FTEU3 index of top European sharesended 1

Shares of Apple Inc (AAPL.O) rose after Chief ExecutiveSteve Jobs dispelled investor concerns about his recent weightloss, saying it was a treatable hormone-related problem Appleshares rose 4.2 percent. European equities advanced for the fifth straight session,spurred by gains in shares of oil companies on rising crudeprices and by the anticipation of further fiscal stimulus,drawing flows away from safer-haven government debt. The FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of top European sharesended 1.9 percent higher at 873.01 points. The telecommunications sector was one of the biggestgainers on the index on the first full day of 2009 trading formany, with Swisscom (SCMN.VX) rising 5.2 percent, Cable andWireless (CW.L) adding 4.6 percent, Vodafone (VOD.L) up 4.3percent and Portugal Telecom (PTC.LS) rising 4.6 percent. Sharp losses for the euro, which was off 2.14 percent at$1.3579, also spread to euro/sterling, taking it to 0.9278,well away from record lows for the pound last week and easingmomentum toward parity. The dollar rose against a basket of major trading-partnercurrencies, with the U.S Dollar Index .DXY up 1.59 percentat 82.80 Against the yen, the dollar JPY rose 1.23 percentto 93.35.

Longer-maturity government debt fell, but shorter-term debtwas little changed to higher. The benchmark 10-year U.S.Treasury note US10YTRR fell 35/32 in price to yield 2.48percent, and the 30-year U.S. Treasury bond US30YTRR fell156/32 in price to yield 3.01 percent. Oil, up more than 35 percent since Israel launched itsattack on Gaza on Dec. 27, rose on increasing concerns aboutthe supply of crude from the Middle East U.S.

crude CLc1 gained $2.47 to settle at $48.81 a barrelafter touching a three-week high of $49.28 London BrentLCOc1 rose $2.40 to $49.31 a barrel. "Saber rattling by Iran and further instability in theMiddle East always produces fears for oil supplies, which isputting a platform under prices," said Bank of Ireland analystPaul Harris. Gold tumbled, briefly breaking below $850 an ounce asinvestors took profits on the dollar rally and signs of slowingphysical demand in India, the world's top bullion consumer U.S. gold for February delivery GCG9 settled down $21.70to $857.80 an ounce in New York. Asian stocks rose to a two-month high on hopes massivegovernment spending programs will revive a global economicrecovery later this year. The MSCI index of Asia-Pacific stocks outside Japan.MIAPJ0000PUS climbed 2.7 percent, while Japan's Nikkeiaverage .N225 gained 2.1 percent in a shortened session toreach a two-month high.

(Reporting by Richard Valdmanis, Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss,Chuck Mikolajczak, John Parry and Frank Tang in New York andKirsten Donovan and Kylie MacLellan in London; writing byHerbert Lash; editing by Dan Grebler) Stocks Bonds Russia. Comtech Telecommunications Corp. Receives $282.0 Million Movement TrackingSystem Order Largest Single Order in Company HistoryMELVILLE, N.Y., Jan 5, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) Comtech TelecommunicationsCorp. (Nasdaq:CMTL) announced today that its Maryland-based subsidiary, ComtechMobile Datacom Corporation, received an order for $282.0 million under itsMovement Tracking System, or MTS contract, with the U.S Army This order is thelargest single order in Comtech's history. Total orders received to date againstthe Company's $605.1 million IDIQ MTS contract increased to $426.2 million.The order is for the supply of newly upgraded ruggedized computers includingruggedized keyboards, docking stations, interface cables and base plates, all ofwhich are expected to be integrated into previously deployed MTS systems. Thenewly upgraded ruggedized computer is manufactured by a third-party vendor.Based on the timing of the availability of the third-party computer, and apreliminary delivery schedule provided to us by the U.S.