In spite of recent measures taken to avoid more EU gas disruptions this winter, and a new Russia-EU partnership set to be discussed in detail at this week's Stockholm summit, Slovakia's Prime Minister can't see Kiev being able to pay its gas bills.  A $300 million EBRD loan to Naftogaz, intended to help it manage the import and storage of gas from Russia, has just been delayed after the Ukrainian company failed to implement key reforms.  Gazprom chief, Alexander Medvedev, says the company's 2009 profits are forecasted at around $42.5 billion - and that's in spite of end-of-year export cuts of 10%.  He has also challenged reports that supply will outstrip demand until 2015, forecasting the end of the surplus for either 2011 or 2012, depending on your source.  Speaking as chair of a petrochemicals conference ...

LM Ericsson Telephone Co. (ERIC) recently launched its mobile broadband module specifically designed to bring high-speed wireless connections to a new generation of consumer electronic devices.

Intended for immediate incorporation in e-book readers, GPS navigators and other popular portable consumer electronics, the CE module can be integrated into media players and durable goods as embedded mobile broadband gradually enters everyday life.

The new Ericsson CE module, C3607w, gives device manufacturers the flexible, self-contained connectivity solution needed to create next generation intuitive and innovative consumer electronics by decoupling processor and connectivity design. A third in size compared with earlier Ericsson modules, the C3607w comes with an extensive operator approval program and outstanding IPR protection which eases integration and reduces time to market.

The C3607w is Ericsson's smallest, lightest and fastest mobile broadband module to date, capable of getting uplink speeds of 5.76 Mbps with up to 40% less power

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GE Transportation, an operational unit of General Electric Co. (GE) and EuroMaint Rail recently announced a partnership on rolling stock services and technology for the railway industry that will provide consumers with an expanded range of services.

EuroMaint Rail, with headquarters in Stockholm (Sweden), has more than 100 years of experience in providing maintenance for all types of rolling stock. It is an independent service provider to the rail industry, supplying whole-life services for rolling stock, including infrastructure work machines, component overhaul and logistics solutions.

EuroMaint brings its rolling stock maintenance network, component servicing expertise, spare parts logistics and experience in developing reliable maintenance solutions into the collaboration. Combining GE’s locomotive and service technology expertise with EuroMaint Rail’s rolling stock experience enables the two companies to offer customers the first pan-European service offering for all rolling stock types.

The alliance also will provide a strong regional service network

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LM Ericsson Telephone Co. (ERIC) has agreed to acquire portions of Nortel’s divisions focused on CDMA and next-generation technologies in North America.

Ericsson is acquiring a strong portfolio with an installed client base, thereby enhancing its ability to serve leading wireless telephone operators in North America. It enables Ericsson to grab a significant share of next-generation businesses and provides Nortel’s customers a reliable supplier in North America.

The agreement has important CDMA contracts with North American operators such as Verizon (VZ), Sprint (S), U.S. Cellular (USM), Bell Canada, Leap (LEAP) as well as assets for next-generation technologies, patents and patent licenses relating to CDMA.

Nortel's North American CDMA operations generated approximately $2.0 billion in 2008. Ericsson's North American business generated SEK 17.9 ($2.7) billion of sales in 2008, mainly from GSM and WCDMA assets. When combined with the recently

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LM Ericsson Telephone Company (ERIC) reported higher-than-expected revenues for the second quarter of 2009 although earnings were impacted by losses at its subsidiaries. Total revenue for the quarter was SEK 52.1 billion ($6.57 billion) while net income was SEK 0.26 per share ($0.03 per ADR). Comparable sales for the quarter increased 11% year over year driven by networks, where WCDMA exhibited strong growth, reflecting robust demand for broadband services. Professional services sales increased 28% year over year with managed services and systems integration leading the pack. Multimedia sales increased by 23% for comparable units, driven by revenue management and multimedia brokerage solutions.  Sales in Western Europe grew 4% year over year while that in Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa increased by 12% year over year. Asia-Pacific sales increased 10% year over year.  Operating margin excluding joint ventures, restructuring charges and capital gains improved ...

by Edward Hugh: Barcelonabr /br /Animated by last weeks export driven positive PMI result, a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/8588125"Sweden has now taken poll position in the quantitative easing process/a and has committed to keeping 0.25% rates on hold till the end of 2010 at least. Mind you, they are lucky enough to have Princeton economist and avid deflation fighter a href="http://www.princeton.edu/svensson/"Lars Svensson/a in there on the board to steer them through all this. Good for Swedish growth, Krona negative, great for exports. Let's go, let's go, let's go.br / br /br /br /blockquoteSweden's central bank cut its key interest rate by 25 basis points to a new record low of 0.25 percent in a surprise move on Thursday, and said it would offer one-year loans to banks to foster lending. The Riksbank said it expected interest rates to remain at that level until late 2010. Deputy Governor Lars Svensson disagreed with the decision ...

On the eve of the recent visit of Vladimir Putin to Helsinki, a presentation of my film about the Nord Stream gas pipeline took place there in the parliament of Finland. The crowd wasn't very large - maybe 30 people.  However among the small audience was one of Nord Stream's top representative in Finland, Sebastian Sass. Young, energetic, and self-assured to the point of cockiness, Sebastian had previously been an assistant to the former Prime Minister of Finland Paavo Lipponen.  Lipponen, as our readers are aware, is the second head of state to leave politics and end up employed (indirectly) by the Russian government.  His duties include serving as the main interlocutor between the pipeline project and the Finnish government, "in order

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One of the libraries of Vyborg (Leningrad oblast of Russia) has received a letter with an offer to place in its collection for open access the results of the environmental impact study for the overland portion of the Nord Stream gas pipeline. In and of itself, the offer is not unusual: two years ago, this same company had already placed environmental impact study materials in the libraries of Vyborg. What was unusual this time around, however, was that the letter was accompanied by an offer to do this for money. In so doing, it was proposed that the sum for spreading this information be named by the libraries of the region themselves.

Although libraries are in great need of financing of their activity, at library

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL - March 27, 2009 - Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: PepsiCo (PEP), Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (DPS), Auxilium Pharmaceuticals (AUXL), Myriad Genetics (MYGN) and Autoliv, Inc. (ALV).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=4579.

Here are highlights from Thursday's Analyst Blog:

Dr. Pepper Plants a Kiss

Product innovation is a key to growing or sometimes maintaining market share for consumer companies. Just as PepsiCo (PEP) is about to introduce Pepsi Natural, Pepsi Throwback and Mountain Dew Throwback, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (DPS)

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Autoliv, Inc. (ALV), based in Stockholm, Sweden, manufactures occupant restraint systems for automobiles and has a product portfolio consisting primarily of safety airbags, seat belts and steering wheels.Difficult conditions in North American and West European automotive markets are of primary concern for the company. Moreover, pricing pressure from OEMs has stalled margin expansion. Hence, we rate the stock a Sell with a target price of $14.00.Currently, Autoliv shares are trading at 19.2x our 2010 EPS estimate of $0.95. The company's revenue and earnings improvements are being offset by a weak North American and West European light-vehicles market as well as pricing pressure from OEMs. This makes us cautious and compels us to rate the stock a Sell. We set a target price of $14.00, which is 14.7x our 2010 estimate. Read the full analyst report on "ALV"Zacks ...