TOP STORIES 
 
STOCKS STEADY, CAPPING ROCKY FIRST HALF OF YEAR 

U.S. stocks edged higher following a two-day bounceback in risk assets, on track for a subdued end to a turbulent first half of the year.

LIONS GATE AGREES TO BUY STARZ IN $4.4 BILLION DEAL 

Lions Gate agreed to acquire Starz in a cash-and-stock deal, valued at $4.4 billion, that combines the maker of "Hunger Games" movies with the operator of pay-TV networks.

HERTZ REACHES DEALS TO RENT TO UBER, LYFT 

Hertz Global Holdings said it reached new deals to rent cars to drivers for Uber Technologies Inc. and its rival Lyft, which could help the car rental company shore up its business as the ride-hailing services race to bulk up on drivers.

U.S. JOBLESS CLAIMS ROSE BY 10,000 LAST WEEK 

The number of Americans filing new applications for jobless benefits rose last week, but remained at a historically low level consistent with ongoing job growth.

CHINA OPENS DOOR TO FOREIGN PRIVATE-EQUITY FUNDS 

China will allow foreign private-equity funds to set up asset-management services in the country and invest in domestic stocks, in its latest move to open its markets and financial sector further to outsiders.

BORIS JOHNSON WON'T RUN TO REPLACE CAMERON 

The race for the leadership of the Conservative Party, and therefore the role of prime minister, took a sharp and unexpected turn Thursday, as former London Mayor Boris Johnson said he wouldn't run.

NEWMONT MINING TO SELL INDONESIAN MINE 

Newmont Mining said that it would sell its stake in an Indonesian copper and gold mine for $920 million and contingent payments of up to $403 million.

CANADA'S GDP ROSE 0.1% IN APRIL 

The Canadian economy grew in line with expectations in April-expanding a scant 0.1%- as strength in manufacturing and utilities was tempered by a steep decline in nonconventional oil extraction.

DARDEN'S PROFIT CLIMBS BUT GIVES DOWNBEAT VIEW 

Darden Restaurants said its profit climbed 33% in the latest period as same-store sales rose, but the company gave a soft forecast for earnings in its new year.

EU OPENS PROBE INTO AB INBEV'S TRADE IN BELGIAN BEER MARKET 

The European Union opened a formal antitrust probe into Anheuser-Busch InBev's practices on the Belgian beer market, citing concerns it may be hindering imports of its beer from less expensive markets in neighboring countries.

ECB NO CLOSER TO INFLATION TARGET AFTER SERIES OF STIMULUS MEASURES 

Eurozone consumer prices were slightly higher on the year in June, but left the European Central Bank no closer to meeting its inflation target.

DEUTSCHE BANK SHARES AT 30-YEAR LOW 

Deutsche Bank shares tumbled to a 30-year low after the International Monetary Fund and the Federal Reserve delivered the German lender a double whammy, saying it posed a significant risk to financial stability.

UNICREDIT NAMES JEAN-PIERRE MUSTIER CEO 

UniCredit has appointed its former investment banking chief Jean-Pierre Mustier as the new chief executive of the embattled lender, more than a month after former CEO Federico Ghizzoni agreed to step down, according to a person familiar with the matter.

SHELL CEO STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF CLOSE U.K. TIES TO EU AFTER BREXIT 

Ben van Beurden says he is concerned about the effects of lingering economic uncertainty on the business climate.

ALCOA TO SUPPLY EMBRAER IN $470 MILLION CONTRACT 

Alcoa said Thursday that it won a contract to supply aluminum sheet and plate to Embraer in a contract valued at about $470 million.

MCCORMICK PROFIT CLIMBS 11% 

McCormick said profit climbed 11% in the latest period, as acquisitions and cost-cutting helped boost the spicemaker's sales.

INTEROIL GETS BID, THREATENING OIL SEARCH DEAL 

InterOil Corp. said it received an unsolicited takeover proposal from an unnamed party, potentially disrupting Oil Search Ltd.'s deal to buy the midsize energy company.

NEWS CORP BUYS WIRELESS GROUP'S TALKSPORT 

News Corp is buying Wireless Group, the owner of the U.K. radio station talkSPORT, for $290.3 million.

CONSTELLATION'S ACQUISITIONS HELP LIFT TOP, BOTTOM LINES 

Constellation Brands on Thursday posted higher profit and revenue as a number of acquisitions continued to boost the beer and wine distributor.

CONAGRA RESULTS HURT BY WEAKNESS IN CONSUMER BRANDS 

ConAgra Foods reported a steeper-than-expected sales decline in its latest quarter, dragged by weakness in consumer brands as it continues to reshape its business.

 
 
 
  ======= DOW JONES NEWSWIRES ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARIES ======= 
 
 
Business 
EXXON TOUTS CARBON TAX TO OIL INDUSTRY 
 

Exxon is ramping up its lobbying of other energy companies to support a carbon tax, marking a shift in the oil giant's approach to climate change as the industry faces growing pressure to address the politically charged issue.

 
Technology 
U.K.'S EU EXIT POSES DATA-PROTECTION DILEMMA 
 

Brexit risks stripping companies of their ability to freely store information about EU residents on British soil, potentially creating a new barrier to trade in the region.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 30, 2016 10:00 ET (14:00 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.