Live Financial And Business News By SaneBull

(Reuters) - European Union leaders plan to decide who will be the bloc's president and high representative for foreign affairs at a summit on Thursday.

(Reuters) - European Union leaders appointed Catherine Ashton as its foreign affairs chief at a summit on Thursday, EU officials said.

(Reuters) - Here are some facts about Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy, who on Thursday became the European Union's president.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - In a surprisingly quick compromise, European Union leaders have named Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy and Catherine Ashton as EU president and foreign policy chief.

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia will not be provoked into armed conflict with Venezuela despite its neighbor's aggressive rhetoric and dynamiting of two border bridges, Colombia's defense minister said on Friday.

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Global Defense Technology &Systems Inc shares hovered near their initial publicoffering price on Friday in their first session on Nasdaq afterthe company's IPO priced below expectations.

WASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Nominees for key U.S.Treasury international posts said on Friday they must work topersuade China to change its currency practices, or therecannot be critical adjustments to global trade and economicbalances.

* Shares rise 6 pct, touch 52-week high (Adds analyst comments, updates share movement)

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - U.S. oil refiner Valero EnergyCorp announced on Friday it will permanently shut downits Delaware City, Delaware, refinery because of the weakeconomic conditions.

* Sees Q4 sales down from pvs qtr, drop in gross margin

* Says FTC draft complaint pertains only to ADRS program *Says will continue to cooperate with FTC * Believes no fees atissue subject to disgorgement

WASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The number of mass layoffsreported by U.S. employers fell last month from September, agovernment report showed on Friday, suggesting job losses wereclose to bottoming.

Nov 20 (Reuters) - Koppers Holdings Inc on Fridaysold $300 million of senior notes in the 144a private placementmarket, said IFR, a Thomson Reuters service.

* All 10 sectors lower, materials lead retreat (Adds details, quotes)

ABUJA, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Nigeria on Friday renewed threeshallow water oil licences jointly operated with Exxon Mobil, granting the U.S. energy firm leases of a further 20years with the option to renew again. "Today we have reached an agreement on the terms of newleases that will go on for a further 20 years with an option torenew," junior oil minister Odein Ajumogobia told reporters inthe capital Abuja.

WASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The number of mass layoffsreported by U.S. employers fell last month from September, agovernment report showed on Friday, suggesting job losses wereclose to bottoming.

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - A weekly measure of futureU.S. economic growth fell to a nine-week low along with itsyearly growth rate, but the dip in the index that recentlyreached a record high does not signal a rocky recovery, aresearch group said on Friday.

For Today in Germany diary double-click on [DE/DIARY]

For German corporate events diary click on [WEU/EQUITY]

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Two Weeks Ended November 18 daily avgs-mlns (H.3)Free Reserves..............937,945 vs.rvsd...950,134Other Borrowings...........108,235 vs........109,119Seasonal Loans...75 vs.............67Total Borrowings...........217,690 vs........248,364Term Auction Credit........109,456 vs........139,245Excess Reserves..........1,046,180 vs......1,059,253Required Reserves...........62,697 vs.........62,410Total Reserves...........1,108,877 vs......1,121,663Non-Borrowed Reserves......891,1

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WASHINGTON, Nov 19 (Reuters) - The number of unemployedU.S. workers seeking emergency relief under federal programsrose at the end of October, the government said on Thursday,clouding the picture of the weak jobs market.

BUENOS AIRES, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Growth in Argentina'seconomy was seen as flat in September despite a nascent reboundin areas such as cars, steel and construction, a Reuters pollshowed on Thursday.

NEW YORK, Nov 19 (Reuters) - A record one in seven U.S.mortgages were in foreclosure or at least one payment past duein the third quarter, according to fresh data signaling therecovery in the housing market will be tepid at best.

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Private equity-backedArchipelago Learning Inc's shares rose in their firsttrading session following the company's initial publicoffering, which priced in line with expectations on Thursday.

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures fell onFriday as the dollar strengthened and concerns about the paceand strength of economic recovery kept pressure on equitiesmarkets.

* Purchase to lead to more expansion opportunities in Europe

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Shares of Chinese discounthotel chain 7 Days Group Holdings Ltd jumped as much as28.6 percent in their New York Stock Exchange debut on Friday.

Nov 20 (Reuters) - The following financial servicesindustry appointments were announced on Friday. To inform us ofother job changes, e-mail moves@thomsonreuters.com.

* Goldman shares dip 0.7 percent (Adds Freeman comment, additional Goldman comment)

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Terra Industries Inc's shareholders will vote Friday on a slate of new boardmembers, and the outcome of rival CF Industries Holdings Inc's proposed buyout could hang in the balance.

* Vendors and suppliers to be paid in full (Recasts; adds details)

* Transfer due to BlackRock manager's departure for Aviva

HONG KONG, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Investors pumped money intoemerging market assets and commodities to diversify away from aweak dollar in the week ending Nov. 18, but U.S. equity fundsalso saw solid inflows on hopes for economic recovery, fundtracker EPFR Global said on Friday.

WASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Nominees for key U.S.Treasury international posts said on Friday they must work topersuade China to change its currency practices, or therecannot be critical adjustments to global trade and economicbalances.

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - U.S. oil refiner Valero EnergyCorp announced on Friday it will permanently shut downits Delaware City, Delaware, refinery because of the weakeconomic conditions.

* Sees Q4 sales down from pvs qtr, drop in gross margin

Nov 20 (Reuters) - Koppers Holdings Inc on Fridaysold $300 million of senior notes in the 144a private placementmarket, said IFR, a Thomson Reuters service.

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Sellers of protection on CITGroup's bonds will need to make payments of around30 percent the insurance they sold on the bankrupt commerciallender, based on the initial results of an auction on Friday tovalue its credit default swaps.

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Freddie Mac said Friday it plans to sell $3.0 billion of reference bills onMonday.

* Colombian military chiefs meet, no troop buildup seen

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - A weekly measure of futureU.S. economic growth fell to a nine-week low along with itsyearly growth rate, but the dip in the index that recentlyreached a record high does not signal a rocky recovery, aresearch group said on Friday.

Nov 20 (Reuters) - Canadian oil and gas explorer AngleEnergy Inc said it agreed to buy Stonefire Energy Corp for about C$50 million ($47 million) in cash,to expand its operations.

Nov 20 (Reuters) - The Roman Catholic Diocese ofWilmington, Delaware, has sought bankruptcy court approval tocontinue providing pensions and medical coverage to certainpriests accused of sexually abusing children, court papersshowed.

LONDON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Following is the view fromReuters editors in Europe, the Middle East and Africa on thenews that is likely to matter most for the week ahead startingNovember 21.

WASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Nominees for key U.S.Treasury international posts said on Friday they must work topersuade China to change its currency practices, or therecannot be critical adjustments to global trade and economicbalances.

* Disagreement holds up Comcast-GE NBCU joint venture (Recasts, adds financial details, adds LONDON to dateline pvsNEW YORK/PARIS)

* Extension gives Oracle more time on competition concerns

* Indexes down: Dow 0.04 pct, S&P 0.3 pct, Nasdaq 0.6 pct

Nov 20 (Reuters) - Canadian oil and gas explorer AngleEnergy Inc said it agreed to buy Stonefire Energy Corp for about C$50 million ($47 million) in cash,to expand its operations.

* Purchase to lead to more expansion opportunities in Europe

WASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - As U.S. health officialsstruggle to vaccinate tens of millions of Americans against thepandemic of swine flu, some are looking regretfully at one easyway to instantly double or triple the number of doses available-- by using an immune booster called an adjuvant.

* Lottomatica will go on to run concession if state requests

* For a related column please double click on [ID:nLK643252]

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Private equity-backedArchipelago Learning Inc's shares rose in their firsttrading session following the company's initial publicoffering, which priced in line with expectations on Thursday.

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures fell onFriday as the dollar strengthened and concerns about the paceand strength of economic recovery kept pressure on equitiesmarkets.

* Purchase to lead to more expansion opportunities in Europe

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Shares of Chinese discounthotel chain 7 Days Group Holdings Ltd jumped as much as28.6 percent in their New York Stock Exchange debut on Friday.

Nov 20 (Reuters) - The following financial servicesindustry appointments were announced on Friday. To inform us ofother job changes, e-mail moves@thomsonreuters.com.

* Goldman shares dip 0.7 percent (Adds Freeman comment, additional Goldman comment)

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Terra Industries Inc's shareholders will vote Friday on a slate of new boardmembers, and the outcome of rival CF Industries Holdings Inc's proposed buyout could hang in the balance.

* Vendors and suppliers to be paid in full (Recasts; adds details)

* Transfer due to BlackRock manager's departure for Aviva

HONG KONG, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Investors pumped money intoemerging market assets and commodities to diversify away from aweak dollar in the week ending Nov. 18, but U.S. equity fundsalso saw solid inflows on hopes for economic recovery, fundtracker EPFR Global said on Friday.

* Shares rise 6 pct, touch 52-week high (Adds analyst comments, updates share movement)

* Says FTC draft complaint pertains only to ADRS program *Says will continue to cooperate with FTC * Believes no fees atissue subject to disgorgement

Nov 20 (Reuters) - Scottish singer Susan Boyle releases herdebut album "I Dreamed a Dream" on Monday.

WARSAW, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Kernel's mainshareholder sold around 5 percent of the Ukrainian edible oilsmaker for 137 million zlotys ($49 million), a Kernel officialtold Reuters on Friday.

WARSAW, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Kernel's mainshareholder sold around 5 percent of the Ukrainian edible oilsmaker for 137 million zlotys ($49 million) on Friday, twoindependent market sources told Reuters.

* P&G repurchasing shares, likely less than $8 bln per yr

* Sees Q4 sales down from pvs qtr, drop in gross margin

CHICAGO, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Casual dining chain operatorCheesecake Factory Inc on Friday stood by its forecastfor 2010 earnings and said it has not made one for 2011.

LONDON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Scottish singer Susan Boyle, oneof the biggest stars of the Internet age, seeks to turn globalcelebrity into record sales next week with the release of herdebut album "I Dreamed a Dream".

* More media job cuts in store, even as earnings improve