(Adds comment from Ifo economist.) FRANKFURT (Dow Jones)--German business confidence deteriorated sharply in June on record high oil prices and a weaker export outlook, a survey from the German Ifo Institute showed Monday.

(Adds detail, economist reaction.) JOHANNESBURG (Dow Jones)--South Africa's economy cooled sharply in the first quarter of the year, growing at its slowest pace in more than six years as a power shortage dented mining industry output.

Business will not be allowed to become the Government's "fiscal fall guy", Alistair Darling has promised as he admitted Britain was at risk of losing its attractiveness as a place for companies to base themselves.

LONDON -(Dow Jones)- The Bank of England said Monday it has launched a scheme to allow banks to temporarily swap around GBP50 billion of mortgage-backed and other securities for nine-month U.K. Treasury bills to ease the current credit crunch.

BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK) today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.78 per share of common stock, payable June 23, 2008 to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 12, 2008.