Hunter fined

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a $30 million civil penalty against former Amaranth Advisors en ergy trader Brian Hunter, accused of ma nipulating the natural- gas futures market in 2006.

No, Nasdaq

NYSE Euronext direc tors rejected a sweet ened takeover offer from Nasdaq OMX Group and ICE, the second time the board backed a lower bid from Germany’s Deutsche Boerse.

Tainted Foods

A Florida judge al lowed a lawsuit to pro ceed that claims Whole Foods violated the state law by selling frozen vegetables from China grown in a polluted re gion by prisoners and certified as organic.

Jobless claims

Initial jobless claims decreased by 13,000 to a seasonally adjusted 403,000 in the week ended April 16, the Labor Department said.

Blackstone

Blackstone Group

reported first-quarter net income of $568 mil lion, up from $360 mil lion a year earlier. Shares rose 2.4 percent to $19.46.