AsiaPulse News back issues from May 2002:
AUSTRALIA'S FLIGHTSHIP GROUND EFFECT INVENTS FLYING BOAT.
May 01, 2002 ... TOWNSVILLE, May 1 Asia Pulse - Cairns company Flightship Ground Effect has developed a commercially registered flying boat, which combines the speed of planes and the economy of ships. The vessel can travel up to 170kph at about two metres above sea level, Flightship managing ...
OPEN - ASIA PULSE INTERNATIONAL - MAY 1, 2002.
May 01, 2002 ... Good Morning. This is the Asia Pulse International service of business intelligence, news, tenders and expert commentary on the economies of Asia provided by Asia Pulse Pte Ltd (Asia Pulse). Asia Pulse reserves all rights including copyright in relation to services ...
FOREX - AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR OPENS DOWN - MAY 1, 2002.
May 01, 2002 ... SYDNEY, May 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian dollar opened slightly lower this morning after slipping further below the 54 US cents mark overnight. At 0700 AEST the Australian dollar was $US0.5381/86 compared with 0.5383/88 at yesterday's close. The local currency ...
SINGAPORE'S WANT WANT HOLDINGS & HUNAN HONYEAR FORM JV COMPANY.
May 01, 2002 ... SINGAPORE, May 1 Asia Pulse - Want Want Holdings Ltd and Hunan Honyear Investment & Development Co, Ltd (HHID) have announced that they will form a joint venture company in Changsha city in China's Hunan Province. The new company will be known as the Hu Nan Want Want Hospital ...
AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - MAY 1, 2002.
May 01, 2002 ... SYDNEY, May 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE AUSTRALIAN - Surgeons cancel operations for private patients, calling for parliament to convene to pass insurance protection - Federal Budget could edge towards $A1 billion ($US536.8 million) ...
TALKS ON WALKER AUSTRALIA STRIKE MAKE A BREAKTHROUGH.
May 01, 2002 ... SYDNEY, May 1 Asia Pulse - Unions and Tenneco executives have made a breakthrough in the national car components dispute early today, according to a media report. A spokesman for exhaust maker Walker Australia said unions would be taking a proposal to striking workers at their ...
OMAN GOVT SIGNS CONTRACTS FOR HOUSING, POWER & WATER PROJECTS.
May 01, 2002 ... MUSCAT, May 1 Asia Pulse - Oman's Minister of Housing, Electricity and Water, Sheikh Suhail bin Mustahail Shimmas, has signed agreements worth RO 11.5 million (US$29.9 million) to construct housing units for people of limited income, and to expand the electricity sector and water supply to ...
OMAN AIR LAUNCHES INAUGURAL FLIGHT TO EAST AFRICA.
May 01, 2002 ... MUSCAT, May 1 Asia Pulse - Oman Air has launched its inaugural flight to East Africa. Oman Air's flight No. 701 left Seeb international airport Monday for Zanzibar and Dar es Salam, marking the start of the carrier's services on the new route to East Africa. A ...
OMAN TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL JUDICIARY PROGRAM.
May 01, 2002 ... MUSCAT, May 1 Asia Pulse - Oman, represented by the Justice Ministry, will participate in an international program entitled "Judiciary Independence and the role of Law" scheduled to take place in the United States from May 4th to 24th. Judge Hamoud bin Talib al Balushi, Head of ...
OMAN OPENS POWER SUPPLY TO RUSTAQ WILAYAT VILLAGES.
May 01, 2002 ... MUSCAT, May 1 Asia Pulse - Oman's Housing Electricity and Water Ministry has started supplying electricity to the villages of Wadi Al Ghail and Wadi Al Mansoor of the wilayat of Rustaq in Southern ...
ROMANIA SEEKS LONG-TERM TRADE TIES WITH IRAN.
May 01, 2002 ... TEHRAN, May 1 Asia Pulse - Visiting Romanian Deputy Minister for Industry and Resources, Mihai Berinde, said that his government was eager to establish long-term bilateral trade cooperation with Iran, according to the Tuesday edition of the English-language newspaper `Iran Daily'. ...
IRAN WAS DUBAI'S BIGGEST TRADE PARTNER IN Q1.
May 01, 2002 ... DUBAI, May 1 Asia Pulse - The Islamic Republic of Iran was Dubai's biggest trade partner in the first quarter of 2002, according to an announcement by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industries. The trade coordinator of the Dubai Chamber, Atiq Jom'e said here Tuesday that ...
IRANIAN MINISTER CALLS FOR BETTER TRADE BALANCE WITH AUSTRIA.
May 01, 2002 ... TEHRAN, May 1 Asia Pulse - Minister of Industries and Mines Eshaq Jahangiri said here on Tuesday that strategies should be adopted to strike a balance in Iran-Austria trade. Jahangiri told the visiting Austrian Defense Minister Herbert Scheibner that in the last Iranian year ...
IRAN AMONG 10 COUNTRIES WITH LOWEST RATE OF INCOME TAX.
May 01, 2002 ... TEHRAN, May 1 Asia Pulse - Iran is among the ten countries with the lowest rate of income tax, according to Abdulmajid Mahallati, the director of an auditing company. Mahallati told members of Iran-Germany Joint Chamber at Iran's Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines (ICCIM) ...
IRAN, TAJIKISTAN SIGN 9 PROTOCOLS FOR MUTUAL COOPERATION.
May 01, 2002 ... DUSHANBE, May 1 Asia Pulse - Iran and Tajikistan have signed nine protocols for cooperation in economic, cultural, political, and social fields. Iran's President Mohammad Khatami and his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmonov inked a statement on Tuesday calling for the expansion ...
GERMANY'S REEMTSMA SIGNS DEAL WITH IRANIAN TOBACCO COMPANY.
May 01, 2002 ... BERLIN, May 1 Asia Pulse - German cigarette producer Reemtsma has signed a three-year contract with the state-owned Iranian Tobacco Company (ITC) which includes the production of Iran's popular 'Bahman' cigarettes, the daily Hamburger Abendblatt reported here Tuesday. The ...
IRANIAN ECONOMIC DELEGATION ARRIVES IN CANADA.
May 01, 2002 ... NEW YORK, May 1 Asia Pulse - A 100-member commercial and economic delegation from Iran, headed by chairman of Iran's Chamber of Commerce Industries and Mines (ICCIM) Ali-Naqi Khamoushi, has arrived in Toronto to hold talks with Canadian economic officials. The delegation ...
IRAN'S NIPCC EXPORTS 4.011 MLN TONS OF PETROCHEMICAL PRODUCTS.
May 01, 2002 ... TEHRAN, May 1 Asia Pulse - The National Iranian Petrochemical Commercial Company exported 4,011,000 tons of petrochemical products, worth US$794 million in the year ending March 20, 2002, the firm's public relations department reported at the Fourth International Petrochemical Forum (IPF) ....
AUSTRALIA'S COLES MYER APPOINTS NEW MYER GRACE BROTHERS MD.
May 01, 2002 ... SYDNEY, May 1 Asia Pulse - Australia's largest retailer, Coles Myer Ltd (ASX:CML) has appointed Dawn Robertson as the new managing director of its Myer Grace Bros business. Coles Myer chief executive John Fletcher said Ms Robertson would join Myer Grace from Federated Department ...
AUSTRALIA'S MIA GROUP PREDICTS NET PROFIT WILL MEET TARGETS.
May 01, 2002 ... SYDNEY, May 1 Asia Pulse - MIA Group Ltd expects its net profit before amortisation for the year to June 2002 to be in line with budget forecast, according to its Australian owner operator. The company, which provides diagnostic imaging services and related practices, said that ...
PHILIPPINE EXPORTERS URGED TO VIEW CHINA AS ALTERNATIVE MARKET.
May 01, 2002 ... MANILA, May 1 Asia Pulse - Filipino exporters have been urged to consider China as their alternative market, with the slowing down of United States and Japanese economies. "The early birds have found a place under the big Chinese market. A wide range of Philippine products has ...
JAPAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT IMPORTANT TO AUSTRALIA:TREASURER.
May 01, 2002 ... CANBERRA, May 1 Asia Pulse - A meeting today with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will be a major step towards achieving the vital free trade agreement with Japan,said Australian Treasurer Peter Costello. Mr Costello said Japan was the world's second largest economy and ...
PHILIPPINES TO START EXPORTING FRESH MANGOES TO U.S. THIS WEEK.
May 01, 2002 ... MANILA, May 1 Asia Pulse - After more than 15 years of negotiations, the Philippines will finally be exporting fresh mangoes to the United States from the first week of May, thus penetrating the $220 million fresh mango trade in the US now dominated by Mexico. In a briefing ...
PHILIPPINES TRADE MISSION LEAVES FOR CANADA.
May 01, 2002 ... MANILA, May 1 Asia Pulse - A mission from the Philippine-Canada Business Council and the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will hold trade meetings from May 9 to 18 in Canada, the Philippines 19th-ranking trading partner. In a press statement, the DFA said the ...
AUSTRALIA'S OPTUS VOWS TO STAY IN PAY-TV IF DEAL GOES THROUGH.
May 01, 2002 ... SYDNEY, May 1 Asia Pulse - Singtel (ASX:SGT) affiliate Optus will remain in pay-television for the foreseeable future if its proposed programming alliance with Foxtel proceeds, the Australian Financial Review quoted Optus chief executive Chris Anderson as saying. The AFR said Mr ...
AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING ACTIVITY EASES IN APRIL: INDEX.
May 01, 2002 ... SYDNEY, May 1 Asia Pulse - Manufacturing activity in Australia has declined in April following an easing in housing activity, an indicator of industry performance showed. The results were revealed in the Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) for April which came in ...
PHILIPPINES COMMERCIAL BANKS RESUME LENDING.
May 01, 2002 ... MANILA, May 1 Asia Pulse - There is more evidence that commercial banks have started to lend again after maintaining a very conservative stance for most of last year. As of the end of February, the outstanding loans of commercial banks had grown by 1.5 per cent or P20.6 billion ...
DROUGHT PARCHES TAIPEI, CITY ANNOUNCES MORE WATER RATIONING.
May 01, 2002 ... TAIPEI, May 1 Asia Pulse - Drought conditions continue to plague northern Taiwan and with no relief in sight, the Taipei City Government announced a second phase of water rationing measures Tuesday. Taipei Deputy Mayor Ou Chin-der headed a task force formed Tuesday and set out ...
TAIWAN PREMIER VOWS TO MAKE ENGLISH `QUASI-OFFICIAL LANGUAGE'.
May 01, 2002 ... TAIPEI, May 1 Asia Pulse - Premier Yu Shyi-kun vowed Tuesday to make English a "quasi-official language" in Taiwan within six years. Yu promised that the government will work toward this goal and said it will do its best to push for the necessary legislation to that end in the ...
TAIWAN JUSTICE MINISTER ANNOUNCES SOFTWARE PIRACY CRACKDOWN.
May 01, 2002 ... TAIPEI, May 1 Asia Pulse - Minister of Justice Chen Ding-nan announced Tuesday that law enforcement authorities will intensify a crackdown on software piracy for the rest of the year. He told reporters that more than 800 prosecutors affiliated with over 20 district prosecutors' ...
TAIWAN VP INVITES ITALY TO INVEST IN LOCAL TOURIST MARKET.
May 01, 2002 ... TAIPEI, May 1 Asia Pulse - Taiwan is actively developing tourism and welcomes the Italian tourism industry to invest in the island, said Vice President Annette Lu. Lu made the remarks when she received Custavo Selva, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of Italy's ...
KOREAN INTERNET RETAILERS TO BE BACK IN THE BLACK THIS YEAR.
May 01, 2002 ... SEOUL, May 1 Asia Pulse - Korean Internet shopping malls that have been operating under chronic deficits look likely to return to the black this year, industry sources said Wednesday. LG eshop, Samsungmall, Interpart, Hansol CS Club and other major shopping malls have shown ...
KOREAN FIRM EYES 1ST CLASS RESORT ON SANTA CRUZ ISLAND.
May 01, 2002 ... ZAMBOANGA CITY, May 1 Asia Pulse - A Korean construction firm has expressed interest in developing Santa Cruz Island, located in front of the local port here, into a first class island resort. "They will put up a similar pattern like Dos Palmas dito sa Sta. Cruz Island," ...
ARROYO OKAYS TOURISM DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES FOR PHILIPPINES.
May 01, 2002 ... MANILA, May 1 Asia Pulse - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and members of the Cabinet have approved the Tourism Development Strategies (TDS) which would identify strategic tourist destinations in the country. The Tourism Development Strategies were presented by Tourism ...
STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN SHARES OPEN UP - MAY 1, 2002.
May 01, 2002 ... BRISBANE, May 1 Asia Pulse - Australian share prices opened slightly stronger today gains on US markets advances in overnight trading. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index at 1008 AEST nudged up 4.7 points to 3354.7, and the all ordinaries index lifted 5.1 points to 3304.6. ...
HONG KONG NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - MAY 1, 2002.
May 01, 2002 ... HONG KONG, May 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST: - New headquarters for the Government and Legislative Council will be built on the Tamar site, with HK$6.4 billion to be spent on construction. - The Hong Kong ...
CHINESE VP'S US VISIT WON'T HURT TAIWAN INTERESTS:OFFICIAL.
May 01, 2002 ... TAIPEI, May 1 Asia Pulse - An official with Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday that Chinese Vice President Hu Jintao's visit to the United States will not have an undesirable effect on Taiwan. MOFA Spokeswoman S.Y. Chang said that a task force headed by Vice ...
E-COMMERCE USED BY 20% OF JAPAN FIRMS LAST YEAR: METI POLL.
May 01, 2002 ... TOKYO, May 1 Asia Pulse - A total of 20.8 per cent of Japanese companies were engaged in e-commerce as of the end of March 2001, according to a corporate activity survey released Tuesday by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The survey showed that many credit ...
JAPANESE MORNING NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - MAY 1, 2002.
May 01, 2002 ... TOKYO, May 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of the morning edition of the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) today: - Japan Weighs Awarding Patents On Medical Procedures - Takeda Chem To Launch Genome Analysis Using Monkey Genes - Kyushu Power, Waseda Univ To Start ...
JAPAN'S CRUDE OIL IMPORTS DOWN 5.8 PCT IN FY01.
May 01, 2002 ... TOKYO, May 1 Asia Pulse - Japan imported 239.77 million kiloliters of crude oil in fiscal 2001, down 5.8 per cent from the year before, according to preliminary data released Tuesday by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). Crude oil imports dropped for the first time in two ...
DEMAND FOR CHIP-MAKING EQUIPMENT REBOUNDS IN MARCH:SEAJ.
May 01, 2002 ... TOKYO, May 1 Asia Pulse - Demand for chip-manufacturing equipment rebounded in March, due mainly to growing purchases by Taiwanese chip fabricators, according to a Semiconductor Equipment Association of Japan (SEAJ) report released Tuesday. However, the business environment ...
INDIAN TENDER - CORRIGENDUM TO INDIANOIL GLOBAL NOTICE.
May 01, 2002 ... *** ASIA PULSE TENDER *** INDIANOIL HALDIA REFINERY P.O.HALDIA OIL REFINERY, DIST:MIDNAPORE-721606, W.B. CORRIGENDUM TO GLOBAL NOTICE INVITING TENDERS The last date for sale of Tender documents for NIT No. HB/210755/PJ-66, ...
UMC'S IMPROVED EARNINGS NOT TO IMPACT RATING: S&P.
May 01, 2002 ... HONG KONG, May 1 Asia Pulse - United Microelectronics Corp.'s (BBB/Stable/--) announcement of improved earnings for the first quarter of 2002 and its anticipation that capacity utilization will increase in the second, would have no impact on its rating or outlook since they have already ...
SINGAPORE'S FEDERAL INT'L SETS UP TRADING ARM IN KOREA.
May 01, 2002 ... SINGAPORE, May 1 Asia Pulse - Energy industry service provider Federal International (2000) Ltd (SGX:FEDL) said it has incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary, Federal International Korea Private Ltd, to undertake the trading and procurement of specialized valves and other flowline control ...
FUJIFILM SETS ITS SIGHTS ON CHINA'S DIGITAL CAMERA MARKET.
May 01, 2002 ... TOKYO, May 1 Asia Pulse - Fuji Photo Film Co. (TSE:4901) plans to create a digital camera sales network in China as part of its fiscal 2002 overseas business development plan, Director Nobuo Wakuya announced at a press conference Tuesday. Fujifilm will focus on boosting digital ...
NEC MEETS COMPUTER-RECYCLING TARGETS 2 YEARS EARLY IN FY01.
May 01, 2002 ... TOKYO, May 1 Asia Pulse - NEC Corp. (TSE:6701) has announced that last fiscal year it was two years early in reaching the computer-recycling targets set by the revised recycling law. The electronics giant collected 520 tons of used desktop computers, 30 tons of notebook ...
SSP, IBM JAPAN TEAM UP ON DRUG SALES REP SUPPORT SYSTEM.
May 01, 2002 ... TOKYO, May 1 Asia Pulse - SSP Co (TSE:4537) has teamed up with IBM Japan Ltd to launch an upgraded support system for sales representatives who sell over-the-counter pharmaceuticals to drugstores and pharmacies. This new system integrates into a single server a system that in ...
JAPAN'S DIGITAL ARTS LAUNCHES EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE WITH FILTERS.
May 01, 2002 ... TOKYO, May 1 Asia Pulse - Software development company Digital Arts Inc. has started marketing e-learning software for home use that includes filtering to prevent children from viewing harmful material on the Internet. The company's goal is to provide parents with reassurance ...
SUMISHO COMPUTER ALTERS PORTAL BASED ON USER OBJECTIVES.
May 01, 2002 ... TOKYO, May 1 Asia Pulse - Sumisho Computer Systems Corp. (TSE:9719) has developed a system that directs users to different screens when they access a corporate portal site. With the system, employees, customers and suppliers are each presented with different screens that provide ...
IMF MAY INVITE N.KOREA TO FALL ASSEMBLY ON SHAREHOLDERS' REQUEST.
May 01, 2002 ... SEOUL, May 1 Asia Pulse - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Wednesday that it is ready to invite North Korea as a special guest to its annual assembly in Washington in the coming fall to help the isolated socialist country "better understand how the international financial ...
INDONESIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - MAY 1, 2002.
May 01, 2002 ... JAKARTA, May 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE JAKARTA POST - President Megawati Soekarnoputri gave the nod on Tuesday to a proposal tabled by the chief of the Public Servant Wealth Audit Commission to dismiss government officials and legislators ...
INDONESIA PREPARES POLICY TO CURB STEEL IMPORTS.
May 01, 2002 ... JAKARTA, May 1 Asia Pulse - The Indonesian government said it was preparing to release a new policy to curb steel imports to protect the local industry following similar measures imposed by the United States and other countries. "The tariff team headed by the finance minister is ...
SINGAPORE'S THAI VILLAGE TO OPEN 3RD RESTAURANT IN SHANGHAI.
May 01, 2002 ... SINGAPORE, May 1 Asia Pulse - Singapore's Thai Village Holdings Ltd (SGX:THVI) said that Thai Village Sharksfin Restaurant (Shanghai) Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Thai Village Overseas Ventures Pte Ltd, which is wholly owned by the company, had on 29 April 2002 entered into a rental agreement ...
AUSTRALIA POSTS 5TH CONSECUTIVE TRADE DEFICIT IN MARCH.
May 01, 2002 ... CANBERRA, May 1 Asia Pulse - March saw Australia posting its fifth trade deficit in a row, however a fall in imports slashed the deficit by almost half a billion dollars, official figures showed. Allowing for seasonal factors, the March trade deficit in goods and services came ...
INDONESIA, EU AGREE TO STEP UP DIALOGUE ON FARM PRODUCTS.
May 01, 2002 ... JAKARTA, May 1 Asia Pulse - Indonesia and the European Union have agreed to step up the intensity of discussions on how to improve mutual trade in agricultural produce, said Industry and Trade Minister Rini MS Soewandi Tuesday. The European Commission was ready to explore the ...
MITSUBISHI, ITOCHU INTERESTED IN INDONESIA'S LPG SECTOR.
May 01, 2002 ... JAKARTA, May 1 Asia Pulse - Japanese majors Mitsubishi Corp and Itochu are eyeing the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) business in Indonesia, but the price of this commodity in Indonesia has yet to be made more conducive for investment. Pertamina's downstream industry director ...
INDONESIA FACES BANKRUPTCY IF IT DOESN'T PAY UP: MINISTER.
May 01, 2002 ... JAKARTA, May 1 Asia Pulse - Minister of State Development Planning Kwik Kian Gie said that Indonesia might face a heavier burden to pay recapitalization bonds which according to the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) could increase to US$700 billion. "We have the ...
NSW STATE GOVT APPROVES AUSTRALIAN SILICON PROJECT.
May 01, 2002 ... PERTH, May 1 Asia Pulse - The New South Wales (NSW) state government has approved the development of Australian Silicon Ltd's (ASX:ASO) integrated silicon project near Moruya. The NSW Planning Minister Andrew Refshauge today announced that development consent had been granted ...
AUSTRALIA'S MYOB EXPECTS TO MEET H1 PROFIT FORECAST.
May 01, 2002 ... MELBOURNE, May 1 Asia Pulse - Australian accounting software group MYOB Ltd (ASX:MYO) said today it expects to meet its targeted profit for the first half of 2002. "While it is always difficult to forecast the second quarter because of high dependency on new product releases at ...
JAPAN GOVT TENDER - CELL ISOLATION SYSTEM.
May 01, 2002 ... ***** ASIA PULSE TENDER ***** TOKYO MEDICAL AND DENTAL UNIVERSITY TO PROCURE CELL ISOLATION SYSTEM The following is a procurement notice published in the Kanpo Japanese government gazette on Apr 26: (1) Contracting Entity : Masahiro Orihashi, ...
INDONESIA'S SIDO MUNCUL TO EXPORT MEDICINAL HERBS TO CHINA.
May 01, 2002 ... SEMARANG, May 1 Asia Pulse - Sido Muncul, a producer of traditional medicinal herbs, plans to export its products to China in 2003, company president Irwan Hidayat said. "Although China is well known as producer of various traditional medicinal herbs, the company is trying to ...
ADVISORY - KLSE CLOSED FOR NATIONAL HOLIDAY - MAY 1, 2002.
May 01, 2002 ... This is to inform subscribers that the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE) will be closed today (1 ...
BROADBAND TO BE AUSTRALIAN TELECOM MARKET'S NEW WAVE:ANALYST.
May 01, 2002 ... SYDNEY, May 1 Asia Pulse - Broadband will be the next cash cow for the telecommunications industry, said independent analyst Paul Budde, adding that telecom companies that focus too much on mobile or narrow band networks will see their revenues suffer. Mr Budde, speaking on ...
TWO MORE WELLS FROM AUSTRALIA'S OTWAY BASIN TO BEGIN PRODUCTION.
May 01, 2002 ... PERTH, May 1 Asia Pulse - Adelaide-based Beach Petroleum NL (ASX:BPT) today said another two wells would be brought into commercial production from Otway Basin. The Croft-1 and Naylor-1 wells, in which Beach has a 10 per cent interest, will be brought into production next month ....
FOREX - AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR DOWN AT NOON - MAY 1, 2002.
May 01, 2002 ... SYDNEY, May 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian dollar has drifted lower to noon with a lack of offshore interest to drive the market. At 1200 AEST, the Australian dollar was $US0.5371/76 compared with 0.5389/94 at yesterday's close. The local currency has drifted lower ...