AsiaPulse News back issues from August 2006:
AUSTRALIAN BOND MARKET OPENS FIRMER - AUGUST 1, 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SYDNEY, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian bond market opened firmer today after expectations of a pause in the US interest rate hike cycle this month were reinforced overnight. At 0900 AEST the yield on the Commonwealth Government April 2015 bond was 5.820 per cent from 5.840 ...
FOREX - AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR OPENS FLAT - AUGUST 1, 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SYDNEY, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian dollar opened little changed today, with the local market sidelined as investors await further direction on the interest rate outlook. At 0700 AEST the local unit was trading at $US0.7661/65, similar to yesterday's close of 0.7663/67. ...
SOUTH KOREAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - AUGUST 1, 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SEOUL, Aug. 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: VERNACULAR DAILIES: - Roh likely to sack education minister (Kyunghyang Shinmun) - President Roh likely to fire education chief (Kukmin Daily) - Prime minister to recommend Roh sack ...
GENSCAPE LAUNCHES ITALIAN AND CZECH REPUBLIC SERVICES.
Aug 01, 2006 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details follow below.) AMSTERDAM, July 31 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- Genscape, the company that pioneered real-time European power plant and transmission monitoring, today announces the addition of 2 more countries to their network: ...
GUY CARPENTER NAMES JOHN CARROLL AS BROKING HEAD, AUSTRALIA, NZ.
Aug 01, 2006 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) SYDNEY, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 31, 2006--Guy Carpenter & Company, Inc., the leading global risk and reinsurance specialist and a part of the Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MMC), today announced that John Carroll has ...
TIME SUPPORTS AUST FIRMS WITH ISYS JOB CANDIDATE SEARCH.
Aug 01, 2006 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) SYDNEY, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 1, 2006--ISYS(R) Search Software (www.isys-search.com), a global supplier of enterprise search solutions for business and government, today announced that Time Recruitment has ...
AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING ACTIVITY STALLS IN JULY.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SYDNEY, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Manufacturing activity stalled in July, with weakness particularly marked in the consumer-based sectors. The Australian Industry Group-PricewaterhouseCoopers performance of manufacturing index (PMI) fell by 4.8 points to 49.7, seasonally adjusted. ...
COCA-COLA AMATIL TO BEEF UP WATER BUSINESS IN AUSTRALIA.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SYDNEY, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Australia's biggest soft drinks maker Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) will beef up its bottled water business with the $A7.4 million ($US5.65 million) acquisition of rival water distributor Palm Springs Ltd. CCA said today it would buy the number two Australian ...
RISING NUMBER OF AUSTRALIANS FAVOUR EXPANSION OF URANIUM MINING.
Aug 01, 2006 ... MELBOURNE, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - A rising number of Australians say they support an expansion of uranium mining, according to a new poll following Labor leader Kim Beazley's policy backflip on the issue. Roy Morgan Research says 38 per cent of Australians say there should be more ...
AUSTRALIAN RESERVE BANK TO DISCUSS RATE HIKE TODAY.
Aug 01, 2006 ... CANBERRA, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The Reserve Bank board meets today to decide whether to lift interest rates for the second time this year. Most analysts are tipping the bank will increase rates by 0.25 percentage points when it announces its decision on Wednesday. Such ...
FOREX - US DOLLAR ENDS WEAKER AGAINST RUPEE - JULY 31, 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... MUMBAI, July 31 Asia Pulse - The US Dollar ended sharply cheaper against the rupee at Rs 46.56 per dollar but the Pound turned dearer at Rs 86.85 per pound at the close ...
STOCKS - BOMBAY BOURSE ENDS FIRMER - JULY 31, 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... MUMBAI, July 31 Asia Pulse - Despite surrendering a major part of the early gains, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) benchmark index, Sensex, on Monday managed to close in positive terrain with a moderate rise of 63.65 points at 10,743.88, cutting short Friday's brief downward correction. ...
LIFETRADE RECEIVES 1ST LIFE SETTLEMENTS S&P CREDIT RATING.
Aug 01, 2006 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details follow below.) CURACAO, Netherland Antilles, July 31 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- The Lifetrade Fund B.V., has received a Standard & Poor's Credit Quality rating as a life settlement investment fund. Lifetrade is the first ...
DUPONT TITANIUM ANNOUNCES TITANIUM PRICE HIKE IN MIDEAST, AFRICA.
Aug 01, 2006 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details follow below.) WILMINGTON, Del., July 31 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- DuPont Titanium Technologies today announced a price increase in the Middle East and Africa for all DuPont titanium dioxide grades. Effective August ...
HEMLOCK LAUNCHES SEARCH FOR SILICON MANUFACTURING SITE.
Aug 01, 2006 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details follow below.) HEMLOCK, Mich., July 31 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation, based in Hemlock, Mich. (USA), is launching a worldwide search for a potential second manufacturing site to produce ...
STOCKS - TOKYO BOURSE BEGINS WEAKER - AUG 1, 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... TOKYO, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Tokyo stocks began 0.45 per cent weaker Tuesday with the ...
TAIWAN HIGH SPEED RAIL NETS US$1.24 BLN LOAN FROM SEVEN BANKS.
Aug 01, 2006 ... TAIPEI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. (THSRC) announced Monday that it has obtained a second syndicated loan worth NT$40.7 billion (US$1.24 billion) from a conglomerate of seven domestic banks to make up the company's financial shortfall. A spokesman for the ...
TAIWAN CEPD TO EARMARK US$14 MLN TO HELP YACHT-BUILDING INDUSTRY.
Aug 01, 2006 ... TAIPEI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) decided Monday to earmark NT$450 million (US$13.74 million) to improve facilities at two docks in Kaohsiung Harbor to help Taiwan's yacht-building industry enhance its competitiveness in the world market. ...
TAIWAN'S FIVE MAJOR CONVENIENCE STORES INK ENERGY-SAVING PACT.
Aug 01, 2006 ... TAIPEI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The country's five major convenience store chains signed an agreement on voluntary energy-saving measures with the Bureau of Energy (BOE) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs Monday. The agreement promotes energy conservation through the voluntary ...
JAPANESE TOURISTS TAIWAN'S MOST FREQUENT VISITORS IN JAN-MAY.
Aug 01, 2006 ... TAIPEI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Among all foreign tourists to Taiwan in the first five months of this year, Japanese tourists stayed the most nights in total, according to statistics released Monday by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications. Foreign tourists stayed in ...
TAIWAN REQUIRES PHOTO ID FOR REMITTANCES OVER US$916 FROM AUG 1.
Aug 01, 2006 ... TAIPEI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The Financial Supervisory Commission reminded the public Monday that starting Aug. 1, those who transfer funds over NT$30,000 (US$916) at any bank in Taiwan must produce a photo ID and allow their personal information to be recorded by the bank. The ...
TAIWAN SCRAPS FEE FOR HK, MACAU TOURISTS AHEAD OF DOUBLE 10 DAY.
Aug 01, 2006 ... TAIPEI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Starting this year, Hong Kong and Macau citizens who visit Taiwan in September and October will be exempted from paying entry permit fee as part of the government's efforts to attract more people to attend Double Ten National Day celebrations, an official said ...
INDONESIA'S CLOVE CIGARETTE OUTPUT DOWN 12 PCT IN H1 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... JAKARTA, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Indonesia's clove cigarette production in the first semester of 2006 reached 94.8 billion pcs, down about 12 per cent compared to the 108.3 billion in last year's same period, the Indonesian Cigarette Producers Association (GAPPRI) said here on Monday. ...
INDONESIA COULD BECOME HEAVY EQUIPMENT EXPORTER: GERMAN EXEC.
Aug 01, 2006 ... JAKARTA, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Indonesia could become a heavy equipment exporting country if government always took active part in international industrial exhibitions where the country can study new technologies, a German businessman said. "By learning new and latest technologies, ...
INFOSYS OPENS NASDAQ STOCK MARKET IN US FROM MYSORE.
Aug 01, 2006 ... MYSORE, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - IT giant Infosys Technologies (BSE:500209) became the first company to ring the opening bell of the NASDAQ Stock Market from India. Infosys chairman Narayan Murthy rung the customary opening bell, which marks the beginning of the day's trading session, ...
STOCKS - SEOUL SHARES RISE AFTER WEAK START - AUG 1, 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - South Korean stocks started lower Tuesday, but soon turned positive as big-cap techs such as Samsung Electronics gained ground. The bellwether Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 2.25 points, or 0.17 percent, to 1,300.07 in the first 15 ...
INDIA'S WOCKHARDT HOSPITALS IN TIE-UP WITH US-BASED INDUSHEALTH.
Aug 01, 2006 ... BANGALORE, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Wockhardt Hospitals, a leading healthcare provider group, on Monday announced a strategic tie up with US based IndUShealth Inc, a global health care service that links uninsured and self-insured Americans to affordable, high-quality medical care outside the ...
STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN BOURSE OPENS WEAKER - AUG 1, 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SYDNEY, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian stock market opened weaker today, following a negative lead from Wall Street. At 1015 AEST, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 10.3 points to 4975.7 while the all ordinaries had lost 8.2 points to 4948.9. On the Sydney ...
FORBES WARNS INDIA OF JOBLESS GROWTH.
Aug 01, 2006 ... NEW DELHI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Financial and business magazine Forbes has warned that India faced the risk of jobless growth, saying its booming services sector was too small to provide employment for the burgeoning work force. "It is the energy and manufacturing industries that ...
S. KOREA'S OFFSHORE CONSTRUCTION ORDERS TOP US$10 BLN.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's overseas construction orders surpassed the US$10 billion mark in the first seven months of the year, reaching the level in record time, a government report showed Tuesday. The country's builders clinched a total of 182 orders worth .45 ...
INDIA, CHINA CONTRIBUTE TO HSBC'S US$12.5 BLN H1 PRE-TAX PROFIT.
Aug 01, 2006 ... LONDON, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Rapid economic growth in India and China and other emerging markets has helped HSBC, a leading high street bank, to earn a pre-tax profit of US$12.5 billion in the first half of this year. Michael Geoghegan, Group CEO of the bank said profits in India, ...
INFOSYS WANTS TO RAISE PERCENTAGE OF NON-INDIAN EMPLOYEES.
Aug 01, 2006 ... MYSORE, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Software major Infosys Technologies (BSE:500209) is keen to boost the headcount of its non-Indian employees to realise its ambition of being a more multi-cultural, multi-ethnic entity and a truly global corporation. The NASDAQ-listed firm, celebrating ...
WARBURG TO INVEST US$60 MLN IN INDIA'S LEMON TREE GROUP.
Aug 01, 2006 ... NEW DELHI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - US-based equity investment firm Warburg Pincus has picked up stake worth Rs 2.8 billion (US$60 million) in the hospitality chain Lemon Tree Group, which has embarked on a Rs 5 billion expansion to set up nine new hotels in the next two years. "We ...
INDIA'S ORCHID TO BUY OUT US-BASED BEXEL PHARMACEUTICALS.
Aug 01, 2006 ... MUMBAI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Looking to consolidate its research activities under a common umbrella, Orchid Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd (BSE:524372) on Monday said it will buy out US-based Bexel Pharmaceuticals Inc by acquiring a 26 per cent stake, for over US$3 million. ...
INDIA'S HIMALYA INTERNATIONAL TO ENTER DOMESTIC MARKET.
Aug 01, 2006 ... MUMBAI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Export-oriented food processing company Himalya International (BSE:526899) is all set to enter the domestic market and has made changes in its EOU status in this regard. The company has taken approval to change its Export Oriented Unit (EOU) status to ...
INDIA'S SUZLON ENERGY TO SET UP INNOVATION CENTRE IN DENMARK.
Aug 01, 2006 ... MUMBAI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The Rs 37 billion (US$794 million) wind energy major, Suzlon Energy Limited (SEL) will be fund its Rs 15 billion capacity expansion from the present 1,500 MW to 4,200 MW, scheduled to be completed by next June, entirely through internal accruals and debt, in ...
S. KOREAN EXPORTS REACH US$26.1 BLN IN JULY.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's exports rose 12.4 per cent from a year ago to US$26.1 billion in July, fueled by strong overseas demand for steel and petrochemicals, a government report said Tuesday. Imports for ...
HYUNDAI ENGINEERING, TOYO WIN US$1.3 BLN PLANT ORDER FROM QATAR.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. (KSE:000720), South Korea's No. 2 construction company, said Tuesday it has won a US$1.3 billion fuel plant order with Japan's Toyo Engineering Corp. from a company in Qatar. Hyundai Engineering & Construction will ...
INDUSTRIAL BANK OF KOREA EYES DOUBLE NET PROFIT IN 5 YEARS.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Industrial Bank of Korea plans to double its net profit, assets and market value in five years by boosting its lending to small and medium-sized businesses, the lender's head said Tuesday. The state-owned bank plans to double its earnings to 2 trillion ...
NHN'S Q2 EARNINGS JUMP OVER TWOFOLD ON BRISK ONLINE AD BUSINESS.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - NHN Corp., South Korea's top Internet company by market value, said Tuesday its second-quarter net profit more than doubled from a year earlier, boosted by an increase in online advertising revenues. Net income rose to 32.43 billion won (US$33.92 ...
FOREX - US DOLLAR OPENS SLIGHTLY WEAKER VS WON - AUG 1, 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The US dollar opened at 955 won Tuesday, down ...
STOCKS - KOSDAQ INDEX BEGINS LOWER - AUG 1, 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's tech-laden KOSDAQ index began at 557.01 ...
RELIANCE INDUSTRIES LISTED AS INDIA'S BIGGEST FIRM BY FORBES.
Aug 01, 2006 ... NEW DELHI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - It's oil firms that are big in India and not information technology companies as presumed, with Reliance Industries (BSE:500325) voted the undisputed leader by American magazine Forbes. In its latest rankings of 40 largest corporations in India ...
TOPPAN PRINTING CONCLUDES AGREEMENT WITH GREEK GOVERNMENT.
Aug 01, 2006 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) TOKYO, July 31/Kyodo JBN-AsiaNet/- Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. (Toppan Printing) has concluded an agreement with the Greek government (counterparty: The Hellenic Police) to supply the "Greek Secure Document Issuance System" for an ...
TECK COMINCO REVISES OFFER FOR INCO.
Aug 01, 2006 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) VANCOUVER, July 31 /CNW-AsiaNet/ - Teck Cominco Limited (TSX - TCK.A; TCK.B; NYSE - TCK) today announced that it has revised its cash and share offer to acquire all the outstanding shares of Inco Limited (TSX, NYSE - N). Under ...
CAPITAL COST SPIKES IN CHINA INVESTMENT: TAIWAN POLL.
Aug 01, 2006 ... TAIPEI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Taiwanese businesspeople operating in China, known locally as "Taishang," will encounter problems of rising capital costs for investments in China, according to the results of a survey released Monday. The survey of Taiwanese business people, conducted ...
NETALTER PATENT CLAIMS TO OFFER ALTERNATIVE INTERNET OP SYSTEM.
Aug 01, 2006 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) MUMBAI, July 31/Press Trust Of India-AsiaNet/ - The US Patent and Trademarks Office (PTO) has published the NetAlter Operating System Patent (Publication number 20060165040) on the 27th of July 2006. NetAlter Software ...
BRUKER DALTONICS AND ISIS PHARMA ENTER DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT.
Aug 01, 2006 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) BILLERICA, Mass. and CARLSBAD, Calif., July 31 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ - Bruker Daltonics, a subsidiary of Bruker BioSciences (Nasdaq: BRKR), and Isis Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: ISIS) announce today a strategic alliance ...
S. KOREAN EXPORTS HIT US$26.1 BLN IN JULY, UP 12.4 PCT.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's exports rose 12.4 per cent from a year ago to US$26.1 billion in July, fueled by demand for oil products, steel and petrochemicals, a government report said Tuesday. Imports for the month reached $25.4 billion, up 18.4 per cent from a ...
JAPANESE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - AUG 1, 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... TOKYO, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: NIKKEI NET: - Japan devotes a full chapter to its security ties with the United States in the latest annual government report on defense released Tuesday, reflecting the importance it places on a bilateral ...
THAI NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - AUG 1, 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... BANGKOK, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: BANGKOK POST: - Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday voiced opposition to growing calls for the postponement of the general election from Oct 15 in what analysts saw as a bid to take ...
ARROW CHINA RECEIVES TOP RANKINGS IN CUSTOMER PREFERENCE STUDY.
Aug 01, 2006 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) HONG KONG, Aug 1 /Xinhua-PRNewswire- AsiaNet/ - For the fifth consecutive year, Arrow China was ranked top in the following categories by Electronics Supply & Manufacturing, China (ESMC) Distributor Customer Preference Study: ...
GLENN STEVENS APPOINTED NEW HEAD OF AUSTRALIA'S CENTRAL BANK.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SYDNEY, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The new head of Australia's central bank is Glenn Stevens, who replaces outgoing Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) governor Ian Macfarlane. Treasurer Peter Costello today named Mr Stevens, who is RBA deputy governor, to the job which will become vacant ...
AUSTRALIAN BUILDING APPROVALS RISE 1.6 PCT IN JUNE: ABS.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SYDNEY, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Building approvals rose solidly in June, confirming economists' expectations that the nation's central bank will raise interest rates this week. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed building approvals rose 1.6 per cent to 13,028 ...
RATE RISE THREAT NOT DENTING AUSTRALIAN BIZ CONFIDENCE: SURVEY.
Aug 01, 2006 ... CANBERRA, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The threat of an interest rate rise is not denting the business sector, with a new survey showing confidence at almost an all-time high. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry-St George business expectations survey showed a sharp increase in ...
PHILIPPINE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - AUG 1, 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... MANILA, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: MANILA TIMES: - The latest wave of activist and media killings on Monday hit three regions, including Metro Manila, within a span of three hours, claiming three lives. - Easing interest outlook ...
CHINA'S ADVERTISING MARKET ON THE RISE.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SHANGHAI, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Boasting more than 140 billion yuan (US$17.6 billion) in annual turnover, China's advertising market has become one of the fastest growing ad markets in the world. Attracted by this potential, international advertising companies have flocked into ...
SSANGYONG MOTOR'S JULY SALES PLUNGE 52 PCT ON STRIKES.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SEOUL, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Ssangyong Motor Co. (KSE:003620), South Korea's second-smallest automaker, said Tuesday its vehicle sales for July plunged 51.8 per cent from a year ago, hit by partial strikes by unionized workers. Ssangyong Motor sold 6,477 vehicles at home and abroad ...
STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN BOURSE LOWER AT NOON - AUG 1, 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SYDNEY, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Australian shares were broadly lower at midday, after an erratic morning of trading ahead of an interest rate decision tomorrow and pressured by a lower Wall Street close. At 1200 AEST the S&P/ASX200 index was down 2.8 points at 4983.2, while the all ...
STOCKS - SINGAPORE STOCKS DOWN IN EARLY TRADE - AUG 1, 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SINGAPORE, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - Singapore shares were lower in early trade, with the Straits ...
FOREX - AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR WEAKER AT NOON - AUG 1, 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SYDNEY, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian dollar was weaker at noon today, with investors nervous ahead of a local interest rate decision tomorrow. At 1200 AEST the local unit was trading at $US0.7632/36, down from yesterday's close of 0.7663/67. This morning it ...
AIRPORT IN AFGHANISTAN'S HERAT SET TO BE EXPANDED.
Aug 01, 2006 ... HERAT CITY, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - An official said on Monday a US$23 million fund would be granted for the expansion of an airport in the western Herat province and construction of new departments in the provincial university. The fund would be granted for these projects from a ...
STOCKS - MALAYSIAN STOCKS LOWER IN EARLY TRADE - AUG 1, 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The Malaysian sharemarket was down 0.24 per cent in early trade, with the Kuala ...
AUSTRALIAN BOND MARKET FLAT AT NOON - AUG 1, 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... SYDNEY, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian bond market was little changed at noon. At 1200 AEST the yield on the Commonwealth Government April 2015 bond was ...
FOREX - RINGGIT OPENS WEAKER AGAINST US DOLLAR - AUG 1, 2006.
Aug 01, 2006 ... KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 Asia Pulse - The ringgit opened at 3.6600/6630 against the US dollar Tuesday, ...