"Signs of moderation in farmland value gains emerged," the bank said of its district, which includes most of Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and northern Illinois and Indiana. " The land price trends mirror what was reported on Wednesday by the Kansas City and St Louis Federal reserve banks for the first quarter.
*Oil output from Ohio's Utica shale to be dwarfed by gas. NEW YORK, May 16- Oil output from the Utica shale in Ohio was less than expected last year, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources said on Thursday, denting the Utica's image as America's next oil-producing frontier.
NORTHBROOK, Ill.-- Severe weather led to $216 million in catastrophe losses in April for Allstate Corp., the insurer said Thursday. From April through June of last year, Allstate's catastrophe losses came to $820 million.
Wheat fell on technical selling and seasonal pressure as the U.S. harvest neared, with the Chicago Board of Trade July contract hitting a six-week low.
CHICAGO, May 15- Healthcare costs put a big squeeze on retiree pocketbooks, but the grip may be relaxing a bit. "It's good news, because it means healthcare inflation is below the cost of overall inflation- and that doesn't happen often," says Sunit Patel, senior vice president of Fidelity's benefits consulting group.
Stifel analyst Mark Swartzberg upgraded bourbon bottler Beam Inc. and beermakers Constellation Brands Inc., and Molson Coors Brewing Co. to "Buy," from "Hold." Constellation Brands, based in Victor, N.Y., is set to benefit from adding production for U.S. sales of Corona and other beers now made by Mexican brewer Grupo Modelo.
Wheat fell on technical selling and seasonal pressure as the U.S. harvest neared, with the Chicago Board of Trade July contract hitting a six-week low.
CHICAGO-- Supporters of high-volume oil and gas drilling said Wednesday that they hope for a quick vote on a bill to regulate the practice in Illinois after reaching agreements on hiring and environmental concerns.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.-- Politics has long been a family business in Illinois, a place where who you know _ and who you're related to _ matters more than most. Though the election is a year away, the possible candidates include both a Daley and a Madigan _ two surnames that represent the royal families of Illinois politics, the local equivalent of the Kennedys or Bushes.
TOKYO, May 16- Japan's Nikkei stock average is expected to score fresh multi-year highs on Thursday on the yen's persistent weakness against the dollar and record highs for U.S. stocks overnight, but buyers may become more conservative given the rapid pace of recent gains.
WASHINGTON, May 15- Senate supporters of a broad U.S. immigration bill struggled on Wednesday to satisfy technology companies that want greater leeway to hire high-skilled foreign workers.
LAKE FOREST, Ill.-- Packaging Corp. of America said Wednesday that it will increase its quarterly dividend by 28 percent. The company said it will pay its new dividend of 40 cents per share on July 15 to shareholders of record as of June 14.
BEACHWOOD, Ohio-- DDR Corp. is buying 30 of 44 U.S. shopping centers from a joint venture it has with private equity firm Blackstone Group LP in a deal worth $1.46 billion, saying it expects to make money by raising rents at the malls and redeveloping them. They include centers in Boston, Chicago, Washington and Minneapolis among others.
Plains states rose 20 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, with acreage commanding record prices because of red-hot demand for cropland in the world's biggest food-exporting nation, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City said on Wednesday.
CHICAGO/ NEW YORK, May 15- Shares of drugmaker Bristol-Myers Squibb Co rose to a 10- year high on Wednesday ahead of results of an early stage trial for its new melanoma treatment, with heavy betting in the options market suggesting investors see more gains in the stock.
NEW YORK, May 15- Qatar Airways' top executive said the Middle Eastern carrier wants to be a launch customer for Boeing Co's forthcoming 777 X mini-jumbo jet, and that the airline plans to open at least three new routes to the United States in the next 12 to 18 months. "
CHICAGO/ NEW YORK, May 15- Shares of drugmaker Bristol-Myers Squibb Co rose to a ten-year high on Wednesday ahead of results of an early stage trial for its new melanoma treatment, with heavy betting in the options market suggesting investors see more gains in the stock.
NEW YORK, May 15- Qatar Airways' top executive said the Middle-Eastern carrier wants to be a launch customer for Boeing Co's forthcoming 777 X mini-jumbo jet, and that the airline plans to open at least three new routes to the U.S. in the next 12 to 18 months. "
*Coffee slides about 2.6 pct on better Brazil weather. NEW YORK/ LONDON, May 15- Benchmark raw sugar futures on ICE broke below 17 cents a lb on Wednesday to lows unseen in nearly three years and coffee slid about 2.6 percent in late New York trade, as both markets were pressured by improving weather in Brazil and a strong dollar.
*Corn from Brazil, Argentina seen going north until August. BUENOS AIRES, May 15- A record 2 million tonnes of South American corn is being sent to the United States this season to compensate for last year's weak harvest, industry sources based in Buenos Aires have told Reuters.