STOCKS NEWS US-Boston Scientific reaches pact with DOJ

Stocks on the move Real-time Equity news U.S. stock market report 0924 EST 06Nov2009-Boston Scientific reaches pact with DOJ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Boston Scientific Corp on Friday reach an agreement with the U.S.

Department of Justice related to product recalls issued by its Guidant subsidiary. The company also said that it would record a third-quarter charge of $294 million. Under the terms of the agreement, Guidant will plead to two misdemeanor charges related to failure to include information in reports to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and Boston Scientific will pay $296 million on behalf of Guidant. For details, see Shares of Boston Scientific fell 1.9 percent to $7.90 in premarket trading. Reuters Messaging: [e-mail] 0857 EST 06Nov2009-CF Industries rejects Agrium proposal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ CF Industries said on Friday its board rejected rival Agrium Inc's sweetened bid worth about $4.5 billion, arguing the proposal substantially undervalues the company. CF has been fending-off Agrium's hostile bid since February, as it pursues its own hostile bid for smaller U.S. rival Terra Industries. For details, see Shares of CF fell 1.1 percent to $79 in premarket trading while U.S.-listed shares of Agrium closed Thursday at $49.81. Terra shares closed Thursday at $36. Reuters Messaging: [e-mail] 0841 EST 06Nov2009-Oct payrolls fall 190,000, jobless rate 10.2 pct ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ U.S. employers cut a deeper-than-expected 190,000 jobs in October, government data showed, driving the unemployment rate to 10.2 percent, the highest in 26-1/2 years. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected payrolls to drop by 175,000 and the jobless rate to edge up to 9.9 percent from 9.8 percent in September. For details, see Following the release of the data, futures turned negative. Dow Jones industrial average futures fell 36 points while S&P 500 futures slid 5.2 points and Nasdaq 100 futures lost 6 points. Reuters Messaging: [e-mail] 0821 EST 06Nov2009-Bernstein upgrades GE to "outperform" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shares of General Electric Co rose in premarket trading on Friday, after Bernstein upgraded the company to "outperform" from "market perform." The firm also lifted its price target on the Dow component by $1 to $19. "In our view, the risk/reward balance has improved enough to warrant a more positive stance," the firm wrote to clients. "We believe the risk GE Capital poses is reduced, 2010 earnings achievability is high, and there is more upside across the company into 2011." Shares of GE gained 3.5 percent to $14.93 before the bell. Reuters Messaging: [e-mail] 0816 EST 06Nov2009-Halliburton wins Saudi Aramco South Ghawar pact ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Halliburton Co was awarded a broad five-year oilfield service contract from Saudi Aramco to develop wells in the South Ghawar field, the world's largest oil field, the company said on Friday. Halliburton did not release financial terms of the deal, which includes an option for a five-year extension. For details, see Shares of Halliburton closed Thursday at $30.55. Reuters Messaging: [e-mail] Keywords: MARKETS STOCKSNEWS COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved.

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