4:00PM NY; 10:00PM Frankfurt; 1:30AM Mumbai - GLOBAL MARKETS

In New York trading market averages registered a mild gain on fall in oil and offer from Kirkorian controlled company for $4.5 billion for Chrysler Group. Initial claims for unemployment rose to 321,000 last week ahead of March of unemployment report to be released tomorrow. European markets rose led by a gain Germany and Switzerland. UK left interest rates unchanged. Stocks in China rose for the fourth day in a row on rate hike by Chinese Central Bank.


Yield on 10-year bond closed at 4.652% and the 30-year bond closed at 4.844%.

Gold advanced $2.000 to close at $679.400 a troy ounce, silver increased 12 cents to end at $13.740 a troy ounce and copper gained $179.000 to close at $7475.000 per metric ton.

Oil lost 10 cents to close at $64.280 a barrel and heating oil advanced 0.350 cents to finish at 186.090 cents a gallon. Natural gas increased 9.2 cents to close at $7.607 per MMBtu. Gasoline went up 2.340 cents to end at 212.880 cents a gallon.

Asian markets closed mostly lower, with Japan ending lower as investors took profits on blue-chip stocks. Chinese shares climbed to a fourth straight record, while Singaporean stocks hit new highs for a second session. The decliners were led by Indonesia with a decrease of 1.38%, Japan with a loss of 0.30% and Thailand with a decline of 0.15%. The advancers were led by Philippines with an advance of 1.42%, Hong Kong with a gain of 1.03% and Taiwan with an increase of 0.90%. Australia lost 0.26%.

European markets finished higher, with investors cautious ahead of key U.S. jobs data and the Easter holiday break, although the Bank of England helped some U.K. banking stocks, such as Alliance & Leicester, after it kept interest rates steady at 5.25%. The advancers were led by U.K. with an increase of 0.51%, Switzerland with ah advance of 0.46% and Germany with a gain of 0.37%. The only decliner was Belgium with a decrease of 0.11%.

Latin America markets finished moderate gains and Canadian markets were flat in a day of light trade. Stock markets in Mexico were closed. The advancers were Argentina with a gain of 0.61% and Brazil with an advance of 0.18%. There were no decliners. Canada lost 0.01%as investors took a breather ahead of the Good Friday holiday.


2:30PM NY, U.S. Market Movers

Atari Inc. (ATAR) said that Bruno Bonnell, the founder, chairman and chief executive of its France-based parent company Infogrames Entertainment SA, has resigned from Infogrames and all of its subsidiaries. Bonnell served Atari as chairman, director, acting chief financial officer and chief creative officer. Bonnell''s resignation is effective immediately. Infogrames, which Bonnell is leaving after 24 years, named a director, Patrick Leleu, chairman and CEO to replace Bonnell. Shares of the company climbed 9.2%.

Biosite Inc. (BSTE) said it received an unsolicited cash offer from Inverness Medical Innovations Inc. of $90 per share, rivaling an offer made by hospital lab equipment maker Beckman Coulter Inc. Inverness, which already owns 4.9% of Biosite''s outstanding shares, wants to buy the rest of Biosite''s stock. Shares climbed 9.5%.

Cox Radio (CXR) shares jumped 7.9% after a couple of analysts upgraded the radio broadcaster, saying it may be taken private. John Klim of Credit Suisse thinks that the potential for a full takeover by privately owned media conglomerate Cox Enterprises Inc. may have increased with the company''s sale of its 25% stake in Discovery Communications. Discovery, which operates the Discovery Channel and other networks, said last month it is buying the stake from Cox in exchange for The Travel Channel, Antenna Audio and $1.28 billion in cash.

Encorium Group (ENCO), which designs and manages clinical trials for pharmaceutical companies, forecast 2007 revenue at the high end of a previously announced range of $30 million to $34 million. The company said the company is also maintaining its guidance for the first quarter of 2007 for revenue of $7.9 million to $8.3 million. the company said that its European division has signed $4.7 million in new contracts. More than 20 clients are covered by the contracts, Encorium said, in fields such as oncology, cardiovascular, and vaccines. Shares climbed 9.5%.

Epoch Holding Corp. (EPHC) unit Epoch Investment Partners Inc., an investment manger and adviser, on Wednesday said its assets under management grew 22% during the first three months of the year. Assets stood at $5.38 billion as of March 31, from assets of $4.41 billion as of Dec. 31. Shares jumped 19%.

Fuwei Films Holdings Co. (FFHL), maker of plastic films, shares surged 18% after reporting 2006 earnings jumped 16%, thanks to increased sales of special films and also stronger export revenue. Net income for calendar 2006 grew to RMB 67.7 million ($8.7 million, or $7.88 per share), from RMB 57.1 million a year ago. Sales increased 26% to RMB 436.8 million (or $56 million), from RMB 346.2 million in the prior year.

Immucor Inc. (BLUD), blood-testing equipment maker, said its third-quarter profit jumped 28% on higher revenue from product price increases. For the quarter the company earned $15 million, or 21 cents per share, compared with a profit of $11.7 million, or 17 cents per share, during the same period a year prior. Revenue rose to $57.1 million versus $47.1 million last year. Shares climbed 9.5%.

Jarden (JAH), consumer products maker, shares climbed 6.2%, hitting a 52-week high, after an analyst said the company has strong cash flows and upgraded the stock. Goldman Sachs believes the company''s strong cash flows in the fourth quarter could extend into the first quarter.

Matrix Service Co. (MTRX), industrial services provider, said that its third-quarter earnings increased to $6.2 million, or 24 cents per share, compared with a year-ago profit of $1.8 million, or 8 cents per share. The latest results include a charge of $500,000, or a penny per share, related to accounting for stock-based compensation. Revenue jumped 41.1% to $168.7 million versus $119.6 million in the same period a year earlier. The company lifted its revenue outlook for fiscal 2007 to a range of $630 million to $640 million from a prior projection of $560 million to $580 million. Shares climbed 11.4%.