Before the Bell: Futures edge up on hope for Chinese stimulus

	Click to View in Browser 03/24/2014 Futures edge up on hope for Chinese stimulus NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures edged higher on Monday as a weak reading on Chinese manufacturing raised hopes that the Chinese government would issue new stimulus to combat slowing momentum, though ongoing tensions in Ukraine weighed on sentiment. Nokia sees closure of Microsoft deal delayed to April HELSINKI (Reuters) - Nokia does not expect to close the sale of its phone business to Microsoft until April as talks with Asian regulators drag on, it said on Monday, fuelling speculation it may have to make more concessions to get the deal done. China brakes as euro zone gears up LONDON (Reuters) - China's huge manufacturing engine stuttered in the early part of 2014 while a return to growth in French business activity this month suggested a solid, broad-based recovery was taking shape in the euro zone, surveys showed. BOJ tankan to show business mood up but outlook dims TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese manufacturers' mood probably improved in the three months to March but it will likely weaken the following quarter due to concerns that a sales tax hike may dent the pace of the economic recovery, a Reuters poll showed. Cisco joins cloud computing race with $1 billion plan (Reuters) - Cisco Systems Inc plans to offer cloud computing services, pledging to spend $1 billion over the next two years to enter a market currently led by the world's biggest online retailer Amazon.com Inc. Icahn to get three more seats on Herbalife board (Reuters) - Nutrition and weight-loss company Herbalife Ltd said it would allow three more representatives of billionaire investor Carl Icahn to join its board, sending the company's shares up as much as 9 percent before the bell on Monday. Record Argentine soy crop to pump exports despite hoarding BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina will put downward pressure on world food prices by exporting more soy this year, even as growers hedge against the country's dysfunctional financial system by hoarding a bigger chunk of what is expected to be a record high crop. JPMorgan top China banker Fang to leave amid hiring probe HONG KONG (Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co's chief executive for China investment banking, Fang Fang, will leave the firm, according to an internal memo - a departure that comes amid a probe of JPMorgan hiring practices in Asia. New worries on China growth as flash PMI shows contraction BEIJING (Reuters) - China's manufacturing engine contracted in the first quarter of 2014, a preliminary private survey showed on Monday, raising market expectations of government stimulus to arrest a loss of momentum in the world's second-largest economy this year. ECB keeping eye on euro exchange rate - Liikanen HELSINKI (Reuters) - The European Central Bank keeps a close eye on the euro exchange rate to see how it affects inflation, and it stands ready to act if the inflation rate appears headed in the wrong direction, ECB Governing Council member Erkki Liikanen said on Monday. Related Video Breakingviews: Co-op Bank looking ever less cooperative Rare good news for France as PMIs smash forecasts Global Investing How winning funds bank on dividends Where 'go anywhere' funds are heading now A daily digest of breaking business news, coverage of the US economy, major corporate news and the financial markets. Register Today   The latest Reuters articles on M&A, IPOs, private equity, hedge funds and regulatory updates delivered to your inbox each day. Register Today   » MORE NEWSLETTERS - 3 Times Square New York, NY 10036 USA © Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters Ensure delivery of Reuters Newsmails, add mail@nl.reuters.com to your address book. Details Subscribe to other Reuters newsletters. Unsubscribe from this newsletter. Follow us on Twitter Friend us on Facebook Forward to a friend