Erica Leighty

Russian oil giant OAO Rosneft (ROSN.RS) said Monday it had signed an agreement with Italy's Eni SpA (E) to finance exploration at three offshore fields, advancing a cooperation deal signed in April.

Russian gold producer Nordgold NV (NORD.LN) said Monday it has entered a lock-up agreement with "a significant minority shareholder" of High River Gold Mines Ltd. (HRG.T) as it tries to buy out the remaining shares in the mining company it doesn't already own.

Dutch electronics major Royal Philips Electronics (PHIA.AE) posted a profit Monday as sales of all units picked up and a swingeing round of cost-cutting late last year started to take effect.

Julius Baer Group AG (BAER.VX) Monday said it entered a strategic partnership with Bank of China Ltd. (3988.HK) to mutually cross-refer clients, allowing the Swiss wealth management firm to gain access to one of the world's fastest growing markets when many countries closer to home are reeling from

Worries over Spain and Greece pushed European stocks sharply lower on Monday, led by steep declines for banks.

Hutchison Telecommunications Australia Ltd. (HTA.AU), the half owner of Australia's third largest telecommunications carrier Vodafone Hutchison Australia, said Monday it booked a 131.3 million Australian dollar (US$135.5 million) loss for the first half of 2012.

Thai Beverage PCL (Y92.SG) has appointed three banks to arrange bridging finance for its 2.78 billion Singapore dollar (US$2.2 billion) acquisition of a 22% stake in Singapore beverage company Fraser & Neave Ltd. (F99.SG), people familiar with the transaction said Monday.

MOL Nyrt. (MOL.BU) announced Monday the spud of its exploration well Gulak-1 in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. MAIN FACTS: -- Gulak-1 is the fourth exploration well in the Akri-Bijeel Block in Kurdistan, with a planned depth of 3.66 kilometers. -- MOL holds a 80% share in the block through its local

Airline easyJet PLC (EZJ.LN) said Monday that it has been informed by its non-executive chairman Sir Mike Rake that he has formally informed the Chairman of Barclays that he does not wish to be a candidate for the chairmanship of Barclays.

Swedish fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz AB (HM-B.SK) won't raise prices in Spain to compensate for a planned value-added tax increase, a company spokesman tells Swedish business daily Dagens Industri Monday.