UPDATE 1-Louis Dreyfus IPO unlikely in short term - sources

* Group raised $2 bln in energy assets sale this year* Private investor more likely than IPO - sourceBy Gus Trompiz and Sybille de La HamaidePARIS/LONDON, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Commodities firm Louis Dreyfus is not envisaging a listing of its trading unit in the short term but is still considering options to raise capital, leaning towards a private investor, sources familiar with the situation said on Monday.The Financial Times reported on Monday that the French company had hired bankers to look at a listing of its commodities trading arm, or a partial sale to a sovereign wealth fund.But two sources with direct knowledge of the Louis Dreyfus situation said there was nothing new."There is no rush; the company has been private for 150 years so there is no specific timing" for changing the share holding structure," one source said, asking not to be identified.Louis Dreyfus has been in a state of flux since former head Robert Louis-Dreyfus died in 2009. He left his 59 percent majority stake to a trust, and made a commitment that his heirs would buy out minority shareholders from 2012.Group chairman Margarita Louis-Dreyfus confirmed in March she was holding talks with the company's minority shareholders about a stock market listing, a merger or bringing in a private investor to fund future projects.PRIVATE INVESTORBut the liquidity needs of Louis Dreyfus dropped significantly earlier this year after it sold around $2 billion in energy and "several hundred millions" in real estate assets, a source close to the company said."The group is rich with quite a lot of cash; it is less and less urgent that Louis Dreyfus Commodities supplies the cash," another source close to the matter said, pegging the remaining amount to buy out the other shareholders at less than $1 billion.With lower cash needs, the group, which has always promoted discretion, could favor a deal with another private operator."A private investor is less unlikely that an IPO," the source close to the company said.Louis Dreyfus competes for dominance of agricultural commodities trading with Archer Daniels Midland Co , Bunge Ltd and Cargill Inc.Its Louis Dreyfus Commodities branch generated some $46 billion in net sales last year and more than $1 billion consolidated net profit, the company said.Merger talks between Louis Dreyfus and smaller Singaporean rival Olam International Ltd failed this year. It also was reported to have held merger talks with other rivals, including Glencore International Plc .

Defenses bolstered as floods threaten Thai capital

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has sought to reassure Bangkok's 12 million people they should largely escape floods that have covered a third of the country since July, killing at least 289 people and causing about $3 billion in damage.The north, northeast and center of Thailand have been worst hit and Bangkok -- much of it only two meters (6.5 ft) above sea level -- is at risk as water overflows from reservoirs in the north, swelling the Chao Phraya river that winds through the densely populated city.Yingluck said water released from several dams should reduce the risk of floods as a wall of northern run-off water makes its way to Bangkok over the weekend, coinciding with high estuary tides that hamper the river's flow into the sea.She said the government was focused on releasing floodwater to the sea."We will protect strategic areas and the heart of the economy such as industrial zones, the central part of all provinces and Thai capital as well as Suvarnabhumi Airport, industrial estates and evacuation centres," she said, referring to Bangkok's main international airport.Despite official assurances, Bangkok residents have stocked up on bottled water and foodstuffs such as instant noodles. Many have parked their cars in elevated parking garages.To protect the city, authorities reinforced its last defenses -- a 4 km (2.5-mile) flood barrier along a canal and a sluice gate in Pathum Thani province immediately north of the city, where offices, shops and restaurants were submerged in chest-high water.The city, known for its historic temples and raucous nightlife, is on edge amid bickering between the government and Bangkok's governor, who has urged people to listen to him, not the prime minister. The two are on either side of a political divide that sparked violent street protests last year.Bangkok is the business heart of Thailand, accounting for 41 percent of its economy. In comparison, the central region, which has been badly flooded, accounts for 8 percent of the economy, Southeast Asia's second-largest.Parts of the central province of Ayutthaya, home to an ancient capital and historic temples, are nearly completely submerged, forcing at least three big industrial estates to shut temporarily.Japanese automaker Honda Motor Co Ltd said on Friday its plant there, accounting for 4.7 percent of its global output, would stay closed until October 21.Thailand is Southeast Asia's biggest auto-manufacturing hub with most factories located in the east, which has been little affected by the flooding. But their operations could still suffer because car parts firms have been hit.

New Issue-Svenska prices 1.25 mln euro 2021 bond

Borrower Svenska Handelsbanken AB (SHBa.ST)Issue Amount 1.25 billion euroMaturity Date October 20, 2021Coupon 4.375 pctReoffer price 99.873Spread 170 basis pointsUnderlying govt bond Over Mid-swaps, equivalent to 228.3bpover the 2.25 pct September 2021 DBRPayment Date October 20, 2011Lead Manager(s) BNP Paribas, Goldman Sachs International,HSBC, Handelsbanken Capital Markets & UBS InvestmentBankRatings Aa2 (Moody's), AA- (S&P),AA- (Fitch)Listing LondonFull fees UndisclosedDenoms (K) 100-1Notes Launched under issuer's EMTN programmeSecurity details and RIC, when available, will beonCustomers can right-click on the code forperformance analysis of this new issueFor ratings information, double click onFor all bonds data, double click onFor Top international bonds newsFor news about this issuer, double click on the issuer RIC,where assigned, and hit the newskey (F9 on Reuters terminals)Data supplied by International Insider.

Scotty McCreery in best "Idol" album debut in 8 years

McCreery took the "American Idol" crown in an all-country music finale of the TV singing contest in May. "Clear As Day" , released on a Universal Music Group label, sold 197,000 copies in the first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan figures."My hopes were just to go out there and have fun...Everybody hopes for the number one, but you never really expect it. To see it up there is pretty incredible," the poised teen with the distinctive deep voice said in a statement.McCreery, a former grocery clerk from North Carolina, was the first "American Idol" winner since soul singer Ruben Studdard in 2003 to start a career at the top of the Billboard 200 chart."Idol" Runner-up Lauren Alaina, 16, releases her first album next week.McCreery's "Idol" win followed a judge's revamp and efforts to attract younger contestants that helped the May final on Fox television see a 21 percent increase in viewers.He was the first country musician to win the "Idol" title since Carrie Underwood in 2005, who went on to become one of the talent contest's biggest stars.Commercial success has not been as easy for other recent "Idol" champions. 2010 winner Lee DeWyze was dropped by his record label last week after poor sales and 2009 winner Kris Allen has largely failed to translate his victory into a mainstream music career.