Danamon bond

Danamon bond
issue postponed

JAKARTA: Due to high market volatility and an inevitable future
rise in Bank Indonesia's benchmark interest rate, Bank Danamon
has decided to postpone its plans to issue Rp 2.5 trillion
(US$264.55 million) in bonds.

The country's fifth largest lender said in a statement that
the delay, approved by underwriters Danareksa Sekuritas, Trimegah
Securities and DBS Vickers Securities Indonesia, was so as to
allow time for market conditions to improve and had nothing to do
with market demand.

"The market showed strong interest during the initial book
building process, but some investors are asking for a higher
coupon rate," it said. It was unclear when the bond issue will
now take place.

The bank had planned to use the proceeds of the bond sale to
expand its lending. Danamon is 62 percent controlled by
Singapore's Temasek Holdings Pte and Deutsche Bank AG. -- JP

;AP;
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Brief-McDonald's-Outlook
McDonald's boosts profit outlook for first quarter
JP/14/Brief

McDonald's boosts
profit outlook

OAK BROOK, Illinois: McDonald's Corp., the U.S.'s biggest
fast-food restaurant chain, said on Wednesday that it expects to
report a first-quarter profit above Wall Street estimates.

McDonald's cited particularly strong March sales as
contributing to the better-than-expected showing, which analysts
attributed to higher-priced menu items and operational
improvements.

The company expects to post profit of 56 U.S. cents per share,
up 40 percent from a year ago. Excluding a tax benefit and
expenses from stock-based compensation, McDonald's said earnings
will be 46 cents per share.

That surpasses the 42-cent consensus estimate of analysts
surveyed by Thomson Financial.

McDonald's said global same-store sales, which include only
restaurants that have been open at least a year, rose 6.8 percent
in March and 4.6 percent for the January-March period. -- AP