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NEW YORK (AFX) - Stocks fell moderately Friday after strong advances all week and after the Commerce Department reported that housing construction fell to its lowest level in more than six years. A pullback in the market wasn't surprising after stocks advanced for five straight sessions and the Dow Jones industrials logged three consecutive record closes this week. Heading into Friday's trading,  ...

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AFX) - Investors who bet against the odds of another devastating Atlantic hurricane season now stand to cash in big-time on "catastrophe bonds." Contrary to expert predictions, the season has turned out to be the mildest in years. Insurance companies sell the bonds, yielding interest rates of about 15 percent, to help them absorb huge payouts in the event of anoth ...

THOMASVILLE, N.C. (AFX) - BNC Bancorp, parent company of Bank of North Carolina, on Friday declared a 10 percent stock dividend to all shareholders. The dividend is payable on Jan. 22 to shareholders on record as of Jan. 5. The dividend will increase the number of common shares by 9.8 percent to 6.7 million shares. BNC Bancorp shares advanced 14 cents to $17.90 in morning trading on the Nasdaq. ...

THOMASVILLE, Ga. (AFX) - Flowers Foods Inc. said Friday its board declared a quarterly dividend of 12.5 cents per share, renewing the annual dividend rate of 50 cents. The dividend is payable on Dec. 15 to shareholders of record at Dec. 1. Flowers operates 37 bakeries that produce a range of bakery products marketed throughout the Southeastern, Southwestern, and mid-Atlantic states. The company' ...

WINCHESTER, Va. (AFX) - American Woodmark Corp. said Friday it declared a quarterly cash dividend of 6 cents per share. The dividend is payable Dec. 15 to shareholders of record on Dec. 1. Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AFX) - Energy and utility holding company PPL Corp. said Friday it declared a quarterly common stock dividend of 27.5 cents per share. The dividend is payable Jan. 1 to holders of record at Dec. 8. Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

NEW YORK (Dow Jones) -- Nymex Holdings Inc.'s initial public offering vaulted more than 100% in early Friday trading as the energy -and-metals exchange ended its 130 year run as a private, member-owned exchange. It was the strongest open from a U.S.-based deal in years Friday. The Nymex (NMX) has drawn fans as the latest financial marketplace to tap into greater profit margins from electroni ...

NEW YORK (AFX) - Stocks fell moderately in early trading Friday after strong advances all week and after the Commerce Department reported that housing construction fell to its lowest level in more than six years. A pullback in the market wasn't surprising after stocks advanced for five straight sessions and the Dow Jones industrials logged three consecutive record closes this week. Heading into F ...

BEAVERTON, Ore. (AFX) - Athletic footwear maker Nike Inc. said Friday it raised its quarterly cash dividend by 19 percent to 37 cents per share from 31 cents previously. The dividend is payable Jan. 2 to shareholders of record at Dec. 11. Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

LONDON (AFX) - Leading shares extended losses midafternoon as fears of an economic slowdown in the US hit Wall Street and added to a slump in heavyweight miners and oil stocks, dealers said. At 3.06 pm, the FTSE 100 index was down 57.2 points at 6197.7, flirting with day lows, mirroring the weaker wider market. Volume was a touch light, with 1.8 bln shares changing hands in 260,214deals, having  ...