Wall Street Rumors - July 3, 2008

Daily rumors covering the global markets. Subscribe to the update feed here.

June Payrolls Shrink
WASHINGTON — U.S. payrolls shrank for the sixth consecutive month in June, as businesses faced with rising costs and a weak economy shed more jobs.

ECB Raises Rates to 4.25% As Inflation Worries Mount
FRANKFURT — The European Central Bank raised its key interest rate Thursday by a quarter of a percentage point to 4.25% to tame rising inflation, even as growth across the 15-nation euro-zone shows continuing signs of slowing significantly.

Fund Flows, Stockpile Drop Push Crude North of $145
LONDON — Nymex crude oil futures breached $145 a barrel for the first time in London Thursday as concerns over U.S. crude inventories helped the market rally to new highs.

Yahoo Pursues Talks With Potential Partners
As Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) explores the possibility of making another move for Yahoo Inc., (NASDAQ:YHOO) the Internet company continues to flirt with other potential partners.

JWT Wins Microsoft Account
JWT, an ad firm owned by WPP Group PLC, (LON:WPP) has landed Microsoft Corp.’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) business-solutions advertising account.

Lehman Sets Stock Bonus In Move Seen as Solid Sign
The 66% plunge in Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.’s (NYSE:LEH) stock price so far this year has taken a toll on the net worth and pride of the Wall Street firm’s roughly 26,000 employees around the world.

Vodafone Buys 70% Stake In Ghana Telecom
LONDON — Vodafone Group PLC (LON:VOD) said Thursday that it has agreed to acquire a 70% stake in Ghana Telecommunications from the government of Ghana for $900 million.

U.S. Stock-Index Futures Advance After Government Jobs Report
July 3 (Bloomberg) — U.S. stock-index futures gained on speculation the Federal Reserve will hold off raising interest rates after a government report showed a decrease in jobs for a sixth straight month.

Deutsche Bank’s Jain Says Crisis `By No Means Over’
July 3 (Bloomberg) — Anshu Jain, head of global markets at Deutsche Bank AG (FRA:DBK) , said the contagion triggered by the U.S. subprime mortgage collapse has erased more than a fifth of the banking industry’s value and is “by no means over.”

GM May Sell New Mini-Cars to U.S. Buyers, People Say
July 3 (Bloomberg) — General Motors Corp., (NYSE:GM) the automaker that popularized the Hummer, may sell a mini-car four feet (1.2 meters) shorter than its biggest offering and more than a foot shorter than anything else it markets in the U.S. to win back buyers scared off by high fuel prices.