AsiaPulse News back issues from January 2006:
S KOREA BOURSE FORECAST TO START STRONGER IN NEW YEAR.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SEOUL, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - The South Korean bourse is expected to reopen on a strong note in the coming year on the back of hopes of a bullish market, analysts said. More attention should be paid to whether the corporate earnings to be released starting in the second week of ...
SOUTH KOREA TO SELL TREASURIES IN JANUARY.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SEOUL, Jan. 2 Asia Pulse - South Korea will sell 5.5 trillion won (US$5.43 billion) worth of Treasuries in January, the Ministry of Finance and Economy said Sunday. On Tuesday, the government will auction off three-year Treasury bonds worth 1.37 trillion won, followed by ...
NORTH KOREA VOWS TO STRENGTHEN MILITARY-FIRST POLICY.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SEOUL, Jan. 2 Asia Pulse - North Korea vowed Sunday to strengthen its military-first policy in 2006 while trying to rebuild its dilapidated economy with emphasis on agriculture. In a joint editorial by its official press, North Korea also said it will expand cooperative ties ...
SOUTH KOREAN PANEL TO ANNOUNCE FINAL REPORT ON STEM CELL SCANDAL.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SEOUL, Jan. 2 Asia Pulse - An academic panel investigating South Korean scientist Hwang Woo-suk's stem cell research plans to release its final report around Jan. 10, a source close to the panel said Sunday. The source also said the nine-member Seoul National University panel ...
EACH SOUTH KOREAN HOME SET TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE CAR IN 2006.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SEOUL, Jan. 2 Asia Pulse - Every South Korean home is expected to own at least one vehicle this year, an industry body said Sunday. South Korea's auto registration totaled 14.35 million as at the end of November, which compared with 15.53 households in the country in 2004, the ...
COPPER FOIL PROJECT GOES INTO PRODUCTION IN EAST CHINA.
Jan 02, 2006 ... NANCHANG, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - A 6,000-ton high-grade copper foil project, jointly funded by Jiangxi Copper Group and Yates Foil USA Inc, went into production recently in Nanchang, capital of east China's Jiangxi Province. The official production of the project will fill the gap ...
HYUNDAI MOTOR GROUP TARGETS 17.6PCT SALES GROWTH IN 2006.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SEOUL, Jan. 2 Asia Pulse - The Hyundai Motor Group, South Korea's dominant auto conglomerate, said Monday it will seek to boost sales by an annual 17.6 per cent to 100 trillion won (US$98.7 billion) in 2006. The conglomerate, whose two flagships are Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia ...
BSNL TO FLOAT INDIA'S BIGGEST TELECOMS TENDER.
Jan 02, 2006 ... NEW DELHI, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - State-run BSNL is set to invite bids by January 15 from equipment providers to add 60 million mobile lines, the largest ever tender in India's telecoms sector. "We shall float the tender by January 15, 2006. Since the tender is so big, it has taken ...
TARO PHARMA, ALKEM LABS TO JOINTLY TARGET US, OTHER MARKETS.
Jan 02, 2006 ... MUMBAI, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - The US-based Taro Pharmaceutical Industries has entered into an agreement with India's Alkem Laboratories Ltd to jointly develop products for the US and other markets. "We believe that this strategic arrangement with Alkem will enable Taro to utilise ...
INDIAN SECURITIES BOARD SET TO SIGN UP EXTERNAL CONSULTANTS.
Jan 02, 2006 ... MUMBAI, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Realising the need for a "re-engineering" given the challenges of the Indian capital market, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on Friday said it would bring in external consultants to look into evolving its base structure. "The SEBI ...
INDIAN HOSPITALITY SECTOR BOUNCES BACK IN 2005.
Jan 02, 2006 ... NEW DELHI, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Lower airfares and an increased focus on infrastructure development kept the Indian hospitality industry busy in 2005, as room rates hardened and occupancies soared to new highs, thanks to increased foreign tourist arrivals and domestic travellers. ...
DHS COMPLETES FOUNDATION OF BIOMETRIC ENTRY SYSTEM.
Jan 02, 2006 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) US-VISIT program has completed installation of biometric entry capabilities at 104 land border ports, as mandated by Congress. Biometric entry ...
SCIENCE TO TAKE MORE TIME IN RETRACTING HWANG'S 05 PAPER: REPORT.
Jan 02, 2006 ... NEW YORK, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - The U.S. journal Science will take time a little more than the originally expected schedule to retract South Korean scientist Hwang Woo-suk's discredited stem cell paper published in its May issue, the New York Times said Saturday. The journal's ...
BSE TO IMPLEMENT INDEX-BASED CIRCUIT BREAKERS.
Jan 02, 2006 ... MUMBAI, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - The Bombay Stock Exchange on Friday said it will implement a market-wide index-based circuit breaker system on a quarterly basis. The system is applicable at three stages of the index movement either way, at 10 per cent, 15 per cent and 20 per cent ....
SOUTH ASIAN FREE TRADE AREA BECOMES OPERATIONAL.
Jan 02, 2006 ... NEW DELHI, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - The South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), which paves the way for free trade in goods among SAARC member countries, came into effect on Sunday. As per the agreement, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will impose their customs duties to 0-5 per cent by ...
STOCKS - BOMBAY SHARES CLOSE HIGHER - DEC 30, 2005.
Jan 02, 2006 ... MUMBAI, Dec 30 Asia Pulse - India's key stock market index on Friday rung out 2005 on a positive note, settling 75 points up at a new closing peak of 9,397.93 over Thursday's close, as the NAV-based share values were lifted by foreign funds while domestic players picked up shares of select ...
FOREX - US DOLLAR ENDS SOFTER AGAINST RUPEE - DEC 30, 2005.
Jan 02, 2006 ... MUMBAI, Dec 30 Asia Pulse - The U.S. Dollar ended sharply cheaper against the rupee at Rs 45.04 per dollar and the Pound Sterling also turned lower at Rs 77.51 per pound at the ...
AFGHAN GOV'T GRANTS LICENSES TO 2300 COMPANIES IN 2005.
Jan 02, 2006 ... KABUL, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Economists said insecurity and limited facilities hampered chances of investment in Afghanistan during 2005 as compared with the year 2004. Official of the Afghanistan International Support Agency (AISA) Shikeb Noori said over 2300 private companies ...
HYUNDAI MOTOR GROUP AIMS FOR 17.6 PCT SALES GROWTH IN 2006.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SEOUL, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Hyundai Motor Group, South Korea's dominant auto conglomerate, said Monday it will seek to boost sales by 17.6 per cent this year, as part of a drive to become one of the top five automakers in the world by 2010. The conglomerate, whose affiliates ...
RECONSTRUCTION SCHEME INAUGURATED IN AFGHANISTAN'S SHARAN.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SHARAN, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - A 1500 metre road and thoroughfares, rebuilt by the US-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in this Paktika capital city at the cost of US$160,000, were inaugurated on New Year Day. Paktika Governor Gulab Mangal, who inaugurated one of the projects ...
CASES OF BLOOD PRESSURE ON THE RISE IN AFGHANISTAN.
Jan 02, 2006 ... KABUL, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - The psychological impact of war, use of poor quality cooking oil and low rate of physical activities have increased cases of blood pressure across the country, the Afghan Public Health Ministry said. Abdullah Fahim spokesman for the Public Health ...
13 RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS COMPLETED IN AFGHANISTAN'S KUNAR.
Jan 02, 2006 ... ASADABAD, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - The American civil aid agency renovated the old building of the Central Bank of Afghanistan in Kandahar while 13 new projects were completed by the National Solidarity Programme in the Khas Kunar district of the eastern Kunar province. Building of Da ...
AFGHAN PARLIAMENT DEBATES RULES OF BUSINESS.
Jan 02, 2006 ... KABUL, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Nomadic Kuchi representatives in the new Afghan parliament Saturday failed to muster enough support for the formation of a commission to look into their problems. The legislature instead debated the rules of business. Notwithstanding the emphasis ...
ANALYSIS - FOR AFGHANISTAN, A YEAR OF UNREST AND HOPE.
Jan 02, 2006 ... KABUL, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Post-Taliban Afghanistan witnessed a number of developments, both negative and positive, in the outgoing year. Before ringing in the New Year, sparing a thought for 2005 will be necessary for sifting the cheerful events from the sombre happenings. On ...
ENTREPRENEURS IN AFGHANISTAN'S HERAT SEEK SECURITY.
Jan 02, 2006 ... HERAT CITY, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Herat's industrialists have underlined the need for security at an industrial park in the western province. Police officials are ready to provide paid security guards. Located 22 kilometres south of the city and in front of the provincial airport, ...
GUANGDONG GDP SET TO GROW 12.4PCT IN 2005.
Jan 02, 2006 ... GUANGZHOU, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - The GDP of South China's Guangdong Province is expected to exceed 2,163 billion yuan ($US48 million) in 2005, up 12.4% over that in 2004. Fixed asset investment is expected to be 702 billion yuan, up 16.5%; total retail sales, 740 billion yuan, up ...
WORK UNDERWAY ON EMBANKMENT IN AFGHANISTAN'S LAGHMAN.
Jan 02, 2006 ... MEHTARLAM, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Work has started on the embankment of a river in Alingar district in the eastern Laghman province. Spokesman for Governor of Laghman Dr Hizbullah told Pajhwok Afghan News the 525 metre bank would be building on the river of Alingar in Mullhayano ...
S. KOREA, U.S. TO HOLD FORMAL TALKS ON RESUMING BEEF IMPORTS.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SEOUL, Jan. 2 Asia Pulse - South Korea and the United States are expected to hold formal talks on the resumption of U.S. beef imports next week, a government source said Monday. The January 9-10 talks in Seoul were called for by the U.S. side and will take place earlier than ...
PAKISTAN'S MARBLE EXPORTS RISE 12% TO REACH US$18 MLN.
Jan 02, 2006 ... RAWALPINDI, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Exports by Pakistan's marble industry have reached US$18 million showing 12 per cent growth. Pakistan exports marble products to the Middle East, USA, China, Italy, UK and Germany. If the industry were given proper facilities it would have the ...
NORWEGIAN TELECOMS SERVICE ADDS MORE PAKISTANI SERVICES.
Jan 02, 2006 ... ISLAMABAD, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Norwegian telco Telenor has officially opened its GSM mobile network for commercial service in 26 more destinations, including Pakistan. This new addition has taken Telenor's total score to 200 destinations nationwide. Officially ...
PAKISTAN-CHINA BILATERAL TRADE SOARS 44 PCT IN JAN-OCT 2005.
Jan 02, 2006 ... KARACHI, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Bilateral trade between Pakistan and China has surged 44 per cent year-on-year to hit US$3.4 billion in the first 10 months of 2005. According to a press statement issued here on December 29, Pakistan and China are set to launch free trade regime ...
ORISSA GOVT TO SET UP INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PARK.
Jan 02, 2006 ... BHUBANESWAR, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - The Orissa government is to set up an Information Technology park here at a cost of Rs 4.98 billion ($US110.6 million). The government had already identified 54 acres of land for the project, near the 250 acre IT facility-Infocity here, an ...
S. KOREA'S EXPORTS OF DMB EQUIPMENT LIKELY TO GROW THIS YEAR.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SEOUL, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - South Korea's exports of digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) equipment are expected to grow this year as many nations, including China, plan to launch the wireless broadcasting service, industry sources said Monday. DMB is a homegrown technology that ...
S. KOREAN FINANCIAL FIRMS INCREASE PRESENCE IN CHINA.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SEOUL, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - South Korean financial companies have bolstered their presence in China to meet growing demand for their services stemming from increased bilateral trade, according to a report Monday. As of November 2005, South Korean banks, insurers and securities ...
ADVISORY - NEW YEAR HOLIDAY - JAN 2, 2006.
Jan 02, 2006 ... region will be closed today due to the New Year public holiday, ...
FOREX - US DOLLAR BEGINS WEAKER VS WON - JAN 2, 2005.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SEOUL, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - The US dollar opened at 1008.50 won Monday, ...
STOCKS - KOSDAQ INDEX BEGINS BRIGHTER - JAN 2, 2005.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SEOUL, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - South Korea's tech-laden KOSDAQ index began at 710.16 ...
FOREIGN INVESTORS RAISE GROWTH ESTIMATES FOR S. KOREAN ECONOMY.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SEOUL, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - A slew of foreign investors are scurrying to raise their 2006 growth estimates for the South Korean economy, citing stronger than expected overseas demand and unlikely aggressive rate hikes, a state-run think tank said Monday. Lehman Brothers, JP Morgan ...
CREDITORS SEEK COURT RECEIVERSHIP FOR DONG AH CONSTRUCTION.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SEOUL, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Creditors of South Korea's bankrupt Dong Ah Construction Industrial Co. seek to place the firm under court receivership in a bid to get it back on track, a state-run asset management firm said Monday. Korea Asset Management Corp. (KAMCO), the second ...
INDONESIA SET TO REPLACE PERTAMINA HEAD.
Jan 02, 2006 ... JAKARTA, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - State Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Sugiharto said the government had decided to replace Widia Purnama, president director of state-owned gas and oil company PT Pertamina. "We will replace him not because you are asking it (the ...
PAKISTAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - DEC 30, 2005.
Jan 02, 2006 ... ISLAMABAD, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: DAWN: - Bhasha dam (water reservoir) be built first, says House Body - Irritants legacy of past, says Musharraf (president) - Pakistan, India will resist pressure: Iran: Gas ...
JAPANESE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - JAN 2, 2006.
Jan 02, 2006 ... TOKYO, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: NIKKEI NET: - Manufacturers of consumer electronics are preparing to expand production of flat-panel television sets for sale in foreign markets, industry sources say. - The premiums that people ...
INDIAN GOVT UNVEILS NEW MARITIME DEVELOPMENT SCHEME.
Jan 02, 2006 ... NEW DELHI, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - The Indian government has finally unfurled its long-awaited National Maritime Development Programme (NMDP). The scheme aims at focussed and accelerated investment in specific infrastructure, tonnage acquisition and institutionalised ...
MALAYSIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - JAN 2, 2006.
Jan 02, 2006 ... KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE BUSINESS TIMES: - The much-delayed recovery in the manufacturing sector last year will provide a boost to the strength of the Malaysian economy this year, Malaysia's Business Times last Friday ...
PHILIPPINE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - JAN 2, 2006.
Jan 02, 2006 ... MANILA, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: MANILA TIMES: - The murder of Pasay City Judge Henrick Gingoyon on Saturday has prompted a call for providing guns to magistrates who have been threatened with death. - The governments tax ...
ADVISORY - MALAYSIAN SHAREMARKET CLOSED - JAN 2, 2006.
Jan 02, 2006 ... KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - The Malaysian sharemarket is closed today for the New Year's Day public ...
ADVISORY - SINGAPORE SHAREMARKET CLOSED - JAN 2, 2005.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SINGAPORE, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - The Singapore sharemarket is closed today for the New Year's Day public ...
CHINA-US TEXTILE TRADE AGREEMENT GOES INTO EFFECT.
Jan 02, 2006 ... BEIJING, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - The Sino-US textile trade agreement went into effect on January 1, 2006, imposing quotas on a total of 21 types of clothing and textiles from China. After seven rounds of talks, the United States and China in November 2005 signed a three-year ...
ADVISORY - AUSTRALIAN SHAREMARKET CLOSED - JAN 2, 2006.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SYDNEY, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - The Australian sharemarket is closed today for the New Year's Day public ...
ADVISORY - SINGAPORE SHAREMARKET CLOSED - JAN 2, 2006.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SINGAPORE, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - The Singapore sharemarket is closed today for the New Year's Day public ...
ADVISORY - TAIWAN STOCK EXCHANGE CLOSED - JAN 2, 2006.
Jan 02, 2006 ... KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - The Taiwan sharemarket is closed today for the New Year's Day public ...
CHINA'S TAX REVENUES JUMP 20% TO HIT RECORD US$382.5 BLN IN 2005.
Jan 02, 2006 ... BEIJING, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - China's total tax revenues reached a record high of 3.0866 trillion yuan (US$382.5 billion) in 2005, an increase of 20 per cent, or 514.8 billion yuan, year-on-year. The figure, excluding Customs duties and ...
SHANGHAI AIRLINES TO INCREASE FLEET BY 57 PLANES.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SHANGHAI, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Shanghai Airlines Co. Ltd will add 57 more planes to its current fleet in the forth coming five years, according to Zhou Chi, chairman of the board with the air carrier. Founded on Dec. 30, 1985, Shanghai Airlines Co. Ltd., China's first licensed ...
CHINA CALLS OFF COAL PRICE CONTROL MEASURES VS POWER FIRMS.
Jan 02, 2006 ... BEIJING, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said here Friday that coal supply in 2006 will be enough to meet market demand, therefore the government will call off price control measures against power companies adopted at the end of last year. ...
S. KOREA TO CONTINUE FINANCIAL DEREGULATION: FINANCE MINISTER.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SEOUL, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - South Korea will continue to make efforts toward financial deregulation, which will help create conditions to encourage investments in real economic sides, the country's top economic policymaker said Monday In a speech to mark the New Year's opening of ...
BUSINESS WIRE DAILY BRIEFING - DEC 30, 2005.
Jan 02, 2006 ... A summary of news releases for Dec. 30, 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: Hardware WIQUEST ANNOUNCES INDUSTRY'S ...
SSANGYONG MOTOR'S VEHICLE SALES RISE 4.2 PCT IN 2005.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SEOUL, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Ssangyong Motor Co. (KSE:003620), South Korea's fourth-largest automaker, said Monday its vehicle sales rose 4.2 percent on year in 2005. Ssangyong Motor ...
CHINESE ECONOMY GROWS 9.8 PCT IN 2005: NDRC.
Jan 02, 2006 ... JINAN, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - China's economy grew 9.8 per cent in 2005, said Ou Xinqian, vice minister of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) here Sunday. The commission's previous estimate for last year's economic growth was 9.4 per cent. This figure was adjusted ...
CHINA'S FOREIGN DEBTS RISE 8 PCT IN JAN-SEPT 2005.
Jan 02, 2006 ... BEIJING, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - China's foreign debts (excluding those of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) totaled US$267.46 billion at the end of September 2005, up 8.07 per cent over the end of 2004. Latest figures from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange show that mid and ...
CHINA'S 1ST JOINT-STOCK COMMERCIAL BANK INAUGURATED IN TIANJIN.
Jan 02, 2006 ... TIANJIN, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Bohai Bank, the first state-level joint-stock commercial bank in China, was inaugurated on Saturday in Tianjin, a leading port city in north China. The bank was established with the approval of the State Council, China's cabinet. With a ...
THAI NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - JAN 2, 2005.
Jan 02, 2006 ... BANGKOK, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: BANGKOK POST: - The European aircraft maker Airbus has announced an order from Bangkok Airways for six A350 wide-body aircraft to accommodate the carrier's plans to add routes to Europe. - Prime ...
CONTAINER THRUPUT OF SHANGHAI PORT SURGES 24 PCT IN 2005.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SHANGHAI, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - The cargo thruput of east China's Shanghai port reached 443 million tons in 2005, according to sources with Shanghai Port Administration here Saturday. Statistics from the administration said the thruput of Shanghai port has grown by more than ...
SINGAPORE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - JAN 2, 2005.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SINGAPORE, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE STRAITS TIMES: - Singapore's industrial property market looks set for slow and steady growth with rising occupancies. More entrants are expected after the anticipated divestment move of Singapore's ...
CHINESE BOURSES RECORD SHARP FALLS IN 2005 TRADING VOLUME.
Jan 02, 2006 ... SHANGHAI, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - China's two bourses in Shanghai and Shenzhen saw double-digit decreases in total trading volume in 2005. The volume of trading at the Shanghai Stock Exchange came to 5 trillion yuan (US$619.56 billion) in 2005, a year-on-year drop of 35 per cent. ...
HONG KONG NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - JAN 2, 2005.
Jan 02, 2006 ... HONG KONG, Jan 2 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST: - Japanese efforts to repair its strained regional ties have marked the start of the new year, with Emperor Akihito honouring foreign victims of the second world war and Prime ...