(Reuters) - Glencore GLEN.UL, the global commodities trading giant, is set to appear before the listing committee of the Hong Kong stock exchange this week, the strongest sign yet it will go ahead with a roughly $10 billion IPO, two sources with direct knowledge of the plans told Reuters on Monday. Glencore, valued earlier this year by one analyst at about $60 billion, is looking to ditch its long-standing partnership structure in favor of life as a public company, which will make it easier to reward partners and make acquisitions.

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(Reuters) - Mail-order food company Harry & David Holdings Inc filed for bankruptcy in a Delaware court under a pre-arranged deal with creditors that includes swapping $198 million of senior notes into equity. The company, known for its fruit baskets and Moose Munch snacks, has secured a $100 million debtor-in-possession (DIP) loan to continue operations while in bankruptcy.

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(Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc will re-open 12 of its Seiyu stores in Japan which were affected by the earthquake, and is hoping to open the remaining 12 impacted stores as soon as possible, a spokesman for the U.S.-based retailer said. Wal-Mart has 371 stores and 43 deli outlets in Japan, of which 24 were affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that left more than 27,000 people dead or missing across Japan's devastated northeast.

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(Reuters) - American Apparel Inc (APP.A) Chief Executive Dov Charney bought 1.8 million shares in the struggling clothing chain, raising his stake in the company to about 54 percent. According to a regulatory filing, Charney bought the shares for $1.11 per share, or about $2.0 million in cash. Before the latest deal he held a 51.8 percent stake in the company, according to filings.

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(Reuters) - The typical North American financial adviser forgoes $20,000 in potential revenue every year because of discounts on fees, according to a study released on Monday. Assets in fee-based accounts grew by 24 percent between 2007 and 2010, while transactional assets decreased by 1 percent, said Toronto-based PriceMetrix, a software firm that advises brokers on practice management.

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(Reuters) - Consumer goods giants Procter & Gamble and Unilever will both raise detergent and soap prices in China by up to 15 percent next month, local media reported, underscoring the battle the government faces with inflation. Policy makers in the world's second-largest economy have been racing to contain consumer prices, which rose 4.9 percent in February from a year earlier, to prevent inflationary expectations from settling in and contributing to further rises in the prices of everything from broccoli to beer.

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(Reuters) - The chief executive of Caterpillar Inc (CAT.N) has warned the governor of Illinois that state spending and an unfavorable business climate could undermine the competitiveness of Illinois-based companies. Doug Oberhelman sent the letter last week to Gov. Pat Quinn, noting that four states have invited the Peoria-based heavy equipment maker to relocate since Illinois raised personal and corporate income taxes in January.

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(Reuters) - Oil retreated on Monday, with both U.S. and Brent crude futures slipping over a dollar, after Libyan rebels regained control of key oil towns and the dollar firmed on hawkish comments from a U.S. central banker. U.S. crude was down $1.66 to $103.74 a barrel at 1332 GMT after earlier dipping to $103.60. Brent crude for May was down 94 cents to $114.65 a barrel, after slipping to an intraday low of $114.55.

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(Reuters) - U.S. stocks gained on Thursday as portfolio managers and hedge funds purchased high-performing shares near the end of the quarter, but options investors placed more defensive bets on the market. Electronics retailer Best Buy Co Inc (BBY.N) rose 2.5 percent to $32.64, lifting retail shares, after reporting better-than-expected earnings on strong smartphone sales. The S&P retail index added nearly 1 percent.

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(Reuters) - New orders for long-lasting manufactured goods fell in February, hinting at some unexpected softness in manufacturing activity and business investment plans. But other data Thursday showed the improvement in the labor market was becoming sustained, with new claims for jobless benefits falling last week and the four-week moving average dropping to it lowest level in more than 2-1/2 years.

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