[R]4:00PM NY; 10:00PM Frankfurt; 2:30AM Mumbai[/R]
Markets in the U.S. closed mixed. Bush administration proposes $2.9 trillion budget with higher defense spending and lower medical expenses. Tokyo market lost more than 1% on Nissan earnings results. Natural gas continued its climb in New York trading.

Yield on 10-year bond closed at 4.809% and the 30-year bond closed at 4.914%.

Gold gained $1.90 to close at $653.40 a troy ounce, silver advanced 15 cents to end at $13.525 a troy ounce and copper decreased $257 to close at $5318.00 per metric ton.

Oil lost 32 cents to close at $58.700 a barrel and heating oil declined 0.75 cents to finish at 167.650 cents a gallon. Natural gas increased 16.9 cents to close at $7.645 per MMBtu. Gasoline went down 1.170 cents to end at 156.120 cents a gallon.

Asian markets closed mixed after Japan closed lower as the Nissan Motor released disappointing results, pulling down auto sector and broader index. The advancers were led by India with a gain of 0.78%, Thailand with an increase of 0.57% and Philippines with an advance of 0.39%. The decliners were Japan with a loss of 1.15%, Indonesia with a decrease of 0.67% and Hong Kong with a decline of 0.53% and Australia closed lower 0.16%.

European markets finished little changed. With gains in the oil sector and increased profit outlook from Irish airline Ryanair offset by pressure from ad conglomerate Havas and utilities Endesa and E.On. The decliners were led by Germany with a loss of 0.2%, Netherlands with a decrease of 0.12% and Spain with a decline of 0.10%. The advancers were Italy with a gain of 0.23%, U.K. with an advance of 0.11% and France with an increase of 0.07%.

Latin America markets finished higher as oil prices moved higher. Stock markets in Mexico are closed for a national holiday. The advancer was Brazil with an advance of 0.62%, while Argentina lost 0.24%. Canada gained 0.29% with most sectors in positive territory, notably energy.

[R]2:30PM NY, U.S. Market Movers[/R]

Agilysys Inc. (AGYS: chart), of information technology services, software and hardware provider, said that its fiscal third-quarter profit and revenue increased on growth in server and storage hardware sales. Agilysys earned $20 million, or 64 cents per share, up 31.6% from $15.2 million, or 49 cents per share, in the same period the previous year. Revenue climbed 9.9% to $585 million versus $532.2 million in the same period a year earlier.

B/E Aerospace Inc. (BEAV: chart), aircraft cabin products maker, said that its fourth-quarter net income fell to $21.7 million, or 28 cents per share, from $62.1 million, or 96 cents per share, in the year-earlier period. Quarterly revenue jumped 44% to $321.6 million compared to $222.9 million in the same period a year earlier.

Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. (CTSH: chart), information technology service provider fourth-quarter profit rose above Wall Street's expectations as sales increased. The company said that its fourth-quarter earnings increased to $69.5 million, or 46 cents per share, up 21% from $57.7 million, or 39 cents per share, during the same period in the previous year. Revenue climbed 65% to $424.4 million from $256.9 million in a year-ago period. Stock traded 7% up.

Dell Inc. (DELL: chart), Shares of the company traded higher after an analyst upgraded the stock, saying the computer maker can trim its budget and improve technology by buying other companies. Dell stock increased by 28 cents to $23.80.

Hewitt Associates Inc. (HEW: chart), human-resource services provider, said that its first-quarter earnings declined to $30.1 million, or 27 cents per share, compared with a year-ago profit of $31.5 million, or 29 cents per share. The latest results included a pre-tax severance charge of $16 million and $6 million in higher compensation expense, according to the Lincolnshire, Ill., provider of human resources outsourcing and consulting services. Net revenue climbed 4% to $726.6 million versus $701 million a year earlier.

Longview Fibre Co. (LFB: chart), Shares of Brookfield increased by 20 cents to $49.07 in midday trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Longview shares jumped $3.46 or 16.5%, to $24.47. Brookfield Asset Management plans to buy Longview Fibre Co. for $24.75 a share in a deal valued at $1.63 billion, based on 65.76 million outstanding shares.

Potlatch Corp. (PCH: chart), real-estate investment trust that owns forestland, said that its fourth-quarter earnings increased to $44.1 million, or $1.13 per share, compared with a year-ago profit of $9.9 million, or 34 cents per share. The latest results included a gain of $24 million, or 62 cents per share, related to the company's share of the negotiated settlement of the softwood lumber trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada, as well as an income tax adjustment of $3.9 million, or 10 cents per share, stemming from an asset transfer. Revenue jumped to $390 million against $389.3 million a year earlier.

Novatel Wireless (NVTL: chart), Shares of Novatel Wireless hit a 52-week high after it said fourth-quarter earnings and sales could top the company’s previous forecast. Novatel shares jumped 97 cents, or 8.6%, to $12.22 on the Nasdaq during morning trading. The company said that it expects net income to be within or above 2 cents to 4 cents per share, thanks to surging demand for its wireless communications cards.

SLM Corp. (SLM: chart), Shares of SLM fell $4.33, or 9.3%, to $42.13 in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange after President Bush's budget request included a proposal to cut lender subsidies by 0.5 percentage points, an amount one company said would increase the burden on taxpayers. Shares dipped $12.12, or 6.1% to $187.23.

Triad Hospitals Inc. (TRI: chart), Shares of Triad jumped $6.48, or 15%, to $49.75 in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Earlier, shares set a new 52-week high of $49.95, topping a previous high of $45.67 after the company agreed to be acquired for about $6.4 billion, including the assumption of $1.7 billion in debt.

British Airways (BAB: chart) reported a 14% drop in quarterly earnings on the back of increased fuel charges, fog-related delays and the cost of heightened security requirements at London's Heathrow Airport.

NewMarket Corp. (NEU: chart), developer of petroleum additives, said that its fourth-quarter net earnings declined to $4.5 million, or 26 cents per share, compared with $11.1 million, or 64 cents per share, in the year-ago period. Excluding special items, the company posted a per-share profit of 60 cents versus 46 cents. Revenue climbed to $306.2 million from $293.7 million in the same period a year earlier.

[R]1:00PM European markets closed flat.[/R]
European stocks finished little changed on Monday, as losses for ad conglomerate Havas and utilities Endesa and E.On offset the positive sentiment generated by gains in the oil sector and some airline stocks. Oil companies advanced as crude prices rose. Shares of BP gained 1.3% in the U.K and France's Total added 0.7%. BP was also upgraded at Goldman Sachs. Most airlines were lower.. British Airways fell 1.8%, while budget airlines Ryanair and easyJet gained 3% each. Shares in Ryanair surged after the company said its Q3 net income rose 30% raised its profit guidance. Meanwhile, shares of media company Havas slipped 3% in Paris after the company said late Friday that its revenue rose just 0.8% to 1.5 billion euros in 2006. In the utility sector, Endesa fell 2.5% in Madrid after German utility E.On made a final bid for the Spanish utility of 38.75 euros a share. The U.K. FTSE 100 index added 0.1%, the German DAX 30 declined 0.1%, and the French CAC-40 edged 0.1% higher.