Stocks eked out gains after hovering around the flatline for much of the session Monday, as investors

remained cautious amid recent mixed economic reports. The Nasdaq rallied, thanks to a strong

performance in Internet stocks. More >>

Pandora Media Inc., TripAdvisor Inc. and Netflix Inc. increased more than 4.2% to pace gains in Internet

stocks. AT&T slid 1% after agreeing to buy DirecTV for $48.5 billion. Pfizer Inc. gained 0.6% after

AstraZeneca Plc rejected its sweetened 69.4 billion-pound ($117 billion) offer as too low. More >>

DAILY

19th May 2014

OIL (WTI: $102.16/bl, +0.56%; BRENT: $109.39/bl, -0.43%): West Texas Intermediate oil climbed to a

four-week high on speculation that crude inventories at Cushing, Oklahoma, the delivery point for the

contract, slipped for the 15th time in 16 weeks. Brent traded near $109.39 a barrel. More >>

NATURAL GAS ($4.471/MmBtu, +1.48%): Natural gas prices rose on Monday as markets bet

Thursday's weekly U.S. supply report will reveal a relatively soft build, which could have supply

implications for the coming winter. More >>

DISCLAIMER: Daily Briefs contains a summary of financial news covered on conventional news services around the world. Daily Briefs coverage of subjects is based on the

whims of its volunteer contributors. FEP Finance Club is not responsible for any imprecision or error in the content of any news.

PSI20: +0.03% DAX30: +0.31% FTSE100: -0.16% S&P500: +0.38% NIKKEI225: -0.64%

Asian stocks fell, with the regional benchmark index posting its second day of losses, after data showed a

spreading slowdown in China’s housing market. More >>

China’s benchmark money-market rate declined to a 2-week low on speculation policy makers will ensure

ample fund supply amid signs a slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy is deepening. More >>

Japanese businesses raised orders for machinery by the most ever in March and expect to book more

orders this quarter, another sign that capital investment may buffer the economy. More >>

European equities were pulled down on Monday by the pharmaceuticals group AstraZeneca, which

slumped after rejecting a bid from Pfizer, and by Deutsche Bank's announcement of a capital increase.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index closed down 0.2 percent at 1,358.91 points. More >>

Spain’s trade balance fell unexpectedly last month, industry data showed on Monday. In a report, El

Instituto Nacional de Estadistica said that Spanish trade balance fell to -2.05B, from -1.60B in the

preceding month. More >>

PSI-20 closed in positive territory in a session marked by high volatility. The Portuguese index

appreciated 0.03% to 6 899.76 points The climb of 4% of PT Telecom was decisive for the trend, on a day

that Galp, CTT and Altri negotiated, the first time without the right to the dividend of 2013. More >>

The Government is working to assure, by the end of this year, two-thirds of the financial cushion required

for 2015, said on Monday in New York State, the Secretary of the Portuguese Treasury, Isabel Castelo

Branco. More >>