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• Nikkei expected to edge down on Fed's stimulus signals Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 7:29 PM ET

  TOKYO, June 20- Japan's Nikkei share average is expected to lose ground on Thursday after U.S.

• GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian stocks brace for fall, China data eyed Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 6:41 PM ET

  SYDNEY, June 20- Asian stock markets were braced for a fall on Thursday in line with Wall Street after the U.S. central bank confirmed that it would begin to withdraw stimulus this year if the economy continued to recover as it expected.

• Kansas meat packer recalls ground beef for possible E.coli Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 6:22 PM ET

  June 19- A Kansas meat processing plant has voluntarily recalled about 23,000 lbs of raw ground beef that may be contaminated with E.coli bacteria, according to a company press release. "

• INSIGHT-Big U.S. harvest may hit grain prices, test high farmland values Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 4:32 PM ET

  CHICAGO, June 19- With the U.S. grain harvest set to bounce back and pressure crop prices after last year's drought, some economists have cautioned that sky-high U.S. farmland prices may be a bubble about to burst. But most farm bankers and industry analysts don't see a bubble in record crop land prices set in the last year from Nebraska to Indiana.

• UPDATE 8-Oil pressured by Bernanke comments, crude stocks up Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 4:11 PM ET

  Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the Fed might reduce the amount of money it pumps into the economy later this year, while higher crude stocks in the United States also hurt prices.

• GRAINS-Wheat jumps on short-covering; corn, soy also climb Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 2:03 PM ET

  *Corn and soybeans firm, led by new-crop contracts. Corn and soybeans also advanced, led by new-crop contracts as forecasts for hit and dry weather later this month raised concerns about potential crop stress.

• YOUR MONEY-For wine investors, it's hard work to drink in success Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 12:50 PM ET

  The other 99 percent of this year's output will be up for tasting and sale at VinExpo, the industry's global trade show in Bordeaux that runs through Thursday. But at least some of that top 1 percent, the classified growths of prized Bordeaux, have already been sampled, rated and priced.

• YOUR MONEY-The end of room service? Not so fast Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 12:30 PM ET

  The number of hotels offering room service actually increased by 8 percent between 2011 and 2012, says Ned Barker, president of Grill Ventures Consulting Inc and spokesman on the issue for the American Hotel& Lodging Association.

• UPDATE 1-U.S. fines ABN AMRO unit $1 million for violations Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 11:19 AM ET

  WASHINGTON, June 19- The top U.S. derivatives regulator fined ABN AMRO Clearing Chicago LLC $1 million for a raft of breaches in the handling of customer accounts over a period of three years.

• SC financial oversight board approves Boeing bonds Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 10:56 AM ET

  COLUMBIA, S.C.-- South Carolina's financial oversight board unanimously approved borrowing $120 million for Boeing Co.' s expansion plans in North Charleston. Commerce Secretary Bobby Hitt says his agency will use the money to buy and upgrade property Boeing will then rent from the state.

• Quinn, Ill. lawmakers plan pension talks into July Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 10:08 AM ET

  SPRINGFIELD, Ill.-- Unable to overcome a stalemate on the state's $97 billion pension crisis, Illinois Gov. Madigan said Tuesday that he and Senate President John Cullerton will meet with Quinn Wednesday morning to discuss the committee.

• ANALYSIS-Hospital investors sold on U.S. health reform despite bumps Wednesday, 19 Jun 2013 | 12:59 AM ET

  Snow Capital identified the potential in hospital shares early on and has holdings in Community Health Systems Inc and Health Management Associates Inc.. Since the start of the year, shares of the largest publicly traded hospital chain, HCA Holdings Inc, are up 34 percent, while No. 2 Community Health has climbed 71 percent.

• Outbreak of deadly piglet virus spreads to 13 U.S. states Tuesday, 18 Jun 2013 | 8:35 PM ET

  CHICAGO, June 18- A swine virus deadly to young pigs, one never before seen in North America, is spreading rapidly across the United States and proving harder to control than previously believed.

• Nikkei expected to rise on Fed hopes, weak yen Tuesday, 18 Jun 2013 | 7:33 PM ET

  TOKYO, June 19- Japan's Nikkei share average is expected to rise to a one-week high on Wednesday, helped by a second-straight day of gains on Wall Street as investors bet that the Federal Reserve would temper worries about an imminent roll back of its stimulus programme.

• COMMODITIES-Little changed, markets await Fed outcome Wednesday Tuesday, 18 Jun 2013 | 5:50 PM ET

  Brent crude settled 55 cents higher at $106.02 per barrel after trading as high as $106.24. Front-month U.S. crude oil futures finished 67 cents higher at $98.44 per barrel, after reaching $98.61. The benchmark three-month futures contract in London ended at $7,005 a tonne, down from Monday's close of $7,082.

• GRAINS-Corn ends higher, led by new-crop contracts on US weather Tuesday, 18 Jun 2013 | 4:48 PM ET

  The thought of any high-pressure ridge- the market is very sensitive to that right now, after what happened last year, "said Sterling Smith, futures specialist with Citigroup in Chicago, alluding to the historic Midwest drought that slashed corn yields in 2012. Soybeans ended mixed, with back months gaining against the nearby July contract, and wheat firmed on bargain-buying following recent declines.

• GRAINS-Soybeans higher on tight U.S. supplies; corn, wheat firm Tuesday, 18 Jun 2013 | 12:37 PM ET

  *Wheat firm on rain delays but world supplies cap gains. At the Chicago Board of Trade at 11:05 a.m. CDT, July soybeans were up 8-1/ 2 cents at $15.21 per bushel. The contract extended its premium over new-crop November soybeans, which rose 4 cents to $12.89- 1/ 2. Some soy processors in Iowa raised their cash bids for soybeans by 15 to 20 cents per bushel on Tuesday.

• UPDATE 2-Duke Energy turns to insider to succeed CEO Rogers Tuesday, 18 Jun 2013 | 12:27 PM ET

  *Duke shares edge up on NYSE. June 18- Duke Energy Corp, the largest U.S. power provider, has turned to an insider, Chief Financial Officer Lynn Good, to take over as CEO when Jim Rogers steps down as part of a regulatory settlement. Rogers was expected to retire when Duke's $18 billion takeover of Progress Energy closed last July.

• UPDATE 6-Oil pares gains on profit taking ahead of Fed policy Tuesday, 18 Jun 2013 | 12:19 PM ET

  *Market keeps an eye on standoff in Syria, fears growing conflict. NEW YORK, June 18- Oil prices were moderately higher on Tuesday after paring earlier gains made on positive U.S. economic data. Global financial markets have been on edge since Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke suggested the central bank would be looking to pull back its stimulus program.

• Ill. gov signs into law tough fracking regulations Tuesday, 18 Jun 2013 | 10:27 AM ET

  "This new law will unlock the potential for thousands of jobs in Southern Illinois and ensure that our environment is protected," Quinn said in a news release announcing his widely expected signature on the bill that he pushed for and that the Legislature passed overwhelmingly a few weeks ago.