http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/06/markets-energy-nymex-idUSN0630296520110406
* Muammar Gaddafi is using human shields to foil air strikes on his
forces, NATO officials said. [ID:nLDE7342BL]
* Bahraini firms have fired hundreds of mostly Shi'ite Muslim workers
who went on strike to support pro-democracy protesters, an opposition group
said, in what appeared to be part of a government crackdown.
[ID:nLDE73425B]
* Gulf Arab ambassadors were to meet Yemen's opposition to urge them to
join mediation talks as protesters around the country again demanded an
end to President Ali Abdullah Saleh's 32-year rule. [ID:nLDE7350IS]
* Saudi Arabia has lowered the price of its flagship Arab Light crude
oil in May to customers in the Mediterranean area from Sidi Kerir, an
industry source said. [ID:nLDE73510L]
* UAE Oil Minister Mohammed bin Dhaen al-Hamli said OPEC member
countries recognized the world economy was fragile, but could do little to
control a market that was not driven by supply and demand. [ID:nWLA7422]
* Yields rose sharply in Portugal's short-term debt auction,
intensifying pressure from local lenders and ratings agencies to seek a
bailout. [ID:nLDE7350HL]
* Revised euro zone fourth quarter gross domestic product was unchanged
at 0.3 percent growth.
* German February industrial orders rose 2.4 percent, higher than the
0.6 percent expected but down from January's 3.1 percent rise.
MARKET NEWS
* The euro rose to a 14-month high against the dollar, but the yen
extended a steep decline, amid expectations that the European Central Bank
will start tightening on Thursday. World shares ticked higher. [MKTS/GLOB]
* Copper rose to its highest in about a week, as the euro scaled
multi-month highs against the dollar and on prospects of better commodity
imports data from China. [MET/L]
* Gold rallied to a record high, powered by a slide in the dollar and
by ongoing investor demand for safe-haven assets. [GOL/]
