterday,\n  trade sources said.\n      Rains fell heaviest early in the week, and in particularly\n  high volume in Buenos Aires province, Cordoba, La Pampa and\n  Santa Fe provinces.\n      Rainfall totalled between 20 and 290 mm in Buenos Aires,\n  heaviest in western sectors of the province, 20 to 145 mm in La\n  Pampa, 25 to 120 mm in Cordoba, and 10 to 75 mm in Santa Fe.\n  Rainfall was lighter in other provinces.\n      Rainfall totalled from five to 50 mm in Corrientes, five to\n  31 mm in San Luis, five to 30 mm in Entre Rios, three to 20 mm\n  in Misiones, 11 to 17 mm in Formosa and one to eight mm in\n  Chaco.\n      Growers said it was still too early to tell whether the\n  rains had damaged crops, though they said maize and sunflower\n  crops may have suffered.\n      Harvesting of both those crops and sorghum was paralysed by\n  the bad weather. For harvesting to resume as normal, the rains\n  would have to stop long enough for the soil to dry and allow\n  farm machinery to operate.\n      The rains caused flooding in western and northwestern\n  Buenos Aires, as more than 750 mm have fallen in some areas\n  there since February 23 while the annual average is 1,200 mm.\n      Flooded areas total between 1.2 and 1.5 mln hectares,\n  Buenos Aires province governor Alejandro Armendariz said after\n  flying over the flooded area.\n      Agriculture Secretary Ernesto Figueras said only 500,000\n  hectares of the area now flooded had been planted, and that\n  200,000 to 300,000 hectares could be lost. Growers said large\n  parts of the flooded areas were not planted because they are\n  low-lying and flood easily.\n      Trade sources said it was certain crops were damaged by the\n  heavy rains but it was too early to tell the exact extent of\n  the damage. They said it was likely rain combined with high\n  winds uprooted many sunflower and maize plants.\n      The sunflower harvest moved forward in the centre and south\n  of Cordoba and Santa Fe and got underway in a few isolated\n  areas of northern Buenos Aires. Growers have harvested between\n  15 and 18 pct of total planted area, up from seven to nine pct\n  a week ago.\n      Estimates of the total volume of the sunflower crop were\n  revised downward in light of the bad weather.\n      Estimates for total crop ranged from 2.3 to 2.6 mln tonnes,\n  down from 2.4 to 2.7 mln tonnes estimated last week and down\n  34.1 to 41.5 pct from last year's record harvest of 4.1 mln\n  tonnes.\n      Maize harvesting also advanced, reaching between 13 and 15\n  pct of total planted area compared to seven to nine pct a week\n  ago. The maize harvest is expected to total between 10 and 10.2\n  mln tonnes, down from the 10 to 10.4 mln tonnes estimated a\n  week ago.\n      Last year's maize harvest totalled 12.8 mln tonnes,\n  according to official figures.\n      Soybean production estimates were revised downward, to 7.8\n  to 8.2 mln tonnes compared to estimates of eight to 8.4 mln\n  tonnes a week ago. Last year's soybean harvest totalled 7.1 mln\n  tonnes, according to official figures.\n      Sorghum harvesting moved slowly forward, reaching between\n  four and six pct of total planted area, compared to two to four\n  pct a week ago.\n      Sorghum production estimates remained steady at 3.2 to 3.5\n  mln tonnes, down 16.7 to 22 pct from the 4.1 to 4.2 mln tonnes\n  produced in the last harvest.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PHILIPPINE DEBT TALKS DELAYED FOR CONSULTATIONS\n","article":"  Today's debt rescheduling talks\n  between the Philippines government and its bank advisory\n  committee were postponed until Thursday to give the banks more\n  time to consider Manila's novel proposal for paying part of its\n  interest bill in notes instead of cash, bankers said.\n      The committee banks met briefly earlier today and decided\n  that they needed more time in particular to consider a news\n  report which quoted a Reagan Administration official as urging\n  that the proposal be given serious consideration.\n      \"The banks felt that this was new information and that\n  further consultation was called for,\" one banker said.    \n      In a despatch yesterday from Washington, Reuters quoted the\n  official as saying Manila's plan to pay some interest with\n  notes that could be converted into equity investments in the\n  Philippines was fully consistent with the Reagan Administration\n  strategy for handling developing country debt.\n      \"The Philippine proposal is very interesting, it's quite\n  unique and I don't think it's something that should be\n  categorically rejected out of hand,\" the official said.\n      Because of the key role the U.S. plays in the debt crisis,\n  foreign banks in particular wanted time to analyze the\n  significance of the policymaker's comments, bankers said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HARPER AND ROW GETS BID FROM HARCOURT BRACE JOVANOVICH FOR 50 DLRS\/SHR\n","article":"\n  HARPER AND ROW GETS BID FROM HARCOURT BRACE JOVANOVICH FOR 50 DLRS\/SHR\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HUGHES <HT> APPROVES MERGER WITH BAKER <BKO>\n","article":"  An overwhelming majority of Hughes Tool\n  Co shareholders approved a merger agreement with Baker\n  International Corp based on revised terms that allow the\n  companies additional time to sell a drilling bit business as\n  required by the U.S. Justice Department.\n       Hughes chairman William Kistler said the revised terms of\n  the proposed consent decree also set a 10 mln dlr cap on how\n  much funding the newly combined companies will have to spend on\n  the disputed drilling bit business until it is sold.\n      An earlier proposed consent decree did not establish a\n  funding limit.\n      The Baker-Hughes merger, which would would create a 1.2\n  billion dlr oilfield services company, almost fell through\n  earlier this month when Hughes balked at terms of a proposed\n  Justice Department consent decree that would have given the\n  companies only three months to find a buyer for the Reed\n  business.\n      Baker said today it would withdraw the one billion dlr\n  lawsuit it had filed to force Hughes to follow through with the\n  merger.\n      Hughes' Kistler, speaking to reporters after 85 pct of\n  Hughes' shareholders approved the merger, said the revised\n  terms of the agreement give the companies six months to find a\n  buyer for the Reed drilling bit business. The previous\n  agreement had proposed a three-month period.\n      Kistler said the the government had also indicated it would\n  consider granting, if necessary, an additional three-month\n  extension to complete the sale.\n      He said there were \"several people looking\" at the domestic\n  drilling bit business.\n      The companies, Kistler said, have also decided to\n  voluntarily sell a Reed plant in Singapore.\n      Kistler estimated that the merger, which should be\n  completed in about two weeks, will result in annual cost\n  savings of about 50 mln dlrs. He said he expects \"substantial\n  cutbacks\" in the 20,000-member workforce at Baker-Hughes Inc,\n  the name the merged company will take.\n      Kistler said the cost savings and greater efficiencies\n  should put the company on a profitable course. \"We think that\n  in the third or fourth quarter after the merger we should see\n  something close to breakeven,\" he said.\n      In the fourth quarter of 1986, Hughes earned 31.7 mln dlrs\n  on sales of 215.7 mln dlrs.\n      Baker, in its first fiscal quarter ended December 31, lost\n  34.2 mln dlrs on revenues of 297.7 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USX <X> UNIT TO RAISE MOST CRUDE POSTINGS\n","article":"  USX's subsidiary, Marathon Petroleum\n  Co, said it will raise its contract prices for eleven grades of\n  crude oil 50 cts a barrel, effective tomorrow.\n      The increase brings Marathon's posted price for West Texas\n  Intermediate and West Texas Sour grades to 17.50 dlrs a barrel.\n      The Light Louisiana grade was also raised 50 cts to 17.85\n  dlrs a barrel.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DOLLAR GENERAL CORP <DOLR> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 13 cts vs 40 cts\n      Net 2,509,000 vs 7,582,000\n      Revs 186.2 mln vs 182.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 23 cts vs 95 cts\n      Net 4,318,000 vs 17.8 mln\n      Revs 564.8 mln vs 584.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TUESDAY MORNING INC <TUES> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.19 dlrs vs 1.46 dlrs\n      Net 3,150,185 vs 2,665,284\n      Revs 27.9 mln vs 24.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,653,646 vs 1,826,858\n      Year\n      Shr 1.45 dlrs vs 1.37 dlrs\n      Net 3,611,802 vs 2,502,443\n      Sales 62.2 mln vs 52.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,489,978 vs 1,826,858\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<BROAD> ACQUIRES <VOGT AND CONANT> UNIT\n","article":"  Broad Corp said it acquired\n  the construction activities of Vogt and Conant Co of Cleveland.\n      The combined companies, to be called Broad, Vogt and Conant\n  INc, will be the largest structural steel erection company in\n  the U.S. Combined sales of the two operations were more than 40\n  mln dlrs in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HARPER <HPR> GETS BID FROM HARCOURT <HBJ>\n","article":"  Harper and Row Publishers Inc said it\n  received an acquisition offer from Harcourt Brace Jovanovich\n  INc to acquire all of Harper and Row's shares at 50 dlrs a\n  share in cash.\n      Harper said it will consider the proposal, including such\n  possible concerns as anti-trust and other legal considerations.\n      On Monday, Harper and Row received a surprise 34 dlr-a-\n  share bid from investor Theodore Cross, owner of six pct of the\n  shares, for the stock he does not own.\n       Harcourt made clear in its offer that it will step aside\n  if Harper's directors and shareholders reject the bid, Harper\n  said.\n      Harper said the board has previously expressed a strong\n  determination to remain an independent publishing enterprise.\n      Harper also said that New World Pictures, a shareholder,\n  has requested a copy of Harper's shareholder list to be used in\n  soliciting proxies.\n      New World has 30,800 shares of the total 4.4 mln shares.\n      Harper and Row's stock closed off 3\/4 to 33-1\/2 after\n  rising 9-1\/4 points yesterday.\n      Shareholders are due to vote April 2 on a shareholders\n  rights plan designed to thwart hostile takeovers.\n      Ivan Obolensky, an analyst with the investment banking for\n  of Sterling Grace and Co said Harper and Row is one of the few\n  remaining independent publishers with a \"back list\" of authors\n  stretching back 200 years.\n      He said as long as the company maintains copyrights with\n  the estates of deceased authors, it controls all motion picture\n  and television rights to the stories. And he said new printing\n  technologies make new editions a profitable business.\n      \"Harcourt Brace needs a back list of that nature and is\n  willing to pay up for it,\" Obolensky said. But he said Harper\n  and Row \"has plenty of beef to warrant a 50 dlr bid.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GOLDMAN SELLS MOST 1ST PENNSYLVANIA <FPA> STOCK\n","article":"  Goldman, Sachs and Co told the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission it sold nearly its entire\n  stake in First Pennsylvania Corp of 2,450,598 shares, or 5.2\n  pct of the total outstanding common stock.\n      Goldman Sachs said it has about 17,800 First Pennsylvania\n  common shares remaining. On February 26, the company redeemed\n  convertible debentures with common stock, which at once\n  increased Goldman's stock holding and the total outstanding.\n      Goldman Sachs said it originally bought the stake as part\n  of its arbitrage business. Marine Midland Banks <MM> has an\n  agreement in principal to acquire First Pennsylvania.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LIONEL CORP <LIO> 4TH QTR JAN 31 OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 1.05 dlr vs 51 cts\n      Oper net 14.1 mln vs 5,669,000\n      Revs 163.2 mln vs 133.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 13.5 mln vs 11.5 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 65 cts vs 26 cts\n      Oper net 8,664,000 vs 1,906,000\n      Revs 287.8 mln vs 251 mln\n      Avg shrs 13.4 mln vs 8,403,562\n      NOTE: Prior year 4th qtr and year oper net excludes 13.1\n  mln dlrs and 17.4 mln dlrs, respectively, for income from\n  discontinued operations.\n      Prior year 4th qtr and year oper net also excludes 19.2 mln\n  dlrs and 20.3 mln dlrs, respectively, for operating loss\n  carryforwards and other reogranization items.\n      Prior year 4th qtr and year ended January 25, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RECENT U.S. OIL DEMAND UP 1.9 PCT FROM YEAR AGO\n","article":"  U.S. oil demand as measured by\n  products supplied rose 1.9 pct in the four weeks ended March\n  six to 16.39 mln barrels per day from 16.08 mln in the same\n  period a year ago, the Energy Information Administration (EIA)\n  said.\n      In its weekly petroleum status report, the Energy\n  Department agency said distillate demand was down 2.2 pct in\n  the period to 3.33 mln bpd from 3.40 mln a year earlier.\n      Gasoline demand averaged 6.75 mln bpd, up 3.3 pct from 6.53\n  mln last year, while residual fuel demand was 1.40 mln bpd, off\n  2.7 pct from 1.43 mln, the EIA said.\n      Domestic crude oil production was estimated at 8.38 mln\n  bpd, down 8.5 pct from 9.15 mln a year ago, and gross daily\n  crude imports (excluding those for the SPR) averaged 3.67 mln\n  bpd, up 23 pct from 2.97 mln, the EIA said.\n      Refinery crude runs in the four weeks were 12.05 mln bpd,\n  up 1.5 pct from 11.87 mln a year earlier, it said.\n      Year-to-date figures will not become available until March\n  26 when EIA's Petroleum Supply Monthly data for January 1987\n  becomes available, the agency said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"(MONTREAL CITY, DISTRICT SAVINGS BANK) 1ST QTR\n","article":"  Shr 33 cts vs 24 cts\n      Net 6.2 mln vs 4.9 mln\n      Loans not given\n      Deposits not given\n      Assets 3.8 billion vs not given\n      Note: full name Montreal City and District Savings Bank\n      Period ended January 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRANCO NEVADA SAYS STOCK RISE DUE TO DRILLING\n","article":"  Franco Nevada Mining Corp Ltd said the\n  gain in its stock price today is related to deep drilling being\n  conducted by American Barrick Resources Corp at the Goldstrike\n  claims in the Carlin camp in northern Nevada.\n      Franco Nevada stock is up two at seven dlrs per share on\n  the Toronto Stock Exchange.\n      Franco Nevada said American Barrick announced on March nine\n  that the drilling indicated a number of significant\n  intersections of sulfide gold mineralization below a depth of\n  about 1,000 feet.\n      One vertical drill hole intersected gold continuously from\n  1,100 feet to 1,730 feet averaging 0.30 ounces per short ton,\n  the announcement said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BUSINESSMAN HAS 8.9 PCT OF DEL E. WEBB <DWP.A>\n","article":"  John Cotton, an Arizona businessman,\n  told the Securities and Exchange Commission he has acquired the\n  equivalent of 213,500 shares of Class A common shares in Del E.\n  Webb Investment Properties, or 8.9 pct of the total.\n      Cotton, president of Finalco Group Inc, a Paradise Valley,\n  Ariz., data processing equipment maker, said he bought the\n  stake, which includes warrants to buy 186,300 shares, for\n  266,958 dlrs.\n      The warrants are exerciseable at 9.50 dlrs a share, he\n  said. Cotton said it bought the stock for investment purposes\n  only.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STANDARD TRUSTCO SEES BETTER YEAR\n","article":"  Standard Trustco said it expects earnings\n  in 1987 to increase at least 15 to 20 pct from the 9,140,000\n  dlrs, or 2.52 dlrs per share, recorded in 1986.\n      \"Stable interest rates and a growing economy are expected to\n  provide favorable conditions for further growth in 1987,\"\n  president Brian O'Malley told shareholders at the annual\n  meeting.\n      Standard Trustco previously reported assets of 1.28 billion\n  dlrs in 1986, up from 1.10 billion dlrs in 1985. Return on\n  common shareholders' equity was 18.6 pct last year, up from 15\n  pct in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DIAGNOSTIC\/RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS INC MAKES 53 MLN DLR BID FOR ROSPATCH CORP\n","article":"\n  DIAGNOSTIC\/RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS INC MAKES 53 MLN DLR BID FOR ROSPATCH CORP\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ASTEC INDUSTRIES INC <ASTE> 4TH QTR DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr loss nine cts vs profit 22 cts\n      Net loss 278,949 vs profit 346,368\n      Revs 11.9 mln vs 10.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 49 cts vs profit 49 cts\n      Net profit 1.2 mln vs profit 949,626\n      Revs 61.7 mln vs 52.7 mln\n      NOTE:1985 net includes loss of three cts or 49.1 mln dlrs\n  in 4th qtr and loss of 13 cts or 258,720 dlrs in year from\n  discontinued operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. ECONOMIC DATA KEY TO DEBT FUTURES OUTLOOK\n","article":"  U.S. economic data this week could be\n  the key in determining whether U.S. interest rate futures break\n  out of a 3-1\/2 month trading range, financial analysts said.\n      Although market expectations are for February U.S. retail\n  sales Thursday and industrial production Friday to show healthy\n  gains, figures within or slightly below expectations would be\n  positive for the market, the analysts said.\n      \"You have to be impressed with the resiliency of bonds\n  right now,\" said Smith Barney Harris Upham analyst Craig\n  Sloane.\n      Treasury bond futures came under pressure today which\n  traders linked to a persistently firm federal funds rate and a\n  rise in oil prices. However, when sufficient selling interest\n  to break below chart support in the June contract failed to\n  materialize, participants who had sold bond futures early\n  quickly covered short positions, they said.\n      \"Everyone is expecting strong numbers, and if they come in\n  as expected it won't be that bad for the market,\" Sloane said.\n      Sloane said the consensus estimate for the non-auto sector\n  of retail sales is for a rise of 0.6 to 0.7 pct.\n      Dean Witter analyst Karen Gibbs said a retail sales figure\n  below market forecasts would give a boost to debt futures, and\n  she put the range for the non-auto sector of retail sales at up\n  0.8 to 1.2 pct.\n      Industrial production and the producer price index Friday\n  both are expected to show increases of about 0.5 pct, she\n  added.\n      Retail sales \"will tell us whether or not we will be able\n  to fill the gap,\" Gibbs said, referring to a chart gap in June\n  bonds between 100-26\/32 and 101-3\/32 created Friday. June bonds\n  closed at 100-4\/32 today.\n      Also key to debt futures direction, in addition to the\n  federal funds rate, is the direction of crude oil prices, said\n  Carroll McEntee and McGinley Futures analyst Brian Singer.\n      \"A higher fed funds rate and firm oil prices precluded the\n  market from breaking out of the trading range the last time the\n  market approached the top of the range,\" Singer said.\n      In order for bonds to break above the top of the range,\n  which is just below 102 in the June contract, \"the crude oil\n  rally needs to run its course and pull back a little bit,\"\n  Singer said. \"Fed funds are already easing back down toward the\n  six pct level.\"\n      The recent surge in oil prices has also been a concern to\n  Manufacturers Hanover Futures analyst Jim Rozich, but the rally\n  may be nearing a top around 18.50 dlrs per barrel, he said.\n      Rozich said he is looking for the June bond contract to\n  ease to 99-6\/32 and find support.\n      \"I'm not quite ready to jump on the bullish bandwagon yet.\n  The jury is still out this week,\" Rozich said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MILLER TABAK HAS 91.8 PCT OF PENN TRAFFIC <PNF>\n","article":"  <Miller Tabak Hirsch and Co> said it\n  has received an accepted 3,424,729 common shares of Penn\n  Traffic Co in response to its 31.60 dlr per share tender offer\n  that expired Friday, and together with the 380,728 shares it\n  already owned, it now has about 91.8 pct of Penn Traffic.\n      The company said Penn Traffic is expected to hold a special\n  shareholders' meeting later this month to approve a merger into\n  Miller Tabak at the tender price.\n      It said two Miller Tabak representatives will be named to\n  the Penn Traffic board on March Four to serve as the only\n  directors with Penn Traffic president and chief executive\n  officer Guido Malacarne.\n      The company said it received financing for the transaction\n  from First National Bank of Minneapolis and Salomon Inc <SB>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF BRITISH COLUMBIA 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr loss two cts vs profit three cts\n      Oper net profit 273,000 dlrs vs profit 1,710,000\n      YEAR - period ended October 31, 1986\n      Oper shr loss 23 cts vs profit 14 cts\n      Oper net loss 4,397,000 vs profit 7,527,000\n      Assets 2.67 billion vs 3.25 billion\n      Note: 1987 1st qtr net excludes extraordinary loss of 2.2\n  mln dlrs or six cts shr.\n      1986 yr net excludes extraordinary loss of 66 mln dlrs or\n  1.94 dlrs shr involving 22.1 mln dlrs of costs from sale of\n  bank assets to Hongkong Bank of Canada, eight mln dlrs for\n  contingent liabilities in respect of litigation and potential\n  tax reassessment by U.S. govt and 35.9 mln dlrs of deferred tax\n  debits.\n      Most bank assets sold to HongKong Bank of Canada, a unit of\n  <Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corp> in Nov, 1986.\n      Shr after preferred divs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RESTAURANT ASSOCIATES INC <RA> 4TH QTR JAN 3\n","article":"  Shr 25 cts vs 36 cts\n      Net 1.4 mln vs 1.4 mln\n      Revs 56.9 mln vs 35.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 86 cts vs 75 cts\n      Net 4.7 mln vs 3.0 mln\n      REvs 201.4 mln vs 140.0 mln\n      NOTE:1985 4th qtr includes 99,000 loss from carryforward.\n  Shares restated to give effect to 1.4 to one stock split in the\n  form a 40 pct class A dividend in August 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MICHIGAN GENERAL CORP <MGL> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.02 dlrs vs 1.01 dlr\n      Net loss 18.1 mln vs 11.4 mln\n      Revs 96.0 mln vs 90.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 2.65 dlrs vs loss 3.06 dlrs\n      Net loss 39.3 mln vs 34.6 mln\n      Revs 386.0 mln vs 373.0 mln\n      NOTE:1986 4th qtr, year loss includes 14.4 mln dlrs, 4.6\n  mln dlrs respectively from discontinued. 1985 4th qtr and year\n  include loss of 13.1 mln, 1.9 mln dlr respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"USX <X> PROVED OIL, GAS RESERVES FALL IN 1986\n","article":"  USX Corp said proved reserves of oil\n  and natural gas liquids fell 28 pct to 802.8 mln barrels at the\n  end of 1986 from 1.12 billion barrels at year-end 1985.\n      The figures, in USX's just-released 1986 annual report,\n  indicate much of the drop resulted from the exclusion of 293.7\n  mln barrels of Libyan reserves, after the U.S. government last\n  June directed U.S. oil companies to end Libyan operations.\n      USX, which owns Marathon Oil Co and Texas Oil and Gas Corp,\n  had 60 pct of its 1986 sales of 14.94 billion dlrs from its oil\n  and gas operations.\n      About 24 pct of total sales came from USX's USS steel unit\n  and 16 pct from diversified businesses, which include oilfield\n  services, raw materials, minerals, chemicals and real estate.\n      According to the report, domestic liquids reserves fell\n  slightly to 628.5 mln barrels from 628.9 mln and foreign\n  reserves fell to 174.3 mln from 486.4 mln barrels. The large\n  drop in foreign reserves was in the Middle East and Africa,\n  where they fell to about 9.3 mln barrels from 316.7 mln,\n  reflecting the exclusion of Libya.\n      Total natural gas reserves fell to 4.82 trillion cubic feet\n  at year-end 1986 from 5.18 trillion at the end of 1985.\n      Again, most of the drop came from the Middle East and\n  Africa, where reserves fell to zero from 71.9 billion cubic\n  feet, excluding Libyan reserves.\n      U.S. natural gas reserves fell to 3.44 trillion cubic feet\n  from 3.65 trillion and foreign reserves fell to 1.38 trillion\n  from 1.53 trillion.\n      In other areas, USX said total capital spending fell to 962\n  mln dlrs in 1986 from 1.78 billion dlrs in 1985. The 1986\n  audited figure is eight mln dlrs higher than the unaudited\n  figure the company reported on Jan 27.\n      USX also said it expects to record a gain of 150 mln dlrs\n  in 1988, representing 50 pct of previously existing investment\n  tax credits allowable under the new tax law. The loss of the\n  other half of the credits was reflected in the fourth quarter.\n      In a discussion of steel results, USX said plants that were\n  shut down last month and some previously idled plants may be\n  permanently closed. USX took a fourth quarter charge of 1.03\n  billion dlrs to restructure its steel operations. The charge\n  included the \"indefinite idling\" last month of four plants in\n  Utah, Pennsylvania and Texas.\n      Other plants or parts of plants in Pennsylvania, Indiana,\n  Alabama, Ohio and Chicago had been previously idled.\n      \"These operations are not permanently shut down. Improved\n  market conditions for the products from these plants may make\n  it feasible to reopen some of them,\" USX said in the report.\n      \"On the other hand, a lack of any future market improvement\n  may necessitate their permanent closing,\" it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BANK OF B.C. REVISES SHARE PAYOUT ESTIMATE\n","article":"  Bank of British\n  Columbia said it revised its estimate of shareholder\n  distributions from last November's sale of most of the bank's\n  assets to HongKong Bank of Canada to between 65 cts and 1.15\n  dlrs a share from 55 cts to 1.20 dlrs a share.\n      The bank said the estimate could rise to between 1.30 dlrs\n  and 1.80 dlrs a share if the full pension surplus is obtained.\n  It said it did not know when distributions would be made.\n      It earlier reported that operating profit for first quarter\n  ended January 31 fell to 273,000 dlrs from 1.7 mln dlrs the\n  previous year.\n      For full-year 1986 ended October 31, the bank posted an\n  operating loss of 4.4 mln dlrs against year-earlier profit of\n  7.5 mln dlrs. The bank also posted a 66 mln dlr extraordinary\n  loss in fiscal 1986.\n      Bank of British Columbia sold most of its assets last\n  November to HongKong Bank Canada, a unit of <HongKong and\n  Shanghai Banking Corp>, of Hong Kong, for 63.5 mln dlrs.\n      It said efforts to wind up the bank's affairs were\n  proceeding as quickly as possible.\n      The bank said it expected to report positive earnings in\n  future periods, barring unforeseen circumstances.\n      Loan losses, which the bank previously said figured in its\n  move to sell off most of its assets, rose to 105.7 mln dlrs in\n  fiscal 1986 from year-earlier 36.1 mln dlrs. The bank said 31.1\n  mln dlrs of the 1986 total represented downward adjustments to\n  its portfolio of syndicated sovereign risk loans as required\n  under the sale to HongKong Bank.\n      Since November 27, the bank has confined activities to the\n  winding up of affairs, Bank of British Columbia said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COFFEE QUOTA TALKS CONTINUE BUT NO AGREEMENT YET\n","article":"  Coffee quota talks at the International\n  Coffee Organization council meeting here continued this\n  afternoon, but producers and consumers still had not reached\n  common ground on the key issue of how to estimate export\n  quotas, delegates said.\n      The 54 member contact group was examining a Colombian\n  proposal to resume quotas April 1 under the ad hoc system used\n  historically, with a pledge to meet again in September to\n  discuss how quotas would be worked out in the future, they\n  said.\n      Delegates would not speculate on the prospects for\n  agreement at this time.\n      \"Anything could happen,\" one delegate said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<KIENA GOLD MINES LTD> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 17 cts vs 16 cts\n      Net 1,019,000 vs 985,000\n      Revs 7,997,000 vs 7,492,000\n      YEAR\n      Shr 1.18 dlrs vs 64 cts\n      Net 6,959,000 vs 3,778,000\n      Revs 36.5 mln vs 29.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ARGENTINE MEAT EXPORTS HIGHER IN JAN\/FEB 1987\n","article":"  Argentine meat exports during\n  Jan\/Feb 1987 totalled 39,714 tonnes, against 36,594 tonnes\n  shipped in the same 1986 period, National Meat board said.\n      Shipments in tonnes with comparative figures for the 1986\n  period, in brackets, included: beef 26,945 (20,096), horse meat\n  3,257 (4,211) and beef offal 7,660 (10,502).\n      Argentine's meat exports totalled 20,243 tonnes in February\n  1987, against 19,217 tonnes shipped in the same 1986 month.\n      Shipments in tonnes, with comparative figures for February\n  1986, in brackets, included: beef 13,272 (11,464), horse meat\n  1,543 (2,083) and beef offal 4,476 (4,672), the board added.\n      Main destinations for refrigerated beef (bone in\n  equivalent) were as follows, in tonnes, with comparative\n  figures for 1986 in brackets -\n      EC 5,500 (7,900), Brazil 5,200 (unavailable), Israel 3,700\n  (3,000), Peru 2,500 (800), Singapore 500 (300), Switzerland 500\n  (400), Canary Islands 500 (300), Malta 500 (700), Aruba\/Curazao\n  200 (300), Chile 100 (600).\n      Main destinations for canned meat and cooked beef (bone in\n  equivalent), in tonnes with comparative figures for Jan\/Feb\n  1986, in brackets, were -\n      United States 11,200 (13,400), EC 4,700 (5,100).\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KIENA PLANS TWO-FOR-ONE STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  <Kiena Gold Mines Ltd> said it planned\n  a two-for-one common stock split, pending shareholder approval\n  on April 7.\n      It said approval would require 66-2\/3 pct of votes cast.\n  Kiena said 57 pct-owner Campbell Red Lake Mines Ltd <CRK> was\n  expected to vote in favor of the split.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ROWE FURNITURE CORP <ROWE> SETS QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div four cts vs four cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 20\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. HOUSE PANEL TAKES FIRST TRADE BILL VOTES\n","article":"  House trade lawmakers took their\n  first votes on measures designed to toughen U.S. trade laws but\n  held over until tomorrow the most difficult votes on\n  controversial plans to protect American industries.\n      Meeting in closed session, the House Ways and Means Trade\n  Subcommittee failed to resolve one of the most sensitive issues\n  in the bill--whether they will force major foreign trading\n  partners to severely cut their trade surpluses with the United\n  States.\n      The subcommittee is considering a toned-down version of\n  Democratic-sponsored trade legislation that aims to open\n  foreign markets but which drops last year's effort to force\n  President Reagan to retaliate with quotas or tariffs.\n      Congressional aides who asked not to be identified said the\n  lawmakers intend to wrap up their proposals tomorrow and will\n  consider a proposal to mandate retaliation without setting\n  specific trade penalties.\n      The legislation faces another hurdle in the full Ways and\n  Means Committee next week before the full House votes on it.\n      Rep. Richard Gephardt, a Missouri Democrat who is seeking\n  his party's 1988 presidential nomination, said he may offer an\n  amendment to call for reductions in the trade surpluses of\n  those countries with barriers to imports of U.S. goods.\n      This would be a moderated version of his earlier plan to\n  force a mandatory ten per cent annual cut in the trade surplus\n  with the United States by Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, West\n  Germany and other countries with the largest trade imbalances.\n      \"My criteria for a good amendment sets a standard for\n  getting the trade deficit down,\" he told reporters.\n      The trade law changes are to become part of a major\n  congressional and administration effort to turn around the\n  record U.S. trade deficit of 169 billion dlrs last year by\n  opening up foreign markets and making U.S. products more\n  competitive.\n      House Speaker James Wright, a Texas Democrat, said again\n  today he expects the full House will approve the trade bill by\n  May and that Reagan will accept the final congressional bill.\n      \"I expect whatever is reported (by the Ways and Means\n  Committee) will pass. We will have a good bill and an effective\n  bill,\" he told reporters.\n      The comprehensive trade bill will include work by other\n  committees to ease export controls on high technology, to aid\n  U.S. workers displaced by foreign competition, to stimulate\n  research and development, to remove foreign trade barriers and\n  to improve education and worker training.\n      The lawmakers agreed that for the first time a U.S.\n  industry could charge foreign producers with unfair competition\n  if they deny basic worker rights such as collective bargaining,\n  safety rules and payment of a minimum wage appropriate to the\n  country's economic development.\n      They transferred to U.S. Trade Representative Clayton\n  Yeutter the powers now held by Reagan to decide whether to\n  retaliate against foreign violations of fair trade rules and\n  whether an injured industry deserves import relief.\n      They agreed to make it easier for a company to get\n  temporary relief from import competition but agreed the\n  industry should provide a plan to become competitive.\n      The administration has not announced its support but\n  Yeutter said yesterday, \"I am cautiously optimistic,\" that the\n  Democratic-led House will come up with an acceptable bill.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOVIET MINISTER SAYS TRADE BOOST UP TO FRENCH\n","article":"  Soviet first deputy prime minister\n  Vsevolod Murakhovsky said at the end of a brief visit here his\n  country wanted to boost joint business with France, but that a\n  reduction of France's trade deficit with the Soviet Union\n  depended on the French.\n      Murakhovsky, who is also chairman of the State\n  Agro-Industrial Committee (GOSAGROPROM), told a news conference\n  he had discussed a variety of possible deals with French\n  companies Rhone-Poulenc, Pechiney and Imec.\n      Declining to put figures on possible contracts he said he\n  had discussed plant protection and the processing of highly\n  sulphuric gas with Rhone-Poulenc, packaging technology for\n  agricultural products with Pechiney, and fruit and vegetable\n  juice processing with Imec.\n      An official for Pechiney said an agreement of intent on\n  packaging could be signed soon, but could not give any other\n  details. The other two companies were not immediately available\n  for comment.\n      Asked whether he foresaw a reduction this year of France's\n  trade shortfall, at 7.6 billion francs in the first 11 months\n  of 1986 against 5.1 billion for the whole of 1985, Murakhovsky\n  told Reuters: \"It all depends on France.\"\n      At a meeting in Paris last January French and Soviet\n  foreign trade ministers said they were committed to increased\n  efforts to reduce the deficit. Estimates at the time showed a\n  French 190 mln franc surplus for December 1986.\n      Murakhovsky said the Soviet Union was prepared to talk with\n  anybody with \"interesting\" proposals offering latest technology\n  and assuring \"a mutual advantage.\"\n      He said the Soviet Union had many tasks ahead of it and\n  would deal rapidly with proposals it considered interesting.\n      He encouraged companies to take advantage of new laws\n  guaranteeing \"the interests of foreign partners\" in joint\n  ventures.\n      But he said no agreements had yet been finalised under the\n  new joint venture laws.\n      He said concrete deals had not yet been finalised as a\n  result of a one billion dollar accord signed in Moscow last\n  month with French businessman Jean-Baptiste Doumeng.\n      He said Doumeng's Interagra company was preparing proposals\n  for further examination by the Soviet Union. Doumeng last month\n  said the agreement was to exchange one billion dollars worth of\n  goods.\n      Murakhovsky said the agreement was one of intent, and\n  designed primarily to renew and increase the Soviet Union's\n  food production capacity.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VENEZUELA TO LEND OIL TO ECUADOR FOR EXPORT\n","article":"  venezuela will supply ecuador with an\n  as yet undetermined amount of crude oil to help it meet export\n  commitments, seriously affected by last week's earthquake,\n  energy and mines minister arturo hernandez grisanti said.\n      He gave few details about the deal, but said a crude oil\n  loan agreement will be made between state oil companies\n  petroleos de venezuela (pdvsa) and ecuador's cepe.\n      Ecuador was forced to suspend oil exports for an expected\n  four months after an earthquake damaged a pipeline. Oil\n  accounts for 60 per cent of its export income.\n       Hernandez was speaking to reporters at miraflores palace\n  on the results of talks with ecuador's deputy energy minister\n  fernando santos alvite, who arrived here last night.\n      \"the volume lent to ecuador would be discounted from its\n  opec quota and would not affect venezuela's,\" he said. \"we would\n  from august on produce our own quota and sell the additional\n  amounts that ecuador would be repaying us,\" he said.\n      He did not elaborate on the quota arrangements but did say\n  ecuador would notify opec by telex that venezuela would be\n  lending it a certain amount over so many days.\n      Venezuela's opec output quota is currently 1.495 million\n  barrels a day, and ecuador's has been set at 210,000 bpd.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EAGLE CLOTHES INC <EGL> 2nD QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr profit 17 cts vs profit 14 cts\n      Net profit 1.3 mln vs profit 901,000\n      Revs 36.9 mln vs 36.2 mln\n      Six months\n      Shr profit 18 cts vs loss 11 cts\n      Net profit 1.4 mln vs loss 716,000\n      Revs 63.6 mln vs 57.7 mln\n      NOTE:1986 six months includes increase in provision for\n  doubtful accounts to 1.5 mln dlrs. 1986 shares give effect to\n  issuance of 1.5 mln shares in exchange for outstanding Series 1\n  preferred shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BRITAIN CALLS ON JAPAN TO INCREASE IMPORTS\n","article":"  Britain today called on Japan to\n  increase foreign imports or risk the rise of protectionism and\n  the harm it would bring to it and other trading nations.\n      British Trade and Industry Secretary Paul Channon said\n  Japan must heed a report issued by a Japanese government\n  advisory body in December calling for faster domestic demand to\n  help cut its trade surplus and restructure its economy.\n      \"I recognise that the strong yen has brought problems to\n  Japan's domestic economy,\" he told a group of Japanese\n  businessmen in London.\n      \"But these short term difficulties should not be allowed to\n  deflect Japan from the fundamental reforms necessary,\" he said.\n      \"It is not just a domestic issue for Japan. If import\n  propensity does not expand very soon there is a real risk from\n  protectionist lobbies, particularly in the U.S. With whom Japan\n  has so massive a surplus,\" he said.\n      \"They may well succeed in securing action by governments\n  which would be highly injurious to trading nations like Japan\n  and the U.K.\"\n      Channon said there had been substantial growth in the\n  volume of trade between Japan and Britain, amounting to 6.2\n  billion sterling (9.8 billion dlrs) last year.\n      But he added: \"Regrettably too much of it was in one\n  direction, with the Japanese selling us 3.7 billion sterling\n  (5.8 billion dlrs) more than we sold them.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TAFT BROADCASTING REJECTS 145 DLR PER SHARE BUYOUT OFFER FROM THETA CORP\n","article":"\n  TAFT BROADCASTING REJECTS 145 DLR PER SHARE BUYOUT OFFER FROM THETA CORP\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TAFT <TFB> REJECTS 145 DLR\/SHR OFFER\n","article":"  Taft Braodacasting Co said its board\n  of directors unanimously decided not to accept the pending\n  proposal of Theta Corp, an investor group led by Dudley Taft.\n      The decision was based on, among other things, the advise\n  of its financial advisors, goldman sachs and co, that the offer\n  of 145 dlrs per share was inadequate.\n      Taft said the board concluded that the offer failed to\n  recognize fully the future propsects of the company and\n  directed management to explore alternatives including possible\n  financial restructuring.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BRITISH MINISTER CRITICISES PROPOSED EC OILS TAX\n","article":"  A British minister said that a proposed\n  European Community tax on vegetable oils and fats would raise\n  the price of fish and chips and he pledged the government would\n  fight against it.\n      Lord Belstead, a junior agriculture minister, told the\n  House of Lords the tax would raise the price of raw materials\n  used in many processed foods by about 100 pct.\n      He said revenue should not be raised by taxing the consumer\n  and called the proposal \"repugnant.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN UNEMPLOYMENT EASES IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Australia's seasonally-adjusted\n  unemployment rate eased to 8.2 pct of the estimated workforce\n  in February from 8.3 pct in January, compared with 7.9 pct a\n  year earlier, the Statistics Bureau said.\n      The number of unemployed declined to 632,100 from 638,300\n  in January, against 594,500 in February 1986, it said.\n      But unadjusted, the number of jobless rose to 699,800 or\n  9.1 pct of the workforce from 671,400 or 8.9 pct in January and\n  658,500 or 8.7 pct a year earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TREASURY SECRETARY BAKER DECLINES COMMENT ON G-6\n","article":"  U.S. Treasury Secretary James Baker\n  declined comment on the February 22 Paris accord between the\n  six major industrial nations under which they agreed to foster\n  exchange rate stability.\n      Asked by reporters after a speech before the National\n  Fitness Foundation banquet what, if any, currency intervention\n  levels had been set in Paris, Baker replied: \"We never talk\n  about intervention.\"\n      Baker also declined to comment on his views about the\n  foreign exchange markets' reaction to the accord.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECUADOR TO ASK OPEC TO RAISE EXPORT QUOTA\n","article":"  Ecuador will ask OPEC to raise its oil\n  export quota by 100,000 barrels per day to 310,000 to\n  compensate for lost output due to last week's earthquake,\n  deputy Energy Minister Fernando Santos Alvite said.\n      Santos Alvite, who arrived in Caracas last night to discuss\n  an aid plan for Ecuador, did not say when the Organisation of\n  Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) would be approached.\n      The additional output would be related to plans now under\n  discussion for Venezuela and Mexico to lend Ecuador crude while\n  it repairs a pipeline damaged by the quake.\n      Earlier, Venezuelan Energy and Mines Minister Aturo\n  Hernandez Grisanti said his country would supply an unspecified\n  part of Ecuador's export commitments.\n      But Santos Alvite told reporters he hoped a first cargo of\n  300,000 barrels could leave Maracaibo this weekend to supply\n  refineries near Guayaquil. He added Ecuador also wanted to make\n  up for 50,000 bpd it shipped to Caribbean destinations. Mexico\n  might supply Ecuador's South Korean market.\n      Ecuador may be unable to export oil for up to five months\n  due to extensive damage to a 25 mile stretch of pipeline\n  linking jungle oilfields to the Pacific port of Balao.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"WASTE MANAGEMENT <WMX> VOTES SPLIT, UPS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Waste Management Corp said its\n  board voted a two-for-one stock split payable April 21, record\n  March 30.\n      In other action, Waste Management directors approved an\n  increase in the quarterly dividend to 18 cts from 14 cts,\n  payable April three, record March 18.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CHINA'S RAPESEED CROP DAMAGED BY STORMS\n","article":"  The yield on 46,000 hectares (ha) of\n  rapeseed in central China will be cut by up to 70 pct by\n  hailstorms and tornadoes that swept across nearly 100,000 ha of\n  crops on March 6, the New China News Agency said today.\n      The storm, which lashed the Huai and Yangtze rivers and\n  eastern Anhui province, left two people dead and 800 others\n  injured. Some 800 houses were flattened and 19 boats sunk, it\n  said.\n      The Anhui provincial government has sent emergency relief\n  to the 19 counties affected, the news agency said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CHINA CLOSES SECOND ROUND OF OFFSHORE OIL BIDS\n","article":"  China has closed the second round of\n  bidding by foreign firms for offshore oil exploration rights,\n  the China Daily has reported.\n      It quoted a spokesman for the China National Offshore Oil\n  Corp (CNOOC) as saying China signed eight contracts with 15\n  foreign firms for blocks in the Pearl River mouth and south\n  Yellow Sea covering a total area of 44,913 sq km.\n      Second round bidding began at the end of 1984 and only one\n  well has so far produced results -- Lufeng 13-1-1, 250 km\n  south-east of Shenzhen, with an output of 6,770 barrels a day.\n  The well was drilled by a group of Japanese companies.\n      The spokesman added CNOOC was ready to enter into contracts\n  for offshore blocks before third round bidding began. He did\n  not say when this would be, but added the contracts would not\n  be bound by restrictions imposed during the second round.\n      China has signed 36 oil contracts and agreements with 37\n  companies from 10 countries since 1979, when offshore\n  exploration was open to foreigners. Eleven contracts were\n  terminated after no oil was discovered.\n      Foreign firms have invested 2.1 billion dlrs on offshore\n  China since 1979.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AMC IMPOSES HIRING FREEZE DUE TO TAKEOVER BID\n","article":"  American Motors Corp <AMO> management\n  has ordered a hiring freeze in view of Chrysler Corp's <C> 1.5\n  billion dlr takeover bid, a spokesman for AMC said.\n      Analysts said the merger is virtually certain to go ahead.\n      American Motors directors met for five hours Wednesday to\n  review the takeover proposal. \"The board ... Expects to be\n  meeting periodically over the next several weeks on the\n  Chrysler proposal,\" AMC said in its first formal statement since\n  it acknowledged the Chrysler proposal on Monday.\n      Chrysler, the number three U.S. Automaker, has said the\n  merger is motivated principally by its desire to acquire AMC's\n  profitable Jeep business and dealers, as well as a new modern\n  car assembly plant in Bramalea, Ontario.\n      That means a guaranteed future for much of AMC, but it\n  leaves in question the fate of many of its 19,000-plus\n  employees, according to industry analysts. AMC's Toledo, Ohio\n  Jeep plant has 1,850 hourly workers on indefinite layoff while\n  its Kenosha, Wisconsin, car plant has another 2,250 on layoff.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN AUSTRALIA JUMPS IN LAST QTR\n","article":"  The net inflow of foreign investment\n  into Australia jumped to 7.3 billion dlrs in the fourth quarter\n  of 1986 from 4.32 billion in the third quarter and 4.55 billion\n  a year earlier, the Statistics Bureau said.\n      The Bureau attributed the increase to a turnaround of 2.08\n  billion dlrs in official sector transactions and a 1.09 billion\n  turnaround in direct investment.\n      The turnaround in official transactions to a 1.52 billion\n  inflow from a 555 mln outflow in the third quarter, against a\n  520 mln inflow a year earlier, was largely on account of\n  government foreign currency borrowings, it said.\n      Direct investment recorded a turnaround to a 1.04 billion\n  dlr inflow in the fourth quarter from a 57 mln withdrawal in\n  the third quarter, against a 546 mln inflow in the fourth\n  quarter of 1985, the Bureau said.\n      It said the major part of the turnaround reflected an\n  injection of funds, estimated at around 700 mln dlrs,\n  associated with the previously reported restructuring of the\n  Australian operations of General Motors Corp <GM>.\n      GM used the funds to pay out or take over certain\n  Australian liabilities of its local unit <General\n  Motors-Holden's Ltd>, it said.\n      However, net borrowings remained the major part of total\n  inflow, accounting for 6.16 billion dlrs in the fourth quarter\n  against 3.88 billion in the third quarter and 4.03 billion a\n  year earlier, the Bureau said.\n      Net official borrowings comprised 1.52 billion dlrs against\n  a net outflow of 548 mln in the third quarter and a 516 mln\n  inflow a year earlier.\n      Total private and semi-public authority net borrowings rose\n  to 4.64 billion dlrs from 4.42 billion in the third quarter and\n  3.51 billion a year earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN'S FIRST QUARTER MAIZE IMPORTS SEEN RISING\n","article":"  Taiwan's maize import commitments are\n  expected to rise to 970,000 tonnes in the first four months of\n  1987 from 870,000 tonnes a year earlier, a spokesman for the\n  Joint Committee of Maize Importers told Reuters.\n      He said more than 75 pct of the imports come from the U.S.\n  And the rest from South Africa.\n      The maize import target for calendar 1987 is set at well\n  over 3.4 mln tonnes compared with an actual 3.07 mln in 1985,\n  he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN FURTHER RELAXES FOREIGN GOODS IMPORT CURBS\n","article":"  Taiwan said it would soon relax import\n  controls on some 400 foreign items, including stationery and\n  books, in a further effort to allow trading partners,\n  especially the U.S., Greater access to its markets.\n      Taiwan announced the easing of import curbs on some 600\n  farm and industrial products last month, a Council for Economic\n  Planning and Development spokesman told Reuters.\n      He said the new move was intended to balance trade between\n  Taiwan and its trading partners. The island's trade surplus\n  reached a record 15.6 billion U.S. Dlrs last year, up from\n  10.62 billion in 1985.\n      In January, Taiwan cut import tariffs on some 1,700 foreign\n  products and allowed imports of U.S. Wine, beer and cigarettes.\n      \"We hope the measures will help reduce our trade surplus\n  this year, especially with that of the U.S.,\" the spokesman\n  said.\n      Washington is pressing Taiwan to open its markets wider as\n  a way of cutting its trade deficit with the island, which rose\n  to 2.35 billion U.S. Dlrs in the first two months of 1987 from\n  1.87 billion in the year-earlier period.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ECONOMIC SPOTLIGHT - MITSUBISHI HEAVY FIGHTS BACK\n","article":"  International efforts to redirect Japan's\n  export-driven economy toward domestic consumption face heavy\n  going if the country's largest defence contractor and world's\n  biggest shipbuilder is anything to go by.\n      Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd <MITH.T> (MHI), which began\n  making ships and iron goods for Japan's military rulers 130\n  years ago, is responding to the strong yen by redoubling its\n  efforts to maintain its share of export markets.\n      \"If we sell the best quality and the cheapest products,\n  everyone will buy them,\" MHI president Yotaro Iida said.\n      Although two of MHI's main businesses, shipbuilding and\n  power plant construction, have been hit hard by the yen's 40\n  pct rise against the dollar, the company has no plans to\n  abandon them, Iida told Reuters in an interview.\n      Its other big activity, aircraft component manufacture, has\n  performed so well that MHI now accounts for half of the money\n  Tokyo spends on defence procurement each year.\n      \"We have made the utmost efforts among the world's\n  manufacturers to improve productivity,\" he said. \"You may be\n  surprised if you come to see our plants. The outside is old but\n  the inside is ultra-modern, with robots and computers.\"\n      Securities analysts at major securities houses agreed that\n  MHI has pared costs more quickly than its competitors. The\n  company has slashed its workforce to 47,000 from 86,000 in\n  1976.\n      Despite its cost-cutting, MHI expects profits to drop 40\n  pct to 30 billion yen in the current fiscal year ending March\n  31, from 1985\/86's record 50.14 billion.\n      And that includes gains from the sale of MHI's stake in\n  Mitsubishi Motors Corp <MIMT.T> for 49 billion yen.\n      Iida is optimistic about the future, however. He said a\n  resurgence of demand from the Middle East following the recent\n  recovery in oil prices coupled with persistent demand for power\n  plants in developing countries will help MHI restore its\n  exports-to-sales ratio to the past decade's average of 30 pct.\n      MHI's exports-to-sales ratio fell to 25.9 pct in the\n  half-year ended last September, from 35 to 36 pct five years\n  ago.\n      China is the most promising market, although MHI also\n  considers other non-oil-producing developing countries as major\n  customers.\n      \"Our customers are all seen as being in trouble due to a\n  lack of foreign currency,\" Iida said. But he added that he felt\n  MHI could sell to those markets with Japanese government\n  financial support.\n      It can also finance the plants itself and recover its\n  investment through product sales, a strategy Iida said could\n  prove popular in the future.\n      In shipping, MHI is fighting back against low-priced South\n  Korean competition by building more technologically advanced\n  carriers to carry liquefied natural gas and other products\n  difficult to transport.\n      Shipbuilders Association officials told Reuters MHI is the\n  world's largest shipbuilder in terms of orders and capacity.\n      Domestically, MHI is involved in 12 national projects,\n  including development of nuclear fusion reactors and launch\n  vehicles for man-made satellites.\n      It has been the biggest contractor for the Japan Defence\n  Agency's F-15 and F-14 jet fighters and missiles, although all\n  of these have been built under licence from U.S. Firms.\n      MHI is now heading up five Japanese companies seeking to\n  develop the country's own fighter plane to replace the\n  currently used F-1 support fighters in the late 1990s.\n      Military experts said Washington is putting strong pressure\n  on Tokyo to buy a U.S. Plane, either the McDonnell Douglas Corp\n  F-18 or General Dynamics Corp F-16, to reduce Japan's huge\n  trade surplus with the U.S.\n      \"It might be a good idea to jointly produce planes with U.S.\n  Makers as Japan is supported by the U.S. Defence umbrella,\" Iida\n  said.\n      MHI also plans to cooperate with the U.S. In its Strategic\n  Defence Initiative space defence program by participating in\n  the project when it moves from the research stage, he said.\n      The U.S. Has been seeking Japan's technological support.\n      In fiscal 1985\/86, aircraft accounted for 17.1 pct of MHI's\n  sales, shipbuilding 17 pct and power plants 27.9 pct. Iida said\n  the ideal ratio is power plants 30 pct, aircraft and special\n  vehicles 25 pct and shipbuilding 15 pct.\n      As for the remaining 30 pct, Iida said he wanted to shift\n  the domestic focus away from heavy machinery sold to\n  manufacturers and towards household goods, but he declined to\n  specify which products.\n      \"By the end of this year, you may find our brand name on\n  your daily products, although this does not mean we will run\n  away from our mainstream business,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"POREX TECHNOLOGIES <PORX> SETS INITIAL DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Porex Technologies Corp said its\n  board declared an initial annual dividend of 10 cts per share,\n  its first payout, payable March 26 to holders of record March\n  12.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BANGLADESH PORT WORKERS END STRIKE\n","article":"  Cargo handling resumed at\n  Bangladesh's Chittagong port today after 7,000 workers ended\n  their three day walk-out triggered by a pay dispute, port\n  officials said.\n      Loading and unloading of 14 ships stranded by the strike\n  started this morning and will be completed as quickly as\n  possible, they said.\n      The strikers returned to work after an agreement was\n  reached last night between port authorities and the Port\n  Workers Association, they said without giving details.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LEIGH-PEMBERTON OPPOSES TAKEOVER PROTECTION RULES\n","article":"  The Bank of England does not favour the\n  introduction of rules to shield companies from hostile takeover\n  attempts, its governor, Robin Leigh-Pemberton, said.\n      Instead, merchant banks advising bidding companies must\n  show restraint and responsibility to avoid the excesses that\n  have marred recent takeovers, he told the Yorkshire and\n  Humberside Regional Confederation of British Industries' annual\n  dinner.\n      Leigh-Pemberton also called on companies to improve ties\n  with institutional investors, suggesting representatives of\n  those institutions be granted seats on the boards of directors\n  of companies they invest in.\n      \"Boards cannot expect protection from unwelcome predators,\n  for that is but a short step from saying that they should be\n  protected from their own shareholders -- who are, after all,\n  the proprietors of the company,\" Leigh-Pemberton said.\n      He added takeovers and mergers had an important role to\n  play in furthering economies of scale, integration and more\n  efficient market penetration. \"The degree of success or failure\n  (of a takeover) has not in my experience depended on whether or\n  not the takeover was contested,\" he said.\n      Leigh-Pemberton noted there had been excesses in takeover\n  activity in the recent past. \"The aim is to pressurise a\n  company's management into action dedicated solely to a\n  favourable impact on the share price in the short-term, partly\n  or even primarily at the expense of the future,\" he said.\n      Such bids \"often depend for their success on creating a\n  highly-charged and artificial situation in the share market,\n  and give rise to temptations, on both sides of the battle, to\n  engage in aggressive, even manipulative tactics that are\n  immensely damaging to the interest of the shareholders,\" he\n  said.\n      In a clear reference recent events, he said \"those in the\n  City who act for companies or individuals .. Must, I suggest,\n  be ready to accept a full measure of responsibility -- even if\n  it entails opprobrium -- for the transactions that may result.\"\n      They \"should exercise the most careful judgment at the\n  outset with respect to the clients for whom they act and the\n  activities contenplated. Those who sow wind cannot expect the\n  whirlwind to visit elsewhere,\" he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TONEN SEKIYU AND EXXON UNIT STUDYING RESIN PROJECT\n","article":"  <Tonen Sekiyukagaku KK> and <Exxon\n  Chemical Co>, a petrochemical division of Exxon Corp <XON>,\n  said they agreed to accelerate a study to set up an\n  equally-owned joint venture to make waterwhite resin in Japan.\n      Details of the venture, to be based on Exxon Chemical\n  technology, will be set later, the companies said.\n      Waterwhite resins are widely used in adhesive applications\n  for baby nappies, medical tapes, and other bonding agents.\n      Tonen is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toa Nenryo Kogyo KK\n  <TNEN.T> which is owned 25 pct by Exxon Corp.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPANESE PURCHASE OF U.S. HIGH-TECH FIRM OPPOSED\n","article":"  Commerce Secretary Malcolm Baldrige\n  has asked the White House to consider blocking the planned\n  Japanese acquisition of a major U.S. Computer and semiconductor\n  maker, U.S. Officials said yesterday.\n      The officials told reporters Baldrige had serious concerns\n  on national security grounds about the sale of Schlumberger Ltd\n  <SLB> unit <Fairchild Semiconductor Inc> to Fujitsu Ltd\n  <ITSU.T>. The officials said the sale could leave the United\n  States overly dependent on a foreign company for equipment used\n  in advanced missiles, aircraft electronics and intelligence\n  gathering.\n      The U.S. Officials added the sale would also worsen the\n  strained relations between the two countries stemming from the\n  huge Japanese trade surplus.\n      The White House Economic Policy Council would consider the\n  sale in the coming weeks, they said.\n      Defence Secretary Caspar Weinberger's position was not\n  known, but in the past, he has opposed the transfer of high\n  technology to foreign governments or companies.\n      Computers made by U.S. Manufacturers are widely used in the\n  world, but Tokyo told U.S. Negotiators recently it prefers\n  local manufacturers and would not buy U.S. Supercomputers.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"S.KOREA TO BUY MORE COTTON, ESPECIALLY U.S. COTTON\n","article":"  South Korea plans to import about 387,000\n  tonnes of cotton this year compared to 225,000 tonnes in 1986,\n  trade ministry officials said.\n      More than three quarters of the total, some 290,000 tonnes,\n  will come from the United States. That will be a 93.7 pct\n  increase on 1986 when U.S. Imports totalled 150,000 tonnes, an\n  official said.\n      He said the U.S. Increase is due partly to the\n  competitiveness of American cotton and partly to efforts by\n  Seoul to reduce its trade surplus with Washington. South Korea\n  is the second largest importer of U.S. Cotton after Japan.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"AWB SAYS AUSTRALIAN WHEAT SALES OVER 10 MLN TONNES\n","article":"  The Australian Wheat Board's (AWB)\n  1986\/87 export program is well advanced with over 10 mln tonnes\n  already sold, AWB general manager Ron Paice said.\n      \"We are certainly within reach of our 15 mln tonne export\n  target for the year,\" he said in a statement.\n      He did not detail the commitments already made, but an AWB\n  spokesman said they include sales to Egypt, China, Iran, the\n  Soviet Union and Iraq.\n      In the 1985\/86 wheat year ended September 30, the AWB\n  exported a record 15.96 mln tonnes.\n      Paice also said the 1986\/87 Australian wheat harvest has\n  ended after a long, cool summer with 15.14 mln tonnes delivered\n  to the AWB.\n      The season produced another good crop, with only 0.2 pct of\n  receivals being downgraded to feed quality, he said.\n      However, it is likely that some weather-damaged grain was\n  still being held on farms and further milling and feed wheat\n  may be delivered following the recent announcement of the final\n  Guaranteed Minimum Price for 1986\/87, he said.\n      Paice did not give a crop estimate, but the AWB's February\n  Wheat Australia publication put the crop at 16.7 mln tonnes.\n      But the AWB spokesman said it is likely this estimate could\n  turn out to be too high, based on the receivals level, and the\n  final crop figure would probably be nearer to 16.2 mln tonnes.\n  The official estimate is not yet available.\n      In the 1985\/86 season, the AWB received 15.08 mln tonnes of\n  the 16.13 mln tonne crop.\n      Another 422,000 tonnes was retained on-farm and 620,000\n  sold under the permit system introduced in 1984\/85 to allow\n  farmers to sell feed wheat to the grain trade outside the AWB's\n  receival system, according to Bureau of Agricultural Economics\n  data.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NORTH BH SETS ONE-FOR-FIVE OFFER FOR NORGOLD FLOAT\n","article":"  North Broken Hill Holdings Ltd\n  <NBHA.ME> (NBH) said it will offer one <Norgold Ltd> share for\n  every five NBH shares in the float of its newly created gold\n  offshoot.\n      The 20 cent par-value shares will be offered at 22 cents to\n  shareholders registered April 3, NBH said in a statement.\n      Norgold's issued capital will be 240.5 mln shares, of which\n  63 pct will be held by NBH after 89 mln are issued to\n  shareholders to raise 19.6 mln dlrs, it said.\n      Norgold will take control of a portfolio of precious metal\n  exploration and pre-development interests held by NBH.\n      The major gold deposit to be acquired by Norgold is 100 pct\n  of the Bottle Creek deposit, west of Leonora in Western\n  Australia, NBH said.\n      Production of gold from the project, at an annual rate of\n  35,000 ounces, is scheduled to begin early in 1988.\n      Norgold will also have a 10 pct stake in the Coronation\n  Hill gold\/platinum project in the Northern Territory and 43 pct\n  of the Poona copper\/gold project in South Australia.\n      Other gold exploration interests to be acquired by Norgold\n  are in Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and\n  Tasmania, NBH said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DAVIS WATER <DWWS> DECLARES STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Davis Water and Waste\n  Industries Inc said its board declared a 33-1\/3 pct stock\n  dividend, payable March 23 to holders of record March 12.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STRIKING BRAZIL SEAMEN THREATEN MASS RESIGNATION\n","article":"  Striking seamen said they would\n  offer their collective resignation rather than end their\n  13-day-old national strike on management's terms.\n      The seamen said they were spurred to their decision after\n  marines occupied the ship Docemarte in Santos harbour Tuesday\n  night. They said seamen on the vessel were being forced to work\n  under duress.\n      President Jose Sarney's government despatched troops to\n  Brazil's ports and oil installations on Tuesday.\n      Seamen in Santos, Brazil's main port, are in defiant mood.\n  One of their leaders, Orlando dos Santos, told Reuters that\n  most of the 1,100 seamen in the port offered their resignations\n  on Wednesday. The national strike headquarters in Rio de\n  Janeiro said seamen were offering to resign in all the\n  country's main ports.\n      The strike by 40,000 seamen comes as Brazil faces a serious\n  debt crisis brought on by a sharp deterioration in its trade\n  balance. The country needs all the foreign exchange it can get,\n  and shipowners have been quick to denounce seamen for the harm\n  the strike is doing to exports.\n      An advertisement placed in the newspapers by the Shipowners\n  Association read, \"The seamen's strike is illegal, irrational\n  and unpatriotic.\"\n      The seamen respond that they cannot live on their present\n  salaries. According to officical pay lists available in the\n  union's office, the basic pay for ordinary seamen is 1,977\n  cruzados a month, while various allowances can bring their\n  total pay up to 4,000 cruzados a month.\n      At the other end of the scale, captains earn 7,993 cruzados\n  a month basic pay, which is brought up to 15,229 cruzados with\n  allowances. \n      \"Brazil's seamen are the second worst paid in the world,\n  after Ghana's,\" dos Santos said. He said the seamen had not\n  received a pay increase since February 1986, and prices have\n  doubled since then with the collapse of the government's\n  Cruzado Plan price freeze.\n      Talks in Rio de Janeiro Wednesday involving Labour Minister\n  Almir Pazzionotto, seamen and employers failed to resolve the\n  dispute. The seamen are demanding pay raises of about 200 pct\n  but have been offered less than half that.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" German net currency reserves rise 400 mln marks to 87.0 billion - Bundesbank\n","article":"\n   German net currency reserves rise 400 mln marks to 87.0 billion - Bundesbank\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INDONESIAN COFFEE PRODUCTION MAY FALL THIS YEAR\n","article":"  Indonesia's coffee production in\n  1986\/87 ending September 30 may fall slightly from last year's\n  level of 360,000 tonnes, Dharyono Kertosastro, chairman of the\n  Association of Indonesian Coffee Exporters told Reuters.\n      He said shade trees had been damaged by pests and this may\n  have affected the crop, though it remains to be seen how\n  seriously. Indonesia's main crop is harvested next month.\n      He gave no figure for expected output, except to say it\n  would probably be down a little from 1985\/86. He said stocks\n  were about normal at 90,000 tonnes.\n      Kertosastro predicted that exports were unlikely to rise\n  much from last year's level of 320,000 tonnes. \"I expect exports\n  will be a bit more, maybe 330,000 tonnes, but not above that,\"\n  he said. Exports in 1985\/86 were valued at 944 mln U.S. Dlrs,\n  but the value could fall by 30 pct this year because of low\n  prices, he added.\n      Dharyono said production was behind a five year plan target\n  of 420,000 tonnes for the current year, but Indonesia is trying\n  to boost output through introduction of higher yielding seeds,\n  better training for farmers and increased use of fertilizers.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"RENOUF SELLS 10.83 PCT NZI STAKE TO BRIERLEY\n","article":"  <Renouf Corp Ltd> said it sold its\n  10.83 pct stake in <NZI Corp Ltd> to <Brierley Investments\n  Ltd>, (BIL), for 207.7 mln N.Z. Dlrs.\n      Renouf managing director Mike Cashin said in a statement it\n  had been Renouf's intention to build up a long-term strategic\n  position in NZI. \"But it became clear to us that it was in the\n  best interests of both NZI and ourselves for Brierley\n  Investments to acquire our holding,\" he said.\n      He said Renouf built up its NZI holding over the past six\n  months. The sale comprised 74.9 mln shares at 2.725 N.Z. Dlrs a\n  share and 2,095 warrants at 1,709 dlrs each.\n      The warrants are attached to a 150 mln Swiss franc note\n  issue. Each bond of 5,000 francs carries a detachable warrant\n  entitling the bearer to 2,486 NZI shares.\n      In its 1986 annual report BIL reported that it held a 19\n  pct stake in NZI.\n      NZI has 673.4 mln ordinary shares on issue. Total capital\n  including shares attached to warrants is 678.8 mln shares.\n      Cashin said the sale will result in a significant profit\n  and places Renouf in a good position to consolidate on recent\n  transactions and pursue other opportunities.\n      NZI shares were at 2.18 N.Z. Dlrs, BIL at 4.08 and Renouf\n  at 6.15 at the close of trading.\n      BIL executives were unavailable for comment.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BOLIDEN  AB <BLDS ST> 1986 RESULTS\n","article":"  Group loss after financial income and expenses 1.08\n      Billion vs loss 71 mln crowns\n      Sales - 12.38 billion crowns vs 6.16 billion.\n      No proposed dividend vs 10 crowns.\n      Note - The company this year consolidated wholesale and\n  investment conglomerate Ahlsell AB.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BRITAIN TO MINT NEW \"BRITANNIA\" GOLD COIN\n","article":"  Britain will from next autumn mint and\n  market a new bullion coin called the \"Britannia\" containing one\n  ounce of 24 carat gold, together with bullion coins of smaller\n  denominations, a Treasury official said.\n      The new investment coin, to be sold worldwide, will\n  fluctuate in price according to the international price of\n  gold.\n      The smaller coins will be in denominations of a half ounce,\n  a quarter ounce and a tenth of an ounce. REUTER\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"SAUDI BANKS FACE FURTHER LEAN PERIOD\n","article":"  Saudi Arabia's 11 commercial banks are\n  reporting a further decline in profits for 1986 as increasing\n  provisions have to be set aside to cover the burden of non-\n  performing loans.\n      Bankers in the Saudi capital said the need to build\n  reserves for bad and doubtful debts may start to decline a\n  little this year.\n      But the kingdom's still sluggish economy and legal problems\n  hampering traditional lending operations mean earnings will\n  remain vulnerable.\n      One senior bank credit officer said \"The work is largely\n  done in terms of identifying bad loans and making provisions,\n  but banks are still going to face difficulties earning money.\"\n      The sudden decline of Saudi Arabia's corporate sector in\n  1983 - culminating in a number of debt reschedulings - has\n  taken a heavy toll of bank profits, with first results now\n  appearing for 1986 showing a fourth successive year of broad\n  decline.\n      The cumulative net 1985 earnings of the kingdom's banks had\n  sunk to 827.9 mln riyals from 2.66 billion in 1982 before world\n  oil prices tumbled.\n      Of the kingdom's nine joint-venture banks which operate on\n  the Gregorian calendar year, four have already reported and\n  revealed a further profits decline - or net loss - for 1986 at\n  the expense of increased provisions.\n      The newest and smallest of the joint ventures, <United Saudi\n  Commercial Bank> (USCB) reported a 1986 net loss of 15.9 mln\n  riyals, marginally less than 1985's shortfall of 17.0 mln.\n      Profits before provisions were sharply higher, in part\n  reflecting an 18 pct staff cut last year. But the bank nearly\n  trebled the amount set aside against bad and doubtful loans to\n  60 mln riyals from 22 mln in 1985.\n      Other results released so far show <Saudi American Bank>\n  (SAMBA) reporting a 53.8 pct fall in 1986 net profit to 80.7\n  mln riyals, while <Al Bank Al Saudi Al Fransi>, known as Saudi\n  French, slid 14 pct to 94.9 mln riyals.\n      Both Saudi American, owned 40 pct by Citicorp's <CCI.N>\n  Citibank NA and Saudi French, 40 pct owned by Banque Indosuez,\n  increased provisions sharply.\n      <Arab National Bank>'s net profit fell 17.8 pct to 152.1\n  mln riyals and provisions were more than doubled to 86.6 mln\n  riyals.\n      Bankers said there are first signs that the number of non-\n  performing loans has stopped growing as the decline in the\n  Saudi economy bottoms out.\n      Few are willing to predict a sharp upturn in economic\n  activity, but one banker said \"The top 50 pct of the Saudi banks\n  are now at or close to international levels on provisions.\"\n      From 1982 to 1985, the kingdom's largest bank <National\n  Commercial Bank> (NCB) stashed away 1.7 billion riyals in\n  provisions or 8.9 pct of its total loans and advances to the\n  private sector, bankers calculated.\n      Between 1982 and 1985, <Riyad Bank>, NCB's rival as the\n  second biggest of the two all-Saudi shareholding banks, had\n  covered 12.8 pct of its loans and advances. Both banks operate\n  on an Islamic year that does not coincide with the other nine.\n      Although the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) has been\n  tightening supervision, there is still no standardised rule for\n  declaring loans as non-performing.\n      Bankers say this makes comparison of profit figures\n  difficult because some banks still book non-accruing interest\n  as revenue while others follow more conservative practices in\n  force in major world financial centres.\n      Bankers generally said NCB, Riyad Bank and the\n  joint-ventures SAMBA, Saudi French and Arab National Bank rank\n  as the strongest earners.\n      Other banks such as <Saudi British Bank>, 40 pct owned by\n  the <British Bank of the Middle East>, are disadvantaged by a\n  relatively low deposit base.\n      Saudi British slashed 1985 profit 91 pct to just 9.1 mln\n  riyals and 1986 accounts due soon are expected to show another\n  low figure. But the bank has traditionally been one of the most\n  conservative in making provisions.\n      Bankers said SAMA has proved it is not prepared to see a\n  Saudi bank go under and not only supported <Saudi Cairo Bank>\n  after its troubled 1985 accounts came to light but also made\n  available cheap deposits to <Saudi Investment Bank> and USCB.\n      The banks can on-lend these to generate profit, but\n  generally banks are awash with liquidity since they are\n  unwilling to risk incurring fresh non-performing loans.\n      And while banks in more liberal financial markets can\n  attempt to diversify away from traditional lending,\n  conservatism in Saudi banking has made it difficult to generate\n  fee income from new investment banking products.\n      One banker said \"Operating earnings in the Kingdom are not\n  good.\"\n      Reflecting the caution in new lending, the amount of\n  advances is showing a declining trend, while the days when\n  banks had ample funds in interest-free current accounts to\n  invest are disappearing as Saudi customers seek a better return\n  on their money.\n      In 1979, the ratio of interest-bearing accounts to current\n  accounts was 27 to 73 pct. Today, only about 40 pct of customer\n  funds are held on current account.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GUINNESS CHALLENGES 5.2 MLN STG PAYMENT TO LAWYER\n","article":"  Guinness Plc <GUIN.L> , the\n  brewing group, has challenged a 5.2 mln stg payment to a U.S.\n  Lawyer who says he organised its controversial takeover of\n  Scotch whisky maker <The Distillers Co Plc>.\n      But attorneys for lawyer Thomas Ward, a member of the\n  Guinness board, told a court yesterday in the Channel Island of\n  Jersey that Ward saw the payment as his reward for services in\n  last year's 2.7 billion stg takeover.\n      Britain's Department of Trade and Industry is investigating\n  the takeover.\n      Guinness says its former chairman Ernest Saunders and Ward\n  \"breached their fiduciary duty\" in authorising the payment to\n  Ward, via a Jersey-based company, Marketing and Acquisitions\n  Consultants and has gone to the Jersey court to recover it.\n      MAC said in defence documents that Ward was the main\n  negotiator in the battle for Distillers against rival bidder\n  Argyll <AYLL.L> Group Plc.\n      \"The bid would not have been successful but for the ...\n  Services of Mr Ward,\" MAC attorneys said in the documents\n  submitted in court. \"The payment was, in all the circumstances,\n  reasonable, proper and fully earned.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MEDCO CONTAINMENT <MCCS> SETS INITIAL PAYOUT\n","article":"  Medco Containment Services\n  Inc said its board declared an initial annual dividend of 10\n  cts per share, its first payout, payable March 19 to holders of\n  record March 12.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INDONESIA PRESSING FOR COMPROMISE OVER COFFEE\n","article":"  Indonesian coffee exporters are\n  preparing for a period of depressed prices while urging their\n  government to lobby for a resolution of the deadlocked issue of\n  export quotas, the chairman of the Association of Indonesian\n  Coffee Exporters (AICE) told Reuters.\n      Dharyono Kertosastro said in an interview that Indonesia,\n  the world's third largest producer, is trimming costs and\n  improving its marketing while seeking a compromise on quotas.\n      \"But as long as Brazil sticks to its hardline position, we\n  can never bridge the gap,\" Dharyono said.\n      Indonesia was one of a group of eight producing countries,\n  along with Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador,\n  Honduras, India, Papua New Guinea and Peru, which proposed a\n  new quota system at last month's failed International Coffee\n  Organistion (ICO) talks in London.\n      Brazil, which would have had its quota reduced under the\n  Group of Eight scheme, blocked the proposal.\n      AICE officials are now hoping Colombia can use its contacts\n  with Brazil to suggest a compromise.\n      Edward Muda, an AICE official who attended the ICO\n  negotiations, said Latin American members of the Group of Eight\n  were in contact with Colombia, the world's second largest\n  producer, but gave no details.\n      \"Colombia has shown interest because they will gain from a\n  compromise. Without one, they will suffer if the present market\n  stays like it is,\" Muda said.\n      He said Indonesia was in contact with consumers such as the\n  U.S., Japan, the Netherlands, West Germany and Canada ahead of\n  an ICO executive board meeting scheduled for April 1.\n      Dharyono said the AICE will send delegations to the U.S.\n  And Japan to brief Indonesian embassy officials there and press\n  them to present Indonesia's case more firmly.\n      He urged the Indonesian government to do more to help the\n  country's coffee traders through the ICO negotiations.\n      Muda said the Group of Eight had some common ground with\n  the big consumers because they agreed on the need for basing\n  quotas on what he termed \"realistic criteria.\"\n      The breakaway group believes the old quota system, which\n  gives Brazil a 30 pct share of the quota exports, does not\n  reflect up-to-date supply and demand trends.\n      Brazil has stuck rigidly to its insistence that the old\n  system be applied.\n      Export quotas were suspended in February 1986 when market\n  prices surged because of the failure of the Brazilian crop.\n      Although prices have long since come down to a point where\n  export controls could be reintroduced, producers and consumers\n  at the 75-member ICO have not been able to agree on new\n  guidelines. Brazil and the U.S., The largest consumer, are both\n  refusing to alter their positions.\n      Dharyono said if new quotas are not agreed he believed\n  Indonesia was well placed to survive low prices.\n      Indonesian farmers are trimming production costs and the\n  AICE is improving its marketing system, Dharyono said.\n      Indonesia's coffee output in 1986\/87, ending September 30,\n  is expected to stagnate or fall slightly from last year's level\n  of 360,000 tonnes, he said.\n      He said stocks, at 90,000 tonnes, were about average for\n  the time of year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPANESE CORPORATE EARNINGS RECOVERY PREDICTED\n","article":"  Japanese corporate earnings will rise 8.9\n  pct in fiscal 1987\/88 for the first year-on-year increase in\n  three years, partly because of the yen's stable exchange rate,\n  the Nomura research institute said.\n      Sales of all industries are predicted to rise 1.9 pct in\n  the year, which starts April 1, the research arm of Nomura\n  Securities Co said in a statement.\n      Recurrent profits were estimated to fall 20 pct in the\n  current fiscal year with sales forecast to drop 14 pct.\n      The forecast assumes an average rate of 148.5 yen to the\n  dollar in 1987\/88, compared with 160 yen in the current year.\n      Corporate efforts to cope with the yen's appreciation, such\n  as cutting production costs, are expected to bear fruit next\n  fiscal year, the institute said. The economy should also\n  benefit from pump-priming expected from the government and a\n  halt in rising prices of manufactured goods, it said.\n      Recurrent profits of manufacturing industries are projected\n  to rise 29.6 pct next fiscal year against an estimated 40.1 pct\n  fall in the current year.\n      Non-manufacturing sector profits will decline 4.5 pct in\n  1987\/88 against an estimated 2.2 pct rise in the current year,\n  it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BOLIDEN SAYS RESULTS BURDENED BY LOSS WRITEOFF\n","article":"  Swedish mining and metals group\n  Boliden AB <BLDS ST> forecast a return to profitability during\n  1987 after recording a 1.08 billion crown 1986 loss burdened by\n  a massive write-off.\n      The company, which consolidated the Swedish wholesale and\n  investment conglomerate <Ahlsell AB> this year, said the result\n  included restructuring costs and write-offs of 802 mln crowns.\n      \"These costs have arisen as a results of a change of\n  direction for the group. They are mainly one-off but they have\n  burdened the annual accounts,\" the company said in a statement.\n      Boliden said the company's liquid assets were 1.36 billion\n  crowns at year-end which together with an investment portfolio\n  of 1.60 billion made it one of the most liquid Swedish\n  companies.\n      As a result of the 1986 losses, the board proposed\n  cancelling dividend for the year although it predicted a return\n  to profitability during 1987, the statement added.\n      Swedish tyres, process equipment and components firm\n  <Trelleborg AB> has taken a majority stake in Boliden since the\n  beginning of this year. Trelleborg then said it had no plans\n  for consolidating Boliden.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN BUYS 27,000 TONNES OF U.S. SOYBEANS\n","article":"  The joint committee of Taiwan's soybean\n  importers awarded a contract to Richco Grain Ltd of New York to\n  supply a 27,000-tonne cargo of U.S. Soybeans, a committee\n  spokesman told Reuters.\n      The shipment, priced at 210.34 U.S. Dlrs per tonne c and f\n  Taiwan, is set for delivery between March 20 and April 5, he\n  said.\n      Taiwan's soybeans imports in calendar 1987 are targetted at\n  1.81 mln tonnes, against an actual 1.74 mln tonnes imported in\n  1986, he said.\n      All the imports come from the U.S., He added.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CHINA JANUARY WHEAT\/SUGAR IMPORTS BELOW YEAR AGO\n","article":"  China's wheat imports in January were\n  218,000 tonnes, down from 393,000 in January 1986, the China\n  Daily Business Weekly said, quoting customs figures.\n      It said imports of sugar were 25,165 tonnes, down from\n  54,000, but exports of rice rose to 71,144 tonnes from 20,000.\n  It gave no more details.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRENCH 1986 CURRENT ACCOUNT SURPLUS REVISED\n","article":"  The French 1986 current account balance\n  of payments surplus has been revised slightly upwards to 25.8\n  billion francs from the 25.4 billion franc figure announced\n  last month, the Finance Ministry said.\n      This compares with a 1.5 billion deficit in 1985, and while\n  it is the first surplus since 1979, is substantially lower than\n  the 50 billion surplus forecast by the previous socialist\n  government before they lost office in March last year.\n      Net long-term capital outflows rose sharply to 70.5 billion\n  francs last year from 8.8 billion in 1985, largely due to a\n  major program of foreign debt repayment, the ministry said.\n      In the fourth quarter alone the unadjusted surplus rose to\n  14.1 billion francs from 6.6 billion the previous quarter, but\n  the adjusted surplus fell to 7.4 billion from 9.1 billion.\n      Fourth quarter medium and long-term foreign debt repayments\n  exceeded new credits by 11 billion francs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"PITTSTON <PCO> AGREES TO ACQUIRE WTC <WAF>\n","article":"  Pittston Co said it has\n  tentatively agreed to acquire WTC International N.V. in a\n  tax-free exchange of stock.\n      Pittston said it agreed to exchange 0.523 common share for\n  each of the about 8,612,000 WTC common shares outstanding.\n      Pittston said WTC's three principal shareholders, who own\n  62 pct of its stock, are parties to this agreement. They have\n  granted Pittston the right of first refusal to their shares.\n      WTC has granted Pittston an option to buy WTC shares equal\n  to 18.5 poct of its outstanding stock. The agreement is subject\n  to approval of both boards and WTC shareholders.\n      Pittston said described WTC as a fast growing air freight\n  forwarding company with operations throughout the world. Its\n  revenues totaled nearly 200 mln dlrs in the year ended November\n  30 and for the quarter ended on that date it earned 1.3 mln\n  dlrs on revenues of 55.8 mln dlrs.\n      Pittston said its Burlington Air Express subsidiary\n  generates about two-thirds of its 450 mln dlrs in annual\n  revenes with its domestic air freight services.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MALAYSIA OPTIMISTIC OVER ECONOMIC OUTLOOK FOR 1987\n","article":"  Malaysia's Central Bank, Bank\n  Negara, said the economic outlook for 1987 is good in view of a\n  marked improvement in commodity and oil prices in the later\n  months of last year.\n      It said in its latest quarterly review that real gross\n  domestic product averaged an annual growth of 1.1 pct over the\n  first nine months of last year compared with a decline of 0.1\n  pct in the corresponding period in 1985.\n      Growth was generated mainly by the manufacturing sector, it\n  added.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ROWNTREE REPORTS PRETAX PROFIT AT 84 MLN STG\n","article":"  Rowntree Mackintosh Plc <RWNT.L>\n  announced it made a pretax profit of 84 mln stg in the 53 weeks\n  ending January 3, 1987, compared with 79.3 mln stg in the\n  previous year.\n      Turnover was up to 1.29 billion stg from 1.2 billion. A\n  final dividend of 9.2p was proposed, after a final 8.2p last\n  year. Earnings per share rose to 35p from 34.8p.\n      The results were broadly in line with market expectations,\n  leaving shares at 499p in early trading, up one pence from\n  yesterday's close, but slightly off pre-announcement opening\n  levels.\n      Profit on ordinary activities after tax was 66.2 mln stg,\n  up from the previous year's 60.7 mln.\n      The U.K. Remained Rowntree's largest centre for trading\n  profits, accounting for 47.9 mln stg, up from 45.3 mln in 1985.\n  Profit from its second largest geographical area, North\n  America, slipped to 34.7 mln stg from 37.2 mln. North American\n  profits were affected by the fall of the value of the dollar.\n      Operations in continental Europe made 7.8 mln stg in\n  trading profit, up from 3.4 mln, with 4.0 mln stg made in\n  Australasia, up from 2.3 mln, and 11.3 mln stg from the rest of\n  the world, against 13.1 mln in the previous year.\n      Extraordinary items amounted to a 11.3 mln debit after a\n  16.5 mln debit previously. A company spokesman said this\n  represented additional provisions for the cost of\n  rationalisation plans announced in earlier years.\n      Rowntree expects North American operations will this year,\n  ahead of company expectations, be of the same order as those\n  from the U.K. And the rest of Europe combined, the statement\n  said. A spokesman said no specific figures had been forecast.\n      Acquisitions will continue to be sought worldwide,\n  including further moves in the speciality retailing business\n  which Rowntree first entered in 1983, the statement said.\n      Rising profit from Europe this year was forecast by\n  chairman Kenneth Dixon in a statement. He added the performance\n  of seven businesses bought last year was encouraging.\n      The U.K. Confectionery side gained market share and\n  increased trading margins. The Sun-Pat British grocery concern\n  increased profit and Rowntree's small health food business,\n  Holgates, raised earnings 10-fold, the statement said.\n      Offsetting factors included currency movements, which cost\n  the company nearly 5.0 mln stg. Sales tax hurt Canadian profits\n  on confectionery operations, and the company faced strong\n  competition in the U.K. Snack and Mid East export markets.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"RISE SEEN IN FRENCH RAPESEED, SOYBEAN SOWINGS\n","article":"  France's Oilseed and Bean Cooperatives\n  Federation, FFCOP, said it expected French rapeseed sowings for\n  the 1987 harvest to rise by between 54.6 pct and 67.5 pct to\n  between 600,000 and 650,000 hectares from 388,000 planted last\n  year.\n      Its latest estimates also suggested a 66.7 pct rise in\n  soybean sowings to 80,000 ha from 48,000 last year. Sunflower\n  sowings were expected to increase by between 8.6 pct and 14.6\n  pct from 829,000 ha. Pea sowings are estimated likely to rise\n  27.7 pct to 350,000 ha against 274,000, while field bean\n  sowings are forecast unchanged at 40,000.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CHINA TRADE DEFICIT FALLS IN JANUARY\n","article":"  China's trade deficit in January fell to\n  310 mln dlrs from 460 mln in January 1986, the China Daily\n  Business Weekly said.\n      Quoting customs figures, the paper said exports fell to\n  1.75 billion dlrs from 1.84 billion and imports fell to 2.06\n  billion from 2.3 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JACOBS SUCHARD AG <JACZ.Z> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Net 190.9 mln Swiss francs vs 150.4 mln\n      Turnover 5.24 billion vs 5.38 billion\n      Dividend 160 per bearer vs 155 francs, 32 francs per\n  registered vs 31 francs, 16 francs per participation\n  certificate vs 15.50 francs\n      Cash flow 294.3 mln vs 242.6 mln\n      Note - Confirms forecast of results issued in January.\n      Operating profit 337.6 mln vs 265 mln\n      Depreciation 103.4 mln, up 12.2 pct\n      Capital spending 84.6 mln, down 15.7 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":" British Telecom third quarter pre-tax profit 506 mln stg vs 452 mln\n","article":"\n   British Telecom third quarter pre-tax profit 506 mln stg vs 452 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BANK OF ENGLAND OFFERS EARLY HELP IN MONEY MARKET\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had invited\n  the discount houses to make an early round of bill offers to\n  help offset a large liquidity shortage in the money market.\n      It estimated the shortage at around 1.55 billion stg, one\n  adverse factor being the unwinding of a sale and repurchase\n  agreement, with the market having to buy back bills worth 542\n  mln stg from the Bank.\n      Bills maturing in official hands and the treasury bill\n  take-up would drain 957 mln stg wile exchequer transactions and\n  a note circulation rise would take out 15 mln and 25 mln\n  respectively. Above target bankers' balances would add 10 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BRITISH TELECOM 3RD QTR ENDED DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr 5.1p vs 4.2p, making 15.3p vs 12.7p for nine months.\n      Pre-tax profit 506 mln stg vs 452 mln, making 1.51 billion\n  stg vs 1.35 billion.\n      Net profit before minorities 320 mln vs 268 mln, making 960\n  mln vs 807 mln.\n      Note - Company's full name is British Telecommunications\n  Plc <BTY.L>.\n      Third quarter turnover 2.40 billion stg vs 2.11 billion,\n  making 7.01 billion vs 6.16 billion for nine months.\n      Operating profit 578 mln vs 520 mln, making 1.72 billion vs\n  1.56 billion.\n      Net interest payable 72 mln vs 68 mln, making 208 mln vs\n  203 mln.\n      Tax 186 mln vs 184 mln, making 552 mln vs 547 mln.\n      Minorities nil vs nil, making two mln vs nil.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SDC SYDNEY COST REVIEW MAY ELIMINATE PRODUCTS\n","article":"  <SDC Sydney\n  Development Corp>, earlier reporting an increased nine month\n  operating loss, said a cost control review now underway may\n  result in cost reduction and elimination of unprofitable and\n  non-strategic products and services.\n      The company's operating loss for the nine months ended\n  December 31, 1986 increased to 7.7 mln dlrs from a loss of 1.7\n  mln dlrs in the prior year, it said earlier.\n      Revenues increased by 20 pct to 11.8 mln dlrs from\n  year-earlier 9.8 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN EARLY ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had bought\n  bills worth 1.059 billion stg from the market for resale on\n  March 31 at rates of interest between 10-7\/16 pct and 10-17\/32\n  pct.\n      Earlier, the Bank said it estimated the liquidity shortage\n  in the market today at around 1.55 billion stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DANISH UNEMPLOYMENT RISES TO 7.9 PCT IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Denmark's seasonally adjusted\n  unemployment rate rose to 7.9 pct of the workforce in January\n  from 7.8 pct in December, unchanged from January 1986, the\n  National Statistics Office said.\n      The total of unemployed in January was 216,200 against\n  212,200 in December and 216,600 in January 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ROWNTREE MACKINTOSH PLC<RWNT.L> YEAR TO END JANUARY\n","article":"  Shr 35.0p vs 34.8p\n      Div final div 9.2p vs 8.2p\n      Pretax profit 84.0 mln stg vs 79.3 mln\n      Net after tax 66.2 mln vs 60.7 mln\n      Turnover 1,290.4 mln vs 1,205.2 mln\n      Trading profit 105.7 mln stg vs 101.3 mln, consisting -\n      U.K  47.9 mln vs 45.3\n      Europe 7.8 mln vs 3.4 mln\n      North America 34.7 mln vs 37.2 mln\n      Australasia 4.0 mln vs 2.3 mln\n      Rest of world 11.3 mln vs 13.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN CLAMPS NEW CONTROLS ON CURRENCY INFLOWS\n","article":"  Taiwan's new controls on currency\n  inflows, implemented today, are a desperate bid to stem a flood\n  of speculative money prompted by the local currency surge\n  against the U.S. Dollar, local and foreign bankers said.\n      The central bank now has to clear remittances exceeding one\n  mln U.S. Dlrs earned from exports, shipping and insurance and\n  bank lending plus remittances of more than 10,000 dlrs from any\n  other source.\n      Petitioners have to show their remittances relate to\n  genuine commercial transactions.\n      Meanwhile, traders are no longer required to report all\n  outward payments concerning invisible trade, including freight,\n  insurance and royalties, to the central bank.\n      But bankers said they believed the new controls would be\n  ineffective since businessmen could split up remittances into\n  smaller units or simply remit money through Taiwan's\n  flourishing currency black market.\n      The bankers said the controls, announced on March 6, are a\n  panic reaction to U.S. Pressure, which has intensified over the\n  past week, for a faster appreciation of the Taiwan dollar to\n  slow the growth of Taiwan's exports to the U.S.\n      The government has denied local press reports Washington is\n  pressing for an exchange rate of up to 28 dlrs.\n      The Taiwan dollar opened four cents up today at 34.70.\n      \"I don't think the central bank has a final target,\" said an\n  executive with a U.S. Bank. Other bankers and economists said\n  they are wary of making any firm predictions about how far the\n  Taiwan dollar will rise.\n      Taiwan's trade surplus with the U.S. Hit 13.6 billion U.S.\n  Dlrs last year against 10.2 billion in 1985. The surplus\n  widened in the first two months of the year to 2.35 billion\n  dlrs from 1.87 billion in the same period last year.\n      Economists estimate up to five billion dlrs in speculative\n  money flowed into Taiwan in 1986.\n      This inflow helped boost foreign exchange reserves to more\n  than 51 billion dlrs from just under 25 billion this time last\n  year and provided further upward pressure on the currency.\n      The Taiwan dollar has appreciated by almost 15 pct against\n  the U.S. Currency since September 1985, further encouraging\n  speculators.\n      Central bank governor Chang Chi-cheng said last week\n  Washington's pressure plus rising foreign exchange reserves\n  meant a further strengthening in the currency is inevitable.\n      Many local bankers argue the only effective solution to the\n  currency problem is to drop foreign exchange controls and allow\n  the local dollar to find its own level.\n      \"Lifting exchange controls is the final answer, but the\n  central bank is not prepared to do it. It simply does not want\n  to take the risk,\" said one local banker.\n      He said he believed the new restrictions are a temporary\n  measure designed to buy time as the central bank grapples with\n  the exchange rate problem.\n      The restrictions are a bureaucratic imposition and skirt\n  around the real issue, he said.\n      Taiwan needs a fundamental restructuring of foreign\n  exchange controls, said an executive with a western bank.\n      \"The controls will create more paperwork, but the extra bank\n  charges will not outweigh the profits of speculation,\" said the\n  manager of a European bank.\n      Economists criticised the controls, saying they could\n  antagonise Washington, which is pushing for further economic\n  liberalisation in Taiwan.\n      \"Instead of liberalising outflows, the government has\n  restricted inflows,\" said Kate Newman, an economist with Vickers\n  da Costa.\n      A local banker, who declined to be named, said, \"It's\n  basically ridiculous. It's a backward movement and goes against\n  the government's liberalisation programme.\"\n      Taiwan last year eased some of its financial regulations to\n  enable Taiwan nationals to invest in foreign government bonds,\n  treasury bills and certificates of deposit and to allow\n  individuals to take 5,000 U.S. Dlrs in cash out of the country\n  each year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GLYNWED INTERNATIONAL PLC <GLYN.L> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Shr, net basis 27.47p vs 22.15p\n      Div 6.5p vs 5.4p making 10.1p vs 8.4p\n      Pretax profit 46.1 mln stg vs 35.6 mln\n      Net after tax 30 mln vs 23.3 mln\n      Extraordinary items debit 3.8 mln vs debit 2.3 mln\n      Interest payable 2.7 mln vs 4.0 mln\n      Net borrowings 7.6 mln vs 16.1 mln\n      Turnover 478.9 mln vs 464.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DUTCH SUGAR TRADE DENY INVOLVEMENT IN OFFER\n","article":"  Dutch sugar traders deny involvement\n  in a plan to offer more than 850,000 tonnes of sugar to\n  intervention in protest at EC export policy and prices, traders\n  told Reuters.\n      Although some 2,500 tonnes of sugar have been offered to\n  intervention in the Netherlands, Dutch producers and traders\n  said this sugar was actually Belgian and was being offered by\n  the Belgian industry.\n      \"We sympathise with the actions of the French, West German\n  and Belgian traders and producers, but we are not party to it,\"\n  a spokesman said.\n      EC Commission sources said yesterday French traders planned\n  to sell 775,000 tonnes into intervention stocks, West German\n  traders 75,000 tonnes and Dutch traders 2,500. Dutch trade\n  sources gave the same figure for France, but estimated up to\n  110,000 tonnes offered by German traders and producers.\n      The Dutch spokesman added, \"The weekly export tender policy\n  and prices are squeezing the European sugar industry, and this\n  is the only way in which they can really register their\n  protest.\n      \"These are desperate actions, but we believe that most of\n  this offered sugar will be withdrawn within the three-week\n  breathing space allowed.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GLYNWED SEES FURTHER PROGRESS IN 1987\n","article":"  Glynwed International Plc <GLYN.L> in a\n  statement accompanying their results that present indications\n  are that 1987 has started well and it is confident that the\n  year will be one of further progress.\n      The company added that results in the U.S. Were poor and\n  the deterioration in the South African economy left its Falkirk\n  Industries unit with a loss of one mln stg. But it said there\n  was a continuing improvement in its core businesses.\n      The extraordinary items debit of 3.8 mln stg arose on the\n  closure and disposal of various businesses.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BRITISH TELECOM SEES SATISFACTORY 1986\/87 RESULTS\n","article":"  British Telecommunications Plc <BTY.L>\n  expects to announce satisfactory results for its 1986\/87\n  financial year ending March, chairman Sir George Jefferson said\n  in a third quarter statement.\n      Full year results will be published in June. In the 1985\/86\n  financial year, pre-tax profit rose to 1.81 billion stg from\n  1.48 billion in the previous period.\n      Jefferson said good progress was made in the latest nine\n  months, while most customers were able to maintain their normal\n  level of calls during the recent strike by company engineers.\n      The statement said a positive cash flow of 381 mln stg for\n  the first nine months will diminish in the final quarter due to\n  corporation tax and dividend payments.\n      Earlier, the company reported third quarter pre-tax profit\n  for the period ended December 31 of 506 mln stg compared with\n  452 mln a year earlier. Nine month pre-tax was 1.51 billion stg\n  against 1.35 billion.\n      British Telecom shares were last quoted at 246-1\/2p, level\n  with late yesterday, in the wake of results which were in line\n  with market expectations, dealers said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INDIA BUYS WHITE SUGAR FROM LONDON TRADERS\n","article":"  India yesterday bought two cargoes of\n  white sugar from London traders for April\/May shipment and\n  granted the trade houses the option to sell an additional two\n  cargoes at the same price for May\/June shipment, the firms\n  involved said.\n      E D and F Man and Woodhouse, Drake and Carey both said they\n  sold single cargoes at 237.35 dlrs a tonne cif for April\/May\n  and were granted options to sell an extra cargo each at the\n  same price for May\/June at the Indian buying tender for three\n  to four cargoes of whites held yesterday. The tender had called\n  for a single cargo of prompt and two to three cargoes of\n  April\/May.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HANDY AND HARMAN <HNH> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 51 cts vs loss three cts\n      Net loss 7,041,000 vs loss 467,000\n      Rev 138.9 mln vs 131.4 mln\n      12 months\n      Shr loss 64 cts vs profit 46 cts\n      Net loss 8,843,000 vs profit 6,306,0000\n      Rev 558.9 mln vs 556.7 mln\n      NOTE: Net loss for 4th qtr 1986 includes charge for\n  restructuring of 2.6 mln dlrs after tax, or 19 cts a share.\n      1986 net loss includes after tax special charge of 2.7 mln\n  dlrs, or 20 cts a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<MULTI-STEP PRODUCTS INC> SIX MTHS DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 11 cts\n      Loss 739,146\n      Revs 11,754,251\n      Note: initial public listing December, 1986\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<NEXT PLC> <NEXL.L> FIVE MONTHS TO END JANUARY\n","article":"  Shr 7.67p vs 5.34p\n      Div 1.5p vs 1.08p\n      Pretax profit 30.12 mln stg vs 12.40 mln\n      Net interest payable 2.55 mln vs 200 stg\n      Net after tax 19.58 vs 7.44 mln\n      Turnover excluding VAT 257.66 mln vs 74.09 mln\n      Note - The company said it intends to issue a second\n  interim statement for the six months to July 1987 and to pay a\n  related dividend in early 1988.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIA EXPECTS RISE IN MEAT EXPORTS TO MIDEAST\n","article":"  Australia expects meat and livestock\n  exports to the Middle East to maintain an upward trend this\n  year, managing director of the Australian Meat and Livestock\n  Corp, Peter Frawley, said.\n      He told Reuters an improvement in the economic climate and\n  less competition from the European Community should lead in the\n  Gulf area to higher beef sales, which dropped from 33,000\n  tonnes in 1980 to just 2,300 tonnes last year.\n      \"In the last three to four months there has been a\n  resurgence of inquiries,\" he said.\n      Frawley is on a Gulf tour which will also take him to Saudi\n  Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait to assess market\n  potential.\n      On beef exports, he said a 50 pct drop in European\n  Community intervention stock in the past 12 months would help\n  Australian sales.\n      The fall meant the EC was not as aggressive in these\n  markets, where the Australian trade was the natural source of\n  supply, and Australia was \"now back in,\" Frawley said.\n      He said there was a debate in Australia as to whether the\n  Middle East market for livestock, which accounts for two-thirds\n  of meat export value to the area, would be maintained.\n      He believed the trade would remain with a continuing demand\n  for fresh meat.\n      The number of live sheep shipped last year to Saudi Arabia,\n  the biggest single market, was 3,214,159 compared with\n  2,939,226 in 1985. The numbers shipped to the United Arab\n  Emirates and Bahrain fell, however.\n      Frawley said the slackening in demand in the Gulf had been\n  offset by other Arab countries around the Mediterranean.\n      Other than livestock, Australia's overall meat sales to the\n  Middle East rose to 72,374 tonnes in 1986 from 52,403 tonnes\n  the previous year, largely due to the sale of 25,790 tonnes of\n  mutton and lamb to Iran.\n      Australia sold 9,824 tonnes to Iran in 1985 after being\n  virtually excluded by New Zealand competition for several\n  years. Frawley said the 1986 sale contract had included a\n  barter provision, but Iran had paid in full in cash.\n      Negotiations with the Iranians for 1987 shipments were\n  currently under way, with Iran again seeking credit and barter\n  provisions, he said.\n      Frawley said there had been a tremendous growth in demand\n  for chilled lamb in the last four to five years and he\n  predicted this would continue.\n      \"The Middle East, and the Gulf in particular, is now\n  Australia's largest market for lamb, chilled and flown in.\n  Australia is in an ideal position to provide the supplies if\n  the market is willing to pay a premium for a fresh, young\n  product,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INDIA 1986\/87 COTTON EXPORT QUOTA UP 190,000 BALES\n","article":"  India's raw cotton export quota has\n  been raised by 190,000 170-kg bales to 600,000 bales in 1986\/87\n  ending August, still well below the 1985\/86 quota of 1.35 mln\n  bales, Minister of State for Textiles R.N. Mirdha said.\n      State and private agencies contracted to export 1.34 mln\n  bales in 1985\/86, he told journalists. But only 433,000 bales\n  were shipped that year, with the rest to be delivered in\n  1986\/87. About 758,000 bales from 1985\/86 contracts were\n  shipped up to February 2 in 1986\/87.\n       The government will export 600,000 bales of long and\n  extra- long staple cotton in the three years from 1986\/87, he\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STE LYONNAISE DES EAUX <LYOE.PA> YEAR ENDED DEC 31\n","article":"  Consolidated attributable net 1986 profit 360 mln francs vs\n  279.8 mln.\n      Parent company net profit 191 mln vs 150.9 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LYONNAISE DES EAUX FORECASTS 1987 PROFIT RISE\n","article":"  Consolidated attributable net profit of\n  Ste Lyonnaise des Eaux <LYOE.PA> is likely to rise by at least\n  10 pct this year from the 360 mln francs reported for 1986,\n  Chairman Jerome Monod told a news conference.\n      Group turnover should rise about seven pct from the 15.7\n  mln reported for this year, while group investments should\n  total around 1.8 billion francs, somewhat above the 1.3 billion\n  annual average of the past three years, he added.\n      Investments will be aimed mainly at developing the group's\n  leisure industry, health and communications activities, Monod\n  said.\n      In the leisure sector the group planned a joint development\n  with Club Mediterranee <CMI.PA>, Club Med, of a 200 hectare\n  pleasure park at Puisaye in the Yonne department of Eastern\n  Central France, he said.\n      Wholly-owned subsidiary Lyonnaise de Developpement\n  Touristique would carry out the construction work and financial\n  planning of the development which would be leased to Club Med\n  as operator of the complex, he said.\n      He gave no financial details but said leisure sector\n  investments would total about 100 mln francs over the next\n  three years.\n      Investments in the communications industry would go mainly\n  to develop the group's cable television activities and its 25\n  pct owned Metropole Television affiliate. Metropole recently\n  won the concession to operate a sixth television channel in\n  France.\n      Financing requirement of Metropole would be about 700 mln\n  francs over the next four years, of which Lyonaise des Eaux\n  would provide about 175 mln, Monod said.\n      Monod said Metropole aimed to win a 15 to 20 pct audience\n  share and to capture about 10 pct of the national television\n  advertising market.\n      Total investment by the group in the communications sector,\n  including cable activities, would be between 300 mln and 400\n  mln francs over the next five years, mainly concentrated in the\n  coming year.\n      Investment in cable operations would total between 150 mln\n  and 200 mln over the five years, with the aim of widening the\n  audience to 280,000 subscribers from 12,000, and boosting\n  turnover to around 450 mln francs a year from 10 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GUS MAKES 8.2 MLN STG AGREED OFFER FOR PANTHERELLA\n","article":"  Great Universal Stores Plc <GUS.L> said\n  it has made an agreed offer for <Pantherella Plc>, valuing the\n  company at 8.2 mln stg and each Pantherella ordinary share at\n  205 pence.\n      The offer is based on eight new \"A\" non voting ordinary\n  shares in GUS plus 95.16 stg for every 100 ordinary\n  Pantherella.\n      The new GUS shares will not receive the eight pence per\n  share interim dividend in respect of the year ending March\n  1987, the statement said.\n      GUS has received irrevocable undertakings to accept the\n  offer in respect of 39.1 pct of Pantherella shares from the\n  company's directors and their families.\n      The Pantherella board estimates the company, which\n  manufactures socks, will show a 1986 pretax profit of about\n  690,000 stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET OFFERED BORROWING FACILTIES\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had offered\n  borrowing facilities to those discount houses wishing to use\n  them at 1430 GMT.\n      The Bank also said it provided the money market 456 mln stg\n  assistance in the afternoon session bringing its total help so\n  far today to 493 mln stg. This compares with its forecast of a\n  shortage in the system today of around 700 mln stg.\n      The central bank purchased bank bills outright comprising\n  41 mln stg in band one at 10-7\/8 pct 361 mln stg in band two at\n  10-13\/16 pct and 54 mln stg in band three at 10-3\/4 pct.\n      Money market dealers said the Bank of England has recently\n  used the offer of borrowing facilities to signal that it does\n  not want to see an early reduction in U.K. Base lending rates.\n      The Bank does this by lending to the discount houses at\n  rates of interest higher than its prevailing money market\n  dealing rates.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<BOND CORP INTERNATIONAL LTD> NINE MOS TO DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr loss 17.4 H.K. Cents (no comparison)\n      Dividend nil (no comparison)\n      Net loss 11.49 mln dlrs.\n      Notes - Net excluded extraordinary losses 27.91 mln dlrs.\n  Property valuation reserve surplus 67 mln dlrs.\n      Results reflected trading in subsidiary <Humphreys Estate\n  Group> but excluded influence of a bulk of properties which the\n  firm bought late last year from Hongkong Land Co Ltd <HKLD.HK>\n  for 1.4 billion dlrs.\n      Company controlled by Bond Corp Holdings Ltd of Australia.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GERMAN PUBLIC AUTHORITY BUNDESBANK HOLDINGS FALL\n","article":"  The net position of federal states\n  worsened in the first March week, cutting public authority net\n  holdings at the Bundesbank by 500 mln marks, the central bank\n  said.\n      States' cash deposits at the central bank fell to 800 mln\n  and they also drew down 1.2 billion marks in book credit, 900\n  mln marks more than in the prior week.\n      By contrast, however, the federal government was able to\n  reduce its credit drawdown at the central bank by 900 mln marks\n  to 900 mln.\n      Despite the stronger states' net needs in the week, their\n  cash position and other market dependent influences just about\n  balanced the outflow of liquidity from the money market through\n  an increase in cash in circulation, the Bundesbank said.\n      Cash in circulation rose by 1.4 billion marks in the week\n  to 122.9 billion.\n      Liquidity also came in through the maturing of short-term\n  treasury bills bought from the Bundesbank in the prior week.\n      Gross currency reserves rose in the week by 400 mln marks\n  to 109.9 billion. Foreign liabilities of the Bundesbank were\n  largely unchanged at 22.8 billion marks, giving a rise in net\n  currency reserves of 400 mln to 87.0 billion, it said.\n      The Bundesbank said its balance sheet total fell by 3.77\n  billion in the week to 218.45 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CANADA JANUARY TRADE SURPLUS 533 MLN DLRS AFTER DECEMBER 965 MLN DLRS SURPLUS\n","article":"\n  CANADA JANUARY TRADE SURPLUS 533 MLN DLRS AFTER DECEMBER 965 MLN DLRS SURPLUS\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CANADA JANUARY TRADE SURPLUS 533 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  Canada had a trade surplus of 533 mln dlrs\n  in January compared with an upward revised 965 mln dlrs surplus\n  in December, Statistics Canada said.\n      The December surplus originally was reported at 964 mln\n  dlrs. The January surplus last year was 1.19 billion dlrs.\n      January exports, seasonally adjusted, were 9.72 billion\n  dlrs against 10.39 billion in December and 10.89 billion in\n  January, 1986.\n      January imports were 9.19 billion dlrs against 9.43 billion\n  in December and 9.71 billion in January 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HUNGARIAN 1987 SUGAR BEET AREA LITTLE CHANGED\n","article":"  Hungary is to grow sugar beet on\n  105,000 hectares of land this year compared with some 95,000 in\n  1986, the official MTI news agency said.\n      Diplomats said this reflected Hungary's policy of keeping\n  the sugar beet area stable under the current five-year plan\n  (1985-89) and producing enough to cover only domestic demand\n  despite the recent rise of world prices to 10 month highs.\n      Drought cut the 1986 harvest to 3.58 mln tonnes from 4.07\n  mln in 1985. But a record yield of 130 kilos per tonne of beet\n  kept production at 454,000 tonnes, with 30,000 extra refined in\n  Yugoslavia from Hungarian beet. Output was 483,000 in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"KIDSTON SAYS HIGHER NET REFLECTS GOLD SALE RISE\n","article":"  <Kidston Gold Mines Ltd> attributed\n  the rise in 1986 net profit to higher prices and an increase in\n  gold sales to 237,969 ounces from 206,467 ounces in 1985.\n      The <Placer Development Ltd> offshoot, which operates\n  Australia's largest gold mine, in North Queensland, earlier\n  reported net profit rose to 60.50 mln dlrs from 50.76 mln in\n  the 1985 period of 10 months from the start of production.\n      Sales of silver also rose to 165,968 ounces from 109,516.\n      Kidston said in a statement it will spend about 5.5 mln\n  dlrs to upgrade its mill grinding circuit to a mill-ball,\n  mill-crushing circuit to boost output by 25 pct from end-1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BULLETIN SAYS TIN PRICE MAY RISE TO 20 RINGGIT\n","article":"  The tin price is likely to rise to\n  20 ringgit a kilo this year because of the producers' accord on\n  export quotas and the reluctance of brokers and banks to sell\n  the metal at lower prices, a Malaysian government bulletin\n  said.\n      The Malaysian Tin bulletin said it is in producers'\n  interest to keep to their quotas to limit total exports to\n  90,000 tonnes and to gradually deplete the 80,000 tonnes\n  overhang.\n      It said consumption by industrialised countries should stay\n  at 160,000 tonnes and that International Tin Council creditors\n  and brokers are not likely to dump their stocks excessively\n  unless there is a large and abrupt price jump.\n      The continued depreciation of the dollar could also help\n  push up the price of tin, the bulletin said.\n      A depreciation of the dollar means the depreciation of the\n  ringgit which is closely pegged to it, making the price of tin\n  cheaper in sterling terms, it added.\n      \"Even in the absence of economic rationale in the tin\n  market, psychological optimism alone is sufficient to secure a\n  price recovery of up to 20 ringgit per kilo,\" the bulletin said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<KIDSTON GOLD MINES LTD> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 48.4 cents vs 40.6\n      Yr div 37 cents vs 15\n      Net 60.50 mln dlrs vs 50.76 mln\n      Turnover 134.54 mln vs 100.63 mln\n      Other income 1.02 mln vs 920,000\n      Shrs 125 mln vs same.\n      NOTE - Company paid total 37 cents in previously declared\n  quarterly divs vs 15. Net is after tax 173,000 dlrs vs 285,000,\n  interest 9.67 mln vs 8.05 mln and depreciation 11.76 mln vs\n  9.59 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CHINA CLOSES SECOND ROUND OF OFFSHORE OIL BIDS\n","article":"  China has closed the second round of\n  bidding by foreign firms for offshore oil exploration rights,\n  the China Daily has reported.\n      It quoted a spokesman for the China National Offshore Oil\n  Corp (CNOOC) as saying China signed eight contracts with 15\n  foreign firms for blocks in the Pearl River mouth and south\n  Yellow Sea covering a total area of 44,913 sq km.\n      Second round bidding began at the end of 1984 and only one\n  well has so far produced results -- Lufeng 13-1-1, 250 km\n  south-east of Shenzhen, with an output of 6,770 barrels a day.\n  The well was drilled by a group of Japanese companies.\n      The spokesman added CNOOC was ready to enter into contracts\n  for offshore blocks before third round bidding began. He did\n  not say when this would be, but added the contracts would not\n  be bound by restrictions imposed during the second round.\n      China has signed 36 oil contracts and agreements with 37\n  companies from 10 countries since 1979, when offshore\n  exploration was open to foreigners. Eleven contracts were\n  terminated after no oil was discovered.\n      Foreign firms have invested 2.1 billion dlrs on offshore\n  China since 1979.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"LEIGH-PEMBERTON OPPOSES TAKEOVER PROTECTION RULES\n","article":"  The Bank of England does not favour the\n  introduction of rules to shield companies from hostile takeover\n  attempts, its governor, Robin Leigh-Pemberton, said.\n      Instead, merchant banks advising bidding companies must\n  show restraint and responsibility to avoid the excesses that\n  have marred recent takeovers, he told the Yorkshire and\n  Humberside Regional Confederation of British Industries' annual\n  dinner.\n      Leigh-Pemberton also called on companies to improve ties\n  with institutional investors, suggesting representatives of\n  those institutions be granted seats on the boards of directors\n  of companies they invest in.\n      \"Boards cannot expect protection from unwelcome predators,\n  for that is but a short step from saying that they should be\n  protected from their own shareholders -- who are, after all,\n  the proprietors of the company,\" Leigh-Pemberton said.\n      He added takeovers and mergers had an important role to\n  play in furthering economies of scale, integration and more\n  efficient market penetration. \"The degree of success or failure\n  (of a takeover) has not in my experience depended on whether or\n  not the takeover was contested,\" he said.\n      Leigh-Pemberton noted there had been excesses in takeover\n  activity in the recent past. \"The aim is to pressurise a\n  company's management into action dedicated solely to a\n  favourable impact on the share price in the short-term, partly\n  or even primarily at the expense of the future,\" he said.\n      Such bids \"often depend for their success on creating a\n  highly-charged and artificial situation in the share market,\n  and give rise to temptations, on both sides of the battle, to\n  engage in aggressive, even manipulative tactics that are\n  immensely damaging to the interest of the shareholders,\" he\n  said.\n      In a clear reference recent events, he said \"those in the\n  City who act for companies or individuals .. Must, I suggest,\n  be ready to accept a full measure of responsibility -- even if\n  it entails opprobrium -- for the transactions that may result.\"\n      They \"should exercise the most careful judgment at the\n  outset with respect to the clients for whom they act and the\n  activities contenplated. Those who sow wind cannot expect the\n  whirlwind to visit elsewhere,\" he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ECUADOR TO ASK OPEC TO RAISE EXPORT QUOTA\n","article":"  Ecuador will ask OPEC to raise its oil\n  export quota by 100,000 barrels per day to 310,000 to\n  compensate for lost output due to last week's earthquake,\n  deputy Energy Minister Fernando Santos Alvite said.\n      Santos Alvite, who arrived in Caracas last night to discuss\n  an aid plan for Ecuador, did not say when the Organisation of\n  Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) would be approached.\n      The additional output would be related to plans now under\n  discussion for Venezuela and Mexico to lend Ecuador crude while\n  it repairs a pipeline damaged by the quake.\n      Earlier, Venezuelan Energy and Mines Minister Aturo\n  Hernandez Grisanti said his country would supply an unspecified\n  part of Ecuador's export commitments.\n      But Santos Alvite told reporters he hoped a first cargo of\n  300,000 barrels could leave Maracaibo this weekend to supply\n  refineries near Guayaquil. He added Ecuador also wanted to make\n  up for 50,000 bpd it shipped to Caribbean destinations. Mexico\n  might supply Ecuador's South Korean market.\n      Ecuador may be unable to export oil for up to five months\n  due to extensive damage to a 25 mile stretch of pipeline\n  linking jungle oilfields to the Pacific port of Balao.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN FURTHER 442 MLN STG HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided the\n  market with a further 442 mln stg assistance during the morning\n  to offset a liquidity shortage it estimated at 1.60 billion\n  stg, revised up from 1.55 billion\n      The bank bought outright eight mln stg of band one treasury\n  bills and five mln stg of band one bank bills at 10-3\/8 pct.\n      It bought a further 429 mln stg of bills for resale to the\n  discount houses on April 2 at an interest rate of 10-7\/16 pct.\n      So far today, the bank has given the market assistance\n  worth a total of 1.501 billion stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JACOBS SUCHARD EXPECTS ANOTHER EXCELLENT YEAR\n","article":"  Jacobs Suchard AG <JACZ.Z> hopes for\n  another excellent year in 1987 after a 27 pct increase in 1986\n  net profit. Results in the first few months show it heading in\n  the right direction, company president Klaus Jacobs said.\n      The group reported 1986 net profit of 190.9 mln Swiss\n  francs compared with 150.4 mln in 1985 and raised its dividend\n  per bearer share to 160 francs from 155 francs.\n      Jacobs said the increase in profit, which far exceeded the\n  company's target of five pct real annual growth, had been made\n  possible by restructuring measures introduced in January 1986\n  which had also made some major acquisitions possible last year.\n      Hermann Pohl, general director in charge of economic\n  affairs, said the 2.7 pct decline in group turnover to 5.24\n  billion francs was due to currency factors.\n      A 5.2 pct negative currency influence was partially offset\n  by growth in operations and by structural changes within the\n  group.\n      Turnover in the coffee business fell to 3.10 billion francs\n  from 3.56 billion in 1985 while turnover in the chocolate\n  sector rose to 2.14 billion francs from 1.82 billion. The\n  tonnage sold in both sectors declined due to higher prices and\n  lower consumer demand, especially in France and West Germany.\n      Jacobs Suchard increased its market share in West Germany\n  to 44.9 pct from 39.9 pct in 1985, largely as a result of\n  acquisitions. Market share in France was little changed at 25\n  pct against 25.3 pct.\n      Pohl said the group's average tax rate rose to 32.5 pct\n  from 28.8 pct because of the higher profits and despite\n  write-offs on the losses of new acquisitions. A further\n  increase in tax levels was expected in future.\n      Taxes jumped 51.3 pct to 92 mln francs in 1986 from 61 mln\n  the previous year.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JAPAN FIRM PLANS TO SELL U.S. FARMLAND TO JAPANESE\n","article":"  A Japanese real estate company\n  said it will launch a campaign to sell land in U.S. Farming\n  areas to rich Japanese.\n      Higashi Nippon House said it would offer around 2,200 acres\n  of land in Illinois, California, Florida and Indiana from early\n  April to gauge response. It set up International Farm Corp of\n  America in Chicago last September to oversee the operation.\n      American farmers would continue as working tenants and part\n  of the profits from harvests of rice, corn, soybean and oranges\n  would go to the Japanese investors as rental.\n      Japanese Agriculture Ministry officials told Reuters sales\n  were limited to farmers to keep land in agricultural use.\n      \"Two years ago, I began to seek my own farmland in Japan,\"\n  said Isao Nakamura, president of Higashi Nippon. \"However, sale\n  of Japanese farmland is strictly controlled by the government,\n  so I began to look for the land in the U.S to make my dream to\n  own farm land come true.\"\n      Nakamura said hundreds of companies exist in the U.S. To\n  sell farmland to investors as more and more farmers face\n  difficulties due to the recession in U.S. Agriculture.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TAFT <TFB> REJECTS 145 DLR\/SHR OFFER\n","article":"  Taft Broadacasting Co said its\n  board of directors unanimously decided not to accept the\n  pending buyout proposal of <Theta Corp>, an investor group led\n  by Dudley Taft.\n      The decision was based on, among other things, the advice\n  of its financial advisors, Goldman Sachs and Co, that the offer\n  of 145 dlrs per share was inadequate.\n      Taft said the board concluded that the offer failed to\n  recognize fully the future propsects of the company and\n  directed management to explore alternatives including possible\n  financial restructuring.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PAKISTAN COULD IMPORT 100,000 TONNES OF PALM OIL\n","article":"  Pakistan is likely to import 100,000\n  tonnes of refined, bleached and deodorised palm oil between\n  April and June this year, vegetable oil dealers said.\n      They said the import would be financed by the Islamic\n  Development Bank (IDB) which signed an agreement with Pakistan\n  earlier this week in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.\n      Pakistan had imported 600,000 tonnes of edible oil since\n  the beginning of the current financial year last July, they\n  added. The palm oil would come from Malaysia or Indonesia.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TREASURY SECRETARY BAKER DECLINES COMMENT ON G-6\n","article":"  U.S. Treasury Secretary James Baker\n  declined comment on the February 22 Paris accord between the\n  six major industrial nations under which they agreed to foster\n  exchange rate stability.\n      Asked by reporters after a speech before the National\n  Fitness Foundation banquet what, if any, currency intervention\n  levels had been set in Paris, Baker replied: \"We never talk\n  about intervention.\"\n      Baker also declined to comment on his views about the\n  foreign exchange markets' reaction to the accord.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BEL FUSE INC <BELF> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 22 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 1,063,000 vs 639,000\n      Sales 7,489,000 vs 4,656,000\n      Year\n      Shr 55 cts vs 28 cts\n      Net 2,633,000 vs 1,343,000\n      Sales 23.3 mln vs 17.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTHWEST REALTY <SWL> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 44 cts vs profit 1.13 dlrs\n      Net loss 1,544,000 vs profit 3,912,000\n      NOTE: Cash flow 1,010,000 dlrs or 29 cts shr vs 2,835,000\n  dlrs or 82 cts shr.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SOUTHWEST REALTY <SWL> HAS LIQUIDITY PROBLEMS\n","article":"  Southwest Realty Ltd said it believes it\n  could make all of its scheduled montly debt service payments\n  for 1987 despite the falloff in its rental operations, but\n  making the payments would probably severely impair its\n  liquidity and restrict its ability to maintain the quality of\n  its properties.\n      The company today reported a 1986 loss of 1,544,000 dlrs\n  compared with a 1985 profit of 3,912,000 dlrs.\n      Southwest said in addition to its monthly scheduyled debt\n  service payments, a 1,743,000 dlr loan on one of its Houston\n  properties is due to mature on April One.\n      Southwest said a commitment to reduce the interest rate and\n  extend the Houston loan for one year has been accepted.\n      It said talks are underway with lenders on other Houston\n  properties to obtain partial debt service moratoriums which, if\n  granted, would cut 1987 cash deficits from 1986 levels.  The\n  loan renegotiations could involve bankruptcy or other\n  litigation connected with the specific properties involved and\n  could involve the suspension of interest and principal payments\n  to some of the lenders.  Southwest said if the attempts to\n  restructure debt do not succeed, it could lose one or more of\n  the properties.\n      Southwest said the Houston properties made up about 10 pct\n  of its current value equity as of December 31 of 14.20 dlrs per\n  share, down from 16.68 dlrs a year before.\n      The company said depending on the success of the talks and\n  operating results for 1987, one or two more properties could\n  become subject to similar negotiations.  The two additional\n  properties comprised about 11 pct of its current value equity\n  at year-end, Southwest said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"D.H. HOLMES CO LTD <HLME> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 12-1\/2 cts vs 12-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay April One\n      Record March 20\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"POPE EVANS <PER> REPURCHASES SHARES\n","article":"  Pope, Evans and Robbins Inc said it\n  has repurchased 780,000 common shares from Putnam Mills Corp\n  principals Sidney and Peter Kaplan for 2.25 dlrs per share.\n      It said the purchase price will be applied against the\n  1,700,000 dlrs Putnam Mills currently owes Pope Evans for\n  merchandise.  Pope Evans has about 7.6 mln shares outstanding.\n      The company also said it has agreed in principle to acquire\n  privately-held Pat Fashions Industries Inc for 18 mln dlrs in\n  cash and notes, with financing to come partly from bank\n  borrowings, subject to approval by the Pope Evans board and Pat\n  shareholders.\n      Pat Fashions imports apparel from the Far East and makes\n  apparel domestically as well.  In the year ended November 30,\n  Pat earned 5,400,000 dlrs pretax on sales of 83.0 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BAIRD <BATM> GETS TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER\n","article":"  Baird Corp said the Massachusetts state\n  court for Suffolk county has granted it a temporary restraining\n  order prohibiting Mark IV Industries Inc <IV> from further\n  purchases of Baird stock until Mark IV complies with the\n  Massachusetts Anti-Takeover Statute.\n      The company said Mark IV currently owns at least 17.6 pct\n  of Baird stock and has indicated that it may attempt to acquire\n  Baird.\n      Baird said the U.S. District Court in Boston has denied\n  Mark IV's application for a temporary restraining order to\n  prevent enforcement of the Massachusetts takeover law.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JACOBS SUCHARD SEES 100,000 TONNE COCOA SURPLUS\n","article":"  Jacobs Suchard AG expects a world cocoa\n  surplus of around 100,000 tonnes in 1987 compared with a\n  104,000 tonne surplus in 1986, Jens Sroka, head of commodity\n  buying, told a news conference.\n      The company expects prices to remain at around current\n  levels despite the likelihood of agreement on buffer stock\n  rules at the forthcoming London cocoa talks, and believes\n  market intervention by the buffer stock manager would stabilise\n  prices.\n      Sroka said world coffee prices are expected to remain weak\n  if any international coffee talks fail to produce agreement.\n      Sroka said stagnating consumption and slight overproduction\n  will continue to weigh on coffee prices and he forecast a\n  continued build-up in stocks.\n      The recent failure of the London coffee talks had surprised\n  market observers.\n      Unless reason prevails and the major producers return to\n  the conference table, the world coffee market will remain free\n  and the consequences for some producers dependant on coffee for\n  their foreign exchange earnings would be catastrophic, Sroka\n  added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DUDLEY TAFT AND NARRAGANSETT CAPITAL TO PURSUE TAFT BROADCASTING BID\n","article":"\n  DUDLEY TAFT AND NARRAGANSETT CAPITAL TO PURSUE TAFT BROADCASTING BID\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GENERAL MINING UNION CORP LTD (GENM.J) YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 616 cts vs 481\n      Final div 150 cts vs 140, making 230 vs 195\n      Pre-tax 705.4 mln rand vs 485.2 mln\n      Net 591.7 mln vs 458.0 mln\n      Tax 79.2 mln vs 82.2 mln\n      Attrib to outside shareholders 123.7 mln vs 52.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. RETAIL SALES ROSE 4.1 PCT IN FEB, NON-AUTO SALES ROSE 1.5 PCT\n","article":"\n  U.S. RETAIL SALES ROSE 4.1 PCT IN FEB, NON-AUTO SALES ROSE 1.5 PCT\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. RETAIL SALES RISE 4.1 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  U.S. retail sales rose 4.77 billion\n  dlrs, or 4.1 pct, in February to a seasonally adjusted 122.29\n  billion dlrs, the Commerce Department said.\n      The increase came after a revised 7.4 pct drop in January\n  sales to a level of 117.52 billion dlrs. The department\n  previously reported January retail sales fell 5.8 pct.\n      Excluding autos, retail sales in February were up 1.5 pct\n  after falling by a revised 0.4 pct in January.\n      Department spokesmen said the major cause for the revision\n  downward in January sales was a weaker January auto dealer\n  sales figure than originally estimated.\n      Auto dealer sales were 26.91 billion dlrs in February, a\n  14.4 pct rise from January levels. But January sales dropped by\n  27.7 pct from December levels to 23.52 billion dlrs, more than\n  the 22.4 pct fall originally reported.\n      The expiration of the sales tax deduction under new tax\n  laws on January 1 was the main reason for the drop in January\n  sales, department spokesmen said.\n      Sales of durable goods rose in February by 8.8 pct to 46.72\n  billion dlrs after dropping by 17.7 pct in January.\n      Building materials rose 1.8 pct in February after falling\n  by 1.7 pct in January.\n      Non-durable goods sales rose by 1.3 pct to 75.58 billion\n  dlrs in February after falling by 0.2 pct in January, the\n  department said.\n      General merchandise stores rose 1.4 pct after increasing\n  sales by 1.6 pct in January, and department stores were up two\n  pct in February after rising 1.5 pct in January.\n      Food store sales increased 0.4 pct after declining by 1.0\n  pct in January, while grocery store sales increased 0.3 pct in\n  February after falling 0.6 pct in January.\n      Gasoline service station sales rose 2.0 pct in February\n  after a 1.9 pct January increase.\n      Apparel store sales were up 0.8 pct last month after\n  falling 3.0 pct in January, while sales at eating and drinking\n  places increased 1.5 pct after rising 0.5 pct in January.\n      February's retail sales were 4.4 pct above the year-ago\n  level of 117.09 billion dlrs, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DUDLEY TAFT TO PURSUE TAFT BROADCAST <TFB> BID\n","article":"  Taft Broadcasting Co vice chairman\n  Dudley Taft and Narragansett Capital Inc <NARR> said they\n  intend to pursue their effort to acquire Taft Broadcasting\n  despite the rejection yesterday of their 145 dlr per share\n  offer by the Taft Broadcasting board.\n      Dudley Taft and Narragansett, in a joint statement, said\n  they intend to explore alternatives to achieve the acquisition,\n  including further talks with Taft Broadcasting.\n      They said they are confident that the Taft Broadcasting\n  board will conclude that the resolution of the company's\n  current \"unstable situation\" as quickly as possible is in the\n  best interests of all parties.\n      They said the Taft board did not conclude that their offer\n  was not fair to Taft shareholders.  Taft Broadcasting\n  yesterday, however, said financial advisor Goldman, Sachs and\n  Co found the offer to be inadequate.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HARPER GROUP <HARG> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 24 cts vs 31 cts\n      Net 2,245,000 vs 2,885,000\n      Revs 50.7 mln vs 46.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 9,396,000 vs 9,270,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr 96 cts vs 99 cts\n      Oper net 8,994,000 vs 9,220,000\n      Revs 191.5 mln vs 174.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 9,394,000 vs 9,282,000\n      NOTE: 1985 year net excludes 1,360,000 dlr loss from\n  discontinued operations.\n      Share adjusted for three-for-two stock split.    \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA LEADERS FAIL TO SET PACT ON FREE TRADE\n","article":"  Prime Minister Brian Mulroney said he\n  held \"frank\" discussions with the Canadian province premiers on\n  the pace of free trade talks with the United States, but the\n  longstanding issue of provincial ratification remains to be\n  settled.\n      Speaking to reporters after nearly five hours of meetings\n  with the 10 premiers, Mulroney said further discussions would\n  be held in June and September to discuss the role of the\n  provinces in approving any new trade deal.\n      But he maintained progress was being made in the sweeping\n  talks with the Unites States that got under nearly two years\n  ago.\n      \"It appears reasonable progress is being made (in the\n  talks),\" Mulroney said.\n      Alberta Premier Don Getty agreed, \"Things are running pretty\n  quickly now.\"\n      The talks, launched by Mulroney's Progressive Conservative\n  government after concerns about protectionist sentiment in the\n  U.S., are aimed reducing the remaining barriers between the\n  world's largest trading partnership.\n      But the provinces are expected to play a major role in any\n  new trading arrangement, and some of the provincial leaders\n  complained of a lack of progress on reaching a ratification\n  formula.\n      \"It's my view that we should be thinking about these things\n  right now, along with the questions of the substance of the\n  agreement,\" commented Ontario Premier David Peterson, who has\n  been highly critical of the talks in the past.\n      But Newfoundland Premier Brian Peckford said an agreement\n  was more likely to emerge by consensus and there would be no\n  need for a \"hard and fast formula.\"\n      Peckford said it appears Canada is prepared to make\n  concessions to the United States on financial services in order\n  to make inroads on other bargaining areas, such as agriculture.\n      Canadian published reports, quoting government sources, say\n  the two countries are close to reaching a trade deal and it\n  will involve eliminating border tariffs and many non-tariff\n  barriers over the next 10 to 12 years.\n      A rough draft of the accord is expected to be presented to\n  the premiers at the June meeting while the finished document is\n  hoped to be presented to Congress in October.\n      \"It's a very tight time frame,\" Ontario's Peterson said last\n  night. \"But at this moment it is tough to say what will\n  transpire.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HEALTHSOUTH REHABILITATION CORP <HSRC> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr profit eight cts vs loss 10 cts\n      Net profit 622,000 vs loss 564,000\n      Revs 7,508,000 vs 1,913,000\n      Year\n      Shr profit 15 cts vs loss 28 cts\n      Net profit 933,000 vs loss 1,548,000\n      Revs 19.8 mln vs 4,799,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BALDRIGE OPPOSES JAPANESE PURCHASE OF FIRM\n","article":"  Commerce Secretary Malcolm Baldrige\n  has asked the White House to consider blocking the planned\n  Japanese acquisition of a major U.S. supercomputer and\n  semiconductor manufacturer for national security reasons, U.S.\n  officials said.\n      The officials, who asked not to be named, said yesterday\n  that Baldrige has \"serious concerns\" about the sale of Fairchild\n  Semiconductor Corp. to Fujitsu Ltd., another major electronics\n  firm.\n      The officials told Reuters that if the sale went through it\n  could leave the U.S. military overly dependent on a foreign\n  \/ompany for vital high technology equipment used in its\n  advanced missiles, aircraft electronics and intelligence\n  gathering.\n      In addition, they said, the sale would also worsen the\n  already strained trade relations between the U.S. and Japan\n  stemming from the huge Japanese surplus.\n      The White House Economic Policy Council would consider the\n  sale in the coming weeks, they said.\n      Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger's position was not\n  immediately known but in the past he has opposed the transfer\n  of high technology to foreign governments and companies.\n      Supercomputers made by Fairchild and other U.S.\n  manufacturers are widely used throughout the world, but none\n  have been sold to the Japanese government or to Japanese\n  government-run agencies and universities.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRST UNION <FUNC> ACQUISITION ADVANCES\n","article":"  First Union Corp said\n  shareholders of First North Port Bancorp of Northport, Fla.,\n  have approved a merger into First Union for 40 dlrs per share,\n  or about 5,100,000 dlrs.\n      The company said the acquisition is still subject to\n  regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed during the\n  second quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SWISS SIGHT DEPOSITS RISE 3.10 BILLION FRANCS\n","article":"  Sight deposits by commercial banks at the\n  Swiss National Bank rose by 3.10 billion Swiss francs to 10.53\n  billion in the last 10 days of February, the National Bank\n  said.\n      Foreign exchange reserves fell 3.06 billion francs to 30.64\n  billion.\n      Sight deposits are an important measure of Swiss money\n  market liquidity.\n      The decline in foreign exchange reserves reflected the\n  dismantling of swap arrangements, the National Bank said.\n      Banknotes in circulation rose by 834 mln francs to 24.79\n  billion while other deposits on call - mainly government funds\n  - fell 1.60 billion francs to 1.04 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SAND TECHNOLOGY <SNDCF> MULLING REVERSE SPLIT\n","article":"  Sand Technology Systems Inc said it is\n  considering a reverse stock split of at least one-for-10 and\n  expects to report a second-quarter profit, compared to a loss\n  last year.\n      The stock consolidation \"is something we're discussing, but\n  it's not definite,\" Sand Technology president Jerry Shattner\n  told Reuters in an interview.\n      A private placement recently brought the number of\n  outstanding shares to 106 mln, up from 97.1 mln shares on July\n  31, 1986, the fiscal yearend.\n      \"The company has always had the aura of a penny stock,\"\n  Shattner said, adding that Sand plans, at some time, to apply\n  for listing on the Montreal Stock Exchange.\n      Shattner said the company expects to report a profit of\n  five pct, or about 350,000 dlrs, on sales of seven mln dlrs,\n  for the second quarter ended January 31. Results for the third\n  quarter should be about the same as the second, he added.\n      Last year, Sand lost 243,064 dlrs on revenues of 7,012,195\n  dlrs in the second quarter.\n      After \"a disastrous first quarter,\" Sand hopes to break even\n  in the current fiscal year, Shattner said. The company has\n  scaled back its sales forecast to about 25 mln dlrs, from the\n  33.5 mln dlrs projected in December.\n      The rapid appreciation of the Japanese yen against U.S. and\n  Canadian dollars last year led to Sand's loss of 2.1 mln dlrs,\n  or two cts per share, on sales of 24.9 mln dlrs.\n      In the first fiscal quarter this year, the company lost\n  1,350,387 dlrs, or one ct per share, on sales of 3,570,585\n  dlrs.\n      Shattner believes the company will post better results this\n  year due to several factors.\n      \"Last year, one of our biggest problems was we were buying\n  products in Japanese yen. We now buy some products from Hitachi\n  in U.S. dollars and the results are starting to show up in the\n  second quarter,\" he said.\n      Sand Technology sells, under its trademark, computer\n  accessories such as disk drives, solid-state memory enhancement\n  devices and printers manufactured by Hitachi Ltd <HIT> of\n  Japan.\n      Shattner said Sand's affiliate in Detroit, ST Systems Inc,\n  is developing software that lets large maniframe computers\n  handle large databases and share them between applications.\n      It is also distributing a new product called Sapiens, which\n  is artificial intelligence computer language for use by major\n  corporations.\n      The company has also reduced costs through some staff\n  cutting and a switch to profit sharing plans for sales staff\n  instead of straight commissions, Shattner said.\n      And Sand plans to market a laser printer in the fourth\n  fiscal quarter, Shattner said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<CONCORDE VENTURES INC> IN MERGER AGREEMENT\n","article":"  Concorde Ventures Inc said it has signed\n  a letter of intent to acquire Englewood, Colo., homebuilder\n  Winley Inc for 12 mln common shares.\n      The investment company said after the merger the combined\n  company will have 15 mln shares outstanding.\n      For the year ended January 31, Winley earned 116,000 dlrs\n  pretax on revenues of 11.7 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DUNE RESOURCES <DNLAF> RESERVES ROSE IN 1986\n","article":"  Dune Resources Ltd said its oil\n  reserves increased 225 pct during 1986 while its natural gas\n  reserves were up six pct.\n      The company said its proven oil reserves were estimated at\n  605,682 barrels on December 31, up from 186,655 barrels a year\n  earlier boosted by discoveries during the year put at 423,659\n  barrels.\n      It said gas reserves rose to 8.8 mln cubic feet from 8.3\n  mln on Dec 31, 1985, as discoveries of nearly 1.3 mln cubic\n  feet were partialy offset by production of 287,391 cubic feet\n  and downward revisions of previous estimates totaling 491,694\n  cubic feet.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BORG-WARNER TO SELL INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS BUSINESS FOR ABOUT 240 MLN DLRS\n","article":"\n  BORG-WARNER TO SELL INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS BUSINESS FOR ABOUT 240 MLN DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN ECONOMY MAY BE NEAR BOTTOM, ECONOMISTS SAY\n","article":"  The worst may be just about over for\n  Japan's battered economy but economists said they do not expect\n  a vigorous recovery anytime soon. Japanese bank economists\n  polled by Reuters said the economy's 18 month-old slowdown is\n  likely to end in the first half of this year, helped by rising\n  exports, stepped-up government spending and falling prices. \"The\n  economy will bottom out in the middle of the year,\" said\n  Sumitomo Bank Ltd chief economist, Masahiko Koido.\n      Industrial Bank of Japan Ltd senior economist Susumu\n  Taketomi agreed. \"It (the bottom) is in the offing,\" he said.\n      But he added that the recovery will be slow. Growth in the\n  fiscal year beginning next month will only pick-up 2.2 pct,\n  from two pct in the current year, he said.\n      Signs that the economy has just about weathered the worst\n  are increasing.\n      The volume of exports in the first two months of the year\n  rose slightly on a year-on-year basis, after declining toward\n  the end of last year.\n      Although this may be due to extraordinary factors such as a\n  sharp rise in car exports to rebuild depleted European stocks,\n  several economists said it could mark the beginning of a\n  recovery.\n      Industrial production fell 0.7 pct in January, much smaller\n  than expected, and is forecast by the government to rise 0.3\n  pct in February and 2.6 pct in March. A Bank of Japan survey\n  released last week showed that the decline in Japanese\n  corporate earnings may be nearing its end.\n      And the Paris currency accord last month has fostered hopes\n  the rapid yen rise has come to the end, they said.\n      Six nations - the U.K., Canada, France, Japan, the U.S. And\n  West Germany - pledged in Paris last month to stabilise\n  currencies around current levels.\n      The yen's 40 pct climb against the dollar over the last two\n  years has hit the export-driven economy hard, by forcing its\n  companies to raise prices and lose sales in the U.S. Market.\n      \"The important thing is the exchange rate,\" Taketomi said.\n      If it stabilises firms will grow more confident and raise\n  investment in plant and equipment, although there are no signs\n  of that yet, economists said.\n      A stable yen would also help exporters regain some of their\n  competitive edge just as the U.S economy may be starting to\n  recover, economists said.\n      Domestically, the economy may get a boost from some\n  loosening of the government's tight fiscal policy said Haruo\n  Muto, manager of national economics at the Bank of Tokyo Ltd.\n      The next reading of the economy's health should come early\n  next week with the release of gnp figures for the last quarter,\n  1986.\n      Most private economists expect a rise of about 0.5 pct from\n  the previous quarter. In the third quarter, GNP rose 0.6 pct.\n      But a senior government official said the fourth quarter\n  figures could surprise by showing a rise of more than one point\n  quarter-on-quarter. But he added that would be a statistical\n  aberration and not a significant shift in economic activity.\n      To maintain year-on-year growth of around 2.5 pct, the\n  economy would have had to rise about 1.2 pct in the fourth\n  quarter as the final quarter of 1985 was strong.\n       The rise in the fourth quarter of 1985 was probably a\n  statistical anomaly that was repeated in the final months of\n  1986, the official said.\n      Economists said the fourth quarter figures were also\n  distorted by the government's sale of gold coins in the second\n  half of 1986.\n      Because the coins were classified as legal tender, their\n  purchase did not show up in the statistics on consumer\n  expenditure. Consumer spending also tailed off in December\n  because of bad weather and smaller-than-normal end-year\n  bonuses, they said.\n      As the government had to buy back some of the coins from\n  retailers because they were unsold, the government's\n  contribution to the economy in the fourth quarter may have been\n  boosted, economists said.\n      Taketomi said it may have received a further boost from\n  government buying of farm products as the domestic crop last\n  year was good.\n      The senior government official said the fourth quarter\n  performance of the domestic sector was probably worse than\n  generally expected, while that of the external sector was\n  better.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"QINTEX EXTENDS PRINCEVILLE <PVDC> OFFER\n","article":"  <Qintex America Ltd> said it is again\n  extending its offer of 13 dlrs a share for 3.3 mln Princeville\n  Development Corp shares until today from yesterday.\n      As reported yesterday, Qintex said, about seven mln\n  Princeville shares had been tendered in response to the offer.\n      Qintex said it is extending the offer to allow Princeville\n  to comply with federal law restricting the ownership of U.S.\n  airlines by non-U.S. citizens and to finalize the terms and\n  conditions of the letter of credit or bank guarantee required\n  under the previously announced acquisition agreement.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CORRECTED-NETWORK VIDEO INC <NVID> 3RD QTR\n","article":"  Feb 28 end\n      Shr five cts vs one ct\n      Net 161,019 vs 50,745\n      Revs 1,048,543 vs 478,700\n      Avg shrs 3,217,500 vs 4,350,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 12 cts vs four cts\n      Net 390,179 vs 169,275\n      Revs 2,658,692 vs 1,478,066\n      Avg shrs 3,217,500 vs 4,350,000\n      NOTE: Corrects reversed figures in March 11 item.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":" 2-MAR-1987 09:39:50.97\n","article":"   2-MAR-1987 09:39:50.97\n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BANKERS OPPOSE STRICT TAIWAN CURRENCY CONTROLS\n","article":"  Taiwan imposed currency controls today\n  in what bankers called a desperate move to prevent speculation\n  as the Taiwan dollar appreciated against the U.S. currency.\n      The strict controls will require proof that large\n  remittances to Taiwan are connected to commercial transactions\n  rather than currency speculation.\n      Bankers attacked the controls as ineffective, saying they\n  were a panic reaction to pressure from Washington for faster\n  appreciation of the Taiwan currency against the U.S. dollar,\n  which would slow exports to the United States.\n      Remittances exceeding one mln dlrs earned through exports,\n  shipping, insurance or bank lending will now need government\n  approval, along with remittances of more than 10,000 dlrs from\n  any other source.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SAUDI SUPERTANKER REPORTED HIT BY IRAN OFF UAE\n","article":"  Iran attacked the Saudi Arabian\n  supertanker Arabian Sea off the United Arab Emirates last night\n  but the vessel was able to proceed after the incident, Lloyds\n  Shipping Intelligence reported.\n      The 315,695-dwt Arabian Sea had set sail on Tuesday after\n  loading oil at the Saudi port of Ras Tannurah. Lloyds said the\n  attack occurred at about 2200 hrs local time (1800 GMT).\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN TO RELAX IMPORT CURBS ON MORE GOODS\n","article":"  Taiwan will relax import controls on\n  more foreign goods, a government spokesman said today.\n      The move was to allow greater access to Taiwan markets by\n  overseas trading partners, especially the United States, an\n  official of the Council for Economic Planning and Development\n  told Reuters.\n      Import curbs on about 400 foreign goods, including\n  stationery and books, would soon be relaxed, he said.\n      Taiwan announced it would ease curbs on some 600 farming\n  and industrial products last month.\n      The official said the moves were intended to balance trade\n  between Taiwan and the United States and other trading\n  partners. Taiwan's trade surplus reached a record 15.6 billion\n  dlrs last year, up from 10.62 billion in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. RETAILERS SEE GROWTH IN CONSUMER SPENDING\n","article":"  U.K. Retailers expect consumer spending\n  to accelerate in March after a disappointing increase in\n  February, according to a monthly survey by the Confederation of\n  British Industry (CBI).\n      Fifty-nine pct of the 325 retailers questioned for the\n  latest Distributive Trades Survey expected sales to be higher\n  in March than they were in March 1986, with only six pct\n  expecting lower sales.\n      The chairman of the Distributive Trades Survey Panel, Nigel\n  Whittaker, said a favourable Budget next week would further\n  help sales during the summer.\n      Figures released earlier this week showed retail sales in\n  January fell 2.2 pct, mainly due to exceptionally cold weather.\n      \"Sales did not recover in February as much as retailers had\n  expected, and they are now looking for better business in\n  March,\" today's survey said.\n      It reported clothing stores were the most optimistic, with\n  80 pct expecting sales in March to be higher than a year ago.\n      Wholesalers also expected stronger sales in March, while\n  both retailers and wholesalers reported slower growth in import\n  penetration, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MOST JAPAN FIRMS NOT RENEWING IRAN TERM CONTRACTS\n","article":"  Most Japanese companies have decided not\n  to renew term contracts to lift Iranian crude oil because spot\n  prices remain considerably lower than OPEC's official levels,\n  industry sources said.\n      They said a cargo of the Mideast benchmark crude Dubai\n  traded yesterday at 16.50 dlrs a barrel, compared to its\n  official price of 17.42 dlrs.\n      Only one Japanese company has renewed its term contract for\n  Iranian crude oil for the second quarter, the sources said.\n      The sources said Japanese companies had been lifting a\n  total of about 185,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian crude\n  under term contracts, but only one firm has agreed to lift in\n  the second quarter. It is lifting just 10,000 to 15,000 bpd.\n      They said this move could inspire Iran to offer discounts\n  on cargoes loading in April, but the likelihood of discounts\n  depended largely on the levels of spot prices.\n      \"If the spot price of Dubai goes above 17.30 dlrs we would\n  probably buy Iranian crude at the official price,\" one Japanese\n  refiner said.\n      \"We don't intend to put pressure on them,\" he added.\n      Buyers have little incentive to renew contracts to lift oil\n  at official OPEC prices while spot prices on all grades are\n  considerably lower, oil traders said.\n      They said if spot prices move higher there will be no\n  problem finding OPEC crude to purchase at the official prices.\n  Qatar has chartered floating storage for its crude oil after\n  finding no buyers at official prices in March. The problem is\n  likely to recur in April, adding to that country's surplus.\n      The traders added that Iraq had dissociated itself from\n  OPEC's December production agreement, while agreeing to the\n  fixed prices.\n      But oil analysts said if OPEC keeps group output close to\n  its first-half 1987 ceiling of 15.8 mln bpd, supply and demand\n  would be balanced by the end of the second quarter.\n      They also said if OPEC holds its official price structure\n  based on a reference price of 18 dlrs, spot price fluctuations\n  should be limited to a 16.50 to 17.20 dlrs range for Dubai and\n  a 17 to 18 dlrs range for the North Sea's Brent blend.\n      One Japanese refiner said, \"At the moment there's a lot of\n  pressure on OPEC, particularly on Qatar. But if they hold out\n  there will be no problem, and I'm beginning to trust their\n  ability.\"\n      Nigerian oil minister and OPEC president Rilwanu Lukman\n  told a news conference in Lagos yesterday, \"Nigeria and all\n  member countries of OPEC remain determined to uphold the\n  December agreement by adhering strictly to their various quotas\n  and official selling prices.\"\n      He said OPEC believed consumers had drawn heavily on stocks\n  of both crude oil and refined products, reducing them to levels\n  well below this time last year. He said consumers would soon\n  return to the market in search of crude.\n      A Japanese refiner said, \"The European and U.S. Markets are\n  beginning to look better so OPEC might be quite lucky.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"POSSIS <POSS> VOTES 100 PCT STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Possis Corp said its board approved\n  a 100 pct stock dividend payable May One, record March 27.\n      At the company's annual meeting Wednesday, Possis said\n  shareholders approved a proposal to increase the authorized\n  common shares to 20 mln from eight mln. The company currently\n  has about 3.9 mln shares outstanding.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SEAL INC <SINC> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 29 cts vs 16 cts\n      Net 610,000 vs 329,000\n      Sales 6,714,000 vs 4,582,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DOW CHEMICAL CO <DOW> REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 50 cts vs 50 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TELCO <TELC> DELAYS DEFENSIVE RIGHTS OFFERING\n","article":"  Telco Systems Inc said its plan\n  to distribute a dividend of common stock purchase rights to\n  shareholders of record on March 16 has been delayed pending the\n  completion of necessary regulatory approvals.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CONSOLIDATED TVX SAYS IT WILL ISSUE SHARES TO BUY STAKES IN THREE BRAZIL MINING FIRMS\n","article":"\n  CONSOLIDATED TVX SAYS IT WILL ISSUE SHARES TO BUY STAKES IN THREE BRAZIL MINING FIRMS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CLAYTON AND DUBILIER NEW JOINT UNIT TO BUY FIRM\n","article":"  Clayton and Dubilier Inc and senior\n  management of a unit of Borg-Warner Corp <BOR> said it will\n  form a new company to buy Borg-Warner's industrial products\n  group for about 240 mln dlrs.\n      Borg-Warner industrial products has sales of about 300 mln\n  dlrs from three divisions, which provide advanced technology\n  fluid transfer and control equipment, systems and\n  services worldwide, Clayton said.\n      The new company will have 3,000 employees and be\n  headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., the company said.\n      Peter Valli, vice president of Borg-Warner Corp and\n  president of its industrial products division, will become\n  president and chief executive officer of the new company,\n  according to Clayton.\n      Clayton, a private investment firm, said this was the third\n  mangement buyout of a divestiture completed by them since\n  December 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. HEALTH INC <USHI> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 10 cts vs seven cts\n      Net 1,541,000 vs 1,056,000\n      Revs 20.1 mln vs 17.0 mln\n      1st half\n      Shr 19 cts vs 11 cts\n      Net 2,945,000 vs 1,742,000\n      Revs 38.2 mln vs 35.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"K MART CORP 4TH QTR  SHR 2.11 DLRS VS NINE CTS\n","article":"\n  K MART CORP 4TH QTR  SHR 2.11 DLRS VS NINE CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"UK MONEY MARKET GIVEN FURTHER TWO MLN STG HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it gave the\n  market further assistance of two mln stg during the afternoon,\n  buying that amount of band two bank bills at 10-5\/16 pct.\n      The bank has given the market assistance worth 1.503\n  billion stg today to offset a shortage it estimated at a\n  revised 1.60 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS CO <ESC> 1ST QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr 13 cts vs 15 cts\n      Net 2,193,000 vs 1,918,000\n      Revs 18.2 mln vs 15.2 mln\n      NOTE: Share after preferred dividends.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GENERAL MINING (GENM.J) CAUTIONS ON 1987 PROFITS\n","article":"  General Mining Union Corp Ltd\n  chairman Derek Keys cautioned that profits may not rise this\n  year if the rand stays at its current level of 48 U.S. Cents.\n      \"We would do well to repeat last year's results if the rand\n  stays depressed,\" Keys said.\n      The level of the dividend, however, \"ought not to be\n  affected,\" he added, discussing the 1987 outlook.\n      General Mining earlier reported that 1986 per share\n  earnings rose 28 pct to 616 cts.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COLGATE-PALMOLIVE CO <CL> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div 34 cts vs 34 cts\n      Pay May 15\n      Record April 24\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ISCO INC <ISKO> 2ND QTR ENDS JAN 30 NET\n","article":"  Shr 12 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 414,968 vs 449,533\n      Revs 5,726,722 vs 5,276,627\n      Six mths\n      Shr 23 cts vs 33 cts\n      Net 779,981 vs 1,116,857\n      Revs 11.3 mln vs 11.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CCC REALLOCATES CREDIT GUARANTEES TO EL SALVADOR\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation,\n  CCC, has reallocated two mln dlrs in credit gurantees\n  previously earmarked for sales of U.S. protein meals to cover\n  sales of vegetable oil and tallow to El Salvador, the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department said.\n      The action reduces coverage for sales of protein meals to\n  14 mln dlrs from 16 mln dlrs and creates new lines of one mln\n  dlrs for tallow and\/or greases and one mln dlrs for vegetable\n  oils, the department said.\n      All sales under the credit guarantee lines must be\n  registered and exported by Sepember 30, 1987, it said.\n      The guarantee rates include a charge to provide for a\n  yearly interest rate coverage of up to 4.5 pct on the\n  guaranteed value, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ICO PRODUCERS TO PRESENT NEW COFFEE PROPOSAL\n","article":"  International Coffee Organization, ICO,\n  producing countries will present a proposal for reintroducing\n  export quotas for 12 months from April 1 with a firm\n  undertaking to try to negotiate up to September 30 any future\n  quota distribution on a new basis, ICO delegates said.\n      Distribution from April 1 would be on an unchanged basis as\n  in an earlier producer proposal, which includes shortfall\n  redistributions totalling 1.22 mln bags, they said.\n      Resumption of an ICO contact group meeting with consumers,\n  scheduled for this evening, has been postponed until tomorrow,\n  delegates said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WHITTAKER CORP <WKR> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 17 cts vs 25 cts\n      Qtly div 15 cts vs 15 cts prior\n      Oper net 1,522,000 vs 3,501,000\n      Sales 98.0 mln vs 86.3 mln\n      NOTE: Prior year net excludes loss from discontinued\n  operations of 1,817,000 dlrs.\n      Company said common shares outstanding down significantly\n  to 7,814,000, reflecting retirement of about 5,200,000 shares\n  since start of restructurining in August 1986.\n      Dividend pay April 30, record April 16.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BORG-WARNER <BOR> TO SELL UNIT FOR 240 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  Borg-Warner Corp said it agreed to sell\n  its industrial products group to <Clayton and Dubilier Inc>\n  and senior management of the group, for about 240 mln dlrs.\n      Clayton and Dubilier is a New York-based private investment\n  firm, which has completed two other management-led buyout\n  transactions since December 1986.\n      Borg-Warner's industrial products group, based in Long\n  Beach, California, has sales of about 300 mln dlrs and employs\n  about 3,000 staff.\n      Its businesses include standard and custom engineered\n  centrifugal pumps and mechanical seals for the petroleum\n  industry and advanced controls for the aerospace and defense\n  industries.\n      The sale is part of Borg-Warner's planned restructuring.\n      the proposed sale is subject to approval by Borg-Warner's\n  directors, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PANAMANIAN WHEAT SHIP STILL GROUNDED OFF SYRIA\n","article":"  The Panamanian bulk carrier Juvena is\n  still aground outside Tartous, Syria, despite discharging 6,400\n  tons of its 39,000-ton cargo of wheat, and water has entered\n  the engine-room due to a crack in the vessel bottom, Lloyds\n  Shipping Intelligence Service said.\n      The Juvena, 53,351 tonnes dw, ran aground outside Tartous\n  port basin breakwater on February 25 in heavy weather and rough\n  seas.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GUARDIAN-MORTON SHULMAN AGREES TO TAKEOVER BID\n","article":"  <Guardian-Morton Shulman Precious\n  Metals Inc> said Morton Shulman and Guardman Investment\n  Management Services Inc agreed in principle for Andrew Sarlos\n  to make a takeover bid for all special shares and series II\n  warrants of Guardian-Morton, subject to regulatory approval and\n  completion of definitive documentation.\n      Guardman Investment, current manager and owner of all\n  common shares of Guardian-Morton, also agreed to sell the\n  common and its management agreement to a company controlled by\n  Sarlos if the takeover bid is successful, Guardian-Morton said.\n      Price to be offered for the Guardian-Morton special shares\n  under the takeover bid will be 90 pct of the net asset value of\n  the special shares at the time of the bid, and two dlrs for\n  each series II warrant, the company said.\n      Guardian-Morton said the takeover bid will be conditional\n  on Sarlos acquiring at least 90 pct of the special shares and\n  90 pct of the series II warrants, when combined the number of\n  special shares and warrants owned by the offeror at the time of\n  the bid.\n      Investment companies managed by Sarlos currently own\n  slightly less than 10 pct of Guardian-Morton's special shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"K MART CORP <KM> 4TH QTR JAN 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 2.11 dlrs vs nine cts\n      Net 285,000,000 vs 10,500,000\n      Revs 7.35 billion vs 6.76 billion\n      Avg shrs 134,300,000 vs 131,600,000\n      Year\n      Shr 4.35 dlrs vs 1.73 dlrs\n      Net 582,300,000 vs 221,200,000\n      Revs 24.13 billion vs 22.33 billion\n      Avg shrs 134,300,000 vs 131,600,000\n      NOTE: Latest year earnings include a loss in each period of\n  16.4 mln dlrs, or 12 cts a share, for a premium paid in the\n  early call of a 250 mln dlr 12.75 pct 30-year debenture\n      Earnings include a gain from discontinued operations of\n  30.8 mln dlrs, or 23 cts a share vs a loss of 238.9 mln dlrs,\n  or 1.82 dlrs a share in the quarter and a gain of 28.4 mln\n  dlrs, or 21 cts a share vs a gain of 472.0 mln dlrs, or 3.64\n  dlrs a share for the year\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HOG AND CATTLE SLAUGHTER GUESSTIMATES\n","article":"  Chicago Mercantile Exchange floor\n  traders and commission house representatives are guesstimating\n  today's hog slaughter at about 290,000 to 310,000 head versus\n  309,000 week ago and 328,000 a year ago.\n      Cattle slaughter is guesstimated at about 128,000 to\n  131,000 head versus 129,000 week ago and 127,000 a year ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VAN OMMEREN ACQUIRES DUTCH GAS CONTAINER UNIT\n","article":"  Dutch shipping and transport group\n  PHS Van Ommeren NV <OMMN.AS> said it has taken over a small\n  Dutch gas container firm as a first step in establishing a\n  world-wide gas container organisation.\n      The firm, Liquid and Gas Transport BV (LGT), employs 10\n  people and has a fleet of 200 gas containers.\n      Van Ommeren will shortly open an office in Singapore and\n  expand its facilities in Houston to establish the gas container\n  network.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DORCHESTER HUGOTON LTD <DHULZ> RAISES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs eight cts prior\n      Pay April 16\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INTERNATIONAL AMERICAN <HOME> SETS ACQUISITION\n","article":"  International American Homes inc\n  said it has contracted to acquire <Diversified Shelter Group\n  Ltd> for about 11,850,000 dlrs to be paid 73 pct in cash and 27\n  pct in International American common stock to be valued on a 30\n  day trading average prior to closing.\n      It said the price is based on Diversified's estimated 3.2\n  mln dlrs pro forma pre-tax earnings for 1986 after adjustment\n  for certain non-continuing expenses. Diversified, a developer\n  of single family housing in the Atlanta market, had 1986\n  revenues of about 25.3 mln dlrs. The acquisition if subject to\n  International American arranging financing.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC COMMISSION HAS OPEN ATTITUDE ON STEEL QUOTAS\n","article":"  The EC Commission said it was\n  adopting an \"open attitude\" about whether a system of production\n  quotas should remain for the indefinite future on heavy steel\n  products which account for about 45 pct of all EC steel goods.\n      In a statement, the Commission reiterated its view that the\n  industry needs to lose between 25 and 30 mln tonnes of capacity\n  by 1990. It had previously said the quota system, started in\n  1980, should be wound up completely by the end of next year.\n      The industry has argued for the maintenance of existing\n  quotas, which cover almost 70 pct of all output, saying almost\n  all steelmakers are losing money due to the depressed market.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PRECISION AEROTECH INC <PAR> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 16 cts vs two cts\n      Oper net 467,000 vs 52,000\n      Sales 8,954,000 vs 6,338,000\n      Avg shrs 2,939,459 vs 1,979,916\n      Nine mths\n      Oper shr 45 cts vs 18 cts\n      Oper net 1,068,000 vs 387,000\n      Sales 24.5 mln vs 19.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,299,764 vs 1,979,916\n      NOTE: Current year net both periods excludes 176,000 dlr\n  gain from retirement of notes.\n      Backlog 30.8 mln vs 26.7 mln at start of fiscal year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GUARDIAN NATIONAL INSURANCE CO LTD <GARJ J> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 100.6 cts vs 76.9 cts\n      Final div 40 cts vs 32 making 58 cts vs 50\n      Pre-tax 14.17 mln rand vs 8.85 mln\n      Net 10.06 mln vs 7.69 mln\n      Tax 4.10 mln vs 1.16 mln\n      Gross premiums 210.16 mln vs 178.69 mln\n      Net premiums written 143.99 mln vs 123.88 mln\n      Underwriting loss 1.78 mln vs loss 6.25 mln\n      Div pay April 10, register March 27.\n      Note - period year to December 31 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DATAMETRICS CORP <DMCZ> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr diluted five cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 278,780 vs 442,532\n      Revs 5,101,747 vs 4,293,393\n      Avg shrs diluted 6,050,968 vs 3,414,145\n      NOTE: Net includes tax credits of 123,500 dlrs vs 179,000\n  dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"STOP AND SHOP COS INC <SHP> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 1.80 dlrs vs 1.46 dlrs\n      Oper net 25.0 mln vs 20.2 mln\n      Sales 1.09 billion vs 996.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 13.9 mln vs 13.8 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 3.20 dlrs vs 2.57 dlrs\n      Oper net 44.4 mln vs 35.4 mln\n      Sales 3.87 billion vs 3.43 billion\n      Avg shrs 13.9 mln vs 13.8 mln\n      NOTES: Operating net excludes losses of 12.1 mln dlrs, or\n  87 cts a share, vs 321,000 dlrs, or two cts a share, in quarter\n  and 6.0 mln dlrs, or 43 cts a share, vs 5.1 mln dlrs, or 37 cts\n  a share, from discontinued operations. This includes provision\n  in latest quarter of 12.2 mln dlrs for closing of Almys\n  Department Store Co.\n      Operating net in latest quarter and year includes 750,000\n  dlrs charge for restructuring announced in early January\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"WIENER ENTERPRISES INC <WPB> YEAR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 60 cts vs 85 cts\n      Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Net 1,407,000 vs 1,996,000\n      Sales 75.4 mln vs 58.2 mln\n      NOTE: Dividend pay April 16, record April Nine\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"K MART <KM> SAYS RECORD 1986 NET \"TURNING POINT\"\n","article":"  K Mart Corp said its record fiscal\n  1986 net earnings of 582.3 mln dlrs, a rise from 221.2 mln dlrs\n  a year ago, marked a \"major turning point\" for the world's\n  second biggest retailer.\n      K Mart said the earnings rise for the fourth quarter ended\n  January 28 to 285 mln dlrs from 10.5 mln dlrs resulted from \n  \"merchandising, refurbishing and expense control.\"\n      A year ago, K Mart took a charge of 239 mln dlrs for\n  discontinued operations. Earnings from continuing retail\n  operations in the quarter totalled 270 mln dlrs or 2.00 dlrs a\n  share compared with 249.4 mln dlrs or 1.91 dlrs a year ago.\n      K Mart Chairman Bernard Fauber said \"the success of these\n  programs is better illustrated by the strong 35.9 pct increase\n  in 1986 income from continuing operations before income taxes\n  to 1.03 billion dlrs, the first time K Mart Corp has reached\n  this milestone.\"\n      Sales for the 1986 fiscal year reached a record 23.8\n  billion dlrs, an 8.1 pct rise from 22.04 billion dlrs the prior\n  year. K Mart said 1985 was restated to account for discontinued\n  operations. Comparable store sales rose 5.5 pct in 1986 over\n  1985, it said.\n      Fauber said the sales growth came from greater consumer\n  acceptance of K Mart's apparel merchandise, \"a marked increase\n  in hardline merchandise sales and a growing contribution from\n  specialty retailing operations.\"\n      K Mart said its fourth quarter pre-tax income from\n  continuing operations was 493 mln dlrs, a 32.3 pct gain from\n  372.6 mln dlrs last year. It said sales in the period grew 8.8\n  pct to 7.23 billion dlrs from a restated 6.65 billion dlrs in\n  1985 with comparable store sales up 4.7 pct.\n      K Mart said its effective tax rate rose in 1986 to 44.6 pct\n  from 37.6 pct in 1985. But it said selling, general and\n  administrative expense eased to 23.2 pct of sales from 23.7 pct\n  in 1985.\n      \"Our performance in 1986 marks a major turning point for K\n  Mart,\" Fauber said in a statement.\n      \"In the years immediately prior to 1986, we focused on\n  changing the look of our stores and the structure of the\n  company.\"\n      K Mart, he said, committed billion of dollars for store\n  remodeling and installing a centralized point of sale system,\n  upgraded its merchandise mix, acquired three large specialty\n  retailers, divested underperforming businesses and restructured\n  its long-term debt.\n      \"We were forced to pay a temporary price in the form of\n  slower earnings growth and a lower rating by the investment\n  community. However, beginning with the fourth quarter of 1985,\n  our improved performance is proof that our approach is correct\n  for the long term,\" the K Mart chairman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DAINIPPON INK TO INVEST IN QUIXOTE <QUIX>\n","article":"  Quixote Corp said Dainippon Ink and\n  Chemicals Inc of Japan will buy 526,315 shares of Quixote\n  common stock, a 6.7 pct stake, for 10 mln dlrs, or 19 dlrs a\n  share.\n      It said the two companies also agreed to share the results\n  of their research and development activities in optical disc\n  technology.\n      Dainippon Inc's optical disc technology focuses on the\n  development of a new Direct-Read-After-Write optical disc and\n  an advanced erasable optical disc.\n      Quixote said its wholly owned subsidiary, LaserVideo Inc,\n  is making advancements in the art of mastering and\n  manufacturing Compact Discs, CD-ROMs and laser-read videodiscs.\n      Quixote said the agreement with Dainippon, which has annual\n  sales of more than two billion dlrs, provides for a Dainippon\n  representative to sit on the LaserVideo board of directors.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CIRCUIT CITY STORES INC <CC> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 1-1\/2 cts vs 1-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 30\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"KNOLL TO BUY AMERICAN SAVINGS <AAA> SHARES\n","article":"  American Savings and Loan Association of\n  Florida said <Knoll International Holdings Inc> has offered to\n  purchase 500,000 new shares of American Savings for 10 mln\n  dlrs, and the board has accepted Knoll's offer.\n      Knoll already owns 796,413 shares or 9.9 pct of American\n  Savings.\n      American Savings said the purchase will resolve a\n  previously-announced disagreement between American Savings and\n  the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta on the replacement of the\n  capital American Savings used to repurchase common shares in\n  January 1985 from former chairman Marvin L. Warner.\n      It said completion of the transaction would give Knoll 15\n  pct ownership in American Savings.\n      American Savings said Knoll also had talks with chairman of\n  the executive committee Shepard Broad and chairman Morris Broad\n  on the purchase of their American Savings shares as well at 20\n  dlrs each but no agreement was reached.\n      American Savings said The company said Knoll's offer to buy\n  the new shares is not conditioned on other purchase of common\n  stock from any person or entity.\n      It said its previously-announced engagement of Salomon Inc\n  <SB> to evaluate alternatives to enhance shareholder values,\n  including the possible sale of American Savings, is still being\n  actively pursued.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JIM WALTER CORP <JWC> REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 35 cts vs 35 cts in prior qtr\n      Payable April one\n      Record March 14\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"IGENE BIOTECHNOLOGY <IGNE> FINDS CROP LOSS AID\n","article":"  IGENE Biotechnology Inc said its\n  research teams at Auburn and Hebrew universities have found its\n  patented pesticide is highly effective in combating a disease\n  reponsible for approximately three billion dlrs in annual crop\n  losses.\n      The company said it learned ClandoSan controls nematodes,\n  deadly plant pathogens formerly controlled by now-banned\n  synthetic chemicals.\n      Varieties of the deadly disease attack major cash crops\n  such as cotton, vegetables, orchard trees, citrus fruits, and\n  garden plants, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PHILLIPS <P> TO EMPHASIZE CASH FLOW TO PARE DEBT\n","article":"  Phillips Petroleum Co will emphasize\n  improving its short-term cash flow this year to pare its debt,\n  C.J. \"Pete\" Silas, chairman, told Reuters in an interview.\n      \"Our priority is to get cash flow increased from the assets\n  already installed,\" he said, but he declined to estimate annual\n  cash flow for 1987.\n      Analysts estimate Phillips\" cash flow at over one billion\n  dlrs for 1987, while long term debt, which resulted from\n  restructuring to find off corporate raiders in 1985, hovers\n  about 5.9 billion dlrs as of December 1986.\n       Silas said Phillips hope to achieve its goal by raising\n  the capital expenditures budget to develop its oil and gas\n  properties.\n      \"We plan to develop the properties with short-term high cash\n  flow prospects,\" he said. He projected a capital expenditure\n  budget of 730 mln dlrs, up from the 1986 expenditure of 655 mln\n  dlrs.\n      Nearly half of that will be spent on exploration and\n  production, and most of that will be spend overseas, Silas\n  said.\n      \"Phillips' top priority in 1987 will be to get the\n  waterflooding in Norway and jack up the (Ekofisk) oil fields to\n  improve our ability to extract oil and increase earnings,\" Silas\n  said.\n       Phillips estimates that the project, which is expected to\n  cost 1.5 billion dlrs, will increase recovery by 170 mln gross\n  barrels of oil over a period of 24 years.\n      Phillips is also pursue opportunities in China where Silas\n  said he was seeking \"a modification of terms with the Chinese\n  government to make oil discoveries (in the offshore Xijang\n  fields) commercially viable.\"\n      In the U.S. Silas said Phillips hopes to get the Point\n  Arguello, Calif., field started up by the fourth quarter. \"We\n  expect to start up the first platform then,\" Silas said.\n      But emphasis on short-term cash flow has also forced the\n  company to part with several oil and gas assets.\n      Phillips sold its interests in the T-Block in the U.K.\n  North Sea and U.S. reserves totaling about 1.3 billion dlrs in\n  1986 as part of a two billion dlrs asset sales program that is\n  now completed, Silas said.\n       \"We sold high cost producing assets. They were not good\n  value for us but possibly so for someone else,\" Silas said.\n      Silas said the 1986 assets sales will not affect earnings\n  for the company.\n      \"Everything we are doing is to manage our cash flow and we\n  are using that to manage our debt. Even the asset sales, while\n  regrettable, were necessary to reduce debt,\" Silas said.\n      He said no asset sales are planned this year as long as oil\n  prices don't fall sharply lower and stay at lower levels  for\n  several months. \"Then, everyone would be looking at sales (of\n  assets), and we're no different from the others,\" Silas said.\n      In other areas, Silas looks for improved earnings from\n  Phillips chemical operations, which provided 299 mln dlrs in\n  earnings for 1986, up from 219 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      \"This was our second best year pushed by a good supply and\n  demand balance for products, low feedstocks and energy costs\n  for our operations,\" Silas said, \"In 1987 we think the market's\n  supply and demand balance will be just as good but feedstock\n  and energy costs will rise due to price recovery.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MERRILL LYNCH<MER> CANADA MULLS BUYING BROKER\n","article":"  Merrill Lynch Canada Inc, wholly owned\n  by Merrill Lynch and Co, is considering acquiring another\n  Canadian securities company as the result of federal and\n  provincial government moves to lift investment dealer ownership\n  restrictions on June 30, according to a published report.\n      \"We're talking to a number of people,\" Merrill Lynch Canada\n  deputy chairman E. Duff Scott told The Toronto Star. \"Whether\n  we're going to do something, I don't know,\" he said.\n      A Merrill Lynch Canada spokesman declined to comment on the\n  newspaper report when queried.\n      Scott did not disclose which investment dealers Merrill\n  Lynch Canada was considering acquiring, but the Toronto Star\n  quoted unidentified industry sources as saying serious\n  discussions have already been held with Burns Fry Ltd.\n      Burns Fry chairman Jack Lawrence told the newspaper the\n  investment dealer has not made a final decision, but was\n  examining \"three or four alternatives.\"\n      Discussions between brokers about possible mergers is to be\n  expected pending industry deregulation, one investment industry\n  source, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.\n      \"It's silly not to take a look (at making a merger or\n  acquisition). If you're a businessman, you have to take a look,\"\n  the industry source said.\n      Under federal and provincial government regulations\n  expected to be in place by June 30, banks, trust companies and\n  foreign companies will be allowed to acquire existing\n  investment dealers or establish their own securities\n  subsidiaries.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MOST AMERICAN AGGREGATES <AMAG> STOCK ACQUIRED\n","article":"  <Consolidated Gold Fields\n  PLC>'s ARC America Corp subsidiary said it has acquired\n  7,521,643 American Aggregates Corp shares, about 95 pct of\n  those outstanding, as a result of its tender offer which\n  expired February 27.\n      As soon as is practicable, ARC America will acquire\n  American Aggregates, converting the company's remaining shares\n  into the right to receive 30.625 dlrs a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BIOTECH CAPITAL <BITC> TO BUY MAGAZINE\n","article":"  Biotech Capital Corp said it agreed to\n  buy High Technology magazine from the Goldhirsh Group of\n  Boston.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      The magazine publishes information about emerging\n  technologies and their impact on business. It has a circulation\n  of 200,000 and is the largest of its kind in the world, the\n  company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PAKISTAN'S TRADE DEFICIT NARROWS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Pakistan's trade deficit narrowed to\n  2.64 billion rupees (provisional) in February 1987 from 2.85\n  billion (final) in January and compared with 2.94 billion in\n  February 1986, the Federal Bureau of Statistics figures show.\n      Exports fell to 5.04 billion rupees (provisional) in\n  February from 5.34 billion (final) in January and compared with\n  3.90 billion in February 1986.\n      Imports fell to 7.68 billion rupees (provisional) in\n  February from 8.19 billion (final) in January and compared with\n  6.84 billion in February 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CORRECTED-INSITUFORM OF NORTH AMERICA INC<INSUA>\n","article":"  4th qtr\n      Shr nine cts vs four cts\n      Net 658,159 vs 299,930\n      Revs 3,770,341 vs 2,614,224\n      Avg shrs 7,382,802 vs 6,747,442\n      Year\n      Oper shr 33 cts vs 18 cts\n      Oper net 2,287,179 vs 1,045,799\n      Revs 13.1 mln vs 8,577,853\n      Avg shrs 6,874,505 vs 5,951,612\n      NOTE: 1985 year net excludes 13,000 dlr tax credit.\n      Corrects March 11 item to exclude tax credit\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DIAGNOSTIC <DRS> MAKES A BID FOR ROSPATCH <RPCH>\n","article":"  Diagnostic Retrieval Systems Inc\n  said it has made an offer to acquire, through a wholly owned\n  unit, all outstanding shares of Rospatch Corp's common stock\n  for 22 dlrs a share cash, or about 53 mln dlrs.\n      DRS, a warfare systems producer, said it would make the\n  transaction through a cash tender offer for all, but not less\n  than 51 pct, of Rospatch's outstanding common stock followed by\n  a merger with Rospatch, a labels, high technology and wood\n  producer, at the same purchase price per share.\n      DRS said the deal is subject to approval by the Rospatch\n  board, and the tender offer expires on March 6, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COLGATE-PALMOLIVE CO <CL> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 34 cts vs 34 cts prior\n      Pay May 15\n      Record April 24\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CO-OPERATIVE BANCORP <COBK> RAISES QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 12-1\/2 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WILCOX AND GIBBS INC <WG> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Semi div 7-1\/2 cts vs 7-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SAUDI OUTPUT SAID AT YEAR LOW TO HELP OPEC\n","article":"  Saudi Arabian oil output has fallen to\n  its lowest level in more than a year, giving fresh evidence of\n  the kingdom's determination to keep oil prices at 18 dlrs a\n  barrel, as agreed by Opec last December, oil industry sources\n  said.\n      They said Saudi output in the first eight days of March\n  averaged 2.6 mln barrels per day (bpd) including oil from the\n  neutral zone shared with Kuwait, compared to a February average\n  of 3.5 mln bpd.\n      They said Saudi Arabia was also selling oil from its crude\n  oil stocks in tankers around the world, which OPEC says must be\n  counted towards a member's production quota. Saudi Arabia's\n  quota is 4.133 mln bpd.\n      The lower production levels indicated Saudi Arabia, the\n  world\"s largest oil exporter, was insisting on getting Opec\n  official prices, even at the cost of lower production, the\n  sources said.\n      King Fahd reiterated yesterday, in an interview with\n  Reuters and the television news agency Visnews, the Saudi\n  commitment to OPEC's December pact to boost oil prices to an\n  average 18 dlrs.\n      \"Saudi Arabia is completely sticking to OPEC decisions,\" he\n  said.\n      The sources said the kingdom's exports from Gulf ports\n  averaged one mln bpd during the eight days ending last Sunday,\n  down from a February average of 1.9 mln bpd.\n      They said Saudi Arabia was allowing production to fluctuate\n  with lifting nominations and was not trying to maintain\n  artificially high levels by putting oil into storage.\n      The kingdom's main buyers, the four U.S. Oil firms with\n  past stakes in the national oil company Aramco -- Mobil, Exxon,\n  Texaco and Chevron -- enjoy considerable flexibility in the\n  timing and volume of their liftings but are bound to pay\n  official prices, the sources said.\n      Spot market prices have firmed in the past two weeks but\n  still remain below OPEC levels and major buyers have delayed\n  liftings in the hope they would improve, the sources said.\n      They expected low early March output to pick up towards the\n  end of the month as buyers sought to fulfill their contractual\n  obligations.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"LEADER <LDCO> BUYS PETROSURANCE STAKE\n","article":"  Leader Development Corp said it\n  has purchased 300,000 shares of convertible preferred stock in\n  <Petrosurance Inc> for 1,500,000 dlrs in cash and real estate.\n      Petrosurance specializes in property and casualty insurance\n  for the oil industry.\n      Leader said the stock is convertible into a Petrosurance\n  common. Leader said it already owns 12.5 pct of Petrorusrance\n  and conversion would give it about 45.0 pct.\n      The company said Petrosurance will use the sale proceeds to\n  support growth and improve the structure of its reinsurance\n  treaties to retain a larger part of premiums written.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"RECORD N.Z. FUTURES VOLUMES TRADED IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  The volume of contracts traded on the\n  New Zealand Futures Exchange (NZFE) reached a record 25,559\n  contracts in February, the International Commodities Clearing\n  House (ICCH) said.\n      The previous high was 22,583 contracts in December 1986.\n      The ICCH said the value of the contracts traded in February\n  was 2.90 billion N.Z. Dlrs.\n      The seven contracts currently traded on the NZFE are:\n  five-year government bonds, the share price index, 90-day bank\n  bills, 90-day prime commercial paper, the U.S. Dollar,\n  crossbred wool, and wheat.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FEDERAL REALTY INVESTMENT TRUST <FRT> IN PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 27 cts vs 27 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 25\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WHITE HOUSE WELCOMES RETAIL SALES FIGURES\n","article":"  The White House welcomed the\n  February retail sales figures showing a 4.1 pct rise, following\n  a slow performance in January.\n      Spokesman Marlin Fitzwater told reporters: \"The February\n  sales growth was broad-based and good news for the economy.\"\n      Commerce Department figures showed a larger than expected\n  rise following depressed levels of sales and factory orders in\n  January.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BEAUTICONTROL COSMETICS INC <BUTI> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends Feb 28\n      Shr 10 cts vs 17 cts\n      Net 411,275 vs 584,118\n      Revs 4,977,818 vs 4,714,581\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OLD DOMINION SYSTEMS INC <ODSI> 1ST QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr loss 11 cts vs profit five cts\n      Net loss 279,726 vs profit 76,591\n      Revs 1,300,000 vs 2,200,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SWEDEN SETS OCTOBER DEADLINE FOR S.AFRICA BOYCOTT\n","article":"  Sweden announced its promised program\n  of unilateral economic sanctions against South Africa and gave\n  firms an October deadline to cut trading links.\n      Foreign Trade Minister Anita Gradin said a trade boycott of\n  South Africa and neighbouring Namibia would take effect from\n  July 1, followed by a three-month period of grace to give\n  companies time to wind down their operations.\n      From October 1, no direct trade would be allowed in either\n  direction, with certain exceptions covering medical supplies\n  and printed matter, Gradin told a news conference.\n      She said exceptions would also be granted in cases where a\n  Swedish trade boycott would benefit South African firms and\n  disadvantage South Africa's black-ruled neighbours, the\n  front-line states.\n      Gradin cautioned that legislation upon which the boycott\n  would be based was not impossible to get round. She said a\n  parliamentary committee would investigate ways of closing some\n  of the bigger loopholes, including indirect trade with South\n  Africa via Swedish subsidiaries in third countries.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FIDELITY NATIONAL FINANCIAL INC <FNF> 1ST QTR\n","article":"  Jan 31 end\n      Shr profit 49 cts vs loss not given\n      Net profit 1,360,000 vs loss 241,000\n      Revs 20.8 mln vs 14.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,760,000 vs 1,970,000\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BRITISH TELECOM CAUTIOUS ON EARNINGS PROSPECTS\n","article":"  British Telecommunications Plc's <BTY.L>\n  profit growth prospects for the coming years will be reduced by\n  increasing competition and continued costs for replacing old\n  telephone systems, deputy chairman Graeme Odgers said.\n      Speaking at a news conference on the third quarter results\n  which were released earlier today, Odgers said the company\n  faced heavy costs for installing new digital telephone systems\n  in Britain for three to five years.\n      He said <Mercury Communications Ltd>, a Cable and Wireless\n  Plc <CAWL.L> subsidiary, was becoming a significant competitor.\n      Odgers said Mercury was seeking to make inroads into some\n  of British Telecom's most profitable areas.\n      One company official privately estimated that British\n  Telecom still had a 99 pct share of the U.K. Telecommunications\n  market but feared that this could slip to 95 or 90 pct.\n      The recent two-and-a-half-week engineering strike, which\n  lead to some disruption in service, could well have encouraged\n  clients to consider using the Mercury system, Odgers said.\n      However, he forecast that the last quarter's results\n  overall should not be adversely affected by the walkout.\n      He calculated salary savings as a result of the strike at\n  50 mln stg and while loss of income on telephone calls should\n  be limited revenue probably dropped on peripheral activities.\n      But on balance Odgers said that group's financial strength,\n  economies of scale and the fact that it operates in a growth\n  industry will help produce annual profit increases for the\n  forseeable future.\n      British Telecom will also seek to expand into\n  manufacturing, he said, adding that research and development\n  expenditure will rise both in terms of value and compared with\n  the current proportion of two pct of overall turnover.\n      Analysts said the company's downbeat forecasts helped\n  shares dip to 242p in mid-afternoon, down 4p from yesterday's\n  close and off an early high of 248p.\n      Philip Augar of stockbrokers Wood Mackenzie and Co Ltd said\n  the market expects slower profit growth, but forecast a seven\n  to eight pct rise in both earnings per share and pretax profit\n  over the next two years. In the 1985\/86 financial year, pre-tax\n  profit rose to 1.81 billion stg from 1.48 billion.\n      Augar noted that a government-imposed formula linking\n  charges to inflation meant that the company's scope for raising\n  prices was limited as long as inflation remains low.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NO NEAR TERM BRAZIL COFFEE MOVES EXPECTED\n","article":"  The Brazilian Coffee Institute,\n  IBC, is unlikely to disclose its future export policy until the\n  end of next week at the earliest, trade sources said.\n      IBC president Jorio Dauster is meeting government\n  ministers, producers, exporters and market analysts to assess\n  Brazil's position in the light of the failure of talks in\n  London earlier this month to set new International Coffee\n  Organization, ICO, export quotas.\n      \"The failure of the talks means Brazil has got to rethink\n  its position completely,\" one Santos exporter said.\n      A meeting of the National Coffee Policy Council is set for\n  Thursday, March 19, and Dauster will almost certainly explain\n  his plan to members then before announcing any new measures.\n      Dauster told reporters on his return from London last week\n  that no decisions would be made on exports before he had held\n  talks with all sectors of the industry.\n      Exporters said Dauster is not under any great pressure to\n  start marketing coffee immediately. World prices have been\n  recovering from the lows which followed the collapse of the ICO\n  talks and Brazil has sold a reasonable 5.5 mln bags of 60 kilos\n  for export in the first four months of this year.\n      The exporters said the key factor in the eventual opening\n  of May and June export registrations will be the amount at\n  which the contribution quota is set.\n      With little expectation of other sales incentive mechanisms\n  such as discounts, bonuses and price fall guarantees being\n  introduced, the level of the quota will be decisive in\n  determining the competitiveness of Brazilian coffee on world\n  markets, they said.\n      They noted that on February 16, the eve of a planned\n  increase in the quota, April registrations were opened and\n  closed after 1.68 mln bags were registered for export, a record\n  amount for a single day.\n      If May\/June registrations are opened under similar\n  conditions as before, Brazil would have no difficulty in\n  selling at least 2.0 mln bags per month.\n      \"The problem would be how to limit sales,\" one exporter said.\n      Brazil's present foreign trade and payments problems mean\n  there are pressures from the government to boost exports to\n  maximise foreign exchange earnings.\n      However, the sources said they expect the IBC to adopt a\n  marketing strategy aimed at regaining Brazil's dominant\n  position as an exporter, but without causing a price war.\n      General opinion among exporters was that Brazil would plan\n  to export between 17 and 18 mln bags this year of which between\n  1.5 and 2.0 mln would be to non-members of the ICO.\n      The 15.5 mln to 16 mln bags sold to members would be around\n  the figure Brazil had offered to ship if ICO quotas were\n  reintroduced, although Dauster has said this offer expired with\n  the breakdown of talks.\n      With the prospects of a crop of at least 28 mln bags this\n  year, Brazil has the capacity to export up to 20 mln bags after\n  meeting local consumption of around 7.0 mln, the sources added.\n      However, the sources said Brazil is unlikely even to\n  consider exporting such quantities, as this would almost\n  inevitably lead to a fall in world prices as Brazil tried to\n  encroach on other producers' markets.\n      Maximum export earnings would be achieved by orderly\n  marketing of traditional amounts, thus re-establishing Brazil's\n  market share after last year's unusually low exports of 9.9 mln\n  bags, enabling it to rebuild stocks and maintaining cordial\n  relations with the producer group which backed Brazil's stance\n  at the ICO talks, they added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TENNEY ENGINEERING INC <TNY> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr two cts vs nine cts\n      Net 86,469 vs 325,937\n      Revs 5,119,637 vs 6,390,995\n      12 mths\n      Shr 10 cts vs 33 cts\n      Net 354,820 vs 1,148,476\n      Revs 21.2 mln vs 23.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED NOT EXPECTED TO ADD RESERVES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve is not expected to\n  intervene in the government securities market today, several\n  economists said.\n      They said the Fed does not have a much of an adding need\n  this week and may wait until tomorrow or Monday before\n  supplying reserves.\n      But a few economists said there was an outside chance that\n  the Fed may inject reserves indirectly via a small round of\n  customer repurchase agreements.\n      Federal funds hovered at 6-1\/8 pct this morning after\n  averaging 6.32 pct yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MODERN CONTROLS INC <MOCON> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 10 cts vs 11 cts\n      Net 226,000 vs 236,000\n      Sales 1.3 mln vs 1.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 38 cts vs 45 cts\n      Net 819,000 vs 1,001,000\n      Sales 5.8 mln vs 6.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INSTINET <INET> SETS MEETING ON MERGER\n","article":"  Instinet Corp said its board has\n  scheduled a special shareholders' meeting for May 21 to vote on\n  its proposed merger into Reuters Holdings PLC <RTRSY>.\n      It said shareholders of record as of April 10 will be\n  eligible to vote at the meeting.\n      Instinet said the meeting date is subject to adjustment,\n  based on the length of time needed for the U.S. Securities and\n  Exchange Commission to complete its review of the filing of\n  merger proxy materials, which Instinet expects to make before\n  the end of March.\n      Instinet said the filing of the preliminary merger proxy\n  materials is tied to the finalization of audited financial\n  statements of Instinet and Reuters for 1986.\n      Under a merger agreement entered into in November, Reuters\n  tendered for up to 5.10 mln Instinet common shares, or about 45\n  pct of those not already owned by Reuters. As a result of the\n  tender, Reuters now owns about 49 pct of Instinet shares.\n      In the merger, holders of remaining Instinet shares will\n  receive 8.50 dlrs of Reuters American Depositary Shares for\n  each Instinet share.\n      The ADS's will be valued at the average of their closing\n  prices in the 10 trading days before the effective date of the\n  merger.\n      Instinet said it expects the merger to become effective as\n  soon as possible after shareholder approval at the special\n  meeting.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC GRANTS 5,000 TONNES SOFT WHEAT EXPORT  LICENCES AT 134.75 ECU REBATE - BRUSSELS TRADE\n","article":"\n  EC GRANTS 5,000 TONNES SOFT WHEAT EXPORT  LICENCES AT 134.75 ECU REBATE - BRUSSELS TRADE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DAYTON HUDSON CORP 4TH QTR OPER SHR 1.24 DLRS VS 1.55 DLRS\n","article":"\n  DAYTON HUDSON CORP 4TH QTR OPER SHR 1.24 DLRS VS 1.55 DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"EC GRANTS LICENCES FOR 35,000 TONNES  BARLEY AT 137.35 ECUS REBATE - BRUSSELS TRADE\n","article":"\n  EC GRANTS LICENCES FOR 35,000 TONNES  BARLEY AT 137.35 ECUS REBATE - BRUSSELS TRADE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNION PACIFIC SAYS WILL SIGN PACT IN CARACAS ON MARCH 17 FOR SALE OF HALF ITS CORPUS CHRISTI REFINERY\n","article":"\n  UNION PACIFIC SAYS WILL SIGN PACT IN CARACAS ON MARCH 17 FOR SALE OF HALF ITS CORPUS CHRISTI REFINERY\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CYACQ OFFERS TO RAISE CYCLOPS BUYOUT TO 92.50 DLRS\/SHR FROM 80 DLRS\n","article":"\n  CYACQ OFFERS TO RAISE CYCLOPS BUYOUT TO 92.50 DLRS\/SHR FROM 80 DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WASTE MANAGEMENT SAYS WAITING PERIOD ENDS ON ITS CHEMLAWN BID \n","article":"\n  WASTE MANAGEMENT SAYS WAITING PERIOD ENDS ON ITS CHEMLAWN BID \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PETRIE STORES CORP <PST> REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div 17.5 cts vs 17.5 cts prior\n      Pay April 20\n      Record April 2\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNILEVER FRAGRANCE UNIT HAS LOWER 1986 EARNINGS\n","article":"  The flavours and\n  fragrances firm <Naarden International N.V.>, acquired by\n  Anglo-Dutch food and detergents group Unilever Plc N.V. <UN.AS>\n  last year, said net profits for 1986 fell 11.4 pct to 19.5 mln\n  guilders.\n      Naarden said earnings were hit by the fall in the value of\n  both the dollar and sterling, noting the figure was in line\n  with prior expectations. Net profit was 22.0 mln guilders in\n  1985.\n      Earnings per share fell to 4.64 guilders from 5.48 in 1985\n  on turnover of 627.8 mln, down from 662.6 mln. Naarden set a\n  cash dividend of 1.80 guilders, unchanged from last year but\n  without last year's share option for payment.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"EAGLE-PITCHER INDUSTRIES INC <EPI> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 81 cts vs 81 cts\n      Net 8,750,024 vs 7,772,932\n      Revs 157.6 mln vs 162.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 10.8 mln vs 9.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PORTUGAL GRAIN AGENCY BARRED FROM IMPORT TENDERS\n","article":"  A Portuguese court has made a\n  preliminary ruling that the state grain buying agency EPAC\n  should not be allowed to take part in public import tenders\n  open to private importers, grain traders and officials said.\n      Under the terms of Portugal's January 1986 accession to the\n  European Community, EC, a grain import monopoly held by EPAC\n  (Empresa Publica de Abastecimento de Cereais) is being reduced\n  by 20 pct annually until all imports are liberalised in 1990.\n      Private traders protested last year that EPAC was being\n  permitted to take part in tenders open to them for the first\n  liberalised 20 pct share of the country's annual import needs.\n  The grain and oilseed importers association ACICO opened legal\n  proceedings to stop EPAC participating in the public tenders.\n      Miguel Ascensao of ACICO told Reuters that Lisbon's civil\n  court, in a preliminary ruling, had decided EPAC should not be\n  allowed to take part in tenders open to private traders.\n      Trade sources said the ruling, though effective\n  immediately, was subject to appeal and would have to be\n  confirmed in further proceedings.\n      A member of the government Cereals Market Commission said\n  that, as a result of the court's decision, the Commission would\n  not be able to accept offers from EPAC in a public tender being\n  held today for the import of 80,000 tonnes of corn.\n      Ascensao said the court ruling stated that EPAC's\n  participation in the public tenders violated the clauses of\n  Portugal's EC accession treaty dealing with the gradual\n  dismantling of the state agency's import monopoly.\n      It also said the participation of EPAC, which still\n  controls the national grain storage and distribution network,\n  was unfair competition to the private traders.\n      Traders said they believed the EC's Executive Commission\n  was unlikely to get involved in the dispute, preferring to\n  leave the case to be resolved as an internal Portuguese issue.\n      \"They (the EC Commission) will be keeping a low profile,\" one\n  trader said.\n      ACICO says it is ready to take its case to Brussels if\n  necessary.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. RETAIL SALES RISE MASKS WEAK TREND - ANALYSTS\n","article":"  U.S. retail sales rose sharply in\n  February but many economists said the underlying consumer\n  spending trend remains weak.\n      February retail sales jumped 4.1 pct, more than the 2.5-3.0\n  pct rise the financial markets had anticipated. But January's\n  sales were revised down to a 7.4 pct drop, from a previously\n  reported 5.8 pct decline.\n      \"The trend is toward continued spending but certainly at a\n  much more sluggish pace,\" said Don Maude of Midland Montagu\n  Capital Markets Inc.\n      Maude averaged out the wide swings in the retail sales data\n  over past four months to show that the pace of consumer\n  spending is slowing.\n      Combining the latest data with a 0.6 pct drop in November\n  and a 4.6 pct gain in December, the average retail sales gain\n  over the four months was 0.2 pct, he said, compared to to a 0.4\n  pct rise for year-over-year sales through February.\n      \"You can see a pattern developing,\" Maude said. \"I wouldn't\n  be surprised to see a fall-off in March, especially since sales\n  probably won't be boosted by auto sales as they were in\n  February.\"\n      Despite the weak underlying trend, economists were\n  impressed by a robust 1.5 pct gain in total sales excluding\n  autos in February. This compared to a revised 0.4 pct decline\n  in January, previously reported as a 0.1 pct decline.\n      \"The increase in non-auto sales was broadbased, with gains\n  in durable goods as well as non-durables,\" noted Ward McCarthy\n  of Merrill Lynch Capital Markets Inc. \"It was a pretty healthy\n  report.\"\n      He noted that building materials rose 1.8 pct in February\n  after falling 1.7 pct in January. General merchandise store\n  sales gained 1.4 pct after a 1.6 pct rise in January.\n      \"There are signs of life in the economy,\" McCarthy said.\n  \"But it's jumping to conclusions to extrapolate this report\n  into the future.\" \n      A 0.7 pct increase in disposable personal income in January\n  which may be linked to the new tax laws probably helped boost\n  spending in February, he said.\n      \"A lot of people may be inadvertently under-withholding\n  taxes from their paychecks,\" he said. \"When people in this\n  country get an increase in disposable income, the inclination\n  is to go out and spend it,\" he said.\n      Economists said tomorrow's release of U.S. auto sales for\n  the first 10 days of March will be an important indicator of\n  how much this sector will add to first quarter spending.\n       Auto sales accounted for the lion's share of total\n  February sales, rising 14.4 pct. This followed a 27.7 pct drop\n  in January, previously reported as a 22.4 pct fall, due largely\n  to the expiration of the sales tax deduction under new tax laws\n  January 1, the Commerce Department noted.\n      Some economists argued that the because the gain in total\n  sales excluding autos also followed a decline in January, the\n  strength in the February report is less than impressive.\n      \"There is strength in the February data, but that's because\n  they were compared to low sales levels in January,\" said said\n  Beth Reiners of Dean Witter Reynolds Inc. \"We don't see it as a\n  precursor of continued strength.\"\n      Durable goods sales rose 8.8 pct in February, after falling\n  17.7 pct in January. February non-durable goods sales gained\n  1.3 pct, after declining 0.2 pct in January.\n      Gasoline service station sales rose two pct in February,\n  following a 1.9 pct gain in January, but economists said higher\n  oil prices rather than an increased volume of gas sales\n  probably accounted for these gains.\n      Reiners also emphasized that the trend in consumer spending\n  is weakening. Total retail sales on average were 123 billion\n  dlrs in the fourth quarter of 1986, she said. In January, they\n  fell to a seasonally adjusted 117.52 bilion dlrs, and in\n  February rose to 122.29 billion dlrs.\n      \"On average, it looks like they'll total 120 to 121 mln\n  dlrs in the first quartrer,\" she said. \"We don't look at this\n  as indication that the economy is barrelling along.\"\n      \"The number is not really that problematic for those of us\n  who are constructive on the bond market,\" agreed Elliot Platt\n  of Donaldsen Lufkin and Jenrette Securities Corp.\n      Platt does not foresee potential for tighter monetary\n  policy on the basis of the latest retail sales report.\n      \"The Fed is on hold now because the data have been so\n  confusing,\" he said.\n      \"Before the 337,000 gain in February non-farm payroll\n  employment, I would have looked for a discount rate cut in\n  March,\" he said. \"But now Fed officials will have to wait for\n  the first quarter real U.S. gross national product data in\n  April to sort things out.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MAGMA <MGCPV> SEES PROFITABLE COPPER PRODUCTION\n","article":"  Newmont Mining Corp <NEM> said Magma\n  Copper Co anticipates being able to produce copper at a profit\n  by 1991, assuming copper prices remain at their current levels.\n      In an information statement distributed to Newmont\n  shareholders explaining the dividend of Magma shares declared\n  Tuesday, Newmont said Magma had a net loss of 46.6 mln dlrs in\n  1986, adding this was equal to 1.22 cts a share.\n      Newmont holders will receive 80 pct of Magma's stock as a\n  dividend of one share for each of the 30,458,000 Newmont shares\n  now held. Newmont will retain 15 pct of the stock.\n      The 1986 net loss was on a pro forma basis, Newmont said.\n  On a historical basis, it added, Magma had a 1986 net loss of\n  58.1 mln dlrs on a loss from operations of 42.3 mln dlrs.\n      On Dec 31, 1986, Newmont said, Magma had about 85.0 mln\n  dlrs of net operating loss carryforwards expiring in 1999-2000\n  and about 4.0 mln dlrs of investment tax credit carryover\n  expiring in 2000-2001.\n      Newmont said Magma has pre-tax losses of 290 mln dlrs\n  during the 1981 through 1985 period, noting the five major U.S.\n  primary copper producers reported aggregate pre-tax losses of\n  1.9 billion dlrs during five year period.\n      Newmont said Magma had total sales of 347.3 mln dlrs last\n  year, including copper sales of 293.4 mln dlrs.\n      It said the copper sales value was up from 267.6 mln dlrs\n  in 1985 reflecting a 10.1 pct increase in quantity sold to\n  212,000 short tons and a 0.4 pct decrease in price.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RPT-INSITUFORM OF NORTH AMERICA INC <INSUA> NET\n","article":"  4th qtr\n      Shr nine cts vs four cts\n      Net 658,159 vs 299,930\n      Revs 3,770,341 vs 2,614,224\n      Avg shrs 7,382,802 vs 6,747,442\n      Year\n      Oper shr 33 cts vs 18 cts\n      Oper net 2,287,179 vs 1,045,799\n      Revs 13.1 mln vs 8,577,853\n      Avg shrs 6,874,505 vs 5,951,612\n      NOTE: 1985 year net excludes 131,000 dlr tax credit.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED SAYS IT SETS TWO BILLION DLRS OF CUSTOMER REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS\n","article":"\n  FED SAYS IT SETS TWO BILLION DLRS OF CUSTOMER REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC COMMISSION GRANTS EXPORT LICENCES - TRADE\n","article":"  The European Community's, EC, cereal\n  management committee granted export licences for 5,000 tonnes\n  of quality soft bread-making wheat at a maximum export rebate\n  of 134.75 European currency units, Ecus, per tonne, traders\n  said.\n      The committee also granted export certificates of 35,000\n  tonnes of barley at 137.35 Ecus per tonne, but rejected all\n  bids for the export of soft feed wheat, they said.\n      Certificates were also granted for the export of 15,000\n  tonnes of maize at a maximum rebate of 132.90 Ecus per tonne,\n  the traders said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GERMAN BANKS SAY UNCERTAINTY ABOUT ECONOMY GROWING\n","article":"  Uncertainty is growing about the prospects\n  for the economy as orders for industry fall and companies scale\n  back investment plans, the German Savings Banks and Giro\n  Association said.\n      Exporters expect foreign demand to remain weak, while\n  industry is less optimistic than it was, the association said\n  in a report.\n      However, last month's agreement among the six leading\n  western industrialized countries to keep currencies around\n  present levels was expected to be a stabilizing influence for\n  exporters, it added.\n      The banking association said the possibility of using\n  monetary policy to stimulate the economy should not be\n  overestimated.\n      Another small drop in already low interest rates could not\n  be expected to cause any significant rise in purchases of\n  consumer or capital goods, it said.\n      The Bundesbank's half-point cuts in the discount and\n  Lombard rates in January have largely exhausted the scope for\n  any further monetary moves, the association added.\n      On Tuesday the Federal Statistics Office said gross\n  national product stagnated in real, seasonally and calendar\n  adjusted terms in the fourth quarter of 1986 compared with the\n  third quarter.\n      The Economics Ministry, commenting on the figures, said GNP\n  in the 1987 first quarter was also expected to be relatively\n  weak.\n      Bank economists have forecast the economy will either\n  stagnate or contract slightly in the first quarter. Official\n  first-quarter figures are due in early June.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FED ADDS RESERVES VIA CUSTOMER REPURCHASES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve entered the U.S.\n  Government securities market to arrange two billion dlrs of\n  customer repurchase agreements, a spokeswoman said.\n      Dealers said Federal funds were trading at 6-1\/8 pct when\n  the Fed began its temporary and indirect supply of reserves to\n  the banking system.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WAITING PERIOD ENDS ON WASTE MANAGEMENT<WMX> BID\n","article":"  Waste Management Inc said it\n  received notice of early termination of the Hart-Scott-Rodino\n  waiting period for its 270 mln dlr takeover bid for Chemlawn\n  Corp <CHEM>.\n      The waiting period was terminated March 11, Waste\n  Management said.\n      Chemlawn has rejected Waste Management's 27 dlrs a share\n  bid. It has said it was talking with other parties about\n  selling its business.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ASA LTD <ASA> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.42 dlrs vs 1.61 dlrs\n      Net 13.6 mln vs 15.5 mln\n      NOTE: Net asset value per share 77.72 dlrs vs 54.35 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INVESTORS TO RAISE CYCLOPS <CYL> TENDER PRICE\n","article":"  Cyacq Corp, an investor group\n  bidding for Cyclops Corp, said it would raise its outstanding\n  tender offer price for Cyclops common to 92.50 dlrs a share\n  from 80 dlrs, if certain conditions were met.\n      The increased offer would exceed the 90.25 dlrs a share\n  price offered by Dixons Group PLC in a tender offer for Cyclops\n  that is part of a definitive agreement to acquire the\n  Pittsburgh-based maker of carbon tool and specialty steel\n  products.\n      Cyacq includes Audio\/Video Affiliates Inc and Citicorp\n  Capital Investors Ltd and other investors.\n      Cyclops has about 4.1 mln shares outstanding.\n      For the tender price to be raised, Cyclops must provide\n  Cyacq with all non-public information provided to Dixons Group\n  and Cyacq must be satisfied with financial projections made in\n  offering material by Dixons based on the information, Cyacq\n  said.\n      Additionally, Dixon Group's rights to buy Cyclops common\n  and its rights to fees or expenses if the Dixon-Cyclop merger\n  agreement is broken must be rescinded, Cyacq said.\n      Cyacq said financial projections it developed for Cyclops\n  were materially lower than the financial projections provided\n  by Cyclops to Dixons Group.\n      A Cyclops spokeswoman said the company had no details of\n  the new Cyacq proposal and could not comment. \"We have nothing\n  in hand,\" she said.\n      In addition to making specialty metal products, Cyclops\n  also operates about 115 specialty stores that sell consumer\n  electronics products. The stores are located in 17 states\n  concentrated in the Northeast, Northwest and Southwest.\n      Cyclops employs about 8,900 people in Pennsylvania, Ohio\n  and other states. It also has interests in non-residential\n  construction.\n      In 1986, Cyclops earned 21.3 mln dlrs or 5.26 dlrs a share\n  on sales of 1.5 billion dlrs, compared to 1985 earnings of 26.2\n  mln dlrs or 6.20 dlrs on sales of 1.4 billion, the spokeswoman\n  said.\n      The agreement with Dixons Group calls for Cyclops's steel\n  and construction businesses to be sold to a unit of Alleghany\n  Corp <Y> for about 110 mln dlrs once the merger is completed.\n      A Cyacq spokesman said the new conditional tender price\n  would be all cash. He had no comment on whether Cyacq plans to\n  withdraw its current offer, which is scheduled to expire\n  midnight on March six.\n      Dixon Group's offer extends to March 17.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DAYTON HUDSON CORP<DH> 4TH QTR JAN 31 OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 1.24 dlrs vs 1.55 dlrs\n      Oper net 120,800,000 vs 150,100,000\n      Revs 3.12 billion vs 2.74 billion\n      Year\n      Oper shr 2.62 dlrs vs 2.89 dlrs\n      Oper net 255,000,000 vs 280,500,000\n      Revs 9.26 billion vs 8.26 billion\n      NOTE: 1986 period ended February One\n      NOTE: Results exclude earnings from discontinued operations\n  of 9.0 mln dlrs, or nine cts a share vs 3.2 mln dlrs, or three\n  cts a share in the quarter and 2.1 mln dlrs, or two cts a share\n  vs 3.1 mln dlrs, or three cts a share for the year\n      1987 earnings exclude gain on sale of B. Dalton Bookseller\n  of 85.2 mln dlrs, or 88 cts a share in each period\n      1987 earnings exclude extraordinary charge from purchase\n  and redemption of debt of 12.6 mln dlrs, or 13 cts a share in\n  the quarter and 32.3 mln dlrs, or 33 cts a share for the year\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INDIA BUYS RBD PALM OLEIN AT TENDER\n","article":"  The Indian State Trading Corp bought\n  one, or possibly two, 6,000 tonne cargoes of Malaysian refined\n  bleached deodorised palm olein at its vegetable oil import\n  tender today for Mar 15\/Apr 15 shipment at 355 dlrs per tonne\n  cif, traders said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SPANISH UNEMPLOYMENT RISES IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  The number of Spanish registered\n  unemployed rose by 15,608 to 2.98 mln or 21.5 pct of the\n  workforce in January in the sixth consecutive monthly increase,\n  the Labour Ministry said.\n      Registered unemployed totalled 2.81 mln or 21.1 pct of the\n  workforce in February 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VSE CORP <VSEC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 49 cts vs 39 cts\n      Net 886,937 vs 892,323\n      Revs 25.9 mln vs 23.7 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.78 dlr vs 1.34 dlr\n      Net 3,254,301 vs 2,472,676\n      Revs 100.6 mln vs 87.4 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 4th qtr and year net includes income loss of\n  MetCap subsidiary of 14,881 dlrs and 311,848 dlrs or 17 cts per\n  share, respectively.\n      1985 4th qtr and year net includes loss in MetCap unit of\n  108,598 dlrs and 298,412 dlrs or 16 cts per share,\n  respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SECURITY PACIFIC <SPC> BUYS ORBANCO <ORBN>\n","article":"  Security Pacific Corp said it\n  completed its previously announced acquisition of Orbanco\n  Financial Services Corp after receiving federal approval of the\n  deal.\n      Security Pacific said the Federal Reserve Board approved on\n  Wednesday its purchase of the Portland, Ore.-based bank holding\n  company and financial services concern.\n      The purchase of Orbanco, for about 47 mln dlrs in cash and\n  common stock, will be effective in 30 days, a Security Pacific\n  spokeswoman said.\n      Terms call for each share of Orbanco common stock to be\n  exchanged for about 14 dlrs of Security Pacific common stock,\n  plus 1.50 dlrs cash.\n      Each share of Orbanco's 100-dlr par value preferred stock\n  will be exchanged for 100 dlrs cash, plus accrued dividends.\n      Orbanco, with one billion dlrs in assests, is the holding\n  company for the Oregon Bank, Orbanco Real Estate Service Co,\n  American Data Service Inc and Orbanco Securities Corp.\n      Security Pacific now has four major regional bank purchases\n  outside California completed or pending.\n      Security Pacific bought The Arizona Bank, with assets of\n  four billion dlrs, in the fourth quarter of 1986.\n      Pending approval currently is the purchase of Rainier\n  Bancorporation <RBAN>, with assets of 9.2 billion dlrs. In\n  anticipation of legislative changes that take effect in 1989,\n  Security Pacific has also negotiated the future purchase of The\n  Nevada Bank, with assets of 615 mln dlrs.\n      Security Pacific is the sixth largest U.S. bank holding\n  company, with assets of about 61.60 billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DRANETZ TECHNOLOGIES INC <DRAN> YEAR DEC 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 46 cts vs 77 cts\n      Qtly div six cts vs six cts prior\n      Net 2,198,469 vs 3,635,565\n      Revs 23.1 mln vs 26.0 mln\n      Note: 1986 net includes one-time charge of 249,000 dlrs or\n  five cts a share from discontinuation of Boat Sentry and\n  Lakontek products.\n      Qtly div payable April 15 to shareholders of record March\n  24.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. TO ASK FOR SHARE OF JAPAN'S RICE MARKET\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture Secretary Richard\n  Lyng said he will ask Japan to offer a share of its rice market\n  to U.S. exporters when he visits that country next month.\n      In an interview with Reuters, Lyng also said the Reagan\n  administration will ask Tokyo to remove its quotas on U.S. beef\n  and citrus exports.\n      Lyng, who plans to be in Japan April 14-27, said he will\n  not ask Tokyo to liberalize fully its rice market. \"We will urge\n  that they consider sharing their rice market,\" he said.\n      The USDA secretary would not say how big a share of the\n  Japanese rice market the U.S. would request. \"We've got none of\n  it now. If we got one per cent of it, it would be a big\n  improvement,\" he said.\n      Last year, the Reagan administration rejected a petition by\n  the U.S. rice industry seeking relief from Japanese import\n  restrictions.\n      However, the U.S. said it would reexamine the issue if by\n  mid-1987 Japan did not roll back import barriers to U.S. rice\n  exports.\n      Lyng said he would not be conducting formal negotiations\n  next month with Japan over their beef and citrus quotas, but\n  that his visit \"may be a forerunner in a general way\" to talks\n  prior to expiration of the bilateral agreement in March 1988.\n      He said, however, that the U.S. \"will ask for a definite\n  liberalization of those items (beef and citrus).... When you\n  translate 'liberalization' into Japanese, it means do away with\n  the quota.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNION PACIFIC <UNP> TO SELL PART OF REFINERY\n","article":"  Union Pacific Corp said it will sign a\n  pact in Caracas on March 17 with Petroleos De Venezuela, PDVSA,\n  to sell the state owned company half of its Corpus Christi,\n  Texas refinery owned by its Union Pacific's Champlin Petroleum\n  Co subsidiary.\n      The sale will also include the related marketing and\n  distribution system for the refinery's products.\n      A spokesman for the company said that a statement may be\n  issued later today giving details of the transaction.\n      There was no immediate comment from PDVSA officials in New\n  York.\n      The Corpus Christi refinery has a capacity of about 160,000\n  barrels per day, the Union Pacific spokesman said, and is a\n  largely upgraded facility but he would place no value on the\n  transaction.\n      The additional acquisition of refinery and distribution\n  assets by PDVSA has been expected as Venezuela has been moving\n  aggressively to enhance its role in the oil industry from\n  producer to excpanding its presence in the downstream sector.\n      Purchase of part of Champlin's operations also fits a\n  profile which PDVSA officials have said previously they looked\n  for in any acquisition.\n      One PDVSA official said the company was looking for\n  independent oil companies with good refinery and distribution\n  network and a strong regional presence.\n      The potential purchase of the interest in Champlin followed\n  its earlier acquisition of a part interest in Southland Corp's\n  <SLC> Citgo Petroleum Corp subsidiary.\n      In that agreement signed September 15, 1986, PDVSA paid\n  Southland 290 mln dlrs for half of Citgo's stock.\n      The potetnital acquisition of half Champlin's Corpus\n  Christi plant will also give Venezuela an additional outlet for\n  its crude oil production while giving the refiner an assured\n  source of supply, trade sources said.\n      In the earlier deal with Southland, PDVSA agredd to to\n  supply Citgo with at least 130,000 bpd of crude oil and other\n  feedstocks.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LANDS END INC <LEYS> YEAR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.46 dlrs vs 1.13 dlrs\n      Net 14,650,000 vs 11,270,000\n      Sales 265 mln vs 227.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 10,020,000 vs 9,980,000\n      Note: Earnings are pro forma, including the increase in\n  common shares that took place last October when the company\n  went public through an initial offering of 1.4 mln shares. Avg\n  shrs assume the shares sold to public and employees were\n  outstanding during the entire period.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANCROFT <BCF> SUES ZICO\n","article":"  Zico INvestment Holdings INc said that\n  Bancroft Convertible Fund Inc filed suit seeking to enjoin\n  Zico's 30 dlr-a-share tender offer for 500,000 Bancroft shares.\n      In its complaint, Bancroft said the tender offer materials\n  and letters to shareholders are false and misleading and that\n  the tender offer violates the investment company act of 1940.\n      Zico said the suit is totally without merit and vigorously\n  intends to contest it.\n      A motion is scheduled to be heard on March 16.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SEABOARD CORP <SEB> 31 WEEK YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 14.63 dlrs\n      Net 21.8 mln\n      Revs 252.9 mln\n      NOTE: Company changed its reporting period to Dec 31 from\n  May 31. It said prior year comparisons were thus not\n  applicable.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TURKISH SHIP HEADED FOR FLORIDA AFTER EXPLOSION\n","article":"  The Turkish ore\/bulk\/oil vessel Obo\n  Engin, 78,078 tonnes dwt, had an explosion in its boiler\n  yesterday, Lloyds shipping Intelligence Service reported.\n      The vessel has retained some power and yesterday evening\n  was in position Lat. 25 57 N., Long. 75 06 W. It is diverting\n  to Jacksonville, Florida, with its cargo of 58,000 tons of\n  coal.\n     The vessel was bound for Iskenderun, Turkey from Lake\n  Charles.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REUTER INC <REUT> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr 67 cts vs six cts\n      Net 1.6 mln vs 131,630\n      Revs 6.5 mln vs 4.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 85 cts vs 19 cts\n      Net 2.0 mln vs 427,749\n      Revs 25.1 mln vs 17.4 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes 1.4 mln dlrs in tax loss carryback.\n  Reuter Inc is a spindle maker. It is not connected with Reuters\n  Holdings PLC.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CENTEL CORP <CNT> REGULAR PAYOUT SET\n","article":"  Qtly div 62-1\/2 cts vs 62-1\/2 cts previously\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April Seven\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MOBIL <MOB> TO RESTRUCTURE EXPLORATION UNIT\n","article":"  Mobil Oil Corp said it will\n  restructure its Dallas-based Mobil Exploration and Producing\n  Services Inc operations April one, to provide stronger\n  technological support to its U.S. and overseas operations.\n      Mobil said the operation will consist of two new units,\n  Technical Services and Application Technology, along with the\n  existing Drilling and New Exploration Ventures groups. It said\n  R.C. Mills, president and general manager of its Exploration\n  and Producing Southeast Inc, has been named vice president and\n  general manager of the new operation reporting to P.J.\n  Hoenmans, president of its Exploration and Producing division.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EQUITY OIL CO <EQTY> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss nine cts vs profit 11 cts\n      Net loss 1,102,592 vs profit 1,364,763\n      Revs 2,836,508 vs 5,547,121\n      Year\n      Shr loss six cts vs profit 32 cts\n      Net loss 789,300 vs profit 3,953,822\n      Revs 11.7 mln vs 21.1 mln\n      NOTE:  Per share figures reflect five pct stock dividend\n  paid December 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FN RESULTS HIT BY STRIKES, DOLLAR IN 1986\n","article":"  Fabrique Nationale Herstal SA\n  <FNHB.BR> said it suffered a net loss of 2.99 billion francs\n  last year after being hit by strikes, the falling dollar and\n  declining oil prices.\n      An FN statement said the loss, which compared with a 6.8\n  mln franc profit the previous year, included considerable\n  charges for restructuring in 1986 and 1987. Without these the\n  net loss would have been 1.45 billion francs, it said.\n      It added that the restructuring plan would allow the firm\n  to return to long term profitability once it had been approved\n  by local authorities, banks and the workforce.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MILLIPORE <MILI> ACQUIRES EQUITY IN PROTEIN\n","article":"  <Protein Databases\n  Inc> said Millipore Corp through its venture capital\n  subsidiary, Millicorp, acquired an equity position in the\n  company.\n      Protein said it and Millipore intend to establish an\n  \"interactive relationship.\"\n      No other details were disclosed about the amount of\n  Millipore's investment in Protein.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WILDLIFE UNIT PROPOSES ALASKA REFUGE OIL STUDY\n","article":"  The National Wildlife Federation \n  rejected an Interior Department draft plan to open wilderness\n  lands in Northern Alaska to oil and gas exploration.\n      The federation, the nation's largest conservation group,\n  said further study was needed to assess any possible damage\n  that development might have on the wildlife in the area, the\n  coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.\n      Jay Hair, the federation's executive vice president, called\n  the Interior's research into the effects of development \"so\n  fundamentally flawed that it provides little or no basis on\n  which to make a public policy decision.\"\n      Hair called the department's proposal a \"reflection of a\n  largely political decision,\" adding \"we have no confidence in\n  Interior to represent the broad public interest in this area.\"\n      Interior wants to open the 1.5 million acre coastal plain\n  to oil and gas exploration, but it said only with tough \n  safeguards to protect the area's caribou and musk-oxen.\n      It said a preliminary survey showed the region could hold\n  billions of barrels of oil and gas, and that its potential as\n  an energy resource would never be known without exploration.\n      Interior said oil on the coastal plain could match the 10\n  billion barrels found at Prudhoe Bay, just west of the plain.\n      Under existing law, Congress must agree to oil and gas\n  exploration, and if it does not act, the land will remain a\n  wildlife refuge protected from commercial development.\n      Hair said Interior's report failed to stress the\n  probability that finding recoverable oil is only 19 pct.\n      He said Interior's study also failed to weigh oil, gas,\n  fish and wildlife information the State of Alaska had gathered\n  nor had the department consulted the Environmental Protection\n  Agency on the possible effects of exploration.\n      The federation, in letters to Congressmen, proposed that a\n  nine-member commission be set up to study all aspects of the\n  issue and report back to Congress in about two years.\n      Hair said the federation was not opposed to the possible\n  exploration of oil, only that Interior's study was inadquate to\n  make a sound judgement.\n      Congressional observers said that at present there was\n  little sentiment in Congress to open the wildlife area for\n  commercial exploitation dispite increasing concern that the\n  United States is becoming overly dependent on foreign oil.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<GEMINI FOOD CORP> SIX MTHS JANUARY 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit one ct vs loss one ct\n      Net profit 150,594 vs loss 55,352\n      Revs 19.0 mln vs 12.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MERRILL LYNCH <MER> FIRES VASKEVITCH\n","article":"  Merrill Lynch and Co Inc fired the\n  head of the mergers department in its London office today,\n  saying he had been unable to provide a \"satisfactory\n  explanation\" in response to insider trading charges filed\n  yesterday by the Securities and Exchange Commission.\n      Merrill had suspended the official, Nahum Vaskevitch,\n  yesterday saying at the time it was \"disappointed and angry\" if\n  the SEC charges are true.\n      Merrill Lynch's statement at midday today said the firm\n  will continue to cooperatie fully with authoriteis in the U.S.\n  and London investigating Vaskevitch's activities.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LINCOLN NATIONAL CORP <LNC> VOTES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 54 cts vs 54 cts prior qtr\n      Pay 1 May\n      Record 10 April\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ST LAWRENCE SEAWAY TO OPEN ON SCHEDULE\n","article":"  The St Lawrence Seaway and the Welland\n  Canal linking Lakes Erie and Ontario were expected to open as\n  scheduled on March 31 and April 1, respectively, a St Lawrence\n  Seaway official said.\n      The entire Seaway is already free of ice due to the mild\n  Winter and could be open for navigation today, \"but there\n  doesn't seem to be enough demand from shipping companies to\n  warrant an early opening,\" the Canadian official said.\n      Repairs are continuing at a stepped up pace on the Welland\n  Canal and should be completed by the April 1 start-up date, she\n  added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LVI GROUP INC <LVI> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit two cts vs loss 19 cts\n      Oper net profit 523,000 vs loss 2.2 mln\n      Revs 102.5 mln vs 39.9 mln\n      12 mths\n      Oper shr profit 11 cts vs loss 29 cts\n      Oper net profit 2.2 mln vs loss 2.9 mln\n      Revs 304.4 mln vs 50.3 mln\n      NOTE: All 1986 and last two months of 1985 include results\n  of NICO Inc acquired Oct 1985.\n      Prior year excludes discontinued operations loss of 14 cts\n  per share in the quarter and loss 18 cts a share in the year.\n      1986 excludes extraordinary gain of two cts per share in\n  the quarter and four cts per share in the year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PROTOCOMDEVICES <PRCM> SEES MORE PROFIT EROSION\n","article":"  ProtocomDevices Inc said it has seen\n  more erosion of its general financial condition since December\n  31, and is actively engaged in negotiations to secure\n  additional financing. It also said it has undergone a\n  restructuring of its management and is instituting further\n  staff reductions.\n      It said Ramon Morales has relinquished his role as\n  president and chief operating officer and assumed the position\n  of executive vice president in charge of international sales.\n      It also said Rafael Collado has assumed the positions of\n  president and chief operating officer in addition to his role\n  as chief executive officer.\n      For the year ended January 31, 1986, the company had a net\n  loss of 51,000 dlrs or 24 cts a share on revenues of 2.8 mln\n  dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ICO BOARD MEETING DELAYED ONE DAY\n","article":"  The International Coffee Organization\n  (ICO) executive board meeting scheduled for the end of this\n  month has been delayed by one day and will now run from March\n  31 to April 2 and not March 30 to April 1, ICO officials said.\n      On March 30, the ICO ad hoc working group will meet to\n  consider management consultants Ernst & Whinney's report on the\n  ICO secretariat. This report was commissioned late last year to\n  report on the administrative structure of the ICO.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WHITTAKER <WKR> TO HAVE GAINS FROM SALES\n","article":"  Whittaker Corp said it will have a\n  gain on the sale of discontinued businesses after any operating\n  losses from the businesses up until the dates of disposition,\n  but it will defer reporting the gain until its restructuring\n  program hsa been substantially completed.\n      The company said in the first quarter ended January 31,m it\n  completed the divestiture of its health maintenance\n  organization operations to Travelers Corp <TIC> , sold its\n  Whittar Steel Strip operations to <DofascoxInc> and sold its\n  equity investment in Bertram-Trojan Inc to an affiliate of\n  <Investcorp>.\n      The company said it has entered into definitive agreements\n  to sell Whittaker General Medical Corp, Bennes MArrel SA of\n  France and Juster Steel Corp as well.\n      The company said to date it has received proceeds of about\n  90 mln dlrs from divestitures and has used the funds to reduce\n  debt incurred in the repurchase of its common shares.\n      Whittaker today reported first quarter earnings from\n  continuing operations fell to 1,522,000 dlrs from 3,501,000\n  dlrs a year before. The year-earlier figure excluded a\n  1,817,000 dlr loss from discontinued operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PARADISE FRUIT CO INC <PARF> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 86 cts vs 99 cts\n      Net 435,610 vs 497,160\n      Sales 16.6 mln vs 17.7 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 year net penalized 13 cts shr from loss of\n  investment tax credits.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SAMSON ENERGY CO LIMITED PARTNERSHIP <SAM> YEAR\n","article":"  Net loss 14,144,000 vs loss 863,000\n      Revs 10.3 mln vs 16.7 mln\n      NOTES: 1986 loss includes write-down of 15.1 mln dlrs in\n  the carrying value of oil and gas properties taken in the first\n  quarter \n      Cash flow from operationswas 6,237,000 dlrs, or 3.01 dlrs\n  per unit, vs 9,315,000 dlrs, or 4.56 dlrs per unit\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LYNG SAYS NO DECISION ON SOVIET EEP OFFER\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture Secretary Richard\n  Lyng said the Reagan administration had not decided on offering\n  the Soviet Union subsidized wheat but that such an offer had\n  not been ruled out.\n      In an interview with Reuters, Lyng also said that he had no\n  knowledge of any upcoming discussion of the matter within the\n  cabinet.\n      Asked if the administration had ruled out offering to\n  subsidize wheat exports to the Soviet Union under the\n  department's export enhancement program, Lyng said, \"No. We\n  haven't made a decision on it, haven't even talked about it,\n  haven't even looked at it.\"\n      Reminded that there have been reports that Moscow would buy\n  U.S. wheat if competitively priced, Lyng responded, \"If they\n  (the Soviets) would offer to buy some wheat, would we accept\n  it? It would depend on what price they offered.\"\n      Lyng added that he did not think the price of U.S. wheat\n  was far off the world price.\n      Asked about persistent speculation that the administration\n  would offer Moscow a wheat subsidy, Lyng said, \"Some people\n  think they're doing it to see if they can get a little spurt in\n  the market.\"\n      Agriculture Undersecretary Daniel Amstutz last week asked\n  the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to investigate reports\n  that wheat prices were being manipulated by reports that a U.S.\n  wheat subsidy offer was imminent.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ACCELERATION CORP <ACLE> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr 22 cts vs 19 cts\n      Net 1.1 mln vs 994,000\n      Year\n      Shr 83 cts vs 60 cts\n      Net 4.3 mln vs 3.1 mln\n      NOTE:1985 net includes tax loss carryforward gain of 8,000\n  dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<ENERGY OPTICS INC> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit nil vs loss five cts\n      Net profit 232 vs loss 124,380\n      Revs 143,397 vs 61,901\n      1st half\n      Shr profit one ct vs loss 10 cts\n      Net profit 15,722 vs loss 264,539\n      Revs 354,843 vs 120,403\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"THE JAPAN FUND <JPN> GETS BUYOUT OFFER\n","article":"  The Japan Fund Inc said it has received\n  an unsolicited offer from <Sterling Grace Capital Management\n  LP>, acting together with certain other persons and entities,\n  to purchase all the assets of the fund at five pct below its\n  aggregate net asset value.\n      The Japan Find said tne deal is subject to obtaining\n  satisfactory financing and a due diligence review.\n      It added that the proposal has been referred to its Board\n  of Directors for consideration.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BLUE GASS BREEDERS <BLGR> COMPLETES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Blue Grass Breeders Inc said it has\n  completed the acquisition of Equine Enterprises Inc for four\n  mln common shares.\n      It said it is obligated to deliver another 2,741,660 shares\n  on the attainment of a certain level of shareholders' equity\n  during any fiscal quarter within 12 months of closing.\n      If all the contingent shares are issued, Blue Grass said\n  former owners of Equine will have a 75 pct interest in Blue\n  Grass.\n      Equine is a New Mexico quarter horse breeding and racing\n  company.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DIGIMED CORP 2ND QTR DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss two cts vs loss five cts\n      Net loss 17,334 vs loss 51,507\n      Sales 245,560 vs 179,839\n      Avg shrs 1,136,785 vs 1,046,785\n      Six mths\n      Shr profit four cts vs loss 17 cts\n      Net profit 47,749 vs loss 174,373\n      Sales 721,937 vs 284,809\n      Avg shrs 1,136,785 vs 1,046,785\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC <FLTI> 3RD QTR\n","article":"  periods ended January 31\n      Shr profit 22 cts vs loss 26 cts\n      Net profit 439,000 vs loss 522,000\n      Revs 5,600,000 vs 3,859,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr profit 46 cts vs loss three cts\n      Net profit 912,000 vs loss 59,000\n      Revs 14.6 mln vs 18.3 mln\n      NOTE: Year ago revenues include 400,000 dlrs in quarter and\n  2,227,000 dlrs in nine months from operations of subsidiary\n  sold in April 1986\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORD EST PLANS 400 MLN FRANC BOND ISSUE\n","article":"  Financial and industrial holding company\n  Nord Est plans to make a convertible bond issue for a total of\n  400 mln francs, President Gustave Rambaud said.\n      He told a news conference Nord-Est expected to receive\n  approval from the Bourse supervisory body COB in the next two\n  week, when terms would set according to market conditions.\n      He said the issue was meant to boost capital ahead of new\n  investments.\n      Rambaud said the company would pay a 1986 dividend of 5.25\n  francs, unchanged on 1985. Parent company net profit last year\n  rose to 99.5 mln francs against 71.1 mln in 1985.\n      Provisional consolidated profits were lower at 185 mln\n  francs compared with 200 mln in 1985, of which 120 mln, against\n  147 mln, was attributable to the group. He said the lower\n  profit was mainly due to losses made by steel-tube maker\n  Vallourec, in which Nord Est has a 12.5 pct stake.\n      Rambaud said he forecast a 1987 parent company net profit\n  before provisions of around 135 mln francs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SOLV-EX <SOLV> SHELL CANADA <SHC> PACT COMPLETE\n","article":"  Solv-Ex Corp said it\n  successfully completed its oil sands pilot testing program\n  under its agreement with Shell Canada Limited <SHC> and\n  received a 250,000 U.S. dlr bonus payment.\n      It also said that Shell Canada exercised its option to take\n  over Solv-Ex's 25 pct working interest in the construction of\n  the oil facility, relieving it of its obligation to raise about\n  62.5 mln Canadian dlrs for plant construction.\n      It said 30 pct of that loan was guaranteed by the\n  Government of Alberta.\n      In exchange for Shell's participation, Solv-Ex said Shell\n  is obligated to pay it an up-front royalty and a running\n  royalty based on the operating profits of the oil sands\n  facility. It said the Shell Canada 7,500 barrel per day oil\n  sands project will be built on Shell's oil sand lease about 40\n  miles north of Fort McMurray in the Athabasca region of\n  northern Alberta.\n      Solv-Ex said the project will cost about 260 mln Canadian\n  dlrs. It said that following a final feasibility study the\n  plant should open in the early 1990s when oil prices are\n  expected to exceed 20 U.S. dlrs per barrel.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SPAIN HAS 68 MLN DLR JANUARY PAYMENTS SURPLUS\n","article":"  Spain had a 68 mln dlr current account\n  balance of payments surplus in January compared with a 556 mln\n  deficit in December and 370 mln surplus in January last year,\n  Bank of Spain figures show.\n      The trade deficit rose to 664 mln dlrs in January from 146\n  mln in January 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"UNION PACIFIC <UNP> IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PDVSA\n","article":"  Union Pacific Corp said it will enter\n  a 50-50 partnership with Petroles de Venezuela, PDVSA, to own\n  and operate Union Pacific's 160,000 barrel-per-day Corpus\n  Christi, Texas, oil refinery.\n      The assests to be acquired by the partnership are valued at\n  190 mln dlrs, Union Pacific said.\n      Closing is expected to take place in early April and the\n  venture is to be called Champlin Refining Co.\n      The partnership will acquire the refining and distribution\n  systems currently owned and operated by Champlin Petroleum, a\n  wholly owned subsidiary of Union Pacific.\n      The venture will acquire the related inventories and the\n  Champlin trade name, the company said.\n      PDVSA and Union Pacific will each contribute half the\n  capital required by the venture and arrange a revolving credit\n  facility with U.S. and foreign banks to finance inventories and\n  receivables, Union Pacific said.\n      Petroles de Venezuela also signed a 25-year agreement to\n  supply at least 140,000 bpd of Venezulean crude oil and naphtha\n  to the refinery at market related prices.\n      Under various options the in the agreement PDVSA could\n  supply another 50,000 bpd on similar terms, the company said.\n      \"This will provide a stable, long-term supply to the\n  refinery at competitive costs, thereby assuring the economic\n  viability of the plant,\" a statement issued by Union Pacific\n  said.\n     The statement said the agreement with PDVSA will enable the\n  company to supply a steady flow of refined products to its\n  customers.\n     Union Pacific said employees of the refinery would be\n  transfered to the new company and would retain the same\n  benefits as in the past.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PUROLATOR <PCC> DIRECTOR QUITS OVER BUYOUT\n","article":"  A Purolator Courier Corp director\n  resigned from the company's board, saying he plans to take\n  steps to make or find an offer that tops the 265 mln dlr buyout\n  deal already accepted by Purolator's board, the company said.\n      The director, Doresy Gardner, resigned in a March 10 letter\n  to the Purolator board, which was included in a filing made by\n  the company to the Securities and Exchange Commission.\n      Gardner noted that the terms of the merger agreement in\n  which the company would bought out by a group of its managers\n  and E.F. Hutton LBO Inc bar directors from taking action to\n  solicit, initiate or encourage acquisition proposals.\n      \"I, as a shareholder, wish to solicit, initiate or\n  encourage such an offer or indication of interest, and believe,\n  therefore, that I should resign as a director of the\n  corporation,\" Gardner said in the letter.\n      \"Accordingly, I hereby resign as a director of Purolator\n  Courier Corp, effective immediately,\" he said.\n      Gardner said he believes shareholders could get a better\n  deal than the buyout offer if the company would agree to be\n  sold to some other entity, or if it could sell off all or part\n  of its U.S. courier division.\n      On March 4, another Purolator shareholder, Rodney Shields,\n  filed a class action suit on behalf of the company's\n  shareholders charging the company and its board with breaching\n  their fiduciary duty by failing to take steps to ensure that\n  shareholders got the highest possible price in the buyout.\n      The deal would give shareholders 35 dlrs a share in cash if\n  just 83 pct of Purolator's 7.6 mln shares are tendered. If more\n  are tendered, they would receive 29 dlrs in cash and six dlrs\n  in debentures and a warrant to buy stock in the new company in\n  exchange for each share.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UNR INDUSTRIES INC <UNRIQ> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 75 cts vs profit 25 cts\n      Net profit 2,742,962 vs profit 936,333\n      Sales 74.9 mln vs 70.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 1.05 dlrs vs loss 1.07 dlrs\n      Net profit 3,868,888 vs loss 3,931,580\n      Sales 299.3 mln vs 281.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CENTURY TELEPHONE <CTL> TO SELL PROPERTIES\n","article":"  Century Telephone Enterprises Inc\n  said it has accepted an offer to sell its cable television\n  properties in Michigan, Tennessee, Florida, Arkansas and\n  Louisiana for a \"substantial\" gain.\n      The company said details were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"VOLT INFORMATION SCIENCES INC <VOLT> 1ST QTR\n","article":"  Shr 12 cts vs seven cts\n      Net 817,000 vs 512,000\n      Revs 107.5 mln vs 99.9 mln\n      Avg 6.9 mln vs 7.2 mln\n      NOTE: 1987 net includes 2.4 mln dlr pretax gain on\n  settlement, 743,000 dlrs gain on securities sale, interest\n  expense net of investment income of 2.2 mln dlrs and 920,000\n  dlrs in fiscal 1986. Change of European operations method\n  resulted in pre-tax translation losses of 1.1 mln dlrs in 1987.\n  Period ended January 30.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PARADISE FRUIT <PARF> SETS LOWER DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Paradise Fruit Co Inc said its\n  board declared a dividend of 25 cts per share, payable March 31\n  to holders of record March 19.\n      The company last paid 50 cts per share in January 1986 and\n  before that paid 60 cts in January 1985.\n      Paradise said commercial bank lending agreements it entered\n  into in June 1986 include retained earnings requirements that\n  limit the amount of earnings available for distribution to\n  shareholders.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<CANADA MALTING CO LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 1.30 dlrs vs 1.51 dlrs\n      Oper net 4.06 mln vs 4.17 mln\n      Sales 146.3 mln vs 155.9 mln\n      Note: 1985 excludes extraordinary loss of 7.45 mln dlrs, or\n  2.70 dlrs per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORTH AMERICAN HOLDING CORP <NAHL> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Dec 31 end\n      Shr profit nil vs loss four cts\n      Net profit 6,891 vs loss 590,460\n      Revs 6,518,133 vs 2,521,884\n      Avg shrs 13.1 mln vs 12.0 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr profit six cts vs loss seven cts\n      Net profit 772,703 vs loss 758,620\n      Revs 20.1 mln vs 7,599,017\n      Avg shrs 13.2 mln vs 10.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<SAMSUNG CO> CALENDAR 1986\n","article":"  Div 50 won vs 50 won\n      Net profit 6.91 billion won vs 6.10 billion\n      Sales 4,275.4 billion vs 3,801,7 billion\n      Note - Company has set 1987 sales target of 4,800 billion\n  won.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GENERAL HOST CORP <GH> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div six cts vs six cts prior\n      Pay April Three\n      Record March 23\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S.-SOVIET GRAIN ACCORD QUESTIONED BY LYNG\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture Secretary Richard\n  Lyng said he was not sure a long-term U.S.-Soviet grain\n  agreement would be worth extending when it expires next year.\n      \"It hasn't been worth much in the last two years....They\n  haven't lived up to the agreement as I see it,\" Lyng said in an\n  interview with Reuters.\n      \"It would be my thought that it's not worth any effort to\n  work out an agreement with someone who wants the agreement to\n  be a one-sided thing,\" he said.\n      However, Lyng said he did not want to make a \"definitive\n  commitment one way or another at this point.\"\n      Under the accord covering 1983-88, the Soviets agreed to\n  buy at least nine mln tonnes of U.S. grain, including four mln\n  tonnes each of corn and wheat.\n      Moscow bought 6.8 mln tonnes of corn and 153,000 tonnes of\n  wheat during the third agreement year, which ended last\n  September, and this year has bought one mln tonnes of corn.\n      Lyng said he had no knowledge of how much U.S. grain Moscow\n  would buy this year.\n      \"I've seen people making comments on that and I don't know\n  how they know, unless they talk to the Soviets,\" he said. \"I have\n  no knowledge, and I really don't think anyone other than the\n  Soviets have any knowledge.\"\n      Lyng said he thought the Soviets bought U.S. corn last\n  month because \"they needed it and because the price was right.\"\n      \"Our corn has been pretty reasonably priced. And I think\n  they've always found that our corn was good,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GROW GROUP INC <GRO> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 7-1\/2 cts vs 7-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DIGIMED CORP 2ND QTR DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.5 cts vs loss five cts\n      Net loss 17,334 vs loss 51,507\n      Sales 245,560 vs 179,839\n      Six mths\n      Shr profit four cts vs loss 17 cts\n      Net profit 47,749 vs loss 174,373\n      Sales 721,937 vs 284,809\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"POWERINE REFINERY TO RESUME OPERATIONS\n","article":"  <Powerine Oil Co> said\n  its refinery here will resume operation today, with initial\n  crude oil runs of 20,000 barrels per day.\n      Powerine, a privately-held company, said it expects the\n  refinery to become fully operational by May, with crude oil\n  throughput at 35,000 bpd.\n      Initial oil products deliveries are scheduled for Monday,\n  Powerine said. The refinery had been closed due to a change of\n  ownership, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRINITY INDUSTRIES INC <TRN> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 12-1\/2 cts vs 12-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COASTAL BANCORP <CSBK> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div five cts vs five cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 30\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IDAHO POWER CO <IDA> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 45 cts vs 45 cts prior\n      Pay May 20\n      Record April 24\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<DAEWOO CORP> CALENDAR 1986\n","article":"  Div 50 won vs 50 won\n      Net profit 35.4 billion won vs 34.2 billion\n      Sales 4,214.9 billion won vs 3,779.2 bilion\n      Note - company has set 1987 sales target of 5,200 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. SOYBEAN MARKETING LOAN NOT NEEDED - LYNG\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture Secretary Richard\n  Lyng said a marketing loan for soybeans would serve no present\n  purpose because the U.S. price is not above the world price.\n      Asked in an interview if it was time to consider a\n  marketing loan for soybeans, Lyng said, \"I don't think so. I\n  don't think the world price is lower than our price anyway.\"\n      However, the USDA secretary said that if current conditions\n  of surplus production persisted, it might be appropriate to\n  consider a marketing loan.\n      \"I suppose that under that condition there is a danger our\n  exports will continue to drop and that the government will\n  continue to accumulate large stocks of soybeans,\" he said. \"It\n  might be (worth contemplating a marketing loan), if there were\n  a world market that was lower than our market.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNITED STATIONERS INC <USTR> SETS DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly dividend six cts vs six cts\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LINCOLN NATIONAL CORP <LNC> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 54 cts vs 54 cts prior\n      Pay May One\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PETRIE STORES CORP <PST> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 17-1\/2 cts vs 17-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay April 20\n      Record April 2.\n  o\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MCLEAN'S <MII> U.S. LINES SETS ASSET TRANSFER\n","article":"  McLean Industries Inc's United\n  States Lines Inc subsidiary said it has agreed in principle to\n  transfer its South American service by arranging for the\n  transfer of certain charters and assets to <Crowley Mariotime\n  Corp>'s American Transport Lines Inc subsidiary.\n      U.S. Lines said negotiations on the contract are expected\n  to be completed within the next week. Terms and conditions of\n  the contract would be subject to approval of various regulatory\n  bodies, including the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CORNING TO OFFER 0.5165 SHARE FOR EACH HAZLETON SHARE UNDER EARLIER AGREEMENT\n","article":"\n  CORNING TO OFFER 0.5165 SHARE FOR EACH HAZLETON SHARE UNDER EARLIER AGREEMENT\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DESOTO <DSO> SELLS INDUSTRIAL CHEMICAL ASSETS\n","article":"  DeSoto Inc said it sold the\n  plant, inventory and certain other assets of some of its\n  industrial chemical operations to Plastic Specialities and\n  Technologies Inc, a privately-held company headquartered in\n  Parsippany, New Jersey.  Terms were not disclosed.\n      Desoto's industrial chemical operations are based in Fort\n  Worth, Texas, and has annual sales of about 17 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SAFEGUARD HEALTH <SFGD> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 30 cts vs profit 12 cts\n      Net loss 2,374,000 vs profit 970,000\n      Revs 15.7 mln vs 13.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 13 cts vs profit 46 cts\n      Net loss 1,054,000 vs profit 3,425,000\n      Revs 61.8 mln vs 49.9 mln\n      Note: Full name Safeguard Health Enterprises Inc.\n      Current qtr and year figures include 2.9 mln dlr reserve\n  for estimated loss from proposed divestment of one-third of\n  existing 40 offices.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"RUBBER TALKS CHAIRMAN CITES SLIGHT PROGRESS\n","article":"  There has been slight progress towards\n  reaching a rubber pact, the chairman of a United Nations\n  conference on a new International Natural Rubber Agreeement,\n  INRA, Manaspas Xuto of Thailand, said.\n      \"There has been some slight progress but it is not the end\n  of the road yet,\" he said.\n      The conference, which began Monday, is seen as the last\n  effort to adopt an accord to replace the current one which\n  expires in October. Some 40 producing and consuming countries\n  are taking part in the two-week meeting.\n      Xuto said if the key outstanding issues are not resolved by\n  tomorrow he would hold weekend meetings.\n      At the beginning of the conference, the fourth such meeting\n  in nearly two years, Xuto said it was imperative to settle\n  those issues this week so that technical drafting work can be\n  done next week.\n      Conference sources said it is highly unlikely that\n  producers will accept a pact that will provide for any possible\n  downward adjustment of the floor price, as proposed by\n  consumers under certain circumstances.\n      The sources said this means that any possible adjustment\n  would centre on the reference price, and the \"may buy\" (or \"may\n  sell\") and \"must buy\" (or \"must sell\") levels without changing the\n  \"lower indicative price\" (or floor price) of 150\n  Malaysian\/Singapore cents a kilo in the present pact.\n      The present five-day average of the indicator price is\n  around 192 Malaysian\/Singapore cents.\n      Consumers are seeking an adjustment of the reference price,\n  set in the current accord at 201.66 Malaysian\/Singapore cents a\n  kilo, and of the \"lower indicative price\" if the buffer stock,\n  currently 360,000 tonnes, rises to 450,000 tonnes.\n      Consumers want price reviews at 12-month intervals instead\n  of the 18 at present, and the price revision mechanism to\n  respond automatically to market trends.\n      At present, if the market price has been above or below the\n  reference price for six months, the reference price is revised\n  by five pct or by an amount decided by the International\n  Natural Rubber Organisation council.\n      Consumers say that, in these circumstances, the adjustment\n  be automatic at five pct or more.\n      Producers have resisted reducing the role of the council in\n  the price adjustment procedure and have expressed concern that\n  changes proposed by consumers would weaken the present pact.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"\"BRITANNIA\" COIN TO SELL AT PREMIUM\n","article":"  The new British one ounce gold coin, the\n  \"Britannia,\" will be priced on the basis of the gold price on the\n  day of purchase plus a \"competitive premium,\" Treasury officials\n  said.\n      Value added tax will be levied on all purchases by members\n  of the U.K. Public, as is currently the case with foreign\n  coins, although transactions between members of the London Gold\n  Market and all exports of the coins will be zero-rated. No\n  decision has yet been taken on the face value of the coins.\n      Although a number of gold coins, especially the Canadian\n  Maple, have been issued elsewhere in an attempt to take the\n  place of the South African krugerrand, the British government\n  still feels that there is a gap in the market for a British one\n  ounce gold coin. The only British gold coin available at\n  present is the sovereign, which contains 0.2354 ounces of gold.\n      Gold from South Africa or the Soviet Union will not be used\n  in the coin, officials said, adding that bullion would be\n  bought on the world gold market. But analysts said it would be\n  difficult to ascertain the origins of such purchases.\n      No details are yet available on how many coins will be\n  issued or how much gold will be bought, but traders said that\n  the amounts involved would be unlikely to move the gold price.\n      There were some enquiries on the \"Britannia\" from coin\n  dealers today, but value added tax would prove a major factor\n  in the success of the coin, with the 15 pct tax likely to put\n  off many investors, traders said.\n      Some said that the \"Britannia\" had come too late, with the\n  Canadian Maple Leaf, the American Eagle and other gold coins\n  already well established.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CYTRX <CYTR> UNIT BUYS SWEDISH COMPANY\n","article":"  CytRx Corp said its 60 pct owned CytRx\n  Biopool Ltd subsidiary has acquired Biopool AB of Umea, Sweden,\n  for undisclosed terms.\n      It said former shareholders of Biopool AB own the remaining\n  40 pct in CytRx Biopool Ltd. Biopool AB develops cardiovascular\n  and fibrinolytic products for diagnostic applications.\n      The company said CytRx Biopool is studying the possible\n  combination of CytRx Corp's RheothRx drug to reduce platelet\n  aggregation and viscosity in blood with Biopool AB's drug t-PA\n  for dissolving blood clots.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CANADA 91-DAY T-BILLS AVERAGE 7.03 PCT, MAKING BANK RATE 7.28 PCT\n","article":"\n  CANADA 91-DAY T-BILLS AVERAGE 7.03 PCT, MAKING BANK RATE 7.28 PCT\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF NEW YORK <BK> TO HAVE GAIN ON UNIT SALE\n","article":"  Bank of New York Co said it and the\n  management of RMJ Securities Corp have agreed to sell 80 pct of\n  their interests in RMJ Holding Corp to <British and\n  Commonwealth Holdings PLC> and Bank of New York expects to\n  realize a substantial gain on the transaction.\n      RMJ Holding is the holding company for RMJ Securities, a\n  large broker of U.S. government securities and agency\n  obligations  Bank of New York owns a majority interest in RMJ\n  Holding and management of RMJ Securities the remainder.\n      Bank of New York said the sale is expected to be completed\n  during the second quarter.\n      It said it and RMJ Securities management will continue to\n  own 20 pct of RMJ Holding for now, but the agreement provides\n  for the sale of that remaining interest to British and\n  Commonwealth over the next six years.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORTH AMERICAN <NAHL> SEES RECORD FOURTH QTR\n","article":"  North American Holding Corp\n  said it expects to have record fourth quarter earnings and for\n  sales to exceed 10 mln dlrs.\n      For the fourth quarter ended March 30, 1986 the company\n  reported net income of 631,720 dlrs on sales of 5.2 mln dlrs.\n      It also said it expects revenues for the year to exceed 30\n  mln dlrs. For fiscal 1986, North American reported a net loss\n  of 126,900 dlrs on sales of 12.8 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INVESTORS UP INTERMEDICS <ITM> STAKE TO 16.8 PCT\n","article":"  A group of investment firms told the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission they raised their stake in\n  Intermedics Inc to 1,721,900 shares, or 16.8 pct of the total\n  outstanding, from 1,565,900 shares, or 15.2 pct.\n      Bessemer Securities Corp, a New York investment firm,\n  Cilluffo Associates L.P., a New York investment partnership,\n  and related entities said they bought 156,000 Intermedics\n  common shares between February 24 and March 9 for 1.4 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WAL-MART STORES INC <WMT> RAISES QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div six cts vs 4-1\/4 cts prior\n      Pay April 10\n      Record March 23\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OPTROTECH LTD <OPTKF> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 13 cts vs 50 cts\n      Net 651,397 vs 2,602,120\n      Revs 26.4 mln vs 21.6 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes gain 291,027 dlr gain from quantity\n  discount rebates on purchases of materials in prior years.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CORNING <GLW>, HAZLETON <HLC> SET EXCAHNGE RATIO\n","article":"  Corning Glass Works said the\n  exchange ratio for its previously announced acquisition of\n  Hazleton Laboratories Corp has been established at 0.5165\n  Corning common share for each Hazleton common share.\n      Corning said the prospectus regarding the merger is\n  expected to be mailed tomorrow to all Hazleton holders of\n  record February 18. Hazleton shareholders will vote on the\n  proposed merger at a special meeting on March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NORTH ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGIES <NATT> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss 20 cts vs loss 14 cts\n      Net loss 352,000 vs loss 248,000\n      Revs 285,000 vs 681,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 92 cts vs loss 49 cts\n      Net loss 1,613,000 vs loss 842,000\n      Revs 1,523,000 vs 2,557,000\n      NOTE: Full name is North Atlantic Technologies Inc\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MONTEDISON, OTHER REFINERIES TO SHUT FOR WORK\n","article":"  Selm-Societa Energia Montedison is to\n  close its Priolo crude refining units from March 15th to March\n  28th for maintenance, a company spokesman said.\n      Throughput at the refinery is currently estimated at\n  140-150,000 bpd, although total capacity is nearer 200,000 bpd.\n      Several other Mediterranean refineries are currently\n  shutdown for maintenance, most of which were scheduled some\n  months ago. But industry sources said that shutdowns may have\n  been rearranged to avoid running negative-netback crude.\n       Tighter availabilities of products as a result of the \n  shutdowns in the Med is helping to keep products markets\n  bullish, particularly for March deliveries, oil traders said.\n      Garrone's refinery at San Quirico (capacity 130,000 bpd) is\n  due to shutdown on March 14th for three weeks, and the\n  jointly-owned ISAB\/Garrone refinery at Mellili, capacity\n  220,000 bpd, is due to start up around March 20-25th following\n  its closure for maintenance a month ago, a company spokesman\n  said.\n      The Esso Italiana refineries at Augusta and Siracusa will\n  not be closing this spring, a spokesman for the company said.\n      In France, the distillation unit at Societe Francaise de\n  BP's Lavera refinery has been closed for maintenance since\n  March 2, and is due to restart early April. Total capacity is\n  181,900 bpd. It is currently operating at around 50 pct\n  capacity, a company spokesman said.\n      Shell Francaise's Berre l'Etang refinery will shut down in\n  early April until mid-June, a company spokesman said. Capacity\n  is around 150,000 bpd. Compagnie Francaise de Raffinage (CFR)\n  will close the visbreaker at its La Mede refinery in early\n  April, but would not affect crude throughput at the refinery, a\n  company spokesman said. Current capacity is 136,000 bbl\/day.\n      Despite current bullish sentiment in the Med, however,\n  traders noted that crude netbacks are beginning to look more\n  attractive, and most maintenance shutdowns should be finished\n  in two to three weeks.\n      As a result, oil industry sources suggest that the\n  situation may ease by mid-April.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ATTACKS AFFECT COLOMBIA'S OIL OUTLOOK-ECOPETROL\n","article":"  Continuous rebel raids against oil\n  pipelines and foreign exploration camps endanger Colombia's\n  present oil bonanza, Franciso Chona, manager of the state-run\n  oil company Ecopetrol said.\n      \"It seems the subversion wants to end with our oil bonanza,\"\n  he told reporters.\n      He was speaking after a meeting with Defense Minister\n  Rafael Samudio, military chiefs and Mines and Energy Minister\n  Guillermo Perry to review the security situation in the light\n  of a recent upsurge of leftist guerrilla attacks in the\n  oil-rich Arauca region, bordering Venezuela.\n      Ecopetrol chief of security, Retired General Carlos\n  Narvaez, said security measures would be stricter and that the\n  armed forces were closely collaborating but gave no details.\n      Samudio said new plans had been designed and hoped they\n  would be effective. Samudio stressed that, despite the most\n  recent attacks, which cost more than four mln dlrs in damage,\n  the overall situation had improved compared with last December\n  when initial measures were taken to combat a wave of attacks.\n      Repeated bombings of a vital pipeline from the Cano Limon\n  oilfield to the Caribbean then led to a loss of 51,000 barrels\n  of crude.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HEALTH EXPERTS URGE ERADICATION OF RINDERPEST\n","article":"  World animal health experts called for a\n  campaign to eradicate the lethal cattle disease Rinderpest in\n  Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan, a statement from\n  a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) meeting here said.\n      Some 230 mln dlrs is needed over two years to vaccinate the\n  entire susceptible cattle population in Bangladesh and Pakistan\n  and high-risk areas of the other three countries. In India some\n  240 mln cattle are estimated to be at risk from the disease.\n      The experts recommended the campaign be funded mostly by\n  the governments of the five nations, with help from the FAO.\n  Similar campaigns are needed in Egypt, Yemen, Iraq and Iran.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PERU'S CENTROMIN SAYS NO COPPER FORCE MAJEURE\n","article":"  Peru's biggest state mining firm,\n  Centromin SA, said today there was no immediate force majeure\n  possibility on its copper shipments after guerrillas blew up a\n  railway line, interrupting train traffic from the Cobriza\n  copper mine to the Pacific coast.\n      A Centromin spokesman said the managers of the mine at\n  Cobriza could always ship the the mineral by road to the coast\n  for export if the train line continued interrupted. Cobriza\n  produced the equivalent of around 40,600 fine tonnes of copper\n  last year.\n      Maoist guerrillas using dynamite interrupted train traffic\n  two days ago when they blew up railway tracks and derailed a\n  train laden with minerals 225 km (135 miles) east of Lima at\n  Chacapalca, between the coast and Cobriza.\n      An official at Minero Peru Comercial, Minpeco, Peru's state\n  minerals marketing firm, confirmed there had been no\n  declaration of force majeure on the shipments from Cobriza.\n      Officials at National Train Company, Enafer, headquarters\n  in Lima, the Peruvian capital, declined to comment on when\n  train traffic would be restored to Cobriza.\n      But an Enafer official, reached by telephone in the central\n  Andean city of Huancayo, near Chacapalca, said traffic could be\n  restored by Saturday.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PARKER DRILLING SUSPENDS QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"\n  PARKER DRILLING SUSPENDS QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRST GRANITE BANCORP INC AGREES TO BE ACQUIRED BY MAGNA GROUP INC FOR STOCK\n","article":"\n  FIRST GRANITE BANCORP INC AGREES TO BE ACQUIRED BY MAGNA GROUP INC FOR STOCK\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ARGENTINE VEGETABLE OILS SHIPMENTS IN JAN\/NOV 1986\n","article":"  Argentine Vegetable oils shipments\n  during January\/November 1986 totalled 1,693,951 tonnes, against\n  1,469,208 tonnes in the same 1985 period, the Argentine grain\n  board said.\n      The breakdown was: cotton 4,000 (27,900), sunflower 929,847\n  (816,727), linseed 113,827 (132,954), groundnutseed 26,248\n  (25,508), soybean 603,335 (448,344), tung 8,402 (10,633), olive\n  2,234 (3,465), maize 6,058 (3,677), rapeseed nil (nil), grape\n  nil (nil), the board added.\n      Shipments during November 1986 amounted to 138,257 tonnes,\n  against 109,250 tonnes in the same month of 1985.\n      The breakdwon was, in tonnes, cotton nil (nil), sunflower\n  27,715 (43,064), linseed 5,228 (4,473), groundnutseed 819\n  (3,647), soybean 104,314 (56,901), tung 20 (nil), olive 161\n  (858), maize nil (307), rapeseed nil (nil), grape nil (nil),\n  the board said.\n      The ten principal destinations during January\/November\n  1986, with comparative figures for the same 1985 period in\n  brackets, were, in tonnes:\n      Holland 201,660 (204,391), Iran 182,042 (181,228), Soviet\n  Union 163,150 (266,389),Egypt 158,119 (159,350), Algeria\n  116,330 (11,492), Brazil 101,116 (59,430) , South Africa 94,700\n  (101,062) , Cuba 89,957 (98,740) , United States 80,109 (nil),\n  India 67,182 (17,403), the board added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PARKER DRILLING <PKD> SUSPENDS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Parker Drilling Co said its board\n  of directors voted to suspend the payment of dividends to\n  shareholders.\n      Parker Drilling said it has been paying a quarterly\n  dividend of one ct a share of common stock.\n      The company said it expects to save 1.3 mln dlrs a year\n  through the dividend suspension.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EQK REALTY INVESTORS <EKR> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr nine cts vs 22 cts\n      Net 700,000 vs 2,200,000\n      Revs 5,400,000 vs 5,700,000\n      Avg shrs 7,589,344 vs 10.1 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 43 cts\n      Net 3,500,000\n      Revs 21.6 mln\n      NOTE: 12 mth figures not available for 1985 since company\n  started operations March 31, 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MASCO CORP <MAS> REGULAR DIVIDEND SET\n","article":"  Qtly div nine cts vs nine cts previously\n      Pay May 11\n      Record April 17\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TURKISH RETAIL PRICES RISE 2.7 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Turkish retail prices rose 2.7 pct in\n  February after 2.9 pct in January and 1.7 pct in February 1986,\n  the State Statistics Institute said.\n      Prices in the year to February rose 31.6 pct, compared with\n  30.3 pct in the year to January and 38.8 pct in the 12 months\n  to February 1986.\n      The index (base 1978\/79), covering 14 towns and five\n  regions, was 1,886.8 in February, 1,837.2 in January and\n  1,434.0 in February 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EQK REALTY INVESTORS I <EKR> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div 41.5 cts vs 41.5 cts prior\n      Pay July 29\n      Record June 15\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"12-MAR-1987\n","article":"  12-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"IPCO CORP <IHS> SETS REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div nine cts vs nine cts prior\n      Pay May 1\n      Record April 9\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRST GRANITE <FGBI> AGREES TO BE ACQUIRED\n","article":"  First Granite Bancorp Inc\n  said it agreed in principle to become a wholly owned subsidiary\n  of Magna Group Inc <MAGI>.\n      Under terms of the agreement, First Granite shareholders\n  will receive 2.175 shares of Magna for each First Granite share\n  held. First Granite shareholders will be asked to approve the\n  tranaction in late summer.\n      First Granite, which has 675,000 shares outstanding, as of\n  Dec 31, 1986 had assets of 186.5 mln dlrs. It owns First\n  Granite City National Bank and Colonial Bank of Granite City,\n  Ill.\n      Magna Groups as of Dec 31, 1986 had assets of 1.47 billion\n  dlrs. It owns 13 banks, a data services company, a mortgage\n  company and a trust company, serving St. Louis as well as\n  Springfield, Centralia and Decatur, Ill.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE CUTS PRIME RATE TO 8.75 PCT FROM 9.25 - TOMORROW\n","article":"\n  CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE CUTS PRIME RATE TO 8.75 PCT FROM 9.25 - TOMORROW\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"THERMWOOD CORP <THM> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr three cts vs three cts\n      Net 165,798 vs 143,872\n      Sales 1,787,561 vs 1,072,686\n      Six mths\n      Shr four cts vs four cts\n      Net 175,928 vs 191,310\n      Sales 3,137,695 vs 2,723,557\n      Avg shrs 4,862,046 vs 4,722,150\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PERINI INVESTMENT PROPERTIES <PNV> RAISES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 15 cts vs 12 cts in prior qtr\n      Payable June 25\n      Record May 28\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SUN <SUN> RAISES CRUDE POSTINGS 50 CTS\n","article":"  Sun Co said it raised the contract\n  price it will pay for crude oil 50 cts a barrel, effective\n  today.\n      The increase brings Sun's posted price for the West Texas\n  Intermediate and West Texas Sour grades to 17.50 dlrs\/bbl. The\n  Light Louisiana Sweet grade was also raised 50 cts to 17.85\n  dlrs\/bbl.\n      Sun Co last changed its crude postings on March 4.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PETROLEUM AND RESOURCES CORP <PEO> DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Interim income dividend 20 cts. Last paid 1.14 dlrs\n  February 27, including capital gains of 50 cts.\n      Pyable April 20\n      Record April eight\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROYAL BANK OF CANADA LOWERS PRIME RATE TO 8-3\/4 PCT, DOWN 1\/2\n","article":"\n  ROYAL BANK OF CANADA LOWERS PRIME RATE TO 8-3\/4 PCT, DOWN 1\/2\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NEW LINE CINEMA CORP <NLN> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 11 cts vs nine cts\n      Net 677,498 vs 461,485\n      Revs 6,271,010 vs 5,135,729\n      Year\n      Shr 81 cts vs 20 cts\n      Net 4,406,065 vs 973,967\n      Revs 26.5 mln vs 14.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,457,339 vs 4,978,965\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"OTTAWA SEEKS EXPLANATION OF CREDIT CARD RATES\n","article":"  Minister of State for Finance Tom Hockin\n  said he has asked the Canadian Bankers Association, an industry\n  lobby group, for an explanation of the level of credit card\n  interest rates.\n      Hockin said he hopes to here the association's response on\n  the \"important\" issue soon. Hockin was responding to questions\n  in the House of Commons about why credit card rates, which run\n  as high as 28 pct per year, remain high when other rates are\n  falling.\n      Today, the Canadian bank rate fell to 7.28 pct from 7.54\n  pct last week and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce cut\n  its prime rate, effective tomorrow, to 8.75 pct from 9.25 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"IPCO CORP <IHS> REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div nine cts vs nine cts in prior qtr\n      Payable May one\n      Record Apreil nine\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ASAMERA INC YEAR OPER SHR LOSS 48 CTS VS PROFIT 50 CTS\n","article":"\n  ASAMERA INC YEAR OPER SHR LOSS 48 CTS VS PROFIT 50 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DIAMOND SHAMROCK RAISED CRUDE BY 50 CTS\/BBL TODAY. WTI UP TO 17.50 DLRS.\n","article":"\n  DIAMOND SHAMROCK RAISED CRUDE BY 50 CTS\/BBL TODAY. WTI UP TO 17.50 DLRS.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ALLEGHNEY INTERNATIONAL <AG> FACES ADDED COUNT\n","article":"  Alleghney International Inc said the\n  plaintiffs in the existing lawsuits opposing its sale requested\n  an amendment to their complaint to include a class action\n  count.\n      Alleghney said the suit, filed in the U.S. District Court\n  for the Western District of Pennsylvania, was aimed at blocking\n  the sale of Alleghney to an affiliate of First Boston Inc.\n      Allegheney said the additional count sought by the\n  plaintiffs alleges the price to be offered for AI's common\n  stock, 24.60 dlrs, is grossly unfair and one the purposes of\n  the proposed sale is to absolve the individual defendants of\n  liability in the lawsuit.\n       The additional count among other forms of relief, requests\n  an injunction against the defendants from taking any steps to\n  accomplish the proposed sale, Alleghney said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"PHILLIPS RAISES CRUDE POSTINGS 50 CTS EFFECTIVE TODAY, WTI TO 17.50 dlrs\/bbl\n","article":"\n  PHILLIPS RAISES CRUDE POSTINGS 50 CTS EFFECTIVE TODAY, WTI TO 17.50 dlrs\/bbl\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. SEISMIC CREW COUNT DROPS 6 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  The number of seismic crews\n  searching for oil and gas in the United States dropped by nine\n  to a total of 151 crews, a decrease of six pct from January,\n  the Society of Exploration Geophysicists said.\n      The February total represented a 49 pct decrease from\n  February 1986.\n      Worldwide, the association's monthly survey showed that\n  seismic exploration for oil and gas increased to 395 in\n  February, up three from the month before. Africa added three\n  seismic crews, the Middle East increased by two and the Far\n  East added one while reductions were reported in Central and\n  South America, Europe and the United States.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"12-MAR-1987\n","article":"  12-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BALLY <BLY> COMPLETES PURCHASE OF GOLDEN NUGGET\n","article":"  Bally Manufacturing Corp said it\n  completed the acquisition of the Golden Nugget Casino Hotel in\n  Atlantic City, New Jersey from Golden Nugget Inc.\n      Bally also acquired from Golden Nugget various parcels of\n  real estate in Atlantic City, it noted.\n      The transaction included 140 mln dlrs in cash and stock and\n  the assumption of a 299 mln dlrs mortgage.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PESSIMISM MOUNTS OVER BAHIAN TEMPORAO COCOA CROP\n","article":"  Pessimism over the effects of a\n  prolonged dry spell on the coming Bahian temporao cocoa crop is\n  rising with trade forecasts generally in the 2.0 mln to 2.5 mln\n  bag range against 2.5 mln to 3.0 mln a fortnight ago.\n      Trade sources told Reuters from the state capital of\n  Salvador that despite scattered rains since mid-February, which\n  broke a six week drought, plantations have not picked up as\n  hoped and very little cocoa is expected to be gathered in the\n  first three months of the May\/September crop.\n      The sources said arrivals from May through July might only\n  reach around 600,000 bags whereas in normal years a figure of\n  1.0 mln to 1.5 mln bags might be expected.\n      Arrivals from then should start to pick up sharply as pods\n  from current flowering are gathered. However, the sources noted\n  a late temporao is always more susceptible to pod rot, which\n  flourishes if conditions turn cold and humid, and which is more\n  likely from late July on.\n      This year's crop is doubly susceptible because poor prices\n  mean farmers were not encouraged to invest in fertilisers and\n  insecticides and are also unlikely to treat against pod rot.\n      A severe attack of pod rot can cause the loss of over\n  500,000 bags in a very short period, one source said.\n      Because of the increased exposure to pod rot damage,\n  estimates of the final outcome of the temporao are extremely\n  vulnerable and production could easily drop to below the 2.0\n  mln bag mark if the disease hits.\n      Although flowering was good following the start of the\n  rains, pod setting was not up to expectations, possibly because\n  the drought had caused a drop in the insect population which\n  pollinates flowers, the sources said.\n      However, reports from farms indicate moisture levels are\n  now generally back to near normal levels and that current\n  flowering and pod setting is good, which should result in\n  mature fruit from August through September.\n      The sources said they expect no break in the harvesting of\n  beans between the end of the temporao and the beginning of the\n  main crop, which officially starts on October 1.\n      \"The cut-off date is completely artificial. If things go\n  well from now on we should see heavy harvesting without a break\n  from August through November or even December,\" one said.\n      If predictions of a 2.0 to 2.5 mln bag temporao prove\n  accurate this would be below the 2.7 mln bag average for the\n  past 10 years. The last poor temporao was in 1984 when\n  prolonged drought and later pod rot cut production to 1.79 mln\n  bags, the lowest since 1974.\n      Good growing conditions the following year produced a\n  temporao of 3.12 mln bags, just below the 1983 3.17 mln bag\n  record, while last year's output, which also suffered some\n  drought damage, was 2.77 mln bags.\n      Figures for the coming temporao might be distorted upwards\n  by the inclusion of undeclared current main crop beans.\n      The sources said large quantities of beans are believed to\n  have been undeclared from this year's record total harvest and\n  they were unsure how much of this would be unregistered by the\n  end of the official crop year on April 30.\n      Recent official arrivals figures have been swollen by the\n  inclusion of beans which had been delivered previously to port\n  warehouses but not declared.\n      Because of the high turnover of beans this year,\n  significant amounts have deteriorated because they were stored\n  too long at the back of warehouses. Some of these are expected\n  to be held for mixing in with early temporao arrivals.\n      With official arrivals figures for the 1986\/87 temporao and\n  main crops totalling over 6.1 mln bags, and over seven weeks\n  still to go to the end of the year, the total outturn should be\n  at least a record 6.5 mln bags if all production is declared,\n  the sources said.\n      This would compare with the previous record set last year\n  of 6.03 mln.\n      However, there is no way of telling how many current crop\n  beans will be declared after the May 1 start of the temporao\n  and thus the true size of the 1986\/87 harvest may never be\n  officially registered.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ROSE'S STORES INC <RSTO> 4TH QTR JAN 28\n","article":"  Shr 37 cts vs 37 cts\n      net 7.6 mln vs 7.5 mln\n      Revs 383.9 mln vs 326.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.17 dlrs vs 99 cts\n      Net 24.0 mln vs 20.3 mln\n      Revs 1.2 billion vs 1.0 billion\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 120,000 TONNES WHEAT  PURCHASED FROM FOREIGN SELLERS FOR 1987\/88\n","article":"\n  U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 120,000 TONNES WHEAT  PURCHASED FROM FOREIGN SELLERS FOR 1987\/88\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PHILLIPS <P> RAISES CRUDE POSTINGS 50 CTS\n","article":"  Phillips Petroleum said it raised the\n  contract price it will for all grades of crude oil 50 cts a\n  barrel, effective today.\n      The increase brings Phillip's posted price for the West\n  Texas Intermediate and West Texas Sour grades to 17.50 dlrs a\n  bbl.\n      Phillips last changed its crude oil postings on March 4.\n      The price increase follows similar moves by USX's <X>\n  subsidiary, Marathon oil, and Sun Co <SUN> earlier today.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ASAMERA INC <ASM> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 48 cts vs profit 50 cts\n      Oper net loss 11.3 mln vs profit 18.1 mln\n      Revs 262.8 mln vs 399.7 mln\n      Note: 1986 net excludes tax gain of 1.1 mln dlrs or three\n  cts shr vs yr-ago gain of 5.6 mln dlrs or 17 cts shr.\n      1986 net includes 15 mln dlr charge for reduction in\n  carrying value of refinery and related assets. 1985 net\n  includes 10.8 mln dlr gain on sale of Canadian natural gas\n  property.\n      U.S. dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LVI GROUP INC <LVI> 4TH QTR OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit two cts vs loss 19 cts\n      Oper net profit 523,000 vs loss 2,191,000\n      Revs 102.5 mln vs 39.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 20.0 mln vs 11.1 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 11 cts vs loss 29 cts\n      Oper net profit 2,240,000 vs loss 2,884,000\n      Revs 304.4 mln vs 50.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 19.4 mln vs 9,759,000\n       NOTE: 1986 4th qtr and year oper net excludes a gain of\n  492,000 dlrs and 1,241,000 dlrs, respectively, for\n  carryforwards and a loss of 135,000 dlrs and 533,000 dlrs,\n  respectively, for early extinguishment of debt.\n      1985 4th qtr and year oper net excludes a loss of 1,457,000\n  dlrs or 14 cts per share and loss 1,735,000 dlrs or 18 cts per\n  share, respectively, for discontinued operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TALKING POINT\/PUROLATOR COURIER CORP <PCC>\n","article":"  Purolator Courier corp's stock rose on\n  specualtion that a disgruntled former Purolator director would\n  find a new suitor for the company, traders said.\n      Purolator agreed in late February to a 35 dlr-a-share, 265\n  mln-dlr offer from E.F. Hutton LBO Inc and certain members of\n  its Purolator courier division's management.\n      The stock today hit 36-1\/4, up one.\n      Today, Purolator revealed in a filing with the Securities\n  and Exchange Commission that director Doresy Gardner resigned\n  from its board of directors in a letter dated March 10.\n      The letter from Gardner said he resigned the board because\n  the merger agreement with Hutton barred directors from\n  soliciting new offers and he believes shareholders might get a\n  better deal. Gardner said he believes a better offer might be\n  found if the company would agree to be sold to some other\n  entity, or if it could sell off all or part of its U.S. courier\n  division.\n      \"Basically, (the courier division) is a company that has\n  450 mln dlrs in revenues. It's a very large company and it's\n  being sold for 50 or 60 mln dlrs,\" said Gardner in a telephone\n  interview with Reuters.\n      Gardner is an official of Kelso Management, a firm\n  associated with Fidelity International Ltd. A group of Fidelity\n  companies owns eight pct of Purolator, and Gardner said he\n  personally owns 20,000 shares.\n      A Purolator official said the company has no comment on the\n  letter from Gardner.\n      Arbitragers speculated another overnight messenger service\n  may emerge as a likely bidder for Purolator. Before the\n  transaction with Hutton LBO was announced, analysts had also\n  speculated another courier company would be the most likely\n  suitor.\n      While one arbitrager acknowledged there in fact may be no\n  new bidders, he said the possibility one could appear pushed\n  the stock into play again.\n      \"There's no shortage of possibilities. It's just a question\n  of management's willingness to let the process continue,\" said\n  one arbitrager.\n      Arbitragers said a new buyer might be found because they\n  believe Hutton LBO has taken on no risk in the transaction.\n  Hutton has begun a tender for 83 pct of Purolator at 35 dlrs\n  cash per share. The balance of Purolator's stock will be bought\n  for securities and warrants in a new company holding the U.S.\n  courier operations.\n      The arbitragers said tender offer documents show that\n  Hutton does not need to use its cash in the transaction and\n  will emerge with a giant, majority equity interest in\n  Purolator.\n      \"As far as I can tell from the public documents from the\n  deal that's on the table, Hutton is basically putting up zero.\n  One always likes a situation like that. You always like to\n  think if they can do this deal at no risk, there should be\n  someone else in the world that could do it higher,\" said one\n  arbitrager.\n      The firm, however, is supplying temporary financing, and\n  sources close to the transaction disputed the claim that the\n  firm will not end up paying for its equity position.\n      While one scenario mentioned in the tender offer document\n  did note that the E.F. Hutton Group subsidiary may not have to\n  keep cash in the transaction, the sources said there is some\n  risk to the firm.\n      \"There are a variety of contingencies and restricted cash,\n  and all sorts of things that make it very speculative,\" said\n  one of the sources, adding there are also severance payments to\n  employees.\n      The E.F. Hutton Group subsidiary is supplying 279 mln dlrs\n  in so-called \"bridge\" financing for the transaction. The bridge\n  financing is a temporary loan from Hutton.\n      The financing is to be replaced with permanent financing,\n  expected to come from banks. However, it may take some time to\n  replace the financing, the source said, resulting in what could\n  be a substantial expense to the firm.\n      Gardner said Hutton stands to gain fees of 10 to 20 mln\n  dlrs from the transaction, but sources close to the transaction\n  said fees are at the low end of the scale.\n      \"It's a very complex transaction, but basically what\n  happens is they ostensibly put up money but the fees recapture\n  any investment they might have once the merger takes place,\"\n  Gardner said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USDA SAYS WHEAT PURCHASED FROM FOREIGN SELLERS\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department said\n  private U.S. exporters reported purchases from foreign sellers\n  of 120,000 tonnes of wheat for delivery to unknown\n  destinations.\n      The wheat, consisting of 60,000 tonnes of hard red winter\n  and 60,000 tones of soft red winter, is for delivery during the\n  1987\/88 season, which begins June 1.\n      A purchase from a foreign seller is a transaction in which\n  a U.S. exporter contracts to buy U.S.-produced commodities from\n  a foreign firm, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONSOLIDATED TVX TO BUY BRAZIL GOLD MINE STAKES\n","article":"  <Consolidated TVX Mining Corp> said it\n  agreed to issue 7.8 mln treasury shares to acquire interests in\n  three gold mining companies in Brazil and an option to increase\n  the company's interest in a platinum property.\n      The company said the transactions will bring immediate\n  production and earnings to Consolidated TVX, enhance its\n  precious metal potential and is expected to improve cash flow\n  and earnings on a per share basis. The company did not give\n  specific figures.\n      Consolidated TVX said it will acquire 29 pct of CMP, a\n  public gold mining company in which TVX already holds a 15 pct\n  interest, making TVX the largest single shareholder.\n      The company also agreed to acquire a 19 pct stake in Novo\n  Astro, a private company, and a 16 pct interest in Teles Pires\n  Mining, increasing the TVX's ownership to 51 pct.\n      In addition, Consolidated TVX said it will acquire the\n  right to add a 10 pct interest to a platinum property in which\n  it already owns a 29.4 pct stake.\n      CMP earned 11 mln Canadian dlrs in 1986 and expects to\n  produce 42,000 ounces of gold in 1987 at a cost of 160 U.S.\n  dlrs an ounce, Consolidated TVX said.\n      Novo Astro operates Brazil's richest gold mine located in\n  Amapa State, with an average grade of 0.8 ounces of gold a ton\n  in a hardrock quartz vein, Consolidated TVX said. Mining of\n  eluvial surface material produced 25,000 ounces in 1986 and is\n  expected to produce 60,000 ounces in 1987.\n      It also said Teles Pires Mining controls rights to a 350\n  kilometer section of the Teles Pires River, where one dredge is\n  expected to produce 10,000 ounces of gold in 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"VOLCKER SEES NO CLEARCUT EVIDENCE THAT U.S. TRADE DETERIORATION HAS YET BEEN REVERSED\n","article":"\n  VOLCKER SEES NO CLEARCUT EVIDENCE THAT U.S. TRADE DETERIORATION HAS YET BEEN REVERSED\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" DIAMOND SHAMROCK <DIA> RAISES CRUDE POSTINGS\n","article":"  Diamond Shamrock said it raised the\n  contract price it will pay for crude oil 50 cts a barrel,\n  effective today.\n      The increase brings the company's posted price for the\n  benchmark grade, West Texas Intermediate, to 17.50 dlrs\/bbl.\n      Diamond Shamrock last changed its postings on March 4.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TORONTO DOMINION BANK CUTS PRIME RATE TO 8-3\/4 PCT FROM 9-1\/4 PCT - TOMORROW\n","article":"\n  TORONTO DOMINION BANK CUTS PRIME RATE TO 8-3\/4 PCT FROM 9-1\/4 PCT - TOMORROW\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF MONTREAL CUTS PRIME RATE TO 8-3\/4 PCT FROM 9-1\/4 PCT, EFFECTIVE FRIDAY\n","article":"\n  BANK OF MONTREAL CUTS PRIME RATE TO 8-3\/4 PCT FROM 9-1\/4 PCT, EFFECTIVE FRIDAY\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VOLCKER SAYS FED REMAINS CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF RENEWED INFLATION\n","article":"\n  VOLCKER SAYS FED REMAINS CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF RENEWED INFLATION\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ASSETS OF MONEY MARKET MUTUAL FUNDS FELL 35.3 MLN DLRS IN LATEST WEEK TO 237.43 BILLION\n","article":"\n  ASSETS OF MONEY MARKET MUTUAL FUNDS FELL 35.3 MLN DLRS IN LATEST WEEK TO 237.43 BILLION\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WEINBERGER OPPOSES FUJITSU BUYING U.S. FIRM\n","article":"  Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger\n  will join Commerce Secretary Malcolm Baldrige in fighting\n  Fujitsu Ltd's <ITSU.T> plan to buy 80 pct of <Fairchild\n  Semiconductor Corp>, Pentagon officials said.\n      \"He (Weinberger) opposes it. It is not in the best interests\n  of the country to have more of the micro-electronics business\n  leaving the United States,\" one of the Pentagon officials, who\n  asked not to be identified, told Reuters.\n      Commerce Department officials told Reuters yesterday that\n  Baldrige opposed the planned sale and that the White House\n  Economic Policy Council will take up the matter within weeks.\n      Commerce and defense officials said Baldrige and Weinberger\n  feared the U.S. military is already leaning too heavily on\n  foreign electronic support.\n      But the Defense Department also said today that Weinberger\n  and Baldrige differed on the proposed sale of U.S. computer\n  equipment to Iran.\n      The Commerce Department advised the Pentagon recently that\n  defense objections to two proposed sales -- to an Iranian power\n  company and the Islamic Republic of Iran News Agency -- were\n  not valid and the sales of small and medium computers would go\n  through unless more evidence was presented.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WARWICK INSURANCE MANAGERS INC <WIMI> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Oper shr 17 cts vs 19 cts\n      Oper net 636,000 vs 358,000\n      Revs 10.6 mln vs 7,024,000\n      Avg shrs 3,808,000 vs 1,924,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr 73 cts vs 65 cts\n      Oper net 2,467,000 vs 1,199,000\n      Revs 31.5 mln vs 22.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,372,000 vs 1,785,000\n      NOTE: Net excludes investment gains 20,000 dlrs vs 86,000\n  dlrs in quarter and 586,000 dlrs vs 195,000 dlrs in year.\n      1985 year net excludes 304,000 dlr tax credit.\n      Share adjusted for one-for-two reverse split in November\n  1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GLICKMAN PUSHES HARD FOR 0\/92 FARM PLAN\n","article":"  Implementation of a one-year 0\/92\n  pilot program for wheat and feedgrains was strongly promoted\n  today by the chairman of a key house agriculture subcommittee\n  as a way to cut farm costs and simultaneously give farmers\n  another option when making their planting decisions.\n      \"We have a budget driven farm policy. It may be a shame,\n  but we are locked into this,\" said Dan Glickman, (D-Kans.),\n  chairman of the subcommittee on wheat, soybeans and feed\n  grains. \"We need to look at ways to cut costs and not hurt the\n  farmer. A 0\/92 plan, if properly done, could do both.\"\n      Glickman announced this week plans to introduce a 0\/92 bill\n  for 1987 and 1988 wheat and feedgrains. An aide to Glickman\n  said that it will probably be introduced next week.\n      Glickman said a 0\/92 program, which allows a farmer to\n  forego planting and still receive 92 pct of his deficiency\n  payment, would not be a major revision of the 1985 farm bill --\n  only an extension of the 50\/92 option already provided under\n  the current bill.\n      It is premature to make any major changes in the farm bill,\n  he said, but if agriculture has to make further cuts to meet\n  budget goals, a voluntary 0\/92 plan would be better than\n  sharply cutting target prices, as USDA has proposed.\n      A 0\/92 plan, however, would not be decoupling, but simply a\n  different type of acreage diversion program, Glickman said.\n      Decoupling -- delinking planting decisions from government\n  payments -- is too much of a policy change to approve at this\n  point, he said.\n      \"I don't think there is any interest in pursuing a\n  decoupling bill this year. Period. Unequivocal,\" Glickman said\n  at the hearing.\n      Sen. Rudy Boschwitz (R-Minn.), cosponsor of the\n  Boren\/Boschwitz decoupling plan, said he supports a short term\n  0\/92 program as a move to a more permament decoupling plan.\n      Boschwitz plans to introduce a 0\/92 plan in the senate. His\n  plan would guarantee a certain deficiency payment to\n  participating farmers, require that idled acreage be put to\n  conservation use only, prohibit haying and grazing on extra\n  idled acreage, limit participation to a certain number of acres\n  in a county and provide tenant protection provisions.\n      \"I know we cannot obtain complete decoupling in 1987, but\n  we can at least move in that direction,\" Boschwitz said.\n      Robbin Johnson, vice president of Cargill, Inc., testified\n  in favor of decoupling. Decoupling would end the current bias\n  in U.S. farm policy towards overproduction and reduce farmers'\n  dependency on the government, he said.\n      A 0\/92 plan does not go far enough in decoupling, Johnson\n  said, and would still encourage farmers to plant.\n      Officials from the National Corn Growers Association and\n  the National Cattlemen's Association said their groups oppose\n  any 0\/92 or decoupling plan due to concerns about reopening the\n  farm bill and creating more confusion among farmers.\n      But when asked if his association were forced to choose\n  between a ten pct cut in target prices or a 0\/92 program, Larry\n  Johnson of the Corn Growers said they would agree to 0\/92\n  rather than take sharp cuts in target levels.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SAFEGUARD SCIENTIFIC <SFE> IN EQUITY DEAL\n","article":"  Safeguard Scientifics Inc\n  said it made a 2.5 mln dlr equity investment in <Sanchez\n  Computer Associates Inc>, a private computer software firm\n  based in Malvern, Pa.\n     Safeguard said the investment gives it a \"major ownership\n  position\" in Sanchez, which specializes in software products\n  for financial institutions.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CORE INDUSTRIES INC <CRI> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 20 cts vs 22 cts\n      Net 1,948,000 vs 2,124,000\n      Sales 40.9 mln vs 41.0 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr 40 cts vs 50 cts\n      Net 3,864,000 vs 4,835,000\n      Sales 81.7 mln vs 79.9 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 results include gain on sale of land of 571,000\n  dlrs, or six cts a share\n      1986 results include loss from discontinued operations of\n  403,000 dlrs, or four cts a share in the quarter and 598,000\n  dlrs, or six cts a share in the six months\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRST FINANCIAL <FFMC> IN STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  First Financial Management Corp said\n  its board declared a three-for-two stock split of its common\n  stock.\n      The split will be effected by a 50 pct stock dividend for\n  shareholders of record March 23 to be distributed on April six.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA CUTS PRIME RATE TO 8-3\/4 PCT FROM 9-1\/4 PCT, EFFECTIVE TOMORROW\n","article":"\n  BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA CUTS PRIME RATE TO 8-3\/4 PCT FROM 9-1\/4 PCT, EFFECTIVE TOMORROW\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHEMLAWN <CHEM> RISES ON HOPES FOR HIGHER BIDS\n","article":"  ChemLawn Corp <CHEM> could attract a\n  higher bid than the 27 dlrs per share offered by Waste\n  Management Inc <WNX>, Wall Street arbitrageurs said.\n      Shares of ChemLawn shot up 11-5\/8 to 29-3\/8 in\n  over-the-counter- trading with 3.8 mln of the company's 10.1\n  mln shares changing hands by late afternoon.\n      \"This company could go for 10 times cash flow or 30 dlrs,\n  maybe 32 dollars depending on whether there is a competing\n  bidder,\" an arbitrageur said. Waste Management's tender offer,\n  announced before the opening today, expires March 25.\n      \"This is totally by surprise,\" said Debra Strohmaier, a\n  ChemLawn spokeswoman. The company's board held a regularly\n  scheduled meeting today and was discussing the Waste Management\n  announcement. She said a statement was expected but it was not\n  certain when it would be ready. \n      She was unable to say if there had been any prior contact\n  between Waste Management and ChemLawn officials.\n      \"I think they will resist it,\" said Elliott Schlang,\n  analyst at Prescott, Ball and Turben Inc. \"Any company that\n  doesn't like a surprise attack would.\"\n      Arbitrageurs pointed out it is difficult to resist tender\n  offers for any and all shares for cash. Schlang said ChemLawn\n  could try to find a white knight if does not want to be\n  acquired by Waste Management.\n      Analyst Rosemarie Morbelli of Ingalls and Snyder said\n  ServiceMaster Companies L.P. <SVM> or Rollins Inc <ROL> were\n  examples of companies that could be interested.\n      ChemLawn, with about two mln customers, is the largest U.S.\n  company involved in application of fertilizers, pesticides and\n  herbicides on lawns. Waste Management is involved in removal of\n  wastes.\n      Schlang said ChemLawn's customer base could be valuable to\n  another company that wants to capitalize on a strong\n  residential and commercial distribution system.\n      Both Schlang and Morbelli noted that high growth rates had\n  catapulted ChemLawn's share price into the mid-30's in 1983 but\n  the stock languished as the rate of growth slowed.\n      Schlang said the company's profits are concentrated in the\n  fourth quarter. In 1986 ChemLawn earned 1.19 dlrs per share for\n  the full year, and 2.58 dlrs in the fourth quarter.\n      Morbelli noted ChemLawn competes with thousands of\n  individual entrepreuers who offer lawn and garden care sevice.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CANADA INDUSTRIAL PRICES UP 0.2 PCT IN MONTH\n","article":"  Canada's industrial product price index\n  rose 0.2 pct in January after falling 0.2 pct in each of the\n  two previous months, Statistics Canada said.\n      The rise was led by price gains for papers, pharmaceuticals\n  and petroleum and coal products. Price declines were recorded\n  for meat products, lumber and motor vehicles.\n      On a year over year basis, the federal agency said the\n  index fell 0.9 pct in January, the largest yearly decline on\n  record.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OCCIDENTAL UNIT <OXY> LIFTS LOCKOUT\n","article":"  Iowa Beef Processors Inc is lifting a\n  lockout at its Dakota City, Nebraska processing plant and plans\n  to resume operations March 16, United Food and Commercial\n  Workers Union spokesman Allen Zack said by phone from his\n  Washington, D.C. headquarters.\n      Iowa Beef, a susbsidiary of Occidental Petroleum Corp,\n  mailed a letter to members of UFCWU Local 222 informing them a\n  lockout imposed by the company on December 14 would be lifted\n  and meatpackers could return to work under Iowa Beef's\n  \"revised, last and best final offer,\" according to Zack.\n      The letter was signed by four managers at the Dakota City\n  plant.\n      Iowa Beef closed the proessing plant indefinitely in\n  mid-December because, it said, it had no alternative to threats\n  by meatpackers to disrupt operations.\n      About 2,800 members of Local 222 are affected by the\n  shutdown. A 3-1\/2 year labor contract at the plant expired\n  December 13.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CIRCON CORP <CCON> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss two cts vs profit 10 cts\n      Net loss 79,000 vs profit 507,000\n      Revs 10.6 mln vs 2,238,000\n      12 mths\n      Shr profit two cts vs profit 23 cts\n      Net 89,000 vs 1,130,000\n      Revs 21.4 mln vs 7,766,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BROWN TRANSPORT <BTCU> DECLARES FIRST PAYOUT\n","article":"  Brown Transport Co Inc said its board\n  declared an initial quarterly dividend of four cts a share,\n  payable April 10 to stockholders of record March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WRIGHT SAYS A GAS TAX AN OPTION TO CUT DEFICIT\n","article":"  House Speaker Jim Wright said a\n  gasoline tax is one option to finding a way to reduce the\n  deficit, but told reporters in response to a question he will\n  not try to dictate a solution to the debt problem.\n      Wright has made suggestions for raising taxes about 20\n  billion dlrs as part of a budget plan to reduce the deficit.\n  Tax proposals are being given consideration by members of the\n  House Budget Committee, but the details of any tax increase\n  would be made by the tax writing House ways and Means\n  Committee.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"KEY U.S. HOUSE TRADE SUBCOMMITTEE APPROVES BILL TO TOUGHEN U.S. TRADE LAWS\n","article":"\n  KEY U.S. HOUSE TRADE SUBCOMMITTEE APPROVES BILL TO TOUGHEN U.S. TRADE LAWS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<SUMMIT PETROLEUM CORP> SELLS SHARES\n","article":"  Summit Petroleum Corp said it\n  sold 11.3 mln shares, or 29.4 pct, of its common stock to\n  <Halbert and Associates Inc>.\n      The company said the shares were previously held by\n  <Consolidated Energy Corp> and Harken Oil and Gas Inc <HOGI>.\n      In addition, David D. Halbert, president and chief\n  executive officer of Halbert, an Abilene investment firm, was\n  named chairman and chief executive of Summit, the company said.\n     Halbert, Charles M. Bruce and James O. Burke were also named\n  directors, expanding the board to five, Summit added.\n      The company said Burke is president and chief executive of\n  <Allied Comprehensive Health Inc>, Abilene, while Bruce is a\n  partner in the Washington law firm of Butler and Binion.\n      Summit said it intends to actively seek acquisitions to\n  increase its asset base.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPANESE CRUSHERS BUY CANADIAN RAPESEED\n","article":"  Japanese crushers bought 8,000 tonnes\n  of Canadian rapeseed in export business overnight for April\n  shipment, trade sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NO CLEAR EVIDENCE TRADE GAP REVERSED - VOLCKER\n","article":"  Federal Reserve Board Chairman Paul\n  Volcker said current data does not give a clear sign that the\n  deterioration in the U.S. trade balance has yet been reversed.\n      \"The data we have in hand do not provide clearcut evidence\n  that the deterioration in the trade balance has yet been\n  reversed,\" Volcker said in remarks prepared for delivery to a\n  luncheon for community leaders here.\n      However, Volcker said there are encouraging signs,\n  particularly the rising volume of exports over the past year,\n  achieved despite relatively slow growth abroad.\n      Volcker warned it is not sustainable from an economic\n  perspective to pile up foreign debt while failing to make the\n  investment needed to generate growth and earn the money to\n  service the debt.\n      He said the process of restoring external balance to the\n  U.S. economy requires dealing with the budget deficit. He said\n  needed economic adjustment will require a relative shift of\n  financial and real resources into internationally competitive\n  industry. \"More of our growth will need to be reflected in net\n  exports and business investment and less in consumption,\"\n  Volcker said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IOWA BEEF LIFTS LOCKOUT AT DAKOTA CITY\n","article":"  Iowa Beef Processors Inc is lifting a\n  lockout at its Dakota City, Nebraska, processing plant and\n  plans to resume operations March 16, United Food and Commercial\n  Workers (UFCW) Union spokesman Allen Zack said.\n      Iowa Beef mailed a letter to members of UFCW Local 222\n  informing them a lockout imposed by the company December 14\n  would be lifted and meatpackers could return to work under Iowa\n  Beef's \"revised, last and best final offer,\" Zack said.\n      Iowa Beef had closed the plant indefinitely in mid-December\n  because it said it had no alternative to threats by meatpackers\n  to disrupt operations.\n      About 2,800 members of Local 222 are affected by the\n  shutdown. A 3-1\/2 year labor contract at the plant expired\n  December 13.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"N.Y. BUSINESS LOANS FALL 718 MLN DLRS IN MARCH 4 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  N.Y. BUSINESS LOANS FALL 718 MLN DLRS IN MARCH 4 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEW YORK BANK DISCOUNT WINDOW BORROWINGS NIL IN MARCH 11 WEEK\n","article":"\n  NEW YORK BANK DISCOUNT WINDOW BORROWINGS NIL IN MARCH 11 WEEK\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TONY LOMA CO INC <TLAM> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr profit nil vs loss 61 cts\n      Net profit 3,000 vs loss 1,148,000\n      Revs 18.4 mln vs 17.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 94 cts vs loss 28 cts\n      Net loss 1,762,000 vs loss 524,000\n      Revs 58.5 mln vs 67.3 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes extraordinary gain of 569,000 dlrs\n  or 30 cts per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALLIED-LYONS SEES NO CHANGE IN HIRAM WALKER STAKE\n","article":"  Allied-Lyons PLC <ALLD.L> and Canada's\n  Reichmann brothers are working well together as partners and\n  currently do not plan any change in their joint ownership of\n  distiller Hiram Walker-Gooderham and Worts, Allied-Lyons\n  chairman Derrick Holden-Brown said.\n      Allied-Lyons got 51 pct control of Hiram Walker-Gooderham\n  last year for about 600 mln U.S. dlrs, while the Reichmanns'\n  <Gulf Canada Corp> acquired 49 pct in an out-of-court pact\n  after a hostile battle for the wine and spirits division of\n  <Hiram Walker Resources Ltd>.\n      \"We are getting along very well as partners ... I hope\n  there won't be any change, but there could be,\" Holden-Brown\n  told reporters after a speech in Toronto.\n      He said Allied-Lyons has a two-year call option that could\n  force Gulf Canada to sell its 49 pct stake to Allied-Lyons, and\n  Gulf Canada has a two-year put option that could obligate\n  Allied-Lyons to buy its 49 pct.\n      \"Both we and Gulf hope very much there will be no occasion\n  for either the put or call to be exercised,\" Holden-Brown said.\n      In answer to a reporter's question, Holden-Brown said it\n  would be possible for Gulf Canada to sell off part of its 49\n  pct in a public offering with Allied-Lyons' consent. \"I don't\n  think we would have any objection to it,\" he added.\n      Allied-Lyons maintains control of Hiram Walker-Gooderham's\n  board of directors and has total responsibility for its\n  management. \"We cannot contemplate giving up our control,\" he\n  said.\n      Holden-Brown would not disclose how big a profit\n  contribution the distiller will make in Allied-Lyons' financial\n  results, but he said \"it will be substantial.\"\n      \"I am not able to give profit forecasts,\" he said.\n      Holden-Brown said Allied-Lyons was able to finance the\n  Hiram Walker-Gooderham acquisition with cash and borrowings,\n  and has no current plans for a stock issue.\n      He said the company is not currently negotiating any more\n  acquisitions in Canada but has a team of officials evaluating\n  possible purchases of wines, spirits, soft drinks or food\n  concerns. \"I don't think we shall be looking at the brewery\n  scene (which is) highly concentrated already,\" he added.\n      Holden-Brown said Allied-Lyons plans to list its shares on\n  Canadian stock exchanges, possibly later this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEW YORK BUSINESS LOANS FALL 718 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  Commercial and industrial loans on the\n  books of the 10 major New York banks, excluding acceptances,\n  fell 718 mln dlrs to 64.87 billion in the week ended March 4,\n  the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said.\n      Including acceptances, loans fell 581 mln dlrs to 65.63\n  billion.\n      Commercial paper outstanding nationally dropped 13 mln dlrs\n  to 336.02 billion.\n      National business loan data are scheduled to be released on\n  Friday.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EATON VANCE CORP <EAVN> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 53 cts vs 34 cts\n      Net 2,253,742 vs 1,332,652\n      Avg shrs 4,251,553 vs 3,932,064\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ADAMS EXPRESS CO <ADX> SETS REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Div 12 cts vs 12 cts\n      Pay April 20\n      Record April 8\n      NOTE: company pays dividend of 12 cts three times annually\n  with a bulk payment at the end of the fiscal year to equal\n  annual dividend of 50 cts.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CARGILL OFFICIAL DEFENDS CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS\n","article":"  The use of generic in-kind commodity\n  certificates has helped ease storage problems and is a\n  necessary part of export promotion programs, a senior executive\n  for the world's largest grain company said.\n      Testifying before the House Agriculture subcommittee on\n  wheat, soybeans and feedgrains, Robbin Johnson, vice president\n  of Cargill, Inc., disputed claims that U.S. grain companies\n  have made huge profits from certificate trading.\n      \"The certs program is not in any way a windfall to the\n  trade,\" he said. Johnson said that Cargill has been dealing\n  with a two pct spread in certificate transactions, and that\n  this is within the normal grain marketing levels.\n      Johnson recognized current concern over the cost of\n  certificates as compared to cash, but said that critics need to\n  look more closely at the savings caused by certs, noting for\n  example that widespread use of certs in the PIK and Roll\n  marketing technique last summer helped ease storage costs.\n      Certificates are also an important part of any export\n  promotion program, he said.\n      \"The more you look at ways to expand export markets, the\n  more you have to look at ways to expand certs to put more grain\n  into the market to meet demand,\" he said.\n      Subcommittee chairman Dan Glickman (D-Kans.) said his\n  committee would be looking at the certificate program later\n  this year and studying the General Accounting Office report on\n  certificate costs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOUSE SPEAKER BACKS OIL IMPORT FORECAST PLAN\n","article":"  House Speaker Jim Wright endorsed a\n  proposal to require the president to take action to reduce oil\n  imports if they threaten to top 50 pct of U.S. consumption.\n      Wright told reporters the plan by Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, a\n  fellow Texas Democrat, was positive and useful. Oil imports\n  peaked in 1977 at 47 pct, were short of 36 pct last year and\n  this year are up over 40 pct, Bentsen said. \n      The Bentsen proposal, supported by 24 other Senators, would\n  would require the president to issue annual three-year oil\n  import forecasts. In any year they threatened to top 50 pct, he\n  would be ordered to propose quotas or other solution.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.S. BANK DISCOUNT BORROWINGS AVERAGE 148 MLN DLRS A DAY IN MARCH 11 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. BANK DISCOUNT BORROWINGS AVERAGE 148 MLN DLRS A DAY IN MARCH 11 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"U.S. BANK NET FREE RESERVES 660 MLN DLRS IN TWO WEEKS TO MARCH 11, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. BANK NET FREE RESERVES 660 MLN DLRS IN TWO WEEKS TO MARCH 11, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. M1 FALLS 600 MLN DLRS IN MARCH 2 WEEK, FEB M2 DOWN 1.6 BILLION, M3 UP 3.0 BILLION\n","article":"\n  U.S. M1 FALLS 600 MLN DLRS IN MARCH 2 WEEK, FEB M2 DOWN 1.6 BILLION, M3 UP 3.0 BILLION\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PRINCEVILLE <PVDC> TO SELL ITS AIR OPERATION\n","article":"  Princeville Development Corp and\n  <Aloha Inc>, parent of Aloha Airlines Inc, jointly said they\n  agreed to terms for the sale of Princeville Airways Inc to\n  Aloha. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.\n      Under the proposed sale, the companies said Aloha would\n  acquire the entire Princeville Airways commuter operation and\n  access to the Princeville Airport on the island of Kauai.\n      They said Princeville Airways is expected to operate as a\n  subsidiary of Aloha Inc and will continue to use the\n  Princeville Aiways name.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEW HAMPSHIRE SAVINGS <NHSB> TO BUY BANK\n","article":"  New Hampshire Savings Bank Corp\n  said it agreed to buy <Seashore Bankshares Inc> in an exchange\n  of stock.\n      According to the terms of the deal, it said Seashore's\n  61,000 shares will be exchanged for 9.8 mln dlrs of New\n  Hampshire Savings stock.\n      It said Seashore Bankshares has assets of about 46 mln\n  dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FCOJ MOVEMENT 3,915,370 GALLONS LAST WEEK\n","article":"  Florida Citrus Processors\n  Association said frozen concentrate orange juice movement into\n  trade channels in the week ended March 7 totalled 3,915,370\n  gallons versus 3,956,126 gallons in the week ended February 28\n  and 4,284,693 gallons in the corresponding year-ago period.\n      There were 3,814,891 gallons of foreign imports last week\n  versus 133,505 gallons the week before. Domestic imports last\n  week were 306,031. Retail movement was 1,652,916 versus\n  2,015,953 a year ago. Bulk movement was 1,934,494 against\n  1,954,103 a year earlier.\n      Current season cumulative movement was 60,480,375 gallons\n  versus 59,654,702 last year. Cumulative net pack for the season\n  was 80,359,978 versus 74,071,755 a year ago. Inventory was\n  83,422,435 versus 81,963,040 a year ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. M-1 MONEY SUPPLY FALLS 600 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  U.S. M-1 money supply fell 600 mln\n  dlrs to a seasonally adjusted 738.0 billion dlrs in the March 2\n  week, the Federal Reserve said.\n      The previous week's M-1 level was revised to 738.6 billion\n  dlrs from 738.5 billion, while the four-week moving average of\n  M-1 rose to 737.1 billion dlrs from 736.8 billion.\n      Commenting on February growth of the broader monetary\n  aggregates, the Fed said that M-2 fell 1.6 billion dlrs, while\n  M-3 rose three billion. Economists polled by Reuters had\n  projected a 900 mln dlr fall in M-1, a 1.8 billion dlr drop in\n  M-2 and no change in M-3.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BOLIVIA TO OFFER TO BUY BACK BANK DEBT\n","article":"  Bolivia is to make a formal offer during\n  the next few months to buy back its 900 mln dlrs debt from\n  commercial banks at a discount of up to 90 pct, central bank\n  president Jier Nogales said.\n       Nogales told Reuters in an interview the steering\n  committee of Bolivia's creditor banks had agreed to consider\n  the offer at a meeting in New York last month.\n       He said the offer would be based on the value of Bolivian\n  paper on the international secondary debt market, where it now\n  trades at between 10 and 15 pct of its face value.\n      Nogales said Bolivia will make a single offer to buy back\n  its commercial debt and banks who accepted would be paid the\n  discounted rate in full.\n      Banks which declined the offer would be repaid over 20 to\n  30 years at interest rates below those fixed in the\n  international markets, he added.\n      Bolivia has frozen payments on medium and long term loans\n  to commercial banks since March, 1984, and Nogales said there\n  would be no money available to restart traditional debt\n  servicing to them for some time.\n       Several Latin American countries have initiated schemes to\n  cancel foreign debt by equity swaps or third party buy-backs,\n  but Bolivia would be the first country in the region to make a\n  formal offer to buy back all its commercial bank debt at\n  discounted rates.\n      Nogales said practical and strategic considerations would\n  determine the exact timing of the offer but it would be made in\n  the next few months.\n       He said Bolivia would not bargain with creditor banks over\n  the price to paid for the debt paper they hold, and would make\n  a single non-negotiable offer.\n      He said Bolivia could not even pay interest to friendly\n  creditor countries, let alone commercial banks. The only\n  traditional way forward was to capitalise interest, which would\n  mean greater bank exposure in Bolivia and greater loss\n  provisions, he added.\n      \"We are confident that the banks are going to be\n  reasonable,\" Nogales said. \"Now they can resolve their problems\n  for once and for all.\"\n      \"The most conservative ones who want a little more will\n  wait a year, but I don't know if the window of opportunity will\n  be open all the time,\" he added.\n      Discussing the status of other parts of Bolivia's four\n  billion dlr foreign debt, 2.5 billion of which is owed to\n  governments and the rest to international agencies, Nogales\n  said negotiators had achieved considerable success in recent\n  discussions with the Paris Club.\n       He said Paris Club creditors had agreed to reschedule\n  Bolivian debt over 10 years with five to six years grace, while\n  accepting that interest would not be paid until 1989. Interest\n  rates were being discussed on a bilateral basis under Paris\n  Club rules, he added.\n       He said some Paris Club members had agreed to disregard\n  penalty interest payments and negotiations were continuing with\n  Argentina and Brazil, who hold 700 mln dlrs of Bolivian debt.\n      He said Bolivia was continuing to service loans from\n  international agencies, and it expected to receive up to 400\n  mln dlrs in disbursements this year.\n      The capital flow for loans and their servicing had changed\n  from a negative balance of 250 mln dlrs in 1985 to a net inflow\n  of 130 mln dlrs last year, he added.\n      Nogales said that Bolivia's net international reserves now\n  stood at around 250 mln dlrs, compared to one mln dlrs in\n  disposable funds when the government of Victor Paz Estenssoro\n  took office in August, 1985.\n      Nogales said inflation, which soared to over 20,000 pct a\n  year in the government's first month in office, was now down to\n  10 pct on an annualised basis from the last six months, and the\n  plan was that it should continue at this level.\n      He said the government was also expecting at least three\n  pct growth in gdp this year after several years of negative\n  rates.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. MARKET LOAN NOT THAT ATTRACTIVE-BOSCHWITZ\n","article":"  A marketing loan for U.S. wheat,\n  feedgrains and soybeans would do nothing to help the surplus\n  production situation and would be extremely costly, Sen. Rudy\n  Boschwitz (R-Minn.) said.\n      \"I think I would not support a marketing loan now,\" he told\n  the House agriculture subcommittee on wheat, soybeans and\n  feedgrains. Boschwitz was one of the original supporters of a\n  marketing loan for cotton and rice, but has since focused\n  support on decoupling legislation, the Boren\/Boschwitiz bill.\n      A market loan for grains and soybeans would encourage more\n  production, especially in high-yielding areas, would be much\n  more expensive than the current cotton and rice marketing loans\n  and not increase exports significantly, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GELCO CORP 2ND QTR SHR 67 CTS VS 23 CTS\n","article":"\n  GELCO CORP 2ND QTR SHR 67 CTS VS 23 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMVESTORS FINANCIAL <AVFC> SETS STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  AmVestors Financial Corp said it\n  declared a 25 pct stock dividend payable June 19 to holders of\n  record June one, subject to an increase in authorized shares.\n      It said shareholders will vote at the April 23 annual\n  meeting to increase authorized shares to 25 mln from 10 mln.\n      The company also said it plans to pay an initial quarterly\n  dividend of five cts a share on the shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. HOUSE PANEL APPROVES TRADE BILL\n","article":"  The House Ways and Means Trade \n  Subcommittee unanimously approved a toned-down version of\n  legislation designed to toughen U.S. trade laws and wedge open\n  foreign markets to more U.S. goods.\n      The measure now goes to the full House Ways and Means\n  Committee next week, but major changes are not expected,\n  congressional sources said.\n      \"This product could very well be toughening our trade policy\n  and doing it in a manner that opens markets without this\n  frightening word 'protectionism',\" Ways and Means chairman Dan\n  Rostenkowski, an Illinois Democrat said.\n      The trade subcommittee backed away from mandating specific\n  retaliation against foreign countries for unfair foreign trade\n  practices as the House had approved in a trade bill last year.\n      But it held over for the full Ways and Means Committee\n  debate on a controversial plan by Rep. Richard Gephardt to\n  mandate a reduction in trade surpluses with the U.S. by\n  countries such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.\n      Gephardt, a Missouri Democrat, has not decided the exact\n  form of his amendment, an aide said. Last year the House\n  approved his idea to force an annual ten pct trade surplus cut\n  by those countries. \n      The trade bill will be wrapped in with legislation from\n  other committees dealing with relaxation of export controls,\n  incentives for research, expanded worker training and education\n  and other efforts to increase U.S. competitiveness.\n      The comprehensive trade bill is to be considered by the\n  full House in late April and then will be considered by Senate\n  committees.\n      It requires President Reagan to retaliate against foreign\n  unfair trade practices but do not mandate quotas or tariffs and\n  allow an exemption if U.S. economic security would be harmed by\n  U.S. actions against other countries.\n      The bill would make it easier for U.S. industries to win\n  relief from surges of imports of competitive products.\n      It extends until January 1993, the administration's\n  authority to negotiate trade agreements as part of the new\n  round of multilateral talks under the General Agreements on\n  Tariffs and Trade.\n      And, it includes provisions to tighten trade rules on\n  copyrights, patents and telecommunications goods.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STANDARD LOGIC INC <STDL> 1ST QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Qtr ends Jan 30\n      Oper shr loss 45 cts vs profit 44 cts\n      Oper Net loss 225,815 vs profit 219,593\n      Revs 175,247 vs 827,748\n      NOTE: oper net 1987 excludes loss from discontinued\n  operations of 125,047 vs loss 34,055 for prior qtr.\n      excludes tax carryforward 150,000 for prior qtr.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INFLATION STILL A CONCERN, VOLCKER SAYS\n","article":"  Federal Reserve Board Chairman Paul\n  Volcker said both the Fed and the financial markets remain\n  concerned about the possibility of renewed inflation.\n      \"A possibility of renewed inflation remains of concern,\n  both in the markets and within the Federal Reserve,\" he said in\n  remarks prepared for delivery to a group of business leaders\n  here.\n      He said one potential channel for renewed inflationary\n  pressures would be an excessive fall of the dollar in the\n  exchange markets, which would push import prices up sharply.\n      He said participants in financial markets and business\n  remain skeptical of prospects for lasting price stability.\n      \"Should the skepticism about our ability to resist\n  inflation be reinforced by bad policy, the consequences for\n  interest rates, for exchange rates, and for the economy\n  generally would clearly be undesirable...recognition of that\n  danger neccesarily must weigh heavily in the formation of\n  monetary policy,\" the Fed chairman said.\n      Volcker said attempts to drive the dollar much lower would\n  undermine the hard won gains against inflation and would risk\n  dissipating the flow of foreign capital.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNOCAL RAISES MOST CRUDE PRICES 50 CTS, TODAY, WTI AT 17.50 DLRS\n","article":"\n  UNOCAL RAISES MOST CRUDE PRICES 50 CTS, TODAY, WTI AT 17.50 DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"STROBER ORGANIZATION INC <STRB> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 22 cts vs 17 cts\n      Net 1,232,000 vs 834,000\n      Sales 24.1 mln vs 20.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,609,000 vs five mln\n      Year\n      Shr 97 cts vs 69 cts\n      Net 4,985,000 vs 3,426,000\n      Sales 92.4 mln vs 77.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,153,000 vs five mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SHAWMUT CORP <SHAS> SETS REGULARY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 51 cts vs 51 cts prior\n      Pay April one\n      Record March 23\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ANGLO AMERICAN <AIVJ.J> YEAR TO DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr 516 cts vs 347\n      Final div 135 vs 125 making 190 vs 180\n      Pre-tax 133 mln rand vs 137 mln\n      Net 260 mln vs 172 mln\n      Tax 76 mln vs 42 mln\n      Att to outside shareholders 96 mln vs 53 mln\n      Pref div 1 mln vs same\n      Turnover 3.14 billion vs 2.56 billion\n      Div pay May 8, register March 27.\n      Note - Full name is Anglo American Industrial Corp Ltd.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"LIVE CATTLE RALLY AS LOCKOUT AT MEAT PLANT ENDS\n","article":"  Live cattle futures posted a robust\n  rally today after a major beef packing company said it would\n  end a lockout at its slaughtering plant in Dakota City, Neb.\n      April delivery cattle on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange\n  closed at 64.45 cents a pound, up 0.83 cent, as the market\n  expected demand for live animals to increase as the plant\n  restarts operations.\n      Iowa Beef Processors, a division of Occidental Petroleum,\n  said it planned to reopen the plant, one of the largest in the\n  nation, on March 16. The plant has been closed since Dec. 14,\n  the day after a contract between IBP and Local 222 of the\n  United Food and Commercial Workers Union expired.\n      The plant employs 2,800 workers and can slaughter several\n  thousand animals a day, a company spokesman said.\n      The company said it locked out union workers because they\n  threatened to disrupt operations. It was unclear whether union\n  meatpackers would return to work. They rejected the company's\n  latest contract offer March 5.\n      Traders said cattle prices advanced at midsession as rumors\n  circulated that the lockout was ending, and gains were further\n  fueled by a noticeable increase in demand for live animals on\n  cash markets in Nebraska and the Texas Panhandle.\n      The rally in cattle also boosted values of live hogs and\n  frozen pork bellies, which also were supported by indications\n  that producers were expanding their hog herds at a slower rate\n  than previously expected.\n      Petroleum futures posted a modest rally on the New York\n  Mercantile Exchange.\n      But a report that the Soviet Union planned to reduce the\n  price of its crude oil exports may pressure the market Friday,\n  said Nauman Barakat, petroleum analyst in New York with Smith\n  Barney, Harris Upham and Co.\n      Buying by companies that deal in petroleum helped prices\n  recover from early weakness, traders said.\n      Gold futures rallied, partly in response to strength in the\n  silver market, on the Commodity Exchange in New York. Silver\n  prices rallied after a U.S. brokerage house recommended its\n  customers buy the metal, traders said.\n      Coffee futures drifted lower in response to a report that\n  Colombia lowered the price of its exports, traders said.\n      Sugar prices closed slightly higher on the Coffee, Sugar\n  and Cocoa Exchange despite a large export sale by the European\n  Commission on Wednesday.\n      Soybeans were higher, wheat lower and corn mixed on the\n  Chicago Board of Trade.\n      Soybeans were boosted by expectations that the Agriculture\n  Department would report a healthy signup for the Conservation\n  Reserve Program, which pays farmers to leave highly erodible\n  land idle instead of planting a crop, traders said.\n      Concern that a strike by Brazilian seamen might interrupt\n  exports of soybeans from Brazil, where the harvest is just\n  beginning, also underpinned prices, they said.\n      Wheat prices were pressured by selling in response to\n  trends on price charts, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PERMIAN BASIN <PBT> PROVEN RESERVES FALL\n","article":"  Permian Basin Royalty Trust\n  said that as of December 31, 1986, its estimated proved\n  reserves totaled 18.5 mln barrels of oil and 52.9 mln MCF, or\n  thousand cubic feet, of gas.\n      This compares with yearend 1985 proved reserves estimates\n  of 26.4 mln barrels of oil and 78.6 mln MCF of gas, Permian\n  said.\n      Permian said December 1986 future net revenues from proved\n  reserves were 335.6 mln dlrs, down from 814.2 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      Permian said the present value of estimated future net\n  revenues discounted at 10 pct is 165.3 mln dlrs, compared with\n  374.3 mln dlrs.\n      It said the downward revisions in both proved reserves and\n  estimated future net revenues resulted from decreased prices for\n  oil and gas.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT DEFENDS REFINANCING ACCORD\n","article":"  president jaime lusinchi defended the\n  20.3 billion dlr debt rescheduling accord his government\n  recently signed, saying it will open new credit flows and bring\n  needed foreign investment to venezuela.\n      In his annual state of the nation speech, lusinchi also\n  said venezuela supports other latin american debtors, despite\n  having reached a rescheduling accord on its own.\n      In the 90-minute speech to the congress, lusinchi summed up\n  the achievements of his administration, which took office in\n  february 1984. He pointed to the 3.3 pct growth in non-oil gdp\n  in 1986 and to a \"moderate\" 12 pct inflation rate.\n      Lusinchi said the 20.3 billion dlr debt rescheduling signed\n  feb. 27 put an end to a process which had been 'the calvary of\n  our nation over the post four years.'\n      In the refinancing accord, he said, venezuela managed to\n  achieve 'the most inmportant thing, which is the reopening of\n  financial flows from abroad, essential for the financing of\n  development and the (financing) of trade and investment.'\n      Once all the details of the agreement are finalized, he\n  said, venezuela will seek new financing for the imported\n  components of new development projects.\n      \"our intention is not to continue being net exporters of\n  capital, but to protect our balance of payments with a flow of\n  capital towards venezuela,\" he said.\n      Under the agreement signed february 27, venezuela extended\n  payments on the debt from 12 to 14 years, while the interest\n  rate was lowered from 1 y 1\/8 to 7\/8 of a pct over libor.\n      At the same time, payments over the next three years were\n  lowered from 3.450 to 1.350 billion dlrs.\n      Lusinchi defended the rescheduling accord against critics\n  who said it merely deferred the weight of payments to future\n  governments.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ANGLO AMERICAN <AIVJ.J> YEAR TO DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr 516 cts vs 347\n      Final div 135 vs 125 making 190 vs 180\n      Pre-tax 133 mln rand vs 137 mln\n      Net 260 mln vs 172 mln\n      Tax 76 mln vs 42 mln\n      Att to outside shareholders 96 mln vs 53 mln\n      Pref div 1 mln vs same\n      Turnover 3.14 billion vs 2.56 billion\n      Div pay May 8, register March 27.\n      Note - Full name is Anglo American Industrial Corp Ltd.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UNOCAL <UCL> RAISES CRUDE OIL POSTINGS\n","article":"  Unocal Corp said it raised the\n  contract price it will pay for most grades of crude oil 50 cts\n  a barrel, effective today.\n      The increase brings Unocal's posted price for the U.S.\n  benchmark grade West Texas Intermediate to 17.50 dlrs a barrel.\n  It also brought the price for West Texas Sour to 17.50 dlrs a\n  bbl. Light Louisiana Sweet was also raised 50 cts to 17.85\n  dlrs\/bbl.\n      Unocal last changed its crude postings on March four, and\n  brings it price in line with other major companies, which have\n  been raising prices steadily in recent weeks.\n      The increase also represents the latest in a series of\n  increases that began with USX Corp's <X> Marathon Petroleum\n  Corp's notification yesterday evening that, effective today, it\n  raised its crude postings 50 cts a barrel, bringing its\n  contract price for WTI to 17.50 dlrs a barrel.\n      Earlier today, Sun Co <SUN>, Phillips Petroleum <P> and\n  Diamond Shamrock <DIA> also said they raised their crude\n  postings 50 cts a barrel, bringing their WTI contract price to\n  17.50 dlrs a barrel.\n      Contract prices have risen in response to higher spot\n  market prices, oil traders said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MEATPACKERS RESPOND TO OCCIDENTAL<OXY> OFFER\n","article":"  Local 222 of the United Food and\n  Commercial Workers Union said it is calling a membership\n  meeting, possibly Sunday, to discuss its response to a decision\n  by Iowa Beef Processors Inc to lift a lockout at its Dakota\n  City, Nebraska plant and resume operations.\n      The UFCWU will consider all options available to it\n  including a strike or returning to work under IBP's last labor\n  contract proposal, a spokeswoman for Local 222 said by phone.\n      About 2,800 UFCWU members have been locked out at the\n  Dakota City plant since December 14.\n      IBP is a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum Corp.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CITGO RAISES CRUDE POSTINGS 50 CTS, TODAY, WTI TO 17.50 DLRS\/BBL\n","article":"\n  CITGO RAISES CRUDE POSTINGS 50 CTS, TODAY, WTI TO 17.50 DLRS\/BBL\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COURT LIFTS RESTRAINING ORDER ON MARK IV <IV>\n","article":"  Baird Corp <BATM> said the\n  Massachusetts State Court for Suffolk County has lifted a  \n  temporary restraining order prohibiting Mark IV Industries Inc\n  from further purchases of Baird stock.\n      According to filings with the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission, Mark IV owns at least 17.6 pct of Baird's stock and\n  may attempt to acquire Baird, Baird said.\n      Baird said the court also issued an order enjoining Baird\n  from enforcing the Massachusetts Anti-Takeover Statute against\n  Mark IV industries.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CJI INDUSTIRES INC <CJIIA> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 60 cts vs loss 55 cts\n      Oper net profit 928,000 vs loss 88,000\n      Revs 48.7 mln vs 39.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 3.7 mln vs 1.5 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 1.17 dlrs vs loss 60 cts\n      Oper net profit 2,537,000 vs profit 587,000\n      Revs 178.8 mln vs 117.6 mln\n      NOTE: Per share figures come after preferred dividends.\n      Excludes fourth quarter and full year 1986 extraordinary\n  gains of 29 cts and 71 cts per share, respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COUNSEL CORP SETS THREE-FOR-TWO STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  <Counsel Corp> said it plans a\n  three-for-two stock split, pending shareholder approval at the\n  April 28 annual meeting.\n      The company said it recently reported 1986 profit of 5.9\n  mln dlrs, or 1.51 dlrs a share, before extraordinary items,\n  compared with 2.2 mln dlrs, or 81 cts, in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOUTHLAND <SLC> UNIT RAISES CRUDE POSTINGS\n","article":"  Southland Corp's Citgo Petroleum Corp\n  said it raised the contract price it will pay for crude oil 50\n  cts a barrel, effective today.\n      The increase bring's Citgo's posted price for the West\n  Texas Intermediate and West Texas Sour grades to 17.50 dlrs a\n  barrel. The Light Louisiana Sweet South Onshore grade was also\n  raised 50 cts to 17.85 dlrs a barrel, and Light Louisiana Sweet\n  North was increased to 17.75 dlrs a barrel.\n      Citgo last changed its postings on March four.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CANNON <CAN> AUDIT TO SHOW SIGNIFICANT 1986 LOSS\n","article":"  The Cannon Group Inc said its\n  financial statements will show substantial losses for fiscal\n  1986 and \"significant downward adjustments in previously\n  reported stockholders' equity.\"\n      The company also said its 1986 audit being conducted by\n  <Arthur Young and Co> will cover the year ended January 3,\n  1987, instead of the nine-month period ended September 27, 1986\n  as previously announced.\n      It said it anticipates the results of the audit will be\n  available in mid to late April 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"EAGER TECHNOLOGY ACQUIRES NUCLAD\n","article":"  <Eager Technology Inc> said it signed a\n  letter of intent to acquire Nuclad Inc, a private Colorado\n  corporation, and its subsidiaries.\n      Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SHELL CANADA CUTS CRUDE OIL PRICES BY UP TO 1.27 CANADIAN DLRS\/BBL EFFECTIVE MARCH ONE\n","article":"\n  SHELL CANADA CUTS CRUDE OIL PRICES BY UP TO 1.27 CANADIAN DLRS\/BBL EFFECTIVE MARCH ONE\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SAN JUAN BASIN <SJT> PROVEN RESERVES FALL\n","article":"  The San Juan Basin Royalty\n  Trust said proved reserves as of December 31 were estimated at\n  283.1 thousand cubic feet of gas and 1,087,000 barrels of oil.\n      In the year-ago period, it said proved reserves were\n  estimated at 346.4 thousand cubic feet of gas  and 1,974,000\n  barrels of oil.\n      It said the present value of future net revenues discounted\n  10 pct was 156.2 mln dlrs compared with 446.8 mln dlrs in the\n  year-ago period.\n      It also said that about 60 net infill wells are not\n  economical to drill at December 31 prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INTERCONNECT OFFERS TO BUY GATES LEARJET <GLJ>\n","article":"  <Interconnect Capital Corp>\n  said it sent a letter to the board of Gates Learjet Corp,\n  offering to buy the company for 7.07 dlrs a share.\n      Gates Corp, which owns 64.8 pct of Gates Learjet, agreed\n  earlier this week to sell its shares to a partnership formed by\n  privately-held <Cobey Corp> and a unit of Bear Stearns Cos Inc\n  <BSC> for 6.50 dlrs a share or 51 mln dlrs. The proposal is\n  subject to approval by Gates Learjet's board.\n      A spokesman for privately-held Interconnect said it made\n  the new proposal to Gates Learjet's board, but would not say if\n  it had held talks with the parent company's board.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SEAL <SINC> ACQUIRES ADEMCO LTD\n","article":"  Seal Inc said it acquired\n  Ademco Ltd, a United Kingdom company which distributes mounting\n  and laminating equipment and supplies, for a combination of\n  cash and stock valued at 2.6 mln dlrs, based on current\n  exchange rates.\n      Seal said it will pay up to an additional 1.3 mln dlrs\n  contingent on the market price of Seal's common on December 31,\n  1988, and on certain earnings targets by the acquired business.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL CANCELS OIL PURCHASE FROM SAUDI ARABIA\n","article":"  Brazil's state-oil company,\n  Petrobras, cancelled a 40 mln dlr crude oil purchase from Saudi\n  Arabia after the Saudis refused to accept credit guarantees\n  from the Bank of Brazil, a Petrobras official said.\n      Export director Carlos Santana told a press conference the\n  Saudis were the first suppliers of oil to impose such\n  conditions after Brazil's decision to halt interest payment of\n  its commercial debts last month.\n      The shipment of 2.2 mln barrels represents two days of oil\n  consumption in Brazil.\n      But Santana said if the Saudis change their minds and\n  decide to respect the terms of the contract, then Petrobras\n  will lift the order to cancel the shipment.\n      Santana said if the Saudis do not accept Brazil's terms by\n  Monday then Petrobras will negotiate elsewhere.\n      \"Petrobras has been Saudi Arabia's traditional client since\n  1955. If they do not accept our conditions now, it will be much\n  better for us, because with the market prices more or less the\n  same, buying from Iraq and China is an advantage,\" he said.\n      Iraq and China have barter deals with Brazil, importing\n  Brazilian goods in exchange for oil, but the Saudis buy nothing\n  from Brazil, he said.\n      Santana said despite a strike threat by oil industry\n  workers and a two-week stoppage by Brazilian seamen, Petrobras\n  oil stocks are \"reasonably balanced.\" \n      Saudi Arabia is Brazil's second biggest oil supplier, with\n  an average 115,000 bpd. Iraq is the main supplier with 235,000\n  bpd. China comes third, with 58,000 bpd.\n      \"If the Saudis wish to stop our trade relationship, fine, I\n  am sure that if they do, we will be getting dozens of offers\n  from elsewhere,\" Santana added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. HOUSE PANEL APPROVES TRADE BILL\n","article":"  The U.S. House Ways and Means Trade\n  Subcommittee unanimously approved a toned-down version of\n  legislation designed to toughen U.S. trade laws and wedge open\n  foreign markets to more U.S. goods.\n      The measure now goes to the full House Ways and Means\n  Committee next week, but major changes are not expected,\n  congressional sources said.\n      \"This product could very well be toughening our trade policy\n  and doing it in a manner that opens markets without this\n  frightening word 'protectionism',\" Ways and Means chairman Dan\n  Rostenkowski, an Illinois Democrat said.\n      The trade subcommittee backed away from mandating specific\n  retaliation against foreign countries for unfair foreign trade\n  practices as the House had approved in a trade bill last year.\n      But it held over for the full Ways and Means Committee\n  debate on a controversial plan by Rep. Richard Gephardt to\n  mandate a reduction in trade surpluses with the U.S. by\n  countries such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.\n      Gephardt, a Missouri Democrat, has not decided the exact\n  form of his amendment, an aide said. Last year the House\n  approved his idea to force an annual 10 pct trade surplus cut\n  by those countries.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NO GRAIN TO THE USSR IN LATEST WEEK -- USDA\n","article":"  There were no shipments of U.S.\n  grain or soybeans to the Soviet Union in the week ended March\n  12, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department's latest\n  Export Sales report.\n       The USSR has purchased 1.0 mln tonnes of U.S. corn for\n  delivery in the fourth year of the U.S.-USSR grain agreement.\n       Total shipments in the third year of the U.S.-USSR grains\n  agreement, which ended September 30, amounted to 152,600 tonnes\n  of wheat, 6,808,100 tonnes of corn and 1,518,700 tonnes of\n  soybeans.\n      Shipments to the USSR in the second year of the agreeement\n  amounted to 2,887,200 tonnes of wheat and 15,750,100 tonnes of\n  corn.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. SUGAR IMPORTS DOWN IN WEEK - USDA\n","article":"  Sugar imports subject to the U.S.\n  sugar import quota during the week ended January 9, the initial\n  week of the 1987 sugar quota year, totaled 5,988 short tons\n  versus 46,254 tons the previous week, the Agriculture\n  Department said.\n      The sugar import quota for the 1987 quota year\n  (January-December) has been set at 1,001,430 short tons\n  compared with 1,850,000 tons in the 1986 quota year, which was\n  extended three months to December 31.\n      The department said the Customs Service has reported that\n  weekly and cumulative imports are reported on an actual weight\n  basis and when final polarizations are received, cumulative\n  import data are adjusted accordingly.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INDIA GETS 140 MLN DLR WORLD BANK LOAN\n","article":"  The World Bank said it has approved\n  a 140 mln dlr loan for India to help lessen that country's\n  dependence on imported oil and spur development of its own\n  petroleum resources.\n      The bank said the loan will be used to boost production by\n  injecting gas in the partially depleted Assam oil fields and to\n  assist exploration in other areas, including drilling 10\n  exploratory wells.\n      The bank said the recipient of the 20-year loan will be Oil\n  India Ltd (OIL), which is the smaller of two public Indian\n  petroleum exploration and production companies.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FED DATA INDICATE NO POLICY CHANGE LIKELY\n","article":"  U.S. bank reserve, monetary and\n  discount window borrowings data released by the Federal Reserve\n  today clearly indicate that policy is \"on hold\" and may not be\n  changed for weeks or even months, economists said.\n      \"The Fed is keeping policy at dead center and it is not\n  about to change policy unless something fairly dramatic occurs\n  on the economy,\" said John Williams of Bankers Trust Co.\n      \"These numbers contain no hint that a policy shift is in\n  prospect, nor do economic or financial developments argue for\n  policy change,\" said William Griggs of Griggs and Santow Inc.\n      Fed data released today were all in line with economists'\n  expectations and similar to the numbers of recent weeks.\n      The Fed said net discount window borrowings in the two\n  weeks ended Wednesday averaged 191 mln dlrs, up from 381 mln\n  dlrs in the February 25 statement period, but little changed\n  from 160 mln dlrs in the period before that.\n      It said that banks' net free reserves in the latest two\n  weeks averaged 660 mln dlrs versus 675 mln dlrs previously.\n      Finally, the Fed said that the M-1 money supply fell 800\n  mln dlrs in February, with the broader M-2 measure down 1.6\n  billion dlrs and M-3 up an even three billion dlrs.\n      Analysts said that M-1 last month grew at a negative 1.3\n  pct annual rate compared with minus 0.7 pct for M-2 and actual\n  positive growth of 1.0 pct annualized for M-3.\n      February levels of M-2 and M-3 left the aggregates 18.2 and\n  20.8 billion dlrs under their respective upper growth limits\n  set by the Fed for 1987. The annual growth target for both is\n  5-1\/2 to 8-1\/2 pct. There is no M-1 target.\n      \"In the near term, there is absolutely no reason for the\n  Fed to ease policy, even apart from the slowdown in money\n  growth,\" said Stephen Slifer, economist at Lehman Government\n  Securities Inc.\n      Economists generally expect a modest pickup in monetary\n  growth in March after February's anemic growth rates. However,\n  they stress that money growth will not be strong enough to\n  prevent the Fed from dropping interest rates further if the\n  economy shows evidence of weakness.\n      Commenting on February's decline in the key M-2 aggregate,\n  Slifer said the main cause was a 3.2 billion dlr drop in money\n  market deposits at banks. This number has risen three to four\n  billion dlrs a month for a long while, he said, so February's\n  weakness is not likely to persist. Slifer expects modest M-2\n  and M-3 growth rates of 3-1\/2 to four pct during March.\n      Griggs said that M-2 and M-3 in coming months should return\n  to the five to seven pct annualized growth region and so\n  continue to present no problem for the Fed.\n      Economists said the Fed appears to be very comfortable with\n  its current policy stance and it is likely to wait for perhaps\n  several more months of economic data before deciding whether or\n  not to ease its grip on reserves.\n      Given the economy's fragility in many sectors, the analysts\n  agreed that there is almost no chance that the Fed will choose\n  to raise, rather than lower, interest rates when it next\n  changes policy.\n      \"Discount window borrowings in the past week were about as\n  low as the Fed can get them, although Fed funds held above six\n  pct,\" said Williams of Bankers Trust. Funds averaged 6.12 pct\n  in the week to Wednesday, up from 6.06 pct in the prior week.\n      The Fed added reserves indirectly via one billion dlrs of\n  customer repurchase agreements last Friday, 2.5 billion dlrs on\n  Monday and two billion dlrs on Wednesday. On Tuesday, it added\n  reserves directly through two-day System repurchases.\n      Williams and Griggs agreed the Fed will let the funds rate\n  be largely market-driven. They said it is focusing instead on a\n  borrowings target of around 300 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COLOMBIA'S COFFEE MARKETING TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE\n","article":"  Colombia intends to improve the\n  marketing of its coffee with the accent on more flexibility on\n  setting export registration prices, finance minister Cesar\n  Gaviria said.\n      Speaking to reporters after announcing a lower export\n  registration price, or reintegro, of 1.10 dlr per lb ex-dock\n  New York, Gaviria said export mechanisms would be more agile.\n      \"In the first stage, we decided not only to lower the\n  reintegro but also to adopt a flexible policy of reintegro that\n  will allow private exporters to participate more actively in\n  Colombia's coffee export policy,\" he said.\n      Traders said this means the export registration price will\n  change more often in a truer reflection of market trends.\n      Gaviria said the measures merely responded to new market\n  factors since a return to a system of International Coffee\n  Organisation (ICO) export quotas may not occur in the short\n  term.\n      ICO talks last month in London failed to break a deadlock\n  over re-introduction of export quotas, suspended in February\n  1986.\n      Gaviria stressed that Colombia will not necessarily suffer\n  from depressed prices because it can compensate lower prices\n  with increased volume.\n      \"Colombia will continue to export its traditional amount of\n  coffee, between 9.6 and 10 mln bags (of 60 kilos), and will do\n  so without an agreement among producers,\" he said.\n      He ruled out a much higher volume of exports, or up to 13.5\n  mln bags as mentioned in market circles, \"because the idea is\n  precisely not to disrupt the market.\"\n      Colombia exported a record 11.5 mln bags in the 1985\/86\n  coffee year which ended last September 30.\n      Echoing Gaviria's words, Jorge Cardenas, manager of the\n  national coffee growers' federation, said Colombia sought to\n  adapt its coffee marketing policy to circumstances.\n      \"There is great expectation in the world for the policies\n  that Brazil and Colombia will adopt. Ours is beginning to\n  emerge and no agreement among producers is foreseeable in the\n  immediate future,\" he told journalists.\n      Trade sources in Rio today said Brazil's future export\n  policy was unlikely to be revealed before the end of next week.\n      Cardenas said a new ICO meeting could only take place when\n  problems that hindered an agreement at the recent London talks\n  have been resolved.\n      Asked to comment on a Reuter report from Jakarta saying\n  Indonesia hoped Colombia could use its contacts with Brazil to\n  suggest a compromise on the quota issue, Cardenas said the\n  Brazilian stand was quite clear.\n      He said Brazil's current quota \"reflects the reality of the\n  market, allows for an orderly supply and satisfies demand,\" but\n  added more clarity was needed to assess the criteria that\n  determined it.\n      Cardenas said lows registered immediately after the failure\n  of the London talks were triggered by a widespread fear among\n  dealers of an imminent price war and the belief that producers\n  would go out and sell their coffee as quickly as possible,\n  which did not happen.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INDIA GETS 140 MLN DLR WORLD BANK LOAN\n","article":"  The World Bank said it approved a\n  140 mln dlr loan for India to help lessen that country's\n  dependence on imported oil and spur development of its own\n  petroleum resources.\n      The bank said the loan will be used to boost production by\n  injecting gas in the partially depleted Assam oil fields and to\n  assist exploration in other areas, including drilling 10\n  exploratory wells.\n      The bank said the recipient of the 20-year loan will be Oil\n  India Ltd (OIL), which is the smaller of two public Indian\n  petroleum exploration and production companies.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CANNON <CAN> SELLS LIBRARY TO WEINTRAUB\n","article":"  WEintraub Entertainment Group Inc\n  said it agreed to acquire Cannon Group's Screen Entertainment\n  film library.\n      The library was purchased in May 1986 as part of Cannon's\n  acquisition of Screen Entertainment Ltd from Bond Corp Holdings\n  Ltd. The library has over 2,000 theatrical motion pictures.\n      Terms call for the price to be established through an\n  appraisal process beginning immediately and not to exceed 175\n  mln dlrs or be below 125 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GERBER <GRB> BUYS GERBER SYSTEMS <GSTI> SHARES\n","article":"  Gerber Scientific Inc said\n  its GST Acquisition Corp purchased 444,646 shares of its 84 pct\n  owned Gerber Systems Technology pursuant to a January 15 tender\n  offer.\n      Following the purchase, Gerber made a capital contribution\n  to GST of all the shares it owned resulting in 95.6 pct\n  ownership by GST.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"VENEZUELA TO LEND ECUADOR 50,000 BPD OF CRUDE\n","article":"  Venezuela will lend Ecuador 50,000\n  barrels per day of crude oil over the next few months to help\n  it meet its export commitments, Energy and Mines Minister\n  Arturo Hernandez Grisanti said today.\n      He said that under the terms of this loan, agreed during a\n  visit here this week by Ecuador's Deputy Energy Minister\n  Fernando Santos Alvite, Ecuador will begin repaying the loan in\n  August.\n      Hernandez Grisanti said the loan will go part way to\n  offsetting the loss of Ecuador's 140,000 in exports caused by\n  earthquake damage to 25 miles of pipeline last week.\n      Ecuador was forced to suspend exports after the pipeline\n  connecting its jungle oil fields with the pacific port of Balao\n  was put out of action.\n      Venezuela has an output quota of 1.495 bpd, while Ecuador's\n  is 210,000 bpd. Santos Alvite said Ecuador will ask OPEC to\n  allow it to produce 100,000 bpd above its quota when the\n  pipeline is repaired to offset present production losses.\n      Hernandez Grisanti said also a first 300,000 barrels\n  shipment of Venezuelan crude oil will leave for Ecuador this\n  weekend to help meet domestic consumption needs.\n      The oil, part of a five mln additional crude oil loan by\n  Venezuela, will be processed at Guayaquil refineries.\n      \"If we had not supplied oil to Ecuador the life of this\n  country would have ground to a halt,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BRENCO INC <BREN> DECLARES QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div three cts vs three cts prior\n      Pay April six\n      Record March 20\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"THE ADELAIDE STEAMSHIP CO LTD <ADSA.S> FIRST HALF\n","article":"  First half ended December 31\n      Shr 55.01 cents vs 97.76\n      Int div 18 cents vs 16\n      Net 75.05 mln dlrs vs 55.68 mln\n      Turnover 156.94 mln vs 177.87 mln\n      Other revenue 72.50 mln vs 31.18 mln.\n      One-for-five rights issue at 11.50 dlrs a share\n      One-for-four bonus issue on capital enlarged by rights\n  issue\n      Shrs 99.36 mln vs 70.94 mln.\n      NOTE - Shr applies to total net 54.66 mln dlrs vs 69.48 mln\n  after extraordinaries loss.\n      Pre-extraordinaries net shr 75.53 cents vs 78.32\n      Div pay April 30. Div and rights issue reg March 30. Bonus\n  reg May 6. Net equity-accounts share of associates' earnings.\n      Pre-equity pre-tax earnings 59.52 mln dlrs vs 64.13 mln.\n  Pre-equity net 52.07 mln dlrs vs 43.35 mln after tax 3.45 mln\n  vs 16.34 mln, minorities 4.00 mln vs 6.44 mln, interest 33.89\n  mln vs 26.11 mln and depreciation 2.67 mln vs 2.72 mln but\n  before net extraordinary loss 20.39 mln vs 13.79 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BRYN MAWR BANK CORP <BMTC> UPS DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 30 cts vs 30 cts prior\n      Payable May one\n      Record April 10\n      NOTE:Bryn Mawr was reorganized as a holding company on\n  January 2, 1987, resulting in each share of Bryn Mawr Trust Co\n  being converted into three shares of the new holding company's\n  stock. The 30 cts dividend represents a 15 pct increase over\n  prior quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PRICE <PCLB> TO BUY 80 PCT OF TSS-SEEDMAN\n","article":"  Price Co said it agreed to buy at\n  least 81 pct of the stock of <TSS-Seedman's INc> for about 50\n  mln dlrs.\n      The terms envision a purchase of the entire company, it\n  said.\n      The transaction is expected to close at the end of April.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MIYAZAWA SAYS EXCHANGE RATES WILL STAY STABLE\n","article":"  Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa told a\n  press conference he thinks exchange rates will remain stable\n  due to the currency accord reached in Paris last month by six\n  major industrialised nations but he did not say for how long.\n      The dollar has hovered around 153 yen since the six agreed\n  to cooperate to bring about currency stability.\n      Asked to comment on remarks by some U.S. Officials calling\n  for a further decline of the dollar, Miyazawa said only the\n  U.S. President and the U.S. Treasury Secretary can make\n  official statements about exchange rates.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TWO BRAZILIAN SHIPPING FIRMS SETTLE WITH STRIKERS\n","article":"  Two small shipping companies have\n  reached a pay deal with striking seamen, but union leaders said\n  most of Brazil's 40,000 seamen were still on strike.\n      A union spokesman in Rio de Janeiro said the seamen had\n  accepted a 120 pct pay offer from the companies, Globo and\n  Flumar, which have less than 200 employees each.\n      The two-week strike comes as Brazil faces a debt crisis and\n  is delaying exports badly needed to earn foreign exchange.\n      Labour Minister Almir Pazzionotto said the government will\n  not force a settlement of the strike, which was ruled illegal\n  last Friday.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"12-MAR-1987\n","article":"  12-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ADSTEAM RIGHTS ISSUE TO RAISE 228 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  The Adelaide Steamship Co Ltd <ADSA.S>\n  (Adsteam) said its one-for-five rights issue at 11.50 dlrs a\n  share will raise 228.5 mln dlrs for general working capital and\n  investment, both in Australia and overseas.\n      The group announced the issue with its first half earnings\n  and said in a statement that the rights issue will be followed\n  by a one-for-four bonus issue.\n      Adsteam's equity-accounted net earnings rose to 75.05 mln\n  dlrs in the half ended December 31 from 55.68 mln a year\n  earlier and interim dividend to 18 cents from 16.\n      Adsteam shares eased to 14.20 dlrs from an opening 14.60\n  and yesterday's close of 14.50 on the issue announcement.\n      The issue will be underwritten by <Morgan Grenfell\n  Australia Ltd> and <McCaughan Dyson Ltd> apart from the shares\n  to be taken up by Adsteam's associate and largest shareholder,\n  department store retailer <David Jones Ltd>.\n      New shares will not rank for the interim dividend but will\n  rank equally thereafter.\n      Adsteam said it expects to maintain an annual dividend rate\n  of 36 cents on capital enlarged to about 149 mln shares by both\n  issues from 99.36 mln.\n      Adsteam said its diverse industrial interests generally\n  performed well and its results, as the ultimate holding company\n  and beneficiary, reflected this solid performance.\n      David Jones, owned 49.2 pct by Adsteam, earned the largest\n  associates' net of 57.38 mln dlrs in the half against 40.29 mln\n  a year earlier, Adsteam's figures show.\n      Wholly-owned and joint venture companies also did well\n  apart from timber, building supplies and real estate, which\n  returned below-budget profits due to the housing downturn.\n      Adsteam said it sees 1987\/88 as a year of reconstruction\n  and consolidation with the capital base boosted by the issue.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HEARST BUYS HOUSTON CHRONICLE FOR 400 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  The <Hearst Corp> is buying the Houston\n  Chronicle from Houston Endowment Inc for 400 mln dlrs.\n      The announcement was made jointly by Frank Bennack Jr,\n  president and chief executive officer of Hearst, and Richard\n  Johnson, president of the Chronicle.\n      The Houston Endowment is selling the paper to comply with\n  federal tax laws requiring charitable institutions to divest\n  themselves of profit-making subsidiaries by 1989.\n      The Chronicle has a daily circulation of over 425,000 and\n  is in competition with the Houston Post, owned by the <Toronto\n  Sun Publishing Corp>, with a circulation of about 316,000.\n      The acquisition gives Hearst its biggest newspaper holding\n  in Texas, where the California-based publisher already owns\n  papers in San Antonio, Beaumont and Laredo.\n      The chain also owns, among others, the flagship San\n  Francisco Examiner, the Los Angeles Herald Examiner and the\n  Seattle Post-Intelligencer.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"IEL'S ACMEX UNIT TO BID FOR CHEETHAM\n","article":"  <Industrial Equity Ltd> (IEL) unit\n  <Acmex Holdings Ltd> said it proposed to make a formal takeover\n  offer for all the issued capital of <Cheetham Ltd>, a producer\n  of salt, animal feed and seeds.\n      Acmex said in a statement it would offer one share for\n  every two Cheetham shares or 3.40 dlrs cash for each share.\n      Acmex said it was presently entitled to 5.1 mln Cheetham\n  shares or 16.85 pct of its 30.27 mln issued shares.\n      The scrip offer values Cheetham at about 110 mln dlrs,\n  based on Acmex's current price of 7.20 dlrs, and the cash offer\n  at about 104 mln. Cheetham last traded at 3.10 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. OFFICIALS DISAGREE ON REDUCING BUDGET DEFICIT\n","article":"  Senior U.S. Economic officials\n  disagree on the likelihood the government can meet its budget\n  deficit reduction targets.\n      Beryl Sprinkel, chairman of the Council of Economic\n  Advisers, reiterated the Reagan Administration's opposition to\n  a tax increase and its pledge to reduce the deficit by cutting\n  spending and fostering economic growth.\n      By contrast, Rudolph Penner, Director of the Congressional\n  Budget Office, said the budget process has broken down and the\n  deficit will remain close to 200 billion dlrs for fiscal 1987.\n      Sprinkel told a symposium sponsored by New York University\n  that spending could be cut by avoiding decisions based on the\n  desire to influence votes and by shifting the responsibility\n  for local projects to state governments.\n      He also suggested a line-item veto, which allows the\n  President to veto parts of bill without rejecting all of it, to\n  limit wasteful spending. Spending and taxing decisions should\n  be linked more closely.\n      Sprinkel said the Administration still looks for 2.7 pct\n  growth in U.S. Real gross national product (GNP) in 1987 and\n  3.5 pct in 1988.\n      Asked if the latest economic reports signal this rate of\n  economic growth is attainable, Sprinkel said, \"It looks pretty\n  good to me. We've had two very strong employment reports.\"\n      He also said federal reserve policy is appropriate, adding,\n  \"It looks like they're on track.\"\n      While further reductions are needed in the trade deficit,\n  Sprinkel said the lower dollar is having an impact.\n      The new 1987 tax laws will not hurt the economy and the tax\n  reform act of 1986 significantly lowers tax rates and will\n  greatly increase private production incentives, he said.\n      \"Our estimates at the Council of Economic Advisers suggest\n  national net output of goods and services will permanently\n  increase by approximately two pct because of the long-run\n  consequences of tax reform,\" Sprinkel said. \"In 1986, this would\n  have amounted to an increase of approximately 600 dlrs in the\n  income of the average American family.\"\n      Sprinkel also argued the 1981 tax cuts were not responsible\n  for the large increase in the budget deficit.\n      In fiscal 1986 ending September, federal spending amounted\n  to 23.8 pct of GNP, while federal receipts absorbed 18.5 pct of\n  GNP, leaving a deficit of 5.3 pct, he said.\n      Sprinkel said that, compared with fiscal 1978, the 1986\n  federal expenditure share of GNP is 2.7 percentage points\n  higher and the revenue share of GNP is virtually the same.\n      \"Contrary to the conventional wisdom, therefore, the 1981\n  tax cut is not the root cause of the extraordinary budget\n  deficits of the past few years,\" Sprinkel said.\n      \"This tax cut merely rolled back the inflation-induced tax\n  increases that occurred between 1978 and 1981,\" he added.\n      However, the Congressional Budget Office's Rudolph Penner\n  argued that the tax cut in 1981 was misguided.\n      \"Since making the big mistake in 1981 of cutting taxes\n  enormously without any plan to decrease spending by the\n  Administration or Congress, indeed with increases in defence\n  spending, now all the options (for reducing the budget deficit)\n  are unpleasant,\" he said.\n      Penner said the tax cut resulted from the ideological\n  turmoil in the U.S. Caused by the \"biggest sustained inflation\n  in our nation's history,\" which helped foster widespread\n  distrust of government.\n      \"The American people turned on the government with tax\n  revolt at the state level and new demands on the government at\n  the national level,\" Penner said.\n      \"But their dislike of taxes exceeded their general dislike\n  of spending programs. Now the correction of that 1981 mistake\n  demands that the system change a lot.\"\n      Penner sees little hope the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings budget\n  deficit reduction targets will be met and said the deficit will\n  remain at roughly 200 billion dlrs this year.\n      He said a budget process that sets targets arbitrarily is\n  not likely to succeed.\n      \"I feel pretty safe in saying that any process that tries to\n  dictate a numerical outcome from above is doomed to fail simply\n  because there's no ... Way to enforce it,\" Penner said.\n      Penner questioned the methods by which the 1987 budget\n  deficit was cut. He said 18 to 19 billion dlrs were eliminated\n  by one-time measures, such as a temporary increase in taxes\n  related to tax reform and sales of government assets.\n      \"Another four billion dlrs was cut by what I call creative\n  timing changes, like moving the military payday from the last\n  day of fiscal 1987 to the first day of fiscal 1988. That saved\n  more than two billion dlrs,\" Penner said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN TERMS OF TRADE WORSEN IN LAST QUARTER\n","article":"  Australia's terms of trade fell by a\n  further 3.5 pct in the fourth quarter of 1986 after declining\n  0.8 pct in the third quarter and 2.7 pct a year earlier, the\n  Statistics Bureau said.\n      It said the seasonally adjusted current account deficit of\n  3.22 billion dlrs in the quarter would have dropped to 912 mln\n  if not for the terms of trade decline.\n      The fourth quarter decline followed a 1.1 pct fall in\n  export prices and a 2.4 pct rise in import prices, it said.\n      The Bureau noted Australia's terms of trade had fallen by\n  19.9 pct since the fourth quarter of 1983.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHINA FACES DILEMMA OVER SUGAR IMPORTS\n","article":"  China has to decide if it will increase\n  sugar imports this year to cover falling domestic output and\n  rising demand, in view of market predictions that international\n  sugar prices will remain firm this year, traders and the\n  official press said.\n      He Kang, Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and\n  Fisheries, said this week that China has adjusted the\n  purchasing price for sugar cane and beet to check a drop in\n  production last year but he gave no price details.\n      One Japanese trader said domestic demand is rising rapidly\n  because of improving living standards and rising demand for\n  sweet drinks, cakes and biscuits and other sugary foods.\n      \"It will not be easy to cut domestic demand, even in a\n  state-controlled economy. China may have to import,\" he said.\n      Customs figures show imports fell to 1.182 mln tonnes in\n  1986 from 1.909 mln in 1985 and fell to 25,165 tonnes in\n  January 1987 from 54,000 in January 1986.\n      The official Economic Information newspaper last month said\n  production in the 1986\/87 crushing season (September-April)\n  will be 1.18 mln tonnes short of demand.\n      The paper put 1986\/87 output at 4.82 mln, down from 5.24\n  mln in 1985\/86, and domestic demand at about six mln tonnes.\n      \"In the last two years, acreage under sugar cane and beet\n  has fallen, sugar mills are underutilised, output has dropped\n  and cannot meet demand that is rising every day,\" it said.\n      \"The country will have to continue imports of sugar and draw\n  down stocks to meet market demand,\" it added.\n      It quoted the Ministry of Light Industry as blaming the\n  drop in output on unreasonable state purchasing prices for cane\n  and beet as against other crops, which has resulted in farmers\n  refusing to grow them.\n      The paper said in 1985 a farmer could earn up to three\n  times more per hectare from pineapple and watermelon and up to\n  seven times more from bananas than from sugarcane. He could\n  sell grain on the free market at 560 yuan a tonne, against only\n  70 yuan a tonne for sugarcane.\n      Sugar mills are suffering because refined sugar prices have\n  not changed for 20 years despite rising costs, it said.\n      In Fujian, the cost of producing one tonne rose to 702 yuan\n  in 1985 from 520.1 in 1980, cutting the mills' profit to 117\n  yuan a tonne from 217.9, it added.\n      The paper said unreasonable pricing resulted in 144 of the\n  442 sugar mills working in the 1985\/86 crushing season losing\n  money. China has 521 sugar mills.\n      A foreign agricultural expert forecast a drop in cane\n  acreage in 1986\/87 (September-August) of up to 10 pct in\n  Guangdong, which produced 45 pct of China's sugar in calendar\n  1985, and a smaller drop in Fujian, which produced 11 pct of\n  China's sugar in calendar 1985.\n      He said both provinces are more developed than other\n  sugar-producing areas and more sensitive to demand from cities.\n      But cane acreage in Guangxi and Yunnan, which accounted for\n  28 pct of the 1985 crop, has risen by 10 to 30 pct in 1986\/87,\n  because cane-growing is more economic there, he said.\n      He put sugar stocks at 2.333 mln tonnes in September 1986.\n      A Hong Kong trader estimated stocks at more than three mln\n  at end-January. \"Now they are falling but (they) have not\n  reached the critical level, compelling China to import quickly,\"\n  he said.\n      \"China has options not easily available in western\n  countries. It controls stocks strictly and can release less\n  into the consumer market if stocks fall too quickly,\" he said.\n      The Hong Kong trader said calendar 1987 imports will be\n  slightly less than those of 1986, because of firm world prices\n  and serious foreign exchange constraints which, he said, are\n  likely to continue until at least end-1988.\n      He said nearly all cane and beet is sold to the state-owned\n  mills, with a small amount sold raw to consumers.\n      \"Most of the mills are old and inefficient, with many of\n  them using Soviet equipment imported in the 1950s,\" he said.\n      He said demand in rural areas will in future rise an annual\n  four pct, with demand in the cities rising an annual two pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"JAPAN SETS 1987\/88 FIRST HALF BEEF IMPORT QUOTA\n","article":"  The Agriculture Ministry said it set\n  Japan's beef import quota for the six months from April 1 at\n  93,000 tonnes, up from 83,000 in the second half of 1986\/87 and\n  85,000 a year earlier.\n      Under an agreement with the U.S. And Australia, Japan has\n  been increasing imports by 9,000 tonnes a year from March 31,\n  1985, to reach a projected 177,000 tonnes in the year to March\n  31, 1988.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN DENIES BREAKING SEMICONDUCTOR TRADE PACT\n","article":"  Japan denied breaking a pact with the\n  U.S. On semiconductor trade but said prices set out in the pact\n  were too high and acknowledged difficulties in implementing the\n  accord.\n      \"We are faithfully abiding by the ... Agreement but of\n  course there are some problems,\" a spokesman for the\n  International Trade and Industry Ministry told Reuters.\n      He said the high semiconductor prices recommended by the\n  agreement were leaving Japanese manufacturers piling up stocks\n  of unsellable products. \"We are aiming to reduce production in\n  Japan but of course this takes time,\" he said.\n      The spokesman said some Japanese companies were selling\n  chips in Europe and Asia below stipulated prices, but added: \"It\n  is only a matter of time before we solve this problem.\"\n      The eight month old pact aims to stop Japan selling large\n  quantities of chips at knock-down prices to the United States\n  and other countries and to increase U.S. Semiconductor sales in\n  Japan.\n      The U.S. Senate Finance Committee this week called on\n  President Reagan in a non-binding resolution to retaliate\n  against Japan for violating the agreement.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN MINISTER SAYS ABOUT 170 YEN APPROPRIATE\n","article":"  International Trade and Industry Minister\n  Hajime Tamura told a parliamentary session Japan's small- and\n  medium-sized enterprises are seriously suffering from the yen's\n  rise and can only stand levels around 170 yen.\n      He also said he still believes a dollar exchange rate level\n  plus or minus 10 yen from 170 yen would be within levels agreed\n  upon last month in Paris by six major industrial nations.\n  Finance ministers of Britain, Canada, France, Japan, the U.S.\n  And West Germany agreed on February 22 to cooperate in\n  stabilizing exchange rates around the current levels. The\n  dollar had closed here at 153.77 yen on February 20.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GERMAN WHOLESALE PRICES FALL 0.4 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  West German wholesale prices fell 0.4\n  pct in February from January to stand 6.9 pct lower than in\n  February 1986, the Federal Statistics Office said.\n      In January wholesale prices rose 0.8 pct from December to\n  stand 8.6 pct below their level in January 1986.\n      Wholesale price declines were led by starch products, down\n  13 pct, light heating oil 11 pct lower, heavy heating oil 10\n  pct lower and green coffee down 6.9 pct.\n      Among higher wholesale prices were those for fresh\n  vegetables, up 17 pct, fresh fruit up 12 pct and eggs up 8.9\n  pct, the statistics office said in a statement.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SWISS FEB TRADE DEFICIT 629.7 MLN FRANCS (JAN DEFICIT 209.4 MLN) - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  SWISS FEB TRADE DEFICIT 629.7 MLN FRANCS (JAN DEFICIT 209.4 MLN) - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN BEEF OUTPUT SEEN DECLINING IN 1987\n","article":"  Australian beef output is forecast to\n  decline to 1.34 mln tonnes carcass weight in 1987 and 1.36 mln\n  in 1988 from 1.44 mln in 1986, the Australian Meat and\n  Live-Stock Corp (AMLC) said.\n      Exports of beef\/veal are also predicted to decline to\n  480,000 tonnes shipped weight in 1987 from 515,000 in 1986, and\n  then rally to 490,000 in 1988, the AMLC said in a summary of\n  its bi-annual meat and livestock forecasts.\n      It sees cattle numbers remaining at around the 1986 level\n  of 23.2 mln beasts in both years because herd rebuilding is\n  expected to be slower than previously forecast.\n      Beef producers are becoming more confident that higher\n  returns in the market, both domestically and overseas, will\n  continue, the AMLC said.\n      The slow herd build-up and the forecast lower production is\n  expected to bring about a slight drop in both export and\n  domestic consumption this year, it said.\n      The forecast does not assume a turnaround in production\n  levels until late next year.\n      It said the outlook for beef exports as a proportion of\n  output remains much the same as last year when it was around 55\n  pct of total production. In 1985 it was 52 pct.\n      The increase in exports of beef as a percentage of\n  production has mainly been attributed to the decline in the\n  Australian dollar, the AMLC said.\n      It also forecast that Australia's four major markets, the\n  U.S., Japan, Canada and Taiwan, will continue to dominate the\n  chilled and frozen beef export markets. They take collectively\n  around 94 pct of total Australian exports.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHINA'S JANUARY GRAIN EXPORTS FALL\n","article":"  China's grain exports in January totaled\n  386,157 tonnes, down 22.1 pct from January 1986, customs\n  figures show.\n      They gave no detailed breakdown.\n      The official China Economic News quoted the figures as\n  showing tea exports rose 9.7 pct to 8,474 tonnes during the\n  month.\n      Imports of wool rose 117.6 pct to 10,248 tonnes over the\n  same period, the figures show.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SWISS FEBRUARY TRADE DEFICIT 629.7 MLN FRANCS\n","article":"  Switzerland had a trade deficit of 629.7\n  mln Swiss francs in February compared with a revised 209.4 mln\n  deficit in January and 723.2 mln shortfall in February 1986,\n  the Federal Customs Office said.\n      February imports were 6.00 billion francs against exports\n  of 5.37 billion.\n      Imports rose in real terms by 5.1 pct against February 1986\n  while exports rose by a real 4.6 pct, the office said.\n      But a further improvement in the terms of trade left the\n  deficit smaller than last year.\n      Last February's figure had also been hit by the import of\n  two passenger aircraft.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MASSACHUSETTS INVESTORS GROWTH STOCK FUND PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div from income 5.1 cts vs 3.035 dlrs in prior qtr\n  including capital gains of 2.978 dlrs\n      Payable March 27\n      Record February 27\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JAPAN SHIPBUILDERS SEEK CARTEL TO RESTRICT OUTPUT\n","article":"  Japanese shipbuilders have applied to the\n  state's Fair Trade Commission to form a cartel to restrict\n  tonnage built to about half of total capacity for the year\n  starting April 1, officials of the Shipbuilders Association of\n  Japan said.\n      Under the plan, 33 yards capable of building ships of more\n  than 10,000 gross tons will curtail operations to three mln\n  compensated gross registered tonnes (CGRT) a year against\n  capacity of about six mln CGRT.\n      The Transport Ministry estimates new orders at 3.3 mln CGRT\n  in the year to March 1988 and 3.1 mln the following year.\n      The industry has curtailed production due to oversupply\n  nearly every year since 1977\/78, under cartel or Transport\n  Ministry guidelines. The latest guidelines call for a ceiling\n  of four mln CGRT in the year to March 31.\n      The cartels, self-imposed and self-regulated, are not\n  legally binding, but industry finds it in its own interest to\n  stick to them.\n      The slowdown in orders has been caused by the strong yen\n  and a protracted worldwide shipbuilding slump.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SWISS WHOLESALE PRICES FALL 0.3 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Swiss wholesale prices fell by 0.3 pct in\n  February, giving a drop of 4.3 pct from February 1986, the\n  Federal Office of Industry, Trade and Labour said.\n      Prices had been unchanged in January, giving an annual drop\n  of 4.6 pct. They fell by 2.6 pct in the year to February 1986.\n      The wholesale price index, base 1963, stood at 168.5 in\n  February from 176.1 last year.\n      The office said the fall was largely due to lower prices\n  for energy, raw materials and semi-finished goods. Consumer\n  goods prices rose slightly.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KUBOTA LTD <KUB.T> THIRD QUARTER TO JANUARY 15\n","article":"  Group shr 53 yen vs 22\n      Net profit 3.58 billion vs profit 1.47 billion\n      Pretax profit 4.94 billion vs loss 248 mln\n      Operating profit 5.36 billion vs profit 789 mln\n      Sales 127.34 billion vs 130.22 billion\n      Nine months ended January 15\n      Group shr 134 yen vs 119\n      Net 9.10 billion vs 8.03 billion\n      Pretax 19.78 billion vs 14.77 billion\n      Operating 17.35 billion vs 16.00 billion\n      Sales 430.06 billion vs 446.26 billion\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN CABINET APPROVES BILL ON GOLD COIN ISSUES\n","article":"  The cabinet has approved a bill making it\n  easier for the government to issue commemorative coins, a\n  Finance Ministry official said.\n      The bill, which must still be approved by parliament, would\n  take effect in April 1988. It would allow the government to\n  issue 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 yen coins without special\n  legislation, although higher-valued coins would still need a\n  special law, the official said. At present it can only issue\n  coins of 500 yen or less.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SANDOZ AG <SANZ.Z> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Group 1986 net profit 541 mln Swiss\n  francs vs. 529 mln\n      Dividend 105 francs per 250 francs nominal share vs. 100,\n  21 francs per 50 franc nominal participation certificate vs 20\n      Group Turnover 8.36 billion francs vs. 8.45 billion\n      Cash Flow 956 mln francs vs. 941 mln\n      Parent company net profit 153.8 mln francs vs. 135.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INDIA IN COUNTERTRADE DEAL FOR MALAYSIAN PALM OIL\n","article":"  India is to partially cover the cost\n  of its Malaysian palm oil imports through a countertrade deal\n  involving the construction of two bridges valued at 20 mln\n  dlrs, an Indian trade source told Reuters.\n      He said Malaysia agreed to the oil-for-bridges deal in\n  October after India said it could no longer buy some 700,000\n  tonnes of palm oil a year because of its trade deficit.\n      Malaysia has also agreed to barter palm oil for 30 mln dlrs\n  of hydroelectric equipment and is interested in countertrading\n  for Indian iron ore, wheat and other goods and services, he\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":" ALUSUISSE GROUP 1986 NET LOSS 688 MLN SWISS FRANCS (LOSS 756 MLN)\n","article":"\n   ALUSUISSE GROUP 1986 NET LOSS 688 MLN SWISS FRANCS (LOSS 756 MLN)\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF JAPAN CALLS FOR LONG-TERM EFFORTS ON TRADE\n","article":"  The short-term effect of foreign exchange\n  rate movements in correcting international trade imbalances\n  appears to be waning, and long-term efforts are required to cut\n  Japan's chronic dependence on external demand, the Bank of\n  Japan said in a monthly report.\n      Japan's trade surplus in nominal terms is likely to remain\n  high in the near future, the central bank said.\n      Fundamental adjustments will be needed as long as Japan\n  hopes to benefit from a better international allocation of\n  resources and maintain the free trade system, it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":" London - Floating rate note prices open sharply lower, dealers say\n","article":"\n   London - Floating rate note prices open sharply lower, dealers say\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ALUSUISSE <ALUZ.Z> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Net Loss 688 mln Swiss francs vs. Loss\n  756 mln\n      Gross sales 5.93 billion vs. 8.51 billion\n      Operating income 198 mln francs vs 256 mln\n      Net extraordinary charges 592 mln vs 472 mln\n      Note - Company plans 50 pct capital reduction, banks to\n  convert 300 mln francs of credit facilities to subordinated\n  loans. No immediate plans for capital increase. Company full\n  name Schweizerische Aluminium AG.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Opec deliberately under 15.8 mln barrel ceiling to defend price - Subroto\n","article":"\n  Opec deliberately under 15.8 mln barrel ceiling to defend price - Subroto\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"COUNTY INCREASES TESCO STAKE IN HILLARDS\n","article":"  <County Ltd>, which is acting in concert\n  with Tesco Plc <TSCO.L> in its 151.4 mln stg for supermarket\n  chain operator <Hillards Plc>, has purchased 300,000 Hillards\n  ordinary shares at 316p per share, a statement said.\n      These purchases, together with those made by County on 10\n  March, represent about 4.8 pct of Hillards issued ordinary\n  share capital, it said.\n      Tesco's offer, made on March 10, values each Hillards\n  ordinary share at 305.5p, a 37.6 pct premium over the previous\n  day's  closing price. A cash alternative of 290.55p will be\n  made available.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<PREMDOR INC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 35 cts vs 25 cts\n      Net 1,590,000 vs 1,140,000\n      Revs 32.2 mln vs 23.0 mln\n      YEAR\n      Shr 1.16 dlrs vs 68 cts\n      Net 5,300,000 vs 3,100,000\n      Revs 110.0 mln vs 85.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"S. AFRICAN PRODUCER PRICE INFLATION FALLS SHARPLY\n","article":"  South African year-on-year producer\n  price inflation fell to 14.9 pct in January against 16.4 pct in\n  December, Central Statistics Office figures show.\n      The all items index (base 1980) rose a monthly 0.8 pct in\n  January to 233.9, after also rising 0.8 pct in December to\n  232.1.\n      A year ago the index stood at 203.6 and year-on-year\n  producer price inflation at 22.2 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SUBROTO SEES OIL MARKET CONTINUING BULLISH\n","article":"  Indonesian Energy Minister Subroto said\n  he sees the oil market continuing bullish, with underlying\n  demand expected to rise later in the year.\n      He told a press conference in Jakarta at the end of a\n  two-day meeting of South-East Asian Energy Ministers that he\n  saw prices stabilizing around 18 dlrs a barrel.\n      \"The sentiment in the market is bullish and I think it will\n  continue that way as demand will go up in the third or fourth\n  quarters,\" Subroto said.\n      Asked about the prospect for oil prices, he said: \"I think\n  they will stabilise around 18 dlrs, although there is a little\n  turbulence ...\"\n      \"Of course the spot price will fluctuate, but the official\n  price will remain at 18 dlrs,\" he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OPEC DEFENDING 18 DLR PRICE, SUBROTO SAYS\n","article":"  Indonesian Energy Minister Subroto said\n  OPEC is deliberately under its production ceiling of 15.8 mln\n  barrels to defend its 18 dlr a barrel price target.\n      He told reporters at an energy conference in Jakarta that\n  OPEC had decided to maintain its price level of 18 dlrs.\n      \"We are deliberately defending the price, so OPEC production\n  is less than 15.8 (mln) at the moment,\" he stated.\n      Asked if OPEC would increase production if prices went\n  above 18 dlrs a barrel, he said this would be decided at the\n  next OPEC meeting in June. \"We will discuss the market situation\n  then,\" he added.\n      He said a meeting of the OPEC Differentials Committee had\n  been postponed because \"there is no need for the meeting.\"\n      He did not elaborate. The committee had originally been due\n  to meet in Vienna this week.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN REJECTS U.S. OBJECTIONS TO FAIRCHILD SALE\n","article":"  A Foreign Ministry official dismissed\n  arguments made by senior U.S. Government officials seeking to\n  block the sale of a U.S. Microchip maker to a Japanese firm.\n      \"They appear to be linking completely unrelated issues,\"\n  Shuichi Takemoto of the Foreign Ministry's North American\n  Division told Reuters.\n      U.S. Commerce Secretary Malcolm Baldrige has asked the\n  White House to consider blocking the sale of <Fairchild\n  Semiconductor Corp> to Japan's Fujitsu Ltd <ITSU.T>, U.S.\n  Officials said yesterday.\n      Baldrige expressed concern that the sale would leave the\n  U.S. Military dependent on a foreign company for vital high\n  technology equipment. Pentagon officials said Defence Secretary\n  Caspar Weinberger also opposes to the sale.\n      U.S. Officials have also said the sale would give Fujitsu a\n  powerful role in the U.S. Market for supercomputers while\n  Japan's supercomputer market remains closed to U.S. Sales.\n      Takemoto said national security should not be an issue\n  since the planned purchase of Fairchild from its current owner,\n  Schlumberger Ltd <SLB>, does not include Fairchild's main\n  defence-related division.\n      In addition, Takemoto said tension over the supercomputer\n  trade should not affect the sale as Fairchild does not make\n  supercomputers.\n      Analysts noted that Fairchild does make sophisticated\n  microchips used in supercomputers. Fujitsu makes similar chips\n  and supplies them to U.S. Supercomputer makers, they said.\n      Takemoto also dismissed U.S. Fears that the proposed\n  takeover would violate U.S. Antitrust law, saying \"the purchase\n  would not result in Fujitsu monopolising the U.S. Semiconductor\n  market.\"\n      Two separate issues appear to have come together to boost\n  pressure to block the purchase, industry analysts said.\n      The move is in part an attempt to force Japan to open its\n  domestic market to more U.S. Supercomputer sales, they said.\n      U.S. Officials have repeatedly charged that the Japanese\n  public sector is closed to U.S. Supercomputer sales despite\n  U.S. Firms' technological lead in the field.\n      \"The United States believes Japan will only react when\n  bullied, and this is a bullying ploy,\" Salomon Brothers Asia\n  analyst Carole Ryavec said.\n      However, the analysts said more is at stake than\n  supercomputer sales as the U.S. Fears it is losing its vital\n  semiconductor industry to Japanese competitors.\n      \"The real issue is xenophobia in (the U.S.) Silicon Valley,\"\n  said Tom Murtha of brokerage James Capel and Co.\n      U.S.-Japanese tension over the semiconductor trade has\n  failed to subside despite recent efforts by Japan's Ministry of\n  International Trade and Industry (MITI) to get Japanese firms\n  to abide by a bilateral pact aimed at halting predatory pricing\n  and opening Japan's market.\n      A MITI official said that while Japan is faithfully abiding\n  by the agreement, problems remain in halting the sale of\n  microchips in Europe and Southeast Asia at prices below those\n  set by the pact.\n      \"It is only a matter of time before we solve this problem,\"\n  he told Reuters.\n      Despite the furore, Fujitsu will proceed with talks on the\n  acquisition in line with the basic agreement reached with\n  Schlumberger last year, a Fujitsu spokeswoman told Reuters.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF ENGLAND OFFERS EARLY HELP TO MONEY MARKET\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it invited an\n  early round of bill offers to help ease tight conditions in the\n  money market.\n      The bank estimated today's liquidity shortage at about 1.10\n  billion stg.\n      Bills maturing in official hands and the treasury bill\n  take-up would drain 1.21 billion stg from the system while a\n  rise in the note circulation and below target bankers' balances\n  would take out 265 mln and 180 mln respectively, the bank said.\n      Against this, exchequer transactions would add a net 535\n  mln stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN NURSERY <ANSY> BUYS FLORIDA NURSERY\n","article":"  American Nursery Products Inc\n  said it purchased Miami-based Heinl's Nursery Inc, for\n  undisclosed terms.\n      Heinl's Nursery has sales of about 4.5 mln dlrs and owns\n  100 acres, of which 75 are in shade houses and about 58,300\n  square feet cover greenhouses, shipping and office facilities.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BRITISH WHEAT AREA DOWN, MINISTRY CENSUS SHOWS\n","article":"  A total of 1.886 mln hectares was sown\n  to wheat in Britain, excluding Northern Ireland, up to December\n  1, 1986 for the 1987 crop, a Ministry of Agriculture census\n  shows.\n      It compares with 1.925 mln planted in the same period 1985.\n      The barley area was unchanged at 952,000 ha, but oilseed\n  rape increased to 393,000 from 333,000 ha.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"Miyazawa says current dollar\/yen rate not necessarily satisfactory\n","article":"\n  Miyazawa says current dollar\/yen rate not necessarily satisfactory\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"KAMPUCHEA SAYS RICE CROP IN 1986 INCREASED\n","article":"  Kampuchea harvested more than two mln\n  tonnes of rice paddy in 1986, up on the crops of the previous\n  two years, the official SPK news agency said yesterday.\n      Diplomats said estimates put the 1985 harvest at less than\n  one mln tonnes, slightly up on 800,000 in 1984.\n      SPK said Kampuchea planned to expand planting from 1.5 mln\n  to 1.93 mln hectares and boost rice paddy output to 2.5 mln\n  tonnes this calendar year.\n      Two mln tonnes of paddy would produce some 1.3 mln tonnes\n  of milled rice, above the 1.25 mln tonnes Kampuchea says is the\n  minimum its 7.5 mln people need.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CHINA TRYING TO INCREASE COTTON OUTPUT, PAPER SAYS\n","article":"  China's 1987 cotton output must rise\n  above the 1986 level of 3.54 mln tonnes or supply will fall\n  short of increasing demand, the China Daily said.\n      Demand in 1986 rose 10.9 pct over 1985.\n      Output in 1986 fell from 4.15 mln tonnes in 1985 and a\n  record 6.2 mln in 1984, official figures show. The China Daily\n  attributed the decline to several factors, including less\n  favorable weather conditions and new state measures to restrict\n  cotton production after the 1984 build-up of stocks.\n      According to Customs figures, cotton exports rose to\n  558,089 tonnes in calendar 1986 from 347,026 in 1985.\n      To increase output quickly, the state will raise by 10 pct\n  the price it pays for cotton produced above and beyond quota\n  levels, the newspaper said. Its official purchasing agencies\n  will buy cotton produced in excess of that originally\n  contracted for, it added.\n      The China Daily said all cotton growing areas in south\n  China should be maintained, and growing in the north should be\n  concentrated in Hebei, Shandong, Henan and Xinjiang.\n      It called for comprehensive planning to coordinate\n  production of cotton with that of grain, edible oil and other\n  crops, but gave no more details.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MIYAZAWA SAYS PRESENT YEN NOT NECESSARILY IDEAL\n","article":"  Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa told a\n  parliamentary session the current dollar\/yen exchange rate is\n  not necessarily satisfactory for the Japanese economy.\n      Miyazawa said the Paris currency accord among six major\n  industrial nations last month does not necessarily mean the yen\n  should stay stable around current levels in the future.\n      The Paris agreement was aimed at stopping a further rapid\n  fluctuation of exchange rates, he said.\n      The accord stipulated that current rates reflect\n  fundamentals of the six nations - Britain, Canada, France,\n  Japan, the U.S. And West Germany.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INDIA TOOK THREE CARGOES OF RBD OLEIN AT TENDER\n","article":"  The Indian State Trading Corporation\n  (STC) bought three cargoes of rbd palm olein at its vegetable\n  oil import tender yesterday, traders said. Late yesterday the\n  market was reporting it had bought one to two cargoes.\n      The business comprised two 6,000 tonne cargoes for March\n  15\/April 15 shipments at 355 dlrs per tonne cif, and 6,000\n  tonnes for May at 358 dlrs. The first two cargoes were on a\n  cash basis and the May position was transacted on a 30 pct\n  counter-trade basis, traders said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 478 MLN STG EARLY HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided the\n  market with 478 mln stg of early assistance to help ease a\n  liquidity shortage it estimated at 1.10 billion stg.\n      It made outright purchases of seven mln stg of band one\n  bank bills at 10-3\/8 pct and 30 mln stg of band two bank bills\n  at 10-5\/16 pct.\n      In addition, it bought 294 mln stg of paper for resale to\n  the market on March 30 and 147 mln stg for resale on April 8,\n  in both cases at an interest rate of 10-7\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN PERSONAL SAVINGS SOAR IN 1986\n","article":"  Japanese personal savings grew 10.3 pct\n  in 1986 from 1985 helped by a sharp increase in stock\n  investments by individuals, the Bank of Japan said.\n      Outstanding savings on December 31, 1986 totalled 545,303\n  billion yen. Funds in investment trusts alone totalled 21,918\n  billion yen, up 37.4 pct from a year earlier.\n      The outstanding balance also included deposits at banks and\n  post offices, up 7.4 pct to 337,867 billion yen, savings in the\n  form of insurance, up 18.6 pct to 111,431 billion, corporate\n  bond investments, up 7.8 pct to 46,867 billion, and investments\n  in trust banks, up 4.1 pct to 27,220 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALUSUISSE SHARES SUSPENDED ON CAPITAL CUT NEWS\n","article":"  Trading in shares of Schweizerische\n  Aluminium AG, Alusuisse, <ALUZ.Z> was suspended on the Zurich\n  stock exchange after today's announcement by the company that\n  it would cut its share capital by 50 pct, the bourse said.\n      The bourse said trading would resume again on Monday.\n      Alusuisse bearer shares closed at 490 francs yesterday,\n  registered shares at 170 francs and the participation\n  certificates at 45.50.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PETROBRAS CANCELS OIL PURCHASE FROM SAUDI ARABIA\n","article":"  Brazil's state oil company\n  Petrobras has cancelled a 40 mln dlr crude oil purchase from\n  Saudi Arabia after the Saudis refused to accept credit\n  guarantees from the Bank of Brazil and did not disclose\n  reasons, a Petrobras official said.\n      Export director Carlos Santana told reporters the Saudis\n  were the first suppliers of oil to impose such conditions after\n  Brazil's decision to halt interest payment of its commercial\n  debts last month. The shipment of 2.2 mln barrels represents\n  two days of consumption.\n      He said the Saudis reported they would no longer accept\n  letters of credit from the Bank of Brazil or even from Saudi\n  banks and that Brazil would have to obtain credit guarantees\n  from leading international banks.\n      In February, Brazil had contracted to buy 125,000 bpd from\n  the Saudis until June. Saudi Arabia is Brazil's second biggest\n  oil supplier, with an average 115,000 bpd. Iraq is the main\n  supplier with 235,000 bpd. China comes third, with 58,000 bpd.\n      \"If the Saudis wish to stop our trade relationship...I am\n  sure that if they do, we will be getting dozens of offers from\n  elsewhere,\" Santana added.\n      Santana said if the Saudis change their minds and decide to\n  respect the terms of the contract, then Petrobras will lift the\n  order to cancel the shipment.\n      The Saudis had put similar conditions on a previous\n  shipment, he added. \"We telexed them saying that if they\n  insisted, we would rather cancel the contract and buy the\n  product elsewhere,\" Santana said.\n      After Petrobras threatened to cancel the contract, the\n  Saudis changed their minds and decided to accept the Bank of\n  Brazil's credit guarantees, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MANNESMANN CONSIDERING MAJORITY STAKE IN FICHTEL\n","article":"  A Mannesmann AG <MMWG.F> spokesman\n  said the company has lodged an application with the Federal\n  Cartel Office for approval of a possible majority stake in car\n  parts company <Fichtel und Sachs AG>.\n      He described the application as a precautionary move and\n  said no agreement on buying a majority stake had yet been\n  reached. Until now Mannesmann has said only that it wanted to\n  buy a 37.5 pct stake in Fichtel from the heirs of Ernst Wilhelm\n  Sachs, the grandson of the firm's founder.\n      The spokesman declined to say from whom it may buy the\n  other shares to create a majority stake in the firm.\n      Fichtel's other principal shareholders are Commerzbank AG\n  <CBKG.F>, with 35.01 pct, and Salzgitter AG <ISLG.F>, with\n  24.98 pct. Spokesmen declined to comment directly on the\n  possibility of selling Fichtel shares to Mannesmann.\n      Mannesmann said in January it hoped to take a 37.5 pct\n  stake in Fichtel's holding company Sachs AG in the first\n  quarter.\n      Last week a spokesman said Mannesmann had a letter of\n  intent on the 37.5 pct stake but completion was being delayed\n  by legal questions surrounding the inheritance.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SCHWEIZERHALLE FIRE HIT SANDOZ 1986 PROFITS\n","article":"  Sandoz AG <SANZ.Z> would\n  have reported a percentage rise in net profits \"close to double\n  figures\" rather than the actual two pct had it not been for\n  November's warehouse fire, a senior company official said.\n      The official, who declined to be identified, told Reuters\n  Sandoz had made a substantial addition to reserves to cope with\n  the consequences of the accident at Schweizerhalle, which\n  caused severe pollution of the Rhine.\n      Sandoz today reported without comment a rise in net profits\n  to 541 mln francs from the previous 529 mln and a five pct\n  increase in dividend to 105 francs per 250 franc nominal share.\n      This year began well, with the performance in January and\n  February at least equal to the same period last year, the\n  official said.\n      The company is expected to give fuller details of its\n  results at a news conference on April 22.\n      Sandoz has insisted that it is adequately insured to cover\n  any liability arising from the accident.\n      The official said the addition to reserves was to cover the\n  \"one pct\" of claims somehow not covered and any voluntary\n  gestures it wanted to compensate for the effects of pollution\n  from the fire.\n      Sandoz has not given any figure for claims, which have been\n  flowing in from Switzerland and other countries bordering the\n  Rhine since the accident.\n      However, the official said the final figure would be \"much\n  less than that cited in earlier comments.\" He gave no further\n  details.\n      In line with fellow chemical giant Ciba-Geigy <CIGZ.Z>,\n  which reported last month, Sandoz profit and turnover were also\n  hit by the falling dollar, the official said.\n      Sales in local currency terms were up by 14 pct, with\n  market share increases in the United States and Japan. But this\n  was more than offset by a 15 pct negative foreign exchange\n  effect, which produced the reported one pct drop in turnover to\n  8.36 billion francs,the Sandoz official said.\n      Net profit at Ciba-Geigy dropped by 21 pct to 1.16 billion\n  francs, while sales fell by 12 pct to 15.95 billion francs.\n      The third major Swiss chemical company, F. Hoffmann-La\n  Roche and Co <HOFZ.Z> has not yet reported its results.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALUSUISSE SEES POSSIBLE BREAK-EVEN IN 1987\n","article":"  Schweizerische Aluminimum AG <ALUZ.Z>\n  (Alusuisse) may be able to break even this year after cleansing\n  its balance sheet for 1986, chief executive Hans Jucker said.\n      \"The threshold of profitability has returned to the\n  foreseeable future,\" he said. \"We expect already in 1987\n  approximately to break even. That presupposes, however, that\n  our industrial environment does not worsen.\"\n      He said Alusuisse would no longer face the burden of past\n  losses.\n      Alusuisse made a net loss of 688 mln Swiss francs in 1986\n  after a restated 756 mln loss in 1985.\n      Gross sales were 5.93 billion francs after 8.51 billion and\n  net turnover 5.65 billion after 8.00 billion.\n      Alusuisse had originally reported a 692 mln francs loss for\n  1985.\n      But Jucker and Finance Director Hermann Haerri told a news\n  conference the new management installed a year ago had decided\n  to restate the previous five years' accounts to eliminate\n  rights on Australian bauxite previously in the books as an\n  asset.\n      Together with other one-off charges, Alusuisse took an\n  gross extraordinary charge in 1986 of 698 mln francs, up from\n  472 mln in 1985.\n      It also had 106 mln extraordinary income in 1986 remaining,\n  after provisions, from the sale of its Maremont Corp subsidiary\n  in the United States. There were no extraordinary gains in\n  1985.\n      Jucker said the losses, plus those carried forward from\n  1985, had wiped out the company's remaining reserves and\n  exceeded legally allowed levels, forcing Alusuisse to adopt a\n  50 pct capital cut, to be approved by shareholders on April 22.\n      Jucker said he knew shareholders would find this \"radical\n  elimination of the mortgages of the past\" painful, but said the\n  foundation had been laid for a successful new company strategy.\n      Haerri said despite the losses, the company's liquidity was\n  strong. Bank debt had been cut by about one-third to 2.56\n  billion francs against the end-1985 level of 3.85 billion.\n      Cash flow improved substantially to 323 mln francs from 111\n  mln and represented 5.7 pct of turnover against a mere 1.4 pct\n  in 1985.\n      In addition, to reassure other creditors, Alusuisse had\n  arranged with three major Swiss banks -- Union Bank of\n  Switzerland <SBGZ.Z>, Swiss Bank Corp <SBVZ.Z> and Credit\n  Suisse <CRSZ.Z>, to convert 300 mln francs of credits into a\n  subordinated loan.\n      The main sources of losses in 1986 were book losses and not\n  cash losses, Haerri said. Existing credit lines were used only\n  to a small extent, and the parent company had been granted a\n  new credit line of 200 mln francs from a consortium of Swiss\n  banks that would cover most of the loans falling due in 1987.\n      Haerri said the company had been criticized for maintaining\n  bauxite rights as an asset, and so had restated the accounts.\n      That left the 1985 account with a 756 mln franc loss\n  instead of 692 mln, 1984 with a 68 mln profit instead of 169\n  mln, 1983 with a 217 mln loss instead of 82 mln and 1982 with a\n  479 mln loss instead of 179 mln.\n      The new accounts show 1985 with shareholders' equity of\n  1.15 billion francs instead of 1.75 billion, and similar\n  alternations were made for previous years.\n      After 1986 losses, shareholder's equity stood at only 895\n  mln francs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN CORPORATE PROFITS IN LAST 1986 QUARTER UP\n","article":"  Current profits of Japan's major firms in\n  the October-December quarter rose four pct from a year earlier\n  to 5,654 billion yen against a 2.6 pct year-on-year rise in the\n  preceding quarter, the Finance Ministry said.\n      The improved earnings resulted mainly from a 22.5 pct\n  profit increase in non-manufacturing industries, supported by\n  an 88.7 pct rise for construction firms and a 138 pct gain in\n  real estate, according to a ministry survey.\n      Total sales of the 15,308 firms with capital of 10 mln yen\n  or more which responded to the poll, fell one pct to 217,217\n  billion yen against a 1.2 pct fall the previous quarter.\n      Current profits of manufacturing industries in the fourth\n  quarter dropped 13.7 pct to 2,394 billion yen against a 22.1\n  pct fall in the preceding quarter, the ministry said.\n      Plant and equipment investments of all firms polled fell\n  3.9 pct to 8,004 billion yen, compared with a 1.4 percent fall\n  the previoius quarter.\n      Ministry officials said the survey showed that the Japanese\n  economy is in a delicate stage in which it is hard to tell if\n  economic growth has stopped deteriorating or if the economy is\n  heading for a recovery.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. LENDS SUDAN 57 MLN DLRS FOR WHEAT PURCHASES\n","article":"  The U.S. Is to lend Sudan 57 mln dlrs\n  to buy 309,000 tonnes of wheat and 73,000 tonnes of wheat\n  flour, according to an agreement signed here.\n      Under the agreement Sudan will receive 50 mln dlrs for the\n  commodities and the rest for sea transportation.\n      The loan is repayable in 40 years, including a 10-year\n  grace period. Interest will be two pct for the grace period and\n  three pct over the repayment period of 30 years.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALUSUISSE PLANS FURTHER ALUMINIUM CAPACITY CUTS\n","article":"  Schweizerische Aluminium AG <ALUZ.Z>\n  (Alusuisse) plans further drastic cuts in its aluminium\n  smelting capacity and more concentration of higher value-added\n  products, chief executive Hans Jucker said.\n      Elaborating on plans disclosed in outline last September,\n  company officials said current smelting capacity of 390,000\n  tonnes a year would be cut to between 250,000 and 260,000\n  tonnes by 1989 or 1990. They did not say where cuts might be\n  made.\n      Two years ago, before selling its Ormet Corp subsidiary in\n  the United States to local management and staff, Alusuisse had\n  an annual capacity of 800,000 tonnes.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA FEBRUARY UNEMPLOYMENT FALLS TO 9.6 PCT FROM JANUARY 9.7 PCT, STATISTICS CANADA SAID\n","article":"\n  CANADA FEBRUARY UNEMPLOYMENT FALLS TO 9.6 PCT FROM JANUARY 9.7 PCT, STATISTICS CANADA SAID\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL ANTI-INFLATION PLAN LIMPS TO ANNIVERSARY\n","article":"  inflation\n  plan, initially hailed at home and abroad as the saviour of the\n  economy, is limping towards its first anniversary amid soaring\n  prices, widespread shortages and a foreign payments crisis.\n      Announced last February 28 the plan froze prices, fixed the\n  value of the new Cruzado currency and ended widespread\n  indexation of the economy in a bid to halt the country's 250\n  pct inflation rate.\n      But within a year the plan has all but collapsed.\n      \"The situation now is worse than it was. Although there was\n  inflation, at least the economy worked,\" a leading bank\n  economist said.\n      The crumbling of the plan has been accompanied by a\n  dramatic reversal in the foreign trade account. In 1984 and\n  1985 Brazil's annual trade surpluses had been sufficient to\n  cover the 12 billion dlrs needed to service its 109 billion dlr\n  foreign debt.\n      For the first nine months of 1986 all seemed to be on\n  target for a repeat, with monthly surpluses averaging one\n  billion dlrs. But as exports were diverted and imports\n  increased to avoid further domestic shortages the trade surplus\n  plunged to 211 mln dlrs in October and since then has averaged\n  under 150 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MFS MANAGED SECTORS TRUST DIVIDEND INCREASED\n","article":"  Semi-annual div from income of 7.3 cts vs 1.0 cent in prior\n  period\n      Payable March 27\n      Record February 27\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANADA FEBRUARY UNEMPLOYMENT 9.6 PCT\n","article":"  Canada's February unemployment rate,\n  seasonally adjusted, fell to 9.6 pct from 9.7 pct in January,\n  Statistics Canada said. The rate was 9.8 pct in February last\n  year.\n      Seasonally adjusted employment in February was 11,777,000,\n  compared with 11,747,000 in January, while unemployment slipped\n  to 1,252,000 from 1,255,000.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MIYAZAWA SAYS PRESENT YEN NOT NECESSARILY IDEAL\n","article":"  Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa told a\n  parliamentary session the current dollar\/yen exchange rate is\n  not necessarily satisfactory for the Japanese economy.\n      Miyazawa said the Paris currency accord among six major\n  industrial nations last month does not necessarily mean the yen\n  should stay stable around current levels in the future.\n      The Paris agreement was aimed at stopping a further rapid\n  fluctuation of exchange rates, he said.\n      The accord stipulated that current rates reflect\n  fundamentals of the six nations - Britain, Canada, France,\n  Japan, the U.S. And West Germany.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN CABINET APPROVES BILL ON GOLD COIN ISSUES\n","article":"  The cabinet has approved a bill making it\n  easier for the government to issue commemorative coins, a\n  Finance Ministry official said.\n      The bill, which must still be approved by parliament, would\n  take effect in April 1988. It would allow the government to\n  issue 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 yen coins without special\n  legislation, although higher-valued coins would still need a\n  special law, the official said. At present it can only issue\n  coins of 500 yen or less.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN MINISTER SAYS ABOUT 170 YEN APPROPRIATE\n","article":"  International Trade and Industry Minister\n  Hajime Tamura told a parliamentary session Japan's small- and\n  medium-sized enterprises are seriously suffering from the yen's\n  rise and can only stand levels around 170 yen.\n      He also said he still believes a dollar exchange rate level\n  plus or minus 10 yen from 170 yen would be within levels agreed\n  upon last month in Paris by six major industrial nations.\n  Finance ministers of Britain, Canada, France, Japan, the U.S.\n  And West Germany agreed on February 22 to cooperate in\n  stabilizing exchange rates around the current levels. The\n  dollar had closed here at 153.77 yen on February 20.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TWO BRAZILIAN SHIPPING FIRMS SETTLE WITH STRIKERS\n","article":"  Two small shipping companies have\n  reached a pay deal with striking seamen, but union leaders said\n  most of Brazil's 40,000 seamen were still on strike.\n      A union spokesman in Rio de Janeiro said the seamen had\n  accepted a 120 pct pay offer from the companies, Globo and\n  Flumar, which have less than 200 employees each.\n      The two-week strike comes as Brazil faces a debt crisis and\n  is delaying exports badly needed to earn foreign exchange.\n      Labour Minister Almir Pazzionotto said the government will\n  not force a settlement of the strike, which was ruled illegal\n  last Friday.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MIYAZAWA SAYS EXCHANGE RATES WILL STAY STABLE\n","article":"  Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa told a\n  press conference he thinks exchange rates will remain stable\n  due to the currency accord reached in Paris last month by six\n  major industrialised nations but he did not say for how long.\n      The dollar has hovered around 153 yen since the six agreed\n  to cooperate to bring about currency stability.\n      Asked to comment on remarks by some U.S. Officials calling\n  for a further decline of the dollar, Miyazawa said only the\n  U.S. President and the U.S. Treasury Secretary can make\n  official statements about exchange rates.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUBROTO SEES OIL MARKET CONTINUING BULLISH\n","article":"  Indonesian Energy Minister Subroto said\n  he sees the oil market continuing bullish, with underlying\n  demand expected to rise later in the year.\n      He told a press conference in Jakarta at the end of a\n  two-day meeting of South-East Asian Energy Ministers that he\n  saw prices stabilizing around 18 dlrs a barrel.\n      \"The sentiment in the market is bullish and I think it will\n  continue that way as demand will go up in the third or fourth\n  quarters,\" Subroto said.\n      Asked about the prospect for oil prices, he said: \"I think\n  they will stabilise around 18 dlrs, although there is a little\n  turbulence ...\"\n      \"Of course the spot price will fluctuate, but the official\n  price will remain at 18 dlrs,\" he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OPEC DEFENDING 18 DLR PRICE, SUBROTO SAYS\n","article":"  Indonesian Energy Minister Subroto said\n  OPEC is deliberately under its production ceiling of 15.8 mln\n  barrels to defend its 18 dlr a barrel price target.\n      He told reporters at an energy conference in Jakarta that\n  OPEC had decided to maintain its price level of 18 dlrs.\n      \"We are deliberately defending the price, so OPEC production\n  is less than 15.8 (mln) at the moment,\" he stated.\n      Asked if OPEC would increase production if prices went\n  above 18 dlrs a barrel, he said this would be decided at the\n  next OPEC meeting in June. \"We will discuss the market situation\n  then,\" he added.\n      He said a meeting of the OPEC Differentials Committee had\n  been postponed because \"there is no need for the meeting.\"\n      He did not elaborate. The committee had originally been due\n  to meet in Vienna this week.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF JAPAN CALLS FOR LONG-TERM EFFORTS ON TRADE\n","article":"  The short-term effect of foreign exchange\n  rate movements in correcting international trade imbalances\n  appears to be waning, and long-term efforts are required to cut\n  Japan's chronic dependence on external demand, the Bank of\n  Japan said in a monthly report.\n      Japan's trade surplus in nominal terms is likely to remain\n  high in the near future, the central bank said.\n      Fundamental adjustments will be needed as long as Japan\n  hopes to benefit from a better international allocation of\n  resources and maintain the free trade system, it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BURMESE PADDY PRODUCTION LOWER IN 1986\/87\n","article":"  Burma's paddy production fell to 729.4\n  mln baskets in fiscal year 1986-1987 (to end March) from 737.3\n  mln in 1985-1986, a cabinet report to parliament said.\n      A basket is a local measure equal to 46 lbs.\n      Paddy output in 1984-1985 was 699.1 mln baskets, it said.\n      Burma's \"Green Revolution\" sparked by the introduction of\n  high-yield variety paddy strains in the mid-1970s appears to\n  have hit a plateau with production levelling off over the past\n  two years, economists said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN FURTHER 168 MLN STG HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided the\n  money market with a further 168 mln stg of assistance to help\n  offset a shortage it now estimated at 1.05 billion stg, revised\n  down from 1.10 billion.\n      It bought 21 mln stg of bank bills outright, 20 mln in band\n  one at 10-3\/8 pct and one mln in band two at 10-5\/16 pct. In\n  addition, it bought 98 mln stg of bills for resale on March 30\n  and 49 mln stg for resale April 8 at an interest rate of\n  10-7\/16 pct. All these rates are the same as for today's\n  earlier help.\n      So far today, the bank has provided the market with\n  assistance worth 646 mln stg.\n      The bank also announced the rates applicable to temporary\n  lending facilities rolled over today.\n      The average mid-market rate for lending rolled over for one\n  week is 10-15\/16 pct and for two weeks 10-5\/8 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AEP INDUSTRIES INC <AEPI> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 19 cts vs 32 cts\n      Net 586,000 vs 802,000\n      Sales 14.2 mln vs 15.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,006,372 vs 2,506,250\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MULTI-STEP TO SELL LADDER UNIT, CANCEL SHARES\n","article":"  <Multi-Step Products Inc>, earlier\n  reporting an initial six month loss, said it agreed to sell\n  wholly owned Multi-Step Manufacturing Inc for 100,000 dlrs\n  cash, subject to shareholder and regulatory approval.\n      Multi-Step also said it will pay 900,000 dlrs to cancel\n  711,192 of its own shares, which will be acquired from Michael\n  Penhale and his benficiaries. Penhale will control and manage\n  Multi-Step Manufacturing, following the transactions.\n      Multi-Step had a 739,146 dlr loss for the six months ended\n  December 31. The company received its initial public listing in\n  December.\n      The company said its ladder-making unit has been losing\n  300,000 dlrs quarterly.\n      The sale, expected to close in April, also calls for\n  retirement of the unit's 400,000 dlr bank debt, Multi-Step\n  said. The unit also has agreed to pay a debt of 400,000 dlrs to\n  Tarxien Company Ltd, which is 40 pct owned by Multi-Step.\n      Multi-Step previously said it agreed to acquire the\n  remaining 60 pct of Tarxien it does not already own.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"D.H. HOLMES CO LTD <HLME> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 39 cts vs 1.34 dlrs\n      Net 1,392,000 vs 4,686,000\n      Sales 81.9 mln vs 81.7 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 10 cts vs 97 cts\n      Net 355,000 vs 3,375,000\n      Sales 270.4 mln vs 272.8 mln\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for three pct stock dividend in\n  January 1987.\n      Pretax net profits 3,052,000 dlrs vs 4,498,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and loss 572,000 dlrs vs profit 2,922,000 dlrs in year.\n      Latest year net includes pretax gains of 166,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and 4,420,000 dlrs in year from pension plan\n  reversions.\n      Prior year net includes gain 1,549,000 dlrs on sale of\n  property.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRST BOSTON <FBC> STARTS ALLEGHENY <AG> BID\n","article":"  First Boston Inc said it has started\n  its previously-announced tender offer for all common shares,\n  2.19 dlr cumulative preference shares and 11.25 dlr convertible\n  preferred shares of Allegheny International Inc at 24.60 dlrs,\n  20.00 dlrs and 87.50 dlrs respectively.\n      In a newspaper advertisement, the company said the offer\n  and withdrawal rioghts will expire April Nine unless extended.\n  The offer is conditioned on receipt of at least a majority of\n  Allegheny voting power on a fully diluted basis and on receipt\n  of at least two thirds each of the preference and preferred\n  shares.\n      A merger approved by the Allegheny board in which remaining\n  common, preference and preferred shares would be acquired at\n  the tender prices is to follow the offer.\n      Receipt of the minimum amounts under the offer would give\n  First Boston sufficient voting power to assure approval of the\n  merger without the affirmative vote of any other shareholder,\n  the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COURT PUTS INJUNCTION ON DUTCH PORT REDUNDANCIES\n","article":"  Employers in Rotterdam port's\n  strike-hit general cargo sector have been served with an\n  injunction until May 7 preventing them from continuing with\n  plans for 350 redundancies this year, an employers'\n  organisation spokesman said.\n      An Amsterdam court yesterday ruled there had been a legal\n  fault in the employers' redundancy procedure.\n      The employers' spokesman said they were likely to restart\n  the redundancy procedure afresh next week in an attempt to\n  pre-empt the May 7 final court ruling.\n      Port and transport union representative Paul Rosenmuller\n  described the court ruling as a victory for the union, but\n  added there was still a long way to go before the dispute that\n  has hit the general cargo sector for the past eight weeks was\n  resolved.\n      Rosenmuller said there would be a meeting of the sector's\n  4,000 workers this afternoon to decide on further action in the\n  campaign of lightning strikes that began on January 19 in\n  protest at planned redundancies of 800, starting with 350 this\n  year.\n      The employers said there were no immediate plans for\n  meetings with the union either on the proposed redundancies or\n  on a new work practice agreement in the sector.\n      Meanwhile, discussions on a new work agreement in the\n  port's grain sector, due to resume next week, are stalemated,\n  although agreement could be close in the coal and ore sector,\n  the employers' spokesman added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STRIKE TO CLOSE NEW ZEALAND PORTS ON MONDAY\n","article":"  Harbour workers said they will\n  strike for 24 hours on Monday, effectively closing all New\n  Zealand's ports.\n      The strike is over deadlocked wage negotiations.\n      A Harbour Employees Workers' Union spokesman told reporters\n  there will be no ship movements in and out of ports from\n  midnight on Sunday (1200 hrs GMT March 15).\n      There will be no loading or unloading involving harbour\n  board workers and the Cook Strait ferries, which provide a\n  vital link between New Zealand's North and South Islands, will\n  not run, he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ESSELTE BUSINESS <ESB> UNIT BUYS ANTONSON UNIT\n","article":"  Esselte Business Systems Inc's\n  Esselte Meto division said it has acquired the Antonson America\n  Co, a subsidiary of <Antonson Machines AB>, of Sweden.\n      Esselte said the Antonson unit, based in LaPorte, Indiana,\n  manufactures scales and label printers. The company said the\n  purchase is part of a plan to increase the range of retail\n  electronic scales being offered by Esselte in the U.S.\n      It said the acquisition will enble Esselte to increase its\n  distribution base in its effort to grow in the U.S.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TWO BRAZILIAN SHIPPING FIRMS SETTLE WITH STRIKERS\n","article":"  Two small shipping companies reached\n  a pay deal with striking seamen late yesterday, but union\n  leaders said most of Brazil's 40,000 seamen were still on\n  strike.\n      A union spokesman in Rio de Janeiro said the seamen had\n  accepted a 120 pct pay raise offer from the companies, Globo\n  and Flumar, which have less than 200 employees each.\n      The two-week strike comes as Brazil faces a debt crisis and\n  is delaying exports badly needed to earn foreign exchange.\n      Labour Minister Almir Pazzionotto said the government will\n  not force a settlement of the strike, which was ruled illegal\n  last Friday.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PORTUGUESE FEBRUARY CONSUMER PRICES RISE ONE PCT\n","article":"  Portugal's consumer prices rose one pct\n  last month after a 1.2 pct increase in January and a 1.3 pct\n  rise in February 1986, the National Statistics Institute said.\n      The consumer price index (base 1976) rose to 761.3 from\n  753.7 in January and compared with 695.4 in February 1986.\n      This gave a year-on-year February inflation rate of 9.5 pct\n  against 9.8 pct in January and 12.6 pct in February 1986.\n      Measured as an annual average rate, inflation in February\n  was 11.1 pct compared with 11.4 pct in January.  The government\n  forecasts annual average inflation of about eight pct this\n  year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WEATHER CLOSES ALEXANDRIA PORT, SUMED OIL TERMINAL\n","article":"  Strong winds and high seas\n  forced the closure of Egypt's main port of Alexandria and a\n  nearby oil terminal, port officials said.\n      Tanker loading at the Suez-Mediterranean Arab Petroleum\n  Pipelines Co in Sedi Kerir, southwest of here, stopped and\n  officials said five tankers were at anchorage awaiting improved\n  weather.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. PRODUCER PRICES ROSE 0.1 PCT IN FEB AFTER 0.6 PCT JAN RISE\n","article":"\n  U.S. PRODUCER PRICES ROSE 0.1 PCT IN FEB AFTER 0.6 PCT JAN RISE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. PRODUCER PRICES RISE 0.1 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  The U.S. Producer Price Index for\n  finished goods rose 0.1 pct on a seasonally adjusted basis in\n  February, the Labor Department said.\n      The increase came after a 0.6 pct increase in producer\n  prices in January.\n      Higher energy prices were primarily responsible for the\n  increase in February, though they rose at a slower pace than\n  they had in January, the department said.\n      The finished goods index was up 0.1 pct from its February,\n  1986 level.\n      Before seasonal adjustment, the index for finished goods\n  stood at 292.3 over its 1967 base of 100.\n      Among finished goods, the index for energy products rose\n  four pct in February after a 9.8 pct increase in January. But\n  price increases slowed sharply for gasoline and home heating\n  oil, the department said.\n      There were some price declines, including a 3.4 pct fall\n  for passenger cars and 1.3 pct for light trucks from January\n  levels. This reflected expanded factory-financed rebates and\n  discount loan programs, the department said.\n      Before seasonal adjustment, the index for finished goods\n  stood at 292.3 over its 1967 base of 100.\n      Among finished goods, the index for energy products rose\n  four pct in February after a 9.8 pct increase in January. But\n  price increases slowed sharply for gasoline and home heating\n  oil, the department said.\n      There were some price declines, including a 3.4 pct fall\n  for passenger cars and 1.3 pct for light trucks from January\n  levels. This reflected expanded factory-financed rebates and\n  discount loan programs, the department said.\n      The index for consumer foods fell 0.5 pct after a 1.8\n  pct drop in January as vegetables, pork and coffee cost less.\n  The index for intermediate goods rose 0.5 pct following a sharp\n  0.9 pct rise in January.\n      The department said that energy prices again were the main\n  reason, with the index for intermediate energy up 2.7 pct.\n      Gasoline and diesel fuel prices were about five pct higher,\n  half the 10 pct jump recorded in January.\n      The durable manufacturing materials index edged down 0.1\n  pct last month after jumping 1.0 pct in January as prices for\n  steel, precious metals and copper stabilized.\n      The department said lead and zinc prices fell, while\n  hardwood lumber and cement cost more. The crude materials index\n  rose 1.8 pct in February after a 2.9 pct rise in January. Crude\n  energy materials were up 2.6 pct, much less than the 10 pct\n  rise in January. Crude petroleum prices rose 4.4 pct last month\n  after a sharp 19.7 pct rise in January.\n      Price rises accellerated for logs and timber and tobacco,\n  but fell for cotton, metal ores and copper and aluminum scrap.\n      Among finished goods, gasoline rose 5.5 pct after a 15.7\n  pct January increase, and fuel oil was up three pct in February\n  after an 18.0 pct increase in January.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRST FARWEST CORP <FFWS> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 4.22 dlrs vs profit nil\n      Net loss 5,568,000 vs profit 11,000\n      Revs 42.2 mln vs 37.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 3.74 dlrs vs profit 1.02 dlrs\n      Net loss 4,898,000 vs profit 1,384,000\n      Revs 139.0 mln vs 132.7 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net both periods includes 1,603,000 dlr loss\n  from discontinued operations due to settlement of lawsuit and\n  redemption of preferred.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HEMOTEC INC <HEMO> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr one ct vs two cts\n      Net 22,000 vs 58,000\n      Sales 951,000 vs 901,000\n      Year\n      Shr four cts vs 12 cts\n      Net 88,000 vs 293,000\n      Sales 4,014,000 vs 3,533,000\n      NOTE: Net includes tax credits of 46,000 dlrs vs 84,000\n  dlrs in quarter and credit 19,000 dlrs vs provision 37,000 dlrs\n  in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SERVICE CONTROL BIDS FOR AMERICAN SERVICE\n","article":"  <Service Control Corp> said it has\n  started a tender offer for all shares of <American Service\n  Corp> at 37 dlrs each.\n      In a newspaper advertisement, the company said the offer\n  and withdrawal rights expire April Nine unless extended.  The\n  American Service board has approved the offer, which is to be\n  followed by a merger at the same price.\n      Service Control said the offer is conditioned on receipt of\n  at least 534,806 shares.  It said holders of 534,819 shares\n  have agreed to tender their shares under the offer and have\n  granted Service Control an option to buy them at 37 dlrs each.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED EXPECTED TO ADD TEMPORARY RESERVES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve is expected to\n  enter the U.S. Government securities market to add temporary\n  reserves, economists said.\n      They expect it to supply the reserves indirectly by\n  arranging a fairly large round, two billion dlrs or more, of\n  customer repurchase agreements. The Fed may add the reserves\n  directly instead via System repurchases.\n      Federal funds, which averaged 6.02 pct on Friday, opened at\n  6-1\/8 pct and traded between there and 6-1\/16 pct. Funds are\n  under upward pressure from settlement of recently sold two-year\n  notes and from a Treasury tax and loan call on banks.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DREYER'S GRAND <DRYR> RESTATES 4RTH QUARTER LOSS\n","article":"  Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream said\n  it has restated its previously-reported fourth quarter loss to\n  904,000 dlrs or 13 cts per share because it has now decided to\n  take a charge of about 700,000 dlrs to provide for losses of\n  Midwest Distributing Co, which was acquired December 30.\n      Dreyer's said the restatement reduces net income for the\n  full year to 5,914,000 dlrs or 80 cts per share.\n      The company said the restatement does not indicate any\n  change in its thinking on the benefits of the acquisition or\n  future prospects in Midwest Distributing's markets.\n      Dreyer's Grand previously reported 1986 earnings of\n  6,614,000 dlrs or 90 cts per share, down from 7,960,000 dlrs or\n  1.08 dlrs a share.  For the first nine months of the year, it\n  had earned 6,818,000 dlrs or 92 cts per share, up from\n  6,354,000 dlrs or 86 cts a share a year before.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<TURBO RESOURCES LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr nine cts vs three cts\n      Oper shr diluted eight cts vs three cts\n      Oper net 15 mln vs five mln\n      Revs 518 mln vs 622 mln\n      NOTE: Oper net excludes extraordinary income of seven mln\n  dlrs vs four mln on tax loss carryforward, offset by writedowns\n  of three mln dlrs vs eight mln on U.S. oil and gas properties\n  and other assets.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VW HAS NO COMMENT ON SEAT LOSS REPORTS\n","article":"  A Volkswagen AG\n  <VOWG.F> spokesman said the group had no immediate comment on\n  reports of greater than expected losses at its Spanish\n  subsidiary Sociedad Espanola de Automoviles de Turismo (SEAT).\n      German newspapers reported that Werner Schmidt, SEAT\n  supervisory board chairman, had told journalists that SEAT\n  losses for 1986 were around 27 billion pesetas, or about 386\n  mln marks, almost double original expectations.\n      According to the Boersen-Zeitung newspaper, Schmidt said VW\n  would invest 42 billion pesetas in SEAT this year and in the\n  years to 1995 would spend 462 billion on its new Spanish unit.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BENEFICIAL CORP TO SELL WESTERN NATIONAL LIFE FOR 275 MLN DLRS\n","article":"\n  BENEFICIAL CORP TO SELL WESTERN NATIONAL LIFE FOR 275 MLN DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GENERAL MILLS INC 3RD QTR SHR 64 CTS VS 52 CTS\n","article":"\n  GENERAL MILLS INC 3RD QTR SHR 64 CTS VS 52 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CAESARS WORLD INC SAID BOARD REJECTS MARTIN SOSNOFF TENDER\n","article":"\n  CAESARS WORLD INC SAID BOARD REJECTS MARTIN SOSNOFF TENDER\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" Top discount rate at U.K. Bill tender falls to 9.3657 pct\n","article":"\n   Top discount rate at U.K. Bill tender falls to 9.3657 pct\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<MDI MOBILE DATA INTERNATIONAL INC> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 63 cts vs 47 cts\n      Oper shr diluted 56 cts vs 38 cts\n      Oper net 3,284,955 vs 2,176,925\n      Revs 31.6 mln vs 23.0 mln\n      NOTE: Current oper net excludes writedown of 344,039 dlrs,\n  or seven cts a share, on unidentified investment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UK MONEY MARKET DEFICIT REVISED TO ONE BILLION STG\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it has revised\n  its estimate of today's shortfall to one billion stg, before\n  taking account of 646 mln stg morning assistance.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OUTOKUMPU TO CLOSE NICKEL REFINERY DURING SUMMER\n","article":"  The Finnish metal and mining group\n  Outokumpu Oy said it will close its nickel refinery at\n  Harjavalta in central Finland for six weeks in July and August\n  this year due to current low prices on the nickel market.\n      \"We consider nickel prices as bad at the moment, although\n  they have been rising slightly since January,\" refinery sales\n  manager Pekka Purra said.\n      He said the closure will mean a drop in production of 3,000\n  tonnes in 1987 from last year's output of 17,800 tonnes. The\n  closure was also a move to cut labour costs as no extra staff\n  have to be employed during holidays to keep the plant open.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. FEB INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION ROSE 0.5 PCT AFTER REVISED 0.1 PCT JAN GAIN\n","article":"\n  U.S. FEB INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION ROSE 0.5 PCT AFTER REVISED 0.1 PCT JAN GAIN\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. FEB INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION ROSE 0.5 PCT\n","article":"  U.S. industrial production rose 0.5\n  pct in February after a revised 0.1 pct increase in January,\n  the Federal Reserve Board said.\n      The Fed previously said industrial production rose 0.4 pct\n  in January.\n      The Fed said the February gain was dominated by a sharp\n  rise in motor vehicle production, which boosted output of both\n  consumer goods and business equipment. Industrial production\n  stood at 127.3 pct of the 1977 average in February and was up\n  1.7 pct from a year ago, the Fed said.\n      The Fed also revised the December industrial production\n  figure to a gain of 0.5 pct from 0.3 pct originally reported.\n      Manufacturing output rose 0.5 pct in February after a 0.1\n  pct increase in January and included gains of 0.8 pct in\n  durables and 0.1 pct in non-durables, the Fed said.\n      Manufacturing was 2.4 pct above the year ago level.\n      Production of auto assemblies rose to an annual rate of 8.3\n  mln units last month from a January rate of 7.5 mln units.\n      Output of consumer goods rose 0.6 pct after falling 0.3 pct\n  in January and output of consumer durables was up 2.1 pct in\n  February after falling by 2.0 pct in January.\n      Business equipment production rose 1.0 pct in February,\n  reflecting more output of autos and trucks for business use and\n  a recovery from strikes in farm equipment industries, the Fed\n  said.\n      Mining output rose 0.1 pct after a 1.6 pct increase in\n  January, but was still six pct lower than a year ago.\n      Utilities output rose 0.7 pct in February after a 1.2 pct\n  rise in January.\n      Output of defense and space equipment was up 0.4 pct, the\n  same as in January, and 6.2 pct higher than a year ago.\n      Output of construction supplies rose 0.2 pct in February\n  after a 1.5 pct January rise.\n      Materials output increased by 0.2 pct last month, the\n  fourth consecutive monthly increase after declining throughout\n  much of 1986. The recent strength in materials has been\n  concentrated in textiles, paper and chemicals, the Fed said.\n      Output of home goods was up 0.3 pct in February and the Fed\n  said production of items like appliances and furniture\n  continued strong last month.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CAESARS WORLD <CAW> REJECTS SOSNOFF'S OFFER\n","article":"  Caesars World Inc said its board\n  unanimously rejected a 28 dlr a share takeover offer by New\n  York investor Martin T. Sosnoff.\n      Caesars said Sosnoff's offer to by all its outstanding\n  shares of common stock was inadequate and not in the best\n  interests of its shareholders.\n      The company recommended that shareholders reject Sosnoff's\n  offer, made through his <MTS Acquisition Corp>, and not tender\n  any of their shares.\n      Caesars said it will explore a variety of alternative\n  transactions but did not elaborate.\n      Caesars, in a brief statement, did not say whether it would\n  seek to buy back its shares held by Sosnoff.\n      A Caesars spokesman said the company would not comment\n  further on its decision.\n      On Wednesday, Sosnoff told the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission that he controls 13.6 pct of the company's stock.\n      Sosnoff also informed the SEC that Caesars had offered to\n  buyout his holdings several times during the past year.\n      No one from the Sosnoff organization was immediately\n  available for comment.\n      Caesars said its financial advisor, Drexel Burnham Lambert\n  Inc, had determined that Sosnoff's offer was financially\n  inadequate for shareholders other than Sosnoff.\n      The company said other factors it considered in rejecting\n  the offer were its financial condition, future prospects,\n  current market conditions and the numerous conditions on which\n  Sosnoff's bid was conditioned.\n      Caesars' stock opened up 1\/8 point at 28-1\/8. That is 1\/8\n  point above Sosnoff's offer price.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ESSELTE AB <ESB.ST> 1986 RESULTS\n","article":"  Group profit after net interest items\n  742 mln crowns vs 741 mln.\n      Sales 11.25 billion crowns vs 10.22 billion.\n      Estimated profit per share 10 crowns vs 9.20.\n      Proposed dividend four crowns vs 3.38.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONSECO <CNC> TO BUY BENEFICIAL <BNL> UNIT\n","article":"  Conseco Inc said it has signed a\n  definitive agreement to acquire Western National Life Insurance\n  Co from Beneficial Corp for 275 mln dlrs in cash.\n      Western National had assets of 1.9 billion dlrs at the end\n  of 1986 and 1986 premium and investment revenues.  Western\n  issues structured settlement annuities for the settlement of\n  personal injury and damage claims and sells tax-sheltered\n  annuities.\n      The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval.\n      Conseco said the acquisition would raise its assets to 2.7\n  billion dlrs and annual revenues to about 800 mln dlrs.\n      Beneficial had previously announced plans to leave the\n  insurance business.  On March Three, it said it agreed in\n  principle to sell its American Centennial Insurance Co,\n  Beneficial International Insurance Co, Consolidated MArine and\n  General Insurance Co Ltd, Consolidated Life Assurance Co Ltd,\n  Wesco Insurance Co and Service General Insurance Co\n  subsidiaries to a management-led group for 98 mln dlrs in notes\n  mostly contingent on performance of the units and 10 mln dlrs\n  in cash.\n      Conseco had 1986 operating earnings of 4,968,000 dlrs on\n  revenues of 84.9 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GREAT AMERICAN BANCORP <GRTB> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit seven cts vs loss 24 cts\n      Net profit 151,000 vs loss 523,000\n      12 mths\n      Shrs loss 1.70 dlrs vs loss 44 cts\n      Net loss 3,670,000 vs loss 947,000\n      Assets 99.7 mln vs 102.6 mln\n      Deposits 91.1 mln vs 90.6 mln\n      Loans 44.3 mln vs 51.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KONINKLIJKE NEDERLANDSE PAPIERFABRIEKEN <KNPN.AS>\n","article":"  Net 1986 profit 132.6 mln guilders vs 117.3 mln\n      Turnover 1.6 billion guilders vs same\n      Earnings per share 16.00 guilders vs 15.80 on capital\n  expanded by 11 pct to 8.21 mln outstanding shares.\n      Proposed dividend per share 5.50 guilders vs 5.00\n      Note - Full company name is Koninklijke Nederlandse\n  Papierfabrieken NV.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GENERAL MILLS INC <GIS> 3RD QTR FEB 22 NET\n","article":"  Shr 64 cts vs 52 cts\n      Net 56,900,000 vs 46,400,000\n      Sales 1.31 billion vs 1.13 billion\n      Avg shrs 88.2 mln vs 89.3 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 2.09 dlrs vs 1.59 dlrs\n      Net 185,900,000 vs 141,300,000\n      Sales 3.84 billion vs 3.36 billion\n      Avg shrs 88.9 mln vs 89.1 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 period ended February 23\n      Prior year amounts restated to reflect discontinued\n  furniture operations\n      Earnings include gains from discontinued operations of 1.5\n  mln dlrs, or two cts a share in the 1986 quarter and gains of\n  8.5 mln dlrs, or 10 cts a share in the fiscal 1987 nine months\n  vs 3.0 mln dlrs, or four cts a share a year earlier\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNOFFICIAL STRIKE HITS ROTTERDAM GRAIN SECTOR\n","article":"  About 220 men in Rotterdam port's\n  grain sector stopped work this afternoon in an unofficial\n  protest at the slow progress of negotiations over a new work\n  practice agreement, a spokesman for the port and transport\n  union FNV said.\n      Negotiations between the union and employers, which are due\n  to resume early next week, are currently stalemated with the\n  union refusing to accept sweeping changes in working hours and\n  practices in return for a 1.5 pct pay increase.\n      The FNV spokesman said the action did not yet have official\n  backing, but added that next week matters might be different.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NOVELL <NOVL> SETS PAYMENT DATE FOR STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Novell Inc said the dividend to\n  effect its previously announced two-for-one stock split will be\n  distributed April 13.\n      As stated at the time of the original announcement, the\n  company said the payment will be made to holders of record\n  March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FOUR SEASONS BUYING MARRIOTT <MHS> HOTEL\n","article":"  <Four Seasons Hotels Inc> and VMS Realty\n  Partners said they agreed to acquire the Santa Barbara Biltmore\n  Hotel in California from Marriott Corp, for undisclosed terms.\n      Closing was expected by March 31, they added.\n      The companies said they would jointly own the hotel and\n  rename it the Four Seasons Biltmore at Santa Barbara. They said\n  they would spend more than 13 mln U.S. dlrs \"to enhance the\n  Biltmore's position as one of the finest resort hotels in North\n  America.\" Chicago-based VMS Realty is a real estate and\n  development firm.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NORTEK INC <NTK> SETS QUARTERLIES\n","article":"  Qtly div common 2-1\/2 cts vs 2-1\/2 cts prior\n      Qtly div special common one ct vs one ct\n      Pay May Eight\n      Record April Three\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DUTCH PORT UNION CALLS OFF GENERAL CARGO STRIKES\n","article":"  Dutch port and transport union, FNV,\n  has called off the strikes against planned redundancies that\n  have hit Rotterdam port's general cargo sector for the past\n  eight weeks, strike leader Paul Rosenmuller told a mass\n  meeting.\n      The decision followed yesterday's ruling by an Amsterdam\n  court preventing the sector's employers continuing with current\n  plans for 350 redundancies this year until the court sits again\n  on May 7, Rosenmuller told a meeting of the general cargo\n  sector's 4,000 workers today.\n      The court ruled the employers had made a mistake in the\n  complicated legal procedure for obtaining official permission\n  for the redundancies, and therefore could not proceed.\n      \"There is no need to continue the strikes for the moment now\n  the immediate pressure of redundancies has been lifted,\"\n  Rosenmuller said.\n      But he added that the strikes, which began on January 19 in\n  protest against plans for 800 redundancies by 1990, could\n  resume at any time before May 7 if the employers made any moves\n  to re-apply for permission for the redundancies.\n      SVZ labour relations manager Gerrard Zeebregts said they\n  would be meeting their lawyers today with a view to re-applying\n  for this permission next week in the hope of gaining approval\n  for the redundancies within a month.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NOVA AN ALBERTA CORP 4TH QTR SHR LOSS 15 CTS VS LOSS 1.09 DLRS\n","article":"\n  NOVA AN ALBERTA CORP 4TH QTR SHR LOSS 15 CTS VS LOSS 1.09 DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN FURTHER 195 MLN STG HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided the\n  money market with a further 195 mln stg assistance during the\n  afternoon.\n      This brings total help today to 841 mln stg compared with a\n  liquidity shortage it has estimated at a revised one billion\n  stg.\n      The Bank bought 176 mln stg of band two bank bills outright\n  at 10-5\/16 pct and 13 mln stg of band one bank bills at 10-3\/8\n  pct. In addition, it bought four mln stg of bills for resale to\n  the market on March 30 and two mln stg for resale on April 8,\n  at a common interest rate of 10-7\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UGANDA RE-ROUTES COFFEE EXPORTS THROUGH KISUMU\n","article":"  Long delays at the railway crossing on\n  the Kenyan border have led Uganda to re-route its coffee\n  exports through a ferry link with the Kenyan port of Kisumu\n  across Lake Victoria, Ugandan officials based in Kenya said.\n      Uganda has a direct rail link with the Kenyan port of\n  Mombasa through which it conducts 70 pct of its external trade\n  but there is a chronic shortage of railway wagons, they said.\n      Customs at Kisumu take less than a day compared with two to\n  three at the Malaba rail border crossing, a Ugandan Railways\n  official said. \"Malaba is now handling only 10 pct of the trade\n  and all the coffee and oil goes through Kisumu,\" he said.\n      However, an accident recently damaged the wagon ferry which\n  plies between Kisumu and the Ugandan port of Jinja, causing\n  bottlenecks on the lake route too.\n      Sources at the Coffee Marketing Board in Kampala reported\n  delays in coffee export shipments last January due to\n  congestion on the lake ferries.\n      Coffee accounts for about 95 pct of Uganda's export\n  earnings and last November President Yoweri Museveni ordered\n  all coffee shipments to be carried by rail in order to avoid\n  the higher costs of road haulage.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NORWAY'S WHOLESALE PRICES RISE 0.5 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Norway's wholesale price index (base 1981)\n  rose 0.5 pct in February to 136.0 after a 1.7 pct rise in\n  January to 135.0, the Central Bureau of Statistics said.\n      The year on year increase for February was 7.9 pct compared\n  with 5.7 pct in January and 2.2 pct in February 1986, it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HEALTHCO INTERNATIONAL INC <HLCO> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 51 cts vs 43 cts\n      Oper shr diluted 47 cts vs 43 cts\n      Oper net 3,182,000 vs 2,462,000\n      Revs 101.7 mln vs 87.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 6,246,664 vs 5,671,607\n      Avg shrs diluted 7,501,209 vs 5,671,607\n      Year\n      Oper shr 1.84 dlrs vs 1.48 dlrs\n      Oper shr diluted 1.76 dlrs vs 1.48 dlrs\n      Oper net 11.5 mln vs 8,312,000\n      Revs 349.2 mln vs 307.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 6,238,720 vs 5,616,019\n      Avg shrs diluted 6,969,389 vs 5,616,019\n      NOTE: 1986 net both periods excludes charge 1,205,000 dlrs\n  from distribution system restructuring costs.\n      1986 year net excludes 440,000 dlr debt retirement gain and\n  gain 12.8 mln dlrs from sale of HPSC Inc <HPSC> stock.\n      1986 net both periods includes charge 768,000 dlrs from\n  reversal of investment tax credits.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WILFRED AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL CORP <WAE> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr two cts vs 36 cts\n      Net 182,000 vs 3,433,000\n      Revs 20.1 mln vs 21.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 71 cts vs 98 cts\n      Net 6,706,000 vs 9,275,000\n      Revs 85.7 mln vs 75.4 mln\n      NOTE: 1985 net both periods includes gain 743,000 dlrs from\n  cancellation of debt.\n      1986 quarter net includes reversal of 216,000 dlrs in\n  investment tax credits.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AL LABORATORIES INC <BMD> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 10 cts vs 14 cts\n      Net 913,000 vs 1,273,000\n      Revs 37.7 mln vs 24.7 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 61 cts vs 60 cts\n      Net 5,529,000 vs 5,448,000\n      Revs 123.6 mln vs 96.8 mln\n      NOTE: net for qtr and yr 1986 and 1985 adjusted to reflect\n  retroactive effect of three-for-two stock splits distributed to\n  shareholders in July 1986 and August 1985.\n      1986 net includes results of operations of Parmed\n  Pharmaceuticals Inc, acquired May 29, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NU-MED INC <NUMS> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 26 cts vs 10 cts\n      Net 2,867,000 vs 1,208,000\n      Revs 100.0 mln vs 85.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 10.4 mln vs 9,791,671\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 57 cts vs 34 cts\n      Net 6,327,000 vs 3,951,000\n      Revs 284.4 mln vs 225.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 10.1 mln vs 9,831,097\n      Current year net both periods includes gain 1,755,000 dlrs\n  from change inestimation of useful lives used in depreciation\n  of property and equipment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALUSUISSE PLANS 50 PCT CAPITAL CUT\n","article":"  Schweizerische Aluminium AG, Alusuisse,\n  plans to reduce share and participation certificate capital by\n  50 pct to cover losses in 1986 and those carried forward from\n  the previous year, chief executive Hans Jucker said.\n      Jucker told a news conference that the greatest drain on\n  its financial resources had been stopped, but after\n  extraordinary charges the net loss of 688 mln francs in 1986\n  was only slightly under the 756 mln loss of the previous year.\n      The losses in 1986 and those carried over from 1985 made it\n  necessary to reduce capital by 50 pct, he said.\n      However, Jucker said the company improved liquidity through\n  a recovery in cash flow and conversion of 300 mln Swiss francs\n  of credit into a subordinated loan.\n      Trading in Alusuisse shares was suspended on the Zurich\n  stock exchange after today's announcement by the company that\n  it would cut its share capital by 50 pct, the bourse said.\n  Trading would resume again on Monday.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DAVIS WATER <DWWS> RELEASES PRE-SPLIT EARNINGS\n","article":"  Davis Water and Waste\n  Industries Inc said it has restated its earnings on a pre-\n  stock split basis for fiscal 1987's third quarter and nine\n  months ended January 31, which were reported March 10 on a post\n  four-for-three stock split basis.\n      The company said its earnings per share for the third\n  quarter on a pre-split basis, converts to 16 cts from 12 cts\n  post-split, versus three cts pre-split from two cts post-split\n  for fiscal 1986's third quarter.\n      For the nine months, Davis said, earnings per share would\n  convert to 77 cts and 44 cts for fiscal 1987 and 1986\n  respectively, from 58 cts and 33 cts, respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<NOVA AN ALBERTA CORP> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 15 cts vs loss 1.09 dlrs\n      Net loss 19.3 mln vs loss 139.6 mln\n      Revs 611.7 mln vs 868.6 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 12 cts vs loss 1.31 dlrs\n      Net profit 16.1 mln vs loss 167.9 mln\n      Revs 2.68 billion vs 3.35 billion\n      Avg shrs 134.7 mln vs 128.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ELDER-BEERMAN <ELDR> GETS OFFER OF 30 DLRS\/SHARE\n","article":"  Elder-Beerman Stores Corp said\n  owners of about 70 pct of its stock have offered to take the\n  company private by offerring 30 dlrs per share for the\n  remaining 30 pct of its stock.\n      The company said the proposal will be considered at a\n  regularly scheduled board meeting on March 17.\n      It said the offer was made by members of the Beerman family\n  holding about 70 pct of the company's stock, Chairman Max\n  Gutmann, and certain members of the board.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"N.Z. OFFICIAL FOREIGN RESERVES FALL IN JANUARY\n","article":"  New Zealand's official foreign\n  reserves fell to 7.15 billion N.Z. Dlrs in January from 7.20\n  billion dlrs in December and compared with 3.03 billion a year\n  ago period, the Reserve Bank said in its weekly statistical\n  bulletin.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STONE <STO> SPLITS STOCK, RAISES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Stone Container Corp said it is\n  splitting its common stock 2-for-1 and increasing its dividend\n  33-1\/3 pct.\n      The dividend of 20 cts a share, an increase of five cts\n  over the prior 15 cts a share on pre-split shares, is payable\n  June 12 to holders of record May 22.\n      The stock split also is payable June 12 to holders of\n  record May 22.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ECHLIN INC <ECH> DIVIDEND INCREASED 12 PCT\n","article":"  Qtly div 14 cts vs 12.5 cts in prior qtr\n      Payable April 18\n      Record April two\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT CORP <NENT> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Jan 31 end\n      Shr six cts vs eight cts\n      Net 177,000 vs 252,000\n      Revs 3,209,000 vs 1,070,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 12 cts vs eight cts\n      Net 365,000 vs 247,000\n      Revs 7,156,000 vs 2,960,000\n      NOTE: Prior year net both periods includes 91,000 dlr tax\n  credit.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT <NENT> REVERSE SPLIT SET\n","article":"  National Entertainment Corp\n  said shareholdersapproved a one-for-25 reverse stock split and\n  a name change to Major Video Corp, both effective March 16.\n      It said its new ticker symbol will be <MAJV>.\n      The company also said it expects to add nine company-owned\n  and franchised Major Video stores in the next 60 days.  It now\n  operates 64.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<PEMBINA RESOURCES LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 48 cts vs 81 cts\n      Net 3,986,000 vs 6,760,000\n      Revs 77.3 mln vs 40.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"COMPUTER MEMORIES <CMIN> SETS FILM FIRM MERGER\n","article":"  Computer Memories Inc, which ended\n  its disk drive operations in June 1986, agreed to acquire\n  <Hemdale Film Corp> in a transaction which will give Hemdale's\n  owner control of the resulting company.\n      Computer Memories' principal asset is about 29.4 mln dlrs\n  in cash and cash equivalents. It has agreed to exchange newly\n  issued shares equaling 80 pct of the aggregate issued to\n  acquire Hemdale. That company's owner, John Daly, would then\n  become chief executive officer of the combined company which\n  would be renamed Hemdale Film Corp.\n      Computer Memories said the proposed transaction is subject\n  to the results of certain corporate reviews and approval of its\n  shareholders, who will hold a special meeting as soon as\n  practicable.\n      The company said it has 11,109,190 shares outstanding, of\n  which about 1,734,000 are held by Intel Corp <INTC>. It is\n  anticipated the FIntel shares will be purchased for 2.75 dlrs a\n  share in connection with the merger with Hemdale, Computer\n  Memories said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"KLM SEEKS STAKE IN BRITISH COURIER SERVICE\n","article":"  KLM Royal Dutch Airlines <KLM.AS>\n  said it is negotiating for a minority stake in a British and\n  Commonwealth Shipping Plc <BCOM.L> courier service in a\n  transaction which might include a convertible loan issue.\n      KLM, already active in the fast growing door-to-door\n  delivery market through a 50-pct stake in a Dutch courier\n  service, is seeking to buy one-third of <IML Air Services Group\n  Ltd> from British and Commonwealth.\n      The two companies agreed earlier this month for KLM to take\n  a 15-pct stake in British and Commonwealth commuter airline Air\n  U.K. Ltd in a deal worth around two mln stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECONOMIC SPOTLIGHT - EMS MARKS EIGHTH BIRTHDAY\n","article":"  The European Monetary System marks its\n  eighth anniversary still vulnerable to turmoil in world money\n  markets despite creating an island of currency rate stability\n  in Europe, economists say. But many economists say the system,\n  which holds eight European Community currencies within narrow\n  fluctuation bands, remains in its infancy.\n      Its new currency, the European Currency Unit (Ecu), has\n  been a runaway success with investors and borrowers alike\n  seeking an alternative to the volatile dollar.\n      And on Wednesday, the long term vision of the Ecu as\n  Europe's common currency took a step nearer to becoming reality\n  when Belgium minted the world's first Ecu coin.\n      But economists say members such as West Germany have so far\n  blocked a second stage of development envisaged by the system's\n  founding fathers, ex-West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt and\n  former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing.\n      Under this phase, originally due to have started two years\n  after the EMS was set up, decision-making was to have been\n  transferred from national governments and central banks to an\n  autonomous European Monetary Fund.\n     But members have jealously guarded their sovereignty in\n  economic and monetary matters. \"The basic problem of the EMS is\n  that governments are not prepared to make the quantum leap to a\n  situation where certain decisions are taken in common,\" said one\n  economist who has closely watched the system's development.\n      The result is that the EC is often divided over policy on\n  third currencies, accentuating what the economists say is the\n  system's greatest weakness, its vulnerability to a weak dollar.\n      Over the past 18 months, as the U.S. Dollar plunged and\n  investors moved into strong currencies, the resulting sharp\n  rise of the West German mark severely strained the system. MORE\n      As the mark soared against the dollar, it also rose against\n  EMS currencies less favoured by international investors. And as\n  West Germany last year refused to give in pressure from several\n  EC partners and the United States to cut interest rates to slow\n  the mark's rise, the EMS had to be realigned twice to ease\n  financial and trade strains within the community.\n      Two months ago the mark and the Dutch guilder were revalued\n  by three pct and the Belgian and Luxembourg francs by two pct\n  against other currencies in the system -- the French franc,\n  Italian lira, the Irish punt and Danish crown.\n     Another frustration has been Britain's failure to lend the\n  EMS political support by keeping the pound, still a major world\n  currency, outside the system.\n      No change in the British government's attitude is expected\n  before the country's next general elections, due by mid-1988.\n      Meanwhile, the system's last realignment, the 11th since it\n  was set up, prompted European finance ministers to ask the EC's\n  highly-secretive Monetary Committee and Committee of Central\n  Bank Governors to come up with suggestions for reinforcing it.\n      Their ideas are due to be unveiled when finance ministers\n  hold an informal meeting in Belgium early next month.\n      But economists said the proposals are unlikely to involve\n  more than tinkering with technical details. They are sceptical\n  about the chances for any fundamental change.\n      \"Technical measures won't be enough to protect the EMS\n  against external factors such as dollar weakness. For that we\n  must take the step forward to the institutional level,\" said Leo\n  de Corel of Kredietbank's economic research department.\n      Economists say the system's fortunes now will depend\n  largely on the success of an agreement last month among major\n  industrial nations to stabilise exchange rates. If the dollar\n  resumes its slide the EMS could be in for more turbulence, they\n  predict.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GENERAL MILLS<GIS> SEES STRONG 4TH QTR RESULTS\n","article":"  General Mills Inc, reporting\n  stronger results for the third quarter ended February 22, said\n  it expects the momentum to continue in the fourth quarter.\n      The company said it expects to report \"strong earnings per\n  share growth and a record return on equity in fiscal 1987.\" It\n  said this should be achieved despite expected non-operating\n  charges in the final quarter.\n      General Mills said these charges will likely offset\n  non-operating gains, which included six cts a share in the\n  first half.\n      General Mills said at the end of the third quarter, its\n  return on average equity was 31.6 pct.\n      It said major factors contributing to the third quarter\n  improvement were an 11 pct gain in unit volume by Consumer\n  Foods, continuing good profit growth at Red Lobster USA and\n  strong performance in Specialty Retailing.\n      The company reported quarterly earnings of 56.9 mln dlrs,\n  or 64 cts a share, up from 46.4 mln dlrs, or 52 cts a share a\n  year ago. Sales rose to 1.31 billion dlrs from 1.13 billion\n  dlrs. Year-ago data reflect a two-for-one common stock split.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PACKAGING SYSTEMS <PAKS> TO BUY LABEL FIRM\n","article":"  Packaging Systems Corp said\n  it agreed to acquire <Walter-Richter Labels Inc>, a privately\n  held maker of woven labels based in Paterson, N.J.\n      Terms of the acquisition, which is expected to be completed\n  within 60 days, were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MANUFACTURED HOMES INC <MNH> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 53 cts vs 85 cts\n      Net 2,033,425 vs 3,718,325\n      Revs 120.6 mln vs 79.5 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes 3,300,000 dlr provision for credit\n  loss.\n      1985 net includes charge 504,571 dlrs from cumulative\n  effect of accounting change.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HAITI ANNOUNCES FIND OF ORE-RICH GOLD FIELD\n","article":"  The  Ministry of Mines\n  has announced the discovery of a major gold field in Grand Bois\n  in Haiti's mineral-rich North.\n      At a press conference yesterday, a Ministry spokesman\n  reported the deposit contained an estimated 44 mln tons of ore,\n  with each ton capable of containing 7,666 grams of gold. The\n  spokesman gave no estimate of what he thought the find,\n  discovered on Wednesday, was worth.\n      However, mining could only begin after foreign partners\n  invest eight mln dlrs needed for technical equipment, the\n  spokesman said.\n      The Haitian government has never before operated a gold\n  mine, but the United Nations has recently completed a three\n  year feasibility study which lists Grand Bois and Morne Bossa\n  as sites of important gold deposits.\n      In 1971, the Sedren copper mine in Gonaives, operated by a\n  Canadian firm, closed down after years of mining a concentrate\n  containing gold as well as copper.\n      \"The new Grand Bois mine represents large amounts of money,\"\n  said a former official of Sedren Mine.\n      \"But like everything else there's a catch. The gold has to\n  be extracted, and first someone has to come up with the money\n  to finance the operation,\" the official, who asked not to be\n  named, told Reuters.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HOLIDAY CORP <HIA>, COMSAT <CQ> CLOSE SALE\n","article":"  Holiday Corp and Communications\n  Satellite Corp said they closed the previously announced sale\n  to Comsat of Holiday's 50 pct interest in Hi-Net\n  Communications, their joint venture that provides in-room video\n  entertainment to hotels by satellite.\n      Under terms of the deal, Comsat paid Holiday 25 mln dlrs in\n  cash and assumed half of the venture's 50 mln dlrs of\n  outstanding debt, the company's said.\n      Hi-Net, they added, will continue to provide programming to\n  Holiday's hotels.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CONSUMERS FINANCIAL CORP <CFIN> 1986 NET\n","article":"  Shr 61 cts vs 42 cts\n      Net 6,247,000 vs 5,587,000\n      Rev 65.4 mln vs 53.6 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes investment gains of 25 cts a share,\n  versus six cts a share for 1985, and extraordinary gain of\n  seven cts a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHICAGO RIVET AND MACHINE CO <CVR> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 21 cts vs 60 cts\n      Net 156,576 vs 443,404\n      Sales 5,309,519 vs 5,381,264\n      Year\n      Shr 1.06 dlrs vs 1.55 dlrs\n      Net 788,220 vs 1,151,330\n      Sales 22.3 mln vs 23.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FILTERTEK INC <FTK> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 11 cts vs 11 cts prior\n      Pay May 15\n      Record May One\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UK MONEY MARKET GIVEN LATE HELP OF 185 MLN STG\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it gave the\n  money market late, unspecified assistance of around 185 mln\n  stg.\n      This takes the total liquidity injected into the system by\n  the bank today to 1.026 billion stg compared with a shortage it\n  estimated at around one billion stg.\n      Overnight interbank sterling dipped to 10 nine pct after\n  the bank's announcement compared with levels around 10-1\/2 pct\n  shortly before and 11-1\/4 11 pct initially today, dealers said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEW RUBBER PACT APPEARS IN THE BALANCE\n","article":"  Negotiations on a new International\n  Natural Rubber Agreement, INRA, are approaching the\n  make-or-break point and prospects for a future pact appear to\n  be in the balance, delegates said.\n      Manaspas Xuto of Thailand, chairman of the INRA\n  renegotiation conference, is holding consultations with a small\n  group of producers and consumers to try to resolve major\n  outstanding issues. When the talks began on Monday Xuto said\n  those issues should be settled by the end of the first week to\n  allow time to draft an agreement during the second week.\n      The talks are due to last until March 20.\n      Xuto said, \"There is nothing concrete yet, but the\n  atmosphere is good.\" The discussions are expected to continue\n  late into the night, and Xuto said he may hold weekend\n  meetings.\n      Delegates said negotiations now focus on the degree to\n  which price adjustments should be automatic.\n      At present, if the market price has been above or below the\n  reference price (set at 201.66 Malaysian\/Singapore cents a kilo\n  in the current agreement) for six months, the reference price\n  is revised by five pct or by an amount decided by the\n  International Natural Rubber Organisation council.\n      Consumers are asking that, in these circumstances, the\n  adjustment be automatic at five pct or more.\n      Producers want the council to have the last word and have\n  resisted reducing its role in the price adjustment procedure.\n      Delegates said there seems to be optimism about settling\n  another issue -- that of the floor price.\n      It now appears that consumers may consider dropping their\n  insistence of a downward adjustment of the floor price, called\n  the \"lower indicative price,\" under certain circumstances.\n      This means that any possible compromise would centre on the\n  reference price, and the \"may buy\" (or \"may sell\") and \"must buy\" or\n  \"must sell\" levels, without changing the \"lower indicative price\"\n  -- which is set at 150 Malaysian\/Singapore cents in the current\n  pact.\n      Delegates said that in exchange for consumer flexibility on\n  the floor price question, producers may consider agreeing to\n  another consumer proposal for more frequent price reviews -- at\n  12 month intervals instead of 18 at present.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOVIETS RUMORED TO HAVE BOUGHT MORE U.S. CORN\n","article":"  The Soviet Union is rumored\n  this morning to have bought up to 1.5 mln tonnes of U.S. corn,\n  export trade sources said.\n      The amount was not confirmed, but the talk was widespread\n  through the trade. Gulf cash barge basis levels jumped two to\n  three cents this morning on the rumors, which were expected to\n  boost futures prices on today's open.\n      The Soviet Union recently bought over 1.0 mln tonnes of\n  U.S. corn, ostensibly as a conciliatory gesture ahead of trade\n  talks with U.S. agriculture officials.\n      Purchases rumored today were seen as a positive factor in\n  light of a Soviet trade official's statement that the previous\n  purchase had satisfied near-term needs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TRANSACT INT'L INC <TACT> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr one ct vs three cts\n      Net 66,922 vs 194,531\n      Rev 4.2 mln vs 5.7 mln\n      Nine months\n      Shr two cts vs four cts\n      Net 93,802 vs 260,702\n      Rev 10.1 mln vs 13.2 mln\n      NOTE: Nine months 1987 period includes gain of 196,043 dlrs\n  from sale of Meston Lake Resources shares and a credit of\n  127,000 dlrs from a favroable settlement of s state income tax\n  assessment. 1986 nine months period includes gain of 160,431\n  dlrs, or two cts a share, from sale of Ferrotherm Co.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRANCE REPAYS SOME OF CURRENCY INTERVENTION DEBT\n","article":"  France today repaid 21.95 billion francs\n  of short-term currency intervention debt to the European\n  Monetary Cooperation Fund, EMCF, the Finance Ministry said.\n      It said the debt was part of a 33.90 billion franc\n  liability incurred through the activation of EMCF swap\n  facilities to defend the franc before the January 11 European\n  Monetary System realignment.\n      The realignment, following several weeks of speculative\n  pressure, produced a three pct revaluation of the West German\n  mark and the Dutch guilder against the French franc and a two\n  pct revaluation of the Belgian franc.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"S-K-I LTD <SKII> 2ND QTR JAN 25 NET\n","article":"  Shr 81 cts vs 57 cts\n      Net 3,660,273 vs 2,437,914\n      Rev 28.5 mln vs 23.1 mln\n      Six months\n      Shr 29 cts vs 12 cts\n      Net 1,325,755 vs 483,559\n      Rev 31.7 mln vs 26.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SHELL CANADA RAISES CRUDE PRICES BY 64 CANADIAN CTS\/BBL TODAY AT EDMONTON\n","article":"\n  SHELL CANADA RAISES CRUDE PRICES BY 64 CANADIAN CTS\/BBL TODAY AT EDMONTON\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"13-MAR-1987\n","article":"  13-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HAITI ALLOWS IMPORTATION OF BANNED BLACK PIGS\n","article":"  Haiti's agriculture minister\n  yesterday announced his department will permit the importation\n  of 730 black Creole pigs, which had been banned from the island\n  nation since 1983.\n      Between 1981 and 1983, a team of Canadian veterinarians\n  funded by the United States, Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica\n  supervised the slaughter of all Haiti's 1,200,000 pigs under a\n  program to eradicate African swine flu.\n      Today's announcement that Catholic Relief Services\n  (CARITAS) can import 730 Jamaican pigs comes after months of\n  protests by farmers who had owned 90 pct of the slaughtered\n  pigs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GERMAN BANK SEES GOOD SOVIET TRADE PROSPECTS\n","article":"  Soviet-West German trade is expected\n  to develop favourably due to Moscow's increasing openness to\n  East-West economic relations, Dresdner Bank AG's Moscow\n  representative Michael Stein said.\n      He told a bank presentation the Soviet Union was last year\n  hit by the fall in world oil prices, which cut export revenue\n  from oil-related products and natural gas, and its overseas\n  buying power was also adversely affected by the lower dollar.\n     Dresdner Bank economist Alfred Apholte said the Soviet\n  Union's large currency and gold reserves had softened the\n  impact of the dollar weakening and oil price drop.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KAPOK CORP <KPK> YEAR SEPT 30 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 20 cts vs profit 96 cts\n      Net loss 499,000 vs profit 2,369,000\n      Revs 11.5 mln vs 10.3 mln\n      NOTE: Prior year net includes gain on sale of property of\n  4,557,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL PIZZA CO <PIZA> TO ACQUIRE RESTAURANTS\n","article":"  National Pizza Co said it reached an\n  agreement in principle to buy seven Straw Hat pizza restaurants\n  and certain related real estate for approximately three mln\n  dlrs in cash.\n      The acquisitions will be converted to Pizza Hut\n  restaurants, said National Pizza, and are expected to generate\n  annual sales of approximately eight mln dlrs.\n      When the sale is complete, it will bring to 24 the number\n  of restaurants operated by National Pizza, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CITICORP SAYS PLACING BRAZIL LOANS ON CASH BASIS COULD CUT 1ST QTR NET BY 50 MLN DLRS\n","article":"\n  CITICORP SAYS PLACING BRAZIL LOANS ON CASH BASIS COULD CUT 1ST QTR NET BY 50 MLN DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SINGAPORE TO SPEND 1.2 BILLION DLRS ON PORTS\n","article":"  The Port of Singapore Authority (PSA)\n  will spend 1.2 billion dlrs to develop port facilities and\n  cargo-handling equipment over the next five years,\n  Communications Minister Yeo Ning Hong told parliament.\n      Yeo said the improvements were needed to cope with an\n  expected growth of ship tonnage and cargo handled by the port,\n  but gave no further details.\n      The PSA handled 529 mln gross-registered tonnes of cargo in\n  1985, according to the latest available statistics from the\n  port authority.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ORS SEEKS CANADIAN FUNDS FOR HEAVY OIL TEST\n","article":"  <ORS Corp> said <Dominion\n  Securities (Alberta) Inc> has been appointed to offer common\n  shares in a new Canadaina company being organized to exploit\n  heavy oil production opportunities in Canada and Western\n  Europe.\n      ORS said the offer for private sale of the stock being made\n  on a best efforts basis is designed to raise five mln Canadian\n  dlrs which the new company will invest in properties and\n  projects using the Electromagnetic Well Stimulation Process\n  developed by IIT Research Institute under sponsorship of ORS.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHRYSLER <C> UNIT BUYS BENEFICIAL <BNL> UNIT\n","article":"  Chrysler Corp said its Chrysler\n  First Inc acquired a major portion of the commercial lending\n  portfolio of Beneficial Business Credit Corp, a subsidiary of\n  Beneficial Corp.\n      It said the acquisition involves about 84 mln dlrs of net\n  receivables.\n      Chrysler First, a subsidiary of Chrysler Financial Corp,\n  had receivables of 4.3 billion dlrs at the end of 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CARGILL U.K. STRIKE TALKS POSTPONED\n","article":"  Talks due today between management and\n  unions to try to end the strike at Cargill U.K. Ltd's Seaforth\n  oilseed crushing plant have been rescheduled for Thursday, a\n  company spokesman said.\n      Oilseed processing at the plant has been halted since\n  December 19 when mill workers walked out in protest at new\n  contract manning levels.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PETROBRAS ASKS ARMY TO WITHDRAW TROOPS\n","article":"  Brazil's state-oil company\n  Petrobras has asked the Army to withdraw the troops which were\n  occupying its oil installations since Tuesday, Petrobras said\n  in a statement.\n      The statement said the request for the withdrawal of the\n  troops was made because of the calmness reigning in all of its\n  refineries.\n      \"The request was also due to the end of the seamen's strike\n  and the willingness of the oil industry workers to sit again by\n  the negotiating table,\" the statement said.\n      Even though the Petrobras statement said the seamen's\n  strike was over, a union spokesman said only two small shipping\n  companies had reached a pay agreement. The overwhelming\n  majority of Brazil's seamen remained on strike.\n      The statement said a meeting between Petrobras and oil\n  industry leaders was set for next Wednesday in Rio, with the\n  presence of Labour Minister Almir Pazzionotto as a mediator.\n      Petrobras said the request for the withdrawal of the troops\n  was made at 1100 local hours (1400 GMT), but a company\n  spokesman said he did not know if the troops had already been\n  removed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMAX <AMX> IN GOLD, SILVER FIND\n","article":"  AMAX Incx said it has identified\n  additional gold and silver ore reserves at its AMAX Sleeper\n  Mine near Winnemucca, Nev..\n      It said as a result of recent drilling, reserves at thhe\n  mine are now estimated at 2,470,000 short tons of ore grading\n  0.24 ounce of gold and 0.50 ounce of silver per ton that is\n  treatable by conventional milling techniques.\n      AMAX said additional reserves amenable to heap leaching are\n  estimated at 38.3 mln tons averaging 0.025 ounce gold and 0.24\n  ounce silver per ton.  Further drilling is being conducted, it\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ITALIAN INTERBANK RATE RISES IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Italy's average interbank rate\n  rose to a provisional 12.18 pct in February from 12.05 pct in\n  January, figures from the Bank of Italy show.\n      Weighted average rate on bank lending was a provisional\n  13.78 pct in February compared with 13.83 in January, while\n  average weighted rate paid on deposits eased a provisional 7.49\n  pct from 7.66 pct.\n      Italy today announced that its official discount rate would\n  be cut to 11.5 pct from 12 pct effective tomorrow.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"YEUTTER SAYS DLR LEVEL BASED ON ECONOMIC POLICY\n","article":"  U.S. Trade Representative Clayton\n  Yeutter said that whether the exchange rate of the dollar would\n  fall or rise in the coming decade would depend on nations'\n  financial, monetary and tax policies.\n      But, he said, in a speech and remarks to the Heritage\n  Foundation, that in the end \"the marketplace will ultimately\n  rule the day.\"\n      Asked about the future of the dollar, he said that whether\n  or not it would rise or fall depended on economic policies and\n  coooperation among trading nations.\n      Yeutter said \"if nations do the right kinds of things in\n  financial, monetary and tax policies, then a lesser burden of\n  adjustment is placed on exchange rates, and one could envision\n  a situation of the major trading nations moving back far closer\n  to what most of us would consider equilibrium and exchange\n  rates becoming relatively stable.\"\n      But he said, on the other hand, that if nations did not\n  exhibit greater self discipline and international cooperation,\n  \"It is simply inevitable that the exchange rates will make that\n  adjustment.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PAINT COMPANY HAS METEX<MTX> STAKE, MAY BUY MORE\n","article":"  Metropolitan Consolidated Industries\n  Inc, a New York paint company, said it has acquired 278,709\n  shares of Metex Corp, or 21.2 pct of the total, and left open\n  the possibility that it might acquire more through a merger.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Metropolitan said it bought the Metex stock as an investment.\n      It also said it may buy additional shares, or sell some or\n  all of its current stake. If it buys more shares, Metropolitan\n  said it would consider doing so in the open market, in private\n  deals, or through an exchange offer, tender offer or merger.\n      Metropolitan said it may acquire an option on or may buy\n  some or all of the Metex shares owned by William Hack, a Metex\n  director, who, together with this wife, holds 149,750 of the\n  company's common shares, or 11.4 pct of the total.\n      Metropolitan said it already has an option to buy another\n  42,750 Metex common shares at 11.25 dlrs each. The option is\n  not exercisable until April 12, 1988, it said.\n      If Metropolitan were to exercise the option and acquire all\n  of Hack's stake, it would have 471,208 Metex common shares, or\n  35.9 pct of the total. Metropolitan's SEC filing was\n  made as a shareholder group with Hack.\n      Metropolitan, which said it spent 3.1 mln dlrs to acquire\n  its Metex stake, listed its recent stock purchases as 54,993\n  common shares on March 67 at 10 dlrs each and 83,916 shares on\n  March 11 at 11.25 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BPI SYSTEMS <BPII> IN TALKS TO SELL COMPANY\n","article":"  BPI Systems Inc said it is\n  holding discussions that could lead to the sale of all its\n  outstanding shares for about 12 mln dlrs.\n      BPI president and chief executive officer David R. Fernald\n  declined to identify the other party involved in the talks.\n      For the nine months ended December 31, BPI lost 1,286,000\n  dlrs on sales of 6,452,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BALLY MANUFACTURING SAID IT IS CONSIDERING SALE OF SIX FLAGS THEME PARKS\n","article":"\n  BALLY MANUFACTURING SAID IT IS CONSIDERING SALE OF SIX FLAGS THEME PARKS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"STUDY GROUP URGES INCREASED U.S. OIL RESERVES\n","article":"  A study group said the United States\n  should increase its strategic petroleum reserve to one mln\n  barrels as one way to deal with the present and future impact\n  of low oil prices on the domestic oil industry.\n      U.S. policy now is to raise the strategic reserve to 750\n  mln barrels, from its present 500 mln, to help protect the\n  economy from an overseas embargo or a sharp price rise.\n      The Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies, a private\n  group, also called for new research for oil exploration and\n  development techniques.\n      It predicted prices would remain at about 15-18 dlrs a\n  barrel for several years and then rise to the mid 20s, with\n  imports at about 30 pct of U.S. consumption.\n      It said instead that such moves as increasing oil reserves\n  and more exploration and development research would help to\n  guard against or mitigate the risks of increased imports.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TELEMEDIA TO BUY HARROWSMITH, EQUINOX MAGAZINES\n","article":"  (Telemedia Inc) said its (Telemedia\n  Publishing Inc) subsidiary agreed to buy privately-owned\n  Harrowsmith and Equinox magazines for an undisclosed amount of\n  cash.\n      Telemedia said the acquisition is expected to have a small\n  positive impact on short-term earnings.\n      Harrowsmith, an alternative life-style magazine, is\n  Canada's seventh-largest paid circulation English-language\n  magazine while Equinox is the country's eighth largest. Each\n  has a circulation of about 160,000 copies.\n       The magazine group had revenues of eight mln dlrs last\n  year and employs 50 people, Telemedia said.             \n      Telemedia said it will also acquire a 10 pct interest in\n  the company which recently launched the U.S. edition of\n  Harrowsmith.\n      The magazine's U.S. editiion, begun last year, now has a\n  paid circulation of 180,000, the company said.\n      It said a final deal is expected in mid-April.\n      Telemedia said the magazines' founder has agreed to\n  continue to provide editorial and publishing direction for the\n  magazines.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DIVI HOTELS NV <DVH> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 36 cts vs profit 14 cts\n      Net profit 1,162,000 vs profit 464,000\n      Revs 16.6 mln vs 11.3 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 89 cts vs loss 79 cts\n      Net loss 2,988,000 vs loss 2,673,000\n      Revs 35.1 mln vs 25.1 mln\n      NOTE: Nine months fiscal 1987 includes extraordinary gain\n  of 16 cts per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BALLY <BLY> CONSIDERING SALE OF SIX FLAGS\n","article":"  Bally Manufacturing Corp said it is\n  considering the sale of its Six Flag theme amusement park unit\n  and would use the proceeds to pay off debt.\n      In addition to the possible sale of the amusement parks,\n  Bally plans to sell a minority stake in its health club chain\n  to the public. The company will register a proposed offering\n  with the Securities and Exchange Commission for 20 to 30 pct of\n  the health clubs soon, spokesman William Peltier told Reuters.\n      \"Selling Six Flags is definitely under consideration,\"\n  Peltier said in response to an inquiry. He said the company\n  would use much of the income from the amusement park chain,\n  were it to be sold, to repay debt.\n      Six Flags might sell for as much as 300 mln dlrs, analysts\n  said. The health club chain, the nation's largest, is valued at\n  350 to 375 mln dlrs, they said.\n      Bally reportedly already has been approached about Six\n  Flags by several prospective buyers.\n      The company needs the cash to begin paying back a 1.6 mln\n  dlrs mountain of debt.\n      Bally recently completed a 439 mln dlrs acquisition of the\n  Golden Nugget casino hotel in Atlantic City from Golden Nugget\n  Inc <GNG.N>.\n      The purchase pushed its long-term debt to 1.6 billion dlrs,\n  or almost 2.7 times its equity of 600 mln dlrs.\n      Bally's 325-unit health and tennis clubs had revenues in\n  1986 of more than 450 mln dlrs, or about 28 pct of Bally's\n  total revenues of 1.64 billion dlrs.\n      Bally acquired Six Flags for 147.4 mln dlrs in January 1982\n  from Penn Central Corp. Bally bought the Great America theme\n  park in Gurnee, Ill., in May 1984 for 113.2 mln dlrs from\n  Marriott Corp <mhs>.\n      In 1986 the parks had pretax operating profit of 48.6 mln\n  dlrs on revenues of 369.4 mln dlrs.\n      The clubs and equipment unit combined to post operating\n  profit of 60.4 mln dlrs on revenues of 475.6 mln dlrs in 1986,\n  of which 456.2 mln came from the clubs.\n      The company earlier this month said it will take a charge\n  to earnings in the first quarter of 17.3 mln dlrs as a result\n  of its deal to buy back 2.6 mln of its common shares from real\n  estate developer Donald Trump.\n      Under a February 21 deal, Bally agreed to buy the 2.6 mln\n  of the 3.06 mln shares held by Trump at 24 dlrs a share, or\n  62.4 mln dlrs, plus 6.2 mln dlrs related expenses in exchange\n  for Trump not seeking control of the company for 10 years.\n      The deal also requires Bally to buy Trump's remaining\n  shares for 33 dlrs a share if the stock price does not reach\n  that level by February 21, 1988.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRANKLIN RESOURCES <BEN> SAYS NET MAY DOUBLE\n","article":"  Franklin Resources Inc said\n  it believes earnings could double this year as compared to a\n  year ago when the company reported income of 32 mln dlrs on 143\n  mln dlrs in revenues.\n      Franklin Resources is a financial services company. Its\n  fiscal year ends September 30.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CUBA SUGAR CROP SEEN AT LEAST SAME AS LAST YEAR\n","article":"  Cuban sugar export figures for January\n  suggest that this year's crop may be at least as large as last\n  year's 7.35 mln tonnes, according to sugar analysts.\n      Exports in January totalled 733,000 tonnes raw value, up\n  from 725,000 a year earlier, according to figures received by\n  the International Sugar Organization.\n      January is the first major export month and the figures\n  thus give a good indication of the current crop, they said.\n  Fourth quarter exports fell to 622,000 tonnes from 909,000\n  tonnes a year earlier, but this was because Cuba was destocking\n  at the end of 1985, they added.\n      Trade house C Czarnikow recently estimated production this\n  year at 7.50 mln tonnes.\n      Cuban sugar production in the third quarter of 1986 was\n  12,000 tonnes, giving a final 1985\/86 crop total of 7.35 mln\n  tonnes, compared with a 1984\/85 crop of 8.10 mln tonnes.\n      There is normally no third quarter production in Cuba, but\n  a hurricane meant that last year's crop was extended.\n      Exports to the USSR were substantially down in January at\n  362,000 tonnes from 489,000 in January 1986, but other Comecon\n  countries received 210,000 tonnes, against 80,000 tonnes in the\n  same month last year, figures received by the ISO show.\n      Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Romania all took\n  substantially more Cuban sugar.\n      Cuba's November 1986 exports totalled 158,000 tonnes,\n  compared with 190,000 tonnes in 1985, and December's total was\n  237,000 tonnes, down from 518,000 tonnes the year before.\n  Calendar year exports for 1986 were also lower at 6.69 mln\n  tonnes against 7.21 mln in 1985 -- the lowest level since\n  1980's 6.19 mln tonnes, the figures show.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AGENCY REPORTS 39 SHIPS WAITING AT PANAMA CANAL\n","article":"  The Panama Canal Commission, a U.S.\n  government agency, said in its daily operations report that\n  there was a backlog of 39 ships waiting to enter the canal\n  early today. Over the next two days it expects --              \n               2\/26  2\/27\n                         Due: 27    35\n        Scheduled to Transit: 35    41\n             End-Day Backlog: 31    25\n      Average waiting time tomorrow --\n           Super Tankers  Regular Vessels\n   North End:  13 hrs      15 hrs\n   South End:   4 hrs      26 hrs\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"K-TRON INTERNATIONAL INC <KTII> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 36 cts vs loss 1.48 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 1,353,000 vs loss 5,551,000\n      Revs 11.3 mln vs 8,142,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 31 cts vs loss 1.58 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 1,165,000 vs loss 5,919,000\n      Revs 38.0 mln vs 31.6 mln\n      NOTE: Net includes pretax unusual gain 64,000 dlrs vs loss\n  4,744,000 dlrs in quarter and losses 3,0077,000 dlrs vs\n  4,744,000 dlrs in year.  1986 items include settlement of\n  patent suit and provision for investment writeoff and 1985 item\n  provision for loss on sale of scale business.\n      1986 net both periods excludes 400,000 dlr tax credit.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HELMERICH AND PAYNE INC <HP> INCREASES DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs nine cts\n      Payable June one\n      Record May 15\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HOLLY CORP <HOC> 2ND QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 45 cts vs profit 20 cts\n      Net loss 1,841,000 vs profit 983,000\n      Revs 56.2 mln vs 102.9 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr loss 13 cts vs profit 80 cts\n      Net loss 534,000 vs profit 4.4 mln\n      Revs 121.4 mln vs 209.3 mln\n      NOTE: Six months fiscal 1987 includes loss of 17 cts per\n  share from discontinued operations.\n      Per share figures also reflect partial three-for-one stock\n  split effected December 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WHITE HOUSE SAYS TRADE BILL GENERALLY GOOD\n","article":"  White House spokesman Marlin\n  Fitzwater said the administration had some disagreements with\n  the trade bill that cleared a House subcommittee yesterday but\n  generally felt good about the bill.\n      \"Generally we feel very good about the bipartisan\n  consideration of the trade legislation. I think we are\n  progressing very well,\" he told reporters.\n      \"There are wide areas of agreement. There are some areas of\n  disagreement,\" he said.                 \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SUNTER ACQUISITION BEGINS TENDER FOR ALLEGHENY INTERNATIONAL INC\n","article":"\n  SUNTER ACQUISITION BEGINS TENDER FOR ALLEGHENY INTERNATIONAL INC\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. CONSERVATION SIGNUP SEEN 10 TO 12 MLN ACRES\n","article":"  Grain traders and analysts look for a\n  10 to 12 mln acre sign-up in the USDA's conservation reserve\n  program, scheduled to be announced after 1400 CST today.\n      The USDA probably will accept about 80 to 90 pct of the\n  acres submitted, they said.\n      Total enrollment in the first three years of the program is\n  only 8.9 mln acres, so the sharp increase expected this year\n  has underpinned new crop corn futures all week.\n      However, some analysts said a 10 to 12 mln acre sign-up may\n  end up being negative to new crop corn prices, citing trade\n  talk earlier this year that 14 to 15 mln acres may be submitted\n  by farmers. Also, acres set-aside under the conservation\n  program are by definition poor yielding, so the impact on total\n  corn production will be minimal, they added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IRISH OIL CONCERN BOOSTS CENERGY <CRG> STAKE\n","article":"  Bryson Oil and Gas plc, a Belfast,\n  Northern Ireland, oil company which has said it is considering\n  seeking control of Cenergy Corp, said it raised its stake in\n  the company to 1,281,887 shares, or 13.2 pct of the total.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Bryson said it bought 440,000 Cenergy common shares on March 10\n  at eight dlrs each. Previously it had held 841,887 shares, or\n  8.5 pct.\n      Bryson has request detailed shareholder information from\n  Cenergy in case it decided to communicate with shareholders.\n  But it said Cenergy has made legal challenges to the request.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUNTER BEGINS TENDER FOR ALLEGHENY <AG>\n","article":"  Allegheny International Inc said  \n  Sunter Acquisititon Corp, formed by First Boston Inc, began a\n  cash tender offer in accordance with their previously announced\n  merger agreement for all the outsanding shares of Allegheny's\n  common stock, 2.19 dlr cumulative preference stock and 11.25\n  dlrs convertible preferred stock.\n      The offer expires April 9, unless extended.\n      Under terms of the agreement, tendering shareholders will\n  receive 24.60 dlrs per common share, 20 dlrs per preference\n  share and 87.50 dlrs per preferred share.\n      Allegheny said the offer is conditioned upon the valid \n  tender of stock representing a majority of the voting power and\n  at least two-thirds of outstanding shares of preference stock\n  and preferred stock.\n      The merger agreement was announced earlier this week.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<TRANSIT FINANCIAL HOLDINGS INC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 35 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 531,840 vs 188,362\n      Revs not given\n      Year\n      Shr 83 cts vs 41 cts\n      Net 1,249,000 vs 620,000\n      Revs 10,800,000 vs 5,600,000\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SPORTING LIFE INC <SPLF> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr loss six cts vs profit four cts\n      Oper net loss 58,388 vs profit 34,101\n      Revs 2,419,203 vs 2,145,967\n      1st half\n      Oper shr profit six cts vs profit 18 cts\n      Oper net profit 61,763 vs profit 172,166\n      Revs 5,731,582 vs 4,458,040\n      NOTE: Prior year net excludes extraordinary credits of\n  4,500 dlrs in quarter and 46,000 dlrs in half.\n      Current quarter net includes 47,470 dlr tax credit.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTMENT FIRMS CUT CYCLOPS <CYL> STAKE\n","article":"  A group of affiliated New York\n  investment firms said they lowered their stake in Cyclops Corp\n  to 200,500 shares, or 5.0 pct of the total outstanding, from\n  260,500 shares, or 6.4 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the group, led by Mutual Shares Corp, said it sold 60,000\n  Cyclops common shares since February 26.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<ARGYLL ENERGY CORP> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.41 dlrs vs profit 27 cts\n      Net loss 8,225,052 vs profit 1,566,936\n      Revs 4,028,231 vs 6,725,462\n      Note: 1986 shr and net after 6,606,646 dlr writedown on\n  property and other assets\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRANSIT FINANCIAL SEES 1987 SHARE PROFIT RISE\n","article":"  <Transit Financial Holdings Inc>,\n  earlier reporting higher fourth quarter and full year earnings,\n  said it expects 1987 share profit to increase to 1.27 dlrs from\n  83 cts in 1986.\n      The company said the 1987 share forecast is based on 2.5\n  mln shares outstanding, after a one mln common share issue on\n  December 30, 1986. Its 1986 and 1985 earnings were based on 1.5\n  mln shares outstanding.\n      The company earlier reported 1986 profit rose to 1,249,000\n  dlrs or 83 cts a shares from year-earlier 620,000 dlrs or 41\n  cts a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SAN PAOLO DI TORINO CUTS PRIME RATE TO 12.50 PCT FROM 13.00 PCT - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  SAN PAOLO DI TORINO CUTS PRIME RATE TO 12.50 PCT FROM 13.00 PCT - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN MONEY SUPPLY M-1 RISES 592 MLN DLRS IN WEEK, BANK OF CANADA SAID\n","article":"\n  CANADIAN MONEY SUPPLY M-1 RISES 592 MLN DLRS IN WEEK, BANK OF CANADA SAID\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOLLY CORP <HOC> 2ND QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 45 cts vs profit 20 cts\n      Net loss 1,841,000 vs profit 983,000\n      Revs 56.2 mln vs 102.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,127,000 vs 4,835,000\n      1st half\n      Oper shr four cts vs 80 cts\n      Oper net 172,000 vs 4,359,000\n      Revs 121.4 mln vs 209.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,127,000 vs 5,439,000\n      NOTE: Current half net excludes 706,000 dlr loss from\n  discontinued oil and natural gas operations.\n      Share adjusted for three-for-one stock split and\n  recapitalization in December 1985.\n      Prior year net both periods includes pretax charge of\n  2,300,000 dlrs from recapitalization costs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CYCLOPS <CYL> WILL NOT GIVE DATA TO GROUP\n","article":"  Cyclops Corp said its board rejected\n  a request by Cyacq Corp, an investor group, for more non-public\n  information about Cyclops, a maker of specialty steels and an\n  electronics retailer.\n      Cyclops cited its agreement to be acquired by Britain's\n  Dixons Group PLC for 90.25 dlrs a share under a tender offer\n  that expires midnight March 17.\n      Cyacq, comprising Audio\/Video Affiliates Inc, Citicorp\n  Capital Investors Ltd and other investors, yesterday said it\n  would increase its tender offer for Cyclops to 92.50 dlrs a\n  share from 80 dlrs, subject to certain conditions.\n      The conditions were that Cyclops provide Cyacq with\n  non-public data given to Dixons and that Cyacq be satisfied\n  with financial projections made by Dixons in its offer.\n      Cyclops also said its board determined that Cyacq's\n  announcement was not an offer. \"Cyacq's press release does not\n  amend Cyacq's outstanding tender offer which remains at 80 dlrs\n  per share and it does not state that Cyacq has financing\n  commitments necessary to carry out its original offer or any\n  increased offer that it may make,\" Cyclops said in a statement.\n      Its agreements with Dixons are binding and Dixons indicated\n  it will not rescind or waive any provisions of the pacts,\n  Cyclops said.\n      The company also said it was advised that Dixons'\n  shareholders approved the merger, satisfying that condition of\n  the agreement.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SAN JUAN RACING ASSOCIATION INC <SJR> 3RD QTR\n","article":"  Shr 22 cts vs 22 cts\n      Net 915,911 vs 970,141\n      Revs 8.0 mln vs 8.0 mln\n      Nine months\n      Shr 69 cts vs 56 cts\n      Net 3.0 mln vs 2.4 mln\n      Revs 23.5 mln vs 22.1 mln\n      NOTE:1987 3rd qtr and nine months include extraordainry\n  gain of 341,145 dlrs and 480,412 dlrs, respectively, on sale of\n  land.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EDELMAN CUTS LUCKY STORES <LKS> STAKE TO 4.8 PCT\n","article":"  A group led by New York investor\n  Asher Edelman said he lowered its stake in Lucky Stores Inc\n  <LKS> to 1,827,734 shares, or 4.8 pct of the total outstanding\n  common stock, from 1,930,734 shares, or 5.1 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the Edelman group said it sold 103,000 Lucky Stores common\n  shares on March 9 and 10 at prices ranging from 28.625 to\n  30.375 dlrs a share.\n      So long as Edelman's stake is below five pct he is not\n  required to report his dealings in Lucky Stores stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN MONEY SUPPLY RISES IN WEEK\n","article":"  Canadian narrowly-defined money supply\n  M-1 rose 592 mln dlrs to 33.36 billion dlrs in week ended March\n  4, Bank of Canada said.\n      M-1-A, which is M-1 plus daily interest chequable and\n  non-personal deposits, rose 778 mln dlrs to 75.95 billion dlrs\n  and M-2, which is M-1-A plus other notice and personal\n  fixed-term deposit rose 1.09 billion dlrs to 177.95 billion\n  dlrs.\n      M-3, which is non-personal fixed term deposits and foreign\n  currency deposits of residents booked at chartered banks in\n  Canada, rose 1.13 billion dlrs to 217.28 billion dlrs.         \n      Chartered bank general loans outstanding rose 500 mln dlrs\n  to 125.54 billion dlrs.\n      Canadian liquid plus short term assets fell 244 mln dlrs to\n  35.12 billion dlrs and total Canadian dollar major assets of\n  the chartered banks rose 257 mln dlrs to 221.53 billion dlrs.\n      Chartered bank net foreign currency assets rose 782 mln\n  dlrs to minus 876 mln dlrs.            \n      Notes in circulation totalled 16.28 billion dlrs, up 45 mln\n  dlrs from the week before.\n      Government cash balances rose 1.37 billion dlrs to 5.68\n  billion dlrs in week ended March 11.\n      Government securities outstanding fell three mln dlrs to\n  224.08 billion dlrs in week ended March 11, treasury bills rose\n  600 mln dlrs to 75.15 billion dlrs and Canada Savings Bonds\n  fell 294 mln dlrs to 44.05 billion dlrs.           \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USSR HEAVY BUYERS OF YUGOSLAV CORN-U.S. REPORT\n","article":"  The Soviet Union has been a heavy\n  buyer of Yugoslav corn since October, purchasing close to 1.5\n  mln tonnes in the 1986\/87 marketing year, according to a report\n  from the U.S. agriculture counselor in Belgrade.\n      Approximately 1.5 mln tonnes of Yugoslav corn have already\n  been committed to foreign buyers for 1986\/87, with most of this\n  sold to the Soviet Union, the Yugoslav Grain Association\n  reported to the U.S. official.\n      In a report dated March 10, the official said that about\n  800,000 tonnes of the corn has been delivered, with the balance\n  of 700,000 tonnes to be shipped between now and June.\n      An additional 500,000 tonnes of corn can be shipped from\n  July-September, the grain associaiton said, so total Yugoslav\n  corn exports could reach 2.0 mln tonnes, the counselor said.\n      Heavier than normal monthly shipping rates for Yugoslav\n  corn exports are due to the increased use of river barges for\n  exporting corn to the Soviet Union, the counselor said.\n      Monthly corn shipments out of Yugoslavia have averaged\n  around 160,000 tonnes since October 1, higher than earlier\n  estimates of 150,000, the official said.\n      The Soviet Union has taken an increased share of Yugoslav\n  corn sales during this marketing year, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PRESIDENTIAL REALTY CORP <PDO> ANNUAL NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.65 dlrs vs 1.50 dlrs\n      Net 5,370,000 vs 4,901,000\n      Rev 8.4 mln vs 7.8 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net gain from property investments 717,000 dlrs,\n  or 22 cts per share, vs 721,000 dlrs, or 22 cts per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. MAKES CONCILIATORY MOVE AT RUBBER PACT TALKS\n","article":"  The U.S. Has dropped its insistence that\n  the floor price in a new International Natural Rubber\n  Agreement, INRA, be revised downward under certain\n  circumstances, conference sources said.\n      The surprise conciliatory move by the U.S. Meets one of the\n  producers' main concerns -- that the floor price, or \"lower\n  indicative price,\" remain unchanged, they said.\n      It is not clear, however, whether all consuming countries\n  will follow suit, as a number of them, in particular Britain,\n  West Germany and Belgium, appeared to have strong reservations,\n  the sources added.\n      The group of consumers has been seeking an adjustment of\n  the \"lower indicative price\" (set at 150 Malaysian\/Singapore\n  cents a kilo in the present pact) if the buffer stock,\n  currently 360,000 tonnes, rises to 450,000 tonnes.\n      The sources said the question of to what extent price\n  adjustments should be automatic remains a problem.\n      Conference chairman Manaspas Xuto of Thailand has been\n  holding consultations with producers and consumers throughout\n  the day.\n      The consumers' group is now holding a separate meeting\n  ahead of further consultations within the \"president's group\"\n  tonight.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED SEEN CONTENT WITH U.S. FEBRUARY ECONOMY\n","article":"  U.S. February reports reflecting slim\n  gains in industrial output and moderating inflation pressures\n  reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve will continue\n  to follow a stable course of monetary policy, economists said.\n      \"If you're the Fed, there's no reason to do anything,\" said\n  Steve Slifer of Lehman Government Securities Inc.\n      \"There are hints that GNP is picking up. On the inflation\n  front, all is well,\" he said. \"Money supply is well under\n  control. It's an absolutely ideal situation.\"\n      February U.S. industrial production rose 0.5 pct, slightly\n  less than the 0.7 pct gain the financial markets had expected.\n  This compared with a slim 0.1 pct rise in January's production\n  number, previously reported as a 0.4 pct increase.\n      The February U.S. producer price index gained only 0.1 pct,\n  less than a 0.3-0.4 pct expected rise. This followed a 0.6 pct\n  rise in the PPI in January.\n      \"The Fed is going to look at this positively,\" said Allan\n  Leslie of Discount Corporation. \"Certainly inflation is not as\n  bad as what Volcker (Fed Chairman) has said lately. Industrial\n  production growth is along the lines of what the Fed wants.\"\n      The energy products component of PPI rose 4.0 pct in\n  February, after a 9.8 pct increase in January.\n      \"This shows that the impact of energy prices on inflation\n  is behind us in terms of the move from 15 dlrs to 18 dlrs per\n  barrel,\" said Maria Ramirez of Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc. \"The\n  trend is still 3.5 pct in the first half of the year.\"\n      In 1986, declining energy prices contributed to a 2.5 pct\n  decline in the PPI.\n      Economists said that a rise in energy prices was expected,\n  but a sharp drop in auto prices was not. Passenger car prices\n  fell 3.4 pct and light truck prices dropped 1.3 pct.\n      Yesterday, Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker said that\n  a possibility of renewed inflation remains a concern in both\n  the financial markets and the Federal Reserve.\n      \"The Fed may be lowering its own inflation expectations\n  today,\" said Robert Brusca of Nikko Securities International.\n      While low inflation permits the Fed to maintain an easier\n  monetary policy, Brusca said if import prices do not rise this\n  could necessitate a weaker dollar.\n      \"The outlook for the dollar is still up in the air,\" he\n  said. \"We need inflation for U.S. producers to compete with\n  foreign producers.\"\n      Brusca said prices of electronic equipment dropped 0.8 pct\n  in February's PPI. With many electronic goods produced\n  overseas, this may show that foreign producers are not raising\n  prices which bodes ill for U.S. competitiveness, he said.\n      If further dollar declines are needed, this could diminish\n  overseas investment in U.S. debt, Brusca added, which might\n  necessitate higher interest rates and lower bond prices.\n      By contrast, Slifer said imported goods prices rose 11.8\n  pct from first quarter 1985 to first quarter 1986 reflecting to\n  a large degree a 22 pct drop in the trade-weighted real value\n  of the dollar from February 1985 to February 1987.\n      Slifer said import prices may rise further as\n  manufacturers' contracts put in place before the dollar dropped\n  to current levels expire, and new contracts are made that\n  reflect a weaker dollar.\n      David Wyss of Data Resources Inc noted that imported\n  manufactured goods prices rose 8.5 pct at an annual rate in the\n  second half of 1986, which has contributed to rising U.S.\n  industrial output.\n      \"It's the other side of the lower dollar,\" Wyss said.\n  \"Producers are beginning to find themselves more competitive\n  and they are increasing output.\"\n      Wyss said that the latest data point to an average\n  industrial production gain of 0.3-0.4 pct in the first quarter.\n  \"It's an encouraging sign that the manufacturing sector is\n  beginning to revive.\"\n      But Stephen Roach of Morgan Stanley and Co Inc was not \n  convinced that the February reports portend economic gains. He\n  said much of the strength came from factors that do not point\n  to a sustained rise in industrial output.\n      Roach pointed out that stikers returning to work in farm\n  equipment industries helped account for a one pct rise in\n  February business equipment production.\n      Utilities output rose 0.7 pct in February after gaining 1.2\n  pct in January, but Roach said it shows mostly that more energy\n  was produced, not that manufacturing activity gained.\n      Finally, he pointed out that auto production accounted for\n  half of the industrial production gain as production of auto\n  assemblies rose to 8.3 million units at an annual rate from 7.5\n  million units.\n      \"In the first quarter, it looks like automakers are\n  producing at an 8.5 mln unit annual rate, but selling at\n  roughly a seven mln unit rate,\" Roach said. \"The disparity\n  between output and sales is showing up in inventories.\"\n      Economists pointed to sharp rise in January U.S. business\n  inventories as a sign that production may be outstripping\n  demand in the first quarter of 1987.\n      January business inventories rose 0.9 pct, the largest gain\n  since July 1979 when inventories rose 1.7 pct, the Commerce\n  Department said. Business sales dropped 4.5 pct in January, the\n  largest monthly sales drop on record.\n      Nonetheless, economists do not expect the Fed to react to\n  month-to-month changes. \"The Fed has been standing pat for the\n  last seven months,\" Ramirez said. \"They will continue to stand\n  pat for at least the next couple of months.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MOBIL <MOB> CAPITAL EXPENDITURES LOWER IN 1987\n","article":"  Mobil Corp chairman Allen E. Murray\n  said in the annual report issued today that the company's total\n  1987 capital expenditures would be lower than the three\n  billion dlrs spent in 1986.\n      \"Overall capital and exploration expenditures will fall\n  slightly below the level for 1986 although we'll be ready to\n  increase spending whenever the outlook becomes more promising,\"\n  Murray said.\n      Mobil data in the annual report shows capital expenditures\n  have been cut every year since 1984's 3.6 billion dlrs to 3.5\n  billion dlrs in 1985.\n      Murray told shareholders that despite the cuts \"the company\n  has promising acreage to explore as well as major oil and gas\n  reserves to develop in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Africa and\n  Indonesia.\n      Over the past two weeks Mobil has announced restructuring\n  of its domestic exploration and development organization and\n  this week a restructuring of its oil services units, which\n  support the new affiliate.\n      \"Mobil's chairman has explained this change by saying we\n  need a leaner organization to get more efficient usage from our\n  assets,\" said John Lord, a Mobil Corp spokesman.\n      Murray said in announcing the first reorganization, which\n  will combine its current three exploration and producing\n  affiliates into one organization, Mobil Exploration and\n  Production U.S. Inc, that it is more effective than the present\n  organization and will improve the company's upstream\n  competitive position.\n      Yesterday the company said that it will restructure its\n  Mobil Exploration and Producing Services Inc, MEPSI, to enhance\n  the development and transfer of technology supporting critical\n  areas of exploration, drilling, resevoir management and\n  computer systems.\n      Earnings from Mobil's upstream operations in 1986 were 827\n  mln dlrs, down 54 pct from the previous year's 1.8 billion dlrs\n  in earnings.\n      Mobil's strategy in the exploration and production sector\n  will be to give most attention to exploration possibilities\n  with the greatest long term potential, the company said.\n      In its annual report, Mobil said that this will include\n  greater emphasis on \"frontier plays that, although riskier, fit\n  our strengths of technology and size...This probably also means\n  a shift toward emphasis in the foreign area since selective\n  overseas exploration offers greater potential.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INTERCONNECT PREFERS FRIENDLY GATES <GLJ> OFFER\n","article":"  <Interconnect Capital> said it\n  seeks to acquire Gates Learjet Corp on friendly terms.\n      Late yesterday the company said it has offered 7.07 dlrs\n  per share for all Gates Learjet shares.\n      Interconnect Capital said it intends to purchase the <Gates\n  Corp> loan to Gates Learjet for 13 mln dlrs should its bid be\n  successful.\n      Interconnect Capital is controlled by <Interconnect Inc>.\n      Gates Corp owns 64.8 pct of Gates Learjet.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BRAZILIAN TROOPS TO LEAVE OIL REFINERIES\n","article":"  Brazil's labour troubles eased a\n  little today as the authorities announced they were withdrawing\n  troops from the country's main oil installations occupied three\n  days ago.\n      The troops went in at the request of the state-oil company\n  Petrobras because of the threat of a strike by 55,000 oil\n  industry employees.\n      Petrobras said in a statement today it had requested the\n  withdrawal of the troops. The situation in the refineries was\n  calm, it said, and the employees had indicated their\n  willingness to negotiate a pay deal.\n      A national seamen's strike, however, continued and marines\n  remained in the country's main ports. The marines were\n  despatched to the ports after the seamen's strike, now two\n  weeks old, was ruled illegal last Friday.\n      A spokesman at the national strike headquarters in Rio de\n  Janeiro said today a total of l63 ships were strike-bound, 135\n  in Brazil and 28 in foreign ports.\n      Yesterday two small companies specialised in the transport\n  of chemicals, Global and Flumar, struck a pay accord with their\n  seamen who have secured a 120 pct increase.\n      Brazilian newspapers today hailed these agreements as a\n  sign that the national strike could soon come to an end.\n      Both companies employ fewer than 200 seamen and union\n  leaders said the vast majority of Brazil's 40,000 seamen were\n  still on strike.\n      The threat of a stoppage by oil industry employees appeared\n  today to be receding. Petrobras said in its statement that the\n  company would meet union leaders for pay talks in Rio de\n  Janeiro next Wednesday.\n      Labour Minister Almir Pazzionotto would act as a mediator.\n      Besides industrial troubles, there has also been\n  considerable unrest this week in the agricultural sector.\n      On Tuesday hundreds of thousands of farmers held rallies\n  throughout the country to protest against high interest rates.\n      Television reports showed some of these protests still\n  continuing today, with farmers blockading banks with their\n  vehicles in several towns in the states of Sao Paulo and\n  Parana.\n      The strikes in Brazil come as the government is trying to\n  extricate itself from a serious debt crisis brought on by a\n  deterioration in its trade balance.\n      On February 20 President Jose Sarney announced that Brazil\n  was suspending interest payments on 68 billion dlrs of debt to\n  private banks.\n      Because of the seamen strike exports are being delayed and\n  the country is losing badly needed foreign exchange.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INFINITE GRAPHICS INC <INFG> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit two cts vs loss 11 cts\n      Net profit 31,734 vs loss 190,677\n      Sales 1,325,978 vs 1,029,921\n      Nine Mths\n      Shr profit eight cts vs loss 53 cts\n      Net profit 142,200 vs loss 939,435\n      Sales 4,066,777 vs 2,793,479\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MINDSCAPE BUYS HARCOURT BRACE <HBJ> UNIT\n","article":"  (Mindscsape Inc) said it\n  agreed to buy the educational software unit of Holt, Rinehart\n  and Winston Inc, a subsidiary of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Inc,\n  for undisclosed terms.\n      Sales of the division, which had been purchased by Holt,\n  Rinehart from CBS, peaked at about 10 mln dlrs in 1985,\n  Mindscape said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HEALTH-MOR INC <HMI> SETS DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly dividend 17 cts vs 17 cts\n      Pay April 10\n      Record March 26\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CAESARS WORLD SAYS IT CONSIDERS RESTRUCTURING AND SALE TO OTHER COMPANY\n","article":"\n  CAESARS WORLD SAYS IT CONSIDERS RESTRUCTURING AND SALE TO OTHER COMPANY\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REDSTONE DETAILS SWEETENED VIACOM <VIA> OFFER\n","article":"  Investor Sumner Redstone, who leads\n  one of the two groups vying for control of Viacom International\n  Inc, offered to sweeten his bid for the company by 1.50 dlrs a\n  share cash and 1.50 dlrs in securities.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Redstone, who controls Dedham, Mass.,-based National Amusements\n  Inc, a theater chain operator, offered to raise the cash\n  portion of its Viacom offer to 42 dlrs a share from 40.50 dlrs.\n      Redstone also raised the face value of the preferred stock\n  he is offering to 7.50 dlrs from six dlrs.\n      The Redstone offer, which is being made through Arsenal\n  Holdings Inc, a National Amusements subsidiary set up for that\n  purpose, which also give Viacom shareholders one-fifth of a\n  share of Arsenal common stock after the takeover.\n      Viacom said earlier today it received revised takeover bids\n  from Redstone and MCV Holdings Inc, a group led by Viacom\n  management which is competing with Redstone for control of the\n  company and already has a formal merger agreement with Viacom.\n      The company did not disclose the details of the revised\n  offers, but said a special committee of its board would review\n  them later today.\n      The Redstone group, which has a 19.5 pct stake in Viacom,\n  and the management group, which has a 5.4 pct stake, have both\n  agreed not to buy more shares of the company until a merger is\n  completed, unless the purchases are part of a tender offer for\n  at least half of the outstanding stock.\n      The two rivals also signed confidentiality agreements,\n  which give them access to Viacom's financial records provided\n  they keep the information secret.\n      In his SEC filing, Redstone, who estimated his cost of\n  completing the takeover at 2.95 billion dlrs, said Bank of\n  America is confident it can raise 2.275 billion dlrs.\n      Besides the financing it would raise through a bank\n  syndicate, Bank of America has also agreed to provide a\n  separate 25 mln dlr for the limited purpose of partial\n  financing and has committed to provide another 592 mln dlrs,\n  Redstone said.\n      Merrill Lynch, Pierce Fenner and Smith Inc has increased\n  its underwriting commitment to 175 mln dlrs of subordinated\n  financing debt for the Viacom takeover, from the 150 mln dlrs\n  it agreed to underwrite earlier, Redstone said.\n      Redstone said his group would contribute more than 475 mln\n  dlrs in equity toward the takeover.\n      The Redstone equity contribution to the takeover would\n  consist of all of his group's 6,881,800 Viacom common shares\n  and at least 118 mln dlrs cash, he said.\n      The new offer, the second sweetened deal Redstone has\n  proposed in his month-long bidding war with management, also\n  contains newly drawn up proposed merger documents, he said.\n      Last week, the management group submitted what it called\n  its last offer for the company, valued at 3.1 mln dlrs and\n  consisting of 38.50 dlrs a share cash, preferred stock valued\n  at eight dlrs a share and equity in the new company. Redstone's\n  previous offer had been valued at 3.2 billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FAIRCHILD INDUSTRIES INC 4TH QTR OPER SHR LOSS 44 CTS VS LOSS EIGHT CTS\n","article":"\n  FAIRCHILD INDUSTRIES INC 4TH QTR OPER SHR LOSS 44 CTS VS LOSS EIGHT CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MOBIL <MOB> ADDS NATURAL GAS RESERVES IN 1986\n","article":"  Mobil Corp increased net proven\n  reserves of natural gas liquids in 1986 from the previous year\n  according to data in its 1986 annual report.\n      The report states that total net proved reserves at year's\n  end stood at 2.5 billion barrels, an increase of 94 mln barrels\n  or four pct above the previous year and detailed data show that\n  the gains resulted from an increase in net proved reserves of\n  natural gas liquids.\n      Mobil said gains were in Indonesia where a sixth production\n  facility began operation in October with a capacity to\n  manufacture 1.7 mln tonnes of liquified natural gas.\n      The company also said that new capacity brought onstream\n  last year replaced 120 pct of Mobil's production, which\n  declined by about four pct in 1986 from the previous year.\n      Detailed data on reserves shows that U.S. net proved\n  reserves of crude oil fell to 837 mln barrels from 853 mln\n  barrels in 1985, natural gas liquid reserves were also lower in\n  1986 from the previous year.\n      Net proved crude oil reserves also fell in Canada to 224\n  mln barrels and in Europe to 403 mln barrels from the previous\n  year's level of 231 mln barrels and 439 mln barrels,\n  respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ARCO SELLS TWO AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH OPERATIONS\n","article":"  Atlantic Richfield Co said it sold\n  its Plan Cell Research Institute unit and its Arco Seed Co\n  operations in two transactions for undisclosed prices.\n      The company said it sold Dublin, Calif.-based Plant Cell\n  Research to Montedision SpA of Milan, Italy, and ARCO Seed Co\n  to U.F. Genetics of Hollister, Calif.\n      Atlantic Richfield said the divestitures are in line with\n  its policy of focusing resources on oil, gas, chemical and coal\n  operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CAESARS WORLD <CAW> SAYS IT MULLS RESTRUCTURING\n","article":"  Caesars World Inc, in rejecting a 28\n  dlr a share takeover bid by New York investor Martin Sosnoff,\n  said it is considering alternatives that include a\n  restructuring of the company and the sale to someone else.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Caesars World said its board decided at a special meeting\n  yesterday to \"explore and investigate\" several alternatives in\n  an effort to thwart Sosnoff's takeover attempt.\n   More\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LOW SUGAR PRICES MAY ATTRACT SOVIET\/CHINESE\n","article":"  Any further decline in raw sugar prices\n  is likely to attract buying from the Soviet Union and China,\n  Woodhouse, Drake and Carey said in their latest weekly market\n  report.\n      Present lower terminal values may be a reflection of the\n  lack of renewed prompt offtake, particularly from these two\n  large consumers, the report said.\n      The week has seen good demand for Thai raws, particulary\n  for October\/December shipment, which has traded above twenty\n  points premium to the October New York delivery, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MONTEDISON CONCLUDES TALKS WITH ANTIBIOTICOS\n","article":"  Montedison Spa <MONI.MI> said it has\n  concluded its negotiations with Spanish pharmaceuticals company\n  <Antibioticos SA>.\n      A company spokesman told Reuters \"We have concluded the\n  talks and we are now awaiting authorization from Spanish\n  authorities.\" He declined to comment further.\n      Earlier today the Italian company postponed a scheduled\n  press conference on its talks with Antibioticos. An Italian\n  press report today said Montedison has agreed to acquire\n  Antibioticos for 500 billion lire.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHEMLAWN <CHEM> SEEKS BIDS BY MARCH 18\n","article":"  ChemLawn corp said it has asked\n  potential purchasers of the company to submit their proposals\n  by 1700 EST on March 18.\n      ChemLawn said if Waste Management Inc <WMX> intends to\n  participate in the bidding process, it will have to submit a\n  confidentiality agreement to Chemlawn financial advisor Smith\n  Barney, Harris Upham and Co Inc.\n      Waste Management has a 27 dlr per share tender offer for\n  Chemlawn underway that Chemlawn has already rejected as\n  inadequate.\n      Chemlawn has already said it is holding talks with various\n  parties on the sale of the company and said it has informed all\n  potential purchasers that they mnust sign confidentiality\n  agreemnents to receive confidential information on Chemlawn.\n      ChemLawn said if Waste Management were to sign such an\n  agreement, ChemLawn would supply it with the same information\n  being supplied to other potential purchasers. But it said it\n  will not make an exception for Waste Management which would\n  give that company an advantage in the bidding process.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GTS CORP <GTSC> 4TH QTR DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 48 cts vs loss 10 cts\n      Net loss 1,234,000 vs loss 259,000\n      Revs 715,000 vs 1,941,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.26 dlrs vs loss 34 cts\n      Net loss 3,229,000 vs loss 870,000\n      Revs 3,001,000 vs 9,767,000\n      NOTE: 1986 net both periods includes 672,300 dlr writedown\n  of value of seismic laboratory and 165,000 dlr increase in\n  reserve for doubtful accounts.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FAIRCHILD INDUSTRIES INC <FEN> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 44 cts vs oper loss eight cts\n      Oper net loss 3,158,000 vs profit 2,035,000\n      Rev 166.0 mln vs 162.3 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 34 cts vs loss 93 cts\n      Oper net profit 7,599,000 vs loss 283,000\n      Rev 643.3 mln vs 576.3 mln\n      NOTE: Per share results after provision for pfd dividends.\n      Fourth qtr earnings exclude loss from discontinued\n  operations of 67.6 mln dlrs, or 4.72 dlrs a share, and a loss\n  of 25.8 mln dlrs, or 1.81 dlrs a share, from tax reverse,\n  versus a gain from discontinued operations of 1.8 mln dlrs, or\n  14 cts a share, in 1985's 4th qtr.\n       1986 oper earnings excludes loss from discontinued\n  operations of 62.5 mln dlrs, or 4.41 dlrs a share, versus a\n  loss of 166.8 mln dlrs, or 12.24 dlrs a share, in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SMARTNAMES TO BUY AMERICAN INFORMATION NETWORK\n","article":"  SmartNames Inc said it reached\n  an agreement in principle to buy American Information Network.\n      Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.\n      The company said the purchase of American will allow it to\n  meet the needs of a broader range of direct mail industry\n  customers.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"UTILICORP <UCU> COMPLETES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  UtiliCorp United Inc said it\n  completed the acquisition of West Virginia Power from Dominion\n  Resources for about 21 mln dlrs.\n      The sale was approved by the West Virginia Public Service\n  Commission in January and became effective March one. West\n  Virginia's management will continue to be responsible for\n  operating the utility, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ARCO <ACR> SELLS TWO OPERATIONS\n","article":"  Atlantic Richfield Co said it sold\n  its Plan Cell Research Institute unit and its Arco Seed Co\n  operations in two transactions for undisclosed prices.\n      The company said it sold Dublin, Calif.-based Plant Cell\n  Research to <Montedision SpA> of Milan, Italy and ARCO Seed Co\n  to U.F. Genetics of Hollister, Calif.\n      Atlantic Richfield said the divestitures are in line with\n  its policy of focusing resources on oil, gas, chemical and coal\n  operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ECUADOR BEGINS WORK ON OIL PIPELINE TO COLOMBIA\n","article":"  Construction workers today began building\n  a 26 km (16 mile) pipeline to link Ecuador's jungle oilfields\n  to a pipeline in Colombia through which Ecuadorean crude could\n  be pumped to the Pacific Coast, Ecuadorean energy minsitry\n  officials said.\n      They said it would take about two months and at least 15\n  mln dlrs to build the pipeline from Lago Agrio in Ecuador to\n  Puerto Colon, Colombia for connection to the Colombian\n  pipeline, which goes to the port of Tumaco on Colombia's\n  Pacific Ocean coast.\n      The Lago Agrio to Puerto Colon pipeline is designed to\n  transport between 30,000 to 50,000 barrels of day (bpd) of\n  Ecuadorean crude to the Colombian pipeline, they said.\n      The Colombian pipeline to Tumaco has ample room for\n  Ecuadorean crude, they said. It is currently transporting about\n  17,000 bpd out of its 100,000 bpd capacity, an Ecuadorean\n  energy ministry official said.\n      The Ecuadorean crude reaching Tumaco will be shipped by\n  boat to Ecuador for refining into oil products to meet domestic\n  demand.\n      The completion of the pipeline would allow Ecuador to\n  resume some of production, paralysed since March six by an \n  earthquake the night before.\n      The tremor ruptured the country's main pipeline from jungle\n  oilfields to the Ecuadorean port of Balao, on the Pacific\n  Ocean.\n      Ecuador was pumping about 260,000 bpd before the\n  earthquake. It would take about five months to repair the\n  pipeline to Balao, government officials said.\n      Ecuador estimates that it will cost between 145 to 150 mln\n  dlrs to repair oil installations damaged by the earthquake,\n  energy ministry Javier Espinosa said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DUTCH TRADE FULLY IN BALANCE BUT DOWN IN JANUARY\n","article":"  The Netherlands recorded a flat trade\n  balance in January, with both exports and imports totaling 14.2\n  billion guilders, a modestly lower compared with December but\n  sharply down from January last year, an Economics Ministry\n  spokesman said, quoting official statistics.\n      January 1986 exports compared with a December figure of\n  15.0 billion guilders and were 25 pct below last year's level\n  of 18.9 billion.\n      January 1986 imports compared with 15.3 billion guilders in\n  December and fell 18 pct from 17.4 billion in January last\n  year.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NUMEROUS FACTORS SAID POINT TO USSR CORN BUYING\n","article":"  A greater than anticipated need,\n  competitive prices and political motivations could be sparking\n  Soviet interest in U.S. corn, industry and government officials\n  said.\n      As rumors circulated through grain markets today that the\n  Soviet Union has purchased an additional 1.5 mln tonnes of U.S.\n  corn, industry and government sources noted a number of factors\n  that make Soviet buying of U.S. corn likely.\n      First, there are supply concerns. Some trade sources said\n  recent speculation has been that last year's Soviet grain crop\n  be revised to only 190 mln tonnes, rather than the 210 mln\n  announced, therby increasing the Soviet need for grain.\n      A drop in Argentine corn crop prospects could also affect\n  Soviet corn buying, an Agriculture Department source said.\n      Dry weather in Argentina -- a major corn supplier to the\n  USSR -- and reported crop problems prompted USDA to lower its\n  Argentine 1986\/87 corn crop estimate this week to 11.0 mln\n  tonnes, down from 11.5 mln. Argentina corn exports were also\n  cut by 500,000 tonnes to 6.8 mln tonnes.\n      Argentina has already committed four mln tonnes of this\n  year's corn for export, a USDA official said, with two mln\n  tonnes of that booked for April-June delivery to the USSR.\n      \"Significant downside potential\" still exists for the\n  Argentine crop, the official said, which will decrease the\n  amount of additional corn that country can sell to Moscow.\n      \"If the Soviet needs are greater than we have been\n  thinking, then they might need more than what Argentina can\n  provide during the April to June period,\" he said.\n      Current competitive prices for U.S. corn have also sparked\n  Soviet buying.\n      U.S. corn was reported to be selling on the world market\n  earlier this week for around 71 dlrs per tonne, Argentine corn\n  for 67 dlrs -- a very competitive price spread, U.S. and Soviet\n  sources said.\n      \"This price difference makes American corn competitive,\"\n  Albert Melnikov, commercial counselor for the Soviet Union,\n  told Reuters.\n      Impending crop problems in Argentina will likely cause\n  those prices to rise, and with the recently strong U.S. corn\n  futures prices, the Soviets might feel corn prices have\n  bottomed and that this is a good time to buy, sources said.\n      Finally, some industry sources said that by buying the\n  minimum amount of corn guaranteed under the U.S.\/USSR grains\n  agreement (four mln tonnes), the Soviet Union may be hoping to\n  convince the USDA to offer Moscow a subsidy on wheat.\n      In an inteview with Reuters this week, USDA secretary\n  Richard Lyng said that no decision had been made on a wheat\n  subsidy offer, but that such an offer had not been ruled out.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DESOTO INC <DSO> REGULAR DIVIDEND SET\n","article":"  Qtly div 35 cts vs 35 cts previously\n      Pay April 17\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"METHODE ELECTRONICS INC <METHB> REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div Class B 1-1\/2 cts vs 1-1\/2 cts prior\n      Class A two cts vs two cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL INDUSTRIAL GROWTH RATE SLOWED IN JANUARY\n","article":"  The growth rate of Brazilian\n  industrial output slowed in January to 6.09 pct above the same\n  1986 month after rising 6.71 pct in December, Brazilian\n  Geography and Statistics Institute figures show.\n      The result is in line with the declining trend in the\n  growth rate since October, the Institute said.\n      In the 12 months to end-January industrial production was\n  10.48 pct above the 12 months to end-January last year while in\n  calendar 1986 output was 10.89 pct above 1985.\n      The biggest output rises in the 12 months to end-January\n  were 23.68 pct in pharmaceuticals and 22.12 pct in machinery.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GENERAL CINEMA CORP <GCN> COMMON STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 15 cts vs 15 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Recrod April nine\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STEPHAN CO <FTC> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 25 cts vs 18 cts\n      Net 109,131 vs 75,793\n      Revs 1,811,636 vs 1,280,618\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL AVERAGE PRICES FOR FARMER-OWNED RESERVE\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department\n  reported the farmer-owned reserve national five-day average\n  price through February 25 as follows (Dlrs\/Bu-Sorghum Cwt) -\n           Natl   Loan           Release   Call\n           Avge   Rate-X  Level    Price  Price\n   Wheat   2.55   2.40       IV     4.65     --\n                              V     4.65     --\n                             VI     4.45     --\n   Corn    1.35   1.92       IV     3.15   3.15\n                              V     3.25     --\n   X - 1986 Rates.\n  \n            Natl   Loan          Release   Call\n            Avge   Rate-X  Level   Price  Price\n   Oats     1.24   0.99        V    1.65    -- \n   Barley   n.a.   1.56       IV    2.55   2.55\n                               V    2.65    -- \n   Sorghum  2.34   3.25-Y     IV    5.36   5.36\n                               V    5.54    -- \n      Reserves I, II and III have matured. Level IV reflects\n  grain entered after Oct 6, 1981 for feedgrain and after July\n  23, 1981 for wheat. Level V wheat\/barley after 5\/14\/82,\n  corn\/sorghum after 7\/1\/82. Level VI covers wheat entered after\n  January 19, 1984.  X-1986 rates. Y-dlrs per CWT (100 lbs).\n  n.a.-not available.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICA FIRST MORTGAGE SETS SPECIAL PAYOUT\n","article":"  <America First Federally Guaranteed\n  Mortgage Fund Two> said it is making a special distribution of\n  71.6 cts per exchangeable unit, which includes 67.62 cts from\n  return on capital and 3.98 cts from income gains.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PLM <PLMA> UNIT ENDS MERGER TALKS\n","article":"  PLM Cos Inc said its PLM Power Co\n  unit broke off merger discussions with Sunlaw Energy Corp of\n  Beverly Hills, Calif.\n      In January PLM Power entered into a letter of intent to\n  negotiate a potential acquisition of Sunlaw, subject to\n  substantial due diligence, the company said.\n      But it also said the two companies were not able to agree\n  on mutually satisfactory final terms and conditions.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COLOMBIA OPENS APRIL\/MAY COFFEE REGISTRATIONS\n","article":"  Colombia opened coffee export\n  registrations for April and May with the National Coffee\n  Growers' Federation setting no limit, Gilberto Arango,\n  president of the private exporters' association, said.\n      He told Reuters the decision not to put any limit responded\n  to \"new factors\" which have emerged from recent International\n  Coffee Organisation talks in London, where producers and\n  consumers failed to agree on a re-introduction of export quotas.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"USDA REPORTS 10.572 MLN ACRES IN CONSERVATION\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department has\n  accepted 10,572,402 more acres of highly erodable cropland into\n  the Conservation Reserve Program, USDA announced.\n      In the latest signup, farmers on 101,020 farms submitted\n  bids on a total of 11,254,837 acres.\n      The accepted bids for annual rental payments ranged up to\n  90 dlrs per acre with an average of 51.17 dlrs per acre.\n      Land entered into the Conservation Reserve Program will be\n  ineligible for farming for ten years and must be planted with\n  permanent vegetative cover.\n      Producers enrolled 1,894,764 acres of corn base acreage in\n  the conservation program to take advantage of a corn \"bonus\"\n  rental payment that was offered by USDA.\n      The corn bonus, to be paid in generic comodity\n  certificates, amounts to two dlrs per bushel, based on the ASCS\n  program payment yield for corn, for each acre of corn based\n  accepted into the reserve.\n      The state showing the biggest enrollment in the\n  conservation program during this signup was Texas with\n  approximately 1.225 mln acres, followed by Iowa with 1.030 mln\n  acres, Minnesota with 890,000 acres, Montana 875,000 acres, and\n  Kansas with 842,000 acres.\n      Other states showing big enrollment were Missouri with\n  646,000 acres, North Dakota with 588,000 acres, and Nebraska\n  with 554,000 acres.\n      In the corn belt states of Illinois and Indiana, 217,000\n  acres and 116,000 acres respectively were enrolled.\n      Farm land signed up to date in the conservation program\n  totals 19,488,587 acres. Bids on the previous signups ranged up\n  to 90 dlrs per acre with an average of 45.52 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. MEAT GROUP TO FILE TRADE COMPLAINTS\n","article":"  The American Meat Institute, AME,\n  said it intended to ask the U.S. government to retaliate\n  against a European Community meat inspection requirement.\n      AME President C. Manly Molpus also said the industry would\n  file a petition challenging Korea's ban of U.S. meat products.\n      Molpus told a Senate Agriculture subcommittee that AME and\n  other livestock and farm groups intended to file a petition\n  under Section 301 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade\n  against an EC directive that, effective April 30, will require\n  U.S. meat processing plants to comply fully with EC standards.\n      The meat industry will seek to have the U.S. government\n  retaliate against EC and Korean exports if their complaints are\n  upheld.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRADERS DETAIL FRENCH CEREAL EXPORT REQUESTS\n","article":"  French operators last Friday requested\n  licences to export 10,500 tonnes of free market maize, 11,950\n  tonnes of free market barley and 13,000 of soft wheat flour to\n  non-EC countries, at prefixed daily (droit commun) rebates,\n  French trade sources said.\n      The latest requests for the maize were for export to\n  Switzerland, Austria and Lichtenstein at a maximum daily rebate\n  prefixed last Friday at 141 Ecus a tonne against a previous 20\n  Ecu daily rebate.\n      The special daily rebate for maize was set in the context\n  of a Commission commitment to grant this season rebates for the\n  export of 500,000 tonnes of French maize to non-EC countries,\n  in compensation for concessions to the U.S. in the recent\n  dispute over grain sales to Spain.\n      If the latest French requests are accepted as expected,\n  this will bring the total of French maize exported in this\n  context to 25,500 tonnes.\n      The Commission last Thursday granted weekly rebates for the\n  sale of 15,000 tonnes of free market maize to non-EC countries.\n      Requests for barley were for export to Switzerland, Austria\n  and Lichtenstein, Ceuta and Melilla at an unchanged pre-fixed\n  restitution of 125 Ecus a tonne, while requests for soft wheat\n  flour were for export to various non-EC countries at an\n  unchanged 178 Ecus a tonne.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MET-PRO CORP <MPR> TO PAY REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtrly 15 cts vs 15 cts prior\n      Pay May Eight\n      Record April 24\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AILEEN INC <AEE> 1SR QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 30 cts vs loss 20 cts\n      Net loss 1,553,000 vs loss 1,031,000\n      Revs 10.0 mln vs 8,696,000\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"WOLVERINE WORLD WIDE INC <WWW> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss six cts vs profit 55 cts\n      Net loss 414,000 vs profit 3,936,000\n      Sales 109.4 mln vs 126.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.75 dlrs vs profit 55 cts\n      Net loss 12,589,000 vs profit 3,965,000\n      Sales 341.7 mln vs 389.5 mln\n      NOTE: Year results include 14.0 mln dlr restructuring\n  charge in 2nd Qtr of 1986\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 122,000 TONNES CORN  SOLD TO MEXICO FOR 1986\/87\n","article":"\n  U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 122,000 TONNES CORN  SOLD TO MEXICO FOR 1986\/87\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HURCO COMPANIES INC <HURC> FIRST QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit three cts vs loss 18 cts\n      Net profit 124,000 vs loss 370,000\n      Rev 11.3 mln vs 11.7 mln\n      Avg shares 3,673,000 vs 2,368,000\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"STUDY GROUP URGES INCREASED U.S. OIL RESERVES\n","article":"  A study group said the United States\n  should increase its strategic petroleum reserve to one mln\n  barrels as one way to deal with the present and future impact\n  of low oil prices on the domestic oil industry.\n      U.S. policy now is to raise the strategic reserve to 750\n  mln barrels, from its present 500 mln, to help protect the\n  economy from an overseas embargo or a sharp price rise.\n      The Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies, a private\n  group, also called for new research for oil exploration and\n  development techniques.\n      It predicted prices would remain at about 15-18 dlrs a\n  barrel for several years and then rise to the mid 20s, with\n  imports at about 30 pct of U.S. consumption.\n      The study cited two basic policy paths for the nation: to\n  protect the U.S. industry through an import fee or other such\n  device or to accept the full economic benefits of cheap oil.\n      But the group did not strongly back either option, saying\n  there were benefits and drawbacks to both.\n      It said instead that such moves as increasing oil reserves\n  and more exploration and development research would help to\n  guard against or mitigate the risks of increased imports.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MAXTOR <MXTR> AGREES TO ACQUIRE U.S. DESIGN\n","article":"  Maxtor Corp and U.S. Design\n  Corp <USDC>, said they reached definitive agreement covering\n  the acquisition of U.S. Design by Maxtor.\n      They said the arrangement, which is subject to a number of\n  conditions including U.S. Design shareholder approval, calls\n  for Maxtor to issue 12 mln dlrs worth of its own common stock\n  in exchange for all of U.S. Design.\n      The number of Maxtor shares to be issued will be determined\n  by the average closing price of Maxtor stock over the 10\n  trading day period prior to the day the acquisition becomes\n  effective, the companies also said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SHARED MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP <SMED> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 18 cts vs 18 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WEIGH-TRONIX INC <WGHT> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 18 cts vs 16 cts\n      Net 348,298 vs 308,927\n      Sales 4,166,750 vs 3,740,970\n      Year\n      Shr 72 cts vs 52 cts\n      Net 1,409,867 vs 1,020,096\n      Sales 16.5 mln vs 15.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,974,529 vs 1,956,214\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. MEAT GROUP TO FILE TRADE COMPLAINTS\n","article":"  The American Meat Institute, AME,\n  said it intended to ask the U.S. government to retaliate\n  against a European Community meat inspection requirement.\n      AME President C. Manly Molpus also said the industry would\n  file a petition challenging Korea's ban of U.S. meat products.\n      Molpus told a Senate Agriculture subcommittee that AME and\n  other livestock and farm groups intended to file a petition\n  under Section 301 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade\n  against an EC directive that, effective April 30, will require\n  U.S. meat processing plants to comply fully with EC standards.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CBT TRADERS SAY U.S. CONSERVATION SIGNUP NEUTRAL\n","article":"  The 11,254,837 acres of highly erodable\n  farmland submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for\n  the conservation reserve program was within trade guesses of\n  10-12 mln and should have an overall neutral impact on grain\n  and soybean prices Monday, grain traders said.\n      Farmers enrolled 1,894,764 acres of corn base acreage in\n  the conservation program to take advantage of a corn bonus\n  rental payment that was offered by the USDA, which may underpin\n  new crop futures, they said.\n      New crop corn prices firmed earlier this week on ideas of a\n  large sign-up in the program. But traders noted that the poor\n  yielding acres being set-aside will result in only a modest\n  decrease in final production figures, since farmers will\n  concentrate on high yielding land.\n      Of a total 11,254,837 erodoble acres submitted, usda\n  accepted 10,572,402 acres into the program at an average rental\n  payment of 51.17 dlrs per acre.\n      Farm land signed up to date now totals 19,488,587 acres.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MONARCH AVALON INC <MAHI> 3RD QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 11 cts vs profit four cts\n      Net loss 199,000 vs profit 81,000\n      Rev 1.9 mln vs 2.5 mln\n      Nine months\n      Shr loss 14 cts vs profit 15 cts\n      Net loss 261,000 vs profit 273,000\n      Rev 6.4 mln vs 7.6 mln\n      NOTE: Per share information adjusted for three-for-two\n  stock split on January 31, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. PRODUCER ENERGY PRICES RISE IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Prices of wholesale finished energy\n  goods in the U.S. rose 4.0 pct in February after a 9.8 pct rise\n  in January, the Labor Department said.\n      The Producer Price Index for finished energy goods fell by\n  20.9 pct in the past 12 months.\n      Heating oil prices rose 3.0 pct in February after a 18.0\n  pct rise in January, the department said.\n      Gasoline prices rose by 5.5 pct last month after a 15.7\n  pct January rise, the department said. Natural gas prices rose\n  1.8 pct after a 4.2 pct rise in January.\n      Crude oil prices rose 4.4 pct in February, after a 19.7 pct\n  January rise and were off 21.3 pct from the year ago level.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CARBIDE <UK> LOOKS TO ACQUISITIONS FOR GROWTH\n","article":"  Union Carbide Corp is looking to\n  acquisitions and joint ventures to aid its chemicals and\n  plastics growth, according the H.W. Lichtenberger, president of\n  Chemicals and Plastics.\n      Describing this as a major departure in the company's\n  approach to commercial development, he told the annual new\n  business forum of the Commercial Development Association \"We\n  are looking to acquisitions and joint ventures when they look\n  like the fastest and most promising routes to the growth\n  markets we've identified.\"\n      Not very long ago Union Carbide had the attitude \"that if\n  we couldn't do it ourselves, it wasn't worth doing. Or, if it\n  was worth doing, we had to go it alone,\" Lichtenberger\n  explained.\n      He said \"there are times when exploiting a profitable\n  market is done best with a partner. Nor do we see any need to\n  plow resources into a technology we may not have if we can link\n  up profitably with someone who is already there.\"\n      He said Carbide has extended its catalyst business that way\n  and is now extending its specialty chemicals business in the\n  same way.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.S. COTTON CERTIFICATE EXPIRATION DATE EXTENDED\n","article":"  Expiration dates on upland cotton\n  certificates issued under the 1986 upland cotton program are\n  being extended, the Agriculture Department announced.\n      The certificates are being extended because of a shortage\n  of Commodity Credit Corporation inventory available for\n  exchange with certificates, USDA undersecretary Danial Amstutz\n  said.\n      Presently, upland cotton commodity certificates expire nine\n  months from the last day of the month of issuance.\n      Under the new procedure, all current outstanding and all\n  new upland cotton certificates issued under the 1986 upland\n  cotton program will have an expiration date of either February\n  29, 1988, or nine months from the last day of the month in\n  which the certificate is issued, whichever is later.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BNL ANNOUNCES NET 1986 PROFITS IN BANK SECTOR\n","article":"  State-owned <Banca Nazionale del Lavoro\n  BNL> said 1986 profits for its banking activities equalled 155\n  billion lire against 146 billion lire in 1985.\n      Consolidated 1986 results for BNL, which also has interests\n  in tourism, public works, industrial credit and other sectors,\n  are expected to be announced later this year.\n      The results for the banking sector are to be presented at a\n  shareholders meeting scheduled for April 29.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"APPLIED DNA SYSTEMS INC <ADNA> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss one ct vs nil\n      Net loss 148,007 vs loss 58,863\n      Revs 198,919 vs 133,071\n      Avg shrs 7,476,433 vs 6,633,989\n      Year\n      Shr loss three cts vs loss six cts\n      Net loss 230,949 vs 424,719\n      Revs 666,626 vs 509,971\n      NOTE: Amounts include losses of a 50 pct owned scientific\n  development affiliate, Analytical Biosystems Corp.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OILMAN HAS 8.7 PCT OF QED EXPLORATION <QEDX>\n","article":"  Kansas oilman Nicholas Powell told\n  the Securities and Exchange Commission he has acquired 195,000\n  shares of QED Exploration Inc, or 8.7 pct of the total\n  outstanding common stock.\n      Powell, who heads Prairie Resources Corp and Mack C. Colt\n  Inc, both Kansas oil and gas exploration companies, said he\n  bought the stock for investment purposes.\n      Powell, who said he has already spent 609,831 dlrs on his\n  QED stock, said he plans to buy more shares as long as he\n  considers them to be undervalued.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JOHN LABATT LTD 3RD QTR SHR DILUTED 32 CTS VS 30 CTS\n","article":"\n  JOHN LABATT LTD 3RD QTR SHR DILUTED 32 CTS VS 30 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LIFESTYLE RESTAURANTS INC <LIF> 1ST QTR JAN 24\n","article":"  Shr loss 31 cts vs loss eight cts\n      Net loss 1,780,000 vs loss 449,000\n      Revs 13.9 mln vs 17.8 mln\n      NOTE: Current 1st qtr loss included a gain of 870,000 dlrs\n  and 70,000 dlrs from the sale of restaurant leases.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CORRECTED - BANKAMERICA NEGOTIATING SALE OF UNITS\n","article":"  Bank of America NT and SA's\n  <BAC.N> West German branch said it is negotiating the sale of\n  Bankhaus Centrale Credit AG, a small local West German bank it\n  acquired in 1965, and of its West German Visa credit card\n  operation.\n      Michael Seibel, Bank of America vice-president and regional\n  manager, said the negotiations were proceeding well. He\n  declined to give further details.\n      Bank of America's West German branch lost some 32 mln marks\n  in 1985. The result includes profit and loss transfers from\n  Bankhaus Centrale Credit and the Visa organisation. The sale of\n  the units is part of the bank's worldwide restructuring plan.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SIERRA HEALTH SERVICES INC <SIE> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 52 cts vs profit six cts\n      Net loss 2,943,000 vs profit 334,000\n      Revs 33.5 mln vs 18.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.57 dlrs vs profit 16 cts\n      Net loss 8,781,000 vs profit 792,000\n      Revs 116.0 mln vs 56.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRECOM INC <FRCM> 3RD QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss two cts vs profit two cts\n      Net loss 104,874 vs profit 90,470\n      Sales 3,154,673 vs 1,666,313\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss one cent vs profit four cts\n      Net loss 39,169 vs profit 159,784\n      Sales 8,250,003 vs 4,665,553\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION SLOWED IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Industrial output in January was\n  6.09 pct above the same 1986 month after rising 6.71 pct in\n  December, Brazilian Geography and Statistics Institute figures\n  show.\n      The result is in line with the declining trend in the\n  growth rate since October, the Institute said.\n      In the 12 months to end-January industrial production was\n  10.48 pct above the 12 months to end-January last year, while\n  in calendar 1986 output was 10.89 pct above 1985.\n      The biggest output rises in the 12 months to end-January\n  were 23.68 pct in pharmaceuticals and 22.12 pct in machinery.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WHEELING AND LAKE ERIE RAILWAY CO <WLE> DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 1.4375 dlrs vs 1.4375 dlrs\n      Pay May 1  \n      Record April 3     \n      Note: Dividend paid to all shareholders other than Norfolk\n  Southern Corp's <NSC> Norfolk and Western Railway Co.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GENERAL CINEMA CORP <GCN> CLASS B DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div class B 13.5 cts vs 13.5 cts\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 9   \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<JOHN LABATT LTD> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 36 cts vs 31 cts\n      Shr diluted 32 cts vs 30 cts\n      Net 26,158,000 vs 21,798,000\n      Revs 1.05 billion vs 844.2 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 1.28 dlrs vs 1.22 dlrs\n      Shr diluted 1.15 dlrs vs 1.08 dlrs\n      Net 92,779,000 vs 77,971,000\n      Revs 3.16 billion vs 2.70 billion\n      Avg shrs 72.4 mln vs 64.0 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SUDAN RECEIVES 50 MLN DLRS IN PL480 AUTHORITY\n","article":"  Authorizations to purchase 50 mln\n  dlrs worth of U.S. wheat and wheat flour under Public Law 480\n  were issued to Sudan today, the Agriculture Department said.\n      The authorization provides for 34 mln dlrs -- about 309,000\n  tonnes -- worth of wheat, grade U.S. number two or better\n  (except durum which shall be number three or better).\n      It also provides for 16 mln dlrs -- about 73,000 tonnes --\n  worth of wheat flour.\n      The contracting period for both commodities is March 20\n  through August 31, 1987. The delivery period for wheat is March\n  20 through September 30, 1987 and for wheat flour is April 10\n  through SEptember 30, 1987, USDA said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TRADE BILL TO CHANGE AGRICULTURE TRADE LAWS\n","article":"  The House Ways and Means Committee\n  is moving toward passage of a trade bill that sponsors said was\n  intended to help open foreign markets to U.S. agricultural\n  goods and to modify some U.S. agricultural trade laws.\n      The trade subcommittee voted to require President Reagan to\n  take into account the potential harm to U.S. agricultural\n  exports of any trade retaliation he might impose for foreign\n  unfair trade practices against other domestic industries.\n      The bill would allow U.S. agricultural producers to seek\n  government monitoring of imports if there is a reasonable\n  chance the industry would be harmed by an import surge.\n      The full Ways and Means Committee is to consider the bill\n  next week and congressional sources said they expect it will be\n  approved.\n       In investigations involving a processed agricultural\n  product, trade associations of processors or producers would\n  have to petition for relief from foreign dumping or unfair\n  duties.\n       The bill sets out U.S. trade negotiating objectives for\n  the Uruguay round of talks under the General Agreement on\n  Tariffs and Trade. It would seek fair trade in agriculture,\n  seek to discipline restrictive or trade distorting import and\n  export practices, to eliminate tariffs, subsidies, quotas and\n  non-tariff barriers.\n       President Reagan's authority to negotiate a new GATT\n  agreement would be extended through January 1993 and authority\n  to negotiate a free trade zone with Canada would be extended\n  through January 3, 1991.\n      The bill extends Reagan's authority to negotiate an\n  international coffee agreement through October 31, 1989.\n      It allows a refund of import duties paid on raw sugar\n  imported from November 1, 1977 to March 31, 1985 for production\n  of sugar or products containing sugar and destined for\n  re-export. The export of the sugar or products must occur\n  before Octoer 1, 1991.\n      Presently, to qualify for the refund the sugar must be\n  processed within three years after import and exported within\n  five years.\n      Agriculture would also benefit from more rapid decisions in\n  complaints of unfair foreign trade practices or injury from\n  imports.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN CITY <AMBJ> SETS INITIAL PREFERRED DIV\n","article":"  American City Business\n  Journals Inc said it declared an initial dividend of 15.4 cts a\n  share on its recent issue of 1.6 mln shares of convertible\n  exchangeable preferred stock.\n      The dividend is payable March 31 to shareholders of record\n  March 20, American City said, adding that future dividends will\n  be paid on a quarterly basis.\n      The preferred stock was issued on February 23.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. BUSINESS LOANS RISE 377 MLN DLRS IN MARCH 4 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. BUSINESS LOANS RISE 377 MLN DLRS IN MARCH 4 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<FRANKLIN GOLD FUND> CUTS DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Semi div 13 cts vs 18 cts prior\n      Pay March 13\n      Record March Two\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. BUSINESS LOANS RISE 377 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  Business loans on the books of major\n  U.S. banks, excluding acceptances, rose 377 mln dlrs to 279.085\n  billion dlrs in the week ended March 4, the Federal Reserve\n  Board said.\n      The Fed said that business loans including acceptances\n  increased 484 mln dlrs to 281.546 billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. PRODUCER ENERGY PRICES RISE IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Prices of wholesale finished energy\n  goods in the United States were up in February, rising by 4.0\n  pct after a 9.8 pct rise in January, the Labor Department said.\n      The Producer Price Index for finished energy goods has\n  fallen 20.9 pct in the past 12 months.\n      Heating oil prices rose 3.0 pct in February after a 18.0\n  pct rise in January, the department said.\n      Gasoline prices rose by 5.5 pct last month after a 15.7\n  pct January rise, the department said. Natural gas prices rose\n  1.8 pct after a 4.2 pct rise in January.\n      Energy goods at the intermediate stage of processing rose\n  2.7 pct in February after rising 3.5 pct in January and were\n  down 16.1 pct over the past 12 months, the Labor Department\n  said.\n      Prices for crude energy goods, such as crude oil, coal and\n  gas at the wellhead, rose 2.6 pct last month after a 10.0 pct\n  January rise. They were down 11.6 pct from February 1986, the\n  department said.\n       At the intermediate stage, liquefied petroleum gas prices\n  rose 10.1 pct last month after a 5.0 pct January rise and were\n  41.0 pct below prices a year earlier, the department said.\n      Residual fuel prices rose 16.7 pct in February after a 13.4\n  pct rise a month earlier and were off 17.4 pct in 12 months.\n      Electric power prices fell 0.3 pct last month, after a 1.3\n  pct January decline, and were down 3.6 pct from a year ago.\n      Crude oil prices rose 4.4 pct in February, after a 19.7 pct\n  January rise and were off 21.3 pct from the year ago level.\n      Prices of natural gas at the wellhead rose 1.8 pct in\n  February after rising 4.2 pct a month earlier and were 14.8 pct\n  lower than they were 12 months earlier, the department said.\n      Coal costs were down 0.3 pct last month after rising 0.4\n  pct in January and were down 0.8 pct from a year ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"WEYERHAEUSER SAID IT SEES SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN EARNINGS IN 1987\n","article":"\n  WEYERHAEUSER SAID IT SEES SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN EARNINGS IN 1987\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"VARITY EXPECTS TO REPORT 4TH QTR AND FULL-YEAR 1986 LOSS\n","article":"\n  VARITY EXPECTS TO REPORT 4TH QTR AND FULL-YEAR 1986 LOSS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AFTER G-6, ROUND ONE GOES TO CENTRAL BANKS\n","article":"  Central banks have easily beaten back\n  the foreign exchange market's first test of the industrialized\n  nations' recent pact to stabilize currencies, analysts said.\n      In active trading this week, the market pushed the dollar,\n  sterling, the Canadian dollar and Australian dollar higher. But\n  operators got their fingers burned as one by one the central\n  banks signalled their displeasure.\n      \"So far G-6 has been a roaring success,\"said James O'Neill,\n  financial markets economist at Marine Midland Bank NA.\n      \"The central banks are sending strong signals that they\n  won't tolerate any kind of momentum building behind\n  currencies,\" added a senior corporate trader at one U.K. bank.\n      On February 22, the finance ministers and central bank\n  governors of the U.S., Japan, West Germany, France and the U.K.\n  -- the Group of Five -- plus Canada, signed an accord under\n  which they agreed to cooperate closely to foster stability of\n  exchange rates around prevailing levels.\n      The agreement was viewed by many in the market as an\n  attempt to put a floor under the dollar after its sizeable\n  two-year decline against major world currencies.\n      And initially, traders indicated their respect for the\n  accord by refraining from pushing the dollar lower.\n      But by Wednesday, the dollar climbed to more than 1.87\n  marks, about five pfennigs above its levels the Friday before\n  the G-6 accord.\n      The move was aided by indications that the U.S. economy\n  picked up steam in February at the same time as the West German\n  economy was regressing.\n      But dealers said the Federal Reserve Bank of New York gave\n  traders a sharp reminder that the G-6 pact had encompassed the\n  idea of limiting inordinate dollar gains as well as declines.\n      Dealers differed as to whether the U.S. central bank\n  actually intervened to sell dollars above 1.87 marks, or simply\n  telephoned dealers to ask for quotes and enquire about trading\n  conditions.\n      But the dollar quickly backed off. It hovered today around\n  1.85 marks. \"The market was surprised that the Fed showed its\n  face so soon,\" said Marine Midland NA's O'Neill.\n      Also on Wednesday, London dealers said the Bank of England\n  intervened in the open market to sell sterling as the U.K.\n  currency rose to 1.60 dlrs compared with 1.5355 dlrs before the\n  G-6 pact.\n      Sterling, along with the other high-yield currencies like\n  the Australian dollar and Canadian dollar, was in favor after\n  traders surmised that the the chance of intervention pursuant\n  to the Paris currency accord left limited room for profit plays\n  on dollar\/mark and dollar\/yen.\n      The pound also was boosted by suggestions of an improving\n  U.K. economy, anticipation of a popular British budget on March\n  17 and public opinion polls showing good chances for the\n  incumbent Conservative party in any general election.\n      \"There was a real run on sterling,\" said Anne Mills of\n  Shearson Lehman Brothers Inc.\n      Sterling traded today around 1.5750 dlrs, down from 1.5870\n  dlrs last night. It slid to 2.917 marks from 2.950 yesterday\n  and from a peak of about 2.98 recently. \"There's been some\n  heavy profit-taking on sterling\/mark ahead of next Tuesday's\n  U.K. budget,\" said James McGroarty of Discount Corp.\n      As speculators detected the presence of the U.S. and\n  British central banks, they acclerated their shift into\n  Canadian and Australian dollars. But here too they were\n  stymied. The Bank of Canada acted to slow its currency's rise.\n      The Canadian dollar traded at 1.3218\/23 per U.S. dollar\n  today, down from 1.3185\/90 yesterday.\n      And the Australian Reserve Bank, using the Fed as agent,\n  sold Australian dollars in the U.S. yesterday, dealers said.\n      The Australian dollar fell to a low of 67.45\/55 U.S. cents\n  today from a high of 69.02 Thursday.\n      Analysts said the central banks' moves to stifle sudden\n  upward movement, leave the market uncertain about its next\n  step. Today, the focus shifted to the yen which has held to a\n  very tight range against the dollar for several months.\n      The dollar fell to 152.35\/40 yen from 153.35\/40 last night.\n  Analysts said the yen also gained as traders unwound long\n  sterling\/short mark positions established lately.\n      \"Because of the change in perceptions about the health of\n  the German economy, the funds from those unwinding operations\n  are ending up in yen,\" a dealer at one U.K. bank said.\n      Recent West German data have shown falling industry orders,\n  lower industrial output and slowing employment gains.\n      Moreover, the yen is benefitting as Japanese entities who\n  have invested heavily overseas, for example in Australian\n  financial instruments, repatriate their profits ahead of the\n  end of the Japanese fiscal year on March 31.\n      Noting that the dollar\/yen rate is in a sense the most\n  controversial one because of the large U.S. trade deficit with\n  Japan, analysts said the stage could be set for another test of\n  the dollar's downward scope against the Japanese currency.\n      In its latest review of the foreign exchange market through\n  the end of January, the Federal Reserve revealed that it\n  intervened to protect the dollar against the yen on January 28.\n  On that day, the dollar fell as low as 150.40 yen.\n      \"Sure, the Fed bought dollars near the 150 yen level in\n  January. But the market has to bear in mind that time marches\n  on and the situation changes,\" said McGroarty of Discount.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WEYERHAEUSER <WY> SEES HIGHER 1987 EARNINGS\n","article":"  Weyerhaeuser Co said it should\n  have significant increases in earnings in 1987 and 1988 should\n  be another very good year.\n      Weyerhaeuser reported 1986 earnings of 276.7 mln dlrs, or\n  1.91 dlrs per share, on 5.65 billion dlrs in revenues.\n      Anticipated improved cash flows will allow the company to\n  invest and acquire much more aggressively than it has in the\n  past few years, Weyerhaeuser also said.\n      Weyerhaeuser, principally a lumber products company, said\n  the forecast was made by the company's chief financial officer\n  during a meeting of institutional investors in Tokyo.\n      It also said its expects to see opportunities in the\n  building products area, particularly in composite panels and in\n  other engineered products directed toward specific, rather than\n  commodity, end-use markets.\n      But it said growth may be higher in added-value products,\n  in financial services and in other diversified businesses.\n      In addition, the company said rising product prices and\n  demand for pulp and paper are reflected in all the major world\n  markets, except in the case of some light-weighted paper grades\n  where overcapacity remains a problem.\n      Weyerhaeuser further stated that it has lowered its\n  manufacturing cost structure and is obtaining significant\n  productivity increases.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"LDBRINKMAN CORP <LDBC> 2ND QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss seven cts vs profit 12 cts\n      Net loss 662,000 vs profit 1,520,000\n      Revs 59.1 mln vs 63.1 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr profit 23 cts vs profit 20 cts\n      Net profit 2,802,000 vs profit 2,543,000\n      Revs 138.5 mln vs 126.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"ACS ENTERPRISES INC <ACSE> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss two cts vs profit three cts\n      Net loss 80,333 vs profit 67,967\n      Revs 1,162,678 vs 1,009,731\n      Avg shrs 3,317,104 vs 2,494.049\n      year\n      Shr loss 21 cts vs profit four cts\n      Net loss 679,520 vs profit 96,724\n      Revs 4,191,540 vs 4,702,999\n      Avg shrs 3,242,641 vs 2,525,677\n      NOTES: Revenues exclude hospital television rental business\n  sold Dec 29, 1986\n      1986 losses in both periods include gain of 530,000 dlrs on\n  sale of discontinued business\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TONY LAMA <TLAM> TO BUY <COULSON OF TEXAS INC>\n","article":"  Tony Lama Co Inc said it signed\n  a letter of intent to buy Coulson of Texas Inc, a maker of\n  heels and leather components.\n      The company said exact terms of the deal have not been\n  determined but that it does not expect the acquisition to have\n  a material effect on its financial position.\n      In addition to buying substantially of all Coulson's\n  assets, Tony Lama said it would assume certain of the company's\n  liabilities.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TO-FITNESS INC <TFIT> YEAR DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 89 cts vs loss 21 cts\n      Net loss 3,030,548 vs loss 548,442\n      Revs 1,519,360 vs 1,081,915\n      Avg shrs 3,399,993 vs 2,725,425\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<FRANKLIN CALIFORNIA TAX-FREE INCOME FUND>PAYOUT\n","article":"  Mthly div 4.5 cts vs 4.5 cts prior\n      Pay March 13\n      Record March Two\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TRIBUNE <TRB> COMPLETES CABLE SYSTEM SALE\n","article":"  Tribune Co said it completed the sale\n  of the Danville, Va., cable television system to Cablevision\n  Industries Ltd Partnership, affiliated with Cablevision\n  Industries Inc of Liberty, N.Y.\n      It said the Danville system was one of two systems acquired\n  by Tribune on September 30, 1986 as part of its purchase of The\n  Daily Press Inc, publisher of the Newport News Daily Press and\n  The Times-Herald. Agreements to sell both systems for a total\n  of 100 mln dlrs were reached in October.\n      Sale of the Newport News system was completed in December.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GTE <GTE> UNIT TO SELL INFORTEXT PRODUCTS\n","article":"  Infortext Systems Inc said it\n  finalized a two-year agreement under which GTE Services Corp\n  and eight affiliates will sell Infortext's line of personal\n  computer-based telephone call accounting systems.\n      GTE Services, a unit of GTE Corp, evaluated 23 competitive\n  call accounting systems, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SHEPPARD RESOURCES TO MERGE WITH CANCER CLINIC\n","article":"  Sheppard Resources Inc\n  said it signed a letter of intent to merge with Breast Centers\n  Inc, an owner, operator and franchiser of clinics that provide\n  services for the early detection of breast cancer.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      After the merger, Breast Centers shareholders would become\n  the majority shareholders of the combined company.\n      Also, if approved, Sheppard will change its name to Breast\n  Centers.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRSTIER INC <FRST> SETS REGULAR QUARTERLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 27.5 cts vs 27.5 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 25\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ZONDERVAN CORP <ZOND> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit nil vs profit 38 cts\n      Net profit 19,000 vs profit 1,239,000\n      Revs 31.7 mln vs 31.2 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr profit 52 cts vs loss three cts\n      Net profit 2,173,000 vs loss 119,000\n      Revs 103.5 mln vs 98.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNIBANCORP INC <UBCP> REGULAR DIVIDEND SET\n","article":"  Qtly div 20 cts vs 20 cts previously\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 23\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SECOND NATIONAL BUILDING <SNBL> RAISES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtrly seven cts vs six cts\n      Pay April 20\n      Record March 31\n      NOTE: full name of company is Second National Building and\n  Loan.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BROADVIEW FINANCIAL CORP <BDVF> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 5.67 dlrs vs loss 5.17 dlrs\n      Net loss 17 mln vs loss 15.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 12.42 dlrs vs loss 9.60 dlrs\n      Net loss 37.0 mln vs loss 28.5 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 4th qtr and year net includes 11.9 mln dlr and\n  43.8 mln dlr provision, respectively, for possible land and\n  real estate losses. 1985 4th qtr and year net includes 5.1 mln\n  dlr and 13.4 mln dlr provision, respectively, for possible\n  losses.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<FRANKLIN AGE HIGH INCOME FUND> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Mthly div 3.6 cts vs 3.6 cts prior\n      Pay March 13\n      Record March Two\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ENZO BIOCHEM INC <ENZO> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr one ct vs three cts\n      Net 123,000 vs 371,000\n      Revs 2,944,000 vs 2,138,000\n      Avg shrs 11.4 mln vs 11.6 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr five cts vs six cts\n      Net 531,000 vs 725,000\n      Revs 6,200,000 vs 4,128,000\n      Avg shrs 11.4 mln vs 11.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TENDER FOR ALLEGHENY INT'L <AG> UNDERWAY\n","article":"  First Boston Inc's <FBC> Sunter\n  Acquisition Corp said it began its previously announced 24.60\n  dlr per share tender offer for Allegheny International Inc's\n  common stock.\n      The company is also offering 20 dlrs for each 2.19 dlr\n  cumulative preferred share, and 87.50 dlrs for each share of\n  11.25 dlr convertible preferred stock.\n      The company said the offer and withdrawal rights will\n  expire at midnight April nine unless extended.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"VARITY <VAT> EXPECTS 4TH QTR, FULL-YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Varity Corp, formerly Massey-Ferguson\n  Ltd, said it expected to report on March 25 a loss for the\n  fourth quarter and full-year ended January 31.\n      A company spokesman said specific figures were unavailable.\n      Varity posted a net profit of 3.9 mln U.S. dlrs for the\n  previous fiscal year ended January 31, 1986 and a 3.3 mln dlr\n  net profit for the previous fourth quarter. Its net loss for\n  the nine months ended October 31 totaled 4.7 mln dlrs after a\n  19.7 mln dlr third quarter loss tied to strikes and plant\n  shutdowns at its British and French operations.\n      Varity also said it would seek shareholder approval at a\n  special shareholders' meeting on April 9 to authorize a\n  transfer of values to the contributed surplus account on its\n  balance sheet from the stated capital account for common\n  shares.\n      The spokesman said the move would help raise company values\n  required to pay dividends under Canadian law.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CABLEVISION TO BUY VALLEY CABLE FOR 100 MLN DLR\n","article":"  <Cablevision Industries Corp>\n  said its Cablevision Industries of California Inc subsidiary\n  has entered into an agreement to buy substantially all of the\n  assets of Valley Cable TV for about 100 mln dlrs.\n      The company said it will buy the system from a California\n  limited partnership, which is wholly-owned by Toronto-based\n  <Hollinger Inc>.\n      It said Valley Cable operates a 60,000 subscriber cable\n  television systems passing about 180,000 homes in the west San\n  Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles.\n      Cablevision said it is the nation's 21st largest cable\n  company and is ownnd by Alan Gerry, its chairman, president and\n  chief executive officer. The company said the agreement is\n  subject to regulatory approval.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<ANTHES INDUSTRIES INC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 16 cts vs nine cts\n      Oper net 2,281,000 vs 1,319,000\n      Revs not given\n      Year\n      Oper shr 13 cts vs six cts\n      Oper net 2,635,000 vs 1,775,000\n      Revs 31.9 mln vs 31.7 mln\n      Note: 1986 qtr excludes extraordinary loss of 1,155,000\n  dlrs or nine cts share, versus gain of 607,000 dlrs or five cts\n  shr\n      Note continued: 1986 year excludes extraordinary loss of\n  3,101,000 dlrs or 25 cts share, versus extraordinary loss of\n  265,000 dlrs or two cts share\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BORG-WARNER <BOR> BOARD OKS SALE OF UNIT\n","article":"  Borg-Warner Corp said its directors\n  approved the sale, for about 240 mln dlrs, of its industrial\n  products division to a New York-based private investment firm,\n  Clayton and Dubilier Inc, and senior management of the group.\n      Yesterday, the company said it agreed to sell the division,\n  which has annual sales of about 300 mln dlrs and is based in\n  Long Beach, California.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<AUTREX INC> 1ST QTR JANUARY 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr one cts vs two cts\n      Net 50,000 vs 58,000\n      Revs 467,000 vs 760,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOUTHAM UNIT ACQUIRES WINNIPEG COMMUNITY PAPERS\n","article":"  <Southam Inc> said its Flyer Force unit\n  acquired three community newspapers in Winnipeg with a combined\n  circulation of 65,000 for undisclosed terms.\n      Southam said the newspapers, The Herald, The Lance and\n  Metro One, will be printed at its Canadian Publishers division\n  in Winnipeg.\n      Flyer Force intends to expand distribution of the\n  newspapers to begin improved service to the Winnipeg market,\n  Southam said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MLX CORP <MLXX> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 12 cts vs profit one ct\n      Net loss 1,815,000 vs profit 65,000\n      Revs 59.9 mln vs 2,798,000\n      Avg shrs 15.8 mln vs 9,775,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 11 cts vs loss three cts\n      Net loss 1,217,000 vs loss 324,000\n      Revs 83.3 mln vs 3,195,000\n      Avg shrs 11.2 mln vs 9,775,000\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.S. CONSERVATION FIGURES SEEN NEUTRAL\/BEARISH\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA)\n  figures for highly-erodible land enrolled into the Conservation\n  Reserve Program were regarded by most grain analysts as neutral\n  to bearish, although some said a full state-by-state breakdown\n  would be needed to assess the full price impact.\n      \"Out of 10.5 mln acres only 1.9 mln acres were accepted in\n  corn -- That's neutral at best and perhaps bearish to what the\n  trade was looking for,\" Dale Gustafson of Drexel Burnham\n  Lambert said.\n      The USDA said it had accepted 10,572,402 more acres into\n  the conservation program out of bids on a total of 11,254,837\n  acres.\n      Gustafson said he would not be changing his estimate of\n  planted acreage for corn as a result of the latest figures, but\n  some other analysts said they would adjust their estimates\n  slightly. The USDA is due to release planting intentions\n  figures March 31.\n      Indications of a heavy sign-up in the conservation program\n  recently lowered most trade estimates of corn planted acreage\n  to 63.0 to 67.0 mln acres from 67.0 to 69.0 mln.\n      Richard Loewy, analyst with Prudential Bache Securities,\n  said there was not enough information to completely assess the\n  conservation figures. \"The 1.9 mln acres on corn is certainly\n  disappointing,\" he added.\n      The USDA later released the state-by-state breakdown of the\n  enrollment figures.\n      Loewy said the initial figures appeared to be negative for\n  both new crop corn and soybeans, and might possibly mean an\n  upward adjustment in planting intention figures.\n      Asked about the impact on the flow of generic certificates\n  onto the market this spring, he said: \"The trade was definitely\n  looking higher, so certificates are going to be less than\n  expected.\"\n      The USDA offered a special corn \"bonus\" rental payment to\n  the farmers to be paid in generic certificates. The bonus\n  amounts to two dlrs per bushel, based on the farm program\n  payment yield for corn, for each acre of corn accepted into the\n  reserve.\n      Katharina Zimmer, analyst for Merrill Lynch Futures, said\n  the conservation sign-up was slightly higher than she had\n  expected, although she noted that some trade expectations were\n  considerably higher than the actual figures.\n      \"I think it is friendly for the market, at least in the\n  long run,\" she said.\n      Susan Hackmann of AgriAnalysis said there was some\n  confusion over whether trade ideas of an enrollment figure\n  between 15 and 18 mln acres referred to the total sign-up or\n  the latest addition.\n      \"It seems the trade was looking for more acres to be bid\n  into the program,\" she said.\n      Hackmann said she would not make much change to her ideas\n  about corn planting figures as a result of the conservation\n  sign-up. She added that while some trade guesses were as low as\n  61 mln acres, she was looking for corn plantings to be in the\n  high 60's.\n      Zimmer of Merrill Lynch said she would be making a slight\n  reduction of about one mln acres in her planting estimate to\n  around 64 mln acres.\n      New crop corn prices at the Chicago Board of Trade firmed\n  earlier this week on ideas of a large sign-up in the program,\n  despite the fact that acres enrolled are generally poor\n  yielding and not likely to make a substantial difference to\n  final production figures.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PETRO-CANADA CUT CRUDE PRICES BY 1.43 CANADIAN DLRS\/BBL EFFECTIVE MARCH ONE\n","article":"\n  PETRO-CANADA CUT CRUDE PRICES BY 1.43 CANADIAN DLRS\/BBL EFFECTIVE MARCH ONE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FOREST CITY <FECA> COMPLETES SALE\n","article":"  Forest City Enterprises Inc said it\n  completed the previously announced sale of assets of its retail\n  store division, excluding real estate, to Handy Andy Home\n  Improvement Centers Inc, a private Gurnee, Ill., firm.\n      The sale is for cash and notes but exact terms were not\n  disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MINN. BANK, OKLA. THRIFT ACTIONS TAKEN\n","article":"  Beaver Creek State Bank in Beaver\n  Creek, Minn., failed and the bank's insured assets were\n  transferred to Citizens State Bank of Silver Lake, Minn., the\n  Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said.\n      Separately, the Federal Home Loan Bank Board said Victor\n  Federal Savings and Loan Association of Muskogee, Okla., was\n  placed into receivership.\n      Beaver Creek's two offices will re-open as branches of\n  Citizens on Monday.\n      The transfer was arranged because there were no bids to buy\n  Beaver Creek, the FDIC said.\n      Citizens will pay a premium of 30,000 dlrs  to the FDIC and\n  purchase Beaver Creek's assets for 5.3 mln dlrs.\n      It was the 43rd bank failure in the nation this year.\n      The FHLBB said Victor Federal Savings was insolvent and its\n  assets were transferred to a newly chartered federal mutual\n  association with directors named by the FHLBB.\n      Victor was a stock association with 564 mln dlrs in assets.\n      The new association is to be known as Victor Savings and\n  Loan Association and its assets continue to be insured by the\n  Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corp, the FHLBB said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LIFESTYLE RESTAURANTS <LIF> ADJUSTS REVENUES\n","article":"  Lifestyle Restaurants Inc said\n  revenues for the first quarter ended January 24, 1985, were\n  17.5 mln dlrs and not the 17.8 mln dlrs it had reported\n  earlier.\n      The company also said a note attached to its earnings\n  concerning a gain in 1986 on certain sales was incorrect and\n  should be disregarded.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. SAYS CANADA COMPLYING WITH LUMBER PACT\n","article":"  The Commerce Department said that\n  all Canadian firms had begun to pay an agreed to 15 pct\n  surcharge on softwood shipped to U.S. markets.\n      It made the statement after talks with Canadian officials\n  about press reports and speculation in Canada that some\n  exporters were not paying the charge.\n      Canada and the United States agreed last December to the 15\n  pct charge, ending a lengthy trade dispute over alleged\n  Canadian subsidies to Canada's softwood exporters.\n      Commerce officials would not say if they found any Canadian\n  companies had been evading the charge, but that following the\n  talks they were convinced all exporters were complying with the\n  agreement.\n      Undersecretary of Commerce Bruce Smart said \"We are\n  gratified to learn that companies in Canada have begun paying\n  the export charge on lumber.\"\n      He added the agreement was important to the health of the\n  U.S. lumber industry and he intended to see that it was fully\n  carried out.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PDVSA TO SIGN CHAMPLIN REFINERY DEAL MARCH 17\n","article":"  Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. said it\n  will sign a contract March 17 to buy a half interest in a\n  Corpus Christi, Texas refinery and related operations.\n      The contract, to be signed by PDVSA and Champlin\n  Petroleum's parent company, the Union Pacific Corp, will create\n  a new joint venture called Champlin Refining.\n      The state oil company said PDVSA will pay on the order of\n  30 mln dlrs for the half interest in Champlin.\n       Energy minister Arturo Hernandez Grisanti said Wednesday\n  the cost would be 33 mln dlrs in cash, plus an additional 60\n  mln in crude and refined oil shipments.\n      PDVSA and Union Pacific have sought a line of credit from a\n  group of North American and Japanese banks to finance the new\n  company's working capital, the Venezuelan company said.\n      Under the deal, PDVSA will supply up to 140,000 barrels a\n  day to the refinery with the option to place 50,000 bpd more -\n  mostly gasoline and distillates - through Champlin's\n  distribution system in 10 U.S. states.\n      The new company will be directed by a six-member board,\n  with three representatives each from PDVSA and Union Pacific.\n      According to PDVSA, Venezuelans will occupy such key\n  positions such as treasurer and vice-president for\n  manufacturing.\n      The total capacity of the Champlin refinery is 160,000 bpd\n  of crudes and another 40,000 bpd of intermediates. The plant\n  will be able to handle 110,000 bpd of Venezuelan heavy crudes,\n  which make up more than half of the country's crude oil\n  exports.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTOR DISAPPOINTED AT CAESARS <CAW> RESPONSE\n","article":"  Investor Martin Sosnoff said in a\n  statement that he was disappointed in Caesars World Inc's\n  response to his 28 dlrs a share offer to buy the company.\n      The company had said the offer was inadequate and that it\n  was exploring restructuring or sale of the company to another\n  party.\n      Sosnoff said he believes the offer is fair to all\n  shareholders. \"My primary desire is still to sit down with\n  management to negotiate a friendly acquisition,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"VENEZUELA TO LEND UP TO 12.5 MLN BARRELS OF OIL\n","article":"  Venezuela will lend Ecuador up to 12.5\n  mln barrels of crude oil to help it meet its export commitments\n  and its domestic energy demand, Ecuadorean Energy and Mines\n  Minister Javier Espinosa said today in a statement.\n      Ecuador was forced to suspend exports after the pipeline\n  connecting its jungle oil fields with the Pacific Ocean port of\n  Balao was damaged last week by an earthquake.\n      Venezuela would lend 50,000 barrels per day of crude for a\n  total of up to to 7.5 mln barrels to help Ecuador meet export\n  commitments, Espinosa said. Also, Venezuela will sell the crude\n  and provide the foreign exchange earnings to Ecuador, he said.\n       Ecuador would repay Venezuela in crude once it resumed its\n  exports after repairing its pipeline to Balao, a task that\n  would take an estimated five  months.\n      Venezuela is lending Ecuador five mln barrels of crude for\n  refining in this country to meet domestic demand. Ecuador would\n  repay that loan with crude once the oil pipeline is repaired.\n      Both countries are the only Latin American members of the\n  Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).\n      Ecuador was exporting about 140,000 bpd before the\n  earthquake, Energy Ministry officials said. Its total output\n  was around 260,000 bpd.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PDVSA TO SIGN CHAMPLIN REFINERY DEAL MARCH 17\n","article":"  Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. said it\n  will sign a contract March 17 to buy a half interest in a\n  Corpus Christi, Texas refinery and related operations.\n      The contract, to be signed by PDVSA and Champlin\n  Petroleum's parent company, the Union Pacific Corp <UNP>, will\n  create a new joint venture called Champlin Refining.\n      The state oil company said PDVSA will pay on the order of\n  30 mln dlrs for the half interest in Champlin.\n       Energy minister Arturo Hernandez Grisanti said Wednesday\n  the cost would be 33 mln dlrs in cash, plus an additional 60\n  mln in crude and refined oil shipments.\n      PDVSA and Union Pacific have sought a line of credit from a\n  group of North American and Japanese banks to finance the new\n  company's working capital, the Venezuelan company said.\n      Under the deal, PDVSA will supply up to 140,000 barrels a\n  day to the refinery with the option to place 50,000 bpd more -\n  mostly gasoline and distillates - through Champlin's\n  distribution system in 10 U.S. states.\n      The new company will be directed by a six-member board,\n  with three representatives each from PDVSA and Union Pacific.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<FRANKLIN FEDERAL TAX-FREE INCOME FUND> PAYOUT\n","article":"  Mthly div 7.7 cts vs 7.7 cts prior\n      Pay March 13\n      Record March Two\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PRATT <PRAT> OFFER FOR RESORTS <RT> EXPIRES\n","article":"  PH Acquisition Co, a unit of Pratt Hotel\n  Corp, said its 135 mln dlrs per share tender offer for all\n  shares of Class B common stock of Resorts INternational Inc\n  expired.\n      As of today, about 45,690 shares were tendered, an\n  insufficient number of shares to satisfy the condition that 51\n  pct of the voting power be tendered.\n      Earlier this week, New yOrk developer Donald Trump made a\n  competing bid for the class B shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SAUDIS DROP CONDITION FOR OIL SALE TO BRAZIL\n","article":"  Saudi Arabia has dropped its\n  condition that Brazil secure international bank guarantees\n  before Saudia Arabia would ship it oil, the state-oil company,\n  Petrobras, said in a statement.\n      Petrobras said the Saudis will accept Banco do Brasil\n  credit guarantees.\n      Petrobras cancelled a 40-mln dlr crude oil purchase from\n  the Saudis yesterday after they refused to accept a letter of\n  credit from the official Bank of Brazil. The Saudis had\n  demanded that Brazil get credit guarantees from leading\n  international banks.\n      Petrobras said the Saudis had been advised that if they did\n  not change their mind by Monday, Petrobras would negotiate the\n  purchase of oil with other producers.\n      The Petrobras statement said the shipment of 2.2 mln\n  barrels will be made by the Saudis on March 24 as scheduled.\n      The shipment is part contract signed in February for the\n  Saudis to supply Brazil with 125,000 barrels per day until\n  June.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SAUDI ARABIA DECIDES TO ACCEPT BRAZIL CREDIT\n","article":"  Saudi Arabia has lifted the\n  condition it imposed on the sale of oil to Brazil and will\n  accept Banco do Brasil's credit guarantees, state-oil company\n  Petrobras said in a statement.\n      Petrobras cancelled a 40 mln dlr crude oil purchase from\n  the Saudis yesterday, after they refused to accept a letter of\n  credit from the Bank of Brazil, demanding guarantees from\n  leading international banks.\n      It advised the Saudis the company would negotiate oil\n  purchases elsewhere unless they changed their mind by Monday.\n      The 2.2 mln barrels shipment will be made by the Saudis on\n  March 24 as scheduled, the statement said.\n      Under a 125,000 bpd contract signed in February the Saudis\n  agreed to supply oil to Brazil until June.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MICRON TECHNOLOGY <DRAM> SEES 2ND QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Micron Technology Inc said it\n  expects to record a net loss of about 11 mln dlrs in the second\n  quarter compared to a loss of 9.7 mln dlrs in the first quarter\n  and 9.8 mln dlrs in the year-ago second quarter.\n      Revenues in the quarter ended March five increased to about\n  20.4 mln dlrs from 18.8 mln in the preceeding quarter and 9.4\n  mln dlrs in the year-ago quarter.\n      The company makes semiconductors, memory components and\n  related products.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TRADING RANGE LIKELY TO CONTINUE IN DEBT FUTURES\n","article":"  U.S. economic data due out next week is\n  unlikely to hold any surprises that will shake U.S. interest\n  rate futures out of their relatively narrow trading range of\n  the last 3-1\/2 months, financial analysts said.\n      \"People don't seem to have any firm conviction about the\n  current strength of the economy or about the Federal Reserve\n  doing anything,\" said Drexel Burnham Lambert analyst Norman\n  Mains.\n      The narrow range trading is also taking its toll on trading\n  volume, he noted. \"We've had a decline in activity as recent\n  economic statistics have not greatly changed people's\n  viewpoints on interest rates,\" Mains said.\n      The data, which has provided not clear-cut view of the\n  economy, coupled with dampened activity in the foreign exchange\n  markets after the Paris initiative has made for \"less than\n  ebullient market action,\" Mains said.\n      He added, however, that Treasury bond futures could be in\n  for a retracement after the recent rise as they are near the\n  top of the trading range.\n      \"My view is that the economy remains relatively strong and\n  market participants will see that current prices are\n  unjustified,\" Mains said.\n      Refco Inc senior vice president Michael Connery also noted\n  that the market is showing very little momentum and lacks\n  retail interest. \"All of the movement occurs at the opening,\"\n  afterwhich volume dwindles and momentum fades, Connery said.\n      Although data during the week was mildly positive for bond\n  prices, the small rise in February producer prices and downward\n  revisions in January retail sales and industrial production\n  were \"not real exciting,\" said Prudential Bache analyst Fred\n  Leiner.\n      \"There is no one factor that will push us through the highs\n  at this moment,\" Leiner said.\n      Next week's revision to fourth quarter U.S. Gross national\n  Product is also likely to be of little interest to the market,\n  said Kleinwort Benson chief financial economist Sam Kahan.\n  Still, forecasts for first quarter GNP could play a role in the\n  direction of bond prices over the next month.\n      Kahan said his early estimate for first quarter growth is\n  around three pct, due largely to a buildup in inventories\n  reflected in the January inventory data Friday, which showed\n  the largest increase since 1979.\n      \"The key question will be not whether there is a large\n  increase in first quarter GNP, but whether any increase is\n  sustainable or a one shot deal,\" Kahan said.\n      He said that a sizable increase in first quarter GNP\n  stemming from an increase in inventories will be a drag on\n  second quarter growth.\n      If that is the case, GNP in the second quarter could ease\n  back to a one to two pct growth rate, Kahan said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<AGRA INDUSTRIES LTD> SIX MTHS JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 35 cts vs 34 cts\n      Oper net 2,313,000 vs 1,646,000\n      Revs 100.1 mln vs 77.3 mln\n      Note: 1986 net excludes extraordinary loss of 294,000 dlrs\n  or four cts vs shr vs yr-ago loss of 579,000 dlrs or 12 cts\n  shr. 1986 net includes non-cash loss of 1,436,000 dlrs or 22\n  cts shr vs yr-ago loss of 1,922,000 dlrs or 39 cts shr from\n  depreciation and amortization allowances on U.S. cable TV\n  operation.\n      Fewer shrs outstanding.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<FRANKLIN NEW YORK TAX-FREE INCOME FUND> PAYOUT\n","article":"  Mthly div 7.3 cts vs 7.3 cts prior\n      Pay March 13\n      Record March Two\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":" U.S. SAYS CANADA COMPLYING WITH LUMBER PACT\n","article":"  The Commerce Department said all\n  Canadian firms have begun to pay an agreed 15 pct surcharge on\n  softwood shipped to U.S. markets.\n      It made the statement after talks with Canadian officials\n  about rumors in Canada that some exporters were not paying the\n  charge.\n      Canada and the U.S. agreed last December to the 15 pct\n  charge, ending a lengthy trade dispute over alleged Canadian\n  subsidies to Canada's softwood exporters.\n      Commerce officials declined to say if any Canadian\n  companies had been evading the charge, but said following the\n  talks they were convinced all exporters were complying with the\n  agreement.\n      Undersecretary of Commerce Bruce Smart said \"We are\n  gratified to learn that companies in Canada have begun paying\n  the export charge on lumber.\"\n      He added the agreement was important to the health of the\n  U.S. lumber industry and he intended to see that it was fully\n  carried out.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NO HEAVY COFFEE EXPORT IMPLIED-COLOMBIA OFFICIAL\n","article":"  A decision by Colombia to open coffee\n  export registrations for an unlimited amount does not imply the\n  country will heavily sell coffee until recently withheld,\n  Gilberto Arango, president of the private exporters'\n  association, told Reuters.\n      Colombia today opened export registrations for april and\n  may, with the National Coffee Growers' Federation setting no\n  limit.\n      Since the start of the coffee year last october, private\n  exporters were on average allowed 350,000 bags of 60 kilos per\n  month.\n      \"Traders will initially interpret this measure as announcing\n  heavy sales. Even today it pressured the market. But it will\n  quickly become apparent that Colombia does not intend to go\n  over the top,\" Arango said in an interview.\n      \"Colombia's marketing policy is to sell without haste but\n  consistently. No targets for volume will be set. We will react\n  to market factors adequately. Colombia has no intention to give\n  its coffee away,\" he added.\n      Arango described measures adopted here yesterday, including\n  a lower export registration price, as a major change in\n  Colombia's coffee marketing policy.\n      The export registration price, or reintegro, was lowered to\n  1.10 dlr per lb ex-dock new york, or 155.83 dlrs per bag of 70\n  kilos, from 1.35 dlrs (194.33 dlrs).\n      The government announced a more flexible policy of\n  reintegro, in order to closely reflect market trends, which\n  arango warmly welcomed saying private exporters will\n  undoubtedly be more actively present in the market.\n      A frequent gap between international market prices and the\n  reintegro was unlikely to recur, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GENEVA - negotiators at U.N. Conference agree basic elements in new rubber pact - chairman\n","article":"\n  GENEVA - negotiators at U.N. Conference agree basic elements in new rubber pact - chairman\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MAJOR DIFFERENCES RESOLVED AT RUBBER PACT TALKS\n","article":"  Negotiators at a United Nations\n  conference on a new International Natural Rubber Agreement\n  (INRA) have agreed on basic elements in a new pact, conference\n  chairman Manaspas Xuto said.\n      \"We have resolved major differences of opinion,\" he told\n  Reuters.\n      Xuto said the way is now cleared for drafting a new accord,\n  to replace the current one which expires in October.\n      Xuto said: \"I welcome the friendly and cooperative\n  atmosphere that has prevailed without interruption\" since the\n  talks began last Monday.\n      \"It is my hope that delegations will go back home and try to\n  ratify the new agreement,\" he added.\n      The renegotiation conference, under the auspices of the\n  U.N. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), is the\n  fourth such meeting in two years.\n      Xuto said producers and consumers had agreed on four\n  points:\n      1) Regular price reviews will be held every 15 months.\n      Previously consumers were proposing 12-month intervals\n  between price reviews instead of 18 in the current pact.\n      2) If the average of the daily market indicator prices over\n  six months prior to a review is below (or above) the lower\n  intervention price (or the upper intervention price), the\n  reference price will be automatically revised downwards (or\n  upwards) by five pct unless the International Natural Rubber\n  Organisation council decides on a higher percentage.\n      If buffer stock purchases or sales reach 300,000 tonnes,\n  the reference price will be lowered or raised by three pct\n  unless the council decides on a higher percentage.\n      3) If the buffer stock reaches 400,000 tonnes, the price at\n  which the additional contingency stock of 150,000 tonnes is\n  brought into operation will be two Malaysian\/Singapore cents\n  above the floor price -- or 152 cents.\n      4) The floor price will not be breached. Throughout the\n  talks producers had adamantly resisted a consumer proposal to\n  lower the floor price of 150 cents if the buffer stock,\n  currently 360,000 tonnes, rose to 450,000 tonnes.\n      The proposal, initiated by the U.S., Was withdrawn last\n  night, setting the stage for compromise.\n      Legal drafting of provisions will start next week and\n  formal adoption of the new accord by the 40 countries taking\n  part in the conference is expected to take place on March 20.\n      The current conference was widely seen as the last chance\n  to clinch a deal. Three previous attempts to negotiate a new\n  five- year pact had failed, the last round breaking down in\n  October over consumer demands for tighter controls of the\n  buffer stock.\n      The United States, Japan, West Germany, France, Italy and\n  Britain are the major consumers.\n      UNCTAD's latest estimates project an increase of 8.5 pct in\n  rubber prices this year and 4.1 pct in 1988.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<FRANKLIN U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND>PAYOUT\n","article":"  Mthly div six cts vs six cts prior\n      Pay March 13\n      Record March Two\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"S&L ACQUISITION RAISES U.S. 1987 TOLL TO 12\n","article":"  The Federal Home Loan Bank Board\n  (FHLBB) announced the acquisition of Home Savings and Loan\n  Association in Seattle, Washington, by InterWest Savings Bank\n  of Oak Harbour, Washington.\n      The FHLBB said Home Savings was the 12th troubled savings\n  institution requiring federal action this year.\n      It said Home Savings had assets of 150.6 mln dlrs in assets\n  and InterWest had assets of 342.9 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANGLADESH TO BUY 10,000 TONNES SOYABEAN OIL\n","article":"  Bangladesh floated an international\n  tender for the purchase of 10,000 tonnes of refined soyabean\n  oil for delivery at Chittagong\/Chalna port by April 24, Food\n  Ministry officials said.\n      The tender closes March 28 at 0500 GMT.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ECUADOR ADOPTS AUSTERITY PROGRAM\n","article":"  Ecuador announced an austerity program\n  and a price freeze on key consumer goods as a result of last\n  week's earthquake which killed at least 300 people.\n      Presidency Minister Patricio Quevedo said in a televised\n  address that the budget would be cut by five to 10 pct,\n  government hiring would be frozen and salaries of top\n  officials, including the president and cabinet, would be\n  reduced.\n      He also said a price freeze would be imposed on 20 basic\n  consumer items, mainly food staples, while the price of petrol\n  would rise by between 69 and 80 pct and bus fares would rise by\n  20 pct. Petrol supplies would also be limited.\n      Information Ministry officials said the price freeze was\n  aimed at protecting poor Ecuadoreans from a wave of\n  specualtion. Violators would be severely punished, according to\n  the price freeze order, signed by five cabinet ministers.\n      The items for which prices were frozen included rice,\n  sugar, cooking oil, potatoes, salt, wheat flour, cigarettes,\n  soft drinks, school supplies and several kinds of vegetables.\n      Ecuador's consumer price inflation was 23 pct in 1986.\n      The price of 92-octane petrol rises to 110 sucres a U.S.\n  Gallon from 65 sucres. Eighty-octane petrol increases to 90\n  sucres from 50.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SWEDISH TRADE SURPLUS RISES IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Sweden's trade surplus rose to 3.6\n  billion crowns in February from 1.5 billion in January and 3.48\n  billion in February 1986, the Central Bureau of Statistics\n  said.\n      The trade surplus for the first two months of the year rose\n  to 5.1 billion crowns from 4.9 billion in the corresponding\n  period of 1986.\n      The report said February imports stood at 20.1 billion\n  crowns while exports were 23.7 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"YUGOSLAV 1990 STEEL OUTPUT TO HIT 6.3 MLN TONNES\n","article":"  Yugoslavian steel output will rise by\n  one mln tonnes to 6.3 mln tonnes a year between 1986 and 1990\n  under a development program adopted by the Yugoslav Iron and\n  Steel Metallurgy Association, the official Tanjug news agency\n  said.\n      The association groups together the main Yugoslav iron and\n  steel enterprises.\n      Extraction of iron ore should show an annual growth rate of\n  nine pct and reach seven mln tonnes by 1990 under the program.\n  Iron output is planned to grow at eight pct a year, reaching\n  4.5 mln tonnes at the end of the decade.\n      Tanjug said the programme would create conditions for\n  raising exports of finished steel products.\n      The main Yugoslav steel producers plan to market 5.35 mln\n  tonnes of steel goods this year, or 150,000 tonnes more than\n  last year, with 1.5 mln tonnes going to export.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PECHINEY <PUKG.PA> SIGNS SOVIET PACKAGING ACCORDS\n","article":"  French state-owned aluminium and special\n  metals group Pechiney said it has signed two protocols of\n  intent to set up joint ventures with the Soviet Union.\n      Pechiney said in a statement one accord was to set up joint\n  ventures manufacturing aluminium packaging for food and\n  cosmetics, while another was to produce machinery to\n  manufacture packaging.\n      Under the latter, Pechiney, which does not manufacture\n  packaging equipment, will form and lead a consortium of yet\n  unspecified European partners, a spokesman said.\n      He said it was early to put figures on possible deals, or\n  outline what form joint ventures would take.\n      The statement said joint working groups for each accord had\n  a three-month deadline to come up with contract proposals.\n      No firm contracts have yet been finalised under new laws\n  enabling joint ventures, First Deputy Prime Minister and\n  Chairman of the State Agro-Industrial Committee (GOSAGROPROM)\n  Vsevolod Murakhovsky told journalists here on Wednesday.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"YUGOSLAVIAN OIL FIRM STARTS WORKING WITH FRENCH\n","article":"  Yugoslavia's top oil and natural gas\n  producer <Ina-Naftaplin> has started to implement a cooperation\n  contract signed last year with the French petrochemical concern\n  <Petro Chemie>, the official Tanjug news agency said.\n      Under the deal Petro Chemie supplies oil to Ina refineries\n  in Sisak and Rijeka and ships parts to 12 Yugoslav firms in the\n  petrochemical, chemical, textile and plastics industries. The\n  Yugoslav firms, in turn, will export oil products to France.\n      Tanjug said this year's exchange will value 530 mln dlrs.\n      Ina signed a similar deal with West Germany's Hoechst AG\n  <HFAG.F> two years ago.\n      Ina also has joint ventures and co-production projects,\n  involving Yugoslavia's other main producer <Naftagas> of Novi\n  Sad, with partners in Angola, Algeria and Tunisia, exploring\n  for and exploiting oil and natural gas.\n      An estimated 300,000 tonnes of oil will thus be obtained\n  from fields in Angola over the next 15 years, Tanjug said.\n      Ina accounts for some 75 pct of Yugoslavia's total oil\n  production, which amounts to 4.2 mln tonnes a year.\n      Ina earned more than 154 mln dlrs from exports of goods and\n  services to 39 countries last year and ranks among Yugoslavia's\n  leading export enterprises.\n      In a separate statement issued through Tanjug, Ina said it\n  has successfully completed the first drill at the depth of over\n  3,000 meters in the Bay of Baes, in Tunisia. Ina is jointly\n  prospecting with the U.S. Firm Conoco for oil and gas there.\n      Work on a second drill, below 4,000 meters, would start\n  soon in the Bay of Gabes, the statement said. Ina would invest\n  about 8.5 mln dlrs in prospecting in the Gabes area.\n      Conoco, which has completed geological prospecting for the\n  Tunisian government, has transferred one third of its option\n  rights in the region to Ina, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INDONESIA DENIES GIVING PALM OIL IMPORT LICENCES\n","article":"  Indonesia, the world's second largest\n  producer of palm oil, has not issued licences to import the\n  commodity, a spokesman for the Ministry of Trade said.\n      Traders in London said Indonesia has issued licences to\n  local operators to import around 135,000 tonnes of palm oil\n  starting in April, but the spokesman said this was incorrect.\n      A spokesman for the Indonesian Importers Association also\n  denied knowledge of the import plan. He said importers would\n  quickly know if licences were issued. The Trade Ministry\n  official said there was no sign of a palm oil shortage in\n  Indonesia.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"INDIA TO GET U.K. COAL, STEEL INDUSTRY GRANTS\n","article":"  India will get 104.65 mln stg as\n  grants from Britain to develop its coal, zinc and lead\n  industries, the British Information Services said in a\n  statement.\n      It said a 31 mln stg grant would be disbursed over three to\n  four years under an agreement signed here yesterday between the\n  Indian Finance Ministry and the British Overseas Development\n  Administration.\n      The British grants for developing the Indian coal industry\n  using British mechanised longwall technology totalled 52 mln\n  stg in the past 10 years, it said.\n      Under a separate agreement, the British government agreed\n  to provide 73.65 mln stg as a grant to develop a zinc and lead\n  mine at Rampura-Agucha and an associated smelting complex at\n  Chaneriya, both in India's northern state of Rajasthan, the\n  statement said.\n      The grant will finance the basic engineering for the\n  smelter complex to be undertaken by Britain's <Davy McKee> of\n  Stockton. It will also help develop the mine complex, it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"IRAN HAS ANTI-SHIP MISSILES NEAR GULF - PAPER\n","article":"  Iran has deployed about six large\n  missiles near the Strait of Hormuz which increase the threat to\n  shipping in the Gulf, the New York Times said.\n      The paper quoted U.S. Intelligence sources as saying the\n  missiles appeared to be of a Chinese design known as HY-2 which\n  is based on the Soviet SSN2 or Styx missile.\n      Styx missiles have a range of up to 50 miles.\n      It said the missiles had been deployed at two sites and\n  quoted a naval analyst as saying they could be used to sink a\n  supertanker and block the Strait of Hormuz.\n      Missiles now used by Iran had only a fraction of the\n  explosive power of the Styx and could sink a supertanker only\n  with a lucky hit, the paper said. None of the new missiles had\n  been fired yet, it added.\n      The CBS television network reported on Friday that Iran had\n  installed new missiles along the Gulf and said Washington had\n  warned Tehran not to use them against civilian shipping.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BRAZILIAN BANK WORKERS DECIDE ON NATIONAL STRIKE\n","article":"  Brazilian bank workers voted\n  to launch a nationwide strike this month, compounding labour\n  unrest arising from the failure of the government's\n  anti-inflation plan.\n      At a rally in this city, about 100 km northwest of Sao\n  Paulo, about 5,000 bank workers voted to strike on March 24\n  unless their demand for 100 pct pay rises is met.\n      Wilson Gomes de Moura, president of the national\n  confederation which groups the bank employees' 152 unions\n  representing 700,000 workers, told Reuters the indefinite\n  stoppage would affect all banks.\n      The vote came as a stoppage by seamen entered its third\n  week and as 55,000 oil workers threatened action against the\n  state-owned petroleum company Petrobras.\n      The government ordered thousands of troops into the\n  refineries on Tuesday to forestall any occupation, but the\n  troops were removed yesterday.\n      Petrobras said it had requested their withdrawal because\n  the refineries were calm and oil workers had indicated their\n  willingess to negotiate next Wednesday. The government has also\n  sent marines into the main ports.\n      A spokesman at strike headquarters for the seamen in Rio de\n  Janeiro said unions were studying an offer by private\n  shipowners for a 120 pct pay rise.\n      Seamen employed by two small companies have already\n  accepted a 120 pct pay rise and returned to work, as have about\n  5,000 seamen employed by Petrobras.\n      Last week also saw widespread protests by hundreds of\n  thousands of farmers over what they see as unfairly high\n  interest rates charged by banks.\n      According to official estimates, prices rose by more than\n  33 pct in the first two months of this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CANADA RULING ON U.S. CORN INJURY DUE THIS WEEK\n","article":"  The Canadian government is expected\n  to announce later this week its final ruling whether U.S. corn\n  exports to Canada have injured Ontario corn growers, U.S.\n  government and farm group representatives said.\n      The deadline for a final determination is March 7.\n      U.S. officials said they are encouraged by the outcome in a\n  similar case covering European pasta imports. In that case,\n  Canada decided pasta imports, which take about ten pct of the\n  Canadian market, did not injure domestic producers. U.S. corn\n  exports represent only about five pct of the Canadian market.\n      Canada slapped a 1.05 dlrs per bushel duty on U.S. corn\n  imports in November 1986, but reduced the duty to 85 cts last\n  month because the Canadian government said U.S. subsidies to \n  corn producers were less than Canada earlier estimated.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BALDRIGE WARNS OF WORLD TRADE WAR DANGER\n","article":"  U.S. Commerce Secretary Malcolm\n  Baldrige predicted Congress will pass a reasonable trade bill\n  this year and said tough protectionist legislation could prompt\n  a trade war.\n      \"The mood of the Congress right now is as tough on trade as\n  I've ever seen it in six years in Washington,\" Baldrige said in\n  a television interview.\n      \"I think we'll still be able to get a reasonable trade bill\n  out in spite of that because the whole Congress is trying to\n  work together with the administration, but there is a hardening\n  trade attitude,\" he said.\n      President Reagan opposes protectionist legislation, but\n  agreed to support a trade bill when it became apparent that\n  opposition Democrats would pass such legislation.\n      However, Baldrige warned measures that would penalise\n  trading partners such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan for\n  failing to cut their trade surpluses with the U.S. Could lead\n  to retaliation and he said he would urge Reagan to veto any\n  such bill.\n      When asked if there is a rising danger of a worldwide trade\n  war, Baldrige said: \"Yes, I don't think there's any question\n  about that.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DELORS QUOTED FAVOURING FRANCO-GERMAN BID FOR CGCT\n","article":"  European Commission President Jacques\n  Delors, quoted by Le Monde newspaper, said he favoured a\n  Franco-German candidate to take over <Cie Generale de\n  Constructions Telephoniques>, which has a 16 pct stake in the\n  French public telephone switching market.\n      \"I wish for a European solution ... That will enable Germany\n  and France to move closer together, which is currently\n  necessary,\" he was quoted as saying.\n      \"Given the situtation of the EC (European Community) and of\n  the importance for our future connunications audiences and of\n  cooperation already undertaken on the Community level, that\n  seems the best choice,\" Delors added.\n      Five groups, including an alliance between West Germany's\n  Siemens AG <SIEG.F> and France's Schneider S.A. <SCHN.PA>\n  subsidiary Jeumont-Schneider, have applied to buy what is\n  France's second largest telephone switching firm.\n      Under French privatisation law, foreign companies are\n  restricted to a 20 pct stake in privatised companies.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SAUDI OIL MINISTER FORESEES NO NEED FOR NEW OPEC MEASURES BEFORE JUNE 25\n","article":"\n  SAUDI OIL MINISTER FORESEES NO NEED FOR NEW OPEC MEASURES BEFORE JUNE 25\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SAUDI OIL MINISTER SEES NO NEED TO ALTER OPEC PACT\n","article":"  Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Hisham Nazer\n  said OPEC's December agreement to stabilise oil prices at 18\n  dlrs a barrel was being implemented satisfactorily and there\n  was no immediate need to change it.\n      Nazer, in an interview with Reuters and the television news\n  agency Visnews, said Saudi Arabia was producing around three\n  mln barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil, well below its OPEC\n  quota.\n      Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, will\n  continue to restrain production as long as other OPEC members\n  adhere to the pact, Nazer said.\n      The 13-nation OPEC agreed in December to cut its production\n  ceiling by 7.25 pct to 15.8 mln bpd and abide by fixed prices\n  averaging 18 dlrs a barrel from February 1.\n      Nazer, in his first interview since succeeding Ahmed Zaki\n  Yamani last October, said: \"I do not foresee any need for new\n  measures before the 25th of June when our (next OPEC) meeting\n  will take place as scheduled.\"\n      Nazer said OPEC was producing below 15.8 mln bpd and all\n  members were abiding by its agreements.\n      \"We've heard news every now and then of violations but they\n  were not at all verified,\" he said.\n      OPEC production curbs have boosted world oil prices from a\n  13-year low of around eight dlrs a barrel last August to near\n  18 dlrs after announcement of the December pact.\n      Spot market prices slipped some two dlrs in February but\n  have firmed in the past two weeks to near OPEC levels as\n  traders gained confidence in OPEC price and output discipline.\n      Nazer said Saudi Arabia would continue to produce below its\n  4.133 mln bpd quota if necessary to defend the 18 dlr price.\n      \"As long as all the OPEC members adhere to the program as\n  devised in December, Saudi Arabia will continue to adhere to\n  the agreement,\" he said.\n      Current production of three mln bpd includes oil from the\n  Neutral Zone shared with Kuwait, but not sales from floating\n  storage, Nazer said.\n      King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, in an interview with Reuters and\n  Visnews on March 11, said the kingdom wanted oil price\n  stability and called on non-OPEC producers to avoid harmful\n  competition with OPEC.\n      \"Saudi Arabia doesn't decide prices by itself but certainly\n  desires price stability,\" he said.\n      Nazer said the output level did not mean the kingdom had\n  returned to a role of \"swing producer\" within OPEC.\n      Saudi Arabia allowed its output to sink as low as two mln\n  bpd in August 1985 to compensate for slack demand and\n  over-production by some OPEC states.\n      \"Saudi Arabia is not playing that role. It is being played\n  by OPEC membership as a whole because the reduction in the 15.8\n  mln bpd share of OPEC in the market is being shared by other\n  members of OPEC,\" Nazer said.\n      Nazer said OPEC estimated demand for its oil during third\n  quarter this year would be around 16.6 mln bpd.\n      But he said if circumstances changed \"I am sure then the\n  OPEC members will consult with each other and take the\n  necessary measures.\"\n      Oil analysts say the OPEC pact could come under strain when\n  demand for petroleum products generally falls in the northern\n  hemisphere spring and summer.\n      Nazer said he was satisfied with the extent of cooperation\n  from non-OPEC producers. Norway, Egypt and the Soviet Union\n  agreed to help OPEC by restraining production or exports after\n  he visited them on OPEC's behalf earlier this year.\n      \"We did not ask any country to do anything. These were\n  programmes they thought were necessary to stabilise market\n  conditions and to help themselves attain better pricing\n  conditions,\" Nazer said.\n      He said it was up to countries that declined to cooperate\n  -- such as Britain -- to come up with their own proposals if\n  they saw fit.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IVORY COAST CONFIRMS PRESENCE AT COCOA TALKS\n","article":"  A senior Ivory Coast Agriculture\n  Ministry official confirmed his country's backing for a new\n  international cocoa pact and said Ivorian delegates would be\n  present at talks on its buffer stock starting this week.\n      The official told Reuters that Ivorian Agriculture Minister\n  Denis Bra Kanon would attend the opening of the talks, convened\n  by the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO), in London on\n  Monday.\n      While Bra Kanon is due to return home this week for funeral\n  ceremonies for a sister of Ivorian President Felix\n  Houphouet-Boigny, scheduled to be held in the country's capital\n  Yamoussoukro between March 19-22, senior Ivorian delegates will\n  be present throughout the London talks, the official said.\n      Bra Kanon is chairman of the ICCO Council and rumours that\n  he or Ivorian delegates might be delayed because of public\n  mourning in the West African nation helped depress already low\n  world cocoa prices Friday.\n      The official said Ivory Coast continued to support the new\n  pact, which was agreed in principle last year by most of the\n  world's cocoa exporters and consumers.\n      He also said Bra Kanon would fulfil his duties as ICCO\n  Council chairman during the talks, scheduled to end on March\n  27.\n      The meeting aims to set rules for the operation of the\n  pact's buffer stock which producers hope will boost a market\n  hit by successive world cocoa surpluses.\n      Ivory Coast did not participate in the last international\n  cocoa pact and its decision to join the new accord has sparked\n  hopes that it will be more successful in supporting prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TENSE TRADE TIES TO DOMINATE EC TALKS\n","article":"  Tense trade relations with the U.S.\n  And Japan and concern about the foreign impact of a proposed\n  European Community (EC) tax on edible oils and fats are\n  expected to dominate talks by EC foreign ministers here\n  tomorrow.\n      EC diplomats said Britain demanded the early debate on the\n  EC Executive Commission's proposal to impose a hefty tax on\n  domestic and imported oils and fats in an attempt to head off a\n  proposal it sees as extremely damaging to EC foreign relations.\n      The proposal was the most controversial part of a reform\n  package, due to be discussed by EC farm ministers later this\n  month, of the EC's Common Agricultural Policy -- widely seen as\n  the root cause of the EC's persistent financial problems and of\n  tensions with major trading partners.\n      The proposal is described by its promoters as a\n  stabilisation program which would penalise a new sector going\n  into massive overproduction and complement proposals to cut\n  cereals and dairy production, rather than a straight forward\n  tax.\n      They say it would not only curb the growth of oils and fats\n  production and prevent imports from filling any vaccum left by\n  a fall in EC output, but would also save the EC some two\n  billion European Currency Units, over two billion dlrs, in farm\n  costs.\n      It has provoked strong protests from domestic producers as\n  well as foreign exporters, led by the United States.\n      The diplomats said the protests had been received from most\n  corners of the developing and developed world, ranging from\n  Senegal, Malaysia and Indonesia, to Brazil, Argentina, Canada,\n  Iceland and Norway.\n      The proposal had little chance of approval by EC\n  governments, with West Germany as strongly opposed to it as\n  Britain, and Denmark, the Netherlands and Portugal also\n  unconvinced of its political or economic wisdom.\n      Even Mediterranean countries such as Italy, France and\n  Greece, which backed similar proposals in the past, did not\n  seem as enthusiastic now because olive oil had been added to\n  the list of products affected.\n      But the diplomats said a protectionist lobby in the U.S.\n  And elsewhere was using the proposal as an excuse to promote\n  anti-EC action, and the foreign ministers' debate should\n  demonstrate the strength of feeling against the proposal within\n  the EC and deprive its oponents of this argument.\n      The ministers were also due to discuss proposals in the\n  U.S. Congress for a range of protecionist legislation such as a\n  bill that would curb EC textile exports.\n      The diplomats said the ministers were expected to strongly\n  back a Commission warning to Washington that such a bill, if\n  enacted, would provoke swift EC retaliation.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRST MISSISSIPPI CORP <FRM> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div six cts vs six cts prior\n      Pay April 28\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SAUDI BUSINESSMEN TO DISCUSS PRIVATE SECTOR\n","article":"  Saudi Arabian business\n  leaders assembled for a conference aimed at thrashing out\n  problems facing the private sector of the kingdom's\n  oil-dependent economy.\n      The meeting of some 500 top businessmen from across Saudi\n  Arabia comes at a time of guarded optimism in industry and\n  commerce following the OPEC pact to boost world oil prices.\n      The four-day conference in this resort town, high in the\n  mountains above the Tihamah plain stretching to the Red Sea,\n  has been organised by Saudi Arabia's chambers of commerce.\n      Finance Minister Mohammed Ali Abal-Khail and Commerce\n  Minister Suleiman Abdulaziz al-Salim will attend the first day.\n      Bankers and businessmen said the conference will air\n  problems facing commerce and industry after last year's slide\n  in oil prices and examine ways to promote higher investment in\n  a private sector sorely short of finance.\n      Government planners have long recognised that Saudi Arabia,\n  the world's largest crude exporter, needs to foster private\n  enterprise to diversify its oil-based economy.\n      The fledgling private sector was hard hit by the Middle\n  East recession as early as 1983 and several big manufacturing\n  and trading companies ran into problems repaying loans.\n      Renewed optimism this year stems largely from the accord\n  reached by OPEC last December to curb oil output and boost\n  prices to a benchmark level of 18 dlrs per barrel.\n      With oil prices recovering, Saudi Arabia went ahead at the\n  turn of the year with long-delayed budget plans incorporating a\n  52.7 billion riyal deficit to be bridged by drawing down\n  foreign reserves.\n      The simple act of publishing a budget restored a measure of\n  confidence to the business community.\n      Some share prices have risen by more than 35 pct since last\n  November, while banks are generally reporting a slowdown in the\n  number of new non-performing loans.\n      But not all bankers are convinced. One senior corporate\n  finance manager in Riyadh said: \"Banks are still reluctant to\n  lend ... There is certainly more optimism in the air, but I am\n  not sure if it is firmly based.\"\n      Some businessmen and bankers point out that government\n  spending is still under tight control and the non-oil economy\n  may still be contracting.\n      Capital expenditure on large projects has been cut sharply.\n  A U.S. Embassy report on Saudi Arabia published just before the\n  budget said: \"While industrialisation has continued to be one of\n  the government's highest priorities, the recession, the\n  payments problem and the lack of financing have reduced Saudi\n  and foreign investor interest in industry.\"\n      It is the lack of fresh investment that is expected to be a\n  major issue among the businessmen gathered here.\n      Official figures show the number of new licences for\n  industrial ventures fell 24 pct in the six months to March\n  1986, compared with the same period in 1985.\n      Lending by the Saudi Industrial Development Fund, a major\n  source of industry backing, has fallen steadily since 1983.\n      Trading companies have also been hit, some caught with huge\n  inventories of construction equipment as recession bit.\n      Some firms laid off workers and cut bloated inventories.\n  Others have effectively been liquidated. A few have reached\n  agreement with bankers to extend debt repayments.\n      The latest rescheduling is for the shipping-to-hotels\n  conglomerate REDEC. Its negotiators have just initialled a\n  draft accord to restructure payments on 1.3 billion riyals of\n  bank debt.\n      Bankers and businessmen said the conference was also likely\n  to discuss the apparent reluctance of U.S. And British firms to\n  step up investment in the kingdom.\n      A British government delegation has just left Riyadh after\n  holding preliminary talks on ways of offsetting the huge Saudi\n  outlay on a defence contract to supply 132 fighter aircraft\n  worth five billion stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CITROEN EXPECTS HIGHER PROFITS, HELPED BY AX\n","article":"  Automobiles Citroen expects rising\n  sales of its new AX compact car to help boost profits\n  significantly this year, continuing a financial recovery after\n  six straight years of losses, president Jacques Calvet said.\n      Speaking to reporters during weekend trials for the new AX\n  sports model, he said: \"All the budgetary forecasts that we have\n  been able to make ... Show a relatively significant improvement\n  in 1987, compared with 1986,\" he added.\n      Citroen, part of the private Peugeot SA <PEUP.PA> group,\n  increased its share of the French new car market to 13.7 pct in\n  first two months 1987 from 12.1 pct a year earlier. It is\n  aiming for an average 12.8 pct share throughout the year after\n  11.7 pct in 1986.\n      The firm believes it is on target to raise its share of the\n  European market, excluding France, to 3.2 pct this year from\n  2.9 pct in 1986.\n      \"Our first problem is to produce enough vehicles to meet the\n  demand,\" Calvet said. \"This is a relatively new problem for us.\"\n      Citroen lost close to two billion francs in 1984 but cut\n  the deficit to 400 mln in 1985, helped by moves to modernise\n  its range and improve productivity.\n      Calvet indicated last December he expected Citroen's 1986\n  profit to be between 250 and 500 million francs.\n      This weekend he said that those profit estimates \"remain\n  about the same -- perhaps even a little more optimistic.\"\n      Some of this optimism is due to the early success of the\n  AX, launched on the French market last October. It will be\n  available throughout most of western Europe within four months.\n      The car has registered just over 20,000 sales.\n      It is being built at Citroen's large plant at Aulnay-sous-\n  Bois in northern Paris, as well as at Rennes in Brittany and\n  Vigo in Spain, with production just reaching target level of\n  1,000 cars a day.\n      The car, which Citroen markets as an intermediate model\n  between its long-running 2CV and the Visa, is designed to\n  compete with the Renault 5, Volkswagen Polo and Opel Corsa.\n      The AX had built up its market share in France to around\n  four pct last month. Calvet said: \"Our hope is that once the AX\n  is fully developed, we will have between 6.5 and seven per cent\n  of the national market.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NO TAIWAN SUGAR EXPORTS EXPECTED THIS YEAR\n","article":"  Taiwan is not expected to export sugar\n  this year because of falling production and growing domestic\n  consumption, state-owned Taiwan Sugar Corp said.\n      A company spokesman told Reuters this will be the first\n  time in more than 40 years Taiwan has not exported sugar. Last\n  year, sugar exports totalled 149,755 tonnes.\n      He said the actual production during the 1986\/87 season\n  (November\/May) is about 480,000 tonnes, barely enough to meet\n  local consumption. This compares with actual 1985\/86 output of\n  570,000. He said the production fall was due to typhoon damage\n  to more than 6,000 hectares of canefields last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LEADING INDUSTRIAL NATIONS TO MEET IN APRIL\n","article":"  Leading industrial nations will meet\n  again next month to review their accord on currency stability,\n  but U.S. Officials said financial markets are convinced for now\n  the countries will live up to commitments to speed up economic\n  growth.\n      The narrow currency movements of recent weeks strongly\n  suggests the six leading industrial countries have tamed the\n  normally unruly financial markets and next month's talks seem\n  likely to build on that stability.\n      A Reagan administration official said the Paris agreement\n  last month was the main reason markets were calm.\n      But he said in an interview that financial markets also\n  understood, \"That all six countries concluded that the measures\n  to be taken over a period of time in the future should foster\n  stability of exchange rates around current levels. That is in\n  fact what has happened since Paris.\"\n      Monetary analysts said stability has been helped in part by\n  the decision of industrial nations to bury the hatchet and\n  cease to quarrel over short-term policy objectives.\n      Instead they have focused on medium-term policy goals, but\n  left room to adjust their agreements with periodic meetings.\n      The official refused to comment, however, on whether the\n  agreement included a secret pact to consider further\n  coordinated interest rate cuts -- a measure industrial nations\n  have taken jointly several times in the past year.\n      On February 22, the United States, Japan, West Germany,\n  France, Britain and Canada agreed that major currencies were\n  within ranges broadly reflecting underlying economic\n  conditions, given commitments by Washington to cut its budget\n  deficit and by Toyko and Bonn to boost economic growth.\n      The shake-up would strengthen the U.S. Position in\n  future international talks.\n      \"I think these changes will strengthen the President's hand\n  politically and the stronger he is politically the better off\n  we are with the Congress and the better off we are in\n  international fora,\" said the official, an Administration\n  economic policymaker. \"So it would be beneficial to the\n  continued conduct of our initiatives.\"\n      But the official also said the Administration would resist\n  calls for a tax increase to cut the budget deficit -- a target\n  Europeans say is crucial to help curb economic instability.\n      Last week, dealers said the Federal Reserve intervened to\n  stop the dollar rising against the mark, which had breached\n  1.86 to the dollar. British authorities are also understood to\n  have intervened to curb sterling's strength.\n      International monetary sources say finance ministers and\n  central bankers, who will review market performance and their\n  own economic prospects, will reassemble again in Washington\n  just before the April 9 policymaking meeting of the\n  International Monetary Fund.\n      The sources said Italy, which refused to join the Paris\n  pact, was invited back by Treasury Secretary James Baker.\n      Since Paris, there are signs West German growth is slowing,\n  while U.S. Officials said they were giving Japan until April to\n  show that an economic stimulus package was in the offing.\n      Signs of concern about German prospects emerged recently\n  when Bundesbank (central bank) president Karl Otto Poehl told\n  bankers he would consider cutting West German interest rates if\n  the Fed was ready to follow suit.\n      A Reagan Administration official said this would show there\n  had been some change in approach on the part of the central\n  bank in Germany.\n      But he declined to comment on the prospects for action by\n  the Fed and the Bundesbank.\n      \"If there is such a provision it is private and if I talked\n  about it, it would no longer be private,\" said the official, who\n  asked not to be identified.\n      Public comments by Fed officials suggest the central bank\n  is keeping credit conditions broadly unchanged, but if the\n  major economies continue to show sluggish growth and the U.S.\n  Trade deficit remains stubbornly high, further coordinated\n  action could be on the April agenda.\n   REUTER...\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HARPER AND ROW <HPR> TO MULL OPTIONS AFTER BIDS\n","article":"  Harper and Row Publishers Inc said its\n  board of directors decided to take no action on two takeover\n  bids that the company has received. Instead, it appointed a\n  committee of independent directors to study strategic\n  alternatives for the 170-year-old firm.\n      The alternatives include continuation of the company's\n  existing business plans, possible business combinations, sales\n  of stock, restructuring and the sale of all or part of the\n  company.\n      Kidder Peabody and Co Inc has been retained to advise on\n  the alternatives, Harper and Row added.\n      Private investor Theodore Cross last week offered 34 dlrs a\n  share for Harper and Row, prompting a rival bid of 50 dlrs a\n  share from another publishing firm, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich\n  Inc <HBJ>.\n      After considering the two offers at a meeting on Friday,\n  the Harper and Row board decided not to act on them.\n      The directors unanimously expressed their strong desire to\n  preserve the company's independence and take advantage of its\n  \"considerable future prospects,\" according to director Winthrop\n  Knowlton, former chief executive and now chairman of the newly\n  established independent committee.\n      \"However, given the significant current interest in the\n  company, we also feel that we should carefully review all the\n  options available. The committee will consider all the\n  pertinent facts and alternatives.... We intend to make a\n  careful and informed decision but will proceed expeditiously to\n  a conclusion,\" Knowlton said.\n      Pending its deliberations, Harper and Row's board has\n  postponed indefinitely a special meeting of stockholders that\n  had been scheduled for April 2 to discuss a proposal to\n  recapitalize the company's stock to create two classes of\n  shares with different voting rights.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOVIET FIGURES SHOW ECONOMY STILL SHORT OF TARGETS\n","article":"  The Soviet economy recovered slightly\n  last month after a poor performance in January, but major\n  industries, including oil and machinery, are still short of\n  production targets, official figures show.\n      Central Statistical Board data published in the weekly\n  Ekonomicheskaya Gazeta yesterday showed that industrial output\n  was only up 0.8 pct in the first two months of 1987 over the\n  same period of last year.\n      However, the figure for January alone showed a fall in\n  output of 0.1 pct from a year earlier. Production is targetted\n  to increase 4.4 pct for all of 1987.\n      The figures showed that only 77 pct of enterprises met\n  their supply obligations in January and February.\n      Production of oil, the country's main export to Western\n  nations, hit 100 mln tonnes in January and February, up from\n  97.3 mln a year earlier, and exceeded its target by 0.5 pct.\n      Economists said this reflected the huge investments poured\n  into the oil sector in recent months in an effort to reverse\n  the stagnation in production which began in November 1983.\n      Falling world oil prices last year helped cause a decline\n  in Soviet trade with the West to 130 billion roubles from 141.6\n  billion in 1985.\n      Ekonomicheskaya Gazeta said labour productivity targets\n  were also not fulfilled, but did not give figures.\n      Economists said the overall data reflected exceptionally\n  bad weather at the start of the year and stricter quality\n  controls imposed on enterprises.\n      Production in the machine-building sector, a priority in\n  Moscow's plans for economic renewal, recovered slightly in\n  February but was still 3.6 pct lower in the first two months of\n  the year compared with the same period of 1986.\n      The figures showed that five republics produced less than\n  in the first two months of 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ROTTERDAM PORT UNION AND EMPLOYERS TO MEET\n","article":"  Dutch port and transport union, FNV,\n  agreed to an employers' request to reconvene abandoned peace\n  talks tonight to try to end strikes that have disrupted\n  Rotterdam's general cargo sector for the past six weeks, a\n  union spokesman said.\n      Talks broke down Thursday when the union walked out after\n  employers tabled their final offer to end the strikes which\n  started January 19 in protest at planned redundancies of 800\n  from the sector's 4,000 workforce, starting with 350 this year.\n      The employers' invitation to restart the talks comes on the\n  day a deadline set by Minister of Social Affairs Louw de Graaf\n  for a resolution of the dispute expires.\n      De Graaf said if the dispute had not ended by today he\n  would withdraw the 10 mln guilder annual labour subsidy to the\n  sector.\n      No comment was immediately available from the employers'\n  organization.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PERU BEGINS FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATIONING\n","article":"  Peru will put into effect Monday a foreign\n  exchange rationing system for imports designed to stop a slide\n  in the country's international reserves, a government decree in\n  the Official Gazette said.\n      Under the system, importers will be required to present a\n  bill from the foreign seller of goods and apply for a license\n  for foreign exchange. The central bank will have 10 days to\n  decide whether to issue the required foreign exchange.\n      Net international reserves now total about 800 mln dlrs\n  compared to 1.54 billion dlrs a year ago.\n      The system will be effective until the end of 1988.\n      A ceiling for foreign exchange availability will be set by\n  a council with members from the central bank, the economy\n  ministry and the planning and foreign trade institutes. The\n  central bank will issue licenses to procure foreign exchange in\n  accordance with guidelines set by the council.\n      Peru's reserves fell sharply due to a drop in the trade\n  surplus to about five mln dlrs in 1986 from 1.1 billion in\n  1985, according to preliminary central bank estimates.\n     Total exports dropped to 2.50 billion dlrs last year against\n  2.97 billion in 1985.\n     Imports last year rose sharply as gross domestic product\n  grew by about 8.5 pct, the highest economic growth level\n  registered in 12 years. Imports were about 2.49 billion dlrs in\n  1986 against 1.87 billion in 1985, according to preliminary\n  estimates.\n      The cushion of reserves allowed Peru to take a hard-line\n  debt stance last year and suspend most payments due on its 14.3\n  billion dlr foreign debt.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN SAYS U.S. WANTS TAIWAN DOLLAR TO APPRECIATE\n","article":"  The United States wants Taiwan's\n  currency to appreciate faster to reduce Taiwan's trade surplus\n  with the U.S., A senior trade official said.\n      Board of Foreign Trade director Vincent Siew told reporters\n  on Saturday U.S. Officials told him in Washington last week\n  that unless Taiwan allowed its dollar to rise faster it would\n  face retaliation.\n      Siew returned from Washington on Friday after the U.S\n  responded to Taiwan's request to increase its textile export\n  quotas by promising further talks in May. Taiwan's surplus with\n  the U.S. Hit a record 13.6 billion U.S. Dlrs in 1986.\n      Washington signed a three-year accord with Taipei last year\n  limiting textile export growth to 0.5 pct a year.\n      Siew said the Taiwan dollar had risen by about 15 pct\n  against the U.S. Dollar since September 1985.\n      It surged last week amid indications Washington was seeking\n  a major rise in its value. It rose four cents against the U.S.\n  Dollar on Saturday to close at 34.59.\n      Western trade sources told Reuters Taiwan and the U.S. Have\n  been holding talks on the currency issue but added it is not\n  clear how far Washington wants to see the Taiwan dollar rise.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TANZANIA WANTS TO EXPORT 200,000 TONNES OF MAIZE\n","article":"  Tanzania seeks to export a\n  surplus of 200,000 tonnes of maize from last year's bumper\n  harvest, agriculture minister Paul Bomani said yesterday.\n      The 1986 maize crop was officially estimated at 2.1 mln\n  tonnes, but only a fraction of this was marketed, with most\n  grain consumed by the farmers who grew it.\n      The state-owned National Milling Corp (NMC) meanwhile said\n  it is trying to sell 190,742 tonnes of maize stored in\n  different parts of the country.\n      NMC acting general manager John Rubibira said Tanzania has\n  only 56,000 tonnes of silo storage capacity, concentrated in\n  Dar es Salaam, Arusha in the north and Iringa in central\n  Tanzania.\n      In addition, the country has 450,000 tonnes of flat storage\n  capacity, he added.\n      Rubibira said the government is planning to build new silos\n  in the main maize producing areas of Iringa, Mbeya, Ruvuma and\n  Rukwa.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<THE NATIONAL BANK OF NEW ZEALAND LTD>\n","article":"  Year to December 31, 1986\n      Net profit 78 mln N.Z. Dlrs vs 45 mln\n      Pre-tax profit 147 mln vs 88 mln\n      Total assets 7.7 billion vs 6.4 billion\n      Notes - The company is 100 pct owned by Lloyds Bank Plc\n  <LLOY.L>. Results include for the time first a pre-tax profit,\n  of 11 mln N.Z. Dlrs, from Australian unit <Lloyds Bank NZA\n  Ltd>.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT SEEN NARROWING\n","article":"  Australia's current account deficit for\n  February is expected to narrow to a range of between 700 mln\n  and one billion dlrs, from the unrevised January level of 1.29\n  billion, market economists polled by Reuters said.\n      Statistics Bureau February figures are out tomorrow.\n      The economists said a key element in the narrowing would be\n  a reversal of the drop in exports which took place in January,\n  after a sharp rise in December when the deficit was only 598\n  mln dlrs.\n      As an example they quoted wheat export volume, which rose\n  about 30 pct in February after dropping as much in January.\n      A lack of aircraft imports in February should also\n  contribute on the trade account although it is still likely to\n  remain in deficit, the economists said.\n      Other positive influences on the current account balance\n  should be a decline in the invisibles deficit following a\n  seasonal fall in interest payments and the dropping out of\n  certain official aid payments, they said.\n      They said the Australian dollar, which last week touched an\n  eight-month high of 0.6900 U.S. Dlrs but is now around the\n  0.6800 level, should not react adversely to the figures unless\n  the current account shortfall tops one billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FED SETS 1.5 BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPURCHASE, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  FED SETS 1.5 BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPURCHASE, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ZAMBIA, IMF TALKS HIT PROBLEMS OVER FOOD SUBSIDIES\n","article":"  Zambia's talks with the World Bank and\n  International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a financial rescue package\n  have run into difficulties on the issue of food subsidies, an\n  official newspaper said.\n      The Times of Zambia, which is run by the ruling United\n  National Independence Party (UNIP), quoted official sources as\n  saying the IMF and World Bank had refused to continue financing\n  food subsidies and were pressing the government to explain how\n  it proposes to pay for them.\n      President Kenneth Kaunda tried to abolish maize subsidies\n  last December, in line with IMF recommendations, but the move\n  caused maize meal prices to double overnight and led to riots\n  in which 15 people were killed.\n      The subsidies were immediately restored as part of moves to\n  quell the disturbances, but they are estimated to cost the\n  government about 500 mln kwacha per year.\n      The Times of Zambia said another major issue in the\n  government's current talks with the IMF and World Bank was the\n  remodelling of Zambia's foreign exchange auction.\n      The central bank's weekly auction of foreign exchange to\n  the private sector has been suspended since the end of January,\n  pending modifications to slow down the rate of devaluation and\n  dampen fluctuations in the exchange rate.\n      The kwacha slid to around 15 per dollar under the auction\n  system, losing 85 pct of its value in 16 months. However, since\n  the end of January it has been revalued to a fixed rate of nine\n  per dollar.\n      Banking sources said Zambia was persuaded by the World Bank\n  and IMF to lift its proposed ceiling of 12.50 kwacha per dollar\n  on the currency's devaluation once the auctions restart.\n      According to the Times of Zambia, the IMF team, led by\n  assistant director for Africa Paul Acquah, is due to conclude\n  its talks with the government on schedule on March 23.\n      The IMF mission arrived in Lusaka on February 26 and its\n  talks with the government have taken longer than expected.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN LINE SELLING TANKERS AND BULKERS\n","article":"  Major tanker operator, Japan Line Ltd\n  <JLIT.T>, is selling 20 VLCCs and several bulk carriers for\n  scrap or further trading, industry sources said.\n      The tanker disposals include Japan Orchid (231,722 dwt),\n  Japan Lupinus (233,641 dwt), Sovereign (233,313 dwt), Rosebay\n  (274,531 dwt), Saffron (268,038 dwt) and Cattleya (267,807\n  dwt), all of which have been reported on the London sale and\n  purchase market, they said, but refused to give further\n  details.\n      Japan Line officials declined to comment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"(CORRECTED)-IVORY COAST CONFIRMS PRESENCE AT TALKS\n","article":"  A senior Ivory Coast Agriculture\n  Ministry official confirmed his country's backing for a new\n  international cocoa pact and said Ivorian delegates would be\n  present at talks on its buffer stock starting this week.\n      The official told Reuters that Ivorian Agriculture Minister\n  Denis Bra Kanon would attend the opening of the talks, convened\n  by the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO), in London on\n  Monday.\n      While Bra Kanon is due to return home this week for funeral\n  ceremonies for a sister of Ivorian President Felix\n  Houphouet-Boigny, scheduled to be held in the country's capital\n  Yamoussoukro between March 19-22, senior Ivorian delegates will\n  be present throughout the London talks, the official said.\n      Bra Kanon is chairman of the ICCO Council and rumours that\n  he or Ivorian delegates might be delayed because of public\n  mourning in the West African nation helped depress already low\n  world cocoa prices Friday.\n      The official said Ivory Coast continued to support the new\n  pact, which was agreed in principle last year by most of the\n  world's cocoa exporters and consumers.\n      He also said Bra Kanon would fulfil his duties as ICCO\n  Council chairman during the talks, scheduled to end on March\n  27.\n      The meeting aims to set rules for the operation of the\n  pact's buffer stock which producers hope will boost a market\n  hit by successive world cocoa surpluses.\n      Ivory Coast did not participate in the last international\n  cocoa pact and its decision to join the new accord has sparked\n  hopes that it will be more successful in supporting prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TREASURY, FOREIGN RESERVES ARE JORDAN'S PRIORITIES\n","article":"  Jordan's key economic priorities are\n  having a sound national treasury and adequate foreign exchange\n  reserves, Prime Minister Zeid al-Rifa'i said.\n      \"First, the national treasury should be in sound shape when\n  dealing with the public and other countries so that its\n  credibility is preserved,\" he said in a television interview\n  Saturday.\n      \"The second priority is to maintain an acceptable level of\n  foreign exchange reserves to provide (the) stability and\n  confidence needed by the government to meet foreign\n  commitments.\"\n      Rifa'i said Jordan's outstanding government-guaranteed and\n  commercial loans total 902 mln dinars with a debt service ratio\n  of 14.9 pct.\n      The figure was sharply lower than the 1.02 billion dinars\n  in outstanding loans at the end of September, according to\n  latest Central Bank figures.\n      Rifa'i dismissed the view of some bankers and economists\n  here that the dinar, which is pegged to a basket of currencies,\n  is overvalued.\n      \"The dinar is strong and stable and we intend to preserve\n  its stability,\" he said.\n      The prime minister said he hoped the next Arab summit would\n  tackle the question of continuing financial aid to Jordan.\n  Under a 10-year agreement reached in 1978, Jordan was to\n  receive a total of 1.25 billion dlrs annually from Algeria,\n  Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab\n  Emirates to help it resist Israel.\n      But only Saudi Arabia met its obligations, while the others\n  failed because of falling income due to lower oil prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"LANGE PREDICTS N.Z. INFLATION TO FALL TO 8-10 PCT\n","article":"  New Zealand's inflation rate could\n  fall to eight pct in the coming year, Prime Minister David\n  Lange said.\n      He said forecasts to be released soon by research groups\n  would predict a rate of around eight or nine pct in the 12\n  months to the end of March 1988, against 18.2 pct in calendar\n  1986.\n      \"I predict it will be something between eight and 10 per\n  cent,\" he told a news conference.\n      Lange would not name the forecasting groups.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MALAYSIA WELCOMES ACCORD ON NEW RUBBER PACT\n","article":"  Malaysian Primary Industries\n  Minister Lim Keng Yaik welcomed the basic accord reached over\n  the weekend in Geneva between producers and consumers on a new\n  International Natural Rubber Agreement (INRA).\n      \"This is a good development and if a new pact is adopted\n  this week it will augur well for the rubber industry and prices\n  in the long term,\" he told Reuters here.\n      Negotiators at a United Nations conference on a new INRA\n  resolved differences and agreed last Saturday on basic elements\n  for a new pact to replace the current one, which expires in\n  October.\n      Conference Chairman Manaspas Xuto said legal drafting of\n  the new pact will begin this week and it is expected to be\n  formally adopted by some 40 countries on March 20.\n      Malaysia, the world's top producer, acted as spokesman for\n  producers at the talks, which began on March 9.\n      Malaysian traders said they expected prices to firm by a\n  few cents on the news that a pact is expected to be adopted.\n      Prices will also firm in the short term because some\n  370,000 tonnes of rubber held in INRA buffer stock will not be\n  liquidated with a new pact in sight, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JAPAN JANUARY INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION REVISED UP\n","article":"  Japan's January seasonally adjusted\n  industrial production index (base 1980) was revised upwards to\n  122.3 from a preliminary 122.0, the Ministry of International\n  Trade and Industry said.\n      The revised adjusted January index was down 0.5 pct from\n  December when it rose 3.6 pct from a month earlier.\n      The revised unadjusted January index rose 0.5 pct from a\n  year earlier, after a one pct year-on-year December rise.\n      The adjusted producers' shipment index (base 1980) for\n  January was revised upward to 117.7 from a preliminary 117.4.\n      The index was down 0.7 pct from December when it rose three\n  pct from a month earlier. The revised unadjusted index was up\n  1.0 pct from a year earlier after a 1.4 pct year-on-year\n  December rise.\n      The adjusted index of producers' inventories of finished\n  goods (base 1980) for January was unchanged from a preliminary\n  105.9. The index was down 0.3 pct from December when it rose\n  1.1 pct. Unadjusted, the revised index was down 2.3 pct from a\n  year earlier after a 2.1 pct year-on-year drop in December.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GERMAN BANKING AUTHORITIES WEIGH SWAP REGULATIONS\n","article":"  German banking authorities are\n  weighing rules for banks' off-balance sheet activities in an\n  attempt to cope with the growing volume of sophisticated\n  capital market instruments, banking sources said.\n      Interest rate and currency swaps and currency options are\n  under closest scrutiny, and if revisions are made they may\n  resemble regulation jointly proposed by the U.S. And U.K. To\n  Japan. Juergen Becker, director of the Bundesbank's division of\n  banking law and credit supervision, said the U.S.-British\n  proposals were interesting, but declined to elaborate.\n      But banking sources said West Germany was more likely to\n  produce its own conclusions than to adopt foreign proposals.\n      \"There is no formal plan yet, but talks are in the latter\n  stages,\" one representative of the German Banking Association in\n  Cologne said. Bankers expect rule changes this year.\n      All alterations must be approved by the Bundesbank, West\n  Germany's four major banking associations and the Federal\n  Banking Supervisory Office.\n      Talks have been slowed by the fact that fundamental changes\n  would require a revision of Germany's credit law, which has\n  been in effect since 1934.\n      Authorities favour reinterpreting the credit law to fit\n  present circumstances in order to avoid the long parliamentary\n  political process of changing it, banking sources said.\n      Since the beginning of 1984 the banking law has limited\n  banks' lending to 18 times shareholders' equity plus reserves,\n  on a consolidated basis.\n      But lending ratios do not extend to several newer\n  instruments such as spot and forward currency contracts,\n  currency and interest swaps, commercial paper programs,\n  currency options, interest rate futures in foreign currencies\n  and various innovative types of interest rate hedges.\n      The sources said the main value of the U.S.-U.K. Proposals\n  lay in differentiating between different types of risk factor,\n  and, for instance, in placing greater weight on currency swaps\n  than interest swaps. But even if German banking authorities\n  agree with some of the assessments of swaps, they disagree on\n  how to find balance sheet equivalents for the risk.\n      U.S.-British proposals include a complicated series of\n  formulae for assessing the stream of payments involved in\n  swaps, whose ultimate risk is borne by the financial\n  intermediary, especially when counterparties remain anonymous.\n  This is the so-called market-to-market value.\n      But German authorities are likely to consider this much too\n  complex and to base their evaluation instead on a schedule of\n  lending ratings assigned according to the creditworthiness of\n  the borrowers involved, the sources said.\n      The weightings, also likely if lending ratios are extended\n  to include banks' securities portfolios, are zero for public\n  authorities, 20 pct for domestic banks, 50 pct for foreign\n  banks and 100 pct for other foreign and non-bank borrowers.\n      A further complication is that the more flexible\n  definitions of equity allowed in the U.S. And the U.K. May put\n  German banks at a competitive disadvantage, the sources said.\n      Stricter definitions here also mean the use of a version of\n  the U.S.-U.K. Proposals could far exceed the intent of the U.S.\n  And British authorities, the sources said.\n      One specialist for Dresdner Bank AG said a long-dated\n  foreign exchange forward transaction could, for instance, be\n  brought under the same rule as a cross-currency swap, despite\n  the fact that the risk may be entirely different.\n      How new regulations will affect foreign banks here was\n  uncertain. Many have converted to full subsidiary status and\n  applied for a full banking licence over the last two years in\n  order to lead-manage mark eurobonds.\n      But as their equity capital is fairly small, tight lending\n  ratios will severely hamper foreign banks' freedom of movement,\n  particularly in the growing business of currency swaps, if they\n  are required to include more transactions in the balance sheet,\n  the sources added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BHP TO MERGE BHP MINERALS AND UTAH INTERNATIONAL\n","article":"  The Broken Hill Pty Co Ltd <BRKN.S>\n  said it will merge its BHP Minerals division and <Utah\n  International Inc> into a single business unit under a common\n  management structure.\n      The merger will be effective June 1, coinciding with the\n  retirement of Utah International chairman and chief executive\n  Bud Wilson, BHP said in a statement.\n      The new BHP-Utah Minerals International Group will be\n  headed by Jim Curry as executive general manager and chief\n  executive officer. Curry is currently executive vice-president\n  of Utah International, BHP said.\n      <BHP Petroleum (Americas) Inc>, formerly part of Utah\n  International, will become a subsidiary of BHP's renamed <BHP\n  Petroleum International>, now <BHP Petroleum Pty Ltd>, the\n  company said.\n      BHP will also bring its Queensland coal operations under\n  one management structure and consolidate minerals marketing and\n  sales offices in various markets throughout the world.\n      BHP acquired Utah from General Electric Co <GE> in 1984.\n      Utah's assets include stakes of 40.25 to 52.25 pct in seven\n  large Central Queensland coking mines, 49 pct of the Samarco\n  iron ore operation in Brazil, 60 pct of La Escondida copper\n  deposit in Chile, the Island Copper mine at Port Hardy in\n  Canada, 70 pct of a coal mine and 30 pct of a gold mine in\n  South Africa and coal and other mines in the U.S.\n      BHP Minerals' assets include wholly and partly-owned iron\n  ore mines, coal mines, manganese and base-metal operations or\n  prospects and 30 pct of the Ok Tedi gold-copper project in\n  Papua New Guinea.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Bank of Japan satisfied with yen around current range, senior bank official says\n","article":"\n  Bank of Japan satisfied with yen around current range, senior bank official says\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GERMAN RETAIL TURNOVER RISES ONE PCT IN JANUARY\n","article":"  West German retail turnover rose a\n  real one pct in January compared with the same month a year\n  earlier, according to provisional data from the Federal\n  Statistics Office.\n      There were 26 shopping days in January this year, the same\n  as in January 1986, a Statistics Office statement said.\n      A Statistics Office official added retail turnover had\n  risen by 7.6 pct in December compared with the year-ago month,\n  a slight upward revision from the 7.5 pct increase\n  provisionally posted.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF JAPAN SATISFIED WITH YEN AT CURRENT RANGE\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan is satisfied with the\n  yen around its current range, a senior central bank official\n  told reporters.\n      He said the pledge by major industrial nations in Paris\n  last month to cooperate to hold exchange rates around current\n  ranges applied in both directions, a dollar fall or a dollar\n  rise.\n      Unilateral intervention itself cannot ensure currency\n  stability, but it can be useful when coordinated with other\n  policies and with other central banks, he said.\n      The Bank of Japan is rather confident currency stability\n  will continue for some time, the senior bank official said, but\n  declined to be more specific.\n      Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa told parliament on Friday\n  the current dollar\/yen exchange rate is not necessarily\n  satisfactory for the Japanese economy.\n      Asked what factors might destabilize the markets, the\n  official cited a lessening of market fear about intervention, a\n  completely unexpected change in the economy of Japan, the U.S.\n  Or West Germany, or resumption of comments by government\n  officials seeking to talk the dollar up or down.\n      The senior bank official said he expects Japan's gross\n  national product (GNP) to grow three pct or slightly more in\n  the fiscal year beginning in April. That would be little\n  changed from the performance expected this year.\n      Domestic demand may grow nearly four pct in 1987\/88, but\n  the external sector will have a negative impact on GNP of\n  nearly one percentage point, he said.\n      He said there was virtually no room for further monetary\n  policy action to boost the economy. The economy's performance\n  in the future very much depends on fiscal policy, he added.\n      The central bank's monetary policy has already done its\n  part in stimulating the economy, the senior bank official said.\n  The Bank of Japan has cut its discount rate five times over the\n  last year and a half.\n      Although the central bank does not see any imminent risk of\n  inflation, there could be some problems in the future, he said.\n  \"We are sitting on a barrel of powder, but fortunately it may\n  still be wet,\" he added.\n      Liquidity among private households and especially the\n  corporate sector has increased substantially, he said.\n      The liquidity is the reason for the recent boom of stock\n  exchange prices, the bank official said. This inflow of funds\n  into the stock exchange, occurring also in other countries, may\n  continue, he said.\n      The senior official said the Bank of Japan is hoping\n  Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker will be re-appointed when\n  his current term expires later this year.\n      \"He's a great man,\" the official said, adding that more and\n  more people expect his reappointment.\n      Turning to exchange rates, the official said the\n  substantial drop in the dollar is beginning to have an effect\n  on reducing the imbalance in world trade, even though the\n  impact has taken longer than expected to show through. Even the\n  U.S. Trade position has begun to feel the impact, although so\n  far it has not been very strong, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BANGLADESH MONEY SUPPLY RISES IN DECEMBER\n","article":"  Bangladesh's broad-based M2 money supply\n  rose 6.95 pct to 132.79 billion taka in December after rising\n  0.51 pct to 124.16 billion in November and 3.07 pct to 114.22\n  billion in December 1985, the Central Bank said.\n      On a year on year basis, M2 rose 16.25 pct in the 12 months\n  to December, 12.04 pct to November and 16 pct to December 1985.\n      Narrowly-based M1 rose 9.55 pct to 50 billion taka against\n  a fall of 0.45 pct to 45.64 billion in November and a 3.03 pct\n  rise to 45.51 billion to December 1985, it added.\n      Year on year, M1 rose 9.86 pct in December.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN'S DOWA MINING TO PRODUCE GOLD FROM APRIL\n","article":"  <Dowa Mining Co Ltd> said it will start\n  commercial production of gold, copper, lead and zinc from its\n  Nurukawa Mine in northern Japan in April.\n      A company spokesman said the mine's monthly output is\n  expected to consist of 1,300 tonnes of gold ore and 3,700 of\n  black ore, which consists of copper, lead and zinc ores.\n      A company survey shows the gold ore contains up to 13.3\n  grams of gold per tonne, he said.\n      Proven gold ore reserves amount to 50,000 tonnes while\n  estimated reserves of gold and black ores total one mln tonnes,\n  he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JIM WALTER CORP <JWC> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 35 cts vs 35 cts prior\n      Pay April One\n      Record March 14\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN BUSINESS DECLINE SEEN BOTTOMING OUT\n","article":"  The extended decline in Japan's overall\n  business performance was likely to bottom out in the current\n  January-March quarter, the Finance Ministry said.\n      Improved corporate earnings and better prospects for the\n  stability of the yen had made companies more optimistic, it\n  said after carrying out a quarterly survey.\n      The survey, conducted in February, was based on\n  questionnaires returned by 8,328 large and small firms in all\n  sectors except the finance and insurance industries.\n      The survey said overall corporate earnings were expected to\n  turn positive with an estimated 0.4 pct year on year increase\n  in the second half of fiscal 1986 ending on March 31 after a\n  5.4 pct decrease in the first half.\n      Corporate earnings will grow further in the first half of\n  fiscal 1987, rising an estimated 10.7 pct, it added.\n      Manufacturers' earnings, hit hard by the yen's steady rise\n  against the dollar, will rise 7.7 pct in first-half fiscal 1987\n  after falling 10.7 pct in the second half of fiscal 1986, it\n  said.\n      Overall earnings of non-manufacturing companies will rise\n  11.8 pct year on year in the first half of fiscal 1987 after\n  growing 9.8 pct in the second half of fiscal 1986, the survey\n  said.\n      It said this figure was bolstered by profits of firms such\n  as electric power and gas companies which have benefitted from\n  the yen's appreciation.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CARLTON BUYS STAKE IN CENTRAL INDEPENDENT TV\n","article":"  Carlton Communications Plc <CCML.L> said\n  in a statement it had purchased a 20 pct stake or some 5.1 mln\n  shares in Central Independent Television from Ladbroke Group\n  Plc <LADB.L> at 578p per share.\n      The consideration of 29.5 mln stg will be met with 18.2 mln\n  stg in cash and the issue of one million ordinary Carlton\n  shares, it said.\n      Central showed pretax profits up by 57 pct to 18.8 mln stg\n  for the year ended 30 September 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"EUROPEAN BEET PLANTINGS SEEN LITTLE CHANGED\n","article":"  European sugar beet plantings are\n  expected to show little change from last year, despite recent\n  firmness in world prices, analysts and industry sources said.\n      A Reuter survey of planting intentions showed that while,\n  so far, European Community (EC) growers plan unchanged to lower\n  areas, increases are expected in some Eastern European nations.\n      Trade analysts said their private reports give similar\n  results and do not differ significantly from the first estimate\n  of stagnant 1987 European beet plantings made last week by West\n  German sugar statistician F. O. Licht.\n      Areas may be slightly lower but analysts and agricultural\n  experts said the steady rise in yields resulting from improved\n  seed varieties and better farming techniques could offset this.\n  In recent years, good autumn weather has given yields a late\n  boost, making up for lower areas despite some disappointing\n  starts to growing seasons.\n      Changes in EC areas reflect the extent to which producers\n  will grow so-called \"C\" sugar for unsubsidised sale to the world\n  market. This is what is produced in excess of the basic area\n  needed to meet the EC \"A\" and \"B\" quotas, which receive full and\n  partial price support, respectively.\n      Some analysts said the open row that broke out last week\n  between producers and the EC commission over its export policy\n  could have serious implications for future sugar output.\n      Beet producers have threatened to effectively dump nearly\n  one mln tonnes of white sugar into EC intervention stocks as\n  they feel export subsidies have been too low to compensate for\n  the gap between high EC internal and low world market prices.\n      However, with the EC budget stretched to breaking point,\n  this could give treasury ministers extra resolve in resisting\n  higher guaranteed sugar prices and build a case for a future\n  cut in the basic \"A\" and \"B\" quotas, they added.\n      In France, the largest producer of EC quota and non quota\n  sugar, the sugar market intervention board FIRS said first\n  planting intentions indicate an area about the same as last\n  year's 421,000 hectares, nine pct below the previous year.\n      \"The basic trend is towards stability,\" a FIRS spokesman\n  said. Unlike world market raw sugar prices in dollars, white\n  sugar French franc prices are not particularly high and are not\n  encouraging higher planting levels, he said. Beet sugar output\n  last year was 3.37 mln tonnes, with an average yield of 8.00\n  tonnes per ha, the highest in the EC apart from the Netherlands\n  but below 8.52 the previous year and a five year average 8.11.\n      In West Germany, recent price rises have not altered plans,\n  since planting decisions were taken a few months ago, industry\n  sources said. The farm ministry said a December survey is still\n  valid and plantings should be cut slightly after being trimmed\n  by just under four pct in 1986 when yields were above average.\n      Licht last week estimated West German plantings at a\n  reduced 385,000 hectares against 399,000 last year.\n      British Sugar Plc, the monopoly beet processor, has signed\n  up U.K. Farmers to grow 8.1 mln tonnes of beet. This should\n  yield about 1.25 mln tonnes of whites. Last year's crop\n  equalled the second highest ever at 1.32 mln tonnes.\n      British Sugar has \"A\" and \"B\" quotas totalling 1.144 mln tonnes\n  of whites and its \"C\" output is due to improved yields from more\n  consistent disease-resistant seed types.\n      Recent price rises have not altered Polish plans, Wincenty\n  Nowicki, a deputy director of Cukropol, the Amalgamated Sugar\n  Industry Enterprises, said. World prices are still below Polish\n  production costs and there is no way to convince farmers to\n  increase the area above the already signed contracted level.\n      The national plan, set before prices began to rise, put\n  plantings this year at 460,000 hectares, against 425,000 in\n  1986, Nowicki said. Last year production was 1.74 mln tonnes.\n      World prices have less impact in Italy than in France or\n  Germany as it is traditionally not an exporter but is geared to\n  the domestic market, an official at the national beet growers'\n  association said. Italian sowings are not yet complete but\n  surveys suggest a drop from last year's 270,000 ha, especially\n  in the north where some farmers have switched to soya.\n      Beet output last season of 15.5 mln tonnes yielded a higher\n  than expected 1.72 mln tonnes of white sugar.\n      Dutch plantings are expected to fall to 130,000 ha from a\n  record 137,600 in 1986 as a new self-imposed quota system comes\n  into force, a spokesman for Centrale Suiker, the second largest\n  Dutch sugar processor, said.\n      The new system aims for an average of around 915,000 tonnes\n  of white sugar and to cut output of \"C\" sugar. Last year, the\n  Netherlands produced a record 1.2 mln tonnes of white sugar\n  against a combined \"A\" and \"B\" quota of only 872,000 tonnes.\n      \"The world price of sugar would have to rise much higher\n  than it has done recently to make planned production of \"C\" sugar\n  really worthwhile,\" the spokesman said.\n      Western agricultural experts in Moscow said Soviet planting\n  intentions are likely to be unchanged. Licht put this year's\n  Soviet beet area at 3.40 mln ha, against 3.44 mln last year.\n      Hungary is expanding its beet area to 105,000 ha from some\n  95,000 in 1986, the official MTI news agency said, but\n  diplomats said policy is to balance supply with domestic\n  demand.\n      The Spanish ministry of agriculture said beet sowings are\n  estimated unchanged at 180,000 ha this year.\n      A spokesman for Denmark's largest beet concern, De Danske\n  Sukkerfabrikker A\/S, said its 1987 sugar target was unchanged\n  from 1986 at 365,000 tonnes from a steady area of 60,000 ha.\n      In Sweden, where beet is grown just to meet domestic\n  demand, the planted area is seen little changed at 51,000 ha\n  against 51,300 last year, according to a spokesman for sugar\n  company Svenska Sockerfabriks AB.\n      Last year, Irish yields were the lowest for 10 years due to\n  late sowings and the state-run Irish Sugar Plc said the 1987\n  plantings target is the equivalent of 36,400 hectares, down\n  from 37,600 in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SWISS UNEMPLOYMENT FALLS TO 0.9 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Swiss unemployment edged down to 0.9 pct\n  of the working population from one pct in January and in\n  February 1986, the Federal Office of Industry, Trade and Labour\n  said.\n      Seasonally adjusted, however, there was a slight rise in\n  unemployment.\n      The number out of work fell to 28,439, down 1,142 compared\n  with the previous month. The number of vacant positions\n  registered with employment offices stood at 11,968 against\n  10,694 in January.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MALAYSIA'S GOLD AND FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES RISE\n","article":"  Malaysia's gold and foreign\n  exchange reserves rose to 16.07 billion ringgit in February\n  from 15.73 billion in January and 12.23 billion in February\n  1986, Bank Negara Malaysia said.\n      The central bank said cumulative assets at end-February\n  fell to 20.02 billion ringgit from 20.68 billion at end-January\n  but were up from 17.07 billion at end-February last year.\n      Holdings of federal government securities dropped to 876\n  mln ringgit in February from 1.70 billion a month earlier and\n  2.30 billion in February 1986.\n      Malaysia's special drawing rights rose to 355 mln ringgit\n  at end-February from 352 mln at end-January and 286 mln at\n  end-February 1986, the bank said.\n      The IMF position was unchanged from January at 507 mln but\n  was above the 422 mln in February a year ago.\n      Currency in circulation in February fell to 7.43 billion\n  ringgit from 8.32 billion a month earlier but was up from 7.18\n  billion in February last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MALAYSIAN CRUDE PALM OIL OUTPUT FALLS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Malaysian crude palm oil (cpo)\n  production fell to an estimated 270,400 tonnes in February from\n  an estimated 273,300 tonnes in January and 332,995 in February\n  1986, the Palm Oil Registration and Licensing Authority (PORLA)\n  said.\n      Cpo stocks fell to an estimated 286,440 tonnes in February\n  from 287,940 in January and 653,411 in February last year.\n      Processed palm oil stocks in February fell to an estimated\n  193,060 tonnes from 205,060 in January and 225,576 in February\n  1986.\n      The January and February figures are subject to revision.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PEARSON PLC <PSON.L> YR ENDED DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr 37.4p vs 30p.\n      Final div 7p, making 12p vs 10p.\n      Pre-tax profit 121.1 mln stg vs 109.3 mln.\n      Net profit before minorities 76.6 mln stg vs 62.8 mln.\n      Turnover 952.6 mln vs 970.1 mln.\n      Pre-interest profit 132.1 mln vs 124.6 mln.\n      Net interest 11 mln vs 15.3 mln.\n      Tax 44.5 mln vs 46.5 mln.\n      Minority interests 3.1 mln vs 5.2 mln.\n      Extraordinary debit 9.1 mln vs credit 11.5 mln.\n      Note - Extraordinary debit reflected full provision for\n  discontinuing the Financial Times's printing operations at\n  Bracken House in 1988, partly offset by gains on disposals.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FED ADDS RESERVES VIA CUSTOMER REPURCHASES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve entered the U.S.\n  Government securities market to arrange 1.5 billion dlrs of\n  customer repurchase agreements, a Fed spokesman said.\n      Dealers said Federal funds were trading at 6-3\/16 pct when\n  the Fed began its temporary and indirect supply of reserves to\n  the banking system.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHINA REPORTS 700 MLN DLR TWO-MONTH TRADE DEFICIT\n","article":"  China's trade deficit totalled 700 mln\n  dlrs in the first two months of this year, according to figures\n  released by the State Statistics Bureau.\n      The New China News Agency quoted the Bureau as saying\n  foreign trade totalled 9.3 billion dlrs in the period, of which\n  exports were worth 4.3 billion dlrs.\n      The bureau said total trade volume was up 2.5 pct on the\n  same 1986 period, with exports up 18.1 pct, but it gave no\n  other comparative figures.\n      China's 1986 trade deficit totalled 12 billion dlrs,\n  official figures show.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<POCLAIN> OFFERS PAR RIGHTS ISSUE\n","article":"  French machinery maker <Poclain>, 40 pct\n  owned by <Tenneco Inc>, said it will raise its capital to 791\n  mln francs from 91 mln by a 100 for 13 rights offering to\n  shareholders priced at par of 10 francs a share.\n      The offer, between March 25 and April 13, is the second\n  stage of a capital restructuring plan announced in December\n  under which Tenneco will become Poclain's majority shareholder.\n      In the first stage Poclain reduced its capital to 91 mln\n  from 455 mln by reducing the nominal value of its shares to 10\n  francs from 50.\n      Poclain traded Friday on the Paris Bourse at 38.20 francs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET OFFERED EARLY ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it invited an\n  early round of bill offers from discount houses after\n  forecasting a shortage in the system of some 1.05 billion stg.\n      Among the main factors affecting liquidity, bills maturing\n  in official hands and treasury bill take-up will drain some\n  1.07 billion stg while exchequer transactions will take out\n  around 335 mln stg and bankers' balances below target five mln\n  stg.\n      Partly offseting these outflows, a fall in note circulation\n  will add some 355 mln stg to the system today.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MANILA GOVERNMENT TO TAKE OVER SAN MIGUEL BOARD\n","article":"  A government commission that controls 51\n  pct of <San Miguel Corp> (SMC) stock will increase its nominees\n  on the firm's 15-member board to nine from six.\n      \"We want to correct business practices,\" Ramon Diaz, chairman\n  of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), told\n  Reuters.\n      \"Right now there are a lot of companies that keep so many\n  things from their shareholders and one of them is San Miguel,\"\n  he said.\n      A San Miguel spokesman declined comment.\n      Diaz said New York investment bank Allen and Co Inc told\n  the PCGG it was interested in tendering for all outstanding SMC\n  stock, with the subsequent dispersal of 60 pct of the stock to\n  Filipino investors to comply with investment laws.\n      He said Australian businessman and brewer Alan Bond and the\n  brewing company Elders IXL Ltd <ELXA.S> were interested in\n  buying 40 pct each of SMC stock.\n      He added that the PCGG wanted some foreign input but would\n  not allow foreign control of the brewing and food conglomerate,\n  the Philippines' biggest manufacturing concern.\n      Diaz said the PCGG did not plan to remove SMC president\n  Andres Soriano from his family company.\n      \"He has tremendous prestige to run the company,\" Diaz said.\n  \"We appreciate his management, but certainly some practices have\n  to be corrected.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CIE BANCAIRE IN ONE-FOR-FIVE BONUS SHARE ISSUE\n","article":"  <Cie Bancaire>, a subsidiary of recently\n  privatised banking group Cie Financiere de Paribas <PARI.PA>,\n  said it is issuing 2.35 mln new 100 francs nominal shares on\n  the basis of one for five already held.\n      The operation will begin on March 31, a spokesman said.\n      Cie Bancaire also said it has increased its capital to 1.41\n  billion francs from 1.17 billion by the incorporation of 237.74\n  mln francs of reserves.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ISRAELI INFLATION RATE IS 1.0 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Israel's inflation rate for February\n  was one pct, compared to 2.1 pct in January and 1.6 pct in\n  February 1986, a spokesman for the Central Bureau of Statistics\n  said.\n      Inflation for the 12 months ending in February was 23 pct,\n  the spokesman said.\n      February price rises were mostly in housing, health,\n  education, entertainment and transport.\n      Wage and price controls have been in force since August\n  1985. Officials said the controls have helped soften the effect\n  of a recent 10 pct devaluation of the shekel.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 90 MLN STG EARLY HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided the\n  money market with assistance worth 90 mln stg in response to an\n  early round of bill offers from discount houses.\n      Earlier, the bank estimated the shortage in the system\n  today at some 1.05 billion stg.\n      The bank bought bills for resale to the market in equal\n  amounts on April 1, 2 and 3 at an interest rate of 10-7\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BOND DEFERS RIGHTS ISSUE, MULLS PROJECT PARTNERS\n","article":"  <Bond Corp International Ltd>, a\n  subsidiary of the Australian-based Bond Corp Holdings Ltd\n  <BONA.S>, said it would defer its planned rights issue but\n  still wants the issue to be made before July 31.\n      No date has been set for the issue, announced in January.\n      In a document to shareholders, Bond Corp said the delay\n  follows its receipt of a 240 mln H.K. Dlr loan from its parent\n  company to meet the first payment on the newly acquired Bond\n  Centre commercial complex in central Hong Kong.\n      It also wants outside partners to take up to 50 pct in the\n  project, the company said.\n      The January announcement said the rights issue would\n  finance Bond Corp's 1.4 billion dlr acquisition of a 23.77 pct\n  stake in HK-TVB Ltd <TVBH.HK> from film magnate Run Run Shaw.\n      The company then reached an agreement with a consortium led\n  by Sino Land Co Ltd <SINO.HK> to buy a commercial complex that\n  is still under construction for 1.9 billion dlrs.\n      Bond International said in the document that except for the\n  240 mln dlr loan, the deal would be financed from internal\n  resources and by selling an interest in the building.\n      The payments must be completed by the end of 1987.\n      Bond International has also sold several residential\n  buildings in Hong Kong's mid-levels district for a total of\n  68.35 mln dlrs, the statement said.\n      The flats were among the properties it bought last year\n  from Hongkong Land Co Ltd <HKLD.HK> for 1.4 billion dlrs.\n      Analysts said Bond International is heavily geared as it\n  has relied on bank borrowings to purchase both the Hongkong\n  Land properties and the HK-TVB shares.\n      Bond International also said in the document that while it\n  plans to sell an interest in the complex it will hold the\n  HK-TVB shares as a long-term investment.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"PHILIPPINES SEES 1987 GOVERNMENT REVENUE UP 26 PCT\n","article":"  Philippine government revenue is\n  expected to rise 26 pct to 99.9 billion pesos this year from\n  79.1 billion in 1986, Finance Secretary Jaime Ongpin said.\n      In a report to President Corazon Aquino on his department's\n  performance during the year ended February 28, Ongpin said at\n  least 15.9 billion pesos were expected to accrue from new tax\n  reform measures announced last year.\n      He said the goal for official development assistance (ODA)\n  this year is two billion dlrs, adding that aid donors have\n  committed ODA inflows of 1.7 billion dlrs in 1987, up 30 pct\n  from 1.3 billion in 1986.\n      Ongpin said steps planned to provide a sound revenue base\n  included a value added tax (VAT) system due to be introduced in\n  1988. He gave no other details.\n      He said treasury bill maturities, interest rate levels and\n  the volume of government securities sold to the private sector\n  have improved significantly. \"In particular, short-term prime\n  interest rates which had gone over 40 pct in 1985, are now down\n  to less than 10 pct,\" he said.\n      Ongpin said the government's debt-equity scheme, introduced\n  in August last year, had attracted more than 276 mln dlrs worth\n  of applications, but selective evaluation had resulted in\n  approvals of only 61.8 mln dlrs at end-February.\n      He said his department aims to accelerate its privatisation\n  program and the sale of non-performing assets owned by\n  associates of former President Ferdinand Marcos to achieve a\n  1987 sales target of four billion pesos which would help\n  finance land reform.\n      Aquino said earlier this month that all the 24 billion\n  pesos the government hopes to raise from the sale of the failed\n  companies will be used to finance the land reform plan.\n      Ongpin also said the government would pursue efforts to\n  obtain 500 mln dlrs in concessional funding for the program\n  from a World Bank-led consultative group of multilateral and\n  bilateral aid donors.\n      The government has said the land reform plan aims to\n  distribute 9.7 mln hectares of land to poor peasants.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NORWAY'S TRADE DEFICIT WIDENS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Norway's trade deficit widened in February\n  to 957 mln crowns from 80 mln crowns in January and 492 mln\n  crowns in February last year, the Central Bureau of Statistics\n  said.\n      Exports dropped to 10.66 billion crowns last month,\n  compared with 11.11 billion in January and 10.85 billion in\n  February 1986, it added.\n      Crude oil and natural gas exports totalled 4.56 billion\n  crowns in February, against 5.10 billion in January and 5.36\n  billion a year ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UAE GOVERNMENT PAPER YIELDS UNCHANGED\n","article":"  Yields on certificates of deposit\n  issued by the United Arab Emirates Central Bank were unchanged\n  at 6-1\/8 pct, the bank said.\n      The yield applies to maturities of one, two, three and six\n  months.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DUTCH COST OF LIVING FALLS 1.2 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  The Dutch cost of living index (base\n  1980) fell 1.2 pct to 121.5 in the year to mid-February after a\n  1.3 pct fall in the year to mid-January 1987, the Economics\n  Ministry said.\n      The February index was 0.2 pct up on January.\n      Clothing, shoe and vegetable prices rose in February while\n  prices of coffee, heating oil and most car fuels fell, the\n  Ministry added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN'S NTT FORECASTS PROFITS FALL IN 1987\/88\n","article":"  <Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp>\n  (NTT) expects its profits to fall to 328 billion yen in the\n  year ending March 31, 1988 from a projected 348 billion this\n  year, the company said.\n      Total sales for the same period are expected to rise to\n  5,506 billion yen from a projected 5,328 billion this year, NTT\n  said in a business operations plan submitted to the Post and\n  Telecommunications Ministry.\n      NTT said it plans to make capital investments of 1,770\n  billion yen in 1987\/88, including 109 billion for research and\n  development, as against a total of 1,600 billion this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SWEDISH INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION FALLS IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Sweden's industrial production fell\n  1.8 pct during January compared with a fall of 0.8 pct the\n  month before and remains unchanged compared with January 1986,\n  according to figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics.\n      The bureau attributed the fall to a long Christmas break\n  and particularly cold weather, which lowered production in the\n  forestry industry.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BUNDESBANK ADDS MONEY MARKET LIQUIDITY\n","article":"  The Bundesbank came into the domestic\n  money market to add temporary liquidity through federal\n  government funds as call money rates rose above 4.0 pct,\n  dealers said.\n      They estimated that the bulk of liquidity was added at\n  about 3.95 pct. Call money fell to 3.90\/4.0 pct after the move.\n  It had been 3.80\/90 on Friday.\n      The move came as call money extended a rise begun Friday\n  after the Bundesbank took up some six billion marks owed to it\n  by other European central banks after currency interventions in\n  the framework of European Monetary System in January.\n      Rates could ease further in trading today but dealers\n  expect them to rise later in the week as banks begin paying out\n  funds for tax payments on behalf of clients.\n      Some 30 billion marks is likely to leave the market this\n  month, with the bulk being paid out next week.\n      In anticipation of this liquidity drain, banks have stocked\n  up reserves at the Bundesbank.\n      On Thursday, minimum reserve holdings declined to 57.0\n  billion marks from 60.0 billion on Wednesday but were well\n  above the 53.2 billion held on Tuesday. Daily average reserve\n  holdings rose slightly to 54.7 billion marks from 54.5 billion.\n      The daily average reserve holdings were above the level of\n  around 51 billion marks dealers said is needed for the required\n  daily average for the month.\n      With the heavy tax drain in March, banks are likely to\n  remain cautious about taking more liquidity out of reserves\n  than is absolutely necessary.\n      However, a new securities repurchase pact likely to be\n  added next week to replace a facility expiring then could\n  somewhat offset the drain.\n      The Bundesbank is expected to allocate more than the 3.4\n  billion marks which is due to be rolled over, dealers said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PECHINEY SIGNS LETTERS OF INTENT WITH SOVIET UNION\n","article":"  Pechiney <PUKG.PA> said it signed two\n  letters of intent with the Soviet Union covering the setting up\n  of packaging and packaging materials joint ventures.\n      It said one proposed venture would produce  aluminium\n  packaging for food and cosmetics. The other envisaged Pechiney\n  putting together a consortium of  European partners to set up a\n  packaging and equipment manufacturing unit in the Soviet Union.\n      A Pechiney spokesman said two working groups would prepare\n  detailed projects over the next three months. He said it was\n  too soon to estimate the financial value of the two ventures.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MEES SAYS SECOND WEEK MARCH OPEC OUTPUT 14 MLN BPD\n","article":"  OPEC produced only about 14 mln bpd of\n  oil in the second week of March -- 1.8 mln bpd below its\n  ceiling -- largely because of pipeline problems in Turkey and\n  Ecuador, the Middle East Economic Survey (MEES) estimated.\n      A landslide breached Iraq's one mln bpd pipeline through\n  Turkey on March 6 for a week, and earthquakes in Ecuador have\n  shut down its export pipeline for four to five months. Ecuador\n  has an OPEC quota of 210,000 bpd.\n      MEES put Saudi Arabian output at 2.9 mln bpd in the first\n  week of March and 3.1 mln bpd in the second, in addition to\n  output from the Neutral Zone between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.\n      MEES said Saudi Arabia was pumping more than 300,000 bpd of\n  its total production into floating storage.\n      Saudi Oil Minister Hisham Nazer told Reuters and the\n  television news agency Visnews yesterday that Saudi output,\n  including Neutral Zone production, was around three mln bpd.\n      The Cyprus-based newsletter also said authoritative Libyan\n  oil sources said Libya was producing 850,000 bpd, compared with\n  its 948,000 bpd quota, and that actual liftings are much lower\n  than that.\n      It said one major Libyan equity producer had partially\n  stopped lifting its 55,000 bpd equity entitlement for March\n  because Libya was insisting on official prices, but is still\n  lifting 40,000 bpd of debt crude at official prices and a\n  further 25,000 bpd of \"purchase crude.\"\n      It said small equity producers, with entitlements of only\n  2,000 to 3,000 bpd, had also told Tripoli they could not lift\n  at official prices.\n      MEES said Iraq had sent a telex to OPEC and member\n  countries calling for the formation of a committee to study\n  what it said were inequalities in marketing potential among\n  various members.\n      The newsletter said the Iraqi letter indicated Baghdad was\n  having difficulty selling crude at official prices.\n      The Iraqi telex pointed out that some member countries\n  export substantial volumes of oil that are not subject to OPEC\n  price regulations -- exports of refined products, equity crude\n  on which the margins are equivalent to covert discounts and\n  \"other forms of hydrocarbons\" which are marketed in package deals\n  with crude oil.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FINNISH INFLATION FALLS TO 3.5 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Year-on year Finnish consumer prices\n  fell to 3.5 pct in February 1986 from 3.7 pct in January and\n  4.6 pct in February 1985, the Central Statistical Office said.\n      Consumer prices rose 0.3 pct in February after rises of one\n  pct in January and 0.5 pct in February 1985.\n      The consumer price index, base 1981, was 142.7 in February,\n  142.2 in January and 137.8 in February 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"EC COMMISSION GIVEN PLAN TO SAVE STEEL INDUSTRY\n","article":"  European Community steelmakers\n  presented the Executive Commission with a controversial plan\n  for the future of the industry which diplomats say it may be\n  forced reluctantly to accept.\n      Under the plan steel output would remain subject to\n  restrictive quotas and imports would be firmly controlled for\n  years to come while steel firms undertook a massive\n  slimming-down operation to adjust capacity to lower demand.\n      Industry Commissioner Karl-Heinz Narjes has proposed the\n  ending of the quota system by December 1988.\n      He has proposed a return to the free market, which under EC\n  law is supposed to exist except in times of \"manifest crisis.\"\n      But diplomats said some ministers who meet to discuss this\n  idea on March 19 will argue that steel firms are in crisis in\n  their countries, with orders falling as customers switch to\n  alternative products and accounts firmly in the red.\n      Ministers from the EC's major steel producing countries are\n  likely to shy away from Narjes' proposals and could back the\n  industry's own plan instead, in the hope of minimising the\n  political impact of plant closures, they said.\n      Industry sources said the plan presented to Narjes by the\n  EC steelmakers' lobby group Eurofer would retain the quota\n  production system at least until the end of 1990.\n      Eurofer said in a statement consultants working for it\n  identified scope for closing plants on a \"voluntary\" basis to\n  reduce capacity by 15.26 mln tonnes a year.\n      Cuts were still insufficient in one production area, that\n  of hot rolled coils, and further talks were needed.\n      Eurofer added the industry would need the support of the\n  Commission and governments in carrying out a closure program,\n  particularly with social costs such as redundancy payments.\n      The EC steel industry has already shed 240,000 jobs this\n  decade while reducing annual capacity by 31 mln tonnes.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PEARSON CONCENTRATES ON FOUR SECTORS\n","article":"  Pearson Plc <PSON.L> said the recent\n  sale of its Fairey Engineering companies, in a 51.5 mln stg\n  management buy-out, was part of its policy of concentrating on\n  four key sectors.\n      In a statement with its 1986 results, the company said its\n  information and entertainments sector's Financial Times, FT,\n  newspaper had record sales and profits.\n      The FT is subject to a 70 mln stg investment programme,\n  with the printing and publishing operation moving to a new\n  plant in the London docklands next year.\n      Its other key sectors are merchant banking, oil and china.\n      Commenting on its Camco Inc oil service subsidiary, Pearson\n  said it believes the oil business setback is only temporary.\n      The group has been acquiring oil properties in both the\n  U.S. And Britain which will begin to make a significant impact\n  on profits in the 1990s.\n      Far East operations of fine china subsidiary Royal Doulton\n  Ltd are being expanded in the wake of record recent sales in\n  Japan, it added.\n      Pearson reported 1986 pre-tax profit of 121.1 mln stg, up\n  from 109.3 mln in 1985. Turnover fell to 953 mln from 970 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":" German February central bank money grows annual 7.5 pct (January, same) - prov. Bundesbank data\n","article":"\n   German February central bank money grows annual 7.5 pct (January, same) - prov. Bundesbank data\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GERMAN FEBRUARY CENTRAL BANK MONEY GROWTH STEADY\n","article":"  West German central bank money stock\n  was growing at an annualized 7.5 pct in February, unchanged\n  from the 7.5 pct reported in January, provisional data from the\n  Bundesbank showed.\n      The figure was thus outside the three to six pct range set\n  by the Bundesbank for 1987.\n      In absolute terms, the measure rose to 223.2 billion marks\n  in February from 221.8 billion in the prior month.\n      The data showed that the stock grew at an annualized 8.6\n  pct over the six months to February, slower than the 9.4 pct\n  rise in the same period to January.\n      Of the two components comprising central bank money stock,\n  cash in circulation rose to 111.7 billion marks in February\n  from 110.9 billion in January, the Bundesbank data showed.\n      This gave an annualized 8.3 pct rise over the six months to\n  February, down from a 10.2 pct increase over the six months to\n  January.\n      Minimum reserve requirements on domestic liabilities grew\n  to 111.5 billion marks in February from 110.9 billion in\n  January.\n      This yielded an annualized 8.8 pct rise over the six month\n  to February, up slightly from an 8.6 pct increase over the same\n  period to January.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UK FEB RETAIL SALES RISE PROVISIONAL 2.2 PCT (JAN FALL 2.2 PCT) - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  UK FEB RETAIL SALES RISE PROVISIONAL 2.2 PCT (JAN FALL 2.2 PCT) - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GERMAN BANK SEES HIGHER GOLD PRICE FOR 1987\n","article":"  Gold is expected to continue its rise\n  this year due to renewed inflationary pressures, especially in\n  the U.S., Hamburg-based Vereins- und Westbank AG said.\n      It said in a statement the stabilisation of crude oil\n  prices and the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries'\n  efforts to achieve further firming of the price led to growing\n  inflationary pressures in the U.S., The world's biggest crude\n  oil producer.\n      Money supplies in the U.S., Japan and West Germany exceed\n  the central banks' limits and real growth of their gross\n  national products, it said.\n      Use of physical gold should rise this year due to increased\n  industrial demand and higher expected coin production, the bank\n  said.\n      Speculative demand, which influences the gold price on\n  futures markets, has also risen. These factors and South\n  Africa's unstable political situation, which may lead to a\n  temporary reduction in gold supplies from that country,\n  underline the firmer sentiment, it said.\n      However, Australia's output is estimated to rise to 90\n  tonnes this year from 73.5 tonnes in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. RETAIL SALES RISE 2.2 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  The volume of U.K. Retail sales rose a\n  provisional, seasonally adjusted 2.2 pct in February after\n  falling a final 2.2 pct in January, figures released by the\n  Department of Trade and Industry show.\n      The February sales index, base 1980, was put at a\n  preliminary 125.0 after a final 122.3 in January.\n      In the three months from December to February, the level of\n  sales was little changed over the previous three months but was\n  nearly six pct higher than the same year ago period.\n      On a non-seasonally adjusted value basis, retail sales in\n  February were a provisional 9.0 pct higher than a year earlier.\n      The Department noted the latest figures were similar to the\n  average in the fourth quarter last year but well above the\n  January index, which was depressed by the effects of severe\n  weather.\n      The February trading period comprised the four weeks\n  February 1 to 28. Final February retail sales figures will be\n  published on April 6.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRANSPORT DEVELOPMENT GROUP PLC <TDGL.L> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 17.15p vs 12.37p\n      Final dividend 5.5p, making 7.5p vs 6.2p\n      Pre-tax profit 39.4 mln stg vs 29.7 mln.\n      Turnover 543.2 mln stg vs 481.5 mln\n      Operating profit 48.2 mln stg vs 38.2 mln\n      Net interest 8.9 mln vs 8.6 mln\n      Tax 14.3 mln vs 11.2 mln\n      Profit after tax 25.1 mln vs 18.4 mln\n      Minority interest 300,000 vs 615,000\n      Net tangible assets per ordinary shr 111.3p vs 101.6p\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COCOA LATEST FOCUS FOR COMMODITY PACT NEGOTIATORS\n","article":"  The credibility of government efforts to\n  stabilise fluctuating commodity prices will again be put to the\n  test over the next two weeks as countries try to agree on how a\n  buffer stock should operate in the cocoa market, government\n  delegates and trade experts said.\n      Only two weeks ago, world coffee prices slumped when\n  International Coffee Organization members failed to agree on\n  how coffee export quotas should be calculated. This week, many\n  of the same experts gather in the same building here to try to\n  agree on how the cocoa pact reached last summer should work.\n      The still unresolved legal wrangle surrounding the\n  International Tin Council (ITC), which had buffer stock losses\n  running into hundreds of millions of sterling, is also casting\n  a shadow over commodity negotiations.\n      The ITC's failure has restricted negotiators' ability to\n  compromise as governments do not want to be involved in pacts\n  with built-in flaws or unlimited liability, but want clear\n  lines drawn between aid and trade.\n      A more hopeful sign of cooperation was agreement on basic\n  elements of a new International Natural Rubber Agreement in\n  Geneva at the weekend.\n      Some importing countries insist the International Cocoa\n  Organization (ICCO) buffer stock rules must not be muddied with\n  quota type subclauses which might dictate the type of cocoa to\n  be bought. One consumer country delegate said this would\n  \"distort, not support\" the market.\n      Trade and industry sources blame uncertainty about the ICCO\n  for destabilising the market as the recent collapse in coffee\n  prices has made traders acutely aware that commodity pacts can\n  founder. On Friday this uncertainty helped push London cocoa\n  futures down to eight month lows. The strength of sterling has\n  also contributed to the recent slip in prices.\n      The ICCO daily and average prices on Friday fell below the\n  \"must buy\" level of 1,600 SDRs a tonne designated in the pact,\n  which came into force at the last ICCO session in January but\n  without rules for the operation of the buffer stock.\n      Consumers and producers could not agree on how it should\n  operate and what discretion it should be given. The agreement\n  limits it to trading physical cocoa and expressly says it\n  cannot operate on futures markets.\n      A cash balance of some 250 mln dlrs and a stock of almost\n  100,000 tonnes of cocoa, enough to mount large buying or\n  selling operations, were carried forward from the previous\n  agreement.\n      Members finance the stock through a 45 dlrs a tonne levy on\n  all cocoa they trade. It has an upper limit of 250,000 tonnes.\n      The key arguments being faced by the ICCO working group on\n  buffer stock rules which is meeting today and tomorrow will be\n  over non-member cocoa and differentials the buffer stock should\n  pay when trading different types of cocoa. Another working\n  group is scheduled to meet Wednesday to discuss administrative\n  matters, and the full council meets on Thursday.\n      Producers have so far maintained that buffer stock funds\n  should not help mop up surplus cocoa produced in non-member\n  countries such as Malaysia.\n      Consumers say when this cocoa is the cheapest the buffer\n  stock should buy it rather than compete with chocolate\n  manufacturers for premium-priced high quality cocoas.\n      The argument over buying non-member cocoa is closely linked\n  to the one over differentials for different qualities.\n      European industry and trade advisers have suggested as a\n  compromise that the buffer stock have a maximum share that can\n  represent non-member cocoa and that it use the London futures\n  market's existing differentials for different qualities.\n      Currently, good West African cocoa is tendered at par onto\n  the London market.\n      Discounts, which are currently under review, range up to 50\n  stg a tonne for Brazilian and Malaysian cocoa.\n      Consumer delegates said the same arguments in reverse would\n  operate when prices are high - the buffer stock should sell the\n  highest priced cocoa in most demand, forcing all prices lower.\n      The January talks were slowed by a split inside the\n  European Community, a key ICCO consumer group, with France\n  siding with producers. EC representatives met in closed session\n  in Brussels on Friday in an attempt to reach a common ground\n  and, a diplomatic source said, narrowed the range of positions\n  among the 12 nations.\n      The source said the EC will be looking for signs of\n  flexibility on the part of producers in the next few days and\n  will be able to respond if they are there.\n      One ICCO delegate describing the producer\/consumer split\n  said consumer proposals mean buying more cocoa for less and\n  backs the concept of the pact which is \"meant to support the\n  market where trade buying is not.\"\n      In contrast, he said, producers seem to want to sell their\n  cocoa to the buffer stock rather than consumers.\n      Other, more technical, issues still outstanding include\n  whether the buffer stock should buy at a single announced\n  \"posted price\" as in the previous pact or by announcing it is\n  buying then accepting offers.\n      In either case, delegates said, it is accepted that\n  producers must be given a clear opportunity to make offers of\n  cocoa for forward shipment directly to the buffer stock in a\n  way that is competitive with spot offers made by dealers.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"YUGOSLAV FEBRUARY INFLATION RISES 7.2 PCT\n","article":"  Yugoslav retail prices in February\n  rose 7.2 pct from January to stand 91.6 pct higher than in\n  February 1986, the Federal Statistics Office said.\n      In January retail prices rose 6.6 pct from December to\n  stand 90.4 pct higher than in January 1986.\n      The cost of living, an index that includes services and\n  utilities as well as retail prices, was up 7.3 pct in February\n  from January and stood 93.6 pct higher than in February 1986.\n      In January the cost of living increased by 6.4 pct from\n  December and stood 91.8 pct higher than in January 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MAI PLC <MLLL.L> SIX MONTHS TO DECEMBER\n","article":"  Shr 25.7p vs 21.5p\n      Div 6p vs 4p\n      Pretax profit 24.13 mln stg vs 16.40 mln\n      Net after tax 15.08 mln vs 10.52\n      Extraordinary credit 8.71 mln stg vs nil\n      Turnover 140.8 mln vs 96.55\n      Note - The extraordinary item comprises profit less losses\n  on the sale of certain subsidiaries less related tax and\n  minority interests.\n      Pretax profit comprises -\n      Securities and money broking 15.44 mln stg vs 10.75 mln\n      Personal financial services 3.6 mln vs 735,000 stg\n      Media 3.74 mln vs 3.16 mln\n      Market reserch 912,000 stg vs 732,000\n      Net interest 438,000 vs 1.03 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MADAGASCAR RICE CROP ESTIMATED HIGHER IN 1987\n","article":"  Madagascar's vital rice crop is\n  estimated at 2,286,000 tonnes of paddy this year, up from\n  2,138,000 in 1986, the Ministry of Agriculture said.\n      The Trade Ministry said rice imports quadrupled in local\n  currency value during the first nine months of last year as the\n  government established a buffer stock of the country's staple\n  food.\n      Rice imports increased to 82.4 billion Malagasy francs\n  during the first nine months of last year from 20 billion in\n  the same period of 1985, the ministry said, without disclosing\n  the tonnages involved.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECUADOR SAYS IT WILL PAY DEBT WHEN IT CAN\n","article":"  President Leon Febres Cordero said\n  Ecuador would honour its debt when it had the capacity to make\n  payments, but said foreign banks had calculated oil would have\n  to be 25 dlrs a barrel for Ecuador to meet its commitments.\n      Ecuador said on Friday that last week's earthquake was\n  forcing it to reaffirm an earlier decision -- based on the\n  slide in world oil prices -- to suspend debt payments to\n  private foreign banks, which hold two-thirds of its 8.16\n  billion dlr foreign debt.\n      \"All legitimate debt is a commitment of honour,\" the\n  president said during a visit to the quake zone. \"A government\n  as a sovereign entity has dignity and prestige to maintain.\"\n      Private foreign banks and the World Bank had calculated oil\n  would have to be at least 25 dlrs a barrel for Quito to be able\n  to meet its commitments, Febres Cordero said.\n      He added that Ecuadorean crude was now selling for 15 to 17\n  dlrs a barrel after having been sold for many months at 12 dlrs\n  a barrel and as low as seven dlrs before that.\n      Meanwhile, Ecuador announced an austerity program and a\n  price freeze on key consumer goods as a result of the\n  earthquake, which killed at least 300 people.\n      Presidency Minister Patricio Quevedo said the budget would\n  be cut by five to 10 pct, government hiring would be frozen and\n  salaries of top officials, including the president and cabinet,\n  would be reduced.\n      He also said a price freeze would be imposed on 20 basic\n  consumer items, mainly food staples, while the price of\n  gasoline would rise by between 69 and 80 pct and bus fares\n  would rise by 20 pct. Gasoline supplies would also be limited.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET DEFICIT FORECAST REVISED UPWARDS\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had revised\n  its estimate of the shortage in the money market today up to\n  1.15 billion stg before taking account of its early operations.\n      Earlier, the bank forecast the deficit at 1.05 billion stg\n  and gave 90 mln stg assistance at an early round of bill\n  offers.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PARIBAS SEEKING TO ADJUST ECUADOR OIL FACILITY\n","article":"  Banque Paribas, which arranged a 220\n  mln dlr loan for Ecuador last year to pre-finance oil exports,\n  wants to adjust the terms of the facility to help the country\n  recover from a devastating earthquake, bankers said.\n      But the French bank's plan, which would effectively\n  postpone repayment of about 30 mln dlrs of the loan for several\n  months, is running into stiff resistance from many of the 52\n  members of the loan syndicate.\n      The pipeline that carries all Ecuador's oil exports was\n  ruptured in the March 5 tremor and will take some five months\n  to repair at a cost of about 150 mln dlrs to repair.\n      President Leon Febres Cordero on Friday estimated total\n  damages caused by the quake at one billion dlrs and said that\n  Ecuador as a result would maintain January's suspension of\n  interest payments on its foreign commercial bank debt.\n      Payments were halted in January because of the drop in the\n  price of oil, which accounts for nearly two-thirds of Ecuador's\n  export earnings and 60 pct of government revenue.\n      Although sympathetic to Ecuador's plight, many banks in the\n  Paribas facility feel that emergency financial relief is a job\n  for international financial organizations and not for\n  commercial banks, bankers said.\n      The 18-month oil-financing facility, which was signed last\n  October 28, is one of the few purely voluntary credits for a\n  Latin American nation since the region's debt crisis erupted in\n  August 1982.\n      Because it was a voluntary deal, many bankers feel strongly\n  that the orginal terms must be adhered to. Otherwise, they\n  fear, the gradual re-establishment of normal market conditions\n  for Latin borrowers will be set back.\n      \"There's a lot of reluctance by the other banks. They feel\n  it's a different facility, and so any kind of suggestion of a\n  restructuring would look bad,\" one banker commented.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF JAPAN SATISFIED WITH YEN AT CURRENT RANGE\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan is satisfied with the\n  yen around its current range, a senior central bank official\n  told reporters.\n      He said the pledge by major industrial nations in Paris\n  last month to cooperate to hold exchange rates around current\n  ranges applied in both directions, a dollar fall or a dollar\n  rise.\n      Unilateral intervention itself cannot ensure currency\n  stability, but it can be useful when coordinated with other\n  policies and with other central banks, he said.\n      The Bank of Japan is rather confident currency stability\n  will continue for some time, the senior bank official said, but\n  declined to be more specific.\n      Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa told parliament on Friday\n  the current dollar\/yen exchange rate is not necessarily\n  satisfactory for the Japanese economy.\n      Asked what factors might destabilize the markets, the\n  official cited a lessening of market fear about intervention, a\n  completely unexpected change in the economy of Japan, the U.S.\n  Or West Germany, or resumption of comments by government\n  officials seeking to talk the dollar up or down.\n      The senior bank official said he expects Japan's gross\n  national product (GNP) to grow three pct or slightly more in\n  the fiscal year beginning in April. That would be little\n  changed from the performance expected this year.\n      Domestic demand may grow nearly four pct in 1987\/88, but\n  the external sector will have a negative impact on GNP of\n  nearly one percentage point, he said.\n      He said there was virtually no room for further monetary\n  policy action to boost the economy. The economy's performance\n  in the future very much depends on fiscal policy, he added.\n      The central bank's monetary policy has already done its\n  part in stimulating the economy, the senior bank official said.\n  The Bank of Japan has cut its discount rate five times over the\n  last year and a half.\n      Although the central bank does not see any imminent risk of\n  inflation, there could be some problems in the future, he said.\n  \"We are sitting on a barrel of powder, but fortunately it may\n  still be wet,\" he added.\n      Liquidity among private households and especially the\n  corporate sector has increased substantially, he said.\n      The liquidity is the reason for the recent boom of stock\n  exchange prices, the bank official said. This inflow of funds\n  into the stock exchange, occurring also in other countries, may\n  continue, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF CHINA TAKES STAKE IN BAII HOLDINGS\n","article":"  Bank of China has taken a stake in\n  Luxembourg-based finance company BAII Holdings SA, a spokesman\n  for BAII said.\n      The stake was between three and five pct but no further\n  details of the deal, which was announced simultaneously in\n  Paris, London and Hong Kong, were immediately available.\n      BAII, which is 50 pct Arab owned, is looking to expand its\n  activities in the Far East and recently established a\n  wholly-owned merchant banking subsidiary in Hong Kong, the\n  spokesman said.\n      The group had earnings of 15.4 mln dlrs in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SAUDI OIL MINISTER SEES NO NEED TO ALTER PACT\n","article":"  Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Hisham Nazer\n  said OPEC's December agreement to stabilize oil prices at 18\n  dlrs a barrel was being implemented satisfactorily and there\n  was no immediate need to change it.\n      Nazer, in an interview with Reuters and the television news\n  agency Visnews, said Saudi Arabia was producing around three\n  mln barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil, well below its OPEC\n  quota.\n      Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, will\n  continue to restrain production as long as other OPEC members\n  adhere to the pact, Nazer said.\n      The 13-nation OPEC agreed in December to cut its production\n  ceiling by 7.25 pct to 15.8 mln bpd and abide by fixed prices\n  averaging 18 dlrs a barrel from February 1.\n      Nazer, in his first interview since succeeding Ahmed Zaki\n  Yamani last October, said: \"I do not foresee any need for new\n  measures before the 25th of June when our (next OPEC) meeting\n  will take place as scheduled.\"\n      Nazer said OPEC was producing below 15.8 mln bpd and all\n  members were abiding by its agreements.\n      \"We've heard news every now and then of violations but they\n  were not at all verified,\" he said.\n      OPEC production curbs have boosted world oil prices from a\n  13-year low of around eight dlrs a barrel last August to near\n  18 dlrs after announcement of the December pact.\n      Spot market prices slipped some two dlrs in February but\n  have firmed in the past two weeks to near OPEC levels as\n  traders gained confidence in OPEC price and output discipline.\n      Nazer said Saudi Arabia would continue to produce below its\n  4.133 mln bpd quota if necessary to defend the 18 dlr price.\n      \"As long as all the OPEC members adhere to the program as\n  devised in December, Saudi Arabia will continue to adhere to\n  the agreement,\" he said.\n      Current production of three mln bpd includes oil from the\n  Neutral Zone shared with Kuwait, but not sales from floating\n  storage, Nazer said.\n      King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, in an interview with Reuters and\n  Visnews on March 11, said the kingdom wanted oil price\n  stability and called on non-OPEC producers to avoid harmful\n  competition with OPEC.\n      \"Saudi Arabia doesn't decide prices by itself but certainly\n  desires price stability,\" he said.\n      Nazer said the output level did not mean the kingdom had\n  returned to a role of \"swing producer\" within OPEC.\n      Saudi Arabia allowed its output to sink as low as two mln\n  bpd in August 1985 to compensate for slack demand and\n  over-production by some OPEC states.\n      \"Saudi Arabia is not playing that role. It is being played\n  by OPEC membership as a whole because the reduction in the 15.8\n  mln bpd share of OPEC in the market is being shared by other\n  members of OPEC,\" Nazer said.\n      Nazer said OPEC estimated demand for its oil during third\n  quarter this year would be around 16.6 mln bpd.\n      But he said if circumstances changed \"I am sure then the\n  OPEC members will consult with each other and take the\n  necessary measures.\"\n      Oil analysts say the OPEC pact could come under strain when\n  demand for petroleum products generally falls in the northern\n  hemisphere spring and summer.\n      Nazer said he was satisfied with the extent of cooperation\n  from non-OPEC producers. Norway, Egypt and the Soviet Union\n  agreed to help OPEC by restraining production or exports after\n  he visited them on OPEC's behalf earlier this year.\n      \"We did not ask any country to do anything. These were\n  programmes they thought were necessary to stabilise market\n  conditions and to help themselves attain better pricing\n  conditions,\" Nazer said.\n      He said it was up to countries that declined to cooperate\n  -- such as Britain -- to come up with their own proposals if\n  they saw fit.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TURKISH TRADE DEFICIT WIDENS IN 1986\n","article":"  Turkey's trade deficit rose to 3.65\n  billion dlrs in 1986 from 3.39 billion in 1985 following\n  increased imports from Western countries, figures from the\n  State Statistics Institute show.\n      Exports were down 6.3 pct at 7.45 billion dlrs, compared\n  with 7.95 billion in 1985, while imports were down 2.1 pct at\n  11.10 billion dlrs from 11.34 billion.\n      Total trade with Mid-East Gulf states fell some 40 pct due\n  to lower oil prices, with imports at 1.55 billion dlrs,\n  compared with 2.74 billion, and exports at 1.65 billion after\n  2.72 billion.\n      Exports to Organisation for Economic Cooperation and\n  Development countries rose to 4.29 billion dlrs from 4.11\n  billion in 1985, while imports were 4.56 billion after 3.55\n  billion.\n      Turkey's trade deficit in December narrowed to 216 mln dlrs\n  from 340 mln in November, and compared with 277 mln in December\n  1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALUSUISSE SHARES FALL AFTER CAPITAL CUT NEWS\n","article":"  Bearer shares of Schweizerische\n  Aluminium AG <ALUZ.Z> (Alusuisse) fell sharply as trading\n  resumed after a one-day suspension on Friday, when the firm\n  disclosed plans for a capital cut.\n      The bearers, held mainly by foreign investors, dropped 30\n  Swiss francs to 460. But volume was not particularly heavy.\n  Registered shares were less affected, slipping five to 165. The\n  participation certificates fell to 43 francs from 45.50.\n      Alusuisse made a net loss of 688 mln francs, after a\n  restated 756 mln loss in 1985, and set a 50 pct capital cut.\n  The company said it could break even this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN FURTHER 30 MLN STG HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided the\n  money market with a further 30 mln stg assistance.\n      This brings the Bank's total help so far today to 120 mln\n  stg and compares with its upward revised estimate that the\n  system would face a shortage of some 1.15 billon stg.\n      The central bank bought bills for resale to the market in\n  equal amounts on April 1, 2 and 3 at an interest rate of\n  10-7\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EGYPT, SOVIETS TO RENEGOTIATE ARMS DEBT TERMS\n","article":"  Egypt and the Soviet Union are expected\n  to sign an agreement in Moscow next week settling Cairo's three\n  billion dlr military debt, Egyptian officials said.\n      One official, who asked to remain anonymous, told Reuters a\n  draft agreement would reduce to zero from two pct future\n  interest payable on the 10 year-old debt, and set a 25 year\n  repayment term.\n      Talks are due to begin in Moscow on Wednesday.\n      Economy Minister Youssri Mustapha, who leaves for Moscow on\n  Tuesday, met President Hosni Mubarak and Egyptian ambassador to\n  Moscow Salah Bassiouni to discuss the issue.\n      One official said Egypt would propose a new exchange rate\n  for trade with the Soviet Union. Current commerce is based on a\n  rate set in the 1960s of 0.38 Egyptian pounds to the dollar\n  which Moscow sees as unreasonable. The fluctuating official\n  rate is about 1.36 pounds to the dollar.\n      The officials said part of the debt would be paid in\n  exports of goods such as textiles, leather and furniture.\n      Egypt wants to settle the debt problem partly to open the\n  door for new cooperation, mainly in modernising Soviet-built\n  steel, aluminium and fertiliser plants under a five-year\n  development plan ending June 30 1992.\n      Egypt, which already imports Soviet coal, wood, newsprint\n  and glass, also wanted a debt deal to allow purchases of\n  currently blocked spare parts for its ageing Soviet military\n  hardware, the officials said.\n      An estimated 65 pct of Egypt's arsenal is still made up of\n  Soviet-supplied equipment, one official said.\n      Cairo stopped repaying Moscow for arms purchases in 1977\n  when then-president Anwar Sadat broke with its long-standing\n  ally and turned to the U.S..\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"PERU BEGINS FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATIONING\n","article":"  Peru will put into effect today a foreign\n  exchange rationing system for imports designed to stop a slide\n  in the country's international reserves, a government decree in\n  the Official Gazette said.\n      Under the system, importers will be required to present a\n  bill from the foreign seller of goods and apply for a license\n  for foreign exchange. The central bank will have 10 days to\n  decide whether to issue the required foreign exchange.\n      Net international reserves now total about 800 mln dlrs\n  compared to 1.54 billion dlrs a year ago.\n      The system will be effective until the end of 1988.\n      A ceiling for foreign exchange availability will be set by\n  a council with members from the central bank, the economy\n  ministry and the planning and foreign trade institutes. The\n  central bank will issue licenses to procure foreign exchange in\n  accordance with guidelines set by the council.\n      Peru's reserves fell sharply due to a drop in the trade\n  surplus to about five mln dlrs in 1986 from 1.1 billion in\n  1985, according to preliminary central bank estimates.\n     Total exports dropped to 2.50 billion dlrs last year against\n  2.97 billion in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DURO-TEST CORP <DUR> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 10 cts vs 14 cts\n      Net 531,896 vs 727,781\n      Revs 16.0 mln 16.8 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr 30 cts vs 39 cts\n      Net 1,532,431 vs 2,000,732\n      Revs 32.7 mln vs 34.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN SAYS U.S. WANTS TAIWAN DOLLAR TO APPRECIATE\n","article":"  The United States wants Taiwan's\n  currency to appreciate faster to reduce Taiwan's trade surplus\n  with the U.S., A senior trade official said.\n      Board of Foreign Trade director Vincent Siew told reporters\n  on Saturday U.S. Officials told him in Washington last week\n  that unless Taiwan allowed its dollar to rise faster it would\n  face retaliation.\n      Siew returned from Washington on Friday after the U.S\n  responded to Taiwan's request to increase its textile export\n  quotas by promising further talks in May. Taiwan's surplus with\n  the U.S. Hit a record 13.6 billion U.S. Dlrs in 1986.\n      Washington signed a three-year accord with Taipei last year\n  limiting textile export growth to 0.5 pct a year.\n      Siew said the Taiwan dollar had risen by about 15 pct\n  against the U.S. Dollar since September 1985.\n      It surged last week amid indications Washington was seeking\n  a major rise in its value. It rose four cents against the U.S.\n  Dollar on Saturday to close at 34.59.\n      Western trade sources told Reuters Taiwan and the U.S. Have\n  been holding talks on the currency issue but added it is not\n  clear how far Washington wants to see the Taiwan dollar rise.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SAUDIS DROP CONDITION FOR OIL SALE TO BRAZIL\n","article":"  Saudi Arabia has dropped its\n  condition that Brazil secure international bank guarantees\n  before Saudia Arabia would ship it oil, state-oil company\n  Petrobras said in a statement.\n      Petrobras said the Saudis will accept Banco do Brasil\n  credit guarantees.\n      Petrobras cancelled a 40 mln dlr crude oil purchase from\n  the Saudis yesterday after they refused to accept a letter of\n  credit from the official Bank of Brazil. The Saudis had\n  demanded that Brazil get credit guarantees from leading\n  international banks.\n      Petrobras said the Saudis had been advised that if they did\n  not change their mind by Monday, Petrobras would negotiate the\n  purchase of oil with other producers.\n      The Petrobras statement said the shipment of 2.2 mln\n  barrels will be made by the Saudis on March 24 as scheduled.\n      The shipment was part of a contract signed in February for\n  the Saudis to supply Brazil with 125,000 barrels per day until\n  June.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BSI RAISING 50 MLN SWISS FRANCS VIA RIGHTS ISSUE\n","article":"  Banca della Svizzera Italiana <BISZ.Z>\n  said it planned a one-for-12 rights issue at 300 pct of nominal\n  value to raise about 50 mln francs new capital.\n      The rights issue would have a theoretical value to\n  shareholders of 140 Swiss francs per bearer share and 45 per\n  registered share.\n      BSI was also seeking shareholder authorization for 200,000\n  new participation certificates of a nominal value of 100 francs\n  without rights for shareholders, to back future convertible or\n  warrant bonds or for other purposes. Existing 500-franc \"B\"\n  tranche certificates would be split five-for-one.\n      The split would improve the marketability of the existing\n  certificates, chief executive Giorgio Ghiringhelli told a news\n  conference.\n      The new bearer shares would be priced at 1,500 francs,\n  compared with a closing price last Friday of 3,325 on the\n  Zurich Stock Exchange, while the registered shares would be\n  issued at 300 francs against a market price of 900.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PEPSICO OFFERS TO ACQUIRE CALNY INC FOR 11.50 DLRS A SHARE\n","article":"\n  PEPSICO OFFERS TO ACQUIRE CALNY INC FOR 11.50 DLRS A SHARE\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. AND GERMANY LEAD ATTACK ON EC FARM REFORMS\n","article":"  Britain and West Germany told their\n  European Community partners they would strongly oppose major\n  elements of proposals to rid the EC of its farm surpluses.\n      At a meeting of EC foreign ministers, Britain called for a\n  full debate on a proposed tax on edible oils and fats that has\n  already angered EC consumer groups and unleashed Washington-led\n  protests from exporters to the EC, diplomats said.\n      West Germany, also opposed to the oils and fats tax, will\n  advise the meeting formally later today it cannot countenance\n  other proposals that could hit German farmers, they added.\n      They said West Germany's objections were put in a letter\n  this weekend from Chancellor Helmut Kohl to Jacques Delors, the\n  president of the EC's Executive Commission which had put\n  forward the proposals last month in a bid to avoid a new EC\n  cash crisis.\n      Kohl reiterated German objections to proposed cereals\n  production curbs but reserved his harshest criticism for a\n  proposed dismantling of Monetary Compensatory Amounts (MCAs) -\n  a system of cross-border subsidies and taxes which level out\n  foreign exchange fluctuations for farm exports.\n      Kohl made clear the dismantling would mainly hit German\n  farmers who, without MCAs, would find it much more difficult to\n  export to weaker currency states, which means virtually all\n  other 11 EC states, diplomats said.\n      Britain initiated the discussion on the proposal to impose\n  a hefty tax on domestic and imported oils and fats because it\n  could seriously damage EC trade relations.\n      The diplomats said the United States had been the most\n  outspoken among foreign critics of the proposal, describing it\n  as a breach of the EC's obligations under the world trade body\n  GATT.\n      But protests had also come from other exporters to the EC,\n  such as Senegal, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brazil, Argentina,\n  Iceland and Norway, they added.\n      Britain has often lined up against West Germany on the farm\n  reform issue in the past but is keen to avoid measures that\n  could spark a damaging trade war with the U.S.\n      Foreign ministers were unlikely to take a decision on\n  either the oils and fats tax or the MCA proposals today,\n  diplomats said. But their discussion should make clear that\n  neither has a chance of surviving when it comes up for\n  substantive consideration by EC farm ministers later this\n  month, they added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HARPER AND ROW <HPR> TO MULL OPTIONS AFTER BIDS\n","article":"  Harper and Row Publishers Inc said its\n  board of directors decided to take no action on two takeover\n  bids that the company has received. Instead, it appointed a\n  committee of independent directors to study strategic\n  alternatives for the 170-year-old firm.\n      The alternatives include continuation of the company's\n  existing business plans, possible business combinations, sales\n  of stock, restructuring and the sale of all or part of the\n  company.\n      Kidder Peabody and Co Inc has been retained to advise on\n  the alternatives, Harper and Row added.\n      Private investor Theodore Cross last week offered 34 dlrs a\n  share for Harper and Row, prompting a rival bid of 50 dlrs a\n  share from another publishing firm, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich\n  Inc <HBJ>.\n      After carefully considering the two offers at a meeting on\n  Friday, the Harpers and Row board decided not to act on them.\n      The directors unanimously expressed their strong desire to\n  preserve the company's independence and take advantage of its\n  \"considerable future prospects,\" according to director Winthrop\n  Knowlton, former chief executive and now chairman of the newly\n  established independent committee.\n      \"However, given the significant current interest in the\n  company, we also feel that we should carefully review all the\n  options available. The committee will consider all the\n  pertinent facts and alternatives... We intend to make a careful\n  and informed decision but will proceed expeditiously to a\n  conclusion,\" Knowlton said.\n      Pending its deliberations, Harper and Row's board has\n  postponed indefinitely a special meeting of stockholders that\n  had been scheduled for April 2 to discuss a proposal to\n  recapitalize the company's stock in order to create two classes\n  of shares with different votinmg rights.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FAILING WASHINGTON STATE S\/L IS ACQUIRED\n","article":"  The Federal Home Loan Bank Board\n  (FHLBB) announced the acquisition of Home Savings and Loan\n  Association in Seattle, Washington, by InterWest Savings Bank\n  of Oak Harbour, Washington.\n      The FHLBB said Home Savings was the 12th troubled savings\n  institution requiring federal action this year.\n      It said Home Savings had assets of 150.6 mln dlrs in assets\n  and InterWest had assets of 342.9 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BALDRIGE WARNS OF WORLD TRADE WAR DANGER\n","article":"  U.S. Commerce Secretary Malcolm\n  Baldrige predicted Congress will pass a reasonable trade bill\n  this year and said tough protectionist legislation could prompt\n  a trade war.\n      \"The mood of the Congress right now is as tough on trade as\n  I've ever seen it in six years in Washington,\" Baldrige said in\n  a weekend television interview.\n      \"I think we'll still be able to get a reasonable trade bill\n  out in spite of that because the whole Congress is trying to\n  work together with the administration, but there is a hardening\n  trade attitude,\" he said.\n      President Reagan opposes protectionist legislation but\n  agreed to support a trade bill when it became apparent that\n  opposition Democrats would pass such legislation.\n      However, Baldrige warned measures that would penalize\n  trading partners such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan for\n  failing to cut their trade surpluses with the U.S. could lead\n  to retaliation and he said he would urge Reagan to veto any\n  such bill.\n      When asked if there is a rising danger of a worldwide trade\n  war, Baldrige said: \"Yes, I don't think there's any question\n  about that.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<FRANKLIN UTILITIES FUND> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 14 cts vs 14 cts prior\n      Pay March 13\n      Record March Two\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"LEADING INDUSTRIAL NATIONS TO MEET IN APRIL\n","article":"  Leading industrial nations will meet\n  again next month to review their accord on currency stability,\n  but U.S. Officials said financial markets are convinced for now\n  the countries will live up to commitments to speed up economic\n  growth.\n      The narrow currency movements of recent weeks strongly\n  suggests the six leading industrial countries have tamed the\n  normally unruly financial markets and next month's talks seem\n  likely to build on that stability.\n      A Reagan administration official said the Paris agreement\n  last month was the main reason markets were calm.\n      But he said in an interview that financial markets also\n  understood, \"That all six countries concluded that the measures\n  to be taken over a period of time in the future should foster\n  stability of exchange rates around current levels. That is in\n  fact what has happened since Paris.\"\n      Monetary analysts said stability has been helped in part by\n  the decision of industrial nations to bury the hatchet and\n  cease to quarrel over short-term policy objectives.\n      Instead they have focused on medium-term policy goals, but\n  left room to adjust their agreements with periodic meetings.\n      The official refused to comment, however, on whether the\n  agreement included a secret pact to consider further\n  coordinated interest rate cuts -- a measure industrial nations\n  have taken jointly several times in the past year.\n      On February 22, the United States, Japan, West Germany,\n  France, Britain and Canada agreed that major currencies were\n  within ranges broadly reflecting underlying economic\n  conditions, given commitments by Washington to cut its budget\n  deficit and by Toyko and Bonn to boost economic growth.\n      The shake-up would strengthen the U.S. Position in future\n  international talks.\n      \"I think these changes will strengthen the President's hand\n  politically and the stronger he is politically the better off\n  we are with the Congress and the better off we are in\n  international fora,\" said the official, an Administration\n  economic policymaker. \"So it would be beneficial to the\n  continued conduct of our initiatives.\"\n      But the official also said the Administration would resist\n  calls for a tax increase to cut the budget deficit -- a target\n  Europeans say is crucial to help curb economic instability.\n      Currency analysts believe the Paris agreement set secret \n  short-term target ranges for their currencies with a specific\n  agreement to defend those bands with intervention.\n      According to market sources, the ranges agreed were 1.60 to\n  1.90 marks to the dollar, and 140 to 155 yen to the dollar.\n      There is no official confirmation that specific bands  were\n  set, although the agreement used the term \"ranges\", for the first\n  time in an international economic agreement.\n      The Paris accord stated the six would cooperate closely to\n  foster currency stability around current levels.\n      Last week, dealers said the Federal Reserve intervened to\n  stop the dollar rising against the mark, which had breached\n  1.86 to the dollar. British authorities are also understood to\n  have intervened to curb sterling's strength.\n      International monetary sources say finance ministers and\n  central bankers, who will review market performance and their\n  own economic prospects, will reassemble again in Washington\n  just before the April 9 policymaking meeting of the\n  International Monetary Fund.\n      The sources said Italy, which refused to join the Paris\n  pact, was invited back by Treasury Secretary James Baker.\n      Since Paris, there are signs West German growth is slowing,\n  while U.S. Officials said they were giving Japan until April to\n  show that an economic stimulus package was in the offing.\n      Signs of concern about German prospects emerged recently\n  when Bundesbank (central bank) president Karl Otto Poehl told\n  bankers he would consider cutting West German interest rates if\n  the Fed was ready to follow suit.\n      A Reagan Administration official said this would show there\n  had been some change in approach on the part of the central\n  bank in Germany.\n      But he declined to comment on the prospects for action by\n  the Fed and the Bundesbank.\n      \"If there is such a provision it is private and if I talked\n  about it, it would no longer be private,\" said the official, who\n  asked not to be identified.\n      Public comments by Fed officials suggest the central bank\n  is keeping credit conditions broadly unchanged, but if the\n  major economies continue to show sluggish growth and the U.S.\n  Trade deficit remains stubbornly high, further coordinated\n  action could be on the April agenda.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CALNY <CLNY> GETS BID FROM PEPSICO <PEP>\n","article":"  Calny Inc said it has\n  received an offer to be acquired by PepsiCo Inc, which already\n  owns 9.9 pct of Calny stock, for 11.50 dlrs per share, subject\n  to approval by PepsiCo and Calny boards and Calny shareholders.\n      The company said its board intendsd to schedule a meeting\n  in the near future to review the proposal and it has asked\n  <Oppenheimer and Co Inc> to assist it in evaluating the offer\n  and advise Calny on its alternatives.\n      Calny is the largest franchisee of PepsiCo's Taco Bell\n  restaurants, operating 143 in California, Oregon, Texas and\n  Washington as well as 15 La Petite Boulangerie bakeries in\n  Seattle.\n      Calny earned 1,192,000 dlrs on sales of 56.2 mln dlrs for\n  the nine months ended November Four.\n      On December Four, Calny rejected as inadequate an investor\n  group led by former president and chairman Robert A. Larive's\n  second offer to acquire it because the bid was inadeuqate and\n  subject to too many contingencies.  The group offered 11.50\n  dlrs and one dlr of 10 pct preferred stock per Calny share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INDONESIA PLANS TO BUILD PALM OIL TERMINAL\n","article":"  Indonesia will build a crude palm oil\n  terminal at a new port on Batam island, south of Singapore,\n  Research and Technology Minister Yusuf Habibie said.\n      The terminal will be able to handle 2.1 mln tonnes of crude\n  palm oil from new plantations in northern Sumatra and western\n  Kalimantan (Borneo), he said.\n      A tender for engineering work on the Asia Port project will\n  be offered mid-year. Habibie did not say when the terminal was\n  expected to be operational.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WARBURG PINCUS STARTS SYMBION <SYMB> BID\n","article":"  <Warburg, Pincus Capital Corp> said it\n  has started a tender offer for up to 2,500,000 common shares of\n  Symbion Inc at 3.50 dlrs each.\n      In a newspaper advertisement, The firm said the opffer is\n  not conditioned on receipt of any minimum number of shares but\n  is conditioned on holders of nor more than 400,000 Symbion\n  sharesseeking to receive the fair value of their shares under\n  provisions of the Utah Business Corporation Act.  Warburg said\n  receipt of 2,500,000 shares would raise its interest in Symbion\n  to about 59.3 pct from 25.8 pct currently and give it control.\n      Warburg said it reserves the right to buy more than\n  2,500,000 shares if the offer is oversubscribed but has no\n  present intention of doing so.  It said it has asked Symbion to\n  provide its shareholder list to help in disseminating the\n  offer.\n      The firm said the offer, proration period and withdrawal\n  rights expire April 22 unless extended.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ZIM ENERGY <ZIMR> TO SELL SHARES PRIVATELY\n","article":"  ZIM Energy Corp said it has entered\n  into an agreement for a group consisting of <Strategy and\n  Development Inc>, <Norsk Vikingolje A\/S> of Oslo and MIS Gas\n  Corp -- which already owns one third of ZIM -- to buy 15 to 20\n  mln new common shares at 20 cts each in association with <Polo\n  Energy Corp> and <Jaguar Petroleum Corp>.\n      The company said the investor group also bought about 6.3\n  mln shares from ZIM management. It said James Mitchell, William\n  Richardson and Steven Duin have resigned as officers and\n  directors.\n      ZIM said Chemclear Inc <CMCL> has unilaterally canceled an\n  agreement to merge with ZIM, and ZIM's board is studying the\n  possiblity of a claim against Chemclear.\n      The company said it expects to report a loss for the year\n  of about 3,125,000 dlrs due to lower oil and natural gas\n  prices, unsuccessful well workover programs and excessive\n  overhead and corporate expenses. It said it plans a dramatic\n  reduction in overhead costs that should improve results.\n      The company said Michel Billard has been named chairman and\n  Robert Berckmans has been named president and chief executive,\n  and Berckmans and two others have joined the board.\n      ZIM said it has agreed to acquire the remaining interest in\n  its Buccaneer and Blue Dolphin Pipeline affiliates for about\n  one mln dlrs in cash and stock.  It gave no further details.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BLUEFIELD SUPPLY <BFLD> IN LIQUIDATING PAYOUT\n","article":"  Bluefield Supply Co said its\n  board declared its second liquidating dividend of 1.71 dlrs per\n  share, payable March 16 to shareholders of record March 13.\n      The company paid an initial liquidating dividend of 15.75\n  dlrs per share on January Eight.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BERGEN BRUNSWIG CORP <BBCA> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 33 cts vs 48 cts\n      Shr diluted 33 cts vs 44 cts\n      Net 4,435,000 vs 6,410,000\n      Revs 839.3 mln vs 751.8 mln\n      1st half\n      Shr 55 cts vs 94 cts\n      Shr diluted 55 cts vs 88 cts\n      Net 7,374,000 vs 12.6 mln\n      Revs 1.68 billion vs 1.51 billion\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DIXONS SELLS 8.3 MLN WOOLWORTH SHARES\n","article":"  Dixons Group Plc <DXNS.L> has sold 8.3\n  mln shares in Woolworth Holdings Plc <WLTH.L> through Salomon\n  Brothers U.K. Equity Ltd, a statement from Salomon said.\n      The shares were placed with about 45 to 50 institutions in\n  Europe and the Far East. Dixons retains one mln Woolworth\n  shares, a Dixons spokesman added.\n      Industry sources said Dixons acquired the Woolworth shares\n  in connection with its unsuccessful bid for the company last\n  year.\n      Dixons paid an average price of 695p per share which\n  compares with 819p today. Woolworth closed on Froday at 833p.\n      A Dixons spokesman said the decision to retain one mln\n  shares reflected Woolworth's buoyant prospects.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EMHART CORP <EMH> QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 35 cts vs 35 cts prior\n      Payable March 31\n      Record March nine\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GELCO CORP <GEL> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 67 cts vs 23 cts\n      Net 5,220,000 vs 3,143,000\n      Revs 236.1 mln vs 256.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 7.8 mln vs 13.7 mln\n      Six Mths\n      Shr 85 cts vs 59 cs\n      Net 8,919,000 vs 8,158,000\n      Revs 483.8 mln vs 515.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 10.4 mln vs 13.7 mln\n      NOTE: Fiscal 1987 second quarter and first half earnings\n  include a gain of 3.4 mln dlrs and exclude preferred dividend\n  requirements of five mln dlrs in the quarter and 5.6 mln dlrs\n  in the first half.\n      Fiscal 1986 net reduced by currency losses equal to six cts\n  a share in the second quarter and equal to nine cts in the six\n  months.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JOULE' INC <JOUL> SETS STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Joule' Inc said its board declared\n  a three-for-two stock split, payable April 30, record March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<WHIPPANY PAPER BOARD CO INC> MERGER APPROVED\n","article":"  Whippany Paper Board Co Inc said\n  shareholders at a special meeting approved a merger into NPN\n  Inc for 2.50 dlrs per share.\n      NPN acquired control of Whippany in a recent tender offer.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORTHERN AIR FREIGHT <NAFI> GETS, REJECTS, BID\n","article":"  Privately-held <Pilot Air Freight>\n  said it met with officials of Northern Air Freight Inc to try\n  to negotiate a friendly acquisition of Northern, but Northern's\n  management had no interest in the proposal.\n      Northern has annual revenues of about 60 mln dlrs and is\n  based in Seattle.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN BUILDING MAINTENANCE <ABM> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 35 cts vs 44 cts\n      Net 1,311,000 vs 1,619,000\n      Revs 125.2 mln vs 117.2 mln\n      NOTE: American Building Maintenance Industries Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"RENOUF EXTENDS BENEQUITY HOLDINGS <BH> OFFER\n","article":"  Renouf Corp International said it has\n  extended the expiration of its offer to pay 31 dlrs a unit to\n  buy all outstanding units of Benequity Holdings a California\n  Limited Partnership to March 24 from March 13.\n      As of March 13, Renouf said, about 3,847,375 units had been\n  tendered.\n      Renouf pointed out this exceeds the minimum number sought\n  in the offer, but its statement gave no reason for the\n  extention. Benequity has 5.7 mln units outstanding.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INTERNCHANGE FINANCIAL SERVICES <ISBJ> PAYOUT UP\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 8-1\/3 cts prior\n      Pay April 21\n      Record March 20\n      NOTE: Interchange Financial Services Corp.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEW WORLD PICTURES LTD <NWP> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 32 cts vs 21 cts\n      Net 4,717,000 vs 2,587,000\n      Revs 72.9 mln vs 37.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 14.7 mln vs 12.6 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 75 cts vs 41 cts\n      Oper net 10.7 mln vs 4,642,000\n      Revs 188.9 mln vs 106.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 14.2 mln vs 1.4 mln\n      NOTE: 1985 year net excludes 495,000 dlr tax credit.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS INC <LEIX> 2ND QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr profit 17 cts vs loss two cts\n      Net profit 520,000 vs loss 51,000\n      Sales 11.1 mln vs 6,897,000\n      1st half\n      Shr profit 34 cts vs profit 12 cts\n      Net profit 951,000 vs profit 320,000\n      Sales 20.6 mln vs 14.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COMMTRON CORP <CMR> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 16 cts vs 22 cts\n      Net 1,574,000 vs 1,725,000\n      Sales 104.2 mln vs 116.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 10.1 mln vs eight mln\n      1st half\n      Shr 37 cts vs 37 cts\n      Net 3,675,000 vs 2,925,000\n      Sales 244.5 mln vs 230.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 10.0 mln vs eight mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INDONESIA HAS IMPORTED PALM OIL, TRADERS SAY\n","article":"  Indonesia has imported palm oil this\n  year and is likely to take more, trade sources said.\n      They were commenting on a weekend Jakarta report quoting a\n  Ministry of Trade spokesman as saying Indonesia had not issued\n  licences to import the commodity. He also said there was no\n  sign of a shortage of palm oil in Indonesia.\n      A major palm oil dealer said he shipped Malaysian palm oil\n  to Indonesia in February, additional vessels were loading this\n  month and other vessels had been earmarked for April.\n      Other operators claimed they had palm oil booked for\n  Indonesia but would not disclose tonnages.\n      Traders said palm oil production in Indonesia this year had\n  been below expectations and current stocks were low. They said\n  licences were issued at the start of the year to import crude\n  palm oil but were subsequently revised to include RBD olein and\n  RBD oil.\n      Last week there were rumours in European markets that\n  Indonesia had issued licences to import around 135,000 tonnes\n  of palm oil for deliveries commencing April. An Indonesian\n  Ministry of Trade official said this was incorrect.\n      Some traders here said the total could be more. Others said\n  they could include those issued earlier this year and\n  applications not yet granted.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WHOLESALE CLUB INC <WHLS> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit two cts vs loss 16 cts\n      Net profit 558,000 vs loss 580,000\n      Sales 66.2 mln vs 29.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,476,000 vs 3,615,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 61 cts vs loss 79 cts\n      Net loss 1,760,000 vs loss 2,180,000\n      Sales 158.4 mln vs 76.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,475,000 vs 2,751,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MSA REALTY CORP <SSS> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit four cts vs loss two cts\n      Net profit 247,970 vs loss 57,341\n      Revs 2,393,622 vs 2,627,612\n      Avg shrs 5,958,423 vs 2,440,100\n      Year\n      Shr profit 71 cts vs loss 35 cts\n      Net profit 3,213,310 vs loss 849,180\n      Revs 14,571,434 vs 9,099,767\n      Avg shrs 6,177,666 vs 2,440,083\n      NOTE: 1986 earnings include a loss from carryforward of\n  investment tax credits of 85,000 dlrs in the quarter and a gain\n  of 250,000 dlrs, or four cts a share for the year\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECONOMIC SPOTLIGHT -FRANCE AWAITS ECONOMIC LIFT\n","article":"  A year after squeezing to power with a\n  narrow bare coalition majority, Gaullist Prime minister Jacques\n  Chirac has swept away a cobweb of controls and regulations\n  choking the French economy.\n      But France is still waiting for a promised industrial\n  recovery the government says will follow from its free market\n  policies. Company profits and the stock market are rising. But\n  so is unemployment. Growth is stagnant at about two pct a year\n  and the outlook for inflation, held to a 20-year low of 2.1 pct\n  in 1986, is uncertain.\n      Forced last month to cut the government's 1987 growth\n  target and raise its inflation estimate, Finance Minister\n  Edouard Balladur ruled out action to stimulate the economy. But\n  some government supporters say they fear time for an economic\n  miracle may be running out.\n      The political clock is ticking towards Presidential\n  elections due by April next year.\n      France's economic performance, led by a mixed cast of\n  right-wing ministers and a socialist President, has won mixed\n  reviews from non-partisan analysts.\n      For Michel Develle, Director of Economic Studies at\n  newly-privatised Banque Paribas, the government's outstanding\n  achievement has been to launch \"a veritable intellectual\n  revolution\" breaking the staid habits formed by centuries of\n  state control.\n      \"The figures may look mediocre -- neither good nor bad --\n  but set in their context of structural reforms, they are\n  excellent,\" Develle said.\n      But some analysts say they fear that Balladur, chief\n  architect of the government's free market policies, may be\n  pursuing a mirage.\n      \"The belief that economic liberalism will produce an\n  explosion of economic forces is ideological\" said Indosuez chief\n  economist Jean Cheval. \"Personally I think it's an illusion.\n  Dirigisme (direction) is a basic fact of the French system,\n  from school onwards. Ultra-liberalism is impossible.\"\n      Illusion or not, the government has pushed its vision hard.\n  Over the past year foreign exchange and consumer price controls\n  have been largely abolished, labour regulations have been\n  pruned to ease the sacking of redundant workers and a hugely\n  popular programme has been launched to sell state-owned banks\n  and industries to private investors.\n      Since December, nearly five mln French investors have\n  bought shares in Cie Financiere de Paribas <PARI.PA> and glass\n  maker Cie de Saint-Gobain SA <SGEP.PA>, the first two state\n  companies brought to the stock market under the 300 billion\n  franc five-year privatisation plan.\n      Encouraged by an amnesty for past illegal exports of\n  capital, and the lifting of most currency controls, money has\n  flooded into the Paris stockmarket from abroad, helping to lift\n  the market 57 pct last year and another 12.5 pct since\n  December.\n      At the end of last year the government abolished price\n  controls that had existed for 42 years on services such as car\n  repairs and hairdressing, freeing from state intervention small\n  businesses which account for some 60 pct of the French economy.\n      The immediate result was a 0.9 pct rise in consumer prices\n  in January, partly responsible for a forced revision in the\n  official 1987 inflation forecast, to 2.5 pct from two pct or\n  less.\n      \"But even 2.5 pct would be a fantastic result, when you\n  consider that prices are now free for the first time since\n  1945,\" commented Develle of Paribas.\n      Other achievements include a major reduction in the state's\n  foreign debts, and a cut in the state budget deficit to 141.1\n  billion francs last year, 2.5 billion francs below target and\n  down from 153.3 billion in 1985.\n      But despite a healthy balance of payments surplus and a\n  gradual improvement in industrial productivity, the French\n  franc was forced by speculators in January into a humiliating\n  three pct devaluation against the West German mark, its second\n  since Chirac took power.\n      A recent report by the Organisation for Economic\n  Cooperation and Development pilloried French industry for\n  failing to produce the goods that its potential customers\n  wanted.\n      Outside the mainly state-controlled high technology\n  sectors, French industrial goods were \"increasingly ill-adapted\n  to demand\" and over-priced, the report said.\n      French economists, including Cheval at Indosuez, agreed\n  with the report. \"One of the assumptions of the government is\n  that if you give them freedom, the employers will invest and\n  modernise....But nine out of ten will say yes, they like\n  freedom, and then wait to be told which way to go,\" he said.\n      And despite rising industrial investment and the\n  introduction of special incentives to boost youth employment,\n  the end-1986 number of jobless was reported at a record 2.7\n  million, some 300,000 more than a year earlier.\n      The problem for the government is that there may be little\n  more it can do to prod the economy into faster growth.\n      French producers failed more than most to take advantage of\n  last year's oil price falls and growth hopes now rest on the\n  shaky prospects of expansion in other industrial countries like\n  West Germany and Japan, they say.\n   REUTER...\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KAPOK CORP <KPK> IN TECHNICAL DEFAULT\n","article":"  Kapok Corp said it is in\n  techical default of its loans from Southeast Banking Corp <STB>\n  and Murray Steinfeld but is negotiating with the lenders.\n      It said neither has declared the loans due.\n      The company said it has agreed to sell the Peter Pan\n  Restaurant in Urbana, Md., for 1,100,000 dlrs, or one mln dlrs\n  after the payment of expenses.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BECOR WESTERN GETS OFFER TO BE ACQUIRED BY NEW GROUP FOR 15.50 DLRS SHARE\n","article":"\n  BECOR WESTERN GETS OFFER TO BE ACQUIRED BY NEW GROUP FOR 15.50 DLRS SHARE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EVEREST AND JENNINGS INTERNATIONAL <EJA> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr profit nine cts vs loss 58 cts\n      Net profit 738,000 vs loss 4,643,000\n      Sales 50.9 mln vs 43.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 1.50 dlrs vs loss 61 cts\n      Net profit 12.1 mln vs loss 4,875,000\n      Sales 195.3 mln vs 174.2 mln\n      NOTE: 1985 net both periods includes 4,952,000 dlr\n  provision for plant closing.\n      1985 net includes gains on sale of West Los Angeles real\n  estate of 650,000 dlrs in quarter and 1,471,000 dlrs in year.\n      1986 year net includes gains on sale of West Los Angeles\n  real estate of 9,903,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"GERMAN BANK SEES HIGHER GOLD PRICE FOR 1987\n","article":"  Gold is expected to continue its rise\n  this year due to renewed inflationary pressures, especially in\n  the U.S., Hamburg-based Vereins- und Westbank AG said.\n      It said in a statement the stabilisation of crude oil\n  prices and the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries'\n  efforts to achieve further firming of the price has led to\n  growing inflationary pressures in the U.S.\n      Money supplies in the U.S., Japan and West Germany exceed\n  central bank limits and real growth of their gross national\n  products, it added.\n      Use of physical gold should rise this year due to increased\n  industrial demand and higher expected coin production, the bank\n  said.\n      Speculative demand, which influences the gold price on\n  futures markets, has also risen, the bank said.\n      These factors and South Africa's unstable political\n  situation, which may lead to a temporary reduction in gold\n  supplies from that country, underscore the firmer sentiment, it\n  said.\n      However, Australia's output is estimated to rise to 90\n  tonnes this year from 73.5 tonnes in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ENDOTRONICS SEES HEAVY LOSSES IN QTR FROM WITHDRAWAL OF JAPAN DISTRIBUTOR\n","article":"\n  ENDOTRONICS SEES HEAVY LOSSES IN QTR FROM WITHDRAWAL OF JAPAN DISTRIBUTOR\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALPINE GROUP INC <AGI> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit seven cts vs loss five cts\n      Net profit 303,000 vs loss 205,000\n      Revs 16,945,000 vs 7,695,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr profit 27 cts vs profit 19 cts\n      Net profit 1,161,000 vs profit 787,000\n      Revs 39.2 mln vs 22.8 mln\n      NOTE: Profits include gains of 130,000 dlrs, or three cts a\n  share, in quarter and 490,000 dlrs, or 11 cts a share, vs\n  52,000 dlrs, or one cent a share, in nine months from tax loss\n  carryforward\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BSI SAYS EXPECTS ANOTHER GOOD YEAR IN 1987\n","article":"  Banca della Svizzera Italiana <BISZ.Z>\n  said it expected business to be good again this year after\n  1986's 15.2 pct increase in net profit to 42 mln Swiss francs.\n      Chief Executive Giorgio Ghiringhelli told reporters he\n  expected almost all important sectors to expand well in 1987.\n  An important exception would be its securities business, which\n  would grow more slowly.\n      Ghiringhelli also said the bank planned to convert its\n  representation in London into a subsidiary at the end of this\n  year and further expand activities at its New York subsidiary,\n  particularly in private banking.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DIAMOND SHAMROCK SETS 27 PCT PRORATION FACTOR FOR TENDERED SHARES\n","article":"\n  DIAMOND SHAMROCK SETS 27 PCT PRORATION FACTOR FOR TENDERED SHARES\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NEWPORT CORP <NESP> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 11 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 1,037,690 vs 1,270,460\n      Sales 10.1 mln vs 9,215,836\n      Six Mths\n      Shr 25 cts vs 31 cts\n      Net 2,319,376 vs 2,930,507\n      Sales 21.2 mln vs 18.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRAZILIAN BANK WORKERS DECIDE ON NATIONAL STRIKE\n","article":"  Brazilian bank workers voted\n  to launch a nationwide strike this month, compounding labour\n  unrest arising from the failure of the government's\n  anti-inflation plan.\n      At a rally in this city, about 100 km northwest of Sao\n  Paulo, about 5,000 bank workers voted to strike on March 24\n  unless their demand for 100 pct pay rises is met.\n      Wilson Gomes de Moura, president of the national\n  confederation which groups the bank employees' 152 unions\n  representing 700,000 workers, told Reuters the indefinite\n  stoppage would affect all banks.\n      The vote came as a stoppage by seamen entered its third\n  week and as 55,000 oil workers threatened action against the\n  state-owned petroleum company Petrobras.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BECOR WESTERN <BCW> GETS OFFER TO BE ACQUIRED\n","article":"  Becor Western Inc said <Investment\n  Limited Partnership> of Greenwich, conn., and Randolph W. Lenz\n  are offering to acquire Becor for 15.50 dlrs per share, subject\n  to Becor's receipt of at least 110 mln dlrs from the proposed\n  sale of its Western Gear Corp subsidiary.\n      Becor said it has also received expressions of interest\n  from other parties seeking information about Becor.\n      Becor had previously agreed to sell Western Gear for at\n  least 110 mln dlrs and to be acquired by BCW Acquisition Inc\n  for 10.45 dlrs in cash and four dlrs in debentures per Becor\n  share.  BCW was formed by Becor executives and <Goldman, Sachs\n  and Co>.  Both deals are subject to shareholder approval.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CLARK EQUIPMENT <CKL> STAKE ACQUIRED\n","article":"  Clark Equipment Co said it was\n  informed by Arthur M. Goldberg acting on behalf of a group of\n  investors that the group had accumulated 1,262,200 shares, or\n  about 6.7 pct of Clark's outstanding common stock.\n      It said Goldberg recently approached Clark to repurchase\n  the shares. However, negotiations for the block repurchase were\n  unsuccessful and have been terminated.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOG AND CATTLE SLAUGHTER GUESSTIMATES\n","article":"  Chicago Mercantile Exchange floor\n  traders and commission house representatives are guesstimating\n  today's hog slaughter at about 295,000 to 302,000 head versus\n  293,000 week ago and 309,000 a year ago.\n      Cattle slaughter is guesstimated at about 123,000 to\n  126,000 head versus 123,000 week ago and 121,000 a year ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PATON REPORTS U.S. GREEN COFFEE ROASTINGS HIGHER\n","article":"  U.S. roastings of green coffee in the\n  week ended March 7 were about 325,000 (60-kilo) bags, including\n  that used for soluble production, compared with 290,000 bags in\n  the corresponding week of last year and about 315,000 bags in\n  the week ended February 28, George Gordon Paton and Co Inc\n  reported.\n      It said cumulative roastings for calendar 1987 now total a\n  3,295,000 bags, compared with 3,620,000 bags by this time last\n  year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AVIA STOCKHOLDERS SEEK TO BLOCK SALE TO REEBOK\n","article":"  <Avia Group International Inc> \n  stockholders filed a class a action suit in Multnomah County\n  Circuit court seeking to halt the sale of Avia to Reebok\n  International Ltd <RBOK>.\n      Avia stockholders also seek to receive compensation from\n  the defendants, who include most of Avia directors, according\n  to court papers.\n      The suit grew out a meeting of several dozen dissatisfied\n  minority stockholders of Avia following the announcement of\n  Reebok's proposed acquisition of Avia and the sudden drop in\n  the price of Avia stock.\n      The complaint was filed on behalf of Clem Eischen, a\n  Portland-area resident, who owns 500 shares of Avia, and Robert\n  Withers, also of the Portland-area, who owns 954 shares, and\n  other individuals who held stock at the time of Reebok's\n  announcement. A jury trial has been requested.\n      \"The actions of the small group that contral Avia have hurt\n  the little guy,\" said Eischen.\n      The stockholders, according to a statement, have organized\n  a steering committee.\n      The complaint reviews the price action of Avia stock from\n  March 1986 and noted the plaintifs who purchased stock between\n  19 dlrs and 25 dlrs per share. The price fell from 24 dlrs to\n  16.50 dlrs a share following the Reebok announcement.\n      The complaint asked the defendants be enjoined from\n  proceeding with the Reebok acquisition of Avia. It also\n  requests damages to be determined at the time of trial.\n      Avia said it had not seen the court papers and said it had\n  no comment on the suit.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"16-MAR-1987\n","article":"  16-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ZAMBIA, IMF TALKS STALL ON FOOD SUBSIDIES\n","article":"  Zambia's talks with the World Bank and\n  International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a financial rescue package\n  have run into difficulties on the issue of food subsidies, an\n  official newspaper said.\n      The Times of Zambia, which is run by the ruling United\n  National Independence Party (UNIP), quoted official sources as\n  saying the IMF and World Bank had refused to continue financing\n  food subsidies and were pressing the government to explain how\n  it proposes to pay for them.\n      President Kenneth Kaunda tried to abolish maize subsidies\n  last December, in line with IMF recommendations, but the move\n  caused maize meal prices to double overnight and led to riots.\n      The subsidies were immediately restored as part of moves to\n  quell the disturbances.\n      The Times of Zambia said another major issue in the\n  government's current talks with the IMF and World Bank was the\n  remodelling of Zambia's foreign exchange auction.\n      The central bank's weekly auction of foreign exchange to\n  the private sector has been suspended since the end of January,\n  pending modifications to slow down the rate of devaluation and\n  dampen fluctuations in the exchange rate.\n      The kwacha slid to around 15 per dollar under the auction,\n  losing 85 pct of its value in 16 months, but since the end of\n  January has been revalued to a fixed rate of nine per dollar.\n      Banking sources said Zambia was persuaded by the World Bank\n  and IMF to lift its proposed ceiling of 12.50 kwacha per dollar\n  on the currency's devaluation once the auctions restart.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DWG CORP <DWG> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 17 cts vs profit 10 cts\n      Oper net profit 5,146,000 vs profit 2,691,000\n      Revs 269.5 mln vs 274.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 20.5 mln vs 17.0 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Oper shr profit 14 cts vs loss 45 cts\n      Oper net profit 4,131,000 vs loss 7,148,000\n      Revs 802.8 mln vs 766.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 20.4 mln vs 16.9 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes discontinued operations loss 1,667,000\n  dlrs vs profit 42,000 dlrs in quarter and loss 2,123,000 dlrs\n  vs profit 1,334,000 dlrs in nine mths.\n      Net excludes gains on insurance recovery of 54,000 dlrs vs\n  91,000 dlrs in quarter and 1,289,000 dlrs vs 218,000 dlrs in\n  nine mths.\n      Prior year net excludes 1,103,000 dlr loss from change in\n  accounting for textiles inventories.\n      Prior year results for discontinuance of apparel segment\n  and change in accounting for textile inventories.\n      Share adjusted for stock dividends.\n      Net includes pretax unrealized loss provision recoveries\n  related to marketable securities of 580,000 dlrs vs 824,000\n  dlrs in quarter and recovery 640,000 dlrs vs provision 366,000\n  dlrs in nine mths.\n      Prior nine mths net includes pretax gain on sale of\n  marketable securities of 493,000 dlrs.\n      Net includes tax credits 5,738,000 dlrs vs 494,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and credit 4,194,000 dlrs vs provision 11.2 mln dlrs in\n  nine mths.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"KAPOK CORP <KPK> 1ST QTR DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 14 cts vs loss 21 cts\n      Net loss 353,000 vs loss 541,000\n      Revs 2,668,000 vs 2,525,000\n      Avg shrs 2,452,3000 vs 2,552,300\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DIAMOND SHAMROCK <DIA> SETS PRORATION FACTOR\n","article":"  Diamond Shamrock Corp said it will\n  accept about 27 pct of the 73,653,000 shares of its common\n  stock tendered in response to the company's offer to pay 17\n  dlrs a share for 20 mln shares.\n      The company said it expects to mail checks representing the\n  purchase price of the 20 mln shares purchased later this week\n  and will be returning unpurchased shares shortly thereafter.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<BRALORNE RESOURCES LTD> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 2.70 dlrs vs loss 25 cts\n      Net loss 60.6 mln vs loss 3,122,000\n      Revs 101.0 mln vs 167.7 mln\n      Note: 1986 includes charge of 44.1 mln dlrs due to\n  writedown of oil and gas interests, writeoff of goodwill and\n  patents, provision against disposal of surplus inventory,\n  losses on disposition of operating units and writedown of\n  assets held for disposal.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF FRANCE LEAVES MONEY MARKET INTERVENTION RATE UNCHANGED AT 7-3\/4 PCT - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  BANK OF FRANCE LEAVES MONEY MARKET INTERVENTION RATE UNCHANGED AT 7-3\/4 PCT - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"H AND R BLOCK <HRB> SEES GAINS FROM TAX REFORM\n","article":"  With the April 15 tax return deadline\n  less than a month away, confused taxpayers will be converging\n  on H and R Block Inc's offices to interpret the new tax codes.\n      Financial results for the nation's largest tax preparer are\n  expected to be good in fiscal 1987 but next year could be a\n  \"bonanza,\" analysts say.\n      \"For the short term the key word is confusion, Block Vice\n  President Tom Bloch said in an interview. \"When Congress\n  drastically changes laws, confusion results and tax preparers\n  benefit,\" Bloch said.\n      \"Next year, when taxpayers take the new forms and place\n  them side by side to compare them, more people will throw their\n  hands up and say 'I'm going to get help,'\" he said.\n  \"Tax forms will look very different next year,\" he added.\n      Kidder Peabody analyst Herbert Buchbinder expects Block's\n  fiscal 1987 year (to end April 30) to show good gains over\n  fiscal 1986 earnings of 60.1 mln dlrs or 2.41 dlrs a share on\n  revenues of 606.7 mln dlrs. He estimates Block's fiscal 1987\n  earnings at 2.75 to 2.80 dlrs.\n      \"Next year, Block could have a bonanza,\" Buchbinder said.\n  Based on estimates of a larger work force, Block could show a\n  gain of more than five pct in tax forms prepared, he said. In\n  the 1986 tax season, Block prepared 9,215,300 U.S. tax returns,\n  up 1.5 pct over the previous year.\n      The Internal Revenue Service estimates about 100 mln\n  individual income tax returns will be filed for the 1987 tax\n  season, up from last year's 94 mln forms. Professional tax\n  preparers accounted for just over 43 million forms, according\n  to the IRS.\n      For the longer term, while confusion will continue to bring\n  clients into Block's 8,866 tax preparation offices worldwide,\n  there are some changes in the act that will have a negative\n  effect, Bloch conceded.\n      Certain changes in filing requirements will shorten the tax\n  return, and in some cases, simplify the form, he noted. In\n  addition, some low income wage earners will be taken off the\n  tax rolls, he said.\n      Block is currently analyzing its price structure to try to\n  offset some of the negatives. Last tax season, the average cost\n  for each return in the U.S. amounted to 48.05 dlrs and 45.73\n  dlrs worldwide, Bloch said. This tax season, rates will be up\n  about three or four pct, in line with the inflation rate, he\n  said.\n      Block expects \"some expansion\" this tax season of its\n  electronic filing system which directly feeds into the IRS and\n  can speed up the refund process. Block can choose where and by\n  how much it wants to expand into the seven cities made\n  available for the direct filing by the IRS, Bloch noted.\n      The IRS estimates about 90,000 returns will be directly\n  filed this tax season, up from the 26,000 returns injected in\n  the 1986 tax season.\n      First Kansas City analyst Jonathan Braatz said that Block\n  will benefit greatly from lower tax rates in fiscal 1988.\n      Braatz expects Block's advertising budget to be about the\n  same as last year which will be helped a bit by lower costs for\n  television ads. \"They may get a little more bang for their\n  buck,\" he said.\n      He estimates Block has about 150 mln dlrs cash on its\n  balance sheet sheet, and says if interest rates rise it could\n  be of great benefit to them.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AUSIMONT COMPO NV <AUS> RAISES QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div eight cts vs five cts prior\n      Pay April 24\n      Record April Three\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALDERSHOT AGREES TO ACQUIRE INTRACOASTAL REFINING\n","article":"  Aldershot Resources Ltd said\n  it signed an interim agreement to acquire 100 pct of the\n  outstanding shares of Intracoastal Refining Inc of Conroe,\n  Texas.\n      Aldershot will pay a certain number of shares of common\n  stock based on book value, and up to a maximum of one mln\n  shares under a formula linked to the next five years' pre-tax\n  net revenues.\n      The transaction is subject to completion of a definitive\n  agreement and to regulatory approval.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PREFERRED HEALTHCARE LTD <PHCC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr six cts vs four cts\n      Net 383,189 vs 241,857\n      Revs 1,506,756 vs 793,459\n      12 mths\n      Shr 24 cts vs 15 cts\n      Net 1,520,797 vs 929,017\n      Revs 5,268,486 vs 2,617,995\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DERLAN ACQUIRES 80 PCT OF AURORA INDUSTRIES\n","article":"  <Derlan Industries Ltd> said it\n  acquired 80 pct of Aurora Industries Inc of Montgomery,\n  Illinois for an undisclosed price.\n      Closing is subject to completion of legal formalities,\n  Derlan said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MARION LABS <MKC> VOTES SPLIT, DIVIDEND HIKE\n","article":"  Marion Laboratories Inc said\n  its board declared a two-for-one common stock split in the form\n  of a dividend, with distribution April 21, record March 25.\n      The board also said it intends to increase the regular\n  quarterly dividend by 43 pct, to five cts a share, reflecting\n  the split. It said the increase will be declared at the May\n  1987 board meeting and reflected in regular payments beginning\n  in July 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DART SEEKS SUPERMARKETS <SGL> NEGOTIATIONS\n","article":"  <Dart Group Inc> said it is\n  preparted to negotiate all terms of its proposed acquisition of\n  Supermarkets General Corp.\n      Early this month, Dart made an unsolicited offer of 41.75\n  dlrs a share in cash for Supermarkets General's stock.\n      Releasing a letter sent friday to Supermarkets General,\n  Dart said \"we believe that an agreement can be reached which\n  will be in the best interests of Supermarkets General, its\n  stockholders, management, employees and customers.\n      \"To that end, we are prepared to negotiate all terms of an\n  acquisition agreement,\" Dart said.\n      Dart said it urges a meeting with Supermarkets General\n  officials be held promptly.\n      The letter pointed out the company has not heard from\n  Supermarkets General since making the offer \"other than on this\n  past Monday when we were informed that our offer would be\n  seriously considered and that you would get back to us on a\n  timely basis to arrange a meeting.\"\n      Dart said it has \"acted openly and amicably\" in an effort\n  to facilitate its proposed acquisition, adding it has not\n  purchased additional Supermarkets General stock since prior to\n  submission of its offer.\n      Dart said it continues to be interested in acquiring\n  Supermarkets General in a friendly manner, noting it has given\n  the company \"the tune that you suggested in order to allow you\n  to evaluate the available options.\"\n      Dart now owns 1.9 mln Supermarkets General shares, slightly\n  less than five pct of those outstanding.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DECORATOR INDUSTRIES INC <DII> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Ended Jan three\n      Shr profit five cts vs NA\n      Net profit 58,088 vs loss 279,718\n      Revs 6,310,841 vs 5,468,893\n      Year\n      Shr profit 12 cts vs loss 74 cts\n      Net profit 126,321 vs loss 773,090\n      Revs 23.1 mln vs 19.1 mln\n      NOTE: Loss per share not given for quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MCCORMICK AND CO INC <MCCRK> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends Feb 28\n      Shr 37 cts vs 35 cts\n      Net 4,346,000 vs 4,202,000\n      Revs 232,006,000 vs 223,151,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VALUE LINE INC <VALU> 3RD QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr 52 cts vs 25 cts\n      Net 5,154,000 vs 2,496,000\n      Revs 17.7 mln vs 14.4 mln\n      Nine months\n      Shr 1.16 dlrs vs 70 cts\n      Net 11.5 mln seven mln\n      Revs 50.3 mln vs 41.2 mln\n      NOTE: 1987 periods include pretax investment income\n  of 2.9 mln dlrs in capital gains distributions from mutual fund\n  investment.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"THERMO ELECTRON <TMO> CONSIDERS UNIT STAKE SALE\n","article":"  Thermo Electron Corp said it has\n  entered into talks with underwriters on the possible public\n  sale of a minority interest in its packaged cogeneration\n  systems subsidiary, Tecogen Inc.\n      The company also said it plans to offer convertible\n  subordinated debentures publicly.\n      It gave no further details.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HONGKONG BANK OF CANADA 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Net 3.1 mln vs not given\n      Note: results not comparable with last year due to November\n  1986 acquisition of Bank of British Columbia.\n      Subsidiary of <Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp>\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SALANT CORP <QSLT> 4TH QTR NOV 29 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 45 cts vs profit 56 cts\n      Oper net profit 1,492,000 vs profit\n      1,842,000\n      Sales 36.5 mln vs 38.5 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 48 cts vs loss 2.44 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 1,596,000 vs loss 8,084,000\n      Sales 131.1 mln vs 144.5 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 year net includes pretax provision for loss on\n  sale of subsidiary of 1,600,000 dlrs.\n      1985 year net includes pretax loss 6,600,000 dlrs from\n  plant closing provision.\n      1986 net excludes tax credits of 1,295,000 dlrs in quarter\n  and 2,712,000 dlrs in year.\n      1986 net both periods excludes charge 9,400,000 dlrs for\n  estimated settlement and expenses connected with Chapter 11\n  bankruptcy.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TRANZONIC COS <TNZ> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 11 cts vs 11 cts prior\n      Pay April 17\n      Record March 20\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 550 MLN STG LATE HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided the\n  money market with late assistance of around 550 mln stg.\n      This takes the Bank's total help today to some 1.12 billion\n  stg and compares with its estimated deficit of around 1.10\n  billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"16-MAR-1987\n","article":"  16-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LYNG SAYS TOO LATE FOR CROP DECOUPLING THIS YEAR\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture Secretary Richard\n  Lyng said it is too late to implement a full 0\/92 acreage\n  provision, or \"decoupling,\" for 1987 grain crops.\n      \"I think there's a chance we'll see that legislation (0\/92)\n  passed, (but) not for 1987 crops. It's too late,\" Lyng told the\n  National Grain and Feed Association convention here.\n      Lyng added that there seems some support in Congress for\n  0\/92 and there was a good chance a pilot 0\/92 program will be\n  passed as part of a pending disaster bill.\n      But he indicated that it is already too late in the year to\n  alter the 1987 crop program. Sign-up for spring crops closes\n  the end of this month.\n      Overall, Lyng predicted very little change will be\n  legislated in the 1985 farm bill this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SALANT <QSLT> FILES REORGANIZATION PLAN\n","article":"  Salant Corp said it and its Thomson Co\n  Inc and Obion Co Inc subsidiaries have filed a joint\n  reorganization plan with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and expect\n  to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the near future.\n      The company said a hearing on the adequacy of the\n  associated disclosure plan is scheduled for April Nine and\n  completion of the plan is subject to approval by creditors,\n  equity security holders and the bankruptcy court.\n      Salant said it has reached agreement for Ray W. williams to\n  continue as president and chief executive officer for five\n  years from the effective date of the reorganization plan and\n  has substantially concluded talks for a new 15 mln dlr\n  unsecured credit, effective the same date.\n      The company said the committee of its unsecured creditgors\n  and the committee of its equity security holders have approved\n  the terms of the plan.  As previously announced, creditors will\n  receive 450 mln dlrs in cash, 500 dlrs of 13-1\/4 pct senior\n  subordinated debentures and four common shares for each 1,000\n  dlrsd of allowed unsecured claims.\n      Salant today reported earnings for the year ended November\n  29 of 1,596,000 dlrs, after a 1,600,000 dlr pretax provision\n  for loss on the sale of a subsidiary but before a 9,400,000 dlr\n  post-tax charge attributable to costs and expenses of Chapter\n  11 and the settlement of pre-Chapter 11 claims, as well as a\n  2,712,000 dlr tax credit.\n      A year before, it lost 8,084,000 dlrs after a 6,600,000 dlr\n  pretax provision for plant closings.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ANALOGIC CORP <ALOG> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 11 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 1,965,577 vs 2,474,357\n      Revs 38.3 mln vs 34.7 mln\n      1st half\n      Shr 61 cts vs 22 cts\n      Net 11.3 mln vs 4,132,129\n      Revs 84.4 mln vs 66.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"WEST GERMAN EXPORTS TO U.S. DROP SHARPLY\n","article":"  West German exports to the United\n  States fell below four billion marks worth in January for the\n  first time since mid-1984, provisional Bundesbank data showed.\n      The figures showed exports were 3.85 billion marks in\n  January, sharply down from December's 4.40 billion and the\n  lowest since the 3.56 billion exported to the U.S. In July\n  1984. This compared with 4.86 billion marks in January 1986.\n      Total West German exports to Western industrialised\n  countries also fell in January to 34.76 billion marks from\n  December's 36.45 billion, also posting the lowest monthly total\n  since July 1984.\n      West German exports to the European Community were 21.60\n  billion marks in January, down from 22.14 billion in December\n  and 22.94 billion in January last year, the figures showed.\n      Exports to developing nations and centrally-planned\n  economies also slackened.\n      Separately, Commerzbank AG said in a report that the focus\n  of West German exports this year was likely to shift to Europe\n  because of an expected downturn in growth in the dollar area.\n      This was one of the strengths of West German exports\n  compared with Japan, which depended in large part on the U.S.,\n  OPEC and developing country markets, it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TEXAS AIR TO GIVE FORMER CONTINENTAL AIR HOLDERS ANOTHER 3.75 DLRS A SHARE\n","article":"\n  TEXAS AIR TO GIVE FORMER CONTINENTAL AIR HOLDERS ANOTHER 3.75 DLRS A SHARE\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":" French February inflation between 0.1 and 0.2 pct vs 0.9 pct in january - official\n","article":"\n   French February inflation between 0.1 and 0.2 pct vs 0.9 pct in january - official\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TRADE INTERESTS READY FOR FIGHT IN U.S. CONGRESS\n","article":"  U.S. lawmakers are gearing up for a\n  showdown between protectionists and free traders as a major\n  trade bill winds its way through committees to a vote by the\n  full House of Representatives in late April.\n      In a move to toughen U.S. enforcement of trade laws, a key\n  House subcommittee last week approved a toned down version of\n  legislation to require President Reagan to retaliate against\n  foreign countries that follow unfair trade practices.\n      This bill will be the cornerstone of congressional efforts\n  to restore competitiveness of American industries and turn\n  around last year's record 169 billion dlrs trade deficit.\n      Several lawmakers have argued the new trade bill made too\n  many concessions to Reagan and said they intend to back\n  amendments to \"get tough\" with countries that violate trade\n  agreements or keep out U.S. products.\n       On the other hand, congressmen known for their allegiance\n  to free trade, said the bill ties Reagan's hands too much in\n  trade disputes and they will seek to restore his negotiating\n  powers.\n      Republican Bill Frenzel of Michigan said the subcommittee's\n  bill was not one \"that a free trader like me could endorse in\n  all respects,\" but he emphasized there was a consensus among\n  trade lawmakers to work toward a bill Reagan and Republicans\n  would ultimately endorse.\n      Frenzel said the goal of trade legislation was, \"to make our\n  trade policy stronger without violating our international trade\n  agreements. You'll find a lot of people who think we have not\n  done the former enough. You'll find poeple who think we haven't\n  avoided violating agreements.\"\n      In a key concession made at the urging of the powerful\n  chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, the trade\n  subcommittee backed off a requirement that would have forced\n  Reagan to automatically impose quotas or tariffs on imports\n  from countries that engage in unfair trade practices.\n      It also agreed he may waive any retaliation if it would\n  hurt the U.S. economy.\n      Ways and Means chairman Dan Rostenkowski, an Illinois\n  Democrat, insisted the more moderate approach was necessary if\n  the House wanted to pass a bill Reagan would sign into law.\n      Reagan last year had blocked Senate consideration of a\n  tough House trade bill he branded as protectionist and this\n  year only reluctantly agreed to support a trade bill when he\n  saw Democratic leaders were determined to pass a bill.\n      As an indication of his success, White House spokesman\n  Marlin Fitzwater told reporters Friday the administration still\n  did not like some provisions. But he added, \"Generally we feel\n  very good about the bipartisan consideration of the trade\n  legislation. I think we are progressing very well.\"\n      The first battle will take place next week when the full\n  House Ways and Means Committee considers an amendment by Rep.\n  Richard Gephardt, a Missouri Democrat, to force countries such\n  as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan to cut their trade surpluses\n  with the United States.\n      The subcommittee limited the Gephardt plan to provide only\n  that the existence of a large trade surplus with the United\n  States will trigger an investigation of unfair trade practices,\n  but would not automatically set off retaliation.\n      Rep. Phil Crane, an Illinois Republican and staunch free\n  trader, said he will try to further weaken the Gephardt plan.\n      Organized labor has pressed lawmakers for more relief from\n  imports where jobs have been lost to foreign competition.\n  AFL-CIO president Lane Kirkland this year angered the\n  administration in a statement that any trade bill Reagan would\n  sign would not be worth passage in Congress.\n      But Rostenkowski set the tone of the trade debate in a\n  statement, \"I'm not trying to write legislation to please Lane\n  Kirkland. I'm trying to write legislation that will be signed\n  by the president.\"\n      In writing the bill, the subcommittee rejected calls for\n  trade relief for specific industries such as textiles.\n      Rep. Ed Jenkins, a Democrat from Georgia, agreed to hold\n  off his fight. He intends to push separately a bill to protect\n  the domestic textile and shoe industry, an aide said. Reagan\n  vetoed a similar measure last year.\n      House Speaker Jim Wright, a Texas Democrat, is one of the\n  most influential proponents of aid for specific industries\n  beset by low priced foreign competition.\n      Wright Thursday renewed his call for import relief for the\n  domestic oil industry and announced his support for a Senate\n  plan to trigger a temporary oil import tariff when imports\n  reach half of domestic consumption.\n      For the most part, the trade bill's provisions toughen U.S.\n  enforcement of trade laws. The bill forces the administration\n  to act rapidly on complaints of unfair trade practices such as\n  dumping products in the United States at prices below the cost\n  of production.\n      It also forces the administration to act rapidly when an\n  industry complains that a surge in imports threatens its\n  existence. Congressmen said the change would have required the\n  U.S. International Trade Commission to impose limits on car\n  imports in 1981.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ENDOTRONICS <ENDO> EXPECTS LOSS FOR YEAR\n","article":"  Endotronics Inc said it expects to\n  incur \"substantial losses\" for the second quarter ending March\n  31 and fiscal year ending Sept 30, 1987.\n      As one factor behind the anticipated loss, Endotronics\n  cited a dispute by one of its Japanese distributors, <Yamaha\n  Inc>, over payment of a 3,686,000 dlr promissory note.\n      In a Form 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission, Endotronics said the note was for overdue accounts\n  receivable from sales of instruments to Yamaha and another\n  Japanese distributor during the company's 1986 fiscal year.\n      Endotronics said at its present reduced level of operations\n  it will exhaust all currently available cash and credit\n  facilities in early May 1987. It said this assumes full use of\n  the remaining 1,250,000 dlrs available under a line of credit\n  from Celanese Corp, which requires approval of Celanese Corp\n  <CZ>.\n      The company said its ability to obtain funding was\n  adversely affected by a suit filed March 4 by two of its\n  shareholders seeking to represent a class of holders against\n  three officers of Endotronics.\n      Endotronics said the complaint against it alleges\n  violations of the federal securities laws in connection with\n  statements made in the company's annual and quarterly reports.\n      The company also said the Securities Division of the\n  Minnesota Department of Commerce is conducting an inquiry into\n  the company's Japanese sales for fiscal 1986 and trading by\n  insiders and brokers in the company's common shares.\n      It said similar inquiries are being conducted by the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission. The investigations will\n  hurt the company's ability to obtain funding, it said.\n      As a result of the dispute over payment of the promissory\n  note, the law suit challenging its financial data and the\n  various investigations concerning insider trading, the company\n  said it no longer expects that anticipated declines in\n  instrument sales in Japan in fiscal 1987 will be offset by\n  increased instrument sales in other foreign countries and the\n  United States.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" French February year on year inflation 3.4 pct vs three pct January - official\n","article":"\n   French February year on year inflation 3.4 pct vs three pct January - official\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONTINENTAL AIR HOLDERS TO GET FURTHER PAYMENT\n","article":"  Texas Air Corp said under a settlement\n  of class action litigation with <Mutual Shares Corp>, former\n  minority shareholders of Continental Airlines Inc will receive\n  an additional 3.75 dlrs per share.\n      In February, Texas Air acquired the minority interest in\n  Continental that it did not already own for 16.50 dlrs per\n  share. Mutual had challenged the adequacy of the price.\n      Texas Air said any former Continental holder who has sought\n  appraisal rights under Delaware law may continue to seek the\n  appraisal remedy in Delaware Chancery Court or accept the\n  settlement and drop the appraisal process.\n      Texas Air said the settlement has other terms relating to\n  employee shareholdrs of Continental, who will receive options\n  from Texas Air.  It did not give details.\n      The company said the settlement is subject to approval by\n  the Delaware Chancery Court, which is expected to take about 60\n  days.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CRONUS INDUSTRIES INC <CRNS> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper Shr loss 40 cts vs loss 10 cts\n      Oper net loss 2,136,000 vs loss 467,000\n      Revs 21.9 mln vs 12.9 mln\n      12 mths\n      Oper shr loss 63 cts vs loss 30 cts\n      Oper net loss 3,499,000 vs loss 1,756,000\n      Revs 82.0 mln vs 54.5 mln\n      NOTE: Excludes income from discontinued operations of\n  1,478,000 vs 952,000 for qtr, and 31.2 mln vs 6,500,000 for\n  year.\n      Excludes extraordinary charge of 2,503,000 for current qtr,\n  and 4,744,000 for year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COCOA CONSUMERS NARROW GAP ON BUFFER STOCK ISSUE\n","article":"  Representatives of cocoa consuming\n  countries at an International Cocoa Organization, ICCO, council\n  meeting here have edged closer to a unified stance on buffer\n  stock rules, delegates said.\n      While consumers do not yet have a common position, an\n  observer said after a consumer meeting, \"They are much more\n  fluid ... and the tone is positive.\"\n      European Community consumers were split on the question of\n  how the cocoa buffer stock should be operated when the ICCO met\n  in January to put the new International Cocoa Agreement into\n  effect, delegates said.\n      At the January meeting, France sided with producers on how\n  the buffer stock should operate, delegates said. That meeting\n  ended without agreement on new buffer stock rules.\n      The EC Commission met in Brussels on Friday to see whether\n  the 12 EC cocoa consuming nations could narrow their\n  differences at this month's meeting.\n      The Commissioners came away from the Friday meeting with an\n  informal agreement to respond to signs of flexibility among\n  producers on the key buffer stock issues, delegates said.\n      The key issues to be addressed at this council session\n  which divide ICCO members are whether non-member cocoa should\n  be eligible for buffer stock purchases and what price\n  differentials the buffer stock should pay for different types\n  of cocoa, delegates said.\n      A consumer delegate said producers and consumers should be\n  able to compromise on the non-member cocoa question.\n      A working group comprising delegates from all producing and\n  consuming member countries met briefly this morning, then broke\n  up into a producer meeting and an EC meeting, followed by a\n  consumer meeting.\n      Producers, who are in favour of the buffer stock buying a\n  variety of grades of cocoa and oppose non-member cocoa being\n  accepted, reviewed their position ahead of the working group\n  meeting this afternoon.\n      \"We are waiting to see what consumers say,\" a producer\n  delegate said. \"We hope they will be flexible or it will be\n  difficult to negotiate.\"\n      The ICCO comprises 33 member countries. Non-\n  members include the U.S., a consumer, and Malaysia, an\n  increasingly important producer.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CCC ACCEPTS WHEAT BID FOR W AFRICA COUNTRIES\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corportion,\n  CCC, has accepted a bid for an export bonus to cover the sale\n  of 15,000 tonnes of U.S. wheat to West African countries, the\n  U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      The dark northern spring wheat is for shipment May 15-June\n  15, 1987.\n      The bonus of 40.05 dlrs per tonne was made to Peavey\n  Company and will be paid in the form of commodities from the\n  CCC inventory, it said.\n      An additional 315,500 tonnes of wheat are still available\n  to West African countries under the Export Enhancement Program\n  initiative announced October 30, 1986, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS <LEIX> SEES ORDERS OFF\n","article":"  Lowrance Electronics Inc said\n  results from operations in the third and fourth quarter may not\n  be comparable to the first and second quarters, which were\n  strong because of orders for new sonar equipment.\n      For the six months ended Jan 31, the company reported net\n  income almost tripled to 951,000 dlrs or 34 cts a share as\n  sales rose 38 pct to 20.6 mln dlrs.\n      The company, which went public Dec 23, also said it expects\n  to be able to fill back orders from the first two quarters\n  because of improved supply of computer chip components.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CANADA MANUFACTURING UTILIZATION RATE RISES\n","article":"  Utilization of Canadian manufacturing\n  capacity rose to 77.2 pct in the fourth quarter of 1986 from 77\n  pct in the third quarter, Statistics Canada said.\n      \"Although the change was small, this marked the first\n  quarter since the third quarter of 1985 in which the\n  utilization rates for manufacturing as a whole rose,\" the\n  federal agency said.\n      Increased residential construction led to strong increases\n  in the building materials sector, led by a 3.3 pct increase in\n  non-metallic mineral industries.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRENCH INFLATION SLOWS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  French inflation slowed in February to\n  between 0.1 and 0.2 pct against 0.9 pct in January, the\n  National Statistics Institute (INSEE) said.\n      The retail price index showed a year-on-year rise of 3.4\n  pct against three pct in January. An INSEE official said the\n  final figure for February would be released later this month.\n      After January's rise the government was forced to revise\n  its inflation target for 1987 to 2.5 pct year on year from an\n  initial target of two pct, after 2.1 pct in 1986.\n      Finance Minister Edouard Balladur said half the January\n  rise was due to higher oil prices and forecast a February\n  slowing.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MERCURY ENTERTAINMENT CORP <MCRY> YEAR NOV 30\n","article":"  Shr loss four cts vs loss one ct\n      Net loss 413,021 vs loss 163,932\n      Revs 600,971 vs 665,800\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CAPITOL BANCORP <CAPB> TO RESTATE NET TO LOSS\n","article":"  Capitol Bancorp said it expects to\n  restate its results for 1986 to a loss of about one mln dlrs\n  due to a reclassification of loans recommended by auditor Ernst\n  and Whinney.\n      The company said the restatement also reflects a\n  substantial increase in reserves of its principal subsidiary,\n  Capitol Bank and Trust Co.\n      It said it expects to earn 2,250,000 to 2,750,000 dlrs for\n  the first quarter of 1987.\n      Capitol said to maintain an adequate capital ratio it will\n  seek additional equity capital in the near future.\n      It also said it has delayed its annual meeting until May\n  due to the restatement of annual earnings.\n      Capitol said its board raised the quarterly dividend to 23\n  cts from 22 cts a share, payable April 28, record MArch 31.\n      The company originally reported 1986 earnings of 7,700,000\n  dlrs.  It earned 3,848,000 dlrs in last year's first quarter.\n      The annual meeting had been scheduled for the second week\n  of April.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. SOY PRODUCERS THINK EC OILS TAX UNLIKELY\n","article":"  American soybean producers are\n  confident the proposed European Community (EC) tax on vegetable\n  oils and fats will be rejected but are leaving nothing to\n  chance, American Soybean Association (ASA) president-elect\n  Wayne Bennett said.\n      Bennett, who is leading one of three soybean producer\n  delegations on a lobbying tour of EC capitals, was speaking at\n  a lunch.\n      After meetings at the Economics and Foreign ministries this\n  morning, he said the Dutch Government had indicated it would\n  vote against the proposal, as had a number of other countries.\n      \"Our information suggests we will have the required number\n  of votes in Brussels to prevent the tax proposal going forward,\"\n  he said.\n      \"The proposal has been talked of in Brussels for the past 20\n  years, and dropped every time. What we want now is to kill it\n  once and for all,\" Bennett added.\n      Backing up the soybean producers' active lobbying, the U.S.\n  Government has also indicated it will be prepared to retaliate\n  with penal import taxes if the proposal does get through, he\n  said.\n      The U.S. Government also feels it has a good case to fight\n  the proposed tax in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade\n  (GATT), a U.S. Embassy spokesman said.\n      U.S. Exports of soybeans and products to the EC account for\n  one-fifth of annual production, and are worth about 2.5 billion\n  dlrs a year, Bennett said.\n      The proposed tax on oils and fats would hit U.S. Producers\n  badly while at the same time virtually doubling the price of\n  soyoil in the EC, which would suffer far worse than other\n  higher-priced oils because of the nature of the proposed tax,\n  he added.\n      The revenue to the EC from the tax would simply be used to\n  finance the EC's own oilseed subsidy machine, he said.\n      \"We in the ASA are dedicated free-traders. We helped defeat\n  the Wine Equity Act two years ago, but we will not stand by and\n  watch our own farmers suffer from such protectionist EC\n  measures,\" Bennett said.\n      \"The mood in the U.S. Is turning increasingly protectionist,\n  and the EC's actions are fueling the chances of a trade war,\"\n  he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SWEDISH UNEMPLOYMENT DOWN AS DATA IS REVISED\n","article":"  A new method of calculating Sweden's\n  unemployment figures reduced the number of jobless by a sixth,\n  a spokesman for the Central Bureau of Statistics (SCB) said,\n  reporting a substantial drop in the past year.\n      According to the revised data there were 94,000 jobless in\n  February representing 2.2 pct of the workforce against 120,000\n  or 2.8 pct of the workforce in February 1986.\n      SCB official Olle Wessberg said the new figures were based\n  on a more extensive survey of the unemployed which brought\n  Sweden into line with the practises recommended by the\n  Geneva-based International Labour Organisation.\n      Wessberg said the new method cut the number of unemployed\n  by about 16 pct. \"The way we are now collecting data is far more\n  accurate and we are asking many more questions to find out\n  whether the jobless want work, whether they are able to work\n  and whether they have actually looked for work,\" he told\n  Reuters.\n      The new method was first used for the January figures,\n  which showed unemployment dropping to 2.1 pct of the workforce\n  from 2.7 pct (old style) in December, but Wessberg said the\n  change had apparently not been noticed by the press.\n      Recalculated according to the new method, unemployment in\n  February 1986 would have stood at 2.2 pct, the SCB said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ECONOMIC SPOTLIGHT - EMS MARKS EIGHTH BIRTHDAY\n","article":"  The European Monetary System marks its\n  eighth anniversary still vulnerable to turmoil in world money\n  markets despite creating an island of currency rate stability\n  in Europe, economists say. But many economists say the system,\n  which holds eight European Community currencies within narrow\n  fluctuation bands, remains in its infancy.\n      Its new currency, the European Currency Unit (Ecu), has\n  been a runaway success with investors and borrowers alike\n  seeking an alternative to the volatile dollar.\n      And on Wednesday, the long term vision of the Ecu as\n  Europe's common currency took a step nearer to becoming reality\n  when Belgium minted the world's first Ecu coin.\n      But economists say members such as West Germany have so far\n  blocked a second stage of development envisaged by the system's\n  founding fathers, ex-West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt and\n  former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing.\n      Under this phase, originally due to have started two years\n  after the EMS was set up, decision-making was to have been\n  transferred from national governments and central banks to an\n  autonomous European Monetary Fund.\n      But members have jealously guarded their sovereignty in\n  economic and monetary matters. \"The basic problem of the EMS is\n  that governments are not prepared to make the quantum leap to a\n  situation where certain decisions are taken in common,\" said one\n  economist who has closely watched the system's development.\n      The result is that the EC is often divided over policy on\n  third currencies, accentuating what the economists say is the\n  system's greatest weakness, its vulnerability to a weak dollar.\n      Over the past 18 months, as the U.S. Dollar plunged and\n  investors moved into strong currencies, the resulting sharp\n  rise of the West German mark severely strained the system.\n      Another frustration has been Britain's failure to lend the\n  EMS political support by keeping the pound, still a major world\n  currency, outside the system.\n      No change in the British government's attitude is expected\n  before the country's next general elections, due by mid-1988.\n      Meanwhile, the system's last realignment, the 11th since it\n  was set up, prompted European finance ministers to ask the EC's\n  highly-secretive Monetary Committee and Committee of Central\n  Bank Governors to come up with suggestions for reinforcing it.\n      Their ideas are due to be unveiled when finance ministers\n  hold an informal meeting in Belgium early next month.\n      But economists said the proposals are unlikely to involve\n  more than tinkering with technical details. They are sceptical\n  about the chances for any fundamental change.\n      \"Technical measures won't be enough to protect the EMS\n  against external factors such as dollar weakness. For that we\n  must take the step forward to the institutional level,\" said Leo\n  de Corel of Kredietbank's economic research department.\n      Economists say the system's fortunes now will depend\n  largely on the success of an agreement last month among major\n  industrial nations to stabilise exchange rates. If the dollar\n  resumes its slide the EMS could be in for more turbulence, they\n  predict.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INTERMAGNETICS GENERAL <INMA> COMPLETES BUY\n","article":"  Intermagnetics General Corp\n  said it completed the purchase of the advanced products\n  department of Air Products and Chemicals Inc <APD>.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      The department, which makes cryogenic equipment, will\n  continue operating at its present location in Allentown, Pa.,\n  the company said. It will market its products as APD Cryogenics\n  Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ITALY'S FERRUZZI TAKES OVER SPANISH MILL\n","article":"  Italy's Ferruzzi SpA has taken a 67 pct\n  stake in Spanish sunflower seed and cotton mill Cooperativa\n  Agricola del Guadalete SA (GUADALCO), sources at GUADALCO said.\n      The Italian firm's Spanish subsidiary, Ferruzzi Espana SA,\n  took the majority equity stake, with the remaining 33 pct\n  retained by GUADALCO.\n      Ferruzzi plans to set up a sugar division and import some\n  30,000 tonnes of industrial sugar from its French factories in\n  its first year of operation.\n      GUADALCO has a processing capacity of 250 tonnes a day of\n  sunflower seeds and 12,000 tonnes a day of raw cotton.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CCC ACCEPTS BID FOR DAIRY CATTLE TO KUWAIT\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation\n  (CCC) has accepted a bid for an export bonus to cover the sale\n  of 380 head of dairy cattle to Kuwait, the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department said.\n      The dairy cattle are for shipment on or before May 31,\n  1987, it said.\n      The bonus of 1,465.00 dlrs per head was made to American\n  Marketing Services, Inc, and will be paid in the form of\n  commodities from the CCC inventory, it said.\n      An additional 761 head of dairy cattle are still available\n  to Gulf countries (kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and the United\n  Arab Emirates under the Export Enhancement Program initiative\n  announced October 30, 1986, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<AMERICAN HOECHST CORP> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Net 38 mln vs 5.7 mln\n      Revs 1.71 billion vs 1.69 billion\n      NOTE: Fully owned subsidiary of Hoechst AG.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED EXPECTED TO SET CUSTOMER REPURCHASES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve is expected to\n  intervene in the government securities market to add reserves\n  via two to 2.5 billion dlrs of customer repurchase agreements,\n  economists said.\n      Economists said the Fed will inject temporary reserves\n  indirectly to offset pressure on the Federal funds rate\n  associated with quarterly corporate tax payments to the\n  Treasury department.\n      Fed funds opened at 6-1\/4 pct and remained at that level\n  late this morning. Friday funds averaged 6.05 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LEVITT CORP <LVT> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 42 cts vs 11 cts\n      Oper net 1,433,000 vs 382,000\n      Revs 38.6 mln vs 20.1 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 60 cts vs 49 cts\n      Oper net 2,033,000 vs 1,682,000\n      Revs 90.4 mln vs 73.0 mln\n      NOTE: 1985 4th qtr and year excludes extraordinary credit\n  of 349,000 dlrs or 11 cts per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EEP SHOULD BE USED TACTICALLY, YEUTTER SAYS\n","article":"  U.S. Trade Representative Clayton\n  Yeutter said the Export Enhancement Program, EEP, should be\n  used as a \"tactical tool\" and not as a general policy.\n      Yeutter made the comment in response to a question whether\n  the U.S. should expand the EEP to cover grain sales to the\n  Soviet Union.\n      He did not comment directly on the Soviet question,\n  replying that any decision would be made at the highest levels\n  of the Reagan administration, and \"I don't want to preempt that.\"\n      Yeutter told the National Grain and Feed Association EEP\n  should continue to be used as a tactical tool against the\n  European Community but not as a general policy. He said\n  selective EEP use has been successful in pressuring the E.C.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL PIZZA <PIZA> CORRECTS FIGURE\n","article":"  National Pizza Co said the\n  seven Straw Hat Piza restaurants in Los Angeles and\n  Bakersfield, Calif., that it announced plans to buy Friday are\n  expected to generate annual sales of about 3,800,000 dlrs, not\n  the eight mln dlrs the company originally announced.\n      The company said it will convert the restaurants to Pizza\n  Hut units.  Closing is expected around March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BENGUET CORP <BE> CALENDAR 1986\n","article":"  Net income 154.7 mln pesos vs 127.5 mln\n      Operating revenues 4.42 billion vs 3.3 billion\n      Operating profit 621.2 mln vs 203.4 mln\n      Earnings per share 4.80 vs 3.95\n      NOTE: Company statement said gold operations contributed 74\n  pct of consolidated earnings.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TBG HOLDINGS N.V. <TGBN.AS> 1986 YEAR NET\n","article":"  Net profit 34 mln dlrs vs 43 mln dlrs.\n      Turnover 1.82 billion dlrs vs 1.83 billion.\n      NOTE: Company lowered to nine pct from 13.5 pct interest\n  rate on outstanding subordinated loan for period august 1,\n  1987, to July 31, 1988.\n      TBG, formerly known as <Thyssen-Bornemisza Group>, reports\n  in dlrs since December 1, 1984, the start of the 1985 financial\n  year.\n      TBG said the decline in profits was mainly caused by losses\n  in container rental activities.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AVAQ INTERNATIONAL TO SEEK COMMITMENT ON DEAL\n","article":"  <AVAQ International Inc> said it\n  intends to require Gates Learjet Corp <GLJ> to honor its\n  agreement to sell its shares to the company.\n      AVAQ said it made the statement in response to an offer by\n  <Interconnect Capital Corp> for all of Gates Learjet shares\n  after what it believed to be an agreement by Gates to accept\n  its offer.\n      AVAQ said it offered, pusuant to Gates' guidelines, six\n  dlrs per share, plus the purchase of Gates Corp's promisary\n  note for 23 mln dlrs.\n      Interconnect said it offered 7.07 dlrs per share, plus the\n  repurchase of the loan for 13 mlns, for an aggregate price in\n  the 95 mln dlr range. Interconnect said it made the offer to\n  the board of directors of Gates Learjet on March 9.\n      AVAQ said Gates Corp and Gates Learjet approved its offer\n  Feb 26.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SPAIN TO RELAX EXCHANGE CONTROLS\n","article":"  The Bank of Spain is relaxing exchange\n  controls to help put Spanish banks on an equal footing with\n  European Community competitors by the 1993 deadline for the\n  ending of restrictions, a central bank spokesman said.\n      \"The measures to take effect by June were designed to lift\n  restrictions on foreign currency operations, in line with\n  deregulation in the banking industry,\" he said in a telephone\n  interview.\n      The spokesman said the relaxation of exchange controls\n  highlighted a broader package of reforms announced last Friday.\n      The central bank said in a statement the measures included\n  increased provisions for high-risk borrowers and a provision\n  for future pension fund obligations.\n      It said the measures were the latest steps to deregulate\n  Spain's financial sector, a move triggered by entry into the\n  Community last year.\n      Spain has five years to complete bank deregulation, a\n  process that began in 1978 when the government allowed foreign\n  banks to open branches.\n      Since then 39 foreign banks have come into the market and\n  they now control about 15 pct of the system's lending assets.\n      Residents in Spain can now borrow freely in foreign\n  currency up to the equivalent of 1.5 billion pesetas against a\n  previous ceiling of 750 mln pesetas.\n      The 750 mln peseta limit was set last March. Between that\n  date and the end of last year some 430 mln dlrs flowed into the\n  country on new foreign currency loans.\n      The central bank spokesman said operations over 1.5 billion\n  pesetas were technically subject to authorisation, but would be\n  given clearance if the government failed to act in 15 days.\n      Spanish banks will also be allowed to expand their foreign\n  currency funding, formerly obtainable through deposits, by\n  issuing certificates of deposit, bonds and commercial paper.\n      They can also employ these funds to invest in foreign\n  issues, while before they had to be converted into deposits.\n      Foreign exchange operations can be in mixed currencies,\n  instead of having to borrow and lend in the same currency.\n      The central bank has also lifted the restriction on the\n  amount of foreign exchange loans, which previously were limited\n  to three times a bank's capital equity.\n      The latest deregulation measures were welcomed by most\n  bankers, in contrast to rulings issued earlier this month which\n  imposed a 19 pct reserve requirement on new convertible peseta\n  funds held by banks and freed short term deposit rates.\n      The reserve requirement, which was already in place on\n  normal peseta deposits, was intended to curb short-term foreign\n  speculative capital which is entering the country and\n  threatening the government's money supply growth target.\n      A foreign banker said high reserve requirements, which now\n  account for about 30 pct of deposits, placed Spanish banks at a\n  disadvantage with European competitors.\n      The government reduced fixed asset investment requirements\n  to 11 pct from 23 pct to help offset the negative impact of\n  interest rate deregulation. \"The real problem is the freeing of\n  interest rates,\" the banker said. \"This is going to take a big\n  bite out of profits.\"\n      The ruling lifted a six pct ceiling on interest rates paid\n  on deposits of up to 180 days.\n      The chairman of one of Spain's leading banks said the\n  measure was expected to bring a 20 pct drop in profits this\n  year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"STANDARD PRODUCTS CO <STD> RAISES QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 20 cts vs 16 cts prior\n      Pay April 24\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AARON SPELLING PRODUCTIONS INC <SP> 2ND QTR NET\n","article":"  Jan 31 end\n      Shr 31 cts vs 44 cts\n      Net 5,705,000 vs 8,101,000\n      Revs 50.6 mln vs 67.2 mln\n      1st half\n      Shr 63 cts vs 71 cts\n      Net 11.6 mln vs 13.2 mln\n      Revs 80.9 mln vs 105.2 mln\n      NOTE: Current half net includes 750,000 dlr charge from\n  reorganization.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COOPER LASERSONICS INC <ZAPS> 1ST QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Period ended January 31.\n      Shr loss 22 cts vs profit one ct\n      Net loss 4,700,000 vs profit 150,000\n      Sales 15.0 mln vs 16.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 21,538,000 vs 19,259,000\n      Note: Prior qtr figures include gain of 1.1 mln dlrs, or\n  six cts per share, from discontinued operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRIES <DEI> 1ST QTR OPER NET\n","article":"  Period ended Jan 31\n      Oper shr two cts vs eight cts\n      Oper net 96,000 vs 449,000\n      Sales 37.6 mln vs 35.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,317,900 vs 5,689,277\n      NOTE: Full name is Diversified Industries Inc\n      Earnings exclude gains from utilization of tax loss\n  carryforwards of 62,000 dlrs, or one ct a share vs 358,000\n  dlrs, or six cts a share\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOECHST CELANESE SETS EXPANSION PROGRAM\n","article":"  Hoechst AG's <HFAG.F> U.S. unit,\n  Hoechst Celanese Corp, said it has begun projects that will\n  cost more than 150 mln dlrs.\n      The unit was formed last month when Hoechst completed the\n  acquisition of Celanese for 2.84 billion dlrs.\n      The company said it will expand its Sanwet super absorbent\n  polymers unit and its acrylic acid facility. It also said it\n  plans an acetaminophen production plant at Bishop, Texas.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GOLDEN NUGGET INC <GNG> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 20 cts vs loss 19 cts\n      Oper net loss 7,001,000 vs loss 6,761,000\n      Revs 93.0 mln vs 90.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 35.2 mln vs 34.8 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 10 cts vs profit 65 cts\n      Oper net profit 3,419,000 vs profit 22.6 mln\n      Revs 381.7 mln vs 385.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 33.8 mln vs 34.9 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes debt retirement gain 2,001,000 dlrs vs\n  loss 316,000 dlrs in quarter and losses 15.9 mln dlrs vs\n  1,714,000 dlrs in year.\n      1986 net includes tax crdits of 2,942,000 dlrs in quarter\n  and 2,729,000 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"OPPENHEIMER INDUSTRIES <OPP> SEES YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Oppenheimer Industries Inc said it\n  expects to report a loss for the year ended January 31 of about\n  980,000 dlrs, compared with a profit of 211,074 dlrs a year\n  before.\n      The company blamed the loss on the continuing depression in\n  agriculture, the discontinuance of several programs due to the\n  passage if the 1986 tax bill and the failure to close the sale\n  of four ranches in the California Carrizo Plains during the\n  year as expected.\n      The company said the prospective purchaser forfieted a\n  500,000 dlr deposit  It said it is in talks on a new contract.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LUBY'S CAFETERIAS INC <LUB> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 31 cts vs 26 cts\n      Net 5,645,000 vs 4,737,000\n      Sales 55.2 mln vs 50.6 mln\n      1st half\n      Shr 60 cts vs 53 cts\n      Net 10.9 mln vs 9,659,000\n      Sales 110.4 mln vs 102.2 mln\n      NOTE: Current year net both periods includes 474,000 dlr\n  gain from land sale.\n      Share adjusted for three-for-two split in August 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TESCO FORECASTS PROFITS RISE THIS YEAR\n","article":"  Tesco Plc <TSCO.L> said in a statement\n  it expects pre-tax profits of 166 mln stg for the year ending\n  February 28, 1987, before nine mln stg of net property profits.\n  This compares with 122.9 mln stg pretax profits and a net 8.1\n  mln on property sales the previous year. It said the forecast\n  was in its formal offer document sent to <Hillards Plc>\n  shareholders today.\n      On March 10 Tesco launched a 151.4 mln stg bid for\n  Hillards. The offer, of 13 new Tesco ordinary shares for every\n  20 Hillards ordinary shares, valued each Hillards ordinary\n  share at 305.5p.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNOCAL <UCL> UNIT CUTS CRUDE OIL POSTED PRICES\n","article":"  Unocal Corp's Union Oil Co said it\n  lowered its posted prices for crude oil one to 1.50 dlrs a\n  barrel in the eastern region of the U.S., effective Feb 26.\n      Union said a 1.50 dlrs cut brings its posted price for the\n  U.S. benchmark grade, West Texas Intermediate, to 16 dlrs.\n  Louisiana Sweet also was lowered 1.50 dlrs to 16.35 dlrs, the\n  company said.\n      No changes were made in Union's posted prices for West\n  Coast grades of crude oil, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BUSINESS COMPUTER <BCSI> HAD 4TH QUARTER PROFIT\n","article":"  Business Computer Solutions Inc said it\n  expects to report a profit for the fourth quarter ended\n  February 28 -- its first quarterly profit ever -- of about\n  175,000 dlrs on revenues of about 750,000 dlrs.\n      A year before, it lost 217,852 dlrs on sales of 469,274\n  dlrs.  The company attributed the improved results to increased\n  purchases of its ZFOUR language and development environment for\n  computer software.\n      Business Computer said it expects to report a full-year\n  loss of about 500,000 dlrs on sales of about 2,100,000 dlrs.\n  Last year it lost 1,079,000 dlrs on revenues of 720,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED SAYS IT SETS THREE-DAY SYSTEM REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS\n","article":"\n  FED SAYS IT SETS THREE-DAY SYSTEM REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MIM TO ACQUIRE STAKE IN GERMAN COPPER PRODUCER\n","article":"  Mount Isa Mines Holding Ltd plans to\n  acquire a 30 pct stake in Europe's largest primary copper\n  producer, Norddeutsche Affinerie AG, a spokesman for\n  Metallgesellschaft AG said.\n      MIM intends to take Preussag AG's total 20 pct share in the\n  copper producer in exchange for some three pct of MIM's share\n  capital. MIM will also take another 10 pct now held by Degussa\n  AG, reducing Degussa's share to 30 pct from 40.\n  Metallgesellschaft's share will remain at 40 pct.\n      The move is subject to approval of the federal cartel\n  office and supervisory boards of the companies involved.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"J.W. MAYS INC <MAYS> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 2.27 dlrs vs 74 cts\n      Net 4,945,989 vs 1,612,624\n      Revs 28.2 mln vs 27.9 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr 1.57 dlrs vs three cts\n      Net 3,417,659 vs 73,614\n      Revs 47.0 mln vs 46.8 mln\n      NOTE: Current periods include pretax gain of 4.3 mln dlrs\n  from sale of leasehold of Glen Oaks store in Queens, N.Y. and\n  gain of 1.9 mln dlrs from benefit of tax loss carryforwards.\n      Year-ago six mths includes gain of 95,988 dlrs from refund\n  of prior year's real estate taxes.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CIRCUS CIRCUS ENTERPRISES <CIR> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 16 cts vs 14 cts\n      Oper net 5,818,000 vs 5,284,000\n      Revs 88.2 mln vs 69.7 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 96 cts vs one dlr\n      Oper net 36,101,000 vs 37,375,000\n      Revs 374.0 mln vs 307.0 mln\n      Note: Current qtr and year figures exclude extraordinary\n  losses on early debt retirement of 1.7 mln dlrs, or five cts\n  per share and 7.9 mln dlrs, or 21 cts per share, respectively.\n      Full name Circus Circus Enterprises Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED ADDS RESERVES VIA THREE-DAY REPURCHASES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve entered the U.S.\n  Government securities market to arrange three-day System\n  repurchase agreements, a Fed spokesman said.\n      Dealers said that Federal funds were trading at 6-1\/4 pct\n  when the Fed began its temporary and direct supply of reserves\n  to the banking system.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PANHANDLE'S <PEL> TRUNKLINE REDUCES GAS RATES\n","article":"  Panhandle Eastern Corp's Trunkline Gas\n  Co pipeline subsidiary said it is reducing the commodity\n  component of its wholesale natural gas rate four pct, effective\n  immediately.\n      In a filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,\n  Trunkline said, it is reducing its commodity rate -- the\n  portion of the total rate based on the price of gas -- to 2.58\n  dlrs per mln Btu from 2.69 dlrs per mln Btu.\n      The company said the lower rate results from a reduction in\n  the average price the pipeline is paying for gas, adding this\n  reflects contract reformation agreemats with producers.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL FUEL GAS CO <NFG> SETS MAIL DATE\n","article":"  National Fuel Gas Co said its mail\n  date for its previously-announced two-for-one stock split is\n  June 19, 1987.\n      The company, which announced the split last week, had said\n  the record date for the split is May 29, 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMTECH <CMTL> TO SELL PREMIER MICROWAVE\n","article":"  Comtech Inc said it agreed in\n  principle to sell 95 pct of its outstanding shares in Premier\n  Microwave Corp for seven mln dlrs.\n      It said the buyers include an investment group composed of\n  the unit's management.\n      The company said it expects the sale to close in the next\n  few weeks. Proceeds will be used to reduce debt.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INVESTMENT FIRMS HAVE 5.9 PCT OF PUROLATOR <PCC>\n","article":"  A group of affiliated New York-base\n  investment firms and funds told the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission they have acquired 453,300 shares of Purolator\n  Courier Corp, or 5.9 pct of the total outstanding.\n      The group, led by Mutual Shares Corp, said it bought the\n  stock for investment purposes.\n      It also said it is studying the 35 dlr a share leveraged\n  buyout offer made by Purolator managers and E.F. Hutton LBO Inc\n  but has not decided whether it will tender its stock in the\n  offer. The group said it has held talks with the Hutton LBO\n  group before and may do so again.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TOFUTTI BRANDS <TOF> SEES PROFIT FOR NEW YEAR\n","article":"  Tofutti Brands Inc said it is\n  changing its fiscal year to a calendar year from a year ending\n  July 31, and it expects to be profitable on higher sales in\n  1987.\n      The company lost 658,000 dlrs on sales of 11.6 mln dlrs in\n  the year ended July 31.  A company spokesman said Tofutti will\n  be reporting earnings for the last five months of calendar 1986\n  by the end of March and will then report calendar first quarter\n  results.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DIGITECH INC <DGTC> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr two cts vs eight cts\n      Net 270,000 vs 1,212,000\n      Revs 1,858,000 vs 1,420,000\n      Avg shrs 16,817,618 vs 12,507,671\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNION VOTES TO STRIKE DAKOTA CITY IBP PLANT\n","article":"  Members of the United Food and\n  Commercial Workers union, UFCW, local 222 voted Sunday to go on\n  strike against Iowa Beef Processors Inc Dakota City, Nebraska,\n  plant, effective Tuesday.\n      The company submitted their latest offer to the union at\n  the same time announcing that they would end the lockout as of\n  tomorrow that started December 14.\n      Members unanimously rejected the latest company offer that\n  was submitted to the union late last week. An overwhelming\n  majority of the approximately 2,500 members attending the\n  meeting then voted to go on strike, UFCW union spokesman Allen\n  Zack said.\n      Zack said the company's offer for a cut in wages was\n  unacceptable and said IBP was refusing to bargain in good\n  faith.\n      IBP's latest offer included wage cuts of 60 cents an hour\n  for slaughter operations and a 45 cents an hour cut in pay for\n  processing workers. The cut follows the 1.07 dlr cut in pay\n  workers received in 1982 and the wage freeze that has lasted\n  since then, Zack said.\n      The offer also eliminated overtime after eight hours\n  following the normal 40 hour work week, he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BELGIUM REVISES DOWN 1987 GNP GROWTH FORECASTS\n","article":"  The Belgian government has lowered its\n  forecast for the nominal increase in gross national product in\n  1987 to 3.5 pct from an originally forecast 3.9 pct, Prime\n  Minister Wilfried Martens said in a statement to parliament.\n      He said this revision, which brings government forecasts\n  more closely into line with those by private institutions,\n  takes account of an anticipated slowdown in the world economy\n  and international trade.\n      But he said the impact on the Belgian economy will be\n  limited due to recent agreements on wages and working\n  conditions agreed by employers and unions.\n      Martens did not say how much the government expected GNP to\n  grow in volume terms.\n      However, last month the government's Planning Bureau said\n  it had revised its 1987 forecast for this to 0.9 pct from 2.0\n  pct.\n      In 1986, Belgium's gross national product rose 2.15 pct in\n  volume terms against a 5.9 pct nominal rise.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTOR GROUP HAS TALKS WITH PESCH ON AMI <AMI>\n","article":"  WEDGE Group Inc, a Houston investment\n  firm with a 5.5 pct stake in American Medical International\n  Inc, said it has had talks with Pesch and Co, which is seeking\n  control of the company.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  WEDGE, which is owned by Issam Fares, a Lebanese citizen living\n  in Switzerland, also said it discussed the possibility of\n  joining with others in its own bid to seek control of AMI.\n      WEDGE stressed that it has no current plans to seek control\n  of AMI, but refused to rule out a takeover try in the future.\n      WEDGE said it has had discussions with AMI management,\n  Pesch, the closely held health care and investment concern\n  controlled by Chicago physician LeRoy Pesch, and other AMI\n  shareholders.\n      It did not specify in its SEC filing which issues --\n  selling its AMI stake or joining with others in a takeover try\n  -- were discussed with which group. But it said the talks did\n  not produce any agreements or understandings.\n      WEDGE said it believes that \"some form of restructuring of\n  AMI and its business would be highly desirable and appropriate\n  at this time.\"\n      WEDGE, which holds 4.8 mln shares of AMI common stock, said\n  it plans to hold further talks with company management, Pesch\n  and other shareholders.\n      Pesch last week sweetened his bid for the company to 22\n  dlrs a share in cash and securties, or 1.91 billion dlrs based\n  on AMI's total outstanding, from an all-cash 20 dlr a share\n  bid, which the company rejected.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CABOT MEDICAL CORP <CBOT> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr four cts vs two cts\n      Net 240,902 vs 106,054\n      Revs 3,408,481 vs 2,566,769\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERIHEALTH INC <AHTH> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss one ct vs loss 11 cts\n      Oper net profit 89,000 vs loss 323,000\n      Revs 9,603,000 vs 6,116,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss six cts vs loss 21 cts\n      Oper net profit 158,000 vs loss 629,000\n      Revs 34.6 mln vs 22.8 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net excludes tax credits of 170,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and 321,000 dlrs in year and gains on termination of\n  pension plan of 82,000 dlrs in quarter and 190,000 dlrs in\n  year.\n      Share after preferred dividends.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANKS SEE GERMAN GROWTH OF AT LEAST TWO PCT\n","article":"  External risks for the economy have\n  increased, but growth of two to 2.5 pct this year is still\n  possible, according to President of the West German Federation\n  of Banks, Hanns Christian Schroeder-Hohenwarth.\n      Schroeder-Hohenwarth told a news conference the further\n  fall of the dollar since the start of this year and the\n  revaluation of the mark against European currencies meant West\n  German exporters were facing a \"rough wind.\"\n      However, domestic demand was continuing to rise and private\n  consumption in particular would support the economy, he said.\n  He saw good prospects for consumer industries.\n      Schroeder-Hohenwarth said economic policy now had to\n  concentrate on strengthening this domestic growth. In this\n  context, he welcomed a decision by the government to increase\n  the scope of tax cuts due in 1988.\n      He added, a planned reform of the fiscal system scheduled\n  for 1990, which was worked out by coalition partners this\n  month, was an \"important step in the right direction.\"\n      The government plans to cut corporation tax to 50 pct from\n  56 pct. However, Schroeder-Hohenwarth said the decision to cut\n  the maximum rate of income tax to only 53 pct from 56 pct was\n  \"rather half-hearted.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICAL <CAAN> SEES FIRST QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Cambridge Analytical Associates Inc said\n  it expects to incur a loss for the first quarter of fiscal 1987\n  equal to or greater than its loss of 240,697 dlrs for the\n  fourth quarter ended December 31, 1986.\n      Cambridge said it expects revenues for the first quarter to\n  be approximately the same as those recorded for the fourth\n  quarter ended December 31, 1986, of 1,025,961 dlrs.\n      Cambridge recorded a profit of 2,204 dlrs on revenues of\n  847,000 dlrs for the first quarter of fiscal 1986, the company\n  said.\n      The company attributed the expected loss to lower than\n  expected sales from its laboratory and consulting business and\n  planned major investment in its proprietary treatment\n  technology.\n      The company said winter is traditionally its slowest\n  season.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SETON <SEL> GETS BUYOUT OFFER FROM CHAIRMAN\n","article":"  Seton Co said its board has\n  received a proposal from chairman and chief executive officer\n  Philip D. Kaltenbacher to acquire Seton for 15.75 dlrs per\n  share in cash.\n      Seton said the acquisition bid is subject to Kaltenbacher\n  arranging the necessary financing.  It said he intends to ask\n  other members of senior management to participate.\n      The company said Kaltenbacher owns 30 pct of Seton stock\n  and other management members another 7.5 pct.\n      Seton said it has formed an independent board committee to\n  consider the offer and has deferred the annual meeting it had\n  scheduled for March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MRS FIELDS PLANS TO OPEN MORE STORES\n","article":"  U.S. Based speciality food retailer <Mrs\n  Fields Inc>, which earlier announced pre-tax profits of 17.1\n  mln dlrs in 1986 against 6.8 mln in 1985, said it plans further\n  growth this year with the opening of 125 new stores in the U.S.\n      The company, which is quoted on London's Unlisted\n  Securities Market (USM), said it also planned to expand its\n  outlets internationally.\n      However, chairman Randall Fields told a news conference the\n  company would not move into any new countries during 1987 but\n  would intensify its efforts where it already had stores.\n      During 1986 the company opened 81 new stores, including 76\n  in the U.S., Two in Australia and one each in Japan, Canada and\n  the U.K.\n      \"We intend to open a minimum of five more units in London\n  for example and it is reasonable that we might open other\n  stores in other European countries in 1988,\" Fields said.\n      He said the company acquired competitive businesses as a\n  matter of routine, and might add others in 1987, but declined\n  to say how much the company planned to spend on them.\n      Last year turnover rose by 20.8 pct to 87.1 mln dlrs from\n  72.6 mln dlrs in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL SAYS DEBT CRISIS IS WORLD PROBLEM\n","article":"  Brazilian Finance Minister\n  Dilson Funaro said his country's foreign debt crisis could only\n  be solved by changes in the international financial system.\n      Speaking to a business conference he said \"It is not Brazil\n  that has to make adjustments with the IMF (International\n  Monetary Fund). It is the international financial community\n  that is taking away resources from the developing countries.\"\n      \"The crisis is not in Brazil, a country that has had the\n  third biggest trade surplus ...In the past two years Brazil had\n  remitted 24 billion dlrs in debt servicing and received only\n  two billion in fresh funds,\" he added.\n      Funaro said that during his recent trip to the U.S., Europe\n  and Japan to explain Brazil's decision last month to suspend\n  interest payments on 68 billion dlrs of commercial debt, he\n  stressed the country's commitment to growth.\n      \"We need to and will make the effort (to solve the debt\n  problem) but we cannot make an effort that means we stop\n  growing,\" he said, adding that political and not purely\n  commercial solutions were needed to the debt crisis.\n      Brazil, whose 108 billion dlr foreign debt is the largest\n  in the developing world, has been under pressure from official\n  and private creditors to work out an economic adjustment\n  program with the IMF to combat rocketing inflation and foreign\n  payments problems.\n      President Jose Sarney's government has repeatedly refused\n  to approach the Fund, arguing that an IMF programme would lead\n  to recession. Funaro said that in his talks with creditors he\n  had tried to restore credibility in the country in the hope of\n  finding a lasting solution to the debt problem.\n      \"We are negotiating so that the debt question should not be\n  one of continuous crisis.\"\n      To sustain internal growth Brazil would have to import more\n  machinery and equipment this year and export fewer raw\n  materials. The country was thus targetting a fall in this\n  year's trade surplus to 8.0 billion dlrs from 1986's 9.5\n  billion.\n      Domestically, Funaro said economies had led to a reduction\n  in the public sector deficit to 2.7 pct of gross domestic\n  product in 1986, the lowest for many years and that this should\n  fall to 1.5 pct this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"I.M.S. INTERNATIONAL INC <IMSI> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div four cts vs four cts prior\n      Pay March 27\n      Record March 13\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. INDUSTRIAL CAPACITY USE RATE ROSE TO 79.8 PCT IN FEB FROM 79.6 PCT IN JAN\n","article":"\n  U.S. INDUSTRIAL CAPACITY USE RATE ROSE TO 79.8 PCT IN FEB FROM 79.6 PCT IN JAN\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BIOTECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT <BIOD> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss five cts vs loss 17 cts\n      Net loss 154,654 vs loss 419,606\n      Revs 517,699 vs 374,108\n      Year\n      Shr loss 28 cts vs loss 56 cts\n      Net loss 821,979 vs loss 1,368,591\n      Revs 1,650,657 vs 1,285,473\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HECHINGER CO <HECH> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr primary 28 cts vs 22 cts\n      Shr diluted 26 cts vs 21 cts\n      Net 8,637,000 vs 6,577,000\n      Sales 140.3 mln vs 116.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr primary 92 cts vs 77 cts\n      Shr diluted 88 cts vs 75 cts\n      Net 28.3 mln vs 23.1 mln\n      Sales 588.4 mln vs 479 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"METEX <MTX> CHAIRMAN SELLS SHARES\n","article":"  Metex Corp said its chairman and\n  chief executive officer Alan Cohen sold 78,375 shares of Metex\n  common stock to Metropolitan Consolidated Industries Inc\n  <MONY>.\n      The company said the selling price was 11.25 dlrs per share\n  with an option for Metropolitan Consolidated Industries to\n  purchase up to 42,750 shares more at the same price.\n      Metex also said Mason Carter was elected president and\n  chief operating officer of the company. Carter joined Metex in\n  1982, where he was formerly its executive vice president.\n      In addition, Attilio Petrocelli, president of Metropolitan,\n  was named to fill a vacancy on the Metex board of directors,\n  the company said.\n      Metropolitan owns 21 pct of Metex common stock, the company\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AROUND 3.5 MLN ACRES SAID TO BE IDLED BY 0\/92\n","article":"  A 0\/92 program would have very\n  little impact on U.S. acreage, prompting farmers to idle only\n  an additional 3.5 mln acres of cropland every year, according\n  to a report from the Agriculture Department.\n      The savings resulting from the additional 3.5 mln acres\n  idled would be a little over 400 mln dlrs in loan savings, 35\n  mln dlrs in transportation and storage savings, and 10-20 mln\n  dlrs per year in deficiency payment savings, the report said.\n      The USDA report asssessed the impacts of the proposed 0\/92\n  acreage program for wheat, corn, cotton, sorghum and barley.\n  Last year, almost 245 mln acres of those crops were harvested.\n      \"The likelihood that the 0-92 provisiion will cause very\n  large acreages to be removed from crop production is quite\n  small,\" the report said.\n      \"The returns on typical farms still favor participation in\n  the usual acreage reduction programs and seeding the permitted\n  acreage,\" the USDA report said.\n      The 0\/92 program, which would allow farmers to forego\n  planting and still receive 92 pct of their deficiency payment,\n  would be most used by producers in high production\/high risk\n  areas where cost of production is high, said Keith Collins,\n  director of USDA's economics analysis staff.\n      \"In the heart of the corn belt, you would not get that much\n  participation,\" Collins said.\n      USDA estimated that an additional one mln acres of wheat\n  would be ildled under 0\/92, 1.5 mln acres of corn, 500,000\n  acres of sorghum and barley and 500,000 acres of cotton.\n      Production from these idled acres would be equivalent to 40\n  mln bushels of wheat, 180 mln bushels of corn, 20 mln bushels\n  of sorghum, 10 mln bushels of barley, and 500,000 bales of\n  cotton, the report said.\n      \"In determining whether to participate, a producer would\n  need to weigh the expected cash costs of production against the\n  loan rate ... The risk that market prices may rise above the\n  expected levels and reduce the deficiency payment also must be\n  considered,\" according to the analysis.\n      \"What you're giving up under 0\/92 is the difference between\n  the loan rate and the cost of production,\" Collins said.\n      For producers with low production costs, that difference is\n  greater and can be applied to paying variable costs, he said.\n  Under these cicumstances, farmers would not want to go along\n  with 0\/92. But for high cost producers, 0\/92 would be more\n  attractive.\n      Also, as loan rates get lower, Collins said there would be\n  more incentives to participate in a 0\/92 program.\n      \"I would admit that its impacts would be very marginal at\n  first, but it is a step towards the goal of separating\n  production decisions from government payments,\" Collins said.\n      In a speech earlier today before the National Grains and\n  Feed Association, USDA Secretary Richard Lyng said it is too\n  late to implement 0\/92 for 1987 crops since program signup will\n  be over by the end of this month.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN SECURITY <ASEC> TO RELEASE INFORMATION\n","article":"  American Security Corp said a\n  release will be forthcoming shortly regarding its pending\n  merger with Maryland National Corp <MDNT>, approved by its\n  stockholders October 10.\n      American was halted on NASDAQ pending a news announcement.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANNER <BNR> COMPLETES TENDER FOR REXNORD <REX>\n","article":"  Banner Industries Inc said 19.8 mln of\n  the outstanding 20 mln shares in Rexnord Inc were tendered\n  pursuant to its 26.25 dlr a share offer that closed at midnight\n  EST Feb 27.\n      Together with the five mln Rexnard shares it already owns,\n  the company said it now holds a 97 pct stake in the company.\n      It said the completion of the deal is subject to approval\n  by Rexnard holders and to other closing conditions. It expects\n  the deal to close in about 60 days.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SVENSKA CELLULOSA AB <SCAB.ST> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Group profit after net financial items 1.39 billion crowns\n      vs 1.32 billion\n      Sales 15.22 billion crowns vs 12.61 billion\n      Profit per share 20.50 crowns vs 19.60\n      Proposed dividend five crowns vs 4.40\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COLOMBIA COFFEE EXPORTERS BELIEVE IN PRAGMATISM\n","article":"  Private coffee exporters say Colombia's\n  more pragmatic coffee marketing policy will ensure that the\n  country does not suffer excessively from current depressed\n  prices and erratic market conditions.\n      Gilberto Arango, president of the exporters' association,\n  said in an interview that Colombia, the world's second largest\n  producer, was in a position to withstand a prolonged absence of\n  International Coffee Organization (ICO) export quotas.\n      \"Colombia is one of the countries that will benefit most\n  from this situation,\" he said.\n      Recent ICO talks in London failed to break a deadlock over\n  re-introduction of export quotas, suspended in February 1986,\n  and no date has been set for a new meeting on the issue.\n      Arango said that government measures adopted here last\n  week, including a lower export registration price, indicated a\n  major change but also disclosed a welcome pragmatism.\n      \"This is the start of a new era in Colombia because world\n  market conditions are also new,\" he said.\n      The government lowered local taxes for exporters and said\n  the export registration price, or reintegro, will be changed\n  more often in order to closely reflect market trends.\n      Arango said an illustration of Colombia's new attitude was\n  the decision on Friday to open export registrations for an\n  unlimited amount.\n      But he added it did not imply the country would begin heavy\n  selling of coffee.\n      \"Our marketing policy is to sell without haste but\n  consistently. No targets for volume will be set. We will react\n  to market factors adequately and Colombia has no intention of\n  giving its coffee away.\"\n      Colombia's past records should be the basis for upcoming\n  exports, he said.\n      \"We will certainly not export seven mln (60-kilo) bags but\n  neither are we going to sell like mad. The trade knows full\n  well what Colombia's export potential is,\" he said.\n      Colombia, with stockpiles standing at about 10 mln bags,\n  exported a record 11.5 mln bags in the 1985\/86 coffee year\n  which ended last September, and 11.3 mln in calendar 1986.\n      Arango did not want to commit himself on export predictions\n  but said that output for the 1986\/87 coffee year would not\n  exceed 10.5 mln bags, compared with 12 mln forecast by the\n  National Coffee Growers' Federation and 12.5 mln by the U.S.\n  Department of Agriculture, a figure he said was \"ridiculous.\"\n      He said ageing plantations and rust, in particular in the\n  number one producing province of Antioquia, meant output was\n  likely to fall but that nationwide estimates were rare and\n  oscillated between 9.5 mln and 11.5 mln bags.\n      On the failure of the recent ICO talks, Arango said\n  Colombia understandably felt frustrated at not having managed\n  to force a compromise.\n      Jorge Cardenas, manager of the national federation and head\n  of his nation's delegation in London, has blamed the\n  intransigence of some big countries, without naming them.\n      However, Arango, like Colombian Finance Minister Cesar\n  Gaviria last week, was more explicit and said the United States\n  would undoubtedly be under great political pressure in coming\n  weeks to revise its policy.\n      \"Washington will have to take into account that for many\n  countries, and some of its allies for instance in Central\n  America, a sharp fall in coffee export revenue would have\n  far-reaching political and economic consequences.\"\n      Arango ruled out a fresh Colombian initiative on export\n  quotas saying producers had now to show a common resolve which\n  could emerge from continuous contacts.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BELGIAN GOVERNMENT TO CUT FINANCIAL REQUIREMENT\n","article":"  Belgian Prime Minister Wilfried\n  Martens announced to Parliament a plan to reduce the 1987\n  government financing requirement by 20.6 billion francs.\n      He said this will enable the requirement to be held to\n  419.7 billion francs, against the previous government target of\n  417.8 billion, or eight pct of gross national product.\n      Martens said following a lowering of government estimates\n  of 1987 nominal GNP growth and a re-estimation by government\n  departments of 1987 spending, the government calculated that\n  unless action was taken, the requirement would exceed the\n  target by 22.5 billion francs.\n      Martens said the plan involved raising non-fiscal receipts\n  by 5.8 billion francs and reducing spending by 14.3 billion.\n  The remaining 0.5 billion francs will be raised through\n  treasury operations.\n      Martens said the money is being found through a series of\n  small economies and confirmed that it includes the raising of\n  two billion francs through the sale of part of the government's\n  50 pct holding in the gas company Distrigaz.\n      Last year, the government announced a major program\n  designed to cut 1987 spending by 195 billion francs.\n      The program was designed to get Belgium out of what the\n  government said was a \"snowball effect\" under which the\n  government constantly borrowed more to finance budget deficits\n  which were due largely to the cost of servicing and repaying\n  existing debt.\n      In 1986, the government financing requirement is estimated\n  at 561 billion francs or 11.0 pct of GNP.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ROYAL TRUST PLOTS AGGRESSIVE GLOBAL EXPANSION\n","article":"  <Royal Trustco Ltd>, in a move unique\n  among Canadian trust companies, is pursuing a bold global\n  expansion that could someday lift the foreign share of its\n  yearly earnings to 50 pct, president Michael Cornelissen said.\n      First Marathon Securities Ltd financial services analyst\n  Michael Walsh said Royal Trust's international growth target is\n  attainable. But it \"will be a tremendous achievement because\n  ... they're going to have to build an international earnings\n  base larger than the earnings of a lot of significant domestic\n  trust companies,\" Walsh said.\n      Global operations, which made up 22 pct of Royal Trust's\n  154 mln dlr 1986 net profit, will post 33 pct profit growth\n  this year against an expected 15 pct jump in total company\n  profit, Cornelissen told Reuters in an interview.\n      He said the foreign share of total profit would rise to 26\n  pct in 1987 and to 44 pct by 1990.\n      Royal Trust, Canada's second largest trust company with\n  assets of about 19.54 billion Canadian dlrs, has operated\n  internationally since 1929 when it opened a London bank.\n      Its aggressive global strategy began in the 1980s, when\n  other Canadian trusts, the equivalent of U.S. savings and\n  loans, were focusing on domestic retail banking.\n      The company's overseas ambitions were whetted by heightened\n  domestic competition and impressive growth at its London bank\n  operations, which attained full British banking powers in 1980,\n  Cornelissen said.\n      Last year, Royal Trust moved into continental Europe and\n  Asia with its 239 mln Canadian dlr acquisition of Dow Chemical\n  Co <DOW>'s Dow Financial Services Corp, which included asset\n  management, merchant and private banking companies.\n      \"It was a heaven-sent opportunity,\" Cornelissen said of the\n  Dow Financial acquisition. \"We achieved in one year what would\n  otherwise have taken five to 10 years to set up.\"\n      Cornelissen stressed that Royal Trust would shun direct\n  competition with major global financial institutions in\n  activities such as international lending and stock brokerage,\n  in order to exploit \"profitable niches\" overseas in traditional\n  trust activities such as asset management, private banking and\n  advisory services.\n      He said that Royal Trust hoped to complete negotiations\n  \"before the end of this month\" to sell its London-based Savory\n  Milln brokerage, acquired in the Dow Financial deal.\n      \"The international market is so big and we have such a\n  miniscule share of it that growth opportunities are really\n  limited only by our energy and our desire to find more\n  business,\" he said, adding that in trust-type services, \"we\n  don't think the international markets are well-served.\"\n      Aiding Royal Trust's foreign growth are greater foreign \n  investment interest in North America and increased Canadian\n  investment abroad, Cornelissen said.\n      Central to Royal Trust's strategy is Asia, boasting rapid\n  economic growth and huge pools of Japanese capital, said\n  Cornelissen, whose company administers assets of 71.85 billion\n  dlrs, more than any other Canadian trust.\n      Citing statistics indicating that by the year 2000, Asia\n  will contain two-thirds of the world's population and 50 pct of\n  global productive capacity, Cornelissen said, \"We knew we had\n  to be there.\" Royal Trust's 14 international locations include\n  offices in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore. The company also\n  recently listed its shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.\n      The Royal Trust president said the company was stressing\n  growth within its overseas units, adding he did not foresee any\n  acquisitions in the \"immediate future,\" although \"we have our\n  eyes wide open for the right opportunities.\"\n      Asked about Royal Trust's plans for the U.S., which the\n  company abandoned with the 1983 sale of its Florida bank units,\n  Cornelissen said the company faced a trust services market well\n  covered by hundreds of small regional banks.\n      \"That doesn't mean to say we shouldn't be in the U.S.,\"\n  said Cornelissen. \"That is probably one area that we will\n  probably do something with in the next five years.\"\n      He said the company would continue to emphasize its home\n  Canadian market, which Cornelissen and financial services\n  analysts agreed would remain vital to Royal Trust.\n      Proposed government regulations to allow Canadian banks,\n  trusts, insurance and securities dealers full participation in\n  one another's actitivies will mean more domestic competition\n  for Royal Trust, \"but not drastically more,\" Cornelissen said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SALOMON RAISES CATERPILLAR <CAT> OPINION\n","article":"  Salomon Brothers Inc said it raised\n  its opinion on Caterpillar Inc's stock to an aggressive buy\n  from a hold because of a brighter earnings outlook for 1988.\n      Salomon analyst David Sutliff said in a statement he sees\n  1988 earnings of 3.35 dlrs a share, up from an earlier forecast\n  of three dlrs for the year. The outlook for 1987 remains at\n  2.50 dlrs to three dlrs.\n      Caterpillar's stock was down 1\/2 points at 46-1\/4.\n      \"Although earnings will be poor for the next two quarters,\n  we believe that profits could begin to improve in the second\n  half - perhaps significantly - and should surge sharply through\n  1988 and 1989,\" he said.\n      Sutliff said improved results should come from four factors\n  - higher prices, improved market share, reduced costs, and\n  improved demand.\n      The higher prices will stick because its Japanese\n  competitor, Komatsu, has had to raise prices because of the\n  increased value of the yen, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ROCKWOOD HOLDING CO <RKWD> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 78 cts vs loss 38 cts\n      Net profit 3,108,000 vs loss 1,510,000\n      Revs 35.5 mln vs 47.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 2.42 dlrs vs loss 2.01 dlrs\n      Net profit 9.6 mln vs loss eight mln\n      Revs 157.2 mln vs 182.2 mln\n      NOTE: Includes extraordinary gains of 22 cts per share and\n  36 cts in the fourth quarter and 1986, respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA PRIME MINISTER SAYS A MAJOR TRADE DEAL EMERGING WITH U.S.\n","article":"\n  CANADA PRIME MINISTER SAYS A MAJOR TRADE DEAL EMERGING WITH U.S.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FORUM <FOUR> ENDS BEVERLY <BEV> PURCHASE DEAL\n","article":"  Forum Group Inc said it has\n  terminated its agreement in principle to buy eight retirement\n  living centers in six states from Beverly Enterprises due to a\n  failure to reach a satisfacotry definitive agreement.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MUTUAL OF OMAHA INTEREST SHARES <MUO> QTLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 36 cts vs 36 cts prior\n      Pay April one\n      Record March 13\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOME 7,000 MINERS GO ON STRIKE IN SOUTH AFRICA\n","article":"  Some 7,000 black miners went on\n  strike at South African gold and coal mines, the National Union\n  of Mineworkers (NUM) said.\n      A NUM spokesman said 6,000 workers began an underground\n  sit-in at the Grootvlei gold mine, owned by General Union\n  Mining Corp, to protest the transfer of colleagues to different\n  jobs.\n     He said about 1,000 employees of Anglo American Corp's New\n  Vaal Colliery also downed tools but the reason for the stoppage\n  was not immediately clear. Officials of the two companies were\n  not available for comment and the NUM said it was trying to\n  start negotiations with management.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FBX CORP <FBXC> YEAR NOV 30 NET\n","article":"  Shr 11 cts vs three cts\n      Net 313,000 vs 80,000\n      Revs 12.5 mln vs 11.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. CAPACITY USE RATE 79.8 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  U.S. factories, mines and utilities\n  operated at 79.8 pct of capacity in February, compared with a\n  revised 79.6 pct in January and December, the Federal reserve\n  Board said.\n      The Fed previously said the rate was 79.7 pct in January\n  and 79.5 pct in December.\n      A surge in automobile assemblies in February and a gain in\n  primary metals production helped raise manufacturing to 80.1\n  pct capacity from 79.9 pct in January.\n      Durables manufacturing increased to 76.8 pct last month\n  from 76.3 pct in January, the Fed said.\n      Nondurable manufacturing eased to 85.2 pct of capacity use\n  from 85.4 pct in January.\n      Last month's rate was down from 80.2 pct in February, 1986.\n      Fabricated metals increased to 81.4 pct in February from\n  81.2 pct in January, while motor vehicles and parts jumped to\n  83.6 pct from 80.0 in January.\n      Primary metals rose to 67.7 pct from 66.7 pct in January.\n      Petroleum products fell to 92.5 pct in February from 94.5\n  pct in January.\n      Capacity utilization for mining rose to 75.3 pct in\n  February from 75.1 pct in January, but was below the February\n  1986 rate of 79.4 pct, the Fed said.\n      The use rate for utilities was up to 80.8 pct last month\n  from 80.4 pct in January.\n      Producers of industrial materials operated at 78.9 pct of\n  capacity, the same as in January and December, but down from\n  the February 1986 rate of 79.6 pct.\n      The Fed said the decline in energy materials use and\n  durables goods materials were the reason for the decline over\n  the past year for producers of industrial materials.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNION VOTES TO STRIKE DAKOTA CITY IBP PLANT\n","article":"  The United Food and Commercial Workers\n  union, Local 222 said its members voted Sunday to strike the\n  Iowa Beef Processors Inc Dakota City, Neb., plant, effective\n  Tuesday.\n      The company said it submitted its latest offer to the union\n  at the same time announcing that on Tuesday it would end a\n  lockout that started December 14.\n      Union members unanimously rejected the latest company offer\n  that was submitted to the union late last week, UFCW union\n  spokesman Allen Zack said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" Balladur maintains 1987 2.5 pct inflation target after February 3.4 pct year-on-year\n","article":"\n   Balladur maintains 1987 2.5 pct inflation target after February 3.4 pct year-on-year\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CSCE TO PUT ADDITIONAL MARGIN ON JULY COCOA\n","article":"  A 250 dlr spot charge will be added to\n  the New York cocoa futures, July delivery, contract starting\n  Wednesday, March 18, the Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange said.\n      The March delivery ceases trading March 17, making May and\n  July the two nearby unlimited positions. Previously, March and\n  May were unlimited.\n      The margin requirement for a May or July position will be\n  1,000 dlrs--750 dlrs original margin plus 250 dlrs spot fee.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<COOPER CANADA LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 23 cts vs 42 cts\n      Net 1,387,000 vs 2,532,000\n      Revs 80.5 mln vs 82.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAB PRODUCTS CO <TBP> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 27 cts vs 22 cts\n      Net 1,866,000 vs 1,476,000\n      Revs 33.0 mln vs 30.3 mln\n      Nine Mths\n      Shr 71 cts vs 57 cts\n      Net 4,828,000 vs 3,857,000\n      Revs 92.0 mln vs 89.0 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MARKEL CORP <MAKL> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 32 cts vs 18 cts\n      Net 1,200,466 vs 545,670\n      Revs 8.2 mln vs 6.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.52 dlrs vs 27 cts\n      Net 4,972,683 vs 1,046,460\n      Revs 33.3 mln vs 23 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SCIENCE ACCESSORIES CORP <SEAS> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends Jan 31\n      Shr two cts vs two cts\n      Net 78,537 vs 72,364\n      Revs 626,942 vs 640,030\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" French adjusted February trade deficit 400 mln francs vs January deficit 2.5 billion\n","article":"\n   French adjusted February trade deficit 400 mln francs vs January deficit 2.5 billion\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BIFFEX MEMBERS TO BALLOT ON MERGER\n","article":"  Members of the Baltic International\n  Freight Futures Exchange (BIFFEX) are to be balloted at the end\n  of this week on whether it will merge with the London Commodity\n  Exchange or come under a new umbrella of Baltic futures\n  exchanges, a BIFFEX official said.\n      The final decision will be left with the BIFFEX board,\n  which will meet at the end of this month, he said.\n      Last week three exchanges currently trading on the Baltic\n  Exchange, the London Potato Futures Association, the GAFTA Soya\n  Bean Meal Futures Association and the London Meat Futures\n  Exchange, instructed legal advisers to implement a merger.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CORRECTED - BANKAMERICA NEGOTIATING UNITS SALE\n","article":"  Bank of America NT and SA's <BAC.N>\n  West German branch said it is negotiating the sale of Bankhaus\n  Centrale Credit AG, a small local West German bank it acquired\n  in 1965, and of its West German Visa credit card operation.\n      Michael Seibel, Bank of America vice-president and regional\n  manager, said the negotiations were proceeding well. He\n  declined to give further details.\n      Bank of America's West German branch lost some 32 mln marks\n  in 1985. The result includes profit and loss transfers from\n  Bankhaus Centrale Credit and the Visa organisation. The sale of\n  the units is part of the bank's worldwide restructuring plan.\n  -- corrects year of loss in third paragraph in item which\n  originally ran February 27.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MACHINE TECHNOLOGY <MTEC> SEES 2ND QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Machine Technology Inc said it\n  expects to report a second quarter loss of 13 to 17 cts per\n  share on sales of about 4,400,000 dlrs.\n      A year earlier, it lost 139,000 dlrs or three cts per share\n  on sales of 4,271,000 dlrs.\n      The company said it booked over six mln dlrs in the quarter\n  and its backlog has risen 35 pct since the end of its fiscal\n  year, leading it to expect improved results in the second half.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DOCUGRAPHIX INC <DOCX> 3RD QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss six cts vs loss 18 cts\n      Net loss 31,896 vs loss 753,518\n      Revs 840,075 vs 716,361\n      Avg shrs 5.45 mln vs 4.17 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 25 cts vs loss 55 cts\n      Net loss 1,271,972 vs loss 2,115,662\n      Revs 2,071,676 vs 1,933,562\n      Avg shrs 5.02 mln vs 3.85 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NBD BANCORP <NBD> REGULAR DIVIDEND SET\n","article":"  Qtly div 30 cts vs 30 cts previously\n      Pay May 11\n      Record April Nine\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRIANGLE MICROWAVE <TRMW> IN TALKS ON BUYOUT\n","article":"  Triangle Microwave Inc said\n  it is involved in talks on its possible purchase by a\n  \"substantial U.S. company\" it did not identify.\n      Triangle said no agreement has yet been reached and there\n  can be no assurance that one will be reached. Any acquisitioon\n  would be subject to approval by its shareholders and to\n  regulatory filings, it said.\n      Triangle Microwave makes microwave system components and\n  had earnings for the first half ended January 31 of 1,055,000\n  dlrs on sales of 7,292,000 dlrs, up from earnings of 763,000\n  dlrs on sales of 6,034,000 dlrs a year before.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"YEUTTER REPEATS RETALIATION THREAT ON EC OIL TAX\n","article":"  U.S. Trade Representative Clayton\n  Yeutter said the United States will retaliate if the European\n  Community adopts a proposed tax on vegetable oils, but he did\n  not say what EC products would be singled-out for reprisal.\n      Speaking to the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA)\n  convention here, Yeutter said he is \"cautiously optimistic\" the\n  controversial oils tax proposal will be rejected by the EC\n  Council of Ministers.\n      Yeutter said the proposed tax is a \"flagrant violation of\n  the spirit of GATT\" because it would imperil the zero binding\n  duty on U.S. exports of soybeans to Europe.\n      He said the Reagan administration has yet to decide on a\n  retaliation list. The administration would not reveal a\n  retaliation list unless the EC approved the proposal, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA'S MULRONEY SAYS U.S. TRADE DEAL NEARS\n","article":"  Prime Minister Brian Mulroney said\n  \"significant progress\" was being made in trade talks with the\n  United States and a profile of a major deal was emerging.\n      Opening a debate on free trade in the House of Commons,\n  Mulroney said an accord would create thousands of jobs in\n  Canada and bring greater economic prosperity to both countries.\n      Mulroney, who offered few new details of the talks, said\n  that while the negotiations were risky and difficult, \"a\n  profile of a major trade deal is now emerging.\"\n    In a 50-minute address, Mulroney made an often passionate\n  defense of the initiative that he said would give poorer areas\n  of the country a major economic boost.\n      \"Because of our trading patterns over a period of decades,\n  we are in the process of building two Canadas -- one that is\n  rich and promising, one that is under-developed and\n  under-employed,\" said Mulroney.\n      \"What we want is to make sure Newfoundlanders and British\n  Columbians and Albertans and others, that they get their\n  chance. They must be given the opportunity to trade their way\n  to prosperity.\"\n      Few detials have been released on the trade talks which\n  were launched nearly two years ago between the two nations that\n  are each others most important trading partners.\n      Recent published reports in Canada, quoting senior trade\n  sources, said the countries were close to reaching a trade deal\n  and it will involve eliminating border trariffs and many\n  non-tariff barriers over the next 10 to 12 years.\n      It has been reported a key stumbling block in the talks is\n  a Canadian proposal to find a new way to settle trade disputes,\n  something that would give Canada protection from Washington's\n  tough trade remedy laws.\n      But Mulroney, sharply critical of protectionist sentiment\n  in the U.S, said Canada was a \"fair trader\" and denied the\n  government was pursuing the deal to win unfair access to the\n  American market.\n      He said a trade deal must bring benefits to both sides.\n      \"We recognize a good deal must be a fair deal, one that is\n  fair to both sides,\" Mulroney said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRANCE REDUCES TRADE DEFICIT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  France posted a seasonally adjusted trade\n  deficit of 400 mln francs in February after a 2.5 billion franc\n  deficit in January, the Finance Ministry said.\n      For the first two months of this year the trade deficit, on\n  a seasonally adjusted basis, was 2.9 billion francs.\n      Unadjusted, the February deficit was 2.4 billion francs and\n  the two-month cumulative deficit 8.1 billion, the ministry said\n  in a statement.\n      The Ministry said February exports totalled 73.8 billion\n  francs, an 8.9 pct increase on January, while imports totalled\n  74.3 billion francs, an increase of 5.8 pct.\n      Farm and food trade showed a two billion franc surplus\n  after a surplus of 2.4 billion in January.\n      The energy deficit was reduced to 6.5 billion francs from\n  eight billion in January, while industrial trade showed a\n  surplus of 1.4 billion francs against only 800 mln francs in\n  January.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"OSR <OSRC> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  OSR Corp said it has agreed\n  to acquire the properties and assets of Telcom International\n  Group for 10.5 mln common shares, which would give former\n  Telcom owners an 84 pct interest in the combined company.\n      Telcom is an international film and television distributor.\n   The assets being acquired consist mostly of distribution\n  rights to films valued at over one mln dlrs, the company said.\n      OSR said as part of the acquisition agreement is is\n  required to sell its 80 pct interest in Standard Knickerbocker\n  Ltd, which makes jeans in Canada.\n      OSR said it expects to net about 150,000 dlrs on the sale\n  of Standard Knickerbocker.\n      The company said both transactions are subject to approval\n  by shareholders at a meeting to be held in April or May, it\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NCR <NCR> SEES GOOD CHANCE FOR RECORD YEAR NET\n","article":"  NCR Corp is very optimistic that it will\n  post record revenues and profits for 1987, Charles E. Exley Jr,\n  chairman and president, said.\n      \"Much of our considerable optimism about the future is\n  based on the strength of a continuing flow of new products,\"\n  Exley told a meeting of securities analysts. \"Our current\n  position is the strongest in modern NCR history with\n  new-generation offerings deliverable in every major category\n  this year.\"\n      For 1986, NCR's earnings rose nine pct, to 3.42 dlrs a\n  share, on sales that increased 13 pct, to 4.9 billion dlrs.\n      During the balance of 1987, Exley said NCR will pay close\n  attention to increasing its penetration of major accounts,\n  expanding its third-party distribution channels and continuing\n  its introduction of new products.\n      \"In 1986, new products introduced within the proceding 36\n  months accounted for more than 65 pct of our major equipment\n  order activity,\" he said.\n      \"At the end of two months,\" he added,\" I can say we are off\n  to a good start\" for 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EQUITABLE BANC <EBNC> BOSS HAS AMERITRUST STAKE\n","article":"  A group controlled by Equitable\n  Bancorp Chairman Alfred Lerner said it has acquired a 9.6 pct\n  stake in AmeriTrust Corp <AMTR> and may buy up to 24.9 pct if\n  obtains regulatory approval.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the group said it bought its stake of 2.0 mln Ameritrust common\n  shares, for 81.1 mln dlrs as an investment.\n      But the group, acting through Clevebaco L.P., a Cleveland\n  partnership, also said it would seek regulatory approval to\n  increase its stake. Lerner owns Clevebaco Corp, which is the\n  general partner of Clevebaco L.P.\n      The Lerner group said it filed with the Federal Reserve\n  Board on March 13 notice of its intent to buy more than 10 pct\n  of the common stock of AmeriTrust, a Cleveland bank holding\n  company.\n      If the Fed approves, Lerner, whose Equitable Bancorp is\n  also in Cleveland, said he intends to buy more AmeriTrust\n  stock, subject to market conditions and other factors.\n      Since Lerner heads a bank holding company with assets\n  greater than one billion dlrs, he said he is barred by law from\n  serving as a director or officer of AmeriTrust or of having his\n  representatives on its board.\n      Lerner said he has no intention of influencing AmeriTrust\n  management or its policies.\n      The group said Clevebaco L.P. bought one mln of its shares\n  from Bear, Stearns and Co Inc on March 9 at 41 dlrs a share.\n      Lerner said he accumulated the other one mln shares through\n  March 3 and sold them to Clevebaco L.P., which he controls, on\n  March 10 for 40.10 dlrs a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN SECURITY <ASEC> BUYOUT COMPLETED\n","article":"  Maryland National Corp <MDNT> said it\n  has completed the acquisition of American Security Corp in an\n  exchange of 0.81 Maryland share for each of American's 12 mln\n  shares outstanding.\n      The company said the mandatory 30-day review by the U.S.\n  Justice Department was completed today.\n      Maryland National said American Security shareholders will\n  be entitled to receive the 32-1\/2 ct per share Maryland\n  National regular quarterly dividend that is payable March 31 to\n  holders of record today.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. COULD COMPLAIN TO GATT ON CANADA CORN DUTY\n","article":"  U.S. Trade Representative Clayton\n  Yeutter suggested the U.S. could file a formal complaint with\n  the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) challenging\n  Canada's decision to impose duties on U.S. corn imports.\n      Asked about the Canadian government decision to apply a\n  duty of 84.9 cents per bushel on U.S. corn shipments, Yeutter\n  said the U.S. could file a formal complaint with GATT under the\n  dispute settlement procedures of the subsidies code.\n      Other U.S. options would be to appeal the decision in\n  Canadian courts, or to retaliate against Canadian goods, a\n  lower-level U.S. trade official said. However, retaliation is\n  an unlikely step, at least initially, that official said. No\n  decision on U.S. action is expected at least until after\n  documents on the ruling are received here later this week.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MERCURY ENTERTAINMENT <MCRY> SEES BETTER RESULTS\n","article":"  Mercury Entertainment Corp said it\n  expects improved results in 1987.\n      The company today reported a loss for the year ended\n  November 30 of 413,021 dlrs on revenues of 600,971 dlrs,\n  compared with a loss of 163,932 dlrs on revenues of 665,800\n  dlrs a year before.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"RAINIER <RBAN> COMPLETES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Rainier Bancorp said it completed the\n  acquisition of Tacoma, Wash.-based United Bank, for 59 mln dlrs\n  worth of Rainier stock.\n      United, a savings bank with 607 mln dlrs in assets and 23\n  offices, will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary, Rainier\n  said.\n      Rainier, which last month agreed to merge with Security\n  Pacific Corp <SPC>, said the United acquisition will increase\n  its assets to 9.8 billion dlrs from the 9.2 billion reported at\n  the end of 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRANKLIN RESOURCES INC <BEN> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div six cts vs six cts prior\n      Pay April 10\n      Record March 27\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BALLADUR MAINTAINS 1987 FRENCH INFLATION TARGET\n","article":"  Finance Minister Edouard Balladur said he\n  was maintaining his 2.5 pct inflation target for 1987 after the\n  announcement earlier today of a 3.4 pct year-on-year rise in\n  retail prices for February.\n      He told a radio interviewer he saw no reason to revise his\n  target for 1987 after the February monthly result of between\n  0.1 to O.2 pct, following a 0.9 pct rise in January (three pct\n  year on year) that forced the government to revise an earlier\n  target of two pct to a current 2.5 pct.\n      He said he was happy with \"a good result\" for February but\n  stressed a need for continued \"vigilance\" against inflation.\n      A Finance Ministry statement said the year-on-year\n  differential between French and lower West German inflation\n  rates, calculated on the last three months, had narrowed in\n  February to two to 2.3 pct compared to 2.7 pct in January.\n      If calculated on the last 12 months, the differential came\n  to 3.9 pct, the statement said, adding \"The tendency is\n  therefore one of a lessening of the inflation gap with our main\n  trading partner.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GENERAL CINEMA <GCN> SEES FLAT 1987 NET\n","article":"  General Cinema Corp said it expects\n  flat net income for fiscal 1987 ending Oct. 31 against 125.8\n  mln dlrs or 3.43 dlrs a share a year ago.\n      The company said the costs of a restructuring at its Carter\n  Hawley Hale Stores Inc unit and the previous purchase of an 8.5\n  pct stake in <Cadbury Schweppes PLC> will lead to the flat net\n  figure.\n      It also said it may raise its stake in Cadbury Schweppes to\n  25 pct, but has not made any additional stock purchases so far.\n      According to the restructuring, Carter Hawley plans to\n  spin-off its specialty stores, including Neiman-Marcus,\n  Bergdorf Goodman and Contempo Casuals, into a new company named\n  <Neiman-Marcus Group>, whose shares will trade on the New York\n  Stock Exchange, it said.\n      As previously announced, General Cinema will own 60 pct of\n  the equity and 40 pct of the voting shares in the new company.\n  The restructuring is subject to approval by Carter Hawley\n  shareholders.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LEVON RESOURCES <LVNVF> GOLD ASSAYS IMPROVED\n","article":"  Levon Resources Ltd\n  said re-checked gold assays from the Howard tunnel on its\n  Congress, British Columbia property yielded higher gold grades\n  than those reported in January and February.\n      It said assays from zone one averaged 0.809 ounces of gold\n  a ton over a 40 foot section with an average width of 6.26\n  feet. Levon previously reported the zone averaged 0.226 ounces\n  of gold a ton over a 40 foot section with average width of 5.16\n  feet. Levon said re-checked assays from zone two averaged 0.693\n  ounces of gold a ton over a 123 foot section with average width\n  of 4.66 feet.\n      Levon Resources said the revised zone two assays compared\n  to previously reported averages of 0.545 ounces of gold a ton\n  over a 103 foot section with average width of 4.302 feet.\n      The company also said it intersected another vein 90 feet\n  west of zone two, which assayed 0.531 ounces of gold a ton\n  across a width of 3.87 feet.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<TEECO PROPERTIES LP> SETS CASH DISTRIBUTION\n","article":"  Qtly distribution 10 cts per unit vs 10 cts prior\n      Pay April 20\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CRONUS INDUSTRIES INC <CRNS> SELLS UNIT\n","article":"  Cronus Industries Inc said it agreed to\n  sell its heat transfer equipment business, Southwestern\n  Engineering Co, for a slight premium over book value, plus a\n  release of Cronus from liability on approximately three mln\n  dlrs of subsidiary indebtedness.\n      The company said the sale to a subsidiary of Senior\n  Engineering Group PLC, a British company, will take place this\n  month.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<RADIX VENTURES INC> 2ND QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss three cts vs loss 12 cts\n      Net loss 25,836 vs loss 88,819\n      Revs 50.3 mln vs 45.2 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr profit nil vs loss 18 cts\n      Net profit 2,843 vs loss 137,653\n      Revs 109.3 mln vs 99.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TRADE SEES STEADY CORN\/WHEAT EXPORT INSPECTIONS\n","article":"  The USDA's weekly export inspection\n  report is expected to show steady corn and wheat exports and\n  lower soybean exports, according to CBT floor traders'\n  forecasts.\n      Traders projected soybean exports at 16 mln to 18 mln\n  bushels, down from 18.6 mln bushels a week ago and 20.3 mln\n  bushels a year ago.\n      Corn guesses ranged from 22 mln to 26 mln bushels, compared\n  with 25.2 mln bushels a week ago and 22.4 million bushels a\n  year ago.\n      Wheat guesses ranged from 13 mln to 17 mln bushels,\n  compared with 16.8 mln bushels a week ago and 13.4 mln bushels\n  a year ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ADOBE SYSTEMS INC <ADBE> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 15 cts vs six cts\n      Net 1,410,000 vs 550,000\n      Revs 6,901,000 vs 2,392,000\n      Avg shrs 10,326,000 vs 9,064,000\n      Note:  Prior qtr per share figure adjusted for two-for-one\n  stock split of February 27.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ARMTEK <ARM> COMPLETES SALE OF ASSETS\n","article":"  Armtek Corp, formerly\n  Armstrong Rubber Co, completed the previously announced sale of\n  its Natchez, Miss., tire plant and other assets to <Condere\n  Corp>, Condere said.\n      Condere, formed to acquire the Armstrong assets, said it\n  named Dennis Terwillger, formerly vice president and controller\n  of Armstrong's Tire Division, president.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"202 DATA SYSTEMS INC <TOOT> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr three cts vs four cts\n      Net 101,376 vs 125,922\n      Revs 568,884 vs 494,227\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VISHAY <VSH> SETS TWO PCT STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Vishay Intertechnology Inc said\n  its board declared a two pct stock dividend, payable April 10\n  to holders of record on March 26.\n      The company said the stock dividend will be paid only to\n  holders of commons tock who do not exchange for Class B stock\n  in Vishay's current exchange offer, which expires March 25.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<ONYX PETROLEUM EXPLORATION CO LTD> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 2.82 dlrs vs profit 35 cts\n      Net loss 10,556,478 vs profit 1,286,341\n      Revs 6,202,157 vs 7,641,290\n      Note: 1986 shr and net after 10,282,353 dlr writedown on\n  oil and gas property values\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNISYS CORP <UIS> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 65 cts vs 65 cts prior\n      Pay May Seven\n      Record April Seven\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INTEGRATED CIRCUITS <ICTM> SETS RECORD DATE\n","article":"  Integrated Circuits Inc said it\n  set March 17 as the record date for its previously announced 10\n  pct stock dividend.\n      The company said it will distribute the dividend on March\n  31.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BP <BP> UNIT SEES MINE PROCEEDING\n","article":"  British Petroleum Co PLC said based on\n  a feasibility report from <Ridgeway Mining Co>, its joint\n  venture Ridgeway Project in South Carolina could start\n  commercial gold production by mid-1988.\n      The company said the mine would produce at an approximate\n  rate of 158,000 ounces of gold per year over the first four\n  full years of operation from 1989 through 1992 and at an\n  average of 133,000 ounces a year over the full projected\n  11-year life of the mine.\n      BP's partner in the venture is Galactic Resources Ltd\n  <GALCF> of Toronto.\n      The company said subject to receipt of all statutory\n  permits, finalization of financing arrangements and management\n  and joint venture review, construction of a 15,000 short ton\n  per day processing facility can start.  Capital costs to bring\n  the mine into production are estimated at 76 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORWAY APPROVES TRADE BAN AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA\n","article":"  Norway's parliament has approved an\n  extensive trade ban against South Africa but left shipowners a\n  key loophole through which controversial oil shipments on\n  Norwegian tankers may continue, government officials said.\n      The unilateral boycott, proposed by Norway's minority\n  Labour government, gives domestic companies until late\n  September to cut remaining trade ties with South Africa and\n  Namibia.\n      \"The legislation discussed today must not be seen as an\n  isolated measure, but as a step in an international process,\"\n  Norway's foreign minister Thorvald Stoltenberg told parliament.\n      Government officials said they hope the move will intensify\n  international pressure against the Pretoria regime's apartheid\n  policies. Sweden, in a similar move last week, promised to halt\n  all trade with South Africa by October.\n      Norway's boycott, although forbidding crude oil shipments\n  to South Africa on Norwegian-owned tankers, makes an important\n  exception for ships whose final destination is decided while\n  they are at sea.\n      Oil cargoes are often resold by trades after loading,\n  making it difficult for shipowners to know their ships' final\n  port at the start of a voyage.\n      Critics said the bill leaves the door open for continued\n  oil shipments to South Africa. They called for stricter\n  sanctions to stop all Norwegian shipping to South Africa.\n      Norwegian tankers supplied South Africa with about 30 pct\n  of its crude imports during the early 1980s, but the trade has\n  dropped sharply to just one cargo in the last three months,\n  trade ministry officials said.\n      The latest trade figures show Norwegian imports from South\n  Africa dropped 36 pct to 160 mln crowns during the first eight\n  months of 1986, while exports plunged 52 pct to 265 mln crowns\n  from the year-ago figure.\n      \"Many would say that the law has already had its effect\n  because of the dramatic drop in trade between South African and\n  Norway,\" Foreign Ministry spokesman Per Paust told Reuters.\n      \"Norwegian business at an early stage started restructuring\n  its relations with South Africa in anticipation of the law.\n      \"No one has said the boycott will have a profound effect on\n  international trade with South Africa, but it is an important\n  political statement by the Norwegian government,\" he said.\n      The Oslo government said it will review the effects of the\n  ban on Norwegian industry after two years and may propose\n  amendments if industry can show it is hurt by the law.\n      Norwegian imports from South Africa are limited mainly to\n  high-grade manganese and coppernickle ores used in it\n  ferro-alloys and light metals industries.\n      Metals manufacturers estimate some 2,000 jobs could be\n  affected by the boycott is suitable replacements for these ores\n  are not found.\n      The legislation now goes on to the upper house for formal\n  ratification later this week, parliamentarians said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MSA REALTY CORP <SSS> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit four cts vs loss two cts\n      Net profit 247,970 vs loss 57,341\n      Revs 2,393,622 vs 2,627,612\n      Avg shrs 5,958,432 vs 2,440,100\n      Year\n      Shr profit 71 cts vs loss 35 cts\n      Net profit 3,213,310 vs loss 849,180\n      Revs 14.6 mln vs 9,099,767\n      Avg shrs 6,177,666 vs 2,440,083\n      NOTE: 1986 4th qtr and yr net includes a loss of 85,000\n  dlrs and a gain of 250,000 dlrs, respecitvely, for\n  extraordinary item.\n      1986 net assumes all warrants exercised for the 2nd qtr\n  only. The adjustment to second quarter income for earnings per\n  share was 1,175,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LEAR PETROLEUM PARTNERS LP <LPP> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss nil vs loss nil\n      Oper net loss 112,000 vs loss 125,000\n      Revs nil vs nil\n      Avg shrs 26.7 mln vs 21.9 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss two cts vs loss two cts\n      Oper net loss 450,000 vs loss 503,000\n      Revs nil vs nil\n      Avg shrs 24.8 mln vs 20.8 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes losses from discontinued oil and natural\n  gas operations of 44.7 mln dlrs vs 9,489,000 dlrs in quarter\n  and 92.3 mln dlrs vs 80.7 mln dlrs in year.  Company sold all\n  its operations at the end of 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WESTRONIC INC <WSTX> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.13 dlr vs loss 2.04 dlrs\n      Net loss 3,674,000 vs loss 3,016,000\n      Revs 2,894,000 vs 1,464,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KENAN TRANSPORT CO <KTCO> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div four cts vs four cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GENCORP 1ST QTR SHR 77 CTS VS 84 CTS\n","article":"\n  GENCORP 1ST QTR SHR 77 CTS VS 84 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JACOBSON <JCBS> VOTES SPLIT, INCREASES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Jacobson Stores Inc said its\n  board voted a three-for-two stock split, payble March 30,\n  record March 13.\n      In other action, Jacobson's directors approved an increase\n  in its quarterly dividend to 11 cts on a post split basis\n  payable April 14, record March 30.\n      The new dividend rate represents a 32 pct increase over the\n  12-1\/2 cts paid quarterly on a pre-split basis.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GOTAAS-LARSEN <GOTLF> TO BUILD FIFTH CARRIER\n","article":"  Gotaas-Larsen Shipping Corp\n  said it had exercised an option to build a fifth in a series of\n  crude oil carriers to be constructed by <Daewoo Shipbuilding\n  and Heavy Machinery Ltd> in South Korea.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DANISH CREDIT DOWNGRADING NOT DRAMATIC - MINISTER\n","article":"  Finance Minister Palle Simonsen said\n  today's downgrading of Denmark's credit rating by Standard and\n  Poor's Corp should not be over-dramatised.\n      Standard and Poor's said it had downgraded the Kingdom of\n  Denmark's long-term external debt to AA from AA-Plus, following\n  the country's loss of the top AAA rating in January 1983.\n      \"This change is regrettable but there is no reason to\n  dramatise. This is a change of nuance. Standard and Poor's\n  defines the AA category as only slightly different from the top\n  AAA rating,\" Simonsen said in a statement.\n      \"The direct effect of the lower rating on our borrowing\n  capability is unlikely to be very great. But if, against\n  expectation, we fail to reduce permanently the external account\n  deficit... This will inevitably affect borrowing terms and\n  capability,\" he added.\n      \"Standard & Poor's has noted that in 1986 there was a series\n  of austerity measures designed particularly to cut lending and\n  encourage saving. Tax reforms have also gone into effect.\n      \"If and when it becomes necessary, the government will be\n  ready to take any necessary economic and political initiatives\n  as it has in the past,\" Simonsen said.\n     Standard and Poor's said weaker international\n  competitiveness in the face of rising labour costs would mean a\n  deteriorating current account balance and a rise in external\n  debt.\n      The external current account deficit rose to a record\n  preliminary 34.5 billion crowns in 1986 from 29.1 billion in\n  1985, bringing total foreign debt to 265 billion crowns,\n  according to government statistics.\n      Government economists forecast that the external current\n  account deficit will fall to 19 billion crowns this year.\n      Denmark's net foreign debt rose to 129 pct of total exports\n  in 1986 from 83 pct in 1983, S and P said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MAGNETIC TECHNOLOGIES CORP <MTCC> 1ST HALF NET\n","article":"  Jan 31 end\n      Shr not given\n      Net profit 105,013 vs loss 745,641\n      Sales 3,661,565 vs 2,810,132\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GENCORP <GY> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 77 cts vs 84 cts\n      Net 17 mln vs 19 mln\n      Sales 650 mln vs 614 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BP UNIT SEES U.S. GOLD MINE PROCEEDING\n","article":"  British Petroleum Co PLC said based on\n  a feasibility report from Ridgeway Mining Co, its joint venture\n  Ridgeway Project in South Carolina could start commercial gold\n  production by mid-1988.\n      The company said the mine would produce approximately\n  158,000 ounces of gold per year over the first four full years\n  of operation from 1989 through 1992 and at an average 133,000\n  ounces a year over the full projected 11 year life of the mine.\n      BP's partner is Galactic Resources Ltd of Toronto.\n      BP said subject to receipt of all statutory permits,\n  finalization of financing arrangements and management and joint\n  venture review, construction of a 15,000 short ton per day\n  processing facility can start. Capital costs to bring the mine\n  into production are estimated at 76 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SAFETY-KLEEN <SK> TO BUY STAKE IN OIL REFINER\n","article":"  Safety-Kleen Corp said it has\n  tentatively agreed to buy an 80 pct stake in Breslube\n  Enterprises of Toronto for 14 mln dlrs in stock, cash and\n  equipment.\n      Price includes 14 mln dlrs of Safety-Kleen common stock,\n  cash and a rerefining plant owned by Safety-Kleen. Closing of\n  the deal is expected by May.\n      Breslube is a leading rerefiner of used lubricating oils in\n  North America, collecting used oils from auto garages, car\n  dealers and other businesses. In 1986 it refined 20 mln gallons\n  of used oil.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRADE INTERESTS READY FOR BATTLE IN U.S. HOUSE\n","article":"  U.S. lawmakers are gearing up for a\n  showdown between protectionists and free traders as a major\n  trade bill winds its way through committees to a vote by the\n  full House of Representatives in late April.\n      In a move to toughen U.S. enforcement of trade laws, a key\n  House subcommittee last week approved a toned-down version of\n  legislation to require President Reagan to retaliate against\n  foreign countries that follow unfair trade practices.\n      The bill will be the cornerstone of congressional efforts\n  to restore competitiveness of American industries and turn\n  around last year's record 169 billion dlrs trade deficit.\n      Generally, the bill's provisions toughen U.S. enforcement\n  of trade laws.\n      The trade bill forces the administration to act rapidly on\n  complaints of unfair trade practices, such as dumping products\n  in the United States at prices below cost of production. It\n  also forces the administration to act rapidly when an industry\n  complains that a surge in imports threatens its existence.\n      In writing the bill, the subcommittee rejected calls for\n  trade relief for specific industries such as textiles.\n      Several lawmakers have argued the new trade bill made too\n  many concessions to Reagan and said they intend to back\n  amendments to \"get tough\" with countries that violate trade\n  agreements or keep out U.S. products.\n      But congressmen known for their allegiance to free trade\n  said the bill ties Reagan's hands too much in trade disputes\n  and they will seek to restore his negotiating powers.\n      Bill Frenzel, R-MI., said the subcommittee's bill was not\n  one \"that a free trader like me could endorse in all respects,\"\n  but he emphasized there was a consensus among lawmakers to work\n  toward a bill Reagan and Republicans would ultimately endorse.\n      The goal of trade legislation was \"to make our trade policy\n  stronger without violating our international trade agreements,\"\n  he said.\n      In a key concession made at the urging of Ways and Means\n  Committee chairman Dan Rostenkowski, D-IL., the trade\n  subcommittee backed off a requirement that would have forced\n  Reagan to impose automatically quotas or tariffs on imports\n  from countries that engage in unfair trade practices.\n      It also agreed the president may waive any retaliation if\n  it would hurt the U.S. economy.\n      Rostenkowski insisted the more moderate approach was\n  necessary if the House wanted to pass a bill Reagan would sign\n  into law.\n      Reagan last year blocked Senate consideration of a tough\n  House trade bill he branded as protectionist and this year he\n  only reluctantly agreed to support a trade bill when he saw\n  Democratic leaders were determined to pass such legislation.\n      White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater told reporters late\n  last week that the administration still did not like some of\n  the bill's provisions, but he added, \"Generally we feel very\n  good about the bipartisan consideration of the trade\n  legislation. I think we are progressing very well.\"\n      The first battle will take place next week when the full\n  House Ways and Means Committee considers an amendment by Rep.\n  Richard Gephardt, D-MO., to force countries like Japan, South\n  Korea and Taiwan to cut their trade surpluses with the U.S.\n      The subcommittee limited the Gephardt plan to provide only\n  that the existence of a large trade surplus with the United\n  States will trigger an investigation of unfair trade practices,\n  but would not automatically set off retaliation.\n      Organized labor has pressed lawmakers for more relief from\n  imports where jobs have been lost to foreign competition.\n      AFL-CIO president Lane Kirkland this year angered the\n  administration when he said any trade bill Reagan would sign\n  would not be worth passage in Congress.\n      But Rostenkowski set the tone of the trade debate by\n  saying, \"I'm not trying to write legislation to please Lane\n  Kirkland. I'm trying to write legislation that will be signed\n  by the president.\"\n      Rep. Ed Jenkins (D-GA.) intends to push separately a bill\n  to protect the domestic textile and shoe industry, an aide\n  said. Reagan vetoed a similar measure last year.\n      House Speaker Jim Wright of Texas, one of the most\n  influential proponents of aid for specific industries beset by\n  low-priced foreign competition, last week renewed his call for\n  import relief for the domestic oil industry and announced his\n  support for a Senate plan to trigger a temporary oil import\n  tariff when imports reach half of domestic consumption.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MAGNETIC TECHNOLOGIES <MTCC> SEES IMPROVEMENT\n","article":"  Magnetic Technologies Corp said\n  it expects the second half to show continued growth in earnings\n  and sales.\n      The company today reported a profit for the first half\n  ended January 31 of 105,013 dlrs, compared with a year-earlier\n  loss of 745,641 dlrs, on sales of 3,661,565 dlrs, up from\n  2,810,132 dlrs.  In all of last year, Magnetic earned 996,000\n  dlrs after a loss from discontinued operations of 359,000 dlrs,\n  on sales of 6,084,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"LEVON RESOURCES REPORTS IMPROVED GOLD ASSAYS\n","article":"  Levon Resources Ltd\n  said re-checked gold assays from the Howard tunnel on its\n  Congress, British Columbia property yielded higher gold grades\n  than those reported in January and February.\n      It said assays from zone one averaged 0.809 ounces of gold\n  a ton. Levon previously reported the zone averaged 0.226 ounces\n  of gold a ton. Levon said re-checked assays from zone two\n  averaged 0.693 ounces of gold a ton.\n      Levon Resources said the revised zone two assays compared\n  to previously reported averages of 0.545 ounces of gold a ton.\n      The company also said it intersected another vein 90 feet\n  west of zone two, which assayed 0.531 ounces of gold a ton.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"WELBILT CORP <WELB> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 58 cts vs 54 cts\n      Net 3,144,000 vs 2,464,000\n      Revs 54.6 mln vs 38.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,394,000 vs 4,602,000\n      Year\n      Shr 2.03 dlrs vs 1.76 dlrs\n      Net 10.5 mln vs 8,084,000\n      Revs 201.1 mln vs 152.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,154,000 vs 4,602,000\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SATELLITE MUSIC NETWORK INC <SMNI> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr four cts vs three cts\n      Oper net 340,036 vs 223,297\n      Revs 11.1 mln vs 9,514,115\n      Avg shrs 8,926,909 vs 7,672,146\n      NOTE: Net excludes tax credits of 252,160 dlrs vs 152,717\n  dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"STARREX LINKS SHARE PRICE TO ASSAY SPECULATION\n","article":"  <Starrex Mining Corp Ltd> said a sharp\n  \n  rise in its share price is based on speculation for favorable\n  results from its current underground diamond drilling program\n  at its 35 pct owned Star Lake gold mine in northern\n  Saskatchewan.\n      Starrex Mining shares rose 40 cts to 4.75 dlrs in trading\n  on the Toronto Stock Exchange.\n      The company said drilling results from the program which\n  started in late February are encouraging, \"but it is too soon\n  for conclusions.\" Starrex did not disclose check assay results\n  from the exploration program.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMBINED INT'L TO ASK DOUBLING OF AUTHORIZED SHARES, STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"\n  COMBINED INT'L TO ASK DOUBLING OF AUTHORIZED SHARES, STOCK SPLIT\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HARLEY-DAVIDSON INC <HDI> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 18 cts vs 51 cts\n      Oper net 1,048,000 vs 1,870,000\n      Revs 72.2 mln vs 73.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,910,000 vs 3,680,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr 82 cts vs 72 cts\n      Oper net 4,307,000 vs 2,637,000\n      Revs 295.3 mln vs 287.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,235,000 vs 3,680,000\n      NOTE: Results exclude one-time gains of 223,000 or four cts\n  and 564,000 or 11 cts for 1986 qtr and year vs gains of\n  6,359,000 or 1.73 dlrs and 7,318,000 or 1.99 dlrs for prior\n  periods.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ETHIOPIA MINISTER SEES AFRICA DEBT PAYMENT PROBLEM\n","article":"  Africa may have to follow Brazil in\n  halting foreign debt payments unless industrialised nations are\n  prepared to be more flexible in trade and economic policy,\n  Ethiopian trade minister Tesfay Dinka said.\n      Growing protectionism and declining commodity prices had\n  caused a major deterioration in the export earnings of all\n  developing countries, he said in an opening speech to a meeting\n  of African trade ministers in Addis Ababa.\n      Unless there was an early improvement in developing\n  countries' terms of trade \"the only choice is to follow the\n  route that Brazil appears to have taken,\" Tesfay said.\n     The two-day meeting of delegates from 50 African states was\n  called to work out a consensus ahead of the Group of 77\n  ministerial meeting in Havana next month, when the developing\n  countries will debate their strategy in economic negotiations\n  with the West.\n      Tesfay accused the West of intransigence in the negotiation\n  of recent commodity agreements.\n      The failure of the International Coffee Organisation to\n  agree on the reintroduction of export quotas would mean \"several\n  African countries will not have the foreign exchange to import\n  essential items,\" he said.\n      Coffee accounts for 60 pct of Ethiopian exports and the\n  recent fall in world coffee prices has sharply reduced the\n  country's foreign exchange earnings.\n      Adebayo Adedeji, the executive secretary of the U.N.\n  Economic Commission for Africa, told the meeting that there was\n  an increasing net outflow of resources from Africa.\n      He blamed this on high interest rates, debt servicing and\n  the repatriation of profits by foreign investors.\n      Africa paid 13 billion dlrs to service its total foreign\n  debt last year and by 1990 annual service payments are expected\n  to rise to between 16 and 24 billion, Adedeji said.\n      He accused industrialised countries of failing to provide\n  more resources to implement the U.N. Program for Africa's\n  economic recovery and development, despite Africa's willingness\n  to raise two thirds of the capital from domestic sources.\n      The U.N. Program, approved last year, calls for 128 billion\n  dlrs of economic investment in Africa over five years.\n      Western donors were asked to contribute 46 billion dlrs,\n  with the rest being raised from local resources, but Adedeji\n  said the donors had not responded as hoped.\n     In view of this poor response, he said \"it is possible that\n  by the year 2,000 nearly all African countries, except a few,\n  will be categorised as least developed countries.\"\n      At present, 27 of Africa's 50-odd states are officially\n  listed in this category.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CANBRA FOODS LTD SETS SPECIAL ONE-TIME FIVE DLR\/COMMON SHR CASH PAYOUT\n","article":"\n  CANBRA FOODS LTD SETS SPECIAL ONE-TIME FIVE DLR\/COMMON SHR CASH PAYOUT\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CANBRA FOODS LTD YEAR OPER SHR PROFIT 1.52 DLRS VS LOSS 55 CTS\n","article":"\n  CANBRA FOODS LTD YEAR OPER SHR PROFIT 1.52 DLRS VS LOSS 55 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WILSON FOODS CORP <WILF> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 21 cts vs loss 55 cts\n      Oper net profit 1,528,000 vs loss 3,296,000\n      Sales 329.4 mln vs 368.0 mln\n      1st half\n      Oper shr profit 28 cts vs loss 4.55 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 2,026,000 vs loss 27.3 mln\n      Sales 691.3 mln vs 738.2 mln\n      NOTE: Prior half net includes pretax charge 21.4 mln dlrs\n  from plant closings and workforce reductions.\n      Current year net excludes tax credits of 1,381,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and 1,722,000 dlrs in half.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<CANBRA FOODS LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit 1.52 dlrs vs loss 55 cts\n      Oper profit 4,172,188 vs loss 1,502,032\n      Revs not given\n      Note: 1986 shr and net exclude extraordinary gain of\n  1,294,245 dlrs or 47 cts share on sale of Stafford Foods unit\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"OXFORD FIRST CORP <OFC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 45 cts vs 24 cts\n      Qtly div six cts vs six cts prior\n      Oper net 1,766,000 vs 950,000\n      Revs 9,321,000 vs 5,298,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr 1.25 dlrs vs one dlr\n      Oper net 4,985,000 vs 3,894,000\n      Revs 28.3 mln vs 19.9 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes losses from discontinued operations of\n  161,000 dlrs vs 66,000 dlrs in quarter and 464,000 dlrs vs\n  226,000 dlrs in year.\n      Dividend pay May Five, record April 13.\n      Share adjusted for three-for-two stock split.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"HARRIS-TEETER PROPERTIES <HTP> REPORTS EARNINGS\n","article":"  Harris-Teeter Properties Inc\n  reported fourth quarter fiscal 1986 earnings per share of 24\n  cts on earnings of 601,000 dlrs. \n      The realty investment trust company started operations in\n  August and had no comparable figures, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<HOECHST AG> COMPLETES CELANESE <CZ> ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Hoechst AG of West Germany said\n  it has completed the acquisition of Celanese Corp.\n      Hoechst acquired a majority of Celanese shares in a recent\n  tender offer at 245 dlrs per common share.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BSN CORP <BSN> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr two cts vs eight cts\n      Net 73,000 vs 233,000\n      Revs 21.0 mln vs 9,510,000\n      Avg shrs 3,620,000 vs 2,886,000\n      Year\n      Shr 66 cts vs 37 cts\n      Net 2,246,000 vs 1,064,000\n      Revs 68.3 mln vs 40.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,392,000 vs 2,886,000\n      NOTE: 1985 year net includes extraordinary gain one ct shr\n  and gain two cts from cumulative effect of accounting change.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BSN <BSN> SEES HIGHER 1987 NET\n","article":"  BSN Corp said it expects revenues of\n  about 120 mln dlrs and a substantial increase in net income and\n  earnings per share for 1987.\n      Today it reported 1986 net income of 2,246,000 dlrs or 66\n  cts per share on revenues of 68.3 mln dlrs, up from 1,064,000\n  dlrs or 37 cts per share on revenues of 40.8 mln dlrs a year\n  before.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMBINED INT'L <PMA> HOLDERS TO VOTE ON SPLIT\n","article":"  Combined International Corp said it\n  will ask shareholders at the April 23 annual meeting to approve\n  the doubling of authorized common shares to 120 mln.\n      Holders will also vote on a proposal to create a new class\n  of 25 mln shares of serial preferred stock one dlr par value in\n  place of its existing classes of authorized and unissued\n  preferred stock.\n      It said at its regular March board meeting members will\n  consider a stock split or stock dividend, which would be\n  contingent upon stockholder approval of the changes in the\n  capital structure at the April annual meeting.\n      Holders will also be asked to approve a new corporate name,\n  Aon Corp. It said aon is a Gaelic word meaning unit. The name\n  is intended to eliminate confusion between the parent company\n  and its principal subsidiary, Combined Insurance Co of America.\n      Holders will also vote on a proposal to limit the liability\n  of directors and amend the provision for indemnifying\n  directors, officers employees an agents. This is being done to\n  reduce the costs of liability insurance.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CANBRA FOODS SETS SPECIAL FIVE DLR\/SHR PAYOUT\n","article":"  <Canbra Foods Ltd>, earlier\n  reporting a 1986 net profit against a year-ago loss, said it\n  declared a special, one-time dividend of five dlrs per common\n  share, pay March 31, record March 26.\n      Canbra said it set the special payout to allow shareholders\n  to participate in the gain on the sale of unit Stafford Foods\n  Ltd in November, 1986, as well as the company's \"unusually\n  profitable performance\" in 1986.\n      Canbra earlier reported 1986 net earnings of 4.2 mln dlrs,\n  excluding a 1.3 mln dlr gain on the Stafford sale, compared to\n  a year-ago loss of 1.5 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICUS TRUST <HPU> EXTENDS DEADLINE\n","article":"  Americus Trust for American Home\n  Products Shares said it extended its deadline for accepting\n  tendered shares until November 26, an extension of nine months.\n      The trust, which will accept up to 7.5 mln shares of\n  American Home Products <AHP>, said it has already received\n  tenders for about four mln shares.\n      The trust is managed by Alex. Brown and Sons Inc <ABSB> and\n  was formed November 26, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ADVANCE CIRCUITS INC <ADVC> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit one cts vs loss 22 cts\n      Oper net profit 35,000 vs loss 948,000\n      Revs 17.4 mln vs 13.8 mln\n      Six mths\n      Oper shr loss 23 cts vs loss 48 cts\n      Oper net loss 1,025,000 vs loss 2,093,000\n      Revs 32.5 mln vs 27.6 mln\n      NOTE: Results exclude credits of 1,737,000 or 39 cts shr\n  for both 1987 periods from refinancing of debt.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COMMONWEALTH MORTGAGE <CMA> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div 26 cts Class A vs 12 cts\n      Qtrly div one cent Class B vs nil\n      Pay May 15\n      Record March 31\n      NOTE: prior qtr pro rated on 45 day basis for abbreviated\n  qtr.\n      Full name of company commonwealth mortgage of america.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<BKLA BANCORP> DEC 31 YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 90 cts vs 66 cts\n      Net 924,000 vs 679,000\n      Loans 88.7 mln vs 67.4 mln\n      Deposits 165.5 mln vs 106.7 mln\n      Assets 181.5 mln vs 124.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PRECISION TARGET MARKETING <PTMI> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends Jan 31\n      Shr profit one ct vs loss two cts\n      Net profit 74,000 vs loss 122,000\n      Revs 1,657,000 vs 1,416,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr profit five cts vs loss 10 cts\n      Net profit 299,000 vs loss 624,000\n      Revs 5,134,000 vs 3,744,000\n      NOTE: Full name Precision Target Marketing Inc.\n      Nine months 1987 includes extraordinary gain of two cts per\n  share.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHEYENNE SOFTWARE <CHEY> IN ACQUISITION TALKS\n","article":"  Cheyenne Software Inc said it is\n  in preliminary talks on the acquisition of compouter hardware\n  distribution firm F.A. Components Inc and its Freeman-Owings\n  Inc subsidiary.\n      The company said F.A. had sales of 43.1 mln dlrs for 1986\n  and expects to report a loss for the year.\n      Cheyenne said the purchase price would be paid in common\n  stock and it would provide additional finances for the\n  operation of F.A.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HUDSON VALLEY PATROL AGREES TO BUY GUARD FIRM\n","article":"  Hudson Valley Patrol Inc said it\n  agreed to acquire privately held Federal Protection Services\n  Inc, a Palm Beach, Fla., security firm, for 200,000 common\n  shares and other considerations.\n      Hudson Valley, which provides guard and patrol services in\n  upstate N.Y., said Federal Protection Services provides\n  investigation, uniformed guard and armoured truck services to\n  banks, corporations and residential communities in southern\n  Florida.\n      The company said it will issue 200,000 shares of its common\n  at closing and additional shares based on Federal Protection's\n  pretax earnings over the next three years.\n      Closing is subject to setting a definitive agreement, it\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ICCO TO EXAMINE BUFFER STOCK PROPOSAL TOMORRROW\n","article":"  The International Cocoa Organization,\n  ICCO, council adjourned after presenting divergent producer and\n  consumer views on buffer stock rules and agreeing to examine a\n  draft compromise proposal on the buffer stock issue tomorrow,\n  delegates said.\n      ICCO Executive Director Kobena Erbynn will draw up what\n  some delegates called a \"pre-compromise\" and present it to the\n  buffer stock working group at 1130 hrs GMT Tuesday, they said.\n      While consumer and producer member nations disagree how a\n  buffer stock should be implemented, both sides reiterated they\n  were willing to compromise to come to agreement, they said.\n      \"I am optimistic we will be able to come to an agreement --\n  maybe not tomorrow or the next day, but some time later in the\n  session,\" a consumer delegate said.\n      Producers say they want the buffer stock to consist only of\n  ICCO member cocoa, comprise a representative basket of various\n  grade cocoas and pay different prices for different grades,\n  delegates said.\n      Some consumers would rather the buffer stock manager be\n  able to buy non-member cocoa also, and pay a single price for\n  the buffer stock cocoa without respect to origin.\n      Consumer members were not unified in their views on how the\n  buffer stock should operate, with several countries backing\n  different aspects of the producer stance, delegates said.\n      The semi-annual council meeting is scheduled to run until\n  March 27. Consideration of the buffer stock rules is the most\n  controversial topic on the agenda, delegates said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AM INTERNATIONAL <AM> CITES STRONG PROSPECTS\n","article":"  AM International Inc, reporting an\n  operating loss for the January 31 second quarter, said\n  prospects for the balance of the fiscal year remain good.\n      It said orders at its Harris Graphics subsidiary, acquired\n  in June 1986, \"continue to run at a strong pace.\" For the six\n  months, orders rose 35 pct over the corresponding prior-year\n  period, or on an annualized basis are running at about 630 mln\n  dlrs.\n      The backlog at Harris is up 30 pct from the beginning of\n  the fiscal year, AM said.\n      AM International said its old division are expected to\n  benefit from recent new product introductions and the decline\n  in the value of the dollar.\n      \"Research, development and engineering expenditures in\n  fiscal 1987 will be in the 45-50 mln dlr range, and the company\n  said it has allocated another 30-40 mln dlrs for capital\n  expenditures.\n      Earlier AM reported a fourth quarter operating loss of two\n  cts a share compared to profits of seven cts a share a year\n  ago. Revenues rose to 291.8 mln dlrs from 151.1 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MORSE SHOE INC <MRS> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 59 cts vs 48 cts\n      Net 3,244,000 vs 2,584,000\n      Revs 169.3 mln vs 156.0 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 1.78 dlrs vs 1.32 dlrs\n      Net 9,733,000 vs 7,164,000\n      Revs 585.6 mln vs 541.0\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AMCAST INDUSTRIAL CORP <ACST> 2ND QTR MARCH ONE\n","article":"  Shr profit 10 cts vs loss 2.20 dlrs\n      Net profit 687,000 vs loss 14.5 mln\n      Sales 68.3 mln vs 54.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 7,018,000 vs 6,577,000\n      1st half\n      Shr profit 38 cts vs loss 1.95 dlrs\n      Net profit 2,596,000 vs loss 12.8 mln\n      Sales 129.9 mln vs 113.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 6,964,000 vs 6,568,000\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SCIENTIFIC SYSTEMS SERVICES INC <SSSV> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr profit four cts vs loss 49 cts\n      Net profit 160,700 vs loss 1,867,100\n      Revs 4,700,000 vs 5,600,000\n      Year\n      Shr profit two cts vs loss 1.20 dlrs\n      Net profit 84,400 vs loss 4,507,800\n      Revs 20.5 mln vs 22.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SKIPPERS INC <SKIP> SEMI-ANNUAL DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Semi-annual div four cts vs four cts\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 9\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ZIEGLER CO INC <ZEGL> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 13 cts vs 13 cts prior\n      Pay April 17\n      Record April 3.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. EXPORT INSPECTIONS, IN THOUS BUSHELS  SOYBEANS 18,345 WHEAT 11,470 CORN 34,940\n","article":"\n  U.S. EXPORT INSPECTIONS, IN THOUS BUSHELS  SOYBEANS 18,345 WHEAT 11,470 CORN 34,940\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"BANKING CENTER <TBCX> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Banking Center said it has\n  signed a letter of intent to acquire First Railroad Mortgage Co\n  from First Union Bank of Augusta, Ga., for undisclosed terms.\n      The company said First Railroad had loan production of over\n  100 mln dlrs in 1986 and was servicing over 435 mln dlrs in\n  loans at the end of 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SAN PAOLO DI TORINO TO ACQUIRE CALIFORNIAN BANK\n","article":"  Italian state bank <Istituto Bancario San\n  Paolo di Torino> said its fully-owned <San Paolo U.S. Holding\n  Co> of Wilmington in the U.S. had signed a letter of intent to\n  acquire <Valley National Bank> of California.\n      San Paolo said in a statement that, subject to obtaining\n  official authorization from the relevant bodies, it would merge\n  Valley National Bank with its subsidiary <First Los Angeles\n  Bank>.\n      Value of the planned acquisition was not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"USDA DETAILS CONSERVATION CROP ENROLLMENT\n","article":"  Farmers enrolled over 6.5 mln acres\n  of program crops in the latest conservation reserve program\n  signup and around four mln acres of non-program crops,\n  Agriculture Department conservation specialists said.\n      Soybean acreage amounted to less than two mln acres of the\n  non-program crop acreage enrolled, a USDA analyst said. Heavy\n  enrollment of non-base acreage in wheat states, of which a big\n  percentage would be fallow and non-soybean land, accounted for\n  a large portion of the non-program acreage, the analyst said.\n      Wheat and corn acreage comprised slightly over 40 pct of\n  the total 10,572,402 acres accepted into the ten-year program.\n      USDA analysts gave the following enrollment breakdown:\n      -- wheat  2,615,140 acres\n      -- corn   1,894,764 acres\n      -- barley   705,888 acres\n      -- sorghum  585,552 acres\n      -- cotton   417,893 acres\n      -- rice       2,035 acres\n      -- peanuts      611 acres\n      -- tobacco      285 acres\n      -- total program crops  6,512,700 acres\n      -- total nonprogram     4,059,702 acres\n      -- total enrollment    10,572,402 acres\n      USDA analysts are currently working on a complete state\n  breakdown of crop acreage enrollment and should have it ready\n  for publication later this week, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. SENATOR UNCOMMITTED ON OFFERING 0\/92 BILL\n","article":"  Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana,\n  ranking Republican on the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee,\n  has not decided whether to introduce an administration-backed\n  bill to apply the so-called 0\/92 provision to 1988 through 1990\n  grain crops, an aide to the senator said.\n      The Reagan administration has asked Lugar to offer the\n  measure, the aide said.\n      However, a number of farm groups have told Lugar they\n  oppose the proposal on the grounds it would reopen the 1985\n  farm bill, and the senator has decided to take a second look at\n  the proposal, the aide said.\n      Last week the aide indicated Lugar was planning to offer\n  the 0\/92 measure and a bill to tighten a payment limitation\n  loophole.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"INTERNATIONAL FINE FOODS MAKES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  <International Fine Foods Inc> said it\n  has acquired 2001 Distributors Inc of West Babylon, N.Y., for\n  875,000 common shares, plus contingent shares based on future\n  earnings.\n      2001 distributes fresh-squeezed juices and had a loss on\n  sales of about one mln dlrs in 1986, its first year of\n  operation.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"UNITED TOTE INC <TOTE> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit nil vs loss 10 cts\n      Net profit 2,936 vs loss 170,866\n      Revs 4,147,248 vs 1,091,392\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"ICO QUOTA TALKS CONTINUE, OUTCOME HARD TO GAUGE\n","article":"  Talks at the extended special meeting of\n  the International Coffee Organization (ICO) on the\n  reintroduction of export quotas continued, but chances of\n  success were still almost impossible to gauge, delegates said.\n      Producer delegates were meeting to examine a Colombian\n  proposal to resume historical quotas from April 1 to September,\n  with a promise to define specific new criteria by which a new\n  quota system would be calculated in September for the new crop\n  year, they said.\n      Opinions among delegates over the potential for reaching a\n  quota agreement varied widely.\n      Some consumers said the mood of the meeting seemed slightly\n  more optimistic. But Brazil's unwillingness to concede any of\n  its traditional 30.55 pct of its export market share looks\n  likely to preclude any accord, other delegates said.\n      No fresh proposals other than the Colombian initiative had\n  been tabled formally today, delegates said.\n      A full council meeting was set for 1900 hours for a\n  progress report, delegates said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SEVEN OAKS <QPON> IN TELEMARKETING VENTURE\n","article":"  Seven Oaks International Inc\n  said it has formed a new 80 pct owned subsidiary called Seven\n  Oaks Direct Inc to offer a full line of telemarketing services.\n      It said Seven Oaks direct management will own the remaining\n  20 pct.\n      The company said initial costs connected with the startupo\n  of a new Memphis, Tenn., marketing center for Seven Oaks direct\n  may hurt earnings slightly in the first half of the year ending\n  in April 1988, but Seven Oaks Direct should operate at no worse\n  than breakeven for fiscal 1988 as a whole.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"QUADREX CORP <QUAD> 4TH QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss eight cts vs loss 20 cts\n      Net loss 586,000 vs los 1,497,000\n      Revs 13.8 mln vs 14.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 15 cts vs loss 18 cts\n      Net loss 1,135,000 vs loss 1,377,000\n      Revs 57.7 mln vs 55.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PHILIP CROSBY ASSOCIATES <PCA> EARNINGS DELAYED\n","article":"  Philip Crosby Associates Inc\n  said its fourth quarter and annual earnings report will be\n  delayed two more weeks.\n      The company cited the recent in-house embezzlement and a\n  subsequent review by auditors of its international situation as\n  reason for the delay.\n      Philip Crosby, however, said it believes its December\n  estimate calling for earnings per share between 10 cts and 15\n  cts, on revenues of 11 mln dlrs, was still valid.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UNITED TOTE INC <TOTE> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr nil vs loss 10 cts\n      Net profit 2,936 vs loss 170,866\n      Revs 4,147,248 vs 1,091,392\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PACIFIC RESOURCES <PRI> INSTALLS OIL MOORING\n","article":"  Pacific Resources Inc said it has\n  installed a CALM (Catenary Anchor Leg Mooring) single-point\n  mooring terminal off the southwest coast of Oahu at its\n  Hawaiian Independent Refinery at a cost of 3.5 mln dlrs.\n      The system transfers crude and fuel oils from tankers to\n  the refinery's tank farm and carries refined products to ships\n  for export, PRI said.\n      Company chairman Robert G. Reed said the new mooring system\n  will permit 24-hour service in most kinds of weather and will\n  reduce ship turnaround time. He said the mooring is the first\n  of its kind in the U.S.\n      The new system can accomodate vessels up to 150,000\n  deadweight tons, or one mln barrels of cargo, PRI said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NEW PLAN REALTY TRUST <NPR> 2ND QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends Jan 31\n      Shr 22 cts vs 19 cts\n      Net 4,549,000 vs 3,666,000\n      Revs 8,903,000 vs 7,791,000\n      Avg shrs 20.9 mln vs 19.9 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr 42 cts vs 41 cts\n      Net 8,641,000 vs 7,928,000\n      Revs 17.5 mln vs 14.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 20.8 mln vs 19.4 mln\n      NOTE: earnings were restated to reflect the three-for-two\n  stock split on April one, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SCHLUMBERGER SAYS IT TERMINATES PACT TO SELL FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR BUSINESS TO FUJITSU\n","article":"\n  SCHLUMBERGER SAYS IT TERMINATES PACT TO SELL FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR BUSINESS TO FUJITSU\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MORE CCC CREDIT GUARANTEES FOR ALGERIA -- USDA\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation\n  (CCC) has approved an additional 84.0 mln dlrs in credit\n  guarantees for sales of U.S. agricultural products to Algeria\n  for fiscal year 1987 under the Export Credit Guarantee Program\n  (GSM-102), the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      The department said the additional guarantees provide up to\n  31.0 mln dlrs in coverage for sales of protein meals, 9.0 mln\n  dlrs for tallow, and 44.0 mln dlrs for vegetable oils.\n      The latest guarantees increase the cumulative fiscal 1987\n  program for sales of U.S. agricultural products to Algeria to\n  464.0 mln dlrs from 380.0, it said.\n      To be eligible for the credit guarantees, all sales must be\n  registered with the CCC by September 30, and shipments\n  completed by December 31, 1987, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PL 480 COMMODITIES FOR HONDURAS -- USDA\n","article":"  The United States has signed a\n  Public Law 480 agreement with Honduras to provide for the sale\n  of 12.0 mln dlrs worth of U.S. agricultural commodities, the\n  U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      The agreement, signed March 11, provides for the sale of\n  about 75,000 tonnes of wheat\/wheat flour worth 8.5 mln dlrs,\n  15,000 tonnes of corn\/sorghum worth 1.5 mln dlrs and 6,000\n  tonnes of tallow worth 2.0 mln dlrs, the department said.\n      The commodities will be supplied in the current fiscal\n  year, ending September 30, and sales will be by private U.S.\n  traders on a competitive bid basis.\n      Purchase authorizations will be announced as issued.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 150,000 TONNES CORN  SOLD TO UNKNOWN DESTINATIONS FOR 1986\/87\n","article":"\n  U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 150,000 TONNES CORN  SOLD TO UNKNOWN DESTINATIONS FOR 1986\/87\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SENS. DANFORTH, BOND ASK TARGETED 0\/92 MEASURE\n","article":"  Missouri Republican Senators John\n  Danforth and Christopher Bond have introduced a bill that would\n  allow wheat and feedgrain producers along the Mississippi and\n  Missouri Rivers hurt by flooding last year to collect at least\n  92 pct of their deficiency payments this year without planting.\n      Danforth aide Austin Schlick said the bill was similar to a\n  provision included in a House Agriculture Committee-passed\n  emergency disaster assistance bill scheduled to be taken up by\n  the House tomorrow.\n      Schlick said flooding destroyed a number of levees along\n  the two rivers last October, leaving farmland there vulnerable\n  to further damage this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CCC ACCEPTS BONUS BID ON BARLEY TO CYRPUS\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation\n  (CCC) has accepted a bid on an export bonus to cover the sale\n  of 8,000 tonnes of barley to Cyprus, the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department said.\n      The barley is for shipment May 5-20 and the bonus of 39.32\n  dlrs per tonne was made to Harvest States Cooperatives, the\n  department said.\n      The bonus will be paid in the form of commodities from the\n  inventory of CCC stocks.\n      The department said an additional 42,000 tonnes of U.S.\n  barley are still available to Cyprus under the Export\n  Enhancement Program initiative announced on August 26, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LYNCH CORP <LGL> UNIT BUYS TELEVISION STATION\n","article":"  Lynch Corp subisidiary Lynch\n  Entertainment Corp said it formed a general partnership called\n  Coronet Communications Co, which has acquired WHBF-TV station,\n  in Rock Island, Ill.\n      The company said the price for the station, a CBS\n  television network affiliate, was 20 mln dlrs. The company also\n  said the other partner is Lombardo Communications Inc, a\n  wholly-owned corporation of Phillip Lombardo.\n      Lynch said it will pursue further acquisitions of media and\n  entertainment entities with emphasis on broadcasting and cable\n  television operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SCHLUMBERGER <SLB> ENDS PACT TO SELL FAIRCHILD\n","article":"  Schlumberger Ltd said it terminated an\n  agreement in principle for Fujitsu Ltd to buy 80 pct of its\n  Fairchild Semiconductor operations.\n      The company said the rising political controversy in the\n  U.S. concerning the venture made it unlikely that the sale of\n  the Fairchild stake could be completed within a reasonable\n  time.\n      The sale has been opposed by the U.S. Commerce Department\n  and the U.S. Defense Department, in part on national security\n  grounds.\n      The company said termination of the agreement opened other\n  possibilities, including a possible leveraged buyout of the\n  semiconductor maker by Fairchild management.\n      In the interim, Fairchild would continue its ongoing\n  business within Schlumberger, the oilfield services concern\n  said.\n      Last October, Schlumberger announced the sale of the\n  Fairchild stake and said it would take a 200 mln dlrs charge in\n  the fourth quarter from the sale. The company ended up\n  recording special charges of 2.1 billion dlrs in the fourth\n  quarter, leading to a loss of 2.02 billion dlrs for the year.\n      Schlumberger never announced a price for the sale, but\n  industry analysts have estimated the value of the deal at about\n  200 mln dlrs.\n      The proposed sale was under antitrust review by the U.S.\n  Justice Department. Additionally, Commerce Secretary Malcolm\n  Baldridge and other U.S. officials have voiced reservations\n  about the transaction since it was announced.\n      Government officials have expressed concern that the sale\n  could reduce the competitiveness of U.S. chip makers by putting\n  key advanced technology into Japanese hands.\n      New, high-technology semiconductors are used in\n  supercomputers, which are faster and more powerful than\n  existing computers.\n      Schlumberger is an oilfield services company controlled by\n  French interests and headquartered in New York. Fujitsu Ltd is\n  a computer and telecommunications company based in Japan.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HENLEY GROUP <HENG> SETS FISHER DISTRIBUTION\n","article":"  Henley Group Inc said it\n  declared a special dividend distribution of one Fisher\n  Scientific Group Inc share for every 16 Henley shares.\n      Previously, it said it would pay one fisher share for every\n  20 outstanding, but it changed the ratio because of the\n  reduction in its outstanding shares to 109 mln from 129 mln.\n      It said the distribution of about 20 pct of Fisher's common\n  stock will be made April six to holders of record March 26.\n  Fisher will trade on NASDAQ under the symbol <FSHG>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GENCORP <GY> 1ST QTR OPERATING EARNINGS ROSE\n","article":"  GenCorp said its first quarter\n  earnings from operations rose four pct as sales increased six\n  pct to 650 mln dlrs from 614 mln a year earlier.\n      However, the company reported net income declined to 17 mln\n  dlrs, or 77 cts a share, in the quarter ended February 28 from\n  19 mln dlrs, or 84 cts a year earlier. This year's net included\n  700,000 dlrs from the sale of assets while last years was\n  increased 3.0 mln dlrs by such sales.\n      GenCorp said lower operating profits for the tire and\n  plastics and industrial products segments were essentially\n  offset by higher wallcovering results.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEW EEP DURUM WHEAT OFFER TO ALGERIA -- USDA\n","article":"  U.S. exporters will have the\n  opportunity to sell an additional 300,000 tonnes of U.S. durum\n  wheat to Algeria under the Export Enhancement Program, EEP, the\n  U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      The department said the sales will be subsidized with\n  commodities from the Commodity Credit Corporation, CCC,\n  inventory and the subsidy will enable U.S. exports to compete\n  at commercial prices in the Algerian market.\n      Algeria has already purchased 300,000 tonnes of U.S. durum\n  wheat under a previous export enhancement initiative announced\n  November 10, 1986, it said.\n      Details of the latest initiative, including an invitation\n  for offers from exporters, will be issued in the near future,\n  the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MCCORMICK AND CO INC <MCCRK> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 37 cts vs 35 cts\n      Net 4,346,000 vs 4,202,000\n      Revs 232.0 mln vs 223.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TWA SAID IT DOES NOT INTEND TO SEEK CONTROL OF USAIR, ACQUIRE MORE STOCK AT THIS TIME\n","article":"\n  TWA SAID IT DOES NOT INTEND TO SEEK CONTROL OF USAIR, ACQUIRE MORE STOCK AT THIS TIME\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TELEQUEST INC <TELQ> 4TH QTR DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss nine cts vs profit 35 cts\n      Net loss 299,000 vs profit 1,025,000\n      Sales 9,704,000 vs 9,659,000\n      Avg shrs 3,792,138 vs 2,892,138\n      Year\n      Shr profit one ct vs profit 58 cts\n      Net profit 45,000 vs profit 1,705,000\n      Sales 25.4 mln vs 17.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,567,138 vs 2,892,138\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. EEP VEG OIL PROPOSALS STILL UNDER REVIEW\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture Department\n  proposals to offer 260,000 tonnes of subsidized vegetable oil\n  to four countries are still under consideration by an\n  interagency trade policy group, a USDA official close to the\n  group said.\n      The official, who asked not to be identified, dismissed a\n  report circulating in markets today that the interagency trade\n  policy review group had rejected the proposals.\n      Under the proposals, USDA would offer vegetable oil under\n  the export enhancement program, EEP, to four countries,\n  including 80,000 tonnes to Turkey and 60,000 tonnes to Algeria,\n  Morocco and Tunisia, industry sources said.\n      The proposals \"are still under review\" by the interagency\n  working group, the USDA official said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMCAST INDUSTRIAL CORP <ACST> 2ND QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends March One\n      Shr profit 10 cts vs loss 2.20 cts\n      Net profit 687,000 vs loss 14.5 mln\n      Revs 68.3 mln vs 54.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 7,018,000 vs 6,577,000\n      Six mths\n      Shr profit 38 cts vs loss 1.95\n      Net profit 2,596,000 vs loss 12.8 mln\n      Revs 129.9 mln vs 113.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 6,964,000 vs 6,568,000\n      NOTE: figures for qtr and year prior include pre-tax\n  restructuring charge of 22.5 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHICAGO DOCK AND CANAL <DOCKS> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Period ended Jan 31\n      Shr 16 cts vs 10 cts\n      Net 901,000 vs 562,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 1.77 dlrs vs 19 cts\n      Net 9,886,000 vs 1,122,000\n      NOTE: Full name is Chicago Dock and Canal Trust\n      1987 nine months earnings include gain from dispositions of\n  real estate of 7,666,000 dlrs, or 1.33 dlrs a share\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MCGRAW HILL <MHP> BUYS HARPER\/ROW <HPR> UNIT\n","article":"  McGraw-Hill Inc said it bought\n  <Medecines et Sciences Internationales SA>, a French Healthcare\n  publisher, from Harper and Row Publishers Inc.\n      The sum of the deal was not disclosed.\n      It said the French company publishes original titles by\n  French authors, as well as translations of American, British\n  and German Medical books. The company will be consolidated with\n  McGraw-Hill France, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INFINITE GRAPHICS <INFG> SEES HIGHER 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Infinite Graphics Inc expects earnings\n  for the fourth quarter ending April 30 to exceed the 127,587\n  dlrs, or seven cts a share posted a year ago, Chairman Clifford\n  F. Stritch Jr. told a meeting of financial analysts.\n      Stritch also said the company's annual revenues should\n  exceed 6.0 mln dlrs, up from 4.1 mln dlrs in the previous\n  fiscal year.\n      He said the company, which markets advanced computer-aided\n  engineering, design and manufacturing systems, plans to double\n  its dealers to 50 during the coming fiscal year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SUBURBAN BANCORP <SUBBA> UNIT WINS JUDGMENT\n","article":"  Suburban Bancorp said a Cook\n  County Circuit Court ruled in favor of one of its companies,\n  Suburban Bancorp of Bartlett (formerly Bartlett State Bank) on\n  claims against six former directors.\n      Suburban Bank of Barlett claimed that the former directors\n  breached their fiduciary duties and were negligent in opposing\n  Suburban Bancorp's tender offer in January 1985, costing\n  Bartlett State Bank several hundred thousand dollars.\n      It said a hearing to determine the amount of damages owed\n  to the bank was set for April 21.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AFFILIATED PUBLICATIONS INC <AFP> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div eight cts vs eight cts prior\n      Pay June 1\n      Record May 15\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRANKLIN RESOURCES INC <BEN> QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Shr six cts vs six cts prior qtr\n      Pay April 10\n      Record March 27\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TWA FILES APPLICATION SEEKING RIGHT TO RAISE USAIR STAKE TO 25 PCT\n","article":"\n  TWA FILES APPLICATION SEEKING RIGHT TO RAISE USAIR STAKE TO 25 PCT\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COOPERVISION HAS 6.5 PCT OF COOPER LASER <ZAPS>\n","article":"  CooperVision Inc <EYE> told the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission it has acquired 1,420,500\n  shares of Cooper LaserSonics Inc, or 6.5 pct of the total\n  outstanding common stock.\n      CooperVision said it bought the stake for 2.9 mln dlrs for\n  investment purposes.\n      It said it might buy additional Cooper LaserSonics common\n  shares, but said it does not plan to boost its stake above 10\n  pct of the total outstanding.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DNA MEDICAL <DNAM> SIGNS PACT FOR STOCK SALE\n","article":"  DNA Medical Inc said Walter G.\n  Mize had bought about 9,400,000 shares, or about 33 pct of\n  DNA's outstanding stock, for 100,000 dlrs cash.\n      Under an agreement with Mize, DNA said he will also become\n  chairman, and may, at his option, expand the board to provide\n  him equal representation with the current board.\n      DNA also said it will submit a proposal at its annual\n  meeting for it to acquire three companies owned by Mize,\n  <Heritage Lite Meat Corp>, <National Lean Beef Corp> and\n  <Heritage Cattle <Corp>. DNA said the total value of the\n  transactions is 700,000 dlrs.\n      DNA said that when the transactions are approved by its\n  shareholders, it will issue additional shares of its common so\n  that Mize will own 80 pct of its issued and outstanding stock.\n      DNA said Mize will replace its current chairman, Donald\n  Holbrook, who will remain on the board.\n      The company also said it will continue in the medical\n  development business as \"long as it is deemed to be\n  advantageous.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<CANADIAN ROXY PETROLEUM LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit five cts vs loss 23 cts\n      Net profit 916,000 vs loss 2,886,000\n      Revs 20.0 mln vs 28.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"CITYFED <CTYF> TO SELL CONSUMER LENDING OFFICES\n","article":"  CityFed Financial Corp said\n  its City Federal Savings Bank has a preliminary agreement to\n  sell 14 consumer lending offices to <Goldome FSB> for\n  undisclosed terms.\n      Goldome is the largest mutual savings bank in the U.S.\n      CityFed said it decided to sell its consumer lending\n  offices outside its main market areas in New Jersey and Florida\n  to concentrate its resources to these markets.\n      The offices being sold operate under the name of City\n  Consumer Serices Inc in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland,\n  New Mexico, Oregon and Virginia.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRANS WORLD AIRLINES <TWA> FILES ON USAIR <U>\n","article":"  Trans World Airlines said it told the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission it does not intend to seek\n  control of USAir Group or to acquire more of its stock at this\n  time.\n      TWA also said it is amending its application with the\n  Department of Transportation to seek control of USAir.\n      The amendment said TWA reserves the right to seek control\n  of USAir in the future, that it intends to maintain its 15 pct\n  stake, and that it also is seeking the flexibility to acquire\n  up to 25 pct of USAir.\n      TWA said all USAir stock owned by it would be in a voting\n  trust and voted in the same proportion as the vote of all other\n  USAir shareholders.\n      TWA filed a 13-D with the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission, reporting its holding of 4,023,200 shares of USAir.\n  TWA has said the stake amounts to about 15 pct.\n      TWA also said that by order of the federal court in\n  Pittsburgh, it is temporarily barred from buying additional\n  shares of USAir pending a hearing March 23 to reconsider\n  USAir's application to expand the temporary restraining order\n  to a preliminary injunction.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FIRST BANK <FBS> AGREES TO SELL ANOTHER BANK\n","article":"  First Bank System Inc said it has\n  found a potential buyer for First Bank Luverne and its office\n  in Pipestone, Minnesota.\n      The bank holding company said 215 Holding Co, a corporation\n  controlled by the family of the late Robert Short, will buy\n  First Bank Luverne. The bank has 59.2 mln dlrs in assets.\n      First Bank, which announced plans in 1985 to restructure\n  its banking assets by offering to sell 28 of its banks with a\n  total of 45 offices, said agreements have now been signed for\n  43 of these offices.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL PETROLEUM TO BUY ASSETS\n","article":"  American International Petroleum Corp\n  <AIPN> said it agreed to acquire for one mln dlrs the assets of\n  a western Louisiana oil and gas company. American International\n  would not identify the company.\n      American said assets included nine leases totalling 2,600\n  acres, various working interests in 15 oil and gas wells on\n  that property, all equipment and machinery necessary for\n  operation, and a 50 pct interest in a nine-mile gas pipeline.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"THREE D DEPARTMENTS INC <TDD> 2ND QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr four cts vs 15 cts\n      Net 132,851 vs 501,537\n      Revs 10 mln vs 15.5 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr 12 cts vs 24 cts\n      Net 409,383 vs 812,045\n      Revs 19.4 mln vs 29.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"<CONSOLIDATED PIPE LINES CO> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.19 dlrs vs 1.38 dlrs\n      Net 1,499,234 vs 1,713,941\n      Revs 23.2 mln vs 10.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEWCOR INC <NEW> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit four cts vs loss 58 cts\n      Net profit 119,000 vs loss 1,629,000\n      Sales 18.4 mln vs 17.0 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SKYLINE CORP <SKY> 3RD QTR FEB 28\n","article":"  Shr 13 cts vs seven cts\n      Net 1,487,000 vs 778,000\n      Sales 64.4 mln vs 58.3 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 66 cts vs 55 cts\n      Net 7,388,000 vs 6,127,000\n      Sales 223.0 mln vs 222.2 mln\n      NOTE: 1987 quarter and nine month earnings includes a gain\n  on sale of idle facilities of 406,000 dlrs, or four cts a share\n      1986 nine months earnings include gain on sale of idle\n  facilities of 377,000 dlrs, or three cts a share\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TECH DATA CORP <TECD> 4TH QTR ENDS JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 24 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 771,000 vs 314,000\n      Revs 24.1 mln vs 11.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,234,000 vs 2,426,000\n      12 mths\n      Shr 65 cts vs 38 cts\n      Net 1,983,000 vs 904,000\n      Revs 71.5 mln vs 37.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,035,000 vs 2,371,000\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SENATE COMMITTEE MAY LOOK AT FUEL TAX PROPOSALS\n","article":"  The Senate budget committee sits\n  down tomorrow to start drafting a fiscal 1988 budget, with the\n  budget writers expected to look at several proposals for fuel\n  taxes and other tax options to cut the budget.\n      In a briefing book for the drafting sessions, a number of\n  revenue raising tax options are proposed, including a five dlrs\n  a barrel fee on domestic and imported oil, a fee just on\n  imported oil, and a broad based tax on domestic energy\n  consumption based on five pct of value.\n      Other proposals include various excise taxes and\n  combinations of import surcharges or tariffs, including a 10\n  pct import across the board import surcharge that would raise\n  22 billion dlrs next year alone, more in later years.\n      The committee, however, will only include revenue numbers\n  in its proposed budget with the actual revenue decisions left\n  to the House and Senate tax-writing committees.\n       The committee will draft a budget which its chairman, Sen\n  Lawton Chiles, a Florida Democrat, said he hopes would raise at\n  least 18 billion dlrs in revenues, or about half the minimum 36\n  billion dlr deficit reduction he has in mind.\n      The House Budget Committee also plans to start drafting a\n  separate budget plan later this week, which would have to be\n  reconciled with the Senate version. The final budget would be\n  the fiscal 1988 spending and revenue blueprint.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL TRADE SURPLUS RISES IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  The trade surplus doubled in\n  february to 261 mln dlrs from January's 129 mln, but was  below\n  the 628 mln of February 1986, official figures show.\n      The director of the Banco do Brasil's foreign trade\n  department (CACEX), Roberto Fendt, told reporters the upturn in\n  February confirmed a rising trend in exports, which totalled\n  1.53 billion dlrs against 1.26 billion in January and, after\n  excluding coffee and oil derivitives, was only slightly below\n  the same month last year.\n      Coffee earnings were down to 110 mln dlrs against 295 mln\n  in February 1986 because of lower prices, he added.\n      Fendt said that although the February results were lower\n  than the average expected for the rest of the year, the\n  government's target of an eight-billion-dlr surplus for 1987\n  should be achieved. This would compare with a 1986 surplus of\n  9.5 billion dlrs.\n      Exports this year are expected to total 22.5 billion dlrs\n  and imports 14.5 billion, he added. In 1986 exports totalled\n  22.4 billion dlrs and imports 12.9 billion.\n      Fendt said the rise in imports in February to 1.27 billion\n  dlrs from 1.12 billion in February last year was in line with\n  government plans to foster economic growth.\n      Fendt said that imports were running at levels well above\n  the traditional average for Brazil.\n      In the first two months of the year imports, excluding oil\n  and wheat totalled, 1.8 billion dlrs against 1.47 billion in\n  the same 1986 period.\n      This rise in import demand reflected the needs of Brazilian\n  industry to equip to raise production and is perfectly\n  compatible with the government's program for economic growth,\n  Fendt added.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ARMTEK <ARM> UNIT LEVERAGED BUYOUT COMPLETED\n","article":"  Condere Corp, formed by former\n  managers of Armtek Corp, said it completed the acquisition of a\n  tire plant and other assets of Armtek for undisclosed terms.\n      In addition to a tire manufacturing plant, Condere bought\n  S. and A. Truck Tire Sales and Service Corp, which operates 51\n  Sears Truck Tire Sales and Service Centers through a licensed\n  agreement with Sears Roebuck and Co <S>.\n      The plant will supply tires to Armtek's Armstrong Tire Co\n  as well as to several Sears Centers. Condere said it expects\n  first year revenues to be 90 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HORIZON BANCORP <HZB> SETS REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div 34 cts vs 34 cts prior\n      Pay May 1\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ASHLAND OIL CHAIRMAN SEES LOSS FROM OPERATIONS IN THE SECOND FISCAL QUARTER\n","article":"\n  ASHLAND OIL CHAIRMAN SEES LOSS FROM OPERATIONS IN THE SECOND FISCAL QUARTER\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HENLEY <HENG> TO ISSUE SUBSIDIARY'S SHARES\n","article":"  Henley Group Inc said it plans\n  to issue 20 pct of the common stock of its Fisher Scientific\n  Group Inc unit to Henley Group shareholders.\n      The company said it intends to issue one share of Fisher\n  Scientific for each 16 Henley shares held to shareholders of\n  record March 26. The distribution is scheduled for April six,\n  the company also said.\n      It said the Fisher shares will trade in the\n  over-the-counter market under the symbol FSHG.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SCHLUMBERGER <SLB> MAY HAVE ALTERNATE BUYER\n","article":"  Schlumberger Ltd most likely has an\n  alternate buyer lined up for its Fairchild Semiconductor unit,\n  Wall Street analysts said.\n      \"I think its clear that in cancelling its agreement with\n  Fujitsu, Schlumberger has signaled that it has another deal in\n  the works,\" said Paul Johnson, a semiconductor analyst with\n  L.F. Rothschild.\n      \"There are unquestionably other buyers out there,\" added\n  Kidder Peabody analyst Adam F. Cuhney. \"A lot of companies have\n  looked at Fairchild and would be willing to buy it.\"\n      Among the companies that would be interested in bidding for\n  Fairchild are Advanced Micro Devices <AMD>, Sunnyvale, Calif.,\n  and LSI Logic Corp <LLSI>, Milpitas, Calif., industry analysts\n  said.\n      Top U.S. chipmakers like National Semiconductor Corp <NSM>,\n  Texas Instruments Inc <TXN> and Motorola Inc <MOT> might also\n  seek to buy Fairchild, but could possibly run into antitrust\n  problems, the analysts added.\n      Moreover, Fairchild's management is thought to be\n  considering proposing a leveraged buyout of the Cupertino,\n  Calif., company, analysts said.\n      In a brief statement announcing the termination of the\n  agreement with Fujitsu, Schlumberger said the decision opened\n  up other possibilities, including a possible buyout by\n  Fairchild management.\n      The company said it ended the deal, in which Fujitsu would\n  have bought 80 pct of Fairchild for an estimated 200 mln dlrs,\n  because rising opposition to the deal by the Reagan\n  administration made it unlikely that the sale could be\n  completed within a reasonable period of time.\n      Analysts questioned this explanation, however, arguing that\n  the companies did not need government approval to complete the\n  transaction. Both Schlumberger and Fujitsu are foreigned-owned\n  companies.\n      \"Schlumberger would not have terminated the deal because\n  the U.S. government didn't want it,\" said Johnson of L.F.\n  Rothschild.\n      A spokesman for Schlumberger declined to elaborate on the\n  company's news release.\n      He said only that the company was reviewing a number of\n  possible alternatives for the Fairchild unit.\n      Officials at Fairchild and Fujitsu were not immediately\n  available for comment.\n      Analysts noted the significance of the government's\n  apparent success in preventing Fujitsu from taking control of\n  Fairchild.\n      Administration officials, including Commerce Secretary\n  Malcolm Baldrige and Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger,\n  feared that the sale to Fujitsu would lead to Japanese control\n  of key semiconductor technology for supercomputers and military\n  weapons systems.\n      \"The government really stood up for the semiconductor\n  industry,\" said Johnson of L.F. Rothschild. \"That, I think, is\n  the real significance of this.\"\n      Consequently, analysts said, the Japanese government might\n  now feel more pressure to address U.S. complaints about\n  Japanese chipmakers' violation of the semiconductor trade\n  agreement signed last summer.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL'S TRADE SURPLUS DOUBLED IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Brazil's trade surplus doubled\n  in February to 261 mln dlrs from January's 129 mln but was well\n  below the 628 mln dlrs of February last year, official figures\n  show.\n      Director of the Banco do Brasil's foreign trade department\n  (CACEX), Roberto Fendt, told reporters the upturn in February\n  confirmed a rising trend in exports which totalled 1.53 billion\n  dlrs against 1.26 billion in January and, after excluding\n  coffee and oil derivatives, was only slightly below the same\n  month last year.\n      Coffee earnings were down to 110 mln dlrs against 295 mln\n  in February, 1986, because of lower prices, he added.\n      Fendt said although the February results were lower than\n  the average expected for the rest of the year, the government's\n  target of an eight billion dlr surplus for 1987 should be\n  achieved. This would compare with a 1986 surplus of 9.5 billion\n  dlrs.\n      Exports this year are expected to total 22.5 billion dlrs\n  and imports 14.5 billion, he added. In 1986 exports totalled\n  22.4 billion dlrs and imports 12.9 billion.\n      Fendt said the rise in imports in February to 1.27 billion\n  dlrs from 1.12 billion in February last year was in line with\n  government plans to foster economic growth.\n      Fendt said imports were running at levels well above the\n  traditional average for Brazil.\n      Imports in the first two months of the year, excluding oil\n  and wheat, totalled 1.8 billion dlrs against 1.47 billion in\n  the same 1986 period.\n      This rise reflected industry's need for equipment to raise\n  production and is perfectly compatible with the government's\n  program for economic growth, Fendt added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PENN CENTRAL <PC> SELLS U.K. UNIT\n","article":"  SAFT, a unit of Cie Generale\n  d'Electricite of France, said it bought U.K.-based Alcad Ltd\n  from Penn Central Corp's Marathon Manufacturing Cos Inc.\n      Terms of the deal were not disclosed.\n      Alcad is one of the world's largest producers of\n  pocket-plate nickel-cadmium storeage batteries, used in\n  industrial and railroad applications to start engines and as\n  light sources, SAFT said.\n      SAFT said it expects to add 400 jobs at the U.K.\n  operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<SILICON VALLEY BANCSHARES> SETS STOCK PAYOUT\n","article":"  Silicon Valley Bancshares\n  said it declared a five pct stock dividend, payable May 1 to\n  shareholders of record April 1.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CCC CREDITS FOR HONDURAS SWITCHED TO WHITE CORN\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC)\n  announced 1.5 mln dlrs in credit guarantees previously\n  earmarked to cover sales of dry edible beans to Honduras have\n  been switched to cover sales of white corn, the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department said.\n      The department said the action reduces coverage for sales\n  of dry edible beans to 500,000 dlrs and creates the new line of\n  1.5 mln dlrs for sales of white corn.\n      All sales under the credit guarantee line must be\n  registered  and shipped by September 30, 1987, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DI GIORGIO CORP <DIG> QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Shr 16 cts vs 16 cts prior qtr\n      Pay May 15\n      Record April 17\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOYBEAN GROUPS MEET WITH LYNG TO DISCUSS LOAN\n","article":"  A high-level meeting last week which\n  included the Secretary of Agriculture and other senior  USDA\n  officials, along with leaders of the major soybean lobbying\n  groups, failed to reach any decision on what should be done\n  about the soybean loan level, participants at the meeting told\n  Reuters.\n      \"We didn't feel a lot was accomplished last week, but we\n  were delighted to meet with the Secretary, and he didn't close\n  the door on anything,\" a member of the soybean delegation said.\n      At issue is the current soybean loan and the fact that at\n  the present level of 4.77 dlrs (without Gramm-Rudman\n  reductions) it encourages foreign soybean production by making\n  soybeans more profitable to grow than corn.\n      But while recognizing that soybeans are priced too high in\n  relation with corn, soybean groups have pledged their support\n  to maintaining current price supports for soybean growers.\n      Leaders of the American Soybean Association and the\n  National Soybean Processors Association offered specific loan\n  options to USDA Secretary Lyng in last week's meeting, but\n  participants would not reveal what those options were.\n      \"There were no surprises in our package,\" one participant\n  said. Bandied about for several weeks has been the idea of\n  offering producers soybean loans partially in cash and in\n  certificates.\n      The most prevailing scheme would be to pay a 4.77 loan with\n  77 cts worth of soybean-specific certificates which would not\n  have to be paid back and the remaining four dlrs in cash.\n      This would have the effect of lowering the world price,\n  maintaining domestic support levels and reducing the\n  government's soybean inventory.\n      A marketing loan for soybeans was not discussed at last\n  week's meeting, participants said.\n      One member of the soybean delegation said that the meeting\n  was a \"listening session\" for USDA, and that the proposals will\n  now be studied further by the Department.\n      USDA officials, however, would not commit to any time\n  frame. Participants in the meeting do not look for changes in\n  the soybean loan to be announced in the near future.\n      \"USDA is very sensitive about saying anything that could\n  influence the market, so the Secretary was very non-committal,\"\n  a participant said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. HEATING OIL FUTURES UP SHARPLY IN APRIL\n","article":"  A supply shortage of number two oil in\n  New York for prompt delivery boosted the April heating oil\n  contract on U.S. energy futures, traders said.\n      Crude oil futures followed but gasoline futures lagged.\n  April heating oil ended 1.24 cts higher to 51.65 cts a gallon,\n  while April crude settled 28 cts higher at 18.64 dlrs.\n      \"The rally was led by spot month heating oil contract,\n  which seemed to move higher because of tigtened prompt\n  deliveries in New York Harbor,\" said James Ritterbusch, vice\n  president at Paine Webber Inc in Chicago.\n      April gasoline was 0.28 cent higher at 53.15 cts a gallon.\n      Ritterbusch said the market also found support from a\n  report in the Middle East Economics Survey that said that OPEC\n  oil output was down to about 14 mln barrels per day in the\n  second week of March.\n      \"There was not a lot of interest to sell the market because\n  of belief in OPEC,\" said Richard Redoglia, a broker with\n  Merrill Lynch Futures Inc.\n      Redoglia and Ritterbusch said April heating oil could\n  continue to rally above 53 cts a gallon, while crude futures\n  could test 19 dlrs a barrel before profit-taking stunts the\n  move higher.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRANSAMERICA INCOME <TAI> MONTHLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Shr 19 cts vs 19 cts prior period\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 31\n      Note: Full name Transamerica Income Shares Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MCDERMOTT <MDR> SAYS STAKE VIOLATES LAW\n","article":"  McDermott International Inc said\n  the purchase of a 5.4 pct block of its stock was an apparent\n  violation of the laws of Panama, its country of incorporation.\n      The company said a detailed disclosure of an acquisition\n  offer must be made to the Panamanian National Securities\n  Commission or to the target's board before acquiring more than\n  five pct stake.\n      It said transfers of securities in violation of these\n  Panamanian regulations are invalid.\n      The company was not immediately available to say who had\n  acquired the 5.4 pct block of stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ICAHN SAYS HE IS TARGET OF SEC INVESTIGATION\n","article":"  Corporate raider Carl Icahn\n  acknowledged that he is one of the targets of an investigation\n  by the Securities and Exchange Commission into possible\n  violations of securities laws.\n      Icahn, who heads and controls Trans World Airlines Inc\n  <TWA>, made the acknowledgement in a filing TWA was required to\n  make with the SEC disclosing its 14.8 pct stake in USAir Group.\n      The SEC issued a formal order launching the private\n  investigation on Nov 12, 1986, Icahn said in the SEC filing.\n      The order empowers SEC investigators to try to find out\n  whether any persons, including Icahn, violated securities laws\n  and related rules, Icahn said.\n      Specifically, the probe is examining the acquisition and\n  subsequent sale of more than five pct of the stock of certain\n  unspecified companies, he said.\n      Federal law requires individuals or groups of individuals\n  who have made shareholder agreements, to disclose stakes in\n  companies of at least five pct within 10 days.\n      Icahn has acknowledged that he has been subpoenaed in\n  connection with SEC probes, but this is the first time he has\n  disclosed that he is among those being investigated.\n      By making the disclosure in a filing with the SEC, which is\n  obviously already aware of its own probe, Icahn was also\n  alerting current and potential shareholders of TWA.\n      It is not uncommon for companies which are aware that they\n  or their officers are the targets of government probes to\n  acknowledge the existence of the otherwise secret\n  investigations to fulfill their legal disclosure requirements\n  to their shareholders.\n      Icahn said the SEC is looking into whether he and others\n  whom he did not name violated securities laws by acquiring and\n  selling more than five pct of a company's stock.\n      SEC investigations into those kinds of possible securities\n  law violations have been spawned by the agency's widening probe\n  into the Wall Street insider trading scandal, according to\n  published reports.\n      Making late filings of 13D forms, which disclose the amount\n  of stock over five pct an investor has in a company, or making\n  no filing at all could indicate a scheme to \"warehouse\" shares\n  of stock.\n      In a warehousing scheme, a group of investors acting in\n  concert would each amass stock in the company without\n  disclosing that they have an agreement among them.\n      By failing to disclose that they are acting together the\n  market is unware of the amount of stock of a company that is\n  controlled by a group acting in concert.\n      Last year, the SEC charged members of the wealthy Belzberg\n  family of Canada with taking part in a warehousing scheme while\n  it was accumulating stock in Ashland Oil Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SMITHKLINE <SKB> AIMS FOR 10 PCT EARNINGS RAISE\n","article":"  SmithKline Beckman Corp said it is\n  pursuing a three-point stragey that will achieve a 10 pct\n  annual increase in operating earnings throughout the remainder\n  of the decade.\n      In 1986, SmithKline earned 521.1 mln dlrs or 6.78 dlrs per\n  share on revenues of 3.6 billion dlrs.\n      The company said in its annual report that its\n  nonpharmaceutical business will play a major role in meeting\n  its earnings growth target, and will in fact grow faster than\n  its pharmaceutical business.\n      SmithKline, whose major product is the antiulcer medication\n  Tagamet, said in the report that it intends to improve earnings\n  from existing products, expand its product portfolio and\n  optimize its financial resources.\n      To bolster its position in the antiulcer market, in which\n  Tagamet has met stiff competition, SmithKline said its strategy\n  to develop an over-the-counter version of Tagamet is bolstered\n  by two joint ventures, one with <Wellcome PLC>, and one pending\n  venture in Japan.\n      SmithKline also said its Allergan Inc eye and skin care\n  products division can be a one billion dlr organization in the\n  next five years that can grow at more than seven to 10 pct\n  annually.\n      \"Nondilutive acquisitions are a real possibility,\" Gavin\n  Herbert, president of the eye and skin care product group said\n  in the report. In 1986, Allergan had worldwide sales of 433 mln\n  dlrs.\n      It said its Smith Kline and French Laboratories\n  pharmaceuticals unit, with 1986 sales of 1.9 billion dlrs, will\n  file for Food and Drug Administration marketing approval for a\n  number of cardiovascular agents, including tissue plasminogen\n  activator, over the next two years.\n      It also said SK and F's U.S. sales force will be 20 pct\n  larger in 1987, with more than 1,000 sales personnel.\n      Smith Kline also said its small clinical laboratory testing\n  unit, with 1986 sales of 373 mln dlrs, performs 24 mln tests a\n  year, and sees increases in employee drug testing as well as in\n  testing for the AIDS antibody.\n      Smith Kline said that depending on its share price and the\n  cost of money, it may buy back more shares. In the last three\n  years, it has bought back about 25 pct of its shares.\n      SmithKline begins the year with a new management team,\n  including its new chief operating officer George Ebright.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ASHLAND OIL <ASH> SEES 2ND QTR OPER LOSS\n","article":"  Ashland Oil Inc said it expects to\n  report a loss from operations in the second quarter.\n      The company also said it expects to report a 10 mln dlrs\n  net gain in the quarter from excess pension funds used to pay\n  down debt. \"However, it is difficult to determine now whether\n  this gain will be sufficient to offset the expected operating\n  loss,\" the company said in a statement. A company spokesman\n  would not elaborate.\n      The company's Ashland Petroleum Co unit operated at a loss\n  in January and February since it was unable to raise product\n  prices enough to recover higher crude oil costs, Ashland said.\n      Although Ashland Petroleum and SuperAmerica, a retail\n  marketing operation, are having a difficult quarter, the\n  company's Valvoline, Ashland Chemical and coal businesses are\n  expected to report good results for the quarter ended March 31.\n      In the year-ago quarter, Ashland had income from operations\n  of 93.8 mln dlrs before corporate and interest expenses, taxes,\n  equity income and other items.\n      Net income in the quarter was 39.4 mln dlrs or 1.12 dlrs a\n  share on sales of 1.78 billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERITRUST <AMTR> SELLS TWO MLN SHARES\n","article":"  Ameritrust Corp said it sold two mln\n  shares of its common stock to an investment group named\n  Clevebaco Ltd Partnership.\n      The partnership is controlled by Alfred Lerner, and a\n  subsidiary of the Progressive Corp <PROG> is the limited\n  partner, according to the company.\n      Ameritrust said it was advised that the Clevebaco group has\n  filed an application with bank regulatory authorities seeking\n  permission to acquire up to an additional three mln shares of\n  Ameritrust common stock.\n      The company said the group indicated to it that it had no\n  hostile takeover intent toward Ameritrust, and that the\n  purchase was for investment purposes.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANKAMERICA CHAIRMAN SAYS BANK IS TURNING AROUND, HEADING TO PROFITABILITY\n","article":"\n  BANKAMERICA CHAIRMAN SAYS BANK IS TURNING AROUND, HEADING TO PROFITABILITY\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<GENERAL LEASEHOLDS LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 30 cts vs 53 cts\n      Net 868,000 vs 728,000\n      Revs 7,300,000 vs 6,500,000\n      Avg shrs 3,000,000 vs 750,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRITISH FARM MINISTER ATTACKS SUBSIDIES\n","article":"  Farm subsidies and protectionist\n  moves threaten healthy trade on both sides of the Atlantic,\n  Michael Jopling, British minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and\n  Food, warned.\n      \"It would not be sensible to provoke another dispute between\n  Europe and the United States,\" Jopling said in remarks prepared\n  for an evening speech.\n      \"But some things are clear and they apply on both sides of\n  the Atlantic. We cannot continue to pile up stocks while world\n  demand shrinks,\" he said.\n      \"Governments must not operate farm policies as if they were\n  purely domestic affairs with no impact on others. They also\n  have to recognize that they cannot in the long run develop a\n  healthy and stable farm sector on the basis of protectionism\n  and excessive subisdies.\n      \"And above all, Europe and the United States have too many\n  common interests to make it worthwhile to engage in trade wars\n  and competitive export subsidies which end by benefitting no\n  one.\" He added, \"It is crucial that the United States and the\n  European Community remain friends.\"\n      Jopling, who is a member of the EC agriculture committee,\n  was in Indiana to visit several farms prior to talks with U.S.\n  officials in Washington later this week.\n      Jopling also criticized a recent proposal still under\n  consideration by the EC for a tax on vegetable and fish oils.\n      He said his government would oppose such a move because \"We\n  do not think it is correct that a shortage of funds to support\n  (EC) farmers should be alleviated by raising money at the\n  consumer's expense.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BANKAMERICA <BAC> CHAIR SAYS BANK TURNING AROUND\n","article":"  BankAmerica Corp Chairman A.W.\n  Clausen said the bank holding company is turning around and is\n  back on the road to profitability.\n      In a speech to the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce,\n  Clausen said he was \"absolutely convinced\" BankAmerica would\n  return to its position of preeminence.\n      \"Fundamental to achieving that goal is to continue to\n  reduce costs dramatically, to get our arms around our loan loss\n  problems and begin to reduce charge-offs, and to enhance our\n  revenue generation,\" Clausen said.\n      Clausen said he doubts BankAmerica would be in a position\n  this year to make any acquisitions or experience any growth.\n      He said BankAmerica will continue to reduce staff and\n  operations, noting that expense growth in 1986 increased only\n  one pct over 1985 expenses.\n      Clausen also said it will continue to phase out its\n  overseas retail banking and concentrate on wholesale banking,\n  with emphasis on a premium list of multinational corporations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROCHESTER TELEPHONE CORP <RTC> SETS DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 66 cts vs 66 cts\n      Pay May one\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUGAT INC <AUG> SETS QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PHH GROUP <PHH> REGULAR QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 26 cts vs 26 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TELCO SYSTEMS INC <TELC> 2ND QTR MARCH ONE LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss nine cts vs profit 14 cts\n      Net loss 773,000 vs profit 1,618,000\n      Revs 16.3 mln vs 26.7 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr loss 56 cts vs profit 27 cts\n      Net loss 4,763,000 vs profit 3,398,000\n      Revs 29.3 mln vs 49.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. DECLINES COMMENT ON SCHLUMBERGER<SLB> MOVE\n","article":"  A U.S. Commerce Department spokesman\n  said the agency would have no comment on Schlumberger Ltd's\n  announcement that it had terminated an agreement in principle\n  to sell its Fairchild Semiconductor Corp unit to Fujitsu Ltd.\n      Sclumberger had said that controversy surrounding the\n  venture made it unlikely the sale could be completed any time\n  soon. The sale was opposed by Commerce and the U.S. Defense\n  Department, in part on national security grounds.\n      Commerce chief spokesman B.J. Cooper said the department\n  had had no contact with Schlumberger about the deal.\n      A Defense Department spokesman said the agency was unaware\n  of Schlumberger's announcement and would have no immediate\n  reaction.\n      Officials last week told Reuters that Commerce Secretary\n  Malcolm Baldrige and Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger had\n  joined forces to fight the planned sale because it could have\n  left the U.S. military overly dependent on foreign sources for\n  vital equipment used in high-technology weapons.\n      Administration opposition to the deal also stemmed from\n  ongoing trade tensions between the United States and Japan,\n  officials said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PRECISION TARGET MARKETING INC <PTMI> 3RD QTR\n","article":"  Shr profit one cts vs loss two cts\n      Net 74,000 vs loss 122,000\n      Revs 1.7 mln dlrs vs 1.4 mln\n      Nine months\n      Shr profit five cts vs loss 10 cts\n      Net profit 299,000 vs loss 624,000\n      Revs 5.1 mln vs 3.7 mln\n      NOTE:3rd qtr ended January 31. 1987 3rd qtr and nine months\n  includes 36,000 dlrs and 129,000 dlrs gains respectively from\n  tax loss carryforward.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ROYAL BANK\/CANADA BRAZIL UNIT SEES GROWTH\n","article":"  Royal Bank of Canada's <RY> small\n  Brazilian commercial bank subsidiary Banco Royal do Canada\n  (Brasil) S.A. sees opportunities for its own growth with an\n  expected substantial increase in Brazilian exports to Canada,\n  Banco Royal president Michael Brennan said.\n      \"They (Brazilian exporters) are very interested in the\n  Canadian market because it's an untapped market,\" Brennan told\n  reporters after a speech to the Brazil\/Canada Chamber of\n  Commerce.\n      Brennan said Brazil is currently exporting products like\n  paper machinery and ships to Canada.\n      He said he hopes to see medium-term financing facilities\n  for Brazilian companies reinstated shortly, following an\n  agreement reached in January with international financial\n  authorities.\n      Brennan estimated Brazilian exports to Canada totalled\n  roughly 800 mln Canadian dlrs in 1985 while imports from Canada\n  reached about 700 mln dlrs.\n      Brennan said he expects Banco Royal profit to increase this\n  year from the three mln U.S. dlrs reported for fiscal 1986\n  ended September 30 but said he could not predict by how much\n  because of the country's uncertain financial climate.\n      Brennan said he expects his bank's growth to come from\n  increased exports to Canada. Banco Royal is the only\n  Canadian-owned commercial bank in Brazil although <Bank of\n  Montreal> has a Brazilian investment bank subsidiary, he said.\n      Brennan said he expected Brazil to be able to reach an\n  equitable agreement with foreign banks on restructuring its 68\n  billion U.S. dlr foreign debt, because the Brazilian economy is\n  essentially healthy. He said he believed Brazil might be in a\n  position to resume debt repayments within a year.\n      Brennan said he could not comment on the impact of Brazil's\n  interest payment moratorium on the Royal Bank of Canada.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AFFILIATED PUBLICATIONS INC <AFP> SETS DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div eight cts vs eight cts\n      Pay June one\n      Record May 15\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ASTRO-MED INC <ALOT> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 10 cts vs nine cts\n      Net 217,000 vs 192,000\n      Revs 3,325,000 vs 2,506,000\n      Year\n      Shr 31 cts vs 43 cts\n      Net 660,000 vs 932,000\n      Revs 12.2 mln vs 10.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA <CPSA> BUYS STAKE IN FIRM\n","article":"  Central Pennsylvania Savings\n  Association said it made a 30 pct investment in <Pinnacle\n  Mortgage Investment Co>.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      Pinnacle, incorporated in 1985, generates about 60 mln dlrs\n  in closed mortgage loans annually.\n      Central Pennsylvania also said its directors recently\n  approved a letter of intent to acquire Hamilton-Reliance\n  Savings Association of Norristown, Pa.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"N.Z. PORTS REOPEN, BUT FURTHER CLOSURES POSSIBLE\n","article":"  Harbour workers returned to work\n  this morning after a strike in support of pay claims closed New\n  Zealand's 15 ports for 24 hours yesterday.\n      But the Harbour Workers Union told reporters the pay\n  dispute is not settled and the union's national executive will\n  meet here tomorrow to decide its next moves.\n      \"Obviously we will be considering further industrial action,\"\n  Union secretary Ross Wilson said in a radio interview.\n      The union rejects employers offers of a 7.5 pct pay rise\n  over 15 months. It wants 7.0 pct over 12 months.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ATCOR <ATCO> SAYS OUTLOOK DEPENDS ON STEEL\n","article":"  Atcor Inc said the magnitude of any\n  earnings recovery in fiscal 1987 depends on the direction of\n  steel pricing and how fast the company's severe operating\n  problems in its consumer segment are resolved.\n      Atcor's consumer segment represents about 25 pct of its\n  sales. In a letter to shareholders the company said that that\n  part of its business continues to be unprofitable.\n      Atcor said it does not expect performance improvements in\n  the first quarter to be sustained throughout the year due to\n  increasing raw material costs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ZZZZ BEST CO INC <ZBST> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 14 cts vs four cts\n      Net 1,474,000 vs 286,000\n      Revs 15.5 mln vs 1.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 10.6 mln vs 7.5 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 38 cts vs eight cts\n      Net 3,387,000 vs 588,000\n      Revs 33.4 mln vs 2.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 8.8 mln vs 7.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PACIFIC LIGHTING <PLT> CONSIDERS UNIT SALE\n","article":"  Pacific Lighting Corp said it is\n  considering the sale of its land development line of business\n  and will be initiating discussions with potential buyers.\n      The book value of the company's investment in land\n  development operations is 224 mln dlrs. The Pacific Lighting\n  Real Estate Group earned 24.2 mln dlrs and employed 800 people\n  during 1986, the company said.\n      Alternatives to the sale being considered include a master\n  limited partnership and an initial public offering of the\n  equity in the land development companies, it said.\n      Proceeds from the sale would likely be invested in Pacific\n  Lightings' new specialty retailing line of business and its oil\n  and gas operations, the company said.\n      The investment banking firm Morgan Stanley has been\n  retained to advise Pacific Lighting on the disposition of the\n  land development operations.\n      Completion of a transaction, it one is made, is expected by\n  the end of the year, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MLX <MLXX> UNIT AGREES TO BY ABEX UNIT\n","article":"  MLX Corp said a subsidiary has\n  tentatively agreed to acquire a sintered friction materials\n  business in Milan, Italy, from a unit of Abex Corp for\n  undisclosed terms.\n      The deal will close after obtaining Italian government\n  approvals, expected in late April.\n      The business, which will operated under the name S.K.\n  Wellman, will become a member of MLX's specialty friction\n  materials group. The business is a manufacturer of high-energy\n  friction materials for heavy-duty transmissions and clutches.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MODULINE INTERNATIONAL <MDLN> 3RD QTR OPER LOSS\n","article":"  Qtr ended Dec 31\n      Oper shr loss two cts vs loss 92 cts\n      Oper net loss 28,045 vs loss 1,040,700\n      Sales 4,943,584 vs 5,613,400\n      Nine mths\n      Oper shr profit 11 cts vs loss 93 cts\n      Oper net profit 124,434, vs loss 1,054,000\n      Sales 22.6 mln vs 26.3 mln\n      (Mouduline International Inc)\n      Note: oper data does not include 1986 gains from tax\n  benefit carryforwards of 30,000 dlrs, or three cts per shr, in\n  qtr and 110,000 dlrs, or ten cts per shr, in nine mths.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<FINANCIAL TRUSTCO CAPITAL LTD> HIKES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 12.5 cts vs six cts\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 24\n      Note: Co also declares 12.5 ct qtly div on special shares\n  issued in December, 1986, with same pay and record dates.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USP REAL ESTATE <USPTS> HAS GAIN ON SALE\n","article":"  USP Real Estate Investment\n  Trust said it will post a first-quarter gain of 2,258,216 dlrs\n  on the sale of the Spanish Villa Apartments in Savannah, Ga.,\n  which was completed last week.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BINDLEY WESTERN INDUSTRIES INC<BIND>4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr primary 28 cts vs 17 cts\n      Oper shr diluted 24 cts vs 17 cts\n      Oper net 1,826,000 vs 1,104,000\n      Revs 205.4 mln vs 171.1 mln\n      Avg shrs primary 6,512,462 vs 6,510,462\n      Avg shrs diluted 10.3 mln vs 10.3 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr primary 83 cts vs 76 cts\n      Oper shr diluted 77 cts vs 74 cts\n      Oper net 5,393,000 vs 4,955,000\n      Revs 719.9 mln vs 633.5 mln\n      Avg shrs primary 6,511,591 vs 6,508,379\n      Avg shrs diluted 10.3 mln vs 9,122,722\n      Note: Revs includes investment income 2,323,000 dlrs vs\n  2,239 dlrs for qtr and 10.1 mln dlrs vs 6,612,000 dlrs for 12\n  mths. 1986 revs also include unrealized loss on equity\n  securities of 59,000 dlrs for qtr and 1,155,000 dlrs for 12\n  mths.\n      Oper net excludes extraordinary gain of 875,000 dlrs vs\n  284,000 dlrs for qtr and 1,053,000 dlrs vs 462,000 dlrs for 12\n  mths.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CENTEL <CNT> SEES LOWER FIRST QTR PROFITS\n","article":"  Centel Corp said it sees 1987 first\n  quarter results below those of 1986 due to regulatory limits on\n  telephone earnings and 15 cts to 20 cts a share dilution from\n  1986 acquisitions.\n      In the annual report, Chairman Robert Reuss told\n  shareholders telephone profits will continued to be limited by\n  ceilings imposed by regulators as well as deregulation and\n  structural changes within the industry that have slowed growth\n  in the investment base for setting rates.\n      As such, its first quarter 1987 results will be below last\n  year's first quarter of 1.11 dlrs a share, he said.\n      \"Several of the company's telephone units may be faced with\n  a reduction in the rates of return authorized by their\n  regulators,\" Reuss said. \"This could result in some rate\n  reductions and refunds to customers.\"\n      Reuss said he is encouraged by the prospects for progress\n  in Centel's business communications, cable television and\n  cellular telephone units.\n      Centel is asking shareholders at the annual meeting to\n  approve the tripling  to 120 mln in authorized shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WINGS WEST AIRLINES <WING> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ended Jan 31\n      Shr one ct vs nine cts\n      Net 29,000 vs 349,000\n      Revs 7,892,000 vs 4,721,000\n      Note: nine mth data unavailable\n      .\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TWA <TWA> SEES BENEFITS IN USAIR <U> MERGER\n","article":"  Trans World Airlines Inc, which\n  disclosed that it does not intend to seek control of USAir\n  Group at this time, said it still believes a combination of the\n  two airlines would have benefits to both.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  TWA, which is controlled by Carl Icahn, said it continues to\n  closely watch the developments of USAir, which has an agreement\n  to acquire Piedmont Aviation Inc <PIE>.\n      TWA said it spent 178.2 mln dlrs to acquire its 4,043,200\n  USAir shares, which amount to 14.8 pct of its total outstanding\n  common stock.\n      TWA said it would not buy more USAir Group stock, at least\n  for the moment.\n      But it said it still believes a TWA-USAir combination would\n  \"create certain synergies that would be mutually beneficial to\n  both carriers.\"\n      TWA stressed that it reserved the right to revive its\n  takeover attempt and said it may continue to explore the\n  feasibility and strategies of gaining control of USAir.\n      Further purchases of USAir stock would require the approval\n  of the Department of Transportation, TWA said.\n      Because of Department of Transportation rules, TWA also\n  said it put its USAir stock into a voting trust with Fleet\n  National Bank as the voting trustee.\n      The voting trust agreement requires the bank to vote in\n  favor of any acquisition agreement between TWA and USAir and to\n  opposed any other merger of USAir.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ADOBE <ADB>, HIGH PLAINS <HPOC> TO MERGE\n","article":"  Adobe Resources Corp and High Plains Oil\n  Corp said they reached an agreement in principle under which\n  High Plains will be merged into a unit of Adobe.\n      Under terms of the agreement, the companies said each share\n  of High Plains common stock not owned by Adobe or held in the\n  High Plains treasury will be exchanged for 1.12 shares of newly\n  issued Adobe common.\n      The exchange, they said, will be made on the effective date\n  of the merger, which must be approved by both companies' boards\n  and High Plains' shareholders.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"EC WARNS U.S. AND JAPAN ON TRADE TENSIONS\n","article":"  The European Community (EC) delivered\n  warnings to both Japan and the United States over trade\n  frictions which have hit relations between the Community and\n  its main trading partners.\n      EC foreign ministers meeting here issued a statement\n  deploring Japan's continued trade imbalance and appealed for\n  greater effort by the country to open its markets.\n      Ministers also issued a statement saying they were\n  disturbed by moves in the U.S. to limit imports of textiles and\n  warned that the Community would react to any such moves.\n      EC External Trade Commissioner, Willy De Clercq has already\n  written to his U.S. counterpart, special U.S. Trade\n  Representative Clayton Yeutter, outlining the EC's concerns.\n      The ministers' said they were \"very disturbed\" by the U.S.\n  moves, adding, \"the adoption of such measures would not fail to\n  have a negative effect on the process of multilateral\n  negotiations just started as well as on bilateral relations.\"\n      Any unilateral U.S. moves would leave the EC no option but\n  to react according to the laws of the world trade body, the\n  General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), they said.\n      In a separate statement on Japan, the EC ministers said\n  they \"deplore the continued aggravation of the imbalance in\n  trade ... (and) expect Japan to open up its market more.\"\n      The statement added that the EC continued to insist that\n  the Japanese government must boost imports and stimulate\n  demand.\n      Ministers also called on the European Commission to prepare\n  a report on U.S.-Japanese trade for July this year to enable\n  them to take action where necessary.\n      One diplomat said the call for a report showed ministers\n  were determined not to let the Japanese question drop. \"It wil\n  be back on the table again and again,\" the diplomat said.\n      De Clercq told journalists, \"There is a certain nervousness,\n  a growing impatience within the Community on trade relations\n  with Japan.\"\n      But diplomats said the Community is keen to continue\n  talking with Tokyo to try and solve the problem rather than\n  embark on a costly and damaging trade war.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CEASARS WORLD FILES SUIT AGAINST MARTIN SOSNOFF AND MTS ACQUISITION ON TENDER OFFER\n","article":"\n  CEASARS WORLD FILES SUIT AGAINST MARTIN SOSNOFF AND MTS ACQUISITION ON TENDER OFFER\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COASTAL <CGP> HIT WITH TWO BILLION DLR LAWSUIT\n","article":"  TransAmerica Natural Gas Corp said it\n  is seeking two billion dlrs in punitive and actual damages in a\n  lawsuit it filed today against Coastal Corp, its chairman and\n  certain Coastal affiliates.\n      TransAmerica, a privately held company that has been in\n  bankruptcy since 1983, said its suit alleges that Coastal and\n  its chairman, Oscar S. Wyatt Jr, unlawfully interfered with\n  agreements it previously reached with its creditors, causing\n  the company significant damage.\n      TransAmerica also said its suit, filed in state district\n  court in Harris County, Texas, seeks injunctions against Wyatt\n  and Coastal to enjoin them from interfering with its\n  contractual agreements with its creditors.\n      The company alleged that beginning in mid-1986, Coastal and\n  its chairman took various steps to acquire its gas and other\n  assets.\n      Coastal has used TransAmerica's bankruptcy proceedings to\n  engineer a hostile takeover attempt, the company charged.\n      In its suit TransAmerican alleged that Coastal and Wyatt\n  are \"notorious corporate raiders who have been restrained in\n  the past from taking over other corporations in their attempt\n  to create a stranglehold position from which they could control\n  and raise gas prices...\"\n      \"It is obvious that Coastal's efforts to improperly take\n  over TransAmerican is a thinly veiled attempt to control a\n  larger share of the Texas gas market to the detriment of end\n  users and consumers,\" the company alleged.\n      Coastal could not be reached for comment. Company name is\n  Transamerican.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CAESARS WORLD <CAW> FILES SUIT AGAINST SOSNOFF\n","article":"  Caesars World Inc said it filed a\n  lawsuit against Martin T. Sosnoff and MTS Acquisition Corp\n  regarding its March 9 unsolicited tender offer for Caesars\n  World stock.\n      The company said it filed in the Federal Court in the\n  Central District of California, charging the tender offer,\n  which its board rejected, violated federal securities laws and\n  federal margin regulations.\n      The suit charges the offering materials are materially\n  false and misleading and misstate and conceal material\n  information required to be disclosed to shareholders.\n      The suit also charges the offer is illusory and designed to\n  manipulate the market in Caesars World stock to enable Sosnoff\n  to sell the Caesars World stock he already owns for a\n  substantial profit.\n      The complaint seeks, among other things, to enjoin the\n  tender offer and to require MTS and Sosnoff to correct false\n  and misleading statements in the offer.\n      Caesars World is expected to seek a friendly suitor,\n  restructure operations, or buy back Sosnoff's holdings in an\n  attempt to fight off the bid.\n      Sosnoff holds about 13.6 pct of the company's stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HARRIS UPS CENTERRE BANCORP <CTBC> STAKE\n","article":"  Harris Associates L.P., a Chicago\n  investment advisor, said it raised its stake in Centerre\n  Bancorporation to 508,062 shares, or 6.6 pct of the total\n  outstanding, from 427,061 shares, or 5.5 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Harris said it bought 81,001 Centerre common shares between Jan\n  2 and March 4 at prices ranging from 36.00 to 39.75 dlrs a\n  share.\n      It said its dealings in the company's stock are on behalf\n  of its clients.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PAY'N-SAVE <PAYN> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit one ct vs loss 14 cts\n      Net profit 279,000 vs loss 1,896,000\n      Sales 199.6 mln vs 142.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC COMMISSION DEFENDS FARM PROGRAM\n","article":"  The European Community's (EC)\n  executive Commission defended attacks on major elements of its\n  ambitious program to rid the EC of its controversial farm\n  surpluses, after strong attacks from northern states.\n      Britain and West Germany, backed by the Netherlands and\n  Denmark, opposed a proposed tax on edible oils and fats which\n  has already sparked strong protest from exporters to the EC led\n  by the U.S. and from EC consumer groups, diplomats said.\n      But EC Agriculture Commissioner Frans Andriessen told\n  journalists he had warned ministers that failure to agree the\n  tax, proposed last month as part of the Commission's annual\n  farm price package, would leave a large hole in the group's\n  budget.\n      He added that he hoped states had not yet made their mind\n  up for good. \"I hope the debate is still open, if not there will\n  be a formidable hole in the budget,\" he said.\n      The shortfall could reach two billion dollars in 1988 and\n  would be only slightly less this year, he said.\n      Foreign ministers were taking a first look at the tax ahead\n  of farm ministers in a move described by diplomats as\n  unprecedented and welcomed by Andriessen as a sign ministers\n  recognised the importance of reforming the EC's farm policy.\n      The proposed tax is designed to provide the EC with extra\n  cash to finance community oilseed crops at their current levels\n  and to brake a dramatic decrease in olive oil consumption by\n  making it more competitive with other oils.\n      Andriessen noted the EC has over two mln olive oil\n  producers, mostly small farmers, who could be helped by the\n  tax.\n      \"What we are suggesting is reasonable, it should be better\n  understood not just outside the community but at home,\" he said.\n      Britain, normally a keen advocate of radical changes in the\n  EC's costly farm subsidies system, warned the proposal to\n  impose the tax on both domestic and imported oils and fats\n  could seriously damage the EC's trade relations with other\n  countries.\n      Britain also warned that the tax could hit developing\n  countries already receiving aid from the EC, they said.\n      The Commission also defended proposals to dismantle\n  Monetary Compensatory Amounts (MCA) -- a system of cross border\n  subsidies and taxes to level out foreign exchange fluctuations\n  for farm exports -- against harsh West German criticism.\n      In a letter this weekend from Chancellor Helmut Kohl to EC\n  executive Commission President, Jacques Delors, Kohl made clear\n  such a dismantling would mainly hit West German farmers.\n      Diplomats said West Germany again repeated its criticism at\n  the talks here but Andriessen told journalists that Germany had\n  been alone in its opposition. The question was a key aspect of\n  the Commission's farm price proposals, he added.\n     Ministers also agreed a 3.5 billion dlrs scheme to rid the\n  EC of its butter mountain, despite Spanish and Portuguese\n  opposition.\n      The scheme will pay for the disposal of one mln tonnes of\n  unwanted butter, by selling it at knock-down prices, turning it\n  into animal feed or exporting it at subsidised prices.\n      National capitals are due to be reimbursed later out of\n  savings from another plan to curb milk production.\n      Diplomats said Spain and Portugal have been angered by the\n  scheme, which they feel forces them to pay for massive\n  surpluses built up before they joined the community last year,\n  but the two countries did not block today's vote.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AERO SERVICES <AEROE> IN PACT FOR NOMINATIONS\n","article":"  Aero Services International Inc\n  said it signed an agreement with Dibo Attar, who controls about\n  39 pct of its common stock, under which three nominees to\n  Aero's board have been selected by Attar.\n      In addition to Attar, the nominees are Stephen L. Peistner,\n  chairman and chief executive officer of <McCrory Corp> and\n  James N.C. Moffat III, vice president and secretary of\n  <Eastover Corp>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Australia Feb current account deficit 750 mln dlrs vs Jan 1.23 billion - official\n","article":"\n  Australia Feb current account deficit 750 mln dlrs vs Jan 1.23 billion - official\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT NARROWS IN FEB\n","article":"  Australia's current deficit narrowed\n  to 750 mln dlrs in February from 1.23 billion (revised from\n  1.29 billion) in January, the Statistics Bureau said.\n      This compared with an 897 mln dlr shortfall a year earlier.\n      February merchandise trade recorded a 42 mln dlr surplus\n  against a 246 mln shortfall (revised from 287 mln) in January\n  and a 162 mln deficit in February 1986.\n      The current account deficit fell at the lower end of the\n  range of forecasts of 700 mln to one billion dlrs made by\n  market economists yesterday.\n      February FOB exports rose to 2.82 billion dlrs from 2.74\n  billion (revised from 2.72 billion) in January and 2.54 billion\n  a year earlier while FOB imports fell to 2.77 billion from 2.99\n  billion (revised from 3.01 billion) against 2.70 billion a year\n  earlier, the Bureau said.\n      It said a four pct decline in rural exports, despite an 11\n  pct rise in wheat exports, was more than offset by a seven pct\n  rise in non-rural exports, notably minerals and fuels.\n      On the import side, the main decreases were falls of 17 pct\n  in machinery and transport equipment and 21 pct in fuels, the\n  Bureau said.\n      The net services deficit narrowed to 146 mln dlrs from 253\n  mln (revised from 268 mln) in January and 192 mln a year\n  earlier, the Bureau said.\n      This made a sharply lower deficit of 104 mln dlrs on the\n  balance of goods and services against deficits of 499 mln in\n  January and 354 mln a year earlier.\n      Deficit on net income and unrequited transfers was 646 mln\n  dlrs against 736 mln in January and 543 mln a year earlier.\n      Official capital transactions in February showed a surplus\n  of 786 mln dlrs against a 2.56 billion surplus in January and a\n  505 mln surplus a year earlier.\n      Non-official capital and balancing item showed a 36 mln dlr\n  deficit against a 1.33 billion deficit in January and a 392 mln\n  surplus in February 1986, the Bureau said.\n      The cumulative current account deficit for the first eight\n  months of fiscal 1986\/87 ending June 30 widened to 9.37 billion\n  dlrs from 9.32 billion a year earlier.\n      The cumulative trade deficit narrowed to 2.09 billion dlrs\n  from 2.21 billion and the services deficit to 2.25 billion from\n  2.75 billion but the transfers deficit widened to 5.03 billion\n  from 4.36 billion. The cumulative official capital surplus\n  narrowed to 2.90 billion dlrs from 3.86 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN RESERVES FALL IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Australia's official reserve assets fell\n  to the equivalent of 8.50 billion U.S. Dlrs in February, from\n  9.15 billion in January, compared with 9.06 billion a year\n  earlier, the Reserve Bank said.\n      In Australian dollar terms, reserves fell by 1.24 billion\n  dlrs to 12.60 billion after falling 1.71 billion to 13.85\n  billion in January and rising 792 mln to 12.92 billion in\n  February 1986.\n      The bank said that excluding valuation effects, it\n  estimated reserves fell 853 mln dlrs after falling 2.34 billion\n  in January and rising 323 mln a year earlier.\n      The individual value of reserve assets in Australian\n  dollars at end-February with end-January and year-earlier\n  respectively in brackets were.\n      Gold 4.71 billion (4.90 billion and 3.83 billion), SDR's\n  503 mln (524 mln and 468 mln), IMF reserve position 354 mln\n  (365 mln and 312 mln), U.S. Dollars 3.25 billion (both 3.99\n  billion), other foreign exchange 3.78 billion (4.07 billion and\n  4.32 billion).\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"Japan February wholesale prices fall 0.1 pct (0.6 pct January drop) - official\n","article":"\n  Japan February wholesale prices fall 0.1 pct (0.6 pct January drop) - official\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN WHOLESALE PRICES FALL 0.1 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Japan's overall wholesale price index\n  (base 1980) fell 0.1 pct in February from a month earlier to\n  86.4 for the second consecutive month-on-month fall, the Bank\n  of Japan said.\n      Wholesale prices fell 0.6 pct in January from December.\n      The index fell 9.1 pct from a year earlier for the 21st\n  straight year-on-year drop, the central bank said.\n      The reduced month-on-month drop mainly stemmed from the\n  recovery in world crude oil prices, it said.\n      On a customs-cleared basis, crude oil prices rose to around\n  17 dlrs a barrel in February from about 15 dlrs in January.\n      The average value of the yen against the dollar rose 0.8\n  pct to 153.50 in February from 154.67 in January and was up\n  16.8 pct from 184.55 a year earlier, the bank said.\n      The export price index in February fell 0.7 pct from a\n  month earlier reflecting price cuts in export products like\n  cars and precision instruments due to severe foreign\n  competition. The index was down 7.1 pct from a year earlier.\n      The import price index rose 1.1 pct from a month earlier to\n  57.4 for the sixth successive month-on-month gain mainly due to\n  the continued strength of world crude oil prices. But the index\n  was down 29 pct from a year earlier.\n      The domestic price index fell 0.1 pct to 91.9 in February,\n  its 24th straight monthly drop, mainly reflecting falls in\n  prices of home appliances such as colour televisions due to\n  severe sales competition at home. Lower edible oil prices added\n  to the decline.\n      The index was down 6.7 pct from a year earlier.\n      The domestic index marked its largest year-on-year drop of\n  7.1 pct in January since the central bank started compiling\n  such statistics in 1960 under its current system.\n      Wholesale prices are likely to turn upward in March as\n  higher world crude oil and raw material prices are expected,\n  the bank said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DOLLAR SEEN FALLING UNLESS JAPAN SPURS ECONOMY\n","article":"  Underlying dollar sentiment is bearish,\n  and operators may push the currency to a new low unless Japan\n  takes steps to stimulate its economy as pledged in the Paris\n  accord, foreign exchange analysts polled by Reuters said here.\n      \"The dollar is expected to try its psychological barrier of\n  150.00 yen and to fall even below that level,\" a senior dealer\n  at one leading bank said.\n      The dollar has eased this week, but remains stable at\n  around 151.50 yen. Six major industrial countries agreed at a\n  meeting in Paris in February to foster currency stability.\n      Some dealers said the dollar may decline in the long term,\n  but a drastic fall is unlikely because of U.S. Fears of renewed\n  inflation and fears of reduced Japanese purchases of U.S.\n  Treasury securities, needed to finance the U.S. Deficit.\n      Dealers generally doubted whether any economic package\n  Japan could adopt soon would be effective enough to reduce its\n  trade surplus significantly, and said such measures would\n  probably invite further U.S. Steps to weaken the dollar.\n      Under the Paris accord, Tokyo promised a package of\n  measures after the fiscal 1987 budget was passed to boost\n  domestic demand, increase imports and cut its trade surplus.\n      But debate on the budget has been delayed by an opposition\n  boycott of Parliamentary business over the proposed imposition\n  of a five pct sales tax, and the government has only a slim\n  chance of producing a meaningful economic package in the near\n  future, the dealers said.\n      If no such steps are taken, protectionist sentiment in the\n  U.S. Congress will grow, putting greater downward pressure on\n  the dollar, they said.\n      The factors affecting the U.S. Currency have not changed\n  since before the Paris accord, they added.\n      \"Underlying sentiment for the dollar remains bearish due to\n  a still-sluggish U.S. Economic outlook, the international debt\n  crisis triggered by Brazil's unilateral suspension of interest\n  payments on its foreign debts and the reduced clout of the\n  Reagan administration as a result of the Iran\/Contra arms\n  scandal,\" said a senior dealer at a leading trust bank.\n      \"There is a possibility that the dollar may decline to\n  around 140.00 yen by the end of this year,\" said Chemical Bank\n  Tokyo branch vice president Yukuo Takahashi.\n      But operators find it hard to push the dollar either way\n  for fear of possible concerted central bank intervention.\n      Dealers said there were widespread rumours that the U.S.\n  Federal Reserve telephoned some banks in New York to ask for\n  quotes last Wednesday, and even intervened to sell the dollar\n  when it rose to 1.87 marks.\n      The Bank of England also apparently sold sterling in London\n  when it neared 1.60 dlrs on Wednesday, they said.\n      But other dealers said they doubted the efficacy of central\n  bank intervention, saying it may stimulate the dollar's decline\n  because many dealers are likely to await such dollar buying\n  intervention as a chance to sell dollars.\n      However, First National Bank of Chicago Tokyo Branch\n  assistant manager Hiroshi Mochizuki said \"The dollar will not\n  show drastic movement at least to the end of March.\"\n      Other dealers said the U.S. Seems unwilling to see any\n  strong dollar swing until Japanese companies close their books\n  for the fiscal year ending on March 31, because a weak dollar\n  would give Japanese institutional investors paper losses on\n  their foreign holdings, which could make them lose interest in\n  purchases of U.S. Treasury securities.\n      U.S. Monetary officials may refrain from making any\n  comments this month to avoid influencing rates, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MARKET WELCOMES LOWER AUSTRALIAN PAYMENTS DEFICIT\n","article":"  The Australian dollar rose more than 40\n  points and money market interest rates retreated on the better\n  than expected improvement in the February current account\n  deficit, but economists and dealers were cautious about\n  identifying it as the start of a downward trend.\n      The current account deficit narrowed to 750 mln dlrs in\n  February from 1.23 billion in January. It hit 13.82 billion\n  dlrs in 1985\/86 to end-June.\n      The currency jumped to 0.6858\/63 U.S. Dlrs and traded as\n  high as 0.6875 before retreating to around 0.6864\/69.\n      \"It's got 69 cents written all over it,\" one dealer said.\n      Foreign exchange dealers said some buyers had gone long on\n  the dollar expecting a lower figure and sold it down about 30\n  points to 0.6820 U.S. Dlrs before the release.\n      The 750 mln dlr deficit was at the lower end of forecasts\n  and analysts said the market would welcome any figure below one\n  billion dlrs for March.\n      Banque National de Paris <BNPP.A> senior dealer Peter\n  Nicolls cautioned that in the long term the currency and\n  interest rates were too high for import substitution and export\n  industries.\n      Nicolls said he expected the dollar to go as high as 0.6875\n  and perhaps to 69 cents tomorrow.\n      <Lloyds Bank NZA Ltd> chief economist Will Buttrose said\n  the 42 mln dlr trade surplus was encouraging as were imports at\n  2.77 billion dlrs, down from 2.99 billion in January.\n      But he warned that the outlook for rural and iron and coal\n  exports remained poor. \"We should remember we are paying\n  something like seven to eight billion dollars simply to service\n  our foreign debt and that is not going to go away in the near\n  term,\" Buttrose said.\n      Buttrose said he expected a March deficit of around 900 mln\n  dlrs, and added \"Any figure under a billion dollars will be\n  acceptable (to the markets).\"\n      ANZ Banking Group Ltd <ANZA.S> senior economist Ian Little\n  said the big question was whether the improvement in exports\n  could be sustained. February FOB exports rose to 2.82 billion\n  dlrs from a revised 2.74 billion in January.\n      Interest rates responded quickly to the deficit news, with\n  90-day bank bill yields falling to 16.42-16.45 pct from early\n  highs of 16.50 and yields yesterday as high as 16.65.\n      Longer term yields fell with 10-year bonds at 13.66\/68 pct\n  from 13.74 before the release and highs of 13.87 yesterday.\n      The stock market was easier at midsession but brokers said\n  the current account data had little impact on trading.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HONGKONG BANK SAYS CLOSE TO DEAL ON PROPERTY SALE\n","article":"  Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp\n  <HKBH.HK> is close to a deal on the sale of a commercial\n  building in Hong Kong's Mongkok business district, a bank\n  spokesman said.\n      He said the 21-storey Wayfoong Plaza was likely to be sold\n  for about 280 mln H.K. Dlrs but declined to identify the buyer.\n      The spokesman gave no further details.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"THAI M-1 MONEY SUPPLY RISES IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Thailand's M-1 money supply rose 9.8\n  pct to an estimated 117.3 billion baht in January after\n  increasing 6.6 pct in December, the Bank of Thailand said.\n      It said year-on-year M-1 grew 23.1 pct in January after an\n  18.5 pct increase in December.\n      The central bank said M-2 rose 1.7 pct to an estimated\n  686.5 billion baht in January after a 2.4 pct increase in\n  December while year-on-year it expanded 13.3 pct after a 12.6\n  pct rise in December.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN TO RELEASE GNP FIGURES LATER TODAY\n","article":"  The Economic Planning Agency will\n  announce gross national product (GNP) figures for the\n  October\/December quarter today at 1700 hrs local time (0800\n  gmt), Agency officials told Reuters.\n      In the July\/September quarter, GNP rose 0.6 pct from the\n  previous three months.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN 1986 BALANCE OF PAYMENTS SURPLUS IS RECORD\n","article":"  Taiwan's balance of payments surplus\n  widened to a record 16.62 billion U.S. Dlrs in calendar 1986\n  from 9.35 billion in 1985, the central bank said.\n      A bank official attributed the increase mainly to Taiwan's\n  growing trade surplus, which increased to a record 16.8 billion\n  U.S. Dlrs in 1986 from 11.2 billion in 1985.\n      He said the deficit on invisible trade narrowed to 740 mln\n  U.S. Dlrs from 1.97 billion.\n      Invisible earnings rose to 6.77 billion from 5.09 billion\n  while invisible spending climbed to 7.51 billion from 7.06\n  billion, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EC WARNS U.S. AND JAPAN ON TRADE TENSIONS\n","article":"  The European Community (EC) yesterday\n  warned Japan and the United States, its main trading partners,\n  that friction over trade issues is affecting the EC's relations\n  with both countries.\n      EC foreign ministers issued a statement deploring Japan's\n  continued trade imbalance and appealed for the country to make\n  a greater effort to open up its markets. They also said they\n  were disturbed by a draft bill before the U.S. Congress that\n  would impose permanent quotas on textile imports and were\n  prepared to react. The U.S. Administration has already\n  distanced itself from the bill.\n      EC External Trade Commissioner Willy De Clercq has written\n  to his U.S. Counterpart, Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter,\n  outlining the EC's concerns.\n      The statement said ministers were very disturbed by U.S.\n  Moves towards protectionism. \"The adoption of such measures\n  would not fail to have a negative effect on the process of\n  multilateral negotiations just started, as well as on bilateral\n  relations,\" it said.\n      Any unilateral U.S. Moves would leave the EC no option but\n  to react according to the laws of the General Agreement on\n  Tariffs and Trade, it said.\n      In a separate statement on Japan, the EC ministers said\n  they \"deplore the continued aggravation of the imbalance in\n  trade (and) expect Japan to open up its market more.\"\n      The statement said the EC would continue to insist that\n  Japan boost imports and stimulate domestic demand.\n      Ministers also called on the EC Commission to prepare a\n  report on U.S.-Japanese trade for July this year to enable them\n  to take appropriate action where necessary.\n      One diplomat said the call for a report showed ministers\n  were determined not to let the Japanese question drop. \"It will\n  be back on the table again and again,\" the diplomat said.\n      De Clercq, talking to journalists during the meeting, said,\n  \"There is a certain nervousness, a growing impatience within the\n  Community concerning trade relations with Japan.\"\n      The EC is not satisfied with Japan's inability to cut its\n  trade surplus, and the Commission has adopted a tough approach\n  on imports of goods such as Japanese photocopiers, where it has\n  imposed 20 pct anti-dumping duties.\n      But diplomats said the EC is keen to negotiate with Tokyo\n  to solve the problem rather than embark on a costly and\n  damaging trade war, and the ministers called for more\n  cooperation with Japan in industry and research.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CATHAY PACIFIC 1986 PROFIT SEEN ABOVE TARGET\n","article":"  Buoyed by low fuel prices and\n  favourable currency factors, Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd's\n  <CAPH.HK> 1986 profits are expected to surpass the airline's\n  forecast of one billion H.K. Dlrs, stock analysts said.\n      Analysts said they expect the airline to show net earnings\n  of between 1.1 billion and 1.25 billion dlrs when it reports\n  results tomorrow for its first year as a public company.\n      Cathay, 51 pct owned by Swire Pacific Ltd <SWPC.HK>, made\n  its earnings forecast in the prospectus for its flotation in\n  May last year.\n      Cathay is expected to pay a 13-cent final dividend, making\n  a total of 19 cents for the year, as forecast in the\n  prospectus, analysts polled by Reuters said.\n      They said the airline's performance improved in the second\n  half of the year after it reported interim profits of 503 mln\n  dlrs.\n      The weakness of the local currency, pegged at 7.80 to one\n  U.S. Dollar, and low fuel prices moved further in the company's\n  favour from the assumptions made in the prospectus at the time\n  of the flotation, James Capel (Far East) Ltd said.\n      James Capel estimates average fuel prices for the airline\n  industry in 1986 at 63 U.S. Cents per gallon, 27 pct below the\n  1985 level. It said a one pct movement in fuel prices would\n  affect Cathay's net profits by 10 mln dlrs and forecast profits\n  of 1.25 billion dlrs.\n       Analysts said the company's estimates of fuel price and\n  currency movements set out in its prospectus were conservative.\n      \"This is reflected in their interim results which showed\n  that profit margin has increased,\" said Frederick Tsang of\n  Mansion House Securities (F.E.) Ltd.\n      Cathay's six-month turnover rose 19.8 pct from year-earlier\n  levels, but profits rose 69 pct.\n      The rise in oil prices in late 1986 had little impact on\n  the company's fuel oil bill last year, as aviation fuel prices\n  usually lag behind crude price movements by several months,\n  analysts said.\n      By last September the yen had risen some 54 pct against the\n  Hong Kong dollar from the end of 1985, the mark 43 pct and\n  sterling 12 pct.\n      \"Overall the weakness of the Hong Kong dollar against\n  Cathay's major trading currencies helped push passenger yields\n  in the first half up 7.2 pct,\" said James Capel. \"This should\n  continue through the second half to enable passenger yields to\n  end the year up 7.6 pct.\"\n      A strong performance from the 2.9 billion dlrs in cash\n  under management also improved profits, James Capel said.\n      A general improvement in air traffic last year contributed\n  to Cathay's revenue increase, but the company's load factor\n  declined because of increased competition and an expansion of\n  its fleet and services.\n      James Capel estimated Cathay's passenger-kilometres flown\n  last year rose six pct from 1985 and freight-kilometres flown\n  climbed 17 pct, though the airline's load factor probably fell\n  to 68.8 pct from 70 pct.\n      \"Cathay added new planes, and was forced to fly some routes\n  last year because of the threat of competition from Dragon Air,\"\n  said Tsang. \"This affected its load factor.\"\n      Fear of possible competition from fledgling carrier <Hong\n  Kong Dragon Airways Ltd> may have contributed to Cathay's\n  decision to resume service to New Zealand last year, analysts\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RENISON GOLDFIELDS EXTENDS LYELL COPPER MINE LIFE\n","article":"  The Renison Goldfields Consolidated Ltd\n  <RGFJ.S> (RGC) Mt Lyell copper mine in Tasmania will stay open\n  for an extra five years following a new aid package from the\n  state government, RGC said in a statement.\n      The mine had been scheduled to close in 1989 after the 40\n  series stopes were mined, but will now stay open until the\n  deeper 50 and 60 series have played out, probably in 1994.\n      The Australian dollar's fall since 1985 also improved the\n  local dollar copper price, making the company profitable and\n  justifying the mining of deeper reserves at a copper grade of\n  about 1.95 pct against about 1.60 pct now, the firm said.\n      Ore output will be cut, but the higher grades will keep\n  contained-copper output at current levels of about 24,000\n  tonnes a year, it said. Capital expenditure of about 18 mln\n  dlrs will be required over the life of the new plan, RGC said.\n      The latest aid package is the third since 1977 for RGC, a\n  major employer in Queenstown on the thinly populated west coast\n  of Tasmania.\n      The mine was kept open in 1985 after Tasmania gave RGC 10\n  mln dlrs in aid. The new package includes an eight mln dlr\n  advance to RGC at the long-term bond rate, power concessions\n  and deferred royalties and payroll taxes.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEW ZEALAND PRESS GROUP BUYS MORE TEXAS NEWSPAPERS\n","article":"  <Independent Newspapers Ltd> (INL)\n  said it bought two more community newspapers in Houston, Texas,\n  through a subsidiary there, for an undisclosed sum.\n      INL said in a statement <Houston Community Newspapers Inc>\n  bought the South West Advocate and the South Bend Advocate,\n  with combined circulation of 74,000 copies, and associated\n  assets, from <The Advocate Communications Corp Inc>.\n      INL publishes Wellington's morning and evening newspapers\n  as well as New Zealand provincial dailies and newspapers in\n  Rhode Island. Just under 40 pct of INL is owned by <News Ltd>,\n  an Australian subsidiary of News Corp Ltd <NCPA.S>.\n      Production and administration of the two publications would\n  be transferred to the company's existing centre in Houston. INL\n  said the acquisition took effect on March 1.\n      INL chairman Alan Burnet said the purchase would enable the\n  subsidiary to offer advertisers a combined distribution of nine\n  community newspapers to 340,000 homes in the greater Houston\n  area. Trading conditions in the area are particularly difficult\n  because the city's economy depends to a large extent on the\n  fortunes of the petroleum industry, but the situation should\n  improve in the medium to long term and the investment will\n  prove to be sound, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. AGRICULTURE SECRETARY WARNS EC ON SOY OIL TAX\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture Secretary\n  Richard Lyng warned the European Community yesterday it will\n  face serious retaliation if it enacts a new tax on products\n  such as U.S. Soybean oil.\n      Speaking at a news conference before a scheduled speech,\n  Lyng said he did not think the tax, which is still in the\n  discussion stage, would be approved.\n      He said the U.S. Would take serious retaliatory action\n  because if implemented, the tax would have a considerable\n  impact on U.S. Farmers.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KOBE RUBBER EXCHANGE TO EXTEND TRADING HOURS\n","article":"  The Kobe Rubber Exchange said it will\n  extend its trading hours from May 1 to enable more operators to\n  use the exchange.\n      Subject to Ministry of International Trade and Industry\n  approval, the Exchange will add a sixth session starting at\n  1700 local time, and will close the account for trading at the\n  new session the following day before the opening call starts at\n  0930 local time, an Exchange official said.\n      Trading on the Singapore rubber market, a major producer\n  price indicator for Japanese end-users, is usually active after\n  the end of the current final session here.\n      The introduction of the new session will enable\n  participants to trade overnight after taking account of\n  Singapore rubber prices, because brokers and members who are\n  designated by the Kobe Exchange are allowed to add the volume\n  traded overnight to the new final session before the opening\n  session starts next day, the official said.\n      But because the Kobe Exchange uses the auction system which\n  sets a fixed price at each session, the price of contracts\n  traded overnight should be a fixed price settled at the sixth\n  session, he added.\n      Industry sources said they expected the Ministry to approve\n  the plan because it has encouraged the Japanese futures\n  industry to expand and internationalise.\n      The Tokyo Commodity Exchange for Industry, TOCOM, which\n  also trades rubber futures in Japan, said it has no plans to\n  introduce an extra session.\n      TOCOM also has five rubber trading sessions a day. Four\n  sessions start 15 minutes later than Kobe Exchange sessions,\n  but both Exchanges' final sessions start at the same time.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COASTAL <CGP> SEEKS TO HALT BILLION DLR LAWSUIT\n","article":"  Coastal Corp said a federal bankruptcy\n  court will hear its request today for a restraining order to\n  stop a two billion dlr lawsuit against it by <TransAmerican\n  Natural Gas Corp>.\n      TransAmerican, which entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy\n  proceedings in 1983 to reorganise its debts, filed the lawsuit\n  to block Coastal from taking control.\n      Coastal spokesman Jim Bailey confirmed the company, which\n  is an unsecured creditor of TransAmerican, would present its\n  own reorganisation plan to the bankruptcy court.\n      Under the plan, Coastal would buy the natural gas reserves\n  and pipeline system owned by TransAmerican in Texas for an\n  undisclosed amount.\n      TransAmerican lawyer John Nabors said the company values\n  its total assets, including an unused oil refinery, at about\n  one billion dlrs.\n      The company, the second-largest natural gas producer in\n  Texas, said it has gas reserves of 1.2 trillion cubic feet and\n  over 1,000 miles of pipeline and gas gathering lines.\n      About 80 pct of TransAmerican's gas is available for spot\n  market sales in Texas during peak demand, it said.\n      Nabors said the TransAmerican reorganisation would repay\n  its 770 mln dlr debt with profits from natural gas sales. The\n  lawsuit seeks one billion dlrs in actual damages and one\n  billion in punitive damages from Coastal.\n      Coastal has been trying to break into the Texas gas market\n  since 1979, when it was forced to sell <Lo-Vaca Gas Gathering\n  Co> to settle over 1.6 billion dlrs in lawsuits by Texas\n  customers facing abrupt curtailment of supply.\n      Coastal, a natural gas producer and pipeline company,\n  earned 71.6 mln dlrs on sales of 6.7 billion in 1986, about\n  half the its 1985 profits, due to slumping energy prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STUDY PREDICTS U.S. DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL\n","article":"  A government study has concluded the\n  U.S. Will be dependent on oil from the middle east into the\n  next century and must take steps to reduce its vulnerability,\n  the New York Times said.\n      The newspaper said the inter-agency government study found\n  a serious oil-dependency problem due to steadily falling\n  domestic production and rising demand for imported oil.\n      The study concluded that by 1995 the U.S. Will be relying\n  on foreign countries for 50 pct of its oil, more than the peak\n  of 48 pct reached in 1977 and far above the 33 pct rate during\n  the 1973-74 Arab oil embargo.\n      The U.S. Now imports about 38 pct of its oil needs, up from\n  27 pct a year ago, the New York Times said.\n      It said recommendations sent to the White House by Energy\n  Secretary John Harrington include financial incentives to raise\n  domestic oil production by one mln barrels a day from the\n  current 8.4 mln barrels.\n      The newspaper said the administration has placed increased\n  emphasis on stockpiling oil reserves. It said the view now held\n  is that the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to be tapped in times\n  of shortages, should be increased by 100,000 barrels a day,\n  rather than 35,000 as called for in the 1988 budget.\n     The newspaper said Harrington may propose restoring the\n  depletion allowance to major producers.\n      \"The administration also plans to renew its efforts to\n  ...Repeal the windfall profits tax, remove bars to drilling on\n  the outer continental shelf and repeal the law that limits the\n  use of natural gas in industrial and utility boilers,\" it added.\n      The New York Times quoted Senator Don Nickles of Oklahoma\n  as saying the study greatly underestimated potential U.S.\n  Demand for imported oil in the next decade and overestimated\n  the amount of domestic oil which would be produced.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN M-2 PLUS CD MONEY SUPPLY ROSE 8.8 PCT IN YEAR TO FEBRUARY (JAN 8.6) - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  JAPAN M-2 PLUS CD MONEY SUPPLY ROSE 8.8 PCT IN YEAR TO FEBRUARY (JAN 8.6) - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"JAPAN FEBRUARY MONEY SUPPLY RISES 8.8 PCT\n","article":"  Japan's broadly defined money supply\n  average of M-2 plus certificate of deposits (CDs) rose a\n  preliminary 8.8 pct in February from a year earlier, compared\n  with an 8.6 pct rise in January, the Bank of Japan said.\n      The seasonally adjusted February average of M-2 plus CDs\n  supply rose 0.8 pct from January, it said.\n      Unadjusted M-2 plus CDs stood at an average 336,000 billion\n  yen in February compared with 337,100 billion yen in January.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ASSETS OF U.S. MONEY FUNDS ROSE IN WEEK\n","article":"  Assets of money market mutual funds\n  increased 720.4 mln dlrs in the week ended yesterday to 236.90\n  billion dlrs, the Investment Company Institute said.\n      Assets of 91 institutional funds rose 356 mln dlrs to 66.19\n  billion dlrs, 198 general purpose funds rose 212.5 mln dlrs to\n  62.94 billion dlrs and 92 broker-dealer funds rose 151.9 mln\n  dlrs to 107.77 billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CHINA TO IMPORT MORE GRAIN IN 1987\n","article":"  China's grain imports will rise\n  in 1987 because of a serious drought and increasing demand, but\n  will be not be as large as in the past, Chinese officials and\n  Japanese traders told Reuters.\n      They said foreign exchange constraints and national policy\n  would not allow a return to large-scale imports, which peaked\n  at 16.15 mln tonnes in 1982.\n      An agricultural official of the Shanghai government put\n  maximum imports at about 10 mln tonnes this year, against 7.73\n  mln in 1986 and 5.97 mln in 1985.\n      Officials said grain imports rose in 1986 because of a poor\n  harvest and rising domestic demand, but remained below exports,\n  which rose to 9.42 mln tonnes from 9.33 mln in 1985.\n      \"China is short of foreign exchange,\" the Shanghai official\n  said. \"We cannot rely on imports, even at current low world\n  prices. Only if there is a major disaster will we become a\n  major importer.\"\n      A Japanese trader in Peking said Chinese grain imports\n  would rise and exports fall this year because of the drought,\n  low world prices and rising domestic demand for human and\n  animal consumption.\n      \"At current prices, China loses yuan on every tonne of grain\n  it exports, though it earns foreign exchange which it badly\n  needs,\" the trader said.\n      The People's Daily said last Saturday a serious drought is\n  affecting 13.3 mln hectares of arable land, which will reduce\n  the summer grain harvest from last year's level.\n      The paper added that leaders in some areas were not paying\n  enough attention to agriculture, especially grain, making it\n  difficult to achieve the 1987 grain output target of 405 mln\n  tonnes against 391 mln in 1986.\n      \"All areas must spare no effort to raise the autumn harvest\n  area, especially of corn, sweet potatoes, paddy rice and\n  high-yield cash crops,\" it said.\n      It added factory production might have to be reduced to\n  provide electricity for agriculture if it was needed to fight\n  the drought.\n      Since January, the press has devoted much attention to\n  grain, stressing that growth in output is vital to China's\n  economic and political stability and that prices paid to\n  farmers are too low.\n      Officials in east China have repeatedly said stable grain\n  production is a key state policy and outlined the measures\n  being taken in their areas to encourage output.\n      The Shanghai official said that in one suburb, 10 pct of\n  the pre-tax profits of factories are used to subsidise\n  agriculture. He said rural industries in other suburbs also set\n  aside money for grain and pay the salaries of some of the\n  70,000 workers available to help farmers.\n      Chu Jinfeng, an official of Fengbing county outside\n  Shanghai, said factory workers get 60 yuan a month and three\n  years unpaid leave to grow grain and can keep the profits.\n      Pan Huashan, an official of the agricultural department of\n  Zhejiang Province, said rural industry also subsidises grain\n  output in his province.\n      \"In addition, we are setting up grain production bases,\n  raising the level of science and technology on the farms and\n  improving the supply of raw materials, roads and other\n  infrastructure,\" he said.\n      The Shanghai official said rural residents who work in\n  industry or commerce usually keep their land to farm in their\n  spare time, or let other family members farm it. In some cases,\n  they lease the land to grain farmers.\n      The China Daily said last month that grain output should\n  reach between 425 and 450 mln tonnes by 1990 and between 480\n  and 500 mln by 2000. It said growing grain should be made\n  profitable.\n      \"The advantages the state promises grain growers actually\n  yield tangible profits for them and are not siphoned off by\n  intermediate agencies because of bureaucracy or corruption.\n  Only this will boost enthusiasm,\" it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Japan October\/December GNP up 0.8 pct (July\/Sept revised 0.7 rise) - official\n","article":"\n  Japan October\/December GNP up 0.8 pct (July\/Sept revised 0.7 rise) - official\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"Japan GNP rises 2.5 pct in calendar 1986 (4.7 pct in 1985) - official\n","article":"\n  Japan GNP rises 2.5 pct in calendar 1986 (4.7 pct in 1985) - official\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN OCTOBER\/DECEMBER GNP RISES 0.8 PCT\n","article":"  Japan's gross national product (GNP) rose\n  a real 0.8 pct in the October\/December quarter after an\n  upwardly revised 0.7 pct increase the previous three months,\n  the Economic Planning Agency (EPA) said.\n      The rise in the July\/September quarter had originally been\n  put at 0.6 pct. The annualized growth rate accelerated to 3.2\n  pct in October\/December from 3.0 pct in July\/September.\n      In the 1986 calendar year, GNP rose 2.5 pct, after a 4.7\n  pct increase in 1985. Last year's performance was the worst\n  since 1974, when GNP fell 1.4 pct. Agency officials blamed the\n  strong yen for depressing exports and manufacturing industry.\n      In nominal terms, GNP rose 0.5 pct in the October\/December\n  quarter, reflecting stable prices, after a one pct increase in\n  the previous three months, the Agency said.\n      Domestic real demand increased 0.6 pct in October\/December,\n  after a one pct rise the previous quarter.\n      Domestic demand contributed 0.5 percentage point to real\n  GNP growth in October\/December, while foreign trade added 0.2.\n  The figures do not tally exactly due to rounding.\n      In July\/September, domestic demand contributed one\n  percentage point to GNP growth while foreign trade knocked off\n  0.3 point.\n      Of the 0.2 point contribution of foreign trade to GNP last\n  quarter, falling exports knocked off 0.2 while falling imports\n  contributed 0.4 point.\n      Total export volume fell 1.2 pct quarter on quarter in\n  October\/December. Imports also fell, by 2.9 pct.\n      Of the 0.5 point contribution of domestic demand to\n  October\/December GNP growth, the private sector accounted for\n  0.4 point and the public sector, 0.2.\n      The private sector contribution included 0.3 point for\n  housebuilding, 0.4 for corporate capital outlays and 0.1 for\n  stockbuilding. Consumer spending had a 0.4 negative impact.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN OFFICIALS SEE DIFFICULTY HITTING GNP TARGET\n","article":"  The government will find it very\n  difficult to achieve its new gross national product (GNP)\n  forecast of three pct growth in the fiscal year ending March\n  31, Economic Planning Agency officials said.\n      They made the comment to reporters after news that GNP rose\n  0.8 pct in the October\/December quarter, after a 0.7 pct\n  increase the previous three months.\n      For Japan to achieve three pct growth in 1986\/87, GNP in\n  the January\/March period would have to grow 2.6 pct from\n  October\/December, the officials said. The government lowered\n  its GNP forecast for 1986\/87 from four pct last December.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FAIRCHILD DEAL FAILURE SEEN MAKING JAPANESE WARY\n","article":"  Schlumberger Ltd's <SLB.N> decision to\n  end an agreement in principle for Fujitsu Ltd <ITSU.T> to buy\n  80 pct of its <Fairchild Semiconductor Corp>, and the political\n  furore that surrounded the proposed sale, will make Japanese\n  companies more cautious in their efforts to acquire U.S. High\n  technology firms but will not halt such attempts, industry\n  analysts said.\n      The collapse of the deal will not be a critical blow to\n  Fujitsu but it will boost the cost of future U.S. Expansion by\n  the Japanese firm, said analysts polled by Reuters.\n      \"The acquisition of Fairchild is not essential to Fujitsu's\n  North American operations, but it would have been a great\n  boost,\" James Capel and Co analyst Tom Murtha said.\n      French-controlled Schlumberger said yesterday it was ending\n  the agreement because mounting political controversy in the\n  U.S. Made it unlikely that the sale of the Fairchild stake\n  could be completed in a reasonable time.\n      The sale was opposed by the U.S. Commerce Department and\n  Defence Department, partly on national security grounds.\n      Fujitsu's acquisition of Fairchild would have given the\n  Japanese computer maker control of a comprehensive North\n  American sales and distribution system and access to\n  microprocessor technology, an area where Fujitsu is weak,\n  analysts said.\n      The deal would also have given Fujitsu 14 additional\n  microchip production facilities worldwide, eight of them in the\n  U.S., A report by the Capel firm said.\n      \"It was an entry point, a port for semiconductors and a\n  marketing channel for other things,\" said Barclays de Zoete Wedd\n  analyst Rick May.\n      Several analysts said the purchase would not have given\n  Fujitsu access to critical defence technology.\n      \"(Fairchild) simply doesn't have key technology -- that's a\n  thing of the past,\" May said.\n      The failure could be a blessing in disguise for Fujitsu as\n  it might have had to spend several hundred million dollars to\n  modernise Fairchild's production lines, Capel's Murtha said.\n      The failure of the deal will doubtless encourage Japanese\n  firms to take a lower profile in attempts to acquire U.S. High\n  tech firms but they are unlikely to stop, analysts said.\n      Most analysts said Fujitsu was likely to go the more costly\n  route of expanding its own production and distribution\n  facilities in the U.S., Although some said it could use the\n  estimated 200 mln dlrs set aside for buying Fairchild to try to\n  acquire some less politically symbolic firm.\n      \"It may slow the pace of Japanese acquisitions, but the\n  necessity of expanding their production and design capacity in\n  America remains,\" said Capel's Murtha. \"The Japanese will\n  continue to shop for bargains, but it will be harder to find\n  ones that are politically acceptable.\"\n      Japanese firms are likely to favour joint ventures or\n  smaller equity stakes in firms to avoid the political backlash\n  that blocked the Fairchild sale, analysts said. \"They're not\n  going to slow up, they're just going to buy smaller pieces ...\n  Because of the political risk,\" said Barclays de Zoete's May.\n      Several Japanese firms have already taken 10 to 30 pct\n  shares in smaller U.S. High technology firms such as super\n  minicomputer makers, he said.\n      Opposition of the sort that blocked Fujitsu could end up\n  harming U.S. Firms and undermining a trend toward multinational\n  tie-ups, some analysts said.\n      \"This is not really of benefit to U.S. Firms either,\" said\n  Jardine Fleming (Securities) Ltd analyst Nick Edwards. \"The\n  pooling of resources in semiconductors is a positive move --\n  why should the government step in to prevent it?\"\n      Japan's Minister of International Trade and Industry Hajime\n  Tamura told a press conference that interference by U.S.\n  Government officials in the Fairchild deal was inappropriate.\n      \"This is entirely a private sector matter and not a matter\n  for governments' comment,\" Tamura said. \"I think it was improper\n  for U.S. Government officials to intervene to the extent they\n  did,\" he said.\n      A spokesman told Reuters the ministry's view is that\n  international investment flows ought to be free and that such\n  flows are of increasing importance in line with the growing\n  closeness of U.S.-Japanese economic ties.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"S.KOREA SAYS JAPAN COMPLAINS TO GATT ON TRADE PLAN\n","article":"  Japan has complained to the secretariat\n  of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) that South\n  Korea's five-year plan to cut its trade deficit with Japan\n  breaks GATT rules, Trade Ministry officials here said.\n      They said Japan submitted a report earlier this month\n  alleging South Korea's plan to import less from Japan and more\n  from the U.S. And elsewhere was tantamount to creating\n  non-tariff trade barriers.\n      South Korea unveiled the plan in November. It said it hoped\n  to narrow its trade deficit with Japan to two billion dlrs by\n  1991.\n      South Korea's trade deficit with Japan was a record 5.45\n  billion dlrs in 1986, and rose to 752 mln dlrs in the first two\n  months of 1987 from 727 mln in the same 1986 period.\n      The plan envisages giving incentives to importers not to\n  import Japanese goods, and to exporters to sell more to Japan.\n      The officials said they believed the Japanese action, one\n  step short of filing a suit, was designed to bring South Korea\n  to the negotiating table and stop the plan.\n      The Seoul government wants Tokyo to ease various import\n  restrictions and simplify customs inspections for South Korean\n  goods to help reduce the trade deficit.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN CURRENCY TRADING SET RECORD IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Spot volume in the Australian foreign\n  exchange market jumped to a record 22.63 billion dlrs a day in\n  January from 16.18 billion in December and 8.27 billion a year\n  earlier, the Reserve Bank said in its monthly bulletin.\n      The previous record was 17.51 billion dlrs last August.\n      The peak broke a steady trading trend of 15 to 17 billion\n  dlrs a day seen in the second half of 1986.\n      Including forward deals, total deliverable volume was 27.01\n  billion dlrs a day (13.43 billion against the Australian\n  dollar) against 19.56 billion (8.48 billion) in December and\n  9.92 billion (5.88 billion) a year earlier, the bank said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN SEEN REDUCING BEEF, PORK INTERVENTION PRICES\n","article":"  The Agriculture Ministry is expected to\n  reduce official intervention prices for beef and pork in\n  1987\/88 starting in April, but the cutback ratio has not been\n  set yet, industry sources said.\n      Production prices, the basis for setting intervention\n  prices, have been falling because of declining compound feed\n  prices due to low coarse grain import prices, they said.\n      Last November an advisory panel urged the government to\n  work on reducing officially set high farm product prices to\n  levels closer to international values, the sources added.\n      In Japan the government maintains a price stabilisation\n  zone system for beef and pork to support domestic producers.\n      The stabilisation zone is kept by the semi-government\n  Livestock Industry Promotion Corp (LIPC) through a buffer stock\n  operation in the wholesale market.\n      The 1987\/88 beef and pork price stabilisation zone will be\n  set by the end of March after an advisory panel to the\n  Agriculture Ministry recommends the price zone at a meeting on\n  March 25, ministry officials said. At present, the standard or\n  bottom price of castrated wagyu beef, known as marbled beef, is\n  1,400 yen per kilo, while its ceiling is 1,820, they said.\n      The standard price of other beef, mainly produced from\n  dairy steers, is now 1,090 yen per kilo and the ceiling is\n  1,420, the officials said. The pork standard price is now 540\n  yen per kilo and the ceiling 760.\n      They said the domestic beef intervention price influences\n  imported beef selling prices on the domestic market.\n      Japan sets an annual beef import quota. A semi-government\n  body imports most of this and releases it to wholesalers or\n  processors in line with the standard price of other beef\n  categories in an attempt to avoid jeoparadising domestic beef\n  prices, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" Danish central bank cuts overnight money market interest rate to 10.5 pct from 11 pct - official\n","article":"\n   Danish central bank cuts overnight money market interest rate to 10.5 pct from 11 pct - official\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MITSUBISHI CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES LTD <MCIT.T> YEAR\n","article":"  Year ended January 31\n      Parent shr 5.73 yen vs 5.80\n      Div five yen vs same\n      Net 7.01 billion vs 6.77 billion\n      Current 24.06 billion vs 23.76 billion\n      Operating 37.62 billion vs 45.26 billion\n      Sales 630.08 billion vs 810.89 billion\n      NOTE - Company forecast for current year parent div five\n  yen, net seven to eight billion, current 24 billion, sales 610\n  billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN FOREIGN SHIPBUILDING ORDERS RISE IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  New foreign shipbuilding orders received\n  by Japanese yards in February rose to six vessels totalling\n  329,999 gross tons from three ships of 79,499 tons in January,\n  the Japan Ship Exporters Association said.\n      This compared with six ships of 125,150 gross tons a year\n  earlier, an association official said.\n      The backlog of orders at end-February was 157 ships of 4.41\n  mln gross tons against 161 ships of 4.39 mln a month earlier\n  and 265 vessels of 6.81 mln a year earlier, an association\n  official said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET DEFICIT FORECAST AT 450 MLN STG\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it forecast a\n  shortage of around 450 mln stg in the money market today.\n      Among the main factors affecting liquidity, bills maturing\n  in official hands and the take-up of treasury bills will drain\n  some 650 mln stg while banker's balances below target will take\n  out around 50 mln stg.\n      Partly offsetting these outflows, exchequer transactions\n  and a fall in note circulation will add some 200 mln stg and 50\n  mln stg to the system respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CCIC FINANCE LTD - YEAR TO DEC 31\n","article":"  Net profit 16.66 mln H.K. Dlrs vs 11.28 mln\n      Total divs to shareholders 7.5 mln vs nil\n      Note - Firm underwrote 23 capital market issues in 1986.\n  Next industrial transaction in May is syndication of a 35 mln\n  U.S. Dlr loan to the Shanghai Ta Chun Tyre Project. The company\n  is a joint venture merchant bank between the <Bank of China>,\n  <First National Bank of Chicago> and the Industrial Bank of\n  Japan <IBJT.T>\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SOUTHEAST CHINA CROPS SAVED BY HEAVY RAIN\n","article":"  The heaviest rains for seven months are\n  believed to have saved more than one mln hectares of\n  drought-threatened crops in southeast China, the official New\n  China News Agency said.\n      This week's rains have alleviated drought conditions in\n  Guangdong Province, the agency said.\n      China has warned that this year's harvest will be affected\n  by drought in many areas.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ZAMBIA STOPS SENDING COPPER THROUGH SOUTH AFRICA\n","article":"  Zambia has stopped sending its copper\n  exports through South Africa, the official Times of Zambia\n  said.\n      The newspaper yesterday quoted highly placed sources as\n  saying the state-owned Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM)\n  was diverting its mineral exports away from South Africa, but\n  it did not say which alternative routes were being used.\n      ZCCM officials declined to comment on the report, but\n  Standwell Mapara, general manager of the Tanzania-Zambia\n  Railway Authority (TAZARA), told Reuters recently virtually all\n  Zambian mineral exports had been channelled along the TAZARA\n  line to Dar es Salaam for the last three months.\n      During that period no Zambian copper had been shipped\n  through Zimbabwe to the Mozambican port of Beira - the only\n  other available route which avoids South Africa, Mapara said.\n      Last December TAZARA carried 36,000 tonnes of Zambian\n  mineral ore, the line's record for any one month period, he\n  added.\n      Copper, cobalt and other mineral exports account for 95 to\n  98 pct of Zambia's foreign exchange earnings and President\n  Kenneth Kaunda told Reuters in a recent interview it was vital\n  for his country to assure new outlets for them, avoiding the\n  traditional route through South Africa.\n      Referring to Zambia's preparations for a possible cut in\n  economic links with South Africa, Kaunda told Reuters in an\n  interview on March 1, \"My main concern, of course, is the mines\n  because whatever happens we must continue to run the mines.\"\n      According to Mapara, TAZARA handled 1.1 mln tonnes of\n  freight last year and is still working well below its present\n  1.4 mln capacity. Kaunda said that once preparations had been\n  completed for evacuating Zambia's mineral exports on safe and\n  dependable routes his government would look to increase its\n  usage of TAZARA for other types of cargo.\n      The 1986 annual report of Zambia's state-run Metal\n  Marketing Corporation said 81 pct of the country's metal\n  exports were channelled through Dar es Salaam last year, versus\n  79 pct in 1985. The report said Zambian copper production fell\n  to 463,000 tonnes last year from 526,000 in 1985.\n      Despite the official optimism about diversifying Zambia's\n  export routes, diplomatic sources in Lusaka expressed\n  reservations about the capacity of Dar es Salaam and Beira\n  ports to handle all of Zambia's mineral exports, even if they\n  could be hauled there by train.\n      \"The two ports cannot in any way and in their present form\n  handle the huge exports of Zambian copper,\" one western diplomat\n  said.\n      \"A serious disruption in copper movement to the markets\n  could be brought about as it would pile up at the two ports\n  which lack the facilities and space to handle the copper\n  tonnage,\" he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"OECD JANUARY ANNUAL INFLATION STEADY AT 2.1 PCT\n","article":"  Inflation in the 24 industrialised\n  nations of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and\n  Development was 2.1 pct in the year to January, unchanged from\n  December, the OECD said.\n      But monthly inflation throughout the OECD was an average\n  0.4 pct in January, a rise compared to the 0.2 pct in the last\n  quarter.\n      Retail energy prices rose strongly in January, reflecting\n  the firming of world oil prices. For OECD states the increase\n  was 0.7 pct but the January level of retail energy prices was\n  still 11.6 pct lower than a year earlier, the OECD said.\n      The increase in consumer prices excluding food and energy,\n  at 0.4 pct in January for the whole OECD area, was unchanged on\n  the four previous months, but over the year to January OECD\n  consumer prices rose by 3.5 pct, against 3.3 pct in December.\n      Unadjusted annual inflation for the seven leading\n  industrialised nations in January was running at 4.4 pct in\n  Italy, 3.9 pct in Britain and Canada, three pct in France, 1.4\n  pct in the U.S., Minus 0.8 pct in West Germany and minus 1.5\n  pct in Japan, the OECD said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CARGILL STRIKE TALKS CONTINUING TODAY\n","article":"  Further talks will be held this morning\n  at Cargill U.K. Ltd's oilseed processing plant at Seaforth,\n  after yesterday's meeting between management and unions failed\n  to produce a solution to end the three month old strike, a\n  company spokesman said.\n      Talks will be extended to tomorrow if there is no\n  breakthrough in today's session, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INDONESIAN SUGAR OUTPUT FORECAST TO RISE IN 1987\n","article":"  Indonesian sugar output is forecast by\n  the government to reach 2.126 mln tonnes in calendar 1987\n  against projected consumption of 2.039 mln tonnes, Agriculture\n  Minister Achmad Affandi said.\n      Production in 1986, when Indonesia was forced to import\n  sugar, is officially estimated at 2.016 mln tonnes against\n  1.728 mln in 1985.\n      The U.S. Embassy said in its annual Agriculture Report on\n  Indonesia there were growing signs that actual output was lower\n  than official figures. It estimated 1986 production at 1.8 mln\n  tonnes and forecast little change for 1987.\n      Indonesia imported 162,000 tonnes of sugar towards the end\n  of last year and in early 1987 to boost low stocks.\n      Affandi told reporters stocks fel to as low as 159,000\n  tonnes at the beginning of 1987. Industry sources said this\n  represented under one month's consumption.\n      The minister said Indonesia should hold three months'\n  supply, or 510,000 tonnes.\n      A spokesman for the National Logistics Bureau, which\n  distributes and stores sugar, said stocks this month were\n  489,437 tonnes. The harvesting season begins in April.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN ISSUES MORE CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT\n","article":"  Taiwan's central bank issued 12 billion\n  Taiwan dlrs worth of certificates of deposit after issuing six\n  billion yesterday, bringing CD issues so far this year to\n  115.47 billion dlrs, a bank official told Reuters.\n      The new CDs have maturities of six months, one year and two\n  years and bear interest rates ranging from 4.07 pct to 5.12\n  pct, he said.\n      The issues are aimed at helping curb the growth of M-1b\n  money supply, which is the result of large foreign exchange\n  reserves. The reserves now total more than 51 billion U.S.\n  Dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"FRENCH JANUARY PAYMENTS SURPLUS 0.3 BILLION FRANCS (3.8 BILLION DECEMBER SURPLUS)-OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  FRENCH JANUARY PAYMENTS SURPLUS 0.3 BILLION FRANCS (3.8 BILLION DECEMBER SURPLUS)-OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ITALIAN WHOLESALE PRICES UP 1.1 PCT IN JANUARY\n","article":"  The wholesale price index rose 1.1 pct\n  month-on-month in January 1987 after increasing by 0.3 pct in\n  December 1986, the national statistics institute Istat said.\n      The index, base 1980 equals 100, registered 172.8 in\n  January compared with 170.9 in December.\n      The January 1987 figure represents a fall over January 1986\n  of 1.7 pct after a year-on-year decrease in December 1986 of\n  2.5 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN SAID CONSIDERING CURRENCY LIBERALISATION\n","article":"  Taiwan's central bank is considering\n  proposals to ease currency restrictions to reduce foreign\n  exchange reserves of 51 billion U.S. Dlrs, a local newspaper\n  reported today.\n      The China Times, which has close ties with the government,\n  quoted central bank governor Chang Chi-cheng as saying the\n  government had agreed in principle to liberalise financial\n  restrictions.\n      The bank was considering proposals to allow firms and\n  individuals to hold foreign exchange and invest in foreign\n  stocks for the first time, Chang was quoted as saying.\n      All foreign exchange must now be handed to local banks and\n  exchanged for local currency. Firms and individuals may only\n  invest in foreign government bonds, treasury bills and\n  certificates of deposit.\n      Central bank and other government officials were not\n  available to comment on the report.\n      Economists said it was likely that the government would\n  ease foreign exchange controls, but only gradually.\n      They said vast foreign currency reserves, earned mainly\n  from huge trade surpluses with the United States, made Taiwan a\n  target for U.S. Protectionism.\n      Taiwan's trade surplus with the U.S. Rose to 13.6 billion\n  U.S. Dlrs last year compared with 10.2 billion in 1985.\n      \"The central bank has to go in this direction,\" said Su\n  Han-min, chief economist with the International Commercial Bank\n  of China. \"If they don't quicken the pace, Washington could\n  retaliate and really damage Taiwan.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRENCH PAYMENTS SURPLUS SHRINKS IN JANUARY\n","article":"  France's current account payments surplus\n  slipped to a provisional 300 mln francs, seasonally adjusted,\n  in January from a downward revised surplus of 3.8 billion in\n  December, the Finance Ministry said.\n      The December figure was revised from a provisional 4.8\n  billion franc surplus reported a month ago.\n      On an unadjusted basis, January payments showed a 5.2\n  billion franc deficit after a revised 7.1 billion December\n  surplus. The December unadjusted surplus was revised down from\n  a provisional 8.2 billion.\n      The Ministry said trade, measured on balance of payments\n  criteria, showed an unadjusted 7.1 billion franc January\n  deficit while services showed a 3.7 billion surplus.\n      Other items, mainly including unilateral transfers, showed\n  a 1.8 billion deficit.\n      The current account showed an adjusted surplus of 6.1\n  billion francs in January last year, and an unadjusted deficit\n  of one billion.\n      The full year 1986 current account surplus was reported\n  last month at 25.8 billion francs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.K. JAN INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT RISES 0.4 PCT, MANUFACTURING DOWN 2.3 PCT - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  U.K. JAN INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT RISES 0.4 PCT, MANUFACTURING DOWN 2.3 PCT - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ZIMBABWE MAIZE OUTPUT TO FALL 65 PCT\n","article":"  Maize deliveries to Zimbabwe's\n  state-owned Grain Marketing Board (GMB) will fall by over 65\n  pct this year, following a prolonged dry spell, agricultural\n  industry sources said.\n      They said 1987 maize deliveries are expected to decline to\n  around 520,000 tonnes from 1.6 mln tonnes last year. About 60\n  pct of the maize will be delivered by large-scale commercial\n  farmers and the balance by small-scale peasant producers.\n      Although this will be the lowest level of maize deliveries\n  since 1980, the sources said there is no danger of a food\n  shortage in Zimbabwe.\n      While annual maize consumption is estimated at 750,000\n  tonnes, the GMB stockpile is currently around 1.8 mln tonnes,\n  which means that even with the sharply reduced production this\n  year Zimbabwe has enough maize for the next three years.\n      The sources said the lower maize crop would be offset by a\n  25 pct increase in cotton production to 315,000 tonnes from\n  248,000 tonnes last year, and by a rise of 20 pct in soybean\n  deliveries to 100,000 tonnes from 84,000 tonnes in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT RISES IN JANUARY\n","article":"  U.K. Industrial production rose a\n  provisional 0.4 pct in January after a 0.6 pct decline in\n  December 1986, figures from the Central Statistical Office\n  show.\n      The index for industrial production, base 1980, was set at\n  a seasonally adjusted 109.8 in January after December's 109.4\n  and compared with 108.2 a year earlier.\n      Output of manufacturing industries fell a provisional 2.3\n  pct in January after a 0.2 pct rise last December.\n      The index for manufacturing, base 1980, fell to 103.9 from\n  106.3, and compared with 102.3 a year earlier.\n      The CSO said industrial production in the three months to\n  January was provisionally estimated to have fallen by 0.7 pct\n  from the level of the previous three months, while\n  manufacturing output rose by 0.5 pct in the same period.\n      In the three months, industrial production was 1.5 pct\n  higher than in the same period a year earlier, while\n  manufacturing output was two pct higher.\n      Within manufacturing, output of the metals industry rose by\n  six pct and that of engineering and allied industries by one\n  pct between the two latest three month periods. Output of\n  chemicals and textiles fell by one pct and minerals by two pct.\n      The Office said output of the investment goods industries\n  rose 0.1 pct while consumer goods output increased 0.6 pct.\n      Output of intermediate goods fell 1.6 pct between the two\n  latest three-month periods.\n      The figures showed the energy production index, base 1980,\n  rose 7.2 pct in January to 126.4 from December's 117.9 and from\n  124.6 in January 1986.\n      In the latest three months, the energy index, which\n  comprises oil, natural gas and coal production, was down 3.5\n  pct on the previous quarter and 0.5 pct below the same period a\n  year earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ZIMBABWE GDP RISES 0.2 PCT IN 1986\n","article":"  Zimbabwe's real gross domestic product\n  increased 0.2 pct in 1986, according to preliminary figures\n  published by the Central Statistical Office (CSO). This\n  contrasts with a rise of more than nine pct in 1985.\n      The main reason for the slower rate of economic growth was\n  a drop in the real value of agricultural output. This declined\n  12 pct in 1986 following a 24 pct improvement the previous\n  year. Mining output fell one pct in 1986 but manufacturing\n  production increased 1.4 pct.\n      The CSO said that at current prices GDP rose 12.7 pct to\n  8.2 billion Zimbabwe dlrs, but inflation, measured by the GDP\n  deflator, was estimated at 12.2 pct, so there was virtually no\n  growth in real output during 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN SAYS U.S.-JAPAN MICROCHIP PACT WORKING\n","article":"  Japanese officials sought to convince the\n  U.S. That a U.S.-Japan pact on microchip trade is working ahead\n  of an April 1 deadline set by the U.S. For them to prove their\n  case.\n      \"We are implementing the agreement in good faith and the\n  situation does not run counter to the pact,\" Osamu Watanabe,\n  Director of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry's\n  (MITI) Americas and Oceanic Division, told foreign reporters.\n      \"The effects of the measures we have taken and are taking\n  are emerging in the market place,\" he said.\n      U.S. Trade officials have repeatedly accused Japanese\n  microchip makers of violating the pact by continuing to sell at\n  below cost in markets outside Japan and the United States.\n      The agreement, signed last September, aimed at halting\n  predatory Japanese pricing policies and increasing U.S.\n  Semiconductor firms' access to the Japanese market.\n      The comments by MITI officials followed a call by Prime\n  Minsiter Yasuhiro Nakasone to clear up any misunderstandings on\n  the U.S. Side about the pact, Watanabe said.\n      Yukio Honda, director of MITI's Industrial Electronics\n  Division, denied that Japanese chipmakers were selling at below\n  cost in third countries.\n      MITI's call to Japanese chip makers last month to cut\n  production of key memory chips in the first quarter of this\n  year has begun to dry up the source of cheap chips for sale in\n  the non-regulated grey market, Honda said.\n      \"The grey market exports from Japan are shrinking now, but\n  in contrast U.S. And South Korean companies are expanding\n  market share because of their cheaper prices,\" Honda said.\n      MITI plans to take further steps to reduce the excess\n  supply of inexpensive chips which developed in Japan after the\n  pact was formed because of a slump in Japanese semiconductor\n  exports to the United States, he added.\n      The ministry will soon release its supply-demand guidelines\n  for the second quarter and suggested production volumes are\n  likely to be lower than that for the first quarter, he said.\n      Despite businessmen's ingenuity in finding ways around any\n  artificial controls, regulation of supply and demand should\n  bring positive results, Watanabe said. \"I am optimistic,\" he\n  added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LOOPHOLE FOR TANKERS IN NORWAY'S S. AFRICA BAN\n","article":"  Norway's parliament has approved an\n  extensive trade ban against South Africa but left shipowners a\n  key loophole through which controversial oil shipments on\n  Norwegian tankers may continue, government officials said.\n      The unilateral boycott gives domestic companies until late\n  September to cut trade ties with South Africa and Namibia.\n      Although forbidding crude oil shipments to South Africa on\n  Norwegian-owned tankers, the boycott makes a crucial exception\n  for ships whose final destination is decided while at sea. As\n  oil cargoes are often resold after loading, critics said the\n  door will be left open for continued shipments to South Africa.\n      Norwegian tankers supplied South Africa with about 30 pct\n  of its crude oil imports during the early 1980s, but the trade\n  has dropped sharply to just one cargo in the last three months,\n  trade ministry officials said.\n      The latest trade figures show Norwegian imports from South\n  Africa dropped 36 pct to 160 mln crowns during the first eight\n  months of 1986, while exports plunged 52 pct to 265 mln crowns\n  from the year-ago figure.\n      The boycott legislation now goes to the upper house for\n  formal ratification later this week, parliamentarians said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HANSON SELLS FINLAYS UNIT FOR 16.9 MLN STG\n","article":"  Hanson Trust Plc <HNSN.L> said it will\n  sell its Finlays confectionery, tobacco and newsagent business\n  to a specially formed company, <Finlays Plc> for an estimated\n  16.9 mln stg cash.\n      The chain of stores was acquired when Hanson took over\n  <Imperial Group Plc> last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DOLLAR SEEN FALLING UNLESS JAPAN SPURS ECONOMY\n","article":"  Underlying dollar sentiment is bearish,\n  and operators may push the currency to a new low unless Japan\n  takes steps to stimulate its economy as pledged in the Paris\n  accord, foreign exchange analysts polled by Reuters said here.\n      \"The dollar is expected to try its psychological barrier of\n  150.00 yen and to fall even below that level,\" a senior dealer\n  at one leading bank said.\n      The dollar has eased this week, but remains stable at\n  around 151.50 yen. Six major industrial countries agreed at a\n  meeting in Paris in February to foster currency stability.\n      Some dealers said the dollar may decline in the long term,\n  but a drastic fall is unlikely because of U.S. Fears of renewed\n  inflation and fears of reduced Japanese purchases of U.S.\n  Treasury securities, needed to finance the U.S. Deficit.\n      Dealers generally doubted whether any economic package\n  Japan could adopt soon would be effective enough to reduce its\n  trade surplus significantly, and said such measures would\n  probably invite further U.S. Steps to weaken the dollar.\n      Under the Paris accord, Tokyo promised a package of\n  measures after the fiscal 1987 budget was passed to boost\n  domestic demand, increase imports and cut its trade surplus.\n      But debate on the budget has been delayed by an opposition\n  boycott of Parliamentary business over the proposed imposition\n  of a five pct sales tax, and the government has only a slim\n  chance of producing a meaningful economic package in the near\n  future, the dealers said.\n      If no such steps are taken, protectionist sentiment in the\n  U.S. Congress will grow, putting greater downward pressure on\n  the dollar, they said.\n      The factors affecting the U.S. Currency have not changed\n  since before the Paris accord, they added.\n      \"Underlying sentiment for the dollar remains bearish due to\n  a still-sluggish U.S. Economic outlook, the international debt\n  crisis triggered by Brazil's unilateral suspension of interest\n  payments on its foreign debts and the reduced clout of the\n  Reagan administration as a result of the Iran\/Contra arms\n  scandal,\" said a senior dealer at a leading trust bank.\n      \"There is a possibility that the dollar may decline to\n  around 140.00 yen by the end of this year,\" said Chemical Bank\n  Tokyo branch vice president Yukuo Takahashi.\n      But operators find it hard to push the dollar either way\n  for fear of possible concerted central bank intervention.\n      Dealers said there were widespread rumours that the U.S.\n  Federal Reserve telephoned some banks in New York to ask for\n  quotes last Wednesday, and even intervened to sell the dollar\n  when it rose to 1.87 marks.\n      The Bank of England also apparently sold sterling in London\n  when it neared 1.60 dlrs on Wednesday, they said.\n      But other dealers said they doubted the efficacy of central\n  bank intervention, saying it may stimulate the dollar's decline\n  because many dealers are likely to await such dollar buying\n  intervention as a chance to sell dollars.\n      However, First National Bank of Chicago Tokyo Branch\n  assistant manager Hiroshi Mochizuki said \"The dollar will not\n  show drastic movement at least to the end of March.\"\n      Other dealers said the U.S. Seems unwilling to see any\n  strong dollar swing until Japanese companies close their books\n  for the fiscal year ending on March 31, because a weak dollar\n  would give Japanese institutional investors paper losses on\n  their foreign holdings, which could make them lose interest in\n  purchases of U.S. Treasury securities.\n      U.S. Monetary officials may refrain from making any\n  comments this month to avoid influencing rates, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET RECEIVES NO MORNING ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it did not\n  operate in the money market in the morning session.\n      Earlier, the central bank had estimated the deficit in the\n  system today at some 450 mln stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IRAN SAID TO ATTACK CYPRIOT TANKER\n","article":"  A Cypriot tanker was set ablaze in the\n  Persian Gulf yesterday after an Iranian gunboat fired missiles\n  at it, shipping sources quoting reports from Japanese tankers\n  said today.\n      No casualties were seen and the tanker Pivot, laden with\n  crude oil, was towed towards Dubai by tugs after they put out\n  the fire, the sources said.\n      Iranian gunboats usually check a ship's nationality and\n  cargo before attacking but the Pivot was hit near Bu Musa\n  island without warning, they added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BILLITON SEEKS CHANGE IN SURINAM POLICIES\n","article":"  <Billiton\n  International Metals B.V.>, the Dutch mining company, has urged\n  Surinam to change policies it says are causing heavy losses on\n  bauxite mining operations there, a company spokesman said.\n      He told Reuters that Billiton, a fully-owned Royal\n  Dutch\/Shell <RD.AS> subsidiary, presented the demands to Henk\n  Heidweiler, a top aide to Surinam military leader Desi\n  Bouterse, who visited the Netherlands last week for official\n  talks.\n      Billiton and <Suralco>, owned by U.S. Conglomerate Alcoa\n  <AA.S>, both want devaluation, and lower wages, welfare\n  contributions, taxes on bauxite and energy prices.\n      The two firms are the biggest private sector employers in\n  Surinam. Billiton also urged Heidweiler to improve the safety\n  of its employees in the campaign against a jungle guerilla\n  group, the spokesman said, adding rebel fighting since July\n  1986 had depressed production at Billiton and Suralco plants.\n      High voltage cables from the power plant of Afobakka have\n  been cut, and a bauxite mine at Moengo has been shut, he added.\n      \"We are already making vast losses in Surinam and you can't\n  expect any company to remain operating with losses,\" the\n  spokesman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DUTCH PORT EMPLOYERS RESUME LAY-OFF PLANS\n","article":"  Employers in Rotterdam's troubled\n  general cargo sector have decided to restart stalled redundancy\n  procedures within a week, employers' organisation labour\n  relations manager Gerard Zeebregts told Reuters.\n      Port and transport union spokesman Bert Duim said the\n  employers' decision would not lead to the immediate resumption\n  of eight weeks of strikes in the sector.\n      The strike action was called off on Friday after an interim\n  court injunction against the employers' plans for 350\n  redundancies this year.\n      A court in Amsterdam ruled last week the employers had made\n  an error in the complicated procedure for obtaining permission\n  for the redundancies and therefore could not proceed until a\n  final ruling on May 7.\n      Zeebregts said the initiation of new procedure might well\n  take up to two months, but the employers were not prepared\n  simply to sit and wait for the May 7 court ruling with the\n  chance they would have to start all over again in any case.\n      \"We cannot afford not to continue with our plans. The\n  strikes have already cost a lot of money and damaged business,\n  and further delays would do even more damage,\" Zeebregts said.\n      The campaign of lightning strikes in the port's general\n  cargo sector began on January 19 in protest at employers' plans\n  for 800 redundancies from the sector's 4,000 strong workforce\n  by 1990, starting with 350 this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMMERCIAL INTERNATIONAL <CMMC> MAKES PURCHASE\n","article":"  Commercial International Corp said\n  it has completed the previously-announced acquisition of most\n  of the assets of Growers Distributing International Corp, a\n  table grape marketer, for an undisclosed amount.\n      It said the entire purchase price will be payable over a\n  three-year period and based on a percentage of pre-tax earnings\n  of the acquired operation.\n      The company said it has an option to acquire Growers' cold\n  storage facility and related assets in Tulare County, Calif.\n  Growers is owned by Commercial chairman Sid Schuman Jr. and\n  director Arnold T. Cattani Jr.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<TIMEX CORP> SELLS UNIT\n","article":"  <Swiss Corp for Microelectronics and\n  Watchmaking Industries> said it has acquired International time\n  corp from privately-held Timex corp for undisclosed terms.\n      International Time is exclusive distributor of Swiss Corp's\n  Tissot watches in the U.S.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<WAVEHILL INTERNATIONAL INC> MAKES PURCHSE\n","article":"  Wavehill International Ventures Inc\n  said it has completed the previously-announced acquisition of\n  Personal Computer Rental corp for 500,000 restricted common\n  shares, giving former shareholders of Personal Computer a 25\n  pct interest in the combined company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECONOMISTS SEE SLUGGISH JAPANESE ECONOMY AHEAD\n","article":"  The Japanese economy will remain sluggish\n  in the months ahead after turning in its worst performance for\n  12 years in 1986, private economists said.\n      Consumer spending, a main driving force of domestic demand,\n  was likely to remain lacklustre although brisk housing and\n  business investment would help sustain the economy this year,\n  the economists said.\n      They said they were shocked by an Economic Planning Agency\n  report today that private spending fell 0.7 pct in the Oct\/Dec\n  quarter for the first time in 12 years.\n      The report said Japan's gross national product rose a real\n  0.8 pct in Oct\/Dec after a revised 0.7 pct increase in the\n  previous quarter.\n      It said GNP growth for 1986 was a real 2.5 pct, down from\n  4.7 pct in 1985. Agency officials said this was the worst\n  performance since 1974 when GNP contracted 1.4 pct in the wake\n  of the first oil crisis.\n      They expressed concern about the 0.7 pct decline in\n  consumer spending in the final quarter of 1986 but said it was\n  only temporary as exceptionally warm winter weather had\n  depressed retail sales.\n      But most private economists disagreed and said consumers\n  were likely to remain pessimistic in coming months as they saw\n  their real income level off.\n      \"Sure, consumers may have spent less on winter clothes or\n  heating apparatus because of the warm winter this year, but\n  they have done so because they have become even more uneasy\n  about their future pay rises,\" said Shoji Saito, general manager\n  of Mitsui Bank's economic research division.\n      He said the outlook for pay increases was gloomy because of\n   falling employment in many industries, particularly those hit\n  hard by the yen's rise.\n      Masao Suzaki, senior economist at the Bank of Tokyo, said\n  weakened consumer confidence was the most worrying factor.\n  Without brisk consumer spending, Japan can hardly achieve\n  domestically generated economic growth as the government has\n  put a lid on fiscal measures, he said.\n      Other economists said the 0.8 pct growth registered in\n  Oct\/Dec may have been inflated by special factors, including\n  exceptionally heavy spending in the public sector. Johsen\n  Takahashi, chief economist at Mitsubishi Research Institute,\n  said the 14.4 pct increase in public sector spending in Oct\/Dec\n  resulted from an issue of gold coins.\n      \"This is just a one-shot spending and we can't expect that\n  high level of public-sector consumption in the following\n  quarter,\" Takahashi said. Agency officials said public spending\n  would have risen 1.1 pct in Oct\/Dec without the issue, which\n  marked 60 years of Emperor Hirohito's reign.\n      Takahashi said the economy might contract in the current\n  quarter given the lack of additional significant government\n  spending and sluggish consumer spending.\n      Saito said the most effective government action would be\n  income tax cuts and the postponement beyond next January of a\n  proposed controversial sales tax.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"COCOA WORKING GROUP MEETING DELAYED\n","article":"  The International Cocoa Organization\n  (ICCO) buffer stock working group meeting set for 1130 GMT\n  today was rescheduled for 1430, ICCO delegates said.\n      The meeting was delayed so a draft compromise proposal on\n  buffer stock rules could be completed, they said.\n      ICCO Executive Director Kobena Erbynn was preparing the\n  plan in consultation with other delegates for presentation to\n  the full working group, they added.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. FEB HOUSING STARTS ROSE 2.6 PCT TO 1.851 MLN, PERMITS ROSE 4.4 PCT TO 1.764 MLN\n","article":"\n  U.S. FEB HOUSING STARTS ROSE 2.6 PCT TO 1.851 MLN, PERMITS ROSE 4.4 PCT TO 1.764 MLN\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. HOUSING STARTS ROSE 2.6 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  U.S. housing starts rose 2.6 pct in\n  February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,851,000\n  units, the Commerce Department said.\n      In January, housing starts fell a revised 0.5 pct to\n  1,804,000 units. The department previously said they fell 0.1\n  pct.\n      The rate at which permits were issued for future\n  construction rose in February by 4.4 pct to a seasonally\n  adjusted 1,764,000 units after falling 11.52 pct to 1,690,000\n  units in January.\n      Permits for single-family houses fell in January by 6.6 pct\n  to 1,091,000.\n      The number of permits for multi-family houses fell in\n  February by 11.7 pct to 529,000 units after falling in January\n  by 19.3 pct, the department said.\n      Housing starts in February included a seasonally adjusted\n  5.6 pct rise in single family units to 1,317,000 units and a\n  4.1 pct fall in multi-family homes to 534,000 units.\n      The seasonally adjusted permits total in February for\n  single family units was 1,235,000 and for multi-family units\n  was 529,000 units.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTH AMERICAN FISH MEAL PRODUCTION AT RECORD HIGH\n","article":"  Production of fish meal by the three\n  South American producers -- Chile, Peru and Equador -- last\n  year reached 2.5 mln tonnes, equalling the record output of\n  1970, the International Association of Fish Meal Manufacturers\n  (IAFMM) said.\n      However, IAFMM said in a statement that it expected Chilean\n  and Peruvian fish meal production in the first quarter of 1987\n  to be much lower than the 651,000 tonnes produced in the last\n  quarter of 1986, due to a ban on sardine fishing in Chile for\n  the month of February and to adverse fishing conditions in Peru\n  in the same month.\n      The statement added that, due to technical market promotion\n  and energetic sales by Chile and Peru, the stock position at\n  the end of the year remained reasonable.\n      Fish meal production outside South America decreased\n  slightly, falling from 114,400 to 111,100 tonnes.\n      The IAFMM said fish meal consumption in 1986 rose in West\n  Germany, Scandinavian countries, Eastern Europe and the Far\n  East, but fell in the U.S. And remained static in the U.K.\n      It added that fish meal consumption had suffered from\n  competition with feed grade tallow in the U.S. And with skimmed\n  milk powder in the U.K.\n      IAFMM figures for fish oil production in the main producing\n  nations, in thousands of tonnes, were -\n                      Oct\/Dec            Jan\/Dec\n                   1986    1985       1986     1985\n   CHILE             22       8        109       76\n   PERU              56      28        238      104\n   NORWAY            14      14         97      130\n   ICELAND           44      52        102      118\n   DENMARK           20      18         88       77\n   U.S.              10       8        152      129\n   JAPAN             67      91        213      249\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TALKING POINT\/COPPER STOCKS\n","article":"  Copper shares, which have lagged\n  behind the market, should pick up steam this year on stronger\n  demand and improving prices for the metal, analysts said.\n      \"Copper prices should move up over the next four to six\n  quarters,\" said Daniel Roling of Merrill Lynch and Co <MER>. \"I\n  see average copper prices at 70 cts a pound in 1988, up from\n  around 63 or 64 cts, based on tight supply and continued world\n  economic growth.\"\n      Other analysts see metal prices ranging from 65 to 68 cts a\n  pound this year and 70 to 73 cts in 1988.\n      Analysts said Phelps Dodge Corp <PD> will be a strong\n  performer because it is the largest U.S. copper producer.\n      But Asarco Inc <AR>, with about 45 pct of total sales from\n  copper, and Newmont Mining Corp <NEM> are also potential\n  winners, they said. Newmont is spinning off 85 pct of its\n  copper operations to its shareholders.\n      \"In theory, Phelps is the best stock. It's the purest play\n  and benefits most from higher copper prices,\" one said.\n      William Siedenburg of Smith Barney Harris Upham and Co,\n  said Phelps has lowered costs and streamlined mining\n  operations. \"They've accomplished a great deal,\" he said.\n      The company's move into carbon black, a product used in\n  tires, should provide steady earnings, although not rapid\n  growth, as a hedge against a copper downturn, Siedenburg said.\n  He estimates Phelps will earn 2.45 dlrs in 1987 and 4.45 dlrs\n  in 1988, including tax benefits, versus 1.79 dlrs in 1986.\n      Other analysts, including Clarence Morrison of Dean Witter\n  Reynolds Inc and Merrill's Roling, also recommend Phelps.\n      Morrison projects Phelps will earn 3.25 dlrs in 1987 and\n  four dlrs in 1988, while Roling sees earnings at 2.75 dlrs this\n  year and around 3.50 dlrs next year.\n      \"The stock can go to the mid 30s,\" Roling said, from its\n  current level of around 30. But others see it climbing to 40.\n      \"Their (Phelps Dodge) costs are so low, they don't need\n  copper prices higher than 70 cts to make a lot of money,\" said\n  Vahid Fathi of Prescott Ball and Turben Inc. \"The shares will\n  outperform the market over the next 18 months,\" he said.\n      But Nick Toufexis of Prudential-Bache Securities Inc says\n  Newmont Mining is a more attractive investment. \"We'd rather\n  place our bets with Newmont. Any way you slice it, I see a\n  significant premium to the current stock price,\" he said.\n      After the spinoff, which closes next month, Newmont will\n  have gold operations, including 95 pct of Newmont Gold Co\n  <NGC>, a 15 pct stake in its copper unit and energy operations,\n  Toufexis noted.\n      Analysts see Newmont earning 2.85 dlrs to three dlrs in\n  1987 and about 3.75 dlrs in 1988, versus earnings of about 1.40\n  dlrs from operations in 1986.\n      \"I'd be buying up to 90,\" Toufexis said last week, when the\n  stock rose sharply to near that level. \"But the shares are\n  probably worth about 108 dlrs (each).\"\n      Dean Witter's Morrison and Fathi of Prescott Ball like\n  Asarco, because of cost cutting and restructuring. Morrison\n  sees 1987 earnings at 1.25 dlrs and 1988 at 1.75 against losses\n  in 1986. Fathi projects Asarco will earn one dlr in 1987 and\n  from three dlrs to 3.25 dlrs in 1988.\n      Roling of Merrill Lynch is recommending Cyprus Minerals Co\n  <CYPM> in addition to Phelps Dodge. Cyprus has interests in\n  coal and other minerals aside from copper.\n      But Siedenburg of Smith Barney thinks Cyprus is overpriced\n  at current levels. \"I would be willing to sell Cyprus and buy\n  Phelps Dodge if I were picking one copper stock,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KOHLBERG KRAVIS HAS 96 PCT OWENS-ILLINOIS <OI>\n","article":"  OII Holdings Corp, a company formed by\n  Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Co, said it received and purchased\n  about 58.3 mln shares or 96 pct of Owens-Illinois Inc common\n  stock and 50,275 of 4.75 dlr cumulative convertible preference\n  shares of Owens, or about 83 pct.\n      The company said its tender offer for all common and\n  preference shares expired last night. It said Owens-Illinois\n  will be merged into a subsidiary of OII Holdings on March 24.\n  Common shares not bought in the offer will be converted into\n  the right to receive 60.50 dlrs per share in cash, the tender\n  price.  The preference stock has been called.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MACGREGOR SPORTING GOODS INC <MGS>2ND QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr one cent vs nine cts\n      Net 51,057 vs 554,878\n      Sales 24.5 mln vs 21.3 mln\n      First half\n      Shr 15 cts vs five cts\n      Net 1,026,479 vs 313,676\n      Sales 48.4 mln vs 37.4 mln\n      NOTE: Net includes gains of 28,000 dlrs, or one cent a\n  share, vs 61,000 dlrs, or seven cts a share, in quarter and\n  453,000 dlrs, or seven cts a share, vs 61,000 dlrs, or one cent\n  a share, in half from tax loss carryforward\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC WARNS U.S. AND JAPAN ON TRADE TENSIONS\n","article":"  The European Community (EC) yesterday\n  warned Japan and the United States, its main trading partners,\n  that friction over trade issues is affecting the EC's relations\n  with both countries.\n      EC foreign ministers issued a statement deploring Japan's\n  continued trade imbalance and appealed for the country to make\n  a greater effort to open up its markets. They also said they\n  were disturbed by a draft bill before the U.S. Congress that\n  would impose permanent quotas on textile imports and were\n  prepared to react. The U.S. Administration has already\n  distanced itself from the bill.\n      EC External Trade Commissioner Willy De Clercq has written\n  to his U.S. Counterpart, Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter,\n  outlining the EC's concerns.\n      The statement said ministers were very disturbed by U.S.\n  Moves towards protectionism. \"The adoption of such measures\n  would not fail to have a negative effect on the process of\n  multilateral negotiations just started, as well as on bilateral\n  relations,\" it said.\n      Any unilateral U.S. Moves would leave the EC no option but\n  to react according to the laws of the General Agreement on\n  Tariffs and Trade, it said.\n      In a separate statement on Japan, the EC ministers said\n  they \"deplore the continued aggravation of the imbalance in\n  trade (and) expect Japan to open up its market more.\"\n      The statement said the EC would continue to insist that\n  Japan boost imports and stimulate domestic demand.\n      Ministers also called on the EC Commission to prepare a\n  report on U.S.-Japanese trade for July this year to enable them\n  to take appropriate action where necessary.\n      One diplomat said the call for a report showed ministers\n  were determined not to let the Japanese question drop. \"It will\n  be back on the table again and again,\" the diplomat said.\n      De Clercq, talking to journalists during the meeting, said,\n  \"There is a certain nervousness, a growing impatience within the\n  Community concerning trade relations with Japan.\"\n      But diplomats said the EC is keen to negotiate with Tokyo\n  to solve the problem rather than embark on a costly and\n  damaging trade war, and the ministers called for more\n  cooperation with Japan in industry and research.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"RENEWED BULL SPREADING LIKELY ON CATTLE REPORT\n","article":"  Livestock analysts expect renewed bull\n  spreading in live cattle futures following yesterday's USDA\n  7-state cattle on feed report.\n      The USDA reported high placements in February, which may\n  weigh on back months of cattle futures. Meanwhile, continued\n  strong marketings during the month will support the April\n  contract.\n      Contracts for June delivery forward could open 25 to 50\n  cents lower while April will likely open about steady, analysts\n  said.\n      Cheap corn is still the main incentive for putting cattle\n  on feed, according to Smith Barney livestock analyst Tom\n  O'Hare. \"They have no place to send the grain,\" he said.\n      Strong daily fundamentals may add to nearby support while\n  the current discount of deferred months to the cash market may\n  offset much of the effect of the report, analysts said.\n      \"The cash market is strong and may overshadow the report,\"\n  said Robin Fuller, analyst for Agri Analysis. She added that\n  even though placements came in above the average trade guess,\n  many traders had expected high placements.\n      Placements are not that negative, especially since the\n  technical correction in June and August live cattle futures\n  since last week, GH Miller analyst Jerry Gidel said.\n      He said the current marketing posture will provide added\n  support to the nearby month. Feedlot marketings have been\n  running at a heavier than expected pace.\n      Chuck Levitt, analyst for Shearson Lehman said that with\n  the number of cattle on feed down five pct at the beginning of\n  the year, a three pct decline in marketings was expected. But\n  the report for January showed marketings at 101 pct of a year\n  ago and in February marketings were at 100 pct, Levitt noted.\n      \"So far we haven't seen any decline in marketings. They\n  (feedlot operators) are marketing more cattle than they had\n  intended for the first quarter, which is a bullish\n  development,\" Levitt said.\n      Gidel also noted that marketings for the early part of\n  March are running ahead of a year ago. Feedlots are not falling\n  behind and are holding that 100 pct marketing pace.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MICROBILT CORP <BILT> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 15 cts vs 14 cts\n      Net 614,000 vs 449,000\n      Revs 4,186,000 vs 4,124,000\n      Avg shrs 4,131,000 vs 3,321,000\n      Year\n      Shr 47 cts vs 42 cts\n      Net 1,768,000 vs 1,394,000\n      Revs 15.0 mln vs 12.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,799,000 vs 3,324,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SHAMROCK HOLDINGS UNIT AQUIRES SOFTWARE COMPANY\n","article":"  <Shamrock Holdings Inc> said\n  its subsidiary, Shamrock Holdings of California, acquired\n  controlling interest in <DBMS Inc> through the purchase of\n  575,000 shares of its preferred stock.\n      The company said the stock was purchased for an undisclosed\n  amount from an unnamed group of investors.\n      Shamrock said Raymond Nawara, a former executive vice\n  president of DBMS, a privately-held software company, also\n  granted it options and voting rights on a major portion of his\n  shares of common stock.\n     \n      The combination of preferred and common stock holdings\n  permit Shamrock and Nawara to exercise voting control over\n  approximately 53 pct of the shares of the company.\n      Shamrock also said Nawara has been elected president of\n  DBMS and one of its directors.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GULF BARGE FREIGHT RATES UP FURTHER ON CALL\n","article":"  Gulf barge freight rates firmed again on\n  the outlook for steady vessel loadings at the Gulf, increasing\n  the demand for barges to supply those ships, dealers said.\n      No barges traded today on the St Louis Merchants' Exchange\n  call session, versus 29 yesterday.\n      Quotes included -\n   - Delivery this week on the Illinois River (Joliet) 135 pct of\n  tariff bid\/140 offered, with next week same river (ex Chicago)\n  quoted the same - both up 2-1\/2 percentage points.\n   - Next week Mississippi River (St Louis) 120 pct bid\/127-1\/2\n  offered - up five points.\n   - Next week Ohio River (Owensboro\/south) 125 pct bid\/132-1\/2\n  offered - up 7-1\/2 points.\n   - On station Illinois River (south Chicago) 135 pct bid\/140\n  offered - no comparison.\n   - March Illinois (ex Chicago) 132-1\/2 pct bid\/140 offered - up\n  2-1\/2 points.\n   - March Ohio River bid at yesterday's traded level of 125 pct,\n  offered at 132-1\/2.\n   - March lower Mississippi River (Memphis\/Cairo) 112-1\/2 pct\n  bid\/120 offered - no comparison.\n   - May Illinois River (ex Chicago) 100 pct bid\/107-1\/2 offered\n  - no comparison.\n   - Sept\/Nov Lower Mississippi River (Memphis\/Cairo) 137-1\/2 pct\n  bid\/145 offered, with Sept\/Dec same section 125 pct bid\/135\n  offered - no comparison.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CREDIT AGRICOLE REPLACES BNP IN HACHETTE TV BID\n","article":"  French state agricultural bank <Caisse\n  Nationale du Credit Agricole> has joined the group led by\n  publishing house <Hachette> which is bidding for control of the\n  state television station TF1, replacing <Banque Nationale de\n  Paris> which has withdrawn, Hachette said in a statement.\n      Credit Agricole's stake in the consortium will be 3.5 pct.\n      Last week the broadcasting supervisory board asked Hachette\n  to remove BNP from the consortium because the bank had acted as\n  adviser to the government for the imminent privatisation of\n  TF1.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PAYLESS CASHWAYS INC <PCI> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 10 cts vs seven cts\n      Net 3,501,000 vs 2,420,000\n      Sales 332.7 mln vs 274.9 mln\n      Qtly div four cts vs four cts prior\n      Pay April Six\n      Record March Six\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRANCE APPROVES WATERMAN ACQUISITION BY GILLETTE\n","article":"  Gillette Co <GS> exercised an option to\n  take a 51.2 pct stake in the French pen firm Waterman which it\n  had previously been authorised to do by the French government,\n  the French stockbrokers' association (CSAC) said.\n      Gillette has given an undertaking to intervene on the\n  Bourse until April 7 to prevent Waterman shares from falling\n  below 650 francs, it added.\n      This compares with yesterday's rate of 625 francs.\n      Under the agreement concluded last November between\n  Waterman owners Francine and Grace Le Foyer-Gomez and Alice\n  Lundgren and the Gillette group, Gillette agreed to acquire\n  51.2 pct of the capital of Waterman at 700 francs a share.\n      Gillette is buying a total 180,000 shares, valuing the deal\n  at 126 mln francs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET SHORTAGE FORECAST REVISED DOWN\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had revised\n  its forecast of the shortage in the money market today down to\n  400 mln stg from 450 mln stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NOEL INDUSTRIES INC <NOL> 1ST QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 26 cts vs loss 12 cts\n      Net loss 289,649 vs loss 138,372\n      Revs 5,944,286 vs 5,902,074\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN ALERTS GATT TO SOUTH KOREA IMPORT PLAN\n","article":"  Japan told the General Agreement on\n  Tariffs and Trade that South Korea's five-year import\n  diversification plan violated the spirit of the world trade\n  governing body, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said.\n      The notification came in Japan's answer to a recent GATT\n  questionnaire on unfair trade practices, the spokesman said.\n      In the five-year plan, which starts this year, South Korea\n  aims to reduce its dependency on Japan as a source of imported\n  goods and to increase imports from the U.S. And Europe.\n      Japan's move came after several unsuccessful bilateral\n  negotiations on the plan, the spokesman said. \"The notification\n  does not represent anything resembling a formal complaint, nor\n  is it intended to pressure South Korea. It is a routine\n  procedure followed by all other GATT member states.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET RECEIVES 16 MLN STG ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had provided\n  the money market with 16 mln stg help in the afternoon session.\n      The Bank did not operate in the market in the morning and\n  earlier revised its estimate of the shortage in the system\n  today down to 400 mln stg from 450 mln.\n      The central bank purchased bills outright in band one at\n  10-3\/8 pct comprising two mln stg of local authority bills and\n  14 mln stg of bank bills.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ATICO FINANCIAL <ATFC> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Atico Financial Corp said it has executed\n  a definitive agreement to acquire 93.5 pct of Intercontinental\n  Bank of Dade County, Fla., from Intercontinental Bank Holding\n  Co for an undisclosed amount of cash and common stock.\n      It said closing is subject to regulatory approval.\n      Atico said in connection with the acquisition it will apply\n  to become a registered bank holding company and convert its 99\n  npct owned Atico Savings Bank subsidiary to a state-chartered\n  commercial bank.\n      Intercontinental had year-end assets of about 487 mln dlrs.\n      Atico had year-end assets of about 534 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CLOTHESTIME INC <CTME> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 12 cts vs 10 cts\n      Net 1,683,000 vs 1,407,000\n      Revs 42.2 mln vs 28.8 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 83 cts vs 70 cts\n      Net 11.9 mln vs 10.0 mln\n      Revs 160.3 mln vs 126.5 mln\n      NOTE: prior qtr and yr ended Jan 26.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHARTER-CRELLIN INC <CRTR> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.40 dlrs vs 1.38 dlrs\n      Net 1,928,800 vs 1,485,600\n      Sales 35.2 mln vs 33.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,350,800 vs one mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<SENSORMATIC CANADA LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 26 cts vs 18 cts\n      Net 879,000 vs 615,000\n      Revs 6,394,000 vs 5,561,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DIME SAVINGS BANK OF WALLINGFORD <DIBK> PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April Three\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BAKER INTERNATIONAL TO SELL ELECTRIC SUBMERSIBLE OILWELL PUMP UNIT\n","article":"\n  BAKER INTERNATIONAL TO SELL ELECTRIC SUBMERSIBLE OILWELL PUMP UNIT\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BAKER <BKO> TO SELL OILWELL PUMP UNIT\n","article":"  Baker International Corp said it has\n  signed a definitive agreement to sell the assets and business\n  of the electric submersible oilwell pump product line in the\n  continental U.S. of its Baker Oil Tools Inc subsidiary to Trico\n  Industries Inc <TRO> for an undisclosed amount of cash and\n  other consideration.\n      The company said the transaction is subject to Hughes Tool\n  Co <HT> and Baker shareholder approval of the Baker\/Hughes\n  merger. The U.S. Justice Department has announced that it will\n  require divestiture of the product line for approval of the\n  merger.\n      Baker said the transaction is subject to approval by the\n  Justice Department and the boards of Baker, Hughes and Trico.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<CANADIAN FOREMOST LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 38 cts vs 92 cts\n      Net 1,042,000 vs 2,510,000\n      Revs 20.6 mln vs 29.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IMMUNOGENETICS INC <IGEN> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit eight cts vs loss eight cts\n      Oper net profit 604,996 vs loss 615,345\n      Sales 18.4 mln vs 17.8 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes losses from discontinued operations of\n  156,098 dlrs vs 732,924 dlrs.\n      1986 net excludes tax credits of 271,538 dlrs.\n      1985 net includes gain 480,0009 dlrs from reversl of\n  recapture taxes.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<SCURRY-RAINBOW OIL LTD> 1ST QTR DEC 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 31 cts vs 53 cts\n      Net 4.2 mln vs 7.1 mln\n      Revs 16.1 mln vs 27.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MCRAE INDUSTRIES INC <MRI.B> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 19 cts vs three cts\n      Net 515,000 vs 87,000\n      Revs 6,830,000 vs 4,107,000\n      Six mths\n      Shr 36 cts vs 12 cts\n      Net 955,000 vs 327,000\n      Revs 14.2 mln vs 9,755,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<FRONTIER TEXAS CORP> 2ND QTR NOV 30 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit one ct vs loss four cts\n      Oper net profit 104,386 vs loss 196,265\n      Revs 8,174,652 vs 2,309,979\n      Avg shrs 6,285,714 vs 5,500,000\n      1st half\n      Oper shr profit nil vs loss eight cts\n      Oper net profit 26,541 vs loss 419,758\n      Revs 12.0 mln vs 5,088,134\n      Avg shrs 5,836,735 vs 5,500,000\n      NOTE: Current year net both periods excludes tax credit of\n  107,370 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<VICEROY RESOURCE CORP> DETAILS GOLD ASSAYS\n","article":"  Viceroy Resource\n  Corp said recent drilling on the Lesley Ann deposit extended\n  the high-grade mineralization over a width of 600 feet.\n      Assays ranged from 0.35 ounces of gold per ton over a\n  150-foot interval at a depth of 350 to 500 feet to 1.1 ounces\n  of gold per ton over a 65-foot interval at a depth of 200 to\n  410 feet.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN TO TENDER FOR 450,000 TONNES U.S. CORN\n","article":"  Taiwan is scheduled to tender tonight\n  for 450,000 to 475,000 tonnes U.S. corn, export sources said.\n      The tender calls for 11 cargoes for delivery from April\n  through October with early shipments FOB or Pacific Northwest,\n  they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CLABIR <CLG> UNIT AGRES TO BUY POPSICLE CANADA\n","article":"  Clabir Corp said its 86 pct\n  owned affiliate, Ambrit Inc <ABI>, has agreed to acquire the\n  Popsicle Industries division of <Sara Lee Corp of Canada Ltd>\n  for about 37 mln Canadian dlrs in cash.\n      Clabir said the purchase from the Sara Lee Corp <SLE>\n  subsidiary is worht about 28 mln U.S. dlrs.\n      The agreement is subject to Canadian regulatory approval.\n      Popsicle Canada, through its 19 licensees, is the largest\n  maker and distributor of frozen novelty products in Canada,\n  Clabir added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ST. JUDE MEDICAL <STJM> VOTES DIVIDEND RIGHTS\n","article":"  St. Jude Medical Inc said its board\n  declared a special dividend of one right for each outstanding\n  share held of the company's common stock, payable to holders of\n  record April Six.\n      It said each right entitles the holder to buy one-tenth of\n  a share of preferred stock of St. Jude at an exercise price of\n  100 dlrs.\n      St. Jude said the rights may be exercised only after 10\n  days following the acquisition of, or commencement of a tender\n  offer for, at least 20 pct of the company's common stock.\n      The company added that it has no reason to believe St. Jude\n  Medical is a takeover target.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ADAMS-RUSSELL ELECTRONICS <AARE> IN PURCHASE\n","article":"  Adams-Russell Electronics Co Inc\n  said it has acquired Hermetronics PLC, a maker of hermetic\n  integrated circuit packages, for about 600,000 dlrs. \n      The company said HErmetronics is expected to have sales of\n  over 800,000 dlrs for the year ending this month.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MESA LIMITED PARTNERSHIP <MLP> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 50 cts vs 50 cts prior\n      Pay May 15\n      Record April Seven\n      NOTE: Partnership said holders of common and preference\n  units for all of 1987 are expected to have no net taxable\n  income.   \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT RECORD 36.84 BILLION DLRS IN 4TH QTR 1986\n","article":"\n  U.S. CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT RECORD 36.84 BILLION DLRS IN 4TH QTR 1986\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT 36.84 BILLION DLRS\n","article":"  The U.S. current account deficit\n  widened to a record 36.84 billion dlrs on a balance of payments\n  basis in the October-December fourth quarter of 1986 from a\n  revised 35.29 billion dlrs in the third quarter, the Commerce\n  Department said.\n      Previously, the department said the third-quarter deficit\n  was 36.28 billion dlrs.\n      For the full year 1986, the current account, a broad\n  measure of trade performance, was in deficit a record 140.57\n  billion dlrs after a 117.68 billion dlr deficit in 1985.\n      The department said an increase in the merchandise trade\n  deficit during the fourth quarter to 38.4 billion dlrs from\n  37.1 billion dlrs in the third quarter was the main reason for\n  the worsening deficit.\n      Net service receipts declined to 5.5 billion dlrs in the\n  final quarter from six billion dlrs in the third quarter.\n      The current account includes trade in merchandise and\n  services as well as U.S. financial transactions with the rest\n  of the world.\n      The department said the merchandise trade deficit for all\n  of 1986 grew to 147.7 billion from 124.4 billion dlrs in 1985.\n      Net service receipts were 22.3 billion dlrs in 1986,\n  compared with 21.7 billion dlrs in 1985, the department said.\n      Net unilateral transfers during the fourth quarter last\n  year, covering foreign aid and government pensions, were down\n  to 3.9 billion dlrs from 4.2 billion dlrs in the third quarter\n  because of fewer U.S. government grants to Mideast countries.\n      Liabilities to foreigners reported by U.S. banks rose 35.3\n  billion dlrs between October and December after increasing 30.1\n  billion dlrs in the third quarter.\n      For the full year, these liabilities grew 77.4 billion dlrs\n  after rising by 40.4 billion dlrs in 1985.\n      The department said inflows were boosted in the fourth\n  quarter by international activities of Japanese banks and\n  strong demand within the United States to finance acquisitions.\n      Net foreign sales of U.S. Treasury securities by foreigners\n  were 2.7 billion dlrs in the quarter after purchases of 500 mln\n  dlrs in the third quarter.\n      Net foreign purchases of securities other than U.S.\n  Treasury securities in the fourth quarter were 11.8 billion\n  dlrs, compared with 17.2 billion dlrs in the third quarter.\n      For all 1986, foreign purchases of securities excluding\n  U.S. Treasury securities were a record 70.7 billion dlrs,\n  surpassing the previous record 50.9 billion dlr total in 1985.\n     Claims on foreigners reported by U.S. banks in the fourth\n  quarter rose 29.9 billion dlrs after a 19.3 billion dlr\n  third-quarter increase.\n      U.S. sales of foreign securities rose to 2.7 billion dlrs\n  from 300 mln dlrs in the third quarter because of a sharp\n  selloff of foreign stocks and bonds, the department said.\n      Outflows for U.S. direct investment abroad fell to 5.7\n  billion dlrs from eight billion dlrs in the third quarter.\n      Foreign direct investment in the United States increased\n  14.4 billion dlrs in the fourth quarter, compared with 5.6\n  billion dlrs in the previous quarter, because of stepped-up\n  acquisitions, the department said.\n      Foreign official assets in the United States increased 800\n  mln dlrs between October and December after rising 15.4 billion\n  dlrs in the third quarter.\n      For the full year 1986, foreign official assets grew 33.4\n  billion dlrs after a 1985 decrease of 1.9 billion dlrs as\n  foreign monetary authorities intervened heavily in exchange\n  markets late in the year as the dollar fell, commerce said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 120 MLN STG LATE HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided the\n  money market with late assistance of around 120 mln stg.\n      This brings the bank's total help today to some 136 mln stg\n  and compares with its forecast of a 400 mln stg shortage in the\n  system.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MEMORY PROTECTION <MPDI> SEES BOGEN CLOSING\n","article":"  Memory Protection Devices Inc said it\n  expects to close the previously announced acquisition of the\n  assets and liabilities of Bogen, a division of <Lear Siegler\n  Inc>, on April one.\n      Memory Protection Devices said it received a senior loan\n  commitment letter as well as the requisite waiver under the New\n  Jersey Environmental Control Reclamation Act, both of which are\n  necessary to complete the acquisition. It declined to provide\n  further details.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN FOREMOST CONTINUES MACEDON SALE TALKS\n","article":"  <Canadian Foremost Ltd>,\n  earlier reporting lower 1986 net profit, said negotiations are\n  continuing concerning the previously announced sale of the\n  company's 49 pct interest in <Macedon Resources Ltd>.\n      If concluded, the sale would be refelected in the company's\n  1987 results, Foremost said without elaborating.\n      It also said lower revenues from the last half of 1986 are\n  expected to continue during 1987, but a strong cash and working\n  capital position will enable Foremost to go on developing\n  traditional and new markets. It earlier said 1986 earnings fell\n  to 1,042,000 dlrs from year-ago 2,510,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TEXAS INTERNATIONAL <TEI> COMPLETES RESERVE SALE\n","article":"  Texas International Co said it\n  has completed the previously-announced 120 mln dlr sale of its\n  domestic oil and natural gas reserves to <Total Compagnie\n  Francaise des Petroles>.\n      It said on closing it used part of the proceeds to retire\n  all 100 mln dlrs of its U.S. bank and U.S. senior debt and the\n  rest will be used for general corporate purposes.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TRANS WORLD MUSIC CORP <TWMC> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 70 cts vs 47 cts\n      Net 4,185,000 vs 2,433,000\n      Sales 52.9 mln vs 35.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 6,000,000 vs 5,200,000\n      Year\n      Shr 1.20 dlrs vs 71 cts\n      Net 6,759,000 vs 3,717,000\n      Sales 130.4 mln vs 85.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,622,000 vs 5,200,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GRUEN MARKETING <GMC> SEES YEAR NET OFF\n","article":"  Gruen Marketing Corp said it\n  expects to report earnings for the year ended January 31 of 60\n  to 65 cts per share on about 7,309,000 average shares, down\n  from 78 cts on 6,545,000 shares a year before.\n      It said sales fell about 10 pct from the year-earlier 104.9\n  mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DUTCH OFFICIAL WARNS OF MORE TRADE CONFLICTS\n","article":"  Already strained relations between\n  the U.S. And the European Community (EC) are likely to get\n  worse before they get better, director general of the Dutch\n  Economics Ministry's foreign affairs division Frans Engering\n  said.\n      Speaking at an American Chamber of Commerce lunch in The\n  Hague, Engering noted the developing history of crises over\n  steel, citrus and pasta, and warned of more to come.\n      \"I consider the strident tone of US declarations on Airbus\n  ill-advised, and the EC fats and oils tax proposal a dangerous\n  provocation,\" he said. \"I feel that we shall probably have to\n  deal with quite a few more crises in the foreseeable future.\"\n      Not only is the US Congress clearly very determined to get\n  the American balance of payments into better shape, but the\n  risks of brinkmanship are all the greater because the EC has\n  its own constraints in meeting outside pressure, Engering\n  noted.\n      \"If we ask ourselves whether it is perhaps inevitable that\n  we keep pushing each other to the brink of actual trade war,\n  then I think the answer is probably yes,\" he said.\n      In order to reduce these tensions, decision-making in the\n  EC must become less self-centred, and the US Administration\n  will have to exercise the authority to convince Congress and\n  pressure groups of the need for accommodation, he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"QINTEX AGAIN EXTENDS PRINCEVILLE <PVDC> OFFER\n","article":"  <Qintex America Ltd> said its offer\n  for 3.3 mln Princeville Development Corp shares has been\n  extended to March 19 from March 18.\n      As of yesterday, Qintex said, 7,060,197 Princeville shares\n  had been tendered in response to the offer and not withdrawn,\n  down from over 7.2 mln on March 10.\n      Qintex said it is extending the offer to allow Princeville\n  shareholders to assess the sale announced last week of\n  Princeville Airways Inc to Aloha Inc <ALO>, adding a supplement\n  to the Quintex offer further detailing the agreement with Aloha\n  will be distributed later today.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEGOTIATORS DRAFT DETAILS OF NEXT RUBBER PACT\n","article":"  Rubber producers and consumers, who\n  agreed last week on the central elements of a new international\n  natural rubber pact, have started work on the legal drafting of\n  a future accord, delegates said.\n      Compromise on issues blocking an agreement was reached at a\n  United Nations conference on an accord to replace the current\n  pact, which expires in October.\n      The new International Natural Rubber Agreement (INRA) is\n  expected to be formally adopted on Friday.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"VICEROY RESOURCE CORP DETAILS GOLD ASSAYS\n","article":"  Viceroy Resource\n  Corp said recent drilling on the Lesley Ann deposit extended\n  the high-grade mineralization over a width of 600 feet.\n      Assays ranged from about 0.35 ounces of gold per short ton\n  over a 150-foot interval at a depth of 350 to 500 feet to about\n  1.1 ounces of gold per ton over a 65-foot interval at a depth\n  of 200 to 410 feet.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRST VALLEY CORP <FIVC> REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 21 cts\n      Payable April 15\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. TREASURY ANNOUNCES OECD TIED-AID PACT\n","article":"  U.S. Treasury Secretary James Baker\n  said an agreement has been reached by members of the\n  Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to\n  control the unfair trade practice of using tied aid to promote\n  trade.\n      He said in a statement the agreement culminates the Reagan\n  administration's effot to negotiate a virtual end to export\n  credit subsidies.\n      The practice of other governments using tied aid or mixed\n  credits to promote exports has cost the United States lost jobs\n  and lost exports, the Treasury said.\n      The agreement to be implemented in two stages by July, 1988\n  would ban tied aid credit among industrialized countries and\n  place limits on permitted aid by developing countries.\n      It would also reduce export credits that do not involve aid\n  and reduce credit subsidies permitted for relatively poor\n  countries, the Treasury said.\n      Baker said the agreement imposes particular sacrifices on\n  Japan and praised Japan's willingness to accept the pact as a\n  demonstration of the Japanese government's willingness to take\n  concrete steps to resolve important trade issues.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GULF RESOURCES <GRE> SEES 1ST QTR PRETAX PROFIT\n","article":"  Gulf Resources and Chemical Corp said\n  the sale of its stake in <Imperial Continental Gas Association>\n  will result in a pre-tax profit of about 44.1 mln dlrs or 4.69\n  dlrs per share, fully duliuted, in the first quarter of 1987.\n      Gulf said it sold its remaining stake in Imperial of \n  6,631,222 shares and 100,000 units of loan stock for 74.8 mln\n  dlrs, based on an exchange rate of one pound sterling at 1.58\n  dlr. As previously reported, it sold 9,534,633 of its Imperial\n  shares on March nine.\n      Gulf said the sale of the Imperial shares were accepted as\n  part of a recent tender offer made by <Groupe Bruxelles Lambert\n  S.A.> and <Tractebel S.A.>.\n      Under the terms of the offer, Gulf said it is entitled to\n  receive a supplementary payment if a general offer to acquire\n  Imperial Continental or its Calor Group or Contibel Holdings\n  becomes wholly unconditional before Jan 1, 1988 at a price\n  above the tender off of 710 pence per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STERLING INC <STRL> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.27 dlrs vs not given\n      Net 5,097,000 vs 3,164,000\n      Sales 48.1 mln vs 31.7 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.42 dlrs vs not given\n      Net 5,194,000 vs 3,457,000\n      Sales 100.4 mln vs 70.1 mln\n      NOTE: Company went public in May 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AUTOMATIX INC <AITX> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 20 cts vs loss 12 cts\n      Net loss 2,195,000 vs loss 1,402,000\n      Revs 3,600,000 vs 5,777,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 71 cts vs loss 51 cts\n      Net loss 7,851,000 vs loss 5,594,000\n      Revs 16.7 mln vs 24.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IONICS INC <ION> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 11 cts vs 24 cts\n      Net 419,000 vs 938,000\n      Revs 16.2 mln vs 16.9 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 25 cts vs 95 cts\n      Net 952,000 vs 3,001,000\n      Revs 64.6 mln vs 68.8 mln\n      Backlog 30.3 mln vs 31.9 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes nonrecurring gain 383,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and charge 175,000 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SOVIETS SAID TO SEE NEW FLOOR FOR GRAIN OUTPUT\n","article":"  The intensive technology concept for\n  grain production has put a new floor under USSR grain\n  production, the U.S. Agriculture Department's officer in Moscow\n  said in a field report.\n      The report, quoting a broadcast on Radio Moscow, said that\n  due to intensive technology grain production in a \"bad year\" will\n  not fall below 200 mln tonnes, and in a \"good year\" grain\n  production could reach 250 mln tonnes.\n      The U.S. Agriculture Department currently forecasts this\n  year's USSR crop at 210.1 mln tonnes, and if realized this\n  would be the third year since 1975 that the Soviet Union's\n  grain harvest has exceeded 200.0 mln tonnes.\n      The largest crop since 1975 was 237.4 mln tonnes harvested\n  in 1978, according to USDA data.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OECD AGREES EXPORT CREDIT REFORMS\n","article":"  The western industrialised nations have\n  agreed reforms in rules by which they provide credit for\n  exports to developing countries, the Organisation for Economic\n  Cooperation and Development said.\n      The reforms tighten the rules for the use of foreign aid to\n  subsidise export credits in so-called \"mixed credits,\" the OECD\n  said.\n      The agreement, to be implemented in two stages in July this\n  year and July 1988, means the minimum aid component in mixed\n  credits will be raised to 35 pct from 25 pct, and to 50 pct for\n  credits covering exports to the world's least developed\n  nations.\n      Additionally, a new formula will be used for calculating\n  the aid element in mixed credits, to take account of different\n  interest rates in the exporting countries, the 24-nation OECD,\n  which hosted the reform negotiations, said.\n      Minimum interest rates for officially subsidised trade\n  loans have also been revised with the aim of cutting the\n  subsidies, and ending them completely on loans to relatively\n  rich developing countries by July next year.\n      The reforms follow several years of pressure by the U.S. To\n  stop competitors, notably France and Japan, using foreign aid\n  to subsidise exports, putting U.S. Firms at a disadvantage.\n      OECD officials said the agreement was based on a\n  provisional accord reached in January subject to ratification\n  by member governments. Some governments, including Austria, had\n  linked their final approval to other trade credit issues which\n  would be discussed at a meeting here in mid-April, they added.\n      By raising the minimum amount of aid required in mixed\n  credits the agreement aims to make such hidden subsidies too\n  costly for frequent use.\n      \"A major loophole in the General Agreement on Tariffs and\n  Trade has been closed today,\" a senior U.S. Official here\n  commented.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TM COMMUNICATIONS <TMCI> COMPLETES PURCHASE\n","article":"  TM Communications Inc said it has\n  completed the acquisition of radio station KNSS-FM of Reno,\n  Nev., for about 2,500,000 dlrs in cash.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PEOPLES HERITAGE <PHBK> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Peoples Heritage Bank said it\n  has agreed to purchase Northeast Leasing Co Inc, a Portland,\n  Maine lessor of office equipment, for about 43,000 common\n  shares.\n      It said Norhteast had year-end receivables of 2,700,000\n  dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CODENOLL TECHNOLOGY CORP <CODN> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 12 cts vs loss 17 cts\n      Net loss 484,556 vs loss 620,607\n      Sales 2,167,631 vs 1,062,837\n      Avg shrs 3,985,924 vs 3,935,969\n      Year\n      Shr loss 62 cts vs loss 52 cts\n      Net loss 2,468,605 vs loss 1,788,406\n      Sales 6,603,285 vs 4,650,585\n      Avg shrs 3,983,692 vs 3,446,348\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"OWENS-CORNING <OCF> COMPLETES SALE OF PLANTS\n","article":"  Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp said\n  it has completed the previously-announced sale of its three\n  foam products plants to Atlas Roofing Corp for undisclosed\n  terms.\n      The sale is part of its restructuring, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":" U.K. Chancellor forecast in budget speech GDP growth of 3.0 pct in 1987\n","article":"\n   U.K. Chancellor forecast in budget speech GDP growth of 3.0 pct in 1987\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LAWSON FORECASTS 2.5 BILLION STG U.K. CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT IN 1987\n","article":"\n  LAWSON FORECASTS 2.5 BILLION STG U.K. CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT IN 1987\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CAMPBELL RESOURCES INC 2ND QTR SHR PROFIT THREE CTS VS LOSS 10 CTS\n","article":"\n  CAMPBELL RESOURCES INC 2ND QTR SHR PROFIT THREE CTS VS LOSS 10 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GENETIC LABORATORIES INC <GENL> 2ND QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Period ended Jan 31\n      Net loss 89,255 vs loss 277,536\n      Sales 913,136 vs 854,194\n      Six mths\n      Net profit 481,372 vs loss 555,722\n      Sales 1,845,532 vs 1,754,076\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. BUDGET SEES 1987 GDP GROWTH AT THREE PCT\n","article":"  Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel\n  Lawson, presenting his budget for fiscal 1987\/88 to Parliament,\n  said U.K. Economic growth was forecast at three pct in calendar\n  1987.\n      He said the Treasury expected a current account balance of\n  payments deficit in 1987 of 2.5 billion stg, after a 1.1\n  billion shortfall in 1986.\n      Inflation is expected to be 4.0 pct at the end of this\n  year, Lawson said.\n      \"As I forecast in the Autumn Statement, inflation may\n  continue to edge up for a time, perhaps exceeding 4.5 pct by\n  the summer, before falling back to 4.0 pct by the end of the\n  year,\" he added.\n      Turning to the Public Sector Borrowing Requirement (PSBR),\n  Lawson said the likely outturn for fiscal 1986\/87 was 4.0\n  billion stg, or 1.0 pct of GDP.\n      The planned PSBR for 1987\/88 was set at 4.0 billion stg.\n      On monetary policy, Lawson confirmed the target range for\n  the narrow M0 measure would be two to six pct in fiscal\n  1987\/88.\n      No explicit target was set for the broad sterling M3\n  aggregate, he said. \"But broad money will continue to be taken\n  into account in assessing monetary conditions, as of course\n  will the exchange rate,\" the Chancellor told Parliament.\n      Lawson said the low outturn of the PSBR in 1986\/87 \"is\n  chiefly attributable to the remarkable buoyancy of non-oil tax\n  revenues in general, and the corporation tax paid by an\n  increasingly profitable business sector in particular.\"\n      On oil prices, Lawson said he was sticking to his earlier\n  assumption that North Sea crude prices will average 15 dlrs per\n  barrel in calendar 1987.\n      He said \"it is clear that the increased flow of non-oil tax\n  revenues, coupled with the prospective further growth of the\n  economy in excess of the growth of public expenditure, puts the\n  public finances in a very strong position.\"\n      Lawson said the Treasury would strive to keep the PSBR at\n  1.0 pct of GDP in future.\n      \"We have reached what I judge to be the (Medium Term\n  Financial Strategy's) appropriate destination - a PSBR of 1.0\n  pct of GDP. My aim will be to keep it there over the years\n  ahead,\" Lawson said.\n      \"Inevitably, this greatly diminishes the scope I have this\n  year for reducing the burden of taxation, which of course\n  remains a major objective of government policy.\"\n      \"But I am sure it is right to err on the side of prudence\n  and caution, and to build a still firmer base for the future.\"\n      Lawson said the time had come to strike the Exchange\n  Control Act from the Statute book.\n      On corporation tax, he said the rate will remain unchanged\n  at 35 pct in 1987\/88. But companies' capital gains will be\n  charged at the \"appropriate corporation tax rate.\"\n      He said that under the new proposed system, companies\n  should be able to set Advanced Capital Tax (ACT) payments\n  against tax on capital gains.\n      \"Taken together, these changes should yield 60 mln stg in\n  1988\/89,\" Lawson said.\n      Lawson said he will propose that all companies and building\n  societies be treated the same way on payment of corporation\n  tax, \"with all liable to pay corporation tax nine months after\n  the end of the accounting period on which the tax is due.\"\n      \"I also propose to legislate now to pave the way for a new\n  method of collecting corporation tax, to be known as Pay and\n  File.\"\n      This would be part of a wider programme of streamlining tax\n  collection, and would not come into force until the early\n  1990s.\n      Lawson said he planned two reliefs on Petroleum Revenue Tax\n  (PRT). As from today, companies may elect to have up to 10 pct\n  of the costs of developing certain new fields set against their\n  (PRT) liabilities in existing fields, until the income of those\n  new fields exceeds the costs incurred.\n      Second, there will be a new relief against PRT for spending\n  on research into U.K. Oil extraction that is not related to any\n  particular field.\n      On business employment, Lawson said employers will receive\n  tax relief for retraining workers.\n      Lawson said that in future, traders registered for Value\n  Added Tax (VAT) would be able to choose to account for the tax\n  on the basis of cash paid and received.\n      Small businesses may account for VAT annually instead of\n  quarterly. The VAT compulsory registration period was being\n  extended to 30 days, he added, and VAT registration thresholds\n  are to be raised to 21,300 stg.\n      New measures are planned to combat VAT avoidance, he added.\n      The capital gains tax retirement relief limit would now be\n  set at 125,000 stg.\n      Lawson said he proposed to change the law so that companies\n  in multinational groups with dual residence will no longer be\n  able to secure tax relief twice on the same interest payment.\n  The change will take effect on April 1, 1987, but \"genuine\n  trading companies\" will not be affected.\n      He also planned to end the present treatment of tax credit\n  relief for foreign withholding tax paid on interest on bank\n  loans, also from April 1.\n      \"In future, banks will be able to offset this tax credit\n  only against tax on the profit on the relevant loan,\" he said.\n      The standard rate of taxation is being reduced by two\n  pence, to 27 pct from 29 pct.\n      Lawson reiterated the government's aim of reducing basic\n  taxation to 25 pence in the pound, but added \"given my decision\n  to use the greater part of the fiscal scope I now have to\n  reduce the PSBR, that goal cannot be achieved in this budget.\"\n      Small companies' corporation tax is also being reduced to\n  27 pct, he said.\n      On the Lloyd's insurance market, Lawson said he planned to\n  change the tax treatment of Lloyd's syndicates, bringing it\n  into line with that of provisions for outstanding liabilities\n  made by ordinary insurance companies and of comparable\n  provisions made by financial traders.\n      The Inland Revenue would be told to consult urgently with\n  Lloyd's about the details of the legislation, he said.\n      \"The new rules will first apply to premiums payable for the\n  Lloyd's account which closes on December 31 this year,\" Lawson\n  said.\n   MORE\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ROYAL RESOURCES <RRCO> MAKES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Royal Resources Corp said it has\n  exercised its optioon to purchase Montagu Mining Investments\n  Inc from <Samuel Montagu Ltd> of London for 3,600,000 dlrs in\n  cash and 200,000 common shares.\n      The company said Montagu's main asset is a 10 pct interest\n  in the Hog Ranch Joint Venture, which operates the open cut\n  heap leach Hog Ranch gold mine in Washoe County, Nev.  The mine\n  now produces gold at over 50,000 ounces a year.\n      It said after nine months following closing, Montagu may\n  require Royal to register the 200,000 shares for sale.         \n      Royal said from six months after closing until one year\n  after, Montagu also has the right to require Royal to\n  repurchase any or all of the 200,000 shares at 4.50 dlrs each.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CAMPBELL RESOURCES INC <CCH> 2ND QTR DEC 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit three cts vs loss 10 cts\n      Net profit 765,000 vs loss 2,600,000\n      Revs 9,259,000 vs 14,479,000\n      SIX MTHS\n      Shr profit three cts vs loss 11 cts\n      Net profit 875,000 vs loss 2,303,000\n      Revs 17.7 mln vs 29.2 mln\n      Note: Campbell changing its yr-end to Dec 31 from June 30.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AMERTEK INC <ATEKF> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 15 cts vs eight cts\n      Oper net 517,333 vs 276,240\n      Revs 22.4 mln vs 14.0 mln\n      Note: 1986 shr and net exclude extraordinary gain of\n  1,333,760 dlrs or 40 cts share. 1985 shr and net exclude\n  extraordinary gain of 294,859 dlrs or 10 cts share\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SYSTEMATICS INC <SYST> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 33 cts vs 27 cts\n      Net 3,588,000 vs 2,981,000\n      Revs 37.8 mln vs 31.6 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 72 cts vs 76 cts\n      Net 7,843,000 vs 8,344,000\n      Revs 103.3 mln vs 90.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FED MAY SUPPLY RESERVES IN THE MONEY MARKETS\n","article":"  There is a slightly better than even\n  chance that the Federal Reserve will enter the U.S. Government\n  securities market to add temporary reserves, economists said.\n      They said the Fed would supply the reserves indirectly via\n  around 1.5 billion dlrs of customer repurchase agreements.\n      Federal funds, which averaged 6.25 pct yesterday, opened at\n  6-1\/16 pct and moved in a narrow range between there and six\n  pct in early trading.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ARGENTINE 1986\/87 GRAIN\/OILSEED REGISTRATIONS\n","article":"  Argentine grain board figures show\n  crop registrations of grains, oilseeds and their products to\n  February 11, in thousands of tonnes, showing those for futurE\n  shipments month, 1986\/87 total and 1985\/86 total to February\n  12, 1986, in brackets:\n      Bread wheat prev 1,655.8, Feb 872.0, March 164.6, total\n  2,692.4 (4,161.0).\n      Maize Mar 48.0, total 48.0 (nil).\n      Sorghum nil (nil)\n      Oilseed export registrations were:\n      Sunflowerseed total 15.0 (7.9)\n      Soybean May 20.0, total 20.0 (nil)\n      The board also detailed export registrations for\n  subproducts, as follows,\n      SUBPRODUCTS\n      Wheat prev 39.9, Feb 48.7, March 13.2, Apr 10.0, total\n  111.8 (82.7) .\n      Linseed prev 34.8, Feb 32.9, Mar 6.8, Apr 6.3, total 80.8\n  (87.4).\n      Soybean prev 100.9, Feb 45.1, MAr nil, Apr nil, May 20.0,\n  total 166.1 (218.5).\n      Sunflowerseed prev 48.6, Feb 61.5, Mar 25.1, Apr 14.5,\n  total 149.8 (145.3).\n      Vegetable oil registrations were :         \n      Sunoil prev 37.4, Feb 107.3, Mar 24.5, Apr 3.2, May nil,\n  Jun 10.0, total 182.4 (117.6).                  \n      Linoil prev 15.9, Feb 23.6, Mar 20.4, Apr 2.0, total 61.8,\n  (76.1).                         \n      Soybean oil prev 3.7, Feb 21.1, Mar nil, Apr 2.0, May 9.0,\n  Jun 13.0, Jul 7.0, total 55.8 (33.7).        REUTER\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BALDRIGE PREDICTS SOLID U.S. HOUSING GROWTH\n","article":"  Commerce Secretary Malcolm Baldrige\n  predicted 1987 will be the fifth successive year for growth in\n  housing starts after a 2.6 pct rise overall in February starts\n  to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.851 mln units.\n      \"This year should be the fifth solid year in a row for\n  homebuilding activity -- with single-family units stronger than\n  multi-family units,\" he said in a statement.\n      Single-family starts rose last month from January levels by\n  5.6 pct to 1.317 mln units on a seasonally adjusted basis while\n  multi-family unit starts fell 4.1 pct to 534,000 units, the\n  department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"IRVING TRUST <V> BUYS GULF\/WESTERN <GW> UNIT\n","article":"  Irving Bank Corp said it bought the\n  factoring division of Associates Commercial Corp, a unit of\n  Gulf and Western Co Inc's Associates Corp of North America.\n      The terms of the previously announced deal were not\n  disclosed.\n      It said the assets were transferred to Irving Commercial\n  Corp.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMRE INC <AMRE> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr five cts vs one ct\n      Net 196,986 vs 37,966\n      Revs 15.5 mln vs 8,900,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 52 cts vs 22 cts\n      Net two mln vs 874,000\n      Revs 53.7 mln vs 28.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KANSAS LEGISLATOR TO OFFER U.S. 0\/92 BILL TODAY\n","article":"  U.S. Rep. Dan Glickman, D-Kan.,\n  chairman of the House Agriculture subcommittee on wheat,\n  soybeans and feedgrains, said he would today introduce a bill\n  to apply the so-called 0\/92 concept to wheat and feedgrains\n  producers.\n      Glickman told Reuters the measure would allow 1987 winter\n  wheat producers and 1988 feedgrains producers the possibility\n  of receiving no less than 92 pct of their income support\n  payments regardless of how much acreage they planted.\n      He also said his bill would protect program participants\n  from reduced income payments in the event market prices rose\n  above the loan rate.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PORTA SYSTEMS CORP <PSI> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 10 cts vs 11 cts\n      Net 547,000 vs 579,000\n      Sales 11.0 mln vs 11.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 46 cts vs 52 cts\n      Net 2,500,000 vs 2,841,000\n      Sales 40.7 mln vs 40.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FEDERATED DEPARTMENT STORES INC 4TH QTR SHR 3.64 DLRS VS 3.16 DLRS\n","article":"\n  FEDERATED DEPARTMENT STORES INC 4TH QTR SHR 3.64 DLRS VS 3.16 DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<WARNACO GROUP INC> EIGHT MTHS JAN THREE NET\n","article":"  Oper net 46.6 mln\n      Revs 392 mln\n      12 mths\n      Oper net 65 mln vs 47.1 mln\n      Revs 590 mln vs 591 mln\n      NOTE: Eight months represents earnings following\n  acquisition in May 1986 when company went private.\n      Period ending Jan. 3, 1987 excludes 42.3 mln dlrs of\n  interest expenses, 41.6 mln dlrs of acquisition adjusments, and\n  1.7 mln dlrs of income taxes.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GANTOS INC <GTOS> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 43 cts vs 37 cts\n      Net 2,276,000 vs 1,674,000\n      Sales 31.9 mln vs 23.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 5.3 mln vs 4.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 90 cts vs 69 cts\n      Net 4,508,000 vs 3,096,000\n      Sales 98.4 mln vs 75.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 5.0 mln vs 4.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<ATLANTIC EXPRESS INC> 1ST HALF DEC 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr not given\n      Net 788,099\n      Revs 15.5 mln\n      NOTE: Company went public during 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SPENDTHRIFT FARMS <SFI> GETS BID FOR CONTROL\n","article":"  Spendthrift Farm Inc said it has\n  received three tentative proposals to acquyire control of the\n  company.\n      It said it is evaluating the proposals and will not comment\n  further unless a definitive agreement is reached.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SHEARSON LEHMAN UPGRADES U.S. OIL STOCKS\n","article":"  Analyst Sanford Margoshes of Shearson\n  Lehman Brothers said he recommended a number of oil stocks\n  today now that it is apparent that OPEC has succeeded in\n  holding to its prescribed production quotas.\n      \"It is clear that OPEC, through jawboning and quota\n  restraint, will boost the price of oil,\" Margoshes said.\n      Prices of oil stocks rose sharply today in response to\n  higher oil prices and optimism about OPEC quotas. Margoshes\n  said he recommends Imperial Oil <IMO.A>, up 1\/2 to 49-1\/8,\n  Standard Oil Co <SRD>, 7\/8 to 62-3\/4, Exxon <XON> one to\n  83-1\/8, and Chevron <CHV> 1-1\/8 to 54-7\/8.\n      In addition, Margoshes said he recommended Atlantic\n  Richfield <ARC> on a short-term basis, though he said he is\n  still suspect about its debt situation. Atlantic Richfield rose\n  1-3\/4 to 77.\n      He said \"the market could come down to test the 16 dlr a\n  barrel level again, but the main thrust of investing in oil is\n  positive right now. Before the year is out we will see higher\n  oil prices.\"\n      He noted that belief that the government is interested in\n  raising the strategic reserves is factored into the rise in oil\n  stocks today.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ZAMBIAN MINISTER CONFIRMS COPPER DIVERSION\n","article":"  Minister of Mines Patrick Chitambala\n  confirmed that Zambia had ended copper shipments through South\n  Africa and announced that its state-run mining company had\n  closed down its liaison office in the white-ruled republic.\n      He told the official Times of Zambia newspaper in an\n  interview the government was diverting all mineral exports\n  along rail routes to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Beira in\n  Mozambique. Chitambala declined to say what volume of copper\n  and other minerals were being shipped through these two ports,\n  but he said there had not been any problem with the new\n  arrangements.\n      \"So far our copper has been reaching its destinations\n  without hindrance,\" he told the Times.\n      The Times of Zambia quoted unnamed sources as saying Zambia\n  exported 100,000 tonnes of copper through Dar es Salaam and\n  17,000 through Beira in the last quarter of 1986. Diplomatic\n  sources in Lusaka had earlier expressed doubts over Zambia's\n  ability to ship all its copper through Beira and Dar es Salaam\n  without causing massive bottlenecks at the ports.\n      Chitambala also said that the state-run Zambia Consolidated\n  Copper Mines (ZCCM) had closed its liaison office in\n  Johannesburg, since it was now redundant.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAFT CHAIRMAN'S GROUP RAISES TAFT BROADCASTING BID TO 150 DLRS\/SHARE\n","article":"\n  TAFT CHAIRMAN'S GROUP RAISES TAFT BROADCASTING BID TO 150 DLRS\/SHARE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DEVELOPMENT CORP OF AMERICA <DCA> MERGED\n","article":"  Development Corp of America\n  said its merger with Lennar Corp <LEN> was completed and its\n  stock no longer existed.\n      Development Corp of America, whose board approved the\n  acquisition last November for 90 mln dlrs, said the merger was\n  effective today and its stock now represents the right to\n  receive 15 dlrs a share.\n      The American Stock Exchange said it would provide further\n  details later.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TEVA <TEVIY> SELLS PROMEDICO SUBSIDIARY\n","article":"  Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd,\n  based in Israel, said it sold its wholly owned Promedico\n  subsidiary, to foreign investors for four mln dlrs.\n      It said the book value of the unit is about 2.2 mln dlrs.\n      Teva said it will continue to market Promedico's products\n  through its wholly owned subsidiary, Salomon, Levin and Elstein\n  Ltd.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEW MILFORD SAVINGS BANK <NMSB> RAISES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 25 cts vs 20 cts prior\n      Pay April 21\n      Reord March 27\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"K MART <KM> ENDS TALKS TO SELL STORES\n","article":"  K Mart Corp said recent talks to sell\n  65 remaining Kresge variety stores and their underlying real\n  estate to F.W. Woolworth Co <Z> have ended.\n      Robert Stevenson, K Mart vice president, told Reuters the\n  talks, which began about six weeks ago, ended. He declined to\n  give a reason.\n      Kresge is the forerunner of what is now the K Mart chain.\n  The name was changed to K Mart in 1977, Stevenson said.\n      \"We're selling and buying real estate in our real estate\n  division, and Woolworth was interested in some of our\n  properties. The talks were of a casual nature,\" he said.\n      The 65 Kresge stores that are scattered around the country\n  in downtown and suburban locations, he said.\n      Stevenson said K Mart will continue to operate the stores.\n  \"The stores are profitable. The only decision K Mart has made\n  is that we will continue to operate them,\" he said\n      Kresge had been a nationwide chain of 900 variety stores.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INSTITUTE OF CLINICAL PHARM PLC <ICPYY> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 20 ct vs 27 cts\n      Net 1,048,000 vs 1,368,000\n      Revs 9,457,000 vs 5,386,000\n      NOTE: Dollar amounts converted from Irish pounds at noon\n  buying rate of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York at Dec 31,\n  1986, of 1.4105 dlr per one Irish pound. The equivalent rate at\n  Dec 31, 1985, was 1.2470 dlr equals one Irsh pound. Full name\n  of company is The Institute of Clinical Pharmacology PLC, based\n  in Dulbin, Ireland.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. GROWTH RATE SEEN AT THREE PCT THIS YEAR\n","article":"  Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel\n  Lawson, presenting his budget for fiscal 1987\/88 to parliament,\n  said U.K. Economic growth was forecast at three pct in calendar\n  1987.\n      He said the Treasury expected a current account balance of\n  payments deficit in 1987 of 2.5 billion stg, after a 1.1\n  billion shortfall in 1986. Inflation is expected to be 4.0 pct\n  at the end of 1987, he said, adding it may exceed 4.5 pct by\n  the summer before falling back to 4.0 pct by the end of the\n  year.\n      The planned PSBR for 1987\/88 was 4.0 billion stg unchanged\n  when compared with the likely outturn for fiscal 1986\/87,\n  Lawson said.\n      Although no explicit target was set for the broad sterling\n  M3 money supply, Lawson said broad money will continue to be\n  taken into account in assessing monetary conditions as well as\n  the exchange rate.\n      The low outturn of the PSBR in 1986\/87 was mainly due to\n  the buoyancy of non-oil tax revenues in general, and the\n  corporation tax paid by an increasingly profitable business\n  sector in particular.\n      On oil prices, Lawson said he was sticking to his earlier\n  assumption that North Sea crude prices will average 15 dlrs per\n  barrel in calendar 1987. The treasury would strive to keep the\n  PSBR at 1.0 pct of GDP in future, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ICN BIOMEDICALS INC <BIMD> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 10 cts vs eight cts\n      Net 856,000 vs 574,000\n      Sales 9,593,000 vs 9,232,000\n      Avg shrs 8,809,000 vs 6,969,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"APPLIED CIRCUIT TECHNOLOGY <ACRT> 1ST QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Period ended January 31.\n      Shr loss two cts vs loss 12 cts\n      Net loss 192,370 vs loss 1,494,146\n      Revs 6,751,830 vs 2,278,842\n      Note: Full name Applied Circuit Technology Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRISCH'S RESTAURANTS INC <FRS> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 5-1\/2 cts vs 5-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay April 16\n      Record April Six\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED SETS TWO BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPURCHASE, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  FED SETS TWO BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPURCHASE, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FED ADDS RESERVES VIA CUSTOMER REPURCHASES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve entered the U.S.\n  Government securities market to arrange two billion dlrs of\n  customer repurchase agreements, a Fed spokesman said.\n      Dealers said Federal funds were trading at 6-1\/16 pct when\n  the Fed began its temporary and indirect supply of reserves to\n  the banking system.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FEDERATED DEPARTMENT STORES INC <FDS> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Jan 31 end\n      Shr 3.64 dlrs vs 3.16 dlrs\n      Net 171.3 mln vs 154.0 mln\n      Sales 3.44 billion vs 3.23 billion\n      Avg shrs 47.1 mln vs 48.8 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 6.23 dlrs vs 5.88 dlrs\n      Oper net 301.9 mln vs 286.6 mln\n      Sales 10.51 billion vs 9.98 billion\n      Avg shrs 48.5 mln vs 48.8 mln\n      NOTE: Latest year net excludes 14.3 mln dlr charge from\n  loss on early debt extinguishment.\n      Net includes charges 15.7 mln dlrs in both periods of\n  latest year vs charges 23.9 mln dlrs in both periods of earlier\n  year from merger of divisions.\n      Investment tax credits three mln dlrs vs 8,900,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and 4,900,000 dlrs vs 16.4 mln dlrs in year.\n      Latest year net includes nine mln dlr provision for loss on\n  disposition of two Abraham and Strauss stores and preopening\n  expenses for another.\n      Latest year net includes gain from sale of interest in Fort\n  Worth, Texas, shopping center of 9,500,000 dlrs.\n      Latest year net both periods includes gain 9,100,000 dlrs\n  from sale of interest in Memphis, Tenn., shopping center.\n      Prior year net includes gain 6,600,000 dlrs on sale of\n  Boston Store division.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CLOTHESTIME INC <CTME> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 12 cts vs 10 cts\n      Net 1,683,000 vs 1,407,000\n      Sales 42.2 mln vs 28.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 83 cts vs 70 cts\n      Net 11,908,000 vs 10,005,000\n      sales 160.3 mln vs 126.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VIDEO LIBRARY INC <VLVL> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss two cts vs profit three cts\n      Net loss 59,299 vs profit 88,843\n      Revs 3,487,693 vs 2,123,488\n      Year\n      Shr profit 25 cts vs loss two cts\n      Net profit 816,395 vs loss 44,541\n      Revs 12.2 mln vs 7,413,328\n      Avg shrs 3,208,472 vs 2,348,559\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHEMIE LINZ EXPECTS SHARPLY HIGHER 1986 LOSS\n","article":"  State-owned <Chemie Linz AG> is\n  likely to record a 1986 loss of some 600 mln schillings\n  compared with a 340 mln loss in 1985, a company spokesman said.\n      Falling sales and lower world prices of fertilisers were\n  largely responsible for the sharp increase, along with the\n  effects of the dollar's fall which has helped to give U.S.\n  Fibre producers a competitive edge, he told Reuters.\n      The firm would have made a small profit in 1985 had it not\n  been for 456 mln schillings lost by subsidiary <Merx\n  HandelsgesmbH> on oil trading. Merx has since withdrawn from\n  the oil market. The firm will announce 1986 results in July.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<CABRE EXPLORATION LTD> SIX MTHS JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 13 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 617,000 vs 604,000\n      Revs 1,889,000 vs 1,920,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DUDLEY TAFT RAISES BID FOR TAFT BROADCASTING<TFB>\n","article":"  Dudley Taft and Narragansett\n  Capital Inc said it was prepared to raise its bid to acquire\n  Taft Broadcasting Co to more than 150 dlrs per share.\n      Taft, through Theta Co, sent and letter to Taft's board of\n  directors stating he was committed to purchasing the\n  broadcasting company and was ready to discuss all aspects of\n  the purchase.\n      The company said items to be discussed included price,\n  structure and form of consideration. Taft said he was prepared\n  to negotiate a transaction in which Taft Broadcast shareholders\n  would receive in excess of 150 dlrs per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"EC OILS TAX NO LONGER MAJOR ISSUE - ASSOCIATION\n","article":"  The proposed European Community (EC) tax\n  on vegetable oils and fats is no longer a major issue on the\n  agenda and the EC Commission merely used it as a threat, the\n  West German Feed Stuffs Industry Association (MFI) said.\n      Association chairman Ulrich Wagner told a news conference\n  the West German feed industry believes the EC does not\n  seriously contemplate the introduction of such a tax because it\n  would end in another transatlantic trade war.\n      \"We have just avoided a trade conflict with the U.S. And the\n  Commission used the tax threat to calm national farm lobbies.\"\n      American Soybean Association (ASA) president-elect Wayne\n  Bennett said yesterday in The Hague that U.S. Soybean producers\n  were confident the tax would be rejected.\n      Bennett, who is leading one of three soybean delegations on\n  a lobbying tour of EC capitals, will also visit Bonn on\n  Thursday and Friday.\n      There are indications the Bonn government will also reject\n  the proposed tax, Wagner said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ALLWASTE <ALWS> TO BUY RELATED COMPANY\n","article":"  Allwaste Inc said it entered into an\n  agreement in principle to acquire all the outstanding common of\n  a related air-moving and industrial services company. It did\n  not disclose the name of the company.\n      Allwaste, which preforms air-moving and related services,\n  said it will swap shares of its common, valued at 2.6 mln dlrs,\n  with the company it is acquiring.\n      It said the acquisition is subject to negotiation of a\n  final agreement.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EXXON <XON> MAY CLOSE ONE FRENCH REFINERY\n","article":"  Exxon Corp, the world's largest oil\n  company, said in a published interview today that it was\n  reviewing its worldwide refinery operations and might decide to\n  close on of its french refineries.\n      Lee R. Raymond, Exxon's new president, singled out the\n  possibility of a closure of one of Exxon's refineries in France\n  during the interview.\n      An Exxon spokeswoman confirmed that Raymond had\n  specifically mentioned refineries in France but said that no\n  specific refinery had been named. She also said that all of\n  Exxon's opertations were under constant review.\n      Exxon currently has two refineries in France, FOS in the\n  mediterranean with a capcity of 175,000 barrels per day and\n  Port Jerome west of paris with a similar capacity.\n      Petroleum Intelligence Weekly, an influential trade\n  journal, said, in its current issue, that they understood that\n  Exxon was looking at the possibility of refinery closures in\n  Antwerp, Southern France or possibly Italy.\n      Paul Mlotok, oil analyst with Salomon Brothers inc said\n  that with the closures Exxon made in 1986 in Europe and the\n  improvement in the European refining situation, its future\n  profits there should be good.\n      \"Exxon and other major oil companies have closed a bunch of\n  refineries in Europe, upgraded the rest and shaken many of the\n  indepedents out of the market. Now with demand for products\n  rising and efficient operations, Exxon should show superior\n  earnings,\" Mlotok said.\n      \"Just after Royal Dutch <RD>, they are seen as one of the\n  highest grade refiners in Europe,\" he added.\n      Industry sources said that the oil companies were likely to\n  feel greater pressure on their operations in Southern Europe\n  where competition from the OPEC countries is increasing as\n  these producers move further into downstream operations.\n      PIW said that refiners in the Mediterranean can expect\n  increased shipments from Saudi Arabia and other OPEC export\n  refineries.\n      PIW said \"sales from Libya, Algeria and elsewhere are\n  expected to reclaim markets lost to Italian and other European\n  refiners as a result of the abundance of cheap netback oil last\n  year.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ITALY STANCE ON EC OILS TAX NOT ENCOURAGING-ASA\n","article":"  Italy's response to protests by U.S.\n  Soybean producers about the proposed European Community (EC)\n  tax on vegetable oils and fats had not been encouraging,\n  American Soybean Association (ASA) board chairman George\n  Fluegel said.\n      Fluegel, heading one of three U.S. Soybean producer\n  delegations currently on a lobbying tour of EC countries, told\n  Reuters in an interview meetings with officials from the\n  Italian Foreign and Agricultural ministries had not yielded\n  much to encourage hopes that Italy would vote against the\n  proposed tax.\n      Fluegel said his delegation had received a negative\n  response from the Italian Agriculture Ministry, but that the\n  attitude of the Foreign Ministry appeared \"more realistic.\"\n      He said the proposed tax was discriminatory against U.S.\n  Farmers since it was basically asking them to help finance the\n  EC's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on oilseeds.\n      Asked which EC countries might be expected to vote against\n  the proposed tax, he said, \"Realistically, from the information\n  we're getting, it looks like the English, the Germans,\n  hopefully the Netherlands and Denmark.\" His delegation also\n  hoped to convince Belgium to vote against the issue, he added.\n      Asked what form he thought U.S. Retaliatory action might\n  take in the event of the EC tax proposal being approved,\n  Fluegel said industrial as well as agricultural products could\n  be involved.\n      U.S. Agriculture Secretary Richard Lyng warned the EC\n  yesterday it would face serious retaliation if it enacted the\n  tax.\n      ASA president-elect Wayne Bennett said yesterday in The\n  Hague American soybean producers were confident the proposed\n  tax would be rejected.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ISRAEL'S FIVE-YEAR PLAN TO BOOST AGRICULTURE\n","article":"  Israel has drawn up a five-year plan\n  for 1987-1991 to raise agricultural production by 500 mln dlrs\n  to 2.7 billion dlrs, an annual rise of 3.4 pct, the Israeli\n  Ministry of Agriculture said. Agricultural exports are to be\n  increased by 180 mln dlrs, or 4.8 pct per year on average.\n      The area planted to cotton is to remain at the 1986 level\n  of 100,000 to 112,500 acres with exports expected to bring in\n  80 to 90 mln dlrs per year. The 34 pct decline from the 1985\n  level reflects continued water rationing which will remain in\n  force, the ministry said.\n      Groundnut production is planned to increase by 13,000\n  tonnes, or 57 pct, by 1991 and exports by 9,000 tonnes, or 82\n  pct. Maize production is targetted to rise by 48,000 tonnes, or\n  48 pct, and exports by 34,000 tonnes, or 45 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SOROS GROUP HAS B.F. GOODRICH <GR> STAKE\n","article":"  An investor group led by New York\n  investor George Soros said it acquired a 6.1 pct stake in B.F.\n  Goodrich Co common stock as an investment.\n      The group said it paid about 69 mln dlrs for the 1,389,600\n  Goodrich shares, which are being held by Quantum Fund N.V., a\n  Netherlands Antilles investment firm advised by Soros.\n      It said all the shares were bought between Dec. 29 and\n  March 9.\n      The group said it reserved the future right to buy\n  additional shares and to formulate other purposes or plans\n  regarding its Goodrich investment.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BALDRIGE PREDICTS SOLID U.S. HOUSING GROWTH\n","article":"  Commerce Secretary Malcolm Baldrige\n  predicted 1987 will be the fifth successive year for growth in\n  housing starts after a 2.6 pct rise overall in February starts\n  to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.851 mln units.\n      \"This year should be the fifth solid year in a row for\n  homebuilding activity -- with single-family units stronger than\n  multi-family units,\" he said in a statement.\n      Single-family starts rose last month from January levels by\n  5.6 pct to 1.317 mln units on a seasonally adjusted basis while\n  multi-family unit starts fell 4.1 pct to 534,000 units, the\n  department reported.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TAFT BROADCASTING SAYS IT WILL CONTINUE TO REVIEW OPTIONS IN RESPONSE TO LATEST BID\n","article":"\n  TAFT BROADCASTING SAYS IT WILL CONTINUE TO REVIEW OPTIONS IN RESPONSE TO LATEST BID\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COURT ENJOINS ZICO INVESTMENT'S TENDER FOR BANCROFT CONVERTIBLE FUND\n","article":"\n  COURT ENJOINS ZICO INVESTMENT'S TENDER FOR BANCROFT CONVERTIBLE FUND\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STEINHARDT GROUP HAS 6.6 PCT OF HOLIDAY <HIA>\n","article":"  A group led by New York investor\n  Michael Steinhardt told the Securities and Exchange Commission\n  it bought a 6.6 pct stake in Holiday Corp common stock as an\n  investment.\n      The group said it paid 114 mln dlrs for its 1.6 mln Holiday\n  shares, 530,000 of which were bought since Feb. 6.\n      At the same time, group members said they held short\n  positions in the stock totaling 830,000 shares.\n      In addition to Steinhardt himself, the group includes\n  Steinhardt Partners and Institutional Partners, two investment\n  firms of which Steinhardt is one of the general partners.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SCOR U.S. CORP <SURE> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 29 cts vs 22 cts\n      Oper net 3.9 mln vs 1.8 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 63 cts vs four cts\n      Oper net 10.1 mln vs 855,000\n      NOTE: Excludes gain one ct per share vs loss two cts in the\n  quarter, and gain 41 cts per share vs gain six cts in the year\n  from investments. Also excludes extraordinary gain of one ct\n  per share in fourth quarter 1985, and gain of one ct per share\n  vs one ct in the full year period.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GENSTAR SALE BOOSTS BELGIAN SOCIETE GENERALE NET\n","article":"  Societe Generale de Belgique <BELB.BR>\n  said the near doubling of net profits in 1986 was due in large\n  part to the sale of shares in Genstar Corp.\n      The company, which announced a net non-consolidated profit\n  of 5.31 billion francs compared with 2.82 billion in 1985, said\n  its current profits rose by 19 pct last year, without giving\n  further figures.\n      However, it added in a statement that the company made\n  major capital gains on sales during the year, in particular\n  from the sale of Genstar shares.\n      Societe Generale governor Rene Lamy told last November's\n  annual meeting that 1986 asset disposals would total around 4.5\n  billion francs, including the sale of Genstar shares to Imasco\n  Limited <IMS.TO>.\n      He predicted a profit on extraordinary items of two billion\n  francs after a rough balance in 1985.\n      In today's statement, Societe Generale gave no figures for\n  extraordinary gains.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WESTERBEKE CORP <WTKB> 1ST QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 11 cts vs profit six cts\n      Net loss 217,200 vs profit 83,200\n      Revs 3,564,200 vs 3,171,900\n      Avg shrs 2,033,750 vs 1,334,950\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. HOUSE TARGETING PROPOSAL SPARKS INTEREST\n","article":"  A proposal by two U.S. House\n  Democrats to target government farm benefits to small- and\n  medium-sized farms was warmly received by Democrats on a\n  House subcommittee today.\n      \"On balance, this is the best new idea I have seen,\" said\n  Rep. Dan Glickman (D-Kan.), Chairman of the House Agriculture\n  Subcommittee on Wheat, Feedgrains and Soybeans. \"This is the\n  first hard constructive proposal coming out as an alternative\n  to the (Reagan) administration's farm proposal.\"\n      The plan, offered by Reps. Tim Penny (D-Minn.) and Byron\n  Dorgan (D-ND), would raise target prices for wheat to 5.00 dlrs\n  per bushel and for corn to 3.50 dlrs. Producers could receive\n  deficiency payments on up to 80 pct of normal yield but not\n  more than on 30,000 bu of corn and 20,000 bu of wheat.\n      The proposal also would require acreage reductions of 20\n  pct, eliminate generic certificates and prohibit persons not\n  actively engaged in farming from receiving program benefits.\n      Dorgan said the bill would save 24 billion dlrs over five\n  years, protect family farms and eliminate government\n  accumulation of stocks because nonrecourse loans would be\n  halted.\n      However, Rep. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) said the measure would\n  \"involve the federal government in deciding and defining who a\n  family farmer is.\"\n      Roberts said the bill, for example, would restrict program\n  payments to 500 acres of wheat production in western Kansas.\n      Other Republicans on the panel questioned how the bill\n  would determine if a person was actively engaged in farming and\n  therefore eligible for payments.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC TO MULL NEW DURUM WHEAT INTERVENTION RULES\n","article":"  The European Commission is to consider\n  proposed new higher minimum standards for sales of durum wheat\n  into intervention stores, European Community sources said.\n      They said a document drawn up by Commission officials\n  proposes a reduction in the maximum humidity level to 13 pct\n  from 14, an increase in the minimum weight to 78 kilos per\n  hectolitre from 76, a tightening of other technical standards\n  and introduction of some new ones.\n      Current public stocks of durum wheat in the EC are 1.15 mln\n  tonnes, of which almost 1.12 mln are in Italy.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COURT ENJOINS TENDER FOR BANCROFT <BTV>\n","article":"  Bancroft Convertible Fund said the\n  U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey issued a\n  preliminary injunction, enjoining <Zico Investment Holding\n  Inc's> tender offer for Bancroft.\n      It said the Court order prevents Zico from buying any\n  shares tendered to them during the offer, which began on Feb.\n  17, 1987.\n      In the tender offer blocked by the Court, Zico offered to\n  buy 500,000 shares, or about 22 pct of Bancroft's outstanding\n  stock, for 30 dlrs a share.\n      Previously, Zico had bought 965,000 Bancroft shares for 31\n  dlrs a share, giving it about 28 pct of the company. If the\n  recent offer had gone through, the Zico would have owned\n  slightly more than 50 pct of Bancroft's outstanding shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ZAMBIAN EXCHANGE AUCTION TO RESUME AT END OF MARCH\n","article":"  Zambia will reintroduce a modified\n  foreign exchange auction at the end of this month as part of a\n  new two-tier exchange rate, central bank governor Leonard\n  Chivuno said.\n      Chivuno told a press conference at the end of three weeks\n  of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that\n  there would be a fixed exchange rate for official transactions\n  and a fluctuating rate, decided by the auction, for other types\n  of business.\n      The Bank of Zambia previously held weekly auctions to\n  distribute foreign exchange to the private sector and determine\n  the kwacha's exchange rate, but these were suspended at the end\n  of January.\n      President Kenneth Kaunda said at the time that he was\n  suspending the auction system in view of the rapid devaluation\n  and violent fluctations of the exchange rate which had\n  resulted.\n      Business and banking sources said another reason for\n  suspending the auction was that the central bank was low on\n  foreign exchange and was 10 weeks behind in paying successful\n  bidders.    The kwacha stood at 2.2 per dollar when the auction system\n  was first introduced in October 1985, but it slid to around 15\n  per dollar by the time it was suspended 16 months later.\n      Since then, Zambia has operated a fixed exchange rate of\n  about nine kwacha per dollar.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAMESWAY CORP <JMY> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr primary 64 cts vs 45 cts\n      Shr diluted 60 cts vs 44 cts\n      Net 4,524,000 vs 3,212,000\n      Revs 202.5 mln vs 171.9 mln\n      Avg shrs primary 7,112,480 vs 7,052,964\n      Avg shrs diluted 8,034,223 vs 8,008,763\n      Year\n      Shr primary 1.70 dlrs vs 1.31 dlrs\n      Shr diluted 1.65 dlrs vs 1.30 dlrs\n      Net 12.1 mln vs 9,252,000\n      Year\n      Revs 612.4 mln vs 523.4 mln\n      Avg shrs primary 7,112,480 vs 7,052,964\n      Avg shrs diluted 8,034,223 vs 7,732,544\n      Note: Includes after-tax LIFO charges of 441,000 dlrs vs\n  359,000 dlrs for qtr and 539,000 dlrs vs 407,000 dlrs for year.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TAFT <TFB> TO CONTINUE TO REVIEW ALTERNATIVES\n","article":"  Taft Broadcasting Co said its\n  board continues to explore alternatives, such as a possible\n  financial restructuring, in response to a Theta Corp offer of\n  150 dlrs per share for Taft stock.\n      Last week Taft rejected a 145 dlr-a-share bid by Theta, an\n  investment group headed by Taft's vice chairman, Dudley Taft.\n      Taft also said the new proposal would be submitted to the\n  board but no decision had been made with respect to the sale of\n  the company.\n      In the proposal, Theta said it was prepared to discuss all\n  aspects of the offer including price, structure and form of\n  consideration and would be prepared to negotiate a transaction\n  in which shareholders would receive a value in excess of 150\n  dlrs per share.\n      Taft said Theta requested that the company cooperate and\n  provide it with information subject to an appropriate\n  confidentiality agreement.\n      The company declined to comment beyond this statement.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LAWSON OIL TAX BREAKS TO HELP NEW FIELDS - REVENUE\n","article":"  Two new U.K. Tax relief measures for oil\n  producers, announced today, are aimed at encouraging\n  developments in the North Sea to go ahead and boost\n  opportunities for the offshore supplies industry, the Inland\n  Revenue said in a post-budget statement.\n      Earlier, Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson announced\n  in his annual budget to Parliament that from today, companies\n  will be allowed to offset up to 10 pct of qualifying\n  development expenditure on certain future oil fields against\n  Petroleum Revenue Tax (PRT).\n      To date, full relief was allowed for expenditure on an\n  individual field itself, when its income stream began, but was\n  not immediately available against other development\n  expenditure, the statement said.\n      The new relief will apply to fields outside the southern\n  basin for which development\n  consent is first given on or after today, and will improve the\n  post-tax economics of new developments and encourage companies\n  to proceed with project which might have been delayed, it said.\n      Lawson also announced that he would henceforth allow\n  certain expenditure on oil related research which does not at\n  present qualify for PRT relief to be offset against PRT\n  liability.\n      This means oil-related expenditure in the U.K. Or on the\n  U.K. Continental shelf, which has not become allowable in a\n  particular field within three years of being incurred, to be\n  allowed against PRT liability in any oil field, the Inland\n  Revenue said.\n      This brings the scope of PRT relief for research costs more\n  in line with corporation tax relief measures, and is planned to\n  encourage general research into ways of reducing field\n  development costs, it said.\n      In due course, the industry should benefit by over 100 mln\n  stg a year, it calculated.\n      The Inland Revenue statement also included other technical\n  measures that Lawson did not comment on in his budget speech.\n      These included measures to allow companies to balance their\n  shares of PRT-exempt oil allowances through reallocation in two\n  past periods of allowance utilisation.\n      Tidier rules on incorrectly allowed PRT expenditure reliefs\n  were announced, while there were also ammendments on rules on\n  corporation tax and Advance Corporation Tax relating to the\n  so-called \"ring fence\" of activities in the U.K. And its\n  continental shelf. The Finance Bill will have provisions for\n  the implementation of measures announced in November, it said.\n      Gareth Lewis Davies, a North Sea expert with stockbrokers\n  Wood Mackenzie and Co Inc in Edinburgh, thought the two reliefs\n  on PRT would help the depressed offshore industry.\n      He said the 10 pct cross field allowance relief would\n  favour chances that development of smaller North Sea fields\n  such Osprey, Don and Arbroath would be brought forward.\n      Early development of the larger Miller and Bruce oil fields\n  might also be encouraged, he said.\n      Lewis Davies said the measure might also aid the offshore\n  construction industry, which suffered a huge amount of lay-offs\n  under the price slump of more than 50 pct last year.\n      He pointed out that the relief only applies to the\n  development of new fields outside the Southern Basin.\n      This means more jobs could be created, as the fields in the\n  central and northern sectors of the North Sea are deeper than\n  in the south and thus have greater capital and labour\n  requirements as the waters are deeper than in the south.\n      He said the PRT relief for certain research expenditure\n  would help fundamental research in the oil industry, although\n  the benefits of this research would not be seen for several\n  year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SHONEY'S INC <SHON> 1ST QTR FEB 15 NET\n","article":"  Shr 31 cts vs 27 cts\n      Qtly div four cts vs four cts prior\n      Net 11.4 mln vs 9,905,528\n      Revs 194.3 m ln vs 171.7 mln\n      Note: Qtly div is payable April 22 to shareholders of\n  record April three.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ATT-PHILIPS BID FOR CGCT OUTLINED\n","article":"  American Telephone and Telegraph Co and\n  Philips Telecommunications BV (APT) would hold 36 pct through\n  direct and indirect holdings in France's <Cie Generale de\n  Constructions Telephoniques> if a joint bid with French\n  partners for the soon-to-be-privatised firm succeeds, a\n  director at one of the partner firms said.\n      Marc Mathieu of <Societe Anonyme de Telecommunications>\n  SAT, told journalists the bid foresaw a direct stake of 20 pct\n  for APT, the joint firm set up by the U.S.'s ATT <T.N.> and the\n  NV Philips Gloeilampenfabrieken <PGLO.AS>.\n      The other 80 pct would be owned by a holding company made\n  up of SAT, APT, Cie du Midi <MCDP.PA> and five mutual funds.\n     Under French law, foreign investors are restricted to a 20\n  pct direct stake in privatised companies but can boost their\n  stake to 40 pct through indirect holdings.\n      The make-up of the holding company, however, is subject to\n  close discussions within the government due to legal queries\n  over the nationality of the mutual funds, a Finance Ministry\n  official said.\n      Although bought by French citizens they are managed by\n  foreign banks <Morgan Guaranty Trust Co of New York> and\n  <Banque de Neuflize, Schlumberger, Mallet SA>, controlled by\n  Algemene Bank Nederland NV <ABNN.AS>, an SAT spokesman said.\n      CGCT, which controls 16 pct of the French public telephone\n  switching market, is to be sold by the government for 500 mln\n  francs by private tender.\n      Five groups are bidding for the company and the government\n  has said it will choose CGCT's new owner by the end of April.\n      APT vice-president Wim Huisman told a news conference a\n  capital increase was envisaged if SAT-APT wins CGCT, but\n  declined to give details or say how an increase would affect\n  foreign stakes in CGCT.\n      In 1985, CGCT posted losses of 200 mln francs on sales of\n  three billion after 1984 losses of 997 mln francs.\n      A joint SAT-APT statement added that buyers were committed\n  to investing 240 mln francs in CGCT research and production\n  plants. The APT-SAT offer includes a provision for CGCT to\n  produce APT 5ESS-PRX switching technology and adapt it to\n  French standards.\n      The tender was launched after a 1985 draft agreement for\n  ATT to take over CGCT was abandoned following the introduction\n  of the French government privatisation laws which reopened\n  bidding among a wider range of applicants.\n      Other candidacies to take over CGCT include West Germany's\n  Siemens AG <SIEG.F> allied with Schneider SA <SCHN.PA>\n  subsidiary Jeumont-Schneider, Sweden's Telefon AB LM Ericsson\n  <ERIC.ST> allied with Matra <MATR.PA> and Bouygues SA\n  <BOUY.PA>, Italy's <Italtel>, and Canada's Northern Telecom Ltd\n  <NTL.TO>.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ANALYSTS SEE EARLY ONE POINT CUT IN U.K. BASE RATE\n","article":"  British bank base lending rates are\n  likely to fall by as much as one full point to 9-1\/2 pct this\n  week following the sharp three billion stg cut in the U.K.\n  Central government borrowing target to four billion stg set in\n  today's 1987 budget, bank analysts said.\n      The analysts described Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel\n  Lawson's budget as cautious, a quality which currency and money\n  markets had already started to reward.\n      Sterling surged on foreign exchange markets and money\n  market interest rates moved sharply lower as news of the budget\n  measures came through, the analysts said.\n      Lloyds merchant bank chief economist Roger Bootle said he\n  expected base rates to be cut by one full point tomorrow.\n      \"This is very much a safety-first budget in order to get\n  interest rates down,\" he said.\n      Bootle said the money markets had almost entirely\n  discounted such a one point cut, with the key three month\n  interbank rate down to 9-11\/16 pct from 9-13\/16 last night, and\n  it would be rather conservative for banks to go for a\n  half-point cut now.\n      Midland Bank treasury economist David Simmonds said he,\n  too, expected base rates would be a full point lower by Friday,\n  but this would likely happen via two half-point cuts.\n      \"This budget is designed to please both the markets and the\n  electorate. The implications for interest rates are very\n  favourable, we could have a half-point cut tomrorow and another\n  such cut before the end of the week,\" Simmonds said.\n      Pointing to buoyant U.K. Retail data released yesterday, he\n  said Lawson had done well to resist pressures for a sharp cut\n  in income tax rates at the expense of a lower borrowing target.\n  \"There is no real need to boost private consumption,\" he said.\n      National Westminster Bank chief economist David Kern said\n  the lower borrowing target set in the budget had increased the\n  likelihood of an early one-point base rate cut.\n      Kern said the budget would have to be analysed carefully,\n  in particular to see how exactly Lawson planned to achieve the\n  sharper than expected borrowing target cut, before a one-point\n  base rate cut could be implemented.\n   But providing the budget small-print was convincing, \"and I\n  suspect it will be, it is entirely possible that we see one\n  point off base rates by the end of this week,\" Kern said.\n      Bootle of Lloyds said the expected base rate cut would pave\n  the way for an early one-point cut in mortgage lending rates.\n  This would help achieve Lawson's lower than expected consumer\n  price inflation target of four pct at end-1987, he said.\n      U.K. Base rates were cut last week to 10-1\/2 pct from 11\n  pct after sustained pressure from the foreign exchange, money\n  and government bonds (gilts) markets.\n      But building societies said they would not cut lending\n  rates until base rates had fallen by one full point.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TOUSSIE GROUP SELLS HECK'S <HEX> SHARES\n","article":"  A shareholder group led by New York\n  investor Robert Toussie told the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission it sold off most of its holdings in Heck's Inc\n  common stock but reserved the right to again seek control of\n  the company in the future.\n      The group, which includes the Edward A. Viner and Co\n  brokerage, said it sold 579,600 shares since March 5, leaving\n  it with 157,000 shares or 1.8 pct of the total outstanding.\n      The group had proposed a takeover of Heck's in September\n  but later withdrew the offer, and Heck's on March 5 filed for\n  protection from its creditors under federal bankruptcy law.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CYCLOPS <CYL> HOLDER WITHDRAWS TAKEOVER MOTION\n","article":"  <Dixons Group PLC>, which is in a\n  battle with <CYACQ Corp> for control of Cyclops Corp, said a\n  Cyclops shareholder had agreed to withdraw a motion in U.S.\n  District Court to prevent Dixons from completing its tender\n  offer for Cyclops, which expires 2400 EST today.\n      Dixons did not name the shareholder and did not disclose\n  the holder's stake in Cyclops.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<NOMA INDUSTRIES LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 72 cts vs 58 cts\n      Net 20.8 mln vs 14.9 mln\n      Revs 328.7 mln vs 239.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 28.9 mln vs 25.7 mln\n      Note: Prior year shr restated for June, 1986 two-for-one\n  stock split\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRM HAS COOPERVISION <EYE> STOCK, WILL BUY MORE\n","article":"  Siebel Capital Management Inc, a\n  California investment adviser, told the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission (SEC) it bought 1.3 mln CooperVision Inc common\n  shares or 5.9 pct of the total outstanding.\n      In its SEC filing, the firm said it \"intends to acquire more\n  stock and may attempt to influence management of the company to\n  make major changes in the company's business or corporate\n  structure.\"\n      Siebel said it made net purchases of 163,200 CooperVision\n  shares since Jan. 1.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN CYANAMID <ACY> BUYS U.K. COMPANY\n","article":"  American Cyanamid Co said it bought\n  the 50 pct interest of Cyanamid Fothergill Ltd held by\n  <Fothergill and Harvey PLC>, making the unit a wholly owned\n  subsidiary.\n      The unit manufactures structural materials, including\n  advanced composites, adhesives, and aluminum honeycomb for the\n  European space industry.\n      The current management will remain in place and the unit\n  will continue at its locations in Wrexham, U.K., the company\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NOEL INDUSTRIES INC <NOL> 1ST QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 26 cts vs loss 12 cts\n      Net loss 289,649 vs loss 138,372\n      Revs 5,944,286 vs 5,902,074\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GROUP BOOSTS GELCO <GEL> STAKE TO 8.2 PCT\n","article":"  An investor group including New\n  York-based Mutual Shares Corp and Mutual Qualified Income Fund\n  Inc told the Securities and Exchange Commission it raised its\n  stake in Gelco Corp common stock to 575,859 shares or 8.2 pct\n  of the total outstanding.\n      The group said its most recent purchases included 241,000\n  shares bought between January 21 and March 10.\n      The group said it purchased the shares for investment\n  purposes.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"OSHMAN'S SPORTING GOODS INC <OSHM> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ended Jan 31\n      Shr 92 cts vs 1.28 dlrs\n      Net 5,415,000 vs 7,730,000\n      Revs 114.2 mln vs 112.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,864,000 vs 6,030,000\n      Year\n      Shr 45 cts vs 1.40 dlrs\n      Net 2,664,000 vs 8,536,000\n      Revs 322.9 mln vs 312.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,885,000 vs 6,105,000\n     \n      Note: Net includes LIFO gains of 48,000 dlrs vs 118,000\n  dlrs for qtr and charges of 257,000 dlrs vs 225,000 dlrs for\n  year.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"UNIVERSITY PATENTS INC <UPT> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 24 cts vs 19 cts\n      Oper net 1,096,332 vs 794,711\n      Revs 803,085 vs 442,420\n      Six mths\n      Oper shr 53 cts vs 43 cts\n      Oper net 2,375,844 vs 1,741,437\n      Revs 1,471,257 vs 768,683\n      NOTE: Prior year excludes income from discontinued\n  operations of 19 cts per share in the quarter and 17 cts per\n  share in the year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FREEDOM FEDERAL <FRFE> SETS INITIAL PAYOUT\n","article":"  Freedom Federal Savings Bank\n  said it voted its first cash dividend of 10 cts a share,\n  payable April 10, record March 31.\n      The 1987 annual dividend will be 40 cts a share, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HOSPITAL STAFFING SERVICES <HSSI> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends Feb 28\n      Shr six cts vs three cts\n      Net 189,683 vs 80,499\n      Revs 2,874,930 vs 2,594,474\n      NOTE: Full name Hospital Staffing Services Inc.\n      Prior year includes extraordinary gain of one ct per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DOLLAR VALUE APPROPRIATE, BUNDESBANK OFFICIAL SAYS\n","article":"  The dollar is near appropriate levels\n  against European currencies and the yen, and a further fall\n  could damage confidence in the currency while endangering world\n  economic growth, a top Bundesbank official said.\n      Board member Leonhard Gleske also told a Forex Association\n  conference current exchange rates of major currencies \"can be\n  viewed as equilibrium levels in a medium-term perspective.\"\n      He said the recent Paris agreement on currency\n  stabilisation and policy coordination between the Group of Five\n  and Canada may herald \"an era of greater exchange rate\n  stability.\"\n      The Paris agreement was not, however, an attempt to set up\n  permanent target zones for exchange rates, Gleske stressed,\n  adding such targets would be extremely difficult to agree and\n  enforce on an international level.\n      \"At present levels the dollar can no longer be considered\n  grossly overvalued in relation to the European currencies and\n  the yen,\" Gleske said.\n      He said the dollar had fallen much less against currencies\n  of important trading nations such as Canada, Korea, Taiwan and\n  Hong Kong, and further falls there may still be necessary.\n      But \"a further dollar depreciation against major European\n  currencies and the yen may not be the best way to restore the\n  dollar to a fully competitive position, as measured by its\n  weighted external value,\" he said.\n     In fact, a further marked decline in the dollar rate would\n  hold two major dangers, Gleske said.\n      First, in countries with large balance of payments\n  surpluses such as Japan and West Germany, it threatened to\n  hamper economic growth and thus slow down the expansion of real\n  income and domestic expenditure necessary to wipe out\n  surpluses.\n      Second, in the United States, it could damage investors'\n  confidence in the dollar and thus reduce their willingness to\n  finance huge fiscal and external payments deficits, Gleske\n  said.\n      Gleske also was strongly sceptical that an international\n  system of binding target zones for currencies, fluctuating in\n  narrow bands against each other, can be established. Such\n  targets threatened to cause policy conflicts, \"both within\n  countries and between them.\"\n      For instance, the U.S. Reliance on foreign capital to fund\n  its deficits requires interest rates there be set at high\n  levels, but domestic considerations call for low ones.\n      If target zones were established, this would put \"pressure\n  on other countries to reduce their interest rates even more,\n  even though this may be in conflict with their own domestic\n  situation and priorities,\" he said.\n      Gleske added, \"targeting the exchange rate even within a\n  wide margin will meet with serious objections where there is a\n  clearly perceived potential for conflict between domestic and\n  external policy priorities.\"\n      Commenting on the Paris currency accord, Gleske said its\n  chances of stabilising exchange rates rested heavily on current\n  interest rate differentials being maintained.\n      These chances \"seem to me to rest critically on the\n  expectation that the current configuration of interest rates,\n  and the monetary policies behind them, will assure smooth\n  financing of current account imbalances in the months ahead.\"\n      Gleske said past experience of currency adjustments had\n  learned \"that markets are inclined to be impatient and will thus\n  tend to overshoot.\" He said this \"would seem to be unnecessary\n  and should be avoided if at all possible.\"\n      Monetary policies can help achieve this, but only if\n  markets believe that pledged changes in fiscal policies will\n  lead to balanced international payments, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PLAINS <PLNS> POSTS RESERVES INCREASES\n","article":"  Plains Resources Inc said that as\n  of December 31, its estimated proved oil and gas reserves rose\n  by 27 pct to 5.43 mln barrels from 4.27 mln barrels and proved\n  developed reserves rose 16 pct to four mln barrels from 3.45\n  mln barrels a year ago.\n      The company said its year end reserves did not include the\n  oil and gas reserves of Houston Oil Fields Co which recently\n  agreed to merge with it, pending shareholder approval in\n  mid-April. If approved, the merger will add another 3.2 mln\n  barrels to the company's reserve base.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OSHMAN'S <OSHM> CITES WEAK REGIONAL ECONOMIES\n","article":"  Oshman's Sporting Goods Inc said\n  earnings for the fourth quarter ended January 31 were affected\n  by the weak economies of Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana,\n  resulting in a drop in net earnings to 5,415,000 dlrs or 92 cts\n  a share from 7,730,000 dlrs or 1.28 dlrs a share for the\n  year-ago quarter.\n      The company also said sales on the West Coast were hurt by\n  late snows and poor skiing conditions.\n      Same-store sales declined 3.2 pct for the quarter and 2.2\n  pct for the year.\n      For the full year, Oshman's net earnings fell to 2,664,000\n  dlrs or 45 cts a share, from 8,536,000 dlrs or 1.40 dlrs a\n  share.\n      In 1986, the company said it opened nine stores and closed\n  three.\n      At year-end, the company said it was operating 188 Oshman's\n  stores and 27 Abercrombie and Fitch stores.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CHINA CROP WEATHER SUMMARY -- USDA\/NOAA\n","article":"  Light, scattered showers covered\n  winter wheat areas in the North China Plain in the week ended\n  March 14, moistening topsoils for wheat, just breaking dormancy\n  in most central and northern areas, the Joint Agricultural\n  Weather Facility of the U.S. Agriculture and Commerce\n  Departments said.\n      In its International Weather and Crop summary, the agency\n  said southern winter wheat areas are in the early vegetative\n  stage. Above-normal February temperatures over the North China\n  Plain caused winter grains to break dormancy early in the\n  south.\n       Moderate to heavy rains in southern Jiangsu, Anhui,\n  eastern Hebei, Hunan , Jiangxi, Fujian, and Zheziang, reversed\n  February's below normal precipitation pattern.\n      The agency said the wet weather in these areas provided\n  ample moisture for rice planting and lessened the need for\n  irrigation. \n      Mostly dry weather in early-rice areas of Guanxi and\n  Guandong resulted in irrigation for continued rice planting, it\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WORTHINGTON INDUSTRIES INC <WTHG> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ended Feb 28\n      Shr 24 cts vs 24 cts\n      Net 10.0 mln vs 10.1 mln\n      Revs 202.8 mln vs 184.6 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 66 cts vs 67 cts\n      Net 27.3 mln vs 27.6 mln\n      Revs 588.2 mln vs 539.2 mln\n      Note: 1986 shr data adjusted for 3-for-2 stock split paid\n  October 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL CROP WEATHER SUMMARY -- USDA\/NOAA\n","article":"  Wet weather covered Rio Grande do\n  Sul, Brazil in the week ended March 14, benefitting soybeans\n  which are mostly setting to filling pods, the Joint\n  Agricultural weather Facility of the U.S. Agriculture and\n  Commerce Departments said.\n      In its International Weather and Crop Summary, the agency\n  said minimal precipitation covered soybean areas in Santa\n  Catarina, Parana, and southern Matto Grosso do Sul.\n      Adequate soil moisture in these areas met crop moisture\n  demands, reducing the potential for crop stress, it said.\n      The agency said February precipitation was above normal\n  over most soybean areas of Brazil.\n      Weekly temperatures were below normal, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. WARNS OF DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL\n","article":"  A White House-ordered report said \n  that growing U.S. reliance on foreign oil into the year 2000\n  could have potentially damaging implications for national\n  security.\n      The Energy Department study discusses several options to\n  curb reliance on foreign oil, but makes no recommendations.\n      President Reagan and most Congressmen have previously ruled\n  out a tax on foreign oil as a way to curb imports and to help\n  the depressed domestic oil industry.\n      Energy Secretary John Herrington said in a statement that\n  \"although we have made gains in energy security in the last six\n  years, this report shows that there is justification for\n  national concern both over declining competitiveness of our\n  domestic oil and gas industry and over rising oil imports.\"\n      The report said imports last year were 33 pct of U.S.\n  consumption and by the mid-1990s could rise to 50 pct.\n      Among the report's options to ease U.S. reliance on foreign\n  oil are several already advocated by the Reagan Administration.\n      President Reagan ordered the study last September, citing a\n  determination that the country never again become captive to a\n  foreign oil cartel, referring to the OPEC-led oil shortages and\n  sharp prices increases of the 1970s.\n      The report said an import fee would raise prices and help\n  make it economical for U.S. oil firms to find and produce new\n  oil, as well as to cut imports, but on the whole the tax would\n  depress the nation's economy.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"VTX ELECRONICS <VTX> SETS SDTOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  VTX Electronics Corp said its\n  board declared a five-for-four stock split, payable April Nine\n  to holders of record March 27.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COASTAL (CGP) SEES INCREASE IN 1987 PROFITS\n","article":"  Coastal Corp said it expected earnings\n  for 1987 \"to be significantly above\" profits of 71.6 mln dlrs\n  last year.\n      In a letter to shareholders appearing in the company's\n  newly-issued 1986 annual report, Coastal chairman Oscar Wyatt\n  did not elaborate on how much earnings were expected to\n  increase.\n      The 1986 profits of Coastal, a natural gas production and\n  pipeline company, were halved from 1985 levels due to slumping\n  energy prices. The company's sales totaled 6.7 billion dlrs\n  last year.\n      Coastal also said it sold its natural gas for an average\n  price of 2.17 dlrs per mcf in 1986, a drop of 18 pct from the\n  previous year. Oil and natural gas liquids sold for an average\n  14.20 dlrs a barrel in 1986, a reduction of 37 pct.\n      The Houston-based company, which produced a daily average\n  of 120 mln cubic feet of gas and 11,149 barrels of oil, said it\n  had proved reserves at yearend 1986 of 28.6 mln barrels of oil\n  and 954 billion cubic feet of natural gas. Average reserve\n  replacement costs were 8.28 dlrs per barrel of oil equivalent\n  during the past three-year period, representing a little more\n  than half of the industry average, the company said.\n      Coastal's more than 800 gasoline retail outlets were\n  operated profitably during 1986 \"and are expected to continue\n  to do so,\" the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"(REPAP ENTERPRISES CORP INC) 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 26 cts vs loss nine cts\n      Net profit 10.3 mln vs loss 1.0 mln\n      Revs 208.2 mln vs 123.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 38 cts vs profit nine cts\n      Net profit 13.0 mln vs profit 2.8 mln\n      Revs 635.5 mln vs 429.3 mln\n      Note: 1986 full year results include extraordinary loss of\n  one mln dlrs or three cts per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NORSTAR <NOR> SETS ACQUISITION FOR STOCK\n","article":"  Norstar Bancorp said it has agreed\n  in principle to acquire United National Bank of Callicoon,\n  N.Y., by exchanging three Norstar common shares for each of the\n  201,660 United shares outstanding.\n      Based on the recent price of Norstar's stock, it said, the\n  proposed tax-free exchange would have a market value of about\n  20 mln dlrs.\n      Norstar said the acquisition is subject to approval by\n  United's holders and state and federal regulators. United has\n  assets of 90 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S OIL TAX WOULD NOT AFFECT PDVSA-CHAMPLIN DEAL\n","article":"  an eventual oil import fee in the\n  united states will make no difference to champlin petroleum\n  corp's joint venture agreement signed today with petroleos de\n  venezuela (pdvsa), champlin chairman william adams said.\n      \"this was an aspect which was discussed at length during the\n  negotiations, but we can say our contract covers all\n  eventualities in this regard,\" he told reuters during the\n  signing ceremony here.\n      Venezuela's energy and mines minister arturo hernandez\n  grisanti earlier described the agreement, under which pdvsa\n  buys 50 pct of champlin's corpus christi refinery, as \"one more\n  step in the maturation and presence of our oil industry in\n  world markets.\"\n     union pacific chairman william cook said the agreement will\n  be beneficial to both sides, combining a secure source of\n  supply with a modern refinery and access to markets.\n      \"we are looking to a long-term relationship, and at a time\n  of protectionist tendencies in the U.S. Congress there are\n  clear benefits to both sides,\" he said.\n      Adams said pdvsa crude would remain competitive even with\n  an oil import fee because champlin had invested heavily over\n  the years in adapingthe texas refinery to process venezuelan\n  heavy crudes with coking and hydro-treating facilities and\n  obtain a competitive product yield.\n      \"therefore while the danger of an oil import fee has been a\n  consideration in the negotiations, and it remains to be seen\n  what such a fee would represent, we do not foresee any impact\n  on today's agreement,\" adams said.\n      He said the refinery could run crude as heavy as\n  venezuela's bolivar coastal field (bcf) 17 api without any\n  difficultiesand would probably move over time to a heavier diet\n  to take advantage of bigger margins.\n      The refinery has a capacity to process up to 110,000 bpd of\n  venezuelan high sulphur content heavy crude, with an 80-85 pct\n  yield of white products.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LYNG TO MEET WITH EXPORTERS, EEP LIKELY TOPIC\n","article":"  Secretary of Agriculture Richard\n  Lyng will meet with representatives from major grain exporting\n  companies today, and the subject of subsidized wheat to the\n  Soviet Union will likely be discussed, an aide to Lyng said.\n      Today's meeting, set to begin at 1500 EST (2000 gmt), was\n  scheduled at the request of the exporters, the aide said.\n      \"The EEP (export enhancement program) is pretty obviously\n  one of the things they (the exporters) want to talk about, but\n  they haven't any agenda as far as I know,\" Lyng's aide said.\n      Private industry export officials have met periodically\n  with Lyng to discuss farm policies and the export situation.\n  Whether this meeting will prompt any U.S. action on the issue\n  of whether Moscow will be offered export bonus wheat is\n  uncertain, the aide said.\n      \"I don't know what they'll tell us that we don't already\n  knwo, but we'll hear what they have to say,\" Lyng's aide said.\n      The USDA official said that as far as he knows there has\n  been no further action on offering the Soviet Union wheat under\n  the EEP.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ICCO GROUP LOOKS AT COCOA BUFFER STOCK RULE PLAN\n","article":"  The International Cocoa Organization,\n  ICCO, buffer stock working group began examining a draft\n  proposal for buffer stock rules this afternoon, delegates said.\n      The plan, presented by ICCO Executive Director Kobena\n  Erbynn, represented a compromise between producer, European\n  Community, EC, and other consumer views on how the buffer stock\n  should operate, they said.\n      The proposal involved three key principles. First, the\n  buffer stock manager would be open to offers for cocoa rather\n  than using fixed posted prices as previously, delegates said.\n      Under an offer system, the buffer stock manager would be\n  free to choose cocoas of varying prices, they said.\n      The second provision was that non-ICCO member cocoa could\n  comprise a maximum 10 pct of the buffer stock, while the third\n  laid out a pricing system under which the buffer stock manager\n  would pay differentials for different grades of cocoa, to be\n  set by a formula, the delegates said.\n      After the plan was presented, working group delegates met\n  briefly in smaller groups of producers, EC consumers and all\n  consumers to look at the proposal. Producers gave no reaction\n  to the scheme and will respond to it when the working group\n  meets tomorrow at 1000 GMT, producer delegates said.\n      Consumer members accepted the proposal as a good base to\n  work from, one consumer delegate said.\n      Delegates said the proposal was only a starting point for\n  negotiations on buffer stock rules and subject to change.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VTX ELECTRONICS CORP <VTX> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 10 cts vs 11 cts\n      Net 255,000 vs 242,000\n      Sales 7,166,000 vs 6,486,000\n      Avg shrs 2,438,000 vs 2,118,000\n      Year\n      Shr 50 cts vs 40 cts\n      Net 990,000 vs 849,000\n      Sales 29.0 mln vs 22.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,972,000 vs 2,118,000\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for five-for-four stock split declared\n  today.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MORTGAGE GROWTH INVESTORS <MTG> 1ST QTR FEB 28\n","article":"  Shr 36 cts vs 37 cts\n      Net 2,751,000 vs 2,179,000\n      Qtly div 40 cts vs 40 cts prior\n      Avg shrs 7,699,241 vs 5,943,341\n      NOTE: Dividend payable April 10 to shareholders of record\n  March 30.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SHONEY'S INC <SHON> 1ST QTR FEB 15 NET\n","article":"  Shr 31 cts vs 27 cts\n      Net 11.4 mln vs 9,905,528\n      Revs 194.3 mln vs 171.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 36.6 mln vs 36.4 mln\n      NOTE: Sixteen-week periods.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FORTUNE SAVINGS TO BUY FINANCIAL <FSSL> BRANCH\n","article":"  <Fortune Savings Bank> said it\n  agreed to buy the deposits and assume the leasehold of a\n  Financial Security Savings and Loan Association <FSSL> branch\n  here.\n      Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.\n      Fortune said the agreement is subject to regulatory\n  approval. It also said that if the transaction is approved,\n  Financial would generate a profit on the sale.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GULF ARAB MINISTERS DISCUSS ECONOMIC COOPERATION\n","article":"  Finance and economy ministers of the\n  Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) opened a two- day meeting to\n  discuss further economic integration, officials said.\n      They said issues to be discussed by the ministers from\n  Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab\n  Emirates (UAE) would include a recommendation by central bank\n  governors on a common currency exchange rate.\n      The governors agreed in January on a denominator on which\n  to base currencies of the six states. Any decision will be\n  forwarded for final approval to a GCC summit meeting due in\n  Saudi Arabia late this year.\n      The six states have different currency systems. Saudi\n  Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE are linked in theory to the\n  International Monetary Fund's basket of currencies -- the\n  special drawing right (SDR) -- but in practice to the dollar.\n      Oman links its currency formally to the dollar, while\n  Kuwait pegs its dinar to a trade-weighted basket devised by\n  itself.\n      The denominator chosen by central bank governors has not\n  been disclosed, but some bankers expect the currencies to be\n  linked to the SDR or a trade-weighted basket.\n      Opening the meeting, Ahmed al-Tayer, the UAE's Minister of\n  State for Finance and Industry, said implementation of joint\n  economic agreements \"is increasingly linking the interests of\n  GCC citizens together.\"\n      The general assembly of the Gulf Investment Corporation met\n  in Abu Dhabi earlier under the chairmanship of Bahrain's\n  Finance and National Economy Minister, Ibrahim Abdul-Karim\n      The corporation was formed to contribute to joint economic\n  and investment projects in the GCC.\n      Officials said the corporation's assets rose to 1.31\n  billion dollars last year from 1.04 billion at the end of 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PHOTOGRAPHIC SCIENCIES CORP <PSCX> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss six cts vs profit four cts\n      Oper net loss 165,000 vs profit 83,000\n      Sales 2,413,000 vs 921,000\n      Avg shrs 2,908,770 vs 2,203,462\n      Year\n      Ope shr profit five cts vs profit five cts\n      Oper net profit 124,000 vs profit 106,000\n      Sales 5,652,000 vs 1,623,000\n      Avg shrs 2,369,949 vs 2,061,102\n      NOTE: Net excludes losses from discontinued operations of\n  548,000 dlrs vs 14,000 dlrs in quarter and 696,000 dlrs vs\n  21,000 dlrs in year.\n      1985 year net excludes 35,000 dlr tax credit.\n      1985 year includes only six months of operations due to\n  change in fiscal year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOUTH AFRICA CROP WEATHER SUMMARY -- USDA\/NOAA\n","article":"  Dry weather pushed further into\n  South Africa's Orange Free State's Maize Triangle in the week\n  ended March 14, the Joint Agricultural Weather Facility of the\n  U.S. Agriculture and Commerce Departments said.\n      In a summary of its Weather and Crop Bulletin, the agency\n  said scattered showers continued throughout Transvaal, but dry\n  pockets persisted in the northeast and south.\n      Temperatures average one to four degrees C above normal\n  throughout all grain areas, stressing grain-filling corn in\n  areas receiving lightest rainfall, it said.\n      The agency said rainfall during February was near to above\n  normal in most areas, but earlier periods of hot, dry weather\n  reduced yield prospects in parts of the northern Transvaal and\n  southern Orange Free State.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PUEBLO INTERNATIONAL INC <PII> 4TH QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr 56 cts vs 46 cts\n      Net 2,005,000 vs 1,685,000\n      Sales 189.8 mln vs 156.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,603,000 vs 3,614,000\n      Year\n      Shr 1.88 dlrs vs 1.77 dlrs\n      Net 6,774,000 vs 6,587,000\n      Sales 692.1 mln vs 596.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,604,000 vs 3,713,000\n      NOTE: Net includes tax credits of 250,000 dlrs vs 162,000\n  dlrs in quarter and 610,000 dlrs vs 1,288,000 dlrs in year.\n      Thirteen vs 12 and 53 vs 52-week periods.\n      Latest year net includes gain 418,000 dlrs for first nine\n  months from change in pension accounting, for which results of\n  first three periods restated.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HRE PROPERTIES <HRE> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 38 cts vs 47 cts\n      Net 2,253,664 vs 2,806,820\n      Gross income 5,173,318 vs 5,873,904\n      NOTE: Net includes gains on sale of real estate of 126,117\n  dlrs vs 29,812 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PHOTOGRAPHIC SCIENCES CORP <PSCX> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss 25 cts vs profit three cts\n      Net loss 713,000 vs profit 69,000\n      Revs 2.4 mln vs 921,000\n      Six months\n      Shr loss 24 cts vs profit six cts\n      Net loss 572,000 vs profit 120,000\n      Revs 5.7 mln vs 1.6 mln\n      NOTE:To effect change from fiscal to calendar year, company\n  reported results for six months period ended December 31, 1985.\n  1985 six months includes one time gain of 35,000 dlrs. \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WORLD CROP WEATHER SUMMARY -- USDA\/NOAA\n","article":"  Dry weather covered most European\n  crop areas in the week ended March 14, except for those in\n  southwestern France, southern Italy, and Greece, the Joint\n  Agricultural Weather Facility of the U.S. Agriculture and\n  Commerce Departments said.\n      In its International Weather and Crop sumary, the agency\n  said mixed rain and snow covered Greece.\n      Winter grains in England, France, and northern Italy\n  remained dormant. Grains usuaually break dormancy in March.\n      Winter grains in Eastern Europe usually break dormancy in\n  early April, it said.\n      Showers improved irrigation supplies in winter wheat areas\n  of northern Pakistan and northern India, it said.\n      Normally, wheat harvesting is well underwaty in central\n  India and just beginnning to the north, ending in most areas by\n  late April.\n      Showers improved irrigation supplies in southern India,\n  reversing February's below-normal trend.\n      Summer rice is usually in or nearing reproduction in most\n  southern areas, it said.\n      In the Philippines, most rainfall was restricted to the\n  central islands, continuing February's drying trend in Luzon\n  and southern Mindanao.\n      Locally heavy showers dotted Indonesia and Malaysia as\n  rainfall generally decreased eastward through the islands.\n      In February locally heavy showers may have caused flooding\n  in Java, it said.\n      The second cnsecutive week of dry weather stressed Moroccan\n  winter grains, approaching teh heading stage, the agency said.\n      Light to moderate rain spread from northern Thailand to\n  Northern Vietnam as dry weather prevailed elsewhere in\n  Southeast Asia.\n      Dry weather covered winter grain areas in western and\n  central Algeria, but soil moisture was likely adequate to meet\n  crop demands, it said.\n      Light showers in eastern Algeria and Tunisia maintained\n  adequate moisture for crop growth, it said.\n      Timely rains will be needed in the next several weeks as\n  winter grains advance through the critical reproductive phase,\n  the agency said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FEDERAL PAPER BOARD CO <FBT> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 17-1\/4 cts vs 17-1\/4 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 31   \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SHONEY'S INC <SHON> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div four cts vs four cts prior\n      Pay April 22\n      Record April Three\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ANALYSTS SAY U.K. BUDGET POINTS TO BASE RATE CUTS\n","article":"  Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel\n  Lawson's Budget speech was described as sound and well balanced\n  by analysts, if slightly lacking in excitement.\n      A cut in bank base lending rates is now widely expected\n  tomorrow, with most forecasts predicting a half-point fall. A\n  follow-up half-point cut is anticipated next week.\n      \"Worthy but boring would probably sum it up,\" Peter Fellner,\n  U.K. Economist at stockbrokers James Capel and Co, said. \"It was\n  a very, very prudent fiscal budget.\"\n      Richard Jeffrey of brokers Hoare Govett said it was a\n  well-balanced budget within the confines of the government's\n  philosophy of keeping expenditure levels flat.\n      Most analysts said the Budget was very sound on the fiscal\n  side, but offered nothing new on monetary policy.\n      As was widely expected, Lawson split his \"fiscal adjustment\"\n  between trimming the 1987\/88 PSBR target to 4.0 billion stg\n  from 7.1 billion and cutting basic rate income tax from 29 to\n  27 pct.\n      The target for the narrow measure of money supply, M0, was\n  kept unchangd at two to six pct, while the target for the broad\n  Sterling M3 aggregate was dropped.\n      Both Jeffrey and Fellner said the budget clears the way for\n  a half-point fall in U.K. Base rates tomorrow, but the\n  authorities are unlikely to sanction a larger cut immediately.\n  Many analysts and currency dealers have forecast a full\n  one-point cut tomorrow.\n      \"The Bank of England will be loathe to take any action which\n  it will have to reverse later,\" Jeffrey said, though he added a\n  further half-point cut was quite possible in the near future.\n      The main worry from today's speech is the outlook for\n  inflation, given the signs of relaxed monetary policy contained\n  in it, Scrimgeour Vickers economist Richard Holt said.\n      Holt noted the \"rather loose\" inflation forecast of 4.0 pct\n  at end-1987, and said the lower interest rates likely to result\n  from the tough fiscal stance could cause longer term concern.\n      \"A higher PSBR target could be preferable in the long term,\"\n  he said, although lower mortgage interest rates on the back of\n  falling base rates would have an offsetting impact on\n  inflation.\n      The Budget will inspire a lot of short-term confidence but\n  it was \"not a good budget for inflation,\" he said\n      Jeffrey said he would have liked Lawson to say more about\n  the dangers of excessive liquidity build-up but overall was not\n  too concerned about a revival of inflation.\n      Fellner noted that the exchange rate was to remain the\n  \"leading edge\" of monetary policy, but said the authorities were\n  likely to be extremely cautious on this front.\n      He said they were unlikely to hesitate in holding interest\n  rates steady or even raising them again if sterling showed any\n  signs of excessive weakness.\n      Most analysts agreed Lawson had bolstered the credibility\n  of the Budget by adopting realistic forecasts.\n      Raising the forecast for the current account deficit from\n  1.5 to 2.5 billion stg for 1987 would not unsettle the markets,\n  which are already discounting that amount, Jeffrey said.\n  that the 4.0 billion stg PSBR target was given credibility by\n  the favourable outturn for 1986\/87, which is now also forecast\n  to be 4.0 billion stg.\n      But analysts said the Budget speech did not give any\n  clear-cut indication about the timing of the general election,\n  which has to be held before June, 1988.\n      Some believe it signals a poll this June, noting that the\n  benefits, such as income tax cuts and the decision not to raise\n  duties on alcohol and tobacco, become available immediately.\n      But others said it kept several options open and it was not\n  possible to deduce too much from it.\n      James Capel's Fellner noted that by being fiscally prudent,\n  Lawson had kept open the possibility of an autumn election in\n  that there would be no \"chickens coming home to roost.\"\n      Richard Jeffrey, who favours the likelihood of a June\n  election, said it was important the Chancellor had not gone for\n  a Budget aimed overtly at buying an election victory.\n      Nevertheless, he said, it was likely to result in a boost\n  to the Conservative Party's pre-election popularity.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAFT <TFB> STOCK RISES ON PROPOSAL\n","article":"  Taft Broadcasting Co stock rose almost\n  three points today as its vice chairman and an investment group\n  proposed to sweeten a takeover offer for the company.\n      However, several arbitragers said they would shy away from\n  the stock at its current price levels since it is unclear how\n  high bidding for the company would go and whether the company\n  would agree to a takeover.\n      \"There are too many uncertainties,\" said one arbitrager.\n      Taft stock rose 2-7\/8 to 155-3\/4.\n      Dudley Taft, Taft vice chairman, and Narragansett Capital\n  Inc said they sent a letter to the Taft board, stating they\n  were committed to pursuing acquisition of the broadcast company\n  and were prepared to negotiate a transaction in excess of 150\n  dlrs per share.\n      The company responded that the proposal would be submitted\n  to the board of directors, but that no decisions have yet been\n  made on a sale of the company.\n      \"Someone's betting this company will go for 170 (dlrs per\n  share),\" said one arbitrager.\n      Arbitragers said the stock is a risky buy at current\n  levels, unless an offer was accepted in the 170 dlr per share\n  range. They said to make an arbitrage investment at this level\n  would be chancy since it will take a long time for any\n  transaction to be completed because of regulatory approvals\n  necessary for the broadcast properites.\n      Taft earlier rejected a 145 dlr per share or 1.35 billion\n  dlr bid from the investment group. The company said it rejected\n  the bid as inadequate based on advice of Goldman, Sachs and Co,\n  its financial adviser. It said it would consider alternatives\n  such as restructuring.\n      Arbitragers speculated a bidding war may erupt for Taft,\n  which has two large shareholders in an investment group led by\n  Robert Bass and Carl Lindner, chairman of American Financial\n  Corp. The Bass group holds 25 pct of Taft and Lindner holds\n  16.2 pct. The Taft family, which founded the company almost 50\n  years ago, has about 12 pct.\n      Lindner last week told the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission he may be interested in making a bid for Taft.\n      \"I could see if things got really crazy that it might go\n  for 175 (dlrs per share),\" said one arbitrager, but he\n  speculated it probably would not even be taken over for more\n  than a price in the 160s.\n      Another speculated that Lindner might bid, but he\n  speculated the investor would not really be interested in\n  running the company. Lindner was unavailable for comment.\n      Dennis McAlpine, an analyst with Oppenheimer and Co, said\n  he had speculated the company might be considering a leveraged\n  buyout.\n      \"Ideally, you'd have to break this thing up to satisfy all\n  the interests involved,\" he said, adding the two largest\n  shareholders might be interested in pieces of Taft.\n      He said the highest takeover price he calculated for the\n  company has been about 140 dlrs per share, but that the highest\n  estimates on Wall Street have been about 160. He said the\n  latter would be based on more optimistic expectations for the\n  broadcast industry.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF FRANCE SEES CONTINUED INDUSTRIAL PICKUP\n","article":"  The Bank of France expects a continued\n  revival in short-term industrial activity, but the outlook for\n  any improvement in France's record 10.9 pct unemployment rate\n  remains bleak, the Bank of France said in its monthly review.\n      The upturn in activity in all industrial sectors except the\n  agro-food sector in February more than compensated for the fall\n  in January, while construction and civil engineering\n  experienced a recovery which appears likely to extend over the\n  next few months.\n      Internal demand rose and the export situation improved, in\n  particular toward the European Community (EC), the Bank said.\n      Stocks decreases and order book levels, with the exception\n  of the agro-food industry, improved substantially.\n      In addition, retail prices and salaries stabilised last\n  months.\n      Production rose in all sectors except agricultural\n  machinery and aeronautics, where it stabilised, and ship\n  construction, where it declined.\n      The car industry was the major beneficiary of the upturn in\n  activity in February, with both domestic and export orders\n  rising.\n      In the consumer goods sector, actitity rose sharply despite\n  a fall in the household goods sector and stability in\n  pharmaceuticals.\n      Among semi-finished products, output rose sharply, helped\n  by a strong growth in construction materials.\n      But activity in the retail sector declined slightly over\n  the past two months.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HERRINGTON SAYS HE MAY RECOMMEND TAX BENEFITS FOR U.S. OIL INDUSTRY\n","article":"\n  HERRINGTON SAYS HE MAY RECOMMEND TAX BENEFITS FOR U.S. OIL INDUSTRY\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HERRINGTON SAYS HE MAY CALL FOR OIL TAX BENEFITS\n","article":"  Energy Secretary John Herrington\n  said he may recommend to the White House that the domestic oil\n  industry be given tax benefits to help it produce more oil and\n  head off increasing U.S. dependence on foreign oil.\n      He said also at a news conference that he would recommend\n  to the White House that the fill rate of the Strategic\n  Petroleum Reserve be increased from its planned 35,000 barrels\n  per day.\n      The oil reserve fill rate capacity is 100,000 barrels a\n  day.\n      Herrington said he had always advocated a greater fill rate\n  for the petroleum reserve, but the rate had been kept down\n  because of budgetary constraints.\n      Herrington did not disclose what tax incentives he might\n  advocate, but U.S. officials have shown interest in tax\n  benefits for oil and gas exploration and for research and\n  development into new ways to extract oil which is now\n  considered uneconomical to produce.\n      He made the remarks in conjunction with the release of the\n  Energy Department's study on oil's impact on national security.\n      Herrington said that before he disclosed what\n  recommendations for tax benefits for the oil and gas industry\n  he might make, he would raise the matter with the White House\n  Economic Policy Committee to see if the proposals to increase\n  oil production made good tax policy.\n      He said he would like to increase U.S. production by one\n  mln barrels a day.\n      The report said that by the end of the century the United\n  States may be relying on foreign sources for 50 pct of its oil\n  consumption, posing a serious economic and national security\n  threat.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONSOLIDATED STORES CORP <CNS> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 17 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 7,602,000 vs 4,879,000\n      Sales 141.5 mln vs 71.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 45.0 mln vs 42.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 45 cts vs 32 cts\n      Net 19.5 mln vs 12.0 mln\n      Sales 397.2 mln vs 181.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 43.4 mln vs 38.2 mln\n      NOTE: Prior year net includes 2,600,000 dlr tax credit.\n      Share adjusted for two-for-one stock split in June 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WAINCO OIL <WOL> COMPLETES WILDCAT WELL\n","article":"  Wainco Oil Corp said it has completed a\n  wildcat well on its GrandMarais prspect in Jefferson Davis\n  Parish, La., which is currently producing at a rate of 1.1 mln\n  cubic feet of gas and 40 barrels of condensate daily.\n      The company said it has a 20 pct working interest in the\n  well which is flowing from Lower Frion Tweedel Sand\n  perforations between 10,104 and 10,110 feet. Additional\n  untested but possibly productive zones exist behind the pipe,\n  it added. It said the remaining owners are privately held\n  petroleum companies.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. WARNS OF DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL\n","article":"  A White House-ordered report said \n  that growing U.S. reliance on foreign oil into the year 2000\n  could have potentially damaging implications for national\n  security.\n      The Energy Department study discusses several options to\n  curb reliance on foreign oil, but makes no recommendations.\n      President Reagan and most Congressmen have previously ruled\n  out a tax on foreign oil as a way to curb imports and to help\n  the depressed domestic oil industry.\n      Energy Secretary John Herrington said in a statement that\n  \"although we have made gains in energy security in the last six\n  years, this report shows that there is justification for\n  national concern both over declining competitiveness of our\n  domestic oil and gas industry and over rising oil imports.\"\n      The report said imports last year were 33 pct of U.S.\n  consumption and by the mid-1990s could rise to 50 pct.\n      Among the report's options to ease U.S. reliance on foreign\n  oil are several already advocated by the Reagan Administration.\n      President Reagan ordered the study last September, citing a\n  determination that the country never again become captive to a\n  foreign oil cartel, referring to the OPEC-led oil shortages and\n  sharp prices increases of the 1970s.\n      The report said an import fee would raise prices and help\n  make it economical for U.S. oil firms to find and produce new\n  oil, as well as to cut imports, but on the whole the tax would\n  depress the nation's economy.\n      The study was outlined in a New York Times report today.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOSPITAL STAFFING SERVICES INC <HSSI> 1ST QTR\n","article":"  Feb 28\n      Oper shr six cts vs two cts\n      Oper net 189,683 vs 47,499\n      Revs 2,874,930 vs 2,594,574\n      NOTE: Prior year net excludes 33,000 dlr tax credit.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VIATECH INC <VTK> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.53 dlrs vs 18 cts\n      Net 841,893 vs 95,477\n      Revs 50.3 mln vs 35.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INTERACTIVE TECHNOLOGIES INC <ITXI> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr nine cts vs eight cts\n      Net 373,000 vs 269,000\n      Sales 3,501,000 vs 2,507,000\n      Avg shrs 4,036,000 vs 3,326,000\n      NOTE: Periods end January 31, 1987 and 1986, respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. FHL BANKS SETS 6.70 PCT, 7.10 PCT, 7.65 PCT RATES ON 2.55 BILLION DLR OFFER\n","article":"\n  U.S. FHL BANKS SETS 6.70 PCT, 7.10 PCT, 7.65 PCT RATES ON 2.55 BILLION DLR OFFER\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"OPEC WANTS 18 DLR OIL PRICE - OAPEC OFFICIAL\n","article":"  OPEC believes world oil prices should\n  be set around a fixed average price of 18 dlrs a barrel, OAPEC\n  Assistant General Secretary Abdelaziz Al-Wattari said today.\n      In a speech to a European Community (EC)\/OAPEC\/OPEC seminar\n  in Luxembourg released here, Al-Wattari said: \"OPEC believes\n  ...The world energy trade should be kept without restrictions\n  and should be built around a fixed average price of 18 dlrs.\"\n      But he warned that defense of the 18 dlr a barrel level had\n  caused hardship for OPEC countries, who had been forced to\n  curtail production, and he warned that such cutbacks by OPEC\n  states could not be sustained in some cases.\n      \"For OPEC to stabilize the world oil price at what is now\n  considered the optimal level of 18 dlrs a barrel, its member\n  countries have had to undergo severe hardship in curtailing\n  production,\" Al-Wattari said.\n      \"Such cutbacks ... Cannot, in certain cases, be sustained,\"\n  Al-Wattari said. As well as financial and marketing pressures,\n  some states depended on associated gas output for domestic use\n  and oil cutbacks had left insufficient gas supplies, he added.\n      Al-Wattari noted that total OPEC output was below the\n  organization's agreed ceiling for all member countries in\n  February, although this had meant sacrifices.\n      The effect of these sacrifices meant that market stability,\n  though restored to a good level, was still under pressure,\n  Al-Wattari said. \"A lasting stability in the world market\n  requires a wider scope of international cooperation,\" he added.\n      He said some non-OPEC oil producing countries had shown a\n  political willingness after 1986 to cooperate with OPEC.\n      But although cutbacks announced by these states were\n  politically significant and welcomed by OPEC, they were\n  insufficient in terms of volume, he added. \"The overall majority\n  of non-OPEC producers have not responded sufficiently to OPEC's\n  calls for supply regulation,\" he said.\n      Al-Wattari said an 18 dlr a barrel price was optimal as it\n  allowed investment in the oil industry outside OPEC to\n  continue, while not generating excessive cash flow for\n  otherwise unviable high-cost areas outside OPEC. Such a price\n  would no longer encourage protectionist measures, he added.\n      Fadhil Al-Chalabi, OPEC Deputy Secretary General, also\n  addressing the seminar, added that discipline was still needed\n  to prevent violent fluctuations in the oil market.\n      Cooperation between Arab states and Europe was advantageous\n  for both sides, Al-Chalabi said, adding he hoped cooperation\n  would ultimately lead to full-fledged Euro-Arab dialogue.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. FHL BANKS SETS RATES ON DEBT OFFERING\n","article":"  The Office of Finance, Federal Home\n  Loan Banks, said it set rates on today's debt offering of 6.70\n  pct on its 1.11 billion dlr issue, 7.10 pct on a 1.065 billion\n  dlr issue and 7.65 pct on a 375 mln dlr issue.\n      It said the issues, which are for settlement March 25, \n  mature March 26, 1990, March 25, 1992 and March 25, 1997,\n  respectively.\n      The office said telephone confirmation of allotments must\n  be received by 1500 hrs EST today and that secondary trading\n  will begin at 0930 hrs EST tomorrow.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SANTA ANITA COS <SAR> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 45 cts vs 63 cts\n      Oper net 3,805,000 vs 5,155,000\n      Revs 12.0 mln vs 10.6 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 1.58 dlrs vs 2.07 dlrs\n      Oper net 12,991,000 vs 15,692,000\n      Revs 69.8 mln vs 71.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 8,265,541 vs 7,598,522\n      Note: Current qtr and year figures exclude losses from\n  discontinued operations of 761,000 dlrs and 875,000 dlrs,\n  respectively and disposition gain of 6.1 mln dlrs in both\n  periods.\n      Prior qtr and year figures exclude gain from discontinued\n  operation of 31,000 dlrs and loss of 2,000 dlrs, respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MIDWAY AIRLINES <MDWY> SETS HOLDER RIGHTS PLAN\n","article":"  Midway Airlines Inc, which has\n  frequently been mentioned as an acquisition target, said it\n  declared a shareholder rights plan.\n      Holders will get a dividend of one preferred share purchase\n  right on each outstanding share of common stock.\n      Each right, when exercisable, will entitle the holder to\n  purchase one one-hundredth share of Series C Junior\n  Participating preferred stock for 50 dlrs.\n      The rights are intended to assure that all holders receive\n  fair treatment in the event of a takeover. The company said\n  this is not in response to a known effort to acquire control.\n      The rights will be exercisable 10 days after a person or\n  group buys 20 pct of the company's common, or announces or\n  commences a tender offer that would result in acquisition of 30\n  pct or more of its common.\n      Midway can redeem the rights at two cts each at any time\n  prior to expieration of 10 days after the acquisition by any\n  person of 20 pct or more of the companyt's common, it said.\n      If Midway is acquired, each right will entitle its hodler\n  to purchase a number of the acquiring company's common shares\n  having a market value at that time of twice the right's\n  exercise price.\n      The dividend will be payable to holders of record April\n  six, and expire 10 years later on April 6, 1997.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EQUION CORP <EQUI> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 19 cts vs 18 cts\n      Oper net 951,902 vs 987,860\n      Revs 19.0 mln vs 17.1 mln\n      Six mths\n      Oper shr 26 cts vs 35 cts\n      Oper net 1,332,273 vs 2,502,868\n      Revs 33.6 mln vs 29.2 mln\n      Note: Oper net excludes tax credits of 897,925 dlrs vs\n  841,511,dlrs for qtr and 1,306,860 dlrs vs 2,132,073 dlrs for\n  six mths.\n      Note: Year-ago results restated to reflect change in\n  accounting principle effective August one, 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VENEZUELA-ECUADOR OIL LOAN UNDER DISCUSSION\n","article":"  Venezuela has still to work out final\n  details of its plan to supply Ecuador with 50,000 barrels per\n  day of crude oil to compensate that country for lost exports\n  caused by earthquake damage, a senior Petroleos de Venezuela\n  (PDVSA) official said.\n      \"We have yet to finalize details on how the compensation\n  will be carried out and how OPEC production quotas will be\n  affected,\" he said during the signing of a joint venture deal\n  with Union Pacific Corp today.\n      He said an agreement was initialled on a visit last week by\n  Ecuador's deputy energy minister Fernando Santos Alvite.\n      He pointed out that there are some contractual points to be\n  considered. Venezuela, possibly unique among oil exporters,\n  requires its clients to sign final destination clauses to\n  ensure its oil is not resold on the spot market.\n      Ecuador's oil minister Javier Espinosa was quoted today as\n  saying Venezuela will export the oil on Ecuador's account and\n  remit the revenues to Quito. Ecuador would pay back the oil at\n  a rate of 35,000 bpd.\n      He said Venezuela's oil would be traded through Ecuadorean\n  state oil company Cepe, but the PDVSA official said the company\n  never allows third parties to trade its oil.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<TEMCO SERVICE INDUSTRIES INC> 1ST QTR DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr 31 cts vs 21 cts\n      Net 182,839 vs 132,804\n      Revs 25.0 mln vs 19.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<GREAT PACIFIC INDUSTRIES INC> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.93 dlrs vs 2.21 dlrs\n      Net 8,371,000 vs 9,576,000\n      Revs 18.3 mln vs 15.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SIMMONS AIRLINES INC <SIMM> 2ND QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Period end Jan 31\n      Shr loss 17 cts vs loss 26 cts\n      Net loss 765,808 vs loss 1,216,501\n      Revs 15.8 mln vs 18.7 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr nil vs profit 54 cts\n      Net loss 12.5 mln vs profit 2,538,030\n      Revs 32.5 mln vs 42.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,310,068 vs 4,712,315\n      NOTE: Prior yr results restated to reflect change in value\n  of aircraft, resulting in increase of 232,000 or five cts shr\n  for six mths\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<TEMCO SERVICE INDUSTRIES INC> MERGER ENDED\n","article":"  Temco Service Industries Inc said its\n  proposed buyout by chairman Herman J. Hellman and president\n  Harvey Newwman has been terminated by mutual consent, and Temco\n  has no present intention of being acquired by any other party.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SURALCO ALUMINA EXPORTS DROPPED 75 PCT IN FEB\n","article":"  The Surinam Aluminum Company\n  (SURALCO) registered a 75 pct drop in alumina exports in\n  February after its operations were shut down by worker violence\n  and guerrilla sabotage, the official Surinam News Agency, SNA,\n  reported.\n      SNA said Suralco's alumina exports dropped to 23,869 tonnes\n  in February from 92,852 tonnes in January. Aluminum exports,\n  meanwhile, decreased nine pct in the same period, to 1,511\n  tonnes from 1,647 tonnes.\n      Suralco's alumina refinery at Paranam, 18 miles south of\n  the capital, was shut down February 2 after workers destroyed\n  plant and computer equipment in a protest over layoffs at the\n  company's nearby aluminum smelter.\n      The smelter was shut down January 26 after anti-government\n  guerrillas dynamited two electricity towers which transmit\n  power to the plant from the Afobaka dam.\n      The alumina refinery, owned jointly by Suralco and Billiton\n  NV, a Royal Dutch Shell subsidiary, was reopened March 9. But\n  the smelter remains closed, as do the Suralco mines at Moengo,\n  60 miles east of Paramaribo, which were closed down by\n  guerrillas last November.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. HOUSING DATA FAIL TO CLARIFY ECONOMIC PATH\n","article":"  Surprisingly strong U.S. housing\n  statistics for February cannot be taken as an indication that\n  the economy is generating any momentum and are not sufficient\n  cause to start lifting forecasts for first quarter growth,\n  economists said.\n      Building was boosted by two factors last month, unusually\n  mild weather and low mortgage rates. But economists said that\n  seasonal factors make it hard to assess what spur to the\n  economy, if any, will come from housing in coming months. And\n  after a steady retreat, mortgage rates seem to be near bottom.\n      U.S. housing starts rose 2.6 pct in February to a\n  seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.851 mln units from 1.804\n  mln in January. It was the highest pace for starts since April\n  1986.\n      The rate at which permits were issued for future building\n  climbed 4.4 pct to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.764\n  mln units after dropping 11.52 pct to 1.690 mln in January.\n      \"February's weather is usually more adverse for home\n  building. Because of seasonal factors it's difficult to\n  determine what this means for the economy down the road,\" said\n  Allan Leslie of Discount Corp.\n      The housing report is seasonally-weighted to compensate for\n  weather-related setbacks. As a result, milder temperatures\n  inflate the statistics.\n      Economists said that low mortgage rates also were a spur to\n  building last month. But several believe that rates will now\n  consolidate before edging up in late spring\/early summer.\n      \"Builders are looking at current mortgage rates and saying\n  'Let's do it now',\" said Mark Obrinsky of the U.S. League of\n  Savings Institutions in Washington, whose members supply much\n  of the financing for home building.\n      But Obrinsky doubts that there is much more downward\n  potential for rates because he foresees higher inflation and \n  some overall improvement in the U.S. economy.\n      He expects rates to gain 50 to 100 basis points in early\n  summer from the 9.50 pct fixed rate effective in February. Last\n  November, fixed rate mortgages were about 10.30 pct.\n      As expected, the strength in housing was concentrated in\n  the single-family sector. The multi-family area -- which\n  typically represents rental units -- remained weak due to high\n  vacancy rates and increased capital costs of such units\n  following tax law changes effective January 1.\n      Single-family starts rose at a 5.6 pct annual pace to 1.317\n  mln units. Multi-family fell 4.1 pct to a 534,000 rate.\n      \"Strength in the single-family sector indicates that low\n  mortgage rates are doing their job. But we're probably not\n  looking at a great deal of growth potential,\" said Ward\n  McCarthy of Merrill Lynch Capital Markets.\n      McCarthy noted that the housing report, together with\n  larger than expected gains in U.S. employment, industrial\n  output and retail sales in February, may cause some observers\n  to start waving \"four pct GNP banners\" for the first quarter.\n  Gross national product grew 1.3 pct in the fourth quarter.\n      But McCarthy, who still expects first quarter real GNP to\n  come in at an annual rate of 2.5 pct or slightly above, is not\n  convinced that growth will pick up in future.\n      \"The big story is the inventory re-building that's going on\n  now, not all of which is intentional,\" he said. For example,\n  U.S. automakers, who are already saddled with high stocks,\n  produced at an annual rate of 8.3 mln units in February\n  compared with domestic car sales of 7.3 mln.\n      Thus while inventories could contribute to GNP in the first\n  quarter, they may result in scaled-back production and weaker\n  growth in the second, he said.\n      \"If most of the first quarter growth is inventory building\n  and we cannot identify any improvement in export demand, then\n  there is the potential for softness in the second quarter,\"\n  agreed Allan Leslie of Discount Corp. He is still evaluating\n  first quarter GNP prospects.\n      Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker said last week that\n  current data do not show the worsening in trade has reversed.\n      \"At the same time that we are pumping up inventories in the\n  first quarter, we could foresee production slowing in the\n  second,\" cautioned Joe Plocek of McCarthy, Crisanti and Maffei\n  Inc, who expects first quarter growth of about three pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PUBLIC SERVICE ENTERPRISE <PEG> TWO MTHS NET\n","article":"  Periods ended February 28\n      Shr 89 cts vs 87 cts\n      Net 119.5 mln vs 114.6 mln\n      Revs 872.3 mln vs 917.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 134.9 mln vs 131.7 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 2.87 dlrs vs 3.32 dlrs\n      Net 383.4 mln vs 413.5 mln\n      Revs 4.5 billion vs 4.4 billion\n      Avg shrs 133.7 mln vs 124.7 mln\n      NOTES: Year ago results restated to reflect application of\n  new accounting for disallowances\n      Full name is Public Service Enterprise Group Inc\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PENTRON CORP <PEN> UNIT TO BUY ICE CREATIONS\n","article":"  Pentron Corp said its\n  Rotational Molding Inc unit has purchased privately held Ice\n  Creations Unlimited for an undisclosed amount of cash and other\n  considerations.\n      The company said Ice Creations had sales of 1.2 mln dlrs in\n  the year ended May 31, 1986.\n      Ice creations is a molder of plastics.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.K. OIL REVENUE FORECAST TO FALL IN 1987\/88\n","article":"  The U.K. Government forecasts that oil\n  revenues will fall to four billion stg in the fiscal year\n  1987\/88, from 4.75 billion in 1986\/87 and 11.5 billion in\n  1985\/86.\n      The forecast came in the Treasury's Financial Statement and\n  Budget Report issued after the Chancellor of the Exchequer\n  Nigel Lawson's annual budget statement to parliament.\n      The government is assuming the price of oil will average 15\n  dlrs a barrel, in line with its earlier forecasts, and its oil\n  revenue calculation is based on an exchange rate remaining\n  close to current levels, the Treasury document said.\n      The Treasury said the 1987\/88 oil revenue shortfall will\n  reflect the oil price fall of 1986, as North Sea corporation\n  tax is paid after a time lag.\n      The statement calculated that a one dlr a barrel difference\n  in oil prices this year will change revenue by about 350 mln\n  stg for the current fiscal year, and 400 mln stg in a full\n  year.\n      Oil production is forecast to fall slightly in 1987,\n  according to the statement. A change in one mln tonnes in\n  production would alter revenue by about 45 mln stg in 1987\/88\n  and 50 mln stg in a full year, it added.\n      Total general government receipts for 1986\/87 are now\n  estimated to be 159.2 billion stg, 2.75 billion more than the\n  1986 Budget forecasts and above the Autumn Statement forecasts,\n  despite a shortfall of 1.25 billlion in oil receipts.\n      Additional non-North Sea corporation tax of 1.75 billion\n  stg and VAT of 750 mln stg account for the bulk of the\n  overshoot.\n      Total general government receipts were forecast to rise to\n  168.8 billion stg in fiscal 1987\/88, and among the main items,\n  besides diminishing oil revenues, were projected income tax of\n  40 billion stg, up from 38.4 billion in the current year.\n      Non-North Sea corporation tax is forecast to bring in 13.5\n  billion stg in 1987\/88, after the revised 11.2 billion in\n  1986\/87, and VAT revenue should amount to 23.3 billion,\n  compared with upwardly revised estimated 21.5 billion this\n  fiscal year.\n      The general government expenditure for the coming fiscal\n  year is expected to total 173.5 billion stg, up from a revised\n  164.9 billion in the current year.\n      A repayment of 800 mln on public corporations' market and\n  overseas borrowings is forecast to bring the total Public\n  Sector Borrowing Requirement down to 3.9 billion stg in\n  1987\/88, from this year's revised 4.1 billion, the Treasury\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REYNOLD METALS <RLM> UP ON FURMAN SELZ REPORT\n","article":"  Shares of Reynolds Metals Co rose\n  sharply after Wall Street firm Furman Selz Mager Dietz and\n  Birney issued a report focusing on the strong earnings\n  potential from the company's Australian gold holding, traders\n  familiar with the report said.\n      Traders said the report notes that earnings from Australian\n  gold holdings could be worth about 35 cts to 55 cts a share\n  this year and 1.40 dlrs to two dlrs a share in 1988.\n      Reynolds Metals rose three points to 59-5\/8 on volume of\n  729,500 shares.\n      Reynolds owns stakes in the Mount Gibson gold project and\n  the Boddington gold project, both located in Australia. An\n  analyst familiar with the two mines said \"the properties,\n  together, have a potential value of 20 dlrs to 40 dlrs a share\n  for Reynolds.\"\n      The analyst, who asked not to be identified, said the rise\n  in the stock today was likely the result of \"U.S. investors\n  that were not completely cognizant of the size or the\n  importance of the (Reynolds') holdings in Australia.\"\n      Traders said the Furman Selz report indicates that gold was\n  discovered mixed with bauxite in the Boddington mine.\n  Boddington is principally a bauxite mine.\n      The traders said the report goes on to say that the profits\n  from the Boddington gold with substantially reduce the\n  production costs of the other metals mined at Boddington.\n      Traders said Furman Selz also boosted its earnings\n  estimates, expecting Reynolds Metals to earn 4.10 dlr a share\n  in 1987 and eight dlrs a share in 1988.\n      Last year, Reynolds reported net earnings of 8.18 dlrs a\n  share, which included 3.09 dlrs a share for adoption of new\n  accounting rules, 1.01 dlrs a share for tax loss carryforwards\n  and other extraordinary items.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"17-MAR-1987\n","article":"  17-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WESTERN FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK <WFPR> UPS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 15 cts vs 12-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OPEC WANTS 18 DLR OIL PRICE - OAPEC OFFICIAL\n","article":"  OPEC believes world oil prices should\n  be set around a fixed average price of 18 dlrs a barrel, OAPEC\n  Assistant General Secretary Abdelaziz Al-Wattari said.\n      In a speech to a European Community\/OAPEC\/OPEC seminar in\n  Luxembourg released here, Al-Wattari said, \"OPEC believes ...the\n  world energy trade should be kept without restrictions and\n  should be built around a fixed average price of 18 dlrs.\"\n      Al-Wattari noted that total OPEC output was below the\n  organization's agreed ceiling for all member countries in\n  February, although this had meant sacrifices. The effect of\n  these sacrifices meant that market stability, though restored\n  to a good level, was still under pressure, Al-Wattari said.\n      \"A lasting stability in the world market requires a wider\n  scope of international cooperation,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. HOUSE APPROVES PILOT 0\/92 DISASTER PROGRAM\n","article":"  The House of Representatives\n  approved a bill to enable 1987 winter wheat and feedgrains\n  farmers hit by midwestern flooding last year to receive at\n  least 92 pct of their federal income support payments even if\n  they did not plant.\n      The one-time pilot 0\/92 program, designed to assist farmers\n  in Kansas, Oklahoma, Michigan and parts of Missouri, was passed\n  by a 304-100 vote and sent to the Senate.\n      Although the bill includes a narrow version of the 0\/92\n  provision endorsed by the Reagan administration, the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department withheld its support from the measure.\n      USDA said the bill would discourage farmers from buying\n  crop insurance and fall short of the administration's proposed\n  broad-scale revision of farm programs.\n      The bill would permit winter wheat producers prevented from\n  planting their 1987 crop last fall to receive 92 pct of the\n  deficiency payments they would have received.\n      To be eligible, winter wheat farmers could not plant a\n  different crop on that land this spring, although they could\n  use the land for grazing or to plant hay.\n      USDA estimated this provision would save 30 mln dlrs,\n  largely because of reduced crop forfeitures.\n      The bill also would aid about 200 feedgrains producers\n  along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers who were prevented\n  from planting crops this year because of residual damage from\n  last fall's flooding.\n      In addition, the measure would require USDA to make full\n  payment to farmers eligible for emergency assistance approved\n  by Congress last fall.\n      Currently, because claims have outstripped the 400 mln dlrs\n  in appropriated funds, USDA plans to offer farmers in the\n  region 74 cents for every dollar in disaster losses.\n      The administration said it opposed the bill because, by\n  expanding the 400 mln dlrs in disaster relief, it would thwart\n  efforts to encourage farmers to buy crop insurance as an\n  alternative to federal disaster assistance.\n      USDA also said the 0\/92 provisions in the bill were\n  narrower than the administration's proposal to offer the option\n  to all major commodities and would produce insignificant\n  savings.\n      USDA said the 0\/92 option for 1987 winter wheat farmers\n  would produce a net savings of about 30 mln dlrs, while the\n  requirement to compensate fully disaster-struck farmers would\n  cost about 135 mln dlrs, which must be appropriated by\n  Congress. The feedgrains provision would cost about five mln\n  dlrs.\n      USDA estimated the overall cost of the bill to be 111 mln\n  dlrs.\n      In January the Senate approved a bill that would make 1987\n  winter wheat farmers eligible for disaster assistance payments.\n      But the Senate bill would not offer the 0\/92 option to\n  wheat and feedgrains producers or raise the 400-mln dlr ceiling\n  on the disaster assistance program.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DIODES INC <DIO> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit one cts vs profit four cts\n      Net profit 27,490 vs 89,687\n      Sales 2,899,189 vs 2,785,931\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss four cts vs profit nine cts\n      Net loss 78,038 vs profit 184,062\n      Sales 8,785,918 vs 8,273,913\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALLEGHENY BEVERAGE SAYS GROUP INTERESTED IN ACQUIRING ITS SERVICE AMERICA CORP UNIT\n","article":"\n  ALLEGHENY BEVERAGE SAYS GROUP INTERESTED IN ACQUIRING ITS SERVICE AMERICA CORP UNIT\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MONY REAL ESTATE INVESTORS <MYM> 3RD QTR FEB 28\n","article":"  Oper shr nine cts vs 128 cts\n      Qtly div 18 cts vs 22 cts prior\n      Oper net 951,000 vs 1,817,000\n      Total income 5,010,000 vs 5,575,000\n      Nine mths\n      Oper shr 39 cts vs 59 cts\n      Oper net 4,014,000 vs 5,936,000\n      Total income 15.2 mln vs 16.7 mln\n      NOTE: Current year net both periods includes 750,000 dslr\n  provision for possible losses.\n      Net excludes gains from sale of investment of 1,461,000\n  dlrs vs 346,000 dlrs in quarter and in nine mths.\n      Dividend pay April 15, record March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HILTON <HLT> SEES IMPROVED FIRST QUARTER PROFITS\n","article":"  Hilton Hotels Corp expects earnings\n  per share for first quarter fiscal 1987 to March 31 to be about\n  90 cts compared with 70 cts a year earlier, Hilton Hotels\n  division president Carl Mottek said.\n      He told a news conference the company expected costs for\n  its first 10 all-suite hotels, announced today, to be about 150\n  mln dlrs. Initial financing would come from the company's cash\n  flow. Later, Hilton plans to use borrowings from traditional\n  sources, he added.\n      Hilton, which hopes to build 50 all-suite hotels within\n  five years, may take in partners in the new venture, he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"H.J. HEINZ <HNZ> POISED FOR RECORD YEAR\n","article":"  H.J. Heinz Co is \"within sight of our\n  22nd consecutive year of new records in financial growth\" for\n  the fiscal year ending April 30, Chairman and Chief Executive\n  Officer Anthony O'Reilly told investment analysts.\n      O'Reilly, who declined to make a specific projection, said\n  the food company is \"stronger than at any time in its 118-year\n  history.\"\n      Last week Heinz reported third-quarter earnings rose to 55\n  cts a share from 46 cts a share. Sales rose to 1.08 billion\n  dlrs from 1.01 billion dlrs a year earlier.\n      O'Reilly said Heinz will concentrate on backing its big\n  brands, new products and services, new geography, internal\n  growth and acquisitions.\n      He said Heinz Ketchup has its highest market share in\n  history, 55 pct. But in response to a question, the executive\n  said a volume falloff in the overall product category \"is a\n  concern to us.\"\n      O'Reilly said Weight Watchers continues to perform well and\n  will generate revenue in fiscal 1987 of approximately 940 mln\n  dlrs.\n      O'Reilly told analysts Heinz is in active negotiations to\n  build a second plant in China, where it entered a joint venture\n  with the government in 1984, forming Heinz-UFE Ltd, which\n  produces dry baby food cereal.\n      He said Heinz-Japan is \"making a profit and generating its\n  first substantial dividends,\" and implementation of a new\n  partnership, Seoul-Heinz Ltd, is moving ahead with a new\n  manufacturing plant targeted for completion by June in Seoul,\n  South Korea.\n      To increase its competitiveness, O'Reilly said Heinz\n  implemented a \"lowest cost imaginable\" program targeted at\n  manufacturing, sales and marketing and procurement.\n      He said a modernization program is in effect at the\n  company's United Kingdom operations, where the labor force,\n  trimmed to 4,000 from 10,000, is expected to be further reduced\n  to 2,500 in 1988.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALLEGHENY BEVERAGE <ABEV> EXPLORES UNIT SALE\n","article":"  Allegheny Beverage Corp said it\n  has been approached by a group interested in acquiring its\n  foodservice unit, Service America Corp.\n      The group includes senior management of Service America but\n  no officers of Allegheny Beverage, the company said.\n      The company has agreed to permit the group and its\n  potential lenders to perform a due diligence review of Service\n  America, it said.\n      Allegheny noted it had previously cancelled plans to spin\n  off the foodservice subsidiary.\n      The company said the group's review is preliminary and\n  there is no assurance that an acquisition proposal will be made\n  or, if made, accepted.\n      Service America had fiscal 1986 revenues of about 934 mln\n  dlrs, or about 83 pct of Allegheny Beverage's total revenues of\n  1.13 billion dlrs for the year ended March 29, 1986, a\n  spokesman for Allegheny Beverage said.\n      He declined to identify the Service America officials in\n  the acquisition group.\n      On Feb 18, 1987, Allegheny said it was cancelling the spin\n  off of Service America, but gave no reason for doing so. It\n  said it would place major emphasis on managing Service America\n  to improve operations and increase earnings at the unit.\n      Service America, which Allegheny acquired in May 1985,\n  operates cafeterias and food and beverage vending machines.\n  Through other subsidiaries, Allegheny provides coin-operated\n  laundry services, building maintenance services and retail\n  office and furniture operations.\n      In fiscal 1986, Allegheny reported earnings from continuing\n  operations of 8.2 mln dlrs or 1.09 dlrs a fully diluted share,\n  excluding income of 59.7 mln dlrs from discontinued operations\n  and an extraordinary loss of 8.1 mln dlrs. In May 1985,\n  Allegheny sold its Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co unit to Pepsico Inc\n  <PEP> for 160 mln dlrs.\n      Including discontinued operations and the special item, net\n  income was 59.8 mln dlrs or 6.21 dlrs a share fully diluted.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INSPIRATION <IRC> IN CANADIAN GOLD FIND\n","article":"  Inspiration Resources Corp said a gold\n  project in northern Manitoba in which it has a 44.8 pct\n  interest has yielded estimated total reserves of 1,580,000\n  short tons grading an average 0.185 ounce of gold per ton.\n      The company said <Manitoba Mineral Resources Ltd> owns the\n  remaining interest in the project, which is located about 25\n  miles east of Lynn Lake.\n      Inspiration said the project has proven reserves of 538,000\n  tons assayed at 0.212 ounce of gold per ton, probable reserves\n  of 686,000 tons at 0.166 ounce and possible reserves of 355,000\n  tons at 0.183 ounce.\n      Inspiration said a production decision is expected to be\n  made in 1988.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MARCOR <MAAR> EXPECTS FISCAL YEAR PROFIT\n","article":"  MarCor Development Co Inc said\n  it expects to post a profit for its fiscal year ended February\n  28 of about two mln dlrs, compared to a year earlier loss of\n  3.2 mln dlrs.\n      During the prior year the company operated as F and M\n  Importing, a publicly-held wholesale food distributor.\n      During March last year privately-held Marcor acquired a\n  controlling interest in F and M Importing, divested the food\n  business, renamed the company and began operating as a real\n  estate investment and service company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HONDURAS AUTHORIZED TO BUY PL 480 COMMODITIES\n","article":"  Honduras has been authorized to buy\n  about 75,000 tonnes of U.S. wheat, about 15,000 tonnes of U.S.\n  corn, and about 6,000 tonnes of U.S. tallow under an existing\n  PL 480 agreement, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      The department said it may buy the wheat, valued at 8.5 mln\n  dlrs, the corn, valued at 1.5 mln, and the tallow, valued at\n  2.0 mln dlrs, between March 24 and August 31, 1987, and ship it\n  from U.S. ports and\/or Canadian transshipment points by this\n  September 30.\n      The purchase authorizations cover the entire quantity\n  provided under the agreement, signed March 11.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VALLEY RESOURCES (VR) SETS STOCK SPLIT, UPS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Valley Resources Inc said its\n  board declared a three-for-two stock split and raised the\n  quarterly cash dividend on the pre-split shares to 42 cts from\n  38 cts.\n      The company said both the split and the dividend are\n  payable April 15 to holders of record March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CROSS BOOSTS FROST AND SULLIVAN <FRSL> HOLDINGS\n","article":"  A shareholder group led by New York\n  investor Theodore Cross said in a Securities and Exchange\n  Commission filing that it boosted its stake in Frost and\n  Sullivan Inc common stock to 208,800 shares or 13.7 pct of the\n  total outstanding.\n      The group said Cross bought 17,000 shares in the open\n  market between Feb. 17 and March 10.\n      The group had said previously that its Frost and Sullivan\n  share purchases were for investment.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PERU TO SELL 40 STATE FIRMS TO CUT BUDGET DEFICIT\n","article":"  peru will sell about 40 state-owned firms\n  to trim a projected 740 mln dlrs loss this year among\n  government-owned companies.\n      Some companies would be sold in their entirety and others\n  would be privatised only partially, according to jose palomino,\n  president of the government's state company holding firm, the\n  national development council (conade).\n       He told reporters in a radio interview that the aim was to\n  slim a projected public sector firm deficit of 11 billion\n  intis. He did not say if foreigners would be allowed to buy all\n  or part of the companies.\n      Independent economists warn that the deficit could push\n  inflation to between 60 and 100 pct in 1987, against the\n  govenment target of 40-50 pct.\n      Palomino said aeroperu, the government flagship airline\n  with a 10-jet fleet, would issue stock for purchase by private\n  investors. The company in 1986 registered its first profit in\n  eight years, earning about 44.6 mln intis in pre-tax profits.\n      Peru has about 140 non-financial state firms. Palomino said\n  the government would soon publish a list of those to be sold,\n  including those whose shares would be offered on the lima stock\n  exchange.\n      Last november, palomino said conade's plans included the\n  possible sale of a company producing palm oil and another\n  manufacturing electrical appliances. Shares could also be sold\n  in a copper mine, empresa nacional tintaya sa, in the southern\n  state of  arequipa.\n      Neither Palomino nor conade's general manager, enrique\n  estremadoyro, were available for comment on whether foreigners\n  would be allowed to purchase the companies. Their secretaries\n  said they were out of their offices.\n      Jose antonio almenara, the general manager of the lima\n  stock exchange, where shares of the state-owned firms could be\n  sold, told reuters that the only foreigners who could purchase\n  stock at the exchange had to be tax-paying residents of peru.\n      He said foreign stockholders cannot remit profits abroad\n  until at least july 1988.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INTERDYNE CO <IDYN> 1ST QTR FEB 1 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 28 cts vs loss 80 cts\n      Net loss 2,150,000 vs loss 3,722,000\n      Sales 1,478,000 vs loss 2,097,000\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"KILLEARN PROPERTIES INC <KPI> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends Jan 31\n      Shr 23 cts vs eight cts\n      Net 309,963 vs 110,356\n      Revs 2,503,451 vs 1,351,076\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 62 cts vs 25 cts\n      Net 851,776 vs 331,666\n      Revs 6,739,351 vs 4,107,713\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<GATEWAY MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC> 3RD QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Period end Jan 31\n      Shr loss one cts vs profit eight cts\n      Net loss 52,198 vs profit 602,766\n      Revs 18.6 mln vs 7,833,424\n      Nine mths\n      Shr profit 10 cts vs profit six cts\n      Net profit 809,243 vs profit 393,372\n      Revs 36.3 mln vs 18.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SPARTECH CORP <SPTN> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr two cts vs three cts\n      Net 369,000 vs 347,000\n      Revs 21.3 mln vs 14 mln\n      NOTE: Per shr reflects payment of preferred dividends.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ACADEMY INSURANCE GROUP INC <ACIG> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit two cts vs loss 1.05 dlrs\n      Net profit 1,666,000 vs loss 18,306,000\n      Revs 29.1 mln vs 28.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 69.1 mln vs 17.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 21 cts vs loss 2.72 dlrs\n      Net loss 7,571,000 vs loss 45,517,000\n      Revs 117.4 mln vs 123.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 35.4 mln vs 16.7 mln\n      NOTE: Results include losses of nil vs 473,000 dlrs, or\n  three cts a share, in quarter and 921,000 dlrss, or three cts a\n  share, vs 1,137,000 dlrs or seven cts a share, in year from\n  discontinued operations\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"ESSEX CHEMICAL CORP <ESX> REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 15 cts vs 15 cts in prior qtr\n      Payable May 11\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 350,000 TONNES CORN  SOLD TO UNKNOWN DESTINATIONS FOR 1986\/87\n","article":"\n  U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 350,000 TONNES CORN  SOLD TO UNKNOWN DESTINATIONS FOR 1986\/87\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USDA REPORTS 350,000 TONNES CORN TO UNKNOWN\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department said\n  private U.S. exporters reported sales of 350,000 tonnes of corn\n  for delivery to unknown destinations during the 1986\/87\n  marketing season.\n      The marketing year for corn began September 1.\n      This is the second day running that exporters have reported\n  corn sales to unknown destinations. Yesterday, they reported\n  sales of 150,000 tonnes to unknown.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HRE PROPERTIES <HRE> 1ST QTR ENDS JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 38 cts vs 47 cts\n      Net 2,253,664 vs 2,806,820\n      Revs 5,173,318 vs 5,873,904\n      NOTE: 1987 qtr includes 126,117 dlrs, or two cts per share,\n  from gains on sale of property, vs gain 29,812, or less than\n  one cent per share, for prior qtr.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAYARK CORP <JAYA> 3RD QTR ENDS JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr nil vs nil\n      Net loss 77,879, vs loss 65,501\n      Revs 3,895,741 vs 4,872,163\n      Nine mths\n      Shr profit nine cts vs profit two cts\n      Net profit 488,898 vs profit 118,208\n      Revs 13.0 mln vs 15.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<BIO-VASCULAR INC> 1ST QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss three cts vs profit two cts\n      Net loss 54,791 vs profit 28,866\n      Sales 137,9810 vs 338,886\n      Avg shrs 1,602,717 vs 1,331,739\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GREAT AMERICAN MANAGEMENT <GAMI> 2ND QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Period ended Jan 31\n      Shr loss 89 cts vs loss 82 cts\n      Net loss 5,187,000 vs loss 5,362,000\n      Revs 128.4 mln vs 50.3 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr loss 1.27 dlrs vs loss 1.04 dlrs\n      Net loss 7,015,000 vs loss 6,790,000\n      Revs 264.7 mln vs 97.3 mln\n      NOTE: Full name is Great American Management and Investment\n  Inc\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORSTAR <NOR> TO BUY CALLICOON BANK\n","article":"  Norstar Bancorp said it reached an\n  agreement in principle to buy United National Bank of Callicoon\n  through a stock exchange valued at 20 mln dlrs.\n      Under terms of the agreement, Norstar would buy all 201,660\n  shares of United's common stock at a rate of three Norstar\n  shares for each United share.\n      With year-end assets of 90 mln dlrs, United has branches\n  six upstate New York cities, all of which will become part of\n  Norstar Bank of the Hudson Valley, N.A.\n      Norstar is an 11.1 billion dlr multibank financial services\n  company.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ACADEMY INSURANCE GROUP INC <ACIG> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit one ct vs loss 1.14 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 435,000 vs loss 19.9 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 28 cts vs loss 2.78 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 10 mln vs loss 46.5 mln\n      NOTE: Excludes investment gains of one ct per share vs 12\n  cts in the quarter, and gains 10 cts per share vs 13 cts in the\n  year. Excludes loss from discontinued operations of three cts\n  per share in fourth quarter 1985, and loss of 21 cts per share\n  vs loss 2.72 dlrs in the year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MANUFACTURERS HANOVER CORP <MHC> SETS DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 82 cts vs 82 cts prior\n      Pay April 25\n      Record April one\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UK TRADE WARY OF HIGHER EC GRAIN LEVY\n","article":"  The European Community may decide to\n  increase the cereals co-responsibility levy and extend its\n  scope to cover cereal substitutes if the Commission's 1987\/88\n  farm price package is opposed by member states, Edgar Pye,\n  vice-president of the British agricultural merchants'\n  association UKASTA, said.\n      At the moment the Commission is proposing the rate of levy\n  remain unchanged at three pct - but Pye, addressing a feed\n  manufacturers' dinner in Glasgow, said this could change if its\n  controversial plans to cut cereal prices and introduce an oils\n  and fats tax are blocked\n      Pye said UKASTA would continue to fight the cereals levy\n  \"tooth and nail.\"\n      However, a test case in the European Court of Justice\n  contesting the legality of the current regulation applying the\n  levy, which is being backed by the EC feed manufacturers'\n  organisation FEFAC, was not now expected to be heard until the\n  end of 1987, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WILLIAMS INDUSTRIES INC <WMSI> 2ND QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ended Jan 31\n      Shr 10 cts vs three cts\n      Net 194,842 vs 54,200\n      Revs 22.2 mln vs 11.2 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr 50 cts vs 28 cts\n      Net 965,924 vs 502,008\n      Revs 43.8 mln vs 21.6 mln\n      Note: Current six mths revs include 16.8 mln dlrs in revs\n  from John F. Beasley Construction Co, a wholly owned unit.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<HANOVER COS INC> 3RD QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 26 cts vs profit 22 cts\n      Oper net loss 672,879 vs profit 596,760\n      Revs 2,188,678 vs 2,364,280\n      Nine mths\n      Oper shr loss 1.60 dlrs vs profit 92 cts\n      Oper net loss 4,278,055 vs profit 2,472,532\n      Revs 5,896,322 vs 7,497,782\n      Note: Oper net excludes tax gains of 596,000 dlrs for\n  year-ago qtr and 2,173,000 dlrs for year-ago nine mths.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. CERTIFICATES TO PROVIDE WHEAT\/CORN SUPPLIES\n","article":"  From April through December 1986,\n  the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) issued 3.85 billion dlrs\n  worth of generic certificates and about 1.8 billion had not\n  been exchanged by January 1, 1987, the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department said.\n      The department said an additional 4.3 billion dlrs in\n  certificates has been authorized for issuance during\n  January-August, 1987.\n      These certificates will provide ample free supplies of corn\n  and wheat for the remainder of the crop year, the department\n  said in a summary of its Agricultural Outlook report.\n      Freeing of stocks through certificates is making U.S. grain\n  more competitive on world markets, it said.\n      The department said last summer, for example, certificates\n  were exchanged for 215 mln bushels of corn. This helped\n  increase marketable supplies, so farm-level corn prices\n  averaged about two dlrs per bushel -- somewhat lower than they\n  would have otherwise.\n      The lower prices probably led to an increase in usage of 40\n  to 50 mln bushels, it said.\n      The department said government spending on farm programs in\n  fiscal year 1987 is projected to fall half a billion dlrs from\n  1986's 25.8 billion dlrs.\n      During 1988 and 1989, the cost escalation of the first half\n  of the 1980's will reverse. If current policy remains in force,\n  annual farm program spending by 1992 will be down from last\n  year's record by more than eight billion dlrs, it said.\n      The department said the President's budget proposals for\n  1988-1992 would cut farm program spending an additional 24\n  billion dlrs.\n      In 1987, foreign economic growth is expected to remain\n  close to 2.6 pct, the same as in 1986, but above the 2.4 pct\n  average of 1980-86, it said.\n      Partially because of this improvement, U.S. export volume\n  is expected to rise in fiscal 1987 for the frist time in seven\n  years, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SENATOR SAYS ENERGY REPORT ASSUMPTIONS FLAWED\n","article":"  Sen. Pete Domenici, a main sponsor\n  of legislation to set an oil import fee, said the\n  administration's energy security report was based on flawed\n  economic assumptions.\n      The New Mexico Republican said the report did not take into\n  account the last few weeks' drop in domestic oil production in\n  its statement that an oil fee would raise prices for consumers.\n  The report said a decline in economic growth as a result of the\n  fee would reduce tax revenues. \"A five dlr (per barrel) oil\n  import fee will provide the stimulus to create jobs and\n  investment, \" and raise revenues, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FARM PROGRAM CHANGES OUTLINED BY USDA OFFICIAL\n","article":"  Upcoming changes being considered in\n  the U.S. Agriculture Department's transportation and loan\n  programs were outlined by a USDA official today.\n      Addressing the annual meeting of the National Grain and\n  Feed Association, Tom VonGarlem, assistant deputy administrator\n  for USDA's state and county operations, said the following\n  changes are under consideration by USDA.\n      Termination of USDA's Transportation Assistance Program for\n  wheat, barley and sorghum would be proposed this week.\n      Changes in USDA's reserve rotation program are also under\n  consideration, VonGarlem said. While the department has not\n  made any final decision, banning the use of pik and roll grain\n  in reserve rotation is under heavy consideration, he said.\n      Changes in loan rates will definitely be looked at for next\n  year's crop, he said, with the option of making soybean loans\n  partially in cash and in certificates under consideration.\n      VanGarlem said he will definitely not extend the 1987 crop\n  program signup, saying he sees no reason to do so at this time.\n      He also said wheat will not be considered for a cash bonus\n  under the Conservation Reserve Program.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"USDA OFFICIAL SEES 7-8 BILLION DLRS CERTIFICATES\n","article":"  There will be seven to eight billion\n  dlrs of generic certificates on the market by the end of\n  harvest, an Agriculture Department official said.\n      The Commodity Credit Corp will \"depend heavily\" on\n  certificates to relieve storage problems this year, Ralph\n  Klopfenstein, Deputy Administrator for Commodity Operations,\n  USDA, told participants at the National Grain and Feed\n  Association's annual convention.\n      Klopfenstein said that CCC will not be able to relocate\n  grain in any significant amount this fall, so certificates will\n  be used in various programs to relieve storage tightness.\n      Klopfenstein said certificates meet the goal of allowing\n  prices to go below loan levels and providing USDA with an\n  inventory management tool.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MAJOR U.S. FARM GROUPS OPPOSE POLICY CHANGES\n","article":"  Seven major U.S. farm groups took\n  the unusual step of releasing a joint statement urging\n  congressional leaders not to tinker with existing farm law.\n      Following meetings with House Agriculture Committee\n  Chairman Kika de la Garza (D-Tex.) and Senate Agriculture\n  Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the groups issued a\n  statement saying lawmakers should \"resist efforts to overhaul\n  the 15-month-old law, which is operating in its first crop\n  marketing year.\"\n      The farm groups included the American Farm Bureau\n  Federation, American Soybean Association, National Cattlemen's\n  Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Cotton\n  Council, National Pork Producers Council and the U.S. Rice\n  Producers Legislative Group.\n      The statement said Congress should not modify the 1985 farm\n  bill \"so the law might have its intended impact of making\n  agriculture more competitive in export markets while at the\n  same time maintaining farm income.\"\n      \"We strongly believe American farmers now need\n  predictability and certainty in farm legislation in order to\n  have any opportunity of making proper production and marketing\n  decisions,\" the groups said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOWELL CORP <HWL> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr profit six cts vs profit 17 cts\n      Net profit 269,000 vs profit 833,000\n      Revs 28.0 mln vs 30.8 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 4.16 dlrs vs profit 74 cts\n      Net loss 20.0 mln vs profit 3,543,000\n      Revs 93.1 mln vs 117.7 mln\n      Note: Current qtr net includes writedown of 20.4 mln dlrs\n  of net investment in company's oil and gas properties.\n      Year-ago results restated to reflect reclassification of\n  coal mining and marketing segment as ongoing operation rather\n  than discontinued operation.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"SIGMAFORM CORP <SGMA> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr one ct vs five cts\n      Net 42,469 vs 226,791\n      Sales 7,963,620 vs 6,886,414\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 12 cts vs 22 cts\n      Net 490,927 vs 949,650\n      Sales 24.0 mln vs 18.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MARCUS CORP <MRCS> 3RD QTR FEB FIVE NET\n","article":"  Shr 14 cts vs 15 cts\n      Net 733,000 vs 788,000\n      Revs 31.9 mln vs 28.9 mln\n      Nine Mths\n      Shr 1.08 dlrs vs 1.20 dlrs\n      Net 5,560,000 vs 6,162,000\n      Revs 104.5 mln vs 97.2 mln\n      NOTE: 1987 net includes tax credits of 25,000 dlrs in the\n  third quarter and 100,000 dlrs in the nine months compared with\n  370,000 dlrs and 910,000 dlrs in the 1986 periods.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRSTCORP INC <FCR> RAISES QTLY DIVIDENDS\n","article":"  Qtly div class A nine cts vs 7.5 cts prior\n      Qtly div class B nine cts vs 7.5 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HEALTHVEST <HVT> BUYS TENNESSEE MEDICAL COMPLEX\n","article":"  Healthvest said it acquired the\n  Eastwood Hospital medical complex in Memphis from Healthcare\n  International Inc for 50 mln dlrs cash.\n      Healthcare International will continue to operate the\n  hospital under a lease agreement, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"VENTRA BUYS JOINT VENTURE LEASING\n","article":"  Ventra Management Inc, an over the\n  counter company, said it acquired Joint Venture Leasing Inc for\n  60 mln Venture shares, valued at 3.6 mln dlrs.\n      Joint Venture was organized in September 1986 to establish\n  leasing joint ventures with manufacturers and vendors of\n  computer equipment.\n      As a result of the acquisition and Joint Venture's backlog,\n  Ventra said it expects 1987 sales to be 30 mln dlrs with net\n  profits of 1.5 mln dlrs.\n      Ventra was organized in September 1986 and completed a\n  public offering of 30 mln shares in January 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"OXFORD FINANCIAL BUYS CLANCY SYSTEMS\n","article":"  <Oxford Financial Inc> said it acquired\n  <Clancy Systems International Inc> for an undisclosed sum.\n      The company said Clancy has developed a fully automated\n  parking citation system, currently in use in Oklahoma City, the\n  University of California at Sacramento, and in a pilot program\n  in San Francisco.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REALTY SOUTH INVESTORS INC <RSI> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.03 dlrs vs 82 cts\n      Net 1,982,296 vs 1,359,273\n      Revs 2,403,481 vs 1,494,304\n      Investments 22.4 mln vs 11.5 mln\n      NOTE: Shr figures adjusted for 3-for-2 split Feb 23, 1987.\n  1985 results reflect operations for eight months ended Dec 31,\n  1985. Company began operating May 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TURNER EQUITY INVESTORS INC <TEQ> PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly cash distribution 20 cts vs 20 cts prior\n      Pay April eight\n      Record March 27\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GRACE <GRA> COMPLETES RETAIL UNIT SALE\n","article":"  W.R. Grace and Co said it completed\n  the sale of its Bermans The Leather Experts retail business to\n  a new company in a management led buyout.\n      Grace received 99.3 mln dlrs cash and will record a pretax\n  gain of about 37 mln dlrs in the first quarter, the company\n  said. An additional pretax gain of 19 mln dlrs will be deferred\n  until realization is more fully assured, it said.\n      The diversified chemical and industrial company said the\n  sale completes its program to divest retail operations.\n      In addition to the cash payment, Grace received warrants to\n  buy up to 47.5 pct of the new company and has reinvested about\n  19 pct of the proceeds in debt of the new firm.\n      Financing was provided by Prudential Insurance Co of\n  America and affiliates.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WAUSAU PAPER MILLS CO <WSAU> 2ND QTR NET\n","article":"  Period ended Feb 28\n      Shr 61 cts vs 56 cts\n      Net 2,764,000 vs 2,540,000\n      Sales 60.4 mln vs 55.8 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr 1.27 dlrs vs 1.15 dlrs\n      Net 5,741,000 vs 5,269,000\n      Sales 122.8 mln vs 109.9 mln\n      NOTE: Per-share data restated for 10 pct stock dividends\n  paid to holders of record Dec 26, 1986 and Dec 26, 1985\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TAUNTON SAVINGS BANK <TSBK> SETS FIRST DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Taunton Savings Bank said its\n  board declared an initial cash dividend of six cts per share.\n      Taunton, which went public last June, said the rate was\n  based on 3,220,000 outstanding shares.\n      It said the dividend was payable April 15 to shareholders\n  of record March 31.\n      The company said it did not know if it would pay regular\n  dividends in the future.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIBRONICS INTERNATIONAL INC <FBRX> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 14 cts vs loss one ct\n      Net loss 836,327 vs loss 34,926\n      Revs 8,939,390 vs 8,136,160\n      Year\n      Shr loss 34 cts vs loss nil\n      Net loss 2,008,103 vs loss 14,078\n      Revs 30.1 mln vs 28.0 mln\n      Note: Year-ago results restated to reflect acquisition of\n  Spartacus Inc in Febaruary 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS INC <TDS> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 94 cts vs 93 cts\n      Oper net 8,889,000 vs 8,570,000\n      Revs 155.0 mln vs 123.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 9,450,000 vs 9,174,000\n      NOTE: Net excludes discontinued operations a gain of\n  4,679,000 dlrs, or 50 cts a share vs a loss of 720,000 dlrs, or\n  seven cts a share. 1986 net includes charge of 865,000 dlrs\n  from repeal of investment tax credits\n      Company corrects 1985 year per-share operating net in table\n  which originally ran march 10\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"API SAYS DISTILLATE STOCKS OFF 7.35 MLN BBLS, GASOLINE OFF 2.89 MLN, CRUDE OFF 4.39 MLN \n","article":"\n  API SAYS DISTILLATE STOCKS OFF 7.35 MLN BBLS, GASOLINE OFF 2.89 MLN, CRUDE OFF 4.39 MLN \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CPC INTERNATIONAL INC <CPC> QTLY DIV\n","article":"  Shr 31 cts vs 31 cts prior\n      Payable April 24\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONGRESSMAN URGES WHEAT EEP TO SOVIET UNION\n","article":"  Kansas Republican Congressman Pat\n  Roberts urged the Reagan administration to offer export\n  enhancement program, eep, subsidies to the Soviet Union.\n      Speaking at a House foreign agriculture subcommittee,\n  Roberts said the U.S. has offered eep to China and Poland, and\n  should also include the Soviet Union.\n      Rep. Roberts said there had been some talk that the issue\n  of an eep to Moscow had not been raised within the Reagan\n  administration recently because Secretary of State George\n  Shultz was out of the country.\n      \"That very well may be the case,\" said Tom Kay, U.S.\n  Agriculture Department Foreign Agricultural Service\n  administrator. However, Kay told Reuters later that his reply\n  to Roberts was not based on any particular knowledge.\n      Rep. Roberts urged Kay to convey to top officials of the\n  USDA that some in Congress favor a wheat eep to Moscow.\n      \"I'd be delighted to deliver the message,\" Kay replied.\n      Earlier, Kay had repeated Agriculture Secretary Richard\n  Lyng's statement last week that \"the door is not yet closed on\n  an eep to the Soviet Union.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PUBLIC SERVICE ENTERPRISE <PEG> TWO MONTHS NET\n","article":"  Period ends February 28\n      Shr 89 cts vs 87 cts\n      Net 119.5 mln vs 114.6 mln\n      Revs 872.3 mln vs 917.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 2.87 dlrs vs 3.32 dlrs\n      Net 383.4 mln vs 413.6 mln\n      Revs 4.45 billion vs 4.45 billion\n      NOTE: Full name Public Service Enterprise Group Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DAMON CREATIONS INC <DNI> 4TH QTR JAN THREE NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 49 cts vs loss 41 cts\n      Net profit 543,000 vs loss 457,000\n      Revs 10.4 mln vs 14.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 71 cts vs loss 2.11 dlrs\n      Net loss 781,000 vs loss 2,325,000\n      Revs 38.9 mln vs 44.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GATES LEARJET CORP <GLJ> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 12 cts vs loss 99 cts\n      Net loss 1,476,000 vs loss 11,965,000\n      Sales 83.4 mln vs 110.9 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.79 dlrs vs loss 1.90 dlrs\n      Net loss 21,720,000 vs loss 22,969,000\n      Sales 259.0 mln vs 317.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"API SAYS DISTILLATE, GAS STOCKS OFF IN WEEK\n","article":"  Distillate fuel stocks held in\n  primary storage fell by 7.35 mln barrels in the week ended\n  March 13 to 112.74 mln barrels from a revised 120.09 mln the\n  previous week, the American Petroleum Institute (API) said.\n      In its weekly statistical bulletin, the oil industry trade\n  group said gasoline stocks fell 2.89 mln barrels to 248.44 mln\n  barrels from a revised 251.33 mln, and crude oil stocks dropped\n  4.39 mln barrels to 325.13 mln from a revised 329.52 mln.\n      It said residual fuel stocks fell 250,000 barrels to 35.73\n  mln from 35.98 mln barrels.\n      API said refinery runs in the week rose to 11.80 mln\n  barrels per day (bpd) from a revised 11.70 mln and refinery use\n  of operating capacity was 75.7 pct, up from a revised 75.0 pct.\n      Crude oil imports in the week rose to 3.66 mln bpd from a\n  revised 2.67 mln, API added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CPC INTERNATIONAL INC <CPC> REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 31 cts vs 31 cts prior\n      Pay April 24\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<CIMARRON PETROLEUM LTD> NINE MTHS NET\n","article":"  Shr 48 cts vs 64 cts\n      Net 1,959,404 vs 2,621,778\n      Revs 5,132,626 vs 8,167,401\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ELECTRO AUDIO DYNAMICS INC <EAD> 2ND QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr profit 14 cts vs loss 55 cts\n      Net profit 864,000 vs loss 2.1 mln\n      Revs 24.2 mln vs 1.5 mln\n      Six months\n      Shr profit seven cts vs loss 74 cts\n      Net profit 434,000 vs loss 2.7 mln\n      Revs 42.5 mln vs 2.9 mln\n      NOTE:1986 2nd qtr and six months includes loss of 600,000\n  dlrs and 285,000 dlrs respectively from discontinued operations\n  and exclude operations of Action DRug Co Inc acquired by\n  company's 81 pct owned subsidiary, Technodyne, in August 1986.\n      1987 net includes gain of 2.0 mln dlrs from sale of\n  building and extraordinary gain of 411,000 dlrs from tax loss\n  carryforward.\n      Share earnings for both periods reflect preferred stock\n  dividends.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TECHNODYNE INC <TND> 2ND QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 14 cts vs loss 17 cts\n      Net profit 686,000 vs loss 831,000\n      Revs 24.2 mln vs 1.5 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr profit 22 cts vs loss 17 cts\n      Net profit 1,062,000 vs loss 812,000\n      Revs 42.5 mln vs 2.9 mln\n      NOTE: Quarter ends January 31.\n      1986 excludes extraordinary gain of six cts per share in\n  the quarter and 10 cts in the six months. 1985 excludes\n  discontinued operations loss of six cts a share in the quarter\n  and loss of two cts in the six months.\n      Company is 81.5 pct owned by Electro Audio Dynamics <EAD>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<SCEPTRE INVESTMENT COUNSEL LTD> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Period ended January 31\n      Shr 22 cts vs 16 cts\n      Net 518,564 vs 374,198\n      Revs 2,090,724 vs 1,614,079\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"D\/P SELECTED UTILITIES <DNP> HIKES PAYOUTS\n","article":"  Duff and Phelps Selected Utilities Inc\n  said it approved payment of higher monthly dividends.\n      The closed end-investment company approved payment of 4.5\n  cts on April 10, record March 31; of five cts, payable May 11,\n  record April 30; and of 5.5 cts, payable June 10, record May\n  29.\n      Duff and Phelps first monthly dividend of four cts was paid\n  on March 10, it noted.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN ELECTROMEDICS CORP <AECO> 2ND QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Qtr ends Jan 31\n      Shr loss three cts vs loss six cts\n      Net loss 93,000 vs loss 191,000\n      Revs 338,000 vs 554,000\n      Six mths\n      Shr loss four cts vs loss seven cts\n      Net loss 108,000 vs loss 219,000\n      Revs 854,000 vs 1,283,000\n      NOTE: Company is 80 pct owned by Technodyne Inc <TND>, a\n  subsidiary of Electro Audio Dynamics Inc <EAD>.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LENNAR <LEN> COMPLETES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Lennar Corp said it completed the\n  previously announced acquisition of Development Corp of America\n  <DCA>.\n      Consequently, it said the American Stock Exchange suspended\n  trading of Development Corp's common stock, 10 pct subordinated\n  debentures due 1993 and 12 pct subordinated debentures due\n  1994.\n      Lennar said the debentures will continue to be traded\n  over-the-counter.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"IBP (OXY) PLANT REOPENS WITHOUT INCIDENT\n","article":"  Iowa Beef Processors Inc said\n  \"hundreds\" of its employees returned to work at its Dakota\n  City, Nebraska beef processing plant without incident.\n      Last week, Iowa Beef said it would lift a lockout in effect\n  at the plant since mid-December, which affected 2,800 members\n  of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.\n      Both union and non-union meatpackers who returned to work,\n  agreed to comply with Iowa Beef's last contract offer.\n      \"Start-up went well today and operations will continue to\n  pick up as employees return and others are hired,\" according to\n  a company statement. Picketing UFCWU members at the plant did\n  not disrupt operations, a company spokesman said.\n      \"Our employees are asked to continue to return to work at\n  8AM unless otherwise notified,\" he said.\n      Iowa Beef, a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum Corp, said\n  it is beginning to take applications for permanent positions at\n  the plant.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PHP HEALTHCARE CORP <PHPH> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 10 cts vs 10 cts\n      Net 358,941 vs 299,838\n      Revs 8,645,289 vs 4,532,175\n      Avg shrs 3,446,752 vs 2,921,173\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 23 cts vs 12 cts\n      Net 705,799 vs 491,076\n      Revs 21.5 mln vs 11.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,093,491 vs 4,068,000\n      Note: Net includes tax credits of 164,000 dlrs vs 123,634\n  dlrs for qtr and 311,000 dlrs vs 207,719 dlrs for nine mths.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANKERS TRUST NEW YORK CORP <BT> QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 41.5 cts vs 41.5 cts prior\n      Pay April 28\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HALLWOOD GROUP INC <HWG> 2ND QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss nine cts vs profit 23 cts\n      Net loss 418,000 vs profit 1,037,000\n      Revs 2,872,000 vs 4,700,000\n      Six mths\n      Shr profit nine cts vs profit 52 cts\n      Net profit 418,000 vs profit 2,365,000\n      Revs 6,853,000 vs 9,379,000\n      NOTE: Includes tax loss carryforward gains of 164,000 dlrs\n  vs 551,000 dlrs in quarter, and gains of 365,000 dlrs vs\n  1,016,000 dlrs in the six months.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"LYNG SAID TO HAVE NO COMMENT ON USSR WHEAT EEP\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture Secretary Richard\n  Lyng told representatives of several of the largest grain\n  exporting firms and two farm organizations that he was not in a\n  position to comment on their request that the Reagan\n  administration offer subsidized wheat to the Soviet Union,\n  according to participants in today's meeting.\n      \"He (Lyng) simply told us he was not in any position to talk\n  about an EEP (export enhancement program) initiative to the\n  Soviet Union,\" said Glen Hofer, vice president of the National\n  Council of Farmer Cooperatives.\n      Another participant in the meeting, who asked not to be\n  identified, said Lyng was \"unresponsive\" to the group's request.\n      Participants in the meeting included Cargill Inc,\n  Continental Grain Co, Louis Dreyfus Corp, Union Equity\n  Cooperative Exchange, the National Association of Wheat\n  Growers, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, among\n  others, participants said.\n      Deputy Agriculture Secretary Peter Myers and Under\n  Secretary Daniel Amstutz also attended the 30-minute meeting.\n      Hofer described Lyng as \"sympathetic but noncommittal,\" and\n  said he thought he detected \"a sense of frustration\" on Lyng's\n  part at not being able to respond more positively to the\n  group's urging.\n      A grain industry representative said some participants were\n  \"puzzled\" by USDA's apparent reluctance to bring before the\n  cabinet council an EEP wheat offer to the Soviets.\n      \"There is a feeling that there is more receptivity (to the\n  idea) within the cabinet council now than there ever has been,\"\n  this official, who asked not to be identified, said, referring\n  to an EEP wheat offer to the Soviets.\n      This official said there was not a significant amount of\n  pressure being exerted by lawmakers on Lyng to make an EEP\n  offer to Moscow.\n      Reminded that Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Patrick\n  Leahy (D-Vt.) had written two letters to Lyng urging such an\n  offer, this official said Lyng had received virtually no phone\n  calls from lawmakers on the subject.\n      But Hofer said other important matters at the White House,\n  rather than an absence of political pressure, might have\n  restrained Lyng.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PAPERBOARD PLANS BID TO ACQUIRE BELKIN\n","article":"  <Paperboard Industries Corp> said it\n  planned to make an unconditional 21 dlr a share cash offer for\n  <Belkin Inc>'s 7.6 mln common and 2.3 mln non-voting shares.\n      Paperboard said Balaclava Enterprises Ltd, owned by Morris\n  Belkin, agreed to tender 98.2 pct of Belkin's common shares.\n  It added that in case of a competing offer of more than 23\n  dlrs, it had the right to match it. If it did not match the\n  offer, Balaclava could accept the competing bid.\n      The two companies manufacture linerboard and boxboard from\n  recycled fibre. Their combined revenues are about 500 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS 1986 NET PROFIT 1.23 BILLION H.K. DLRS VS 777.5 MLN\n","article":"\n  CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS 1986 NET PROFIT 1.23 BILLION H.K. DLRS VS 777.5 MLN\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS LTD <CAPH.HK> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Shr 46.5 H.K. Cents vs 29.3\n      Final div 14 cents, making 20 cents (no comparison)\n      Net 1.23 billion dlrs vs 777.5 mln\n      Turnover 9.06 billion dlrs vs 7.52 billion\n      Note - Dividend payable May 29, books close May 11 to 22.\n      Note - Company floated in April 1986 and is now 50.23 pct\n  owned by Swire Pacific Ltd <SWPC.HK>, 16.43 pct by Hongkong and\n  Shanghai Banking Corp <HKBH.HK> and 12.5 pct by <China\n  International Trust and Investment Corp>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PAPER SAYS U.S. MAY SEEK TO CURB FOREIGN TAKEOVERS\n","article":"  The Reagan administration will\n  consider curbing foreign takeovers of security-sensitive\n  industries such as semiconductors and computers, the New York\n  Times said, quoting an unnamed senior administration official.\n      \"I think there's a strong sentiment here that some\n  industries are not totally up for grabs,\" the paper quoted the\n  official as saying.\n      \"Two of the most visible (industries) are semiconductor and\n  computer companies,\" said the official, who the newspaper said\n  was a central figure in the opposition to Japan's Fujitsu Ltd\n  <ITSU.T> takeover bid for <Fairchild Semiconductor Corp>.\n      The Fairchild-Fujitsu deal was abandoned on Monday, and\n  industry analysts said the move was a victory for the Reagan\n  administration in its drive to beat back Japanese competition\n  in the important computer chip manufacturing industry.\n      Officials told Reuters last week that Commerce Secretary\n  Malcolm Baldrige and Defence Secretary Caspar Weinberger fought\n  the planned sale of Fairchild by French-controlled Schlumberger\n  Ltd <SLB> to Japan's largest computer maker because it could\n  have left the U.S. Military dependent on foreign sources for\n  vital technology.\n      The New York Times quoted Baldrige as saying the time had\n  come to limit takeovers in security-sensitive areas.\n      \"Everybody wants an open investment policy, but there have\n  to be some exceptions for the national interest,\" Baldrige was\n  quoted as saying.\n      The newspaper said Baldrige and Weinberger are expected to\n  bring the takeover issue before a top-level interagency\n  policymaking group, such as Treasury Secretary James Baker's\n  Economic Policy Council or the president's National Security\n  Council.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"YEN USURPS GODZILLA AS JAPAN'S FAVOURITE HORROR\n","article":"  \"Endaka,\" the strong yen, has usurped\n  \"Godzilla Versus the Sea Monster\" as Japan's favourite horror\n  story.\n      The yen's 40 pct surge against the dollar over the last two\n  years has frightened foreigners with tales of the 40 dlr melon,\n  the 120 dlr taxi ride from the airport and rents of 15,000 dlrs\n  a month.\n      But \"endaka,\" like many Japanese products, is for foreign\n  consumption, locals and long-time foreign residents said.\n      \"It's not really that expensive. I don't pay attention to\n  the cost of living,\" said Cheryl Richmond, a 25-year-old\n  Canadian teacher of English in Tokyo.\n      Richmond said she earns 1,635 dlrs a month by \"chatting\" 40\n  hours a week in English to Japanese who hope to learn the\n  language. For 326 dlrs a month she rents a sunny, quiet\n  two-room flat some 20 minutes by train from Shinjuku, one of\n  Tokyo's prime business and entertainment districts, and has\n  managed to send home an average of 320 dlrs a month.\n      She spends less than 6.50 dlrs a day on food despite eating\n  out once a day.\n      \"For lunch I buy the teishoku (daily special) which comes\n  with soba (buckwheat noodles) or pork cutlet, pickles, miso\n  soup, rice and tea,\" although she takes only coffee for\n  breakfast and a sandwich for dinner.\n      No one argues that Tokyo is cheap, but long-time residents\n  see no need to spend the 2,000 to 15,000 dlrs a month spent by\n  foreign firms to house executives in Western-style homes.\n      The companies feel otherwise. They say they must pay the\n  price to bring over the best people needed to back up their\n  push into Japan's increasingly lucrative markets.\n      \"You can't expect people to move from New York or Sydney and\n  trade down. It's not reasonable,\" said a spokesman for\n  International Business Machines Corp (IBM), which supports\n  Western lifestyles for more than 350 foreigners in Tokyo.\n      Tokyo is the world's most expensive city for business\n  travellers, a survey issued this month by Employment Conditions\n  Abroad said. It found that businessmen visiting Tokyo spend on\n  average more than 300 dlrs a day.\n      While the businessmen have little choice but to come here,\n  many tourists, especially those from Europe, are opting to\n  visit sunnier and cheaper climes in Southeast Asia.\n      The Japan Tourist Bureau estimates \"endaka\" caused an 11.5\n  pct drop in the number of foreign visitors to Japan last year.\n      Those who came tried to cut back on expenses, chiefly by\n  curtailing shopping, it said.\n      To help combat \"endaka\" and the slump in tourism, the Tourist\n  Bureau prepared a pamphlet, \"Economical Travel in Japan.\"\n      It gives budget-saving tips on finding medium-priced\n  business hotels and Japanese-style inns, cheap sushi and public\n  baths while getting a \"revealing glimpse of Japanese in their\n  daily lives.\"\n      Residents of Okubo House, a transit hotel in Tokyo's\n  Shin-Okubo love hotel district, offer even more savvy advice.\n      For 9.80 dlrs a night, Scott Perry, a 23-year-old budding\n  English teacher from New Zealand, shares an unheated,\n  berth-sized twin-room in the Japanese \"flop house.\"\n      Perry has budgeted 26 to 33 dlrs a day while he looks for\n  work. \"Normally I eat 'teishoku' for 400 yen but sometimes I'll\n  splurge at Shakey's where for 550 yen you can eat unlimited\n  pizza for at least two hours.\"\n      Still, there are the extras that dent the budget. \"I had to\n  spend 600 yen today to dry-clean my suit coat,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BANGLADESH PURCHASE OF WHEAT CONFIRMED\n","article":"  Trade sources here confirmed earlier\n  tentative reports that Bangladesh had bought 200,000 tonnes of\n  optional origin feed wheat late last week and over the weekend.\n      They said the Continental Grain Co, of the United States,\n  won the contract to supply the wheat from the EC and other\n  parts of Europe.\n      It will supply 100,000 tonnes at a rate of 96.92 U.S. Dlrs\n  a tonne as a first consignment by April 7. It will supply the\n  remaining 100,000 tonnes at a rate of 93.42 dlrs by April 16.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PHILIPPINES SOCIAL SECURITY TO BUY SAN MIGUEL SHRS\n","article":"  The Philippines' Social Security System\n  (SSS) is planning to buy eight mln shares in diversified brewer\n  <San Miguel Corp> (SMC), SMC chief financial officer Ramon del\n  Rosario said.\n      He told reporters the government organisation had expressed\n  interest in one seat on SMC's 15-man board and was preparing to\n  invest 800 mln pesos, assuming a purchase price of 100 pesos a\n  share.\n      The shares involved in the proposal were part of the block\n  of 38 mln shares owned by the United Coconut Planters Bank\n  (UCPB) and sequestered by the government.\n      The block is split between class A and class B stock.\n      SMC also proposed to sell a further five mln shares to A.N.\n  Soriano Corp, the family company of San Miguel president Andres\n  Soriano, del Rosario said.\n      The shares are worth some 500 mln pesos at recent prices.\n      Del Rosario said the 14 mln B shares in the block which are\n  open to foreign ownership would probably be sold to\n  unidentified foreign purchasers.\n      He said SMC and UCPB would meet later this week to try to\n  resolve disputes over the pricing of the shares.\n      President Corazon Aquino earlier this month established an\n  arbitration panel to settle a row over the disposal of the\n  shares.\n      Their initial sale to Soriano through SMC Hong Kong unit\n  Neptunia Corp was blocked by the Presidential Commission on\n  Good Government.\n      The commission sequestered the stock on suspicion that the\n  real owner of the block was Eduardo Cojuanco, the former\n  chairman of San Miguel and the UCPB and a close associate of\n  deposed former president Ferdinand Marcos.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<SUN HUNG KAI CO LTD> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Shr 21.6 H.K. Cents vs 12\n      Final div six cents vs three, making nine cents vs 5.5\n      Net 121 mln dlrs vs 67.42 mln\n      Note - Extraordinary gains 72 mln dlrs vs 2.7 mln. Special\n  bonus four cents vs nil. Dividend payable May 25, books close\n  April 28 to May 6.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"Indonesia imports palm oil to counter possible May shortage, Trade Minister says\n","article":"\n  Indonesia imports palm oil to counter possible May shortage, Trade Minister says\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INDONESIA TO IMPORT PALM OIL, FEARS MAY SHORTAGE\n","article":"  Indonesia has issued licences to\n  traders to import palm oil to avert a possible shortage of\n  cooking oil during the Moslem fasting month of Ramadan in May,\n  Trade Minister Rachmat Saleh told Reuters.\n      \"We have given permission for a small amount of imports to\n  prevent a shortage during Ramadan,\" he said. He gave no figures\n  for the amount of palm oil to be imported, but said it would\n  come from Malaysia.\n      Indonesia, the world's second largest palm oil producer,\n  earlier denied it had granted palm oil import licences.\n      Saleh was replying to a question from Reuters after traders\n  in London said Indonesia had issued licences to import around\n  135,000 tonnes of palm oil for delivery in April.\n      Indonesia, with 168 mln people, is the world's largest\n  Moslem country. During Ramadan Moslems fast during the day and\n  have large meals after sunset.\n      Indonesian crude palm oil exports in the first 11 months of\n  1986 were 469,100 tonnes, according to central bank figures,\n  against 652,000 tonnes in the whole of calendar 1985.\n      Indonesia is expanding palm oil output, and Saleh did not\n  explain why there might be a shortage during Ramadan.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECONOMIC SPOTLIGHT - JAPAN BUYING OVERSEAS FIRMS\n","article":"  More U.S. And European firms will be\n  falling prey to Japanese corporations bulging with cash and\n  eager to extend their reach further overseas, according to\n  merger and acquisitions specialists polled by Reuters.\n      Already, rich Japanese companies have pounced on U.S.\n  Banks, steel and other businesses.\n      In the latest attempt, Fujitsu Ltd <ITSU.T> -- Japan's\n  biggest computer maker -- unsuccessfully bid for <Fairchild\n  Semiconductor Corp>, a U.S. Microchip maker which supplies\n  components for supercomputers.\n      Nomura Securities Co Ltd <NMSC.T> and Daiwa Securities Co\n  Ltd <DSEC.T>, Japan's two largest brokerage firms, are seeking\n  a niche in the U.S. And European securities markets, while the\n  country's huge banks are looking for strongholds in overseas\n  banking, the takeover specialists said.\n      Major trading houses, which see their profits evaporating\n  in the heat of increased competition in merchandise trade, all\n  have foreign businesses on their shopping lists.\n      Among manufacturers, car parts makers are under the most\n  pressure to buy up overseas companies and follow the big auto\n  makers they subcontract for as these move offshore.\n      \"The timing is favourable for Japanese parties to buy up\n  potential overseas businesses, especially in the U.S. --\n  Japan's largest market and where political risks are minimal,\" a\n  takeover specialist at one trading company said.\n      Japanese companies have become among the world's richest\n  after a series of boom export years and as the yen has climbed\n  against the dollar by some 40 pct in the past 18 months.\n      But the yen's strength, which has also raised the costs of\n  Japan's exports and allowed its Asian neighbours to move into\n  its traditional markets, has frozen Japanese corporate growth,\n  the specialists said.\n      Looming trade friction is also threatening to erect more\n  barriers against Japanese exports.\n      Japanese firms see overseas acquisitions as a way to avoid\n  the gloomy growth outlook and put their excess cash to work.\n  Domestic interest rates, now at record lows, offer little\n  investment opportunity.\n      \"Japanese interest in acquisitions has been continuous, but\n  the recent economic factors have become a driving force,\" said a\n  banking industry source.\n      So far, though, the Japanese are being cautious.\n      While mergers and acquisitions among U.S. Firms number in\n  the thousands, Japanese buyouts of overseas companies have\n  totalled just a few dozen, one merchant banker said.\n      Another merchant banker said that a flurry of Japanese\n  acquisition activity was originally expected five years from\n  now, but that time span appeared now to be too long.\n      Japanese firms are becoming more aggressive now, he said.\n      A turning point seemed to be Dainippon Ink and Chemicals\n  Inc's <DIAC.T> takeover bid for <Sun Chemical Corp> of the U.S.\n  Last year, which some analysts saw as somewhat hostile, he\n  added.\n      Dainippon Ink bought Sun Chemical's graphic arts group for\n  550 mln dlrs late last year, after an earlier unsolicited bid\n  for the whole company. Sun Chemical refused to sell its entire\n  business after learning that Dainippon planned to liquidate all\n  but its graphic arts-related businesses.\n      Hostile takeovers are considered unethical and frowned upon\n  by the Japanese, the trading company official says. \"Japanese\n  people don't like fighting. They prefer peaceful amicable\n  deals.\" But now after some experience overseas, Japanese\n  companies are acquainted with local practice, he adds. \"This is\n  a healthy progression.\"\n      However, the experts do not expect the Japanese to run the\n  board meetings of any giant U.S. Or European concerns.\n      \"Japanese companies are not fully confident in managing a\n  large U.S. Or European corporation,\" one banker said. \"They will\n  expand their operations only gradually, a typical way for\n  Japanese business.\"\n      A foreign merchant banker also noted, \"There are not many\n  mega-deals left to do in the United States. A lot of the big\n  deals there have already been done.\"\n      But medium-size and small concerns are potential targets of\n  Japanese companies, the specialists said.\n      Japanese will be aiming for new businesses in\n  high-technology areas. \"Japanese companies had used technology\n  and quality to get where they are and are unlikely to deviate\n  from that trend,\" one takeover specialist said.\n      Many are watching the results of the first acquisitions. If\n  these succeed, activity could build, the specialists said.\n      But few such specialists are going to sit back and wait\n  until the action begins. Already, they said, Japanese trading\n  houses, long-term credit and commercial banks, brokerages and\n  foreign merchant banks have set up research sections to act as\n  go-betweens in deals or find good buys for themselves.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"United Biscuits pretax profit 125.2 mln stg vs 102.2 mln in 53 wks to Jan 3\n","article":"\n  United Biscuits pretax profit 125.2 mln stg vs 102.2 mln in 53 wks to Jan 3\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KUWAIT SAYS NO OPEC MEMBER VIOLATING OUTPUT QUOTA\n","article":"  Kuwaiti Oil Minister Sheikh Ali\n  al-Khalifa al-Sabah said in a newspaper interview that no OPEC\n  member was exceeding oil production quotas allocated by the\n  13-nation group.\n      Sheikh Ali told Kuwait's daily al-Anba \"All OPEC states,\n  without exception, are producing within the quotas allocated to\n  them. Some of them are producing less.\"\n      Some oil industry sources had said the United Arab\n  Emirates, which had been generally been producing over its\n  quota since OPEC returned to quotas last September, was still\n  pumping more than its allotted amount in the first months of\n  this year.\n      Ecuador had also publicly stated it was over its quota, but\n  an earthquake early this month stopped that. Iraq has rejected\n  its quota, but oil sources say it may be having problems\n  marketing at official prices all the oil it wants to sell.\n      OPEC agreed in December to cut overall oil production by\n  7.25 pct to 15.8 mln barrels per day (bpd) for the first six\n  months of this year and abide by fixed prices around 18 dlrs a\n  barrel from February 1.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNITED BISCUITS <UBIS.L> 53 WEEKS TO JANUARY 3\n","article":"  Shr 20.3p vs 19.1p\n      Div 6.0p vs 5.15p making 9.5p vs 8.0p\n      Turnover 1.93 billion stg vs 1.91 billion\n      Pretax profit 125.2 mln vs 102.2 mln\n      Tax 42.5 mln vs 31.1 mln\n      Trading profit 138.0 mln vs 122.7 mln\n      Trading profit includes -\n      UB Foods Europe 88.7 mln vs 78.4 mln\n      UB Restaurants 10.3 mln vs same\n      UB Foods U.S. 43.8 mln vs 39.1 mln\n      Other 3.9 mln vs 3.5 mln\n      Unallocated costs 8.7 mln vs 8.6 mln\n      Interest 12.8 mln vs 20.5 mln\n      Note - full name of company is United Biscuits (Holdings)\n  Plc\n      Minority interests 0.1 mln vs same\n      Extraordinary charges 6.8 mln vs 14.3 mln\n      Extraordinary charges and credits include -\n      Surplus on bid for Imperial Group Plc 4.9 mln vs nil\n      Costs of Philadelphia bakery closure nil vs 19.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LAWSON EXPECTS INTEREST RATE FALL SOON\n","article":"  U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel\n  Lawson said he expected British interest rates to fall soon in\n  response to his fiscal 1987\/88 budget, but he did not say by\n  how much.\n      \"I would be very surprised if there is not a very early\n  further fall in interest rates,\" Lawson said in a radio\n  interview.\n      Analysts said they foresaw U.K. Base rates falling as early\n  as today by as much as one full percentage point after Lawson's\n  announcement yesterday that the public sector borrowing\n  requirement in fiscal 1987\/88 and 1988\/89 was to fall to 1.0\n  pct of GDP, or some four billion stg.\n      British banks' base lending rates fell a half percentage\n  point on March 9 to the current 10.5 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"THAI BANKS WEIGH NEW INTEREST RATE CUT\n","article":"  Officials of five Thai commercial banks\n  are expected to meet tomorrow to seek agreement on cutting\n  interest rates, banking sources said.\n      They said they expect Thai banks to opt for a cut to spur\n  domestic loan demand to help reduce persistent high liquidity\n  on the money market.\n      Many bankers have been urging an average half percentage\n  point cut in deposit rates and a one point cut in lending\n  rates, they said.\n      Six major Thai major banks reduced minimum loan and\n  overdraft rates by 0.50 to 0.75 percentage point on February 16\n  but the move has not substantially increased loan demand, the\n  sources said.\n      Excess liquidity has been hitting bank profits since early\n  last year despite five interest rate cuts in 1986. The current\n  gross 7.25 pct interest rate for one-year fixed bank deposit\n  and the 11.5 pct minimum loan rate are the lowest in a decade.\n      Bankers said the Thai banking system is saddled with about\n  40 to 50 billion baht of surplus funds which have created\n  problems for many banks in managing their money effectively.\n      Profits of many Thai banks fell sharply last year partly\n  because of a mismatch of loan demand and bank deposit growth.\n  The Bank of Thailand estimated overall lending by the Thai\n  banking system grew 3.8 pct in 1986 against a 12 pct expansion\n  in bank deposits.\n      Reports of a possible new round of interest rate cuts have\n  further buoyed the Thai stock market this week.\n      The Securities Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index on Monday\n  recorded its biggest daily advance in recent years, shooting up\n  4.57 points to a new seven-year high of 223.02.\n      Brokers and market analysts said Thai stocks will register\n  more gains as long as liquidity remains in the money market.\n      Thai and foreign bankers said the liquidity problem will\n  grow if the Bank of Thailand does not extend permission for\n  local banks to hold foreign exchange positions up to 40 pct of\n  bank capital.\n      If the regulation is not extended beyond its April 3 expiry\n  date, many commercial banks will have to reduce foreign\n  exchange holdings to a maximum 20 pct.\n      Bankers said such that could add another five billion baht\n  of surplus funds to the local money market.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CATHAY PACIFIC FORECASTS GOOD 1987 PERFORMANCE\n","article":"  Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd <CAPH.HK>\n  forecast another good year in 1987 in view of good growth in\n  both passenger and cargo traffic volumes early this year over\n  the year-earlier period.\n      The airline did not quantify its performance in early 1987\n  but said it would take delivery of one Boeing Co <BA.N> 747\n  freighter and one Boeing 747-300 passenger plane in September\n  and November respectively after it took a 747-300 last month.\n      It earlier reported a 58.7 pct increase in 1986 net profit\n  to 1.23 billion H.K. Dlrs and announced a final dividend of 14\n  cents a share.\n      But Cathay Pacific recorded sharp increases in net finance\n  charges to 124.9 mln dlrs from 44.4 mln a year.\n      A spokesman for the firm linked the rise to two aircraft\n  deliveries in 1986.\n      However, the company said in a statement good returns from\n  funds placed with investment managers had partly offset higher\n  interest costs resulting from additional lease financing and\n  other borrowing.\n      It added that the airline last year also saw aviation fuel\n  prices fall to an average 4.59 dlrs a gallon from 6.76 dlrs in\n  1985.\n      Passengers carried by Cathay Pacific totalled 4.2 mln last\n  year, up from 3.85 in 1985, with the passengers kilometre\n  travelled rising to 14.02 billion from 12.56 billion. But\n  passenger load factor was down to 69.1 pct from 71.0 pct.\n      The airline's cargo operations recorded growth of 21 pct in\n  total tonnage over the previous year and a 35.9 pct rise in\n  revenue to 1.79 billion dlrs.\n      Cathay Pacific floated its shares in April, 1986 and is now\n  50.23 pct owned by Swire Pacific Ltd <SWPC.HK>, 16.43 pct by\n  Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp <HKBH.HK> and 12.5 pct by\n  <China International Trust and Investment Corp>.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MALAYSIAN PALM KERNEL OUTPUT FALLS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Malaysian palm kernel output fell\n  to an estimated 80,500 tonnes in February from a revised 83,231\n  (originally 83,700) in January and 98,393 in February 1986, the\n  Palm Oil Registration and Licensing Authority said.\n      Palm kernel stocks dropped to an estimated 45,870 tonnes in\n  February from a revised 55,693 (65,100) in January and 85,595\n  in February last year, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"Morgan Grenfell 1986 pretax profit 82.19 mln stg vs 68.82 mln\n","article":"\n  Morgan Grenfell 1986 pretax profit 82.19 mln stg vs 68.82 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<MORGAN GRENFELL GROUP PLC> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Shr basic 39.2p vs 36.0p\n      Shr fully diluted 37.2p vs 34.3p\n      Div 7.0p making 10.5p vs 8.5p\n      Pretax profit 82.19 mln stg vs 68.82 mln\n      Tax 27.25 mln vs 27.42 mln\n      Minority interest 986,000 debit vs 124,000 credit\n      Extraordinary items 411,000 credit vs 219,000 debit\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GLOBAL TRADING IN YEN BOND FUTURES EXPECTED SOON\n","article":"  Global trading of yen bond futures is\n  just around the corner and they are expected to be listed soon\n  on the London International Financial Futures Exchange (LIFFE)\n  and the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), bond managers said.\n      \"Internationalisation of the yen through expansion of\n  overseas portfolios in yen assets is the key to the success of\n  global trading of yen bond futures,\" said Katsuyuki Okayasu,\n  general manager of Yamaichi Securities Co Ltd's bond division.\n      \"But Tokyo-based orders are necessary for a primary stimulus\n  for the LIFFE yen bond futures market,\" said Tetsuya Dezuka,\n  deputy general manager of the money market section of New Japan\n  Securities Co Ltd, one of the most active yen bond brokers in\n  London.\n      Healthy growth of yen bond futures markets depends\n  basically on substantial liquidity in cash yen bond markets\n  overseas and on the yen becoming attractive to traders there,\n  dealers said.\n      Outstanding yen cash bonds worldwide stand at around\n  140,000 billion yen, with most held in Japan, they said.\n      An agreement between CBOT and LIFFE in early February on\n  mutual settlements is expected to link U.S. Treasury bond\n  futures trading in London and Chicago, enabling a continuous\n  12-hour session, bond managers here said, adding the move was\n  made with yen bond futures trading in mind.\n      LIFFE is preparing for an early listing of yen bond futures\n  after receiving approval from Japan's Finance Ministry last\n  December.\n      But futures markets will never take root unless they are\n  backed by substantial liquidity in cash bond markets, dealers\n  said.\n      Daily transactions in the London yen cash bond market now\n  stand at 200 to 300 billion yen, but the extent of investor-\n  linked transactions is unknown, securities bond managers said.\n      \"Japanese corporations have been actively setting up their\n  financing companies in London, suggesting they increasingly are\n  engaging in, not only fund raising, but management there,\"\n  Dezuka said.\n      The steep increase in the number of branches of Japanese\n  securities houses in London and the growing numbers of U.S. And\n  U.K. Brokers coming to Tokyo has helped the London market's\n  growth, dealers said.\n      Internationalisation of the yen is also likely to be\n  promoted by yen bond trading in Chicago and New York later this\n  year, securities managers said.\n      The recent removal of a key regulatory obstacle by the U.S.\n  Securities and Exchange Commission will allow the CBOT to apply\n  to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for a yen bond\n  futures contract, they said.\n      The ruling removed a regulation which prohibited trading\n  futures of designated foreign government debt securities not\n  located in the issuing country.\n      Fundamental Brokers Inc, a major U.S. Brokers' broker, has\n  decided to launch yen bond broking on its display system in New\n  York as early as April.\n      CBOT's start of an evening session, planned for the end of\n  April, will also multiply yen bond futures trading, a Nomura\n  Securities Co Ltd bond manager said. But there are still\n  obstacles to trading on the London market.\n      \"Problems concerning cash bond delivery and clearing are\n  major obstacles for an early launching at LIFFE,\" said Koki\n  Chiyojima, deputy general manager of Nikko Securities Co Ltd's\n  bond administration division.\n      Nikko Securities Co Ltd, one of the big four Japanese\n  securities houses, is responsible for corresponding with LIFFE\n  on these matters.\n      Japan's Finance Ministry will start issuing bonds with\n  coupon payment of either March and September, or June and\n  December from April 1, matching futures delivery months.\n      The ministry now pays coupons in January, June, July and\n  December. When delivery months and coupon payments do not\n  match, a 20 pct withholding tax is imposed on interest earned\n  by non-resident bond holders, a deterrent to LIFFE, securities\n  managers said.\n      LIFFE is likely to wait until the outstanding amount of\n  bonds with matching months increases to over several billion\n  yen, bond managers said.\n      These bonds will be used for deliveries, as they are\n  expected to be the cheapest deliverable issues due to low\n  interest rates, they said.\n      Market participants here expect a clearing organisation to\n  be set up by the time they have substantial deliverable cash\n  issues, making overseas listings probable in the latter half of\n  1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HENDERSON LAND DEVELOPMENT CO LTD <HNDH.HK>\n","article":"  Six months to Dec 31.\n      Shr 16 H.K. Cents vs 11\n      Interim div seven cents vs five\n      Net 211.03 mln dlrs vs 138.69 mln\n      Turnover 583.83 mln dlrs vs 441.04 mln\n      Note - Dividend payable May 4, books close April 21 to 27.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET OFFERED EARLY ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had invited\n  an early round of bill offers from the discount houses after\n  forecasting a shortage in the system of around 1.1 billion stg.\n      Money market dealers speculated that the central bank could\n  be taking the opportunity to signal a reduction in U.K. Base\n  lending rates by cutting the rates at which it intervenes in\n  the discount market.\n      Most operators are expecting a base rate cut today,\n  possibly of one point, following yesterday's budget in which\n  the U.K. Public sector borrowing target for 1987\/88 was slashed\n  by three billion stg.\n      Among the main factors affecting liquidity, bills maturing\n  in official hands and the take-up of treasury bills will drain\n  some 1.11 billion stg while a rise in note circulation and\n  bankers' balances below target will take out around 120 mln stg\n  and 20 mln stg respectively.\n      Partly offsetting these outflows, exchequer transactions\n  will add some 140 mln stg to the system today.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT TAKES OVER GOODWOOD SHARES\n","article":"  The Singapore government has taken\n  over 82 mln dlrs worth of Goodwood Park Hotel Ltd shares and\n  loan stock certificates belonging to the company's chairman,\n  Khoo Teck Puat, banking sources said.\n      Khoo is a major shareholder of the <National Bank of Brunei\n  Bhd> (NBB), which closed in November after the Brunei\n  authorities alleged 90 pct of its loans of 1.3 billion Brunei\n  dlrs had been extended to Khoo-related firms without\n  documentation or guarantee.\n      The Goodwood securities are now held by the Commercial\n  Affairs Investigation Department, the banking sources said. The\n  department declined to comment.\n      The government move is aimed at protecting Goodwood's\n  minority shareholders and securing Goodwood deposits at the\n  NBB, the banking sources said.\n      Goodwood had a total of 87.3 mln dlrs in fixed deposits,\n  bank balances and accrued interest due from NBB as of last\n  November, according to Goodwood's annual report.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF ENGLAND SIGNALS HALF POINT CUT IN SHORT TERM RATES - DEALERS\n","article":"\n  BANK OF ENGLAND SIGNALS HALF POINT CUT IN SHORT TERM RATES - DEALERS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BANK OF ENGLAND SAID IT INVITED BORROWINGS AT 10 PCT LATER TODAY\n","article":"\n  BANK OF ENGLAND SAID IT INVITED BORROWINGS AT 10 PCT LATER TODAY\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BARCLAYS BANK SAID ITS CUTTING BASE LENDING RATE TO 10 PCT PCT FROM 10.5 PCT.\n","article":"\n  BARCLAYS BANK SAID ITS CUTTING BASE LENDING RATE TO 10 PCT PCT FROM 10.5 PCT.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL WESTMINSTER BANK SAID IT CUTTING BASE RATE TO 10 PCT FROM 10.5 PCT.\n","article":"\n  NATIONAL WESTMINSTER BANK SAID IT CUTTING BASE RATE TO 10 PCT FROM 10.5 PCT.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TOYOTA MOTORS SIGNS PURCHASE AGREEMENT WITH PNB\n","article":"  The state-owned Philippine National Bank\n  (PNB) will fund Toyota Motor Corp's <TOYO.T> planned purchase\n  of its bankrupt former local partner's manufacturing facilities\n  for at least 193 mln pesos, a bank official told reporters.\n      Toyota has informed the Philippine government it plans to\n  produce cars again here in joint venture with a local partner.\n      It proposes to invest about 400 mln pesos in the\n  manufacture of car spare parts and other items, and generate\n  about 100 mln pesos in export earnings over five years.\n      The banker said today a letter of intent was signed three\n  weeks ago but the sale requires approval from government\n  agencies charged with selling private sector assets taken over\n  by state-owned banks.\n      Official sources said Toyota's application was likely to be\n  approved.\n      Toyota severed ties with its Philippine partner of 20\n  years, <Delta Motor Corp>, in 1984 because the local company\n  was suffering financial difficulties. PNB later foreclosed on\n  Delta's assets.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF ENGLAND INVITES BORROWING AT 10 PCT\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had invited\n  those discount houses wishing to use borrowing facilities to do\n  so at 1430 GMT today at a rate of 10 pct for 14 days.\n      This compares with the Bank's present band one dealing rate\n  of 10-3\/8 pct.\n      The Bank of England's announcement was quickly followed by\n  Barclays Bank and National Westminster Bank which announced a\n  half-point cut in their base rates to 10 pct from 10-1\/2 pct.\n      Dealers said the lowering in base rates had been widely\n  expected following yesterday's U.K. Budget in which Chancellor\n  of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson announced a three billion stg cut\n  in the Government's public sector borrowing target for 1987\/88\n  to four billion stg.\n      Many in the market had expected a full one point cut in\n  base rates today but some were not surprised by the\n  authorities' caution, dealers added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GERMAN PRODUCER PRICES FALL 0.3 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  West German producer prices fell 0.3\n  pct in February from January and were 4.2 pct below prices in\n  February last year, the Federal Statistics Office said.\n      In January, producer prices rose 0.2 pct from December, the\n  first monthly rise since October 1985, but they were down 4.4\n  pct from a year earlier.\n      The Statistics Office said light heating oil producer\n  prices fell 22 pct in February from January while heavy heating\n  oil prices fell 24 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HOLZSTOFF AG <GHOZ.BS> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Net profit 25.5 mln Swiss francs vs 22.2\n  mln\n      Turnover 717 mln vs 739 mln\n      Cash flow 75.4 mln vs 58.1 mln\n      Proposed dividend 70 francs vs same\n      Note - Company plans one for two rights issue of 40,000\n  participation certificates of nominal 50 francs. Conditions not\n  yet set.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"VEBA SHARE PLACEMENT STILL EXPECTED THIS MONTH\n","article":"  The sale of the government's 25.55 pct\n  stake in VEBA AG <VEBG.F> is still expected this month, banking\n  sources closely linked with the transaction said.\n      A spokesman for the Finance Ministry said no exact date had\n  yet been set for the privatisation, which the government has\n  tabled for the second half of March. However, he added a\n  scandal at Volkswagen AG <VOWG.F>, VW, over currency losses \"has\n  nothing to do\" with the timing of the VEBA sale.\n      Finance Minister Gerhard Stoltenberg has said the sale of\n  the Federal government's stake in VW, originally scheduled for\n  later this year, may be delayed because of the currency affair.\n      A banker involved in the VEBA placement said \"Nothing has\n  changed in the planning. I still presume that it will take\n  place in the second half of March.\"\n      This banker said there would be no reason to postpone the\n  issue of the 10 mln VEBA shares for a few days. He added that\n  the consortium which is arranging the deal had completed its\n  preparatory work, although the price had not been decided.\n      The VEBA share has been weaker ahead of the placement but\n  West German stocks have been generally bearish and news of the\n  VW scandal last week put further pressure on the market.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOVIET ECONOMIST SAYS PRODUCTION FIGURES PADDED\n","article":"  A leading Soviet economist said the\n  practice of padding figures was significantly inflating the\n  country's industrial production data.\n      \"According to the information of state monitoring organs,\n  the padding of figures makes up one-and-a-half to three per\n  cent of the volume of production,\" Alexei Sergeyev told the\n  official newspaper Sovetskaya Rossiya.\n      \"In my opinion, it is significantly higher,\" Sergeyev, who\n  works at the Economics Institute of the Soviet Union's Academy\n  of Sciences, said.\n      Most Western economists have for years allowed for a\n  certain padding of figures when analysing Soviet statistics for\n  industrial production.\n      Sergeyev said about 600 mln roubles was lost annually in\n  raw material industries by paying wages and bonuses for work\n  which was not in fact performed.\n      He said the elimination of figure-padding and other\n  malpractices would save billions of roubles and would pay for\n  the Soviet Union's social development program up to the year\n  2000.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"SONY FORESEES CONTINUED SLUMP IN EARNINGS\n","article":"  Sony Corp <SNE.T> group net income is\n  expected to be down 65 pct for the five months ending March 31\n  from the same period a year ago at around 10 billion yen, if\n  the yendollar rate remains at the present level, managing\n  director Tsunao Hashimoto told a press conference.\n      Sony will have an irregular five-month business term ending\n  March 31, as its financial year will be changed to run from\n  April 1 to March 31 from the current October 31 year end.\n      Group sales in the same period are estimated at about 550\n  billion yen, down five pct from a year earlier, he said.\n      The company earlier reported net income of 7.65 billion yen\n  in the three month period ended January 31, down 59.2 pct from\n  a year earlier, on sales of 343.06 billion, down 6.3 pct.\n      The gloomy profits and sales resulted from the yen's recent\n  appreciation against the dollar and a sharp drop in market\n  prices due to severe sales competition at home and abroad.\n      The yen rose 26 pct to an average of 159 yen to the dollar,\n  reducing the company's total sales in the three month period by\n  40 billion yen, Hashimoto said.\n      Sales of 8-mm video camera\/recorders totalled 300,000 units\n  in the three months, unchanged from a year earlier, while\n  Beta-format video tape recorders (vtrs) sales fell to 300,000\n  from 350,000. Sales of compact disc players rose to 450,000\n  from 300,000 and those of the Walkman rose to 2.25 mln from\n  1.30 mln but colour television sales fell to 950,000 from one\n  mln due to lower exports to China.\n      Sales of 8-mm vtrs had already exceeded Beta-format vtrs\n  sales since the beginning of fiscal 1986, Hashimoto said.\n  Overseas sales accounted for 68.2 pct of the total in the three\n  months compared with 71.3 pct a year earlier.\n      Overseas production will account for 35 pct of its total\n  production in 1990 from the present 20 pct.\n      Hashimoto also said parent current profit in the five-month\n  period is estimated at around 17 billion yen, down 33 pct from\n  a year earlier, on sales of 400 billion, down 12 pct.\n      Sony is hoping to retain at least 1985\/86 levels of group\n  net profits and sales in the new financial year starting April\n  1 1987, he added. The company made 41.9 billion yen group net\n  profit in the year ended November 31 1986, down 42.6 pct from a\n  year earlier, on sales of 1,325 billion, down 6.7 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KLM DENIES PRESS REPORT OF AIR ATLANTA TAKEOVER\n","article":"  NV KLM Royal Dutch Airlines <KLM.AS>\n  is \"absolutely not\" negotiating a takeover of U.S. Regional\n  carrier Air Atlanta, a KLM spokeswoman said in a comment on an\n  article in the leading Dutch evening paper NRC Handelsblad.\n      \"U.S. Law requires that at least 75 pct of shares in a U.S.\n  Airline be owned by American firms or persons,\" the spokeswoman\n  added.\n      The newspaper said that Air Atlanta, which flies to 11 U.S.\n  Cities, has a fleet of five Boeing jets with passenger capacity\n  of 110 and employs 400 people, is making losses.\n      She said KLM had started talks with Vendex International NV\n  <VENN.AS> on their jointly owned courier service XP Express\n  Parcel Systems, but declined to confirm an NRC Handelsblad\n  report saying it wanted to buy the Vendex stake in XP.\n      KLM said last week it is negotiating a minority stake in\n  British courier service <IML Air Services Group Ltd>, a\n  subsidiary of British and Commonwealth Shipping Plc <BCOM.L>,\n  to strengthen its position in the fast-growing worldwide\n  door-to-door delivery market.\n      The KLM spokeswoman said she expected further announcements\n  about the talks with Vendex to be made early next week.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BELGIAN BANK SAID TO SEE SLOWER GROWTH\n","article":"  An internal report produced by the\n  Belgian National Bank foresees the country's gross national\n  product growth falling in 1987 to 1.0 pct from 2.3 pct in 1986,\n  the independent newspaper Le Soir said.\n      A National Bank spokesman said the newspaper article was\n  basically correct, but that the report was produced six weeks\n  ago and figures were therefore to some extent out of date.\n      The government's planning bureau predicted growth of 0.9\n  pct this year in a study published last month.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SPAIN'S INFLATION RISES 0.4 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Spain's consumer price index rose 0.4\n  pct in February after increases of 0.7 pct the previous month\n  and 0.4 pct in February last year, National Statistics\n  Institute figures show.\n      Year-on-year inflation was six pct compared with the\n  government five pct target for 1987. It rose 8.3 pct last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN BUYS 462,000 TONNES OF U.S. MAIZE\n","article":"  The joint committee of Taiwan's maize\n  importers awarded contracts to five U.S. Companies to supply a\n  total of 462,000 tonnes of maize for delivery between May 10\n  and October 10, a committee spokesman said.\n      Cigra Inc won a contract for a cargo of 56,000 tonnes,\n  priced at 79.41 U.S. Dlrs per tonne fob pacific northwest port,\n  for delivery on July 5 and 20.\n      Continental Grain Co of New York received three shipments,\n  totalling 143,000 tonnes, price ranging from 90.95 to 95.75\n  U.S. Dlrs per tonne c and f Taiwan for delivery between May 10\n  and October 10.\n      Cargill Inc of Minnesota took two shipments, totalling\n  83,000 tonnes priced between 92.00 and 92.93 U.S. Dlrs per\n  tonne c and f Taiwan for September 5-20\/September 10-25\n  delivery. United Grain Corp of Oregon won three contracts to\n  supply 93,000 tonnes priced from 92.32 to 93.19 U.S. Dlrs per\n  tonne c and f Taiwan for delivery between May 10 and July 30.\n      Garnac Grain Co Inc of New Jersey received two shipments,\n  totalling 87,000 tonnes at 88.90 to 92.29 U.S dlrs c and f\n  Taiwan for delivery between July 10 and August 10.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LAWSON SAYS HE IS CONTENT WITH CURRENT STERLING EXCHANGE RATE\n","article":"\n  LAWSON SAYS HE IS CONTENT WITH CURRENT STERLING EXCHANGE RATE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LAWSON SAYS HE FAVOURS GRADUAL APPROACH TO CUTS IN U.K. INTEREST RATES\n","article":"\n  LAWSON SAYS HE FAVOURS GRADUAL APPROACH TO CUTS IN U.K. INTEREST RATES\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET SHORTAGE FORECAST REVISED UP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it revised up\n  its estimate of the deficit in the system today to 1.3 billion\n  stg from 1.1 billion.\n      The Bank has not provided any assistance to the market so\n  far today but earlier invited the discount houses to use their\n  borrowing facilities at 1430 GMT today and set the terms at 10\n  pct for 14 days.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GULF APPLIED <GATS> SELLS UNITS, SEES GAIN\n","article":"  Gulf Applied Technologies Inc said it\n  sold its pipeline and terminal operations units for 12.2 mln\n  dlrs and will record a gain of 2.9 mln dlrs in the first\n  quarter.\n      It added that any federal taxes owed on the transaction\n  will be offset by operating loss carryovers.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LAWSON HAPPY WITH STERLING, BACKS LATEST RATE CUT\n","article":"  Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson\n  said he was content with the current level of sterling and\n  welcomed today's announcement of a further half point cut in\n  British bank base lending rates to 10 pct.\n      However, he said he wanted to see a gradual approach to\n  declines in domestic U.K. Interest rates, although optimism in\n  financial markets might push for big moves quickly.\n      He told a briefing of economic journalists that \"I don't\n  think we should rush anything.\" Lawson stressed the themes of\n  \"gradualism and steadiness\" as economic policy.\n      Lawson acknowledged that today's fall in interest rates\n  were in response to his budget for fiscal 1987\/88, unveiled\n  yesterday to Parliament and which set a lower target for the\n  key Public Sector Borrowing Requirement (PSBR) of 1.0 pct of\n  GDP.\n      Lawson said the two recent cuts in base rates, both made\n  this month in the form of half percentage point declines, were\n  \"perfectly consistent\" with monetary conditions now in Britain.\n      He supported that by saying the narrow M0 money supply\n  aggregate was \"safely inside\" its flucuation band of two to six\n  pct set for both 1986\/87 and 1987\/88. In his budget, Lawson set\n  no explicit target range for the broader sterling M3.\n      Turning to the question of Britain eventually joining the\n  exchange rate mechanism of the European Monetary System (EMS),\n  Lawson repeated that \"it is most unlikely we will enter before\n  the next election.\"\n      He said Britain was keeping the subject of full EMS\n  membership under constant review. But he would not indicate\n  what the chief considerations for this were for the government.\n      Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher late last year said a\n  decision on whether or not to join depended on the strength of\n  the U.K. Economy. But she later said such a move depended on\n  other EMS countries scrapping residual capital controls.\n      Although Lawson denounced what he said was \"the current wave\n  of election fever\" in Britain, he added:  \"It is more likely that\n  there will be an election this year\" than not.\n      He said he supported an early election only because it\n  would clear the air. \"Ideally, we (the government) should have a\n  full term,\" but events could force a premature poll, Lawson\n  said.\n      The government, which has been in power since 1979, must\n  call an election by June 1988. Speculation is rising for either\n  a June or an early autumn election, political sources said.\n      The decision to cut basic tax by only two pence in 1987\/88\n  \"was the right balance, economically and politically,\" he said.\n      Lawson's decision to restrict the fall in the standard rate\n  of tax to two-pence surprised many analysts, who had predicted\n  that with Treasurys coffers full of tax revenue would have\n  allowed the government to reach its goal of 25 pct in one move.\n      But it was being praised today by political analysts as a\n  shrewd move which, while advancing towards that aim, could not\n  be seized upon by opposition parties as overtly trying to bribe\n  the electorate.\n      Lawson told journalists he had been surprised by how much\n  the PSBR had undershot his original assumption of 7.1 billion\n  stg for 1986\/87 -- by some three billion stg.\n      Returning to changing levels of interest rates, Lawson\n  stressed that \"they are not an objective (for the government) -\n  they are an instrument of policy.\" Consequently the Treasury had\n  no precise target for domestic borrowing levels, he said.\n      But \"there may be interest rate consequences\" from changes in\n  the level of government borrowing, he added.\n      Lawson said he did not think that the U.K.'s relatively\n  high level of real interest rates had hurt investment in\n  Britain.\n      He said conditions created by London's role as a leading\n  financial centre had caused sterling interest rates to be\n  higher in real terms than in other countries.\n      Three factors had caused the higher level in relative\n  interest rates in Britain, Lawson said.\n      First, control of credit in Britain rested on interest\n  rates alone, due to the freedom of its financial markets.\n      He said the second reason was political uncertainty caused\n  by proposed spending plans of the opposition Labour Party.\n       Thirdly, he said \"we do not have as long a track record of\n  low inflation\" as did the U.S., Japan and West Germany.\n      Lawson foresaw London becoming the world's pre-eminent\n  financial centre, because it was more international in\n  character and more favourably placed in time zones than New\n  York or Tokyo.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DIXONS HAS 56 PCT OF CYCLOPS CORP\n","article":"  Dixons Group Plc <DXNS.L> said its\n  tender offer for all of the common shares in <Cyclops Corp> of\n  the U.S. Expired at midnight yesterday and that it had accepted\n  approximately 2.3 mln shares in the company at 90.25 dlrs each.\n      This represents just over 54 pct of the outstanding shares\n  on a fully diluted basis. But including shares already owned,\n  Dixons now holds a total of 56 pct of the fully diluted\n  outstanding shares.\n      The company said it is now entitled to subscribe for all\n  the authorised but unissued and unreserved shares of common\n  stock of Cyclops, which total some 5.4 mln shares, at 90.25\n  dlrs each.\n      Dixons said it has waived its condition that 80 pct of the\n  fully diluted outstanding shares be validly tendered and not\n  withdrawn.\n      Dixons launched the agreed 384 mln dlr offer on February 17\n  this year in the wake of its unsuccessful battle to take over\n  the U.K. Retail store chain Woolworth Holdings Plc <WLUK.L>.\n      Dixons shares were last quoted at 390p, up on last night's\n  close of 380p.\n      On Friday, <CYACQ Corp>, an investor group formed by\n  Audio\/Video Affiliates Inc <AVA> and Citicorp <CCI>, said it\n  would increase the price it was offering for all Cyclops shares\n  to 92.50 dlrs from 80.00 dlrs each if Cyclops would provide it\n  with confidential information given to Dixons and if it were\n  satisfied that any rights Dixon might have to recover fees or\n  expenses from Dixons or to buy Cyclops stock would be rescinded\n  or proved invalid.\n      Audio\/Video's offer is scheduled to expire March 20.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"IRAQ SAYS IT ATTACKS TWO SHIPS IN GULF\n","article":"  Iraq said its warplanes hit two ships\n  off the Iranian coast in attacks last night and early today.\n      The planes \"dealt accurate and effective blows to both\n  maritime targets before they returned safely to base,\" a\n  military spokesman told the Iraqi new agency INA.\n      There was no immediate confirmation of the attacks from\n  Persian Gulf shipping sources.\n      The last confirmed Iraqi attack on shipping was on March 8,\n  when an Iranian tanker was hit by a missile south of Iran's\n  Kharg island oil export terminal.\n      Gulf shipping sources yesterday reported an Iranian warship\n  had set the Cypriot supertanker Pivot on fire with a missile.\n      They said there were no injuries on board and the ship\n  headed for the Gulf Emirate of Fujairah under its own power\n  after the fire was put out.\n      The Pivot was the 18th ship hit this year in the maritime\n  extension of the 6-1\/2 year-old Iran-Iraq war.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ICCO delegates accept principles of buffer stock compromise as negotiation base\n","article":"\n  ICCO delegates accept principles of buffer stock compromise as negotiation base\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NEW ZEALAND ECONOMY FORECAST TO IMPROVE IN 1987\/88\n","article":"  New Zealand's inflation and interest\n  rates should decline and the balance of payments improve\n  significantly in the fiscal year to the end of March 1988, the\n  Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) said.\n      The independent institute said in its quarterly March issue\n  that it was also revising its fiscal 1987 real gross domestic\n  product (GDP) forecast to a fall of 0.5 pct against the one pct\n  drop forecast in December.\n      Government figures show GDP grew at an annual 1.8 pct in\n  the quarter to September and 3.4 pct in the June quarter.\n      The NZIER said the sharp improvement in the June and\n  September quarters was due mainly to a new tax structure and\n  the introduction of a 10 pct value-added goods and services tax\n  and is not expected to continue in the second half of 1986\/87.\n      The government's tight fiscal position is not expected to\n  change, it said.\n      Annual inflation, measured by the consumer price index, is\n  forecast to fall to nine pct by next March from 18.2 pct in\n  calendar 1986, it said.\n      \"Falling inflation is likely to give significant scope for\n  reductions in nominal interest rates; real interest rates are\n  also expected to ease (albeit slightly) as the balance of\n  payments deficit and hence the call on overseas capital, falls\n  away,\" the NZIER said.\n      Short-term interest rates are forecast to remain between 20\n  and 25 pct until the June quarter, but will decline over the\n  second half of 1987\/88 to between 16 and 18 pct. Long-term\n  rates are expected to fall to between 14 and 16 pct.\n      Five year government bond rates are currently 18.40 pct and\n  the key indicator 30-day bank bills 26.53 pct.\n      The local dollar is expected to depreciate steadily in the\n  early part of the coming year and, by next March, reach 57.5 on\n  the Reserve Bank's trade weighted index, which is based on a\n  basket of currencies. The index now stands at around 66.4.\n      \"A marked improvement in the balance of payments is\n  forecast,\" the NZIER said. \"The current account deficit is\n  expected to fall from 7.5 pct of GDP in 1985\/86 to 4.5 pct in\n  1986\/87 and 2.5 pct in 1987\/88.\"\n      The current account deficit is forecast to shrink to 1.32\n  billion N.Z. Dlrs in 1987\/88 from 2.40 billion in 1986\/87 and\n  3.33 billion in 1985\/86.\n      The 1987\/88 budget deficit is forecast to be 2.8 billion\n  dlrs against an expected 2.9 billion dlrs in 1986\/87 and 1.87\n  billion in 1985\/86.\n      This compares with the government's 1986\/87 deficit figure\n  of 2.92 billion against an earlier forecast of 2.45 billion.\n      \"Conditions in the coming year are sufficiently subdued to\n  contribute to marked improvements in both the balance of\n  payments and the rate of inflation ...,\" the NZIER said.\n      \"Overall, these are significant gains for the New Zealand\n  economy and, if they continue to be improved upon, bode well\n  for future prospects.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ICCO MEMBERS ACCEPT BUFFER STOCK PRINCIPLES\n","article":"  International Cocoa Organization (ICCO)\n  producers and consumers accepted the principles of a compromise\n  proposal on buffer stock rules as a basis for further\n  negotiation, delegates said.\n      The buffer stock working group then asked ICCO Executive\n  Director Kobena Erbynn, who wrote up the draft compromise, to\n  flesh out details of the principles with the assistance of a\n  representative group of delegates, they said.\n      The working group broke up for the day, into a smaller\n  group of five producers and five consumers to discuss\n  administrative rules and into the group headed by Erbynn to\n  hammer out buffer stock rules details, delegates said.\n      Delegates said many differences of opinion still have to be\n  ironed out. \"Whenever we start getting into details the clouds\n  gather,\" one delegate said.\n      Erbynn is likely to present fleshed out details of the\n  buffer stock rules proposal to the working group early\n  tomorrow, delegates said.\n      The principles of the draft proposal included establishing\n  an offer system for buffer stock purchases rather than a posted\n  price system, a limit to the amount of non-ICCO member cocoa\n  that can be bought, and differentials to be paid for different\n  varieties of cocoa comprising the buffer stock, delegates said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AFG <AFG>, WAGNER\/BROWN BID FOR GENCORP <GY>\n","article":"  <General Partners>, controlled by\n  privately-held Wagner and Brown and by AFG Industries Inc, said\n  it has started a tender offer for all common shares of GenCorp\n  Inc and associated defensive preferred share purchase rights\n  for 100 dlrs a share.\n      GenCorp stock closed yesterday in composite tape trading at\n  90.50 dlrs a share, up two dlrs on the day.\n      In a newspaper advertisement, General Partners said the\n  offer and withdrawal rights expire April 14 unless extended.\n      General Partners said the offer is conditioned on receipt\n  of sufficient financing to buy all shares on a fully diluted\n  basis and receipt of enough shares to give General Partners at\n  least 51 pct voting power, again fully diluted.\n      It said the offer is also conditioned on GenCorp redeeming\n  the defensive rights or General Partners being satisfied that\n  the rights have been invalidated and General Partners obtaining\n  from the Federal Communications Commission a special temporary\n  authorization allowing completion of the acquisition of GenCorp\n  shares.\n      General Partners said it would set up voting trust\n  arrangements pending review of its long-form application for\n  FCC approval of its acquisition of control of GenCorp's\n  broadcasting subsidiary.\n      The partnership said the offer is further conditioned on\n  GenCorp management withdrawing its proposals to amend the\n  company's articles of incorporation and code of regulations to\n  provide for an increase in authorized common shares, a\n  classified board of directors and the elimination of cumulative\n  voting.  The latter two changes would make it harder for\n  minority shareholders to elect directors.\n      General Partners said it is asking GenCorp for its\n  shareholder lists for help in disseminating the offer.\n      GenCorp has about 22.3 mln shares outstanding, making the\n  value of the offer about 2.23 billion dlrs.\n      Last fall, AFG and Wagner and Brown offered to acquire\n  <Lear Siegler Inc> for about 1.44 billion dlrs but withdrew the\n  offer when higher bids emerged and due to complications of the\n  Tax Reform Act of 1986.  Lear Siegler eventually went private\n  for 1.66 billion dlrs.\n      GenCorp is involved in tire and plasticmaking and aerospace\n  as well as broadcasting.  The company faces challenges to its\n  two television and 12 radio station licenses, partly becuase it\n  failed to inform the FCC about allegedly improper foreign\n  payments and political contributions.\n      GenCorp has agreed to sell its New York-area television\n  station WOR to MCA Inc <MCA> for 387 mln dlrs and its Los\n  Angeles station KHJ to Walt Disney Co <DIS> for 217 mln dlrs.\n  An investor group challenging the Los Angeles license would\n  also receive 103 mln dlrs from Disney.\n      For the year ended November 30, GenCorp earned 130 mln dlrs\n  on sales of 3.10 billion dlrs.\n      A GenCorp spokesman said the offer came as a surprise and\n  the company was not yet in a position to comment on the bid.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EGYPT REJECTS VEG OIL OFFERS, TO RETENDER\n","article":"  Egypt rejected all offers at a vegetable\n  oil import tender yesterday for unspecified amounts of\n  sunflowerseed oil and\/or cottonseed oil, traders said. It has\n  asked for a renewal of offers on March 24.\n      Exporters said they were not prepared to offer material on\n  Egypt's new landed contract terms which include a clause, \"free\n  from radioactive contamination.\" Offers submitted were on old\n  contract terms, all of which were rejected.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TEXACO <TX> TO CEASE POSTING TEXAS OIL PRICE\n","article":"  Texaco Refining and Marketing, an\n  operating subsidiary of Texaco Inc, said it would cease to post\n  crude oil prices for West Texas crudes at the end of this month\n  following a decision to discontinue purchase of crude oil from\n  leases, a Texaco spokesman in Houston said.\n      But it will continue to purchase quantities of U.S. and\n  foreign crude oil for use in its refinery system, he added.\n       The spokesman also said Texaco Trading and Transport Inc\n  would continue to acquire and market Texaco lease production as\n  well as other lease production. The company will continue to\n  post a Louisiana price, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IVORY COAST MINISTER DELAYED FOR COCOA TALKS\n","article":"  Ivorian Agriculture Minister Denis Bra\n  Kanon, chairman of the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO)\n  council, will not be able to open the council session here\n  tomorrow, an Ivorian ICCO delegate told Reuters.\n      He will arrive sometime later during the meetings here, the\n  delegate said. The council session will be chaired instead by\n  ICCO vice chairman Sir Denis Henry, the delegate from Grenada,\n  ICCO officials said.\n      Ivorian officials last week said Bra Kanon was due to\n  return home for funeral ceremonies for a sister of Ivorian\n  President Felix Houphouet-Boigny March 19-22.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. REAL GNP ROSE REVISED 1.1 PCT IN 4TH QTR INSTEAD OF 1.3 PCT RISE\n","article":"\n  U.S. REAL GNP ROSE REVISED 1.1 PCT IN 4TH QTR INSTEAD OF 1.3 PCT RISE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. GNP PRICE DEFLATOR ROSE 0.7 PCT IN 4TH QTR, UNCHANGED\n","article":"\n  U.S. GNP PRICE DEFLATOR ROSE 0.7 PCT IN 4TH QTR, UNCHANGED\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MATRIX SCIENCE <MTRX> SETS STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Matrix Science Corp said its\n  board declared a two-for-one stock split and a six-cent per\n  share (pre stock split) dividend, payable May 7 to stockholders\n  of record April 16.\n      The company said the dividend is in addition to the ten cts\n  per share dividend paid January 2, 1987, making the post stock\n  split annual dividend eight cts per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SEA GALLEY STORES INC <SEAG> 4TH QTR DEC 28 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 69 cts vs loss 1.45 dlrs\n      Net loss 2,015,000 vs loss 4,268,000\n      Revs 16.6 mln vs 16.9 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.21 dlrs vs loss 59 cts\n      Net loss 3,514,000 vs loss 1,839,000\n      Revs 58.8 mln vs 61.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COCONUT OIL CONTRACT TO CHANGE - DUTCH TRADERS\n","article":"  Contract terms for trade in coconut\n  oil are to be changed from long tons to tonnes with effect from\n  the Aug\/Sep contract onwards, Dutch vegetable oil traders said.\n      Operators have already started to take account of the\n  expected change and reported at least one trade in tonnes for\n  Aug\/Sept shipment yesterday.\n      The Federation of Oils Seeds and Fats Associations, FOSFA,\n  in London said it had previously advised traders to adopt the\n  metric system for coconut oil transactions to bring the\n  commodity into line with other vegetable oils.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FAR WEST FINANCIAL <FWFP> TO BUY PROGRESSIVE\n","article":"  Far West Financial Corp\n  said its Far West Savings and Loan Association unit has reached\n  an agreement in principle to acquire all the outstanding stock\n  of Progressive Savings and Loan Association <PRSL>.\n      Far West said it does not expect the cost of the\n  transaction to exceed 15 mln dlrs.\n      Progressive Savings has ten branches in Southern California\n  and about 500 mln dlrs in assets.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COASTAL <CGP> SAYS TRANSAMERICAN SUIT FRIVOLOUS\n","article":"  Coastal Corp said it belives the two\n  billion dlr suit against it by <TransAmerican Natural Gas Corp>\n  in Texas state court is frivolous and without merit.\n      The company said it intends toi proceed with filing a\n  reorganization plan for TransAmerican with the U.S. Bankruptcy\n  Court in Houston.\n      Yesterday afternoon, the bankruptcy court issued a\n  temporary restraining order prohibiting TransAmerican and\n  Coastal from taking any action in any court that would\n  interfere with the jurisdiction of the bankruptcy court.\n      Yesterday's bankruptcy court ruling affirmed Coastal's\n  rights as a TransAmerican creditor to file a reorganization\n  plan for TransAmerican.\n      TransAmerican's suit alleges that Coastla attempted to\n  unlawfully gain control of TransAmerican's Texas natural gas\n  reserves and pipeline system.\n      TransAmerican's bankruptcy proceedings began in 1983.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BUNDESBANK SEEN STEERING STEADY MONETARY COURSE\n","article":"  The Bundesbank is likely to steer a\n  steady monetary course over the next few weeks and a change in\n  credit policies is not expected at tomorrow's regular central\n  bank council meeting, bank economists and dealers said.\n      \"There is no need for action,\" Hermann Remsperger, chief\n  economist of Berliner Handels- and Frankfurter Bank (BHF) said.\n      Others noted that exchange rates are stable after last\n  month's Group of Six agreement in Paris and central bank money\n  stock growth is still well above the three to six pct target\n  zone, so a change in credit policies could be ruled out.\n      One money market dealer said comments by Bundesbank\n  President Karl Otto Poehl at a private seminar in Duesseldorf\n  two weeks ago hinting at another interest rate cut only\n  indicated the Bundesbank might act if conditions changed.\n      Bank economists said U.S. Pressure on West Germany to\n  further ease credit policies had receded since the Paris pact.\n      But such demands could re-emerge if West Germany failed to\n  stimulate its economy enough to affect the massive U.S. Trade\n  deficit.\n      Remsperger said continued strong money supply growth also\n  precluded a further cut in official interest rates.\n      Central bank money stock was growing at an annualized 7.5\n  pct in February, unchanged from the 7.5 pct in January.\n      Economists said some of the 18 members of the central bank\n  council were worried about the continued overshoot in the money\n  supply target and were bound to resist any moves to cut rates.\n  But Poehl played down the risk of inflation.\n      Economists said the fact that money stock growth remained\n  stable last month was a success. Some said it was likely to\n  return to within the target range later this year.\n      \"The special factors which boosted money supply growth last\n  year are disappearing,\" one economist said.\n      He said some 75 pct of the money supply increase in 1986\n  was caused by a sharp rise in the inflow of foreign funds.\n      This trend had been reversed recently and with domestic\n  credit demand likely to remain at steady levels, money stock\n  growth was expected to narrow in the medium-term.\n      These developments were increasing the Bundesbank's scope\n  for a rate cut in the medium-term, economists said.\n      Money market dealers said period rates remained little\n  changed, indicating no change in credit policy was expected.\n      Call money rates declined to 3.75\/80 pct from 3.90\/95\n  yesterday, with the market well stocked with liquidity.\n      Dealers said call money was soft because tax payments on\n  behalf of customers had been less than expected so far. But\n  rates were likely to tighten again as soon as the full effect\n  of this month's major tax payment period is felt. Payments for\n  the federal railways bond are also likely to burden the market.\n      The Bundesbank did not inject liquidity via a securities\n  repurchase agreement this week, but countered a tightening in\n  rates on Monday by injecting funds through government-owned\n  banks.\n      Dealers said recent securities repurchase pacts had shown\n  the Bundesbank clearly wanted call money rates stable at 3.80.\n      One dealer said, \"If the central bank wanted lower interest\n  rates, it would first of all drive call money rates down.\"\n      Banks remained relatively well stocked with minimum reserve\n  assets. They held 52.9 billion marks in minimum reserves on\n  Monday, averaging 53.7 billion marks over the first 16 days of\n  March. A requirement of around 51 billion is expected.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. REAL GNP ROSE 1.1 PCT IN FOURTH QUARTER\n","article":"  The U.S. Gross National Product,\n  after removing the impact of inflation, increased at a revised\n  annual rate of 1.1 pct in the fourth quarter, the Commerce\n  Department said.\n      That was down from an earlier preliminary 1.3 pct rise\n  estimated a month ago and down from the 2.1 pct rise in the\n  fourth quarter of 1985.\n      The final fourth quarter revision, however, left unchanged\n  the previous estimate of a 2.5 pct increase in GNP for all of\n  1986 over 1985.\n      The revised estimate for fourth quarter GNP partly\n  reflected a downward revision in inventories to a total\n  decrease of 28.5 billion dlrs in the fourth quarter, the\n  department said.\n      The revisions also indicated personal consumption spending\n  decreased 2.2 billion dlrs in the fourth quarter after an\n  increase of 39.6 billion dlrs in the third quarter.\n      Exports of goods and services rose 15.3 billion dlrs after\n  a decline of 9.4 billion dlrs in the third quarter. Imports\n  decreased 700 mln dlrs in the final quarter, in contrast to an\n  increase of 20.9 billion dlrs in the third quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN TELECOM MERGER COULD INVOLVE U.K.,U.S. FIRMS\n","article":"  Cable and Wireless PLC <CAWL.L> and the\n  Pacific Telesis group <PAC.N> may take part in a proposed\n  merger of two rival firms seeking to enter Japan's\n  international telecommunications market, a senior industry\n  official said.\n      Fumio Watanabe, head of a telecommunications committee with\n  the Federation of Economic Organisations (Keidanren), told a\n  news conference Japanese shareholders in the two consortiums\n  agreed that the U.S. And British companies will be invited to\n  participate in the new merged firm.\n      The planned linkup will satisfy Tokyo's request that only\n  one private company should enter the market.\n      The two consortiums, <International Digital Communications\n  Planning Inc> (IDC) and <International Telecom Japan> (ITJ),\n  were set up in 1986 to compete with monopoly <Kokusai Denshin\n  Denwa Co> (KDD) after the market was deregulated in 1985.\n      Watanabe said the Post and Telecommunications Ministry\n  wanted only one competitor for the time being because of the\n  size of the Japanese telcommunications market and that foreign\n  investors will only be allowed to hold a minority stake.\n      He estimated the two foreign firms' share in the merged\n  consortium at less than three pct and added that even the\n  largest shareholders could own only some five pct .\n      Cable and Wireless and Japanese trading house <C. Itoh and\n  Co.> each have a 20 pct stake in the IDC consortium while\n  Pacific Telesis and Merrill Lynch and Co. Inc. <MER.N> jointly\n  hold 13 pct .\n      ITJ is headed by a rival group of trading houses. Several\n  firms including Toyota Motor Corp. <TOYO.T>  belong to both.\n      Watanabe said progress was being made towards a merger\n  agreement and added that Japanese industry agreed with the\n  government on having only one private consortium as two\n  companies might invest \"excessive\" amounts.\n      He said talks with Cable & Wireless will continue this\n  week.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FERRUZZI NEGOTIATING EUROPEAN ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Italy's <Gruppo Ferruzzi> is in the\n  advanced stages of negotiations that could result in an\n  acquisition worth \"some hundreds of billions of lire\" in the\n  European agro-industrial sector, a company spokesman told\n  Reuters.\n      The spokesman declined to identify the other party or\n  parties involved in talks, or whether a complete takeover was\n  under discussion, but said an Italian newspaper report that\n  Ferruzzi was studying the possibility of advancing an offer for\n  13 European cereal processing plants owned by the U.S. Group\n  CPC International Inc <CPC.N> was incorrect.\n      The spokesman said that possibility had been evaluated by\n  Ferruzzi but that the company's attention at the moment was\n  \"decisively in another direction.\"\n      The spokesman, responding to a report in the Italian\n  economic daily Il Sole-24 Ore that Ferruzzi was considering a\n  possible bid for the CPC plants, told Reuters his company hoped\n  to conclude the talks currently underway in a couple of months.\n      The spokesman said that since the U.K. Government last\n  month blocked Ferruzzi's bid to acquire <British Sugar Plc>,\n  the company had been looking at other investment opportunities.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MALAYSIA TO CUT OIL OUTPUT FURTHER, TRADERS SAY\n","article":"  Malaysia's state oil company Petronas\n  will cut oil production to 420,000 barrels per day (bpd) from\n  May 1, trade sources said.\n      Malaysia cut its 510,000 bpd target output by 10 pct last\n  September to support Opec moves to boost prices, and the latest\n  cut would reduce output by 17.5 pct from 1986's target level.\n      Petronas said in February that Malaysia would maintain its\n  10 pct production cutback until mid-1987.\n      However, the Finance Ministry said in its annual report\n  that Malaysia's crude oil output was expected to rise to an\n  average 510,000 bpd in 1987.\n      The ministry's forecast assumed average 1987 crude prices\n  at 13 dlrs\/barrel (bbl), but prices have risen enough to permit\n  further production cutbacks, the sources said.\n      Malaysia's benchmark Tapis blend fetched above 18 dlrs\/bbl\n  this year against a low of 10.50 dlrs\/bbl in July, they said.\n      Traders said further reductions by Malaysia would add to\n  the tight spot availabilities of Asian grades caused by reduced\n  Indonesian and Chinese crude output.\n      The cutback will also help Malaysia maintain prices, as\n  there is concern some buyers want to reduce term purchases due\n  to the availability of cheaper alternatives, the sources said.\n      In addition to term sales, Petronas has been offering two\n  to three 400,000 bbl spot cargoes of Malaysian crude each month\n  for sale through tender, the sources said.\n      However, this practice is likely to dwindle given the\n  reduced scale of production, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INTERCARE <CARE> SAYS ACQUISITION TERMINATED\n","article":"  InterCare Inc said it has\n  agreed to terminate the proposed acquisition of <Universal\n  Care> because <First Jersey Securities> has withdrawn as\n  underwriter for a proposed offering of InterCare securities.\n      The company said the offering was to have raised 7,500,000\n  dlrs for working capital through the sale of equity and debt\n  and would have also financed the 1,897,000 dlr cash portion of\n  the Universal Care purchase price.  In addition, 1,700,000 dlrs\n  would have been used to repay debt.\n      InterCare said to date it has incurred about 500,000 dlrs\n  in expenses in connection with the proposed offering.\n      The company said to improve its working capital position,\n  it plans to reduce operating expenses by decreasing hours of\n  operation and its workforce and selling some assets.\n      As of October 31, the copmpany said it had a working\n  capital deficit of 2,301,000 dlrs, on a pro forma basis to\n  include recently acquired U.S. Medical Enterprises Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"RANK ORGANISATION CURRENT TRADING SATISFACTORY\n","article":"  Rank Organisation Plc <RANK.L> said\n  trading in the current year had continued satisfactorily taking\n  into account seasonal fluctuations.\n      Association companies, such as <Rank-Xerox Ltd>, indicated\n  an improved performance, a statement issued at the annual\n  meeting said.\n      It said it planned to spend some 15 mln stg on refurbishing\n  its Odeon cinema chain and the Rank Film Distributors unit was\n  committed to spending 20 mln to secure international\n  distribution rights of films.\n      Investment in new activities in 1987 should continue at a\n  relatively high level to exploit opportunities for growth. Rank\n  said it did not exclude the possibility of making large as well\n  as small acquisitions.\n      In the year to end-October, Rank reported a rise in pretax\n  profits to 164.1 mln stg from 136.0 mln previously.\n      Rank shares firmed in morning trading to be quoted at 712p\n  at 1320 GMT after 697p at last night's close.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HARCOURT BRACE SETS MARCH 30 DEADLINE IN HARPER AND ROW BID\n","article":"\n  HARCOURT BRACE SETS MARCH 30 DEADLINE IN HARPER AND ROW BID\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SHIPS HELD UP AT CALCUTTA\n","article":"  Some 10 Indian ships have been held up\n  at Calcutta port after four days of industrial action by local\n  seamen, a spokesman for the shipowners' association INSA said.\n      The dispute has prevented local crewmen signing on and off,\n  but has not affected foreign ships with international crews\n  docking at Calcutta, which exports tea and jute and imports\n  machinery, crude oil and petroleum products, the spokesman\n  said.\n      Foreign ships may also suffer if dock workers join the\n  action, he said. The Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) has\n  asked its ships to avoid the port until the dispute is over,\n  National Union of Seafarers in India president Leo Barnes said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COOPERVISION INC <EYE> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 3.65 dlrs vs 33 cts\n      Net 82.5 mln vs 7,300,000\n      Sales 94.4 mln vs 85.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 22.6 mln vs 21.7 mln\n      NOTE: Current year net includes pretax gain 175.2 mln dlrs\n  on sale of ophthalmic business and loss 17.9 mln dlrs posttax\n  from repurchase of debt.\n      Prior year net includes 120,000 dlr loss from discontinued\n  operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COOPERVISION <EYE> DELAYS ANNUAL MEETING\n","article":"  CooperVision Inc said it has\n  delayed its annual meeting to June 22 from May 14 to allow its\n  board to review possible recapitalization options before the\n  meeting.\n      CooperVision today reported first quarter net income of\n  64.6 mln dlrs, after a 175.2 mln dlr pretax gain from the sale\n  of its ophthalmic business to Johnson and Johnson <JNJ> for 260\n  mln dlrs in cash and a 17.9 mln dlr posttax charge from a debt\n  repurchase.  Sales were 94.4 mln dlrs.  A year earlier it\n  earned 7,300,000 dlrs after a 120,000 dlr loss from\n  discontinued operations, on sales of 85.4 mln dlrs.\n      The company said an aggressive program of investment\n  spending to maintain or increase market shares its its two core\n  businesses will accelerate sales growth this year but hold back\n  increases in operating income in the near future.\n      CooperVision said \"Furthermore, until the entire net cash\n  proceeds from the recent sales of several of our businesses are\n  employed to reduce indebtedness, make strategic acquisitions\n  and\/or are otherwise employed in relation to a possible\n  recapitalization of the company, recovery of net income will be\n  held back by the loss, particularly of the tax income, of the\n  (ophthalmic) pharmaceutical business sold to Johnson and\n  Johnson.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GREAT ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC TEA CO 4TH QTR OPER SHR 55 CTS VS 36 CTS\n","article":"\n  GREAT ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC TEA CO 4TH QTR OPER SHR 55 CTS VS 36 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MOBEX SAYS ABOUT 87 PCT OF GRANT <GTX> TENDERED\n","article":"  Mobex Corp said 2,088,461 Grant\n  Industries Inc common shares, about 87 pct of the 2.4 mln\n  outstanding, have been tendered in response to Mobex's offer.\n      The company said its offer of 7.75 dlrs a share for the\n  stock has been extended to 2000 EST March 23 from 2400 March 17.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HARCOURT BRACE <HBJ> SETS HARPER <HPR> DEADLINE\n","article":"  Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Inc\n  said it has told Harper and Row Publishers Inc representatives\n  that it intends to withdraw its proposal to acquire Harper and\n  Row for 50 dlrs per share in cash if the parties have not made\n  satisfactory progress in discussions by the close of business\n  on March 30.\n      Harcourt Brace said, \"We do not wish to put undue pressure\n  on Harper and Row, but we also, in fairness to our own\n  shareholders, cannot allow an offer of such magnitude to lie on\n  the table too long.\"\n      Harcourt said three of its senior officers and its\n  investment bankers met yesterday with investment bankers for\n  Harper and Row to discuss the Harcourt Brace offer.\n      Harcourt Brace said it will only pursue the acquisition if\n  a mutually-satisfactory merger agreement can be negotiated.\n      Last week, a group formed by Theodore Cross offered to\n  acquire Harper and Row for 34 dlrs per share.  The group held\n  about six pct of Harper and Row.\n      In addition, New World Pictures Ltd <NWP>, holder of 4.5\n  pct of Harper and Row, had offered to discuss a merger with\n  Harper and Row.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DIXONS GROUP SAID IT ACCEPTS 54 PCT OF CYCLOPS SHARES IN TENDER\n","article":"\n  DIXONS GROUP SAID IT ACCEPTS 54 PCT OF CYCLOPS SHARES IN TENDER\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANKERS TRUST ISSUING STG\/DLR CURRENCY WARRANTS\n","article":"  Bankers Trust International Ltd said it\n  is issuing 200,000 stg call\/dlr put currency warrants at an\n  initial offer price of 31.25 dlrs per warrant.\n      The issue is guaranteed by Bankers Trust New York Corp.\n      Each warrant entitles the holder to exchange 500 dlrs for\n  stg at a rate of 1.60 stg\/dlr and the minimum number of\n  warrants exercisable or tradeable is 100.\n      Exercise period for the warrants will run from April 22,\n  1987 until March 17, 1989. Payment is due April 15, 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GREAT ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC TEA CO <GAP> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Oper shr 55 cts vs 36 cts\n      Oper net 20.7 mln vs 13.6 mln\n      Sales 2.34 billion vs 1.58 billion\n      Avg shrs 38.1 mln vs 37.7 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 1.82 dlrs vs 1.48 dlrs\n      Oper net 69.0 mln vs 56.1 mln\n      Sales 7.83 billion vs 6.62 billion\n      Avg shrs 38.0 mln vs 37.8 mln\n      NOTES: Results for 13 and 53 week periods ended Feb 28,\n  1987, and 12 and 52 week periods ended Feb 22, 1986\n      Operating net excludes credits from tax loss carryforwards\n  of none vs 5.3 mln dlrs, or 14 cts a share in quarter and 26.0\n  mln dlrs, or 68 cts a share, vs 32.2 mln dlrs, or 85 cts a\n  share, in year\n      Company had 1,200 stores inoperation at year end vs 1,045 a\n  year earlier\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GROUP TENDERING FOR GENCORP SAYS IT HOLDS ABOUT 9.8 PCT OF GENCORP COMMON\n","article":"\n  GROUP TENDERING FOR GENCORP SAYS IT HOLDS ABOUT 9.8 PCT OF GENCORP COMMON\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ROTTERDAM SIGNS COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH TOKYO\n","article":"  The city of Rotterdam today signed an\n  agreement in principle to cooperate with the AOMI Cargo\n  Distribution Centre in Tokyo.\n      Acting Mayor Roel den Dunnen said that cooperation between\n  private and public entities in the Tokyo and Rotterdam area,\n  and a fruitful exchange of information have a favourable\n  influence on the flow of goods and services between the two\n  countries.\n      The AOMI Cargo Distribution Center, which will start\n  operating in October this year, signed a similar agreement with\n  Rotterdam's twinned-port of Seattle last September.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DAVY CORP UNIT WINS INDIA SMELTER CONTRACT\n","article":"  Davy McKee Ltd, a subsidiary of U.K.\n  Engineering and contruction company Davy Corp Plc, has been\n  awarded a contract worth around 15 mln stg for the design of a\n  zinc and lead smelter in India, a spokesman for the company\n  said.\n      The contract is being funded by Britain's Overseas\n  Development Administration as part of a total grant of 73.65\n  mln stg to India's state-owned Hindustan Zinc Ltd.\n      The grant is for the development of a major zinc and lead\n  mine and associated smelting complex in Rajastan, North West\n  India, the agency said.\n      The agency said the project was expected to account for 44\n  pct of India's total production of zinc.\n      A total 55 mln stg of the grant is allocated for the supply\n  of goods and services from Britain. The grant comes as part of\n  package announced on March 13 for Indian mineral development.\n      The agency is also paying a further 31 mln stg to India's\n  coal sector, for the expansion of its indigenous coal\n  development programme, using British-designed longwall\n  technology.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 15 MLN STG AFTERNOON HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had provided\n  the money market with a further 15 mln stg assistance. This\n  brings the Bank's total help so far today to 344 mln stg and\n  compares with the estimated shortage of around 1.3 billion stg.\n      The central bank purchased bank bills outright, at the\n  lower dealing rates established this morning, comprising one\n  mln stg in band one at 9-7\/8 pct and 14 mln stg in band two at\n  9-13\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WEST GERMAN BANKS SLOWLY CUTTING KEY SAVINGS RATES\n","article":"  West German commercial banks are\n  cautiously cutting key savings and lending rates, banking\n  sources said. The cuts follow nearly two months after the\n  Bundesbank reduced leading interest rates, far longer than the\n  usual interim period.\n      A Deutsche Bank AG <DBKG.F> spokesman said it is cutting\n  leading savings rate for private customers on a regional basis\n  by 0.5 percentage points to two pct. Dresdner Bank AG <DRSD.F>\n  and Commerzbank AG <CBKG.F> have initiated similar moves. Bank\n  fuer Gemeinwirtschaft AG <BKFG.F> cut rates 0.5 pct generally.\n      The delay was partly due to commercial banks' desire to\n  gauge customer reaction to a similar move by regional savings\n  banks.\n      A fall in customer savings because of lower rates could\n  reduce cheap refinancing available to banks, forcing them to\n  draw down relatively expensive funds from other sources, one\n  economist at the German Banking Association said.\n      But the volume of savings funds may not be substantially\n  undercut by lower savings rates because many customers are\n  parking funds in savings accounts in the hope they can reinvest\n  them at higher yields in the future, he said.\n      He said this may conflict with Bundesbank aims to move more\n  funds from relatively short-term deposits to longer-dated\n  securities to reduce strong growth in its central bank money\n  supply aggregate.\n      The aggregate showed annualized growth of a provisional 7.5\n  pct in February against the fourth quarter of last year,\n  unchanged from January. The growth rate was outside the\n  expanded target range of three to six pct.\n      Few banks have so far reduced lending rates to private\n  customers, though lending rates for corporate customers are\n  beginning to decline.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TOYS \"R\" US INC <TOY> 4TH QTR FEB ONE NET\n","article":"  Shr 89 cts vs 68 cts\n      Net 116.0 mln vs 88.1 mln\n      Revs 1.17 billion vs 924.0 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 1.17 dlrs vs 93 cts\n      Net 152.2 mln vs 119.8 mln\n      Revs 2.44 billion vs 1.97 billion\n      NOTE: net 1986 were restated to reflect three-for-two stock\n  split on June 27, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MEASUREX CORP <MX> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 34 cts vs 27 cts\n      Qtrly div six cts vs 4.5 cts prior\n      Net 6,448,000 vs 4,969,000\n      Revs 51.1 mln vs 44.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 19.1 mln vs 18.7 mln\n      NOTE: pay for dividend was March 11 to shareholders of\n  record on Feb 20.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PALMER LEWIS CO INC <LWIS> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends Jan 31\n      Shr three cts vs one cent\n      Qtrly div seven cts vs seven cts prior\n      Net 106,185 vs 28,871\n      Revs 46.9 mln vs 30.3 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 33 cts vs 23 cts\n      Net 1,306,595 vs 878,484\n      Revs 187.2 mln vs 140.8 mln\n      NOTE: effective July One, 1986, the company acquired the\n  outstanding stock of Western American Forest Product Inc for\n  cash and convertible debentures. the acqustion is accounted for\n  as a purchase and consolidated statements include Western's\n  results of operations from July One, 1986.\n      payout for dividend is may six to stockholders of record on\n  April 13.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CAPITAL CITIES\/ABC <CCB> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div five cts vs five cts\n      Pay April 20\n      Record March 30\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PUBLICKER INDUSTRIES INC <PUL> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss five cts vs loss 15 cts\n      Net loss 619,000 vs loss 1,730,000\n      Sales 3,138,000 vs 5,667,000\n      Avg shrs 12.5 mln vs 11.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss four cts vs loss 40 cts\n      Net loss 343,000 vs loss 3,963,000\n      Sales 13.4 mln vs 35.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 12.5 mln vs 10.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FEDERAL EXPRESS CORP 3RD QTR OPER SHR 69 CTS VS 83 CTS\n","article":"\n  FEDERAL EXPRESS CORP 3RD QTR OPER SHR 69 CTS VS 83 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BELL ATLANTIC CORP <BEL> INCREASES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div 96 cts vs 90 cts\n      Pay May One, 1987\n      Record March 31, 1987\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RHODES <RHDS> SEES SHARPLY LOWER 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Rhodes Inc said it now estimates fourth\n  quarter, ended February 28, earnings were eight cts a share,\n  down from the 25 cts earned in the final quarter of fiscal\n  1986.\n      The company said the major causes for the reduction were an\n  unfavorable LIFO adjustment and softer than projected sales in\n  the quarter, due primarily to unfavorable weather.\n      Despite the 4th qtr results, Rhodes said, \"net income for\n  the year just ended should come close to the record level of\n  the previous year\" -- 1.61 dlrs dlrs a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GENCORP <GY> GROUP HOLDS 9.8 PCT STAKE\n","article":"  (General Partners), a Texas general\n  partnership equally owned by affiliates of Wagner and Brown and\n  AFG Industries Inc <AFG>, said it currently holds 2,180,608\n  common shares, or about 9.8 pct, of Gencorp Inc's <GY>\n  outstanding common stock.\n      General Partners said it began a 100 dlrs a share cash\n  tender offer for all of Gencorp, an Akron, Ohio-based concern,\n  that is worth nearly 2.3 billion dlrs.\n      Gencorp, which has interests in tire- and plastic-making,\n  aerospace and broadcasting, has about 22.3 mln shares\n  outstanding.\n      The General Partners offer is subject to receipt of\n  financing, a majority of Gencorp shares and other conditions.\n      In a letter to Gencorp chairman and chief executive A.\n  William Reynolds describing the offer, General Partners said it\n  was willing to negotiate terms of the offer and was prepared to\n  meet as soon as possible.\n      In a statement, General Partners said it has contributed\n  250 mln dlrs in equity financing and also has commitments for \n  a one billion dlr credit line from Wells Fargo and Co <WFC> and\n  a 1.25 billion loan from Shearson Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc,\n  a unit of American Express Co <AXP>.\n      A Gencorp spokesman said the company's management was\n  meeting but that its board was not scheduled to meet today. He\n  said he was not sure the company had formally received notice\n  of the offer but was aware of it through press accounts.\n      He declined to say what Gencorp's next move might be or\n  whether it would issue a statement later today.\n      In the letter, General Partners said it plans to maintain\n  Gencorp's corporate headquarters in Akron, and retain the\n  company's plastics and industrial products businesses and its\n  tires and related products segment.\n      The letter did not mention Gencorp's RKO General\n  broadcasting subsidiary, which has been involved in disputes\n  over license renewals at several of its television stations.\n  Gencorp has agreed to sell two of its independent stations, WOR\n  in the New York area and KHJ in Los Angeles.\n      General Partners officials were not immediately available.\n      Gencorp shares were delayed at the opening on the New York\n  Stock Exchange because of an imbalance of orders, and the NYSE\n  said the shares were indicated to open at 103 to 115. The\n  shares closed up two yesterday at 90-1\/2, a new 52-week high.\n      The financing for the offer includes the 250 mln dlrs in\n  equity from General Partners, the 1.25 billion dlr loan from\n  Shearson Lehman Brothers, a senior subordinated bridge loan for\n  which a binding agreement can be delivered within 24 hours\n  after a request from the partnership, and the one billion dlr\n  credit line from Wells Fargo.\n      Wells Fargo has agreed to lend up to 250 mln dlrs of the\n  line itself and form a syndicate of banks to provide the rest,\n  the partnership said.\n      Shearson Lehman Brothers Inc will act as dealer manager in\n  the tender offer, it said.\n      In the letter, the partnership said it was confident it\n  could obtain the financing and close the transaction promptly.\n      Last fall AFG and privately held Wagner and Brown offered\n  to acquired (Lear Siegler Inc) for about 1.44 billion dlrs but\n  withdrew the offer when higher bids emerged. Lear Siegler\n  eventually went private for about 1.66 billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"THAI TRADE DEFICIT WIDENS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Thailand's trade deficit widened to an\n  estimated 4.7 billion baht in February from 2.1 billion in\n  January and 2.8 billion a year ago, the Bank of Thailand said.\n      Exports fell to around 18.9 billion baht from 20.4 billion\n  in January compared with 17.4 billion a year ago, the bank\n  said.\n      Imports rose to 23.6 billion baht from 22.5 billion in\n  January. They were 20.2 billion in February 1986.\n      The bank said the trade deficit for the two months widened\n  to an estimated 6.8 billion baht from 5.2 billion a year ago.\n      February's current account showed a 1.2 billion baht\n  deficit compared with 1.7 billion in January and 263 mln a year\n  ago.\n      The current account for the two months posted an estimated\n  500 mln baht surplus, down from 1.2 billion a year ago.\n      A surplus in the country's balance of payments narrowed to\n  3.2 billion baht in February from 4.6 billion the previous\n  month but was higher than 1.5 billion a year ago.\n      The bank said the balance of payments surplus for the first\n  two months of 1987 widened to 7.8 billion baht from 4.6 billion\n  from the same period in 1986, while the net capital inflow rose\n  to five billion baht from 3.1 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"A AND P <GAP> SETS HIGHER CAPITAL SPENDING\n","article":"  The Great Atlantic and Pacific\n  Tea Co said its three-year 345 mln dlr capital program will be\n  be substantially increased to accommodate growth and expansion\n  plans for Waldbaum Inc and Shopwell Inc over the next two\n  years.\n      A and P said the acquisition of Shopwell in August 1986 and\n  Waldbaum in December \"helped us achieve better than expected\n  results in the fourth quarter\" ended February 28. Its net\n  income from continuing operations jumped 52.6 pct to 20.7 mln\n  dlrs, or 55 cts a share, in the latest quarter as sales\n  increased 48.3 pct to 1.58 billion dlrs.\n      A and P gave no details on the expanded capital program,\n  but it did say it completed the first year of the program\n  during 1986.\n      A and P is 52.4 pct owned by <Tengelmann\n  Warenhandelsgesellschaft> of West Germany.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FEDERAL EXPRESS CORP <FDX> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 69 cts vs 83 cts\n      Oper net 35.9 mln vs 42.4 mln\n      Revs 798.9 mln vs 659.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 52.0 mln vs 50.9 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Oper shr 2.38 dlrs vs 2.75 dlrs\n      Oper net 123.3 mln vs 135.6 mln\n      Revs 2.31 billion vs 1.86 billion\n      Avg shrs 51.8 mln vs 49.3 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes losses from discontinued operations of\n  nil vs 16.1 mln dlrs in quarter and 227.5 mln dlrs vs 42.7 mln\n  dlrs in nine mths.\n      Quarter net includes gains from sale of aircraft of two mln\n  dlrs vs 6,200,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MORGAN GRENFELL SAYS 1986 PROFITS HIT BY GUINNESS\n","article":"  <Morgan Grenfell Group Plc> said its\n  1986 pre-tax profits were lower than forecast because of\n  depreciation in the value of its Guinness Plc <GUIN.L> shares\n  and because of securities trading losses in the U.S.\n      Morgan chairman Lord Catto said the losses on the group's\n  seven mln Guinness shares in addition to a 3.5 mln dlr loss on\n  its risk arbitrage operation in New York depressed profits some\n  eight mln stg to 82.2 mln.\n      He also told a news conference Morgan had received informal\n  approaches about a takeover of the group but was not\n  interested. No formal offers had been made, but Catto would not\n  elaborate.\n      Morgan Grenfell acted as merchant banker to Guinness during\n  the brewing company's successful bid for Distillers Co Plc\n  <DIST.L> in the first half of last year.\n      The U.K. Government launched an investigation into the\n  affairs of Guinness last December. Public concern has focused\n  on the way Guinness may have breached U.K. Company law and the\n  Takeover Code by prompting others to support its share price\n  during the bid.\n      Morgan chief executive Christopher Reeves, head of\n  corporate finance Graham Walsh and senior corporate finance\n  director Roger Seelig all resigned in January over the Guinness\n  affair.\n      Another senior Morgan Grenfell executive, Geoffrey Collier,\n  resigned late last year on allegations of trading on insider\n  information. He currently faces criminal charges.\n      Lord Catto said the second half of 1986 had been \"one of the\n  most traumatic in our history,\" but that clients and staff had\n  been supportive.\n      \"I certainly look on the future in a positive way. We have\n  the worst behind us and have swept nothing under the carpet.\"\n      Profits for the year, up 19.4 pct from 1985 pre-tax profits\n  of 68.8 mln stg, were mainly due to a high contribution from\n  corporate finance activities and progress in asset management.\n      Finance Director David Ewart told the news conference the\n  performance of the group so far in 1987 was \"within reasonable\n  touch of the budget.\"\n      Lord Catto also said the group was actively seeking a new\n  chief executive to replace Sir Peter Carey, who is acting as\n  interim director after Reeves' resignation, and hopes to have a\n  new chief executive within a few months.\n      He also said Reeves and Walsh had been paid a total of\n  562,000 stg in compensation following their resignations, but\n  declined to say how much each man got. Negotiations were going\n  on to determine an amount of compensation for Seelig, he said.\n      Morgan Grenfell shares stood at a late 366p, 9p down on\n  yesterday's 375p.\n   REUTER...\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SEC MOVES TO DISCIPLINE ALLEGHENY INT'L <AG>\n","article":"  The Securities and Exchange\n  Commission (SEC) staff is seeking authority to take enforcement\n  action against Allegheny International Inc, the\n  Pittsburgh-based industrial and consumer products firm said.\n      Allegheny made the disclosure in documents filed with the\n  SEC in connection with its recent agreement to be taken private\n  through a leveraged buyout led by First Boston Inc.\n      \"Following announcement of the merger agreement, the company\n  was informed by the Enforcement Division of the (SEC) that it\n  intends to seek authority from the commission to institute a\n  proceeding against the company,\" Allegheny said.\n      \"The company is cooperating in the commission's\n  investigation which is continuing and now includes the taking\n  of testimony of employes and others,\" Allegheny said.\n      In the ongoing probe, Allegheny said, the staff has asked\n  for information about company executive compensation and\n  benefit plans, certain company-owned real estate, travel and\n  entertainment spending and the use of corporate aircraft.\n      It also has asked for information on acquisitions and\n  divestitures, the company's accounting system \"and other\n  internal controls,\" Allegheny said.\n     The probe began in February 1986, Allegheny said.\n      The SEC, as a matter of policy, routinely declines comment\n  on its enforcement actions.\n      The SEC investigation began just months before Allegheny\n  became the target of a series of shareholder lawsuits claiming\n  that the company had violated the federal securities laws by\n  failing to disclose material matters in recent annual proxy\n  statements.\n      The suits, later consolidated into a single class-action\n  complaint before a Pennsylvania federal court, allege\n  securities law violations involving numerous current and former\n  Allegheny officers and directors.\n      Earlier this month, lawyers for the shareholders asked the\n  court to expand the charges to include an allegation that, in\n  the buyout, Allegheny had attempted to illegally freeze out its\n  public shareholders at an unfair price.\n      Allegheny said it intends to vigorously defend itself\n  against all charges.\n      The charges made in the shareholder suits are widely\n  believed to have led to last summer's resignation of Chairman\n  and Chief Executive Officer Robert Buckley.\n      In the buyout, a group led by First Boston tendered March\n  13 for all outstanding Allegheny shares at 24.60 dlrs a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNITED ASSET MANAGEMENT CORP <UAM> UPS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div four cts vs three cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KINDER-CARE INC <KNDR> FIRST QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends dec 31\n      Shr one cent vs 15 cts\n      Net 466,000 vs 6,866,000\n      Revs 123.1 mln vs 93.5 mln\n      NOTE: the company changed its fiscal year end from Aug 31\n  to Dec 31. qtr prior ended Jan 17, 1986 and included two more\n  weeks than current qtr.\n      current qtr includes loss 899,000 for accounting change.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ULTRASYSTEMS INC <ULS> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 26 cts vs 18 ctsd\n      Net 2,102,000 vs 1,415,000\n      Revs 44.1 mln vs 42.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 21 cts vs 91 cts\n      Net 1,678,000 vs 7,105,000\n      Revs 155.1 mln vs 149.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 7,960,000 vs 7,808,000\n      NOTE: Latest year net includes writeoff of investment in\n  Dawn Enterprises ethanol refinery of 79 cts shr.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANAMAX TO ACQUIRE KREZMAR GOLD PROPERTY STAKE\n","article":"  <Canamax Resources Inc> said it agreed\n  to acquire the 50 pct interest it does not already own in the\n  Krezmar gold property, near Wawa, Ontario, by paying nine mln\n  dlrs to <Algoma Steel Corp Ltd> and granting Algoma a four pct\n  net smelter return royalty, which is payable after payback.\n      The property's drill indicated reserves to a depth of 1,200\n  feet are estimated at over one mln tons averaging 0.25 ounces\n  of gold a ton, Canamax said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NFS FINANCIAL <NFSF> SETS INITIAL DIVIDEND\n","article":"  NFS Financial Corp said its board\n  declared an initial dividend of five cts per share, payable\n  April 21 to holders of record March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VW'S AUDI SAYS PROFIT FELL AROUND 50 PCT IN 1986\n","article":"  Audi AG <NSUG.F>, the 99 pct owned\n  subsidiary of Volkswagen AG <VOWG.F>, said profit in 1986 fell\n  by around half compared with 1985, when it achieved a record\n  221 mln marks net profit, a rise of 19.5 pct on the previous\n  year.\n      Managing board chairman Wolfgang Habbel told a news\n  conference he expected both profit and turnover to rise this\n  year compared with 1986, but he said it was questionable\n  whether 1987 profit would return to 1985 levels.\n      He gave no figure for 1986 profit. Audi had predicted last\n  year that 1986 profit would likely fall by an unspecified\n  amount from 1985's record levels.\n      Habbel said turnover in 1986 rose to 9.9 billion marks from\n  9.6 billion in 1985 and looked certain to rise to over 10\n  billion this year.\n      Asked whether Audi would pay a dividend to VW to help the\n  parent company overcome its currency losses, Habbel said Audi\n  would ensure VW got a share of profits.\n      Audi's entire 1985 net profit was paid into its own free\n  reserves to help finance investment. In the previous 10 years\n  VW had received 80 pct of Audi's earnings as a dividend.\n      Habbel blamed the profit decline on disruptions to output\n  caused by the introduction of the new Audi 80 model, on\n  currency factors and on negative publicity in the U.S. About\n  alleged \"sudden acceleration\" of some of its Audi 5000 models.\n      As reported, Audi's sales in the U.S. Dropped nearly 20 pct\n  to 59,800 last year.\n      Habbel said the U.S. Sales decline would probably bottom\n  out in 1987.\n      Audi's worldwide car deliveries fell two pct to 363,000.\n      Of the total, exports fell 10.5 pct to a rounded 210,000,\n  but domestic sales increased to a rounded 154,000 from 137,180\n  in 1985.\n      Habbel said the new Audi 80 had sold extremely well in the\n  first two months of 1987, helping Audi to increase its overall\n  market share in West Germany to 8.4 pct from 5.2 pct in the\n  same months of 1986. Sales in Europe also rose but U.S. Sales\n  fell further, he said without giving details. Worldwide\n  deliveries in the first two months increased eight pct to\n  57,000.\n      Audi said in January that 1987 car production would rise to\n  over 400,000 from 384,000 in 1986, when output had fallen\n  compared with 1985's 392,000.\n      Habbel said Audi expected the rise in output to lead to\n  further new hiring of employees.\n      At the end of 1986 Audi's workforce stood at a record\n  39,800, a rise of 3,400 over 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BANK OF ENGLAND LENDS ONE BILLION STG AT 10 PCT\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had lent one\n  billion stg to the discount market for fourteen days at 10 pct.\n      This brings the Banks total help today to some 1.34 billion\n  stg and satisfies the estimated shortage in the system today\n  which it had earlier estimated at 1.3 billion stg.\n      The Bank's announcement this morning that it was willing to\n  lend two-week money at 10 pct was interpreted by the market as\n  a sanction for lower U.K. Base lending rates.\n      The U.K. Clearing banks swiftly took this up, cutting their\n  base rates by a half-point to 10 pct. At midday, the central\n  bank lowered its money market dealing rates by the same amount.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":" UK INTERVENTION BD SAYS EC SOLD 60,500 TONNES WHITE SUGAR AT REBATE 44.819 ECUS.       \n","article":"\n   UK INTERVENTION BD SAYS EC SOLD 60,500 TONNES WHITE SUGAR AT REBATE 44.819 ECUS.       \n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"SENSORMATIC ELECTRONICS CORP <SNSR> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Feb 28 end\n      Shr profit 11 cts vs loss 37 cts\n      Net profit 3,027,000 vs loss 10.4 mln\n      Revs 22.3 mln vs 19.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 28.6 mln vs 29.0 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr profit 34 cts vs loss 22 cts\n      Net profit 9,560,000 vs loss 6,072,000\n      Revs 71.9 mln vs 64.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 28.5 mln vs 27.9 mln\n      NOTE: Prior year net both periods after 15.2 mln dlr\n  writeoff.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. INTERVENTION BOARD DETAILS EC SUGAR SALES\n","article":"  A total 60,500 tonnes of current series\n  white sugar received export rebates of a maximum 44.819\n  European Currency Units (Ecus) per 100 kilos at today's\n  European Community (EC) tender, the U.K. Intervention Board\n  said.\n      Out of this, traders in France received 18,000 tonnes, in\n  Denmark 15,000, in West Germany 12,250, in the Netherlands\n  12,000 and in Belgium 3,250 tonnes, it added.\n      Earlier today, London traders had expected the subsidy for\n  the current season whites campaign for licences to end-Aug to\n  be between 44.10 and 44.50 Ecus per 100 kilos.\n      Traders had also forecast today's total authorised sugar\n  tonnage export awards to be between 60,000 and 70,000 tonnes\n  versus 71,000 last week when the restitution was 43.248 Ecus.\n      Cumulative export authorisations for the current 1986\/87\n  season now stand at 1,915,270 tonnes (40 weeks).\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ANACOMP <AAC> ACQUIRES DATAGRAPHIX\n","article":"  Anacomp Inc said it acquired\n  the common stock of DatagraphiX Inc from General Dynamics Corp\n  <GD> for about 128 mln dlrs.\n      It said the purchase will be financed with a combination of\n  a new bank credit agreement and through private placement of\n  senior subordinated notes and convertible preferred stock.\n      DatagraphiX, which had 1986 sales of 240.7 mln dlrs,\n  manufactures a line of computer output to microfilm hardware\n  and supplie.\n      Anacomp's sales for the year ended Sept 30, 1986 were 108.8\n  mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES INC <WGO> 2ND QTR NET\n","article":"  Period ended February 28\n      Shr 25 cts vs 25 cts\n      Net 6,292,000 vs 6,340,000\n      Sales 97.0 mln vs 87.0 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr 36 cts vs 28 cts\n      Net 9,122,000 vs 7,053,000\n      Sales 193.2 mln vs 168.6 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 period ended March One\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CATTLE BEING PLACED ON FEED LIGHTER THAN NORMAL\n","article":"  Most of the cattle now being placed on\n  U.S. feedlots weigh less than normal and likely will remain on\n  feed longer, spreading out marketings and supporting cattle\n  prices through the summer because of reduced beef supply.\n      The prospect of so many cattle remaining on feed for a\n  longer time blunted the market impact of the high placements\n  reported in the USDA's latest cattle on feed report, livestock\n  analysts said.\n      After the USDA released its report of cattle on feed in\n  seven states as of March 1, cattle futures on the Chicago\n  Mercantile Exchange yesterday rose sharply. The trade had\n  expected deferred contracts to decline on the USDA report of a\n  15 pct rise in cattle placements in February from a year ago.\n      Although the heavy placements were expected, analysts noted\n  reports that many cattle put on feed were relatively\n  lightweight and said feedlot operators would feed the lighter\n  cattle into the autumn, rather than market them during the\n  summer as would be the case with the heavier cattle normally\n  placed on feed.\n      Although reports of actual cattle weights are difficult to\n  obtain, industry sources in the West and Southwest acknowledge\n  that lighter cattle are being put on feedlots in their areas.\n      The increase in lighter-weight cattle entering feedlots,\n  helps explain the jump in feedlot placements last month from\n  February, 1986.\n      University of Missouri Agricultural Economist Glenn Grimes\n  said, \"The probabilities are high that in order to place that\n  many cattle on feed they (feedlot operators) had to go to\n  lighter-weight cattle.\n      The only statistics available are from some terminal\n  markets which represent only a small percentage of the total\n  cattle marketed. But at those markets, steers averaged 708 lbs\n  in February compared with 718 lbs last year, Grimes said.\n      Even if marketing of the lighter cattle is not delayed,\n  Grimes said, beef supply likely will be reduced.\n      If the average weight is down, and there is no price\n  weakness to delay marketings, the cattle would be marketed at\n  lighter weights, which could reduce the beef supply as much as\n  three pct.\n      Bruce Ginn, cattle analyst for The Helming Group (formerly\n  LBAS), said the lighter cattle are being placed on feed mainly\n  because of two factors: low grain prices and higher live cattle\n  prices.\n      Many farmers like to feed lighter weight cattle and grain\n  supplies are large, he noted. Also, the higher live cattle\n  prices have been encouraging early movement of cattle from\n  wheat pasture onto feedlots, Ginn said.\n      Other analysts also noted that cattle are coming off wheat\n  pasture sooner than normal because of poor pasture conditions.\n      Gary Chapmann, a cash livestock trader for Chapmann and\n  Graham in Sioux City, Iowa said he believed the general trend\n  is to lighter weight placements but pasture conditions in his\n  area benefited from a dry, mild winter.\n      To the south, however, he said the weather was wetter and\n  some cattle are coming off pasture weighing 75 to 100 lbs less\n  than normal after having gained only 75 lbs all winter.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"N.Y. COCOA TRADERS STILL CAUTIOUS ON ICCO\n","article":"  New York cocoa traders reacted with\n  caution to today's developments at the International Cocoa\n  Organization talks in London, saying there is still time for\n  negotiations to break down.\n      \"I would be extremely cautious to go either long or short\n  at this point,\" said Jack Ward, president of the cocoa trading\n  firm Barretto Peat. \"If and when a final position comes out (of\n  the ICCO talks) one will still have time to put on positions.\n  The risk at the moment is not commensurate with the possible\n  gain.\"\n      ICCO producer and consumer delegates this morning accepted\n  the outlines of a compromise proposal on buffer stock rules as\n  a basis for further negotiation. A smaller group of\n  representatives is now charged with fleshing out the details.\n      \"Market sentiment has reflected optimism, I would't put it\n  any stronger than that,\" Ward said.\n      \"It seems to put them slightly closer to an agreement...\n  but one shouldn't forget how much they have to negotiate,\" said\n  another trader of today's developments.\n      Many dealers were sidelined coming into the negotiations\n  and have remained so, traders said.\n      \"The dealers have got historically small positions in\n  outright terms,\" one trader said.\n      Speculators have gone net long \"but only slightly so,\" he\n  added.\n      The recent price strength -- gains of about 52 dlrs the\n  last two days -- has been due in large part to sterling's rally\n  against the dollar and in the process has attracted a measure\n  of origin selling, traders said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REAGAN UPBEAT ABOUT LATEST GNP FIGURES\n","article":"  President Reagan said the 1.1 pct\n  U.S. economic growth rate during the final quarter of 1986\n  \"wasn't all that bad.\"\n      The Commerce Department said the rate of growth of the\n  Gross National Product in the October-December period was only\n  slightly less than a preliminary estimate of 1.3 pct made\n  earlier.\n      At the same time, it said inflation, as measured by the GNP\n  price deflator, rose by 0.7 pct during the period.\n      Asked his reaction to the GNP report during a White House\n  photo session, Reagan replied, \"It wasn't all that bad.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PENWEST LTD <PENW> 2ND QTR ENDS FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 85 cts vs 24 cts\n      Net 2,381,000 vs 754,000\n      Revs 35.3 mln vs 32.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,777,620 vs 3,161,603\n      Six mths\n      Shr 1.35 dlrs vs 44 cts\n      Net 3,756,000 vs 1,388,000\n      Revs 65.8 mln vs 64.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,777,620 vs 3,161,603\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SIERRA SPRING WATER CO <WTR> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 10 cts vs profit six cts\n      Net loss 986,000 vs profit 576,000\n      Rev 9.6 mln vs 9.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss seven cts vs profit 27 cts\n      Net loss 714,000 vs profit 2,299,000\n      Rev 42.8 mln vs 34.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GELCO <GEL> TO SELL CANADIAN COURIER UNIT\n","article":"  Gelco Corp said it signed a letter\n  of intent to sell its Canadian courier unit, Gelco Express Ltd,\n  to Air Canada for about 54 mln dlrs (U.S.).\n      It said consummation of the transaction depends on\n  execution of a definitive agreement, which is expected in May.\n      As part of its restructuring plan, Gelco had announced that\n  it would sell four business units. Gelco Express Ltd was one of\n  the companies scheduled for divestiture.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SYNTHETECH <NZYM> ENDS SOUTHWEST PHOTO TALKS\n","article":"  Synthetech Inc said it\n  discontinued negotiations on acquiring Southwest Photo chem Inc\n  of Pomona, Calif.\n      The company cited \"irreconcilable differences\" in the\n  financial structure of the deal.\n      It said Southwest Photo proposed a significant change in\n  terms outlined in the letter of intent signed last month.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"RANCO <RNI> HOLDERS APPROVE MERGER\n","article":"  Ranco Inc said shareholders at a\n  special meeting approved a merger into <Siebe PLC> for 40 dlrs\n  per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FARMERS GROUP INC <FGRP> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 80 cts vs 72 cts\n      Net 55,513,000 vs 48,741,000\n      Revs 290.9 mln vs 264.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 3.09 dlrs vs 2.72 dlrs\n      Net 213,470,000 vs 184,649,000\n      Revs 1.12 billion vs 992.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 69,127,000 vs 68,004,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN PHYSICIANS SERVICE <AMPH> 4TH NET\n","article":"  Shr profit five cts vs profit two cts\n      Net profit 268,000 vs profit 134,000\n      Revs 6,951,000 vs 5,938,000\n      12 mths\n      Shr profit 14 cts vs loss 11 cts\n      Net profit 801,000 vs loss 623,000\n      Revs 24.6 mln vs 24.3 mln\n      NOTE: full name of company is american physicians service\n  group inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AIR CANADA TO COMMENT ON GELCO<GEC> UNIT REPORT\n","article":"  State-owned Air Canada said it will\n  make a statement at 1100 EST concerning a published report that\n  the airline has agreed to acquire Gelco Corp's Canadian unit,\n  Gelco Express Ltd, an Air Canada spokesman said.\n      The spokesman declined to comment on the Toronto Globe and\n  Mail report when queried.\n      The sale of Gelco Express, Canada's second largest courier\n  service, is part of the parent company's strategy to repay 350\n  mln U.S. dlrs of debt by the end of 1987, the report said,\n  quoting a Gelco spokesman. The report did not disclose a price\n  for the sale of Gelco's Canadian unit.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PHILIP CROSBY <PCRO> SEES LOWER 4TH QTR RESULTS\n","article":"  Philip Crosby Associates Inc\n  said it expects its audited results for 1986's fourth quarter\n  to be lower than its previously estimated 10 to 15 cts per\n  share.\n      Philip Crosby Jr, executive vice president, said normal\n  accounting adjustments, as well as a review of the company's\n  international operations due to a previously reported alleged\n  embezzlement, resulted in the lower results.\n      Philip Crosby reported fourth quarter 1985 results of 1.3\n  mln dlrs, or 37 cts a share prior to an August 15 two-for-one\n  stock split.\n      Crosby said, however, he expects the company to report\n  higher first quarter 1987 revenues than the 1986 first quarter\n  revenues of 11.8 mln dlrs.\n      Crosby said that tuition levels from the management\n  consulting service company's courses this month are at the\n  highest level in the company's history.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GENZYME CORP <GENZ> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit three cts vs loss 44 cts\n      Net profit 247,000 vs loss 2,410,000\n      Revs 3,845,000 vs 3,264,000\n      Avg shrs 8,743,000 vs 5,507,000\n      Year\n      Shr profit one ct vs loss 53 cts\n      Net profit 41,300 vs loss 2,840,000\n      Revs 13.0 vs 9,767,000\n      Avg shrs 7,497,000 vs 5,384,000\n      NOTE: 1985 4th qtr and year net includes two mln dlr loss\n  for litigation settlement and 589,000 dlrs for write-off of\n  goodwill.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INFORMATION SOLUTIONS INC <ISOL> 1ST QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr two cts vs six cts\n      Net 43,295 vs 147,724\n      Revs 3,787,507 vs 4,000,019\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FAIRCHILD INDUSTRIES <FEN> SETS REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div five cts vs five cts\n      Pay Apirl 10\n      Record March 30\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALFA LAVAL AB <ALFS.ST> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Group profit after financial income and expenses 731 mln\n      Crowns vs 651 mln\n      Sales 10.15 billion crowns vs 10.05 billion\n      Profit per share after full taxes - 31.80 crowns vs 30\n      Crowns\n      Proposed dividend - 11 crowns vs 10 crowns.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SPECTRUM CONTROL INC <SPEC> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 1-3\/4 cts vs 1-3\/4 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record April One\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ICELAND TO PRIVATISE STATE BANK UTVEGSBANKI\n","article":"  The Icelandic government said it will\n  privatise the state-owned bank Utvegsbanki, the country's\n  second largest. Parliament also granted an 800 mln crown cash\n  infusion to ease cash flow problems that arose when the bank\n  lost 600 mln crowns in a shipping firm bankruptcy two years\n  ago.\n      Utvegsbanki director Halldor Gudbjarnarson told Reuters the\n  decision to privatise the bank was a relief and that foreign\n  banks had already expressed interest in taking a share.\n      A quarter of the one billion crown total share capital will\n  be available to foreign investors, government officials said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GENOVESE DRUG STORES INC <SPEC> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div five cts vs five cts prior\n      Pay April 20\n      Record April 13 \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STUDY SHOWS ONLY LIMITED OPTIMISM FOR SILVER\n","article":"  Silver looks \"unlikely to break out of\n  gold and platinum's shadow\" in the near future, although this\n  year is likely to see demand increasing at a faster rate than\n  supply, a study by Credit Suisse said.\n      The study predicted demand rising by 300 tonnes to 13,200\n  tonnes this year, against a 50 tonne increase in supply to\n  14,050 tonnes. This should cut the global oversupply to 850\n  tonnes from last year's provisional 1,100 tonnes.\n      The study noted that the effects of last year's lower\n  prices were having a dampening effect on total supply, which\n  was now back down to around levels of a decade ago.\n      However, the study said that primary production, likely to\n  reach 10,000 tonnes this year against a provisional 9,950 in\n  1986, is relatively insensitive to price falls.\n      Around a third of silver production comes from heavily\n  indebted Mexico and Peru.\n      Price-sensitivity is also reduced by the fact that the\n  majority of silver is a by-product of other mining activity.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ANIMED INC <VETS> 1ST QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss six cts vs profit three cts\n      Net loss 368,188 vs profit 149,334\n      Revs 3,9i3,523 vs 4,129,240\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ANIMED <VETS> EXPECTS TO TURN PROFITABLE\n","article":"  ANIMED Inc said it expects to\n  return to profitability during the current year.\n      Today it reported a loss for the first quarter ended in\n  January of 368,188 dlrs compared with a 149,334 dlr profit a\n  year before.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CROWN AUTO INC <CRNI> 4TH QTR DEC 27 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 14 cts vs loss 31 cts\n      Net loss 144,522 vs loss 334,890\n      Revs 10,019,828 vs 9,021,835\n      Year\n      Shr loss 16 cts vs profit 10 cts\n      Net loss 170,177 vs profit 105,090\n      Revs 36.8 mln vs 36.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,068,850 vs 1,074,624\n      NOTE: 1985 period ended December 28\n      1985 earnings include loss in each period from discontinued\n  operations of 184,777 dlrs\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"UNION VALLEY CORP <UVC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 20 cts vs 34 cts\n      Net 797,000 vs 1,137,000\n      Rev 22.2 mln vs 18.2 mln\n      Avg shares 3,966,667 vs 3,366,667\n      Year\n      Shr 73 cts vs one dlr\n      Net 2,625,000 vs 3,371,000\n      Rev 69.6 mln vs 62.9 mln\n      Avg shares 3,583,653 vs 3,366,667\n      NOTE: 1986 includes extraordinary gain of 281,000 dlrs, or\n  eight cts a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GENERAL DEVICES INC <GDIC> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 48 cts vs loss 21 cts\n      Net profit 1,308,503 vs loss 561,384\n      Revs 56.0 mln vs 66.1 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes pretax gain 2,429,563 dlrs from\n  sale of Worldwide Computer Services Inc subsidiary and 352,000\n  dlr tax credit.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DEUTSCHE BABCOCK TO INCREASE DIVIDEND IN 1986\/87\n","article":"  Deutsche Babcock AG\n  <DBCG.F> will increase its dividend on results in the year\n  ending September 30, 1987, chief executive Helmut Wiehn said.\n      Wiehn told a news conference Deutsche Babcock would double\n  the absolute amount it distributes to shareholders. This\n  overall increase would also be due partly to an increase of\n  nominal share capital by 100 mln marks to 350 mln marks.\n      A higher dividend had been anticipated because Deutsche\n  Babcock has said in the past that it will only raise capital\n  when it can make a lasting improvement in the dividend.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EXOVIR <XOVR> SELLS STOCK FOR 2.8 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  Exovir Inc said it sold to an\n  investor group led by Mark Hammer 200,000 shares of company\n  common stock and warrants to purchase an additional 200,000\n  shares.\n      Exovir said the transaction increases the group's stake\n  from 12.9 pct to 18.5 pct.\n      The net proceeds to the company total 2.8 mln dlrs, the\n  company said. The warrants are exerciseable over the next three\n  years at 19.50 dlrs per share of common stock, according to\n  Exovir.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BRAD RAGAN INC <BRD> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div three cts vs three cts prior\n      Pay May 4\n      Record April 3\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<BASTIAN INDUSTRIES INC> 2ND QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Net loss 1,321,000 vs loss 1,397,000\n      Sales 31.1 mln vs 29.2 mln\n      1st half\n      Net loss 94,000 vs loss 1,745,000\n      Sales 63.0 mln vs 61.9 mln\n      NOTE: Company recently went private.\n      Latest quarter net includes 24,000 dlr tax credit.\n      Current half net includes gain 2,041,000 dlrs pretax from\n  termination of pension plan.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.K. BASE RATES WILL FALL AGAIN SOON, SAY ANALYSTS\n","article":"  Today's modest half-point cut in U.K.\n  Bank base lending rates to 10 pct signals the Bank of England's\n  determination to maintain a cautious monetary stance, but\n  financial markets appear set to force its hand, analysts said.\n      They said a further half-point cut in base rates to 9-1\/2\n  pct was bound to occur within the next week and rates may shed\n  a further half point soon if markets remain buoyant.\n      Earlier, markets were bracing for a one-point cut in rates\n  after yesterday's budget set a sharp three billion stg\n  reduction in 1987 government borrowing targets to four billion\n  stg.\n      Sterling money market rates moved lower again, with the key\n  three-month interbank rate down to 9-5\/8 1\/2 pct at the start\n  of business from 9-11\/16 9\/16 yesterday, and sterling rallied\n  to four-year highs against the dollar in very active trading.\n      Government bond prices also surged on the budget, with\n  gains in excess of one point pushing yields on long-term paper\n  below nine pct for the first time in nearly a year.\n      But today's smaller than expected rate cut appeared to have\n  placated markets for now, analysts said. Money market rates\n  recovered up to 1\/4 point from earlier lows while both sterling\n  and gilts came off highs as trading ground to a near halt.\n      Analysts said the slowdown was likely to be temporary, and\n  the reappraisal of sterling assets by international investors\n  was set to resume as early as tomorrow, leading to higher gilt\n  prices, exchange rate advances and lower money market rates.\n      \"Today's cut was slightly disappointing,\" said Bill Martin,\n  chief U.K. Economist at stockbrokers Phillips and Drew. \"The\n  Bank of England is taking a very cautious line ... To temper\n  the markets' first rush of blood to the head after the budget.\"\n      Analysts said the bank's move today to lend two-week cash\n  to U.K. Discount houses at a lower 10 pct suggested it hoped to\n  maintain the new rates for about that period of time.\n      The analysts agreed success would depend largely on how\n  sterling performs in the near term.\n      Sharp rises in the pound's value could be checked initially\n  through Bank of England intervention but eventually the gains\n  would force the bank to cut interest rates rates again.\n      \"The market seems to have accepted the modest cut for the\n  time being,\" said Midland Bank treasury economist David\n  Simmonds. \"But I am sceptical that the bank will be able to hold\n  up rates for long.\"\n      Simmonds said he saw sterling rising another two U.S. Cents\n  this week from around 1.60 dlrs, forcing a rate cut by Friday.\n      Robin Marshall, chief economist at Chase Manhattan\n  Securities, said \"There is another half point to come in the\n  near term, this week or next week at the latest...We see a\n  whole point off base rates in the next two or three weeks.\"\n      Analysts stressed that apart from prestige, Britain had\n  very little to gain from a sharp rise in sterling's exchange\n  rate.\n      Martin, of Phillips and Drew, said the dampening effect of\n  a sterling rise on consumer price inflation would not\n  materialise for at least nine months while its hampering impact\n  on manufactured exports would show almost immediately.\n      Analysts said the budget, featuring income tax cuts as well\n  as cautious plans for public finances, had improved the chances\n  of re-election for the Conservative government and probably\n  advanced the election date. One must be held before June, 1988.\n  Combined with overall good prospects for the U.K. Economy, this\n  was likely to fuel a foreign rush on sterling-denominated\n  assets, pushing the pound's value well above unofficial\n  targets.\n      With mark-denominated investments largely out of favour\n  because of low yields and a dull economic outlook, Chase's\n  Marshall said \"Sterling is simply the best game in town,\n  especially after the budget, and demand will remain strong.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMMERCIAL NATIONAL CORP <CNCL> CUTS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Commercial National Corp said\n  it cut its quarterly dividend to 15 cts per share from 25 cts\n  due to current expectations for 1987 earnings.\n      The company said the dividend is payable April 10 to\n  holders of record March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TIMBERLAND INDUSTRIES INC <TIMB> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 14 cts vs 22 cts\n      Net 188,000 vs 307,000\n      Sales 14.6 mln vs 12.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 44 cts vs 63 cts\n      Net 600,000 vs 852,000\n      Sales 51.0 mln vs 45.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<MUNICIPAL FINANCIAL CORP> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 34 cts vs 22 cts\n      Net 1,280,185 vs 875,692\n      Revs 19.0 mln vs 15.8 mln\n      Assets 585.6 mln vs 469.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PAKISTAN-SWEDISH GOODS EXCHANGE AGREED\n","article":"  Pakistan and Sweden have signed a\n  commodity exchange agreement for 88 mln dlrs each way, the\n  Pakistan government announced.\n      Pakistan's exports under the agreement will include raw\n  cotton, cotton products, cotton textiles, steel products,\n  molasses, naphtha and fresh and dried fruits.\n      Swedish exports to Pakistan will include medical and\n  laboratory equipment, electrical telecommunication equipment,\n  diesel engine spares, mining and security equipment,\n  road-building and construction machinery, fertilisers and palm\n  oil.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PEAT MARWICK AND NOLAN NORTON TO MERGE\n","article":"  <Peat Marwick>, an accounting and\n  management consulting firm, and <Nolan, Norton and Co>, an\n  information and technology planning concern, said they have\n  merged.\n      The companies said with the merger Nolan now will be known\n  as Nolan, Norton and Co-partners, the information technology\n  arm of Peat Marwick.\n      Also as part of the merger, Nolan's 21 principals have\n  become Peat Marwick partners, the companies said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRUS JOIST <TJCO> TO ACQUIRE CANADIAN FIRM\n","article":"  Trus Joist Corp said it agreed to\n  purchase Dashwood Industries Ltd, a Canadian wood window and\n  patio door manufacturer, for an undisclosed amount of cash.\n      Trus Joist said it expects to close the transaction before\n  June 30.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"KINDER-CARE <KNDR> SEES HIGHER EARNINGS IN 1987\n","article":"  Kinder-Care Inc projected its\n  1987 earnings to be 44 mln dlrs.\n      Richard Grassgreen, president of the company, said earnings\n  per share are expected to be between 97 cts and one dlr in\n  comparison to 75 cts earnings per share for the fiscal year\n  ended August 29, 1986, and 80 cts for the trailing 12 months\n  ended November 1986.\n      Greengrass said this represents an earnings per share\n  increase of approximately 25 to 30 pct.\n      The company said it changed its fiscal year end from August\n  31 to December 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ROBBINS AND MYERS INC <ROBN> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 11 cts vs loss 1.45 dlrs\n      Net profit 267,000 vs loss 3,458,000\n      Sales 23.6 mln vs 23.0 mln\n      First half\n      Shr loss 27 cts vs loss 1.91 dlrs\n      Net loss 633,000 vs loss 4,548,000\n      Sales 46.2 mln vs 49.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,382,000 vs 2,381,000\n      Backlog 26.1 mln vs 36.0 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECONOMIC SPOTLIGHT - JAPAN SHIPBUILDERS RECOVERY\n","article":"  Japan's ailing shipbuilding industry\n  plans to refloat itself in a few years from the twin rocks of\n  recession and a strong yen through capacity and workforce cuts\n  and greater use of computers, industry sources told Reuters.\n      The salvage measures, which include a government-sponsored\n  rationalisation program, are aimed at clawing back some of the\n  market which Japan, the world leader, has lost to South Korea\n  through currency and labour cost disadvantages, they said.\n      The sources said South Korea's yards are now some 35 pct\n  more competitive than Japan's due to such factors.\n      The government plans to help the industry shed 20 pct of\n  current capacity within two years through mergers and\n  regrouping under legislation put before Parliament this month\n  and likely to be approved by May or June, the sources said.\n      They said from September a semi-government body will assure\n  repayment of about 50 billion yen in liabilities incurred\n  through job losses and the sale of excess capacity, and another\n  30 billion for buying unneeded land and equipment.\n      Last Friday, the Shipbuilders Association of Japan applied\n  to the Fair Trade Commission to form a cartel to slash tonnage\n  built to about half of total capacity for a year from April 1.\n      The commission has held several hearings with the industry\n  and approval should be given this month, the sources said.\n      A clampdown on output over one or two years combined with a\n  planned cost-cutting and streamlining program and state support\n  should help Japanese yards recover their international\n  competitiveness, they said.\n      Under the cartel proposals, 33 yards each capable of\n  building ships of more than 10,000 gross tonnes would build a\n  maximum of three mln compensated gross registered tonnes (CGRT)\n  in 1987\/88. This is about half of total capacity.\n      This will ease the cut-throat competition which forced most\n  yards to sign orders below cost, the sources said.\n      The industry is likely to seek to renew the cartel for\n  1988\/89 as the Transport Ministry sees new orders falling to\n  3.1 mln CGRT in 1988\/89 from 3.3 mln in 1987\/88, they said.\n      The rationalisation program includes a cut of 20,000 to\n  30,000 of the estimated 100,000 workers in the industry between\n  1986 and 1989.\n      Japanese yards topped world order books at end-December,\n  followed by South Korea and Taiwan, according to Lloyd's\n  Register of Shipping.\n      However, falling orders and declining international\n  competitiveness due to the strong yen led to heavy losses in\n  the industry, the sources said.\n      Four of Japan's six major heavy machinery and shipbuilding\n  companies reported current deficits in the first half of the\n  year to March 31 and five of them are expected to report\n  current deficits for the whole of 1986\/7, they said.\n      The shipbuilding companies' streamlining program will raise\n  productivity to compete with South Korean yards which have also\n  been hard hit by declining orders and low ship prices in recnt\n  years, the sources said.\n      In Japan, no single yard leads the industry, resulting in\n  fierce competition and slow progress in reducing capacity. The\n  two largest firms -- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd <MITH.T>\n  and Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co Ltd <JIMA.T> --\n  account for only 30 pct of ships built, the sources said.\n      \"World shipowners hope Japanese yards can manage to ride out\n  the recession as their technology is the best in the world,\"\n  said an official at a major Japanese shipping company.\n      The Japanese merchant fleet, the largest after Liberia's,\n  has no intention of shifting to other countries to buy ships,\n  and this will encourage Japanese yards, the sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CONT'L ILLINOIS SAYS BRAZIL MORATORIUM COULD CUT 1ST QTR NET BY 10 MLN DLRS\n","article":"\n  CONT'L ILLINOIS SAYS BRAZIL MORATORIUM COULD CUT 1ST QTR NET BY 10 MLN DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED EXPECTED TO ADD RESERVES IN MONEY MARKET\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve is expected to\n  enter the U.S. Government securities market to add temporary\n  reserves indirectly via 1.5 billion dlrs or more of customer\n  repurchase agreements, economists said.\n      They said the below-six pct Federal funds rate suggests the\n  Fed does not have a large reserve adding need. However, some\n  dealers reportedly backed out of the three-day System\n  repurchase agreements set on Monday, leaving the Fed with a\n  somewhat increased need to supply reserves.\n      Federal funds, which averaged 6.05 pct yesterday, opened at\n  5-15\/16 pct and remained there in early trading.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SURALCO BAUXITE REFINERY REOPENED\n","article":"  The 1.4 mln tonnes capacity bauxite\n  refinery at Paranam in Surinam, which closed at the end of\n  January after being sabotaged by anti-government rebels, has\n  now reopened, a spokesman for Dutch metals company Billiton\n  said.\n      The refinery is run by Suralco, jointly owned by the U.S.\n  Company Alcoa and the Dutch company Billiton, which is a\n  wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell.\n      Production of alumina at the refinery is currently running\n  at around 3,000 tonnes a day and is expected to get back to\n  full capacity of 4,000 tonnes within a week, the Billiton\n  spokesman added.\n      The refinery was forced to close at the end of January when\n  rebels cut the main power line.\n      Earlier, the refinery had had to import some supplies of\n  bauxite, as rebel activity shut off supplies from Alcoa's mine\n  at Moengo in the east of the country.\n      Billiton's mine at Onverdacht, between Paranam and the\n  capital Paramaribo, is still working but Moengo remains closed\n  and the refinery is continuing to import some bauxite, the\n  Billiton spokesman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CONT'L ILLINOIS<CIL> SAYS MORATORIUM MAY CUT NET\n","article":"  Continental Illinois Corp said if the\n  Brazilian debt moratorium remains in effect, it may place its\n  medium and long term loans to Brazil on a cash basis.\n      This would increase non-performing loans by about 380 mln\n  dlrs and reduce income before taxes and net income by about 10\n  mln dlrs in the 1987 first quarter and 35 mln dlrs for the full\n  year, company officials told a press briefing.\n      Loans to Brazil at 1986 year end totaled 474 mln dlrs,\n  according to the annual report released at the briefing.\n      In February 1987, the Brazilian government, citing a\n  declining level of foreign currency reserves, declared a\n  moratorium on the payment of interest on the country's medium\n  and long term debt obligations.\n      Continental said it may take similar action on its loans to\n  Ecuador, which total 25 mln dlrs. This would reduce 1987\n  pre-tax and after-tax net by 800,000 dlrs in the first quarter,\n  and by two mln dlrs for the full year, the bank-holding\n  company's officers said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CYPRESS SAVINGS ASSOCIATION <CYPSA> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 3.26 dlrs vs loss 2.75 dlrs\n      Net loss 3,479,744 vs 2,939,619\n      Year\n      Shr loss 5.58 dlrs vs loss 2.20 dlrs\n      Net loss 5,964,454 vs loss 2,341,818\n      NOTE: Net includes tax credits of 108,798 dlrs vs 1,445,275\n  dlrs in quarter and 838,690 dlrs vs 1,124,805 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ZENITH LABORATORIES INC <ZEN> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 24 cts vs profit 23 cts\n      Net loss 5,106,000 vs profit 5,120,000\n      Sales 11.4 mln vs 20.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 19 cts vs profit 73 cts\n      Net loss 4,062,000 vs profit 15.7 mln\n      Sales 50.4 mln vs 80.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 21.7 mln vs 21.6 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes tax credits of 2,742,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and 5,903,000 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CERADYNE INC <CRDN> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 22 cts vs profit 10 cts\n      Net loss 1,056,000 vs profit 427,000\n      Sales 5,440,000 vs 4,982,000\n      Avg shrs 5,229,542 vs 4,435,691\n      Year\n      Shr profit one ct vs profit 26 cts\n      Net profit 29,000 vs profit 993,000\n      Sales 19.1 mln vs 16.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,947,632 vs 3,780,543\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CHEMCLEAR INC <CMCL> TERMINATES MERGER TALKS\n","article":"  ChemClear Inc said it terminated\n  merger talks with Environmental Systems Co <ESC>.\n      ChemClear said it was unable to reach agreement with\n  Environmental, which was considering buying ChemClear.\n      ChemClear said it is considering other options, including\n  other business combinations and financing through commercial\n  lending and other financial institutions for internal\n  expansion.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HANDY AND HARMAN SEES SUFFICIENT SILVER SUPPLIES\n","article":"  World stocks of silver are large\n  enough to accommodate any changes in the supply-demand equation\n  this year, with industrial consumption expected to again exceed\n  mine production, the dealer house Handy and Harman said in its\n  annual review of the silver market.\n      The house estimated that the industry last year withdrew\n  20,000,000 ounces of silver from stocks to bridge a supply\n  deficit caused by a consumption rate of 403,000,000 ounces and\n  production level of 382,000,000 ounces.\n      However, world stocks are huge, totaling 2,267,900,000\n  ounces at the end of 1986, it said.\n      The review noted that world industrial consumption has been\n  on an uptrend since 1980, although offtake is still 14 pct\n  below the 1978 level of 442,000,000 ounces.\n      Handy and Harman said 22,800,000 ounces of silver were used\n  to produce coins last year, up from 12,700,000 ounces in 1985,\n  with the demand getting a big boost from the production of U.S.\n  coins, including the American Eagle.\n      It also said that in recent years Communist countries have\n  increased their silver imports and estimated that China and\n  East Germany alone took in 70,000,000 ounces of foreign silver\n  in the last five years.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VISTA CHEMICAL <VC> SEES YEAR NET HIGHER\n","article":"  Vista Chemical co said it expects\n  earnings for the year ending September 30 to be up\n  substantially, but extensive planned downtime at two of its\n  plants is expected to affect third quarter results.\n      It said it is looking at a number of financial options for\n  increasing shareholder value but did not elaborate.\n      The company earned 30.2 mln dlrs or 1.66 dlrs per share\n  before an extraordinary item in fiscal 1986.\n      Vista said sales for the year are expected to be\n  \"comparable\" to fiscal 1986's 550.1 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ARISTECH <ARS> TO INCREASE PRODUCTION CAPACITY\n","article":"  Aristech Chemical Corp said it plans\n  to increase production capacity for three of its key product\n  lines: polypropylene, bisphenol-A and phenol.\n      Aristech said the polypropylene expansion involves a major\n  modernization of its Neal, W. Va., polypropylene plant.\n      When completed, Aristech said, the project would increase\n  the plant's annual production to 264 mln pounds from 165 mln\n  pounds now.\n      Aristech said the expansion will increase the company's\n  total polypropylene, a thermoplastic resin, capacity to 600 mln\n  pounds annually from 515 mln pounds now.\n      Aristech also said it will expand bisphenol-A and phenol\n  production at its Haverhill, Ohio plant.\n      It said the project will raise its bisphenol-A, which is\n  used to make polycarbonate and epoxy reins, capacity to 192 mln\n  pounds per year from 165 mln pounds now.\n      Aristech added that phenol production will increase to 610\n  mln pounds per year from 585 mln pounds a year now.\n      Phenol is used to make phenolic resins and adhesives for\n  engineering plastics, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CAMCO SIGNS LETTER OF INTENT FOR REED TOOL\n","article":"  Pearson Plc <PSON.L> said <Camco Inc>,\n  its 65.4 pct owned U.S. Oil and oil services subsidiary, signed\n  a letter of intent covering Camco's purchase from Baker\n  International Corp <BKO.N> of substantially all the business of\n  <Reed Tool Co>.\n      Reed, a leading manufacturer of drilling bits, had sales\n  for 1986 of around 76 mln dlrs.\n      The transaction is subject to negotiation of a definitive\n  agreement approved by the Baker and Camco boards and by the\n  U.S. Department of Justice, with which talks are already taking\n  place concerning the combination of Baker and Hughes Tool.\n      Baker International has proposed a merger with Hughes Tool\n  which could create a 1.2 billion dlr oilfield services company.\n      Pearson shares were down 4p to 567 after the announcement.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FIRST CONNECTICUT <FCO> SETS QUARTERLY PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 25 cts vs 25 cts prior\n      Pay April 24\n      Record April Three\n      NOTE: First Connecticut Small Business Investment Co.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STONE AND WEBSTER INC <SW> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 40 cts vs 40 cts prior\n      Pay May 15\n      Record April One\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CREDO PETROLEUM CORP <CRED> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit one ct vs loss 27 cts\n      Net profit 22,000 vs loss 763,000\n      Revs 161,000 vs 316,000\n      NOTE: Prior year net includes 1,209,000 dlr writedown of\n  oil properites and 314,000 dlr tax credit.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ATT <T> SETS PAYOUT FOR REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtrly div 30 cts vs 30 cts prior\n      Pay May One\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GULF ARAB STATES MOVE TOWARDS ECONOMIC INTEGRATION\n","article":"  Finance and economy ministers of the\n  six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have ended talks\n  after adopting resolutions and recommendations aimed at\n  boosting economic integration.\n      But the ministers from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi\n  Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) did not endorse a\n  resolution on a common currency exchange rate system.\n      The UAE's Minister of State for Finance and Industry, Ahmed\n  Humaid al-Tayer, told reporters after the two-day talks that\n  the ministers referred the issue back to GCC central bank\n  governors for further discussion.\n      He said the governors, who agreed in January on a proposed\n  denominator on which the six currencies should be based, were\n  asked to resubmit the recommendation before July, when finance\n  ministers were due to meet in Saudi Arabia.\n      Bankers said the central bank governors would meet soon to\n  discuss the issue, adding there was a possibility that a new\n  system could be submitted for final approval to a GCC summit\n  conference scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia late this year.\n      The denominator approved by the governors has not been made\n  public, but banking sources said it could be similar to the\n  European Monetary System (EMS).\n      Tayer said the ministers agreed in principle to allow GCC\n  citizens to set up businesses and work in any member state.\n  They also agreed in principle on a recommendation for citizens\n  to buy and own shares of GCC shareholding firms.\n      He said the ministers discussed a report on imported goods\n  containing radiation caused by last year's Chernobyl nuclear\n  disaster in the Soviet Union, and agreed all products with\n  excessive levels should be returned to the country of origin.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"HARTFORD STEAM <HBOL> SETS SPLIT, DIVIDEND HIKE\n","article":"  Hartford Steam Boiler\n  Inspection and Insurance Co said its board declared a\n  two-for-one stock split and raised the quarterly dividend to 25\n  cts postsplit from 20 cts, both payable April 30 to holders of\n  record April 10.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DOE SECRETARY FAVORS HIGHER SPR FILL RATE\n","article":"  Energy Secretary John Herrington\n  said he believes the Reagan Administration will review its\n  decision to cut the fill rate of the Strategic Petroleum\n  Reserve because of a department report issued yesterday warning\n  of growing U.S. dependence on oil imports.\n      \"As part of this study, I think the Administration will\n  take the fill rate under review,\" Herrington said at a House\n  Energy subcommittee hearing.\n      The Administration has proposed cutting the fill rate from\n  75,000 barrels of oil per day to 35,000 bpd in fiscal year 1988\n  to save money.\n      \"My personal feeling is that is too low. I favor the\n  maximum fill rate (of 100,000 bpd),\" Herrington said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CONT'L ILLINOIS <CIL> SEES IMPACT FROM TAX REFORM\n","article":"  The Tax Reform Act of 1986 will have a\n  substantial impact on Continental Illinois Corp, the company's\n  annual report says.\n      One provision repeals the reserve method of providing for\n  bad debts for banks with over 500 mln dlrs in assets and\n  requires that tax loan loss reserves taken in the past, be\n  restored to current earnings status, it said.\n      As a result, those amounts will be subject to federal\n  taxes, it said. No amounts were disclosed.\n      Continental said it decided to deal with this change \"in\n  its entirety\" in 1987.\n      Tax reform will also change foreign tax credit limitation\n  rules, and although the impact will not be material in the\n  short term, the Act will require, for the first time, that\n  income from certain foreign subsidiaries be taxable, the report\n  said.\n      The new legislation also reduces existing tax credits by\n  17.5 pct in 1987 and 35 pct in 1988 and later years, it said.\n      Continental's investment tax credits carryforwards of 12.8\n  mln dlrs at 1986 year end will be reduced to 10.6 mln dlrs in\n  1987 and, if not used in 1987, to 8.3 mln dlrs in 1988, it\n  said.\n      Another provision of the Act could result in limiting the\n  use of tax credits if a change in ownership of Continental\n  takes place, the report said.\n      This could happen if the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp\n  sells enough shares of Continental's common stock over the next\n  two years to cause a change in ownership, it noted.\n      In December, the FDIC sold about one-third of its junior\n  convertible preference stock in Continental to the public in\n  the form of common stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"OESTERREICHISCHE LAENDERBANK AG [OLBV.VI] 1986\n","article":"  Parent bank net profit 181.5 mln schillings vs 135.1 mln\n      Parent bank balance sheet total 197.7 billion vs 182.2\n  billion\n      Parent bank cash flow 877.4 mln vs 715.5 mln\n      Dividend 12 pct vs 10 pct on nominal share capital of 1.5\n  billion vs 1.35 billion.\n      Cons banking gp balance sheet total 239.7 billion vs 227.3\n  billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NL INDUSTRIES INC 4TH QTR SHR LOSS 28 CTS VS PROFIT SEVEN CTS\n","article":"\n  NL INDUSTRIES INC 4TH QTR SHR LOSS 28 CTS VS PROFIT SEVEN CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC OILS TAX, CANADA CORN RULING OPPOSED BY PANEL\n","article":"  The U.S. Senate Finance Committee\n  approved nonbinding resolutions urging the Reagan\n  administration oppose Canada's ruling on U.S corn imports and a\n  proposed new European Community tax on vegetable oils.\n      The resolutions, approved by voice vote, now will be sent\n  to the Senate floor were they are expected to be approved.\n      The EC oils measure, offered by Sen. John Danforth, R-Mo.,\n  urges the administration to take strong retaliatory measures if\n  the tax is approved by the EC Council of Ministers.\n      Sen. David Durenberger, R-Minn., offered the corn amendment\n  which urges the administration to file a complaint with the\n  GATT if the U.S. believes the corn decision by Canada was\n  unjustified. Canada recently imposed a permanent duty of 85\n  cents per bushel on U.S. corn imports.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FHLMC <FREPR> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  net 65 mln vs 57 mln\n      year\n      shr preferred 14.87 dlrs vs 12.51 dlrs\n      shr common 236.77 dlrs vs 197.40 dlrs\n      net 247 mln vs 208 mln\n      NOTE: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. FHLMC had 14,998,210\n  preferred shares outstanding in 1986 vs 14,998,379 in 1985,\n  owned by about 3,000 member institutions of the 12 Federal Home\n  Loan Banks. FHLMC also has 100,000 shares of common, owned by\n  the Home Loan Banks.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. CORN MARKET SKEWED BY SOVIET BUYING\n","article":"  Recent purchases of U.S. corn by the\n  Soviet Union have skewed the domestic cash market by increasing\n  the price difference between the premium price paid at the Gulf\n  export point and interior levels, cash grain dealers said.\n      Many dealers expect the USDA will act soon to reduce the\n  cash price premium at the Gulf versus the interior -- which a\n  dealer in Davenport, Iowa, said was roughly 20 pct wider than\n  normal for this time of year at 25 cents a bushel -- by making\n  it worthwhile for farmers to move grain.\n      By lowering ASCS county posted prices for corn, the USDA\n  could encourage farmers to engage in PIK and roll corn sales,\n  where PIK certificates are used to redeem corn stored under the\n  government price support loan program and then marketed.\n      If the USDA acts soon, as many dealers expect, the movement\n  would break the Gulf corn basis.\n      \"The USDA has been using the Gulf price to determine county\n  posted prices,\" one dealer said. \"It should be taking the\n  average of the Gulf price and the price in Kansas City,\" which\n  would more closely reflect the lower prices in the interior\n  Midwest.\n      \"But we don't know when they might do it,\" an Ohio dealer\n  said, which has created uncertainty in the market.\n      The USDA started the PIK certificate program in an effort\n  to free up surplus grain that otherwise would be forfeited to\n  the government and remain off the market and in storage.\n      Yesterday, USDA issued a report showing that only slightly\n  more than 50 pct of the 3.85 billion dlrs in PIK certificates\n  it has issued to farmers (in lieu of cash payments) had to date\n  been exchanged for grain.\n      With several billion dlrs worth of additional PIK\n  certificates scheduled to be issued in the coming months, the\n  USDA would be well advised to encourage the exchange for grain\n  by adjusting the ASCS prices, cash grain dealers said.\n      A byproduct of the Soviet buying has been a sharp rise in\n  barge freight costs quoted for carrying grain from the Midwest\n  to the export terminals, cash dealers said.\n      Freight from upper areas of the Mississippi have risen\n  nearly 50 pct in the past two weeks to over 150 pct of the\n  original tariff price. The mild winter and early reopening of\n  the mid-Mississippi river this spring have also encouraged the\n  firmer trend in barge freight, dealers noted.\n      The higher transportation costs have served to depress\n  interior corn basis levels, squeezing the margins obtained by\n  the elevators feeding the Gulf export market as well as\n  discouraging farmer marketings, they said.\n      \"The Gulf market overreacted to the Soviet buying reports,\"\n  which indicate the USSR has booked over two and perhaps as much\n  as 4.0 mln tonnes of U.S. corn, one Midwest cash grain trader\n  said.\n      But dealers anticipate that once the rumors subside,\n  freight rates will settle back down because of the overall\n  surplus of barges on the Midwest river system.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HRE PROPERTIES <HRE> CUTS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  HRE Properties said its board cut the\n  quarterly dividend to 45 cts per share from 57 cts, payable\n  April 20 to holders of record March 31.\n      HRE said the board reduced the dividend due to the\n  continuing impact of overbuilding in its office building\n  markets and its inability to replace the income from high\n  yielding investments that have matured.\n      HRE said in the first quarter ended January 31 it earned 38\n  cts per share, down from 47 cts a year before.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HORN AND HARDART CO <HOR> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.27 dlrs vs two cts\n      Net 18.8 mln vs 357,000\n      Revs 126.0 mln vs 98.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 14.7 mln vs 12.0 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 2.17 dlrs vs loss 65 cts\n      Net loss 28.4 mln vs loss 7,225,000\n      Revs 405.0 mln vs 356.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 13.1 mln vs 12.2 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net both periods includes 15.0 mln dlr gain from\n  sale of real estate.\n      1986 year net includes charge 34.0 mln dlrs from\n  restructuring of Bojangles' restaurant unit and charge\n  4,090,000 dlrs from exchange of notes for common stock.\n      1985 year net includes charge 6,900,000 dlrs related to\n  foodservice unit and gain 2,400,000 dlrs from sale of\n  marketable securities.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NL INDUSTRIES INC <NL> 4TH QTR DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 28 cts vs profit seven cts\n      Net loss 10.7 mln vs profit 5,188,000\n      Sales 119.3 mln vs 216.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 5.80 dlrs vs profit 30 cts\n      Net loss 324.2 mln vs profit 21.5 mln\n      Sales 549.3 mln vs 859.1 mln\n      NOTE: Share after preferred dividends.\n      NOTE: In July 1986, company set a dividend on Series C\n  preferred, effecting a spin-off of its chemical operations.\n  They unit has been accounted for as a discontinued operation.\n      Fourth quarter and full year 1986 reflect non-recurring\n  charges from change in control at company. Fourth quarter 1986\n  also reflects writeoff of 20.7 mln dlrs of goodwill.\n      Full year 1986 includes a charge of 224.6 mln dlrs taken in\n  the second quarter for asset revaluation and restructuring\n  costs.\n      In fourth quarter 1986, reversion of pension plan surplus\n  assets completed. Fourth quarter and full year 1986 includes\n  net income of 81.5 mln dlrs or 1.34 dlrs a share.\n      Company also gained 2.4 mln dlrs or four cts a share in\n  fourth quarter 1986, and 15.9 mln dlrs or 26 cts a share in\n  full year 1986, from adoption of accounting rule SFAS 87.\n      In fourth quarter 1986, company also adjusted carrying\n  value of non-chemicals discontinued operations assets leading\n  to charge of 15.6 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GERMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE LOWERS GROWTH FORECAST\n","article":"  The DIW economic research institute\n  said West German economic growth in 1987 is unlikely to reach\n  the 1.5 pct rate it had forecast earlier this year.\n      The institute, whose forecasts are more pessimistic than\n  those of the other four leading German institutes, said the\n  economy had passed its peak in the summer of 1986, and its\n  prospects had dimmed significantly since the autumn.\n      The DIW repeated earlier predictions that gross national\n  product (GNP) in the first quarter of 1987 would contract in\n  real, seasonally adjusted terms against the weak final quarter\n  of last year. \n      The DIW said that even if the economy recovers in the\n  remaining three quarters, it was unlikely that demand and\n  production would rise strongly enough to bring GNP growth up to\n  1.5 pct.\n      Other institutes and economists have recently revised their\n  forecasts for German 1987 growth to around two pct.\n      In a report DIW disputed arguments by other economists that\n  the economy was showing mixed development, with domestic demand\n  healthy but foreign demand weak.\n      DIW said the crucial split was between weak demand for\n  capital goods, and strong demand for buildings and consumer\n  goods, not between foreign and domestic demand.\n      It noted that domestic demand for capital goods had been\n  hit in recent months by the weakness of exports, which had\n  caused West German firms to scale back investment plans.\n      Service industries, unlike manufacturing industry, were\n  continuing to do well because they relied on consumer demand,\n  it said.\n      In a separate report the HWWA economic research institute\n  in Hamburg said West Germany's real trade surplus would fall\n  markedly this year.\n      However, the nominal trade surplus would show little change\n  from 1986's record 112.2 billion marks because of a further\n  improvement in the terms of trade on average in 1987 compared\n  with 1986, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"(CORRECTED) - UNIVERSITY PATENTS INC<UPT> 2ND QTR\n","article":"  Qtr ends Jan 31\n      Oper shr loss 24 cts vs loss 19 cts\n      Oper loss 1,096,332 vs loss 794,711\n      Revs 803,085 vs 442,420\n      Six mths\n      Oper shr loss 53 cts vs loss 43 cts\n      Oper loss 2,375,844 vs loss 1,741,437\n      Revs 1,471,257 vs 768,683\n      NOTE: Prior year excludes losses from discontinued\n  operations of 13 cts per share in the quarter and 17 cts per\n  share in the year. (Corrects March 17 item to show losses\n  instead of profits. Also corrects quarter loss from\n  discontinued operations.)\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"N.Y. TRADERS SAY LATIN COFFEE PRODUCERS TO MEET\n","article":"  Several traders and analysts here told\n  Reuters Latin American coffee producers will meet this weekend\n  in Managua, Nicaragua. The purpose, they said, is to review the\n  breakdown of International Coffee Organization quota talks last\n  month and try to formulate a unified position ahead of possible\n  future negotiations.\n      Two traders, who asked not to be named, said separately\n  Brazil is expected to attend the meeting along with most or all\n  of the Central American producers. The Central American\n  attendees would include Costa Rica and Honduras, who were part\n  of a minority producer group at the February talks that opposed\n  Brazil's position, they said.\n      Another source, also requesting anonymity, said Colombia\n  probably will not attend.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PERU HAS FIRST TRADE DEFICIT IN FOUR YEARS\n","article":"  Peru registered a 16 mln dlr trade deficit\n  in 1986, its first trade shortfall in four years, a central\n  bank statement said.\n      The figure compared with a surpluses of 1.17 billion dlrs\n  in 1985, 1.01 billion in 1984 and 293 mln in 1983. The last\n  trade deficit was a 428 mln shortfall in 1982.\n      Peru's exports fell to 2.51 billion dlrs last year from\n  2.98 billion in 1985. Last year's imports were 2.53 billion\n  dlrs against 1.81 billion dlrs in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CRAFTMATIC\/CONTOUR <CRCC> SEES HIGHER PROFITS\n","article":"  Craftmatic\/Contour Industries Inc\n  said it would report substantial profits for the first quarter\n  of fiscal 1987 ending March 31.\n      The company recorded net income of 732,000 dlrs, or 22 cts\n  per share, on revenues of 10.2 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. OIL TAX BREAK PROPOSAL TO BE EXAMINED\n","article":"  The White House said a proposal for\n  a tax break for the oil industry would undergo review.\n      Spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said President Reagan had no\n  position on recommendations submitted by Energy Secretary John\n  Herrington to encourage investment in the hard hit domestic oil\n  industry.\n      But Fitzwater noted that Reagan did have a fundamental\n  objection to tax rises and special tax breaks.\n      He said that even though Herrington's recommendation did\n  not agree with existing policy, \"We'll take a look at it.\"\n      The review will be undertaken by the president's Domestic\n  Policy Council.\n      Herrington's proposal was reported by the Washington Post\n  to have been made in a letter to Reagan submitting a study that\n  found the United States would be importing half of its oil by\n  the 1990s, threatening U.S. national security.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"POTOMAC ELECTRIC POWER CO <POM> JAN NET\n","article":"  Shr 27 cts vs 29 cts\n      Net 13,555,000 vs 14,635,000\n      Revs 104,606,000 vs 110,311,000\n      Avg shrs 47.2 mln vs 47.1 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 4.10 dlrs vs 3.66 dlrs\n      Net 226,653,000 vs 186,790,000\n      Revs 1.4 billion vs 1.3 billion\n      Avg shr 47.1 mln vs 47.1 mln\n     \n      NOTE: latest 12 mths net includes gain 46 cts per share for\n  sale of Virginia service territory to Dominion Resources Inc\n  <D>.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"WESTERN SAVINGS AND LOAN <WSL> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 48 cts vs profit 77 cts\n      Net loss 3,923,000 vs profit 11,551,000\n      Year\n      Shr profit 1.80 dlrs vs profit 2.32 dlrs\n      Net profit 30,171,000 vs profit 36,667,000\n      Loans 3.38 billion vs 3.17 billion\n      Deposits 3.81 billion vs 3.28 billion\n      Assets 5.55 billion vs 4.78 billion\n      Note: Full name Western Savings and Loan Association.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRANCE ANNOUNCES PLAN TO BOOST EMPLOYMENT\n","article":"  The government announced a three billion\n  franc program to combat long-term unemployment amid speculation\n  among political and economic analysts that it is positioning\n  itself for a period of economic reflation.\n      The package presented to the cabinet of Prime Minister\n  Jacques Chirac by Social Affairs and Labour Minister Philippe\n  Seguin today is to be financed out of a 7.5 billion franc\n  contingency fund announced on February 25.\n      Finance Minister Edouard Balladur previously ruled out a\n  reflationary program.\n      Long-term unemployment, defined as being out of work for\n  more than one year, affects about 830,000 people or one third\n  of French unemployed, government figures show.\n      The main measures of the employment program give employers\n  financial incentives to offer short-term work contracts of at\n  least two years and stress retraining to help the long-term\n  unemployed return to the labour market.\n      Training subsidies and exemptions from social security\n  contributions are the main incentives for employers.\n      \"Companies tell us that we have to give them a strong\n  incentive to take on people who have fallen out of the labour\n  market and that's why the proposals...Are costly,\" an aide to\n  Seguin said.\n      The analysts said speculation the government is considering\n  a reflationary program was sparked by Chirac spokesman Denis\n  Baudouin, who said yesterday that ministers were generally\n  agreed on the desirability of relaunching the economy.\n      He appeared to contradict statements by Balladur ruling out\n  economic stimulation despite the government's revision of its\n  1987 growth forecast to about 2.0 pct from 2.8.\n      Finance ministry officials later clarified Baudouin's\n  remarks, saying there was no question of any move to stimulate\n  the economy through a boost to consumer spending although\n  government policy allowed for increased industrial investment\n  from the proceeds of France's five-year privatisation plan.\n      The 1987 budget allowed for 30 billion francs in revenue\n  from privatisation, to be split between repaying national debt\n  and providing state enterprises with fresh capital.\n      Some political analysts said Baudouin's comments possibly\n  reflect widening differences within the RPR-UDF coalition on\n  social issues ahead of next year's presidential elections.\n       Divisions began to show last December, when a wave of\n  strikes led by transport workers paralysed the country and\n  drove the government into a new mood of conciliation with\n  labour.\n       Officials said that after the success of the privatisation\n  of Cie de Saint Gobain <SGEP.PA> and Cie Financiere de Paribas\n  <PARI.PA> the government had decided to speed up its five-year\n  privatisation program with the aim of completing a third of it\n  this year, ahead of the presidential elections expected in\n  1988.\n      The accelerated program could provide additional unbudgeted\n  revenue to boost industrial and research investment and\n  spending on infrastructure such as the national motorway\n  network.\n     The government also today revived a proposal, blocked last\n  year by Socialist president Francois Mitterrand, to encourage\n  more flexible working hours, which it says will boost jobs by\n  improving the competitiveness of French industry.\n      The proposals allowing night-shift work by women and\n  variations in the standard 39-hour working week are to be put\n  to parliament as a self-contained draft bill after being vetoed\n  for procedural reasons by Mitterrand and later the Council of\n  State.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AIR CANADA TO ACQUIRE CALGARY COURIER COMPANY\n","article":"  Air Canada, the state-owned airline,\n  said it signed a letter of intent to acquire 65 pct of EMS\n  Corp, a Calgary-based messenger service which operates in\n  Western Canada and the U.S..\n      Gelco Corp (GEL) earlier said Air Canada agreed to buy its\n  Canadian Gelco Express Ltd unit for 54 mln U.S. dlrs.\n      Air Canada said the acquisitions will complement its main\n  cargo business. It said it expects the courier market to grow\n  by about 25 to 30 pct a year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S ENERGY SECRETARY PROPOSES OIL TAX INCENTIVES\n","article":"  Energy Secretary John Herrington\n  said he will propose tax incentives to increase domestic oil\n  and natural gas exploration and production to the Reagan\n  Administration for consideration.\n      \"These options boost production, while avoiding the huge\n  costs associated with proposals like an oil import fee,\"\n  Herrington told a House Energy subcommittee hearing. \"It is my\n  intention to submit these proposals to the domestic policy\n  council and the cabinet for consideration and review.\"\n      He said proposals, including an increase in the oil\n  depletion allowance and repeal of the windfall profits tax,\n  should be revenue neutral and promote domestic production at\n  the least cost to the economy and the taxpayers.\n      \"The goal of the Administration policies is to increase\n  domestic production. I would like to shoot for one mln barrels\n  a year.\"\n      The proposals were based on a DOE study released yesterday\n  warning the United States was threatened by a growing\n  dependence on oil imports.\n      \"We project free world dependence on Persian Gulf oil at 65\n  pct by 1995,\" Herrington said.\n      He said it was too soon to say what the Administration\n  policy on oil tax incentives would be and indicated there would\n  be opposition to tax changes.\n      \"Of course, to move forward with these kinds of options\n  would require reopening tax issues settled last year (in the\n  tax reform bill) -- an approach which has not, in general, been\n  favored by the administration. I think what we need is to\n  debate this within the Administration,\" he said.\n      He said the proposals might raise gasoline prices.\n      Herrington did not specifically confirm a report in today's\n  Washington Post that he had written to President Reagan urging\n  an increase in the oil depletion allowance.\n      Asked about the report by subcommittee members, Herrington\n  said various proposals were under consideration and would be\n  debated within the Administration to determine which would have\n  the most benefits at the least cost.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MAY DEPARTMENT STORES CO RAISES DIVIDEND TO 28-1\/2 CTS FROM 26 CTS A SHARE\n","article":"\n  MAY DEPARTMENT STORES CO RAISES DIVIDEND TO 28-1\/2 CTS FROM 26 CTS A SHARE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HUNT MANUFACTURING CO <HUN> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Ended March 1  \n      Shr 34 cts vs 27 cts\n      Net 2,405,000 vs 1,908,000\n      Revs 33.5 mln vs 32.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 7,114,000 vs 7,075,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MAY DEPARTMENT STORES CO 4TH QTR SHR 1.38 DLRS VS 1.24 DLRS\n","article":"\n  MAY DEPARTMENT STORES CO 4TH QTR SHR 1.38 DLRS VS 1.24 DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FIRST AMERICAN <FIAMA> SEES GAIN FROM SALE\n","article":"  First American Bank and\n  Trust Co said its 88 pct owned Associated Mortgage Investors\n  <AMIMS> subsidiary has sold its New England operations for\n  about 2,100,000 dlrs in cash and 1,300,000 dlrs in stock,\n  resulting in a first quarter gain for First American of about\n  1,200,000 dlrs after tax.\n      The company said the sale will complete Associated's\n  withdrawal from the general contracting business.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FINANCIAL SECURITY <FSSLA> TO SELL BRANCH\n","article":"  Financial Security Savings\n  and Loan Association said it has agreed to sell its Sunrise,\n  Fla., branch to Fortune Financial Group Inc <FORF> of\n  Clearwater, Fla., for a \"substantial profit,\" subject to\n  regulatory approval.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ITALY M-2 UP 2.8 PCT IN 3 MONTHS TO END JANUARY\n","article":"  Italian M-2 money supply rose a\n  provisional 2.8 pct, seasonally adjusted, in the three months\n  to end January 1987, the Bank of Italy said.\n      The bank said M-2, which measures notes and coins in\n  circulation plus bank and post office deposit accounts, fell to\n  a provisional 609,457 billion lire in January from a downwards\n  revised but still provisional 615,307 billion in December 1986.\n      The provisional year-on-year rise in January was 10.2 pct,\n  compared with a downward revised and provisional 9.4 pct in\n  December.\n      M-2A, similar to M-2 but excluding certificates of deposit\n  and including proceeds from bank repurchase operations, rose a\n  provisional 2.0 pct, seasonally adjusted, over the three months\n  to end January 1987.\n      The bank said M-2A totalled a provisional 583,806 billion\n  lire at end January against a downwards revised and still\n  provisional 593,827 billion in December 1986.\n      Year-on-year, M-2A increased by a provisional 8.4 pct in\n  January, compared with a downwards revised and provisional 8.1\n  pct in December.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GOLDEN ENTERPRISES INC <GLDC> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 15 cts vs nine cts\n      Net 2,002,261 vs 1,168,638\n      Revs 29.2 mln vs 29.3 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 49 cts vs 36 cts\n      Net 6,404,536 vs 4,623,295\n      Revs 92.2 mln vs 88.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GERMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE LOWERS GROWTH FORECAST\n","article":"  The DIW economic research institute\n  said West German economic growth in 1987 is unlikely to reach\n  the 1.5 pct rate it had forecast earlier this year.\n      The institute, whose forecasts are more pessimistic than\n  those of the other four leading German institutes, said the\n  economy had passed its peak in the summer of 1986, and its\n  prospects had dimmed significantly since the autumn.\n      The DIW repeated earlier predictions that gross national\n  product (GNP) in the first quarter of 1987 would contract in\n  real, seasonally adjusted terms against the weak final quarter\n  of last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MORRISON KNUDSEN <MRN> SEES YEAR NET FALLING\n","article":"  Morrison Knudsen Corp said its\n  earnings for 1987 are likely to be lower than those for 1986\n  due to lower than expected growth in engineering and\n  construction and a previously-predicted decline in earnings of\n  its National Steel and Shipbuilding unit.\n      The company earned 39.4 mln dlrs in 1986, including pretax\n  gains of 11.5 mln dlrs from pension income and 7,400,000 dlrs\n  from the settlement of vested pension obligations, down from\n  41.5 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      It said \"Lower than expected levels of new work booked in\n  the last quarter of 1986 and the first two-plus months of this\n  year have delayed the expected growth in the engineering and\n  construction area.\"  The company said it will remain profitable\n  in 1987 and results should strengthen as the year progresses. \n  It attributed the decline in new work to more stringent bidding\n  standards and a competitive market.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. EXPORT BONUS POULTRY FEED FOR NORTH YEMEN\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation\n  (CCC) accepted a bid for an export bonus to cover the sale of\n  7,000 tonnes of mixed poultry feed to North Yemen, the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department said.\n      The department said the feed is for delivery during April.\n      As announced earlier the bonus was 90.00 dlrs per tonne,\n  made to The Pillsbury Company and will be paid in the form of\n  commodities from CCC stocks.\n       An additional 143,000 tonnes of mixed poultry feed are\n  still available to North Yemen under the Export Enhancement\n  Program announced April 14, 1986, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CCC ACCEPTS EXPORT BONUS BID ON BARLEY TO ISRAEL\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation\n  (CCC) accepted a bid for an export bonus to cover the sale of\n  30,000 long tons of barley to Israel, the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department said.\n      The department said the barley is for delivery April 15\/May\n  15 and the bonus awarded was 41.24 dlrs per ton.\n      The bonus was made to Cargill, Inc and will be paid in the\n  form of commodities from CCC stocks.\n       An additional 133,800 tons of U.S. barley are still\n  available to Israel under the Export Enhancement Program\n  announced June 17, 1986, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MAY DEPARTMENT STORES CO <MA> RAISES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 28-1\/2 cts vs 26 cts previously\n      Pay June 15\n      Record June One\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GENCORP <GY> NAMES FINANCIAL ADVISERS\n","article":"  GenCorp Inc plans to use First Boston\n  Corp and Kidder, Peabody and Co as financial advisers on a\n  tender offer for the company by General Partners, a GenCorp\n  spokesman said.\n      The spokesman, in response to questions from Reuters, said\n  the company does not yet have a comment on the 100 dlr per\n  share tender offer, launched by the partners today.\n      First Boston and Kidder have been advisers to GenCorp in\n  the past, he said.\n      General Partners is comprised of investors Wagner and Brown\n  and AFG Industries Inc, a glass manufacturer.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LATIN COFFEE MEETING TO BE HELD IN MANAGUA\n","article":"  Representatives from Brazil, Colombia,\n  Mexico and Nicaragua will meet here Friday to discuss the\n  economic impact of falling coffee prices, a Nicaraguan official\n  announced.\n      Vice-minister of foreign trade Bernardo Chamorro said that\n  participating in the meeting will be the heads of the coffee\n  associations from the four countries.\n      He did not say if the meeting would continue beyond friday.\n      Chamorro said Nicaragua supports the establishment of\n  export quotas in an effort to boost sagging world prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DCNY CORP <DCY> HIKES QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Discount Corp of New York said its\n  board of directors increased its quarterly cash dividend to 20\n  cts a share from 15 cts a share.\n      DCNY said the dividend is payable April 15, 1987 to\n  shareholders of record April 1 , 1987.\n      Since the last two-for-one stock split in May 1985, the\n  corpoartion has customarily declared 15-cnt-per-share dividends\n  for the first three quarters and a final fourth quarter\n  dividend based on its total earnings for the year.\n      As previously announced, DCNY said its board has also\n  recommended a two-for-one common stock split to shareholders.\n      If the split is approved at the May 13 annual meeting, the\n  quarterly dividend rate will be adjusted to 10 cts a share,\n  DCNY said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ST. JOSEPH LIGHT <SAJ> SETS SPLIT, HIKES PAYOUT\n","article":"  St. Joseph Light and Power Corp\n  said its board declared a three-for-two stock split and raised\n  the quarterly dividend on presplit shares to 49 cts per share\n  from 47 cts.\n      The company said the dividend is payable May 18 to holders\n  of record May 4 and the split is subject to approval by\n  shareholders at the May 20 annual meeting.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PERU HAS FIRST TRADE DEFICIT IN FOUR YEARS\n","article":"  Peru registered a 16 mln dlr trade deficit\n  in 1986, its first trade shortfall in four years, a central\n  bank statement said.\n      The figure compared with a surpluses of 1.17 billion dlrs\n  in 1985, 1.01 billion in 1984 and 293 mln in 1983. The last\n  trade deficit was a 428 mln shortfall in 1982.\n      Peru's exports fell to 2.51 billion dlrs last year from\n  2.98 billion in 1985. Last year's imports were 2.53 billion\n  dlrs against 1.81 billion dlrs in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BEVIS INDUSTRIES SEEKS BUYER FOR COMPANY\n","article":"  <Bevis Industries Inc> said it\n  retained Tucker Anthony and R.L. Day Inc to seek purchasers of\n  the company or its units.\n      It issued no further details.\n      The company, which makes stainless steel tubing for the\n  chemical, petrochemical, and oil industries, earned 1,045,000\n  dlrs or 51 cts a share in the nine months ending September 30,\n  1986. It had sales of 17.1 mln dlrs in the period.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. HOUSE PLAN SEEKS TO BAR FOREIGN TAKEOVERS\n","article":"  A House subcommittee voted to give\n  President Reagan authority to block foreign takeovers of U.S.\n  companies similar to the takeover of Schlumberger Ltd's <SLB>\n  Fairchild Semiconductor Corp by Fujitsu Ltd which was\n  withdrawn.\n      The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce\n  approved as an amendment to the overall House trade bill a\n  provision giving Reagan the power to block sales to foreign\n  companies if the sale was not in the national or economic\n  interest.                \n      The takeover provision was sent to the full Energy and\n  Commerce Committee for consideration as part of the overall\n  trade bill which is being written by several House committees.\n      The subcommittee's bill would bar imports of digital audio\n  recording equipment that is not made with anti-copying chips.\n  This provision is designed to protect U.S. companies from the\n  unauthorized use of U.S. designs in foreign products.\n      The bill calls for an investigation of whether U.S.\n  engineering and construction firms are given adequate\n  opportunity to bid on Japan's civil works procurement practices\n  including the construction of the Kansai airport.\n      The Energy and Commerce subcommitte rejected a plan offered\n  by Rep. William Dannemeyer, a California Republican, to require\n  the U.S. to pay investors one pct for the right to hold their\n  gold investments in government storage.\n      His amendment called for the government to sell gold coins\n  and gold-backed bonds with maturities of 30 to 50 years to\n  investors to reduce the federal debt.               \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INERTIA DYNAMICS CORP <TRIM> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 35 cts vs 29 cts\n      Oper net 1,185,267 vs 1,001,315\n      Sales 16.8 mln vs 12.4 mln\n      Six mths\n      Oper shr 42 cts vs 32 cts\n      Oper net 1,420,815 vs 1,105,555\n      Note: oper data does not include year ago qtr and six mths\n  loss from discontinued operations of 87,449 dlrs, or two cts\n  per shr.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ATI MEDICAL INC <ATIM> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr two cts vs eight cts\n      Net 118,933 vs 296,272\n      Revs 2,742,731 vs 1,840,129\n      Six mths\n      Shr two cts vs 12 cts\n      Net 92,372 vs 444,975\n      Revs 4,977,105 vs 3,296,110\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SAVANNAH ELECTRIC AND POWER CO <SAV> UPS DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 25 cts vs 22 cts prior\n      Payable April 15\n      Record April 1\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMOCO SAID WELL OFF TRINIDAD FLOWS 53 MLN CUBIC FEET NATURAL GAS DAILY\n","article":"\n  AMOCO SAID WELL OFF TRINIDAD FLOWS 53 MLN CUBIC FEET NATURAL GAS DAILY\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"IRAQ SAYS IT HIT SHIP IN GULF OFF IRAN TODAY\n","article":"  Iraq said its warplanes had hit a\n  vessel in the Gulf off the Iranian coast today, the third in\n  the past 24 hours.\n      A military spokesman told the Iraqi news agency INA the\n  latest attack was at 1250 GMT. It earlier reported strikes at\n  0650 GMT and at 1930 GMT last night. The planes \"dealt accurate\n  and effective blows\" to the targets and returned safely to base.\n      There was no immediate confirmation of the attacks from\n  Gulf shipping sources. The last confirmed Iraqi attack was on\n  on March 8, when an Iranian tanker was hit by a missile south\n  of Iran's Kharg island oil export terminal.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MAY DEPARTMENT STORES <MA> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.38 dlrs vs 1.24 dlrs\n      Net 213,000,000 vs 195,000,000\n      Revs 3.37 billion vs 3.12 billion\n      Avg shrs 153,000,000 vs 156,000,000\n      Year\n      Shr 2.44 dlrs vs 2.20 dlrs\n      Net 381,000,000 vs 347,000,000\n      Revs 10.38 billion vs 9.54 billion\n      Avg shrs 154,800,000 vs 156,000,000\n      NOTE: 1985 period ended Feb 1, 1986\n      Share data restated for common stock split of July 21, 1986\n      1986 and 1985 earnings reflect a charge of one ct a share\n  resulting from use of the LFIO method of inventory valuation\n      4th Qtr 1986 earnings include pretax capital gain of 71.2\n  mln dlrs, or 30 cts a share from sale of Joseph Horne Co\n  Division in Pittsburgh\n      NOTE: 4th Qtr 1986 earnings include a 62 mln dlr, or 20 cts\n  a share, pretax charge for costs associated with combining May\n  D and F and the Denver operating divisions\n      4th Qtr 1986 earnings include a pretax charge of 26 mln\n  dlrs, or nine cts a share, for costs associated with several\n  debt repurchase transactions including retirement of 10 mln\n  dlrs of 11-7\/8 pct debentures\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORSTAR BANCORP, FLEET FINANCIAL GROUP AGREE TO MERGE\n","article":"\n  NORSTAR BANCORP, FLEET FINANCIAL GROUP AGREE TO MERGE\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FIRST UNION <FUNC> ACQUISITION APPROVED\n","article":"  First Union Corp said the\n  buyout of Commerce National Bank by its First Union National\n  Bank of Florida unit was approved by Commerce shareholders.\n      According to the terms of the deal, First Union will pay\n  8.5 mln dlrs for the outstanding shares of Commerce National, a\n  bank with 43.2 mln dlrs in assets.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ENERGY\/DRILLING INDUSTRY\n","article":"  The drastic cutbacks in U.S. drilling\n  last year are rapidly deflating the United State's natural gas\n  bubble, which could bring spot shortages in gas supplies next\n  winter and a modest recovery in the oilpatch, industry analysts\n  said.\n      Faltering deliverability of natural gas, a commodity that\n  is difficult and costly to import in large quantities, could\n  more than double the current U.S. rig count to near 2,000 by\n  1990, some analysts said.\n      The need to lock in future supplies of gas for utilities\n  and big industrial customers may also bring a resurgence of\n  activity in the Gulf of Mexico's offshore waters where some of\n  the nation's largest gas reserves are located.\n      \"We think an upturn in U.S. drilling is imminent,\" said\n  James Crandall, an analyst with Salomon Brothers Inc. \"Many\n  companies appear to be switching from oil to gas drilling\n  because they're betting that the gas market will be back in\n  balance in a year or two.\"\n      The prospect of diminishing gas supplies is welcome news\n  for drilling and oilfield service companies that barely\n  survived last year's plunge in oil prices from about 30 dlrs a\n  barrel to less than half that. Today's relatively stable oil\n  prices of about 18 dlrs a barrel are not enough to spur a\n  return to the heady days of 1981 when the U.S. drilling rig\n  count soared to a record high of more than 4,500 and oilfield\n  roustabouts commanded premium wages.\n      The latest weekly Hughes Tool Co <HT> rig count, a\n  barometer of the oil industry's health, showed 761 U.S. rigs\n  active in what is traditionally the slowest time of the year.\n      In 1986, the Hughes rig count began the year at 1,915 but\n  dived to a post-World War II low of 663 in July as world oil\n  prices experienced the sharpest decline in recent times.\n      Ike Kerridge, a Hughes economist, said \"In 1986, the United\n  States replaced only about 40 pct of the gas it used and that\n  replacement rate won't be any better this year.\"\n      He added, \"We don't have the options we do with oil.\n  Imports of gas from Canada are limited by pipeline capacity and\n  importing liquefied natural gas on ships will not be feasible\n  in the next 10 years because of the cost.\"\n      Only about 6 trillion cubic feet of additional gas reserves\n  were discovered last year while U.S. consumption approached 16\n  trillion cubic feet, according to industry estimates.\n      George Gaspar, an oil analyst with Robert W. Baird and Co\n  agreed that the need for gas supplies would set the stage for a\n  new cycle of gradual increases in U.S. drilling.\n      \"We anticipate that natural gas pipelines will need to\n  dedicate to their systems new gas reserves for 1989 and 1990\n  supplies. That means new drilling programs must begin no later\n  than mid-1988,\" Gaspar said.\n      Gasper said he sees a new drilling cycle emerging that\n  could last until 1992 and that he expects the average rig count\n  to peak near 2,000 in December of 1989.\n      Much of the search for new gas reserves is likely to be\n  conducted in the offshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico, where\n  federal leases on unexplored areas will revert back to the\n  government unless drilling begins in the next two or three\n  years. Some of the industry's biggest companies, such as Exxon\n  Corp <XON>, Mobil Corp MOB, and Union Texas Petroleum have\n  already indicated plans to increase spending for drilling later\n  this year in the Gulf of Mexico, Crandall said.\n      For example, Conoco Inc, a Dupont <DD> subsidiary, will\n  spend 400 mln dlrs to build the Gulf of Mexico's deepest\n  production platform, which will produce 50 mln cubic feet of\n  gas per day.\n      But T. Boone Pickens, who has acquired huge Texas and\n  Kansas gas reserves for his Mesa Limited Partnership <MLP> in\n  recent months, is not convinced that the drilling industry is\n  on the verge of a recovery.\n      Pickens predicts the U.S. rig count will soon drop below\n  600 and will not increase significantly until oil prices do.\n      \"The rigs won't go back to work until the price of oil gets\n  above 30 dlrs a barrel,\" said Pickens, 58, adding he did not\n  expect to see the rig count top 2,000 again in his lifetime.\n      Tenneco Inc <TGT>, one of the largest U.S. gas producers,\n  is skeptical that a need for additional gas drilling exists.\n      Tenneco vice president Joe Foster said he did not expect\n  significant increases in drilling for gas until the early 1990s\n  when the U.S. gas reserves life will have declined to about\n  seven years' supply. Current spot market prices of about 1.50\n  dlrs per thousand cubic feet will need to rise to about three\n  dlrs to spur reserve replacement, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SUGAR PRICES TOO LOW TO BOOST LATIN OUTPUT\n","article":"  Latin American sugar producers\n  are awaiting further rises in world market prices before moving\n  to boost production, official and trade sources said.\n      Although prices have risen to around eight from five U.S.\n  Cents per lb in the past six months, they are still below the\n  region's nine to ten cents per lb average production cost.\n      The recent rise in prices has placed producers on the\n  alert, Manuel Rico, a consultant with the Group of Latin\n  American and Caribbean Sugar Exporting Countries (GEPLACEA),\n  told Reuters.\n      However, Rico said, it would require another five to seven\n  cents to stimulate notable increases in output.\n      \"Producers are taking measures for increasing their\n  production when the prices are profitable,\" he said.\n      Officials in Mexico, Guatemala and Ecuador said a continued\n  rise in prices would stimulate production, but industry leaders\n  in Panama and Costa Rica said there was still a long way to go.\n      \"The prices are ridiculous,\" said Julian Mateo, vice\n  president of Costa Rica's Sugar Cane Industrial-Agricultural\n  League. \"At current prices nobody is going to consider\n  increasing production.\"\n      Other producers are wary of committing funds to increasing\n  output, given the instability of world markets.\n      An official at Colombia's National Association of Sugar\n  Cane Growers said they had no plans to raise export targets.\n  \"The market is very unstable. What is happening is not yet\n  giving way to a pattern and so there is no reason to modify\n  anything.\"\n      In 1985, the latest year for which full figures are\n  available, Central and South American nations produced 28 mln\n  tonnes, raw value, of sugar of which 12.3 mln were exported. A\n  year earlier, they had produced and exported about 800,000\n  more, according to the London-based International Sugar\n  Organization.\n      Years of continuous low prices have plunged the sugar\n  industry in many countries in the region into a recession from\n  which it will be hard to recover.\n      Miguel Guerrero, director of the Dominican Republic's\n  National Sugar Institute, said it would be difficult to boost\n  production even if prices recovered sharply.\n      Output had slumped to under 450,000 tonnes a year from\n  900,000 in the late 1970s. Obsolete refineries, poor transport\n  and badly maintained plantations were barriers to any short\n  term recovery in output, he added.\n      Plans of nearby Cuba, the world's largest cane sugar\n  exporter, to increase output to 10 mln tonnes a year by the end\n  of the decade seem ambitious, trade sources said. Output is\n  running well below the record 8.6 mln produced in 1970.\n      Cuba suffers from run down plantations, harvesting problems\n  and poor processing facilities more than from low world prices,\n  since much of its output is sold to Eastern Bloc countries\n  under special deals. Last year, bad weather added to its\n  troubles, and output fell to 7.2 mln tonnes from 8.2 mln in\n  1985.\n      The low world prices of recent years have led many\n  countries in the region to cut exportable production to levels\n  where they barely cover U.S. And, in the case of some Caribbean\n  countries, European Community (EC) import quotas, for which\n  they receive prices well above free market levels.\n      Progressive reductions in the U.S. Quotas have led to\n  production stagnating or falling rather than being shifted to\n  the free world market.\n      Peru, for example, shipped 96,000 tonnes to the U.S. In\n  both 1983 and 1984. This fell to 76,000 in 1986 and this year\n  its quota is only 37,000.\n      A national cooperative official said that, as long as world\n  market levels continue at around half of Peru's production\n  cost, the future of the industry is uncertain.\n      At a meeting of GEPLACEA in Brazil last October officials\n  stressed the need to find alternative uses for sugar cane\n  which, according to the group's executive-secretary Eduardo\n  Latorre, \"grows like a weed\" throughout the region.\n      Brazil, the largest cane producer with output of around 240\n  mln tonnes, uses over half to produce alcohol fuel. Cane in\n  excess of internal demand for alcohol and sugar is refined into\n  sugar for sale abroad to earn much needed foreign currency.\n      The difference in the price the state-run Sugar and Alcohol\n  Institute (IAA) pays local industry and what it receives from\n  foreign buyers costs the government some 350 mln dlrs a year.\n      Soaring domestic demand for both alcohol and sugar over the\n  past year, coupled with a drought-reduced cane crop, has meant\n  Brazil will have difficulties in meeting export commitments in\n  1987, trade sources said. Negotiations to delay shipments to\n  next year have been indecisive so far, the main sticking point\n  being how Brazil should compensate buyers for non-delivery of\n  sugar it had sold at around five cents per lb and which would\n  cost eight cents to replace.\n      Brazilian sugar industry sources said new sugar export\n  sales were expected to be extremely low for the next year, with\n  the Institute wary of exposing itself to domestic shortages of\n  either alcohol or sugar and because of the need to rebuild\n  depleted reserve stockpiles.\n      However, the situation could change dramatically if the\n  economy goes into recession and internal demand slumps.\n      Sources within Latin America and the Caribbean hold little\n  hope for the region's sugar industry to return to profitability\n  unless the U.S. And EC change their policies.\n      \"The agricultural policies of the European Community and of\n  the United States have caused our economies incalculable harm\n  by closing their markets, by price deterioration in\n  international commerce and furthermore by the unfair\n  competition in third countries,\" Brazil's Trade and Industry\n  Minister Jose Hugo Castelo Branco told the October GEPLACEA\n  meeting.\n      The EC has come under prolonged attack from GEPLACEA for\n  what the group charges is its continued dumping of excess\n  output on world markets. GEPLACEA officials say this is the\n  main cause of low prices.\n      GEPLACEA sees a new International Sugar Agreement which\n  would regulate prices as one of the few chances of pulling the\n  region's industry out of steady decline. Such an agreement\n  would have to have both U.S. And EC backing and industrialised\n  countries would have to see it as a political rather than a\n  merely economic pact.\n      \"They have to realise that the more our economies suffer,\n  the less capcity we have to buy their goods and repay the\n  region's 360 billion dollar foreign debt,\" GEPLACEA's Latorre\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MORGAN BANK PLANS WARRANTS FOR GOLD AT 425 DLRS\n","article":"  Morgan Guaranty Trust Co of New York\n  plans an issue of 12,000 warrants for gold bullion at 425 dlrs\n  an ounce, lead manager Morgan Guaranty (Switzerland) AG said.\n      Each warrant, priced at 955 Swiss francs, entitled holders\n  to acquire five-ounce bars of .999 gold in the period from\n  April 30, 1987, to July 31, 1991, exercisable on Wednesdays.\n      The warrants represented unsecured, unsubordinated\n  liabilities of the borrower. Payment was due April 16, and a\n  quotation on the Luxembourg bourse was planned.\n      The warrants, when exercised, would be repaid in current\n  dollars based on the value of gold on the exercise date.\n      The conditions represent a premium of about 145 dlrs an\n  ounce to the current gold price.\n      A Morgan (Switzerland) official said that on the basis of\n  the maturity of four years and three months, the pricing\n  involved an implicit volatility of gold of 24.5 pct before the\n  warrants were in the money, compared with implicit volatility\n  of 30 pct for the Indosuez gold warrants and 26 pct for the\n  Citibank gold warrants recent issued with maturities of 18 and\n  24 months.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NORSTAR <NOR>, FLEET <FLT> TO MERGE\n","article":"  Norstar Bancorp said that its\n  board and the board of Fleet Financial Group have approved a\n  definitive agreement to merge.\n      A Norstar spokesman said that a press release containing\n  further details on the merger would be issued shortly.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMOCO <AN> IN NATURAL GAS FIND OFF TRINIDAD\n","article":"  Amoco Corp said its WEQB-1 exploratory\n  well 39 miles east of Galeota Point on Trinidad's east coast\n  flowed 24 mln cubic feet of natural gas and 500 barrels of\n  condensate daily from one zone and 29 mln cubic feet of natural\n  gas and 600 barrels of condensate daily from a second.\n      The company said both flows were through 40\/64 inch chokes\n  and from zones between 10,000 and 13,000 feet in depth.  The\n  well, in 260 feet of water, was drilled to a total depth of\n  14,629 feet, it said.  It said the discovery was made in sands\n  previously untested in the area.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ELDORADO BANCORP <ELDB> SETS 10 PCT DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Eldorado Bancorp said its board\n  declared a 10 pct stock dividend, Payable April 17 to\n  shareholders of record April three.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TALKING POINT\/GENCORP INC <GY>\n","article":"  The surprise 2.2 billion-dlr tender\n  offer for Ohio-based conglomerate GenCorp Inc will not be\n  enough to buy the company, analysts said.\n      Analysts estimated the 100 dlr-per-share offer from General\n  Partners is 10 to 20 dlrs per share below the breakup value of\n  GenCorp. However, market sources and analysts said  uncertainty\n  surrounds any transaction because of the legal challenges to\n  Gencorp broadcasting licenses.\n      Gencorp's stock rose 15-3\/4 to 106-1\/4 in heavy trading.\n      \"The expectation is either there will be someone else or\n  the bidder will sweeten the offer hoping to get management's\n  cooperation,\" said Larry Baker, an analyst with E.F. Hutton\n  group.\n      Analysts said there is concern about challenges to\n  Gencorp's broadcast licenses for two television and 12 radio\n  stations. Some of the disputes, dating back about 20 years,\n  were brought by groups that alleged improper foreign payments\n  and political contributions.\n      \"I think it kind of muddies an already muddy situation,\"\n  said Baker of the offer.\n      Some arbitragers said they were concerned the ongoing issue\n  might be a stumbling block or result in a long period of time\n  for any transaction.\n      A source close to General Partners, however, said General\n  Partners would apply to the Federal Communications Commission\n  for special temporary authority to hold the broadcast stations.\n  The source said if approved, the authority would allow a\n  transaction to be carried out.\n      If it received the \"short-form\" approval, General Partners\n  would set up a trust which would hold the broadcasting\n  properties until the licensing situation is resolved.\n      General Partners is equally owned by investors Wagner and\n  Brown and glass-maker AFG Industries Inc.\n      Some market sources speculated an outside buyer, such as\n  General Partners, might even be be a catalyst to resolution of\n  the challenges since it would carry out GenCorp's plan to sell\n  the stations.\n      GenCorp earlier this month reached an agreement with Walt\n  Disney Co to sell its Los Angeles television station, WHJ-TV.\n  Disney would pay 217 mln dlrs to GenCorp and 103 mln dlrs to a\n  group that challenged the station's license.\n      GenCorp also has a pending agreement to sell WOR-TV in\n  Secaucus, N.J. to MCA Inc for 387 mln dlrs.\n      General Partners said it intends to keep the company's\n  plastics and industrial products businesses and its tires and\n  related products segment.\n      Charles Rose, an analyst with Oppenheimer and Co, said\n  that, on a breakup valuation, the company might be worth as\n  much as 125 dlrs per share. Rose estimated the aerospace\n  business could bring 30 to 40 dlrs per share or one billion\n  dlrs, as would DiversiTech, the plastics unit. Broadcasting,\n  including assets pending sale, might be 30 to 40 dlrs per\n  share, he said.\n      The company, formerly known as General Tire\n  and Rubber Co, also has a tire business Rose estimated would be\n  worth five to 10 dlrs per share. He estimated the bottling\n  business might also be worth several dollars per share, he\n  said.\n      Analysts said GenCorp chairman A. William Reynolds, who\n  became chairman last year, has been emphasizing the company's\n  Aerojet General and DiversiTech General businesses. GenCorp,\n  founded in 1915, became an unfocused conglomerate over the\n  years and analysts believe reynolds has helped it to improve.\n      \"The management's doing a very fine job in trying to deal\n  with the non-strategic assets of the company,\" Rose said.\n      Analysts expect GenCorp to resist the tender offer, but\n  they declined to predict what steps the company might take.\n  They said it would be possible the company might consider a\n  leveraged buyout or restructuring to fend off the offer.\n      General Partners holds 9.8 pct of GenCorp stock, and there\n  was some concern about \"greenmail.\" Greenmail is the payment at\n  a premium for an unwanted shareholders' stock.\n      \"I would doubt they would greenmail them, but nothing\n  surprises me anymore,\" said Rose.\n      GenCorp has not commented on the offer. It has retained\n  First Boston Corp and Kidder, Peabody and Co as advisers.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN EXPRESS UP ON RUMORS 10 PCT OF SHEARSON TO BE SOLD TO JAPANESE FIRM, TRADERS SAY\n","article":"\n  AMERICAN EXPRESS UP ON RUMORS 10 PCT OF SHEARSON TO BE SOLD TO JAPANESE FIRM, TRADERS SAY\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ADMAC INC <JPAC> 3RD QT JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.51 dlrs vs profit eight cts\n      Net loss 7,377,000 vs profit 384,000\n      Sales 1,593,000 vs 4,366,000\n      Nine Mths\n      Shr loss 2.24 dlrs vs profit 16 cts\n      Net loss 11,083,000 vs profit 628,000\n      Sales 6,517,000 vs 12.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,941,000 vs 3,926,000\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PACO PHARMACEUTICAL <PPS> 2ND QTR FEB 14 NET\n","article":"  Shr 19 cts vs 17 cts\n      Net 767,000 vs 676,000\n      Revs 9,476,000 vs 9,091,000\n      Six mths\n      Shr 47 cts vs 44 cts\n      Net 1,897,000 vs 1,719,000\n      Revs 19.5 mln vs 19 mln\n      NOTE: Full name Paco Pharmaceutical Services Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PUBLICKER INDUSTRIES INC <PUL> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss five cts vs loss 15 cts\n      Net loss 619,000 vs loss 1,730,000\n      Sales 3,138,000 vs 5,667,000\n      Avg shrs 12.5 mln vs 11.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss four cts vs loss 40 cts\n      Net loss 343,000 vs loss 3,963,000\n      Sales 13.4 mln vs 35.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 12.5 mln vs 10.3 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 year net includes gain 1,678,000 dlrs from\n  settlement of litigation with Belcher Oil Co, 375,000 dlr\n  provision connected with resignation of former president, legal\n  settlements and costs of 1,074,000 dlrs and 552,000 dlrs in\n  expenses from closing of contract packaging division.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BIONOMIC SCIENCES INTERNATIONAL INC <BSII> LOSS\n","article":"  2nd qtr Jan 31 end\n      Shr loss three cts vs loss nine cts\n      Net loss 112,400 vs loss 275,400\n      Sales 318,100 vs 23,600\n      Avg shrs 4,294,300 vs 3,028,326\n      1st half\n      Shr profit four cts vs loss 14 cts\n      Net profit 165,600 vs loss 409,100\n      Sales 546,600 vs 44,400\n      Avg shrs 4,189,700 vs 3,028,326\n      NOTE: Current year net includes gains on sale of assets of\n  25,000 dlrs in quarter and 396,000 dlrs in half.\n      Net includes extraordinary loss 10,000 dlrs vs nil in\n  quarter and loss 10,000 dlrs vs profit 106,300 dlrs in half.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PIEDMONT AVIATION INC <PIE> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div eight cts vs eight cts prior\n      Pay May 18\n      Record May One\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BIONOMIC SCIENCES <BSII> SEES PROFITABILITY\n","article":"  Bionomic Sciences International Inc\n  said it expects to start operating profitably by the fourth\n  quarter.\n      The company today reported a profit of 165,600 dlrs for the\n  first half ended January 31 -- after a 396,000 dlr gain on the\n  sale of assets and a 10,000 dlr extraordinary loss.  A year\n  before it lost 409,100 dlrs after a 106,300 dlr extraordinary\n  gain.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NORSTAR SHAREHOLDERS TO GET 1.2 FLEET FINANCIAL SHRS PER NORSTAR SHARE IN MERGER\n","article":"\n  NORSTAR SHAREHOLDERS TO GET 1.2 FLEET FINANCIAL SHRS PER NORSTAR SHARE IN MERGER\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEGOTIATORS PUT FINAL TOUCHES TO NEW RUBBER PACT\n","article":"  Rubber producing and consuming\n  countries, which agreed on the bases of a new International\n  Natural Rubber Agreement (INRA) last weekend, are now putting\n  the final touches to the future accord, delegates said.\n      They said discussions are focusing on conditions for entry\n  into force of the new INRA. The present pact, which expires in\n  October, required that governments accounting for 80 pct of\n  world exports and 80 pct of world imports approved or ratified\n  the pact before it became operational.\n      Delegates said figures now being floated range between 65\n  and 80 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CERADYNE INC <CRDN> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 22 cts vs profit 10 cts\n      Net loss 1,056,000 vs profit 427,000\n      Sales 5,440,000 vs 4,982,000\n      Avg shrs 5,229,542 vs 4,435,691\n      Year\n      Shr profit one ct vs profit 26 cts\n      Net profit 29,000 vs profit 993,000\n      Sasles 19.1 mln vs 16.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,947,632 vs 3,780,543\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FINANCIAL BENEFIT GROUP INC <FBGIA> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 11 cts vs loss 48 cts\n      Net loss 254,000 vs loss 784,000\n      Revs 94.1 mln vs 47.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,317,000 vs 1,642,000\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for stock dividend and reverse split.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MEGAPHONE INTERNATIONAL INC <INFL> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss three cts vs loss three cts\n      Oper net loss 388,000 vs loss 452,000\n      Revs 1,425,000 vs 1,126,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 26 cts vs loss 15 cts\n      Oper net loss 3,604,000 vs loss 2,108,000\n      Res 5,712,000 vs 6,604,000\n      NOTE: 1986 net both periods excludes 413,000 dlr gain from\n  settlement of old obligations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BUTLER <BTLR> COMPLETES SALE OF LIVESTOCK UNIT\n","article":"  Butler Manufacturing Co said\n  it completed sale of its Livestock Systems division and part of\n  its Control division in separate transactions to two unrelated\n  parties.\n      Butler's livestock systems division was sold to an investor\n  group including the president of the operations and certain\n  Control division assets were sold to Minneapolis-based Enercon\n  Data Corp.\n      Terms of the transactions were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CAROLINA POWER AND LIGHT CO <CPL> QTLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 69 cts vs 69 cts prior\n      Payable May one\n      Record APril 10\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL GROUP <AIG> QTLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 6-1\/4 cts vs 6-1\/4 cts prior\n      Pay June 19\n      Record June 5\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ROCHESTER GAS AND ELECTRIC CORP <RGS> IN PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 55 cts vs 55 cts prior\n      Pay April 25\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SERVICE CORP INTERNATIONAL <SRV> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div eight cts vs eight cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 16\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"VALLEY RESOURCES <VR> SETS SPLIT, RAISES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Valley Resources Inc said its\n  board declared a three-for-two stock split and raised the\n  quarterly dividend to 42 cts per share presplit from 38 cts,\n  both payable April 15, record March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NORSTAR <NOR>, FLEET <FLT> OUTLINE MERGER\n","article":"  Fleet Financial Group said\n  that its board and the board of Norstar Bancorp have agreed to\n  merge the two bank holding companies in a transaction which\n  would create a 23 billion dlr asset bank holding company.\n      Under terms of the transaction, each Norstar shareholder\n  will receive 1.2 shares of Fleet common stock based on the\n  number of Fleet shares after giving effect to a previously\n  announced April one Fleet stock split.\n       The two-for-one stock split will increase Fleet's\n  currently 25.7 mln outstanding shares to 51.5 shares. There are\n  about 34.9 mln Norstar shares outstanding.\n      Fleet said the deal is expected to be completed by July one\n  1988, the date on which the nationalization of Rhode Island's\n  interstate banking law takes effect.\n      For the full year ended december 31, Fleet, a Rhode Island\n  based bank holding company, reported net income of 136.7 mln\n  dlrs and assets of 11.7 billion dlrs. Norstar, an Albany N.y.\n  holding company, reported net income of 104.8 mln dlrs and\n  assets of 11.1 billion dlrs.\n       Fleet comptroller Irv Goss said it is estimated that the\n  transaction will result in minimal dilution in Fleet\/Norstar\n  earnings per share. It is the intention of both companies that\n  cash quarterly dividends following the combination not decline\n  for either company's stock holders, the company said.\n      For 1986, Norstar issued 1.31 dlrs annually in cash\n  dividends on its common stock. Fleet's current annual\n  distibution on a pre-split basis would be equivalent to 1.68\n  dlrs a share.\n      In addition, Fleet and Norstar have each granted the other\n  an option to purchase such number of authorized buy unissued\n  shares of common stock, that will constitute 24.99 pct of the\n  fully diluted shares outstanding.\n      The transaction is subject to both regulatory and\n  shareholder approval.\n      The companies said that after the proposed merger, the\n  combined banking holding wil be among the 25 largest in the\n  country.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TECK TO INCREASE STAKE IN TRILOGY RESOURCE\n","article":"  <Trilogy Resource Corp> said\n  <Teck Corp> agreed to purchase 4.5 mln Trilogy common shares at\n  one dlr per share in a private placement, which would increase\n  its stake in Trilogy to 37 pct from 29 pct.\n      Trilogy also said its board approved a private placement of\n  3.5 mln common shares at a price of 90 cts per share to a group\n  of investors.\n      The placement will be made through McNeil Mantha Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"RABBIT SOFTWARE <RABT> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Rabbit Software Corp said it has\n  agreed in principle to acquire privately-held communications\n  hardware maker Micro Plus II Corp for about two mln common\n  shares, with closing expected by May.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<ALTEX RESOURCES LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr six cts vs eight cts\n      Net 643,000 vs 889,000\n      Revs 3,934,000 vs 4,373,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<AMOUR INC> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Amour Inc said it has entered into\n  a letter of intent to acquire <Bard International Associates\n  Inc> for 70 mln common shares in a transaction that would give\n  former Bard shareholders control of the combined company.\n      Bard makes tennis and squash racquets and accessories.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MAY <MA> REPORTS STRONG 1ST QTR START\n","article":"  May Department Stores Co, reporting\n  record results for the fourth quarter ended January 31, said it\n  is encouraged about the new fiscal year by a strong start in\n  February and March.\n      The company said its merger last year with Associated Dry\n  Goods, which was accounted for as a pooling of interests, is\n  \"going very well.\" May said \"We are acting more like one\n  company every day. Our expansion schedule is on track.\"\n      May said it plans to invest more than 600 mln dlrs this\n  year to open 11 department stores, eight discount stores and\n  more than 240 specialty outlets.\n      The company reported fourth quarter earnings of 213 mln\n  dlrs, or 1.38 dlrs a share, up from 195 mln dlrs, or 1.24 dlrs\n  a share a year earlier. Revenues advanced to 3.37 billion dlrs\n  from 3.12 billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CRAMER INC <CRMR> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss eight cts vs loss 1.39 dlrs\n      Net loss 94,000 vs loss 1,569,000\n      Sales 6,951,000 vs 5,518,000\n      Year\n      Shr profit four cts vs loss 2.95 dlrs\n      Net profit 41,000 vs loss 3,333,000\n      Sales 25.3 mln vs 22.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN TRAVELLERS <ATVC> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  American Travellers Corp said\n  it has entered into an agreement to purchase ISL Life Insurance\n  Co of Dallas, a corporate shell with active licenses to operate\n  in 12 states, for about 400,000 dlrs.\n      The company said closing is expected by late spring and\n  will result in American Travellers being licensed in seven new\n  states.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OHIO ART CO <OAR> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div six cts vs six cts prior\n      Pay May Eight\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN EXPRESS <AXP> UP ON SHEARSON RUMORS\n","article":"  American Express Co climbed 2-1\/2 to\n  80-1\/8 on rumors the company was about to announce an agreement\n  to sell 10 pct of its Shearson Lehman Brothers unit to Nippon\n  bLife Insurance of Japan, traders said.\n      Speculation about an impending deal, rumored to be worth\n  600 mln dlrs, also sent shares of other U.S. brokerages up\n  sharply. PaineWebber Group Inc <PWJ> gained 1-5\/8 to 37-1\/8 and\n  Merrill Lynch and Co Inc <MER> rose 1-3\/8 to 42-7\/8.\n      American Express officials declined comment but cited a\n  statement it released more than two weeks ago in which it said\n  it was studying matters of strategic importance.\n      American Express officials also pointed out the earlier\n  statement, issued March one, said it is company policy not to\n  comment on rumors or speculation. The earlier announcement also\n  said American Express and Shearson were studying options\n  including expansion of capacity to meet international\n  competition and broadening access to capital.\n      The latest rumors originated in Tokyo, traders said.\n      If the rumors are true \"it gives them a nice infusion of\n  capital for an attractive price,\" said Lawrence Eckenfelder,\n  analyst at Prudential-Bache Securities.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CONT'L ILLINOIS SEES MONTHS OF BRAZIL DEBT TALKS\n","article":"  Continental Illinois Corp's <CIL>\n  Chairman John Swearingen said he sees negotiations to\n  reschedule Brazil's debt payments taking at least three to six\n  months.\n      Brazil declared last month a moratorium on payment of\n  interest on its medium- and long-term debts. The moratorium is\n  expected to persist the entire time that debt scheduling talks\n  are under way.\n      \"I believe it will take three to six months, maybe longer,\n  for an arrangement to be worked out to reschedule Brazil's\n  debt,\" Swearingen told reporters at a press briefing.\n      \"I think Brazil will pay its debts in the long run. Just\n  how long the run is is anybody's guess,\" Swearingen said.\n      Earlier the bank holding company said Brazil's moritorium\n  may force it to increase non-performing loans by 380 mln dlrs\n  and reduce pretax and net income by 10 mln dlrs in the first\n  quarter and 35 mln dlrs for the full year.\n      The bank will decide March 31 whether to characterize these\n  loans as non-performing, William Ogden, chairman of the\n  Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Co of Chicago,\n  Continental's largest subsidiary, said in response to an\n  inquiry.\n      Ogden said the moratoriums will affect both pretax and net\n  income equally because the banking firm has tax credits to use.\n      Swearingen predicted an increase in operating profits for\n  1987 because he sees higher income and reduced expenses.\n  Continental will reduce expenses through job cuts and reducing\n  office rental costs. In 1986 it cut about 850 positions.\n      In 1986 it had net profits of 165.2 mln dlrs or 60 cts a\n  share, up from 150.5 mln dlrs or 53 cts a share.\n      The bank transferred 459 mln dlrs of poor-quality loans and\n  other assets to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, FDIC,\n  during 1986. It can transfer bad loans under the terms of the\n  1984 restructuring agreement with the government.\n      The bank will transfer the remaining 460 mln dlrs that it\n  is entitled to transfer to FDIC by September 26, 1987,\n  Swearingen said. It will choose loans based on ultimate loss\n  rather than their immediate effect on non-performing loans.\n      In 1986 the bank's loans to the Midwest's middle market\n  rose 20 pct at a time of overall weak loan demand in the U.S.\n      Concerning banking acquisitions, Swearingen said the bank\n  would like to buy additional suburban Chicago banks. In 1986 it\n  bought three small suburban banks.\n      Swearingen said he is concerned that Continental will be\n  taken over because no bank in the Midwest region is large\n  enough to buy it, and New York money center banks are\n  prohibited by law from buying Illinois banks.\n      He said, however, that the FDIC still has control over who\n  will eventually own the firm because it still holds the\n  equivalent of 148 mln common shares out of a total 215 mln.\n      The FDIC sold 52 mln shares to the public last year and has\n  said it intends to sell the rest as quickly as possible. The\n  agency received the shares as part of its 4.5 billion dlrs 1984\n  bailout of the bank.\n      Swearingen, who came out of retirement in 1984 to head the\n  struggling banking firm after a career as an oil industry\n  executive, said he will retire when the three-year period he\n  agreed to be Continental chairman ends in August. He would not\n  comment on a successor.\n      The bank will expand its First Options of Chicago options\n  clearning unit into Tokyo, Swearingen said, but said its\n  doubtful lending to Japan will occur because that country\n  doesn't need external sources of cash.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"RELIABLE LIFE INSURANCE CO <RLIFA> UPS DIVIDENDS\n","article":"  Qtly div Class A 27.5 cts vs 26.4 cts prior\n      Qtly div Class B 2.5 cts vs 2.4 cts prior\n      Pay June One\n      Record May One\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CROSS AND TRECKER <CTCO> TO SELL UNIT\n","article":"  Cross and Trecker Corp said its\n  Warner and Swasey subsidiary will seek to sell its Grinding\n  Division to focus on other areas of its business.\n      The company said the Grinding Division had sales last year\n  of about 18 mln dlrs. It makes grinding machines.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NOVAR ELECTRONICS CORP <NOVR> 4TH QTR JAN THREE\n","article":"  Shr loss eight cts vs loss eight cts\n      Net loss 220,724 vs loss 210,120\n      Revs 4,194,466 vs 4,224,633\n      Year\n      Shr profit eight cts vs profit four cts\n      Net profit 207,514 vs profit 98,050\n      Revs 17.8 mln vs 16.1 mln\n      NOTE: Quarter net includes tax credits of 162,600 dlrs vs\n  236,100 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONSOLIDATED NATURAL <CNG> FORMS TRADING UNIT\n","article":"  Consolidated Natural Gas Co said it\n  has received Securities and Exchange Commission approval to\n  establish a wholly-owned natural gas marketing subsidiary\n  called CNG Trading Co.\n      It said the new unit will operate in New York,\n  Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Louisiana and Texas and\n  compete with other markets for delivery of low-cost natural gas\n  supplies.\n      Consolidated said customers' needs will be met from a wide\n  range of low cost sources, including the spot market,\n  independent producers and brokers, and Consolidated's producing\n  affiliates - CNG Development Co of Pittsburgh, and CNG\n  Producing Co based in New Orleans.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"18-MAR-1987\n","article":"  18-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SHELL CANADA <SHC> TO SELL TANKERS TO SOCANAV\n","article":"  Shell Canada Ltd said its Shell Canada\n  Products Ltd unit will sell three tankers, effective April one,\n  1987, to <Socanav Inc>.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      Shell also said it will contract exclusively from Socanav\n  normal marine distribution requirements for domestic markets,\n  with some exceptions, for an initial 10-year period.\n      Shell also said its Shell Canadian Tankers Ltd unit will\n  lay off 13 employees and that Socanav will offer jobs to 41\n  employees.\n     The three Shell vessels are Lakeshell, Eastern Shell and\n  Northern Shell, which range in size from 6,000 to 10,000\n  tonnes, Shell said.\n     Shell Canada is 72 pct owned by Royal Dutch\/Shell Group\n  <RD>.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC WARNS CONGRESS ON NEW TRADE BILL\n","article":"  The European Community (EC) has\n  warned the U.S. House of Representatives that tough trade\n  legislation it is considering could prompt retaliation by U.S.\n  trading partners.\n      The warning was sent in a letter from Sir Roy Denman, head\n  of the EC delegation in Washington, to Dan Rostenkowski,\n  chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.\n      A copy of the letter was made available to Reuters.\n      Denman told Rostenkowski, an Illinois Democrat, he backed\n  aspects of the bill, such as one backing new talks under the\n  GATT and one excluding protection for the textile industry.\n      But Denman disagreed with other provisions which would\n  require President Reagan to take retaliatory trade action\n  against nations with large trade surpluses with the U.S. and\n  would set new standards for judging unfair foreign trade\n  practices.\n      Denman told Rostenkowski that GATT regulations prohibit\n  member nations from taking unilateral retaliatory action in\n  trade disputes unless the action is GATT-approved.\n      He said \"If the Congress makes retaliatory action mandatory,\n  then the United States would be in violation of its\n  international legal obligations and on a collision course with\n  its major trading partners.\"\n      Denman added that a president should have flexibility in\n  enforcing trade laws, saying \"in the last resort, any\n  administration must take its decision in light of the overall\n  national interest.\"\n      Otherwise, he said, \"the risk would be counter-reaction by\n  trading partners of the United States, i.e., retaliation or\n  enactment of mirror image legislation to be employed against\n  imports from the United States.\"\n      Denman also said Congress could prompt retaliation if it\n  reduced the threshhold of unfair trade by making it easier for\n  firms to file unfair trade practice claims.\n      Retaliation could also be prompted by relaxing standards\n  for findings that imports were injuring U.S. firms.\n      \"Changes in these standards must be agreed upon\n  multilaterally. They cannot be imposed by the United States\n  alone on the world trading system,\" he said.\n      House leaders have rejected a plan by textile-state\n  legislators to add to the trade bill a provision to curb\n  imports of cloth and clothing, similar to a measure passed two\n  years ago but vetoed by President Reagan.\n      There was concern by the leaders that Reagan would veto the\n  entire trade bill because of the textile amendment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FAIRCHILD PRESIDENT SEEKING MANAGEMENT BUYOUT\n","article":"  Fairchild Semiconductor Corp\n  president Donald Brooks said he intends to take a management\n  buyout proposal to the company's parent at some point in the\n  future and substantial funding is available for such a\n  purchase.\n      Fairchild is owned by Schlumberger Ltd <SLB>.\n      Brooks also told a press conference that if management is\n  successful, it may later attempt to take the company public.\n      \"I am sure that if such a management buyout is to occur,\n  and I am hopeful that it does, the public market is one of the\n  avenues we will ultimately have to use to raise capital,\"\n  Brooks said.\n      Brooks also said the company would continue to attempt an\n  exchange of technology and manufacturing agreement with Fujitsu\n  Ltd if successful in its buyout bid.\n      Futjitsu withdrew an offer to acquire some 80 pct of\n  Fairchild, a semiconductor maker, after U.S. government\n  officials expressed opposition to the transaction.\n      Brooks told the news conference that any purchase would be\n  in the form of a management buyout and not a leveraged buyout.\n      He also said the transaction could be financed through a\n  debt issue or conventional financing from investors.\n      Brooks said management is pleased by a number of investment\n  proposals bought to them, but he added, \"the investors must be\n  willing to invest in the future growth of the company and not\n  just selling off assets.\"\n      Brooks also said he was not aware of any direct\n  intervention by the U.S. in an attempt to block the merger.\n      \"I am not aware of any direct contact between Washington\n  and Fujitsu, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist,\" Brooks\n  said.\n      He also said Fujitsu executives remain enthusiastic about a\n  link with Fairchild.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOUSE FARM LEADER SEES BILLION DLR BUDGET CUTS\n","article":"  The 1988 agriculture budget will\n  have to be cut by an additional one to two billion dlrs, the\n  chairman of a key house agriculture subcommittee said.\n      Implementation of a 0\/92 program, a tightening up of the\n  use of commodity certificates, and reconstitution of farms are\n  possibilities that will be studied to reduce farm spending,\n  said Dan Glickman, D-Kans., chairman of the House agriculture\n  subcommittee on wheat, soybeans and feedgrains.\n      Speaking at the annual meeting of the National Grain and\n  Feed Association, Glickman said he learned this week from the\n  House budget committee that the agriculture committee will have\n  to reduce the fiscal year 1988 farm budget by up to two billion\n  dlrs from the 30 billion dlrs level already approved.\n      Decisions on how to cut the farm budget will have to be\n  made very quickly in order to make any impact on the FY 1988\n  budget, Glickman added.\n      Glickman also said his committee will not approve USDA's \n  proposal to cut target prices by ten pct per year.\n      \"The administration's target price proposals are dead in\n  the water,\" he said.\n      To cut the budget, Glickman said, \"everthing is on the\n  table,\" except those moves that would reduce farmers' income.\n      Glickman offered a list of possibilities that his committee\n  will study in order to cut farm spending.\n      Implementation of a 0\/92 program for 1987 winter wheat and\n  1988 feedgrains crops has been introduced by Glickman, which he\n  said would result in a 150-200 mln dlr savings for one year.\n      Tightening up on the use of generic (in-kind, or \"pik')\n  certificates will also be another option his committee will\n  study, Glickman said.\n      While not committing himself for or against such action, he\n  said lawmakers have to examine recent government findings which\n  indicate certificates cost more than cash payments.\n      Glickman said rules for the reconstitution of farms and\n  tightening up of the person definition for annual payment\n  limitations is another option and could save 100-200 mln dlrs.\n      He also said increasing acreage set-aside requirements by\n  five pct for wheat and feedgrains at program sign-up was a move\n  that could save about one billion dlrs, but added that he would\n  not be in favor of such a change.\n      Glickman also said that the Export Enhancement Program's,\n  EEP, spending authority of 1.5 billion dlrs is quickly being\n  used up, and Congress will have to decide whether to expand\n  this program while making cuts in other areas.\n      Cuts in the EEP program are unlikely, he said.\n      \"I don't see right now that the EEP will be on the chopping\n  block,\" Glickman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CPC <CPC> SEES 1987 HIGHER EARNINGS PER SHARE\n","article":"  CPC International Inc said it expects\n  1987 earnings per share to increase over 1986 levels.\n      \"We are confident that 1987 will top 1986 in earnings per\n  share and are optimistic about our longer-term future as well,\"\n  the company said in its 1986 annual report.\n      In 1986, CPC earned 219.2 mln dlrs, or 2.30 dlrs a share,\n  on revenues of 4.55 billion dlrs compared with income of 142\n  mln dlrs or 1.46 dlrs on sales of 4.21 billion dlrs in 1985.\n  The share figures are adjusted for a 2-for-1 split paid in\n  January.\n      A share buyback program started last year reduced the\n  number of shares outstanding to 82.6 mln at year-end 1986 from\n  97.2 mln dlrs the end of 1985, adjusted for the split.\n      The food and grocery products company also said it was the\n  subject of five stockholder lawsuits and one class action suit,\n  filed last November and December in Delaware, New York and New\n  Jersey.\n      The suits are related to the company's purchase of its\n  shares from Salomon Brothers Inc after Salomon bought a block\n  of the stock from Ronald Perelman, who had acquired nearly 3.7\n  mln CPC shares, or 7.6 pct of the company, last year.\n      The suits allege the company bought the shares back at an\n  artificially inflated price, violating securities laws,\n  breaching directors' fiduciary duties and wasting corporate\n  assets.\n      CPC said the defendants, which include the company, its\n  directors, Salomon and Perelman, deny all the allegations of\n  improper conduct and are defending the suits.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. ENERGY INDUSTRY SAID IN BETTER HEALTH\n","article":"  The U.S. oil and gas industry is in\n  better health than it was a year ago, according to testimony\n  given to the Texas Railroad Commission at its annual state of\n  the industry hearing today.\n       The Commission, which regulates the state's oil and gas\n  industry, heard testimony from a number of high-level company\n  executives reflecting a belief that the recent industry\n  downturn had bottomed out.\n       \"The attitude expressed here today so far is a great deal\n  more optimistic (than last year),\" Commissioner James E. (Jim)\n  Nugent told Reuters.\n       \"It reflects their (the executives) belief that they are\n  seeing the bottom of the economic cycle,\" he added, \"and with\n  just a few reasonable breaks this industry can begin to move\n  again.\"\n       The energy industry was hard hit by the sharp drop in oil\n  prices, which fell from around 30 dlrs a barrel in late 1985 to\n  as low as 10 dlrs in mid-1986. Prices have since steadied to\n  around 18 dlrs a barrel.\n       At the same time, a number of company executives testified\n  that the nation's domestic exploration and production segment\n  was still hurting and in need of government help.\n       Production costs are considerably higher in the United\n  States than in such areas as the Middle East and as prices fell\n  many domestic producers were forced to shut down their\n  operations. Currently, there are only about 760 oil rigs\n  operating in the United States compared with an average of\n  nearly 2,000 in 1985.\n       Citing a study released yesterday by the Department of\n  Energy, many said the falling production of domestic oil\n  coupled with increasing U.S. demand, was leading to a growing\n  dependency on imports, particularly from the politically\n  volatile Middle East.\n       \"In the U.S., 1986 petroleum production responded to lower\n  prices, increasing about 2.5 pct, or 400,000 barrels per day\n  (bpd),\" said J.S. Simon, General Manager of the Supply\n  Department at Exxon Corp <XON>, the nation's largest oil\n  company.\n       At the same time, Simon said \"U.S. oil production declined\n  by 300,000 bpd, the first decline in several years,\" and \"net\n  petroleum imports were up 25 pct to 5.3 mln bpd.\"\n       Noting that while oil prices were expected to remain\n  between 13 and 20 dlrs a barrel, depending on OPEC's ability to\n  control production, Simon said demand is expected to remain at\n  1986 levels, leading to \"a significant amount of spare\n  worldwide production capacity, in excess of 10 mln bpd.\"\n       He said the surplus capacity would lead to continued\n  volatility and called for \"governmental and regulatory policies\n  in support of the domestic petroleum industry.\"\n       Citing the costs recently imposed by the federal\n  government through the 1986 tax code changes and \"Superfund\"\n  legislation, Simon called for the repeal of the windfall\n  profits tax, total decontrol of natural gas and improved access\n  to federal lands for oil and gas exploration.\n       Simon did not mention an oil import fee, which many in the\n  industry have called for as a way of building up the nation's\n  domestic operations before imports reach such a level that\n  national security might be compromised.\n       In yesterday's report, the Energy Department said imports\n  could make up 50 pct of U.S. demand by 1995, adding that\n  Persian Gulf producers will provide as much as 65 pct of the\n  free world's total oil consumption by that date.\n       Arguing that \"oil is a political tool in every nation on\n  earth,\" Frank Pitts, chairman of <Pitts Oil Co>, today called\n  for a variable oil import fee, among other measures, \"before\n  the treacherous foothold of the Middle East is irreversible and\n  our national security is compromised.\"\n       Royce Wisenbaker, Chairman of Wisenbaker Production Co,\n  agreed, saying that like many federal government programs that\n  were set up with good intentions, it would probably turn into a\n  \"shambles.\"\n       Wisenbaker added that he was optimistic for the future.\n  \"For those of us who have managed to hold on, the worst is\n  over,\" he said.\n       Roger Hemminghaus, President of Diamond Shamrock Refining\n  and Marketing Co, said he was \"enthusiastic about the future,\"\n  adding that he expected \"an increase in profitability by\n  midyear.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NOVAR ELECTRONICS <NOVR> SEES RESULTS IMPROVING\n","article":"  Novar Electronics corp said it\n  expects improved earnings this year due to a rapid expansion of\n  its Logic One computerized buolding management system customer\n  base and expectations of good crime deterrent business.\n      The company today reported earnings for the year ended\n  January Three of 207,514 dlrs, up from 98,050 dlrs a year\n  before.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MITSUI <MITSY>, SECURITY PACIFIC <SPC> SET PACT\n","article":"  Mitsui and Co Ltd said it has\n  signed a letter of intent with Security Pacific Corp to buy 50\n  pct of Japan Security Pacific Finance Co Ltd, for an\n  undisclosed sum, to form a joint venture.\n      Japan Security Pacific has assets of 200 mln dlrs.\n      The joint venture will introduce various financial products\n  to the customer base of Mitsui and its group of companies, the\n  company said.\n      Security Pacific will provide expertise in consumer and\n  commercial lending, as well as data processing support.\n      Japan Security Pacific Finance is a wholly-owned subsidiary\n  of Security Pacific International Finance Inc, which is owned\n  by Security Pacific Corp.\n      Security Pacific said in addition to originating consumer\n  and commercial loans and leases, the joint venture will market\n  related financial products and services.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CAROLINA POWER <CPL> CANCELS GENERATING UNIT\n","article":"  Carolina Power and Light Co said\n  its board has decided to cancel coal-fired Mayo Unit Two, the\n  second unit planned for its Mayo Plant in Person County, N.C.\n      The company said the 690,000 kilowatt unit was only about\n  one pct complete and was scheduled for commercial service in\n  1992.\n      Carolina Power said the status of the unit had been under\n  review because of a decision by the North Carolina\n  Environmental Management Commission that would have required\n  the unit to be equipped with expensive sulphur dioxide-removing\n  scrubbers.\n      Carolina Power said Unit One, which has been in operation\n  since 1983, meets all air quality regulations without scrubbers\n  through the use of low-sulphur coal, and \"The addition of\n  scrubbers to Mayo Unit Two would have produced only marginal\n  air quality improvements.\"\n      The company said it will be able to purchase lower-cost\n  power from Duke Power Co <DUK> for intermediate and peaking\n  purposes than the projected cost of power from Mayo Two with\n  scrubbers.  It said it will retain the Mayo Two site for later\n  development of a generating unit.\n      Carolina Power said Mayo Two was projected to cost about\n  877 mln dlrs, including 200 mln dlrs for scrubbers.  \"The\n  higher construction costs, plus higher operating costs, would\n  increase the cost of power produced by Mayo Unit Two with\n  scrubbers by about 90 mln dlrs per year.\"\n      A company spokesman said the company has already spent\n  about 23 mln dlrs on Mayo Two. He said no estimate has yet been\n  made of the cost of canceling the plant, but the company does\n  not expect to take a charge against earnings.  He said Carolina\n  Power intends to include the cancellation costs in rate filings\n  it will make late this year or early next year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALLISON'S PLACE INC <ALLS> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends Jan 31\n      Shr seven cts vs 20\n      Net 1,84,000 vs 387,000\n      revs 9.1 mln vs 6.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,804,752 vs 1,875,000\n      12 mths\n      shr 13 cts vs 33 cts\n      Net 315,000 vs 627,000\n      revs 32.4 mln vs 24.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,475,943 vs 1,875,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CAROLINA POWER AND LIGHT CO <CPL> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 69 cts vs 69 cts prior\n      Pay May One\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PURITAN-BENNETT <PBEN> MAKES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Puritan-Bennedtt Corp said\n  it has acquired a majority interest in Medicom Inc, which makes\n  a heart monitor for use in diagnosing heart disorders, for\n  undisclosed terms.\n      The company said the device will be sold under the name\n  Companion Heart Monitor.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MURRAY OHIO <MUR> SEES HIGHER FIRST QUARTER NET\n","article":"  Murray Ohio Manufacturing Co\n  said it expects first quarter earnings to be higher than the\n  year-ago 4,800,840 dlrs or 1.25 dlrs per share due to excellent\n  lawn and garden shipments.\n      The company said bicycle sales were soft early in the\n  period, but recent orders and shipments have been running well\n  ahead of last year.\n      It said it expects to meet analysts' projections of\n  earnings for the full year of 1.50 dlrs per share and it could\n  possibly exceed the estimate if orders continue strong.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DEL-VAL FINANCIAL CORP <DVL> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Mthly div 14-1\/2 cts vs 14-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay July One\n      Record June 17\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ENRON <ENE> TO PAY DIVIDENDS ON PREFERRED\n","article":"  Enron Corp said it will pay accrued\n  second quarter dividends on the three series of preferred stock\n  it will redeem on May 1.\n      The company said it will pay second quarter accrued\n  dividends to the redemption date of 53 cts per share on the\n  6.40 pct stock, 56 cts on 6.84 pct and 70 cts on 8.48 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"USSR CORN BUYING MAY BE 3.5 MLN TONNES--AMSTUTZ\n","article":"  The Soviet Union's recent corn\n  purchases from the United States could total as much as 3.5 mln\n  tonnes, U.S. Agriculture Undersecretary Daniel Amstutz said.\n      \"We are not sure how much (Soviets have bought) but we think\n  it could be as high as 3.5 mln tonnes,\" Amstutz told a House\n  Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee.\n      He added that China also will need to import more corn this\n  year than earlier anticipated, but he gave no figures.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALLISON'S PLACE <ALLS> SALES INCREASE IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Allison's Place Inc president\n  Marvin Schenker said company-owned stores sales for February\n  increased 82 pct over the same period last year.\n      He said comparable store sales in February increased 36\n  pct.\n      The company, which owns and franchises a total of 237\n  clothing outlets where all articles cost six dlrs, will\n  increase that figure to seven dlrs starting March 1, Schenker\n  said.\n      He said the impact of that boost will start to be felt in\n  the early part of the company's second quarter and continue\n  throughout the year.\n      Schenker said costs of the company's merchandise will not\n  increase.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BORMAN'S INC <BRF> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.10 dlrs vs 1.33 dlrs\n      Net 3,065,000 vs 3,730,000\n      Sales 273.9 mln vs 241.0 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 3.27 dlrs vs 2.62 dlrs\n      Net 9,168,000 vs 7,338,000\n      Sales 1.07 billion vs 987.2 mln\n      NOTE: Fiscal 1987 net includes tax credits of 10 cts for\n  the fourth quarter and 1.04 dlrs for the year compared with 43\n  cts and 85 cts in the respective periods of fiscal 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"(CORRECTED)-BANKERS TRUST NEW YORK <BT> PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 41-1\/2 cts vs 41-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay April 25\n      Record March 31\n      NOTE: Full name Bankers Trust New York Corp.\n      (Company corrects pay date, April 25, not April 28 in story\n  that ran yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NE ELECTRIC <NES> AUDITORS QUALIFY ANNUAL REPORT\n","article":"  New England Electric System's auditors\n  have again qualified the utility's annual report because of\n  uncertainty about whether its oil and gas subsidiary can\n  recover its investments.\n      The qualification was noted in the annual report which New\n  England Electric released at a security analysts meeting today.\n  The auditors also qualified the company's 1985 report for the\n  same reason, noting the sharp drop in oil and gas prices in\n  early 1986.\n      President Samuel Huntington told analysts the utility will\n  have to take a write-down of about 235 mln dlrs if Federal\n  regulators do not allow the company to pass on the losses cited\n  by the accountants to its rate payers.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CORRECTED - FEDERAL PAPER <FBT> RAISES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 17-1\/2 cts vs 17-1\/4 cts\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 31\n      NOTE: Full name Federal Paper Board Co.\n      (Corrects headline and dividend figure in item appearing\n  March 17 to show dividend was raised.)\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NE ELECTRIC SEES HIGHER CONSTRUCTION OUTLAYS\n","article":"  New England Electric System <NES>\n  expects its cash construction spending to reach 205 mln dlrs\n  this year, up from 188 mln dlrs in 1986, the utility said in\n  material distributed at an analysts meeting.\n      It said spending is expected to advance to 215 mln dlrs in\n  1988 and 220 mln dlrs in 1989.\n      The utility said these totals exclude spending on New\n  England Hydro-Transmission being built to import electricity\n  from Quebec Hydro. New England Electric is the operator of this\n  venture as well as owning 51 pct of the project.\n      The venture expects to spend 65 mln dlr this year, 105 mln\n  dlrs next year and 125 mln dlrs in 1989 to build transmission\n  lines from northern Quebec into New England, the utility said.\n      New England Electric said internally generated funds will\n  cover all of its power plant construction costs this year and\n  65 pct of the 108 mln dlrs its retail distribution units plan\n  to spend in 1987.\n      The company said it also expects to spend 60 mln dlrs on\n  its oil and gas activities this year, adding internally\n  generated funds are expected to provide 85 pct of this total.\n      New England Electric said it plans to issue 30 mln dlrs\n  worth of pollution control bonds in 1987 and retire additional\n  higher cost preferred stock. Its Granite State Electric unit\n  plans to issue five mln dlrs of long term notes early this year\n  as well.\n      The company said it does not plan to offer common shares\n  this year or in the foreseeable future, but expects to raise\n  about 40 mln dlrs in equity through the sale of stock under its\n  dividend reinvestment plan and employee share plans.\n      President Samuel Huntington told the analysts the\n  construction spending projection is based on the expectation\n  that demand for electricity in the New England electric system\n  will grow about two pct a year for the next 15 years.\n      However, the utility cannot ignore the potential for\n  sharper growth, he said, pointing out that demand was up 5.2\n  pct in 1986 and 4.7 pct per year in the past four years.\n      He attributed this growth to declining electricity prices\n  and a strong New England economy.\n      Huntington said New England Elecetric has \"all but rejected\n  new coal fired plants\" to supply additional power.\n      He said the most attractive new power supplies are those\n  with short lead times which can be built in modules.\n      Later, vice president Glenn Schleede said the utility is\n  looking at gas-fired, combined cycle generating units to supply\n  most of its new power needs, but has not rejected coal-fired\n  fluidized bed units.\n      He explained that fluidized bed technology is available in\n  modular units, adding that Huntington was referring to the\n  traditional coal-fired plant which burns pulverized coal.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"RADA ELECTRONIC INDUSTRIES<RADIF> NINE MTHS NET\n","article":"  Ended December 31\n      Shr three cts vs nine cts\n      Net 220,000 vs 721,000\n      Revs 4,920,000 vs 4,184,000\n      Avg shrs 6,425,925 vs 6,599,000\n      NOTE: Full name Rada Electronic Industries Ltd.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. WHEAT GROWERS SET STATE DEPT TRADE MEETING\n","article":"  The National Association of Wheat\n  Growers, NAWG, board of directors is scheduled to meet\n  Secretary of State George Schultz and Undersecretary of State\n  Allen Wallis to discuss the Department's current role in farm\n  trade policy, the association said.\n      NAWG President Jim Miller said in a statement that the\n  organization wanted to convey to Secretary Schultz the\n  importance that exports hold for U.S. agriculture and the\n  degree to which farmers are dependent upon favorable State\n  Department trade policies to remain profitable.\n      \"Foreign policy decisions of the U.S. State Department have\n  in the past severely hampered our efforts to move our product\n  to overseas markets,\" he said.\n      Miller noted Secretary Schultz is scheduled to meet next\n  month with representatives of the Soviet Union, and the NAWG\n  \"wanted to be certain the secretary was aware of our concerns\n  regarding the reopening of wheat trade with the Soviet Union.\"\n      The annual spring NAWG board of directors meeting is held\n  in Washington to allow grower-leaders from around the country\n  to meet with their state congressional delegations and members\n  of the executive branch.\n      The purpose is to discuss the current situation for\n  producing and marketing wheat and help set the legislative and\n  regulatory agenda for the coming year, the NAWG statement said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DOE SECRETARY PROPOSES OIL TAX INCENTIVES\n","article":"  Energy Secretary John Herrington\n  said he will propose tax incentives to increase domestic oil\n  and natural gas exploration and production to the Reagan\n  Administration for consideration.\n      \"These options boost production, while avoiding the huge\n  costs associated with proposals like an oil import fee,\"\n  Herrington told a House Energy subcommittee hearing. \"It is my\n  intention to submit these proposals to the domestic policy\n  council and the cabinet for consideration and review.\"\n      \"The goal of the Administration policies is to increase\n  domestic production. I would like to shoot for one mln barrels\n  a day,\" he said.\n      The proposals were based on a DOE study released yesterday\n  warning the United States was threatened by a growing\n  dependence on oil imports.\n      \"We project free world dependence on Persian Gulf oil at 65\n  pct by 1995,\" Herrington said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHILDREN'S DISCOVERY <CDCRA> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 18 cts vs profit six cts\n      Net loss 509,471 vs profit 163,840\n      Revs 2,623,974 vs 1,835,580\n      12 mths\n      Shr loss 18 cts vs profit 10 cts\n      Net loss 494,352 vs profit 173,948\n      Revs 10.1 mln vs 3,551,429\n      NOTE: 4th qtr loss reflects 290,000 dlrs of non-recurring\n  expenses related to senior management changes.\n      Full name of company is Children's Discovery Centers of\n  America Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CPI CORP <CPIC> TO POST HIGHER 1986 RESULTS\n","article":"  CPI Corp said it expects to post\n  higher sales and earnings for its fiscal year ended February 7\n  when it officially reports results in three weeks.\n      It said preliminary figures show total sales of 258 mln\n  dlrs, up 30 pct from 198 mln dlrs in its 1985 fiscal year. Net\n  earnings from continuing operations rose to 18 mln dlrs, up\n  almost 31 pct from 13.9 mln dlrs, while per share earnings from\n  continuing operations were 2.22 dlrs, up 23 pct from 1.80 dlrs.\n  There were 552,500 additional shares outstanding.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAMAICA AUTHORIZED TO BUY PL 480 WHEAT - USDA\n","article":"  Jamaica has been authorized to\n  purchase about 56,000 tonnes of U.S. wheat under an existing PL\n  480 agreement, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      It may buy the wheat, valued at 7.0 mln dlrs, between March\n  25 and August 341 and ship it from U.S. ports and\/or Canadian\n  transshipment points by September 30, 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LAIDLAW TRANSPORTATION <LDMFA> SEES BETTER YEAR\n","article":"  Laidlaw Transportation Ltd said\n  earnings per share for the current fiscal year should increase\n  by \"substantially more\" than the 30 pct average annual growth\n  experienced in the last four years.\n      Revenues for the year ended August 31 will be about 1.2\n  billion dlrs, including GSX Corp, the U.S. waste services unit\n  acquired from Imasco Ltd last year for 358 mln dlrs, Laidlaw\n  president Michael de Groote told analysts.\n      Last year, Laidlaw had operating earnings of 66.2 mln dlrs,\n  or 63 cts per share, on revenues of 717.8 mln dlrs.\n      De Groote also said the company expects \"excellent results\"\n  in the second quarter ended February 28, but would not be more\n  specific.\n      He said his revenue estimate for fiscal 1987 does not\n  include possible further acquisitions and said that the\n  addition of GSX will produce increasing benefits in fiscal 1988\n  through fiscal 1990.\n      De Groote said the increased earnings in the previous four\n  quarters was due partly to internal growth of about 15 pct. The\n  rest came from acquisitions, he said.\n      Laidlaw expects to sell a small rubber recycling operation,\n  a subsidiary of GSX, within the next few weeks, but this will\n  not make any material contribution to earnings, de Groote said.\n      He also said he is \"not very optimistic\" about the ongoing\n  negotiations to buy 50 pct of Tricil Ltd, a Toronto-based\n  chemical and solid waste services company with Canadian and\n  U.S. operations, from <Trimac Ltd> of Calgary.\n      De Groote said that, regardless of the outcome of the\n  proposed Tricil acquisition, Laidlaw will decide within the\n  next 30 days whether to stay in the North American chemical\n  waste business through GSX Corp.\n      \"We feel it is a profitable business with good growth\n  potential and we now want to stay in it if we can get the right\n  management,\" de Groote said.\n      Laidlaw financed the acquisition of GSX by its U.S.\n  subsidiary, Laidlaw Transportation Inc, with the proceeds of a\n  200 mln Canadian dlr preferred stock issue and borrowing.\n      De Groote said the company will gain about 138 mln dlrs in\n  cash by August 31 from the exercise of warrants.\n      De Groote also said waste services in fiscal 1987 will\n  represent about 49 pct of revenues, school buses will\n  contribute 49 pct and trucking about two pct.\n      The trucking subsidiary in western Canada is performing\n  well and there are no plans to sell it, he said.\n      He would not estimate the contribution of each segment to\n  earnings per share for the year. He also said that further\n  acquisitions of school bus operations in the U.S. are likely\n  within the next few months.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PERU SHORT-TERM TRADE LINES RISE TO 430 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  peru's short-term foreign trade credit\n  lines have more than doubled to 430 mln dlrs under president\n  alan garcia's 20-month administration.\n      Central bank general manager hector neyra told reporters \n  that many of the credits were for 90-day terms and could be\n  used several times a year.\n      The trade credits stood at 210 million dollars when garcia\n  took office on july 28, 1985, and announced foreign debt\n  payments would be limited to 10 pct of export earnngs.\n      Neyra told reuters that peru was current on interest\n  payments on short-term debt, including the trade credit lines\n  and on about 750 million dollars in so-called  \"working capital\"\n  credits.\n      Neyra did not specify the source of the trade credit lines.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL'S GDP GREW 8.2 PCT LAST YEAR\n","article":"  Brazil's Gross Domestic Product,\n  GDP, rose by 8.2 pct in real terms last year following an 8.3\n  pct increase in 1985, the Geography and Statistics Institute\n  said.\n      In money terms this equalled 3.6 trillion Cruzados, giving\n  per capita GDP of 26,120 Cruzados, or 1.6 pct above the level\n  achieved in 1980 before the recession of 1981-1983, the\n  Institute said in a statement.\n      Agricultural output, hit by adverse weather, fell by 7.3\n  pct last year led by coffee production which was 46 pct down.\n      Industry grew 12.1 pct, including capital goods by 21.6 pct\n  and consumer goods by 20.3 pct, while services were up 8.3 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ENSOURCE INC <EEE> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 60 cts vs loss 6.50 dlrs\n      Net loss 2,012,000 vs loss 21.9 mln\n      Revs 8.6 mln vs 13.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.04 dlrs vs loss 5.96 dlrs\n      Net loss 3.5 mln vs loss 20.2 mln\n      Revs 36.6 mln vs 52.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MEXICAN HYDROCARBON RESERVES FALL SLIGHTLY IN 1986\n","article":"  mexico's proven reserves of liquid\n  hydrocarbons at end-1986 were 70 billion barrels, slightly down\n  from 70.9 billion a year ago and 71.75 billion in 1984, the\n  state oil company petroleos mexicanos (pemex) announced.\n      Reserves were just 5.77 billion barrels in 1974, rose\n  sharply to 40.19 billion in 1978 and flattened out at 72\n  billion in both 1981 and 1982.\n      In its annual report, pemex said average crude output in\n  1986 was 2.43 mln barrels per day, 202,000 bpd down on 1985.\n  Average exports were 1.29 mln bpd, down from 1.44 mln bpd.\n      The company did not say what percentage of hydrocarbons was\n  crude oil, but has previouly said it was about 48 pct.\n      Natural gas output in 1986 was 3.43 billion cubic feet per\n  day, down from 3.6 billion in 1985.\n      Due mainly to the fall in oil prices to around 12 dlrs from\n  25 dlrs in the year, 58 wells, both exploratory and production,\n  were suspended, 38 of them in less productive areas than the\n  offshore campeche fields which accounted for 64 pct of\n  production.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GREAT LAKES FEDERAL <GLFS> HIKES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 15 cts vs 10 cts prior qtr\n      Pay 17 April\n      Record 3 April\n      NOTE: Great Lakes Federal Savings and Loan is full name of\n  company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MURRAY OHIO <MYO> SEES HIGHER 1ST QTR EARNINGS\n","article":"  The Murray Ohio Manufacturing\n  Co said it expects first quarter earnings to be higher than the\n  4,800,840 dlrs, or 1.25 dlrs per share, it recorded for the\n  first quarter of last year.\n      The company, which produces lawn mowers and bicycles, said\n  earnings are ahead of last year due to increased lawn and\n  garden shipments in January and February and a record-setting\n  pace in March.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ALLEGHANY CORP <Y> DECLARES 1987 DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Alleghany Corp said its board \n  declared a stock dividend of one share of its common for every\n  50 shares outstanding, as the company's dividend on its company\n  for 1987.\n      It said the dividend will be distributed on April 30, to\n  holders of record on March 30.\n      Alleghany said cash will be paid in lieu of any fractional\n  shares of its stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE VOTES CREDIT CARD RATE CAP\n","article":"  A House Banking subcommittee has\n  approved legislation to limit the interest rates charged by\n  banks and other credit card issuers.\n      The Consumer Affairs and Coinage subcommittee bill would\n  limit credit card interest rates at eight percentage points\n  above the yield on one-year Treasury securities.\n      If in effect now, the bill would limit credit card rates to\n  13.8 pct compared to a nation-wide average of 18 pct, the\n  subcommittee said.\n      The bill now goes to the full House Banking committee for\n  further action.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PREMIER INDUSTRIAL CORP <PRE> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Ended Feb 28\n      Shr 39 cts vs 35 cts\n      Net 11.5 mln vs 10.4 mln\n      Revs 111.0 mln vs 104.6 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 1.16 dlrs vs 1.04 dlrs\n      Net 34.3 mln vs 30.8 mln\n      Revs 335.2 mln vs 320.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 26.7 mln vs 29.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNION <UCO> TO SELL UNION FLONETICS UNIT\n","article":"  Union Corp said it agreed\n  in principle to sell its Union Flonetics Corp subsidiary to\n  Irvin Kaplan, a Houston investor.\n      The unit makes valves and marine specialty equipment for \n  the military. Kaplan is also controlling shareholder of <Hunt\n  Valve Co Inc>.\n      The amount of the cash transaction, expected to close in\n  April, was not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VERSATILE TO BUILD POLAR ICE BREAKER\n","article":"  Versatile Corp's shipbuilding subsidiary\n  has a letter of intent to build a 320 mln dlr polar icebreaker\n  for the Canadian coast guard, Transport Minister John Crosbie\n  said.\n      In a Vancouver address, Crosbie said Versatile Pacific\n  Shipyards Inc was the low bidder to build the Arctic Class 8\n  icebreaker, but the company must meet certain financial and\n  engineering conditions before the contract is awarded.\n      The government also announced it will provide up to 13 mln\n  dlrs in loan insurance to help Versatile prepare for the\n  construction of the vessel.\n  said before the contract can be awarded Versatile \"will be\n  required to offer assurances that the shipyard is technically\n  and financially capable of performing the work.\"\n      Crosibie said Versatile's bid was 100 mln dlrs lower than\n  competing bidders and will generate 1,000 person years of\n  direct employment.\n      Work on the vessel, which Crosbie said would be the most\n  powerful icebreaker in the world, would begin next year and\n  completed in 1992.\n      The government announced plans to build the icebreaker last\n  year following the controversial passage of the U.S. Coast\n  Guard's vessel, the Polar Sea, through the disputed Northwest\n  Passage. The U.S. government did not seek permission for the\n  journey, claiming the area was an international water way.\n      The government said the icebreaker was needed to back up\n  the country's claim of sovereignty in the Arctic.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. BANK INCOME SHOWS FIRST DROP IN 25 YEARS\n","article":"  Problems in the farmbelt and\n  oilpatch regions contributed to the first decline in overall\n  income for U.S. banks in a quarter century, the Federal Deposit\n  Insurance Corp (FDIC) said.\n      The nation's 14,181 commercial banks had net income of 17.8\n  billion dlrs in 1986, down slightly from 1985's record 18.1\n  billion dlrs.\n      The total was still the second highest ever reported, but\n  it was the first time income had not grown since 1961.\n      The figures reflected a radical split in the health of\n  banks in the two halves of the country, the FDIC said.\n      In the East, one in 12 banks had losses last year, while\n  one in four banks west of the Mississippi River had losses.\n      Nationwide, one out of five banks reported losses, the FDIC\n  said in the first of a new series of quarterly banking profiles\n  it planned to issue.\n      \"I don't remember a time when there was such a clear\n  distinction by geographic area,\" FDIC Chairman William Seidman\n  told reporters.\n      He said that while the figures were not good, they showed\n  the problem did not lie with the banking system as a whole but\n  with regional differences in economic performance.\n      Some 44 banks have failed so far this year, twice as many\n  as failed by this time a year ago, but Seidman said he doubted\n  the pace would continue. \n      On a positive note, banks increased capital to a record 208\n  billion dlrs last year, and there has been a slowing in the\n  number of new problem banks in all regions except the\n  Southwest, Seidman said.\n      Banks' provision for losses from bad loans in the fourth\n  quarter increased to 21.7 billion dlrs, a 23 pct rise from a\n  year ago.\n      Large banks -- those with assets of one billion dlrs or\n  more -- reporting fourth-quarter losses totaled 22, the FDIC\n  said.\n      Seidman said it was too early to say what effect Brazil's\n  moratorium on debt interest payments would have on U.S. banks.\n      He said bank deregulation had given managers more freedom\n  to run their banks and that an increase in failures was to be\n  expected.\n      But this freedom from regulatory restraints also has meant\n  other banks that were better managed have gotten stronger,\n  Seidman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SOMERSET SAVINGS BANK <SOSA> 4TH QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 55 cts vs NA\n      Net 2,512,000 vs 773,000\n      Year\n      Net 7,123,000 vs 3,098,000\n      Assets 417.7 mln vs 251.1 mln\n      Deposits 329.4 mln vs 230.1 mln\n      Loans (net) 366.1 mln vs 205.2 mln\n      NOTE: Some per shr amounts not available as company\n  converted to public ownership in July 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VESTAR SECURITIES INC <VES> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div 30.1 cts vs 34.1 cts prior\n      Pay April 14\n      Record March 31\n      NOTE: company said prior qtr includes end of year\n  additional four cts dividend.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERITECH <AIT> REGULAR DIVIDEND SET\n","article":"  Qtly div 1.25 dlrs vs 1.25 dlrs\n      Pay May 1\n      Record March 31\n      NOTE: Full name is American Information Technologies Corp\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HARTFORD NATIONAL CORP <HNAT> DECLARES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 30 cts vs 30 cts prior\n      Pay April 20\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ARKANSAS BEST CORP <ABZ> DECLARES QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div nine cts vs nine cts prior\n      Pay April 13\n      Record March 30\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUDITORS LIFT QUALIFICATION ON PS INDIANA <PIN>\n","article":"  Auditors for Public Service\n  Co of Indiana Inc lifted a qualification, in effect for two\n  years, on its 1986 financial results, according to the\n  company's annual shareholders' report.\n      PSI's report was qualified in 1984 and 1985 when its\n  auditors, Arthur Andersen and Co, questioned the utility's\n  ability to recover costs of its Marble Hill nuclear power plant\n  and to extend the maturity of its credit agreement.\n      The company wrote off 141 mln dlrs of Marble Hill costs in\n  November, 1986 and repaid its final 20 mln dlrs in debt in\n  October, 1986, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MARSHALL INDUSTRIES <MI> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 14 cts vs 12 cts\n      Net 1,017,000 vs 877,000\n      Sales 68.1 mln vs 61.2 mln\n      Nine Mths\n      Shr 40 cts vs 17 cts\n      Net 2,986,000 vs 1,215,000\n      Sales 205.3 mln vs 174 mln\n      Note: Per share figure reflects two-for-one stock split of\n  July 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FINANCIAL BENEFIT GROUP INC <FBGI> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 11 cts vs loss 48 cts\n      Net loss 254,000 vs loss 784,000\n      NOTE: Includes realized gains of one mln dlrs versus\n  840,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ARKANSAS BEST <ABZ> SEES LOWER FIRST QTR NET\n","article":"  Arkansas Best Corp said its\n  1987 first quarter earnings will be significantly lower than\n  fully diluted earnings of 22-1\/2 cts per share in last year's\n  first quarter.\n      The company said pricing competition and lower traffic\n  levels in the motor carrier industry hurt its first quarter\n  results.\n      However, the company said its furniture and tire operations\n  are more profitable this year than last year.\n      Arkansas Best also said that if the industry sustains the\n  upcoming 2.9 pct motor carrier rate hike it will offset the\n  Teamster labor increase scheduled for April 1.\n      It said the labor increase then will be 3.2 pct for ABF\n  Freight System, its largest unit.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"URS CORP <URS> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr primary 29 cts vs 26 cts\n      Shr diluted 27 cts vs 23 cts\n      Net 1,500,000 vs 1,008,000\n      Revs 30 mln vs 23.1 mln\n      Avg shrs pimary 5,254,000 vs 3,821,000\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TIE\/COMMUNICATIONS INC <TIE> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 1.28 dlrs vs loss 59 cts\n      Oper net loss 46.0 mln vs loss 21.1 mln\n      Revs 63.9 mln vs 77.8 mln\n      12 mths\n      Oper shr loss 1.65 dlrs vs loss 2.09 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 59.3 mln vs 75.0 mln\n      Revs 298.2 mln vs 321.3 mln\n      NOTE: for the qtr and yr 1986, loss reflects pretax loss of\n  45.0 mln and 55.5 mln, which included a writedown of inventory\n  and restructuring charges amounting to 37.1 mln and 37.9 mln,\n  and a tax gain of 940,000 and 3,094,000.\n      For the qtr and yr 1985, loss consisted of a pretax loss of\n  23.9 mln and 102.3 mln which included a writedown of inventory,\n  restructuring charges and loss on the sale of a division\n  amounting to 13.0 mln and 61.0 mln, and a tax gain of 3,036,000\n  and 28.5 mln.\n      qtr 1985, excludes estimated loss 3,354,000 for disposal of\n  HCL Leasing Corp sold July 1986, as well as its operating\n  results prior to this date.\n      year current and prior excludes loss 1,543,000, and\n  2,859,000, respectively, for estimated loss on disposal of HCL\n  Leasing Corp.\n      qtr and year current excludes foreign tax 312,000, and\n  1,179,000, respectively, which payment would have been required\n  in the absence of foreign operating loss carryforwards from\n  prior years.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. HOUSE PLAN SEEKS TO BAR FOREIGN TAKEOVER\n","article":"  A U.S. House subcommittee voted to\n  give President Reagan authority to block foreign takeovers of\n  U.S. companies similar to the takeover of Fairchild\n  Semiconductor Corp. by Fujitsu Ltd which was withdrawn.\n      The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce approved\n  as an amendment to the overall House trade bill a provision\n  giving Reagan the power to block sales to foreign companies if\n  the sale was not in the national or economic interest.\n      The subcommittee rejected a proposal requiring the U.S. to\n  pay investors one pct for the right to hold their gold\n  investments in government storage. His amendment called for the\n  government to sell gold coins and gold-backed bonds with\n  maturities of 30 to 50 years to investors to reduce the federal\n  debt.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SIEBE COMPLETES ACQUISTION OF RANCO <RNI>\n","article":"  <Siebe Plc> of the U.K. said it\n  completed the acquisition of Ranco Inc, following approval by\n  Ranco shareholders.\n      According to the terms of the deal, Ranco holders will\n  receive 40 dlrs a share in cash. Ranco will be transferred to\n  one of Siebe's U.S. subsidiaries, Robertshaw Controls Co.\n      Ranco produces automatic control devices and power controls\n  that regulate temperature, pressure, time sequencing, current,\n  fluid flow and humidity. Its Teccor unit makes a specialized\n  line of semiconductors.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<PANTRY INC> INB TALKS ON BEING ACQUIRED\n","article":"  Privately-held Pantry Inc, which\n  operates 477 convenience stores in five Southeastern states,\n  said it has engaged Alex. Brown and Sons Inc <ABSB> to explore\n  a possbile sale of the company.\n      It said it expects to start talks with prospective\n  acquirers shortly. The company said it has been approached by a\n  number of parties in recent months.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<HAWKER SIDDELEY CANADA INC> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.06 dlrs vs 1.54 dlrs\n      Net 9,455,000 vs 13.4 mln\n      Sales 418.7 mln vs 422.0 mln\n      Note: 59 pct owned by Hawker Siddeley Group PLC\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NO IMMEDIATE PLANS TO CLOSE REFINERY - ESSO SAF\n","article":"  ESSO SAF <ESSF.PA>, the French subsidiary\n  of Exxon Corp <XON>, said it had no immediate plans to shut\n  down one of its two refineries. Exxon's new president Lee R.\n  Raymond said earlier that it could decide to close a French\n  refinery.\n      An ESSO SAF spokesman said a closure was a hypothesis that\n  depended on the evolution of the market and refineries' ability\n  to make money. He said Port Jerome west of Paris and Fos sur\n  Mer on the Mediterranean had benefitted from new investment\n  over 1985-86 and had last year broken even after stock losses.\n      The Port Jerome refinery has an annual production capacity\n  of seven mln tonnes while Fos sur Mer's is five mln, the\n  spokesman added.\n      Industry sources said the easiest plant to dispose of would\n  be Fos sur Mer because it is a single refinery, while the Port\n  Jerome refinery is attached to a wider complex comprising a\n  petrochemical plant and a lubricant production plant.\n      Raymond was quoted as saying in a published interview that\n  Exxon was reviewing its worldwide refinery operations and might\n  decide to close one of its French refineries.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TEL OFFSHORE TRUST <TELOZ> UPS QUARTERLY PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly distribution 43.5884 cts vs 37.2427 cts in prior qtr\n      Payable April 10\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EMHART CORP <EMH> SET TO INCREASE EARNINGS\n","article":"  Emhart Corp said it plans to increase\n  worldwide revenues and earnings at an annual compounded growth\n  rate of 15 pct and about 13 pct, respectively.\n      It said these objectives were based on several assumptions,\n  including a four pct average inflation rate through 1989 and a\n  two pct to three pct GNP real growth.\n      In 1986, Emhart reported a net loss of 10 mln dlrs or 35\n  cts a share, after a 90 mln after-tax restructuring charge,\n  which realigned the company's assets.\n      Emhart has divested itself of many of its units to focus on\n  three primary markets--industrial products, consumer products,\n  and information and electronic systems.\n      Emhart said industrial products should account for about 62\n  pct of projected 1987 revenues of 2.3 billion dlrs, while\n  consumer products should account for about 20 pct of those\n  revenues and information and electronic systems about 18 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BELCHER TO RAISE HEAVY FUELS PRICES\n","article":"  The Belcher Co of New York, a\n  subsidiary of Coastal Corp <CGP>, said it will raise the posted\n  prices for number six fuel in New York 25 cts to 1.75 dlrs a\n  barrel, depending on grades.\n      Effective March 19, the new prices are 0.3 pct sulphur\n  22.50 dlrs, up one dlr, 0.5 pct sulphur 21.75 dlrs, up 1.75\n  dlrs, 0.7 pct sulphur 21 dlrs, up 1.25 dlrs. One pct sulphur\n  20.25 dlrs, up one dlr, two pct sulphur 18.25 dlrs, up 25 cts,\n  2.2 pct sulphur 18 dlrs, up 25 cts, 2.5 pct sulphur 17.75 dlrs,\n  up 30 cts, and 2.8 pct sulphur 17.50 dlrs, up 50 cts.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GRAPHIC INDUSTRIES INC <GRPH>4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 27 cts vs 23 cts\n      Net 1,713,000 vs 1,447,000\n      Revs 46.9 mln vs 39.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 97 cts vs 78 cts\n      Net 6,154,000 vs 4,855,000\n      Revs 167.9 ln vs 130.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<COFAB INC> BUYS GULFEX FOR UNDISCLOSED AMOUNT\n","article":"  CoFAB Inc said it acquired <Gulfex Inc>,\n  a Houston-based fabricator of custom high-pressure process\n  vessels for the energy and petrochemical industries.\n      CoFAB said its group of companies manufacture specialized\n  cooling and lubricating systems for the oil and gas,\n  petrochemical, utility, pulp and paper and marine industries.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONGRESS VIDEO GROUP INC <CVGI> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends Dec 31\n      Shr profit three cts vs loss three cts\n      Net profit 129,000 vs loss 85,000\n      Revs 4,001,000 vs 4,347,000\n      Avg shrs 3,994,347 vs 3,769,347\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 75 cts vs profit 39 cts\n      Net loss 2,900,000 vs profit 1,753,000\n      Revs 7,472,000 vs 15.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,845,438 vs 4,470,275\n      NOTE: net 1986 includes tax gain carryforward from\n  discontinued operations of Master's Merchandise Group in year\n  prior.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FINANCIAL CORP <CPSA>PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts in prior qtr\n      Payable April 22\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HARTFORD NATIONAL CORP <HNAT> REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 30 cts vs 30 cts in prior qtr\n      Payable April 20\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BRAZILIAN RED MEAT OUTPUT DOWN SHARPLY - USDA\n","article":"  Brazilian red meat production in\n  1986 fell more than 20 pct to 1.9 mln tonnes due to drought\n  which reduced slaughter weight and to herd rebuilding which\n  started because of high cattle prices, the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department said.\n      In its report on World Production and Trade Developments,\n  USDA said that in 1987, beef production is expected to reach\n  2.3 mln tonnes.\n      Pork production in 1986 rose 83 pct to 1.1 mln tonnes due\n  to the sharp rise in beef prices and is expected to remain at\n  that level this year, USDA said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GENCORP ASKS SHAREHOLDERS TO POSTPONE ACTION IN TENDER OFFER\n","article":"\n  GENCORP ASKS SHAREHOLDERS TO POSTPONE ACTION IN TENDER OFFER\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MONY FINANCIAL BUYS UNITED ADMINISTRATORS <UAI>\n","article":"  <MONY Financial Services> said it\n  purchased United Administrators Inc in an effort to secure a\n  larger market share for its group insurance line.\n      MONY said this acquisition, coupled with its purchase of\n  Kelly Associates in 1985, contributes to its goal of expanding\n  its group business and improving its product lines.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BFI COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS INC 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 18 cts vs loss 20 cts\n      Net loss 629,527 vs loss 697,847\n      Revs 404,345 vs 1,558,951\n      Year\n      Shr loss 56 cts vs loss 1.81 dlrs\n      Net loss 1,910,063 vs loss 5,744,588\n      Revs 5,999,377 vs 6,347,702\n      Avg shrs 3,441,513 vs 3,175,402\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FORTUNE <FORF> TO ACQUIRE MARINE SAVINGS\n","article":"  Fortune Financial Group Inc's\n  Fortune Savings Bank subsidiary said it executed a definitive\n  agreement to buy <Marine Savings and Loan Association of\n  Florida> for 10.1 mln dlrs.\n      It said the agreement has been approved by the directors of\n  both banks and is subject to approval of Marine shareholders by\n  a majority vote.\n      Fortune said that under the agreement it will pay 20.10\n  dlrs cash for each of Marine's 500,000 shares outstanding,\n  among other things.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HAWKER SIDDELEY CANADA TO SELL UNIT\n","article":"  <Hawker Siddeley Canada Inc> said that,\n  due to poor market conditions for railway freight car\n  manufacturing, it plans to sell its Trenton Works division in\n  Trenton, Nova Scotia.\n      Hawker Siddeley said it set aside a provision of 7.7 mln\n  dlrs for the proposed sale.\n      It also said lower 1986 earnings were due to much lower\n  earnings in transportation equipment and losses in steel\n  castings and forgings, which offset gains in the mining sector\n  and improvements in forestry equipment.\n      Hawker Siddeley also said demand for new railway equipment\n  was limited with export sales frequently restrained by\n  customers' financing difficulties.\n      Demand for steel castings and wheels for Canadian railways\n  continued to be very depressed with maintenance requirements at\n  the lowest level in the past decade.\n      However, there was demand for industrial casting due to\n  increased hydro-electric power generation, the company said.\n      The company said manufacturing of mining machinery and\n  tunnelling equipment showed greatly improved results in the\n  U.S. and export markets, mainly China and India.\n      The Orenda division maintained a high level of activity in\n  aircraft engine repair and overhaul and in the manufacture of\n  engine components.\n      Sawmill equipment and skidder operations were affected by a\n  strike in British Columbia and the extended debate on U.S.\n  imports of Canadian lumber, but there were encouraging signs at\n  yearend, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CENTRAL ILLINOIS <CIP> 12 MTHS FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 2.04 dlrs vs 1.83 dlrs\n      Net 76,172,000 vs 71,101,000\n      Revs 621.7 mln vs 670.3 mln\n      NOTE: Central Illinois Public Service Co is full name of\n  company.\n      Most recent 12 months net excludes preferred dividends of\n  6.4 mln dlrs compared with 8.6 mln dlrs last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BOGART CRAFTS CORP <VOGT> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Yr ends Nov 29, 1986\n      Shr loss 61 cts vs loss 1.19 dlrs\n      Net loss 1,017,000 vs loss 1,987,000\n      Revs 10.4 mln vs 10.3 mln\n      NOTE: Prior yr ended Nov. 30\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GENCORP <GY> GROUP TO SEEK ANTI-GREENMAIL VOTE\n","article":"  GAMCO Investors Inc, an affiliate of\n  Gabelli and Co, plans to propose an anti-greenmail provision at\n  the GenCorp Inc annual meeting March 31, according to GAMCO\n  Chairman Mario Gabelli.\n      Greenmail often involves the repurchase of shares at a\n  premium by a company from an unwanted investor. GenCorp today\n  received a surprise tender offer from a group that holds 9.8\n  pct of its stock.\n      Gabelli also said GAMCO has sent a 13-D filing to the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission on the 6.5 pct of GenCorp\n  stock held by GAMCO and its affiliates.\n      The stock amounts to 1,462,000 shares and most of it was\n  reported in an earlier 13-G filing. A 13-G is filed by passive\n  investors to show holdings of more than five pct.\n      Earlier today, General Partners, owned by Wagner and Brown\n  and AFG Industries Inc, launched a 100 dlr per share tender\n  offer for GenCorp. Analysts said the offer was between 10 and\n  20 dlrs per share too low.\n      GenCorp has made no comment on the offer.\n      Gabelli said he also proposes that management consider\n  spinning off all assets, other than the GenCorp broadcast\n  properties, to shareholders. The licenses of the broadcast\n  properties have long been entangled in a series of challenges.\n      \"One thing is going to be clear and that is I'm going to\n  the meeting and putting up \"no greenmail,\" Gabelli said.\n      Gabelli said he fears that greenmail might be a motivation\n  in the offer.\n      The annual meeting is to be held in Akron, Ohio.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LAENDERBANK EXPECTS MODEST PROFIT RISE IN '87\n","article":"  Oesterreichische Laenderbank AG\n  [OLBV.VI] expects to maintain its dividend and to record a\n  moderate rise in profits this year after the 181.5 mln\n  schilling net profit made in 1986, General Director Gerhard\n  Wagner said.\n      Wagner told a news conference that last year's 34.3 pct\n  rise in net profit from 135.1 mln in 1985 was largely due to\n  greater domestic business and wider margins on schilling\n  interest rates.\n      The bank, Austria's third largest, raised its 1986 dividend\n  to 12 pct of its 1.5 billion schilling nominal share capital\n  from 10 pct on capital of 1.35 billion in 1985.\n      Announcing the 1986 results, Wagner said: \"We will endeavour\n  to maintain the higher dividend in 1987.\"\n      Laenderbank's balance sheet total rose five pct to 197.7\n  billion schillings against 8.1 pct growth in 1985. Foreign\n  currency business last year accounted for some 37 pct of\n  balance sheet total compared with about 41 pct in 1985.\n      Wagner blamed the realtive shrinkage of foreign business\n  chiefly on the dollar's fall against the schilling, which is\n  effectively pegged to the mark. The dollar's weakness had wiped\n  some 8.9 billion schillings off the balance sheet total.\n      Wagner declined to give an exact figure for profits from\n  the bank's London branch, which opened in April 1985, but said\n  that it came close to one mln stg.\n      On schilling lending, profit on interest had risen 18 pct\n  to 2.19 billion schillings while commission earnings climbed\n  8.7 pct to 738.9 mln.\n      According to the 1987 federal budget, the state is due to\n  lower its stake 60 pct in Laenderbank, probably to 51 pct.\n  Wagner said the exact timing of the move depended on the state.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL DATA <NDAC> IN PACT WITH SIGNATURE\n","article":"  National Data Communications Inc said it\n  is no longer obligated to issue its majority shareholder\n  <Signature Capital Corp> 20 mln common shares under a previous\n  agreement.\n      National said it entered into a new agreement with\n  Signature, which would have owned about 80 pct of National's\n  common under the prior pact.\n      Under the new pact, National said it granted Signature a\n  five-year option to acquire two mln shares of its common for an\n  option price equal to its current market value. National has\n  about 15.3 mln shares outstanding.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PILGRIM VENTURE IN MERGER AGREEMENT\n","article":"  <Pilgrim Venture Corp>\n  said it signed a letter of intent to merge with <Marketing\n  Technologies Group Inc>, Rockville Center, N.Y.\n      Under terms of the agreement, Pilgrim, a publicly held\n  corporation, said it will issue two mln shares of authorized\n  but unissued restricted common stock to Marketing Technologies\n  shareholders. The company said it expects to complete the\n  merger by June 17.\n      Marketing Technologies is developing a computer-based\n  advertising system geared toward large advertisers, the company\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GENCORP <GY> TO STUDY GENERAL PARTNER BID\n","article":"  GenCorp Inc chairman William\n  Reynolds said the company's board and its financial and legal\n  advisors will study the unsolicited tender offer from <General\n  Partners>.\n      \"Right now, our advice to all our shareholders is to wait\n  until the board advises them of its position ... which will\n  happen on or before March 31,\" Reynolds said.\n      Earlier today, General Partners, controlled by Wagner and\n  Brown and AFG Industries Inc, said it started a tender offer\n  for all of Gencorp's shares and stock purchase rights for 100\n  dlrs a share.\n      General Partners said the offer, which is due to expire\n  April 14, is conditioned on receipt of sufficient financing and\n  other conditions.\n      \"We are asking our shareholders to postpone any decision on\n  whether to accept or reject the offer until the board finishes\n  its evaluation,\" Reynolds said in a statement.\n      \"The Wagner and Brown-AFG offer does not expire until April\n  14, so shareholders have time to make their decision,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<RENOUF CORP> TO PROCEED WITH BENEQUITY <BH> BID\n","article":"  Renouf Corp of New Zealand said it\n  has decided to proceed with its offer for all outstanding units\n  of Benequity Holdings at 31 dlrs per unit.\n      The company had been required to redice by March Two\n  whether to proceed with the offer or terminate it, based on its\n  ability to obtain financing and on its review of Benequity\n  operations.  The offer is to expire March 13.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT SERVICES <RESM> IN PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 1-3\/4 cts vs 1-3\/4 cts prior\n      Pay April 23\n      Record April nine\n      NOTE: Full name Restaurant Management Services Inc\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CITIZENS FIRST BANCORP INC <CFB>RAISES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 15 cts vs 12.5 cts prior\n      Pay May 1\n      Record April 17\n      Note: Prior dividend is adjusted for recent six-for-five\n  stock split.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TEXACO INC <TX> 84.1 MLN DLR DEFENSE CONTRACT\n","article":"  Texaco Refining and Marketing Inc is\n  being awarded a 84.1 mln dlr Defense Logistics Agency contract\n  for jet fuel, the Defense Department said.\n      It said work on the contract, which was awarded as part of\n  a multi-contract procurement program, is expected to be\n  completed by March 31, 1988.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ALLISON'S PLACE INC <ALLS> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr seven cts vs 20 cts\n      Net 184,000 vs 387,000\n      Revs 9,100,000 vs 6,700,000\n      Year\n      Shr 13 cts vs 33 cts\n      Net 315,000 vs 627,000\n      Revs 32.4 mln vs 24.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CONAGRA INC 3RD QTR SHR 36 CTS VS 31 CTS\n","article":"\n  CONAGRA INC 3RD QTR SHR 36 CTS VS 31 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PRI <PRI> TO BUY SHELL <RD> HAWAII GAS STATIONS\n","article":"  Pacific Resources Inc said it signed a\n  definitive agreement with Royal Dutch\/Shell Group unit Shell\n  Oil Co to buy Shell's marketing, terminaling and distribution\n  assets in Hawaii for 32 mln dlrs.\n      The purchase would include Shell's interest in 39 retail\n  gasoline stations and four petroleum product terminals, PRI\n  said. The company said it expects the transaction to be\n  completed by September 1, 1987.\n      The pact includes provisions allowing the continued use of\n  the Shell trademark, credit cards and the sale of Shell brand\n  products by the gasoline stations, PRI said.\n      PRI said all Shell-brand products sold under this agreement\n  will be manufactured to Shell specifications.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"READING CO <RDGC> 4TH QTR OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 40 cts vs 30 cts\n      Oper net 1,364,000 vs 1,025,000\n      Revs 14.7 mln vs 11.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,372,970 vs 3,425,400\n      Year\n      Oper shr 86 cts vs 32 cts\n      Oper net 2,925,000 vs 1,109,000\n      Revs 43.0 mln vs 35.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,383,651 vs 3,418,594\n      NOTE: Year-ago periods exclude extraordinary gain of 1.1\n  mln dlrs or 31 cts\/shr.\n      Includes gains of 988,000 dlrs vs one mln dlrs in qtr and\n  2.2 mln dlrs vs 1.1 mln dlrs in year from tax loss\n  carryforwards.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CUBA TELLS TRADERS SUGAR EXPORTS MAY BE DELAYED\n","article":"  Cuba has told international sugar\n  operators who have bought its sugar for shipment in March that\n  these contracts will take second place to Cuba's direct\n  shipments to its export markets, dealers here said.\n      Some traders who have received telexes from Cuba said the\n  language of the message was not totally clear and some believed\n  shipments would be honoured if the traders declare the Soviet\n  Union as the destination of their contracts.\n      The telexes have fueled rising world prices in the last\n  week and reflect a poor Cuban crop, worry over Brazil's export\n  availability, and increasing Soviet demand, analysts said.\n      Traders said signs of Cuba's shortage of immediately\n  available raw sugar to supply its traditional martkets was\n  probably the factor behind Syria calling a snap buying tender\n  last month.\n      Normally Syria calls white sugar buying tenders for forward\n  delivery, and last month's spot requirement resulted in the\n  sale of several cargoes.\n      Cuba in its telex told operators they would not receive\n  March shipments as Cuba has to meet its contracts to export\n  markets, traders said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CONAGRA INC <CAG> 3RD QTR FEB 22 NET\n","article":"  Shr primary 36 cts vs 31 cts\n      Shr diluted 36 cts vs 31 cts\n      Net 25.1 mln vs 21.7 mln\n      Revs 1.53 billion vs 1.39 billion\n      Avg shrs primary 68.8 mln vs 68.9 mln\n      Avg shrs diluted 70.5 mln vs 71.0 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr primary 1.32 dlrs vs 1.13 dlrs\n      Shr diluted 1.30 dlrs vs 1.11 dlrs\n      Net 90.8 mln vs 77.6 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Revs 5.18 billion vs 4.58 billion\n      Avg shrs primary 68.9 mln vs 68.8 mln\n      Avg shrs diluted 70.6 mln vs 71.0 mln\n      Note: Net is before preferred dividend payments.\n      Current nine mths net includes after-tax provision of five\n  mln dlrs for consolidation of food plants.\n      Shr and avg shrs data reflect two-for-one split in December\n  1986. Results for year-ago nine mths and current first half\n  restated to reflect acquisition of E.J. Miller Enterprises for\n  1,040,000 shares in January 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN PACIFIC <CP> SEEKS BUYER FOR UNIT\n","article":"  Canadian Pacific Ltd said it retained\n  Wood Gundy Inc to seek a buyer for Maple Leaf Mills Ltd of\n  Toronto.\n      The company said Maple Leaf had 1986 sales of 819 mln dlrs\n  and an after tax profit of 16.3 mln dlrs. It is a diversified\n  agriproducts company which produces and sells industrial and\n  consumer flour, flour-based products and baked goods.\n      It also operates a fully integrated poultry business and a\n  rendering businesses, markets livestock and poultry feed and\n  distributes grain through a network of country and terminal\n  elevators.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AIR CANADA COURIER BUY SHARPLY ALTERS INDUSTRY\n","article":"  Air Canada's 54 mln U.S. dlr\n  acquisition of Gelco Corp's <GEC> Canadian unit has\n  dramatically altered Canada's fast growing courier industry,\n  largely dominated by U.S. companies until this year, company\n  officials and analysts said.\n      State-owned Air Canada takes over the country's second\n  largest overnight courier business just two months after\n  another Canadian company, <Onex Capital Corp Ltd>, approved the\n  acquisition of number one ranked Purolator Courier Ltd from New\n  Jersey-based Purolator Courier Corp <PCC>.\n      But analysts said the two acquisitions were prompted by\n  financial restructuring undertaken by the U.S. parent companies\n  and likely don't represent an industry trend toward buying out\n  foreign owned courier operations.\n      \"It's a case of whether you can buy from the right people at\n  the right time,\" McLeod Young Weir Ltd transportation analyst\n  Tony Hine commented.\n      The two acquisitions fit with a larger move by U.S.\n  companies embroiled in a take-over or restructuring to sell-off\n  their Canadian units to generate ready cash, said Nesbitt\n  Thomson Deacon Inc analyst Harold Wolkin.\n      \"There is a very good correlation between the U.S. parent\n  selling Canadian subsidiaries and the U.S. parent either being\n  under siege or taking someone else over,\" he said.\n      Gelco Corp, of Minnesota, decided to sell Gelco Express Ltd\n  as part of its previously announced program to sell off four\n  operating units to buy back shares and pay down debt, Gelco\n  Express marketing vice president James O'Neil told Reuters.\n      The sale is the first under Gelco's divestiture program,\n  and proceeds will be used to help pay down 350 mln U.S. dlrs of\n  debt by year-end, the company said.\n      While company officials declined to disclose earnings and\n  revenue figures, O'Neil said Gelco Express holds a dominant\n  position in the industry, handling more than 50,000 packages a\n  day and generating revenues of more than 100 mln Canadian dlrs\n  a year.\n      The earlier move by Purolator to sell its Canadian unit\n  formed an important part of a company restructuring program,\n  adopted after another Canadian Company, <Unicorp Canada Corp>,\n  acquired a 12.6 pct stake in Purolator and said it would\n  consider acquiring the whole company.\n      Last month, Purolator agreed to be acquired by a company\n  formed by E.F. Hutton LBO Inc and certain managers of\n  Purolator's U.S. courier business.\n      For Air Canada, its acquisition of Gelco's Canadian courier\n  business represents an \"excellent financial investment\" in a\n  market it sees growing by 25 to 30 pct annually, spokesman\n  Esther Szynkarsky said.\n      The airline also announced it acquired a 65 pct stake in\n  EMS Corp, of Calgary, an in-city messenger service.\n      It did not disclose financial terms, but Szynkarsky said\n  the two acquisitions totalled about 90 mln Canadian dlrs, and\n  the two business have combined yearly revenues of 170 mln dlrs.\n      She said the acquisition fit with Air Canada's strategy of\n  seeking attractive investments that compliment its main airline\n  business.\n      Gelco will continue to operate with current management,\n  independently of Air Canada, although Air Canada already\n  operates its own air cargo business that includes a small\n  door-to-door courier operation.\n      \"They're well run, they're a good investment, they're doing\n  well in a growing market, and that's the way we want to keep\n  it,\" Szynkarsky said.\n      Analyst Hine said the Gelco and Purolator Canadian units\n  will likely retain operating links with their U.S. delivery\n  network, generating traffic for the former parent companies\n  without them having to tie up capital in Canada.\n      \"The nature of the business is that incremental traffic is\n  incremental revenue,\" Hine said.\n      \"It's sort of a sausage maker business where you put in\n  place the sausage grinder, and the more sausage you can stuff\n  through, the more money you make,\" he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COPPER INDUSTRY ASKS LME FOR STRATEGY STATEMENT\n","article":"  Representatives of the International\n  Wrought Copper Council (IWCC) and major copper producers have\n  told the London Metal Exchange (LME) a clear statement of its\n  forward strategy would lead to a better understanding between\n  industry and the LME.\n      In a press release the IWCC said that at the latest meeting\n  between the copper industry and the LME to discuss the new\n  clearing house system, industry expressed grave concern about\n  latest proposals made by at least one LME member for a cash\n  cleared market to replace the planned clearing system which\n  will retain the prompt date settlement basis.\n      Copper industry delegates told the LME a decision to change\n  (the planned clearing system) would indicate a fundamental\n  change in the function of the LME and in its service to the\n  industry, the release said.\n      By deterring industry use of the Exchange for hedging and\n  physical needs it would remove many of the unique advantages\n  currently offered by the LME and make it indistinguishable from\n  non-trade orientated markets such as Comex.\n      The LME had to decide whether dealer convenience should\n  take a higher priority over customer satisfaction, industry\n  delegates said.\n      The IWCC release also said the LME had confirmed that no\n  change would be made to the clearing system planned to start on\n  May 29. But it had indicated that consideration would be given\n  in due course to the cash clearing proposal, made by\n  Amalgamated Metal Trading at a LME members meeting last week.\n      A copper industry spokesman suggested that some assurance\n  of permanence in the new clearing system would remove industry\n  fears of uncertainty resulting from an endless process of\n  review and change, the press release said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORTH-WEST TELECOM <NOWT> 4TH QTR OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 64 cts vs 52 cts\n      Oper net 872,272 vs 706,836\n      Revs 9,271,541 vs 7,744,466\n      Year\n      Oper shr 2.03 dlrs vs 1.96 dlrs\n      Oper net 2,782,7801 vs 2,684,089\n      Revs 31.2 mln vs 29.1 mln\n      NOTE: Full name is North-West Telecommunications Inc\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GROUP RECONSIDERS COMPUTER MEMORIES <CMIN> BID\n","article":"  A shareholder group led by Far\n  Hills, N.J., investor Natalie Koether said it is reconsidering\n  its plan to seek control of Computer Memories Inc and now plans\n  to sell its entire stake in the company.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the group, which includes Sun Equities Corp, said it sold a net\n  365,375 Computer Memories common shares between March 5 and 17\n  at prices ranging from 3-3\/4 to four dlrs a share, lowering its\n  stake to 687,000 shares, or 6.2 pct of the total outstanding.\n  The group said it reconsidered its takeover plans after the\n  company announced it agreed to a stock swap.\n      On March 12, the Chatsworth, Calif., computer disk drive\n  concern said it agreed in a letter of intent to exchange 80 pct\n  of its stock, all of which would be newly issued, for the\n  assets of privately held Hemdale Film Corp, with Hemdale as the\n  surviving entity.\n      \"In light of these disclosures, Sun found it necessary to\n  re-evaluate the feasibility of seeking control of the company\n  and has sold a portion of its shares and currently intends to\n  sell the balance thereof from time to time,\" the group said.\n      The group, which disclosed plans on Dec 29 to seek control\n  of the company, reserved the right to change its mind again.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GOODRICH <GR> TO PHASE OUT SOME BUSINESSES\n","article":"  B.F. Goodrich Co said it will phase\n  out the production of aircraft tires, missile and marine\n  products and molded rubber products in Akron, Ohio, by the end\n  of 1987, laying off about 790 salaried, production, maintenance\n  and support services employees.\n      The company said layoffs will start within the next few\n  weeks.\n      Goodrich said it will continue to make chemicals and\n  adhesives in Akron, employing about 356.  Another 5000 salaried\n  employees in Akron work for Goodrich.\n      The company said it has not been able to operate the\n  businesses being discontinued in Akron profitably enough to\n  justify the large investment that it has in them.\n      Goodrich said it will continue to make aircraft tires at\n  Norwood, N.C., and sonar domes at Jacksonville, Fla., and will\n  relocate its molded rubber products business to a site not yet\n  chosen.  It said it will stop making insulators for missiles.\n      Goodrich said it is prepared to discuss with officials of\n  the United Rubber Workers Union severance benefits for affected\n  employees and issues related to the continued operation in\n  Akron of the chemical and adhesives businesses and to the\n  phaseout of the Akron aircraft tire, missile and marine and\n  molded rubber products manufacturing.\n      A company spokesman said it does not expect any adverse\n  impact on earnings from the move.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AULT INC <AULT> 3RD QTR MARCH ONE NET\n","article":"  Shr profit eight cts vs loss 16 cts\n      Net profit 153,000 vs loss 310,000\n      Sales 3,937,000 vs 2,364,000\n      Nine Mths\n      Shr profit five cts vs loss 53 cts\n      Net profit 97,000 vs loss 1,042,000\n      Sales 10.2 mln vs 7,564,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICUS TRUST <ATU> AND <ATP> INITIAL DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Americus Trust for American Telephone\n  and Telegraph Shares Series Two said it will distribute an\n  initial dividend of 28.75 cts on May 12 to shareholders of\n  record March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"XTRA <XTR> TO BUY FRUEHAUF <FTR> UNIT\n","article":"  XTRA Corp said it agreed to acquire all\n  the stock of RentCo Trailer Corp, a wholly owned subsidiary of\n  Fruehauf Corp for about 70 mln dlrs.\n      RentCo had revenues of about 70 mln dlrs.\n      The transaction is expected to be completed in April and is\n  subject to regulatory approval.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WICKES COMPANIES <WIX> COMPLETES SALE OF UNIT\n","article":"  Wickes Companies Inc said\n  it completed the sale of its Sequoia Supply division to a new\n  company created by the management of that division.\n      Paul Hylbert, president of Sequoia, has been named\n  president and chief executive officer of the new company.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LDBRINKMAN <LDBC> CHIEF CUTS CENERGY <CRG> STAKE\n","article":"  LDBrinkman Corp Chairman L.D.\n  Brinkman and members of his family said they cut their stake in\n  Cenergy Corp to 3,647 shares, or 0.4 pct of the total\n  outstanding, from 912,147 shares, or 9.4 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the group said it sold 302,833 Cenergy common shares to Snyder\n  Oil Partners L.P. <SOI> on March 14 for 2,725,500 dlrs and gave\n  Snyder another 605,667 shares, in exchange for 524,135 units of\n  limited partnership interests in Snyder.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INTER-TEL INC <INTLA> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr three cts vs one ct\n      Net 235,000 vs 66,000\n      Revs 10 mln vs 8,202,000\n      Avg shrs 7,972,000 vs 8,545,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"THUNANDER CORP <THDR> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 73 cts vs 58 cts\n      Net 1,101,000 vs 901,000\n      Sales 32.9 mln vs 29.1 mln\n      Note: Results include operations of BMD of New England Inc,\n  acquired Sept. 1, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TEXSTYRENE CORP <FOAM> 11 MTHS DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 83 cts\n      Net loss 2,115,000\n      Revs 139.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 3.6 mln\n      NOTE: Company went public February 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FLUOROCARBON CORP <FCBN> QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Shr seven cts vs seven cts prior qtr\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"METRO MOBILE <MMCT> DECLARES STCOK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Metro Mobile CTS Inc said it declared\n  a 10 pct stock dividend.\n      The dividend will be distributed on April 13 to holders of\n  record March 30.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LAURENTIAN GROUP SEES HIGHER SHARE NET\n","article":"  <Laurentian Group Corp> said it\n  expects 1987 earnings per share will show about the same\n  proportionate increase as in 1986.\n      Last year, the company had 25.7 mln dlrs operating profit,\n  or 76 cts per share, up from 11.1 mln dlrs, or 59 cts per\n  share, in 1985. Shares outstanding increased to 39 mln from\n  27.8 mln.\n      The American holding company, Laurentian Capital Corp, will\n  show a substantial improvement this year, chairman Claude\n  Castonguay said before the annual meeting.\n      Laurentian Capital Corp, which recently acquired two small\n  U.S. life insurance companies, had 1986 profit of 1.1 mln U.S.\n  dlrs, or eight cts per share, compared to seven mln U.S. dlrs,\n  or 68 cts per share.\n      Castonguay said Laurentian Group Corp, the parent firm,\n  plans to fill out its national financial services distribution\n  system and make further acquisitions if the right opportunity\n  occurs.\n      The company also may expand this year in continental\n  Europe, in conjunction with La Victoire, a French insurance\n  company, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"METRO MOBILE <MMCT> DECLARES STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Metro Mobile CTS Inc said it declared\n  a 10 pct stock dividend.\n      The dividend will be distributed on April 13 to holders of\n  record March 30.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<TRIDEL ENTERPRISES INC> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.05 dlrs vs 51 cts\n      Net 8,500,000 vs 4,100,000\n      Revs 183.2 mln vs 136.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PERU SHORT-TERM TRADE CREDIT UP TO 430 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  Peru's short-term foreign trade credit\n  lines, regarded as vital to ensure smooth foreign commercial\n  transactions, have more than doubled to 430 mln dollars under\n  the 20-month government of president Alan Garcia.\n      Central bank general manager Hector Neyra told reporters\n  many of the credits were 90-day.\n      Trade credits were 210 mln dlrs when Garcia took office in\n  1985 announcing a tough stance limiting foreign debt repayments\n  to 10 pct of export earnings.\n      Neyra told Reuters Peru was current on interest payments on\n  short-term debt, including trade credit lines and on about 750\n  mln dlrs in so-called  \"working capital\" credits.\n      Trade credit lines were 880 mln dlrs in 1982, but fell in\n  1984 when Peru stopped some payments to private foreign banks.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. TO SELL OFF REMAINING 31.7 PCT STAKE IN BP\n","article":"  The British Conservative government said\n  it would sell off its remaining 31.7 pct shareholding in\n  British Petroleum Co Plc <BP.L> during the next financial year\n  which starts on April 1.\n      Treasury Financial Secretary Norman Lamont made the\n  announcement to Parliament. He said, \"The government's policy is\n  to sell its minority holdings in companies as and when\n  circumstances permit.\n      \"As part of this policy I am now able to announce that,\n  subject to market conditions, the government will sell its\n  remaining shares in BP during the 1987\/88 financial year.\"\n      The last sale of British government shares in BP was in\n  September 1983. The government currently holds some 578.5 mln\n  ordinary shares in the company.\n      Lamont said the Treasury would appoint financial advisers\n  for the sale. Merchant banks and stockbrokers interested in\n  being considered for this would be interviewed in early April.\n      In September 1983, the U.K. Government sold 150 mln shares\n  in an underwritten offer for sale by tender. The striking price\n  then was 435 pence - 7.5 pct above the minimum tender price, a\n  Treasury spokesman said.\n      He said the sale of BP shares would not cut across the\n  government's plans to privatise Rolls-Royce, in either April or\n  May, or the sale of BAA Plc, the British airports authority\n  which is slated for privatisation in either June or July.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FINAL TRUST FOR THRIFT INSTITUTIONS PAYOUT SET\n","article":"  <Massachusetts Financial Services Co>\n  said it has set the final income and capital gain distributions\n  for <Trust for Thrift Institutions High Yield Series> of 1.069\n  dlrs and 7.645 dlrs, respectively, payable today.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EIA SAYS DISTILLATES OFF 7.6 MLN BBLS, GASOLINE OFF 3.4 MLN, CRUDE OFF 4.4 MLN\n","article":"\n  EIA SAYS DISTILLATES OFF 7.6 MLN BBLS, GASOLINE OFF 3.4 MLN, CRUDE OFF 4.4 MLN\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EAST RAND MINES EXPECT HIGHER GOLD PRODUCTION\n","article":"  East Rand Proprietary Mines Ltd\n  said that barring any major disruption in production, it\n  expects 1987 gold output to top 10 tonnes after dropping to\n  9.223 tonnes last year from 10.251 in 1985.\n      Chairman Clive Knobbs said in the annual report the mine\n  was expected to mill a higher tonnage while capital expenditure\n  during 1987 will be around 118.5 mln rand.\n     The decline in gold production last year was due to a four\n  pct drop in tonnage milled and a seven pct decline in grade.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SNYDER <SOI> BUYS STAKE IN CENERGY\n","article":"  Snyder Oil Partners LP said\n  it acquired 1.2 mln shares, or 12 pct, of Cenergy Corp.\n      It said it is continuing to review its investment  and has\n  made no determination of its future course of action.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FAR WEST FINANCIAL <FWF> TO BUY PROGRESSIVE\n","article":"  Progressive Savings and Loan\n  Association <PRSL> said it has agreed in principle to be\n  purchased by Far West Financial Corp's Far West Savings and\n  Loan Association.\n      The acquisition would be a cash merger, with Progressive\n  shareholders receiving up to three dlrs per share, the company\n  said.\n      Progressive Savings has assets of about 500 mln dlrs and\n  operates ten offices in Los Angeles and Orange counties.\n      The agreement is subject to federal and shareholder\n  approval.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMMUNITY SAVINGS BANK <CSBN> QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div six cts vs six cts prior\n      Pay April 17\n      Record April 3.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DIVISION SEEN ON HOW TO HELP U.S. OIL INDUSTRY\n","article":"  The U.S. Congress and the oil industry\n  are deeply divided on ways the government should assist the\n  industry, hurt by the sharp fall in oil prices, and the\n  subsequent growth in oil imports, industry analysts said.\n      \"The industry is deeply divided between those who support an\n  oil tariff and those who believe tax incentives are better,\"\n  said Daniel Yergin, director of Cambridge Energy Research\n  Associates, which recently completed a survey of the U.S.\n  Congress on energy issues.\n      Yergin said he saw mounting support within Congress for tax\n  incentives rather than an oil tariff or import fee.\n      Today U.S. Energy Secretary John Herington said he will\n  propose tax incentives to increase edomestic oil and natural\n  gas exploration and production to the Reagan Administration for\n  consideration. White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said the\n  proposal would be reviewed.\n      Herrington said, \"I would like to shoot for one mln barrels\n  a day (addition) to U.S. production.\" U.S. oil output was off to\n  8.4 mln bpd in the week of March 13, down six pct from last\n  year, the American Petroleum Institute said.\n      Oil industry analysts have forecast oil prices to average\n  about 18 dlrs a barrel for the year and many believe that a\n  move above that level will be unlikey for the near term.\n      Paul Mlotok, oil analyst for Salomon Brothers Inc said that\n  \"even with the rise in prices for the last week or two we've\n  only altered our average price scenerio to about 17.50 dlrs for\n  the year.\"\n      Analysts said that at that price renewed drilling and\n  exploration to reverse the decline in U.S. crude oil output\n  will not take place as the companies are waiting for stable\n  prices over 20 dlrs to renew exploration.\n      John Lichtblau, president of the Petroleum Industry\n  Research Foundation Inc in New york in recent testimony to\n  Congress said \"The continuing decline in U.S. oil production is\n  virtually inevitable under any realistic price scenario. But\n  the future rate of decline is very much a function of world oil\n  prices and U.S. government policy.\"\n      Lichtbalu said that tax breaks could be used to raise oil\n  production but would only work over time.\n      \"Lowering the producing industry's tax burden would probably\n  be a slower stimulant (to output) than a price increase but\n  would not raise energy costs.\" Lichtblau said.\n      But the small independent oil companies who do much of the\n  drilling in the U.S. are looking for the more immediate relief\n  which could be brought on by an oil import fee.\n      Ronald Tappmeyer, president of the International\n  Association of Drilling Contractors, said, \"The members of our\n  trade asssociation are convinced that only a variable oil\n  import fee that sets a minimum price trigger can protect our\n  nation.\" The association represents some 1,300 drilling and oil\n  service companies.\n      The CERA survey of Congress shows that the oil import fee\n  will face a stiff uphill battle.\n      Yergin said that the poll which was conducted in January by\n  a former Congressman, Orval Hansen, showed support for the oil\n  import fee from 22 pct of the Congressmen surveyed largely as a\n  means of protecting the domestic petroleum industry.\n       At the same time 48 pct of the Congressmen surveyed\n  opposed the fee with the respondents saying the tariff would\n  hurt consumers and some regional interests.\n      But 80 pct of the sample said support for a fee could grow\n  if production continued to fall and imports to rise.\n      Yergin said that imports above 50 pct of U.S. requirements\n  \"is a critical, symbolic level. If they (imports) move above\n  that level, a fee may not be legislated but there will\n  certainly be pressure for some form of action.\"\n       But Lichtblau, in a telephone interview, said, \"a 50 pct\n  rate of import dependency is not likely to happen before 1990.\n      In 1986 U.S. oil imports rose to 33 pct of u.s. energy\n  requirements and shopuld be about 34 pct in 1987, he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TEXSTYRENE <FOAM> SUSPENDS PREFERRED PAYMENTS\n","article":"  Texstyrene Corp said it has\n  suspended quarterly cash dividend payments on its 9.5 pct\n  convertible exchangeable preferred stock.\n      The suspension effects the March 15 payment, and it said it\n  does not expect to pay preferred dividends in the forseeable\n  future.\n      It said the payments were suspended because of certain\n  covenants contained in its loan agreements. A spokesman said\n  the company's loss of 2,115,000 dlrs for the first 11 months as\n  a public company did not meet an income condition on the loans,\n  leading to the suspension.\n      The maker of foam cups, food containers and other products\n  said it had 733,332 outstanding preferred shares, which had\n  been privately placed.\n      The dividend payments on the shares amounted to 1,045,000\n  dlrs per year, the spokesman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"(RPT) U.S. SAYS TIN DISPOSALS WILL NOT AFFECT ACCORD\n","article":"  U.S. tin disposals should have little\n  effect on an agreement reached last weekend by tin producing\n  countries to limit group exports to 96,000 tonnes in the year\n  started March 1, a government official said.\n      The agreement by the seven-member Association of Tin\n  Producing Countries (ATPC) aimed to cut the world surplus and\n  boost prices. Following the accord, ATPC Chairman Subroto\n  appealed to the United States to restrict its tin releases from\n  its strategic stockpile.\n      \"We don't think that (the U.S. government) has a large\n  influence in the (tin) market at this stage of the game,\" said\n  Thomas O'Donnell, Director of International Commodities at the\n  State Department. Last year the United States released about\n  4,900 tonnes of tin to two ferroalloy firms.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SPECTRAN CORP <SPTR> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss 2.22 dlrs vs profit 16 cts\n      Net loss 10.2 mln vs profit 760,443\n      Revs 1.1 mln vs 3.7 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 3.68 dlrs vs profit 64 cts\n      Net loss 16.9 mln vs profit 2.7 mln\n      Revs 3.6 mln vs 15.2 mln\n      NOTE:1986 4th qtr includes 6.7 mln dlr restructuring charge\n  and writedowns of 280,000 dlrs. year includes writedown of 3.6\n  mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<VANGUARD INDEX TRUST> QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 18 cts vs 18 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record March 26.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SHULTZ SAYS U.S. PRODUCTS MUST BE COMPETITIVE\n","article":"  Asked what the U.S. State\n  Department's policy is on offering subsidized wheat to Moscow,\n  Secretary of State George Shultz told a group of farm leaders\n  that U.S. products must be competitive in the world market.\n      \"If we are going to sell our products, whatever they may\n  be, wheat or anything else, then we have to meet the market,\"\n  Shultz told the board of directors for the National Association\n  of Wheat Growers.\n      \"We have to be competitive. It's ridiculous to say that\n  somebody is going to buy your product if they can get the same\n  thing at a lower price somewhere else. They just aren't,\" he\n  said.\n      \"That is our approach in the negotiations with the Soviets,\n  and it must be our approach as we look at the American farm\n  program and try to figure out what we should do to make it\n  better,\" Shultz told the Wheat Growers.\n      Schultz said that while he does not favor a situation that\n  would allow the Soviet housewife to buy food cheaper than the\n  American housewife, he realizes the importance of American\n  agricultural products being competitively priced.\n      Speculation has been in the market for some time that the\n  United States is considering offering wheat to the Soviet Union\n  at subsidized prices.\n      Soviet officials have said they would buy U.S. wheat if it\n  were competitively priced. Agriculture Department officials\n  have declined to take any official position on the issue.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN PACIFIC SEEKS BUYER FOR MAPLE LEAF UNIT\n","article":"  Canadian Pacific Ltd said it retained\n  Wood Gundy Inc to seek a buyer for Maple Leaf Mills Ltd of\n  Toronto.\n      The company said Maple Leaf had 1986 sales of 819 mln\n  Canadian dlrs and an after tax profit of 16.3 mln Canadian\n  dlrs. It is a diversified agriproducts company which produces\n  and sells industrial and consumer flour, flour-based products\n  and baked goods.\n      It also operates a fully integrated poultry business and a\n  rendering business, markets livestock and poultry feed and\n  distributes grain through a network of country and terminal\n  elevators.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GREYHOUND CORP <G> COMPLETES BUS LINE SALE\n","article":"  Greyhound corp said it completed\n  the sale of its Greyhound Lines unit to Dallas-based GLI\n  Holdings Inc for 350 mln dlrs in cash, securities, royalties\n  and other considerations.\n      Greyhound said GLI is authorized to continue using the\n  familiar running dog logo on a red, white and blue shield,\n  while Greyhound Corp will continue to use the running dog alone\n  as its symbol.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INTERCARE <CARE> DROPS OFFERING, BUYOUT PLANS\n","article":"  InterCare Inc said it \n  terminated plans to acquire Universal Care, a California health\n  mainenance organization, following First Jersey Securities'\n  decision to withdraw as underwriter for InterCare's proposed\n  public debt and equity securities offering.\n      The acquisition was contingent on its ability to obtain\n  financing to fund the 1.9 mln dlr cash portion of the purchase\n  price, InterCare said.\n      It also said the offering was aimed at raising 7.5 mln dlrs\n  for working capital and 1.7 mln to repay debt incurred in\n  connection with its recent acquisition of U.S. Medical\n  Enterprises Inc.\n      The company further stated that it has a 1.7 mln dlr\n  working capital deficit and it will therefore reduce operating\n  expenses by decreasing operating hours, workforce reductions\n  and the sale of certain assets.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PROVIDENCE ENERGY <PVY> FINALIZES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Providence Energy Corp said it\n  completed the purchase of North Attleboro Gas co.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      North Attleboro serves 2,273 residential customers, 288\n  commercial customers, and 40 industrial customers.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ROSPATCH TO RESPOND TO DIAGNOSTIC BID\n","article":"\n  ROSPATCH TO RESPOND TO DIAGNOSTIC BID\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ARGENTINE MAIZE, SOYBEAN FORECASTS FALL\n","article":"  Argentine grain growers reduced\n  their estimates for maize and soybean production in the current\n  harvest in the week to yesterday, trade sources said.\n      Soybean production for 1986\/87 is now estimated to reach\n  between 7.7 and eight mln tonnes, versus 7.8 to 8.2 mln tonnes\n  estimated a week ago and eight to 8.4 mln tonnes estimated in\n  mid-February.\n      But even the lowest of those estimates would be 8.5 to 12.7\n  pct greater than last year's total of 7.1 mln tonnes, according\n  to official figures, and would be a new record.\n      The total area planted with soybeans for this harvest was a\n  record 3.7 to 3.8 mln hectares and increased 10.8 to 13.8 pct\n  compared to the 3.3 mln hectares planted last year.\n      The change in yield estimates is due to very high\n  temperatures and inadequate rainfall since early in the year in\n  the soybean-producing belt of southern Cordoba and Santa Fe and\n  northern Buenos Aires province.\n      The heat and lack of rain combined to leave many soybean\n  pods empty, especially in Cordoba.\n      Intense rains in recent weeks did not affect crops, since\n  rainfall was slight in most main soybean-producing areas.\n      Rains in the week to yesterday were isolated and weak in\n  Buenos Aires province, totalling between one and 10 mm. There\n  was no recorded rain in other grain-producing provinces.\n      With clear skies and seasonable temperatures, fields were\n  able to dry in areas that had received heavy rains in recent\n  weeks, allowing growers to accelerate the pace of maize,\n  sunflower and sorghum harvesting.\n      Crops were considered in generally good condition, though\n  it is still too early to judge whether the intense rains of\n  recent weeks caused any long-term damage.\n      The maize harvest advanced to between 20 and 22 pct of the\n  total area planted, compared to 13 to 15 pct a week ago.\n      Total area planted with maize for this harvest stood at\n  3.58 to 3.78 mln hectares, down two to seven pct from the 3.85\n  mln hectares planted in the previous harvest.\n      Total production for the current maize harvest is expected\n  to reach between 9.9 and 10.1 mln tonnes, versus 10 to 10.2 mln\n  tonnes estimated a week ago. The new figure is 21.1 to 22.7 pct\n  lower than the 12.8 mln tonnes produced in the last harvest,\n  according to official figures.\n      The sunflower harvest advanced to between 20 and 23 pct of\n  total planted area, versus 15 to 18 pct a week ago.\n      Total area planted with sunflower for this harvest was two\n  to 2.2 mln hectares, or 29.9 to 36.3 pct lower than the record\n  3.14 mln hectares planted in the 1985\/86 harvest.\n      The current harvest's volume was again expected to be\n  between 2.3 and 2.6 mln tonnes, or 34.1 to 41.5 pct lower than\n  last harvest's record 4.1 mln tonnes.\n      Yields varied widely from area to area, and growers feared\n  that heavy rains in recent weeks may have taken their toll on\n  crops and, consequently, on total production volume.\n      The sorghum harvest reached between nine and 11 pct of\n  total planted area, compared to four to six pct a week ago.\n      Total area planted with sorghum stood at between 1.2 and\n  1.3 mln hectares, or 10.3 to 15.2 pct lower than the 1.4 mln\n  hectares planted in the previous harvest.\n      Estimates for total sorghum production this harvest\n  remained at 3.2 to 3.5 mln tonnes again this week, or 16.7 to\n  22 pct lower than last harvest's total volume of 4.1 to 4.2 mln\n  tonnes.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RECENT U.S. OIL DEMAND UP 2.3 PCT FROM YEAR AGO\n","article":"  U.S. oil demand as measured by\n  products supplied rose 2.3 pct in the four weeks ended March 13\n  to 16.49 mln barrels per day (bpd) from 16.11 mln in the same\n  period a year ago, the Energy Information Administration (EIA)\n  said.\n      In its weekly petroleum status report, the Energy\n  Department agency said distillate demand was up 2.9 pct in the\n  period to 3.43 mln bpd from 3.33 mln a year earlier.\n      Gasoline demand averaged 6.93 mln bpd, up 4.0 pct from 6.67\n  mln last year, while residual fuel demand was 1.31 mln bpd, off\n  7.9 pct from 1.42 mln, the EIA said.\n      Domestic crude oil production was estimated at 8.36 mln\n  bpd, down 8.1 pct from 9.10 mln a year ago, and gross daily\n  crude imports (excluding those for the SPR) averaged 3.70 mln\n  bpd, up 24.8 pct from 2.96 mln, the EIA said.\n      Refinery crude runs in the four weeks were 11.92 mln bpd,\n  up 1.0 pct from 11.80 mln a year earlier, it said.\n      Year-to-date figures will not become available until March\n  26 when EIA's Petroleum Supply Monthly data for January 1987\n  becomes available, the agency said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MESA ROYALTY TRUST <MRT> MONTHLY PAYOUT\n","article":"  Mesa Royalty Trust <MRT> said unit\n  holders of record March 31 will receive a distribution\n  amounting to 55,192 dlrs or 2.96 cts per unit, payable April\n  30.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN BUYS 450,000 TONNES OF U.S. CORN\n","article":"  Taiwan overnight bought 450,000\n  tonnes of U.S. number two corn, 14.5 pct moisture, for Gulf and\n  West Coast shipment in 11 cargoes between May and October,\n  private export sources said.\n      Gulf shipment ranged in prices from 75.17 to 78.45 dlrs per\n  tonne stowed and trimmed, FOB euqivalent, and West Coast\n  shipments ranged from 79.41 to 81.02 dlrs per tonne, stowed and\n  trimmed, FOB equivalent, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RESULTS AWAITED ON EGYPT PL 480 WHEAT TENDER\n","article":"  Results were awaited on Egypt's\n  tender today for 200,000 tonnes of U.S. soft or white wheat for\n  April shipment under PL 480, private export sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. WEEKLY SOYBEAN CRUSH 21,782,929 BUSHELS\n","article":"  Reporting members of the National\n  Soybean Processors Association (NSPA) crushed 21,782,929\n  bushels of soybeans in the week ended Feb 25 compared with\n  22,345,718 bushels in the previous week and 16,568,000 in the\n  year-ago week, the association said.\n      It said total crushing capacity for members was 25,873,904\n  bushels vs 25,873,904 last week and 25,459,238 bushels last\n  year.\n      NSPA also said U.S. soybean meal exports in the week were\n  117,866 tonnes vs 121,168 tonnes a week ago and compared with\n  84,250 tonnes in the year-ago week.\n      NSPA said the figures include only NSPA member firms.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRANKLIN INSURED TAX-FREE SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Mthly div 7.1 cts vs 7.1 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 16\n      NOTE: Franklin Insured Tax-Free Income Fund.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMSTUTZ SEES MORE BULLISH WHEAT OUTLOOK IN 1987\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture Undersecretary\n  Daniel Amstutz indicated the world wheat supply\/demand\n  situation has become more bullish recently because of\n  developments in the world market and increased consumption.\n      Speaking to a House Agriculture Appropriations\n  subcommittee, Amstutz cited three factors which have improved\n  the wheat outlook.\n      He said world consumption of wheat is increasing by about\n  20 mln tonnes this year, primarily for feed use. There are also\n  reports from Australia, Canada and Argentina that plantings\n  have been reduced, he said. Furthermore, he cited reports of\n  greater than normal winterkill in the Soviet Union.\n      \"It seems reasonable to expect production and consumption\n  to be in far better balance than a year ago,\" Amstutz said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ARGENTINE OIL, GAS PRODUCTION FALL IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Argentina's total oil and gas\n  production fell 9.4 pct in February to 2.78 mln cubic metres\n  from January's total of 3.11 mln cubic metres, the state oil\n  company Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales (YPF) reported.\n      A YPF statement blamed the drop on momentary problems owing\n  to the summer season but gave no further details.\n      February's production figure fell slightly short of YPF's\n  target figure of 2.90 mln cubic metres.\n      Oil production totalled 1.76 mln cubic metres last month\n  and natural gas production 1.02 mln cubic metres, down from\n  1.95 and 1.15 mln cubic metres in January, respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. SOYBEANS HAVE COMPETITIVE PROBLEM - AMSTUTZ\n","article":"  Soybeans produced in the United\n  States face a competitive price problem because of the loan\n  rate provisions of the 1985 farm bill, U.S. Undersecretary of\n  Agriculture Daniel Amstutz said.\n      Amstutz told a House Agriculture Appropriations\n  subcommittee hearing that soybeans are caught in a \"squeeze\"\n  because the Farm Bill allowed steep cuts in grain loan rates\n  while limiting the soybean reduction.\n      As a result, he said U.S.-produced soybeans \"have a price\n  problem\" in competing with other soybean producing countries.\n      Amstutz called the situation a \"dilemma\" for the USDA, and\n  said \"we have spent hours in ASCS (Agriculture Stabilization\n  and Conservation Service) looking at this.\"\n      He did not say what may be done to rectify the situation.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MITEK SYSTEMS EXPECTS LOSS IN CURRENT QUARTER\n","article":"  <Mitek Systems Inc> said it\n  expects to report a loss in the current quarter ending March\n  31, due primarily to the government buying cycle.\n      The company did not quantify the size of the expected loss.\n  It said it expects sales and profits for fiscal 1987, however,\n  to exceed those of 1986. In 1986 Mitek reported sales of five\n  mln dlrs and a net profit of 14,000 dlrs.\n      Mitek als said it has introduced a line of 15 page per\n  minute desk top laser printers.\n      Limited shipments will begin next quarter, with full\n  production planned for the following quarter, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ECHLIN <ECH> BUYS STAKE IN CHAMPION PARTS<CREB>\n","article":"  Champion Parts Rebuilders Inc\n  said Echlin Inc has bought a 20 pct stake in it by acquiring\n  600,000 newly issued shares and warrants to buy another 300,000\n  shares at 9.20 dlrs each, for a total investment of 5,400,000\n  dlrs.\n      The newly issued shares raises Champion's outstanding\n  shares to 3,113,074.\n      There are no voting restrictions on the new shares.\n  Champion's board will be expanded to include two or three\n  independent persons suggested by Echlin, it said.\n      Champion will use the proceeds to pay down long-term debt,\n  it said.\n      Echlin has agreed to limits on buying additional Champion\n  shares and its ability to seek control of Champion during the\n  next seven years, Champion said.\n      Echlin will also receive protection against the decline in\n  price of Champion's stock for seven years. Echlin could receive\n  a one-time payment, at its option in cash or stock, ranging\n  from up to one dlrs a share in 1989 to four dlrs a share in\n  1992 to 1994, to the extent the market price of Champion shares\n  is less than nine dlrs a share at those times.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL REJECTS ALL OFFERS AT WHEAT TENDER\n","article":"  Brazil rejected all offers at\n  tonight's wheat tender, a Brazilian Wheat Board spokesman said.\n      He said no date had been set for the next tender.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRANKLIN MINNESOTA INSURED SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Mthly div 6.6 cts vs 6.6 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 16\n      NOTE: Franklin Minneosta Insured Tax-Free Income Fund.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"IBC PRESIDENT TO ATTEND MANAGUA COFFEE MEETING\n","article":"  Brazilian Coffee Institute (IBC)\n  president Jorio Dauster said he will attend a meeting in\n  Managua this weekend.\n      He told Reuters by telephone from Brasilia that the\n  meeting, involving Brazil, Colombia and Central American coffee\n  producers, will be strictly to review the coffee market\n  situation.\n      \"The meeting is set for Saturday but could also continue on\n  Sunday,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANTERRA ENERGY TO DRILL WELL OFF NOVA SCOTIA\n","article":"  <Canterra Energy Ltd> said it\n  will drill an exploratory well on the Scotian shelf, about 280\n  kilometers east-southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia.\n      Drilling will begin in late April 1987 in 61 meters of\n  water and will be drilled to a total depth of 3,500 meters,\n  Canterra said.\n      Canterra will operate the well and has a 39 pct interest in\n  it. <Petro-Canada Inc> has 26 pct, <Trillium Exploration Corp>\n  has 20 pct and <Nova Scotia Resources (Ventures) Ltd> has 15\n  pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FLEET <FLT> AIMS TO SPEED MERGER WITH NORSTAR\n","article":"  Fleet Financial Group hopes its\n  proposed merger with Norstar Bancorp <NOR>, ranked as the\n  largest U.S. banking merger, can be completed by the beginning\n  of 1988, according to an executive of Fleet.\n      Robert Lougee, director of corporate communications for\n  Rhode Island-based Fleet, told Reuters the company is exploring\n  the possiblity of seeking a change in the national trigger date\n  for the state's reciprocal bank law to Jan 1, 1988 from July\n  one. The decision is up to the Rhode Island legislature.\n      The merger plan was announced in a midday news release that\n  said the deal, worth about 1.3 billion dlrs, would be\n  consummated July one when Rhode Island barriers to interstate\n  banking outside of New England come down. \"If we can consummate\n  the deal earlier that would be better for all concerned,\"\n  Lougee said. He said to the best of his knowledge a change in\n  the Rhode Island law would not be a hardship for any other\n  banking institution in the state.\n      He said Fleet is optimstic Connecticut law, which only\n  permits interstate banking mergers within New England, can be\n  amended. Fleet owns First Connecticut Bancorp.\n      If the Connecticut law is not amended in time, Lougee said,\n  an option would be to spin off that unit with repurchase\n  provisions.\n      The New England reciprocal banking laws have excluded New\n  York as a means of protecting regional banks from being gobbled\n  up by the money center giants.\n      Wall Street analysts said the merger accord between Fleet\n  and Albany, N.Y.-based Norstar demonstrates the rapid pace of\n  interstate banking mergers since state legislatures begain\n  permitting regional mergers on a reciprocal basis. The U.S.\n  Supreme Court decided in mid-1985 to permit the mergers.\n      Fleet and Norstar in a joint statement billed the proposed\n  merger as \"a partnership of two companies.\" Both will continue\n  to operate existing headquarters after the merger.\n      Norstar holders will receive 1.2 Fleet shares for each one\n  of theirs following Fleet's previously announced two-for-one\n  split. Fleet shares closed today at 59-1\/2, up 1\/8, giving the\n  deal an indicated value of 1.3 billion dlrs.\n      That topped the proposed merger of Los Angeles-based\n  Security Pacific Corp <SPC> and Seattle's Rainier Bancorpartion\n  <RBAN>. The West Coast deal, announced about four weeks ago, is\n  worth an estimated 1.2 billion dlrs.\n      Chemical New York Corp's <CHL> acquisition of Texas\n  Commerce Bancshares last year was valued at about 1.2 billion\n  dlrs, making it similar in size to the Security Pacific-Rainer\n  deal. The California combination of Wells Fargo and Co <WFC>\n  and Crocker National Corp last year was worth 1.1 billion dlrs\n  and there have been several bank mergers in the southeast\n  valued in the 700-800 mln dlr range.\n      \"It's a merger of equals,\" said analyst John Rooney of\n  Moseley Securities Corp. He said Norstar had a book value at\n  the end of 1986 of 19.63 dlrs per share, while Fleet's book\n  value was 28.02 dlrs.\n      Rooney noted that Norstar chairman Peter Kiernan is in his\n  60's while Fleet's Terrence Murray is in his late 40's. He said\n  Kiernan would probably head the combined company until his\n  retirement then Murray could assume the top post.\n      Analyst Thaddeus Paluszek of Merrill Lynch and Co said\n  Fleet's earnings would have been diluted about two pct in 1986\n  on the basis of the merger terms announced today.\n      He noted that Fleet has a \"teriffic reputation\" after\n  having diversified in a number of financial areas. Fleet has\n  established consumer banks in the southeast and is known as an\n  innovator in securitization of mortgages.\n      The merged banks would have assets in excess of 25 billion\n  dlrs and be one of the 25 largest banks in the U.S.  Norstar\n  operates in most of New York state but not in New York City.\n      Lougee said at some point in the future banking operations\n  that both Norstar and Fleet operate in the state of Maine would\n  be combined.\n      The agreement between Norstar and Fleet includes a\n  \"lock-up\" option designed to deter other acquirers. Each\n  granted the other an option to purchase authorized but unissued\n  shares amounting to 24.99 pct of the fully diluted shares\n  outstanding.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<TRIDEL ENTERPRISES INC> SETS INITIAL DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div five cts\n      Pay April 1\n      Record March 27\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRANKLIN MICHIGAN INSURED SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Mthly div 6.9 cts vs 6.9 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 16\n      NOTE: Franklin Michigan Insured Tax-Free Income Fund.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRAZILIAN INFLATION LOWER IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Brazilian consumer prices rose\n  13.9 pct in February, compared to January's record rate of 16.8\n  pct, the Brazilian Geography and Statistics Institute said in a\n  statement.\n      The February rise brought the increase in consumer prices\n  since the introduction of the anti-inflation Cruzado Plan a\n  year ago to 62.5 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VOLATILITY LIKELY TO REMAIN LOW IN DEBT FUTURES\n","article":"  Financial analysts see little chance\n  that U.S. interest rate futures will break out of their narrow\n  ranges and low volatility during the remainder of the week.\n      \"We got a little volatility Wednesday,\" said Staley\n  Commodities International analyst Jerome Lacey. \"But for the\n  moment we're still in a trading range.\"\n      Even unexpected developments concerning the growth of the\n  U.S. economy may not be enough to spur the market out of its\n  sluggish state, the analysts said.\n      \"It (the bond market) has not yet demonstrated that it can\n  break out of its very low volatility,\" said Carroll McEntee and\n  McGinley analyst Denis Karnosky. \"It needs something, but it's\n  not going to be news about the economy,\" he said.\n      Karnosky said that the bond market will possibly break out\n  of the doldrums if participants perceive that the dollar has\n  stabilized and the Federal Reserve has more room to conduct\n  monetary policy.\n      But even Wednesday, when fed funds were below six pct, the\n  dollar strong and oil on the soft side, bond futures attracted\n  eager sellers when contracts approached recent highs, he said.\n      In addition to a changing perception about the dollar and\n  monetary policy, Golden Gate Futures president Norman Quinn\n  said the beginning of April could bring foreign investors back\n  into the marketplace.\n      \"The market is beginning to feel there may be demand at the\n  beginning of the fiscal year in Japan on April 1,\" Quinn said.\n      Quinn echoed the sentiment of many analysts that there are\n  large amounts of cash waiting to be invested. If Japanese\n  investment in U.S. securities does materialize at the start of\n  Japan's fiscal year, domestic funds may also flow into the bond\n  market, he said.\n      \"We could get a stiff rally, possibly enough to bring\n  yields on long bonds down to seven to 7-1\/8 pct,\" compared to\n  the current yield of about 7.5 pct, Quinn said.\n      In the meantime, even the prospect of new supply is not\n  likely to move futures.\n      The Treasury's announcement of a 15 billion dlr refunding\n  operation did little to move cash government securities prices\n  late Wednesday after the close of futures.\n      \"I'd be surprised if supply pushed us out of it (the\n  trading range),\" Lacey said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. HOUSE PANEL VOTES TO EASE EXPORT CONTROLS\n","article":"  A key House panel voted to greatly\n  ease government controls on exports as several House committees\n  moved rapidly toward approval of major changes in trade laws\n  they hope will help solve U.S. trade woes.\n      The House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International\n  Economic Policy voted to direct the administration to cut the\n  list of controlled exports by 40 per cent by removing items no\n  longer considered important to U.S. military security.\n      Industries had complained they were losing sales to foreign\n  competitors who were allowed to export freely products U.S.\n  companies could not sell abroad.\n      The issue has been the subject of administration debate.\n  The Commerce Department had held that unnecessary restrictions\n  impeded U.S. exports while the Defense Department said current\n  controls should be retained but better administered.\n      Four congressional panels met today to consider portions of\n  a wideranging trade bill that intends to help U.S. companies\n  sell more products abroad and to fight unfair foreign trade\n  practices.\n      Their separate proposals, some of them conflicting, will be\n  woven by House Democratic leaders into a final trade bill for a\n  vote by the full House in late April.\n      Sparked by the proposal of Fujitsu Ltd. to take controlling\n  interest in Schlumberger Ltd's Fairchild Semiconductor Corp.,\n  the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Commerce voted to\n  expand Reagan's authority to block foreign takeovers of U.S.\n  companies.\n      Reagan would be able to block any takeover found to be\n  damaging to U.S. economic or national security interests.\n      \"We are losing our semiconductors which are at the heart of\n  our national security,\" subcommittee chairman James Florio, a\n  New Jersey Democrat said.\n      The subcommittee also called for the administration to\n  consider retaliation against Japan for its restrictive\n  government procurement practices.\n      The retaliation could be triggered by a requirement that\n  the administration investigate whether U.S. companies were\n  treated unfairly and whether they have been barred from bids on\n  lucrative public works projects such as the eight billion dlr\n  Kansai airport construction. U.S. firms have complained they\n  were not allowed to bid on its construction.\n      At the urging of the U.S. recording industry, the\n  subcommittee agreed to bar imports of a new Japanese\n  product--digital audio recorders.\n      Meeting in closed session, the House Ways and Means\n  Committee agreed to allow President Reagan to retaliate against\n  foreign countries that refuse to open their markets to U.S.\n  telecommunications products.\n       Congressional aides said the committee also agreed U.S.\n  companies would be allowed to press for relief from imports of\n  counterfeit products made in violation of U.S. copyright and\n  patent laws.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CHILEAN COPPER WORKERS ELECT LEFT-WING LEADERS\n","article":"  Chilean left-wing leaders were\n  elected by the copper workers union for the first time since\n  the left-wing government of Salvador Allende was overthrown in\n  a 1973 coup.\n       Nicanor Araya, a member of the Popular Democratic Movement\n  (MDP), was named president of the Chilean Confederation of\n  Copperworkers (CTC), which groups 22,000 workers employed in\n  the state-owned copper mines, union officials said.\n      Other members of the MDP, which includes the communist\n  party and a faction of the socialist party, took five of the\n  principal positions on the union's directorate.\n      The state-owned copper company of Chile (CODELCO) produces\n  around 90 pct of the country's copper output of some one mln\n  tonnes per year. Chile is the world's leading copper exporter\n  and sales account for just under 50 pct of its export income.\n      The MDP won six out of the 14 places on the union's\n  directorate in elections earlier this month, with the christian\n  democratic party holding five and the remainder being won by\n  independents.\n      But the left-wing was left in control of the union after\n  the christian democrats and independents failed to reach\n  agreement on a joint candidate for the presidency and withdrew\n  from negotiations.\n      Union elections were called following the resignation of\n  former president Rodolfo Seguel last October.\n      Seguel, a christian democrat and Chile's best-known union\n  leader, said he was forced to step down after repeated court\n  actions brought by CODELCO prevented the union from operating.\n      The labour leader, who now heads the inter-union national\n  workers command (CNT), was among 500 workers sacked by CODELCO\n  following a strike in 1983.\n      The strike, the only copper industry stoppage staged in the\n  past 13 years, marked the start of a wave of protests against\n  the military rule of President Augusto Pinochet.\n       CODELCO argued that Seguel could not continue as union\n  leader when no longer employed by the company.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GENCORP <GY> BIDDER PLANS SALE OF AEROSPACE UNIT\n","article":"  <General Partners>, controlled by\n  privately-held Wagner and Brown and by AFG Industries Inc, said\n  plans to sell GenCorp Inc's aerospace and soft drink bottling\n  divisions if it succeeds in acquiring the company.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  General Partners said proceeds from the sale of GenCorp's\n  aerospace division would help it repay some of the debt it\n  would incur in the 100 dlr a share cash tender offer.\n      General Partners, which launched the surprise tender offer\n  today, said it already 2,180,608 shares of GenCorp, or 9.4 pct\n  of the total outstanding common stock.\n      General Partners, which estimated the total cost of the\n  takeover at 2.5 billion dlrs, also said it plans to continue\n  GenCorp's policy of trying to settle Federal Communications\n  Commission charges against two of its television and 12 radio\n  station licenses.\n      It said it would also continue GenCorp's policy of trying\n  to sell its New York-area television station WOR to MCA Inc\n  <MCA> for 387 mln dlrs and its Los Angeles station KHJ to Walt\n  Disney Co <DIS> for 217 mln dlrs.\n      But General Partners said it plans to keep GenCorp's\n  headquarter in Akron, Ohio.\n      General Partners also said it would maintain GenCorp's\n  plastics and industrial products division as well as tires and\n  related products.\n      But it left open that it might make other changes in\n  GenCorp's operations after it completes the merger.\n      Besides using 250 mln dlrs of its own equity for the tender\n  offer, General Partners said it would seek one billion dlrs\n  under a secured margin facility from Wells Fargo Bank N.A.\n  and other banks. It also said it would seek 1.25 billion dlrs\n  from the sale to Shearson Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc or its\n  affiliates of senior subordinated promissory notes.\n      In a March 18 letter to GenCorp Chairman William Reynolds,\n  which was included in the SEC filing, General Partners\n  officials said they were \"confident of our ability to promptly\n  obtain the remaining funding as described in our offer\n  materials.\"\n      \"For this reason, we do not forsee any obstacles to a\n  prompt consummation of the transaction,\" General Partners said.\n      Shearson is dealer manager of the General Partners offer\n  for GenCorp.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MONSANTO <MTC> SAYS DEBT WAS CUT IN 1986\n","article":"  Mondanto Co said it has paid off\n  two-thirds of the debt from its 2.8 billion-dlr acquisition of\n  G.D. Searle and Co by the end of 1986.\n      This lowered the company's debt-to-capitalization ratio\n  from 45 pct at the end of 1985 to 35 pct, it said.\n      The company also said that chemical sales accounted for 52\n  pct of its sales in 1986, down from 70 pct in 1981. This\n  underscores its strategy of shifting away from low profit\n  commodity chemicals in mature markets into higher value\n  chemical businesses in high growth areas, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRANKLIN MASSACHUSETTS INSURED CUTS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Mthly div 6.5 cts vs 6.8 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 16\n      NOTE: Franklin Massachusetts Insured Tax-Free Income Fund.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LIFESTYLE <LIF>, BOMBAY AMEND MERGER AGREEMENT\n","article":"  Lifestyle Restaurants Inc said it\n  reduced the number of Bombay Palace Restaurants inc common\n  shares to be received in its previously announced merger\n  agreement.\n      Under the amended deal, Lifestyle shareholders will get one\n  Bombay share for each six instead of five Lifestyle shares.\n  Under the amended offer, Bombay will issue about 900,000\n  shares, currently 7.2 mln dlrs.\n      The amendment also increases the cash consideration to be\n  offered on Lifestyle's 13 pct convertible subordinated\n  debentures from 55 pct of the principal amount to 57.5 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WEISFIELD'S INC <WEIS> QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 12-1\/2 cts vs 12-1\/2 cts\n      Pay April 23\n      Record April 2\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BOLIVIAN TIN MINERS START HUNGER STRIKE\n","article":"  About 9,000 miners employed by the\n  state corporation Comibol went on hunger strike to press for\n  higher wages, a miners union spokesman said.\n       Victor Lopez, executive secretary of the miners union,\n  told a news conference the strikers began to fast in the major\n  tin mining districts of oruro and potosi and the action would\n  spread tomorrow to la paz and other areas.\n       The government has charged that the strike by the miners\n  union, crippled by massive layoffs, is part of a left-wing\n  destabilisation plan to coincide with the visit of West German\n  president Richard von Weizsaecker, who arrives on a four-day\n  official tour on Friday.\n       But miners union chief Simon Reyes told reporters the\n  strike had nothing to do with subversion and was to press for\n  more government investment in Comibol.\n       The government of president Victor Paz Estenssoro has\n  streamlined the deficit-ridden state mining corporation laying\n  off about 20,000 miners, two-thirds of the workforce, following\n  a collapse of the international tin price in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CZARNIKOW EXPECTS LOWER EUROPEAN SUGAR OUTPUT\n","article":"  European sugar output on the basis of\n  three year average yields will be over half a mln tonnes white\n  value down on last year although yields do vary widely from\n  year to year, broker C Czarnikow said in its market review.\n      European Community sowings are likely to be down compared\n  with last year. There have been suggestions these sowings might\n  respond to the recent upsurge in world prices, but Czarnikow\n  said \"it is not the sort of fact that easily becomes known.\"\n      The broker bases its forecasts on Licht planting estimates\n  which put W Germany, the Netherlands and USSR lower but\n  Hungary, Romania, Poland, Turkey and Yugoslavia higher.\n      Czarnikow's projections in mlns tonnes white value and\n  three differing yields include\n        '87\/88  max      aver      min    1986\/87\n   France       3.57     3.42     3.28       3.44\n   W Germany    3.08     2.88     2.64       3.19\n   EC          13.82    13.01    12.13      13.76\n   W Europe    17.71    16.45    14.98      16.71\n   Poland       2.02     1.80     1.13       1.74\n   USSR         8.65     7.60     5.71       8.05\n   E Europe    13.87    12.14     9.08      12.44\n   All Europe  31.58    28.58    24.06      29.15\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CUBAN SUGAR OUTPUT SEEN AT 7.5 MLN TONNES\n","article":"  Cuban sugar output this season (1986\/87)\n  is put at around 7.5 mln tonnes raw value by broker C.Czarnikow\n  in its monthly sugar market review.\n      Allowing for around 700,000 tonnes for the current year's\n  domestic usage it would leave around 6.8 mln tonnes for export\n  of which, Czarnikow estimates, about 3.7 mln tonnes will be\n  taken by the USSR, 1.530 mln by other socialist countries and\n  the remainder for delivery to non-socialist bloc destinations.\n      Czarnikow also estimated USSR 1986\/87 production at 8.75\n  mln tonnes raw value which when added to the 3.7 mln imports\n  from Cuba and set against its estimated domestic and export\n  needs of 14.2 mln tonnes will leave a gap of 1.75 mln tonnes to\n  be acquired from the world market. Soviet purchases to date may\n  not be far short of that quantity, Czarnikow said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. EXPORT INSPECTIONS, IN THOUS BUSHELS  SOYBEANS 20,349 WHEAT 14,070 CORN 21,989\n","article":"\n  U.S. EXPORT INSPECTIONS, IN THOUS BUSHELS  SOYBEANS 20,349 WHEAT 14,070 CORN 21,989\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. CARGO PREFERENCE FUNDING ACCORD SEEN NEAR\n","article":"  The U.S. Departments of Agriculture\n  and Transportation are close to agreement on how to fund the\n  increasing share of food aid to be shipped on U.S. flag vessels\n  under a 1985 farm bill provision on cargo preference.\n      Melvin Sims, USDA's general sales manager told a House\n  Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee hearing that the two\n  departments are negotiating a \"memorandum of understanding\" on\n  cargo preference.\n      Under a 1985 farm bill provision, the percentage of food\n  aid shipments carried on U.S. flag vessels was to gradually\n  increase over three years to 75 pct in 1988. The increased cost\n  of using U.S. vessels was to be funded by the Transportation\n  Department instead of USDA. However, USDA officials said\n  Transportation has so far contributed no money.\n      The agreement between USDA and Transportation is expected\n  to resolve the matter, USDA officials said.\n      Tom Kay, administrator of the USDA's Foreign Agricultural\n  Service said yesterday the requirement that more food aid\n  shipments be carried on U.S. vessels has been difficult to\n  meet.\n      \"As the tonnage (required under cargo preference) goes up,\n  its going to be harder and harder to meet,\" Kay said.\n      Two farm state Congressmen, Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Glenn\n  English (D-Okla.) said cargo preference makes U.S. farm export\n  programs more costly and the program should be eliminated.\n      In the past, farm interests opposed to cargo preference\n  have been defeated in Congress by the maritime interests who\n  view cargo preference as vital to the U.S. shipping fleet.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN FOURTH QTR GDP RISES 1.1 PCT, AFTER 0.2 PCT THIRD QTR RISE - OFFICIAL.\n","article":"\n  AUSTRALIAN FOURTH QTR GDP RISES 1.1 PCT, AFTER 0.2 PCT THIRD QTR RISE - OFFICIAL.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN GDP RISES 1.1 PCT IN FOURTH QUARTER\n","article":"  Australia's seasonally adjusted real\n  gross domestic product (GDP) rose 1.1 pct in the fourth quarter\n  of 1986 after rising 0.2 pct in the third quarter, the\n  Statistics Bureau said.\n      This compares with a 1.1 pct fall in the fourth quarter of\n  1985.\n      Compared with the year-earlier quarter, GDP also rose 1.1\n  pct, the Bureau figures show.\n      The annual rise compares with a 0.3 pct fall in the third\n  quarter compared with the 1985 third quarter and a 4.3 pct rise\n  in the year-earlier period, the Bureau figures show.\n      Real non-farm gross product rose 0.9 pct in the fourth\n  quarter after zero growth in the third quarter and a 1.3 pct\n  fall a year earlier, making an annual rise of 0.8 pct.\n      Gross farm product rose 4.3 pct compared with rises of 2.6\n  pct in the third quarter and 2.8 pct a year earlier, making\n  annual growth of 6.6 pct.\n      Elements in the fourth quarter GDP rise included falls of\n  0.6 pct and 0.2 pct in private and government final consumption\n  expenditure respectively, the Bureau figures show.\n      Gross fixed capital expenditure fell 0.1 pct in the quarter\n  while exports of goods and services rose 13.0 pct and imports\n  2.9 pct.\n      Seasonally-adjusted expenditure on GDP at average 1979\/80\n  prices rose to 36.67 billion dlrs in the fourth quarter from\n  36.26 billion in both the third quarter and the year-earlier\n  quarter.\n      The figures are subject to revision over a long period.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NIPPON LIFE SEEKING TIE WITH U.S. SECURITIES HOUSE\n","article":"  <Nippon Life Insurance Co> is pursing a\n  possible link with an American securities house to expand its\n  overseas investment portfolio, a company spokesman said.\n      But he declined to comment on rumours the company would\n  take a 10 pct stake in <Shearson Lehman Brothers>, an\n  investment banking unit of American Express Co <AXP>.\n      He said the firm started to sound out several U.S.\n  Investment banks on capital participation about 18 months ago\n  and was narrowing the number of prospects, but he did not say\n  if it had set its sights on one firm.\n      Nippon Life, Japan's largest life insurer, also plans to\n  set up a wholly owned investment unit, <Nissei International\n  America>, in New York next month and subsidiaries in Canada,\n  Singapore, the Cayman Islands and Jersey this year, he said.\n      These moves are in line with its long-term strategy to put\n  more emphasis on overseas investment management as\n  opportunities at home are declining while the company's assets\n  are growing.\n      The company is especially attracted by the scale and depth\n  of U.S. Money and credit markets and wants to establish a firm\n  foothold there, the spokesman added.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FORMER N.Z. PREMIER CALLS FOR CHEAPER CURRENCY\n","article":"  Former Prime Minister Robert\n  Muldoon, an outspoken advocate of a managed float for the N.Z.\n  Dollar, said the currency is at least 10 pct overvalued.\n      Muldoon said in a speech last night the exchange rate\n  should be around 48 U.S. Cents instead of the current 57 cents.\n      \"A reasonable value for the New Zealand dollar would be\n  between 10 and 15 pct less and nearer 15 than 10. Perhaps\n  around about 48 cents,\" he said.\n      The Labour Party government removed exchange controls and\n  floated the dollar two years ago when it was worth 44 cents.\n      Muldoon has no rank in the opposition National Party, and\n  party leaders, with an eye to general elections to be held by\n  September, have rejected his calls for a managed float.\n      He said the dollar was high because of \"grossly excessive\"\n  interest rates for government stock.\n      \"I know of no other country which is implementing such a\n  free floating policy,\" he added. \"There is widespread agreement\n  internationally that we have no alternative to floating\n  currencies in the short to medium term. But we need more\n  effective methods of managing them so as to limit the\n  volatility which has caused so much concern and damage.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN SETS 1987 CANADIAN WHEAT IMPORT TARGET\n","article":"  The Taiwan Flour Mills Association will\n  import 81,000 tonnes of wheat from Canada in calendar 1987,\n  unchanged from the 1986 level, an association spokesman told\n  Reuters.\n      He said the total will be delivered in three shipments. The\n  first will be shipped to Taiwan between March 20 and April 20\n  and the other two will be made later this year, he said.\n      The total wheat import target this year has been set at\n  700,000 tonnes, down from actual imports of 758,770 last year.\n      Most of Taiwan's wheat imports come from the U.S., The\n  spokesman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRANKLIN CALIFORNIA TAX-FREE SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Mthly div 6.5 cts vs 6.5 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 16\n      NOTE: Franklin California Insured Tax-Free Income Fund.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEW ZEALAND UNEMPLOYMENT FALLS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  New Zealand's unemployment rate fell\n  to 6.0 pct of the workforce at the end of February from 6.1 pct\n  in January but was above the 4.3 pct level of February 1986,\n  the labour department said.\n      It said the number of unemployed fell to 78,711 from 81,558\n  in January, and compared with 57,103 in February 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN MARCH INTERIM TRADE SURPLUS FALLS\n","article":"  Japan's customs-cleared trade surplus\n  fell to 1.89 billion dlrs in the first 10 days of March from a\n  1.91 billion surplus a year earlier, the Ministry of Finance\n  said.\n       The March interim surplus compared with a 1.70 billion dlr\n  surplus in the same February period.\n       FOB exports in the first 10 days of March rose 5.8 pct\n  from a year earlier to 5.50 billion dlrs and CIF imports rose\n  9.7 pct to 3.61 billion.\n       The average yen\/dollar rate used for the statistics was\n  153.67 yen against 181.23 a year earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MITSUI AND CO BUYS STAKE IN IMATRON\n","article":"  A Mitsui and Co <MITS.T> spokesman said\n  its subsidiary <Mitsui and Co USA Inc> bought two mln dlrs of\n  newly-issued shares in <Imatron Inc>, an unlisted\n  California-based medical equipment manufacturer.\n      Mitsui and Co USA is now Imatron's fifth-largest\n  shareholder with 3.1 pct of the firm's outstanding shares.\n  Imatron is capitalised at 32.76 mln dlrs, the spokesman said.\n      Mitsui and Co intends to import Imatron's computerised\n  diagnostic equipment into Japan, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INDONESIA SEES LIMITED CHOICES ON ECONOMY\n","article":"  Indonesia cannot spend its way out of\n  recession and has very limited economic options due to lower\n  world oil prices, Central Bank governor Arifin Siregar was\n  quoted as saying by the official Antara news agency.\n      \"If Indonesia spurs its economic growth too much, such as\n  through expansionary monetary and budgetary policies, it might\n  create negative effects not only on price increases, but also\n  on the balance of payments,\" he told bankers and businessmen in\n  the North Sumatran city of Medan.\n      Antara quoted him as saying Indonesia is relying on its\n  export drive to help narrow its trade deficit.\n      Antara reported that Siregar said the government wanted to\n  help boost exports from the rubber and palm oil industries,\n  which are centered in Sumatra.\n      \"I see Sumatra has great potential, as in the plantation\n  sector in which family units are employed in great number,\" he\n  said, according to the agency.\n      Indonesia relied on oil and gas exports for 70 pct of its\n  export revenue until last year's fall in crude prices.\n      It has projected its current account deficit will widen to\n  over four billion dlrs in the current financial year ending\n  March 31 from 1.8 billion in 1985\/86.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEW ZEALAND RETAIL SALES SLOW IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Seasonally adjusted retail sales\n  rose by 0.1 pct in January, compared with increases of 5.7 pct\n  in December and 1.0 pct a year earlier, the Statistics\n  Department said.\n      It said in a statement actual retail sales fell to 1.87\n  billion N.Z. Dlrs in January against 2.42 billion a month\n  earlier and compared with 1.78 billion in January 1986.\n      Year-on-year retail sales rose 5.3 pct compared with a 9.6\n  pct increase in the year-earlier period.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SOME 7,000 SOUTH AFRICAN MINERS RETURN TO WORK\n","article":"  Some 7,000 black workers returned\n  to work after staging one-day strikes at two mines on Monday,\n  the National Union of Mineworkers and the companies that own\n  the mines said.\n      About 6,000 miners resumed work at the Grootvlei gold mine\n  east of Johannesburg after protesting the transfer of\n  colleagues to other jobs at the same mine, owners General\n  Mining Union Corp Ltd <GENM.J> said.\n      The union said about 1,000 mineworkers at a new coal\n  facility owned by Anglo American Corp of South Africa Ltd\n  <ANGL.J> also returned to their jobs on Tuesday.\n      The workers at Anglo's Vaal Colliery south of Johannesburg\n  had struck to protest the alleged refusal of officials of the\n  South African homeland of Transkei to allow miners to attend a\n  funeral in the homeland, a union spokesman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN EXPORTS HELPING TO BOOST GDP\n","article":"  The strong contribution of exports to\n  the growth in Australia's gross domestic product (GDP) in the\n  fourth quarter of 1986 was a significant and welcome feature of\n  the data, private economists polled by Reuters said.\n      Real GDP rose 1.1 pct in the fourth quarter of 1986, after\n  rising 0.2 pct in the third quarter and falling 1.1 pct a year\n  earlier.\n      Equally significant was the decline in both private and\n  government spending, they said.\n      Exports of goods and services rose 13 pct in the fourth\n  quarter, while imports rose only 2.9 pct, Statistics Bureau\n  figures show. Consumer spending declined 0.6 pct and government\n  spending by 0.2.\n      Bob Edgar of the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group\n  Ltd said the government's aim of reducing the current account\n  deficit by boosting exports and lowering consumption to cut\n  imports appeared to be working.\n      However, he cautioned that care must be taken to keep\n  growth restrained because if it accelerated too fast imports\n  would increase and worsen the balance of payments.\n      Andre Morony of Bankers Trust Australia Ltd added the\n  result was positive because growth was export-driven.\n      But he said the GDP rise came as no surprise given the\n  growth in exports disclosed in other statistics.\n      The economists' comments were echoed by Treasurer Paul\n  Keating in a statement issued in Canberra.\n      Keating said the figures showed encouraging trends for a\n  reduction in the current account deficit, notably the decline\n  in domestic demand and the strong increase in exports.\n      A further 3.5 pct fall in the terms of trade in the quarter\n  underscored the need to continue restraint in wages, prices and\n  public sector spending and borrowing to improve Australia's\n  competitiveness, he said.\n      \"It is clear that through the continued application of that\n  strategy Australia will make the necessary adjustments in its\n  external accounts and return to a more sustainable growth\n  pattern,\" he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DIAGNOSTIC PRODUCTS <DPCZ> SEES EARNINGS GROWTH\n","article":"  Diagnostic Products Corp president and\n  chief executive officer Sigi Ziering said he expects to\n  maintain the same compound average annal net income growth in\n  1987 as the company has for the past five years.\n      \"We expect the same performance in net income over the next\n  five years as we have had in the past,\" Ziering said.\n      Over the past five years Ziering said the company has had\n  average compound net income growth of 32 pct annually with a 27\n  pct per year growth in earnings per share. For 1986 the company\n  had net income of 6.3 mln dlrs, or 1.07 dlrs per share, vs 3.9\n  mln dlrs, or 73 cts per share in 1985.\n      Diagnostic manufactures medical immunological diagnostic\n  test kits.\n      Ziering said he expects the earnings growth to result from\n  positive effect of the weaker dollar on the company's exports\n  sales as well as accelerated market penetration. Ziering said\n  he expected the Food and Drug Administration to approve three\n  more of its drug abuse test kits by the end of the year, which,\n  depending on approval, should also help earnings growth.\n      Ziering said as a result of the new tax laws he expected\n  the company's taxes to decrease by five pct to 31 pct of net\n  income in 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN WHEAT BOARD RENEWS JAPAN SUPPLY PACT\n","article":"  The Australian Wheat Board (AWB)\n  expects to sell about 900,000 tonnes of wheat to the Japanese\n  Food Agency this year after renewing its annual supply\n  agreement, AWB general manager Ron Paice said.\n      Under the agreement, the AWB makes the wheat available and\n  sells into the Food Agency's regular tenders, he said in a\n  statement.\n      He noted that the Board has sold more than three mln tonnes\n  to Japan in the past three years.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SANWA BANK ACQUIRES SMALL STAKE IN PORTUGUESE BANK\n","article":"  Sanwa Bank Ltd <ANWA.T> has agreed to buy\n  a two pct stake in Oporto-based <Banco Portugues de Investmento\n  Sarl> (BPI), Portugal's largest merchant bank, a Sanwa official\n  said.\n      Sanwa will purchase the shares from International Finance\n  Corp, a BPI shareholder and sister organisation of the World\n  Bank, for 351 mln yen, he said.\n      The acquisition will be completed this month as both the\n  Japanese and Portuguse governments are expected to give\n  permission soon.  This is the first time a Japanese bank has\n  bought a stake in a Portuguese bank.\n      Sanwa plans to increase its stake in BPI to four pct, the\n  ceiling for foreign shareholders, the official said.\n      The bank has also agreed with <Banco Portugues do\n  Atlantico>, a state-owned merchant bank in Oporto, to exchange\n  information on customers and help accelerate Japanese\n  investment and technological transfers to Portugal, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"INDIA TRADE DEFICIT FALLS\n","article":"  India's trade deficit is\n  provisionally estimated at 58.34 billion rupees in the first 10\n  months of fiscal 1986\/87 ending March, compared with 70.62\n  billion in the year ago period, the Commerce Ministry said.\n   Exports rose in the latest period to 100.75 billion rupees\n  from the a year earlier 86.09 billion and imports to 159.09\n  billion from 156.71 billion in the period, the figures show.\n      The trade deficit for all of 1986\/87 is provisionally\n  estimated at around 70 billion rupees from an estimated record\n  87.47 billion in 1985\/86 and actual 53.18 billion in 1984\/85,\n  Commerce Minister P. Shiv Shanker told reporters last month .\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SWEDEN REVISES DOWN JANUARY'S INFLATION FIGURE\n","article":"  Sweden's rate of inflation during\n  January has been revised downwards after a fault was made in\n  calculating the figures, the Central Bureau of Statistics said.\n      The January rise in consumer prices was 1.0 pct instead of\n  the previously announced 1.3 pct, the bureau said, without\n  explaining how the error arose.\n      Consumer prices in February rose 0.3 pct compared with 0.1\n  pct in February last year, the bureau said. The total inflation\n  rate so far this year is therefore 1.3 pct, allowing for\n  January's revised figures, it added.\n      Year-on-year inflation rose to 3.4 pct in February, against\n  a revised 3.2 pct in January and a year-on-year rate of 5.3 pct\n  in February 1986, the bureau said.\n      The slowdown in price rises was mainly due to a government\n  imposed price freeze which came into force on February 4, the\n  bureau added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN STEEL FIRM SEES LOWER EXPORTS, MORE OUTPUT\n","article":"  State-owned <China Steel Corp> said its\n  steel exports will drop to some 600,000 tonnes in the year\n  ending June 30, 1987 from more than 810,000 in 1985\/86.\n      Production by the company, Taiwan's largest steel maker, is\n  expected to rise to 3.33 mln tonnes from 3.27 mln, a spokesman\n  told Reuters.\n      He attributed the export decline to the rise in the Taiwan\n  dollar, which has eroded the competitiveness of the company's\n  products against those from South Korea.\n      The spokesman said the company is undergoing an expansion\n  project which calls for a boost in production to 5.65 mln\n  tonnes a year from the current level. The project, costing 52.3\n  billion Taiwan dlrs, will be completed by April 1988, two\n  months ahead of the targetted date, he said.\n      The spokesman said the company exports its products to\n  Japan, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, the U.S., The Middle East and\n  Africa.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" SWISSAIR 1986 NET 64.5 MLN SWISS FRANC VS 68.5 MLN, DIV 33 FRANCS VS 38\n","article":"\n   SWISSAIR 1986 NET 64.5 MLN SWISS FRANC VS 68.5 MLN, DIV 33 FRANCS VS 38\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CURRENCIES COULD INFLUENCE BULLION AGAIN-MONTAGU\n","article":"  Currency fluctuations may reassert their\n  influence on the bullion market in the near future, bullion\n  bankers Samuel Montagu and Co Ltd said in a market report.\n      But the firm said silver may lag behind gold in any\n  reactions to movements on foreign exchanges.\n      \"OPEC's failure to address the recent decline in oil prices\n  remains a worrying factor however, and on balance it appears\n  that the market should be approached cautiously,\" Montagu said.\n      The bank said the US economy has shown no noticeable\n  long-term improvement and that both Latin American debt and the\n  Iranian arms affair could undermine confidence in the dollar.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PHILIPPINES' LIQUIDITY RISES, LOAN DEMAND FALLS\n","article":"  Liquidity in the Philippines rose in\n  December while loan demand and short-term lending rates fell,\n  the Central Bank said.\n      A bank official said M-3 rose 9.72 pct to a provisional\n  149.80 billion pesos at the end of December from a month\n  earlier for a year-on-year gain of 12.72 pct.\n      She said short-term bank lending rates fell to an\n  annualised 13.88 pct at the end of December, from 14.58 pct a\n  month earlier and 19.82 pct at the end of December 1985.\n      Poor loan demand was illustrated by a rise in commercial\n  bank reserves, the official said.\n      The bank official said commercial bank reserves were 22.19\n  billion pesos at the end of December, when reserves required\n  were 21.59 billion.\n      She said the surplus of 597 mln pesos, compared with a\n  deficit of 390 mln pesos a month earlier and a deficit of 1.64\n  billion at the end of 1985, reflected political uncertainty in\n  the last quarter of 1986.\n      Reserve money, the total available to monetary authorities,\n  was a provisional 52.58 billion pesos at the end of 1986. This\n  was 5.19 pct up from 49.98 billion at the end of November and\n  41.85 pct up from 37.09 billion in December 1985.\n      The bank official noted M-3, which includes M-1 money\n  supply, plus savings, time deposits and deposit substitutes.\n  Was 132.88 billion pesos at the end of December 1985.\n      M-1 money supply rose a provisional 17.3 pct to 42.86\n  billion pesos at the end of December 1986 from 36.52 billion a\n  month earlier. The year-on-year rise was 19.64 pct, up from\n  35.83 billion at the end of December 1985.\n      The bank official said the broader M-2 measure, which\n  measures notes and coins in circulation plus savings and time\n  deposits, rose a provisional 9.7 pct to 140.88 billion pesos at\n  the end of December from 128.41 billion a month earlier. It\n  rose 13.35 pct from 124.27 billion at the end of December 1985.\n      She said deposits with the commercial banking system rose\n  to just over 118 billion pesos at the end of December from\n  107.89 billion at the end of 1985 and 92.83 billion at the end\n  of 1984.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SWISSAIR <SWSZ.Z> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Net 64.5 mln Swiss francs vs 68.5 mln\n      Div 33 francs per share vs 38\n      Turnover 4.03 billion vs 4.35 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FINNISH WHOLESALE PRICES RISE 0.2 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Finnish wholesale prices rose 0.2 pct\n  in February after a rise of one pct in January and a drop of\n  1.2 pct in February 1986, the Central Statistical Office said.\n      Year-on-year wholesale prices fell 1.9 pct in February\n  after drops of 3.3 pct in January and 1.8 pct in February 1986.\n      The wholesale price index, base 1980, was 136.5 in\n  February, 136.3 in January and 139.2 in February last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHINA, TAIWAN TRADE VIA HONG KONG FELL IN 1986\n","article":"  The value of trade between China and\n  Taiwan via Hong Kong fell 13 pct to 7.45 billion H.K. Dlrs in\n  1986 from 8.59 billion dlrs in 1985, Hong Kong's Census and\n  Statistics Department said.\n      Taiwan's exports to China through Hong Kong fell to 6.33\n  billion dlrs last year from 7.69 billion in 1985, while China's\n  exports rose to 1.12 billion dlrs from 904 mln dlrs.\n      Economists in Hong Kong told Reuters that China's controls\n  on scarce foreign currency hurt its imports of Taiwanese\n  consumer goods, such as electric fans and television sets.\n      Herbal medicine and textiles were among China's chief\n  exports to Taiwan.\n      Taiwan does not allow direct trade with China and indirect\n  trade is routed mainly through Hong Kong.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DUNKIN' DONUTS INC <DUNK> 1ST QTR JAN 24 NET\n","article":"  Shr 46 cts vs 42 cts\n      Net 3,418,000 vs 3,129,000\n      Revs 24.7 mln vs 26.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET DEFICIT FORECAST AT 450 MLN STG\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it forecast a\n  shortage of around 450 mln stg in the money market today.\n      Among the main factors affecting liquidity, bills maturing\n  in official hands and the take-up of treasury bills will drain\n  some 650 mln stg while a rise in note circulation will take out\n  around 30 mln stg.\n      Partly offsetting these outflows, bankers' balances above\n  target and exchequer transactions will add some 200 mln stg and\n  35 mln stg to the system respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRAZILIAN MONTHLY INFLATION DIPS SLIGHTLY\n","article":"  Brazilian consumer prices rose\n  13.9 pct in February, compared with January's record rate of\n  16.8 pct, the Brazilian Geography and Statistics Institute\n  (IBGE) said in a statement.\n      The February rise brought the increase in consumer prices\n  since the introduction of the anti-inflation Cruzado Plan a\n  year ago to 62.5 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":" German net currency reserves fall 5.4 billion marks to 81.7 billion - Bundesbank\n","article":"\n   German net currency reserves fall 5.4 billion marks to 81.7 billion - Bundesbank\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORTH KOREA TO RESURRECT GOLD MINE TO REPAY DEBT\n","article":"  Pyongyang and a group of Tokyo-based\n  North Korean businessmen plan to resurrect a North Korean\n  goldmine and boost annual output to almost one tonne within two\n  years from 600 pounds at present, said Li Sangsu, a spokesman\n  for <Unzan Mine Development Co>, the venture partner.\n      Work will begin on April 3 and the company aims to increase\n  output to 10 tonnes within a decade to pay off Pyongyang's 70\n  billion yen debt to 30 Japanese companies, Li added.\n      \"We expect this mine to be worth about 2,000 billion yen in\n  gold deposits,\" he said.\n      The mine, started in 1896 by a U.S. Company, is one of six\n  or seven virtually untapped mines in the Unzan area, 94 miles\n  north of Pyongyang, Li said.\n      Li said modern equipment and advanced technology would\n  increase yields. \"Up to now, the mining was done with antiquated\n  methods and basic equipment.\"\n      The gold mine scheme is the latest in a series of moves by\n  North Korea to clear its debts to Japanese creditors.\n      Earlier this year, Pyongyang tried and failed to pay off\n  part of its debt with several tonnes of fish.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Legal and General Group 1986 pre-tax profit 83.2 mln stg vs 31.5 mln.\n","article":"\n  Legal and General Group 1986 pre-tax profit 83.2 mln stg vs 31.5 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CCR VIDEO CORP <CCCR> 1ST QTR NOV 30 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit two cts vs loss 12 cts\n      Net profit 156,726 vs loss 776,000\n      Revs 1,157,883 vs 890,138\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CARGILL U.K. STRIKE TALKS TO RESUME TUESDAY\n","article":"  Three consecutive days of talks between\n  management and unions aimed at ending the three month old\n  strike at Cargill U.K. Ltd's oilseed processing plant at\n  Seaforth, ended yesterday without resolving the situation,\n  although some progress was made, a company spokesman said.\n      Fresh talks have been scheduled for next Tuesday, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC FARM LOBBIES BACK OILS AND FATS \"TAX\" PLAN\n","article":"  The European Community (EC) farmers'\n  and farm cooperatives lobbies, Copa and Cogeca, have backed the\n  EC Commission plan for an oils and fats price stabilisation\n  mechanism, claiming it would not harm consumers.\n      In a letter to Belgian Foreign Minister Leo Tindemans,\n  current president of the EC Council of Ministers, they said the\n  mechanism, often referred to as a tax, would in fact subsidise\n  oils and fats prices in the EC under some circumstances.\n      This would have been the case in May 1984, when soya oil\n  prices cif Rotterdam stood at 914 dlrs a tonne, they noted.\n      If such price stabilisation is not implemented, EC farmers\n  should not be the ones to suffer through their prices and\n  incomes from the financial consequences, the letter, made\n  available to journalists, said.\n      Under the Commission proposal the mechanism would initially\n  result in a tax of 330 Ecus a tonne on both imported and EC\n  produced oils and marine fats.\n      The mechanism would provide for this tax to be reduced, and\n  possibly to become a subsidy, as world soya oil prices rose\n  from present levels.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"OECD EUROPE ZINC STOCKS RISE IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Producers zinc stocks in Organization\n  for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) European\n  countries rose to 159,732 tonnes in January from 151,171 in\n  December and 127,725 in January 1986, latest International Lead\n  and Zinc Study Group (ILZSG) figures show. Other figures were -\n                        JAN'87  DEC'86   JAN'86\n   Refined production   155,980 164,243 166,968\n   Refined deliveries   131,910 122,364 136,727\n   Mine output (metal\n   content)              77,120 70,560  81,356\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ECONOMIC SPOTLIGHT - SAUDI ARABIA RESHAPES ECONOMY\n","article":"  Higher world oil prices, coupled with a\n  new realism ushered in by austerity, could lift Saudi Arabia's\n  economy after five years of falling revenue and growing budget\n  deficits, bankers and diplomats said.\n      The months ahead will prove critical as the government\n  attempts a balancing act between defending higher oil prices\n  and fostering recovery through a bigger role for the private\n  sector.\n      Economists said oil earnings could recover this year to\n  about 20 billion dlrs and nominal gross domestic product could\n  grow by about three pct, the first rise since 1982.\n      But the economists said this will be possible only if the\n  Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) succeeds\n  in defending world oil prices and if Saudi Arabia is not forced\n  to curtail output for too long.\n      Saudi Arabia is now keeping production down to defend\n  OPEC's newly-established 18 dlr a barrel benchmark price.\n      Oil Minister Hisham Nazer told Reuters output is running at\n  about three mln barrels per day (bpd), well down on Saudi\n  Arabia's OPEC quota of 4.13 mln set for the first half of 1987.\n      King Fahd has stamped his personal authority on OPEC's\n  new-found determination to defend prices in a move Western\n  diplomats believe underlines the kingdom's need to secure a\n  stable source of income for its economy.\n      Saudi Arabia, still the world's largest oil exporter, is a\n  hugely wealthy country. But the past five years of declining\n  revenue have taken their toll. Economists estimate gross\n  domestic product fell 10 pct last year and 8.6 pct in 1985.\n      Oil revenue last year, when prices briefly dipped below 10\n  dlrs per barrel, probably totalled no more than 17.5 billion\n  dlrs, compared to a peak 101.8 billion in 1981.\n      \"Austerity is still the watchword, but Saudi Arabia will not\n  be allowed to dip further into recession ... The Saudis can\n  afford to draw down reserves temporarily to offset the worst\n  effects,\" a diplomat said.\n      In the short-term, the kingdom can lessen the impact of\n  lower oil revenues and a gaping budget deficit by drawing on\n  foreign reserves, still put at around 100 billion dlrs.\n      But such a policy cannot be pursued indefinitely. Bankers\n  and diplomats said it would amount to fiscal recklessness in\n  the longer term.\n      It also increases the dominance of the public sector at a\n  time when the government is publicly urging private enterprise\n  to take over the lead role in the economy.\n      Bankers and diplomats said the government is well aware of\n  the risks attached to this policy but is determined to \"tough it\n  out\" on the oil front even if that means a short-term depletion\n  of reserves.\n      The 1987 budget deficit is targetted at a huge 52.7 billion\n  riyals or 31 pct of total outlay. The budget explicitly\n  recognises the need to draw down reserves while foreign\n  borrowing has been ruled out.\n      Commerce Minister Suleiman Abdulaziz al-Salim told Saudi\n  businessmen this week the government had carefully considered\n  the need to stimulate the economy when drawing up its budget\n  plans late last year.\n      \"It therefore took the bold step of withdrawing more than 50\n  billion riyals from its reserves and pumping it into the\n  economy,\" he said.\n      Reserves were built up during the late 1970's and early\n  1980's when Saudi Arabia's breakneck pace of construction and\n  tales of high spending became legendary.\n      The shrinking economy has wrought huge changes in the\n  fabric of the Kingdom's private sector where poor management\n  had gone unpunished in the easy days of the oil boom.\n      Modern techniques of cost control have been introduced,\n  markets expanded and outsized labour forces and inventories cut\n  back. The expatriate workforce has fallen sharply.\n      The number of new bankruptcies appears to be declining but\n  Saudi banks, hit hard by non-performing loans to the corporate\n  sector, have become highly selective in extending new credit.\n      Government moves to encourage lending and investigate\n  company complaints about late public sector contract payments\n  could boost confidence but recession has slowed the nation's\n  industrialisation program and discouraged foreign investment.\n      Private wealth is still very high and banks report more and\n  more cash being placed on deposit.\n      As Saudi Arabia attempts to shift the weight of economic\n  development from the public to the private sector, one of the\n  biggest tasks will be to convince businessmen to channel\n  personal savings into industrial projects within the kingdom\n  and refrain from the temptation to invest abroad.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC SUGAR TENDER SEEN AS CONCESSION TO PRODUCERS\n","article":"  The rebate granted at yesterday's EC\n  sugar tender represents some concession to producers'\n  complaints that they are losing money on exports outside the\n  bloc, EC Commission officials said.\n      The maximum rebate of 44.819 European currency units (Ecus)\n  per 100 kilos was 1.3 Ecus below what producers say is needed\n  to obtain the equivalent price to that offered for sales into\n  intervention.\n      The rebate at last week's tender was 2.5 Ecus per 100 kilos\n  short of the level producers said was needed, the officials\n  said.\n      The officials said the Commission is not negotiating with\n  producers who have offered a total of 854,000 tonnes of sugar\n  for sale into intervention in an apparent attempt to persuade\n  it to offer higher rebates.\n      They said the French and German producers involved are now\n  unable to withdraw this offer before April 1 when the sugar\n  will officially enter intervention stores.\n      Payment for it is due five weeks later, and it will be open\n  to them to withdraw their offers at any time between April 1\n  and the official payment date when the Commission officially\n  takes ownership of the sugar, the officials said.\n      The officials said if the Commission has to buy the sugar,\n  it is determined to immediately resell it, a move which would\n  drive down market prices further.\n      They expressed some hope that the operators would not\n  eventually go through with their plan for intervention sales.\n      \"We think they realise they have gone too far,\" one official\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JOHN FAIRFAX LTD <FFXA.S> FIRST HALF\n","article":"  26 weeks ended Dec 28\n      Net shr 25.9 cents vs 28.2\n      Int div 5.5 cents vs 5.0\n      Pre-tax 48.30 mln dlrs vs 44.29 mln\n      Net 25.94 mln vs 25.35 mln\n      Turnover 453.28 mln vs 407.35 mln\n      Other income 4.48 mln vs 3.18 mln\n      Shrs 100 mln vs 90 mln.\n      NOTE - Div pay May 8. Reg April 14.\n      Net is after tax 22.09 mln dlrs vs 18.60 mln, interest\n  11.60 mln vs 13.92 mln, depreciation 8.52 mln vs 7.06 mln and\n  minorities 267,000 vs 346,000 but before net extraordinary\n  profit 89.32 rpt 89.32 mln dlrs vs nil.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRANKLIN PUERTO RICO TAX-FREE SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Mthly div 7.1 cts vs 7.1 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 16\n      NOTE: Franklin Puerto Rico Tax-Free Income Fund.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"Britoil Plc 1986 pre-tax profit 134 mln stg vs 759 mln.\n","article":"\n  Britoil Plc 1986 pre-tax profit 134 mln stg vs 759 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FAIRFAX SAYS HIGHER TAX HITS FIRST HALF EARNINGS\n","article":"  Media group John Fairfax Ltd <FFXA.S>\n  said that its flat first half net profit partly reflected the\n  impact of changes in the Australian tax system.\n      Fairfax earlier reported net earnings edged up 2.3 pct to\n  25.94 mln dlrs in the 26 weeks ended December 28 from 25.35 mln\n  a year earlier although pre-tax profit rose 9.1 pct to 48.30\n  mln from 44.29 mln.\n      Net would have risen 10.1 pct but for the increase in\n  company tax to 49 pct from 46 and the imposition of the tax on\n  fringe benefits, paid by employers and not the recipients, the\n  company said in a statement.\n      Fairfax also pointed to the cyclical downturn in revenue\n  growth in the television industry as another reason for the\n  flat first half earnings.\n      It said it considered the result satisfactory in view of\n  these factors.\n      Fairfax said its flagship dailies, The Sydney Morning\n  Herald and the Melbourne Age, boosted advertising volume, as\n  did the Australian Financial Review, and posted extremely\n  satisfactory performances. Magazines also performed strongly.\n      But an 8.9 pct rise in television costs outweighed a 4.0\n  pct rise in revenue, it said.\n      Fairfax said a fall in net interest also contributed to net\n  earnings because group borrowings were reduced following the\n  receipt of a 96.11 mln dlr capital dividend from <Australian\n  Associated Press Pty Ltd> (AAP) after the sale of AAP's \"B\"\n  shares in Reuters Holdings Plc <RTRS.L>.\n      This accounted for the 89.32 mln dlr extraordinary profit.\n      Fairfax said it is too early to predict results for the\n  full year. Increased borrowings after the recent 320 mln dlr\n  acquisition of the HSV-Seven television station in Melbourne\n  will hit earnings but networking with the Channel Sevens in\n  Sydney and Brisbane will produce some offsetting cost savings.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BRITOIL PLC <BTOL.L> 1986 YR\n","article":"  Shr 6.56p vs 50.31p\n      Final div 6p, making 8p vs 13p.\n      Pre-tax profit 134 mln stg vs 759 mln.\n      Net profit 33 mln vs 253 mln.\n      Turnover 978 mln stg vs 1.80 billion.\n      Extraordinary debit 50 mln vs nil.\n      Operating profit 149 mln stg vs 756 mln.\n      Exceptional debit on rationalisation programme 12 mln vs\n  nil\n      Petroleum Revenue Taxes 77 mln vs 319 mln,\n      U.K. Corporation tax and overseas tax 24 mln vs 187 mln,\n      Note - The net effect of accounting changes in 1986 was to\n  reduce after tax profits by 47 mln stg. Retained earnings for\n  prior years were increased by 209 mln.\n      Extraordinary debit of 50 mln stg related to the decision\n  to seek a buyer for the company's U.S. Assets.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"19-MAR-1987\n","article":"  19-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UK UNIT WAGE\/LABOUR COSTS ROSE 3.3 PCT IN THREE MONTHS ENDING JAN - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  UK UNIT WAGE\/LABOUR COSTS ROSE 3.3 PCT IN THREE MONTHS ENDING JAN - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"UK AVERAGE EARNINGS ROSE 7.6 PCT IN JANUARY, UNDERLYING RISE 7.5 PCT - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  UK AVERAGE EARNINGS ROSE 7.6 PCT IN JANUARY, UNDERLYING RISE 7.5 PCT - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.K. FEBRUARY ADJUSTED STERLING M3 RISES 2-1\/4 PCT, M0 DOWN 3\/4 TO ONE PCT - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  U.K. FEBRUARY ADJUSTED STERLING M3 RISES 2-1\/4 PCT, M0 DOWN 3\/4 TO ONE PCT - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LEGAL AND GENERAL GROUP PLC YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Shr 14.58p vs 7.86p\n      Div 6.5p making 9.75p, an increase of 19.4 pct\n      Pretax profit 83.2 mln stg vs 31.5 mln\n      Net after tax 68.6 mln stg vs 37.7 mln\n      Pretax profit 83.2 mln stg vs 31.5\n  mln, consists of -\n      Long term business 45.9 mln stg vs 43.8 mln\n      U.S. Long term business 6.2 mln vs 8.9 mln\n      Fund management 4.7 mln vs 6.5 mln\n      Short term business 4.7 mln vs loss 29.0 mln\n      Associate companies 0.9 mln vs 0.8 mln\n      Shareholders other income and outgoings 0.4 mln debit vs\n  0.5 mln credit\n      Exceptional long-term business profit 21.4 mln vs nil\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FEB STERLING BANK LENDING UP 2.9 BILLION STG AFTER 1.75 RISE IN JAN - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  FEB STERLING BANK LENDING UP 2.9 BILLION STG AFTER 1.75 RISE IN JAN - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRANKLIN OHIO INSURED TAX-FREE SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Mthly div 6.1 cts vs 6.1 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 16\n      NOTE: Franklin Ohio Insured Tax-Free Income Fund.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UK FEB ADJUSTED UNEMPLOYMENT FELL 44,100 TOTAL 3.07 MLN OR 11.1 PCT - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  UK FEB ADJUSTED UNEMPLOYMENT FELL 44,100 TOTAL 3.07 MLN OR 11.1 PCT - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN TO ASK CHIP MAKERS TO SLASH OUTPUT FURTHER\n","article":"  The Ministry of International Trade and\n  Industry will ask Japanese computer microchip makers to further\n  slash output in the second quarter in an effort to save its\n  semiconductor pact with the United States, MITI officials said.\n      The United States has accused Japan of reneging on the\n  semiconductor pact by failing to stop the flow of cut-price\n  Japanese chips to Asian markets. Washington has threatened to\n  take retaliatory action after April 1.\n      The pact, agreed last year, calls on Japan to stop selling\n  cut-price chips in world markets and to increase its imports of\n  American chips to reduce some of its huge trade surplus.\n      MITI, anxious to salvage the bilateral agreement, has been\n  pressing chip makers to limit production in the hope that will\n  boost domestic chip prices and reduce the incentive to export.\n      Last month, the ministry asked Japanese chip makers to\n  reduce first quarter output by 10 pct. To meet that request,\n  they had to slash production by 20 pct over the final six weeks\n  of the first quarter.\n      If that reduced production level were maintained through to\n  the end of June, second quarter output would come in 10 pct\n  below that of the first three months of the year.\n      MITI officials, who declined to be identified, said the\n  ministry has not yet decided on the extent of the second\n  quarter cutback.\n      One said that Japanese chip makers are losing ground in\n  Asia to South Korean and U.S. Competition just as markets there\n  are picking up.\n      MITI has been criticized privately by some Japanese\n  semiconductor makers for what they see as heavy-handed attempts\n  to ensure the success of the Japan\/U.S. Chip pact.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. CLEARING BANK LENDING RISES 1.6 BILLION STG\n","article":"  Clearing bank sterling lending to the\n  U.K. Private sector in February is estimated to have risen by\n  an underlying, seasonally-adjusted 1.6 billion stg after a 1.2\n  billion stg rise in January, the Banking Information Service\n  said.\n      The unadjusted rise was 1.31 billion stg, compared with an\n  813 mln stg increase in January.\n      The Banking Information Service said the adjusted rise of\n  1.6 billion stg was well above the recent monthly average of\n  about 1.0 billion stg.\n      Of the increase, 297 mln stg was accounted for by personal\n  lending, which the Banking Information Service said was taken\n  up entirely by lending for home purchases.\n      Lending for consumption fell around 17 mln stg while about\n  182 mln stg of credit card debt was repaid during the month.\n      Lending to the manufacturing industry was up 370 mln stg,\n  and to leasing companies by 308 mln stg.\n      The Banking Information Service said February fell within\n  the governmemnt tax season, so much of the lending was probably\n  the result of industry's need to pay its tax bills.\n      Deposits by the private sector rose an unadjusted 1.1\n  billion stg in February and by a seasonally-adjusted 1.75\n  billion stg.\n      Deposits from the public sector rose 185 mln stg in\n  February while deposits from overseas residents rose by 43 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. UNEMPLOYMENT FALLS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Unemployment in the U.K. Fell a\n  provisional seasonally-adjusted 44,100 in February, to total\n  3.07 mln or 11.1 pct of the workforce, the Employment\n  Department said.\n      In January, seasonally adjusted unemployment fell by a\n  revised 1,100 to 11.3 pct, it said. Initially the January\n  position was reported as flat.\n      The unadjusted jobless total, including school leavers,\n  fell to 3.23 mln, or 11.7 pct, from 3.30 mln, 11.9 pct, in\n  January.\n      February was the seventh successive month that seasonally\n  adjusted unemployment registered a fall.\n      It was at a peak of 11.7 pct last summer.\n      Lord Young, the Employment Minister, said there appeared\n  little doubt the monthly fall, which has been running at about\n  20,000, will continue.\n      A Department spokesman said the sharp fall in February\n  reflected some compensation for the flat figure in January and\n  continued the downward trend seen in the past six months.\n      He said the February fall was spread throughout the country\n  and among men and women.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STERLING M3 UP 2-1\/4 PCT IN FEBRUARY, M0 DOWN\n","article":"  The main measure of U.K. Broad money,\n  sterling M3, grew a provisional, seasonally adjusted 2-1\/4 pct\n  in February after a rise of 1.1 pct in January, the Bank of\n  England said.\n      The narrow measure, M0, fell a provisional adjusted 3\/4 to\n  one pct after a 0.6 pct drop in January, the Bank said.\n      Unadjusted annual growth in sterling M3 was 18-3\/4 to 19\n  pct in the 12 months to February against 17.6 pct in January\n  while M0 rose four to 4-1\/4 pct after a 5.2 pct rise in\n  January.\n      Seasonally adjusted, sterling bank lending grew 2.9 billion\n  stg after a January rise of 1.75 billion.\n      Of the unadjusted counterparts to sterling M3, bank lending\n  to the private sector expanded 2.6 billion stg after a 1.4\n  billion rise in January, the Bank said.\n      The public sector borrowing requirement (PSBR) contracted\n  by 300 mln stg after a contraction of 3.7 billion stg in\n  January.\n      Funding - debt sales to the non-bank private sector and\n  external flows to the public sector - rose by 300 mln stg after\n  a 1.5 billion stg rise in January. Of this, central government\n  debt sales to the public sector were expansionary by 400 mln\n  stg after a 1.3 billion expansion in January, the Bank said.\n      Other unadjusted counterparts to sterling M3 expanded by\n  300 mln stg in February after an expansion of 1.3 billion stg\n  in January, the Bank said.\n      Unadjusted figures showed a rise in sterling M3 by 1-3\/4 to\n  two pct in February after a drop of 0.8 pct in January.\n      On the same basis, the figures showed a drop of about 1-1\/2\n  pct in MO in February after a sharp 6-1\/2 pct fall in January.\n      The Bank said it would publish full, final figures on March\n  30.\n      The Bank said non-bank private sector holdings of public\n  sector debt fell by about 400 mln stg in February while\n  external flows to the public sector were about 100 mln stg.\n      Combined with a net PSBR repayment of about 300 mln stg,\n  the public sector contribution to the growth in sterling M3 was\n  therefore about flat, the Bank said.\n      It said seasonally adjusted bank lending, at about 2.9\n  billion stg in February, compared with an average of about 2.6\n  billion stg a month over the preceding six months.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. EARNINGS RISE 7.6 PCT IN YEAR TO JANUARY\n","article":"  U.K. Average earnings rose a seasonally\n  adjusted 7.6 pct in the year to end-January after a 7.4 pct\n  rise in the year to December, the Department of Employment\n  said.\n      The underlying rise was 7.5 pct after 7.75 pct in December.\n      The January index, base 1980, was set at a provisional\n  seasonally adjusted 190.4, down from 193.4 in December.\n      The underlying rise, adjusted for factors such as back-pay\n  and timing variations, had been steady at 7.5 pct from October\n  1985 to October 1986.\n      Unit wage costs in U.K. Manufacturing industry rose 3.3 pct\n  in the three months to end January, on a year-on-year basis,\n  after a 3.1 pct rise in the three months to end December, the\n  Department of Employment said.\n      In January, the unit wage rise in manufacturing industries\n  was 3.6 pct, unchanged from the December rise.\n      The Department said the decline in the underlying rate of\n  rise in earnings reflected the reduced significance of bonus\n  payments in January compared with December.\n      The actual increase reflected teacher pay settlements and\n  industrial action in the transport and communications sectors\n  in January 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FRANKLIN HIGH-YIELD TAX-FREE SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Mthly div 7.1 cts vs 7.1 cts prior\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 16\n      NOTE: Franklin High-Yield Insured Tax-Free Income Fund.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET SHORTAGE FORECAST REVISED DOWN\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it revised down\n  its estimate of the deficit in the system today to 400 mln stg\n  from 450 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOME 7,000 SOUTH AFRICAN MINERS RETURN TO WORK\n","article":"  Some 7,000 black workers returned\n  to work after staging one-day strikes at two mines on Monday,\n  the National Union of Mineworkers and the companies that own\n  the mines said.\n      About 6,000 miners resumed work at the Grootvlei gold mine\n  east of Johannesburg after protesting the transfer of\n  colleagues to other jobs at the same mine, owners General\n  Mining Union Corp Ltd <GENM.J> said.\n      The union said about 1,000 mineworkers at a new coal\n  facility owned by Anglo American Corp of South Africa Ltd\n  <ANGL.J> also returned to their jobs on Tuesday.\n      The workers at Anglo's Vaal Colliery south of Johannesburg\n  had struck to protest the alleged refusal of officials of the\n  South African homeland of Transkei to allow miners to attend a\n  funeral in the homeland, a union spokesman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NIPPON LIFE SEEKING TIE WITH U.S. SECURITIES HOUSE\n","article":"  <Nippon Life Insurance Co> is pursing a\n  possible link with an American securities house to expand its\n  overseas investment portfolio, a company spokesman said.\n      But he declined to comment on rumours the company would\n  take a 10 pct stake in <Shearson Lehman Brothers>, an\n  investment banking unit of American Express Co <AXP>.\n      He said the firm started to sound out several U.S.\n  Investment banks on capital participation about 18 months ago\n  and was narrowing the number of prospects, but he did not say\n  if it had set its sights on one firm.\n      Nippon Life, Japan's largest life insurer, also plans to\n  set up a wholly owned investment unit, <Nissei International\n  America>, in New York next month and subsidiaries in Canada,\n  Singapore, the Cayman Islands and Jersey this year, he said.\n      These moves are in line with its long-term strategy to put\n  more emphasis on overseas investment management as\n  opportunities at home are declining while the company's assets\n  are growing.\n      The company is especially attracted by the scale and depth\n  of U.S. Money and credit markets and wants to establish a firm\n  foothold there, the spokesman added.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 181 MLN STG ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided the\n  money market with 181 mln stg in assistance this morning.\n      This compares with the Bank's revised shortage forecast of\n  around 400 mln stg.\n      The central bank purchased bank bills outright at the new\n  dealing rates established yesterday.\n      These comprised 65 mln stg in band one at 9-7\/8 pct, 114\n  mln stg in band two at 9-13\/16 pct and two mln stg in band\n  three at 9-3\/4 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PHILIPPINES' LIQUIDITY RISES, LOAN DEMAND FALLS\n","article":"  Liquidity in the Philippines rose in\n  December while loan demand and short-term lending rates fell,\n  the Central Bank said.\n      A bank official said M-3 rose 9.72 pct to a provisional\n  149.80 billion pesos at the end of December from a month\n  earlier for a year-on-year gain of 12.72 pct.\n      She said short-term bank lending rates fell to an\n  annualised 13.88 pct at the end of December, from 14.58 pct a\n  month earlier and 19.82 pct at the end of December 1985.\n      Poor loan demand was illustrated by a rise in commercial\n  bank reserves, the official said.\n      The bank official said commercial bank reserves were 22.19\n  billion pesos at the end of December, when reserves required\n  were 21.59 billion.\n      She said the surplus of 597 mln pesos, compared with a\n  deficit of 390 mln pesos a month earlier and a deficit of 1.64\n  billion at the end of 1985, reflected political uncertainty in\n  the last quarter of 1986.\n      Reserve money, the total available to monetary authorities,\n  was a provisional 52.58 billion pesos at the end of 1986. This\n  was 5.19 pct up from 49.98 billion at the end of November and\n  41.85 pct up from 37.09 billion in December 1985.\n      The bank official noted M-3, which includes M-1 money\n  supply, plus savings, time deposits and deposit substitutes.\n  Was 132.88 billion pesos at the end of December 1985.\n      M-1 money supply rose a provisional 17.3 pct to 42.86\n  billion pesos at the end of December 1986 from 36.52 billion a\n  month earlier. The year-on-year rise was 19.64 pct, up from\n  35.83 billion at the end of December 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CONVERGENT TECHNOLOGIES <CVGT> TO BUY OAKLEAF\n","article":"  Convergent Technologies Inc\n  said it has reached an agreement in principle to buy Oakleaf\n  Corp, which supplies finance, insurance and leasing computers\n  to auto dealers.\n      The transaction will involve an exchange of Oakleaf stock\n  for cash and debt and is subject to a definitive agreement, the\n  companys said. No other terms were disclosed.\n      Oakleaf had 1986 sales of about 26 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SANWA BANK ACQUIRES SMALL STAKE IN PORTUGUESE BANK\n","article":"  Sanwa Bank Ltd <ANWA.T> has agreed to buy\n  a two pct stake in Oporto-based <Banco Portugues de Investmento\n  Sarl> (BPI), Portugal's largest merchant bank, a Sanwa official\n  said.\n      Sanwa will purchase the shares from International Finance\n  Corp, a BPI shareholder and sister organisation of the World\n  Bank, for 351 mln yen, he said.\n      The acquisition will be completed this month as both the\n  Japanese and Portuguse governments are expected to give\n  permission soon.  This is the first time a Japanese bank has\n  bought a stake in a Portuguese bank.\n      Sanwa plans to increase its stake in BPI to four pct, the\n  ceiling for foreign shareholders, the official said.\n      The bank has also agreed with <Banco Portugues do\n  Atlantico>, a state-owned merchant bank in Oporto, to exchange\n  information on customers and help accelerate Japanese\n  investment and technological transfers to Portugal, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BUNDESBANK LEAVES CREDIT POLICIES UNCHANGED\n","article":"  The Bundesbank left credit policies\n  unchanged after today's regular meeting of its council, a\n  spokesman said in answer to enquiries.\n      The West German discount rate remains at 3.0 pct, and the\n  Lombard emergency financing rate at 5.0 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NO FRENCH REFLATION, SOURCES CLOSE TO BALLADUR SAY\n","article":"  There is no question of stimulating\n  consumption or relying on a systematic budget deficit or other\n  reflationary policies to boost the French economy, sources\n  close to finance minister Edouard Balladur said.\n      Their comments followed remarks by prime minister Jacques\n  Chirac's spokesman Denis Baudouin, who said on Monday ministers\n  were agreed on the desirability of \"relaunching\" the economy.\n      This sparked speculation the government was preparing for a\n  reflationary U-turn, but the finance ministry immediately ruled\n  out any such move.\n      The sources today said the government's policy remained one\n  of \"recovery,\" or sound finances and greater efficiency.\n      They said that while 8.6 billion of the 30 billion franc\n  revenues expected for 1987 from a sweeping privatisation\n  program will go to providing public companies with fresh\n  capital, 21.4 billion francs, or two-thirds, will go toward\n  paying off national debt.\n      Any further privatisation revenue this year above the 30\n  billion would be distributed between repayment of national\n  internal debt and public companies in similar proportions, they\n  added.\n      The sources said it was absurd to talk of reflation when\n  the country's internal debt, expected to grow by 10 pct this\n  year from 1,300 billion francs in 1986 was growing twice as\n  fast as gross domestic product.\n      Nominal GDP is expected to grow by roughly five pct this\n  year from 5,000 billion francs last year, broadly in line with\n  earlier forecasts. Real GDP will grow by up to 2.5 pct.\n      The sources said that with France's economic targets for\n  1987 roughly in line with its main trading partners, the\n  government had no intention of pushing the economy to grow at\n  an artificial pace out of step with neighbouring economies.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.S. CREDIT MARKET OUTLOOK - SPENDING, M-1\n","article":"  Brisk increases in personal income and\n  consumption are to appear in February data released today, but\n  the bond market's recent sluggishness suggests there will be no\n  major price reaction unless the rises are much larger than\n  expected, economists said.\n      Personal income is forecast to rise by 0.6 to 0.8 pct,\n  compared with no change in January, while consumption\n  expenditures are projected to increase 1.4 to 1.6 pct,\n  reversing most of the two pct drop recorded in January.\n      M-1 money supply data for the March 9 week will also be\n  released. An increase of some 2.3 billion dlrs is expected.    \n      Peter Greenbaum of Smith Barney, Harris Upham and Co Inc\n  expects a one pct rise in income, led by a strong gain in wage\n  and salary disbursements in February.\n      Nonfarm payrolls expanded by 337,000 jobs in February, the\n  average workweek lengthened by 0.6 pct and hourly wages rose by\n  four cts, he noted in a report. Vigorous spending on durable\n  goods last month, especially cars, foreshadow a rise of at\n  least 1.5 pct in consumption, he added.\n      The prospect of bearish data did not trouble the bond\n  market much yesterday, with the 30-year Treasury bond slipping\n  just 7\/32 to 99-28\/32 for a yield of 7.51 pct.\n      Analysts said the market is still trapped in a narrow\n  range, desperately seeking direction.\n      \"Seasonally adjusted, it's already December in the bond\n  market,\" quipped Robert Brusca of Nikko Securities Co\n  International Inc.\n      Paul Boltz of T. Rowe Price Associates Inc said the\n  steadiness of long bond yields around 7.5 pct, despite some\n  signs of a stronger economy, probably reflects expectations\n  that inflation will remain subdued.\n      But he warned that this assumption might not be justified.\n      \"It took the bond market a long while to see that inflation\n  was not returning to double digits, and now that it has learned\n  that lesson, it may be a little slow to see that a four to five\n  pct inflation is a real possibility ahead,\" Boltz said in a\n  report.\n      After trading late yesterday at 5-15\/16 pct, Fed funds were\n  indicated by brokers to open comfortably at 5-15\/16, six pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.S. DELEGATION HOPES FOR VEG OILS TAX DEFEAT\n","article":"  American soybean producers and processors\n  are hoping the proposed EC tax on vegetable oils and fats will\n  not be imposed, but say the U.S. Is prepared to retaliate if it\n  is introduced.\n      Wayne Bennett, the American Soybean Association's first\n  vice president, told a news conference the U.S. Administration\n  would not hesitate to retaliate, but both producers and\n  processors were trying to solve the issue through negotiation.\n      U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Richard Lyng said in a letter\n  to EC officials that U.S. Retaliatory measures would cover more\n  than agricultural products if the tax was imposed, Bennett\n  said.\n      The ASA and National Soybean Processors Association (NSPA)\n  delegations will meet top West German government officials\n  today and tomorrow to lobby for support.\n      Bennett said West Germany, Britain, the Netherlands,\n  Denmark and Portugal oppose the tax, but Italy and Belgium seem\n  to have taken a hardline view on the issue.\n      \"Europeans in favour of the tax say it would be to their\n  advantage economically, but that is not correct because we\n  would hit back,\" NSPA chairman Jack Reed said.\n      This step would be very expensive for all and no one would\n  emerge as a winner if the tax were introduced, he said.\n      Reed pointed out the U.S. Administration and the soybean\n  industry view the EC proposal as violating the General\n  Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.\n      The proposed tax also violates the zero duty bindings\n  agreed between the EC and U.S. In 1962, he said.\n      Under the zero duty bindings pact U.S. Soybeans and\n  products can be exported to the Community duty-free.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN EXPRESS SAYS IT'S HOLDING TALKS ON SALE OF SHEARSON STAKE TO NIPPON LIFE\n","article":"\n  AMERICAN EXPRESS SAYS IT'S HOLDING TALKS ON SALE OF SHEARSON STAKE TO NIPPON LIFE\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NYMEX WILL EXPAND OFF-HOUR TRADING APRIL ONE\n","article":"  The New York Mercantile Exchange set\n  April one for the debut of a new procedure in the energy\n  complex that will increase the use of energy futures worldwide.\n       On April one, NYMEX will allow oil traders that do not\n  hold a futures position to initiate, after the exchange closes,\n  a transaction that can subsequently be hedged in the futures\n  market, according to an exchange spokeswoman.\n      \"This will change the way oil is transacted in the real\n  world,\" said said Thomas McKiernan, McKiernan and Co chairman.\n      Foreign traders will be able to hedge trades against NYMEX\n  prices before the exchange opens and negotiate prices at a\n  differential to NYMEX prices, McKiernan explained.\n       The expanded program \"will serve the industry because the\n  oil market does not close when NYMEX does,\" said Frank Capozza,\n  secretary of Century Resources Inc.\n       The rule change, which has already taken effect for\n  platinum futures on NYMEX, is expected to increase the open\n  interest and liquidity in U.S. energy futures, according to\n  traders and analysts.\n      Currently, at least one trader in this transaction, called\n  an exchange for physical or EFP, must hold a futures position\n  before entering into the transaction.\n      Under the new arrangement, neither party has to hold a\n  futures position before entering into an EFP and one or both\n  parties can offset their cash transaction with a futures\n  contract the next day, according to exchange officials.\n      When NYMEX announced its proposed rule change in December,\n  NYMEX President Rosemary McFadden, said, \"Expansion of the EFP\n  provision will add to globalization of the energy markets by\n  providing for, in effect, 24-hour trading.\"\n      The Commodity Futures Trading Commission approved the rule\n  change in February, according to a CFTC spokeswoman.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN EXPRESS <AXP> MAY SELL SHEARSON STAKE\n","article":"  American Express Co said it and its\n  Shearson Lehman Brothers Inc subsidiary have been holding talks\n  on the possible equity investment in Shearson Lehman by <Nippon\n  Life Insurance Co> of Japan.\n      The company said, \"The discussions have led to a general\n  understanding by which Nippon Life would purchase a 13 pct\n  equity investment in Shearson Lehman for approximately 530 mln\n  dlrs and American Express, Shearson Lehman and Nippon Life\n  would explore mutually advantageous, nonexclusive business and\n  investment opportunities.\"\n      The company said a definitive agreement on the matter is\n  subject to a number of conditions, including approval of the\n  American Express board and the Japanese Ministry of Finance.\n      The company said its board is scheduled to meet March 27\n  for its regular monthly sessions.\n      American Express said it is continuing to evaluate various\n  courses of action of strategic importance to Shearson Lehman in\n  addition to the possible investment by Nippon Life.\n      It said the options range from expanding Shearson's\n  capacity to meet international competition, to broadening\n  further its access to capital.\n      The company also said, \"All the courses of action under\n  study reflect the continuing integral role of Shearson Lehman\n  in American Express' worldwide financial services strategy.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"S.AFRICA'S FINANCIAL RAND SEEN HEADED HIGHER\n","article":"  The financial rand, widely viewed\n  as a direct reflection of foreign investor confidence in South\n  Africa, appears headed above 30 U.S. Cents, dealers and bank\n  economists said.\n      The currency has risen about 25 pct in the past three\n  months to its current rate of 29.50 cents, due partly to signs\n  of a possible power shift with the appearance of a number of\n  independent candidates in the whites-only election on May 6,\n  they added.\n      It has risen about two cents this week alone.\n      \"Another factor is that banks in London, where the main\n  market is based, are going long in the currency because of a\n  general feeling that it will rise in the future,\" one economist\n  said.\n      Dealers described 30 cents as a psychological barrier that\n  was expected to be broken soon after a brief consolidation\n  phase from recent gains.\n      After reaching 30 cents, \"There is a chance of appreciation\n  to 32 cents in the next several weeks,\" one dealer said.\n      There was a widespread feeling that both the commercial\n  rand, holding stable at 48 cents, and the financial rand were\n  staying firm, banking sources said.\n      A Barclays National Bank executive who asked not to be\n  identified said: \"The rise of the independents appears to be\n  indicative of a potential shift of power in the National Party\n  and has created a favourable sentiment overseas.\"\n      One dealer said growing business and investor interest from\n  West Germany and Switzerland were behind the financial rand's\n  rise.\n      Economists said foreigners also were being attracted by\n  South Africa's long-term government bonds and \"semi-gilts\" or\n  securities in partly government-owned firms, many with yields\n  as high as 30 pct. They could be purchased with financial rands\n  with interest paid in commercial rands.\n      \"This has had a definite influence on the financial form of\n  the rand,\" a dealer said, adding that at present demand is\n  slightly in excess of supply.\n      The financial rand was reintroduced in September 1985 to\n  help end capital flight from South Africa during a period of\n  severe political unrest in the country.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<FI-TEK CORP> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Fi-Tek Corp said it has signed a letter\n  of intent to acquire <Voice Systems and Services Inc> for an\n  undisclosed amount of stock.\n      It said on completion of the acquisition it would change\n  its name to Voice Systems and Services Inc.  It said VBoice\n  Systems has received a 3,600,000 dlr contract to provide FLP\n  Communications of Dallas with voicemail systems through service\n  bureaus located throughout the U.S. and has also contracted to\n  provide voicemail systems and administration to M and S\n  Communications.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRST WISCONSIN <FWB> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  First Wisconsin Corp said it has\n  agreed to acquire North Shore Bancorp Inc of Northbrook, Ill.,\n  for 6,160,000 dlrs in cash, or slightly more than twice book\n  value, subject to approval by North Shore shareholders and\n  regulatory authorities.\n      The company said completion is expected in the third\n  quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ITALY'S FEBRUARY PAYMENTS BALANCE IN SURPLUS\n","article":"  Italy's overall balance of payments showed\n  a surplus of 1,461 billion lire in February 1987 compared with\n  a deficit of 1,145 billion in January, provisional Bank of\n  Italy figures show.\n      The February surplus compared with a deficit of 1,578\n  billion lire in the same month for 1986.\n      For the first two months of 1987, the balance of payments\n  showed a surplus of 302 billion lire against a deficit of 4,622\n  billion in the same 1986 period.\n      The Bank of Italy said the cumulative balance for the first\n  two months of 1987 does not match the total calculated on the\n  individual monthly figures because of the provisional nature of\n  certain data.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BELVEDERE CORP <BLV> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 21 cts vs loss 95 cts\n      Oper net loss 666,000 vs loss 2,184,000\n      Avg shrs 3,181,805 vs 2,310,200\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 30 cts vs loss 23 cts\n      Oper net loss 823,000 vs loss 606,000\n      Avg shrs 2,757,040 vs 2,614,225\n      NOTE: Net excludes realized investment gains of 666,000\n  dlrs vs 289,000 dlrs in quarter and 2,274,000 dlrs vs 1,468,000\n  dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ITALIAN NET RESERVES RISE IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Italy's net official reserves rose to\n  66,172 billion lire in February 1987 from a previously reported\n  62,174 billion in January, the Bank of Italy said.\n      Gold holdings at end-February totalled 35,203 billion lire,\n  unchanged on January.\n      Convertible currencies totalled 18,467 billion lire, up\n  from 14,899 billion in January, while European Currency Unit\n  (ECU) holdings were 10,156 billion lire against 10,133 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CARTER HAWLEY HALE STORES INC 4TH QTR SHR LOSS 1.58 DLRS VS PROFIT 58 CTS\n","article":"\n  CARTER HAWLEY HALE STORES INC 4TH QTR SHR LOSS 1.58 DLRS VS PROFIT 58 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WASTE MANAGEMENT SAYS IT IS PREPARED TO RAISE ITS BID FOR CHEMLAWN TO 33 DLRS A SHARE\n","article":"\n  WASTE MANAGEMENT SAYS IT IS PREPARED TO RAISE ITS BID FOR CHEMLAWN TO 33 DLRS A SHARE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRANSAMERICA <TA> TO HAVE GAIN ON UNIT SALE\n","article":"  Transamerica Corp said it expects\n  to realize a gain of about 75 mln dlrs on the\n  previously-announced sale of the group life and health\n  operations of its Transamerican Occidental Life Insurance Co\n  subsidiary to Provident Life and Accident Co <PACC>.\n      But it said its Transamerica Life Cos unit plans to change\n  to a more conservative method of amortizing deferred policy\n  acquisition costs, resulting in a one-time charge that will\n  offset most of the gain from the sale.\n      Transamerica said it has now signed a definitive agreement\n  for the sale, which will be structured as a reinsurance\n  transaction involving about 400 mln dlrs of reserve\n  liabilities.\n      It said the 75 mln dlr gain from the sale and about 125 mln\n  dlrs of statutory surplus that previously supported operations\n  of the group being sold will be used to support Transamerica\n  Life Cos' efforts to accelerate the growth of its remaining\n  businesses.  It said closing is expected by May One, subject to\n  regulatory approvals.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ROSPATCH <RPCH> TO RESPOND TO DIAGNOSTIC <DRS>\n","article":"  Rospatch Corp said it will\n  have a news release later in response to today's acquisition\n  bid by Diagnostic Retrieval Systems Inc for 22 dlrs a share.\n      Rospatch earlier requested its stock be halted in over the\n  counter trading, last trade 24-1\/8.\n      Diagnostic said its bid was for a total 53 mln dlrs through\n  a cash tender offer for all, but not less than 51 pct of\n  Rosptach outstanding common.\n      For its fourth-quarter ended December 31, 1986, Rospatch\n  reported net loss 2,649,000 or 1.10 dlrs a share compared a\n  loss of 627,500 or 35 cts profit for the 1985 period.\n      In December the Brookehill Group in New York said it had\n  9.7 pct stake. J.A. Parini, Rospatch chief executive, responded\n  on January eight by saying the investment was a vote in\n  confidence in the company.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AMERITRUST <AMTR> SETS TWO FOR ONE STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  AmeriTrust Corp said its board\n  declared a two-for-one stock split, and management intends to\n  recommend to directors an increase in the quarterly dividend to\n  at least 50 cts per share presplit from the current 44 cts.\n      The company said shareholders at the May 14 annual meeting\n  will be asked to approve an increase in authorized common\n  shares to 100 mln from 25 mln, as well as a limitation of\n  directors' liability and the establishment of a classified\n  board.\n      The split is subject to approval of the increase in\n  authorized common shares, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CARTER HAWLEY HALE STORES INC <CHH> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  ended Jan 31\n      Shr loss 1.58 dlrs vs profit 58 cts\n      Net loss 24.2 mln vs profit 18.9 mln\n      Sales 1.34 billion vs 1.32 billion\n      Avg shrs 20.0 mln vs 19.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.27 dlrs vs profit 92 cts\n      Net profit 4.2 mln vs profit 48.0 mln\n      Sales 4.09 billion vs 3.98 billion\n      Avg shrs 20.2 mln vs 19.6 mln\n      NOTES: Share results after provision for preferred\n  dividends\n      Per share profits from operations were 1.46 dlrs vs 71 cts\n  in the quarter and 2.44 dlrs vs 1.05 dlrs in year. On a fully\n  diluted basis this was 1.11 dlrs vs 67 cts and 2.42 dlrs vs\n  1.58 dlrs, respectively, based on 33.0 mln vs 32.3 mln shares\n  outstanding in quarter and 32.8 mln vs 32.1 mln in year\n      1986 results in both periods include pre-tax losses pf 2.2\n  mln dlr on sale of John Wanamaker and 25.0 mln dlrs related to\n  recapitalization, for a combined primary per share charge of\n  1.58 dlrs in quarter and 1.57 dlrs in year.\n      1986 results also include an after-tax charge 29.3 mln\n  dlrs, equal to 1.46 dlrs a share in quarter and 1.44 dlrs in\n  year, for premium on early retirement of debt\n      1985 net in both periods includes pre-tax loss of 2.4 mln\n  dlrs, equal to 13 cts a share, on sale of Holt Renfrew\n      Results include LIFO charge 1.7 mln dlrs vs credit 4.4 mln\n  dlrs in quarter and credit 1.9 mln dlrs vs credit 6.4 mln dlrs\n  in year\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"OECD FARM SUBSIDIES STUDY RESULTS DETAILED\n","article":"  The results of a controversial study\n  of farm subsidies conducted by the Paris-based Organisation for\n  Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD, show Japan has the\n  highest agriculture subsidies in the world, and that dairy\n  farmers benefit more than any other commodity producers from\n  subsidies.\n      Results of the study, which has not been released by OECD\n  because of objections from some countries, were provided to\n  Reuters by officials of several countries on condition they not\n  be identified.\n      The OECD study calculates the level of farm subsidies for\n  the years 1979-81 using a new measure called the producer\n  subsidy equivalent, PSE.\n      The study shows that on dairy products Japan's PSE, or the\n  amount of aid to farmers expressed as a percentage, averaged\n  83.3 pct over 1979-81, with the European Community at 68.8 pct\n  and the United States 48.2 pct.\n      For wheat Japan's PSE averaged 95.8 pct, the EC 28.1 and\n  the U.S. 17.2. Japan's rice PSE was 68.8 pct compared to the EC\n  13.6 and the U.S. 5.4 pct, the OECD calculations show.\n      In coarse grains, Japan's subsidies reached 107.1 pct\n  compared with 27.9 pct for the EC and 13.1 pct for the U.S.\n  Japan's beef subsidy was 54.9 pct versus 52.7 pct for the EC\n  and 9.5 pct for the U.S., OECD concluded.\n      For sugar, Japan's PSE was 48.4 pct versus 27.9 pct in the\n  EC and 13.1 pct for the U.S., the study shows.\n      The OECD calculated farm subsidies for other industrial\n  countries such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand but in most\n  cases the results were much lower than for the U.S., EC and\n  Japan, the sources said.\n      Subsidies in Argentina and Brazil, two major developing\n  country producers of commodities, were not included in the OECD\n  work.\n      Officials said they hope to persuade reluctant countries to\n  release the study soon, perhaps coinciding with the OECD\n  ministerial meeting in Paris during May.\n      Some officials hope the OECD results will be used as a \n  basis for negotiations during the Uruguay round of global trade\n  talks now underway in Geneva.\n      British Agriculture Minister Michael Jopling during a visit\n  to Washington this week endorsed the OECD work as a starting\n  point for the Uruguay round negotiations on agriculture.\n      He said the PSE calculations provide a tool to negotiate\n  down domestic farm support levels, which are a major cause of\n  the present crisis in world agriculture.\n      However, the OECD study results are controversial because\n  they highlight the levels of assistance to farmers, officials\n  familiar with the study said.\n      The U.S. Agriculture Department's Economic Research Service\n  recently published a study of farm subsidies in an attempt to\n  verify the OECD results and update them to 1982-84.\n      In some cases the results were substantially different than\n  the OECD's, in part because farm policies in both the U.S. and\n  elsewhere had changed markedly by 1982-84 from the OECD base\n  period of 1979-81, U.S. officials said.\n      For example, the USDA study found the United States\n  subsidies to corn producers were higher in 1982-84, at 25 to 49\n  pct, than in the EC, at zero to nine pct.\n      French Maize Producers Association president Marcel Cazale,\n  citing the result of the USDA calculation for corn, told\n  reporters last week that the United States subsidizes its\n  farmers more than the EC.\n      However, the sources said EC corn subsidies are probably\n  higher than the U.S. now because of increases since 1984.\n      Officials of several countries have been asked to\n  contribute data to OECD so that the study can be updated to\n  1985 subsidy levels, a much more relevant measure of the\n  current world farm situation.\n      The updated calculations, which may take several months to\n  complete, are expected to show substantial increases in U.S.\n  subsidy levels for sugar because the U.S. imposed restrictive\n  import quotas in 1982 as aid to the domestic industry.\n      U.S. subsidy levels also are increased by the 1985 farm\n  bill, which sharply boosted government deficiency payments to\n  grain farmers and applied a marketing loan for rice, officials\n  added.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FIRST AMERICAN FINANCIAL<FAMR> IN SPECIAL PAYOUT\n","article":"  First American Financial Corp\n  said its board declared a special dividend of 20 cts per share\n  and the regular 25 ct quarterly dividend, both payable April 15\n  to holders of record March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"CARIBOU ENERGY REVERSE SPLIT APPROVED\n","article":"  <Caribou Energy Inc> said shareholders\n  have approved a one-for-100 reverse split that will take effect\n  by tomorrow and the company has changed its name to <Texas\n  Petroleum Corp>.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL CAPITAL <NCETS> TO MAKE SALE\n","article":"  National Capital Real Estate\n  Trust said it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell\n  its Irvine Commercial Center in Irvine, Calif., to Shuwa Corp\n  of California for 10.85 mln dlrs.\n      It said the buyer has pl;aced 250,000 dlrs into an escrow\n  account as a nonrefundable deposit.\n      The trust said existing debt secured by the property of\n  about 6,700,000 dlrs in due on completion of the transaction,\n  which is expected in early April.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SWISSAIR REPORTS LOWER PROFIT AND DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Swissair <SWSZ.Z> reported a 5.8 pct\n  drop in 1986 net profit to 64.5 mln Swiss francs and said that,\n  in line with its new, flexible dividend policy, it would cut\n  its payout to 33 francs per share from 38.\n      President Robert Staubli told a news conference that the\n  first two months of this year gave hope that 1987 profit would\n  at least equal last year's figure, but said much depended on\n  outside factors such as fuel prices and the exchange rate.\n      The fall was largely due to a 60 mln franc loss on\n  Swissair's core flying business last year, against a profit of\n  27 mln francs the previous year, he said.\n      The net profit figure was reached after receipt of some 68\n  mln francs from plane sales, compared with a mere 17 mln francs\n  in 1985. Finance Head Martin Juenger said he expected around 20\n  mln francs from sales this year, although said much depended on\n  the speed with which it decided to sell its DC-10s.\n      Gross profit for 1986 reached 340.5 mln francs, with 276\n  mln francs subtracted for ordinary depreciation.\n      Gross profits for the previous year had been 382.5 mln\n  francs, with 314 mln subtracted for depreciation, including 45\n  mln francs supplementary depreciation.\n      Staubli said the 1986 result, well below predictions made\n  this time last year, suffered considerably due to exchange rate\n  fluctuations, in particular the strength of the Swiss franc.\n      While the negative effects on revenue of the sharp drop in\n  the dollar were partially compensated for by cheaper fuel\n  prices, there was no such offset for the strength of the franc\n  against other European currencies.\n      \"Income and profit generated by services to these countries\n  shrank by a very substantial margin,\" he said. \"Exchange rate\n  trends therefore hit us much more severely than most other\n  airlines.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN ROXY IN NEW ALBERTA OIL DISCOVERY\n","article":"  <Canadian Roxy Petroleum Ltd>\n  said a new oil discovery in the Peerless Lake area of\n  north-central Alberta is capable of flowing at over 1,000\n  barrels of oil a day from a lower zone and more than 1,500\n  barrels a day from a separate upper zone.\n      Canadian Roxy has a 35 pct interest in the five-year\n  royalty free well, known as the Canadian Roxy et Al Trout\n  A14-8-89-3 W5M. Texaco Canada Inc holds 25 pct, MLC Oil and Gas\n  Ltd 15 pct, Northstar Energy Corp 13.5 pct and Tricentrol Oils\n  Ltd 11.5 pct.\n      Canadian Roxy said drilling has started on a follow-up\n  exploratory well about one mile northwest of the discovery\n  well.\n      The company said it holds a net 6,500 acres in the vicinity\n  of the discovery and a seismic program is underway to evaluate\n  further drilling opportunities.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WASTE MANAGEMENT<WMX> TO RAISE CHEMLAWN<CHEM>BID\n","article":"  Waste Management Inc said it\n  sent a letter to the ChemLawn Corp board, saying it is prepared\n  to increase its bid for ChemLawn to 33 dlrs a share,\n  from 27 dlrs, if ChemLawn promptly negotiates and executes a\n  simple two-step merger agreement containing only essential\n  covenants and conditions.\n      Upon such an agreement, Waste Management said, it would\n  amend its 27 dlrs a share cash tender offer.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GREEN TREE ACCEPTANCE INC <GNT> SETS DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly dividend 12-1\/2 cts vs 12-1\/2 cts\n      Pay March 31\n      Record March 16\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. FIRST TIME JOBLESS CLAIMS FELL IN WEEK\n","article":"  New applications for unemployment\n  insurance benefits fell to a seasonally adjusted 340,000 in the\n  week ended March 7 from 373,000 in the prior week, the Labor\n  Department said.\n      The number of people actually receiving benefits under\n  regular state programs totaled 2,507,000 in the week ended Feb\n  28, the latest period for which that figure was available.\n      That was up from 2,477,000 the previous week.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COCOA DELEGATES OPTIMISTIC ON BUFFER STOCK RULES\n","article":"  Hopes mounted for an agreement on cocoa\n  buffer stock rules at an International Cocoa Organization,\n  ICCO, council meeting which opened here today, delegates said.\n      Both producer and consumer ICCO members said after the\n  opening session that prospects for an agreement on the cocoa\n  market support mechanism were improving.\n      \"The chances are very good as of now of getting buffer stock\n  rules by the end of next week,\" Ghanaian delegate and producer\n  spokesman Mama Mohammed told journalists.\n      Consumer spokesman Peter Baron called the tone of the\n  negotiations \"optimistic and realistic.\"\n      The ICCO council failed to agree on buffer stock rules when\n  a new International Cocoa Agreement came into force in January,\n  with deep differences of opinion precluding serious discussions\n  on the matter at that time. The existing buffer stock of about\n  100,000 tonnes of cocoa was frozen, with a funds balance of 250\n  mln dlrs.\n      The ICCO made buffer stock rules negotiations a priority at\n  this semi-annual council meeting in order to stop the slide in\n  world cocoa prices.\n      Consumers and producers agreed yesterday on the principles\n  as a basis for negotiations.\n      The council broke for lunch, and reconvenes at 1500 hrs. A\n  working group which has been meeting since Monday will tackle\n  the buffer stock rules issue again at 1600 hrs, when ICCO\n  executive director Kobena Erbynn presents a fleshed-out version\n  of a draft proposal he prepared earlier this week, delegates\n  said.\n      Mohammed said delegates will have a much clearer indication\n  of prospects for an accord after details of the rules are\n  elaborated by Erbynn, and after producers and consumers meet\n  separately later today to examine the scheme.\n      The draft proposal included three principles: a limit to\n  non- member cocoa comprising the buffer stock, an offer system\n  for buying buffer stock cocoa, and price differentials to be\n  paid for various cocoas making up the buffer stock, delegates\n  said.\n      During the morning council session, the Ivory Coast\n  delegation gave \"an open minded statement\" that it is willing to\n  work out a buffer stock rules solution which could come into\n  effect as soon as possible, Baron said.\n      Ivorian Agriculture Minister Denis Bra Kanon, chairman of\n  the ICCO council, was now expected to arrive in London Monday\n  to attend the talks, Baron said. Vice chairman Sir Denis Henry\n  of Grenada chaired the meeting in his place.\n      Soviet and East German delegates did not attend the council\n  session because of a conflicting International Sugar\n  Organization meeting today, but could arrive this afternoon,\n  delegates said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"STUARTS DEPARTMENT STORES <STUS> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Ended Jan 31\n      Shr one ct vs 31 cts\n      Net 29,000 vs 1,350,000\n      Revs 43.7 mln vs 32.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 29 cts vs 62 cts\n      Net 1,251,000 vs 2,520,000\n      Revs 129.9 mln vs 96.1 mln\n      NOTE: Full name Stuarts Department Stores Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IOMEGA CORP <IOMG> EXPECTS QTR AND YEAR LOSSES\n","article":"  Iomega Corp announced it expected\n  revenues for the first quarter of 1987 to be significantly\n  lower than planned and that it anticipated a loss for the\n  quarter.\n      In its annual report to be mailed to stockholders tomorrow,\n  the company will announce its first quarter loss will be in\n  excess of 10 mln dlrs primarily as a result of lower than\n  anticipated revenues.\n      The company said it recored net income of 4,572,000 dlrs,\n  or 30 cts per share, for its first quarter fiscal 1986, on\n  revenues of 35.0 mln.\n      The company said it lowered its revenue plan for the\n  balance of 1987 and also expects to record a loss for the\n  entire 1987 year.\n      Iomega said the first quarter loss will place the company\n  in default under certain covenants in its bank line of credit\n  unless these covenants are modified.\n      The company is currently exploring alternatives for raising\n  additional funds through a debt for equity financing.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"3COM CORP <COMS> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 22 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 3,166,000 vs 1,780,000\n      Sales 30.4 mln vs 16.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 14.6 mln vs 14.0 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 56 cts vs 33 cts\n      Net 7,961,000 vs 4,562,000\n      Sales 78.8 mln vs 44.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 14.3 mln vs 13.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PORSCHE HALF-YEAR EARNINGS CALLED SATISFACTORY\n","article":"  Dr. Ing. H.C.F. Porsche AG <PSHG.F>\n  said earnings in first half year 1986\/87 were \"satisfactory\"\n  despite burdens caused by the dollar's weakness against the\n  mark and stagnating domestic demand.\n      In its semi-annual shareholders' report, Porsche said first\n  half turnover fell six pct to 1.71 billion marks from 1.83\n  billion in the same period of 1985\/86.\n      However, earnings were satisfactory, it said, without\n  giving absolute figures.\n      Domestic turnover fell 26 pct to 283 mln marks from 380\n  mln.\n      Foreign turnover dipped to 1.43 billion marks from 1.45\n  billion in the first half of last year, although the export\n  quota rose to 83 pct from 79 pct.\n      The car sector accounted for 1.51 billion marks of\n  turnover, against 1.63 billion the year earlier, it said.\n      Production dropped five pct to 25,876 cars from 27,381.\n  Manufacture of the 911 and 928 models rose six pct to 11,122\n  from 10,533 units but production of 924 and 944 models was cut\n  by 12 pct to 14,754 units from 16,848 and would be cut further,\n  the report said.\n      Car sales fell four pct to 25.269 units from 26,414 in the\n  comparable half year, the report said. U.S. Demand continued\n  for all models but demand fell in other markets.\n      Domestic sales were 39 pct down at 3,267 units from 5,397,\n  while sales abroad rose five pct to 22,002 from 21,017. Share\n  of exports in sales rose to 87 pct from 80 pct.\n      Investments were reduced to 108 mln marks from 125 mln.\n      Earnings were hit by lower sales and by the lower value of\n  the dollar and currencies in other important markets.\n      Nevertheless, sales and turnover would finish the July 11\n  year at a \"high level,\" Porsche said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PROGRESSIVE BANK INC <PSBK> \n","article":"  Qtly div seven cts vs seven cts in prior qtr\n      Payable April 15\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GERIATRIC AND MEDICAL CENTERS INC <GEMC> PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div two cts vs two cts prior\n      Pay April 24\n      Record April Three\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CONVENIENT FOOD MART INC <CFMI> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Period ended Dec 28\n      Shr 42 cts vs 35 cts\n      Net 941,000 vs 786,000\n      Revs 12,798,000 vs 2,269,000\n      Year\n      Shr 97 cts vs 83 cts\n      Net 2,211,000 vs 1,841,000\n      Revs 19,027,000 vs 6,474,000\n      NOTE: 1985 period ended December 29\n      Share results adjusted for five-for-four stock split on\n  April 28, 1986 and 10 pct stock dividend issued Dec 10, 1986\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MEDCHEM PRODUCTS INC <MDCH> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 21 cts vs 21 cts\n      Net 542,119 vs 520,668\n      Sales 2,035,759 vs 1,804,350\n      1st half\n      Shr 38 cts vs 42 cts\n      Net 956,228 vs 1,038,300\n      Sales 3,748,357 vs 3,482,066\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ARGENTINE OIL PRODUCTION DOWN IN JANUARY 1987\n","article":"  Argentine crude oil production was\n  down 10.8 pct in January 1987 to 12.32 mln barrels, from 13.81\n  mln barrels in January 1986, Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales\n  said.\n      January 1987 natural gas output totalled 1.15 billion cubic\n  metrers, 3.6 pct higher than 1.11 billion cubic metres produced\n  in January 1986, Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales added.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN FURTHER 191 MLN STG HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it gave the\n  money market a further 191 mln stg assistance in the afternoon\n  session. This takes the Bank's total help so far today to 372\n  mln stg and compares with its upwards revised estimate of the\n  shortage in the system of around 400 mln stg.\n      The central bank bought bank bills outright comprising 15\n  mln stg in band one at 9-7\/8 pct and 176 mln stg in band two at\n  9-13\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<PAGURIAN CORP LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.64 dlrs vs 90 cts\n      Net 64.9 mln vs 28.8 mln\n      Revs 73 mln vs 35 mln\n      NOTE: Shares outstanding 39.5 mln vs 32.1 mln. Avg shrs not\n  given.\n      Company recently raised equity and voting interests in\n  <Hees International Corp> to 13.4 pct and 16.1 pct,\n  respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UNILEVER PLC ADJUSTS DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Unilever Plc <UN.AS> said a reduction in\n  U.K. Advance Corporation Tax, (ACT) has prompted the company to\n  adjust its 1986 final dividend to 36.17p per share from the\n  originally declared 35.18p.\n      Unilever's 1985 final dividend amounted 27.05p\n      The adjustment stemmed from the dividend equalisation\n  agreement between the British company and its Dutch partner\n  Unilever NV. ACT in respect of any dividend paid by Unilever\n  Plc has to be treated as part of the dividend.\n      Unilever NV final dividend remains 10.67 guilders as\n  declared with the 1986 results on March 3.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JORDAN, SUDAN SIGN 100 MLN DLR BARTER TRADE PACT\n","article":"  Jordan and Sudan signed a barter trade\n  agreement under which they will exchange 100 mln dlrs' worth of\n  goods a year, Sudanese officials said.\n      They said Sudan will export corn, sesame, peanuts, spices\n  and cow hides, while Jordan will export cement, tomato puree,\n  chemicals and pharmaceuticals.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEW MARKET EMERGES IN WARRANTS FOR GOLD\n","article":"  A new market has emerged in warrants to\n  buy gold, a vehicle which bankers say brings some of the play\n  of commodity options into the field of securities.\n      Over the past three weeks, Swiss offices of American banks\n  have launched a total of four issues of warrants with varying\n  conditions, drawing on renewed inflationary worries and the\n  recovery of the gold price last year.\n      And Credit Suisse and Credit Suisse-First Boston each\n  issued Swiss franc bonds with warrants for gold which have a\n  similar character, though they are aimed at a less professional\n  market.\n      The market is still small. Taken together, the four\n  American-led warrant issues raised only about 50 mln Swiss\n  francs.\n      But banks believe the vehicle meets a need of investors and\n  predicted a lively future.\n      Andrew Barrett of Citicorp Investment Bank (Switzerland) AG\n  said: \"The warrants give smaller investors a chance to have a\n  long-term investment in gold with limited risk.\"\n      Citicorp in Zurich launched the first of these warrants on\n  February 27, following it up with a second issue less than a\n  week later. The issuer in both cases was Citibank NA.\n      The idea found some quick copies. Goldman Sachs in Zurich\n  organized and co-led an issue for the Swiss branch of Banque\n  Indosuez on March 9 and last night Morgan Guaranty\n  (Switzerland) AG did another for Morgan Guaranty Trust Co of\n  New York.\n      The four issues now offer investors striking prices for\n  gold ranging from the Indosuez issue at 410 dlrs an ounce, the\n  same price as the underlying commodity, to a 430 dlr level on\n  the first one for Citibank.\n      The premiums range from 22 pct to 36 pct and maturities\n  from 18 months to four years and three months, in all cases\n  longer than gold futures and options on U.S. Markets.\n      The bankers traced the inspiration for the market back to\n  the February report of U.S. Consumer prices for January, when a\n  jump of 0.7 pct raised again the threat of inflation.\n      \"Many people are worried about inflation again,\" said Mats\n  Joensson of Goldman Sachs. \"Money supply in Germany and the\n  United States has grown very strongly in the last year and\n  people want to take a ride on gold.\"\n      The gold market, having seen strong gains in 1986, has\n  languished just above 400 dlrs an ounce over the past few\n  weeks. But the banks saw in warrants the vehicle for a more\n  highly leveraged play where the downside risk was limited.\n      Barrett said it was natural that the market developed in\n  Switzerland. \"People here understand gold, and they understand\n  warrants,\" he said.\n      Citicorp (Switzerland) pioneered warrants with a series of\n  equity-linked covered issues based on Japanese company shares\n  over the past two years, and last autumn, Swiss banks launched\n  covered warrants in Swiss registered shares in a bid to give\n  foreign investors a chance to play in a market otherwise closed\n  to all but Swiss citizens, and to play it with higher leverage.\n      But after a quick flurry of issues, that market dried up\n  when Swiss shares prices fell from their January peaks.\n      The issues are being marketed not on the basis of simple\n  premiums, but on implicit volatility models devised to provide\n  scientific comparisons between titles in the options market.\n      Martin Bachem of Morgan Guaranty said his bank's issue was\n  competitive despite its relatively high premium. The issue, for\n  five ounces at 425 dlrs, was priced at 955 Swiss francs, making\n  a premium over the spot gold price of nearly 36 pct.\n      Using a Black Sholes options model, he said the issue's\n  long, 4.3-year maturity meant the warrants needed an implicit\n  volatility of gold of only 24.5 pct for the option to pay off,\n  which he claimed was lower than the other issues.\n      But Barrett said the Black Sholes variant Citicorp used\n  pointed to a higher volatily for the Morgan issue and\n  emphasized that the models were at best an inexact science.\n      And each bank, using its own model, put the implicit\n  volatility needed for its own issue at close to 25 pct.\n      Whatever the calculation, the issues have received a warm\n  welcome from investors.\n      Joensson of Goldman Sachs said there was a lot of demand,\n  even among small investors, who were buying 15 or 20 warrants\n  apiece. \"The most sophisticated ones wouldn't buy these because\n  the premiums are too high,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ROSPATCH CORP REJECTS OFFER FROM DIAGNOSTIC RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS INC\n","article":"\n  ROSPATCH CORP REJECTS OFFER FROM DIAGNOSTIC RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS INC\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"METRO FUNDING SHAREHOLDERS APPROVE MERGER\n","article":"  <Metro Funding Corp> said its\n  shareholders approved its merger into <Maxcom Corp> and its\n  change of incorporation from Nevada to Delaware.\n      Metro Funding also said its subsidiary, Comet Corp, will be\n  renamed Maxcom USA.\n      The company also reported shareholders approved the\n  authorization of 500,000 shares of common stock to be set aside\n  for an incentive stock option plan.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BLOCKBUSTER ENTERTAINMENT CORP <BBEC> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 1.25 dlrs vs loss 44 cts\n      Oper net loss 2,915,000 vs loss 951,000\n      Revs 8,131,000 vs 119,000\n      NOTE: 1985 net excludes 625,000 dlr gain from discontinued\n  operations.\n      Net includes tax credits of 860,000 dlrs vs 285,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TELECOM <TELE> SAYS SALE CLOSING DELAYED\n","article":"  Telecom Plus International Inc\n  said the closing of the sale of its 65 pct interest in Tel Plus\n  Communications Inc to <Siemens AG> has been delayed.\n      The company said it will be continuing its talks with\n  Siemens and based on current circumstances believes the\n  transaction could close next week.\n      Closing had been scheduled for March 16.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"THE HOME DEPOT INC <HD> 4TH QTR FEB ONE NET\n","article":"  Shr 27 cts vs 10 cts\n      Net 7,684,000 vs 2,587,000\n      Revs 273.9 mln vs 203.7 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 90 cts vs 33 cts\n      Net 23.9 mln vs 8,219,000\n      Revs 1.01 billion vs 700.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.S. ENERGY CHIEF SEES PROMISE IN OIL-TAX CHANGE\n","article":"  Energy Secretary John Herrington\n  said his proposed option to raise the oil depletion allowance\n  to 27.5 pct was probably the most economically promising way to\n  spur domestic production.\n      The White House has said it would consider the option\n  although it was generally opposed to any revisions in the new\n  tax code.\n      Herrington told a meeting of the Mid-Continent Oil and Gas\n  Association that the higher depletion allowance on new oil and\n  enhanced oil recovery would cost taxpayers about 200 mln dlrs a\n  year.\n      The option was one of many contained in a report on oil and\n  the national security the Energy Department sent to the White\n  House on Tuesday.\n      Herrington said of the increased depletion allowance\n  option: \"that is one that could significantly increase\n  production at a very low cost to the American taxpayer.\"\n      He again rejected an oil import fee as far too costly to\n  the overall U.S. economy.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. PERSONAL INCOME ROSE 0.9 PCT IN FEBRUARY, SPENDING UP 1.7 PCT\n","article":"\n  U.S. PERSONAL INCOME ROSE 0.9 PCT IN FEBRUARY, SPENDING UP 1.7 PCT\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. PERSONAL INCOME ROSE 0.9 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  U.S. personal income rose 0.9 pct,\n  or 32.4 billion dlrs, in February to a seasonally adjusted\n  annual rate of 3,581.3 billion dlrs, the Commerce Department\n  said.\n      The increase followed a revised 0.2 pct rise in personal\n  income during January. Earlier, the department estimated\n  January personal income was unchanged.\n      The February incomes rise was the largest monthly increase\n  since a 1.2 pct rise in April 1986, the department said. It\n  attributed last month's rise to several factors, including\n  subsidy payments to farmers and government pay raises.\n      The department said personal consumption expenditures were\n  up during February by 1.7 pct or 49.1 billion dlrs to 2,855.9\n  billion dlrs after falling by 58.4 billion dlrs or two pct in\n  January.\n      Purchases of durable goods were up 24.8 billion dlrs last\n  month after decreasing by 69.7 billion dlrs in January with\n  sales of motor vehicles accounting for most of the February\n  increase and the January decline, the department said.\n      Purchases of nondurables rose 10.7 billion dlrs in February\n  after a 300 mln dlr increase in January.\n      The Commerce Department said wage and salary incomes were\n  up 15.6 billion dlrs in February after an 8.6 billion dlr rise\n  in January.\n      Manufacturing payrolls increased by 2.4 billion dlrs last\n  month after rising 1.9 billion dlrs in February with the gains\n  widespread through durable and nondurable industries, the\n  department said.\n      Farmers' incomes increased by 12.2 billion dlrs in February\n  after declining by 8.7 billion dlrs in January. Both last\n  month's increase and January's fall in farm incomes was because\n  of government subsidy payments, the department said.\n      Personal tax and nontax payments fell 5.5 billion dlrs in\n  February following a 19.5 billion dlrs January drop. The \n  declines were a result of the Tax Reform Act of 1986.\n      Federal withheld income taxes were up in February from a\n  month earlier but that was offset by declines in federal\n  nonwithheld taxes and lower state and local income taxes.\n      Disposable personal income in February after taxes was up\n  1.2 pct or 37.8 billion dlrs to 3,063.4 billion dlrs after\n  rising 25.8 billion dlrs in January.\n      The personal savings rate eased to 3.6 pct in February from\n  four pct in January, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TULTEX CORP <TTX> SETS QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div eights cts vs eight cts prior\n      Pay April one\n      Record March 13\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 40 MLN STG LATE ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The bank of England said it provided the\n  money market with late assistance of around 40 mln stg. This\n  brings the Bank's total help today to some 412 mln stg and\n  compares with its forecast of a shortage in the sytem of around\n  400 mln stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"HOG AND CATTLE SLAUGHTER GUESSTIMATES\n","article":"  Chicago Mercantile Exchange floor\n  traders and commission house representatives are guesstimating\n  today's hog slaughter at about 295,000 to 305,000 head versus\n  307,000 week ago and 311,000 a year ago.\n      Cattle slaughter is guesstimated at about 124,000 to\n  128,000 head versus 127,000 week ago and 126,000 a year ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DEUTSCHE BABCOCK SEES HIGHER 1986\/87 PROFITS\n","article":"  Deutsche Babcock AG\n  <DBCG.F> expects profits to rise in the current financial year\n  ending September 9 although the earnings level is still\n  unsatisfactory, managing board chairman Helmut Wiehn said.\n      He told a news conference that business during the year had\n  weakened somewhat but was still generally positive.\n      Sales during the first five months to February was 1.26\n  billion marks, 46.7 pct down from the same 1985\/86 period.\n  However, he expected turnover for the year to be approximately\n  unchanged from the previous year's 5.14 billion marks when\n  current orders from major projects are booked.\n      Wiehn said incoming orders in the first five months to end-\n  February totalled 2.50 billion marks compared with 2.04 billion\n  for the same period in 1985\/86. They included a 45.8 pct\n  increase in domestic orders to 1.57 billion marks.\n      Orders in hand for the five months were 16.7 pct higher at\n  8.64 billion marks.\n      Wiehn added that Babcock was still aiming for a three pct\n  yield on turnover. In the year to September 1986 group profits\n  totalled 39 mln marks on sales of 5.14 billion against the\n  previous year's 32 mln on 5.11 billion marks.\n      Parent company turnover was unchanged at 25.6 mln marks.\n      Wiehn said Babcock's liquidity had clearly improved in the\n  current business year, with financial reserves in the first\n  five months rising by 237 mln marks to 831 mln after increasing\n  by 408 mln marks to 594 mln in 1985\/86.\n      He said pre-tax earnings per share for 1985\/86, according\n  to the DVFA method, were 26.95 marks from 21.40 marks and\n  earnings after tax rose to 10 marks from 8.10.\n      The company earlier said dividend will be unchanged at\n  three marks for ordinary shares and 3.50 marks for preference\n  shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOVIET TIMECHARTERING BOOSTS GRAIN FREIGHT RATES\n","article":"  Current interest by Soviet charterers in\n  taking Panamax vessels on timecharter, mainly from the U.S. To\n  carry grain, is seen as the chief factor behind the recent\n  surge in values on the Baltic International Freight Futures\n  Exchange (BIFFEX), dealers said.\n      Futures soared through the 1,000 points barrier today for\n  the first time in the spot position since the market opened in\n  May 1985. However, the market tends to be nervous, with values\n  some 100 points above the Baltic Freight Index, which is\n  calculated on spot physical rates.\n      No specific figure has been put for Soviet bookings but\n  they have been sufficient to drain Panamax tonnage (about\n  50,000 to 65,000 tonnes dw) from the U.S. Gulf which would\n  normally operate on the trip to Japan, dealers said.\n      \"It appears that the Chernobyl disaster had a worse effect\n  on its (the Soviet) grain harvest than reported,\" one said.\n      Freight rates on the Gulf\/Japan grain route have\n  subsequently been the main beneficiary of current chartering\n  conditions, with very few, if any, Panamax sized ships left for\n  the remainder of this month in the Gulf. Rates have risen\n  steadily for vessels loading next month.\n      Dealers said there is even talk that owners are considering\n  taking older vessels out of lay-up to meet current demand.\n      Sentiment has also been aided by suggestions that Chinese\n  operators may be in the market for similar timecharter business\n  later in the year, they said.\n      They anticipate this would appear around June and it has\n  prompted keen demand in the July BIFFEX contract, despite it\n  normally being a slack time in the shipping year.\n      Market sentiment has fluctuated in recent weeks. Rates\n  turned down as an earlier rise in bunker prices, which had\n  supported the market at the start of the year, faltered but\n  then recovered on the reported Soviet interest.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DROUGHT MAY REDUCE ZIMBABWE COFFEE OUTPUT -GROWERS\n","article":"  Zimbabwe's projected coffee output of\n  13,000 tonnes for 1987\/88 could be reduced by drought, growers\n  said.\n      The main coffee growing areas in eastern Zimbabwe have\n  received little rain since April 1986 and the Coffee Growers'\n  Association has begun a survey to assess the effects of the\n  drought, a spokesman said.\n      Zimbabwe exported 11,000 tonnes of coffee in 1986, mainly\n  to West Germany, Britain, Japan, the Netherlands, Switzerland\n  and the United States.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PILLSBURY CO 3RD QTR SHR 56 CTS VS 63 CTS\n","article":"\n  PILLSBURY CO 3RD QTR SHR 56 CTS VS 63 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CONTROL RESOURCE <CRIX> SEES LOWER EARNINGS\n","article":"  Control Resource\n  Industries Inc said the company estimates 1986 earnings to be\n  between 800,000 and 900,000 dlrs, or 22 to 25 cts per share,\n  compared with 852,000 dlrs, or 33 cts per share, during 1985.\n      The company said preliminary estimates of 1986 revenues is\n  24.5 mln dlrs, compared with 7,900,000 for 1985.\n      The estimated 1986 results are based on 3,207,000 shares\n  outstanding, compared to 2,566,000 shares outstanding for 1985.\n      R. Steven Lutterbach, chairman, said net income for 1986\n  was adversely affected primarily due to lower operating margins\n  at the company's Western Environmental subsidiary, and to an\n  increase in bad debt reserves.\n      Western Environmental was acquired in March 1986.\n  Lutterbach explained the company has taken steps to improve\n  financial and accounting controls, primarily at Western, which\n  were not adequate at the time of acquisition.\n      He noted the final results for the fourth quarter will\n  depend on the allocation of increased costs between the second\n  and fourth quarters.\n      Lutterbach said it is possible second quarter results will\n  be restated, though final net income for the year will remain\n  in the estimated range.\n      He added preliminary indications for first quarter 1987\n  revenues were favorable.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MEDIQ <MED> IN AMERICAN MEDICAL <AMI> UNIT BUY\n","article":"  MEDIQ Inc said its MEDIQ\n  Diagnostic Imaging Partners - I LP has signed a letter of\n  intent to acquire substantially all the assets of American\n  Medical International Inc's AMI Diagnostic Services Inc\n  subsidiary for undisclosed terms.\n      The company said AMI Diagnostic operates seven magnetic\n  resonance and mutli-modality diagnostic imaging centers. MEDIQ\n  Diagnostic is a limited partnership of which MEDIQ is general\n  partner.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CYCLOPS <CYL>BOARD RESTRUCTURED TO INCLUDE DIXON\n","article":"  Cyclops Corp said its board has\n  been restructured under the terms of the company's merger\n  agreement with <Dixons Group plc> following the British\n  company's acquisition of 54 pct of Cyclops' stock.\n      The company said its board is now composed of three Cyclops\n  executives -- Chairman W.H. Knoell, President James F. Will and\n  Senior Vice President WIlliam D. Dickey -- and three Dixons\n  executives -- Vice-Chairman and Financial Director Egon von\n  Greyerz, Corporate Finance Director Gerald M.N. Corbett, and\n  Secretary Jeoffrey Budd.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BLOCKBUSTER ENTERTAINMENT <BBEC> SELLING UNIT\n","article":"  Blockbuster Entertainment Corp said it\n  will sell its investment in Amtech Corp to the company\n  chairman, David Cook, and president, Kenneth Anderson.\n      The company said the sale is taking place because Amtech is\n  not compatible with Blockbuster's main line of business, will\n  require substaintial additional funding to develop and market\n  its product, and is expected to sustain operating losses for\n  the forseeable future.\n      The company said Cook and Anderson will form a new company\n  with the sale called Amtech Holdings Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MANOR CARE INC <MNR> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 24 cts vs 21 cts\n      Net 9,700,000 vs 8,286,000\n      Revs 120.6 mln vs 115.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 40.0 mln vs 39.9 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 69 cts vs 68 cts\n      Net 27.8 mln vs 27.1 mln\n      Revs 374.9 mln vs 358.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 40.0 mln vs 39.9 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 year net includes charge of 2,396,000 dlrs, or\n  six cts a share, for debt redemption\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ADTEC INC <JAIL> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 11 cts vs 11 cts\n      Oper net 164,000 vs 161,000\n      Revs 2,598,000 vs 2,241,000\n      Nine mths\n      Oper shr 28 cts vs 18 cts\n      Oper net 419,000 vs 276,000\n      Revs 6,983,000 vs 5,019,000\n      NOTE: Net excludes tax loss carryforwards 11,876 dlrs vs\n  83,045 dlrs in quarter and 36,684 dlrs vs 144,590 dlrs\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANADA JANUARY RETAIL SALES FALL 0.1 PCT AFTER DECEMBER'S 0.9 PCT GAIN - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  CANADA JANUARY RETAIL SALES FALL 0.1 PCT AFTER DECEMBER'S 0.9 PCT GAIN - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ACCORD SAID IN SIGHT IN BRAZIL SEAMEN'S STRIKE\n","article":"  An accord is in sight in Brazil's\n  20-day-old national seamen's strike, which has seriously\n  delayed exports, a union official said.\n      The official, speaking from strike headquarters in Rio de\n  Janeiro, said up to 30,000 of Brazil's 40,000 seamen were still\n  on strike.\n      He said the others had returned to work over the last week,\n  accepting pay offers of 120 pct from four private companies and\n  from the Frota Nacional de Petroleiros (Fronape), part of the\n  state-owned oil company Petrobras.\n      The association grouping private shipowners, Syndarma, has\n  also offered 120 pct but talks have so far been deadlocked over\n  payment for overtime.\n      The union official said he believed this issue would be\n  resolved shortly.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NORTH AMERICAN GROUP <NAMG> BUYS GEORGIA FIRM\n","article":"  North American Group Ltd's North\n  American Acquisition Corp said it has a definitive agreement to\n  buy 100 pct of Pioneer Business Group Inc of Atlanta.\n      Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Closing of the\n  acquisition is scheduled for April.\n      North American Acquisition said the agreement is subject to\n  due diligence and a satisfactory review of Pioneer's operation.\n  Pioneer makes business forms.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"PILLSBURY CO <PSY> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 56 cts vs 63 cts\n      Net 48,500,000 vs 55,400,000\n      Sales 1.53 billion vs 1.46 billion\n      Avg shrs 86.6 mln vs 87.3 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 1.73 dlrs vs 1.79 dlrs\n      Net 150,300,000 vs 156,200,000\n      Sales 4.60 billion vs 4.30 billion\n      Avg shrs 86.7 mln vs 87.3 mln\n      NOTE: 1987 results include gain of 9.7 mln dlrs, or 11 cts\n  a share from sale of assets\n      1986 results include gain of 161 mln dlrs, or 18 cts a\n  share, from sale of assets, offset partly by a restructuring\n  provision\n      Fiscal 1987 results restated to give effect to adoption of\n  financial accounting standards relating to pension costs.\n  Segment data for Foods restated to include results of commodity\n  marketing, previously reported separately. Earnings restated\n  for two-for-one stock split, effective Nov 30, 1986\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"JIM WALTER CORP 2ND QTR SHR 86 CTS VS 62 CTS\n","article":"\n  JIM WALTER CORP 2ND QTR SHR 86 CTS VS 62 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COLOMBIA WILL NOT ATTEND MANAGUA COFFEE MEETING\n","article":"  Colombia will not attend a meeting of\n  coffee producing countries scheduled for this weekend in\n  Nicaragua, Jorge Cadenas, manager of the National Coffee\n  Growers' Federation, said.\n      \"We prefer to wait until things are better prepared,\" he told\n  Reuters. He added the meeting could be postponed.\n      Colombia, Brazil and the Central American coffee producing\n  countries were invited to the meeting in Managua to analyze the\n  market situation\n      However, he did not dismiss the idea of dialogue and\n  negotiation in preparation for meetings of the International\n  Coffee Organization.\n      Gilberto Arango, president of Colombia's exporters'\n  association, speaking to Reuters earlier this week, ruled out a\n  fresh Colombian initiative on export quotas saying producers\n  had now to show a common resolve which could emerge from\n  continuous contacts.\n      The International Coffee Organization executive board is to\n  meet in London between March 31 and April 2.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOVIET FIRM SAYS TALKS ON FOR PHILIPPINE MINE\n","article":"  Preliminary talks are on between two\n  state-owned Philippine banks and Soviet metal trading and\n  equipment sales company Tsvetmetpromexport on rescuing Nonoc\n  Mining and Industrial Corp (NMIC) which operates the\n  Philippines' only nickel refinery, a Soviet official said.\n      G.I. Valentchits, Deputy Trade Minister at the Soviet\n  embassy, told Reuters a report earlier this week that\n  Tsvetmetpromexport had asked the Philippine government whether\n  it could help rehabilitate or operate NMIC was incorrect.\n      \"It is the other way round,\" Valentchits said.\n      He said the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and\n  the Philippine National Bank (PNB), which own NMIC, had\n  approached the Soviet state-owned firm in August last year.\n      \"We studied the question and asked the banks in which field\n  and what area they can help in the project,\" Valentchits said.\n      He said there had been no reply yet from NMIC and the talks\n  were \"only just initial.\"\n      NMIC President Arthur Aguilar and other company officials\n  were not available for comment.\n      Manila banking sources said the situation was serious at\n  NMIC, set up by DBP and PNB in August 1984 after the two banks\n  foreclosed on the assets of Marinduque Mining and Industrial\n  Corp over a 17 billion peso obligation.\n      The bankers said NMIC itself has recently filed with the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for placing the\n  company under receivership and the suspension of its debt\n  payments in order to protect it from threats of foreclosure.\n      Business Day newspaper said the latest credits extended to\n  NMIC include a 127 mln dlr loan, with Chemical Bank as the lead\n  agent.\n      The newspaper said another 33 mln dlr loan was lead managed\n  by Citicorp.\n      It said the government's privatisation program has listed\n  NMIC at a price of at least 700 mln dlrs, adding that foreign\n  investors were wary of taking over the ailing nickel firm.\n      The bankers said NMIC was currently burdened with debts of\n  at least 15.8 billion pesos and is facing 10 civil lawsuits for\n  foreclosures from major creditors.\n      The Business Bulletin newspaper said the firm had assets\n  totalling 12.2 billion pesos, while DBP and PNB exposures with\n  the firm were estimated at 14.9 billion pesos.\n      NMIC has not operated its plant in the southern Philippines\n  since March 1986 after workers struck demanding payment of\n  salaries delayed because of the firm's financial difficulties.\n      The firm produced 1,863 tonnes of nickel in the first two\n  months of 1986, compared with 2,364 tonnes in the same period\n  in 1985. The mine's capacity is 2,000 tonnes a month.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JIM WALTER CORP <JWC> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 86 cts vs 62 cts\n      Shr diluted 86 cts vs 59 cts\n      Net 28.0 mln vs 18.3 mln\n      Revs 513.5 mln vs 517.0 mln\n      First half\n      Shr 2.03 dlrs vs 1.78 dlrs\n      Shr diluted 2.03 dlrs vs 1.61 dlrs\n      Net 65.9 mln vs 50.0 mln\n      Revs 1.11 billion vs 1.08 billion\n      Avg shrs 32.4 mln vs 28.1 mln\n      Avg shrs diluted 32.4 mln vs 32.4 mln\n      NOTE: 1987 net includes gains of 645,000 dlrs, or two cts a\n  share, in quarter and 12,290,000 dlrs, or four cts a share,\n  from reduced pension expense under new accounting procedures\n      Net in both 1987 periods also includes gain of 4.0 mln\n  dlrs, or 12 cts a share, from sale of land in Alabama.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CANADA RETAIL SALES FALL 0.1 PCT IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Canada's retail sales, seasonally\n  adjusted, fell 0.1 pct in January after gaining 0.9 pct in\n  December, Statistics Canada said.\n      Retail sales fell to 11.98 billion dlrs from 11.99 billion\n  dlrs in December, 1986. Unadjusted sales were 6.9 pct higher\n  than in January, 1986.\n      In January, automobile sales fell 1.9 pct, department store\n  sales slipped 3.2 pct and variety stores sales plunged 14 pct.\n  The declines were offset by a 5.5 pct increase in grocery store\n  sales and a 9.9 pct gain in hardware sales.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SCAN-GRAPHICS TO MERGE WITH PUBLIC COMPANY\n","article":"  Scan-Graphics Inc said it will be\n  acquired by Captive Venture Capital Inc, a public company,\n  in a stock transaction approved by shareholders of both\n  companies.\n      As a result of the merger, the former shareholders of\n  Scan-Graphics will become the majority shareholders of Captive\n  Venture Capital. The name of the corporation will be changed to\n  Scan-Graphics Inc and its borad of directors will be composed\n  of individuals now on the Scan-Graphics board.\n      Under the terms of the deal, Capitive Venture Capital will\n  issue 1.6 mln shares of restricted convertible preferred stock,\n  convertible into 16 mln shares of common stock, in exchange for\n  all outstanding stock of Scan-Graphics.\n      Upon completing the deal, there will be 2,649,500 common\n  shares of Capitive Venture Capital issued and outstanding, of\n  which 149,500 shares will be held by the public.\n      In addition, there are 95,050 tradeable class A warrants\n  and 100,000 B warrants, each of which entitles the holder to\n  buy 10 shares of common stock at 1.25 dlrs and 1.50 dlrs,\n  respectively, a share.\n      Scan-Graphics makes systems that allow users to convert\n  graphic documents, such as charts, maps and engineering\n  drawings, into computer data that can be displayed, edited and\n  stored by computer.\n      Currently, Captive Venture Capital stock is traded over the\n  counter and will soon trade under the Scan-Graphics name.\n  Application for Nasdaq listing is expected as soon as\n  requirements are met.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WISCONSIN POWER AND LIGHT CO <WPL>VOTES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 76 cts vs 76 cts prior qtr\n      Pay 15 May\n      Record 30 April\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"GOODMARK FOODS INC <GDMK> 2ND QTR FEB 22 NET\n","article":"  Shr 19 cts vs 18 cts\n      Net 835,000 vs 794,000\n      Sales 23.9 mln vs 20.5 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 47 cts vs 91 cts\n      Net 2,104,000 vs 3,489,000\n      Sales 74.5 mln vs 65.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,450,675 vs 3,822,894\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECONOMIC SPOTLIGHT - U.S. DEFICIT WITH NICs\n","article":"  The U.S. trade deficit with Taiwan and\n  Korea is expected to widen this year, despite some economic and\n  currency adjustments by the two newly industrialized countries,\n  economists said.\n      \"The surpluses that Taiwan and Korea ran with the U.S. in\n  1986 will get bigger. This time next year, the U.S. will be\n  screaming at those countries about their exports,\" said Steve\n  Cerier of Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co.\n      Taiwan is currently the third biggest exporter to the U.S.\n  after Japan and Canada, while Korea is the seventh largest.\n      Faced with heightened protectionist sentiment in Congress,\n  the Reagan administration has been stepping up the rhetoric\n  against Taiwan and Korea, urging those countries to allow their\n  currencies to appreciate and lift impediments to free trade.\n      The thrust has shifted to those newly industrialized\n  countries (NICs) amid signs the dollar's steep drop against the\n  currencies of Japan and most EC nations -- previously the main\n  focus of the U.S. drive to cut its trade gap -- is beginning to\n  close the competiveness gap for American goods.\n      U.S. Treasury secretary James Baker said recently that he\n  expects a reduction in Japan's trade surplus this year.\n      But U.S. manufacturers still are losing markets on their\n  own doorstep to Taiwan and Korea, whose currencies have not\n  risen as much as the yen and the mark. As major beneficiaries\n  of soft oil prices and with low labor costs, Taiwanese and\n  Korean exporters are well-placed to take up the slack.\n      \"In 1986, the fashionable comment in Washington was\n  Japan-bashing. Now it's NIC-bashing,\" said Robert Chandross, of\n  Lloyds Bank PLC.\n      Asia's four main NICs -- Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore\n  and Taiwan -- accounted for almost one-fifth of the overall 170\n  billion dlr U.S. merchandise trade deficit for 1986.\n      The U.S. trade gap with Taiwan rose to 15.7 billion dlrs in\n  1986 from 13.1 billion in 1985, while the bilateral trade\n  deficit with South Korea grew to 7.1 billion from 4.8 billion.\n      And preliminary U.S. data show that the growth trend is\n  continuing. The U.S. trade shortfall with Taiwan was 1.6\n  billion dlrs in January, up 24.4 pct from a year earlier. The\n  gap with Korea was 700 mln dlrs, up 24.8 pct from a year ago.\n      Lately both nations have said they will take steps to\n  defuse incipient trade tensions. Korea said it is choosing many\n  of the 122 items on which the U.S. wants it to cut import\n  tariffs in order to deflect pressure for currency revaluation.\n      Still, South Korean trade minister Rha Woong Bae said last\n  week that Korea would maintain a trade surplus for three to\n  five years as a way to cut its 44.5 billion dlr foreign debt.\n      For its part, Taiwan said in January that it will cut\n  tariffs on 1,700 goods sometime in the second half of 1987 and\n  try to diversify exports. But vice economic minister Wang\n  Chien-Shien said last month that he still does not expect\n  Taiwan's trade surplus with the U.S. will fall in 1987.\n      The NICs have made deep inroads into markets for textiles\n  and electronic goods. But Korea is raising its profile in the\n  area of \"big-ticket\" manufactured goods, notably cars.\n      Korea expects its auto exports -- mostly for North America\n  -- to balloon to 675,000 units in 1987 from zero in 1985.\n      \"The NICs' exports are almost all manufactured goods. When\n  their exports rise it hits the heart of the U.S. manufacturing\n  base. It cuts directly to us and to our customers,\" said Bob\n  Wendt, manager for economic studies at Bethlehem Steel Corp.\n      The U.S. takes 90 pct of Korea's computer products exports,\n  72 pct of its electrical appliances and 65 pct of its\n  telecommunications equipment.\n      A recent study by Morgan Guaranty Trust Co says Taiwan and\n  South Korea are the most pressing trade issue for the U.S.\n      While Hong Kong and Singapore run trade surpluses with the\n  U.S., these are offset by their deficits with other countries.\n      But Taiwan and, to a lesser extent, South Korea, stand in\n  marked contrast. Both of these nations have moved rapidly into\n  large bilateral surplus with the U.S. and major overrall trade\n  and current account surpluses, the Morgan study says.\n      Morgan expects Taiwan's overall trade surplus to grow to\n  18.5 billion dlrs in 1987 from 15.2 billion last year, and\n  Korea's to increase to 6.5 billion dlrs from 3.5 billion.\n      Concern about the NICs is not confined to the U.S.\n      \"A lot of Korea and Taiwan's exports to the U.S. have been\n  at Japan's expense,\" said Richard Koss at General Motors Corp.\n      February's Paris meeting of six major industrial powers\n  exorted NICs to lower trade barriers and revalue currencies.\n      But this two-pronged approach has drawn little response\n  from the two nations so far and, in any case, will only work\n  with a sizeable lag, economists say.\n      The U.S. has not said how much it thinks the Taiwan's and\n  Korea's currencies should climb. The Taiwan dollar, which is\n  pegged to the U.S. dollar, has risen about 15 pct since\n  September 1985 while the Korean won has risen about five pct.\n      But in real terms the Taiwan dollar has been flat against\n  the U.S. unit and the won has lost seven pct, economists say.\n      \"We've not seen any lessening of competition from those\n  countries that we can attribute to currency changes,\" said\n  Bethlehem Steel's Wendt.\n      And so far, U.S. pleas for Taiwan and Korea to use their\n  hefty export earnings to import more have had little effect.\n      Moreover, it is uncertain how far U.S. protectionism will\n  get given the administration's free-trade stance. \"It's hard to\n  see that anything will be passed much before year-end. And then\n  the question is, will it have teeth?\" one economist said.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"RANK XEROX <XRX> TO SELL SOUTH AFRICAN UNIT\n","article":"  Xerox Corp's U.K. unit, Rank Xerox\n  Ltd, said it agreed in principle to sell its South African\n  company, Rank Xerox South Africa Pty Ltd, to <Altron Group's>\n  Fintech unit.\n      Terms of the deal were not disclosed.\n      Altron said the acquisition was key to making Fintech an\n  office systems company.\n      The South African Rank Xerox unit sells copiers and\n  duplicators throughout South Africa and in Namibia (South West\n  Africa). It has over 800 employees, all of whom will be\n  retained by Fintech when the deal closes, Rank Xerox said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COUNTRYWIDE CREDIT INDUSTRIES INC <CCR> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Feb 28 end\n      Shr 44 cts vs 16 cts\n      Shr diluted 37 cts vs 16 cts\n      Net 5,378,000 vs 1,987,000\n      Revs 26.8 mln vs 14.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 12.4 mln vs 12.1 mln\n      Shr 1.26 dlrs vs 45 cts\n      Shr diluted 1.10 dlrs vs 45 cts\n      Net 15.5 mln vs 5,401,000\n      Revs 80.3 mln vs 46.4 mln\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for stock dividends declared through\n  today.   \n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"TALKING POINT\/VIACOM INTERNATIONAL <VIA>\n","article":"  A bidding war for Viacom International\n  Inc, one of the largest U.S. entertainment companies, pitted a\n  management group and other investors against National\n  Amusements Inc, a closely held theater operator.\n      Both sides raised their bids over the weekend. A source\n  close to the management side insisted that timing was on his\n  side. He said if outside directors approve the management\n  proposal, a merger plan could be put to a vote of shareholders\n  with proxy material going out late this week. \"It would take 20\n  days from the day we mail,\" said the source.\n      The source predicted National Amusements, controlled by\n  investor Sumner Redstone, would need \"half a year\" to complete\n  a tender offer because of the regulatory approvals that must\n  accompany any change in control of Viacom's broadcast licenses\n  and cable television franchises.\n      Redstone was not available for comment.\n      Some of Wall Street's arbitrage players said it was a rare\n  situation that could only be enjoyed - a true bidding war. One\n  said Redstone could begin a tender offer whenever he wanted and\n  if enough people were convinced his proposal was superior to\n  the Viacom management plan, he would have a chance to win.\n      The independent directors of Viacom were called into a\n  meeting today. Word on a decision was expected early tomorrow.\n      Viacom shares climbed 2-1\/2 to 50-3\/8 by midafternoon. One\n  major Wall Street firm issued a sell recommendation. \"We think\n  we're at the end now, in terms of bidding,\" said the firm's\n  arbitrageur, who spoke on condition he not be identified.\n      Both Redstone's proposal and the management proposal would\n  create a restructured company heavily leveraged with debt. The\n  management plan would result in a balance sheet with about 2.5\n  billion dlrs in debt and nearly 500 mln dlrs in preferred\n  stock, convertible into 45 pct of the common stock.\n      Redstone's newest proposal offers holders 42 dlrs in cash,\n  a fraction of a share of exchangeable preferred stock with a\n  value of 7.50 dlrs, and one-fifth of a share of common stock\n  stock of Arsenal Holdings, representing 20 pct of the equity\n  interest in the restructured Viacom. One arbitrageur calculated\n  the equity in the Redstone plan was worth 2.50 dlrs making the\n  total package worth 52 dlrs per share.\n      Management offered 38.50 dlrs in cash, exchangeable\n  preferred stock worth 8.50 dlrs and a fractional share of\n  convertible preferred. The arbitrageur said the equity portion\n  was worth about 4.00 dlrs for a total of 51 dlrs.\n      Redstone's newest plan raised the amount of interest he\n  would pay on the cash portion of his offer for every day beyond\n  April 30 that a merger with Arsenal is not consummated. The\n  plan calls for intest to be paid at an annual rate of nine pct\n  during May and 12 pct thereafter. Previously Redstone offered\n  eight pct interest.\n      Other arbitrageurs said both Redstone and the management\n  group, led by president and chief executive Terrence Elkes,\n  were offering high prices. \"Redstone really wants to own the\n  company,\" one said. Another said management seemed to have the\n  edge on the timing issue.\n      Redstone's company owns 19.6 pct ov Viacom's 35 mln shares.\n      A Wall Street analyst said it was hard to determine what\n  the equity in the newly leveraged company would be worth. He\n  noted as an example that new stock in FMC Corp <FMC>, which\n  adopted a highly leveraged structure last year, inititally\n  traded at 12.50 dlrs per share, dipped to nine dlrs, and is now\n  just over 30 dlrs.\n      Last week, Viacom reported fourth quarter earnings fell two\n  two cts per share from 23 cts. The company said interest costs\n  from several acquisitions affected results.\n      Shares of Warner Communications Inc <WCI> rose 7\/8 to\n  31-1\/8. Analysts noted Warner owns warrants to purchase 3.25\n  mln Viacom shares at 35 dlrs and another 1.25 mln shares at\n  37.50 dlrs.\n      Chris Craft Industries <CCN>, which owns a stake in Warner,\n  rose 1-1\/4 to 22-3\/4.\n      Viacom was created in 1970 and spun off from CBS Inc <CBS>.\n  The company has 940,000 cable television subscribers, operates\n  nine satellite television services and owns television and\n  radio stations. It is one of the largest distributors of films\n  and other programs for television.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COUNTRYWIDE CREDIT <CCR> SETS HIGHER DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Countrywide Credit Industries\n  Inc said its board declared an eight ct per share quarterly\n  dividend, up from seven cts last quarter, and a two pct stock\n  dividend.\n      The cash dividend is payable April 14 to holders of record\n  March 30 and the stock dividend is payable April 17 to holders\n  of record March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MADAGASCAR COFFEE PRODUCTION SEEN LOWER IN 1987\n","article":"  Madagascar's available coffee\n  output is estimated at 80,725 tonnes this year, down from\n  82,210 in 1986, due to a rundown of government agricultural\n  services and the poor state of feeder roads in rural areas,\n  Agriculture Ministry sources said.\n      This is after accounting for the loss of some 15,000 to\n  20,000 tonnes due to the transport problems in the countryside,\n  they said.\n      The sources did not give an estimate for exports in 1987,\n  but they noted that shipments declined to 37,200 tonnes last\n  year from 41,662 in 1985.\n      Low yields from the country's ageing coffee plantations and\n  prevalence of the fungal disease Hemileia Vastatrix also\n  contributed to the poor performance, the sources said.\n      They pointed out that 52 pct of Madagascar's coffee bushes\n  were planted before 1930.\n      The sources said Madagascar was still a long way from\n  reaching the production target of 110,000 tonnes per year and\n  the export target of 63,000 tonnes outlined in the government's\n  1986-1990 five-year plan.\n      In order to reverse the decline in coffee production, the\n  government has decided to plant 20,000 hectares with\n  high-yielding arabica and canephora varieties, the sources\n  said.\n      The planting programme will begin this year and is aimed at\n  producing 300 to 360 kilos per hectare of beans with a low\n  caffeine content.\n      The sources added that Madagascar's plan to export roasted\n  coffee has failed to take off due to packaging problems. Only\n  650 tonnes of roasted coffee were exported last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EXCEL INDUSTRIES INC <EXC> BOOSTS DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div nine cts vs eight cts prior qtr\n      Pay 20 April\n      Record 3 April\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BAKER, FENTRESS AND CO <BKFR> VOTES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 25 cts vs 25 cts prior qtr\n      Payable 10 June\n      Record 15 May\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMCAST <ACST> COMPLETES SALE OF NEWMAN DIVISION\n","article":"  Amcast Industrial Corp said it\n  completed the sale of its Newman Division to Newman\n  Manufacturing Inc, a new company formed by Newman's employees.\n      The sale price was not disclosed.\n      Amcast said Newman's Kendallville, Indiana plant is one of\n  the country's largest producers of gray iron castings for the\n  automotive and commercial air conditioning and refrigeration\n  industries. It said the plant employs 300 people.\n      Amcast said it decided to sell the division to move out of\n  the gray iron castings business.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UP-RIGHT INC <UPRI> 4TH QTR OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr five cts vs 29 cts\n      Oper net 151,000 vs 867,000\n      Revs 12.7 mln vs 14.1 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 87 cts vs 52 cts\n      Oper net 2,650,000 vs 1,565,000\n      Revs 54.7 mln vs 49.1 mln\n      Note: oper data does not include 4th qtr 1986 extraordinary\n  credit of 14,000 dlrs or 4th qtr 1985 extraordinary loss of\n  139,000 dlrs, or five cts per shr. For year, does not include\n  extraordinary credit of 92,000 dlrs, or three cts per shr, in\n  1986 and 161,000 dlrs, or five cts per shr, in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. ENERGY SECRETARY RULES OUT GASOLINE TAX\n","article":"  Energy Secretary John Herrington\n  said he would rule out a tax on gasoline as one option to help\n  avert what his departmet has called the threat of increased\n  reliance on foreign oil in the coming years.\n      He said at a news conference that any recommendation he\n  would make would have to increase domestic production, not\n  cause widespread economic hardship and have a minimal cost to\n  the U.S. taxpayer.\n      On the grounds of increasing production, he said, \"I would\n  rule out a gasoline tax.\"\n      Herrington also repeated he would rule out an oil import\n  fee because of the widespread dislocation it would cause -- the\n  loss of about 400,000 jobs nationwide due to higher oil prices\n  and a drop in the gross national product by about 32 billion\n  dlrs.\n      He said an increased depletion allowance, to 27.5 pct, on\n  new and enhanced production of oil and natural gas would be a\n  cheap way to spur domestic production.\n      He estimated this cost at about 200 mln dlrs a year.\n      Herrington proposed the increased depletion allowance to\n  the White House Tuesday but the White House reaction was cool.\n      The White House said it would study the proposal, but was\n  generally oppposed to altering the national tax code, just\n  passed last year.\n      Herrington, asked his reaction to the White House reaction,\n  said, \"If I were the White House, I would be cool, too.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. ENERGY CHIEF RULES OUT GASOLINE TAX AS WAY TO AVERT PENDING OIL CRISIS\n","article":"\n  U.S. ENERGY CHIEF RULES OUT GASOLINE TAX AS WAY TO AVERT PENDING OIL CRISIS\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"USDA ASKS TIGHT INSECT RULES FOR GRAIN SHIPMENTS\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department is\n  proposing tighter federal standards setting allowable limits on\n  insect infestations in grain shipments.\n      The changes in the standards would include the following:\n      -- Establishing equal tolerances for the number of live\n  insects in shipments of food grains, feed grains and oilseeds.\n      -- Revising the definition of \"infested\" to give equal value\n  to all insects injurious to grain.\n      -- Establishing lower levels of infestations. In 1988, the\n  infested level would be set at three or more live insects per\n  representative sample (about 100 grams), in 1990 two or more\n  insects, and in 1992 the final infestattion level would be set\n  at one or more live insects per representative sample.\n      -- Revising the definition of sample grade by adding a\n  limit of 10 live or dead insects per sample.\n      -- Revising the definition of sample grade for wheat by\n  adding a limit of 32 insect-damaged kernels per 100 grams of\n  wheat.\n      The department asked for public comments on the proposals\n  by April 17.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PILLSBURY <PSY> HURT BY RESTAURANT OPERATIONS\n","article":"  Pillsbury Corp, reporting lower\n  earnings for the third quarter ended February 28, said a strong\n  performance by its Foods Group was offset by Restaurants Group\n  declines.\n      Excluding unusual items, it said restaurants operating\n  profit was down in the quarter 12 pct from a year ago as sales\n  rose four pct.\n      It said Burger King USA and Bennigan's reported higher\n  operating profit, but profits fell sharply at Steak and Ale,\n  which introduced a new menu.\n      Pillsbury also reported lower profits at Distron, Burger\n  King's distribution arm, and said increased investment spending\n  on developing concepts - QuikWok, Bay Street and Key West Grill\n  - hurt results.\n      It said Foods operating profit, excluding unusual items,\n  rose 10 pct with international operations and domestic breads\n  and baking products major contributors to improvement in the\n  quarter.\n      A turnaround in grain merchandising was a major factor in\n  profit improvement for the nine months, Pillsbury said.\n      Pillsbury said corporate expense showed a 4.3 mln dlr\n  profit in the quarter reflecting a 10.5 mln dlr gain on the\n  sale of a joint interest in an Australian food company and\n  lower corporate expenses, largely as a result of an early\n  retirement program initiated a year ago.\n      Earlier, Pillsbury reported fourth quarter earnings of 48.5\n  mln dlrs, or 56 cts a share, down from 55.4 mln dlrs, or 63 cts\n  a share a year ago. Sales advanced to 1.53 billion dlrs from\n  1.46 billion dlrs.\n      Pillsbury said loss of investment tax credits under the\n  1986 Federal Tax Reform Act reduced per-share earnings by nine\n  cts in the quarter and 19 cts in the nine months.\n      As a result of the act, it said its effective income tax\n  rate rose eight points to 48.1 pct in the quarter and 5.5\n  percentage points to 49.7 pct for the nine months.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AGENCY RENT-A-CAR INC <AGNC> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 26 cts vs 21 cts\n      Net 5,553,000 vs 4,307,000\n      Revs 45.1 mln vs 34.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 86 cts vs 67 cts\n      Net 18.2 mln vs 14.0 mln\n      Revs 161.1 mln vs 118.3 mln\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for stock dividends.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AGENCY RENT-A-CAR <AGNC> SETS STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Agency Rent-A-Car Inc said its board\n  declared a five pct stock dividend, payable May 22 to holders\n  of record on May 8.\n      The company also said it plans to increase the size of its\n  rental fleet in the year ending January 31 by 20 to 25 pct and\n  expand its rental office network.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED EXPECTED TO TAKE NO MONEY MARKET ACTION\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve is expected to\n  refrain from reserve-management intervention in the U.S.\n  Government securities market, economists said.\n      If the Fed does act, however, they said it would be likely\n  to add temporary reserves indirectly by arranging around 1.5\n  billion dlrs of customer repurchase agreements.\n      Federal funds, which averaged 5.97 pct yesterday, opened at\n  six pct and remained there in early trading.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ASCS SEEKS OFFERS TO PROCESS CCC ROUGH RICE\n","article":"  The Agricultural Stabilization and\n  Conservation Service (ASCS) is seeking offers to process rough\n  rice owned by the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and\n  deliver about 27.0 mln pounds of milled rice for export\n  shipment May 6-20 and May 21-June 5, an ASCS spokesman said.\n      Offers must be received by 1300 CDT April 7, and successful\n  offerors will be notified April 10.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC MINISTERS AGREE NEED FOR BIG STEEL CLOSURES\n","article":"  European Community (EC) industry\n  ministers today declared there is a need for a massive round of\n  closures of steel plants to bring capacity in the 12-country\n  bloc into reasonable balance with demand.\n      The ministers were meeting to discuss a plan for voluntary\n  plant closures drawn up by the industry lobby group Eurofer\n  which it calculates would cost around 22,000 jobs.\n      Diplomats said that in their initial reactions to the\n  scheme, most ministers declared it was a useful basis for\n  discussion, but did not go nearly far enough.\n      Eurofer says it has identified scope for the closure of\n  plants which have an annual capacity of 15.26 mln tonnes,\n  provided the companies concerned can be fully repaid by the EC\n  or national governments for redundancy and other social costs.\n      But EC Executive Commission sources said Industry\n  Commissioner Karl-Heinz Narjes told ministers today that 30 mln\n  tonnes of annual capacity was excess to requirements and should\n  be closed by the end of 1990.\n      He said the Eurofer plan in particular fails to pinpoint\n  the scope for closure in heavy hot-rolled wide-strip products,\n  typically produced in plants employing thousands of people.\n      The sources said no minister challenged Narjes' analysis\n  that four or five hot-rolled wide-strip lines would have to\n  close.\n      They said ministers agreed that the Eurofer plan should be\n  expanded and developed through meetings among the industry\n  body, the Commission and representatives of member states.\n      However, diplomats said it was clear from today's\n  discussions that such meetings will be difficult.\n      They said member states are split on whether to reduce the\n  scope of a quota production system, which at present protects\n  EC steelmakers from the full force of competition for 65 pct of\n  their products, while talks on the closure plan proceed.\n      It was also clear that there will be tough talks on which\n  EC member states should bear the brunt of the closures and on\n  how much funding for help to those thrown out of work should\n  come from Community coffers.\n      German minister Martin Bangemann said his country's steel\n  industry, the largest in the EC, should not suffer\n  proportionately more than others, German sources said.\n      But British diplomats said their minister, Giles Shaw,\n  insists that the profitability of companies should be taken\n  into account.\n      The state owned British Steel Corporation, benefitting from\n  massive recent write-offs of its accumulated debts, is\n  currently one of the few EC steel companies in the black.\n      Ministers were this afternoon trying to agree a joint\n  statement on the Eurofer plan and the situation in the\n  industry.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MURGOLD RESOURCES <MGDVF> DETAILS ASSAYS\n","article":"  Murgold Resources Inc said assays\n  received from 320 feet of drifting on the number-three vein at\n  the Chester Township property south of Timmins, Ontario,\n  indicate an average of 0.528 ounce of gold per ton across an\n  average width of five feet for the 320-foot length.\n      The last working face assayed 0.422 ounce of gold per ton\n  across 8.5 feet and the drift will be continued eastward from\n  that point, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"(CORRECTED) - FEDERAL PAPER BOARD CO <FBO> PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 17.5 cts vs 17.5 cts in prior qtr\n      Payable April 15\n      Record March 31\n      (Company corrects amount of previous payment in MARCH 18\n  item to show there was no change)\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALCOA <AA> TO SELL AMERICAN POWDERED METALS\n","article":"  Aluminum Co of America said it has\n  signed a letter of intent to sell its American Powdered Metals\n  Co subsidiary to R.W. Technology Inc for undisclosed terms,\n  with completion expected in early May.\n      American Powdered makes metal parts for various industries.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRITOIL SEES LOWER U.K. EXPLORATION EXPENDITURE\n","article":"  Britoil Plc's <BTOL.L> exploration\n  expenditure for the U.K. In 1987 was likely to be only about a\n  third of the level in 1986, though overseas expenditure would\n  remain approximately the same, Chief executive David Walker\n  said.\n      He told reporters following the release of the company's\n  1986 figures that project expenditure would also remain at 1986\n  levels.\n      U.K. Project expenditure in 1986 rose to 208 mln stg from\n  184 mln while exploration expenditure dropped to 87 mln from\n  156 mln. Overseas exploration fell to 28 mln from 58 mln in\n  1985.\n      Earlier, Britoil posted a drop in pretax profit for 1986 to\n  134 mln stg from 759 mln in 1985, before an extraordinary\n  charge of 50 mln stg on the company's U.S. Assets. The results\n  were slightly better than analysts forecast and the share\n  firmed to 231p from 222p at last night's close. Chairman Sir\n  Philip Shelbourne said the collapse in the oil price in 1986\n  had made the period extremely difficult but the company had\n  come through remarkably well.\n      Provided the recovery in oil prices was maintained, the\n  conditions would be right for a substantially improved\n  performance this year.\n      He added that the firmness of oil prices in March, when\n  they were normally weaker, made him \"a bit encouraged\" about the\n  prospects for future levels.\n      Walker added that Britoil would feel confident if the price\n  stayed within a band of 15 dlrs to 20 dlrs a barrel.\n      Britoil had received some 100 responses to its announcement\n  of a desire to sell the assets and was asking for bids by the\n  latter part of April.\n      End-year reserves rose to 603 mln barrels of oil compared\n  with 503 mln previously. However, Walker noted that this\n  included a revised definition of reserves.\n      If 1985 figures were restated along the same lines, the\n  reserve figure would show a drop from 720 mln barrels\n  previously.\n      Gas reserves also eased to 3,568 billion cubic feet from a\n  restated 3,660 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. REVISES RETAIL PRICE INDEX FROM FEBRUARY\n","article":"  The U.K. Government tomorrow will\n  release the first of its Retail Price Index (RPI) figures\n  calculated on a revised group of components and rebased on\n  January 1987, as previously announced, the Employment\n  Department said.\n      The index, Britain's measure of inflation, is for February.\n  Earlier data will not be revised as there are no equivalent\n  figures including the new components, a spokesman said.\n      Previously, the RPI base was January, 1974.\n      Market forecasts centre on a 0.4-0.5 pct monthly rise in\n  February and a year on year rate about 4.0 pct. The government\n  forecasts annual inflation will be 4.0 pct at the end of 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TALKS SHOW NEW CANADIAN CONFIDENCE, GROUP SAYS\n","article":"  Canada's decision to raise the issue\n  of a free trade pact with the U.S. was a sign of what many see\n  as a new spirit of Canadian self-confidence, a public policy\n  study group said \n      \"It suggests the Canada of the immediate post-war period,\n  when it was a major player in the process of building a postwar\n  world,\" the Washington-based Atlantic Council said.\n      U.S. and Canadian negotiators opened talks last summer\n  aimed at dismantling trade barriers between the two countries,\n  the world's biggest trading partners with crossborder shipments\n  of about 150 billion dlrs annually.\n      The council's study said the trade talks, with a deadline\n  of October for an agreement, are the biggest issue in\n  U.S.-Canadian relations.\n     The study said liberalized trade between the two countries\n  would improve the competitiveness of their economies in world\n  markets and lessen trade irritants which now mar their ties.\n      The council said \"in the past most Canadians have shied away\n  from the notion of a free-trade arrangement, fearing to be\n  overwhelmed economically and politically by a closer\n  association with a country 10 times their size in population.\"\n      But at the same time, it added, Canadians realized their\n  domestic market was too small to permit the mass production and\n  sales needed to raise productivity to the level demanded by an\n  increasingly competitive world.\n      The council said that in the talks, Canada is chiefly\n  interested in minimizing the imposing of U.S. duties against \n  allegedly subsidized exports.\n      A recent example was the 15 per cent duty the U.S. imposed\n  on Canadian lumber exports on grounds the shipments were being\n  subsidized.\n      The council said the chief U.S. concerns included ending\n  curbs against U.S. banking, insurance, telecommunications, and\n  the so-called \"cultural industries\" - publishing, broadcasting\n  and films.\n      It said other major U.S.-Canadian issues were defense\n  cooperation, \"acid rain\" and the U.S. rejection of a Canadian\n  assertion of sovereignty over waters of the Northwest Passage.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SAND TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS <SNDCF> 2ND QTR NET\n","article":"  ended January 31\n      Shr nil vs nil\n      Net profit 351,000 vs loss 243,000\n      Sales 7,050,000 vs 7,012,000\n      Avg shrs 106,780,000 vs 93,666,000\n      Six mths\n      Shr loss one ct vs loss one ct\n      Net loss 999,000 vs loss 563,000\n      Sales 10.6 mln vs 13.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 106,641,000 vs 92,986,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"RYAN'S FAMILY STEAK HOUSE <RYAN> SETS SPLIT\n","article":"  Ryan's Family Steak Houses Inc\n  said its board declared a three-for-one stock split, payable\n  May 20 to holders of record May 6.\n      The company said the split is subject to shareholder\n  approval of an increase in authorized shares to 100 mln from 20\n  mln at the April 22 annual meeting.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" French official reserves 388.68 billion francs at end Feb vs 375.95 billion end Jan\n","article":"\n   French official reserves 388.68 billion francs at end Feb vs 375.95 billion end Jan\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INERTIA DYNAMICS <TRIM> TO PAY STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Inertia Dynamics Corp said it\n  declared a 50 pct stock dividend, payable May 1 to shareholders\n  of record April 3.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CSP INC <CSPI> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr one ct vs 21 cts\n      Net 24,000 vs 612,000\n      Sales 2,061,000 vs 3,914,000\n      1st half\n      Shr eight cts vs 43 cts\n      Net 223,000 vs 1,220,000\n      Sales 4,584,000 vs 7,912,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PUBLISHERS EQUIPMENT CORP <PECN> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit eight cts vs loss 23 cts\n      Net profit 251,000 vs loss 731,000\n      Revs 29.1 mln vs 25.9 mln\n      Backlog 18.9 mln vs 12.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CAVALIER HOMES INC <CAVH> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 10 cts vs 14 cts\n      Net 191,465 vs 193,799\n      Sales 7,160,945 vs 6,576,670\n      Avg shrs 2,000,565 vs 1,400,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr 33 cts vs 50 cts\n      Oper net 605,725 vs 694,785\n      Sales 23.3 mln vs 22.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,840,692 vs 1,400,000\n      NOTE: 1985 year net excludes 30,000 dlr tax credit.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COLONIAL COMMERCIAL CORP <CCOM> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr not given\n      Oper net profit 405,914 vs loss 145,380\n      Revs 2,446,901 vs 1,295,187\n      Year\n      Shr not given\n      Oper net profit 1,211,465 vs loss 178,101\n      Revs 9,085,222 vs 4,995,735\n      NOTE: Earnings from 1983 on benefit preferred shareholders\n  until preferred shareholders' equity equals or exceeds\n  liquidating and mandatory redemption values.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PANAMA CANAL OFFICIAL CONFIRMS NO 1988 TOLL RISE\n","article":"  Panama Canal toll charges will not rise\n  in the year to end-September 1988, despite last October's\n  landslide which dumped 0.5 mln cubic yards of debris into the\n  waterway, Canal Commission Administrator Dennis McAuliffe said.\n      He told a press conference that in confirming the\n  Commission's earlier announcement of unchanged tolls for 1988,\n  he was not necessarily implying there would be a rise in 1989.\n      The canal would probably make a five to six mln dlr loss in\n  the current financial year but this could be carried over and\n  met from next year's revenues.\n      This year's deficit resulted from the landslide which cost\n  the canal about 15 mln dlrs, McAuliffe said. This included\n  eight to nine mln dlrs in immediate costs with the rest being\n  spent on earth-moving operations to prevent any further\n  landslides.\n      He said the landslide was not caused by deforestation and\n  he described as grossly exaggerated reports that there was any\n  threat to the canal's water supply in the foreseeable future.\n      Studies concerning the possibility of widening the Gaillard\n  cut would not be affected by the landslide, he said, adding\n  that he expected the canal board to determine whether and when\n  the canal needed widening by January 1988 at the latest.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RICHARDSON <RELL>TO BUY ITALIAN SEMICONDUCTOR FIRM\n","article":"  Richardson Electronics Ltd said it\n  agreed to buy for undisclosed terms, G.E.B., Giant Electronics\n  Brand, a Florence, Italy-based distributor of electron tubes\n  and semiconductors.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FED SAYS IT SETS 1.5 BILLION DLRS OF CUSTOMER REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS\n","article":"\n  FED SAYS IT SETS 1.5 BILLION DLRS OF CUSTOMER REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EC GRANTS 25,000 TONNES BARLEY, 80,000  FRENCH MAIZE LICENCES, REJECTS WHEAT - TRADERS\n","article":"\n  EC GRANTS 25,000 TONNES BARLEY, 80,000  FRENCH MAIZE LICENCES, REJECTS WHEAT - TRADERS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED ADDS RESERVES VIA CUSTOMER REPURCHASES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve entered the U.S.\n  Government securities market to arrange 1.5 billion dlrs of\n  customer repurchase agreements, a Fed spokesman said.\n      Dealers said Federal funds were trading at six pct when the\n  Fed began its temporary and indirect supply of reserves to the\n  banking system.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DOMTAR SETS TWO-FOR-ONE STOCK SPLIT TO TAKE EFFECT MAY 14                         \n","article":"\n  DOMTAR SETS TWO-FOR-ONE STOCK SPLIT TO TAKE EFFECT MAY 14                         \n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"PUBLIC SERVICE CO OF N.H.<PNH> OMITS DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Public Service Co of New\n  Hampshire said its board voted to omit the quarterly dividend\n  which would have been paid on May 15.\n      The company said the omission is the thirteenth consecutive\n  dividend omission.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"REXNORD INC <REX> 1ST QTR JAN  31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 76 cts vs profit 50 cts\n      Net loss 19,186,000 vs profit 12,438,000\n      Sales 157.9 mln vs 149.2 mln\n      NOTE: Fiscal 1987 net loss includes a pretax charge of 19.5\n  mln dlrs from restructuring and an after tax charge of about\n  seven mln dlrs from debt prepayment premiums.\n      Fiscal 1986 net profit includes a pretax gain of 7.2 mln\n  dlrs on the sale of some land, an after tax loss 1.35 mln dlrs\n  from discontinued operations and an after tax gain of 6.7 mln\n  dlrs from a change in accounting.\n      All results restated to exclude five businesses divested as\n  part of the company's restructuring program.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRADERS DETAIL EC GRAIN EXPORT LICENCES\n","article":"  The EC Commission granted 25,000 tonnes\n  of free market barley export licences at today's tender and\n  80,000 tonnes of French maize, grain traders said.\n      The maximum export rebate for barley was set at 137.25 Ecus\n  and for maize at 129.75 Ecus per tonne.\n      All bids for wheat were rejected, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CARSON <CRN> CITES IMPACT OF TAX REFORM ACT\n","article":"  Carson Pirie Scott and Co said the Tax\n  Reform Act of 1986, which repealed investment tax credits, had\n  a negative impact of 22 cts a share on earnings for the year\n  ended January 31.\n      Earlier, Carson reported yearly per-share earnings of 1.83\n  dlrs, down from 1.86 dlrs a year ago. Average shares increased\n  to 10.2 mln from 9.9 mln a year earlier. Sales gained to 1.41\n  billion dlrs from 1.30 billion dlrs.\n      Carson said it was \"extremely optimistic about improved\n  profit performance in 1987.\"\n      It said in the first half of 1987 it hopes to reduce\n  seasonal-type losses sustained in the 1986 first and second\n  quarters.\n      The company said that in early April its Oak Brook Hills\n  Hotel and Conference Center in suburban Chicago will open under\n  its management. Provisions for startup expenses have been made,\n  it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DOMTAR PLANS TWO-FOR-ONE STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  <Domtar Inc> said it plans a\n  two-for-one stock split to take effect May 14.\n      The company said shareholders will be asked to approve the\n  split at the annual meeting on April 29.\n      Domtar said its directors believe the split could favorably\n  affect marketability of the shares and encourage wider\n  distribution.\n      The shares have been trading recently in a range of 45\n  dlrs. Domtar stock was previously split on a two-for-one basis\n  in June, 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE <FPCC> PURSUES EXPANSION\n","article":"  Financial Performance Corp said it\n  continued its rapid expansion with a signing of a partnership\n  agreement with Gold Sierra Financial Advisors, founded by\n  former Bank of America officers in capital markets.\n      It said the agreement, under which it owns 50 pct of the\n  partnership, enables it to move into the mergers and\n  acquisitions business.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALBERTSON'S INC <ABS> RAISES QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Shr 24 cts vs 21 cts\n      Pay May 25\n      Record May eight\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FED APPROVES AMSOUTH <ASO> AFFILIATION\n","article":"  AmSouth Corp said the Federal\n  Reserve Board approved the affiliation of First Tuskaloosa Corp\n  with Amsouth.\n      The approval was the final regulatory step in the\n  affiliation process which began in August, Amsouth said.\n      Under terms of the affiliation, each First Tuskaloosa\n  shareholder will receive 66 dlrs value of AmSouth stock for\n  each share held. The total consideration is valued at 105.6 mln\n  dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRENCH FEBRUARY OFFICIAL RESERVES RISE\n","article":"  French official reserves rose 12.73\n  billion francs to 388.68 billion francs at the end of February\n  from 375.95 billion at the end of January, the Finance Ministry\n  said.\n      It said in a statement the rise was mainly due to inflows\n  of foreign currency through the exchange stabilisation fund,\n  which resulted in an increase of 12.41 billion francs.\n      Reserves of European Currency Units rose by 25 mln francs\n  to 73.27 billion francs, due to interest adjustments, while\n  gold reserves rose by two mln francs to 218.46 billion francs.\n  \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRENCH INSTITUTE PESSIMISTIC ON 1987 GROWTH\n","article":"  French gross domestic product will grow\n  by only 1.5 pct in real terms this year, compared with the\n  government's forecast of two to 2.5 pct growth, the private\n  Institut des Previsions Economiques et Financieres pour le\n  Developpement des Entreprises (IPECODE) said.\n      However, it expects growth to recover next year to the 1986\n  level of two pct.\n      IPECODE said demand and production would develop in\n  parallel this year, in contrast to last year when production\n  was unable to keep pace with the strong rise in domestic\n  demand, unleashing higher import demand.\n      Claims on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) rose by 298\n  mln francs to 19.61 billion francs, due to net withdrawals in\n  francs by member nations, and an increase in reserves of\n  Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) due mainly to the repayment of\n  French debts.\n      Its deficit with the European Monetary Cooperation Fund\n  (FECOM) remained unchanged in February at 33.90 billion francs.\n      French household consumption, which rose by 3.1 pct last\n  year, is likely to grow by just 1.1 pct this year and 1.5 pct\n  in 1988, it added.\n      Industrial investment is expected to rise by 4.3 pct this\n  year and 5.5 pct in 1988, down from 6.5 pct in 1986.\n      Inflation, which was running at 2.1 pct at the end of 1986,\n  is likely to rise to 2.9 pct at the end of this year, IPECODE\n  said, while the government has forecast 2.5 pct.\n      However, the institute said inflation would fall back to\n  2.5 pct at the end of 1988, \"provided that real wage costs\n  remain within the framework of productivity rises.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INDEPENDENCE BANCORP <INBC> COMPLETES MERGER\n","article":"  Independence Bancorp Inc said\n  it completed its merger with Scranton, Penn.-based <Third\n  National Bank and Trust Co>, with assets of 316 mln dlrs.\n      Independence said its combined assets are now 2.5 billion\n  dlrs.\n      The company said that each share of Third National common\n  will be exchanged for 4.06 shares of its common. Independence\n  said the merger will be accounted for as a pooling of\n  interests.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RIVERSIDE GROUP INC <RSGI> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr 55 cts vs 93 cts\n      Net 1.6 mln vs 2.6 mln\n      Revs 5.3 mln vs 1.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 73 cts vs 1.36 dlrs\n      Net 2.0 mln vs 3.0 mln\n      Revs 9.1 mln vs 11.0 mln\n      NOTE:1985 net includes 2.7 mln dlrs gain on disposal of\n  unit. 1986 includes operations of Dependable Insurance Gruop\n  Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<I.T.L. INDUSTRIES LTD> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr loss two cts vs profit three cts\n      Oper net profit 301,000 dlrs vs profit 130,000\n      Revs 10.5 mln vs eight mln\n      NOTE: Dividends on preferred shares 370,000 dlrs vs 51,000\n  dlrs.\n      Oper net excludes gains on tax loss carryforward of 247,000\n  dlrs vs 118,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CORROON AND BLACK <CBL> COMPLETES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Carroon and Black Corp said it\n  completed the acquisition of <Poggi-Harrison Agency Inc> and\n  <Risk Control Inc>.\n      Terms of the acquisitions were not disclosed.\n      Separately, Carroon said it also completed the acquisition\n  of <Rosskopf, Rapp and Schmidt Insurance Agency>, based in El\n  Monte, Calif.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TULTEX <TTX> INCREASES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div nine cts vs eight cts prior\n      Payable July one\n      Record June 12\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WAVEHILL INTERNATIONAL TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  <Wavehill International Ventures Inc>\n  said it has agreed to acquire Personal Computer Rental Corp of\n  Coral Gables, Fla., in a transaction in which shareholders of\n  Personal Computer will receive shares respresenting about a 25\n  pct interest in the combined company.\n      The company said it will have about two mln shares\n  outstanding on a fully-diluted basis after the transaction. It\n  said after the acquisition it will infuse Perconal computer\n  with cash for expansion.  It said Personal Computer now has 26\n  franchised locations and plans to add over 30 in 1987, seeking\n  eventually to expand into 420 markets in the U.S. and abroad.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BENETTON OF ITALY SEES EXPANSION, ACQUISITIONS\n","article":"  <Benetton SpA> of Italy expects to\n  further diversify into financial services and is weighing \n  possible acquisitions, a Benetton spokeswoman here said.\n      \"We are thinking of diversification outside of the retail\n  line,\" the spokeswoman said. \"We are looking at financial\n  services and other manfacturing companies.\"\n      However, she said the company was not targeting the U.S.\n  for its planned expansion, but was looking at a number of\n  different countries.\n      The company's shares are traded in the U.S. as American\n  Depository Receipts, which were issued through an offering by\n  Morgan Stanley Group Inc <MS> earlier this month.\n      Benetton is now holding talks with Wall Street firms about\n  the possibility of receiving a quotation of its shares on the\n  New York Stock Exchange. \"There's absolutely no timetable. It\n  may not even happen,\" the spokeswoman said.\n      She also denied reports that the company was considering an\n  issue of convertible bonds with warrants in the U.S. \"We're not\n  thinking of issuing bonds,\" she said.\n      In line with its planned Global expansion efforts, Benetton\n  is also holding talks with the Soviet Union to explore the\n  possibility of opening up to 150 stores in the country. But the\n  spokeswoman pointed out that many companies are holding talks\n  with the Soviets.\n      \"We are in discussions and are looking forward to some\n  response,\" she said. She added the company had no firm\n  timetable on when a response might be received.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TULTEX CORP <TTX> 1ST QTR FEB 28\n","article":"  Shr 23 cts vs 28 cts\n      Net 4.3 mln vs 5.1 mln\n      Revs 64.5 mln vs 67.1 mln\n      NOTE:1986 reflects two for one stock split, effective July\n  31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FEDERATED FIN'L SAVINGS <FEDF> INITIAL PAYOUT\n","article":"  Federated Financial Savings\n  said it declared an initial quarterly dividend of 85 cts a\n  share April 27, record April 13.\n      This is the first dividend paid by Federated since its\n  conversion to a stock company from a mutual on Jan 28, 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REXNORD <REX> SEES MAY MERGER WITH BANNER <BNR>\n","article":"  Rexnord Inc said it expects to\n  merge with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Banner Industries Inc\n  in early May.\n      Late last month, Banner said it completed a tender offer\n  for and held 96 pct of Rexnord's common shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SECURITY PACIFIC <SPC> COMPLETES MERGER\n","article":"  Security Pacific Corp said it\n  completed its planned merger with Diablo Bank following the\n  approval of the comptroller of the currency.\n      Security Pacific announced its intention to merge with\n  Diablo Bank, headquartered in Danville, Calif., in September\n  1986 as part of its plan to expand its retail network in\n  Northern California.\n      Diablo has a bank offices in Danville, San Ramon and Alamo,\n  Calif., Security Pacific also said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<BURKE-PARSONS-BOWLBY> CORP SETS REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div three cts vs three cts prior\n      Pay May 15\n      Record April 24\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"WARBURG BEGINS TENDER OFFER FOR SYMBION <SYMB>\n","article":"  Symbion Inc said <Warburg, \n  Pincus Capital Co L.P.> began a tender offer to purchase up to\n  2.5 mln shares, or about 33 pct, of Symbion's shares at 3.50\n  dlrs per share. Warburg already owns about 26 pct of Symbion.\n      Symbion has 7,472,000 shares outstanding. The company makes\n  artificial hearts.\n      Symbion said its board and management are carefully\n  reviewing the offer and on or before March 30 will advise its\n  shareholders on whether it accepts or rejects the offer. If the\n  tender offer is successful, Warburg wll own about 59 pct of\n  Symbion.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SEAGRAM CO LTD YEAR SHR 4.45 DLRS VS 3.44 DLRS\n","article":"\n  SEAGRAM CO LTD YEAR SHR 4.45 DLRS VS 3.44 DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"L'AIR LIQUIDE <AIRP.PA> YEAR ENDED DEC 31\n","article":"  Parent company net profit 754.45 mln francs vs 674.1 mln.\n      Dividend 19.50 francs vs same.\n      NOTE - Company said the dividend would apply to shares\n  issued under capital increases during 1986. This means a 32 pct\n  rise in total dividend payments to 528.14 mln francs on 1986\n  results from 399.62 mln the previous year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOLAR SYSTEMS <SSDN>, INKEY OF SPAIN SET PACT\n","article":"  Solar Systems by Sundance Inc said it\n  agreed to buy a 45 pct interest in a company that will sell\n  condoms produced by INKEY SA of Spain.\n      It said a spermicide used in INKEY's condoms contains an\n  ingredient that may help prevent the sexual transmission of\n  AIDS. The ingredient was cited in an article in the West German\n  publication, Aids Forschung. But it said the article was\n  about the ingredient and did not mention the spermicide or the\n  condoms made by INKEY.\n      The company also said it is changing its name to\n  Eurocapital Corp shortly.\n      Solar Systems said it was buying the 45 pct stake in a\n  U.S.-based <Europharmaceutical Co>. INKEY and an affiliate own\n  the remaining shares of the company, which was set up to\n  distribute condoms and vaginal products that are made, or are\n  being developed by INKEY.\n      The agreement calls for a two mln dlr payment to Inkey for\n  the distributorship. The first 500,000 dlr payment is due 30\n  days after the products are approved by the Food and Drug\n  Administration. It said Europharmaceutical plans to soon file\n  with the FDA to market the condom, but expects the approval\n  process to be a lengthy one.\n      The company said the active ingredient in the spermicide is\n  currently used in the U.S. in antiseptic applications unrelated\n  to condoms. As far as it knows, the ingredient has not been\n  tested in a spermicide.\n      Inkey's condoms will be sold in the U.S. under the brand\n  name, \"Carlton.\" The exclusive distribution contract for the\n  products runs for three years and is renewable for one-year\n  periods, the company said.\n      It said the condoms are currently sold in Spain but have\n  not gone on sale in other European countries.\n      It said Europharmaceutical currently does not have the\n  resources to make the payments under the distribution agreement\n  or fund the studies necessary to obtain marketing approval from\n  the FDA.\n      The company also said Europharmaceutical is in talks to\n  acquire either one or more publicly held companies with little\n  or no assets. In the event an acquisition goes through, Solar\n  Systems' interest in Europharmaceutical would be diluted below\n  its current 45 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MODULAIRE INDUSTRIES <MODX> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 12 cts vs profit 37 cts\n      Net loss 350,738 vs profit 1,095,991\n      Revs 18.8 mln vs 15.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 28 cts vs profit 1.29 dlrs\n      Net profit 831,901 vs profit 3,000,716\n      Revs 60.6 mln vs 48.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,996,903 vs 2,756,596\n      Note: Per share date adjusted to reflect 10 pct stock\n  dividend of March 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KENTUCKY SMELTERS GET RELIEF ON HIGHER RATES\n","article":"  Owners of two aluminum smelters in\n  Kentucky received temporary relief from higher electric rates\n  after a decision Tuesday by state regulators denying a rate\n  hike to (Big Rivers Electric Corp) of Henderson, Ky.\n      But the owners of the smelters, (National Southwire\n  Aluminum Co) and Alcan Aluminium Ltd <AL>, said further\n  viability of the operations would depend in part upon how the\n  rate case is eventually settled.\n      \"We're hoping for no rate increases but we can't say for\n  sure. It's still possible we'll have to close the smelter,\" a\n  National Southwire spokesman said. He said there were other\n  variables to consider in any decision whether to close or\n  continue the smelter, located in Hawesville, about 60 miles\n  west of Louisville.\n      National Southwire is owned by National Intergroup Inc\n  <NII>, which holds about 55 pct, and (Southwire Co), which\n  holds the rest, the spokesman said.\n      A spokesman for Montreal-based Alcan said, \"The decision is\n  48 pages long and is in legal-ese, so it certainly will be a\n  long time before we can make a decision\" about what it means\n  for the Sebree smelter in Henderson, about 100 miles west of\n  Louisville. \"But we're delighted that Big Rivers Electric was\n  denied the requested rate increase.\"\n      A spokesman for the utility, a cooperative that generates\n  and wholesales electricity to four distributors, said the\n  requested increase was 7.5 mln dlrs a year over 1985 rates.\n      The Kentucky Public Service Commission, in denying the\n  increase, asked the utility to meet with creditors, which\n  include Manufacturers Hanover Corp <MHC> and Irving Bank Corp\n  <V>, and the smelters, to renegotiate a rate plan, the utility\n  spokesman said.\n      The commission suggested that Big Rivers Electric work out\n  a flexible rate schedule with the smelters that would index\n  their electric costs to the price of aluminum, he said.\n      \"We have always been amenable to try, as far as we can, to\n  assure that the two aluminum smelters remain viable,\" he said.\n      No meetings are scheduled and none have been planned\n  between the utility, its creditors and the aluminum plant\n  owners. The commission has set a hearing on the rate issue for\n  July 28.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SEAGRAM CO LTD <VO> YEAR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 4.45 dlrs vs 3.44 dlrs\n      Shr diluted 4.30 dlrs vs 3.34 dlrs\n      Net 423.5 mln vs 319.1 mln\n      Sales 3.34 billion vs 2.97 billion\n      Avg shrs 95.1 mln vs 92.6 mln\n      NOTE: U.S. funds.\n      Net includes equity in earnings of Du Pont Co <DD> of 169.1\n  mln dlrs vs 75.7 mln dlrs and dividend income from Du Pont\n  shares of 154.1 mln dlrs vs 150.8 mln dlrs.\n      Latest year net includes pretax charge 35.0 mln dlrs from\n  sale of wine operations and reorganization of spirits\n  operations in U.S. and related reduction in tax expense of 27.7\n  mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS INC <APD> IN PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 20 cts vs 20 cts prior\n      Pay May 11\n      Record April Three\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"J.P. STEVENS AND CO <STN> IN PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 30 cts vs 30 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April Three\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<TIE\/TELECOMMUNICATIONS CANADA LTD> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr one ct vs six cts\n      Oper net 48,000 vs 556,000\n      Revs 19.0 mln vs 26.5 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 19 cts vs 46 cts\n      Oper net 1,586,000 vs 3,971,000\n      Revs 90.8 mln vs 103.1 mln\n      NOTE: Previous oper net excludes 404,000 dlrs of\n  extraordinary expenses for qtr and 991,000 dlr gain for year.\n      TIE\/communications Inc <TIE> holds 65 pct interest.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PEOPLES SAVINGS BANK <PEBW> RAISES QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 12 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Pay April 24\n      Record April One\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DEP CORP DEPC 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr three cts vs 16 cts\n      Net 127,000 vs 605,000\n      Sales 14.4 mln vs 9,726,000\n      Six Mths\n      Shr 17 cts vs 30 cts\n      Net 678,000 vs 1,141,000\n      Sales 24.6 mln vs 19.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FEDERAL SIGNAL CORP <FSS>  REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 20 cts vs 20 cts previously\n      Pay June Two\n      Record May 12\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"STATE STREET BOSTON CORP <STBK> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record April One\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MARSH AND MCLENNAN COS INC <MMC> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 47-1\/2 cts vs 47-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay May 13\n      Record April Six\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. INTEC INC <INTK> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr six cts vs five cts\n      Net 188,000 vs 130,000\n      Revs 12.2 mln vs 10.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,029,930 vs 2,764,544\n      12 mths\n      Shr 81 cts vs 1.45 dlrs\n      Net 2,463,000 vs 3,718,000\n      Revs 52.4 mln vs 47.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 3,029,930 vs 2,566,680\n      NOTE: net for 1985 includes 500,000, or 20 cts per share,\n  for proceeds of a life insurance policy.\n      includes tax benefit for prior qtr of approximately 150,000\n  of which 140,000 relates to a lower effective tax rate based on\n  operating results for the year as a whole.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JOHN WILEY AND SONS INC <WILLB> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div Class A 27-1\/2 cts vs 27-1\/2 cts\n      Qtly div Class B 24-1\/2 cts vs 24-1\/2 cts\n      Pay April 10\n      Record April Three\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"API SAYS U.S. CRUDE OIL OUPUT OFF FROM YEAR AGO\n","article":"  The American Petroleum Institute\n  said that U.S. crude oil production in February declined 9.8\n  pct from year-ago levels to about 8.3 mln barrels a day.\n      In its monthly report on U.S. oil supplies and stocks, API\n  said that domestic demand for petroleum products, as measured\n  by products supplied, continued to rise reaching 16.3 mln\n  barrels a day in the month, up 1.5 pct from February 1986.\n      API noted the drop in crude oil output coupled with a\n  drop in natural gas liquids production, which was off 11 pct\n  from February 1986 levels, represented a decline in U.S.\n  production of more than one mln barrels a day.\n      API said the decline in domestic production and the rise in\n  demand brought petroleum imports to about six mln barrels a day\n  in February, a 30.3 pct increase from last year's level.\n      So far this year, API said growth in domestic demand, which\n  was up 2.9 pct from last year's year-to-date level, has slowed\n  in comparison to the accelerated growth in the last half of\n  1986.\n      It said crude oil production for the first two months of\n  1987 was off 8.6 pct from the comparable year-ago period while\n  crude imports were up 30.6 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PRIME MEDICAL <PMSI> SAYS MERGER TALKS END\n","article":"  Prime Medical Services Inc said merger\n  talks with National HMO Corp <NHMO> have been terminated.\n      Prime gave no reason for the termination of the talks with\n  National HMO.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FIRST FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK OF MONTANA <FFSM> DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div seven cts vs seven cts prior\n      Payable April 28\n      Record April three\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ICI <ICI> SEEKS GAINS IN SPECIALTY BUSINESSES\n","article":"  Imperial Chemical Industries PLC, the\n  largest chemical company in the United Kingdom, will expand its\n  specialty chemicals and drug businesses this year, and better\n  its 1986 results, said chairman-elect Denys Henderson.\n      \"We expect to shift our company toward higher value-added\n  businesses and continue to broaden our base,\" Henderson told\n  reporters at an informal meeting here.\n      ICI today announced the formation of a new U.S.\n  drug company, ICI Pharma, which, with its Stuart\n  Pharmaceuticals unit, it said will double its current\n  pharmaceutical sales to 1.1 billion dlrs by 1990.\n      Henderson said, \"Our pharmaceutical business gets lost in\n  the way that Glaxo's (Glaxo Holdings PLC) does not.\"\n      ICI's pharmaceutical division is the second largest drug\n  maker behind Glaxo in the U.K. Last year U.S. drug sales were\n  about 40 pct of its worldwide drug sales of 1.5 billion dlrs,\n  which in turn brought in 27 pct of its total profits.\n      He estimated that by 1990, ICI's pharmaceutical division\n  would account for about 30 pct of total company profits.\n      \"The drug division far and away brings in the highest rate\n  of return,\" said A.W. Clements, finance director of ICI, who\n  was also at the meeting.\n      Henderson said the new U.S. drug concern would basically\n  act as a second sales force to double the exposure of its drugs\n  to doctors. ICI will hire 145 new salespeople by October one.\n      Henderson said the major new products in the company's\n  pipeline, expected to each bring in sales of over 200 mln dlrs\n  annually, were Statil, a treatment for diabetic complications,\n  Zoladex, a treatment for advanced prostate cancer, and Carwin,\n  a treatment for mild to moderate congestive heart failure.\n      Henderson said U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval\n  to market Statil and Zoladex, both under joint licensing\n  agreements with Merck and Co Inc <MRK>, is not expected until\n  about 1989. ICI expects to file for permission to market Carwin\n  in the U.S. later this year.\n      Henderson said the company's 1987 results would top 1986\n  income of 888 mln dlrs or 5.45 dlrs per ADR on sales of 15\n  billion dlrs, but he declined to specify by how much.\n      Henderson said 1987's results would be boosted by Glidden\n  Paints, which ICI bought last November for 580 mln dlrs from a\n  unit of Hanson Industries Inc.\n      Henderson also said that ICI has about nine billion dlrs\n  available for acquisitions. Last year the company made 40\n  acquisitions, the largest being Glidden. He said that more\n  acquisitions may be made this year but he ruled out an\n  acquisition of a pharmaceutical concern as \"too expensive.\"\n      Henderson said that in his new role of chairman, effective\n  April one when he takes over from Sir John Harvey-Jones who\n  will retire, the biggest challenge ahead lay in continuing the\n  earnings momentum ICI has established over the past few years\n  after restructuring and selling off unprofitable businesses.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<CCR VIDEO CORP> 1ST HALF FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 10 cts vs loss one ct\n      Net profit 647,390 vs loss 75,967\n      Sales 2,120,027 vs 1,666,908\n      NOTE: Current year net includes 456,004 dlr gain from debt\n  extinguishment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEW RUBBER PACT TO BE FORMALLY ADOPTED TOMORROW\n","article":"  A new International Natural Rubber\n  Agreement (INRA) will be formally adopted tomorrow, chairman of\n  the negotiating conference Manaspas Xuto of Thailand said.\n      \"The successful negotiation of the new agreement represents\n  a significant step forward in international economic\n  cooperation,\" he told a news conference. The new INRA is to\n  replace the current one which expires in October.\n      Delegates at the renegotiation conference, held under the\n  auspices of the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development\n  (UNCTAD), reached agreement over the central elements of a new\n  accord last weekend.\n      Xuto said the new INRA retains the reference price -- of\n  201.66 Malaysian\/Singapore cents per kilo -- and indicative\n  prices set in the present pact.\n      Price levels will continue to be expressed in the joint\n  Malaysian\/Singapore currency, he added.\n      The new agreement also maintains the basic structure of\n  price ranges -- the \"may sell\" and \"may buy\" points at plus and\n  minus 15 pct of the reference price, as well as the \"must sell\"\n  and \"must buy\" zones at plus and minus 20 pct of it.\n      Xuto said the new pact maintains the same objectives that\n  were set in the present accord. \"The most important of these are\n  to stabilise prices and to achieve a balanced growth between\n  demand and supply,\" he said. The buffer stock remains the sole\n  instrument of market intervention for price stabilisation and\n  its maximum capacity is unchanged at 550,000 tonnes, Xuto\n  added.\n      At this month's session, which was the fourth attempt in\n  two years to negotiate a new INRA, the main issue to be\n  resolved concerned the mechanism for adjusting the reference\n  price.\n      It was agreed to conduct reviews of the reference price\n  every 15 months -- instead of the current 18-month intervals.\n      The extent of the adjustment was also modified.\n      Under the present agreement if the daily market indicator\n  price has been above the upper intervention (\"may sell\") price\n  (currently 231 Malaysian\/Singapore cents) or below the lower\n  intervention price (\"may buy\") price (171 cents at present) for\n  six months, the reference price is then revised by five pct or\n  whatever amount the International Natural Rubber Council\n  decides.\n      Under the new pact, the adjustment under these\n  circumstances will be five pct unless the Council decides on a\n  higher adjustment.\n      Similarly, when buffer stock purchases or sales amount to\n  300,000 tonnes, there would be an automatic adjustment of three\n  pct under the new accord unless the Council decides on a higher\n  percentage.\n      Throughout the talks, which began on March 9, producers had\n  strongly opposed a consumer proposal to lower the reference\n  price and the \"lower indicative price\" (or floor price) of 150\n  cents in the present pact if the buffer stock, currently\n  360,000 tonnes, reached 450,000 tonnes.\n      The proposal, initiated by the U.S., was withdrawn last\n  Friday, setting the stage for compromise at the weekend.\n      Since then negotiators have worked on the finer details of\n  the new pact.\n      On the question of conditions for entry into force of the\n  new INRA, Xuto said it was tentatively agreed that governments\n  accounting for 75 pct of world exports and 75 pct of world\n  imports approved or ratified the new agreement before it became\n  operational.\n      The present agreement had a figure of 80 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTMENT GROUP HAS MOORE-HANDLEY <MHCO> STAKE\n","article":"  A group of New York investment\n  companies told the Securities and Exchange Commission they have\n  acquired 173,000 shares of Moore-Handley Inc, or 6.9 pct of the\n  total outstanding common stock.\n      The firms, Robert H. Barker and Co, J.M.R. Barker\n  Foundation, Quaker Hill Associates L.P., Upland Associates L.P.\n  and James M. Barker Trust, said they bought the stock for two\n  mln dlrs soley for investment purposes.\n      But the group said it might buy more Moore-Handley shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EC MAY OFFER INTERVENTION SUGAR TO LOCAL MARKET\n","article":"  Sugar which EC producers plan to sell\n  into intervention may be offered by the European Commission for\n  sale within the Community, broker C. Czarnikow says in its\n  latest sugar review.\n      The Commission will propose to offer the sugar at a very\n  nominal premium of 0.01 European Currency Unit (Ecu) to the\n  intervention price, with detrimental consequences for\n  producers' returns, Czarnikow says. The move is seen as an\n  attempt to persuade the producers to take back the surrendered\n  sugar.\n      The Commission may also take other steps to dissuade\n  producers from their chosen course, such as removing the time\n  limit on storage contracts, which presently means that\n  intervention stocks have to be removed by the end of September,\n  Czarnikow says. There is also the possibility of production\n  quotas being reduced.\n      If the Commission decided to offer the sugar to traders for\n  export, the restitutions would have to be higher than those at\n  recent export tenders, Czarnikow notes. To match the difference\n  between the EC price and the world market price, the extra\n  costs might be as much as 20 Ecus per tonne, it says.\n      The producers might have to repay these costs through\n  production levies and the proposed special elimination levy,\n  Czarnikow says, but it would be several months before any costs\n  could be recovered under EC rules.\n      The primary cause of the plan to sell 775,000 tonnes of\n  sugar into intervention in France is dissatisfaction with the\n  EC export program as the restitution has increasingly failed to\n  bridge the gap between the EC price and the world market price,\n  Czarnikow notes. The French move is thus seen as a form of\n  protest designed to force the Commission's hand.\n      In West Germany, 79,250 tonnes have been tendered for\n  intervention, but Czarnikow says the motive here is to ensure\n  that the 1986\/87 price is paid for sugar that was produced in\n  1986. In addition to a two pct cut in the intervention price,\n  West German producers face a further price reduction in July\n  with a probable revaluation of the \"green\" mark.\n      Even if the immediate crisis is resolved, the problem is\n  not expected to disappear permanently. It has appeared to\n  traders for some years that the EC's export policy is\n  insufficiently responsive to changing patterns of demand, it\n  says.\n      The weekly tenders should respond to fluctuating demand by\n  increasing or reducing the tonnage awarded, Czarnikow says,\n  suggesting that the Commission might also take steps to cut\n  down the amount of \"unnecessary bureaucracy\" surrounding the\n  export tender system.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INT'L HYDRON CORP <HYD> 4TH QTR OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit six cts vs loss 20 cts\n      Oper net profit 734,000 vs loss 2,312,000\n      Revs 16.8 mln vs 13.9 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 30 cts vs profit three cts\n      Oper net profit 3,342,0000 vs profit 318,000\n      Revs 67.5 mln vs 52.6 mln\n      NOTE: Excludes loss of 41,000 dlrs or nil vs gain 7,000\n  dlrs or nil in qtr and gain 247,000 dlrs or two cts vs gain\n  88,000 dlrs or one ct in year from net operating loss\n  carryforwards.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GERMAN BANKS SEE LOW INTEREST RATES CONTINUING\n","article":"  The Association of German Cooperative\n  Banks said in a financial survey that domestic interest rates\n  would continue to remain low for the time being.\n      It said the Bundesbank could hold them down despite strong\n  foreign influence and it saw no interest-straining factors in\n  the economy that could affect the long-term capital market.\n      The inflation rate of one pct also gave no occasion for\n  higher nominal interest rates. But a probable rise in inflation\n  late this year could give very slight grounds for a rise in\n  nominal rates at year's end and next year, it said.\n      The association said generally low interest rates,\n  prospects of lower taxes, a stable dollar rate and expected\n  strong domestic demand led it to believe that the investment\n  climate would remain friendly and the economy would continue\n  its slow but very sure growth.\n      The Bundesbank had managed successfully to keep interest\n  rates down on the short-term money market although its policies\n  had exerted little effect on the long-term capital market,\n  which was so important for investment financing and thus for\n  the course of the economy, it said.\n      In view of the limits to the possibilities monetary policy\n  had in influencing the longer-term capital market, the\n  association saw little sense in wanting to boost the economy\n  through a short-term and expansionist monetary policy.\n      On the other hand it also saw no reason for sticking\n  dogmatically to the money supply target for the whole of 1987.\n      The association said time would show to what extent\n  speculative foreign money and short-term invested domestic\n  money would distort money supply developments. The Bundesbank\n  could hold down money market rates with the highly effective\n  instrument of sale and repurchase transactions, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ICCO TO EXAMINE BUFFER STOCK DETAILS TOMORROW\n","article":"  The International Cocoa Council, ICCO,\n  adjourned for the day after a detailed proposal on buffer stock\n  rules was distributed and executive committee officials were\n  elected, delegates said.\n      Producers, EC consumers and all consumers are scheduled to\n  hold separate meetings tomorrow to review the proposal, written\n  by ICCO executive director Kobena Erbynn, they said.\n      The buffer stock working group is to meet again on rules\n  Monday morning, and the full council is to reconvene Tuesday,\n  delegates said.\n      Heinz Hofer of Switzerland was elected executive committee\n  chairman and Mette Mogstad of Norway vice chairman, they added.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FED'S JOHNSON URGES STRONGER ALLIED GROWTH\n","article":"  Federal Reserve Board Vice Chairman\n  Manuel Johnson said that the U.S.'s main industrial partners\n  should expand their domestic growth.\n      In a speech to a women's group here, Johnson said, \"There is\n  room for stronger domestic growth in those countries ... strong\n  enough to absorb growth in U.S. export markets.\"\n      Johnson also said there was a better alignment of exchange\n  rates now and the Paris agreement to stabilize currencies has\n  brought western nations a long way towards establishing that\n  goal.\n      Johnson said, \"The Fed supports this pattern of exchange\n  rates ... and we'll see if it leads to a convergence in trade.\n  Quite possibly it can be achieved.\"\n      Johnson said the Paris agreement achieved a better\n  alignment of exchange rates in exchange for stimulus by the\n  major surplus countries.\n      He said this was \"a major improvement and a step in the\n  right direction\" and added U.S. allies look very strongly to a\n  U.S. budget deficit cut. \"There will always be a potential risk\n  of breakdown in international cooperation\" without a budget\n  deficit cut.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY DATA MAY EASE RATE CUT, ANALYSTS SAY\n","article":"  Slower than expected growth in Britain's\n  narrow M0 money supply measure in February will help spur a\n  further cut in U.K. Interest rates if a surge in sterling's\n  value requires such a move, economic analysts said.\n      M0, the only targeted money supply measure left after\n  Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson scrapped the official\n  target for the broad sterling M3 measure in his 1987 budget\n  speech on Tuesday, fell an adjusted 3\/4 to one pct in February.\n      On an annual basis, this put M0 growth at four to 4-1\/2\n  pct, in the middle of the 1987 target of two to six pct.\n      \"The M0 data are much better than we expected,\" said Robert\n  Thomas, economist at Greenwell Montagu Securities.\n      He and other analysts said while the better than expected\n  M0 figures alone would not be sufficient to trigger a new\n  interest rate cut, they removed an obstacle to such a move.\n      Thomas noted the rise in M0 had been kept in check despite\n  buoyant retail sales in February, advancing an adjusted 2.2 pct\n  after a fall of the same size in January.\n      Analysts said the M0 measure, reflecting variations in\n  consumer demand rather than real inflation prospects, was not\n  an adequate indicator to determine interest rates.\n      \"The authorities still seem to want to pretend that M0 is\n  important ... In practice, it is likely to be the exchange rate\n  and the election which call the tune,\" Lloyds Merchant bank\n  chief economist Roger Bootle wrote in a budget comment.\n      Richard Jeffrey, economist at stockbrokers Hoare Govett,\n  said in a comment: \"It is unlikely that (Lawson) will respond to\n  signals from M0 alone ... Reinforcement from exchange rate\n  trends is necessary before action is taken.\"\n      \"With the Chancellor making clear that policy manoeuvres are\n  made in response to signals from this narrow money variable,\n  the City has been forced to take it seriously,\" he added.\n      Noting this point, Thomas said market fears at the end of\n  last year of an M0 overshoot had now disappeared.\n      This removed a potential obstacle to a further cut in U.K.\n  Base lending rates if foreign demand for sterling pushed up the\n  pound above unofficial targets, analysts said.\n      Such targets are believed to have been secretly agreed\n  between finance ministers of the Group of Five and Canada at\n  their Paris meeting last month, they added.\n    U.K. Base rates have been cut twice by half a point since the\n  Paris agreement, once on March 11, and again yesterday when\n  foreign demand for sterling surged in reaction to a sharp cut\n  in 1987 government borrowing targets contained in the budget.\n      They stand at 10 pct now, and foreign exchange dealers and\n  analysts expect them to shed another half-point in the coming\n  week.\n      Analysts shrugged off as largely irrelevant a higher than\n  expected increase in February sterling M3, which pushed the\n  annual growth rate to almost 19 pct, well above the previous\n  target of 11 to 15 pct.\n      Thomas said the February figures seemed to indicate the\n  improvement in sterling M3 growth witnessed over the past few\n  months had been reversed, but firm conclusions could only be\n  drawn after revised data are released on March 31.\n      Some analysts said foreign investors had long ceased to\n  watch the sterling M3 target, and Lawson's move to scrap it\n  altogether earlier this week removed whatever was left of its\n  credibility as a key factor in monetary policy.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED'S JOHNSON SEES INFLATION CONTROLLED\n","article":"  Federal Reserve Board Vice Chairman\n  Manuel Johnson said inflationary pressures are under control\n  and noted \"wage and price pressures are very moderate.\"\n      Johnson told a women's group that the U.S. was not seeing\n  the kind of cost pressures of the past.\n      He said the trade imbalance was a serious trouble spot and\n  strong protectionist pressures, if translated into policies,\n  could ultimately lead to higher inflation and a high interest\n  rate policy by the Fed.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"GREYHOUND <G> BUYS GENERAL MOTORS <GM> BUS UNIT\n","article":"  Greyhound Corp said it has\n  signed a definitive agreement to buy General Motors Corp's U.S.\n  Transit Bus and Parts business for an undisclosed sum.\n      The agreement, tentatively set in January, includes\n  production tooling, design and equipment for urban transit\n  buses, inventories and trademark identification.\n      The agreement also incudes the right to buy GM's Canadian\n  Transit Bus and Parts business, contingent on a satisfactory\n  labor agreement.\n      Greyhound said it will relocate the production facilities,\n  currently in Pontiac, Michigan, to an undetermined location.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EXCEL BANCORP <XCEL> SETS INITIAL DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Excel Bancorp Inc said its board\n  declared an initial dividend of 10 cts per share, payable April\n  20 to holders of record on April Six.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHAMPION <CHA> TO EXPAND ALBERTA MILL\n","article":"  Champion International Corp, based in\n  Stamford, Conn., said it will expand its mill in Hinton,\n  Alberta, at a cost of about 285 mln Canadian dlrs.\n      The expansion will double the facility's pulping operation\n  to 424,000 short tons per year. The mill produces softwood\n  kraft pulp which is sold to other Champion facilities and on\n  the open market.\n      Champion said it estimates the project will be completed by\n  the end of 1989.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MARK IV SAYS IT DOES NOT PLAN BAIRD <BATM> BUY\n","article":"  Mark IV Industries Inc <IV>, which\n  has said it is mulling a bid to seek control of Baird Corp,\n  said it has no present plans to acquire more than 25 pct of the\n  company's total outstanding common stock.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Mark IV said its top officials told Baird executives at a March\n  17 meeting that while Mark IV may buy more Baird common stock,\n  it presently intends to hold it to the 25 pct limit.\n      Mark IV, which first disclosed its stake and interest in\n  Baird on March 10, has reported it holds 391,800 Baird common\n  shares, or 17.6 pct of the total outstanding.\n      Mark IV said it also agreed at the meeting that if it\n  decides to seek control of Baird, it would be through a\n  negotiated merger or business combination or through a tender\n  offer in which Baird would have at least 24 hours notice.\n      Baird, in turn, agreed not to take any defensive measures\n  without giving Mark IV at least 24 hours notice, it said.\n      Baird also confirmed that a takeover defense plan it\n  already has which is triggered by the accumulation of more than\n  25 pct of its stock, would not be triggered by a tender offer,\n  Mark IV said. Both parties also agreed to adjourn pending\n  litigation they have against one another, it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALBERTSON'S <ABS> ADOPTS STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN\n","article":"  Albertson's Inc said its board has\n  adopted a stockholder rights plan intended to protect them in\n  the event of any proposed takeover of the company.\n      Under the plan, stockholders will receive a dividend\n  distribution of one right for each share of common stock held\n  on March 23.\n      The rights are exercisable ten days after a person or group\n  acquires 20 pct or more of Alberston's common stock or\n  announces a tender offer for 30 pct or more of the stock.\n      Each right will entitle the shareholder to buy one newly\n  issued share of Alberston's common stock for 150.00 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HARRIS-TEETER PROPERTIES INC <HTP> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 24 cts vs 24 cts prior\n      Pay May Eight\n      Record April 17\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CANADA 91-DAY T-BILLS AVERAGE 6.89 PCT, MAKING BANK RATE 7.14 PCT               \n","article":"\n  CANADA 91-DAY T-BILLS AVERAGE 6.89 PCT, MAKING BANK RATE 7.14 PCT               \n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DRESSER INDUSTRIES <DI> SEES RETURN TO PROFIT\n","article":"  Dresser Industries Inc said it expects\n  the joint ventures it has entered into and a gradual\n  improvement in the energy market to allow it to regain\n  profitability before the end of the current year.\n      Dresser earned 9,600,000 dlrs for the year ended October 31\n  -- after a 95.0 mln dlr gain from a change in accounting and\n  pension plan curtailment and a 25.3 mln dlr writedown of\n  oilfield assets.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC MINISTERS ANNOUNCE PLAN FOR STEEL CLOSURES\n","article":"  European Community (EC) industry\n  ministers agreed on a plan for voluntary steel plant closures,\n  drawn up by industry lobby group Eurofer, and calculated to\n  lead to the loss of about 22,000 jobs.\n      The ministers resolved that the proposed closures, which\n  should bring production capacity more in line with weak demand,\n  \"remain considerably below the surplus in capacity.\"\n      They asked the EC Executive Commission to consult with\n  Eurofer, major steel companies and with governments, to\n  pinpoint scope for further capacity reductions beyond the\n  annual 15.26 mln tonnes identified by Eurofer.\n      The Commission will draw up a new system  of steel\n  production quotas to protect vulnerable EC firms from the full\n  rigors of open competition.\n      Commission sources said any new system would cover only\n  heavy products representing about 45 pct of the market, instead\n  of 65 pct under the present system.\n      Ministers hope to approve a closure program when they meet\n  again in Brussels on June 1, the sources said.\n      Industry Commissioner Karl-Heinz Narjes told ministers\n  capacity was 30 mln tonnes in excess of requirements and that\n  this excess ought to be eliminated by the end of 1990.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. GRAIN TRADE CALLS SHULTZ REMARK SIGNIFICANT\n","article":"  A statement yesterday by Secretary\n  of State George Shultz after he met with wheat growers that\n  U.S. agricultural products must be competitively priced was\n  significant in that he recognized the importance of the Soviet\n  market and the need for U.S. prices to be at world market\n  levels, U.S. grain trade industry officials said.\n      They said that Shultz's comments, while not explicitly\n  endorsing subsidized wheat sales to the USSR, were noteworthy\n  because they were not negative towards such action.\n      In response to a query on what the State Department's\n  position is on selling subsidized wheat to Moscow, Shultz told\n  the leaders of the National Association of Wheat Growers that\n  prices must be competitive if the U.S. is going to trade.\n      The Soviet Union, the world's largest grain importer, has\n  bought no U.S. wheat for more than a year, complaining the\n  price was far above world market levels. A U.S. offer last fall\n  to sell the Soviets lower-priced wheat through the export\n  enhancement program, EEP, was also rebuffed due to the price.\n      Shultz was said to be adamantly against the U.S. wheat\n  offer last year and has been reported to be one of the major\n  obstacles in making another subsidy overture to the Soviet\n  Union, grain industry sources said.\n      Intense speculation the U.S. might make a fresh EEP wheat\n  offer to the Soviets has boosted grain prices significantly in\n  recent trading sessions. Kansas City hard wheat futures rose\n  another 2-1\/4 cents by midday at 2.88-1\/4 dlrs per bushel,\n  while CBT March wheat was up 1-1\/2 cents at 2.92-1\/2 dlrs.\n      \"I'm not sure this is an about-face, but it's clearly a\n  recognition that unless we're competitive, we won't sell to the\n  Soviet Union,\" said a lobbyst for a major commodity group.\n      \"We have to be competitive. It's ridiculous to say that\n  somebody is going to buy your product if they can get the same\n  thing at a lower price somewhere else,\" Shultz told the farm\n  leaders. \"That is our approach in negotiations with the\n  Soviets,\" he said.\n      If those comments do signal that the State Department is no\n  longer opposed to the U.S. selling wheat to the USSR under EEP,\n  it certainly improves the chances for an EEP wheat offer to\n  Moscow, an industry lobbyst said.\n      National Wheat Grower's officials were taking a cautious\n  attitude towards the secretary's comments.\n      \"His comments were not discouraging, but they didn't in our\n  judgment promise any immediate action on EEP,\" an official with\n  the wheat group said.\n      The Wheat Growers official noted, however, that \"there is\n  significance in that fact that we haven't seen any significant\n  negative commentary on the idea of EEP wheat to the Soviets.\"\n      In a meeting with exporters this week, Secretary of\n  Agriculture Richard Lyng refused to comment on their request\n  that the administration offer subsidized wheat to Moscow, the\n  officials said.\n      An aide to USDA undersecretary Daniel Amstutz, who is\n  reported to be strongly opposed to EEP wheat to the Soviets,\n  said that the Shultz comments \"are consistent with what he\n  (Shultz) has taught for years as an economist,\" but said they\n  don't necessarily relate to the Soviet Union.\n      Amstutz could not be reached for comment, and an aide to\n  Lyng said Lyng would not comment on Shultz's statements.\n      But trade sources were hopeful that the Shultz comments may\n  indicate some movement towards EEP wheat to Moscow.\n      \"If he didn't say no, then there's a chance. This is\n  potentially a positive development,\" a commodity source said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NYNEX INCREASES QTRLY DIV TO 95 CTS FROM 87 CTS end of body\n","article":"\n  NYNEX INCREASES QTRLY DIV TO 95 CTS FROM 87 CTS end of body\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"ROSPATCH <RPCH> REJECTS DIAGNOSTIC <DRS> BID\n","article":"  Rospatch Corp said it\n  rejected a proposal by Diagnostic Retrieval Systems Inc to\n  acquire its stock at 22 dlrs a share.\n      Rospatch's board believes that the long term interests of\n  its shareholders will be best served by continuing as an\n  independent public company at this time, the company said in\n  response to an unsolicited offer from Diagnostic Retrieval.\n      Rospatch said Diagnostic's offer of February 27 is a\n  variation of a previous offer in January, the nature of which\n  was not disclosed.\n      Rospatch said it advised Diagnostic Retrieval that \"it\n  would be contrary to the best interests of the corporation\n  to engage in any discussions concerning a business combination\n  with Diagnostic Retrieval.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BURNUP AND SIMS INC <BSIM> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit five cts vs loss 40 cts\n      Net profit 669,000 vs loss 4,256,000\n      Revs 46.1 mln vs 43.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 13.9 mln vs 10.5 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr profit 42 cts vs loss 23 cts\n      Net profit 5,529,000 vs loss 2,219,000\n      Revs 152.2 mln vs 139.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 13.3 mln vs 9,489,000\n      NOTE: Current year net both periods includes 1,800,000 dlr\n  gain from sale of property.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AARON BROTHERS ART MARTS INC <AARN> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ended Jan 31\n      Shr 48 cts vs 38 cts\n      Net 1,171,000 vs 794,000\n      Revs 15.6 mln vs 14.0 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 85 cts vs eight cts\n      Net 1,831,000 vs 266,000\n      Revs 50.4 mln vs 46.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"QUAKER STATE <KSF> ARRANGES 100 MLN DLR CREDIT\n","article":"  Quaker State Oil Refining Corp\n  said it signed a 100 mln dlr revolving credit and term loan\n  agreement with a group of six banks, for which Mellon Bank N.A.\n  is agent.\n      The four-year arrangement has an additional four-year term\n  loan amortization agreement, Quaker said.\n      Quaker said the credit line will be used to finance\n  expansion plans. Quaker's total capital spending program for\n  1987 is expected to exceed 125 mln dlrs, it said. In 1986, the\n  company's capital spending totaled 71.0 mln dlrs.\n      Quaker also said costs of new store openings and new\n  product introductions will depress earnings in the first half.\n  For the first half of 1986, Quaker reported net income of 26.0\n  mln dlrs on sales of 473.5 mln dlrs.\n      In the first two months, Quaker opened about 25 new stores.\n  It said it expects to add 150 Minit-Lube fast lubrication\n  service centers in 1987 at a cost of 75 mln dlrs.\n      The company said it is optimistic it will recover in the\n  second half and report higher earnings for full year fiscal\n  1987. The company reported net income of 50.3 mln dlrs on sales\n  of 899.1 mln dlrs for 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC TO ABOLISH TAX ON SPANISH MAIZE EXPORTS\n","article":"  The European Community Commission has\n  decided to abolish a special tax of eight Ecus per tonne\n  imposed on exports of Spanish maize, Commission sources said.\n      They said the tax, which applies to Spanish sales to EC and\n  non-EC countries alike, would no longer be required on exports\n  from Spanish ports south of Valencia.\n      The decision was taken at a meeting of the authority's\n  cereals management committee today.\n      The tax had been introduced last September at the same time\n  as a subsidy of eight Ecus per tonne was brought in for exports\n  of maize to Spain from other EC member countries.\n      The aim of the tax was to prevent the maize imported into\n  Spain from the other EC states with the help of subsidies from\n  being reexported back to them.\n      The sources added that Spain had received no answer from\n  the committee to its request that tenders be opened for the\n  sale to third countries of 450,000 tonnes of maize.\n      The request will be considered at the committee's next\n  meeting, the commission sources said.\n      Madrid estimates that it needs to import 1.7 mln tonnes of\n  maize this year, while an EC-U.S. accord guarantees non-EC\n  producer sales to Spain of two mln tonnes of maize and 300,000\n  tonnes of sorghum annually for the next four years.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GREAT <GAMI> TO BUY STANDARD<SRD> UNITS' ASSETS\n","article":"  Great American Management and\n  Investment Inc said its 80 pct-owned subsidiary agreed to buy\n  certain assets of two subsidiaries of Standard Oil Co, for 40\n  mln dlrs and the assumption of certain liabilities.\n      Great American Industrial Group Inc agreed to acquire all\n  the U.S. and United Kingdom assets of Pfaudler Co and the stock\n  of certain Brazilian, Mexican, and West German subsidiaries of\n  Kennecott Mining Corp, it said. Pfaudler and Kennecott are\n  subsidiaries of Standard Oil.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"KMS INDUSTRIES INC <KMSI> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr three cts vs three cts\n      Oper net 511,000 vs 550,000\n      Revs 19.7 mln vs 17.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 15,777,000 vs 16,074,000\n      NOTE: Earnings exclude gains from utilization of tax loss\n  caryforwards of 398,000 dlrs, or three cts a share vs 455,000\n  dlrs, or three cts a share\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"WICKES COS INC 4TH QTR SHR LOSS TWO CTS VS PROFIT 14 CTS\n","article":"\n  WICKES COS INC 4TH QTR SHR LOSS TWO CTS VS PROFIT 14 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SYNTECH INTERENATIONAL INC <SYNE> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit six cts vs loss 4.51 dlrs\n      Net profit 815,167 vs loss 12,955,562\n      Revs 7,981,022 vs 2,954,488\n      Year\n      Shr profit 16 cts vs loss 7.22 dlrs\n      Net profit 2,446,100 vs loss 19,175,931\n      Revs 23.6 mln vs 14.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TO-FITNESS <TFIT> IN DISTRIBUTION DEAL\n","article":"  To-Fitness Inc said it\n  has been named exclusive Florida distributor for the hardpack\n  version of the frozen dessert Tofutti by Tofutti Brands Inc\n  <TOF>, replacing Pillsbury Co's <PSY> Haagen Dazs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRST FINANCIAL <FFMC> BIDS FOR COMDATA <CDN>\n","article":"  First Financial Management corp said it\n  has offered to acquire Comdata Network Inc for 18 dlrs per\n  share in cash and stock, or a total of about 342.7 mln dlrs.\n      The company said for each Comdata share it would exchange\n  half a First Data share and enough cash to bring the total\n  value up to 18 dlrs per share, provided that the market price\n  of First Financial stock were not less than 28 dlrs per share.\n      It said the cash payment would be based on the average\n  market price of First Financial during a period shortly before\n  closing.\n      First Financial said it would not pursue the offer if\n  Comdata's board rejected it.  Comdata has already agreed to be\n  acquired by a partnership for either 15 dlrs a share in cash or\n  at least 10 dlrs in cash and uniuts of securities.\n      The partnership that made the first offer for Comdata was\n  Welsh, Carson, Anderson and Stowe.  Comdata had previously\n  entered into an agreement, which collapsed, for a repurchase of\n  six mln shares at 14.50 dlrs each and for the sale of one mln\n  shares by a director to <Mason Best Co>. Mason Best already\n  owns 1,800,000 Comdata shares.\n      A group led by <Rosewood Financial Inc> has also disclosed\n  ownership of 6.2 pct of Comdata's 19.0 mln shares outstanding\n  and said it might seek to increase its interest to over 15 pct.\n      The company said Comdata shareholder approval would also be\n  required for its proposal.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"POP RADIO <POPX> GETS RITE AID <RAD>\n","article":"  POP Radio Corp said it has signed a\n  seven-year agreement to provide Rite Aid Corp with in-store\n  customized disc jocky-hosted radio programs, resulting in an\n  increase of more than 50 pct in the total number of stores POP\n  now has under contract.\n      Value was not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALLIANCE FINANCIAL CORP <ALFL> DIVIDEND SET\n","article":"  Qtly div 22 cts vs 22 cts previously\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NYNEX <NYN> INCREASES QTRLY CASH DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Nynex Corp said it is raising its\n  quarterly dividend to 95 cts from 87 cts payable May 1, 1987,\n  to shareholders of record March 31.\n      The company said this was the third consecutive year it has\n  raised its quarterly cash dividend. It added it had a\n  two-for-one stock split in May 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INT'L MINERALS <IGL> BUYS ANIMAL PRODUCTS UNIT\n","article":"  International Minerals and\n  Chemical Corp said it completed its acquisition of Johnson and\n  Johnson Co's Pitman-Moore unit, a producer of animal health\n  products.\n      Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. International\n  Minerals and Chemical said annual sales of the unit are about\n  45 mln dlrs.\n      Pitman-Moore makes health products for pets and for farm\n  and feedstock animals.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VULCAN <VUL> WITHDRAWS JONES\/VINING <JNSV> BID\n","article":"  Vulcan Corp said it was\n  discontinuing its efforts to negotiate a purchase of the common\n  stock of Jones and Vining Inc.\n      On February 6, Vulcan, a Cincinnati maker of shoe lasts and\n  other products, offered five dlrs a share for all of Jones and\n  Vining common, subject to certain conditions.\n      Vulcan said it is dropping the proposal because it believes\n  subsequent actions by Jones and Vining are hostile and Vulcan\n  is only interested in a friendly transaction.\n      Jones and Vining makes shoe lasts and shoe components. It\n  has about 3.7 mln shares outstanding.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TEMPO <TPO> TO SELL CABLE SYSTEMS TO EAGLE\n","article":"  Tempo Enterprises Inc said it\n  signed a letter of intent to sell seven cable television\n  systems, representing about 5,000 subscribers, to <Eagle\n  Cable>.\n      Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ERBAMONT <ERB> ACQUIRES ANTIBIOTICOS S.A.\n","article":"  Erbamont N.V. said its major\n  shareholder <Montedison SpA>, which owns 85 pct of its common,\n  and Farmitalia Carlo Erba, its 75 pct owned subsidiary, have\n  acquired <Antibioticos S.A.> and related subsidiaries.\n      Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UK CROSS FIELD PRT RELIEF FAVOURS SMALLER FIELDS\n","article":"  The \"cross field allowance\" relief on\n  Petroleum Revenue Tax (PRT) announced by U.K. Chancellor of the\n  Exchequer Nigel Lawson this week will favour smaller non-PRT\n  paying fields, according to stockbrokers Wood Mackenzie and Co.\n      The cross field allowance offsets up to 10 pct of\n  qualifying spending on a new oil field against PRT liability of\n  other fields. It is restricted to new offshore developments\n  outside the southern basin and yet to gain Annex B approval.\n      A report by the stockbrokers said that on a new field not\n  paying PRT due to its small size, the relief would directly\n  benefit in PRT saving on an existing field.\n      \"The cross field allowance will mainly benefit participators\n  in those fields which have no PRT liability,\" the report said,\n  adding that the timing of development of such fields may be\n  advanced.\n      The government would in effect be subsidising these\n  developments at 7.5 pct of capital expenditure before\n  corporation tax, the report said.\n      On fields likely to pay PRT in the future, the benefit is\n  of timing. Although liabilities on other existing fields will\n  be reduced immediately, liabilities on larger new fields will\n  rise in the future due to the loss of offsets, it said.\n      In a study on probable fields, the report said that when\n  the rates of return are examined, the rise for a PRT-paying\n  field such as Miller, the largest undeveloped oil field in the\n  U.K. North Sea, is from 18.7 to 19 pct, while the rise for a\n  small non-PRT paying field such as Kittiwake is 15.9 to 17.9\n  pct.\n      The report added that in fields which pay PRT, there will\n  be a cost in being able to have this early relief. Not only\n  will these costs be unavailable for offset against the field's\n  future profits, but uplift of some 35 pct on these costs will\n  be lost.\n      Thus, a saving of PRT of 100 when field development starts\n  will have to be matched by a rise in PRT of 135 at a later\n  time.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CONGRESSMEN URGE U.S. SOYBEAN PROGRAM CHANGES\n","article":"  Several leading farm-state\n  Congressmen said they will press the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department to implement some kind of marketing loan to make\n  soybeans exports competitive while protecting farm income.\n      Speaking at a House grains subcommittee hearing, chairman\n  Dan Glickman, D-Kan., proposed that Congressmen and\n  representatives of soybean growers meet with USDA on the\n  subject in the next two weeks.\n      \"Let's see if we can try to push them (USDA) to do\n  something without legislation,\" Glickman told the hearing.\n      The current soybean loan rate effectively is 4.56 dlrs per\n  bushel with no income protection, or marketing loan.\n      David Haggard, American Soybean Association, ASA, president\n  said USDA must make changes in the soybean program.\n      The current soybean program \"gave us the worst of both\n  worlds,\" ASA's Haggard told the hearing. The 1987 loan rate is\n  too high relative to corn and is encouraging an expansion of\n  soybean production in South America, he said. At the same time,\n  the U.S. soybean loan rate is too low to provide any income\n  support for soybean farmers, Haggard said.\n      \"We need some kind of market loan,\" he added.\n      The 1985 farm bill provides authority for the Agriculture\n  Secretary to implement a marketing loan for soybeans but USDA\n  so far has resisted pressure to use the authority.\n      Representatives of ASA met earlier this month with USDA,\n  but Haggard said USDA officials gave no indication if they\n  would seriously consider offering a marketing loan.\n      USDA undersecretary Daniel Amstutz yesterday said the\n  soybean situation is a \"dilemna\" which has been studied\n  extensively by the department. But he did not say what, if any\n  changes, are under consideration.\n      In his testimony, Haggard indicated there are ways other\n  than a marketing loan which should be considered to help\n  soybean growers, such as a so-called producer option payment,\n  or a direct payment program.\n      Haggard said barring any program changes, Commodity Credit\n  Corporation, CCC, soybean stocks, now at 385 mln bu, will rise\n  to 500 mln by the end of August. A further 100 mln bu of\n  soybeans could be forfeited between September and end-year.\n      \"Thus, CCC could own the equivalent of Brazil's entire\n  soybean crop by the end of calendar year 1987,\" Haggard said.\n      However, Haggard said that the U.S. should be cautious in\n  making soybean program changes that might allow the European\n  Community to challenge the U.S. program under the General\n  Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, GATT.\n      He noted that The EC imports one quarter of U.S. soybean\n  production and loss of that market would be devastating.\n      The Reagan administration has given \"mixed signals\" on\n  whether it believes a marketing loan for soybeans could be\n  successfully challenged in GATT by the EC, Haggard said.\n      While the ASA position is to support a 5.02 dlrs per bu\n  loan rate combined with a marketing loan, Haggard also endorsed\n  a proposal by Rep. Jerry Huckaby, D-La., which would set a six\n  dlrs per bu loan rate and apply a marketing loan.\n      The Huckaby proposal is also supported by the ranking\n  Republican on the House Agriculture committee, Rep. Edward\n  Madigan of Illinois.\n      Subcommittee chairman Glickman endorsed the need to take\n  some action on soybeans, but cautioned that the marketing loan\n  could mean a substantial increase in budget costs.\n      Glickman noted that the Agriculture Committee must cut one\n  to 1.5 billion dlrs from its fiscal 1988 budget and therefore\n  must fit any soybean program changes into the overall budget.\n      Haggard said at a soybean loan rate of six dlrs per bu\n  combined with a marketing loan, the U.S. soybean price might\n  fall to four dlrs per bu initially. This would cost the\n  government a maximum of two billion dlrs. But he said the costs\n  would decline as market prices recovered.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RAISE IN BRAZIL FCOJ EXPORT PRICES NOT CONFIRMED\n","article":"  There is no confirmation\n  that Brazil's major processors of Frozen Concentrated Orange\n  Juice, FCOJ, will raise export prices of the product to 1,375\n  dlrs per tonne from April 1, a spokesman for the Brazilian\n  Association of Citrus Juice Industries (Abrassuco) said.\n      Asked to comment on a report from New York that Cutrale and\n  Citrosuco had sent telexes to customers informing of the price\n  raise, Jose Carlos Goncalves said Abrassuco was not aware of\n  it.\n      \"All we know is that Cacex has increased the dollar amount\n  to translate FOB price to ex-dock New York price to 1,050 dlrs\n  from 770 dlrs,\" Goncalves said.\n      Citrosuco and Cutrale officials were not available for\n  comment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALDEN ELECTRONICS <ADNEA> SETS LOWER DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Alden Electronics Inc said\n  its board declared an annual dividend of 15 cts per share on\n  Class A and B common stock, down from 25 cts last year due to\n  an expected drop in earnings for the year ended March 28.\n      The dividend is payable April 15 to holders of record on\n  April 3.\n      Alden earned 1,357,000 dlrs last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WICKES COS INC <WIX> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss two cts vs profit 14 cts\n      Net loss 2,515,000 vs profit 28,569,000\n      Sales 1.41 billion vs 885.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 239.2 mln vs 104.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 33 cts vs profit 47 cts\n      Net profit 83,750,000 vs profit 76,130,000\n      Sales 4.77 billion vs 2.81 billion\n      Avg shrs 198.8 mln vs 98.3 mln\n      Note: Current qtr and year figures include gains on\n  securities sales of 3.9 mln dlrs and 38 mln dlrs, respectively.\n      Prior qtr and year figures include gain on securities sales\n  of 3.9 mln dlrs.\n      Current qtr and year figures include extraordinary loss of\n  6.9 mn dlrs and gain of 9.9 mln dlrs, respectively.\n      Prior qtr and year figures include operating loss\n  carryforward gains of 7.6 mln dlrs and 35.5 mln dlrs,\n  respectively.\n      Prior qtr and year figures include gains from discontinued\n  operations of 6.6 mln dlrs and 12.6 mln dlrs, respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JWT <JWT> NOT APPROACHED BY GROUP SEEKING SHARES\n","article":"  JWT Group Inc has not been approached\n  by former Ted Bates Worldwide Chairman Robert Jacoby about the\n  possibility of a syndicate buying a 35 pct stake in JWT Group\n  on a friendly basis, a company spokesman said.\n      He said JWT would have no comment on an Advertising Age\n  report that Jacoby is considering heading up a venture capital\n  syndicate to purchase a 35 pct stake in JWT group.\n      Jacoby was not immediately available for comment on the\n  report. Ted Bates is now owned by <Saatchi and Saatchi>, the\n  world's largest advertising agency.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AZURE VENTURES TO BUY ADVERTISING UNIT\n","article":"  <Azure Ventures Ltd> said it\n  signed a letter of intent to acquire John Paul Richards and\n  Associates Inc.\n      The company said if the merger is approved by shareholders\n  of both companies, the shareholders of John Paul Richards would\n  become majority shareholders, owning 60 pct of the common\n  stock, of the new public company.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SCOTT <SCOT> DECLARES FIRST PAYOUT\n","article":"  Scott and Stringfellow Financial\n  Inc said it declared its first quarterly dividend of three\n  cents per share payable April 15 to shareholders of record\n  April one.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TEXAS COMMERCE <TCB> SEES IMPROVEMENT IN 1987\n","article":"  Texas Commerce Bancshares Inc said that\n  relatively stable oil prices and the bank's planned merger with\n  Chemical New York Corp <CHL> would help 1987 earnings increase\n  from last year's profits of 20 mln dlrs.\n      Texas Commerce chairman Ben Love, in an interview with\n  Reuters, did not elaborate on how much the bank expected\n  earnings to increase.\n      \"We would anticipate that this year would be an improvement\n  over last because we are stronger,\" Love said, referring to\n  Texas Commerce's pending 1.19 billion dlr merger with Chemical.\n  The merger, which may be finalized as early as May 1, will\n  lower Texas Commerce's cost of funding by an estimated 10 to 15\n  basis points, Love said.\n      The Texas Commerce-Chemical merger is the only acquisition\n  by a major out-of-state bank since Texas lawmakers approved\n  interstate banking effective January 1.\n      Hard-hit by loan losses in energy and real estate in Texas'\n  struggling economy, the only major Texas banks able to report\n  profits in 1986 were Texas Commerce and RepublicBank which\n  earned 54.0 mln dlrs. Allied Bancshares Inc <ALBN> lost 17.6\n  mln dlrs, MCorp <M> lost 82.1 mln dlrs, InterFirst lost 326.5\n  mln dlrs and First City Bancorporation <FBT>, which is actively\n  seeking a merger or other form of new capital, lost 402.0 mln\n  dlrs.\n      Love said Texas Commerce had turned the corner on its\n  energy loan portfolio problems, but added that the bank's\n  nonperforming real estate loans may increase during 1987.\n      \"I think the tidal wave in energy has passed over us,\" he\n  said. \"The fact that the real estate market is still moving\n  away suggests there could be some continuing growth of\n  nonperforming loans.\"\n      In 1986, about 42 pct of Texas Commerce's net loan losses\n  related to real estate lending and 13 pct was due to energy\n  loan losses. That compares to 1985 when only 17 pct of the\n  bank's losses were in real estate and energy accounted for 43\n  pct.\n      More than half of Texas Commerce's nonperforming loans,\n  which totaled 968 mln dlrs at yearend 1986, up from 840 mln\n  dlrs the year before, were in real estate.\n      Love said he believed the real estate loan problems for\n  Texas Commerce and other major state banks would peak by the\n  third or fourth quarter of 1987. Absorption of empty office\n  buildings in Houston, which has a current vacancy rate of about\n  30 pct, will be a gradual process that could take up to four\n  years, he said.\n      \"I think we may be beginning to stabilize this economy. Oil\n  at 18 dlrs a barrel brings much more confidence than 10 dlrs a\n  barrel,\" he said.\n      Texas Commerce will retain its name as a separate\n  subsidiary of Chemical and plans to aggressively expand its\n  holdings throughout Texas, offering additional products to\n  build up its consumer banking business, Love said. \"We are\n  resuming what we did best for years -- an offensive position,\"\n  he said.\n      In January, Texas Commerce acquired a failed bank in\n  Montgomery County, adjacent to the Houston metropolitan area,\n  and earlier this month opened a new bank in San Antonio. Texas\n  Commerce plans to add more banks in San Antonio and in the\n  Dallas-Fort Worth area where it currently has only 16 member\n  banks, he said.\n      One day after the Texas Commerce acquisition was announced\n  in December, InterFirst Corp <IFC> and RepublicBank Corp <RPT>,\n  both headquartered in Dallas, agreed to merge in a deal valued\n  at 570 mln dlrs.\n      The combination of former archrivals RepublicBank and\n  InterFirst, giving the two banks a virtual lock on the Dallas\n  banking market, has not changed Texas Commerce's expansion\n  plans for the state's second-largest city, Love said. \"We think\n  we can try to get a little part of their roost,\" he said.\n      The Chemical partnership will also give Texas Commerce an\n  edge in developing new consumer products, he said.\n      \"We have always been a wholesale bank but we have more than\n  one million customers all over the state. Chemical will show us\n  how to take advantage of enhancing our consumer products,\" he\n  said, referring to expansion of such existing products as\n  credit cards and investment banking.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CSCE PUTS ADDITIONAL MARGIN ON JULY COFFEE\n","article":"  An additional margin of 1,000 dlrs\n  will be required on all July 1987 delivery coffee \"C\" contracts\n  as of the opening of trade Monday, March 23, the Coffee, Sugar\n  and Cocoa Exchange, CSCE, said.\n      The March contract ends trading this week, making May and\n  July the two \"spot,\" or unlimited, contract months next week.\n      Members will then have to obtain a minimum 3,500 dlrs for\n  net long or net short positions in the May and July contracts,\n  including a 2,500 original margin plus the additional 1,000 dlr\n  spot charge.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ODYSSEY FILMPARTNERS <ODYY> DROPS MERGER TALKS\n","article":"  Odyssey Filmpartners Ltd\n  said is terminated discussions to acquire <United Color Labs>,\n  pursuant to a Jan 27 letter of intent for it to buy the company\n  for stock and cash.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SPRINKEL URGES GREATER GROWTH IN JAPAN, EUROPE\n","article":"  Beryl Sprinkel, chairman of\n  the president's council of economic advisors, said stronger\n  domestic demand growth in Japan and Western Europe is needed to\n  help stimulate U.S. exports without having to rely on futher\n  dollar declines.\n      \"Stronger domestic demand growth in the major foreign\n  industrial countries is needed to engender the much needed\n  expansion of U.S. export markets without having to rely on\n  further dollar depreciation,\" he told the Futures Industry\n  Association.\n      Sprinkel said the recent recovery of domestic demand in\n  Japan and Europe has been one of the weakest in the post-war\n  period.\n      \"Stronger domestic demand growth in the major industrial\n  countries would help give balance to the current world\n  recovery,\" he said.\n      Asked if Japan was not living up to commitments made last\n  month to trading partners, he said recent figures showed\n  Japan's economy grew by about 0.5 pct in the fourth quarter of\n  1986, \"Not enough to sustain employment growth.\"\n      However, Sprinkel said Japan had not reneged on its pledges\n  and was moving toward more stimulative policies, including tax\n  reform. \"I suspect there will be further moves,\" he said.\n      Sprinkel repeated his call for further cuts in U.S.\n  government spending and for resistance to tax increases.\n      \"Reducing the federal government budget deficit by\n  expenditure restraint is needed to preserve the low marginal\n  tax rates achieved by tax reform,\" he said, adding that \"a vote\n  to increase to government expenditures is a vote against tax\n  reform.\"\n      Sprinkel said the fall of the dollar had substantially\n  restored U.S. cost competitiveness and that the deterioration\n  of the U.S. trade balance appeared to have abated.\n      However, he said that \"sole reliance on dollar depreciation\n  to reduce our trade deficit is not desirable,\" as it risks\n  inflation in the United States and recession abroad.\n      \"I am confident that further improvements in our trade\n  performance will contribute significantly to growth in 1987,\" he\n  said. Improvements in the U.S. trade balance, he said, will\n  come about largely from a swing in manufactures trade and\n  present \"serious adjustment problems for U.S. trading partners.\"\n      Western Europe, where manufactures output and employment\n  have been weak, promises to be especially hard hit by the\n  improvement in the U.S. trade balance, Sprinkel said.\n      He defended flexible exchange rates saying wide swings in\n  rates were not a fault of the system but of the undesirable\n  policies that produced them.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"BROWN TRANSPORT <BTCI> SEES RECORD 1987 NET\n","article":"  Brown Transport Co said it expects to\n  report record 1987 results with revenues increasing to 214 mln\n  dlrs and earnings per share between 1.25 dlrs and 1.30 dlrs.\n      Brown reported 1986 net income of 1.05 dlrs per share, or\n  5.45 mln dlrs, on revenues of 191.7 mln dlrs.\n      Last week the company declared an initial quarterly\n  dividend of four cts.\n      the company said it will begin paying a regular quarterly\n  dividend in the second quarter but the board has not yet\n  determined the exact amount.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BOMBAY <CURY> BASES GROWTH ON LOCATION, COSTS\n","article":"  Bombay Palace Restaurants Inc, with its\n  emphasis on location and low food costs, expects its 1987 sales\n  to increase 150 pct to about 22 mln dlrs from about 8.5 mln\n  dlrs in 1986, according to President Sant S. Chatwal.\n       Chatwal told members of the Dallas financial community at\n  a lunchtime briefing, \"we go for prime locations everywhere and\n  make sure our leases are very favorable.\"\n       As previously announced, the company expects to report\n  1986 earnings of about 700,000 dlrs, or 31 to 33 cts a share,\n  on revenues of 8.5 mln dlrs. Chatwal said the final figures\n  would be released in about two days.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERITRUST <AMTR> PROPOSES 2-FOR-1 STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  AmeriTrust Corp said its board\n  proposed a two-for-one split of its common, subject to\n  stockholder approval at its May 14 annumal meeting.\n      The company also said it intends to recommend an increase\n  in its annual regular dividend to at least two dlrs per share\n  before the split, beginning with the May dividend. The current\n  annual payout is 1.76 dlr per share.\n      AmeriTrust currently has about 20.9 mln shares outstanding\n  with 25 mln authorized shares. It said shareholders will be\n  asked to approve an increase in authorized common to 100 mln\n  shares.\n      Ameritrust also said it will submit for shareholder\n  approval an amendment to the company's charter regarding\n  liability and indemnification of directors and a recommendation\n  to create a classified board.\n      AmeriTrust's total year-end assets were over 11.1 billion\n  dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FIRST FEDERAL OF MICHIGAN <FFOM> DIVIDEND HIKE\n","article":"  Qtly div 12 cts vs 10 cts previously\n      Pay May 11\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"UNITED JERSEY BANKS <UJB> TO MERGE TWO BANKS\n","article":"  United Jersey Banks said it\n  plans to merge two of its southern New Jersey member banks into\n  one 704 mln dlr organization.\n      It said United Jersey Bank\/Fidelity Bank, based in\n  Pennsauken, will be merged into United Jersey Bank\/South in\n  order to improve customer service and maximize efficiency\n  throughout the southern New Jersey markets.\n      Raymond Silverstein, currently chairman of the board of\n  United Jersey Bank\/Fidelity, will be chairman of the merged\n  bank, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 900,000 TONNES CORN  SOLD TO THE USSR FOR 1986\/87\n","article":"\n  U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 900,000 TONNES CORN  SOLD TO THE USSR FOR 1986\/87\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HELDOR INDUSTRIES <HLDR> 1ST QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Qtr ends Jan 31\n      Shr loss 38 cts vs loss 60 cts\n      Net loss 1,388,000 vs 2,181,000\n      Revs 8,199,000 vs 6,668,000\n      NOTE: 1987 qtr includes tax gain 964,000 for insurance\n  claims.\n      1987 qtr also includes non-recurring expense 150,000 for\n  discontinued operations and consolidation of four distribution\n  service centers.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 350,000 TONNES CORN  SWITCHED FROM UNKNOWN TO USSR FOR 1986\/87\n","article":"\n  U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 350,000 TONNES CORN  SWITCHED FROM UNKNOWN TO USSR FOR 1986\/87\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COEUR D'ALENE MINES CORP <COUR> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 18 cts vs loss one ct\n      Net loss 1,343,000 vs loss 49,000\n      Revs 6,778,000 vs 1,976,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 67 cts vs loss ten cts\n      Net loss 4,693,000 vs loss 672,000\n      Revs 14.0 mln vs 7,034,000\n      Note: 1986 loss included one-time loss of 3,624,000 dlrs on\n  write-off of certain silver, oil and gas interests.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 143,000 TONNES CORN  SOLD TO TAIWAN FOR 1986\/87, 1987\/88\n","article":"\n  U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 143,000 TONNES CORN  SOLD TO TAIWAN FOR 1986\/87, 1987\/88\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TALKING POINT\/AMERICAN EXPRESS <AXP>\n","article":"  American Express Co's plan to sell a\n  stake in its Shearson Lehman Brothers is believed to be a\n  prelude to a public offering of shares in the brokerage unit,\n  analysts said.\n      American Express earlier said it has a general\n  understanding with Nippon Life Insurance Co of Japan to sell a\n  13 pct interest in Shearson for 530 mln dlrs.\n      The statement triggered a rise in other brokerage stocks,\n  as investors speculated on the possibility of more investment\n  in the U.S. brokerage industry by Japanese concerns.\n      The stocks of brokerage firms also climbed in response to\n  the relatively high value Nippon put on its stake in the U.S.\n  firm. Analysts said the 530 mln dlrs for 13 pct represents a\n  price of 2.7 times book value.\n      Perrin Long of Lipper analytical said the brokerage stocks,\n  depressed somewhat by the dark cloud of the U.S. insider\n  trading scandal, closed out February at a market value of 1.8\n  times book value.\n      American Express was trading today at 78-1\/4, off 3\/8. For\n  the last several weeks, the stock has been strong on rumors of\n  a spinoff of part of Shearson.\n      Analysts said American Express and its Shearson unit will\n  benefit from the doors Nippon Life can open to the increasingly\n  important Tokyo financial markets.\n      \"I think this, in all honesty, is a preliminary step,\" said\n  Long.\n      \"What you will see probably in the future is American\n  Express selling an additional 17 pct in the public market and\n  have a public vehicle for Shearson,\" Long said.\n      \"Normally, investors do not make a major capital commitment\n  into an illiquid situation,\" he said of Nippon.\n      Some analysts previously speculated a 20 pct stake in\n  Shearson might be sold to the public. They said the firm, like\n  other investment banks, needs capital to expand globally.\n      American express has said the total employees of shearson\n  will expand by 20 pct in 1987 internationally. However, that\n  number is substantially lower than growth last year, a company\n  spokesman said.\n      American Express officials would not comment beyond a\n  statement made this morning. That statement, however, did not\n  close off the possibility of a public offering or other option\n  for Shearson.\n      David Anthony, a Smith Barney analyst, said it is possible\n  Shearson would be partially sold to the public. But he believes\n  the firm will digest the Nippon investment first.\n      \"I think they'll figure out what they're going to do with\n  the money they have,\" he said.\n      Joan Goodman, an analyst with Pershing and Co, also said\n  American Express could determine to sell shares to the public.\n      In its statement, the financial services giant said it is\n  continuing to study various plans for Shearson in addition to\n  the investment by Nippon.\n      American Express said options under study range from\n  expanding Shearson's capacity to meet international competition\n  to broadening its access to capital.\n      American Express also said the options reflect the\n  continuing integral role of Shearson in American Express'\n  worldwide financial services strategy.\n      Shearson follows Goldman, Sachs and Co in finding a\n  Japanese partner. Goldman last year sold a 12.5 pct stake to\n  Sumitomo Bank in exchange for a 500 mln dlr capital infusion.\n      Analysts speculated there will be more such matches.\n      \"Those (U.S. brokers) companies have the expertise. They\n  don't have the money. There's just not enough internal capital\n  growth,\" said Wertheim analyst James Hanbury, who follows other\n  U.S. brokerage companies.\n      Hanbury said some Japanese companies, flush with cash, are\n  interested in the expertise of American brokers. \"Those\n  (Japanese) companies have the capital and our companies have\n  the capital needs and the growth opportunities to use the\n  money. That's a nice marriage,\" he said.\n      Morgan Stanley and Co <MS> rose 4-1\/4 to 74-7\/8. First\n  Boston Corp <FBC> was up one to 51-1\/4. E.F. Hutton Group <EFH>\n  rose 1-1\/4 to 41-1\/8, and PaineWebber Group <PWJ> climbed 7\/8\n  to 37-3\/4. Merrill Lynch and Co, recommended today by a\n  PaineWebber analyst, rose 2-5\/8 to 45-3\/8.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ITALIAN PANEL URGES EXCHANGE LIBERALIZATION\n","article":"  Liberalization of Italy's foreign exchange\n  controls should be \"gradual\" but also \"reasonably rapid,\" a report\n  issued by a study committee nominated by the Italian Treasury\n  Ministry said.\n     The report, looking at the country's financial development\n  prospects, said Italy's large public sector deficit and growing\n  public debt were among the considerations that made a gradual\n  liberalization preferable.\n      The report also favoured retention of the lira's six pct\n  oscillation band with the European Monetary System (EMS) during\n  the liberalization process in order to lessen short-term\n  domestic interest rate fluctuations which could result from\n  portfolio adjustments.\n      The lira's fluctuation margin is currently significantly\n  higher than that allowed for other EMS currencies.\n      Italy has over recent months announced a series of\n  deregulation moves in response to a European Community\n  directive aimed at creating a genuine common market in goods,\n  services and finance by 1992.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"USDA REPORTS CORN SOLD TO USSR, TAIWAN\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department said\n  private U.S. exporters reported new sales of 900,000 tonnes of\n  corn to the Soviet Union and 350,000 tonnes of corn switched\n  from previously announced unknown destinations to the USSR.\n      The corn is for delivery during the 1986\/87 marketing year\n  and under the fourth year of the U.S.-USSR Long Term Grain\n  Supply Agreement, the USDA said.\n      The department said exporters also reported corn sales of\n  143,000 tonnes for delivery to Taiwan, with 56,000 tonnes for\n  shipment in the 1986\/87 season and the balance for shipment in\n  the 1987\/88 year.\n      The marketing year for corn began September 1.\n      Sales of corn to the USSR for delivery during the fourth\n  year of the agreement, which ends this September 30, now total\n  2.25 mln tonnes.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CALTEX RAISES SINGAPORE OIL PRODUCT PRICES\n","article":"  Caltex Petroleum Corp, a joint venture\n  between Chevron Corp <CHV> and Texaco Inc <TX>, said it raised\n  posted prices for several petroleum products in Singapore,\n  effective today.\n       The company said its naphtha posting is up three cts a\n  gallon to 43 cts. It said it is raising jet and kerosene\n  postings 2.5 cts, bringing jet to 52.5 cts and kerosene to 51.5\n  cts.\n      Diesel grades are up two cts, Caltex said, bringing both\n  diesel gas oil (one pct sulfur) and 52-57 D.I. (55 cetane) to\n  52 cts a gallon, and diesel gas oil (0.5 pct) to 52 cts.\n      The company said it is increasing medium and heavy fuel oil\n  postings by one dlr a barrel. Medium is now 15.50 dlrs a\n  barrel, and heavy fuel is 14.75 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":" PENSION INSURANCE GROUP <PGAI> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit two cts vs profit two cts\n      Net profit 216,000 vs profit 265,000\n      Revs 1,661,000 vs 1,376,000\n      12 mths\n      Shr profit four cts vs loss two cts\n      Net profit 528,000 vs loss 290,000\n      Revs 5,881,000 vs 5,541,000\n      NOTE: full name of company is pension insurance group of\n  america inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ATICO FINANCIAL CORP <ATFC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 30 cts vs 5.92 dlrs\n      Net 1,142,000 vs 16.0 mln\n      Revs 10.6 mln vs 24.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 90 cts vs 6.20 dlrs\n      Net 3,320,000 vs 16.9 mln\n      Revs 45.00 mln vs 26.2 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 4th qtr and yr amounts include acquisition of\n  98.8 pct of common of Atico, formerly Peninsula Federal Savings\n  and Loan Association, on January 24, 1986.\n      1985 4th qtr and yr net include net gain of 15.9 mln dlrs\n  or 5.86 dlrs per share on exchange of common of Pan America\n  Banks Inc for common of NCNB Corp purusant to a merger of the\n  companies.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SEA CONTAINERS LTD <SCR> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 4.95 dlrs vs loss 75 cts\n      Net loss 48.2 mln vs loss 4,644,000\n      Revs 133.4 mln vs 135.6 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr loss 6.28 dlrs vs profit 2.48 dlrs\n      Net loss 67.6 mln vs profit 25.7 mln\n      Revs 638.9 mln vs 573.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 10,771,260 vs 10,355,728\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LATIN COFFEE PRODUCERS SEEK ICO PRICE SUPPORT\n","article":"  This weekend's meeting of Latin\n  American coffee producers here will call for the International\n  Coffee Organisation (ICO) to start talks aimed at firming\n  prices, Nicaraguan foreign trade minister Alejandro Martinez\n  Cuenca said.\n      He said those countries which had confirmed their presence\n  were Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and\n  Panama. Colombia had been invited but he did not know if it\n  would attend.\n      Martinez Cuenca told reporters central america alone had\n  lost some 700 mln dlrs through the weakness of world coffee\n  prices, partially caused by lack of an ICO quota agreement.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMBASSADOR FINANCIAL <AFGI> UNIT TO BUY BUILDER\n","article":"  Ambassador Financial Group Inc\n  said its Ambassador Real Estate Equities Corp, agreed to buy\n  Heritage Quality Construction Co Inc.\n      Ambassador said its unit would purchase 100 pct of\n  Heritage's stock for an initial payment of approximately\n  500,000 dlrs and subsequent payments in cash over a five-year\n  period equal to 50 pct of the net after-tax profit of Heritage.\n      If the acquisition is consummated, Ambassador said it\n  agreed to contribute 250,000 dlrs to the existing capital of\n  Heritage.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TRANSCO PARTNERSHIP <TXP> GAS RESERVES RISE\n","article":"  Transco Exploration Partners Ltd said\n  participation in 14 new discoveries increased its proved gas\n  reserves to 558.1 billion cubic feet in 1986, up from 541.5\n  billion cubic feet in the previous year.\n      Proved reserves of liquids remained about the same at 25.1\n  mln barrels, the company said in the 1986 annual just released\n  by Transco Energy Co <E>, the majority owner of the Transco\n  Exploration partnership.\n      Transco said that anticipated oil and gas prices during\n  1987 would continue to exert pressure on the profitability of\n  most energy companies.\n      The Transco pipeline system reached permanent take-or-pay\n  settlements on about half its committed gas deliverability and\n  interim agreements for another 38 pct of its deliverability,\n  the annual report said. The company said it paid a total of\n  about 363 mln dlrs to producers through Februry one out of its\n  550 mln dlr reserve to settle the take-or-pay disputes.\n      Transco said its gas pipeline delivered more than 1.2\n  trillion cubic feet last year and its marketing affiliate sold\n  an average of 1.6 billion cubic feet of gas per day.\n      The company's exploration partnership received an average\n  price of 1.84 dlrs per mln cubic feet for gas sales during\n  1986, down from 3.04 dlrs in 1985.\n      Sales of oil and condensate averaged 15.86 dlrs per barrel\n  last year, down from 27.41 dlrs per barrel in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FOOTE MINERAL <FTE> SELLS CAMBRIDGE PLANT\n","article":"  Foote Mineral Co said it signed a\n  letter of intent with Shieldalloy Corp, a wholly-owned\n  subsidiary of <Metallurg Inc>, for the sale of its Cambridge,\n  Ohio, business.\n      The company said the sale, which will be explained in\n  greater detail after the definitive agreement has been signed,\n  is part of Foote's previously-announced plan to sell the entire\n  company.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<ROYAL GOLD AND SILVER CORP> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  ended January 31\n      Shr profit two cts vs loss one ct\n      Net profit 130,000 vs loss 46,000\n      Sales 5,042,000 vs nil\n      Note: 1987 includes gain of 112,000 dlrs from sale.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JP STEVENS AND CO INC <STN> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div 30 cts vs 30 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 3\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"N.Y. BUSINESS LOANS FALL 572 MLN DLRS IN MARCH 11 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  N.Y. BUSINESS LOANS FALL 572 MLN DLRS IN MARCH 11 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. WHEAT GROUPS CALL FOR GLOBAL ACTION\n","article":"  All major grain producing countries\n  must do their part to help reduce global surpluses and the\n  recent Australian farm policy proposals are flawed, two U.S.\n  wheat organizations said.\n      The recent Australian proposals were a good starting point\n  for discussions, \"but we do not want the Australians to feel\n  they are alone in developing an agenda for discussions\" on world\n  grain trade, the president of the National Association of Wheat\n  Growers, NAWG, and the chairman of U.S. Wheat Associates said\n  in a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Richard Lyng and U.S.\n  Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter.\n      Future discussions on international wheat trade should\n  include three topics -- a commitment to privatization of\n  government-run export trading entities, a commitment to public\n  disclosure of sales and other terms if government entities are\n  involved, and a recognition that supply reductions by the U.S.\n  have kept world prices higher than they otherwise would be, the\n  two organizations said \n      While the Australian proposals are welcome the two\n  organizations said they are not in total agreement with their\n  assessments.\n      Australia's proposals, which aim to reduce U.S. target\n  prices and \"quarantine\" U.S. wheat stocks, would continue to\n  place the burden of supply adjustment and reform on U.S.\n  farmers, they said.\n        Other countries, including Australia, have benefitted\n  from the higher world prices that have resulted from past U.S.\n  acreage and crop reduction programs, the organizations said.\n      \"We will not continue to hurt ourselves economically -- and\n  subsidize foreign wheat production -- by unilaterally stocking\n  grain and changing programs which protect our growers,\" Jim\n  Miller, president of NAWG said.\n      \"We sincerely hope for some type of agreement among the\n  world's major grain producing nations to reduce stocks and\n  restore profitability to agriculture,\" Miller said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. COMMERCIAL PAPER RISES 2.98 BILLION DLRS IN MARCH 11 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. COMMERCIAL PAPER RISES 2.98 BILLION DLRS IN MARCH 11 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEW YORK BUSINESS LOANS DROP 572 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  Commercial and industrial loans on the\n  books of the 10 major New York banks, excluding acceptances,\n  fell 572 mln dlrs to 64.297 billion in the week ended March 11,\n  the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said.\n      Including acceptances, loans fell 475 mln dlrs to 65.16\n  billion.\n      Commercial paper outstanding nationally increased 2.98\n  billion dlrs to 339.00 billion.\n      National business loan data are scheduled to be released on\n  Friday.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AMOCO <AN> OIL RESERVES DOWN, GAS UP IN 1986\n","article":"  Amoco Corp's petroleum liquids reserves\n  total 2.42 billion barrels at the end of 1986, down from 2.77\n  billion a year earlier, but its natural gas reserves increased\n  to 15.37 trillion cubic feet from 15.14 trillion, the company's\n  annual report said.\n      It said the drop in crude oil and natural gas liquid\n  reserves reflected downward revisions of previous estimates\n  caused by the sharp drop in oil prices last year. This\n  accounted for 178 mln barrels of a worldwide downward revision\n  of 188 mln barrels, with 158 mln barrels of the total revision\n  occurring in the United States, the report said.\n      Amoco said there were upward revisions in the size of its\n  worldwide gas reserves totalling 404 billion cubic feet last\n  year, while it discovered 568 billion cubic feet and purchased\n  298 billion cubic feet of reserves.\n      Production of one trillion cubic feet offset much of these\n  gains, the report said.\n      All of the gas reserve purchases, as well as all of the 14\n  mln barrels of oil reserves bought in 1986, were in the United\n  States, Amoco said, noting it has spent 1.1 billion dlrs to\n  acquire U.S. producing properties over the past three years.\n      Commenting on 1987, Amoco said acquisitions \"will be an\n  integral part of our strategy, should reserves become available\n  at attractive prices.\"\n      The company said it expects \"the marketing climate for\n  natural gas to improve in 1987, which should provide the\n  opportunity for Amoco to expand sales. As prices and demand\n  improve, we are poised to accelerate capital spending on our\n  inventory of attractive opportunities.\"\n      Amoco previously announced a 1987 capital spending budget\n  of 3.2 billion dlrs. Such spending totaled 3.18 billion dlrs\n  last year, down from 5.31 billion in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"QUEBEC CAISSE EARNS THREE BILLION DLRS IN 1986\n","article":"  Caisse de depot et placement du\n  Quebec, the government agency which manages the province's\n  pension funds, said its investment portfolio earned a net\n  profit of almost three billion Canadian dlrs in 1986, an\n  increase of 300 mln dlrs over 1985.\n      The agency said in its annual statement that it had assets\n  with a total book value of 25 billion dlrs, or a market value\n  of 28 billion dlrs, at the end of 1986.\n      These holdings had a rate of return of 13.5 pct in the\n  year, which was below the Caisse's average return of 16 pct in\n  the past four years and 14.2 pct in the past eight years.\n      The Caisse said foreign equity investments represented 3.6\n  pct of total assets, while U.S. government securities accounted\n  for another 5.2 pct of the overall portfolio.\n      The agency's holding of U.S. government securities yielded\n  a return of 20.7 pct for the year, significantly more than\n  either the 14.1 pct earned on the total bond portfolio or the\n  13.5 pct for all funds under management.\n      \"These high liquidity securities, which are held on a\n  temporary basis and for purposes of strategy and the protection\n  of the overall bond portfolio, have been efficient,\" the agency\n  said of the U.S. securities.\n      The agency said it has 7.9 billion dlrs invested in\n  Canadian private sector businesses after channeling 965 mln\n  dlrs of new funds into this area in 1986.\n      The Caisse said it acquired 825 mln of new Government of\n  Quebec bonds and 342 mln dlrs of new securities from other\n  Quebec government issuers during the year.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. M-1 MONEY SUPPLY RISES 500 MLN DLRS IN MARCH 9 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. M-1 MONEY SUPPLY RISES 500 MLN DLRS IN MARCH 9 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. BANK DISCOUNT BORROWINGS AVERAGE 228 MLN DLRS A DAY IN MARCH 18 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. BANK DISCOUNT BORROWINGS AVERAGE 228 MLN DLRS A DAY IN MARCH 18 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ASEA GROUP <ASEAY> SEES FLAT 1987 EARNINGS\n","article":"  Asea Group, the diversified industrial\n  concern based in Vasteras, Sweden, said it expects 1987\n  earnings, after financial income and expense, to be flat\n  compared with 1986, when it earned 2.53 billion Swedish crowns,\n  or 371.1 mln dlrs.\n      A company spokesman said 1986 results were boosted\n  significantly by the booking of two large orders for nuclear\n  power plants.\n      This gain, he said, will be balanced in 1987 by a return to\n  profitability by Asea's power transmission segment, which had a\n  loss of 183 mln crowns, or 26.9 mln dlrs, last year.\n      Currency conversions were made at 6.81 crowns to the dlr.\n      The spokesman said the company has built up a strong\n  backlog of orders that will contribute to earnings in 1988 and\n  beyond.\n      At yearend 1986, Asea's order backlog stood at 32.7 billion\n  crowns, or 4.8 billion dlrs, up from 30.9 billion, or 4.5\n  billion dlrs, at the end of 1985.\n      Asea has operations in power generation and transmission,\n  transportation equipment, pollution control and robotics.\n      Total sales in 1986 were 46 billion crowns, or 6.8 billion\n  dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. BANK DISCOUNT BORROWINGS 228 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  U.S. bank discount window borrowings\n  less extended credits averaged 228 mln dlrs in the week to\n  Wednesday March 18, the Federal Reserve said.\n      Total borrowings in the week rose 83 mln dlrs to 502 mln\n  dlrs, with extended credits up three mln dlrs at 274 mln dlrs.\n  The week was the first half of a two-week statement period. Net\n  borrowing in the prior week averaged 148 mln dlrs.\n      Commenting on the two-week statement period that ended on\n  March 11, the Fed estimated that banks had daily average net\n  free reserves of 759 mln dlrs rather than the 660 mln dlrs\n  first reported.\n      A Fed spokesman told a press briefing that there were no\n  large single day net misses in the Fed's reserve projections in\n  the first week of the latest bank statement period.\n      None of the 14 large money center banks borrowed from the\n  discount window during the week and all of the Wednesday\n  borrowing was made by the smallest banks. For the week as a\n  whole, the borrowing was split roughly evenly between the large\n  regionals and the small banks.\n      Natural float ranged from a low of near zero on Thursday --\n  for which the Fed spokesman could give no particular reason --\n  to a high of nearly 750 mln dlrs on Tuesday.\n      The Tuesday peak included about 100 mln dlrs of\n  transportation float in mid- and south-Atlantic states. Noting\n  that the weather was \"basically good\" for March, the spokesman\n  said that transportation float averaged under 500 mln dlrs a\n  day for the full week.\n      Float related as-ofs were a negative 400 mln dlrs on\n  Wenesday due to a number of unrelated cash letter error\n  corrections in five districts.\n      As-ofs peaked at just over 500 mln dlrs on Tuesday.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LAWSON REPEATS HE IS CONTENT WITH STERLING LEVEL\n","article":"  U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel\n  today repeated that he was satisfied with the current level of\n  sterling, both against the dollar and the West German mark.\n      Lawson said in a television interview that he did not\n  regard the pound's present exchange rate was uncomfortably\n  high.\n      \"I think it is round about right,\" he said.\n      \"I think there was a time that they (British manufacturers)\n  thought the (exchange) rate was uncomfortably high. But I think\n  they are very satisfied with the present level.\"\n      \"But I have made it absolutely clear that I don't want to\n  see the pound go through the roof,\" he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GELCO <GEL> SEES FLAT 1987 PRETAX OPERATING NET\n","article":"  Gelco Corp said that,\n  excluding the effects of a restructuring plan, it expects\n  pre-tax operating earnings for the year to end July 31, 1987,\n  to be about the same as those of last year.\n      For the year ended July 31, 1986, Gelco reported pre-tax\n  operating earnings of 14.8 mln dlrs, or 1.08 dlrs a share.\n      However, final results will be affected by certain charges\n  including legal and investment advisors fees, preferred stock\n  dividends and other costs of restructuring, it said.\n      Expenses associated with restructuring are expected to be\n  offset by \"significant\" gains from the sale of some of Gelco's\n  business units, it said.\n      The final outcome for the fiscal year will be determined by\n  the timing and proceeds from the sale, it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BUTLER NATIONAL CORP <BUTL> 3RD QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr profit nil vs loss one ct\n      Net profit 1,136 vs loss 42,840\n      Revs 1,490,718 vs 1,151,176\n      Nine mths\n      Shr profit three cts vs profit five cts\n      Net profit 89,900 vs profit 150,523\n      Revs 4,520,393 vs 4,078,441\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FCS <FCSI> RECEIVES MERGER PROPOSAL\n","article":"  FCS Laboratories said its\n  investment banker, Butcher and Singer Inc, received a\n  preliminary merger proposal from another company in the\n  healthcare field.\n      FCS said that if various aspects of the proposal are better\n  defined, its board may consider it. FCS said merger\n  negotiations with this other company have been continuing since\n  late August.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. M-1 MONEY SUPPLY RISES 500 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  U.S. M-1 money supply rose 500 mln\n  dlrs to a seasonally adjusted 738.7 billion dlrs in the March 9\n  week, the Federal Reserve said.\n      The previous week's M-1 level was revised to 738.2 billion\n  dlrs from 738.0 billion, while the four-week moving average of\n  M-1 rose to 738.2 billion dlrs from 737.2 billion.\n      Economists polled by Reuters said that M-1 would be\n  anywhere from unchanged to up five billion dlrs. The average\n  forecast called for a 2.3 billion dlr increase.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ART'S-WAY MANUFACTURING CO <ARTW> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 58 cts vs loss 11 cts\n      Net profit 726,000 vs loss 145,000\n      Sales 4,958,000 vs 2,783,000\n      Nine Mths\n      Shr profit 1.08 dlrs vs loss 80 cts\n      Net profit 1,359,000 vs loss 1,013,000\n      Sales 12.6 mln vs 7,145,000\n      NOTE: Fiscal 1987 net profit includes tax credits of\n  372,000 dlrs in the quarter and 643,000 dlrs in the nine\n  months.\n      Periods end February 28, 1987 and 1986, respectively.\n      Art's-Way Manufacturing Co Inc is full name of company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PSE INC <POW> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss 18 cts vs profit 11 cts\n      Net loss 1.5 mln vs profit 868,000\n      Revs 29.3 mln vs 41.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 41 cts vs profit five cts\n      Net loss 3.1 mln vs profit 409,000\n      Revs 99.2 mln vs 231.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<WARDAIR INTERNATIONAL LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 12.84 dlrs vs 3.07 dlrs\n      Net 46,054,000 vs 11,026,000\n      Revs 491.1 mln vs 473.9 mln\n      NOTE: Current net includes gain of 8.51 dlrs a share on\n  disposal of assets.\n      M.W. Ward holds 62 pct voting interest.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SEA CONTAINERS <SCR> EXPECTS BETTER FIRST QTR\n","article":"  Sea Containers Ltd predicted\n  its first quarter fiscal 1987 net earnings would improve by 10\n  mln dlrs over the same period a year ago.\n      The company said 1987 got off on a much better footing than\n  fiscal 1986, from which the company recorded a loss of 67.6 mln\n  dlrs, or 6.28 dlrs per share, on revenues of 641.4 mln dlrs.\n      James Sherwood, president of the company, said he expects\n  to record a loss of approximately 12 mln dlrs for the first\n  quarter, compared to losses of approximately 22 mln dlrs for\n  first quarter fiscal 1986.\n      The company emphasized the first quarter is a traditionally\n  slow period for the ferry industry, which is  part of Sea\n  Containers' business.\n      Sherwoood said the company's losses were largely\n  attributable to non-recurring events and provisions. He cited\n  the default of 15 container leasees and ship charterers,\n  costing the company approximately 25 mln dlrs.\n      He also cited a 23 mln dlr cost as a result of a closing\n  two of its subsidiary's ferry services, and a 10.3 mln dlr\n  provision to cover losses on the sale of container assets and\n  severance pay costs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FIRST INTERSTATE <I> ESTIMATES BRAZIL RISKS\n","article":"  First Interstate Bancorp said its\n  1987 pre-tax income could be reduced by about 33.5 mln dlrs if\n  it decides to reclassify its 339 mln dlrs in medium- to\n  long-term loans to Brazil as nonperforming.\n      But the company stressed in a filing with the Securities\n  and Exchange Commission that it believes it is too soon to\n  reclassify the debt, despite Brazil's Feb 20 suspension of\n  direct interest payments on medium- and long-term loans.\n      \"The corporation believes that it is premature to make a\n  decsion to classify such medium- and long-term debt as\n  nonperforming at this time,\" First Interstate said.\n      But First Interstate said that if Brazil's suspension of\n  interest payments continues, it may have to reclassify its\n  loans as nonperforming and place them on non-accrual, meaning\n  that interest previously accrued but not paid would be deducted\n  from net income and interest would no longer be accrued.\n      Besides its medium- and long-term debt, First Interstate\n  said it also has 165 mln dlrs in short-term loans or trade\n  lines in Brazil.\n      As of Dec 31, 1986, nonperforming Brazilian outstandings\n  were about 4.1 mln dlrs, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN HOME SHIELD CORP <AHSC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 15 cts vs profit 15 cts\n      Net profit 1,025,000 vs profit 969,000\n      Revs 10.9 mln vs 7.8 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr profit 33 cts vs loss one cts\n      Net profit 2,375,000 vs profit 90,000\n      Revs 38.2 mln vs 20.3 mln\n      NOTE: Revenues figure shows contract revenue, not gross\n  contracts written.\n      Fourth quarter and full year 1986 includes extraordinary\n  gain of 501,000 dlrs and 1,040,000 dlrs, respectively, from tax\n  loss carryforwards.\n      Per share figures come after preferred dividend\n  requirements.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MAJOR HOME APPLIANCE SHIPMENTS UP IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Shipments of major home appliances in\n  February rose 9.1 pct to 3.5 mln, up from 3.2 mln a year ago,\n  reported the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.\n      It said year to date, total major appliance shipments rose\n  11.4 pct to 7.6 mln from 6.8 mln a year earlier.\n      It said strong shipment gains in four of the five appliance\n  categories resulted in the unprecedented monthly levels, with\n  records set for shipments of refrigerators, automatic washers,\n  disposers, dryers and dishwashers.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TRIANGLE HOME PRODUCTS INC <THP> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 17 cts vs loss 19 cts\n      Net loss 213,000 vs loss 217,000\n      Sales 6,788,000 vs 6,254,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 22 cts vs loss five cts\n      Net loss 270,000 vs loss 61,000\n      Sales 27.0 mln vs 27.0 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UTILICORP <UCU> ACQUIRES DOMINION <D> SUBSIDIARY\n","article":"  UtiliCorp United Inc said it\n  has closed the previously announced acquisition of West\n  Virginia Power from Dominion Resources Inc for about 21 mln\n  dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"REICHHOLD <RCI> RAISES SOME MATERIALS PRICES\n","article":"  Reichhold Chemicals Inc said its\n  emulsion polymers division increased by nine cts per dry pound\n  the prices of all styrene-butadiene and polystyrene latexes,\n  effective May 1.\n      It said the increase is in addition to recently announced\n  increases and applies to carpet, paper, nonwovens, textiles,\n  adhesives and other specialty end uses.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRI-STAR <TRSP> BUYS CINEPLEX THEATER\n","article":"  Tri-Star Pictures Inc said it agreed\n  to acquire the Roosevelt Field Century Theatre from Canada's\n  Cineplex Odeon Corp's RKO Century Warner Theatres Inc for 17\n  mln dlrs.\n      The recently refurbished and expanded theater is located in\n  Garden City, N.Y..\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRANK B. HALL AND CO INC <FBH> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 30 cts vs loss 25 cts\n      Oper net loss 2,138,000 vs loss 2,312,000\n      Revs 99.3 mln vs 89.4 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 40 cts vs profit 47 cts\n      Oper net profit 4,294,000 vs profit 8,793,000\n      Revs 390.9 mln vs 360.5 mln\n      NOTE: Excludes discontinued operations loss of 1.33 dlrs a\n  share vs 5.35 dlrs a share in the quarter, and loss 1.52 dlrs a\n  share vs loss 13.64 dlrs in the full year.\n      Fourth quarter 1986 includes reserve of nine mln dlrs for\n  operations company plans to sell.\n      Per share figures come after preferred dividend\n  requirements.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WEISFIELD'S INC <WEIS> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.09 dlrs vs 1.20 dlrs\n      Net 1,193,000 vs 1,361,000\n      Revs 18.7 mln vs 17.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.19 dlrs vs 1.52 dlrs\n      Net 1,300,000 vs 1,831,000\n      Revs 50.6 mln vs 48.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SINGAPORE EXCHANGE PLANS OPTIONS CONTRACTS\n","article":"  The Singapore International\n  Monetary Exchange Ltd, SIMEX, said it would launch at least two\n  options on futures contracts this year.\n      SIMEX said in a press release that the options contracts\n  would be based on the currency and interest rate futures\n  currently traded on the exchange and be started \"toward the\n  third quarter.\"\n      SIMEX, which is linked to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange,\n  currently trades three currency futures -- on Deutsche marks,\n  Japanese yen and British pounds -- and two interest rate\n  futures -- on U.S. Treasury-bonds and three-month Eurodollars.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NORRIS OIL CO <NOIL> DEC 31 YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.55 dlrs vs loss 52 cts\n      Net loss 13,191,000 vs loss 2,254,000\n      Revs 1,179,000 vs 2,003,000\n      Avg shrs 8,520,000 vs 4,330,000\n      Note: Current year loss includes 11.8 mln dlr writedown of\n  oil and gas properties under full cost accounting method.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DORSEY <DSY> COMPLETES SALE OF UNIT\n","article":"  Dorsey Corp said it\n  completed the sale of substantially all its Dorsey Trailers Inc\n  subsidiary assets to <Trailer Acquisition Corp>, whose\n  stockholders include a former Dorsey vice president and several\n  executives of the Dorsey Trailers management team.\n      Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NAPCO INTERNATIONAL <NPCO> 4TH QTR OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 38 cts vs 5.62 dlrs\n      Oper net 400,000 vs 6,173,000\n      Revs 1,195,000 vs 392,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr 94 cts vs 5.65 dlrs\n      Oper net 1,006,000 vs 6,257,000\n      Revs 2,432,000 vs 1,121,000\n      NOTE: 1986 operating net for the quarter and year excludes\n  a loss on the disposal of certain businesses of 2.15 mln dlrs\n  and a loss from discontinued operations of 297,000 dlrs in the\n  quarter and 469,000 dlrs in the year.\n      1985 operating net for the quarter and year includes a\n  pretax gain of nine mln dlrs from the sale of two divisions and\n  a loss from discontinued operations of 2.85 mn dlrs in the\n  quarter and 3.7 mln dlrs in the year.\n      Napco International Inc is full name of company.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL BANCORP INC <NIBCA> YEAR END LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 1.02 dlr\n      Oper loss 631,000 dlrs\n      NOTE: Prior year results are not available as company\n  completed its public offering in April 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<BACHELOR LAKE GOLD MINES INC> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss seven cts vs loss 19 cts\n      Net loss 497,452 vs loss 1,306,875\n      Revs 10.6 mln vs 9.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOROS LIFTS KING WORLD <KWP> STAKE TO 8.1 PCT\n","article":"  New York investor George Soros, and\n  an investment fund he controls, said they raised their stake in\n  King World Productions Inc to 2,485,510 shares, or 8.1 pct of\n  the total outstanding, from 1,986,710 shares, or 6.5 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Soros said his group bought a net 498,800 King World common\n  shares between Jan 8 and March 6 at prices ranging fropm 18.924\n  to 21.203 dlrs a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"CINEPLEX ODEON BUYING COKE <KO> CINEMA UNIT\n","article":"  <Cineplex Odeon Corp> said it agreed in\n  principle to acquire the Walter Reade Organization Inc New York\n  cinema chain from Coca-Cola Co's Entertainment Holdings Inc\n  unit for 32.5 mln U.S. dlrs.\n      Cineplex said the purchase price consisted of 22.5 mln dlrs\n  cash and 652,742 Cineplex common shares. The transaction is\n  subject to fulfilment of certain unspecified conditions and\n  regulatory and board approvals.\n      Walter Reade operates 11 screens in eight Manhattan\n  locations.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SHULTZ NOT OPPOSED TO WHEAT SUBSIDY TO SOVIETS\n","article":"  Secretary of State George Shultz has\n  decided not to oppose any U.S. wheat subsidy offer to the\n  Soviet Union and has left the final decision on whether to sell\n  subsidized wheat to Moscow up to President Reagan and the\n  Agriculture Department, a State Department official said.\n      \"Shultz feels like he fought the battle against a subsidy\n  last summer, and he's not going to the mat again. It's now\n  basically the USDA who has to make their decisions as to what\n  they want to do,\" the official said.\n      If USDA decides to go ahead with a subsidy offer to the\n  Soviet Union, he said, \"Shultz will not wage a vigorous\n  campaign against it. He might not come out in favor of it, but\n  he won't go to the President and voice his objections.\"\n      In an official statement clarifying Shultz's remarks\n  yesterday to leaders of the National Association of Wheat\n  Growers, the State Department said, \"Secretary Shultz expressed\n  his belief that whenever possible, U.S. grain should be\n  competitive on world markets, including the Soviet Union.\n      The Agriculture Department is in the best position to\n  determine whether consideration should be given at this time to\n  extending to the Soviets a subsidy under the Export Enhancement\n  Program.\"\n      Although Shultz will not oppose a wheat subsidy to the\n  Soviets, there remain obstacles to another subsidy offer to\n  Moscow, the State Department official said.\n      \"Everyone in the government agrees that if there is a\n  subsidy to be offered, we would not offer it unless we had a\n  firm commitment from the Soviets that they would buy.\"\n      USDA does not want a repetition of last summer when the\n  USSR baulked at its offer of four mln tonnes of subsidized\n  wheat, the official, who asked not to be identified, said.\n      The Soviets rejected the U.S. offer then on the grounds\n  that the 13 dlr per tonne subsidy was insufficient to bring\n  U.S. prices down to competitive levels.\n      The Soviets want a higher subsidy offer this time, the\n  State Department source said.\n      \"What the Soviets want is something equivalent to the\n  lowest price being paid by anyone in the world,\" he said.\n      The Soviets argue that they are the best customer of the\n  U.S. and that they are entitled to the best price, he said.\n      Government and commodity sources also said there are\n  elements in the USDA, most notably undersecretary Daniel\n  Amstutz, who remain opposed to a wheat subsidy to the Soviets.\n      \"Subsidized wheat to the Soviet Union is still not a\n  foregone conclusion,\" the State Department official said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<SUMMIT RESOURCES LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr not given\n      Net 540,000 vs 1,890,000\n      Revs 4.9 mln vs 7.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GOULDS PUMPS INC <GULD> SETS REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 19 cts vs 19 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record April three\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HENKEL TO INCREASE STAKE IN CLOROX <CLX>\n","article":"  Clorox Co said <Henkel KGaA> of\n  Dusseldorf, West Germany, agreed to increase its holdings in\n  Clorox to 30 pct from the current level of 23 pct.\n      Henkel, which also holds a subordinated note convertible\n  into another 1.7 pct of the company's stock, intends to acquire\n  the additional shares in the open market over an extended\n  period of time, Clorox said.\n      It also said that, for the foreseeable future, Henkel does\n  not intend to increase its participation in Clorox above the 30\n  pct level.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<SIGMA MINES (QUEBEC) LTD> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 17 cts vs five cts\n      Net 1,442,000 vs 393,000\n      Revs 9,771,000 vs 8,052,000\n      Year\n      Shr 74 cts vs 23 cts\n      Net 6,076,000 vs 1,875,000\n      Revs 34.9 mln vs 30.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC OFFICIAL FAULTS U.S. TRADE BILL\n","article":"  Sir Roy Denman, Head of the EC\n  Delegation in Washington, said pending U.S. trade legislation\n  is a misguided attempt to deal with the nation's trade deficit\n  and will spark retaliation if passed in its present form.\n      \"To think that you can deal with a trade deficit by\n  legislation is a mistake,\" he told the Foreign Trade\n  Association here.\n      Denman told reporters that possible retaliation, which he\n  warned of in a letter to House Ways and Means Committee\n  Chairman Dan Rostenkowski, would not necessarily be on a\n  product-for-product basis.\n      \"Retaliation does not have to be matched product to\n  product,\" Denman said.\n      He said in the case of textiles import restrictions,\n  however, retaliation would be against U.S. textile exports.\n      \"Certainly, if restrictions were imposed on European\n  exports of textiles to the U.S., the Community would be likely\n  to retaliate with restrictions on U.S. textile exports to\n  Europe,\" Denman said.\n      He also took exception to U.S. proposals to require\n  countries with large current account surpluses with the U.S. to\n  cut those surpluses or face special tariffs.\n      \"This would conflict with international obligations, throw\n  a large wrench into the current round of trade negotiations and\n  could easily boomerang,\" he warned of the tariff proposals.\n      Denman also took exception to U.S. efforts to seek\n  reciprocity in specific trade sectors.\n      \"Forcing reciprocity in one sector by imposing barriers\n  would simply lead to retaliation from the other party,\" he\n  said, adding that overall reciprocity can only be achieved by\n  trading off disadvantages in one sector for advantages in\n  another.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PESCH SEES SHAREHOLDER SUPPORT IN AMI <AMI> BID\n","article":"  Chicago physician LeRoy Pesch said he\n  has had discussions with several American Medical International\n  Inc shareholders and sees support for a restructuring of the\n  company.\n      Pesch said he has discussed his sweetened, 1.91 billion dlr\n  takeover bid for American Medical with several large\n  shareholders, including the biggest investor, the Bass family\n  of Texas. However, the Bass family has not indicated support\n  one way or the other for his offer, he said.\n      Pesch, in an interview with Reuters, said based on the\n  conversations he held with shareholders, he could not guage\n  whether he had majority support. He said, however, there is\n  support for his offer.\n      Pesch would not identify shareholders with whom he held\n  discussions other than the Bass family and the Wedge Group Inc,\n  the only other holder of more than five pct of American Medical\n  stock.\n      Earlier today, Wedge Group, which has a 5.5 pct stake, \n  said it held discussions with Pesch, American Medical\n  management and other American Medical shareholders.\n      Wedge, in a filing with the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission, said it believes a restructuring of American\n  Medical and its business would be \"highly desirable and\n  appropriate at this time.\"\n      \"That's the sort of position that I find a large segment of\n  shareholders of AMI really share,\" said Pesch.\n      Pesch said he held discussions with Wedge about joining his\n  takeover effort, in which he is offering 17 dlrs cash, four\n  dlrs in preferred stock and one dlr in common stock for each\n  American Medical share. Wedge said it has no plans to join in\n  an effort to seek control of American Medical, but it would not\n  rule out a future takeover try.\n      Pesch said he did not discuss a joint takeover proposal\n  with the Bass family.\n      Some analysts saw the Wedge statement as a boost to Pesch's\n  takeover effort and a further sign that there could be some\n  shareholder dissatisfaction following American Medical's\n  previous rejection of a 20 dlr per share all cash offer from\n  Pesch.\n      American Medical is expected to resist Pesch's latest bid.\n  Larry Feinberg, an analyst with Dean Witter Reynolds Inc said a\n  management-led leveraged buyout cannot be ruled out.\n      An American Medical spokesman said the company will comment\n  on the new Pesch offer by March 10.\n      Analysts continue to view the Bass family as a factor in\n  the outcome of the bid for control of American Medical.\n      The Bass family holds an 11. 6 pct stake in American\n  Medical, and the company has previously said the investors\n  support management's internal plan to improve the company's\n  performance. The Bass family would not comment on American\n  Medical or Pesch.\n      Pesch, who led the leveraged buyout of Republic Health Corp\n  last year, continues to face a credibilty problem on Wall\n  Street because of the long time it took to finish the Republic\n  acquisition.\n      Republic also has substantial debt, and has left wall\n  street questioning whether financing can be completed for the\n  much larger American Medical takeover proposal.\n      Pesch's first offer for American Medical was made without\n  an investment banking firm, another cause for concern to Wall\n  Street. However, Pesch entered his second offer with\n  representation from Donaldson, Lufkin, and Jenrette Securities\n  and Security Pacific Merchant Banking Group.\n      \"I don't have any doubt that the current transaction can be\n  worked out and completed, provided we get to the point where\n  Ami management will sit down and talk in a friendly\n  environment,\" Pesch said.\n      Pesch would not elaborate on what type of financing\n  arrangements are being made. He did say if he succeeds in\n  acquiring American Medical he plans to keep much of American\n  Medical management in place.\n      He said he plans to combine the company with Republic to\n  form an efficient network of hospitals.\n      Analysts said they do not believe a much higher offer could\n  be made for American Medical.\n      Byron Nimocks of E.F. Hutton Group said improved second\n  fiscal quarter earnings could make American Medical stock worth\n  about 20 dlrs per share.\n      Nimocks estimates American Medical earnings for the second\n  quarter ended February 28 could be 35 cts, compared to a 95 ct\n  loss last year.\n      Nimocks said Pesch's revised offer is not worth much more\n  than the 20 dlrs cash offered previously.\n      But Feinberg said there is a better chance a transaction\n  could be completed because of the revised structure of the\n  offer. \"I think it's much more doable,\" he said.\n      Analysts have said American Medical has begun a turnaround\n  by replacing some members of management and reducing costs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRANK B. HALL <FBH> EARNINGS REPORT QUALIFIED\n","article":"  Frank B. Hall and Co Inc\n  said its independent accountants will issue a qualified report\n  on its financial statements.\n      The company said the opinion is the result of ongoing\n  litigation over its discontinued operations. Earlier it said it\n  lost 2.1 mln dlrs in the fourth quarter against a loss of 2.3\n  mln dlrs a year ago before discontinued operations.\n      It also said it decided to sell its claims adjusting and\n  admininistrative operations and its automobile dealer insurance\n  unit, creating a reserve of about nine mln dlrs in the fourth\n  quarter 1986 for the sale.\n      The company said it will vigorously defend the litigation\n  arising from the discontinued units.\n      It also said it will concentrate on its direct brokerage\n  and service business.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"INTERMARK<IMI> SEEKS MAJORITY PIER 1 <PIR> STAKE\n","article":"  Intermark Inc, which together with\n  one of its subsidiaries already holds a 43.4 pct stake in Pier\n  1 Imports Inc, told the Securities and Exchange Commission it\n  plans to acquire a majority of the company's voting stock.\n      Intermark said it already holds 6,839,827 Pier 1 common\n  shares, or 35.66 pct, and its Pier 1 Holdings Inc holds\n  1,484,516 shares, or 7.74 pct.\n      Intermark said it also has 341,991 shares of Pier 1\n  preferred stock, or 35.2 pct of the outstanding, while Pier 1\n  Holdings has 74,225 shares, or 7.6 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ELECTRO SCIENTIFIC <ESIO> 3RD QTR FEB 28 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 15 cts vs nil\n      Net loss 877,000 vs profit 22,000\n      Sales 13.5 mln vs 18.0 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 35 cts vs profit 20 cts\n      Net loss 2,098,000 vs profit 1,184,000\n      Sales 43.5 mln vs 55.9 mln\n      (Electro Scientific Industries)\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JOSTEN'S <JOS> TO SELL UNIT TO CAREERCOM <CRCM>\n","article":"  Josten's Corp said it agreed\n  to sell its proprietary school business to CareerCom Corp, for\n  20 mln dlrs in cash and about 1.7 mln CareerCom common shares.\n      Upon completion of the proposed transaction, Josten's will\n  own 20 pct of CareerCom's stock, which it intends to hold for\n  investment purposes, it said.\n      Proprietary school sales totaled about 56 mln dlrs and\n  accounted for less than 10 pct of Josten's total revenue, it\n  added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NRM ENERGY CO <NRM> SETS REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly cash distribution five cts vs five cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MOTEL 6 LP <SIX> SETS CASH DISTRIBUTION\n","article":"  Qtly cash distribution 30.5 cts vs 18.4 cts prior\n      Pay May 15\n      Record March 31\n      Note: Prior-quarter dividend was an initial payout based on\n  operations for a partial fourth quarter in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GROUP HAS 6.4 PCT OF ATLANTIC RESEARCH <ATRC>\n","article":"  A group led by Halcyon Investments,\n  a New York securities and risk arbitrage partnership, said it\n  has acquired 486,400 shares of Atlantic Research Corp, or 6.4\n  pct of the total outstanding common stock.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the Halcyon group said it bought the stake for 15.6 mln dlrs\n  for no specific purpose.\n      The group said it has no plans to seek control of Atlantic\n  Research, which has been sought by Clabir Corp <CLG>, but said\n  it may buy more stock or sell some or all of what it has.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"ULTRASYSTEMS INC <ULS> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 26 cts vs 18 cts\n      Net 2,102,000 vs 1,415,000\n      Revs 44.1 mln vs 42.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 21 cts vs 91 cts\n      Net 1,678,000 vs 7,105,000\n      Revs 155.1 mln vs 149.2 mln\n      Note: Current year figures include 10.1 mln dlr writedown\n  of costs and investments associated with ethanol refinery\n  project.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TAG GROUP TO CUT VALERO ENERGY<VLO> STAKE\n","article":"  An investor group told the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission it plans to cut its stake in\n  Valero Energy Corp to 402,925 shares, or 1.6 pct of the total\n  outstanding, from 1,522,850 shares, or 6.0 pct.\n      The group, led by TAG Group S.A. of Luxembourg, said it\n  filed with the SEC on Feb 20 a notice that it proposes to sell\n  1,119,925 shares of Valero Energy common stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"WESTERN TELE-COMMUNICATIONS <WTLCA> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 31 cts vs 34 cts\n      Oper net 3,005,000 vs 2,835,000\n      Revs 13.1 mln vs 9,478,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr 1.49 dlrs vs 1.15 dlrs\n      Oper net 28.7 mln vs 16.9 mln\n      Revs 47.8 mln vs 32.0 mln\n      Note: Oper net excludes loss from discontinued operations\n  of 726,000 dlrs vs gain of 737,000 dlrs for qtr and gain of\n  581,000 dlrs vs gain of 2,350,000 dlrs for year.\n      Note: Full name is Western Tele-Communications Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ECUADOR GETS LOAN TO HELP REPAIR OIL PIPELINE\n","article":"  The Andean Development Corp (CAF) said\n  today it is lending 11.7 mln dlrs to Ecuador to help repair 25\n  miles of oil pipeline destroyed by an earthquake earlier this\n  month.\n      the loan was signed here today in the offices of the\n  caracas based caf by the corporation's president, galo montano\n  perez and ecuadorean ambassador antonio parra gil.\n      the loan had originally been intended to finance an\n  expansion of the pipeline, but following the earthquake the\n  ecuadorean government asked for the terms to be changed so as\n  to permit their use in reconstruction.\n      Ecuador expects oil production to be suspended for four\n  months as a result of the damage, and has asked Venezuela to\n  help by supplying 50,000 barrels per day while the pipeline is\n  repaired.\n      The OPEC member has a production quota of 210,000 bpd but\n  has asked the organization to allow it to produce 310,000 bpd\n  once the repairs are completed so as to compensate the loss.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HARMON <HRMN> TO BUY RECYCLING FIRM FOR CASH\n","article":"  Harmon Industries Inc said it\n  signed a letter of intent to acquire for about 3.5 mln dlrs, a\n  majority of the stock of SNP Inc, a Portland, Oregon-based\n  company which has patents to reprocess used railroad ties into\n  new ties for resale.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SANTA FE ENERGY PARTNERS LP <SFP> QTLY PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly cash distribution 72 cts vs 72 cts prior\n      Pay May 15\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED DATA SUGGEST U.S. CREDIT POLICY IS ON HOLD\n","article":"  Latest Federal Reserve data suggest\n  that the U.S. banking system is flush with reserves going into\n  a period of traditional tightness and that overall monetary\n  policy is on hold, economists said.\n      \"There is ample liquidity.... The Fed is not going to shift\n  gears at the present time or for at least another month,\" said\n  Maria Ramirez of Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc.\n      \"Technical and seasonal considerations aside, there is\n  nothing for the (credit) market to get excited about,\" added\n  Robert di Clemente of Salomon Brothers Inc.\n      Adjusted bank borrowings from the Fed's discount window\n  averaged only 228 mln dlrs a day in the first week of the bank\n  statement period ending next Wednesday, compared with 233 mln\n  and 451 mln in the first weeks of the previous two periods.\n      Another sign of abundant liquidity was the upward revision\n  in banks' net free reserves in the two-week period to March 11\n  to a daily average of 759 mln dlrs from an estimated 660 mln.\n      Finally, a Fed spokesman told a press briefing that the 14\n  money center banks were absent from the Fed's discount window\n  for the third week running, with the latest week's borrowing\n  split between the large regional and the smaller banks.\n      While modest open market intervention was apparently enough\n  to defuse any funding pressures in the first week of the latest\n  statement period, economists predicted that the Fed would have\n  to be more aggressive in coming weeks.\n      The Fed injected temporary reserves directly and indirectly\n  on four of the five trading days via system and customer\n  repurchase agreements.\n      \"Fed funds will be coming under relatively intense\n  pressure,\" said Salomon's di Clemente, noting the approaching\n  month- and quarter-end and the round of holidays and tax dates\n  in April.\n      \"The Fed is faced with a large seasonal adding\n  requirement,\" said Ward McCarthy of Merrill Lynch and Co Inc,\n  who expects a permanent bill purchase next week and a coupon\n  purchase in early April.\n      Economists were also heartened by further signs of a\n  deceleration in money supply growth, not only in the largely\n  discredited M-1 gauge but also in the more closely watched M-2\n  and M-3 aggregates.\n      M-1 grew a mere 500 mln dlrs in the week to March nine,\n  compared with private forecasts of a 2.3 mln dlr rise. Weekly\n  M-2 and M-3 components also hinted at slower overall growth.\n      \"The M-1 increase was surprisingly modest and I suspect we\n  are on our way to another moderate set of M-2 and M-3 figures\n  for March,\" said Salomon's di Clemente. Merrill's McCarthy said\n  they could even come in below the bottom of their respective\n  target ranges.\n      In February, M-2 was 18.2 billion dlrs below its upper\n  limit and M-3 was 20.8 billion beneath.\n      Noting Fed Vice Chairman Johnson's encouraging remarks on\n  inflation today and recent interest rate cuts overseas, some\n  economists suggested this slowing in monetary growth could lend\n  support to calls for further accommodation here.\n      \"Our belief is that we could still get a move downwards in\n  rates before anything else,\" said Salomon's di Clemente, adding\n  that the key swing factor will continue to be the strength of\n  the U.S. economy.\n      Jeffrey Leeds of Chemical Bank agreed that the economy's\n  health would remain the main influence on policy but, contrary\n  to di Clemente, he said that recent signs of faster growth and\n  inflation could lead to higher rates first.\n      Drexel's Ramirez did not commit herself either way, adding\n  that the next major move may have to wait until April 14 when\n  February's U.S. trade data are due for release.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ICO EXPORTERS TO MODIFY NEW PROPOSAL\n","article":"  International Coffee Organization (ICO)\n  exporters will modify their new proposal on quota resumption\n  before presenting it to importers tomorrow, ICO delegates said.\n      The change, which will be discussed tonight informally\n  among producers, follows talks after the formal producer\n  session with the eight-member producer splinter group and will\n  affect the proposed quota distribution for 12 months from April\n  one, they said.\n      The proposed share-out would still include shortfall\n  declarations, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.S. SAYS NO SIGNAL BEING SENT BY SHIP MOVEMENTS\n","article":"  A U.S. Navy battle group led by the\n  U.S. aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk is in the northern Arabian Sea\n  amid renewed concern about the safety of shipping off the coast\n  of Iran, U.S. officials said today.\n      But Pentagon spokesman Fred Hoffmann said that reports the\n  naval strike force was in the region did not mean the United\n  States was sending a new warning to Iran against escalating\n  attacks on shipping in the Persian Gulf.\n      \"Nothing like that has happened,\" he said. \"No signal is being\n  sent.\"\n      He said that the Kitty Hawk is operating in an area where\n  it usually does. \"It's normal. It's in the waters where it's\n  supposed to be. It's been there for over a month.\"\n      The Kitty Hawk and its force of warplanes is the mainstay\n  of the U.S. Indian Ocean Battle Group which patrols a vast area\n  extending from the Indian subcontinent through the Arabian Sea.\n      With the Kitty Hawk and its group in the Arabian Sea to the\n  south and the U.S. Mideast Task Force in the Persian Gulf to\n  the north, the United States has 10 warships on either end of\n  the strategic Straits of Hormuz.\n      The Pentagon, as is its custom, declined to confirm the\n  exact whereabouts of the ships or what they were up to.\n      State Department officials cited concern about the safety\n  of ships passing through the Straits on the vital oil supply\n  run to the Gulf.\n      Iran has conducted repeated attacks on shipping in the Gulf\n  and U.S. officials have said that Teheran has recently equipped\n  itself with powerful Chinese and Italian-made anti-ship\n  missiles, posing a greater threat.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COSTA RICA SELLS SUGAR TO SOVIET UNION\n","article":"  Costa Rica has agreed to sell more\n  than 32,000 tonnes of sugar this year to the Soviet Union, a\n  spokesman for local producers said.\n       Miguel Alfaro, president of the agricultural league of the\n  sugar cane industry, said the sale follows a recent 50 pct cut\n  in Costa Rica's quota for sugar exports to the U.S.\n      Alfaro said up to 45,000 tonnes of sugar could be exported\n  to the Soviet Union this year under the deal, which is similar\n  to one the Soviets made recently with the Dominican Republic.\n      A Soviet ship will load 25,000 tonnes at the Pacific port\n  of Punta Morales Monday, Alfaro said, and a second ship will\n  take an additional 7,107 tonnes two days later.\n      Alfaro and other industry sources declined to disclose the\n  price at which the sugar was sold.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BAYOU INTERNATIONAL BUYS STAKE IN SOLOMECS\n","article":"  <Bayou International Ltd> said it\n  purchased one-third of the outstanding stock of Solmecs Corp\n  N.V., a Netherlands Antilles corporation, for 1,750,000 dlrs.\n      Bayou said it will also receive two seats on Solmecs'\n  board.\n      Bayou Ltd is 55.2 pct owned by Australia Wide Industries\n  Ltd.\n      Solmecs develops technology relating to energy conversion.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MICROPRO INTERNATIONAL CORP <MPRO> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Quarter ended Feb 28\n      Shr four cts vs seven cts\n      Net 500,000 vs 900,000\n      Revs 9,200,000 vs 10,500,000\n      Year\n      Shr four cts vs 12 cts\n      Net 600,000 vs 1,500,000\n      Revs 17.6 mln vs 20.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"(EXPLOSIVE FABRICATORS INC) 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Net 41,724 vs 120,329\n      Revs 1,194,556 vs 1,504,702\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NEW CHIEF ELECTED FOR WORLD SUGAR ORGANISATION\n","article":"  Dominican Alfredo Ricart will take over\n  as executive director of the International Sugar Organization\n  (ISO) in mid-April, ISO officer in charge Constantin Politoff\n  said.\n      Previous ISO chief William Miller retired at end-February\n  last year.\n      Ricart told Reuters his first aim is put the \"house in order\"\n  by having a new administrative sugar pact with improved\n  allocations of voting rights and financial contributions.\n      Once this is done, time can be dedicated to working towards\n  a new International Sugar Agreement (ISA) with economic\n  clauses, he said.\n      Ricart, currently the Dominican Republic's ambassador to\n  Austria, the Netherlands and the UN in Geneva, said he will\n  visit the four major exporters - Australia, Brazil, Cuba and\n  the European Community - to talk to governments and producers\n  and find out about problems that are preventing these countries\n  finding common ground for a new sugar pact.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INTERNATIONAL SUGAR PACT TO BE RENEGOTIATED\n","article":"  The International Sugar Agreement (ISA)\n  will be renegotiated, International Sugar Organization (ISO)\n  officer in charge Constantin Politoff told Reuters after a\n  special session of the pact's council.\n      A decision on how to renegotiate will be taken at the ISO\n  six monthly session in May. The alternatives are between an\n  autumn London conference for another pact without economic\n  clauses, but a different voting and budgetary structure, or a\n  Geneva-based conference next year for a new pact with economic\n  clauses, he said.\n      But delegates said the latter would only be considered if\n  the world's four major exporters -- Australia, Brazil, Cuba and\n  the European Community -- can resolve differences over how\n  prices can best be supported and how to share the world\n      Today's special session was called because the U.S. earlier\n  indicated it would only be able to pay 56 pct of its share of\n  the ISO budget.\n      At today's council session Politoff said the U.S. would try\n  and find a way to pay the balance of about 50,000 stg later\n  this year. Currently, about three quarters of this year's ISO\n  800,000 stg budget has not been paid but delegates said the\n  U.S. caused controversy as it said it might not pay its full\n  contribution in the last year of the current pact.\n      The Soviet Union has called for changes to the way the ISO\n  budget is shared out. Currently it is halved between importers\n  and exporters and the Soviet Union has a 30 pct share of the\n  importer half. The Soviets want a new sugar pact to have only a\n  single category of members who would all share the costs pro\n  rata to their share of world sugar trade.\n      The ISO executive committee next meets on April 23 with the\n  next full council session in the week of May 19.\n      There are 12 importing and 44 exporting members of the ISO.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LASER <LSER> SEES IMPACT FROM SUIT ON EARNINGS\n","article":"  Laser Corp said that costs associated\n  with its defense of two shareholder lawsuits could result in a\n  net loss for 1987.\n      Although Laser expects to post earnings from operations for\n  the year, a spokesman said they might be wiped out by legal\n  costs, depending on the length of litigation.\n      In addition, the company said it will ask shareholders to\n  approve proposals to merge the company into its main\n  subsidiary, reincorporate in Delaware and change the company's\n  name.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"E.C. OFFICIAL SAYS FATE OF VEG OIL TAX UNCERTAIN\n","article":"  Whether the European Community's\n  Council of Ministers will approve a proposed tax on vegetable\n  oils that has sparked threats of U.S. retaliation is uncertain,\n  an EC official said.\n      \"It is very far from certain that it will go through,\" Sir\n  Roy Denman, Head of the EC Delegation in Washington, told\n  reporters before he addressed the Foreign Trade Association.\n      Denman noted Britain remains opposed to the plan and West\n  Germany has opposed it in the past.\n      U.S. Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter has threatened\n  retaliation if the tax is approved, as it would limit U.S.\n  soybean exports to the EC. Council action is expected soon.\n      Denman said while the EC is willing to negotiate about\n  agriculture in a new round of trade talks, it is unwilling to\n  single out export subsidies on a negotiating agenda or put\n  agricultural policy on a special fast track.\n      \"The key to a solution in this area seems to me not in the\n  framing of the GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade)\n  wording...but in tackling government subsidies to farmers on\n  both sides of the Atlantic,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"PENSION INSURANCE GROUP <PGAI> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr profit two cts vs profit two cts\n      Net profit 216,000 vs 265,000\n      Revs 1.7 mln vs 1.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit four cts vs loss two cts\n      Net profit 528,000 vs loss 290,000\n      Revs 5.9 mln vs 5.5 mln\n      NOTE:1986 net includes realized investment gains of 3,000\n  dlrs in year. 1985 4th qtr and year includes realized\n  investment gains of 16,000 and 35,000 dlr respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TRANSAMERICA CORP <TA> QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 44 cts vs 44 cts\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 4\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON CO <SCE> QTLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 57 cts vs 57 cts\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 3\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"COMPREHENSIVE CARE CORP <CMPH> QUARTERLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div nine cts vs nine cts\n      Pay May 21\n      Record May 1\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GREAT WESTERN SAVINGS BANK <GWSB> QUARTERLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 12 cts vs 12 cts\n      Pay April 8\n      Record April 1\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SENATE WANTS JAPAN SEMICONDUCTER PACT ENFORCED\n","article":"  The U.S. Senate has unanimously\n  called for President Reagan immediately to force Japan to live\n  up to a pledge to stop dumping its microchips and open its\n  markets to U.S. Chipmakers.\n      The Senate voted 93 to 0 to urge Reagan to impose penalties\n  on Japanese high-technology products containing semiconductors\n  in retaliation for what it sees as Japan's violations of the\n  semiconductor pact.\n      While the measure does not bind Reagan to any action,\n  Senate leaders said its adoption would warn Japan stiffer\n  legislation would be considered if the violations continue.\n      \"We want to send a message to Japan to let it know how the\n  Senate feels about this matter,\" Senate Democratic Leader Robert\n  Byrd told the Senate.\n      Senate Finance Committee chairman Lloyd Bentsen told the\n  Senate the measure was not aimed at retaliation but at\n  correcting Japan's unfair trade practices.\n      A key House trade lawmaker, Representative Richard Gephardt\n  also announced he would seek to force Japan and other countries\n  with huge trade surpluses to slash their surplus by 10 pct a\n  year for three years.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"REAGAN SAYS U.S. MUST DO MORE TO LESSEN RELIANCE ON FOREIGN OIL\n","article":"\n  REAGAN SAYS U.S. MUST DO MORE TO LESSEN RELIANCE ON FOREIGN OIL\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"REAGAN SAYS U.S. NEEDS TO LESSEN OIL IMPORTS\n","article":"  President Reagan said the United\n  States must do more to lessen its reliance on imported oil.\n      President Reagan said during a nationally televised news\n  conference that the rising U.S. reliance on foreign oil is a\n  problem that the administration is studying.\n      \"We have to study this more,\" Reagan said. \"This is why we\n  increased the Strategic (Petroleum) Reserve, but we have to do\n  more,\" he said.\n      Reagan said his administration has already proposed\n  deregulating natural gas and eliminating the windfall profits\n  tax on crude oil production.\n      However, he complained that Congress had not yet approved\n  those measures.\n      The Department of Energy earlier this week released a\n  report that warned of rising U.S. reliance on foreign oil\n  imports at a time when domestic production is declining. It\n  suggested options for the administration to consider, but made\n  no specific recommendations.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN'S EXPORT ORDERS FALL IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Export orders for Taiwanese products\n  fell 1.37 pct to 3.58 billion U.S. Dlrs in February from 3.63\n  billion in January, but rose nearly 43 pct from 2.51 billion a\n  year earlier, an Economic Ministry official said.\n      He attributed the fall to the rising Taiwan dollar.\n      February orders for electric and electronic goods were 619\n  mln U.S. Dlrs, up from 574 mln in January and 370 mln in\n  February 1986. Garment orders were 324 mln dlrs against 383 mln\n  and 283 mln while footwear orders were 297 mln compared with\n  333 mln and 200 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BOLIVIAN MINERS CALL GENERAL STRIKE\n","article":"  About 9,000 miners employed by the\n  state corporation, Comibol, declared a general strike as from\n  midnight (0400 gmt) to press for higher salaries, a statement\n  by the federation for Bolivian mine workers said.\n       It said the strike was called to defend the nationalised\n  mining industry. The miners were willing to negotiate with the\n  government of President Victor Paz Estenssoro, but only if it\n  showed an intention to meet the strikers' demands.\n       The government said the strike was designed to cause it\n  embarrassment during the four-day visit of West German\n  President Richard Von Weizsaecker, which starts on Friday.\n      The miners statement said police had violently evicted\n  Comibol office workers in the city of Oruro after they began a\n  hunger strike yesterday.\n      The government has sacked about 20,000 miners from its\n  deficit-ridden corporation since the collapse in the\n  international price of tin. The lay-offs represent about\n  two-thirds of the original workforce.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHINESE PORT UNDERUSED DESPITE CONGESTION NEARBY\n","article":"  The Chinese port of Ningbo is\n  working well below capacity despite being only 130 miles from\n  Shanghai, which is seriously congested, a port official said.\n      Jiang Feng Xiang said the port -- the deepest in China --\n  handled 17.95 mln tonnes of cargo last year, up from 10.44 mln\n  in 1985, but well below its potential capacity of 32 mln\n  tonnes. Shanghai handled 100 mln tonnes of cargo in 1986.\n      Jiang said Ningbo is under-utilised because of its\n  inadequate facilities, including a single track rail line\n  linking it to Hangzhou, where it joins the national network.\n      Ningbo handles crude oil exports and transhipments of coal\n  from north to south China and imports include fertiliser and\n  soda ash and iron ore from Brazil and Australia. The docks can\n  handle ships of up to 150,000 tonnes and oil tankers of up to\n  200,000 tonnes can load and unload in the harbour.\n      Most of Ningbo's port infrastructure has been built since\n  1979, official publications show. A container berth and two\n  timber and three general cargo berths will be added during the\n  current 1986-90 five-year plan, Jiang said.\n      \"The rail line to Hangzhou will be double tracked by 1995.\n  By 2000, maybe, we will overtake Shanghai,\" he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VOLCKER SAYS U.S. TRADE DEFICIT IS MAJOR CHALLENGE\n","article":"  Federal Reserve Board\n  Chairman Paul Volcker said the U.S. Trade deficit is a\n  challenge for the U.S. Equal to the Soviet Union launching of\n  Sputnik.\n      \"The international challenge implicit in our huge trade\n  deficit has become the 1980s equivalent to the launch of\n  Sputnik by the Russians in the 1950s, when we suddenly feared\n  we were to be left in the wake of Soviet technological\n  achievement,\" he said in an address to Florida educators.\n       He said the trade problem underscored the need to reform\n  the U.S. Educational system to improve economic performance.\n      The Commerce Department reported last week that the\n  nation's trade gap, calculated on a balance-of-payments basis,\n  swelled to a record 38.37 billion dlrs in the fourth quarter,\n  bringing the 1986 deficit to a record 147.71 billion dlrs.\n      Volcker called on educators to stress the development of\n  basic reading, writing and mathematics skills and urged them to\n  help students adapt to the fast-changing economic climate.\n      Volcker said the challenge was greatest in the education of\n  low-income minority groups such as blacks and Hispanics.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SHORT-TERM YEN INTEREST RATES SEEN FALLING SOON\n","article":"  Japanese short-term interest rates,\n  buoyed recently by seasonal factors, are likely to fall from\n  the beginning of April when the new financial year begins,\n  money traders said.\n      The Bank of Japan is expected to encourage the trend\n  following its attempts to pressure rates to enhance its\n  discount rate cut on February 23, they said.\n      The Bank cut the rate to 2.5 pct from three, and began\n  actively injecting funds into the money market to offset rate\n  rises resulting from the end-of-fiscal-year surge in demand for\n  funds from financial institutions.\n      Despite its attempts to dampen rates with measures such as\n  aggressive commercial bill purchases, the central bank has\n  failed to remove all upward pressure, money traders said.\n      Attractive interest rates offered by domestic banks to\n  compete for time deposits of more than 600 mln yen has\n  underpinned short-term rates, they said.\n      Interest rates on time deposits of more than 600 mln yen\n  were decontrolled by the Finance Ministry last September.\n      This resulted in such deposits with domestic banks rising\n  to 17,830 billion yen by the end-December, a three-fold\n  increase on end-December 1985 levels, bankers said.\n      On March 31, the money market expects to see a 2,000\n  billion yen surplus resulting from government payment of fiscal\n  funds, money traders said.\n      From April 1, they predict the unconditional call rate will\n  fall to 3.5000 pct from 3.7500 pct today and the one-month\n  commercial bill discount rate to drop to 3.7500 pct from 4.0635\n  pct.\n      They predict the three-month bill discount rate to slip to\n  3.875 pct from 4.0000 today and the three-month certificate of\n  deposit rate to slide to 4.10\/4.15 from 4.35\/25.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KRUNG THAI BANK TO TAKE OVER SAYAM BANK\n","article":"  The state-owned Krung Thai Bank Ltd\n  will start taking over state-owned Sayam Bank Ltd and complete\n  the process in a year, Finance Minister Suthee Singhasaneh told\n  a press conference.\n      He said the takeover decision was made this week to stem\n  the current heavy losses of Sayam and to avoid competition\n  between the two state-owned institutions.\n      The minister said some of the existing 30 Sayam Bank\n  branches will be merged with their Krung Thai counterparts,\n  while others will continue operating but under Krung Thai's\n  name.\n      Sayam Bank has existed since August 1984 when the Finance\n  Ministry took over and re-named the Asia Trust Bank Ltd.\n      Sayam president Waree Havanonda told reporters last month\n  her bank posted a loss of more than 400 mln baht in 1986. At\n  the end of 1985 the bank, with 13.8 billion baht of assets, was\n  ranked 12th among Thailand's 16 local commercial banks.\n      Waree said Sayam Bank was trying to recall about six to\n  seven billion baht of loans extended by its previous private\n  management and was taking legal action to collect another four\n  to five billion baht of doubtful debts.\n      Krung Thai is Thailand's third largest bank.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SENIOR DELEGATES PESSIMISTIC ON ICO TALKS\n","article":"  Efforts to break an impasse between\n  coffee exporting and importing countries over regulating the\n  world coffee market in the face of falling prices appear to\n  have failed, senior delegates said after a contact group\n  meeting. The full ICO council is due to meet this evening.\n      President of the Brazilian Coffee Institute (IBC) Jorio\n  Dauster told Reuters after the contact group meeting there had\n  been no agreement on quotas as consumers had tried to dictate\n  market shares rather than negotiate them.\n      Dauster said there are no plans yet to renew negotiations\n  at a later date.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"KOMATSU LTD <KOMT.T> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Group shr 17.68 yen vs 26.49\n       Net 14.70 billion vs 21.92 billion\n       Pretax 35.76 billion vs 48.85 billion\n       Operating 32.88 billion vs 51.90 billion\n       Sales 788.73 billion vs 796.24 billion\n       NOTE - Company forecast for current year is group net\n  15.50 billion on sales of 800 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"S. KOREAN FEBRUARY CURRENT ACCOUNT SURPLUS NARROWS\n","article":"  South Korea's current account surplus\n  narrowed to 419 mln dlrs in February from 679 mln in January\n  compared with a deficit of 112 mln dlrs in February last year,\n  provisional Bank of Korea figures show.\n      The current account in the two months of January and\n  February swung to a surplus of 1.1 billion dlrs from a deficit\n  of 494 mln dlrs in the same 1986 period.\n      The February trade surplus narrowed to 235 mln dlrs from\n  582 mln in January compared with a deficit of 98 mln dlrs a\n  year ago.\n      The overall balance of payments surplus rose to 840 mln\n  dlrs in February from 716 mln in January and 76 mln in February\n  1986.\n      Exports were 2.86 billion dlrs in February against 2.83\n  billion in January and 2.23 billion in February last year.\n  Imports were 2.63 billion against 2.25 billion and 2.32\n  billion.\n      The February invisible trade surplus rose to 109 mln dlrs\n  from 24 mln in January and compared with a deficit of 74 mln a\n  year ago.\n      The transfer payments surplus widened to 75 mln dlrs in\n  February from 73 mln in January and 60 mln a year ago.\n      The long-term capital account surplus was 198 mln dlrs in\n  February against 211 mln in January and 55 mln in February last\n  year. The short-term capital account surplus was 87 mln dlrs\n  against 46 mln and 158 mln.\n      The errors and omissions account left a surplus of 840 mln\n  dlrs in February against deficits of 220 mln in January and 25\n  mln in February 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KIRIN BREWERY CO LTD <KNBW.T> YEAR TO JANUARY 31\n","article":"  Parent shr 37.12 yen vs 34.97\n      Div 9.50 yen vs 7.50\n      Net 33.34 billion vs 31.05 billion\n      Current 79.30 billion vs 73.32 billion\n      Operating 72.13 billion vs 65.53 billion\n      Sales 1,222 billion vs 1,211 billion\n      Outstanding shrs 897.96 mln vs 887.76 mln\n      NOTE - 1986\/87 dividend included two yen bonus dividend to\n  mark 80th anniversary. Company forecast for current year is\n  parent shr 37.86 yen, div 7.50 yen, net 34 billion, current 81\n  billion and sales 1,250 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ECONOMIC SPOTLIGHT - ASIAN DROUGHTS\n","article":"  Three geographically diverse droughts\n  in Asia are being linked by some scientists to a\n  reintensification of the complex and little-understood El Nino\n  weather pattern, <Accu-Weather Inc>, a commercial weather\n  forecasting service, said.\n      Rice and wheat farmers in China, wheat and sugarcane\n  growers in Australia and tea planters in Sri Lanka all face\n  serious losses to their respective harvests unless rains arrive\n  in time to break the droughts, offical reports, government\n  officials and meteorologists said.\n      Wen Wei Po, a Hong Kong daily with close Peking links, said\n  the drought is the worst in over 20 years and some provinces\n  have been without adequate rainfall for more than seven months.\n      Rice planting is threatened in eight provinces, it added.\n      Rainfall in the key farming provinces of Henan and Sichuan\n  was 70 pct below average during February, the lowest figure for\n  over 20 years, the paper said.\n      The dry weather has cut stored water volumes by over 20 pct\n  compared with last March and lowered the water levels of many\n  rivers, it added.\n      This has resulted in reduced hydro-electric power, causing\n  shortages to industry and households. The upper reaches of the\n  Yangtze are at their lowest levels in a century, causing many\n  ships to run aground, Wen Wei Po said.\n      Unusually high temperatures have also been reported across\n  China, media reports said. The People's Daily said Sichuan has\n  recorded temperatures three degrees Celsius higher than average\n  since early February.\n      The New China News Agency said the average December\n  temperature in Harbin in the northeast was six degrees higher\n  than last December and 14 degrees higher than December 1984.\n      Severe drought is affecting about one-third of Sri Lanka\n  and threatens to reduce the country's tea crop, Ministry of\n  Plantation Industries officials told Reuters\n      In Australia, concern is growing about below-average\n  rainfall levels in parts of the sugarcane belt along the\n  Queensland coast and in Western Australia's wheat belt, local\n  Meteorological Bureau officials said.\n      For many farmers and government officials the fear is that\n  while the present low rainfall does not yet pose a major\n  threat, the prospect of a dry autumn\/winter season when the\n  wheat crop is in its early stages certainly does, they added.\n      Concern is heightened by the memory of the 1982\/83 drought\n  which devastated the wheat crop and coincided with the\n  occurrence of the barely understood weather phenomenon known as\n  El Nino, they said.\n      Although meteorologists are cautious about linking the\n  Asia-Pacific region's disrupted weather patterns to any single\n  cause, El Nino's role is being closely studied, they said.\n      Accu-Weather Inc, which specialises in providing data for\n  agriculture and shipping interests, said each El Nino 'event'\n  was unique.\n      The El Nino does not always produce the same effects and\n  the present occurrence is much less pronounced than the last\n  major event in 1982\/83, it said.\n      El Nino, Spanish for \"Christ Child\" because it appears around\n  Christmas, is formed by the action of warm air, bearing clouds\n  and rain, shifting from the Indonesian archipelago to the coast\n  of Peru, where it mingles with the cold waters associated with\n  the Peru current and returns across the Pacific as the trade\n  winds, meteorologists said.\n      The winds, strengthened by El Nino's \"pump\" effect, raise the\n  sea level off Australia and Indonesia, they said.\n      When the winds drop, the ocean, seeking equilibrium, sends\n  a surge of warmer water back across the Pacific where it\n  collides with the cold seas off Peru, they said.\n      One effect of this heat exchange is to deflect the\n  rain-bearing clouds away from Australia and Indonesia into the\n  Pacific, where they further disrupt other weather patterns.\n      The prospects for an end to the droughts vary, Accu-Weather\n  said.\n      China, where the affected areas have received between 40\n  and 75 pct of normal rainfall, will have to wait for the\n  May-September rains, it said.\n      The May-September rains normally provide the\n  drought-striken areas with 80 pct of annual rainfall.\n      In Australia, areas of Queensland's coastal strip have\n  received less than half the normal rainfall during the current\n  wet season, but prospects for increased rains are diminishing\n  as the rainy season draws to an end.\n      In Sri Lanka, the drought has come when rainfall should be\n  at its maximum for the year. The year's secondary rains usually\n  occur between April and June, although it is not possible at\n  this stage to forecast whether they will arrive as usual.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"RAINBOW AND EQUITICORP PLACE ULTRAMAR STAKE\n","article":"  New Zealand investment companies\n  <Rainbow Corp Ltd> and <Equiticorp Holdings Ltd> have placed\n  the majority of their joint shareholding in oil and gas\n  conglomerate Ultramar PLC <UMAR.L> at prices up to 2.20 stg per\n  share, the companies said in a statement.\n      The companies said they had bought their 4.9 pct stake in\n  Ultramar for a total of 50 mln N.Z. Dlrs through a joint\n  venture company formed for that purpose in October.\n      They said the joint venture made a profit of 15 mln N.Z.\n  Dlrs on the deal, but they did say how many shares they had\n  sold. No further details of the sale were available.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PHILIPPINE COPPER SMELTER FACES SHIPMENT DELAYS\n","article":"  Copper shipments are likely to be\n  delayed because of power problems at <Philippine Associated\n  Smelting and Refining Corp> (PASAR), the country's only\n  smelter, a company official said.\n      Asked to confirm reports by New York copper trade sources\n  about PASAR's shipment problems, marketing manager Deogracias\n  Madrid told Reuters, \"They are partly correct. There could be a\n  probable delay.\"\n      Madrid declined to give more details, or production and\n  export figures, saying the information could lead to\n  speculation.\n      PASAR's smelter is in the central province of Leyte.\n      The New York trade sources said if PASAR's shipments were\n  delayed, customers might have to turn to the London Metal\n  Exchange for supply.\n      \"We have a commitment to our customers and I would not like\n  to comment on that,\" Madrid said.\n      A spokeswoman for the Chamber of Mines said Philippine\n  copper production amounted to 222,644 tonnes in 1986, down\n  slightly from 226,157 tonnes in 1985. She said production in\n  the first two months of 1987 totalled 34,550 tonnes, compared\n  with 36,462 tonnes in the same 1986 period.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":" German M3 rose 2.6 billion marks in February to 1,035.1 billion - Bundesbank\n","article":"\n   German M3 rose 2.6 billion marks in February to 1,035.1 billion - Bundesbank\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GERMAN M3 RISES 2.6 BILLION MARKS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  West German M3 money supply rose a\n  seasonally adjusted 2.6 billion marks in February to 1,035.1\n  billion, the Bundesbank said.\n      The rise compares with a revised 14.8 billion mark increase\n  in January and a 2.2 billion rise in February 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NON-COMMUNIST STEEL OUTPUT CONTINUES TO FALL\n","article":"  Steel output in the major\n  non-Communist producing countries fell sharply in February,\n  continuing a long-running trend, International Iron and Steel\n  Institute figures showed.\n      Production in the 30 countries which report their figures\n  to it was 6.9 pct below the February 1986 level at 32.03 mln\n  tonnes.\n      Output in the United States fell 18.5 pct to 5.30 mln\n  tonnes, that in Japan 7.8 pct to 7.27 mln and that in the\n  European Community 6.5 pct to 9.91 mln.\n      The figures continue to indicate a switch away from these\n  traditional major producing countries to the more advanced\n  developing countries.\n      Brazilian February output rose 9.2 pct from year-earlier\n  levels to 1.73 mln tonnes and that in South Korea was up 7.5\n  pct at 1.17 mln tonnes.\n      The 30 countries covered by the figures account for about\n  97 pct of world non-Communist steel production, the Institute\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GUINNESS STARTS COURT ACTION AGAINST SAUNDERS\n","article":"  Guinness Plc <GUIN.L> said it has\n  started court proceedings against former chairman and chief\n  executive Ernest Saunders and non-executive director Thomas\n  Ward for recovery of 5.2 mln stg.\n      The money was paid to Ward via Marketing and Acquisition\n  Consultants Ltd in Jersey.\n      Guinness said earlier it would propose a resolution at the\n  annual meeting in May to remove Saunders and Ward as directors\n  of the company.  Earlier this month, lawyers for Ward told a\n  Jersey court that Ward saw the payment as his reward for\n  services in last year's takeover battle for <Distillers Co\n  Plc>.\n      Guinness has said that both men breached their fiduciary\n  duty in authorising the payment.\n      Saunders resigned from his executive positions at Guinness\n  in January in the aftermath of a government enquiry into share\n  dealings during the battle for Distillers but retained his\n  position on the board.\n      No spokesman for Guinness was immediately available for\n  comment on the statement.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEW DUTCH ADVANCES TOTAL FOUR BILLION GUILDERS\n","article":"  The Dutch Central Bank said it has\n  accepted bids totalling 4.00 billion guilders at tender this\n  morning for new five-day special advances at 5.3 pct for the\n  period March 20 to 25.\n      Subscriptions to 250 mln guilders were fully met, amounts\n  above 250 mln at 30 pct.\n      The new facility replaces old 11-day advances totalling 6.5\n  billion guilders at the same rate.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GLAMIS GOLD LTD <GLGVF> SIX MTHS DEC 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 16 cts vs 22 cts\n      Net 1,226,597 vs 1,327,016\n      Revs 6,598,580 vs 5,921,828\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET OFFERED EARLY ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had invited\n  an early round of bill offers from the discount houses after\n  forecasting a shortage of around 950 mln stg in the money\n  market today.\n      Among the main factors affecting liquidity, bills maturing\n  in official hands and the take-up of treasury bills will drain\n  around 572 mln stg while a rise in note circulation wil take\n  out some 280 mlns stg.\n      In addition, exchequer transactions and bankers' balances\n  below target will remove some 85 mln stg and 15 mln stg for the\n  system respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"Abbey National said it cutting U.K. Mortgage rate by 1.125 pct to 11.25 pct\n","article":"\n  Abbey National said it cutting U.K. Mortgage rate by 1.125 pct to 11.25 pct\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INDIA DETAILS RAIN\/FLOOD DAMAGE TO GRAIN IN 1986\n","article":"  Rain and floods in India last year\n  damaged about 69,000 tonnes of grain intended for human\n  consumption during storage and transportation, food and civil\n  supplies minister H. K. L. Bhagat told Parliament.\n      He did not give comparative figures and said the\n  government-owned Food Corporation of India (FCI) had not yet\n  decided whether these grains could be used as cattle feed.\n      Bhagat said the FCI had a total of 16.43 mln tonnes of food\n  grains in its warehouses at the end of 1986. It had asked state\n  governments to build more warehouses to avoid damage to grains.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TROPICAL FOREST DEATH COULD SPARK NEW DEBT CRISIS\n","article":"  The death of the world's tropical rain\n  forests could trigger a new debt crisis and social and\n  biological disasters, scientists and ecologists involved with\n  the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) said.\n      At stake is the ability of developing nations, including\n  Brazil, Mexico and the Philippines, to service their debts and\n  the loss of trade worth hundreds of billions of dollars in\n  important sectors such as agriculture and pharmaceuticals, they\n  said.\n      The experts, gathering ahead of an ITTO meeting of\n  consumers and producers near Tokyo next week, said the problem\n  is already acute.\n      The Philippines offers a textbook case of the economic\n  dangers. \"For many third world nations, the loss of the forest\n  is not just a loss of resources,\" said Delfin Ganapin, a\n  Philippine government consultant on environmental impact.\n      \"In the 1960s we had 16 mln hectares of commercial forest,\n  now we have one mln. We have only around 10 years of profitable\n  logging left. With a 26 billion dlr debt, the loss of logging\n  foreign exchange earnings is serious,\" he said.\n      About 14 mln Philippine people depend on upland areas that\n  are now denuded and farmers cannot grow crops.\n      Government security advisers say that as a direct result,\n  the most likely source of revolution in the Philippines is in\n  the upland areas, said Ganapin.\n      Replanting is uneconomic and replanted tropical hardwoods\n  have less than a 50 pct chance of survival. There is no known\n  way to reproduce the wood, or the millions of species within.\n      \"No replanting programme has been successful,\" said Almy\n  Hafild from the Indonesian Network for Forest Conservation.\n      Ganapin said three billion dlrs would be needed in the next\n  two years alone to save five mln hectares of critically denuded\n  land in the Philippines.\n      The experts say that without a major initiative from the\n  development banks, the vicious circle will continue with\n  countries cutting more forest to help service short-term debts\n  at the cost of long-term insolvency.\n      Yet timber, a five billion dlr a year industry, is not\n  necessarily the most direct economic product of the forests,\n  and nations must be educated in how best to \"farm\" them, said\n  Peter Kramer, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) conservation director.\n      There is a four billion dlr annual global trade in the end\n  products of rattan, and Brazil nuts earn Brazil 16 mln dlrs a\n  year, he said.\n      U.S. Pharmacologist Norman Farnsworth has calculated that\n  25 pct of all U.S. Prescriptions owe their active ingredients\n  to higher plants growing in the forests.\n      Deforestation would wipe out the chance of further\n  discoveries and force major corporations to research, develop\n  and produce man-made substitutes, at a cost which scientists\n  say is incalculable.\n      By the year 2000, only 10 developing nations will still be\n  exporting timber, from 33 currently, and their export earnings\n  will drop from a 1980 peak of 6.8 billion dlrs to less than two\n  billion, a World Bank and U.N. Sponsored survey said.\n      Of the 20.3 billion dlrs advanced by the World Bank,\n  Inter-American, African and Asian Development Banks in 1980-84,\n  only 100 mln dlrs went to forestry projects, it said.\n      WWF statistics show half of the world's tropical forests\n  have vanished since the 1940s. Of 2,000 mln hectares remaining,\n  up to 16 mln are destroyed each year by destructive logging\n  practises and by local farmers.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF FINLAND WILL ANNOUNCE NEW MEASURES\n","article":"  The Bank of Finland called a news\n  conference at 1200 GMT to announce new measures for the\n  \"development of the system of monetary control.\"\n      A spokesman for the Bank declined to give further details.\n      Banking sources said they expected the bank to announce it\n  will actively take part in the interbank market and buy and\n  sell certificates of deposit.\n      The state treasury issues government paper with a maturity\n  of up to one year. The central bank has so far not issued its\n  own paper, the sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN SLIGHTLY REDUCES SUGAR CONSUMPTION ESTIMATE\n","article":"  The Agriculture Ministry said it revised\n  its April-June sugar consumption estimate down to 623,300\n  tonnes on a refined basis, from 637,800 estimated at the end of\n  December.\n      It said the estimate for domestically produced sugar supply\n  for the same period was revised to 190,400 tonnes from the\n  earlier estimate of 195,100 tonnes, while imports were revised\n  to 402,000 tonnes from the earlier 435,800 tonnes.\n      It did not revise its sugar consumption estimate of 2.53\n  mln tonnes for the 1986\/87 sugar year ending September 30.\n      The ministry said the estimate for the 1986\/87 year's\n  supply of domestically produced sugar was revised to 881,000\n  tonnes, from the earlier estimate of 863,000.\n      The estimate for 1986\/87 imports was revised to 1.642 mln\n  tonnes, from an earlier 1.645 mln tonnes.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. APPROVES BUYOUT OF COASTAL BANCORP <CSBK>\n","article":"  Coastal Bancorp said the U.S.\n  Federal Reserve Board approved the acquisition of Coastal by\n  Suffield Financial Corp <SSBK>.\n      The acquisition still requires approval from the Banking\n  Department in Maine, the company noted.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GERMAN VEBA PLACEMENT SAID LIKELY EARLY NEXT WEEK\n","article":"  The placement of the German federal\n  government's 25.6 pct stake in utility Veba AG <VEBG.F> would\n  probably take place early next week, banking sources said.\n      Share dealers said speculation had arisen in the early\n  pre-bourse market that the Veba announcement could come as\n  early as today. But one banking source, though confirming that\n  most of the details had been worked out, said the chances of an\n  announcement today were about nil. He had no price details.\n      The 10 mln shares on offer are expected to bring a cash\n  call in Germany for well over two billion marks. The share was\n  around 253 marks today after a 6.50 drop to 252 yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 728 MLN STG EARLY HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had provided\n  the money market with 728 mln stg assistance in response to an\n  early round of bill offers from the discount houses.\n      Earlier, the Bank had estimated the shortage in the system\n  today at 950 mln stg.\n      The central bank purchased 625 mln stg of bills for resale\n  to the market on April 7 at rates of interest between 9-15\/16\n  pct and 10 pct.\n      It also bought 103 mln stg bank bills outright comprising\n  65 mln stg in band one at 9-7\/8 pct and 38 mln stg in band two\n  at 9-13\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" Feb daily ave unwrought aluminium output 33,900 tonnes, up 400 tonnes, IPAI.\n","article":"\n   Feb daily ave unwrought aluminium output 33,900 tonnes, up 400 tonnes, IPAI.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STANDARD BANK UNABLE TO MAKE EARNINGS FORECAST\n","article":"  Standard Bank Investment Corp Ltd\n  (SPRJ.J) chairman Henri de Villiers said he could not predict\n  profits for the bank this year because of South Africa's\n  continuing political unrest.\n      De Villiers also warned in the annual report that \"failing\n  prompt and decisive political action, South Africa faces a\n  future of violent deadlock between different racial and\n  political groupings.\" \n      He said South Africa's future economic prospects are\n  \"clouded by political and social issues and in the absence of\n  evidence that these are being positively addressed I am unable\n  to offer an earnings forecast for 1987.\"\n      Standard Bank, 39 pct owned by Standard Chartered PLC\n   <STCH.L>, London, previously reported that 1986 net income\n  rose by 13.8 pct to 209.0 mln rand.\n      The bank said its bad debt losses should begin to decline\n  this year \"although it may take some time before they return to\n  accepted industry norms.\"\n      The annual report showed that the bank's charge for bad and\n  doubtful debts rose in 1986 to 187.6 mln rand from 162.1 mln\n  rand in the prior year.\n      The bank said net income of its Standard Bank of South\n  Africa subsidiary declined 8.2 pct in 1986 to 112.3 mln rand in\n  a difficult banking environment caused mainly by low credit\n  demand.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NON-COMMUNIST FEBRUARY ALUMINIUM OUTPUT UP, IPAI\n","article":"  Non-Communist daily average unwrought\n  aluminium production in February was 33,900 tonnes, up 400\n  tonnes from a downwardly revised 33,500 tonnes in January and\n  compared with 32,900 tonnes in February 1986, provisional\n  figures from the International Primary Aluminium Institute\n  (IPAI) show.\n      Total production in February (28 days) was 949,000 tonnes\n  compared with a downwardly revised 1.038 mln in January (31\n  days) and 920,000 in February 1986.\n      The regional breakdown of unwrought aluminium production\n  was as follows (in thousands of tonnes) the IPAI said.\n                   Feb'87   Jan'87    Feb'86\n      Africa           45       50        41\n      North America   354      389       353\n      Latin America   115      121        98\n      East Asia         7        9        16\n      South Asia       72       79        72\n      Europe          268      293       256\n      Oceania          88       97        84\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EC APPROVES 25,000 TONNES OF BARLEY EXPORTS\n","article":"  The European Community authorised the\n  export of 25,000 tonnes of barley yesterday, bringing the\n  cumulative total at weekly tenders since the series started\n  last June to 3.33 mln tonnes, close to the 3.37 mln under\n  licence in the same year ago period, traders said.\n      All bids for wheat were rejected. However, the total to\n  date of 5.06 mln tonnes is still substantially more than the\n  3.03 mln under licence a year ago. The 80,000 tonnes of French\n  maize granted for export moved the total to 135,000 tonnes\n  since the tender opened in February this year. There were no\n  facilities for maize in the previous weekly grain export\n  series.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LITTLE PRINCE PRODUCTIONS LTD<LTLP>1ST QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Qtr ended Dec 31\n      Shr profit nil vs loss nil\n      Net profit 858 vs loss 3,957\n      Revs 7,372 vs 1,500\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. FEB RETAIL PRICES UP 0.4 PCT, BASE REVISED, YEAR-ON-YEAR RISE 3.9 PCT - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  U.K. FEB RETAIL PRICES UP 0.4 PCT, BASE REVISED, YEAR-ON-YEAR RISE 3.9 PCT - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UK AVERAGE GDP RISES PRELIMINARY 2.6 PCT IN 1986, UP 0.7 PCT IN 4TH QTR  - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  UK AVERAGE GDP RISES PRELIMINARY 2.6 PCT IN 1986, UP 0.7 PCT IN 4TH QTR  - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. AVERAGE GDP RISES 2.6 PCT IN 1986\n","article":"  Britain's gross domestic product (GDP)\n  on the average basis of output, expenditure and income rose by\n  2.6 pct in 1986 after a 3.4 pct increase a year earlier,\n  Central Statistical Office (CSO) preliminary figures show.\n      In the fourth quarter, GDP rose 0.7 pct over the previous\n  quarter and was up 3.3 pct on the same 1985 quarter.\n      The average estimate index, seasonally-adjusted and based\n  1980, was set at 114.3 in the fourth quarter of 1986 against\n  113.5 in the previous quarter and 110.7 in the final quarter of\n  1985.\n      The CSO said the average GDP estimate index for 1986 as a\n  whole was 113.1, up 2.6 pct from 110.2 for 1985.\n      On the output measure, GDP rose an upward revised\n  seasonally adjusted 0.3 pct in the fourth quarter of 1986 to\n  114.9 on the output index from 114.5 in the previous quarter,\n  giving a 3.2 pct rise over the fourth 1985 quarter, the CSO\n  figures show.\n      On income-based GDP, the index in the fourth quarter rose\n  by 0.7 pct from the third quarter and was up 3.8 pct on the\n  year-ago quarter.\n      The indices stood at 115.3, 114.4 and 111.0 respectively.\n      Expenditure-based GDP rose 1.2 pct in the fourth quarter of\n  1986 from the third quarter and was up 2.9 pct from the same\n  1985 quarter.\n      The CSO set the expenditure index at 112.9 from 111.6 in\n  the third quarter of 1986 and 109.8 in the final 1985 quarter.\n      The year-on-year rise for expenditure GDP was 2.3 pct with\n  the expenditure index for the whole of 1986 set at 111.9\n  against 109.4 a year earlier.\n      For income GDP, the year-on-year rise was 2.6 pct against\n  against three pct a year earlier. The ouptut GDP measure rose\n  2.8 pct year-on-year, down from 3.8 pct in 1985.\n      The government usually considers the output measure the\n  most reliable way of measuring short-term GDP changes.\n      It is based on output data for production industry and\n  partial information for the rest of the economy.\n      The government had forecast that average measure GDP would\n  rise 2.5 pct in calendar 1986 after 3.3 pct in 1985. The budget\n  unveiled on Tuesday foresaw GDP growth in 1987 of three pct.\n      The GDP deflator, based on expenditure at market prices,\n  rose 1.2 pct in the fourth quarter from the third, to give a\n  2.4 pct rise over fourth quarter 1985. Year-on-year, the\n  deflator rose 3.7 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. RETAIL PRICES RISE 0.4 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  The Retail Price Index (RPI), Britain's\n  measure of inflation, rose 0.4 pct in February on a revised\n  basis, to give a year-on-year rise of 3.9 pct, the Employment\n  Department said.\n      In January, the index rose 0.4 pct for a 3.9 pct\n  year-on-year rise on both the previous base and the new index.\n      The February RPI was set at 100.4, base January 1987. In\n  February 1986, the RPI rose 0.4 pct, giving a 5.1 pct\n  year-on-year increase on the old basis.\n      The inflation data compares with market forecasts for a\n  rise of 0.4 - 0.5 pct in February and a yearly rise of about\n  four pct, economists said.\n      The Employment Department said the rise in the index\n  between January and February was mainly the result of higher\n  prices for petrol, fresh vegetables, cars and car maintenance.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DANISH WHOLESALE PRICES FALL 0.5 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Denmark's wholesale price index fell\n  0.5 pct in February, giving a year-on-year fall of 4.9 pct, the\n  National Statistics Office said.\n      The index, base 1980, stood at 135 in February, a fall of\n  one point compared to January, against 142 in February 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF SPAIN SUSPENDS ASSISTANCE, DRAINS FUNDS\n","article":"  The Bank of Spain suspended its daily\n  money market assistance and offered to drain funds with three-\n  and seven-day repurchase agreements at 12-1\/2 pct, money market\n  sources said.\n      The sources said the measures were a further attempt to\n  rein in money supply and were likely to force some institutions\n  to scramble for funds before the 10-day accounting period for\n  reserve requirements closes on Monday.\n      The bank, which raised its rate for ordinary overnight\n  assistance to 13-3\/4 from 13-1\/2 pct on Wednesday, opened its\n  special borrowing facility for overnight funds at 14-1\/2 pct.\n      Money market sources said institutions in need of funds\n  were likely to have to return to the bank tomorrow for further\n  assistance.\n      The bank rarely invites applications for ordinary\n  assistance on a Saturday and the sources said it was more\n  likely to open its special borrowing facility again.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CANADA CONSUMER PRICE INDEX ROSE 0.4 PCT IN FEBRUARY, STATISTICS CANADA SAID\n","article":"\n  CANADA CONSUMER PRICE INDEX ROSE 0.4 PCT IN FEBRUARY, STATISTICS CANADA SAID\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANADA FEBRUARY CONSUMER PRICES UP 0.4 PCT\n","article":"  The Canadian consumer price index rose\n  0.4 pct in February, to 135.8, base 1981, compared with a 0.2\n  pct rise in January and a 0.4 pct rise in February last year,\n  Statistics Canada said.\n      The February year-one year rise was 4.0 pct compared with a\n  3.9 pct rise in January.R\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BOLIVIAN MINERS CALL GENERAL STRIKE\n","article":"  About 9,000 miners employed by the\n  state corporation, Comibol, declared a general strike as from\n  midnight (0400 gmt) to press for higher salaries, a statement\n  by the federation for Bolivian mine workers said.\n       It said the strike was called to defend the nationalised\n  mining industry. The miners were willing to negotiate with the\n  government of President Victor Paz Estenssoro, but only if it\n  showed an intention to meet the strikers' demands.\n       The government said the strike was designed to cause it\n  embarrassment during the four-day visit of West German\n  President Richard Von Weizsaecker, which starts on Friday.\n      The miners statement said police had violently evicted\n  Comibol office workers in the city of Oruro after they began a\n  hunger strike yesterday.\n      The government has sacked about 20,000 miners from its\n  deficit-ridden corporation since the collapse in the\n  international price of tin. The lay-offs represent about\n  two-thirds of the original workforce.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KLM EXPANDS TALKS WITH BRITISH AND COMMONWEALTH\n","article":"  KLM Royal Dutch Airways <KLM.AS> said\n  it agreed to take full control of a partially owned Dutch-based\n  parcel delivery service and will offer a minority stake in it\n  to British and Commonwealth Shipping Plc <BCOM.L>\n      KLM, seeking to strengthen its market position in the fast\n  growing door-to-door delivery market, said it agreed with Dutch\n  retailer Vendex International <VENN.AS> to take over Vendex's\n  50-pct in their jointly-owned courier, <XP System VOF>.\n      Ownership of XP will now be brought into the talks started\n  by KLM last week with British and Commonwealth for a one-third\n  stake in the latter's <IML Air Services Group Ltd> courier.\n      When announcing the negotiations with British and\n  Commonwealth last week, KLM said buying a minority stake in IML\n  could involve a convertible loan issue.\n      A KLM spokeswoman said the Dutch flag carrier would now\n  offer a minority stake in XP to British and Commonwealth in the\n  negotiations on IML, but declined to elaborate on financial\n  aspects of the talks.\n      She said KLM would like the two courier services to\n  cooperate in future and did not exclude a future merger between\n  them to combine IML's strong world-wide network with XP's\n  mainly European activities.\n      XP System is based in the southern Dutch airport of\n  Maastricht and has an annual turnover of 100 mln guilders.\n      KLM, which is also negotiating with British and\n  Commonwealth for a 15-pct stake in the latter's regional\n  airline <Air U.K. Ltd>, says door-to-door delivery courier\n  services are seeing substantially faster growth than\n  traditional cargo activities.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"RAINBOW SAYS BRIERLEY UPSETTING PROGRESSIVE MERGER\n","article":"  <Rainbow Corp Ltd> said <Brierley\n  Investments Ltd> (BIL) is trying to disrupt Rainbow's planned\n  merger with <Progressive Enterprises Ltd>.\n      Rainbow chairman Allan Hawkins said in a statement, \"In our\n  opinion BIL have deliberately tried to create anomalies in the\n  market prices of Rainbow and Progressive shares since the\n  merger was announced.\"\n      The merger, announced in February, involves the formation\n  of a new company, <Astral Pacific Corp Ltd>, which Rainbow and\n  Progressive shareholders will enter into on a one-for-one share\n  basis. Both boards have approved the merger.\n      BIL has said it was the mystery bidder behind a recent\n  stand in the market for three mln Progressive shares.\n      \"We simply regard Progressive Enterprises shares to be worth\n  approximately twice as much as Rainbow shares and do not think\n  the merger, as proposed, is soundly based,\" BIL chief executive\n  Paul Collins said in an interview in the weekly National\n  Business Review newspaper published today.\n      Collins was not immediately available to respond directly\n  to Hawkins' statement.\n      Hawkins said the merger has been assessed by independent\n  consultants and declared fair in all respects, with benefits to\n  all shareholders.\n      \"We are not going to stand by while other parties distort\n  the picture for their own strategic purposes and distract the\n  market away from the real benefits of the merger,\" he said.\n      \"In our opinion, BIL's actions are clearly not designed to\n  be in the long term interests of either Progressive or Rainbow\n  shareholders,\" Hawkins said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN FURTHER 31 MLN STG HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it gave the\n  money market another 31 mln stg in assistance in the morning\n  session.\n      This brings the Bank's total help today to 759 mln stg and\n  compares with its estimate of a 1.05 billion stg money market\n  shortage which it earlier revised up from 950 mln stg.\n      The central bank bought 31 mln stg of bank bills outright\n  in band two at 9-13\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. COMMERCIAL PAPER FALLS 375 MLN DLRS IN FEB 18 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. COMMERCIAL PAPER FALLS 375 MLN DLRS IN FEB 18 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN PLANS MISSION TO CLOSE TRADE GAP WITH U.S.\n","article":"  Taiwan's leading industrial organisation\n  said it will send its first buying mission to the U.S. Later\n  this year in an effort to reduce the country's trade surplus\n  with Washington.\n      A spokesman for the Chinese National Federation of\n  Industries told Reuters the mission was part of a broader plan\n  to switch large purchases to the U.S. From Japan.\n      The Federation groups all of Taiwan's major industrial\n  associations. Last year its members purchased about 4.5 billion\n  U.S. Dlrs worth of industrial products from Japan and about 1.8\n  billion from the U.S.\n      The spokesman said Federation members were now discussing\n  the volume of business they could transfer to America.\n      He said they had drawn up a list of about 80 industrial\n  products they would be shopping for in the U.S. During the\n  buying mission in September, but he could give no figure on how\n  much would be spent.\n      A Board of Foreign Trade official told Reuters the\n  government would send two buying missions to America between\n  June and July this year and might send others later.\n      Taiwan's trade surplus with the U.S. Rose to a record 13.6\n  billion dlrs last year from 10.2 billion in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"20-MAR-1987\n","article":"  20-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NEWMAN, HAWKER DISCUSS ELECTRIC MOTOR MERGER\n","article":"  <Newman Industries Plc> said it was\n  discussing the possible merger of its electric motor operations\n  with Hawker Siddeley Group Plc's <HSID.L> <Brook Crompton\n  Parkinson Motors Ltd> unit.\n      Newman has electric motor operations in the U.K. And\n  Australia. The company gave no further details but said a\n  further statement would be made shortly.\n      Newman shares eased one penny on the announcement to 43p\n  while Hawker was unchanged at 528p, three pence higher on last\n  night's close.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AKZO BUYS RHONE-POULENC HOUSEHOLD UNITS\n","article":"  Dutch chemical group Akzo\n  N.V. <AKZO.AS> said it agreed to take over household product\n  subsidiaries of French group Rhone-Poulenc <RHON.PA> for an\n  undisclosed sum.\n      Under the agreement, Akzo will acquire the household\n  product activities of the Lyons-based <Rhodic> and\n  Remalard-based <Buhler-Fontaine> units of Rhone Poulenc.\n  Together, these activities account for over 180 mln French\n  francs in annual sales and employ 170, Akzo said.\n      Akzo will integrate the firms, to be partially joined with\n  its own French activities, in its consumer products division.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SWISS BANKER WANTS BOND RATINGS, SHARE DISCLOSURE\n","article":"  A top Swiss banker called for an\n  obligatory, continuous rating for all Swiss franc bonds and\n  said he believed anyone buying more than five pct of a company\n  should be made to declare their share.\n      In comments at a news conference of <Vontobel Holding AG>,\n  chairman Hans Vontobel said he believed it was up to the banks'\n  own self-regulating bodies, such as the Swiss Admissions Board,\n  to take such action before governmental bodies stepped in.\n      A decline in the average quality of borrowers on the Swiss\n  franc market and a debate on the use of registered shares to\n  prevent takeovers have made both major issues among bankers.\n      Vontobel noted that many borrowers already came to the\n  market with ratings from the major U.S. Agencies, which were\n  readily available to professionals through specialised\n  information systems.\n      \"We should make this classification obligatory and publish\n  it in places that are easily accessible to lay people,\" he said.\n  The quick changing nature of the financial market meant these\n  ratings should also be continually updated, he said.\n      Vontobel also noted that recent years had seen companies,\n  worried about takeovers, increasingly issuing registered shares\n  and participation certificates rather than bearer shares.\n      However, both types of issue had a drawback, he said. The\n  recent attempt by Jacobs Suchard AG <JACZ.Z> to take over Hero\n  Conserven Lenzburg <HERZ.Z> had shown the limits of a 1961\n  pledge by the banks not to sell registered shares to someone\n  who was not eligible according to the company's statutes.\n      Excessive issue of participation certificates, which do not\n  carry voting rights, would also be contrary to the principle of\n  greater democracy in the new share law before Parliament.\n      \"People buying, for example, more than five pct of a\n  company's shares should be made to declare their purchase,\" he\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ITALIAN JANUARY INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT FALLS 3.4 PCT\n","article":"  Italian industrial production fell 3.4 pct\n  in January, compared with the same month last year, the\n  national statistics institute Istat said.\n      The rise follows a year-on-year increase in December 1986\n  of 4.5 pct.\n      Istat's industrial production index, base 1980, not\n  seasonally adjusted, registered 93.3, compared with 96.6 in\n  January 1986.\n      Istat said there were 20 working days in January, the same\n  as December, but one fewer than January last year.\n      Istat said the year-on-year fall reflected poorer\n  performances in the footwear, clothing, textiles, chemicals and\n  metals industries.\n      It said office machinery and data sectors, wood and\n  furniture, precision mechanics, oil and electricity showed\n  improved activity.\n      Calculations based on Istat figures showed industrial\n  production rose 2.4 pct in January, on a month-on-month basis,\n  after falling 12.0 pct in December over November.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BERLINER BANK SUFFERS LOSSES ON STUTTGART LOANS\n","article":"  <Berliner Bank AG> has suffered\n  losses of between 10 and 100 mln marks through credits granted\n  by its Stuttgart branch by officials there exceeding their\n  powers, a bank spokesman said in answer to queries.\n      The spokesman declined to say exactly how large the losses\n  were. Berliner Bank has suspended the three managers of its\n  Stuttgart branch and is continuing an investigation into the\n  case, in which state prosecutors are also participating.\n      The fact that powers had been exceeded emerged in a routine\n  check at the branch. The City of West Berlin owns 74 pct of\n  Berliner Bank and the rest is held by small shareholders.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"REAGAN SAYS U.S. NEEDS TO LESSEN OIL IMPORTS\n","article":"  President Reagan said the United\n  States must do more to lessen its reliance on imported oil.\n      President Reagan said during a nationally televised news\n  conference that the rising U.S. reliance on foreign oil is a\n  problem that the administration is studying.\n      \"We have to study this more,\" Reagan said. \"This is why we\n  increased the Strategic (Petroleum) Reserve, but we have to do\n  more,\" he said.\n      Reagan said his administration has already proposed\n  deregulating natural gas and eliminating the windfall profits\n  tax on crude oil production.\n      However, he complained that Congress had not yet approved\n  those measures.\n      The Department of Energy earlier this week released a\n  report that warned of rising U.S. reliance on foreign oil\n  imports at a time when domestic production is declining. It\n  suggested options for the administration to consider, but made\n  no specific recommendations.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF SPAIN SUSPENDS ASSISTANCE, DRAINS FUNDS\n","article":"  The Bank of Spain suspended its daily\n  money market assistance and offered to drain funds with three-\n  and seven-day repurchase agreements at 12-1\/2 pct, money market\n  sources said.\n      The sources said the measures were a further attempt to\n  rein in money supply and were likely to force some institutions\n  to scramble for funds before the 10-day accounting period for\n  reserve requirements closes on Monday.\n      The bank, which raised its rate for ordinary overnight\n  assistance to 13-3\/4 from 13-1\/2 pct on Wednesday, opened its\n  special borrowing facility for overnight funds at 14-1\/2 pct.\n      Money market sources said institutions in need of funds\n  were likely to have to return to the bank tomorrow for further\n  assistance.\n      The bank rarely invites applications for ordinary\n  assistance on a Saturday and the sources said it was more\n  likely to open its special borrowing facility again.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRICO <TRO> GETS CHINESE CONTRACT\n","article":"  Trico Industries Inc said it has\n  received a six mln dlr contract to supply hydraulic lift\n  equipment for heavy crude oil production for the Chinese\n  Ministry of Petroleum Industry.\n      The company said the equipment is for use in the Laiohe\n  oilfield 350 miles northeast of Peking and will equip a\n  140-well program.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMCA <AIL> TO SELL SOME DOMINION BRIDGE ASSETS\n","article":"  AMCA International Ltd said it finalized\n  agreement to sell certain assets and inventories of its\n  Dominion Bridge steel service center operations to <Federal\n  Industries Ltd>'s Russelsteel Inc unit. Terms were undisclosed.\n      It said the sale involved assets and operations of the\n  general line of steel service centers in Toronto and Edmonton,\n  Alberta and steel from inventories of closed AMCA branches.\n      The company said the sale was part of a previously\n  announced restructuring program to allow it to focus on certain\n  core businesses and generate cash to cut debt.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MICRON TECHNOLOGY INC <DRAM> 2ND QTR MARCH FIVE\n","article":"  Shr loss 46 cts vs loss 51 cts\n      Net loss 10.9 mln vs loss 9,782,818\n      Revs 20.1 mln vs 9,437,270\n      Avg shrs 23.5 mln vs 19.3 mln\n      1st half\n      Shr loss 90 cts vs loss 1.11 dlrs\n      Net loss 20.6 mln vs 21.4 mln\n      Revs 38.9 mln vs 14.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 22.8 mln vs 19.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BIOSEARCH MEDICAL PRODUCTS INC <BPMI> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss seven cts vs loss 23 cts\n      Net loss 381,000 vs loss 1,071,000\n      Sales 4,531,000 vs 4,409,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 21 cts vs loss 98 cts\n      Net loss 1,098,000 vs loss 4,658,000\n      Sales 17.8 mln vs 17.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MOORE FINANCIAL GROUP INC <MFGI> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 30 cts vs 30 cts prior\n      Pay April 16\n      Record April Three\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DUTCH JANUARY INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION RISES 4.8 PCT\n","article":"  Industrial production rose 4.8 pct on\n  a seasonally-adjusted basis in January compared with December\n  while rising 2.8 pct from January last year, Central Bureau of\n  Statistics figures show.\n      In December, industrial production fell by 2.8 pct from\n  November while rising 2.9 pct compared with December 1985.\n      The industrial production index, base 1980, stood at 109 in\n  January compared with a downward revised 104 in December, which\n  was initially put at 105. In January last year, the index stood\n  at 106 and in December 1985 at 101.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BONN EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR U.S. ON EC VEG OIL TAX\n","article":"  The West German government expressed\n  support for the U.S. Position in opposing the proposed European\n  Community tax on vegetable oils and fats, a U.S. Embassy\n  spokesman said.\n      The spokesman, speaking from Bonn, said, \"We have good\n  reason to think West Germany holds to its resistance to the\n  proposed tax.\"\n      Several top government officials told the American Soybean\n  Association and the National Soybean Processors Association\n  delegations there was no reason for American producers and\n  processors to pay for EC agriculture, the spokesman said.\n      European agriculture was facing severe problems, but both\n  the Community and the U.S. Should work closely within the\n  framework provided by the General Agreement on Tariffs and\n  Trade, he said.\n      The delegations will continue their top level meetings in\n  Bonn today but will not issue a statement before returning to\n  the U.S. At the weekend.\n      The EC and the U.S. Realised the tax issue would stay on\n  the agenda for several months and there were indications that\n  both sides would have to prepare for some tough negotiations,\n  the spokesman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SENATE WANTS JAPAN SEMICONDUCTER PACT ENFORCED\n","article":"  The U.S. Senate has unanimously\n  called for President Reagan immediately to force Japan to live\n  up to a pledge to stop dumping its microchips and open its\n  markets to U.S. Chipmakers.\n      The Senate voted 93 to 0 to urge Reagan to impose penalties\n  on Japanese high-technology products containing semiconductors\n  in retaliation for what it sees as Japan's violations of the\n  semiconductor pact.\n      While the measure does not bind Reagan to any action,\n  Senate leaders said its adoption would warn Japan stiffer\n  legislation would be considered if the violations continue.\n      \"We want to send a message to Japan to let it know how the\n  Senate feels about this matter,\" Senate Democratic Leader Robert\n  Byrd told the Senate.\n      Senate Finance Committee chairman Lloyd Bentsen told the\n  Senate the measure was not aimed at retaliation but at\n  correcting Japan's unfair trade practices.\n      A key House trade lawmaker, Representative Richard Gephardt\n  also announced he would seek to force Japan and other countries\n  with huge trade surpluses to slash their surplus by 10 pct a\n  year for three years.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FLEET <FLT> COULD FACE CONNECTICUT DIVESTITURE\n","article":"  Fleet Financial Group said it might\n  have to sell its First Connecticut Corp subsidiary as a result\n  of its proposed 1.3 billion dlr acquisition of Norstar Bancorp\n  <NOR>.\n      Under Connecticut banking law, New England based bank\n  holding companies such as Fleet are not allowed to operate\n  Connecticut banks if they merge with companies from outside the\n  region.  Norstar is based in Albany, N.Y.\n      First Connecticut has assets of about two billion dlrs. \n  Fleet has total assets of about 21 billion dlrs.\n      Fleet said it will seek to have the Connecticut law amended\n  to allow it to retain First Connecticut, which is based in\n  Hartford.\n      Fleet's acquisition of Norstar is now expected to be\n  completed around July 1, 1988, when a change in laws in Fleet's\n  home state of Rhode Island allowing interstate banking outside\n  New England will go into effect.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN UNDER ATTACK OVER TRADE SURPLUS\n","article":"  Japan's economic policies face fierce\n  international attack as hopes fade of a substantial drop in its\n  trade surplus, international monetary sources said.\n      At a meeting this week in Paris, senior government\n  officials from major nations are considering an Organisation\n  for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) staff report\n  that forecasts a continuing large Japanese trade surplus, they\n  said.\n      Though Japanese exports have become more expensive with the\n  yen's sharp rise against the dollar, they still tend to surge\n  when growth picks up, according to the OECD.\n      As a solution, the OECD staff has urged Japan to redirect\n  its export-driven economy, boosting domestic demand and imports\n  by adopting a more flexible fiscal policy, they said.\n      That recommendation echoes calls made recently at secret\n  meetings of the International Monetary Fund's executive board.\n      The monetary sources said Japan's policy was criticized\n  when the board met to consider the country's economy under the\n  annual consultations it holds with each of its members.\n      The United States, which until recently has been reluctant\n  to criticize Japan's fiscal stance, joined in the attack, he\n  said.\n      The IMF staff has also cast doubt on the Japanese\n  government's forecast of 3.5 pct economic growth in the fiscal\n  year beginning April 1. Most independent forecasters, including\n  the IMF, believe that growth in calendar 1987 will be below\n  three pct, monetary sources said.\n      The Finance Ministry has been particularly sensitive to\n  such criticism because it is already under mounting domestic\n  pressure to boost an economy hard-hit by the yen's rise. The\n  yen's climb has lost exporters sales and profits in the huge\n  American market.\n      Tokyo is also eager to avoid any suggestion that a further\n  yen rise might be needed to cut its trade surplus, which last\n  year amounted to a record 93 billion dlrs.\n      Japan cannot tolerate a further rise of the yen, Foreign\n  Minister Tadashi Kuranari said recently. The yen closed here\n  today at 151.53 to the dollar. Most Japanese politicians,\n  including Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, are clearly hoping\n  the yen will weaken, government officials said.\n      At a meeting in Paris last month, Britain, Canada, France,\n  Japan, the United States and West Germany, agreed to cooperate\n  to hold currencies at around current levels.\n      Officials said that wording represented a compromise.\n  Miyazawa hopes the agreement will hold the yen stable for a few\n  months, before it weakens later in the year.\n      Japan wanted the Paris communique to imply a higher value\n  for the dollar, perhaps by substituting the word \"recent\" for\n  \"current,\" while the United States wanted it to more clearly\n  point to the dollar's weaker levels now, perhaps by use of the\n  word \"present,\" they said.\n      In the months leading up the February 22 agreement, the\n  dollar dropped some 10 yen.\n      The officials also sought to discredit suggestions in the\n  market that recent U.S. Action to prevent the dollar from\n  rising above 1.87 marks pointed to a 153 to 155 yen ceiling for\n  the U.S. Currency.\n      Japan has also attacked OECD forecasts, which it says do\n  not take account of the structural changes in the Japanese\n  economy that will be triggered by the strong yen.\n      Officials said there are already signs of that. More and\n  more companies have announced plans to move production\n  facilities offshore to take advantage of cheaper costs abroad,\n  they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GEODOME <GOEDF> TO START MINE CONSTRUCTION\n","article":"  Geodome Resources Ltd said\n  following receipt of a feasibility study from Raytheon Co's\n  <RTN> Stearns Catalytic unit, it will proceed with construction\n  and pre-production stripping at its Sunbeam Mine in Custer\n  County, Idaho, as quickly as possible.\n      The company said the study found proven ore reserves of\n  3,302,000 short tons grading 0.077 ounce of gold per ton.  It\n  said the mine will operate at a rate of 626,000 tons of ore per\n  year, with higher-grade ore being mined in the first three\n  years for a rapid payback of capital costs.\n      The company said the feasibility study calls for gold\n  production averaging 41,000 ounces a year for the life of the\n  mine and 50,000 ounces a year over the first three years, with\n  99,000 ounces of silver per year being produced over the miune\n  life.\n      Capital costs would be 22.3 mln dlrs with all-new equipment\n  and 500,000 to one mln dlrs less with used equipment, it said. \n  It said the mine would be operated by a contract miner but the\n  associated mill by Geodome.\n      Geodome said a new ore zone discovered last summer is not\n  included in reserve calculations. It said eight of the nine\n  holes drilled there have an average grade of 0.046 ounce of\n  gold and 2.1 ounces of silver per ton. Also excluded are\n  reserves of 1,400,000 tons of low-grade material that could be\n  milled profitably at 425 dlrs a ton for gold. The feasibility\n  study used a 350 dlr gold price.\n      Geodome said operating costs of the mine will average 201\n  dlr per ounce of gold for the mine life and 171 dlrs for the\n  first three years, in constant dollars.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"M.D.C. ASSET INVESTORS <MIR> IN INITIAL PAYOUT\n","article":"  M.D.C. Asset Investors Inc, which\n  recently went public, said its board declared an initial\n  quarterly dividend of 45 cts per share, payable April 15 to\n  holders of record April One.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JAPAN SAYS OECD STUDY ON SUBSIDIES STILL ONGOING\n","article":"  Japanese Agriculture Ministry officials\n  said a study of agriculture subsidies by the Organisation for\n  Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD, is still under way\n  and will be completed sometime next month.\n      The officials said the study has been inaccurate so far,\n  and they said Japan would comment on the final results.\n      A Reuter report from Washington yesterday said the study\n  has found that Japan has the highest agriculture subsidies in\n  the world and that dairy farmers benefit more than any other\n  commodity producers from subsidies. The study has not been\n  officially released due to objections from some countries.\n      Japan has withdrawn its objection and decided to accept the\n  release of the study, the agriculture ministry officials said.\n  OECD directors are expected to approve the release at a meeting\n  in mid-May.\n      One agriculture ministry source said the study so far was\n  based on the years 1979-81. Japanese subsidies have dropped\n  sharply since then, partly because of tight budgetary policy,\n  and foreign currency factors have also changed, he said.\n      \"The study is ... Unfair and unacceptable because it does\n  not take account of various differences in farming conditions\n  in each country, such as geography,\" the source said.\n      He said it is highly likely that the final study will show\n  Japan has the highest farm subsidies in the world.\n      \"This would increase foreign pressure to open Japan's farm\n  market further, but this would have little impact on Japan's\n  agriculture policy,\" he said, without giving further details.\n      A main purpose of the study is to clarify export subsidies\n  by major exporting nations like the United States and the\n  European Community, but Japan is a major importer, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"VOLCKER SAYS TRADE DEFICIT IS MAJOR CHALLENGE\n","article":"  Federal Reserve Board\n  Chairman Paul Volcker said the U.S. Trade deficit is a\n  challenge for the U.S. Equal to the Soviet Union launching of\n  Sputnik.\n      \"The international challenge implicit in our huge trade\n  deficit has become the 1980s equivalent to the launch of\n  Sputnik by the Russians in the 1950s, when we suddenly feared\n  we were to be left in the wake of Soviet technological\n  achievement,\" he said in an address to Florida educators.\n       He said the trade problem underscored the need to reform\n  the U.S. Educational system to improve economic performance.\n      The Commerce Department reported last week that the\n  nation's trade gap, calculated on a balance-of-payments basis,\n  swelled to a record 38.37 billion dlrs in the fourth quarter,\n  bringing the 1986 deficit to a record 147.71 billion dlrs.\n      Volcker called on educators to stress the development of\n  basic reading, writing and mathematics skills and urged them to\n  help students adapt to the fast-changing economic climate.\n      Volcker said the challenge was greatest in the education of\n  low-income minority groups such as blacks and Hispanics.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"(CORRECTED)-MICROPRO INTERNATIONAL CORP <MPRO> NET\n","article":"  2nd qtr\n      Shr four cts vs seven cts\n      Net 500,000 vs 900,000\n      Revs 9,200,000 vs 10.5 mln\n      1st half\n      Shr four cts vs 12 cts\n      Net 600,000 vs 1,500,000\n      Revs 17.6 mln vs 20.8 mln\n      NOTE: Period ended February 28.\n      Company corrects period in March 19 item\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"C.O.M.B. <CMCO> TO ACQUIRE REST OF CABLE VALUE\n","article":"  C.O.M.B. Co said its board has\n  approved a proposal to acquire the 50 pct of Cable Value\n  Network held by its cable television industry partners in\n  exchange for warrants for C.O.M.B. common.\n      The company, which already owns the other 50 pct of CVN,\n  said it plans to change its name to CVN.\n      C.O.M.B. said the proposal calls for its cable partners to\n  receive about eight mln five year warrants in exchange for\n  their 50 pct interest in CVN and commit to a long-term\n  affiliation agreement to carry CVN programming.\n      C.O.M.B. said the proposed warrants would carry an exercise\n  price of 18.125 dlrs a share.\n      It said the 7,869,353 warrants originally offered to cable\n  partners will continue to vest on the pre-agreed schedule. The\n  company now has about 18.1 mln shares outstanding.\n      C.O.M.B. said the transaction is subject to the parties\n  entering into an agreement which would be subject to approval\n  by its shareholders and regulatory agencies.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOME SAVINGS DURHAM <HSLD> SETS STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Home Savings and Loan Association\n  Inc of Durham, N.C., said its board declared a 20 pct stock\n  dividend, payable April 28 to holders of record April Three.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TWA IN LEGAL STIPULATION NOT TO PURSUE THE ACQUISITION OF USAIR\n","article":"\n  TWA IN LEGAL STIPULATION NOT TO PURSUE THE ACQUISITION OF USAIR\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" Top discount rate at U.K. Bill tender falls to 9.1250 pct\n","article":"\n   Top discount rate at U.K. Bill tender falls to 9.1250 pct\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANADA NORTHWEST TO SELL PREFERRED SHARES\n","article":"  <Canada Northwest Energy Ltd>\n  said it reached agreement in principle to sell one mln\n  preferred shares by way of private placement to raise 32.5 mln\n  dlrs for oil and gas exploration.\n      The 5.4 pct cumulative redeemable convertible series D\n  preferred shares will be flow-through shares entitling holders\n  to tax deductions not claimed by the company.\n      The shares will be convertible anytime after issue into\n  common shares at an equivalent conversion price of 32.50 dlrs a\n  share. After one year, they will be redeemable at any time by\n  the company at 25 dlrs a share plus accrued dividends.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SCOTT'S HOSPITALITY ACQUIRES CAPITAL FOOD\n","article":"  <Scott's Hospitality Inc> said it\n  acquired Capital Food Services Ltd, Ottawa's largest catering\n  and food service company, for undisclosed terms.\n      Scott's said it would operate Capital Food as a separate\n  unit under Capital's current name and management.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INDIA, AUSTRALIA AGREE TO IMPROVE TWO-WAY TRADE\n","article":"  Indian and Australian businessmen\n  signed a memorandum of understanding to boost two-way trade and\n  joint industrial ventures in both countries, spokesmen of the\n  Indo-Australia Business Council told reporters.\n      The Indian Council said it hoped India's exports to\n  Australia would improve in the next few months and reduce the\n  trade balance which is heavily in Australia's favour.\n      In 1986 Australia sold 428 mln Australian dlrs' worth of\n  goods, including steel and coking coal, to India and bought\n  170.5 mln worth of items, including cotton textiles, from India.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OHIO EDISON SELLS 30 PCT OF NUCLEAR INTEREST FOR 509 MLN DLRS\n","article":"\n  OHIO EDISON SELLS 30 PCT OF NUCLEAR INTEREST FOR 509 MLN DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HIGH WINDS KEEP VESSELS TRAPPED IN BALTIC ICE\n","article":"  Strong south-easterly winds were\n  keeping many vessels trapped in the ice off the Finnish and\n  Swedish coasts in one of the worst icy periods in the Baltic\n  for many years, the Finnish Board of Navigation said.\n      In Finland and Sweden up to 50 vessels were reported to be\n  stuck in the ice, and even the largest of the assisting\n  icebreakers were having difficulties in breaking through to the\n  stranded ships, coastguard officials said.\n      However, icy conditions in the southern Baltic at the\n  Soviet oil ports of Ventspils and Klaipeda had eased, they said.\n      Weather officials in neighbouring Sweden said the icy\n  conditions in the Baltic were the worst for 30 years, with\n  ships fighting a losing battle to keep moving.\n      In the coastal stretches of the Gulf of Bothnia, which\n  divides Finland and Sweden, the ice is up to one metre thick,\n  with drifts and currents packing it into almost impenetrable\n  walls three metres high, Swedish coastguard officials said.\n      Weather forecasts say winds may ease during the weekend but\n  a further drop in temperature could bring shipping to a\n  standstill, the officials said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC AND COMECON ENDS TALKS WITH PROGRESS\n","article":"  The European Community (EC) and\n  Soviet-led Comecon ended talks here, having made progress on\n  setting up formal trade relations, but no breakthrough because\n  of Comecon's refusal to recognise West Berlin as part of the\n  EC, delegates said.\n      Negotiators were trying to reach agreement on the draft of\n  a joint declaration setting up official relations after 30\n  years of mutual non-recognition. John Maslen, head of the EC\n  delegation, told Reuters as he emerged from the final session:\n  \"We made some progress, but we have called for another meeting.\"\n      Officials, who asked not to be named, said the Comecon team\n  had refused to accept a clause in the draft declaration which\n  would recognise West Berlin as part of the 12-nation EC.\n      Under the 1957 Treaty of Rome all contracts and agreements\n  signed by the Community must contain this territorial clause\n  stipulating West Berlin is an integral part of the EC. An EC\n  negotiator taking part in the three-day talks said: \"We wanted\n  the territorial clause in, but Comecon said no.\"\n      A joint statement issued after the talks said progress was\n  made towards clarifying positions, but another meeting would be\n  necessary to complete the work.\n      Any decision in principle to set up relations would require\n  approval by the Community's Council of Ministers and by the\n  executive committee of Comecon.\n      Zdzislaw Kuroski, deputy director of Comecon, who heads the\n  East bloc delegation, told Reuters ahead of today's session: \"We\n  have narrowed our differences on a range of questions, but not\n  on all questions.\"\n      Asked whether Comecon would accept EC insistence that any\n  joint declaration stipulate West Berlin as part of the\n  Community, he replied: \"This question is not contained in the\n  draft which our side presented.\"\n      West German diplomats said they would insist on including\n  the clause on West Berlin in any EC-Comecon agreement.\n      The talks followed an earlier round between the two trading\n  blocs here last September and the first-ever direct talks\n  between the EC and the Soviet Union on establishing diplomatic\n  relations in January.\n      The EC trades with individual Comecon member states despite\n  non-recognition of Comecon. Last year, the EC had a five\n  billion dlr trade deficit with East European states, about half\n  the deficit of the previous year, due to a drop in the price of\n  Soviet oil imported by the EC.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OHIO EDISON <OEC> SELLS 30 PCT OF NUCLEAR INTEREST\n","article":"  Ohio Edison Co said it has\n  completed the sale and leaseback of 30 pct of its 30 pct\n  interest in Unit One of the Perry Nuclear Power Plant,\n  receiving 509 mln dlrs for the interest.\n      The utility said the share of its interest in the 1,205\n  megawatt generating plant was sold to a group of institutional\n  investors which leased it back to the company for a period of\n  about 29 years at a negotiated lease payment rate.\n      Ohio Edison said the proceeds will be used to finance the\n  rest of its 1987 construction program and repay bank loans\n  incurred for the retirement of high-interest long-term debt.\n      Ohio Edison did not detail the lease payments, but it said\n  the \"payments will reduce the amount of revenue the company\n  will need to cover our investment in Perry, which translates\n  into savings for our customers.\"\n      The utility said it projects the financing could reduce the\n  amount of annual revenue needed by about 20 mln dlrs. It plans\n  on filing a rate application with the Public Utilities\n  Commission of Ohio to recover the Perry costs later this year.\n      It said the sale and leaseback was attractive to the\n  investors because they could take quicker advantage of tax\n  benefits than the utility could.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GEODOME SETS IDAHO GOLD\/SILVER MINE CONSTRUCTION\n","article":"  Geodome Resources Ltd said\n  following receipt of a feasibility study from Raytheon Co's\n  Stearns Catalytic unit it will proceed with construction and\n  pre-production stripping at its Sunbeam Mine in Custer County,\n  Idaho, as quickly as possible.\n      The company said the study found proven ore reserves of\n  3,302,000 short tons grading 0.077 ounce of gold per ton. It\n  said the mine will operate at a rate of 626,000 tons of ore per\n  year, with higher-grade ore being mined in the first three\n  years for a rapid payback of capital costs.\n      It said the feasibility study calls for gold production\n  averaging 41,000 ounces a year for the life of the mine and\n  50,000 ounces a year over the first three years, with 99,000\n  ounces of silver per year being produced over the mine life.\n      Capital costs would be 22.3 mln dlrs with all-new equipment\n  and 500,000 to one mln dlrs less with used equipment, the firm\n  said. It said the mine would be operated by a contract miner\n  but the associated mill by Geodome.\n      Geodome said a new ore zone discovered last summer is not\n  included in reserve calculations. It said eight of the nine\n  holes drilled there have an average grade of 0.046 ounce of\n  gold and 2.1 ounces of silver per ton.\n      Also excluded are reserves of 1,400,000 tons of low-grade\n  material that could be milled profitably at 425 dlrs a ton for\n  gold. The feasibility study used a 350 dlr gold price.\n      Geodome said operating costs of the mine will average 201\n  dlr per ounce of gold for the mine life and 171 dlrs for the\n  first three years, in constant dollars.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STANLEY INTERIORS <STHF> SAYS RESULTS REDUCED\n","article":"  Stanley Interiors Corp said\n  its first quarter shipments and operating income were lower\n  than expected due to snowstorms in January and February that\n  forced the closing of some of its manufacturing facilities for\n  up to six days.\n      Stanley said, however, that any reduction in first quarter\n  operating income will be offset by reduced interest expense and\n  that first quarter net income will be about flat with first\n  quarter 1986 net income of 14 cts a share, or 286,000 dlrs.\n      Stanely also said the first quarter's sales losses would be\n  made up by shipments in the second quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TWA <TWA> IN COURT SETTLEMENT WITH USAIR <U>\n","article":"  Trans World Airlines Inc said it\n  reached an agreement yesterday in federal court with USAir\n  Group Inc that prevents TWA from buying additional shares of\n  USAir.\n      Under the agreement, TWA, which holds about 15 pct of USAir\n  stock, will not buy more USAir shares before April 23 and will\n  not do so after that date without giving 14 days notice to\n  USAir.\n      TWA also agreed that it would not knowingly and willingly\n  interfere with the consummation of the merger between USAir and\n  Piedmont Aviation Inc <PIE>.\n      TWA said the court agreement confirms previous\n  announcements by the company, in filings with the Securities\n  and Exchange Commission, that it does not presently intend to\n  seek control of USAir or to acquire additional common stock.\n      As a result of the agreement, the court removed a previous\n  temporary restraining order against TWA, the company said.\n      TWA and USAir have also agreed that all litigation between\n  them in Pittsburgh and Delaware will be stayed until April 23.\n  TWA said the agreement does not prevent it from commenting to\n  regulatory agencies on the USAir, Piedmont merger.\n      In a separate statement, USAir said the agreement also\n  included a provision that all USAir shares currently owned by\n  TWA and its chairman, Carl Icahn, will be voted through a\n  voting trust in proportion to the votes of other shares not\n  controlled by TWA or Icahn.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GETS 186 MLN STG AFTERNOON HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had given\n  the money market a further 186 mln stg assistance in the\n  afternoon session. This brings the Bank's total help so far\n  today to 945 mln stg and compares with its revised forecast of\n  a one billion stg deficit.\n      The central bank bought bank bills outright comprising 51\n  mln stg in band one at 9-7\/8 pct and 135 mln stg in band two at\n  9-13\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CRI INSURED MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS LP <CRM> PAYOUT\n","article":"  Mthly div 16-1\/2 cts vs 16-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay May 15\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN MOTORS <AMO> BOARD MEETING ON TAKEOVER\n","article":"  American Motors Corp's board of\n  directors is meeting this morning in New York to consider\n  Chrysler Corp's <C> 1.5 billion dlr takeover offer, an American\n  Motors spokesman said.\n      The spokesman reiterated statements made earlier in the\n  week that the regularly scheduled meeting was being held.\n      The spokesman would not comment on recurring speculation\n  that the board might receive a higher offer from Chrysler.\n  Analysts have said the fact that American Motors' stock has\n  remained above the four dlrs a share Chrysler offer could lead\n  the larger company to raise its bid.\n      The American Motors spokesman said he had not seen any\n  indication that a higher offer would be received from Chrysler,\n  although he added, \"I don't know what the conversation is in\n  the meeting.\"\n      He repeated statements made earlier in the week by the\n  automaker that today's meeting will probably not result in a\n  final decision on the Chrysler bid.\n      \"The board first apprised the proposal on the 11th (of\n  March). I suspect there will be several more (meetings) after\n  this,\" the spokesman said.\n      The meeting is expected to go through early afternoon.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KEATING SEES LOWER AUSTRALIAN CURRENT DEFICIT\n","article":"  Australian Treasurer Paul Keating said\n  he expects the country's 1986\/87 current account deficit to be\n  one billion dlrs lower than the 14.7 billion forecast in the\n  August budget. Keating told a financiers' dinner that\n  February's 750 mln dlr deficit, against January's 1.23 billion,\n  was \"in the groove\" of the government's expectations.\n      \"We will probably bring the current account this year under\n  14 billion, I think, which will probably be about a billion\n  dollars less than we forecast in the budget,\" Keating said. \"I am\n  sure we will see a lower current account deficit for next year\n  ... And a fall as proportion of GDP.\"\n      Australia posted a 13.82 billion dlr current account\n  deficit in 1985\/86 and Keating said the latest monthly figures\n  showed an encouraging trend.\n      Keating said the government would maintain responsible\n  economic management regardless of whether it was drawn into an\n  election, because it would take time to stabilise Australia's\n  80 billion dlr foreign debt.\n      \"We have to build the import competing sector back,\" he said.\n  \"We are now trying to rebuild our capital structure. We are\n  trying to rebuild the culture of productivity and\n  manufacturing.\"\n      Keating said the foundation for a transition of the economy\n  had been laid with the floating of the Australian dollar and\n  continued with wage restraint and deregulation.\n      The Government would follow with spending cuts in its\n  economic statement on May 14, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER SUPPORTS FED MONETARY POLICY\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker said\n  in a newspaper interview that he supports the current course of\n  Federal Reserve Board monetary policy.\n      \"The course of Fed policy is quite adequate as far as we are\n  concerned,\" Baker said in an interview with the New York Times.\n      In the interview, Baker declined to comment about the\n  recent Paris accord among the six leading industrialized\n  democracies when he was asked why the U.S. agreed to stabilize\n  the dollar at current levels when the trade deficit hit a\n  record level last year.\n      Baker said in the newspaper interview that it was \"a subject\n  I prefer not to talk about.\"\n      He said that if he explained why the U.S. agreed to help\n  maintain the dollar at current levels \"I would of necessity end\n  up getting into some of the private agreements that support\n  such and agreement\" on the dollar.\n      Baker was optimistic about Brazil, which has stopped\n  interest payments on much of its outstanding debt with foreign\n  commercial banks.\n      \"They are, after all, paying on time all the debt service\n  and principal on their official debts, having just rescheduled\n  with the Paris Club,\" Baker said in the newspaper interview.\n      Baker said that Brazilian repreentatives had explained they\n  intented to pay their commercial bank debts in full but needed\n  time.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNION NATIONAL <UNBC> SIGNS DEFINITIVE PACT\n","article":"  Union National Corp said it\n  signed a definitive agreement under which its First National\n  Bank and Trust Co of Washington unit will merge with <Second\n  National Bank of Masontown>.\n      Under a previously announced merger agreement, each share\n  of Second National's common stock will be converted into 25\n  shares of Union National common.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"UNIVERSAL RESOURCES <UVR> TO VOTE ON MERGER\n","article":"  Universal Resources Corp said it\n  is holding a special shareholders meeting this morning to vote\n  on the previously-proposed merger between it and Questar Corp\n  <STR>.\n      Universal, whose stock was delayed this morning on the\n  American Stock Exchange, said it will release a statement later\n  in the day on the vote.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SONEX RESEARCH <SONX> CUSTOM AUTO USES MORE GAS\n","article":"  Sonex Research Inc said its\n  modified 1986 British Ford Escort passed the European emissions\n  test, but reported the engine consumed 35 pct more fuel than\n  the stock engine.\n      Sonex said its engine is not equipped with a catalytic\n  converter and does not use exhaust gas recirculation or an\n  emission air pump. It said the company expected to realize a\n  reduced fuel economy, but is working on improving fuel\n  consumption.\n      The company said after it installs the new fuel system, it\n  will retest the automobile.\n      In a separate announcement, the company said it received\n  confirmation from the European Patent Office that Sonex\n  successfully defended its BETA European Patent from a\n  competitor.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LOUISIANA PACIFIC <LPX> BUYS OREGON SAWMILL\n","article":"  Louisiana Pacific Corp has\n  agreed to pay 3,475,000 dlrs for the bankrupt Harris Pine\n  Sawmill in Pendleton, Ore., the mill's bankruptcy trustee said.\n      Louisiana Pacific refused to indicate whether it would\n  repoen the lumber mill which was closed after the sawmill owned\n  by the Seventh Day Adventist Church filed a bankruptcy petition\n  in Portland federal court in December.\n      The trustee said the company outbid WTD Industries Inc for\n  the lumber mill, harvested logs and contracts to harvest timber\n  in the national forest. It outbidhell bankruptcy trustee said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"INTERNATIONAL PAGURIAN HAS FIVE MONTH PROFIT\n","article":"  <International Pagurian Corp Ltd> said\n  it had net profit of 3.3 mln dlrs or three cts a share for the\n  period August 15 to December 31, 1986, based on 55.2 mln shares\n  outstanding.\n      Revenues for the full year ended December 31, 1986 were 5.5\n  mln dlrs and net assets at year end were 317.5 mln dlrs.\n      The company did not disclose earnings for the 1986 period\n  before August 15 or prior year results. A company spokesman\n  said prior results were not comparable due to its August 15\n  issue of 30 mln common shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"S. AFRICAN M-3 MONEY GROWTH SLOWS IN JANUARY\n","article":"  South African year-on-year broadly\n  defined M-3 money supply growth slowed to 8.62 pct in January\n  from 9.32 pct in December, Reserve Bank figures show.\n      M-3 fell to 77.98 billion rand in January from 79.31\n  billion in December, while preliminary February figures show\n  M-3 at 79.42 billion rand for a year-on-year rise of 10.63 pct.\n      M-2 showed a rise of 5.09 pct for January at 55.68 billion\n  rand after 4.30 pct in December, M-1 16.72 pct at 5.12 billion\n  after 12.80 pct and M-1A 22.79 pct at 14.30 billion rand after\n  20.54 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMPUSCAN INC <CSCN> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr loss eight cts vs loss 20 cts\n      Net loss 469,000 vs loss 1,104,000\n      Revs 3,093,000 vs 3,056,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 19 cts vs loss 29 cts\n      Net loss 1,098,000 vs 1,646,000\n      Revs 9,562,000 vs 12.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRST FEDERAL <FFBN> MERGING INTO BANKEAST <BENH>\n","article":"  First Federal Bank FSB said it has\n  entered into a letter of intent to merge into BankEast Corp for\n  60 dlrs per First Federal share in BankEast common stock.\n      First Federal said, subject to certain adjustments,\n  including First Federal's earnings prior to the close of the\n  deal, each share of its common stock shall not be converted\n  into less than 2.9 shares or more than 3.5 shares of BankEast\n  common.\n      First Federal said the proposed move is also subject to\n  execution of a definitive agreement, regulatory approval and\n  the approval of First Federal shareholders.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS <ITW> SELLS TWO DIVISIONS\n","article":"  Illinois Tool Works Inc said it\n  completed the sale of its Drill and End Mill division, Pine\n  Bluff, Arkansas and Eclipse Counterbore division, Detroit, to\n  newly-formed Eclipse Industrial Pruducts Inc, based in St.\n  Louis.  Terms were not disclosed.\n      All employees at both locations will be retained, it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ANALYSTS SEE NO OTHER BIDDER FOR PUROLATOR<PCC>\n","article":"  Several analysts said they do not\n  believe another suitor will top the 265 mln dlr bid for\n  Purolator Courier Corp by E.F. Hutton LBO Inc and a management\n  group from Purolator's courier division.\n      There had been speculation another offer might be\n  forthcoming, but analysts mostly believe the 35 dlrs per share\n  price being paid by Hutton and the managers' PC Acquisition Inc\n  is fully valued.\n      Analysts and some Wall Street sources said they doubted\n  another bidder would emerge since Purolator had been for sale\n  for sometime before a deal was struck with Hutton Friday.\n      Purolator's stock slipped 3\/8 today to close at 34-3\/4. It\n  had been trading slightly higher than the 35 dlr offer on\n  Friday. At least one analyst Friday speculated the company\n  might fetch 38 to 42 dlrs per share.\n      analysts and wall street sources doubted a competitive\n  offer would emerge since the company has been for sale for\n  sometime before the deal with Hutton was struck Friday.\n      Hutton had been in talks with Purolator's adviser, Dillon,\n  Read and Co since late December, a Hutton spokesman said.\n      Hutton is offering 35 dlrs cash per share for 83 pct of the\n  shares. If all shares are tendered, shareholders would receive\n  29 dlrs cash, six dlrs in debentures, and warrants for stock in\n  a subsidiary of PC Acquisition containing the Purolator U.S.\n  courier operation. Hutton values the warrants at two to three\n  dlrs per share.\n      Wall Street sources also said today that a rival bidder\n  might be discouraged by a breakup fee Purolator would have to\n  pay if it ends its agreement with Hutton. The sources would not\n  reveal the amount of the fee, which will be noted in documents\n  on the transaction to be made public later this week.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL PATENT DEVELOPMENT CORP <NPD> IN PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 2-1\/2 cts vs 2-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay May One\n      Record April One\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"THOMPSON MEDICAL CO INC <TM> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 30\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GULF CANADA <GOC> ASSERTS NO DAMAGE FROM SPILL\n","article":"  Gulf Canada Corp said a\n  discharge of material at its Amauligak drilling site in the\n  Beaufort Sea caused no danger to the environment.\n      Yesterday, the federal department of energy charged Gulf\n  Canada with eight counts of illegal dumping for discharging\n  powdered cement and drilling mud between September 23 and 30\n  last year.\n      The charges carry a maximum 50,000 dlr fine on each count.\n      Gulf said the government's charges relate to discharging\n  materials without a permit, not to environmental damage\n  resulting from the action.\n      Gulf said it voluntarily informed appropriate government\n  officials when the material was discharged.\n      The company also said none of the material was discharged\n  within 12 miles of the closest shoreline. It added that one of\n  the materials cited, barite, is a naturally occurring mineral\n  routinely discharged into the sea during drilling operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"METALLGESELLSCHAFT AG <METG.F>\n","article":"  Year to September 30, 1986\n      Domestic group net profit 69.9 mln marks vs 61.4 mln.\n      Parent net profit 53.6 mln vs 43.8 mln.\n      Dividend six marks vs same.\n      Parent payment to disclosed reserves 20 mln vs 15 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PUBCO <PUBO> DECLARES DIVIDEND RIGHT\n","article":"  Pubco Corp said its board declared a\n  dividend distribution of one common stock purchase right on\n  each outstanding share of Pubco's common stock.\n      It said each right will entitle shareholders to buy one\n  share of common stock at an exercise price of three dlrs.\n      The rights will be exercisable only if a person or group\n  acquires 20 pct or more of Pubco's common stock or announces a\n  tender which would result in ownership by a person or group of\n  20 pct or more of the common stock, the company said.\n      Pubco said it will be entitled to redeem the rights at 0.1\n  cts per right at any time before a 20 pct position has been\n  acquired and afterward in certain circumstances. It said the\n  exercise price will be substantially reduced in the event of an\n  acquisition of 25 pct or more of common stock.\n      If Pubco is acquired in a merger or other transaction, each\n  right will entitle its holder to purchase, at the right's\n  then-current exercise price, a number of the acquiring\n  company's common shares having a market value at that time of\n  twice the right's exercise price, the company said.\n      The dividend distribution will be made March 31, 1987,\n  payable to shareholders of record on that date. The rights will\n  expire ten years later on March 31, 1987, the company said.\n      Pubco said the rights are not being distributed in response\n  to any specific effort to change control of Pubco, and the\n  board is not aware of any such effort.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TECH DATA <TECD> SETS THREE FOR TWO SPLIT\n","article":"  Tech Data Corp said its board\n  declared a three-for-two stock split, payable April 30 to\n  holders of record April 1.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VERTEX <VETX> TO BUY COMPUTER TRANSCEIVER STAKE\n","article":"  Vertex Industries Inc and\n  <Computer Transceiver Systems Inc> jointly announced an\n  agreement for Vertex to acquire a 60 pct interest in Computer\n  after it completes a proposed reorganization.\n      Computer has been in reorganization proceedings under\n  chapter 11 since September 1986.\n      The companies said the agreement would allow Computer's\n  unsecured creditors and debenture holders to receive new stock\n  in exchange for exsiting debt, and for shareholders to receive\n  one new share of Computer's stock for each four shares\n  previously held.\n     \n      The companies said the United States Bankruptcy court for\n  the Southern District of New York has given preliminary\n  approval for the proposal, which is subject to formal approval\n  by Computer's creditors and the court.\n      Under the agreement, Vertex also said it would supply\n  Computer with 250,000 dlrs of operating funds, and arrange\n  renegotiation of its secured bank debt, among other things.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RENT-A-CENTER <RENT> VOTES 3 FOR 2 SPLIT\n","article":"  Rent-A-Center Inc said its\n  directors approved a three-for-two stock split payable April\n  20, record April 3.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USACAFES <USF> SETS HIGHER DIVIDEND\n","article":"  USACafes LP said its board declared a\n  quarterly dividend of 20 cts per unit -- its first since\n  converting to a limited partnership.\n      The company, as USACafes Inc, had paid a quarterly dividend\n  of nine cts per share.\n      It said the restructuring as a partnership has\n  substantially increased the cash available for distribution to\n  unitholders, as it had predicted.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COOPER CANADA SAID IT RECEIVED TAKEOVER OFFERS\n","article":"  <Cooper Canada Ltd> said it has\n  received takeover offers from \"a number of companies.\"\n      The company also said that \"discussions are continuing, but\n  no definitive arrangements have been made.\"\n      It gave no further details.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"N.Y. BUSINESS LOANS FALL 195 MLN DLRS IN FEB 18 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  N.Y. BUSINESS LOANS FALL 195 MLN DLRS IN FEB 18 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. GRAIN ANALYSTS SEE LOWER CORN, SOY PLANTING\n","article":"  Grain analysts surveyed by the American\n  Soybean Association, ASA, projected acreage this year at 59.1\n  mln acres of soybeans and 64.7 mln acres of corn.\n      In 1986, farmers planted 61.5 mln acres of soybeans and\n  76.7 mln acres of corn, according to the February 9 USDA\n  supply\/demand report. The USDA is to release its 1987 planting\n  intentions report March 31.\n      The survey included 15 soybean estimates and 13 corn\n  estimates and was released in the March 16 Soybean Update\n  newsletter sent to members.\n      Estimates ranged from 56.0 mln to 63.0 mln acres of\n  soybeans and 59.5 mln to 68.0 mln acres of corn.\n      An ASA spokesman said the association plans no survey of\n  farmers' planting intentions this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FREEPORT-MCMORAN OIL AND GAS <FMR> PAYOUT RISES\n","article":"  Mthly div 14.248 cts vs 4.912 cts prior\n      Pay April 10\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ILLINOIS REGIONAL <ILLR> MULLS AFFILIATION\n","article":"  Illinois Regional Bancorp said\n  it is evaluating whether to affiliate with a larger bank\n  holding company or continue to remain independent.\n      The 500 mln dlr-asset bank holding company said that in\n  view of recent investor interest in suburban Chicago banks, it\n  retained Merrill Lynch Capital markets to advise it on its\n  alternatives.\n      Last year, Illinois Regional had discussions with\n  Milwaukee-based Marine Corp <MCRP> but no agreement was\n  reached, a company spokesman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SHELDAHL <SHEL> VOTES THREE-FOR-TWO STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Sheldahl Inc said its\n  directors approved a three-for-two stock split, payable April\n  24, record April 3.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RUSS TOGS INC <RTS> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 19 cts vs 19 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record April One\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF FINLAND TO TRADE IN BANKS' CERTIFICATES\n","article":"  The Bank of Finland said it has\n  started dealings in banks' certificates of deposits (CDs) with\n  immediate effect and that it was prepared to issue its own\n  paper to stimulate operations on the domestic money market.\n      Bank of Finland Governor Rolf Kullberg told a news\n  conference the Bank will also limit credits on the call money\n  market from March 30, 1987, by introducing a maximum credit\n  amount and a penalty rate if banks exceed this ceiling.\n      \"The recent introduction of three-month money and these new\n  regulations are decreasing the role of the call money market\n  and the discount rate as monetary instruments,\" Kullberg said.\n      Bankers welcomed the central bank measures saying these\n  were needed to accelerate the domestic money market. The Bank\n  of Finland had never before been allowed to issue its own CDs,\n  they said.\n      \"The central bank for the first time has an instrument with\n  which it really can influence the price of money in this\n  country,\" one banker said.\n      Under the new rules banks are limited to call money credits\n  to a maximum of 7.5 pct of the total of their equity capital\n  and cash reserves. A penalty rate of interest of 19 pct is now\n  introduced if the limit is exceeded.\n      Director Sixten Korkman at the Bank of Finland's monetary\n  department said he expected the bank to pursue an active policy\n  on the interbank market as an issuer of own-CDs.\n      \"We are free to do it, so maybe on Monday we will issue the\n  first, just to see how the system functions. Overall I think we\n  will issue at least a few times a week,\" Korkman told Reuters.\n      He said the bank was likely to aim at CDs with a\n  three-month maturity at first as the market was best developed\n  for paper of that maturity.\n      The Bank of Finland introduced last December three-month\n  credits and deposits at rates determined by the central bank\n  and the commercial banks as a shift away from the traditional\n  overnight call money market.\n      Liquidity on the call credit market has fallen from around\n  nine billion markka in early December to 167 mln last week,\n  while three-month credits have risen to three to four billion.\n      On the interbank market there has been an increasing trade\n  in banks' CDs, estimated to be some eight billion markka. In\n  addition, commercial paper accounts for around five billion\n  markka and Treasury Bills two billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CARTERET SAVINGS<CBC> COMPLETES SALE OF BRANCHES\n","article":"  Carteret Savings Bank said it\n  has completed the previously announced sale of six Virginia\n  branches to Charter Federal Savings and Loan Association\n  <CHFD>.\n      Carteret said it has opened a retail banking office in\n  Vienna, Va., as the next step in its move to build a strong\n  presence in the Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Md., area.\n      Carteret said the new bank has two offices outside\n  Baltimore, which were acquired last June when Carteret merged\n  with Admiral Builders Savings and Loan Association.\n      The company said it plans to open a retail banking office\n  in downtown Washington this summer, plus several more offices\n  in Baltimore County and others in Fairfax County, Va. Carteret\n  said it may open more loan offices in Virginia and Maryland.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FED EXPECTED TO SET CUSTOMER REPURCHASES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve is expected to\n  intervene in the government securities market to add temporary\n  reserves indirectly via 1.5-2.0 billion dlrs of customer\n  repurchase agreements, economists said.\n      Federal funds, which averaged 6.06 pct yesterday, opened at\n  6-1\/16 pct and remained there in early trading.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MCDONALD'S <MCD> UP ON REAFFIRMED RECOMMENDATION\n","article":"  The stock of McDonald's Corp rose\n  sharply this morning after analyst Daniel Lee of Drexel Burnham\n  Lambert Inc reiterated his recommendation of the stock, traders\n  said.\n      McDonald's, an operator of fast food restaurants, rose\n  1-5\/8 to 77-3\/8.\n      \"Comparable store sales are up 5.6 pct in 1986 vs 1985,\"\n  Lee said, \"and the stock is trading below the market multiple.\"\n  He said \"not many companies have a consistent 15 pct annual\n  earnings growth rate, return on equity above 20 pct, but trade\n  at less than the market multiple.\"\n      Analyst Lee said \"the introduction of a new line of salads\n  this spring, at about the time we are all trying to squeeze\n  into bathing suits, should boost sales.\"\n      He also noted that \"the average McDonald's does about 1.369\n  mln dlrs in revenues a year. That compares with 1.1 mln dlrs a\n  year for the average Burger King and 800,000 dlrs a year for\n  the average Wendy's.\" Since it cost about the same to build a\n  single store for any one of these chains, he said, \"McDonald's\n  can well justify their expansion.\"\n      Lee expects McDonald's to earn 4.40 dlrs a share in 1986\n  and 5.15 dlrs in 1988. Last year it earned 3.72 dlrs a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ICN PHARMACEUTICAL INC <ICN> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 14 cts vs four cts\n      Oper net 2,959,000 vs 1,103,000\n      Sales 22.5 mln vs 25.2 mln\n      Note: oper data does not include extraordinary gains of\n  3,686,000 dlrs, or 17 cts per shr, in current quarter and\n  975,000 dlrs, or eight cts per shr, in year ago quarter from\n  sales of certain marketable securities.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN FEDERAL COLORADO <AFSL> HALVES PAYOUT\n","article":"  American Federal Savings and Loan\n  Association of Colorado said its board cut the quarterly\n  dividend to 7-1\/2 cts per share from 15 cts.\n      The dividend is payable April 14 to holders of record March\n  31.\n      The company said earnings will continue under pressure this\n  year due to the weakness of the Colorado economy and a high\n  level of nonearning assets.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TEXAS UTILITIES CO <TXU> 12 MTHS FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 4.50 dlrs vs 4.30 dlrs\n      Net 637.4 mln vs 588.5 mln\n      Revs 3.95 billion vs 4.10 billion\n      Avg shrs 141.7 mln vs 136.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<GUARDIAN TRUSTCO INC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 15 cts vs nine cts\n      Net 528,000 vs 374,000\n      Revs not given\n      Year\n      Shr 1.25 dlrs vs 42 cts\n      Net 2,853,000 vs 1,579,000\n      Revs 55.3 mln vs 46.8 mln\n      Note: shr after preferred dividends\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ENVIROPACT <VIRO> TO MAKE ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Enviropact Inc said it has signed a\n  letter of intent to acquire Willms Trucking Co Inc for about\n  12.5 mln dlrs, with completion expected in 45 days.\n      In the year ended September 30, Willms had revenues of\n  about 15 mln dlrs.  It transports hazardous waste, sand and\n  gravel.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WHITEHALL CORP <WHT> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 15 cts vs 55 cts\n      Net 557,000 vs 2,020,000\n      Revs 8,872,000 vs 13,908,000\n      Year\n      Shr 60 cts vs 2.52 dlrs\n      Net 2,198,000 vs 9,313,000\n      Revs 36.9 mln vs 55.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VIRATECK INC <VIRA> 1ST QTR FEB 28 OPER LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 23 cts vs profit 16 cts\n      Oper loss 1,868,000 vs profit 1,293,000\n      Revs 183,000 vs 3,400,000\n      Note: Oper data does not include year ago extraordinary\n  gain of 750,000 dlrs, or nine cts per shr.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PARKWAY CO <PKWY> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 20 cts vs 20 cts prior\n      Pay May 20\n      Record May Four\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ITALY SETS RULES FOR COMPANY HOLDINGS IN BANKS\n","article":"  Companies will henceforth be able to own\n  stakes in banks, but these should not constitute a \"dominant\"\n  holding, an Italian government committee ruled.\n      The Interministerial Committee on Credit and Savings,\n  headed by Treasury Minister Giovanni Goria, said its decision\n  reflected the \"need to safeguard the principle of separation\n  between banks and non-financial concerns.\"\n      It did not quantify what might constitute a \"dominant\"\n  holding.\n      The committee also set conditions for the allocation of\n  credits by banks to companies or individuals holding stakes in\n  them, and stipulates conditions under which the Bank of Italy\n  could exercise its powers of control in the case of stakes held\n  by banks in companies or other banks.\n      Under the ruling, credits given by banks or their\n  subsidiaries to groups or individuals holding five pct or more\n  of the bank's capital must not exceed defined limits.\n      The value of credits given cannot exceed either one-fifth\n  of the combined capital and reserves of the bank itself or\n  two-fifths of the value of the stake owned in the bank by the\n  group or individual concerned.\n      Exceptions to these conditions include credits to concerns\n  in which the bank itself has a stake and to branches of foreign\n  banks. Credits made by foreign companies or banks to\n  subsidiaries which have their legal base in Italy will also be\n  excluded from the conditions.\n      The Bank of Italy will request banks to insert rules in\n  their statutes to ensure that companies or individuals holding\n  five pct or more of the bank's capital are not given privileged\n  treatment with regard to credit allocation and terms.\n      With regard to bank holdings in companies, the Bank of\n  Italy can exercise supervisory controls when information on a\n  bank's consolidated activities show single shareholdings in a\n  company or another bank of 25 pct or more, owned directly or\n  indirectly.\n      Such controls can also be exercised even if the stake held\n  is below 25 pct if it can be considered a controlling interest.\n      The controls will not be exercised in cases where the value\n  of the bank's stake in a concern is below the lesser of two\n  predefined limits.\n      These limits are set at 15 billion lire or two pct of the\n  total assets of the parent company of the shareholding bank.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PARISIAN INC <PASN> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 58 cts vs 57 cts\n      Net 4,313,000 vs 3,824,000\n      Sales 72.8 mln vs 61.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 7,492,000 vs 6,740,000\n      Year\n      Shr 1.33 dlrs vs 1.23 dlrs\n      Net 9,592,000 vs 8,257,000\n      Sales 226.4 mln vs 184.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 7,228,000 vs 6,740,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SPI PHARMACEUTICALS INC <SPIP> 1ST QTR OPER NET\n","article":"  Qtr ended Feb 28\n      Oper shr 31 cts vs 14 cts\n      Oper net 3,203,000 vs 1,357,000\n      Revs 13.0 mln vs 15.6 mln\n      Note: Oper data does not include year ago extraordinary\n  gain of 821,000 dlrs, or eight cts per shr.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GUARDIAN TRUSTCO SEES MODEST 1987 OUTLOOK\n","article":"  <Guardian Trustco Inc>, earlier\n  reporting a 198 pct increase in full year earnings per share,\n  said the outlook for 1987 is more modest.\n      The company said it has started a number of long-term\n  growth projects which have a payback period exceeding one year.\n  Guardian Trustco did not give a specific earnings forecast.\n      The company earlier reported 1986 net profit rose to\n  2,853,000 dlrs or 1.25 dlrs a share, from year-earlier\n  1,579,000 dlrs or 42 cts a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COGECO BUYS FM STATION, PLANS SHARE ISSUE\n","article":"  <Cogeco Inc> said it agreed to acquire\n  100 pct of Quebec City radio station CJMF-FM and will issue\n  subordinated voting shares of the company to cover a portion of\n  the purchase price.\n      It said the purchase price and other terms of the\n  transaction have not been disclosed. The transaction is subject\n  to approval of the Canadian Radio-Television and\n  Telecommunications Commission.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NESTLE 1986 NET 1.79 BILLION SWISS FRANCS VS 1.75 BILLION, DIV UNCHANGED 145 FRANCS\n","article":"\n  NESTLE 1986 NET 1.79 BILLION SWISS FRANCS VS 1.75 BILLION, DIV UNCHANGED 145 FRANCS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TEXAS INDUSTRIES INC <TXI> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr loss 50 cts vs profit one ct\n      Net loss 4,419,000 vs profit 276,000\n      Sales 126.8 mln vs 151.3 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 42 cts vs profit 1.27 dlrs\n      Net loss 3,160,000 vs profit 11.2 mln\n      Sales 429.9 mln vs 477.5 mln\n      NOTE: Current year net includes tax credits of 2,164,000\n  dlrs in quarter and 328,000 dlrs in nine mths.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SERVICE CORP INTERNATIONAL <SRV> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ended Jan 31\n      Shr 33 cts vs 29 cts\n      Net 14.8 mln vs 11 mln\n      Revs 108.6 mln vs 70.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 45.2 mln vs 37.6 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 88 cts vs 76 cts\n      Net 36.7 mln vs 28.7 mln\n      Revs 260.4 mln vs 193.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 41.9 mln vs 37.8 mln\n      Note: Net for nine mths includes gains from dispositions of\n  1,783,000 dlrs or four cts a share vs 900,000 dlrs or two cts a\n  share.\n      Avg shrs and shr data restated to reflect three-for-two\n  stock split in January.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TALKING POINT\/FIRST CITY BANCORPORATION <FBT>\n","article":"  First City Bancorporation's sale of 54\n  mln dlrs in oil loans to Prudential-Bache should significantly\n  reduce its energy problems, but the bank's losses are still\n  virtually guaranteed to continue, analysts said.\n      The package of energy loans was sold at book value, so\n  First City did not to show a gain or loss, said bank spokesman\n  James Day. He added it was possible First City would sell more\n  of the bank's remaining 1.4 billion dlrs in oil-related loans\n  to raise cash.\n      The loans had been made by First City to oil producers and\n  to oilfield service and supply companies. Day said some had\n  already been classified as nonperforming, or charged off as a\n  loss, but he could not identify how many were included in those\n  categories.\n      The loans were purchased by Prudential Bache's Energy\n  Growth Fund, a limited partnership created last month with 90\n  mln dlrs in funding to invest in oil and gas properties.\n      First City, the big Texas bank hit hardest by the downturn\n  in oil prices, lost a record 402 mln dlrs in fiscal year 1986\n  and has said it is seeking a merger partner or some other\n  capital assistance. The Houston-based bank's nonperforming\n  assets totaled 897.1 mln dlrs at yearend, up from 563.1 mln\n  dlrs at the end of 1985\n      Analysts have said no buyer is likely to be interested in\n  the troubled bank unless government assistance is available.\n      \"Their problems are not just limited to energy. They have a\n  substantial portfolio in real estate. This sale in and of\n  itself won't make the company look better to a potential\n  buyer,\" said Ray Archibold, a banking analyst with McCarthy,\n  Crisanti and Maffei Inc.\n      \"It does reduce the bank's exposure in energy loans and 54\n  mln dlrs is a substantial amount,\" Archibold said, \"but the\n  deal represents only about four pct of their energy loans.\"\n      Of First City's total loan portfolio of 9.9 mln dlrs, about\n  14 pct or 1.4 billion dlrs were made to energy producers or\n  suppliers, analysts said. Its record losses have been caused by\n  its past status as one of the nation's top lenders to oil and\n  gas producers and suppliers during the boom days of the late\n  1970s and early 1980s.\n      First City said about half of the loans sold to Prudential\n  came from its Energy Finance Co., an entity formed in 1982 to\n  loan money to \"more venturesome\" oil borrowers that promised a\n  higher potential return. The other half of the loans were from\n  First City's lead bank in Houston.\n      Chris Kotowski, an analyst with Oppenheimer and Co., said\n  the sale of the package of energy loans was the first\n  encouraging news from First City in months.\n      \"It's not going to solve all of First City's problems but\n  it's a good transaction for them. It may be possible for them\n  to sell additional loans,\" Kotowski said. \"Prudential can fund\n  these things more cheaply than First City and there's an\n  incentive to invest in troubled energy companies right now as\n  values are depressed\"\n      In a statement, First City chairman J.A. Elkins said the\n  bank's strategy was to reduce the proportion of energy loans to\n  total loans. \"This move, which we believe is the first\n  transaction of its kind, helps us further, and we were able to\n  make it without suffering a loss.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUNSHINE MINING CO 4TH QTR SHR LOSS 64 CTS VS LOSS 57 CTS\n","article":"\n  SUNSHINE MINING CO 4TH QTR SHR LOSS 64 CTS VS LOSS 57 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"20-MAR-1987\n","article":"  20-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GRACO INC <GGG> VOTES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 15 cts vs 15 cts prior qtr\n      Pay 6 May\n      Record 8 April\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AUDIO\/VIDEO <AVA> SUES OVER CYCLOPS <CYL> BID\n","article":"  Audio\/Video Affiliates Inc said it\n  has filed suit against <Dixons Group PLC>, Cyclops Corp,\n  Alleghany Corp <Y> and others in connection with Dixons'\n  recently completed tender offer in which it raised its\n  ownership of Cyclops to 56 pct.\n      The company said the suit, filed in U.S. District Court for\n  the Southern District of Ohio, seeks a temporary restraining\n  order and preliminary injunction requiring Dixons, for 10\n  business days, to permit any Cyclops shareholder who previously\n  tendered and now wishes to withdraw to do so.\n      The company said the order and injunction would also\n  prohibit Dixons from exercising a \"lockup\" option granted it by\n  Cyclops and prohibit Dixons for 10 business days from\n  attempting to exercise any control over Cyclops.\n      Audio\/Video said the suit also requests the court to order\n  Cyclops to immediately provide to all potential bidders for\n  Cyclops all information given to Dixons.\n      Audio\/Video and Citicorp <CCI> have been tendering for all\n  Cyclops shares in a competing offer at 80.00 dlrs per share but\n  said it could raise its bid to 92.50 dlrs under certain\n  circumstances.  Dixons offered 90.25 dlrs in its tender.\n      In February Alleghany agreed to buy Cyclops' steel and\n  nonresidential construction business for 111.6 mln dlrs in cash\n  and the assumption of liabilities.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DIXONS SAYS SEC MOVING ON CYCLOPS <CYL> TENDER\n","article":"  <Dixons Group PLC> said the \n  Securities and Exchange Commission has authorized, but not\n  commenced, the filing of an action against it concerning its\n  waiver of a condition in its tender offer for Cyclops Corp.\n      Dixons has offered to buy about 80 pct of Cyclops shares.\n  The SEC action deals with a waiver by Dixons of a condition in\n  the tender offer which was made without an appropriate\n  extension of the offer, Dixons said.\n      Dixons also said it is currently discussing the matter with\n  the SEC. The SEC has a standing policy of never confirming\n  or denying investigations or upcoming legal action.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SUNSHINE MINING CO <SSC> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 64 cts vs loss 57 cts\n      Net loss 34.9 mln vs loss 22.1 mln\n      Revs 31.5 mln vs 60.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 60.1 mln vs 45.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 2.27 dlrs vs loss 1.66 dlrs\n      Net loss 103.2 mln vs loss 57.6 mln\n      Revs 129.8 mln vs 169.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 51.2 mln vs 38.1 mln\n      NOTE: Per share results after preferred dividend\n  requirements of 3.3 mln dlrs vs 3.5 mln dlrs in quarter and\n  12.9 mln dlrs vs 5.7 mln dlrs in year\n      1986 4th qtr loss includes accruals, writedowns and\n  non-recurring charges aggregating 13.9 mln dlrs including costs\n  anticipated in 1987 for the reopening of the Sunshine Mine and\n  a writedown of the capitalized costs at the Sixteen-to-One Mine\n  by 4.2 mln dlrs\n      1986 year loss includes charges totaling 100 mln dlrs\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SCAT HOVERCRAFT INC <SCAT> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss not given\n      Net loss 1,300,000\n      Sales 3,300,000\n      NOTE: Company incorporated in June 1985.\n      Fourth quarter loss 895,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NESTLE SA <NESZ.Z> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Div 145 Swiss francs per share and 29 francs per\n  participation certificate (unchanged)\n      Net 1.79 billion vs 1.75 billion\n      Shr 526 vs 515\n      Turnover 38.05 billion vs 42.23 billion\n      Addition to reserves 170 mln vs 95 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PEOPLES BANCORPORATION <PEOP> QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 25 cts vs 25 cts\n      Pay April 24\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTHEAST BANKING CORP <STB> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 22 cts vs 22 cts prior\n      Pay April 10\n      Record March 30\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BALANCE COMPUTER CORP 3RD QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss one ct vs profit five cts\n      Net loss 34,496 vs profit 207,165\n      Rev 102,691 vs 297,813\n      Nine months\n      Shr profit one ct vs profit five cts\n      Net profit 69,018 vs profit 230,188\n      Rev 641,823 vs 666,319\n      NOTE: The company was delisted from the NASDAQ in November\n  1985. Third qtr 1986 net includes extraordinary credit of\n  76,400 dlrs, or four cts a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"RECOMMENDATION REITERATED ON WANG LABS <WANB>\n","article":"  Analyst Thomas McCrann of Merrill\n  Lynch said he reiterated a \"buy\" recommendation of Wang\n  Laboratories Inc, noting that a successful cost cutting\n  campaign could reduce the earnings loss expected for the third\n  quarter ending in March.\n      Wang was the most actively traded stock on the American\n  Stock Exchange, rising 3\/4 to 16-5\/8.\n      McCrann said that \"Wang is a little bit ahead of where they\n  were expected to be in their cost reductions, and as a result,\n  the odds have increased that the loss for the quarter will be\n  less than had been expected.\"\n      McCrann said he expects Wang to report break even earnings\n  per share or only a small loss per share for the third quarter.\n      He said for the year, however, the company should report a\n  loss of about 50 cts a share compared with earnings of about 35\n  cts a share a year ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FED SAYS IT SETS 1.5 BILLION DLRS OF CUSTOMER REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS\n","article":"\n  FED SAYS IT SETS 1.5 BILLION DLRS OF CUSTOMER REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN, BRITAIN DISAGREE ON TELECOM MERGER\n","article":"  Cable and Wireless Plc <CAWL.L> is\n  resisting attempts to merge two Japan-based telecommunications\n  firms in the hope that overseas political pressure will force a\n  change in those plans, a company executive said.\n      Cable and Wireless, which holds a 20 pct stake in one of\n  the two Japanese firms, is opposed to plans to reduce its share\n  to three pct in the merged firm, director of corporate strategy\n  Jonathan Solomon told reporters.\n      That plan, put forward by a senior member of the powerful\n  business organization Keidanren with the tacit backing of the\n  Post and Telecommunications Ministry, has caused a storm of\n  protest from abroad that Japan is seeking to exclude foreign\n  firms from a meaningful position in the market.\n      Pacific Telesis Group <PAC.N> of the United States also\n  holds a 20 pct stake in one of the newly formed consortia,\n  <International Digital Communications Inc> (IDC).\n      Solomon said that both British Prime Minister Margaret\n  Thatcher and U.S. Secretary of State George Schultz have\n  written to the Japanese government about the planned merger.\n      A key U.S. Senate committee, Commerce Secretary Malcolm\n  Baldrige and Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter have also\n  expressed opposition to the merger, he said.\n      The Post and Telecomunications Ministry reiterated again\n  that it sees no need for two competitors to <Kokusai Denshin\n  Denwa Co Ltd>, which holds a monopoly on international calls\n  from Japan. The ministry has also suggested that foreign\n  shareholders not hold managerial positions in the new firm.\n      In an attempt to hammer out an agreement, Solomon today met\n  Fumio Watanabe, the senior Keidanren officer trying to arrange\n  the merger. But the two sides remained deadlocked.\n      At stake is C and W's 400 mln dlr project to lay fibre\n  optic cables between Japan and Alaska, to form part of its\n  global network.\n      \"C and W wants to start right away on the project, such as\n  application and other procedures,\" said Watanabe, who is also\n  chairman of <Tokio Marine and Fire Insurance Inc>. The Japanese\n  side is saying that the decision on such a plan should be left\n  with the new firm, after the merger.\n      \"These decisions (on the merger) were made in consideration\n  of Japan's economic conditions and legal systems. I told him we\n  are not a colony or something,\" said Watanabe.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WINTHROP INSURED MORTGAGE II <WMI> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 35 cts vs 35 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 31\n      NOTE: Winthrop Insured Mortgage Investors II.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GERMAN MONEY SUPPLY GROWTH SLOWS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  West Germany's money supply growth\n  slowed in February after January's sharp rise but the trend is\n  still definitely upward, the Bundesbank said in a statement.\n      Growth in the traditionally broad M3 aggregate was only\n  moderate in February. While cash in circulation, deposits with\n  statutory withdrawal notice and sight deposits grew sharply,\n  short-term time deposits fell after expanding unusually\n  strongly in January.\n      In the six months to February, M3, which excludes holdings\n  of German non-banks abroad, grew at a seasonally adjusted\n  annual rate of 8.5 pct after 9.8 in the six months to January.\n      Compared with February 1986, M3 rose 7-1\/2 pct.\n      In the six months to February, M2, which excludes time\n  deposits with statutory withdrawal notice, rose at a seasonally\n  adjusted annual rate of 8.8 pct and M1, which consists of cash\n  and sight deposits, rose seven pct.\n      International transactions of non-banks again led to a\n  significant inflow of funds, the Bundesbank said.\n      Net claims of commercial banks and the Bundesbank against\n  foreigners, refecting these foreign payments, increased by 9.1\n  billion marks in February, little changed from January's rise.\n      But in contrast to January, the dampening effect of the\n  inflow on domestic credit demand outweighed the expansionary\n  effect on money growth, the Bundesbank said.\n      Outstanding bank credits to companies and private\n  individuals remained virtually unchanged in February.\n      A sharp drop in short-term company credits, which reflected\n  the foreign funds inflow, was balanced by a moderate rise in\n  long-term credits and a sharp rise in credits for securities.\n      At the end of February total bank credits to the private\n  sector were 4-1\/2 pct above the February 1986 level.\n      The effect of public authority cash movements on the money\n  supply was slightly expansive, the Bundesbank said.\n      Although banks acquired large amounts of public authority\n  paper, public authorities drew down book credits at commercial\n  banks and the Bundesbank.\n      Capital formation strengthened in February and slowed money\n  supply growth to a larger extent than in January.\n      A total of 7.7 billion marks in long-term funds was placed\n  with banks after 6.6 billion the previous month.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ENTEX ENERGY DEVELOPMENT LTD <EED> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 15 cts vs 15 cts prior\n      Pay May 29\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FED ADDS RESERVES VIA CUSTOMER REPURCHASES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve entered the U.S.\n  Government securities market to arrange 1.5 billion dlrs of\n  customer repurchase agreements, a Fed spokesman said.\n      Dealers said Federal funds were trading at 6-1\/16 pct when\n  the Fed began its temporary and indirect supply of reserves to\n  the banking system.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" EC SAYS U.S. BROKE TRADE RULES IN AKZO-DUPONT ROW\n","article":"  The European Community Commission has\n  charged the United States with breaking international trade\n  rules by excluding Dutch-made fibres from the U.S. Market and\n  said it would take the issue to the world trade body GATT.\n      In the latest of a series of trade disputes with\n  Washington, the executive authority alleged that a section of\n  the U.S. Tariff Act was incompatible with the GATT (General\n  Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) because it discriminated\n  against imported products in favour of domestically-produced\n  goods.\n      The Commission said it would ask Geneva-based GATT to rule\n  on whether the section in question, which officials said had\n  proved a barrier to many EC exporters, conformed to its rules.\n      Commission officials did not rule out retaliatory measures\n  if, after a GATT decision against it, Washington failed to\n  bring the disputed section into line with international rules.\n      The executive's decision to go to GATT follows a complaint\n  to it by the Dutch company Akzo <AKZO.AS>, whose \"aramid\"\n  synthetic fibres have been banned from the U.S. Market because\n  of charges by the U.S. Firm <Dupont> that the fibres violate\n  the American company's patents.\n      Akzo alleged that the ban, imposed by the U.S.\n  International Trade Commission (ITC), was discriminatory and\n  incompatible with GATT provisions.\n      The dispute centres on the fact that section 337 of the\n  U.S. Tariff Act gives the ITC jurisdiction  over imported\n  products. The EC Commission charged that EC producers did not\n  have the same possibilities for defending themselves before the\n  ITC as they would have in a normal U.S. Court.\n      \"Consequently the procedure followed...Is less favourable\n  than that which takes places in normal courts of law for goods\n  produced in the United States,\" it said in a statement.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. AGENCY TO ALLOW U.S. AIR TO BUY 51 PCT OF PIEDMONT PENDING FINAL OKAY OF MERGER\n","article":"\n  U.S. AGENCY TO ALLOW U.S. AIR TO BUY 51 PCT OF PIEDMONT PENDING FINAL OKAY OF MERGER\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FINAL TEST INC <FNLT> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss six cts vs loss 88 cts\n      Net loss 128,141 vs loss 1,298,377\n      Sales 1,332,218 vs 385,146\n      Year\n      Shr profit six cts vs loss 1.47 dlrs\n      Net profit 120,571 vs loss 2,171,011\n      Sales 4,617,034 vs 2,959,141\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HOUSTON METALS' MINE YIELDS POSITIVE RESULTS\n","article":"  <Houston Metals Corp> said the\n  the first phase of the underground rehabilitation, extensive\n  drilling and bulk sampling program at its Silver Queen Mine has\n  yielded positive results.\n      Houston said representative assays from the 2,750 ft and\n  2,600 ft levels at the south end of the mine established ore\n  deposits in the following ranges: copper, 3.7 pct to 5.08 pct,\n  lead .99 pct to 1.5 pct, zinc six pct to 9.6 pct, silver 15.63\n  pct to 79.92 oz per ton, gold .062 to .19 oz per ton, germanium\n  93 to 103 grams per ton, gallium five to 18 grams per ton.\n      In addition, Houston Metals said the weighted average of 25\n  diamond-drilled holes 375 ft below the 2,600 foot level and 800\n  ft along the strike assayed gold at .237 oz per ton, silver at\n  10.91 oz per ton and zinc at 8.99 pct.\n      An apparent parallel vein structure at the 2,600 ft level\n  returned similar values, the company said.\n      It added that preliminary metallurgical tests from\n  representative bulk ore samples indicate the commercial\n  feasability of producing a zinc and a copper-lead concentrate.\n      Houston Metals said gold, silver and the base metals have\n  recoveries of 90 pct to 95 pct, with 95 pct of gold recovered\n  from better gold ores, while gallium, germanium and indium have\n  recoveries of between 66 pct to 82 pct and are included in the\n  zinc concentrate.\n      The company's 1987 program of diamond drilling, underground\n  drifting and metallurgical evaluation is scheduled to start on\n  April.\n      Houston Metals said it has a 60 pct interest in the Silver\n  Queen mines.\n      It added that funds for the program have been provided by\n  First Exploration Fund, a Canadian limited partnership\n  sponsored by Merrill Lynch Canada Inc and Dominion Securities\n  Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MICHIGAN NATIONAL CORP <MNCO> VOTES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 30 cts vs 30 cts prior qtr\n      Pay 15 April\n      Record 1 April\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CPL REIT <CNTRS> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 24 cts\n      Net 412,737\n      Revs 605,321\n      Year\n      Shr 93 cts\n      Net 1,577,892\n      Revs 2,345,261\n      NOTE: Full name CPL Real Estate Investment Trust.\n      Company was formed Dec 30, 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUTOCLAVE ENGINEERS INC <ACLV> QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div four cts vs four cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 31\n  .\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"WASTE MANAGEMENT AMENDS CHEMLAWN OFFER, RAISING IT TO 35 DLRS A SHARE FROM 33 DLRS\n","article":"\n  WASTE MANAGEMENT AMENDS CHEMLAWN OFFER, RAISING IT TO 35 DLRS A SHARE FROM 33 DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN MOTORS SAID DIRECTORS TOOK NO ACTION ON CHRYSLER PROPOSAL, POSTPONES ANNUAL MEETING\n","article":"\n  AMERICAN MOTORS SAID DIRECTORS TOOK NO ACTION ON CHRYSLER PROPOSAL, POSTPONES ANNUAL MEETING\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WASTE MANAGEMENT<WMX> HIKES CHEMLAWN <CHEM> BID\n","article":"  Waste Management Inc said it\n  amended its offer to buy the outstanding shares of ChemLawn\n  Corp to 35 dlrs a share.\n      On Thursday the company said it was prepared to bid 33 dlrs\n  a share, up from its original 27 dlrs a share offer.\n      As a result of the price increase, made through Waste\n  Management's wholly owned subsidiary, WMX Acquisition Corp, the\n  offer has been extended and the withdrawal rights will not\n  expire at midnight EDT April Two, unless further extended.\n      Waste Management also said it amended its offer to provide\n  that the tender offer price will not be reduced by ChemLawn's\n  10 cts a share dividend payable to holders of record April 1,\n  1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ENTEX ENERGY DEVELOPMENT LTD <EED> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Unit loss 4.36 dlrs vs loss 4.27 dlrs\n      Net loss 37.4 mln vs 32.9 mln\n      Revs 19.3 mln vs 30.3 mln\n      Avg units 8,413,000 vs 7,557,000\n      Note: Net includes writedown of oil and gas properties of\n  21.0 ln dlrs vs 16.5 mln dlrs and writedown of geothermal\n  property of 10.4 mln dlrs vs 10.5 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. SAYS USAIR <U> MAY BUY 51 PCT OF PIEDMONT\n","article":"  The Department of Transportation\n  said it will allow USAIR Group to acquire up to 51 pct of\n  Piedmont Aviation <PIE> voting stocks pending final approval of\n  the proposed merger of the two airlines.\n      The agency said the stock would have to be held in a voting\n  trust controlled by an independent trustee.\n      An agency spokesman said that if USAIR, which has proposed\n  to buy all of Piedmont shares, controls more than 51 pct of the\n  firm's outstanding stock, it will have one week to sell those\n  excess shares.\n      USAIR asked the Department of Transporation earlier this\n  month to approve a voting trust.\n      An agency spokesman said this is a device that airlines use\n  to get majority control of a company it is trying to acquire\n  while their application before the government is pending\n  approval.\n      The spokesman said the firm had asked the transporation\n  agency permission to buy all of Piedmont's voting stock, the\n  but agency decided to give approval for 51 pct of shares.\n      The spokesman said agency action on the proposed merger\n  application could take as long as six months.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"USDA NOT PLANNING ANY MAJOR PRICING CHANGES\n","article":"  The Agriculture Department is not\n  considering any major changes in its pricing system for posted\n  county prices, an Agriculture Department offical said.\n      \"We do not have current plans to make any major adjustments\n  or changes in our pricing,\" said Bob Sindt, USDA assistant\n  deputy administrator for commodity operations.\n      U.S. grain traders and merchandisers said earlier this week\n  USDA might act soon to reduce the cash corn price premium at\n  the Gulf versus interior price levels by dropping ASCS posted\n  prices to encourage interior PIK and roll movement.\n      But Sindt denied USDA is planning any such changes.\n      \"If people are suggesting that we are going to make\n  wholesale changes in pricing, we are not considering this,\" he\n  said.\n      Sindt, however, did not rule out the possiblity of\n  implementing more minor changes in its pricing system.\n      \"We are continually monitoring the whole nationwide\n  structure to maintain its accuracy,\" he said. \"If we become\n  convinced that we need to make a change, then appropriate\n  adjustments will be made.\"\n      Sindt acknowledged that concern has been voiced that USDA's\n  price differentials between the New Orleans Gulf and interior\n  markets are not accurate because of higher than normal barge\n  freight rates.\n      He said commodity operations deputy administrator Ralph\n  Klopfenstein is currently in the midwest on a speaking tour and\n  will meet with ASCS oficials in Kansas City next week.\n      Sindt said a number of issues will be discussed at that\n  meeting, including the current concern over the gulf corn\n  premiums.\n      He defended the USDA differentials, saying that these price\n  margins reflect an average of prices throughout the year and\n  that seasonal factors will normally cause prices to increase or\n  decrease.\n      The USDA official also said that only those counties that\n  use the Gulf to price grain are being currently affected by the\n  high barge freight tariffs and increased gulf prices.\n      When asked if the USDA emergency storage program which\n  allows grain to be stored in barges was taking up barge space\n  and accounting for the higher freight rates, Sindt discounted\n  the idea.\n      He said USDA has grain left in only about 250 barges and\n  that, under provisions of the program, these all have to be\n  emptied by the end of March.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AFFILIATED PUBLICATIONS TO BUY BILLBOARD PUBLICATIONS  FOR 100 MLN DLRS\n","article":"\n  AFFILIATED PUBLICATIONS TO BUY BILLBOARD PUBLICATIONS  FOR 100 MLN DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMC <AMO> TAKES NO ACTION ON CHRYSLER <C> BID\n","article":"  American Motors Corp said its directors\n  reviewed a Chrysler Corp merger proposal but took no action on\n  it.\n      The company said its directors met in New York today at a\n  regularly scheduled meeting. The board's review is continuing\n  with the company's independent legal and financial advisers,\n  American Motors said in a statement issued from New York.\n      American Motors' board voted to postpone its annual\n  shareholders meeting scheduled for April 29 in Southfield,\n  Michigan.\n      The next regularly scheduled meeting of American Motors\n  board will be April 29, although it is expected that directors\n  will meet again prior to that date, according to the statement.\n      Early last week, Chrysler said it agreed to buy the 46.1\n  pct interest owned by Regie Nationale des Usines Renault in\n  American Motors and acquire the balance of American Motors in a\n  transaction valued at 1.11 billion dlrs.\n      Later that week, AMC said it had retained financial and\n  legal advisers and expected to meet periodiocally over the next\n  several weeks to consider the proposal.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NESTLE SEEKING AUTHORISATION FOR CERTIFICATE ISSUE\n","article":"  Nestle SA <NESZ.Z> said it\n  would seek shareholder approval to issue participation\n  certificates up to 20 pct of share capital, instead of the\n  current limit of 10 pct.\n      It said it wanted this authorisation in view of future\n  certificate issues. Nestle's nominal capital amounts to 330 mln\n  Swiss francs.\n      Nestle reported net profits of 1.79 billion francs for\n  1986, up 2.2 pct from 1985, while turnover fell 9.9 pct to\n  38.05 billion as the Swiss franc strengthened against other\n  currencies.\n      The parent company's net profit rose to 666.6 mln francs\n  from 592.9 mln in 1985, and the company planned an unchanged\n  dividend of 145 francs per share and 29 francs per certificate\n  after placing 170 mln francs in reserves, against 95 mln last\n  year.\n      The payout represented 27.6 pct of group net profit,\n  against 28.2 pct last year.\n      Nestle said it had also invited Fritz Leutwiler, former\n  president of the Swiss National Bank and currently chairman of\n  BBC AG Brown Boveri und Cie <BBCZ.Z>, to join the Nestle board.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEW YORK BANK DISCOUNT WINDOW BORROWINGS 64 MLN DLRS IN FEB 25 WEEK\n","article":"\n  NEW YORK BANK DISCOUNT WINDOW BORROWINGS 64 MLN DLRS IN FEB 25 WEEK\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REPUBLIC AUTOMOTIVE PARTS <RAUT> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 85 cts vs loss 88 cts\n      Net loss 2,410,000 vs loss 2,466,0000\n      Revs 24.0 mln vs 23.9 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.18 dlrs vs loss 81 cts\n      Net loss 3,338,000 vs loss 2,275,000\n      Revs 101.4 mln vs 112.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GATT TO DEBATE U.S. CHARGES OF AIRBUS SUBSIDIES\n","article":"  The U.S. Will pursue its complaint that\n  European governments unfairly subsidise the Airbus Industrie\n  aircraft consortium in proceedings at the GATT civil aircraft\n  committee, a GATT spokesman said today.\n      The U.S. Presented its case for the first time to the\n  aircraft committee of the General Agreement on Tariffs and\n  Trade (GATT) during a special two-day session ending today.\n  GATT rules cover some 80 pct of world commerce.\n      The 20-member committee agreed to open debate on the U.S.\n  Complaint, starting with informal consultations and then\n  holding a special session in July, trade officials said.\n      \"The tension has eased,\" the permanent trade ambassador of\n  the 12-member European Community Tran Van Thinh told reporters.\n  \"The U.S. Has decided to go through proper channels.\"\n      U.S. Trade officials again made clear their anger over what\n  they call unfair government support for Airbus, voiced during a\n  visit to European capitals in February.\n      In a letter calling for the special committee meeting,\n  Washington charged France, West Germany, the U.K., Spain and\n  the EC Commission with unfair practices on behalf of Airbus.\n      The U.S. Charges that the Europeans are violating rules\n  laid down in the 1979 Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft.\n      Washington presented its reading of rules on inducement to\n  purchase aircraft and support for development of airlines\n  during the special session and asked the committee to confirm\n  its view.\n      Official sources in the delegations said the U.S. Views\n  would be considered during the informal consultations but the\n  Europeans would also be free to bring up any complaints against\n  American civil aircraft practices.\n      Some delegates said the U.S. Position appeared to give such\n  broad interpretation to the rules as to suggest that the civil\n  aircraft accord needed re-negotiating. All these matters would\n  be considered during the informal meetings.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LEADING ECONOMISTS CALL FOR MORE GROWTH ABROAD\n","article":"  A panel of four leading economists\n  told a congressional hearing today that foreign economies will\n  need to expand to avoid recession as the U.S. trade deficit\n  declines.\n      C. Fred Bergsten, a former senior Treasury Department\n  official, and Robert Solomon of the Brookings Institution told\n  the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the major exporting\n  countries risk recession if they do not expand because U.S.\n  demand for imports is expected to fall.\n      \"They need to beef up domestic demand as their trade\n  surplus falls,\" or unemployment will keep growing, Bergsten\n  said.\n      Bergsten predicted the U.S. trade deficit, which hit 169\n  billion dlrs last year, will fall 30-40 billion dlrs a year for\n  the next two years as a result of the dollar's 35-40 pct\n  decline since September 1985.\n      The government should intervene to push the dollar down\n  further if the previous declines do not lead to an improvement\n  in the trade picture, if the U.S. budget deficit is not reduced\n  and if foreign expansion does not occur, he added.\n      Solomon said the dollar must fall further to compensate for\n  the huge interest payments required on U.S. foreign debt. The\n  Paris agreement between the major industrialized countries\n  provided only for a pause in its decline, he said.\n      Rimmer de Vries, senior vice president of Morgan Guaranty\n  Trust Co., said the U.S. trade deficit problem is a problem of\n  lagging growth in industrial economies, prolonged currency\n  misalignment, debt problems of the developing countries, and\n  unbalanced growth in the Asian industrializing countries.\n      John Makin of the American Enterprise Institute, suggested\n  foreign tax cuts to increase demand and pick up the slack from\n  the U.S. trade deficit fall.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MONFORT OF COLORADO INC 2ND QTR SHR 1.03 DLRS VS 1.34 DLRS\n","article":"\n  MONFORT OF COLORADO INC 2ND QTR SHR 1.03 DLRS VS 1.34 DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN MONEY SUPPLY M-1 FALLS 1.16 BILLION DLRS IN WEEK, BANK OF CANADA SAID               \n","article":"\n  CANADIAN MONEY SUPPLY M-1 FALLS 1.16 BILLION DLRS IN WEEK, BANK OF CANADA SAID               \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NO FORCE MAJEURE ON LEAD FROM CAPPER PASS\n","article":"  U.K. Smelter Capper Pass denied rumours\n  that the company had declared, or was about to declare, force\n  majeure on lead deliveries.\n      This followed trader talk on the London Metal Exchange,\n  LME, after broker bids were made at increased premiums for\n  Capper Pass brand material.\n      Traders said some slight production problems seem to exist\n  but are unlikely to have any impact on the market. Lead values\n  on the LME today were unchanged around 299 stg per tonne for\n  three months delivery after thin business in a one stg range.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REALMERICA CO <RACO> YEAR NOV 30 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit four cts vs loss 16 cts\n      Net profit 155,383 vs loss 577,336\n      Note: Net includes tax credit of 51,226 dlrs or one ct per\n  share.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AFFILIATED PUBLICATIONS <AFP> TO BUY BILLBOARD\n","article":"  Affiliated Publications Inc said it\n  agreed to acquire all the outstanding stock of <Billboard\n  Publications Inc> for 100 mln dlrs in cash from a shareholder\n  group led by <Boston Ventures Limited Partnership.>\n      Affiliated, which owns the company that publishes the\n  Boston Globe, said the acquisition will give it a strong\n  position in the growing market for specialty magazines.\n      Under a separate agreement, Affiliated said that certain\n  members of Billboard's management plan to buy up to 10 pct of\n  the equity in Billboard following Affiliated's acquisition of\n  the company.\n      Billboard publishes eight specialty magazines, including\n  Billboard magazine, and 15 annual directories. It also\n  publishes and distributes speciality books under four imprints\n  and operates two book clubs.\n      Affiliated is the parent company of Globe Newspaper Co,\n  publisher of the Boston Globe. It also has interests in\n  cellular telephone and paging services providers.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FIRM HAS ALLEGHENY INT'L <AG> PREFERRED STAKE\n","article":"  Spear, Leeds and Kellogg, a New York\n  brokerage partnership, said it has acquired 136,300 shares of\n  Allegheny International Inc's 11.25 dlr convertible preferred\n  stock, or 7.1 pct of the total outstanding.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Spear Leeds said it bought the stake for 11.7 mln dlrs as part\n  of its normal trading activities.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WTD INDUSTRIES <WTDI> SAWMILL OFFER REJECTED\n","article":"  WTD Industries Inc said its\n  offer to buy the bankrupt Harris Pine sawmill in Pendleton,\n  Oregon was rejected by the bankruptcy court trustee.\n      The company said the bid was rjected in favor of a higher\n  offer.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CELINA <CELNA> SHAREHOLDERS APPROVE SALE\n","article":"  Celina Financial Corp said\n  shareholders at a special meeting approved a transaction in\n  which the company transferred its interest in three insurance\n  companies to a wholly owned subsidiary which then sold the\n  three companies to an affiliated subsidiary.\n      It said the company's interests in West Virginia Fire and\n  Casualty Co, Congregation Insurance co and National Term Life\n  Insurance Co had been transferred to First National Indemnity\n  Co, which sold the three to Celina Mutual for cash, an office\n  building and related real estate.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GROUP HAS 5.1 PCT OF UNICORP AMERICAN <UAC>\n","article":"  Two affiliated New York investment\n  firms and an investment advisor told the Securities and\n  Exchange Commission they have acquired 555,057 shares of\n  Unicorp American Corp, or 5.1 pct of the total outstanding.\n      The group, which includes Mutual Shares Corp, said it\n  bought the stake for 5.3 mln dlrs for investment purposes and\n  has no intention of seeking control of Unicorp American.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN MONEY SUPPLY FALLS IN WEEK\n","article":"  Canadian narrowly-defined money supply\n  M-1 fell 1.16 billion dlrs to 32.94 billion dlrs in week ended\n  March 11, Bank of Canada said.\n      M-1-A, which is M-1 plus daily interest chequable and\n  non-personal deposits, fell 1.31 billion dlrs to 75.39 billion\n  dlrs and M-2, which is M-1-A plus other notice and personal\n  fixed-term deposit fell 1.01 billion dlrs to 177.70 billion\n  dlrs.\n      M-3, which is non-personal fixed term deposits and foreign\n  currency deposits of residents booked at chartered banks in\n  Canada, fell 1.29 billion dlrs to 216.33 billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"REVLON BUYS GERMAINE MONTEIL COSMETICS FROM BEECHAM GROUP FOR UNDISCLOSED TERMS\n","article":"\n  REVLON BUYS GERMAINE MONTEIL COSMETICS FROM BEECHAM GROUP FOR UNDISCLOSED TERMS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"REVLON <REV> BUYS BEECHAM'S COMSMETICS UNIT\n","article":"  Revlon Group Inc said it bought\n  Germaine Monteil's cosmetics business in the U.S. from the\n  Beecham Group PLC.\n      Terms of the sale were not disclosed.\n      The sale includes the rights to Germaine Monteil in North\n  and South America and in the Far East, as well as the worldwide\n  rights to the Diane von Furstenberg cosmetics and fragrances\n  lines and the U.S. distribution rights to Lancaster beauty\n  products.\n      Meanwhile in London a statement from Beecham said the\n  business was sold to Revlon for 2.5 mln dlrs in cash and a\n  royalty payment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MONFORT OF COLORADO INC <MNFT> 2ND QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ended Feb 28\n      Shr 1.03 dlrs vs 1.34 dlrs\n      Net 4,385,000 vs 5,792,000\n      Revs 474.4 mln vs 381.4 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr 2.46 dlrs vs 2.71 dlrs\n      Net 10.5 mln vs 11.7 mln\n      Revs 906.0 mln vs 757.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GEODOME RESOURCES <GOEDF> TO PROCEED WITH MINE\n","article":"  Geodome Resources Ltd\n  said based on a feasibility study of its Sunbeam Mine it will\n  proceed with contruction and pre-production stripping as\n  rapidly as possible.\n      The company said eight of nine holes drilled on the new ore\n  zone have an average grade of 0.046 ounces of gold per ton and\n  2.1 ounces of silver per ton.\n      The deposit is 400 to 500 yards from the newly designed\n  Sunbeam pits, has large tonnage and will be drilled off this\n  summer, the company said.\n      The study said ore reserves including dillution were\n  3,302,000 tons at 0.77 ounces of gold per ton at a cut off\n  grade of 0.026 ounces per ton and stripping ratio of 4.24 to\n  one.\n      It said gold production will average 41,000 ounces per year\n  for the mine life and 99,000 ounces of silver per year.\n      It said gold production in the first three years should\n  average 50,000 ounces per year.\n      Operating costs are expected to average 201 dlrs per ounce\n  of gold for the mine life and 171 dlrs per ounce in the first\n  three years.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MARK IV CORRECTS AGREEMENT WITH BAIRD <BATM>\n","article":"  Mark IV Industries Inc <IV>, which\n  has said it may consider a bid to seek control of Baird Corp,\n  said Baird has not agreed to hold off on any defensive measures\n  without giving Mark IV at least 24 hours notice.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Mark IV corrected a statement it made yesterday in another SEC\n  filing in which it listed several agreements reached with\n  Baird, including that Baird would not take any anti-takeover\n  steps without providing at least 24 hours notice.\n      Mark IV said it was later told by Baird that Baird had\n  given no such assurance.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GENERALE DE BANQUE, HELLER BUY FACTORING UNIT\n","article":"  Generale de Banque SA <GENB.BR> and\n  <Heller Overseas Corp> of Chicago have each taken 50 pct stakes\n  in factoring company SA Belgo-Factors, Generale de Banque said\n  in a statement.\n      It gave no financial details of the transaction. SA\n  Belgo-Factors' turnover in 1986 was 17.5 billion Belgian\n  francs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<OSHAWA GROUP LTD> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 52 cts vs 51 cts\n      Net 16.5 mln vs 16.2 mln\n      Revs 870.2 mln vs 800.7 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.48 dlrs vs 1.29 dlrs\n      Net 47.3 mln vs 41.0 mln\n      Revs 3.53 billion vs 3.10 billion\n      Avg shrs 31,867,658 vs 31,831,050\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PAN AM CORP 4TH QTR LOSS 197.5 MLN DLRS VS PROFIT 241.4 MLN DLRS\n","article":"\n  PAN AM CORP 4TH QTR LOSS 197.5 MLN DLRS VS PROFIT 241.4 MLN DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"S-K-I LTD <SKII> 2ND QTR JAN 25 NET\n","article":"  Shr 81 cts vs 57 cts\n      Net 3,660,273 vs 2,437,914\n      Revs 28.5 mln vs 23.1 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr 29 cts vs 12 cts\n      Net 1,325,755 vs 483,559\n      Revs 31.7 mln vs 26.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VIRCO MANUFACTURING CORP <VIR> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ended Jan 31\n      Shr 67 cts vs 69 cts\n      Net 1,525,000 vs 1,570,000\n      Revs 41.2 mln vs 40.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.75 dlrs vs 1.54 dlrs\n      Net 4,001,000 vs 3,522,000\n      Revs 172.3 mln vs 168.7 mln\n      Note: figures include losses from discontinued operations\n  in qtr of 309,000 dlrs, vs 253,000 dlrs a year earlier and for\n  the year of 309,000 dlrs vs 1,559,000 dlrs a year ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COOPER <CBE> ASKS FTC TO END ACQUISITION LIMITS\n","article":"  Cooper Industries Inc asked the\n  Federal Trade Commission to vacate a 1979 order that requires\n  the company to get FTC approval before making certain\n  acquisitions, the FTC said.\n      The order was issued as part of a settlement of FTC charges\n  that Cooper's merger with Gardner-Denver Co would lessen\n  competion and increase concentration in the gas compressor and\n  industrial air tool industries, the FTC said.\n      The order requires that, until 1989, Cooper must get FTC\n  approval before acquiring companies in the natural gas\n  compressor or hand-held industrial pneumatic tool businesses.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"THOMPSON MEDICAL CO INC <TM> DECLARES QTLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 30\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEW ENGLAND ELECTRIC SYSTEM <NES> TWO MONTHS NET\n","article":"  ended February\n      Shr 69 cts vs 66 cts\n      Net 37.7 mln vs 34.9 mln\n      Revs 255.8 mln vs 288.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 54.7 mln vs 53.2 mln\n      12 mths ended Feb\n      Shr 3.23 dlrs vs 3.17 dlrs\n      Net 174.8 mln vs 166.3 mln\n      Revs 1.4 billion vs 1.5 billion\n      Avg shrs 54.1 mln vs 52.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DILLARD DEPT STORES INC <DDS> DECLARES QTLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div three cts vs three cts prior\n      Pay May 1\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PAN AM CORP <PN> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.44 dlrs vs profit 1.79 dlrs\n      Net loss 197.5 mln dlrs vs profit 241.4 mln\n      Revs 797.3 mln vs 906.7 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr loss 3.42 dlrs vs profit 45 cts\n      Net loss 462.8 mln vs profit 51.8 mln\n      Revs 3.04 billion vs 3.48 billion\n      Note: Net includes special charges of 65 mln dlrs vs\n  special gain of 341 mln dlrs for the qtr and year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FTC EASES ALLIED-SIGNAL <ALD> UNIT RESTRICTIONS\n","article":"  The Federal Trade Commission said it\n  eased a requirement that Allied-Signal Inc's Allied Corp\n  subsidiary get prior FTC approval before making certain\n  acquisitions in the high-purity acid market.\n      The FTC said it ended the prior approval requirement\n  because Allied no longer has businesses covered by the order.\n  Other restrictions still apply, it said.\n      The restrcitions stem from a 1983 order by the FTC settling\n  charges that Allied's 1981 acquisition of Fisher Scientific Co\n  reduced competition in three high-purity acid markets.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SAN JUAN BASIN ROYALTY <SJT> HIKES DISTRIBUTION\n","article":"  Cash distribution 4.2621 cts vs 3.2384 cts prior\n      Pay April 14\n      Record March 31\n      NOTE: Company's full name is San Juan Basin Royalty Trust.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SHL SYSTEMHOUSE INC <SHKIF> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 23 cts vs nine cts\n      Net 5,700,000 vs 1,920,000\n      Revs 35.5 mln vs 19.8 mln\n      1st half\n      Shr 41 cts vs 17 cts\n      Net 10.0 mln vs 3,100,000\n      Revs 69.3 mln vs 36.7 mln\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for two-for-one stock split approved\n  in December 1986.\n      Net includes tax credits of 2,970,000 dlrs vs 980,000 dlrs\n  in quarter and 5,210,000 dlrs vs 1,590,000 dlrs in half.\n      Backlog 230 mln dlrs vs 147 mln dlrs at start of fiscal\n  year and 148 mln dlrs at the end of the first quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.K. LEAD AND ZINC OFFTAKE RISES IN JANUARY\n","article":"  U.K. Consumption of lead and zinc in all\n  forms during January rose to 26,314 and 18,778 tonnes, from\n  24,967 and 17,929 tonnes respectively in December, latest\n  figures by the World Bureau of Metal Statistics (WBMS) show.\n      Refined lead consumption rose to 23,992 tonnes from 23,194,\n  while scrap offtake was 2,322 tonnes against 1,773.\n      Slab zinc consumption was 14,257 tonnes against 14,190\n  during December, while offtake of scrap and re-melted metal was\n  4,521 tonnes against 3,739.\n      Meanwhile production of refined lead in January rose to\n  28,188 tonnes from 23,693 in December, but slab zinc production\n  fell to 4,490 tonnes from 5,793, the WBMS figures showed.\n      Stocks of slab zinc totalled 14,780 tonnes, down from\n  December's 15,008.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PHOTRONIC LABS INC <PLAB> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 10 cts vs seven cts\n      Net 249,143 vs 175,476\n      Sales 3,034,010 vs 2,745,288\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PERMIAN BASIN ROYALTY <PBT> HIKES DISTRIBUTION\n","article":"  Cash distribution 3.9737 cts vs 3.0577 cts\n      Pay April 14\n      Record March 31\n      NOTE: Trust's full name is Permian Basin Royalty Trust.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"UNIVERSAL RESOURCES <UVR>HOLDERS APPROVE MERGER\n","article":"  Universal Resources Corp said its\n  shareholders approved the merger of the company with Questar\n  Corp <STR>.\n      Separately, Universal said it will redeem its 15.75 pct\n  debentures due December 15, 1996, on April 19, at 104.8 pct of\n  face amount plus accrued interest.\n      Universal said it will operate as a wholly owned unit of\n  Questar under its current name. Under terms of the merger,\n  which took effective today, Universal said its shareholders\n  will receive three dlrs a share in cash.\n      It said its stock will no longer trade on the AMEX.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ENDOTRONICS <ENDO> HALTED PENDING NEWS RELEASE\n","article":"  Endotronics Inc, halted at 1-3\/4 on\n  NASDAQ pending release of a news report, on Monday said it was\n  expecting \"substantial losses\" for the quarter ending March 31,\n  1987 and the fiscal year ending Sept 30, 1987.\n      The company had cited a dispute over payment by Yamaha Inc,\n  one of its Japanese distributors, over payment of a promissory\n  note for 3,686,000 dlrs in overdue accounts.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC <TXN> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 50 cts vs 50 cts prior\n      Pay April 20\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SOUTHEAST BANKING CORP <STB> DECLARES QTLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 22 cts vs 22 cts prior\n      Pay April 10\n      Record March 30\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FTC URGES VETO OF GEORGIA GASOLINE STATION BILL\n","article":"  The Federal Trade Commission said\n  its staff has urged the governor of Georgia to veto a bill that\n  would prohibit petroleum refiners from owning and operating\n  retail gasoline stations.\n      The proposed legislation is aimed at preventing large oil\n  refiners and marketers from using predatory or monopolistic\n  practices against franchised dealers.\n      But the FTC said fears of refiner-owned stations as part of\n  a scheme of predatory or monopolistic practices are unfounded.\n  It called the bill anticompetitive and warned that it would\n  force higher gasoline prices for Georgia motorists.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ARMSTRONG WORLD <ACK> UNIT BUYS PLANT\n","article":"  Armstrong World Industries\n  Inc said its Gilliam Furniture affiliate has purchased a\n  130,000 square foot building in Troutman, N.C., for undisclosed\n  terms.\n      It said the new plant is expected to be in operation before\n  year-end and and will more than double Gilliam's production\n  capacity for upholstered furniture.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HUDSON'S BAY CO YEAR OPER SHR PROFIT 32 CTS VS LOSS 1.23 DLRS\n","article":"\n  HUDSON'S BAY CO YEAR OPER SHR PROFIT 32 CTS VS LOSS 1.23 DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COOK UNITED INC EXPECTS LOSS OF 16 MLN DLRS FOR FISCAL 1987\n","article":"\n  COOK UNITED INC EXPECTS LOSS OF 16 MLN DLRS FOR FISCAL 1987\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"HUDSON'S BAY CO HAD 1986 WRITEDOWN OF 40.4 MLN DLRS MAINLY ON STAKE IN DOME PETROLEUM\n","article":"\n  HUDSON'S BAY CO HAD 1986 WRITEDOWN OF 40.4 MLN DLRS MAINLY ON STAKE IN DOME PETROLEUM\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.N. Conference formally adopts new International Natural Rubber Agreement - chairman\n","article":"\n  U.N. Conference formally adopts new International Natural Rubber Agreement - chairman\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"YORK FINANCIAL CORP <YFED> DECLARES QTLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 17 cts vs 17 cts prior\n      Pay May five\n      Record April 20\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COOK UNITED INC IN TALKS TO SELL STAKE TO PRIVATE INVESTORS\n","article":"\n  COOK UNITED INC IN TALKS TO SELL STAKE TO PRIVATE INVESTORS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COMBINED INT'L <PMA> RAISES PAYOUT, VOTES SPLIT\n","article":"  Combined International Corp said its\n  board voted to increase the quarterly dividend  7.1 pct to 60\n  cts a share from 56 cts payable May 26, record May 12.\n      It said directors also approved a two-for-one stock split,\n  subject to approval by shareholders of a proposed capital stock\n  amendment at the annual meeting in April. The record and pay\n  dates would be announced later, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN CABLESYSTEMS <ACN> TO BUY CABLE SYSTEM\n","article":"  American Cablesystems Corp said\n  it agreed in principal to buy a cable television system in Los\n  Angeles County from Heritage Communications Inc <HCI> for 15.5\n  mln dlrs.\n      The company said the system being purchased serves about\n  12,000 subscribers in the towns of Compton, South El Monte,\n  Hawaiian Gardens and the communities of Willowbrook, Athens,\n  Firestone, Florence and East Compton.\n      It said the acquisition will bring to seven the number of\n  cable systems it owns, manages or has agreed to buy in the Los\n  Angeles area.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"YORK FINANCIAL <YFED> SPLITS STOCK\n","article":"  York Financial Corp, parent company\n  of York Federal Savings and Loan Association, said its board of\n  directors declared a five-for-four stock split in the form of a\n  25 pct stock dividend.\n      The company said it will distribute the split on May 5, to\n  shareholders of record April 20.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CHEMLAWN <CHEM> HAS NO COMMENT ON NEW OFFER\n","article":"  ChemLawn Corp said it had no comment\n  on a sweetened offer from Waste Management Inc <WMX>.\n      Waste Management amended its 27 dlr per share tender offer,\n  raising it to 35 dlrs per share.\n      ChemLawn had rejected Waste Management's earlier 27 dlr per\n  share offer, saying it was an undervalued bid. ChemLawn earlier\n  told its shareholders not to tender to Waste Management.\n      ChemLawn rose 1-7\/8 to 36 in over-the-counter trading.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ESSO SAF <ESSF.PA> YEAR ENDED DEC 31 1986\n","article":"  Net profit 305 mln francs vs 258 mln.\n      Net dividend 25 francs vs 20 francs.\n      Operating loss 696 mln francs vs 1.46 billion.\n      Note - The company, which is the French subsidiary of Exxon\n  Corp. <XON.N>, said its net profit result included the\n  reintegration of 1.2 billion francs of provisions for exchange\n  fluctuations.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FERRO CORP <FOE> SETS JOINT VENTURE\n","article":"  Ferro Corp said it has formed a\n  joint venture with Paris-based Alsthom Inudstrial Group to\n  export U.S. epxertise in specialty composite materials to the\n  European market.\n      Ferro said although the airframe and aerospace industries\n  are the prime users of composite materials today, it plans to\n  develop applications for the ground transportation and\n  industrial markets in the near future.\n      Ferro also announced it has agreed to purchase CompositAir,\n  a developer of composit materials applications, for an\n  undisclosed sum.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PAN AM'S <PN> MAIN UNIT TO REPORT SMALLER LOSS\n","article":"  Pan Am Corp said its largest division,\n  the Atlantic, will report a first quarter loss that will be\n  substantially lower than that reported a year ago.\n      In the 1986 1st qtr, Pan Am reported a net loss of 118.4\n  mln dlrs, which included foreign exchange losses of 19.3 mln.\n  The company did not say how much the Atlantic division lost.\n      Pan Am also said it is encouraged by passenger traffic\n  results so far this year as well as booking trends.\n      In January and February, the airline said total systemwide\n  revenue passenger miles were up five pct and 11 pct,\n  respectively, over the same months last year.\n      It also said that based on current trends, its largest\n  division should report vastly improved second-quarter traffic\n  compared to last year, which resulted in a load factor of 45.7\n  pct for the second quarter of 1986.\n      Pan Am also said its principal subsidiary, Pan American\n  World Airways, had a 1986 net loss of 469.3 mln dlrs, compared\n  with a profit of 38.7 mln dlrs in 1985, which included a gain\n  of 341 mln dlrs for the sale of its Pacific Division. It said\n  the airline's operating loss for the year was 325.5 mln dlrs\n  compared with a operating profit of 196.5 mln dlrs in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COOK <CCF> TO POST LOSS, SELL STAKE\n","article":"  Cook United INc said it expects\n  to report a loss a loss of 16 mln dlrs, before an extraordinary\n  credit of 44 mln dlrs resulting from its Chapter 11\n  reorganization, on sales of 217 mln dlrs for the year ended\n  January 31, 1987.\n      For 1986, Cook reported a loss of 30.8 mln dlrs on sales of\n  257 mln dlrs for the prior year.\n      Cook also said it began preliminary talks with private\n  investors looking to buy a stock position in order to provide\n  Cook with additional cash and assist its posture in its\n  negotation with its banks.\n      Cook is negotiating with its bank lenders and private\n  sources for a borrowing facility to relieve its current working\n  capital requirements.\n      Cook said it believes the reasons for its losses since\n  OCtober have been identified and are mostly non-recurring.\n      Shutting down 12 unprofitable stores since November has   \n  effectuated cost controls and improved merchandising, it said.\n      It anticipates the turnaround will contine and that\n  profitability with be restored. Cook now operates a total of 29\n  stores.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ENDOTRONICS <ENDO> TARGET OF INVESTIGATION\n","article":"  Endotronics Inc said it is the\n  target of a formal private investigation by the Securities and\n  Exchange Commission as well as the Federal Bureau of\n  Investigation.\n      The company also said its independent accounts, Peat,\n  Marwick, Mitchell and Co, served notice that its report on\n  Endotronics' financial statements as of Sept 30, 1986 and for\n  the year then ended should no longer be relied upon.\n      Endotronics said the notice from its accountants stated \n  \"we cannot satisfy ourselves as to the true facts of the\n  situation to a degree necessary to continue to be associated\n  with such consolidated financial statements.\"\n      Endotronics recently reported that it was reviewing the\n  need to establish a reserve for all or a portion of\n  approximately 3,686,000 dlrs in overdue accounts receivable and\n  to assess the impact, if any, on prior period financial\n  statements in light of a dispute with one of its Japanese\n  distributors over payment of the overdue accounts.\n      Endotronics said it was providing documentation to the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with that\n  agency's investigation.\n      It also said Michael Gruenberg resigned from the company's\n  board of directors.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"UN CONFERENCE FORMALLY ADOPTS NEW RUBBER PACT\n","article":"  A new International Natural Rubber\n  Agreement, INRA, was formally adopted by a United Nations\n  Conference today.\n      The new accord is due to replace the current one, which\n  expires in October.\n      Conference chairman Manaspas Xuto of Thailand said the\n  formal adoption represented \"a historic moment.\"\n      The latest round of talks, which began March 9, represented\n  the fourth attempt to negotiate a new INRA in nearly two years.\n  Xuto described the negotiations as \"by no means easy, and we\n  often faced problems.\"\n      The new pact is due to enter into force provisionally when\n  ratified by countries accounting for 75 pct of world net\n  exports and 75 pct of net imports.\n      The new INRA will enter into force definitively when\n  governments accounting for at least 80 pct of net exports and\n  80 pct of net imports have ratified it.\n      It will be open for signature from May 1 to December 31\n  this year.\n      It is expected that provisional entry into force will take\n  at least 12 to 14 months from now, delegates said.\n      During the hiatus between the two agreements buffer stock\n  operations will be suspended, but the International Natural\n  Rubber Council will remain in place.\n      Xuto told the conference both the 1979 agreement and its\n  successor were aimed at meeting the needs of producers and\n  consumers of natural rubber over the long term.\n      Both had interest in stabilising prices and supplies, Xuto\n  added. He also praised \"the spirit of 'give' and 'take' that\n  prevailed throughout this session.\"\n      Ahmed Farouk of Malaysia, speaking on behalf of producers,\n  said the conclusion of the new pact showed that the mutuality\n  of interests between producers and consumers is now as valid as\n  it was when negotiations of the first agreement began in the\n  1970s.\n      Farouk said the ability to manage inventories on the basis\n  of predictable stable prices is \"a vital consideration for\n  multinational tire companies, whether or not consuming\n  countries as a whole claimed to be no longer so seriously\n  concerned about security of the rubber supply.\"\n      He said producers considered that the 1979 agreement had\n  served the purpose for which it was created.\n      Farouk urged consuming countries to promote early accession\n  to the new pact \"to avoid an undue gap between the old and the\n  new.\n      Gerard Guillonneau of France, speaking for consumers,\n  agreed that the 1979 agreement had worked relatively well.\n      But as economic conditions had changed, he said, consumers\n  had been led to make proposals for improving its functioning.\n      He added that the adoption of the new agreement \"attests to\n  the importance of rubber and confidence in the rubber industry.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ADVANCED INSTITUTIONAL <AIMS> CUTS WORKFORCE\n","article":"  Advanced Institutional Management\n  Software Inc said it has cut its workforce to 53 from 74 and\n  closed its Atlanta office to cut expenses and improve\n  profitability.\n      The company said it is also in the process of reducing its\n  office space in four of its six offices nationwide.\n      Advanced also said it has named executive vice president\n  Steven B. Sheppard chief operating officer.\n      The company said president and chief executive officer\n  Morris Moliver had been chief operating officer as well.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SUN STATE SAVINGS <SSSL> SEES HIGHER EARINGS\n","article":"  Sun State Savings and Loan\n  expects to report an earnings increase this year over 1986,\n  Chairman Edward Janos told shareholders at the company's annual\n  meeting.\n      In a statement, Janos said core earnings are expected to\n  average 1.5 mln dlrs per quarter, or six mln dlrs for the year,\n  while sales of real estate joint ventures will add another five\n  mln during the year.\n      In 1986, Sun State reported earnings of 9,427,000 dlrs, or\n  2.05 dlrs per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ATT <T> CHAIRMAN SAYS DIVIDEND WILL NOT BE CUT\n","article":"  American Telephone and Telegraph Co does\n  not plan to reduce its regular quarterly dividend of 30 cts a\n  share on its common stock, said James E. Olson, chairman.\n      \"It has been the intent to set the dividend at a level so\n  that it could be sustained through the ups and downs of the\n  business cycle,\" Olson told a meeting of securities analysts.\n      \"We see no reason to change that policy,\" he said.\n      Although ATT will maintain its current dividend, Olson said\n  the company wants to decrease the percentage of earnings paid\n  in dividends by increasing earnings.\n      Industry analysts had speculated that ATT might cut its\n  common dividend, especially after the company posted a fourth\n  quarter net loss of 1.17 billion dlrs and earned only five cts\n  a share for the full year.\n      The loss included a one-time restructuring charge of 1.7\n  billion dlrs.\n      Olson said he expects ATT's cash flow to remain strong\n  despite the poor earnings.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MAJOR TIN CENTERS PARALYSED BOLIVIA UNION SAYS\n","article":"  A strike by 9,000 miners employed by the\n  state corporation Comibol has paralysed tin production in the\n  major centers of Huanuni, Corocoro, Siglo, Catavi and Colquiri,\n  the Conflicts Secretary of the Bolivian Miners Federation,\n  Cristobal Aranibar, told Reuters.\n       The strike began at midnight to press demands for higher\n  wages and more funds for the nationalised mining industry.\n       The miners federation left the door open to negotiations\n  with the government but \"only if the authorities show their\n  intention to find solution to our demands\", Aranibar said.\n      The government of president Victor Paz Estenssoro, faced\n  with mounting social unrest against its economic policies, has\n  said the miners strike was part of a campaign to discredit it\n  during the visit of West German president, Richard von\n  Weizsaecker, who arrives today for a four-day official visit.\n      The government froze salaries as part of its efforts to\n  pull Bolivia out of a deep economic crisis. According to\n  central bank forecasts inflation will reach an annual 10 pct\n  rate versus up to 20,000 pct in 1985.\n       In addition to the miners' strike, about 1,000 railway\n  factory workers of the bolivian labour organization (COB) began\n  a second day of a hunger strike in the country's main cities to\n  press for substantial wage increases, a union leader said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECHLIN INC 2ND QTR SHR 24 CTS VS 20 CTS\n","article":"\n  ECHLIN INC 2ND QTR SHR 24 CTS VS 20 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ALLIED-LYONS SEES HIRAM WALKER PROFITS RISING\n","article":"  <Allied-Lyons PLC> sees rising profits\n  from 51-pct-owned liquor producer Hiram Walker-Gooderham and\n  Worts in the current fiscal year ending in early March, 1988,\n  chairman Derrick Holden-Brown said in a speech prepared for\n  delivery to Toronto analysts.\n      \"We anticipate that Hiram Walker profits will be well above\n  those of the plateau years,\" he said, referring to the four\n  years up to 1985.\n      \"In other words, we will have regained the 1985 position\n  and improved on it,\" Holden-Brown said.\n      Allied-Lyons won control of Hiram Walker-Gooderham last\n  year in a battle against Gulf Canada Corp, which finally got a\n  49 pct stake after an out-of-court settlement.\n      Hiram Walker Resources Ltd, the previous owner, reported\n  liquor profits of 282 mln Canadian dlrs in the fiscal year\n  ending Sept. 30, 1985, 278 mln dlrs in 1984, 267 mln in 1983,\n  294 mln in 1982 and 280 mln in 1981.\n      Holden-Brown said Allied-Lyons' financial results for the\n  fiscal year just ended March seven would include three months\n  of Hiram Walker-Gooderham profits, but he did not provide\n  actual figures.\n      He said Hiram Walker-Gooderham's profit improvement in the\n  current year will come from a previously announced\n  reorganization put into effect March 1, 1987 and a close\n  partnership with Allied-Lyons' existing Allied Vintners\n  division.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ECHLIN INC <ECH> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 24 cts vs 20 cts\n      Net 11,784,000 vs 8,302,000\n      Rev 269.1 mln vs 211.9 mln\n      Six months\n      Shr 48 cts vs 40 cts\n      Net 23,191,000 vs 16,556,000\n      Rev 517.5 mln vs 429.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN CAN SEES HIGHER 1ST QTR, YR NET\n","article":"\n  AMERICAN CAN SEES HIGHER 1ST QTR, YR NET\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<HUDSON'S BAY CO> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  ended January 31\n      Oper shr profit 3.98 dlrs vs profit 4.35 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 123.6 mln vs profit 108.3 mln\n      Revs 1.88 billion vs 1.76 billion\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 32 cts vs loss 1.23 dlrs\n      Oper net profit 33.0 mln vs loss 9,055,000\n      Revs 5.69 billion vs 5.27 billion\n      Note: 1986 excludes writeoff of 40.4 mln dlrs, primarily\n  due to investment in Dome Petroleum Ltd <DMP>.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<GENDIS INC> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 53 cts vs 61 cts\n      Net 9,909,000 vs 11,489,000\n      Revs 185.9 mln vs 161.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.20 dlrs vs 1.37 dlrs\n      Net 22,522,000 vs 25,667,000\n      Revs 588.5 mln vs 521.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<BIFLYX> 2ND QTR DEC 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr nil vs nil\n      Net profit 24,000 vs loss 66,000\n      Revs 235,000 vs 93,000\n      Six mths\n      Shr nil vs nil\n      Net profit 40,000 vs loss 153,000\n      Revs 394,000 vs 99,000\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"IBC PRESIDENT LEAVES FOR PRODUCER MEETING - IBC\n","article":"  Jorio Dauster, president of the\n  Brazilian Coffee Institute, IBC, left Brazil early today to\n  attend a weekend meeting of Latin American coffee producers in\n  Managua, an IBC official said.\n      Carlos Brasil, an adviser to the IBC president, said\n  Dauster had left Rio de Janeiro for Managua early this morning.\n      There were rumours on the London coffee market earlier\n  today that Dauster would not attend the meeting.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MOUNTAIN VIEW ACQUIRES MARATECH COMMUNICATIONS\n","article":"  (Mountain View Investment\n  Corp), Phoenix, Ariz., said it acquired Maratech Communications\n  Cos Inc.\n      Under terms of the transaction, the present directors of\n  Mountain View have resigned and have elected directors of\n  Maratech as new directors of Mountain View.\n      It said a combined shareholders' meeting will soon be held\n  to vote on the acquisition.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN CAN <AC> SEES HIGHER YEAR NET\n","article":"  American Can Co chairman Gerald Tsai\n  said the company will record higher earnings in the first\n  quarter and for the full year.\n      Addressing analysts, Tsai said \"First quarter results have\n  been extremely encouraging and results for all of 1987 will\n  show significant improvement over 1986.\"\n      American Can earned 196.3 mln dlrs, or 3.21 dlrs per share,\n  adjusted for a two-for-one stock split, in 1986.\n      In the 1986 first quarter, the company reported net income\n  of 67.5 mln dlrs, including one-time gains from sale of assets,\n  or 2.30 dlrs per share, before the stock adjustment.\n      In the 1987 first quarter, American Can will record a\n  one-time gain of 28 cts per share from the sale of shares in\n  its Musicland Group subsidiary. The gain is slightly higher\n  than the expected gain the company predicted in February\n  because additional shares of the unit were sold.\n      In response to a question, Tsai said American Can's\n  investment in Jefferies and Co is \"very small\".\n      \"We treat it as just another passive investment,\" he said.\n  According to press reports, American Can owns 20 pct of\n  Jefferies and is its largest single shareholder.\n      Yesterday, Boyd Jefferies, chairman and founder of the\n  brokerage firm bearing his name, resigned from the firm and\n  said he would plead guilty to two felony charges for breaking\n  securities laws.\n      Responding to another question, Tsai said AIDS-related\n  claims were a small portion of claims made with American Can's\n  insurance subsidiaries in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CENTRAL BANKING SYSTEM INC <CSYS> QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div ten cts vs ten cts\n      Pay April 15\n      Record April 1\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CHARTER-CRELLIN <CRTR> TO ACQUIRE SEBRO PLASTICS\n","article":"  Charter-Crellin Inc said it signed a\n  letter of intent to acquire all outstanding shares of <Sebro\n  Plastics Inc's> capital stock.\n      Charter-Crellin, a molded plastic product maker, said Sebro\n  is a precision molder of engineered specialty plastic products\n  for the automotive industry.\n      The company said the deal is subject to the execution of a\n  definitive purchase agreement.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NEW YORK STATE ELECTRIC <NGE> ENDS ACQUISITION\n","article":"  New York State Electric and\n  Gas Corp said it has terminated its effort to acquire Corning\n  Natural Gas Corp.\n      It cited as reasons the uncertain regulatory climate in New\n  York State and the depresed price of New York State Electric\n  stock which has been caused by the delay in the Nine Mile Point\n  Unit Two nuclear plant.\n      The company had said in December that it had been\n  interested in acquiring Corning Natural Gas.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BLACK HAWK MINING CAN'T EXPLAIN STOCK RISE\n","article":"  <Black Hawk Mining Inc> said it knows\n  of \"no major activities\" to account for the recent rise in the\n  company's stock price.\n      The shares rose 11 cts to 88 cts on the Toronto Stock\n  Exchange yesterday.\n      The company added that its application for its proposed\n  acquisition of <Platinova Resources Ltd> and financings are\n  still before the listing committee of the stock exchange.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SENATOR WANTS STRONGER AIR MERGER REGULATION\n","article":"  The chairman of the Senate antitrust\n  subcommittee said the Transportation Department was allowing\n  too many airline mergers and proposed its authority be\n  transfered to the Justice Department.\n      \"The Transportation Department's antitrust enforcement has\n  been disastrous, permitting rampant merger mania,\" Ohio\n  Democrat Howard Metzenbaum said in a statement.\n      \"The nine largest airlines now control 94 per cent of the\n  market. That's bad for competition and bad for the consumer,\"\n  he said.\n      Metzenbaum said he introduced a bill to transfer antitrust\n  authority over airline mergers to the Justice Department in\n  hopes it would more restrictive than the Transportation\n  Department.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GPU <GPU> SEES TMI-2 FUEL PROBLEMS RESOLVED\n","article":"  General Public Utilities Corp\n  said the water-clarity problem delaying the removal of fuel\n  from the damaged Unit Two of the Three Mile Island nuclear\n  power plant appears to have been resolved.\n      The company said the slower than expected removal of the\n  fuel, which has been primarily due to the water-clarity\n  problems, is now expected to extend fuel removal into 1988.\n      A spokesman said the company had previously expected this\n  to be completed by the end of 1987 and has not estimated how\n  far into 1988 the process will extend. It still expects to\n  complete the entire clean-up by the end of 1988, he added.\n      GPU said its auditors, Coopers and Lybrand, again qualified\n  its opinion of GPU's financial statements, adding the recovery\n  of TMI-2 decommissioning costs to the unresolved issues leading\n  to the qualified opinion.\n      GPU said its operating subsidiaries will seek to recover\n  the costs of decommissioning TMI-2 in future rate proceedings.\n      As in past years, the qualified opinion continues to list\n  other uncertainties associated with the accident, which damaged\n  TMI-2 -- the recovery of cleanup costs and any payments for\n  damages that might exceed available insurance proceeds.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ECHLIN<ECH> EXPECTS CONTINUED PROFIT GROWTH\n","article":"  Echlin Inc said it expects\n  further earnings increases for the second half of fiscal 1987\n  ending in August due to unit sales growth and improved\n  operations.\n      \"As expected, market conditions have improved so that\n  demand for automotive replacement parts is gradually and\n  steadily expanding,\" Echlin president Frederick Mancheski said.\n      Earlier, Echlin reported first half fiscal 1987, ended Feb\n  28, earnings of 23.2 mln dlrs, or 48 cts a share, up from 16.6\n  mln, or 40 cts a share, in the prior year's first half.\n      Also, Echlin said it had second quarter net income of 11.8\n  mln dlrs, or 24 cts per share, compared with net income of 8.3\n  mln dlrs, or 20 cts a share, in fiscal 1986's second quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ATT <T> COST-CUTTING EFFORTS ON TARGET\n","article":"  American Telephone and Telegraph Co\n  chairman James E. Olson said he is very pleased with the\n  company's efforts so far to cut costs.\n      He told a meeting of securities analysts that, although the\n  company is not yet at point in its cost-cutting drive to\n  improve profit margins, it is \"on the right track.\"\n      Olson said ATT's cash flow was \"very strong in the first\n  two months of the year, better than budgeted.\"\n      While Olson does not know if the company's earnings and\n  revenues will improve by yearend, he said ATT is \"moving in the\n  proper direction.\"\n      For 1986, ATT's earnings dropped to 139 mln dlrs, or five\n  cts a share, on revenues of 34.1 billion dlrs, from 1.56\n  billion dlrs, or 1.37 dlrs a share, on revenues of 34.4 billion\n  dlrs in 1985.\n      During 1986 ATT took 3.2 billion dlrs in charges from\n  expenses related to reducing its work force by 32,000.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HUDSON'S BAY WRITEOFF MAINLY DUE TO DOME STAKE\n","article":"  <Hudson's Bay Co> said a writeoff of\n  40.4 mln dlrs, or 1.39 dlrs per share, that it took in 1986 was\n  mainly due to its investment in Dome Petroleum Ltd <DMP>.\n       The company reported an operating profit of 33.0 mln dlrs,\n  or 32 cts per share, for fiscal 1986, compared to an operating\n  loss of 9,055,000 dlrs, or 1.23 dlrs per share, in the previous\n  year.\n       Hudson's Bay holds about four mln shares of Dome's 10 pct\n  series one cumulative subordinate convertible preferred shares.\n      Last March, Dome suspended payment of dividends on all\n  preferred shares until June 1, 1987. The shares give the holder\n  the right to convert to Dome common shares at 3.33 dlrs per\n  share.\n      Dome has the right to force conversion if Dome common\n  reaches 3.885 dlrs per share. Dome is trading at 1.12 dlrs per\n  share, down one ct, today on the Toronto Stock Exchange.\n      Hudson's Bay also said it had an increase in 1986 in retail\n  operating profit to 185.3 mln dlrs from 111.4 mln dlrs, but\n  that was partially offset by an increase of 14.9 mln dlrs in\n  interest costs and 25.3 mln dlrs in taxes.\n       Hudson's Bay also said its Markborough properties\n  subsidiary had an operating profit of 108.6 mln dlrs, up from\n  98.8 mln dlrs the year before.\n      Profit from non-Markborough real estate was 23.5 mln dlrs\n  in 1986, down from 27.6 mln dlrs a year ago.\n      Operating profit from natural resources was 4.2 mln dlrs,\n  up 1.2 mln dlrs from the prior year. Pensions costs were\n  reduced by 34.9 mln dlrs due to an accounting change. Total\n  debt declined during the year by 251 mln dlrs to 2.28 billion\n  dlrs and debt to equity ratio improved to 1.8 to one from 2.1\n  to one.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN OPENS HOME MARKET TO U.S. FISH\n","article":"  Japan has agreed to drop barriers to\n  American-caught herring and pollock, opening the way for\n  shipments that could reach 300 mln dlrs annually, U.S. Trade\n  Representative Clayton Yeutter announced.\n      Yeutter said the accord was reached after extensive\n  bilateral negotiations that ended earlier today in Tokyo.\n      He said the Commerce Department estimated U.S. shipments of\n  processed pollock products and herring should rise to 85 mln\n  dlrs this year and to more than 300 mln dlrs annually in later\n  years.\n      There was no immediate assessment of the value of current\n  U.S. shipments, but officials said the pact would lift quotas\n  to the point that Americans would be able to ship nearly all\n  the pollock and herring ordered by Japanese firms.\n      At the same time, Yeutter said Washington was temporarily\n  suspending a complaint with the General Agreement on Tariffs\n  and Trade (GATT) that Japan was unfairly curbing imports of the\n  two fish.\n      He said the complaint would be reviewed later this year\n  after an assessment to see if Japan lived up to the agreement.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NYMEX RULE CHANGE SEEN BOOSTING ENERGY TRADE\n","article":"  The New York Mercantile Exchange said\n  it will introduce exchanges for physicals (EFPS) to its energy\n  futures markets April one.\n      An exchange spokeswoman said the change will allow oil\n  traders that do not hold a futures position to initiate, after\n  the exchange closes, a transaction that can subsequently be\n  hedged in the futures market.\n      EFPs, already in effect for platinum futures on NYMEX, are\n  expected to increase the open interest and liquidity in U.S.\n  energy futures, according to traders and analysts.\n      The Commodity Futures Trading Commission approved the rule\n  change in February, according to a CFTC spokeswoman.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRST FINANCIAL <FFMC> ACQUIRES TEL-A-DATA\n","article":"  First Financial Management Corp said it\n  acquired the data processing contracts and certain related\n  assets of Tel-A-Data L.P. for about 5.7 mln dlrs cash plus the\n  assumption of certain liabilities of about 2.5 mln dlrs.\n      Tel-A-Data serves about 50 bank and thrift institutions\n  through a processing center in Lombard, Illinois.\n      First Financial offers data processing services to over 800\n  financial institutions through 35 data processing centers.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MCM CORP <MCMC> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div six cts vs six cts prior\n      Pay April 10\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"THACKERAY CORP <THK> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 22 cts vs loss 20 cts\n      Oper net profit 1,013,000 vs profit\n      2,219,000\n      Sales 77.0 mln vs 74.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,107,401 vs 5,361,793\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CONCERN OVER \"EL NINO\" IN PERU - USDA REPORT\n","article":"  There are heightened fears that \"El\n  Nino\" may be returning to Peru with an intensity approaching the\n  1983 disaster, which affected the weather on several continents\n  and caused widespread damage through floods and drought, the\n  U.S. Agriculture Department's officer in Lima said in a field\n  report.\n      Continued heavy rains in the northern coastal area,\n  flooding of several major rivers and mud slides have led to\n  increased concern, the report, dated March 17, said.\n      However, it said official sources still believe that this\n  year's El Nino will have only weak to moderate intensity.\n      EL Nino is a phenomenon involving a shift in winds and\n  waters in the pacific.\n      The USDA report said that so far the El Nino now being\n  experienced has not had an overall negative impact on\n  agricultural production.\n      Excessive rains in the Piura Pima cotton area may reduce\n  yields by about 20 pct due to excessive growth too early in the\n  crop cycle.\n      Also insect damage to crops could be more extensive where\n  excessive moisture exists, it said.\n      However, the El Nino has resulted in a much improved supply\n  of irrigation water in the major dams which will improve\n  prospects for many crucial crops such as rice and corn, and\n  slow the decline in sugar production, it said.\n      If El Nino picks up momentum, Peru's fishing industry could\n  receive a setback. But trade sources still believe the fish\n  catch for industrial processing will reach 5.5 mln tonnes in\n  1987, almost 20 pct above last year, the report said.\n      Water temperatures in the northern fishing areas are three\n  to four degrees centigrade above normal but still not high\n  enough to drive the fish to cooler southern waters, it said.\n      It said there is still the outside chance that El Nino will\n  intensify and carry on through late March, April and May\n  causing problems as crops approach harvest.\n      \"There appears to be no way to project the course of El Nino\n  -- only time will tell,\" the report said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALLIED-LYONS SEES SUBSTANTIAL SECOND HALF GROWTH\n","article":"  <Allied-Lyons PLC> will report\n  substantial growth in the second half of fiscal 1987 ended\n  March 7, chairman Derrick Holden-Brown said in answer to\n  reporters' queries.\n      \"You will certainly see substantial growth in Allied-Lyons\n  in the second half,\" Holden-Brown said following a presentation\n  to Toronto securities analysts.\n      Holden-Brown declined to say whether second half growth in\n  profit before taxes would exceed the 20.7 pct rise reported in\n  the first half. Allied-Lyons had first half profit of 148.0 mln\n  stg, up from 122.6 mln stg in the prior year.\n      Allied-Lyons will also have a full year extraordinary cost\n  of slightly more than seven mln stg for defence costs\n  associated with Elders IXL Ltd's failed take-over bid for the\n  company, Holden-Brown also said.\n      But that cost will be more than offset by an extraordinary\n  gain of about 60 mln stg on Allied-Lyons' sale of its 24.9 pct\n  interest in Australian brewers Castlemaine Toohey, he said.\n      \"So with Australians, you win some and you lose some. But\n  hopefully you win them all in the end,\" Holden-Brown said.\n      Asked if he thought Allied-Lyons is vulnerable to other\n  take-over attempts, Holden-Brown replied: \"No, I don't.\"\n      \"We must never be complacent and we must always be very\n  watchful, but I think we would be very expensive,\" he said.\n      Holden-Brown said Allied-Lyons' share price to corporate\n  earnings ratio is now comparable with other leading companies\n  in the food and beverage industry.\n      \"That was not the case two years ago. If the Australians had\n  come a little bit earlier, they might have had more luck, I\n  think,\" Holden-Brown said.\n      Holden-Brown said Allied-Lyons' move to acquire Hiram\n  Walker-Gooderham and Worts Ltd in March, 1986 during Elders\n  take-over bid for the company was \"100 pct a growth action.\"\n      \"We knew when we did it that it could be misconstrued, and\n  that people almost inevitably would say (the acquisition was)\n  defensive, but it never was,\" Holden-Brown told reporters.\n      Asked by securities analysts if Allied-Lyons plans a share\n  issue in Canada after acquiring a 51 pct interest in Hiram\n  Walker, Holden-Brown responded: \"Plan might be too strong a\n  word. But I must say I do feel the need for Allied-Lyons to be\n  better known in Canada.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. FROZEN ORANGE JUICE STOCKS - MARCH 1  102,618,000 GALLONS VS 97,111,000 YEAR AGO\n","article":"\n  U.S. FROZEN ORANGE JUICE STOCKS - MARCH 1  102,618,000 GALLONS VS 97,111,000 YEAR AGO\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. COLD STORAGE STOCKS - MARCH 1 FROZEN PORK BELLIES - LBS - 34,471,000, VS A REVISED 34,900,000 ON FEB 1 AND 51,218,000 A YEAR AGO.\n","article":"\n  U.S. COLD STORAGE STOCKS - MARCH 1 FROZEN PORK BELLIES - LBS - 34,471,000, VS A REVISED 34,900,000 ON FEB 1 AND 51,218,000 A YEAR AGO.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<DRYCLEAN USA> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 82 cts vs 63 cts\n      Net 1,661,000 vs 1,251,000\n      Revs 14.8 mln vs 11.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COLD STORAGE REPORT FOR BELLIES NEUTRAL\/NEGATIVE\n","article":"  Chicago Mercantile Exchange floor\n  traders' immediate reaction to the cold storage report for pork\n  bellies was neutral to slightly negative.\n      Frozen pork belly stocks at 34.5 mln lbs on March 1\n  compared with a revised 34.9 mln lbs on February 1 for a net\n  out movement of 0.5 mln lbs.\n      The number on hand compared with trade guesses of 33.5 to\n  36 mln lbs and the year ago figure of 51.2 mln lbs.\n      Traders said the figure was toward the upper end of\n  expectations and may provide slight downward pressure because\n  of recent sharp gains in futures.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"BALLY <BLY> SEEN SELLING OFF HEALTH UNIT\n","article":"  Bally Manufacturing Corp's proposed\n  public offering of 24 pct of its Health and Tennis Corp unit is\n  seen as the first step towards the sale of the entire unit,\n  analysts said.\n      \"In the longer-term horizon, Bally wants to concentrate on\n  its gaming businesses,\" said analyst Dennis Forst of Seidler\n  Amdec Securities Inc.\n      Last week, Bally said it was considering the sale of\n  another non-casino unit, its Six Flags amusement park unit,\n  which analysts said could fetch about 300 mln dlrs.\n      Bally spokesman Bill Peltier said \"the company currently\n  has no hard plans to the sell any more of the health club\n  company, but in the long term we'll wait and see how the\n  offering goes.\"\n      Once Bally's biggest revenue producer, the health club unit\n  had 1986 operating income of 60 mln dlrs on revenues of 456.2\n  mln dlrs, 28 pct of Bally's revenues. Analysts estimate the\n  unit could be sold for for 300-500 mln dlrs.\n      Analysts said Bally's decision to offer shares in the unit\n  could be the first step to selling it.\n      \"It would seem obvious that an offering would decrease the\n  health club unit's debt, increase its cash flow and operating\n  income, making it an attractive buy to a third party,\" Steven\n  Eisenberg of Bear Stearns said.\n      On Monday, Bally said it filed with the Securities and\n  Exchange Commission for an initial offering of 24 pct, or 5.8\n  mln shares, of the unit's common stock at 13-15 dlrs a share.\n     About half the proceeds, 40 mln dlrs, will be used to reduce\n  parent Bally Manufacturing's debt which has swelled to 1.6\n  billion dlrs due to recent hotel acquisitions and the purchase\n  of shares from Donald Trump who had threatened a hostile\n  takeover, according to Bally treasurer Paul Johnson.\n      Remaining proceeds from the stock offering and from a\n  separate offering of 50 mln dlrs of 20-year convertible\n  subordinated debt would be used to repay about 75 mln dlrs of\n  short term senior bank debt of the health chain unit, a Bally\n  spokesperson said.\n      Analysts said Bally's health club unit's profits have\n  remained strong, but are skeptical about the industry's long\n  range prospects.\n      \"The fitness club industry, over the last 10 years, has\n  grown tremendously, but the question is whether its a fad or a\n  permanent part of our lifestyle,\" said Eisenberg of Bear\n  Stearns.\n      Analysts said fitness clubs will likely flourish if the\n  public stays at its peak of health consciousness, but that\n  overcapacity is likely to occur as consumer enthusiasm wanes.\n       In addition, \"the returns in the fitness club industry are\n  just not as high as they are in the gaming industry,\" said one\n  analyst.\n       There are about 6,500 fitness clubs in the U.S., excluding\n  clubs run by not-for-profit organizations, according to the\n  Association of Physical Fitness Centers who estimates it to be\n  an 8.0-billion-dlr-a-year industry.\n       Asked if anyone has offered to buy the unit, which is the\n  nation's largest health club chain, Peltier said, \"no one has\n  the money to offer to buy it.\"\n      \"The fitness industry is a fragmented industry with no\n  leader and there is a great opportunity for growth through\n  acquisition and then standardization,\" said Wayne LaChapelle,\n  chief financial officer of Livingwell INc <WELL>, the nation's\n  second largest fitness chain operator whih\n      LaChapelle said Livingwell is always interested in\n  acquisition opportunities but \"could not afford an acquisition\n  the size of Bally at this time.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMMERCIAL CREDIT <CCC> UNIT SELLS DIVISION\n","article":"  Commercial Credit Co said its\n  American Health and Life Insurance Co sold its ordinary life\n  insurance business to American National Insurance Co <ANAT>.\n      American National will assume the business no later than\n  August 31, 1987, Commercial Credit said.\n      The sale is part of a restructuring program begun by\n  Commercial Credit's subsidiary in late 1986, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. REFINERY COPPER STOCKS FALL IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Refined copper stocks held by U.S.\n  refineries fell to 109,200 short tons at the end of January\n  from 145,400 short tons at the end of December, the American\n  Bureau of Metal Statistics reported.\n      Commodity Exchange (Comex) copper stocks climbed to 103,000\n  tons in January from 93,300 tons in December. Combined refinery\n  and Comex stocks eased to 212,200 tons in January\n  from 238,700 tons in December.\n      U.S. refined production declined to 117,600 tons in January\n  from 137,400 tons in December. Crude output increased to 98,600\n  tons in January from 93,300 tons (revised lower) in December.\n      Preliminary figures showed U.S. refined deliveries rose to\n  151,800 tons in January from 124,800 tons in December.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"DELTA SAYS COURT ORDER WILL NOT DELAY MERGER\n","article":"  Delta Air Lines <DAL> said a court\n  order requiring Western Air Lines <WAL> to arbitrate with two\n  of its unions will not delay the April 1 merger between the two\n  airlines.\n      The order, which was issued by the Ninth Circuit Court of\n  Appeals, requires Western to discuss with its two unions\n  whether Western's labor contracts will be binding for Delta,\n  Delta said.\n      \"Nevertheless, the court order could cause significant\n  personnel problems, including the possible delay of wage\n  increases Delta had planned to give the Western personnel on\n  April 1,\" Ronald Allen, Delta's president, said.\n      Delta said it feels the court has erred and should\n  reconsider the order.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ANALYST SAYS USSR WINTER GRAINS HURT BY WEATHER\n","article":"  The Soviet Union's winter grain\n  crop is likely to have suffered losses due to dry planting\n  conditions last fall and severe cold this winter, an analyst of\n  world weather and crop conditions said.\n      Grain analyst and meteorologist Gail Martell, author of the\n  EF Hutton publication \"Global Crop News,\" said in her latest\n  report that the Soviets may import more grain, possibly wheat,\n  from the U.S. due to potential crop damage.\n      \"Compared with last year, the outlook (for the Soviet\n  winter grain crop) is far more pessimistic,\" she said. \"But\n  it's still too early to talk about disastrous losses. A lot\n  will depend on spring weather, not only for the outcome of the\n  troubled winter grain crop, but also for spring planting.\"\n      Martell said the dry weather conditions last fall probably\n  prevented optimal seed germination for winter grains. Key wheat\n  growing areas of the southern Ukraine and North Caucasus\n  received on 25-35 pct of autumn precipitation, she said.\n      The bitter winter cold temperatures -- which broke record\n  lows that had stood for four decades -- also may have taken its\n  toll on Soviet winter crops, she said.\n      However, she noted that most of the southern grain belt had\n  ample snow cover, which should have well-insulated the majority\n  of crop areas from severe frost damage.\n      The USSR has already bought 20 to 21 mln tonnes of grains\n  in the July 1986\/June 1987 marketing year, primarily from\n  Canada, the European Community, Argentina and Australia,\n  Martell said.\n      She cited a number of reasons besides possible crop\n  problems that might point to additional Soviet import demand.\n      Last fall's dry weather may limit livestock grazing on\n  moisture-depleted pastures, while the cold winter weather\n  necessitated supplemental feeding to keep livestock healthy.\n      Martell was also skeptical of a Soviet claim for a 1986\n  grain harvest of 210 mln tonnes, and said the Chernobyl\n  accident may have contaminated more grain than originally\n  thought and have to be made up with imports.\n      However, she said the U.S. remains a supplier of last\n  resort for the Soviet Union, noting that the Soviets have only\n  just recently begun their first U.S. grain purchases of the\n  1986\/87 season by buying 2.25 mln tonnes of corn.\n      Martell cited USDA statistics showing that since the 1980\n  grain embargo the U.S. is only a major supplier of grain to the\n  USSR during years of heavy Soviet demand.\n      In 1984\/85, the U.S. supplied 41 pct of record Soviet grain\n  imports of 55.5 mln tonnes. But in 1985\/86, the Soviet Union\n  bought 29.9 mln tonnes of grain and turned to the U.S. for only\n  24 pct of that total.\n      While the USDA Soviet import target for grain for 1986\/87\n  was 22 mln tonnes, many U.S. grain analysts have revised their\n  estimates of Soviet imports up to 25-28 mln tonnes, she said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INTEGRATED GENERICS <IGN> MAY SELL 10 PCT OF UNIT\n","article":"  Integrated Generics Inc said it\n  is discussing with an unnamed pharmaceutical distributor the\n  sale of 10 pct of its A.N.D.A. Development Corp subsidiary for\n  200,000 dlrs.\n      Integrated said its subsidiary, Biopharmaceutics, is\n  negotiating with the same unnamed distributor to sell it five\n  prescription drugs.\n      The company said it can release no other details at this\n  time.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MEXICO'S RESERVES REACH EIGHT BILLION DLRS\n","article":"  Additional capital inflows of 1.5\n  billion dlrs so far this year have boosted Mexico's reserves to\n  about eight billion dlrs, director of public credit Angel\n  Gurria told reporters.\n      Money has been coming back to Mexico because of improved\n  investor confidence and because a tight monetray policy has\n  forced credit-starved industries to repatriate capital. Inflows\n  totalled a billion dlrs in fourth-quarter 1986.\n      Gurria said Mexico is not accumulating reserves for the\n  sake of it. He said its new loans will increase the pool of\n  funds available for badly needed investment.\n      Once the first tranche of its new six billion dlr loan is\n  drawn down in the second quarter, Mexico will still only have\n  enough reserves to pay for imports and debt service for four or\n  five months, Gurria noted.\n      Nevertheless, Gurria said Mexico does not expect to draw on\n  the commercial banks' 1.2 billion dlr investment-support\n  contingency facility. That money will be available until April\n  1988 if Mexico's export receipts and the price of oil fall\n  below certain levels. But Mexico failed to qualify for the\n  first two drawings totalling 451 mln dlrs, and Gurria said\n  today, \"We expect we'll never have to use it.\"\n      Gurria said Mexico will know by June whether it can draw on\n  the second contingency facility included in the bank financing\n  package - a 500 mln dlr growth co-financing loan with the World\n  Bank.\n      Finance minister Gustavo Petricioli said he had signed\n  yesterday a 250 mln dlr loan with the World Bank to support the\n  development of exports of manufactured goods.\n      He also said the first 250 mln dlr tranche of a one billion\n  dlr loan from the Japanese government to support steel, oil and\n  export promotion will be disbursed at the end of the month.\n      Mexico is also due to make the third drawing from its\n  International Monetary Fund standby credit in the next few days\n  based on a successful review of end-1986 economic results.\n      Petricioli said Mexico is in the final stages of\n  discussions which will determine quantitative economic targets\n  for 1987 which will allow it to continue to draw from the IMF\n  for the rest of 1987.\n      Petricioli reported that Mexico has so far concluded eight\n  bilateral accords with government creditors within the Paris\n  Club.\n      Sixteen governments signed the Paris Club umbrella\n  agreement last September, which restructured 1.8 billion dlrs\n  of official debt, and Petricioli said he hopes to finalize\n  pacts with the remaining eight countries in the next few weeks.\n      In keeping with the spirit of the September agreement, he\n  said all countries from the Organization of Economic\n  Cooperation and Development have continued to provide export\n  credit facilities for Mexico, despite the debt restructuring.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NAVISTAR <NAV> UP ON HIGHER EARNINGS OPINION\n","article":"  Navistar International Corp's stock\n  rose after brokerage house Sanford C. Bernstein and Co raised\n  its earnings estimate of the company based on expectations of\n  better truck orders and truck tonnage, traders said.\n      Navistar led the active list with a gain of 1\/4 to 7-1\/4 on\n  volume of 4.2 mln shares.\n      Traders familiar with the opinion said that David\n  Eisenberg, director of Sanford C. Bernstein and Co's\n  institutional strategy committee, raised his earnings estimates\n  to 80 cts a share for the current fiscal year ending in\n  October. He expects Navistar to earn 1.20 dlrs a share next\n  year. In 1986, the company lost 14 cts a share.\n      Eisenberg was unavailable for comment.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"ICN PHARMACEUTICALS <ICN> SEEKING ACQUISITION\n","article":"  ICN Pharmaceuticals Inc  has\n  about 500 mln dlrs in cash and another 1.50 billion dlrs in\n  available credit, which it intends to use to buy a\n  pharmaceutical company, Chairman Milan Panic said.\n      At the company's annual meeting, he said an acquisition\n  could take place in the next 24 months.\n      \"The company has nearly two billion dlrs available for\n  acquisition today,\" Panic said, adding, \"We are investigating a\n  number of companies.\" One company being studied could possibly\n  be acquired on a friendly basis, he said.\n      Panic also said he intends to seek board approval today to\n  repurchase up to three mln ICN common shares.\n      Discussing the possibility of an acquisition, Panic said\n  the such a purchase is necessary because ICN's current\n  marketing capability would not be sufficient to support\n  distribution of the company's products, given ICN's\n  expectations for market growth worldwide.\n      ICN's principal product is ribavirin, also known as\n  Virazole. The drug is marketed in a number of countries and\n  described as a broad-based anti-viral.\n      The company has said its possible applications include\n  treatment of some types of hepatitis, herpes, influenza,\n  childhood diseases and hemorrhagic fevers.\n      ICN has been the focus of consirable investor attention in\n  recent months because of Virazole, which has undergone clinical\n  trials as a possible treatment of some AIDS-related diseases.\n      Panic said today he would not discuss the drug with regard\n  to AIDS until the Food and Drug Administration completes its\n  review of data submitted by the company.\n      He said an investigation of the drug being conducted by a\n  House Subcommittee is continuing.\n      The subcommittee and the FDA have acknowledged they are\n  conducting separate investigations to determine whether or not\n  ICN witheld data from the FDA on adverse reactions to the drug.\n      Virazole is approved for marketing in the U.S. in aerosol\n  form as a treatment for an infection that strikes infants,\n  called respiratory syncytial virus.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JUSTIN INDUSTRIES INC <JSTN> SETS DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Pay April 10\n      Record March 27\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 150,000 TONNES CORN  CORN SWITCHED FROM UNKNOWN TO USSR FOR 1986\/87\n","article":"\n  U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 150,000 TONNES CORN  CORN SWITCHED FROM UNKNOWN TO USSR FOR 1986\/87\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SCHOLASTIC INC <SCHL> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.55 dlrs vs 70 cts\n      Net 3,409,000 vs 1,455,000\n      Rev 54.1 mln vs 45.3 mln\n      Nine months\n      Shr 1.60 dlrs vs 10 cts\n      Net 3,517,000 vs 211,000\n      Rev 144.4 mln vs 127.0 mln\n      NOTE: Qtr net includes extraordinary gain of 1.2 mln dlrs,\n  versus 155,000 dlrs for fiscal 1986's third quarter, and a\n  non-recurring pre-tax gain of 720,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KLEINWORT BENSON <KBA> UNIT SETS FIRST DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Kleinwort Benson International\n  Investment Ltd's subsidiary, Kleinwort Benson Australian Income\n  Fund, a closed end management investment company, declared its\n  first quarterly dividend of 36.5 cts payable April 16 to\n  shareholders of record April 1.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"G-10 FINANCE OFFICIALS DISCUSS DEBT, CURRENCIES\n","article":"  Deputy Finance Ministers from the Group\n  of 10 leading western industrialised countries met here to\n  discuss the world debt crisis, trade imbalances and currency\n  stability today following last month's Paris monetary accord,\n  sources close to the talks said.\n      The officials met at the offices of the International\n  Monetary Fund (IMF) to discuss broad aspects of world monetary\n  policy in preparation for the IMF's interim committee meeting\n  in Washington in April.\n      The talks were the first high-level international review of\n  the monetary situation since the accord last month reached by\n  the U.S., West Germany, France, Britain, Japan and Canada to\n  stabilise world currency markets at around present levels\n  following the 40 pct slide in the dollar since mid-1985.\n      Other countries represented at today's talks were Italy,\n  which refused to attend last month's meeting on the grounds\n  that it was being excluded from the real discussions, the\n  Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland.\n      Many of the officials had met earlier today and yesterday\n  within the framework of the Organisation for Economic\n  Cooperation and Development (OECD) to review the slow progress\n  being made in cutting the record 170 billion dlr U.S. Trade\n  deficit and persuading West Germany and Japan to open their\n  economies to more foreign imports.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CCC GUARANTEES TO TURKEY SWITCHED TO MEALS-USDA\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation,\n  CCC, has reallocated 15.0 mln dlrs in credit guarantees to\n  Turkey previously earmarked for sales of U.S. oilseeds to\n  provide coverage for sales of U.S. protein meals in fiscal year\n  1987, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      The department said the action reduces the guarantee line\n  authorized for sales of oilseeds to 5.0 mln dlrs from 20.0 mln\n  dlrs and creates the new line for protein meals.\n      All sales under the credit lines must be registered and\n  exports completed by September 30, 1987, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"VERNITRON CORP <VRN> 4TH QTR AND YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 49 cts vs loss 10 cts\n      Oper net loss 3,014,000 vs loss 656,000\n      Revs 22.7 mln vs 23.6 mln\n      12 mths\n      Oper shr loss 19 cts vs profit 40 cts\n      Oper net loss 1,142,000 vs profit 2,476,000\n      Revs 93.3 mln vs 99.0 mln\n      NOTE: qtr 1986 and prior qtr excludes loss discontinued\n  operations 2,441,000 and 4,078,000, respectively.\n      Year 1986 and prior excludes loss discontinued operations\n  3,509,000 and 5,278,000, respectively.\n      qtr and year 1986 excludes tax loss 1,557,000 and loss\n  151,000, respectively.\n      qtr and year prior excludes tax gain 833,000 and 3,346,000,\n  respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GOODY PRODUCTS INC <GOOD> YEAR END OPER NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 1.21 vs 88 cts\n      Oper net 7,767,000 vs 5,494,000\n      Revs 163.7 mln vs 133.5 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 and 1985 oper net excludes a loss of 1,332,000\n  dlrs and a profit of 319,000 dlrs, respectively, for\n  discontinued operations.\n      Earnings per shr are restated to reflect 3-for-2 stock\n  split effective July one, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"VMS MORTGAGE INVESTORS L.P. <VMLPZ> MONTLY DIV\n","article":"  DIst nine cts vs nine cts prior\n      Payable May 14\n      Record April one\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PEPS BOYS-MANNY, MOE AND JACK <PBY> SET PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 5.5 cts vs 5.5 cts prior\n      Pay April 27\n      Record April one.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CCC ACCEPTS EXPORT BONUS ON SEMOLINA TO EGYPT\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation,\n  CCC, has accepted a bid for an export bonus to cover a sale of\n  6,000 tonnes of semolina to Egypt, the U.S. Agriculture\n  Department said.\n      The department said the semolina is for shipment\n  April-October, 1987, and the bonus awarded was 224.87 dlrs per\n  tonne.\n      The bonus was made to International Multifoods Corp and\n  will paid to the exporter in the form of commodities from CCC\n  stocks, the department said.\n      An additional 7,000 tonnes of semolina are still available\n  to Egypt under the Export Enhancement Program initiative\n  announced August 1, 1986, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VMS MORTGAGE INVESTORS <VMTGZ> RAISES PAYOUT\n","article":"  VMS Mortgage Investors LP II said it\n  raised its first quarter 1987 cash dividend to 21 cts from 20\n  cts the prior quarter payable May 14, 1987, to shareholders of\n  record April One, 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"REGENCY CRUISES <SHIP> SELLS SHIP INTEREST\n","article":"  Regency Cruises Inc said it agreed to\n  sell a 40 pct interest in the corporation that owns the M\/V\n  Regent Sea cruise ship for 2.1 mln dlrs to Monmouth\n  International SA, which owns the other 60 pct.\n      The company said it also extended a 1.7 mln dlr secured\n  loan to Monmouth to finance completion of the renovation of\n  another vessel, the M\/V Regent Star, which is scheduled to\n  begin operating in late June.\n      Regency Cruises, which operates both ships, received a\n  five-year extension, to November 1995, to the Regent Sea's\n  original charter agreement, it said. It also received a\n  reduction, to 600,000 dlrs from 1.6 mln dlrs, of its total\n  charter guarantee for the Regent Sea and Regent Star.\n      Regency also reported 1986 earnings of 5,695,000 dlrs or 37\n  cts a share on revenues of 40.9 mln dlrs. It began operations\n  in November 1985.\n      In addition, the company said its bank, Irving Bank Corp\n  <V>, agreed to waive a one mln dlr counter guarantee for the\n  bank to provide a 2.6 mln dlrs guarantee for Regency's Federal\n  Maritime Commission bond.\n      The company said after April 3 the exercise price of its\n  warrants will return to two dlrs until they expire April 21.\n  The price had been reduced to 1.50 dlrs for the three weeks\n  ending April 3.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FREIGHT, INSURANCE PROPOSED FOR CCC SALES - USDA\n","article":"  the U.S. Agriculture Department is\n  proposing to permit coverage of freight cost and marine and war\n  risk insurance for sales  of all agricultural commodities sold\n  on credit terms under the Commodity Credit Corporation's, CCC,\n  credit guarantee programs.\n      The proposal only applies to commodities that are sold by\n  exporters on a cost and freight, C and F, or cost, insurance\n  and freight, CIF, basis, since these costs would be included in\n  the exporter's sale price to the foreign buyer, it said.\n      Under current programs, freight costs can be covered only\n  for export sales of U.S. breeding animals.\n      It asked for comments on the proposal by April 20.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CCC ACCEPTS EXPORT BONUS FOR CATTLE TO EGYPT\n","article":"  The U.S. Commodity Credit\n  Corporation (CCC) has accepted a bid for an export bonus to\n  cover a sale of 186 head of dairy cattle to Egypt, the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department said.\n      The department said the cattle are for delivery May 7-June\n  7, 1987, and the bonus awarded was 1,888.06 dlrs per head.\n      The bonus was made to First Interstate Trading Co and will\n  be paid to the exporter in the form of commodities from CCC\n  stocks, the department said.\n      An additional 7,959 head of dairy cattle are still\n  available to Egypt under the Export Enhancement Program\n  initiative announced September 12, 1986, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CLARK EQUIPMENT <CKL> BUYS 1.3 MLN SHARES\n","article":"  Clark Equipment Co said it has\n  purchased 1,339,000 shares of its common stock from an investor\n  group led by Arthur M. Goldberg for 26.375 dlrs a share.\n      It said the purchase reduces the number of shares of Clark\n  common stock to be purchased under its stock repurchase plan\n  announced March 10. At the time the company said it would buy\n  back 3.0 mln shares, or 16 pct of the outstanding stock.\n       Clark Equipment also said the investor group agreed to\n  enter into a standstill agreement which prohibits members of\n  the group from purchasing shares of voting securities of Clark\n  for 10 years.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"YANKEE COS <YNK> UNIT TO SELL ASSSETS\n","article":"  Yankee Cos Inc's Eskey Inc <ESK>\n  subsidiary said it reached an agreement in principle to sell\n  its Eskey's Yale E. Key Inc subsidiary to a new concern formed\n  by Key's management and a private investor for about 15.5 mln\n  dlrs.\n      As part of sale, Eskey said the buyers will assume the 14.5\n  mln dlrs of publicly held Eskey 10-3\/4 pct debentures due 2003.\n  It said the debentures will continue to be converted into\n  Yankee preferred. The remainder of the price will be a one mln\n  dlr note to Eskey. Yankee said the sale will result in a loss\n  of 1.5 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WENDY'S <WEN> DECLNES COMMENT ON MARKET RUMORS\n","article":"  Wendy's International Inc declined to\n  comment on vague rumors by traders that it might be a takeover\n  target.\n      Wendy's is currently trading up one at 11-3\/4 on turnover\n  of more than 1.6 mln shares.\n      A Wendy's spokesman said it was corporate policy not to\n  comment on market rumors.\n      He further declined to attribute active trading in Wendy's\n  stock to a published report which stated Wall Street\n  professionals believe that Wendy's was possibly being studied\n  by Coca Cola Co (KO) with view to a possible acquisition.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GOODY <GOOD> TO SELL UNIT TO UNION CAMP <UCC>\n","article":"  Goody Products Inc said it entered\n  into an agreement to sell its J. and P.B. Myers packaging\n  business to Union Camp Corp to focus on its consumer products\n  and automated distribution system businesses.\n      Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CHAMPION PARTS<CREB> ASKS DECLARATORY JUDGMENT\n","article":"  Champion Parts Rebuilders Inc\n  said it asked the Federal District Court in Chicago for a\n  declaratory judgment upholding its recent 5.4 mln dlr sale of\n  common shares and warrants to Echlin Inc <ECH>.\n      Champion said in hearings Thursday morning before the\n  federal judge on its lawsuit charging federal securities law\n  violations against Cormier Corp, Odilon Cormier, Morris Navon\n  and other defendants, the Cormier-Navon defendants indicated\n  they would challenge the transaction.\n      Champion's suit claims that various Champion investors\n  alligned themselves with Cormier and Navon who failed to\n  disclose properly under federal laws that they were acting in\n  concert and they intended to spin off parts of the company and\n  sell the balance within two years once they got control.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CYACQ RAISES OFFER FOR CYCLOPS TO 92.50 DLRS\/SHARE FROM 80 DLRS\n","article":"\n  CYACQ RAISES OFFER FOR CYCLOPS TO 92.50 DLRS\/SHARE FROM 80 DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CCL UNIT ACQUIRES NESTLE CANADA CAN OPERATIONS\n","article":"  <CCL Industries Inc>'s Continental Can\n  Canada Inc unit said it acquired the Wallaceburg, Ontario,\n  metal can making operations of Nestle Enterprises Ltd, wholly\n  owned by <Nestle SA>, of Switzerland. Terms were undisclosed.\n      Continental Can said it would supply Nestle's equivalent\n  can requirements under a long-term agreement.\n      Nestle said it decided to stop manufacturing cans \"in order\n  to be in a better position to take full advantage of the\n  changes underway or on the horizon in food packaging\n  technology.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GREAT COUNTRY BANK <GCBK> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends Feb 28\n      Shr 53 cts vs N\/A\n      Net 1,165,000 vs 575,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 1.54 dlrs vs N\/A\n      Net 3,363,000 vs 1,535,000\n      Assets 375.2 mln vs 320.7 mln\n      Deposits 313.8 mln vs 264.2 mln\n      Loans 286.3 mln vs 235.9 mln\n      NOTE: earnings per share data not presented for 1986 as\n  Great Country Bank converted from a mutual to a capital stock\n  savings bank on Jan 14, 1986. Such information is misleading\n  and inappropriate, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. BUSINESS LOANS FALL 660 MLN DLRS IN MARCH 11 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. BUSINESS LOANS FALL 660 MLN DLRS IN MARCH 11 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EC AGREES REDUCTION OF DIESEL EXHAUST EMISSIONS\n","article":"  The European Community (EC) agreed\n  tough new rules to cut diesel exhaust emissions from trucks and\n  buses in an attempt to reduce air pollution threatening vast\n  stretches of the region's forests.\n      Diplomats said EC environment ministers meeting here agreed\n  member states would have to reduce by 20 pct over the next few\n  years the emission of nitrogen oxide, widely seen as the main\n  source of acid rain endangering forests and lakes.\n      The reduction would be compulsory for heavy vehicles, with\n  tougher standards imposed for new models from April 1988 and\n  for all new vehicles from October 1990.\n      The EC's executive Commission says the emission level of\n  nitrogen oxide was expected to drop to 2.4 mln tonnes a year\n  from three mln tonnes within the 12-nation Community if all\n  heavy vehicles applied to the new standards.\n      There are an estimated nine mln lorries and buses in use in\n  the EC, according to Commission figures.\n      The ministers also gave West Germany a go-ahead to move\n  towards a ban on the sale of leaded regular petrol, after Bonn\n  requested permission to do so to encourage the use of\n  low-pollution cars, diplomats said.\n      West Germany will still need ministers' final approval for\n  such a plan. Diplomats said this was expected when EC\n  environment ministers meet next on May 21.\n      But the ministers added that the go-ahead for West Germany\n  did not mean there would automatically follow a Community-wide\n  ban on the sale of regular leaded petrol.\n      Bonn intends to keep leaded premium petrol pumps, diplomats\n  said. They added that, of the 97 mln cars in the EC, only 20\n  mln now ran on regular leaded petrol and these would risk no\n  damage if they switched over to premium leaded petrol.\n      Under EC law, ministers have to give member states special\n  permission if they wish to be exempt from Community competition\n  laws. This would be the case if West Germany were to implement\n  a ban on the sale of leaded regular petrol.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MARCUS <MRCS> VOTES 50 PCT STOCK DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Marcus Corp said its board\n  voted a 50 pct stock dividend to be distributed May 1, record\n  April 15.\n      It said the dividend applies equally to holders of its\n  common stock and Class B common.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VMS MORTGAGE <VMTGZ> CASH DISTRIBUTION RISES\n","article":"  VMS Mortgage Investors L.P. II said it\n  declared a first-quarter 1987 cash distribution of 21 cts a\n  depositary unit, up five pct from the prior quarter.\n      It said the distribution will be payable May 14, record\n  January 1.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUDIO\/VIDEO <AVA>SWEETENS BID FOR CYCLOPS <CYL>\n","article":"  An investment group led by\n  Audio\/Video Affiliates Inc said it raised its tender offer to\n  acquire Cyclops Corp to 92.50 dlrs a share from 80 dlrs a\n  share.\n      The group, Cyacq Acquisition Corp, also said it extended\n  the offer until April three, from March 20.\n      The group said it added several conditions to its offer,\n  including receipt of all non-public information about Cyclops\n  that was provided to <Dixons Group PLC> in connection with\n  Dixon's competing tender offer for Cyclops.\n      Cyacq's sweetened offer, totaling about 398 mln dlrs, tops\n  Dixon's offer of 92.25 dlrs a share, or about 388 mln dlrs.\n      On Wednesday Dixon said it had bought 54 pct of Cyclops'\n  4.3 mln shares outstanding, boosting its stake in the company\n  to 56 pct.\n      Earlier today, however, the Securities and Exchange\n  Commisssion ordered Dixons to extended its tender offer until\n  March 24.\n      Cyacq said it hopes Cyclops shareholders \"will withdraw\n  previously tendered shares from Dixons' tender offer to take\n  advantage of Cyacq's higher offer.\"\n      The SEC's order came after Cyacq filed suit to block Dixons\n  from taking control of Cyclops and to force an extension of\n  Dixons' tender offer.\n      A Cyclops spokeswoman said the company had no immediate\n  comment on the sweetened bid from Cyacq.\n      Cyacq said its new offer is also subject to Cyclops\n  rescinding any agreements with Dixons under which the\n  U.K.-based firm would receive \"break-up fees\" or expenses from\n  Cyclops or could buy Cyclops common stock from the\n  Pittsburgh-based company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EMERALD HOMES <EHP> SETS INITIAL DISTRIBUTION\n","article":"  Emerald Homes L.P. said its\n  general partners declared an initial 30-ct per unit\n  distribution payable May 15 to unitholders of record March 31.\n      Emerald made its initial public offering February 6.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN PORK CONGRESS KICKS OFF TOMORROW\n","article":"  The American Pork Congress kicks off\n  tomorrow, March 3, in Indianapolis with 160 of the nations pork\n  producers from 44 member states determining industry positions\n  on a number of issues, according to the National Pork Producers\n  Council, NPPC.\n      Delegates to the three day Congress will be considering 26\n  resolutions concerning various issues, including the future\n  direction of farm policy and the tax law as it applies to the\n  agriculture sector. The delegates will also debate whether to\n  endorse concepts of a national PRV (pseudorabies virus) control\n  and eradication program, the NPPC said.\n      A large trade show, in conjunction with the congress, will\n  feature the latest in technology in all areas of the industry,\n  the NPPC added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. BUSINESS LOANS FALL 660 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  Business loans on the books of major\n  U.S. banks, excluding acceptances, fell 660 mln dlrs to 277.93\n  billion dlrs in the week ended March 11, the Federal Reserve\n  Board said.\n      The Fed said that business loans including acceptances\n  declined 492 mln dlrs to 280.56 billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JEFFERIES MAKES MARKET IN CYCLOPS <CYL>\n","article":"  Jefferies and Co said it is making a\n  market in the stock of Cyclops Corp at 92-1\/2 to 95.\n      Cyclops received a sweetened offer of 92.50 dlrs per share\n  from Cyacq Acquisition Corp, led by Audio\/Video Affiliates Inc\n  <AVA>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BEI <BEIH> ACQUIRES IVEY-ROWTON AND ASSOCIATES\n","article":"  BEI Holdings Ltd said it acquired\n  Ivey-Rowton and Associates, a Nashville, Tenn.-based bank\n  marketing firm.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LAC MINERALS <LAC> TO CLOSE LAKE SHORE MINE\n","article":"  LAC Minerals Ltd said it will suspend\n  underground mining and exploration at its Lake Shore Mine at\n  Kirkland Lake, Ontario, on April 30, pending results of a\n  surface exploration drilling program.\n      LAC said it does not expect the decision to affect\n  earnings, but 44 employees will be affected.\n      The company said it has completed mining the crown pillar\n  which has produced 71,000 ounces of gold since 1983. In 1986,\n  the mine produced 10,600 ounces. LAC said it will continue\n  surface drilling in 1987 to determine if further underground\n  exploration work is warranted.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SOUTHERN HOME SAVINGS BANK <SHSB> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.86 dlrs vs 1.85 dlrs\n      Net 1,923,304 vs 1,897,998\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BINKS MFG CO <BIN> REGULAR DIVIDEND SET\n","article":"  Qtly div 25 cts vs 25 cts previously\n      Pay April 17\n      Record March 30\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"20-MAR-1987\n","article":"  20-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRM SELLS ENTIRE ALLEGHENY INT'L <AG> STAKE\n","article":"  Southeastern Asset Management Inc\n  and its two controlling shareholders said they sold their\n  entire 5.6 pct stake in Allegheny International Inc.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Southeastern, a Memphis, Tenn. investment advisor, said it sold\n  the entire 604,000-share stake between March 13 and 16 at\n  prices ranging from 24.25 to 24.625 dlrs each.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPANESE FIRM HAS 10.7 PCT OF SHELDAUL <SHEL>\n","article":"  Sumitomo Bakelite Co Ltd, a Japanese\n  company, told the Securities and Exchange Commission it has\n  acquired 325,000 shares of Sheldahl Inc, or 10.7 pct of the\n  total outstanding common stock.\n      Sumitomo Bakelite said it bought the stock for 4.9 mln dlrs\n  for investment purposes.\n      Under an between Sumitomo Bakelite and Sheldahl, as long as\n  its stake is more than five pct, Sumitomo said it has\n  preemptive rights for 60 days following notice of issuance of\n  new Sheldahl common stock. As long as its stake is over 10 pct,\n  it said it is entitled to Sheldahl board representation.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMMONWEALTH EDISON CO <CWE> 12 MONTHS NET\n","article":"  Period ended Feb 28\n      Shr 4.66 dlrs vs 4.40 dlrs\n      Net 1,048,884,000 vs 959,626,000\n      Revs 5.43 billion vs 5.04 billion\n      Avg shrs 200,242,000 vs 191,840,000\n      NOTE: Per-share earnings reflect payment of preferred\n  dividend requirements\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JOHN HANCOCK UNITS DUMP STAKE IN PRICE <PR>\n","article":"  Subsidiaries of John Hancock Mutual\n  Life Insurance Co told the Securities and Exchange Commission\n  they sold their entire 13.1 pct stake in Price Communications\n  Corp back to the company.\n      The Hancock subsidiaries said they sold their entire\n  1,627,603-share stake in Price Communications to the company\n  for 11 dlrs a share on Feb 23.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NEW YORK BUSINESS LOANS FALL 195 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  Commercial and industrial loans on the\n  books of the 10 major New York banks, excluding acceptances,\n  fell 195 mln dlrs to 65.06 billion in the week ended February\n  18, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said.\n      Including acceptances, loans declined 114 mln dlrs to 65.89\n  billion.\n      Commercial paper outstanding nationally dropped 375 mln\n  dlrs to 336.63 billion.\n      National business loan data are scheduled to be released on\n  Friday.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COPPER STOCKS OUTSIDE U.S. INCREASE IN DECEMBER\n","article":"  Refined copper stocks held by\n  refineries outside the U.S. increased to a preliminary 277,500\n  short tons at the end of December from a preliminary 270,000\n  short tons (revised higher) at the end of November, the\n  American Bureau of Metal Statistics said.\n      London Metal Exchange stocks fell to 193,100 tons in\n  December from 194,400 tons in November. Combined refinery and\n  LME stocks rose to a preliminary 470,600 tons from 464,400 tons\n  (revised higher). January LME stocks were 193,400 tons.\n      Preliminary figures showed refined production outside U.S.\n  lower at 377,300 tons in December versus 384,000 tons in\n  November. Crude output decreased to 421,500 tons from 427,000\n  tons (revised higher). Refined copper deliveries decreased to\n  359,800 tons from 375,400 tons (revised lower).\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NIAGARA MOHAWK <NMK> TO CUT COSTS\n","article":"  Niagara Mohawk Corp said it is\n  \"cautiously optimistic\" about results improvements for 1987 and\n  said it is studying measures to cut operating costs.\n      These measures include freezing management salaries,\n  abolishing vacant positions and reducing overtime.\n      A spokesman said the company had no current plans to lay\n  off workers. The company declined to say how much the cost\n  savings would amount to.\n      A five year forecast is expected to be issued in early\n  summer, a spokesperson said.\n      The company said it has redeemed about 273 mln dlrs in high\n  cost debt during 1986 and hopes to redeem more debt this year.\n      For 1986, Niagara Mohawk's earnings per share fell to 2.71\n  dlrs from 2.88 dlrs in 1985..\n      The company said earnings reduced primarily as a result of\n  a reduction early in 1986 in earnings return on equity allowed\n  by the N.Y. State Public Service COmmission.\n      Niagara said it is concerned about the continued lowering\n  of authorized return and has reinforced petitions to grant a \n  fair return on equity.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GANTOS INC <GTOS> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 43 cts vs 37 cts\n      Net 2,276,000 vs 1,674,000\n      Revs 32.6 mln vs 24.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 90 cts vs 69 cts\n      Net 4,508,000 vs 3,096,000\n      Revs 101.0 mln vs 76.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,029,000 vs 4,464,000\n      NOTE: 1986 fiscal year ended Feb 1, 1986\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHEMLAWN CORP, ECHOLAB INC SIGN DEFINITIVE MERGER AGREEMENT\n","article":"\n  CHEMLAWN CORP, ECHOLAB INC SIGN DEFINITIVE MERGER AGREEMENT\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LDC FOOD AID NEEDS DECLINE IN 1986\/87 - USDA\n","article":"  Total food aid needs in 69 of the\n  least developed countries declined in 1986\/87, as requirments\n  fell in many countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, the\n  U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      In a summary of its World Agriculture Report, the\n  department said grain production in sub-Saharan Africa was a\n  record high in 1986, with gains in almost every country.\n      However, food needs in Central America rose, worsened by\n  drought-reduced crops and civil strife.\n      Record wheat production in 1986\/87 is pushing global wheat\n  consumption for food to a new high, and higher yielding\n  varieties have been particularly effective where spring wheat\n  is a common crop, it said.\n      However, may developing countries in tropical climates,\n  such as Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central\n  America, are not well adapted for wheat production, and\n  improved varieties are not the answer to rising food needs, the\n  department said.\n      World per capita consumption of vegetable oil will rise in\n  1986\/87 for the third straight year.\n      Soybean oil constitutes almost 30 pct of vegetable oil\n  consumption, while palm oil is the most traded, the department\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. SUGAR PROGRAM CUT SENT TO CONGRESS BY USDA\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department \n  formally transmitted to Congress a long-awaited proposal to\n  drastically slash the sugar loan rate and compensate growers\n  for the cut with targeted income payments.\n      In a letter to the Congressional leadership accompanying\n  the \"Sugar Program Improvements Act of 1987\", Peter Myers,\n  Deputy Agriculture Secretary, said the Reagan administration\n  wants the sugar loan rate cut to 12 cents per pound beginning\n  with the 1987 crop, down from 18 cts now.\n      Sugarcane and beet growers would be compensated by the\n  government for the price support cut with targeted income\n  payments over the four years 1988 to 1991. The payments would\n  cost an estimated 1.1 billion dlrs, Myers said.\n      The administration sugar proposal is expected to be\n  introduced in the House of Representatives next week by Rep.\n  John Porter, R-Ill.\n      Congressional sources said the program cut is so drastic it\n  is unlikely to be adopted in either the House or Senate because\n  politically-influential sugar and corn growers\n  and high fructose corn syrup producers will strongly resist.\n      The direct payment plan outlined by the administration \n  targets subsidies to small cane and beet growers and gradually\n  lowers payments over four years. It also excludes from payment\n  any output exceeding 20,000 short tons raw sugar per grower.\n      For example, on the first 350 tons of production, a grower\n  would receive 6 cts per lb in fiscal 1988, 4.5 cts in 1989, 3\n  cts in 1990 and 1.5 cts in 1991.\n      The income payments would be based on the amount of\n  commercially recoverable sugar produced by a farmer in the 1985\n  or 1986 crop years, whichever is less, USDA said.\n      Myers said the administration is proposing drastic changes\n  in the sugar program because the current high price support is\n  causing adverse trends in the sugar industry.\n      He said the current program has artificially stimulated\n  domestic sugar and corn sweetener production which has allowed\n  corn sweeteners to make market inroads.\n      U.S. sugar consumption has declined which has resulted in a\n  \"progressive contraction\" of the sugar import quota to only one\n  mln short tons this year, he said. This has hurt cane sugar\n  refiners who rely on imported sugar processing.\n      Furthermore, USDA said the current sugar program gives\n  overseas manufacturers of sugar-containing products a\n  competitive advantage. The result has been higher imports of\n  sugar-containing products and a flight of U.S. processing\n  facilities overseas to take advantage of cheaper sugar.\n      USDA also said the current program imposes a heavy cost on\n  U.S. consumers and industrial users. In fiscal 1987, USDA said\n  consumers are paying nearly two billion dlrs more than\n  necessary for sugar.\n      \"Enactment of this bill will reduce the price gap between\n  sweeteners and help to correct or stabilize the many adverse\n  impacts and trends which the sugar industry is currently\n  facing,\" Myers said.\n      The following table lists the rate of payments, in cts per\n  lb, to growers and the quantity covered, in short tons\n  recoverable raw sugar, under the administration's proposal to\n  compensate sugar growers with targeted payments.\n      QUANTITY            1988     1989      1990      1991\n  First 350 tons         6.000    4.500     3.000     1.500\n  Over 350 to 700        5.750    4.313     2.875     1.438\n  Over 700 to 1,000      5.500    4.125     2.750     1.375\n  Over 1,000 to 1,500    5.000    3.750     2.500     1.250\n  Over 1,500 to 3,000    4.500    3.375     2.250     1.125\n  Over 3,000 to 6,000    3.500    2.625     1.750     0.875\n  Over 6,000 to 10,000   2.250    1.688     1.125     0.563\n  Over 10,000 to 20,000  0.500    0.375     0.250     0.125\n  Over 20,000 tons        nil      nil       nil       nil \n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<OE INC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 24 cts vs 26 cts\n      Net 1.5 mln vs 1.3 mln\n      Revs 40.5 mln vs 33.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 80 cts vs 82 cts\n      Net 4.9 mln vs 4.1 mln\n      Revs 143.0 mln vs 121.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 6.1 mln vs 5.0 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VMS MORTGAGE LP <VMLPZ> MONTHLY CASH PAYOUT\n","article":"  VMS Mortgage L.P. said it declared a\n  regular monthly cash distribution of nine cts a depositary unit\n  for the month of March, payable May 14, record April One.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LITTLE EFFECT SEEN FROM COLD STORAGE REPORT\n","article":"  The USDA monthly cold storage report\n  for meats is expected to have little, if any, effect on\n  livestock and meat futures at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange\n  Monday and daily fundamentals will likely provide the bulk of\n  direction, livestock analysts said.\n      The increase of 66.4 mln lbs in total poultry offsets the\n  22.6 mln lbs decline in total red meats. Fundamentals may\n  provide most of the direction in futures on Monday, they said.\n      \"I think the market is going to be looking at some other\n  things and accentuate whatever the action of cash markets might\n  be early next week,\" Jerry Gidel, livestock analyst for GH\n  Miller, said.\n      Shearson Lehman livestock analyst Chuck Levitt said futures\n  will be in the shadow of a little larger seasonal hog\n  marketings pace next week. Also, Easter ham business was\n  completed this week and there may be less aggressive interest\n  for pork in general next week.\n      \"We needed some help from the cold storage report to avert\n  a possible setback next week in the pork complex,\" Levitt said.\n      Analysts agreed with CME floor traders and called the belly\n  figure neutral to slightly negative. Although belly stocks were\n  down 33 pct from last year, they exceeded the average\n  expectation and actually showed a lighter than expected decline\n  from last month due to an adjustment to last month's holdings,\n  they said.\n      However, analysts noted that the amount of bellies put in\n  storage has been light since the beginning of March and this is\n  a potentially bullish situation.\n      Glenn Grimes, agronomist at the University of Missouri,\n  said, \"I would not look for (belly) storage during the next\n  month or two to be heavier than a year ago - I think it will be\n  less.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STRIKE THREAT, LOWER TRAFFIC MAR SEAWAY OPENING\n","article":"  The St. Lawrence Seaway, set\n  to reopen March 31 after the winter, faces another tough year\n  because of depressed traffic levels and the possibility of the\n  first strike in 20 years on the Great Lakes, seaway officials\n  said.\n      Depressed grain exports, rising costs, and competing modes\n  of transportation are all expected to result in only a marginal\n  increase over last year's traffic levels -- and revenues -- on\n  the 2,300 mile waterway, officials said.\n      In 1986, a season that ran from April 3 to December 27, the\n  seaway moved 37.6 mln metric tons of freight between Montreal\n  and Lake Ontario and 41.6 mln tons on the Welland Canal,\n  linking Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.\n      By comparison, in 1985 about 37 mln tons of cargo traveled\n  through the Montreal-Lake Ontario section and 42 mln through\n  the eight-lock canal.\n      The waterway is expected to lose 9-10 mln Canadian dlrs\n  this year, about the same as the estimated deficit for fiscal\n  1986-87 ending March 31, said William Blair, an executive\n  member of Canada's St Lawrence Seaway Authority.\n      The seaway moves about one-half of Canada's exported grain.\n  Those exports of the single most important commodity carried on\n  the waterway have been depressed by world surpluses.\n      The Seafarers' International Union, which represents about\n  2,300 workers on the Great Lakes and the ocean coasts, has said\n  it will likely go on strike this spring to protest employers'\n  demands for wage rollbacks and other concessions.\n      \"It's 99.9 pct (certain)--I guarantee you a strike,\" Roman\n  Gralewicz, head of the Seafarers' Canadian branch, has said.\n      The Canadian government has called in a labor conciliator\n  to try to hammer out a contract agreement between the two\n  sides. The seaway authority said a walkout tying up ships on\n  the Great Lakes would badly hurt traffic.\n      \"We haven't had a strike on the seaway for years...a\n  prolonged strike would have a disasterous effect,\" Seaway\n  Authority spokeswoman Gay Hemsley said.\n      \"These are the heaviest contract talks in the history of the\n  St Lawrence Seaway,\" George Miller, vice-president of the\n  Canadian Lake Carriers Association, an association of major\n  Canadian shipping companies, said recently.\n      The workers' current contract expires May 31. The\n  association said it is asking for a five per cent cut in wages\n  for the next three years, reduced crew levels and the power to\n  restructure crew dispatching.\n      The association said its members recorded about a 6 mln dlrs\n  (U.S.) loss in each of 1985 and 1986 due to lower traffic and\n  freight rates and increasing competition. The seaway said 1985\n  was its worst year in two decades.\n      Hemsley said the seaway authority plans to raise tolls on\n  the Welland Canal by eight pct this year, compared to last\n  year's 15 pct rise, while maintaining a freeze on tolls\n  throughout the rest of the waterway.\n      Canada is responsible for 13 of the seaway's 15 locks and\n  about 85 pct of its revenues and maintenance costs.\n      \"We may see and hope for a steady upward climb...but we\n  won't see a major increase for a number of years,\" Hemsley said.\n      A Canada-U.S. delegation to promote the seaway to shippers\n  in Western Europe should result in some increased traffic this\n  season but the full benefits won't be felt for several years,\n  Blair said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CHEMLAWN <CHEM>, ECOLAB <ECON> IN MERGER PACT\n","article":"  Chemlawn Corp and Ecolab Inc\n  said they signed a definitive merger agreement under which\n  Ecolab will buy all outstanding Chemlawn common stock for 36.50\n  dlrs a share in cash, for a total of about 370 mln dlrs.\n      Under terms of the agreement, Chemlawn said it rescinded\n  its previously announced rights dividend plan.\n      Chemlawn previously rejected a 27 dlr a share offer from\n  Waste Management Inc <WMX>.\n      Yesterday, the Oak Brook, Ill.-based waste disposal company\n  said it was prepared to offer 33 dlrs a share, or about 330 mln\n  dlrs, for Chemlawn, a lawn-care company.\n      Chemlawn had said last week that it was negotiating with\n  other possible suitors, which it did not identify.\n      A Chemlawn spokesman said further details on the merger\n  would be issued later.\n      Ecolab is a maker of commercial laundry detergent based in\n  St. Paul, Minn. For its first six months ended December 31, the\n  company earned 20.4 mln dlrs, or 76 cts a share, on sales of\n  421.8 mln dlrs.\n      Officials at Waste Management could not be reached for\n  immediate comment.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"LILCO REVISES 1986 NET TO INCLUDE 16 MLN DLR LOSS PROVISION\n","article":"\n  LILCO REVISES 1986 NET TO INCLUDE 16 MLN DLR LOSS PROVISION\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FALCON CABLE <FAL> SETS INITIAL DISTRIBUTION\n","article":"  Falcon Cable Systems Co said\n  its set an initial quarterly cash distribution of 53.75 cts per\n  unit, payable May 15 to unitholders of record March 31.\n      The partnership made its initial public offering in\n  December, 1986.\n      Falcon said it expects to pay cash distributions to limited\n  partners at an annual rate of 2.15 dlrs per unit, through\n  December 31, 1989.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BIDS AWARDED FOR ELK HILLS CRUDE OIL\n","article":"  The U.S. Department of Energy said\n  it has awarded bids for about 90,000 barrels per day, bpd, of\n  crude oil from the Elk Hills Naval Petroleum Reserve in\n  California. The contract period runs from April one through\n  July one, the DOE said.\n      Successful bidders, the amount of crude oil and the price\n  per bbl according to the DOE are as follows - \n      Texaco Inc's <TX> Texaco Trading and Transport 15,000 bpd\n  at 15.79 dlrs and 2,200 bpd at 15.19 dlrs, Beacon Oil Co 7,000\n  bpd at 15.66 dlrs and 2,500 bpd at 16.04 dlrs, Golden West\n  Refining 8,110 bpd at 15.42 dlrs.\n      Successful bidders, the amount of oil and price per bbl,\n  according to the DOE continue as follows -\n      Chevron's <CHV> Chevron USA Inc 3,000 bpd at 14.51 dlrs and\n  4,000 bpd at 14.61 dlrs, Chevron International Oil Co 2,600 bpd\n  at 14.41 dlrs and 2,800 bpd at 14.51 dlrs, Newhall Refining Co\n  6,000 bpd at 15.82 dlrs, Caljet Inc 4,000 bpd at 15.32 dlrs,\n  Casey Co 4,000 bpd at 15.45 dlrs.\n      Also, Cryssen Refining Inc 4,000 bpd at 15.47 dlrs,\n  Edgington Oil Co 4,000 bpd at 15.54 dlrs, Sound Refining Inc\n  3,100 bpd at 15.51 dlrs, Atlantic Richfield Co <ARC> 3,000 bpd\n  at 15.75 dlrs.\n      Successful bidders, the amount of crude oil and the price\n  per bbl according to the DOE continue as follows -\n      Orkin Inc 2,679 bpd at 15.24 dlrs, Lunday-Thagard Co 2,511\n  bpd at 15.27 dlrs, Golden Eagle Refining 2,500 bpd at 15.37\n  dlrs, MacMillan Ring-Free Oil Co 1,000 bpd at 15.81 dlrs, 1,000\n  bpd at 15.71 dlrs and 230 bpd at 16.02 dlrs, Mock Resources\n  2,000 bpd at 15.76 dlrs, Petro-Diamond 2,000 bpd at 15.46 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MONTGOMERY STREET INCOME <MTS> MONTHLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Mthly div 15 cts vs 15 cts\n      Pay April 15\n      Record April 1\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<SULLIVAN MINES INC> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 12 cts vs profit four cts\n      Oper loss 1,069,000 vs profit 339,000\n      Revs 12.8 mln vs 10.9 mln\n      Note: 1986 shr and net exclude extraordinary gain of\n  382,000 dlrs or four cts share. 1985 shr and net exclude\n  extraordinary gain of 183,000 dlrs or two cts share\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTMENT FIRM HAS 7.1 PCT OF CYCLOPS <CYL<\n","article":"  Halcyon Investments, a New York risk\n  arbitrage and securities dealing partnership, told the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission it has acquired 288,000\n  shares of Cyclops Corp, or 7.1 pct of the total outstanding.\n      Halcyon said it bought the stake for 26.1 mln dlrs as part\n  of its ordinary risk arbitrage and securities trading business.\n  Other than that, the firm said there was no specific purpose in\n  its purchases.\n      Halcyon said it might buy more stock or sell some or all of\n  its current stake. It said it bought the bulk of its stake\n  between Feb 6 and March 13.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHRYSLER'S <C> CREDIT CANADA PLACED ON CREDITWATCH\n","article":"  Canadian Bond Rating Service said it\n  placed Chrysler Credit Canada Ltd, a subsidiary of Chrysler\n  Corp <C>, on creditwatch until all financial details concerning\n  the proposed acquisition of American Motors Corp <AMO> are\n  finalized.\n      The creditwatch affects Chrysler Credit Canada's short term\n  notes, guaranteed notes, debentures and the recently completed\n  75 mln dlr 9.25 Eurobond issue due April 15, 1993.\n      Canadian Bond Rating Service said that, based on facts\n  currently available on the proposed transaction, it does not\n  anticipate the necessity of a downgrade.\n      Canadian Bond Rating Service said Chrysler Credit Canada\n  short term notes are now rated A-2 (high) and guaranteed notes\n  and debentures are rated B plus plus (high).\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LILCO <LIL> REVISES 1986 NET TO INCLUDE LOSS\n","article":"  Long Island Lighting Co said\n  it revised its preliminary 1986 net income to include a 16 mln\n  dlrs after tax provision for its investment in the Jamesport\n  Nuclear units.\n      Due to the provision, it said its revised 1986 net income\n  was 316.7 mln dlrs or 2.13 dlrs per share after deducting for\n  preferred stock dividend requirements, which were not paid in\n  either 1986 or 1985.\n      It had earlier reported 1986 income of 332.7 mln dlrs or\n  2.28 dlrs per share.\n      LILCO also said its board authorized contracts for its \n  corporate officers calling for payment of one year's salary,\n  and continuation of insurance and retirement benefits if the\n  company changes hands and these officers lose their jobs.\n      LILCO said none of these contracts will result in\n  additional costs to its customers.\n      Lilco said the downward revision in its 1986 earnings is a\n  reserve established to reflect a settlement agreement with the\n  staff of New York State's Public Service Commission respecting\n  the utility's spending on a nuclear power station planned for,\n  but never built at, Jamestown, N.Y.\n      The company declined to detail the settlement, explaining\n  the settlement has not been approved by the commission. Lilco\n  was seeking to include costs totaling 118 mln dlrs for the\n  abandoned nuclear power plant project in its rate base, a\n  spokeswoman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ROGERS <ROG> ADOPTS RIGHTS PLAN\n","article":"  Rogers Corp said its board\n  approved a shareholder rights plan designed to protect its\n  shareholders in the event of an attempted hostile takeover.\n      Rogers said the plan is not being adopted in response to\n  any specific takeover attempt.\n      Under the plan, shareholders may buy one share of common\n  stock at 65 dlrs for each share held. The rights will be\n  exercisable only if a person or group acquires 20 pct or more\n  of Rogers' shares or announces an offer for 30 pct or more.\n      The dividend distribution will be made March 30 to holders\n  or record on that date.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"20-MAR-1987\n","article":"  20-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SUNBELT NURSERY GROUP INC <SBN> 2ND QTR FEB 28\n","article":"  Shr loss 40 cts vs loss 29 cts\n      Net loss 1.5 mln vs loss 1.1 mln\n      Revs 28.9 mln vs 28.5 mln\n      Six months\n      Shr loss 99 cts vs loss 69 cts\n      Net loss 3.7 mln vs loss 2.6 mln\n      Revs 52.5 mln vs 51.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MARCOM TELECOMMUNICATIONS <MRCM> 2ND QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Oper shr loss five cts vs loss six cts\n      Oper net loss 157,688 vs loss 96,573\n      Revs 1,094,331 vs 1,378,973\n      Avg shrs 3,315,654 vs 1,661,023\n      Six mths\n      Oper shr loss seven cts vs loss 24 cts\n      Oper net loss 198,555 vs loss 394,589\n      Net 2,243,377 vs 2,440,850\n      Avg shrs 2,796,848 vs 1,637,592\n      NOTE: Current year 2nd qtr and six mths excludes a loss\n  10,767 dlrs for discontinued operations.\n      Prior year 2nd qtr and six mths excludes a loss of 54,686\n  dlrs and 112,565 dlrs for discontinued operations.\n      Full name of company is Marcom Telecommunications Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EASTPARK REALTY TRUST <ERT> QTLY DIV\n","article":"  Qlty div 25 cts vs 25 cts prior\n      Payable April 22\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANADA'S CLARK SEES TRADE AS MOST URGENT PROBLEM\n","article":"  Trade is the most urgent problem\n  facing U.S.-Canadian relations because of a pressing need to\n  reach a new bilateral pact within the coming months, Joe Clark,\n  Canadian secretary of state for external affairs, said.\n      Negotiators for the two countries have been meeting for\n  more than a year in an effort to work out an agreement.\n      \"The most urgent problem now is the trade question because\n  that has to be decided within the next 10 months,\" Clark told\n  the Commonwealth Club of California. \"We have a fast track\n  authority from your Congress for approval or rejection of\n  whatever the negotiators achieve.\"\n      Clark said that, as a practical matter, an initial\n  agreement must be reached by late September or early October.\n      He listed environmental questions, particularly acid rain,\n  and defense as the second and third most important bilateral\n  issues facing Ottawa and Washington.\n      On Wednesday, President Reagan announced that he will seek\n  2.5 billion dlrs from Congress to address the acid rain\n  problem. Some interpreted the move as a goodwill gesture in\n  advance of his annual meeting, on April 5-6 in Ottawa, with\n  Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.\n      In a question-and-answer session with the public affairs\n  group, Clark said that the two countries must find better\n  mechanisms for resolving their trade disputes.\n      \"This rash of countervailing actions, where we acted on\n  corn and you acted on soft wood and we both said they were\n  quasijudicial -- the dispute resolution mechanisims in place\n  now are not working adequately in either of our interests,\" he\n  said.\n      Ottawa also is seeking to change some of Washington's rules\n  on government procurement that penalize Canadian businesses, he\n  said.\n      \"There are a number of Canadian companies that, in order to\n  secure substantial contracts in the United States, have had to\n  move their head offices out of our country into your country\n  because you have national procurement requirements,\" he said.\n      In turn, he added, the United States would like to change\n  some of the procurement requirements that exist at the\n  provincial government level in Canada.\n      Clark declined to forecast the outcome of the discussions.\n      \"What will come out of it remains for the negotiators, in\n  the first instance, to propose, and then governments and\n  congresses will have judge,\" he said.\n      In his prepared remarks, Clark said that the United States\n  has tended to take Canada for granted, although it exports to\n  its northern neighbor more than twice what it exports to Japan.\n  \"Yet you bought almost 10 per cent more from Japan last year\n  than you bought from Canada,\" he said. REUTER\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ESSEX CORP <ESEX> YEAR END LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 11 cts vs profit 33 cts\n      Oper net loss 132,000 vs profit 408,000\n      Revs 25.2 mln vs 23.0 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 and 1985 oper net excludes a loss of 636,000\n  dlrs or 52 cts per share and a loss of 994,000 dlrs or 80 cts\n  per share for discontinued operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<SULPETRO  LTD> YEAR OCT 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 19.22 dlrs vs loss 3.90 dlrs\n      Net loss 276.4 mln vs loss 45.6 mln\n      Revs 85.4 mln vs 113.3 mln\n      NOTE: Shr results after deducting preferred share dividends\n  of 13.1 mln dlrs in both periods.\n      Current loss includes a 125 mln dlr writedown of oil and\n  gas properties, a 67 mln dlr writeoff of deferred charges, a\n  22.5 mln dlr loss on disposal of U.K. properties, a 21.2 mln\n  dlr equity loss from affiliate Sulbath Exploration ltd and a\n  4.6 mln dlr loss on other investments.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"STANWOOD CORP <SNW> 4TH QTR JAN 3\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.12 dlrs vs profit one cts\n      Net loss 1.7 mln vs profit 8,000 dlrs\n      Revs 31.8 mln vs 42.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 51 cts vs profit 57 cts\n      NEt loss 780,000 vs profit 876,000\n      Revs 117.8 mln vs 117.3 mln\n      NOTE:1986 4th qtr includes loss of 911,000 for termination\n  of licensing agreement and loss of 319,000 dlr for termination\n  of womens wear operation.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SULPETRO LOSS DUE TO WRITEDOWNS, ASSET DISPOSALS\n","article":"  <Sulpetro Ltd> said its 1986\n  fiscal year net loss of 276.4 mln dlrs, or 19.22 dlrs per\n  share, was due to several factors, the largest of which was a\n  writedown of 125.0 mln dlrs of oil and gas properties.\n      Sulpetro also recorded a writeoff of deferred charges\n  amounting to 67.0 mln dlrs, a loss of 22.5 mln dlrs on the\n  disposal of all properties in the United Kingdom and an equity\n  loss of 21.2 mln dlrs from affiliate Sulbath Exploration Ltd.\n      There was also a loss on other investments of 4.6 mln dlrs\n  and a loss on operations of 36.1 mln dlrs after interest,\n  depletion, depreciation and income tax recoveries.\n      In the fiscal year ended October 31, 1985, Sulpetro had a\n  net loss of 45.6 mln dlrs, or 3.90 dlrs per share.\n      The company also said its non-recourse project financing\n  for the Irish-Lindergh heavy oil field remains in default due\n  to continuing low oil prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN EXPRESS <AXP> TO DISCUSS SHEARSON DEAL\n","article":"  American Express Co's board of\n  directors Monday will discuss the company's arrangement to sell\n  13 pct of Shearson Lehman Brothers Inc to Nippon Life Insurance\n  Co, a company spokesman said.\n      The spokesman would not say whether the board is planning\n  to vote on the understanding between American Express and\n  Nippon Life. The Shearson stake is to be sold for 530 mln dlrs,\n  American Express has said.\n      The spokesman also would not comment on speculation that\n  the board was to discuss a sale of securities to the public.\n      Monday's board meeting is a regular monthly meeting. The\n  plan to sell part of Shearson to Nippon Life must be approved\n  by the American Express board and Japan's Ministry of Finance.\n      Earlier, American Express and Shearson said they were\n  subpoenaed by the Securities and Exchange Commission. American\n  Express said it was subpoenaed for documents pertaining to\n  securities transactions of American Express and Fireman's Fund.\n  Shearson was subpoenaed for documents related to transactions\n  with Jefferies and Co and others.\n      The American Express spokesman said he could not comment on\n  whether any officials of the firm were subpoenaed.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NATURAL GAS SEEN RECAPTURING SOME MARKET SHARE\n","article":"  Higher crude oil prices will raise\n  demand for natural gas, helping it to reclaim market share lost\n  to heavy oil when prices plunged in 1986, analysts said.\n      The analysts said that these efforts will be most\n  successful in the industrial sectors of the economy with large\n  and growing energy requirements.\n      \"Natural gas stands a good chance to recapture the share of\n  oil supplied to electric utilities that it lost to the residual\n  fuel industry last year,\" Michael Smolinski, an energy\n  economist with Data Resources Inc, told Reuters.\n      An estimated 200,000 barrels per day of residual fuel went\n  into the utilities market at the expense of natural gas last\n  year when world oil prices plunged, Smolinski said. \n      Assuming oil prices hold above 15 dlrs a barrel, national\n  average gas prices delivered to the utilities at a projected\n  2.10 to 2.25 dlrs per mln Btu would be very competitive,\n  Michael German, vice president of economic analysis at American\n  Gas Association said.\n      The average delivered prices at the end of January were\n  2.10 dlrs per mln Btu, compared with 3.26 dlrs a year ago.\n      \"We expect natural gas to regain 250 to 400 billion cubic\n  feet (of demand) in the overall energy market in the second and\n  third quarter (1987),\" he said.\n      In addition to price competitiveness, availability will be\n  an important factor persuading energy users to switch to gas,\n  Frank Spadine, senior energy economist with Bankers Trust Corp.\n  in New York noted.\n      Spadine said the mild winter in many parts of the North\n  American continent has led to a build up of gas inventories and\n  less would be necessary to replenish underground storage this\n  spring freeing gas for spot sales.\n      These forecasts develop a strong counterpoint to the fears\n  that natural gas suplies would be tight and prices\n  significantly higher given a sharp decline in drilling last\n  year.\n      AGA's German contended that despite the drilling decline,\n  much of U.S. proved reserves could be brought to production\n  quickly through developments such as the infill drilling which\n  permits more wells to be drilled in proved reserve basins.\n      Citing recent EIA statistics, German said, the gas surplus\n  was likely to contract from three trillion cubic feet in 1986\n  to two trillion cubic feet in 1987, but the surplus would not\n  go away until 1990.\n      Smolinski of Data Resources agreed that the surplus would\n  persist until 1990. While gas supplies may tighten in certain\n  consuming areas, notably in California and in the Northeast\n  U.S., an overall shortfall appeared remote.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"U.S. SENATORS SAY SANCTIONS LIKELY ON MICROCHIPS\n","article":"  The United States will likely impose\n  sanctions soon on imports of Japanese microchips, senators said\n  today after a private meeting with Commerce Secretary Malcolm\n  Baldrige.\n      Although the senators said Baldrige told them no decision\n  would be taken until a final determination is made on whether\n  Japanese microchips were dumped in the United States, they said\n  they were virtually sure Japan would face penalties.\n      President Reagan's trade policy advisory group, of which\n  Baldrige is a member, will meet on the issue Wednesday.\n      \"I am confident we will see action taken,\" Sen. John McCain,\n  an Arizona Republican, told reporters.\n      \"I am expecting sanctions at least, and even more than\n  sanctions,\" Sen. Pete Domenici, a New Mexico Republican, said.\n      The senators, several congressmen and U.S. semiconductor\n  industry representatives met with Baldrige and State Department\n  officials to discuss Japan's alleged violations of a September\n  1986 agreement to stop dumping its microchips in the United\n  States and other countries.\n      They recommended Japanese firms be penalized through\n  tariffs or import duties over the next six to 12 months for\n  continuing to dump microchips. The violations were worth 100\n  mln dls to the Japanese semiconductor industry, they said.\n      Asked if Baldrige intended to recommend sanctions, Sen.\n  Pete Wilson told reporters, \"The clear import of what he said is\n  that there will be.\"\n      \"Japan can't just say they will comply. We think sanctions\n  must be applied,\" for past violations of the agreement, the\n  California Republican said.\n      The semiconductor industry produces microprocessor chips\n  which are used in high technology products ranging from radios\n  to defence missile guidance systems.\n      Sen. James McClure, an Idaho Republican, said Baldrige told\n  them the administration had not made a final determination that\n  Japanese companies had dumped semiconductor microchips below\n  the cost of production in the United States or other countries.\n      But McClure said senators told him, \"There is no doubt\n  dumping is going on,\" based on evidence such as invoices of\n  purchases of the Japanese products.\n      The two countries signed a pact last September in which\n  Japan agreed to stop selling its microchips in the United\n  States and other countries below production costs and to allow\n  the U.S. semiconductor industry access to the Japanese market.\n      In return, the United States waived its right to impose\n  import duties on the Japanese microchips.\n      Japanese officials have said they have lived up to the pact\n  and have asked Japanese chip-makers to further slash output to\n  save the pact.\n      Japan has frequently been the target of congressional\n  discouragement over last year's record 169-billion-dlr trade\n  deficit. Tokyo had a 59-billion-dlr surplus with the United\n  States last year and had large surpluses with other countries.\n      The Senate yesterday unanimously passed a resolution\n  calling for action against Japan for violations of the pact\n  since September. The resolution will be introduced in the House\n  next week by Rep. Bob Matsui, a California Democrat.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MULTI-MEDIA SEES YEAR END LOSS\n","article":"  Multi-Media Barter Ltd said it expects\n  to report a net loss of 820,000 dlrs or 17 cts a share for the\n  year ended December 31, compared to a loss of 553,000 or 11 cts\n  a share in the prior year.\n      The fourth quarter resulted in a net loss of 227,000 or\n  four cts compared to a loss of 330,000 or six cts a shares last\n  year.\n      It said it is currently in the process of restructuring by\n  reducing expenses and streamlining operations and has cut\n  expenses from 50,000 dlrs to less than 15,000 dlrs a month.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL HMO CORP <NHMO> 2ND QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr loss nine cts vs profit nine cts\n      Net loss 478,000 vs profit 371,000\n      Revs 3.4 mln vs 2.6 mln\n      Six months\n      Net loss 466,000 vs profit 685,000\n      Revs 6.2 mln vs 5.0 mln\n      NOTE:1987 net loss includes writeoff of deferred start up\n  costs totaling 490,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MINORCO <MNRCY> HALF YEAR DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr 26 cts vs 38 cts\n      Net 44.0 mln vs 65.0 mln\n      NOTE:1986 net includes one mln dlr extraordinary gain and\n  1985 net icludes four mln dlrs extraordinary loss.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MINORCO <MNRCY> SEES IMPROVED SECOND HALF\n","article":"  Minorco said it expects net\n  earnings to be substantially stronger than the 44.0 mln dlrs\n  reported for the first half.\n      In reporting that first half results declined from 65.0 mln\n  dlrs, Minorco said the contributions from its 50 pct investment\n  in December 1985 in Adobe Resources Corp was negative as a\n  result of low oil and gas prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MINORCO <MNRCY> SEES IMPROVED SECOND HALF\n","article":"  Minorco said it expects net\n  earnings to be substantially stronger than the 44.0 mln dlrs\n  reported for the first half.\n      In reporting that first half results declined from 65.0 mln\n  dlrs, Minorco said the contributions from its 50 pct investment\n  in December 1985 in Adobe Resources Corp was negative as a\n  result of low oil and gas prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ECONOMIC SPOTLIGHT - BOLIVIA\n","article":"  Bolivia, once Latin America's most\n  delinquent debtor, is preparing for a second International\n  Monetary Fund agreement after an economic stabilisation program\n  has effectively slowed inflation and reduced public spending.\n      A fund spokesman said an IMF team would visit La Paz\n  shortly to discuss terms of the new agreement.\n      He said the IMF had disbursed 130 mln dlrs here and 20 mln\n  dlrs are pending under the one year agreement that ends this\n  month. The accord provided for a stand-by loan, a compensatory\n  financing facility and a structural adjustment facility.\n      The spokesman said that if the agreement is renewed,\n  Bolivia can expect a further 60-mln-dlr stand-by loan over the\n  next 12 months.\n      Bolivia's agreement with the IMF, its first since 1980,\n  opened the door to rescheduling negotiations with the Paris\n  Club and Argentina and Brazil, which hold 2.5 billion dlrs of\n  Bolivia's 4.0-billion-dlr foreign debt.\n      Central Bank President Javier Nogales told Reuters the\n  negotiations with the Paris Club, which have yet to be\n  finalised, had been extremely successful.\n      Nogales said the Paris Club had agreed to reschedule\n  Bolivia's debt over 10 years with five to six years grace and\n  had waived all interest payments until the end of 1988.\n      Bilateral discussions on interest rates continue, he said.\n      Nogales said Bolivia was expecting some 400 mln dlrs in\n  disbursements this year from lender countries and international\n  agencies, including the World Bank and the Inter-American\n  Development Bank, although diplomatic and banking sources put\n  the figure at closer to 300 mln dlrs.\n      Nogales said Bolivia's net international reserves are\n  around 250 mln dlrs, up from one mln dlrs when President Ictor\n  Paz Estenssoro took office in august 1985. Nogales said the\n  capital flow on Bolivia's debt servicing versus new credits had\n  changed from a net outflow of 200 mln dlrs in 1985 to a net\n  inflow of 130 mln dlrs in 1986.\n      Bolivia's return from the financial wilderness follows paz\n  estenssoro's economic stabilisation program. He inherited\n  inflation of 23,000 pct a year, state enterprises that were\n  losing hundreds of mlns of dlrs and a currency that traded on\n  the black market at up to 16 times its official rate.\n      Paz estenssoro froze public sector wages, set a market-\n  related rate for the peso, introduced tax reforms and laid off\n  thousands of workers in state corporations.\n      Inflation has been running at 10 pct a year for the past\n  six months, according to the Central Bank, and the government \n  expects the economy to grow three pct this year after a 14 pct\n  contraction over the last six years.\n      The government is also proposing a novel solution to its\n  debt to commercial banks, some 900 mln dlrs, on which interest\n  has not been paid since March, 1984.\n      Nogales said that over the next few months Bolivia would\n  make a one-time offer to buy back all its commercial debt at\n  the price it trades on the international secondary market -- \n  10-15 cents on the dlr. He said Bolivia's commercial bank\n  steering committee agreed at a meeting in New York to consider\n  the proposal, but it is still unclear what proportion of the\n  country's creditor banks will take up the offer.\n      One foreign banker speculated that Bolivia might be able to\n  buy back up to 30 pct of its commercial debt paper under the\n  deal, mostly from small banks who have written off their loans\n  to the country.\n      But he said the larger creditors were more interested in a\n  scheme of debt-equity swaps, similar to that which has operated\n  in Chile for the past two years.\n      The Bolivian government has yet to draw up proposals for\n  debt-equity swaps, but the banker said it was planning to\n  privatise more than 100 state companies and these could serve\n  as a basis for such a scheme.\n      Foreign bankers said this type of proposal might prove\n  attractive to Bolivia in the long run, especially as the\n  government realises that it will have to attract a large amount\n  of new capital in order to grow.\n      Planning Minister Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada told Reuters\n  that Bolivia was hoping for five to six billion dlrs in new\n  investment over the next 10 to 12 years.\n      The government realises that in order to remain viable,\n  Bolivia will need to develop new exports.\n      The price of tin, which accounted for some 45 pct of\n  Bolivia's exports in 1984, has collapsed on the world markets,\n  and gas, the country's major revenue earner, is in abundant\n  supply in the region.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEOAX INC <NOAX> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss 13 cts vs loss six cts\n      Net loss 1.4 mln vs loss 635,000\n      Revs 40.3 mln vs 28.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit 40 cts vs profit 26 cts\n      Net profit 4.2 mln vs 2.6 mln\n      Revs 166.4 mln vs 94.6 mln\n      NOTE:1986 4th qtr and year net reflects dividend\n  requirements of 1.5 mln dlrs and 3.3 mln dlrs, and charges of\n  257,000 dlrs and 4.6 mln dlrs respectively which is not\n  accruable or payable because of pre-reorganization tax loss\n  carryforwards.\n      1985 4th qtr and year net reflects dividend requirement of\n  1.1 mln dlrs and 2.3 mln dlrs, respectively, and charges of\n  472,000 dlrs and 2.9 mln dlrs respectively which is not\n  accruable or payable because of pre-organization tax loss\n  carryforwards.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MAIN FEATURES OF NEW RUBBER PACT\n","article":"  The new International Natural Rubber\n  Agreement (INRA), like the 1979 pact, will use a buffer stock\n  as the sole instrument for market intervention -- excluding\n  export quotas or production controls.\n      The new INRA was adopted yesterday at a session held under\n  the auspices of the United Nations Conference on Trade and\n  Development (UNCTAD).\n      In many respects the main features in the new pact resemble\n  those contained in the present one.\n      The reference price, currently 201.66 Malaysian\/Singapore\n  cts per kilo, will be maintained -- unless between now and\n  October 22, when the 1979 INRA expires, the average of the\n  daily market indicator price remains above the upper\n  intervention (\"may sell\") price (231 cts) or below the lower\n  intervention (\"may buy\") price (171 cts) for six months.\n      If this happened -- but delegates said it was unlikely\n  considering that the present indicator price averages 196 cts\n  -- the price would be revised under the current accord by five\n  pct or by whatever amount the International Natural Rubber\n  Council decides.\n      The new reference price would then be taken over for the\n  new agreement.\n      Under the same circumstances in the new pact the reference\n  price would be automatically revised by five pct unless the\n  Council decides on a higher percentage.\n      Similarly, if buffer stock purchases or sales amounting to\n  300,000 tonnes have been made since the last revision, the\n  reference price will be lowered or raised by three pct unless\n  the Council decides on a higher percentage.\n      Another change introduced in the new INRA is that price\n  reviews will be held at 15-month intervals instead of 18.\n      Those changes are intended to make the reference price more\n  responsive to market trends.\n      As in the present accord the \"may buy\" and \"may sell\" levels\n  are set at plus or minus 15 pct of the reference price, and the\n  \"must buy\" and \"must sell\" levels at 20 pct of it.\n      The lower and upper indicative prices (floor and ceiling\n  prices) will remain fixed at 150 and 270 cents, unless the\n  Council decides to revise them at reviews held every 30 months.\n      During the negotiations, consumers abandoned a proposal\n  that the floor price be adjusted downward if the buffer stock,\n  currently 360,000 tonnes, rose to 450,000 tonnes.\n      The maximum size of the buffer stock in the new pact is the\n  same as under the present one -- 400,000 tonnes, with provision\n  for an additional contingency buffer stock of 150,000 tonnes.\n      Under the new accord, the contingency buffer stock will be\n  brought in at 152 cts to defend the floor price.\n      At last Friday's session, Ahmed Farouk, speaking for\n  producers, said producing nations considered that the 1979 pact\n  had served the purpose for which it had been created.\n      Gerard Guillonneau of France, who spoke for consumers,\n  agreed that the current agreement had worked \"relatively well.\"\n      Asked about the chances of success of the new INRA,\n  delegates noted that for nearly its whole life, the 1979 accord\n  had maintained the average price above the \"must buy\" level.\n      They said the agreement until now did not appear to have\n  encouraged excessive production of rubber.\n      In addition, provisions for borrowing to finance the buffer\n  stock have now been eliminated, ruling out speculation. \"It is a\n  sort of middle-of-the-road agreement,\" one delegate said.\n      The new pact will be open for signature at U.N.\n  Headquarters in New York from May 1 to December 31 this year.\n      To become operational, it will require ratification by\n  countries accounting for 75 pct of world exports and 75 pct of\n  world imports.\n      Delegates estimate that this will take 12 to 14 months from\n  now. During the hiatus between the two agreements, the\n  International Natural Rubber Council will remain in place.\n      The pact will enter into force definitively when\n  governments accounting for 80 pct of world exports and 80 pct\n  of world imports have ratified it.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT FALLS, CURRENCY BLAMED\n","article":"  Taiwan's industrial production index,\n  fell, largely as the result of the rising Taiwan dollar, by\n  8.18 pct to 140.06 (base 1981) in February from a revised\n  152.53 in January, the Economy Ministry said.\n      It was the second consecutive monthly fall, after dropping\n  nine pct in January, but it was still 26.49 pct up on February\n  1986 following a very extended rise last year.\n      The January figure was revised from a preliminary 154.82.\n      A ministry official attributed the decline to falling\n  production of non-metal products, textiles and transportation\n  equipment, and less mining and house construction.\n      The official said the decline was also caused by falling\n  exports in February due to the climb of the Taiwan dollar,\n  which has made Taiwanese products more expensive.\n      He expected the decline to continue in the next few months\n  because of further appreciation of the local dollar against the\n  U.S. Currency.\n      The Taiwan dollar advanced more than 15 pct against the\n  U.S. Dollar since September 1985. It closed at 34.40 to the\n  U.S. Dollar today, and is expected to rise to about 32 to the\n  dollar by the end of this year, foreign bankers and economists\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"NO ZIMBABWE DOLLAR DEVALUATION - CENTRAL BANK\n","article":"  Zimbabwe's Reserve Bank, the nation's\n  central bank, has denied the Zimbabwe dollar would be devalued.\n      Bank Governor Kombo Moyana told The Herald daily newspaper\n  \"unfortunate and completely unfounded speculation that a\n  depreciation of the Zimbabwe dollar was about to occur\" had\n  aggravated a serious foreign exchange shortage.\n      \"During February and the early part of March this\n  (speculation) caused importers to bring forward their payments\n  and exporters to delay as long as possible the inward\n  remittance of export receipts, resulting in a significant\n  slowdown in net foreign exchange inflows,\" he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FORMER GOLD FIRM EXECUTIVES ARRESTED IN JAPAN\n","article":"  The public prosecutors and police\n  here arrested five former senior executives of a bankrupt gold\n  deposit business group for defrauding about 450 clients of\n  about 1.5 billion yen for gold bars which were never delivered,\n  police said.\n      The case involving the Toyota Shoji Company was highlighted\n  when its 32-year-old Chairman Kazuo Nagano was stabbed to death\n  here in public view in June, 1985.\n      Television crews which had been waiting outside Nagano's\n  home filmed two men smashing their way into the home and later\n  emerging with a bloodstained bayonet.\n      The company, established here in 1981, undertook to hold\n  gold on deposit for investors. It grew into a nationwide\n  business operation with 87 branch offices and 7,000 employees\n  at its peak in early 1985.\n      Toyota Shoji's business group collected an estimated 200\n  billion yen from about 30,000 clients, many of them pensioners\n  and housewives, before the firm went bankrupt in July, 1985,\n  according to lawyers.\n      Of them, some 18,000 clients claimed they could get back\n  neither gold or money, suffering an aggregate loss of 150\n  billion yen, local press reports said.\n      Police said the five arrested on charge of fraud today\n  included Hiroshi Ishikawa, 47, former Toyota Shoji president,\n  and a sixth former executive was placed on a wanted list.\n      They were suspected of having collaborated with the late\n  Nagano in swindling about 1.5 billion yen from about 450 people\n  in Osaka and nearby Kobe during a six month period just before\n  the firm's bankruptcy, they said.\n      Today's arrest came after narly two years of joint\n  investigation by the public prosecutors and police, who had\n  questioned about 3,000 of the firm's former employees,\n  police sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WORLD BANK LIKELY TO URGE CHANGES ON JAKARTA\n","article":"  World Bank President Barber Conable is\n  expected to press Indonesia, the Third World's sixth largest\n  debtor, to maintain the momentum of economic policy changes to\n  tackle the slump in its oil revenues, western diplomats said.\n      Conable, who flew to Indonesia yesterday from Tokyo, will\n  meet with President Suharto and senior economic ministers.\n      He said on arrival that the economy of South-East Asia's\n  largest nation was being managed well, but the slump in world\n  oil prices called for major policy adjustments.\n      Today the World Bank chief will visit Bank-funded projects\n  in the eastern section of Java, Indonesia's most populous\n  island. He will see Suharto on Tuesday after a day of detailed\n  discussions with ministers tomorrow.\n      Indonesia, the only Asian member of OPEC, has been severely\n  hit by last year's crash in oil prices, which cut its oil and\n  gas revenues in half.\n      Japan's state Export-Import Bank last month agreed to\n  provide around 900 mln dlrs in untied credits to help Indonesia\n  pay for its share of 21 World Bank development projects.\n      Indonesia, a country of 168 mln people, has responded to\n  the oil slump by cutting spending, devaluing its currency by 31\n  pct, and trying to boost exports, while using foreign loans to\n  bridge its deficit.\n      Diplomats said that Conable was expected to press Suharto\n  and leading economic ministers to maintain the pace of policy\n  change, particularly in dismantling Indonesia's high-cost\n  protected economy.\n      \"Oil prices, the debt crisis, the world recession, all call\n  for major policy adjustments and external support,\" Conable said\n  in his arrival statement.\n      But with Indonesia facing parliamentary elections next\n  month, he is likely to avoid anything which would imply that\n  the Bank is demanding specific changes.\n      \"We believe there has been wise leadership here and the\n  economy is being very well managed,\" Conable told reporters at\n  Jakarta airport.\n      Indonesia has official and private overseas debts totalling\n  37 billion dlrs, according to the Bank, which makes it the\n  Third World's sixth biggest debtor. It has received 10.7\n  billion dlrs from the World Bank since 1968.\n      Conable did not spell out what further changes he would\n  like to see. Last month the Bank endorsed economic changes\n  already introduced by Indonesia, but implied it wanted more.\n      Giving a 300 mln dlr loan in balance of payments support,\n  the Bank said it will monitor progress on implementation of the\n  government's trade reform measures, and supported its\n  determination to promote efficiency and longer-term growth.\n      Indonesia has introduced a series of measures since last\n  May to boost non-oil exports, liberalise trade and encourage\n  outside investment.\n      Suharto has also ordered a government committee to look\n  into which of Indonesia's 215 state-run companies could be\n  sold.\n      But in a report last month, the U.S. Embassy said the\n  government appeared divided over how far to take its reforms.\n      Western analysts say that in particular the government is\n  unsure how far to go with dismantling Indonesia's high-cost\n  monopolies, which control core areas of the economy.\n      Central bank governor Arifin Siregar said this week that\n  Indonesia faced very limited economic choices.\n      It could not spend its way out of trouble because this\n  would increase the balance of payments deficit and domestic\n  inflation.\n       He said the main objective was to raise exports outside\n  the oil and natural gas sector.\n      Indonesia's current account deficit is projected by the\n  government to fall to 2.64 billion dlrs in the coming financial\n  year which starts on April 1, from an estimated 4.1 billion in\n  1986\/87.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NIGERIA CHANGES AUCTION RULES TO DEFEND THE NAIRA\n","article":"  Nigeria's Central Bank has changed the\n  rules governing its foreign exchange auctions in what analysts\n  see as a means of defending the naira currency, which has\n  depreciated steadily.\n      The bank said in a statement that from April 2, banks\n  bidding for foreign exchange would have to pay at the rate they\n  offered and not, as presently, at the rate of the lowest\n  successful bid made at the auction.\n      This should discourage banks from bidding high to ensure\n  that they were successful while paying the lower \"marginal\" rate,\n  analysts said.\n      \"It should act as a brake because banks will know that if\n  they bid high they will have to pay what they offered,\" a\n  Western diplomat commented.\n      The naira has depreciated against the dollar by 62 pct\n  since the auctions, known as the Second-Tier Foreign Exchange\n  Market (SFEM), began last September 26.\n      At last week's session the Nigerian currency was fixed at\n  4.0 to the dollar, the third fall in a row.\n      \"They were clearly worried... And this is the logical way of\n  trying to stop the trend,\" the diplomat said.\n      The Central Bank also announced the auctions would be\n  fortnightly, not weekly, beginning on April 2.\n      It was not immediately clear whether next Thursday's\n  scheduled session would still take place, nor if the bank was\n  planning to double the 50 mln dlrs which are normally on offer\n  at each auction.\n      Demand for foreign exchange has consistently outstripped\n  supply, encouraging banks to bid high and thus further\n  weakening the naira.\n      If the normal weekly allocation is not doubled at the\n  fortnightly session, high demand could undermine the objective\n  of the new system, analysts said.\n      Although bidding banks will now pay what they offered, the\n  official exchange rate for the naira applying to business\n  transactions will continue to be the marginal rate -- the\n  lowest successful bid.\n      SFEM is a central part of Nigeria's structural adjustment\n  program, which is considered to be the most ambitious economic\n  recovery plan in Black Africa.\n      The program involves setting a realistic exchange rate for\n  the naira, which was over-valued for many years, liberalising\n  imports, boosting agriculture, removing subsidies and reducing\n  inefficient government participation in the economy.\n      The World Bank has played a prominent part in designing\n  this dramatic blue-print and in selling it to an often\n  sceptical public which fears inflation and lower living\n  standards.\n      Ishrat Husain, the World Bank's representative in Nigeria,\n  said yesterday he was satisfied both with the adjustment\n  program as a whole and the foreign exchange auctions.\n      \"So far so good\" he told a meeting of bankers in Lagos,\n  adding that only members of Nigeria's import-dependent elite\n  would suffer hardship while the common man would benefit.\n      Fears that the program would encourage inflation were\n  incorrect, he said.\n      Bumper harvests had reduced rural inflation and urban\n  prices had already reflected the naira's black market value\n  before the currency was allowed to find its true level last\n  September.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NEXT WORLD TRADE NEGOTIATIONS MUST SUCCEED - NZ\n","article":"  Ministers from more than 20\n  nations were told by New Zealand that the next international\n  negotiations on liberalising trade would be the last this\n  century and the cost of failure could not be measured.\n      Trade minister Mike Moore told his colleagues at a\n  welcoming ceremony before two days of talks here that great\n  progress had been made in preparing for the negotiations which\n  must not be sidetracked.\n      \"We live in troubled and dangerous times for the world\n  trading system,\" he said.\n      \"We have seen that the failure of the world trading system\n  has caused great depression and conflict in the past. Our\n  failure to maintain the momentum will be at great cost to us\n  all,\" Moore said.\n      He added: \"The cost of failure is beyond calculation. It is\n  our last hope and best opportunity this century. We will not\n  get another chance before the year 2000.\"\n      The ministers are in New Zealand to review world trade\n  since the \"Uruguay round\" talks last Sepember. The meeting is\n  also part of preparations for a full-scale conference of the\n  General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in Venice in\n  June.\n      The Uruguay meeting is considered by most countries to have\n  been particularly successful, with northern hemisphere\n  countries managing to have service industries such as banking\n  and insurance included in the next full round.\n      The southerners' goal of including agricultural and\n  tropical products also was met.\n      The meeting at this North Island tourist resort is\n  described by participants as informal and no declaration is\n  expected.\n      Moore said one aim was to \"instil a sense of political\n  urgency to avert potential economic tragedy.\"\n      Another was to seek ways of popularising freer trade to\n  people who felt the pain of readjustment but could not see the\n  benefits, as well as preventing \"bush fires of confrontation\n  while we proceed with orderly negotiations.\"\n      The meeting is being attended by 25 overseas delegations\n  including representatives of GATT and the Economic Community.\n      The delegates include U.S. Trade Representative Clayton\n  Yeutter.\n      American sources say he is ready to state that the best way\n  to reverse protectionist sentiment in the United States is to\n  implement four key Uruguay proposals:\n      -- an end to agricultural subsidies;\n      -- inclusion of trade in services and investments in GATT\n  regulations;\n      -- tightening of restrictions on pirating of so-called\n  intellectual property such as trademarks, patents and\n  copyrights;\n      -- new rules to resolve trade disputes among GATT's 92\n  member states.\n      Earlier, New Zealand sources had said French Foreign Trade\n  Minister Michel Noir had pulled out of the informal GATT talks\n  for domestic political reasons.\n      Cabinet chief Bernard Prauge will lead the French\n  delegation.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN OFFER FOR SAN MIGUEL SHARES\n","article":"  Diversified investment company, <Ariadne\n  Australia Ltd>, has offered 3.8 billion pesos for 38 mln shares\n  in the Philippine brewing firm <San Miguel>, a Manila newspaper\n  reported.\n      The Sunday Times quoted a letter sent yesterday to\n  President Corazon Aquino from Ariadne's chairman, New Zealander\n  Bruce Judge, that he was offering cash equivalent to five pct\n  of the nation's yearly budget to buy the shares from the\n  government.\n      The presidential office and Ariadne representatives in\n  Manila were not available for comment on the report.\n      The shares are the entire block seized by the government\n  from the United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) on suspicion that\n  the real owner was Eduardo Cojuangco, the former chairman of\n  San Miguel and UCPB and a close associate of deposed president\n  Ferdinand Marcos.\n      The 38 mln shares consist of 24 mln class A stock and 14\n  mln class B shares.\n      Government officials have said earlier that the more\n  valuable class A shares would not be sold to foreigners.\n      The offer values each share at 100 pesos -- the price at\n  which the Philippine Social Security System suggested it might\n  buy eight mln class A shares last week.\n      \"Judge's offer of 3.8 billion pesos is about five pct of the\n  Philippines' yearly budget,\" Ariadne's Philippine agent Domingo\n  Panganiban was quoted as telling reporters yesterday.\n      \"Mr Judge's objective in this investment is to make his\n  corporation's management expertise available to San Miguel so\n  that the company's assets can be fully utilised.\"\n      San Miguel, the country's largest brewer, is also one of\n  the major manufacturers of grocery lines.\n      Panganiban is quoted as saying that San Miguel could tap\n  food and liquor distribution lines in Australia, Britain, the\n  U.S., New Zealand and Hong Kong through <Barwon Farmlands Ltd>,\n  a listed Australian firm in which it has 30 pct equity.\n      Ariadne, with about one billion dlrs in assets and turnover\n  of about two billion, has interests also in mining, real estate\n  and agricultural products.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INDONESIA PROTESTS AGAINST EC VEGETABLE OIL DUTY\n","article":"  Indonesia has protested to the European\n  Community (EC) about its plan to raise import duties on\n  vegetable oils, which will affect the country's palm oil\n  exports to the EC, Trade Minister Rachmat Saleh said.\n      \"Indonesia, both individually and together with other\n  members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN),\n  has protested against the EC plan to increase duties on\n  vegetable oil imports,\" he told Indonesian reporters.\n      \"We very much regret the community's plan,\" he added.\n      He did not say in what form the Indonesian protest was\n  made.\n      Indonesia is a major palm oil producer.\n      According to central bank figures, Indonesia exported\n  362,700 tonnes of crude palm oil to EC countries in calendar\n  1985 and 301,400 tonnes in the first 10 months of 1986.\n  Complete 1986 figures are not yet available.\n      Finance Minister Radius Prawiro said recently that the\n  increase in EC duties would add a new burden to ASEAN countries\n  at a time when they were trying to strengthen their economies\n  in the face of lower commodity prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALITALIA SPA <AZPI.MI> CALENDAR 1986\n","article":"  Provisional net profit 55 billion lire vs 48 billion\n      Turnover 3,750 billion vs 3,369 billion.\n      NOTE -  Official results for Alitalia, Italy's national\n  airline which is controlled by the state industrial holding\n  company (Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale -IRI), are\n  expected to be announced at an annual shareholders meeting in\n  April.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RAIMOND EXPECTS EC-GULF PROBLEMS WILL BE SOLVED\n","article":"  French Foreign Minister Jean-Bernard\n  Raimond predicted in a published interview a successful end to\n  negotiations to admit Gulf petrochemical exports into the\n  European Community (EC).\n      Negotiations have been under way between the Community and\n  the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for three years.\n      Raimond, due here tomorrow from Oman for his first official\n  visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), told the semi-official\n  daily Al-Ittihad he was confident a solution would soon be\n  reached.\n      \"I am confident that problems between the two big partners,\n  the GCC and the EC, will find a solution. I will work to reach\n  that solution,\" he said in the interview conducted in Paris.\n      An EC decision to impose tariffs on Gulf petrochemical\n  exports over a set quota has strained trade relations between\n  the two sides.\n      GCC members Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE\n  and Oman are threatening to impose heavy customs duties on\n  European exports to the Gulf if no solution is reached.\n      Raimond said negotiations between the two groups took a\n  long time because there were 20 countries involved. But added:\n  \"Time is now ripe and all circumstances are appropriate for\n  making crucial progress.\"\n      Referring to the Iran-Iraq war, he said efforts should\n  continue to find a solution despite prevailing difficulties.\n      He said France was continuing negotiations with Iran. Some\n  problems were solved as a result of the contacts while others\n  remained unresolved. He gave no details but said: \"France wishes\n  to have normal relations with Iran.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EXPLOSION AT BP OIL REFINERY IN SCOTLAND\n","article":"  An explosion followed by\n  a fire ripped through a British Petroleum (BP) oil refinery,\n  killing one man.\n      A BP spokesman said the fire was confined to one plant at\n  the 700-acre refinery at Grangemouth, 25 miles west of\n  Edinburgh. The cause and extent of the damage had yet to be\n  determined.\n      Two people were killed in a previous explosion and fire at\n  the plant on March 13. That incident is still being\n  investigated, the spokesman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN PLANS PHILIPPINE BRANCH FOR TAKEOVER\n","article":"  The Australia based <Ariadne\n  Australia Ltd>, plans to set up a branch in the Philippines to\n  fulfill a prerequisite for the takeover of the Philippine\n  brewing firm, <San Miguel Corp>, a Hong Kong newspaper said.\n      The Hong Kong Economic Journal quoted a spokesman of\n  Australian stock broker Jacksons Ltd as saying that <Barwon\n  Farmlands Ltd>, a listed Australian firm of which Ariadne owns\n  a 30 pct stake, is planning a branch in the Philippines.\n      He added Jacksons is arranging an offer by Barwon to pay a\n  total 3.8 billion pesos in cash for 38 mln San Miguel shares.\n      Barwon is offering 100 pesos each for 24 mln class A San\n  Miguel shares and 14 mln class B stock. But the Jacksons\n  spokesman noted that the more valuable A stock would only be\n  sold to Filipinos or companies registered in the Philippines.\n      He said Barwon has approached the Philippine government\n  which seized the block of shares from the United Coconut\n  Planters Bank, which is believed to be linked with the\n  country's deposed President Ferdinand Marcos.\n      He added he expects a deal to be concluded between Barwon\n  and the Philippine Government in 14 days as it is the only\n  offer in cash, the newspaper reported.\n      Hong Kong Economic Journal also noted stock market rumours\n  that <Neptunia Corp>, a Hong Kong registered company which\n  controlled by San Miguel's president Andres Soriano, is the\n  other party keen on the block of San Miguel shares.\n      The Philippine's Commission on Good Government ruled last\n  May against a move of Neptunia to acquire 33 mln San Miguel\n  shares controlled by the brewery firm's former chairman Eduardo\n  Cojuangco, who is also chairman of United Coconut.\n      Commissioner Ramon Diaz said at the time the government\n  would not allow a subsidiary to buy into a parent firm, adding\n  San Miguel could have offered the shares to other parties.\n      The Manila newspaper Sunday Times published a letter sent\n  yesterday to President Corazon Aquino from Ariadne's chairman,\n  New Zealander Bruce Judge, that he was offering cash equivalent\n  to five pct of the nation's yearly budget to buy the shares\n  from the government.\n      \"Judge's offer of 3.8 billion pesos is about five pct of the\n  Philippines' yearly budget,\" Ariadne's Philippine agent Domingo\n  Panganiban was quoted as telling reporters yesterday.\n      Spokesmen of Ariadne, Jacksons and Neptunia were not\n  available for comment, nor any officials of the Philippines.\n      <San Miguel Brewery Ltd>, a Hong Kong listed company which\n  is 69.65 pct held by Neptunia on behalf of San Miguel Corp,\n  closed 40 cents higher at 15.50 H.K. Dlrs on Friday.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALITALIA REPORTS HIGHER NET PROFITS\n","article":"  Italy's national airline, Alitalia Spa\n  <AZPI.MI>, reporting a 14.6 pct rise in provisional 1986 net\n  profit, said it carried seven pct more passengers on domestic\n  routes last year, but 11.5 pct fewer passengers on flights from\n  North America and Canada.\n      Alitalia said the drop in North American traffic had been\n  due to a general fall in the numbers of American tourists\n  visiting Europe caused by fears of terrorism.\n      The airline reported provisional net profit rose to 55\n  billion lire from 48 billion in 1985.\n      A spokesman said Alitalia was hoping for an increase in\n  traffic with the U.S. In 1987.\n      It planned to increase the number of flights from Italy to\n  New York to 19 per week, to reinstate flights to Boston and to\n  re-open the direct Rome-Milan-Los Angeles service.\n      The spokesman announced that from March 29, Alitalia would\n  be starting a new weekly service to Shanghai.\n      For its summer 1987 programme, it would be adding 127 extra\n  flights to European destinations -- an increase of 27 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RAFIDAIN BANK'S JORDAN BRANCH RAISES CAPITAL\n","article":"  The Jordan branch of Iraq's Rafidain Bank\n  said it will raise paid-up capital to comply with the country's\n  minimum requirement of five mln dinars by drawing on profits\n  from its operations in the country.\n      Jordan's government asked banks in early 1985 to comply\n  with the new capital requirement -- raised from three mln\n  dinars -- by the start of 1986.\n      Rafidain's Area Manager Adnan Abdul Karim al-Azzawi told\n  Reuters the branch had now registered its capital at the higher\n  level but did not say how long it would take to pay it in. The\n  bank's 1986 balance shows paid-up capital of 3.1 mln dinars.\n      Banks in Jordan have generally complied with the higher\n  capital requirement except Chase Manhattan which decided\n  instead to close its operation, banking sources said.\n      Local banks floated shares to raise extra capital, while\n  the branches of foreign banks brought in additional cash.\n      Banking sources said it appeared that Jordan had made an\n  exception in Rafidain's case, allowing it longer to comply.\n  They said the gesture refelcted close political ties between\n  Jordan and Iraq as well as Baghdad's financial difficulties.\n      The Jordan branch saw pre-tax profit rise 80 pct in 1986 to\n  550,332 dinars on assets of 12.6 mln dinars.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BAKER DENIES DOLLAR TARGET EXISTS\n","article":"  U.S. Treasury Secretary James Baker\n  again said the meeting of six major industrial nations in Paris\n  last month did not establish a target exchange rate for the\n  dollar.\n      Baker said in a television interview aired here yesterday:\n  \"We don't have a target for the dollar.\" He declined to comment\n  on what might be a desired level for the dollar, saying: \"We\n  really don't talk about the dollar.\"\n      He said protectionism was becoming \"extremely strong\" in the\n  U.S. In response to widening U.S. Trade deficits and import\n  barriers in other countries.\n      \"The mood in the United States is extremely disturbing. It's\n  extremely strong,\" he said.\n      \"As I've said before, we sort of see ourselves as engaged\n  here in a real struggle to preserve the world's free trading\n  system, because if the largest market in the world (the U.S.)\n  goes protectionist we run the risk of moving down the same path\n  that the world did in the late 1930s,\" he said.\n      While relative exchange rates had a role to play in\n  defusing the threat of protectionism, it alone did not offer\n  any solution, he said.\n      \"You must address this problem on the exchange rate side,\n  but it cannot be solved on the exchange rate side alone. It's\n  far more comprehensive and broad than that, and the solution of\n  it requires a comprehensive approach,\" Baker said in the\n  interview.\n      Baker said it would be necessary for other countries to\n  adjust their currencies upwards, as well as remove their\n  barriers to U.S. Imports. But he did not elaborate or name any\n  countries.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. CREDIT MARKET OUTLOOK - MINI-REFUNDING\n","article":"  A hefty slice of new U.S. Treasury\n  supply is not the most welcome prospect for a slumbering credit\n  market, but at least this week's offerings should provide it\n  with some focus, economists said.\n      \"Banks and mutual funds have cash that should be put to\n  work, so the auctions should breathe some life into the market,\"\n  said economists at Merrill Lynch Capital Markets Inc.\n      The Treasury will place a 25 billion dlr package of\n  two-year, four-year and seven-year notes on the sales block\n  this week.\n      The \"mini-refunding,\" which will raise 9.27 billion dlrs in\n  new cash, comprises 10 billion dlrs of two-year notes for\n  auction on Tuesday, 7.75 billion dlrs of four-year notes on\n  Wednesday and 7.25 billion dlrs of seven-year notes on\n  Thursday. The market also faces the regular weekly three- and\n  six-month bill auction today, amounting to 12.8 billion dlrs.\n      The mini-refunding does not come at a particularly\n  auspicious time for the market. Bond prices have been drifting\n  sideways in a narrow range against the backdrop of a cloudy\n  U.S. Economic outlook, diminished chances of a change in\n  Federal Reserve Board policy and a stable dollar.\n      Moreover, the bond market's inertia has compared\n  unfavourably with the rash of activity taking place in\n  high-yield markets overseas, like the U.K., As well as in U.S.\n  Equities.\n      But according to the Merrill Lynch economists, there are\n  signs the pall hanging over the U.S. Bond market is lifting a\n  bit.\n      \"Customer activity has been light, but all on the buy-side,\n  and there is a marked absence of selling,\" they said in a weekly\n  report.\n      Philip Braverman of Irving Trust Securities Inc believes\n  banks will snap up the two- and four-year issues at this week's\n  sales.\n      \"The banks are in need of investments that provide earnings.\n  Though the yield spread to the cost of carrying these\n  maturities has been wider, it is still positive,\" he said in a\n  weekly market review.\n      But economists agreed not even the auctions will generate\n  enough impetus for a major move. This will only come once the\n  overseas markets have had their run.\n      \"Based on last week's events, there is little to indicate\n  that the appetite for yield has begun to wane,\" said economists\n  at Salomon Brothers Inc.\n      Indeed, talk persisted last week that Japanese investors\n  are planning to re-weight their portfolios in favour of the\n  higher-yielding markets at the start of Japan's new fiscal year\n  on April 1.\n      And while traditionally the Japanese have not been big\n  buyers of the shorter-dated issues on offer at this week's U.S.\n  Auctions, such reports undermine market confidence.\n      Even actions by the British, Australian and Canadian\n  monetary authorities to curb the rise of their currencies\n  should also enhance the attractiveness of their respective bond\n  markets, the Salomon Brothers' economists said.\n      Meanwhile, ecomomic releases are unlikely to enliven the\n  U.S. Market unless they deviate widely from expectations,\n  economists said.\n      This week's economic calendar begins on Tuesday with\n  February durable goods orders. Economists expect a rebound from\n  January's depressed levels.\n      Peter Greenbaum of Smith, Barney, Harris Upham and Co said\n  several areas, including transport equipment, should have\n  bounced back. But a decline in military capital goods will cap\n  total new orders. He forecasts a rise of two pct after\n  January's 6.7 pct slump. Some other economists foresee a gain\n  as large as five pct.\n      Friday's consumer price report for February is expected to\n  show an increase of about 0.3 pct after a 0.7 pct January gain.\n  Economists said energy prices -- the driving force behind the\n  January rise -- rose more moderately last month, while food\n  prices declined.\n      Meanwhile, economists warned that the federal funds rate\n  will be subject to volatility in the weeks ahead due to the\n  approach of quarter-end and the mid-April tax date.\n      Some economists expect the Fed to execute a bill pass this\n  week because its adding requirement increases sharply in the\n  new statement period beginning on Thursday.\n      Fed funds traded at 6-1\/16 pct late Friday and are expected\n  to open near that level.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"N.Y. BANK DISCOUNT BORROWINGS 64 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  The eight major New York City banks had\n  64 mln dlrs in average borrowings from the Federal Reserve in\n  the week to Wednesday February 25, a Fed spokesman said.\n      The week marked the second half of the two-week bank\n  statement period that ended on Wednesday. The banks had no\n  borrowings in the prior week.\n      Commenting on the latest week, a Fed spokesman said that\n  all of the borrowing occurred yesterday and was done by fewer\n  than half of the banks.\n      National data on discount window borrowings are due to be\n  released at 1630 EST (2130 GMT).\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SANTOS BIDS FOR OIL AND GAS COMPANY TMOC RESOURCES\n","article":"  Cooper Basin oil producer Santos Ltd\n  <STOS.S> said it will bid 4.00 dlrs a share for the 96.03 pct\n  it does not already hold in diversified oil and gas company\n  <TMOC Resources Ltd>.\n      Santos said the bid values TMOC at 248.5 mln dlrs. It said\n  it already holds 1.91 mln of TMOC's 25 cent par shares.\n      TMOC held interests outside the Cooper Basin region of\n  South Australia and Queensland and the acquisition would\n  further the Santos objective of developing as a broadly based\n  oil and gas company with interests outside its existing base in\n  the Cooper Basin, the company said in a statement.\n      Santos said TMOC holds several important domestic oil and\n  gas production, exploration and pipeline interests.\n      In the Northern Territory it has a 43.75 pct stake in and\n  operates the Mereenie oil and gas field in the Amadeus Basin\n  and owns 32 pct of <N.T. Gas Pty Ltd>, owner and operator of\n  the Alice Springs to Darwin gas pipeline.\n      In Queensland, TMOC has extensive interests in the Surat\n  Basin, including the 100 pct owned and operated Moonie oil\n  field and 33 pct of the Boxleigh gas field.\n      TMOC owns 80 pct of the <Moonie Pipeline Co Pty Ltd> which\n  owns and operates the Moonie to Brisbane oil pipeline.\n      TMOC also holds 25 pct of the Jackson to Moonie oil\n  pipeline, 20 pct owned by Santos. Output from the Naccowlah\n  block, 40 pct owned by Santos, provides the bulk of the\n  throughput of both pipelines.\n      TMOC has exploration interests in a number of areas in the\n  Amadeus, Surat, Eromanga and Canning basins.\n      It also has oil and gas interests in Britain's North Sea,\n  Ecuador, and the U.S., Along with gold and base metal\n  production through its associate <Paringa Mining and\n  Exploration Co Plc>, Santos said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GATT SUCCESS WILL TAKE PRESSURE, N.Z. MINISTER\n","article":"  Long term pressure by trade\n  ministers is necessary if the current Uruguay round of talks on\n  the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT) is to\n  succeed, New Zealand's Overseas Trade minister Mike Moore said.\n      Moore told the opening meeting of trade ministers from 22\n  nations gathered for informal talks on the GATT that ministers\n  \"need opportunities to keep in touch and to consider how the\n  political problems inherent in an exercise like this one can be\n  faced and resolved.\"\n      Moore said the Taupo meeting is one of a series of such\n  international gatherings, which includes the OECD ministerial\n  meeting in May and the G-7 meeting in Venice in June, enabling\n  ministers to maintain contact.\n      World trade conditions are getting better not worse, he\n  said.\n      He said New Zealand is \"moving rapidly and of our own\n  initiative in the direction of liberalisation, and I warn you\n  we shall be looking for partners.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JAPAN LONG-TERM PRIME SEEN CUT TO RECORD LOW SOON\n","article":"  Japan's long-term banks will soon cut\n  their prime rate, now at a record low 5.5 pct, by 0.2 or 0.3\n  percentage point in response to falling secondary market yields\n  on their five-year debentures, long-term bankers said.\n      The long-term prime rate is customarily set 0.9 percentage\n  point above the coupon on five-year bank debentures issued by\n  the long-term banks every month.\n      The latest bank debentures, at 4.6 pct, have met strong\n  end-investor demand on the prospect of further declines in yen\n  interest rates, dealers said. The current 5.5 pct prime rate\n  has been in effect since February 28.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COFFEE CONFERENCE ENDS WITH CALL TO CONTINUE TALKS\n","article":"  A meeting of eight Latin American\n  coffee producers ended with a call for continued talks aimed at\n  arriving at an agreement to stabilize international prices.\n      A statement delivered by the conference's president,\n  Nicaragua's External Trade Minister Alejandro Martinez Cuenca,\n  said the object of future meetings would be to seek\n  negotiations leading to basic export quotas.\n      The meeting was attended by representatives from Brazil,\n  Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica and\n  Nicaragua. A Panamanian representative attended the meeting as\n  an observer.\n      Representatives at the meeting said efforts would continue\n  to be made to reach a regional consensus on export quotas which\n  could be presented to the International Coffee Organization.\n      In opening the meeting, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega\n  said the lack of an accord on export quotas was behind falling\n  coffee prices, which he said have caused billions of dollars in\n  losses to countries in the region.\n      Jorio Dauster, president of the Brazilian Coffee Institute,\n  said his government is committed to working towards an\n  producers accord in order to bring about higher prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"YEUTTER SEES U.S., JAPAN VERGING ON TRADE CONFLICT\n","article":"  The United States and Japan\n  are on the brink of serious conflict on trade, especially over\n  semiconductors, Japanese unwillingness for public bodies to buy\n  U.S. Super-computers, and barriers to U.S. Firms seeking to\n  participate in the eight billion dlr Kansai airport project,\n  U.S. Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter said.\n      He was talking to reporters yesterday on the eve of a\n  two-day meeting of trade ministers which will review progress\n  made by committees set up after the Uruguay meeting last\n  September launched a new round of GATT (General Agreement on\n  Tariffs and Trade) talks.\n      European Community (EC) commissioner Willy de Clercq\n  meanwhile told reporters conflict between the world's three\n  major trading and economic powers -- the EC, the U.S. And Japan\n  -- set a poor example for other members of GATT.\n      Australian Trade Minister John Dawkins told the reporters\n  bilateral retaliation at the enormous expense of the rest of\n  the world was no way to solve trade disputes.\n      New Zealand trade minister Mike Moore told his colleagues\n  great progress had been made in preparing for the current round\n  of GATT negotiations which must not be sidetracked.\n      The ministers have said they want to maintain the momentum\n  towards fresh negotiations or avert serious trade conflicts.\n      Yeutter said the problem with international trade talks was\n  that they tended to get bogged down for years. \"Countries don't\n  get very serious about negotiating until the end of the day\n  which is, maybe, five or six years in the future.\"\n      He also said he did not consider the new U.S. Congress as\n  protectionist as it was 18 months ago. \"That's a very healthy\n  development,\" he added.\"If you asked me about that a year or 18\n  months ago I would have said that it was terribly\n  protectionist.\"\n      \"Members of Congress, that is the contemplative members of\n  Congress, have begun to realise protectionism is not the answer\n  to the 170 billion dlr trade deficit,\" Yeutter said.\n      \"They've also begun to realise that you cannot legislate\n  solutions to a 170 billion dollar trade deficit so they are\n  more realistic and, in my judgement, more responsible on that\n  issue than they were 12 or 18 months ago.\"\n      He added, \"Whether that will be reflected in the legislation\n  that eventually emerges is another matter.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEW COOPER BASIN GAS POOL DISCOVERY REPORTED\n","article":"  <Delhi Petroleum Pty Ltd> said a\n  second gas flow has been recorded in the Epsilon formation of\n  the Toolachee Block on PEL five and six signifying a new pool\n  discovery.\n      The Kerna Four appraisal well flowed gas at 235,038 cubic\n  meters a day with four kiloliters of condensate through a 13mm\n  surface choke over an interval of 2,374 to 2,399 meters.\n      DST 1, in the Epsilon formation, was earlier reported as\n  flowing gas at 237,862 cm\/day, Delhi said in a statement.\n      The well is two km south south east of Kerna 3, 15 km south\n  east of the Dullingari field and 75 km east of Moomba.\n      Delhi said the remaining objective of the well is the\n  Patchawarra formation.\n      Other interest holders in the Kerna Four well are: Santos\n  Ltd <STOS.S> 50 pct, Delhi 30, <Vamgas Ltd> 10, <South\n  Australian Oil and Gas Corp Pty Ltd> 10 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IRAN SAYS IT INTENDS NO THREAT TO GULF SHIPPING\n","article":"  Iran said reports that it intended to\n  threaten shipping in the Gulf were baseless, and warned the\n  U.S. And other countries not to interfere in the region.\n      Tehran radio, monitored by the BBC, quoted a Foreign\n  Ministry spokesman as saying any attempt at interference would\n  be met by \"a strong response from Iran and other Moslems in the\n  world.\"\n       U.S. Defence Secretary Caspar Weinberger, in remarks\n  apparently unrelated to the broadcast, said the U.S. Would do\n  whatever was necessary to keep shipping lanes open in the face\n  of new Iranian anti-ship missiles in the Gulf.\n      The U.S. State Department said two days ago Tehran had been\n  told of U.S. Concern that Iranian anti-ship missiles posed a\n  threat to the free flow of oil from the Gulf.\n      U.S. Officials have said Iran has new Chinese-made\n  anti-ship \"Silkworm\" missiles, which pose a greater threat to\n  merchant ships than missiles used before.\n      The Iranian spokesman said the reports that Iran intended\n  to attack ships were \"misleading propaganda.\"\n      He said Iraq's President Saddam Hussein was the main cause\n  of tension in the Gulf and said Iran would continue to use \"all\n  its legitimate means to stem the cause of tension.\"\n      Weinberger said in a television interview in the U.S. \"We\n  are fully prepared to do what's necessary to keep the shipping\n  going and keep the freedom of navigation available in that very\n  vital waterway.\"\n      \"We aren't going into any disclosures or discussions of what\n  might happen, but we are certainly very sympathetic to and\n  listening carefully to any suggestions for our assistance in\n  keeping navigation free in that area,\" he said.\n      Weinberger said U.S warship movements in the Gulf area were\n  not unusual.\n      A U.S. Navy battle group led by the aircraft carrier Kitty\n  Hawk is currently in the northern Arabian Sea.\n      The Iranian spokesman was quoted by Tehran radio as saying\n  the U.S. Was trying to build up its military presence in the\n  region.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MFS MANAGED MUNCIPAL BOND TRUST SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  <MFS Managed Muncipal Trust Bond>\n  said it declared a monthly payout income distribution of 5.7\n  cts a share compared with 5.6 cts for the previous month.\n      It said the distribution is payable March 20 to\n  shareholders of record March two.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MALAYSIAN 1987 ECONOMIC GROWTH SEEN ABOVE FORECAST\n","article":"  The Development Bank of Singapore Ltd\n  (DBS) said Malaysia's real gross domestic product growth (gdp)\n  in 1987 could be 1.5 to two pct, above a budget target of one\n  pct.\n      It said in a report that because of an economic recovery\n  and higher foreign exchange reserves, the Malaysian ringgit is\n  unlikely to face devaluation in the near future.\n      The report was presented at a two-day investment conference\n  organised by the DBS, one of Singapore's four major banks.\n      The report said rising commodity prices and the continued\n  expansion of the manufacturing sector coupled with rigorous\n  fiscal restraints and a more stable currency are grounds for\n  cautious optimism about the Malaysian economy.\n      It forecast the ringgit will remain stable at between 2.60\n  and 2.70 Malaysian dlrs to the U.S. Dollar for the rest of the\n  year.\n      But the report said the growth rate of Malaysia's external\n  debt remains worrying and should be controlled. It said\n  Malaysia's external debt totals 48 to 49 billion Malaysian dlrs\n  and its debt service ratio exceeds 20 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PHILIPPINE COCONUT PRODUCT EXPORTS FALL IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Coconut product exports fell to 163,924\n  copra tonnes in January from 196,610 tonnes in December and\n  167,747 tonnes in January last year, government figures show.\n      Coconut product sales earned 44.54 mln dlrs compared with\n  45.30 mln in December and 49.09 mln a year earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GERMAN STEEL SUBSIDIES CANNOT CONTINUE - MINISTER\n","article":"  Economics Minister Martin Bangemann said\n  the state could not continue to pour money into West Germany's\n  ailing steel and coal industries because the subsidies\n  endangered other parts of the economy.\n      \"The situation is completely absurd from an economic point\n  of view,\" Bangemann told the newspaper Die Welt in an interview\n  released ahead of publication tomorrow.\n      \"We are subsidising the production of mineral coal and steel\n  to an enormous extent and at the same time putting a huge\n  burden on all other branches of industry and making them\n  uncompetitive,\" he said.\n      Bangemann said the steel and coal industries were no longer\n  capable of being competitive. Continued state subsidies would\n  not save them but would only prolong their lives artifically\n  for a few years, he said.\n      \"That is why I have refused to continue subsidising them in\n  the way that we have done in the past,\" he said.\n      Several steel firms have announced plans to reduce their\n  workforces, citing weak prices and lower exports due to the\n  strength of the mark and tough foreign competition.\n      Bangemann said everything possible would be done to find\n  new jobs for the workers affected by the cuts.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DART GROUP FLEXIBLE ON SUPERMARKETS <SGL> BID\n","article":"  <Dart Group Corp> said it told\n  Supermarkets General Corp <SGL> it was flexible on the price it\n  would pay to acquire the company.\n      Dart has said it would offer 41.75 dlrs cash for each SGL\n  share if the SGL board recommended the offer to shareholders.\n      SGL has termed the 1.62 billion dlr offer unsolicited.\n      In a letter to SGL dated March 20, Dart also said it was\n  denied confidential information on SGL that would be given to\n  other potential bidders.\n      SGL officials could not be reached for comment.\n      Dart said it was advised that a selling brochure for the\n  sale of SGL had been distributed to about 20 potential buyers,\n  but not itself. These purchasers would also be given access to\n  SGL's books and records and the opportunity to talk with key\n  employees.\n      \"We suspect that one or more of the 20 are leveraged buyout\n  firms,\" said a source close to Dart. Analysts have said SGL\n  management may be considering a leveraged buyout.\n      Dart said it remains interested in acquiring SGL on a\n  friendly basis and reiterated its willingness to negotiate all\n  the terms of its offer.\n      Dart said SGL representatives said the company has not\n  received any other offer.\n      It said it requested the confidential information to better\n  understand SGL, but was denied this because it refused to sign\n  an agreement prohibiting it from making a bid for SGL without\n  SGL's approval.\n      The agreement would also have limited its ability to buy\n  SGL shares, Dart said. It considered those conditions\n  unreasonable in the interest of trying to negotiate a friendly\n  transaction, it said.\n      Dart has just under five pct of SGL shares.\n      Dart said it requested the information before its meeting\n  with SGL representatives, but held the meetings in the hope\n  representatives would reach an agreement.\n      It said it indicated it was flexible on price, but was told\n  there were certain issues important to SGL management and while\n  they were not conditions to the deal, Dart was expected to take\n  them into account in putting together its package.\n      It said the issues include an immediate payment of 5.7 mln\n  dlrs to SGL chairman Leonard Lieberman, executive vice\n  president James Dougherty and financial officer Murray Levine.\n      Dart said this payment was intended for the three officers'\n  severance agreements, although there was an implication that\n  Lieberman and Dougherty would be leaving the company of their\n  own volition.\n      Dart said under their present agreements, none of these\n  officers have any right to such accelerated payments. Also,\n  Dart said Lieberman, Dougherty and Levine are to be paid 2.6\n  mln dlrs to pay their taxes. It also said top management's\n  incentive shares were to be accelerated and paid for at a cost\n  of six mln dlrs although there are restrictions on the shares\n  unless waived by the company's compensation committee.\n      Dart said it was to fund up to five mln dlrs for top\n  management's supplemental retirement plan.\n      Dart said another issue was to agree to future severance\n  obligations and future salary guarantees for top management,\n  estimated at more than 15 mln dlrs in excess of obligations\n  under the company's present policy.\n      Dart said despite such management payments, it agreed to\n  discuss all aspects of its offer and in fact did try to\n  negotiate a transaction at the March 18 meeting with SGL.\n      Supermarkets General owns the Path Mark supermarket chain\n  and Rickels home centres.\n      Dart also released a copy of a lawsuit that was being filed\n  by an SGL shareholder, seeking to stop SGL from taking such\n  actions as paying greenmail or enacting a poison pill defence.\n      The suit also sought to have directors carry out their\n  fiduciary duty.\n      Greenmail is the payment at a premium for shares held by an\n  unwanted suitor and a poison pill is typically the issue of\n  securities to shareholders which make a takeover more\n  expensive.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIA SAID TO RELY TOO MUCH ON OIL TAXES\n","article":"  The government's\n  over-reliance on revenue from crude oil is adversely affecting\n  Australia's economic performance, Australian Petroleum\n  Exploration Association (APEA) chairman Dennis Benbow said.\n      Over one-third of Australia's indirect tax income is\n  derived from oil at a time of falling domestic output and weak\n  crude prices, he told the APEA annual conference here.\n      This dependence on oil-generated revenue distorts the\n  country's economic performance directly by acting as a\n  disincentive to new exploration and indirectly by affecting\n  trading competitiveness through high energy costs, he said.\n      Australia's medium-term liquid fuel self-sufficiency\n  position is posing a major economic threat, yet the\n  government's response has been to load new tax burdens on the\n  oil industry, Benbow said.\n      Domestic oil output from existing fields is expected to\n  fall to 280,000 barrels per day (bpd) in fiscal 1992\/93 from\n  546,000 bpd in 1985\/86, reflecting mainly the decline of the\n  Bass Strait fields, he said.\n      Bass Strait reserves are now two-thirds depleted, with the\n  three largest fields 80 pct depleted, he said.\n      By 1992\/93, Bass Strait output is expected to be just over\n  half the 1985\/86 level, assuming a number of so far undeveloped\n  fields are brought on stream and enhanced recovery from\n  existing fields goes ahead, Benbow said.\n      Government projections of output from as yet undiscovered\n  fields range from 40,000 to 130,000 bpd, he said.\n      Australian liquid fuel demand is forecast to rise to\n  680,000 bpd in 1992\/93 from 565,000 in 1985\/86, implying a\n  crude oil gap of between 270,000 and 360,000 bpd in five years\n  time, he said.\n      At present world oil prices and the current value of the\n  Australian dollar, annual oil imports in 1992\/93 would cost\n  between 3.2 billion and 3.6 billion dlrs, Benbow said.\n      Despite intensive exploration in the early 1980's, the\n  addition to reserves has been inadequate, he said.\n      For example, the 409 mln barrels discovered in the five\n  years 1980-84 represent about two years' consumption, he said.\n      He called on the government to review its tax policies to\n  restore incentive to exploration.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MINISTER PREDICTS ONE PCT INFLATION FOR SINGAPORE\n","article":"  Singapore will have an inflation rate\n  of one pct in 1987, up from a negative 1.4 pct in 1986, Trade\n  and Industry Minister Lee Hsien Loong told Parliament.\n      He said the 1986 drop in the inflation rate, the first fall\n  in a decade, was due largely to lower world prices for oil and\n  oil-related items.\n      But Lee said the negative inflation rate is unlikely to be\n  repeated this year because of projected higher prices for\n  primary commodities and oil.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"WOOLWORTHS LTD REPORTS 9.27 MLN DLR NET PROFIT YR END FEB 1 VS 63.20 MLN\n","article":"\n  WOOLWORTHS LTD REPORTS 9.27 MLN DLR NET PROFIT YR END FEB 1 VS 63.20 MLN\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"Bell Resources says it buys 57.6 mln BHP shares, taking holding to 29.93 pct\n","article":"\n  Bell Resources says it buys 57.6 mln BHP shares, taking holding to 29.93 pct\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"WOOLWORTHS LTD <WLWA.S> YR ENDED FEB 1\n","article":"  Shr 4.16 cents vs 28.80\n      Final Div nil vs 10.5 cents making six for year vs 16.5\n      Pre-tax profit 2.68 mln dlrs vs 107.71 mln\n      Net 9.27 mln vs 63.20 mln\n      Turnover 5.47 billion vs 4.83 billion\n      Other income 65.33 mln vs 51.68 mln\n      Shrs 222.94 mln vs 219.54 mln.\n      NOTE - Net is after tax credit 6.6 mln vs tax paid 43.39\n  mln, depreciation 41.18 mln vs 34.10 mln, interest 42.42 mln vs\n  36.23 mln and minorities 11,000 vs 1.12 mln but before\n  extraordinary net profit 24.98 mln vs loss 51.71 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BELL RESOURCES BOOSTS STAKE IN BHP\n","article":"  <Bell Resources Ltd> said it has executed\n  an underwriting agreement with <Equiticorp Tasman Ltd> to\n  acquire 57.6 mln ordinary shares in The Broken Hill Pty Co Ltd\n  <BRKN.S> for 540 mln dlrs.\n      Bell said in a statement that it now holds 29.93 pct of\n  BHP's 1.2 billion shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ARIADNE UNIT CONFIRMS BID FOR SAN MIGUEL\n","article":"  Ariadne group unit <Barwon Farmlands\n  Ltd> confirmed it offered 3.8 billion pesos in cash for the 38\n  mln shares of Philippine brewing company <San Miguel Corp>.\n      The Australia-based Barwon, 30 pct owned by New Zealander\n  Bruce Judge's Ariadne group, said in a statement released in\n  Hong Kong that a formal offer had been made to the Philippines\n  government, which holds the shares.\n      It said it was confident the offer will be reviewed\n  favourably.\n      Newspapers in Manila and Hong Kong reported at the weekend\n  that an offer had been made.\n      Barwon said it was represented by Australian stockbroker\n  <Jacksons Ltd>, which forwarded a formal offer to Philippine\n  President Corazon Aquino of 100 pesos for each of the 38.1 mln\n  A and B shares of San Miguel.\n      The Philippine government seized the shares, which\n  represent a 31 pct stake in the brewery firm, from the <United\n  Coconut Planters Bank>, alleged by the government to be linked\n  with the country's deposed President Ferdinand Marcos.\n      The Barwon statement said a deal is expected to be\n  concluded between Barwon and the Philippines government in 14\n  days.\n      Barwon also said it made recommendations to the government\n  on how it could purchase the class A shares, which can only be\n  held by a Philippine national or a firm which is at least 60\n  pct held by a member of the country. It did not elaborate.\n      The Hong Kong Economical Journal quoted a spokesman of\n  Jacksons as saying Barwon plans to set up a branch in the\n  Philippines to meet the criteria.\n      <San Miguel Brewery Ltd>, a locally listed firm 69.65 pct\n  held by San Miguel's <Neptunia Corp> affiliate, was last traded\n  at 16.30 H.K. Dlrs against 15.50 dlrs on Friday.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EXXON OFFICIAL URGES PLANNING FOR NEXT OIL SURGE\n","article":"  World governments\n  should prepare for an inevitable significant increase in the\n  price of oil as non-Middle East supplies diminish, Exxon Corp\n  <XON> director and senior vice-president Donald McIvor said.\n      Policymakers must also face up to the reality that the bulk\n  of world oil reserves lies in the Middle East, he said in a\n  speech prepared for delivery to the Australian Petroleum\n  Exploration Association (APEA) annual conference.\n      It appears ever more likely that new discoveries elsewhere\n  will not change this fact, he said.\n      McIvor said 37 of the world's 30,000 oil fields contain\n  about 35 pct of all oil ever discovered.\n      Only 11 of these 37 super-giant fields lie outside the\n  Middle East and only five of the 37 have been discovered in the\n  last 20 years, three of them in the Middle East, he said.\n      He also said that since 1970, the world has been consuming\n  20 to 25 billion barrels a year while making discoveries at the\n  rate of only 10 to 15 billion barrels a year.\n      More than half of remaining proved reserves are in the\n  Middle East, he said.\n      McIvor said it was important to continue to search for oil\n  outside the Middle East because each addition contributes to a\n  diversity of supply desirable for global political and economic\n  stability.\n      \"It is important to enhance the likelihood of home-country\n  discoveries with measures such as non-discriminatory and stable\n  taxation, and minimum regulation, together with opening up of\n  acreage for exploration,\" he said.\n      Increasing reliance on the Middle East will also boost the\n  incentive to use natural gas and synthetic sources of\n  petroleum, he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN TO BOOST FARM IMPORTS FROM U.S., EUROPE\n","article":"  Taiwan is expected to boost agricultural\n  imports from the U.S. And Europe in calendar 1987 to help\n  balance trade, the Council of Agriculture said.\n      A council official, who declined to be named, told Reuters\n  the imports, which will include about seven mln tonnes of\n  oilseeds, grains and dairy products, would be worth some four\n  billion U.S. Dlrs against 3.72 billion in 1986 and 3.38 billion\n  in 1985.\n      Taiwan's surplus with the U.S. Rose to 13.6 billion dlrs\n  last year from 10.2 billion in 1985, government figures show.\n      Government figures also show Taiwan's surplus with Europe\n  rose to 1.53 billion dlrs last year from 543 mln in 1985.\n      Taiwan's imports of U.S. Farm produce last year amounted to\n  1.41 billion dlrs against 1.52 billion in 1985.\n      Imports from Europe rose to 182 mln U.S. Dlrs from 148 mln,\n  the official said.\n      He attributed the decline in the value of U.S. Imports to\n  falling agricultural products prices last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN OIL TAX CUT SEEN BOOSTING OUTPUT\n","article":"  A 10 percentage\n  point reduction in the Australian government's maximum crude\n  oil levy on old oil would stabilize Bass Straits oil output,\n  resources analyst Ian Story said here.\n      A reduction to 70 pct from 80 pct would enable Bass Strait\n  output to be maintained at the current rate of 420,000 barrels\n  per day (BPD) for the next year rather than falling to 380,000\n  BPD in 1987\/88, he told the Australian Petroleum Exploration\n  Association annual conference.\n      Story is an analyst with and a director of Sydney\n  stockbroker Meares and Philips Ltd.\n      Windfall profits taxes on Bass Strait crude are no longer\n  appropriate in the current economic climate, Story said.\n      The maximum 80 pct levy on old oil -- that discovered\n  before September 1975 -- is now forcing the Broken Hill Pty Co\n  Ltd <BRKN.S>\/Exxon Corp <XON> partnership to shut-in\n  production, accelerating the decline in output and reducing\n  government revenue, he said.\n      He said the producer return per barrel at a price of 30\n  Australian dlrs a barrel would rise to 2.07 dlrs from 0.80 dlrs\n  if the levy was cut to 70 pct.\n      \"The economics at an 80 pct levy are simply not attractive\n  at oil prices below 30 dlrs,\" Story said.\n      Cutting the maximum levy rate to 70 pct would create higher\n  levels of self-sufficiency, increase government revenue, boost\n  exports and provide incentives for exploration and development,\n  he said.\n      The government is currently reviewing the oil tax\n  structure.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GATT MEETING HEARS PLEA FOR AFRICAN DEBT RELIEF\n","article":"  Debt among African countries\n  will continue to grow and their economies remain stifled unless\n  developed countries lower their interest rates, Nigerian Trade\n  Minister Samaila Mamman said.\n      He told an informal General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade\n  (GATT) meeting the widening gap between developed and\n  developing countries and an inequitable international economic\n  system were major impediments to growth in developing\n  countries.\n      Delegates from 23 countries are attending the GATT talks in\n  the New Zealand resort of Taupo.\n      \"I wish to emphasise that the growth in the volume of the\n  external indebtedness of African countries reflects the full\n  effect of the deflationary monetary and trade policies of the\n  developed market economy countries,\" Mamman said.\n      \"The developed market economy countries have slowed down\n  output growth thereby drying up markets for the commodity\n  exports of African countries.\"\n      Mamman said the World Bank estimated 35.3 billion dlrs a\n  year would be needed over the next five years for the African\n  continent to be able to achieve a gross domestic product growth\n  (GDP) rate of three to four pct by 1990.\n      Yet at the same time Africa's debt service was estimated at\n  24.5 billion dlrs a year between 1986 and 1990.\n      \"With the best of intentions Africa cannot attain a three to\n  four pct GDP growth rate if the current high level of debt\n  persists,\" Mamman said. Developed countries must seek\n  alternatives to policies that resulted in the transfer of\n  resources and more indebtedness, he said.\n      \"The international community cannot fail to respond\n  positively to the collapse of the international market for\n  commodities ... And act quickly to stabilize demand and prices\n  of our commodity exports,\" he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GERMAN BOND YIELDS SEEN FALLING IN NEAR TERM \n","article":"  West German bond yields could decline\n  over the next few months if recent efforts to stabilize\n  exchange rates, as seen in last month's Paris pact, extend to\n  keeping down European interest rates, banking economists said.\n      But in the longer term domestic yields could rise under\n  agreements to stimulate West Germany's economy, they said.\n      The Paris agreement has so far successfully stabilized\n  currencies with the threat of central bank intervention,\n  economists said.\n      Economists speculated that G-7 countries may try to bolster\n  the pact by uncoupling U.S. and West German interest rates\n  further when they meet for the IMF Interim Committee in April.\n  \"The recent round of monetary accommodation by the Bundesbank\n  and the Bank of Japan and the firming of the Federal Funds rate\n  are significant. They mark an uncoupling of movements in U.S.\n  and foreign interest rates,\" Salomon Bros Inc said in a recent\n  study.\n      It said narrowing of international interest rate spreads\n  was a major factor in the dollar's fall. These spreads will\n  have to be widened if the dollar is to be stabilized.\n      West German Bundesbank President Karl Otto Poehl encouraged\n  the U.S. not to cut interest rates in January when the\n  Bundesbank cut its own rates by half a point, to avoid\n  weakening the dollar.\n      West German economists see room for further cuts in leading\n  West German rates if the dollar resumes its decline.\n      \"It's not a taboo,\" Peter Pietsch, spokesman for Commerzbank\n  AG said.\n      But most economists see room for a cut in West German rates\n  only in the first half of the year, as re-emerging inflation\n  will limit room for manoeuvre later in the year.\n      The Bundesbank's average yield of public paper is already\n  nearing last year's low. Last week, yields fell to around 5.50\n  pct, not far from the 1986 low of 5.35 pct posted in mid-April.\n   Economists said the trend may cause domestic investors to\n  shift some funds from short to longer-term paper. Such a move\n  would tend to flatten the yield curve between short and\n  long-term rates, which has become more pronounced since the\n  Bundesbank lowered its discount rate.\n      It might also facilitate a further cut in leading rates, as\n  the shift out of savings accounts into securities would slow\n  growth of the Bundesbank's central bank money stock aggregate.\n      But conflicting with this trend are plans to increase West\n  German tax cuts, part of the Paris currency pact designed to\n  meet U.S. demands for faster West German growth. This move may\n  force interest rates up by creating a revenue vacuum which must\n  be filled by higher government borrowing.\n      This may not occur if private sector demand for credit\n  remains weak, but demand could emerge if rates begin rising.\n      Economists said it appeared the government had already\n  stepped up borrowing this year to accomodate revenue loss from\n  other sources, including tax losses resulting from weaker than\n  expected economic growth, and higher than expected spending.\n      Josef Koerner, chief economist of the West German\n  Ifo-Institut, said in a newspaper interview he expected 1987\n  tax revenue to be some 11 billion marks below estimates by the\n  West German government in November.\n      Any tax shortfall in itself is unlikely to push yields up.\n  But coupled with other factors such as waning foreign\n  speculative buying of mark bonds on the dollar's decline, long\n  term yields may to have to rise, economists said.\n      Public authority borrowing in 1988 may also rise owing to\n  increases in the second phase of Bonn's tax reform package.\n      The West German government is raising its total tax cuts in\n  1988 by 5.2 billion marks to 14.4 billion.\n      West German chancellor Helmut Kohl said last week increased\n  borrowing to finance the tax reform is acceptable.\n      Finance minister Gerhard Stoltenberg said last Thursday he\n  was looking for other ways to finance the reform, such as\n  raising indirect taxes.\n      But few economists believe the government will be able to\n  go through with its tax measures without increasing net\n  borrowing.\n      The Bundesbank said in its February report that it was\n  wrong to believe that the first stage of the tax reform in 1986\n  could be managed without increasing deficits.\n      The Bundesbank said West German public authorities borrowed\n  a large 21.9 billion marks in credit markets in the 1986 final\n  quarter compared with 14.8 billion in fourth quarter 1985.\n      The federal government took up nearly 10 billion marks of\n  the fourth quarter 1986 figures, and also drew on two billion\n  marks of Bundesbank advances at the end of the year, when it\n  had not required such a credit in the 1985 quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"PHILIPPINES POSTS 68 MLN DLR JANUARY TRADE DEFICIT\n","article":"  The Philippines posted a trade deficit\n  of 68 mln dlrs in January, compared with deficits of 57 mln in\n  January 1986 and 28 mln in December, government figures show.\n      The National Census and Statistics Office (NCSO) said\n  imports of 436 mln dlrs in January were up from 371 mln in\n  January 1986 and 393 mln dlrs in December, while exports of 368\n  mln were up on the 314 mln in January 1986 but lower than\n  December's 421 mln.\n      The country's 1987-92 medium-term development plan targets\n  a 9.8 pct average annual growth in exports and a 10.7 pct\n  growth in imports, the NCSO said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"JAPANESE COMPOUND FEED OUTPUT FALLS IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Japanese compound feed output fell to\n  2.06 mln tonnes in January from 2.57 mln in December, against\n  2.04 mln a year earlier, Agriculture Ministry statistics show.\n      January sales totalled 2.07 mln tonnes against 2.59 mln in\n  December and 2.04 mln a year earlier, while end-month stocks\n  were 233,003 tonnes against 230,764 and 241,567.\n      Base mixes for the January compound feed output included\n  corn, sorghum and soybean meal.\n      Corn use totalled 993,156 tonnes, against 1.20 mln in\n  December and 896,718 a year earlier, and its compounding ratio\n  was 48.1 pct against 46.6 pct and 43.1 pct.\n      Sorghum use totalled 339,013 tonnes in January against\n  459,067 in December and 412,743 a year earlier, and its\n  compounding ratio was 16.4 pct against 17.8 pct and 19.8 pct,\n  the ministry's figures shows.\n      Soybean meal use amounted to 202,546 tonnes against 253,498\n  and 213,287 and its compounding ratio was 9.8 pct against 9.8\n  pct and 10.2 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JAPAN SAYS IT TRYING TO EXPAND DOMESTIC DEMAND\n","article":"  Japan has assured a meeting\n  of trade ministers it is making every effort to expand domestic\n  demand and restructure its economy.\n      Japanese trade representative Tsomu Hata told an informal\n  General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) meeting that, in\n  addition to demand boosting measures adopted last September, a\n  comprehensive economic program will be prepared after the\n  1987\/88 budget is approved.\n      Hata, speaking at the first session of the two-day meeting,\n  said agriculture is no exception to the goal of restructuring\n  the economy, but did not elaborate.\n      Hata said protectionist pressures in the international\n  economy are as strong as ever, reflecting financial deficits,\n  payment imbalances and serious unemployment in many countries.\n      Despite great potential, developing economies are still\n  confronted by grave difficulties, particularly debt, he added.\n      The basis for the talks is the GATT ministerial declaration\n  last September in Punta del Este, Uruguay, and the subsequent\n  trade negotiating plan agreed in Geneva.\n      \"It is essential that we first reaffirm here our commitment\n  to implementing that plan as scheduled,\" Hata said.\n      Hata added it is not constructive to speed up negotiations\n  in some areas at the expense of others.\n      In order to rebuild the free trade system, it is important\n  for each participant to have domestic policies that will serve\n  this end.\n      As part of its contribution, Japan plans in April to\n  fundamentally improve its generalised system of preferences for\n  industrial and mining products to make Japan's domestic market\n  more open to developing countries, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" Bundesbank sets 28-day securities repurchase tender at fixed 3.80 pct\n","article":"\n   Bundesbank sets 28-day securities repurchase tender at fixed 3.80 pct\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BUNDESBANK SETS NEW REPURCHASE TENDER\n","article":"  The Bundesbank set a new tender for a\n  28-day securities repurchase agreement, offering banks\n  liquidity aid at a fixed rate of 3.80 pct, a central bank\n  spokesman said.\n      Banks must make their bids by 1000 GMT tomorrow, and funds\n  allocated will be credited to accounts on Wednesday. Banks must\n  repurchase securities pledged on April 22.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET DEFICIT FORECAST AT 800 MLN STG\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it forecast a\n  shortage of around 800 mln stg in the money market today.\n      Among the main factors affecting liquidity, bills maturing\n  in official hands and the take-up of treasury bills will drain\n  around 1.18 billion stg while bankers balances below target\n  will take out some 20 mln stg.\n      Partly offseting these outflows, a fall in note circulation\n  and exchequer transactions will add some 355 and 55 mln stg to\n  the system respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INDONESIA'S NON-OIL EXPORTS DECLINE IN 1986\n","article":"  Indonesia's non-oil and gas exports\n  fell to 5.79 billion dlrs in calendar 1986 from 5.98 billion in\n  1985, according to Bank Indonesia figures.\n      Coffee exports rose to 753 mln dlrs from 580 mln in 1985,\n  but rubber shipments fell to 625 mln from 720 mln and tin to\n  180.6 mln from 246 mln, weekly central bank figures show.\n      Indonesia hopes to boost its non-oil exports to make up for\n  oil revenue lost because of lower prices. But the lower value\n  of commodities such as timber, rubber, palm oil and tea on\n  world markets has prevented this, despite a 31 pct devaluation\n  of the rupiah against the dollar in September.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN MINISTER SAYS AGRICULTURE GATT PRIORITY\n","article":"  Australian Trade Minister\n  John Dawkins said if the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade\n  (GATT) does not give high priority to agricultural trade reform\n  it will be neglecting the area of greatest crisis.\n      In a statement to the informal GATT trade ministers\n  conference here he said agriculture is a problem which involves\n  all countries and seriously affects the debt servicing\n  abilities of a number of developing countries.\n       He said major countries should be showing leadership on\n  this problem.\n      \"We will be giving close attention to the processes in the\n  OECD (Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development) and\n  elsewhere leading to the Venice economic summit where we will\n  be looking to the participants to adopt a strong commitment to\n  agricultural trade reform,\" Dawkins said.\n      The Venice summit is scheduled for June.\n      He said Australia's interests in the Uruguay Round, the\n  eighth under the GATT, are wide ranging. Dawkins said he sees\n  the round as providing a timely opportunity to secure further\n  meaningful trade liberalisation in all sectors and to restore\n  confidence in the multilateral system.\n      Dawkins said initial meetings of the negotiating groups\n  established in Geneva after the GATT declaration last September\n  in Punta del Este, Uruguay, have made a reasonable start, but\n  it is vital that trade ministers maintain the pressure on these\n  processes.\n      \"We must see that the commitments made at Punta del Este on\n  standstill and rollback are carried into practice.\"\n      The standstill and rollback of protection offers the global\n  trading system a chance to hold and wind back protection during\n  the negotiations which are expected to last up to four years,\n  he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN ECONOMY SEEN GROWING 3.6 PCT IN 1987\/88\n","article":"  Japan is expected to post a 3.6 pct rise\n  in real gross national product in 1987\/88, higher than the\n  official 3.5 pct target, a private economic institute said.\n      The Research Institute on National Economy said in a report\n  the economy will start picking up in the April-June quarter,\n  partly because of an improvement in earnings performance and\n  capital spending in manufacturing industries.\n      The institute assumed an average exchange rate in the year\n  starting April 1 of 150 yen to the dollar. It predicted the\n  Bank of Japan will not change the official discount rate in the\n  year.\n      The institute forecast that Japan's exports will gradually\n  rise in the year in volume terms as the dollar's fall in the\n  past 18 months is likely to help prop up the U.S. Economy.\n      Japan's trade surplus is expected to narrow slightly to\n  90.2 billion dlrs in 1987\/88 ending March 31 from an estimated\n  98 billion in the current fiscal year, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BOOKER PLC <BOKL.L> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 27.89p vs 24.24p\n      Div 9.0p vs 7.75p making 13.75p vs 12.0p\n      Turnover 1.26 billion stg vs 1.19 billion\n      Pretax profit 54.6 mln vs 46.5 mln\n      Tax 16.5 mln vs 13.5 mln\n      Interest paid 2.2 mln vs 2.4 mln\n      Minority interests 2.3 mln debit vs same\n      Extraordinary items 42.3 mln profit vs 5.4 mln loss\n      Pretax profit includes -\n      Agribusiness 28.3 mln vs 22.5 mln\n      Health products 6.5 mln vs 5.4 mln\n      Wholesale food distribution 8.3 mln vs 7.3 mln\n      Retail food distribution 4.2 mln vs 5.9 mln\n      U.K. 28.7 mln vs 27.2 mln\n      U.S. 21.1 mln vs 16.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PHILIPPINES CRITICISES EC FOR VEGETABLE OIL LEVY\n","article":"  Philippines Trade and\n  Industry Secretary Jose Concepcion told world trade ministers\n  he wondered if their agreement was of any real value after the\n  European Community (EC) imposed a levy on vegetable oils.\n      Concepcion, speaking at an informal meeting of the General\n  Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) here, said ministers\n  declared in Uruguay last September that the trade of\n  less-developed nations should not be disrupted.\n      He said the EC not only ignored Manila's request for lower\n  tariffs on coconut oil but introduced a levy on vegetable oils\n  and fats that are vital exports for Southeast Asian countries.\n      Concepcion said while the levy might be rejected by the EC\n  Council of Ministers, he noted that \"I cannot help but wonder\n  whether the agreements we produce in meetings like this are of\n  any real value.\"\n      He also said industrialised nations saved about 65 billion\n  U.S. Dlrs in 1985 through low commodity prices, but this had\n  affected the ability of developing nations to import goods and\n  services.\n      \"The health and the growth of world trade requires that the\n  new development of developing countries losing their share of\n  world trade be arrested and reversed,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BURMA SAYS DEBT SERVICE RATIO FALLS TO 48.8 PCT\n","article":"  Burma's debt service ratio will have\n  fallen to 48.8 pct in the fiscal year to end-March 1987 from 50\n  pct in 1985-1986, the official Council of People's Inspectors\n  (CPI) reported.\n      Western diplomats in Rangoon estimate the figure at above\n  70 pct and say the country can no longer depend on foreign\n  exchange reserves to cover more than a few weeks' imports.\n      The CPI, which oversees government spending, said in its\n  latest report to parliament that foreign currency reserves fell\n  to a record low of 407.9 mln kyats in September 1986 from 430.3\n  mln in March 1986. Earlier figures were not available.\n      Debt servicing cost Burma 1.62 billion kyats in 1985-1986\n  while foreign exchange earnings -- export revenues plus loans\n  and aid -- totalled 3.23 billion kyats in the same period, the\n  council said.\n      Later figures were not available.\n      Burma, which diplomats here say now has foreign debts of up\n  to 3.4 billion dlrs, has applied to the United Nations to be\n  reclassified as one of the world's least developed countries in\n  order to qualify for softer loan and grant aid.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INDIA BOUGHT 24,000 TONNES OF RBD OLEIN AT TENDER\n","article":"  The Indian State Trading Corporation\n  (STC) bought four cargoes of rbd palm olein totalling 24,000\n  tonnes at its vegetable oil import tender last week, traders\n  said. Market reports on Friday said the STC had booked two\n  cargoes.\n      The business comprised three 6,000 tonne cargoes for June\n  at 346 dlrs and 6,000 tonnes for July at 340 dlrs per tonne\n  cif.\n      It also secured a 20,000 tonne cargo of optional origin\n  rapeseed oil for May 15\/Jun 15 shipment at 321 dlrs cif.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. BRASS MILL COPPER STOCKS LOWER IN JANUARY\n","article":"  U.S. brass mill copper stocks fell to\n  185,400 short tons (copper content) at the end of January from\n  191,200 short tons at the end of December, according to the\n  American Bureau of Metal Statistics.\n      Consumption by brass mills increased to 60,700 short tons\n  in January from 48,900 short tons in December.\n      Mills consumed 29,600 tons of refinery shapes in January\n  versus 24,000 tons in December. Scrap consumption increased to\n  31,100 tons in January from 24,900 tons in December.\n      Total brass mill shipments increased to 69,600 tons in\n  January from 54,400 tons in December, while receipts rose to\n  63,800 tons from 47,100 tons.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BP GRANGEMOUTH REFINERY SHUT, HYDROCRACKER DAMAGED\n","article":"  The entire British Petroleum Co PLC\n  refinery at Grangemouth in Scotland has been shut down\n  following the explosion and fire that severely damaged the\n  hydrocracker at the site, a refinery spokesman said.\n      He said the rest of the 178,500 bpd refinery, including the\n  19,000 bpd catalytic cracker, was undamaged. The whole refinery\n  was closed pending enquiries but a decision when to reopen the\n  main units will be taken in the next couple of days, he said.\n      But there was extensive damage to the central part of the\n  32,000 bpd hydrocracker, which upgrades heavy oil products to\n  gasoline, and it will be out of operation for some months.\n      The spokesman said BP will not suffer supply shortages as a\n  result of the explosion as it will be able to bring in product\n  from other sources. BP has a 437,000 bpd refinery in Rotterdam,\n  a 181,900 bpd unit at Ingolstadt, West Germany, a 181,900 bpd\n  plant at Lavera in France and a smaller Swedish plant.\n      He said the explosion and fire, in which one worker was\n  killed, occurred when the hydrocracker was not in operation.\n      The refinery as a whole had been operating at about half of\n  its capacity since the end of January while an extensive\n  overhaul was carried out on the North Side of the complex where\n  the hydrocracker is sited, he said.\n      This work was scheduled to be completed by mid-April, but\n  this is now being assessed following the hydrocracker accident.\n      Two people were killed in an explosion and fire in a flare\n  line at the Grangemouth refinery on March 13, but the spokesman\n  said this incident was some 100 yards from the latest accident.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DENG SETS LIMIT TO CHINA GRAIN IMPORTS, PAPER SAYS\n","article":"  China's top leader Deng Xiaoping said\n  China must not import more than 10 mln tonnes of grain, Ming\n  Pao newspaper of Hong Kong said.\n      Customs figures show that China imported 7.73 mln tonnes of\n  grain in 1986, up from 5.97 mln in 1985 but down from a record\n  16.15 mln in 1982.\n      The newspaper quoted Deng as saying that grain output is\n  one of several key issues that will influence the whole\n  development of the economy. It did not give the context of his\n  remarks. The 1987 grain production target is 405 mln, up from\n  391 mln in 1986.\n      The newspaper quoted Deng as saying that the situation has\n  reached the point where \"pigs are not fed, there is not enough\n  grain and increases in output have slowed.\"\n      \"We should in our overall economic planning put agriculture\n  in its proper place to reach our target of 480 mln tonnes by\n  the year 2000,\" he said. \"We must avoid the situation in recent\n  years of importing more than 10 mln tonnes of grain.\"\n      The paper quoted Deng as saying that the State Council has\n  decided to raise the price of five grains, including corn and\n  rice, unchanged since 1978, but it gave no details.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIA'S WOOLWORTHS LOOKS TO IMPROVED PROFITS\n","article":"  Woolworths Ltd <WLWA.S> said policy,\n  management and financial changes initiated during the 1986\/87\n  business year should cause profits to reach more acceptable\n  levels in 1987\/88 end-February 1.\n      Net profit reported earlier fell 85.3 pct in the year ended\n  February 1.\n      Results for the first month of the new year were\n  encouraging after a period of uncertain consumer confidence and\n  difficult trading conditions, it said in a statement.\n      The Big W discount store division and New South Wales\n  supermarkets produced very disappointing results, it added.\n      Woolworths earlier reported a fall in net profit to 9.27\n  mln from 63.20 mln on sales of 5.47 billion against 4.83\n  billion. Capital spending for the year was 119 mln dlrs against\n  105 mln for the previous year with 50 new stores opened, but\n  total sales were below target, Woolworths said.\n      The company provided 20 mln dlrs against operating profit\n  for the year to cover mark-downs on stock.\n      Extraordinary items included a 53 mln dlr profit on the\n  sale of properties and investments less a 28 mln provision for\n  reorganising the Big W chain.\n      Woolworths is unrelated to the U.S. Group F.W. Woolworth\n  <Z.N>. It has been the subject of takeover speculation since\n  <Industrial Equity Ltd> acquired a 20 pct stake last year.\n      New Zealand's diversified investment group <Rainbow Corp\n  Ltd> bought Safeway Stores Inc's <SA> 20 pct holding in\n  Woolworths for 190 mln dlrs late last year.\n      Safeway put its stake up for tender just in time to take\n  advantage of changes in U.S. Tax laws effective from the end of\n  December, informed sources said.\n      Woolworths shares closed on Australian stock exchanges\n  today at 3.50 dlrs, down five cents from Friday.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BOOKER SAYS 1987 STARTS WELL\n","article":"  Booker Plc <BOKL.L> said 1987 had\n  started well and the group had the resources to invest in its\n  growth business both organically and by acquisition.\n      It was commenting on figures for 1986 which showed pretax\n  profits rising to 54.6 mln from 46.5 mln previously. Profits\n  from the U.S. Accounted for 39 pct of the total. The results\n  were broadly in line with analysts' forecasts and the company's\n  shares firmed in morning trading to 421p from 413p at Friday's\n  close.\n      The group ended the year with a cash surplus higher at 54\n  mln stg, compared to 26 mln previously, after capital\n  expenditure which rose to 54 mln from 43 mln.\n      In a statement, the company said the U.K. Agribusiness\n  group reported excellent profits growth while health products\n  profits rose to 6.5 mln from 5.4 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANGLADESH FORECASTS GDP GROWTH OF 4.4 PCT\n","article":"  Gross domestic product is expected to\n  grow by 4.4 pct in the year ending June 30, Finance Minister\n  Mohammad Syeduzzaman told reporters.\n      Inflation fell to an estimated 12 pct this fiscal year from\n  17 pct in 1981\/82, he said last night.\n      The World Bank and other independent sources have said\n  inflation would be around 15 pct in 1986\/87.\n      Syeduzzaman said remittances from expatriates would rise to\n  600 mln dlrs this year from 425 mln in 1981\/82.\n      Foreign exchange reserves at end-June are projected at 680\n  mln dlrs compared with 105 mln in 1981\/82, he said.\n      Syeduzzaman said the export target has been set at 900 mln\n  dlrs this year against 626 mln in 1981\/82. Commitments for\n  foreign loans and grants total more than five billion dlrs in\n  1986\/87, against 3.54 billion five years previously, he said.\n      The government's liberal industrial policy has attracted\n  investment commitments totalling 250 mln dlrs, he said\n      Foodgrain output is estimated at 16.4 mln tonnes this year,\n  up from 16.12 mln in 1985\/86 and 14.4 mln in 1981\/82.\n      Government officials have said Bangladesh must import\n  nearly two mln tonnes of grain annually up to 1990, when the\n  government expects to attain self-sufficiency in food.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BEGHIN-SAY INCREASES CAPITAL TO FINANCE EXPANSION\n","article":"  French sugar group Beghin-Say, which is\n  49.6 pct owned by Italy's Gruppo Ferruzzi, is to raise its\n  capital to 703 mln francs from 527 mln through a three-for-one\n  issue of shares and investment certificates to finance\n  expansion, president Jean-Marc Vernes told analysts.\n      For the first stage Beghin-Say will issue some 2.05 mln new\n  65 franc shares at 500 francs to increase capital to 660 mln\n  francs. The share currently trades at 734 francs. Then 658,000\n  new 65 franc investment certificates will be issued at 400\n  francs, raising capital to 703 mln francs.\n      The capital increase will bring the group around 1.2\n  billion francs in new funds to finance its expansion plans.\n  These include the possible acquisition of the Corn Products\n  maize starch plant at Haubourdin in northern France, Vernes\n  said.\n      Ferruzzi is one of several groups bidding to buy all of\n  Corn Products' installations in Europe. Apart from the French\n  plant, these include three factories in each of Italy and West\n  Germany, two in Britain and Spain and one in the Netherlands\n  and Denmark.\n      Corn Products has put a 650 mln dlr price tag on the\n  installations, and Beghin-Say estimates that acquisition of the\n  Haubourdin plant would cost between 80 and 100 mln dlrs, Vernes\n  said.\n      If this bid fails, Beghin-Say would consider acquiring and\n  developing two other French plants, either in the maize or\n  wheat starch sector.\n      Beghin-Say is also planning to finance European expansion\n  for its Kaysersberg subsidiary, another major reason for its\n  capital increase.\n      Kaysersberg, which was transformed from a division of\n  Beghin-Say into a fully-fledged chemical subsidiary last year,\n  has been holding talks with other European companies on\n  possible accords, Vernes said. He added the company could be\n  introduced onto the Paris Bourse in the near future.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IRAQ REPORTS RAIDS IRAN'S NOWRUZ OIL FIELD\n","article":"  Iraq said its warplanes launched two\n  bombing raids on Iran's offshore Nowruz oilfield in the\n  northern Gulf today.\n      A military spokesman, quoted by the official Iraqi news\n  agency, said platforms at the field were reduced \"to rubble.\"\n      He said attacks on the field, 55 miles northwest of Iran's\n  Kharg Island oil terminal, were carried out at 0600 GMT. He\n  said today's raids \"fall within Iraq's policy to deprive Iranian\n  rulers of oil revenue used to serve their aggressive aims.\"\n      Iraqi planes yesterday raided the nearby Ardeshir oil\n  field, resuming attacks on Iranian targets after a month-long\n  lull.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF FRANCE SAYS NO MONEY MARKET TENDER TODAY\n","article":"  The Bank of France will not hold a money\n  market intervention tender today, ruling out a further cut in\n  its 7-3\/4 pct intervention rate, central bank sources said.\n      At the tenders, depending on market conditions, the Bank\n  injects liquidity into the market by buying up first category\n  paper. But market sources said that while the recent franc\n  performance leaves room for a further quarter point cut in the\n  intervention rate there was plenty of market liquidity.\n      The Bank cut its rate to 7-3\/4 pct from eight pct on March\n  9, the first change since January 2. Interest rates also fell\n  the same week in Britain, Belgium and Italy.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"23-MAR-1987\n","article":"  23-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MFS MUNICIPAL INCOME TRUST <MFM> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  MFS Municipal Income Trust said it\n  declared a monthly income distribution of 5.7 cts a share\n  compared with 5.5 cts a share paid in the previous month.\n      It said the distribution is payable March 27 to\n  shareholders of record March 13.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BALLADUR SEES ONLY TWO PCT FRENCH GROWTH IN 1987\n","article":"  French 1987 growth will probably be about\n  two pct, the same as last year, due to an international\n  environment that is less favourable than expected, Finance\n  Minister Edouard Balladur was quoted as saying.\n      Treasury director Daniel Lebegue said last month that gross\n  domestic product is expected to grow by between two and 2.5 pct\n  this year, against an original target of 2.8 pct.\n      Although in line with the latest Organisation for Economic\n  Cooperation and Development (OECD) estimate of 2.1 pct growth,\n  the forecast will be balanced by growth in investments and\n  exports, Balladur said in an interview with the daily Les\n  Echos.\n      Last month Balladur said French GDP had grown by just two\n  pct last year, compared with an initial 1986 target of 2.5 pct\n  and 1.1 pct growth in 1985.\n      He told Les Echos he aims to reduce the 1988 budget deficit\n  to 115 billion francs from this year's figure of 129 billion\n  and compared with a 141 billion deficit in 1985.\n      He has already announced his intention of cutting the\n  deficit to 100 billion francs in 1989.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRENCH GDP SHOULD RISE 2.3 PCT IN 1988 - MINISTRY\n","article":"  French gross domestic product should grow\n  by 2.3 pct in 1988 after two pct growth this year and 2.1 pct\n  in 1986, the Finance Ministry said.\n      The latest forecast, prepared by the National Accounts and\n  Budget Commission, assumed an exchange rate of 6.20 francs to\n  the dollar this year and next and an average oil import price\n  rising to 18.9 dlrs a barrel next year from 17.4 dlrs this year\n  and 14.7 in 1986.\n      The Commission, headed by Finance minister Edouard\n  Balladur, forecast a fall in consumer price inflation to two\n  pct year-on-year at end-1988 from 2.4 pct at end 1987 and 2.1\n  pct last year.\n      In annual average terms inflation would fall to two pct in\n  1988 from 2.5 pct this year and 2.7 pct last year, it said.\n      Trade should show a one billion franc annual surplus this\n  year and next after last year's 0.5 billion surplus, it added.\n      Employment should rise by 0.1 pct a year over the next two\n  years while the state budget deficit should be cut to 2.2 pct\n  of GDP in 1988 from 2.6 pct this year and 2.9 pct in 1986.\n      Other forecasts prepared by the Commission indicated a 1.8\n  pct 1988 rise in household purchasing power, up from 1.1 pct\n  this year but less than last year's 2.9 pct, and a 1.6 pct rise\n  in household consumption, compared with this year's 1.5 pct and\n  last year's 2.9 pct.\n      Business investment is forecast to rise four pct a year\n  this year and next after 3.7 pct last year, with private sector\n  productive investment rising 4.9 pct in 1988 after a six pct\n  rise this year and 5.5 pct in 1986.\n      The Ministry said updated forecasts would be prepared\n  before the autumn to serve as the basis for the 1988 budget,\n  which the government is now preparing for presentation in\n  September.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DANISH TRADE IN BALANCE IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Denmark's balance of payments on\n  current account was provisionally put at zero in February,\n  against a 181 mln crown surplus in January and a 1.5 billion\n  deficit in February 1986, the National Statistics Office said.\n      Exports rose to 13.94 billion crowns in February from 12.53\n  billion in January, against 14.16 billion in February last\n  year. February imports rose to 13.94 billion from 12.35 billion\n  in January, against 15.67 billion in February 1986.\n      The February figure provisionally gives a trade surplus for\n  1987 of 180 mln crowns, against a 3.04 billion deficit in the\n  same 1986 period.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BEGHIN-SAY SEES SOLUTION TO EC SUGAR DISPUTE\n","article":"  A settlement could soon be reached in the\n  dispute between European sugar producers and the European\n  Community over EC export licencing policies, Jean-Marc Vernes,\n  president of French sugar producer Beghin-Say, which is leading\n  the protest, told journalists today.\n      \"Our contacts with the EC authorities over the past few days\n  indicate that we are moving towards a solution,\" he said, adding\n  that if this happened the producers would withdraw the 854,000\n  tonnes of sugar they have offered into intervention.\n      Vernes said that the protest, involving 770,000 tonnes of\n  sugar from French producers alone, was prompted by the EC's\n  policy since mid-1986 of offering export rebates which failed\n  to give producers an equivalent price to that they would obtain\n  by offering sugar into EC intervention.\n      At last week's tender the EC Commission made an apparent\n  concession by offering a maximum rebate only 1.3 European\n  currency units (Ecus) per 100 kilos below the level producers\n  say is needed, compared with the previous week's rebate which\n  was 2.5 Ecus below the necessary level.\n      Vernes would not say what form any compromise between the\n  producers and the EC would take, but he reaffirmed the\n  long-term desire of producers to export to the world market,\n  providing they were not losing money by doing so.\n      Producers can withdraw their intervention offer after April\n  1, when the sugar will officially enter intervention stores, or\n  at any time over the following five weeks before the official\n  payment date.\n      The EC has threatened to put the sugar back on the internal\n  market if the producers refuse to withdraw their offers.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DRESDNER DECLINES COMMENT ON SCRIP SHARE REPORT\n","article":"  A Dresdner Bank AG <DRSD.F> spokesman\n  said the bank had no comment on newspaper reports that\n  shareholders would be offered free subscription shares.\n      Dresdner shares surged to open 10.50 marks higher at\n  319.50, before climbing further. Other bank stocks also rose\n  strongly and dealers cited speculation already in the market\n  that Deutsche Bank AG <DBKG.F> would make a similar move. Such\n  \"scrip\" issues, if they occurred, would mark the first time\n  German banks had ever issued free shares.\n      The varying reports said Dresdner shareholders may be\n  offered one free share for every 15, 18 or 20 already held.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. LONGER CYCLICAL INDICATOR RISES IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  The U.K. Longer leading cyclical\n  indicator rose in February by 5.8 pct after January's 1.9 pct\n  rise, figures from the Central Statistical Office show.\n      The indicator, base 1980, which shows trends in the economy\n  12 months ahead, was put at 108.7 in February compared with\n  102.7 in January and 99.5 in February 1986.\n      The shorter leading indicator, signalling trends six months\n  ahead, was put at 97.1 for January, the latest month for which\n  data were available, after December's 96.5. This compared with\n  98.4 in January 1986.\n      The coincident indicator, designed to signal current\n  turning points in the economy, was put at 91.2 in January, down\n  from 91.9 in December and 91.6 in january 1986.\n      The lagging index, which the CSO says shows a turning point\n  in the economy about a year after it happens, was at 92.4 in\n  January, down from 92.5 in December and 93.0 a year earlier.\n      The Office said leading indicators still do not show a\n  consistent picture of the likely future developments of the\n  business cycle in Britain.\n      It said the strong rise in the longer leading index between\n  December and February was due mainly to rises in share prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN WHEAT AREA TO FALL, FORECASTER SAYS\n","article":"  Australian wheat plantings are\n  forecast to fall to 10.40 mln hectares in 1987\/88 from 11.72\n  mln sown in 1986\/87, Australian Wheat Forecasters Pty Ltd (AWF)\n  said in its first preliminary crop forecast.\n      But there was no reason to expect Australian production in\n  1987\/88 would be less than the 16.5 mln tonnes of last year,\n  the private forecaster said, as crops in New South Wales and\n  Queensland suffered from poor yields last season.\n      Most of the fall in plantings was expected in Western\n  Australia while state average yields would be assisted by\n  growers sowing wheat on fallows and rest paddocks, it said.\n      The main reason for a low Western Australia estimate was a\n  poor profit outlook under cost, credit and yield pressures. But\n  in the eastern states the wheat area should hold up provided\n  that rainfall between now and June is not less than average,\n  AWF said.\n      Although some farmers were saying they intended to cut back\n  wheat area by 20 pct, AWF said this was unlikely since they\n  needed cash flow and there were problems with alternative\n  crops.\n      \"The lack of statutory marketing for oilseeds, pulses and\n  oats is a cause for concern if those crops are to comprise a\n  high proportion of growers' income,\" AWF said.\n      AWF's state area forecasts in mln hectares, with 1986\/87\n  production in mln tonnes, are as follows (crop forecasts were\n  not given for the new wheat year)\n                     Area         Crop\n               1987\/88  1986\/87  1986\/87\n   Queensland    0.82     0.82     0.95\n   N.S.W.        3.07     3.17     4.40\n   Victoria      1.53     1.63     3.25\n   S.Australia   1.45     1.64     2.30\n   W.Australia   3.53     4.46     5.60\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PITTWAY CORP <PRY> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.35 dlrs vs two dlrs\n      Net 6,195,000 vs 9,202,000\n      Sales 157.5 mln vs 151.6 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 6.02 dlrs vs 6.78 dlrs\n      Net 27,608,000 vs 31,117,000\n      Sales 585.7 mln vs 541.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FRENCH JANUARY INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION FELL 1.98 PCT - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  FRENCH JANUARY INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION FELL 1.98 PCT - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET SHORTAGE FORECAST REVISED DOWN\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it revised down\n  its forecast of the deficit in the money market today to 750\n  mln stg from 800 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN LONG-TERM PRIME SEEN CUT TO RECORD LOW SOON\n","article":"  Japan's long-term banks will soon cut\n  their prime rate, now at a record low 5.5 pct, by 0.2 or 0.3\n  percentage point in response to falling secondary market yields\n  on their five-year debentures, long-term bankers said.\n      The long-term prime rate is customarily set 0.9 percentage\n  point above the coupon on five-year bank debentures issued by\n  the long-term banks every month.\n      The latest bank debentures, at 4.6 pct, have met strong\n  end-investor demand on the prospect of further declines in yen\n  interest rates, dealers said. The current 5.5 pct prime rate\n  has been in effect since February 28.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"YEUTTER SEES U.S., JAPAN VERGING ON TRADE CONFLICT\n","article":"  The United States and Japan\n  are on the brink of serious conflict on trade, especially over\n  semiconductors, Japanese unwillingness for public bodies to buy\n  U.S. Super-computers, and barriers to U.S. Firms seeking to\n  participate in the eight billion dlr Kansai airport project,\n  U.S. Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter said.\n      He was talking to reporters yesterday on the eve of a\n  two-day meeting of trade ministers which will review progress\n  made by committees set up after the Uruguay meeting last\n  September launched a new round of GATT (General Agreement on\n  Tariffs and Trade) talks.\n      European Community (EC) commissioner Willy de Clercq\n  meanwhile told reporters conflict between the world's three\n  major trading and economic powers -- the EC, the U.S. And Japan\n  -- set a poor example for other members of GATT.\n      Australian Trade Minister John Dawkins told the reporters\n  bilateral retaliation at the enormous expense of the rest of\n  the world was no way to solve trade disputes.\n      New Zealand trade minister Mike Moore told his colleagues\n  great progress had been made in preparing for the current round\n  of GATT negotiations which must not be sidetracked.\n      The ministers have said they want to maintain the momentum\n  towards fresh negotiations or avert serious trade conflicts.\n      Yeutter said the problem with international trade talks was\n  that they tended to get bogged down for years. \"Countries don't\n  get very serious about negotiating until the end of the day\n  which is, maybe, five or six years in the future.\"\n      He also said he did not consider the new U.S. Congress as\n  protectionist as it was 18 months ago. \"That's a very healthy\n  development,\" he added.\"If you asked me about that a year or 18\n  months ago I would have said that it was terribly\n  protectionist.\"\n      \"Members of Congress, that is the contemplative members of\n  Congress, have begun to realise protectionism is not the answer\n  to the 170 billion dlr trade deficit,\" Yeutter said.\n      \"They've also begun to realise that you cannot legislate\n  solutions to a 170 billion dollar trade deficit so they are\n  more realistic and, in my judgement, more responsible on that\n  issue than they were 12 or 18 months ago.\"\n      He added, \"Whether that will be reflected in the legislation\n  that eventually emerges is another matter.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IRAN SAYS IT INTENDS NO THREAT TO GULF SHIPPING\n","article":"  Iran said reports that it intended to\n  threaten shipping in the Gulf were baseless, and warned the\n  U.S. And other countries not to interfere in the region.\n      Tehran radio, monitored by the BBC, quoted a Foreign\n  Ministry spokesman as saying any attempt at interference would\n  be met by \"a strong response from Iran and other Moslems in the\n  world.\"\n       U.S. Defence Secretary Caspar Weinberger, in remarks\n  apparently unrelated to the broadcast, said the U.S. Would do\n  whatever was necessary to keep shipping lanes open in the face\n  of new Iranian anti-ship missiles in the Gulf.\n      The U.S. State Department said two days ago Tehran had been\n  told of U.S. Concern that Iranian anti-ship missiles posed a\n  threat to the free flow of oil from the Gulf.\n      U.S. Officials have said Iran has new Chinese-made\n  anti-ship \"Silkworm\" missiles, which pose a greater threat to\n  merchant ships than missiles used before.\n      The Iranian spokesman said the reports that Iran intended\n  to attack ships were \"misleading propaganda.\"\n      He said Iraq's President Saddam Hussein was the main cause\n  of tension in the Gulf and said Iran would continue to use \"all\n  its legitimate means to stem the cause of tension.\"\n      Weinberger said in a television interview in the U.S. \"We\n  are fully prepared to do what's necessary to keep the shipping\n  going and keep the freedom of navigation available in that very\n  vital waterway.\"\n      \"We aren't going into any disclosures or discussions of what\n  might happen, but we are certainly very sympathetic to and\n  listening carefully to any suggestions for our assistance in\n  keeping navigation free in that area,\" he said.\n      Weinberger said U.S warship movements in the Gulf area were\n  not unusual.\n      A U.S. Navy battle group led by the aircraft carrier Kitty\n  Hawk is currently in the northern Arabian Sea.\n      The Iranian spokesman was quoted by Tehran radio as saying\n  the U.S. Was trying to build up its military presence in the\n  region.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BAKER DENIES DOLLAR TARGET EXISTS\n","article":"  U.S. Treasury Secretary James Baker\n  again said the meeting of six major industrial nations in Paris\n  last month did not establish a target exchange rate for the\n  dollar.\n      Baker said in a television interview aired here yesterday:\n  \"We don't have a target for the dollar.\" He declined to comment\n  on what might be a desired level for the dollar, saying: \"We\n  really don't talk about the dollar.\"\n      He said protectionism was becoming \"extremely strong\" in the\n  U.S. In response to widening U.S. Trade deficits and import\n  barriers in other countries.\n      \"The mood in the United States is extremely disturbing. It's\n  extremely strong,\" he said.\n      \"As I've said before, we sort of see ourselves as engaged\n  here in a real struggle to preserve the world's free trading\n  system, because if the largest market in the world (the U.S.)\n  goes protectionist we run the risk of moving down the same path\n  that the world did in the late 1930s,\" he said.\n      While relative exchange rates had a role to play in\n  defusing the threat of protectionism, it alone did not offer\n  any solution, he said.\n      \"You must address this problem on the exchange rate side,\n  but it cannot be solved on the exchange rate side alone. It's\n  far more comprehensive and broad than that, and the solution of\n  it requires a comprehensive approach,\" Baker said in the\n  interview.\n      Baker said it would be necessary for other countries to\n  adjust their currencies upwards, as well as remove their\n  barriers to U.S. Imports. But he did not elaborate or name any\n  countries.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRENCH INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION FALLS IN JANUARY\n","article":"  French industrial production fell a\n  seasonally adjusted 1.98 pct in January after revised unchanged\n  output in December, the National Statistics Institute (INSEE)\n  said.\n      The figure, which excludes construction and public works,\n  put the January index, base 1980, at 99 after 101 in December.\n  January output was 1.98 pct down on January 1986.\n      INSEE, which from January changed its base year to 1980\n  from 1970, originally had December output down 2.2 pct on\n  November, using the old base year.\n      INSEE said production in January was affected by rail\n  strikes and severely cold weather.\n      It said output of gas and electricity was very high but\n  activity slowed on construction sites, in quarries and in\n  certain base industries.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GOOD DEMAND FOR COLOMBIANS ON BREMEN MARKET\n","article":"  The Bremen green coffee market attracted\n  good buying interest for Colombian coffee last week, while\n  Brazils were almost neglected, trade sources said.\n      Buyers were awaiting the opening of Brazil's export\n  registrations for May shipment, which could affect prices for\n  similar qualities, they said.\n      Colombia opened export registrations and good business\n  developed with both the FNC and private shippers. Prices were\n  said to have been very attractive, but details were not\n  immediately available.\n      Central Americans were sought for spot and afloat.\n      In the robusta sector nearby material was rather scarce,\n  with turnover limited, the sources said.\n      The following offers were in the market at the end of last\n  week, first or second hand, sellers' ideas for spot, afloat or\n  prompt shipment in dlrs per 50 kilos fob equivalent, unless\n  stated (previous week's prices in brackets) -\n      Brazil unwashed German quals 100 (102), Colombia Excelso\n  105 (110), Salvador SHG 110 (108), Nicaragua SHG 109 (same),\n  Guatemala HB 111 (same), Costa Rica SHB 113 (112), Kenya AB FAQ\n  142 (134), Tanzania AB FAQ 120 (same), Zaire K-5 105 (unq),\n  Sumatra robusta EK-1 91 CIF (same).\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 97 MLN STG ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided the\n  money market with help of 97 mln stg in the morning session.\n      This compares with the Bank's revised estimate of a 750 mln\n  stg shortage in the system today.\n      The central bank bought bank bills outright comprising 12\n  mln stg in band one at 9-7\/8 pct and 85 mln stg in band two at\n  9-13\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IRANIAN TANKER ATTACKED OVER WEEKEND - LLOYDS\n","article":"  The Iranian steam tanker Avaj, 316,379\n  tonnes dw, was attacked and hit at 1715 hours on March 21,\n  Lloyds Shipping Intelligence service reported.\n      One person was killed. The tanker is owned by the National\n  Iranian Tanker Co.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEXT WORLD TRADE NEGOTIATIONS MUST SUCCEED - NZ\n","article":"  Ministers from more than 20\n  nations were told by New Zealand that the next international\n  negotiations on liberalising trade would be the last this\n  century and the cost of failure could not be measured.\n      Trade minister Mike Moore told his colleagues at a\n  welcoming ceremony before two days of talks here that great\n  progress had been made in preparing for the negotiations which\n  must not be sidetracked.\n      \"We live in troubled and dangerous times for the world\n  trading system,\" he said.\n      \"We have seen that the failure of the world trading system\n  has caused great depression and conflict in the past. Our\n  failure to maintain the momentum will be at great cost to us\n  all,\" Moore said.\n     \"The cost of failure is beyond calculation. It is our last\n  hope and best opportunity this century. We will not get another\n  chance before the year 2000,\" he added.\n      The ministers are in New Zealand to review world trade\n  since the \"Uruguay round\" talks last September. The talks are \n  also part of preparations for a full-scale June meeting of the\n  General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in Venice.\n      The Uruguay meeting is considered by most countries to have\n  been particularly successful, with northern hemisphere\n  countries managing to have service industries such as banking\n  and insurance included in the next full round.\n      The southerners' goal of including agricultural and\n  tropical products also was met.\n      The meeting at this North Island tourist resort is\n  described by participants as informal and no declaration is\n  expected.\n      Moore said one aim was to \"instil a sense of political\n  urgency to avert potential economic tragedy.\"\n      Another was to seek ways of popularising freer trade to\n  people who felt the pain of readjustment but could not see the\n  benefits, as well as preventing \"bush fires of confrontation\n  while we proceed with orderly negotiations.\"\n      The meeting is being attended by 25 overseas delegations\n  including representatives of GATT and the Economic Community.\n      The delegates include U.S. Trade Representative Clayton\n  Yeutter.\n      American sources say he is ready to state that the best way\n  to reverse protectionist sentiment in the United States is to\n  implement four key Uruguay proposals:\n      -- an end to agricultural subsidies;\n      -- inclusion of trade in services and investments in GATT\n  regulations;\n      -- tightening of restrictions on pirating of so-called\n  intellectual property such as trademarks, patents and\n  copyrights;\n      -- new rules to resolve trade disputes among GATT's 92\n  member states.\n      Earlier, New Zealand sources had said French Foreign Trade\n  Minister Michel Noir had pulled out of the informal GATT talks\n  for domestic political reasons.\n      Cabinet chief Bernard Prauge will lead the French\n  delegation.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SWISS SIGHT DEPOSITS RISE 743.7 MLN FRANCS\n","article":"  Sight deposits of commercial banks at\n  the Swiss National Bank rose 743.7  mln Swiss francs in the\n  second 10 days of March to 8.40 billion, the National Bank\n  said.\n      Foreign exchange reserves fell 392.1 mln francs to 33.55\n  billion.\n      Sight deposits are a major indicator of money market\n  liquidity in Switzerland.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PHILIPPINE LONG DISTANCE <PHI> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr primary 95.30 pesos vs 29.71 pesos\n      Shr diluted 61.11 pesos vs 18.49 pesos\n      Qtly div 1.25 pesos vs 1.25 pesos\n      Net 1.9 billion vs 779 mln\n      Revs 6.1 billion vs 4.7 billion\n      NOTE: Full name Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co.\n      Figures quoted in Philippine Pesos.\n      Dividend payable April 15 to holders or record March 13.\n  Exchange rate on day of dividend declaration was 20.792 pesos\n  per dollar.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ARMTEK <ARM> TO SELL INDUSTRIAL TIRE UNIT\n","article":"  Armtek Corp, previously the\n  Armstrong Rubber Co, said it agreed to sell its industrial tire\n  and assembly division to a Dyneer Corp <DYR> for an undisclosed\n  sum.\n      It said the agreement covers the division's tire production\n  facility in Clinton, Tenn., and its plants serving original\n  equipment and replacement markets. Armstrong Tire Co, an Armtek\n  unit, will continue to sell replacement industrial tires, the\n  company said.\n      Final closing is expected in the third fiscal quarter\n  ending June 30.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CASH CRISIS HITS UGANDAN COFFEE BOARD\n","article":"  Uganda's state-run Coffee Marketing\n  Board (CMB) has been suffering a cash crisis for the past two\n  months due to a bottleneck in export shipments and\n  administrative delays in handling payments, trade sources said.\n      The CMB needs between 10 and 15 billion shillings (the\n  equivalent of seven to 10 mln dlrs) to pay farmers and\n  processors for coffee already delivered, but its present export\n  revenue is insufficient to cover such expenditure, they said.\n      The board's cash crisis has serious implications for the\n  economy as a whole, since coffee accounts for 95 pct of\n  Uganda's total exports.\n      The CMB's financial difficulties first started in January\n  following delays in rail-freighting export consignments of\n  coffee to the ports of Mombasa, Dar es Salaam and Tanga.\n      These delays were caused by a shortage of railway wagons in\n  Uganda and bottlenecks on the ferries which transport Ugandan\n  wagons across Lake Victoria to link up with the Kenyan and\n  Tanzanian railway systems, the sources said\n      Marketing Minister John Sebaana-Kizito publicly\n  acknowledged on February 19 that the CMB had run up arrears to\n  local suppliers as a result of the shortage of transport for\n  moving exports.\n      Sebaana-Kizito said at the time that the payments squeeze\n  would be resolved in two weeks.\n      However, an accident to the rail ferry which plies between\n  the Ugandan lake port of Jinja and Kisumu in Kenya put it out\n  of action between February 21 and March 15, causing fresh\n  delays in cargo movements.\n      Coffee exports are especially sensitive to the disruption\n  of rail transport since president Yoweri Museveni has banned\n  their haulage by road in a drive to save transport costs.\n      Transport difficulties meant that by early February the CMB\n  was holding unsold coffee stocks of around 750,000 bags.\n      These stocks were equivalent to one quarter of Uganda's\n  expected three mln 60-kilo bag 1986\/87 (October-September)\n  crop, the sources said.\n      According to the sources, the board's financial problems\n  have been aggravated by long delays in processing export\n  receipts.\n      The coffee board was taking about eight weeks to recycle\n  export receipts into payments to local producers, whereas\n  export bills handled by local banks took half that time to\n  process, they said.\n      The sources said the CMB's price structure had been\n  overtaken by Uganda's high inflation rate, unofficially\n  estimated at about 200 pct, and that this was a further\n  disincentive to producers, already owed large arrears.\n      \"The coffee pricing structure is wrong and three months\n  behind, the foreign exchange rate is unrealistic, and the\n  sooner the so-called economic package is put in top gear, the\n  better for the coffee industry and the economy as a whole,\" one\n  of the sources said.\n      The government is currently negotiating a package of\n  economic reforms with the World Bank and International Monetary\n  Fund aimed at underpinning a renewed inflow of foreign aid to\n  help Uganda's economic recovery after 15 years of political\n  strife.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GENERAL PARTNERS IN GENCORP <GY> PROXY FIGHT\n","article":"  General Partners, the group tendering\n  for all GenCorp Inc shares at 100 dlrs each, said it has\n  started soliciting proxies against GenCorp's proposals to\n  increase its number of authorized shares outstanding, create a\n  board with staggered election dates and eliminate cumulative\n  voting.\n      The proposals are to be voted on at the March 31 annual\n  meeting.\n      General Partners, a partnership of privately-held <Wagner\n  and Brown> and AFG Industries Inc <AFG>, made the disclosure in\n  a newspaper advertisement.\n      The partnership has already filed suit in U.S. District\n  Court in Columbus, Ohio, seeking to block a vote on the\n  proposals and to invalidate GenCorp's defensive preferred share\n  purchase rights.\n      General Partners asked shareholders to either vote against\n  the proposals or abstain from voting on them.                  \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USAIR <U> CUTS PIEDMONT <PIE> SHARES SOUGHT\n","article":"  USAir Group Inc said it has amended\n  its 69 dlr per share tender offer for shares of Piedmont\n  Aviation Inc to reduce the maximum number it will accept to\n  9,309,394. Previously it had sought all shares.\n      In a newspaper advertisement, USAir said the offer and\n  withdrawal rights have not been extended and will still expire\n  April 3, along with the new proration period.\n      On Friday, the U.S. Department of Transportation approved\n  USAir's acquisition of 51 pct of Piedmont. If USAir were to\n  acquire more than 51 pct in the tender, it would be required to\n  sell the excess within one week.\n      USAir said receipt of the 9,309,394 shares -- which is also\n  the minimum amount it will accept -- would give it a total of\n  about 61 pct of Piedmont shares currently outstanding and 50.1\n  pct on a fully diluted basis.\n      The company said even if the purchase of the 9,309,394\n  Piedmont shares caused it to exceed the 51 pct limit, USAir\n  would waive the condition to the offer that the Transportation\n  Department approve a voting trust agreement permitting USAir to\n  buy and hold shares under the offer pending review of USAir's\n  application to gain control of Piedmont, subject to the order\n  not being rescinded or modified in an adverse way.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NEW RUBBER PACT ADOPTED AT GENEVA CONFERENCE\n","article":"  Producers and consumers representing\n  most of world trade in natural rubber adopted a new\n  International Natural Rubber Agreement (INRA) aimed at\n  stabilizing world prices over the next five years.\n      Negotiations for a new INRA, to succeed the present one\n  which runs out next October, began nearly two years ago.\n      Agreement on the new five-year pact, which uses a buffer\n  stock to keep prices stable by selling or buying rubber as\n  rates rise or fall, was reached at a two-week session here\n  under the auspices of the United Nations Conference on Trade\n  and Development (UNCTAD).\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"STUDY SAYS OIL PRICE FALL SPURS BANKRUPTCIES\n","article":"  The sharp drop in world oil prices\n  the past year triggered a 60 pct increase in bankruptcies in\n  the country's oil states, according to a study released by the\n  American Petroleum Institute (API).\n      API said the Dunn and Bradstreet study found that business\n  failures rose nationally by 6.9 pct in 1986 over 1985, but in\n  the \"oil patch\" of the Southwest the increase was 59.9 pct.\n      It said bankruptcies in Texas were up 57.4 pct, Oklahoma,\n  55.9 pct, Colorado, 55.8 pct and Louisiana, 46.6 pct.\n      In Alaska, failures rose by 66.2 per cent, it said.\n      API also said that three of the states with the highest\n  number of bank failures last year were large oil and gas\n  producers - Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WORLD DEPENDENCY ON MIDEAST OIL SAID INEVITABLE\n","article":"  The world's dependency on the Mideast\n  as the source for its petroleum is growing and nothing is going\n  to stop it, Donald K. McIvor, an Exxon Corp <XON> Director and\n  senior vice president told Reuters in an interview.\n      \"Non-OPEC production will begin to decline and the gap\n  between demand and supply will widen so that the trend to\n  increasing dependence on OPEC and the Middle East is\n  inevitable,\" McIvor said.\n      Decreased supplies will firm prices for crude oil but are\n  not likely to change a growing dependence, McIvor said.\n      McIvor, Exxon's senior vice president responsible for oil\n  and gas exploration and production said that dependence would\n  result from the Mideast's large spare capacity at a time when\n  the rest of the world consumes more oil than it was finding.\n      \"Since 1970 we've been consuming oil at rates of 20-25\n  billion barrels per year while making new discoveries of only\n  about 10-15 bilion barrels per year,\" McIvor said.\n      \"The bulk of the inventory and more than half of the\n  remaining proved reserves lies in the middle east which is\n  producing at much less than current capacity,\" he added.\n      McIvor said that of the some 30,000 oil fields discovered\n  so far only 37 \"one-one thousandth of the total number contained\n  about 35 pct of all the oil ever discovered.\"\n      McIvor said, in response to a question, that he did not\n  believe there were any more \"super giants\", or oil fields with\n  reserves greater than five billion barrels, to be found which\n  would change the conclusion of the world's growing dependency.\n      \"Of those 37 super giants only 11 lie outside the Middle\n  East. Only five of the 37 have been discovered in the past 20\n  years and only two of these lie outside the middle east\n  (Cantarell in Mexico and Alaska's North Slope).\" McIvor said.\n      McIvor said that many of the large fields outside the U.S.\n  like Alaska's Prudhoe Bay and the North Sea were reaching a\n  peak and would soon begin to decline.\n      But the Exxon executive said that there were still plenty\n  of opportunities to be explored and developed outside of the\n  Middle east, particulartly in Canada, the North Sea, and\n  Australia and Africa.\n      McIvor said that decisions to explore and drill in those\n  areas would be depedent upon both the expectations of a higher\n  price of oil as well as the legal regime affecting the\n  companies.\n      \"The ideal regime is a stable one not one where there is a\n  constant change in policies,\" McIvor said.\n      McIvor said he opposed import subsidies or tariffs used to\n  increase exploration as these only benefit one part of the\n  economy at the expense of other parts of the economy.\n      Asked about the options offered this week by U.S. Energy\n  Secretary Herrington to increase U.S. production McIvor said he\n  could not comment on subjects like the oil depletion allowance\n  now but \"the thrust of his (Herrington) report is valid. It has\n  highlighted the growing dependency on the Middle east and the\n  need to increase U.S. production.\"\n      McIvor also said that he expected natural gas to play a\n  greater role in the future in meeting energy needs.\n      \"Natural gas will have the opportunity to become an\n  increasingly important part of the worlkd's energy supply,\"\n  McIvor said.\n      \"Crude oil will be used more and more as a transportation\n  fuel and natural gas will be used more to generate heat, as an\n  industrial fuel,\" he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"S. AFRICAN CONSUMER PRICE INFLATION RISES SLIGHTLY\n","article":"  South African year-on-year consumer\n  price inflation rose slightly to 16.3 pct in February after\n  falling sharply to 16.1 pct in January from 18.1 pct in\n  December, Central Statistics Office figures show.\n      The monthly rise in the all items index (base 1980) was\n  1.09 pct to 251.0 in February after a 1.4 pct increase to 248.3\n  in January.\n      A year ago the index stood at 215.8 and year on year\n  consumer price inflation at 18.05 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FINLAND FEBRUARY TRADE SURPLUS AT 641 MLN MARKKA\n","article":"  Finland had a 641 mln markka trade\n  surplus in February following an 80 mln markka surplus in\n  January and a 614 mln surplus in February 1986, Customs Board\n  preliminary figures showed.\n      Exports in February were 6.38 billion markka and imports\n  5.74 billion compared with exports of 6.72 billion and imports\n  of 6.64 billion in January and exports of 6.92 billion and\n  imports of 6.31 billion in February last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WEST GERMAN BARLEY, RAPE AFFECTED BY WINTER KILL\n","article":"  Winter kill has probably affected West\n  German winter barley and rapeseed to an above average degree\n  this season, West German grain trader Alfred C. Toepfer said in\n  its latest report.\n      It is too soon to assess the extent of the damage, but it\n  is likely that northern West German crops are particularly at\n  risk because of insufficient snow cover, it said.\n      The soil needs to warm up rapidly and moisture content must\n  improve to avoid further delays to spring field work, it added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"N.Z. PORTS REOPEN, BUT FURTHER DISRUPTION LIKELY\n","article":"  New Zealand ports reopened at 0730\n  hrs local time (1930 GMT March 22) after being closed since\n  March 19 because of a strike over pay claims by watersiders, a\n  Waterside Federation spokesman said.\n      But industrial action by other port workers is likely to\n  cause further disruption, Harbour Workers union secretary Ross\n  Wilson told Reuters.\n      Wilson said his members are holding stopwork meetings this\n  morning to consider further stoppages over their pay claim.\n      The two disputes are not related.\n      Harbour Workers around the country went on strike for 24\n  hours on March 16, but Wilson said any further action will\n  occur on a port-by-port basis.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<MICROTEL INC> MAKES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Microtel Inc said it has\n  completed the acquisition of <American Teledata Corp> and its\n  US Dial subsidiary, which provide long distance telephone\n  service in northeast Florida. Terms were not disclosed.\n      Microtel's shareholders include Norfolk Southern Corp\n  <NSC>, M\/A-Com Inc <MAI>, Centel Corp <CNT>, Alltel Corp <AT>\n  and E.F. Hutton Group Inc <EFH>.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"JAMESWAY CORP SETS 2-FOR-1 STOCK SPLIT, UPS CASH PAYOUT 33 PCT\n","article":"\n  JAMESWAY CORP SETS 2-FOR-1 STOCK SPLIT, UPS CASH PAYOUT 33 PCT\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<AMERICAN VARIETY INTERNATIONAL INC> NINE MTHS\n","article":"  March 31, 1986 end\n      Shr loss seven cts vs loss 11 cts\n      Net loss 76,888 vs profit 106,885\n      Revs 752,234 vs 922,036\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN VARIETY ACQUISITION PACT TERMINATED\n","article":"  <American Variety International\n  Inc> said its agreement to acquire <First National\n  Entertainment Corp> has been terminated because First National\n  was not able to fulfill terms of the agreement.\n      It said due to protracted negotiations with First National,\n  several American Variety divisions were inoperative in 1986.\n      American Variety said it is reevaluating its record and\n  tape library for possible conversion to compact discs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAMESWAY <JMY> SETS SPLIT, HIGHER CASH PAYOUT\n","article":"  Jamesway Corp said its board\n  declared a two for one stock split and increased the quarterly\n  cash dividend by 33 pct.\n      The company said the dividend on the pre-split shares was\n  increased to four cts from three cts.\n      It said both the split and the dividend are payable May 23\n  to holders of record April 20, adding the company will have\n  about 13,860,000 shares outstanding after the split.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HARPER\/ROW <HPR> GETS EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST\n","article":"  Harper and Row Publishers Inc said its\n  special committee of independent directors has received\n  expressions of interest from a considerable number of domestic\n  and foreign firms with respect to restructuring or acquisition\n  transactions with the company.\n      Winthrop Knowlton, chairman of special committee said \"no\n  determination has been made by the full board as to any\n  transaction.\"\n      He said the special committee and Kidder Peabody and Co Inc\n  intend to engage in discussions with interested parties in an\n  effort to come to a conclusion in the near future.\n      Formation of the special committee was announced early last\n  week when Harper and Row said its board had taken no action on\n  two pending acquisition proposals.\n      At that time, directors also indefinately postponed a\n  planned special shareholders vote on a restructuring proposal\n  which would have created a Class B common with 10 votes a share\n  and limited transferability.\n      The acquisition proposals had come from Theodore L. Cross,\n  owner of about six pct of the company's stock who offered 34\n  dlrs a share, and Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Inc <HBJ>, which\n  offered 50 dlrs a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HUMANA INC 2ND QTR SHR 44 CTS VS 54 CTS\n","article":"\n  HUMANA INC 2ND QTR SHR 44 CTS VS 54 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRUIT\/LOOM <FTL> TO SELL UNIT FOR 145 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  Fruit of the Loom Inc said it agreed to\n  sell its General Battery Corp subsidiary to Exide Corp for\n  about 145 mln dlrs in cash.\n      The proposed sale will complete Fruit of the Loom's\n  previously announced plan to divest itself of unrelated\n  businesses.\n      Proceeds from the proposed transaction are more than the\n  price projected in the company's recent initial public\n  offering, it said.\n      Completion of the transaction is subject to a definitive\n  agreement, regulatory approvals, financing and certain other\n  conditions and is expected to close May one, 1987, the company\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CITYQUEST MAKES 120 MLN STG BID FOR WICKES\n","article":"  <Cityquest Plc>, a newly formed company,\n  is making a recommended 120 mln stg offer for builders\n  merchants and DIY (do-it-yourself) company <Wickes Plc>, Wickes\n  said in a statement.\n      Undertakings to accept what is effectively a management\n  buyout have been accepted by holders of 88.9 pct of the shares.\n      The statement said the offer was due to a decision by\n  Wickes International Corp, a member of the U.S. Wickes\n  Companies <WIX.A> Inc group, which holds an 80.5 pct stake, to\n  realise much of its investment.\n      The offer would enable Wickes to become fully independent\n  and once the bid succeeded all the Wickes directors would\n  become members of the Cityquest board.\n      The offer will be of 345p cash for every Wickes share.\n  Wickes was last quoted at 345p compared with 275p at Friday's\n  close.\n      Wickes shareholders will also have the option of taking one\n  Cityquest share or 205p in loan notes for every 205p of the\n  cash consideration.\n      Henry Sweetbaum is chairman and chief executive of both\n  Cityquest and Wickes, and it was intended that Cityquest's name\n  would be changed to Wickes in due course.\n      Wickes came to the U.K. Unlisted Securities Market in\n  January, 1986 with a capitalisation of about 96 mln stg.\n      Cityquest has a fully paid share capital of one mln stg. S\n  G Warburg Securities has organised commitments from a group of\n  investors to subscribe for 65 mln stg in shares and 28.2 mln\n  stg in subordinated convertible loan stock. Lead investor is\n  Investors in Industry Plc\n      Cityquest also has loan facilities of 30 mln stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HUMANA INC <HUM> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 44 cts vs 54 cts\n      Net 42.9 mln vs 53.7 mln\n      Revs 983.3 mln vs 858.8 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr 85 cts vs 1.11 dlrs\n      Net 83.1 mln vs 109.8 mln\n      Revs 1.91 billion vs 1.66 billion\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WINCHELL'S DONUT <WDH> SETS INITIAL QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Winchell's Donut Houses LP\n  said it has declared an initial quarterly dividend of 45 cts\n  per unit on Class A and Class B limited partnership units,\n  payable May 29 to holders of record March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRITON GROUP LTD <TRRO> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit nil vs loss nil\n      Oper net profit 671,000 vs loss 138,000\n      Sales 104.3 mln vs 70.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 101.2 mln vs 66.8 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit six cts vs profit five cts\n      Oper net profit 6,309,000 vs profit\n      5,144,000\n      Sales 349.8 mln vs 303.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 85.0 mln vs 76.3 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes discontinued operations nil vs gain\n  196,000 dlrs in quarter and loss 293,000 dlrs vs gain 407,000\n  dlrs in year.\n      Net excludes tax loss carryforward 1,423,000 dlrs vs\n  reversal of tax credit 625,000 dlrs in quarter and credits\n  5,437,000 dlrs vs 7,261,000 dlrs in year.\n      Results include U.S. Press Inc from November Three\n  acquisition.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NIGERIA CHANGES AUCTION RULES TO DEFEND NAIRA\n","article":"  Nigeria's Central Bank has changed the\n  rules governing its foreign exchange auctions in what analysts\n  see as a means of defending the naira currency, which has\n  depreciated steadily.\n      The bank said in a statement that from April 2, banks\n  bidding for foreign exchange would have to pay at the rate they\n  offered and not, as presently, at the rate of the lowest\n  successful bid made at the auction.\n      This should discourage banks from bidding high to ensure\n  that they were successful while paying the lower \"marginal\" rate,\n  analysts said.\n      The Central Bank also announced the auctions would be\n  fortnightly, not weekly, beginning on April 2.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AAR CORP <AIR> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 37 cts vs 32 cts\n      Net 3,892,000 vs 2,906,000\n      Sales 71.8 mln vs 64.5 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 1.08 dlrs vs 91 cts\n      Net 10,946,000 vs 8,206,000\n      Sales 214.1 mln vs 179.4 mln\n      Avg Shrs 10.5 mln vs 9.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GATT MEETING HEARS PLEA FOR AFRICAN DEBT RELIEF\n","article":"  Debt among African\n  countries will continue to grow and their economies will remain\n  stifled unless developed countries lower their interest rates,\n  Nigerian Trade Minister Samaila Mamman said today.\n      He told an informal meeting of the General Agreement on\n  Tariffs and Trade the widening gap between industrialized and\n  developing countries and an unfair international economic\n  system were major obstacles to growth in developing countries.\n      \"I wish to emphasize that the growth in the volume of the\n  external indebtedness of African countries reflects the full\n  effect of the deflationary monetary and trade policies of the\n  developed market economy countries,\" Mamman said.\n      Delegates from 23 countries are attending the talks of the\n  world trade body in the New Zealand resort of Taupo.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN SAYS IT TRYING TO EXPAND DOMESTIC DEMAND\n","article":"  Japan has assured a meeting\n  of trade ministers it is making every effort to expand domestic\n  demand and restructure its economy.\n      Japanese trade representative Tsomu Hata told an informal\n  General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) meeting that, in\n  addition to demand boosting measures adopted last September, a\n  comprehensive economic program will be prepared after the\n  1987\/88 budget is approved.\n      Hata, speaking at the first session of the two-day meeting,\n  said agriculture is no exception to the goal of restructuring\n  the economy, but did not elaborate.\n      Hata said protectionist pressures in the international\n  economy are as strong as ever, reflecting financial deficits,\n  payment imbalances and serious unemployment in many countries.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUPERMARKETS GENERAL CORP 4TH QTR 50 CTS VS 52 CTS\n","article":"\n  SUPERMARKETS GENERAL CORP 4TH QTR 50 CTS VS 52 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WEST GERMAN SHIP SINKS OFF WEST AFRICA\n","article":"  The West German-registered motor\n  vessel Stefan E. Sank off the West African coast early today\n  and one of its eight crew members was killed, a Spanish navy\n  spokesman said.\n      He said the captain of the Singapore-registered tanker Nord\n  Pacific reported in a radio message that he had picked up the\n  remaining seven crewmen of the 2,223 tonnes dw Stefan E.,\n  Together with the body of the dead man.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN FURTHER 485 MLN STG HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had given\n  the money market a further 485 mln stg assistance in the\n  afternoon session. This takes the Bank's total help so far\n  today to 582 mln stg and compares with its forecast of a 750\n  mln stg shortage in the system today.\n      The central bank bought bank bills outright comprising 345\n  mln stg in band one at 9-7\/8 pct and 75 mln stg in band two at\n  9-3\/16 pct. It also purchased 65 mln stg of treasury bills in\n  band one at 9-7\/8 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPAN IN LAST DITCH EFFORT TO SAVE CHIP PACT\n","article":"  Japan has launched a last-ditch effort to\n  salvage its computer micro-chip pact with the United States -\n  sending a letter to top American policy makers setting out its\n  case and instructing its producers to cut output further.\n      \"We must make our utmost effort to ward off any catastrophe,\"\n  Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) Deputy\n  Director General Masaji Yamamoto told reporters.\n      \"If hasty action is taken in the United States, it will\n  create very serious problems.\"\n      The Reagan Administration's Economic Policy is expected to\n  meet Thursday to review Japanese compliance with the bilateral\n  agreement hammered out last year. Under the pact, Tokyo agreed\n  to stop selling cut-price chips in world markets and to\n  increase its imports of American semiconductors.\n      Washington has accused Japan of reneging on the deal by\n  selling low priced chips in Asia and by failing to boost\n  American imports, and has threatened to take retaliatory\n  action.\n      In an effort to save the agreement, MITI is asking Japanese\n  chip makers to limit production in the hope that will boost\n  domestic demand and reduce the incentive to export.\n      Yamamoto said that Japan will slash output of 256 kilobit\n  dynamic random access and erasable programmable read only\n  memory chips by 11 pct in the second quarter. This follows a\n  cutback of more than 20 pct in the first three months of the\n  year.\n      He said the cutbacks were already drying up the supply of\n  chips available for export through unregulated distributors in\n  the so-called grey market.\n      \"We have almost no grey market,\" he said. \"Supply is\n  diminishing.\"\n      To help ensure that the cutbacks are implemented, MITI\n  called in the president of Japan's largest semiconductor maker,\n  NEC Corp <NIPN.T> last week, he said. It is also issuing\n  specific instructions on production to the Japanese subsidiary\n  of <Texas Instruments Inc>.\n      Trade and Industry Minister Hajime Tamura spelled out the\n  steps Japan was taking to salvage the pact and appealed for\n  U.S. Understanding in a letter to top American policy makers.\n      The letter was sent today to U.S. Secretary of State George\n  Schultz, Treasury Secretary James Baker, Commerce Secretary\n  Malcolm Baldrige and U.S. Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter.\n      The four, who make up the Economic Policy Council, are\n  expected to consider evidence presented by U.S. Chip maker\n  Micron Technology Inc <DRAM.O> of cut-price Japanese sales in\n  Hong Kong.\n      Yamamoto admitted that <Oki Electric Industry Co>'s Hong\n  Kong subsidiary had sold chips at an inappropriate level but\n  denied that it was dumping chips at rock-bottom prices.\n      \"If the United States uses this as proof of dumping...We\n  will present our rebuttal,\" he said.\n      The sales though were inappropriate in the light of MITI's\n  advice to semiconductor makers to sell chips at well above\n  production costs to avoid any hint of dumping, he said.\n      He also called the case \"strange,\" but he stopped short of\n  endorsing Japanese newspaper accusations that Oki had been\n  trapped into making the sales. He did say though that Micron\n  publicized the invoice documenting the sales on the same day\n  they were made and that Oki was unable to locate the person who\n  had bought the chips when it tried to buy them back last week.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN MOTORS CORP GETS QUALIFIED AUDIT ON 1986 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS\n","article":"\n  AMERICAN MOTORS CORP GETS QUALIFIED AUDIT ON 1986 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<ST . CLAIR PAINT AND WALLPAPER CORP> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 66 cts vs 55 cts\n      Net 2,422,000 vs 1,906,000\n      Revs 59.3 mln vs 47.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALCO STANDARD <ASN> COMPLETES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Delta Business Systems Inc said\n  it has completed a previously-announced merger into Alco\n  Standard Corp.\n      Delta said it expects sales of about 30 mln dlrs for the\n  year ending in April.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"RAINS PROMISE BOUNTIFUL CROPS IN ETHIOPIA\n","article":"  Rain over wide areas has raised the\n  prospect of good food crops throughout Ethiopia, which suffered\n  a disastrous drought and famine two years ago.\n      Aweke Aynalem, head of the government's Agriculture\n  Development Department, told reporters prospects were good for\n  attaining the target of 250,000 tonnes of grain in the present\n  growing season, one of two each year in Ethiopia.\n      Normal crop production in Ethiopia is about 648,000 tonnes\n  a year, of which 250,000 tonnes are produced from the \"belg\"\n  (small) rains which fall at this time of year.\n      The belg rains are used to plant quick-maturing crops like\n  maize and barley. Any shortfall during this period affects\n  production in the main rainy season, because farmers eat their\n  stocks of seed.\n      Aweke said peasants in Wello, Tigre and Hararghe -- regions\n  which suffered severely from drought -- were now able to sow\n  their crops because of the favourable rains.\n      The government had distributed large quantities of seed and\n  fertiliser, and the rains should ensure a good crop.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN MOTORS <AMO> STATEMENT QUALIFIED\n","article":"  American Motors Corp said its auditors\n  qualified the company's 1986 financial report.\n      The report was qualified due to uncertainties surrounding\n  the previously announced arbitration award against American\n  Motors' former subsidiary, AM General Corp. The award is being\n  contested.\n      The report was filed today with the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission along with a copy of Chrysler Corp's <C> proposal to\n  take over American Motors.\n      American Motors said earlier than an arbitration award,\n  made to Emerson Electric Co <EMR> in February, amounted to 60\n  mln dlrs plus legal expenses. American Motors has challenged\n  the award.\n      The automaker sold the AM General unit to LTV Corp <QLTV>\n  in 1983, the same year it was awarded a five-year, 1.2 billion\n  dlr procurement contract with the military. LTV and AM General\n  last year sought protection under Chapter 11.\n      The arbitration proceeding was called after Emerson\n  Electric charged AM General violated an agreement covering the\n  development of certain components in the contract.\n      The components were for the military's \"High Mobility\n  Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle\" (HMMWV), American Motors said.\n      In selling AM General to LTV, American Motors agreed to\n  indemnify LTV against losses incurred by LTV resulting from the\n  Emerson Electric claims.\n      AMC also said the award has not been confirmed by a court,\n  and faces additional legal challenges. It said that, because of\n  the LTV and Am General reorganizations, the final amount of a\n  confirmed award and the amount of any loss to LTV is uncertain.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ANACOMP <AAC> GETS FUNDS TO BUY DATAGRAPHIX\n","article":"  Anacomp Inc said it\n  finalized the financing of its 128 mln dlrs purchase of\n  DatagraphiX Inc from General Dynamics Corp <GD>.\n      The financing, arranged by Drexel Burnham Lambert, consists\n  of 90 mln dlrs of bank financing, the private placement of 71\n  mln dlrs of senior subordinated notes and 25 mln dlrs of\n  convertible preferred stock, it said.\n      DatagraphiX, a manufacturer of microgrpahics equipment has\n  been merged into Anacomp and will be operated as a separate\n  division, Anacomp said.  The division is expected to improve\n  results for Anacomp this year.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SUPERMARKETS GENERAL CORP <SGL> 4TH QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Oper shr 50 cts vs 52 cts\n      Oper net 19.2 mln vs 18.8 mln\n      Sales 1.43 billion vs 1.30 billion\n      Avg shrs 38.6 mln vs 36.0 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 1.65 dlrs vs 1.73 dlrs\n      Oper net 62.7 mln vs 61.8 mln\n      Sales 5.51 billion vs 4.96 billion\n      Avg shrs 38.1 mln vs 35.8 mln\n      NOTES: Sales are from continuing operations\n      Operating net excludes results from discontinued operations\n  of nil vs profit 2,815,000 dlrs, or eight cts a share, in\n  quarter and loss 308,000 dlrs, or one cent a share, vs profit\n  1,880,000 dlrs, or five cts a share, in year\n      Latest year operating net also excludes loss of 1,536,000\n  dlrs, or four cts a share, on disposal of discontinued\n  department store segment\n      Share data adjusted to reflect two-for-one stock split paid\n  to holders of record August 1, 1986\n      Operating net includes pre-tax LIFO credit 700,000 dlrs vs\n  credit 2.0 mln dlrs in quarter and charge 2.8 mln dlrs vs\n  charge 4.9 mln dlrs in year\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ENERGY FACTORS <EFAC> TO BUY ALLIED <ALD> UNITS\n","article":"  Energy Factors Inc said it has signed\n  an agreement to acquire GWF Power Systems Co and Combustion\n  Power Co Inc from Allied-Signal Inc for undisclosed terms.\n      The two Allied units operate and are developing\n  cogeneration projects and small petroleum-coke fueled power\n  plants.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"RYLAND GROUP INC <RYL> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"H.B. FULLER CO <FULL> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 38 cts vs 30 cts\n      Net 3,649,000 vs 2,789,000\n      Sales 137.4 mln vs 119.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MARKET LOAN COULD BE PINNED TO U.S. TRADE BILL\n","article":"  Sen. David Pryor, D-Ark., said\n  he was considering amending the Senate Finance Committee's\n  trade bill with a provision to require a marketing loan for\n  soybeans, corn and wheat.\n      Pryor told the Futures Industry Association that there was\n  great reluctance among members of the Senate Agriculture\n  Committee to reopen the 1985 farm bill, and that a marketing\n  loan might have a better chance in the Finance panel.\n      The Arkansas senator said the marketing loan -- which in\n  effect allows producers to pay back their crop loans at the\n  world price -- had led to a 300 pct increase in U.S. cotton\n  exports in 14 months and a 72 pct increase in rice exports.\n      Pryor serves on both the Senate Finance and Agriculture\n  Committees.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COOPER DEVELOPMENT CO <BUGS> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit seven cts vs loss 16 cts\n      Net profit 2,144,000 vs loss 4,110,000\n      Sales 121.3 mln vs 20.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 29.4 mln vs 25.3 mln\n      NOTE: Current year net includes pretax gain on sale of\n  product line of 11.4 mln dlrs and charge 4,711,000 dlrs posttax\n  on expensing of a portion of unamorized debt issuance costs of\n  unit.\n      Current year results include Technicon Corp, acquired in\n  August 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CITIZENS GROWTH <CITGS> OMITS QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Citizens Growth Properties said\n  it ommitted its regular quartelry dividend as a result of\n  decreased earnings, principally attributable to the default by\n  a borrower of the trust's laargest mortgage loan.\n      The trust last paid 12 cts on January 28.\n      The trust said it also reaffirmed a limited share\n  repurchase program subject to available cash flow in light of\n  the defaulted mortgage.               \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PATRICK PETROLUEM HAS DEFINITIVE ACCORD TO BUY BAYOU RESOURCES\n","article":"\n  PATRICK PETROLUEM HAS DEFINITIVE ACCORD TO BUY BAYOU RESOURCES\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PETROLITE CORP <PLIT> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly dividend 28 cts vs 28 cts\n      Pay April 24\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DYNAMIC HOMES INC <DYHM> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 0.2 cts vs loss 2.2 cts\n      Net profit 2,900 vs loss 43,500\n      Sales 1,660,000 vs 950,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 30 cts vs loss 37 cts\n      Net loss 578,900 vs 713,300\n      Sales 5,112,100 vs 3,659,600\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SAFEGUARD SCIENTIFIC <SFE> UNIT BUYS SUBSIDIARY\n","article":"  Safeguard Scientific Inc\n  said its subsidiary, Coherent Communications Systems Corp,\n  purchased a telecommunications equipment business for an\n  undisclosed amount of cash, notes and Coherent common stock.\n      Safeguard said it bought the business unit from Comsat\n  TeleSystems Inc, a subsidiary of Communications Satellite Corp\n  <CQ>.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PATRICK PETROLEUM <PPC> TO BUY BAYOU\n","article":"  Patrick Petroleum Co said it\n  signed a definitive agreement to buy Bayou Resources Inc.\n      As previously announced, the transaction is valued at about\n  8.8 mln dlrs, including 2.8 mln dlrs in debt.\n      Under the agreement, Patrick will pay six dlrs per share\n  for each Bayou share, with additional value being given for\n  Bayou's preferred and options. Bayou has 827,000 shares out.\n      Depending upon the results of the re-evaluation of a\n  significant Bayou well as of Jan. 1, 1988, Bayou stockholders\n  may receive up to an additional two mln dlrs in stock and cash,\n  which has not been included in the 8.8 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WESTWORLD COMMUNITY HEALTH <WCHI> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 15.23 dlrs vs profit 12 cts\n      Net loss 124,634,000 vs profit 882,000\n      Revs 38.4 mln vs 41.0 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 15.46 dlrs vs profit 48 cts\n      Net loss 126,434,000 vs profit 3,555,000\n      Revs 187.0 mln vs 133.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 8,177,000 vs 7,450,000\n      Note: Current year results include charges related to\n  closing or divestitures of facilities and other assets.\n      Full name Westworld Community Healthcare Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NYMEX TO SUBMIT PROPANE PROPOSAL TO CFTC\n","article":"  The New York Mercantile Exchange expects\n  to submit a propane futures contract for federal regulatory\n  approval within a few days, according to an exchange\n  spokeswoman.\n      As previously announced, the Board of Governors of the\n  exchange approved the contract last month. The exchange will\n  now submit the contract to the Commodity Futures Trading\n  Commission, according to the spokeswoman.\n      Contract specifications will resemble those of heating oil\n  and gasoline futures. The contract size will be 1,000 barrels,\n  or 42,000 U.S. gallons.\n      The minimum price fluctuation for the propane futures\n  contract will be  0.01 cent per gallon, or 4.20 dlrs a barrel,\n  according to the exchange.\n      The maximum daily price limit will be two cts a gallon on\n  all contracts except spot. Trading will terminate on the last\n  business day of the month preceding the delivery month.\n      The exchange said delivery will be F.O.B from the seller's\n  pipeline, storage, or fractionation facility in Mont Belvieu,\n  Texas, which has a direct pipeline access to the Texas Eastern\n  Transmission Pipeline (TET) in Mont Beliview.\n      Delivery method will be by in-line or in-well transfer,\n  inter-facility transfer or pumpover, or book transfer and\n  cannot be done earlier than the tenth calendar day of the\n  delivery month, according to the exchange. Deliveries must be\n  completed no later than two business days prior to the end of\n  the delivery month.\n      Buyers taking delivery of the propane must pay the seller\n  by certified check and the deadline for payment is 1200 EST\n  (noon) of the second business day following receipt of the\n  propane.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KINGS ROAD ENTERTAINMENT INC <KREN> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr loss seven cts vs loss 64 cts\n      Net loss 367,000 vs 3,009,000\n      Revs 2,516,000 vs 8,787,000\n      Avg shrs 4,941,000 vs 4,714,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 73 cts vs loss 1.17 dlrs\n      Net loss 3,545,000 vs loss 4,573,000\n      Revs 6,788,000 vs 13.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,856,000 vs 3,908,000\n      NOTE: Prior year net includes tax credits of 63,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and 1,395,000 dlrs in nine mths.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PAYCHEX INC <PAYX> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 13 cts vs 10 cts\n      Net 1,109,000 vs 875,000\n      Revs 16.6 mln vs 13.2 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 44 cts vs 33 cts\n      Net 3,770,000 vs 2,851,000\n      Revs 46.9 mln vs 36.9 mln\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for three-for-two stock split in June\n  1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IC INDS <ICX> TO SELL CERTAIN ASSETS TO MLX \n","article":"  IC Industries Inc said its Abex Corp\n  subsidiary agreed to sell its sintered friction materials\n  business in Italy to Troy, Michigan-based MLX Corp, for\n  undisclosed terms.  Completion of the proposed transaction is\n  subject to approval by the Italian government, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"RELIABLE LIFE INSURANCE CO <RLIFA> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 4.87 dlrs vs 2.21 dlrs\n      Net 14.6 mln vs 6,639,540\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes gain 2,578,887 dlrs from chjange in\n  accounting for pension plans and investment gaions of over\n  three mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RAVEN INDUSTRIES INC <RAV> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit six cts vs loss nine cts\n      Net profit 101,000 vs loss 142,000\n      Sales 12.6 mln vs 8,736,000\n      Year\n      Shr profit 1.34 dlrs vs profit 1.02 dlrs\n      Net profit 2,122,000 vs profit 1,611,000\n      Sales 52.3 mln vs 41.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"HEMODYNAMICS INC <HMDY> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 24 cts vs loss 41 cts\n      Net loss 148,070 vs loss 251,225\n      Sales 1,298,257 vs 319,588\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DELOITTE HASKINS SELLS GETS STAKE IN COMPANY\n","article":"  <Deloitte Haskins and Sells>, an\n  accounting and consulting firm, said it bought a stake in\n  <Holland Systems Corp>, a software and services company.\n      The company also said it set up a venture with Holland\n  Systems to develop and market an integrated line of information\n  management products and services.\n      It said products from the venture are expected to be\n  introduced within the next year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED EXPECTED TO SET CUSTOMER REPURCHASES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve is expected to\n  intervene in the government securities market to add temporary\n  reserves indirectly via 1.5 to 2.5 billion dlrs of customer\n  repurchase agreements, economists said.\n      They said that while the Fed has only a moderate add need\n  over the next few days, it will probably intervene in an\n  attempt to counteract an elevated federal funds rate.\n      Fed funds, which averaged 6.09 pct on Friday, opened at\n  6-3\/16 pct and remained at that level in early trading.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LIBERTY ALL-STAR EQUITY FUND INITIAL DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div five cts vs N.A.\n      Payable April two\n      Record March 20\n      NOTE:1986 dividend includes special two cts per share for\n  the period beginning with the fund's commencement of operations\n  on Novebmer three through December 31, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"australian annual broad money supply growth 10.3 pct in January\n","article":"\n  australian annual broad money supply growth 10.3 pct in January\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MOTO PHOTO INC <MOTO> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit one ct vs loss six cts\n      Oper net profit 148,628 vs loss 249,192\n      Revs 3,772,639 vs 1,101,633\n      Avg shrs 5,235,233 vs 4,371,795\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 10 cts vs loss 19 cts\n      Oper net profit 5,760 vs loss 788,042\n      Revs 9,899,038 vs 3,819,678\n      Avg shrs 4,837,361 vs 4,163,006\n      NOTE: Share after poreferred dividends.\n      Current year net both periods excludes 15,000 dlr tax loss\n  carryforward.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. TREASURY'S BAKER SAYS CURRENCIES WITHIN RANGES THAT BETTER REFLECT FUNDAMENTALS\n","article":"\n  U.S. TREASURY'S BAKER SAYS CURRENCIES WITHIN RANGES THAT BETTER REFLECT FUNDAMENTALS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GREECE SEEKING EC SUGAR NEXT MONTH AT TENDER\n","article":"  Greece will hold a buying tender on\n  April 8, for reply by April 10, for 40,000 tonnes of white\n  sugar from EC member countries, for delivery in four equal\n  tranches in May, June, July and August, traders said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ZINC PRODUCERS APPROACH EC ON VOLUNTARY CLOSURES\n","article":"  A number of individual zinc producing\n  companies have approached the European Commission to sound out\n  its reaction to a possible industry plan for a voluntary\n  reduction of smelting capacity, Commission sources said.\n      The companies have been told that the Commission could not\n  judge whether a plan would be acceptable under European\n  Community, EC, competition rules until it had full details,\n  they said.\n      In 1983, the industry drew up a plan envisaging the loss of\n  about 130,000 tonnes of annual capacity, or about 10 pct of the\n  total.\n      However, the industry did not proceed with this plan as\n  zinc market conditions improved in 1984, the sources noted.\n      They said the companies which approached the Commission\n  recently -- and which they did not name -- appeared to envisage\n  a loss of productive capacity similar to that proposed in 1983.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CURRENCIES BETTER REFLECT FUNDAMENTALS - BAKER\n","article":"  Treasury Secertary James Baker said\n  currencies were now within ranges that better reflected\n  economic fundamentals.\n      In a speech to the annual meeting of the Inter-American\n  Development Bank, he said, \"Excchange have moved into ranges\n  that better reflect economic fundamentals.\"\n      He noted that in particular that dollar has fallen from its\n  high point in early 1985 helping to moderate protectionist\n  pressures in the U.S.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TONKA <TKA> SEES LOWER FISCAL FIRST QUARTER NET\n","article":"  Tonka Corp said it expects\n  results for its fiscal first quarter to end April four, to\n  decline from the record earnings of 3.8 mln dlrs or 57 cts a\n  share and revenues of 53.2 mln dlrs.\n      The toy manufacturer attributed its anticipated lower\n  financial results to an an expected moderate decline in\n  shipments of its Pound Puppies product line.\n      Tonka also said it expects revenues and earnings to remain\n  lower through the 1987 first half compared with 1986 record\n  results of 125.4 mln dlrs in revenues and 10.3 mln dlrs in net\n  earnings or 1.47 dlrs a share.\n      The company said its level of shipments is good despite a\n  conservative buying pattern on the part of retailers industry\n  wide. Tonka's first quarter shipments will be down somewhat\n  from 1986 record levels and gross profit margins will be down\n  slightly from a year ago, it said.\n      Second half sales are expected to be stronger based on a\n  return to a more traditional seasonal shipping pattern in which\n  retailers order and stock conservatively early in the year and\n  time large shipments for the second half, it said.\n      Tonka said that while the pace of order writing is trailing\n  last year's, bookings are \"very good\" for orders on several of\n  its new product introductions for 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CHILD WORLD INC <CWLD> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.34 dlrs vs 1.09 dlrs\n      Net 15.4 mln vs 12.6 mln\n      Sales 323.6 mln vs 240.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 11.5 mln vs 11.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 95 cts vs 91 cts\n      Net 10.9 mln vs 9,368,000\n      Sales 628.8 mln vs 513.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 11.5 mln vs 10.3 mln\n      NOTE: Latest year net cut on mln dlrs by investment tax\n  credit loss.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BAYERNVEREIN EXPECTS UNCHANGED DIVIDEND FOR 1987\n","article":"  Bayerische Vereinsbank AG <BVMG.F>\n  expects to pay an unchanged dividend of 13 marks on 1987\n  earnings but profits will only barely reach last year's record\n  levels, management board spokesman Maximilian Hackl said.\n      He told the annual news conference that possible credit\n  risks, especially those associated with foreign nations, had\n  largely been covered. Risk provisions in 1987 were therefore\n  unlikely to reach the same high level as in 1986.\n      Group bank net profit rose to 275.52 mln marks in 1986 from\n  222.73 mln the previous year and parent bank net profit\n  increased to 187.63 mln marks from 161.58 mln.\n      Hackl said that interest margins in the banking business\n  had declined to 2.71 pct last year from 2.78 pct the previous\n  year. But in the mortgage sector, the margins had increased\n  slightly and stood around 0.7 pct.\n      Parent bank commission surplus in the securities business\n  had risen almost 15 pct to 358 mln marks in 1986.\n      Expenses for personnel had increased 7.5 pct to 782 mln\n  marks and others costs had increased 9.4 pct to 272 mln marks.\n      The parent bank's 1986 partial operating profit, which\n  excludes earnings from trading on its own account, had climbed\n  two pct to 671 mln marks.\n      The parent bank's balance sheet total rose 5.3 pct to 81.5\n  billion marks at end-1986 compared with end-1985, Hackl said.\n      It was boosted by a three billion mark rise in mortgage\n  business and a 1.1 billion mark increase in banking business.\n      The mortgage sector's share in total parent bank business\n  volume rose to 46 pct from 45.\n      Hackl said that in January and February this year, the\n  bank's credit business had not livened up. But despite the\n  sharp downturn on German bourses, profits from trading on own\n  account had increased in the first two 1987 months compared\n  with the same year-ago period. He gave no detailed figures.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"DYNAMIC HOMES INC <DYHM> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr nil vs loss two cts\n      Net profit 2,900 vs loss 43,500\n      Revs 1,660,300 vs 950,000\n      12 mths\n      Shr loss 30 cts vs loss 37 cts\n      Net loss 578,900 vs loss 713,300\n      Revs 5,112,100 vs 3,659,600\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<CANADA LEASE FINANCING LTD> 3RD QTR DEC 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 30 cts vs 12 cts\n      Net 727,000 vs 266,000\n      Revs 27.8 mln vs 21.1 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 59 cts vs 48 cts\n      Net 1,355,000 vs 1,098,000\n      Revs 69.4 mln vs 59.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ROTTERDAM GRAIN HANDLER SAYS PORT BALANCE ROSE\n","article":"  Graan Elevator Mij (GEM) said its\n  balance in port of grains, oilseeds and derivatives rose to\n  70,000 tonnes on March 21 compared with 10,000 a week earlier\n  after arrivals of 192,000 tonnes and discharges of 132,000\n  tonnes last week.\n      The balance comprised 25,000 tonnes of grains plus oilseeds\n  and 45,000 tonnes of derivatives.\n      This week's estimated arrivals total 487,000 tonnes, of\n  which 107,000 are grains\/oilseeds and 380,000 derivatives.\n      The figures cover around 95 pct of Rotterdam traffic in the\n  products concerned.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PUBLIC SERVICE N.C. <PSNC> RAISES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Public Service Co of North\n  Carolina Inc said its board raised the quarterly dividend to 23\n  cts per share from 22-1\/2 cts previously, as adjusted for a\n  two-for-one stock split that takes effect April 27.\n      The dividend is payable July One to holders of record June\n  16.\n      The company also said it plans to file soon for an offering\n  of  up to one mln new shares, which would give it a total of\n  about 8,850,000 post-split shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WICKES <WIX> PLANS REVERSE SPLIT, CALLS DEBT\n","article":"  Wickes Cos Inc said its\n  board authorized a one-for-five reverse stock split and plans\n  to call the company's its 12 pct senior subordianted debentures\n  due 1994.\n      The company said it will seek shareholder approval of the\n  reverse stock split at the annual shareholders meeting\n  scheduled for June 18.\n      At January 31 Wickes had 239 mln shares outstanding, the\n  company also said.\n      Wickes also said it will call the debentures on Dec 1,\n  1987, assuming market conditions remain essentially the same.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ICCO PUTS 1986\/87 WORLD COCOA SURPLUS  94,000 TONNES VS 118,000 IN 1985\/86 - DELEGATES\n","article":"\n  ICCO PUTS 1986\/87 WORLD COCOA SURPLUS  94,000 TONNES VS 118,000 IN 1985\/86 - DELEGATES\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTOR ACQUIRES 9.9 PCT OF MUNFORD <MFD>\n","article":"  A joint venture controlled by Dallas\n  investor Bradbury Dyer said it had acquired 377,000 shares, or\n  9.9 pct, of the common stock of Munford Inc.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the concern, which comprises Paragon Associates and Paragon\n  Associates II, said it bought the stake for 7,659,000 dlrs and\n  may buy more shares.\n      Paragon said it bought the shares for investment purposes.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"YEUTTER BLASTS PROPOSED EC OILS AND FATS TAX\n","article":"  U.S. trade representative Clayton\n  Yeutter today said that if the European Community's Council of\n  Ministers approves a tax on vegetable oils and fats, another\n  major transatlantic trade row will erupt over agriculture.\n      In a statement issued by the trade representative's office\n  following a speech to the American Soybean Association's board\n  of directors, Yeutter said the proposed tax would have a severe\n  impact on American soybean farmers, who export some 2.4 billion\n  dlrs in soybeans and products annually to the EC.\n      \"This is an unacceptable situation for us and its\n  (vegetable oils tax) enactment would leave us no choice but to\n  vigorously protect our trade rights and defend our access to\n  the European market,\" Yeutter said.\n      Yeutter said the proposed vegetable oils tax would violate\n  EC obligations under the GATT.\n      He said the effect of the tax would be to double the price\n  of soyoil produced from imported soybeans, making margarine\n  made from soyoil more expensive than tallow-based margarine,\n  and closer in price to expensive European butter.\n      \"I am astonished that the EC commission would propose such\n  a provocative measure so soon after we successfully resolved\n  the agricultural dispute over the enlargement of the EC to\n  include Spain and Portugal,\" Yeutter said.\n      \"It serves no purpose to embark on another confrontational\n  course before the recent wounds have healed and as we are\n  beginning to make progress on the Uruaguay round (of global\n  trade talks),\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BP <BP> UNIT TO BUILD GOLD EXTRACTION PLANT\n","article":"  Amselco Minerals Inc, a unit of British\n  Petroleum Co PLC, said it approved construction of a new plant\n  with Nerco Minerals Co to process carbon ore to recover\n  microscopic gold reserves.\n      The plant, to be located at the Alligator Ridge Mine near\n  Ely, Nev., will process 1,000 tons a day of carbon-bearing ore\n  to recover 70,000 ounces of gold over three years, it said.\n      The plant will use a chemical process called leaching to\n  extract the residual gold, which could not otherwise be\n  economically recovered. Operation of the plant, to be jointly\n  owned by Amselco and Nerco, is set to start in October.\n      The Alligator Ridge Mine is jointly owned by Amselco and\n  Nerco, a unit of Nerco Inc <NER>, which is 90.5 pct owned by\n  Pacificorp <PPW>, a Portland, Ore., holding company.\n      The mine has produced about 60,000 ounces of gold a year\n  since 1981 using another leaching process, a BP spokesman said.\n  The open pit oxide ore reserves of Alligator Ridge will be\n  exhausted by August 1987, as expected, when the work force will\n  be reduced to about 72 from 127, the company said.\n      The employees remaining after that will operate the new\n  plant, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MOTO PHOTO <MOTO> SEES BETTER 1ST QUARTER 1987\n","article":"  Moto Photo Inc  president, Michael\n  Adler, said he expects the company's first quarter earnings for\n  fiscal 1987 to be better than the same quarter a year ago.\n      Adler said, however, that the quarter would still be a\n  loss, primarily because it is the low season for the imaging\n  business.\n      Photo Moto recored a net loss for the first quarter 1986\n  ending March 31 of 328,889 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA SOUTHERN PETROLEUM LTD<CSW> 2ND QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Qtr ends Dec 31\n      Shr loss one ct vs profit two cts\n      Net loss 52,922 vs profit 220,041\n      Revs 481,832 vs 824,554\n      Six mths\n      Shr loss one ct vs profit four cts\n      Net loss 104,129 vs profit 345,515\n      Revs 934,685 vs 1,465,153\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"RECOTON CORP <RCOT> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 14 cts vs profit 26 cts\n      Net loss 384,000 vs profit 714,000\n      Revs 8,367,000 vs 9,909,000\n      Year\n      Shr profit 19 cts vs profit 57 cts\n      Net profit 518,000 vs profit 1,547,000\n      Revs 28.7 mln vs 26.7 mln\n      NOTE: Includes income tax credits of 302,000 dlrs and 1.3\n  mln dlrs in 1986 and 1985, respectively, and 602,000 dlrs in\n  1985 qtr. Current qtr after tax provision of 452,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SANFORD CORP <SANF> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 28 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 1,898,000 vs 892,000\n      Sales 16.8 mln vs 15.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<CANADA SOUTHERN PETROLEUM LTD> 2ND QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Period ended December 31, 1986\n      Shr loss one ct vs profit two cts\n      Net loss 52,922 vs profit 220,041\n      Revs 481,832 vs 824,554\n      Six mths\n      Shr loss one ct vs profit four cts\n      Net loss 104,129 vs profit 345,515\n      Revs 937,685 vs 1,460,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EXXON <XON> CUTS HEATING OIL BARGE PRICE\n","article":"  Oil traders in New York said Exxon\n  Corp's Exxon U.S.A. unit reduced the price it charges contract\n  barge customers for heating oil in New York harbor 0.75 cent a\n  gallon, effective today.\n      They said the reduction brings Exxon's contract barge price\n  to 43.25 cts. The price decrease follows sharp declines in\n  heating oil prices on spot and futures markets, traders said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOSPOSABLE PRODUCTS INC <HOSP> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 12 cts vs eight cts\n      Net 102,002 vs 59,396\n      Sales 3,024,423 vs 2,437,489\n      Avg shrs 1,032,000 vs 746,004\n      Year\n      Shr 64 cts vs 45 cts\n      Net 570,491 vs 340,852\n      Sales 11.1 mln vs 10.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,032,000 vs 753,948\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANGEMANN DENIES NEWSPAPER INTERVIEW ON SUBSIDIES\n","article":"  The West German Economics Minister today\n  denied giving a newspaper interview which quoted him as saying\n  the state could not continue to pour money into the country's\n  ailing steel and coal industries.\n      Economics Ministry spokesman Dieter Vogel said in a\n  statement Bangemann had contacted him from New Zealand, where\n  he is attending a General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT)\n  ministerial meeting, to deny giving the interview to the\n  conservative daily Die Welt. The paper quoted Bangemann as\n  saying that continued subsidies would endanger other parts of\n  the German economy by making them uncompetitive.\n      Vogel said Bangemann had pledged that everything possible\n  would be done to minimize the effects of reduced coal and steel\n  production on the workforces and regions concerned.\n      Die Welt said the interview with Bangemann had taken place\n  at a meeting of his Free Democratic Party (FDP) in Darmstadt\n  last Friday, adding that it had a tape recording of his\n  comments which it would publish tomorrow.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED SAYS IT SETS 1.5 BILLION DLRS OF CUSTOMER REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS\n","article":"\n  FED SAYS IT SETS 1.5 BILLION DLRS OF CUSTOMER REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED ADDS RESERVES VIA CUSTOMER REPURCHASES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve entered the U.S.\n  Government securities market to arrange 1.5 billion dlrs of\n  customer repurchase agreements, a Fed spokesman said.\n      Dealers said Federal funds were trading at 6-3\/16 pct when\n  the Fed began its temporary and indirect supply of reserves to\n  the banking system.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"SWEDISH GNP ROSE LESS THAN EXPECTED, FIGURES SHOW\n","article":"  Sweden's Gross National Product rose\n  1.3 pct last year against 2.3 pct in 1985, mainly due to a\n  lower than forecast growth in exports and a sharp fall in total\n  investments, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported.\n      Private consumption rose 4.1 pct during 1986 against 2.7\n  pct in 1985 whereas the Finance Ministry had expected an\n  increase of only 3.6 pct. Total investments fell 0.7 pct\n  against a rise of 6.3 pct in 1985. The Finance Ministry had\n  forecast a rise of 0.3 pct in 1986.\n      Exports rose 2.1 pct last year against 2.3 pct in 1985, but\n  the Finance Ministry had predicted a growth of 2.8 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MCDONALD'S <MCD> UP ON REAFFIRMED RECOMMENDATION\n","article":"  McDonald's Corp rose sharply today\n  after receiving a second recommendation in as many sessions,\n  traders said.\n      Today, analyst Richard Simon of Goldman Sachs and Co\n  reaffirmed his recommendation of the stock and put it on his\n  \"focus list,\" traders familiar with the recommendation said.\n      Simon was unavailable for comment.\n      The stock jumped 2-3\/4 to 79-7\/8.\n      On Friday, analyst Daniel Lee of Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc\n  reiterated a recommendation of the stock focusing on increased\n  comparable store sales and consistent annual earnings growth.\n  Friday, the stock closed 1-5\/8 points higher.\n      Wendy's, another operator of fast food restaurants, rose\n  one to 12-3\/4 in active trading. Vague rumors that Wendy's is a\n  takeover candidate continued to circulate Wall Street, traders\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GREECE SAYS IT HAS RIGHT ON AEGEAN OIL DRILLING\n","article":"  Greece, responding to a warning by Turkey\n  against conducting oil activities in the Aegean Sea, said today\n  it had the right to decide where and how to do research or\n  drilling work in the area.\n      A government spokesman said the Greek position was made\n  clear to Turkey's ambassador Nazmi Akiman when he met Greek\n  Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Yannis Kapsis last week.\n      Acting Turkish Prime Minister Kaya Erdem said earlier today\n  Greek activities in the northern Aegean contravened the 1976\n  Berne Agreement which set the framework for talks on the Aegean\n  continental shelf disputed between Ankara and Athens.\n      The Greek statement today said, \"Greece is not prepared to\n  give up even a trace of its sovereignty rights to the seabed.\n  It has been stressed to...Mr Akiman that the decision where or\n  how to drill belongs exclusively to the Greek government.\"\n      \"The Greek government has repeatedly let the Turkish side\n  know that it considers the 1976 Berne protocol as inactive\n  through the fault of Turkey,\" it said.\n      The Greek statement said Athens was ready to put the\n  continental shelf issue before international courts.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ALLIED PRODUCTS CORP <ADP> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 3.36 dlrs vs 3.33 dlrs\n      Net 16,173,000 vs 10,603,000\n      Sales 420.8 mln vs 276.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 4.4 mln vs 3.2 mln\n      NOTE: 1985 net includes tax credits of 6.9 mln dlrs or 2.19\n  dlrs a share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN TELEVISION <ATCMA> BUYS TIME <TL> UNIT\n","article":"  American Television and\n  Communications Corp said it has completed the acquisition of\n  Manhattan Cable Television Inc from Time Inc for about\n  9,400,000 Class B common shares.\n      American Television was spun off from Time in August 1986.\n  The company said following this transaction, Time now owns 82\n  pct of American Television.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DWG <DWG> COMPLETES SALE OF UNIT\n","article":"  DWG Corp said it has completed the\n  previously-announced sale of its Texsun Corp subsidiary to\n  Texsun Corp subsidiary to Sundor Brands Inc for 27.5 mln dlrs\n  and the assumption of liabilities.\n      It said proceeds have been placed in escrow pending the\n  outcome of talks with lenders.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALLIED <ASU> SELLING MICHIGAN UNITS\n","article":"  Allied Supermarkets Inc said it entered\n  into a definitive agreement to sell its Michigan operations for\n  about 46 mln dlrs in cash and debt plus assumption of\n  substantially all of Allied's liabilities other than senior\n  subordinated debentures.\n      It said the operations will be sold to Meadowdale Foods\n  Inc, a corporation formed by members of its existing\n  management, including Chairman David Page and President Lon\n  Makanoff.\n      The transaction is conditioned on  Allied's pending merger\n  with the Vons Cos Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KLM SAYS IT IS NOT SEEKING AIR ATLANTA STAKE\n","article":"  KLM Royal Dutch Airlines <KLM.AS> is\n  discussing marketing cooperation with U.S. regional carrier Air\n  Atlanta Inc but it is not seeking to take a stake in the\n  airline, a KLM spokesman said.\n      \"We're not considering taking either a majority or minority\n  stake in Air Atlanta, but we are thinking of providing them\n  with a loan,\" the spokesman told Reuters in a comment on a Wall\n  Street Journal report saying debt-laden Air Atlanta could sell\n  as much as 25 pct of its stock to the Dutch airline.\n      KLM last week denied a Dutch press report saying it was\n  discussing a takeover of Air Atlanta.\n      The KLM spokesman said Air Atlanta's regional route\n  network, centred on Atlanta, Ga, could serve as a feeder to\n  KLM's international network, which includes direct flights\n  between Atlanta and Amsterdam.\n      KLM and Air Atlanta had been talking \"for some time,\" he\n  said, but declined to elaborate further on the talks or give\n  details of the loan to Air Atlanta.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"LEUCADIA <LUK> HAS 7.2 PCT OF MINSTAR <MNST>\n","article":"  Leucadia National Corp said two of\n  its subsidiaries have acquired a 7.2 pct stake in Minstar Inc,\n  a corporation controlled by corporate raider Irwin Jacobs and\n  used by him in his forays to acquire stock in companies.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Leucadia said its LNC Investments Inc, a Newark, Del.,\n  investment firm, and Charter National Life Insurance Co, a St.\n  Louis joint stock life insurance company, bought their combined\n  1,261,000 Minstar common shares for investment purposes only.\n      The Leucadia subsidiaries had held an 11.0 pct stake in\n  Minstar, but cut to 1.8 pct, or 313,200 shares, last July.\n      Since July, Leucadia said its companies have bought 947,800\n  Minstar common shares for a total of 24.7 mln dlrs.\n      Leucadia said it bought the Minstar stake to obtain an\n  equity position in the company and has no intention of seeking\n  control of it.\n      Nearly half of Leucadia's common stock is owned by TLC\n  Associates, a Salt Lake City, Utah, general partnership, whose\n  partners include the chairman and president of Leucadia and\n  other investors.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GENCORP SUES GENERAL PARTNERS\n","article":"  Gencorp Inc said it filed suit\n  against the unsolicited 100 dlr-a-share tender offer of Wagner\n  and Brown and AFG INdustries.\n      Gencorp said it is seeking an injunction against the offer\n  because it is violates federal securities laws and margin\n  regulations.\n      Gencorp also said its board is carefully studying the offer\n  and will make a decision on whether or not shareholders should\n  accept or reject it by March 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IRISH INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION INDEX UP 6.2 PCT\n","article":"  Ireland's industrial production index\n  stood at 132.8 in December, a year-on-year rise of 6.2 pct, the\n  Central Statistics Bureau reported.\n      In November the index, base 1980, stood at 144.8, showing a\n  rise of 4.3 pct on a year-on-year basis.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEW BRUNSWICK SCIENTIFIC CO INC <NBSC> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr 22 cts vs six cts\n      Net 819,000 vs 201,000\n      Revs 9.3 mln vs 7.7 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 40 cts vs 20 cts\n      Net 1.5 mln vs 728,000\n      Revs 31.5 mln vs 26.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INTELLIGENT BUSINESS <IBCC> 1ST QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr three cts vs nil\n      Net 328,112 vs 6,374\n      Revs 1,401,155 vs 846,253\n      NOTE: Full name is Intelligent Business Communications Corp\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PRINCIPAL NEO-TECH SELLS UNIT\n","article":"  <Principal Neo-Tech Inc> said it\n  completed the sale of its subsidiary, Neo-Tech Inc, to Seismic\n  Holdings Inc and Energy Holdings Inc, of Denver, Colo.\n      As part of the price, Principal Neo-Tech received notes and\n  preferred shares of Energy Holdings. However, terms were not\n  disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHARTER FEDERAL, JEFFERSON SAVINGS AGREE TO MERGE\n","article":"\n  CHARTER FEDERAL, JEFFERSON SAVINGS AGREE TO MERGE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BASIX CORP <BAS> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss eight cts vs profit 20 cts\n      Oper net loss 768,000 vs profit 1,962,000\n      Revs 49.0 mln vs 43.6 mln\n      12 mths\n      Oper shr loss 1.41 dlrs vs profit 96 cts\n      Oper net loss 13.6 mln vs profit 9,305,000\n      Revs 175.3 mln vs 140.7 mln\n      Note: Oper excludes loss from discontinued operations of\n  4,676,000 dlrs or 48 cts a share for year-ago qtr and 7,571,000\n  dlrs or 78 cts a share for year-ago 12 mths.\n      Oper includes charge of 1.1 mln dlrs for cumulative effect\n  of repeal of the investment tax credit for qtr and writedown of\n  21.6 mln dlrs on gas and oil facilities for 12 mths.\n      Year-ago shr data restated to reflect two pct stock\n  dividend of December 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PHH <PHH> BUYS TWO DESIGN FIRMS\n","article":"  PHH Group Inc said it acquired\n  two design firms for undisclosed terms.\n      In 1986, the two firms, Neville Lewis Associates of New\n  York and Walker Associates Inc of L.A., produced 15.6 mln dlrs\n  in total fees.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHARTER FEDERAL <CHFD>, JEFFERSON TO MERGE\n","article":"  Charter Federal Savings and Loan\n  Association of Bristol, Va., said it has agreed to acquire\n  Jefferson Savings and Loan Association of Warrenton, Va.\n      Under terms of the transaction, which would result in a 1.3\n  billion dlr thrift institution, stockholders of Jefferson will\n  get 30.50 dlrs per share, half in cash and half in shares of\n  Charter.\n      The resulting association will operate under the name of\n  Charter and will be based in Bristol.\n      The transaction is valued at about 16.3 mln dlrs, a\n  Jefferson spokesman said.\n      Charter said the merger is subject to approval of the\n  Federal Home Loan Bank Board.\n      Jefferson reported a 1.5 mln dlrs loss and assets of 360\n  mln dlrs for the year ended September 30, 1986.\n      For the year ended June 30, Charter reported net income of\n  7.9 mln dlrs. Assets totaled about 844.0 mln dlrs as of\n  December 31.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TRADE PROPOSES NEW EC GRAIN INTERVENTION RULES\n","article":"  The European Community (EC) cereals\n  trade lobby organisation Coceral said it has written to EC Farm\n  Commissioner Frans Andriessen to propose a new system for sales\n  into intervention, which it claims could save the EC budget\n  money.\n      It proposes that applications for intervention be made\n  through a certificate valid for execution three months later.\n  If during the three months the trader found a market elsewhere,\n  he could buy back the certificate on payment of a one pct\n  premium.\n      Coceral argues that this would restore the original\n  function of intervention as a safety net and would end the\n  present situation in which produce is often sold into\n  intervention as a precaution.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LOWE'S COS INC <LOW> QTLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Payable April 30\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COCA COLA SPOKESMAN SAID RUMORS COKE SEEKING TAKEOVER OF WENDY'S ARE NOT CORRECT\n","article":"\n  COCA COLA SPOKESMAN SAID RUMORS COKE SEEKING TAKEOVER OF WENDY'S ARE NOT CORRECT\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COMPUTER DEVICES INC 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss one cnt vs profit one cnt\n      Net loss 35,000 vs profit 42,000\n      Revs 881,000 vs 1.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit seven cts vs profit nine cts\n      Net profit 291,000 vs profit 366,000\n      Revs 4.4 mln vs 5.9 mln\n      NOTE:1985 4th qtr and year includes gain of 7,000 dlrs and\n  147,000 dlrs respectivley. 1986 year includes gain of 35,000\n  dlrs from tax loss carryforwards.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN JANUARY ANNUAL BROAD MONEY UP 10.3 PCT\n","article":"  Australia's broad money supply rose 10.3\n  pct in the year ended January, up from a revised 9.6 pct in\n  December, the Reserve Bank said.\n      This compares with the previous January's 13.9 pct.\n      In January broad money growth slowed to 0.7 pct from\n  December's 1.5 pct and compared with nil growth in January\n  1986.\n      Within the broad money total, non-bank financial\n  intermediaries rose by 0.2 pct from a revised decline of 0.2 \n  in December and a previous January's 0.8 pct increase.\n      In the January year, NBFI's borrowings rose by 9.5 pct from\n  a revised 10.1 in December and compared with a previous\n  January's 12.8.\n      At the end of January, broad money stood at 175,866 mln\n  dlrs dlrs from December's 174,668 mln dlrs and a January 1986\n  level of 159,453 mln.\n      In the same period, borrowings from the private sector by\n  the NBFIs rose to 70,389 mln dlrs from December's 70,237 mln\n  and the previous January's 64,299 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DUCOMMON INC <DCO> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 5.60 dlrs vs loss 1.10 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 18,688,000 vs loss 3,662,000\n      Sales 107.3 mln vs 108.7 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 5.76 dlrs vs loss 98 cts\n      Oper net loss 19,213,000 vs loss 3,263,000\n      Sales 455.2 mln vs 417.0 mln\n      Note: Prior qtr and year figures exclude losses from\n  discontinued operations of 279,000 dlrs and 555,000 dlrs,\n  respectively and respective losses on sale of discontinued\n  operations of 14.6 mln dlrs and 15.9 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MEM COM INC <MEM> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 93 cts vs 32 cts\n      Oper net 2,443,810 vs 847,609\n      Revs 30.3 mln vs 21.0 mln\n      12 mths\n      Oper shr 1.16 dlrs vs 85 cts\n      Oper net 3,066,407 vs 2,250,781\n      Revs 70.9 mln vs 61.8 mln\n      NOTE: qtr 1985 excludes gain 96,327 dlrs for discontinued\n  operations of Lebanon Packaging.\n      Year 1986 and year prior excludes loss 62,216 dlrs, and\n  gain 281,367 dlrs, respectively, for discontinued operations on\n  Lebanon sale.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COCA COLA <KO> SAYS RUMORS INCORRECT\n","article":"  A Coca Cola Co spokesman said rumors\n  the company is interested in acquiring Wendy's International\n  <WEN> are not true.\n      \"Those rumors are not correct,\" said Carlton Curtis, an\n  assistant vice president at Coke. \"We have stated many times\n  that Coca Cola Co has no interest in an acquisition in the food\n  service industry and thereby becoming a competitor to our food\n  service customers.\"\n      Wendy's stock has been flying high on the rumors for two\n  days. Today, Wendy's hit a high of 13-3\/8 before dropping back\n  to 12-3\/8, up 5\/8 in heavy trading.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SWEET VICTORY INC <SVIC> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.16 dlrs vs loss 61 cts\n      Net loss 3.5 mln vs loss 1.3 mln\n      Revs 943,938 dlrs vs 480,333 dlrs\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MICROBIO <MRC> PLANS ACQUISITION, FINANCING\n","article":"  Microbiological Research Corp\n  said it entered into a letter of intent for a proposed business\n  combination with privately owned <DataGene Scientific\n  Laboratories Inc>, and <Milex Corp> a newly formed company,\n  through a stock swap.\n      It also said it received 100,000 dlrs from the sale of a\n  convertible note to Ventana Growth Fund as part of an overall\n  1,100,000 equity financing plan with Ventana. Under that plan,\n  a minimum of 400,000 dlrs and a maximum of one mln dlrs of\n  additional new capital is to be provided to fund the combined\n  operations of the three companies.\n      Microbiological also said that if the maximum additional\n  capital is raised, it will own about 49 pct of 4,550,00 shares\n  of common outstanding in the new combined company, DataGene\n  holders will own 29 pct, and Ventana and others will own 13\n  pct.\n      It said the remaining nine pct will be held by Milex\n  shareholder Norman Monson, who will become chief executive\n  officer of the combined companies.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PORTUGUESE GRAIN AGENCY BAN OPPOSED BY MINISTER\n","article":"  Portugal's Agriculture Minister Alvaro\n  Barreto said he disagreed with a court order barring the state\n  grain buying agency EPAC from taking part in cereals import\n  tenders open to private traders.\n      Barreto told reporters his aim was to have EPAC readmitted\n  to the tenders.\n      Under the terms of Portugal's January 1986 accession to the\n  European Community (EC), a grain import monopoly held by EPAC\n  (Empresa Publica de Abastecimento de Cereais) is being reduced\n  by 20 pct annually until all imports are liberalised in 1990.\n      Following legal proceedings by private importers, Lisbon's\n  civil court decided in a preliminary ruling earlier this month\n  that EPAC should not be allowed to take part, as it had done,\n  in tenders for the liberalised share of annual grain imports.\n      As a result of this ruling, EPAC was excluded from a March\n  12 tender for the import of 80,000 tonnes of maize.\n      Barreto said, \"My objective is put EPAC into the tenders\n  because it has a right to take part.\" He added the government\n  would be studying the court order to see whether or not the\n  ruling could stop EPAC from participating in future tenders.\n      Barreto said there was no reason to exclude any operator,\n  whether public or private, from the tenders. Private traders\n  had argued that EPAC, given its dominant position in the\n  Portuguese grain market, had an unfair advantage over them.\n      \"There is no reason to make EPAC a martyr of the system,\"\n  Barreto said. He said the EC's executive commission had\n  accepted the government's view that EPAC should be eligible.\n      The Lisbon court ruling stated that EPAC's participation in\n  the public tenders was unfair competition and violated the\n  clauses of Portugal's EC accession treaty dealing with the\n  gradual dismantling of the state agency's import monopoly.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STANDARD FEDERAL <SFB> OFFERS ZERO-POINT LOAN\n","article":"  Standard Federal Bank said it\n  introduced a zero-point fixed rate mortgage loan.\n      The loan program offers borrowers home mortgage financing\n  with no discount fees charged.\n      Standard said that fees charged will include an application\n  fee, commitment fee and out-of-pocket expenses such as title\n  work, survey, recording fees and private mortgage insurance.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IRAQ OIL MINISTER QASSEM AHMED TAQI REPLACED, IRAQI NEWS AGENCY REPORTS\n","article":"\n  IRAQ OIL MINISTER QASSEM AHMED TAQI REPLACED, IRAQI NEWS AGENCY REPORTS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"IRAQI OIL MINISTER REPLACED - OFFICIAL\n","article":"  Iraq's Oil Minister Qassem Ahmed Taqi\n  has been moved to the Heavy Industries ministry, the official\n  Iraqi news agcny INA said tonight.\n      It quoted a Presidential decree appointing Oil Ministry\n  undersecretary Isam Abdul-Rahim Al-Chalaby as the new Oil\n  Minister.\n      The Ministers of Industry and Communication and Transport\n  had both been relieved of their posts, the news agency said.\n      No immediate explanation was given for the changes.\n      Al-Chalaby is the head of the Iraqi National Oil Company.\n      INA said the decree, signed by President Saddam Hussein,\n  relieved the Minister of Heavy Industries, Subhi Yassin Khadeir\n  of his post and appointed him a Presidential adviser.\n      His ministry was formerly known as the Industry and Mineral\n  Resources Ministry. The Minister of Communications and\n  Transport, Abdel-Jabbar Abdel-Rahim al-Asadi was also relieved\n  of his post and replaced by a member of the ruling Baath party\n  regional command, Mohammed Hamza al-Zubeidi. Al-Zubedei is also\n  a Presidential adviser. All three ministers involved in the\n  reshuffle had spent more than four years in their posts.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALLEGHENY <AI> SUED OVER PROPOSED BUYOUT\n","article":"  Allegheny International Inc said it\n  and First Boston Inc's <FBC> Sunter Holdings Corp subsidiary\n  have been named as defendants in a class action filed in the\n  Court of Common Pleas for Allegheny County, Pa., which seeks an\n  injunction against Allegheny's proposed merger into Sunter.\n      The company said its board and some former directors and\n  First Boston were also named as defendants.\n      It said it and Sunter intend to vigorously oppose the\n  action.\n      Allegheny said the class action suit alleges the price to\n  be paid in the transaction is grossly unfair. The company said\n  the suit's allegations are similar to those contained in an\n  earlier federal court suit.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ASTROCOM CORP <ACOM> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr one ct vs five cts\n      Net 19,174 vs 118,671\n      Revs 3,127,162 vs 2,936,330\n      Year\n      Shr eight cts vs 30 cts\n      Net 198,290 vs 712,087\n      Revs 12.4 mln vs 11.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,603,588 vs 2,376,604\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JUNO LIGHTING INC <JUNO> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 43 cts vs 32 cts\n      Net 1,991,000 vs 1,485,000\n      Sales 11.7 mln vs 9,479,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. FARM POLICY DEBATE COULD HIT SENATE SOON\n","article":"  The Senate this week might take up\n  proposed legislation that could serve as a lightning rod to\n  expose broad initiatives to change U.S. farm policy.\n      The Senate could consider a House-passed bill that would\n  allow wheat and feedgrains farmers to receive at least 92 pct\n  of their income support payments if flooding last year\n  prevented, or will prevent, them from planting their 1987\n  crops, Senate staff members told Reuters.\n      Also pending is a bill extend the life of the National\n  Commission on Dairy Policy.\n      Sen. Rudy Boschwitz, R-Minn., intends to offer an amendment\n  to one of the bills that would suspend the minimum planting\n  requirement for all 1987 wheat, feedgrain, cotton and rice\n  producers, an aide said.\n      Under current law, producers must plant at least 50 pct of\n  their base acreage to be eligible for 92 pct of their\n  deficiency payments.\n      Most major U.S. farm groups have lobbied hard against\n  making any fundamental changes in the 1985 farm bill out of\n  fear a full-scale debate could expose agricultural problems to\n  budget-cutting pressures.\n      Representatives of these farm groups have said they also\n  fear efforts by Midwestern Democrats to force a floor vote on a\n  bill that would require large acreage set-asides in return for\n  sharply higher support prices.\n      However, Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, sponsor of the bill, told\n  Reuters he did not intend to offer his measure as a floor\n  amendment but to bring it through the committee.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TIN PACT SPECIAL SESSION THIS WEEK ROUTINE\n","article":"  A further special session of the\n  International Tin Council, ITC, held here tomorrow, March 24,\n  will give member countries an update on the latest debate over\n  the hundreds of millions of sterling lost when its buffer stock\n  price support scheme failed in October 1985, delegates said.\n      But the ITC quarterly session scheduled for April 8-9 will\n  be important, as the council will by then be wanting to decide\n  on whether the current pact should be extended beyond June 30\n  or just allowed to expire, delegates said. A two year extension\n  is possible.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TIN COUNCIL WINDING-UP VERDICT APPEALED\n","article":"  Amalgamated Metal Trading, AMT, today\n  lodged an appeal against the ruling which prevented its\n  petition to wind up the International Tin Council, ITC.\n      The verdict was given by Mr Justice Millett on January 22,\n  when AMT led an effort by ITC creditors to recover sums claimed\n  by banks and London Metal Exchange brokers as a result of the\n  collapse of the ITC's buffer stock operations in October 1985.\n  AMT had until March 26 to lodge its appeal.\n      The grounds for the appeal are that the judge erred on\n  three points when giving his verdict, Michael Arnold, head of\n  the broker creditors group Tinco Realisations, told Reuters.\n      The judge ruled that the U.K. Court had no jurisdiction to\n  wind up the Tin Council, that the ITC was not an association\n  within the meaning of the Companies Act, and that the\n  winding-up petition was not a proceeding in respect of an\n  arbitration award. AMT will contest all three points.\n      The U.K. Companies Act allows the possibility of the\n  winding-up of what it defines as an association, and AMT will\n  argue that the Tin Council falls within this definition, Arnold\n  said.\n      The ITC has immunity except for the enforcement of an\n  arbitration award, and thus it is important for AMT that the\n  court accepts that the winding-up petition represents a move to\n  enforce an arbitration ruling.\n      The court originally decided that the winding-up petition\n  went wider than the enforcement of such a debt, an AMT\n  spokesman said.\n      The appeal is unlikely to be heard for several months, but\n  a case brought by fellow ITC creditor Maclaine Watson is to be\n  heard on April 28. This is a move by the metal broker to have a\n  receiver appointed over the ITC's assets.\n      Since similar arguments will be used in this case, it is\n  possible that any appeal in the Maclaine Watson case could be\n  consolidated with AMT's appeal, Arnold said.\n      Other ITC creditors have brought direct actions against the\n  Council's member states and an application by the governments\n  to strike out the first of these, brought by J.H. Rayner\n  (Mincing Lane) Ltd, is to be heard on May 11.\n      Shearson Lehman Brothers action against the LME's tin\n  \"ring-out\" in March 1986 is also scheduled to be heard in the\n  near future. The hearing date has now been put back slightly to\n  June 8.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ICO COUNCIL ENDS IN FAILURE TO AGREE QUOTAS\n","article":"  A special meeting of the International\n  Coffee Organization (ICO) council failed to agree on how to set\n  coffee export quotas, ICO delegates said.\n      Producers and consumers could not find common ground on the\n  issue of quota distribution in eight days of arduous, often\n  heated talks, delegates said.\n      Export quotas -- the major device of the International\n  Coffee Agreement to stabilise prices -- were suspended a year\n  ago after coffee prices soared in reaction to a drought in\n  Brazil which cut its output by two thirds.\n      Delegates and industry representatives predicted coffee\n  prices could plummet more than 100 stg a tonne to new four year\n  lows tomorrow in response to the results of the meeting.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. PREPARED TO ESCORT KUWAITI TANKERS\n","article":"  The United States has offered Navy\n  warships to escort Kuwaiti oil tankers into and out of the \n  Gulf where they could be threatened by new Iranian anti-ship\n  missiles, U.S. defense officials said today.\n      \"We believe the Kuwaitis have also approached the Soviet\n  Union about the possibility of using Soviet tankers\" to ship\n  their oil, one of the officials told Reuters. \"But if there is\n  superpower protection, we would rather it come from us,\" the\n  official said.\n      The officials, who asked not to be identified, said Kuwait\n  had asked about possible protection for a dozen vessels, most\n  of them oil tankers, which could be supplied by three U.S. Navy\n  guided missile destroyers and two guided missile frigates now\n  in the southern part of the Gulf.\n      \"We told them we would give them help and we are waiting to\n  hear the Kuwaiti response to our offer,\" one official said.\n      In addition to a half dozen ships in the U.S. Navy's small\n  Mideast Task Force near the Straits of Hormuz, the Pentagon has\n  moved 18 warships -- including the Aircraft Carrier Kitty Hawk\n  -- into the northern Indian Ocean in the past month.\n      White House and defense officials said today that massing\n  of the fleet was routine and had nothing to do with the\n  Iran-Iraq war or Iran's recent stationing of Chinese-made \n  anti-ship missiles near the mouth of the Gulf.\n      The land-based missiles have increased concern in Kuwait\n  and other Middle East countries that their oil shipments might\n  be affected. Several hundred vessels have been confirmed hit in\n  the  Gulf by Iran and Iraq since early 1984. White House\n  spokesman Marlin Fitzwater told reporters today that it was in\n  the U.S. strategic interest to keep the free flow of oil in the\n  gulf and through the Straits of Hormuz.\n      But he said U.S. ships in the region were on routine\n  maneuvers.\n      Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger on Sunday declined to\n  discuss specifics, but said the United States would do whatever\n  was necessary to keep the Gulf shipping open in the face of new\n  Iranian anti-ship missiles in the region.\n      \"We are fully prepared to do what's necessary to keep the\n  shipping going and keep the freedom of navigation available in\n  that very vital waterway of the world,\" he said on NBC\n  television's \"Meet the Press.\"\n      The State Department said Friday Iran has been informed\n  about U.S. concern over the threat to oil shipments in the\n  Gulf. The communciation was sent through Switzerland, which\n  represents American interests in Iran.\n       Iran on Sunday denied as baseless reports that it intended\n  to threaten shipping in the gulf and warned the United States\n  that any interference in the region would meet a strong\n  response from Tehran, Tehran Radio said.\n      An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, quoted in a\n  broadcast monitored by the BBC in London, said reports that\n  Iran intends to threaten shipping in the Gulf were baseless.\n      \"In conjunction with this misleading propaganda, America has\n  already paved the ground to achieve its expansionist and\n  hegemonistic intentions, aiming to build up its military\n  presence in the region,\" he was quoted as saying.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TIMBER REALIZATION <TRX> TO SELL REMAINING ACRES\n","article":"  Timber Realization Co said it has\n  agreed to sell its remaining 50,000 acres of timberland\n  property in Mississippi for about 11.3 mln dlrs in cash.\n      Timber Realization, a limited partnership formed to dispose\n  of timberlands and related properties transferred to it by the\n  <Masonite Corp>, said that when this sale is completed the\n  partnership will have received about 15.2 mln dlrs in cash and\n  notes from the sale of its properties since December 23, 1986.\n      The partnership said it will terminate before August 3,\n  1987.\n      Prior to that date, the partnership said it expects to form\n  a liquidating trust to provide for unresolved claims and\n  liablities.\n      Timber Realization said the amount retained in that trust\n  will depend on its experience in resolving open items up to the\n  termination date, but it added it expects to retain a\n  substantial amount in the trust.\n      The partnership said it anticipates making a cash\n  distribution of an as yet undetermined amount to unitholders at\n  or before the liquidation trust's funding date.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PIONEER SYSTEMS INC <PAE> YEAR NOV 29 LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss five cts vs loss 1.28 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 155,000 vs loss 3,982,000\n      Sales 37.1 mln vs 34.2 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes losses from discontinued fabric\n  finishing operations of 3,431,000 dlrs vs 5,910,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN SHARED HOSPITAL SERVICES <AMSH> YEAR\n","article":"  Period ended December 31.\n      Shr profit 11 cts vs loss 24 cts\n      Net profit 224,271 vs loss 511,349\n      Revs 7,258,688 vs 7,200,349\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GEO. A. HORMEL AND CO <HRL> \n","article":"  Qtly div 15 cts vs 15 cts previously\n      Pay May 15\n      Record April 18\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BOLIVIA'S TOP UNION LEADER JOINS MINERS FAST\n","article":"  Bolivia's top union leader today joined\n  a hunger strike by 1,300 state employed miners and workers to\n  press for higher wages he said.\n      Juan Lechin Oquendo, the veteran secretary general of the\n  Bolivian Labour Organization, COB, told reporters: \"I am\n  joining the fast to abide with our call for a hunger strike\".\n      Lechin, 83, became one of 12 COB leaders to join a hunger\n  strike to protest against the austerity programme of the\n  government of president Victor Paz Estenssoro.\n      The striking leader began his fast as leaders of 9,000\n  miners employed by the state corporation COMIBOL were due to\n  star negotiations on ways to solve their conflict over pay.\n      About 1,300 miners and workers entered today their fourth\n  day of fast in union offices and Roman Catholic churches to\n  press for a substantial hike in Bolivia's minimum monthly wage,\n  which is 40 bolivianos (about 20 dlrs), COB leader Walter\n  Degadillo said.\n      \"I will take part in the miners' negotiations because that\n  does not force me to suspend my fast,\" Lechin told reporters.\n      The COMIBOL miners' strike entered its fifth day to press\n  for higher wages and more funds for the mining nationalised\n  industry.\n      About 20,000 miners, or two-thirds of the working force,\n  have been laid off through the government's decision to\n  streamline the deficit-ridden state corporation following a\n  collapse in the international tin price.\n      The government, faced with mounting social unrest against\n  its economic policies, has called the miners' strike and fasts\n  part of a campaign aimed at discrediting it during the visit of\n  West German president Richard von Weizsaecker, who began a\n  four-day visit last Friday.\n      \"I regret not being able to attend an invitation by\n  president Weizsaecker to a dinner tonight because I am on a\n  hunger strike,\" Lechin told reporters. \"I also have to orga-\n  nise the strike.\"\n      Weizsaecker is hosting a dinner tonight for Paz Estenssoro\n  and had invited both Lechin and Victor Lopez, the miners'\n  federation top leader. Although lopez has not joined the fast,\n  union sources said its unlikely he would attend the dinner.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TWO U.S. BANCORP <USBC> UNITS MERGE\n","article":"  U.S. Bancorp's Pacific State\n  Bank of Lincoln City said it plans to merge with U.S. Bancorp's\n  U.S. National Bank of Oregon.\n      Under the pact, Pacific State will become part of the U.S.\n  Bank branch system.\n      The company said the merger is expected to be completed\n  after mid-year, following regulatory approval.\n      All local staff and management will remain the same, it\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MTS ACQUISITION HAS NEGLIGIBLE NUMBER OF CAESARS WORLD SHARES\n","article":"\n  MTS ACQUISITION HAS NEGLIGIBLE NUMBER OF CAESARS WORLD SHARES\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FRANCE HAS LITTLE ROOM FOR MANOEUVRE, OECD SAYS\n","article":"  French industry is failing to produce the\n  goods its markets need and its loss of competitiveness has left\n  the government little room for manoeuvre to reflate the\n  economy, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and\n  Development said.\n      With gross domestic product likely to grow only 2.1 pct\n  this year, the same rate as last year, unemployment could climb\n  to 11.5 pct of the workforce by mid-1988, from its present 10.9\n  pct, it said in an annual review of the French economy.\n      The report said the French economy was \"increasingly\n  ill-adapted to demand\" selling goods at \"uncompetitive relative\n  prices on both domestic and export markets.\"\n      \"France's poor export performance reflects a geographical\n  bias in favour of markets less dynamic than the average...\n  And...A substantial loss of market share...In the past 18\n  months,\" it said.\n      Pointing to a likely widening of the French trade deficit\n  to around 2.9 billion dlrs this year from 2.4 billion in 1986,\n  it warned that a further depreciation of the dollar against the\n  franc could lead to \"a (renewed) loss of competitiveness\n  relative not only to the United States but also to the newly\n  industrialised countries.\"\n      This could result in further major losses of market share,\n  particularly in the non-OECD area, which accounts for almost a\n  quarter of French exports, it said.\n      Until the competitive ability of industry improved, the\n  authorities would have \"little scope for macroeconomic\n  manoeuvre, even if the unemployment situation or the need to\n  encourage a pickup in investment could require demand to grow\n  more briskly,\" it added.\n      But rising unemployment could help to hold down wage\n  demands, contributing to a slowdown in inflation to around a\n  two pct annual rate this year and early next, the OECD said.\n      Written mainly in December last year, the report took no\n  account of a rise in oil prices early in 1987, and a 0.9 pct\n  surge in January consumer prices, caused partly by the\n  government's deregulation of service sector tariffs.\n      \"We took a bet that the freeing of prices would not provoke\n  runaway rises, and it is not absolutely certain that bet has\n  been lost,\" one OECD official commented.\n      OECD officials said the January data and a rise in oil\n  prices above the 15 dlrs a barrel average assumed in the\n  report, indicated an upward revision in the inflation forecast\n  to around 2.5 or three pct.\n      The government last week revised its forecast up to between\n  2.4 and 2.5 pct from two pct, against last year's 2.1 pct.\n      But the OECD backed the government's view that the\n  underlying trend for inflation remained downwards this year,\n  with a slowdown in domestic costs taking over from last year's\n  fall in oil and commodity prices as the chief cause of\n  disinflation.\n      With French unit productivity costs now among the lowest in\n  the OECD area, the inflation differential between France and\n  its main trading rival, West Germany, could fall to just one\n  pct this year, it said.\n      On the other hand, the report noted, consumer prices for\n  industrial goods and private services have been rising steeply\n  as companies built up their profits.\n      \"For the disinflationary process to continue , and price\n  competitiveness to become lastingly compatible with exchange\n  rate stability, it is essential that wage restraint continue,\"\n  it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WOLVERINE <WWW> TO SELL TWO SUBSIDIARIES\n","article":"  Wolverine World Wide Inc said\n  it signed a letter of intent to sell to an investment group two\n  subsidiaries, Kaepa Inc, an athletic footwear maker, and its\n  international marketing arm, Kara International Inc.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      Wolverine said the action continues the restructuring\n  operation begun last July to make the company more competitive\n  and profitable. Wolverine said it will concentrate its effort\n  in the athletic footwear market in its Brooks footwear\n  division.\n      Wolverine said it expects \"favorable results in the second\n  half as a result\" of its restructuring. In 1986 it said\n  restructuring helped improve its financial capabilities.\n      The company reported a 12.6 mln dlr loss, or 1.75 dlrs a\n  share, in 1986 due largely to a 9.0 mln dlr restructuring\n  charge and a 4.0 mln dlr inventory evaluation readjustment\n  taken in the second quarter.\n      Since that time, it has sold two small retail operations,\n  closed and consolidated five domestic footwear factories and\n  closed about 15 retail locations.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PACIFICARE <PHSY> IN TALKS TO ACQUIRE HMO\n","article":"  PacifiCare Health Systems Inc\n  said it is in negotiations to acquire Capital Health Care, a\n  40,000 member health maintenance organization servicing Salem\n  and Corvallis, Ore.\n      The company said it will not disclose terms or other\n  details of the acquisition until negotiations are completed.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MTS ACQUISITION HAD TALKS WITH PRATT HOTEL, SOUTHMARK ON CAESARS WORLD PURCHASE\n","article":"\n  MTS ACQUISITION HAD TALKS WITH PRATT HOTEL, SOUTHMARK ON CAESARS WORLD PURCHASE\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"INITIALS PLUS <IINC> SEES SHARP SALES INCREASE\n","article":"  Initials Plus said it expects sales in\n  the year ending January 31, 1988 to exceed 10 mln dlrs.\n      The company had sales last year of 256,000 dlrs.\n      Initials said it expects to turn profitable some time in\n  1988 and sees sales of 100 mln dlrs annually by the end of\n  1989.\n      The company said it now has over 100 personal retailers\n  marketing its products and expects to have more than 1,000 by\n  the end of 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOSNOFF HAS SMALL NUMBER OF CAESARS <CAW> SHARES\n","article":"  Martin T. Sosnoff said his <MTS\n  Acquisition Corp> to date has received only a \"negligible\"\n  number of Caesars World Inc shares in response to its 28-dlr-\n  per-share tender offer for all shares.\n      Sosnoff also said he has held preliminary talks with Pratt\n  Hotel Corp <PRAT> and Southmark Corp <SM> on forming a joint\n  venture to enter into talks to acquire Caesars in a friendly\n  transaction in which Sosnoff would have a 50 pct interest and\n  Pratt and Southmark the remainder.\n      Sosnoff said the talks with Pratt and Southmark are not\n  being actively pursued at the presentand may or may not be\n  continued in the future.  He said there could be no assurance\n  that a joint venture would be formed or that Caesars would\n  agreed to talks.  \"Several preliminary contacts with\n  representatives of Caesars have not resulted in any indication\n  that it wishes to enter into such negotiations,\" Sosnoff said.\n      He said based on talks with staff members of gaming\n  authorities, there can be no assurance that the necessary\n  regulatory review of its bid for Caesars World can be completed\n  by the original April Three expiration date.\n      Sosnoff said it has extended the tender until May 15.  The\n  bid remains subject to regulatory approvals and the arrangement\n  of financing.\n      Pratt, which owns the Sands Hotel and Casino in Atlantic\n  City, N.J., where Caesars operates the Boardwalk Regency Hotel\n  and Casino, recently waged an apparently unsuccessful campaign\n  to acquire control of Resorts International Inc <RTA> against\n  New York developer Donald Trump.  Southmark owns about 37 pct\n  of Pratt Hotel.\n      Caesars World's boasrd has urged rejection of the offer on\n  the grounds that it is inadequate and has said it would\n  investigate alternative transactions.  Sosnoff currently owns\n  about 13.3 pct of Caesars World.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PAINEWEBBER<PWJ> UNIT UPS SHAER SHOE <SHS> STAKE\n","article":"  Mitchell Hutchins Asset Management\n  Inc, a New York investment firm and subsidiary of PaineWebber\n  Group Inc, said it raised its voting stake in Shaer Shoe Corp\n  to 76,000 shares, or 7.5 pct, from 52,100 shares, or 5.1 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Mitchell Hutchins said it bought 11,900 shares between Jan 8\n  and Feb 24 at prices ranging from 12.125 to 12.75 dlrs a share\n  and obtained voting control over another 12,000 shares.\n      The firm has said it bought the stake as an investment on\n  behalf of its clients, but said it has had discussions with\n  Shaer management. It did not disclose the topic of the talks.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"IRAQ REPORTS ATTACKS ON SUPERTANKER, OIL TARGETS\n","article":"  Iraq said today its warplnes had\n  attacked a supertanker and four Iranian oil sites and vowed to\n  keep up such raids until the Gulf war ends.\n      The surprise escalation of attacks on oil installations\n  broke more than a month-long lull in Iraqi air force action.\n      It also followed celebrations yesterday of what Baghdad\n  hailed as Iran's failure to achieve victory during the Iranian\n  year which ended on Saturday.\n      A high command communique said warplanes hit the western\n  jetty at Iran's Kharg island oil terminal in the afternoon and\n  struck a supertanker nearby at the same time.\n      The Kharg terminal, attacked about 135 times since August\n  1985, was last raided in January.\n      The communique did not identify the supertanker, but said\n  columns of smoke were seen billowing from it.\n      In London, Lloyds insurance said the 162,046-ton Iranian\n  tanker Avaj was hit on Saturday, when Iraq reported an earlier\n  Gulf attack.\n      But there has been no independent confirmation of today's\n  supertanker attack nor of other raids on shipping reported by\n  Baghdad in the past 24 hours.\n      The last confirmed Iraqi attack took place on March eight,\n  when the Iranian tanker Khark-5 was hit south of Kharg.\n      Iraqi warplanes also struck Iran's offshore oilfields at\n  Nowruz, Cyrus and Ardeshir in northern gulf, some 80 km (50\n  miles) west of Kharg island, today's communique said.\n      The three oilfields have been raided several times in the\n  past three years. Oil sources said they were not crucially\n  important to Iran's oil export trade.\n      A second high command communique today said Iraqi warplanes\n  flew 94 sorties against Iranan targets and positions at the war\n  front.\n      It also reported a clash between Iraqi naval units and\n  several Iranian boats carrying men to attack an Iraqi oil\n  terminal at the northen tip of the Gulf.\n      Two Iranian boats wer destroyed and sunk with their\n  occupants and the others fled, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TALKING POINT\/WENDY'S INTERNATIONAL <WEN>\n","article":"  Takeover speculation buoyed Wendy's\n  International Inc's stock, even after Coca Cola Co took the\n  fizz out of market rumors by denying it was an interested\n  suitor.\n      Wendy's retreated from an earlier high of 13-3\/8, and lost\n  a point when Coca Cola <KO> said the rumors were untrue.\n  However, Wendy's remained up 5\/8 at 12-3\/8 on volume of more\n  than three mln shares.\n      Several analysts were skeptical of the rumors, yet they\n  said they could not conclude a takeover of the fast food\n  restaurant chain was impossible.\n      Wendy's declined comment on takeover rumors of all kinds.\n  Yet, a Wendy's spokesman said the company was aware of a\n  Business Week article, which named Coke as a potential suitor\n  and which market sources said helped ignite the rumor mill.\n      Market sources mentioned Anheuser-Busch Inc <BUD> and\n  Pepsico Inc <PEP> as alternatives to Coke as acquirers. Neither\n  of those companies would comment, nor would the Wendy's\n  official.\n      \"It doesn't happen every day, every week, every month, but\n  its not unusual for us to be linked with those companies,\" said\n  Denny Lynch, Wendy's vice president of communications.\n      However, Lynch would not comment specifically on the\n  current market rumors.\n      Even before Coke denied the rumors, analysts had been\n  skeptical of a takeover since Atlanta-based Coke has stated it\n  views fast food chains as customers and does not want to become\n  a competitor to them.\n      \"I can't put another name on it,\" said Kidder peabody\n  analyst Jay Freedman as vaguer rumors continued to hold up\n  Wendy's stock. \"It very well could be someone's interested.\"\n      But Freedman said he doesn't believe now is the right time\n  for Wendy's to be sold.\n      \"They're obviously having operational difficulties. I've\n  always believed at the right price Wendy's would consider (an\n  offer), but I can't believe this is the right price at the\n  right time,\" Freedman said.\n      \"If a transaction takes place, the buyer's going to control\n  the situation,\" Freedman said.\n      \"I just don't think there's anything going on. I don't\n  think it's worth much more than where it is,\" said Joseph Doyle\n  of Smith Barney.\n      Analysts said Wendy's has suffered largely from the \"burger\n  wars\" between itself, McDonald's Corp <MCD> and Pillsbury Co's\n  <PSY> Burger King chain. Wendy's, the third largest fast food\n  hamburger chain in the U.S., lost about 11 pct in same store\n  sales last year, analysts said.\n      Wendy's also fumbled when it introduced a high-priced\n  breakfast, which it has since withdrawn, analysts said. Some\n  analysts said the company should be bringing in new products,\n  but it is too soon to predict a significant turnaround.\n      There are analysts, however, who believe Wendy's may be\n  vulnerable to a takeover.\n      James Murren of C.J. Lawrence said Wendy's could be worth\n  14 to 15 dlrs on a break-up basis. He said the company has\n  improved its debt-to-equity ratio and Wendy's owns a high\n  percent of its own restaurants - 38 pct of 3,500.\n      \"They also have some attractive leaseholds on their\n  restaurants,\" Murren said.\n      Murren said that despite the downturn in sales last year,\n  Wendy's real sales, store for store, turned upwards in the\n  fourth quarter. \"That was about the first time in seven\n  quarters,\" he said.\n      Caroline Levy of E.F. Hutton also believes something could\n  be going on with Wendy's. \"My gut feeling is something's going\n  to happen. I don't know what,\" she said.\n      She estimated a takeover price would be at least 15 dlrs\n  per share.\n      One analyst speculated that Coke became the rumored suitor\n  because Wendy's decided to sell Coke at its fountains instead\n  of Pepsi.\n      Wendy's is currently embroiled in litigation brought by\n  Pepsi, which holds a contract with the company, analysts said.\n  Pepsi's soda is still sold in the Wendy's restaurants.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. EXPORT INSPECTIONS, IN THOUS BUSHELS  SOYBEANS 13,417 WHEAT 12,003 CORN 27,623\n","article":"\n  U.S. EXPORT INSPECTIONS, IN THOUS BUSHELS  SOYBEANS 13,417 WHEAT 12,003 CORN 27,623\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"EC COMMISSION SET TO DETAIL GRAIN IMPORT PLAN\n","article":"  The EC Commission will decide shortly\n  precisely how to arrange the import of third country maize and\n  sorghum into the EC in fulfilment of its agreement with the\n  United States, Commission sources said.\n      Under the accord, reached following U.S. complaints about\n  the impact on its agricultural exports of Spanish EC\n  membership, the EC will import two mln tonnes of maize and\n  300,000 tonnes of sorghum a year up to end of 1990.\n      All this produce will be imported into Spain at special\n  levy levels likely to be below those applying for imports into\n  other EC countries.\n      The sources said it was possible that the Spanish\n  intervention board would be asked to buy the produce directly\n  this year, as it was rather late to make other arrangements.\n      They added that the choice for future years appears to lie\n  between a system of regular tenders and the setting of a daily\n  special levy applicable to Spanish imports.\n      There will initially be no tax on re-exports of maize and\n  sorghum from Spain to other EC countries, although such a tax\n  could be imposed later, the sources added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PATIENT TECHNOLOGY INC <PTI> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 12 cts vs loss 63 cts\n      Net loss 596,000 vs loss 2,934,000\n      Revs 7,261,000 vs 6,600,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 14 cts vs loss 1.28 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 683,000 vs loss 5,824,000\n      Revs 29.8 mln vs 22.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,930,000 vs 4,546,000\n      NOTE: Year net excludes losses from discontinued operations\n  of 764,000 dlrs vs 5,152,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GEMINI TECHNOLOGY INC <GMTIF> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 74 cts\n      Net loss 4,192,613\n      Revs 2,928,021\n      Note: 1986 net includes 3,095,000 dlr write-off tied to\n  discontinuation of emulator board production.\n      Co's 1st fl-yr of operation.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SOCIETE GENERALE REPORTS HIGHER 1986 PROFITS\n","article":"  France's Societe Generale <SGEN.PA> bank,\n  which will be sold to the private sector in the second half of\n  this year, reported increased profits for last year.\n      Societe Generale, one of the three largest state-owned\n  banking groups, said in a statement that its parent company\n  profit for 1986 totalled 800 mln francs, up 21.2 pct on 1985's\n  660 mln profit.\n      This was in line with earlier forecasts of profit of\n  between 770 and 800 mln francs.\n      The bank's parent company gross operating profits were up\n  5.4 pct at 21.34 billion francs against 20.24 billion in 1985.\n      The increase in the bank's gross operating profits was\n  mostly due to a rise in french franc deposits and personal\n  loans as well as the development of its financial activities,\n  Societe Generale said.\n      Parent company net banking earnings last year were also up\n  at 13.9 billion francs compared with 13.57 billion in 1985\n  while operating costs totalled 7.44 billion francs against 6.67\n  billion the previous year.\n      Societe Generale President Marc Vienot said in December he\n  expected group 1986 consolidated profits to rise to between 2.5\n  billion and 2.6 billion francs from 1.62 billion in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRENCH HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION FALLS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  French household consumption of\n  industrial goods fell 1.1 pct seasonally adjusted to 21.32\n  billion francs last month from 21.55 billion in January, the\n  National Statistics Institute (INSEE) said.\n      This brought consumption back down to the December 1986\n  level, it added.\n      INSEE said that the fall was due to a sharp decline in\n  purchases of clothing, which were high in January due to the\n  cold weather. The decline was partly compensated by a small\n  rise in purchases of durable goods.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRENCH ECONOMIC COUNCIL PESSIMISTIC ON 1987 GROWTH\n","article":"  France's Economic and Social Council\n  (CES), an advisory body comprising industrialists, trade\n  unionists and representatives of other sectors of the French\n  economy, said the country's annual growth may not reach two pct\n  in 1987.\n      French gross domestic product risks not reaching the two\n  pct growth registered last year, the Council said in a report\n  on first quarter 1987 economic activity without giving any\n  specific forecasts. Finance Minister Edouard Balladur was\n  quoted today as saying that French 1987 growth will probably be\n  about two pct.\n      Balladur said in an interview with the financial daily Les\n  Echos that the country's economic growth will probably be about\n  the same as last year due to a less favourable international\n  environment.\n      CES President Philippe Neeser said one of the major fears\n  for the French economy this year was a resurge in inflation.\n      Disinflation was an absolute priority, Neeser told\n  journalists, adding that a failure to do this would be\n  extremely serious as if would be very difficult to reverse for\n  many years.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UNIFORCE TEMPORARY <UNFR> SETS SPLIT\n","article":"  Uniforce Temporary\n  Personnel Inc said it declared a three-for-two stock split,\n  payable May 15 to stockholders of record April 14.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MANHATTAN NATIONAL CORP <MLC> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 20 cts vs loss 81 cts\n      Oper net loss 1,042,000 vs loss 4,077,000\n      Revs 38.5 mln vs 50.3 mln\n      12 mths\n      Oper shr loss six cts vs loss 43 cts\n      Oper net loss 336,000 vs loss 2,176,000\n      Revs 137.8 mln vs 209.1 mln\n      NOTE: qtrs 1986 and prior exclude net realized investment\n  gains of 74,000 dlrs and 644,000 dlrs, respectively, and years\n  1986 and prior exclude realized investment gains of 642,000\n  dlrs and 1,979,000 dlrs, respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"KIDDIE PRODUCTS INC <KIDD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.25 dlrs vs 1.14 dlrs\n      Net 472,254 vs 446,805\n      Revs 21.4 mln vs 19.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TELECREDIT INC <TCRD> 3RD QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 32 cts vs 22 cts\n      Net 3,454,000 vs 2,224,000\n      Revs 33.2 mln vs 28.1 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 64 cts vs 38 cts\n      Net 6,935,000 vs 3,877,000\n      Revs 86.8 mln vs 70.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BELLSOUTH <BLS> COMPLETES PURCHASE FOR SHARES\n","article":"  BellSouth Corp said it completed its\n  previously-announced agreement to acquire <Dataserv Inc> for an\n  exchange of shares.\n      BellSouth said under the Nov 25, 1986, agreement, it\n  exchanged one of its common shares for every 13.3 Dataserv\n  common shares. The exchange reflects the Feb 23 three-for-two\n  BellSouth stock split, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"REXHAM <RXH> GETS TAKEOVER OFFER\n","article":"  Rexham Corp, a maker of\n  packaging materials and machinery, said it received an\n  unsolicited offer of 43 dlrs a share from Nortek Inc <NTK>.\n      Nortek, a Providence, R.I., textile manufacturer, has\n  disclosed it holds 381,050 Rexham shares, or about 9.1 pct of\n  the outstanding, the company said.\n      Rexham said it does not welcome the proposal but added its\n  board will study the offer and respond in due course.\n      Nortek has proposed paying half cash and half Nortek\n  convertible preferred stock for Rexham, which has about 4.2 mln\n  shares outstanding.\n      The cash portion would include the amount previously paid\n  for the Rexham stake and the terms of the convertible preferred\n  stock would be negotiated, the company said.\n      Rexham said it received the takeover offer in a letter from\n  Nortek.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANCA D'AMERICA E D'ITALIA 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Net profits for year ended December 31\n  1986 1.3 billion lire vs 47.3 billion\n      Deposits from clients 3,691.0 billion lire vs 3,419.0\n  billion\n      Loans to clients 2,448.0 billion lire vs 2,181.5 billion\n      Note: The bank, sold by Bankamerica Corp <BK.N> last\n  December to West Germany's Deutsche Bank AG <DBKG.F>, said the\n  sharp fall in net profit reflected various factors including\n  higher set-asides for risk coverage and a high tax burden.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ENERGY ANALYST PROPOSES U.S. OIL TARIFF\n","article":"  Energy analyst Edward Krapels said\n  the United States should consider an oil tariff to keep U.S.\n  dependence on imports below 50 pct.\n      \"On the supply side, the argument in favor of a contingent,\n  variable import tariff is most persuasive,\" Krapels, president\n  of Energy Security Analysis, Inc said in a statement at a House\n  Energy and Power subcommittee hearing.\n      \"An optimal tariff would be one implemented only if the\n  international price of crude oil falls below, say, 15 dlrs a\n  barrel. On the demand side, the obvious policy is an excise tax\n  on transportation fuels,\" Krapels said.\n      But William Johnson of the Jofree Corp disagreed with the\n  oil tariff proposal, saying Congress should remove price\n  controls on natural gas, repeal the windfall profits tax on oil\n  companies, allow exports of Alaskan oil and provide tax\n  incentives for U.S. oil production, or, at the least, preserve\n  exisiting tax incentives for drilling. He also urging filling\n  the Strategic Petroleum Reserve at a faster rate.\n      Richard Adkerson of Arthur Andersen and Co told the\n  subcommittee oil imports were expected to increase because\n  funds for exploration and development of domestic oil sources\n  cannot now be economically justified due to low oil prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SECURITY CAPITAL <SCC> SUSPENDS DIVIDENDS\n","article":"  Security Capital Corp said it has\n  suspended quarterly cash dividend payments indefinitely.\n      The company also said its board has withdrawn authroization\n  for the company to buy its stock on the open market. Its\n  previous dividend payment was five cts on February 24.\n      Security Capital said this action was taken in response to\n  its continuing operating losses, primarily at Benjamin Franklin\n  Savings Association, a Houston-based subsidiary.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"LASER PRECISION CORP <LASR> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 14 cts vs profit two cts\n      Net profit 452,723 vs profit 50,581\n      Revs 5,065,543 vs 2,898,363\n      Year\n      Shr profit 45 cts vs loss 15 cts\n      Net profit 1,276,472 vs loss 340,081\n      Revs 16.0 mln vs 9,304,466\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AUDITORS LIFT QUALIFICATION ON BRUNSWICK <BC>\n","article":"  Auditors of Brunswick Corp lifted a\n  four year qualification on the company's financial statements,\n  vice president-finance Frederick Florjancic told securities\n  analysts here.\n      The financial results for the diversified leisure and\n  defense\/aerospace company had been qualifed by Arthur Andersen\n  and Co since 1982.\n      The qualification related to certain tax liabilities,\n  amounting to 65 mln dlrs, associated with a medical division\n  sold by Brunswick in 1982, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ALC COMMUNICATIONS CORP <ALCC> 1986 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 4.63 vs loss 2.43\n      Net loss 60,780,000 vs loss 28,898,000\n      Rev 499.7 mln vs 432.1 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes loss of 49.9 mln dlrs for\n  restructuring charges.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LESCO INC <LSCO> 1ST QTR FEB 28 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 24 cts vs profit three cts\n      Net loss 982,779 vs profit 104,418\n      Revs 11.2 mln vs 12.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SEISMIC ENTERPRISES INC <SEIS> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss eight cts vs profit 10 cts\n      Net loss 714,905 vs profit 889,679\n      Revs 1,091,461 vs 3,156,569\n      Year\n      Shr loss five cts vs profit 22 cts\n      Net loss 422,037 vs profit 1,850,637\n      Revs 6,642,490 vs 7,948,312\n      Avg shrs 8,808,323 vs 8,412,822\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALC <ALCC> ANTICIPATES 1ST QTR PROFIT\n","article":"  ALC Communications Corp said\n  that because of strong traffic growth and cost reductions it\n  anticipates reporting a profit for the first quarter of 1987,\n  versus a loss of 1.4 mln dlrs, or 15 cts a share, for the first\n  quarter of 1986.\n      Earlier, the company reported a net after-tax loss for 1986\n  of 60.8 mln dlrs, or 4.63 dlrs a share, compared with a loss of\n  28.9 mln dlrs, or 2.43 dlrs a share, in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"REXNORD <REX> TO REDEEM RIGHTS\n","article":"  Rexnord Inc said it will redeem\n  all of its preferred stock purchase rights for 10 cts a right\n  effective today.\n      Rexnord said the rights will be redeemed because it is\n  expected its shares will be tendered under a January 30\n  takeover offer from Banner Acquisition Corp. The rights trade\n  in tandem with Rexnord's common stock.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VARLEN CORP <VRLN> DECLARES QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 15 cts vs 15 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ANALYSIS AND TECHNOLOGY INC <AATI> HIKES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Annual div 11 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Pay April 24\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IRAQ REPLACES OIL MINISTER IN BIG GOVT SHUFFLE\n","article":"  Iraqi President Saddam Hussein carried\n  out his first major government shakeup in five years tonight,\n  naming a new oil minister in shuffling three posts.\n      One minister was dropped in the shuffle, announced in a\n  presidential decree. It gave no reason for the changes in the\n  government of the Arab Baath Socialist Party which has ruled\n  Iraq since a revolution in 1968.\n      The decree named the head of the Iraqi National Oil Company\n  (INOC), Isam Abdul-Rahim al-Chalaby, to take over as oil\n  minister replacing Qassem Ahmed Taqi.\n      Taqi, appointed oil minister in the last significant\n  government reorganization in 1982, was moved to be minister of\n  heavy industries.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CAESARS <CAW> HAS NO COMMENT ON MTS TALKS\n","article":"  Caesars World Inc declined\n  immediate comment on news that Martin Sosnoff's <MTS\n  Acquisition Corp> has held preliminary talks with two companies\n  on the possibility of forming a joint venture to pursue the\n  acquisition of Caesars.\n      Earlier today MTS said it held talks with Pratt Hotel Corp\n  <PRAT> and Southmark Corp <SM> on forming a venture to acquire\n  Caesars.\n      MTS also reported that it received a \"negligible\" number of\n  Caesars World shares in response to its 28 dlr per share tender\n  offer.\n      Earlier this month Caesars World rejected the Sosnoff\n  takeover bid and said it is considering alternatives that\n  include a restructuring or sale of the company to another\n  party.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DIXONS SAYS CITICORP TO WITHDRAW CYCLOPS OFFER\n","article":"  <Dixons Group PLC> said it received a\n  letter on March 19 from Citicorp Capital Investors Ltd, part of\n  the Cyacq investor group making a rival bid for Cyclops Corp\n  <CYL>, proposing to drop the group's offer if Dixons would sell\n  Cyclops industrial businesses to Citicorp.\n      \"Cyacq's main equity investor appears ready to pull out and\n  deal directly with us for merely part of the company\" said\n  Dixons. \"It raises questions as to the strength of their\n  consortium and the purpose of their offer.\"\n      Dixons also said a U.S. Federal Court had refused a request\n  by counsel for Cyacq, Audio\/Video Affiliates Inc <AVA> and a\n  shareholder plaintiff to prevent Dixons from\n  completing its tender offer for Cyclops. It also said the court\n  refused to require Cyclops to provide Cyacq with confidential\n  information previously provided to Dixons.\n      On Friday Cyacq Corp, an investor group led by Audio\/Video\n  Affiliates and Citicorp, raised their offer for Cyclops to\n  92.50 dlrs per share from 80 dlrs per share, if certain\n  conditions were satisfied.\n      Last week Dixons said it won out over rival bidders for\n  Cyclops after getting 54 pct of Cyclop's oustanding with a\n  90.25 dlr or 384 mln dlr tender offer that expired March 18.\n      On Friday, Dixons agreed to reopen its tender offer until\n  March 25, Wednesday.\n      Dixons today called Cyacq's higher 92.50 dlr a share offer\n  for Cyclops \"highly conditional.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMBUSTION ENGINEERING INC <CSP> REGULAR DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 25 cts vs 25 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 16\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANTREX UNIT TO MERGE WITH ONTARIO GROUP\n","article":"  (Groupe Cantrex Inc) said it plans to\n  merge a new wholly-owned subsidiary a merger agreement with\n  (CAP Appliance Purchasers Inc), of Woodstock, Ontario, a group\n  of about 400 appliance and electronics retailers.\n      It said CAP shareholders will receive 140,700 first\n  preferred Groupe Cantrex shares entitling the holders to\n  receive 6.05 dlrs per share or the equivilant in class A\n  subordinate voting Cantrex shares.\n      The merger is effective April one and is subject to\n  shareholder approval.         \n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PRIMARK CORP <PMK> REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 32.5 cts vs 32.5 cts in prior qtr\n      Payable Mary 15\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SAXON OIL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS <SAX> IN PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div two cts vs two cts prior\n      Pay May 15\n      Record March 31\n      NOTE: Full name Saxon Oil Development Partners LP.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IBM <IBM> REBOUND SEEN BY BERNSTEIN ANALYST\n","article":"  International Business Machines Corp,\n  hit by a two-year earnings slump, should begin a come-back by\n  the end of 1987 and post strong growth in 1988, analyst Rick\n  Martin of Sanford C. Bernstein Co Inc said.\n      \"There will be increasing momentum in earnings, albeit not\n  until later this year,\" Martin said at a technology conference\n  sponsored by the investment firm.\n      Martin said the coming rebound reflects new product\n  introductions in the mid-range area, rather than any drastic\n  improvement in economic growth or U.S. capital spending.\n      IBM, whose stock hit a 52-week low of 115-3\/4 dlrs in\n  mid-January, has come back lately. IBM was trading up 7\/8 at\n  149-1\/2 dlrs.\n      Analysts, computer industry executives, and the company\n  itself, have highlighted the external economic factors\n  hampering IBM's growth.\n      But Martin said the product cycle was key to understanding\n  the rise and fall of IBM and other computer companies, and\n  pointed to Digital Equipment Corp <DEC> to support his view.\n  \"By replacing the product line, earnings have soared,\" he said\n  of DEC's line of VAX computers.\n      In contrast to DEC, IBM faultered with an incompatible\n  mid-range product line. A new computer code-named \"Fort Knox\"\n  was supposed to tie together a number of IBM's mid-range\n  systems, but the product never got off the ground, he said.\n      Instead, aspects of the computer were integrated into the\n  IBM 9370 machine introduced last year, and other aspects should\n  be unwrapped by 1988, Martin said. \"The major story will be a\n  rebound in its mid-range business.\"\n      He said sales of IBM's mid-range computers fell about 13\n  pct in 1986. But the new products will lead to 5.8 pct growth\n  in mid-range computers this year and 30.7 pct growth in 1988.\n      High-end computers, primarily the Sierra line, are coming\n  to the end of their product life cycle. Although growing 22.5\n  pct in the midst of IBM's sharply lower 1986 year, growth will\n  drop to 1.5 pct in 1987 and 1.9 pct in 1988, he said.\n      By 1988, overall revenue growth should rise to about 16\n  pct, against 5.8 pct growth in 1987 and 2.4 pct in 1986, Martin\n  said. Last year, IBM earned 4.8 billion dlrs on revenues of\n  51.3 billion dlrs.\n      Investors asked what this all meant to DEC, whose earnings\n  and stock have been propelled by a strong slew of product\n  introductions in the mid-range area.\n      In response, Martin said he did not view IBM as a threat to\n  DEC, nor DEC as a threat to IBM, because both companies were\n  catering largely to existing customer bases, rather than\n  stealing market share from one another.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CITICORP (CCI) SEEKS CYCLOPS <CYL> STEEL UNIT\n","article":"  Citicorp Capital Investors Ltd, a\n  unit of Citicorp, said it wants to buy Cyclops Corp's steel\n  assets from Dixons Group PLC and is willing to pay 124.4 mln\n  dlrs, nearly 13 mln dlrs more than had been offered for the\n  assets by Alleghany Corp.\n      The disclosure of the Citicorp unit's interest in Cyclops'\n  Industrial Group came in disclosure documents filed by Dixons\n  Group with the Securities and Exchange Commission.\n      Alleghany's MSL Industries Inc unit had agreed to buy the\n  steel assets from Dixons Group for 111.6 mln dlrs.\n      Dixons Group has tendered for all outstanding Cyclops\n  shares at 90.25 dlrs a share in cash.\n      The Citicorp unit said its higher offer came to about three\n  dlrs more for each Cyclops share outstanding.\n      As a condition of its offer, it said Dixons would have to\n  increase the cash price it was to pay for each Cyclops share to\n  93.25 dlrs in cash.\n      Dixons on Friday extended the expiration time of its tender\n  offer until midnight (EST) March 24.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"INVESTMENT FIRM BOOSTS LDBRINKMAN <DBC> STAKE\n","article":"  Two affiliated investment firms and\n  the investment funds they control said they raised their\n  combined stake in LDBrinkman Corp to 653,600 shares, or 10.9\n  pct of the total outstanding from 585,600 shares, or 9.7 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Fidelity International Ltd, a Bermuda-based firm, said its\n  funds bought 68,000 LDBrinkman common shares between Jan 5 and\n  Feb 19 at prices ranging from 5.30 to 5.445 dlrs a share.\n      Funds controlled by FMR Corp, a Boston-based investment\n  firm affiliated with Fidelity, hold 251,100 shares, bringing\n  the combined total to 653,600 shares, Fidelity said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BRUNSWICK <BC> SEES HIGHER 1987 FIRST QUARTER\n","article":"  Brunswick Corp expects 1987 first\n  quarter sales to be up \"dramatically\" and profits to \"do well,\"\n  chairman and president Jack Reichert said after a securities\n  analysts meeting.\n      He declined to be more specific.\n      In the 1986 first quarter, Brunswick reported earnings of\n  23.8 mln dlrs or 57 cts a share on sales of 396.7 mln dlrs.\n      Reichart noted that results of its two newly-acquired boat\n  manufacturing companies will be included in the company's first\n  quarter report.\n      Brunswick expects its recreation centers to benefit from\n  increased attention to the sport of bowling resulting from\n  acceptance in the 1988 Summer Olympics of bowling as an\n  exhibition sport and as a medal sport in the 1991 Pan American\n  Games, he said.\n      He said field testing of a new bowling concept involving\n  electronic features is being readied for test marketing this\n  summer, and if successful, could \"materially benefit\"\n  operations.\n      Brunswick is currently test marketing in California a\n  health club facility adjoining a bowling center, he said.\n      Turning to its defense operations, Reichert said he expects\n  the division to receive significant contracts in the near\n  future. At 1986 year end, Brunswick's defense contract backlog\n  stood at 425 mln dlrs.\n      Frederick Florjancic, vice president-finance, told analysts\n  Brunswick was disappointed two credit rating services recently\n  downgraded the company's debt which stood at about 665.4 mln\n  dlrs at 1986 year end.\n      \"We are confident we can service our debt and bring it down\n  in the very near term,\" based on strong cash flow from\n  Brunswick's expanded boat operations, Florjancic said.\n      Shareholders at the company's April 27 annual shareholders\n  meeting will be asked to approve an increase in the authorized\n  common shares outstanding to 200 mln from 100 mln shares, a\n  company spokesman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MARK IV <IV> UNIT TO BEGIN CONRAC <CAX> TENDER\n","article":"  Mark IV Industries Inc said it plans\n  to begin a tender offer at 25 dlrs a share for all outstanding\n  shares of Conrac Corp <CAX>, a Stamford, Conn., maker of\n  control instruments and telecommunications products.\n      Mark IV said it owns about 670,400 shares or about 9.9 pct\n  of Conrac's outstanding shares.\n      The offer, to be made through Mark IV Acquisition Corp, a\n  wholly owned subsidiary, will not be conditioned on any minimum\n  number of shares being tendered, the company said.\n      The tender offer will be conditioned upon, among other\n  things, the completion of financing arrangements.\n      The terms and conditions of the offer will be described in\n  documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission and mailed to Conrac shareholders as soon as\n  possible.\n      Bear Stearns and Co is expected to act as dealer manager\n  for the offer, it said.\n      A Conrac spokesman declined comment.\n      Conrac has about 6.75 mln shares outstanding. Its shares\n  closed off 1-3\/8 at 21-1\/8 as about 84,400 shares changed\n  hands.\n      Mark IV is a Williamsville, N.Y., maker of pastic products\n  and industrial control equipment.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WEATHERFORD <WII> SUSPENDS PREFERRED PAYOUTS\n","article":"  Weatherford International said it\n  suspended indefinitely payment of its regular quarterly\n  dividend of 65.6 cts per share on its 2.625 convertible\n  exchangeable cumulative preferred stock.\n      Weatherford said this will be the sixth non-payment of the\n  dividend on the stock. It said payment would have been on April\n  15, 1987.\n      Weatherford also said the holders of the preferred stock\n  will have the right to elect two additional directors to the\n  board of directors.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MHI GROUP <MH> AFFILIATED WITH CEMETARY OFFER\n","article":"  MHI Group Inc said it is\n  affiliated with several investors who have entered into a\n  letter of intent providing for the purchase of Star of David\n  Memorial Gardens and Cemetery.\n      The company said those investors will, under certain\n  circumstances, cede their rights under the letter of intent and\n  any definitive agreement to purchase the Fort Lauderdale, Fla.,\n  funeral home and cemetery business to MHI.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IRAQ REPORTS ATTACKS ON SUPERTANKER, OIL TARGETS\n","article":"  Iraq said its warplanes had attacked a\n  supertanker and four Iranian oil sites and vowed to keep up\n  such raids until the Gulf war ends.\n      The surprise escalation of attacks on oil installations\n  broke more than a month-long lull in Iraqi air force action.\n      It also followed celebrations yesterday of what Baghdad\n  hailed as Iran's failure to achieve victory during the Iranian\n  year which ended on Saturday.\n      A high command communique said warplanes hit the western\n  jetty at Iran's Kharg island oil terminal in the afternoon and\n  struck a supertanker nearby at the same time.\n      The Kharg terminal, attacked about 135 times since August\n  1985, was last raided in January.\n      The communique did not identify the supertanker, but said\n  columns of smoke were seen billowing from it.\n      In London, Lloyds insurance said the 162,046-ton Iranian\n  tanker Avaj was hit on Saturday, when Iraq reported an earlier\n  Gulf attack.\n      But there has been no independent confirmation of today's\n  supertanker attack nor of other raids on shipping reported by\n  Baghdad in the past 24 hours.\n      The last confirmed Iraqi attack took place on March 8, when\n  the Iranian tanker Khark-5 was hit south of Kharg.\n      Iraqi warplanes also struck Iran's offshore oilfields at\n  Nowruz, Cyrus and Ardeshir in northern gulf, some 80 km (50\n  miles) west of Kharg island, today's communique said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HARCOURT <HBJ> DISAPPOINTED WITH HARPER <HPR>\n","article":"  Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Inc said it\n  is disappointed that no negotiations with Harper and Row\n  Publishers Inc are underway.\n      Harcourt made a 50 dlrs a share unsolicited bid on March\n  11.\n      On March 17, Harcourt said three of its officers met with\n  Harper's financial advisor but has had no discussions since\n  then.\n      Harcourt said it does not plan to increase its bid.\n      Harcourt's bid was preceded by an earlier 34 dlrs a share\n  bid by Theodore Cross.\n      Harper had no response to Harcourt's announcement. Earlier\n  today, Harper said a recently appointed special committee of\n  independent directors had received expressions of interest from\n  several domestic and foreign firms with respect to\n  restructuring or acquisition transactions.\n      Harper said no determination had been made as to any\n  transaction and that its special committee is continuing in\n  talks with interested parties in an effort to come to a\n  conclusion in the near future.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ITT'S <ITT> HARTFORD UNIT POSTS 4TH QTR GAIN\n","article":"  Hartford Insurance Group, a unit\n  of New York-based ITT Corp, said higher worldwide premiums help\n  boost net income for the 1986 fourth quarter to 88.6 mln dlrs,\n  from net income of 36.7 mln dlrs for the 1985 quarter.\n     For the full year, Hartford said it earned 329 mln dlrs, up\n  from 151.4 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      Hartford said results for the year were aided by a gain of\n  46.5 mln dlrs on the sale of its remaining 52 pct stake in\n  Abbey Life Group PLC. For 1985, the company posted a gain of\n  14.3 mln dlrs on the sale of 48 pct of Abbey Life.\n      Hartford said total property-casualty and life-health\n  written premiums rose 25 pct in 1986, to eight billion dlrs,\n  from 6.4 billion dlrs in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CLUB MED INC <CMI> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 41 cts vs 38 cts\n      Net 5,630,000 vs 5,152,000\n      Revs 97.1 mln vs 85.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DRIVER-HARRIS CO <DRH> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 22 cts vs loss 2.15 dlrs\n      Net profit 271,000 vs loss 2,530,000\n      Revs 16.3 mln vs 15.2 mln\n      Avg shr 1,238,000 and 1,177,000\n      12 mths\n      Shr profit 82 cts vs loss 2.14 dlrs\n      Net profit 982,000 vs loss 2,517,000\n      Revs 66.5 mln vs 64.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 1,193,000 vs 1,177,000\n      NOTE: net loss 1985 yr and qtr includes a charge of\n  1,042,000, or 89 cts per share, for expenses related to\n  restructuring of company's domestic alloy business.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"1987 U.S. SOYBEAN LOAN SHOULD STAY SAME-AMSTUTZ\n","article":"  Congress should give the U.S.\n  Agriculture Secretary the authority to keep the 1987 soybean\n  loan rate at the current effective rate of 4.56 dlrs per bushel\n  in order to help resolve the problem of soybean export\n  competitiveness, USDA undersecretary Dan Amstutz said.\n      Speaking to reporters following a Senate Agriculture\n  Appropriations hearing, Amstutz suggested that one way out of\n  the current soybean program \"dilemma\" would be for Congress to\n  allow the loan rate to remain at 4.56 dlrs. He indicated if the\n  loan rate were 4.56 dlrs, USDA could then consider ways to make\n  U.S. soybeans more competitive such as using certificates to\n  further buydown the loan rate.\n      Under current law, the 1987 soybean loan rate cannot be\n  less than 4.77 dlrs per bu.\n      Amstutz' suggestion would be for Congress to change the\n  farm bill to allow USDA to leave the soybean loan rate at 4.56\n  dlrs in crop year 1987 rather than increase it to 4.77 dlrs.\n      The 1986 effective loan rate is 4.56 dlrs because of the\n  4.3 pct Gramm-Rudman budget cut.\n      Amstutz stressed that a major factor in any decision on\n  soybean program changes will be the budget costs.\n      He told the hearing that the problem in soybeans is that\n  the U.S. loan rate provides an \"umbrella\" to foreign production\n  and causes competitive problems for U.S. soybeans.\n      Asked about the American Soybean Association's request for\n  some form of income support, Amstutz said \"the competitive\n  problem is the most severe.\" He said USDA is still studying the\n  situation and \"no resolution\" has yet been found.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COOPER DEVELOPMENT <BUGS> RESTATES RESULTS\n","article":"  Cooper Development Co said it\n  revised results for the year ended October 31 to a loss of 61.7\n  mln dlrs, or 2.33 dlrs per share, down from the\n  previously-reported loss of 12.1 mln dlrs, or 46 cts per share.\n      The restatement was made because of change in the method of\n  accounting for a combination of several company-controlled\n  concerns that resulted in a 53.5 mln dlr charge, Cooper\n  Development said.\n      Last August Cooper Development combined its Cooper\n  Biomedical Inc unit and its Cooper Laboratories subsidiary with\n  Technicon Instruments Corp, a company acquired from Revlon Inc\n  <REV>, a Cooper spokesman said.\n      The spokesman said the transaction was accounted for as an\n  acquisition, but the Securities and Exchange Commission took\n  issue with the accounting method and said it should be\n  accounted for as a reorganization of entities under common\n  control.\n      This treatment requires that the costs associated with the\n  transaction be expanded rather than capitalized as an\n  intangible asset, the company said.\n      It also said that, since the charged required an expensing\n  of previously accrued liabilities, the company will experience\n  no resulting material change it its cash flow.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMBRIT INC <ABI> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 28 cts vs nil\n      Net 3,614,000 vs 7,000\n      Revs 37.5 mln vs 7,835,000\n      Year\n      Shr 13 cts vs nil\n      Net 1,601,000 vs 30,000\n      Revs 145.5 mln vs 51 mln\n      NOTE: Per share amounts are after payment of preferred\n  stock dividends.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SEC PROBES 1986 TRE <TRE> TAKEOVER ATTEMPT\n","article":"  The federal Securities and Exchange\n  Commission (SEC) is looking for possible securities laws\n  violations in connection with an unsuccessful 1986 bid by\n  Hollywood producer Burt Sugarman to take over TRE Corp,\n  attorneys contacted by SEC investigators said.\n      During the takeeover attempt, a unit of Sugarman's Giant\n  Group Ltd at one point held a 9.9 pct stake in TRE.\n      It had help in that effort from Jefferies Group Inc, a Los\n  Angeles investment banking firm which sold it an option on a\n  portion of the shares Sugarman eventually acquired.\n      In addition, a company controlled by Sugarman raised 35 mln\n  dlrs in a debt offering underwritten by Drexel Burnham Lambert\n  Inc with help from Jefferies, and used a portion of the\n  proceeds to buy TRE stock.\n      Finally, Reliance Group Holdings Inc acquired nearly six\n  pct of TRE, according to an SEEC filing.\n      The attorneys, who asked not to be identified, said the SEC\n  was investigating whether Sugarman and other firms with TRE\n  holdings were working together without disclosing their\n  cooperation, as would be required by the federal securities\n  laws.\n      One attorney said SEC probers also were examining whether\n  Sugarman and Drexel had made adequate disclosures of its\n  intended usage of the proceeds in the prospectus for the 35 mln\n  dlr bond offering.\n      A TRE spokesman confirmed that TRE, since December a unit\n  of Aluminum Co of America, had been contacted by SEC\n  investigators and was cooperating with the probe.\n      The spokesman added that TRE Chairman Leopold Wyler had\n  been interviewed by the SEC probers.\n      A Jefferies spokesman said the SEC had asked for\n  information a few months ago as part of an informal probe.\n      The spokesman said Jefferies had cooperated with the agency\n  and had heard nothing more since that time.\n      \"To the best of our knowledge, Jefferies is not the target\n  of a formal SEC investigation\" in connection with the TRE bid,\n  he said.\n      A Drexel spokesman acknowledged that his firm had\n  underwritten the debt offering for Sugarman but added:\n      \"We had nothing to do with TRE.\"\n      As a matter of policy, the SEC routinely declines to\n  comment on its enforcement activities.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<ATLANTIS INTERNATIONAL LTD> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 35 cts vs profit six cts\n      Net loss 3,555,293 vs profit 649,715\n      Revs 4,451,732 vs 3,910,652\n      Note: 1986 net includes 3.7 mln dlr writedown of oil and\n  gas properties.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN EXPRESS DECLARED A TWO-FOR-ONE STOCK SPLIT \n","article":"\n  AMERICAN EXPRESS DECLARED A TWO-FOR-ONE STOCK SPLIT \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN EXPRESS RAISES QTLY DIVIDEND TO 38 CTS FROM 36 CTS\n","article":"\n  AMERICAN EXPRESS RAISES QTLY DIVIDEND TO 38 CTS FROM 36 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. WILLING TO TALK TO MOSCOW ON WHEAT PRICE\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture undersecretary Dan\n  Amstutz indicated the United States is willing talk with the\n  Soviet Union about the competitiveness of U.S. wheat prices but\n  would not discuss making U.S. wheat prices \"cheap.\"\n      \"There sometimes is a difference between being competitive\n  and being cheap,\" Amstutz told a Senate Agriculture\n  Appropriations hearing.\n      Amstutz said the difference of opinion between Moscow and\n  Washington last summer on the level of the U.S. subsidy offered\n  on wheat to the Soviet Union, was over whether the U.S. wheat\n  price was competitive or cheap.\n      \"I think there is a (U.S.) willingness to explore this\n  issue as it pertains to competitiveness,\" Amstutz said.\n      However, Amstutz added that the United States would not be\n  willing to discuss wheat prices with Moscow \"if the issue is\n  being cheap.\"\n      Asked later by a reporter what he meant by the distinction\n  between competitive and cheap, Amstutz would not elaborate.\n      Amstutz said it is the U.S. judgment that the long-term\n  grain agreement between the two countries calls for Moscow to\n  buy at least four mln tonnes each of wheat and corn annually at\n  \"prices in effect in this country.\"\n      Amstutz made the comments in response to a question from\n  Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, about expanding the export\n  enhancement program to include grain sales to the Soviet Union.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN EXPRESS BOARD APPROVED NIPPON LIFE PURCHASE OF SHEARSON INTEREST\n","article":"\n  AMERICAN EXPRESS BOARD APPROVED NIPPON LIFE PURCHASE OF SHEARSON INTEREST\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UNITED ILLUMINATING CO <UIL> TWO MONTHS FEB 28\n","article":"  Shr 1.51 dlr  vs 1.08 dlr\n      Net 23.1 mln vs 18.2 mln\n      Oper revs 81.1 mln vs 86.5 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 6.41 dlrs vs 5.77 dlrs\n      Net 106.5 mln vs 99.2 mln\n      Oper revs 465.8 mln vs 509.8 mln\n      NOTE: 1987 periods do not reflect the terms of earnings\n  stipulation agreement among the company and various departments\n  submitted for approval on March 18.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DATA CARD <DATC> SEES LOWER YEAREND RESULTS\n","article":"  Data Card Corp said it does not\n  expect to meet its earnings and revenue targets for the fiscal\n  year ending March 28.\n      Earlier, the company said it expected earnings per share\n  from continuing operations to be 35 to 45 cts a share. Now it\n  sees that figure at 15 cts a share, or about 1.5 mln dlrs.\n      Data Card said it expects revenues for the year in the\n  range of 170 mln to 175 mln dlrs, down from a previous estimate\n  of 180 mln to 185 mln dlrs.\n      It said integration of Addressograph Farrington Inc, a\n  private company acquired on Aug 25, 1986, is proving more\n  difficult than expected. The company reported revenues of 154\n  mln dlrs and net income of 10.6 mln dlrs in fiscal 1986 ended\n  March 26, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DU PONT <DD> UPS STAKE IN PERCEPTIVE SYSTEMS\n","article":"  Du Pont Co has increased its equity\n  stake in <Perceptive Systems Inc> to 33.5 pct from 20 pct,\n  Perceptive Systems said.\n      Perceptive Systems, a venture capital firm based in\n  Houston, makes digital imaging equipment.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"QUAKER OATS <OAT> SELLS VERNELL'S FINE CANDIES\n","article":"  Quaker Oats Co said Keystone Partners\n  Inc has purchased Vernell's Fine Candies Inc, previously an\n  indirect subsidiary of Quaker. The price was not disclosed.\n      It said Vernell's, based in Bellevue, Wash., had annual\n  sales exceeding 30 mln dlrs. Vernell's was acquired by Quaker\n  in its acquisition of Golden Grain Macaroni Co in August 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LINCOLN SAVINGS <LNSB> SETS FIRST PAYOUT\n","article":"  Lincoln Savings Bank said its\n  board declared an initial dividend of 10 cts per share, payable\n  April 17 to shareholders of record April 10.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GRAPHIC INDUSTRIES <GRPH> ENDS BUYOUT TALKS\n","article":"  Graphics Industries Inc said it\n  terminated negotiations for the acquisition of <Holladay-Tyler\n  Printing Corp>, Rockville, Md.\n      The companies on March 10 announced that they had signed an\n  agreement in principle for the acquisition.\n      No reason was given termination of the negotiations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNITED <UIL> PACT MAY LOWER NONCASH INCOME\n","article":"  United Illuminating Co said\n  that if the Department of Utility Controls approves an earnings\n  stipulation agreement submitted March 18, it will reduce\n  through accounting procedures its 1987 noncash earnings by 16\n  mln dlrs or 1.15 dlr per share.\n      For the two month period ended February 28, 1987, it said\n  the amount of the reduction would amount to 19 cts per share.\n  Earlier, it reported net income for the two-month period of\n  23.1 mln dlrs of 1.51 dlr a share.\n      United said the approval would lead it to an equity return\n  level comparable with the electric utility industry average.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CBT FEBRUARY VOLUME DOWN 14 PCT FROM YEAR AGO\n","article":"  February volume at the Chicago Board of\n  Trade, CBT, declined 14 pct from the year-ago month to\n  8,191,266 contracts, the exchange said.\n      A relatively steady interest rate climate reduced volume in\n  the most active contract, Treasury bond futures, by 17.5 pct\n  from a year ago to 4,307,645 contracts.\n      However, trading in most agricultural futures contracts\n  increased last month, led by oats and corn futures.\n      Oats volume tripled to 27,662 contracts, and corn volume\n  increased 35 pct to 580,204 contracts. Wheat and soybean oil\n  futures activity also rose from a year ago, while soybean and\n  soybean oil volume slipped, the exchange said.\n      Major Market Index futures increased activity 37 pct during\n  the month with 194,697 contracts changing hands.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HUGHES' U.S. RIG COUNT RISES TO 784\n","article":"  U.S. drilling activity rose last week\n  with the number of working rotary rigs up by 23 to 784, against\n  1,063 working rigs one year ago, Hughes Tool Co. said.\n      The improvement was the first increase this year in the\n  weekly rig count, which had dropped steadily since early\n  January when a total of 962 rotary rigs were working.\n      Among individual states, Texas and Oklahoma reported the\n  biggest gains in drilling last week with increases of 21 and\n  11, respectively. California and Louisiana were each up by\n  three and Wyoming gained two additional working rigs.\n      Hughes Tool said it counted a total of 692 rigs drilling on\n  land, 74 rigs active offshore and 18 drilling in inland waters.\n  In Canada, the rig count was up by two to 183, against 324 one\n  year ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AMSTUTZ SAYS FARM TRADE ACCORD POSSIBLE IN 1988\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture undersecretary\n  Daniel Amstutz said it is possible to reach a global agreement\n  to scale-back agricultural supports in calendar 1988.\n      Speaking to a Senate Agriculture Appropriations committee\n  hearing, Amstutz said \"I think we can reach agreement in\n  calendar 1988.\"\n      Amstutz said the U.S. places a high priority on the Uruguay\n  round of global trade talks.\n      His comments followed a statement by Secretary of State\n  George Shultz last week urging agriculture be the highest\n  priority item during the upcoming summit of western heads of\n  state in Venice, Italy.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CAMPBELL RED LAKE MINES LTD <CRK> QTLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 Canadian cts vs 10 Canadian cts prior\n      Pay May 25\n      Record April 20\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STOKELY USA INC <STKY> REGULAR DIVIDEND SET\n","article":"  Qtly div three cts vs three cts previously\n      Pay April 15\n      Record April One\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COOPER SAYS OFFER MUST INCLUDE CLASS A SHARES\n","article":"  <Cooper Canada Ltd> said it told those\n  who have expressed interest in acquiring control of the company\n  that it would entertain no offer unless it were made to holders\n  both of class A non-voting shares and voting common.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"KINGS ROAD ENTERTAINMENT <KREN> 3RD QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Qtr ended Jan 31\n      Shr loss seven cts vs loss 64 cts\n      Net loss 367,000 vs loss 3,009,000\n      Revs 2,516,000 vs 8,787,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 73 cts vs loss 1.17 dlrs\n      Net loss 3,545,000 vs loss 4,573,000\n      Revs 6,768,000 vs 13.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"USSR WHEAT BONUS RUMORS PERSIST DESPITE DENIALS\n","article":"  Grain trade representatives continued\n  to speculate that the Reagan administration will offer\n  subsidized wheat to the Soviet Union, while U.S. Agriculture\n  Department officials said there was no substance to the\n  reports.\n      \"It's pure fiction,\" said one senior official at USDA's\n  Foreign Agricultural Service, referring to the rumor that the\n  administration would make an export enhancement offer to Moscow\n  in the next two to three weeks.\n      An aide to Agriculture Secretary Richard Lyng who asked not\n  to be identified said there was nothing to substantiate the\n  speculation, which he said was started by \"somebody fanning the\n  (wheat) market.\" Wheat futures strengthened today, partly on the\n  basis of the speculation.\n      One lobbyist with close connections to the Reagan\n  administration said a Soviet trade team told private grain\n  trade officials in New York last week that Moscow would buy as\n  much as four mln tonnes of U.S. wheat, much of it before\n  mid-year, if it was \"competitively priced.\"\n      Alexander Ivlev, an official with Amtorg, a Soviet trading\n  organization, told Reuters he had no information to\n  substantiate the rumors of an imminent wheat subsidy offer, but\n  said that Moscow \"would consider\" buying U.S. wheat if it was\n  competitively priced.\n      \"We don't care if it is EEP, what we (the Soviets) are\n  looking for is competitive prices,\" Ivlev said. \"If they (the\n  administration) are interested in selling it (wheat), they\n  should find ways to do it.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN EXPRESS <AXP> APPROVES SHEARSON OFFER\n","article":"  American Express Co said its board\n  approved a public offering of about 18 pct of its wholly owned\n  Shearson Lehman Brothers Inc brokerage unit.\n      American Express also approved the previously announced\n  plan to sell about 13 pct, or 13 mln convertible preferred, of\n  the unit to Nippon Life insurance co for 538 mln dlrs. The\n  preferred shares are convertible to the same number of common\n  shares following Hart-Scott-Rodino and FDIC approvals.\n      American Express said it will maintain 60 pct, or 60 mln of\n  the 100 mln shares of Shearson that will be outstanding.\n      American Express said it had agreed with Nippon life that\n  American Express will hold a minimum of 40 pct of Shearson\n  until January, 1999.\n     American Express said 7.5 mln Shearson shares would be held\n  by certain employees of Shearson and one mln by a Shearson\n  stock ownership plan to be formed.\n      American Express said it anticipates a registration\n  statement for the public offering will be filed with the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission shortly.\n      American Express also declared a two-for-one stock split\n  and raised its quarterly dividend to 38 cts per share from 36\n  cts on a pre-split basis. Both dividends are payable May 8, to\n  shareholders of record April 3. There are currently 215 mln\n  American Express shares outstanding.\n      The transaction with Nippon Life remains subject to\n  approval by the Japanese ministry of finance, which is expected\n  in April.\n      American Express also said an agreement was reached by\n  Shearson and Nippon Life providing for a joint venture in\n  London.\n      The venture will focus on investment advisory asset\n  management, market research and consulting on financing. It\n  also said it expects the relationship to extend to selected\n  projects involving American Express, Shearson Lehman and Nippon\n  Life in key financial centers of Asia and other regions, and to\n  future personnel exchanges.\n      Under the agreement, Nippon will receive 13 mln cumulative\n  preferred shares with a five pct dividend rate. The cumulative\n  preferred stock will become convertible with voting powers to\n  an equal number of common shares following the U.S. government\n  approvals.\n      American Express said that assuming conversion of the\n  preferred stock held by Nippon, 100 mln shares of Shearson\n  Lehman common stock would be outstanding. For the public\n  offering, it said there will be an underwriters overallotment\n  option to purchase 1.8 mln shares.\n      American Express will also grant Nippon Life a five-year\n  warrant to purchase one mln American Express common shares at\n  100 dlrs per share. There are currently 215 mln American\n  Express shares outstanding.\n      Nippon Life would be entitled to nominate two directors to\n  the Shearson board and one representative to serve as an\n  adviser to the American Express board of directors.\n      \"These proposed transactions are yet another signal that\n  american express intends to stay in the forefront of the\n  financial services industry worldwide,\" said American Express\n  Chairman James D. Robinson. \"The implementation of our plans,\n  moreover, will enable us to maintain a majority interest in\n  shearson while enhancing the strength of our balance sheet by\n  tapping additional capital resources for shearson outside\n  american express.\"\n  Reuter...\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STERIVET LABS <STVTF> SETS STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Sterivet Laboratories Ltd said it\n  authorized a three-for-one split of its common stock.\n      The company said the stock split is subject to approval by\n  its shareholders at its upcoming annual meeting.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CHICAGO FUTURES LEADER SAYS MARKETS CAN ADAPT\n","article":"  Foreign currency futures\n  markets would not be harmed if the leading industrial countries\n  agreed to restrict currency movements to within a narrow band,\n  said Leo Melamed, chairman of the Chicago Mercantile\n  Exchange's, CME, executive committee.\n      \"The target zone would not affect our market I think at\n  all.... A 10 pct range in the Deutsche mark gives us a healthy\n  market,\" Melamed told Reuters in an interview.\n      \"We were willing to live in the old Smithsonian era with a\n  four pct shift,\" he said, referring to permitted currency\n  fluctuations in the early 1970s. \"One thing you can adjust is to\n  make each contract a larger value.\"\n      As chairman of the CME in 1969-71, Melamed was instrumental\n  in the development of currency futures, which now are crucial\n  to the Chicago exchange.\n      Melamed said capital flows -- which he estimated can\n  approach 200 billion dlrs a day -- would overwhelm efforts by\n  governments to control currency fluctuations.\n      \"They can do it for a day, in terms of intervention, an\n  hour, a week maybe, but not over a period of time. So it's\n  unrealistic and it doesn't work and it's unnecessary.\"\n      The CME's top policymaker also said a decision by the\n  exchange to advance the quarterly settlement time of its stock\n  index futures contract to the morning from the afternoon would\n  help eliminate dramatic price gyrations in futures and equity\n  markets on so-called \"triple-witching\" day.\n      \"We think that the settlement in the morning will have a\n  salutary effect so that over a longer period of time I think\n  this issue (triple witching) will go away because of the change\n  in the structure as of next June,\" when the move is scheduled to\n  go into effect, he said.\n      Melamed said proposed changes in floor practices by traders\n  of the popular Standard and Poor's 500 stock index future would\n  address complaints of trading abuses and stimulate trading.\n      Two weeks ago, the CME board of directors proposed barring\n  brokers on the top step of the pit from trading for their own\n  account. The board also proposed requiring brokers engaged in\n  dual trading elsewhere in the pit to record personal trades to\n  the nearest minute and curbing trading between broker groups.\n      The changes \"will in time have an extremely positive effect\n  on the marketplace. That's going to prove very, very\n  instrumental in increasing volume over time,\" he said,\n  predicting the increase would come within a year.\n      Melamed, also chairman of Dellsher Investment Co Inc, said\n  the CME last week withdrew a proposal to put a 12-point limit\n  on the S and P 500 index's daily price movement when the\n  Commodity Futures Trading Commission told the exchange it could\n  not be a temporary program.\n      The CME also received \"many negative comments, many more\n  than we anticipated,\" Melamed conceded. Many futures commission\n  merchants predicted sell orders would accelerate in the event\n  the price approached the bottom limit.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TCBY ENTERPRISES INC <TCBY> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr eight cts vs five cts\n      Net 1,370,898 vs 823,988\n      Sales 7,786,730 vs 4,383,825\n      Avg shrs 17,744,333 vs 17,071,236\n      NOTE: Per-share amounts adjusted for three-for-two stock\n  splits in April and July, 1986\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HECLA <HL> BUYS STAKE IN GREENS CREEK VENTURE\n","article":"  Hecla Mining Co said it agreed to buy a\n  28 pct stake in the Greens Creek joint venture from Amselco\n  Minerals Inc, a unit of British Petroleum PLC's <BP> BP North\n  America Inc unit.\n      The Greens Creek venture is engaged in final project\n  engineering of a gold-silver-lead-zinc ore body on Admiralty\n  Island, about 15 miles southwest of Juneau, Alaska.\n      Hecla said it estimates its total investment in the\n  project, including its share of production costs, will be about\n  45 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SPRINT OPTIMISTIC DESPITE LOSSES\n","article":"  US Sprint, the 50-50 telephone venture\n  of GTE Corp <GTE> and United Telecommunications Inc <UT> set up\n  last June, is optimistic despite expecting to report a net loss\n  of about 500 mln dlrs this year.\n       David M. Holland, president of US Sprint's Dallas-based\n  Southwest Division, told Reuters in an interview that he did\n  not know what it would report for the first quarter, but agreed\n  that for the year the company should have about the same\n  results as last year when it lost \"about 500 mln dlrs.\"\n       He noted the company was slated to spend 2.3 billion dlrs\n  over \"two plus years\" to set up its network.\n  \n      Holland added that Sprint was still paying almost 500 mln\n  dlrs a year to American Telephone and Telegraph Co (T) in order\n  to lease its lines.\n       He said 16,000 miles of its 23,000 mile fiber optic\n  telephone line are now \"in the ground,\" and 7,000 miles are\n  operable.\n       By the end of the year, he said, 90 pct of the company's\n  subscribers will be carried on its fiber optic lines (instead\n  of leased ATT lines), compared with 60 pct by the end of the\n  second quarter.\n      Fiber optic lines, which send digital light impulses along\n  microscopic glass lines, is quicker, more accurate and more\n  economical than traditional copper cables. A fiber optic line\n  the diameter of a dime can carry the same amount of information\n  as a copper cable 20 feet in diameter.\n       \"By the end of the year, we will have the capacity to\n  carry 50 pct of all U.S. long distance phone calls,\" Holland\n  said.\n      He said ATT currently controls about 80 pct of the U.S.\n  long distance market, with MCI Communications Corp <MCIC> about\n  10 to 12 pct and Sprint five to seven pct.\n       Holland said Sprint's rates, which were 50 pct lower than\n  ATT when it did not pay to gain access to local telephone\n  exchanges, were now about 10 to 12 pct lower now that all the\n  companies have equal access. He said the company was cutting\n  back its advertising by about 30 pct this year.\n       At the same time, he said Sprint had increased its total\n  number of customers to four mln from two mln from July 1986 to\n  last January.\n      \"We've captured the fiber high ground, shown the importance\n  of it,\" he said.\n       Concerning the deregulation of ATT, Holland said he\n  believed ATT \"should be given some flexibility, but should be\n  regulated on pricing plans.\"\n       \"They're so dominant in the market place,\" he said, adding\n  that ATT should be deregulated when \"there is true competition\n  in the marketplace.\"\n       \"It takes time to prove ourselves and a lot of money,\" he\n  said, adding, \"maybe two to four years out, it's hard to say.\"\n      Holland said he was not concerned about talk that Sprint's\n  two owners might be squabbling or that corporate raiders, such\n  as the Belzberg family in Canada, might be putting pressure on\n  them to sell off their loss-making Sprint holdings.\n       \"They are two excellent partners who have stated time and\n  time again their support of US Sprint,\" he said, adding that he\n  was \"amazed\" at industry talk that the two companies might be\n  arguing. \"There's no evidence of that,\" he said.\n       He said Sprint's progress in such areas as revenues,\n  number of customers and construction was on track, even \"ahead\n  in many areas.\"\n      Looking beyond the United States, Holland said Sprint\n  currently had direct access to 34 countries and aimed to be in\n  90 pct of the Free World nations by 1988.\n      \"We want to be in every country that ATT serves,\" he said.\n      He said Sprint currently does not have access to Mexico but\n  was working on it.\n       He noted negotiations between Mexico and GTE Sprint, the\n  forerunner of US Sprint, had been broken off by the September\n  1985 earthquake which had devastated the nation's telephone\n  network.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADIAN SEAFARERS THREATEN STRIKE\n","article":"  Canadian seafarers are almost certain\n  to go on strike this spring in a refusal to meet rollbacks in\n  wages and benefits asked for by their employers, Seafarers'\n  International Union official Roman Gralewicz said.\n      \"It's 99.9 percent--I guarantee you a strike,\" Gralewicz\n  said in an interview.\n      The union represents about 2,300 workers on the Great Lakes\n  and Canada's East and West coasts. Contract talks broke off in\n  January and a conciliator has been appointed to try to help\n  settle the dispute. The current contract expires at the end of\n  March.\n      The seafarers' employers are also asking for a reduction in\n  crew levels, a move which the union said would cost about 400\n  jobs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AVALON <AVL> STAKE SOLD BY DELTEC\n","article":"  Avalon Corp said that <Deltec\n  Panamerica SA> has arranged to sell its 23 pct stake in Avalon\n  and that Deltec's three representatives on Avalon's board had\n  resigned.\n      An Avalon spokeswoman declined to indentify the buyer of\n  Deltec's stake or give terms of the sale.\n      In addition, Avalon said three other directors resigned. It\n  said Benjamin W. Macdonald, a director of <TMOC Resources Ltd>,\n  the principal holder of Avalon stock, and Hardwick Simmons, a\n  vice chairman of Shearson Lehman Bros Inc, were then named to\n  the board.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"QUAKER OATS <OAT> SELLS UNIT TO KEYSTONE\n","article":"  The Quaker Oats Co said it sold\n  its Vernell's Fine Candies Inc unit to privately-held Keystone\n  Partners Inc for an undisclosed price.\n      The company said Vernells had sales of around 30 mln dlrs\n  in the year ended in August, 1986.\n      Quaker Oats acquired Vernells in August, 1986 when it\n  purchased Golden Grain Macaroni Co.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. TO ASK JAPAN TO DROP BEEF RESTRICTIONS\n","article":"  U.S. Agriculture Secretary\n  Richard Lyng will ask the Japanese Government to remove all\n  beef import restrictions when he visits there next month.\n      Lyng's remarks came in a speech at Oklahoma State\n  University today.\n      \"We think Japanese consumers should have the same freedom\n  of choice as our consumers. Look at all the Japanese cameras\n  and tape recorders in this room. We know they'd buy more beef\n  if they had the opportunity,\" Lyng said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CLABIR CORP <CLG> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 26 cts vs loss two cts\n      Net profit 6,194,000 vs loss 170,000\n      Revs 100.0 mln vs 7,854,000\n      Avg shrs 10.7 mln vs 8,787,977\n      Year\n      Shr profit two cts vs loss 17 cts\n      Net profit 7,169,000 vs loss 1,461,000\n      Revs 421.4 mln vs 51.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 9,604,474 vs 8,807,709\n     \n  Reuter...\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. PROFITTED FROM AUTUMN INTERVENTION - LAWSON\n","article":"  Britain has reaped profits by using a\n  stronger pound to buy back dollars used by the government last\n  autumn to support sterling during a currency crisis, Chancellor\n  of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson said.\n      He said in a parliamentary debate, \"I can now tell the House\n  (of Commons) that the dollars that were sold from the reserves\n  in September and October (1986) have subsequently all been\n  repurchased - at a profit of some tens of millions of pounds.\"\n      Hindsight had proved him right to resist market pressures\n  then for a two percentage point interest rate rise, he said.\n  The increase in base rates was instead limited then to one\n  point.\n      During a debate on the 1987\/88 British budget which Lawson\n  unveiled last week, he said that \"during the period of foreign\n  exchange market turbulence which followed the somewhat\n  inconclusive Group of Five and Group of Seven meetings at the\n  end of September, I authorised the Bank of England to intervene\n  unusually heavily in order to buy breathing space that would\n  enable me to confine the interest rate rise to one pct rather\n  than the two pct the market was then pressing for.\"\n      He said that that one percentage point increase, effected\n  in October 1986, had been reversed by this month's two half\n  point cuts in banks' base lending rates. They are now at 10\n  pct.\n      Treasury figures show that the underlying change in British\n  reserves - seen as a guide to possible Bank of England\n  intervention on foreign exchange markets - suggest that the\n  authorities sold around 1.0 billion dlrs during September and\n  October 1986, government sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BAY FINANCIAL CORP <BAY> 3RD QTR FEB 28\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.34 dlrs vs profit two cts\n      Net loss 4.5 mln vs profit 46,000\n      Revs 7.6 mln vs 8.9 mln\n      Nine months\n      Shr loss 1.41 dlrs vs loss two cts\n      Net loss 4.7 mln vs loss 76,000\n      Revs 30.2 mln vs 23.8 mln\n      NOTE:1986 includes gain on disposition of investments of\n  2,454 dlrs in 3rd qtr and 5,306 dlrs in nine months\n  respectively. 1987 includes gain on disposition of investments\n  of five dlrs in 3nd qtr and 7,052 dlrs in nine months.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CORRECTED - MANHATTAN NATIONAL<MLC>4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 20 cts vs loss 81 cts\n      Oper net loss 1,042,000 vs loss 4,077,000\n      Revs 38.5 mln vs 50.3 mln\n      12 mths\n      Oper shr profit six cts vs loss 43 cts\n      Oper net profit 336,000 vs loss 2,176,000\n      Revs 137.8 mln vs 209.1 mln\n      (Company corrects to show profit rather than a loss for\n  current 12 mths oper shr and oper net.)\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMBRIT INC <ABI> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 28 cts vs nil\n      Net 4,568,000 vs 7,000\n      Revs 37.5 mln vs 7,835,000\n      Year\n      Shr 13 cts vs nil\n      Net 5,011,000 vs 30,000\n      Revs 145.5 mln vs 51.0 mln\n      Note: Current year results includes revs of 87.2 mln dlrs\n  from Chocolate Co Inc, which was acquired in March 1986.\n      Note: Shr results after preferred dividend payments of\n  954,000 dlrs for current qtr and 3,410,000 dlrs for current\n  year.\n      Net includes gains from sale of investment in Sheraton\n  Securities International of 5,807,000 dlrs vs 928,000 dlrs for\n  qtr and 8,705,000 dlrs vs 928,000 dlrs for year.\n      Net also includes extraordinary loss from early retirement\n  of debt of 303,000 dlrs for year-ago 12 mths.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"COMMUNICATIONS CORP OF AMERICA 2ND QTR DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr loss 33 cts vs loss 48 cts\n      Net loss 1.7 mln vs loss 2.5 mln\n      Revs 6.3 mln vs 10.2 mln\n      Six months\n      Shr loss 54 cts vs loss 75 cts\n      Net loss 2.8 mln vs loss 3.9 mln\n      Revs 15.2 mln vs 23.4 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Dollar hits record low of 149.78 yen - Tokyo dealers\n","article":"\n  Dollar hits record low of 149.78 yen - Tokyo dealers\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CBI SURVEY POINTS TO SURGE IN U.K. OUTPUT\n","article":"  British manufacturers expect output to\n  grow rapidly in the four coming months, a Confederation of\n  British Industry (CBI) survey shows.\n      The CBI's monthly trends survey for March shows that 43 pct\n  of the 1,685 polled U.K. Firms expect to raise output in the\n  next four months. Only nine pct expect output to fall while 47\n  pct said production would likely remain unchanged.\n      The CBI said the positive balance between firms expecting\n  production to rise and those forecasting a fall, at 34 pct, was\n  the highest such figure recorded since 1977.\n      In the CBI's February survey, 37 pct of companies expected\n  a rise in output while 54 pct forecast production would remain\n  at present levels and eight pct expected production to drop.\n      The survey also showed that 23 pct of the polled companies\n  consider current order books to be above normal while 58 pct\n  view them as normal and only 19 pct regard them as below\n  normal.\n      This was the highest positive balance since the question\n  was first asked more than 10 years ago, the CBI said.\n      In February, the figures were 24 pct, 22 pct and 54 pct\n  respectively.\n      Companies also rated their export possibilities higher. Of\n  all polled companies, 23 pct rated their export order books to\n  be above normal and 53 pct described them as normal while only\n  23 pct believed export orders were below normal levels.\n      In February, 25 pct thought their export books were below\n  normal and 50 pct believed them to be about normal. At 23 pct,\n  the proportion of companies rating their export books above\n  normal was unchanged between February and March.\n      On prices, the survey showed that 62 pct of companies\n  expect average prices at which domestic orders are booked will\n  remain unchanged in the coming four months, up from 57 pct in\n  February.\n      From 38 pct in February, only 31 pct of firms now expect\n  prices to rise before July. Six pct forecast prices will fall,\n  against four pct a month earlier.\n      Commenting on the survey, CBI economic situation committee\n  chairman David Wigglesworth said sterling's more competitive\n  level against many European currencies had improved exports.\n      \"But interest rates are still much higher than in our\n  competitor countries and British manufacturers will still have\n  to work hard to win new business both in overseas markets and\n  in the substitution of British-made goods for imports here at\n  home,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TOKYO - Bank of Japan buys small amount of dollars, dealers said\n","article":"\n  TOKYO - Bank of Japan buys small amount of dollars, dealers said\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"Miyazawa says time has come for major nations to act on exchange rates\n","article":"\n  Miyazawa says time has come for major nations to act on exchange rates\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MAJOR NATIONS MUST ACT ON CURRENCIES - MIYAZAWA\n","article":"  Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa said the\n  time has come for major industrialised nations to take action\n  on exchange rates in line with their agreement last month in\n  Paris.\n      In Paris, Britain, Canada, France, Japan, the U.S. And West\n  Germany agreed to coooperate to hold currency rates around\n  their then current levels.\n      Miyazawa would not say what specific measures major nations\n  would take, but told reporters the measures had been discussed\n  in Paris. The dollar fell to a record low against the yen this\n  morning, piercing the 150 yen barrier.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DALLAS CORP <DLS> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 22 cts vs profit 10 cts\n      Oper net loss 1,626,000 vs pofit 702,000\n      Revs 98.3 mln vs 105.1 mln\n      12 mths\n      Oper shr profit 18 cts vs profit 82 cts\n      Oper net profit 1,293,000 vs profit 5,940,000\n      Revs 396.2 mln vs 396.7 mln\n      Note: Oper net excludes loss from discontinued operations\n  of 2,112,000 dlrs or 39 cts a share for year-ago qtr and\n  2,036,000 dlrs or 1.10 dlrs a share for year-ago 12 mths.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF JAPAN RE-ENTERS MARKET AND STEPS UP DOLLAR BUYING, DEALERS SAY\n","article":"\n  BANK OF JAPAN RE-ENTERS MARKET AND STEPS UP DOLLAR BUYING, DEALERS SAY\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF JAPAN STEPS UP DOLLAR BUYING\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan stepped up its dollar\n  buying as it re-entered the market after the midday Tokyo lunch\n  break, dealers said.\n      They said the bank seemed more determined to support the\n  dollar than it did this morning.\n      Several dealers said the central bank intervened this\n  afternoon when the dollar stood around 149 yen.\n      One said it purchased 150 to 200 mln dlrs in the half-hour\n  since the market re-opened after its lunchtime closure. Another\n  said the bank still has buying orders in the market.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"YEUTTER SEES GATT CONSENSUS ON FARM TRADE REFORM\n","article":"  U.S. Trade Representative\n  Clayton Yeutter said trade ministers meeting here have reached\n  a general consensus on agricultural trade reform under the\n  latest Uruguay round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and\n  Trade (GATT).\n      Yeutter gave no precise details of the understanding but\n  told journalists the consensus covers the principles involved\n  in agricultural trade reform and what needs to be done to\n  improve the global situation in agriculture.\n      Delegates from 22 countries are meeting informally to\n  discuss progress made since the latest GATT round was launched\n  in Punta del Este, Uruguay, last September.\n      Yeutter said \"at least people seem to be going down the same\n  road...But how that translates ultimately into negotiations is\n  another matter entirely.\"\n      There seems to be an understanding of the need to deal with\n  the problem quickly and \"a more common understanding of how we\n  are going to get from here to there,\" Yeutter said.\n      However, the hard work is still to come, with a couple of\n  years of tough negotiations ahead, he said.\n      \"It is ludicrous for the nations of the world to plough\n  immense amounts of financial resources into the production of\n  items that nobody wants to buy,\" he said.\n      He said the long-term answer is to switch some of the\n  financial resources now committed to agriculture to other more\n  productive areas. This would help agriculture because some its\n  inefficient non-productive segments would stop operating, he\n  said.\n      Individual segments in many countries may lose in the\n  process, but it should result in a more rational system of\n  world-wide production within 10 or 15 years, he said.\n      It is important that the agriculture negotiations reach a\n  relatively early conclusion because the U.S. Is spending 26\n  billion dlrs a year and the European Community probably more\n  than that, which is an ineffective use of financial resources,\n  he said.\n      Asked about the prospect of a priority for agriculture in\n  the negotiations, he said \"one has to be politically\n  realistic... If there is any chance of getting it (agricultural\n  trade reform) done in two to three years it's going to have to\n  be as part of a larger package.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SWIRE SEEN REPORTING 20 PCT RISE IN 1986 PROFIT\n","article":"  Swire Pacific Ltd <SWPC.HKG> is\n  likely to show a more than 20 pct rise in 1986 operating\n  profits when it reports results tomorrow, reflecting gains in\n  its aviation and property businesses, share analysts said.\n      Analysts polled by Reuters estimated after-tax profits from\n  operations will be between 1.525 billion and 1.8 billion dlrs\n  compared with 1.23 billion in 1985.\n      They also said Swire will have an extraordinary gain of\n  about 1.38 billion dlrs from the flotation of its Cathay\n  Pacific Airways Ltd <CAPH.HKG> unit last May.\n      Swire had an extraordinary gain of 59.1 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      Share analysts said Swire will set a 36 cent final dividend\n  for its \"A\" shares, making a total of 54 cents, after 47 cents\n  adjusted for a two-for-one bonus issue in 1985.\n      Aviation and properties together account for 75 pct of the\n  company's net asset value and about 85 pct of its net profits,\n  analysts said.\n      The company's aviation division consists of its majority\n  stake in Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd and its 25 pct interest in\n  <Hongkong Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd>, which is also 25 pct\n  owned by Cathay.\n      Cathay last week reported 1986 profits climbed to 1.23\n  billion dlrs from 777 mln in 1985, partly because of lower fuel\n  costs and greater traffic.\n      Swire's share of Cathay, which stood at 70 pct before the\n  flotation, fell to 54.25 pct at the end of last year and has\n  since slipped to 50.23 pct.\n      Hongkong Aircraft reported this month its 1986 net profits\n  rose 29.5 pct to 115.5 mln dlrs.\n      Tony Measor, an analyst at Hong Leong Securities Ltd,\n  estimates Swire's profits will be 1.525 billion dlrs.\n      \"Much depends on properties,\" said Measor. \"And they did a lot\n  better in the second half of the year.\"\n      Estimates of profits from the firm's wholly owned Swire\n  Properties Ltd unit range widely from 500 mln dlrs to 700 mln\n  compared with 570 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      Swire Properties recorded an interim profit of 120 mln dlrs\n  for the first half of 1986, well below 260 mln dlrs for the\n  same 1985 period, but analysts said that was due mainly to the\n  low level of completion of new residential flats. The firm's\n  properties consist mainly of the Taikoo Shing residential\n  development and two luxury housing projects.\n      Hoare Govett Asia Ltd said the completion of 1,100 flats in\n  Taikoo Shing will have yielded profits of 300 mln dlrs in\n  second-half 1986.\n      During the year property prices continued to rise as more\n  people bought real estate, benefiting from low interest rates,\n  analysts said.\n      \"At the end of last year, flats in Taikoo Shing were selling\n  at 1,100 dlrs per square foot, up by about 20 pct from a year\n  ago,\" said Frederick Tsang of Mansion House Securities (F.E.)\n  Ltd.\n      Swire is developing a large commercial and hotel complex in\n  the central business district of Hong Kong but it will not\n  provide income until the first stage is completed next year.\n      The company also sold three properties and a part interest\n  in a proposed hotel development, which should result in\n  extraordinary gains of 60 mln dlrs in 1986, according to James\n  Capel (Far East) Ltd.\n      Swire's trading and manufacturing operations are expected\n  to earn 300 mln dlrs, up 22 pct from 1985 but its shipping and\n  offshore services are likely to post a small loss of about 10\n  mln dlrs because of depressed market conditions.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"(CORRECTED) - PHILIPPINES CRITICISES EC FOR OIL LEVY\n","article":"  Philippines Trade and\n  Industry Secretary Jose Concepcion told world trade ministers\n  he wondered if their agreement was of any real value after the\n  European Community (EC) proposed a levy on vegetable oils.\n      Concepcion, speaking at an informal meeting of the General\n  Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) here, said ministers\n  declared in Uruguay last September that the trade of\n  less-developed nations should not be disrupted.\n      He said the EC not only ignored Manila's request for lower\n  tariffs on coconut oil but proposed a levy on vegetable oils\n  and fats that are vital exports for Southeast Asian countries.\n      Concepcion said while the levy might be rejected by the EC\n  Council of Ministers, he noted that \"I cannot help but wonder\n  whether the agreements we produce in meetings like this are of\n  any real value.\"\n      He also said industrialised nations saved about 65 billion\n  U.S. Dlrs in 1985 through low commodity prices, but this had\n  affected the ability of developing nations to import goods and\n  services.\n      \"The health and the growth of world trade requires that the\n  new development of developing countries losing their share of\n  world trade be arrested and reversed,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN COMPLAINS ABOUT SIZE OF RESERVES\n","article":"  Taiwan's foreign exchange reserves,\n  swollen by strong trade surpluses to a record 53 billion U.S.\n  Dlrs, are becoming a problem, government officials said.\n      Official figures show the latest level compares with the\n  previous record of 51 billion dlrs on March 4 and about 26\n  billion in late March 1986.\n      Central bank Governor Chang Chi-cheng told reporters the\n  increase in reserves was the result of heavy intervention by\n  the bank on the local interbank market. It bought nearly two\n  billion U.S. Dlrs between March 5 and 23, he said.\n      Wang Chao-ming, vice chairman of the government's Council\n  for Economic Planning and Development, told Reuters the rising\n  reserves were \"a big headache for Taiwan.\"\n      He said the government expects heavier pressure from the\n  U.S., Where protectionist bills are being proposed against\n  nations such as Taiwan and Japan with large trade surpluses\n  with the U.S.\n      Wang said the government would launch new measures within\n  the next two months to further reduce import tariffs and open\n  the market wider to foreign products, especially those from the\n  U.S.\n      Wang said the measures aim at helping reduce Taiwan's trade\n  surplus, which rose to 2.73 billion U.S. Dlrs in the first two\n  months of 1987 from 2.02 billion a year earlier. Nearly 90 pct\n  of the surplus was with the U.S.\n      Vice Economic Minister Wang Chien-shien agreed with Wang's\n  remarks and said efforts to avert U.S. Protectionism were\n  running out of time. \"We must do it quickly or face retaliation\n  from Washington,\" he said.\n      He said the measures would include removal of trade\n  barriers on insurance and inland services for U.S. Companies.\n      Chang Chi-cheng said the central bank could not stop buying\n  U.S. Dollars because of heavy sales by local exporters who fear\n  the strong local dollar will cause them exchange losses.\n      He said the bank is studying revision of the foreign\n  exchange rules in hope of further reducing currency controls,\n  but declined to give details.\n      The Taiwan dollar has risen about 15 pct against the U.S.\n  Dollar since September 1985. It opened at 34.38 to the U.S.\n  Dollar today and is expected to rise further to 33 in June and\n  to 32 by end-year, some foreign bankers said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN MINISTER SEES TARGETED OIL TAX STRATEGY\n","article":"  Australia's crude\n  oil tax strategy is probably best tackled in terms of a\n  targeted rather than broadly-based approach, Federal Resources\n  and Energy Minister Gareth Evans told a meeting here.\n      He told the Australian Petroleum Exploration Association\n  (APEA) annual conference there was a prospect of developing a\n  package that would recognise the government's economic\n  priorities while also meeting some of the industry's concerns.\n      Evans was referring to a nearly completed government review\n  of oil taxation.\n      Evans said there were plenty of examples where targeted\n  approaches to oil industry taxation had produced good results\n  in recent years.\n      These include the reduction in the top marginal crude\n  excise rate on 'old' Bass Strait oil found before September\n  1975 to 80 pct from 87 pct, and the waiver of excise on onshore\n  oil announced last September, he said.\n      The industry, through the APEA, has been calling for the\n  elimination of secondary taxation on oil in order to boost\n  incentives for prospecting against a background of weak prices\n  and Australia's relatively low exploration levels.\n      \"While nobody wants to add further unnecessary complexity to\n  an already complex taxation regime, I am inclined to favour\n  these kinds of tailored approaches ahead of sweeping changes,\n  which leave (government) revenue much reduced and may still\n  leave a lot of uncertainty as to what individual companies are\n  going to do in major areas,\" Evans said.\n      He said the government did not intend to change its\n  resource rent taxation (RRT) legislation, now before\n  parliament, in response to industry calls to allow all\n  exploration expenditure in a given area to be deductible.\n      As previously reported, RRT is a tax of 40 pct limited to\n  highly prospective offshore areas, based on profits after a\n  certain rate of return has been achieved for individual\n  projects.\n      APEA has said it is not a true profit-based tax because\n  exploration deductibility is limited to successful projects.\n      Evans said the decision not to change RRT was based more\n  than anything on the government's desire to ensure the\n  certainty and stability of the new regime, adding that major\n  investments have already been planned on the existing ground\n  rules.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GATT ROUND MAY STOP GROWING TRADE PROBLEMS - U.S.\n","article":"  A successful new GATT\n  (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) round is needed to\n  halt growing bilateral trade problems between major trading\n  partners, U.S. Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter said.\n      Yeutter, in New Zealand for informal GATT ministerial\n  talks, told Reuters bilateral trade disputes are increasing\n  because the multilateral system is inefficient.\n      \"That is really a strong rationale why we need a new GATT\n  round,\" he said. \"The very existence of all these bilateral\n  irritants clearly emphasises the need to develop multilateral\n  solutions to some of these problems.\"\n      The eighth GATT round of negotiations was launched at Punta\n  del Este in Uruguay in September 1986. Agriculture and services\n  were included in the negotiations for the first time.\n      The growing debt burden of Latin American and African\n  nations will also provide impetus for the GATT round to\n  succeed, he said.\n      \"Clearly those countries need to develop their export\n  endeavours and they need open markets for that to happen and\n  that's the basic objective of the new GATT round,\" he said.\n      But he said the GATT round is a long term endeavour. It\n  will not give any short term relief for debt ridden countries,\n  but it will make a difference in 10 to 15 years.\n      \"It's a worthwhile activity from their standpoint because\n  these debts are not going to go away in the next year or two,\"\n  he said.\n      \"They ought to be very strongly supported in the GATT round\n  as a mechanism for relieving their debt burdens or making\n  possible debt amortisation in the future,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TONKA CORP <TKA> RAISES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div two cts vs 1.7 cts\n      Pay March 26\n      Record March 12\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SHELL AUSTRALIA REPORTS 45.79 MLN DLR 1986 PROFIT\n","article":"  Royal Dutch\/Shell Group <RD.AMS> unit\n  <Shell Australia Ltd>, said its net profit fell to 45.79 mln\n  dlrs in 1986 from 66.76 mln in 1985.\n      Revenue fell to 4.55 billion dlrs from 4.91 billion, in an\n  extremely competitive and over-regulated environment, chairman\n  and chief executive Kevan Gosper said in a statement. A 26.25\n  mln dlr annual dividend would be paid to the parent after a\n  very disappointing year.\n      \"A return of 2.2 pct on funds employed represents a very\n  meagre return ... In an economy suffering from inflation of\n  around 10 pct,\" he said.\n      Gosper said the results reflected heavy reliance on\n  downstream oil and chemicals, poor coal and metal returns and\n  the financial burden of the North-West Shelf gas project.\n      Duties, royalties and taxes rose to 1.37 billion dlrs\n  against 852.72 mln in 1985 and Gosper urged the government to\n  move quickly to lift costly and unnecessary regulation.\n      \"It is just as important for Australia to maintain a\n  financially healthy, technically advanced refining and\n  marketing industry as it is to sustain oil exploration and\n  production,\" he said.\n      \"The Australian oil industry has the experience and the\n  capacity to serve the nation and its shareholders well if the\n  government would stop putting roadblocks in our way,\" he said.\n      Shell invested 500 mln dlrs over the past five years to\n  upgrade its oil refining and marketing business, but further\n  investment required an appropriate rate of return, he said.\n      Exploration and evaluation spending in 1986 fell to 18.77\n  mln dlrs from 26.35 mln, while investment in property and plant\n  rose to 374.25 mln from 353.94 mln a year earlier.\n      Gosper said oil companies would be under intense pressure\n  in 1987 because of forecast slow economic growth.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NAKASONE INTERVENES IN MICROCHIP DISPUTE WITH U.S.\n","article":"  Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone\n  intervened to try to resolve Japan's escalating dispute with\n  the U.S. Over semiconductor trade, government officials said.\n      At today's Cabinet meeting, Nakasone told Trade and\n  Industry Minister Hajime Tamura to redouble his efforts to calm\n  U.S. Anger over what it sees as Japan's unfair trade practices\n  in semiconductors.\n      Nakasone intervened only two days before a scheduled\n  meeting of the Reagan administration's Economic Policy Council\n  to consider whether Japan is reneging on its microchip pact\n  with the U.S.\n      That pact, agreed last year after months of negotiations,\n  calls on Japan to stop selling cut-price chips in world markets\n  and to raise its imports of U.S. Semiconductors.\n      Senior U.S. Officials have accused Tokyo of failing to live\n  up to the accord and have threatened retaliatory action.\n      Yesterday, Tamura's Ministry of International Trade and\n  Industry (MITI) launched a last-ditch attempt to salvage the\n  pact by writing letters to U.S. Policy makers setting out\n  Japan's case and telling Japanese chip makers to cut output.\n      In his letter, the contents of which were released today,\n  Tamura said a MITI survey carried out at the beginning of March\n  showed Japanese producers were not selling at cut-rate prices\n  in Asian markets.\n      In a separate letter sent to senior U.S. Officials, MITI\n  vice minister for international affairs Makoto Kuroda suggested\n  the two countries could conduct a joint investigation into\n  allegations of Japanese chip dumping in such markets.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORTHEAST, EASTERN THAILAND FACE SEVERE DROUGHT\n","article":"  Thirteen provinces, mainly in northeast\n  and eastern Thailand, have been suffering a worse than average\n  drought since mid-February and the dry spell is expected to\n  last until early May, Deputy Interior Minister Santi\n  Chaiviratana said.\n      Santi told reporters the government is launching a drought\n  relief operation mainly involving the use of water trucks to\n  send water to affected farming areas.\n      He did not say what crops have been damaged in northeast\n  Thailand but said large durian orchards in eastern Chanthaburi\n  province have suffered heavy losses.\n      The Minister said the affected areas include eight\n  provinces in the northeast, two in eastern Thailand and three\n  rubber growing provinces in the south near the Malaysian\n  border.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K., AUSTRALIA OFFER WHEAT TO BANGLADESH\n","article":"  Britain and Australia have offered a\n  total of 129,250 tonnes of wheat to Bangladesh as grants to\n  contain rising cereal prices and help support rural employment\n  projects, officials said.\n      They said 79,250 tonnes of wheat promised by Britain would\n  be shipped next week and used for the government's \"Food for\n  Work\" program in the villages.\n      Under the program, workers building roads, digging\n  irrigation canals and engaged in other rural development\n  activities get their daily wages in wheat instead of money.\n      The 50,000 tonnes of Australian wheat would arrive in\n  Bangladesh next month and be sold under open-market operations\n  designed to stop price increases, the officials said.\n      Prices of rice and wheat have risen at least 15 pct in the\n  past month, market sources said. But the government expects\n  prices to fall after the wheat harvest next month.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"Sumita says Bank of Japan will intervene if necessary\n","article":"\n  Sumita says Bank of Japan will intervene if necessary\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WORLD BANK CHIEF PLEDGES SUPPORT TO INDONESIA\n","article":"  World Bank president Barber Conable\n  pledged the Bank's support to help Indonesia adjust to lower\n  world oil prices, but said further deregulation of its\n  protected economy was needed.\n      Speaking to reporters after talks with President Suharto,\n  he said he expected Jakarta to do more to liberalise the\n  economy and deregulate trade policy.\n      Indonesia, hurt by the fall in oil prices last year which\n  cut the value of its crude exports in half, is the Third\n  World's sixth largest debtor. It has received 10.7 billion dlrs\n  from the World Bank in the past 20 years.\n      Conable said the World Bank, which granted Indonesia a 300\n  mln dlr loan last month to help its balance of payments, was\n  prepared to back Jakarta in taking the right steps to adjust to\n  lower oil and primary commodity prices.\n      \"We are prepared to support those steps which we believe are\n  consistent with the development of the Indonesian economy,\" he\n  said.\n      He said Jakarta's willingness to move quickly after last\n  year's collapse in oil price saved Indonesia from some of the\n  difficulties now faced by other countries.\n      Indonesia devalued its currency by 31 pct against the\n  dollar in September to avoid a balance of payments crisis, and\n  has announced a series of measures since May intended to\n  stimulate exports, encourage foreign investment and revitalise\n  the economy.\n      However, key monopolies in areas like steel and plastics\n  and high tariff barriers remain in place.\n      Conable arrived in Indonesia on Saturday and has since met\n  14 Indonesian cabinet ministers to review the country's\n  borrowing needs and the impact of falling oil prices on the\n  country.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUMITA SAYS BANK WILL INTERVENE IF NECESSARY\n","article":"  Bank of Japan Governor Satoshi Sumita\n  said in a statement the central bank will intervene in foreign\n  exchange markets to stabilise exchange rates if necessary in\n  close cooperation with other major industrial nations.\n      Sumita said the Bank will take adequate measures including\n  market intervention, if necessary, in line with the February 22\n  Paris agreement by six major industrial nations.\n      Canada, Britain, France, Japan, the U.S. And West Germany\n  agreed to cooperate in stabilising exchange rates around\n  current levels. Sumita's statement was issued after the dollar\n  slipped below 150 yen to hit a record low of 148.40.\n      \"It is inevitable that exchange rates fluctuate under the\n  system of floating rates,\" Sumita said.\n      The fact the dollar plunged below 150 yen does not mean\n  anything significant under the floating system, he said.\n      The six nations agreed in Paris exchange rates prevailing\n  then were broadly consistent with underlying economic\n  fundamentals and further substantial rate shifts could damage\n  growth and adjustment prospects in their countries, the Paris\n  statement said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"YEUTTER SAYS U.S.-JAPAN TRADE DIFFICULTIES REMAIN\n","article":"  U.S. Trade Representative\n  Clayton Yeutter said he was unsure whether some of the trade\n  issues straining U.S.-Japanese relations would be resolved\n  before the two countries open trade talks in late April.\n      \"We are having high level discussions on them (the issues)\n  within the United States...The relationship on some of those is\n  very strained between us (Japan) at the moment and we need to\n  relieve those strains at the earliest possible date,\" he said.\n      \"I am not sure we can wait until late April,\" he added.\n      Yeutter is in New Zealand for a two-day informal meeting of\n  trade ministers who are reviewing the Uruguay round of the\n  General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT).\n      He said he will meet the Japanese delegation over the next\n  few days but declined to discuss methods of relieving the\n  strain between the two countries.\n      Yeutter said earlier the three most contentious trade\n  issues were semiconductors, Japanese government unwillingness\n  to allow public entities to buy U.S. Super-computers and the\n  barring of U.S. Firms from the eight billion U.S. Dlr Kansai\n  airport project near Osaka.\n      The Japanese delegation to the GATT talks said in a\n  statement yesterday they are making major efforts to dismantle\n  trade barriers in their country.\n      \"I am convinced that they are attempting to move their\n  policies in the right direction. The question is how far and\n  how fast,\" Yeutter said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"P AND O 1986 PRETAX PROFIT 174.1 MLN STG VS 125.6 MLN\n","article":"\n  P AND O 1986 PRETAX PROFIT 174.1 MLN STG VS 125.6 MLN\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DILLARD DEPARTMENT STORES INC <DDS> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ended Jan 31\n      Shr 1.16 dlrs vs 1.15 dlrs\n      Net 32.4 mln vs 33.5 mln\n      Revs 629.0 mln vs 538.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 32.1 mln vs 29.2 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 2.35 dlrs vs 2.29 dlrs\n      Net 74.5 mln vs 66.9 mln\n      Revs 1.85 billion vs 1.60 billion\n      Avg shrs 31.7 mln vs 29.2 mln\n      Note: Shr\/avg shrs data show 2-for-1 split in Nov. 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"KUWAIT SAYS OPEC 2.4 MLN BPD BELOW CEILING\n","article":"  Kuwaiti oil minister Sheikh Ali\n  al-Khalifa al-Sabah said OPEC was producing well below its oil\n  output ceiling and this would help prices move higher,\n  according to a Kuwaiti newspaper interview.\n      The al-Rai al-Aam newspaper quoted him as saying OPEC was\n  pumping 2.4 mln barrels per day (bpd) less than its 15.8 mln\n  bpd ceiling, while consumers were drawing down their petroleum\n  stocks at a rate of 4.5 mln bpd.\n      As long as OPEC maintains its output curbs, demand for its\n  oil will rise in April and May, Sheikh Ali said, adding that\n  Kuwait was strongly committed to its OPEC quota.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Earnings per one stg of deferred stock 41.7p vs 34.9\n      Div 11.5p making 19.0 vs 16.0\n      Turnover 1.95 billion stg vs 1.63 billion\n      Pretax profit 174.1 mln vs 125.6 mln\n      Tax 49.4 mln vs 34.9 mln\n      NOTE - Company's full name is Peninsular and Oriental Steam\n  Navigation Co Plc <PORL.L>\n      Net operating costs 1.77 billion stg vs 1.51 billion\n      Share of profits of associates 21.1 mln vs 37.9 mln\n      Operating profit 206.3 mln vs 154.2 mln\n      Investment income 1.7 mln vs 3.6 mln\n      Net interest payable 29.5 mln vs 29.2 mln\n      Employee profit sharing 4.4 mln vs 3.0 mln\n      Minority interests 2.5 mln debit vs 2.4 mln debit\n      Extraordinary items 29.8 mln credit vs 0.1 mln credit\n      Group operating profit includes -\n      Service industries 40.7 mln vs 34.4 mln\n      Passenger shipping 19.5 mln vs 13.1 mln\n      Housebuilding, construction\/development 50.1 mln vs 30.0\n  mln\n      Container and bulk shipping 43.8 mln vs 34.4 mln\n      P and O Australia 6.6 mln vs 9.4 mln\n      Banking nil vs 7.7 mln\n      Investment property income 45.6 mln vs 25.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Woolworth Holdings pretax profit 115.3 mln stg vs 81.3 mln, year to end-January\n","article":"\n  Woolworth Holdings pretax profit 115.3 mln stg vs 81.3 mln, year to end-January\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CHINA SAYS POSSIBLE GOOD HARVEST DESPITE DROUGHT\n","article":"  China's summer grain harvest may be good\n  despite a serious drought because the State Council (cabinet)\n  has spent one billion yuan on irrigation and other anti-drought\n  work, a Hong Kong newspaper said.\n      Wen Hui Bao said the drought, which has affected Shanxi,\n  Hebei, Henan and Shandong the most, has eased with March rains\n  in south China and March snowfall in the north and as some new\n  irrigation projects have come into use.\n      \"If the drought does not worsen, there is hope for a bumper\n  harvest,\" it quoted experts of the Ministry of Electric Power as\n  saying. They gave no figures.\n      The 1986 summer grain harvest was a record 93 mln tonnes,\n  up from 92 mln in 1985, out of a total 1986 grain harvest of\n  391 mln. The 1987 target is 405 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WOOLWORTH HOLDINGS PLC <WLUK.L> YR TO END-JANUARY\n","article":"  Shr 47.1p vs 37.7\n      Shr fully diluted 42.2p vs 33.6\n      Div 11p vs 7 making 16 vs 10\n      Turnover 1.83 billion stg vs 1.76 billion\n      Pretax profit 115.3 mln vs 81.3 mln\n      Tax 30.5 mln vs 16.2 mln\n      Retail profit -\n      B and Q 45.5 mln vs 33.1 mln\n      Comet 17.4 mln vs 11.9 mln\n      Woolworth 38.7 mln vs 17.6 mln\n      Other 4.6 mln loss vs 600,000 loss\n      Property income 49.4 mln vs 48.0 mln\n      Net interest payable 31.1 mln vs 28.7 mln\n      Extraordinary debit 16.0 mln vs 29.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TMOC TELLS SHAREHOLDERS NOT TO ACCEPT SANTOS BID\n","article":"  <TMOC Resources Ltd> told shareholders\n  not to accept Santos Ltd's <STOS.S> 4.00 dlr a share takeover\n  bid pending advice from Macquarie Hill Samuel Corporate\n  Services, its corporate advisor.\n      It said in a statement the Santos bid was below the\n  underlying value of the shares as assessed by Macquarie Hill\n  Samuel at between 4.08 dlrs and 4.72.\n      TMOC, formerly the Moonie Oil Co Ltd, said the valuation\n  was made in response to an earlier and still current bid of\n  2.55 dlrs a share by <Elders Resources Ltd>. Elders Resources\n  holds 19.9 pct of TMOC's 62 mln shares.\n      TMOC said it did not know Elders Resources' response to the\n  bid or that of its other major shareholder the <Australian Gas\n  Light Co>. The latter has a 10.5 pct stake in TMOC.\n      <Avalon Corp> of the U.S. Has a 17 pct stake in TMOC\n  through an option agreement.\n      Santos, which is 15 pct owned by Elders Resources,\n  yesterday said its bid valued TMOC at 248.5 mln dlrs.\n      TMOC said today this was not a premium over the share price\n  before the bid and that TMOC had traded at up to 4.06 dlrs a\n  share in the last two weeks.\n      TMOC said in the statement that the bid was unsolicited and\n  that Santos had only a 3.07 pct stake despite paying up to four\n  dlrs a share on-market.\n      TMOC has oil and gas interests and pipelines which\n  complement the operations of Santos, the major Cooper Basin oil\n  and gas producer.\n      TMOC shares today closed five cents up at 4.15 dlrs on\n  turnover of 182,000 shares while Santos, due to release its\n  profit result today, rose eight cents to 4.50 dlrs on volume of\n  245,000 shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SANTOS LTD <STOS.S> YEAR END DEC 31 NET PROFIT 88.67 DLRS VS 144.04 MLN\n","article":"\n  SANTOS LTD <STOS.S> YEAR END DEC 31 NET PROFIT 88.67 DLRS VS 144.04 MLN\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WILLIAMS HOLDINGS SAYS IT BIDDING 542.2 MLN STG FOR NORCROS ORDINARY SHARES\n","article":"\n  WILLIAMS HOLDINGS SAYS IT BIDDING 542.2 MLN STG FOR NORCROS ORDINARY SHARES\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WILLIAMS HOLDINGS BIDS 542.2 MLN STG FOR NORCROS\n","article":"  Industrial holding company Williams\n  Holdings Plc said it was bidding 542.2 mln stg for the ordinary\n  shares of building products and packaging group Norcros Plc.\n      The offer would be made on the basis of 29 new Williams\n  shares for every 50 in Norcros, or 432.7p a share\n      Norcros shares firmed to 410p at 0914 GMT from a close last\n  night of 397p.\n      A statement by Williams said it was confident of the merits\n  of the proposed merger and it had therefore taken care to\n  propose from the outset the right terms, including a full cash\n  alternative.\n      The offer will include a partial convertible alternative\n  under which shareholders would receive up to a total of 205.69\n  mln new second convertible shares in Williams instead of their\n  ordinary share allocations.\n      The offer for Norcros preferential shares offers one\n  Williams preferential share for each one of Norcros, for a\n  value of 130p each and a total of 2.9 mln stg.\n      Last week Williams reported that pretax profits for 1986\n  rose to 22.9 mln stg from 6.3 mln.\n      Speculation about a bid for Norcros had been circulating in\n  the market for several months, dealers said. Initially it\n  centred on <Bunzl Plc>, which once held a 2.6 pct stake, then\n  switched to Williams when it began accumulating shares.\n      Earlier this year, Williams suggested holding talks with\n  Norcros on a possible merger but was rebuffed by Norcros which\n  replied that any benefits that could be achieved could also\n  result from normal trading.\n      In the six months to end-September, Norcros reported a rise\n  in pretax profits to 20.14 mln stg from 18.55 mln on turnover\n  that lifted to 311.82 mln from 303.91 mln\n      Williams Holdings began expanding from 1982 when it had a\n  market capitalisation of around one mln stg. A series of\n  acquisitions in the next four years has pushed its\n  capitalisation up to around 380 mln.\n      The convertible offer would be on the basis of four\n  Williams convertibles for every Norcros share, worth 428p a\n  share. The cash alternative would offer the equivalent of\n  400.2p a share.\n      The announcement of the bid pushed Williams share price\n  down to 733p from last night's close at 750p.\n      Williams said it held a total 850,000 shares in Norcros, or\n  0.7 pct, while an associate held a further 1.99 mln or 1.6 pct.\n      There was no immediate response from Norcros.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SANTOS LTD <STOS.S> YEAR ENDING DEC 31\n","article":"  Shr 37.0 cents vs 60.0\n      Final div deferred vs 11 cents (1985 full year 20.0)\n      Pre-tax 171.05 mln vs 239.97 mln\n      Net 88.67 mln vs 144.04 mln\n      Turnover 400.42 mln vs 506.51 mln\n      Other income 85.44 mln vs 71.04 mln\n      Shrs 238.99 vs same.\n      NOTE - Final div deferred for tax advantage until after\n  July 1 but not expected to be less than nine cents (interim\n  seven). Net after tax 82.38 mln vs 95.92 mln, depreciation and\n  amortisation 93.29 mln vs 76.19 mln, interest 90.94 mln vs\n  116.49 mln, minorities nil vs loss 10,000 but before\n  extraordinary loss 6.49 mln vs loss 53.40 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DOUBTS ABOUT ACCORD SEEN WEAKENING DOLLAR FURTHER\n","article":"  The dollar is expected to decline further\n  in coming days as scepticism mounts about the effectiveness of\n  last month's Paris accord to stabilise currency exchange rates,\n  senior foreign exchange dealers said.\n      Following its fall today to a record 148.40 yen, dealers\n  said they expect the dollar to establish a new trading range of\n  147 to 150 yen before the market again tries to push it down.\n  Behind the latest dollar fall lies the belief that last month's\n  accord was no longer enough to stop operators pushing the\n  dollar down, the dealers said.\n      \"The recent remark by U.S. Treasury Secretary James Baker\n  that the Paris accord did not set any target ranges for major\n  currencies has cast a shadow on the agreement,\" said Koji\n  Kidokoro, general manager of Mitsui Bank Ltd's treasury\n  division.\n      He said the market interpreted this as indicating the U.S.\n  Would favour a weaker dollar and it had little intention of\n  intervening to support the currency.\n      \"This eliminated the widespread market caution against\n  possible joint central bank intervention,\" Kidokoro said.\n      Dealers said the dollar had gathered renewed downward\n  momentum and that Bank of Japan intervention alone could hardly\n  contain a further slide in the currency.\n      They said the central bank bought between one to 1.5\n  billion dlrs today, including direct purchases through brokers,\n  and yesterday it might have bought a small amount of dollars\n  through the U.S. Central bank in New York.\n      Most dealers said they doubted the U.S. Federal Reserve\n  would intervene on its own account to support the dollar, but\n  some said this might occur if the dollar fell much below 148\n  yen.\n      \"If the dollar drops to that low level, it could reduce the\n  flow of foreign capital into U.S. Securities, which the\n  Americans don't want,\" said Haruya Uehara, chief money market\n  manager of Mitsubishi Trust and Banking Corp.\n      He said the dollar may return to around 152 yen next month\n  when corporations reduce their dollar sales after they close\n  their books for the 1986\/87 business year ending on March 31.\n      But dealers said the longer-term outlook for the dollar\n  remained bearish. This was due to the lacklustre performance of\n  the U.S. Economy, the continuing U.S. Trade deficit and\n  Japanese delays in announcing an economic stimulation package.\n      \"The Americans are getting frustrated at Japan's inertia in\n  stimulating its economy,\" said Hirozumi Tanaka, assistant\n  general manager of Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank Ltd's international\n  treasury division.\n      In the Paris currency accord Japan promised a package of\n  economic measures, after the fiscal 1987 budget was passed, to\n  boost domestic demand, increase imports, and thus reduce its\n  trade surplus. The package was expected in April, but debate on\n  the budget has been delayed by an opposition boycott of\n  parliamentary business over the proposed introduction of a\n  sales tax.\n      In the circumstances the government had only a slim chance\n  of producing a meaningful economic package in the near future,\n  Dai-Ichi Kangyo's Tanaka said.\n      Dealers said if steps are not taken to stimulate the\n  Japanese economy protectionist sentiment in the U.S. Congress\n  would grow and put more downward pressure on the dollar.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN OIL INDUSTRY TO CONTINUE TAX CAMPAIGN\n","article":"  The council of the\n  Australian Petroleum Exploration Association (APEA) said it\n  will press on with its campaign for major improvements to\n  Australia's petroleum taxation structure.\n      The council said in a statement the industry was bitterly\n  disappointed by the Australian government's position on\n  taxation, as presented in a speech by Resources and Energy\n  Minister Gareth Evans to the APEA conference.\n      As earlier reported, Evans said he was inclined to target\n  any tax changes rather than take a broad-based approach to\n  secondary taxation of petroleum.\n      APEA had expected the government to make positive responses\n  to detailed industry submissions seeking the removal of\n  existing secondary tax disincentives to exploration and\n  development, the council said.\n      It said it plans to reply in detail to issues raised by\n  Evans, but its immediate concern was the decision to proceed\n  with the current resource rental tax (RRT) legislation.\n      Evans told the conference the government did not plan to\n  accept industry pleas for changes in the legislation to allow\n  deductibility of unsuccessful exploration expenditure.\n      \"The government's unwillingness to allow the deduction of\n  unsuccessful exploration expenditure within the whole offshore\n  area in which RRT applies negates any claim that the tax is\n  profit based,\" the APEA council said.\n      The government missed a major opportunity to persuade oil\n  exploration companies that it had realistic answers to the\n  industry's concerns, despite its recognition of the industry's\n  problems, the council said.\n      The industry has called for the end of all discriminatory\n  secondary taxation of petroleum, citing them as major\n  disincentives at a time of low oil prices.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GERMAN FEBRUARY IMPORT PRICES FALL\n","article":"  Import prices in West Germany fell\n  0.7 pct in February from January to stand 15.6 pct below their\n  level in February 1986, the Federal Statistics Office said.\n      In January the import price index, base 1980, was unchanged\n  compared with December but 17.8 pct lower against January 1986.\n      February export prices, same base as import prices, were\n  unchanged compared with January and 2.5 pct lower than in\n  February 1986.\n      In January export prices fell 0.3 pct against December to\n  stand 3.0 pct lower than in January 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NIPPON LIFE, SHEARSON TIE-UP SEEN SETTING TREND\n","article":"  Nippon Life Insurance Co's 538 mln dlr\n  purchase of a 13 pct stake in Shearson Lehman Brothers Inc\n  brokerage unit is a shrewd move that other Japanese insurers\n  are likely to follow, securities analysts said.\n      The investment in one of Wall Street's top brokerage houses\n  is likely to pay off in dollars and international market\n  position, they said. \"It's part of a trend towards growing\n  capital participation by Japanese insurance firms in foreign\n  financial institutions,\" said Simon Smithson, an analyst with\n  Kleinwort Benson International Inc in Tokyo.\n      The investment in Shearson Lehman, a growing firm described\n  by some analysts as the top U.S. Retail brokerage, will give\n  Nippon Life a ringside seat and possibly lower commissions on\n  Wall Street, where it invests an increasing percentage of its\n  assets of 90.2 billion dlrs, they said.\n      Nippon Life staff will also acquire expertise in business\n  sectors which have not yet opened up in Japan, they added.\n      The agreement between the two companies calls for a 50-50\n  joint venture in London focussing on investment advisory asset\n  management, market research, and consulting on financing.\n      Nippon Life is Japan's largest insurance company and the\n  world's biggest institutional investor, analysts said.\n      The Japanese finance ministry is expected to approve the\n  deal in April, making Nippon Life the first Japanese life\n  insurance firm to take a stake in a U.S. Financial firm.\n      The limit on foreign assets as a proportion of Japanese\n  insurers' assets was increased to 25 pct from 10 pct last year.\n  Since then, they have stepped up purchases of foreign stocks\n  and sought to deepen their understandng of foreign markets and\n  instruments.\n      Last year, a Sumitomo Life Insurance Co official was\n  appointed to E.F. Hutton Group Inc unit E.F. Hutton and Co's\n  board and Sumitomo Bank Ltd spent 500 mln dlrs to become a\n  limited partner in Goldman, Sachs and Co.\n      Smithson said Japanese banks started buying smaller and\n  problem-plagued banks in 1984. \"But now Japanese are going for\n  blue-chip organisations,\" he said.\n      \"It's a reflection of what has happened in manufacturing\n  industries,\" said Brian Waterhouse at James Capel and Co. \"With a\n  historically high yen, and historically low interest rates,\n  there's an increasing disincentive to invest in Japan.\"\n      Competition in fund management has grown along with greater\n  Japanese savings. The typical salaried employee has 7.33 mln\n  yen in savings, reflecting an annual average savings rate of 17\n  to 18 pct, he said.\n      To stay competitive, fund managers must invest overseas and\n  gain experience with financial instruments which are likely to\n  spread to Japan with further deregulation. \"The high regulatory\n  environment has delayed (life insurance firms')\n  diversification. Now there's a growing number of new products\n  in an environment of increasing competition for performance on\n  fund management,\" Smithson said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET DEFICIT FORECAST AT 300 MLN STG\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it forecast a\n  shortage of around 300 mln stg in the money market today.\n      Among the main factors affecting liquidity, bills maturing\n  in official hands and the take-up of treasury bills will drain\n  some 338 mln stg while bankers' balances below target will take\n  out around 25 mln stg.\n      Partly offsetting these outflows, a fall in note\n  circulation and exchequer transactions will add some 45 mln stg\n  and 25 mln stg to the system respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SANTOS SAYS PROFITS HIT BY OIL PRICE FALL\n","article":"  Leading Australian onshore oil and gas\n  producer, Santos Ltd <STOS.S>, said its 1986 results were hit\n  by sharp reductions in prices for crude oil, condensate and\n  liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).\n      The Cooper Basin producer earlier reported a fall in net\n  profit to 88.67 mln dlrs from 144.04 mln in 1985.\n      Santos chairman Sir Brian Massy-Greene said in a statement\n  that increased production, particularly of oil and LPG, along\n  with reduced operating costs and reduced or deferred oil\n  exploration and development outlays, were helping Santos deal\n  with an adverse business climate.\n      Santos said it remained financially strong with an\n  injection of 84 mln dlrs from the second instalment of a 1985\n  rights issue, and had cash reserves of 381.3 mln dlrs at the\n  end of 1986 against 401.9 mln a year earlier.\n      It said it had also made significant progress in repaying\n  debts and at year end the ratio of debt to shareholders' funds\n  had fallen to 1.01 from 1.54.\n      Santos yesterday announced a 4.00 dlr a share takeover bid\n  for the 96.93 pct it did not already hold in oil and gas\n  company <TMOC Resources Ltd> -- valuing the target at 248.5 mln\n  dlrs.\n      Santos said 75 pct of its loans were U.S. Dollar\n  denominated and significant currency purchases were made during\n  the year to maintain that natural hedge. At year end it held\n  145 mln U.S. Dlrs, enough to meet all 1987 repayments.\n      Santos said it had a successful gas exploration program,\n  finding 172 billion cubic feet in South Australia, but oil\n  exploration was less successful with 1.62 mln barrels added to\n  reserves -- less than depletion during the year.\n      Cooper Basin producers are committed to a two-year scheme\n  to double gas exploration while Santos said its 1987 budget for\n  oil exploration had been boosted 20 pct.\n      Santos said the outlook for 1987 depended on prices and\n  production volumes but with extra oil exploration and\n  encouraging gas finds there were grounds for optimism.\n      But it called on the goverment to continue fostering\n  domestic producers through the Import Parity Price scheme.\n      \"It makes no sense to abandon this policy now when\n  exploration is at its lowest level for many years and when\n  Australia's oil self-sufficency is expected to decline rapidly,\"\n  Massy-Green said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"P AND O PLANS WARRANT ISSUE TO MARK ANNIVERSARY\n","article":"  Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation\n  Co Plc <PORL.L>, P and O, said it plans a free warrant issue on\n  the basis of 10 warrants for every 150 stg nominal of deferred\n  stock already held, to mark the 150th anniversary of the\n  company.\n      Each warrant will give the right to subscribe for one stg\n  nominal of deferred stock at 750p during a specified period in\n  the five years starting in 1988.\n      P and O deferred shares were last quoted at 629p, down 1p\n  since yesterday, after the company reported 1986 pre-tax profit\n  of 174.1 mln stg against 125.6 mln for 1985.\n      P and O said 1986 produced an acceptable level of growth,\n  though ground has to be made up in one or two areas.\n      The company has a strong balance sheet and considerable\n  flexibility for 1987, it added. P and O will concentrate on\n  expanding in its established market sectors.\n      Commenting on the recent ferry disaster in the North Sea\n  off Zeebrugge, the statement said the precise cause is unknown.\n  The company has instituted an immediate investigation and both\n  the British and Belgian governments are conducting inquiries.\n      The stricken ferry, the Herald of Free Enterprise, belongs\n  to Townsend Thoresen, which became part of P and O in January.\n      P and O is considering listing its shares in Japan and\n  other important overseas financial centres, the statement\n  added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANADA OUTLINES GATT AGRICULTURAL REFORM PLAN\n","article":"  Canadian Trade Minister Pat\n  Carney said that agricultural policies should not hurt world\n  international trade and should therefore become more price\n  responsive over time.\n      She told delegates at the informal meeting of trade\n  ministers that this was one of five principles Canada wanted\n  adopted in reforming agriculture in the General Agreement on\n  Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Secondly, support for agriculture\n  should avoid production incentives, and thirdly, countries\n  should freeze and seek to reduce government aid measures that\n  distorted world prices, Carney said.\n      Carney said the fourth principle was that countries should\n  not introduce new import barriers not mandated by existing\n  legislation and the fifth was that these basic principles must\n  be implemented collectively.\n      Carney later told Reuters the Canadian guidelines are\n  basically compatible with the seven point Australian proposals\n  announced in Davos, Switzerland, in January.\n      European trade sources said the conference welcomed the\n  Canadian initiative but some delegates, and not only the\n  European Community, voiced reservations about some of the\n  principles.\n      Carney said there was a lot of political will among the\n  ministers here to complete the Uruguay Round of GATT in under\n  four years and that there is also a realisation that it has to\n  be done in a balanced way.\n      \"The consensus view was to proceed as fast as we can on a\n  broad front and see what areas emerge where we can get early\n  conclusion,\" she said.\n      However, the meeting did not identify what those areas are,\n  Carney said.  She said Canada\/U.S. Bilateral trade\n  negotiations, which must be concluded at least in draft form by\n  October, are progressing well.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN ISSUES MORE CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSITS\n","article":"  The Central Bank said it issued 4.96\n  billion dlrs worth of certificates of deposit (CDs) today,\n  after issuing 4.03 billion of similar CDs yesterday, bringing\n  the total value of CD issues in 1987 to 139.46 billion.\n      The new CDs, with maturities of six months, one year and\n  two years, carry interest rates ranging from 4.07 pct to 5.12\n  pct, a bank official told Reuters.\n      The issues are designed to help curb the growth of m-1b\n  money supply, which is expanding as a result of large foreign\n  exchange reserves.\n      The reserves hit a record 53 billion U.S. Dlrs yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PHILIPPINE TRADE SECRETARY PLEASED WITH GATT TALKS\n","article":"  Philippine Secretary of\n  Trade and Industry Jose Concepcion, who two days ago expressed\n  doubts about agreements produced at international conferences,\n  said he was pleased with the latest gathering here.\n      Concepcion told Reuters in an interview that the informal\n  General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) meeting gave\n  ministers from more than 20 nations the chance to examine\n  issues with which GATT did not have the political will to deal.\n      \"Also, the role of the developing countries has been\n  emphasised in this particular meeting. Somehow it has been the\n  perception of developing countries that GATT is a club of rich\n  countries,\" he added in an interview with Reuters.\n      \"In fact many of the issues that have been tabled for\n  discussion (in the Uruguay round of trade negotiations) will be\n  of more benefit to the developed countries,\" he said.\n      Concepcion said at the start of the Taupo meeting that the\n  Uruguay round was meant to be a \"shining act of faith\" in the\n  world trade system.\n      Concepcion said the Philippines would address the issues of\n  trade in tropical fruit and the improvement of GATT machinery\n  to make it more responsive.\n      He said tropical fruit came from developing countries but\n  faced non-tariff barriers, quantitative restrictions or very\n  high duties in other nations. Concepcion named Japan and South\n  Korea as examples.\n      He said he would go to Wellington for talks with New\n  Zealand, which had a surplus in trade with the Philippines, to\n  encourage it to switch imports from other countries. He noted\n  that New Zealand bought its bananas from Ecuador.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DROUGHT HITS THAI RUBBER AND FRUIT GROWERS\n","article":"  A drought that began seven weeks ago is\n  hurting orchards and rubber plantations in Thailand and\n  officials said it could last until May.\n      The government is trucking water into parched farms in\n  parts of northeastern, eastern and southern provinces, but not\n  enough to satisfy farmers, according to press reports.\n      There has been no official estimate of damage.\n      Officials of Thailand's rain-making institute said its\n  airplanes could help little because few clouds were forming for\n  them to seed with rain-making chemicals. Thailand has a rainy\n  season that normally starts in May and lasts to October.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MIYAZAWA SAYS U.S. LIKELY TO INTERVENE\n","article":"  Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa told\n  Parliament's Lower House Finance Committee that the U.S. Is\n  expected to intervene in the foreign exchange market to\n  stabilise exchange rates, political sources said.\n      Asked if the U.S. Federal Reserve Board agreed in Paris\n  last month to intervene to stabilise exchange rates, Miyazawa\n  said yes, the sources said.\n      Miyazawa was also quoted as saying that he is sceptical\n  about the effectiveness of currency reference ranges even if\n  major nations agree on such an idea as it is extremely\n  difficult to set such ranges.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"British Aerospace 1986 pretax profit 182.2 mln stg vs 150.5 mln\n","article":"\n  British Aerospace 1986 pretax profit 182.2 mln stg vs 150.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRITISH AEROSPACE PLC <BAEL.L> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 51.4p vs 56.4p\n      Div 11.0p making 17.4p, a 10 pct increase on 1985\n      Turnover 3.14 billion stg vs 2.65 billion\n      Pretax profit 182.2 mln vs 150.5 mln\n      Tax 53.8 mln vs 23.5 mln\n      Note - comparisons restated.\n      Trading profit 217.2 mln vs 211.1 mln\n      Launching costs 47.6 mln vs 51.6 mln\n      Share of profit of related companies 3.6 mln vs 3.4 mln\n      Net interest receivable 9.0 mln vs 12.4 mln payable\n      Extraordinary debit 44.1 mln vs nil\n      Trading profit includes  -\n      Civil aircraft 7.7 mln loss vs 2.5 mln loss\n      Military aircraft and support services 146.0 mln vs 148.3\n  mln\n      Guided weapon and electronic systems 139.7 mln vs 127.8 mln\n      Space and communications 1.9 mln vs 2.0 mln loss\n      Company funded research and development 62.7 mln loss vs\n  54.9 mln\n      Reorganisation costs nil vs 5.6 mln loss\n      Launch costs include -\n      BAe 146 17.1 mln vs 27.3 mln\n      Airbus 19.4 mln vs 6.9 mln\n      BAe 125-800 0.3 mln vs 1.5 mln\n      ATP 10.8 mln vs 15.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KENTUCKY CENTRAL LIFE <KENCA> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Kentucky Central Life Insurance\n  Co said it declared a semi-annual dividend of 55 cts per share,\n  payable March 31 to shareholders or record March 19.\n      The dividend is equal to the company's previous semi-annual\n  payout.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GERMAN FEB SUGAR STOCKS UP IN YEAR, DOWN IN MONTH\n","article":"  West German sugar stocks rose to 2.60 mln\n  tonnes, white value, at the end of February from 2.50 mln at\n  the same time a year earlier, the sugar industry association\n  WVZ said.\n      However, stocks were well below the 2.82 mln held at the\n  end of January.\n      Sugar exports between October 1 and February 28 rose to\n  449,253 tonnes from 435,727 in the same period of 1985\/86.\n  Sales to non-European Community countries rose to 419,541\n  tonnes from 349,511, while sales within the EC fell sharply to\n  29,712 tonnes from 86,216.\n      Imports in October-February fell to 59,605 tonnes from\n  76,044 in the same months a year earlier, the sugar industry\n  association said.\n      Human sugar consumption in October-February rose to 817,856\n  tonnes from 799,128 in the year-ago period.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PORTUGUESE GRAIN AGENCY BAN TO REMAIN - EC SOURCES\n","article":"  A ban by a Portuguese court on the\n  state buying agency EPAC taking part in cereals import tenders\n  open to private traders will remain unless it is reversed in\n  Portugal or challenged in the European Court of Justice,\n  European Commission sources said.\n      They denied a statement yesterday by Portuguese Agriculture\n  Minister Alvaro Barreto that the commission had accepted that\n  EPAC should be eligible, saying it had taken no view in the\n  matter.\n      Under the terms of Portugal's accession to the European\n  Community, a grain import monopoly held by EPAC is being\n  reduced by 20 pct annually until all imports are liberalised in\n  1990.\n      Lisbon's civil court decided in a preliminary ruling\n  earlier this month that EPAC should not be allowed to take\n  part, as it had done in the past, in tenders for the\n  liberalised share of annual grain imports.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF JAPAN STEPS UP DOLLAR BUYING\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan stepped up its dollar\n  buying as it re-entered the market after the midday Tokyo lunch\n  break, dealers said.\n      They said the bank seemed more determined to support the\n  dollar than it did this morning.\n      Several dealers said the central bank intervened this\n  afternoon when the dollar stood around 149 yen.\n      One said it purchased 150 to 200 mln dlrs in the half-hour\n  since the market re-opened after its lunchtime closure. Another\n  said the bank still has buying orders in the market.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SUMITA SAYS BANK WILL INTERVENE IF NECESSARY\n","article":"  Bank of Japan Governor Satoshi Sumita\n  said in a statement the central bank will intervene in foreign\n  exchange markets to stabilise exchange rates if necessary in\n  close cooperation with other major industrial nations.\n      Sumita said the Bank will take adequate measures including\n  market intervention, if necessary, in line with the February 22\n  Paris agreement by six major industrial nations.\n      Canada, Britain, France, Japan, the U.S. And West Germany\n  agreed to cooperate in stabilising exchange rates around\n  current levels. Sumita's statement was issued after the dollar\n  slipped below 150 yen to hit a record low of 148.40.\n      \"It is inevitable that exchange rates fluctuate under the\n  system of floating rates,\" Sumita said.\n      The fact the dollar plunged below 150 yen does not mean\n  anything significant under the floating system, he said.\n      The six nations agreed in Paris exchange rates prevailing\n  then were broadly consistent with underlying economic\n  fundamentals and further substantial rate shifts could damage\n  growth and adjustment prospects in their countries, the Paris\n  statement said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BANK OF NEW ENGLAND CORP <BKNE> QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 28 cts vs 28 cts prior\n      Pay April 20\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CBI SURVEY POINTS TO SURGE IN U.K. OUTPUT\n","article":"  British manufacturers expect output to\n  grow rapidly in the four coming months, a Confederation of\n  British Industry (CBI) survey shows.\n      The CBI's monthly trends survey for March shows that 43 pct\n  of the 1,685 polled U.K. Firms expect to raise output in the\n  next four months. Only nine pct expect output to fall while 47\n  pct said production would likely remain unchanged.\n      The CBI said the positive balance between firms expecting\n  production to rise and those forecasting a fall, at 34 pct, was\n  the highest such figure recorded since 1977.\n      In the CBI's February survey, 37 pct of companies expected\n  a rise in output while 54 pct forecast production would remain\n  at present levels and eight pct expected production to drop.\n      The survey also showed that 23 pct of the polled companies\n  consider current order books to be above normal while 58 pct\n  view them as normal and only 19 pct regard them as below\n  normal.\n      This was the highest positive balance since the question\n  was first asked more than 10 years ago, the CBI said.\n      In February, the figures were 24 pct, 22 pct and 54 pct\n  respectively.\n      Companies also rated their export possibilities higher. Of\n  all polled companies, 23 pct rated their export order books to\n  be above normal and 53 pct described them as normal while only\n  23 pct believed export orders were below normal levels.\n      In February, 25 pct thought their export books were below\n  normal and 50 pct believed them to be about normal. At 23 pct,\n  the proportion of companies rating their export books above\n  normal was unchanged between February and March.\n      On prices, the survey showed that 62 pct of companies\n  expect average prices at which domestic orders are booked will\n  remain unchanged in the coming four months, up from 57 pct in\n  February.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"YEUTTER SEES GATT CONSENSUS ON FARM TRADE REFORM\n","article":"  U.S. Trade Representative\n  Clayton Yeutter said trade ministers meeting here have reached\n  a general consensus on agricultural trade reform under the\n  latest Uruguay round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and\n  Trade (GATT).\n      Yeutter gave no precise details of the understanding but\n  told journalists the consensus covers the principles involved\n  in agricultural trade reform and what needs to be done to\n  improve the global situation in agriculture.\n      Delegates from 22 countries are meeting informally to\n  discuss progress made since the latest GATT round was launched\n  in Punta del Este, Uruguay, last September.\n      Yeutter said \"at least people seem to be going down the same\n  road...But how that translates ultimately into negotiations is\n  another matter entirely.\"\n      There seems to be an understanding of the need to deal with\n  the problem quickly and \"a more common understanding of how we\n  are going to get from here to there,\" Yeutter said.\n      However, the hard work is still to come, with a couple of\n  years of tough negotiations ahead, he said.\n      \"It is ludicrous for the nations of the world to plough\n  immense amounts of financial resources into the production of\n  items that nobody wants to buy,\" he said.\n      He said the long-term answer is to switch some of the\n  financial resources now committed to agriculture to other more\n  productive areas. This would help agriculture because some its\n  inefficient non-productive segments would stop operating, he\n  said.\n      Individual segments in many countries may lose in the\n  process, but it should result in a more rational system of\n  world-wide production within 10 or 15 years, he said.\n      It is important that the agriculture negotiations reach a\n  relatively early conclusion because the U.S. Is spending 26\n  billion dlrs a year and the European Community probably more\n  than that, which is an ineffective use of financial resources,\n  he said.\n      Asked about the prospect of a priority for agriculture in\n  the negotiations, he said \"one has to be politically\n  realistic... If there is any chance of getting it (agricultural\n  trade reform) done in two to three years it's going to have to\n  be as part of a larger package.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NAKASONE INTERVENES IN MICROCHIP DISPUTE\n","article":"  Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone\n  intervened to try to resolve Japan's escalating dispute with\n  the U.S. Over semiconductor trade, government officials said.\n      At today's Cabinet meeting, Nakasone told Trade and\n  Industry Minister Hajime Tamura to redouble his efforts to calm\n  U.S. Anger over what it sees as Japan's unfair trade practices\n  in semiconductors.\n      Nakasone intervened only two days before a scheduled\n  meeting of the Reagan administration's Economic Policy Council\n  to consider whether Japan is reneging on its microchip pact\n  with the U.S.\n      That pact, agreed last year after months of negotiations,\n  calls on Japan to stop selling cut-price chips in world markets\n  and to raise its imports of U.S. Semiconductors.\n      Senior U.S. Officials have accused Tokyo of failing to live\n  up to the accord and have threatened retaliatory action.\n      Yesterday, Tamura's Ministry of International Trade and\n  Industry (MITI) launched a last-ditch attempt to salvage the\n  pact by writing letters to U.S. Policy makers setting out\n  Japan's case and telling Japanese chip makers to cut output.\n      In his letter, the contents of which were released today,\n  Tamura said a MITI survey carried out at the beginning of March\n  showed Japanese producers were not selling at cut-rate prices\n  in Asian markets.\n      In a separate letter sent to senior U.S. Officials, MITI\n  vice minister for international affairs Makoto Kuroda suggested\n  the two countries could conduct a joint investigation into\n  allegations of Japanese chip dumping in such markets.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DOUBTS ABOUT ACCORD SEEN WEAKENING DOLLAR FURTHER\n","article":"  The dollar is expected to decline further\n  in coming days as scepticism mounts about the effectiveness of\n  last month's Paris accord to stabilise currency exchange rates,\n  senior foreign exchange dealers said.\n      Following its fall today to a record 148.40 yen, dealers\n  said they expect the dollar to establish a new trading range of\n  147 to 150 yen before the market again tries to push it down.\n  Behind the latest dollar fall lies the belief that last month's\n  accord was no longer enough to stop operators pushing the\n  dollar down, the dealers said.\n      \"The recent remark by U.S. Treasury Secretary James Baker\n  that the Paris accord did not set any target ranges for major\n  currencies has cast a shadow on the agreement,\" said Koji\n  Kidokoro, general manager of Mitsui Bank Ltd's treasury\n  division.\n      He said the market interpreted this as indicating the U.S.\n  Would favour a weaker dollar and it had little intention of\n  intervening to support the currency.\n      \"This eliminated the widespread market caution against\n  possible joint central bank intervention,\" Kidokoro said.\n      Dealers said the dollar had gathered renewed downward\n  momentum and that Bank of Japan intervention alone could hardly\n  contain a further slide in the currency.\n      They said the central bank bought between one to 1.5\n  billion dlrs today, including direct purchases through brokers,\n  and yesterday it might have bought a small amount of dollars\n  through the U.S. Central bank in New York.\n      Most dealers said they doubted the U.S. Federal Reserve\n  would intervene on its own account to support the dollar, but\n  some said this might occur if the dollar fell much below 148\n  yen.\n      \"If the dollar drops to that low level, it could reduce the\n  flow of foreign capital into U.S. Securities, which the\n  Americans don't want,\" said Haruya Uehara, chief money market\n  manager of Mitsubishi Trust and Banking Corp.\n      He said the dollar may return to around 152 yen next month\n  when corporations reduce their dollar sales after they close\n  their books for the 1986\/87 business year ending on March 31.\n      But dealers said the longer-term outlook for the dollar\n  remained bearish. This was due to the lacklustre performance of\n  the U.S. Economy, the continuing U.S. Trade deficit and\n  Japanese delays in announcing an economic stimulation package.\n      \"The Americans are getting frustrated at Japan's inertia in\n  stimulating its economy,\" said Hirozumi Tanaka, assistant\n  general manager of Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank Ltd's international\n  treasury division.\n      In the Paris currency accord Japan promised a package of\n  economic measures, after the fiscal 1987 budget was passed, to\n  boost domestic demand, increase imports, and thus reduce its\n  trade surplus. The package was expected in April, but debate on\n  the budget has been delayed by an opposition boycott of\n  parliamentary business over the proposed introduction of a\n  sales tax.\n      In the circumstances the government had only a slim chance\n  of producing a meaningful economic package in the near future,\n  Dai-Ichi Kangyo's Tanaka said.\n      Dealers said if steps are not taken to stimulate the\n  Japanese economy protectionist sentiment in the U.S. Congress\n  would grow and put more downward pressure on the dollar.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Prudential Corp 1986 pretax profit 178.1 mln stg vs 110.1 mln\n","article":"\n  Prudential Corp 1986 pretax profit 178.1 mln stg vs 110.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NIPPON LIFE, SHEARSON TIE-UP SEEN SETTING TREND\n","article":"  Nippon Life Insurance Co's 538 mln dlr\n  purchase of a 13 pct stake in Shearson Lehman Brothers Inc\n  brokerage unit is a shrewd move that other Japanese insurers\n  are likely to follow, securities analysts said.\n      The investment in one of Wall Street's top brokerage houses\n  is likely to pay off in dollars and international market\n  position, they said. \"It's part of a trend towards growing\n  capital participation by Japanese insurance firms in foreign\n  financial institutions,\" said Simon Smithson, an analyst with\n  Kleinwort Benson International Inc in Tokyo.\n      The investment in Shearson Lehman, a growing firm described\n  by some analysts as the top U.S. Retail brokerage, will give\n  Nippon Life a ringside seat and possibly lower commissions on\n  Wall Street, where it invests an increasing percentage of its\n  assets of 90.2 billion dlrs, they said.\n      Nippon Life staff will also acquire expertise in business\n  sectors which have not yet opened up in Japan, they added.\n      The agreement between the two companies calls for a 50-50\n  joint venture in London focussing on investment advisory asset\n  management, market research, and consulting on financing.\n      Nippon Life is Japan's largest insurance company and the\n  world's biggest institutional investor, analysts said.\n      The Japanese finance ministry is expected to approve the\n  deal in April, making Nippon Life the first Japanese life\n  insurance firm to take a stake in a U.S. Financial firm.\n      The limit on foreign assets as a proportion of Japanese\n  insurers' assets was increased to 25 pct from 10 pct last year.\n  Since then, they have stepped up purchases of foreign stocks\n  and sought to deepen their understandng of foreign markets and\n  instruments.\n      Last year, a Sumitomo Life Insurance Co official was\n  appointed to E.F. Hutton Group Inc unit E.F. Hutton and Co's\n  board and Sumitomo Bank Ltd spent 500 mln dlrs to become a\n  limited partner in Goldman, Sachs and Co.\n      Smithson said Japanese banks started buying smaller and\n  problem-plagued banks in 1984. \"But now Japanese are going for\n  blue-chip organisations,\" he said.\n      \"It's a reflection of what has happened in manufacturing\n  industries,\" said Brian Waterhouse at James Capel and Co. \"With a\n  historically high yen, and historically low interest rates,\n  there's an increasing disincentive to invest in Japan.\"\n      Competition in fund management has grown along with greater\n  Japanese savings. The typical salaried employee has 7.33 mln\n  yen in savings, reflecting an annual average savings rate of 17\n  to 18 pct, he said.\n      To stay competitive, fund managers must invest overseas and\n  gain experience with financial instruments which are likely to\n  spread to Japan with further deregulation. \"The high regulatory\n  environment has delayed (life insurance firms')\n  diversification. Now there's a growing number of new products\n  in an environment of increasing competition for performance on\n  fund management,\" Smithson said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA OUTLINES GATT AGRICULTURAL REFORM PLAN\n","article":"  Canadian Trade Minister Pat\n  Carney said that agricultural policies should not hurt world\n  international trade and should therefore become more price\n  responsive over time.\n      She told delegates at the informal meeting of trade\n  ministers that this was one of five principles Canada wanted\n  adopted in reforming agriculture in the General Agreement on\n  Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Secondly, support for agriculture\n  should avoid production incentives, and thirdly, countries\n  should freeze and seek to reduce government aid measures that\n  distorted world prices, Carney said.\n      Carney said the fourth principle was that countries should\n  not introduce new import barriers not mandated by existing\n  legislation and the fifth was that these basic principles must\n  be implemented collectively.\n      Carney later told Reuters the Canadian guidelines are\n  basically compatible with the seven point Australian proposals\n  announced in Davos, Switzerland, in January.\n      European trade sources said the conference welcomed the\n  Canadian initiative but some delegates, and not only the\n  European Community, voiced reservations about some of the\n  principles.\n      Carney said there was a lot of political will among the\n  ministers here to complete the Uruguay Round of GATT in under\n  four years and that there is also a realisation that it has to\n  be done in a balanced way.\n      \"The consensus view was to proceed as fast as we can on a\n  broad front and see what areas emerge where we can get early\n  conclusion,\" she said.\n      However, the meeting did not identify what those areas are,\n  Carney said.  She said Canada\/U.S. Bilateral trade\n  negotiations, which must be concluded at least in draft form by\n  October, are progressing well.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PRUDENTIAL CORP PLC <PRUL.L> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 34.5p vs 24.5p adjusted\n      Div 19p making 29p vs 24.8p adjusted\n      Pretax profit 178.1 mln vs 110.1 mln\n      Tax and minorities 60.5 mln vs 32.7 mln\n      Profit attributable 117.6 mln vs 77.4 mln\n      Pretax profit includes -\n      Long term business 145.5 mln vs 137.7 mln\n      General insurance business -\n      Underwriting loss 99.9 mln vs 131.6 mln\n      Investment income 94.8 mln vs 78.2 mln\n      Trading loss 5.1 mln vs 53.4 mln\n      Investment management, U.K. 6.4 mln vs 1.6 mln\n      Shareholders' other income 31.3 mln vs 24.2 mln\n      Pretax profit by division includes -\n      U.K. Individual division 97.1 mln vs 89.5 mln\n      U.K. Group pensions 10.5 mln vs 10.6 mln\n      International 13.4 mln vs 12.4 mln\n      Mercantile and General 24.5 mln vs 25.2 mln\n      Prudential Portfolio managers 6.4 mln vs 1.6 mln\n      Prudential Property Services 2.1 mln loss vs nil\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN UNEMPLOYMNENT RISES TO RECORD IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Japan's seasonally adjusted unemployment\n  rate rose to a record 3.0 pct in January, the worst since the\n  Government started compiling unemployment statistics under its\n  current system in 1953, up from the previous record 2.9 pct in\n  December, the government's Management and Coordination Agency\n  said.\n      Unemployment was up from 2.8 pct a year earlier.\n      Unadjusted January unemployment totalled 1.82 mln people,\n  up from 1.61 mln in December and 1.65 mln a year earlier.\n      Male unemployment in January remained at 2.9 pct, equal to\n  the second-worst level set last December. Record male\n  unemployement of 3.1 pct was set in July 1986.\n      Female unemployment in January remained at 3.0 pct, equal\n  to the record level marked in April, August, September and\n  December last year.\n      January's record 3.0 pct unemployment rate mainly stemmed\n  from loss of jobs in manufacturing industries, particularly in\n  export-related firms, due to the yen's continuing appreciation\n  against the dollar, officials said.\n      Employment in manufacturing industries fell 380,000 from a\n  year earlier to 14.30 mln including 1.83 mln employed in the\n  textile industry, down 190,000 from a year earlier, and 1.06\n  mln in transport industries such as carmakers and shipbuilders,\n  down 170,000.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MAJOR NATIONS MUST ACT ON CURRENCIES - MIYAZAWA\n","article":"  Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa said the\n  time has come for major industrialised nations to take action\n  on exchange rates in line with their agreement last month in\n  Paris.\n      In Paris, Britain, Canada, France, Japan, the U.S. And West\n  Germany agreed to coooperate to hold currency rates around\n  their then current levels.\n      Miyazawa would not say what specific measures major nations\n  would take, but told reporters the measures had been discussed\n  in Paris. The dollar fell to a record low against the yen this\n  morning, piercing the 150 yen barrier.\n      Asked if major nations were now negotiating on what\n  measures to take, Miyazawa said they were not as measures had\n  already been agreed in Paris.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN ECONOMY MAY START BOTTOMING OUT SOON -AGENCY\n","article":"  Japan's economy remains sluggish but is\n  beginning to show signs it may bottom out soon, the Economic\n  Planning Agency said in a monthly report submitted to Cabinet\n  ministers.\n      But a bottoming out of the economy depends largely on the\n  yen's exchange rate trend in the immediate future, Agency\n  officials said.\n      The officials told reporters industrial production, down\n  0.5 pct in January from December, is likely to turn positive in\n  February and to rise thereafter, raising hopes for a brighter\n  economic outlook.\n      The Agency predicted industrial production will grow 2.5\n  pct in the current January\/March quarter after falling 0.7 pct\n  in the previous quarter.\n      A rise of this size would be the largest since the fourth\n  quarter of 1984 when industrial output rose 2.7 pct, the\n  officials said.\n      They also said an expected upturn in exports would be a\n  mixed blessing as it would contribute to economic growth but\n  would increase the chance of trade friction.\n      Japanese exports contracted five pct in February from\n  January but are likely to grow from March if the yen stabilizes\n  around current levels, the officials said.\n      They predicted exports will increase by 2.3 pct in the\n  January\/March quarter from the October\/December quarter.\n      \"But the problem is imports are not expanding,\" said one\n  official. Imports fell by 9.4 pct in February from January.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KUWAIT SAYS OPEC 2.4 MLN BPD BELOW CEILING\n","article":"  Kuwaiti oil minister Sheikh Ali\n  al-Khalifa al-Sabah said OPEC was producing well below its oil\n  output ceiling and this would help prices move higher,\n  according to a Kuwaiti newspaper interview.\n      The al-Rai al-Aam newspaper quoted him as saying OPEC was\n  pumping 2.4 mln barrels per day (bpd) less than its 15.8 mln\n  bpd ceiling, while consumers were drawing down their petroleum\n  stocks at a rate of 4.5 mln bpd.\n      As long as OPEC maintains its output curbs, demand for its\n  oil will rise in April and May, Sheikh Ali said, adding that\n  Kuwait was strongly committed to its OPEC quota.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":" Bundesbank allocates 6.5 billion marks in 28-day repurchase pact at 3.80 pct\n","article":"\n   Bundesbank allocates 6.5 billion marks in 28-day repurchase pact at 3.80 pct\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MIYAZAWA SAYS U.S. LIKELY TO INTERVENE\n","article":"  Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa told\n  Parliament's Lower House Finance Committee that the U.S. Is\n  expected to intervene in the foreign exchange market to\n  stabilise exchange rates, political sources said.\n      Asked if the U.S. Federal Reserve Board agreed in Paris\n  last month to intervene to stabilise exchange rates, Miyazawa\n  said yes, the sources said.\n      Miyazawa was also quoted as saying that he is sceptical\n  about the effectiveness of currency reference ranges even if\n  major nations agree on such an idea as it is extremely\n  difficult to set such ranges.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. OFFERS TO ESCORT KUWAITI TANKERS IN GULF\n","article":"  The U.S. Has offered warships to\n  escort Kuwaiti tankers in the Gulf past Iranian anti-ship\n  missile batteries, Defence Department officials said.\n      The officials told Reuters yesterday the offer was made\n  last week by Navy Admiral William Crowe, chairman of the\n  Pentagon Joint Chiefs of Staff, during a Middle East visit.\n      Reagan administration officials said later that Washington\n  did not seek military confrontation with Tehran, but would not\n  let Iran use Chinese-made \"Silkworm\" anti-ship missiles, capable\n  of covering the narrow entrance to the Gulf, to choke oil\n  shipments to the West.\n      Defence officials said Kuwait had asked if protection for\n  up to a dozen vessels, most of them tankers, could be provided\n  by three U.S. Navy destroyers and two frigates now in the\n  southern Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.\n      In addition to a half dozen ships in the U.S. Navy's small\n  Mideast Task Force near the Straits of Hormuz, the Pentagon has\n  moved 18 warships, including the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk,\n  into the northern Arabian Sea in the past month.\n      White House and defence officials said that massing the\n  fleet was routine and had nothing to do with the Iran-Iraq war\n  or Iran's stationing of missiles near the mouth of the Gulf.\n      The State Department said on Friday that Iran has been told\n  about U.S. Concern over the threat to oil shipments in the\n  Gulf. The communication was sent through Switzerland, which\n  represents U.S. Interests in Iran.\n      Iran denied as baseless reports that it intended to\n  threaten shipping in the Gulf and said any U.S. Interference in\n  the region would meet a strong response, Tehran Radio said on\n  Sunday.\n      Several hundred vessels have been confirmed hit in the Gulf\n  by Iran and Iraq since early 1984 in the so-called tanker war,\n  an offshoot of their 6-1\/2-year-old ground conflict.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"YEUTTER SAYS U.S.-JAPAN TRADE DIFFICULTIES REMAIN\n","article":"  U.S. Trade Representative\n  Clayton Yeutter said he was unsure whether some of the trade\n  issues straining U.S.-Japanese relations would be resolved\n  before the two countries open trade talks in late April.\n      \"We are having high level discussions on them (the issues)\n  within the United States...The relationship on some of those is\n  very strained between us (Japan) at the moment and we need to\n  relieve those strains at the earliest possible date,\" he said.\n      \"I am not sure we can wait until late April,\" he added.\n      Yeutter is in New Zealand for a two-day informal meeting of\n  trade ministers who are reviewing the Uruguay round of the\n  General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT).\n      He said he will meet the Japanese delegation over the next\n  few days but declined to discuss methods of relieving the\n  strain between the two countries.\n      Yeutter said earlier the three most contentious trade\n  issues were semiconductors, Japanese government unwillingness\n  to allow public entities to buy U.S. Super-computers and the\n  barring of U.S. Firms from the eight billion U.S. Dlr Kansai\n  airport project near Osaka.\n      The Japanese delegation to the GATT talks said in a\n  statement yesterday they are making major efforts to dismantle\n  trade barriers in their country.\n      \"I am convinced that they are attempting to move their\n  policies in the right direction. The question is how far and\n  how fast,\" Yeutter said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BUNDESBANK ALLOCATES 6.5 BILLION MARKS IN TENDER\n","article":"  The Bundesbank accepted bids for 6.5\n  billion marks at today's tender for a 28-day securities\n  repurchase pact at a rate of 3.80 pct, a central bank spokesman\n  said.\n      Banks, which bid for a total 8.6 billion marks liquidity,\n  will be credited with the funds allocated tomorrow and must buy\n  back securities pledged on April 22.\n      The allocation was in line with market expectations the\n  Bundesbank would provide more than the 3.4 billion marks\n  draining from this week as an earlier facility expires.\n      Call money fell to 3.60\/70 pct ahead of the allocation from\n  3.75\/85 pct yesterday, dealers said.\n      The excess allocation compensates for public funds leaving\n  the system which the Bundesbank added last week via\n  government-owned banks.\n      However major tax payments by banks on behalf of customers\n  drew to a close this week, lessening the need for liquidity.\n      The call money declines surprised some dealers, who\n  speculated it was because the Bundesbank disbursed further\n  government funds today. However, most said this had not\n  occurred.\n      Banks were well stocked with liquidity, having 47.1 billion\n  marks in minimum reserves at the Bundesbank on Friday, up from\n  49.9 billion on Thursday. Average daily reserves over the first\n  20 days of the month fell to 52.6 billion from 53.1 billion.\n  For all of March, banks would be required to hold net daily\n  average reserves of 50.7 billion marks, dealers said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 115 MLN STG ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had provided\n  the money market with 115 mln stg assistance in the morning\n  session. This compares with the Bank's forecast of a 300 mln\n  stg shortage in the system today.\n      The central bank bought bills outright in band two at\n  9-13\/16 pct comprising 73 mln stg bank bills and 42 mln stg\n  local authority bills.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FORD <F> EUROPE EARNINGS UP 71 PCT LAST YEAR\n","article":"  Ford Europe's net earnings soared by 71\n  per cent last year to 559 mln dlrs, Kenneth Whipple, chairman\n  of Ford Europe, said.\n      Whipple, here to attend the Geneva Auto Show which opens on\n  Thursday, said that the Ford Motor Co unit had sold a record\n  1.5 million vehicles in Europe in 1986.\n      Net earnings were 326 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      Sales in 1986 represented 11.8 per cent of the European\n  market share, Whipple said. Ford will invest 1.2 billion\n  dollars in Europe in 1987, and a total of seven billion over\n  the next seven years, he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRENCH EMPLOYERS CHIEF SEES HOPE FOR GROWTH\n","article":"  The 1992 deadline for abolishing economic\n  barriers within the European Community should help French\n  economic growth and create jobs, president of the French\n  employers' federation CNPF Francois Perigot said.\n      \"Having a market at our disposal which is as homogeneous and\n  accessible as that of Europe is an incredible piece of luck,\" he\n  told Le Figaro in an interview.\n      He said that the majority of French business leaders were\n  enthusiastic about the abolition of barriers and saw it as an\n  opportunity rather than a danger for their companies.\n      \"It can permit us to return to a growth rate which is much\n  better than we could achieve in isolation. We know that we have\n  to reestablish growth at three pct a year to solve the enormous\n  problems confronting us -- and I am referring mainly to\n  unemployment,\" Perigot added.\n      Finance Minister Edouard Balladur said yesterday that\n  French growth would be just two pct this year, the same as last\n  year and compared with the government's original 2.8 pct\n  target.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOVIET SUGAR IMPORTS HIGHER IN OCT\/NOV\n","article":"  Soviet sugar imports in October and\n  November were significantly higher than in the same period of\n  the year before, according to figures received by the\n  International Sugar Organization.\n      Imports in October totalled 23,803 tonnes, compared with\n  4,685 tonnes in the same month of 1985, while November imports\n  were up to 136,029 tonnes from 46,541.\n      For the first 11 months of 1986, Soviet imports totalled\n  5.12 mln tonnes, against 4.30 mln in the same period of 1985.\n      The October 1986 import figure consisted entirely of whites\n  from Cuba, while the November total was made up of 84,037\n  tonnes Cuban whites and 51,992 tonnes whites from Thailand. Of\n  the imports in the January\/November period, those from Cuba\n  were up to 3.81 mln tonnes from 3.65 mln and from Thailand to\n  292,808 tonnes from 22,800.\n      Soviet exports also increased in 1986. The January\/November\n  export total of 289,232 compares with 165,859 tonnes in the\n  first 11 months of 1985. Exports in October 1986 were 20,064,\n  down from 38,853 a year earlier, while November exports were up\n  from 32,796 to 50,855 tonnes.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WEST GERMAN 1986 SUGAR OUTPUT RISES\n","article":"  West German sugar production last year\n  rose 38,000 tonnes to an estimated 3.17 mln tonnes, the\n  Agricultural Ministry said.\n      It said the increase was exclusively due to higher beet\n  sugar content, which went up to 17.93 pct from 17.3 pct in\n  1985.\n      Last year's beet deliveries totalled 20.22 mln tonnes, down\n  554,000 tonnes from the previous year.\n      The ministry estimates West Germany's sugar\n  self-sufficiency during the current agricultural year\n  (July\/June) unchanged at 137 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORCROS REJECTS 542.2 MLN STG BID FROM WILLIAMS\n","article":"  Norcros Plc <NCRO.L> the building\n  products and packaging group said its board had no hesitation\n  in unanimously rejecting this morning's 542.2 mln stg bid from\n  <Williams Holdings Plc>, the industrial holding firm.\n      The company said Williams' 432.7p per share offer was\n  unsolicited and unwelcome and significantly undervalues\n  Norcros. By 1228 gmt Norcros shares were quoted at 418p, up\n  from 397p at yesterday's close. Williams was 15p higher at 765.\n      The Norcros board's detailed views will be sent to\n  shareholders when the formal offer document has been issued by\n  Williams.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NO PROOF OF MORE CHERNOBYL GRAIN DAMAGE-DIPLOMATS\n","article":"  Western agricultural attaches in Moscow\n  said they had no evidence to substantiate rumours that last\n  April's Chernobyl nuclear disaster had a worse effect on Soviet\n  grain than first reported.\n      Current Soviet interest in chartering ships to carry grain\n  from the U.S. Helped prompt the rumours on world markets. But\n  the diplomats said they had seen no reports in the state press\n  and heard no comments from officials to substantiate them.\n      The official media was initially slow in reporting the\n  accident but, under Kremlin leader Mikhail Gorbachev's campaign\n  for openness, gradually gave more and more details.\n      Land around the nuclear plant was contaminated to varying\n  degrees. Some is now being used to grow industrial crops\n  instead of grain.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"IRAN SAID TO TEST FIRE SILKWORM MISSILE IN HORMUZ\n","article":"  Iran has test-fired its newly acquired\n  Silkworm anti-shipping missile in the Strait of Hormuz and has\n  set up at least two land-based launching sites in the area, a\n  British naval source in the Gulf said.\n      The source, who declined to be identified, said Iran had\n  fired the Chinese-made missile at a hulk off its southern Gulf\n  naval port of Bandar Abbas and scored a hit.\n      \"These missiles pack a fairly big punch,\" he told Reuters.\n  \"There is no doubt they could be used to target (shipping)\n  across the Strait of Hormuz.\"\n      Tension in the Gulf has risen since U.S. Officials last\n  week broke the news that Iran had acquired the Silkworm\n  missiles.\n      The U.S. Has said it will not allow Iran to use the\n  missiles to choke off oil shipments and has offered its\n  warships to escort Kuwaiti tankers past the missile batteries.\n      But Tehran denied last Sunday it intended to threaten Gulf\n  shipping and warned the U.S. Any interference in the region\n  would meet a strong response.\n      The British naval source said the Silkworms were in place\n  at at least two sites around the Strait of Hormuz, but would\n  not give the exact location.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MERRILL LYNCH <MER> IN TALKS ON CANADA PURCHASES\n","article":"  Merrill Lynch and Co Inc is holding\n  talks on acquiring Canadian brokerage firms, a company\n  spokesman told Reuters.\n      He said one of the firms with which Merrill Lynch is\n  negotiating is <Burns Fry Corp> of Toronto, which has already\n  received an offer from Security Pacific Corp's <SPC> 83 pct\n  owned <Hoare Govett Ltd> London-based brokerage unit.  The\n  Hoare Govett bid is valued at about 210.4 mln U.S. dlrs.\n      The spokesman said the talks are the result of a change in\n  Ontario securities laws that takes effect June 30.\n      Currently, companies outside the Canadian securities\n  industry are prohibited from owning more than 10 pct of a\n  Canadian broker.  On June 30, 1987, foreign brokers will be\n  allowed to own up to 50 pct of Canadian brokers, and the\n  percentage will rise to 100 pct a year later.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MARK IV <IV> STARTS BID FOR CONRAC <CAX>\n","article":"  Mark IV Industries Inc said it has\n  started the 25 dlr per share tender offer for all shares of\n  Conrac Corp that it announced yesterday afternoon.\n      In a newspaper advertisement, the company said the offer\n  and withdrawal rights expire April 20 unless extended.  The\n  offer is not conditioned on receipt of any minimum number of\n  shares but is conditioned on the arrangement of financing.\n      Mark IV already owns about 9.9 pct of Conrac's 6.8 mln\n  shares outstanding.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECOLAB <ECL> STARTS BID FOR CHEMLAWN <CHEM>\n","article":"  Ecolab Inc said it has started its\n  previously-announced tender offer for all shares of ChemLawn\n  Corp at 36.50 dlrs each.\n      In a newspaper advertisement, the company said the offer\n  and withdrawal rights expire April 20 unless extended.  The\n  ChemLawn board has approved the tender and a merger at the same\n  price that is to follow.\n      Ecolab said the offer is conditioned on receipt of at least\n  5,325,000 shares.  ChemLawn now has about 10.0 mln shares\n  outstanding.\n      Ecolab said ChemLawn has granted it a conditional option to\n  buy all authorized but unissued and unreseved ChemLawn shares\n  at 36.50 dlrs each.  The option is exercisable in the event\n  that another party were to acquire 20 pct or more of ChemLawn\n  by means other than a tender offer for all shares at a higher\n  price than Ecolab is offering.\n      The company said if the merger agreement is terminated\n  under certain circumstasnces, it will be entitled to receive 20\n  mln dlrs in damages from ChemLawn.\n      Ecolab said officers and directors of ChemLawn have granted\n  it options to acquire an aggregate of 2,535,435 ChemLawn shares\n  or about 24.8 pct for the tender price, again unless a higher\n  tender were to be made by another party.\n      Waste Management Inc <WMX> had originally made a hostile\n  tender offer of 27 dlrs per share for ChemLawn which ChemLawn\n  rejected as inadequate.  On Friday, Waste Management said it\n  would raise its bid to 35 dlrs per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN PROPOSES FURTHER TARIFF CUTS\n","article":"  Taiwan said it plans another round of\n  tariff cuts, possibly within a month, to try to narrow its\n  trade surplus with the U.S.\n      Vice Finance Minister Ronald Ho said a high-level economic\n  committee recommended tariff cuts on 66 products requested by\n  Washington, including apples, chocolates and fruit juice.\n      Ho said the cuts may come into effect by the end of next\n  month.\n      Taiwan's trade surplus with the U.S. Widened in the first\n  two months of this year to 2.35 billion dlrs from 1.87 billion\n  dlrs in the same period last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PAKISTAN CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FALLS IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Pakistan's consumer price index (base\n  1975\/76) fell to 231.93 in January 1987 from 233.26 in December\n  1986, and compared with  223.66 a year ago, the federal Bureau\n  of Statistics said.\n      The wholesale price index (same base) rose to 229.83 in\n  January from 229.06 in December and compared with  217.97 in\n  January 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IRAN SAID TO TEST FIRE SILKWORM MISSILE IN HORMUZ\n","article":"  Iran has test-fired its newly acquired\n  Silkworm anti-shipping missile in the Strait of Hormuz and has\n  set up at least two land-based launching sites in the area, a\n  British naval source in the Gulf said.\n      The source, who declined to be identified, said Iran had\n  fired the Chinese-made missile at a hulk off its southern Gulf\n  naval port of Bandar Abbas and scored a hit.\n      \"These missiles pack a fairly big punch,\" he told Reuters.\n  \"There is no doubt they could be used to target (shipping)\n  across the Strait of Hormuz.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN PROPOSES FURTHER TARIFF CUTS\n","article":"  Taiwan said it plans another round of\n  tariff cuts, possibly within a month, to try to narrow its\n  trade surplus with the U.S.\n      Vice Finance Minister Ronald Ho said a high-level economic\n  committee recommended tariff cuts on 66 products requested by\n  Washington, including apples, chocolates and fruit juice.\n      Ho said the cuts may come into effect by the end of next\n  month.\n      Taiwan's trade surplus with the U.S. Widened in the first\n  two months of this year to 2.35 billion dlrs from 1.87 billion\n  dlrs in the same period last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BDM INTERNATIONAL <BDM> INCREASES QTRLY DIVS\n","article":"  Annual div Class A 14 cts vs 12 cts prior\n      Annual div Class B 12.1 cts vs 10.4 cts prior\n      Payable April one\n      Record March 20\n      NOTE: full name is BDM International Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTH KOREA'S LEADING INDICATORS FALL IN DECEMBER\n","article":"  South Korea's index of leading indicators\n  fell 0.1 pct to 164.1 (base 1980) in December after a 0.1 pct\n  rise in November, representing a 16.1 pct year-on-year gain\n  from December 1985, Economic Planning Board provisional figures\n  show.\n      The index is based on 10 indicators which include export\n  values, letters of credit received, warehouse stocks, M-1 and\n  M-3 money supply figures and the composite stock exchange\n  index.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. FEB DURABLE GOODS ORDERS ROSE 6.0 PCT, NONDEFENSE DURABLES ROSE 3.8 PCT\n","article":"\n  U.S. FEB DURABLE GOODS ORDERS ROSE 6.0 PCT, NONDEFENSE DURABLES ROSE 3.8 PCT\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STANDARD CHARTERED PLC <STCH.L> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 97.0p vs 85.3p\n      Div 22.5p vs 20.0p making 35.0p vs 30.5p\n      Pretax profit 253.9 mln stg vs 267.9 mln\n      Tax 96.3 mln vs 125.6 mln\n      Operating income 1.15 billion vs 998.8 mln\n      Operating expenses 759.3 mln vs 692.7 mln\n      Trading profit before charge for bad and doubtful debts\n      394.4 mln stg vs 306.1 mln\n      Charge for bad and doubtful debts 184.2 mln vs 100.7 mln\n      Share of profits of associates 43.7 mln vs 62.5 mln\n      Minority interests 6.6 mln debit vs 9.6 mln debit\n      Extraordinary items 8.7 mln debit vs 15.7 mln credit\n      Operating income includes -\n      Interest income 2.49 billion vs 2.33 billion\n      Interest expenses 1.77 billion vs 1.64 billion\n      Other operating income 428.8 mln vs 313.2 mln\n      Operating expenses include -\n      Staff 405.9 mln vs 376.0 mln\n      Premises and equipment 197.0 mln vs 155.2 mln\n      Others 156.4 mln vs 161.5 mln\n      Pretax profit includes -  North America 65.8 mln vs 49.6\n  mln\n      Asia Pacific 0.9 mln vs 31.8 mln\n      Middle East and south Asia 17.7 mln vs 2.3 mln\n      Tropical Africa 47.5 mln vs 44.7 mln\n      U.K. 107.6 mln vs 135.7 mln\n      South Africa 36.8 mln vs 35.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KDI <KDI> TO BUY TRIANGLE MICROWAVE <TRMW>\n","article":"  KDI Corp said it has agreed\n  in principle to acquire Triangle Microwave Inc for 6.50 dlrs\n  plus a contingent payment for each Triangle share.\n      It said holders of the contingent payment units will be\n  entitled to receive annual payments to the extent that the\n  predepreciation gross profits of Triangle Microwave in each of\n  the years 1987 through 1991 exceed threshholds ranging from\n  eight mln dlrs in 1987 to 14 mln dlrs in 1991.\n      The company said holders of Triangle Microwave options and\n  warrants will be entitled to receive the difference between\n  6.50 dlrs and their exercise price, plus contingent payments.\n      KDI said completion of the transaction is subject to\n  governmental approvals and the approval of Triangle Microwave\n  shareholders, and the transaction is valued at over 35 mln\n  dlrs.\n      It said shareholders of Triangle Microwave controlling\n  about 30 pct of the company's stock have agreed to vote in\n  favor of the deal and to give KDI an option to buy their shares\n  under certain components.\n      Triangle Microwave makes microwave components.  KDI, a\n  diversified company, produces electronic components, technical\n  products and swimming pool equipment.                \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STORM BRINGS HEAVY SNOWS TO U.S. PLAINS\n","article":"  The National Weather Service said a\n  powerful winter storm centered over north central Oklahoma was\n  spreading snow from western and central Kansas across much of\n  Nebraska to southern and eastern South Dakota.\n      Rain was reported across parts of Minnesota, Iowa, eastern\n  Kansas, Missouri and eastern Oklahoma, with showers and a few\n  thundershowers extending from Arkansas through the lower\n  Mississippi Valley to Alabama and northwest Florida.\n      Strong winds of 20 to 35 mph with some stronger gusts were\n  reported across much of the Plains, causing considerable\n  blowingand drifting snow. A blizzard warning continued this\n  morning across most of western Kansas. A winter storm warning\n  was issued this morning over central and northeast Nebraska.\n      Weather advisories were posted for this morning over\n  central Kansas and central and southeast sections of South\n  Dakota where two to five inches of snow could accumulate.\n      Locally heavy rains accompanied the storm over portions of\n  the central Plains. Flash flood watches were issued for this\n  morning across the eastern half of Kansas.\n      A flood warning continues today for eastern Nebraska.\n  Widespread lowland and small stream flooding is expected to\n  continue over most of eastern Nebraska through Wednesday.\n      Due to cold, damp and windy conditions, livestock\n  advisories were posted this morning across central and\n  southeast portions of South Dakota.\n      As the storm moves north across the central Plains, winter\n  storm watches were issued over south central South Dakota, late\n  tonight and Wednesday over west central Minnesota.\n      Elsewhere, a travelers advisory remains in effect this\n  morning over northeast New Mexico and the Oklahoma and Tecas\n  Panhandle for blowing snow and slick roadways and across the\n  mountains and deserts of southern California for strong gusty\n  winds of 25 to 40 mph. Gale warnings were issued for today\n  along the central California Coast.\n      Mostly clear skies extended from the Great Lakes and Ohio\n  Valley through the central Appalachians to the central Atlantic\n  Coast and New England.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. FEB DURABLE GOODS ROSE 6.0 PCT\n","article":"  New orders for durable goods\n  received by U.S. manufacturers rose 5.7 billion dlrs, or 6.0\n  pct, in February to 101.2 billion dlrs, the Commerce Department\n  said.\n      Excluding defense, orders rose 3.8 pct, compared with a\n  revised January decline of 7.7 pct.\n      In January, durable goods fell a revised 9.9 pct instead of\n  the previously reported 7.5 pct. Durables excluding defense\n  were reported originally as having fallen 9.9 pct in January.\n      The Commerce Department on Monday revised orders statistics\n  for 1982 to 1986 to reflect more current inventory valuation\n  methods, and the February orders statistics are consistent with\n  the revisions, officials said.\n      The February order increase was led by transportation\n  equipment, up 11.1 pct after an 18.0 pct decline in January.\n      Orders for defense capital goods rose 48.9 pct to 6.9\n  billion dlrs, following a 38.8 pct decline in January.\n      Non-defense capital goods orders fell 1.6 pct in February\n  to 26.3 billion dlrs after falling 8.7 pct in January, the\n  department said.\n      Electrical machinery orders rose in February by 8.2 pct to\n  17.2 billion dlrs after falling 15.4 pct in January.\n      Primary metals orders were up 13.9 pct to 8.4 billion dlrs\n  after a 20 pct decline in January, the department said.\n      New orders for non-electrical machinery were up in February\n  by 3.9 pct to 16.6 billion dlrs after a three pct orders\n  decline in January.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WOOLWORTH U.K. SAYS GROWTH PROSPECTS EXCITING\n","article":"  Woolworth Holdings Plc <WLUK.L> which\n  earlier announced a 1986 pre-tax profits rise of 42 pct over\n  1985, said its prospects for growth were very exciting.\n      The profit figure of 115.3 mln stg exceeded a forecast by\n  some 10 pct made during the hostile bid by Dixons Group Plc\n  <DXNS.L> last year and the company said the results were a\n  major step towards the aim of making Woolworth the most\n  profitable retailing group in the U.K.\n      It aimed to produce growth from all its businesses and look\n  for opportunities to acquire specialist retail businesses.\n      Earlier this month the group said that tentative merger\n  talks with the high street pharmacist <Underwoods Plc> had been\n  called off and recently announced a 19.2 mln stg recommended\n  offer for <Charlie Browns Car Part Centres Plc>.\n      The B and Q Do it Yourself centres raised sales by 31 pct\n  and retail profit by 37 pct, with its pretax contribution of\n  45.5 mln making it the largest single component.\n      The company said that the improvement had been achieved by\n  substantial organic growth in existing stores as well as by the\n  opening of a further 29 new outlets and enhanced margins.\n      In other sectors, the Comet electrical chain raised retail\n  profits by 46 pct to 17.4 mln stg, while the Woolworth chain\n  reported a 120 pct improvement to 38.7 mln.\n      The company said its property operations would increase\n  substantially following the start of a joint venture deal with\n  developers <Rosehaugh Plc>.\n      The defence costs against the 1.9 billion stg bid from\n  Dixons resulted in a 16.0 mln stg extraordinary charge.\n      The results were 10 mln stg up on most analysts forecasts.\n  As a result, the group's shares rose strongly, peaking at 865p\n  from last night's 842p before easing to 860p at 1155 GMT.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR CORP <NSM> 3RD QTR LOSS\n","article":"  March Eight\n      Shr loss 31 cts vs loss 47 cts\n      Net loss 25.6 mln vs loss 39.4 mln\n      Sales 398.1 mln vs 322.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 91.6 mln vs 90.0 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss 44 cts vs loss one dlr\n      Net loss 32.7 mln vs loss 84.4 mln\n      Sales 1.36 billion vs 1.08 billion\n      Avg shrs 91.2 mln vs 89.6 mln\n      NOTE: Twelve and 40-week periods.\n      Prior year results restated for change in method of\n  recognizing revenue on distributor shipments.  Quarter net loss\n  originally reported as 32.0 mln dlrs or 38 cts shr on sales of\n  328.9 mln dlrs and nine mth loss as 120.3 mln dlrs or 1.40 dlrs\n  shr on sales of 1.11 billion dlrs.\n      Prior nine mths net includes 51.2 mln dlr gain from\n  cumulative effect of accounting change.\n      Prior year net includes extraordinary credits of 1,100,000\n  dlrs in quarter and 3,300,000 dlrs in nine mths.\n      Current year net both periods includes 15.0 mln dlr pretax\n  charge from previously-announced restructuring of Datachecker\n  Systems and Semiconductor Group manufacturing operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COMDATA NETWORK AGREES TO HIGHER OFFER FROM WELSH CARSON ANDERSON\n","article":"\n  COMDATA NETWORK AGREES TO HIGHER OFFER FROM WELSH CARSON ANDERSON\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUMITA SAYS BANK WILL INTERVENE IF NECESSARY\n","article":"  Bank of Japan Governor Satoshi Sumita\n  said in a statement the central bank will intervene in foreign\n  exchange markets to stabilise exchange rates if necessary in\n  close cooperation with other major industrial nations.\n      Sumita said the Bank will take adequate measures including\n  market intervention, if necessary, in line with the February 22\n  Paris agreement by six major industrial nations.\n      Canada, Britain, France, Japan, the U.S. And West Germany\n  agreed to cooperate in stabilising exchange rates around\n  current levels. Sumita's statement was issued after the dollar\n  slipped below 150 yen to hit a record low of 148.40.\n      \"It is inevitable that exchange rates fluctuate under the\n  system of floating rates,\" Sumita said.\n      The fact the dollar plunged below 150 yen does not mean\n  anything significant under the floating system, he said.\n      The six nations agreed in Paris exchange rates prevailing\n  then were broadly consistent with underlying economic\n  fundamentals and further substantial rate shifts could damage\n  growth and adjustment prospects in their countries, the Paris\n  statement said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COMDATA <CDN> ACCEPTS NEW WELSH CARSON BID\n","article":"  Comdata Network Inc said it\n  has entered into a definitive agreement to merge into a company\n  formed by <Welsh, Carson, Anderson and Stowe IV> for either\n  16.50 dlrs in cash or 10.00 dlrs in cash and a unit of\n  securities per Comdata share.\n      The company said each unit of securities would consist of\n  1.25 common shares in the new company and three dlrs principal\n  amount of the new company's 11 pct subordinated debentures due\n  1997.\n      It said the 16.50 dlr cash alternative is an improvement\n  over the 15.00 dlr per share price contemplated under an\n  agreement in principle with Welsh Carson announced on March\n  Five.\n      Comdata said the cash and securities alternaitcve is\n  subject to Welsh Carson-affiliated investors owning at least 60\n  pct of the stock of the new company.\n      The company said investment bankers <Drexel Burnham Lambert\n  Inc> and Alex. Brown and Sons Inc <ABSB> found the proposal to\n  be fair from a financial point of view.\n      It said the transaction is subject to approval by its\n  shareholders and to Welsh Carson obtaining up to 230 mln dlrs\n  in debt financing. Comdata said it may terminate the agreement\n  if financing is not arranged by April Three.\n      On Thursday, First Financial Management Corp <FFMC> offered\n  to acquire Comdata for 18.00 dlrs per share in stock and cash,\n  subject to approval by the Comdata board.\n      Under the First Financial proposal, Comdata holders would\n  receive no more than four dlrs per share in cash and could\n  receive all stock.\n      Comdata had originally planned a recapitalization under\n  which it would have repurchased up to six mln common shares at\n  14.50 dlrs each.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"IRELAND PUT ON COLORADO BEETLE ALERT\n","article":"  The Irish Agriculture Department issued\n  a Colorado beetle alert today after three of the beetles were\n  found in a box of parsley imported from France.\n      Officials said a colony of the black and amber coloured\n  beetles can destroy a potato field in a day. The females lay up\n  to 2,500 eggs each.\n      Some of the 80 boxes in the parsley consignment had already\n  been distributed to markets and the department called on all\n  shopkeepers and the catering trade to be on the alert.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DOLLAR DROP SEEN AS TEST OF PARIS AGREEMENT\n","article":"  The sharp drop in the value of the\n  dollar against the yen and the mark is the first serious test\n  of last month's Group of Five (G-5) plus Canada agreement to\n  stabilise currencies, dealers and bank economists said.\n      \"The dollar will be pushed down until there is coordinated\n  central bank intervention,\" one dealer for a German bank said,\n  echoing widepread sentiment in the market.\n      But opinion was divided on whether the united front forged\n  in Paris still exists. Some dealers said there were growing\n  signs the United States wanted the dollar to fall further.\n      Despite repeated Bank of Japan intervention, the dollar\n  plunged to a post-war low in Tokyo today. It was quoted as low\n  as 148.40 yen in the Far East and dealers here said they\n  expected the U.S. Currency to decline further.\n      \"The dollar is now firmly within a broad 140 to 150 yen\n  range,\" Chase Bank AG's senior dealer Eckhart Hager said.\n      Others said there were technical reasons for the sharp\n  dollar drop. \"Window-dressing\" operations by some Japanese\n  companies who were selling dollars and buying yen before the\n  end of the Japanese fiscal year on March 31 were undermining\n  the U.S. Currency.\n      Dealers said main reason for the sell-off was not\n  technical. U.S. Treasury Secretary James Baker's comment the\n  Paris accord did not have fixed dollar targets was seen as a\n  renewed attempt by the U.S. Administration to talk the dollar\n  down.\n      \"Suddenly, support levels which had existed for fear of\n  central bank intervention disappeared,\" one dealer said.\n      The Bank of Japan was believed to have bought some 1.5\n  billion dlrs, and this with comments by Japanese officials\n  indicated Tokyo was unhappy about the plunge, dealers said.\n  Bank of Japan governor Satoshi Sumita threatened central bank\n  intervention if necessary.\n      Japanese Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa said today the\n  time had come for the six nations who agreed in Paris last\n  month to stabilise currencies - Japan, Britain, Canada, France,\n  the U.S. And West Germany - to take action in line with the\n  pact.\n      But the Bundesbank and other European central banks were\n  not detected in the open market during the European morning.\n  Opinion here was divided on when the Bundesbank would act.\n      While some said the West German central bank would support\n  the dollar once it fell below 1.80 marks, others said the\n  Bundesbank would only intervene after a fall below 1.75 marks\n  or if the decline accelerated.\n      The Bundesbank last intervened on January 27, when the\n  dollar threatened to fall below 1.81 marks.\n      \"The Japanese seem to be on their own at the moment,\" one\n  dealer said. Others said cooperation between central banks and\n  governments was easier said than done.\n      Some said Baker's remarks and U.S. Trade Representative\n  Clayton Yeutter's warning that the U.S. And Japan were on the\n  verge of a serious trade conflict showed there was a rift.\n      \"It's hard to tell whether the G-6 agreement still stands,\" a\n  dealer said. Another added, \"If the Americans do not get what\n  they want, they will push the dollar down, regardless of G-6.\"\n      Citibank AG also cast doubt on the chances of success for\n  the Paris agreement in its latest investment letter.\n      \"It is hard to see that Japan and Germany are willing or\n  able to loosen fiscal policy sufficiently to offset the\n  necessary U.S. Fiscal contraction,\" Citibank said.\n      It added, \"Markets should therefore be aware that 1.80 marks\n  is not the lower limit for the dollar -- a rate of 1.70 marks\n  or even less is expected this year.\"\n      And London Broker Hoare Govett said in its March 1987\n  economic report, \"We are looking for a further, more gradual,\n  fall, possibly to 1.60 marks by the end of the year.\"\n      But opinion about whether the Paris accord was still in\n  force was not universal. Some dealers said not too much should\n  be read into Baker's and Yeutter's comments.\n      \"There is no reason to believe the Paris pact has broken\n  down,\" a senior dealer said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRANSNATIONAL INDUSTRIES <TRSL> SEES LOSS\n","article":"  Transnational Industries Inc said due\n  to continuing manufacturing difficulties at its AlloyTek Inc\n  jet engine component subsidiary, it expects to report a net\n  loss of about 300,000 dlrs or 12 cts per share for the fourth\n  quarter ended January 31.\n      It said revenues for the period were about 11.9 mln dlrs,\n  about even with those of a year earlier.\n      For the full fiscal year, the company said it earned about\n  775,000 dlrs or 34 cts per share, down from 1,402,000 dlrs or\n  76 cts per share a year before.\n      The company said an unexpectedly large volume of customer\n  inquiries at its Spitz Inc simulation products subsidiary has\n  caused higher than expected business development outlays.\n      The company said it expects significant contract awards to\n  Spitz later this year.\n      It said it has started implementing a plan to progressively\n  reduce manufacturing costs at AlloyTek over the next several\n  quarters.  The company said it may move AlloyTek's plant from\n  Grandville, Mich., to a lower labor cost area.\n      The company said it discovered the extent of the AlloyTek\n  problems during a year-end review of subcontracts and related\n  work in progress for production of jet engine components for\n  General Electric Co <GE>.\n      It said it will release annual results around April 15.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GREAT WESTERN <GWF> SELLS INSURANCE UNIT\n","article":"  Great Western Financial\n  Corp said it agreed to sell its John Alden Life Insurance Co\n  and its affiliated operations for 280 mln dlrs to a\n  newly-formed company onwed by the John Alden Management Group.\n      General Electric Credit Corp delivered a commitment letter\n  arranged by the GECC Capital Markets Group Inc for the\n  financing.\n      Great Western said the pre-tax gain on the sale will be\n  approximately 65 mln dlrs, and after tax gain will be \n  approximately 15 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JAPANESE ECONOMIST SEES STABLE YEN\/DOLLAR RATES\n","article":"  The yen should stabilize at around\n  152 to 153 to the U.S. Dollar for about a year, the Bank of\n  Tokyo's economic adviser Koei Narusawa said.\n      \"Both sides are showing clear interest to secure stability\n  of the currencies. The major target of the Japanese government\n  is to maintain the yen at above 150, at least for the rest of\n  the year,\" he told reporters during a brief visit to Malaysia.\n      Narusawa said the U.S. Is unlikely to push the yen up\n  further because this might spark off inflation and depress the\n  U.S. Economy before the 1988 presidential election.\n      The yen is trading at around 153.70 to the dollar.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STERIVET <STVTF> SETS THREE-FOR-ONE SHARE SPLIT\n","article":"  Sterivet Laboratories Ltd said the\n  board authorized a three-for-one split of its outstanding\n  common shares, subject shareholder approval at the annual\n  meeting.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SPAIN RAISES CALL MONEY RATES ON HIGHER DEMAND\n","article":"  The Bank of Spain raised overnight call\n  money rates by 1\/4 to 14 pct on demand for 746 billion pesetas\n  in today's auction, which a bank spokesman termed \"heavy.\"\n      Rates stood at 12.1 pct at the start of the year and have\n  been increased to drain liquidity on rising demands for funds,\n  the spokesman said.\n      He said in reply to Reuters inquiries that rates could rise\n  further if money supply growth rose above this year's eight pct\n  target for M-4, defined as liquid assets in public hands.\n      Money supply rose at an annualised rate of 16.7 pct last\n  month against 8.1 pct in January. Growth was 11.4 pct in 1986.\n      A leading Spanish broker said the central bank was applying\n  a more restrictive policy to keep the lid on inflation.\n      The consumer price index rose 8.3 pct last year.\n      \"Money supply control is the government's chief weapon\n  against inflation,\" he said. \"The problem is higher rates are\n  attracting liquidity from abroad.\"\n      He said this was why the central bank enacted specific\n  measures to control the inflow of foreign capital. The Bank of\n  Spain earlier this month imposed a 19 pct reserve requirement\n  on new convertible peseta funds held by banks to curb\n  short-term speculative capital from abroad.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CAMPBELL RED LAKE <CRK> SETS QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Pay May 25\n      Record April 20\n      Note: Canadian funds\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GATT ROUND MAY STOP GROWING TRADE PROBLEMS: U.S.\n","article":"  A successful new GATT\n  (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) round is needed to\n  halt growing bilateral trade problems between major trading\n  partners, U.S. Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter said.\n      Yeutter, in New Zealand for informal GATT ministerial\n  talks, told Reuters bilateral trade disputes are increasing\n  because the multilateral system is inefficient.\n      \"That is really a strong rationale why we need a new GATT\n  round,\" he said. \"The very existence of all these bilateral\n  irritants clearly emphasises the need to develop multilateral\n  solutions to some of these problems.\"\n      The eighth GATT round of negotiations was launched at Punta\n  del Este in Uruguay in September 1986. Agriculture and services\n  were included in the negotiations for the first time.\n      The growing debt burden of Latin American and African\n  nations will also provide impetus for the GATT round to\n  succeed, he said. \"Clearly those countries need to develop their\n  export endeavours and they need open markets for that to happen\n  and that's the basic objective of the new GATT round.\"\n      But he said the GATT round is a long term endeavour. It\n  will not give any short term relief for debt ridden countries,\n  but it will make a difference in 10 to 15 years.\n      \"It's a worthwhile activity from their standpoint because\n  these debts are not going to go away in the next year or two,\"\n  he said.\n      \"They ought to be very strongly supported in the GATT round\n  as a mechanism for relieving their debt burdens or making\n  possible debt amortisation in the future,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BELGIAN MARCH CONSUMER PRICES RISE\n","article":"  Belgian consumer prices rose 0.11 pct\n  in March from February to stand 1.27 pct above the level in\n  March 1986, the Economic Affairs Ministry said in a statement.\n      It said the consumer price index, base 1981, rose to 132.83\n  points from 132.69 in February and 131.17 in March 1985.\n      Year-on-year inflation stood at 1.00 pct in February and at\n  1.53 pct in March 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN FURTHER 104 MLN STG HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided the\n  money market with assistance of 104 mln stg in the afternoon\n  session.\n      This takes the bank's total help so far today to 219 mln\n  stg and compares with its estimate of a 300 mln stg shortage.\n      The central bank bought outright 104 mln stg in bank bills\n  in band two at 9-13\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"OPEC WITHIN OUTPUT CEILING, SUBROTO SAYS\n","article":"  Opec remains within its agreed output\n  ceiling of 15.8 mln barrels a day, and had expected current\n  fluctuations in the spot market of one or two dlrs, Indonesian\n  Energy Minister Subroto said.\n      He told reporters after meeting with President Suharto that\n  present weakness in the spot oil market was the result of\n  warmer weather in the U.S. And Europe which reduced demand for\n  oil.\n      Prices had also been forced down because refineries were\n  using up old stock, he said.\n      He denied that Opec was exceeding its agreed production\n  ceiling. Asked what Opec's output level was now, he replied:\n  \"Below 15.8 (mln barrels per day).\" He did not elaborate.\n      He said there appeared to have been some attempts to\n  manipulate the market, but if all Opec members stick by the\n  cartel's December pricing agreement it would get through\n  present price difficulties.\n      He predicted that prices would recover again in the third\n  and fourth quarters of 1987.\n      He also reiterated that there was no need for an emergency\n  Opec meeting.\n      He said Opec had expected to see some fluctuations in the\n  spot price. \"We hope the weak price will be overcome, and\n  predict the price will be better in the third and fourth\n  quarters.\"\n      Refiners, he said, appeared to have used up old stock\n  deliberately to cause slack demand in the market and the price\n  to fall. But Opec would get through this period if members\n  stuck together.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PRINCEVILLE <PVDC> GETS LETTER OF CREDIT\n","article":"  <Qintex Ltd> of Brisbane said <Westpac\n  Banking Corp> of Australia has issued a commitment letter to\n  provide Princeville Development Corp with the letter of credit\n  required under Qintex's proposed acquisition of Princeville.\n      The letter of credit would ensure payment of Princeville's\n  contingent subordinated notes to be distributed to shareholders\n  of record on the day immediately following completion of\n  Qintex's tender for 3,300,000 Princeville share. It said\n  issuance of the letter of credit is still subject to conditions\n  including appropriate documentation, but the letter is expected\n  to be issued around April Three.\n      Qintex said as a result it has extended its tender offer\n  for Princeville shares until April Three.\n      It said through yesterday it had received 7,424,292 shares\n  under the offer.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ADVANCED COMPUTER TECHNIQUES <ACTP> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 41 cts vs 30 cts\n      Net 700,000 vs 526,000\n      Revs 15.2 mln vs 14.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEWS CORP <NWS> UNIT CORRECTS DIVIDEND RATE\n","article":"  News Corp Ltd's Fox Television\n  Stations Inc subsidiary said it will pay an accrued dividend of\n  5.44 dlrs per share, not the 5.83 dlrs it reported earlier, in\n  connection with the April 15 redemption of 230,000 shares of\n  increasing rate exchangeable guaranteed preferred stock for\n  1,000 dlrs per share plus accrued dividends.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MCRAE INDUSTRIES <MRI-A> INCREASES PAYOUT\n","article":"  McCrae Industries Inc said it\n  raised its preferred dividend on its Class A common stock to 12\n  cts per share from 11 cts per share.\n      It said the dividend was payable April 20, 1987, to\n  shareholders of record April 6.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COLUMBIA FIRST <CFFS> TAKES OVER BANK\n","article":"  Columbia First Federal Savings and\n  Loan Association said it has acquired the insured deposits of\n  first Federal of Maryland, based in Hagerstown, from the\n  Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corp and reopend First\n  Federal's six former offices as Columbia First branches.\n      The Federal Home Loan Bank Board had closed First Federal\n  on March 20 because it was insolvent.  First Federal had assets\n  of 115.2 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"N.Y. DEALERS BELIEVE FED INTERVENED TO BUY DLRS\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve appears to have\n  intervened in the U.S. foreign exchange market to buy dollars\n  against yen this morning, currency dealers said.\n      They said the intervention occurred near the dollar's early\n  low of 148.50 yen and the U.S. currency subsequently firmed to\n  149.05\/15. It closed at 150.00\/05 on Monday.\n      Dealers were uncertain of the amount involved and whether\n  the Fed's purchases were for its own account or for a customer.\n  But there was speculation that it may have been done in\n  conjunction with the Bank of Japan. Tokyo dealers said the\n  Japanese central bank bought dollars in Tokyo earlier today.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHARMING SHOPPES INC <CHRS> RAISES QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div three cts vs 2-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record April Six\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ANGELICA CORP <AGL> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 47 cts vs 40 cts\n      Net 4,399,000 vs 3,768,000\n      Sales 76.6 mln vs 68.0 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.79 dlrs vs 1.84 dlrs\n      Net 16,701,000 vs 17,159,000\n      Sales 291.7 mln vs 269.1 mln\n      NOTE: FiscaL 1987 year based on 53 weeks compared wqith 52\n  weeks a year earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OFFICIAL INQUIRY SET FOR AUSTRALIAN WHEAT INDUSTRY\n","article":"  The government's industry aid and\n  protection review body, the Industries Assistance Commission\n  (IAC), will hold a 12-month inquiry into the Australian wheat\n  industry, Primary Industry Minister John Kerin said.\n      The IAC has been asked to report on the need for assistance\n  to the industry and the nature, duration and extent of any aid,\n  he said in a statement.\n      He said the inquiry will be the first step in setting\n  marketing arrangements to apply after June 30, 1989, when the\n  underwriting and pricing provisions of the 1984 Wheat Marketing\n  Act expire.\n      Kerin said the broad-ranging reference would allow a full\n  examination of all aspects of the wheat-marketing system.\n      \"The inquiry will be required to take into account changes\n  which have taken place in the industry as a result of the\n  agricultural policies of major wheat producing countries and\n  the industry's capacity to adjust to any recommended changes,\"\n  he said.\n      \"The inquiry is at an important time for the wheat industry,\n  as the substantial fall in world prices is likely to trigger\n  underwriting support from the government for the first time,\" he\n  said.\n      Kerin was referring to the government's underwriting of the\n  guaranteed minimum price paid to wheatgrowers by the Australian\n  Wheat Board near the start of the season.\n      The IAC's report will be due at the same time as the\n  findings of the current Royal Commission into Grain Storage,\n  Handling and Transport, Kerin said.\n      He said the timing of the IAC inquiry would allow its\n  findings and those of the Royal Commission to be considered in\n  later negotiations on wheat-marketing arrangements between the\n  federal and state governments and the industry.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GULL INC <GLL> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NT\n","article":"  Shr 22 cts vs 14 cts\n      Net 917,000 vs 553,000\n      Sales 16.1 mln vs 13.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,195,000 vs 4,090,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 70 cts vs 29 cts\n      Net 2,852,000 vs 1,086,000\n      Sales 49.2 mln vs 40.7 mln\n      NOTE: Prior nine mths net includes gain 250,000 dlrs from\n  insurance payment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERIANA SAVINGS BANK <ASBI> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr not given\n      Net 328,000 vs 99,000\n      Year\n      Shr not given\n      Net 1,694,000 vs 998,000\n      NOTE: Company went public in February 1987.\n      Net includes pretax loan loss recovery 41,000 dlrs vs\n  provision 50,000 dlrs in quarter and provisions 135,000 dlrs vs\n  50,000 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GRIFFIN TECHNOLOGY INC <GRIF> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Ended Jan 31\n      Shr loss one ct vs loss eight cts\n      Net loss 25,800 vs loss 157,100\n      Revs 2,323,500 vs 1,930,400\n      Year\n      Shr profit 19 cts vs profit four cts\n      Net profit 401,100 vs profit 93,100\n      Revs 10.3 mln vs 8,807,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HONDURAS SEEKS PL480 VESSELS FOR TALLOW DELIVERY\n","article":"  Honduras will tender March 26 under\n  PL480 for U.S. and non-U.S. flag vessels to import 1,500 tonnes\n  of tallow in bulk, an agent for the country said.\n      The agent said delivery includes laydays of April 5-15.\n      Offers are due by 1200 hrs EST, March 26, and will remain\n  valid until the close of business the following day, the agent\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PETRIE STORES CORP <PST> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 90 cts vs 97 cts\n      Shr diluted 82 cts vs 88 cts\n      Net 42.1 mln vs 43.0\n      Revs 379.3 mln vs 352.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 46.8 mln vs 44.3 mln\n      Avg shrs diluted 52.6 mln vs 50.0 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.58 dlrs vs 1.81 dlrs\n      Shr diluted 1.50 dlrs vs 1.76 dlrs\n      Net 73.7 mln vs 77.9 mln\n      Revs 1.20 billion vs 1.16 billion\n      Avg shrs 46.8 mln vs 43.0 mln\n      Avg shrs diluted 52.6 mln vs 45.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. ECONOMY SHOWS PROMISING SIGNS OF GROWTH\n","article":"  The U.S. economy is showing some\n  promising signs of accelerated expansion despite the\n  sluggishness of the fourth quarter last year, private\n  economists say.\n      Some of the slowness experienced in the October-December\n  period had been expected to spill over into the first quarter\n  this year, as the tax law changes that went into effect in\n  January slowed business and consumer spending.\n      But some of the latest economic data show signs of\n  surprising strength in the U.S. economy, although some\n  economists remain cautious about the outlook.\n      The Commerce Department reported today that new orders for\n  durable goods in February jumped by 5.7 billion dlrs, a six pct\n  rise, to 101.2 billion dlrs. Even excluding volatile defense\n  goods, durable goods orders rose a healthy 3.8 pct, the agency\n  said.\n      The February numbers surpassed the expectations of many\n  financial analysts, whose predictions ranged from flat to\n  increases of up to five pct.\n      The January\/February employment statistics suggest the\n  Gross National Product will show a healthy rate of growth for\n  the first three months of this year, said Lyle Gramley, an\n  economist with the Mortgage Bankers Association.\n      The U.S. jobless rate in February and January was 6.7 pct,\n  the lowest rate since March 1980. The number of new non-farm\n  jobs rose by 337,000 in February after a 319,000 gain in\n  January and a 225,000 December increase, the government said.\n      The employment data suggests a GNP annual growth rate of\n  about three to 3.25 pct in the first quarter, said Gramley.\n      Much of that will be attributed to businesses rebuilding\n  their inventories and is not likely to be sustained in the\n  second quarter, Gramley said. He expects a slowdown in the\n  second quarter with smaller increases in personal consumption\n  and government spending. He also sees residential construction\n  declining mostly for multi-family housing units.\n      Fidelity Bank senior economist Mickey Levy said some of the\n  fourth quarter slowness will continue.\n      Levy predicts GNP will grow at a scant 1.5 pct rate in the\n  first quarter of 1987, accelerate during the second quarter and\n  show a brisk 4.5 pct annual rate in the third quarter.\n      The key to both forecasts is a marked improvement in the\n  U.S. trade balance which is expected because of the decline in\n  the dollar's value over the last year and half.\n      \"The improvement will be gradual and long lasting,\" Levy\n  predicted. Most of it will be through import reduction, but at\n  least one-third will be due to a rise in product exports as the\n  prices of U.S. goods become more attractive overseas.\n      The Reagan administration has predicted the trade deficit,\n  which soared to record levels last year, will improve this year\n  and the U.S. economy will grow by a respectable 3.2 pct for the\n  year compared with a 2.5 pct rate last year.\n      As part of the effort to reduce the trade deficit, the U.S.\n  has been pressing West Germany and Japan to stimulate their\n  domestic demand for goods from the U.S. and others.\n      U.S. officials believe that would help take some of the\n  pressure off the United States whose five years of economic\n  growth has been the mainstay of developing countries.\n      The U.S. economy provided them with a giant market for\n  their goods giving them a way to earn income badly needed to\n  service their foreign debt.\n      The government last week said the U.S. economy grew at a\n  modest 1.1 pct annual rate during the fourth quarter.\n      There were indications of improvement in the huge imbalance\n  between the volume of goods imported to the United States and\n  those shipped abroad. The report showed a rising volume of\n  exports corresponding to a decline in imports despite the fact\n  that in current dollar terms, the U.S. trade deficit worsened\n  during the closing three months of 1986.\n      While fourth quarter economic growth was weak, corporate\n  profits jumped a healthy 6.1 pct during the period, the\n  government said. It also reported that inflation, as measured\n  by the GNP price deflator, remained in check, growing a\n  moderate 0.7 pct in the period, the lowest rise in 19 years.\n      The government also reported that consumer spending, a key\n  element of the five year economic recovery, jumped 1.7 pct in\n  February, after falling two pct in January.\n      The Federal Reserve Board also reported that the\n  manufacturing sector, which had been one of the weaker elements\n  of the U.S. economy, was showing signs of recovery.\n      In its latest report on current economic conditions, the\n  Fed said that economic activity in the various regions of the\n  country ranged from uneven or steady to improving.\n  Manufacturing activity showed signs of improvement in most\n  regions except Dallas where orders remained sluggish.\n      Chase Econometrics Chairman Lawrence Chimerine said the\n  pick up in the U.S. manufacturing sector is largely due to the\n  drop in the dollar's value. He said he does not foresee a major\n  pick up in economic activity, but does not believe the economy\n  will slip into recession either.\n      He said higher prices on imported products and wage cuts\n  that have helped the manufacturing sector will squeeze\n  consumers purchasing power.\n      \"That pattern is starting and will continue for a number of\n  years,\" Chimerine said. He sees economic growth hovering around\n  a modest two pct level for the next few years.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INDONESIA URGED TO DEREGULATE ITS ECONOMY\n","article":"  World Bank President Barber Conable\n  linked increased borrowing by Indonesia, the Third World's\n  sixth largest debtor, to fresh measures to deregulate trade and\n  dismantle protectionist barriers.\n      \"We would like to see the Indonesian government continue the\n  adjustment process ... To move towards increased deregulation\n  of the economy,\" Conable told a press conference at the end of a\n  three-day visit to Jakarta.\n      Conable directly linked further Bank help for Indonesia's\n  hard-pressed balance of payments to further measures by the\n  government to reduce protectionism and increase efficiency.\n      The World Bank last month granted Indonesia a 300 mln dlr\n  trade adjustment loan. He said further loans would depend on\n  the economic policies Indonesia adopted.\n      But he said that in meetings with both President Suharto\n  and leading Indonesian ministers he had not called for specific\n  policy changes.\n      \"The initiative will have to rest with the Indonesian\n  government. We are not here to dictate to them,\" he stated.\n      Indonesia, the only Asian member of Opec, has been badly\n  hit by last year's slump in oil prices which cut its revenues\n  from crude exports in half.\n      Conable had what he termed a frank meeting this morning\n  with Suharto.\n      He voiced support for measures already taken, including\n  September's 31 pct devaluation of the rupiah, and efforts to\n  deregulate imports and stimulate exports.\n      \"The government can rely on the support of the World Bank in\n  a continuing program of adjustment to the economic realities of\n  today's world,\" he said.\n      The Bank has loaned Indonesia 10.7 billion dlrs over the\n  past 20 years. Lending is now about one billion a year.\n      The World Bank would probably like to see further\n  dismantling of tarrif barriers and measures to reduce\n  Indonesia's protected monopolies in areas like steel, plastics\n  and cement, western bankers and diplomats said.\n      The government has already said it will announce further\n  deregulation measures, but has given no timetable. It is also\n  considering selling off loss-making state companies.\n      Conable said the Bank would try to help Indonesia find\n  funds to cover its share of development projects, which\n  otherwise would have to be scrapped or postponed. Japan's Ex-Im\n  bank announced a 900 mln dlr untied credit last month.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ARGYLL SELLS SUBSIDIARY'S ASSETS FOR 14 MLN STG\n","article":"  Food and drink retailer Argyll Group Plc\n  <AYLL.L> said it has agreed to sell its U.K. Subsidiary <George\n  Morton Ltd> to <Seagram United Kingdom Ltd> for about 14 mln\n  stg in cash.\n      The consideration for Morton's fixed assets, stocks,\n  debtors and goodwill is payable on completion of the sale. The\n  disposal will bring Argyll an extraordinary credit of some 8.4\n  mln stg.\n      Argyll added the agreements also depend on an indication\n  from the U.K. Office of Fair Trading by June 23 that the sale\n  will not be referred to the Monopolies Commission. Argyll\n  shares were up 12p to 440, firming before the announcement.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IRAN WARNS U.S. NOT TO INTERVENE IN THE GULF\n","article":"  The speaker of the Iranian Parliament,\n  Hojatoleslam Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, warned the U.S. Not to\n  intervene in the Gulf, a day after Washington said its warships\n  were available to escort Kuwaiti tankers through the waterway.\n      \"If U.S. Intervention occurs, the entire world will become\n  insecure for the Americans and the events of Lebanon could be\n  repeated for the Americans everywhere,\" he said.\n      U.S. Defence officials disclosed in Washington yesterday\n  that the U.S. Navy, which has about 24 warships in or near the\n  Gulf, was prepared to escort Kuwaiti tankers, regular targets\n  for Iranian attacks in an offshoot of its war with Iraq.\n      Rafsanjani, in an interview reported by the Iranian news\n  agency IRNA, also commented on earlier U.S. Disclosures that\n  Iran had erected sites for new Chinese-made Silkworm\n  anti-shipping missiles at the Strait of Hormuz.\n      The agency, received in London, quoted him as saying that\n  Iran did not need missiles to close the strait, 24 miles wide\n  at its narrowest, because \"we can close it with artillery only.\"\n      He added \"We have the longest coasts and the highest\n  interest here and the small southern (Gulf) states have a\n  lesser interest compared with us and therefore it is natural\n  for us to protect the security of the Strait of Hormuz more\n  than others.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COFFEE TRADERS EXPECT SELLOFF AFTER ICO TALKS FAIL\n","article":"  The failure of the International Coffee\n  Organization (ICO) to reach agreement on coffee export quotas\n  could trigger a massive selloff in London coffee futures of at\n  least 100 stg per tonne today, coffee trade sources said.\n      Prices could easily drop to as low as 1.00 dlr or even 80\n  cents a lb this year from around 1.25 dlrs now, they said.\n      A special meeting between importing and exporting countries\n  ended in a deadlock late yesterday after eight days of talks\n  over how to set the quotas. No further meeting to discuss\n  quotas was set, delegates said.\n      Quotas, the major device used to stabilize prices under the\n  International Coffee Agreement, were suspended a year ago after\n  prices soared following a damaging drought in Brazil.\n      With no propects for quotas in sight, heavy producer\n  selling initially and a price war among commercial coffee\n  roasting companies will ensue, the trade sources predicted.\n      Lower prices are sure to trickle down to the supermarket\n  shelf this spring, coffee dealers said.\n      The U.S. And Brazil, the largest coffee importer and\n  exporter respectively, each laid the blame on the other for the\n  breakdown of the talks.\n      Jon Rosenbaum, U.S. Assistant trade representative and\n  delegate to the talks, said in a statement after the council\n  adjourned, \"A majority of producers, led by Brazil, were not\n  prepared to negotiate a new distribution based on objective\n  criteria.\n      \"We want to insure that countries receive export quotas\n  based on their ability to supply the market, instead of their\n  political influence in the ICO.\"\n      Brazilian Coffee Institute (IBC) President Jorio Dauster\n  countered, \"Negotiations failed because consumers tried to\n  dictate quotas, not negotiate them.\"\n      Previously, quotas were determined by historical amounts\n  exported, which gave Brazil a 30 pct share of a global market\n  of about 58 mln 60-kilo bags. A majority of producers wanted\n  quotas to continue under this basic scheme.\n      But most consumers and a maverick group of eight producers\n  proposed carving up the export market on the basis of\n  exportable production and stocks, which would reduce Brazil's\n  share to 28.8 pct.\n      Consumer delegates said this method would reflect changes\n  in many countries' export capabilities and make coffee more\n  readily available to consumers when they need it.\n      A last-minute attempt by Colombia, the second largest\n  exporter, to rescue the talks with a compromise interim\n  proposal could not bring the two sides together.\n      Delegates speculated Brazil's financial problems,\n  illustrated by its recent suspension of interest payments on\n  bank debt, have increased political pressure on the country to\n  protect its coffee export earnings.\n      Developing coffee-producing countries that depend heavily\n  on coffee earnings, particularly some African nations and\n  Colombia, are likely to be hurt the most by the ICO's failure\n  to agree quotas, analysts said.\n      The expected drop in prices could result in losses of as\n  much as three billion dlrs in a year, producer delegates\n  forecast.\n      The ICO executive board will meet March 31, but the full\n  council is not due to meet again until September, delegates\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VALLEN CORP <VALN> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 24 cts vs 33 cts\n      Net 347,000 vs 469,000\n      Sales 16.5 mln vs 14.0 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Oper shr 93 cts vs 94 cts\n      Oper net 1,327,000 vs 1,342,000\n      Sales 48.8 mln vs 34.5 mln\n      NOTE: Current nine mths net excludes 756,000 dlr gain from\n  termination of pension plan.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SHELL TO DECLARE NORWAY'S DRAUGEN FIELD COMMERCIAL\n","article":"  <A\/S Norske Shell>, Royal\n  Dutch\/Shell Group's <RD.AS> Norwegian subsidiary, said it has\n  nearly concluded a 10 billion crown development scheme for\n  Norway's Draugen oil field and will declare the field\n  commercial in the near future.\n      Pending government approval of the scheme, the field could\n  come on stream in 1992, making it Norway's northermost field\n  development and the first such project on the Haltenbanken\n  tract off central Norway.\n      Work on the project could begin as early as January 1988, a\n  Shell spokesman said.\n      Shell has not released projected output levels for the\n  field, where water depth is 240-270 meters.\n      The spokesman said the field's partners have agreed to\n  develop Draugen with a 300-meter, single-leg concrete\n  gravity-base platform.\n      The scheme also proposes using remote subsea production\n  wells to tap the field's reservoir, estimated to contain 375\n  mln barrels of oil, and an offshore buoy-loading system to\n  transport oil from the field by ship.\n      Partners on Draugen are Shell, the operator, with a 30 pct\n  stake, British Petroleum Co Plc <BP.L> unit <BP Petroleum\n  Development (Norway) Ltd> (20 pct) and state-owned Den Norske\n  Stats Oljeselskap A\/S <STAT.OL> (Statoil) (50 pct).\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BOND CORP HAS NO COMMENT ON ALLIED SPECULATION\n","article":"  Bond Corp Holdings Ltd  <BONA.S> of\n  Australia said it had no comment on an article in a London\n  evening newspaper speculating on its plans for a bid approach\n  to U.K. dDrinks and food giant Allied Lyons Plc <ALLD.L>.\n      Tony Oates, Bond Corp's Executive Director for Finance and\n  Administration, said \"The company does not comment on market\n  rumors or press conjecture.\" He added in all instances of this\n  kind problems are likely to arise whatever is said.\n      Allied's shares were 3p up at 401p, which values the\n  company at around 2.75 billion stg.\n      London stock market analysts specializing in brewery shares\n  viewed a bid from Bond, which they said has assets of around\n  two billion stg, as highly unlikely.\n      They added that rumours of a possible bid for Allied have\n  surfaced from time to time in the press and the London equity\n  market ever since last year's thwarted approach from Elders IXL\n  Ltd <ELXA.S> of Australia.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"S. AFRICA GOLD MINING INDUSTRY HAD RECORD YEAR\n","article":"  The gold mining industry had\n  another \"exceptional year\" in 1986 with tonnage milled, revenues\n  and profits reaching high levels, the Chamber of Mines said.\n      Nearly 108 mln tons of ore was milled, three pct higher\n  than the prior year, while revenues rose 17 pct to 16.5 billion\n  rand and profits increased 6.5 pct to 8.31 billion rand, the\n  Chamber reported.\n      The profit rise was achieved despite substantial cost\n  increases and a 26.1 pct rise in capital expenditures to 2.42\n  billion rand, it said.\n      The chamber said that a \"comparatively buoyant gold price\n  allowed mines to continue the practise of mining lower grade\n  ores which has characterised recent years.\"\n      It said the industry now mines to an average grade of 5.63\n  grams per ton compared with 6.09 grams per ton in 1985.\n      Gold output for the year declined five pct to 638 tons\n  compared with the previous year's 671 tons.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CLAREMONT TELLS SEC IT SEEKS 15 PCT CHAMPION PRODUCTS STAKE, TWO BOARD SEATS\n","article":"\n  CLAREMONT TELLS SEC IT SEEKS 15 PCT CHAMPION PRODUCTS STAKE, TWO BOARD SEATS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"RICE, CORN LEAD 1987 U.S. FARM PAYMENTS - USDA\n","article":"  Rice and corn farmers will receive\n  the largest payments from the U.S. government during 1987 if\n  the subsidies are calculated per planted acre, the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department said.\n      USDA said government outlays to rice farmers in 1987 are\n  expected to reach 403 dlrs per acre planted, followed by corn\n  at 135 dlrs per planted acre. Government outlays include mainly\n  deficiency payments and price support loans.\n      On a per acre basis, cotton payments will reach 73.24 dlrs\n  in 1987, wheat 60.30 dlrs, sorghum 54.38 dlrs, barley 27.41\n  dlrs and oats 2.31 dlrs, USDA said.\n      USDA estimates farm subsidies will reach 25.3 billion dlrs\n  in 1987. The figures were given by USDA officials at a Senate\n  Agriculture Appropriations hearing yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 10 MLN STG LATE ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided the\n  money market with late help of about 10 mln stg.\n      This takes the bank's total help today to some 229 mln stg\n  and compares with its forecast of a 300 mln stg shortage.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VOLVO GROUP COMPANY PROPOSES TWO-FOR-FIVE ISSUE\n","article":"  <AB Catena>, in which AB Volvo\n  <VOLV.ST> has a 48 pct stake, said it was proposing a\n  two-for-five stock issue that will raise the company's equity\n  capital to 420 mln crowns from 300 mln.\n      Catena reported profits after financial income and costs up\n  to only 231 mln crowns from 207 mln in 1985, despite an\n  increase in sales to 8.54 billion crowns from 5.59 billion in\n  1985.\n      The company said that its 1986 performance was best\n  reflected by earnings after writeoffs, which rose to 310 mln\n  from 221 mln in 1985.\n      Catena's increase in sales was mainly due to the takeover\n  of Safveans AB in February 1986, which changed the business\n  profile of Catena. It had principally operated as a Volvo\n  dealer. With the Safveans acquisition it is now mainly a\n  trading and industrial company.\n      In December 1986 Catena sold its share in the stockbroking\n  firm Jacobson och Ponsbach Fondkommission AB. This yielded a\n  profit of 386.7 mln crowns and was reflected in Catena's\n  pre-tax earnings which rose to 724 mln crowns from 204 mln in\n  1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. ENERGY SECRETARY OPTIMISTIC ON INCENTIVES\n","article":"  U.S. Department of Energy Secretary\n  John Herrington said he was \"optimistic\" about the chances of\n  providing a more generous depletion allowance for oil and gas\n  producers, but added that the plan faces strong opposition from\n  some members of the Reagan administration.\n      Herrington, speaking to Houston oil executives at a\n  breakfast meeting, said administration debate over his plan for\n  a 27.5 pct annual depletion allowance was \"heavy and strong\"\n  largely because of some fears that the U.S. oil industry could\n  eventually become as dependent on federal subsidies as the\n  agriculture industry.\n      Herrington's proposed tax incentives for the oil industry\n  were issued last week after the Department of Energy released a\n  comprehensive report finding U.S. national security could be\n  jeopardized by rising oil imports.\n      In response to a question from Mitchell Energy and\n  Development Corp <MND> chairman, George Mitchell, Herrington\n  said the report did not definitively rule out an oil import\n  tarrif. \"We intend to keep that debate open,\" Herrington said.\n      However, following his speech, Herrington told Reuters that\n  the new report shows an oil import fee \"is not economical.\"\n      Herrington said, for example, a 10 dlr per barrel tariff on\n  oil imports would cause the nation's gross national product to\n  drop by as much as 32 billion dlrs.\n      Herrington also said he believed President Reagan, who\n  requested the comprehensive national security study, was\n  committed to some action to help the ailing U.S. oil industry.\n      \"I'm quite confident he understands the problems and is\n  prepared to do something about it,\" Herrington said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMMERCIAL METALS CO <CMC> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 23 cts vs 34 cts\n      Net 2,091,000 vs 3,053,000\n      Revs 203.5 mln vs 215.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 8,967,719 vs 8,863,945\n      1st half\n      Shr 40 cts vs 69 cts\n      Net 3,616,000 vs 6,111,000\n      Revs 411.8 mln vs 418.1 mln\n      Avg shrs 8,958,100 vs 8,850,656\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GEO. A. HORMEL <HRL> VOTES TWO-FOR-ONE SPLIT\n","article":"  Geo. A. Hormel and Co said its\n  directors voted a two-for-one split, payable June one, record\n  April 18.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CLAREMONT TO BOOST CHAMPION PRODUCTS <CH> STAKE\n","article":"  Claremont Group Ltd, a New York\n  investment banking firm, said it intends to boost its current\n  10 pct stake in Champion Products Inc to as much as 15 pct of\n  the total outstanding common stock.\n      Claremont added that it asked Champion to put two\n  representatives on its nine-member board of directors.\n      Claremont previously disclosed in December that it had\n  agreed to act in concert with Walsh, Greenwood and Co, an\n  affiliated investment firm, to acquire Champion Products.\n      Claremont said it made net purchases of 7,800 Champion\n  Products shares between Jan. 28 and March 18.\n      In a March 20 letter to Champion Chairman John Tanis,\n  Claremont and Walsh representatives Stephen Walsh and John\n  Cirigliano said they were pleased with the company's\n  performance but wanted to take an active management role.\n      \"We believe that Champion Products has just begun to evolve\n  into the market leader it will eventually become,\" they said. \"As\n  significant shareholders with mutual interests with the\n  company, we would like to actively participate in this process.\"\n      Claremont's intentions and the letter were made public in a\n  filing with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<SHELL U.K. LTD> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Sales proceeds 6.57 billion stg vs 8.81 billion\n      Duty and value added tax 1.84 billion vs 1.60 billion\n      Net proceeds 4.73 billion vs 7.21 billion\n      Net profit 757 mln vs 667 mln\n      Average capital employed 3.63 billion vs 3.71 billion\n      Capital and exploration expenditure 644 mln vs 618 mln\n      Cash surplus 423 mln vs 584 mln.\n      NOTE - Company is wholly owned subsidiary of Royal\n  Dutch\/Shell Group <RD.AS>\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"CYCLOPS <CYL> SAYS DIXONS AGREEMENTS BINDING\n","article":"  Cyclops Corp said that as it has\n  already stated, its agreements with <Dixons Group PLC> are\n  binding and Dixons will not rescind or waive any provisions of\n  the agreements.\n      The company said its agreement to merge into Dixons does\n  not permit it to provide nonpublic information to <CYACQ>,\n  which is making a competing offer for Cyclops, that had been\n  provided to Dixons.\n      It said other provisions Dixons will not waive include its\n  rights to recover breakup fees or expenses from Cyclops or buy\n  Cyclops common shares from Cyclops.\n      Cyclops noted that Dixons' waiver of rights to breakup fees\n  or the purchase of common stock directly from Cyclops and the\n  provision of nonpublic information to CYACQ are conditions to\n  CYACQ's increased 92.50 dlr per share offer to acquire Cyclops\n  shares.\n      Dixons is tendering for Cyclops shares at 90.25 dlrs a\n  share.  Yesterday Citicorp <CCI>, with Audio\/Video Affiliates\n  Inc <AVA> an owner of CYACQ, said it had offered to acquire\n  from Dixons after the merger of Cyclops into Dixons Cyclops'\n  industrial businesses for 12.8 mln dlrs more than Alleghany\n  Corp <Y> is currently scheduled to pay for them.\n      Citicorp said yesterday that its proposal would allow\n  Dixons to raise its tender price to 93.25 dlrs per share. \n  Citicorp said if Dixons accepted the proposal, CYACQ would\n  terminate its competing offer for Cyclops.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<J.M. RESOURCES INC> IN MERGER AGREEMENT\n","article":"  J.M. Resources Inc said it has acquired\n  a 90 pct interest in DEI Acquisition Corp from InterFirst\n  Venture Corp, Sam B. Myers, Neomar Resources Inc and Richard L.\n  Morgan, all of Dallas, for warrants to acquire 10.1 mln shares\n  of J.M. stock and three mln dlrs of notes.\n      The warrants are exercisable at par value, currently 10 cts\n  per share, until March 20, 1997.  The company said if the\n  warrants were exercised in full, they would represent a 40.7\n  pct interest in J.M. common stock.  It said amounts due under\n  the notes are payable soleley from proceeds of the sale of\n  securities by J.M. and non-oil and natural gas revenues of DEI.\n      J.M. said DEI provides specialty insulation installation\n  and asbestos removal services.\n      J.M. said all of its directors except Jack E. Manning Jr.\n  have resigned and Myers and Morgan were named to the board.\n      It said Manning has resigned as president in favor of Myers\n  and will service as vice president in charge of oil and natural\n  gas operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"ASTROTECH <AIX> DIRECTOR BUYS COMPANY STOCK\n","article":"  Astrotech International Corp said\n  its director S. Kent Rockwell, who controls Rockwell Venture\n  Capital Inc, will buy 27 pct of the company's cumulative\n  preferred stock.\n      It said will buy up to 302,300 shares of Astrotech's 1.80\n  dlrs cumulative preferred stock.\n      It said the shares are owned by W.F. Rockwell Jr, chairman\n  and chief executive officer of Astrotech and S. Kent Rockwell's\n  father.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN CYANAMID <ACY> CHANGES RECORD DATE\n","article":"  American Cyanamid Co said subject\n  to approval by its board it has changed the record date for the\n  quarterly dividend it will pay on June 26 to May 8 from May 29\n  to coincide with the record date for a two-for-one stock split\n  that was declared at the same time.\n      The dividend on a post-split basis is 26-1\/4 cts per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PNEUMATIC SCALE CO <PNU> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 25 cts vs 25 cts prior\n      Pay May 4\n      Record April 20\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CURTICE-BURNS FOODS INC <CBI> RAISES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 26 cts vs 24 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CRA Ltd 1986 net profit 138.2 mln dlrs vs 87.8 mln\n","article":"\n  CRA Ltd 1986 net profit 138.2 mln dlrs vs 87.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HYDRAULIC <THC> SPLITS 3-FOR-2, HIKES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  The Hydraulic Co said its\n  board approved a three-for-two stock split of its common stock\n  and increased its quarterly cash dividend.\n      It said the stock split will occur through a 50 pct stock\n  distribution on Hydraulic's common stock, payable April 30 to\n  stockholders of record on April 3.\n      The quarterly cash dividend, payable April 15 to\n  stockholders of record on April 3, is to be paid on Hydraulic's\n  pre-split shares that are currently outstanding, the company\n  said.\n      The dividend will be 54.75 cts per share, up from 52 cts\n  per share.It will represent a quarterly common stock cash\n  dividend of 36.50 cts per share on the share that will be\n  outstanding after the stock split, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HUGHES SUPPLY INC <HUG> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 52 cts vs 49 cts\n      Shr diluted 1.95 dlrs vs 1.99 dlrs\n      Net 1,751,609 vs 1,622,503\n      Sales 85.9 mln vs 85.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 2.10 dlrs vs 1.99 dlrs\n      Shr diluted 1.95 dlrs vs 1.99 dlrs\n      Net 6,822,493 vs 6,601,717\n      Sales 347.8 mln vs 324.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PREWAY INC <PREW> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 64 cts vs loss 1.29 dlrs\n      Net loss 5,732,000 vs loss 4,924,000\n      Sales 18.8 mln vs 23.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 9.0 mln vs 3.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.82 dlrs vs loss 3.65 dlrs\n      Net loss 12,267,000 vs loss 13,911,000\n      Sales 112.8 mln vs 129.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 6.7 mln vs 3.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MOORE-MCCORMACK <MMR> COMPLETES UNIT SALE\n","article":"  Moore McCormack Resources Inc\n  said it has completed the previously-announced sale of its\n  Interlake Steamship Co and Moore McCormack Bulk Transport Inc\n  Great Lakes and ocean bulk shipping units to James R. Barker.\n      The company said president Paul Tregurtha has succeeded\n  Barker as chairman and chief executive officer of Moore\n  McCormack.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SUDAN REJECTS IMF DEMAND FOR DEVALUATION\n","article":"  Sudan has rejected a demand by the\n  International Monetary Fund for a currency devaluation because\n  such a move would have a negative impact on its economy, the\n  official Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported.\n      Finance Minister Beshir Omer, quoted by SUNA, said his\n  government also rejected an IMF demand to lift state subsidies\n  on basic consumer goods.\n      SUNA, monitored by the British Broadcasting Corporation,\n  said Omer made the remarks after a meeting in Khartoum\n  yesterday with IMF envoy Abdel-Shakour Shaalan.\n      Sudan, burdened by a foreign debt of 10.6 billion dlrs, is\n  some 500 mln dlrs in arrears to the IMF, which declared it\n  ineligible for fresh loans in February last year.\n      In February 1985, Sudan announced a 48 pct devaluation of\n  its pound against the dollar, adjusting the official exchange\n  rate to 2.5 pounds to the U.S. Currency.\n      Since then, it has resisted pressure from main creditors\n  for more currency adjustments, arguing that past devaluations\n  had failed to boost exports but raised local consumer prices.\n  Sudan also has an incentive rate of four pounds to the dollar\n  for foreign visitors and remittances by expatriate workers.\n      Dealers in Khartoum's thriving black market said the dollar\n  was sold at 5.5 pounds today.\n      With stringent import regulations and the government\n  increasingly short of foreign currency, black market dollars\n  are used to finance smuggled imports from neighbouring\n  countries, mainly Egypt, Kenya, Ethiopia and Zaire.\n      Western diplomats in Khartoum say the meetings between IMF\n  and Sudanese government officials do not amount to formal\n  talks, but rather an effort by the IMF to monitor Sudan's\n  economic performance.\n      The diplomats said Sudan hoped a planned four-year economic\n  recovery program would be acceptable to the IMF as a serious\n  attempt to tackle the country's economic troubles and persuade\n  its Gulf Arab creditors to pay the IMF arrears.\n      This, they said, could provide Sudan with a clean bill of\n  health from the IMF that it could take to Western government\n  creditors, grouped informally in the so-called Paris Club, to\n  reschedule debt payments.\n      Twenty-three pct of Sudan's total foreign debt is owed to\n  members of the Paris Club, the diplomats said.\n      Sudan's Finance Minister said last month the country's IMF\n  representative had told him the fund's executive board was \"very\n  pleased with the 18.5 mln dlrs arrears we have paid in the past\n  couple of months.\"\n      The representative, Omer Said, said IMF Managing Director\n  Michel Camdessus said he would ask Saudi Arabia, to which Sudan\n  owes about 1.4 billion dlrs, to help Khartoum to pay more.\n      Sudan has an annual debt liability of nearly 900 mln dlrs\n  but set aside only some 200 mln dlrs to service debts in the\n  fiscal year ending next June 30.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"SOUTHERN NATIONAL CORP <SNAT> SETS STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Southern National corp said its\n  board declared a three-for-two stock split, payable to\n  shareholders of record on May 22.\n      A company spokeswoman said the payable date for the split\n  has not yet been fixed but would be shortly after the record\n  date.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR<NSM> CITES IMPROVED RESULTS\n","article":"  National Semiconductor Corp\n  said improved results at its Semiconductor Group helped reduce\n  losses in the third quarter and nine months.\n      In the quarter ended March 8, the group had a modest sales\n  increase and major improvement in operating performance\n  compared to the year-ago quarter, the company said.\n      But results softened from the prior quarter because of low\n  bookings last fall for third quarter shipment and holiday\n  shutdowns, it said.\n      The semiconductor maker cut net losses to 25.6 mln dlrs or\n  31 cts a share from 39.4 mln dlrs or 47 cts in the quarter.\n      Losses in the nine months were reduced to 32.7 mln dlrs or\n  44 cts from 84.4 mln dlrs or one dlr. Sales grew 23.5 pct in\n  the quarter to 398.1 mln dlrs and 25.5 pct in the nine months\n  to 1.36 billion dlrs.\n      Bookings recovered in the latter part of the third quarter,\n  the company said. Despite the improvement in order rates and\n  operating results year-to-year, pricing continues to be\n  \"aggressive for many products,\" it said.\n      Nevertheless, it expects the semiconductor business will\n  continue to improve this year. The Information Systems Group\n  will continue strong sales growth based on recent order trends\n  and new product introductions, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"N.Z. QUARTERLY CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT NARROWS\n","article":"  New Zealand's current account deficit\n  for the quarter ended December 31, 1986 narrowed to 567 mln\n  dlrs from 738 mln, revised down from 742 mln, for the September\n  quarter and from 733 mln a year earlier, the statistics\n  department said.\n      The deficit for the year ended December narrowed to 2.75\n  billion dlrs from 2.91 billion dlrs, revised down from 2.92\n  billion, for the year ended September. The deficit for calendar\n  1985 was 2.61 billion.\n      The December quarter showed a 182 mln dlr surplus for\n  merchandise trade, unchanged from the September quarter surplus\n  which was revised down from 271 mln dlrs. The 1985 December\n  quarter showed a 13 mln dlr deficit.\n      Imports for the December 1986 quarter were 2.655 billion\n  against 2.883 billion in the September quarter and 2.454 a year\n  earlier. Exports were 2.837 billion against 3.065 billion and\n  2.440 billion.\n      Imports for the year ended December 1986 were 10.74 billion\n  dlrs compared with 11.14 billion in 1985. Exports were 11.20\n  billion against 11.36 billion.\n      Government borrowing stood at 9.26 billion dlrs for\n  calendar 1986 against 3.15 billion for 1985. Borrowing in the\n  December quarter rose to 3.92 billion from 1.79 in the\n  September quarter and 611 mln a year earlier.\n      Repayments stood at 5.5 billion for the year, up from 3.1\n  billion in 1985. Repayments in the December quarter accounted\n  for 1.4 billion dlrs against 260 mln in the September quarter\n  and 334 mln a year earlier.\n      Official reserves totalled 7.205 billion dlrs at end\n  December compared with 4.723 billion at end September and 3.255\n  billion one year earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC COLD AID FOOD SCHEME MAY BE MADE PERMANENT\n","article":"  Emergency action to distribute\n  European Community (EC) food surpluses to the poor has proved\n  so successful that the EC executive Commission may propose a\n  permanent scheme, a Commission spokesman said.\n      Almost 60,000 tonnes of food was taken out of EC stores\n  between January 20, when Agriculture Ministers approved the\n  scheme, and March 13, according to latest commission figures.\n      The food, including 30,000 tonnes of cereals, 6,000 tonnes\n  of sugar, 4,000 tonnes of beef and 13,300 tonnes of butter, has\n  been distributed to the needy through charities.\n      The present scheme was approved as an emergency measure to\n  help poor people affected by this year's unusually cold winter\n  and will end on March 31.\n      But the spokesman said the commission will consider whether\n  to propose it be replaced by an all-year-round system.\n      The commission estimates that up to March 13 the temporary\n  scheme cost between 63 and 68 mln European currency units\n  (72\/78 mln dlrs). This is above the 50 mln Ecu (57 mln dlr)\n  ceiling originally envisaged by the Ministers.\n      However, commission sources said the real cost was small if\n  account is taken of the expense of keeping food in store until\n  its quality and value deteriorates.\n      On the other hand, the impact of the temporary scheme on EC\n  food surpluses has been slight. EC surplus food stocks at\n  January 31 included 1.28 mln tonnes of butter, 520,000 tonnes\n  of beef and over 10 mln tonnes of cereals.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED MAY ADD RESERVES, ECONOMISTS SAY\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve may intervene in\n  the government securities market to add reserves today, some\n  economists said, although others felt that the Fed was likely\n  to refrain from any action.\n      Those who believed the Fed will intervene said it would\n  probably add temporary reserves indirectly via 1.5 to two\n  billion dlrs of customer repurchase agreements.\n      But others noted the Fed's current add-need is not large.\n  They also expected the federal funds rate to edge lower.\n      Fed funds, which averaged 6.21 pct on Monday, opened at\n  6-1\/8 pct and remained at that level in early trading.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BERLINER BANK OUTLINES LOSSES\n","article":"  <Berliner Bank AG> has suffered\n  losses of between 25 mln and 30 mln marks on credits extended\n  by its Stuttgart branch by bank officials who exceeded their\n  powers, a bank spokesman said.\n      The spokesman, replying to queries about press reports,\n  said he could not rule out the possibility that the final loss\n  figure may be slightly above this range.\n      Late last week the bank said only that the losses from the\n  credits in Stuttgart would be in the \"double-digit millions.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HUGHES SUPPLY INC <HUG> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Pay May 22\n      Record May 8\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KLEINERT'S INC <KLRT> 1ST QTR ENDS FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 24 cts vs 18 cts\n      Net 359,000 vs 297,000\n      Revs 5,724,000 vs 6,430,000\n      Avg shrs 1,475,0000 vs 1,668,000\n      NOTE: qtrs include tax gain of 147,000 vs 137,000.\n      Prior qtr ended March 1, 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. SUPREME COURT ALLOWS OFFSHORE ALASKAN OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION\n","article":"\n  U.S. SUPREME COURT ALLOWS OFFSHORE ALASKAN OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MICRODYME CORP <MCDY> 1ST QTR FEB ONE LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss nine cts vs profit two cts\n      Net loss 397,000 vs profit 76,000\n      Revs 3,763,000 vs 6,467,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. COURT ALLOWS OFFSHORE ALASKAN EXPLORATION\n","article":"  A unanimous Supreme Court ruled that\n  oil and gas exploration can proceed on two tracts off the\n  Alaska coast which were leased by the federal government to\n  eight major oil companies.\n      The ruling was an important victory for the oil companies\n  and the Reagan administration's controversial off-shore leasing\n  program and a setback for two small Alaskan villages that\n  challenged the leases by claiming damage to the environment.\n      The administration said that the court-ordered halt in\n  drilling had created uncertainty over the 4.2 billion dlrs paid\n  for 621 leases off the shores of Alaska since December 1980.\n      A federal appeals court ordered the oil companies to halt\n  all exploration and remove all drilling rigs from two tracts in\n  the Bering Sea off Alaska because of possible harm to the\n  subsistence needs and culture of native Eskimos.\n      But the Supreme Court said the appeals court was wrong in\n  issuing an injunction halting exploration.\n      \"Here, injury to subsistence resources from exploration was\n  not at all probable,\" Justice Byron White wrote for the court.\n  \"And on the other side of the balance of harms was the fact\n  that the oil companies had committed approximately 70 mln dlrs\n  to exploration to be conducted during the summer of 1985 which\n  they would have lost without chance of recovery had exploration\n  been enjoined,\" he said.\n      The oil companies, Amoco Corp <AN>, ARCO, Exxon Corp <XON>,\n  Mobil Corp <MOB>, Sohio, Shell, Texaco Inc <TX> and Union Oil,\n  had said that voiding previously granted leases would result in\n  staggering financial losses.\n      The first lease sale in 1983 involved 2.4 mln acres and\n  generated 318 mln dlrs while the second lease sale in 1984\n  covered 37 mln acres and produced 516 mln dlrs.\n      Administration officials, saying the lease sales were\n  preceded by an intense environmental impact study, denied that\n  the oil and gas exploration would hurt subsistence resources.\n      The Alaskan villages of Gambell and Stebbins, along with an\n  organization of Eskimo natives on the Yukon Delta, argued that\n  the drilling would hurt native hunting and fishing.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRANSAMERICA SELLS OCCIDENTAL LIFE AUSTRALIA\n","article":"  Equity investment company <Battery\n  Group Ltd> said it had agreed to buy <Occidental Life Insurance\n  Co of Australia Ltd> from TransAmerica Corp <TA> of the U.S.\n  For 105 mln Australian dlrs.\n      The acquisition has been made possible by the efforts of\n  its major shareholder, <Pratt and Co Financial Services Pty\n  Ltd>, Battery Group said in a statement.\n      The purchase will be partly funded by the issue of eight\n  mln shares at 4.50 dlrs each and four mln free options to the\n  Pratt Group, controlled by entrepreneur Dick Pratt, plus four\n  mln shares to professional investors at 4.50 each, it said.\n      The balance will be funded by debt, Battery Group said.\n      The acquisition is subject to the approval of its\n  shareholders.\n      On completion of the share placements, Pratt Group will\n  effectively have 51 pct of Battery's enlarged capital, assuming\n  exercise of all options, it said. Battery now has 22 mln shares\n  on issue.\n      Battery said Occidental Life is a major underwriter of\n  individual term life insurance and a recent but fast-growing\n  entrant in the individual account superannuation market.\n      It has some 200 mln dlrs in funds under management.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LOWER TAX OFFSETS LOWER SHELL U.K. UPSTREAM PROFIT\n","article":"  <Shell U.K. Ltd's> pre-tax profit on\n  exploration and production operations fell to 869 mln stg in\n  1986 from 2.12 billion in 1985 due to the fall in oil prices\n  last year, Shell U.K. Finance director Nigel Haslam said.\n      But he told a press conference that due to the high\n  marginal tax rate on North Sea operations, the main impact of\n  the drop in profit was absorbed by a fall in taxation to 330\n  mln stg from 1.45 billion in 1985.\n      The bulk of tax last year was Corporation Tax, with\n  Petroleum Revenue Tax (PRT) representing only 16 mln stg, he\n  said.\n      As a result, post-tax profit from the exploration and\n  production sector fell by only 126 mln stg to 539 mln.\n      Earlier, Shell U.K., a subsidiary of Royal Dutch\/Shell\n  Group <RD.AS>, reported an overall net profit of 757 mln stg,\n  up from 667 mln in 1985, on sales of 6.57 billion stg against\n  8.81 mln.\n      Shell U.K. Chairman Bob Reid said the company's crude oil\n  output from the North Sea was at a record 373,000 bpd in 1986,\n  which would almost certainly prove to be a peak for the\n  company. Shell expects a fall in output of around 10 pct in the\n  current year to around 340,000 bpd, due mainly to the decline\n  in output from the major Brent field, he said.\n      Gas output of 5.9 billion cubic metres and natural gas\n  liquids output of around one mln tonnes in 1986 are expected to\n  be maintained in 1987, he said.\n      A final decision on development of the Kittiwake and Osprey\n  North Sea oil fields will be made in the next 12 to 18 months,\n  Reid said. The Kittiwake field, originally part of the 2.5\n  billion stg Gannet project abandoned last year when the oil\n  price fell, is now estimated to cost around 350 mln stg.\n      Economies on development costs for the Tern and Eider North\n  Sea fields, which were approved last year, have brought the\n  cost down to 30 to 35 pct below the original budget.\n      Day to day operating costs of the exploration and\n  production sector had been cut 10 pct last year, and the target\n  is to keep costs per barrel constant.\n      The company drilled 17 wells offshore, with 10 leading to\n  the discovery of hydrocarbons, although it is too early to\n  gauge the commercial viability of these discoveries, Reid said.\n      Restructuring of the downstream oil sector contributed to a\n  profit rise to 187 mln stg in 1986 from 91 mln stg in 1985.\n      Jaap Klootwijk, managing director of downstream unit <Shell\n  U.K. Oil>, said refining margins in the first quarter of 1987\n  were a \"bit better than the very bad fourth quarter 1986.\"\n      In November and December in particular, refining operations\n  had shown negative margins following the fall in crude and oil\n  product prices, he said. He expected margins to continue\n  generally positive over the summer, although they could dip to\n  become negative from time to time, depending on price\n  movements.\n      A new catalytic cracker at Shell's Stanlow refinery will\n  now come on stream by the end of first quarter 1988, about five\n  months behind schedule, following a crane accident which\n  severely damaged the plant last year, he said.\n      Profits from the chemicals sector rose to 33 mln stg from\n  11 mln after the rationalisation of the Carrington chemical\n  site.\n      Haslam said the Budget announcement on PRT relief, by which\n  companies will be allowed to offset up to 10 pct of qualifying\n  development expenditure on certain future oil fields against\n  PRT, was \"helpful,\" but rather less than had been hoped for.\n      Reid said his estimate of crude oil prices this year was in\n  the range of 15 to 18 dlrs. If prices went much above that, he\n  would expect some over-production above OPEC\"s official 15.8 mln\n  bpd output ceiling which would tend to bring prices back down.\n      He said it looked as if the December OPEC pact to restrain\n  output was holding, bringing supply and demand into balance,\n  but the test will come in summer when demand for OPEC oil will\n  fall.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CALNY INC REJECTS PEPSICO INC ACQUISITION OFFER\n","article":"\n  CALNY INC REJECTS PEPSICO INC ACQUISITION OFFER\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DIXONS PLANS TO LET CYCLOPS <CYL> OFFER EXPIRE\n","article":"  Dixons Group PLC said it does not plan\n  to extend the expiration date of its tender offer for any and\n  all common shares of Cyclops Corp beyond tonight.\n      Dixons said it would accept shares validly tendered and not\n  withdrawn by midnight tonight.\n      Dixons, which is offering 90.25 dlrs a share for Cyclops,\n  said last week it had about 54 pct of Cyclops common shares.\n  Its offer originally was scheduled to expire March 17 but was\n  extended for one week.\n      Yesterday Citicorp <CCI>, with Audio\/Video Affiliates Inc\n  <AVA> an owner of CYACQ, said it had offered to acquire from\n  Dixons after the merger of Cyclops into Dixons, Cyclops'\n  industrial businesses for 12.8 mln dlrs more than Alleghany\n  Corp <Y> is currently scheduled to pay for them.\n      Citicorp said yesterday that its proposal would allow\n  Dixons to raise its tender price to 93.25 dlrs per share.\n  Citicorp said if Dixons accepted the proposal, CYACQ would\n  terminate its competing 92.50 dlr offer for Cyclops.\n      Citicorp had suggested yesterday that Dixons extend its\n  tender until March 31 in connection with the price increase.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INTERNATIONAL CLINICAL LABORATORIES INC <ICLB>\n","article":"  Shr nine cts vs seven cts\n      Net 676,000 vs 509,000\n      Revs 48.5 mln vs 39.9 mln\n      1st half\n      Shr 12 cts vs 17 cts\n      Net 923,000 vs 1,248,000\n      Revs 94.1 mln vs 79.5 mln\n      NOTE:Current half net includes charge 500,000 dlrs from\n  reversal of investment tax credits.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORWEGIAN CENTRAL BANK RESERVES FALL IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Norway's Central Bank reserves totalled\n  91.06 billion crowns in January, against 93.07 billion in\n  December and 105.29 billion in January 1986, the central bank\n  said in its monthly balance sheet.\n      Foreign exchange reserves totalled 83.68 billion crowns,\n  compared with 85.52 billion in December and 99.19 billion\n  crowns a year ago. Gold reserves totalled 284.7 mln crowns,\n  unchanged from the previous month and the year-ago figure.\n      Central bank special drawing right holdings were 2.82\n  billion crowns, compared with 2.89 billion in December and 2.13\n  billion a year ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CRA LTD <CRAA.S> 1986 NET\n","article":"  Net 138.20 mln dlrs vs 87.80 mln.\n      Shr 24.8 cents vs 17.8\n      Final div to announced after July 1, vs final 10 cents\n  making 15.\n      Sales revenue 4.81 billion vs 4.69 billion\n      Investment income 116.93 mln vs 60.61 mln\n      Shrs 494.35 mln vs 494.22 mln.\n      NOTE - Net is after tax 171.03 mln dlrs vs 188.52 mln,\n  interest 337.39 mln vs 308.68 mln, depreciation 352.32 mln vs\n  333.05 mln but before net extraordinary loss 250.28 mln vs\n  profit 28.03 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GNB JOINS IN LEVERAGED BUYOUT OF FRENCH UNIT\n","article":"  <GNB Inc> said it joined\n  with the management of the French company Compagnie Francaise\n  d'Electro-Chimie to purchase the company for an undisclosed\n  amount.\n      The French company, which produces lead-acid batteries, had\n  sales in 1986 of 75 mln dlrs, GNB said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OIL TAX BREAK RIDICULED BY U.S. HOUSE TAXWRITER\n","article":"  A House taxwriter said Energy\n  Secretary James Herrington's \"outrageous\" plan to restore an old\n  tax break for oil companies was both bad tax and energy policy.\n      Rep. Pete Stark, a California Democrat and senior House\n  Ways and Means Committee member, said Herrington's plan for a\n  27.5 pct depletion allowance--which in effect is a special 27.5\n  pct tax deduction --would cost seven billion dlrs a year.\n      \"He must have missed the last two years of federal tax\n  reform by sleeping as soundly as Rip Van Winkle,\" Stark said.\n      He said in a statement the oil industry already pays an\n  effective lower rate of U.S. tax on investment, 15 pct versus\n  aggregate corporate tax on all investment of 34 pct, according\n  to a recent Congressional Research Service study.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CALNY <CLNY> REJECTS PEPSICO ACQUISITION OFFER\n","article":"  Calny Inc said its board\n  rejected as inadequate the unsolicited offer by PepsiCo Inc\n  <PEP> subsidiary Taco Bell Corp for all Calny's outstanding\n  common stock at 11.50 dlrs cash per share.\n      Taco Bell recently acquired 9.9 pct of Calny's outstanding\n  stock, Calny said.\n      Calny said it retained Oppenheimer and Co Inc to consider\n  various financial and strategic alternatives available to the\n  company.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"K MART CORP RAISES DIVIDEND 17.6 PCT, VOTES THREE-FOR-TWO STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"\n  K MART CORP RAISES DIVIDEND 17.6 PCT, VOTES THREE-FOR-TWO STOCK SPLIT\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MALAYSIA RE-IMPOSES EXPORT DUTIES ON RUBBER\n","article":"  The Malaysian government said it\n  has re-imposed export duties on rubber at 3\/8 cent per kilo\n  after the gazetted price moved above the threshold price of 210\n  cents per kilo.\n      The gazetted price, effective March 1, rose to 213-1\/2\n  cents per kilo from February's 207.\n      The duty for research remains at 3.85 cents per kilo and\n  the replanting duty is also unchanged at 9.92 cents.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED GOVERNOR SUPPORTS COMMODITY PRICE GUIDE\n","article":"  Robert Heller, a member of the Board\n  of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, said commodity\n  prices could form a useful guide for setting domestic and\n  international monetary policy.\n      Speaking to the conservative Heritage Foundation, Heller\n  said, \"A broadly based commodity price index may be worth\n  exploring\" as a guide to monetary policy.\n      \"In times of rising commodity prices, monetary policy might\n  be tightened and in times of falling commodity prices, monetary\n  policy might be eased,\" he said.\n      Commodities are also standardized to avoid measurement\n  problems and occur at the beginning of production so as to give\n  \"early warning\" signs of wholesale and retail changes.\n      \"There is no need to react to every small fluctuation in\n  commodity prices or to do so on a daily basis,\" Heller said in a\n  prepared text.\n      \"But if commodity prices exhibit a broad trend, a policy\n  action might be considered,\" he said.\n      Heller said using a broad-based commodity price index as an\n  indicator for monetary policy would also contribute to\n  stabilized currency exchange rates.\n      Commodity prices are generally uniform worldwide and prices\n  for them are more consistent than for other types of goods, he\n  said.\n      He said other beneficial effects would be to stabilize\n  export commodity prices for developing countries by using a\n  commodity basket as a guidepost for monetary policy.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"K MART <KM> RAISES PAYOUT, VOTES SPLIT\n","article":"  K mart Corp said its board approved\n  a 17.6 pct increase in the quarterly dividend and declared a\n  three-for-two stock split.\n      The company raised its dividend to 43.5 cts a presplit\n  share, up from the previous 37 cts a share. After the split,\n  the new quarterly dividend rate is equivalent to 29 cts a\n  share. It is payable June Eight, record May 21.\n      It said the additional shares will be distributed June\n  Five, record May 21.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOUTHMARK <SM> SELLS NATIONAL HERITAGE STAKE\n","article":"  National Heritage Inc, a unit of\n  Southmark Corp, said it began an initial public offering of two\n  mln shares of common stock at a price of 9.50 dlrs a share.\n      All the shares are being offered by National Heritage,\n  which will trade under symbol NHER on Nasdaq, through lead\n  underwriter Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc.\n      Proceeds will be used to increase working capital, complete\n  renovations at leased facilities and repay certain debts to\n  Southmark.\n      After the offer, Southmark will retain about 82 pct of the\n  11 mln outstanding common shares of National Heritage, which\n  operates 201 long-term nursing care facilities.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MALAYSIA RAISES DUTY ON PROCESSED PALM OIL\n","article":"  The government said it raised the\n  export duty on processed palm oil (PPO) to 64.06 ringgit per\n  tonne from 40.96 ringgit, effective from March 1.\n      Export duty on crude palm oil (CPO) was unchanged at 16.06\n  ringgit per tonne.\n      The gazetted price of PPO rose to 796.8604 ringgit per\n  tonne from 719.8286. That of CPO remained at 617.8238 ringgit.\n      The export duty and gazetted price of palm kernel were left\n  unchanged at 191.15 and 955.75 ringgit per tonne respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GHANA COCOA PURCHASES STILL AHEAD OF LAST YEAR\n","article":"  The Ghana Cocoa Board said it purchased\n  456 tonnes of cocoa in the 23rd week, ended March 12, of the\n  1986\/87 main crop season, compared with 684 tonnes the previous\n  week and 784 tonnes in the 23rd week ended March 20 of the\n  1985\/86 season.\n      Cumulative purchases so far this season stand at 217,235\n  tonnes, ahead of the 203,884 tonnes purchased by the 23rd week\n  of last season, the board said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"OWENS-ILLINOIS <OI> ACQUISITION COMPLETED\n","article":"  OII HoLdings Corp, a concern formed by\n  Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Co, said it completed its\n  previously announced acquisition of Owens-Illinois Inc.\n      Under terms of the February 10 agreement, OII paid 60.50\n  dlrs per common share and 363 dlrs per 4.75 dlrs convertible\n  preferred share.\n      OII said each common share still outstanding at the time of\n  the merger has been converted into the right to receive 60.50\n  dlrs per share and all preference shares not converted will be\n  redeemd on April 22 at a redemption price of 100 dlrs per\n  preference share plus accrued and unpaid dividends.\n      OII said it has assumed Owen's 3-3\/4 pct sinking fund\n  debentures due June 1, 1988, 9.35 pct sinking fund debentures\n  due November 1, 1999, and 7-5\/8 pct debentures due April 1,\n  2001.\n      OII said the New York Stock Exchange said the securities\n  will be delisted as a result of the merger. OII said it is\n  anticipated that the securities will be traded in the over-the-\n  counter market.\n      The surviving company will be known as Owen-Illinois Inc,\n  it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HECLA <HL> TO BUY MINE STAKE FROM BP <BP> UNIT\n","article":"  Hecla Mining Co said it\n  has agreed to purchase a 28 pct interest in the Greens Creek\n  Joint Venture from British Petroleum Co PLC's Amselco Minerals\n  Inc unit.\n      The venture expects to bring into production a\n  gold-silver-lead-zinc ore body on Admiralty Island, Alaska,\n  containing about 3,500,000 short tons of ore assaying about\n  0.18 ounce of gold, 24.0 ounces of silver, 9.7 pct zinc and 3.9\n  pct zinc per short ton, Hecla said.  It said there is\n  significant potential for the discovery of additional ore.\n      Hecla said initial production from a trackless underground\n  mine is scheduled for late 1988 at a rate of about 1,000 tons\n  or ore per day.  \"At this rate, the Greens Creek mine will be\n  the largest domestic silver mine and is expected to be one of\n  the lowest cost producers.\"\n      The company said it estimates its total investment in the\n  project, including its share of preproduction costs, at about\n  45 mln dlrs, to be funded through internally generated cash and\n  existing lines of credit.  It said Amselco will retain a\n  majority interest in the project.  Other interest holders are\n  CSX Corp <CSX> and <Exaias Resources Corp>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHRYSLER, LAMBORGHINI STILL IN JOINT VENTURE TALKS\n","article":"  Joint venture talks that could\n  lead to Chrysler Corp <C> taking a stake in Italian car maker\n  <Automobili Lamborghini SpA> are continuing, a Lamborghini\n  spokesman said.\n      He told Reuters the two companies are discussing a number\n  of topics ranging from \"a joint venture in the production area\n  to Chrysler becoming a shareholding partner\" in the Italian\n  firm.\n      The spokesman declined to comment on whether Chrysler was\n  interested in acquiring control of Lamborghini or if the two\n  sides were close to an accord.\n      He said the two companies are discussing the possibility of\n  jointly developing a sports car aimed primarily at the U.S.\n  Market.\n      The spokesman said Chrysler officials in Detroit had\n  already visited Lamborghini's production plant in Bologna and\n  another visit may be scheduled.\n      Lamborghini, which is controlled by the Mimran Group of\n  Switzerland, broke even last year on sales of 29 billion lire,\n  he said.\n      Chrysler also holds a 15 pct interest in Italian sports car\n  producer <Alfieri Maserati Spa>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MOSCOW SUPPORTS FREE GULF NAVIGATION, ENVOY SAYS\n","article":"  The Soviet Union supports the freedom\n  of navigation in the Gulf and does not support any act which\n  would cause the deterioration of the situation in the region,\n  its ambassador to Kuwait, Ernest Zverev, told the Kuwaiti news\n  agency KUNA.\n      \"We support the freedom of navigation in the Arabian Gulf\n  and the Strait of Hormuz,\" the agency quoted Zverev as saying.\n      KUNA also said the envoy had discussed the deployment of\n  Iranian missiles near the Strait of Hormuz with Kuwaiti Foreign\n  Undersecretary Suliman Majed al-Shaheen.\n      A British naval source in the Gulf said today Iran had\n  test-fired its new Silkworm missiles and set up launching sites\n  in the area.\n      The tests had been successful and the missiles could be\n  used against shipping in the strait, the source added.\n      But Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Hojatoleslam Akbar\n  Hashemi Rafsanjani said Iran did not need missiles to close the\n  strait because \"we can close it with artillery only.\"\n      The U.S. Has said it will not allow Iran to use missiles to\n  choke off oil shipments and offered its warships to escort\n  Kuwaiti tankers past the missile batteries in the strait.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BELGIUM DETAILS PRICING PLAN FOR ECU GOLD COIN\n","article":"  The 50 European Currency Unit gold\n  coins which go on sale tomorrow in Belgium will be priced at a\n  premium of seven pct to the value of the gold they contain, a\n  Finance Ministry spokesman said. The price will be calculated\n  daily, based on the daily gold fixing in London.\n      Belgium is minting an initial 50,000 gold coins to\n  celebrate the 30th anniversary of the European Community's\n  founding Treaty of Rome, but final production is expected to be\n  around 200,000. Each 17.27 gram coin will contain 55 grams of\n  fine metal.\n      Two mln silver coins, face value five Ecus, will be sold at\n  500 francs each.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DATA ARCHITECTS INC <DRCH> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 19 cts vs 14 cts\n      Net 487,000 vs 344,000\n      Revs 7,492,000 vs 5,883,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PASSPORT TRAVEL INC <PPTI> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr two cts vs nil\n      Net 20,406 vs 2,348\n      Sales 6,191,000 vs 6,249,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"comalco ltd 1986 net profit 57.1 mln dlrs vs loss 69.1 mln\n","article":"\n  comalco ltd 1986 net profit 57.1 mln dlrs vs loss 69.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HI-SHEAR INDUSTRIES INC <HSI> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 28 cts vs 33 cts\n      Oper net 1,647,000 vs 1,910,000\n      Revs 19.7 mln vs 17.5 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Oper shr 82 cts vs 84 cts\n      Oper net 4,787,000 vs 8,748,000\n      Revs 55.9 mln vs 53.0 mln\n      NOTE: Prior year net excludes tax credits of 29,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and 1,761,000 dlrs in nine mths.\n      Prior nine mths net includes gain from sale of real estate\n  of 3,820,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PRUDENTIAL RECORDS BEST RESULTS IN SIX YEARS\n","article":"  <Prudential Corporation Plc>, which\n  earlier announced a 62 pct rise in 1986 pre-tax profits, said\n  it had recorded its best general insurance result for six years\n  but had not reached satisfactory levels of profit in other\n  areas.\n      Group Chief Executive Brian Corby told a news conference\n  that despite returning to trading profits, the International\n  division and the Mercantile and General division had not\n  reached satisfactory levels.\n      But he said he welcomed Mercantile and General trading\n  profits in 1986 and was optimistic about both that and the\n  International division.\n      The acquisition of the U.S. Life company <Jackson National>\n  had a small effect in 1986 but its full effect would be felt in\n  the 1987 results, Corby said.\n      The Group also intended to expand the number of its estate\n  agency firms bought last year, and hoped they will comprise\n  between 10 and 15 pct of total company profits in the future.\n      \"We hope they will be very profitable very shortly. We are\n  looking for profits from the estate agencies themselves as well\n  as the insurance products associated with them,\" Corby said.\n      Prudential's pre-tax profits rose from 1985's 110.1 mln stg\n  to 178.1 mln stg in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CRS SIRRINE <DA> TO TAKE WRITE-OFF\n","article":"  CRS Sirrine Inc said it plans a major\n  restructuring of its balance sheet that will include a\n  write-off of between 39 mln and 43 mln dlrs, most of which\n  would be intangible goodwill from the company's past\n  acquisitions.\n      The company said the remainder of its write-off would\n  include a one-time expense for future costs related to early\n  retirement programs, office consolidations and an increase in\n  the general reserve for adjustments and contingencies.\n      Bruce Wilkinson, president of the company, said the charges\n  to the company's third quarter earnings, for the period ending\n  March 31, would \"significantly impact\" third quarter results\n  but would not affect the company's cash position.\n      \"We expect to have the biggest operating backlog in the\n  company's history by June 30, 1987, the end of our fiscal\n  year,\" Wilkinson said. \"We believe the action being proposed\n  will begin to contribute to improved earnings in the fourth\n  quarter of our fiscal 1987 and throughout fiscal 1988.\"\n      The company, which is one of the nation's largest\n  construction firms, also said termination of its defined\n  benefit retirement plan would produce a pre-tax benefit of\n  about 10 mln dlrs due to overfunding of the plan.\n      In its second quarter ended Dec. 31, CRSS had net earnings\n  of 800,000 dlrs on revenues of 82.5 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FLOWERS INDUSTRIES INC <FLO> 3RD QTR MARCH 7\n","article":"  March 7 end\n      Shr 17 cts vs 23 cts\n      Net 3,998,000 vs 5,317,000\n      Sales 189.4 mln vs 159.6 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 64 cts vs 68 cts\n      Net 14.9 ln vs 15.9 mln\n      Sales 540.9 mln vs 464.7 mln\n      NOTE: Twelve and 36-week periods.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FLOWERS INDUSTRIES <FLO> SEES LOWER YEAR NET\n","article":"  Flowers Industries Inc said it\n  expects lower earnings for the current year due to operating\n  losses incurred by recent acquisitions and possible\n  nonrecurring losses resulting from its restructuring efforts.\n      For the year ended June 28, Flowers earned 29.5 mln dlrs.\n  Today it reported nine month earnings of 14.9 mln dlrs, down\n  from 15.9 mln dlrs a year before.\n      Flowers said it expects fiscal 1988, however, to show the\n  best growth in profits in its history due to the growing\n  profitability of ongoing businesses, cost control efforts,\n  higher productvitiy and lower taxes.\n      Flowers said losses suffered in its West Texas operations\n  and in five plants acquired at the start of the third quarter\n  from <CFS Staley Continental> and <Wolf Baking Co> severely\n  hurt results.\n      It said the CFS and Wolf plants are expected to be\n  contributing to profit by the end of the fiscal year and it is\n  seeking to bring the West Texas operations to acceptable levels\n  of profitability by the end of the fourth quarter as well.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"TECHNITROL INC <TNL> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr 54 cts vs 47 cts\n      Net 1.1 mln vs 941,000\n      REvs 8.9 mln vs 10.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.65 dlrs vs 1.64 dlrs\n      Net 3.3 mln vs 3.3 mln\n      Revs 37.4 mln vs 39.0 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMALCO LTD <CMAC.S> 1986 NET\n","article":"  Net profit 57.1 mln dlrs vs loss 69.1 mln.\n      Net is equity accounted\n      Pre-equity accounted net 39.90 mln dlrs vs loss 49.11 mln\n      Pre-equity shr profit 7.1 cents vs loss 8.7\n      Final div to be announced after July 1 vs first and final\n  1.0 cent.\n      Sales 1.88 billion vs 1.78 billion\n      Other income 52.75 mln vs 15.22 mln\n      Shrs 560.61 mln vs same.\n      NOTE - Net is after tax paid 46.85 mln dlrs vs credit 5.02\n  mln, interest 127.68 mln vs 117.19 mln, depreciation 109.29 mln\n  vs 100.73 mln and minorities 1.50 mln vs loss 331,000.\n      But net is before net extraordinary loss 140.5 mln vs nil.\n  Extraordinaries comprise exchange losses 102.9 mln, provision\n  for Goldendale smelter closure costs 27.3 mln and increase in\n  future tax provision 10.3 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ALCAN UPS ALUMINIUM INGOT AND BILLET PRICES\n","article":"  Alcan Aluminium Ltd. in Montreal said\n  it increased yesterday its prices for unalloyed ingot and\n  extrusion billet by two cents a lb, effective with shipments\n  beginning May 1.\n      The new price for unalloyed ingot is 64.5 cents a lb while\n  the new price for extrusion billet is 72.5 cents a lb.\n      \"We feel very confident about raising our prices because we\n  see demand over supply as being sustainable for some time,\"\n  said Ian Rugeroni, Alcan's president of metal sales and\n  recycling - U.S.A.\n      Rugeroni said sheet and can bookings for Alcan aluminium\n  were up at a time when the company's total 1.1 mln tonne North\n  American smelter system had less than a week's supply.\n      \"We're short and we're buying,\" he said.\n      Rugeroni added that Alcan expects the International Primary\n  Aluminum Institute to report a drop in total non-Socialist\n  stocks in February and March. He estimated supply in the latter\n  month will have fallen 100,000 to 150,000 tonnes, based in part\n  on current low inventories of aluminium in Japan and on the\n  London Metal Exchange.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CORRECTED-HECLA <HL> TO BUY MINE STAKE FROM BP\n","article":"  Hecla Minging Co said it\n  has agreed to purchase a 28 pct interest in the Greens Creek\n  Joint Venture from British Petroleum Co PLC's <BP> Amselco\n  Minerals Inc unit.\n      The venture expects to bring into production a\n  gold-silver-lead-zinc ore body on Admiralty Island, Alaska,\n  containing about 3,500,000 short tons of ore assaying about\n  0.18 ounce of gold, 24.0 ounces of silver, 9.7 pct zinc and 3.9\n  pct lead per short ton, Hecla said.  It said there is\n  significant potential for the discovery of additional ore.\n      Corrects last assay result to lead from zinc.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GENERAL NUTRITION INC <GNC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ends Jan 31\n      Shr profit eight cts vs loss 38 cts\n      Net profit 2,466,000, vs loss 12,691,000\n      Revs 111.1 mln vs 106.8 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr profit 20 cts vs loss 47 cts\n      Net profit 6,591,000 vs loss 15.5 mln\n      Revs 342.6 mln vs 370.4 mln\n      NOTE: includes provision for store closings of foreign\n  operations of 3,897,000 for 1986 qtr, and 1,403,000 for qtr\n  prior.\n      includes provision for store closing costs and unproductive\n  inventory of 1,000,000 for 1986 qtr, and 25.1 mln for qtr\n  prior.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CP AIR, PACIFIC WESTERN AIRLINES SET NEW NAME\n","article":"  <Pacific Western Airlines Corp>\n  said the airline resulting from the previously announced merger\n  of its Pacific Western Airlines Ltd unit and Canadian Pacific\n  Air Lines Ltd would be named Canadian Airlines International\n  Ltd, effective April 26.\n      Pacific Western said the two airlines' services and\n  schedules would also be integrated on April 26. It previously\n  appointed management for the new airline.\n      The new airline, Canada's second largest, will have 81\n  planes flying to 89 destinations in 13 countries.\n      Pacific Western recently acquired Canadian Pacific Airlines\n  for 300 mln dlrs from Canadian Pacific Ltd <CP>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DRAWDOWN SEEN IN U.S. DISTILLATE STOCKS\n","article":"  Tonight's American Petroleum Institute\n  oil inventory report is expected to show another drawdown in\n  distillate stocks of between two and 7.5 mln barrels for the\n  week ending March 20, oil analysts and traders said.\n      They said they expect gasoline inventories to be depleted\n  by about one to four mln barrels.\n      Analysts were divided on the crude stocks. Some saw stocks\n  unchanged to as much as three mln barrels higher. Others said\n  stocks could be down one to five mln barrels. Crude throughput\n  volumes are expected to be unchanged to slightly higher or\n  lower than the week ended March 13, traders said.\n      The API recorded a 7.4 mln barrel stockdraw for U.S.\n  distillates in the week ended March 13. Analysts see another \n  draw reflecting historic seasonal trends.\n      For the week ended March 13, API reported gasoline stocks\n  down 2.9 mln barrels.\n      Those expecting a draw of as much as four mln barrels said\n  they are looking for fairly high consumption rates as the\n  spring and summer driving season gets underway this year,\n  because retail prices are still low compared to recent years.\n      U.S. crude oil stocks were reported down by 4.4 mln barrels\n  for the week ended March 13. Analysts are divided over the\n  outcome for last week because there is uncertainty about\n  whether throughput levels increased or decreased last week.\n      Some see crude stock levels unchanged to three mln barrels\n  higher, while others think inventories could be as much as five\n  mln barrels below the previous week.\n      The lower estimates are supported by the belief that crude\n  runs increased and imports fell.\n      The API reported crude runs 154,000 b\/d higher for the week\n  ended March 13. Analysts are calling it unchanged to slightly\n  up or down for the week ended March 20.\n      Expectations for product stockdraws are already being\n  reflected in firmer prices, traders said. But if draws are at\n  the higher end of the estimated range, they added, the effect\n  will be bullish. Any stockbuild would be a negative factor,\n  they said.\n      Crude runs normally increase in March, and any decrease in\n  runs would be friendly to the market, said Peter Beutel of\n  Elders Energy Futures Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STERLING OUTLOOK CLOUDED BY TEST OF PARIS ACCORD\n","article":"  The move by foreign exchange markets to\n  test the strength of the Paris currency accord has thrown into\n  question the near-term outlook for sterling, until recently one\n  of the main beneficiaries of the agreement, analysts said.\n      Since the six-nation accord last month, sterling has risen\n  sharply, adding almost five pct on its trade-weighted index.\n      While the accord effectively stifled dollar\/yen and\n  dollar\/mark movements, the markets turned their attention to\n  sterling as foreign investors rushed to take advantage of\n  relatively high U.K. Interest rates.\n      But analysts say the pound has been sidelined by the first\n  tentative test of the Paris accord seen yesterday.\n      The market now looks set sooner or later to push the dollar\n  down further in a test of the willingness of central banks to\n  intervene. Analysts say if the banks do not intervene\n  effectively, the Paris accord could collapse.\n      \"On balance, sterling would be a net sufferer if G-6\n  collapses,\" Phillips and Drew analyst Stephen Lewis said.\n      He said sterling would lose out as markets turned their\n  attention to capital movements whereas previously they had been\n  restricted to looking only at the interest yield on currencies.\n      However, although most analysts and foreign exchange\n  dealers were forecasting a brief period of consolidation or\n  even retracement for sterling, none were expecting a very sharp\n  drop in the U.K. Currency.\n      Sterling remained supported by optimism on the U.K.\n  Political and economic outlook, firmer oil prices and\n  relatively high interest rates, they said.\n      Bullish sentiment on the U.K. Economic outlook has been\n  running especially high after last week's budget, seen as\n  popular both with the markets and with British voters.\n      Sterling was also supported by signs of a weakening in the\n  West German and Japanese economies, where growth for 1987 is\n  trailing behind the three pct forecast for the U.K.\n      Recent opinion polls showing Britain's ruling conservative\n  party ahead of opposition parties in popularity have also\n  supported the pound.\n      In addition, sterling has so far shrugged off two\n  half-point cuts in U.K. Bank base lending rates in less than\n  two weeks. A further half-point cut, widely expected in the\n  next week or so, has already been largely discounted.\n      U.K. Base rates, now running at 10 pct, are still\n  relatively high compared to other western countries, and\n  analysts said a further base rate cut to 9-1\/2 pct was unlikely\n  to affect sterling.\n      Sterling today appeared resilient to the dollar's decline,\n  dropping only slightly on a cross-rate basis.\n      Worries about renewed turbulence in the foreign exchange\n  markets, however, were reflected in the U.K. Government bond\n  (gilt) market, where prices dropped by up to 5\/16 point.\n      Until now foreign investor interest in the gilt market has\n  been one of the major reasons behind the rise in sterling.\n      Dealers said they expected the pound to hold quietly steady\n  for the next few days while the market awaits further\n  developments on the dollar and this Thursday's U.K. Current\n  account figures for February.\n      Market forecasts are for a deficit of around 250 mln stg\n  after January's small surplus.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE SEEN RISING TO 3.5 PCT\n","article":"  Japan's unemployment rate is expected to\n  continue to climb to about 3.5 pct within the next year from\n  January's three pct record, senior economists, including Susumu\n  Taketomi of Industrial Bank of Japan, said.\n      December's 2.9 pct was the previous worst level since the\n  government's Management and Coordination Agency began compiling\n  statistics under its current system in 1953.\n      \"There is a general fear that we will become a country with\n  high unemployment,\" said Takashi Kiuchi, senior economist for\n  the Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan Ltd.\n      The government, which published the January unemployment\n  figures today, did not make any predictions.\n      \"At present we do not have a forecast for the unemployment\n  rate this year, but it is difficult to foresee the situation\n  improving,\" a Labour Ministry official said.\n      Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa said the government had\n  expected the increase and had set aside money to help 300,000\n  people find jobs in fiscal 1987 beginning in April.\n      Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone told a press conference\n  the record rate underlines the need to pass the 1987 budget\n  which has been held up by opposition to proposed tax reforms.\n      The yen's surge has caused layoffs in the mainstay steel\n  and shipbuilding industries. Other export-dependent industries,\n  such as cars and textiles, have laid off part-time employees\n  and ceased hiring, economists said.\n      Although the growing service industry sector has absorbed a\n  great number of workers the trend is starting to slow down,\n  said Koichi Tsukihara, Deputy General Manager of Sumitomo Bank\n  Ltd's economics department.\n      However, other economists disagreed, saying the service\n  sector would be able to hire workers no longer needed by the\n  manufacturing sector over the next five years.\n      The economists said the service sector should grow as the\n  government stimulates domestic demand under its program to\n  transform the economy away from exports.\n      Although Japanese unemployment rates appear lower than\n  those of other industrialised nations, methods for calculating\n  statistics make them difficult to compare, economists warned.\n      \"The three pct figure  could translate into a relatively\n  high figure if European methods were used,\" one economist said.\n  More than half of January's 170,000 increase in jobless from a\n  year earlier were those aged between 15 and 24, Sumitomo's\n  Tsukihara said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PLENUM PUBLISHING CORP <PLEN> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 63 cts vs 45 cts\n      Net 3,623,067 vs 2,607,977\n      Gross income 10.1 mln vs 10.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 2.12 dlrs vs 1.74 dlrs\n      Net 12.2 mln vs 10.0 mln\n      Gross income 38.1 mln vs 36.8 mln\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for five-for-two stock split effective\n  yesterday.\n      Net includes gains on sale of securities pretax of\n  1,860,213 dlrs vs 392,975 dlrs in quarter 5,023,401 dlrs vs\n  3,223,008 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HONEYBEE INC <HBE> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 11 cts vs five cts\n      Oper net 248,000 vs 122,000\n      Sales 7,269,000 vs 5,481,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr 55 cts vs 14 cts\n      Oper net 1,288,000 vs 333,000\n      Sales 26.2 mln vs 17.6 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes discontinued operations nil vs gain\n  103,000 dlrs in quarter and losses 82,000 dlrs vs 50,000 dlrs\n  in year.\n      1986 year net excludes 133,000 dlr provision for loss on\n  disposal of discontinued operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"SCIENTIFIC MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS INC <SCMS> NET\n","article":"  2nd qtr Jan 31\n      Shr loss three cts vs loss seven cts\n      Net loss 352,000 vs loss 568,000\n      Revs 636,000 vs 640,000\n      Avg shrs 12.7 mln vs 8,377,000\n      1st half\n      Shr loss six cts vs loss 10 cts\n      Net loss 594,000 vs loss 865,000\n      Revs 1,245,000 vs 1,063,000\n      Avg shrs 10.5 mln vs 8,333,000\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"EC MEMBER STATES COOL ON CEREAL PLANS\n","article":"  European Community (EC) member states\n  have generally given a cool initial reaction to proposals by\n  the European Commission for cereal price changes and related\n  measures in the coming season, EC diplomats said.\n      They said that in meetings of the EC Special Committee on\n  Agriculture representatives of most member states had said the\n  changes, taken together, would have too harsh an impact on\n  farmers' incomes.\n      Only Britain and the Netherlands had shown willingness to\n  accept the commission's overall package, they said.\n      As well as cuts of over two pct in common prices for most\n  cereals, the commission proposes a limitation of intervention\n  to the February to March period and reduced monthly increments\n  in intervention prices.\n      EC Farm Ministers will have a first discussion of the\n  proposals at a meeting beginning next Monday.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"PUBLIC SERVICE CO OF COLORADO <PSR> IN PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 50 cts vs 50 cts prior\n      Pay May One\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CORRECTED - MANHATTAN NATIONAL CORP <MLC> 4TH\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 20 cts vs loss 81 cts\n      Oper net loss 1,042,000 vs loss 4,077,000\n      Revs 38.5 mln vs 50.3 mln\n      12 mths\n      Oper shr loss six cts vs loss 43 cts\n      Oper net loss 336,000 vs loss 2,176,000\n      Revs 137.8 mln vs 209.1 mln\n      NOTE: In item moved March 23, company corrects its error to\n  show loss for current 12 mths and qtr, not profit.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SYSTEMATICS INC <SYST> REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div three cts vs three cts prior\n      Pay March 13\n      Record February 27\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SOUTH KOREAN TRADE SURPLUS NARROWS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  South Korea's customs-cleared trade\n  surplus narrowed to 110 mln dlrs in February from 525 mln in\n  January, provisional trade ministry figures show.\n      In February 1986 there was a deficit of 264 mln dlrs.\n      February exports rose to 2.87 billion dlrs, fob, from 2.83\n  billion in January and 2.30 billion in February 1986. CIF\n  imports were 2.76 billion against 2.31 billion in January and\n  2.57 billion in February last year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STANDARD CHARTERED BOOSTED BAD-DEBT PROVISIONS\n","article":"  Standard Chartered Plc <STCH.L>, faced\n  with a recession in the key Singapore and Malaysian markets and\n  an ongoing depression in the shipping industry, boosted its\n  bad-debt provisions in 1986, chairman Lord Barber said.\n      Barber said in a statement on the bank's 1986 results that\n  bad and doubtful debt provisions, both general and specific,\n  stood at 545.6 mln stg against 416.6 mln at end-1985.\n      Bank figures showed the increase was almost exclusively in\n  the specific bad risk provision, which qualifies for U.K. Tax\n  breaks. New specific provisions rose by 111.5 mln stg while\n  71.2 mln stg were reallocated from the general risk provision.\n      In all, a 184.2 mln stg charge was made against profits for\n  1986, compared with a 100.7 mln stg charge in 1985. Total\n  pre-tax profits fell to 254 mln after 268 mln in 1985.\n      \"The continuing serious recessionary conditions in Singapore\n  and Malaysia and the depressed condition of the shipping\n  industry made it necessary to provide heavily against bad and\n  doubtful debs arising from loans in the Asia Pacific region, on\n  top of the normal level of provisioning,\" Barber said.\n      He said, \"the decision was also taken to build up loan loss\n  reeserves by making a sizeable increase in the charges for\n  general provisions for commercial and cross border risks.\"\n      Barber said due to bad-debt provisioning, the Asia Pacific\n  region made \"a negligible contribution to pre-tax profits.\"\n      He said the profits contribution from the U.K. Businesses\n  was \"well maintained, although the reported result was affected\n  by cross border debt provisioning,\" while Californian subsidiary\n  Union Bank \"showed continued growth.\"\n      \"Tropical Africa, Middle East and South Asia all turned in\n  excellent performances and the revival in Europe continued,\" he\n  said.\n      Barber said the group, which succesfully fought off a\n  takeover bid by Lloyds Bank <LLOY.L> last year, strengthened\n  its capital resources during that year to just over three\n  billion stg, while total assets increased to 32.2 billion.\n      Capital adequacy ratios remained strong, with the primary\n  capital ratio standing at 7.5 pct at end 1986, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COLOMBIA COFFEE REVENUE SHARPLY DOWN IN JAN\/FEB\n","article":"  Colombia's coffee export revenue dropped\n  97 mln dlrs to 233.6 mln dlrs for the first two months of the\n  year against 330.9 mln dlrs in the similar period of 1986,\n  central bank preliminary figures show.\n      Experts attributed the fall to lower world market prices\n  following the failure to re-introduce international coffee\n  export quotas, but they said Colombia could compensate the drop\n  with higher exports in calendar 1987.\n      Coffee export revenue for 1986 was 2.33 billion dlrs,\n  according to the bank.\n      Jorge Cardenas, manager of the National Coffee Growers'\n  Federation, last week estimated the recent drop of 30 cents a\n  lb in coffee prices would mean a net loss revenue of 457 mln\n  dlrs for Colombia.\n      But he stressed that Colombia, with stockpiles of 10 mln\n  (60-kg) bags, had the capacity to export more and would use a\n  recently-introduced more flexible marketing policy to do so.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STE FRANCAISE DES PETROLES BP <PBPF.PA> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Net result breakeven (no profit or loss) vs breakeven\n      Operating loss 836 mln francs vs 654 mln\n      Net turnover 12.70 billion francs vs 24.34 billion\n      Sales of petroleum products 9.7 mln tonnes vs 10.6 mln\n      Note - Company said in a statement 1986 results were\n  affected by the sharp fall in crude oil prices. Net result\n  included an extraordinary recovery of 731 mln francs from\n  provisions for currency fluctuations and 361 mln francs in\n  depreciation of fixed assets. Company is a subsidiary of The\n  British Petroleum Co Plc <BP.L>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OLIVETTI DOES NOT EXCLUDE STAKE IN SGS-THOMSON\n","article":"  Ing C Olivetti EC SpA <OLIV.M> does not\n  exclude the possibility of investing in a semiconductor venture\n  currently under discussion between Italy's <STET - Societa\n  Finanziaria Telefonica P.A.> and France's Thomson-CSF\n  <TCSF.PA>, an Olivetti spokesman said.\n      He said that if Olivetti were approached by the two\n  partners involved and the financial conditions of any proposal\n  were considered interesting, the company did not exclude the\n  possibility of investing in the venture. However, Olivetti had\n  made no decision on any such investment and did not have at its\n  disposal information to evaluate such a move.\n       Stet and Thomson said last Thursday they were negotiating\n  an accord involving their respective subsidiaries <SGS\n  Microelettronica SpA> and <Thomson Semiconducteurs> in the\n  civil semiconductor field.\n      They said the accord, once concluded, would be put for\n  approval to the French and Italian authorities.\n      The Olivetti spokesman was responding to a Reuters query\n  about Italian press reports today saying that Olivetti might\n  participate in the venture with a two pct stake.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ENSERCH CORP <ENS> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 20 cts vs 20 cts prior\n      Pay June One\n      Record May 15\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NESTLE TO ACQUIRE NABISCO CANADA BUSINESSES\n","article":"  Swiss-based <Nestle S.A.>'s Nestle\n  Enterprises Ltd unit said it signed a letter of intent to\n  acquire <Nabisco Brands Ltd>'s Club, Melrose, Dickson and Chase\n  and Sanborn businesses for undisclosed terms.\n      Nestle said the final agreement, subject to required\n  approvals, would be signed shortly.\n      The businesses involved in the deal provide products to\n  hotels, restaurants and other parts of the food and beverage\n  industry. Nabisco is 80 pct-owned by RJR Nabisco Inc <RJR>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED'S HELLER SAYS HE WANTS TO SEE STRONGER JAPANESE DEMAND FOR AMERICAN GOODS\n","article":"\n  FED'S HELLER SAYS HE WANTS TO SEE STRONGER JAPANESE DEMAND FOR AMERICAN GOODS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"METROPOLITAN FINANCIAL CORP <MFC> VOTES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 11 cts vs 11 cts prior qtr\n      Pay 30 April\n      Record 15 April\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GOODYEAR <GT> UNIT TO START UP PIPELINE\n","article":"  Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co said the All\n  American Pipeline of its Celeron Corp subsidiary will start\n  line fill activities on March 30 as it begins operating.\n      The company said about five mln barrels of oil will be\n  required to pack the completed segment of the line, which runs\n  1,225 miles from near Santa Barbara, Calif., to existing\n  pipeline connections in West Texas.  Construction has also\n  staqrted this week on a 43-mile, 16-inch diameter gathering\n  line to deliver 75,000 to 100,000 barrels a day of oil from the\n  San Joaquin Valley in California.  The 30-inch main underground\n  line can transport over 300,000 barrels daily.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MICROSIZE INC <MSIZ> 2ND QTR ENDS FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit one cent vs loss 2.6 cts\n      Net profit 59,198 vs loss 132,702\n      Revs 634,616 vs 485,730\n      six mths\n      Shr profit one cent vs loss four cts\n      Net profit 49,669 vs loss 208,278\n      Revs 1,056,452 vs 944,330\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<PAUL'S PLACE INC> CONTROL CHANGES\n","article":"  Paul's Place Inc said chairman,\n  president and treasurer Paul D. Lambert has sold 240 mln common\n  shares to other board members, advisory board members Alan H.\n  Marcove and Gerald M. Marcove and an unaffiliated purchaser it\n  did not name.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      The company said Alan Marvoce has been named to replace\n  Lambert as chairman and chief executive officer and Michael T.\n  Fuller has been named president.\n      Fuller was formerly president of <Mr. Steak Inc>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CYACQ AMENDS CYCLOPS OFFER CONDITIONS, SAYS CITICORP EXPANDS FINANCING \n","article":"\n  CYACQ AMENDS CYCLOPS OFFER CONDITIONS, SAYS CITICORP EXPANDS FINANCING \n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GORDON JEWELRY <GOR> COMPLETES SALE OF UNIT\n","article":"  Gordon Jewelry Corp said it has\n  completed the previously-announced sale of the assets of its\n  catalog showroom stores to privately-held Carlisle Capital Corp\n  for an undisclosed amount of cash and notes in excess of book\n  value.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED'S HELLER URGES JAPANESE TO BUY U.S. GOODS\n","article":"  A member of the Federal Reserve\n  Board, Robert Heller, said he wanted to see stronger Japanese\n  demand for American goods.\n      \"What I was advocating here was more Japanese purchases of\n  American goods,\" Heller said in response to a question about the\n  dollar's weakness in currency markets.\n      He told a Heritage Foundation forum, \"I'd be very happy to\n  see that.\"\n      In his formal remarks, Heller said he supported the idea of\n  using commodity prices as an indicator for monetary policy.\n      Asked if he would raise the issue at the next Federal Open\n  Market Committee meeting, he said, \"Even at previous meetings\n  commodity prices were raised.\"\n      He added, \"I would not expect future meetings to be\n  different from past meetings in that respect.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAJON RANCH CO <TRC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr five cts vs nine cts\n      Net 560,000 vs 1,247,000\n      Revs 7,597,000 vs 4,619,000\n      Year\n      Shr ten cts vs 17 cts\n      Net 1,225,000 vs 2,161,000\n      Revs 26.5 mln vs 23.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CENTERIOR ENERGY CORP <CX> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 64 cts vs 64 cts prior\n      Pay May 15\n      Record April 16\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUFFIELD FINANCIAL CORP <SFCP> RAISES QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div five cts vs three cts prior\n      Pay April 10\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CYACQ CUTS CONDITIONS ON CYCLOPS <CYL> BID\n","article":"  Cyacq Corp, an investor group bidding\n  for Cyclops Corp, said it amended its outstanding 92.50 dlrs a\n  share tender offer for Cyclops to eliminate two conditions and\n  modify a third one.\n      The group, which includes Audio\/Video Affiliates Inc and a\n  unit of Citicorp <CCI>, said it also obtained additional\n  financing commitments, including an increased commitment from\n  Citicorp Capital Investors Ltd.\n      The conditions that were eliminated are Cyacq's request for\n  non-public information about Cyclops that was previously\n  provided to Dixons Group PLC and Cyacq's being satisified that\n  the information provides an adequate basis for Cyclop's\n  published financial projections.\n      Cyclops has agreed to be acquired Dixons Group, which has a\n  90.25 dlrs a share tender offer for Cyclops outstanding. Dixons\n  said earlier it would allow the offer to expire tonight.\n      The condition that was modified, which required Cyacq to be\n  satisfied that break up fees or other obligations to Dixons\n  were rescinded or ineffective, now says Cyclops shall not have\n  paid any such fees or expenses to Dixons prior to the\n  consummation of Cyacq's offer.\n      Cyacq's amended offer expires midnight New York time on\n  April three, 1987, unless extended.\n      Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co and CIT Group\/Business\n  Credit Inc increased its tender offer commitment to 197 mln\n  dlrs from 166 mln dlrs and its merger commitment to 275 mln\n  dlrs from 250 mln dlrs.\n      Additionally, the Citicorp unit and Audio\/Video have\n  increased their commitments to Cyacq to 185 mln dlrs. Of the\n  new total, 150 mln dlrs has been committed by Citicorp.\n      Cyacq said it estimates that it needs 407.5 mln dlrs to buy\n  all Cyclops shares that may be tendered and pay related fees\n  and expenses.\n      It said it is seeking to arrange the balance of about 25.5\n  mln dlrs necessary to complete the offer.\n      All previously announced conditions regarding the lending\n  group led by Manufacturers Hanover remain in effect, except\n  that the loans are subject to the concurrent receipt by Cyacq\n  of equity contributions and other financing of not less than\n  210.5 mln dlrs for the tender offer facility and 213.5 mln dlrs\n  for the merger facility.\n      Cyacq also said the Citicorp unit had received no\n  indications of interest in an alternative offer it had made\n  from Dixons, Cyclops or Alleghany Corp <Y>, which has agreed to\n  acquire Cyclops' industrial group from Dixons.\n      Under the alternative offer, the Citicorp unit, with\n  Cyacq's approval, proposed to acquire the industrial group from\n  Dixons.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TIN PACT EXTENSION LIKELY - ITC DELEGATES\n","article":"  An extension of the sixth International\n  Tin Agreement, ITA, for one or two years beyond June 30 is\n  increasingly likely, International Tin Council, ITC, delegates\n  said following a special council session today.\n      A formal decision will be taken at the quarterly council\n  session on April 8-9 when decisions are needed on the budget\n  and activities for the year beginning July one, they stated.\n      Delegates said most countries now favour a continued legal\n  ITC presence to answer the still unresolved legal disputes over\n  the outstanding debts of its buffer stock with court hearings\n  likely to continue well after the June 30 expiry of the pact.\n      The ITC was informally told of the appeal made yesterday by\n  Amalgamated Metal Trading Ltd, AMT, against the January court\n  ruling against it in the legal bid it led on behalf of ITC\n  creditor brokers to have the ITC wound up.\n      In January the judge ruled that the U.K. Court had no\n  jurisdiction to wind up the tin council, the ITC was not an\n  association within the meaning of the U.K. Companies act, and\n  the winding-up petition was not a proceeding in respect in\n  respect of an arbitration award.\n      AMT is appealing on all points and has said it is important\n  for the court to accept that a winding-up petition is a move to\n  enforce an arbitration ruling.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SIGMA RESEARCH ONC <SIGR> 2ND QTR DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 27 cts vs profit one ct\n      Net loss 532,376 vs profit 15,584\n      Revs 1,899,719 vs 2,432,256\n      Six mths\n      Shr loss 78 cts vs profit two cts\n      Net loss 1,521,002 vs profit 30,145\n      Revs 3,235,907 vs 5,276,119\n      Note: year ago net includes gain from tax carryforwards of\n  5,000 dlrs in quarter and 9,000 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN MOVES TO TIGHTEN CHIP-EXPORT CURBS\n","article":"  The Ministry of International Trade and\n  Industry (MITI) acted to tighten restrictions on microchip\n  exports to countries other than the U.S. To preserve a\n  U.S.-Japan pact on semiconductor trade, but major Japanese\n  chipmakers doubt its usefulness.\n      A MITI spokesman said his ministry had asked chipmakers to\n  issue certificates to specified trading houses stating they are\n  authorised exporters.\n      Trading houses applying for a MITI export licence will be\n  required to show such a certificate, but those without it will\n  not automatically be denied licences, he said.\n      But some industry officials predicted any government\n  measures were likely to have limited effect as long as the\n  world semiconductor market remained weak.\n      U.S. Government and industry officials have complained\n  repeatedly that Japanese chipmakers continue to sell at below\n  cost to third countries despite the July agreement.\n      Japanese firms and officials in turn argue the flow of\n  cheap chips to third countries is due to grey-market sales by\n  third-party brokers, who seek to profit from the gap between\n  low prices in Japan and higher prices based on production costs\n  and set for Japanese makers under the agreement.\n      The MITI spokesman said, \"If the percentage of grey market\n  is increasing for one specific company, it suggests they are\n  distributing their products through their sales network knowing\n  they will be exported by some means. In that case we will ask\n  them what they are doing to reduce the figure.\"\n      MITI earlier asked makers to cut output of certain chips by\n  10 pct in first-quarter 1987, spokesmen for the firms said.\n      But they doubt the usefulness of the latest move. \"As long\n  as there is a gap between prices set under the pact and market\n  prices, there will be people who want to exploit the gap to\n  make money,\" a Hitachi Ltd <HIT.T> spokesman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"KODAK <EK> TO CUT POLYESTER FIBER OPERATIONS\n","article":"  Eastman Kodak Co said it will\n  reduce capacity and employment levels in two polyester fiber\n  operations of its Eastman Chemicals division.\n      A company spokesman said the company will take \"some\n  writeoff\" in connection with the action in the first quarter\n  and there will probably be a further \"carryover\" writeoff in\n  the second quarter.  The writeoffs will cover the costs of\n  plants and equipment involved, as well as expenses connected\n  with the staff cuts.\n      Kodak said the division will discontinue production of\n  polyester partially-oriented filament yarn, or POY, at its\n  Carolina Eastman Co plant in Columbia, S.C., and will idle 100\n  mln pounds of older polyester staple fiber production capacity,\n  mostly in Columbia.\n      The company said about 350 jobs will be affected in\n  Columbia, most of which are now performed by contract workers,\n  and about 225 jobs at its Tennessee Eastman Co plant in\n  Kingsport, Tenn.\n      Kodak said part of the staff reduction will be achieved\n  through an enhanced voluntary separation and retirement plan\n  for employees of Carolina Eastman, Eastman Chemical Products\n  Inc and other Kodak units in Kingsport, except Holsten Defense\n  Corp. Most of the workforce reduction is expected to be\n  completed by April 30.\n      Kodak said depressed prices and poor financial performance\n  have led to the decision. It said about 50 mln pounds of POY\n  production will be shut down as a result of its exit from the\n  business. All Kodak POY production has been at Carolina Eastman\n  since last year.\n      The company said annual capacity for production of Kodel\n  polyester staple fiber will be reduced to 400 mln pounds from\n  500 mln due to lesser demand.\n      It said it will proceed with a previous decision to phase\n  in a new 100 mln pound staple fiber plant at Carolina Eastman.\n      Carolina Eastman employs about 1,350 and the Kingsport\n  units affected about 10,800.\n      The company spokesman later said the charges will be\n  insignificant and will have no impact on earnings estimates.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HEAVY SIGNUP SEEN IN 1987 CORN PROGRAM - USDA\n","article":"  With less than a week remaining to\n  enroll in the 1987 feedgrains program, Agriculture Department\n  officials said that final signup will probably exceed last\n  year's level of 85 pct.\n      Enrollment in USDA's basic acreage reduction program will\n  likely total close to 90 pct, Agricultural Stabilization and\n  Conservation Service, ASCS, officials said, with 50 to 70 pct\n  of the enrolling farmers also expected to sign up for the paid\n  land diversion program.\n      The signup period of the 1987 feedgrains program officially\n  ends at the close of the business day on March 30.\n      USDA will release its official signup report around April\n  15, an official said.\n      USDA personnel in the corn belt states of Iowa, Illinois,\n  and Indiana have been reporting heavy signup activity, an ASCS\n  official told Reuters.\n      A surge of acitivity is expected during this final week of\n  signup, the official said.\n      \"A lot of farmers have been dragging their feet because\n  they were anticipating some changes in the program, but that\n  doesn't look very likely now,\" he said.\n      To enroll in the 1987 feedgrains program, farmers have to\n  set aside 20 pct of the program acreage base, and have the\n  option to idle an additional 15 pct under a paid land diversion\n  program.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ILLINOIS CO-OP FUTURES DISSOLUTION VOTE SET\n","article":"  The shareholders of Illinois\n  Cooperative Futures Co., the futures trading arm of many\n  Midwest farm cooperatives for more than 25 years, will vote\n  Wednesday on its possible dissolution.\n      The directors of the company called a special meeting and\n  recommended its dissolution last month, citing falling volume\n  and increasing costs.\n      Sources close to the organization told Reuters the pullout\n  of Growmark, Inc., which holds more than 70 pct of the capital\n  stock, led to the call for dissolution.\n      The possible demise of the cooperative has set clearing\n  houses scrambling for the trading business of the 85 regional\n  and local cooperatives that comprise its membership.\n      Ironically, it was Growmark, at that time a regional farm\n  cooperative with major river terminal elevators, that founded\n  Illinois Cooperative Futures on December 1, 1960.\n      But Growmark became affiliated last year with Archer\n  Daniels Midland of Decatur, Ill., and markets its grain through\n  a joint subsidiary of the two companies, ADM\/Growmark.\n      With that relationship, Growmark no longer needs to trade\n  futures through the cooperative, said Tom Mulligan, president\n  of the co-op.\n      Membership in the company, which Mulligan termed a\n  cooperative of cooperatives, has declined from 99 in 1982. A\n  notable loss was AgriIndustries of Iowa, which became\n  affiliated with Cargill, Inc.\n      Illinois Co-op's other members include such regional\n  cooperatives as Indiana Grain, based in Indianapolis, Goldkist,\n  of Atlanta, Ga., Midstates in Toledo, Ohio, Farmland Industries\n  in Kansas City, Mo., Farmers Commodities, Des Moines, and\n  Harvest States in Minneapolis.\n      Some observors said the demise of Illinois Cooperative\n  Futures Co. is a serious blow to the cooperative system.\n      Instead of banding together, the individual cooperatives\n  are forced to go their own ways, said the floor manager of one\n  cash house at the Chicago Board of Trade.\n      Such a move would destroy the cohesiveness that gives farm\n  cooperatives an advantage in the market at a time that a few\n  major commercial companies are growing dominant, he said.\n      Don Hanes, vice president for communications with the\n  National Council of Farm Cooperatives, said 5,600 cooperatives\n  exist today, down from 6,700 five years ago.\n      \"The period we've gone through in the past five years has\n  been quite a crunch,\" he said. \"There's been a lot of\n  consolidation in the marketing co-ops.\"\n      One problem, he said, is the co-ops sell the grain to the\n  major commercials for export, rather than exporting it\n  themselves, losing potential profits.\n      But exporting grain requires heavy investments, and the\n  multi-million-dollar loss posted six years ago by Farmers\n  Export Co., a co-op set up to export grains, served \"to make\n  folks gun-shy,\" Hanes said.\n      Mulligan said he believes the dissolution, if it is\n  approved, is a result of change in the futures industry rather\n  than a change in U.S. agricultural economics.\n      A grain dealer at one member co-op said the futures arm\n  \"was a convenience, something that saved us a little bit of\n  money. (Its dissolution) will force us to change our way of\n  doing business.\"\n      \"We're sorry to see the co-op go by the wayside,\" he said.\n  \"But there are lot of people out there to do business with.\n  There are plenty of capable firms.\"\n      Steven W. Cavanaugh, vice president for grain marketing\n  with Indiana Grain, said he would prefer to trade futures\n  through a Chicago-based cooperative.\n      \"In terms of clearing our business as a unit as opposed to\n  individuals, there would be economic savings,\" he said but\n  added, \"The times change and with changing times, come\n  different opinions of what businesses ought to be around.\"\n      Cavanaugh said the possible demise of the futures arm had\n  nothing to do with its profitability. \"I would guarantee you\n  that this company is not in trouble. It is a sound, healthy\n  organization.\"\n      In the year ended February 28, 1986, the Illinois\n  Cooperative reported income of 10.2 mln dlrs and members'\n  equity, or net worth, of 8.3 mln dlrs. The annual report for\n  the most recent year has not been filed.\n      Under the cooperative system, income from operations is\n  returned as \"patronage refunds\" to the members.\n      Income and refunds in the past five years have been\n  declining. In the year ended February 28, 1982, the co-op\n  reported income of 17.4 mln dlrs and patronage refunds of 17.0\n  mln dlrs. Patronage refunds in the year ended February 28,\n  1986, totalled 9.5 mln dlrs.\n      \"You're dealing with substantially lower volume,\" Mulligan\n  said. \"Lower volume translates into higher costs.\"\n      According to the company's 1986 annual report, Growmark\n  owns 90 pct of the preferred shares and four pct of the common\n  shares of Illinois Cooperative Futures Co.\n      Mulligan declined to speculate on how much of the capital\n  Growmark is entitled to. He said he could not determine the\n  figure unless the shareholders decide in favor of dissolution.\n  Equity is distributed according to each member's trading volume\n  and, as a result, changes from year to year.\n      However, Mulligan said the company could continue to meet\n  minimum capital requirements to trade futures even if Growmark\n  pulled out.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONRAC <CAX> SOARS FOLLOWING MARK IV <IV> BID\n","article":"  Heavy buying by speculators boosted\n  Conrac Corp 7-7\/8 to 29, higher than a 25-dlr-per-share cash\n  tender offer announced by Mark IV Industries Inc <IV>.\n      \"It's a case of ChemLawn euphoria,\" said one arbitrageur,\n  referring to a recent hostile tender that began at 27 dlrs per\n  share and ended when ChemLawn Corp <CHEM> found a white knight\n  willing to bid 36.50 dlrs.\n      For Conrac, the arbitrageur said, 28 dlrs per share seemed\n  like an \"appropriate price.\" Another said \"it's too early to\n  project the outcome.\"\n      \"The market is speaking for itself and saying the 25 dlr\n  offer is inadequate,\" the second arbitrageur said. But he added\n  it was hard to make a case for Conrac being worth much more\n  than the 29 dlrs where the shares traded today.\n      He noted the stock recently sold in the high teens and\n  there could be a downward risk of 10 dlrs or more if Conrac is\n  able to thwart Mark IV.\n      Conrac urged shareholders to take no action while its board\n  studies the offer and confers with advisers. Conrac said it\n  would make a recommendation by April 17.\n      A third arbitrageur noted Mark IV had been involved in\n  several takeovers previously and has proven itself to be a\n  determined bidder. \"They're not beginners,\" he said.\n      Another said Conrac might have trouble if it tried to find\n  another buyer. \"It's a hodge-podge of non-related businesses,\"\n  he said. \"There is only a small universe of people who would\n  want to own the company as it's presently structured.\"\n      Conrac is involved in video displays, computer software,\n  aircraft instruments, telephone answering machines, welding\n  equipment and other products.\n      \"I'm telling retail clients to sell and leave the rest for\n  those who can take the risk,\" said Rudolph Hokanson, analyst at\n  Milwaukee Co.\n      He called the 25-dlr offer by Mark IV \"fair value but on\n  the low side.\" \"I don't think management was looking for a\n  buyer in any way before this offer,\" he said.\n      Hokanson said Conrac has conservative finances and has\n  developed a reputation for quality products that serve niche\n  markets. He said management has done a good job of turning\n  around the telephone answering machine business.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LASER PHOTONICS <LAZR> SELLS COMMON SHARES\n","article":"  Laser Photonics Inc said it sold\n  615,385 shares of its common stock to investors for one mln\n  dlrs under a previously-announced agreement.\n      In connection with the investment, the company said it will\n  restructure its board. There will be eight members, three of\n  whom were designated by the new investors, the company said.\n  The group of investors include affiliates of <Radix\n  Organization Inc>, the company said.\n      Richard Gluch Jr resigned from the board. Joining the board\n  were Leonard Lichter, Pierre Schoenheimer and Roger Kirk, the\n  investors' designates, the company added.\n      Other members of the board are chairman Don Friedkin,\n  president and chief executive officer Mark Fukuhara, and Jay\n  Watnick, Ira Goldstein, Thurman Sasser and Michael Clinger.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CROWLEY, MILNER AND CO<COM> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 4.11 dlrs vs 3.51 dlrs\n      Net 2,091,000 vs 1,785,000\n      Sales 38.8 mln vs 34.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 3.42 dlrs vs 3.57 dlrs\n      Net 1,740,000 vs 1,815,000\n      Sales 113.0 mln vs 104.1 mln\n      Qtly div 25 cts vs 25 cts previously\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CONRAC <CAX> URGES NO ACTION ON BID\n","article":"  Conrac Corp said it is asking\n  shareholders to take no action on the 25-dlr-per-share tender\n  offer for all its shares launched this morning by Mark IV\n  Industries Inc <IV>.\n      The company said its board will study the offer with\n  financial and legal advisors and make a recommendation to\n  shareholders by April 17.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"<D'OR VAL MINES LTD> FINDS HIGH-GRADE ORDER\n","article":"  D'Or Val Mines Ltd said a recent\n  drill hole from the surfrace has intersected high-grade ore in\n  a downdip extension of the Discovery Vein in its D'Or Val Mine\n  in northern Quebec.\n      The company said 42.3 feet of the hole graded 0.92 ounce\n  per short ton of gold, including a 17.5 foot section grading\n  2.17 ounces.\n      It said the zone is just below the projection of the\n  seventh level of the mine about 1,450 feet below the surface\n  and 820 feet west of the shaft.\n      D'Or Val said this find and other recent ones will make\n  substantial contributions to the mine's ore reserves and grade.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FINNISH UNEMPLOYMENT AT 6.7 PCT IN DECEMBER\n","article":"  Finnish unemployment was 6.7 pct in\n  December last year compared with 6.8 pct in November and 6.1\n  pct in December 1985, the Central Statistical Office said.\n      It said 173,000 people were unemployed in December 1986,\n  174,000 in November and 157,000 in December 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BRAZILIAN SEAMEN SAY 14,000 NOW BACK AT WORK\n","article":"  About 14,000 of Brazil's 40,000\n  seamen are now back at work after pay accords with 21 shipping\n  companies but the rest are still on strike, a spokesman at\n  strike headquarters said today.\n      The seamen began a national stoppage on February 27.\n      The spokesman, talking by telephone from Rio de Janeiro,\n  said 126 ships were strike-bound.\n      He added that because of resignations by many seamen there\n  were scarcely any crews left on 38 of these ships.\n      The seamen have settled in general for pay rises of 120 pct\n  with the 21 companies. Talks with the shipowners' association\n  Syndarma have been deadlocked over overtime.\n      While exports have been delayed by the strike, exporters\n  say the problems have been manageable.\n      \"It hasn't been critical by any means,\" said a coffee trader\n  in Santos, who noted that coffee was still moving on foreign\n  ships.\n      Economic analysts added, however, that any delay to exports\n  served to aggravate Brazil's balance of payments crisis, which\n  last month prompted the government to suspend interest payments\n  on 68 billion dlrs of commercial debt.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED BUYS 500 MLN DLRS OF BILLS FOR CUSTOMER\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve purchased about\n  500 mln dlrs of U.S. Treasury bills for a customer, a\n  spokeswoman said.\n      She said that the Fed bought bills maturing in June and\n  July, and on August 27 and September 10 for regular delivery\n  tomorrow.\n      Dealers said that Federal funds were trading at 6-1\/8 pct\n  when the Fed announced the operation.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PENN TRAFFIC CO <PNF> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 33 cts vs 46 cts\n      Net 1,350,000 vs 1,886,000\n      Revs 150.1 mln vs 127.9 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.76 dlr vs 1.59 dlr\n      Net 7,300,000 vs 6,567,000\n      Revs 548 mln vs 510.5 mln\n      NOTE: First three quarters of 1986 have been restated to\n  reflect adoption in 4th qtr of new pension accounting procedure\n  which increased net income in first three qtrs 204,000 dlrs or\n  five cts per share. Procedure increased fourth qtr income\n  73,000 dlrs or two cts per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CALUMET INDUSTRIES <CALI> SEES 2ND QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Calumet Industries Inc said it expects\n  to report a loss from operations for its second quarter ending\n  March 31, despite a strong unit sales increase.\n      In the same year-ago period the company reported net income\n  of 366,953 dlrs, or 18 cts a share.\n      Chairman S. Mark Salvino said the expected loss is\n  primarily due to depressed product prices not recovering the\n  increasing cost of crude oil.\n      Salvino also said steadier crude prices and the reduced\n  rate of refinery production should increase product prices and\n  lead to a return to more normal profit margins.\n      He reported that the 23 mln dlr HydroCal II system under\n  construction at the company's refinery in Princeton, La., is on\n  schedule and production will begin early in fiscal 1988.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANKERS SEE SHARP RISE IN THAI FOREIGN RESERVES\n","article":"  Thailand's improving economy will likely\n  cause foreign reserves to increase to at least five billion\n  dlrs by end-1987 from a record of nearly 4.2 billion at\n  end-February, private bankers said.\n      Bank of Thailand statistics show foreign reserves rose to\n  3.95 billion at end-January from 3.03 billion a year earlier.\n      Nimit Nonthapanthawat, chief economist at the <Bangkok Bank\n  Ltd>, said Thailand's strong export performance, its relatively\n  high interest rates, foreign participation in its stock market,\n  and growing foreign investment, especially from Japan,\n  contributed to the projected sharp rise.\n      Thai exports rose 19.4 pct in 1986 and are expected to\n  expand another 15 pct this year, bankers said.\n      A U.S. Embassy report said last month Thailand could\n  achieve five pct real gross domestic product growth in 1987, up\n  from a projection of 3.8 pct for 1986 and 3.7 pct in 1985.\n      Nonthapanthawat said if economic growth continues at its\n  current pace and oil prices and major currencies remain stable\n  the five billion 1987 reserves target can easily be reached.\n      Thailand calculates foreign reserves to include gold,\n  special drawing rights and convertible currencies. The target\n  is equivalent to five-and-a-half months' worth of imports.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COCOA BUFFER STOCK ACCORD CLOSER, DELEGATES SAY\n","article":"  The International Cocoa Organization\n  (ICCO) moved closer to an agreement on buffer stock rules, with\n  many delegates saying they expect to reach an accord by Friday.\n      \"Everyone is convinced the buffer stock rules should be in\n  place by Friday so the buffer stock can be put into operation\n  Monday,\" a consumer delegate said. \"The atmosphere is excellent.\"\n      Other delegates said the buffer stock might not be\n  operational by Monday but could be in place by around April 1,\n  if the rules are agreed by Friday.\n      A detailed package on how the buffer stock manager will buy\n  and sell cocoa was presented to a buffer stock working group\n  this afternoon -- a big step toward a \"very interesting stage of\n  negotiations,\" delegates said.\n      The package, based on negotiating principles informally\n  agreed by delegates, has been forged bit by bit during\n  fortnight-long meetings by ICCO Executive Director Kobena\n  Erbynn and a small group of other delegates.\n      Producers, the European Community (EC) and consumers are\n  scheduled to consider the paper separately and then jointly\n  tomorrow.\n      Under the proposal, the buffer stock manager would buy\n  cocoa from origins or the second-hand market on an offer\n  system. He would alert the market via news agencies as to when\n  he wanted to buy cocoa and include shipment details and tonnage\n  desired, delegates said.\n      The manager would buy cocoa on a competitive basis, rather\n  than choosing the cheapest cocoa as before, giving preference\n  to ICCO member-country exporters. Standard price differentials\n  would be fixed for each origin, similar to golf handicaps, to\n  determine the relative competitiveness of offers of various\n  cocoas from different origins, they said.\n      The differentials could be reviewed at the request of a\n  member country or recommendation of the buffer stock manager,\n  the delegates said. Revision would be decided by a majority\n  vote of the ICCO council.\n      Buffer stock purchases from non-ICCO member countries would\n  not be allowed to exceed 10 pct of the total buffer stock, they\n  said.\n      The purchases would be limited to 5,000 tonnes of cocoa per\n  day and 20,000 tonnes per week, and could be bought in nearby,\n  intermediate and forward positions, they added.\n      One of the underlying ideas of the rules package is\n  \"transparency,\" meaning virtually all the buffer stock manager's\n  market activities will be public and he will have as little\n  discretion as possible, delegates said.\n      After the tin market collapse in 1985, when the\n  International Tin Council buffer stock ran out of funds, cocoa\n  delegates are anxious to install safeguards in the cocoa market\n  mechanism, they said.\n       Earnest debate on the buffer stock proposal is expected to\n  begin late tomorrow, as delegations feel the pressure of the\n  approaching Friday deadline, when the ICCO meeting is due to\n  adjourn, delegates said.\n      The ICCO failed to agree buffer stock rules in January when\n  the new International Cocoa Agreement came into force. The\n  existing buffer stock of 100,000 tonnes of cocoa was frozen in\n  place with its bank balance of 250 mln dlrs -- both untouchable\n  until rules are agreed.\n       Though the current semi-annual council meeting is not the\n  last chance for delegates to cement buffer stock rules,\n  producers are keen to get the wheels of the market-stabilizing\n  mechanism turning to stem the decline in world prices,\n  delegates said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FINANCIAL CORP <FIN> NOT HOLDING BUYOUT TALKS\n","article":"  Financial Corp of America said\n  it is not holding discussions with anyone regarding a buyout of\n  the company.\n      But a spokeswoman pointed out that Financial Corp has said\n  publicly for nearly two years that in the company's view a\n  merger would be one method of increasing the company's capital.\n      \"If an opportunity arises for us to strengthen our capital\n  position quickly we would be very open to it,\" the spokeswoman\n  said.\n      Financial Corp would need over one billion dlrs to bring\n  its regulatory net worth up to Federal Savings and Loan\n  Insurance Corp requirements, the spokeswoman said.\n      In addition, she said that the Federal Home Loan Bank\n  Board, in a letter dated January 26, 1987, stated that through\n  March 31, 1988 it will continue to support the company's\n  efforts to restructure its balance sheet, maintain profitable\n  operations and augment net worth.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PDVSA INCOME ON OIL SALES FELL 45 PCT IN 1986\n","article":"  The state oil company Petroeleos de\n  Venezuela ended 1986 with a decrease of 45 pct in income from\n  oil sales even though it surpassed its own export goal by\n  almost 100,000 barrels a day, Minister of Energy and Mines\n  Arturo Hernandez Grisanti said.\n      Speaking to a news conference following the PDVSA annual\n  assembly, Hernandez said PDVSA's income from oil sales had\n  dropped to 7.2 billion dlrs in 1986, down 45 pct from last\n  year's 13.3 billion.\n      Fiscal revenue from oil sales, which was estimated at 66\n  billion bolivares for 1986, totalled 43.5 billion, a drop of 34\n  pct which Hernandez said \"had a very serious impact on\n  Venezuela.\"\n      PDVSA's export volume averaged 1.508 mln barrels a day, of\n  which 658,000 bpd were crude oil and 850,000 bpd refined\n  products.\n      The figure surpassed PDVSA's stated goal of 1.410 mln bpd\n  and the 1985 export volume of 1.371 mln bpd. But it was not\n  enough to cover the losses from a drop in the average price\n  from 25.88 dlrs per barrel in 1985 to 13.90 dlrs last year.\n      The 13.90 per barrel price for 1986 was 1.01 dlrs higher\n  than the figure originally announced by the Central Bank.\n  Hernandez said the increase had come from a new accounting\n  system which included the results of PDVSA's overseas refining\n  and marketing operations.\n      Consumption in Venezuela's internal market increased from\n  323,000 bpd in 1985 to 342,000 bpd last year. However,\n  Hernandez stressed that the government had managed to keep\n  gasoline sales almost constant at 164,000 bpd.\n      Exploration by PDVSA led to an increase of 675 mln barrels\n  in reserves of light and medium crudes, shifting the balance of\n  Venezuela's reserves away from heavy crude oil. The country's\n  production capacity at year-end 1986 was 2.562 mln bpd, of\n  which 1.420 mln are light and medium crudes, Hernandez said.\n       Venezuela's total proven reserves as of December 31, 1986\n  were 55.521 billion barrels, the fourth largest amount in the\n  world, Hernandez said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN NETWORK INC <ANWI> DEC 31 YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 16 cts vs loss 1.40 dlrs\n      Net profit 3,000,000 vs loss 6,570,000\n      Revs 91.7 mln vs 66.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 19,078,072 vs 4,708,896\n      Note: Current year net includes nine mln dlr net gain from\n  settlement of litigation.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SIGNET BANKING CORP REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 31 cts vs 31 cts prior\n      Payable APril 22\n      Record April three\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MOTT'S SUPER MARKETS INC <MSM> 4TH QTR JAN 3\n","article":"  Shr loss 15 cts vs loss 1.12 dlrs\n      Net loss 414,331 vs loss 3.1 mln\n      Revs 73.8 mln vs 69.1 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 99 cts vs loss 1.69 dlr\n      Net loss 2.7 mln vs loss 4.7 mln\n      Revs 276.9 mln vs 290.1 mnln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SWEDEN HAS CURRENT PAYMENTS SURPLUS IN 1986\n","article":"  Sweden had a 1986 current balance of\n  payments surplus of 7.6 billion crowns compared with a deficit\n  of 10.1 billion the preceding year, according to preliminary\n  figures from the central bank.\n      The December current account had a 100 mln crowns deficit\n  against a yearago 200 mln deficit.December trade balance was\n  2.3 billion surplus against yearago two billion.\n      The trade balance showed a 1986 surplus of 33.2 billion\n  crowns compared with a 15.8 billion surplus in 1985, the bank\n  said .\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ALEXANDER'S <ALX> 2ND QTR FEB 7\n","article":"  Shr 57 cts vs 72 cts\n      Net 2.7 mln vs 3.3 mln\n      Six months\n      Shr 45 cts vs 84 cts\n      Net 2.1 mln vs 3.8 mln\n      NOTE:1987 six months includes 790,000 dlr charge. 1986 six\n  months includes 679,000 net gain.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IMPERIAL OIL <IMO.A> TO FOCUS ON HIGHER PROFIT\n","article":"  Imperial Oil Ltd, 70 pct owned by Exxon\n  Corp <XON>, will focus on maintaining its financial strength\n  and improving near-term earnings performance through operating\n  expense reductions and selective capital spending, the company\n  said in the annual report.\n      Imperial Oil said it expects to spend about 750 mln dlrs on\n  capital and exploration expenditures in 1987, compared to 648\n  mln dlrs in 1986 and 1.16 billion dlrs in 1985.\n      Imperial previously reported 1986 operating net profit fell\n  to 440 mln dlrs or 2.69 dlrs share from 694 mln dlrs or 4.27\n  dlrs share in the prior year.\n      Imperial Oil said the attention to earnings results from\n  the desire to pursue longer term growth opportunities should\n  the investment climate improve and the belief that low or\n  volatile crude oil prices could continue during the next\n  several years.\n      The company also said actions initiated during 1986 to\n  restructure and improve efficiency should continue to show\n  benefits in 1987.\n      During 1986, the company cut operating, administrative and\n  marketing expenses by 91 mln dlrs and reduced the number of\n  workers by 16 pct to 12,500.\n      Imperial chairman Arden Haynes said in the annual report\n  that it is too early to determine whether the recent upward\n  movement in international oil prices will be sustained.\n      \"It is still a time for prudence and caution, and the\n  company's actions will continue to be based on the fundamentals\n  of market supply and demand,\" he said.\n      Haynes said prospects for the company's petroleum products\n  division are more promising than before, but are still\n  uncertain. Imperial's 1986 petroleum earnings rose to 174 mln\n  dlrs from 102 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      Haynes said more satisfactory product margins on its\n  petroleum products could result if demand recovers as it has in\n  the United States.\n      The company's chemicals business outlook is mixed, Haynes\n  said. Prospects for growth in petrochemical sales is good as\n  long as economic growth continues, but future large grain\n  surpluses could dampen fertilizer demand and maintain pressure\n  on prices.\n      Imperial's chemical business earned 17 mln dlrs in 1986,\n  compared to three mln dlrs in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORTHEAST UTILITIES <NU> YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 2.78 dlrs vs 2.55 dlr\n      NEt 302.0 mln vs 271.6 mln\n      REvs 2.0 billion vs 2.1 billion\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CPC <CPC> TO SELL EUROPEAN BUSINESS\n","article":"  CPC International Inc said it reached\n  an agreement in principle to sell its European corn wet milling\n  business to Agricola Finanziaria SpA, a member of the Ferruzzi\n  Group, for a price in excess of 600 mln dlrs.\n      The transaction is expected to be completed by September\n  30.\n      CPC said it expects no material gain or loss this year from\n  the transaction. But the effect of the deal on 1987 earnings\n  can be evaluated in full only when the definitive pacts are\n  completed, it said.\n      The long-term effect of the transaction on CPC's earnings\n  should be positive, it added, as it will allow capital\n  expenditures to be cut back and will reduce corporate and\n  divisional overheads as well as operating expenses in the\n  European business.\n      The sale is an important part of a restructuring announced\n  in November, CPC said.\n      Proceeds of the sale will be used to reduce debt incurred\n  in the purchase of the Arnold Foods and Old London specialty\n  baking businesses and the stock repurchase program that was \n  part of the restructuring.\n      As of December 31, CPC had bought about 15 mln of its\n  common shares, adjusted for a 2-for-1 split in January, for a\n  total cost of 621.8 mln dlrs, according to its 1986 annual\n  report.\n      In December, CPC acquired Arnold Foods and Old London for a\n  total of about 170 mln dlrs.\n      CPC had previously said it wanted to sell the European corn\n  wet milling business and use the proceeds to help reduce debt,\n  including that incurred under the share buyback.\n      In total, CPC has bought back about 16 mln shares of common\n  stock, adjusted for the split, it said today. In November it\n  authorized a buyback of 20 mln shares, adjusted for the split.\n      The buyback and the restructuring were triggered in\n  November, after companies controlled by Ronald Perelman,\n  chairman of Revlon Group Inc <REV>, acquired about 7.6 pct of\n  CPC's then outstanding stock.\n      In 1986, the European corn wet milling business had sales\n  of 914.1 mln dlrs, operating income before overheads of 68.8\n  mln dlrs and associated headquarters overhead costs of 19.7 mln\n  dlrs, according to CPC's 1986 annual report.\n      The businesses' assets were 645.7 mln dlrs in 1986, the\n  report said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MOBEX COMPLETES GRANT INDUSTRIES <GTX> TENDER\n","article":"  Mobex Corp, a private building\n  product concern, said as of late yesterday it had accepted\n  about 2.3 mln shares or 98 pct of Grant Industries Inc under a\n  tender offer.\n      The 7.75 dlrs a share cash offer expired at 2000 EST\n  yesterday. Mobex said its Mobex Acquisition Corp unit accepted\n  2,316,940 shares of Grant common, or about 98 pct of the\n  2,369,799 shares presently outstanding, at the tender price.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LEUCADIA NATIONAL CORP <LUK> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 3.28 dlrs vs 22 cts\n      Shr diluted 2.99 dlrs vs 22 cts\n      Net 46.0 mln vs 3,328,000\n      Avg shrs 14.0 mln vs 15.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 5.41 dlrs vs 1.56 dlrs\n      Shr diluted 4.94 dlrs vs 1.50 dlrs\n      Net 78.2 mln vs 25.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 14.5 mln vs 15.1 mln\n      NOTE: earnings per share reflect the two-for-one split\n  effective January 6, 1987.\n      per share amounts are calculated after preferred stock\n  dividends.\n      Loss continuing operations for the qtr 1986, includes gains\n  of sale of investments in Enron Corp of 14 mln dlrs, and\n  associated companies of 4,189,000, less writedowns of\n  investments in National Intergroup Inc of 11.8 mln and BRAE\n  Corp of 15.6 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TELECOM <TELE> COMPLETES SALE\n","article":"  Telecom Plus INternational Inc\n  said it completed the sale of its 65 pct interest in Tel Plus\n  Communications Inc to Siemens Information Systems INc for about\n  173 mln dlrs.\n      Telecom received 107 mln dlrs at closing with the balance\n  to be paid in installments. Siemen said it will dispute various\n  matters in the financial statement issues and other matters, it\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HAITI, CZECHOSLOVAKIA JOIN COCOA ORGANIZATION\n","article":"  Haiti and Czechoslovakia have joined the\n  International Cocoa Organization (ICCO), bringing membership in\n  the United Nations charter body to 18 importing countries and\n  17 exporters, ICCO officials said.\n      Haiti has provisionally applied to the ICCO as an exporting\n  member, and accounts for 0.92 pct of world cocoa exports, they\n  said. Czechoslovakia joined as an importer.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INTEGRATED RESOURCES INC <IRE> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper primary shr 1.03 dlr vs 2.55 dlrs\n      Oper diluted shr 94 cts vs 1.76 dlrs\n      Oper net 15.2 mln vs 23.4 mln\n      Revs 272.0 mln vs 232 mln\n      Avg shrs primary 7,625,000 vs 5,534,000\n      Avg shrs diluted 12.3 mln vs 10.3 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 1.06 dlr vs 3.17 dlrs\n      Oper net 39 mln vs 56.1 mln\n      Revs 830.2 mln vs 657.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 7,490,000 vs 5,557,000\n      NOTE: 1986 oper net excludes 10.4 mln dlrs for discontinued\n  operations.\n      1985 4th qtr excludes a loss of 4,570,000 dlrs and\n  6,330,000 dlrs, respectively, for discontinued operations.\n      1986 oper net excludes a 10.5 mln dlr or 1.40 dlr per shr\n  loss from early extinquishment of notes.\n      1986 and 1985 oper per share amounts are reported after\n  paying 31.0 mln dlrs and 38.5 mln dlrs, respectively, for\n  preferred stock dividends.\n      1986 and 1985 4th qtr per share amounts are reported after\n  paying 7,292,000 dlrs and 9,333,000 dlrs, respectively, for\n  preferred stock dividends.\n      1985's discontinued operations are restated.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WEAN UNITED INC <WID> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss one dlr vs profit seven cts\n      Net loss 3.0 mln vs profit 349,000\n      Revs 35.6 mln vs 49.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 2.87 dlrs vs loss 2.71 dlrs\n      Net loss 8.4 mln vs loss 7.9 mln\n      Revs 140.3 mln vs 169.2 mln\n      NOTE:earnings reflect preferred dividend requirements, 1986\n  year includes one-time gain of 1.2 mln dlrs\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. HOUSE PANEL EASES SOVIET EXPORT CONTROLS\n","article":"  The U.S. House Foreign Affairs\n  Committee voted to ease restrictions on exports that are now\n  kept from shipment to Soviet-bloc countries but are no longer a\n  threat to U.S. national security.\n      The Democratic-controlled committee said the\n  administration's export control policies, which restrict\n  shipment of thousands of products, contributed to last year's\n  record 169 billion dlr U.S. trade deficit.\n      The committee said the legislation will cut government red\n  tape and make it easier for U.S. companies to compete with\n  foreign producers since many of the goods are readily available\n  from other countries.\n      Rep. Don Bonker, chairman of the International Economic\n  Policy subcommittee, said the unnecessary restrictions had cost\n  the U.S. 17 billion dlrs in exports a year.\n      \"This is Congress' number one opportunity to attack the\n  trade deficit in a positive way by exporting more,\" the\n  Washington Democrat said.\n      The legislation would order the Commerce Department to lift\n  controls on 40 pct of goods on the restricted export list over\n  the next three years unless other countries agree to comparable\n  controls.\n      Most of these are of the least sophisticated type of\n  technology such as medical instruments.\n      It would also give the Commerce Department primary\n  authority to decide which exports will be permitted and limit\n  the Defense Department to an advisory role in reviewing\n  requests to export highly-sensitive technology.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 200,000 TONNES CORN  SWITCHED FROM UNKNOWN TO USSR FOR 1986\/87\n","article":"\n  U.S. EXPORTERS REPORT 200,000 TONNES CORN  SWITCHED FROM UNKNOWN TO USSR FOR 1986\/87\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"BALDRIGE SAYS CHANGES NEEDED IN EXCHANGE RATES OF CURRENCIES PEGGED TO DOLLAR\n","article":"\n  BALDRIGE SAYS CHANGES NEEDED IN EXCHANGE RATES OF CURRENCIES PEGGED TO DOLLAR\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CHARTER CO 4TH QTR NET PROFIT 118.8 MLN DLRS VS LOSS 13 MLN DLRS\n","article":"\n  CHARTER CO 4TH QTR NET PROFIT 118.8 MLN DLRS VS LOSS 13 MLN DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALEXANDER'S <ALX> 2ND QTR ENDS FEB 27 NET\n","article":"  Shr 57 cts vs 72 cts\n      Shr diluted 57 cts vs 66 cts\n      Net 2,699,000 vs 3,250,000\n      Revs 190.8 mln vs 195.9 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr 45 cts vs 84 cts\n      Shr diluted 45 cts vs 79 cts\n      Net 2,092,000 vs 3,784,000\n      Revs 304.2 mln vs 304.6 mln\n      NOTE: includes a change in accounting for investment tax\n  credit of 1,408,000, or 31 cts per share, in six mths prior.\n      first qtr 1987 includes non-recurring charge of 1,488,000\n  for company's abandoning of its plan to convert to a limited\n  partnership.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"STANADYNE <STNA>, UNITED TECHNOLOGIES END TALKS\n","article":"  Stanadyne Inc said it terminated\n  discussions about its proposed purchase of United Technologies\n  Corp's Diesel Systems <UTX> unit.\n      The reason was not disclosed.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FISONS PLC <FISN.L> YEAR TO END-1986\n","article":"  Shr 27.5p vs 24.3p\n      Div 3.95p vs 3.34p making 6.5p vs 5.5p\n      Pre-tax profit 85.1 mln stg vs 72.3 mln\n      Turnover 702.6 mln vs 646.7 mln\n      Tax 18.4 mln vs 15.2 mln\n      Finance charges 4.1 mln vs 5.4 mln\n      Minority interest 0.1 mln vs 0.5 mln\n      Extraordinary debit, being closure and restructuring costs\n  4.9 mln vs 3.7 mln\n      Operating profit includes -\n      Pharmaceutical 49.8 mln vs 39.0 mln\n      Scientific equipment 23.2 mln vs 19.2 mln\n      Horticulture 8.0 mln vs 8.7 mln\n      Note - company said it plans one-for-one capitalisation\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CITICORP <CCI> RULES OUT CREDIT CARD PRICE WAR\n","article":"  American Express Co's <AXP> recent\n  launch of a new \"OPTIMA\" credit card, with relatively low\n  interest rates and fees, will increase competition with bank\n  credit-card issuers but will not lead to a pricing war, a\n  senior Citicorp offical said.\n      \"Over the next two to three years, a very interesting\n  marketing battle will be fought ... competition will not be on\n  price but on product features,\" Pei-yuan Chia, head of the U.S.\n  card products group, told a banking analysts meeting.\n      Citicorp is the leading U.S. bank credit-card issuer, with\n  some 10 mln accounts and an 11 pct market share.\n      Chia said that Citicorp would focus its credit card\n  marketing efforts on acceptance, noting that Visa and\n  Mastercard currently enjoy a two-to-one advantage over American\n  Express in terms of worldwide acceptance.\n      He also doubted the popularity of American Express' plan to\n  link interest charges on the new OPTIMA card to the bank prime\n  lending rate. \"The consumer likes to have a fixed rate\n  instrument,\" he said.\n      Richard Braddock, head of the whole individual banking\n  division, added that when there is increased competition, \"it\n  is not the big people who get crunched but the small ones.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEW PROCESS CO <NOZ> SETS QTLY PAYOUT\n","article":"  New Process Co said it declared a\n  quarterly dividend of 12-1\/2 cts, the regular dividend it pays\n  during the first three quarters of the year.\n      The dividend is payable May 1 to shareholders of record\n  April 10.\n      Last year, New Process paid an annual dividend of 1.18 dlrs\n  by paying 12-1\/2 cts a share in each of the first three\n  quarters and a fourth quarter dividend of 80-1\/2 cts.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USDA REPORTS CORN SWITCHED TO USSR\n","article":"  The U.S. Agriculture Department said\n  private U.S. exporters reported 200,000 tonnes of corn\n  previously to unknown destinations have been switched to the\n  Soviet Union.\n      The corn is for delivery during the 1986\/87 marketing year\n  and under the fourth year of the U.S.-USSR Long Term Grain\n  Supply Agreement.\n      The marketing year for began September 1.\n      Sales of corn to the USSR for delivery during the fourth\n  year of the agreement -- which began October 1, 1986 -- now\n  total 2,600,000  tonnes, it said.\n      In the third agreement year sales totaled 6,960,700 tonnes\n  -- 152,600 tonnes of wheat and 6,808,100 tonnes of corn.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PETROLEUM EQUIPMENT TOOLS CO <PTCO> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss 57 cts vs loss 30 cts\n      Net loss 5.9 mln vs loss 3.2 mln\n      Revs 5.6 mln vs 16.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 2.11 dlrs vs loss 95 cts\n      Net loss 22.0 mln vs loss 9.9 mln\n      Revs 29.3 mln vs 66.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SUNDOR GROUP BUYS DWG <DWG> UNIT'S ASSETS\n","article":"  <Sundor Group Inc> said it\n  purchased DWG Corp's Texun Inc's line of regional juice\n  products.\n      The purchase terms were not disclosed, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"QUICK AND REILLY GROUP <BQR> 4TH QTR FEB 28\n","article":"  Shr 72 cts vs 57 cts\n      Net 4.5 mln vs 3.6 mln\n      Revs 25.1 mln vs 21.9 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 2.47 dlrs vs 1.87 dlr\n      Net 15.6 mln vs 11.8 mln\n      Revs 89.1 mln vs 73.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HAYES-ALBION <HAY> COMPLETES GOING PRIVATE DEAL\n","article":"  Hayes-Albion Corp said its shareholders\n  approved a plan to merge with and become a wholly onwed\n  subsidiary of privately held Harvard Industries Inc.\n      St. Louis-based Harvard Industries, a manufacturer and\n  distributor of automobile supplies, held 80 pct of Hayes\n  following completion of a 13 dlrs a share cash tender offer in\n  December.\n      Under the merger agreement, remaining shareholders of\n  Hayes, a Jackson, Mich.-based maker of auto supplies, will\n  receive 13 dlrs cash for their shares.\n      Trading in Hayes common will cease at the close of business\n  today, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHARTER CO <QCHR> 4TH QTR OPER LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss one ct vs loss four cts\n      Oper net loss 336,000 vs profit 2,631,000\n      Revs 237.2 mln vs 382.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 47.4 mln vs 16.5 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr profit 21 cts vs profit 12 cts\n      Oper profit 9,922,000 vs profit 15.1 mln\n      Revs 1.1 billion vs 1.6 billion\n      Avg shrs 47.4 mln vs 16.5 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 4th qtr and year oper net excludes a gain of\n  28.6 mln dlrs and 28.5 mln dlrs or 60 cts per share,\n  respectively, for discontinued operations.\n      1986 4th qtr and year oper net excludes a gain of 90.5 mln\n  dlrs or 1.91 dlr per share and 114.8 mln dlrs or 2.42 dlrs per\n  share, respectively, mainly for settlement of dioxin-related\n  claims in reorganization proceedings.\n      1985 4th qtr and year oper net excludes a loss of 41.2 mln\n  dlrs or 2.51 dlrs per share and a loss of 36.3 mln dlrs or 2.21\n  dlrs per share, respectively, for discontinued operations.\n      1985 4th qtr and year oper net excludes a gain of 25.6 mln\n  dlrs or 1.56 dlr per share and 29.4 mln dlrs or 1.79 dlrs per\n  share for settlement of claims and utilization of tax loss\n  carryforward.\n      1985 year oper net also excludes a loss of seven mln dlrs\n  for change in inventory evaluation method.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHAMPION PRODUCTS <CH> APPROVES STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Champion Products Inc said its\n  board of directors approved a two-for-one stock split of its\n  common shares for shareholders of record as of April 1, 1987.\n      The company also said its board voted to recommend to\n  shareholders at the annual meeting April 23 an increase in the\n  authorized capital stock from five mln to 25 mln shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" MAJOR SWISS BANKS RAISE CUSTOMER TIME DEPOSIT RATES 1\/4 POINT TO THREE PCT - CREDIT SUISSE\n","article":"\n   MAJOR SWISS BANKS RAISE CUSTOMER TIME DEPOSIT RATES 1\/4 POINT TO THREE PCT - CREDIT SUISSE\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NUMEREX CORP <NMRX> 2ND QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss seven cts vs profit five cts\n      Net loss 149,421 vs profit 103,120\n      Sales 1,698,345 vs 1,920,010\n      Six Mths\n      Shr loss five cts vs profit nine cts\n      Net loss 100,472 vs profit 191,614\n      Sales 3,836,794 vs 3,650,322\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BALDRIGE SUPPORTS NIC TALKS ON CURRENCIES\n","article":"  Commerce Secretary Malcolm Baldrige\n  said he supported efforts to persuade newly-industrialized\n  countries (NICS) to revalue currencies that are tied to the\n  dollar in order to help the United States cut its massive trade\n  deficit.\n      \"We do need to do something with those currencies or we\n  will be substituting Japanese products for Taiwanese products,\"\n  or those of other nations with currencies tied to the dollar,\n  Baldrige told a House banking subcommittee.\n      The U.S. dollar has declined in value against the Yen and\n  European currencies, but has changed very little against the\n  currencies of some developing countries such as South Korea and\n  Taiwan because they are linked to the value of the dollar.\n      As a result, efforts to reduce the value of the dollar over\n  the past year and a half have done little to improve the trade\n  deficits with those countries.\n      Baldrige told a House Banking subcommittee that the\n  Treasury Department was attempting to persuade those countries\n  to reach agreement with the United States on exchange rates.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":" CORRECTED - MAJOR SWISS BANKS RAISE CUSTOMER TIME DEPOSIT RATES 1\/4 POINT TO 3-1\/4 PCT - CREDIT SUISSE\n","article":"\n   CORRECTED - MAJOR SWISS BANKS RAISE CUSTOMER TIME DEPOSIT RATES 1\/4 POINT TO 3-1\/4 PCT - CREDIT SUISSE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EASTMAN KODAK CO TO SELL HOLDINGS IN ICN PHARMACEUTICALS AND VIRATEK INC\n","article":"\n  EASTMAN KODAK CO TO SELL HOLDINGS IN ICN PHARMACEUTICALS AND VIRATEK INC\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TREASURY BALANCES AT FED ROSE ON MARCH 23\n","article":"  Treasury balances at the Federal\n  Reserve rose on March 23 to 3.332 billion dlrs from 3.062\n  billion dlrs on the previous business day, the Treasury said in\n  its latest budget statement.\n      Balances in tax and loan note accounts fell to 15.513\n  billion dlrs from 17.257 billion dlrs on the same respective\n  days.\n      The Treasury's operating cash balance totaled 18.845\n  billion dlrs on March 23 compared with 20.318 billion dlrs on\n  March 20.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USX <X> USS UNIT RAISES PRICES\n","article":"  USX Corp's USS subsidiary said\n  that effective with shipments beginning July 1 prices for all\n  leaded grades and 1200-series grades of hot rolled bar and\n  semi-finished products from its Lorain, Ohio, facility will be\n  increased by 15 dlrs a ton over the prices in effect June 1.\n      It said the increase is being made to reflect current\n  market conditions.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"UNIONIST URGES RETALIATION AGAINST JAPAN\n","article":"  William Bywater, president of the\n  International Union of Electronic Workers, called on President\n  Reagan to retaliate against Japan for unfair practices in\n  semiconductor trade.\n      He said in a statement a crash program was needed in the\n  semiconductor industry to prevent the United States from\n  becoming \"one of the world's industrial lightweights.\"\n      Bywater's remarks came as the White House Economic Policy\n  Council prepared for a Thursday meeting to decide what\n  sanctions if any should be taken against Japan for alleged \n  violations of a U.S.-Japanese semiconductors agreement.\n      The pact, agreed to last July, called for Tokyo to end\n  selling semiconductors at below cost and to open its home\n  market to U.S. goods. In return, Washington agreed to forego\n  antidumping duties on Japanese semiconductors.\n      But U.S. officials have said that while Japan has stopped\n  dumping in the U.S. market, it has not ended third country\n  dumping; nor has it opened its market to U.S. semiconductors.\n      Japan yesterday, in an effort to ward off U.S. action,\n  ordered a cutback in semiconductors production as a way to\n  force prices up and end the dumping.\n      Bywater, in his statement, said he backed a Defense Science\n  Board task force proposal to set up a consortium to develop new\n  electronic products and manufacturing processes and make the\n  U.S. industory more competitive.\n      But he added the industry could not wait for legislation to\n  pass and that action was required now to help the depressed\n  electronic industry.\n      Bywater said, \"I urge the Reagan Administration to take full\n  and severe action immediately against Japan by invoking the\n  retaliatory steps that are permitted under U.S. law and GATT\n  (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade).\"\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ZAIRE AUTHORIZED TO BUY PL 480 RICE - USDA\n","article":"  Zaire has been authorized to\n  purchase about 30,000 tonnes of U.S. rice under an existing PL\n  480 agreement, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      It may buy the rice, valued at 5.5 mln dlrs, between March\n  31 and August 31, 1987, and ship it from U.S. ports by\n  September 30, the department said.\n      The purchase authorization covers the entire quantity of\n  rice provided under the agreement.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MIDIVEST ACQUIRES ASSETS OF BUSINESS AVIATION\n","article":"  <Midivest Inc> said it acquired\n  all the assets of <Business Aviation Inc> of Sioux Falls, S.D.,\n  for an undisclosed amount of stock.\n      Midivest said it expects to sell 10 to 20 of the renovated\n  Beechcraft planes next year. It said management will also lease\n  these airborne intensive care units to hospitals and government\n  subdivisions through Metropolitan Leasing, a wholly-owned\n  subsidiary of Midivest.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. WHEAT CREDITS FOR JORDAN SWITCHED\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation\n  (CCC) has switched 25.0 mln dlrs in wheat credit guarantees to\n  Jordan under the Export Credit Guarantee Program to the\n  Intermediate Export Credit Guarantee Program, the U.S.\n  Agriculture Department said.\n      The switch reduces the total value of GSM-102 guarantees\n  for the current fiscal year to 30.0 mln dlrs.\n      The credit terms extended for export sales under the\n  Intermediate Export Credit Guarantee Program (GSM-103) must be\n  in excess of three years but not more than seven years.\n      All sales must be registered and exports completed by\n  September 30, 1987, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DOLLAR EXPECTED TO FALL DESPITE INTERVENTION\n","article":"  Central bank intervention in the\n  foreign exchange markets succeeded in staunching the dollar's\n  losses today, but senior dealers here believe the U.S. currency\n  is headed for a further retreat.\n      Although the intervention was widespread, dealers perceive\n  that the six major industrial nations have differing levels of\n  commitment to their recent accord to stabilize currencies.\n      Moreover, hard economic realities hold greater sway over\n  the currency market than central bank intervention and these\n  argue for a further dollar decline, dealers said.\n      \"The market can be bigger than the central banks. And\n  economic fundamentals will always come to the fore,\" said a\n  dealer at one major U.S. bank.\n      As the dollar dropped to post-World War II lows against the\n  yen today foreign exchange traders said the Bank of Japan,\n  Federal Reserve Board and Bank of England intervened in the\n  markets on behalf of the U.S. currency.\n      Reports of the authorities' actions helped the dollar\n  recover to about 149.45 yen in New York this afternoon from\n  the post-war low of 148.20 yen in the Far East. But it still\n  failed to regain Monday's U.S. closing level of 150.00\/05 yen.\n      Tokyo dealers said the Bank of Japan bought one to 1.5\n  billion dlrs in Tokyo today and may also have purchased dollars\n  yesterday in the U.S. via the Federal Reserve.\n      Meanwhile, there were strong rumors in New York that the\n  Fed also bought a modest amount of dollars around 148.50 yen\n  today. Talk also circulated that the Bank of England purchased\n  a small amount of dollars for yen.\n      The Fed's last confirmed intervention was on January 28\n  when it bought 50 mln dlrs in coordination with the Bank of\n  Japan. But on March 11 the Fed also was rumored to have\n  signalled displeasure with a dollar surge above 1.87 marks.\n      The authorities' actions appeared to back up the February\n  22 Paris pact between the U.S., Japan, West Germany, Britain,\n  France and Canada under which the nations agreed to cooperate\n  to foster exchange rate stability around prevailing levels.\n      But foreign exchange dealers were not overly impressed by\n  the authorities' intervention which they said can only soften\n  extreme moves in the market.\n      For one thing, some dealers believed that the Fed's\n  purchases were done on behalf of the Bank of Japan rather than\n  for the U.S. central bank's own account, suggesting a rather  \n  watered-down American commitment to the currency accord.\n      The Bank of England's action also was thought to be\n  completed on behalf of the Japanese central bank, reinforcing\n  the market's view that Japan is the most resolute of the six\n  nations in its support of the currency pact.\n      \"No-one doubts the Bank of Japan is serious. But the other\n  two central banks seem to be making more token gestures than\n  anything else,\" said Chris Bourdain of BankAmerica Corp.\n      \"I'm not convinced the intervention was concerted,\" said\n  Earl Johnson of Harris Trust and Savings Bank in Chicago. \n  \"It's a yen problem more than anything else.\"\n      Some dealers said a rising wave of trade protectionist\n  sentiment in the U.S. limits the extent to which the American\n  authorities can endorse a stronger dollar against the yen.\n      \"The dollar's break below the key 150 yen level ties the\n  Treasury's hands behind its back. The U.S. cannot intervene on\n  its own account because of the strength of protectionism here,\"\n  said Albert Soria of Swiss Bank Corp.\n      Such comments reflect the view that the currency markets\n  are becoming increasingly politicized. Despite official\n  denials, some traders still feel the U.S. would countenance a\n  lower dollar to help trim the nation's trade deficit.\n      The majority of the 170 billion dlr merchandise trade\n  deficit in 1986 was with Japan.\n      Indeed U.S. Treasury secretary James Baker's comment on\n  Sunday that the February currency pact had not established\n  dollar targets was read by the market as a signal to sell the\n  U.S. currency and kicked off the latest retreat.\n      \"The dollar still has more room on the downside against the\n  yen based on the frictions in trade and financial services. The\n  currency market is becoming very political,\" said Natsuo Okada\n  of Sumitomo Bank Ltd.\n      Okada expects the dollar to trade between 148 and 150 yen\n  this week but sees the chance of a drop to 140 yen by the end\n  of April or early May.\n      Even if West Germany and Japan succeed in stimulating their\n  economies, it may not be enough to solve structural economic\n  imbalances in the near future, dealers said.\n      \"Even if Japan and West Germany do expand this year, it\n  won't be enough to help the trade situation much,\" said\n  Bourdain of BankAmerica, who also expects the dollar to drop to\n  148 yen in the next couple of days.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EASTMAN KODAK <EK> TO SELL HOLDINGS\n","article":"  Eastman Kodak Co said it plans\n  to sell its 2.3 pct holding in ICN Pharmaceuticals <ICN> and\n  part of its nine pct holdings in Viratek <VIRA>.\n      It said the purpose of the investments had been to lay the\n  groundwork for the creation of its Nucleic Acid Research\n  Institute.\n      Since that has been achieved, there is no longer any reason\n  to maintain the equity positions, Kodak said.\n      Kodak holds 470,000 sahres of ICN, currently trading at\n  about 18-3\/4 and 700,000 of Viratek, trading at 44.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRM REDUCES SCEPTRE RESOURCES <SRL> HOLDINGS\n","article":"  Montreal-based Noverco Inc told the\n  Securities and Exchange Commission it reduced its stake in\n  Sceptre Resources Ltd to 1,232,200 shares or 4.8 pct of the\n  total outstanding.\n      Noverco said it sold off 400,500 shares \"to reduce the\n  investment of Noverco in Sceptre.\"\n      \"Additional common shares of Sceptre may be sold or\n  purchased by Noverco, depending upon market conditions,\" Noverco\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<ACKLANDS LTD> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr three cts vs 11 cts\n      Net 126,000 vs 434,000\n      Revs 84.0 mln vs 80.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,948,731 vs 3,870,511\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PHILIPPINE PLANNING CHIEF URGES PESO DEVALUATION\n","article":"  The Philippines must devalue the peso if\n  it wants its exports to remain competitive, Economic Planning\n  Secretary Solita Monsod told Reuters.\n      \"The peso\/dollar rate has to be undercut to make our exports\n  more competitive,\" Monsod said an interview. \"No question about\n  it. I'm saying you cannot argue with success. Taiwan, South\n  Korea, West Germany, Japan, all those miracle economies\n  deliberately undervalued their currencies.\"\n      The peso has been free-floating since June 1984. It is\n  currently at about 20.50 to the U.S. Dollar.\n      Finance Secretary Jaime Ongpin has said the government does\n  not intend to devalue the peso and wants it to be flexible and\n  able to continue to respond to market conditions.\n      Monsod said Ongpin was looking at the exchange rate from\n  the point of view of finance. \"If the dollar rate goes higher,\n  our debt service in terms of pesos gets higher, so the\n  financing is very difficult,\" she said. \"But I am looking at it\n  in terms of the economy.\"\n      She said she was not trying to oppose official policy.\n      \"I'm just saying, keep it competitive. I do not want it to\n  become uncompetitive because then we are dead.\"\n      Monsod said, \"The ideal movement in the peso\/dollar rate is\n  a movement that will reflect differences in inflation (rates)\n  of the Philippines versus the other country. It's an arithmetic\n  thing.\"\n      Official figures show Philippine inflation averaged 0.8 pct\n  in calendar 1986. Ongpin told reporters on Saturday it was\n  expected to touch five pct this year.\n      He said the government and the International Monetary Fund\n  had set the peso\/dollar 1987 target rate at 20.80.\n      The peso lost 22.2 pct in value to slump to 18.002 to the\n  dollar when it was floated in 1984.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BULL AND BEAR GROUP A <BNBGA> CUTS FUND PAYOUTS\n","article":"  Bull and Bear Group A said it lowered\n  its monthly dividends on three of its funds.\n      It said it lowered its Tax Free Income Fund <BLTFX> to 10.3\n  cts from 10.6 cts; its U.S. Government Guaranteed Securities\n  Fund <BBUSX> to 11.5 cts from 11.8 cts; and its High Yield Fund\n  <BULHX> to 14 cts from 14.2 cts.\n      All dividends are payable March 31 to shareholders of\n  record March 25, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CALTEX TO RAISE BAHRAIN OIL PRODUCT PRICES\n","article":"  Caltex Petroleum Corp said it will\n  raise\n  posted prices for naphtha and several grades of residual fuel\n  in Bahrain, effective March 25.\n       Caltex, a joint venture of Chevron Corp <CHV> and Texaco\n  INC <TX>, said its naphtha posting is up four cts a gallon to\n  43 cts. It said it is raising its marine diesel oil posting by\n  30 cts a barrel to 20.24 dlrs a barrel.\n      Light, medium, and heavy fuel oil postings are up 1.50 dlrs\n  a barrel, the company said. This will bring the light fuel oil\n  price to 16.90 dlrs, medium to 15.50 dlrs, and heavy to 14.60\n  dlrs, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHARTER CO <QCHR> TO COMPLETE REORGANIZATION\n","article":"  Charter Co, the huge\n  petrochemical concern in bankruptcy proceedings stemming from\n  hundreds of dioxin-related claims, said it and all of its\n  subsidiaries, except the Independent Petrochemical Corp, will\n  complete their reorganization on March 31.\n      It said that on that date, it will deposit with an escrow\n  agent 288.8 mln dlrs in cash, 66.7 mln dlrs in notes and 31 mln\n  shares of its common for distribution.\n      Company officials were not immediately available for\n  comment.\n      As previously reported, Charter settled dioxin-related\n  claims for about 1,200 individuals and the state of Missouri,\n  resolving claims against it and all subsidiaries except\n  Independent Petrochemical.\n      Charter said some of the settlements remain subject to\n  appeals and final court approvals and resolve claims against\n  charter and its subsidiaries except Independent Petrochemical.\n      It said about 500 individual claims against it and certain\n  of its units remain pending as disputed claims in bankruptcy\n  court. It said about 300 of these claims have been filed since\n  confirmation of the joint plan of reorganization.\n      Charter said its two creditors, an equity committee in its\n  bankruptcy proceedings and <American Financial Corp>, which\n  will own 50.5 pct of its common after the reorganization, have\n  waived the requirement that Charter resolve all dioxin-related\n  claims against it prior to completing its reorganization.\n      That requirement excludes claims against Independent\n  Petrochemical. Charter also said a plan for liquidation of\n  Independent has been approved by the bankruptcy court and will\n  be completed after March 31.\n      Earlier, Charter reported net income for the year of 153.2\n  mln dlrs, which included a gain of 28.5 mln dlrs for\n  discontinued operations and 114.8 mln dlrs for the settlement\n  of claims in its reorganization proceedings.\n      In 1985, it reported earnings of 1,274,000 dlrs, which\n  included a loss of 36.3 mln dlrs for discontinued operations\n  and 29.4 mln dlrs for extraordinary items.\n      For the fourth quarter, it reported earnings of 118.8 mln\n  dlrs, including a gain of 28.6 mln dlrs for discontinued\n  operations and 90.5 mln dlrs mainly for claims settlements. In\n  the year-ago period, Charter reported a loss of 13 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NASHUA <NSH> TO PURCHASE PRIVATE DISC MAKER\n","article":"  Nashua Corp said it signed a\n  letter of intent to purchase <Lin Data Corp>, a private\n  manufacturer of high-capacity rigid discs for storage of\n  computer data.\n      Under the terms of the letter, Nashua said it will acquire\n  all classes of Lin stock for 24 mln dlrs. In addition, it said\n  it will loan Lin 1,200,000 dlrs to support its operations.\n      The closing of the sale is set for the second quarter of\n  1987, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALTRON INC <ALRN> 4TH QTR JAN 3\n","article":"  Shr loss 56 cts vs loss five cts\n      Net loss 1.9 mln vs loss 164,000\n      revs 6.9 mln vs 5.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.15 dlrs vs profit 52 cts\n      Net loss 3.8 mln vs profit 1.7 mln\n      Revs 25.6 mln vs 29.8 mln\n      NOTE: 1987 net loss includes loss 6.5 mln dlrs for\n  nonrecurring reserve for closing costs of facility, writeoffs\n  and sales of real estate.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GENCORP <GY> PROPOSALS WITHDRAWN FROM MEETING\n","article":"  GenCorp Inc said it withdrew from\n  consideration at its annual meeting on March 31 proposals aimed\n  at providing for a stock split and an increased dividend so\n  that it could focus its energies on responding to the takeover\n  offer made last week by a partnership of AFG Industries Inc\n  <AFG> and Wagner and Brown.\n      In addition to proposing an increase in the number of its\n  outstanding common shares, GenCorp had suggested the adoption\n  of a classified or \"staggered\" board and the elimination of\n  cumulative voting.\n      GenCorp said these proposals could \"distract energy and\n  attention from the real task at hand -- to respond to the\n  tender offer in a manner which is in the best interests of the\n  company, its shareholders and its other constituencies.\"\n      GenCorp said the proposal to increase its outstanding\n  shares was made with the aim of declaring a stock split and a\n  dividend increase.\n      The other proposals, it said, would provide for greater\n  long-term stability and cohesiveness for the GenCorp board.\n      The company did not indicate when it might resubmit the\n  proposals for approval by its shareholders.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"API SAYS DISTILLATE STOCKS OFF 4.07 MLN BBLS, GASOLINE OFF 2.69 MLN, CRUDE UP 8.53 MLN\n","article":"\n  API SAYS DISTILLATE STOCKS OFF 4.07 MLN BBLS, GASOLINE OFF 2.69 MLN, CRUDE UP 8.53 MLN\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. CLEARS CONS GOLD U.S. PURCHASE\n","article":"  The U.K. Trade Department said it would\n  not refer Consolidated Goldfields Plc's <CGLD.L> purchase of\n  <American Aggregates Corp> to the Monopolies Commission.\n      Cons Gold said last month that its <ARC America Corp> unit\n  had agreed to buy the Ohio-based company for 30.625 dlrs a\n  share cash, or 242 mln dlrs, in a deal recommended by the\n  Aggregates board.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"VERMONT FINANCIAL SERVICES <VFSC> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Vermont Financial Services\n  Corp said its board approved a regular 20 cts per share cash\n  dividend payable April 25 to shareholders of record March 26.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"RESORTS INTERNATIONAL GETS BUYOUT PROPOSAL FROM KSZ CO INC\n","article":"\n  RESORTS INTERNATIONAL GETS BUYOUT PROPOSAL FROM KSZ CO INC\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GREAT ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC TEA CO INC <GAP> DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Payable May one\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GARTNER GROUP <GART> ACQUIRES COMTEC PROGRAM\n","article":"  Gartner Group Inc said it\n  acquired sole ownership of the COMTEC Market Research Program.\n      Gartner said its wholly-owned subsidiary purchased the\n  interests of its former partners for an aggregate price of\n  1,125,000 plus a percentage of net sales proceeds on future\n  sales of certain products.\n      Prior to the acquisition, Gartner Group owned one-third in\n  the COMTEC partnership, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"RESORTS INT'L <RT.A> RECEIVES TAKEOVER OFFER\n","article":"  Resorts International Inc\n  said it received a proposal from <KSZ Co Inc> under which\n  holders of Resorts class B stock would receive 140 dlrs a share\n  in cash and one share of common stock in a new company to be\n  formed through the takeover.\n      Under the offer, Resorts said holders of its class A shares\n  would receive 15 dlrs a share in cash and three shares of\n  common stock in the new company.\n      Resorts said the offer from KSZ calls for a merger of\n  Resorts with RI Acquisition Co Inc, a newly formed Delaware\n  corporation.\n      Resorts said that prior to the merger, RI Acquisition would\n  be capitalized with about 100 mln dlrs of debt and about 220\n  mln dlrs of equity.\n      It said 200 mln dlrs of the equity would be in the form of\n  special preferred stock.\n      The KSZ offer, Resorts said, indicates that KSZ has a\n  commitment from <M. Davies Cos> to buy all of the special\n  preferred stock.\n      Resorts said the offer will expire at 1700 EST on March 27.\n  It said it asked its investment advisor, Bear, Stearns and Co,\n  to advise its board on the offer.\n      Earlier this month, the estate of James M. Crosby and\n  certian members of his family agreed to sell their class B\n  shares to New York real estate tycoon Donald Trump for 135 dlrs\n  a share. The estate and family members hold 78 pct of the\n  752,297 class B shares outstanding.\n      Trump also agreed to pay 135 dlrs a share for the remaining\n  class B shares outstanding.\n      Resorts also has about 5,680,000 shares of outstanding\n  class A stock. These shares carry one one-hundredth the voting\n  power of the class B shares.\n      Trump's offer beat out a rival bid of 135 dlrs a share made\n  by Pratt Hotel Corp <PRAT>.\n      Resorts said that under the proposal made by KSZ, existing\n  class A and class B shareholders would control about 96 pct of\n  the outstanding common of the new company formed to acquire\n  Resorts.\n      Resorts said the new company, upon completion of the\n  merger, would hold the 220 mln dlrs of debt and that the\n  special preferred stock would immediately be converted into\n  exchangeable participating preferred of the new company.\n      This preferred, Resorts said, would pay a dividend based on\n  the net cash flows from the new company's Paradise Island\n  operations.\n      A Resorts spokesman said the KSZ offer was made in a\n  two-page letter and that Resorts could not comment on it\n  because it did not contain enough information. Resorts has\n  asked Bear, Sterns to obtain complete data, he said.\n      The spokesman said Resorts is not familiar with KSZ but\n  that it believes the company is controlled by Marvin Davis, the\n  Denver oilman.\n      Calls to Davis were referred to Lee Solters, who handles\n  public relations for Davis. Solters, said to be travelling, was\n  not immediately available for comment.\n      Donald Trump was also unavailable for comment, as was a\n  spokesman for the Crosby estate.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CITICORP <CCI> SEES DOUBLING IN RETAIL BANK NET\n","article":"  Citicorp expects net income in its\n  individual banking sector to top one billion dlrs by 1993,\n  compared with 462 mln dlrs in 1986, said Richard Braddock, head\n  of Citicorp's individual banking division.\n      \"We can double our earnings over the next five to seven\n  years,\" he told a banking analysts meeting, adding that this\n  forecast may be on the conservative side.\n      He said that bank card operations and the New York branch\n  system would continue to turn in hefty profits but also picked\n  out other developing areas, such as U.S. mortgage and\n  international consumer, as major potential earners.\n      Braddock and his sector heads made the following more\n  specific predictions:\n      - Cost of funds and net credit loss levels in the U.S.\n  bankcard unit will taper off in coming years from 1986's\n  relatively inflated levels.\n      - Customer net revenue in the mortgage banking area will\n  rise to 464.7 mln dlrs in 1987 from 374.3 mln in 1986.\n      - The international consumer business will show 22 pct\n  compound annual growth in earnings between 1986 and 1992.\n      - Private banking earnings will hit 100 mln dlrs in 1987\n  and top 200 mln dlrs in 1992.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WD-40 CO <WDFC> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 35 cts vs 40 cts\n      Net 2,642,000 vs 3,017,000\n      Sales 19.1 mln vs 18.9 mln\n      Six Mths\n      Shr 69 cts vs 70 cts\n      Net 5,178,000 vs 5,299,000\n      Sales 35.6 mln vs 33.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL COMPUTER MARKET TO REMAIN CLOSED-MINISTER\n","article":"  Brazilian Science and Technology\n  Minister Renato Archer said Brazil will keep its computer\n  market closed to foreign goods in order to give its own infant\n  industry time to develop.\n      \"Every country establishes laws to protect its interests.\n  The United States closed their borders at a certain stage to\n  some foreign goods and therefore protected its industrial\n  development. Now it is time for Brazil to do likewise,\" Archer\n  said at the opening of a national software conference.\n      After several meetings, Brazil and the U.S. Have made no\n  major progress in their computer row, which they have been\n  trying to resolve for the past 18 months.\n      The Reagan administration has objected to Brazil protecting\n  its computer industry from imports.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NORTHERN INDIANA PUBLIC SVC <NI> AGAIN OMITS DIV\n","article":"  Northern Indiana Public Service\n  Company said it again omitted its quarterly common stock\n  dividend which would have been payable in May.\n      NIPSCO said it has not paid a qtly dividend since December\n  1985 following an adverse decision by the Indiana Supreme Court\n  denying amortization of about 191 mln dlrs NIPSCO invested in\n  its Bailly N-1 project.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FED'S JOHNSON SAYS DOLLAR STABILIZED AFTER FED TOOK APPROPRIATE ACTION\n","article":"\n  FED'S JOHNSON SAYS DOLLAR STABILIZED AFTER FED TOOK APPROPRIATE ACTION\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FED CHAIRMAN VOLCKER SAYS BANK PROPOSALS A WORRY\n","article":"  The chairman of the Federal Reserve\n  Board, Paul Volcker, has written to the chairman of the House\n  Banking Committee to raise concerns about legislative proposals\n  scheduled for consideration Wednesday.\n      Volcker told committee chairman Fernand St. Germain a\n  proposal to deny primary dealer status to firms from countries\n  that do not grant U.S. firms equal access to their government\n  debt markets might invite retaliation against U.S. firms\n  abroad.\n      He added, \"even Japan, against whom this proposal seems to\n  be particularly directed,\" has started opening its markets.\n      In his letter, made available at the Treasury, Volcker also\n  said a proposal to ease debt problems of developing countries\n  by setting up a public facility to buy their debts owed to\n  commercial banks, was a problem.\n      \"I believe that the prospect of debt relief would undermine\n  the difficult internal efforts of the borrowing countries to\n  achieve the structural reform that is needed regardless of the\n  policies that are followed on servicing external debt,\" Volcker\n  said.\n      It might also cause private lenders to become reluctant to\n  extend more credit to the borrowing countries, he said.\n      Volcker said he endorsed comments by Treasury Secretary\n  James Baker \"about the inappropriateness of using public\n  resources for purchasing private commercial bank debt, which we\n  both see as an inherent aspect of the proposed international\n  debt facility.\"\n      He also said a proposal for establishing formal procedures\n  for international negotiations on currency exchange rates \"is\n  unrealistic and could well have damaging effects.\"\n      \"For example, the bill's directive to intitiate negotiations\n  in order to achieve a competitive exchange rate for the dollar\n  -- a matter upon which there can be considerable difference\n  among analysts -- runs the risk of building up potentially\n  destabilizing market expectations,\" Volcker said.\n      He recommended \"we should not lock ourselves into formalized\n  procedures for international negotiations\" on exchange rates but\n  instead use other, more flexible means like the recent mmeting\n  in Paris between U.S. treasury and central bank representatives\n  and those of major trade allies.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BORMAN'S INC <BRF> DECLARES QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div five cts vs five cts prior\n      Pay June 15\n      Record May 18\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. CORN ACREAGE SEEN NEAR RECORD LOW\n","article":"  U.S. corn acreage this year is \n  likely to drop to the lowest level since the unsurpassed\n  acreage reductions of the 1983 PIK year and could rank as one\n  of the lowest corn plantings in the United States in sixty\n  years, Agriculture Department officials said.\n      USDA releases its official plantings report on March 31.\n  Agriculture Department analysts said next week's figures will\n  likely show a sharp drop in acreage to as low as 65 mln acres,\n  down 22 pct from last year's plantings of 83.3 mln acres.\n      Assuming an 18 mln acre drop in plantings, U.S. corn\n  production will also decrease significantly. Analysts said 1987\n  corn production could drop by over one billion bushels to\n  around seven billion bushels.\n      Expected signup of up to 90 pct in the 1987 feed grains\n  program, along with 1.9 mln acres enrolled in the conservation\n  program, will cause acreage to plummet, Department feedgrain\n  analysts said.\n      \"There's no question that there will be a sharp decrease in\n  corn acreage,\" one said. \"It's difficult for any farmer to not\n  go along with the program this year.\"\n      Soybean acreage is also expected to decline this year but\n  at a much slower rate of around four pct, USDA analysts said.\n      Soybean plantings could drop to 59 mln acres or below, they\n  said, compared to last year's level of 61.5 mln acres.\n      If analysts' unofficial estimates prove correct then the\n  drop in u.s. corn acreage will be the largest since 1983 when\n  farmers idled 22 mln acres in the Payment-In-Kind program.\n      Farmers planted only around 60 mln acres of corn in 1983. A\n  severe drought that summer in major producing states caused\n  yields to tumble and final crop production to total only 4.2\n  billion bushels.\n      Given normal weather conditions this year, USDA analysts\n  said the 1987 corn crop could end up around seven billion\n  bushels, down from last year's crop of 8.3 billion bushels.\n      \"This kind of acreage reduction will mean a significant\n  reduction in production,\" an analyst said.\n      A crop of seven billion bushels is close to the annual U.S.\n  corn usage, so surplus stocks, while not decreasing, would not\n  increase significantly, a specialist said.\n      High producing corn belt states are expected to show the\n  greatest acreage reductions, based upon historical\n  participation in government programs, analysts said.\n      In contrast, soybean acreage is likely to be cut the most\n  in marginal producing areas of the southeast and the western\n  corn belt, a USDA soybean analyst said.\n      \"Soybean acreage in the eastern corn belt will not budge,\"\n  he said. Neither does he expect any significant acreage cuts in\n  higher-producing delta areas.\n      Soybean production could drop fractionally from last year's\n  2.0 billion bushels to 1.8 to 1.9 billion, he said.\n      U.S. soybean acreage, after soaring to 71.4 mln acres in\n  1979 from only 52 mln acres five years prior to that, has\n  steadily declined in the 1980's.\n      U.S. corn acreage, with the exception of 1983, has been in\n  the low to mid 80-mln acre range for the past 10 years. The\n  highest corn plantings reported in the 60 years that USDA has\n  kept such records was in 1932 when farmers planted 113 mln\n  acres and obtained average yields of 26.5 bushels per acre.\n      Last year U.S. farmers obtained record corn yields\n  averaging 119.3 bushels per acre.\n      \"We have absolutely no trouble producing an eight billion\n  bushel crop on only 80 mln acres or so,\" an analyst said.\n      Corn acreage will probably level at around 65 mln acres as\n  long as government program provisions remain the same, analysts\n  said.\n      Currently farmers enrolling in the program are required to\n  set aside 20 pct of their base acreage and then are eligible\n  for payments of two dlrs per bushel by idling an additional 15\n  pct of their acreage.\n      \"To get to the PIK level of 60 mln acres, we would have to\n  provide more incentives,\" an analyst said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"KIRSCHNER <KMDC> COMPLETES PURCHASE\n","article":"  Kirschner Medical corp said it\n  completed the acquisition of Minnesota Mining and\n  Manufacturing's <MMM> orthopedic metal implant line division.\n      The acquisition price is 12.0 mln dlrs in cash, a six mln\n  dlr three year note and 100,000 shares of Kirschner common\n  stock.\n      The division had sales of 11.3 mln dlrs in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. SENATORS SEEK TO EXPAND USDA EXPORT BONUS\n","article":"  Leading U.S. farm state senators are\n  seeking to insert into the Senate's omnibus trade bill a\n  provision that would broaden eligibility requirements under the\n  U.S. Agriculture Department's export enhancement program, EEP,\n  to include traditional buyers of U.S. farm products, including\n  the Soviet Union, Senate staff said.\n      Under existing criteria, USDA can offer EEP subsidies to\n  recoup export markets lost to competing nations' unfair trading\n  practices.\n      Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)\n  is leading a group of farm state senators in an effort to\n  broaden the criteria in such a way as to enable Moscow to be\n  eligible for the subsidies, sources said.\n      The senators -- including Senate Finance Committee Chairman\n  Lloyd Bentsen (D-Tex.), Max Baucus (D-Mont.), David Pryor\n  (D-Ark.), John Melcher (D-Mont.) and Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) --\n  also may fold into the trade bill a measure to shield pork\n  producers and processors from Canadian imports.\n      The measure, sponsored by Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa),\n  would clarify the definition of \"industry\" in determining whether\n  or not imports were causing injury to U.S. producers.\n      Grassley's bill stems from a 1985 decision by the\n  International Trade Commission that imports from Canada of live\n  swine -- but not fresh, chilled and frozen pork -- were harming\n  U.S. producers.\n      The bill's proponents have argued Canada has simply\n  replaced shipments of live hogs with fresh pork.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED'S JOHNSON SAYS FED ACTED TO STABILIZE DOLLAR\n","article":"  Federal Reserve Board Vice Chairman\n  Manuel Johnson said the dollar has stabilized against other\n  currencies after action taken by the Fed.\n      \"We have taken the appropriate action and the dollar has\n  stabilized,\" Johnson said after testifying to a House Banking\n  subcommittee.\n      He did not elaborate on the nature of the action nor when\n  it was taken, but said that it was in the spirit of the\n  agreement reached by six industrial nations in Paris recently.\n      Johnson said the dollar's decline against other currencies\n  such as the Japanese yen has been gradual.\n      Since the accord by the United States, Britain, West\n  Germany, Japan, France and Canada, foreign exchange markets\n  have been closely watching for indications of intervention by\n  central banks to determine the committment by those nations to\n  their agreement.\n      The nations agreed that currency exchange rates were at\n  about the correct levels when the pact was signed earlier this\n  year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MARYLAND NATIONAL <MDNT> SEES NEW NAME\n","article":"  Maryland National Corp, the parent of\n  Maryland National Bank which earlier this month merged with\n  American Security Bank, said its shareholders will vote on a\n  new name for the regional bank holding company at its April 29\n  annual meeting.\n      It said MNC Financial Inc is the proposed new name for the\n  parent company. The banks merged on March 16, and have combined\n  assets of about 14 billion dlrs.\n      Maryland said the new name only will be used for the parent\n  and it does not plan to change the names of Maryland National\n  Bank, American Security Bank or non-bank affiliates.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VENEZUELA TO ANNOUCE PARTNER FOR COAL VENTURE\n","article":"  Petroleos de Venezuela S.A will\n  announce within two weeks the name of a foreign consortium it\n  has chosen to help exploit the coal deposits at Guasare in\n  western Zulia state, PDVSA president Juan Chacin Guzman said.\n      Chacin told reporters the foreign partner will provide\n  capital as well as technical and marketing expertise to the\n  Carbozulia project, which the state oil company will manage.\n      PDVSA officials said that among those who bid for the\n  partnership is a consortium between Agip Carbone, a subsidiary\n  of Italy's Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi (ENI), and Atlantic\n  Richfield <ARC> of the United States.\n      Minister of Energy and Mines Arturo Hernandez Grisanti said\n  discussions are currently taking place to finalize the terms of\n  the contract with the foreign partner.\n      PDVSA vice-president Pablo Reimpell said last week the\n  first shipment of coal from the Carbozulia project should be\n  made during the final quarter of 1987, and would measure\n  between 100-150,000 metric tons.\n      Plans call for production to eventually reach 500,000 mt\n  annually. Reimpell said the original investment in the project\n  will be approximately 8 billion bolivars.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GOTTSCHALKS INC <GOT> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 37 cts vs 50 cts\n      Net 2,776,000 vs 2,756,000\n      Sales 46.9 mln vs 38.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 7,508,000 vs 5,550,000\n      Year\n      Shr 58 cts vs 55 cts\n      Net 4,021,000 vs 3,005,000\n      Sales 125.9 mln vs 112.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 7,090,000 vs 5,500,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BORG-WARNER SAYS IT DISCUSSED POSSIBLE TAKEOVER WITH IRWIN JACOBS\n","article":"\n  BORG-WARNER SAYS IT DISCUSSED POSSIBLE TAKEOVER WITH IRWIN JACOBS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CYCLOPS CORP SAYS CYACQ'S AMENDED OFFER RESTATES ORIGINAL CONDITIONS\n","article":"\n  CYCLOPS CORP SAYS CYACQ'S AMENDED OFFER RESTATES ORIGINAL CONDITIONS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. SUGAR QUOTA MAY BE EASED, CONGRESSMAN SAYS\n","article":"  The United States may soon ease its\n  1987 sugar import quota of one mln short tons by bringing\n  forward to the third quarter some shipments scheduled for the\n  fourth quarter of 1987, Jerry Huckaby, a leading Congressman\n  representing sugar growers told Reuters in an interview.\n      Huckaby, a Louisiana Democrat and chairman of the House\n  subcommittee which deals with the sugar program, indicated the\n  easing of the quota might be a way to calm the concern about\n  the impact of the severe cut in U.S. sugar imports this year.\n      \"With imports coming down from 1.8 mln (last year) to one\n  mln, there is legitimate concern about the impacts on Caribbean\n  countries and the Philippines,\" Huckaby said.\n      By bringing forward to the third quarter some imports, the\n  quota would effectively be eased by about 250,000 tons.\n      Huckaby said by simply bringing forward to the third\n  quarter of the year sugar imports scheduled for the September\n  to December period \"we could get away without having to\n  increase the quota.\"\n      He noted that some in the sugar industry believe an\n  increase in the quota is justified.\n      Earlier this month, representatives of U.S. cane sugar\n  refiners met with U.S. Agriculture Department officials to\n  request a quota increase of at least 200,000 tons. The refiners\n  said the increase is needed because the quota is so restrictive\n  there could be some spot shortages of sugar in the U.S later\n  this year, a refiner spokesman said.\n      However, the official slaid the USDA replied only that it\n  would consider the request.\n      Following the refiners' request, representatives of the\n  Florida sugarcane producers met with USDA to express opposition\n  to any quota expansion, industry sources said.\n      The statement by Huckaby, who as a representative from a\n  sugar growing district in Louisiana is a leading architect of\n  the current sugar program, indicates at least some grower\n  officials are concerned enough to support an easing of the\n  import quota, industry officials said.\n      Any final decision on easing the quota must be made by the\n  Reagan administration's interagency sugar policy group.\n      Asked about possible quota changes, A USDA official said\n  \"As far as I know, changing the quota volume or the quota year\n  is not under active consideration.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"CALIFORNIA MICROWAVE <CMIC> TAKES 3RD QTR CHARGE\n","article":"  California Microwave Inc said\n  it will take non-recurring charges of 9.7 mln dlrs to pre-tax\n  earnings in the third quarter ended March 31.\n      The company said earnings from operations in the second\n  half, ending June 30, 1987, excluding the charges, are expected\n  to be in the break-even range.\n      In the second half of 1986 net earnings were 2,297,000\n  dlrs, or 29 cts per share.\n      The company said the charges relate to its\n  telecommunications products area and three other areas.\n      California Microwave previously estimated the write-downs\n  in the six to eight-mln-dlr range. It said it will add to that\n  a reserve for investment losses in Argo Communications Corp.\n      Also to be included in the write-down are charges against\n  its advances to an Arizona-based communications electronics\n  firm the company has an option to acquire, it said.\n      In addition, accruals are being made for costs associated\n  with the company's reduction in its Sunnyvale work force.\n      California Microwave said the write-downs should have a\n  nominal cash impact, as the company already has paid for the\n  assets being written down.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CRS SIRRINE PLANS MAJOR RESTRUCTURING, WRITE OFF OF UP 43 MLN DLRS\n","article":"\n  CRS SIRRINE PLANS MAJOR RESTRUCTURING, WRITE OFF OF UP 43 MLN DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"H.F. AHMANSON AND CO <AHM> QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Shr 22 cts vs 22 cts prior qtr\n      Pay June one\n      Record May 12\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BORG-WARNER <BOR> TELLS OF TALKS WITH JACOBS\n","article":"  Borg-Warner Corp said it has had\n  discussions with Irwin Jacobs on his interest in the\n  possibility of Minstar Inc <MNST>, a Jacobs controlled company,\n  being given access to certain non-public information about\n  Borg-Warner.\n      In late February, an investor group headed by Jacobs\n  offered 44 dlrs a share, or 3.29 billion dlrs, to take over\n  Borg-Warner.\n      Borg-Warner said it advised Jacobs that before its board\n  would give Minstar access to company records Minstar would have\n  to provide satisfactory evidence that sufficient financing was\n  committed to carry out whatever transaction was proposed.\n      A Borg-Warner spokesperson said the discussions with Jacobs\n  and other Minstar officials focused on terms and conditions\n  under which the company would consider granting Minstar access\n  to the information it was seeking.\n      The Borg-Warner spokesperson said the company has not been\n  able to reach an agreement with Minstar, and Borg-Warner has\n  not granted Minstar access to any records.\n      There can be no assurance that there will be further\n  discussions with Jacobs or that any agreement will be reached,\n  the company added.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CANADA VOWS TO FIGHT U.S. POTASH ACTION\n","article":"  External Affairs Minister Joe Clark\n  today vowed to do everything possible to fight the U.S. action\n  against Canadian potash exports, but also warned against\n  raising the alarm too early in the dispute.\n      In the latest flashpoint in Canadian-U.S. trade relations,\n  the U.S. International Trade Commission ruled unanimously\n  Monday that Canadian potash shipments valued at 270 million\n  U.S. dlrs last year were injuring the U.S. industry.\n      \"We certainly intend to do everything we can to insure that\n  Canadian interests are well protected,\" Clark told the House of\n  Commons in the daily question period.\n      But he said the opposition parties should be careful \"not\n  to raise false alarms too early.\"\n      The case now goes before the U.S. Commerce Department's\n  trade division to determine if a duty should be imposed. Potash\n  producers from New Mexico, claiming unfair government\n  subsidies, are seeking a 43 pct tariff on Canada's shipments.\n      Canada, the world's largest potash producer, exported 9.8\n  mln metric tonnes of potash last year, with nearly a third\n  going to the U.S.\n      Most of the potash, used in the production of fertilizer,\n  comes from provincially owned mines in Saskatchewan.\n      In the Commons, Liberal member Lloyd Axworthy branded the\n  ruling as just another \"trade harrassment\" from the U.S. and\n  criticized Clark's assurances the country's interests would be\n  protected.\n      \"We received exactly the same kind of assurances in the\n  softwood lumber case that was totally fumbled and bumbled,\"\n  Axworthy said.\n      Canada's Progressive Conservative government agreed to\n  impose a 15 pct duty on its softwood lumber exports earlier\n  this year to end a long and bitter bilateral trade dispute with\n  the U.S.\n      Axworthy urged the government to present Canada's case to\n  world trade authorities under the General Agreement on Tariffs \n  and Trade.\n      But Clark maintained the potash dispute was another example\n  of why Canada needs to find a new way to settle bilateral\n  irritants in the free trade negotiations under way with the\n  U.S.\n      \"What we are seeking to do is put in place a better\n  system,\" Clark said.\n      Meanwhile, Saskatchewan Trade Minister Bob Andrew expressed\n  confidence Canada would win its case, claiming the problem\n  stems from low international commodity prices and not\n  government subsidies.\n      \"The reality of the problem and the injury is caused\n  worldwide,\" he said. \"It's caused by a downturn in the\n  commodity price for fertilizer, whether it's potash fertilizer,\n  nitrogen fertilizer or whatever.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRINTOC, UNION CARBIDE TO BUILD METHANOL PLANT\n","article":"  Trinidad and Tobago is\n  finalizing arrangements with Union Carbide <UK> of the United\n  States and Snamprogetti of Italy for the construction of a\n  1,500 tonnes per day methanol plant, Energy Minister Kelvin\n  Ramnath said.\n      Ramnath said the ministry is now holding talks with Union\n  Carbide on the price of natural gas to be used in the plant,\n  which will be constructed near the Trinidad and Tobago oil\n  company (Trintoc) refinery at Point Fortin on the west coast.\n      Snamprogetti built the first methanol refinery on trinidad\n  five years ago.\n      Trintoc is likely to put up land, refinery plant and\n  machinery as equity. If negotiations go smoothly, ramnath said,\n  construction could begin by next january.\n      The government of prime minister A.N.R. Robinson is hoping\n  to lue new investors to the twin-island state's petrochemical\n  industry, in order to make use of new findings of natural gas.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"VOLCKER CALLS DOLLAR SLIDE ENOUGH\n","article":"  Federal Reserve Board Chairman Paul\n  Volcker said that the dollar's slide in currency markets has\n  been enough, a Fed spokesman said.\n      The spokesman confirmed that Volcker, who spoke to a group\n  of financial analysts, said in answer to a question about the\n  dollar's recent slide that \"enough is enough.\"\n      Volcker has often expressed concern about the dollar\n  falling too rapidly in currency markets.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ZAIRE ACCEPTS TIN-EXPORT QUOTA, ATPC SAYS\n","article":"  Zaire agreed to limit its tin\n  exports to 1,736 tonnes for 12 months from March 1 in line with\n  an Association of Tin Producing Countries (ATPC) plan to curb\n  exports, the ATPC said.\n      ATPC Executive Director Victor Siaahan told Reuters he\n  received a telex from Zaire indicating its willingess to take\n  part in the plan to limit total ATPC exports to 96,000 tonnes\n  for a year from March 1.\n      Siaahan said Zaire is expected to produce 1,900 tonnes of\n  tin in calendar 1987, and that in 1986 its output and exports\n  were about 1,200 tonnes.\n      The ATPC hopes to cut the 70,000-tonne world surplus by\n  20,000 tonnes and boost prices.\n      All ATPC members except Zaire and Australia recently agreed\n  to adhere to the export quotas allocated them under the plan.\n  Australia said its quota of 7,000 tonnes was roughly equal to\n  its expected output this year.\n      The ATPC consists of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand,\n  Bolivia, Australia, Nigeria and Zaire.\n      China and Bolivia, important producers of tin, are not\n  members.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"RB INDUSTRIES <RBI> COMPLETES STORE SALES\n","article":"  RB Industries Inc said it completed\n  the sale of its W and J SLoane Division to Laurence Crink Jr\n  and a group of investors.\n      The definitive agreement provides for a closing on April 1,\n  1987. The division consists of four W and J Sloane furniture\n  store in Los Angeles and Orange counties.\n      RB Industries also said it recently secured a five-year\n  8.573 pct secured 9.9-mln-dlr loan on its Irvine property from\n  a major institution. Proceeds will be used to retire existing\n  bank debt, for working capital and to retire a portion of its\n  outstanding 12 pct debentures.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GENCORP <GY> TAKEOVER GROUP CANCELS HEARING\n","article":"  The investor group seeking to acquire\n  GenCorp Inc said it agreed to cancel a court hearing after\n  GenCorp withdrew three proposals that, if approved, would have\n  made it more costly and difficult to acquire the Akron,\n  Ohio-based company.\n      Earlier today GenCorp said it will not ask shareholders to\n  approve an increase in the number of its outstanding shares,\n  the election of a staggered board of directors and the\n  elimination of cumulative voting.\n      However, the group said it will continue to try to block\n  GenCorp's poison-pill provision.\n      The group, a partnership of AFG Industries Inc <AFG> and\n  <Wagner and Brown>, was to go to court on March 27 to block\n  GenCorp for having the three proposals voted on by shareholders\n  at its annual meeting.\n      GenCorp said it withdrew the proposals so that it could\n  focus its attention on the takeover offer.\n      The takeover partnership said it has asked to meet with\n  GenCorp to negotiate a repeal of the company's poison pill\n  plan.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GENCORP <GY> FIXES RIGHTS SEPARATION DATE\n","article":"  Gencorp Inc said that because it is\n  continuing to evaluate General Acquisition Inc's tender offer\n  it has fixed April 3, subject to further extension, as the date\n  the rights to purchase preferred shares will trade separately\n  from the common stock as a result of the tender offer.\n      This extension of the expiration date is conditioned on no\n  person acquiring beneficial ownership of 20 pct or more of\n  Gencorp's common stock prior to April 3, it said.\n      Gencorp said it could distribute the rights certificates to\n  shareholders 10 to 30 days after the March 18 acquisition offer\n  was made.\n      However, rather than leaving the expiration date in a\n  range, the board decided to set April 3 as the day it will\n  distribute the preferred share purchase rights.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL <AIG> SELLS AFRICAN UNIT\n","article":"  American International Group Inc said\n  it sold its South African subsidiary, American International\n  Insurance Co Ltd, to Johannesburg Insurance Holdings Ltd, a\n  holding company owned by a consortium of shareholders led by\n  Rand Merchant Bank.\n      Terms were not disclosed and company officials were\n  unavailable for comment.\n      With the conclusion of the sale, American International has\n  entirely divested itself of its holdings in South Africa.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"OXFORD INDUSTRIES INC <OXM> 3RD QTR FEB 27\n","article":"  Shr 25 cts vs 21 cts\n      Net 2.8 mln vs 2.3 mln\n      Revs 135.0 mln vs 119.0 mln\n      Nine months\n      Shr 80 cts vs 70 cts\n      Net 8.9 mln vs 7.7 mln\n      Revs 407.7 mln vs 403.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"PORTUGAL MAY HAVE PURCHASED U.S. CORN\n","article":"  Portugal may have purchased a 30,000\n  tonne cargo at its tender today for up to 43,000 tonnes of\n  number two yellow corn (14.5 pct maximum moisture) for arrival\n  by April 30, shipment via Gulf ports, U.S. exporters said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN TENDERING THURSDAY FOR U.S. CORN\n","article":"  Taiwan will tender Thursday, March 26,\n  for a total of 356,000 tonnes of U.S. number two yellow corn\n  (14.5 pct moisture) for various Sept\/Dec shipments via Gulf or\n  Pacific Northwest ports, U.S. exporters said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SRI LANKA TENDERING OVERNIGHT FOR WHEAT\n","article":"  Sri lanka will tender overnight for\n  52,500 tonnes of U.S., Canadian and\/or Australian wheats for\n  April 8\/16 shipment, under the Export Enhancement Program if\n  U.S. origin, U.S. exporters said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<DIGIGRAPHIC SYSTEMS CORP> 4TH QTR OPER LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss one ct vs loss seven cts\n      Oper net loss 80,640 vs loss 787,738\n      Revs 933,183 vs 3,346,627\n      Avg shrs 6,122,378 vs 8,451,578\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 75 cts vs loss 1.10 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 5,120,206 vs loss 9,288,996\n      Revs 5,846,962 vs 18,679,090\n      Avg shrs 6,805,951 vs 8,387,802\n      NOTE: Earnings exclude losses from discontinued operations\n  of 178,437 dlrs, or three cts a share vs 154,767 dlrs, or two\n  cts a share in the quarter and losses of 706,984 dlrs, or 10\n  cts a share vs 572,100 dlrs, or seven cts a share for the year\n      1986 year earnings exclude gain from early extinguishment\n  of debt of 11,318,289 dlrs, or 1.66 dlrs a share\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BAYOU <BYOU> IN DEFINITIE MERGER AGREEMENT\n","article":"  Bayou Resources Inc said it reached an\n  definite agreement to be acquired by Patrick Petroleum Co\n  through a stock and cash transaction valued at six dlrs per\n  Bayou share.\n      Bayou also reported net loss of three cts or 23,024 dlrs\n  for the fourth quarter compared with a net income of 10,128\n  dlrs or one cts a year. Revenues fell to 532,807 dlrs from\n  769,465 dlrs a year ago.\n      For the year, Bayou reported a net loss of 14 cts or\n  116,793 dlrs compared to a net income of 23 cts or 203,372\n  dlrs. Revenues fell to 2.4 mln dlrs from 3.3 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TRANSCONTINENTAL <TGP> FILES NEW OFFER\n","article":"  Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corp\n  said that it is not willing to accept the Federal Energy\n  Regulatory Commission's conditioned approval of its proposed\n  offer of settlement dated May 13.\n      Transco said it filed a revised settlement proposal which\n  would permit it to become an open access transporter while\n  restructuring gas sales services.\n      The new offer includes a gas supply inventory charge to\n  customers who fail to buy 60 pct of their annual contract\n  quantities and 35 pct of their summer contract quantities.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COMPUTER IDENTICS CORP <CIDN> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss 44 cts vs loss 20 cts\n      Net loss 2.4 mln vs loss 880,000\n      Revs 2.4 mln vs 2.6 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 87 cts vs loss 11 cts\n      Net loss 4.3 mln vs loss 494,000\n      Revs 9.0 mln vs 12.0 mln\n      NOTE:1986 includes restructuring charges of 2.1 mln dlrs\n  and loss of foreign affiliates of 2.0 mln dlrs. 1985 includes\n  loss from foreign affiliates of 173,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FLEET TO ACQUIRE ASSETS OF MARK IV <IV> UNIT\n","article":"  <Fleet Aerospace Corp>\n  said it agreed in principle to acquire the assets and\n  operations of the Engineered Magnetics division of Gulton\n  Industries Inc, a unit of Mark IV Industries Inc.\n      Terms were undisclosed.\n      Los Angeles-based Engineered Magnetics designs and produces\n  custom power conversion systems mainly for use in the defense\n  and aerospace industries. Its revenues for the year ended\n  February 28 totaled about 20 mln Canadian dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MIKRON INSTRUMENT CO <MIKR> 1ST QTR JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr three cts vs four cts\n      Net 30,969 vs 18,230\n      Revs 956,971 vs 702,994\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GOLDEN NORTH HAS ENCOURAGING DRILL RESULTS\n","article":"  Golden North\n  Resource Corp said said surface and underground drilling on the\n  Canty project and Mascot fraction at its Nickel Plate Mountain\n  property in British Columbia returned encouraging gold assays.\n      It said one Canty hole encountered several mineralized\n  intervals including 11 feet grading 0.342 ounce gold a short\n  ton from 86 to 97 feet and 17 feet grading 0.756 ounce gold ton\n  from 170.5 feet to 187.5 feet.\n      A Mascot fraction hole returned assays including 0.190\n  ounce gold ton over seven feet between 57 and 64 feet, it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AUSTN FEB ANNUAL M3 MONEY SUPPLY RISES 11.2 PCT\n","article":"  The annual growth of Australia's m3\n  money supply rose by 11.2 pct in the year ended February\n  compared with January's 10.7 pct, the Reserve Bank said.\n      This was down from 14.0 pct in February last year.\n      In February m3 rose by 0.6 pct compared with 0.8 in January\n  and a February 1986 rise of 0.1 pct.\n   More\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PS GROUP <PSG>, USAIR <U> MOVE UP DEADLINE\n","article":"  PS Group Inc said it and\n  USAir Group agreed to move up the completion date of USAir's\n  acquisition of Pacific Southwest Airlines to April 30 from\n  September 30 originally.\n      If the acquisition does not take place by April 30, either\n  party may terminate the agreement, the company said.\n      The deadline has been moved up because the Department of\n  Transportation and PS Group shareholders have already approved\n  the transaction, the company said.\n      A Teamsters Union agreement to certain labor contract\n  conditions remains to be resolved under the pact.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MERGERS, PUBLIC OFFERS SEEN AMONG CAR DEALERS\n","article":"  Automobile dealerships have become\n  large, multi-store operations, and the largest sell more than 1\n  billion dlrs a year worth of vehicles a year.\n      Around the auto industry there is talk of mergers and\n  buyouts among dealerships, and there are rumors that the\n  largest are considering offering shares to the public, analysts\n  say.\n      Retail car sales \"are at a point of transition. There's not\n  much that's off the table in terms of creative thinking\" about\n  ways to sell cars, says David Cole, analyst with the University\n  of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute.\n      The retail car market is \"much more freeform now\" than it\n  was in 1956, the year things began to change, says Detroit\n  analyst Arvid Jauppi of Arvid Jauppi and Associates.\n      Thirty years ago, in 1956, the situation was different.\n  Dealerships sold one kind of car--a \"Chevy\" or a Ford or a\n  Studebaker. The average dealer had 17 employees and sold\n  738,000 dlrs worth of vehicles, according to the National\n  Automobile Dealers Association.\n      That year a tiny car from overseas--Germany's Volkswagen\n  Beatle--began to gain popularity. The \"Bug\" caused \"a\n  rebellion\" among dealers, who demanded greater freedom from\n  restrictions placed on them by the major American automakers,\n  says Jauppi.\n      One of the most visible changes in retail car sales has\n  been in the size of dealerships, auto analysts say. Last year,\n  the average dealership had 11.2 mln dlrs in sales--a 15-fold\n  increase from 1956--and employed 34 workers.\n      \"I had one of these guys tell me he makes six, seven mln\n  dlrs a year and didn't know what to do with all his money,\"\n  says Cole.\n      \"There's a whole lot more rich guys who sell cars than that\n  make cars,\" he says.\n      With the increase in size, large dealers have been buying\n  up other dealerships, and auto analysts see few signs the trend\n  will let up.\n      Donald Keithley, vice president, dealer services, for J.D.\n  Power, a California-based market research firm, says that, by\n  1990, 12,000 people will own dealerships compared to 16,800\n  principal owners today.\n      Many dealers are experimenting with owning several\n  franchises, some of which might compete against each other. \"It\n  used to be a Chevrolet dealer was a Chevrolet dealer. Now a\n  Chevrolet dealer might handle several lines,\" Jauppi says.\n      As dealers get bigger, industry officials are talking about\n  the possibility that some of them might become publicly-owned\n  or open international operations.\n      Offering shares to the public is an option large dealers,\n  \"are obviously thinking of very seriously,\" says Cole.\n      Although some say the franchise system might get in the way\n  of a public offering, Jauppi says there are few obstacles to\n  trading in car dealer shares.\n      \"Dealers are large enough now to go public. The only thing\n  the manufacturer cares about is that the dealer sells those\n  cars. It could happen any time,\" Jauppi says.\n      \"If you look at the whole merger mania, and look at the\n  scale some of these dealers, it's going to be very hard to\n  resist taking them public,\" said another analyst.\n      And Jauppi says that dealerships can be expected to become\n  international.\n      \"We're going to have international dealers--dealer networks\n  that are worldwide,\" he says. U.S. dealers will be attracted\n  particularly to Europe, where the market will expand faster\n  than the U.S., he says.\n      \"It's not totally off the wall,\" says Cole.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COMPREHENSIVE CARE CORP <CMPH> 3RD QTR NET\n","article":"  Qtr ended Feb 28\n      Shr 17 cts vs 22 cts\n      Net 2,041,000 vs 3,329,000\n      Revs 46.6 mln vs 48.9 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 65 cts vs 82 cts\n      Net 9,290,000 vs 12.7 mln\n      Revs 142.7 mln vs 139.8 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHAPMAN <CHPN> IN RESTRUCTURING\n","article":"  Chapman Energy INc said it is launching\n  a major restructuring which, if not approved, it will have no\n  alternative but to seek protection under Chapter 11.\n      Under the plan, Chapman will exchange securities and cash\n  for all outstanding 12 pct senior subordinated debentures due\n  2000 and will sell a controlling interest to Troon Partners\n  Ltd.\n     The agreement with Troon requires Troon to advance 6.5 mln\n  dlrs partially secured by a first mortgage lien on the\n  company's interest in its natural gas pipeline partnership and\n  Troon to tender 100,000 principal amount of debentures to\n  Chapman.\n      Proceeds of the loan will be used for the cash portion of\n  the restructuring. Troon will acquire a majority stock interest\n  and control of the board.\n      In addition, Chapman and Troon will establish a 10 mln dlrs\n  acquisition joint ventures, it said.\n      The plan also contemplates establishing a restructured loan\n  providing for one master credit agreement having an aggregate\n  balance of 22.4 mln dlrs.\n      The plan also contemplates the recapitalization of\n  preferred stock whereby each share will be converted into three\n  shares of common stock.\n      Chapman also said it also plans to negotiate settelment and\n  discharge of a substantial portion of its accounts payable and\n  settlement of certain litigation.\n      If approved by various creditors and shareholders, the\n  company expects the plan to be completed by May 29.\n      Chapman also repoted a loss of 43.4 mln dlrs for the year,\n  including asset writedowns of 35.5 mln dlrs, compared to\n  December 31, compared to a net income of 177,243 in 1985.\n      The 1986 loss resulted in shareholders' deficiency of 15\n  mln dlrs compared to shareholder's equity of 28.9 mln last\n  year.\n      Total assets decreased to 35.6 mln dlrs from 81.8 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"VESTAR INC <VSTR> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 98 cts vs loss 1.11 dlrs\n      Net loss 3,863,000 vs loss 3,483,000\n      Revs 1,081,000 vs 799,000\n      Note: 4th qtr data not given.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<STERLING BANCORP> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.13 dlrs vs 87 cts\n      Net 1,064,489 ca 780,712\n      Assets 106.8 mln vs 102.5 mln\n      Note: 4th qtr data not given.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRST NEW HAMPSHIRE BANKS INC DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 15 cts vs 15 cts prior\n      Payable May one\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOUSE OF FABRICS <HF> QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 12 cts vs 12 cts\n      Pay July 1\n      Record June 12\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"Bank of Japan bought 200 to 300 mln dlrs this morning, dealers said.\n","article":"\n  Bank of Japan bought 200 to 300 mln dlrs this morning, dealers said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN BUYS MODEST AMOUNT OF DOLLARS, DEALERS SAY\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan bought a modest amount\n  of dollars this morning, possibly around 200 to 300 mln,\n  dealers said.\n      One dealer said the central bank bought about 200 mln dlrs\n  through brokers and the rest through banks. The buying began\n  when the dollar was at about 149.60 yen, and helped drive the\n  U.S. Currency up to around 150, he said.\n      Another said the central bank seemed to be trying to push\n  the dollar up above 150 yen. But heavy selling at around that\n  level quickly pushed the dollar back down towards 149 yen,\n  dealers said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN'S 1986\/87 SUGAR CANE OUTPUT SEEN FALLING\n","article":"  An Agriculture Ministry survey has\n  estimated the nation's 1986\/87 crop sugar cane output at 2.14\n  mln tonnes, down from 2.62 mln a year earlier.\n      Ministry officials said the decline was due to bad weather\n  and a reduction in the land under sugar cane this season, which\n  totals 34,800 hectares, down from 35,700 in 1985\/86, they said.\n      Harvesting stretches from December 1986 to April 1987\n      Japan's final output will be announced at the beginning of\n  June, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WEEKS PETROLEUM LTD <WPMA.MEL> CALENDAR 1986\n","article":"  Shr 16.7 cents vs 29.4\n      Final div nil vs same making nil vs same\n      Pre-tax profit 21.31 mln dlrs vs 26.42 mln\n      Net 10.84 mln vs 19.15 mln\n      Turnover 17.17 mln vs 25.94 mln\n      Other income 101.99 mln vs 125.18 mln\n      Shrs 65.13 mln vs same.\n      NOTE - Net is after tax 10.47 mln vs 7.27 mln, interest\n  2.58 mln vs 9.55 mln, depreciation 5.06 mln vs 7.61 mln and\n  minorities nil vs same. Other income: 72.39 mln from sale of\n  investments (103.04 mln 1985), interest 25.75 mln (21.49 mln),\n  and dividends 1.64 mln (nil). Co is 93.7 pct owned by <Bell\n  Resources Ltd>.\n      Note - All figures in U.S. Dollars as the company is\n  registered in Bermuda.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"Bank of Japan keeps intervening to hold dollar above 149 yen, brokers\n","article":"\n  Bank of Japan keeps intervening to hold dollar above 149 yen, brokers\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN INTERVENING TO KEEP DOLLAR UP, BROKERS\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan is continuing to\n  intervene in the Tokyo market, buying small amounts of dollars\n  to hold the unit above 149 yen, brokers said.\n      They said the Bank is coming in when the dollar is around\n  149.05\/10 yen, the same levels as New York's close yesterday\n  and the midday close in Tokyo today.\n      Dealers said the Bank of Japan is intervening in the market\n  through both banks and brokers this afternoon.\n      The central bank is checking selling orders through banks\n  and placing matching buy orders, they said.\n      The central bank started to intervene shortly after the\n  market opened here in the afternoon, the dealers said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET DEFICIT FORECAST AT 350 MLN STG\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it forecast a\n  shortage of around 350 mln stg in the money market today.\n      Among the main factors affecting liquidity, bills maturing\n  in official hands and the take-up of treasury bills will drain\n  some 525 mln stg while bankers' balnces below target will take\n  out around 175 mln stg.\n      Partly offsetting these outflows, exchequer transactions\n  and a fall in note circulation will add some 300 mln stg and 40\n  mln stg to the system respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Current exchange rates almost within levels agreed by major nations - Sumita\n","article":"\n  Current exchange rates almost within levels agreed by major nations - Sumita\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Sumita says major nations cooperated to stabilise currencies.\n","article":"\n  Sumita says major nations cooperated to stabilise currencies.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"THAILAND'S FOREIGN RESERVES FALL IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Thailand's foreign reserves of gold,\n  special drawing rights and convertible currencies fell to 3.86\n  billion dlrs at end-February from 3.95 billion the previous\n  month, but were above the 3.08 billion held at the same time\n  last year, the Bank of Thailand said.\n      It said the reserves were equal to about five months' worth\n  of imports.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EXCHANGE RATES ALMOST WITHIN G-6 LEVELS - SUMITA\n","article":"  Bank of Japan governor Satoshi Sumita\n  said that current exchange rates are almost within the levels\n  agreed to by six major nations last month in Paris.\n      Asked whether a dollar\/yen rate of 148 or 149 reflected\n  economic fundamentals, he said current rates almost reflect\n  fundamentals.\n      Sumita told reporters major nations have cooperated to\n  bring about currency stability in line with the Paris\n  agreement, which stipulated that they would closely cooperate\n  to that end. He repeated the central bank will intervene if\n  necessary, adding he did not think a dollar free-fall was\n  likely.\n      But Sumita said he could not say exactly what currency\n  levels would be considered in line with underlying economic\n  fundamentals.\n      In Paris on February 22, Britain, Canada, France, Japan,\n  the U.S. And West Germany agreed to cooperate to hold\n  currencies around their then current levels.\n      Sumita said he could not find any specific reasons behind\n  the fall of the dollar to a record low against the yen\n  yesterday. But he said the market rushed to sell dollars as it\n  nervously reacted to statements abroad and to developments\n  surrounding trade tensions.\n      U.S. Treasury Secretary James Baker said over the weekend\n  that the Paris pact did not encompass fixed tragets for the\n  dollar. U.S. Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter called\n  U.S\/Japan relations on certain key trade issues very strained.\n      The market reacted nervously because the dollar has been\n  moving narrowly against the yen since mid-January, Sumita said.\n  He added he does not expect the yen\/dollar exchange rate to\n  remain unstable because the market is concerned about a sharp\n  rise of the yen.\n      The Bank of Japan will keep a close watch on exchange rates\n  in line with the Paris accord, he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"N.Z. TRADE SURPLUS 119.1 MLN DLRS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Preliminary trade figures for\n  February show an excess of exports over imports of 119.1 mln\n  N.Z. Dlrs, a Statistics Department statement said.\n      This compares with a 3.3 mln dlr deficit (revised from 1.7\n  mln) in January and a 36.1 mln dlr deficit in February 1986.\n      Exports rose to 998.4 mln dlrs, from 889.2 mln (revised\n  from 889.5) in January and 903.2 in February 1986. Imports\n  dropped to an estimated 879.4 mln dlrs from 892.5 (revised from\n  891.2) in January and 939.3 in February 1986. The deficit for\n  the eight months to the end of February was 15.3 mln dlrs, as\n  against 1.057 billion dlrs in the same period a year ago.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"Sumita says Bank of Japan has no intention of lowering its discount rate\n","article":"\n  Sumita says Bank of Japan has no intention of lowering its discount rate\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN DOES NOT INTEND TO CUT DISCOUNT RATE-SUMITA\n","article":"  Bank of Japan governor Satoshi Sumita\n  said the central bank has no intention of cutting its discount\n  rate again as a way of preventing the yen's rise.\n      He told a press conference that the growth of Japanese\n  money supply remains high.\n      The bank will have to watch closely various developments\n  resulting from its already eased monetary stance, such as the\n  sharp rise in real estate and stock prices, he said.\n      Although the yen's rise will have a greater deflationary\n  impact on the economy, the economy is not likely to slow down\n  much further, Sumita said.\n      \"I don't think we should change our economic outlook at the\n  moment,\" Sumita said.\n      Sumita has said in the past that he expects the economy to\n  show a gradual upturn in the second half of the year.\n      The governor said the six major industrial nations are\n  expected to review last month's pact on currency stability when\n  they meet next in April.\n      Dealers said they expect the six - Britain, Canada, France,\n  Japan, the U.S. Amd West Germany - to meet just before the\n  IMF\/World Bank interim committee meeting in Washington starting\n  on April 9.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JARDINE MATHESON PROFITS SEEN UP SHARPLY IN 1986\n","article":"  A strong performance by its retail\n  businesses and affiliates will enable Jardine Matheson Holdings\n  Ltd <JARD.HKG> to report on Friday a big leap in net profit in\n  1986, stock analysts said.\n      They told Reuters they expect the firm to show earnings of\n  between 420 mln and 450 mln H.K. Dlrs last year against 157 mln\n  in 1985.\n      The analysts also said they expect Jardine Matheson to pay\n  a total dividend of 15 to 20 cents a share against 10 cents a\n  share in 1985.\n      James Capel (Far East) Ltd estimates Jardine Matheson's\n  1986 profits at 450 mln dlrs and attributes most of the income\n  to retail sales.\n      Analysts said the group's 7-Eleven retail stores and its\n  franchises, among them Canon cameras, Christian Dior luxury\n  goods and Mercedes Benz cars, produced a strong cash flow.\n      Alan Hargreaves of Hoare Govett Asia Ltd also put Jardine\n  Matheson's 1986 net profits at 450 mln dlrs and said he\n  estimates pre-tax earnings from retail operations at about 465\n  mln dlrs against 339 mln in 1985.\n      But Hargreaves said Jardine Matheson's earnings from its 35\n  pct stake in Hong Kong Land Co Ltd <HKLD.HKG> will fall to\n  about 230 mln dlrs from 281 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      The reduced contribution reflects the spin-off from Hong\n  Kong Land of <Dairy Farm International Ltd> last September.\n      Jardine gained a direct holding of 35 pct of Dairy Farm as\n  a result of the spin-off. Analysts said Jardine will book\n  revenues from its Dairy Farm stake for the final months of the\n  year as part of its retail business, which will increase its\n  overall retail income figures.\n      Analysts said Jardine Matheson will also enjoy sharply\n  increased revenues from financial services, mainly its 50 pct\n  share of <Jardine Fleming Holdings Ltd>.\n      Jardine Fleming yesterday reported record profits for 1986\n  of 209.5 mln dlrs against 104.7 mln in 1985.\n      Analysts said Jardine Matheson made net interest payments\n  of about 200 mln dlrs last year, slightly below the 213 mln\n  dlrs of 1985, while the company's term debt remained at about\n  the 1985 level of 2.7 billion dlrs.\n      But Jardine was also subject to increased taxes of 340 mln\n  dlrs last year against 292 mln in 1985, they said.\n      Jardine Matheson is undergoing a series of reorganisations\n  that will in effect turn it into a holding company for its\n  diverse interests.\n      It previously announced a plan to sell its stakes in both\n  Hong Kong Land and Dairy Farm to newly created <Jardine\n  Strategic Holdings Ltd> in which it has a 41 pct interest.\n      A company statement issued last month said the firm will\n  use the proceeds to repay all debt, leaving it with an\n  additional 500 mln dlrs in cash on hand.\n      Though Jardine Matheson will be deprived of a direct stake\n  in the high-yield Hong Kong Land and Dairy Farm units, it is\n  likely to develop its own business, analysts said.\n      \"The future of the stock will depend on the firm's ability\n  to creatively structure some new acquisitions,\" said Hargreaves\n  of Hoare Govett.\n      He noted the firm has suggested financial services as a key\n  sector, and he said it may add some insurance firms to its\n  existing business.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHINA'S FIRST JOINT VENTURE BANK REPORTS PROFIT\n","article":"  China's first joint venture bank, Xiamen\n  International Bank (XIB), reported a group net profit of about\n  14 mln Hong Kong dlrs in 1986, the bank's first full year of\n  operation.\n      General manager Liu Shuxun declined to give a 1987 profit\n  forecast, saying targets were under study.\n      Assistant general manager Wang Hongshan said the group's\n  outstanding loans at end-1986 totalled 620 mln Hong Kong dlrs,\n  up from 530 mln at end-1985. Deposits and interbank borrowings\n  rose to 680 mln dlrs from 550 mln, he told Reuters.\n      Liu said most of the group's profit came from the parent\n  company rather than its two wholly-owned subsidiaries <Xiamen\n  International Finance Co Ltd> in Hong Kong and <Luso\n  International Bank Ltd> in Macao.\n      The joint venture bank began operating in September 1985\n  but did not officially open until March 1986.\n      Liu said the share in the joint venture of the foreign\n  partner, Hong Kong-listed <Panin Holdings Ltd>, had been cut\n  last year to 49 pct from 60 pct. This was done because foreign\n  banks felt the XIB's reputation would be improved if the three\n  Chinese partners collectively held a majority stake, he said.\n      Liu said news reports about problems concerning Panin were\n  unfounded, but he did not elaborate. Panin Holdings reported a\n  loss of 1.99 mln Hong Kong dlrs in 1986 after a net profit of\n  268,000 dlrs in 1985.\n      The Chinese partners are Industrial and Commercial Bank of\n  China, Fujian branch, whose share rose to 23.5 pct from 15,\n  Fujian Investment and Enterprise Corporation 17.5 pct (15) and\n  Xiamen Construction and Development Corporation 10 pct (10).\n      One foreign banker said Xiamen International Bank faced the\n  same problems as foreign bank branches in trying to compete on\n  unequal terms with state-owned banks.\n      The foreign banking market in Xiamen is thin and almost\n  saturated, he added.\n      Officials of the joint venture bank said they benefitted\n  from contacts made through its three Chinese partners. But the\n  foreign banker, who asked not to be named, said it faced\n  internal competition from the Industrial and Commercial Bank.\n      Apart from Xiamen International Bank and the International\n  Agricultural Development Bank planned by the World Bank and the\n  state-owned Agricultural Bank of China, Xiamen has eight\n  foreign bank branches or representative offices, mostly of Hong\n  Kong or overseas Chinese banks.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANGLADESH'S PAYMENTS DEFICIT NARROWS IN OCTOBER\n","article":"  Bangladesh recorded an overall balance of\n  payments deficit of 8.3 mln U.S. Dlrs in October against a\n  10.33 mln deficit in September and a 6.67 mln surplus in\n  October 1985, Central Bank officials said.\n      The country's current account deficit narrowed to 10.69 mln\n  dlrs in October from 79 mln in September and 11.75 mln in\n  October 1985.\n      The October trade deficit narrowed to 36.36 mln dlrs from\n  160 mln in September and 83.79 mln in October 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TWO JAPANESE STEELMAKERS TO CUT CAPITAL SPENDING\n","article":"  Nippon Steel Corp <NSTC.TOK> said it will\n  cut its capital spending by 36.4 pct to 105 billion yen in the\n  year starting April 1 from a year earlier due to the\n  postponement of furnace improvements.\n      <Nisshin Steel Co Ltd> said it will spend 10.7 billion yen\n  in 1987\/88 for rationalisation and facility improvements, down\n  from 32.1 billion a year earlier, after completion of large\n  construction projects in 1986\/87.\n      But capital spending by Nippon Kokan K.K. <NKKT.TOK> to\n  improve and increase its production facilities will rise to\n  94.90 billion yen from 64 billion, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NISSAN AFFILIATE TO ACQUIRE U.S. AUTOPARTS MAKER\n","article":"  <Kokusan Kinzoku Kogyo Co Ltd> (KKK), a\n  Japanese autoparts maker owned 25 pct by Nissan Motor Co Ltd\n  <NSAN.T>, has exchanged a memorandum to acquire over 50 pct of\n  U.S. Autoparts firm <Master-Cast Co> to avoid losses on U.S.\n  Sales caused by the yen's rise against the dollar, a KKK\n  spokesman said.\n      The final agreement should be signed this year when KKK\n  forms the new company <Alfa K Technology>, he said.\n      The new firm should supply all the U.S. Major car makers,\n  including Ford Motor Co <F>, General Motor Corp <GM> and\n  Chrysler Corp <C>, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"YEN MAY RISE TO 140 TO THE DOLLAR, NIKKEIREN SAYS\n","article":"  The yen could rise to 140 yen to the\n  dollar, a leading Japanese businessman said.\n      Bumpei Otsuki, president of the influential Japan\n  Federation of Employers' Associations, (Nikkeiren), told\n  reporters: \"The yen might rise as far as 140 (to the dollar).\n  The U.S. Economy is not good, and as long as the U.S. Economy\n  is not good, the U.S. Will put various pressures (on Japan).\"\n      \"The yen's level depends on the condition of the U.S.\n  Economy rather than Japan's economy, and as long as the\n  American situation is bad, the yen will continue to rise,\" he\n  said.\n      To cope with the negative impact of the strong yen,\n  Japanese enterprises must strive to cut costs by all means,\n  including holding down wages as much as possible, Otsuki said.\n      He rejected recent calls from some government quarters for\n  wage increases this year as a means of raising private\n  consumption and thus boosting domestic demand.\n      \"We have to keep wages as low as possible,\" he said.\n      He also said the yen's large and rapid rise is depressing\n  the outlook for the Japanese economy, noting that in addition\n  to hurting exporters it is also damaging domestic market\n  manufacturers through cheap imports.\n      Parts of the service sector are also threatened, Otsuki\n  said.\n      Tertiary industries provide services to manufacturers and a\n  downturn in manufacturing profits will adversely affect service\n  industries, he said.\n      It is also doubtful whether the tertiary sector can fully\n  employ those put out of work in the manufacturing sector, he\n  said.\n      Profits of service sector companies are likely to fall in\n  the business year ending in March 1988, leading to a possible\n  recession in the Japanese economy, he said.\n      Otsuki said economic growth is unlikely to pick up beyond\n  levels experienced in 1986.\n      The government's Economic Planning Agency said last week\n  the economy grew at 2.5 pct in 1986, the worst performance\n  since 1974 when the economy shrank 1.4 pct due to the first oil\n  price crisis.\n      In order to stimulate domestic demand and boost the\n  economy, tax reforms aimed at bringing down the cost of land\n  and reforming the nation's housing stock are needed, along with\n  steps to bring down the high cost of commodities, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SAUDI RIYAL DEPOSIT RATES EASE\n","article":"  Saudi riyal interbank deposit rates\n  eased across the board in a dull market which was long in\n  day-to-day funds, dealers said.\n      Today's quiet market continued a lull of several days in\n  which traders were said to be waiting on the sidelines ahead of\n  further clues to the direction of oil prices and the Saudi\n  economy.\n      Dealers cited some borrowing interest in two, three, and\n  six-month deposits but said activity focused on short dates and\n  one-month deposits as banks tried to lend surplus funds.\n      Spot-next was put at 5-3\/4, 5-1\/4 pct, down from six, 5-1\/2\n  yesterday while one-week rates were steady at six, 5-1\/2 pct.\n      One-month deposits declined to 6-1\/4, 1\/8 pct from 6-1\/2,\n  1\/4 on Monday, while three months was barely changed at seven,\n  6-15\/16 pct.\n      The spot riyal was little changed at 3.7501\/03 to the\n  dollar after quotes of 3.7498\/7501 yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" BRUSSELS - Ferruzzi says it will pay 630 mln dlrs to CPC International for European mills.\n","article":"\n   BRUSSELS - Ferruzzi says it will pay 630 mln dlrs to CPC International for European mills.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VIETNAM TO RESETTLE 300,000 ON STATE FARMS IN 1987\n","article":"  Vietnam will resettle 300,000 people on\n  state farms known as new economic zones in 1987, to create jobs\n  and grow more high-value export crops, the communist party\n  newspaper Nhan Dan said.\n      Yesterday's edition, received here today, said Vietnam\n  would invest one billion dong, including the costs of\n  relocation, in 272 new economic zones. About one third of that\n  sum would be spent on export crops such as coffee, tea, rubber\n  and pepper in the Central Highlands, it said.\n      Since 1975, Vietnam has resettled about three million\n  people from cities and crowded river deltas to the zones.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MADAGASCAR EXTENDS AMOCO OIL EXPLORATION AGREEMENT\n","article":"  Madagascar extended its oil\n  exploration agreement with the U.S. Firm Amoco Corp <AN> for 17\n  months to allow for further studies of the Morondava basin on\n  the southwest coast, a government statement said.\n      It said the existing five-year agreement, due to expire\n  this July 24, was extended until the end of 1988 to allow for\n  additional geological and geophysical studies.\n      Amoco has so far laid 7,100 km of seismic lines and sunk\n  five exploration wells in the Morondava basin. It may drill a\n  further three wells before the end of the extended exploration\n  period, the statement said.\n      Madagascar has signed oil exploration agreements with four\n  foreign oil companies since 1981. But despite promising\n  indications of large reserves, no commercial production plans\n  have yet been announced.\n      The foreign firms - Amoco, Occidental Petroleum Corp <OXY>,\n  Mobil Corp <MOB> and a unit of <Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi> -\n  are working in partnership with the National Military Office\n  for Strategic Industries (OMNIS).\n      Roland Ratsimandresy, the director general of OMNIS, said\n  at a ceremenony to sign the extension of the Amoco agreement\n  that his department would intensify oil exploration with its\n  existing partners and would soon offer a new round of\n  exploration licences.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FERRUZZI DEAL WITH CPC WORTH 630 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  The Ferruzzi Group's holding company\n  Agricola Finanziara SpA will pay 630 mln dlrs for the European\n  corn wet milling business of CPC International Inc under the\n  agreement reached in principle between the two companies, a\n  statement by Ferruzzi released by its Brussels office said.\n      When CPC announced the agreement yesterday in New York, it\n  said only that the price would be in excess of 600 mln dlrs.\n      Ferruzzi said the deal is subject to agreement on several\n  clauses of the contract and needs government authorisations.\n      It said the deal would involve 13 starch factories\n  employing about 5,000 people in eight European Community\n  countries plus facilities and commercial operations in other EC\n  states.\n      The factories have a capacity to produce the equivalent of\n  1.6 mln tonnes of starch in starch and by-products a year, or\n  about one third of EC production, from about 2.7 mln tonnes of\n  cereals.\n      Ferruzzi said the acquisition of these assets would extend\n  its presence in the European agro-industrial industry both\n  geographically and in terms of products.\n      It said it is already the principal EC producer of sugar\n  and of soya oil and cake, and the major cereal trader.\n      It noted that EC output of isoglucose is subject to maximum\n  quotas, of which CPC currently holds a 25 pct share, and said\n  it foresaw an increase in other industrial uses of starch in\n  the future, notably in the production of ethanol for fuel.\n      Raul Gardini, president of the Ferruzzi Group, said the\n  present management of the CPC milling business will be asked to\n  remain in their posts.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SWIRE PACIFIC LTD <SWPC.HKG> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Shr \"A\" 138.9 H.K. Cents vs 97.4 (adjusted)\n      Shr \"B\" 27.8 cents vs 19.5\n      Final div \"A\" 44 cents vs 32.3, making 62 vs 47 (adjusted)\n      Final div \"B\" 8.8 cents vs 6.5, making 12.4 vs 9.4\n      Net 1.78 billion dlrs vs 1.23 billion\n      Turnover 16.6 billion vs 13.7 billion\n      Note - Net profits excluded extraordinary gains of 1.38\n  billion dlrs vs 59.1 mln. The non-recurrent earnings mainly\n  derived from the firm's sale of a 15.75 pct stake in Cathay\n  Pacific Airways Ltd <CAPH.HKG> in April.\n      Note - Earnings per share and dividends have been adjusted\n  for the firm's two-for-one bonus issue made in April.\n      Note - Bonus issue one-for-five for both \"A\" and \"B\" shares\n  against two-for-one.\n      Note - Dividends payable June 2, books close April 16 to\n  24.\n      Note - Net asset value per \"A\" share 6.94 dlrs vs 4.81 and\n  per \"B\" share 1.39 dlrs vs 0.96.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BAT Industries 1986 pretax profit 1.39 billion stg vs 1.17 billion\n","article":"\n  BAT Industries 1986 pretax profit 1.39 billion stg vs 1.17 billion\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BAT INDUSTRIES PLC <BTI.L> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 53.51p vs 45.72p\n      Div 8.8p vs 7.35p making 14.3p vs 12.1p\n      Turnover 19.17 billion stg vs 17.05 billion\n      Operating profit 1.48 billion vs 1.29 billion\n      Pretax profit 1.39 billion vs 1.17 billion\n      Tax 524 mln vs 430 mln\n      NOTE - The company said shareholders would be given the\n  option of receiving dividend in cash, ordinary shares or\n  combination of the two.\n      Operating profit includes -\n      Commercial activities 1.08 billion vs 988 mln\n      Financial services 263 mln vs 135 mln\n      Share of associated companies 139 mln vs 163 mln\n      Investment income 150 mln vs 166 mln\n      Interest paid 238 mln vs 286 mln\n      Minorities 76 mln vs 63 mln\n      Extraordinary credit 75 mln vs 34 mln debit\n      Transfer to revaluation reserve 85 mln vs 106 mln\n      Profit attributable 793 mln vs 673 mln\n      Required inflation retention 77 mln vs 147 mln\n      Trading profit 1.51 billion vs 1.29 billion\n      Trading profit includes -\n      Tobacco 764 mln vs 738 mln\n      Retailing 211 mln vs 186 mln\n      Paper 217 mln vs 168 mln\n      Financial services 282 mln vs 135 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SWIRE PLANS BONUS ISSUE ON HIGHER 1986 PROFITS\n","article":"  Swire Pacific Ltd <SWPC.HKG> said it\n  plans for a one-for-five bonus issue for both its \"A\" and \"B\"\n  shares following an earlier report of a 44.7 pct jump in 1986\n  net profits to 1.78 billion H.K. Dlrs.\n      The company also announced final dividends of 44 cents per\n  \"A\" share and 8.8 cents per \"B\" share against 32.3 and 6.5 cents a\n  year ago.\n      It recorded extraordinary gains of 1.38 billion dlrs which\n  mainly derived from the sale in April of a 15.75 pct stake in\n  Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd <CAPH.HKG> in line with the\n  floatation of the airline.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"Japan Trade Ministry asks trade houses, exporters to reduce dlr sales, sources\n","article":"\n  Japan Trade Ministry asks trade houses, exporters to reduce dlr sales, sources\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SRI LANKAN GOVERNMENT TO STOP IMPORTING SUGAR\n","article":"  The Food Department will no longer\n  import sugar from April 1, senior officials of the Food and\n  Cooperatives Ministry and the Department told Reuters.\n      They said the decision was taken after the Sugar Importers\n  Association asked that the sugar trade be further liberalised.\n      \"The Food Department will cease trading in sugar and will no\n  longer hold a buffer stock,\" a senior official said.\n      He said the government has finalised an agreement with\n  E.D.F.Man (Sugar) Ltd under which E.D.F.Man will hold a buffer\n  stock on the government's behalf of 20,000 tonnes, against the\n  45,000 tonne buffer stock usually held by the Department.\n      Officials said the size of the buffer stock has been\n  reduced because the private sector will hold its own stocks.\n      The agreement with E.D.F. Man includes details such as\n  trigger pricing mechanisms, they said.\n      Four months ago the Department allowed the private sector\n  to import sugar without government clearance. The Department\n  and the private sector each imported around 115,000 tonnes of\n  sugar last year, when national consumption was 280,000 tonnes.\n      An Importers Association official said that \"even if the\n  Department no longer imports sugar, we would not necessarily\n  buy more.\"\n      This is because the Association would still have to compete\n  with the Cooperatives Wholesale Establishment (CWE), he said.\n      The CWE is a semi-government body and the official said\n  arrangements are being made for state cooperatives and holders\n  of food subsidy stamps to draw their sugar from it, starting\n  April 1.\n      Ministry officials said the CWE can either import sugar or\n  buy it from a local bonded warehousing scheme run by E.D.F. For\n  the past two years.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEW DUTCH SPECIAL ADVANCES TOTAL 4.2 BILLION\n","article":"  The Dutch Central Bank said it\n  allocated 4.183 billion guilders at tender for the new 5.3 pct,\n  nine-day special advances.\n      Bids were fully met for the first 200 mln guilders and for\n  40 pct above.\n      The new advances for the period March 25 to April 4,\n  replace current 5.3 pct, five day advances totalling 4.003\n  billion guilders which expire today.\n      Money brokers said yesterday they expected the Bank to\n  allocate about 3.5 billion guilders.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"DANISH FEBRUARY CONSUMER PRICES FALL 0.1 PCT\n","article":"  Consumer prices fell 0.1 pct in\n  February, after a rise of 0.2 pct in January and no change in\n  February 1986, the National Statistics Office said.\n      The index, base 1980, fell to 154.5 in February from 154.6\n  in January, against 147.4 in February 1986, giving a\n  year-on-year increase of 4.8 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN ASKS TRADERS, EXPORTERS TO CUT DOLLAR SALES\n","article":"  The Ministry of International Trade and\n  Industry (MITI) has asked about 30 Japanese trading houses and\n  exporters to refrain from excessive dollar selling, trading\n  house officials said.\n      The officials told Reuters MITI asked them to moderate\n  their foreign exchange trading because the excessive rise in\n  the yen will have unfavourable effects on the economy. It made\n  the request by telephone.\n      A MITI official said the ministry has conducted a survey of\n  foreign exchange trading by trade houses and exporters. But he\n  said it was not aimed at moderating dollar selling.\n      The trading house officials said MITI had asked them to\n  undertake foreign exchange transactions with due consideration\n  to the adverse effects excessive exchange rate movements would\n  have on the economy.\n      The MITI official said MITI undertakes such surveys when\n  exchange rates fluctuate widely. A similiar survey was made\n  when the currency fell to the previous record low of 149.98 on\n  January 19. It hit a new record low of 148.20 yen yesterday.\n      He said the survey showed currency transactions by trade\n  houses and exporters contributed little to the dollar fall.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MIDDLE EAST CURRENCY MARKET SEES KEY CHANGES\n","article":"  Middle East currency dealers meet in\n  Abu Dhabi this weekend at a time of fundamental change in their\n  business, which has seen a growing volume of trade shift from\n  the Arab world to London.\n      The 14th congress of the Inter-Arab Cambiste Association\n  also comes at a time when the prospect of a unified Gulf\n  currency system is more real that at any time this decade.\n      Foreign exchange traders and bank treasurers said these\n  issues, and the slide of the Lebanese pound, can be expected to\n  be major talking points.\n      About 250 traders and treasurers from some 115 banks --\n  including some in London and other major non-Arab financial\n  centres -- are expected to attend the conference which begins\n  on on Saturday.\n      Bankers said it is hard to avoid the impression that a\n  growing proportion of transactions in the Saudi riyal market,\n  by far the largest in the region, is being carried out in\n  London.\n      The market had been dominated by Saudi Arabia's 11 banks,\n  foreign exchange houses in the Kingdom and offshore banks in\n  Bahrain. But bankers said more and more Saudi and Bahrain-based\n  banks are boosting their treasury operations in London.\n      As recession hit the Middle East and the need for trade\n  finance in the region declined, many offshore banks in Bahrain\n  ran down their currency operations. None of the four major U.K.\n  Clearing banks now has a dealing room on the island.\n      The two major Bahrain-based international banks, <Arab\n  Banking Corp> and <Gulf International Bank BSC> have increased\n  their presence in London and Saudi banks are busy upgrading\n  representative offices to branch status to allow dealing.\n      One economist said: \"It is cheaper to run a riyal book in\n  London than staff an expensive offshore operation in Bahrain...\n  There is now the nucleus of a two-way market in London.\"\n      Jeddah-based <Riyad Bank> set up as a licensed deposit\n  taker in London in 1984, while its main rival in Saudi Arabia,\n  <National Commercial Bank> (NCB) won a licence in November\n  1986.\n      The major market maker has traditionally been London-based\n  consortium bank <Saudi International Bank> but the kingdom\n  joint-venture <Saudi American Bank> (SAMBA) also upgraded its\n  London operation to deposit taker status in mid-February.\n      One senior currency trader in Riyadh said: \"Inevitably the\n  volume of business in London has gained pace with the two new\n  licences for NCB and SAMBA, but there is no question that most\n  of the liquidity still rests in Saudi Arabia.\"\n      Currency traders said the shift to London in the Saudi\n  riyal market is difficult to quantify.\n      Bahrain Monetary Agency figures show regional currency\n  deposits held by offshore banks, most in Saudi riyals, dropped\n  to the equivalent of 12.2 billion dlrs at end-September 1986\n  from 13.4 billion at end-1985 and a 1983 peak of 15.0 billion.\n      The shift has prompted changes in dealing habits. Riyal\n  trading in the Gulf on Saturdays and Sundays has become very\n  quiet with London closed while some Saudi and Bahrain banks now\n  staff offices on Friday, the Gulf weekend. Traders also expect\n  <Arab National Bank> to step up London operations.\n      Traders say it is difficult to foresee the riyal market\n  moving completely out of the region, partly because of local\n  demand and partly because of what is seen as the Saudi Arabian\n  Monetary Agency's (SAMA) desire to moderate\n  internationalisation of the riyal and protect it from undue\n  speculation.\n      There have been far fewer signs of the Kuwaiti dinar market\n  shifting from its natural base of Kuwait and trading in Bahrain\n  and London is still limited.\n      But for the first time since the formation of the six\n  nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in 1981 there are signs\n  that a much mooted currency union could come into force soon.\n      Currency traders said it remains unclear what form a final\n  currency union would take for the six states -- Saudi Arabia,\n  Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.\n      But plans to link the six currencies in a European Monetary\n  System style with a common peg have been discussed at high\n  level and could be a topic on the GCC's annual summit expected\n  to be held in Saudi Arabia late in the year.\n      One dealer said: \"A lot of exposure is being given to\n  discussions and plans appear to be quite advanced. But in the\n  end a political decision has to be taken to give the go-ahead.\"\n      One open question is that of a common peg for currencies.\n      The idea of linking the six currencies has been debated\n  since the start of the GCC. The Kuwaiti dinar is currently\n  linked to a basket of currencies while the other five\n  currencies are either officially or in practice linked to the\n  U.S. Dollar.\n      Some traders said a currency union could mean speculation\n  against the Saudi riyal rubbing off on other Gulf currencies,\n  but plans call for a permitted divergence in the system of\n  7-1\/4 pct, large enough to avoid sudden strains.\n      Another topic for debate is expected to be the continued\n  slide of the Lebanese pound against the dollar and the\n  undermining of the effective capital base of Lebanese banks.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BELGOLUX TRADE SWINGS INTO JANUARY DEFICIT\n","article":"  The Belgo-Luxembourg Economic Union\n  recorded a provisional trade deficit of 9.45 billion francs in\n  January after a December surplus of 15.32 billion francs,\n  revised upwards from a provisional surplus of 11.94 billion,\n  the National Statistics Office said.\n      In January 1986, the union recorded a deficit of 23.31\n  billion francs.\n      January imports fell to a provisional 228.86 billion francs\n  from 240.24 billion in December and 281.65 billion a year\n  earlier, but exports were also lower, at 219.41 billion francs\n  against 255.56 billion and 258.34 billion respectively.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GUINNESS SEEKS U.K. INJUNCTION AGAINST SAUNDERS\n","article":"  Guinness Plc <GUIN.L> will seek an\n  injunction in the U.K. High Court today to freeze the assets of\n  former Chairman Ernest Saunders in its attempts to recover 5.2\n  mln stg paid to a Jersey company as part of the company's\n  takeover battle for <Distillers Co Plc>, a spokesman said.\n      He said the court move aimed to freeze Saunders' assets up\n  to the value of the sum it wanted to recover. It was uncertain\n  whether the court would reach any decision on the request\n  today. Guinness said last week it planned to take legal action\n  to recover the funds, paid to non-executive director Thomas\n  Ward via the Jersey company.\n      Lawyers representing Ward have said he saw the funds as his\n  reward for services performed during the takeover of\n  Distillers.\n      Guinness is also planning a resolution at the annual\n  meeting in May to remove both Saunders and Ward from the\n  company's board.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BASF U.S. PROFIT,TURNOVER BOOSTED BY ACQUISITIONS\n","article":"  BASF AG <BASF.F>\n  said net profit of its U.S. Operating company, BASF Corp, rose\n  last calendar year to 105 mln dlrs from 39 mln in 1985.\n      Turnover rose by by more than one billion dlrs to 3.6\n  billion, the parent company said in a statement. The rise,\n  however, partly reflected the inclusion of the first full\n  business year of three acquisitions made in 1985. Excluding\n  these, BASF Corp turnover rose four pct from 1985.\n      Acquisitions were the high-performance connecting materials\n  operations of Celanese Corp, Inmont Corp bought from United\n  Technologies and American Enka bought from AKZO NV <AKZO.AS>.\n      BASF said it expected a U.S. Investment of 240 mln dlrs in\n  1987, part of a five-year programme totalling one billion.\n      U.S. Projects completed in 1986 included the second acrylic\n  acid plant in Freeport, Texas, a technical centre in\n  Southfield, Michigan, in which paint lines from automotive\n  plants can be refitted, and the new agricultural research\n  centre in Research Triangle Park in Durham, North Carolina.\n      BASF said that work this year had begun in Geismar,\n  Louisiana, on plants for production of special amines and\n  polytetrahydrofuran, as well as for expansion of capacity for\n  producing tetrahydrofuran.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BICC PLC <BICC.L> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Shr 22.7p vs 20.3p.\n      Final div 8.25p, making 11.75p vs 11p.\n      Pre-tax profit 101 mln stg vs 92 mln.\n      Attributable profit 45 mln vs 39 mln.\n      Turnover 2.14 billion stg vs 2.11 billion.\n   MORE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN MONEY SUPPLY RISES 48.22 PCT IN YEAR\n","article":"  Taiwan's M-1B money supply rose a\n  seasonally adjusted 48.22 pct in the year to end-February,\n  after rising 54.96 pct in the year to January, a central bank\n  spokesman said.\n      Month on month, M1-B fell 5.19 pct from January.\n      Unadjusted February M1-B was 1,168 billion dlrs against\n  1,232 billion in January and 788 billion in February 1986.\n      Money supply grew faster in January because the central\n  bank issued more currency for bonus payments made to workers at\n  the Lunar New Year, which fell on January 29 this year, banking\n  sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PEMEX SIGNS 500 MLN DLR JAPAN LOAN FOR PIPELINE\n","article":"  Mexican state oil firm Petroleos Mexicanos\n  (Pemex) signed for a 500 mln dlruntied loan from the\n  Export-Import Bank of Japan to finance its Pacific Petroleum\n  Project, Pemex Japan representative Tito Ayal said.\n      No further details on the loan were immediately available.\n      Ayala told an oil seminar the project, due for completion\n  in 1988, is aimed at improving distribution of oil products in\n  the domestic market, mainly along the Pacific coast.\n      The project consists of a pipeline linking Nueva Teapa on\n  the Gulf of Mexico with Salina Cruz on the Pacific Coast, and\n  construction of the second phase of the Salina Cruz refinery.\n      The project also includes construction of liquified\n  petroleum gas (LPG) storage tanks at Santa Cruz, additional\n  crude oil storage at both ends of the pipeline, an ammonia\n  complex at Lazaro Cardenas on the Pacific Coast and expansion\n  of the infrastructure of the port of Salina Cruz, Ayala said.\n      Pemex will buy 80 mln dlrs worth of foreign equipment and\n  materials for the project, he said. The new pipeline will\n  enable Japan to load Mexico's Maya crude oil at Salina Cruz\n  rather than in the Gulf of Mexico. Pemex will also have some\n  LPG surplus available in Salina Cruz that may help Japan\n  diversify its supply sources of that product, he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NIPPON STEEL TO REDUCE DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Nippon Steel Corp <NSTC.T> plans to\n  reduce its dividend to three yen in the year ending March 31\n  1987 from the five yen of 1985\/86, a company spokesman said.\n      The company estimated parent company current losses at 15\n  billion yen in 1986\/87, including a gain of 95 billion yen from\n  the sale of securities. This compares with a 36.07 billion yen\n  profit a year earlier.\n      Sales in 1986\/87 are seen at 2,150 billion yen, down from\n  2,685 billion a year ago.\n      Poor business prospects were attributed to the yen's rise\n  and slow world steel demand. Nippon is expected to report\n  parent company results in late May.\n      Total 1986\/87 crude steel production is estimated at 25.57\n  mln tonnes, down from 27.98 mln a year earlier.\n      Crude steel production is likely to be below 1986\/87 output\n  but forecasts for profits and sales in the year starting April\n  1 are unavailable yet, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BAT SEES STRONG PERFORMANCE FROM ALL SECTORS\n","article":"  A strong performance from all BAT\n  Industries Plc's <BTI.L> major sectors enabled the group's 1986\n  pretax profits to pass the one billion stg level for the third\n  year running, Chairman Patrick Sheehy said in a statement.\n      The group earlier reported a 19 pct rise in profits to 1.39\n  billion, which Sheehy said was achieved without any help from\n  exchange rate fluctuations or acquisitions.\n      Good results were achieved by its Argos and Saks Fifth\n  Avenue in retailing and by Wiggins Teape and Appleton in paper.\n      Tobacco accounted for about 50 pct of profit with a four\n  pct gain to 764 mln stg and a two pct increase in world volume.\n      The results were largely in line with analysts expectations\n  and BAT shares firmed by two pence to 537p at 0955 GMT.\n      BAT said the U.S. Brown and Williamson unit held most of\n  its 1985 gains and increased profit 18 pct in dollar terms.\n      Financial services saw profits double to 282 mln with both\n  Eagle Star and Allied Dunbar achieving further growth.\n      Allied Dunbar reported a 51 pct rise in life annual\n  premiums to 39 mln stg. BAT said it increased new business by\n  38 pct in the last nine months after a relatively slow first\n  quarter. Its permanent health insurance was now the market\n  leader and its Unit Trust group was now the second largest in\n  the U.K.\n      Eagle Star general premiums rose 32 pct to 1.03 billion.\n  Its life activities also grew 39 pct with better underwriting\n  results in the second half.\n      Cash flow was strong and the gross debt to equity ratio\n  dropped to 41 pct from 51 pct. The net ratio, at 26 pct, left\n  the group strongly placed to pursue its further development.\n      Profits from paper and pulp grew 29 pct to 217 mln stg,\n  nearly three times the 1982 level, with Wiggins Teape's sales\n  rising 36 pct to pass one billion stg.\n      BAT said in 1986 it had sold 88 BATUS stores in the U.S.\n  For 644 mln dlrs and sold Grovewood Securities for 142 mln stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN SEES ITS INVESTMENT IN U.S. RISING SHARPLY\n","article":"  Taiwanese investment in the U.S. Is\n  expected to nearly double to 80 mln U.S. Dlrs in calendar 1987\n  and rise to 400 mln dlrs a year by 1991, a five-year forecast\n  by the Economic Ministry showed.\n      Taiwanese investment in the U.S. Last year totalled 46 mln\n  dlrs, the ministry document said. The investment was mainly in\n  electronics, trading, food and service industries.\n      Lee Ming-Yi, deputy director of the ministry's Industrial\n  Development and Investment Centre, said the forecast rise is\n  due to planned government incentives and growing willingness\n  among Taiwanese to invest abroad.\n      Lee told Reuters the incentives, to be introduced in May or\n  June, include bank loans and a reduction in capitalisation\n  requirements for businesses seeking to invest in the U.S. To 10\n  mln Taiwan dlrs from 20 mln.\n      He said the moves to encourage investment in the U.S. Are\n  part of Taiwan's efforts to cut its trade surplus with\n  Washington, which rose to a record 13.6 billion U.S. Dlrs in\n  1986 from 1985's 10.2 billion.\n      Taiwanese manufacturers can create jobs for Americans and\n  avoid import quotas if they set up plants in the U.S., He\n  added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BABCOCK INTERNATIONAL PLC <BABK.L> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Div 4.7p making 8.7, an increase of 13.9 pct\n      Shr 16.3p vs 17.9p adjusted\n      Pretax profit 37.09 mln stg vs 34.55 mln\n      Net 22.12 mln vs 24.13 mln\n      Interest payable 8.10 mln vs 5.35 mln\n      Share of associated co's 6.88 mln vs 5.42 mln\n      Turnover 1.22 billion stg vs 1.10 billion\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DELTA GROUP <DLTL.L> YEAR TO JAN 3.\n","article":"  Shr net basis 24.8p vs 24.5p\n      Shr nil basis 22.7p vs 20.9p\n      Div 5p making 7.6p vs 6.5p\n      Pretax profit 57.78 mln stg vs 50.61 mln\n      Net after tax 37.47 mln vs 36.49 mln\n      Outside shareholders interests 1.75 mln vs 1.32 mln\n      Extraordinary debit 370,000 vs 1.93 mln\n      Turnover 533.59 mln vs 555.81 mln\n      Profit breakdown by activity -\n      Electrical equipment 28.59 mln stg vs 27.60 mln\n      Engineering 10.75 mln vs 11.13 mln\n      Industrial services 18.78 mln vs 16 mln\n      Corporate finance 340,000 vs 4.12 mln\n      Making total pre-tax profit 57.78 mln vs 50.61 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PLACER PACIFIC SAYS BIG BELL GOLD STUDY EXPANDING\n","article":"  <Placer Pacific Ltd> said it will\n  undertake a full feasibility study of Western Australia's Big\n  Bell gold prospect.\n      Results of an economic evaluation of the find, in which\n  Placer has an option with <Australian Consolidated Minerals\n  Ltd> (ACM) to earn a 50 pct interest, were encouraging enough\n  to warrant a full study, Placer said in a statement.\n      Big Bell, in the Murchison goldfield 540 km north east of\n  Perth, was founded in 1904. Between 1937 and 1955 it yielded\n  22.8 tonnes of gold and 7.8 tonnes of silver while milling\n  about 30,000 tonnes of ore a month.\n      Placer has said the prospect has an estimated 14 mln tonnes\n  of ore with a three-gram-per-tonne concentration accessible by\n  open-pit mining and a further 4.5 mln tonnes with a\n  4.4-gram-a-tonne concentration between 300 and 600 meters\n  underground.\n      It said it was obliged to produce the feasibility study no\n  later than December 31 this year by which time it would have\n  spent three mln dlrs on Big Bell.\n      If the results are positive and a commitment to develop\n  made then construction would take about 12 months, Placer said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BABCOCK EXPECTS FURTHER PROGRESS IN 1987\n","article":"  Babcock International Plc <BABK.L> said\n  in a statement accompanying final results for 1986, showing\n  pretax profits up to 37.09 mln stg from 34.55 mln in 1985, that\n  overall further progress is expected in 1987.\n      The predicted slowdown of the U.S. Automobile industry is\n  affecting the North American group although the improved\n  performance in the FATA European group during 1986 is expected\n  to continue into this year.\n      In the U.K. Overall profitability will improve when the\n  Central Electricity Generating Board's ordering programme for\n  both nuclear and fossil-fired fuels starts.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EGYPT BUYS 46,000 TONNES OF SUNFLOWERSEED OIL\n","article":"  Egypt purchased 46,000 tonnes of\n  optional origin sunflowerseed oil at its import tender\n  yesterday, all for May arrival, traders said.\n      The business comprised 41,000 tonnes of crude sunflowerseed\n  oil in bulk at prices ranging from 344.25 to 348 dlrs and 5,000\n  tonnes of refined oil in drums at from 517.50 to 522.50 dlrs\n  per tonne, cost and freight Alexandria, delivered quality\n  terms.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHINA TO TIGHTEN IMPORT CONTROL, CUT EXPORT COSTS\n","article":"  China should tighten imports of ordinary\n  goods and restrict or even forbid import of goods which can be\n  made domestically, Premier Zhao Ziyang said.\n      He told the National People's Congress, China's parliament,\n  that the country's foreign exchange is limited and must be used\n  where it is most needed.\n      \"We should expand production of import substitutes and\n  increase their proportion,\" he said.\n      On exports, China should increase its proportion of\n  manufactured goods, especially textiles, light industrial\n  goods, electronics and machinery, he said.\n      Zhao said China should lower the cost of exports and\n  control the export of goods that incur too much loss. In 1986\n  China had a trade deficit of 11.9 billion dlrs, down from a\n  record 14 billion in 1985.\n      Zhao said China should work to provide a more favourable\n  investment environment for foreign businessmen. It should use\n  foreign funds for production and construction, with stress on\n  firms making goods for export or import substitutes.\n      China should also earn more foreign exchange from tourists\n  and contracted labour abroad, he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WEST GERMANS TO MINT COMMUNITY ANNIVERSARY COIN\n","article":"  The West German Cabinet approved a plan to\n  mint a special 10-mark coin commemorating the 30th anniversary\n  of the European Community this year.\n      The silver-copper alloy coin will be minted in an edition\n  of 8.35 mln, a Finance Ministry statement said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SINGAPORE GDP TO GROW SIX PCT IN FIRST QUARTER\n","article":"  Singapore's gross domestic product\n  will grow six pct in the first quarter and five pct in the\n  second quarter this year, with further growth expected in the\n  second half, Trade and Industry Minister Lee Hsien Loong told\n  parliament.\n      The figures compared with 3.4 pct contraction and 1.2 pct\n  growth respectively for the first and second quarters of 1986.\n      The estimates were based on a tentative leading indicator\n  incorporating new business orders, company inventories and\n  share prices used by his ministry, Lee said, without giving\n  further details of the new indicator.\n      Singapore's economy grew 1.9 pct last year, after shrinking\n  1.8 pct in 1985. The government has forecast growth rate of\n  three to four pct for 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CARGILL U.K. STRIKE TALKS TO RESUME THIS AFTERNOON\n","article":"  Talks between Cargill U.K. Ltd's\n  management and unions, aimed at ending the prolonged strike at\n  its Seaforth oilseed processing plant, will resume this\n  afternoon, a company spokesman said.\n      Yesterday's session failed to reach a compromise but some\n  progress was made, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. M-1 MONEY SUPPLY RISES 2.1 BILLION DLRS IN FEB 16 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. M-1 MONEY SUPPLY RISES 2.1 BILLION DLRS IN FEB 16 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"STC PLC <STCL.L> YEAR TO END-1986\n","article":"  Shr profit 15.9p vs 2.25p loss\n      Div 3p making 4.5p vs nil\n      Turnover 1.93 billion stg vs 1.99 billion\n      Pretax profit 134.2 mln vs 11.4 mln loss\n      Tax 47.2 mln vs nil\n      Operating profit 163.0 mln vs 92.7 mln\n      Interest less investment income 13.8 mln vs 37.2 mln\n      Exceptional debit 15.0 mln vs 66.9 mln\n      Minorities 0.3 mln vs 0.4 mln\n      Extraordinary credit 16.4 mln vs 42.0 mln debit\n      Operating profit includes -\n      International computers 90.2 mln vs 61.7 mln\n      Communications systems 56.1 mln vs 48.7 mln\n      Components and distribution 20.0 mln vs 1.5 mln\n      Defence 9.4 mln vs 13.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BRITISH COMPOUND FEED PRODUCTION DETAILED\n","article":"  Feed compounds, balancers and\n  concentrates produced in Britain in the five weeks ended\n  January 31 totalled 973,400 tonnes, against 966,200 tonnes\n  produced in the same 1986 period, Ministry of Agriculture\n  figures show.\n      However, cattle\/calf feed output, the largest single\n  component, was 7.2 pct down at 435,900 tonnes against 469,900\n  tonnes. Pig feed was 170,800 tonnes versus 171,600, and poultry\n  feed 287,600 compared with 256,600. Other smaller components\n  included in the total all showed increases.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KLOECKNER UND CO'S 1986 PROFIT FALLS ABOUT 20 PCT\n","article":"  Kloeckner & Co KGaA, the\n  international trading group, said its 1986 domestic group net\n  profit fell by around 20 pct against 1985, adding that the\n  profit resulted largely from a writing back of reserves.\n      The company, which gave no 1986 profit figures, posted a\n  domestic group net profit of 41 mln marks in 1985.\n      It said the 1986 profit was made possible through a 40 mln\n  mark write-back of reserves that had been created to cover\n  possible price rises. These reserves were no longer necessary\n  because of recent declines in raw material prices.\n      Kloeckner attributed the profit decline to the fall in\n  prices as well as the lower value of the dollar.\n      It said it would pay an unchanged dividend on its ordinary\n  share capital, which is entirely in private hands and held\n  largely by family foundations.\n      Kloeckner's nominal 100 mark profit-participation\n  certificates, issued in October 1986, will pay a likely yield\n  of around 10 pct. Holders of the certificates are entitled to a\n  quarter of the 1986 payment, or around 2.50 marks, the company\n  added.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MIXED ASIAN REACTION TO NEW RUBBER PACT\n","article":"  Governments of major Asian\n  producing countries have welcomed the conclusion of a new\n  International Natural Rubber Agreement (INRA), but growers and\n  traders are unhappy with the development, according to views\n  polled by Reuter correspondents.\n      Officials in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, which\n  produce the bulk of the world's rubber, said they expected the\n  new pact to continue to stabilise prices and help their rubber\n  industries remain viable in the long-term.\n      But traders and growers said they were against the new pact\n  because its buffer stock mechanism was likely to interefere\n  with free market forces and prevent sharp rubber price rises.\n      The new INRA, to replace the current one which expires on\n  October 22, was formally adopted by most of the world's\n  producers and consumers in Geneva last Friday.\n      It will be open for signature at the U.N. Headquarters in\n  New York from May 1 to December 31 this year and will enter\n  into force provisionally when ratified by countries accounting\n  for 75 pct of world rubber exports and 75 pct of world imports.\n      Malaysian Primary Industries Minister Lim Keng Yaik said\n  the formal adoption of a new pact had dispelled fears of\n  liquidation of some 360,000 tonnes of INRA buffer stock rubber\n  and a possible depression of prices.\n      He expressed confidence that the new INRA would continue to\n  keep prices stable by selling or buying rubber as prices rose\n  or fell through its buffer stock system.\n      Malaysia was also happy that in the new INRA financing of\n  purchases for the normal buffer stock of 400,000 tonnes and a\n  contingency buffer stock of 150,000 tonnes would be done\n  through direct cash contributions from members, he said.\n      Under the existing pact, members can borrow from banks to\n  finance INRA's buffer stock purchases. This has been viewed\n  with concern by some members who fear the INRA may become\n  indebted and ultimately face collapse, like the International\n  Tin Agreement.\n      \"This will ensure the buffer stock operation is carried out\n  without any financial encumbrance,\" Lim said.\n       Malaysia, the world's largest producer, was seeking\n  cabinet approval to join the new INRA and hoped other producers\n  and consumers would also become members, he said.\n      Officials in Jakarta said the new pact would bring benefit\n  to Indonesia's rubber industry's by stabilising prices.\n      It was unlikely to collapse like the tin agreement because\n  its new financial provisions had been tightened, they said.\n      Thai officials told Reuters they were optimistic the new\n  pact was viable because it strictly limited the extent of debt\n  the INRA buffer stock manager might commit to his market\n  operations.\n       Malaysian growers, however, said they preferred a free\n  rubber market because an INRA had a tendency to keep prices at\n  levels that were only acceptable to consumers.\n      \"With the INRA's ability to keep prices at a certain stable\n  level, consumers are assured of rubber at almost a fixed price,\n  while producers may never see sharp price rises,\" a Malaysian\n  Rubber Producers Council source told Reuters.\n      Producers also wanted a free rubber market without the\n  overhang of a 360,000 tonne INRA buffer stock which had\n  psychologically prevented price rises, he said.\n      State plantation officials in Sri Lanka said prices had\n  been depressed since INRA's inception and the creation of a\n  buffer stock, and they seemed unlikely to rise.\n      Sri Lanka should not be a member of the INRA because it was\n  expensive to maintain a buffer stock, they added.\n      Traders in the region, meanwhile, said prices might be\n  pressured by the new pact in the long term as its potential to\n  stabilise prices and buffer stock capacity would spur producers\n  to produce more.\n      Most Malaysian and Singapore traders said the new pact's\n  conclusion had little impact on prices and it was unlikely to\n  allow sharp price fluctuations in future.\n      \"The 360,000 tonnes in the INRA buffer stock must be\n  liquidated and a free market returned,\" a Malaysian trader said.\n      Japanese traders said the new pact had a chance for success\n  as most world producers and consumers had adopted it, but they\n  questioned the ability of some financially-strapped producers\n  to finance buffer stock operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CIBA-GEIGY, PHILLIPS PETROLEUM IN JOINT VENTURE\n","article":"  Ciba-Geigy AG <CIGZ.Z> said it would\n  establish a joint venture with Phillips Petroleum Co. In Europe\n  to manufacture a high performance engineering thermoplastic.\n      Initially, the Swiss chemicals firm will manufacture\n  polyphenylene sulfide compounds using resins from Phillips.\n      The two firms will later set up a joint venture to produce\n  the polyphenylene resins and compounds, which will be marketed\n  independently under their respective trademarks. A Ciba-Geigy\n  spokesman declined to say how much the venture would cost.\n      Polyphenylene sulfide is widely used in the electronic,\n  automotive, and petroleum fields.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"KRUPP TO BUILD SOUTH KOREAN STEEL PLANT\n","article":"  Fried. Krupp GmbH said its\n  Krupp Industrietechnik GmbH subsidiary has won a 130 mln marks\n  joint order with Samsung Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries Co.\n  Ltd of Seoul for a steel works in Pohang, South Korea.\n      It said the order, awarded by the Pohang Iron and Steel Co.\n  Ltd, involves a works due to go on stream in 1989 producing\n  250,000 tonnes of non-corrosive quality steels annually.\n      The consortium partners will supply the plant, supervise\n  its construction and advise on product processing, with Krupp\n  providing a 100-tonne capacity arc furnace and a converter for\n  steel refining.\n      The West German company will supply ladles, vehicles,\n  electrical and exhaust cooling apparatus and dust filters. It\n  will also fit out the plant's laboratory.\n      Among other things Krupp said it will provide know-how for\n  all production phases and train the Korean workforce.\n      It said Samsung will take care of the Korean part of the\n  engineering and electrical work, the water treatment and other\n  mechanical equipment, according to Krupp basic engineering.\n      Extruded ingots from the plant will be converted to sheet\n  in an existing hot rolling mill. The sheet will be processed in\n  facilities which are to be erected, Krupp said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SWIRE EXPECTS CONTINUED GROWTH THIS YEAR\n","article":"  Swire Pacific Ltd <SWPC.HKG> expects\n  continued growth in all divisions this year though it sees\n  problems in the marine sector, chairman Michael Miles said.\n      He told reporters:\"1987 has started well for Cathay Pacific\n  Airways which looks forward to another good year... Swire\n  Properties expects further good results both from properties\n  under development for sale and from its investment property\n  portfolio.\"\n      He did not give any specific projections for earnings. The\n  company earlier reported 46 pct higher 1986 net profits at 1.78\n  billion H.K. Dlrs from a year ago.\n      Swire also had an extraordinary profit of 1.38 billion dlrs\n  mainly from the sale of a 15.25 pct interest in Cathay Pacific\n  Airways Ltd <CAPH.HKG>.\n      Miles said the company will use the money to develop its\n  business, primarily in Hong Kong.\n      Swire's stake in Cathay was first reduced to 54.25 pct from\n  70 pct when Cathay was publicly floated, and then cut to 50.25\n  pct when Cathay issued new shares amounting to 12 pct of the\n  enlarged capital to the state-owned <China International Trust\n  and Investment Corp>. Cathay last week reported its 1986\n  profits rose to 1.23 billion dlrs from 777 mln a year ago.\n      Miles said despite last year's rapid expansion in Cathay's\n  flights and fleet, load factor is still holding up at 70 pct.\n      He said Cathay's growth last year was the result of \"a\n  marginal increase in the revenue load factor coupled with\n  savings in fuel costs.\"\n      \"At present fuel prices are stable and will remain stable\n  for the rest of this year,\" he said, \"though there might be a bit\n  of increase later this year.''\n      Miles said Swire is not abandoning its offshore oil service\n  operations, even though the marine sector is generally\n  depressed. \"Obviously the marine industry is not getting any\n  better,\" he said.\n      The real estate market remained strong and Swire last year\n  revalued its property portfolio up 634 mln dlrs compared with\n  an increase of 864.4 mln dlrs the previous year.\n      Miles said he expects the property market to remain firm\n  but said the firm has no available land for a major housing\n  project such as its Taikoo Shing development on Hong Kong\n  island now near completion.\n      He said the company's 50 pct unit <Hongkong United Dockyard\n  Ltd> is negotiating with the government for the development of\n  an existing petroleum storage depot into a major housing\n  estate. \"But it's not as big as Taikoo Shing,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDS EC SUGAR TENDER RESULT-TRADE\n","article":"  Considerable uncertainty surrounds the\n  outcome of today's EC white sugar tender, traders here said,\n  noting it remains overshadowed by European operator threats to\n  move over 800,000 tonnes of sugar into intervention.\n      They said that due to the dispute between the Commission\n  and producers over the issue, it is not clear whether the\n  Commission will authorise any exports at all or grant licences\n  on a large tonnage.\n      The subsidy is seen being set above 45.00 Ecus per 100\n  kilos, although traders are reluctant to predict a precise\n  level after prices fell yesterday.\n      Earlier, traders in Paris said they expected the Commission\n  to award licences for around 50,000 tonnes of white sugar with\n  a maximum export rebate of 45.75 to 46.0 Ecus.\n      Last week, the Commission granted licences to end August on\n  60,500 tonnes of whites at a maximum rebate of 44.819.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ABU DHABI TO REOPEN GULF OILFIELD HIT IN 1986 RAID\n","article":"  Abu Dhabi's offshore Abu al-Bukhoosh\n  oilfield in the Gulf, shut since an aerial attack last\n  November, will reopen when new anti-aircraft defences are\n  ready, and this could be in the next two months, oil industry\n  sources said.\n      They said the Abu Dhabi government and Compagnie Francaise\n  des Petroles (Total) <TPN.PA>, whose Total Abu al-Bukhoosh\n  subsidiary owns 51 pct of the field, have agreed on the\n  reopening, but that a date has not been definitely fixed.\n      Unidentified planes hit the field, 100 miles off Abu Dhabi,\n  last November 25.\n      The raid killed eight workers and destroyed the main living\n  quarters and a bridge linking a wellhead to the main production\n  platform.\n      Western diplomats in the region say Iran was responsible\n  but Tehran has blamed its Gulf War enemy Iraq.\n      Abu al-Bukhoosh was producing 57,000 barrels per day (bpd)\n  at the time of the attack, but the sources said it would resume\n  at a maximum of half that level because of reduced staff and\n  the fact only four of five wellheads were now operable.\n      The sources said only 80 personnel can be housed in\n  remaining accomodations, the sources said.\n      Facilities being installed to protect the field include\n  aircraft detection equipment, anti-aircraft missiles, housing\n  for military personnel and helicopter landing pads, the sources\n  said.\n      Abu Dhabi is the largest oil producer in the United Arab\n  Emirates, accounting for about 800,000 bpd of its total 1.15\n  mln bpd production, the sources said.\n      They also said Iran was working to reopen its Sassan field,\n  part of the same reservoir as Abu al-Bukhoosh and located only\n  a few miles away. Sassan was heavily damaged by an Iraqi air\n  raid only 10 days before Abu al-Bukhoosh was attacked.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COMALCO SAYS LOWER COSTS HELPED RETURN TO PROFITS\n","article":"  Comalco Ltd <CMAC.S> said its return\n  to profit reflected reduced costs, improved primary aluminium\n  prices and its withdrawal from a Japanese smelter venture.\n      It said the earlier reported 57.1 mln dlr profit for the\n  year ended December 31 against a 69.13 mln dlr loss in 1985 was\n  also aided by lower interest rates on U.S. Dollar debt and\n  greater sales of bauxite and aluminium.\n      Comalco said it expected to pay at least a four cents per\n  share final, dividend delayed until July 1 to take advantage of\n  proposed dividend imputation laws.\n      This would make five cents for the year against a first and\n  final of one cent in 1985.\n      Comalco said the aluminium industry continued to suffer\n  from low prices and excess capacity, though the weak Australian\n  dollar had helped earnings.\n      Withdrawal from the <Showa Aluminium Industries KK> joint\n  venture had been recapitalised in expansion by the <New Zealand\n  Aluminium Smelters Ltd> project with Japan's <Sumitomo\n  Aluminium Smelting Co Ltd>, permitting repayments and increases\n  in liquid funds totalling 165 mln dlrs, it said.\n      As previously reported Comalco's <Commonwealth Aluminium\n  Corp> unit has conditionally agreed to sell its smelter at\n  Goldendale, Washington, and port facilities at Portland, Oregon\n  to <Columbia Aluminium Corp>.\n      Comalco said it had made a 27.3 mln dlr extraordinary\n  provision for Goldendale losses and closure costs but that if\n  the sales agreement were completed it would reduce the\n  provision made in the 1986 accounts.\n      The other items in the total extraordinary loss of 140.5\n  mln dlrs were a 102.9 mln write-off of unrealised exchange\n  losses and 10.3 mln for an increase in future tax provision.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"RAINBOW LIFTS PROGRESSIVE STAKE TO 52 PCT\n","article":"  <Rainbow Corp Ltd> said it has\n  lifted its stake in supermarket group <Progressive Enterprises\n  Ltd> to 52 pct from 44 pct.\n      It said in a statement it has bought an extra 9.4 mln\n  shares at prices ranging from 3.80 N.Z. Dlrs to 4.80.\n      Progressive is currently the subject of both a proposed\n  merger with Rainbow and a full takeover bid from <Brierley\n  Investments Ltd> (BIL). The BIL bid, launched on Monday, is at\n  4.20 dlrs a share. The Rainbow merger involves shareholders in\n  both Rainbow and Progressive being issued shares in a new\n  company, <Astral Pacific Corp Ltd>, on a one-for-one basis.\n      Rainbow chief executive Craig Heatley said, \"In our opinion\n  BIL's actions over the last few days have been undertaken for\n  their own strategic purposes which conflict with the desire of\n  both companies to merge their interests.\"\n      BIL has said it is against the merger because it sees\n  Progressive shares as being worth twice as as much as\n  Rainbow's.\n      Progressive traded today at 4.42, Rainbow at 3.66 and BIL\n  at 4.30 at the end of morning trading on the New Zealand Stock\n  Exchange.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"YEN MAY RISE TO 140 TO THE DLR, NIKKEIREN SAYS\n","article":"  The yen could rise to 140 yen to the\n  dollar, a leading Japanese businessman said.\n      Bumpei Otsuki, president of the influential Japan\n  Federation of Employers' Associations, (Nikkeiren), told\n  reporters: \"The yen might rise as far as 140 (to the dollar).\n  The U.S. Economy is not good, and as long as the U.S. Economy\n  is not good, the U.S. Will put various pressures (on Japan).\"\n      \"The yen's level depends on the condition of the U.S.\n  Economy rather than Japan's economy, and as long as the\n  American situation is bad, the yen will continue to rise,\" he\n  said.\n      To cope with the negative impact of the strong yen,\n  Japanese enterprises must strive to cut costs by all means,\n  including holding down wages as much as possible, Otsuki said.\n      He rejected recent calls from some government quarters for\n  wage increases this year as a means of raising private\n  consumption and thus boosting domestic demand.\n      \"We have to keep wages as low as possible,\" he said.\n      He also said the yen's large and rapid rise is depressing\n  the outlook for the Japanese economy, noting that in addition\n  to hurting exporters it is also damaging domestic market\n  manufacturers through cheap imports.\n      Parts of the service sector are also threatened, Otsuki\n  said.\n      Tertiary industries provide services to manufacturers and a\n  downturn in manufacturing profits will adversely affect service\n  industries, he said.\n      It is also doubtful whether the tertiary sector can fully\n  employ those put out of work in the manufacturing sector, he\n  said.\n      Profits of service sector companies are likely to fall in\n  the business year ending in March 1988, leading to a possible\n  recession in the Japanese economy, he said.\n      Otsuki said economic growth is unlikely to pick up beyond\n  levels experienced in 1986.\n      The government's Economic Planning Agency said last week\n  the economy grew at 2.5 pct in 1986, the worst performance\n  since 1974 when the economy shrank 1.4 pct due to the first oil\n  price crisis.\n      In order to stimulate domestic demand and boost the\n  economy, tax reforms aimed at bringing down the cost of land\n  and reforming the nation's housing stock are needed, along with\n  steps to bring down the high cost of commodities, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"JAPAN BUYS MODEST AMOUNT OF DOLLARS, DEALERS SAY\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan bought a modest amount\n  of dollars this morning, possibly around 200 to 300 mln,\n  dealers said.\n      One dealer said the central bank bought about 200 mln dlrs\n  through brokers and the rest through banks. The buying began\n  when the dollar was at about 149.60 yen, and helped drive the\n  U.S. Currency up to around 150, he said.\n      Another said the central bank seemed to be trying to push\n  the dollar up above 150 yen. But heavy selling at around that\n  level quickly pushed the dollar back down towards 149 yen,\n  dealers said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"JAPAN DOES NOT INTEND TO CUT DISCOUNT RATE-SUMITA\n","article":"  Bank of Japan governor Satoshi Sumita\n  said the central bank has no intention of cutting its discount\n  rate again as a way of preventing the yen's rise.\n      He told a press conference that the growth of Japanese\n  money supply remains high.\n      The bank will have to watch closely various developments\n  resulting from its already eased monetary stance, such as the\n  sharp rise in real estate and stock prices, he said.\n      Although the yen's rise will have a greater deflationary\n  impact on the economy, the economy is not likely to slow down\n  much further, Sumita said.\n      \"I don't think we should change our economic outlook at the\n  moment,\" Sumita said.\n      Sumita has said in the past that he expects the economy to\n  show a gradual upturn in the second half of the year.\n      The governor said the six major industrial nations are\n  expected to review last month's pact on currency stability when\n  they meet next in April.\n      Dealers said they expect the six - Britain, Canada, France,\n  Japan, the U.S. Amd West Germany - to meet just before the\n  IMF\/World Bank interim committee meeting in Washington starting\n  on April 9.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET FORECAST REVISED TO SHOW SURPLUS\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had revised\n  its forecast of the liquidity position in the money market\n  today to a surplus of 150 mln stg after it estimated a flat\n  position earlier this morning.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BANK OF ENGLAND DOES NOT OPERATE IN MONEY MARKET\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had not\n  operated in the money market during the morning session.\n      Earlier, the Bank revised its forecast of the liquidity\n  position in the system today to a surplus of 150 mln stg from\n  its original estimate of a flat position.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"CRA EXPECTS TO PAY FINAL DIVIDEND OF 10 CENTS\n","article":"  CRA Ltd <CRAA.S> said it expected to\n  pay a final 1986 dividend of not less than 10 cents a share\n  after July 1, making 13 cents forthe year against 15 in 1985.\n      The mining and smelting group earlier reported 1986 net\n  earnings rose to 138.2 mln dlrs from 87.8 mln in 1985, against\n  analysts' forecasts yesterday of 125 mln to160 mln.\n      CRA said it was deferring consideration of a dividend until\n  later this year to provide the benefit of dividend imputation\n  to its shareholders. After July 1, dividends will be tax-free\n  to shareholders provided they come out of earnings on which the\n  full 49 pct company tax rate has been pid.\n      The company operates on a substituted tax year, not the\n  fiscal year ending June 30, and as a result has incurred tax at\n  the 49 pct rate on 1986 earnings, CRA said in a statement.\n      Consequently, it has funds available for distribution with\n  dividend imputed but is waiting to see the imputation\n  legislation before determining the final payout, it said.\n      Despite the higher net earnings, CRA said 1986 was a poor\n  year for the minerals industry, with the notable exception of\n  gold producers.\n      Prices for major metals expressed in real U.S. Dollars\n  declined to the lowest levels in about 50 years, it said.\n      Fluctuating exchange and interest rates added volatility\n  and uncertainty, while the revaluation of the yen is leading to\n  substantial restructuring of Japanese industry, CRA said.\n      World demand for metals is growing slowly. Inventories have\n  steadily declined, with supply and demand in better balance,\n  but overcapacity continues, CRA said.\n      Turning to contributions to its earnings, CRA said\n  Bougainville Copper Ltd <BUVA.S> contributed 31.3 mln dlrs\n  while its share of Comalco Ltd's <CMAC.S> net was 37.8 mln.\n      Net earnings from iron-ore operations were 111.8 mln dlrs\n  against 149.2 mln in 1985, it said.\n      Lead, zinc and silver mining and smelting operations\n  incurred a net loss of 66.8 mln dlrs against a 38.1 mln loss in\n  1985, CRA said.\n      Coal activities resulted in a net profit of 36.7 mln dlrs\n  against 34.1 mln, while salt raised its contribution to 4.7 mln\n  from 2.8 mln.\n      CRA's share of earnings from the Argyle diamond project\n  amounted to 12.0 mln dlrs against nine mln in 1985.\n      CRA said the main item in its 250.28 mln dlr extraordinary\n  loss was a 172.9 mln writeoff of unrealised foreign exchange\n  losses on borrowings as required by a new accounting standard.\n      Other extraordinary items were 63.3 mln dlrs provided for\n  closures and writedown of assets and a 14.1 mln increase in\n  future tax provisions, CRA said.\n      Cash flow continued at a high level, being 950.6 mln dlrs\n  before capital expenditure against 1.02 billion in 1985. The\n  strong cash flow, coupled with the proceeds of the 1986 rights\n  issue and the use of existing cash balances, enabled group debt\n  to be reduced by nearly 500 mln dlrs.\n      CRA said it held forward contracts at year-end to buy 985\n  mln U.S. Dlrs to hedge part of its foreign debt. This cost 47.0\n  mln dlrs after tax, included in the net interest cost.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"EXCHANGE RATES ALMOST WITHIN G-6 LEVELS - SUMITA\n","article":"  Bank of Japan governor Satoshi Sumita\n  said that current exchange rates are almost within the levels\n  agreed to by six major nations last month in Paris.\n      Asked whether a dollar\/yen rate of 148 or 149 reflected\n  economic fundamentals, he said current rates almost reflect\n  fundamentals.\n      Sumita told reporters major nations have cooperated to\n  bring about currency stability in line with the Paris\n  agreement, which stipulated that they would closely cooperate\n  to that end. He repeated the central bank will intervene if\n  necessary, adding he did not think a dollar free-fall was\n  likely.\n      But Sumita said he could not say exactly what currency\n  levels would be considered in line with underlying economic\n  fundamentals.\n      In Paris on February 22, Britain, Canada, France, Japan,\n  the U.S. And West Germany agreed to cooperate to hold\n  currencies around their then current levels.\n      Sumita said he could not find any specific reasons behind\n  the fall of the dollar to a record low against the yen\n  yesterday. But he said the market rushed to sell dollars as it\n  nervously reacted to statements abroad and to developments\n  surrounding trade tensions.\n      U.S. Treasury Secretary James Baker said over the weekend\n  that the Paris pact did not encompass fixed tragets for the\n  dollar. U.S. Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter called\n  U.S\/Japan relations on certain key trade issues very strained.\n      The market reacted nervously because the dollar has been\n  moving narrowly against the yen since mid-January, Sumita said.\n  He added he does not expect the yen\/dollar exchange rate to\n  remain unstable because the market is concerned about a sharp\n  rise of the yen.\n      The Bank of Japan will keep a close watch on exchange rates\n  in line with the Paris accord, he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JAPAN ASKS TRADERS, EXPORTERS TO CUT DOLLAR SALES\n","article":"  The Ministry of International Trade and\n  Industry (MITI) has asked about 30 Japanese trading houses and\n  exporters to refrain from excessive dollar selling, trading\n  house officials said.\n      The officials told Reuters MITI asked them to moderate\n  their foreign exchange trading because the excessive rise in\n  the yen will have unfavourable effects on the economy. It made\n  the request by telephone.\n      A MITI official said the ministry has conducted a survey of\n  foreign exchange trading by trade houses and exporters. But he\n  said it was not aimed at moderating dollar selling.\n      The trading house officials said MITI had asked them to\n  undertake foreign exchange transactions with due consideration\n  to the adverse effects excessive exchange rate movements would\n  have on the economy.\n      The MITI official said MITI undertakes such surveys when\n  exchange rates fluctuate widely. A similiar survey was made\n  when the currency fell to the previous record low of 149.98 on\n  January 19. It hit a new record low of 148.20 yen yesterday.\n      He said the survey showed currency transactions by trade\n  houses and exporters contributed little to the dollar fall.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CENTRAL BANKS BUY DOLLARS FOR YEN IN LONDON\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan intervened to stem\n  strong yen rises against the dollar during London trading this\n  morning, dealers said.\n      The Bank of Japan here declined comment.\n      The Bank of England was also rumored to be buying dollars\n  against the yen this morning but it also declined comment.\n      Dealers said the intervention halted a sudden late morning\n  drop to a low of 148.65 yen, holding the dollar steady until\n  midsession at about 148.80.\n      The Bank of England was strongly rumored to have intervened\n  on behalf of the dollar against the yen yesterday, but it gave\n  no confirmation.\n      Overnight reports from Tokyo said that the Bank of Japan\n  was aggressively supporting the dollar, but failed to push it\n  back to the perceived target level of 150 yen.\n      Selling during the London trading morning was largely\n  attributed to Japanese institutions.\n      Dealers here were loath to quantify the scale of Bank of\n  Japan action this morning. One U.S. Bank trader said it could\n  have been up to 500 mln dlrs, but said this was largely a\n  guess.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"25-MAR-1987\n","article":"  25-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"OCEAN TRANSPORT AND TRADING PLC <OTTL.L> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Shr net basis 21.4p vs 17.5p\n      Div 6.1p making 9p vs 6.5p\n      Pretax profit 37.2 mln stg vs 31.9 mln\n      Net after tax 25.7 mln vs 20.3 mln\n      Minority interest 700,000 vs 1.1 mln\n      Extraordinary debit 1.9 mln vs 3.5 mln\n      Turnover 827 mln vs 766.9 mln\n      Note - The company said the sale of the minority holding in\n  OCL in 1986 has transformed the balance sheet and enables it to\n  accelerate development.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DART GROUP RAISES SUPERMARKETS GENERAL <SGL> BID\n","article":"  <Dart Group Corp> said it has\n  raised its offer to acquire Supermarkets General Corp to 42.00\n  dlrs in cash and three dlrs in exchangeable preferred stock per\n  Supermarkets General share from 41.75 dlrs per share in cash.\n      The company said it would also be willing to negotiate a\n  plan with the Supermarkets General board under which\n  Supermarkets General shareholders would have a common stock\n  interest in the combined company.  It said it remains willing\n  to negotiate all terms of the proposed acquisition.\n      The original bid was worth about 1.62 billion dlrs.\n      Dart said the preferred stock in the new bid would be\n  exchangeable for a new class of Supermarkets General debt\n  securities that would be developed by Dart and Supermarkets.\n      The new proposal would be subject to approval by the\n  Supermarkets General board, it said.  The new bid was contained\n  in a letter to the Supermarkets General board.\n      In Woodbridge, N.J., Supermarkets General -- responding to\n  a previous letter to its board by Dart -- said \"Your conduct\n  indicates to us that no transaction involving trust and\n  confidence can be entered into with you.  Your propaganda and\n  missstatements will not panic our board.\"\n      Dart, in its previous letter, had alleged that Supermarkets\n  General executives were seeking millions of dollar in severance\n  and tax payments from Dart.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"OLSON INDUSTRIES INC <OLSN> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 28 cts vs 1.16 dlrs\n      Oper net 194,000 vs 1,255,000\n      Sales 27.5 mln vs 30.5 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 2.68 dlrs vs 63 cts\n      Oper net 1,880,000 vs 684,000\n      Sales 100.5 mln vs 115.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 700,086 vs 1,079,165\n      NOTE: 1986 net excludes tax credits of 1,042,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and 1,603,000 dlrs in year.\n      Net excludes discontinued operations gain 330,000 dlrs vs\n  loss 385,000 dlrs in quarter and gain 485,000 dlrs vs loss\n  2,692,000 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OLSON <OLSN> TO HAVE LOSS FROM EGG UNIT SALE\n","article":"  Olson Industries Inc said\n  it is in final negotiations on the sale of its remaining egg\n  operations and expects the sale to generate a charge of about\n  two mln dlrs against 1987 net income.\n      The company said, however, that the sale will generate\n  substantial cash flow to pay off bank debt and improve working\n  capital, eliminate unmanageable effects on profits of the price\n  instability of the egg business and allow it to concentrate on\n  its plastics packaging business.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"E.D. And F. MAN TO BUY INTO HONG KONG FIRM\n","article":"  The U.K. Based commodity house E.D.\n  And F. Man Ltd and Singapore's Yeo Hiap Seng Ltd jointly\n  announced that Man will buy a substantial stake in Yeo's 71.1\n  pct held unit, Yeo Hiap Seng Enterprises Ltd.\n      Man will develop the locally listed soft drinks\n  manufacturer into a securities and commodities brokerage arm\n  and will rename the firm Man Pacific (Holdings) Ltd.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ORACLE CORP <ORCL> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 16 cts vs eight cts\n      Net 4,834,000 vs 2,052,000\n      Revs 34.9 mln vs 16.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 31.1 mln vs 26.8 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 26 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 8,006,000 vs 3,310,000\n      Revs 80.9 mln vs 34.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 30.8 mln vs 26.3 mln\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for two for one stock split.\n      Current year net includes capitalized software costs of\n  1,295,000 dlrs in quarter and 3,701,000 dlrs in nine mths.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ENTERRA CORP <EN> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 4.14 dlrs vs loss 19 cts\n      Net loss 37.1 mln vs loss 1,712,000\n      Revs 27.3 mln vs 33.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 5.51 dlrs vs loss 73 cts\n      Net loss 49.3 mln vs loss 6,544,000\n      Revs 109.0 mln vs 141.9 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 net both periods includes 34.8 mln dlr\n  weritedown of assets of services segment and Southeast Asian\n  joint venture.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JOHNSTOWN\/CONSOLIDATED REALTY TRUST <JCT> NET\n","article":"  4th qtr\n      Shr 15 cts vs eight cts\n      Net 1,800,000 vs one mln\n      Year\n      Shr 51 cts vs 1.10 dlrs\n      Net 6,200,000 vs 13.2 mln\n      NOTE: Net includes loan loss provisions of 14 cts shr vs 18\n  cts in quarter and 24 cts shr vs 36 cts in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DURIRON <DURI> COMPLETES VALTEK <VALT> PURCHASE\n","article":"  Duriron Co Inc said it has\n  completed the acquisition of Valtek Inc for 11.75 dlrs per\n  share following Valtek shareholder approval yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SWISS CAPITAL EXPORTS RISE IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Swiss capital exports rose to 4.64\n  billion francs in January after 2.54 billion in December and a\n  year earlier 3.64 billion, the Swiss National Bank said.\n      New bond issues accounted for 4.12 billion of the total\n  after December's 2.15 billion, and credits 525.1 mln after\n  389.9 mln.\n      In January 1985, before the National Bank ended the\n  distinction between notes and bonds, bond issues totalled 1.66\n  billion francs, notes 1.39 billion and credits 597.5 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WASHINGTON FEDERAL SAVINGS <WFSL> QUARTERLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 17 cts vs 17 cts\n      Pay April 24\n      Record April 7\n      Note: year ago adjusted to reflect March 19 three-for-two\n  stock split.\n      (Washington Federal Savings and Loans Association)\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ROWLEY-SCHER <RSCH> TO HAVE LOSS FOR YEAR\n","article":"  Rowley-Scher Reprographics Inc\n  said it expects to report an operating loss and a loss from the\n  sale of its Mid South Repro subsidiary for the year ending\n  MArch 31.\n      Last year, the company reported earnings of 977,000 dlrs.\n      Rowley-Scher did not disclose details of the sale of Mid\n  South Repro.\n      It said the sale has eliminated an unprofitable operation.\n      The company also said it will open two new reprographic\n  centers in the Washington\/Baltimore area within the next three\n  weeks, brining the total there to 11, and a new downtown Boston\n  location in the same time period, brining the number in the\n  Boston area to four.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DIXONS SAID IT GOT AND ACCEPTED ONLY 20 PCT OF CYCLOPS SHARES IN TENDER\n","article":"\n  DIXONS SAID IT GOT AND ACCEPTED ONLY 20 PCT OF CYCLOPS SHARES IN TENDER\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"DIXONS GETS ONLY 20 PCT OF CYCLOPS <CYL> IN BID\n","article":"  <Dixons Group PLC> said only about\n  852,000 shares of Cyclops Corp common stock, or 20 pct on a\n  fully diluted basis, were tendered and not withdrawn under its\n  bid for all shares that expired yesterday, but the companmy has\n  still decided to accept all shares validly tendered.\n      The company said it now has about 22 pct ownership of\n  Cyclops on a fully diluted basis and expects to proceeds toward\n  completion of its proposed acquisition of Cyclops.\n      Last week, before extending its Cyclops offer for one week\n  at the request of the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  Dixons had reported that 54 pct of Cyclops' stock had been\n  tendered in response to its 90.25 dlrs per share offer which\n  expired at 2400 EST yesterday.\n      Yesterday, CAYACQ Corp dropped certain conditions of its\n  92.50 dlrs a share offer for Cyclops and firmed up the\n  financing for the proposed transaction. CAYACQ, an investor\n  group led by Audio\/Video Affiliates Inc and Citicorp, raised\n  the value of its offer from 80 dlrs per Cyclops share on Friday.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CHINA CALLS FOR BETTER TRADE DEAL WITH U.S.\n","article":"  China called on the United States to\n  remove curbs on its exports, to give it favourable trading\n  status and ease restrictions on exports of high technology.\n      But the U.S. Embassy replied that Chinese figures showing\n  13 years of trade deficits with the U.S. Out of the last 15 are\n  inaccurate and said Peking itself would have to persuade\n  Congress to change laws which limit its exports.\n       The official International Business newspaper today\n  published China's demands in a  editorial to coincide with the\n  visit of U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz.\n       \"It is extremely important that the U.S. Market reduce its\n  restrictions on Chinese imports, provide the needed facilities\n  for them and businessmen from both sides help to expand Chinese\n  exports,\" the editorial said.\n       \"The U.S. Should quickly discard its prejudice against\n  favourable tariff treatment for Chinese goods and admit China\n  into the Generalised System of Preference (GSP).\n       \"Despite easing of curbs on U.S. Technology exports in\n  recent years, control of them is still extremely strict and\n  influences normal trade between the two countries,\" it added\n       The paper also printed an article by China's commercial\n  counsellor in its Washington embassy, Chen Shibiao, who said\n  that \"all kinds of difficulties and restrictions\" were preventing\n  bilateral trade fulfilling its full potential.\n       He named them as U.S. Protectionist behaviour, curbs on\n  technology transfer and out-of-date trade legislation.\n       The paper also printed a table showing that, since\n  bilateral trade began in 1972, China has had a deficit every\n  year except 1972 and 1977. It shows the 1986 and 1985 deficits\n  at 2.09 billion and 1.722 billion dlrs.\n       A U.S. Embassy official said the U.S. Did not accept\n  Peking's trade figures at all, mainly because they exclude\n  goods shipped to Hong Kong and then trans-shipped to U.S. While\n  U.S. Figures are based on country of origin.\n       He said that, if China wants to obtain GSP status, it will\n  have to lobby Congress itself to persaude it to amend several\n  laws which currently prevent Peking getting such status.\n       The U.S. Trade Act of 1974 says that to qualify for GSP,\n  China must be a member of the General Agreement of Tariffs and\n  Trade (GATT), for which it applied in July 1986, and \"not be\n  dominated or controlled by international Communism.\"\n       The official said China was well aware of the laws, some\n  of which date to the anti-Communist early 1950's, but that\n  there is not sufficient political will in the U.S. To change\n  them.\n       China has been the subject of about a dozen cases\n  involving anti-dumping in the U.S. Within the last two years,\n  which the U.S. Side won, he said.\n       But, for the first time, China signed last week an\n  agreement which it itself initiated to voluntarily restrain\n  exports of at least two categories of steel goods, which may\n  lead the U.S. Side to withdraw the anti-dumping case, he added.\n       Another diplomat said willingness to provide such\n  voluntary export restraints would be an important issue in\n  bilateral trade issues and in Peking's application to GATT.\n       \"China has the potential to disrupt world markets,\n  especially in textiles. Other GATT countries will be nervous\n  about China in this respect. But there is a precedent for other\n  centralled planned economies in GATT,\" the diplomat said.\n       Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Romania are members of\n  GATT but none has China's massive market potential for imports\n  or its vast labour pool to produce cheap exports.\n       In a speech today in the northeast city of Dalian, U.S.\n  Secretary of State George Shultz said his country welcomed\n  China's interest in participating in GATT.\n       \"The process of Chinese accession will not be accomplished\n  overnight -- the GATT rules were not designed for a large\n  economy of the Chinese type,\" Shultz said.\n       \"China can play an important role by actively joining GATT\n  discussions seeking to expand general trading opportunities and\n  enhance market access for exports worldwide. China can further\n  develop its foreign trade system so as to gain the maximum\n  benefit from its GATT participation,\" he said.\n       The problems facing U.S.-China trade and GATT membership\n  are similar -- a pricing system which many foreign businessmen\n  regard as arbitrary and not related to actual costs, especially\n  for exports, and a de facto dual currency system.\n       In a memorandum backing its application presented to GATT\n  last month, China said it was gradually reforming its economic\n  system and replacing mandatory instruction with \"guidance\n  planning\" and economic levers.\n       The diplomat said that, to join GATT, China had much to\n  do.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KAUFMAN AND BROAD HOME CORP <KBH> 1ST QTR FEB 28\n","article":"  Shr 17 cts vs seven cts\n      Net 4,678,000 vs 1,856,000\n      Revs 110.5 mln vs 61.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 27.0 mln vs 25.0 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"RENOUF HAS 93.4 PCT OF BENEQUITY <BH> UNITS\n","article":"  <Renouf Corp International> said it\n  now owns 93.4 pct of Benequity Holdings a California Limited\n  Partnership.\n      Renouf  said it has accepted for payment all 3,914,968\n  units of Benequity Holdings tendered in response to its 31 dlrs\n  per unit offer. Along with the 1,449,550 units already held by\n  Renouf, it now owns 93.4 pct of the 5,745,706 units outstanding.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"OIL ANALYST SEES PAPUA NEW GUINEA AS GOOD PROSPECT\n","article":"  Papua New Guinea\n  (PNG) provides the most exciting new prospect in the\n  Asia-Pacific region for oil production, energy analyst Fereidun\n  Fesharaki said here.\n      The recent successful find at Iagifu is likely to put PNG\n  on the list of major oil exporters by the early 1990s, he told\n  the Australian Petroleum Exploration Association annual\n  conference.\n      Fesharaki, leader of the Energy Program at the East-West\n  Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, was speaking on the Asia-Pacific\n  petroleum outlook.\n      With domestic demand of around 12,000 barrels per day (bpd)\n  and prospects of production of over 100,000 bpd by late 1991,\n  PNG would become an Ecuador-level crude exporter, Fesharaki\n  said.\n      The Iagifu wells in the Papuan Basin have recorded the best\n  oil flows in more than 60 years of exploration in PNG.\n      The PNG government's Geological Survey in a paper\n  distributed at the conference estimates Iagifu reserves at\n  about 500 mln barrels.\n      PNG enjoys the most liberal tax regime in the region with\n  no secondary taxes, Fesharaki said.\n      \"We expect a much larger oil search in Papua New Guinea, and\n  discovery of much larger volumes of oil, similar in quality to\n  (light) Bass Strait crude,\" Fesharaki said.\n      There are also large pockets of high quality condensates to\n  be produced, notably in the Juha field near Iagifu which is\n  capable of producing 30,000 to 40,000 bpd, he said.\n      But prices should be somewhat higher than the present\n  levels to justify development of the Juha field, he said.\n      The PNG Geological Survey paper noted there are five large\n  prospective but little-explored sedimentary basins in PNG.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USAIR GROUP INC <U> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div three cts vs three cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 16\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MCFARLAND <MCFE> TO BUY PETROMINERALS <PTRO>\n","article":"  McFarland Energy Inc\n  said its board and that of Petrominerals Corp have approved a\n  definitive agreement for McFarland to acquire Petrominerals in\n  an exchange of stock.\n      McFarland said it would exchange one common share for each\n  5.4 Petrominerals shares.  McFarland said former holders of\n  Petrominerals will have a 25 pct interest in the combined\n  company.\n      The merger is still subject to approval by shareholders of\n  both companies.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TIMMINCO ACQUIRES UNIVERSAL ADHESIVES\n","article":"  <Timminco Ltd> said it acquired\n  Universal Adhesives Inc, of Memphis, for undisclosed terms, in\n  a move to expand Timminco's operations into the United States.\n      The company said Universal Adhesives, with five U.S.\n  plants, has annual sales of 12 mln U.S. dlrs, which will double\n  Timminco's presence in the North American adhesives market.\n      Timminco said Universal Adhesives will complement the\n  company's Canadian-based industrial adhesives division and is a\n  key step in its long-term goal for expansion in the specialty\n  chemical field.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NO BUNDESBANK POLICY CHANGES EXPECTED THURSDAY\n","article":"  The Bundesbank is unlikely to change\n  its credit policies at its central bank council meeting on\n  Thursday, as exchange rates and short-term interest rates have\n  stabilized over the past few weeks, money market dealers said.\n      Attention in the money market is focused on tomorrow's\n  tender for a securities repurchase pact, from which funds will\n  be credited on Thursday, when an earlier pact expires, draining\n  16 billion marks from the system.\n      The tender was announced last Friday, because carnival\n  festivities closed banks in Duesseldorf yesterday, and will\n  close banks here this afternoon.\n      Because of the disruption to business from carnival,\n  minimum reserve figures for the start of the month are\n  unrealistic, making it difficult for banks to assess their\n  needs at the tender.\n      Dealers said the Bundesbank would want to inject enough\n  liquidity in this week's pact to keep short-term rates down.\n      But because of uncertainty about banks' current holdings,\n  the Bundesbank may well allocate less than 16 billion marks\n  this week, and top it up if necessary at next week's tender.\n      \"I would not be surprised if the Bundesbank cuts the amount\n  a little, to say 14 or 15 billion marks,\" one dealer said.\n      \"They would then stock it up at the next tender when the\n  need is clearer,\" he added.\n      An earlier pact expires next week, draining 8.5 billion\n  marks from the system. Banks also face a heavy but temporary\n  drain this month from a major tax deadline for customers.\n      Banks held 52.0 billion marks on February 27 at the\n  Bundesbank, averaging 51.0 billion over the whole month, just\n  clear of the 50.5 billion February reserve requirement.\n      Call money traded today at 3.85\/95 pct, up from 3.80\/90\n  yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<PALOMA PETROLEUM LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 32 cts vs 29 cts\n      Net 3,320,206 vs 2,990,695\n      Revs 13.5 mln vs 14.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET SURPLUS REVISED TO 250 MLN STG\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it revised up\n  its forecast of today's surplus in the money markets to 250 mln\n  stg from its earlier estimate of a 150 mln.\n      The central bank has not operated in the market today.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<AMERICAN RESOURCE CORP LTD> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr five cts vs 51 cts\n      Net 2,300,000 vs 22,500,000\n      Revs not given\n      Note: Prior shr and net include 20.3 mln U.S. dlr gain on\n  sale of equity holdings\n      Results in U.S. funds\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WASTE MANAGEMENT ENDS TENDER OFFER FOR CHEMLAWN\n","article":"\n  WASTE MANAGEMENT ENDS TENDER OFFER FOR CHEMLAWN\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"WEST GERMAN JAN COFFEE IMPORTS DOWN ON YEAR-AGO\n","article":"  West German gross green coffee imports\n  in January fell sharply to 38,616 tonnes from 54,576 in January\n  last year, figures from the Federal Statistics Office show.\n      Imports of decaffeinated unroasted coffee were 396 tonnes\n  against nil a year earlier.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ONE VALLEY BANCORP <OVWV> RAISES QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 26 cts vs 25 cts prior\n      Pay April 15\n      Record March 31\n      NOTE: One Valley Bancorp of West Virginia Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL DATA CORP <NDTA> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 31 cts vs 26 cts\n      Net 3,516,000 vs 2,972,000\n      Revs 40.0 mln vs 36.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 11.4 mln vs 11.2 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 89 cts vs 73 cts\n      Net 10.0 mln vs 8,146,000\n      Revs 116.8 mln vs 105.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 11.3 mln vs 11.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NVHOMES <NVH> SETS TWO-FOR-ONE SPLIT\n","article":"  NVHomes LP said its board declared\n  a two-for-one split of Class A units, payable to shareholders\n  of record on April 20.\n      It said certificates will be distributed about two weeks\n  after the record date.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"VANGUARD TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL INC <VTI>\n","article":"  Shr 19 cts vs 10 cts\n      Net 653,464 vs 287,606\n      Revs 10.6 mln vs 7,600,000\n      Year\n      Shr 68 cts vs 46 cts\n      Net 2,309,181 vs 1,408,813\n      Revs 38.4 mln vs 26.0 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"THOMSON MCKINNON U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Mthly div 7.3 cts vs 7.5 cts in prior month\n      Payable April six\n      Record Marcxh 30\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"THOMSON MCKINNON INCOME FUND DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Mthly div 8.5 cts vs 9.2 cts in prior month\n      Payable April six\n      Record Marcxh 30\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"(OAKRIDGE HOLDINGS INC) 2ND QTR DEC 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 48 cts vs four cts\n      Net 882,000 vs 82,000\n      Sales 968,000 vs 784,000\n      Six mths\n      Shr 53 cts vs 11 cts\n      Net 970,000 vs 202,000\n      Sales 2,001,000 vs 1,521,000\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes a gain of 26 cts a share from the\n  sale of a funeral home, and tax credits of 20 cts. 1985 net\n  includes tax credits of one cent in the quarter and 3.7 cts in\n  the six months period.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GENERAL COMPUTER CORP <GCCC> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 10 cts vs 20 cts\n      Net 146,000 vs 230,000\n      Revs 3,766,000 vs 3,271,000\n      Avg shrs 1,458,000 vs 1,125,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 15 cts vs 58 cts\n      Net 212,000 vs 653,000\n      Revs 10.6 mln vs 9,561,000\n      Avg shrs 1,458,000 vs 1,125,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BRIERLEY OFFER FOR PROGRESSIVE STILL VALID\n","article":"  <Brierley Investments Ltd>, (BIL),\n  said its offer of 4.20 N.Z. Dlrs per share for supermarket\n  group <Progressive Enterprises Ltd> still stands, although\n  <Rainbow Corp Ltd> said today it has 52 pct of Progressive.\n      BIL said in a statement it will review events on a daily\n  basis.\n      Rainbow announced earlier that it had increased its stake\n  in Progressive to 52 pct from 44 pct through the purchase of\n  9.4 mln shares at between 3.80 and 4.80 N.Z. Dlrs per share.\n      BIL chief executive Paul Collins said: \"All Rainbow has done\n  is to outlay a substantial amount of cash to purchase shares\n  from parties who presumably were supportive of the merger.\"\n      Rainbow has proposed a merger with Progressive to form a\n  new company, <Astral Pacific Corp Ltd>. Under the merger,\n  shareholders in both Progressive and Rainbow will be issued\n  shares in the new company on a one-for-one basis.\n      \"Quite simply, Rainbow should now bid for the balance of\n  Progressive Enterprises at 4.80 N.Z. Dlrs per share,\" Collins\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AVATAR HOLDINGS INC <AVTR> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 32 cts vs seven cts\n      Oper net 2,599,000 vs 550,000\n      Revs 94.4 mln vs 69.4 mln\n      NOTE: Net excludes tax credits of 1,405,000 dlrs vs\n  3,538,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NORWAY OFFERS 11TH LICENCE ROUND OFFSHORE BLOCKS\n","article":"  Norway has offered 10 new offshore blocks\n  to foreign and domestic applicants in the first phase of the\n  country's eleventh concession round, government officials said.\n      Company shares in each of the licences proposed by the Oil\n  and Energy Ministry are not final. The ministry has given the\n  companies 10 days to accept or decline the proposed shares.\n      French companies Ste Nationale Elf Aquitaine <ELFP.PA> and\n  Total Cie Francaise des Petroles <TPN.PA>, which were expected\n  to receive operatorships following France's agreement last\n  autumn to purchase gas from Norway's Troll field, were not\n  offered operatorships in this round, industry sources said.\n      Three eleventh round blocks were awarded in the\n  Haltenbanken exploration tract off central Norway, including\n  the Smoerbukk West field where Den Norske Stats Oljeselskap A\/S\n  <STAT.OL> (Statoil) was appointed operator.\n      Statoil will share the licence with subsidiaries of U.S.\n  Oil companies Tenneco Inc <TGT.N> and Texas Eastern Corp\n  <TET.N> and the Italian oil company <Agip SpA>'s Norwegian\n  subsidiary.\n      E.I. Du Pont de Nemours <DD.N> subsidiary Conoco Norway Inc\n  was named operator on Haltenbanken block 6406\/8 and will share\n  the licence with Statoil.\n      Norsk Hydro A\/S <NHY.OL> will operate nearby block 6407\/10\n  with partners Statoil, Norsk Agip A\/S, Royal Dutch\/Shell\n  Group's <RD.AS> A\/S Norske Shell and <Deminex> unit Deminex\n  (Norge) A\/S.\n      Statoil has been offered the operatorship on a new block in\n  the relatively unexplored Moere South exploration area south of\n  Haltenbanken, with A\/S Norske Shell, Texas Eastern and\n  <Petroleo Brasileiro SA> (Petrobras) also offered stakes in the\n  block.\n      Norwegian companies landed operatorships on all six blocks\n  opened in the Barents Sea area off northern Norway. The blocks\n  were awarded in three licenses, each covering two blocks.\n      Statoil will head exploration on blocks 7224\/7 and 7224\/8,\n  sharing the licence with Exxon Corp's <XON.N> Norwegian\n  subsidiary Esso Norge A\/S, The British Petroleum Co PLC's\n  <BP.L> BP Petroleum Development (Norway) Ltd, Shell, Norsk\n  Hydro and Saga Petroleum A\/S <SAGP.OL>.\n      Blocks 7219\/9 and 7220\/7 were awarded to Norsk Hydro, the\n  operator, Statoil, Mobil Corp's <MOB.N> Mobil Exploration\n  Norway, Petrofina SA's <PETB.BR> Norske Fina A\/S and BP.\n      The third Barents Sea licence, covering blocks 7124\/3 and\n  7125\/1, went to Saga Petroleum A\/S, the operator, Statoil,\n  Atlantic Richfield Co's <ARC.N> Arco Norge A\/S, Total Marine\n  Norge A\/S and Amerada Hess Corp <AHC.N>.\n      The oil ministry withheld awards on four strategic blocks\n  included in the eleventh round's second phase.\n      The ministry is accepting applications for phase two blocks\n  until early April and the awards will likely be announced this\n  summer, officials said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PERCEPTION TECHNOLOGY <PCEP> TO TAKE CHARGE\n","article":"  Perception Technology Corp said\n  it expects to take a charge of about 686,000 dlrs or 19 cts per\n  share against earnings for the second quarter ended March 31\n  due to the bankruptcy proceeding of customer T.C. of New York\n  Inc.\n      Perception said it has outstanding lease receivables from\n  T.C. of about 2,480,000 dlrs.\n      It said the exact amnount of the charge will depend on the\n  extent of recovery of the leased equipment involved and on\n  arrangements that might be made with the bankruptcy court on\n  the equipment.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" Bundesbank buys dollars for yen - Frankfurt dealers\n","article":"\n   Bundesbank buys dollars for yen - Frankfurt dealers\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"REUTERS TO BUY I P SHARP OF CANADA\n","article":"  Reuters Holdings Plc <RTRS.L> said it\n  had agreed in principle to buy <I P Sharp Associates Ltd> of\n  Toronto for 30.4 mln stg.\n      Sharp is a time-sharing network and database company\n  specialising in finance, economics, energy and aviation. It\n  operates a global packet-switching network and global limits\n  systems for foreign exchange trading.\n      Sharp shareholders will be offered cash, shares or a\n  mixture of the two in settlement. The acquisition, which is\n  subject to Canadian government approval, would be through\n  amalgamation into a specially-created company.\n      Reuters said it had been given options by a number of Sharp\n  shareholders covering 67 pct of the common stock pending\n  completion of a Reuters review of the company.\n      Sharp operates 38 offices in 20 countries. In 1986 it\n  reported revenue of 55 mln Canadian dlrs with a pretax loss of\n  1.6 mln compared with a 1.9 mln profit in 1985.\n      However, Sharp said that internal accounts showed the\n  company was in profit in the first two months of 1987.\n      End-1986 net assets totalled 11.85 mln dlrs.\n      A Reuters statement said the acquisition would fit\n  perfectly into its package for the banking and securities\n  industries.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HORIZON BANK <HRZB> SETS STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Horizon Bank said its board\n  declared a three-for-two stock split, payable April 21 to\n  holders of record April Seven.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WASTE <WMX> ENDS OFFER FOR CHEMLAWN <CHEM>\n","article":"  Waste Management Inc said its\n  wholly owned subsidiary, WMX Acquisition Corp, ended its tender\n  offer to buy shares of ChemLawn Corp at 35 dlrs a share.\n      All shares tendered to Waste Management will be returned to\n  shareholders as soon as practical, it said.\n      Earlier this week, ChemLawn agreed to accept a merger\n  proposal at 36.50 dlrs a share from Ecolab Inc in a transaction\n  valued at about 370 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"<ACKERLY COMMUNICATIONS INC> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.44 dlrs vs loss 1.50 dlrs\n      Net loss 10.1 mln vs loss 8,866,000\n      Revs 122.3 mln vs 112.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 7,671,855 vs 6,520,928\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UNITED MEDICAL <UM> TO SELL UNIT\n","article":"  United Medical Corp said it\n  has reached a definitive agreement to sell its hospital\n  distribution unit to <Myriad Group Inc> for undisclosed terms,\n  with closing expected in the next several weeks.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ITALY CONSUMER PRICES RISE 0.4 PCT IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Italy's consumer price index rose 0.4 pct\n  in February compared with January after rising 0.6 pct in\n  January over December, the national statistics institute\n  (Istat) said.\n      The year-on-year rise in February was 4.2 pct down from 4.5\n  pct in January and compared with 7.6 pct in February 1986.\n      Istat said its consumer prices index for the families of\n  workers and employees (base 1985) was 109.1 in February against\n  108.7 in January and 104.7 in February 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CCC ACCEPTS BONUS BID ON CATTLE FOR EGYPT - USDA\n","article":"  The Commodity Credit Corporation has\n  accepted a bid for an export bonus to cover the sale of 760\n  head of dairy cattle to Egypt, the U.S. Agriculture Department\n  said.\n      The delivery period for the cattle is April, 1987-June,\n  1988, it said.\n      The bonus of 1,870.00 dlrs per head was made to Esmah\n  Nevada Inc and will be paid in the form of commodities from the\n  CCC inventory.\n      An additional 7,199 head of dairy cattle are still\n  available to Egypt under the Export Enhancement Program\n  initiative announced September 12, 1986, the department said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"THATCHER DEFENDS UK OIL POLICY IN SAUDI INTERVIEW\n","article":"  British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher\n  denied in an interview published in Saudi Arabia today that her\n  government's oil policy contributed to weakness in world oil\n  prices.\n      She said the government was determined not to intervene to\n  influence production decisions by oil companies operating in\n  the North Sea.\n      \"We believe these must be a matter for the commercial\n  judgment of the oil companies,\" she told the Arabic language\n  daily al-Sharq al-Awsat in an interview coinciding with a visit\n  to London by King Fahd of Saudi Arabia.\n      Thatcher said this policy had not contributed to the fall\n  in oil prices as North Sea production was now about the same as\n  in 1984 when prices were close to 30 dlrs a barrel.\n      British production was on a plateau and was unlikely to\n  increase in the future, she said.\n      \"We naturally share the concern of Saudi Arabia and other\n  OPEC members about the harmful effects of oil market volatility\n  for both producer and consumer countries,\" Thatcher said.\n      \"On our part, we are careful to avoid any actions which\n  might add to such volatility.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"MARCH PRICES FELL IN GERMAN STATE ON YEAR-AGO\n","article":"  The cost of living in North\n  Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state, fell 0.1 pct\n  in the month to mid-March to stand 0.5 pct lower than at the\n  same time a year earlier, the regional statistics office said.\n      Prices had risen 0.3 pct in the month to mid-February but\n  had fallen 0.7 pct year-on-year.\n      The regional figures are considered a good guide to\n  national inflation trends. The Federal Statistics Office is due\n  to publish provisional national figures for March by the end of\n  this month.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BUNDESBANK BUYS DOLLARS IN FRANKFURT - DEALERS\n","article":"  The Bundesbank bought large amounts\n  of dollars for yen in an apparent attempt to hold the dollar\n  above 149 yen, dealers said.\n      The dollar intervention was in concert with some other\n  central banks, they said.\n      Dealers said the Bank of Japan and Bank of England\n  supported the dollar against the yen earlier today and that\n  these two banks and the U.S. Federal Reserve were also active\n  yesterday.\n      The Bundesbank declined to comment on the dealers' remarks.\n      Dealers said the intervention underlined the determination\n  of central banks to keep currencies within recent ranges\n  following last month's agreement in Paris by six leading\n  countries to foster currency stability.\n      One dealer said he had been repeatedly in contact with the\n  Bundesbank during the morning to see if it wanted to buy\n  dollars after the Japanese and U.K. Central bank moves.\n      He said the Bundesbank told him it was observing the\n  situation to see if it should intervene in consultation with\n  other central banks.\n      Since the Paris agreement on February 22 the dollar had\n  until yesterday traded in a 1.8150-1.8700 mark range, and above\n  150 yen, with traders reluctant to push the dollar down to test\n  central banks' resolve to defend currency stability.\n      But the test came this week with the dollar falling below\n  1.81 marks and 150 yen. Dealers said a reviving trade dispute\n  between Washington and Tokyo and growing sentiment that the\n  dollar would have to fall further to narrow the obstinate U.S.\n  Trade deficit were behind the weakness.\n      This week's intervention showed central banks were prepared\n  to cooperate to defend the Paris pact, dealers said.\n      Dealers said it was significant the West German and British\n  central banks were supporting the dollar against the yen.\n      That showed the pact involved multilateral cooperation by\n  central banks to foster currency stability, they said.\n      But it was unclear how such cooperation was being arranged\n  and how frequent consultations between central banks were.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CROSSLAND SAVINGS <CRLD>ACQUIRES WESTERN SAVINGS\n","article":"  CrossLand Savings FSB said it has\n  acquired Western Savings and Loand Co with the assistance of\n  the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corp.\n      CrossLand said Salt Lake City based Western has been\n  combined with its two Florida-based thrift subsidiaries. The\n  parent company contributed 50 mln dlrs in cash to the resulting\n  1.7 billion dlr asset subsidiary which will operate under the\n  name CrossLand Savings FSB with headquarters in Salt Lake City.\n      CrossLand said Western, with assets of 400 mln dlrs,\n  operated 13 branch offices in the states of California, Oregon,\n  Utah and Washington.\n      To facilitate the acquisition, CrossLand said, Western was\n  converted from a mutual to a stock association in a voluntary\n  supervisory conversion. Crossland and the FSLIC executived an\n  assistance agreement indemnifying CrossLand from certain losses\n  that could occur in connection with Western's loan portfolio.\n      The company said James J. Heagerty, chairman and chief\n  executive officer of CrossLand Savings FSLA in Bradenton, Fla.,\n  will serve in that capacity for the new subsidiary resulting\n  from the merger.\n      Western's president, Christopher J. Sumner, will be\n  president of the combined unit, CrossLand said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF ENGLAND DRAINS MONEY MARKET LIQUIDITY\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it drained\n  liquidity from the money market when it sold 167 mln stg of\n  treasury bills due March 27 at rates between 9-9\/16 and 10 pct.\n      Earlier, the bank estimated a surplus of around 250 mln stg\n  in the system today.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<IVACO INC> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.11 dlrs vs 1.04 dlrs\n      Net 44,092,000 vs 35,145,000\n      Revs 1.94 billion vs 1.34 billion\n      Note: 1986 results include extraordinary gain of 1,035,000\n  dlrs or six cts a share from secondary share offering of Canron\n  unit.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MOBIL PLAN TO OPEN PEKING OFFICE, CHINA DAILY SAYS\n","article":"  Mobil Corp <MOB.N> of the U.S. Plans to\n  open an office in Peking to develop oil exploration\n  opportunities in China, the China Daily said.\n      It quoted Mobil president Richard Tucker, currently in\n  Peking, as saying he is optimistic about investment prospects\n  in China and that Peking will continue to encourage foreign\n  private businesses to invest here.\n      It said Mobil bought 73 mln dlrs of crude oil and oil\n  products from China in 1986 and sold it lubricant and\n  fertiliser, but gave no more details.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VICORP RESTAURANTS INC <VRES> 1ST QTR FEB 15 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 1.17 dlrs vs loss 12 cts\n      Net profit 11.3 mln vs loss 1,038,000\n      Revs 104.6 mln vs 128.7 mln\n      NOTE: Current year net includes gain 9,500,000 dlrs from\n  the sale of its specialty restaurants unit, charge 1,200,000\n  dlrs from addition to insurance reserves, 4,600,000 dlr tax\n  credit and 660,000 dlr charge from debt repayment.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COMMERZBANK TO ACQUIRE AND FLOAT LINOTYPE\n","article":"  Commerzbank AG <CBKG.F> said it will\n  acquire <Linotype GmbH>, Europe's largest manufacturer of\n  type-setting and printing communications technology from Allied\n  Signal Inc <ALD.N> and float off the shares in the company.\n      Commerzbank declined to say how much it had paid for\n  Linotype.\n      Linotype's group turnover in 1986 rose 15 pct to more than\n  500 mln marks, the bank said. The group's net return on capital\n  was seven pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC EXPORT LICENCES FOR 59,000 TONNES WHITE  SUGAR AT REBATE 45.678 ECUS - FRENCH TRADERS\n","article":"\n  EC EXPORT LICENCES FOR 59,000 TONNES WHITE  SUGAR AT REBATE 45.678 ECUS - FRENCH TRADERS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. INTERVENTION BOARD DETAILS EC SUGAR SALES\n","article":"  A total 59,000 tonnes of current series\n  white sugar received export rebates of a maximum 45.678\n  European Currency Units (Ecus) per 100 kilos at today's\n  European Community (EC) tender, the U.K. Intervention Board\n  said.\n      Out of this, traders in West Germany received 34,750\n  tonnes, in the U.K. 13,000, in Denmark 7,250 and in France\n  4,000 tonnes, it added.\n      Earlier today, London traders had expected the subsidy for\n  the current season whites campaign for licences to end-Aug to\n  be more than 45.00 Ecus per 100 kilos but Paris traders were\n  more precise by forecasting a rebate level of 45.75 to 46.0\n  Ecus.\n      London traders were also reluctant earlier to predict the\n  likely tonnage to be authorised for export in view of the\n  on-going dispute between the Commission and European producers\n  over the threatened action by the producers to move over\n  800,000 tonnes to intervention.\n      Last week saw 60,500 tonnes whites athuorised for export at\n  a maximum rebate of 44.819 Ecus per 100 kilos.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PIONEER-STANDARD ELECTRONICS INC <PIOS> PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div three cts vs three cts prior\n      Pay May One\n      Record April Eight\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS CMTE FINISHES WORK ON BILL TO TOUGHEN TRADE LAWS\n","article":"\n  HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS CMTE FINISHES WORK ON BILL TO TOUGHEN TRADE LAWS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FABRI-CENTERS <FCA> 4TH QTR ENDS JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 40 cts vs 41 cts\n      Net 1,979,000 vs 2,101,000\n      Revs 67.7 mln vs 63.6 mln\n      12 mths\n      Shr 36 cts vs 20 cts\n      Net 1,798,000 vs 1,034,000\n      Revs 239.4 mln vs 233.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TSENG LABORATORIES INC <TSNG> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit one ct vs loss nil\n      Net profit 200,052 vs loss 56,782\n      Revs 2,394,198 vs 706,393\n      Avg shrs 17.8 mln vs 19.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr profit one ct vs profit one ct\n      Net profit 258,125 vs profit 164,553\n      Revs 4,225,731 vs 3,027,892\n      Avg shrs 17.9 mln vs 19.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PARK ELECTROCHEMICAL CORP <PKE> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div three cts vs three cts prior\n      Pay May 20\n      Record April 20\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL SEAMEN SAY STRIKE NEAR END\n","article":"  About half of Brazil's 40,000 seamen\n  have returned to work after accords with 22 companies, and the\n  national strike which began on February 27 looks close to\n  ending, a union spokesman said.\n      The spokesman, speaking from strike headquarters in Rio de\n  Janeiro, estimated that 80 ships were strike-bound.\n      The seamen have settled for 120 pct pay increases with the\n  individual companies but are still discussing the issue of\n  overtime payments with the shipowners' association, Syndarma.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KEY U.S. HOUSE PANEL FINISHES MAJOR TRADE BILL\n","article":"  The House Ways and Means Committee\n  completed action on legislation to toughen U.S. trade laws,\n  chairman Dan Rostenkowski said.\n      The committee's consideration of one of the most\n  controversial provisions, a plan to force major trade surplus\n  countries to cut their trade imbalance with the United States,\n  was deferred until the full House considers the trade bill, its\n  sponsor Rep. Richard Gephardt said.\n      Gephardt, a Missouri Democrat, told Reuters he was not\n  certain the exact form his trade surplus reduction proposal\n  would take. Last year the House approved his plan to force a 10\n  pct surplus cutback each year for four years, by countries such\n  as Japan.\n      The Ways and Means Committess' trade bill forces President\n  Reagan to retaliate against unfair trade practices that violate\n  international trade agreements but it allows him to wave\n  retaliatory tariffs or quotas if the action would hurt the U.S.\n  economy.\n      The trade bill gives U.S. Trade Representative Clayton\n  Yeutter more authority in trade negotiations and in decisions\n  to grant domestic industries import relief.\n      It also gives him authority to decide whether foreign trade\n  practices are unfair and violate U.S. trading rights. These\n  powers are currently held by President Reagan.\n      The administration has strongly objected to this transfer\n  of authority from Reagan to Yeutter.\n      The bill also extends U.S. authority to negotiate\n  multilateral trade agreements. The bill will be wrapped into\n  other trade legislation and voted on in the House in April.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RUSS TOGS INC <RTS> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 82 cts vs 76 cts\n      Net 4,200,000 vs 3,954,000\n      Sales 58.7 mln vs 60.6 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 2.68 dlrs vs 2.47 dlrs\n      Oper net 13.8 mln vs 13.0 mln\n      Sales 274.3 mln vs 276.8 mln\n      NOTE: Prior year net excludes loss 1,120,000 dlrs from\n  discontinued operations and loss on disposal of 922,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KLM TO TAKE 15 PCT STAKE IN AIR UK\n","article":"  KLM Royal Dutch Airlines <KLM.A> said\n  it agreed to take a 15 pct stake in Air U.K. Ltd, a subsidiary\n  of British and Commonwealth Shipping Plc <BCOM.L>, in a\n  transaction worth around two mln stg.\n     A KLM spokesman said KLM already cooperated closely with Air\n  UK, which runs 111 flights a week to Amsterdam's Schipol\n  airport from nine UK cities.\n     British and Commonwealth Shipping said last week it held\n  preliminary talks about a KLM minority stake in Air U.K. But\n  gave no further details. KLM said it hoped the move would\n  attract more British feeder traffic to Amsterdam Airport.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"THERMO PROCESS <TPSI> ACQUISITION TERMINATED\n","article":"  Thermo Process Systems Inc said\n  its proposed acquisition of the Surface Combustion Division of\n  privately-held <Midland-Ross Corp> has been terminated because\n  mutually satisfactory terms could not be established.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORANDA RAISES PRIMARY ALUMINUM PRICES\n","article":"  Noranda Aluminum Inc. said it has\n  increased its primary aluminum prices by two cents a lb,\n  effective with new orders as of March 25 and all shipments\n  beginning May 1.\n      The new price for unalloyed ingot will be 64.5 cents a lb\n  while the new price for extrusion billet will be 72.5 cents a\n  lb.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SOVIET PAPER DETAILS GEORGIAN FLOOD DAMAGE\n","article":"  Floods and avalanches killed 110 people\n  and caused around 350 mln roubles worth of damage in the\n  southern Soviet republic of Georgia earlier this year, the\n  government daily Izvestia said.\n      Some 80,000 hectares of agricultural land and gardens had\n  been inundated, damaging tea plantations and orange groves, the\n  newspaper said. It added that spring sowing in southern parts\n  of the country was some two weeks behind schedule because of\n  the late thaw but gave no precise crop estimates.\n      In the most detailed report to date on the heavy snows in\n  January and floods in February, Izvestia said 8,200 people had\n  been evacuated from mountain areas, 4,500 houses had been\n  damaged and hundreds of kilometres of roads and power lines had\n  been destroyed.\n      A separate article in the daily warned that a sudden thaw\n  was expected shortly in the Ukraine and southern parts of\n  Russia, which experienced record snows this winter.\n      Preventive measures have already been taken in some areas\n  including the evacuation of cattle.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"UTILICORP <UCU> SEES HIGHER 1987 FIRST QUARTER\n","article":"  Utilicorp United Corp\n  said it expects to report 1987 first quarter earnings of about\n  12 mln dlrs or about 1.12 dlrs a share and revenues of about\n  190 mln dlrs.\n      In the comparable quarter a year ago, Utilicorp earned 8.5\n  mln dlrs or 87 cts on revenues of 203 mln dlrs.\n      There are 9.6 mln shares outstanding this year, up from the\n  8.5 mln shares in 1986, Utilicorp's president Richard Green\n  told financial analysts here.\n      First quarter 1987 results include one month contribution\n  of West Virginia Power, which became a division on March 1,\n  1987, Green said in remarks prepared for delivery to analysts.\n      Higher earnings for the period reflected reduced operating\n  and maintenenace expenses and about 10 mln dlrs in rate\n  increases in Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas and Colorado, he said.\n      However, Utilicorp's Missouri Public Service division is\n  experiencing the effect of a 5.9 pct rate reduction authorized\n  in September 1986, he noted.\n      Of Utilicorp's total revenues expected for the 1987 first\n  quarter, about 43 mln dlrs will be derived from electric\n  operations and about 147 mln dlrs will come from gas\n  operations, he said.\n      Operating income derived from electric operations in the\n  first three months of 1987 is estimated to be eight mln dlrs,\n  while the contribution from gas operations will be about 10 mln\n  dlrs, Green said.\n      Green told analysts that Utilicorp received regulatory\n  approval from various states and the Federal Energy Regulatory\n  Commission to reincorporate in Delaware, effective April one.\n      Utilicorp signed an agreement with Cominco Ltd of Vancouver\n  to extend the deadline to May 31, 1987, for completion of the\n  company's purchase of West Kootenay Power and Light of British\n  Columbia, due to a longer than expected regulatory approval\n  process, he said.\n      Hearings were completed in February and a decision by the\n  British Columbia Utilities Commission on the 60 mln dlrs\n  purchase by Utilicorp is pending, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TSENG <TSNG> SEES SALES INCREASE FIRST QTR 1987\n","article":"  Tseng Laboratories Inc said it\n  expects first quarter 1987 sales to exceed total sales for the\n  entire 1986 year, and said it expects earnings for the quarter\n  to grow at a faster rate than sales.\n      Tseng posted total revenues for 1986 of 4,255,731, and net\n  income of 258,125, or 14 cts per share.\n      Jack Tseng, president of the company, attributed the high\n  expectations to increased orders from major costomers, as well\n  as accelerated business from its growing reseller network.\n      Tseng posted first quarter 1986 sales of 549,950, and net\n  income of 19,163, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"STOCKHOLDER SYSTEMS <SSIAA> MAKES ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Stockholder Systems Inc said it has\n  agreed in principle to acquire privately-held Software Concepts\n  Inc, which provides software for check processing, mortgage\n  application processing and safe deposit box accounting, for\n  undisclosed terms.\n      Software Concepts had revenues of about 3,200,000 dlrs for\n  the year ended June 30.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONCEPT INC <CCPT> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 11 cts vs five cts\n      Net 656,000 vs 314,000\n      Sales 8,868,000 vs 6,499,000\n      Avg shrs 5,823,000 vs 5,705,000\n      1st half\n      Shr 22 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 1,296,000 vs 795,000\n      Sales 17.3 mln vs 13.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,809,000 vs 5,973,000\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for five-for-four split in February\n  1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LIFE OF INDIANA CORP <LIFI> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss two cts vs profit six cts\n      Net loss 103,000 vs profit 319,000\n      Revs 4,357,000 vs 6,494,000\n      Avg shrs 5,415,185 vs 5,646,185\n      Year\n      Shr profit 22 cts vs profit 10 cts\n      Net profit 1,236,000 vs profit 570,000\n      Revs 22.2 mln vs 24.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,638,596 vs 5,646,185\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes tax credits of 30,400 dlrs in\n  quartger and 58,000 dlrs in year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"B.F. SAUL REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT <BFS> PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div five cts vs five cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 10\n      NOTE: B.F. Saul Real Estate Investment Trust.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SOUTH AFRICA PROBLEMS REMAIN DESPITE DEBT PACT\n","article":"  South Africa's new foreign debt\n  agreement sparked a rally in local financial markets, but\n  bankers and economists said the pact removes only one source of\n  anxiety from a still depressed economy.\n      \"We have not gone from 'no confidence' to 'full confidence'\n  yet,\" commented one banker, who saw the agreement as having\n  marginal influence on fundamental economic problems.\n      Money market analysts cited the debt renegotiation as the\n  main impetus behind increases today in both the commercial and\n  financial rand.\n      The commercial rand, used for current account transactions,\n  rose 0.5 cts to 49 U.S. Cts while the financial rand jumped\n  nearly two cts to 33 U.S. Cts.\n      All equity and fixed investment flows of foreigners take\n  place through the financial rand, which is considered the main\n  barometer of South Africa's attractiveness to overseas\n  investors.\n      Analysts predicted the debt arrangement plus further gains\n  in the gold price could push the commercial rand over 50 U.S.\n  Cts and the financial rand to 35 cents in the next few weeks.\n      They said the financial rand in particular was being driven\n  by a tentative provision in the new debt agreement that could\n  favorably affect the currency.\n      Foreign creditors may get permission to convert loan\n  balances and short-term claims into equity investments in South\n  Africa.\n      Finance Minister Barend du Plessis said the Reserve Bank\n  was \"investigating the implications of such conversions in light\n  of terms and restrictions of the financial rand system.\"\n      Du Plessis in disclosing the new agreement last night said\n  the recent sharp rise in the financial rand was an example that\n  \"some foreign investors are again taking a more realistic view\n  of South Africa.\"\n      Terms of the debt agreement call for South Africa to repay\n  1.42 billion dlrs of 13 billion dlrs of frozen debt over the\n  next three years. The agreement extends a standstill\n  arrangement, expiring June 30, that has been in place since\n  August, 1985.\n      Bankers said the repayment amounts essentially confirmed\n  their private estimates and could be comfortably met by the\n  monetary authorities.\n      \"They (creditors) asked for the maximum amount and we\n  offered the minimum,\" said one banking source, reacting to\n  reports from London that creditors were hoping for larger\n  repayments.\n      Reserve Bank governor Gerhard de Kock said South Africa\n  should have \"no difficulty whatsoever\" with the terms.\n      Economists said the debt agreement would have no\n  significant impact on economic problems continuing to face\n  South Africa including high rates of inflation and\n  unemployment, labour unrest and political uncertainty.\n      Johannesburg Stock Exchange president Tony Norton, speaking\n  yesterday before the debt agreement, said the economy was \"in\n  bad shape\" and there was \"an awful lot of talk but little action\"\n  to cure serious problems.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MAYTAG <MYG> SEES CAPITAL SPENDING UP IN 1987\n","article":"  Maytag Co said it expects capital\n  spending in 1987 to increase to about 60 mln dlrs from 49 mln\n  dlrs in 1986.\n      Maytag chairman and chief executive officer Daniel Krumm\n  said the company plans a \"significant\" investment at its\n  Admiral refrigerator plant in Galesburg, Ill., as well as\n  continued spending for product improvement and increased\n  efficiency at other Maytag facilities.\n      Earlier, the company reported 1986 net income of 111.2 mln\n  dlrs, or 2.57 per share, versus net income of 124.9 mln dlrs,\n  or 2.89 dlrs a share, in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRAVELERS <TIC> UNIT TO BUY REALTY DIVISIONS\n","article":"  The Travelers Corp's Travelers\n  Mortgage Services said it signed a letter of intent to buy two\n  subsidiaries of the privately-held <Equitable Life Assurance\n  Society of the U.S.>\n      The company said it plans to acquire the Equitable\n  Relocation Management Corp and the Equitable Realty Network\n  Inc.\n      The company said the acquisitions will give it broader\n  distribution of its corporate relocation service and mortgage\n  programs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COMMUNICATIONS AND CABLE INC <CCAB> 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr seven cts vs loss nil\n      Oper net 988,000 vs loss 52,000\n      Revs 2,267,000 vs 791,000\n      NOTE: Net excludes gains from discontinued operations of\n  65,000 dlrs vs 75,000 dlrs.\n      Current year net includes gain 1,025,000 dlrs from sale of\n  cellular telephone investment.\n      Prior year figures restated for discontinued operations.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" 3-MAR-1987 06:14:59.08\n","article":"   3-MAR-1987 06:14:59.08\n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"DALLAS INVESTOR CUTS STAKE IN MCDERMOTT (MDR)\n","article":"  A group led by Dallas investor\n  Harold Simmons told the Securities and Exchange Commission it\n  had reduced its stake in McDermott International Inc by one\n  pct, to under five pct.\n      The group had said in a March 10 filing, announcing\n  acquisition of 5.4 pct of the firm's stock, that it might\n  consider seeking control of the company.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INTN'L PLATINUM, DEGUSSA IN JOINT VENTURE TALKS\n","article":"  International Platinum Corp said it\n  signed a letter of intent to enter into further negotiations on\n  a joint venture exploration agreement with Degussa A.G., of\n  West Germany, regarding several North American platinum\n  properties.\n      Conclusion of the agreement is subject to completion of\n  further detailed examination by Degussa, as well as board and\n  regulatory approvals.\n      Under terms of the letter of intent, Degussa would\n  contribute substantially to a three year exploration budget of\n  4.5 mln dlrs in return for a 50 pct interest in the venture.\n      Degussa's contribution to the exploration budget will be\n  based on it matching International Platinum's past exploration\n  and acquisition costs, estimated at about two mln dlrs, and\n  then contributing on a pro rata basis, International Platinum\n  said.\n      Degussa's contribution would provide a major portion of\n  International Platinum's exploration budget, especially during\n  the first and second year of the proposed joint venture, the\n  company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WESTWOOD ONE INC <WONE> 1ST QWTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 12 cts vs eight cts\n      Net 1,440,000 vs 830,000\n      Revs 15.9 mln vs 11.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 12,342,000 vs 10,826,000\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IRAN SAYS HAS BETTER WEAPONS THAN SILKWORM\n","article":"  Iranian Prime Minister Mir-Hossein\n  Mousavi said Iran had \"more effective\" missiles at its disposal\n  than the shore-to-sea missiles which had provoked U.S. Concern,\n  Tehran Radio reported.\n      A U.S. State Department spokesman said last week Iran had\n  acquired Chinese-made Silkworm missiles which posed a greater\n  threat to shipping in the Gulf than the weapons previously\n  used.\n      Tehran Radio, monitored by the British Broadcasting Corp,\n  quoted Mousavi as saying that Tehran officially announced after\n  its forces overran southern Iraq's Faw peninsula in February\n  last year that it had shore-to-sea missiles.\n      \"The fact that the Americans, after so much delay, are now\n  thinking of expressing their concern with panic is because\n  Reagan needs this sensation now,\" said Mousavi, speaking after a\n  cabinet meeting in Tehran.\n      \"We also announce today that these missiles are not the\n  limit of our war capabilities in the Gulf,\" he added.\n      Mousavi said the security of the Gulf region had nothing to\n  do with the U.S. But Iran would resort to any action to defend\n  the Gulf, \"even those actions which are not thought probable by\n  Westerners.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC COMMISSION DETAILS SUGAR TENDER\n","article":"  The European Community Commission\n  confirmed it granted export licences for 59,000 tonnes of\n  current series white sugar at a maximum export rebate of 45.678\n  European Currency Units (ECUs) per 100 kilos.\n      Out of this, traders in West Germany received 34,750\n  tonnes, in the U.K. 13,000, in Denmark 7,250 tonnes and in\n  France 4,000 tonnes.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRICENTROL TO CONCENTRATE ON PROVEN RESERVES\n","article":"  Tricentrol Plc <TCT.L> said it will\n  concentrate most of its efforts this year on its proven oil and\n  gas reserves in order to maximise benefits to shareholders in\n  the mid to long-term.\n      It said in a statement \"We are confident that substantial\n  development funds will be available to Tricentrol and that we\n  will be able to minimise further disposal of our interests.\"\n      Tricentrol wrote off 57.5 mln stg on the reorganisation of\n  its North American operations last year, when oil prices\n  plunged. The group incurred a 1986 net loss of 3.7 mln stg\n  against a 25.4 mln profit the previous year.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BROOKLYN UNION GAS CO <BU> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div 41.5 cts vs 41.5 cts prior\n      Pay May One\n      Record April 6\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ARGENTINE PORT WORKERS TAKE INDUSTRIAL ACTION\n","article":"  Argentine port workers began an\n  indefinite protest against safety conditions at the port of\n  Buenos Aires, stopping work for one hour per shift, a press\n  spokesman said.\n      He said three port workers had died over the last month in\n  accidents. He said the decision to take action was made after a\n  port worker died yesterday after being electrocuted.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NOVAMIN SAYS IT RECEIVED PROPOSED TAKEOVER BID FROM BREAKWATER\n","article":"\n  NOVAMIN SAYS IT RECEIVED PROPOSED TAKEOVER BID FROM BREAKWATER\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"FED EXPECTED TO ADD RESERVES IN MARKET\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve will probably\n  intervene in the government securities market to add reserves\n  today, economists said.\n      They expected the Fed will supply temporary reserves\n  indirectly via 1.5 to two billion dlrs of customer repurchase\n  agreements.\n      Fed funds hovered at a relatively high 6-1\/4 pct this\n  morning after averaging 6.14 pct on Tuesday.\n      Early this afternoon the Fed also is expected to supply\n  reserves permanently, effective Thursday, by offering to buy\n  all maturities of Treasury bills.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INDIA REPORTED BUYING TWO WHITE SUGAR CARGOES\n","article":"  India is reported to have bought two\n  white sugar cargoes for April\/May shipment at its tender today\n  near 227 dlrs a tonne cost and freight and could be seeking a\n  third cargo, traders said.\n      A British operator is believed to have sold one of the\n  cargoes, while an Austrian concern is thought to have featured\n  in the second cargo sale, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NOVAMIN IN PROPOSED BUYOUT BY BREAWATER <BWRLF>\n","article":"  <Novamin Inc> said it received a\n  proposed takeover offer from Breakwater Resources Ltd involving\n  a swap of one Breakwater share for two Novamin common shares.\n      It said the proposal also called for conversion of\n  outstanding Novamin warrants into Breakwater common shares on\n  the same basis, provided the exercise price was paid by the\n  warrant holders.\n      Novamin, a mineral exploration company, said directors\n  would meet next Tuesday to deal with the proposal, which, it\n  said, was subject to approval by Breakwater directors.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"LILLY INDUSTRIAL COATINGS INC <LICIA> 1ST QTR\n","article":"  Feb 28 end\n      Shr 18 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 1,541,000 vs 1,122,000\n      Sales 36.7 mln vs 33.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 8,517,000 vs 8,441,000\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for five pct stock dividend in August\n  1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMMONWEALTY REALTY <CRTYZ>, BAY <BAY> END TALKS\n","article":"  Commonwealth Realty Trust said\n  preliminary merger talks with Bay Financial Corp have been\n  terminated due to a failure to agree on terms.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MET-PRO CORP <MPR> 4TH QTR ENDS JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 19 cts vs 18 cts\n      Net 362,692 vs 347,868\n      Revs 6,311,808 vs 5,827,538\n      12 mths\n      Shr 60 cts vs 80 cts\n      Net 1,152,746 vs 1,534,503\n      Revs 24.7 mln vs 25.2 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CENTRAL MAINE POWER CO <CTP> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 35 cts vs 35 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.K. RESERVES SHOW UNDERLYING RISE IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Britain's gold and currency reserves\n  showed an underlying rise of 287 mln dlrs in February, after a\n  72 mln dlrs rise in January, the Treasury said.\n      The underlying trend, which is a guide to Bank of England\n  operations to support the pound on foreign exchanges, is net of\n  borrowings and repayments.\n      This was above market expectations for a 100 mln dlrs rise.\n      The Treasury said the Bank of England used the opportunity\n  of strong demand to rebuild reserves after losses last autumn\n  and said the underlying rise was still relatively modest.\n      Actual reserves rose by 305 mln dlrs in February to 22.26\n  billion dlrs, after rising 29 mln in January to 21.95 billion.\n      Accruals of borrowings under the exchange cover scheme were\n  36 mln dlrs last month, after 163 mln in January, while\n  repayments were 16 mln dlrs after the previous 151 mln, a\n  Treasury spokesman said.\n      Capital repayments totalled two mln dlrs. In January,\n  capital repayments totalled 14 mln dlrs, with a valuation\n  change that resulted in a fall of 41 mln dlrs due to the\n  quarterly rollover from the European Monetary Cooperation Fund\n  swap.\n      The Treasury would not comment on the Bank of England's\n  market operations, but currency traders reported moderate Bank\n  of England intervention to curb upward pressure on the pound\n  today.\n      A Treasury spokesman, commenting on the reserves figures,\n  said that the government does not want sterling either to rise\n  too far or to fall substantially from current levels.\n      He noted that the Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson\n  stressed this after the recent Paris currencies meeting.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PEP BOYS <PBY> SETS SPLIT, RAISES QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Manny, Moe and Jack Inc\n  said its board declared a three-for-one stock split and raised\n  the quarterly dividend to six cts presplit from 5-1\/2 cts.\n      Both are payable July 27 to holders of record July One and\n  the\n      The split is subject to shareholder approval at the May 18\n  annual meeting of an increase in authorized common shares to\n  500 mln from 40 mln, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PEP BOYS - MANNY, MOE AND JACK INC <PBY> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Jan 31 end\n      Shr 45 cts vs 37 cts\n      Net 8,349,000 vs 6,187,000\n      Sales 126.7 mln vs 103.7 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.55 dlrs vs 1.29 dlrs\n      Net 28.1 mln vs 21.1 mln\n      Sales 485.9 mln vs 388.9 mln\n      NOTE: Latest year net includes three cts shr gain from sale\n  of assets.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES <HOV> EARNINGS TO RISE\n","article":"  Hovnanian Enterprises Inc said the\n  company's earnings for year would exceed the 1.65 dlrs a share\n  previously announced and could go as high as 1.75 dlrs for\n  fiscal year ended  Feb 28, 1987.\n      The company posted net earnings of 11.5 mln dlrs, or 1.72\n  dlrs per share, on revenues of 199.3 mln dlrs for fiscal year\n  1986. These figures reflect two three-for-two stock splits in\n  March and August 1986.\n      At the Annual Drexel Burnham Lambert Construction\n  Conference here, Hovnanian executive vice presidnt Ara\n  Hovnanian said the company expects an earnings range of between\n  2.35 dlrs and 2.55 dlrs per share for fiscal 1988.\n      Total revenues for the year ending Feb 29, 1988, should be\n  between 320 mln and 350 mln, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NY TRADERS SAY TURKEY MADE LARGE SUGAR PURCHASE\n","article":"  Turkey bought an estimated 100,000\n  tonnes of white sugar from three trade houses today for April\n  to June shipment, according to trade sources.\n      They said a large U.K. trade house sold 50,000 tonnes, a\n  U.S. house traded 25,000 tonnes, and a Swiss-based dealer house\n  25,000 tonnes.\n      Price details were unclear but reports this morning\n  suggested that Turkey was offered sugar at prices ranging down\n  to 212 dlrs a tonne, c and f basis.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JOHNSON SAYS FED'S ACTIONS YESTERDAY MEANT TO STABILIZE DOLLAR AT CURRENT LEVELS\n","article":"\n  JOHNSON SAYS FED'S ACTIONS YESTERDAY MEANT TO STABILIZE DOLLAR AT CURRENT LEVELS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SUNSTAR FOODS INC <SUNF> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 23 cts vs not reported\n      Net 282,000 vs 1,000\n      Sales 18.6 mln vs 18.7 mln\n      Six mths\n      Shr 48 cts vs 17 cts\n      Net 583,000 vs 213,000\n      Sales 37.8 mln vs 37.5 mln\n     NOTE: 1987 six months net includes a loss from discontinued\n  operations equal to two cts a share.\n      1986 net includes losses from discontinued operations of\n  four cts in the quarter and six cts in the six months.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"COMALCO SAYS LOWER COSTS HELP RETURN TO PROFITS\n","article":"  Comalco Ltd said its return to profit\n  reflected reduced costs, improved primary aluminium prices and\n  its withdrawal from a Japanese smelter venture.\n      It said the earlier reported 57.1 mln dlr profit for the\n  year ended December 31 against a 69.13 mln dlr loss in 1985 was\n  also aided by lower interest rates on U.S. Dollar debt and\n  greater sales of bauxite and aluminium.\n      Comalco said it expected to pay at least a four cents per\n  share final dividend, delayed until July 1 to take advantage of\n  proposed dividend imputation laws.\n      This would make five cents for the year against a first and\n  final of one cent in 1985.\n      Comalco said the aluminium industry continues to suffer\n  from low prices and excess capacity, though the weak Australian\n  dollar had helped earnings.\n      Comalco's Commonwealth Aluminium Corp unit said earlier it\n  has conditionally agreed to sell its Goldendale smelter in\n  Washington, and port facilities at Portland, Oregon to Columbia\n  Aluminium Corp. Comalco said its extraordinary provision of\n  27.3 mln dlrs costs for Goldendale losses and closure may be\n  reduced if the sales agreement were completed.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HADSON <HADS> TO ACQUIRE 85 PCT OF SEAXE <SEAX>\n","article":"  Hadson Corp said it has signed a\n  definitive agreement to acquire 85 pct of the outstanding\n  common stock of Seaxe Energy Corp.\n      The company said it will buy the 85 pct interest in Seaxe\n  from shareholders owning restricted or controlled shares for\n  less than 200,000 Hadson common shares.\n      It said closing is subject to the approval of title\n  assignments by the French government.  Seaxe is involved in oil\n  and natural gas exploration and development in the Paris Basin\n  of France.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"REUTERS TO BUY I P SHARP OF CANADA\n","article":"  Reuters Holdings Plc <RTRS.L> said it\n  had agreed in principle to buy <I P Sharp Associates Ltd> of\n  Toronto for 30.4 mln stg.\n      Sharp is a time-sharing network and database company\n  specialising in finance, economics, energy and aviation. It\n  operates a global packet-switching network and global limits\n  systems for foreign exchange trading.\n      Sharp shareholders will be offered cash, shares or a\n  mixture of the two in settlement. The acquisition, which is\n  subject to Canadian government approval, would be through\n  amalgamation into a specially-created company.\n      Reuters said it had been given options by a number of Sharp\n  shareholders covering 67 pct of the common stock pending\n  completion of a Reuters review of the company.\n      Sharp operates 38 offices in 20 countries. In 1986 it\n  reported revenue of 55 mln Canadian dlrs with a pretax loss of\n  1.6 mln compared with a 1.9 mln profit in 1985.\n      However, Sharp said that internal accounts showed the\n  company was in profit in the first two months of 1987.\n      End-1986 net assets totalled 11.85 mln dlrs.\n      A Reuters statement said the acquisition would fit\n  perfectly into its package for the banking and securities\n  industries.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TCBY ENTERPRISES <TCBY> SPLITS STOCK\n","article":"  TCBY Enterprises Inc said its\n  board has approved a three-for-two split of its common stock\n  with a distribution to be made on April 24 to stockholders of\n  record on April 9.\n      The split will increase the number of outstanding shares to\n  over 26 mln from about 17.3 mln shares now, the company said.\n      TCBY Enetrprises is a franchisor and operator of retail\n  stores specializing in frozen yogurt-related treats.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"RAYTHEON CO <RTN> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 45 cts vs 45 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"P.H. GLATFELTER CO <GLP> INCREASES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  P.H. Glatfelter said its\n  board increased its quarterly dividend on its common stock to\n  14 cts per share, from 12.5 cts per share the prior quarter.\n      It said the dividend is payable May 1, 1987, to\n  shareholders of record April 15, 1987.\n      In addition, the company said it authorized the repurchase\n  of up to an additional one mln shares of its common stock.\n      On March 27, 1985, the board had authorized the repurchase\n  of up to two mln shares, as adjusted for a two-for-one split,\n  effected in April 1986, the company said.\n      The company said 521,508 shares may still be repurchased\n  under the 1985 authorization. It added any shares repurchased\n  would be added to the treasury and will be available for future\n  issuance.\n      The company said it has no present plans to issue any of\n  the shares which may be repurchased. The company said it\n  presently has 24,614,352 common shares outstanding.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LIFE OF INDIANA CORP <LIFI> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 19 cts vs profit 57 cts\n      Net loss 103,005 vs profit 319,344\n      Year\n      Shr profit 22 cts vs profit 10 cts\n      Net profit 1,236,347 vs profit 570,222\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"ULTRAMAR SELLS U.K. MARKETING UNITS FOR 50 MLN STG\n","article":"  Ultramar Plc <UMAR.L> said it had reached\n  agreement in principle to sell its wholly owned U.K. Marketing\n  companies to Kuwait Petroleum Corp for around 50 mln stg.\n      Ultramar's marketing units include <Ultramar Golden Eagle\n  Ltd> which in 1985 made a profit of around 1.4 mln stg before\n  financing and group administration charges. A small loss was\n  recorded for the first nine months of 1986.\n      The sale is due to take place on April 1 with the proceeds\n  intended to reduce group debt in the short term. But Ultramar\n  said the funds would ultimately be used for further development\n  of its core businesses in the U.K. And North America.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CONSOLIDATED NOREX TO ACQUIRE TRIWEB RESOURCES\n","article":"  <Consolidated Norex Resources\n  Ltd> said it agreed to acquire all issued and outstanding\n  shares of Triweb Resources Ltd, a privately held oil and gas\n  company with land holdings and production base in Alberta and\n  Saskatchewan.\n      The company said specific details relating to purchase\n  price and other terms will be released on closing of the\n  transaction, expected by May 15.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"THAI SUGAR PRODUCTION CONTINUES HIGH IN FEB\n","article":"  Thai sugar production continued at a\n  high level in February, latest figures received by the\n  International Sugar Organization (ISO) show.\n      The figures show stocks at end-February of 2.49 mln tonnes\n  raw value against 2.33 mln a year earlier. Analysts said this\n  was a new peak for the date.\n      Production in February was 961,000 tonnes against 888,000\n  in February 1986 and took the Nov\/Feb total for the current\n  crop to 2.25 mln tonnes. Production normally tails off sharply\n  after March, but in recent years production from March to the\n  end of the crop has been over 500,000 tonnes, analysts said.\n      Thailand's exports in February were 32,800 tonnes and\n  consumption 57,800.\n      Last month the Thai Agriculture Ministry said 1986\/87\n  production was expected to fall to 2.3 mln tonnes from 2.48 mln\n  in 1985\/86.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"REICHHOLD CHEMICALS INC EXPLORING POSSIBLE SALE OF EUROPEAN SUBSIDIARY\n","article":"\n  REICHHOLD CHEMICALS INC EXPLORING POSSIBLE SALE OF EUROPEAN SUBSIDIARY\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NY TRADERS EXPECT CHINA TO STEP UP SUGAR BUYING\n","article":"  Trade house sources said China is\n  expected to step up its sugar purchases following yesterday's\n  steep drop in world sugar prices.\n      The consensus is that the Chinese will buy between 200,000\n  and 400,000 tonnes of raw sugar.\n      \"China is short of foreign exchange and a drop in prices is\n  usually taken as a buying opportunity by Peking,\" one trader\n  said.\n      Yesterday, prices on the New York world sugar market\n  plummeted by 0.58 to 0.50 cent on heavy liquidation by\n  speculators, disenchanted over the market's lack of rallying\n  power.\n      Speculation is that China will need the sugar for the\n  May\/July period.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ROSS STORES INC <ROST> 4TH QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 1.30 dlrs vs profit 29 cts\n      Net loss 33.4 mln vs profit 7,386,000\n      Sales 168.2 mln vs 128.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.61 dlrs vs profit 30 cts\n      Net loss 41.4 mln vs profit 7,055,000\n      Sales 527.5 mln vs 366.7 mln\n      NOTE: Latest year net both periods includes 39.4 mln dlr\n  provision for closing 25 underperforming stores.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. BANK DISCOUNT BORROWINGS AVERAGE 310 MLN DLRS IN FEB 25 WEEK, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. BANK DISCOUNT BORROWINGS AVERAGE 310 MLN DLRS IN FEB 25 WEEK, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HONG KONG M3 RISES 2.2 PCT IN JANUARY\n","article":"  Hong Kong's broadly defined M3 money\n  supply rose 2.2 pct to 607.17 billion H.K. Dlrs in January,\n  after a 3.1 pct rise in December, for a year-on-year rise of\n  23.3 pct, the government said in a statement.\n      Local currency M3 rose 3.6 pct to 280.36 billion dlrs from\n  December when it was up 3.4 pct from November, for a rise of\n  16.3 pct on the year.\n      Total M2 rose 3.3 pct to 535.26 billion dlrs in January\n  from December when it rose 3.5 pct on the previous month. Local\n  M2 rose 4.7 pct to 249.03 billion dlrs in January from December\n  when it climbed 4.2 pct.\n      Total M2 and local M2 rose 32.5 pct and 23.9 pct on the\n  year-ago month, respectively.\n      Total M1 rose 12 pct to 62.84 billion dlrs in January after\n  a 5.0 pct rise the previous month. Local M1 rose 12.3 pct to\n  57.97 billion dlrs after a 6.2 pct rise. Total M1 and local M1\n  year-on-year growth was 32.5 and 32.6 pct, respectively.\n      Total loans and advances rose 3.3 pct to 517.19 billion\n  dlrs from December when they rose 1.2 pct.\n      Loans for financing Hong Kong's visible trade rose 3.4 pct\n  to 36.72 billion dlrs after a 1.8 pct rise in December.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NAVISTAR <NAV> STILL EXPECTS HIGHER 1987 NET\n","article":"  Navistar International Corp chairman\n  Donald Lennox repeated that benefits from recapitalization are\n  likely to boost future earnings for fiscal 1987.\n      Lennox told the annual meeting that future quarterly and\n  full year earnings from ongoing operations should be\n  \"significantly above 1986 results.\"\n      In his remarks, Lennox said management has no plans to\n  recommend reinstatement of the company's common stock dividend\n  in the foreseeable future.\n      He said the outlook for the medium duty truck market\n  continues to point to little or no change. But recent order\n  receipts indicate a \"firmer tone in the heavy duty truck\n  segment,\" which could result in a five to eight pct increase in\n  industry shipments for the full year, he said.\n      After restructuring under the holding company format, the\n  company's present truck and engine subsidiary will be known as\n  Navistar International Transportation Corp. Neil Springer\n  currently president and chief operating officer of Navistar\n  International was named chairman of the new subsidiary.\n      James Cotting, now vice chairman and chief financial\n  officer, was named to succeed Lennox as chairman and chief\n  executive officer of Navistar International Corp. Lennox will\n  retire March 31.\n      Shareholders at the meeting approved a change in the\n  company's structure to a holding company format, to be\n  effective April 1.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CORRECTED-LILLY INDUSTRIAL COATINGS INC <LICIA>\n","article":"  1st qtr Feb 28 end\n      Shr 18 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 1,541,000 vs 1,122,000\n      Sales 39.7 mln vs 33.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 8,517,000 vs 8,441,000\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for five pct stock dividend in August\n  1986.\n      Company corrects current year sales.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. SENATE PANEL APPROVES TRADE MISSION BILL\n","article":"  The U.S. Senate Agriculture\n  Committee approved a bill that would establish farm trade and\n  aid missions to promote the use of U.S. food aid, donation,\n  credit and export subsidy programs by overseas customers.\n      The bill, approved by voice vote, would establish trade\n  missions made up of representatives of the Departments of\n  Agriculture and State, the Agency for International\n  Development, the Overseas Private Investment Corp, market\n  development cooperatives and private voluntary organizations.\n      At least 16 missions would have to be sent within one year\n  after enactment of the bill. The missions would promote U.S.\n  programs, including PL480, Section 416 donations, Export\n  Enhancement Program, the dairy export incentive program, and\n  export credit guarantee programs (GSM-102, GSM-103).\n      The panel agreed to drop a provision in the original bill,\n  offered by Sen. John Melcher (D-Mont.), that would have\n  required the U.S. Agriculture Department to donate at least one\n  mln tonnes of surplus commodities to developing countries.\n      Current law requires USDA to donate at least 750,000 tonnes\n  of surplus grains and dairy products under the Section 416 food\n  donation program.\n      The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the proposed\n  increase in the minimum tonnage requirement would have cost up\n  to 50 mln dlrs per year, Senate staff said.\n      The committee also dropped a provision identifying which\n  countries would be the focus of the trade missions' activities.\n      Under the bill adopted by the committee, countries \"friendly\n  to the United States\" would be eligible to host the trade\n  missions.\n      Melcher originally had proposed sending missions to Mexico,\n  the Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Senegal, Nigeria, Peru,\n  Kenya, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Malaysia, Venezuela,\n  Tunisia and Morocco.\n      The bill also would require the Foreign Agricultural\n  Service, FAS, to have at least 850 full-time employees during\n  fiscal years 1987-89. As of February 28, FAS had 790 full-time\n  employees, a FAS spokesman said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BAT SHARES UNDERVALUED, SAY STOCK MARKET ANALYSTS\n","article":"  BAT Industries Plc <BTI.L> 1986 results,\n  which were at the upper end of market expectations, showed the\n  company was in a strong position and that its shares were\n  probably undervalued, share analysts said.\n      BAT shares were down at 524p in late afternoon trading\n  after a previous 535p close. They touched a high of 538p\n  earlier on news of a 19 pct rise in annual profits to 1.39\n  billion pre-tax.\n      Stock market analysts said today's generally weak stock\n  market plus unwinding of positions after heavy buying of BAT\n  shares in the run-up to the results caused the fall in the\n  share price.\n      \"In the current market, people almost expect companies to\n  beat expectations,\" said one analyst, adding that pretax profits\n  of 1.35 to 1.40 billion stg had been forecast.\n      BAT's 1986 figure of 1.39 billion stg compared with a 1985\n  pretax profit of 1.17 billion.\n      Brokers noted that BAT's shift away from its\n  underperforming industries and the decreasing share of the\n  tobacco portion of the group were seen as good signs.\n      BAT Chairman Patrick Sheehy told a news conference that the\n  tobacco sector of the company had declined to 50 pct from 74\n  pct four years ago.\n      Sheehy said he could see the tobacco portion of the company\n  declining further as other sectors increased in importance.\n      He said BAT was looking to expand in the area of financial\n  services, in particular in the U.S.\n      Sheehy also said the group had \"no sizeable acquisitions\" in\n  sight in the near future.\n      Analysts said BAT's increasingly good performance in the\n  U.K. Insurance area was encouraging.\n      Its declining debt-to-equity ratio of currently about 16\n  pct also made it likely that BAT would soon be looking to make\n  major acquisitions, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"WOOLWORTH, UNDERWOODS FAIL TO AGREE ON BID\n","article":"  <Underwoods Plc> said it had not been\n  possible to agree terms on a bid to be made by Woolworth\n  Holdings Plc <WLUK.L> during talks.\n      The two companies had been holding exploratory discussions.\n  No spokesman for either company was immediately available to\n  say why terms could not be agreed, nor whether the possibility\n  of a bid was now being abandoned.\n      Last week, Underwoods shares rose 49p to 237p ahead of any\n  announcement of the talks. The announcement today brought them\n  back down to 214p from last night's close at 241p. Woolworth\n  was unchanged at 758p.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"REICHHOLD <RCI> EXPLORING SALE OF EUROPEAN UNIT\n","article":"  Reichhold Chemicals Inc said\n  it is exploring the sale of its stake in its European\n  subsidiary Reichhold Chemie AG.\n      Reichhold Chemie Ag, headquartered in Rausen, Switzerland,\n  had sales in excess of 75 mln dlrs last year. It is 83 pct\n  owned by Reichhold. The rest is owned by German and Swiss\n  shareholders.\n      Reichhold said it is seeking the sale to focus on its\n  adhesives business.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UAL SAID DONALD TRUMP WAS INTERESTED IN UAL STOCK \"AS INVESTMENT\"\n","article":"\n  UAL SAID DONALD TRUMP WAS INTERESTED IN UAL STOCK \"AS INVESTMENT\"\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"INT'L BROADCASTING <IBCA> SETS REVERSE SPLIT\n","article":"  International Broadcasting\n  Corp said shareholders at its annual meeting approved a one for\n  25 reverse stock split.\n      The split will be effective after completion of filing\n  requirements, it said. New certificates will be needed, it\n  added.\n      The media company said it currently has 40,950,000 common\n  shares issued and outstanding and, upon completion of the\n  reverse split, will have 1,638,000 shares outstanding.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BI INC <BIAC> SETS REVERSE SPLIT\n","article":"  BI Inc said it is implementing a\n  one-for-15 reverse split to shareholders of record today.\n      It said any fractional shares will be redeemed for cash,\n  reducing its free-trading stock in public hands to 1,300,000\n  shares from 20 mln and its total shares outstanding to\n  1,993,000 from 29.9 mln.\n      Shareholders approved the reverse split in October.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BALDRIGE SAYS JAPAN MUST OPEN ITS MARKETS\n","article":"  Commerce Secretary Malcolm Baldrige\n  said the United States will not stand idly by and let Japan\n  dominate the world electronics market.\n      Baldrige told the Senate Finance Committee the United\n  States would insist Japan open its markets to U.S. products as\n  the U.S. market is open to Japanese products.\n      Asked after his testimony if this meant the United States\n  would close its markets to Japan if they did not open theirs,\n  Baldrige said, \"I'm not prepared to say that, but it certainly\n  would be one of the alternatives studied.\"\n      Baldrige said in his testimony Japan had a closed\n  supercomputer market and a restricted telecommunications\n  market.\n      \"I can only conclude that the common objective of the\n  Japanese government and industry is to dominate the world\n  electronics market. Given the importance of this market to U.S.\n  industry in general and our defense base in particular, we\n  cannot stand by idly,\" he said.\n      He said it was these concerns about national security which\n  led him to express reservations over the proposed acquisition\n  of Fairchild Semiconductor by Fujitsu of Japan.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BASF CORP YEAR NET\n","article":"  Net 105 mln dlrs vs 39 mln\n      Sales 3.6 billion vs 2.6 billion\n      NOTE: Wholly-owned by <BASF AG> of West Germany.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NO BUNDESBANK POLICY CHANGES EXPECTED THURSDAY\n","article":"  The Bundesbank is unlikely to change\n  its credit policies at its central bank council meeting on\n  Thursday, as exchange rates and short-term interest rates have\n  stabilized over the past few weeks, money market dealers said.\n      Attention in the money market is focused on tomorrow's\n  tender for a securities repurchase pact, from which funds will\n  be credited on Thursday, when an earlier pact expires, draining\n  16 billion marks from the system.\n      The tender was announced last Friday, because carnival\n  festivities closed banks in Duesseldorf yesterday, and will\n  close banks here this afternoon.\n      Because of the disruption to business from carnival,\n  minimum reserve figures for the start of the month are\n  unrealistic, making it difficult for banks to assess their\n  needs at the tender.\n      Dealers said the Bundesbank would want to inject enough\n  liquidity in this week's pact to keep short-term rates down.\n      But because of uncertainty about banks' current holdings,\n  the Bundesbank may well allocate less than 16 billion marks\n  this week, and top it up if necessary at next week's tender.\n      \"I would not be surprised if the Bundesbank cuts the amount\n  a little, to say 14 or 15 billion marks,\" one dealer said.\n      \"They would then stock it up at the next tender when the\n  need is clearer,\" he added.\n      An earlier pact expires next week, draining 8.5 billion\n  marks from the system. Banks also face a heavy but temporary\n  drain this month from a major tax deadline for customers.\n      Banks held 52.0 billion marks on February 27 at the\n  Bundesbank, averaging 51.0 billion over the whole month, just\n  clear of the 50.5 billion February reserve requirement.\n      Call money traded today at 3.85\/95 pct, up from 3.80\/90\n  yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MONTANA POWER CO <MTP> VOTES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 67 cts vs 67 cts prior qtr\n      Pay 30 April\n      Record 10 April\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UAL <UAL> SAID TRUMP TALKED WITH UAL CHAIRMAN\n","article":"  Real estate magnate Donald Trump told\n  UAL Inc Chairman Richard Ferris that he was interested in UAL\n  stock as an investment, according to a UAL executive.\n      Trump, who was unavailable for comment, is believed by\n  market sources to have a sizeable position in UAL, which he\n  began accumulating several weeks ago. UAL stock today was up\n  three at 63 in active trading.\n      \"They (ferris and Trump) talked last week. Apparently,\n  Trump said he was interested in it as an investment. He didn't\n  say how much stock he had. He didn't say what he would or\n  wouldn't do about it,\" said UAL senior vice president Kurt\n  Stocker.\n      Trump is believed to have close to five pct of UAL's stock,\n  market sources said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TEAM INC <TMI> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit five cts vs loss 18 cts\n      Net profit 91,000 vs loss 355,000\n      Revs 11.5 mln vs 11.7 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr profit six cts vs loss 1.45 dlrs\n      Net profit 127,000 vs loss 2,846,000\n      Revs 31.8 mln vs 34.9 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TODD SHIPYARDS CORP OMITS QTLY COMMON DIV, SETS PREFERRED PAYOUT\n","article":"\n  TODD SHIPYARDS CORP OMITS QTLY COMMON DIV, SETS PREFERRED PAYOUT\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"RSI CORP <RSIC> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 33 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 2,266,000 vs 849,000\n      Revs 24.1 mln vs 16.0 mln\n      1st half\n      Shr 61 cts vs 24 cts\n      Net 4,236,000 vs 1,619,000\n      Revs 47.4 mln vs 33.5 mln\n      NOTE: Share after stock splits.\n      Net includes discontinued operations loss four cts shr vs\n  nil in quarter and loss seven cts vs gain one ct in half.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"RCM TECHNOLOGIES INC <RCMT> 1ST QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss one ct vs loss one ct\n      Net loss 89,844 vs loss 85,731\n      Revs 3,384,726 vs 4,646,285\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MCCLAIN INDUSTRIES INC <MCCL> 1ST QTR DEC 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 24 cts vs 13 cts\n      Net 380,325 vs 211,183\n      Sales 5,046,578 vs 3,941,764\n      NOTE: Current year net includes gain from sale of Sterling\n  Heights, Mich., plant of 174,000 dlrs.  Another 698,000 dlrs of\n  gain from sale sale has been treated as deferred income.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET SHORTAGE FORECAST REVISED UP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it revised up\n  its forecast of the shortage in the money market today to\n  around 500 mln stg from its initial estimate of 350 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SYNALLOY <SYO> ENDS PLANS TO SELL UNIT\n","article":"  Synalloy Corp said it has\n  ended talks on the sale of its Blackman Uhler Chemical Division\n  to Intex Products Inc because agreement could not be reached.\n      The company said it does not intend to seek another buyer.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"C-I-L ACQUIRING TRIMAC'S STAKE IN TRICIL\n","article":"  <C-I-L Inc> said it would exercise its\n  right to acquire <Trimac Ltd>'s stake in their jointly owned\n  Tricil Ltd for 91 mln dlrs, with closing expected May 22.\n      C-I-L added that the final price could be less, however,\n  depending on an Ontario court ruling resulting from a\n  previously reported legal action launched by C-I-L.\n      Mississauga, Ontario-based Tricil is a waste management\n  company with operations in the U.S. and Canada.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"EC INFLATION STARTS TO RISE AGAIN IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Inflation in the European Community,\n  which fell to its lowest since the 1960s between November and\n  January, started to take off again last month, figures from the\n  EC statistics office Eurostat showed.\n      Consumer prices were on average three pct higher than in\n  February 1986, the office said. This compared with a year on\n  year rise of 2.7 pct in January, the lowest for 25 years, and\n  was the highest figure since October.\n      Prices rose in February by 0.3 pct from January, after\n  rises of 0.4 pct in January and of 0.2 pct in each of the last\n  three months of 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PANTERA'S <PANT> TO BUY TEN PIZZA RESTAURANTS\n","article":"  Pantera's Corp said it agreed to\n  buy ten pizza restaurants in southeastern Colorado from\n  creditors foreclosing on the facilities.\n      The purchase price includes 1.25 mln dlrs in cash and\n  company stock, it said.\n      Separately, Pantera's said it issued an area development\n  agreement with a franchisee group for northeastern Colorado,\n  including the Denver area, for the opening of about 20\n  franchised Pantera's pizza restaurants.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALLIED-SIGNAL INC TO SELL LINOTYPE GROUP TO COMMERZBANK OF WEST GERMANY\n","article":"\n  ALLIED-SIGNAL INC TO SELL LINOTYPE GROUP TO COMMERZBANK OF WEST GERMANY\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ENERGY\/U.S. OIL OUTPUT\n","article":"  Energy Secretary John Herrington has\n  proposed several ways to boost U.S. oil production, but he said\n  all would cost the Treasury money and will come under close\n  White House scrutiny before action is taken.\n      One measure he said he favored would raise the depletion\n  allowance to 27.5 pct on new oil and gas production as well as\n  production using enhanced extraction methods.\n      Herrington said such a plan would cost 200 mln dlrs a year.\n  The White House, reacting, said it did not favor amending the\n  tax code, but would look at the proposal.\n      Herrington's proposals to spur production were made along\n  with the release last week of the energy department's report on\n  energy and the national security.\n      The report said U.S. oil imports, rapidly rising, could hit\n  50 pct by the mid 1990s and have potentially damaging\n  implications for national security.\n      He has said since in speeches and at news conferences that\n  any plan he would back to spur lagging domestic oil production\n  would have to meet three criteria--increase production, not\n  cause economic dislocation, and be low cost to the taxpayer.\n      Herrington said an import fee would meet the first test,\n  spurring production but fail the second and third.\n      He said it would raise production and return 120,000 oil \n  workers to their jobs, but at the same time it lifted oil\n  prices, the higher prices would cost 400,000 jobs nationwide\n  and cut the gross national product by 32 billion dlrs.\n      A tax on gasoline, he said, would fail the first criteria\n  by not increasing domestic production.\n      In any case, U.S. officials say, President Reagan remains\n  firmly opposed to an import fee and a gasoline tax.\n      Options which meet Herrington's criteria include:\n      - Loan-price guarantees to shield banks from defaults by\n  borrowers because of lower oil prices. It was estimated that if\n  oil fell to five dlrs a barrel it could trigger defaults that\n  could cost the government an estimated 15 billion dlrs.\n      - A five pct tax credit for exploration and development. It\n  would raise oil and gas production the equivalent of 325,000\n  barrels a day, at a cost of 740 mln dlrs a year.\n      - A five pct credit only for geological and geophysical\n  expenditures. It would increase production by 80,000 barrels a\n  day, at a cost of 65 mln dlrs.\n      - Lower bid minimums on outer continental shelf acreage to\n  spur exploration. A drop from the present 150 dlrs per acre for\n  the typical 5,760 acre tract to 25 dlrs per acre would lower\n  the cost of the standard tract lease to 144,000 dlrs.\n      Herrington also pressed anew for existing Administration\n  proposals to deregulate natural gas, which he said would cut\n  the need for imported oil by 300,000 barrels daily.\n      He also called again for Congressional approval to explore\n  off the continental shelf, which may hold more than 12 billion\n  barrels of oil, and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which\n  may hold nine billion barrels.\n      Herrington said he understood the Reagan's reluctance to \n  amend the newly enacted tax code to fund some of these\n  proposals, but added he hoped his department's energy\/security\n  study would make a strong case for the need to help the\n  struggling domestic oil industry.\n      Another move Herrington said he will press anew, even\n  though it had been rejected earlier by the White House, is to\n  raise the fill-rate for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to\n  100,000 barrels a day from its planned 1988 rate of 35,000.\n      This, he said, would further bolster national security in\n  case of an oil-supply disruption.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TODD SHIPYARDS <TOD> OMITS COMMMON DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Todd Shipyards Corp said it\n  omitted payment of the quarterly dividend on its common stock\n  and lowered the dividend on its series A preferred stock to 75\n  cts from 77 cts a share.\n      Todd said the 75 ct preferred dividend will be paid May one\n  to shareholders of record April 15.\n      The company said it omitted the common dividend to cover\n  both losses from a commercial ship conversion contract and\n  increased reserves for previously announced discontinued\n  shipyard operations.\n      In addition, the company said its lenders agreed to\n  temporarily reduce the net worth requirement of its revolving\n  credit and term-loan pact to 140 mln dlrs from 130 mln.\n      The reduction will hold through May 15, it said.\n      Todd said the reduction in the net worth requirement\n  allowed for the payment of the preferred dividend and prevented\n  it from violating covenants of its credit agreement.\n      The company said it is also negotiating with its lenders to\n  extend the reduced net worth terms beyond May 15.\n      Todd added that it has suffered financially because of the\n  U.S. Navy's unwillingness to release certain retentions under\n  completed ship construction contracts and a general decrease in\n  U.S. military spending.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IMO DELAVAL <IMD> SETS INITIAL DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Imo Delaval said its board\n  declared an initial quarterly dividend of 14 cts per share,\n  payable April 24 to holders of record on April 6.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"PAKISTAN TO RETENDER FOR RBD PALM OIL TOMORROW\n","article":"  Pakistan will retender for 6,000 tonnes\n  of refined bleached deodorised palm oil for second half March\n  shipment tomorrow, after failing to take up offers today, palm\n  oil traders said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS INC <NLCS>4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 25 cts vs 31 cts\n      Net 4,798,000 vs 5,380,000\n      Revs 65.3 mln vs 58.2 mln \n      Avg shrs 19.2 mln vs 17.5 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 84 cts vs 89 cts\n      Net 15,750,000 vs 15,191,000\n      Revs 262.1 mln vs 215.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 18.8 mln vs 17.1 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ALLIED-SIGNAL <ALD> TO SELL LINOTYPE UNIT\n","article":"  Allied-Signal Inc said it\n  agreed to sell its Linotype Group unit to <Commerzbank AG>\n  of West Germany for an undisclosed amount.\n      Allied-Signal said Commerzbank is expected to offer shares\n  of the unit to the public later this year.\n      The company said the agreement is subject to approval by\n  the government and its shareholders.\n      The Linotype unit, based in Eschborn, West Germany, had\n  revenues in 1986 of more than 200 mln dlrs, the company said.\n      The company said top management of Linotype plan to remain\n  with the unit, which has operations in the United States, West\n  Germany and the United Kingdom.\n      Allied-Signal announced in December that it planned to sell\n  the Linotype unit as well as six other businesses in its\n  electronics and instrumentation segment.\n      Linotype is a supplier of type and graphics composition\n  systems.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CONTINENTAL HEALTH AFFILIATES INC <CTHL> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr 10 cts vs five cts\n      Net 512,000 vs 230,000\n      Revs 16.8 mln vs 9,025,000\n      Year\n      Shr 55 cts vs 34 cts\n      Net 2,662,000 vs 1,541,000\n      Revs 57.5 mln vs 32.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CANADA SETS OIL INDUSTRY AID PACKAGE\n","article":"  Canada's federal government\n  will provide a 350 mln dlr oil industry aid package that\n  includes cash incentives designed to cover one-third of a\n  company's oil and gas exploration and development costs, Energy\n  Minister Marcel Masse announced.\n      The aid program will inject about 350 mln dlrs a year into\n  the oil and gas industry and could lead to more than one\n  billion dlrs in new investment, Masse told a news conference.\n      The program will affect drilling done anywhere in Canada on\n  or after April 1, 1987.\n      Masse told reporters that the government's oil industry aid\n  package is aimed at small and medium sized companies.\n      The aid package, called the Canadian Exploration and\n  Development Incentive Program, will restrict the total payments\n  that any individual company can claim to 10 mln dlrs a year.\n      Masse said the program will probably generate new\n  employment equivalent to 20,000 people working for a year.\n      He said oil industry aid is needed because exploration and\n  development spending dropped by at least 50 pct since world oil\n  prices fell during the first half of 1986.\n      Energy Minister Masse said the federal government decided\n  to provide cash incentives so a large number of non-tax paying\n  companies, mainly small Canadian firms, will receive the full\n  value of the incentive. Such companies would not immediately\n  benefit from tax benefits, he said.\n      The federal government also wanted to deliver an aid\n  program outside the tax system. Finance Minister Michael Wilson\n  is now reviewing Canada's tax system and plans to announce tax\n  reform proposals later this spring.\n      An important feature of the aid program is a decision to\n  let companies issue flow-through shares, allowing investors to\n  benefit from the subsidy rather than restricting benefits to\n  only participating companies, he said.\n      Allowing flow-through shares under the program will make it\n  easier for companies to attract investors in exploration and\n  development, Masse said.\n      He told reporters his department is still considering\n  whether to allow partnerships and other entities to qualify for\n  the subsidy.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MOBIL PLANS TO OPEN OFFICE IN PEKING\n","article":"  Mobil Oil Corp of U.S. Plans to open an\n  office in Peking to develop oil exploration opportunities in\n  China, the China Daily said.\n       It quoted Mobil president Richard Tucker, currently in\n  Peking, as saying he is optimistic about investment prospects\n  in China and that Peking will continue to encourage foreign\n  private businesses to invest here.\n       It said Mobil bought 73 mln dlrs of crude oil and oil\n  products from China in 1986 and sold it lubricant and\n  fertiliser, but gave no more details.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COCOA TALKS SLOW AT CRUCIAL STAGE - DELEGATES\n","article":"  International Cocoa Organization (ICCO)\n  talks on buffer stock rules have slowed during a crucial phase\n  of negotiations, delegates said, but they remained confident\n  about prospects for reaching agreement by Friday.\n      Cocoa producers, European Community (EC) consumers and all\n  consumers separately reviewed technical details of a buffer\n  stock rules package distributed yesterday.\n      The buffer stock working group of consumers and producers\n  was set to meet later today to debate the proposal jointly for\n  the first time, they said.\n      Delegates said major sticking points were likely to be the\n  amount of non-member cocoa allowed to be bought for the buffer\n  stock, and the fixed price differentials at which different\n  origin cocoas will be offered to the buffer stock manager.\n      Producers would prefer that non-member cocoa not be\n  included in the buffer stock because, if it is, countries such\n  as Malaysia benefit from the cocoa agreement without joining\n  it, the delegates said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NEWMONT GOLD <NGC> SEES GOLD SALES RISING\n","article":"  Newmont Gold Corp expects gold sales\n  in 1987 to rise about 22 pct to 577,000 ounces from 1986's\n  474,000 ounces, the company said in its annual report.\n      Newmont Gold, 95 pct owned by Newmont Mining Corp <NEM>,\n  said it expects significant increases in gold sales in 1988 and\n  1989 as well.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MESSIDOR TO MERGE WITH TRITON BELEGGINGEN\n","article":"  Messidor Ltd said it signed a letter\n  of intent to acquire 100 pct of the outstanding shares of\n  Triton Beleggineng Nederland B.V., a European investment\n  portfolio management company.\n      If approved, two mln shares of stock held by the Messidor\n  Ltd officers and directors would be issued to Triton\n  shareholders.\n      Triton will become a subsidiary of Messidor, it said.\n      If approved, the president of Triton, Hendrik Bokma, will\n  be nominated as chairman of the combined company.\n      There are about 1.5 mln Messidor units issued to the public\n  consisting of one share of common stock, four Class A common\n  stock warrants, four class B common stock warrants and four\n  class C common stock warrants.\n      In addition there are four mln restricted shares\n  outstanding.\n      Messidor said the acquisition is expected to be completed\n  by June three.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ENCOR ENERGY CORP INC YR NET LOSS 406.6 MLN VS PROFIT 35.4 MLN\n","article":"\n  ENCOR ENERGY CORP INC YR NET LOSS 406.6 MLN VS PROFIT 35.4 MLN\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MIDDLE SOUTH <MSU> TO FORM NEW DIVIDEND POLICY\n","article":"  Middle South Utilities Inc is taking a\n  conversative approach to formulating a new common stock\n  dividend policy, chairman Edwin Lupberger said.\n      He told securities analysts that when the company's common\n  dividend is resumed, \"the initial rate will appear conservative\n  to you by industry standards and in relation MSU's net income\n  and cash flow.\"\n      \"Our progress will determine how soon we can reinstate a\n  dividend to our common stockholders, he said.\"\n      The company last paid a common dividend of 44.5 cts a share\n  in July 1985.\n      Lupberger told the analysts that the company's primary\n  objective is \"to create financial strength, enough strength so\n  that what happened to us and our stockholders over the past\n  couple of years never happens again.\"\n      The company has faced regulatory challenges to rates\n  proposed to cover the cost of its Grand Gulf nuclear plant.\n      He said Middle South's net income is expected to post\n  \"modest growth\" over the next three years.\n      In 1986, the company earned 451.3 mln dlrs or 2.21 dlrs a\n  share on revenues of 3.49 billion dlrs.\n      Lupberger said, \"A good portion of the improvement\n  projected for the next three years comes from keeping the lid\n  on operating and maintenance expenses.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TWA SOLD FOUR MLN SHARES OF USAIR BELIEVED TO INSTITUTIONS, WALL STREET SOURCES\n","article":"\n  TWA SOLD FOUR MLN SHARES OF USAIR BELIEVED TO INSTITUTIONS, WALL STREET SOURCES\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. SUGAR POLICY MAY SELF-DESTRUCT, CONGRESSMAN\n","article":"  A leading U.S. farm-state\n  Congressman, Jerry Huckaby, D-La., warned he will press next\n  year for legislation to control domestic production of\n  sweeteners, perhaps including corn sweeteners, if the industry\n  fails to voluntarily halt output increases this year.\n      \"We're moving toward a direction where we could\n  self-destruct (the U.S. sugar program),\" Rep. Huckaby, chairman\n  of the House agriculture subcommittee dealing with sugar\n  issues, told Reuters in an interview.\n      Huckaby, who told U.S. sugarbeet growers earlier this year\n  they must halt production increases, said he will deliver the\n  same message to Louisiana sugarcane growers Friday. He also\n  said he will soon talk with corn refiners on the subject.\n      Huckaby said the campaign to urge a halt to domestic\n  sweetener output increases is an effort to forestall further\n  cuts in the sugar import quota, now at one mln short tons.\n      \"I think if we're talking about dropping (the quota)\n  another half mln tons, lets say, you're getting to the point\n  where the program might not work,\" he said.\n      \"Ideally, I'd like to freeze things right where we are,\"\n  said Huckaby, leading advocate for sugar growers in Congress.\n      A freeze would mean domestic sugar production at about the\n  current level of 6.5 mln tons, the corn sweetener share of the\n  U.S. market staying at just over 50 pct, and U.S sugar imports\n  holding at about 1.2 mln tons, Huckaby said.\n      A decision on whether to seek legislation will not be made\n  until 1987 output numbers are known late this year, he said.\n      \"I feel like if we didn't expand production, we could\n  probably hold where we are indefinitely, or at least through\n  the 1985 farm bill without any changes (in the sugar program),\"\n  Huckaby said.\n      However, much depends on whether high-fructose corn syrup\n  producers continue to expand their share of the U.S. sweetener\n  market from just over 50 pct, Huckaby said.\n      He noted most estimates are that corn sweeteners will\n  capture at most only another 10 pct of the sweetener market in\n  the U.S.\n      But he said if there were an economic breakthrough in the\n  production of a new crystalline corn sweetener which further\n  expanded the corn sweetener share, then U.S. sugar imports\n  might be eliminated and U.S. sugar output severely reduced.\n      Huckaby said he will deliver this message to corn refiner\n  companies such as A.E. Staley and Archer Daniels Midland soon.\n      \"This program is advantageous to the corn users. They have\n  some natural, legitimate self-interest in seeing that the\n  program is preserved,\" Huckaby said.\n      Huckaby said he has asked sugar industry representatives to\n  think about how domestic output could be controlled, either\n  through production allocations, acreage or marketing controls.\n      Huckaby also said he would be seeking guidance from the\n  Justice Department to determine if it would be legal to ask\n  corn refiners to limit production.\n      \"I don't know if we will go this route, but if we do\n  there's a question in my mind at this point in time; can you do\n  that legally?\" he said.\n      Asked if he would proceed with production controls without\n  the support of corn refiners, Huckaby said \"You build a fragile\n  house if you do it that way.\"\n      Huckaby said he understands why U.S. cane and beet farmers\n  have expanded production, because high sugar price support\n  means returns from sugar are higher than competing crops such\n  as soybeans and grain.\n      But he said for sugar growers as a whole, expansion would\n  not be good policy.\n      Huckaby said he has tried to stress, in his speeches to\n  sugar industry groups, that if growers continue to expand, they\n  may be penalized retroactively under any production control\n  legislation passed next year.\n      Huckaby said Congress is unlikely to approve any changes in\n  the sugar program this year despite a Reagan administration\n  proposal to drastically slash the program.\n      \"The administration proposal is so drastic, that I don't\n  think it will get up a head of steam,\" Huckaby said.\n      He said even a more moderate proposal to reduce sugar price\n  support is unlikely to be approved.\n      Instead of seeking to slash the domestic sugar program,\n  Huckaby said the Reagan administration should file a complaint\n  with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade against the\n  European Community's sugar policy. He said EC policies are the\n  major cause of the depressed world sugar market.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INVESTORS INCREASE STAKE IN FROST, SULLIVAN\n","article":"  One of a pair of private investors\n  in Frost and Sullivan Inc told the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission he increased his stake in the firm by about two pct,\n  to 15.4 pct.\n      He is Theodore Cross, Princeton, N.J., editor of Business\n  and Society Review.\n      The other investor is Mason Slaine, Cos Cob, Mass,\n  president of Dealers' Digest Inc.  He holds a 3.3 pct stake.\n      Cross told the SEC he bought the new shares at between 7.75\n  and 8.0 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LIBERIAN ORE CARRIER IN COLLISION IN RIVER ELBE\n","article":"  The Liberian motor bulk carrier, Trave\n  Ore, 106,490 dwt, loaded with ore, and the 2,852 dwt West\n  German motor vessel Christa, collided late last night on the\n  River Elbe near buoy 129, Lloyds Shipping Intelligence said.\n      The Trave Ore proceeded by its own means to Hamburg. The\n  Christa was taken in tow with a damaged bow.\n      The Liberian vessel was concluding a trip from Seven\n  Islands to Hamburg.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HERSHEY OIL CORP <HSO> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 19 cts vs loss 2.37 dlrs\n      Net loss 1,140,000 vs loss 13,608,000\n      Revs 1,069,000 vs 1,940,000\n      Year\n      Shr loss 53 cts vs loss 2.34 dlrs\n      Net loss 3,012,000 vs loss 13,433,000\n      Revs 4,945,000 vs 6,705,000\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"EG AND G INC <EGG> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 14 cts vs 14 cts prior\n      Pay May Eight\n      Record April 17\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<ENCOR ENERGY CORP INC> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr not given\n      Net loss 406.6 mln vs profit 35.4 mln\n      Revs 138.1 mln vs 211.9 mln\n      Note: 1986 net includes 545.7 mln dlr asset writedown\n  before 139.2 mln dlr recovery of deferred taxes.\n      48 pct-owned by Dome Petroleum Ltd <DMP>.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BRAZILIAN LABOUR UNREST SPREADS, MANY BANKS SHUT\n","article":"  Brazil's labour unrest is spreading,\n  with many banks, universities and government statistical\n  offices on strike and more pay disputes looming.\n      Bankworkers' leaders said that a national strike launched\n  yesterday to press for a 100 pct immediate pay rise and monthly\n  salary adjustments had the support of most of the 700,000\n  workforce.\n      The strike today closed the stock exchanges of Sao Paulo\n  and Rio de Janeiro.\n      For the government the one positive development on the\n  labour front was the gradual return to work of the nation's\n  40,000 seamen, who began a national strike on February 27.\n      A union spokesman in Rio de Janeiro told Reuters about half\n  the seamen had returned to work after accords with 22 companies\n  and that the strike looked close to an end.\n      Otherwise the labour scene looked bleak, with the bank\n  strike posing the most serious problems for Brazil's\n  crisis-laden economy.\n      \"If this goes on for more than a few days it will have a\n  serious effect because normal financial operations will grind\n  to a halt,\" said a western diplomat in Sao Paulo.\n      Today Brazil's 50,000 university teachers in the 42 federal\n  universities launched a national strike, with a broad political\n  demand as well as a pay claim.\n      David Fleischer, head of the political science department\n  in Brasilia university, told Reuters the National Association\n  of Higher Education Teachers wanted a full congressional\n  inquiry into what had happened to government education funds.\n      He said the universities were strapped for cash and that\n  the association suspected the junior partner in the coalition\n  government, the Liberal Front Party, PFL, of using education\n  funds for projects which had helped their candidates in\n  elections. The PFL holds the Education Ministry.\n      Hardly any sectors of the economy are proving immune to the\n  current labour unrest, caused by the return of high inflation,\n  officially pegged at 33 pct for January-February.\n      Other possible strikes looming include stoppages by oil\n  industry workers and social security workers.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<ASTA GROUP INC> UNIT IN LOAN PURCHASE\n","article":"  Asta Group Inc said its 50 pct\n  owned Liberty Service Corp affiliate has purchased about 50 mln\n  dlrs face value of credit card installment receivables from a\n  major financial institution it did not name for a significant\n  discount from face value.\n      It said the portfolio consists mostly of charged off loans.\n      The company also said it expects to realize a profit of\n  about 300,000 dlrs on its 25 pct interest in the Briarcliff\n  Manor condominium project in New York, with about 140,000 dlrs\n  of the profit being reflected in the year ending September 30.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ARDEN INTERNATIONAL <AIKI> 4TH QTR DEC 27 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr one ct vs two cts\n      Oper net 30,000 vs 62,000\n      Revs 2,315,000 vs 2,355,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr four cts vs nine cts\n      Oper net 95,000 vs 204,000\n      Revs 9,214,000 vs 9,950,000\n      Avg shrs 2,492,000 vs 2,351,000\n      NOTE: Full name is Arden International Kitchens Inc\n   More\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TWA <TWA> SELLS POSITION IN USAIR <U>\n","article":"  Trans World Airlines Inc sold four mln\n  shares it held in USAir Group Inc, Wall Street sources said.\n  The sources said the buyers are believed to be a group of\n  institutions.\n      Bear Stearns handled the trade. It crossed the four mln\n  shares at 45, off 1\/8. Bear Stearns would not comment on buyers\n  or sellers.\n      USAir and TWA had no immediate comment.\n      USAir later said it did not buy the stock. A company\n  spokesman would not comment further.\n      TWA earlier this month reported holding slightly more than\n  four mln shares, or about 15 pct of USAir. It had also proposed\n  a takeover of USAir, which at the time was negotiating its\n  proposed merger with Piedmont Aviation Inc.\n      On March 16, TWA withdrew its bid, saying it did not intend\n  to seek control of USAir Group or to acquire more of its stock\n  at the time.\n      TWA also said in the filing with the Securities and\n  Exchange Commission that its chairman, Carl Icahn is the target\n  of an SEC probe of alleged violations of securities laws.\n      In its filings with the SEC, TWA said it paid 178.2 mln\n  dlrs for its USAir stock.\n      \"With this out of the way, if it indeed was bought by\n  institutions, it paves the way for better value for USAir stock\n  later,\" said Janney Montgomery analyst Louis Marckesano of\n  TWA's sale of its stock.\n      \"Technically, as long as that block was overhanging the\n  market you didn't know what was going to happen,\" he said.\n      USAir stock was trading at 44-3\/8, off 3\/4 on volume of 4.4\n  mln shares. TWA stock rose one to 28-1\/4.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COMBUSTION ENGINEERING<CSP> SEES 1ST QTR NET OFF\n","article":"  Combustion Engineering Inc said\n  it expects first quarter earnings to be 20 to 25 pct below the\n  year-ago 13.6 mln dlrs, mainly due to financing costs resulting\n  from the January 1987 acquisition of AccuRay Corp.\n      The company said it has filed for an offering of four mln\n  common shares and 150 mln dlrs of subordinated debentures due\n  2017, with proceeds to be used to refinance the short-term bank\n  debt incurred for the AccuRay acquisition, to finance other\n  costs of the transaction and for general corporate purposes.\n      Combustion said 3,500,000 shares will be sold in the U.S.\n  and the remainder overseas.\n      Combustion paid about 218 mln dlrs for AccuRay, a maker of\n  computer-based measurement and control systems used in pulp and\n  paper mills.\n      The company said it expects to release first quarter\n  results in the third week in April.\n      Combustion said it expects further restructuring of core\n  businesses -- particularly Lummus Crest -- this year through\n  staff reductions downsizings and the consolidation of\n  facilities.\n      Combustion said the restructuring at Lummus Crest is\n  expected to substantially reduce but not eliminate this year\n  losses in the Engineering and Construction segment.\n      But it said improvement at Lummus Crest is expected to be\n  approximately offset by a number of factors, including a\n  somewhat lower level of earnings in the Power Generation\n  segment than in 1986, financing costs of the AccuRay\n  acquisition, costs associated with integrating AccuRay\n  technology and operations and delays in waste to energy\n  projects.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NEWMONT GOLD SEES ITS SALES RISING 22 PCT\n","article":"  Newmont Gold Corp expects gold sales\n  in 1987 to rise about 22 pct to 577,000 ounces from 1986's\n  474,000 ounces, the company said in its annual report.\n      Newmont Gold, 95 pct owned by Newmont Mining Corp, said it\n  expects significant increases in gold sales in 1988 and 1989 as\n  well.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"Unilever Plc and Nv combined 1986 pre-tax profit 1.14 billion stg vs 953 mln.\n","article":"\n  Unilever Plc and Nv combined 1986 pre-tax profit 1.14 billion stg vs 953 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"25-MAR-1987\n","article":"  25-MAR-1987\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER SAYS EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES WILL REDUCE TRADE DEFICIT THIS YEAR\n","article":"\n  TREASURY'S BAKER SAYS EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES WILL REDUCE TRADE DEFICIT THIS YEAR\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GATEWAY SPORTING BUYS INNOVATIVE DENTAL\n","article":"  Gateway Sporting Goods Co said it\n  acquired all of the shares of stock of Innovative Dental\n  Services Inc for an undisclosed amount of cash.\n      Gateway said the acquired company has contracts with 102\n  dentists in 144 locations.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER SEES CUT IN TRADE DEFICIT\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker said\n  the administration is confident the effect of exchange rate\n  changes will bring about a cut in the trade deficit this year.\n      In testimony before the Senate Committee on Governmental\n  Affairs, Baker conceded that the effect thus far has \"not yet\n  proved as quick or as strong as had been expected from past\n  experience.\"\n      He told the committee, however, that the \"initial signs are\n  encouraging.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CYCLOPS CORP REFORMS BOARD AFTER DIXONS GROUP FAILS TO GET MAJORITY OF CYCLOPS STOCK\n","article":"\n  CYCLOPS CORP REFORMS BOARD AFTER DIXONS GROUP FAILS TO GET MAJORITY OF CYCLOPS STOCK\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. BANK NET FREE RESERVES 644 MLN DLRS IN TWO WEEKS TO FEB 25, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  U.S. BANK NET FREE RESERVES 644 MLN DLRS IN TWO WEEKS TO FEB 25, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PAN ATLANTIC RE INC <PNRE> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 15 cts vs 1.07 dlrs\n      Oper net 372,000 vs 2,601,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr 80 cts vs 61 cts\n      Oper net 1,952,000 vs 1,491,000\n      NOTE: Net excludes realized investment loss 13,000 dlrs vs\n  gain 986,000 dlrs in quarter and gains 1,047,000 dlrs vs\n  1,152,000 dlrs in year.\n      1986 year net excludes tax credit 919,000 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"QUAKER CHEMICAL CORP <QCHM> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 12-1\/2 cts vs 12-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay April 30\n      Record April 17\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MIDDLE SOUTH <MSU> TO CONSIDER DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Middle South Utilities Inc will not\n  consider payment of a common stock dividend until there is\n  another ruling on a Mississippi Supreme Court order rolling\n  back rates at the company's Mississippi Power and Light Co\n  subsidiary, chairman Edwin Lupberger said.\n      He told security analysts Middle South was close to\n  recommending resumption of the common stock dividend when the\n  Mississippi court ordered the rate rollback. Following the\n  order, he noted, the unit cancelled a planned sale of preferred\n  stock. Middle South has petitioned the court for a rehearing or\n  a stay of the order while it is being appealed.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BELGIUM PLANS TO OUTLAW INSIDER TRADING\n","article":"  A Belgian finance ministry spokesman\n  said new rules planned on insider trading would enable\n  offenders to be fined and imprisoned for up to a year, and be\n  compelled to forfeit gains.\n      The new rules require parliamentary approval, and\n  government sources said it was unclear when they would come\n  into force. Insider trading is currently not an offence in this\n  country.\n      The cabinet approved a separate bill that analysts said\n  includes provisions to make more difficult the build-up of\n  major new stakes in Belgian companies.\n      The bill would make obligatory the declaration of major\n  stakes in companies quoted on the bourse with own resources of\n  more than 200 mln francs.\n      The Minister for Economic Affairs would need to be informed\n  in advance of deals under which foreign interests planned to\n  buy a new stake of more than ten pct of the voting shares in a\n  large Belgian company, or to increase an existing stake to more\n  than 20 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OWENS-CORNING FIBERGLAS <OCF> SELLS FOAM UNIT\n","article":"  Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp said\n  it sold its controlling interest in its French foam insulation\n  producing subsidiary to a Lafarege Corp <LAF> subsidiary.\n      Owens-Corning said it sold its interest in Sentuc Porxpan\n  SA for an undisclosed price.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. SHOE INC 4TH QTR SHR 31 CTS VS 56 CTS\n","article":"\n  U.S. SHOE INC 4TH QTR SHR 31 CTS VS 56 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER OUTLINES TRADE BILL CRITICISMS\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker said\n  that some of the trade bills proposed by Congress conflict\n  significantly with certain basic principles the Reagan\n  administration considers critical.\n      Baker told a Senate committee that the administration would\n  resist such measures as a general import surcharge,\n  sector-specific protection such as import quotas for individual\n  products, mandatory retaliation, and limits on presidential\n  discretion in negotiating more open markets abroad and other\n  trade steps.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. SHOE CORP <USR> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 31 cts vs 56 cts\n      Net 13.7 mln vs 25.2 mln\n      Sales 610.9 mln vs 575.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 45.0 mln vs 44.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 57 cts vs 1.46 dlrs\n      Net 25.5 mln vs 64.9 mln\n      Sales 2.00 billion vs 1.92 billion\n      Avg shrs 45.0 mln vs 44.5 mln\n      NOTE: Current year net both periods includes gain five cts\n  shr from sale of Just for Kids! and Giggletree mail order\n  catalogs and charges of 10 cts shr from writedowns of assets\n  related to the closing of linens and domestics stores and\n  leased departments and of leased shoe departments.\n      Year net includes LIFO inventory charges six cts shr vs two\n  cts shr.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"OPEC WITHIN OUTPUT CEILING, SUBROTO SAYS\n","article":"  Opec remains within its agreed output\n  ceiling of 15.8 mln barrels a day, and had expected current\n  fluctuations in the spot market of one or two dlrs, Indonesian\n  Energy Minister Subroto said.\n      He told reporters after meeting with President Suharto that\n  present weakness in the spot oil market was the result of\n  warmer weather in the U.S. And Europe which reduced demand for\n  oil.\n      Prices had also been forced down because refineries were\n  using up old stock, he said.\n      He denied that Opec was exceeding its agreed production\n  ceiling. Asked what Opec's output level was now, he replied:\n  \"Below 15.8 (mln barrels per day).\" He did not elaborate.\n      He said there appeared to have been some attempts to\n  manipulate the market, but if all Opec members stick by the\n  cartel's December pricing agreement it would get through\n  present price difficulties.\n      He predicted that prices would recover again in the third\n  and fourth quarters of 1987.\n      He also reiterated that there was no need for an emergency\n  Opec meeting.\n      He said Opec had expected to see some fluctuations in the\n  spot price. \"We hope the weak price will be overcome, and\n  predict the price will be better in the third and fourth\n  quarters.\"\n      Refiners, he said, appeared to have used up old stock\n  deliberately to cause slack demand in the market and the price\n  to fall. But Opec would get through this period if members\n  stuck together.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"ARGENTINE SOYBEAN YIELD ESTIMATES DOWN FURTHER\n","article":"  Argentine grain producers again\n  reduced their estimates for the total yield of the 1986\/87\n  soybean crop, which will begin to be harvested in mid-April,\n  trade sources said.\n      They said growers now forecast soybean production this\n  season at between 7.5 and 7.8 mln tonnes, down from last week's\n  estimate of 7.7 to eight mln tonnes and the 8.0 to 8.4 mln\n  tonnes forecast in mid-February.\n      The new forecast is still higher than last season's record\n  total production.\n      Private sources put 1985\/86 production at a record 7.2 to\n  7.3 mln tonnes -- 4.2 to 6.4 pct lower than the new forecast\n  for the current crop. The official figure for 1985\/86 is 7.1\n  mln tonnes, 5.6 to 9.9 pct below this season's new estimates.\n      Growers in the past week discovered more empty soybean pods\n  in the main producing areas of southern Cordoba and Santa Fe\n  provinces and northern Buenos Aires.\n      The crop since January has been hit by high temperatures\n  and inadequate rainfall. Growers fear they may find more empty\n  pods and have to further reduce their forecasts of total yield.\n      The area sown to soybeans this season was a record 3.7 to\n  3.8 mln hectares, 10.8 to 13.8 pct higher than the 1985\/86\n  record of 3.34 mln hectares.\n      The state of the crop continued to be good in general until\n  last week but intense, heavy rains since could have caused\n  damage in areas where rainfall was higher than 100 mm.\n      Where the rains were less heavy they were considered\n  beneficial although too late to improve yield estimates.\n      The rains also benefitted maize and sorghum crops in\n  southern Buenos Aires province but are not expected to\n  influence production forecasts.\n      In other areas, especially western Buenos Aires, where\n  rainfall was more than 200 mm, parts of the sunflower, maize\n  and sorghum crops not yet harvested may have been damaged.\n      The coarse grain crop harvest was interrupted last week by\n  rains which also reached over 100 mm in parts of Cordoba, La\n  Pampa and Santa Fe and almost 90 mm in parts of Entre Rios.\n      The area sown with maize this season was between 3.58 and\n  3.78 mln hectares, two to seven pct less than the 3.85 mln\n  hectares in 1985\/86.\n      The yield of 1986\/87 maize continued to be forecast at\n  between 9.9 and 10.1 mln tonnes.\n      This estimate is 19.8 to 20.2 pct lower than the 12.4 to\n  12.6 mln tonnes at which private sources put 1985\/86 production\n  and 21.1 to 22.7 pct lower than the official 12.8 mln tonnes.\n      The sunflowerseed harvest has covered 23 to 26 pct of the\n  area sown and continues in parts of central Buenos Aires\n  although at a standstill elsewhere due to rain and floods.\n      A resumption of full harvesting and assessment of damage is\n  impossible until rains stop and a spell of a week to 10 days of\n  sunshine dries the fields.\n      The area sown this season was 2.0 to 2.2 mln hectares, down\n  29.9 to 36.3 pct on last year's record 3.14 mln hectares.\n      Sunflowerseed 1986\/87 production is still forecast at 2.3\n  to 2.6 mln tonnes, 34.1 to 41.5 pct below the 1985\/86 record of\n  4.1 mln tonnes.\n      The grain sorghum harvest was the least affected by the\n  rains, advancing steadily in Santa Fe and Cordoba and starting\n  in La Pampa to cover 14 to 16 pct of the total area sown.\n      The area sown was 1.23 to 1.30 mln hectares, 10.3 to 15.2\n  pct less than the 1.45 mln hectares the previous season.\n      Yield estimates remained at 3.2 to 3.5 mln tonnes, 16.7 to\n  22 pct down on 1985\/86 production of 4.1 to 4.2 mln tonnes.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"VERTEX INDUSTRIES INC <VETX> 2ND QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr loss three cts vs loss four cts\n      Oper loss 40,870 vs loss 39,827\n      Revs 584,855 vs 727,432\n      Six mths\n      Oper shr loss two cts vs loss two cts\n      Oper loss 24,311 vs loss 26,947\n      Revs 1,246,992 vs 1,497,251\n      NOTE: Current periods exclude net gain of 150,865 dlrs from\n  termination of retirement plan for salaried employees. Also\n  excludes gain of 83,100 dlrs from in current qtr and gain\n  90,400 dlrs in six mths from benefit of tax loss carryforwards.\n      Company went public in September 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CYCLOPS <CYL> SAYS DIXONS APPOINTEES RESIGN\n","article":"  Cyclops Corp said the three\n  members of its board appointed last week by <Dixons Group PLC>\n  had resigned and that it named three Cyclops executives to\n  replace them.\n      Cyclops said the moves followed the announcement earlier\n  today by Dixons that it received only 20 pct of Cyclops\n  outstanding common stock under an extended tender offer that\n  expired yesterday.\n      Dixons initially ended its 90.25 dlr a share tender offer\n  on March 17 after receiving 54 pct of Cyclops shares.\n      However, the Securities and Exchange Commission last Friday\n  pressed Dixons to reopen the offer because the U.K.-based\n  company had dropped a condition that at least 80 pct of Cyclops\n  stock be tendered by the close of the offer.\n      Dixons then extended the offer until yesterday and earlier\n  today indicated that a substantial number of tendered Cyclops\n  shares had been withdrawn, leaving it with only 852,000 shares,\n  or just over 20 pct of the roughly 4.26 mln Cyclops shares\n  outstanding.\n      Dixons said today that it purchased the tendered shares,\n  which, when combined with the shares it already holds, gives it\n  a 21.7 pct stake in Cyclops.\n      Cyclops said its reconstituted board includes the three\n  newly named directors and five outside directors, all of whom\n  were on the board prior to Dixons tender offer.\n      The three Cyclops directors were replaced by Dixons\n  appointees on March 17 under an agreement reached between the\n  two companies.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ECUADOR NEGOTIATES WITH NIGERIA FOR LENDING OIL\n","article":"  Earthquake-stricken Ecuador is\n  negotiating with Nigeria to have the African country lend it\n  10,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude for export, Deputy Energy\n  Minister Fernando Santos Alvite told Reuters.\n      He said Ecuador was negotiating a shipments schedule and\n  the terms of repaying the loan. Ecuador has suspended crude\n  exports for about five months until it repairs a pipeline\n  ruputured by a March five tremor.\n      Santos Alvite added Ecuador is finalizing details for a\n  program under which Venezuela would temporarily lend the\n  country 50,000 bpd for export.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GIVEN 24 MLN STG ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided 24\n  mln stg help to the money market in the morning session.\n      This compares with the bank's upward revised shortage\n  forecast of around 500 mln stg.\n      The central bank purchased bank bills outright comprising\n  two mln stg in band one at 10-7\/8 pct and 22 mln stg in band\n  two at 10-13\/16 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NORTHERN STATES POWER CO <NSP> VOTES QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 47-1\/2 cts vs 47-1\/2 cts prior qtr\n      Pay 20 April\n      Record 6 April\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SUMMIT TAX EXEMPT BOND FUND <SUA> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div 40 cts vs 40 cts prior\n      Pay  Aug  14, 1987\n      Record April One, 1987\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.S. SENATE TRADE LEADER CONCERNED ABOUT CANADA\n","article":"  The chairman of the U.S. Senate\n  committee with jurisdiction over trade said he was concerned\n  about a resolution on bilateral trade negotiations adopted by\n  the Canadian House of Commons last week.\n      The resolution supports negotiation of a bilateral trading\n  agreement with the United States while protecting Canadian\n  political sovereignty, social programs, agricultural marketing\n  systems, the auto industry and Canada's cultural identity.\n      Senate Finance Committee chairman Lloyd Bentsen said the\n  resolution may jeopardize the viability of the proposed free\n  trade agreement between the two countries, which are each\n  other's largest trading partners.\n      \"We need a truly free trade agreement, which means both\n  countries have to work toward a deal that is mutually\n  beneficial and comprehensive, a large agreement,\" the Texas\n  Democrat said in a statement.\n      \"I do not question Canada's right to protect its political\n  sovereignty or cultural identity. However, if these phrases\n  mean the government of Canada means to take important economic\n  issues off the table in these negotiations, I am deeply\n  concerned,\" he added.\n      Bentsen said Canada restricts trade 15 different ways while\n  the United States uses only six trade restriction methods. He\n  said if Canada proposes an agreement where both countries get\n  rid of six methods of trade restriction, it would not be fair\n  and might not win Senate approval.\n      \"I am deeply concerned that when the President visits Prime\n  Minister (Brian) Mulroney next month, he will be presented with\n  this kind of argument, and I hope he makes it clear -- as I did\n  when I was in Canada -- that only a mutually beneficial\n  agreement will be successful,\" Bentsen said.\n      Reagan and Mulroney are scheduled to meet April 5-6 in\n  Ottawa.\n      Bentsen urged Mulroney to withdraw a proposal that would\n  ban imports of independently produced films into Canada by\n  non-Canadians, which the senator called a protectionist\n  measure.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"BAKER SAYS U.S. WILLING TO COOPERATE TO STABILIZE EXCHANGE RATES\n","article":"\n  BAKER SAYS U.S. WILLING TO COOPERATE TO STABILIZE EXCHANGE RATES\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BAKER SAYS U.S. WANTS TO STABILIZE EXCHANGE RATES\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker said\n  the United States and other nations were willing to cooperate\n  to stabilize foreign exchange rates at the levels that existed\n  at the time of an international agreement last month.\n      \"Our position with respect to the dollar goes back to the\n  Paris Agreement that the currencies were within ranges broadly\n  consistent with underlying economic conditions,\" Baker told a\n  Senate committee.\n      Baker continued, \"We said further that we and others are\n  willing to cooperate closely to foster stability in exchange\n  rates around those levels.\"\n      He referred to a February agreement by six leading\n  industrial nations to cooperate on monetary matters.\n      Baker refused to answer a question whether Japan and\n  Germany had done enough to stimulate their domestic economies\n  for the United States to support the dollar.\n      \"I will not comment because the foreign exchange market\n  reads more or less than is intended in my statements,\" Baker\n  said.\n      Baker said that the other signatories recognized that they\n  must carry their share of the load of correcting external\n  imbalances that have hindered the world's economy.\n      He cited news reports that Germany would increase a\n  proposed tax cut for 1988 by about five billion marks to\n  stimulate domestic growth.\n      Japan also agreed to consider stimulative measures after\n  the Japanese budget was made final.\n      Baker said those nations were stimulating their economies\n  in a manner consistent with gains against inflation.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRST FEDERAL DELAWARE AGREEMENT EXTENDED\n","article":"  <First Federal Savings Bank>\n  of Delaware said its agreement to negotiate exclusively for its\n  sale with <Oxford Financial Group> has been extended until\n  April 8 from March 18.\n      The company said it is in the final stages of talks with\n  Oxford over the terms of the proposed acquisition.  Under a\n  nonbinding letter of intent signed in June 1986, Oxford would\n  pay 11 dlrs per First Federal share, subject to First Federal\n  shareholder approval.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EDELMAN GROUP IN PLAN TO BUY MORSE SHOE <MRS>\n","article":"  A group led by New York investor\n  Asher Edelman said Morse Shoe Inc agreed to provide it\n  confidential company information and that his group would make\n  an offer to buy Morse only in a friendly, negotiated deal.\n      The group also said in a filing with the Securities and\n  Exchange Commission that its members would not, without Morse\n  approval, buy or offer to buy any company securities giving the\n  group a 10 pct or more stake in the company.\n      Edelman and his group said his terms held until the earlier\n  of 90 days from March 3 or the date on which Morse announces a\n  definite agreement for its sale.\n      At the same time, the Edelman group said it cut its stake\n  in Morse to 8.4 pct from 9.7 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"JOHN LABATT SEES GOOD FOURTH QUARTER, YEAR\n","article":"  <John Labatt Ltd> anticipates a good\n  fourth quarter and a new peak in sales and earnings for the\n  fiscal year ending April 30, president Peter Widdrington told\n  financial analysts.\n      He would not make any specific forecast, but said he was\n  optimistic for further growth in fiscal 1988 in the company's\n  brewing and food products operations.\n      Labatt's earnings rose to 92.8 mln dlrs in the nine months\n  ended January 31 from year-earlier 78 mln dlrs. Revenue for the\n  nine months rose to 3.20 billion dlrs from 2.70 billion dlrs.\n      Widdrington said Labatt's three-year business plan, now\n  being updated, targets total sales of about six billion dlrs,\n  including 2.50 billion dlrs in the U.S.\n      Labatt, Canada's leading brewer, has expanded in the U.S.\n  food products industry by acquisitions.\n      Widdrington said Labatt's strategy for U.S. expansion\n  stemmed partly from its strong market position in the Canadian\n  food and beverage industry. The U.S. share of revenues for this\n  year will be about 35 pct, rising to 40 pct in fiscal 1988, he\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HUSKY <HYO> SETS MEETING TO APPROVE MERGER\n","article":"  Husky Oil Ltd said the board\n  called a special meeting for April 22 for shareholders to vote\n  on its previously announced agreement for Hong Kong-based\n  Hutchison Whampoa Ltd and Hongkong Electric Holdings Ltd to\n  acquire a 43 pct interest in the company.\n      The acquisition requires two-thirds approval by Husky\n  shareholders other than <Nova, An Alberta Corp>, which owns a\n  57 pct interest in Husky.\n      If approved by shareholders, the amalgamation will take\n  effect April 30, Husky said.\n      Following completion, Oil Term Holdings Ltd, a new company\n  controlled by Nova, will hold a 43 pct stake in Husky.\n  Hutchison and Hongkong will indirectly hold 43 pct, Victor T.K.\n  Li will own nine pct and <Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce>\n  will have a five pct interest.\n      Husky said a special committee of five outside directors\n  recommended the board approve the transaction after determining\n  that the deal was in the best interests of Husky and fair to\n  shareholders.\n      Husky previously announced shareholders will have the\n  option to receive 11.80 Canadian dlrs cash for each common, or\n  6.726 dlrs cash and one common share of Oil Term Investment\n  Ltd, which will be controlled by Nova through Oil Term Holdings\n  and own an insterest in Husky.\n      U.S. shareholders will be restricted to the right to\n  receive 11.80 Canadian dlrs cash per share, which will be paid\n  in U.S. funds, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"WASHINGTON GAS LIGHT CO <WGL> HIKES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 45 cts vs 44 cts prior\n      Pay May one\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FERC DECISION COULD CUT COLUMBIA GAS <CG> NET\n","article":"  Columbia Gas System Inc said a\n  Federal Energy Regulatory Commission decision today on natural\n  gas cost recovery could reduce its 1987 earnings by about 1.25\n  dlrs a share.\n      The company said \"this could bring earnings for 1987 below\n  Columbia's stated goal of earning no less than its 3.18 dlrs\n  per share dividend.\" It earned 2.12 dlrs a share in 1986.\n      It said management expects to recommend to the board that\n  the dividend rate be maintained in 1987.\n      Columbia Gas said the impact of the FERC decision may be\n  offset by a one-time accounting change rleated to future tax\n  liabilities under the new federal tax laws.\n      The company recorded these liabilities based on older,\n  higher tax rates, but an action being considered by the\n  Financial Accounting Standards Board could result in a gain of\n  about 1.20 dlrs a share in 1987, it explained.\n      \"Thus there is a good chance that we will attain our 1987\n  earnings goal -- although not in the way originally planned,\"\n  Columbia Gas said.\n      Columbia Gas said the FERC decision would limit the\n  recovery of certain gas contract costs by Columbia Gas\n  Transmission Corp, the company's principal pipeline subsidiary.\n      It said the decision specifically excluded from a purchased\n  gas adjustment filing by the pipeline costs related to\n  amortizing payments made to producers to reform gas purchase\n  contracts. These were excluded on the grounds the subsidiary\n  failed to sufficiently support cost recovery.\n      The company said its subsidiary is not precluded from\n  making a new filing to provide sufficient support.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"JAPAN'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE SEEN RISING TO 3.5 PCT\n","article":"  Japan's unemployment rate is expected to\n  continue to climb to about 3.5 pct within the next year from\n  January's three pct record, senior economists, including Susumu\n  Taketomi of Industrial Bank of Japan, said.\n      December's 2.9 pct was the previous worst level since the\n  government's Management and Coordination Agency began compiling\n  statistics under its current system in 1953.\n      \"There is a general fear that we will become a country with\n  high unemployment,\" said Takashi Kiuchi, senior economist for\n  the Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan Ltd.\n      The government, which published the January unemployment\n  figures today, did not make any predictions.\n      \"At present we do not have a forecast for the unemployment\n  rate this year, but it is difficult to foresee the situation\n  improving,\" a Labour Ministry official said.\n      Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa said the government had\n  expected the increase and had set aside money to help 300,000\n  people find jobs in fiscal 1987 beginning in April.\n      Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone told a press conference\n  the record rate underlines the need to pass the 1987 budget\n  which has been held up by opposition to proposed tax reforms.\n      The yen's surge has caused layoffs in the mainstay steel\n  and shipbuilding industries. Other export-dependent industries,\n  such as cars and textiles, have laid off part-time employees\n  and ceased hiring, economists said.\n      Although the growing service industry sector has absorbed a\n  great number of workers the trend is starting to slow down,\n  said Koichi Tsukihara, Deputy General Manager of Sumitomo Bank\n  Ltd's economics department.\n      However, other economists disagreed, saying the service\n  sector would be able to hire workers no longer needed by the\n  manufacturing sector over the next five years.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. OFFERS MORE CREDITS FOR VEG OIL TO N. YEMEN\n","article":"  The U.S. Commodity Credit\n  Corporation (CCC) has authorized an additional 10.0 mln dlrs in\n  credit guarantees to cover sales of U.S. vegetable oils to\n  North Yemen, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.\n      The department also said at the request of the North Yemen\n  Government five mln dlrs in credit guarantees previously\n  earmarked for sales of wheat have been switched to cover sales\n  of mixed poultry feed.\n      The actions increase the value of credit guarantees for\n  vegetable oil for the current fiscal year to 38 mln dlrs,\n  reduce the guarantee coverage for sales of wheat to eight mln\n  dlrs and increase the coverage for sales of mixed poultry feed\n  to 10 mln dlrs.\n      All exports must be completed by September 30, 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PUERTO RICAN CEMENT CO <PRN> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div five cts vs five cts prior\n      Pay May 13\n      Record April 14\n      NOTE: Company said up to 20 pct of dividend payment may be\n  withheld in accordance with Puerto Rico tax law.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CANADA MAY MONITOR STEEL SHIPMENTS\n","article":"  Canada may begin monitoring steel\n  flowing in and out of the country to determine if any steel is\n  being illegally \"trans-shipped\" to the U.S., senior government\n  trade officials said.\n      The officials, asking not to be identified, said the\n  government will investigate an industry contention that steel \n  imported from countries such as South Korea and Taiwan is being\n  diverted to the U.S. and ultimately exasperating concerns about\n  the level of Canadian exports south of the border.\n      But the senior officials, asking not to be indentified,\n  said that despite intense pressure from the Reagan\n  Administration, Ottawa was not considering any kind of formal\n  limits on Canadian shipments to the U.S.\n      \"In a sense what I hope we are doing is buying some time,\"\n  said one official who claimed Canadian companies were \"fair\n  traders\" in the big American market.\n      If approved by the Canadian cabinet, the officials said a \n  monitoring system will be established in the next three or four\n  months.\n      \"I guess if we find trans-shipment is a problem, we would\n  have to do something about it,\" said a trade official.\n      Canadian steel shipments to the U.S. have risen to 5.7 pct\n  of the U.S. market in recent months, almost double the level\n  just two years ago.\n      The increase in Canadian shipments comes at a time of\n  growing anger in the U.S. over rising steel imports from\n  several countries in the face of a decline among domestic steel\n  producers.\n      Some U.S. lawmakers have proposed Canada's share of the\n  American market be limited to 2.4 per cent.\n      The Ontario Government has urged Ottawa to require foreign\n  companies to obtain permits to import steel into the country.\n  Currently, import licences are required only for carbon or raw\n  steel, which makes up less than half the steel market.\n      Canada exported two billion Canadian dlrs worth of steel in\n  1986, while importing 944-mln dlrs worth of the product in the\n  same year.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"WESCO FINANCIAL CORP <WSC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 79 cts vs 5.05 dlrs\n      Net 5,628,000 vs 35,936,000\n      Revs 41.8 mln vs 39.4 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 2.32 dlrs vs 7.24 dlrs\n      Net 16,524,000 vs 51,541,000\n      Revs 160.2 mln vs 114.9 mln\n      Note:  Current qtr figures include securities gain of 2.1\n  mln dlrs, or 29 cts per share, vs gain of 34.3 mln dlrs, or\n  4.81 dlrs per share.\n      Current year figures include security gain of 4.6 mln dlrs,\n  or 64 cts per share, vs gain of 41.5 mln dlrs, or 5.83 dlrs per\n  share.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HELM <H> SELLS ADDITIONAL SHARES IN BAMBERGER\n","article":"  Helm Resources Inc said that, pursuant\n  to the exercise of an overallotment option by underwriters in\n  Bamberger Polymers INc's initial public offering, it has sold\n  another 35,000 Bamberger shares and reduced its ownership in\n  Bamberger to 51 pct from 55 pct.\n      To date, Helm has sold 435,000 Bamberger's for 3.5 mln\n  dlrs.\n      Bamberger has sold a total of 600,000 shares and received\n  net proceeds of about 4.8 mln dlrs since the February 1987\n  offering.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AMPAL-AMERICAN ISRAEL CORP <AIS.A> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 27 cts vs 25 cts\n      Net 6,416,000 vs 5,988,000\n      Revs 112.2 mln vs 99.8 mln\n      NOTE: 1985 includes extraordinary income of 647,000 dlrs or\n  three cts\/shr. 1985 restated.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COCOA COUNCIL CHAIRMAN SEEKS BUFFER COMPROMISE\n","article":"  International Cocoa Organization, ICCO,\n  Council chairman, Denis Bra Kanon, said he will attempt to\n  reach a compromise on buffer stock rules for the International\n  Cocoa Agreement.\n      Bra Kanon called for bilateral consultations among\n  producers and consumers Thursday morning to resolve outstanding\n  differences on how much non-member cocoa the buffer stock can\n  purchase and differentials to be fixed for different origin\n  cocoa, consumer delegates told reporters.\n      Bra Kanon is expected to meet with about eight delegations\n  individually in attempt to iron out remaining problems.\n      Producers and consumers indicated support \"in principle\" for\n  the draft buffer stock rules package formulated over the past\n  week by a small working group, consumer delegates said.\n      Despite remaining differences delegates remained confident\n  a buffer stock accord would be agreed to by Friday when the\n  council session ends, but certain technical points need further\n  clarification, the delegates said.\n      Certain consumers are concerned that differentials included\n  in the draft buffer stock package are out of line with market\n  realities, consumer delegates said.\n      Unless these are modified there are fears it would promote\n  purchases of quality cocoas, such as Ghana origin, which are\n  normally required by manufacturers, they said.\n      Restrictions on buffer stock purchases of non-member cocoa\n  might lead to a supply overhang in Malaysian cocoa, which would\n  depress prices, they added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SNC GROUP EXPECTS HIGHER 1987 EARNINGS, SALES\n","article":"  <SNC Group Inc> expects 1987 earnings\n  to rise to 1.20-1.40 dlrs a share from 91 cts a share last\n  year, with revenues climbing to about 430 mln dlrs from last\n  year's 350 mln dlrs, president Alex Taylor said before the\n  annual meeting.\n      SNC, Canada's second biggest engineering and construction\n  group, became the country's largest ammunition manufacturer\n  last year with its 90 mln dlr acquisition of Canadian Arsenals\n  Ltd from the Canadian government.\n      The impact of that and several smaller deals will be felt\n  fully in 1987, Taylor said.\n      Defense preoducts and other manufacturing operations will\n  account for more than half SNC's total 1987 revenues, helping\n  to counterbalance the more cyclical engineering and\n  construction acivities, Taylor said.\n      Last year, SNC earned 8.7 mln dlrs, including a small\n  extraordinary gain.\n      In 1987, a total manufacturing activities will generate\n  about 235 mln dlrs in revenues, and engineering and\n  construction about 200 mln dlrs, he said, adding that defense\n  products operations should be a major contributor to earnings.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MINE SAFETY <MNES> SELLS SOUTH AFRICA UNIT\n","article":"  Mine Safety Appliances Co said it\n  will sell through its German subsidiary, Auergesellschaft, its\n  controlling interest in MSA (Africa), (PTY) Ltd, of\n  Johannesburg, South Africa to Boart International, a wholly-\n  owned subsidiary of Anglo American Corp of South Africa Ltd\n  <ANGL>.\n      The company said the terms of the sale were not disclosed.\n      The company will operate as Boart-MSA (PTY) Ltd, it said.\n      L.N. Short Jr, president of the company, said it sold the\n  unit because of slumping profits due to South Africa's economic\n  decline.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MEDAR INC <MDXR> 4TH QTR DEC 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 10 cts vs loss nine cts\n      Net loss 558,800 vs loss 469,200\n      Sales 5.5 mln vs two mln\n      Nine mths ended Dec 31\n      Shr profit two cts vs loss four cts\n      Net profit 91,045 vs loss 207,000\n      Sales 17.3 mln vs 8.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,465,433 vs 5,037,819\n      Year ended March 31\n      Shr loss 28 cts vs profit 19 cts\n      Net loss 1,356,321 vs profit 818,723\n      Sales 10.9 mln vs 12.2 mln\n      Avg shrs 4,862,499 vs 4,683,591\n      Note: Medar changed end of fiscal year to December 31 to be\n  more in phase with business cycle of its major customers.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MEDAR <MDXR> CHANGES FISCAL YEAR\n","article":"  Medar Inc said it\n  changed the end of its fiscal year to December 31 from March\n  31.\n      The company, in reporting its annual results, said the\n  change was made to bring its financial reporting in phase with\n  the order cycle of its major customers.\n      Medar earlier said it lost 558,800 dlrs in its final 1986\n  quarter, compared to a loss of 469,200 dlrs in the same 1985\n  quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. SECURITIES INDUSTRY ASSN BACKS RESTRAINTS ON TAKEOVERS, INSIDER TRADING\n","article":"\n  U.S. SECURITIES INDUSTRY ASSN BACKS RESTRAINTS ON TAKEOVERS, INSIDER TRADING\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CHEMFIX TECHNOLOGIES INC <CFIX> 2ND QTR NET\n","article":"  Ended Feb 28\n      Shr profit one ct vs loss four cts\n      Net profit 53,040 vs loss 255,568\n      Revs 2,252,246 vs 755,605\n      Six mths\n      Shr profit three cts vs loss eight cts\n      Net profit 217,884 vs loss 517,538\n      Revs 4,895,720 vs 1,569,662\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALLIS-CHALMERS <AH> SELLS SWISS UNIT\n","article":"  Allis-Chalmers Corp said it\n  has sold its Elex Ag unit in Zurich, Switzerland, to private\n  investors for an undisclosed amount.\n      The company said Elex produces electrostatic precipitators\n  used in air pollution control.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FLORIDA EMPLOYERS INSURANCE CO <FLAE> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Shr 29 cts vs nine cts\n      Net 651,000 vs 214,000\n      NOTE: 1986 net includes loss of 500,000 dlrs for\n  extraordinary item.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SHELL OIL GETS 104.3 MLN DLR CONTRACT\n","article":"  Shell Oil Co of Houston has been\n  awarded a 104.3 mln dlr contract for jet fuel, the Defense\n  Logistics Agency said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NIKE INC <NIKE> 3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 12 cts vs 30 cts\n      Net 4,255,000 vs 11.5 mln\n      Revs 199.4 mln vs 258.7 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr 64 cts vs 1.19 dlrs\n      Net 24.4 mln vs 45.5 mln\n      Revs 639.7 mln vs 824.3 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ZENITH NATIONAL INSURANCE <ZNAT> QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Shr 20 cts vs 20 cts prior qtr\n      Pay May 14\n      Record April 30\n      Note: Full name Zenith National Insurance Corp.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"REDKIN LABORATORIES INC <RDKN> QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Shr five cts vs five cts prior qtr\n      Pay April 17\n      Record April 3.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":" 3-MAR-1987 07:35:58.11\n","article":"   3-MAR-1987 07:35:58.11\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COOPERVISION INC <EYE> QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Shr 10 cts vs 10 cts prior qtr\n      Pay April 17\n      Record April 9.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. SECURITIES GROUP BACKS INSIDER RESTRAINTS\n","article":"  The Securities Industry Association\n  backed a variety of restraints on insider trading and hostile\n  corporate takeovers and asked Congress to define insider\n  trading in law.\n      The industry trade association called on U.S. securities\n  firms to take steps to protect sensitive corporate secrets to\n  guard against illegal trading by employees.\n      The association also backed broad federal restrictions on a\n  variety of tactics used in hostile corporate takeovers.\n      But it said investment banking firms should be allowed to\n  continue to engage in both arbitrage and merger and acquisition\n  activities so long as those functions were kept separate.\n      The SIA, in a report adopted yesterday by its board of\n  directors, backed a higher enforcement budget for the federal\n  Securities and Exchange Commission and called on U.S. stock\n  exchanges to beef up their supervision of member brokerages.\n      The report said securities firms \"should be more rigorous in\n  restricting sensitive information on a need-to-know basis.\"\n      It said firms should train their employees to understand\n  the need for confidentiality of market-sensitive information.\n      It said legislation to define insider trading should avoid\n  expanding current law in a way that would impede the market.\n      It said an insider trading definition should exempt a\n  securities firm from liability for law violations by its\n  employees unless the firm had participated in or was aware of\n  the wrongdoing.\n      In the mergers and acquisitions area, the association\n  advocated a ban on greenmail payments or poison pill takeover\n  protection plans without prior shareholder approval.\n      It said a group or individual buying up a company's stock\n  should be required to file a public disclosure statement before\n  acquiring more than five pct of the company's shares. Under\n  current law, disclosure may be made as late as ten days after\n  exceeding the five pct limit.\n      The association said all purchases exceeding 20 pct of a\n  company's voting stock shouls be made only through a tender\n  offer open to all shareholders. Under current law there is no\n  limit on open market purchases.\n      The group said the federal government should preempt state\n  regulation of defensive takeover tactics.\n      The group said all tender offers should remain open for at\n  least 30 calendar days.\n      The current requirement is expressed in business days.\n      It said so-called \"lockup\" devices, in which securities are\n  issued to a friendly investor to seal a takeover deal or fend\n  off an unfriendly predator should be limited to 18.5 pct of the\n  target company's total common stock.\n      Association president Edward O'Brien said the group acted\n  out of concern over the ad hoc restructuring of corporate\n  America on Wall Street and investor fears about insider trading\n  and fairness in the marketplace.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"TEXACO <TX> RESERVES DOWN DESPITE LOWER OUTPUT\n","article":"  Texaco Inc's oil and gas reserves\n  declined in 1986 despite reduced production and upward\n  revisions in the company's previous reserve estimates, its\n  annual report said.\n      The statement of the report's auditor was qualified -- as\n  was the previous one -- because of the unkonwn final impact of\n  the judgement won by Pennzoil Co <PZL> against Texaco on\n  charges Texaco interfered with Pannzoil's contract to acquire\n  Getty Oil Co.\n      The auditor's point out, as Texaco has in the past, the\n  company's loss of any of several pending court decisions in\n  this case could cause it \"to face prospects such as having to\n  seek protection of its assets and business pursuant to the\n  bankruptcy and reorganization provisions of Chapter 11\" of the\n  federal bankruptcy code.\n      Commenting on a Texas Court of Appeals ruling which reduced\n  Pennzoil's judgement by two billion dlrs, to 9.1 billion dlrs,\n  Texaco said it will file a motion for a rehearing by the\n  appeals court no later than March 30.\n      Texaco said the proven crude oil reserves of the company\n  and its consolidated subsidiaries totaled 2.54 billion barrels\n  at the end of 1986, down from 2.69 billion a year earlier.\n      However, inclusion of Texaco's equity in the Eastern\n  Hemisphere reserves of a nonsubsidiary company limited the\n  decline to 2.91 billion barrels from 3.00 billion at the end of\n  1985.\n      Worldwide production by the consolidated subsidiaries\n  declined to 341 mln barrels last year from 362 mln in 1985 and\n  upward revisions in previous reserve estimates rose to 143 mln\n  barrels from 117 mln, respectively.\n      Texaco said the largest drop in reserves came in the United\n  States -- where the total dropped to 1.46 billion barrels from\n  1.55 billion.\n      The company said U.S. liquids production averaged 660,000\n  barrels per day last year, down from 714,000 in 1985, with\n  about 44 pct of the decline -- some 24,000 barrels per day --\n  representing high-cost production shut-in or curtailed in\n  response to the decline in crude oil prices during 1986.\n      Texaco said its natural gas reserves totaled 8.16 trillion\n  cubic feet at year end, down from 8.87 trillion cubic feet at\n  the end of 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INT'L MINERALS PROJECT TO BOOST HOG LEAN WEIGHT\n","article":"  International Minerals and\n  Chemical Corp said its board approved a 50 mln dlrs budget over\n  the next several years to build production facilities for a\n  newly developed product to be used to improve the lean weight\n  of hogs.\n      The new product, porcine somatotropin (PST) is described as\n  a natural bio-synthetic protein that improves the lean weight\n  and rate of weight gain, as well as reduces the cost of feed\n  for market hogs, the company said.\n      Specific details of the PST production project, including\n  sites for proposed facilities and engineering plans, were not\n  disclosed. International Minerals said it set a completion\n  target for the spring of 1989, by which time necessary Food and\n  Drug Administration approvals are expected to be obtained.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PULITZER PUBLISHING CO <PLTZC> DECLARES QTLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div 10 cts vs 10 cts prior\n      Pay May 1\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FEDERAL CO <FFF> SETS REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly 29-1\/2 cts vs 29-1\/2 cts prior\n      Payable June 1 \n      Record May 1.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SOUTHWESTERN BELL <SBC> SEES EARNINGS DILUTION\n","article":"  Southwestern Bell Corp said that\n  its planned acquisitions of cellular telephone and paging\n  systems, including those of <Metromedia Inc>, will result in\n  some initial earnings dilution and an increase in debt ratio.\n      In a letter to shareholders in its 1986 annual report, the\n  regional Bell company did not indicate the degree of earnings\n  dilution it expects from the acquisitions, which total some\n  1.38 billion dlrs. However, the company said the rise in its\n  debt ratio will be temporary and will leave its debt level\n  within an acceptable range.\n      In its 1986 yearend financial statement, Southwestern Bell\n  listed a debt-to-equity ratio of 43.4 pct, down slightly from\n  43.7 pct in 1985.\n      In 1986, the company earned 1.02 billion dlrs, or 10.26\n  dlrs a share, compared with 996.2 mln dlrs, or 10 dlrs a share\n  in 1985. Revenues dipped to 7.90 billion dlrs from 7.93 billion\n  dlrs.\n      Southwestern Bell said it expects the new tax law to have a\n  negative impact on its cash flow, due mainly to the loss of\n  investment tax credits.\n      By mid-year, however, the company said a reduced corporate\n  tax rate should have a positive impact on its net income and\n  cash flow.\n      In addition, the company said it is projecting a 1.7 pct\n  gain in customer telephone lines and a three to four pct\n  increase in long distance calling volumes.\n      Southwestern Bell said 1987 capital expenditures will be\n  lower that the 1.97 billion dlrs spent in 1986, a year in which\n  expenditures were held below budget.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL WANTS TO INCREASE STEEL EXPORTS TO U.S.\n","article":"  Brazil wants to increase its\n  steel exports to the United States, now limited because of\n  tough import restraints set in 1984 by the Reagan\n  administration, a spokeswoman for the Brazilian Steel Institute\n  (IBS) said.\n      Brazilian and U.S. Trade officials held the first of a\n  three-day meeting today in Brasilia to discuss the issue.\n      In 1984, after three months of painstaking negotiations,\n  the U.S. Government reached accords with seven steel-exporting\n  nations - Australia, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Spain, South Africa\n  and South Korea - to reduce their shipments to the United\n  States by about 30 pct in 1985.\n      The 1984 restraints established that for 1987 Brazil's\n  steel exports to the U.S. Could not exceed 632,000 tonnes,\n  increasing to 640,000 tonnes in 1988 and 670,000 tonnes in\n  1989, the last of the five-year deadline set by the agreements.\n      Brazilian officials are trying to increase Brazil's export\n  share of non-flat products to the U.S. Market.\n      The spokeswoman said there were reports of domestic supply\n  problems in the United States.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LEAR SIEGLER HOLDING CORP PLANS TO DIVEST AEROSPACE SUBSIDIARY\n","article":"\n  LEAR SIEGLER HOLDING CORP PLANS TO DIVEST AEROSPACE SUBSIDIARY\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VARITY CORP YEAR SHR LOSS 21 CTS VS LOSS 16 CTS\n","article":"\n  VARITY CORP YEAR SHR LOSS 21 CTS VS LOSS 16 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NORDSON <NDSN> SETS 3-FOR-2 SPLIT\n","article":"  Nordson Corp said its board\n  declared a 3-for-2 stock split to be paid as a 50 pct stock\n  dividend on April 30 to shareholders of record April 10.\n      As a result, the number of shares outstanding will increase\n  to 10.2 mln from 6.8 mln, the maker of industrial equipment\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"INVESTMENT FIRMS CUT CYCLOPS <CYL> STAKE\n","article":"  A group of affiliated New York\n  investment firms said they lowered their stake in Cyclops Corp\n  to 260,500 shares, or 6.4 pct of the total outstanding common\n  stock, from 370,500 shares, or 9.2 pct.\n      In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission,\n  the group, led by Mutual Shares Corp, said it sold 110,000\n  Cyclops common shares on Feb 17 and 19 for 10.0 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HK HOTELS SOARS ON TAKEOVER SPECULATION\n","article":"  The price of Hongkong and Shanghai\n  Hotels Ltd <SHLH.HK>'s stock soared on speculation of a\n  takeover battle between major shareholders the Kadoorie family\n  and the Evergo Industrial Enterprise Ltd <EVGH.HK> group, stock\n  brokers said.\n      They noted heavy buying in Hk Hotel shares after an\n  announcement by Evergo's <China Entertainment and Land\n  Investment Co Ltd> unit that it bought about 20 pct of Hk\n  Hotels from the firm's deputy chairman David Liang for 1.06\n  billion dlrs. The stock rose 12 H.K. Dlrs to 62 dlrs today.\n      Thomas Lau, Evergo's executive director, declined comment\n  on whether the group is seeking a further stake in Hk Hotels.\n  But he told Reuters the group will hold the 20 pct stake bought\n  from Liang as long term investment.\n      He said Evergo \"was attracted by the underlying strength of\n  Hk Hotels.\"\n      Analysts said Evergo may be looking for a possible\n  redevelopment of the Peninsula Hotel, one of Asia's best known\n  hotels, and another site on Hong Kong island. Both are owned by\n  Hk Hotels.\n      <Lai Sun Garment Co ltd> yesterday said it acquired a 10\n  pct stake in Hk Hotels from Liang for 530 mln dlrs.\n      Lau denied any link between China Entertainment and Lai Sun\n  on their acquisitions of the Hk Hotels stake.\n      \"It is purely coincidence,\" he said.\n      But analysts were not so certain, saying that the Evergo\n  group, which has a reputation as a corporate raider, may team\n  up with Lai Sun Garment for a takeover.\n      Lau also denied any contact with the Kadoorie family, which\n  analysts estimate has more than 20 pct of Hk Hotels. Michael\n  Kadoorie is chairman of Hk Hotels.\n      Lau said two representatives of Evergo will be nominated to\n  the Hk Hotels board.\n      A source close to the Kadoorie family said the family has\n  not considered any countermoves so far.\n      Analysts said it would be difficult for Evergo and the\n  Kadoorie family to cooperate because of different management\n  styles.\n      \"Evergo may want to split up the hotel management and\n  property developments of Hk Hotels but that strategy may not\n  fit the conservative Kadoorie family,\" said an analyst who asked\n  not to be named.\n      Another analyst noted the price of Hk Hotels had been\n  distorted by the takeover talks because its net asset value is\n  only worth about 50 dlrs a share. The offers by Evergo and Lai\n  Sun were for 53 dlrs a share, though that is well below the\n  current trading price.\n      Trading was suspended today in shares of Lai Sun, Evergo,\n  China Entertainment and the group's associate <Chinese Estates\n  Ltd>.\n      Chinese Estates lost 25 cents to 20.15 dlrs yesterday,\n  China Entertainment five to 8.60 dlrs and Evergo one to 74\n  cents. Lai Sun gained 50 cents to 70.50 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BALDRIGE SEES U.S. TRADE DEFICIT STARTING TO DECLINE IN FEB OR MARCH DATA\n","article":"\n  BALDRIGE SEES U.S. TRADE DEFICIT STARTING TO DECLINE IN FEB OR MARCH DATA\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BALDRIGE SEES U.S. TRADE GAP DROPPING SOON\n","article":"  Commerce Secretary Malcolm Baldrige\n  said the U.S. trade deficit should start to decline soon,\n  possibly in the figures for February or March.\n      \"We could see the trade deficit start down in February or\n  March,\" Baldrige said in an appearance before the Senate\n  Governmental Affairs Committee.\n      He predicted the trade deficit, which was 170 billion dlrs\n  in 1986, would decline by 30 to 40 billion dlrs in 1987 and in\n  1988.\n      Baldrige said he was making his prediction without having\n  seen the February trade figures, but he said that the volume of\n  imports has dropped beginning with the fourth quarter of 1986\n  and will continue to drop in this quarter.\n      The eventual turnaround in the monthly trade figures will\n  reflect the impact of the decline in the dollar, Baldrige said.\n      Ealier, Treasury Secretary James Baker told the committee\n  that the trade deficit had levelled off, but Baldrige said he\n  was more optimistic, adding, \"I think we turned the corner in\n  February.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NORMAL WORK RESUMES AT NEW ZEALAND PORTS\n","article":"  Normal work has resumed at New\n  Zealand ports as negotiations between harbour board workers and\n  employers continue.\n      Wellington Harbour Board Workers' Union secretary Ross\n  Wilson told reporters talks late yesterday ended with agreement\n  to take unresolved issues before an industrial conciliator.\n      Wilson said the only remaining issue is the length of the\n  union award. The dispute originally was about wage rates and\n  the form of industry negotiations.\n      Cook Strait ferry sailings resumed after Marlborough\n  Harbour Board workers returned to work this morning, ending\n  their industrial action a day early.\n      The Waterside Workers' Federation, which struck for most of\n  last week and held more than one mln tonnes of shipping in\n  ports, meets on Monday and Tuesday in conciliation with the\n  Waterfront Employers' Association.\n      Union Secretary Sam Jennings said: \"We've got two days of\n  talks. If it's not all cleaned up by then ... I don't know what\n  will happen.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"VARITY CORP <VAT> 4TH QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 13 cts vs loss one ct\n      Net loss 18,600,000 vs profit 3,300,000\n      Revs 394.0 mln vs 351.0 mln\n      YEAR\n      Shr loss 21 cts vs loss 16 cts\n      Net loss 23,300,000 vs profit 3,900,000\n      Revs 1.36 billion vs 1.29 billion\n      Note: Current yr loss includes reorganization charge of\n  15.2 mln dlrs vs yr-ago reorganization charge of 17.6 mln dlrs.\n      Shr after preferred divs.\n      U.S. dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"INDIANA FEDERAL <IFSL> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Net 492,000 vs 677,000\n      Year\n      Net 2,650,000 vs 2,566,000\n      NOTE: Company's full name is Indiana Federal Savings and\n  Loan Association. Per share information not available. Bank\n  went public on February 11, 1987.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"LEAR-SIEGLER HOLDING TO DIVEST AEROSPACE UNIT\n","article":"  Forstmann Little and Co said Lear\n  Siegler Holding Corp plans to divest its aerospace group\n  subsidiary, comprised of the Defense Electronics Group and the\n  Components Group.\n      Divestitures had been expected since Lear-Siegler, a\n  diversified conglomerate, was acquired last December in a 2.1-\n  billion-dlr-leveraged buyout by the Wall Street firm of\n  Forstmann Little.\n      Lear's aerospace group revenues for fiscal 1987 are\n  expected to be about 700 mln dlrs, said Forstmann.\n      The Defense Electronics Group designs and manufactures\n  weapons, management systems, flight control systems, remotely\n  piloted vehicles and reference and navigation systems, mainly\n  for military markets.\n      The Defense Group subsidiaries are Astronics Corp, which is\n  based in Santa Monica, Calif., and employs 1,076 people;\n  Instrument and Avionic Systems Corp, based in Grand Rapids,\n  Mich., and employs 3,479 people; International Corp, based in\n  Stamford, Conn., and employs 266 people; and Development\n  Sciences Corp, based in Ontario, Calif., and employs 237\n  people.\n      The Components Group manufactures pumps, bearings, and\n  other industrial components as well as nuclear control drive\n  rod mechanisms and valves.\n      The Group's subsidiaries include Power Equipment Corp,\n  based in Cleveland, which employs 880 people; Energy Products\n  Corp, based in Santa Ana, Calif., which employs 755 people; \n  Romek Corp, based in Elyria, Ohio, which employs 262 people;\n  and Transport Dynamics in Santa Ana, which employs 254 people.\n      Overall, Lear's Aerospace Group's eight subsidiaries\n  employs 7,200 people.\n      Lear Siegler said it plans to retain Management Services\n  Corp, engaged in aircraft maintenance modification for various\n  Department of Defense agencies.\n      Morgan Stanley and Co will act as financial advsiors for\n  the group's divestitures.\n      Last month, Lear Siegler said it planned to sell its Smith\n  and Wesson handgun business, Starcraft Recreational Products\n  Ltd, the Peerless truck trailer operations, and other units, as\n  part of its restructuring plans.\n      Lear apparently will retain its Piper Aircraft unit.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"RUBBERMAID <RBD> COMPLETES ACQUISITIONS\n","article":"  Rubbermaid Inc said it completed\n  the previously announced acquisitions of Viking Brush Ltd, a\n  Canadian maker of brushes, brooms and other cleaning aids, and\n  the Little Tikes' manufacturing licensee in Ireland.\n      Terms were not disclosed.\n      The acquisition of the Tikes' licensee is part of the\n  expansion of Little Tikes in the European toy market.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CRYSTAL OIL CO <COR> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 16 cts vs loss 44 cts\n      Oper net loss 8,926,000 vs loss 14.4 mln\n      Revs 9,920,000 vs 21.2 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr loss 4.30 dlrs vs loss 2.24 dlrs\n      Oper net loss 221.8 mln vs loss 53.7 mln\n      Revs 51.4 mln vs 94.4 mln\n      Note: Oper net excludes losses from discontinued operations\n  of 228,000 dlrs vs 4,253,000 dlrs for qtr and 10.4 mln dlrs vs\n  14.2 mln dlrs for year.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CHEMFIX TECHNOLOGIES <CFIX> 2ND QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit one ct vs loss four cts\n      Net profit 53,040 vs loss 255,568\n      Rev 2,252,246 vs 755,605\n      Six months\n      Shr profit three cts vs loss eight cts\n      Net profit 217,884 vs loss 517,538\n      Rev 4.9 mln vs 1.6 mln\n      NOTE: Company's full name is Chemfix Technologies Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FEDERAL-MOGUL CORP <FMO> SETS REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 40 cts vs 40 cts prior\n      Pay June 10\n      Record May 27\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"IOWA RESOURCES INC <IOR> DECLARES QTLY DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 41 cts vs 41 cts prior\n      Pay May 1\n      Record April 8\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EIA SAYS DISTILLATE STOCKS OFF 3.2 MLN BBLS, GASOLINE UP 2.2 MLN, CRUDE UP 7.5 MLN\n","article":"\n  EIA SAYS DISTILLATE STOCKS OFF 3.2 MLN BBLS, GASOLINE UP 2.2 MLN, CRUDE UP 7.5 MLN\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. HOME RESALES UP IN FEBRUARY, REALTORS SAY\n","article":"  The National Association of Realtors\n  said sales of previously owned homes rose six pct during\n  February from January levels to a seasonally adjusted annual\n  rate of 3.69 mln units.\n      The realtors' group said the sales rise was apparent across\n  the country and reflected lower mortgage interest rates as well\n  as more housing demand.\n      Actual resales of homes during February totaled 241,000, up\n  11.6 pct from the January total of 216,000, the association\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LOWER U.S. SOYBEAN LOAN IDEA SHARPLY CRITICIZED\n","article":"  U.S. soybean lobbyists and\n  congressional aides criticized a proposal from a senior\n  Agriculture Department official that Congress allow the U.S.\n  soybean loan level to be officially lowered to 4.56 dlrs per\n  bushel next year.\n      \"I don't know who in Congress would propose that happening.\n  Politically it would be totally unacceptable,\" an aide to a\n  senior farm-state senator said.\n      USDA undersecretary Daniel Amstutz said this week that\n  Congress should give USDA authority to keep the soybean loan \n  at its current effective rate of 4.56 dlrs per bushel rather\n  than increasing it to its minimum allowed level of 4.77 dlrs.\n      \"I'm convinced that Congress will not go along with this,\"\n  American Soybean Association President Dave Haggard said.\n      Amstutz told reporters following a senate hearing that if\n  the soybean loan rate were 4.56 dlrs, USDA could then consider\n  ways to make U.S. soybeans more competitive.\n      His comments were seen as possibly indicating what the  the\n  administration's position is in the debate over what should be\n  done to make soybeans competitive and at the same time protect\n  soybean farmers' income.\n      Using soybean specific certificates to further buydown the\n  loan rate or implementation of a marketing loan have been\n  pointed to as the most effective ways to get soybean prices\n  competitive. USDA secretary Richard Lyng, however, continues to\n  maintain his opposition to a marketing loan, saying such a move\n  would be too costly.\n      \"There will be alot of other options that will be\n  considered before Congress looks at that one (the Amstutz\n  proposal,\" said Bill O'Conner, aide to Rep. Edward Madigan\n  (R-Ill), ranking minority leader of the Agriculture Committee.\n      \"Anybody representing large groups of soybean producers\n  would not be very excited about supporting a lower soybean\n  loan,\" O'Conner said.\n      Congress may very likely look at the soybean loan and\n  decide that they cannot increase it from its current 5.02 dlr\n  basic rate, but that there has to be something mandated to\n  increase soybean's competitiveness, David Graves, aide to Sen.\n  Thad Cochran (R-Miss) said. Cochran, a staunch supporter of a\n  soybean marketing loan, would support a soybean loan of 5.02 or\n  4.77 dlrs with a certificate buydown, Graves said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIDUCIARY TRUST CO IN FIVE-FOR-ONE STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  <Fiduciary Trust Co International>\n  said its shareholders at the annual meeting approved a\n  five-for-one stock split effective May 15, 1987, to holders of\n  record on April 15, 1987.\n      The company said the split would increase the number of\n  authorized common shares from 440,000 to 2,200,000 shares\n  issued. In addition, the company said it authorized another\n  800,000 shares, but would not issue them at this time.\n      The company also changed the stock's par value from 10 dlrs\n  a share to 2.50 dlrs a share.\n      It explained it transferred 1,100,000 dlrs from its\n  undivided profits account to its capital account in order to\n  raise the new par value from two dlrs, under the five-for-one\n  split, to 2.50 dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MODULAIRE <MODX> BUYS BOISE HOMES PROPERTY\n","article":"  Modulaire Industries said it\n  acquired the design library and manufacturing rights of\n  privately-owned Boise Homes for an undisclosed amount of cash.\n      Boise Homes sold commercial and residential prefabricated\n  structures, Modulaire said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LA QUINTA MOTOR INNS INC<LQM>3RD QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 25 cts vs loss nine cts\n      Net profit 3,433,000 vs loss 1,310,000\n      Revs 37.1 mln vs 39.0 mln\n      Nine mths\n      Shr profit 28 cts vs profit 27 cts\n      Net profit 3,883,000 vs profit 3,908,000\n      Revs 133.2 mln vs 132.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 13.8 mln vs 14.2 mln\n      Note: Current net includes gain on sale of 31 inns of\n  7,719,000 dlrs for qtr and 7,975,000 dlrs for nine mths.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN INDUSTRIES SAYS IT EAGER TO PURCHASE SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD\n","article":"\n  KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN INDUSTRIES SAYS IT EAGER TO PURCHASE SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S. CHIPMAKERS URGE SANCTIONS AGAINST JAPAN\n","article":"  The Semiconductor Industry\n  Association urged the U.S. government to impose trade sanctions\n  against Japan for violating the U.S.-Japan Semiconductor Trade\n  Agreement.\n      In a letter to Treasury Secretary James Baker the group\n  said sanctions should be imposed against Japanese chipmakers as\n  of April 1 and should continue until the United States is\n  satisfied that there is full compliance with the agreement.\n      The group said action by Japan to cut back on semiconductor\n  exports is not what is required.\n      \"America's interests require that agreements be honored and\n  that U.S. industries not bear the burden for the persistent\n  unwillingness or inability of the government of Japan to\n  deliver on its commitments,\" the trade group said.\n      The White House Economic Policy Council is expected to\n  discuss possible sanctions against Japan at a meeting scheduled\n  for Thursday.\n      The trade group said Japan has not lived up to the terms of\n  the agreement last year which was aimed at ending Japanese\n  dumping of semiconductors and at opening Japanese markets to\n  foreign-based manufacturers.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BRYSON PAYS 5.4 MLN DLRS FOR CENERGY CORP STAKE\n","article":"  <Bryson Oil and Gas Plc> said it paid a\n  cash consideration of around 5.4 mln dlrs for about 8.6 pct of\n  <Cenergy Corp>, a U.S. Oil and gas exploration and production\n  company.\n      Bryson said its board has been considering a number of\n  possible investments to expand the company's interests and\n  believes the opportunity to acquire an investment in Cenergy\n  provides a suitable extension to its existing U.S. Interests.\n      Cenergy reported a net loss of 7.27 mln dlrs in the nine\n  months to September 30, 1986 while total stockholders equity on\n  the same date was 40.72 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"RECENT U.S. OIL DEMAND UP 0.1 PCT FROM YEAR AGO\n","article":"  U.S. oil demand as measured by\n  products supplied rose 0.1 pct in the four weeks ended March 20\n  to 16.16 mln barrels per day from 16.15 mln in the same period\n  a year ago, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said.\n      In its weekly petroleum status report, the Energy\n  Department agency said distillate demand was off 0.1 pct in the\n  period to 3.258 mln bpd from 3.260 mln a year earlier.\n      Gasoline demand averaged 6.72 mln bpd, off 1.2 pct from\n  6.80 mln last year, while residual fuel demand was 1.38 mln\n  bpd, off 2.1 pct from 1.41 mln, the EIA said.\n      Domestic crude oil production was estimated at 8.35 mln\n  bpd, down 7.8 pct from 9.06 mln a year ago, and gross daily\n  crude imports (excluding those for the SPR) averaged 3.44 mln\n  bpd, up 16.3 pct from 2.95 mln, the EIA said.\n      Refinery crude runs in the four weeks were 11.90 mln bpd,\n  up 1.4 pct from 11.74 mln a year earlier, it said.\n      In the first 78 days of the year, refinery runs were up 1.8\n  pct to an average 12.25 mln bpd from 12.04 mln in the year-ago\n  period, the EIA said.\n      Year-to-date demand for all petroleum products averaged\n  16.32 mln bpd, up 1.8 pct from 16.04 mln in 1986, it said.\n      So far this year, distillate demand rose 0.1 pct to 3.31\n  mln bpd from 3.30 mln in 1986, gasoline demand was 6.60 mln\n  bpd, up 0.1 pct from 6.59 mln, and residual fuel demand fell\n  0.4 pct to 1.42 mln bpd from 1.43 mln, the EIA said.\n      Year-to-date domestic crude output was estimated at 8.41\n  mln bpd, off 7.7 pct from 9.11 mln a year ago, while gross\n  crude imports averaged 3.96 mln bpd, up 28.1 pct from 3.09 mln,\n  it said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FED APPROVES CHEMICAL BANK ACQUISITION OF TEXAS COMMERCE BANCSHARES\n","article":"\n  FED APPROVES CHEMICAL BANK ACQUISITION OF TEXAS COMMERCE BANCSHARES\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"KANSAS CITY <KSU> READY TO BUY SOUTHERN PACIFIC\n","article":"  Kansas City Southern Industries Inc\n  said it is ready to promptly purchase the Southern Pacific\n  Transportation Co from Santa Fe Southern Pacific Corp <SFX> if\n  the Interstate Commerce Commission rejects Sante Fe's attempt\n  to reopen the merger of Southern and the Atchison, Tokepa and\n  Santa Fe Railway.\n      In a filing with the ICC late today, the company outlined\n  four conditions of its offer to acquire Southern Pacific.\n      Among the conditions are that Santa Fe enter into an\n  agreement to indemnify Kansas City for any contigent liabilites\n  of Southern Pacific existing as of the closing date, and that\n  the financial condition of Southern remain largely unchanged\n  from today onward.\n      \"We are willing, even eager, to make a fair market value\n  offer in cash for the Southern Pacific,\" said Kansas City\n  Southern president and chief executive officer Landon H.\n  Rowland.\n      \"This offer disproves the constant derogation of the\n  Sourthern Pacific by SFSP management, best exemplified by SFSP\n  Chief Executive John Schmidt's comment in ICC hearings that the\n  Southern Pacific was 'bankrupt,'\" said Rowland.\n      He said that merging Southern with Kansas City will achieve\n  the benefits of an end-to-end merger while preseving the\n  independece of the Southern Pacific versus its existing prime\n  competitor, Santa Fe.\n      Kansas said that Southern's management had estimated the\n  value of the railroad in 1983 in the range of 281 mln dlrs to\n  1.2 billion dlrs.\n      It said that Morgan Stanley and Co Inc and Salomon Brothers\n  Inc, hired in 1983 to advise Southern and Santa Fe in their\n  merger, appraised Southern as worth between 500 mln dlrs and\n  800 mln dlrs less than Southern's own internal valuations.\n      Kanasa City Southern said it will make an offer for\n  Southern after its books, records and properties are examined.\n      \"Once that examination has been completed (and even in the\n  absence of a willingnes of SFSP to negotiate) KCSI will make an\n  offer in writing....\" said the company.\n      Kansas also said it argued in the ICC filing that Santa Fe\n  had not met the legal requirements justifying the Commission's\n  reconsideration of the proposed merger of Santa Fe and Southern\n  Pacific, two railroads that it said basically parallel each\n  other throughout their routes.\n      ICC voted four to one last summer to reject the merger as\n  inherently anticompetitive. Kansas said Santa Fe in petitioning\n  for reconsideration now argues that the trackage agreements\n  with the Union Pacific, the Denver and Rio Grande Western and\n  other railroads, adds to the value of the merger.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GENCORP <GY> BID COULD BE RAISED, GROUP SAYS\n","article":"  An investor group said it might be\n  willing to raise its 100 dlr per share offer for GenCorp but so\n  far the company has turned down requests for a meeting.\n      \"We might be able to see some additional value if we could\n  meet\" and get more financial data, said Joel Reed, speaking for\n  the investor group.\n      Reed told Reuters that GenCorp chairman A. William Reynolds\n  \"was not interested in sitting down and talking with us at this\n  time.\" Cyril Wagner sought the meeting in a recent telephone\n  conversation with Reynolds, Reed said.\n      Wagner and Brown, along with AFG Industries Inc <AFG>,\n  recently launched a surprise tender offer for GenCorp. The\n  offer is worth 2.23 billion dlrs.\n      Reed said under the circumstances the 100 dlr per share\n  tender offer, which expires April 15, is a fair offer. GenCorp\n  gained 3-1\/2 to 114 today on the NYSE.\n      Reed outlined a plan to reshape GenCorp in the event his\n  group wins control. He said aerospace, soft drink bottling and\n  entertainment units are potential divestiture candidates. He\n  said the tire business, which the group wants to keep, may be\n  more viable if merged with another tire company.\n      \"One option would be to try to grow the tire business\n  through combination or an acquisition,\" Reed said. He said he\n  believes such a merger could create a stronger force in the\n  tire industry.\n      Gary Miller, chief financial officer of AFG, said his\n  company has a record of acquiring mature businesses and\n  boosting productivity. Automation and incentives tied to profit\n  sharing have been used with success, he said.\n      In the case of GenCorp's RKO General broadcasting stations,\n  Reed said the plan of the partners is to step into GenCorp's\n  shoes and proceed with plans to  sell the stations.\n      The partners said if they succed in acquiring GenCorp they\n  intend to consummate sale of WOR-TV in New York to MCA Inc\n  <MCA>. GenCorp last year entered into an agreement to sell the\n  station for 387 mln dlrs.\n      The partners also said if they acquire Gencorp they would\n  also proceed with the proposed sale of KHJ-TV in Los Angeles to\n  Walt Disney Co <DIS>. RKO General would receive 217 mln dlrs\n  and Fidelilty Television, which challenged the license, would\n  get about 103 mln dlrs.\n      The partners also said the Federal Communications\n  Commission established an expedited schedule for receiving\n  comments on their request for special temporary authorization\n  of proposed trust arrangements while the FCC considers a formal\n  application for transfer of the broadcast unit.\n      Reed said he was pleased with the expedited schedule\n  because it provides time for the agency to act on the request\n  before the expiration of the tender offer.\n      He said it was the aim of the partners to move as quickly\n  as possible to eliminate uncertainty surrounding the stations.\n      Asked about criticism of the takeover attempt voiced by\n  some municipal officials in Akron, Ohio, where GenCorp is\n  headquartered, Reed said, \"the plan of the partners offers long\n  term growth for Ohio.\"\n      He noted that the aerospace business, slated for\n  divestiture under the partners' plan, is located in California.\n  \"Our program is one that overall would provide the greatest\n  long term growth for all segments,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UNOCAL <UCL> PLANS INCREASE IN CAPITAL SPENDING\n","article":"  Unocal Corp said it intends to\n  increase its spending for capital projects to 929 mln dlrs in\n  1987, eight pct more than the 862 mln spent in 1986.\n      The company said in its annual report that it would\n  increase spending for exploration and development of petroleum\n  resources by about three pct to 614 mln dlrs from 1986's 595\n  mln dlrs, assuming oil prices hold around current levels.\n      The planned spending for exploration and production in 1987\n  remains well below the 1.1 billion dlrs spent in 1985, Unocal\n  said.\n      The company's proved developed and undeveloped reserves of\n  crude oil rose slightly in 1986, Unocal said. Net crude oil and\n  condensate reserves were 752 mln bbls as of Dec 31, 1986,\n  compared to 751 mln bbls at the end of 1985, Unocal said.\n      The company said its net crude oil and condensate\n  production averaged 248,200 barrels per day in 1986 compared to\n  251,300 bpd in 1985.\n      Unocal said its worldwide natural gas reserves were 6.07\n  billion cubic feet in 1986 compared to 1985's 6.19 billion. Net\n  natural gas output averaged 976 mln cubic feet per day in 1986,\n  down 10 pct from 1985's 1,084 mln, the company said.\n      Unocal said its average sales prices for crude oil was\n  12.67 dlrs a barrel worldwide in 1986 compared to 23.81 dlrs in\n  1985, and its average sales price for natural gas was 2.03 dlrs\n  per thousand cubic feet in 1986 against 2.24 dlrs in 1985.\n      Average production costs for crude oil and natural gas\n  declined nearly 30 pct to 3.41 dlrs per bbl of oil equivalent\n  in 1986 from 4.81 dlrs in 1985, Unocal said.\n      In the annual report, the company called for imposition of\n  an oil import fee by the U.S. government to set a floor price\n  of about 25 dlrs a barrel for crude oil.\n      \"Simply stabilizing prices at about 18 dlrs per barrel    \n  will not materialy slow the drop in U.S. production or the rise\n  in imports,\" Chairman Fred Hartley said in the annual report.\n      \"Without decisive action in Washington, this nation will\n  once again become a hostage to OPEC's plans and policies,\"\n  Hartley said.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"FED APPROVES CHEMICAL NEW YORK <CHL> MERGER\n","article":"  Chemical New York Corp and Texas\n  Bancshares Inc <TCB> said the Federal Reserve Board approved\n  their proposed 1.19 billion dlr merger.\n      The companies also said the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission declared effective as of March 24 the registration\n  statement covering the securities Chemical will issue to Texas\n  Bancshares shareholders as part of the merger.\n      The companies said they expect to complete the merger,\n  which will create a bank with 80 billion dlrs of assets, by the\n  end of the second quarter. The merger still requires\n  shareholder approval.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VARITY<VAT> SEES IMPROVED RESULTS AFTER 1ST QTR\n","article":"  Varity Corp, earlier reporting a full\n  year loss against a prior year profit, said improvement is\n  expected in the balance of fiscal 1987 as new products fill the\n  inventory pipeline, cutbacks in operating costs are realized\n  and its newly acquired Dayton Walther business is fully\n  integrated.\n      However, operating results are likely to remain under\n  pressure in the first quarter ending April 30, it said.\n      Varity earlier reported a loss for fiscal 1986 ended\n  January 31 of 23.3 mln U.S. dlrs, compared to a year-earlier\n  profit of 3.9 mln dlrs.\n      Varity said continued deterioration in major markets, a\n  weakening U.S. dollar and unforeseen delays in launching major\n  new lines of tractors contributed to the full year loss.\n      Industry demand for farm machinery continued to erode\n  during the latest fiscal year, with worldwide industry retail\n  sales of tractors sliding more than 10 pct below last year's\n  depressed levels, the company said.\n      However, Varity increased its share of the global tractor\n  market by more than one pct to 18.2 pct, it said.\n      The combined impact of costly sales incentives and foreign\n  exchange adjustments on margins was substantial, Varity said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CAMPBELL RESOURCES <CCH> UPS MESTON LAKE STAKE\n","article":"  Campbell Resources Inc said it raised\n  its voting stake in <Meston Lake Resources Inc> to about 64 pct\n  from 52 pct through acquisition of another 870,000 Meston Lake\n  shares in its previously reported takeover bid.\n      Campbell, in its bid that expired March 23, offered 80 cts\n  cash and 1.25 \"legended\" Campbell shares for each Meston share.\n  The legended shares are not tradeable for one year.\n      It said the 3.4 mln Meston shares not tendered in the offer\n  were held by about 550 stockholders, including Quebec's La\n  Societe de developpement de la Baie James, with 1.3 mln shares.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"METROBANC <MTBC> SHAREHOLDERS APPROVE MERGER\n","article":"  Metrobanc, a federal\n  savings bank, said its shareholders approved the previously\n  announced merger with Comerica Inc <CMCA>, a bank holding\n  company.\n      Metrobanc said the merger is still subject to regulatory\n  approval.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PLAINS RESOURCES INC <PLNS> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Oper shr loss 31 cts vs profit three cts\n      Oper net loss 887,886 vs profit 646,250\n      Revs 9,724,418 vs 10.8 mln\n      Note: Year-ago oper net excludes tax credit of 230,000\n  dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PENNZOIL (PZL) WILLING TO SETTLE TEXACO (TX) LAWSUIT\n","article":"  Pennzoil Co said it had not yet\n  received any \"meaningful settlement offer\" from Texaco Inc but\n  added that the company remained willing to consider proposals\n  to settle the 10.2 billion dlr jury judgment it won against\n  Texaco.\n      In its newly-released annual report to shareholders,\n  Pennzoil said it expected the Texas state court judgment, which\n  was upheld by a state appeals court on February 12, to be\n  upheld if appealed again.\n      \"To date, Pennzoil has yet to receive any meaningful\n  settlement offer from Texaco, though it remains open to any\n  realistic effort to settle the matter,\" Pennzoil chairman Hugh\n  Liedtke said in the annual report.\n      Pennzoil also said it had budgeted 212 mln dlrs for capital\n  spending in 1987, a drop from the 233 mln dlrs spent last year.\n      Proved U.S. and foreign reserves of natural gas declined to\n  964 billion cubic feet last year, from 1.01 trillion cubic feet\n  in 1985, because of a virtual halt in its exploration program,\n  Pennzoil said. Its crude oil reserves dropped to 140 mln\n  barrels from 158 mln barrels in 1985.\n       The Houston-based company said it sold an average of 339\n  mln cubic feet of domestic natural gas each day last year, a 17\n  pct drop from 1985. The average sales price for gas dropped by\n  60 cents per mcf to 2.16 dlrs per mcf, Pennzoil said.\n      U.S. crude oil and gas liquids production last year fell to\n  an average of 33,290 barrels per day from 34,102 barrels per\n  day in 1985.\n      The company's total revenues in 1986 declined to 482.3 mln\n  dlrs, from 762.5 mln dlrs the previous year. Operating income\n  in 1986 fell more than 80 pct, to 38.0 mln dlrs.\n      Pennzoil said its goals for 1987 included development of\n  its Point Arguello oilfield off the California coast, to\n  maintain current production levels in its Bluebell-Altamont\n  Field in Utah and to drill for prospects in the Gulf of\n  Mexico's Mobile Bay area.\n      \"Production should begin late in the year from the Harvest\n  Platform in the Santa Maria Basin offshore California,\" the\n  company said. \"Pennzoil's share of this production initially\n  should be five thousand barrels a day, increasing to a peak of\n  15 thousand barrels a day, net, by 1989.\"\n      In its sulphur business, Pennzoil said production totaled\n  2.1 mln long tons last year, a decline of 18 pct from 1985. The\n  average sales price also declined, to 138.25 dlrs per long ton\n  from 141.05 dlrs in 1985.\n      \"The long term outlook for our sulphur operations remains\n  bright,\" the company said. \"We expect sulphur's pricing\n  structure to strengthen during the current year, probably in\n  the third and fourth quarters.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GV MEDICAL INC <GVMI> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 20 cts vs loss 26 cts\n      Net loss 798,289 vs loss 777,667\n      Rev 262,738 vs nil\n      Avg shares 3,930,360 vs 2,959,029\n      Year\n      Shr loss 96 cts vs loss 1.25 dlrs\n      Net loss 3,202,355 vs loss 3,060,407\n      Rev 676,341 vs nil\n      Avg shares 3,339,174 vs 2,445,423\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IBC PRESIDENT NOT TO ATTEND ICO EXECUTIVE BOARD\n","article":"  Brazilian Coffee Institute (IBC)\n  president Jorio Dauster said he will not attend the ICO\n  executive board meeting and was surprised to hear that a report\n  of his absence had a slightly depressing effect on the New York\n  coffee market today.\n      \"I have too much work to accomplish here in Brazil at the\n  moment. Besides the presence of the IBC president at an ICO\n  executive board meeting is not a tradition,\" Dauster said.\n      Dauster said except in rare cases, Brazil has always sent\n  its London-based representative to ICO board meetings.\n  Ambassador Lindenberg Sette will attend the meeting, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EXCHANGE RATE BILL CLEARS U.S. HOUSE PANEL\n","article":"  The House Banking Committee adopted\n  legislation to direct the U.S. Treasury to begin negotiations\n  aimed at seeking regular adjustment of exchange rates by  \n  countries such as Taiwan and South Korea, whose currencies are\n  pegged to the value of the U.S. dollar.\n      The measure was adopted as part of a wide-ranging trade\n  bill that will be considered by the full House in April before\n  it moves on to the Senate.\n      The bill's many provisions also set as a priority for the\n  U.S. the negotiation of stable exchange rates and urge\n  government intervention as necessary to offset fluctuations.\n      In addition, the Banking Committee bill would authorize\n  U.S. banks to use a variety of means to deal with the debt\n  problems of developing countries, such as lowering interest\n  rates on existing debt, renegotiating loans or debt\n  forgiveness. The bill would give a blanket waiver of any\n  federal banking regulations that bar such actions.\n      The bill would direct Treasury Secretary James Baker to\n  discuss with debt-ridden developing countries the possibility\n  of the U.S. setting up a public debt management agency that\n  would purchase their debt at a discount and negotiate the\n  restructuring of the debt.\n      The Banking bill authorizes U.S. participation in a\n  multilateral investment guarantee agency (MIGA) as requested by\n  the administration. Congress would approve an initial U.S.\n  subscription of 22 mln dlrs.\n      And, it sets up a council on industrial competitiveness\n  composed of industry and administration members to explore ways\n  to make the U.S. more competitive in world markets.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. CHIPMAKERS URGE SANCTIONS AGAINST JAPAN\n","article":"  The Semiconductor Industry\n  Association urged the U.S. government to impose trade sanctions\n  against Japan for violating the U.S.-Japan Semiconductor Trade\n  Agreement.\n      In a letter to Treasury Secretary James Baker the group\n  said sanctions should be imposed against Japanese chipmakers as\n  of April 1 and continue until the U.S. is satisfied there is\n  full compliance with the agreement.\n      The group said action by Japan to cut back on semiconductor\n  exports is not what is required.\n      \"America's interests require that agreements be honored and\n  that U.S. industries not bear the burden for the persistent\n  unwillingness or inability of the government of Japan to\n  deliver on its commitments,\" the trade group said.\n      The White House Economic Policy Council is expected to\n  discuss possible sanctions against Japan at a meeting scheduled\n  for Thursday.\n      The trade group said Japan has not lived up to the terms of\n  the agreement last year which was aimed at ending Japanese\n  dumping of semiconductors and at opening Japanese markets to\n  foreign-based manufacturers.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CLABIR <CLG>, AMBRIT <ABI> CALL OFF MERGER\n","article":"  Clabir Corp and AmBrit Corp\n  said they called off their plans for Clabir to buy the 16 pct\n  voting interest in AmBrit that it does not already own.\n      The companies said they agreed not to pursue the merger\n  because several actions recently taken by AmBrit would mean\n  substantial delays in completing the deal.\n      They said they might revive merger plans at a later date or\n  seek other ways for Clabir to increase its holdings in AmBrit.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COST OF PIK CERTIFICATES TO BE EYED BY CONGRESS\n","article":"  Congress, eager to find budget\n  savings, launches a review of the U.S. Agriculture Department's\n  generic commodity certificate program tomorrow, amid signs USDA\n  and the General Accounting Office, GAO, are at odds over how\n  much the program has cost U.S. taxpayers.\n      The GAO concluded in a preliminary report last week that\n  payment-in-kind, or PIK, certificates cost between five and 20\n  pct more than cash outlays, administration officials who asked\n  not to be identified said.\n      USDA officials, however, took issue with the report, saying\n  it did not take into account storage, handling and transport\n  savings that accrue to the government. The GAO then decided to\n  re-examine the costs, sources said.\n      The issue is an important one, because congressional budget\n  committees are known to be considering limiting the use of\n  certificates as a means of cutting spending.\n      Agriculture Under Secretary Daniel Amstutz and GAO Senior\n  Associate Director Brian Crowley are set to testify before the\n  Senate Agriculture Committee tomorrow.\n      Amstutz is expected to tell the committee that there are\n  uncertainties in determining the cost of certificates compared\n  to cash outlays, and that savings to the Commodity Credit Corp,\n  CCC, almost equal costs, department sources said.\n      USDA estimates that it costs the government about 75 cents\n  to store, handle and transport each bushel of commodity put in\n  government storage.\n      It was unclear whether the GAO, Congress' investigative\n  arm, would stick by its original analysis that it costs the\n  government more to use certificates instead of cash in farm\n  price and income support programs, Reagan administration\n  sources said.\n      The GAO is expected to point out that use of\n  payment-in-kind, PIK, certificates has helped relieve tight\n  storage by moving grain that otherwise might not have been\n  sold.\n      The testimony by Amstutz and GAO Senior Associate Director\n  Brian Crowley comes as congressional budget committees\n  intensify their efforts to pinpoint ways to cut the federal\n  budget deficit -- including considering limits on the use of\n  PIK certificates.\n      The CCC issues dollar-denominated PIK certificates, or\n  certs, as a partial substitute for direct cash outlays to\n  farmers or cash subsidies to exporters. Certs can be used to\n  repay nonrecourse loans or exchanged for CCC commodities or\n  cash.\n      Between April and December 1986, CCC issued 3.8 billion\n  dlrs worth of certificates, according to USDA. Up to another\n  6.7 billion dlrs worth could be issued between January and\n  August 1987, according to USDA.\n      Certs can cost the government more than cash primarily\n  because recipients can use the certificates to pay back\n  government loans at levels below the loan rate.\n      Eliminating this practice, called \"PIK and roll,\" would save\n  the government 1.4 billion dlrs between 1988-92, according to\n  the Congressional Budget Office, CBO. That estimate, according\n  to a CBO official, was based on an assumption that certificates\n  cost the government about 15 pct more than cash payments.\n      The Senate and House Budget Committees are known to be\n  considering curbs on PIK-and-roll transactions among other\n  savings alternatives.\n      The GAO last week reached the tentative conclusion that the\n  estimated three billion dlrs of certificates redeemed to date\n  have cost the federal government between 150 mln and 600 mln\n  dlrs, or between five and 20 pct, more than cash outlays, one\n  administration official said.\n      However, the GAO has decided to reassess those estimates\n  based in part on USDA criticism, department officials said.\n      The broad range of the cost estimate is partly attributable\n  to the different effect certificates can have on market prices\n  over the course of a crop year.\n      USDA's Economic Research Service, for example, has found\n  that between June and August last year, the 215 mln bushels of\n  corn exchanged for certificates lowered the price of corn by\n  between 35 and 45 cents per bushel.\n      Between September and November, however, certificates had\n  only a marginal impact on corn prices, according to the ERS\n  study, obtained by Reuters.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"DAILY TELEGRAPH IN DEAL WITH NEWS INTERNATIONAL\n","article":"  <Hollinger Inc> said 58 pct-owned <The\n  Daily Telegraph PLC>, of London, agreed to form a joint venture\n  printing company in Manchester, England with <News\n  International PLC>. Financial terms were undisclosed.\n      It said the deal involved News International's acquisition\n  of a 50 pct stake in the Telegraph's Trafford Park Printing Ltd\n  subsidiary. The joint company will continue to print northern\n  editions of the Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, with spare\n  capacity used to print The Sun and News of the World.\n      The arrangement will significantly cut Telegraph costs,\n  Hollinger said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FRIEDMAN INDUSTRIES INC <FRD> QUARTERLY DIV\n","article":"  Qtly div seven cts vs seven cts prior\n      Pay June one\n      Record May four\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"LATIN OIL PRODUCERS TO MEET IN CARACAS\n","article":"  Five regional oil producing nations\n  will gather in Caracas tommorrow for a two-day meeting expected\n  to center on ways to combat proposals for a U.S. tax on\n  imported petroleum, the Venezuela's ministry of energy and\n  mines said.\n      Oil ministers from Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, Ecuador and\n  Venezuela will be on hand for the fifth meeting of the informal\n  group of Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Exporters,\n  formed in 1983, it said. Colombia will also attend for the\n  first time, as an observer nation, the ministry said.\n      Energy and Mines Minister Arturo Hernandez Grisanti said\n  the conference has no set agenda but one entire session Friday\n  will be devoted to proposals for a tax on imported oil.\n      Two of the group's members, Venezuela and Mexico, are\n  second and third largest foreign suppliers of oil to the United\n  States, respectively, following Canada.\n      Venezuela, concerned about the effect such a tax would have\n  on its exports, undertook a diplomatic push to coordinate\n  strategy against such measures. In February, Canadian Energy\n  Minister Marcel Masse was invited to Caracas for talks with\n  Hernandez on proposals for an oil import tax.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"AUSTRALIAN RESERVE BANK CUTS REDISCOUNT RATE\n","article":"  The Reserve Bank of Australia this morning\n  cut the rediscount rate from 17.30 pct to 17.00 pct.\n      The rediscount is the rate at which the bank buys back\n  treasury notes.\n      Market sources said the cut reflected the recent easing in\n  market interest rates. They also pointed to yesterday's\n  treasury note tender where the 400 mln dlrs of 13-week notes\n  went at an average yield of 15.473 pct, down from 15.870 last\n  week. The 100 mln dlrs of 26-week notes went at an average\n  15.414 from 15.790 last week.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GENOVA <GNVA> SIGNS DEFINITIVE MERGER AGREEMENT\n","article":"  Genova Inc said it signed a\n  definitive agreement for the previously announced merger with\n  <Genova Products Inc>.\n      Under the agreement, Genova Products will pay 5-3\/8 dlrs a\n  share for the 29 pct of Genova's outstanding common shares it\n  does not already own.\n      The company said it plans to complete the transaction,\n  which requires shareholder approval, by the end of March.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PENOBSCOT SHOE CO <PSO> 1ST QTR FEB 27 NET\n","article":"  Shr 69 cts vs six cts\n      Net 421,306 vs 44,132\n      Revs 3,721,178 vs 3,125,935\n      Note: Current qtr net includes a gain of 281,000 dlrs,\n  mostly from the sale of securities and property.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ASHTON-TATE <TATE> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 43 cts vs 30 cts\n      Net 10.6 mln vs 5,967,000\n      Revs 62.9 mln vs 41.5 mln\n      Avg shrs 200.7 mln vs 20.2 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 1.26 dlrs vs 85 cts\n      Net 30.1 mln vs 16.6 mln\n      Revs 210.8 mln vs 121.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 23.9 mln vs 19.4 mln\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for January 1987 two-for-one split.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DAUSTER SAYS NO CHANGE IN BRAZIL'S COFFEE POLICY\n","article":"  Brazil will not announce any\n  changes to its coffee export policy, Brazilian Coffee Institute\n  (IBC) president Jorio Dauster said.\n      He told Reuters Brazil was not planning to modify the\n  position it held before the recent International Coffee\n  Organisation meeting.\n      Earlier this month, talks in London to set new ICO export\n  quotas failed.\n      Commenting on the outcome of a coffee producers' meeting in\n  Managua last weekend, Dauster said that they discussed nothing\n  involving the market.\n      \"In the meeting we agreed to work on behalf of the union of\n  the producers in matters related to an international agreement,\"\n  Dauster said.\n      The Managua meeting was attended by representatives from\n  Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica,\n  Nicaragua and Panama, the latter represented at the meeting\n  merely as an observer.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"EXCHANGE RATE BILL CLEARS U.S. HOUSE PANEL\n","article":"  The House Banking Committee adopted\n  legislation to direct the U.S. Treasury to begin negotiations\n  aimed at seeking regular adjustment of exchange rates by  \n  countries such as Taiwan and South Korea whose currencies are\n  pegged to the value of the U.S. dollar.\n      The measure was adopted as part of a wide-ranging trade\n  bill that will be considered by the full House in April before\n  it moves onto the Senate.\n      The bill's many provisions also set as a priority for the\n  U.S. the negotiation of stable exchange rates and urge\n  government intervention as necessary to offset fluctuations.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"CONSOLIDATE CAPITAL TRUST <CIOTS> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 32 cts vs nil\n      Net 1.2 mln vs 100,000\n      Avg shrs 3,692,000 vs 3,148,000\n      Year\n      Shr 1.02 dlrs vs 54 cts\n      Net 3.7 mln vs 800,000\n      Avg shrs 3,607,000 vs 1,461,000\n      Note: Net is after depreciation.\n      Full name is Consolidated Captial Income Opportunity\n  Trust\/2.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER SAYS HE STANDS BY PARIS PACT TO FOSTER STABLE CURRENCIES\n","article":"\n  TREASURY'S BAKER SAYS HE STANDS BY PARIS PACT TO FOSTER STABLE CURRENCIES\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BAKER SAYS HE STANDS BY PARIS CURRENCY AGREEMENT\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker said\n  he stood by the Paris agreement among leading industrial\n  nations to foster exchange rate stability around current\n  levels.\n      \"I would refer you to the Paris agreement which was a\n  recognition the currencies were within ranges broadly\n  consistent with economic fundamentals,\" Baker told The Cable\n  News Network in an interview.\n      \"We were quite satisfied with the agreement in Paris\n  otherwise we would not have been a party too it,\" he said.\n      Baker also noted the nations agreed in the accord to\n  \"co-operate to foster greater exchange rate stability around\n  those levels.\"\n      He refused to comment directly on the current yen\/dollar\n  rate but said flatly that foreign exchange markets recently\n  tended \"to draw unwarranted inferences from what I say.\"\n      Baker was quoted on British Television over the weekend as\n  saying he has no target for the U.S. currency, a statement that\n  triggered this week's renewed decline of the dollar.\n      \"I think the Paris agreement represents evidence that\n  international economic policy co-ordination is alive and well,\"\n  Baker said.\n      The Treasury Secretary stressed however it was very\n  important for the main surplus countries to grow as fast as\n  they could consistent with low inflation to resolve trade\n  imbalances.\n      He added that Federal Reserve Board chairman Paul Volcker\n  has also \"been very outspoken\" in suggesting main trading\n  partners grow as fast as they can.\n      Baker noted that the J-curve, the delayed beneficial effect\n  of a weakening of a currency on that country's trade balance,\n  takes 12 to 18 months to work its way through to the trade\n  deficit and it is now 18 months since the Plaza agreement to\n  lower the dollar's value.\n      He also said improvements in the trade deficit should come\n  from other sources besides the exchange rate, and pointed out\n  the administration's package to improve U.S. Competitiveness\n  was now before Congress.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NEITHER SIDE OPTIMISTIC ON ROTTERDAM PORT ISSUES\n","article":"  Employers and the port union, FNV, are\n  to meet again this afternoon to attempt a settlement of the\n  six-week-old dispute in Rotterdam's general cargo sector, but\n  neither side is optimistic, spokesmen for both sides told\n  Reuters.\n      Little progress was made in last night's three hours of\n  talks, with both sides largely reiterating their positions.\n      \"There is still a very large gap between the employers and\n  the FNV, and I can't say that we expect to reach any agreement.\n  But at least we are still talking,\" a union spokesman said.\n      Employers organization chairman, Jacques Schoufour, accused\n  the FNV of intransigence in refusing to alter its stance at all\n  over the past two months.\n      \"The FNV is not serious about our discussions and I am\n  really not optimistic about it changing its point of view at\n  all.\"\n      \"If we find this afternoon that the FNV still refuses to\n  accept the necessary redundancies in the general cargo sector,\n  then we will break off the talks and the redundancies may begin\n  later this month,\" Schoufour said.\n      The series of strikes, which employers say has cost them\n  more than seven mln guilders in lost import business in the\n  past six weeks, began on January 19 in protest at plans for 800\n  redundancies from the sector's 4,000 workforce starting with\n  350 this year.\n      Late last month Social Affairs minister Louw de Graaf said\n  unless the dispute was settled by yesterday he would withdraw\n  the sector's 10 mln guilder annual labour subsidy.\n      Both sides wrote to the minister yesterday setting out\n  their cases, but Schoufour said he did not expect to hear from\n  him before Wednesday at the earliest.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BAKER SEES 15 TO 20 BILLION DLR DROP IN TRADE GAP\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker said\n  he expected the U.S. Trade deficit to fall by 15 billion to 20\n  billion dlrs in 1987.\n      Commenting on the deficit during an interview on Cable News\n  Network, Baker said \"I think you're going to see a 15 to 20\n  billion dlr reduction this year.\" The deficit was 170 billion\n  dlrs in 1986.\n      Baker noted that the benefits of a weaker currency take 12\n  to 18 months to affect the trade balance, and said it is now 18\n  months since the Plaza agreement to lower the dollar's value.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"Sumita says further yen rise would adversely affect Japanese economy\n","article":"\n  Sumita says further yen rise would adversely affect Japanese economy\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"Sumita says major nations will continue to cooperate to stabilize currencies\n","article":"\n  Sumita says major nations will continue to cooperate to stabilize currencies\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ASCS TERMINAL MARKET VALUES FOR PIK GRAIN\n","article":"  The Agricultural Stabilization and\n  Conservation Service (ASCS) has established these unit values\n  for commodities offered from government stocks through\n  redemption of Commodity Credit Corporation commodity\n  certificates, effective through the next business day.\n      Price per bushel is in U.S. dollars. Sorghum is priced per\n  CWT, corn yellow grade only.\n       WHEAT     HRW   HRS    SRW   SWW   DURUM\n   Chicago       --    3.04   2.98  --    --\n   Ill. Track    --    --     3.16  --    --\n   Toledo        --    3.04   2.98  2.90  --\n   Memphis       --    --     3.05  --    --\n   Peoria        --    --     3.11  --    --\n   Denver        2.62  2.63  --    --    --\n   Evansville    --    --    2.99  --    --\n   Cincinnati    --    --    2.96  --    --\n   Minneapolis   2.65  2.71  --    --    3.70\n   Baltimore\/\n   Norf.\/Phil.   --    --    3.06  2.98  --\n   Kansas City   2.87  --    3.17  --    --\n   St. Louis     3.03  --    3.03  --    --\n   Amarillo\/\n   Lubbock       2.64  --    --    --    --\n                 HRW   HRS   SRW   SWW   DURUM\n   Lou. Gulf     --    --    3.16  --    --\n   Portland\/\n   Seattle       3.07  3.08  --    3.10  3.70\n   Stockton      2.78  --    --    --    --\n   L.A.          3.23  --    --    --    4.05\n   Duluth        2.65  2.71  --    --    3.70\n   Tex. Gulf     3.10  --    3.16  --    --\n  \n               CORN  BRLY  OATS  RYE   SOYB  SORG\n   Chicago     1.47  --    --    --    4.81  2.49\n   Ill. Track  1.49  2.04  --    --    4.85  2.52\n   Toledo      1.41  2.04  1.50  --    4.78  2.39\n   Memphis     1.59  1.95  1.71  --    4.90  2.86\n   Peoria      1.51  ---   --    --    4.80  2.60\n   Denver      1.56  1.56  --    --    --    2.54\n   Evnsvlle    1.54  2.04  1.50  2.17  4.90  2.61\n   Cinci       1.52  2.04  1.50  2.17  4.85  2.58\n   Mpls        1.34  1.75  1.50  1.85  4.68  --\n   Balt\/Nor\/\n   Phil        1.70  1.80  --    --    4.98  3.12\n   KC          1.49  1.56  1.64  --    4.76  2.58\n   St Lo       1.54  --    1.66  --    4.90  2.91\n   Amarlo\/\n   Lubbck      1.84  1.40  --    --    4.75  2.92\n   Lou Gulf    1.73  --    --    --    5.05  3.12\n   Port\/\n   Seattle     1.87  2.10  1.68  --    --    --\n   Stockton    2.18  2.23  2.10  --    --    4.00\n   LA          2.54  2.50  --    --    --    4.38\n   Duluth      1.34  1.75  1.50  1.85  4.68  --\n   Tex Gulf    1.73  1.48  1.73  --    5.05  3.12\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"N.Z. MONEY SUPPLY RISES 2.4 PCT IN JANUARY\n","article":"  New Zealand's broadly defined,\n  seasonally adjusted M-3 money supply grew an estimated 2.4 pct\n  in January against a 3.4 pct (revised from 3.6) rise in\n  December and a 0.7 pct rise in January 1986.\n      It said unadjusted M-3 increased to an estimated 30.13\n  billion N.Z. Dlrs from 30.08 (revised from 30.06) billion in\n  December and 25.18 billion in January 1986.\n      Year-on-year M-3 rose 19.66 pct in January from 17.80 pct\n  (revised from 17.77) in December and 20.10 pct in January 1986.\n      Narrowly defined year-on-year M-1 growth was 21.94 pct in\n  January against 15.89 pct in December and 14.10 pct a year\n  earlier.\n      M-1 grew to an estimated 4.72 billion dlrs against 5.03\n  billion in December and 3.87 billion in January 1986.\n      Year-on-year private sector credit, PSC, grew 31.07 pct in\n  January against 30.64 pct (revised from 30.68) in December and\n  21.40 pct in January 1986. PSC grew to 22.69 billion dlrs from\n  22.24 billion in December and 17.31 billion in January 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FURTHER YEN RISE WOULD HURT JAPAN ECONOMY, SUMITA\n","article":"  Bank of Japan Governor Satoshi Sumita\n  said a further yen rise would have adverse effects on the\n  Japanese economy.\n      He told Japanese business leaders the Bank of Japan will\n  continue to take adequate measures, including market\n  intervention, to stabilize exchange rates if necessary, in\n  close cooperation with other major industrialized nations. He\n  said the current instability of exchange rates will not last.\n      Six major nations - Britain, Canada, France, Japan, the\n  U.S. And West Germany - agreed in Paris last month to act\n  together to hold currencies stable.\n      Sumita said the Bank of Japan will continue to pursue\n  adequate and flexible monetary policies while watching economic\n  and financial developments in and outside Japan.\n      He said the decision to cut the discount rate on February\n  20 was a hard choice for the Bank because monetary conditions\n  had already been sufficiently eased.\n      To prevent a resurgence of inflation, the Bank will take a\n  very cautious stance regarding developments stemming from easy\n  credit conditions, he said.\n      He said the latest discount rate cut to 2.5 pct should\n  stabilize exchange rates and expand domestic demand.\n      Commenting on the dollar's fall below 150 yen, Sumita\n  reiterated he cannot find any specific reason for the\n  currency's weakness.\n      The market undertook speculative dollar selling by reacting\n  to overseas comments by monetary authorities and trade tension,\n  he said.\n      Sumita repeated that the Japanese economy may gradually\n  recover in the latter half of the 1987\/88 fiscal year ending\n  April 1, 1988, provided exchange rates stabilize.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EC LINKS AGRICULTURAL TRADE TALKS TO OTHER REFORM\n","article":"  The European Community (EC) considers\n  talks on agricultural trade reform to be inseperable from talks\n  on other trade reform in the present GATT round, Willy de\n  Clercq, external relations commissioner of the EC, said.\n      He told reporters here the EC would not bow to pressure to\n  reach an early, seperate agreement on agricultural trade.\n      He said the EC wanted to stick to the four-year schedule\n  agreed by members of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade\n  (GATT) in Punta del Este, Uruguay, last year. That included\n  agricultural trade liberalisation for the first time in the\n  lengthy program to re-negotiate the GATT.\n      Other trade issues being discussed in the current GATT\n  round include reform of trade in merchandise and services.\n      De Clercq is on his way to China after attending a two-day\n  conference for 22 GATT trade ministers held in New Zealand.\n      Several of those ministers criticised the EC for what they\n  saw as restrictive agricultural trade practices and called for\n  urgent reforms. U.S. Trade representative, Clayton Yeutter,\n  also said it was important agreement on agricultural trade\n  reform was reached as early as possible.\n      But de Clercq said the GATT program had been reached after\n  long and hard negotiations, and the EC did not want changes.\n      \"We just want to stick to the agreement which was reached,\n  and that was very clear -- that the new round would be one\n  undertaking. It is a global negotiation with no two tracks, no\n  fast track, no slow track. It has just one track, the track -\n  and that's all,\" de Clercq said.\n      \"If you start selecting priorities, your priority is not my\n  priority. We say that agriculture is urgent, but it's not the\n  only urgent thing,\" he said.\n      He said the Punte del Este agreement had taken eight months\n  to prepare and eight days of negotiations.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"VIETNAM'S ARMY ORDERED TO GROW MORE FOOD\n","article":"  Vietnam has ordered its army to grow\n  more food to ease shortages and meet economic recovery goals\n  set for 1990.\n      The army newspaper Quan Doi Nhan Dan, monitored here, said\n  soldiers must work harder to care for rice, vegetables and\n  other crops endangered by the present unusually hot weather.\n      The paper said the 1.6-mln strong regular army contributed\n  less than one pct to the nation's 18.2 mln tonne food output.\n      North Vietnam has set a 1990 food target of 23 to 24 mln\n  tonnes.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"LINDE TURNOVER UP IN FIRST TWO MONTHS OF 1987\n","article":"  Engineering group Linde\n  AG's <LING.F> world group turnover rose to 518.6 mln marks in\n  the first two months of 1987, 5.2 pct more than in the same\n  1986 period, management board chairman Hans Meinhardt said.\n      But world group incoming orders fell 2.2 pct to 587.3 mln\n  marks, Meinhardt told the annual news conference. Excluding\n  exchange rate movements, world group turnover rose 8.9 pct and\n  incoming orders increased 1.0 pct.\n      Linde expects satisfactory results and increased sales this\n  year but Meinhardt gave no detailed forecast. Domestic group\n  1986 net profit rose to 105.79 mln marks from 80.71 mln.\n      Meinhardt said domestic group turnover rose 6.7 pct to\n  394.1 mln marks in the first two 1987 months against the same\n  period last year but incoming orders fell 5.2 pct to 456.6 mln.\n      Linde will ask shareholders at the annual meeting on May 13\n  to raise authorised share capital by a maximum 30 mln marks\n  nominal for the issue of share warrant bonds with a maximum\n  issue volume of 200 mln marks. Linde's authorised share capital\n  currently stands at a nominal 49.6 mln marks.\n      Meinhardt said the authorisation would give the company the\n  necessary flexibility in case Linde needed additional funds for\n  acquisitions. He declined to give further details.\n      While world group turnover rose 7.2 pct to 3.88 billion\n  marks in 1986, incoming orders were barely changed at 3.91\n  billion marks. Meinhardt said without the sharp appreciation of\n  the mark against major trading partner currencies, incoming\n  orders would have been four pct above the prior year's level.\n      World group turnover in heavy plant construction rose 7.4\n  pct to 777 mln marks, but incoming orders dropped 5.7 pct to\n  739 mln marks in the wake of the dollar and oil price plunge.\n      World sales for technical gases rose 5.1 pct to 1.05\n  billion marks and incoming orders gained 5.2 pct to 1.05\n  billion marks.\n      Meinhardt said Linde strengthened its market position in\n  the refrigeration sector, with particularly strong turnover and\n  order gains in Austria, Italy and Norway. World group sales in\n  the sector fell 2.5 pct to 493 mln marks, but incoming orders\n  rose 2.5 pct to 513 mln marks.\n      The fork lift truck and hydraulic sector saw world group\n  sales rising 12.4 pct to 1.52 billion marks and incoming orders\n  gaining 8.0 pct to 1.57 billion marks.\n      Domestic group turnover rose 8.2 pct to 2.93 billion marks\n  and incoming orders increased 1.9 pct to 2.92 billion marks.\n  The company was producing at full capacity in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LINDE AG <LING.F> 1986 YEAR\n","article":"  Domestic group net profit 105.79 mln marks vs 80.71 mln\n      Turnover 2.93 billion marks vs 2.71 billion\n      Incoming orders 2.92 billion marks vs 2.86 billion\n      Order book at end December 2.28 billion vs 2.37 billion\n      Tax payments 104.98 mln marks vs 88.67 mln\n      Depreciation of fixed assets 107.25 mln marks vs 150.75 mln\n      New investment in fixed assets 148.88 mln vs 148.22 mln\n      Dividend already announced 12 marks vs 11\n      DVFA earnings per share 32.22 marks vs 27.54 marks\n      Shareholders annual meeting May 13, dividend date May 14\n      World group turnover 3.88 billion marks vs 3.62 billion\n      Incoming orders 3.91 billion marks vs 3.91 billion\n      New investment in fixed assets 247 mln marks vs 252 mln\n      No world group profit figures given\n      Parent company net profits 95.04 mln marks vs 74.91 mln\n      Turnover 2.28 billion marks vs 2.14 billion\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"UNILEVER IMPROVES IN MOST SECTORS DURING 1986\n","article":"  The Unilever Plc and NV <UN.A> group saw\n  improved performance in almost all sectors during 1986, the\n  Anglo-Dutch group said in its results statement.\n      Very good progress was made last year, while the recent\n  acquisition of Chesebrough-Pond's Inc <CBM.N> was a significant\n  addition which will greatly benefit the group in the years to\n  come.\n      Earlier, Unilever reported combined fourth quarter pre-tax\n  profit of 276 mln stg, level with the year earlier period,\n  making 1.14 billion stg compared with 953 mln for the 1986 full\n  year.\n      Unilever said it plans to change its depreciation policy to\n  the more conventional practice of depreciating assets\n  individually rather than depreciating fixed assets at average\n  rates. The new method is expected to lead to a reduction in the\n  accumulated provision for depreciation and thereby increase the\n  net book value of tangible asssets by about 300 mln stg as at\n  January 1, 1987.\n      Unilever Plc shares are up 25p since yesterday at 2,575p in\n  buoyant response to the results and share split proposal,\n  though 1986 profits were not ahead of market forecasts, dealers\n  added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRADE SURPLUS CUT WOULD BENEFIT JAPAN - SUMITA\n","article":"  Bank of Japan Governor Satoshi Sumita\n  said it is in Japan's national interest to make greater efforts\n  to reduce its trade surplus.\n      He told business executives the most important issues for\n  the world economy are the correction of international trade\n  imbalances and a solution to the world debt problem.\n      To this end, Japan and the U.S. Must make medium- and\n  long-term efforts to alter economic structures which have\n  expanded the trade gap between the two nations. World economic\n  growth and therefore an expansion of debtor countries' export\n  markets are needed to solve the debt issue, he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GULF ESCORTS STILL UNDER DISCUSSION - WEINBERGER\n","article":"  No action has been taken yet\n  on the Reagan Adminstration's offer to escort Kuwaiti oil\n  tankers through the Gulf, but the issue is being discussed,\n  U.S. Secretary of Defence Caspar Weinberger said.\n      The offer was made to Kuwait in light of Iran's deployment\n  of Chinese-built missiles to cover the entrance to the Gulf.\n      Weinberger told reporters prior to a speech at Texas\n  Christian University that he did not think Iran and the United\n  States were moving towards a potential conflict, adding that\n  the Straits of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf were still \"free\n  water.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. LEADING INDICATORS FELL 1.0 PCT IN JAN AFTER REVISED 2.3 PCT DEC RISE\n","article":"\n  U.S. LEADING INDICATORS FELL 1.0 PCT IN JAN AFTER REVISED 2.3 PCT DEC RISE\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MIYAZAWA SAYS MAJOR NATIONS ACTING ON PARIS ACCORD\n","article":"  Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa said\n  major nations are taking action to stabilise exchange rates in\n  line with their agreement in Paris last month, government\n  sources said.\n      Miyazawa told an Upper House session the six nations --\n  Britain, Canada, France, Japan, the U.S. And West Germany --\n  are abiding by the Paris accord. The six agreed to cooperate to\n  stabilise exchange rates at around current levels.\n      Miyazawa said he wishes to attend a meeting of seven major\n  nations (G-7) expected just before the IMF\/World Bank Interim\n  Committee meeting in Washington starting on April 9.\n      The sources quoted Miyazawa as saying Japan is trying to\n  prevent a further rise of the yen. Japan is taking the matter\n  seriously, he added.\n      Asked if the six nations had agreed to stabilise the dollar\n  at about 153 yen, the rate prevailing at the time of the Paris\n  talks, Miyazawa declined to give specific figures and said any\n  mention of specific rates would create an \"unexpected situation.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Hoechst AG 1986 world group pretax profit 3.21 billion marks vs 3.16 billion\n","article":"\n  Hoechst AG 1986 world group pretax profit 3.21 billion marks vs 3.16 billion\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF FRANCE LAUNCHES MONEY MARKET INTERVENTION TENDER - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  BANK OF FRANCE LAUNCHES MONEY MARKET INTERVENTION TENDER - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HOECHST AG <HFAG.F> YEAR 1986\n","article":"  Year ended December 31.\n      World group pretax profit 3.21 billion marks vs 3.16\n  billion.\n      Turnover 38.01 billion marks vs 42.72 billion.\n      World group turnover comprised domestic sales 10.83 billion\n  vs 10.80 billion, foreign sales 27.18 billion vs 31.92 billion.\n      Parent pretax profit 1.82 billion marks vs 1.62 billion.\n      Turnover 14.09 billion vs 15.35 billion.\n      Parent turnover comprised domestic sales 6.47 billion vs\n  6.84 billion, foreign sales 7.62 billion vs 8.51 billion.\n      Parent investment in fixed assets 960 mln marks vs 831 mln.\n      Depreciation of fixed assets 935 mln marks vs 847 mln.\n      Investment in new participations 2.53 billion marks vs 294\n  mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GERMAN TRADE, CURRENT ACCOUNT DATA DUE TODAY\n","article":"  The Federal Statistics Office will\n  today publish trade and current account figures for February, a\n  spokeswoman said in reply to queries.\n      In January the current account surplus provisionally\n  narrowed to 4.9 billion marks from 8.5 billion in December. The\n  provisional January trade surplus narrowed to 7.2 billion marks\n  from a record 11.6 billion marks the month before.\n      In February 1986 the current account had shown a 6.85\n  billion mark surplus and the trade account a 6.84 billion\n  surplus.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF FRANCE LAUNCHES MONEY MARKET TENDER\n","article":"  The Bank of France said it set a money\n  market intervention tender today to inject funds to the market\n  against first category paper.\n      Money market sources said the surprise announcement might\n  herald a quarter percentage point cut in the central bank\n  intervention rate from the 7-3\/4 pct level set March 10, but\n  they added such a cut was relatively unlikely.\n      The intervention rate was cut from eight pct on March 10\n  after being raised from 7-1\/4 pct on January 2 to head off\n  speculative pressure against the franc.\n      Dealers said market fundamentals could justify a further\n  easing, but a combination of technical factors and renewed\n  currency uncertainties surrounding the dollar had put\n  short-term upside pressure on interest rates in recent\n  sessions.\n      Call money rose yesterday to 7-7\/8 eight pct from 7-3\/4 7\/8\n  pct. Today it was first indicated at 8-1\/8 1\/4 before easing on\n  news of the tender to 7-13\/16 7\/8 pct.\n      Technical factors making for a slight shortage of liquidity\n  in the market included the settlement yesterday of the latest\n  monthly treasury tap stock tender, on March 5, market sources\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BP says it will tender for remaining 45 pct of Standard Oil at 70 dlrs a share cash\n","article":"\n  BP says it will tender for remaining 45 pct of Standard Oil at 70 dlrs a share cash\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BP TO OFFER 7.4 BILLION DLRS FOR STANDARD SHARES\n","article":"  British Petroleum Co Plc <BP.L> said it\n  intended to make a tender offer for the 45 pct of Standard Oil\n  Co <SRD.N> it does not already own at 70 dlrs a share cash, for\n  a total of 7.4 billion if the offer is fully accepted.\n      The offer would be made through its <BP North America Inc>\n  unit and was intended to commence not later than April 1. The\n  offer would not be conditional on any minimum number of shares\n  being tendered.\n      BP said in a statement the 70 dlr a share price was based\n  on its own valuation as well as those of its financial\n  advisers. It took into account reviews of both public and\n  non-public information.\n      Standard closed in New York last night at 64-7\/8 dlrs, down\n  1-3\/4 dlrs.\n      BP shares dropped on the announcement to 877p from 888p at\n  last night's close.\n      About a third of the cash payable would be met from BP's\n  own resources.\n      The remainder would come from new borrowings, partly from\n  banks under a four-year committed revolving credit facility and\n  partly from a a new U.S. Dlr commercial paper programme. The\n  company said it was in the course of arranging these\n  facilities.\n      BP Chairman Sir Peter Walters said that the group's\n  investment in Standard was its largest single asset. Full\n  ownership would enable investment and operating decisions to be\n  made without the limitations of a minority interest.\n      BP also believed the acquisition represented the optimum\n  use of its financial resources. It was confident oil prices\n  were likely to remain within a range sufficient to justify the\n  investment.\n      Walters added that it also felt that, due to management\n  changes in 1986, Standard could now operate successfully even\n  in a lower oil price environment.\n      Standard's net assets at end-1986 were 7.02 billion dlrs\n  and in the year it reported a loss of 1.08 billion dlrs before\n  tax and before an extraordinary item of 608 mln dlrs.\n      Analysts said that the move by BP had come as a surprise.\n  One noted that it was not immediately clear why the group\n  should spend so much money buying a company it already\n  controlled.\n      BP could also have bought up the remainder of Standard\n  shares considerably cheaper had it moved six months ago.\n      It was also unclear what effect the tender would have on\n  the U.K. Government's recent announcement that it intended to\n  dispose of its remaining 31.7 pct stake in BP sometime in the\n  1987\/88 financial year, analysts said.\n      Analyst Paul Spedding of brokers Kleinwort Grieveson noted\n  that any effect on the government sale of its stake in BP would\n  depend on the reaction of the markets.\n      The deal would probably push BP's gearing up to around 59\n  pct from 20 pct currently, he said.\n      However, with the likelihood that oil prices would not\n  repeat last year's rapid drop the prospects for Standard\n  returning to profitability this year -- and BP benefitting from\n  its cash flow -- were good.\n      Standard was a high cost oil producer, the analysts noted.\n      Spedding noted that it needed about 12 dlrs a barrel to\n  make money, and at about 15 dlrs a barrel revenue from\n  production and its downstream activities would push it\n  comfortably into surplus.\n      BP initially took a stake in Standard following the\n  discovery of oil in Alaska's Prudhoe bay in 1969. BP had\n  inadequate distribution facilities in the U.S. While Standard,\n  which was strong on marketing and refining, was short on crude\n  oil.\n      The analysts said that BP had promoted a major management\n  reorganisation of Standard in the past year.\n      The probability that much of the shake-up at Standard was\n  now complete was one possible factor behind the timing of the\n  tender offer, Spedding said.\n      BP's willingness to take hard decisions such as major\n  balance sheet write offs and the sale of assets had been well\n  received in the markets.\n      The lower costs that should now be possible -- especially\n  after the rationalisation of the loss making minerals division\n  -- should allow the benefits of an oil price recovery to come\n  straight through to 1987 profits without being cut back by\n  other sectors.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HOECHST RAISES PROFITS ON LOWER SALES\n","article":"  Hoechst AG <HFAG.F> said in a\n  statement it increased its pretax profits in 1986 despite a\n  fall in turnover due to lower foreign sales.\n      The lower sales were due to the fall in the dollar and\n  other currencies against the mark. Other factors were pressure\n  on selling prices because of a sharp fall in the prices of\n  crude oil and petrochemical raw materials and the sale of\n  polystyrene business in the U.S. And Netherlands.\n      World group pretax profit rose to 3.21 billion marks in\n  1986 from 3.16 billion in 1985, with sales falling to 38.01\n  billion from 42.72 billion.\n      Within group turnover, foreign sales fell to 27.18 billion\n  marks in 1986 from 31.92 billion in 1985, a drop of 14.9 pct.\n      The statement made no mention of net profit figures.\n  Hoechst will announce its dividend proposal on April 23.\n      In the first quarter of this year sales were hit by the\n  cold weather at the start of the year. If the dollar continues\n  at present low levels, 1987 sales will again be below the\n  previous year, although in volume terms they are unchanged from\n  1986, Hoechst said.\n      Sales of paints and dyes, fibres, sheeting and information\n  technology all rose in 1986 but plant construction sales fell.\n      Hoechst attributed its good results to the performance of\n  the parent company, other units in West Germany, and to\n  <American Hoechst Corp>.\n      Improved earnings in the U.S. Largely reflected the\n  restructuring of styrene and polystyrene activities.\n      Roussel Uclaf <RUCF.PA> and most domestic non-consolidated\n  partners did not perform as well as in 1985.\n      Hoechst attributed the 12 pct rise in parent company pretax\n  profits to 1.82 billion marks above all to a rise in earnings\n  from interest and holdings in other companies, and a fall in\n  extraordinary costs.\n      The fall in raw material prices was not enough to\n  compensate for the decline in turnover due to lower prices and\n  currencies, Hoechst said.\n      The bulk of the 2.53 billion marks investment in new\n  projects, up from 294 mln marks in 1985, went on the capital\n  increase of Hoechst Capital Corp in connection with the\n  acquisition of <Celanese Corp>.\n      Celanese was merged with American Hoechst in February to\n  form <Hoechst Celanese Corp>.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Danish overnight money market rate cut to 10 pct from 10.5 - central bank\n","article":"\n  Danish overnight money market rate cut to 10 pct from 10.5 - central bank\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BHP NET SEEN AROUND 600 MLN DLRS FOR NINE MONTHS\n","article":"  Australia's largest company, The Broken\n  Hill Pty Co Ltd <BRKN.S> (BHP), is expected to report a net\n  profit of around 600 mln to 620 mln dlrs tomorrow for the first\n  nine months ended February 28, share analysts polled by Reuters\n  said.\n      This would be well below the 813.0 mln dlrs earned in the\n  first three quarters of 1985\/86. In the full year ended May 31\n  1986 the group earned a record 988.2 mln dlrs.\n      The analysts estimated that the group would report a third\n  quarter net in the region of 200 mln to 220 mln dlrs, against\n  238.6 mln a year earlier and 220.3 mln in the second quarter.\n      BHP's earnings in the first half ended November 30 amounted\n  to 397.0 mln dlrs, sharply down from 589.3 mln a year earlier.\n      The analysts predicted that BHP will report an upturn in\n  petroleum earnings compared with the first quarter, reflecting\n  some improvement in crude oil prices from the Bass Strait\n  fields, but these gains would be offset by lower mineral and\n  steel earnings.\n      They said the mineral group has been hit by lower coal\n  prices and shipments to Japan while the steel division has been\n  affected by industrial and production problems.\n      The analysts noted that the third quarter is normally BHP's\n  lowest-earning period owing to a number of seasonal factors,\n  and they predicted a sharp rise in fourth quarter net to around\n  300 mln dlrs.\n      One key factor in the fourth quarter is expected to be a\n  tax break of some 70 mln dlrs for the investment allowance on\n  capital expenditure in the steel division, they said.\n      They said they saw BHP's full year earnings at around 900\n  mln to 920 mln dlrs. They added that such a decline from\n  1985\/86 would be no surprise, noting BHP has said that it would\n  be difficult to equal its record 1985\/86 net profit.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" BP units seek five billion dlr revolving credit to support Standard Oil tender\n","article":"\n   BP units seek five billion dlr revolving credit to support Standard Oil tender\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"INDIAN PLANT SIGNS FIRST ALUMINA EXPORT CONTRACT\n","article":"  An unnamed Norwegian firm agreed to\n  buy 100,000 tonnes of alumina a year from a refinery in eastern\n  Orissa state due to start operations in the next 12 months, a\n  Commerce Ministry official told Reuters.\n      He said the state-owned National Aluminium Co, which owns\n  the plant, and the state-owned Mineral and Metals Trading Corp\n  signed its first long-term export agreement with the company,\n  but gave no further details.\n      Of the plant's 800,000 tonnes annual capacity, 425,000 will\n  be smelted into 218,000 tonnes of aluminium and the remaining\n  375,000 will be exported, the official said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. LEADING INDEX FELL 1.0 PCT IN JANUARY\n","article":"  The U.S. index of leading indicators\n  fell a seasonally adjusted 1.0 pct in January after a revised\n  2.3 pct December gain, the Commerce Department said.\n      The department previously said the index rose 2.1 pct in\n  December.\n      The decline in January was the biggest for any month since\n  July, 1984, when the index fell 1.7 pct.\n      The January decrease left the index at 183.8 over its 1967\n  base of 100, and was led by a fall in contracts and orders for\n  plant and equipment.\n      A total of six of 10 indicators available for January\n  contributed to the decline.\n      Besides contracts and orders for plant and equipment, they\n  were building permits, manufacturers' new orders for consumer\n  goods, a change in sensitive materials prices, slower\n  deliveries from vendors and higher average weekly claims for\n  state unemployment insurance.\n      Four of 10 indicators were positive, including stock\n  prices, new business formation, average work week and money\n  supply.\n      The main factor for the December upward revision was new\n  business formation.\n      There was no revision in the 0.9 pct increase in the\n  leading indicators index for November.\n      The index of coincident indicators, which measures the\n  current economy, fell 0.1 pct in January after increases of 0.7\n  pct in December and 0.2 pct in November.\n      The index of lagging indicators, which measures past\n  economic activity, rose 0.5 pct in January after a decrease of\n  0.5 pct in December and an increase of 0.2 pct in November.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"LUCAS INDUSTRIES PLC <LUCS.L> HALFYEAR ENDED JAN 31\n","article":"  Shr 22.9p vs 26.9p.\n      Interim div 2.6p vs same.\n      Pre-tax profit 40.0 mln stg vs 38.0 mln.\n      Net profit before minorities 29.6 mln vs 30.9 mln.\n      Turnover 825.0 mln vs 791.6 mln.\n      Trading profit 52.8 mln stg vs 52.5 mln.\n      Related companies profit 3.1 mln vs 1.4 mln.\n      Interest payable 12.3 mln vs 14.6 mln.\n      Reorganisation and redundancy costs 3.6 mln vs 1.3 mln.\n      Tax 10.4 mln vs 7.1 mln.\n      Minorities 1.5 mln vs 2.4 mln.\n      Extraordinary charges 1.3 mln vs 34.2 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BP UNITS SEEK FIVE BILLION DLR REVOLVING CREDIT\n","article":"  BP International and BP North America\n  are seeking a five billion dlr, four year syndicated credit\n  facility in support of British Petroleum Co Plc's tender offer\n  for the 45 pct of Standard Oil Co it does not already own,\n  Morgan Guaranty Trust Co of New York said as arranger.\n      The facility, to be guaranteed by British Petroleum Co Plc\n  <BP.L> is probably the largest credit facility ever arranged in\n  Europe, bond analysts said. Full terms will be announced either\n  later today or tomorrow morning. BP said earlier it planned a\n  tender offer for the 45 pct of Standard it does not already own\n  for 70 dlrs a share cash.\n      The financing being arranged by Morgan Guaranty will take\n  the form of a fully committed revolving credit. As announced\n  earlier, BP also is arranging a U.S. Commercial paper program\n  in connection with the tender and part of the revolver will be\n  used to support that program.\n      The exact size of the U.S. Program has not been decided and\n  the dealers have not yet been chosen.\n      The credit facility will also allow the borrower to issue\n  cash advances with maturities of one, three or six months\n  through a tender panel, which will be comprised of banks\n  committed to the facility.\n      Despite the unprecedented size of this euromarket facility,\n  Morgan Guaranty said that it was being syndicated only among\n  BP's relationship banks.\n      As a result, banks were being offered lead manager status\n  at 200 mln dlrs, co-lead management at 125 mln and manager at\n  75 mln.\n      Although pricing on many credit facilities has become\n  extremely fine in recent years because of the keen competition\n  to win mandates, Morgan Guaranty said banks would be\n  compensated fairly since this is a special purpose facility\n  which must be completed quickly, with signing expected in about\n  10 days.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CLUB MEDITERRANEE <CMI.PA> - YEAR ENDED OCTOBER 31\n","article":"  Parent company 1986 net profit 202.55 mln francs vs 171.31\n  mln\n      Dividend 13.02 francs vs same, including 4.34 francs tax\n  credit.\n      (Note -  company earlier reported consolidated net profit\n  315.9 mln francs vs 302.08 mln and consolidated attributable\n  profit of 293.3 mln vs 266.6 mln.)\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET LIQUIDITY POSITION EXPECTED FLAT\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it has forecast\n  a flat position in the money market today.\n      Among the main factors, maturing assistance and take-up of\n  treasury bills will drain 545 mln stg and a rise in note\n  circulation 35 mln stg but the outflow will be offset by 490\n  mln stg exchequer transactions and bankers balances above\n  target 70 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EC SUGAR TENDER SEEN AS FURTHER CONCESSION\n","article":"  The rebates granted at yesterday's EC\n  sugar tender represent a further concession to producers'\n  complaints that they are losing money on exports outside the\n  bloc, trade sources said.\n      They said the maximum rebate of 45.678 European currency\n  Units (Ecus) per 100 kilos was 0.87 Ecus below what producers\n  claim is needed to obtain the equivalent price to that offered\n  for sales into intervention.\n      The rebate at last week's tender was 1.3 Ecus short of the\n  level producers thought necessary and that of the previous week\n  was 2.5 Ecus below this level.\n      But the sources said producers who have offered a total of\n  854,000 tonnes of sugar into intervention in an apparent\n  attempt to persuade the Commission to set higher maximum\n  rebates have given no formal indication to the Commission that\n  they intend to withdraw these offers.\n      The French and German operators involved would be able to\n  withdraw the offers up to five weeks after April 1 when the\n  sugar will officially enter intervention stores.\n      The five-week period is the normal delay between sugar\n  going into intervention and payment being made for it.\n      EC officials have said that if the Commission has to buy\n  the sugar, it is determined immediately to resell it, a move\n  which could drive down market prices further.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":" German Feb current account surplus 6.6 billion marks (Jan surplus 4.8 billion) - official\n","article":"\n   German Feb current account surplus 6.6 billion marks (Jan surplus 4.8 billion) - official\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" German February trade surplus 10.4 billion marks (Jan surplus 7.2 billion) - official\n","article":"\n   German February trade surplus 10.4 billion marks (Jan surplus 7.2 billion) - official\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GERMAN CURRENT ACCOUNT SURPLUS WIDENS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  West Germany's current account\n  surplus widened to a provisional 6.6 billion marks in February\n  from a slightly downwards revised 4.8 billion in January, a\n  spokeswoman for the Federal Statistics Office said.\n      The trade surplus in February widened to a provisional 10.4\n  billion marks from 7.2 billion in January, she added.\n      The Statistics Office had originally put the January\n  current account surplus at 4.9 billion marks.\n      The February trade surplus was well up on the 6.84 billion\n  mark surplus posted in the same month of 1986. But the current\n  account surplus was down slightly from the 6.85 billion surplus\n  recorded in February 1986.\n      A Statistics Office statement said the widening of the\n  February current account surplus compared with January was due\n  to seasonal factors. Neither the trade nor current account\n  figures are seasonally adjusted.\n      February imports, measured in terms of value, totalled\n  32.11 billion marks, a decline of 10 pct against February 1986\n  but a rise of 5.5 pct against January.\n      Exports in February, also in value terms, totalled 42.56\n  billion marks, 0.5 pct less than in February 1986 but up 13 pct\n  compared with January.\n      The Statistics Office said it was not yet able to calculate\n  the real change in exports and imports in February. But for\n  comparison purposes it noted that in January the average value\n  of imports had fallen 15 pct year-on-year while the average\n  value of exports had declined by only 4.4 pct.\n      Within the current account, the services account had 300\n  mln marks deficit, supplementary trade items a 200 mln mark\n  surplus while transfer payments posted a 3.7 billion mark\n  deficit.\n      Taking the first two months of 1987 together, imports in\n  value terms fell 14 pct to 62.6 billion marks compared with a\n  year earlier. The value of exports totalled 80.2 billion marks,\n  a decline of 7.4 pct against the same months of 1986.\n      The resulting trade surplus of 17.6 billion marks for\n  January\/February compares with a cumulative surplus of 14.1\n  billion marks in the year-ago period.\n      The cumulative current account surplus for January and\n  February 1987 totalled 11.3 billion marks against 11.4 billion\n  marks a year earlier, the Statistics Office said.\n      Bank economists said the rise in the February trade surplus\n  reflected an improvement in the terms of trade as well as\n  seasonal factors. The Federal Statistics Office said earlier\n  this week that February import prices fell 0.7 pct against\n  January while export prices were unchanged.\n      \"The rise in the nominal figures masks a lower export trend\n  that is not expected to change for several months at least,\"\n  said an economist. He said the nominal trade surplus for 1987\n  as a whole is likely to fall only slightly from the record\n  112.2 billion marks in 1986 but other economists said the\n  surplus could fall to around 80 billion marks.\n      An economist at the Bank fuer Gemeinwirtschaft (BfG) in\n  Frankfurt said a two-month comparison of trade figures gave a\n  more accurate picture of West Germany's trade position.\n      He noted the 17.6 billion mark surplus for January and\n  February together was lower than the 21.6 billion mark surplus\n  posted in November and December.\n      \"The trend is clearly lower,\" he said.\n      This economist, who declined to be named, said the February\n  rise was also partly explained by special factors in January,\n  when there had been a number of public holidays as well as\n  extremely cold weather, both of which hindered trade.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"KEATING REVISES DOWN AUSTRALIAN GROWTH FORECAST\n","article":"  Treasurer Paul Keating forecast\n  economic growth at slightly under two pct in the financial year\n  ending June this year, down from the 2.25 pct forecast\n  contained in the 1986\/87 budget delivered last August.\n      Australia's terms of trade also fell, by 18 pct, over the\n  past two years, he told Parliament. Terms of trade are the\n  difference between import and export price indexes.\n      Despite the figures, the budget forecast of about 1.75 pct\n  annual growth in employment would be met, Keating said.\n      Unemployment is currently at 8.2 pct of the workforce.\n      \"This government is dragging Australia through a trading\n  holocaust the kind of which we have not seen since the Second\n  World War,\" Keating said.\n      \"We are not pushing this place into a recession. We are not\n  only holding our gains on unemployment, we are bringing\n  unemployment down,\" he said, adding that the government had help\n  the country avoid recession.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TAIWAN'S SAVINGS AT RECORD HIGH\n","article":"  Taiwan has over one trillion Taiwan dlrs\n  in savings, official statistics show.\n      Figures released yesterday show all forms of savings by\n  individuals and public and private firms, including bank\n  deposits, certificates of deposits and bond's, are running at\n  about 37 pct of gross national product (GNP).\n      GNP rose by 14.35 pct in 1986 to 2.74 trillion dlrs.\n      Taiwan's strict foreign exchange controls and lack of\n  incentives to invest abroad mean its huge export earnings are\n  mainly deposited in bank savings accounts, earning below four\n  pct interest each year.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"SHORT-DATED SAUDI RIYAL RATES FIRM IN QUIET MARKET\n","article":"  Short-dated Saudi riyal interest rates\n  firmed but other rates were steady in quiet trading, dealers\n  said.\n      \"Day-to-day money is a bit tighter,\" one trader said.\n      Overnight rose two points to six pct, while most quotes for\n  tomorrow\/next and spot\/next were 1\/2 point higher at around\n  six, 5-1\/2 pct.\n      The periods were essentially steady at 5-7\/8, 5\/8 pct for\n  one month, 6-1\/2, 3\/8 pct for three, and 6-7\/8, 11\/16 for six\n  months.\n      The spot riyal stood at 3.7500\/05 to the dollar after\n  3.7506\/09 yesterday.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"JAPAN BEEF PRICE SUPPORT CUT WILL NOT RAISE DEMAND\n","article":"  Japan's plan to cut beef intervention\n  prices for the fiscal year starting April 1 will not boost\n  demand because of strict supply controls and a complex\n  distribution system, Japanese and U.S. Industry sources said.\n      \"Government beef policy protects farmers rather than meeting\n  consumers' demands and the cutback ... Is too marginal,\" a\n  Housewives Association of Japan official said.\n      Despite mounting U.S. Pressure on Japan to open farm\n  markets, beef is strictly controlled by the government, which\n  maintains a price stabilisation zone to protect farmers.\n      Under the plan, expected to be announced this month, the\n  standard or bottom price of castrated wagyu -- known as marbled\n  beef -- will be set at 1,370 yen per kilo for 1987\/88 against\n  1,400 now, and the ceiling at 1,780 yen against 1,820.\n      The standard price of other beef, mainly produced from\n  dairy steers, is set at 1,020 yen against 1,090 and the ceiling\n  at 1,325 against 1,420.\n      Ministry officials said the semi-government Livestock\n  Industry Promotion Corp (LIPC) conducts buffer stock operations\n  to help keep wholesale beef prices within the intervention\n  price zone.\n      The LIPC is allowed to import most beef, with the amount\n  set by the government under a quota system. When wholesale\n  prices go above the ceiling, the LIPC releases its beef stocks,\n  both domestic and imported, and buys locally produced beef when\n  prices are below.\n      But the LIPC has often been criticised for releasing beef\n  stocks when the prices are higher than the ceiling.\n      Phillip Seng, Asian Director of the U.S. Meat Export\n  Federation, told Reuters the two pct cut in prices is a step\n  toward closing the gap with European Community prices, about\n  half those in Japan.\n      But Seng said the cut will not benefit consumers or U.S.\n  Meat exporters because of Japan's rigid and complicated\n  distribution system and strict supply control by the LIPC.\n      The Housewives Association official said retail beef prices\n  are high mainly because of distribution problems and high\n  production costs, as well as poor operations by the LIPC.\n      American meat packers see Japan as a promising market. F.C.\n  Beatty, of U.S. Packer John Morrell and Co, told the Japan\n  Times beef cuts, which sell for 1.20 to 3.00 dlrs a pound in\n  the U.S., Are sold at 15 to 30 dlrs in Japan.\n      But Seng said the cut will not benefit consumers or U.S.\n  Meat exporters because of Japan's rigid and complicated\n  distribution system and strict supply control by the LIPC.\n      The Housewives Association official said retail beef prices\n  are high mainly because of distribution problems and high\n  production costs, as well as poor operations by the LIPC.\n      American meat packers see Japan as a promising market. F.C.\n  Beatty, of U.S. Packer John Morrell and Co, told the Japan\n  Times beef cuts, which sell for 1.20 to 3.00 dlrs a pound in\n  the U.S., Are sold at 15 to 30 dlrs in Japan.\n      But industry sources said it is unclear how much demand\n  will pick up if retail beef prices drop following any sharp\n  reduction in intervention prices.\n      U.S. Agriculture Secretary Richard Lyng said this week he\n  will ask Japan to remove all beef import restrictions when he\n  visits here next month.\n      In 1984, Japan decided to increase its beef import quota by\n  9,000 tonnes a year until March 31, 1988.\n      In 1987\/88, the quota will rise to 177,000 tonnes from\n  168,000 in 1986\/87, ministry officials said, adding Japan wants\n  to keep self-sufficiency in beef at around 70 pct.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FOREIGN FIRMS HOPE TO JOIN JAPAN TELECOM COMPANY\n","article":"  One of two rival firms seeking to enter\n  Japan's international telecommunications market said it will\n  offer a stake in the company to 10 foreign firms.\n      President of <International Telecom Japan Inc> (ITJ), Nobuo\n  Ito, decline to specify what share the firms would take, but\n  told Reuters they would not participate in its management.\n      ITJ and <International Digital Communications Planning Inc>\n  (IDC), in which both Cable and Wireless Plc <CAWL.L> and\n  Pacific Telesis Group <PAC.N> own 20 pct stakes, are set to\n  merge into a new entity to compete against <Kokusai Denshin\n  Denwa Co Ltd> (KDD).\n      The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications has urged the\n  two rival firms to merge so KDD would have only a single\n  competitor. The ministry has also rejected foreign management.\n      Japan's law limits foreign ownership of any new\n  international telecommunications entrant to 33 pct, so C and\n  W's and Pacific's stakes could be three pct in the merged firm,\n  sources said. Those seeking to join are General Electric Co\n  <GE.N>, Ford Motor Co <F.N>, <Citibank NA>, BankAmerica Corp\n  <BAC.NYSE>, <Shearson Lehman Bros Inc>, <Saloman Brothers>,\n  <Asia Boeing Computer Service>, Unisys Corp <UIS.N>, <Societe\n  Generale> and Deutsche Bank AG <DBKG.FRA>.\n      The merger plan has been criticised for excluding foreign\n  firms from a meaningful position in the market.\n      The U.K.'s Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, U.S. Secretary\n  of State George Shultz, U.S. Commerce Secretary Malcolm\n  Baldrige and U.S. Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter have all\n  expressed such opposition.\n      Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone will draft a\n  reply to the criticism following further discussion, a Posts\n  and Ministry official said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.K. OILMEAL\/VEG OIL PRODUCTION ROSE IN 1986\n","article":"  The U.K. Produced 820,400 tonnes of\n  oilcake and meal and 431,000 tonnes of crude vegetable oil in\n  calendar 1986, Ministry of Agriculture figures show.\n      They compare with 785,800 tonnes of oilcake and meal and\n  407,400 tonnes of crude vegetable oil produced in 1985.\n      Total oilseeds crushed rose to 1.27 mln tonnes from 1.21\n  mln in 1985.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BURLINGTON COAT FACTORY WAREHOUSE CORP <BCF> NET\n","article":"  Jan 31 end\n      Shr 1.40 dlrs vs 1.10 dlrs\n      Net 16.4 mln vs 12.9 mln\n      Revs 196.2 mln vs 157.5 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SIEMENS SEES SALES NEAR 52 BILLION MARKS THIS YEAR\n","article":"  World group turnover of Siemens AG\n  <SIEG.F> should rise to 51 or 52 billion marks in the current\n  year to September 31 after a 19 pct upturn in the first five\n  months, management board chairman Karlheinz Kaske said.\n      Siemens reported world group turnover in 1985\/86 of 47.02\n  billion marks.\n      Kaske told the annual shareholders meeting turnover rose to\n  21.2 billion marks in the first five months of 1986\/87, about\n  19 pct above the same year-ago period. The rise was mainly due\n  to payment in January for a West German nuclear power station\n  which led to a jump in domestic sales of 36 pct.\n      In the first five 1986\/87 months, turnover abroad showed a\n  three pct increase, Kaske said, without giving figures.\n      In the same period incoming orders rose five pct to 21.8\n  billion marks against the same 1985\/86 period.\n      For the year as a whole incoming orders should rise between\n  one and two billion marks to around 51 or 52 billion.\n      Apart from payments for the nuclear power station, the\n  communications and telecommunications sectors in particular\n  should contribute to growth this year, Kaske said.\n      But it was not possible to make a profit forecast for\n  1986\/87 because of uncertainty about the direction of the\n  dollar, Kaske said.\n      Siemens already reported that first quarter 1986\/87 group\n  net profit fell marginally to 296 mln marks from 298 mln in the\n  same period in the previous year.\n      Turnover in the first five months rose particularly\n  strongly in the installations and automotive technology,\n  communications and telecommunications sectors, but components\n  and energy and automation showed a sharp decline.\n      Kaske said domestic orders rose to 10.2 billion marks in\n  the first five months of this year, or nine pct above their\n  level in the same 1985\/86 period, boosted in particular by\n  orders for the fully owned Kraftwerk Union AG subsidiary.\n      Foreign orders grew one pct to 11.6 billion marks. An\n  increase in orders through newly acquired subsidiaries abroad\n  was balanced by the decline in the dollar.\n      While the installations and automotive technology sector\n  showed a sharp rise in orders, energy and automation and\n  communications orders were below the level achieved in the same\n  period of 1985\/86.\n      Telecommunications orders remained at roughly the same\n  level.\n      Kaske said investments were expected to remain around six\n  billion marks in 1986\/87 after a 50 pct increase the previous\n  year. Research and development were likely to rise 13 pct to\n  6.1 billion marks or around 12 pct of turnover.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"KRUPP HAS SATISFACTORY 1986 RESULTS\n","article":"  The Fried. Krupp GmbH\n  <KRPG.D> steel and engineering group said it had a satisfactory\n  1986 despite a provisional 12 pct fall in total group sales to\n  18.1 billion marks from 20.7 billion the previous year.\n      Third party turnover declined to 15.9 billion from 18.5\n  billion in 1985 while orders slipped to 15.5 billion marks from\n  16.9 billion, it said in a preliminary statement.\n      Despite these figures, which reflected the dollar's\n  weakness against the mark and oil and raw materials price\n  falls, it said 1986 was a satisfactory year.\n      The reason was the continued expansion of the machinery and\n  plant sector, which accounted for 42 pct of total sales.\n      Krupp added that some areas of the mechanical engineering\n  business achieved notable growth rates and acquisitions had\n  underpinned machinery and component activities.\n      An orders decline in the steel and, in particular, the\n  trading and services sectors, affected the group's total order\n  figures.\n      However, \"all business sectors contributed to the positive\n  results achieved in 1986,\" Krupp added, without giving details.\n      Domestic orders decreased by five pct to 9.6 billion marks\n  from the previous year and foreign orders fell 14 pct to 5.9\n  billion, it said. Foreign business accounted for 38 pct of\n  orders against 40 pct in 1985.\n      Orders received by the machinery and plant sector, 11\n  member companies which comprise the core area of the group,\n  rose by four mln marks last year to 6.9 billion, Krupp said.\n      The group's orders in hand amounted to 9.1 billion marks at\n  end-December 1986 from 10.3 billion at the start of the year.\n      Orders received by the steel sector last year decreased by\n  three pct to 6.2 billion marks from 1985, it said.\n      The steel market weakened increasingly over the year,\n  mainly because of exchange rate movements, the deterioration in\n  foreign trade and a downturn in a number of customer\n  industries.\n      The difficult market for sections and flats of quality\n  steel depressed order tonnages by around seven pct, Krupp said.\n  But special steel boosted by strong demand for stainless\n  cold-rolled flats, grew by five pct in tonnage terms.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"NO PESSIMISM FOR GERMAN EXPORTERS, MINISTRY\n","article":"  Firms need not be pessimistic about export\n  prospects even though foreign markets have become more\n  difficult because of the mark's strength the Economics Ministry\n  said.\n       The ministry's parliamentary state secretary Ludolf Georg\n  von Wartenberg, told a business conference German exports could\n  start rising again in real terms during 1987, reversing the\n  lower export trend which emerged in mid-1986.\n      But even if the turnaround did not occur, there would be no\n  need to worry about the economy as long as the weakness of\n  exports did not affect currently good domestic demand.\n      Von Wartenberg said consumer demand remained quite good but\n  noted there had been a cooling in the investment climate. \"This\n  is certainly a reason for heightened watchfulness but not for\n  stimulative steps,\" he said.\n      The best way for Bonn to help its exporters is to work\n  actively to promote free world trade, he added.\n      Von Wartenberg said the economy still had good export\n  opportunities. Price alone was not the only factor in\n  international competitiveness, he said, adding German firms\n  have a reputation for high quality standards, prompt delivery\n  times and good service.\n      Von Wartenberg said the government was in a difficult\n  position on its trade figures.  It faced international pressure\n  to reduce its trade surplus, but West Germans were worried\n  about the effect of the mark's strength on the country's\n  exporters.\n      Reports about the trade surplus, especially overseas,\n  tended to concentrate on nominal trade figures, which rose to a\n  record 112.2 billion marks in 1986, he said. But this rise was\n  due entirely to the lower value of imports caused by the\n  decline of both the dollar and oil prices. German exports have\n  in fact been falling in real terms for sometime, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"MONETARY AUTHORITIES SAID TO LOSE CREDIBILITY\n","article":"  The monetary authorities of the major\n  industrialised countries lost their credibility this week as\n  the dollar was sold off despite pleas from ministers and\n  widespread central bank intervention, dealers said.\n      The dollar's fall below 150 yen, which follows last month's\n  Paris currency stabilisation agreement by the U.S., Japan, West\n  Germany, Britain, France and Canada, is a dramatic reversal of\n  the success of the Group of Five (G-5) 1985 New York Plaza\n  meeting to weaken the dollar, they said.\n      The G-5 and the market agreed in 1985 that the dollar was\n  overvalued but this time the market and the authorities are on\n  different sides, dealers said.\n      Apparent confusion in the ranks of the G-5 nations has\n  encouraged the market to challenge the authorities despite\n  concerted intervention by the central banks of the United\n  States, Japan, Britain and West Germany, they said.\n      Pleas by Japanese Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa for\n  action to stabilise the dollar were matched over the weekend by\n  comments by U.S. Treasury Secretary James Baker that there was\n  no target zone for the dollar. The dollar was sold anyway.\n      Yesterday's comment by Baker that he stood by the Paris\n  accord did nothing to reverse sentiment, dealers said.\n      The intervention, backed by remarks by Fed Chairman Paul\n  Volcker and Japanese central bank governor Satoshi Sumita,\n  which a few months ago would have brought the dollar fall to a\n  halt, has done little but slow the rate of its decline, they\n  noted.\n      The situation has again raised the question of whether\n  intervention can succeed against the trend in today's huge\n  currency markets. Dealers said the market's cool response to\n  intervention reflected a basic oversupply of dollars.\n      \"This means that the current dollar selling is not of a\n  sheer speculative nature but backed by real demand,\" said Koichi\n  Miyazaki, deputy general manager at Sanwa Bank.\n      Dealers said the dollar will remain weak despite the\n  intervention and it is only a matter of time before some\n  operators try to push it below 148 yen. The dollar closed in\n  Tokyo today at 149.40 against New York's 149.30\/40. Its record\n  low was 148.40 in Tokyo last Tuesday.\n      Dealers said the dollar will gain only temporary support to\n  rise above 150 yen toward early April when the Group of Seven\n  industrial nations meets to discuss currencies again.\n      The market expects the seven nations (the Paris six plus\n  Italy) to try to agree on another way to stabilise currencies\n  apart from intervention, a chief dealer at a U.S. Bank said.\n      Dealers said they were unsure what other methods could be\n  used and they are sceptical anyway about how long the Paris\n  accord nations, particulary the U.S., Will remain willing to\n  prevent a further dollar fall given the continuing high U.S.\n  Trade deficit, especially with Japan.\n      Further pressure from a protectionist U.S. Congress for a\n  lower dollar is also limiting Washington's options, they said.\n      The market now thinks the central bank action is to slow\n  the dollar fall, not to push it back over 150 yen, said\n  Tadahiko Nashimoto, manager at Long Term Credit Bank of Japan.\n      Another bearish factor for the dollar is expected large\n  forward dollar sales from April to June for export bills\n  falling due for Japanese exporters from April to September.\n      The exporters had delayed in expectation of a further yen\n  depreciation, dealers said.\n      Yesterday's request to 30 trading houses by the Ministry of\n  International Trade and Industry to restrict dollar sales looks\n  ineffective in light of this real demand, they said.\n      The market is also anticipating active institutional dollar\n  sales to hedge currency risks on bond holdings from the new\n  business year starting April 1, dealers said.\n      \"The market seems to have established a new dollar trading\n  range between 147 and 149 yen,\" one dealer said.\n      The dollar traded between 151 and 153 yen after the Paris\n  accord on February 22 and 150 yen was then considered the low\n  end for the dollar against the yen, he said.\n      Some dealers now believe that if the dollar falls below 148\n  yen, it will pick up renewed downward momentum and slide to\n  145.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"UK FEB TRADE DEFICIT 224 MLN STG VS DEFICIT 527 MLN IN JAN - OFFICIAL.\n","article":"\n  UK FEB TRADE DEFICIT 224 MLN STG VS DEFICIT 527 MLN IN JAN - OFFICIAL.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. FEB CUURENT ACCOUNT SURPLUS 376 MLN STG VS JAN SURPLUS 73 MLN - OFFICIAL.\n","article":"\n  U.K. FEB CUURENT ACCOUNT SURPLUS 376 MLN STG VS JAN SURPLUS 73 MLN - OFFICIAL.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MALAYSIAN CENTRAL BANK SEES HIGHER 1987 GROWTH\n","article":"  Gross domestic product (GDP)\n  growth in 1987 is expected to grow by between 1.5 and two pct,\n  up from one pct in 1986, the central bank said.\n      The forecast compares with the one pct GDP growth forecast\n  made by the Treasury last October.\n      Bank Negara also said in its annual report that gross\n  national product (GNP) is expected to grow by 3.5 to four pct,\n  after declining 7.3 pct in 1986.\n      It said that a turnaround in investor confidence since last\n  November had been spurred by a moderate improvement in oil and\n  commodity prices and a rise in manufacturing exports.\n      Growth in 1987 is expected to come from the anticipated\n  rise in export earnings if the industrialised countries sustain\n  their average GNP growth at 2.5 to three pct, it added.\n      Bank Negara said its forecast assumes that crude oil will\n  average 15.50 dlrs a barrel, rubber at 210 cents a kilo, palm\n  oil at 850 ringgit a tonne, tin at 17 ringgit a kilo and a rise\n  of 12 pct in manufacturing exports.\n      It said Malaysia's international terms of trade will turn\n  around to rise by two pct in 1987 after declining 12 pct in\n  1986 and five pct in 1985.\n      \"In 1987, income will be higher, private consumer spending\n  is likely to recover and expand... The budget will remain under\n  strict control... The resource gap in the government's finances\n  on current account will be bridged over the near term,\" Bank\n  Governor Jaafar Hussein said in the report.\n      The current account deficit is expected to narrow to 1.19\n  billion ringgit in 1986 or 1.8 pct of GNP from 1.79 billion or\n  2.5 pct of the GNP the previous year.\n      The bank forecasts the inflation rate will increase by 1.5\n  pct, after its 0.7 pct rise in 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COFFEE PRICE FALL SHORT TERM - DUTCH ROASTERS\n","article":"  This morning's sharp decline in coffee\n  prices, following the breakdown late last night of negotiations\n  in London to reintroduce International Coffee Organization,\n  ICO, quotas, will be short-lived, Dutch roasters said.\n      \"The fall is a technical and emotional reaction to the\n  failure to agree on reintroduction of ICO export quotas, but it\n  will not be long before reality reasserts itself and prices\n  rise again,\" a spokesman for one of the major Dutch roasters\n  said.\n      \"The fact is that while there are ample supplies of coffee\n  available at present, there is a shortage of quality,\" he said.\n      \"Average prices fell to around 110 cents a lb following the\n  news of the breakdown but we expect them to move back again to\n  around 120 cents within a few weeks,\" the roaster added.\n      Dutch Coffee Roasters' Association secretary Jan de Vries\n  said although the roasters were disappointed at the failure of\n  consumer and producer ICO representatives to agree on quota\n  reintroduction, it was equally important that quotas be\n  reallocated on a more equitable basis.\n      \"There is no absolute need for quotas at this moment because\n  the market is well balanced and we must not lose this\n  opportunity to renegotiate the coffee agreement,\" he said.\n      \"There is still a lot of work to be done on a number of\n  clauses of the International Coffee Agreement and we would not\n  welcome quota reintroduction until we have a complete\n  renegotiation,\" de Vries added.\n      With this in mind, and with Dutch roasters claiming to have\n  fairly good forward cover, the buying strategy for the\n  foreseeable future would probably be to buy coffee on a\n  hand-to-mouth basis and on a sliding scale when market prices\n  were below 120 cents a lb, roasters said.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.K. VISIBLE TRADE DEFICIT NARROWS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Britain's visible trade deficit narrowed\n  to a seasonally adjusted provisional 224 mln stg in February\n  from 527 mln in January, The Trade and Industry Department\n  said.\n      The current account balance of payments in February showed\n  a seasonally adjusted provisional surplus of 376 mln stg\n  compared with a surplus of 73 mln in January.\n      Invisibles in February were put provisionally at a 600 mln\n  surplus, the same as in January.\n      Seasonally adjusted, imports rose in February to 7.16\n  billion stg from 6.73 billion in January. Exports rose to a\n  record 6.93 billion last month from 6.20 billion in January.\n      Trade Department officials said the improvement in\n  Britain's current account contrasted with most private\n  forecasts and they attributed much of the strength to imports\n  rising less quickly in February than might otherwise have been\n  expected.\n      The Department said exceptionally cold weather in January\n  reduced exports that month and that there had been an element\n  of catching up in the February figures.\n      The seasonally adjusted volume index, base 1980, a guide to\n  underlying non-oil trade, showed exports rising to 131.0 from\n  114.6 in January and imports rising to 142.2 from 136.5.\n      The value of British oil exports in February rose to 751\n  mln stg from 723 mln in Jnauary while oil imports rose to 425\n  mln from 352 mln.\n      The Department said the upward trend in non-oil export\n  volume continues and the underlying level of non-oil import\n  volume seems to have stablised.\n      The Departnment said exports to the U.S. May be benefiting\n  from fluctuations in the mark and yen exchange rates.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"LUCAS SEES CONTINUED GROWTH IN SECOND HALF\n","article":"  Lucas Industries Plc <LUCS.L> said its\n  underlying performance would continue to improve in the second\n  half but profits would be restrained by low activity in U.K.\n  Commercial vehicle and tractor markets as well as in North\n  American electronics.\n      The company earlier reported a two mln stg rise in pretax\n  profit to 40 mln in the six months to end-January. The figure\n  was some five mln below forecasts and Lucas shares dropped\n  sharply to 557.5p at 1130 GMT from last night's close of 590p.\n      It said it would continue with plans for all its activities\n  to be internationally competitive and profitable.\n      Costs of restructuring, reorganisation, employee training\n  and retraining, particularly in the UK automotive businesses,\n  together with high research and development spending would\n  affect profits in the short term.\n      But Lucas said it was exploiting growth opportunities in\n  automotive markets, especially in vehicle breaking and engine\n  management systems. Recent acquisitions in North America had\n  strengthened Lucas Aerospace and Lucas Industrial systems.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"IWC ups Soviet grain 1986\/87 import estimate three mln tonnes to 29 mln - official\n","article":"\n  IWC ups Soviet grain 1986\/87 import estimate three mln tonnes to 29 mln - official\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"IWC lifts 1986\/87 world wheat, coarse grain estimate one mln tonnes to record 1,377 mln\n","article":"\n  IWC lifts 1986\/87 world wheat, coarse grain estimate one mln tonnes to record 1,377 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"TRADE SURPLUS CUT WOULD BENEFIT JAPAN - SUMITA\n","article":"  Bank of Japan Governor Satoshi Sumita\n  said it is in Japan's national interest to make greater efforts\n  to reduce its trade surplus.\n      He told business executives the most important issues for\n  the world economy are the correction of international trade\n  imbalances and a solution to the world debt problem.\n      To this end, Japan and the U.S. Must make medium- and\n  long-term efforts to alter economic structures which have\n  expanded the trade gap between the two nations. World economic\n  growth and therefore an expansion of debtor countries' export\n  markets are needed to solve the debt issue, he added.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMMISSION APPROVES RAINBOW\/PROGRESSIVE MERGER\n","article":"  The Commerce Commission has approved\n  a proposed merger between <Progressive Enterprises Ltd> and\n  <Rainbow Corp Ltd>, Rainbow said in a statement.\n      The merger involves the formation of a new company <Astral\n  Pacific Corp Ltd> which will acquire all shares in both\n  companies on a one-for-one share exchange basis.\n      Rainbow earlier this week lifted its stake in Progressive\n  to 52 pct from 44 pct. The statement said a new private\n  company, <Transcapital Corp Ltd>, fully owned by Rainbow\n  directors Craig Heatley, Gary Lane and Ken Wikeley, will\n  purchase this stake for an undisclosed cash sum.\n      The Commission has also approved Transcapital acquiring up\n  to 45 pct of Astral Pacific, Rainbow said.\n      <Brierley Investments Ltd>, which has been a frequent\n  critic of the merger, launched a full bid for Progressive at\n  4.20 N.Z. Dlrs a share last Monday.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GREENWOOD RESOURCES <GRRL> SELLS COMPANY STAKE\n","article":"  Greenwood Resources Inc said it has sold\n  its 4,300,000 common share majority holding in <New London Oil\n  Ltd> of London to an affiliate of <Guinness Peat Group PLC> of\n  London and an affiliate of <Sidro SA> of Belgium for a total of\n  1,700,0000 dlrs in cash.\n      The company said it will apply the proceeds of the sale to\n  support its line of credit and as part of a proposed debt\n  restructuring with Colorado National Bancshares <COLC> and\n  Greenwood shareholders.\n      It said it will retain a seat on the New London board.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET FORECAST REVISED TO DEFICIT\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it revised its\n  estimate of today's money market shortfall to around 350 mln\n  stg from a flat position.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"IWC LIFTS WORLD GRAIN OUTPUT ESTIMATE TO RECORD\n","article":"  The International Wheat Council (IWC)\n  lifted its estimate for 1986\/87 world wheat and coarse grain\n  production by one mln tonnes to a record 1,377 mln, compared\n  with 1,351 mln tonnes the previous season.\n      In its monthly market report, the IWC said it is leaving\n  unchanged its forecast of world wheat production for the coming\n  1987\/88 season at between 520 and 530 mln tonnes against a\n  record 534 mln in 1986\/87. The one mln tonne upward revision in\n  1986\/87 wheat production reflects several minor adjustments.\n  The IWC raised the 1986\/87 coarse grain trade figure two mln to\n  87 mln tonnes. It left wheat trade unchanged at 86 mln.\n      The IWC 1986\/87 estimate for world trade in wheat and\n  coarse grain is thus estimated two mln tonnes higher at 173 mln\n  against 169 mln the previous season with the forecast three mln\n  rise in Soviet imports offset by small reductions elsewhere.\n      The IWC said the area harvested for wheat in 1987\/88 is\n  likely to be down from last year as low world prices and\n  restrictive national policies measures begin to take effect.\n      At least four of the five major exporters expect to see a\n  drop in wheat sowings without offset in other countries. There\n  is still potential for even higher average wheat yields but the\n  IWC said there are increasing signs world output may level off.\n      Although it is still early to assess the coarse grain\n  outlook, the IWC said barley acreage is likely to fall in the\n  European Community but increase in Canada. U.S. Maize area is\n  expected lower but oat sowings could rise.\n      After damage to its maize crop last year, the Soviet Union\n  plans to expand this area by as much as 50 pct to over six mln\n  hectares in a year when many frost damaged wheat fields are\n  likely to be resown to this and other spring crops. Improved\n  weather and a further increase in the use of intensive\n  cultivation methods could therefore see a marked rise in Soviet\n  maize output in 1987, the IWC said.\n      Any reduction in world coarse grain output would be\n  bolstered by the large carryover stocks from 1986\/87, the IWC\n  said.\n      It left its estimates of wheat and coarse grain stocks at\n  endof different marketing years unchanged at 178 and 210 mln\n  tonnes, respectively, against 160 and 167 mln a year earlier.\n      After record world durum wheat production of 218.8 mln\n  tonnes last season, the IWC said there are already signs of\n  another large crop this coming season with higher output\n  expected in the EC, Canada, the U.S. And North Africa.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF JAPAN BUYS SMALL QUANTITY DOLLARS -DEALERS\n","article":"  The Bank of Japan was thought to have\n  bought a small amount of dollars at around 149.30\/40 yen,\n  dealers said.\n      The dollar fluctuated marginally after the small-scale\n  intervention, believed to total several tens of mlns of dlrs,\n  they said. Large-scale buying by foreign banks or by a life\n  insurance company earlier pushed the dollar upwards, they said.\n      Trading was not very active and dealers were watching for\n  further central bank intervention to smooth out any sharp\n  movements, but underlying dollar sentiment is still bearish.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"U.K. TRADE FIGURES BUOY HOPES OF INTEREST RATE CUT\n","article":"  The release of U.K. February trade data\n  showing that the current account surplus was a provisional 376\n  mln stg, up from a 73 mln surplus in January, has boosted hopes\n  of an early cut in interest rates, analysts said.\n      Market forecasts had been for a worse outcome, with\n  expectations of a deficit in visible trade averaging about 750\n  mln stg, against the official figure of 224 mln stg, sharply\n  narrower than January's 527 mln deficit.\n      \"The figures are unreservedly good,\" Chase Manhattan\n  Securities economist Andrew Wroblewski said.\n      Sterling rebounded on the trade figures, reversing a weaker\n  morning trend, to stand at 72.1 pct of its trade weighted index\n  against a basket of currencies at midday, unchanged from\n  yesterday's close but 0.3 points above the 1100 GMT level.\n      The market had feared that a deteriorating non-oil trade\n  pattern would undermine international support for sterling,\n  which has been the motor behind the recent fall in U.K.\n  Interest rates. Money market sources said the market had begun\n  to doubt that a widely expected drop in bank base lending rates\n  to 9.5 pct from the present 10.0 pct was really on the cards.\n      But sentiment now looks to have turned about again.\n      There now looks to be no danger that the Chancellor of the\n  Exchequer Nigel Lawson's forecast of a 1987 current account\n  deficit of 2.5 billion stg will be exceeded, Wroblewski said.\n      Seasonally adjusted figures showed imports rose in February\n  to 7.16 billion stg from 6.73 billion in January.\n      Exports rose to a record 6.93 billion from 6.20 billion.\n      However, Chris Tinker, U.K. Analyst at brokers Phillips and\n  Drew said the faster rise in exports than imports would prove\n  partly aberrational in coming months. He forecast the\n  Chancellor's Budget tax cuts would increase consumer\n  expenditure on imported goods.\n      However, Warburg Securities economist Ian Harwood said his\n  firm was sharply revising its 1987 current account deficit\n  forecast in the light of the latest data, cutting one billion\n  stg off the expected full year total to about 1.75 billion stg.\n      He said news of strong growth in exports of non-oil goods\n  confirmed recent bullish surveys among members of the\n  Confederation of British Industry.\n      The growth in imports appears to be flattening, even if\n  January's bad weather had curbed consumer spending on overseas\n  goods and import-intensive stock building among manufacturers,\n  Harwood said.\n      U.K. Government bonds, or gilts, surged by more than 1\/2\n  point on the better-than-expected news, as earlier worries\n  about the figures evaporated.\n      Sterling peaked at a high of 1.6075 dlrs, before settling\n  to a steady 1.6050 about 1300 GMT, nearly a cent higher than\n  the European low of 1.5960.\n      However, analysts noted that the turnabout in market\n  sentiment still looks highly vulnerable to political news.\n      Morning weakness in sterling and the gilt market was\n  largely attributed to a newspaper opinion poll showing that the\n  Conservative government's support was slipping.\n      LONDON, March 26 - The Bank of England said it provided 15\n  mln stg in assistance to the money market this morning, buying\n  bank bills in band two at 9-13\/16 pct.\n      Earlier the Bank revised its money market liquidity\n  forecast from a flat position to a deficit of around 350 mln\n  stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"GERMAN NET CURRENCY RESERVES RISE\n","article":"  West German net currency reserves\n  rose by 300 mln marks in the third week of March to 82.0\n  billion, following a fall of 5.4 billion marks in the previous\n  week, the Bundesbank said.\n      Non-currency reserves were unchanged at about 2.5 billion\n  marks, bringing net monetary reserves to 84.5 billion.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"CURRENCY EXCHANGE LOSS PUSHES MALAYSIA'S DEBT UP\n","article":"  An exchange loss of 7.6 billion\n  ringgit in 1986 pushed Malaysia's outstanding external debt up\n  to 50.99 billion ringgit, from 1985's 42.3 billion, the Central\n  Bank said in its annual report.\n      Bank Negara said although Malaysia's net borrowing dropped\n  in 1986, its external debt rose due to the 30 pct appreciation\n  of the basket of currencies against which the ringgit is\n  pegged.\n      The basket comprises principally the U.S. Dollar, yen,\n  mark, Swiss franc, French franc, sterling, guilder, Canadian\n  and Singapore dollars, it added.\n      Bank Negara said growth in external debt, which declined\n  progressively from a peak of 58 pct in 1982 to 13.6 pct in\n  1985, rose by 20.2 pct in 1986.\n      Malaysia's debt serving ratio of 17.6 pct of its exports in\n  1986 is within the prudency limit of 20 pct, Bank Negara\n  Governor Jaafar Hussein told reporters.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"IWC SAYS EFFECT OF LOWER SUPPORT PRICES LIMITED\n","article":"  Efforts by governments to control wheat\n  surpluses by cutting support prices have met with only partial\n  success, the International Wheat Council (IWC) says in its\n  latest monthly report.\n      Faster results could be achieved by a policy of reducing\n  both price and areas, as employed in the United States, the IWC\n  says in a survey of support prices in the five main wheat\n  exporters - Argentina, Australia, Canada, the EC and the U.S.\n      In some countries, for example Australia and Argentina,\n  which are highly dependent on wheat shipments for export\n  income, there may be problems in reducing production.\n      A policy of cutting wheat production could lead to\n  unemployment, with job prospects outside agriculture limited.\n  Alternative crops may offer inferior returns which could then\n  lead to lost export revenue and balance of payments problems.\n      The IWC outlines three courses of action open to\n  governments in wheat exporting countries.\n      They could continue to support prices in the hope that when\n  the world economy improves demand for wheat will rise and\n  surpluses wil be reduced or eliminated.\n      Alternatively, support could be limited to wheat which\n  could be easily sold, without needing to be stored for a long\n  period.\n      This option may prove to be the most politically\n  unattractive and would result in many producers abandoning\n  wheat production, the report said.\n      The third option would be for governments to distinguish\n  between the commercial and social aspects of agriculture,\n  possibly varying support prices according to farm size or\n  overall production.\n      The IWC review covers support prices in the major exporting\n  countries since 1982. At some time during that period all the\n  producers cut support prices in response to growing surpluses.\n      These changes did not always result in lower export\n  subsidies as on several occasions currency fluctuations more\n  than offset lower prices in the domestic currency.\n      For example between 1985\/86 and 1986\/87 the EC intervention\n  price for bread wheat fell from 209.30 to 179.44 European\n  currency units (Ecus). It dollar terms, the currency in which\n  most export transactions are denominated, the intervention\n  price however rose to 193 dlrs from 168. The high cost of\n  supporting farm prices has put a strain on national exchequers\n  and some governments are now searching for ways to cut\n  expenditure, the report says.\n      The proportion of world wheat output produced by the five\n  major exporters declined in the period covered by the survey\n  from 40 pct in 1982 to 35 pct in 1987. This was partly due to\n  increased production in China and India.\n      The period saw an upward trend in yields, although this was\n  countered in the Argentina, the U.S. And Australia by lower\n  acreages.\n      In Argentina a reduction in the sown area of about 20 per\n  cent was put down to low prices causing producers to switch to\n  other enterprises, particularly livestock while lower U.S.\n  Acreages are attributed to official incentives.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. TREASURY'S BAKER OPPOSES TAX INCREASE\n","article":"  U.S. Treasury Secretary James Baker\n  said that he opposes a Federal tax increase to help reduce the\n  budget deficit and favors spending cuts instead.\n      \"I don't think it's (a tax increase) is a very good idea\n  and I'm quite confident that President Reagan doesn't think\n  it's a very good idea,\" Baker said in an interview on Cable\n  News Network's \"Moneyline\" television program.\n      He said U.S. taxpayers are taxed at a rate of 19 pct of GNP\n  which is traditionally where it has been, but the Federal\n  Government is spending at a rate of 24 pct of GNP. Baker said\n  spending cuts are clearly the best way to cut budget deficits.\n      Baker said he opposed a stock transactions tax proposed by\n  House Speaker Jim Wright, D-Tex, or other special taxes.\n      \"The stock transfer tax would be a particularly unfortunate\n  approach to take,\" the Treasury Secretary said. He said the\n  United States has some of the most efficient capital markets in\n  the world and new taxes would impair efficiency.\n      On the international front, Baker said banks must do more\n  lending to developing countries. He was questioned about this\n  after the Standard and Poor's Corp downgrading today of the\n  debt of six major money center bank holding companies, largely\n  because of their heavy developing nation loan exposure.\n      Baker said that developing countries must adopt free market\n  economic policies such as in the United States. He said capital\n  flows will be required to support the needed reforms in the\n  economic systems of those countries.\n      The money must come either through equity or debt and Baker\n  said that developing nations' \"investment regimes do not\n  support enough equity investment, so you've got to have some\n  debt there.\"\n      Commenting on the U.S. trade deficit, Baker said \"I think\n  you're going to see a 15 to 20 billion dlr reduction this\n  year.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S BAKER SAYS HE STANDS BY PARIS PACT\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker said\n  he stood by the Paris agreement among leading industrial\n  nations to foster exchange rate stability around current\n  levels.\n      \"I would refer you to the Paris agreement which was a\n  recognition the currencies were within ranges broadly\n  consistent with economic fundamentals,\" Baker told The Cable\n  News Network in an interview.\n      \"We were quite satisfied with the agreement in Paris\n  otherwise we would not have been a party too it,\" he said.\n      Baker also noted the nations agreed in the accord to\n  \"co-operate to foster greater exchange rate stability around\n  those levels.\"\n      He refused to comment directly on the current yen\/dollar\n  rate but said flatly that foreign exchange markets recently\n  tended \"to draw unwarranted inferences from what I say.\"\n      Baker was quoted on British Television over the weekend as\n  saying he has no target for the U.S. currency, a statement that\n  triggered this week's renewed decline of the dollar.\n      \"I think the Paris agreement represents evidence that\n  international economic policy co-ordination is alive and well,\"\n  Baker said.\n      The Treasury Secretary stressed however it was very\n  important for the main surplus countries to grow as fast as\n  they could consistent with low inflation to resolve trade\n  imbalances.\n      He added that Federal Reserve Board chairman Paul Volcker\n  has also \"been very outspoken\" in suggesting main trading\n  partners grow as fast as they can.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"GERMAN ANALYSTS SEE GOLD RISING IN 2ND HALF 1987\n","article":"  The price of gold bullion is likely\n  to rise in the second half of the year on increased private\n  investor demand, West German analysts said.\n      Gold could rise as high as 500 dlrs per ounce later this\n  year, said Peter Witte, director of Westdeutsche Landesbank\n  Girozentrale's trading division, after a presentation by the\n  U.S. Mint to promote its gold and silver Eagle series coins.\n      \"A lot will depend on oil prices and developments on stock\n  exchanges,\" Witte said, adding he saw gold positioned for\n  further rises once it breaks out above 450 dlrs.\n      Gold was fixed this morning in London at 411.30 dlrs.\n      Despite current strong interest in gold mine stocks, many\n  investors still want to buy physical gold, Witte said.\n      Interest in gold mine stocks may also wane if stock\n  exchange rallies under way in many countries start to waver.\n      Hermann Strohmeyer, vice president of Commerzbank AG's\n  foreign exchange trading and treasury department, said gold is\n  poised to rise to 460 to 470 dlrs an ounce in the second half\n  of this year.\n      The price is unlikely to fall much below 380 or 390 dlrs an\n  ounce, and probably will continue in a range between 380 and\n  430 dlrs in the first half of this year, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CORADIAN CORP <CDIN> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit three cts vs loss three cts\n      Net profit 363,000 vs loss 197,000\n      Revs 3,761,000 vs 2,666,000\n      Year\n      Shr profit one cent vs loss 37 cts\n      Net profit 129,000 vs loss 1,715,000\n      Revs 11.4 mln vs 10.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 10,694,081 vs 4,673,253\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GULF ESCORTS STILL UNDER DISCUSSION - WEINBERGER\n","article":"  No action has been taken yet\n  on the Reagan Adminstration's offer to escort Kuwaiti oil\n  tankers through the Gulf, but the issue is being discussed,\n  U.S. Secretary of Defence Caspar Weinberger said.\n      The offer was made to Kuwait in light of Iran's deployment\n  of Chinese-built missiles to cover the entrance to the Gulf.\n      Weinberger told reporters prior to a speech at Texas\n  Christian University that he did not think Iran and the United\n  States were moving towards a potential conflict, adding that\n  the Straits of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf were still \"free\n  water.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRST INTERSTATE <I> ESTIMATES LOSS ON BRAZIL\n","article":"  First Interstate Bancorp Chairman\n  Joseph Pinola said the bank holding company would lose about 16\n  mln dlrs per year, after taxes, if it had to put its medium and\n  long-term debt on non-accrual status.\n      In an interview, he said that could result in about a 4.5\n  pct decline in annual earnings per share.\n      Pinola said First Interstate, like other banks, has not yet\n  decided to put the loans, which Brazil stopped paying interest\n  on last month, on non-accrual status.\n      \"None of us really wants to injure negotiations that might\n  be going on,\" he said.\n      First Interstate reported to the Securities and Exchange\n  Commission last week that it has about 339 mln dlrs in\n  medium-to long-term loans to Brazil.\n      It said on December 31, 1986 its nonperformind Brazilian\n  outstanding debt totaled about 4.1 mln dlrs.\n      First Interstate also has about 168 mln dlrs in short-term\n  loans or trade lines to Brazil.\n      Pinola said he believes the solution to the Brazilian debt\n  crisis will be more political than economic, which he said he\n  finds, \"very disquieting and discomforting.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FRENCH UNEMPLOYMENT RISES TO SEASONALLY ADJUSTED 2.65 MLN IN FEBRUARY - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  FRENCH UNEMPLOYMENT RISES TO SEASONALLY ADJUSTED 2.65 MLN IN FEBRUARY - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MICKELBERRY CORP <MBC> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 61 cts vs loss 45 cts\n      Net profit 3,568,000 vs loss 2,598,000\n      Revs 34.6 mln vs 31.6 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,861,000 vs 5,776,000\n      Year\n      Shr profit 56 cts vs loss 32 cts\n      Net profit 3,374,000 vs loss 1,759,000\n      Revs 132.0 mln vs 131.6 mln\n      NOTE: 1985 quarter net includes 665,000 dlr tax credit.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MICKELBERRY <MBC> COMPLETES SALE OF UNIT\n","article":"  Mickelberry Corp said it has completed\n  the previously-announced sale of the 51 pct of its C and W\n  Group subsidiary that it had retained to N W Ayer Inc for\n  undisclosed terms.\n      Ayer bought the other 49 pct next year.\n      Mickelberry said it will report a gain on the transaction.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"F.W. WOOLWORTH CO 4TH QTR SHR 1.78 DLRS VS 1.64 DLRS\n","article":"\n  F.W. WOOLWORTH CO 4TH QTR SHR 1.78 DLRS VS 1.64 DLRS\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FLUOROCARBON CO <FCBN> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 26 cts vs 24 cts\n      Net 1,144,000 vs 1,063,000\n      Sales 23.2 mln vs 24.8 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 93 cts vs 1.40 dlrs\n      Net 4,046,000 vs 6,111,000\n      Sales 97.8 mln vs 104.0 mln\n      NOTE: Prior year net includes gain 286,000 dlrs from\n  discontinued operations in year and loss 375,000 in quarter and\n  gain 260,000 dlrs in year from disposal of discontinued.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FRENCH FEBRUARY UNEMPLOYMENT HITS RECORD 2.65 MLN\n","article":"  French unemployment rose to a record\n  seasonally adjusted 2.65 mln in February from 2.61 mln in\n  January and 2.57 mln at the end of last year, the Labour\n  Ministry said.\n      The rise took the percentage of the workforce out of a job\n  to 11.0 pct last month from 10.9 pct in January and 10.7 pct at\n  the end of 1986.\n      In unadjusted terms unemployment fell by around 30,000 last\n  month to 2.70 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PHILIPS ELECTRICAL SELLS STAKE IN UNIDARE\n","article":"  <Philips Electrical (Ireland) Ltd> has\n  arranged the sale of the one mln ordinary shares it holds in\n  its subsidiary <Unidare Aluminium Ltd>, Unidare said.\n      The placing has been arranged through <Allied Irish\n  Investment Bank Plc> at an ex-dividend price of 371 Irish pence\n  per share.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN MEDICAL INTERNATIONAL INC 2ND QTR SHR PROFIT 32 CTS VS LOSS 95 CTS\n","article":"\n  AMERICAN MEDICAL INTERNATIONAL INC 2ND QTR SHR PROFIT 32 CTS VS LOSS 95 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BAKER SEES 15 TO 20 BILLION DLR DROP IN TRADE GAP\n","article":"  Treasury Secretary James Baker said\n  he expected the U.S. Trade deficit to fall by 15 billion to 20\n  billion dlrs in 1987.\n      Commenting on the deficit during an interview on Cable News\n  Network, Baker said \"I think you're going to see a 15 to 20\n  billion dlr reduction this year.\" The deficit was 170 billion\n  dlrs in 1986.\n      Baker noted that the benefits of a weaker currency take 12\n  to 18 months to affect the trade balance, and said it is now 18\n  months since the Plaza agreement to lower the dollar's value.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AMERICAN MEDICAL INTERNATIONAL INC <AMI> NET\n","article":"  2nd qtr\n      Shr profit 32 cts vs loss 95 cts\n      Net profit 28.0 mln vs loss 82.2 mln\n      Revs 950.2 mln vs 862.0 mln\n      1st half\n      Shr profit 65 cts vs loss 62 cts\n      Net profit 56.6 mln vs loss 53.5 mln\n      Revs 1.88 billion vs 1.67 billion\n      Avg shrs 92.2 mln vs 86.7 mln\n      NOTE: Period ended February 28.\n      Prior year net both periods includes pretax asset\n  writedowns of 114.6 mln dlrs and additions to reserves of 60.0\n  mln dlrs.\n      Prior year net includes tax credits of 53.7 mln dlrs in\n  quarter and 32.9 mln dlrs in half.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HEINZ INTERESTED IN BUYING GUINNESS BREWING\n","article":"  H.J. Heinz <HNZ.N> chairman Tony O'Reilly\n  would be interested in buying Guinness PLC <GUIN.L>'s brewery\n  division if it were for sale, a spokesman said.\n      The spokesman, reacting to Irish and British press reports,\n  said \"He continues to be interested were the group to offer the\n  brewery side of Guinness for sale. But he has not put together\n  a consortium, nor has he been buying shares.\"\n      He was quoted by the Irish magazine Business and Finance as\n  saying he would be interested if it came on the market and that\n  he had the support of two international banks if he decided\n  such a purchase might be worthwhile.\n      In the magazine article, he suggested that if brewing\n  profits were calculated to be in the region of 80 mln punts,\n  the asking price would not be higher than 800 mln punts.\n      \"A multiple of ten times earnings would be the top whack for\n  the brewing division in the current Guinness situation,\" he\n  said.\n      \"This would mean an expensive exercise, right on the edge,\n  but not impossible,\" he added.\n      The deal would mean buying the Dublin, London, Nigerian and\n  Malaysian breweries because \"It could only be sold as an\n  integral unit if it was going to be sold at all,\" O'Reilly said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. VISIBLE TRADE DEFICIT NARROWS IN FEBRUARY\n","article":"  Britain's visible trade deficit narrowed\n  to a seasonally adjusted provisional 224 mln stg in February\n  from 527 mln in January, The Trade and Industry Department\n  said.\n      The current account balance of payments in February showed\n  a seasonally adjusted provisional surplus of 376 mln stg\n  compared with a surplus of 73 mln in January.\n      Invisibles in February were put provisionally at a 600 mln\n  surplus, the same as in January.\n      Seasonally adjusted, imports rose in February to 7.16\n  billion stg from 6.73 billion in January. Exports rose to a\n  record 6.93 billion last month from 6.20 billion in January.\n      Trade Department officials said the improvement in\n  Britain's current account contrasted with most private\n  forecasts and they attributed much of the strength to imports\n  rising less quickly in February than might otherwise have been\n  expected.\n      The Department said exceptionally cold weather in January\n  reduced exports that month and that there had been an element\n  of catching up in the February figures.\n      The seasonally adjusted volume index, base 1980, a guide to\n  underlying non-oil trade, showed exports rising to 131.0 from\n  114.6 in January and imports rising to 142.2 from 136.5.\n      The value of British oil exports in February rose to 751\n  mln stg from 723 mln in Jnauary while oil imports rose to 425\n  mln from 352 mln.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRENCH RESERVES FALL ON DEBT REPAYMENT\n","article":"  French reserves fell in the week ended\n  March 19 following repayment of the bulk of the debt contracted\n  during January with the European Monetary Cooperation Fund, the\n  Bank of France said in its weekly statement.\n      The repayment of capital and interest on this loan, taken\n  out during the strong pressure on the franc which preceded the\n  European Monetary System (EMS) realignment and the subsequent\n  Group of Five meeting in Paris, took place on March 13.\n      It comprised the repayment of 11.25 billion francs' worth\n  of European Currency Units (ECUs), 9.72 billion francs' worth\n  of foreign currency and 1.72 billion francs' worth of special\n  drawing rights (SDRs), the Bank said.\n      As a result foreign currency reserves fell to 114.69\n  billion francs on March 19 from 120.82 billion on March 12,\n  while ECU reserves fell to 62.02 billion francs from 73.23\n  billion.\n      Gold reserves remained stable at 218.32 billion francs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FOOTE MINERAL CO IN LETTER OF INTENT TO MERGE INTO RIO TINTO-ZINC\n","article":"\n  FOOTE MINERAL CO IN LETTER OF INTENT TO MERGE INTO RIO TINTO-ZINC\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":" German March cost of living 0.2 pct below year ago (Feb 0.5 pct below) - official\n","article":"\n   German March cost of living 0.2 pct below year ago (Feb 0.5 pct below) - official\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"<TRIZEC CORP LTD> 1ST QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 12 cts vs 10 cts\n      Net 19.6 mln vs 17.6 mln\n      Revs 276 mln vs 170.4 mln\n      Avg shrs 85.3 mln vs 84.8 mln\n      NOTE: Company owns 65 pct of <Bramalea Ltd>.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"BOSTON EDISON CO <BSE> REGULAR DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div 44.5 cts vs 44.5 cts in prior qtr\n      Payable May one\n      Record April 10\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GERMAN COST OF LIVING FALLS IN MARCH ON YEAR-AGO\n","article":"  The cost of living in West Germany\n  was provisionally unchanged in March compared with February but\n  fell 0.2 pct against March 1986, the Federal Statistics Office\n  said.\n      In February the cost of living rose 0.1 pct from January\n  but fell 0.5 pct compared with February 1986.\n      The office said final figures for March will be released in\n  about 10 days.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"EQUATORIAL COMMUNICATIONS <EQUA> TO HAVE LOSSES\n","article":"  Equatorial Communications\n  Co said it expects to report losses of about 57 mln dlrs for\n  the fourth quarter and 68 mln dlrs for the full year 1986 on\n  revenues of about 10 mln dlrs for the quarter and 52 mln dlrs\n  for the year.\n      Equatorial said the losses will include a charge of about\n  45 mln dlrs from costs associated with the restructuring of its\n  business, including adjustments to reflect the market value of\n  transponders owned and leased by Equatorial and other reserves\n  for inventory, receivables and excess facilities.\n      Equatorial said the fourth quarter operating results will\n  also include restructuring costs of about 5,500,000 dlrs, in\n  addition to the 45 mln dlr charge.\n      Equitorial also said that as of March One it is operating\n  in technical default under its lease of transponders on the\n  Galaxy III satellite due to its inabiliuty to maintain\n  agreed-upon financial ratios.  It said it is in talks with the\n  lessors in an attempt to restructure lease obligations.\n      Further, Equitorial said it is in default of two other\n  oblitations in connection with the purchase or lease of\n  transponders as a result of cross-default provisions.\n      Equatorial said it has signed a memorandum of understanding\n  for Contel Corp <CTC> to purchase 10 mln dlrs of Equatorial\n  master earth stations, micro earth stations and associated\n  equipment and loan Equatorial six mln dlrs over a six-month\n  period for repayment starting in December 1988.\n      The company said Conteol, under the agreement, would assume\n  a portion of Equatorial's rights and obligations under the\n  Galaxy III transponder lease with <Burnham Leasing> on the\n  occurrence of certain events.\n      Equatorial said it would grant Contel an option to buy\n  about 3,600,000 common shares at 3.25 dlrs each.\n      Equatorial said its understandings with Contel are subject\n  to Equatorial's ability to restructure a significant portion of\n  its obligations and to obtain concessions from lenders and\n  lessors, in particular under its Galaxy III transponder lease.\n  It said it hopes to finalize a Contel agreement by April 15.\n      Equatorial in 1985 earned 1,807,000 dlrs after a 3,197,000\n  dlr gain from early debt retirement on revenues of 56.1 mln\n  dlrs. For the first nine months of 1986, the company lost\n  9,476,000 dlrs on revenues of 45.4 mln dlrs, compared with a\n  1,784,000 dlr profit after the early retirement gain on\n  revenues of 38.5 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FOOTE MINERAL <FTE> TO MERGE INTO RIO TINTO\n","article":"  Foote Mineral Co said it has signed\n  a letter of intent to merge into <Rio Tinto-Zinc Corp PLC> for\n  cash.\n      The company said at the time of the acquisition, its assets\n  will include only lithium and ferrosilicon operations. Foote,\n  which is 83 pct owned by Newmont Mining Corp <NEM>, has signed\n  a letter of intent to sell its Cambridge operations and said it\n  is in talks on the sale of its manganese operations with\n  several companies.  Foote said Newmont has informally indicated\n  it would vote in favor of the Rio Tinto proposal.\n      Foote said terms of the agreement, including price for the\n  proposed cash transaction, have not been released because they\n  are subject to a continuing due diligence investigation.\n      The company said a definitive merger agreement is expected\n  to be negotiated within six weeks and shareholders are expected\n  to vote on the deal at a meeting expected to be held in June or\n  July.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. FIRST TIME JOBLESS CLAIMS ROSE IN WEEK\n","article":"  New applications for unemployment\n  insurance benefits rose to a seasonally adjusted 341,000 in the\n  week ended March 14 from 340,000 in the prior week, the Labor\n  Department said.\n      The number of people actually receiving benefits under\n  regular state programs totaled 2,454,000 in the week ended\n  March 7, the latest period for which that figure was available.\n      That was up from 2,507,000 the previous week.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HONG KONG FEBRUARY TRADE SWINGS INTO DEFICIT\n","article":"  Hong Kong recorded a 3.51 billion\n  H.K. Dlr deficit in February after a 2.54 billion dlr surplus\n  in January as imports climbed and exports slid, the Census and\n  Statistics Department said.\n      The deficit compared with a deficit of 1.76 billion dlrs in\n  February 1986.\n      Imports rose to 24.12 billion dlrs, up 2.6 pct from\n  January's 23.52 billion dlrs and 42 pct above the 16.98 billion\n  dlrs recorded in February 1986.\n      Total exports for the month fell 20.9 pct to 20.61 billion\n  dlrs from 26.06 billion in January.\n      February exports were still 35.4 pct above the 15.22\n  billion dlrs recorded in the same month last year.\n      Re-exports, the territory's traditional entrepot trade,\n  outpaced domestically produced exports for the first time since\n  March 1985.\n      Re-exports fell 11.6 pct to 10.62 billion dlrs from 12.0\n  billion dlrs in January but were 54 pct above February 1986's\n  6.88 billion dlrs. Domestic exports slid 28.9 pct to 9.99\n  billion dlrs from January's 14.05 billion dlrs but were up 19.7\n  pct over the 8.35 billion dlrs recorded in February 1986.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BEST PRODUCTS CO INC 4TH QTR SHR 1.44 DLRS VS 83 CTS\n","article":"\n  BEST PRODUCTS CO INC 4TH QTR SHR 1.44 DLRS VS 83 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BEST PRODUCTS CO <BES> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr profit 1.44 dlrs vs profit 83 cts\n      Net profit 39.0 mln vs profit 22.5 mln\n      Sales 816.1 mln vs 865.3 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 95 cts vs profit eight cts\n      Net loss 25.6 mln vs profit 2,223,000\n      Sales 2,142,118 vs 2,234,768\n      NOTE: Current year net both periods includes prtax\n  provisions for restructuring operations of 4,868,000 dlrs in\n  quarter and 38.1 mln dlrs in year.\n      Latest year net includes 1,825,000 dlr tax credit and\n  2,600,000 dlr posttax loss from debt extinguishment.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TRANSAMERICA <TA> TO HAVE AUSTRALIAN SALE GAIN\n","article":"  Transamerica Corp said it will have\n  an after-tax gain of about 10 mln U.S. dlrs on the sale of its\n  Occidental Life Insurance Co of Australia Ltd affiliate to\n  <Pratt and Co Financial Services Pty Ltd> of Melbourne for 105\n  mln Australian dlrs.\n      The sale was announced earlier today in Australia. Proceeds\n  will be used to enhance the growth of North American operations\n  of its Transamerica Occidental Life subsidiary, the company\n  said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BANK OF SPAIN PROVIDES YEAR RECORD ASSISTANCE FUNDS\n","article":"  The Bank of Spain provided 1,145 billion\n  pesetas in assistance funds which bankers said reflected fears\n  of fresh increases in overnight rates.\n      The daily auction was the biggest of the year and comes\n  after the previous record set last June 6 of 1,240 billion\n  pesetas.\n      A spokesman for one of Spain top five banks said higher\n  overnight call money rates were expected in the short term in\n  view of disappointing money supply figures for February.\n      The M-4 money supply, measured as liquid assets in public\n  hands, rose 16.7 pct last month against 8.1 pct in January and\n  compared with this year's eight pct target. Money supply growth\n  was 11.4 pct last year.\n      The central bank on Tuesday raised overnight rates by a\n  quarter of a percentage point to 14 pct on demand for 746\n  billion pesetas. Rates stood at 12.1 pct at the start of the\n  year and have been increased to drain liquidity on rising\n  demand for funds. \"The policy is proving counter-productive and\n  rates will have to come down in the long-term,\" the bank\n  spokesman said in reply to Reuters enquiries.\n      He said higher rates were fuelling an influx of short-term\n  speculative capital from abroad.\n      \"At least 800 mln dlrs of current excess liquidity in the\n  system is convertible pesetas from West Germany and other\n  countries with much lower rates,\" he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ETHYL CORP <EY> UNITS COMPLETE ACQUISITON\n","article":"  Ethyl Corp said its subsidiaries\n  completed the acquisiton of Nelson Research and Development Co\n  <NELR>.\n      The merger was approved following completion on Jan 27 of a\n  tender offer valued at approximately 55 mln dlrs, the company\n  said.\n      It added that Nelson, based in Irvine, Calif., will be\n  operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ethyl.\n      Nelson designs and develops new drugs, Ethyl said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BRITISH POLITICIANS URGE JAPAN TRADE SANCTIONS\n","article":"  One hundred members of Britain's ruling\n  Conservative Party have signed a motion calling for trade\n  sanctions against Japan to force Tokyo to open its domestic\n  market to British goods.\n      The government announced last week that Japan had a 5.9\n  billion dlr trade surplus with Britain in 1986.\n      The Department of Trade and Industry said the government\n  was drawing up contingency plans to force Japan into opening up\n  its domestic markets but a spokesman said such moves were very\n  much a last resort.\n      Ideas being considered included blocking Japanese companies\n  from trading in Britain and revoking licenses of Japanese\n  operations in the London financial district.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.K. TRADE FIGURES BUOY HOPES OF INTEREST RATE CUT\n","article":"  The release of U.K. February trade data\n  showing that the current account surplus was a provisional 376\n  mln stg, up from a 73 mln surplus in January, has boosted hopes\n  of an early cut in interest rates, analysts said.\n      Market forecasts had been for a worse outcome, with\n  expectations of a deficit in visible trade averaging about 750\n  mln stg, against the official figure of 224 mln stg, sharply\n  narrower than January's 527 mln deficit.\n      \"The figures are unreservedly good,\" Chase Manhattan\n  Securities economist Andrew Wroblewski said.\n      Sterling rebounded on the trade figures, reversing a weaker\n  morning trend, to stand at 72.1 pct of its trade weighted index\n  against a basket of currencies at midday, unchanged from\n  yesterday's close but 0.3 points above the 1100 GMT level.\n      The market had feared that a deteriorating non-oil trade\n  pattern would undermine international support for sterling,\n  which has been the motor behind the recent fall in U.K.\n  Interest rates. Money market sources said the market had begun\n  to doubt that a widely expected drop in bank base lending rates\n  to 9.5 pct from the present 10.0 pct was really on the cards.\n      But sentiment now looks to have turned about again.\n      There now looks to be no danger that the Chancellor of the\n  Exchequer Nigel Lawson's forecast of a 1987 current account\n  deficit of 2.5 billion stg will be exceeded, said Wroblewski.\n      Seasonally adjusted figures showed that imports rose in\n  February to 7.16 billion stg from 6.73 billion in January.\n      Exports rose to a record 6.93 billion from 6.20 billion.\n      However, Chris Tinker, U.K. Analyst at brokers Phillips and\n  Drew said that the faster rise in exports than imports would\n  prove partly aberrational in coming months. He forecast the\n  Chancellor's Budget tax cuts would increase consumer expediture\n  on imported goods.\n      However, Ian Harwood, economist at Warburg Securities, said\n  his firm was sharply revising its 1987 current account deficit\n  forecast in the light of the latest data, cutting one billion\n  stg off the expected full year total to about 1.75 billion stg.\n      He said news of strong growth in exports of non-oil goods\n  confirmed recent bullish surveys among members of the\n  Confederation of British Industry.\n      The growth in imports appears to be flattening, even if\n  January's bad weather had curbed consumer spending on overseas\n  goods and import-intensive stock building among manufactureres,\n  Harwood said.\n      U.K. Government bonds, or gilts, surged by more than 1\/2\n  point on the better-than-expected news, as earlier worries\n  about the figures evaporated.\n      Sterling peaked at a high of 1.6075 dlrs, before settling\n  to a steady 1.6050 dlrs about 1300 GMT, nearly a cent higher\n  than the European low of 1.5960.\n      However, analysts noted that the turnabout in market\n  sentiment still looks highly vulnerable to political news.\n      Morning weakness in sterling and the gilt market was\n  largely attributed to a newspaper opinion poll showing that the\n  Conservative government's support was slipping.\n      The Marplan poll, published in \"Today,\" showed Conservative\n  support had fallen to 36 pct, from 38 pct last month, while the\n  Alliance of Liberals and Social Democrats had rallied to 31\n  pct, from 21 pct, to run neck and neck with the Labour Party,\n  whose own support fell from 38 pct.\n      The poll was taken after the Budget, which was greeted\n  enthusiastically by financial markets but seems to have left\n  the voters indifferent, political observers said.\n      Another regular poll is due tomorrow, and eonomists warn\n  that today's improved sentiment could be dented if support for\n  Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher slips again.\n      This upsetting of the markets' political perceptions, which\n  are all but discounting a Conservative victory in the upcoming\n  general election, made them more sensitive to the trade data,\n  Harwood said. \"The news did come as a very, very substantial\n  relief,\" he said.\n      However, on the interest rate front, economists caution\n  that Lawson might be wary of leaving sterling vulnerable by\n  encouraging another base rate fall. They noted Lawson had\n  already got an inflation-reducing cut in mortgage rates in\n  response to lower base rates, so domestic political reasons for\n  lower rates have been curtailed.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"S. KOREA MAY BUY U.S. OIL TO AID TRADE BALANCE\n","article":"  South Korea is studying a plan to buy\n  more coal from the United States and to start importing Alaskan\n  crude oil to help reduce its huge trade surplus with the United\n  States, Energy Ministry officials said today.\n      They said the plan would dominate discussions at two-day\n  energy talks between officials of the two countries in\n  Washington from April 1.\n      Huh Sun-yong, who will attend the talks with three other\n  Seoul government officials, told Reuters that Seoul was\n  \"positively considering buying a certain amount of Alaskan oil\n  beginning this year as part of our government's overall plan to\n  reduce a widening trade gap between the two countries.\"\n      Huh said however that South Korean refineries considered\n  the Alaskan oil economically uncompetitive.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"VIACOM INTERNATIONAL INC GETS ANOTHER NEW NATIONAL AMUSEMENTS BID\n","article":"\n  VIACOM INTERNATIONAL INC GETS ANOTHER NEW NATIONAL AMUSEMENTS BID\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BP <BP> TO HOLD NEW YORK PRESS CONFERENCE\n","article":"  British Petroleum Co PLC said it has\n  scheduled a New York press conference for 1300 EST\/1800 gmt\n  today at which senior management will discuss the company's\n  proposed acquisition of the 45 pct of Standard Oil Co <SRD>\n  that it does not already own for 70 dlrs per share.\n      The offer is worth about 7.4 billion dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. TREASURY'S MULFORD REAFFIRMS G-6 PACT TO FOSTER CURRENCY STABILITY AROUND CURRENT LEVELS\n","article":"\n  U.S. TREASURY'S MULFORD REAFFIRMS G-6 PACT TO FOSTER CURRENCY STABILITY AROUND CURRENT LEVELS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"TREASURY'S MULFORD SAYS G-6 HAS NO CURRENCY TARGET ZONES, RANGES\n","article":"\n  TREASURY'S MULFORD SAYS G-6 HAS NO CURRENCY TARGET ZONES, RANGES\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"GERMAN ANALYSTS SEE GOLD FIRMING LATER THIS YEAR\n","article":"  The price of gold bullion is likely\n  to rise in the second half of the year on increased private\n  investor demand, West German analysts said.\n      Gold could rise as high as 500 dlrs per ounce later this\n  year, said Peter Witte, director of Westdeutsche Landesbank\n  Girozentrale's trading division, after a presentation by the\n  U.S. Mint to promote its gold and silver Eagle series coins.\n      \"A lot will depend on oil prices and developments on stock\n  exchanges,\" Witte said, adding he saw gold positioned for\n  further rises once it breaks out above 450 dlrs.\n      Gold was fixed this morning in London at 411.30 dlrs.\n      Despite current strong interest in gold mine stocks, many\n  investors still want to buy physical gold, Witte said.\n      Interest in gold mine stocks may also wane if stock\n  exchange rallies under way in many countries start to waver.\n      Hermann Strohmeyer, vice president of Commerzbank AG's\n  foreign exchange trading and treasury department, said gold is\n  poised to rise to 460 to 470 dlrs an ounce in the second half\n  of this year.\n      The price is unlikely to fall much below 380 or 390 dlrs an\n  ounce, and probably will continue in a range between 380 and\n  430 dlrs in the first half of this year, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET RECEIVES 226 MLN STG ASSISTANCE\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it operated in\n  the money market this afternoon, buying 226 mln stg in bills.\n      In band one, the central bank bought 37 mln stg treasury\n  bills and 72 mln stg bank bills at 9-7\/8 pct together with 117\n  mln stg band two bank bills at 9-13\/16 pct.\n      This brings total money market help so far today to 241 mln\n  stg and compares with the Bank's revised estimate of a 350 mln\n  stg shortfall.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BANK OF FRANCE LEAVES MONEY MARKET INTERVENTION RATE UNCHANGED AT 7-3\/4 PCT - OFFICIAL\n","article":"\n  BANK OF FRANCE LEAVES MONEY MARKET INTERVENTION RATE UNCHANGED AT 7-3\/4 PCT - OFFICIAL\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MCO <MCO>, MAXXAM <MXM> HOLDERS APPROVE MERGER\n","article":"  MCO Holdings Inc said its\n  shareholders and those of MAXXAM Group Inc have approved the\n  proposed merger of the two companies.\n      MCO said one MAXXAM shareholder has filed an objection to\n  the proposed settlement of shareholder actions related to the\n  merger in the Delaware Court of Chancery. A hearing on the\n  settlement proposal is scheduled for March 27... The merger is\n  subject to court approval of the settlement as well as to other\n  conditions.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"F.W. WOOLWORTH CO <Z> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 1.78 dlrs vs 1.64 dlrs\n      Net 117 mln vs 106 mln\n      Sales 2.02 billion vs 1.85 billion\n      Avg shrs 65.6 mln vs 63.9 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 3.25 dlrs vs 2.75 dlrs\n      Net 214 mln vs 177 mln\n      Sales 6.50 billion vs 5.96 billion\n      Avg shrs 65.6 mln vs 63.9 mln\n      NOTE: Share data restated to reflect two for one stock\n  split in May 1986\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PRICE CO <PCLB> 2ND QTR MARCH 15 NET\n","article":"  Shr 34 cts vs 29 cts\n      Net 16.7 mln vs 13.3 mln\n      Sales 678.7 mln vs 531.0 mln\n      Avg shrs 48.9 mln vs 45.8 mln\n      1st half\n      Shr 81 cts vs 69 cts\n      Net 39.5 mln vs 31.7 mln\n      Sales 1.71 billion vs 1.35 billion\n      Avg shrs 48.9 mln vs 45.8 mln\n      NOTE: Twelve and 28-week periods.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CAROLIAN SYSTEMS SEES LOWER FISCAL 1987 PROFIT\n","article":"  <Carolian Systems International Inc>\n  said it anticipates profit for fiscal 1987 ending June 30 will\n  be lower than fiscal 1986 earnings of 410,000 dlrs, despite an\n  expected revenue increase of 37 pct to more than 3.5 mln dlrs.\n      After an extraordinary expense associated with the\n  December, 1986 withdrawal of a planned common share offering,\n  \"we expect to be modestly profitable for the year, but below the\n  410,000 dlrs earned in fiscal 1986,\" the company said.\n      Carolian previously reported fiscal six month profit of\n  12,933 dlrs, excluding an extraordinary loss of 17,210 dlrs,\n  compared to earnings of 69,829 dlrs in the prior year.\n      The company said it anticipated fiscal 1987 earnings to be\n  lower due to withdrawal of its share offering, computer\n  equipment shipment delays and costs associated with sales staff\n  expansion.\n      A strengthening Canadian dollar against U.S. currency will\n  also adversely affect revenues and earnings, since 85 pct of\n  revenues are generated by sales outside Canada, said Carolian,\n  a leading supplier of utility software for Hewlett-Packard\n  computer systems.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF FRANCE BUYS DOLLARS, SELLS YEN - DEALERS\n","article":"\n  BANK OF FRANCE BUYS DOLLARS, SELLS YEN - DEALERS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"U.S TREASURY'S MULFORD REAFFIRMS G-6 AGREEMENT\n","article":"  Treasury Assistant Secretary David\n  Mulford reaffirmed U.S. backing for the Paris Agreement among\n  six industrial nations to cooperate closely to foster exchange\n  rate stability around current levels.\n      In testimony prepared for delivery before a Senate banking\n  subcommittee, Mulford said there was broad recognition in Paris\n  that \"further substantial exchange rate shifts could damage\n  growth and adjustment prospects.\"\n      But he also said while there are clear understandings among\n  the countries regarding cooperation, \"We have refrained from\n  establishing a system of target zones or ranges.\"\n      Mulford also said the six nations have not spelled out the\n  way in which they intend to deal with possible market\n  developments.\n      He said governments must retain flexibility in dealing with\n  exchange market pressures and efforts to establish rigid\n  exchange rate objectives \"or to specify too precisely the goals\n  of intervention\" would hurt official attempts to react to\n  market pressures, he said.\n      Accordingly, Mulford said setting specific currency\n  objectives and intervention to achieve those objectives would\n  be counterproductive.\n      Commenting on the trade deficit, Mulford reiterated the\n  Treasury position that the current account deficit will decline\n  from 148 billion dlrs last year to around 130 billion dlrs this\n  year, due to the exchange rate adjustments of the past 18\n  months.\n      But he added trade imbalances would also be corrected by\n  commitments from West Germany and Japan to stimulate their\n  economies and by U.S. efforts to cut the budget deficit and\n  enhance U.S. competitiveness.\n      He also said some newly industrialized countries should let\n  their currencies appreciate.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRENCH FREE MARKET CEREAL EXPORT BIDS DETAILED\n","article":"  French operators have requested licences\n  to export 675,500 tonnes of maize, 245,000 tonnes of barley,\n  22,000 tonnes of soft bread wheat and 20,000 tonnes of feed\n  wheat at today's European Community tender, traders said.\n      Rebates requested ranged from 127.75 to 132.50 European\n  Currency Units a tonne for maize, 136.00 to 141.00 Ecus a tonne\n  for barley and 134.25 to 141.81 Ecus for bread wheat, while\n  rebates requested for feed wheat were 137.65 Ecus, they said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. GOLD EAGLE SALES PROJECTED AT 3.1 MLN OUNCES\n","article":"  American Eagle gold bullion coin\n  sales are projected at 3.1 mln troy ounces in their first year\n  on the market, well above the target of 2.2 mln, Donna Pope,\n  director of the U.S. Mint, told journalists.\n      World sales, which began on October 20, 1986, reached 2.193\n  mln ounces in less than six months of sales. This made it world\n  market leader with a share of 37 pct in 1986, Pope said.\n      Pope said that in volume terms, nearly half of all gold\n  Eagle sales were within North America, roughly 40 pct were in\n  Europe and about eight pct in Asia.\n      She said despite introduction of several new gold bullion\n  coins on the market recently, the Mint is aiming to preserve\n  the Eagle's strong market share with extensive publicity.\n      The Mint uses mainly newly mined U.S. Gold for the coins,\n  as long as this is available at market prices. The remaining\n  gold is taken either from U.S. Treasury stocks, or from the\n  open market, Pope said.\n      Gold analysts said the Eagle is facing competition here\n  from the Canadian Maple Leaf, and also to a lesser extent from\n  the South African Krugerrand. Some estimated the Maple Leaf's\n  West German market share at 60 pct.\n      The figures may be distorted, as many German investors buy\n  gold bullion in Switzerland or Luxembourg to escape the 14 pct\n  value-added tax imposed here. Including the tax, the one-ounce\n  coins traded today at 906 marks, they said.\n      Competition may also come from new gold coins, including\n  Belgium's ECU, which began sales today. Britain and Australia\n  also have plans to mint gold bullion coins, the analysts said.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"NEOAX <NOAX> TO SELL NOVATRONICS FOR 20 MLN DLRS\n","article":"  Neoax Inc said it has\n  agreed to sell the assets and business of its Novatronics\n  Division to Veeco Instruments Inc <VEE> for 20 mln dlrs.\n      Neoax said it expects a gain of about nine mln dlrs on the\n  transaction which is expected to becomleted during the second\n  quarter, adding the gain will be sheltered by its tax loss\n  carryforwards.\n      Novatronics makes military-specification power supplies and\n  avionics components for various prime government defense\n  contractors. It had 1986 sales of 21 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"PONCE FEDERAL BANK FSB <PFBS> RAISES DIVIDEND\n","article":"  Qtly div nine cts vs 7.5 cts in prior qtr\n      Payable April 15\n      Record March 31\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FOOTHILL GROUP <FGI> SEES BETTER FIRST QUARTER\n","article":"  Don Gevirtz, chairman of The Foothill\n  Group Inc, told Reuters the company's first quarter results\n  will be up sharply over last year's eight cents a share.\n      \"First quarter results will be dramatically better,\" he\n  said following a presentation to analysts. He cited a sharp\n  drop in non-earning assets, healthy asset growth and lower\n  expenses.\n      He declined to predict specific results for the first\n  quarter. In the 1986 first quarter, the commerical finance\n  company earned 606,000 dlrs, or eight cts per share.\n      Gevirtz also declined to predict full year results, but\n  said, \"We expect an excellent year.\" In 1986 Foothill earned\n  3,239,000 dlrs, or 41 cts per share.\n      Analysts expect Foothill to record earnings of 65 cts to 85\n  cts a share in 1987.\n      During the presentation Gevirtz said Foothill has reduced\n  to less than five pct the company's level of non-performing\n  assets, which was as high as eight pct in previous years.\n      David Hilton, chief financial officer, said the company's\n  general and administrative expenses in 1987 will be reduced to\n  about 3.0 to 3.5 pct of average assets from 4.3 pct in 1986.\n      The company had average assets of 399.8 mln dlrs from\n  continuing operations and 29.8 mln dlrs from discontinued\n  operations in 1986, according to its annual report.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"BANK OF FRANCE BUYS DOLLARS, SELLS YEN - DEALERS\n","article":"  The Bank of France intervened on the\n  market to buy dollars and sell yen to support the U.S.\n  Currency, dealers said.\n      A major French bank said it acted for the central bank in\n  buying between five and 15 mln dlrs against yen.\n      A dealer at another bank said his bank had been asked to\n  publicise the intervention, to send a clear signal to the\n  markets that central banks were acting in concert to maintain\n  the exchange rates agreed to be appropriate at last month's\n  meeting of the Group of Five and Canada in Paris.\n      The dollar was being quoted at 6.0950\/70 francs in early\n  afternoon dealings after a fix of 6.09425 francs.\n      The major French bank said it sold yen at a rate of 149.28\n  against the dollar.\n      The U.S. Currency was subsequently being quoted at\n  149.25\/35.\n      The Bank of Japan was reported in the market overnight to\n  bolster the credibility of the Paris accord following several\n  days of pressure against the dollar.\n      Pressure developed after U.S. Treasury Secretary James\n  Baker repeated earlier statements that the Reagan\n  administration had no targets for the dollar, apparently\n  undermining the assumption that the agreement in Paris had\n  fixed broad fluctuation ranges for major currencies.\n      Baker later said his remark had been misinterpreted.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"STANDARD <SRD> REFERRING BP <BP> BID TO GROUP\n","article":"  Standard Oil Co said British\n  Petroleum Co Plc's proposed offer of 70 dlrs a share for the 45\n  pct of Standard's stock not held by BP is being referred to a\n  special committee of the company's board.\n      This committee, which is composed of the independent,\n  non-exective directors of the company, was formed in April 1986\n  for the purpose of monitoring the relationship between Standard\n  Oil and BP.\n      Standard said the group will consider BP's offer in due\n  course noting the committee has retained the First Boston Corp\n  and Cravath Swaine and Moore as advisers.               \n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ANCHOR GLASS <AGLS> NOW SEES HIGHER 1ST QTR NET\n","article":"  Anchor Glass Container Corp said\n  first quarter net income is now expected to exceed the 3.1 mln\n  dlrs earned before extraordinary items in the year earlier\n  quarter.\n      Previously, the company had said first quarter results\n  would likely be lower than for the 1986 period due to\n  production disruptions caused by the large number of production\n  line changes scheduled during the first quarter, its statement\n  pointed out.\n      While the disruptive effects of the production line changes\n  had occurred in line with expectations, Anchor Glass said,\n  first quarter operating results were helped by lower than\n  anticipated operating costs and improved margins on sales as a\n  result of a more favorable product mix.\n      The company said its income performance for the full year\n  remains very good.\n      It also said Anchor Hocking Corp <ARH> has converted the\n  entire principal balance of its Anchor Glass convertible\n  subordinated note to 576,694 Anchor Glass common shares.\n      Anchor Glass said the conversion decreased its total debt\n  and increased stockholders' equity by about 9.4 mln dlrs and\n  increased common shares outstanding to 13,902,716.\n      It said the conversion will also reduce its annualized net\n  interest expense by about 1.1 mln dlrs, or 600,000 dlrs after\n  taxes.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MACNEAL-SCHWENDLER CORP <MNS> RAISES PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div five cts vs 2-1\/2 cts prior\n      Pay June 10\n      Record May 29\n      NOTE: Prior payment adjusted for two-for-one stock split\n  declared recently.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"VIACOM INTERNATIONAL INC <VIA> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div seven cts vs seven cts prior\n      Pay May Eight\n      Record April 17\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BP OIL RAISES OPERATING PROFIT\n","article":"  <BP Oil Ltd>, the U.K. Marketing and\n  refining arm of British Petroleum Co Plc <BP.L>, raised its\n  pretax operating profit on a replacement cost basis to 182 mln\n  stg in calendar 1986, compared with 66 mln stg in 1985.\n      Sales and operating revenue fell to 3.1 billion stg from\n  4.2 billion on a replacement cost basis. Historical cost\n  operating profit was 61 mln stg, up from 16 mln.\n      BP Oil said 1985 profits had been depressed by exceptional\n  items. Its profit figures were stated before interest charges.\n      Chief executive David Kendall said improved results\n  mirrored benefits of a restructuring program undertaken in\n  recent years.\n      However, he warned future financial pressure on the\n  industry will be severe.\n      \"The U.K. Oil marketing and refining industry will need to\n  invest larger sums - probably around 500 mln stg a year - for a\n  good many years,\" he said in a statement.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET GETS 25 MLN STG LATE HELP\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it provided\n  about 25 mln stg in late help to the money market, bringing the\n  total assistance today to 266 mln stg.\n      This compares with the bank's revised estimate of a 350 mln\n  stg money market shortfall.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"PHLCORP <PHX> HAS BREAKEVEN RESULTS\n","article":"  PHLCORP Inc said for November 14\n  through December 31, its first reporting period after emerging\n  from reorganization proceedings, it earned 86,000 dlrs on\n  revenues of 47 mln dlrs, excluding 2,300,000 dlrs in gains on\n  the sale of real estate and 800,000 dlrs in tax credits.\n      The company is the successor to Baldwin-United Corp.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FOOTE MINERAL TO MERGE INTO RIO TINTO\n","article":"  Foote Mineral Co said it signed a\n  letter of intent to merge into Rio Tinto-Zinc Corp PLC for\n  cash.\n      Foote, 83 pct owned by Newmont Mining Corp, said Newmont\n  has informally indicated it would vote in favor of the Rio\n  Tinto proposal.\n      Foote said terms of the agreement, including price for the\n  proposed cash transaction, have not been released because they\n  are subject to a continuing due diligence investigation.\n      The company said a definitive merger agreement is expected\n  to be negotiated within six weeks and shareholders are expected\n  to vote on the deal at a meeting expected to be held in June or\n  July.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ALUMINIUM SCRAP RECOVERY AND USAGE TO RISE\n","article":"  Aluminium scrap recovery and usage and\n  output of secondary metal will continue to rise, said Shearson\n  Lehman Brothers in a review of the secondary aluminium market\n  which details cost and demand factors.\n      Although primary smelting costs have declined generally in\n  recent years, the still substantial energy cost savings offered\n  by secondary smelters will continue to make re-melted material\n  increasingly attractive.\n      It takes around 15,000 kilowatt hours (kwh) of electricity\n  to produce one tonne of primary aluminium compared with around\n  550 kwh for one tonne of secondary metal, Shearson said.\n      On the demand side, developments in automobiles and\n  packaging bode well for secondary aluminium consumption.\n      Automobile production, although expected to fall this year,\n  is still on an upward trend and will continue to be so for the\n  foreseeable future and, in addition, use of aluminium castings\n  is gaining wider acceptance in the automobile industry,\n  particularly in the U.S.\n      In packaging, Shearson does not expect aluminium to\n  dominate the beverage can market in any of the other major\n  economies to the extent it does in the U.S., But says there is\n  evidence recycling is on the increase in other countries.\n      In addition to the cost savings involved, technology\n  advances now enable alloys of higher purity to be produced by\n  the secondary aluminium industry, Shearson said.\n      There is not likely to be a problem of availability as the\n  U.S. Has a huge scrap reservoir and this is also true of\n  several European countries, albeit on a smaller scale.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"CROSS AND TRECKER <CTCO> BUYS AUTOMATION UNIT\n","article":"  Cross and Trecker said it\n  agreed to acquire the Alliance Automation Systems division of\n  Gleason Corp <GLE> for an undisclosed amount of cash.\n      It said the Gleason division manufactures automated\n  assembly and test systems used in the production of small to\n  medium size components for a number of industries, including\n  automotive, electronic and appliance.\n      Alliance Automation had 1986 sales of about 35 mln dlrs and\n  employs 200.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SALANT CORP <SLT> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Oper shr profit seven cts vs loss 12 cts\n      Oper net profit 216,000 vs loss 401,000\n      Sales 21.4 mln vs 24.9 mln\n      NOTE: Current year net excludes 142,000 dlr tax credit.\n      Company operating in Chapter 11 bankruptcy.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HEALTHMATE INC <HMTE> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss five cts vs loss six cts\n      Net loss 473,784 vs loss 489,257\n      Revs 268.8 mln vs 81.7 mln\n      Avg shrs 9,245,247 vs 8,035,326\n      Year\n      Shr loss 17 cts vs loss 20 cts\n      Net 1,512,534 vs loss 1,553,592\n      Revs 1,448,310 vs 515,225\n      Avg shrs 8,745,132 vs 7,619,863\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KEATING REVISES DOWN AUSTRALIAN GROWTH FORECAST\n","article":"  Treasurer Paul Keating forecast\n  economic growth at slightly under two pct in the financial year\n  ending June this year, down from the 2.25 pct forecast\n  contained in the 1986\/87 budget delivered last August.\n      Australia's terms of trade also fell, by 18 pct, over the\n  past two years, he told Parliament. Terms of trade are the\n  difference between import and export price indexes.\n      Despite the figures, the budget forecast of about 1.75 pct\n  annual growth in employment would be met, Keating said.\n      Unemployment is currently at 8.2 pct of the workforce.\n      \"This government is dragging Australia through a trading\n  holocaust the kind of which we have not seen since the Second\n  World War,\" Keating said.\n      \"We are not pushing this place into a recession. We are not\n  only holding our gains on unemployment, we are bringing\n  unemployment down,\" he said, adding that the government had help\n  the country avoid recession.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"26-FEB-1987\n","article":"  26-FEB-1987\n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"NATIONAL BANC OF COMMERCE CO <NBCC> SETS PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtly div 14 cts vs 14 cts prior\n      Pay April Eight\n      Record March 26\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HARSCO CORP <HSC> SETS REGULAR PAYOUT\n","article":"  Qtrly div 25 cts vs 25 cts\n      Pay May 15\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"MADAGASCAR COCOA PRODUCTION ESTIMATED HIGHER\n","article":"  Madagascar's cocoa production is\n  estimated 13 pct higher this year at 2,720 tonnes, up from\n  2,400 in 1986, Agriculture Ministry officials said.\n      This improvement reflects the government's efforts over the\n  last seven years to extend existing cocoa plantations and plant\n  new higher yielding varieties, particularly at the northern tip\n  of the island, they said.\n      Last year, Madagascar exported 2,189 tonnes of high quality\n  cocoa, up from 1,624 in 1985, the Trade Ministry said.\n      This year's exports are estimated at 2,400 tonnes.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"COMPUTER ASSOCIATES <CA> SETS TWO FOR ONE SPLIT\n","article":"  Computer Associates\n  International Inc said its board has declared a two-for-one\n  stock split, payable May Seven, record April Seven.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SWISS NET CAPITAL EXPORTS RISE IN 1986\n","article":"  Increased activity by Switzerland's\n  banks pushed net capital exports to a provisional 11.7 billion\n  francs last year from 10.0 billion in 1985, the National Bank\n  said in a pre-publication copy of its annual report.\n      It also said the current account surplus of the Swiss\n  balance of payments reached a provisional 13.5 billion francs\n  last year, from 12.8 billion in 1985.\n      The National Bank's currency reserves rose by 1.8 billion\n  francs, against a 2.8 billion rise in 1985. However, taking\n  into accounts effects of the shift in exchange rates, reserves\n  actually fell in value by 1.9 billion.\n      The banks' net capital exports climbed to 5.4 billion\n  francs, from 5.1 billion in 1985, while capital exports by\n  domestic non-banks fell to 5.0 billion from 9.1 billion.\n      The National Bank gave the following figures (1985 in\n  brackets)\n      Current Account +13.5 billion (+12.8 in 1985), made up of:\n      Goods                     -7.1 (-8.7)\n      Services                  +10.1 (+9.8)\n      Factor Income             +12.5 (+13.7)\n      Transfers                 -2.0 (-2.0)\n   Capital Account -11.7 billion (-10.0 in 1985) made up of\n      Direct Investment                          N\/A  (-6.3)\n      Portfolio Investment                       N\/A  (-2.8)\n      Capital Traffic of Banks                  -10.4 (-14.2)\n      Other Capital Traffic Included             N\/A  (+5.6)\n      Traffic not Included and Statistical Error N\/A  (+7.7)\n      Change in Currency Reserves of the National Bank +1.8\n  (+2.8)\n      Interest Income on Foreign Currency        +2.4 (+3.4)\n      Foreign Currency Transactions              -0.6 (-0.6)\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"ST LAWRENCE SEAWAY OPENING STILL MARCH 31\n","article":"  The St Lawrence Seaway between Lake\n  Ontario and Montreal is still scheduled to open for the\n  shipping season on March 31, a Seaway official said.\n      The Great Lakes could have been open for traffic earlier\n  this month due to the mild Winter, but scheduled repairs to the\n  Welland Canal joining Lake Erie with Lake Ontario will keep\n  that section closed until the April 1 opening, she said.\n      One lock system in the four-lock Soo Canal joining Lake\n  Superior with Huron was opened on the morning of March 22, but\n  only three commercial vessels have been locked through so far,\n  according to an U.S. Army Corps of Engineers official.\n      The Soo Canal is currently only open for daylight vessel\n  movement, with 24 hour movement allowed beginning March 29, she\n  added.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"DUTCH GRAIN LEVY TEST CASE TO START IN APRIL\n","article":"  A large Dutch animal feed compounder\n  will begin formal legal proceedings early next month as a test\n  case on the way the EC grain co-responsibility levy is applied,\n  a spokesman for Dutch grain and feed trade association, Het\n  Comite, told Reuters.\n      Het Comite has been co-ordinating national actions against\n  alleged distortions caused by currency factors in the levy and,\n  since December, has lodged more than 80 individual cases with\n  the Business Appeal Court in The Hague.\n      The basic complaint is that the levy does not take account\n  of currency cross-rates of exchange and therefore compounders\n  in countries with strong currencies may have to pay more in\n  their own currency than is paid to them by producers in another\n  country.\n      Het Comite has obtained a temporary agreement that\n  companies can pay the amount they receive toward the levy\n  rather than paying a full guilder amount to the Dutch grain\n  commodity board.\n      The spokesman said Het Comite will provide financial and\n  legal backing to the test case in the Business Administration\n  Court in the Hague. Oral proceedings are to begin on April 10.\n      The spokesman said Het Comite finally selected the company\n  for the test case from among the 80 lodged \"because the bill\n  (the firm) received from the commodity board for payment of the\n  levy contained significant currency distortions and involved\n  grain from a wide variety of origins.\" The name of the company\n  is not being made public.\n      The Administration Court is not expected to make a final\n  ruling on the case in the near future. The Het Comite spokesman\n  said it was very likely it would refer questions to the Appeal\n  Court in Luxembourg, and \"as a result it could easily be another\n  nine to 12 months before the matter is finally resolved.\"\n      Meanwhile, the actions by Dutch animal feed compounders are\n  putting pressure on the commodity board to urge the Dutch\n  government to follow through on earlier statements and seek a\n  complete review in Brussels of the way in which the levy is\n  collected, the spokesman said.\n      Het Comite, as a member of FEFAC, the association of\n  European animal feed manufacturers, is also a party to actions\n  protesting the whole levy in the Luxembourg appeal court.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"Z-SEVEN FUND SEES HIGHER 1987 NET\n","article":"  <Z-Seven Fund Inc> said it expects to\n  earn six dlrs a share in 1987, up from 4.20 dlrs a share in\n  1986.\n      The company said the 1986 net earnings were up 30 pct from\n  3.22 dlrs in 1985. Net asset value in 1986 rose 35 pct to 16.09\n  dlrs a share from 11.89 a year earlier, adjusted for a\n  three-for-two stock split.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"U.S. ASKS JAPAN END AGRICULTURE IMPORT CONTROLS\n","article":"  The U.S. Wants Japan to eliminate import\n  controls on agricultural products within three years, visiting\n  U.S. Under-Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Allen Wallis\n  told Eishiro Saito, Chairman of the Federation of Economic\n  Organisations (Keidanren), a spokesman for Keidanren said.\n      The spokesman quoted Wallis as saying drastic measures\n  would be needed to stave off protectionist legislation by\n  Congress.\n      Wallis, who is attending a sub-cabinet-level bilateral\n  trade meeting, made the remark yesterday in talks with Saito.\n      Wallis was quoted as saying the Reagan Administration wants\n  Japanese cooperation so the White House can ensure any U.S.\n  Trade bill is a moderate one, rather than containing\n  retaliatory measures or antagonising any particular country.\n      He was also quoted as saying the U.S. Would be pleased were\n  Japan to halve restrictions on agricultural imports within five\n  years if the country cannot cope with abolition within three,\n  the spokesman said.\n      Japan currently restricts imports of 22 agricultural\n  products. A ban on rice imports triggered recent U.S.\n  Complaints about Japan's agricultural policy.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SPANISH REFINER PLANS GASOLINE ADDITIVE PLANT\n","article":"  Spain's state refiner Empresa Nacional\n  de Petroleo S.A. (EMP) plans to build its second unit for\n  production of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), a gasoline\n  additive replacing lead, company sources said.\n      The Coruna-based plant, with an annual capacity of 27,000\n  tonnes, and a 55,000-tonnes-per-year facility that EMP will\n  start up in Tarragona next year, will make the state refiner\n  Spain's biggest producer of MTBE.\n      Petroleos del Norte S.A. (Petronor) runs a 45,000 tonne a\n  year plant in Bilbao and Cia Espanola de Petroleos S.A. (Cepsa)\n  plans to put a similar unit onstream next year in Algeciras.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WALL STREET STOCKS\/U.S. OIL COMPANIES\n","article":"  British Petroleum Co PLC's\n  announcement that its U.S. subsidiary intends to tender for the\n  45 pct of Standard Oil Co <SRD> it does not already own,\n  catapulted U.S. oil stocks sharply higher this morning, traders\n  and analysts said.\n      \"It raises the specter of additional consolidation in the\n  industry and that is what is boosting the other oils,\" analyst\n  Rosario Ilacqua of L.F. Rothschild said.\n      Sanford Margoshes of Shearson Lehman Brothers said \"this\n  deal shows that British Petroleum, a conservative investor that\n  knows the oil business, is clearly confident in the U.S. oil\n  industry, and that shines well on the U.S. companies.\"\n   More\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"ROY F. WESTON INC <WSTNA> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 15 cts vs 11 cts\n      Net 900,334 vs 482,705\n      Revs 28.7 mln vs 18.8 mln\n      Avg shrs 6,195,527 vs 4,551,105\n      Shr 51 cts vs 31 cts\n      Net 2,713,912 vs 1,402,696\n      Revs 98.7 mln vs 67.9 mln\n      Avg shrs 5,369,833 vs 4,551,105\n      NOTE: Share adjusted for three-for-two stock split\n  effecitive March 2, 1987.\n      Weston said earnings for the firstg quarter will be about\n  flat due to the recent substantial addition of management and\n  technical staff and an expansion in the Southeastern and\n  Northwestern U.S.\n      The company said full-year earnings and revenues are\n  expected to be higher.  The company today reported 1986\n  earnings of 2,713,912 dlrs, up from 1,402,696 dlrs in 1985, and\n  revenues of 98.7 mln dlrs, up from 67.9 mln dlrs.\n      Weston earned 492,000 dlrs in last year's first quarter.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"MOBIL <MOB> TO UPGRADE REFINERY UNIT\n","article":"  Mobil Corp said it will spend over 30\n  mln dlrs to upgrade a gasoline-producing unit at its Beaumont,\n  Texas, refinery.\n      It said the unit is a catalytic reformer, which converts\n  low-octane components of gasoline into high-octane components\n  for use in Super Unleaded gasoline.\n      The company said the modernization will allow the unit to\n  regenerate catalysts on a continuous basis without shutdown.\n  Currently, it must be shut twice a year.  The unit produces\n  46,000 barrels of gasoline components a year.  Construction\n  will start late this year, with completion set for mid-1989.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BLOCKBUSTER <BBEC> TO ACQUIRE LICENSEE\n","article":"  Blockbuster Entertainment Corp said it\n  agreed to buy <Southern Video>, a Blockbuster licensee in San\n  Antonio.\n      Blockbuster said it will issue 80,460 shares of its common\n  stock for all the net assets of Southern Video.\n      The company said after the acquisition is complete, it\n  intends to open additional Blockbuster Video Superstores in the\n  San Antonio market.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"BRAZIL SOY HARVEST 13 PCT COMPLETE - NEWSLETTER\n","article":"  Brazil's soybean harvest was 13\n  pct complete by March 20, the Safras e Mercado newsletter said.\n      This compares with an historic average for this time of\n  year of 20 pct.\n      The newsletter gave the following figures for the progress\n  of the harvest in the main producer states:\n      Parana: 40 pct\n      Mato Grosso do Sul: 15 pct\n      Mato Grosso: five pct\n      Rio Grande do Sul: two pct\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"CONTEL <CTC> TO BUY WALKER COUNTY TELEPHONE\n","article":"  Contel Corp said it has agreed in\n  principle to acquire <Walker County Telephone Co> of LaFayette,\n  Ga., for an undisclosed amount of common stock.\n      Walker has 7,600 customers in northeast Georgia.\n      The company said the agreement is subject to approval by\n  regulatory agencies, both boards and Walker shareholders.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MULFORD SAYS G-6 WANTS STABILITY\n","article":"  Treasury Assistant Secretary David\n  Mulford said the Paris agreement among leading industrial\n  nations is intended to produce \"reasonable stability\" in exchange\n  markets over the next few months.\n      He told a Senate Banking subcommittee the Group of Five\n  nations and Canada agreed in Paris to \"see if there can't be a\n  period of reasonable stability instead of volatility\" to give\n  time for the committments in Paris to take place.\n      Asked by Sen Phil Gramm (R-Tex) whether U.S. intervention\n  was not in fact overvaluing the dollar, Mulford replied that\n  the administration judged that after economic adjustments,\n  current exchange rates reflect underlying economic\n  fundamentals.\n      In particular, the stability sought by the nations would\n  allow West Germany and Japan to stimulate their economies\n  domestically and the U.S. to cut its budget deficit, Mulford\n  said in his testimony.\n      He stressed that a further sharp fall in the dollar would\n  hurt the ability of Germany and Japan to boost growth.\n      Mulford noted that half of West Germany's economy was\n  affected by international developments.\n      He also said increased Japanese domestic growth would\n  result in more U.S. exports to Japan and would not necessarily\n  lead to greater Japanese capital flows to the U.S., as Gramm\n  asserted, if Japan reformed its domestic capital market.\n      Commenting on the Paris agreement, Mulford said, \"I think\n  exchange rates ought to be stabilized so (Germany's and\n  Japan's) efforts can be carried out.\n      Mulford rejected Gramm's argument that faster domestic\n  growth in Germany and Japan would result in an even lower\n  dollar.\n      Mulford said the administration wanted to achieve a pattern\n  of higher growth overseas as a way of improving the U.S. trade\n  deficit.\n      Otherwise, he said, the trade deficit would be resolved\n  either through a much lower dollar or a U.S. recession, both\n  alternatives he termed unacceptable and undesirable.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"THERMO PROCESS <TPSI> COMPLETES ACQUSITION\n","article":"  Thermo Process Systems Inc said\n  it completed its purchase of Thermo Process Services Inc, a\n  subsidiary of Thermo Electron Corp <TMO>.\n      Thermo Process Systems said it issued 2,590,000 shares of\n  its common stock to Thermo Electron in connection with the\n  sale.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SIEMENS RAISES STAKE IN TELECOM PLUS OF U.S.\n","article":"  Siemens AG's <SIEG.F>\n  fully-owned subsidiary Siemens Informations Systems Inc. Has\n  raised its stake in Telecom Plus Communications Inc. By 65 pct\n  to 100 pct, a Siemens spokesman said.\n      He added that Telecom Plus Communications was the largest\n  independent supplier of telephone exchange systems in the U.S.\n  And had achieved a turnover of 234 mln dlrs in 1986.\n     The stake had been acquired from Telecom Plus International\n  Inc. The spokesman declined to comment on U.S. Newspaper\n  reports that the purchase price of the remaining stake totalled\n  173 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FRUEHAUF POSTS 20.3 MLN DLR 1986 LOSS\n","article":"  Fruehauf Corp, which went private in\n  December through a leveraged buyout, said the predecessor\n  company had a 1986 loss of 60.9 mln dlrs compared to earnings\n  of 70.5 mln dlrs in 1985.\n      Sales of the predecessor company were 2.68 billion dlrs\n  compared to 2.56 billion dlrs in 1985, including the sales by\n  the operations which are divestiture candidates.\n      Fruehauf said in connection with the buyout acquisition,\n  the predecessor company incurred about 97 mln dlrs in expenses\n  charged against 1986 operations.\n      In addition to the direct expenses, Fruehauf said operating\n  results were adversely affected by an unquantifiable amount due\n  to the disruption related to a proxy contest and attempted\n  hostile takeover which started in early 1986.\n      Fruehauf said its board rescheduled the annual meeting to\n  June 18 from May 7 to allow for completion and distribution of\n  the 1986 results to shareholders.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MICHIGAN GENERAL <MGL> TO SELL KRESTMARK UNIT\n","article":"  Michigan General Corp said\n  it agreed to sell substantially all of the assets and certain\n  liabilities of its Krestmark subsidiaries to LCB Holdings Inc\n  for 6.5 mln dlrs cash.\n      Sale of Texas-based Krestmark, a maker of doors, door\n  frames and other products, will allow Michigan General to\n  concentrate on retailing through its Diamond Lumber and\n  Savannah Wholesale units.\n      Proceeds of the sale will be used to reduce debt. The deal\n  is subject to execution of a definitive agreement.\n      Krestmark had revenues of about 40 mln dlrs and operating\n  losses of three mln dlrs in 1986, the company said. It has been\n  accounted for as a discontinued operation since last September.\n      Dallas-based LCB is a privately-held maker of structural\n  steel joists and rack and storage handling systems.\n      Michigan General also said its Diamond Lumber homebuilding\n  products retail unit closed nine unprofitable stores in the\n  first quarter and reduced its headquarters staff by 10 pct. The\n  nine closed stores, which had pretax operating losses of 1.7\n  mln dlrs in 1986, are being sold to provide cash for\n  operations.\n      About 4.5 mln dlrs of inventory from the stores is being\n  transferred to other locations, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"RABBIT SOFTWARE <RABT> TO MERGE WITH CTI DATA\n","article":"  Rabbit Software Corp said it\n  agreed in principle to merge with <CTI Data Inc>, a privately\n  owned communications company.\n      According to terms, CTI holders and employees will receive\n  200,000 shares of Rabbit stock and royalties on sales of CTI\n  Products. CTI will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Rabbit.\n      The deal is subject to completion of a definitive merger\n  agreement, receipt of third party approvals and other\n  conditions, the company said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"COMSTOCK GROUP INC <CSTK> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 60 cts vs loss 43 cts\n      Net loss 3,012,000 vs loss 2,114,000\n      Revs 102.8 mln vs 134.9 mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 1.48 dlr vs loss four cts\n      Net loss 7,338,000 vs loss 180,000\n      Revs 354.9 mln vs 469.2 mln\n      NOTE: 1986 4th qtr and year net includes a loss of 623,000\n  dlrs and a gain 1,910,000 dlrs or 39 cts per share for an\n  extraordinary item.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.S. SENATE HITS EC OILS TAX, VOWS RETALIATION\n","article":"  The Senate voted to condemn the\n  proposed European common market tax on vegetable and marine\n  fats and oils and said it would result in retaliation.\n      The non-binding Senate resolution, a sense of Senate\n  sentiment, was approved on a 99 to 0 vote.\n      \"The administration should communicate to the European\n  Community the message that the United States will view the\n  establishment of such a tax as inconsistent with the European\n  Community's obligations under the General Agreement on Tariffs\n  and Trade that will result in the adoption of strong and\n  immediate countermeasures,\" the resolution stated.\n      The resolution said the European Community Commission has\n  proposed establishing a consumption tax on vegetable and fish\n  oils and fats in conjunction with the setting of farm prices\n  for the 1987\/1988 EC marketing year.\n      The Senate said the tax would amount to almost 90 pct of\n  the current price of soyoil and \"have a restrictive effect\" on\n  U.S. exports of soybeans and vegetable oils to the EC.\n      It would be \"blatantly inconsistent\" with obligations of the\n  EC under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, GATT, the\n  resolution said, and \"constitute another egregious attempt\" to\n  impose EC agricultural costs on trading partners.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"HEALTHMATE INC SAYS AUDITORS INTEND TO QUALIFY ITS FINANCIAL STATEMENTS\n","article":"\n  HEALTHMATE INC SAYS AUDITORS INTEND TO QUALIFY ITS FINANCIAL STATEMENTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HARSCO CORP <HSC> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 25 cts vs 25 cts prior\n      Pay May 15\n      Record April 15\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"MILASTAR CORP <MILA> 3RD QTR JAN 31 LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss two cts vs loss four cts\n      Net loss 44,000 vs loss 85,000\n      Sales 370,000 vs 299,000\n      Nine mths\n      Shr loss seven cts vs loss three cts\n      Net loss 134,000 vs loss 56,000\n      Sales 1,211,000 vs 1,069,000\n      NOTE: Prior nine mths net includes 10,000 dlr loss on sale\n  of marketable securities.\n      Prior quarter net includes 1,000 dlr tax credit.\n      Current year net includes provisions for loss on investment\n  in preferred stock of 4,000 dlrs in quarter and 15,000 dlrs in\n  nine mths.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"BANK OF BOSTON EXPECTS 1ST QTR EARNINGS FROM 90 CTS TO 1.00 DLRS\/SHR VS 79 CTS\n","article":"\n  BANK OF BOSTON EXPECTS 1ST QTR EARNINGS FROM 90 CTS TO 1.00 DLRS\/SHR VS 79 CTS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"BANK OF BOSTON <BKB> SEES IMPROVED 1ST QUARTER\n","article":"  Bank of Boston Corp expects first\n  quarter earnings will range between 90 cts and one dlr a share,\n  up from 79 cts a share last year, Chairman William Brown said.\n      He told shareholders the company has a 190 mln dlr exposure\n  in loans to Brazil if that country defaults on its debt\n  payments. If a default does occur, it would first quarter\n  earnings by about five cts a share, which would bring the\n  bank's in the lower level of the estimated range, he added.\n      Brown noted the 1986 first quarter net included a 17 cts\n  gain from loan restructurings which will not appear this year.\n      Brown said the bank's other nonperforming assets, not\n  including its Brazilian exposure, could rise to over 700 mln\n  dlrs at the end of this quarter compared with 669 mln dlrs a\n  year earlier and 614 mln dlrs at the end of 1986.\n      He said the increase includes all of its Equadorian loans\n  which he expects will be ultimately repaid after the company\n  recovers from an earthquake earlier this year.\n      Brown said the increase also includes some Mexican and\n  Venezuelan loans as those nations are also facing credit\n  problems.\n      Brown said the Bank of Boston remains \"cautiously optimitic\n  about the full year even if our Brazilian exposure were to be\n  on nonaccural all year.\" In 1986, the bank earned 3.69 dlrs a\n  share, or 232.8 mln dlrs on net interest revenues of 1.08\n  billion dlrs.\n      President Ira Stepanian told the shareholders's meeting the\n  bank's total loans to Argentina, Brazil and Mexico totaled 875\n  mln dlrs at the end of 1986, 37 pct of its primary capital.\n  Brazil loans total 300 mln dlrs, of which about two-thirds are\n  affected by its suspension of interest payments on its medium\n  and long term foreign debt.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"LIBYA REPORTEDLY BOUGHT WHITE SUGAR\n","article":"  Libya is reported to have recently\n  bought two cargoes of white sugar from operators at around\n  229\/230 dlrs a tonne cost and freight, traders said.\n      The shipment period required was not specified.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"USAIR GETS APPROVAL TO BUY 9,309,394 PIEDMONT SHARES IN TENDER\n","article":"\n  USAIR GETS APPROVAL TO BUY 9,309,394 PIEDMONT SHARES IN TENDER\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FED EXPECTED TO ADD RESERVES\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve is expected to\n  enter the U.S. government securities market to add reserves\n  during its usual intervention period today, economists said.\n      With federal funds trading at a steady 6-3\/16 pct, most\n  economists expect an indirect injection of temporary reserves\n  via a medium-sized round of customer repurchase agreements.\n      However, some economists said the Fed may arrange more\n  aggressive system repurchase agreements.\n      Economists would also not rule out an outright bill pass\n  early this afternoon. Such action had been widely anticipated\n  yesterday but failed to materialize.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"DOLLAR\/YEN INTERVENTION RESPONDS TO PRESSURE\n","article":"  The Bank of France intervened to buy\n  small amounts of dollars and sell yen in Paris today to\n  stabilise the exchange rates agreed at last month's meeting of\n  Finance Ministers of the Group of Five and Canada, foreign\n  exchange dealers said.\n      But they said recent central bank intervention in the\n  foreign exchange markets appeared to be a limited reaction to\n  temporary pressures rather than a major defence operation.\n      A Bank of France spokesman declined all comment but sources\n  close to the central bank said it had also intervened\n  yesterday.\n      Dealers said the earlier intervention was in concert with\n  the Bundesbank and Bank of Japan.\n      The sources said the French central bank could have been in\n  the market again today in two-way operations, not necessarily\n  on its own account, but to counter short-term pressures arising\n  from the end of the Japanese financial year on March 31.\n      One major French bank said it bought between five and 15\n  mln dlrs for the central bank and sold yen at 149.28 to the\n  dollar.\n      Another bank said it had been asked by the Bank of France\n  to say it was in the market, a departure from the central\n  bank's usual insistence on confidentiality.\n      But other banks said they had seen no sign of intervention,\n  which they said appeared to be on a very limited scale.\n      \"Even if 10 banks were buying five to 15 mln dlrs, you would\n  still be talking of a small overall amount,\" said one dealer.\n      Recent intervention by the Bank of Japan appeared mainly to\n  have been required to meet year-end window dressing demand for\n  yen. \"This is a specific short term phenomenon rather than a\n  wider trend,\" the dealer said.\n      Operators have been extremely cautious about testing the\n  dollar's trading ranges against the West German mark and\n  Japanese yen.\n      These ranges were set in February's stabilisation agreement\n  reached here by U.S. Treasury Secretary James Baker and the\n  Finance Ministers of Japan, Germany, France, Britain and\n  Canada.\n      But speculative pressures started to build again this week\n  after Baker was quoted on British television at the weekend as\n  repeating earlier statements that Washington had no target for\n  the dollar.\n      Baker yesterday moved to defuse speculation he was talking\n  the dollar down, telling a Cable News Network interviewer and a\n  Senate committee he stood by the Paris agreement. Foreign\n  exchange markets had been misreading his comments, he said.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"WALL STREET STOCKS\/U.S. OIL COMPANIES\n","article":"  British Petroleum Co PLC's\n  announcement that its U.S. subsidiary intends to tender for the\n  45 pct of Standard Oil Co <SRD> it does not already own,\n  catapulted U.S. oil stocks sharply higher this morning, traders\n  and analysts said.\n      \"It raises the specter of additional consolidation in the\n  industry and that is what is boosting the other oils,\" analyst\n  Rosario Ilacqua of L.F. Rothschild said.\n      Sanford Margoshes of Shearson Lehman Brothers said \"this\n  deal shows that British Petroleum, a conservative investor that\n  knows the oil business, is clearly confident in the U.S. oil\n  industry, and that shines well on the U.S. companies.\"\n      Philips Petroleum <P> gained 3\/4 to 15-7\/8, Occidental\n  Petroleum <OXY> one to 34-5\/8, USX Corp <X>, with its Marathon\n  Oil Co unit, rose 1\/2 to 28-3\/8. Exxon <XON> climbed one to\n  88-3\/8, Mobil <MOB> one to 50-1\/4, Atlantic Richfield <ARC>\n  3-1\/8 to 80-1\/2, Amoco <AN> 1-7\/8 to 84-1\/8, and Amerada Hess\n  one to 33-5\/8. BP gained 2-3\/8 to 59-3\/4.\n      Both analysts said the rise in Standard's price this\n  morning to above the proposed tender price of 70 dlrs a share,\n  is an indication that investors expect the bid to be sweetened.\n  Standard gained 6-3\/4 to 71-5\/8.\n      The analysts cited Royal Dutch\/Shell Group's <RD> <SC> bid\n  for Shell Oil Co, which was sweetened before its successful\n  conclusion.\n      Margoshes said the BP action \"is an articulation of the\n  underlying value of oil companies in the marketplace.\" But he\n  expressed skepticism that this will necessarily lead to\n  heightened merger or buyout activity in the oil group.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRSTCORP <FCR> SEES GAIN ON CONDEMNATION\n","article":"  Firstcorp Inc said it weill report\n  an after-tax gain of 1,827,000 dlrs or 56 cts per share primary\n  and 42 cts fully diluted from the proposed condemnation and\n  acquisition of a parking deck it operates by Wake County.\n      The company said if it reinvested proceeds in a similar\n  property within 24 months, the gain on the sale would be\n  deferred for tax purposes.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NORCEN SEES IMPROVEMENT IN 1987 EARNINGS\n","article":"  <Norcen Energy Resources Ltd>,\n  41 pct owned by <Hees International Corp>, said earnings and\n  cash flow will improve in 1987, even if oil and gas prices\n  remain at 1986 levels.\n      The improvement will result from production increases,\n  lower taxes and royalties, reduced financing costs and from\n  operating efficiencies and downsizing put into place during\n  1986, the company said in the annual report.\n      Norcen previously reported 1986 earnings, excluding a 20.1\n  mln dlr writeoff, declined by 58 pct to 50.0 mln dlrs from\n  119.7 mln dlrs in in 1985.\n      Norcen's 1986 cash flow fell 10 pct to 204.9 mln dlrs from\n  228.9 mln dlrs in the prior year.\n      It said the sharp decline in oil prices during 1986 was the\n  most significant factor for Norcen's reduced performance.\n      \"While financial results are far from the previous year's\n  record levels, it is clear that Norcen has withstood declining\n  prices and remains financially and operationally strong,\" Norcen\n  said. It did not give a specific 1987 profit forecast.\n      The company said it is well positioned to capitalize on\n  profitable opportunities in its core business areas, and will\n  continue to invest to increase revenue and asset values.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"COCOA COUNCIL HEAD TO PRESENT BUFFER COMPROMISE\n","article":"  International Cocoa Organization, ICCO,\n  council chairman Denis Bra Kanon will present a compromise\n  proposal on buffer stock rules to producer and consumer\n  delegates either later today or tomorrow morning, delegates\n  said.\n      Bra Kanon held private bilateral consultations with major\n  producers and consumers this morning to resolve outstanding\n  differences, mostly on the issues of how much non-member cocoa\n  the buffer stock can purchase and price differentials for\n  different varieties.\n      Delegates were fairly confident the differences could be\n  worked out in time to reach agreement tomorrow.\n      Some consuming member nations, including Britain and\n  Belgium, favour the buffer stock buying more than 10 pct\n  non-member cocoa, delegates have said.\n      The consumers argue that buying cheaper, lower quality\n  non-member cocoas, particularly Malaysian, will most\n  effectively support prices because that low quality cocoa is\n  currently pressuring the market.\n      Producers, meanwhile, say non-member cocoa should make up\n  at most a very small percentage of the buffer. They say\n  Malaysia should not be able to benefit from the ICCO unless it\n  is a member, and if the buffer stock bought Malaysian cocoa\n  Malaysia would have no incentive to join, delegates said.\n      As to differentials, Ghana apparently wanted a higher\n  differential for its cocoa than is outlined in the most recent\n  proposal, so it would have a better chance of having its cocoa\n  bought for the buffer stock, producer delegates said.\n      Some consumers wanted differentials to be adjusted in a way\n  that would not promote buffer stock purchases of the more\n  expensive cocoas, such as Ghanaian and Brazilian, they said.\n      Other technical points need to be sorted out, including\n  limits on how much cocoa the buffer stock manager can buy in\n  nearby, intermediate and forward positions and the consequent\n  effect on prices in the various deliveries, delegates said.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"SIEMENS REBUTTS U.S. CRITICISM ON CGCT OFFER\n","article":"  Siemens AG <SIEG.F> rebutted U.S.\n  Criticism it is blocking American Telephone and Telegraph\n  Corp's <T.N>, AT and T, entry into French telecommunications\n  firm <Compagnie Generale Constructions Telephoniques>, CGCT.\n      Management board member Hans Baur told journalists that the\n  acquisition of a joint 20 pct stake in CGCT by AT and T and\n  Philips Gloeilampenfabrieken NV <PGLO.AS> had not been decided\n  on two years ago as claimed by AT and T.\n      The French government, which owns CGCT, had asked Siemens\n  at the start of 1986 to submit an offer for the stake in CGCT.\n  The result of the negotiations was still open.\n      Baur said Siemens had first made an offer last summer.\n      The Handelsblatt newspaper today quoted AT and T chairman\n  James E. Olson as saying that Siemens' attempt to stop AT and T\n  and Philips could lead to a resurgence of protectionism in the\n  U.S.\n      Baur said he expected the French government to decide on\n  the winning bid by the end of April. CGCT's share of the French\n  switchboard market amounts to around 16 pct.\n      The French government has limited CGCT participation by\n  foreign companies to 20 pct and set a price of 500 mln francs\n  for the whole company.\n      Bauer said the 20 pct limitation would only apply to the\n  initial stake. He did not rule out a stake increase later but\n  said Siemens' aim was to introduce its technology.\n      Bauer said Siemens and French telecommunications firm\n  <Jeumont-Schneider SA> submitted a joint offer at the start of\n  March because of the 20 pct limitation. Both companies will\n  form a joint venture to take over the whole of CGCT.\n     Siemens will have a 20 pct stake in the new company while\n  Jeumont-Schneider will own 80 pct. Apart from investing 100 mln\n  francs for the modernisation of CGCT, a new research centre\n  with was also being planned.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MULFORD DISAPPOINTED IN NEWLY INDUSTRIALIZED (NICS) EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN CURRENCIES\n","article":"\n  MULFORD DISAPPOINTED IN NEWLY INDUSTRIALIZED (NICS) EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN CURRENCIES\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FORD <F> NEARS GM <GM> IN EXECUTIVE BONUSES\n","article":"  Ford Motor Co neared General Motors\n  Corp last year in executive bonuses, while it topped the larger\n  automaker in profit sharing payments to workers.\n      Ford, which outstripped GM in earnings last year, said its\n  1986 incentive bonuses totaled 167 mln dlrs, slightly behind\n  General Motors' 169.1 mln.\n      General Motors, however, did not make any profit-sharing\n  payments to its workers, while Ford made a profit-sharing\n  distribution of 372 mln dlrs, or 2,100 dlrs per worker.\n      General Motors, which saw its earnings drop to 2.94 billion\n  dlrs from 1985's 3.99 billion, said the 1986 profit was \"not\n  sufficient to generate a payout under the profit-sharing\n  formula.\"\n      Ford, which earned 3.28 billion dlrs in 1986, up from 2.51\n  billion in 1985, said it \"recognizes employees' efforts and\n  fulfills its commitment to them in many ways, including\n  profit-sharing.\"\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"MULFORD SAYS GERMANY, JAPAN SHOULD DO MORE\n","article":"  Treasury Assistant Secretary David\n  Mulford said he did not believe that West Germany and Japan\n  have yet carried out their international responsibilities.\n      \"I do not believe they have up to this time,\" Mulford told\n  a Senate banking subcommittee.\n      He said that for the U.S. trade deficit to continue\n  improving in the next two years, \"We need more policy actions\"\n  across the entire front of U.S. trade relations, including\n  Canada and the newly-industrialized countries (NICS).\n      In particular, he said, efforts by South Korea and Taiwan\n  to strengthen their currencies were still disappointing.\n      Mulford also said that OECD nations need to grow an average\n  three pct to help resolve the international debt crisis.\n      He noted that Japanese and European imports from Latin\n  nations were significantly smaller than imports into the U.S.\n      He stressed both Germany and Japan must continue to take\n  economic and structural measures to ensure stronger sustained\n  economic growth.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"EC GRANTS EXPORT LICENCES 197,000 TONNES  FREE MARKET MAIZE, ZERO BARLEY - PARIS TRADERS\n","article":"\n  EC GRANTS EXPORT LICENCES 197,000 TONNES  FREE MARKET MAIZE, ZERO BARLEY - PARIS TRADERS\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"PIER 1 IMPORTS <PIR> DECLARES STOCK SPLIT\n","article":"  Pier 1 Imports Inc said its\n  board declared a three-for-two split of its common stock and\n  its 25 cents preferred stock, and declared a regular quarterly\n  dividend of two cents per share on the pre-split shares of\n  common stock outstanding.\n      Pier 1 also declared a 12.5 pct annual dividend increase\n  for the post-split common shares. The split will be effected in\n  the form of a 50 pct stock dividend on both classes.\n      The company said shareholder approval is required for an\n  increase in authorized shares of common stock to 100 mln from\n  25 mln.\n      It said approval is also needed for an increase in\n  authorized shares of preferred stock from one million to five\n  million. It said voting will be conducted at its annual\n  shareholder meeting on June 24.\n      Pier 1 said there are currently 19.1 million shares of\n  common stock and 960,000 shares of 25 cts preferred stock\n  outstanding.\n      The split shares will be distributed on June 29 to\n  shareholders of record May 13. The two cts per share quarterly\n  cash dividend will be payable May 29 to shareholders of record\n  May 13.\n      \"The increase in shares outstanding will broaden the base\n  of stock ownership in the company, and the dividend increase\n  reflects the directors' positive outlook for the future\n  prospects of Pier 1 Imports,\" said Clark Johnson, president and\n  chief executive officer.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"LANCER CORP <LACR> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Shr 12 cts vs 15 cts\n      Net 282,000 vs 360,000\n      Revs 5,261,000 vs 5,348,000\n      Avg shrs 2,336,000 vs 2,335,000\n      Year\n      Shr 91 cts vs 1.04 dlrs\n      Net 2,149,000 vs 2,075,000\n      Revs 28.2 mln vs 28.3 mln\n      Avg shrs 2,356,000 vs 2,001,000\n      NOTE: 1986 quarter net includes 72,000 dlr charge from\n  repal of investment tax credit.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"MACNEAL-SCHWENDLER CORP <MNS> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 16 cts vs 11 cts\n      Net 1,888,000 vs 1,307,000\n      Revs 7,365,000 vs 5,877,000\n      Year\n      Oper shr 58 cts vs 40 cts\n      Oper net 7,005,000 vs 4,866,000\n      Revs 27.1 mln vs 21.1 mln\n      NOTE: Prior year net excludes 263,000 dlr loss from\n  discontinued operations and 2,073,000 dlrs on disposal.\n      Share adjusted for stock dividends.\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}
{"titles":"NICHOLS INSTITUTE <LAB> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr two cts vs one ct\n      Net 83,000 vs 32,000\n      Revs 11.2 mln vs 7,625,000\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"FIRST MEDICAL DEVICES CORP <FMDC> YEAR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss 97 cts\n      Net loss 1,364,453\n      Sales 737,971\n      NOTE: Company in development stage.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"HEALTHMATE <HMTE> EXPECTS QUALIFIED OPINION\n","article":"  HealthMate Inc said its\n  auditors, Laventhol and Horwath, indicated they will issue a\n  qualified opinion on the company's financial statements.\n      The company, which went public in March 1985, earlier\n  reported losses for the fourth quarter.\n      It said the auditor's statement, known as a \"subject to\"\n  opinion, cautions that, because of continuing operating losses\n  and negative cash flow, it must achieve profitable operations\n  or acquire additional equity capital or other financing to\n  continue in existence.\n      HealthMate reported a loss for the year of 1,512,534 dlrs,\n  or 17 cts a share on revenues of 1.4 mln dlrs. A year ago, it\n  had a loss of 1,553,592 dlrs, or 20 cts a share on revenues of\n  515,225 dlrs.\n      It said the increased sales reflect initial shipments of\n  its FluoroScan Imaging Systems, low radiation X-ray imaging\n  devices that recently were classified by Underwriters\n  Laboratories Inc.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"HEALTHMATE INC <HMTE> 4TH QTR LOSS\n","article":"  Shr loss five cts vs loss six cts\n      Net loss 473,784 vs loss 489,257\n      Revs 268,797 vs 81,725\n      Avg shrs 9,245,247 vs 8,035,326\n      Year\n      Shr loss 17 cts vs loss 20 cts\n      Net 1,512,534 vs loss 1,553,592\n      Revs 1,448,310 vs 515,225\n      Avg shrs 8,745,132 vs 7,619,863\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"USAIR <U> CLEARED TO BUY PIEDMONT <PIE> SHARES\n","article":"  USAir Group Inc said the U.S.\n  Department of Transportation has issued an order allowing it to\n  purchase and hold in a voting trust the 9,309,394 Piedmont\n  Aviation Inc shares USAir is seeking in its current 69 dlr per\n  share tender offer.\n      The company said the new order supersedes an order issued\n  by the department last Friday that would have required USAir to\n  sell within one week of expiration of the tender any Piedmont\n  shares it held in excess of 51 pct of the Piedmont stock then\n  outstanding.\n      The company said the 9,309,394 Piedmont shares, together\n  with the 2,292,599 Piedmont shares already owned by USAir,\n  constitute about 50.1 pct of Piedmont's shares on a\n  fully-diluted basius but about 61.0 pct of shares currently\n  outstanding.\n      The shares are to be held in a voting trust pending the\n  department's review of USAir's application to obtain control of\n  Piedmont.\n  \n\n","category":"Commodities and Trade"}
{"titles":"FED SETS TWO BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPURCHASE, FED SAYS\n","article":"\n  FED SETS TWO BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPURCHASE, FED SAYS\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOUSE OF FABRICS INC <HF> 4TH QTR JAN 31 NET\n","article":"  Shr 34 cts vs 20 cts\n      Net 2,253,000 vs 1,332,000\n      Sales 89.7 mln vs 85.9 mln\n      Year\n      Shr 94 cts vs 64 cts\n      Net 6,191,000 vs 4,257,000\n      Sales 316.4 mln vs 286.7 mln\n      NOTE: Prior year net both periods includes 2,100,000 dlr\n  charge from sale of Craft Showcase stores.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"GERMAN RETAILERS EXPECT GOOD 1987\n","article":"  West German retailers expect another good\n  year in 1987 even though they will not be able to repeat the\n  sharp increase in turnover they enjoyed in 1986, the General\n  Association of the German Retail Trade (HDE) said.\n      HDE President Wolfgang Hinrichs said retailers would be\n  satisfied with a real turnover increase of between 2.5 pct to\n  three pct in 1987 after last year's steep 3.7 pct rise.\n      Hinrichs said the 1986 turnover increase had brought the\n  first hesitant signs of improvement in earnings in the West\n  German retail sector.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"GERMAN WAGE ROUND SAID TO LIMIT MONETARY OPTIONS\n","article":"  The Bundesbank's options for West\n  Germany monetary policy are limited for the foreseeable future\n  by the delicate stage of wage negotiations between unions and\n  employers, economists and money market dealers said.\n      Call money fell in quite active trading today, dropping to\n  3.40\/50 pct from 3.55\/65 pct yesterday, and below the 3.50 pct\n  treasury bill rate as a difficult month-end approached.\n      But dealers and economists said the Bundesbank was unlikely\n  to encourage lower rates in the foreseeable future largely for\n  fear of upsetting the current wage round.\n      One money market dealer for a major foreign bank said, \"I\n  don't think the Bundesbank wants rates to go up whatever\n  happens. But it also does not want them to fall. Above all it\n  wants to wait to see how the unions wage round goes.\"\n      In West Germany, unions and employers prepare the ground\n  for triennial wage negotiations based on detailed assessments\n  of growth and inflation, economists said.\n      Ute Geipel, economist with Citibank AG, said if the\n  Bundesbank became more accommodating in monetary policy,\n  raising fears in some quarters of a return in inflation in the\n  medium term, unions would be obliged to curtail wage demands.\n      As a result the Bundesbank was concerned to make no move\n  that would interfere in the negotiating process, Geipel said.\n      In the current round, the country's most powerful union,\n  the IG Metall representing metalworkers and engineers, is\n  demanding a shortening of the working week to 35 hours from the\n  present 38-1\/2 and an accompanying five pct increase in wages.\n      The engineering employers' association, Gesamtmetall, is\n  offering to bring in a 38-hour-week from July 1, 1988, and give\n  a two stage wage increase -- a 2.7 pct rise from April 1 this\n  year and another 1.5 pct from July 1, 1988.\n      The agreement forged by IG Metall -- Europe's largest\n  union, with 2.5 mln members -- and the employers would set the\n  benchmark for settlements in other industries such as the\n  public sector, banks and federal post office. Negotiations\n  began in December and unions are hopeful they may conclude by\n  early April, ahead of the traditional holiday period in June.\n      Though many economists said the unions' current warning\n  strikes and rhetoric were part of the negotiating strategy and\n  would not lead to a repeat of 1984's damaging seven-week\n  strikes, others said unions would not compromise greatly on\n  their positions and there could still be conflict.\n      This could extend the length of time in which the\n  Bundesbank would keep its activity low-key, economists said.\n      The money market head said the unions' humiliation by the\n  protracted financial problems of the Neue Heimat cooperative\n  housing venture would contribute to union obstinacy.\n      \"The unions haven't forgotten that and they will put this\n  squarely onto the account in the negotiations,\" he said.\n      In addition, the newly-elected chairman of the IG Metall\n  union, Franz Steinkuehler, was more radical and determined than\n  his predecessor Hans Meyer and may be set for a longer battle\n  to achieve the best possible settlement for his membership.\n      More than 16,000 engineering workers at 45 firms, mainly in\n  south Germany, held warning strikes lasting up to two hours\n  yesterday. Firms hit included Zahnradfabrik Passau GmbH and\n  aerospace group Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH.\n      Today, 28,000 employees from 110 companies came out in\n  warning strikes, a statement from IG Metall said.\n      Money market dealers said that overnight call money rates\n  would rise in the near future in any case and did not depend on\n  a politically-inhibited Bundesbank.\n      About eight billion marks were coming into the market\n  tomorrow from salary payments by the federal government.\n      As a result, some banks fell back on the Bundesbank's offer\n  to mop up liquidity via the sale of three-day treasury bills,\n  anticipating still lower rates before the month-end.\n      But a pension payment date by banks on behalf of customers\n  was due on Monday, other dealers noted. If banks were short of\n  liquidity until the bills matured on Tuesday, rates could soar,\n  perhaps to the 5.50 pct Lombard ceiling.\n      Banks were well stocked up with funds, having an average\n  52.1 billion marks in Bundesbank minimum reserves in the first\n  24 days of March, well above the 50.7 billion requirement.\n  \n\n","category":"Market and Economy"}
{"titles":"FOREIGN FIRMS HOPE TO JOIN JAPAN TELECOM COMPANY\n","article":"  President Nobuo Ito of International\n  Telecom Japan Inc (ITJ), one of two rival firms seeking to\n  enter Japan's international telecommunications market, said it\n  will offer a stake in the company to 10 foreign firms.\n        But he declined to specify what share the firms would\n  take, and told Reuters they would not participate in its\n  management.\n      ITJ and International Digital Communications Planning Inc\n  (IDC), in which both Cable and Wireless Plc and Pacific Telesis\n  Group own 20 pct stakes, are set to merge into a new entity to\n  compete against Kokusai Denshin Denwa Co Ltd.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"SIEMENS RAISES STAKE IN TELECOM PLUS OF U.S.\n","article":"  Siemens AG's <SIEG.F>\n  fully-owned subsidiary Siemens Informations Systems Inc. Has\n  raised its stake in <Telecom Plus Communications Inc.> by 65\n  pct to 100 pct, a Siemens spokesman said.\n      He added that Telecom Plus Communications was the largest\n  independent supplier of telephone exchange systems in the U.S.\n  And had turnover of 234 mln dlrs in 1986.\n     The stake had been acquired from Telecom Plus International\n  Inc. The spokesman declined to comment on U.S. Newspaper\n  reports that the purchase price totalled 173 mln dlrs.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"FIRST INTERSTATE SEEKS ACQUISITION\n","article":"  Less than two months after First\n  Interstate Bancorp withdrew its bold attempt to buy BankAmerica\n  Corp, Chairman Joseph Pinola is still looking for a good buy,\n  but he is also looking at ways to avoid being bought.\n      In a wide-ranging interview, Pinola said he's looking for\n  ways to improve profitability and capital between now and 1991,\n  \"so as to resist any potential look at us...to maintain our\n  independence, if possible.\"\n      In 1991 federal regulatory changes will allow the major\n  East Coast banks to buy banks in California.\n      First Interstate, the fourth largest California bank, and\n  the nineth largest nationwide, owns 24 banks in 12 western\n  states and has franchise operations in four additional states.\n      Bank industry sources say it is an attractive target for\n  large U.S. or foreign banks, looking to quickly move into the \n  lucrative California market and the West Coast region.\n      While declining specifics on his corporate strategy, when\n  asked if acquisitions will be part of the plan, Pinola replied,\n  \"That's undoubtedly a fair statement...it would be almost naive\n  not to think that.\"\n      Pinola characterized his acquisition strategy as\n  \"opportunistic\".\n      He said he will look for banks in management trouble that\n  he can get at a bargain, then add management to restore\n  profitability, or for banks in states where First Interstate\n  already operates, then cut costs by combining resources.\n      The exception, he said, would be Texas, where he said most\n  of the banks are already well managed, but might be purchased\n  at a discount because of the depressed regional economy.\n      Pinola declined comment on what circumstances might move\n  him to rekindle his bid for BankAmerica, saying only, \"We\n  continue to monitor and look at a lot of things and a lot of\n  people continue to monitor and look at us.\"\n      Banking analysts, however, consider another First\n  Interstate bid at BankAmerica a long shot, not likely to happen\n  any time soon.\n      Pinola called his decision last month to withdraw his 3.25\n  billion dlr bid at the nation's second largest bank, \"a very,\n  very difficult decision.\"\n      With that decision made, however, he acknowledged First\n  Interstate may now have a difficult time keeping its number\n  four position in the California banking community.\n      \"The competition in this state is tough,\" he said, noting\n  CityBank's recent purchase of 50 financial service branches\n  from Sears Roebuck company. \"CityBank is moving rapidly to move\n  us down to fifth and Wells Fargo down to fourth,\" he said.\n      Outside California, Pinola acknowledged that Security\n  Pacific Corp, with its recent acquisitions in Arizona,\n  Washington and Oregon, is quickly becoming a regional\n  competitor in areas where First Interstate has long dominated.\n      \"Security is, has been and continues to be a highly\n  profitable and obviously well managed company,\" he said.\n      He added, however, First Interstate, at the moment, has the\n  advantages of having owned and managed regional banks longer\n  and has the recognition advantage of having given its regional\n  banks a common name.\n      Pinola said while its coastal state banks are in good\n  financial condition, First Interstate continues to sustain\n  serious loan losses in its Rocky Mountain states, where energy,\n  real estate and agriculture dominate the economy.\n      Asked if he thought loan losses in those areas had peaked,\n  he said, \"I don't think it has bottomed out, because I think\n  most of the problems are real estate-related and the real\n  estate problems are going to be with us for several years.\"\n      Pinola said another failing economic sector, agriculture in\n  the Midwest, has slowed expansion of First Interstate's\n  franchise operation.\n      First Interstate has 42 franchise banks that offer First\n  Interstate financial services in ten states.\n      While a year ago he was considering taking his franchise\n  operation east of the Mississippi River, Pinola said because\n  most of the franchise banks are now in the West, expansion into\n  the Midwest must come first.\n      Calling the franchise system, \"moderately profitable,\"\n  Pinola said, \"It is going to take a rejuvenation of the\n  agriculture sector for us to commence franchising at the speed\n  we were generating before the last year or two.\"\n      On the banking industry in general, Pinola said he thinks\n  1987 will be another bad year for loan losses, with only banks\n  with minimal holdings in real estate able to improve profits.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"<NATIONAL SEA PRODUCTS LTD> 4TH QTR NET\n","article":"  Oper shr 43 cts vs 21 cts\n      Oper net 6,846,000 vs 3,386,000\n      Revs 137.1 mln vs 107.6 mln\n      Year\n      Oper shr 1.36 dlrs vs 42 cts\n      Oper net 21,764,000 vs 7,239,000\n      Revs 516.4 mln vs 454.7 mln\n      Note: 1986 qtr excludes extraordinary gain of 784,000 dlrs\n  or five cts share, versus extraordinary loss of 110,000 dlrs or\n  shr nil in 1985 qtr\n      Note continued: 1986 year excludes extraordinary gain of\n  14,360,000 dlrs or 94 cts share, versus extraordinary gain of\n  2,883,000 dlrs or 19 cts share in prior year\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"HOUSE OF FABRICS <HF> SEES RESULTS IMPROVING\n","article":"  House of Fabrics Inc said\n  it expects growth in earnings and revenues as the current\n  fiscal year progresses.\n      It said it will open about 50 super stores this year. \n  House of Fabrics now operates 703 stores.\n      The company today reported earnings for the year ended\n  January 31 of 6,191,000 dlrs on sales of 316.4 mln dlrs, up\n  from prior year earnings of 4,257,000 dlrs on sales of 286.7\n  mln dlrs.  The prior year earnings included a 2,100,000 dlr\n  charge for the disposition of Craft Showcase stores.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"U.S. SENATE HITS EC OILS TAX, VOWS RETALIATION\n","article":"  The Senate voted to condemn the\n  proposed European common market tax on vegetable and fish fats\n  and oils and said it would result in retaliation.\n      The non binding Senate resolution, a sense of Senate\n  sentiment, was approved on a 99 to 0 vote.\n      \"The administration should communciate to the European\n  Community the message that the United States will view the\n  establishment of such a tax as inconsistent with the European\n  Community's obligations under the General Agreement on Tariffs\n  and Trade that will result in the adoption of strong and\n  immediate countermeasures,\" the resolution stated.\n  \n\n","category":"Financial Reports"}
{"titles":"KODAK <EK> BUYS STAKE IN BIOTECHNOLOGY COMPANY\n","article":"  Eastman Kodak Co said it has\n  reached an agreement to acquire new stock representing a 16 pct\n  interest in industrial biotechnology company <Genencor Inc> for\n  undisclosed terms.\n      Other Genencor shareholders include Staley Continental Inc\n  <STA>, Corning Glass Works <GLW> and Genentech Inc <GENE>.\n      The company said it has been granted options to increase\n  its equity stake during 1987.  It said it has agreed to make a\n  multiyear, multimillion dollar commitment to Genecor research\n  products related to food additivies and pharmaceutical\n  intermediates.\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"AVERY <AVY> 1ST QTR FEB 28 NET\n","article":"  Shr 33 cts vs 30 cts\n      Net 13.0 mln vs 11.9 mln\n      Sales 330.8 mln vs 249.7 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"FED SETS TWO BILLION DLR CUSTOMER REPURCHASE\n","article":"  The Federal Reserve entered the U.S.\n  government securities market to arrange two billion dlrs of\n  customer repurchase agreements, a spokeswoman for the New York\n  Fed said.\n      Federal funds were trading at 6-3\/16 pct at the time of the\n  indirect injection of temporary reserves.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"SENATE SEEKS U.S. PROBE OF CANADIAN CORN LEVY\n","article":"  The Senate voted unanimously to seek\n  an expedited U.S. probe of Canadian tariffs on corn imports to\n  determine if the United States should retaliate.\n      By 99 to 0, the Senate went on record against the 84.9\n  cents per bushel tariff approved by the Canadian Import\n  Tribunal.\n      The non binding measure asked for a probe by the U.S. Trade\n  Representative to determine within 30 days whether the tariff\n  violates the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, and if so\n  recommend within 60 days to President Reagan retaliatory action\n  against Canada.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"U.K. MONEY MARKET SHORTAGE FORECAST REVISED DOWN\n","article":"  The Bank of England said it had revised\n  its forecast of the shortage in the money market down to 450\n  mln stg before taking account of its morning operations. At\n  noon the bank had estimated the shortfall at 500 mln stg.\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"KNIGHT-RIDDER INC <KRN> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 25 cts vs 25 cts prior\n      Pay April 13\n      Record April Six\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"TECHNITROL INC <TNL> SETS QUARTERLY\n","article":"  Qtly div 12 cts vs 12 cts prior\n      Pay April 21\n      Record April Seven\n  \n\n","category":"Corporate News"}
{"titles":"NATIONWIDE CELLULAR SERVICE INC <NCEL> 4TH QTR\n","article":"  Shr loss six cts vs loss 18 cts\n      Net loss 89,478 vs loss 178,507\n      Revs 3,894,844 vs 1,964,141\n      Avg shrs 1,582,790 vs one mln\n      Year\n      Shr loss 43 cts vs loss 81 cts\n      Net loss 534,099 vs loss 811,836\n      Revs 12.2 mln vs 5,167,573\n      Avg shrs 1,251,337 vs one mln\n  \n\n","category":"Other"}
{"titles":"<A.H.A. AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES CORP> YEAR NET\n","article":"  Shr 43 cts vs 52 cts\n      Shr diluted 41 cts vs 49 cts\n      Net 1,916,000 vs 2,281,000\n      Revs 32.6 mln vs 22.6 mln\n  \n\n","category":"Industrial and Sector News"}