KLSE STOCK MARKET 

Dated 2012-05-17
More KLSE news from:
http://www.thestar.com.my


  Int Healthcare’s dual listing said end-July
The planned US$1.5 billion listing of Malaysia’s Integrated Healthcare Holdings (IHH) is expected to debut on the Malaysian and Singapore bourses by the end of July, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The dual listing w…..

  Zeti: No need to lift Malaysia interest rates
Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Malaysia’s central bank governor, comments on interest rates, inflation, economic growth and consumer debt. She made these remarks in a Bloomberg Television interview in Istanbul.On whether there’s a need for monetary pol…..

EPF joins JCorp in KFC, QSR acquisition
The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) has joined Johor Corporation (JCorp) to become shareholders of Massive Equity Sdn Bhd (MESB). MESB is a special purpose vehicle formed to undertake the acquisition of QSR Brands Bhd and KFC Holdings (M) Bhd. In a …..

Greece exit has ‘unimaginable’ after-effects
Malaysia’s central bank Governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz warned that Greece exiting the euro would have ‘unimaginable’ consequences for Europe and that she expects a solution will be reached to prevent a departure.’The consequences for that to ha…..

Asia Aviation to raise US$229m in share sale
Thai AirAsia Co’s parent company, Asia Aviation Pcl, will raise US$229 million in a Bangkok initial public offering, said one person with knowledge of the matter.The company, along with six shareholders including Asia Aviation Chief Executive Officer…..

MISC rating upgraded, stock gains
MISC Bhd, a shipping line controlled by state- run Petroliam Nasional Bhd, added 1 percent to RM3.98 in Kuala Lumpur trading at 9.37am, poised for its steepest increase since May 3. The stock was upgraded to buy at HwangDBS Vickers Research Sdn Bhd, …..

SapuraKencana falls on debut after merger
SapuraKencana Petroleum Bhd, Malaysia’s second-largest oil and gas services provider, fell on its Kuala Lumpur debut, a day after Asian stocks slumped the most this year amid mounting concern over international fallout from Europe’s debt crisis.The s…..

Affin upgrades MISC to ‘trading buy’
Affin Investment Bank upgraded MISC Bhd to ‘trading buy’ from ‘reduce’ with a target price of RM4.70 per share, citing undemanding valuations for the shipping firm. ‘MISC’s share price has plunged by more than 40 percent (over the last one year)…..

Maybank IB: SapuraKencana a ‘buy’
Maybank IB Research started Malaysia’s SapuraKencana Petroleum with a ‘buy’ call and a target price of RM2.68 (US$0.86) per share, citing a strong earnings outlook. ‘The valuation target is decent, in our view, considering the strong earnings gr…..

SapuraKencana debuts at 30 sen premium
KUALA LUMPUR: SapuraKencana Petroleum Bhd, a new oil and gas (OandG) powerhouse resulting from the merger between SapuraCrest Petroleum Bhd and Kencana Petroleum Bhd, debuted on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia today at RM2.30, giving a 30 sen premi…..

Malaysia-Australia to ink free trade pact
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and Australia will sign a free trade agreement (FTA) here on Tuesday.It will be Malaysua’s sixth bilateral FTA.According to an advisory issued by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, its Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa…..

Jobstreet inks MoU to set up JS Vietnam
Jobstreet Corp Bhd has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Vietnamese entrepreneur, Nguyen HoangBao, to set up JS Vietnam, a local limited liability company. The venture into Vietnam would be via a joint venture (JV) company in Sing…..

Fajarbaru bags RM13.6m KLIA2 job
Fajarbaru Builder Group Bhd announces that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Fajarbaru Builder Sdn Bhd (FBSB), has secured aRM13.649 million contract from Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB). It said the contract is to supply, install, tests and commiss…..

Eu Yan Sang to tap in halal market
SINGAPORE:Eu Yan Sang International Ltd (EYSI) is set to open more stores and tap the potential of the halal market in Malaysia.EYSI is a global healthcare and wellness company with a strong foundation in traditional Chinese medicine.It manufactures …..

Scomi to sell machine shop biz for RM124m
Scomi Group Bhd has entered into an agreement to sell its machine shop business in Nigeria for US$39.77 million(about RM123.9 million).Scomi inked a conditional share sale agreement with AOS Orwell Ltd, to dispose of a 100 per cent equity interest in…..

Friendster targets 10m active visitors
Friendster, the pioneer social networking site, aims to increase its monthly active visitors worldwide to 10 million by end of this year from four million currently. Its owner, who is also MOL Global Pte Ltd Group Chief Executive Officer Ganesh Kumar…..

Labuan FSA inks MMoU with IOSCO
The Labuan Financial Services Authority (Labuan FSA) has become a full signatory to the International Organisation ofSecurities Commission’s(IOSCO) Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MMoU) on consultation and cooperation and the exchange of in…..

Tradewinds slides on Q1 income dive
Tradewinds Plantation Bhd, a palm-oil producer, slid 8.7 percent to RM4.95 in Kuala Lumpur trading at 9.37am, on course for its largest loss since Sept. 26. First-quarter net income slumped to RM4.3 million from RM48.6 million on lower production and…..

Malaysia tax breaks spur sukuk rally
Malaysia’s efforts to become a global hub for Islamic finance by offering tax breaks is driving a record rally in foreign-currency sukuk, and arrangers say interest is increasing among local issuers.Standard Chartered Plc is in talks with about five …..

TDM upbeat on plantation arm performance
State government-owned company TDM Bhd remains positive on its plantation division’s performance this year despite thelower forecast for crude palm oil (CPO) production and CPO prices compared to last year, said chief executive officer Badrul Hisham …..

HLM Takaful gets new CEO
Hong Leong MSIG Takaful Bhd (HLM Takaful) has appointed Mohd Fauzi Yaakub as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)effective May 15, 2012. ‘As CEO, Mohd Fauzi is entrusted to steer HLM Takaful’s operations and business to maximise the company’s growth…..

IGB Corp Q1 pre-tax profit rises to RM99.5m
IGB Corporation Bhd’s pre-tax profit for its first quarter ended March 31, 2012, rose to RM99.541 million from the RM69.272 million posted in the corresponding quarter of last year. Revenue for the three-month period also grew to RM222.894 million fr…..

Kurnia pre-tax profit rises to RM34.8m
Kurnia Asia Bhd’s pre-tax profit rose to RM34.783 million in the first quarter ended March 31, 2012 compared to RM21.125 million posted in the same period in 2011. Revenue for the quarter also increased to RM301.293 million from RM286.851 million, th…..

MyClear appoints MPSB as e-debit acquirer
ManagePay System Bhd’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Multimedia Prospect Sdb Bhd (MPSB), received a letter from MyCleardated May 11, stating that MyClear is agreeable to appoint MPSB as its e-Debit Third Party Acquirer. ManagePay said the letter should no…..

Formis buys 20pc stake in Microlink Solutions
Formis Resources Bhd said its wholly-owned subsidiary, Formis Holdings Bhd (FHB), has acquired 20 per cent stake in Microlink Solutions Bhd from Technology World Company for RM4.587 million cash. Formis said the acquisition was a direct business tran…..

AMMB pre-tax profit surges to RM2.08b
AMMB Holdings Bhd’s pre-tax profit surged to RM2.082 billion for the financial year ended March 31, 2012 compared with RM1.865 billion posted the previous year. Revenue increased to RM7.999 billion from RM7.111 billion for the period reviewed, the fi…..

JCY Intl climbs ahead of Q2 results
JCY International Bhd, a maker of disk-drive components, climbed 1.3 percent to RM1.53 in Kuala Lumpur trading at 9.37am, bound for its highest close since May 7. The company will release its second- quarter earnings results after the market close.–…..

Kian Joo Q1 pre-tax profit falls to RM33.6m
Kian Joo Can Factory Bhd’s (KJCF) pre-tax profit for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012 (1Q12) fell to RM33.584 million from RM38.556 million in the same quarter of last year.Revenue, however, increased to RM266.771 million from RM255.306 million…..

White Horse Q1 pre-tax profit slips to RM15.7m
White Horse Bhd’s pre-tax profit slipped to RM15.711 million in the first quarter ended March 31, 2012 compared with a pre-tax profit of RM16.826 million in the same period last year. Revenue rose to RM128.659 million versus RM118.349 million lastyea…..

APM Q1 pre-tax profit rises to RM43.8m
APM Automotive Holdings Bhd’s pre-tax profit for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012, rose to RM43.803 million from RM42.584 million in the same quarter last year. It said the better performance was supported by gains in the divestment of the radi…..

Xingquan posts higher Q3 pre-tax profit
Xingquan International Sports Holdings Ltd posted a higher pre-tax profit of RM47.5 million for the third quarter endedMarch 31, 2012, compared with RM38.4 million in the same period last year. Revenue rose to RM216.8 million from RM181.7 million pre…..

Kumpulan Fima posts higher pre-tax profit
Kumpulan Fima Bhd’s pre-tax profit for the financial year ended March 31, 2012 increased to RM152.81 million from RM140.93million recorded in the same period last year. Revenue rose to RM472.04 million from RM431.88 million previously, Kumpulan Fima …..

PBA Hldgs Q1 pre-tax profit drops to RM10.2m
PBA Holdings Bhd’s pre-tax profit declined to RM10.185 million in the first quarter ended March 31, 2012 compared with RM13.243 million posted in the same period in 2011. Revenue improved to RM61.019 million from RM56.313 million, the company said in…..

Notion Vtec posts higher Q2 pre-tax profit
Notion Vtec Bhd’s pre-tax profit for the second quarter ended March 31, 2012 advanced to RM16.59 million from RM12.09million recorded in the same period last year. Revenue rose to RM84.51 million from RM53.93 million previously, Notion said in a fili…..

KL shares close higher
Shares of the following companies had unusual moves in Malaysia trading. Stock symbols are in parentheses and prices are as of the close in Kuala Lumpur.The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI Index rose 0.5 per cent to 1,544.21, its first gain in five days.AMM…..

BNM inks MoU with Turkish central bank
KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara Malaysia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Bank of the Republic ofTurkey to foster strategic cooperation between both countries. In a statement, Bank Negara said the MoU is also aimed at promoti…..

Palm oil rebounds on spurred buying
Palm oil rebounded from the biggest drop in more than 14 months as the slump, driven by concern that Europe’s debt crisis will worsen with the possible exit of Greece from the euro region, prompted buying from consumers.August-delivery futures gained…..

  US stocks sink on Greece concerns
NEW YORK: US stocks gave up early gains on positive US economic data to sink lower Wednesday as worries over Greece’s future in the eurozone hit investor sentiment.GE shares surged on news that its financial unit was back to health, but poor earnings…..

  Crest Builder proposes share placement, bonus issue of new warrants
Crest Builder Holdings Bhd has proposed a corporate exercise involving a share placement of up 10% of its paid-up share capital and a bonus issue of new warrants……

Notion Vtec turns around with RM15.5m net profit in Q2
Notion Vtec Bhd returned to the black in the second quarter ended March 31, 2012 as earnings rose 43.5% to RM15.53mil from RM10.82mil a year ago……

IGB Corp Q1 earnings up 47.9% to RM57.43m
IGB Corporation Bhd’s earnings rose 47.9% to RM57.43mil in the first quarter ended March 31 from RM38.82mil, underpinned by the property development and construction divisions……

KLCI snaps losing streak but SapuraKencana disappoints
Blue chips snapped their losing streak on Thursday, but managed to recoup only one-third of their losses from the previous day, as investors worried about the deepening turmoil in Greece and fears of contagion spreading……

Asia Aviation to raise $143 mln from Thai IPO
BANGKOK (Reuters): Asia Aviation Pcl, owner of the Thai affiliate of Malaysian-based budget carrier AirAsia Bhd , has set an IPO price of 3.7 baht ($0.12) a share to raise 4.5 billion baht ($143 million) in the Thai market this month, sources close t…..

JCY International’s Q2 earnings surge 1,209% to RM163m
Hard-disk drive manufacturer JCY International Bhd’s earnings surged 1,209% to RM163.09mil in the second quarter from RM12.46mil a year ago, boosted by higher average selling prices……

AsiaEP falls after triggering GN3 listing rules
Shares of AsiaEP Resources fell sharply on Thursday after it was classified as a Guidance Note 3 company……

EPF confirms taking stake in SPV for KFCH, QSR buyout
The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) has teamed up with Johor Corporation to become shareholders of Massive Equity Sdn Bhd (MESB) in the QSR Brands Bhd (QSR) and KFC Holdings (M) Bhd (KFCH)……

Private pension funds to boost Malaysian capital markets, says OBG
Malaysia’s capital markets are in line for a boost as the introduction of private pension funds is expected to create a significant funding inflow that will be directed towards various investment vehicles, says the Oxford Business Group (OBG)……

Federal Court grants leave to Ho Hup to appeal
The Federal Court granted Ho Hup Construction Co. Bhd leave on Thursday to appeal against a decision of the Court of Appeal……

Greek fears linger as Europe shares slip at open
LONDON (Reuters): European shares edged lower at the start of trading on Thursday, having closed down during the last three sessions, as fears over Greece and Spain continue to weigh on sentiment, traders said……

Asian markets higher, Tenaga powers KLCI
Asian markets were mostly higher at midday, Thursday, although overall investor sentiment still remained cautious as concerns over the persisting European debt crisis had not abated……

AMMB FY net profit up 12.5% to RM1.51b
AMMB Holdings Bhd recorded net profit of RM1.51bil in the financial year ended March 31, 2012 compared with RM1.34bil in FY11……

Scomi Group sells Nigerian operations for RM123.9m
Scomi Group Bhd is selling its entire 100% stake in Scomi Nigeria Pte Ltd and a 2% stake in Oiltools Africa Ltd for US$39.77mil or RM123.90mil cash consideration. …..

Hap Seng Consolidated sees 50m shares crossed
Hap Seng Consolidated Bhd’s 50 million shares were transacted in an off-market deal on Thursday at RM1.73 each……

AmBank to issue up to 100m Carlsberg call warrants
AmBank (M) Bhd has proposed to issue up to 100 million European style cash settled call warrants of Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Bhd……

Khazanah to list US$1.5b healthcare IPO end-July
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): The planned US$1.5 billion listing of Malaysia’s Integrated Healthcare Holdings (IHH) is expected to debut on the Malaysian and Singapore bourses by the end of July, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuter…..

ECB move on Greek banks hits euro confidence
FRANKFURT/ATHENS (Reuters): The European Central Bank has stopped offering liquidity to some Greek banks it does not consider solvent, and international concern about the euro zone rose as Athens called new elections that look set to be won by parti…..

Tradewinds Plantations falls to lowest since April 3
Tradewinds Plantations Bhd’s share price fell to RM4.86, its lowest since April 3 after it reported a 91% decline in net profit to RM4.34mil……

Asian markets up, KLCI holds on to early gains
Asian markets were mostly higher in late morning on Thursday after the sell-off the previous day as as investors continued to remain cautious as concerns over Europe remained……

CIMB Research upgrades MISC from Underperform to Neutral
CIMB Equities Research said that despite MISC Bhd’s first quarter core core net loss shocker, it thinks that earnings have bottomed……

KLCI stages mild technical rebound
Blue chips staged a technical rebound in early trade on Thursday after several days of heavy losses but the gains were limited as investors remain cautious about the eurozone debt crisis……

SapuraKencana opens at RM2.30
SapuraKencana Petroleum Bhd(SapuraKencana) made its debut on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia on Thursday at RM2.30, which was six sen above its reference price of RM2.24……

Apple readies iPhone with bigger screen
TOKYO: Apple Inc plans to use a larger screen on the next-generation iPhone and has begun to place orders for the new displays from suppliers in South Korea and Japan, people familiar with the situation said on Wednesday……

GLOBAL MARKETS-Euro, US stocks fall on ECB, Fed minutes
NEW YORK: U.S. stocks and the euro slid on Wednesday on news that some Greek banks face emergency funding needs, while minutes from the Federal Reserve’s April meeting showed U.S. economic prospects remain sobering……

HDBSVR sees KLCI extending decline
Hwang DBS Vickers Research believes that the FBM KLCI will continue to extend its losing streak to five consecutive days on Thursday, with cumulative losses for the previous four days now standing at 52.0 points or 3.3%……

GLOBAL MARKETS-Shares steady after sell-off, Greece fears weigh
TOKYO (Reuters): Asian shares steadied on Thursday from the previous day’s sell-off, but investors found no reason to bet on risk amid deepening turmoil in Greece and fears of contagion to other stressed euro zone economies……

EPF to take big stake in SPV in the KFC and QSR buyout
PETALING JAYA: The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) will take a significant stake in the special-purpose vehicle (SPV) that is proposing to buy out QSR Brands Bhd and KFC Holdings (M) Bhd (KFCH), sources said……

AmResearch initiates coverage of SapuraKencana, FV RM2.68
AmResearch has initiated coverage on SapuraKencana Petroleum (SapuraKencana) with a fair value of RM2.68 a share, pegged to a FY13F PE of 22 times, excluding one-off merger costs of RM131mil……

Quota removal may see higher fees in international schools
WHEN I was in school in the 1970s and 80s, international schools were the choice schools for expatriates, diplomats and students who have studied abroad……

Chamber hails US firms move to invest RM1bil in Sabah
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Bumiputera Chamber of Commerce has hailed the decision by Dole Food Co, a US-based and world’s largest producer and marketer of fresh fruits and vegetables, to invest over RM1bil in the state……

Malaysia wants to woo more investments from US
NEW YORK: Malaysia will promote more cooperation with American companies in efforts to woo more investments from the United States, Malaysian Ambassador to the United States Datuk Othman Hashim said……

AirAsia X to expand further in China
BEIJING: AirAsia X, which will launch its inaugural direct flight to Beijing next month, aims to expand its network further into China……

Firms secure RM23m sales in Oman via promotion
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian companies recorded potential sales of RM22.9mil during the recent 1Malaysia Promotion in Muscat, Oman……

Asian markets hard hit
PETALING JAYA: Regional equities suffered massive sell-offs dragging their main indexes to multi-month lows as political problems continued to mount in debt-laden Greece, affecting investor sentiment……

RM12bil bids target
KUALA LUMPUR: SapuraKencana Petroleum Bhd, a merged entity of two oil and gas (O&G) companies, expects to boost its bidding order book to RM12bil by year-end from RM7bil currently……

WCT’s RM1bil target
KLANG: WCT Bhd is optimistic about getting RM1bil worth of new contracts in the nine months ending Dec 31, 2012……

HSL wins RM73mil in jobs
KUALA LUMPUR: Hock Seng Lee Bhd (HSL) has won contracts worth RM73mil, bringing the total value of contracts secured so far this year to RM155mil……

Bills for better supervision
PETALING JAYA: The proposed Financial Services Bill (FSB) and Islamic Financial Services Bill (IFSB) will impose greater obligations on financial holding companies and help strengthen regulation, supervision and governance of financial services group…..

RAM reaffirms ratings for Menara ABS sukuks
KUALA LUMPUR: RAM Ratings has reaffirmed the respective AAA, AA2, A1, A2 and AAA ratings of Menara ABS Bhd’s Tranche A1, Tranche A2, Tranche A3, Tranche A4 (Tranche A Sukuk) and Tranche B Sukuk Ijarah……

Ranga re-elected as MSA president
PETALING JAYA: The Media Specialist Association (MSA) has re-elected its president Ranga Somanathan, for another term of two years at its recent AGM……

SEGi’s offer letter delivered
KUALA LUMPUR: Seg Internationl Bhd’s (SEGi) offerors have sent the official documents pertaining to the offer to privatise the education company……

Nod for Maybank’s MTN programme
PETALING JAYA: The Securities Commission (SC) has approved Malayan Banking Bhd’s (Maybank) proposed US$5bil (RM15.7bil) multi-currency medium-term note (MTN) programme……

Sunway unit gets credit facilities
KUALA LUMPUR: Sunway Bhd’s unit Sunway Integrated Properties Sdn Bhd (SIP) has secured credit facilities totalling RM302.2mil from Public Bank Bhd and Affin Bank Bhd……

Hektar Asset gets SC’s green light
KUALA LUMPUR: Hektar Asset Management Sdn Bhd, the manager of Hektar Real Estate Investment Trust (Hektar REIT), has obtained the approval from the Securities Commission (SC) for the proposed fund size increase and to list the new units on the Main M…..

TM remains top pick
TELEKOM Malaysia Bhd (TM) remains an “outperform” with a higher discounted cashflow-based target price as we lower its weighted average cost of capital for its active capital management. It is one of our top picks due to its continued strong growth a…..

Asia helps drive Facebook’s goal
KUALA LUMPUR: As Facebook nears saturation levels in some Western countries, Asian users are helping drive the social-networking leader’s march on the 1 billion-user milestone and beyond……

Facebook IPO size 25% bigger
NEW YORK:Facebook Inc increased the size of its initial public offering (IPO) by almost 25%, and could raise as much as US$16bil as strong investor demand for a share of the No.1 social network trumps debate about its long-term potential to make mone…..

AirAsia surprises investors
PETALING JAYA: AirAsia Bhd surprised its shareholders and analysts when it announced its intention to pay a significantly higher dividend for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2011 (FY11)……

HLB earnings soar on merger with EON Capital
PETALING JAYA: Hong Leong Bank Bhd’s (HLB) net profit for its third quarter ended March 31 rose 60.5% to RM465.1mil from RM289.7mil a year earlier, alongside a 49.2% jump in its parent Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd’s (HLFG) net profit to…..

MISC net loss widens in Q1
PETALING JAYA: MISC Bhd suffered a net loss of RM465.08mil in its first quarter ended March 31 compared with a net loss RM307.88mil a year earlier on the back of lower revenue, which slipped to RM2.4bil from RM2.9bil previously……

Tradewinds Q1 earnings down
PETALING JAYA: Tradewinds Plantation Bhd’s net profit for its first quarter ended March 31 fell sharply by 91% to RM4.34mil from RM48.63mil mainly due to lower production and prices of palm products……

Lower profit for Media Prima
PETALING JAYA: Media Prima Bhd’s net profit for the first quarter ended March 31 fell 40% to RM20.79mil from RM34.79mil a year earlier mainly due to lower revenue, in line with the general seasonal trends of advertising spending by advertisers……

Konsortium Logistik profit slips
PETALING JAYA: Konsortium Logistik Bhd’s net profit for the first quarter ended March 31 slipped to RM4.57mil from RM10.93mil previously mainly due to lower logistics activities in the automotive logistics division as well as delays in the awar…..

BSN revenue up 12.6% in 2011
KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) announced its 2011 financial highlights and reported a registered revenue of RM1.5bil against RM1.3bil in 2010, representing a 12.6% year-on-year growth……

Samsung’s big loss on Apple order
SEOUL: Shares in Samsung Electronics Co slumped more than 6% yesterday, wiping US$10bil off the electronics giant’s market value, on a report that Apple placed huge chip orders with troubled Japanese chip rival Elpida.    &n…..

SP Setia development wins another FIABCI award
PETALING JAYA: SP Setia Bhd’s award-winning development in Johor, Setia Eco Gardens bagged another FIABCI Prix d’Excellence award at the 2012 FIABCI Prix d’Excellence Awards Ceremony held in St Petersburg……

HSBC: Invest more in human capital
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia should strengthen its human capital if it wants to compete with China, said HSBC Global Asset Management head of macro and investment strategy Phillip Poole……

Petra Energy may come back in focus
KUALA LUMPUR: Petra Energy Bhd could come into focus in the coming weeks ahead on the stock market following the planned stake sale by its present shareholder Perdana Petroleum Bhd……

Total eyes more projects in Australia
SYDNEY: The head of France’s Total said the energy giant wants to expand in Australia’s booming resources sector, but warns that a lack of manpower and lively competition could contain its ambitions……

Tepco, firms eye stake in Aussie LNG project
TOKYO: A group of Japanese firms is in talks to pay US$4.4bil for a stake in Australia’s Wheatstone gas field that had been set aside for bailed-out nuclear operator Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco), as the country looks to shore up long-term energy s…..

BHP warns commodity markets to cool further
SYDNEY: BHP Billiton said it expects commodity markets to cool further and that investors have lost confidence in the longer-term health of the global economy, in the most cautious comments yet from the world’s biggest miner.        …..

Singapore April exports to rise
SINGAPORE: Singapore’s key exports likely rebounded in April, helped by stronger shipments of rigs and pharmaceuticals, but the data may also show weakness in trade with some Asian countries, adding to concerns about the region.       …..

Indian rupee at record low
MUMBAI: The Indian rupee hit a record low against the dollar yesterday as risk aversion in global markets added pressure on a currency already under fire from fiscal and current account deficits that are weighing on growth.       …..

Indonesia bucks trend, expects economy to expand despite uncertainty in global scene
JAKARTA: Indonesia’s government expects the economy to expand between 6.8% and 7.2% next year from the more modest 6.5% target of 2012, despite uncertainty in the global economy, according to the text of a speech finance minister Agus Martowardojo……

Slowdown presents challenge for Beijing
BEIJING: A slew of bleak data has raised fears China’s economy is cooling faster than previously thought, but analysts say Beijing has only limited means to prevent a politically damaging slowdown……

Japan Q2 machinery orders forecast points to recovery
TOKYO: Japan’s core machinery orders fell in March as demand moderated, but companies expect orders to grow in the second quarter at their fastest pace in a year – a sign that reconstruction after last year’s earthquake may support growth……

BoE keeps options open on economy
LONDON: Bank of England governor Mervyn King is seen leaving the door open for more support for Britain’s struggling economy, prompted by escalating dangers from the eurozone.       …..

Portugal jobless rate hits high
LISBON: Portugal’s unemployment rate jumped to a record high in the early part of this year even as the recession eased, showing the uphill struggle the country faces to nurse its way back to economic health while running a harsh austerity programme……

HTC tumbles as patent case delays US sales
TAIPEI: US sales of two new smartphones from Taiwan’s HTC Corp will be delayed due to a patent dispute with Apple Inc, a fresh blow to the company as it tries to turn around declining sales in what was once its largest market.       …..

GM to drop Facebook ads
DETROIT: General Motors Co (GM) says it will stop advertising on Facebook, even as the social networking website prepares to go public, with a source familiar with the matter saying the carmaker had decided Facebook’s ads had little impact on consume…..

New daily high for derivatives deals
KUALA LUMPUR: Total contracts traded on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives (BMD) reached a historical daily volume high of 77,703 contracts yesterday, surpassing the previous record of 74,014 contracts on Feb 24, 2011……