Live Financial And Business News By SaneBull

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A former U.S. State Department official and his wife pleaded guilty on Friday to charges that they spied for almost three decades for the Communist-led Cuban government.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's job approval rating has dropped below 50 percent in a second major poll in an indication he is suffering from the long healthcare debate and weakness in the economy, Gallup said on Friday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The pace of job losses slowed in many U.S. states in October, and the unemployment rate slipped in hard-hit Michigan, the Labor Department said on Friday, hinting the recession may be easing in some areas.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One of three wavering U.S. Senate Democrats said on Friday he would vote to start the chamber's healthcare debate, bolstering the chances for a broad reform bill one day before its first crucial test.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Justice Department prosecutors asked a federal judge on Friday to dismiss the charges against one of five Blackwater security guards accused of killing 14 unarmed Iraqi civilians in a 2007 shooting in Baghdad.

STOCKHOLM, Nov 21 (Reuters) - A U.S.-led group will make anoffer for Ford-owned Volvo cars next week, rivalling a bidalready on the table from China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, the daily Dagens Industri reported on Saturday.

Blackstone has been allowed to conduct due diligenceat Gala Coral after making an audacious late intervention in thebingo group's 2.5 billion debt restructuring. Blackstone couldmake a 250 to 300 million pound cash injection in Gala, whichwas valued at five billion at its peak, in return for a majoritystake. Gala's private equity owners -- Cinven, Candover andPermira -- have already agreed a deal with junior lendersdesigned to keep the business' bingo and gaming divisionsto

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Bank of America Corp Chief Executive Kenneth Lewis has said he would considerpostponing his retirement if directors need more time to find asuccessor or smooth the transition to the next CEO, the WallStreet Journal reported on Friday.

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The chief executive of DeltaAir Lines Inc says the SkyTeam alliance of globalcarriers would be willing to invest more than its proposed$1.02 billion in Japan Airlines , the Wall StreetJournal reported.

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - News Corp , TimeWarner Inc and Qualia Capital LLC are interested inbuying Hollywood's Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio, home of theJames Bond movies, Bloomberg News reported on Friday.

* Colombian military chiefs meet, no troop build-up seen

The Bank of England's consultation paper into the financialcrisis will conclude that new discretionary tools should beconsidered to help smooth the peaks and troughs of the economiccycle, even if they were only introduced in Britain. The bank'sreport will call for stronger measures than those in theTreasury's Financial Services Bill including the creation of"macroprudential" powers to be used as an effective way ofdampening future credit booms. The main tool would be raisingthe capital

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Talks between General Electric and Vivendi over the future of NBC Universalhave stalled, the New York Times reported on Friday night.

MEXICO CITY, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Foreign direct investmentin Mexico plunged 37 percent in the first nine months of 2009as the world financial crisis bit into capital flows, accordingto data released by the government on Friday.

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Unilever United States Inc.said on Friday it was voluntarily recalling certain Shedd'sCountry Crock chilled side-dish products because they maycontain sulfites.

MEXICO CITY, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Foreign direct investmentin Mexico plunged 37 percent in the first nine months of 2009as the world financial crisis bit into capital flows, accordingto data released by the government on Friday.

NEW YORK - Federal Reserve Bank of New York PresidentWilliam Dudley speaks before the Columbia University WorldLeaders Forum sponsored by the Program for Economic Researchand Center for Japanese Economy and Research, ColumbiaUniversity, 1745 EST/2245 GMT. Speech topic TBD. Audience Q&Aexpected. Columbia University, Rotunda, Low MemorialLibrary.Must RSVP by 5 p.m. ET Dec. 4: Tanya Domi, 212 854-5579or TD207@columbia.edu; or Jeffrey Smith, 212 720-6139 orjeffrey.smith@ny.frb.org

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MEXICO CITY, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Mexico's economy likelyexpanded 2.4 percent in the third quarter compared with theprevious three months as the country began to recover from adeep recession, according to analysts surveyed by Reuters.

* No big new spending measures in 2010 budget (Adds fresh comment, Liberal Party reaction)

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 slouch in figures that recentlyreached record highs does not signal a rocky recovery, aresearch group said on Friday.

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]

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Bank of America Corp Chief Executive Kenneth Lewis has said he would considerpostponing his retirement if directors need more time to find asuccessor or smooth the transition to the next CEO, the WallStreet Journal reported on Friday.

* Fund now has about 25 pct of Landry's outstanding shares

WASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - U.S. securities enforcersare looking at some of the high frequency trading that hedgefunds are doing, a top Securities and Exchange Commissionofficial said on Friday.

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Chinese thin film solarcompany Trony Solar Holdings Company Limited raised the amountof its initial public offering on Friday, adding to the buzzaround the many U.S.-based publicly traded solar companies.

* Suit covers transactions from 2005 to early 2008 (Adds Merrill on reviewing suit, paragraph 3)

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Dow Corning Corp [DOWCR.UL]sued Merrill Lynch & Co on Friday over the loss of $166 millionin auction rate securities, accusing Merrill of misleadinginvestors about the safety and liquidity of the risky debtmarket that collapsed early in 2008.

* Covered bond proposal may be added to systemic risk bill

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

* Will use proceeds to retire existing debt (Recasts with pricing, ratings upgrade)

ST. PAUL, Minn., Nov 20 (Reuters) - Minnesota businessmanTom Petters made a final push on Friday to convince a federaljury he was not responsible for a $3.65 billion Ponzi schemethat bankrupted his company.

TOKYO, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Japan's government and rulingparties are considering using money from state-owned JapanPost's [JP.UL] massive savings and insurance units to makeloans to regional businesses, a Japanese newspaper said onSaturday.

* Colombian military chiefs meet, no troop build-up seen

* Takeover battle has raged since July (Recasts, adds Cosmos comment)

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Axiant LLC, a provider oflegal collections services, said on Friday it filed for Chapter11 bankruptcy protection and will be sold NCO Group Inc, aprovider of accounts receivable outsourcing services.

HONG KONG, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Las Vegas Sands Corp ,the world's most valuable casino company, has priced theinitial public offering for Sands China Ltd atHK$10.38 per share, a person familiar with the offering said.

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co onFriday said its credit card contracts will no longer requirecustomers to resolve disputes through arbitration, a practicethat critics view as unfriendly to consumers.

WASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's jobapproval rating has dropped below 50 percent in a second majorpoll in an indication he is suffering from the long healthcaredebate and weakness in the economy, Gallup said on Friday.

TORONTO, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Cosmos Capital has said it iswilling to pay C$8.10 a share to buy Cossette Inc , butthe advertising agency's board said on Friday it needs proofthe private equity group can come up with the cash.

* Asian carp DNA found beyond barriers meant to block fish

* Men accused of conspiracy to wage war against U.S. (Adds quote from U.S. Attorney)

WASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's jobapproval rating has dropped below 50 percent in a second majorpoll in an indication he is suffering from the long healthcaredebate and weakness in the economy, Gallup said on Friday.

* Hershey mulls bid of at least $17 bln for Cadbury-source

* Asian carp DNA found beyond barriers meant to block fish

* Men accused of conspiracy to wage war against U.S. (Adds quote from U.S. Attorney)

* Covered bond proposal may be added to systemic risk bill

CHICAGO, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The number of cattle beingfattened in U.S. feedlots as of Nov. 1 was up about 1.5 percentfrom last year's low supply, but remained low historically asthe weak economy has discouraged cattle production and hurtbeef demand.

(For full coverage of U.S. healthcare reform, click [ID:nN20512341])

SANTIAGO, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Union workers at Chile'sAltonorte copper smelter said on Friday they expect tough wagetalks with owner Xstrata , which claims tight margins onlower treatment charges has hurt the business.

* Will use proceeds to retire existing debt (Recasts with pricing, ratings upgrade)

MIAMI, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The ringleader of a group ofMiami men convicted of plotting to blow up Chicago's SearsTower and government offices was sentenced to 13-1/2 years inprison on Friday.

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Bank of America Corp Chief Executive Kenneth Lewis has said he would considerpostponing his retirement if directors need more time to find asuccessor or smooth the transition to the next CEO, the WallStreet Journal reported on Friday.

* Fund now has about 25 pct of Landry's outstanding shares

WASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - U.S. securities enforcersare looking at some of the high frequency trading that hedgefunds are doing, a top Securities and Exchange Commissionofficial said on Friday.

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Chinese thin film solarcompany Trony Solar Holdings Company Limited raised the amountof its initial public offering on Friday, adding to the buzzaround the many U.S.-based publicly traded solar companies.

* Suit covers transactions from 2005 to early 2008 (Adds Merrill on reviewing suit, paragraph 3)

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Dow Corning Corp [DOWCR.UL]sued Merrill Lynch & Co on Friday over the loss of $166 millionin auction rate securities, accusing Merrill of misleadinginvestors about the safety and liquidity of the risky debtmarket that collapsed early in 2008.

* Covered bond proposal may be added to systemic risk bill

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

* Will use proceeds to retire existing debt (Recasts with pricing, ratings upgrade)

ST. PAUL, Minn., Nov 20 (Reuters) - Minnesota businessmanTom Petters made a final push on Friday to convince a federaljury he was not responsible for a $3.65 billion Ponzi schemethat bankrupted his company.

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - News Corp , TimeWarner Inc and Qualia Capital LLC are interested inbuying Hollywood's Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio, home of theJames Bond movies, Bloomberg News reported on Friday.

NEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Unilever United States Inc.said on Friday it was voluntarily recalling certain Shedd'sCountry Crock chilled side-dish products because they maycontain sulfites.

LOS ANGELES, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Blockbuster Inc said on Friday that it would change its stock structure in amove the beleaguered U.S. movie rental chain said will improveliquidity.

HONG KONG, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Las Vegas Sands Corp ,the world's most valuable casino company, has priced theinitial public offering for Sands China Ltd atHK$10.38 per share, a person familiar with the offering said.

* Fund now has about 25 pct of Landry's outstanding shares

* Obama administration not directly involved in talks (Adds Chrysler statement)

WASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Japan's Honda Motor Co Ltd has again produced the most fuel efficient and leastpolluting vehicles on American roads, the U.S. governmentprojections for 2009 showed on Friday.

* Hershey mulls bid of at least $17 bln for Cadbury-source

* Analysts say supply issues benefit Amazon's Kindle (Adds detail throughout, analyst and spox comments, changesheadline)

CHICAGO, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The number of cattle beingfattened in U.S. feedlots as of Nov. 1 was up about 1.5 percentfrom last year's low supply, but remained low historically asthe weak economy has discouraged cattle production and hurtbeef demand.