ASIA The Nikkei rose 2.5%, bouncing back from the previous session's 15-month low as a rally on Wall Street and a softening yen spurred buying of financial and other battered stocks. (RTRS) U.S. Equity index futures had a very strong day on Tuesday, after better-than-expected results from U.S. retailer Wal-Mart ahead of key data on October retail sales. Goldman Sachs' comment that it has no plans for significant writedowns and the better than expected September Pending Home Sales Index also helped to propel the major averages higher. The DJI rose roughly 320 points to 13,307, the S&P 500 finished at 1481, up 42 points and the Nasdaq 100 was up 84 points to 2066 at the close. Market participants were also relieved by the sharp drop in the price of crude oil, which ended more than $4.00/barrel lower, after touching session lows close to $90.00. Shares in Apple Inc. lead gainers in the S&P 500 along with Exxon Mobil and Citigroup, while shares in McDonald's lead decliners after the company said it expected higher costs due to food prices. IBM boosted the DJI, while shares in McDonald's lead decliners here as well. Shares in Apple Inc. also paced gainers in the Nasdaq 100, while Adobe Systems lead decliners after the company reported uninspiring guidance on Monday after the close. The VIX Volatility Index fell 7.0 points or 22.5% to 24.10. Dupont - The company reaffirmed its FY 2007 EPS outlook, sees Q4 sales growth outside of U.S. continuing, sees 2007 EPS $3.06-$3.11. (DJ) Prudential Financial - The company reported a share buyback program of up to USD3.5 billion, declares annual dividend of $1.15/share. (BBG)** FTSE Royal Dutch Shell - The oil major is considering the sale of its stake in the Cossack Pioneer oil venture in Australia. Cnooc Ltd may make an offer of USD 450mln. (DJ)** Barclays - The bank is being sued by Lumninent over undervaluing mortgage bonds. (BBG) GlaxoSmithKline - The FDA deputy commissioner says to announce decision on Avandia within days. (RTRS) Sainsbury - 1H pretax profit GBP 240mln vs Exp. GBP 232.9mln. The supermarket interim dividend was 3.0p, up 25% and sales growth was seen at GBP 2.3bln, ahead of planned target of GBP 2.5bln by march 2008. (RTRS)** Lonmin - FY EDITDA USD 881mln vs Exp. USD 790mln, FY underlying EPS 295.9c vs Exp. 271c. (RTRS)** Scottish & Newcastle - 1H adjusted pretax GBP 665mln vs Exp. 652mln, interim dividend 18.1p vs prev. 15.1p. The company said it seeks opportunities in water and new markets, and expects to make more acquisitions. (RTRS)** Northern Rock - The company has gotten an injunction preventing the publication of memo info, the company will give a strategic review outcome at appropriate time, discussions may not lead to an offer. (BBG) Companies Going Ex-Dividend Today - Yell Group (GBP 0.063), Marks & Spencer (GBP 0.083), Home Retail (GBP 0.047) DAX RWE - Q3 net EUR 198mln vs Exp. EUR 283mln, 9-month sales EUR 31.49bln vs Exp. EUR 31.69bln. The company has postponed its American Water IPO and said it has cancelled its share buyback and dividend increase as conditions no longer exist. (RTRS)** Infineon - The company posted a Q3 operating loss of EUR 241mln vs Exp. EUR 242mln, Q3 EBIT EUR 1.84bln vs Exp. EUR 1.8bln. (RTRS)** CAC Sanofi-Aventis - The company faces a class action lawsuit for allegedly making misleading statements about its obesity drug Acomplia. (RTRS)** ArcelorMittal - Q3 EBITDA rose to USD 4.88bln vs Exp. USD 4.76bln, Q3 sales USD 25.53bln vs Exp. USD 25.4bln and Q3 net profit came in at USD 2.960bln vs Exp. USD 2.53bln. The company also raised its base dividend by $0.20 to $0.375 a share. (RTRS)** EUROSTOXX Unicredit - Q3 net profit EUR 1.122bln vs Exp. EUR 995mln. The bank said its investment banking division pre-tax profit was hurt by the mark to market valuation of structured credits. (RTRS)** SMI UBS - Expected to reveal initial details of 350 job cuts across its fixed income, currencies and commodities division as early as today. (Telegraph) BROKER UPGRADES/DOWNGRADES GERMANY'S DAX CUT TO `NEUTRAL' FROM `OVERWEIGHT' BY GOLDMAN EQUITY STRATEGISTS ALCATEL-LUCENT: MERRILL LYNCH UPGRADES TO NEUTRAL FROM SELL TELEFONICA PRICE EST. RAISED 4.1% TO EU25.6 AT BEAR STEARNS VODAFONE PRICE EST. RAISED TO 250P VS 220P AT DRESDNER RIO TINTO CUT TO `MARKET PERFORM' VS `OUTPERFORM' AT BERNSTEIN NOVARTIS CUT TO `ADD' FROM `BUY' AT DRESDNER KLEINWORT The above commentary was provided by Real-time Analysis & News (R.A.N) Ltd (known to traders as âRansquawkâ) operates from 0630GMT until 2200GMT to incorporate full coverage of the US bond and equity futures markets. 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