KLSE STOCK WATCH

Dated 2012-08-08
More KLSE news from:
http://www.thestar.com.my


  Perodua, Japan firms tie up on Sedan models
KUALA LUMPUR: Perodua has joined hands with its Japanesepartners to start a feasibility study to realise the compact car makers aspiration to produce sedan models Managing director Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh said Perodua had plans to produce sedan ca…..

  Celcom aims to boost revenue by 25pc
KUALA LUMPUR: Mobile telecommunications company, CelcomAxiata Bhd, aims to increase advanced data revenue growth by 25 per cent by year-end with the launch of the PortaWiFi USB port coupled with other solutions including the Celcom Dongle Wifi, as we…..

RM1b injection for Proton City development
IPOH: DRB-Hicom Bhd will expedite development of the ProtonCity in Tanjung Malim by injecting over RM1 billion in the next five years, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said today. He said the laid-back area would be transformed into a v…..

Sunway REIT rallies to record
KUALA LUMPUR: Sunway Real Estate Investment Trust, Malaysia’s second-biggest property trust by market value, surged to a record in intraday trading in Kuala Lumpur today after reporting an 81 per cent jump in quarterly profit.The trust advanced as mu…..

Sunway REIT expects to sustain income
KUALA LUMPUR: Sunway REIT Management Sdn Bhd expects to sustain the distributable income for financial year 2013 despite the loss of income contribution from Sunway Putra Mall. For financial year ended June 30, 2012, (FY12) the distributableincome ro…..

Govt urged not to impose extra stamp duty
The Malaysian Developers’ Association (MDC) is urging the government not to impose additional stamp duty or make changes tothe current Real Property Gains Tax policy. In a statement today, MDC said amid a plateauing demand in the residential market a…..

F&N valuation raised from “sell” to “hold”
KUALA LUMPUR: Maybank Kim Eng has raised Fraser and Neave Holdings’ valuations to ‘hold’ from ‘sell’, anticipating a stronger fourth quarter performance and a merger and acquisition (MandA) potential.It said the United States-based Coca-Cola’s intere…..

JF Apex upbeat on FJ Benjamin, Padini deal
KUALA LUMPUR: JF Apex Securities Bhd is positive on the deal between Padini Holdings and Singapore’s FJ Benjamin Group to stretch its foothold to populous Indonesia.It said the move would boost the group’s future earnings growth.Indonesia has over 24…..

Hartalega’s earnings expected to pick up
KUALA LUMPUR: Hartalega Holdings Bhd is expected to grow its earnings gradually from the third quarter financial year 2013 onwards following further expansion of its plant.Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB) said in a research note today, the first …..

KPJ Healthcare to sell 2 pieces of land
KUALA LUMPUR: KPJ Healthcare Bhd’s subsidiary, PuteriSpecialist Hospital (Johor) Sdn Bhd, has entered into a sale and purchase agreement with Al-Aqar Healthcare Real Estate Investment Trust (Al-Aqar Healthcare REIT) to dispose two pieces of land in J…..

Malaysia’s total trade up 4.6pc in June
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s total trade in June rose 4.6 per cent to RM112.75 billion, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) says today.The growth was supported by a 16.9 per cent increase in trade with China and 13.5 per cent with Jap…..

TH Prop to generate RM13.1m from housing
KUALA LUMPUR: TH Group of Companies, which recently launched the Desiren Premier housing project in Bandar Enstek, Negeri Sembilan, is optimistic of generating RM13.1 million in sales from the second phase of the project. Thirty per cent of the dou…..

Matrade urges Malaysian firms to utilise grant
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) urges Malaysian business community, particularly the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to come forward and utilise the market development grant (MDG) allocated by the governmen…..

TMC Life Sciences disposes of TMCP shares
KUALA LUMPUR: TMC Life Sciences Bhd (TMC) has disposed ofshares in Tropicana Medical Centre (Penang) Sdn Bhd (TMCP) and by its wholly-owned subsidiary, TMC Women’s Specialist Holdings Sdn Bhd, for a cash consideration of RM2.6 million. TMC Life Scien…..

Nautical Icon to buy Subang Jaya land
KUALA LUMPUR: Boilermech Holdings Bhd’s unit, NauticalIcon Sdn Bhd has entered into a conditional sale and purchase agreement with SSK Logistics Sdn Bhd to purchase a parcel of industrial land at Subang Jaya, Selangor for RM20.3 million cash. In a fi…..

Malaysia Smelting slips into the red
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Smelting Corporation Bhdslipped into the red when it recorded a pre-tax loss of RM77.053 million for the second quarter ended June 30, 2012, compared with a pre-tax profit of RM53.348 million recorded in the same quarter la…..

Grand Central Q2 pre-tax profit dips
KUALA LUMPUR: Grand Central Enterprises Bhd chalked upa lower pre-tax profit of RM1.37 million for the second quarter ended June 30, 2012, from RM1.87 million recorded in the same period last year. Revenue decreased to RM9.46 million, during the peri…..

MIMB plans private placement in AT
KUALA LUMPUR: MIMB Investment Bank Bhd is proposing toundertake a private placement of up to 17.895 million new ordinary shares of RM0.10 each in AT Systematization Bhd (AT). In a filing to Bursa Malaysia today, AT said the private placement represen…..

EA buys 35pc of DDSB for RM18m
KUALA LUMPUR: EA Holdings Bhd (EAH) is acquiring a 35 per cent equity interest in DDSB (M) Sdn Bhd for RM18 million. In a filing to Bursa Malaysia today, the company said the acquisition would bring various synergies to EAH and its subsidiaries besid…..

M’sia Debt Ventures sanctions RM6.29b loans
MELAKA: Malaysia Debt Ventures Berhad, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Finance Ministry Incorporated, has disbursed loans totalling RM6.29 billion to over 450 companies since its inception in 2002.Managing Director Md Zubir Ansori Yahaya said RM970 …..

Bursa Malaysia issues query to Asia Media
KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia today issued an unusual market activity query to Asia Media Group Bhd due to a recent sharp rise in price and volume in the company’s shares.The local bourse operator said investors have been advised to take note of the c…..

Maybank eyes 2 digit growth in pre-paid card
KUALA LUMPUR: Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) is eyeing double-digit growth for its prepaid card segment in the next three to four years, backed by the introduction of the MasterCard Prepaid University Smart Card today. Deputy President and Head of Com…..

Honda Malaysia introduces Jazz S
KUALA LUMPUR: Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd today introduced the Honda Jazz S Variant to Malaysians.The practical and stylish Jazz S maintains the essential features of the popular five-door compact hatchback.’We believe the Jazz S will appeal to young prof…..

Padini Hldgs slides on tie-up news
KUALA LUMPUR: Padini Holdings Bhd’s share price declined2.765 per cent or six sen to RM2.11 amid news of its latest collaboration for its Vincci brand of women’s shoes and accessories in Indonesia. The counter, which moved between RM2.09 and RM2.19, …..

Pharmaniaga Q2 profit rises to RM16m
KUALA LUMPUR: Pharmaniaga Bhd’s profit after tax rose toRM16 million for its second quarter ended June 30, 2012 from RM14 million in the corresponding period last year. Turnover for the period increased to RM456.74 million from RM396.43 million previ…..

Pasdec expects RM13.5m from land sale
KUALA LUMPUR: Pasdec Holdings expects to gain RM13.5 million from the disposal of its leasehold land in Kuantan. The original cost of investment of the property was RM5.2 million which was acquired in 1998, the company said in a filing to Bursa Malay…..

OSK Ventures records RM3.19m loss
KUALA LUMPUR: OSK Ventures International Bhd has recordeda pre-tax loss of RM3.19 million for the second quarter ended June 30, 2012, compared to a pre-tax profit of RM15.14 million in the same quarter of 2011. Revenue rose to RM35.46 million from RM…..

Favelle Favco bags jobs worth RM110m
KUALA LUMPUR: Favelle Favco Bhd (FFB)’s units, FavelleFavco Cranes (M) Sdn Bhd and Favelle Favco Cranes Pte Ltd, have secured six contracts worth RM110.4 million. The contracts require them to supply five offshore cranes and a port crane, which is ex…..

Johore Tin to raise RM26m from rights issue
KUALA LUMPUR: Johore Tin Bhd (JTB) is expected to raisegross proceeds of about RM25.659 million from the proposed rights issue with warrants. In an announcement to Bursa Malaysia, JTB said it is proposing arenounceable rights issue of 23.326 million …..

Customs to use smartag for secured trade
KUALA LUMPUR: Smartag Solutions Bhd today announced thatthe Royal Malaysian Customs will use the Smartag Secured Trade or container security and trade facilitation system using radio frequency identification (RFID) nationwide from September 1 this ye…..

Palm oil drops as stockpiles expand
Palm oil fell to the lowest level in more than a week on speculation that stockpiles in Malaysia, the second-largest grower, may increase amid a seasonal jump in production and drop in exports.The October-delivery contract dropped 0.4 percent to clos…..

HLISB eyes RM200m debit card deposits
KUALA LUMPUR: Hong Leong Islamic Bank Bhd (HLISB) expects its debit cards to generate RM200 million in total deposits in the next financial year ending June 30, 2013, backed by its newly-launched ‘Hong Leong Junior-i Reloadable Debit Card’ (HL Junior…..

OSK cuts KKB Eng earnings forecast
KUALA LUMPUR: OSK Research Sdn Bhd has trimmed KKB Engineering Bhd’s financial years 2012 and 2013 (FY12 and FY13) earningsestimates by 19 per cent and 17 per cent respectively. In a note today, OSK said KKB’s second quarter FY12 results fell way sho…..

KL shares end marginally higher
KUALA LUMPUR: Share prices on Bursa Malaysia remainedslightly higher at close today as investors increased their holdings in selected bluechips and heavyweights, dealers said. At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 4.8 points to 1,635.9…..

Bank Rakyat bags ABIM award
KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia Bhd hasbeen named the Most Profitable Islamic Bank for 2010/2011 by the Association of Islamic Banking Institutions Malaysia (AIBIM). The award was presented by Bank Negara Malaysia’s Director of Islamic B…..

MyEG offers vehicle ownership transfer
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s e-Government Service provider, MyEG Services Bhd, has expanded its list of e-government services with the launch of its Voluntary Vehicle Ownership Transfer System. It aims to achieve 20 per cent of the total vehicle ownersh…..

  US stocks rally for 3rd straight day
NEW YORK: US stocks rallied for a third straight day Tuesday, buoyed by hopes for more stimulus from the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank to boost weak economies.The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished at 13,168.60, up 51.09 points, or…..

  India needs time to embrace open sky policy
NEW DELHI: Asia’s third largest economy, India, needs thepolitical will to adapt to the open sky policy with Asean to further boost connectivity.The Institute of Strategic and International Studies Chief Executive, Datuk Dr Mahani Zainal Abidin said …..

DRB-Hicom’s RM1b plan to speed up Proton City development
DRB-Hicom Bhd will expedite development of the Proton City in Tanjung Malim by injecting over RM1bil in the next five years, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said on Wednesday……

Boilermech in RM20.3m land purchase
Boilermech Holdings Bhd is acquiring a piece of property in, Subang Jaya for RM20.30mil which would enable it to expand it capacity to manufacture boilers……

Blue chips recover some lost ground
Malaysia’s FBM KLCI managed to close higher on Wednesday, recouping half of the losses the previous day, on some fund buying of selected key stocks but the broader market was mixed……

RAM Ratings downgrades MRCB Southern Link’s Sukuk ratings
RAM Rating Services Bhd has downgraded MRCB Southern Link Bhd’s sukuk over the absence of a long-term solution to the 81-km Eastern Dispersal Link Expressway’s tolling issue……

Asia Media slips after Bursa Securities query
Asia Media Group Bhd slipped on Wednesday after it was queried by Bursa Malaysia Securities over the sharp rise in price and volume in the shares recently……

Sunway REIT to sustain distributable income for FY13
Sunway REIT Management Sdn Bhd expects to sustain the distributable income for financial year 2013 despite the loss of income contribution from Sunway Putra Mall……

SP Setia launches luxury condos, GDV RM180m
S P Setia Bhd has launched the “”Sky Oasis Residences”" luxury condominium project with gross development value of RM180mil……

Shares, euro dip, awaiting hints on central bank policy
LONDON: European shares and the single currency edged lower after three days of solid gains on Wednesday as investors await the next moves by central banks to tackle declining global growth and Europe’s fiscal crisis……

Heineken: S$5.3b offer for F&N stake more compelling
Heineken N.V. described its S$5.3bil offer made to Singapore-listed Fraser and Neave, Ltd as more compelling compared with a rival offer made by Thai billionaire Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi……

Pharmaniaga Q2 earnings up 12.8% to RM15.71m on-year
Pharmaniaga Bhd’s earnings rose 12.8% to RM15.71mil in the second quarter ended June 30 from RM13.92mil a year ago, mainly due to the newly acquired subsidiary Idaman Pharma Manufacturing Sdn Bhd……

Firmer export data lifts KLCI
Blue chips staged a mild rebound on Wednesday, with BAT and Petronas-linked stocks among the gainers while the stronger-than-expected exports data for June glavanised sentiment……

Malaysia’s June exports up 5.4% to RM60.97b
Malaysia’s exports increased by 5.4% to RM60.97bil in June from a year ago, the Statistics Department said……

Maybank targets to issue 10,000 prepaid university smart cards
Malayan Banking Bhd has teamed up with Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (LUCT) and MasterCard to introduce MasterCard Prepaid University Smart Card for the employees and students……

Fitch: Negative fiscal pressures building on Malaysia
Fitch Ratings says Malaysia faces rising negative fiscal pressures that may eventually offset existing credit strengths unless structural weaknesses in the public finances are addressed……

KLCI rebounds, BAT and Petronas Dagangan lift
Blue chips staged a rebound on Wednesday, with BAT and Petronas Dagangan among the major gainers, while key regional markets advanced on hopes that central banks would implement measures to boost growth……

F&N slumps on weaker Q3 earnings
Shares of Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd (F&N) fell to a low of RM19.66 on Wednesday after reporting weaker third quarter earnings, following the cessation of its Coca-Cola products business……

AmResearch: F&N’s long-term earnings growth remains intact
Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd’s long-term earnings growth remains intact, well underpinned by higher demand for core soft drinks and dairies divisions, says AmResearch……

GLOBAL MARKETS-Shares at 3-month high, oil rises on policy hopes
NEW YORK: World stocks rose to a three-month high and oil prices jumped on Tuesday as investors bet that policymakers would do more to resolve the euro zone debt crisis and underpin the U.S. economy……

RHB Research maintains Market Perform on Hartalega
—…..

HDBSVR sees KLCI staging a technical rebound
Hwang DBS Vickers Research (HDBSVR) expects the FBM KLCI to stage a technical rebound after plunging in the final minutes of trading on Monday to close 8.3-point down. …..

JF Apex Securities: Accumulate Padini at lower entry price of RM1.90
JF Apex Securities Research has downgraded Padini to Hold but with a higher target price of RM2.09……

Former Apple designer says Samsung phones looked similar
SAN JOSE, California: The focus of Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics courtroom battle shifted to the iPhone’s iconic display on Tuesday, as the U.S. company called on a former employee and award-winning graphic designer to back up claims that Samsung…..

Standard Chartered questions NY action which wiped off US$17bil of it’s value(Update)
NEW YORK/LONDON: A New York bank regulator’s broadside against Standard Chartered Plc over transactions tied to Iran left investors and the bank questioning the action, which on Tuesday wiped US$17 billion off the bank’s value……

Economists say ringgit getting stronger
KUALA LUMPUR: Economists are positive on the prospects of a strengthening ringgit in line with the maturing economy and stronger growth prospects going forward……

AirAsia opens Asean office to strengthen itself before penetrating India and China
Jakarta: Asia is AirAsia’s next frontier but it first needs a bigger foothold in all the Asean markets to give it the size it needs to take on bigger players and positions itself in India and China……

Consumer stocks among biggest gainers on Bursa
PETALING JAYA: Consumer stocks were sprinkled across the gainers’ list on Bursa Malaysia amid the lack of catalysts and uncertainties on the external front……

More to Naim Holdings? Analysts say stock undervalued based on several factors
PETALING JAYA: Naim Holdings Bhd’s stock is said to be undervalued after considering factors such as the group’s real estate assets, earnings visibility and 34% stake in associate Dayang Enterprise Holdings Bhd, according to research analysts……

IHH Healthcare makes global impact and is 2nd largest in the world by market capitalisation
WHILE IHH Healthcare Bhd recently made news because of the size of its July flotation and the fact that it was dual-listed, the story tracing the journey of the creation of this gigantic hospital group is just as riveting……

Patimas shares down over 14% on suspension news
PETALING JAYA: Technology company Patimas Computers Bhd’s shares plunged yesterday, falling more than 14% to its all-time low of 3 sen after Bursa Malaysia decided to suspend the counter today following its failure to submit its annual audited accoun…..

Halcrow under probe
PETALING JAYA: British engineering company Halcrow is under investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for a potential conflict of interest and on the integrity of the evaluation process of eight bidders for the RM965mil Ampang …..

China operational woes pull PPB shares down to 2009 lows
PETALING JAYA: PPB Group Bhd shares have fallen to its 2009 lows, likely a reflection of the troubles brewing at the China operations of its 18.3%-owned unit Wilmar International Ltd, analysts said……

GPRO plunges 58% after UMA query
PETALING JAYA: More than half of GPRO Technologies Bhd’s market capitalisation was wiped out yesterday after the company was issued with an unusual market activity (UMA) query by Bursa Securities on Monday……

Citigroup cautious on global equity markets in H2 on political factor
KUALA LUMPUR: Citigroup Inc is maintaining its cautious stance on the global equity markets for the remainder of the year as politics continue to overshadow policy……

Gas M’sia posts lower profit
KUALA LUMPUR: Gas Malaysia Bhd’s pre-tax profit for the second quarter ended June 30 fell to RM54.12mil from RM81.99mil recorded in the same quarter of last year……

IJM upgraded on property upside
WE are upgrading our recommendation on IJM from a “market perform” to an “outperform”. Our upgrade is mainly premised on our in-house upgrade of IJMLand’s target price coupled with its still ample upside (+12%) from the current share price……

Analyst positive on Padini and say deal with FJ Benjamin should bring long-term benefits
PETALING JAYA: Padini Holdings Bhd has signed an exclusive 10-year master franchise agreement with Singaporean company FJ Benjamin Pte Ltd through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Vincci Ladies’ Specialties Centre Sdn Bhd, to distribute Vincci (VNC) shoe…..

Heineken bid for Tiger Beer faces Thai challenge
SINGAPORE: Heineken’s US$6bil bid to take full control of Tiger Beer maker Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) faces a challenge from a group led by Thai billionaire Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, which has put in a higher bid to increase its stake in APB……

StanChart shares plunge as NY regulator says US$250bil Iranian deals hidden
HONG KONG: Standard Chartered Plc’s (StanChart) market value tumbled US$16bil yesterday after New York’s top bank regulator threatened to remove its state banking licence, saying the British lender hid US$250bil in transactions tied to Iran……

NYSE in talks with SEC to settle data investigation
WASHINGTON: The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) said on Monday it was in talks with US securities regulators to settle allegations the exchange violated rules intended to promote fair competition……

InterContinental Hotels to return US$1bil
LONDON: InterContinental Hotels, the world’s biggest hotelier, cheered investors by promising to return US$1bil to them funded from the planned sale of a New York hotel and added that its flagship London Park Lane hotel is set to be next on the block…..

UMW sees higher FY12 earnings
KUALA LUMPUR: UMW Holdings Bhd, Malaysia’s biggest carmaker and assembler by market value, expects full-year profit to increase as auto sales climb and its oil and gas business rebounds from two years of losses. The shares rose to a record……

Hartalega Q1 profit dips
PETALING JAYA: Hartalega Holdings Bhd’s net profit for the first quarter ended June 30 was marginally down by 2.7% to RM53.3mil against the same quarter last year due to more competitive sales pricing and recognition of a net loss in foreign exchange…..

F&N Q3 profit falls 34%
PETALING JAYA: Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd (F&N) financial year 2012 third quarter net profit slumped 33.7% from RM77.85mil in the corresponding quarter a year ago to RM51.63mil as the company reeled from the cessation of its Coca-Cola produc…..

Boustead posts pre-tax loss of RM16.43mil in Q2
KUALA LUMPUR: Boustead Heavy Industry Corp Bhd recorded a pre-tax loss of RM16.43mil for the second quarter ended June 30, 2012, as compared with a pre-tax profit of RM2.74mil in the same quarter of last year……

Increased investor interest on property player Mah Sing
PETALING JAYA: Property player Mah Sing Group Bhd is seeing increasing interest by investors and some analysts reckon the company is emerging nicely as a steady proxy to the Malaysian property sector……

Subur Tiasa in palm JV and will develop land in Sarawak
KUALA LUMPUR: Subur Tiasa Holdings Bhd’s wholly owned subsidiary, Victory Round Sdn Bhd, has entered into an agreement with Pelita Holdings Sdn Bhd……

S’pore HDB to offer 20,000 flats in 2013
SINGAPORE: The Housing Board (HDB) will deliver at least 20,000 new flats next year……

Shares in India’s biggest developer rise
NEW DELHI: Shares in India’s biggest property developer DLF rose after posting better-than-expected earnings for the three months to June……

Boston Property beats Wall St forecast
NEW YORK: Office building landlord Boston Properties Inc reported quarterly funds from operations, a key measure of real estate investment trust performance, that easily surpassed Wall Street’s forecast, in part due to termination income from a tenan…..

Lenovo eyes SMB segment
KUALA LUMPUR: Lenovo Malaysia plans to market its ThinkPad Tablet to the small and medium business (SMB) and enterprise segment as it is confident the product can help increase their productivity and efficiency……

P1 focuses on broadband solutions to drive growth
GEORGE TOWN: Packet One Networks (M) Sdn Bhd (P1) is focusing on its new high-speed broadband (HSBB) solutions designed specially for the business market to drive growth in an economically-challenging year……

Foreign reserves at RM429.6bil
KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara’s international reserves amounted to RM429.6bil, equivalent to US$134.5bil, as at July 31……

Italy economy shrank 0.7% in Q2
ROME: Italy’s economy shrank by 0.7% in the second quarter, with the country wallowing in recession as the eurozone debt crisis bites, preliminary official figures show……

MAHB passenger traffic up
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd’s (MAHB) passenger volume at its airports grew 2.7% in June compared with the same month last year……

Report says M’sian business leaders want greater transparency
KUALA LUMPUR: Business leaders in Malaysia are demanding for greater transparency with 82% saying that public companies should disclose the remuneration policy and individual remuneration of executive and non-executive directors, according to SJ Gran…..

MARC ratifies Kimanis Power’s sukuk ratings
PETALING JAYA: Malaysian Rating Corp Bhd (MARC) has assigned a final rating of AA-IS to Kimanis Power Sdn Bhd’s RM1.16bil sukuk programme, with a stable outlook, after receiving the final documentation for its forthcoming issuance……

Road Builder cancels RM400mil debt
KUALA LUMPUR: Road Builder (M) Sdn Bhd has cancelled its RM400 million commercial papers/medium-term notes programme (2006/2013)……

Sunway REIT FY12 pretax profit falls to RM420mil
KUALA LUMPUR: Sunway Real Estate Investment Trust’s (Sunway REIT) pretax profit for the financial year ended June 30, 2012, fell to RM420.46mil from RM553.66mil in the same period last year……

EU to present banking union plan on Sept 11
BRUSSELS: The European Commission will present its plans for a banking union, part of efforts to tame the eurozone debt crisis, on Sept 11, a European source said……

Company formerly called Blackwater to pay sanctions fine
WASHINGTON: The military contractor formerly known as Blackwater Worldwide agreed to pay a fine of US$5 million to $7.5 million for trying to operate in Sudan in violation of trade sanctions and for other arms-trade breaches, according to documents u…..

US job openings at four-year high in June but hiring slows
WASHINGTON: U.S. job openings rose to a four-year high in June, but a slowdown in hiring underscored recent weakness in the labor market that has been blamed on an uncertain economic outlook……

‘Avengers’ helps power Disney profit in quarter
LOS ANGELES: Walt Disney Co quarterly earnings rose 31 percent, exceeding Wall Street expectations, lifted by higher spending at theme parks and the blockbuster “”The Avengers”" superhero movie……

EBay lures big retailers in Amazon battle
NEW YORK: EBay Inc, once a scrappy auction site for mom and pop sellers, is enticing some of the world’s largest retailers by arguing it can help them compete better against e-commerce leader Amazon.com Inc……

S&P revises Greece’s outlook to negative
NEW YORK: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s on Tuesday revised Greece’s outlook to negative, saying the debt-ridden euro zone country could need more help from its international creditors……

Wall Street watchdog suspends Wedbush Securities president
NEW YORK: Wall Street’s watchdog suspended the founder and president of Wedbush Securities for not adequately supervising the financial company’s regulatory filings, which, in many cases, were late or inaccurate, according to an order……

Survey: Older Americans upbeat about aging, future
NEW YORK: Baby boomers are upbeat about aging and expect the next phase of their lives to be better than the last, but many are concerned about their financial future and long-term health costs, a survey released in Tuesday showed……

Morgan Stanley considers shutting offices, cutting staff
NEW YORK: Morgan Stanley, under fire to boost profit margins in its retail brokerage arm, is considering closing brokerage offices, laying off support staff and requiring some branch managers also to generate revenue as advisers under a cost-cutting …..

S.Korea July bank lending growth to households slows
SEOUL: South Korean banks’ lending to households rose by a net 700 billion won ($620.10 million) in July, down from a 1.3 trillion won gain in June and stayed low due to the slowing economy, data showed on Wednesday……

Philippine July inflation quickens; rates seen steady
MANILA: Philippine annual inflation increased in July to its highest in six months, and analysts expect the central bank to hold off on cutting interest rates when it next meets in September, with prices likely to stay high due to weatherrelated supp…..

Thai central bank: credit growth, GDP meant no rate cut
BANGKOK: Thailand’s central bank said its monetary policy committee decided against cutting interest rates last month because economic growth was close to potential and monetary conditions were already accommodative, with credit growth robust……