TOP NEWS
*Alphabet Inc. unitGoogle Inc. andLinkedIn Corp. strucka property swap deal that covers 1 million square feet of existing buildingsand 2.4 million square feet of future development capacity, in Sunnyvale andMountain View, Calif., the Silicon ValleyBusiness Journal reports.As part of the deal, the companies will exchange several leased and ownedpieces of land, including LinkedIn's current headquarters.
*Apple Inc. is workingto debut an unscripted reality TV show, called "Planet of the Apps,"9to5mac.com reports,citing an open casting call for the series. The show, which will focus on"app economy," is being executive produced by Will.i.am, BenSilverman and Howard Owens.
Internet & OTT
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TV Networks
*21st Century FoxInc.'s 20th Century Fox Television teamed up with 's Marvel Televisionfor a new "X-Men" action-adventure series, Variety reports.The untitled series will reportedly revolve around two ordinary parents whodiscover their children possess mutant powers.
Technology
*Microsoft Corp.unveiled new subscription service offerings for its Windows 10 operating systemand Surface devices. According to an official blog post,the company's Cloud Solution Providers can use the Surface as a Service programto offer Surface devices, managed cloud services, Office 365, Windows 10, andrelevant ISV software to businesses.
*Google's Android Auto is now available in Japan, TheVerge.com reports,citing a company press conference. The software, which allows users to transferAndroid features from smartphones to in-car entertainment systems, can beaccessed in more than 30 countries.
*Disney will use SoundHound Inc.'s virtual assistant to help guests navigate itstheme parks, VentureBeat.com reports.As part of the pilot program, visitors at Disneyland or Disney World will beable to use Hound's iOS and Android virtual assistant apps.
The day ahead
Earlymorning futures indicators pointed to a higher opening for the U.S. market.
InAsia, the Hang Seng was up 0.46% to 21,322.37. The Nikkei 225 rose 0.84% to16,231.43.
In Europeas of midday, the FTSE 100 climbed 0.27% to 6,698.80, and the Euronext 100 rose0.28% to 863.68.
On the macro front
Theimport and export prices report, the Atlanta Fed's business inflationexpectations survey, the EIA petroleum status report, the Beige Book and theTreasury budget are due out today.
Featured News
: strucka deal to acquire London-based Odeon & UCI Cinemas Group from investmentfirm Terra Firma, while Amazon.com Inc. is preparing to launch its subscriptionvideo-on-demand platform simultaneously in France, Italy and Spain.
: China's DalianWanda Group is acquiring European theater chain Odeon & UCI Cinemas throughits subsidiary AMC Entertainment for about US$1.2 billion, while Nintendo'sshare price continues to soar following the release of its mobile game"Pokémon Go."
: The U.S. ishaving a very public debate about online privacy, and the EU is watching.
: NBC (US) said the combination of strong national adsales and local opportunities for NBC and Telemundo owned-and-operated stationswill not only push the 2016 Games into the black, but help it"unequivocally" exceed the profit level for the 2014 Winter Games.
:S&P Global Market Intelligence presents a roundup of recent programmingannouncements from various international networks and online video platforms.
: In this monthly feature, S&P GlobalMarket Intelligence provides a roundup of news related to over-the-top,video-on-demand and other online video initiatives in a range of SouthernEuropean markets, including Portugal, Italy, Spain, Turkey and Greece.
Featured research
: Thelatest edition of the TEPAL pay TV tradeshow was held in Panama June 28-30,just days after the inauguration of the Panama Canal Expansion.