Frank Bowden

Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles.com says that Dodgers owner, Frank McCourt, is willing to add to the clubs current $83 million payroll to bring in a significant piece at the July 31st trade deadline. Theres no indication as to what piece the Dodgers will upgrade since they need help in multiple areas starting pitching, bullpen and the outfield. Pitching continues to be our priority, Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said. With Manny going down and Reed Johnson still out, we might look at trying to shore up our outfield as well. Last week, Colletti told Jim Bowden of Inside Pitch and FOXSports that he expects to make a major transaction. Possible candidates that the Dodgers could go after, include Roy Oswalt, Ben Sheets, Danny Haren, Ted Lilly and Paul Maholm, They may also seek relief pitching help in Toronto Blue Jays Scott Downs or Jason Frasor. As far as who the Dodgers may give up in order to add an aforementioned player, it is unknown. Jackson says the team will be hard-pressed to give up a current Major League player. Prospect candidates include Chris Withrow, Ethan Martin, Dee Gordon, Nate Eovaldi, Allen Webster, Elisaul Pimentel, Rubby De La Rosa, Kyle Russell, Jerry Sands and Blake Smith. Withrow, Martin and Gordon may be untouchable for now. I cant predict what other clubs are going to do, Colletti said. We have narrowed our choices. We have scouted several teams, so were prepared.

Australian mining and resources investment is close to peaking, posing downside risks for what has become a key pillar of the nation's economy, a report published Monday by Deloitte Access Economics said.

The International Monetary Fund has signaled to Brussels it will no longer partake in financial aid for Greece, meaning the country could run out of money as early as September, according to an article published the Der Spiegel website Sunday, citing a high-ranking representative of European Union

Granting a two-year extension of Greece's deficit-cutting program would cost the country's European and international creditors as much as €40 billion euros extra, a Greek newspaper reports Sunday, twice the amount of previous government estimates.

Australian supermarket giant Woolworths Ltd. (WOW.AU) said Monday fourth quarter sales rose 5.1% on year to 12.90 billion Australian dollars (US$13.33 billion) as it grew customer numbers, market share and items sold.

Pay-TV operator Sky Deutschland (SKYD.XE) expects to post an operating profit in the second quarter, Chief Executive Officer Brian Sullivan told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in an interview published Sunday, confirming a report earlier this month.

Australian shares declined Monday amid renewed concerns about Europe's debt problems, with the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index falling 0.9% to 4,160.80 in early trading.

Andy Haste, the former chief executive of RSA Insurance Group PLC (RSA.LN), is leading a private-equity consortium looking to bid for Direct Line Group, the insurance business being sold by Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC (RBS.LN), the Sunday Telegraph reported.

Japanese stocks moved sharply lower in early Monday trade, as news of a possible cut-off of Greek aid and a consequently weaker euro hit shares, along with losses Friday in the U.S. The Nikkei Stock Average lost 1% to 8,584.38, while the Topix fell 0.9%.

China Merchants Bank Co. (3968.HK) said Monday it proposes to extend the validity period of its planned 35 billion yuan ($5.5 billion) worth of rights issue plan by twelve months.

Japan's top steel producers JFE Holdings Inc. and Nippon Steel Corp. are set to post heavy drops for their group pretax quarterly profits, the Nikkei business daily reported Sunday.