(BFW) MORE: Amec Agrees to Buy Foster Wheeler for $3.2b in Cash, Stock

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BFW 01/13 07:03 AMEC to Buy Foster Wheeler AG for About $3.2b BN 01/13 07:11 *AMEC SAYS UNDERLYING BUSINESS CONTINUES TO PERFORM AS SEEN BN 01/13 07:11 *AMEC PERFORMED IN LINE WITH FORECAST FOR '13 BN 01/13 07:07 *AMEC SEES COMPLETION OF ACQUISITION BY 2H OF 2014 BN 01/13 07:06 *FOSTER WHEELER WON'T SOLICIT ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS UNTIL FEB 22 BN 01/13 07:06 *FOSTER WHEELER TO HAVE TWO SEATS ON AMEC BOARD BN 01/13 07:05 *AMEC FOSTER WHEELER ALSO TO PAY PRE-COMPLETION DIV OF $0.40 BN 01/13 07:05 *AMEC SEES `DOUBLE-DIGIT' EARNINGS ACCRETION IN FIRST 12 MONTHS BN 01/13 07:04 *AMEC WILL SEEK US LISTING IN CONNECTION W/ TRANSACTION BN 01/13 07:04 *AMEC TO FINANCE ACQUISITION VIA CASH RESOURCES, NEW DEBT BN 01/13 07:03 *AMEC AGREES TO BUY FOSTER WHEELER FOR $3.2B IN CASH, STOCK BN 01/13 07:02 *AMEC OFFER EQUATES TO VALUE OF ABOUT $3.2B BN 01/13 07:02 *AMEC OFFERS $32 FOR EACH FOSTER WHEELER SHR BFW 01/13 07:01 *AMEC PLANS OFFER OF $32-SHR FOR FOSTER WHEELER BN 01/13 07:01 *AMEC PROVISIONALLY AGREED FOR ALL OF FOSTER WHEELER'S SHARES BN 01/13 07:01 *AMEC ISIONALLY AGREED FOR ALL OF FOSTER WHEELER'S SHARES BN 01/13 07:01 *AMEC POSSIBLE OFFER FOR FOSTER WHEELER, UPDATE ON TRADING BN 01/13 07:00 *AMEC AMEC POSSIBLE OFFER FOR FOSTER WHEELER

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MORE: Amec Agrees to Buy Foster Wheeler for $3.2b in Cash, Stock 2014-01-13 07:11:28.690 GMT

By Gaurav Panchal Jan. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Amec’s provisional agreement with Foster Wheeler for the cash, stock offer equates to $32-shr for each Foster Wheeler share, ~$3.2b. * Cash component of possible offer (~$1.6b, GBP968m) expected to be financed by combination of Amec’s existing cash resources, new debt financing * Expects remainder of offer to be satisfied by issuance of new Amec shares to Foster Wheeler shareholders, some or all of which may take form of ADRs * AMEC will seek U.S. listing in connection with transaction * Foster Wheeler shareholders would hold shares in AMEC representing ~23% of enlarged share capital * AMEC would expect to have a pro-forma trailing 12 months ratio of net debt to EBITDA of ~1.6x at completion * Foster Wheeler also expects to pay a pre-completion dividend of $0.40 for each Foster Wheeler share * Terms: * Subject to number of pre-conditions, including satisfactory completion of confirmatory due diligence by both parties, completion of debt financing arrangements by Amec, unanimous recommendation by board of Foster Wheeler * Foster Wheeler has agreed not to solicit alternative proposals until Feb. 22 by which time it is expected that definitive agreements will be entered into * Completion anticipated in 2H of 2014, subject to AMEC shareholder approval and regulatory and anti-trust approvals * Says is no certainty that a firm offer will be made or that the transaction will proceed * First Take: {NSN MZBVL26JIJVF <go>} * Statement: Statement:{NSN MZBVGF3HBS3N <GO>}

Link to Company News:{AMEC LN <Equity> CN <GO>} Link to Company News:{FWLT US <Equity> CN <GO>}

For Related News and Information: First Word scrolling panel: {FIRST<GO>} First Word newswire: {NH BFW<GO>}

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Gaurav Panchal at +44-20-7392-0511 or gpanchal2@bloomberg.net

>>> What to look at today (week end news included) 13/01/2014

US Market closed mixed (Dow lower, S&P & Nasdaq higher), GDX jumped +3,5%...Financials were weak, JPM & WFC will report on Tue...VIX @ 12,18 -5,5% SKEW @ 126,15 -3,61%...Volume was on the weak side 655mil. shares...big earning season in the US : Earning in the US 14/01 JPM, WFC, 15/01 BAC, 16/01 GS, C, SCHW, BLK, COF, AXP, INTC, 17/01 GE, BK, MS, CTB, SLB...Japan is closed today (national holiday/coming of Age day)...China mixed after Yuan making new high...Shanghai -0.31%...

Eur$ 1.3670 S&P Fut -0.20% European Fut+ 0.32%

Keep an eye on :
- ABI BB : Anheuser-Busch May Buy Back Oriental Brewery: Korea Times Link
- AIR FP : Airbus ’Looking Seriously’ at A330 Re-Engine Program: Reuters
- AA US : Alcoa Ford's plan to build the new F-150 pickup with an all-aluminum body may be the best news for the aluminum industry in decades
- AZA IM : Etihad aims to take 35-40% stake in Alitalia for around EUR 300m
- ALU FP : Alcatel Is Said to Hold Talks With Unify, Siemens on Enterprise Unit Sale(E764m rev in 2012)
- BBVA SM : Bank of Spain Tells Banks to Boost Provisions, Cut Profit: Cinco
- BELG BB: Belgacom Must Maintain ‘Substantial’ Dividend, CEO Tells De Tijd
- BMW GY : BMW Forecasts Double-Digit China Sales Growth in 2014: WSJ Link
- BP/ LN : BP Oil-Spill Settlement Approval Upheld by U.S. Appeals Court
- CON GY : Continental CEO Says 4Q Met Expectations, Confident for 2014: HB
- AM FP : Dassault CEO Says Recovery in Falcon Demand ’Rather Flat’: Echos
- DBK GY : Bafin Criticized Deutsche Bank Chairman in 2013 Letter: Spiegel
- ENI IM : ENI Has closed a 3.5K bpd pipeline in Nigeria due to sabotage
- EOAN GY : E.ON Germany competition watchdog is investigating govt grants that the company received for not closing its gas power plant, Irsching, despite lack of profitability
- F IM : Fiat Says Chrysler Stake Purchase at Reasonable Level
- F IM : Fiat S.p.A Shareholder Exor is not seeking to dilute its stake in the company
- FER IM : Ferragamo CEO Says 2013 Ended ‘In Line’ With Expectations
- FGP LN : FirstGroup Shareholder Sandell to Push for Break-Up: Telegraph
- GLEN LN : Glencore Xstrata rumoured to have linked up acquisition, Lonmin mentionned this week...
- GLPG BB : Galapagos Gets EU2.9m Flemish Grant for Cystic Fibrosis Research
- ING FP : Ingenico Had Strong Increase in Transactions Over Christmas
- SDF GY : K+S AG CEO Steiner: To invest in additional mines in the longer term
- KPN NA : KPN's president of board denies talks with America Movil
- MEO GY : Metro 1Q Rev. In Line With Ests.
- MRW LN : US actists including Elliott built a stake and pushing for shake up of property portfolio
- MRW LN : Morrison to Sell $1.3B of Property to Appease Investors: Times
- NXT FP : AMF Chief Rameix Says Euronext Needs Core Shareholders: Investir
- PFD LN : Gores Set to Buy Stake in Premier Foods’ Hovis Brand: Times
- 1913 HK : Prada’s Mazzi Says Tax Probe Is Against Co.’s Shareholders: CNBC - 1.43% in HK.
- SPM IM : BlackRock Could Be Liable for Actions of Employee on Saipem Shrs
- STER1V FH : Merging UPM, Stora Enso Wouldn’t Be Easy, Chairman Wahlroos Says {NSN MZ8EAW6JIJVY <go>}
- SZU GY : Suedzucker Reiterates FY Forecast
- FP FP : Total to Invest $50m Exploring for U.K. Shale Gas: Telegraph
- TIT IM : Telecom Italia Should Alter Governance, Fossati Tells Messaggero {NSN MZ8P2V6JIJUO <go>}
- TIT IM : Telecom Italia chooses Morgan Stanley to sell off Brazilian transmission tower network
- TIT IM : Shareholder Fossati: Will submit a study over the valuation of TIM Brasil to the coming in the near future
- TKA GY : ThyssenKrupp Seeks Brazil Plant Sale in 2-3 Yrs: Deutschlandfunk, Sets Earnings-Doubling Goal for Managers: Spiegel
- UBSN VX : Ermotti Say UBS Won’t Spin Off Investment Bank as Model Working
- UHR VX : Swatch CEO Warns Strong CHF Endangers Industry: Tages-Anzeiger
- VOW3 GY : VW to Add SUV to U.S. Lineup Amid $7 Billion Investment Plan

>>> Brokers Upgrades & Downgrades

>>> Up
*ABERDEEN ASSET RAISED TO BUY VS NEUTRAL AT GOLDMAN
*ACCOR RAISED TO BUY AT JEFFERIES
*ASHMORE GROUP RAISED TO BUY VS NEUTRAL AT GOLDMAN
*BBVA RAISED TO OVERWEIGHT VS EQUALWEIGHT AT BARCLAYS
*BILFINGER RAISED TO OVERWEIGHT FROM UNDERWEIGHT, PT €100
*COBHAM CUT TO NEUTRAL VS BUY AT UBS
*FRESNILLO RAISED TO BUY VS ADD AT NUMIS
*GERRY WEBER RAISED TO OUTPERFORM VS NEUTRAL AT EXANE
*ITV RAISED TO BUY VS NEUTRAL AT BOFAML {NSN MZBV6G6VDKI3 <go>}
*KUONI RAISED TO BUY VS NEUTRAL AT UBS
*NORTHAM PLATINUM RAISED TO BUY VS NEUTRAL AT BOFAML
*OPHIR ENERGY RAISED TO BUY VS NEUTRAL AT NOMURA
*PEUGEOT RAISED TO OUTPERFORM VS MARKET PERFORM AT BERNSTEIN {NSN MZBUPK6JTSEG <go>}
*RED ELECTRICA RAISED TO HOLD VS SELL AT SOCGEN
*RENAULT RAISED TO OUTPERFORM VS UNDERPERFORM AT BERNSTEIN {NSN MZBUPK6JTSEG <go>}
*RIETER RAISED TO OUTPERFORM VS NEUTRAL AT CREDIT SUISSE
*TELEKOM AUSTRIA RAISED TO BUY VS NEUTRAL AT UBS
*UBS RAISED TO BUY AT BOFAML

>>> Down
*AFRICAN BARRICK GOLD CUT TO SELL VS HOLD AT NUMIS
*ELECTROLUX CUT TO NEUTRAL VS OUTPERFORM AT CREDIT SUISSE {NSN MZBVES6JIJVV <go>}
*FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS CUT TO ADD VS BUY AT NUMIS
*ICAP CUT TO SELL VS NEUTRAL AT GOLDMAN
*INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS CUT TO UNDERPERFORM AT JEFFERIES
*KAZAKHMYS CUT TO SELL VS HOLD AT NUMIS
*LAIRD CUT TO NEUTRAL VS BUY AT UBS
*LEONI CUT TO NEUTRAL VS BUY AT GOLDMAN
*QINETIQ CUT TO NEUTRAL VS BUY AT UBS
*TULLETT PREBON CUT TO NEUTRAL VS BUY AT GOLDMAN
*YARA CUT TO SELL VS HOLD AT SEB

>>> PT Changes
*Atlantia PT Raised to EU20 vs EU19 at JPMorgan
*Bankinter PT Raised to EU4.1 at Mediobanca; Kept at Underperform
*Fiat PT Raised to EU6.25 at Bernstein; Kept at Market Perform
*FIAT PT RAISED TO EU5.9 VS EU4.5 AT CITI; KEPT AT SELL
*GENERALI PT RAISED TO EU15.3 VS EU15 AT CITI; KEPT AT SELL
*PRYSMIAN PT RAISED TO EU21 VS EU19.5 AT CITI; KEPT AT BUY
*SAP PT RAISED TO €66 FROM €60 AT JEFFRIES;KEPT AT HOLD

>>> Initiation
*ENERGA RATED NEW BUY AT BOFAML; PT PLN18
*ENERGA RATED NEW OVERWEIGHT AT JPMORGAN; PT PLN19
*ENERGA RATED NEW BUY AT UBS, PT 17.5 ZLOTY
*PETROPAVLOVSK RATED REDUCE AT NUMIS, WAS UNDER REVIEW
*TARKETT RATED NEW OVERWEIGHT AT JPMORGAN; PT EU34

>>> Call
>> Stock
*AZIMUT ADDED TO CONVICTION BUY LIST AT GOLDMAN
*BAE ADDED TO THE UBS EUROPEAN KEY CALL LIST
*ENERGA ADDED TO CEEMEA ANALYST FOCUS LIST AT JPMORGAN
*NOKIA ADDED TO UBS'S LEAST PREFERRED LIST
>> Sector
* Bernstein Screens for Themes, Top Picks for 2014 in Insurance {NSN MZBTYK6JTSEC <go>}

>>> US Earning this week - JPM, WFC, BAC, GS, C, SCHW, BLK, COF, AX

Company Name Company Ticker Date Date Type Time Type Period
JPMorgan Chase & Co JPM US 14/01/2014 C 13:00 ER Q4 2013
Wells Fargo & Co WFC US 14/01/2014 C 14:00 ER Q4 2013
Bank of America Corp BAC US 15/01/2014 C 13:00 ER Q4 2013
Fastenal Co FAST US 15/01/2014 C 13:00 ER Q4 2013
CSX Corp CSX US 15/01/2014 C Aft-mkt ER Q4 2013
Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP KMP US 15/01/2014 C Aft-mkt ER Q4 2013
Kinder Morgan Inc/DE KMI US 15/01/2014 C Aft-mkt ER Q4 2013
Charles Schwab Corp/The SCHW US 16/01/2014 C Bef-mkt ER Q4 2013
BB&T Corp BBT US 16/01/2014 C Bef-mkt ER Q4 2013
UnitedHealth Group Inc UNH US 16/01/2014 C Bef-mkt ER Q4 2013
Huntington Bancshares Inc/OH HBAN US 16/01/2014 C Bef-mkt ER Q4 2013
BlackRock Inc BLK US 16/01/2014 C Bef-mkt ER Q4 2013
Goldman Sachs Group Inc/The GS US 16/01/2014 C 13:30 ER Q4 2013
Citigroup Inc C US 16/01/2014 C 14:00 ER Q4 2013
Capital One Financial Corp COF US 16/01/2014 C 22:05 ER Q4 2013
American Express Co AXP US 16/01/2014 C Aft-mkt ER Q4 2013
Intel Corp INTC US 16/01/2014 C Aft-mkt ER Q4 2013
Skyworks Solutions Inc SWKS US 16/01/2014 C Aft-mkt ER Q1 2014
SLM Corp SLM US 16/01/2014 C Aft-mkt ER Q4 2013
American Airlines Group Inc AAL US 16/01/2014 E ER Q4 2013
PNC Financial Services Group Inc/The PNC US 16/01/2014 C ER Q4 2013
Wendy's Co/The WEN US 16/01/2014 E ER Q4 2013
M&T Bank Corp MTB US 16/01/2014 E ER Q4 2013
General Electric Co GE US 17/01/2014 C Bef-mkt ER Q4 2013
SunTrust Banks Inc STI US 17/01/2014 C Bef-mkt ER Q4 2013
Bank of New York Mellon Corp/The BK US 17/01/2014 C 12:30 ER Q4 2013
Morgan Stanley MS US 17/01/2014 C 13:15 ER Q4 2013
Cooper Tire & Rubber Co CTB US 17/01/2014 E ER Q3 2013
Progressive Corp/The PGR US 17/01/2014 E ER Q4 2013
Schlumberger Ltd SLB US 17/01/2014 C ER Q4 2013

(BFW) Nissan, Renault, Peugeot Raised to Outperform at Bernstein

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Nissan, Renault, Peugeot Raised to Outperform at Bernstein 2014-01-13 06:44:08.529 GMT

By Francesca Cinelli Jan. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Japanese autos still have momentum thanks to FX, mass Euro autos still offer deep value, Bernstein says. * Nissan, Peugeot upgraded from market perform * Renault raised from underperform * Says Nissan (PT JPY1,200) has massively favorable JPY tailwinds, highly competitive engineering, manufacturing, product; co. working hard to fix many execution challenges * With regard to Renault (PT EU75), cites higher Nissan PT coupled with higher ests. for core Renault earnings thanks to better volume assumptions in both Europe and emerging mkts * As for Peugeot (PT EU15), says engineering and product range still very strong; highlights co. continued to invest heavily in new technology through crisis (unlike some peers), should be doing better than it is in mkt shr terms

Link to Company News:{7201 JP <Equity> CN <GO>} Link to Company News:{RNO FP <Equity> CN <GO>} Link to Company News:{UG FP <Equity> CN <GO>} Link to Company News:{F IM <Equity> CN <GO>} Link to Company News:{BMW GR <Equity> CN <GO>} Link to Company News:{DAI GR <Equity> CN <GO>} Link to Company News:{VOW GR <Equity> CN <GO>} Link to Company News:{PAH3 GR <Equity> CN <GO>} Link to Company News:{TTMT IN <Equity> CN <GO>} Link to Company News:{1114 HK <Equity> CN <GO>} Link to Company News:{489 HK <Equity> CN <GO>} Link to Company News:{2333 HK <Equity> CN <GO>} Link to Company News:{2777 HK <Equity> CN <GO>} Link to Company News:{175 HK <Equity> CN <GO>}

For Related News and Information: First Word scrolling panel: {FIRST<GO>} First Word newswire: {NH BFW<GO>}

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Francesca Cinelli at +39-02-80644-252 or fcinelli@bloomberg.net

FT : Big Auto revs up R&D to record level

The global car industry is spending more on research and development than ever before as manufacturers try to stay ahead of a rapidly shifting market and fierce competition from the technology industry.
Investment in new technologies to make cars more efficient, more interactive, run on new fuels and even begin to drive themselves is growing faster than sales and revenue, amid a period of technological disruption not seen in the industry since the birth of the internal combustion engine.

Research and development spending by the car industry has grown at an annual rate of 8 per cent over the past four years, almost three times the rate of increase seen between 2001 and 2012, according to research by the Boston Consulting Group.
The news comes on the eve of the Detroit motor show, the industry’s first product showcase of the year, and traditionally the stage where the world’s biggest carmakers show off their most advanced new models.
The R&D push will be visible in launches of new vehicles such as Ford’s next-generation F-150 pick-up truck, boasting an ultra-lightweight aluminium body, more efficient engine, and radars, cameras and partial-autonomy technology that the carmaker says make the truck its most advanced product on the market.
“Whether it’s advanced materials, microprocessors or other advanced technologies, this is an incredibly sophisticated product,” said Pete Reyes, chief engineer on the new F-150, which took five years to develop and weighs up to 320kg less than its predecessor. “This is truly groundbreaking.”
Today’s vehicles boast in-car entertainment and connectivity controlled by more than 100m lines of software code – more than a fighter jet – and are powered by smaller and more efficient engines, supplemented by electric batteries or hydrogen.
Caught between ever-tougher emission legislation, customer demands for better-connected vehicles and unprecedented competition from technology providers such as Google and IBM, auto industry leaders are attempting to rebrand themselves as innovators rather than manufacturers.
“Innovation in the automotive industry is retaking centre stage,” said Xavier Mosquet, BCG senior partner. “Consumers want to buy cars from companies that bring new technologies to market . . . [This] will be a major factor in individual automakers’ success in the coming years.”
Volkswagen, General Motors and Toyota, the industry’s three biggest R&D spenders, increased their combined spending 13 per cent between 2007 and 2012 to $27.4bn. Their combined annual revenue rose 8 per cent over the same period.
Volkswagen, which owns the VW, Audi and Skoda brands, invests more in R&D than any other company worldwide, outpacing technology groups such as Samsung and Microsoft.
That spending is paying dividends. Global patent filings for low-emission engine technology by carmakers have doubled over the past five years, sparking fears of litigation battles .
Since 2009, GM, the biggest US carmaker by sales, has created a $100m venture capital fund, GM Ventures, to make early-stage investments in technology developers. It recently added a research centre in the Israeli tech hub of Tel Aviv. It also has an office in Palo Alto, California, that it refers to as its “eyes and ears” in Silicon Valley.
Google has rolled out versions of its self-driving car, while IBM recently signed a deal with component manufacturer Continental to develop new technologies.
At the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week, nine carmakers participated, and automotive companies took up 25 per cent more space than at the 2013 event.

>>> Asian Update

Asian Market Update: Asian markets mixed with Nikkei225 closed

***Economic Data*** - (AU) AUSTRALIA NOV CREDIT CARD BALANCES (A$): 49.7B V 48.9B PRIOR; CREDIT CARD PURCHASES: 22.4B V 23.0B PRIOR - (AU) AUSTRALIA NOV HOME LOANS M/M: 1.1% V 1.0%E; INVESTMENT LENDING: 1.5% V 8.2% PRIOR; OWNER-OCCUPIED LOAN VALUE: 1.9% V 1.7% PRIOR - (AU) AUSTRALIA DEC ANZ JOB ADVERTISEMENTS M/M: -0.7% V -0.9% PRIOR

***Observations/Insights*** - Tracking the cues from the US markets on Friday, Asian markets were mixed as Japan was closed on national holiday. Last week the US markets ended mixed as the payrolls data increase at the slowest pace since Jan of 2011. - Trading in China's Shanghai was subdued following the yuan setting at a record high, continued currency appreciation. - Australia reported total number of owner-occupied home loans for November rose a seasonally adjusted 1.1% from the prior month beating estimates. The total loans for the construction of new dwellings were at 5.6k rising 2.3%, while loans for the purchase of new dwellings declined 4.3% to 2.9K. - The AUD continued its sharp rise against the USD from last week following the Australia home loans data. Despite the S&P/ASX trading in negative territory the big miners were trading higher earlier during the session due to gains in gold, commodity prices and Indonesia implementing plans to regulate mineral exports.

***Fixed Income/Commodities/Currencies*** - (CN) PBoC gauges demand for 7-day, 14-day reverse repos, 28-day repos and 91-day bill sales - (CN) PBoC sets yuan mid point at 6.0950 v 6.1008 prior setting (record high setting for Yuan) - (TW) Taiwan sells NT$25B in 182-day treasury bills

***Speakers/Political/In the Papers*** - (CN) S&P: China property developers have mixed growth outlook for 2014 - (CN) China Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD) official: China 2014 property sales may grow less than 10% - Chinese press - (CN) Beijing plans to add CNY1.25B to tackle air pollution curb - Chinese press - (CN) China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) issues policies to tighten new shares issuance - financial press - (CN) China Zhejiang Province reports 3 new cases of H7N9 bird flu; Guangdong Province reports 2 new cases of H7N9 bird flu - Chinese press - (CN) China sovereign wealth fund (CIC) official: China local govt won't default - Xinhua - (CN) Former PBoC adviser Li Daokui: China's stock market has come to "darkest moment"; A downturn in stock market is unfavorable for investor's sentiment, could affect the pace of reform - Chinese press - (CN) China Ministry of Finance (MOF) researcher: China 2014 GDP likely to be 7.5%: Lower GDP limit to be at 7% - Chinese press

- (JP) Japan may draft collective self-defense view in April - Asahi News - (JP) Japan PM Abe support rating increases to 62% - Yomiuri - (JP) Japan to compile economic stimulus when determining sales tax hike - Japanese press - (JP) Japan Coast Guard sight three China vessels near disputed islands - Kyodo News

- (KR) South Korea Fin Min Hyun: South Korea to improve regulations to support entrepreneurs - Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Nakao: QE tapering effect has already factored into emerging markets - financial press - International regulators set new standards for leverage ratio - FT - (EU) ESM's Regling: ESM could sell debt in non-Euro currencies; could sell yuan-denominated debt in a few years - financial press - (IR) Iran, world powers advance nuclear agreement; Iran nuclear deal to start Jan 20th - financial press

***Equities*** Market Snapshot (as of 04:30 GMT): - Nikkei225 closes, S&P/ASX -0.3%, Kospi +0.7%, Shanghai Composite -0.1%, Hang Seng -0.1%, Mar S&P500 -0.2% at 1,833, Feb gold +0.2% at $1,249, Feb crude oil -0.8% at $92.45/brl

US markets: - NPO: Judge estimates Garlock Sealing Technologies' mesothelioma liability at $125M, in line with Enpro's estimate - GM: To recall 370K units of 2014 full-size pickup trucks, citing a software glitch that could cause engine fires - press - ICPT: NIH says patients taking ICPT's liver-disease drug had "disproportionate lipid abnormalities" compared to patients taking placebo in the trial - financial press - CLVS: Citigroup biotech analyst makes positive comments on CNBC; expects good results from its lung cancer product with data out in the next few weeks - QSII: Guides Q3 results below analyst consensus - filing

Notable movers by sector: - Financials: Xinhu Zhongbao +0.3% (issues profit warning); Poly Property Group 119.HK -1.7% (2013 contracted sales result) - Materials: Aluminum Corp of China 2600.HK +6.2%, Yunnan Aluminum 000807.CN +4.2%, Shandong Nanshan Aluminum 600219.CN +2.7% (Aluminum Corp of China issue positive profit alert) - Energy: Sinovel Wind Group 601558.CN -9.7% (investigated by CSRC); Jutal Offshore Oil Services 3303.HK +4.6% (awarded order); Dart Energy DTE.AU +8.7% (enters agreement with Total); Korean Gas 036460.KR -2.1% (Dec sales result) - Healthcare: China National Accord Medicines 1099.HK -2.6% (VP detained on corruption) - Telecom: Telstra Corp TLS.AU -0.2% (considers sale unit)

NYT : SAC Trader ‘Corrupted’ Doctors, Prosecutor Says

SAC Trader ‘Corrupted’ Doctors, Prosecutor Says

Mathew Martoma, a former SAC Capital Advisors hedge fund manager, “corrupted” doctors to get an “illegal edge” that helped him perpetrate the most lucrative insider trading scheme in history, a federal prosecutor said on Friday.

“The case is about cheating,” Arlo Devlin-Brown, an assistant United States attorney, told jurors during the opening of Mr. Martoma’s trial in Lower Manhattan. That cheating resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars for SAC and a $9.3 million bonus for Mr. Martoma.

Mr. Martoma’s lawyer countered that the government’s case was “riddled with inconsistencies and filled with reasonable doubt” and reminded the jury that Mr. Martoma’s future was on the line.

“The stakes here could not be higher,” Richard Strassberg, the lead defense lawyer said, citing “The Exonerated,” a play about six people who are wrongfully convicted of murder and other offenses.

The opening arguments were delivered to a jury of five men and seven women that includes a chief executive and a New York City bus driver, in a courtroom packed with friends and family of Mr. Martoma and spectators.

Mr. Martoma, 39, is the second SAC employee to stand trial in the Justice Department’s decade-long investigation into insider trading at SAC, which is run by the billionaire Steven A. Cohen.

The trial is at the heart of an investigation into what authorities have called a “systematic insider trading scheme.” Eight former SAC employees have been criminally charged with insider trading; six pleaded guilty. Last month, in the same courthouse, Michael S. Steinberg, another SAC trader, was found guilty of insider trading, a month after SAC agreed to pay $1.2 billion and plead guilty to insider trading.

On Friday, the lead prosecutors in Mr. Steinberg’s trial, Antonia M. Apps and Harry Chernoff, were among the spectators.

Mr. Martoma has been accused of seeking confidential information about the clinical trial of an Alzheimer’s drug and making trades in shares of the two companies developing it, Wyeth and Elan, based on that information. The trades helped the firm to avoid losses and generate profits totaling $276 million.

On Friday, the government promised to show jurors emails, phone calls and trading charts surrounding SAC’s trades of Elan and Wyeth shares, including evidence of the hedge fund’s $700 million position in Elan and Wyeth stock just two weeks before the companies announced negative results of the trial and before SAC sold all of its stock.

The government plans to bring to the witness stand Dr. Sidney Gilman, an 81-year-old retired University of Michigan professor who was also a paid consultant for Elan. During the period that Dr. Gilman worked for Elan, Mr. Martoma cultivated a business and personal relationship with Dr. Gilman and sought his “expert services” to obtain illegal tips, Mr. Devlin-Brown said.

The prosecution’s case turns on the testimony of Dr. Gilman, chairman of the safety committee for the trial of the Alzheimer’s drug, Mr. Strassberg said.

But his testimony has been a “moving target,” he added. Mr. Strassberg sought to discredit Dr. Gilman, who has reached a nonprosecution agreement with the government.

Mr. Strassberg told the jury that the government made Dr. Gilman an offer he couldn’t refuse: immunity in exchange for his cooperation. The deal was “a free pass as long as he agreed to say that he had tipped off Mathew Martoma,” he said.

While Dr. Gilman and Mr. Martoma exchanged emails and their meetings together were documented, there is no evidence to show exactly what they discussed, Mr. Strassberg said.

Mr. Strassberg also raised questions about Dr. Gilman’s memory. When he was meeting with Mr. Martoma, Mr. Strassberg said, Dr. Gilman was undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer and was taking prednisone, a drug that can cause side effects of “confusion.”

“The prosecution’s case does not add up,” he told the jury.

On Friday afternoon, the jury also heard testimony from the government’s first witness, Timothy W. Jandovitz, a former trader at SAC who worked with Mr. Martoma. Mr. Jandovitz, who was responsible for executing the trades for Mr. Martoma and two other portfolio managers, told the jury that he did not know that Mr. Martoma had sold his entire position in Elan.

On July 29, 2008, the day that Elan announced its failed trial, Mr. Jandovitz’s computer system still said Mr. Martoma had a significant position in Elan. When he returned to the office the next day, the hedge fund had no position in the stock.

Mr. Jandovitz said he was later told that, “Steve Cohen directed Mathew Martoma not to inform me of our decision to sell the stock.”

Over the course of the week, which included three days of jury selection, the presiding judge, Paul G. Gardephe, made several rulings that could alter proceedings of the trial, which is expected to last up to four weeks.

These included a ruling that prevents prosecutors from using evidence that Mr. Martoma fainted when first confronted by F.B.I. agents on the front lawn of his million-dollar home in Boca Raton, Fla., in November 2011.

He also ruled to exclude a May 2012 deposition by Mr. Cohen, SAC’s founder, in which he told Securities and Exchange Commission investigators that he sold shares of Wyeth after discussing the company with another analyst at SAC. The defense argued the evidence would help exonerate Mr. Martoma.

(BFW) Araghchi: Iran Enrichment Will Continue; No New Centrifuges


 BN 01/12 19:58 *ARAGHCHI: DISMANTLING OF NUCLEAR PROGRAM WON'T TAKE PLACE
 BN 01/12 19:58 *ARAGHCHI: IF COUNTERPARTIES RENEGE, FULL PROGRAM TO RESUME
 BN 01/12 19:56 *ARAGHCHI: HALF OF 196KG 20%-ENRICHED URANIUM STK TO BE OXIDISED
 BN 01/12 19:56 *ARAGHCHI: HALF OF 196KG 20%-ENRICHED URANIUM STK TO BE WEAKENED
 BN 01/12 19:56 *ARAGHCHI: $4.2 BLN TO RELEASE IN 8 INSTALLMENTS
BFW 01/12 19:55 *ARAGHCHI: $4.2 BLN OF FROZEN FUNDS WILL BE RELEASED TO IRAN
 BN 01/12 19:54 *ARAGHCHI: BANKING CHANNEL TO ALLOW INTERNATIONAL TRANSACTIONS
 BN 01/12 19:54 *ARAGHCHI: ENRICHMENT WILL CONTINUE, NO NEW CENTRIFUGES ADDED
 BN 01/12 19:54 *IRAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER ABBAS ARAGHCHI SPEAKS IN MEDIA

Araghchi: Iran Enrichment Will Continue; No New Centrifuges
2014-01-12 20:11:57.684 GMT


By Theo Mullen
     Jan. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas
Araghchi speaks to media.
  * Dismantling of nuclear program won’t take place: Araghchi
  * Opening of banking channel will allow Iran to conduct
    international transactions: Araghchi
  * $4.2b of frozen funds will be released in 8 installments:
    Araghchi
  * Half of 20%-enriched uranium stock to be weakened, half
    oxidized: Araghchi
  * Full enrichment program to resume if counterparties renege
    on agreement: Araghchi


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To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Theo Mullen at +1-404-507-1301 or
tmullen11@bloomberg.net