Reuters: Financial Services and Real Estate

1. UPDATE 4-Troubled Brazil economy shrinks again in March
   * March IBC-Br activity index down 0.35 percent, below forecast

   
   
   
2. Speculators return to net short cotton position- CFTC
   May 18 (Reuters) - Speculators turned net short in cotton futures and options on ICE Futures U.S. in the week to May 15, while they cut their net short positions in raw sugar, cocoa and arabica coffee, U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission data showed on Friday. Selected categories from the CFTC weekly Commitment of Traders report:

   
   
   
3. REFILE-US STOCKS-Wall St falls before G8 leaders meet on euro zone
   * Indexes off: Dow 0.5 pct, S&P 0.7 pct, Nasdaq 1 pct

   
   
   
4. TEXT-S&P report on U.S. regional banks
   (The following statement was released by the rating agency)

   
   
   
5. Brazil c.bank sells all FX swaps offered at auction
   SAO PAULO, May 18 (Reuters) - Brazil's central bank sold $654 million of swap contracts at auction on Friday, which helped stem a sharp loss in the local currency amid renewed market concerns over Greece.