>>> US Early premarket gappers

Early premarket gappers

Gapping up: SSN +8.3%, AMRN +7.7%, DRTX +5%, VRNT +3.8%, YPF +2.7%, YNDX +2.7%, ALU +2.6%, LJPC +2.6%, NGLS +2.2%, AGYS +2.1%, BHP +1.8%, DB +1.7%, NVDA +1.6%, KGC +1.4%, EGAS +1.4%, HCLP +1.2%, LVS +1%, DEG +0.9%, BGCP +0.9%, CLNE +0.7%, RIO +0.7%, FB +0.7%, EC +0.5%

Gapping down: ARTX -16.1%, YOD -14.5%, USU -12.9%, MDCO -9.2%, CUI -9.1%, MDR -4.1%, CSIQ -3.1%, KGJI -3%, DEO -1.3%, GSK -1.2%, XON -1.1%, UN -1%, QCRH -0.9%, ICLD -0.8%, CAT -0.8%, KIN -0.7%, GALT -0.7%

>>> Apple buys iFixit - undisclosed amount


A critic of hard-to-repair electronics is purchased by the biggest target of its criticism.

FORTUNE --The gadget-repair company iFixit, a persistent critic of Apple (AAPL) products for their low "repairability," announced Tuesday that it has been purchased by Apple for an undisclosed price.
iFixit is best known for its "teardown" photos of disassembled iPhones and iPads, posted shortly after they go on sale and later used to illustrate free online repair guides (parts and tools for sale).
iFixit founder Kyle Wiens has often complained that Apple's devices, because they are so thin and tightly packed, are particularly hard to repair and reuse.
According to the notice that replaced iFixit's website overnight Tuesday, Apple has promised to do something about that.
"As part of the deal," it reads, "Apple made a commitment to produce the most replaceable electronic devices and personal computers on the market. This is a clear win for the whole iFixit community.
"Apple is working hard to make devices last long enough to be upgraded or irrelevant, making repairability an antiquated notion. iFixit will become a key player in the future of Apple device development, starting with the new Smartphone Replaceability Index."
[The "index" is rigged to give Apple devices top scores in all categories.]
For more on the iFixit community, see iFixit.org, "Ditch the throwaway economy," it urges. "Join the repair revolution."

(DailyMail) French Billionaire bought most expensive house in Bel Air (LA)

{http://dailym.ai/1gK7r7Z} Full article with Pictures

The unsellable estate finally finds a buyer! Bel Air's very own Palace of Versailles sells for $102 MILLION after seven years on the market... and the new owner is a 'mystery French billionaire'
  • - The Fleur de Lys estate in Bel Air has become the most expensive home ever sold in LA
  • - Seven years after it was first put on the market - and with the asking price reduced by $23 million - the property has been sold to a 'highly secretive French billionaire'
  • - The 50,000-sq-ft mansion was custom built in 2002 by socialite Suzanne Saperstein and her then husband, Texan billionaire David Saperstein
  • - As well as 12 bedrooms and 15 bathrooms, the mansion contains a 50-seat, satin-lined private cinema, a two-storey wood-paneled library stocked with first-edition books and garage parking for nine cars

(DBK) 2014 Re-rating on commodity stability

* The sector re-rating is underway.
We have seen the sector start to re-rate in the first quarter with the price to
NPV premium popping up out of the 3-year trading range during the first
quarter of this year. While it has retraced a little, the stable commodity price
performance is a solid base for increased earnings confidence and solid cash
flows. Price volatility is at or near 10 year lows for most industrial commodities
and we expect ongoing low volatility will continue to support the mining sector
re-rate. Our top picks in the Sector are Rio Tinto, Lonmin and Randgold.

* Precious metal price upgrades, mostly modest industrial metal price moves
and bulks downgrades.
Our commodity team has upgraded its precious metals view and has increased
its gold price estimates for 2014 by 10% and 6% in 2015. In the base metals,
we have downgraded marginally our expectations for copper, zinc and
aluminium (-4%, -0.3% and -2% in 2014) but upgraded nickel by 2% in 2014
and 11.5% in 2015 as the Indonesian export ban impacts nickel availability.
Coal demand and pricing has been weaker than expected and we have
lowered our 2014 forecasts by -9% for coking coal and -7% for thermal. We
have marked to market the iron ore price and lowered this year’s forecast by -
3% (we remain convinced that the price will easily average above US$100/t).

* Earnings expectations generally lowered with the exception of the gold miners
We have generally lowered our earnings expectations for the industrial metals
miners including Anglo (-4%) BHP (-5%), Glencore (-14%) and Rio Tinto(-4%).
Our precious metals miners’ earnings have generally risen off low bases with
the increased gold price expectation including Randgold up 47% and African
Barrick up 51% in 2014.

>>> Metso OYJ Says no talks with Weir, but confirms unsolicited bid


Metso OYJ Says no talks with Weir, but confirms unsolicited bid
- Metso confirms that it has recently received an unsolicited approach by Weir with a proposal for commencing discussions concerning a potential combination of the two companies. Metso occasionally receives these types of proposals and, in case the Board of Directors of Metso considers them serious, evaluates such proposals. Contrary to market rumors, Metso is currently not and has not been engaged in discussions with Weir although it is in the process of considering Weir's proposal.

(BFW) O2/E-Plus Merger Causes Need to Act on Spectrum: German Watchdog

+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

O2/E-Plus Merger Causes Need to Act on Spectrum: German Watchdog 2014-04-01 08:23:46.233 GMT

By Cornelius Rahn April 1 (Bloomberg) -- Merged operator would hold more than half of 900 MHz/1,800 MHz frequencies, causing need to act “in the short term” to ensure fair spectrum allocation, German Federal Network Agency says in statement on website. * Following approval of merger, regulator aims to start allocation process for separate bundles of spectrum this year to allow competitors to acquire frequency portfolio in a non-discriminatory manner * Regulator sees no need to act in the short term on 800MHz, 2GHz, 2.6GHz and 3.5GHz frequencies as a result of the merger * Link to statement: http://bit.ly/1s1AYOX * NOTE: German network agency works closely with EU Commission on approval process * NOTE: O2 Should Sell at Cost to MVNO Post E-Plus Deal, United Internet CEO said March 27

Link to Company News:{VOD LN <Equity> CN <GO>} Link to Company News:{TEF SM <Equity> CN <GO>} Link to Company News:{O2D GR <Equity> CN <GO>} Link to Company News:{KPN NA <Equity> CN <GO>} Link to Company News:{DTE GR <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: Cornelius Rahn at +49-30-70010-6212 or crahn2@bloomberg.net

>>> Fitch: Austrian Banks are Most Exposed to Russian Risk


Fitch: Austrian Banks are Most Exposed to Russian Risk
- Austrian banks are most exposed to Russian risk through their local subsidiaries, Fitch Ratings says. European banks have greater direct exposure to Russia than US and Asian lenders but the amounts are generally manageable.
- International bank direct claims on Russia were USD242bn at end-3Q13, with just over three-quarters (USD184bn) relating to European banks, according to the latest data from the Bank for International Settlements published 9 March. North American banks made up 16% of the exposure, while Asia-Pacific bank positions were only 7%.