AsiaPulse News back issues from August 2005:
FOREX - AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR OPENS SOFTER - AUG 1, 2005.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SYDNEY, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian dollar opened softer today following strong economic data in the US late last week. At 0700 AEST the local unit was trading at $US0.7558/62, weaker than Friday's close of 0.7615/20. During offshore trading, it reached a low of ...
AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - AUG 1, 2005.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SYDNEY, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE DAILY TELEGRAPH - Incoming NSW Premier Morris Iemma, who is understood to have taken more sick days and leave than any other MP during his 14 years in parliament, has been nicknamed "The Phantom" ....
HYUNDAI HEAVY WINS US$400MLN OIL RIG ORDER FROM FRENCH FIRM.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., the world's largest shipbuilder, said Sunday it had received a US$400 million order to build an offshore oil rig from a French oil company. Under the deal, Hyundai Heavy will construct a floating production unit (FPU) for ...
KOREAN CONSUMER PRICES RISE 0.4PCT IN JULY.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug. 1 Asia Pulse - South Korean consumer prices increased in July at the fastest pace in four months, mainly due to a rise in oil costs and prices of agricultural products, a government report said Monday. The consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.4 per cent to 117.8 last ...
TWO KOREAS TO FORMALLY OPEN ROAD, RAILWAY LINKS IN OCTOBER.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - South and North Korea have agreed to formally open rail and road links around late October, according to a joint statement signed at the weekend. Wrapping up a three-day working-level contact in the North Korean border town of Kaesong on Saturday, the ...
S. KOREAN OIL FIRM TO SIGN TECHNOLOGY MOU WITH IRAQI MINISTRY.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The state-run Korea National Oil Corp. (KNOC) said Sunday it will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Iraqi government on support of technology for oil development. The corporation will ink the agreement with the Iraqi Oil Ministry in the ...
LG. PHILIPS' Q2 LARGE LCD OUTPUT TOPS 10 MLN UNITS.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - LG.Philips LCD Co. produced more than 10 million liquid crystal display (LCD) panels of 10 inches or larger in the second quarter for the first time in the world, a U.S.-based market researcher said Sunday. In the three months ended June 30, LG Philips ...
S. KOREA'S EXPORTS OF ELECTRONIC GOODS FALL 1.2 PCT IN FIRST HALF.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - South Korean exports of electronic goods such as semiconductors slipped in the first half of the year, mainly because of a slump in the global IT industry and harsh challenges from rivals such as China, the country's central bank said Sunday. Exports of ...
SOUTH KOREAN AGENCY TO SELL $US195MLN IN ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - A South Korean state agency said Sunday it plans to sell 200 billion won (US$195 million) in asset-backed securities (ABS) next month to fund capital spending by smaller companies. The securities will be backed by bonds sold by 100 small and mid-sized ...
AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING ACTIVITY FLAT IN JULY.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SYDNEY, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Australian manufacturing activity remained flat in July as underlying weakness in the sector surfaced in the new financial year, an index has found. The Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) - jointly released by the Australian Industry Group (AI ...
GOLD AURA FINDS EVIDENCE OF COPPER IN NW CHINA.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SYDNEY, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Explorer Gold Aura Ltd (ASX:GOA) has found encouraging signs of high grade copper during field work in North West China. Grades of up to four per cent were found at the Saiyikale Joint Venture in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous ...
NEWS CORP DEPUTY LACHLAN MURDOCH QUITS.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SYDNEY, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - News Corporation chairman and chief executive officer Rupert Murdoch has announced that deputy chief operating officer, Lachlan Murdoch, has decided to resign from his executive roles with the Company. He will remain a director of News Corporation and ...
SOARING COAL PRICES BOOST COAL AND ALLIED PROFIT.
Aug 01, 2005 ... MELBOURNE, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Soaring coal prices have helped Coal and Allied (ASX:CNA) achieve a record half year net profit. The Rio Tinto subsidiary has reported a net profit for the half year ending June 30 2005 of $A126.4 million ($US95.44 million) and an interim dividend ...
TROUBLED SMART CARD CO ERG SET TO POST LOSSES.
Aug 01, 2005 ... PERTH, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Troubled smart card group ERG Group Ltd (ASX:ERG) expects to post an annual net loss of between $A10 million ($US7.55 million) and $12 million after cost blowouts on major projects. The cost of completing major system supply projects in Australia, the ...
SK TELECOM DECIDES TO PAY INTERIM DIVIDEND.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's top mobile carrier SK Telecom Co. said Friday that its board decided to pay shareholders an interim dividend of 1,000 won (US$0.97) a share. "The dividend will be paid out by Aug. 18," the company said in a mandatory filing with the ...
WOOLWORTHS ANNUAL SALES RISE IN AUSTRALIA.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SYDNEY, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Supermarket chain Woolworths Ltd (ASX:WOW) lifted sales in 2004/05 following a strong performance in its food and liquor division. But the market for discretionary goods, such as children's clothing and bedding remained tight due to strong competition ....
INDIA'S BANK OF BARODA TO SET UP SHOP IN TRINIDAD.
Aug 01, 2005 ... PORT OF SPAIN, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - As part of its worldwide expansion plans, Bank of Baroda (BSE:532134) will soon set up a branch in this Caribbean nation. The bank will set up a branch in this island nation as soon as the necessary legal documentation is completed, India's High ...
INDIAN POWER MINISTRY PITCHES FOR 100% FDI IN TRADING.
Aug 01, 2005 ... NEW DELHI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The Power Ministry has recommended 100 per cent foreign direct investment in trading of electricity through the automatic approval route. "It has been recommended to Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (Ministry of Commerce) that the ...
INDIA'S RELIANCE CAPITAL TO ACQUIRE AMP SANMAR LIFE INSURANCE.
Aug 01, 2005 ... NEW DELHI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Anil Ambani-controlled Reliance Capital (BSE:500111) is all set to acquire AMP Sanmar, making it the first Indian private corporate entity to go solo in life insurance business without any foreign partner. Active discussions are on and an ...
INDIAN INFLATION RISES FURTHER TO 4.18 PCT.
Aug 01, 2005 ... NEW DELHI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - An all round rise in the prices of primary, fuels and manufactured products pushed inflation up to 4.18 per cent in the week ended July 16, indicating the increasing impact of last month's hike in petrol and diesel prices. The point-to-point ...
STALEMATE IN WTO TALKS A WAKE-UP CALL: INDIAN COMMERCE MINISTER.
Aug 01, 2005 ... NEW DELHI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - India Friday said the current stalemate in the ongoing WTO trade talks was a wake-up call and emphasised that multilateral trading system should be fair and equitable to poor and developing countries to move forward in trade negotiations. Commerce ...
CLINICAL TRIALS EMERGING BUSINESS FOR INDIAN PHARMA INDUSTRY.
Aug 01, 2005 ... HYDERABAD, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - India is set to emerge as a major player in the global market for third party clinical trials and a host of pharma companies are increasingly engaging themselves in clinical trials of different magnitudes. Though clinical trials of biotech and ...
STOCKS - TOKYO SHARES OPEN HIGHER - AUG 1, 2005.
Aug 01, 2005 ... TOKYO, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Tokyo shares opened higher today, with the benchmark Nikkei-225 index ...
PAKISTAN SLAPS QUARANTINE RESTRICTIONS ON INDIAN POTATOES.
Aug 01, 2005 ... ISLAMABAD, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Pakistan has slapped quarantine restrictions on the import of potatoes from India, saying they could be infected with a virus. "We have reports that the Indian potato crop is infected and therefore the quarantine restriction is necessary," a Food ...
S. KOREAN MP3 FIRM SCAM CO. TO LIST SHARES ON NASDAQ.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - SCAM Co., a South Korean MP3 player maker, said Saturday it plans to list its shares on the Nasdaq stock market, becoming the first MP3 producer to do so. Under the plan, the company will be renamed Sorrell for the listing in September following its ...
INDIA SEEKS CHANGES IN TRIPS AGREEMENT IN WTO.
Aug 01, 2005 ... NEW DELHI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - India has sought changes in the TRIPs (Trade-related Intellectual Property Rights) agreement in the WTO to protect traditional knowledge and bio-diversity and suggested working towards a Ministerial Declaration on the issue at the Hong Kong meeting later this ...
SAMSUNG TO BAN USE OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES IN PRODUCTS.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - South Korean electronics giant Samsung Electronics Co. (KSE:005930) said Sunday it will prohibit the use of hazardous substances in its products from August in an effort to stick to environmental regulations by the European Union (EU). Samsung's move ...
STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN INDEX OPENS WEAKER - AUG 1, 2005.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SYDNEY, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian sharemarket opened weaker in early trading after a poor lead from US markets on Friday. At 1015 AEST the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index had dropped 12.3 points to 4276.5 while the All Ordinaries lost 11.9 points to 4334.8. On the ...
PROXILLIANT SYSTEMS OPENS ASIA PACIFIC SALES OFFICE IN AUSTRALIA.
Aug 01, 2005 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) NACKA STRAND, Sweden, MELBOURNE, Australia, BALA CYNWYD, Pa., and STOCKHOLM, Sweden, July 29, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Proxilliant Systems Corp., a leading supplier of systems and technologies to improve scalability, capacity, ...
FOREX - DOLLAR OPENS HIGHER AGAINST WON - AUG 1, 2005.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The dollar opened at 1028.00 won ...
RESTAURANT SECTOR POPULAR AMONG FEMALE BUSINESS STARTERS: POLL.
Aug 01, 2005 ... TAIPEI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - While the number of female business starters is increasing in Taiwan, 50 per cent of these women favor the restaurant and food services industry, according to the results of a survey released Friday by the 104 Job Bank. The survey by the leading online ...
TAIWAN JAN-JUNE TOURIST ARRIVALS RISE 18.1% YEAR-ON-YEAR.
Aug 01, 2005 ... TAIPEI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Tourist arrivals totalled 1.646 million during the first half of 2005, up 18.1 per cent over the same period last year, according to tallies released Friday by the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS). Japanese tourists ...
SOUTH KOREA TO INTRODUCE AGRI-PRODUCT TRACKING SYSTEM IN 2006.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug. 1 Asia Pulse - The government said Monday it plans to introduce a tracking system for agricultural goods next year that will monitor all produce from production through distribution to give consumers a better picture of the food they are consuming. The system that ...
STOCKS - KOSDAQ OPENS HIGHER - AUG 1, 2005.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The Kosdaq opened at 548.73 points ...
TAIWAN MOTORCYCLE SECTOR TO SEND SALES TEAM TO INDIA.
Aug 01, 2005 ... TAIPEI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) will lead a group of local motorcycle manufacturers to India in November to promote sales, TAITRA officials said Saturday. The mission is expected to meet with manufacturers in Mumbai and New Delhi ...
S KOREAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - AUG 1, 2005.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: Vernacular dailies -- 'More tapes of eavesdropped conversations likely exist' (Kyunghyang Shinmun) -- South, North Korea fail to agree on light-water reactors (Kukmin Daily) -- Public ...
NISSAN 1ST JAPAN CARMAKER TO EXPORT US-BUILT VEHICLES TO CHINA.
Aug 01, 2005 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 31, 2005--Trekking across the Mississippi Delta by rail, the cadre of China-bound Quests roll past the tall magnolias one last time as they head west, before being shipped across the Pacific to ...
S KOREAN DEPT STORE SALES RISE IN H1.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Sales at South Korea's major department stores in the first half of the year swung to an upturn for the first time in three years thanks to a steady recovery in private spending, a government agency said Sunday. The combined sales of the nation's ...
SMALLER KOREAN FIRMS PESSIMISTIC ABOUT AUGUST OUTLOOK: SURVEY.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's small and medium-sized businesses are pessimistic about their business outlook for August due to still-sluggish private spending and higher oil prices, a survey showed Sunday. The small business health index for future expectations, a ...
SOUTH KOREAN SHARES TO RISE THIS WEEK: ANALYSTS.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - South Korean stock prices are likely to continue their upward march this week, helped by ample liquidity and a series of better-than-expected corporate earnings announcements, analysts said Saturday. On Friday, the country's benchmark Korea Composite ...
N KOREA ADOPTS COMPUTERIZED MANAGEMENT OF ELECTRIC POWER: REPORT.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - North Korea is working to implement computerized management of its scarce electric power to prevent blackouts, a senior researcher at the North's Kim Chaek University of Technology said Saturday. The official said the new management system would allow ...
IMPACT OF FTAS ON S KOREAN EXPORTS SMALL: REPORT.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - South Korean goods and services that received favorable duties and other benefits under free trade agreements (FTAs) only accounted for a small percentage of the country's overall exports in 2004, a report by a state-run think tank said Sunday. The ...
SURABAYA CONTAINER TERMINAL OFFERED TAX DEBT DEAL.
Aug 01, 2005 ... JAKARTA, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The taxation directorate general said it would allow the Surabaya Container Terminal (TPS) to pay its value added tax (VAT) obligations by installments. VAT Director Syarifuddin Alsyah said his office is awaiting response to the offer from PT TPS to ...
INDONESIA'S BANK NISP POSTS LOWER H1 NET PROFIT.
Aug 01, 2005 ... JAKARTA, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The net profit of Bank NISP (JSX:NISP) declined to Rp94.4 billion in the first half of this year from Rp124.36 billion (US$12.6 million) in the same period last year despite aggressive credit expansion. The bank's President Pramukti Surjaudaja ...
BUSINESS WIRE DAILY SUMMARY - JULY 29, 2005.
Aug 01, 2005 ... A summary of news releases for July 29, 2005, compiled by Business Wire, the global leader in news distribution. To view any of these news release on Business Wire's website, please go to www.businesswire.com. 1) Category Code: Professional Services ICT OF INDIA WINS ...
STOCKS - SEOUL STOCKS FALL IN EARLY TRADE - AUG 1, 2005.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's stock market fell slightly in early trading on Monday, after a crude oil prices rose. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) declined 1.58 points, or 0.14 per cent, to 1,109.74 in the first 15 minutes of trading. ...
WB UN PROCUREMENT - INDIA, FOREST MANAGEMENT.
Aug 01, 2005 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** WORLD BANK UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS SERVICE PROCUREMENTS - JULY 2005 Country: India Project: ANDHRA PRADESH COMMUNITY FOREST MANAGEMENT PROJECT Financing: World Bank Abstract: PROCUREMENT OF A ...
LAZARD HIRES JONATHAN SHI TO EXPAND CHINA ADVISORY BUSINESS.
Aug 01, 2005 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 31, 2005--Lazard Ltd (NYSE: LAZ) today announced that Jonathan Shi (Shi Jin Jing) has been hired as a Managing Director-Asia to expand its China advisory business, effective August 1. ...
INDONESIA'S BUMI RESOURCE BOOKS 179% JUMP IN H1 NET PROFIT.
Aug 01, 2005 ... JAKARTA, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Holding company PT Bumi Resource reported Rp1 trillion (US$105 million) in net profit in the first six months of this year, or an increase of 179 per cent from the same period last year. The surge in net profit was attributable to an increase of 61.46 ...
INDIA CALLS FOR COLLECTIVE ACTION TO PROMOTE REGIONAL TOURISM.
Aug 01, 2005 ... COLOMBO, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - India's Tourism Minister Renuka Chowdhury called for collective action by South Asian nations to attract more tourists to the region and said New Delhi would develop a web portal to showcase the varity of tourist destinations. Addressing a SAARC ...
MALAYSIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - AUG 1, 2005.
Aug 01, 2005 ... KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: BUSINESS TIMES: - Telekom Malaysia Bhd's overseas investments, as they mature, will give a significant boost to Telekoms total assets and strengthen its position as a leading telecommunications ...
BANK INT'L INDONESIA POSTS 3% RISE IN H1 NET PROFIT.
Aug 01, 2005 ... JAKARTA, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Bank Internasional Indonesia (BII) reported a slight increase of 3 per cent on-year in net profit to Rp397 billion (US$41.7 million) in the first semester of this year. Its President Henry Ho said its outstanding credit totaled Rp19.18 trillion by ...
WB UN PROCUREMENT - VIETNAM, SANITATION.
Aug 01, 2005 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** WORLD BANK UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS SERVICE PROCUREMENTS - JULY 2005 Country: Viet Nam Project: THREE CITIES SANITATION PROJECT Financing: World Bank Abstract: QUANG NINH SUB-PROJECT - EXTENSION ...
INDIA'S ITC LAUNCHES PREMIUM PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS.
Aug 01, 2005 ... KOLKATA, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - ITC Ltd (NSI:ITC), India's largest tobacco company which has diversified into areas ranging from garments to tourism, has launched its imported personal care products for the premium segment. "More products would be added very soon like deodorants, ...
WB UN PROCUREMENT - PHILIPPINES, HEALTH.
Aug 01, 2005 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** WORLD BANK UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS SERVICE PROCUREMENTS - JULY 2005 Country: Philippines Project: SECOND WOMEN'S HEALTH AND SAFE MOTHERHOOD PROJECT Financing: World Bank Abstract: GENERAL ...
FITCH UPGRADES CITIBANK KOREA'S INDIVIDUAL RATING TO 'B/C'.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Global credit appraiser Fitch Ratings on Monday upgraded Citibank Korea Inc.'s ("CBK") individual rating to "B/C" from "C," citing its improved capital position and robust operating performance. Fitch also affirmed the bank's other ratings at long-term ...
WB UN PROCUREMENT - INDIA, ROAD.
Aug 01, 2005 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** WORLD BANK UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS SERVICE PROCUREMENTS - JULY 2005 Country: India Project: ASSAM STATE ROAD PROJECT Financing: World Bank Abstract: GENERAL PROCUREMENT NOTICE Sector: Roadways ...
TOP RANKING INDONESIAN POLICE FOUND WITH BULGING BANK ACCOUNTS.
Aug 01, 2005 ... JAKARTA, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The Transaction and Analysis Reporting Center (PPTAK) has reported to the police chief its finding that a number of high ranking police officers have extraordinarily large balances in their bank accounts. PPTAK has said it has found balances ranging ...
BRITISH OUTSOURCING FIRM CAPITA TO EXPAND INDIAN OPERATIONS.
Aug 01, 2005 ... LONDON, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Capita, a leading Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) company in the UK that also does work for some government departments, today announced plans to double its workforce in Mumbai to 300 by the end of this year as also to open a new building that can house u pto ...
PAY HIKE PLAN FOR TOP INDONESIAN OFFICIALS DRAWS ANGRY RESPONSE.
Aug 01, 2005 ... JAKARTA, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - A plan to raise the salaries of high ranking officials has been branded as immoral following reports of starvation in some parts of the country. Economic observers Bankit Hendri Saparini said it is not right to raise the salaries of higher income ...
TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX TO SUPPORT BLU-RAY DISC FORMAT.
Aug 01, 2005 ... (Full text of statement. Contact details below.) BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 29, 2005--Twentieth Century Fox, a member of the Board of Directors of the Blu-ray Disc Association since October 2004, announced today that it will release content on the new high ...
INDIAN OUTSOURCING INDUSTRY IN FOR MAJOR CONSOLIDATION: STUDY.
Aug 01, 2005 ... NEW DELHI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The Indian outsourcing industry is expected to witness an increase in merger and acquisitions and IPO activities, with the total value of deals estimated to be as high as 3-US$5 billion during 2006-10, according to a study. All this will lead to a ...
INDIAN COS MUST BE STRONGER FOR INDIA TO BECOME 3RD POWER.
Aug 01, 2005 ... NEW DELHI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - India Inc will play a major role in making the country the third largest economic power after US and China by 2050, economic think-tank ICRIER director Arvind Virmani said Saturday. Addresing Chief Executive Officers of leading business houses at ...
IMPORT DUTIES, EXCISE REAP US$2.51 BLN FOR INDONESIA TO JULY 15.
Aug 01, 2005 ... JAKARTA, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Customs and Excise Director General Eddy Abdurrachman said state revenues from import duties and excises rose reaching Rp23.91 trillion (US$2.51 billion) by July 15 or 51.88 per cent of the whole year's target. Around 55.47 per cent or Rp8.124 ...
AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS FACING TOUGHER TIMES: WOOLWORTHS CEO.
Aug 01, 2005 ... SYDNEY, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Woolworths Ltd (ASX:WOW) chief executive Roger Corbett said retailers were experiencing a slight tightening but it was too early to tell what direction the sector would take in 2005/06. Mr Corbett said there was a tightening in sales of discretionary ...