NEW YORK, June 8 (Reuters) - U.S. interest rates futures were mostly weaker on Thursday, suggesting traders had fully priced in a possible quarter-point rate increase at the Federal Reserve's policy meeting next Tuesday and Wednesday.At 1:22 p.m. (1722 GMT), federal funds futures implied traders priced in a 100 percent probability the Fed policymakers would raise key short-term borrowing costs to...Read More

(Kitco News) - Gold pricesended the U.S. day session solidly lower on some more profit taking andtechnical chart consolidation after hitting a seven-week high earlier thisweek. Three major marketplace occurrences Thursday failed to move the marketsin a significant manner. The gold and silver market bulls are still holding thenear-term technical advantage amid price uptrends in both metals. August...Read More

By Bruno FederowskiSAO PAULO, June 8 (Reuters) - Brazil's stocks and currency fell on Thursday in thin trading as investors remained cautious over an electoral trial that could oust President Michel Temer.The majority of judges on Brazil's top electoral court (TSE) argued to exclude testimony by executives from conglomerate Odebrecht SA, potentially strengthening Temer's assertions that his campai...Read More

(Adds analyst's comment, background on ruling, details of budget impasse)CHICAGO, June 8 (Reuters) - Illinois general obligation bond prices plummeted and yields soared in the U.S. municipal market on Thursday, a day after a federal judge ordered the cash-strapped state to find more money to pay Medicaid providers.Yields on bonds due in 2024 climbed to 5.15 percent in secondary market trading, ac...Read More

* Euro dips after ECB policy decision to keep rates unchanged* Sterling edges down as investors eye UK election result* Graphic: World FX rates in 2017 #* Graphic on UK election: (Updates prices, market activity and comments to U.S. afternoon trading)By Saqib Iqbal AhmedNEW YORK, June 8 (Reuters) - The greenback held gains against a basket of currencies on Thursday as investors took stock of forme...Read More

June 8 (Reuters) - AvidXchange, a software company that helps mid-sized companies automate their invoicing and bill payments, said on Thursday it raised $300 million from investors including Mastercard , Silicon valley investor Peter Thiel and Canada's second largest public pension fund.Pension fund Caisse de d?(C)p??t et placement du Qu?(C)bec said it invested $100 million in the Charlotte, North...Read More

Qatar said on Thursday fellow Arab states' move to isolate it in a row over alleged ties to terrorism is endangering stability in the oil-rich Gulf region but it was not ready to change its foreign policy to settle the dispute and would never compromise.Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani spoke as would-be mediators ranging from U.S. President Donald Trump to Kuwait's ruling...Read More

* Graphic: World FX rates in 2017 * Euro falls after ECB keeps rates on hold* Top European share index briefly touches 3-week low* Oil prices steady after touching 1-month lows* Sterling dips before British election outcome (Updates trading, adds comments; changes byline, dateline, previous LONDON)By Sam ForgioneNEW YORK, June 8 (Reuters) - U.S. shares rose modestly and European stocks were little...Read More

PRAGUE, June 8 (Reuters) - The founders and majority owners of Kofola CeskoSlovensko are to raise their stake in the Czech soft drinksmaker to 68 percent in a series of transactions that will result in a long-term private equity investor selling out.Kofola announced on Thursday that 50.8 percent shareholder KSM Investment, controlled by the Samaras family which revived the communist-era brand in t...Read More

* Comey says no doubt Russia interfered in the election* ECB leaves rates unchanged but closes door to further cuts* Nordstrom rises on going-private option* Indexes up: Dow 0.32 pct, S&P 0.16 pct, Nasdaq 0.23 pct (Adds details, changes comment, updates prices)By Tanya AgrawalJune 8 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were higher in early afternoon trading on Thursday after former FBI Director James Comey's t...Read More

Authored by Lance Roberts via RealInvestmentAdvice.com,The "Bond Bears" just can't seem to catch a break. Beginning in mid-2013, there have been numerous calls the 30-year bond bull market was dead. The reasoning was simplistic enough - economic growth was set to return pushing inflation, and ultimately interest rates, higher. Unfortunately, as each year has come and gone, economic growth has fa...Read More

WASHINGTON, June 8 (Reuters) - For details of the U.S. Treasury's amended times for the 3-month bill and 3-year note auctions next week, see:3-month bills 3-year notes (Washington economics team) Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however...Read More

* ECB upgrades growth forecast, cuts inflation outlook* EX-FBI chief Comey testifies, markets show little reaction (Recasts, updates prices; adds comment, table)By Gertrude Chavez-DreyfussNEW YORK, June 8 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury debt yields rose on Thursday, in line with German bonds, after the European Central Bank upgraded its growth forecast for the euro zone, but suggested the bank's stimulu...Read More

(Adds details, background)By Fumbuka Ng'wanakilalaDODOMA, Tanzania, June 8 (Reuters) - Tanzania said on Thursday it plans to increase spending in its budget for the fiscal year ending June 2018 by 7.3 percent to 31.71 trillion shillings ($14.21 billion), with a focus on infrastructure, curbing tax evasion and industrialising the economy.Tanzania has ramped up spending in recent years to build a s...Read More

(corrects Groupe Bertrand's spelling in headline)June 8 (Reuters) - Groupe Flo SA * French commercial caterer Groupe Flo says shareholders will meet on Friday to approve a 72.5 mln-euro capital increase at a price of 0.10 per share, under the terms agreed upon with Groupe Bertrand* Under the plan announced on April 26, Groupe Bertrand, owner of Burger King in France, is set to take control of Gro...Read More

TORONTO, June 8 (Reuters) - Below are some key quotes from an appearance on Thursday by Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz and Senior Deputy Governor Carolyn Wilkins in Ottawa, after the release of the semi-annualFinancial System Review. POLOZ ON RISK OF HOUSING CORRECTION"We're only looking at what I call extreme events. So we're looking at something that is a little bit more probable than som...Read More

* New loan includes previously borrowed 80 mln euros* Due to "roll-up" arrangement Agrokor must repay 1.06 bln* Crisis manager says focus now on restructuring (Adds quotes, details)By Igor IlicZAGREB, June 8 (Reuters) - Indebted Croatian food group Agrokor has secured a 480 million euro ($538 million) loan, a government-appointed restructuring expert said on Thursday, giving a boost to his efforts...Read More

Italy's Treasury said on Thursday it would offer up to 5.5 billion euros over two bonds at auction on June 13.BOND TYPE BTP 3-yr BTP 7-yr MATURITYJune 15, May 15, 2024 2020TRANCHE 5th 7thCOUPON0.35 pct 1.85 pctAMOUNT OFFERED (bln2-2.5 2.5-3euros)SETTLEMENT DATE June 15(Reporting by Milan Newsroom)Keywords: ITALY BONDS/AUCTION ANNOUNCEMENT Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those...Read More

(Clarifies reference to Lundin in paragraph 11)* Chairman of Chelsea soccer club among nominated directors* Hambro says proposals against interests of most investors* Company returned to profit in 2016 By Barbara LewisLONDON, June 8 (Reuters) - Peter Hambro, who has headed Russian-focused gold miner Petropavlovsk for decades, is seeking to fend off a shareholder revolt led by Russian billionaire...Read More

James Comey said on Thursday he was disturbed by President Donald Trump's bid to get him to drop a probe into the former national security adviser, but the former FBI director would not say whether he thought the president sought to obstruct justice.Comey told U.S. lawmakers in the most eagerly anticipated U.S. congressional hearing in years that the Trump administration had told lies and defamed...Read More