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(For faster updates on individual market-movers, Eikon usersplease use search string "STXBZ US"; for the Day Aheadnewsletter, http://link.reuters.com/mex49s; for the Morning NewsCall newsletter, http://link.reuters.com/nex49s)The slide in U.S. stock index futures intensified on Tuesday asa fall in the Russian rouble and crude oil prices sent tradersfleeing risky assets.
The Dow Jones industrial average futures were down0.49 percent at 17,105, S&P 500 futures were down 0.58percent at 1,978.5 and Nasdaq 100 futures were down 0.74percent at 4,132.75.
** TALISMAN ENERGY INC, Monday close $5.12, +48.83pct premarket
Spanish oil company Repsol said it had reached adeal to buy Talisman, Canada's fifth-largestindependent oil producer, for $13 billion. Repsol's offer valuedTalisman at $8.00 per share in cash.
Breakingviews article on the deal
** BIOLINERX LTD, Monday close $1.63, +19.63 pctpremarket
Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG bought a 12.8 percentstake in the Israeli biopharmaceutical company as partof a multi-year collaboration deal. Novartis acquired an initial5 million BioLineRx American depositary shares at $2.00 a share.
** YANDEX NV, Monday close $17.68, -6.67 pctpremarket
** VIMPELCOM, Monday close $3.37, -5.64 pctpremarket
** MOBILE TELESYSTEMS, Monday close $6.92, -9.54 pctpremarket
** QIWI, Monday close $21.51, -7.02 pct premarket
** CTC MEDIA INC, Monday close $4.55, -12.09 pctpremarket
The slump in the rouble, down 50 percent against the dollarthis year, forced Russia's central bank raised its key interestrate to 17 percent from 10.5 percent on Tuesday. The roubleplunged around 10 percent against the dollar on Monday, itssharpest fall since 1998.
Breakingviews article on the rouble
** BOEING CO, Monday close $122.08, +1.16 pctpremarket
The world's biggest planemaker raised its share repurchaseauthorization to $12 billion from $10 billion and said it wouldincrease its quarterly dividend by 25 percent, a sign ofconfidence in its cash outlook for the year. The company had$4.8 billion remaining in its previous stock buyback plan andraised the dividend to 91 cents per share from 73 cents.
** ORANGE, Monday close $15.95, +5.20 pct premarket
Britain's BT has entered into exclusive talks withOrange and Deutsche Telekom to buy EE for12.5 billion pounds ($19.6 billion), opting for the country'sbiggest mobile operator over rival suitor, Telefonica's O2.
** PETROBRAS, Monday close $6.26, +0.80 pctpremarket
Brazilian prosecutors said on Monday they had filed criminalcharges against another former executive at Petrobras and three other people for alleged involvement in a massivekickback scheme at the state-run oil company.
SocGen more than halves its price target on the stock to$7.50 from $18.00, and maintains its "hold" rating.
** FIAT CHRYSLER, Monday close $11.41, +0.44 pctpremarket
In Europe, Fiat got its sole break from buoyantsales of Jeep's new Renegade compact SUV as the brand expands inEurope, with deliveries up a healthy 57 percent to almost 35,000vehicles so far this year.
Fiat has resumed exports from Brazil to Mexico after a morethan three-year hiatus due to weak Brazilian demand and a morefavorable exchange rate.
** SUNPOWER CORP, Monday close $23.26, +3.18 pctpremarket
** FIRST SOLAR INC, Monday close $41.66, +0.8 pctpremarket
Morgan Stanley said it assigned a 75 percent probability toSunPower launching a Yield Co and a 50 percent probability toFirst Solar, based on recent commentary from each company'smanagement team.
Based on this, the brokerage upgraded SunPower to"overweight" and introduced a price target of $35. It maintainedits "equal-weight" rating on First Solar and introduced a $47target.
** HEALTHCARE TRUST OF AMERICA INC, Monday close$12.67
The healthcare REIT said its board approved a 1-for-2reverse stock split, effective 5:00 p.m. ET on Dec. 15.
The move is aimed at "increasing earnings visibility" byreducing the number of shares outstanding as well as loweringtrading volatility and investor's trading costs, CEO ScottPeters said.
** INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP, Monday close$37.63, +1.14 pct premarket
InterContinental Hotels, one of the world's largesthoteliers, has agreed to buy U.S.-focused Kimpton Hotels &Restaurants for $430 million to boost its exposure to thefaster-growing boutique hotel sector.
** MCDONALD'S CORP, Monday close $88.46, -0.41 pctpremarket
McDonald's Holdings Co (Japan) Ltd has embarked onthe emergency measure of only offering small-sized french friesto customers as a protracted labour dispute at U.S. West Coastports has contributed to long delays in imports.
** VODAFONE GROUP PLC, Monday close $33.3, +0.75 pctpremarket
** BLACKBERRY LTD, Monday close $9.43
British mobile phone operator Vodafone will getC$850 million ($726 million) in Canadian trade financing to helpit buy enterprise services from BlackBerry, Ottawa said.Export Development Canada (EDC) said that C$750 million would goto BlackBerry, while the remaining C$100 million was for futureprocurement from Canadian suppliers. (Compiled by Anannya Pramanick in Bangalore; Editing by SavioD'Souza)
