GENEVA, April 5- The World Health Organization said on Friday there was no sign of "sustained human-to-human transmission" of the H7N9 virus in China, but it was important to check on 400 people who had been in close contact with the 14 confirmed cases.
*Gov't bonds in Europe gain on talk of Japanese buyers. LONDON, April 5- European shares hit a one-month low on Friday as investors braced for potentially weaker-than-forecast U.S. payrolls data due later, while many of Europe's sovereign bonds jumped on talk of Japanese demand.
GENEVA, April 5- The World Health Organization said on Friday that there was no sign of "sustained human-to-human transmission" of the H7N9 virus in China, but it was important to follow up on some 400 people who were in close contact with the 14 confirmed cases.
*Airlines fall on Asia bird-flu concerns. Airlines stocks also put downward pressure on the market, hit by concerns the spread of bird flu in Asia could hurt air traffic. The fundamentals are not as supportive as they were this time last year, " Gerard Lane, equity strategist at Shore Capital, said.
*Korea tensions, Iran talks eyed. LONDON, April 5- Brent crude oil steadied close to five-month lows around $106 per barrel on Friday as bleak U.S. data and bulging inventories dimmed the outlook for demand.
BERLIN, April 5- German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on Friday he was glad the identities of thousands of holders of bank accounts in tax havens had been leaked because it would help do away with a business model that Cyprus had shown was flawed.
LONDON, April 5- The yen hit a 3-1/ 2 year low against the dollar on Friday, a day after the Bank of Japan's aggressive policy easing, while European shares fell ahead of pivotal U.S. payrolls data due later in the day.
*Korea tensions, Iran talks eyed. SINGAPORE, April 5- Brent steadied above $106 per barrel on Friday after hitting a 5- month low in the prior session, but prices were headed for their worst week since December as bleak U.S. data and bulging inventories dimmed the outlook for demand.
WASHINGTON, April 4- The local branch of Germany's HSH Nordbank AG will improve its anti-money laundering controls under an agreement with regulators released by the U.S.
*Plunge in Korea, China pulls MSCI Asia ex- Japan down 1.1 pct. TOKYO, April 5- Asian shares hit a three-month low on Friday as concerns over bird flu in China and escalating tensions in the Korean peninsula unsettled investors as they counted down to potentially pivotal U.S. payrolls data out later in the session.
*Korea tensions, Iran talks eyed. SINGAPORE, April 5- Brent crude edged up toward $107 per barrel on Friday after hitting a 5- month low in the prior session, but prices were headed for their worst week in a month as bleak U.S. data and bulging inventories dimmed the outlook for demand. Brent crude rose 13 cents to $106.47 a barrel by 0436 GMT, off an earlier high of $106.65.
LONDON, April 5- Yields on the debt of a slew of euro zone countries hit record lows on Friday, on speculation Japanese investors may be switching out of Japanese debt in search of higher returns in the currency bloc.
*Lew goes to Belgium, France and Germany for first official trip. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew will discuss ways Europe can rebalance its demand to help grow the economy during a trip to the continent next week, a senior U.S. official said on Friday.
*Korea tensions, Iran talks eyed. SINGAPORE, April 5- Brent crude edged up toward $107 per barrel on Friday after hitting a 5- month low in the prior session, but prices were headed for their worst week in a month as bleak U.S. data and bulging inventories dimmed the outlook for demand. Brent rose 14 cents to $106.48 a barrel by 0236 GMT, off an earlier high of $106.65.
SAN FRANCISCO, April 4- Google Inc has sold the Frommers' line of travel-guidebooks, acquired just eight months ago from John Wiley& Sons Inc to strengthen its trove of local content and reviews, to founder Arthur Frommer. Google had intended to use the popular brand to beef up its own local content, listings and reviews, executives said at the time.
**Deutsche Telekom is looking into improving the terms of a proposed merger of its T-Mobile USA unit with MetroPCS Communications PCS.N as a last resort to win over shareholders ahead of a vote on the deal next week, two people familiar with Deutsche Telekom's thinking said.
LONDON, April 4- The International Energy Agency will invite China and other emerging economies to take part in key strategic talks, sources in the IEA said, in a bid to strengthen ties with non-members whose share in global oil demand has rapidly grown.