In Friday's Asia papers

01 August 2008 02:00  [Source: ICIS news]

ASAHI SHIMBUN, Japan

 

Front page

 

Fukuda set to reshuffle Cabinet

Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda is expected to reshuffle his Cabinet today, filling his administration with people he can call his own and hoping to provide a boost to his sagging public support ratings.

 

Japanese live longer still

Average life expectancy in 2007 for Japanese stood at 79.19 years old for men and 85.99 for women, both marking record highs, the health ministry said Thursday.

 

Business & Industry

 

No new updates.

 

CHINA DAILY, China

 

Front page

 

S. Korea TV 'broke rules' by showing rehearsal

A South Korean TV channel breached established norms by telecasting footage of a rehearsal for the Olympic Games' opening ceremony on Tuesday.

 

Exercise pills may bring fitness without effort

Here's a couch potato's dream: What if a drug could help you gain some of the benefits of exercise without working up a sweat? Scientists reported Thursday that there is such a drug -- if you happen to be a mouse.

 

Business & Industry

 

No new updates.

 

TAIPEI TIMES, Taiwan

 

Front page

 

Chinese investment controls relaxed

The government announced a further loosening of restrictions yesterday on overseas companies with Chinese capital to list on the local stock market, while allowing Chinese qualified domestic institutional investors (QDIIs) to invest in the stock and future markets on a case-by-case basis.

 

Beijing firm on maintaining its grip on the Web

China said yesterday it was “determined” to maintain its controls on the Internet, amid criticism over its decision to censor the Web for foreign reporters covering the Olympics.

 

Business & Industry

 

Overseas firms plan to cross-list

After the government yesterday announced it would allow companies co-owned by Chinese investors to cross-list here, some 17 overseas companies with Taiwanese ties expressed interest in returning to list on the Taiwan Stock Exchange or GRETAI Securities Market, financial regulators said yesterday.

 

TSMC sees earnings increase 13%

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, yesterday said second-quarter earnings grew almost 13 percent, but that it was cautious about the third quarter as demand for electronics is dwindling in the sluggish global economy.

 

KOREA HERALD, South Korea

 

Front page

 

U.S. agency restores Dokdo's status

After a week of public outbursts and increased diplomacy from Korea, a U.S. naming agency has restored Dokdo's sovereignty as South Korean from its recent classification of the islets as having "undesignated sovereignty."

 

Fuel prices fall to two-month low

Gasoline and diesel prices dropped to a two-month low on Wednesday, according to the Korea National Oil Corp.'s fuel price information system.

 

Business & Industry

 

Companies jump on Dokdo bandwagon

Korean firms are scurrying to promote themselves as guardians of Dokdo, tapping into rising anti-Japanese sentiment following Tokyo's claims to the sovereignty of the East Sea islets.

 

Kumho to sell assets on liquidity worries

Kumho Asiana Group will raise as much as 4.57 trillion won ($4.5 billion) in cash by selling properties and stakes in affiliates, the conglomerate said yesterday.

 

NEW STRAITS TIMES, Malaysia

 

Front page

 

Wan Azizah to remain as party president

Parti Keadilan Rakyat president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has resigned as the Permatang Pauh MP -- less than five months after being re-elected in the March 8 general election.

 

Hadi rules out Umno-Pas govt

Pas will not form any government with Umno or Barisan Nasional, said its party president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang.

 

Business & Industry 

 

Fuji Electric pledges RM1.4b investment

FUJI Electric Device Technology Co Ltd of Japan has pledged to invest a total of RM1.4 billion in Kedah over nine years.

 

Bursa tells Axis to give more information on accounts

BURSA Malaysia has told Axis Inc Bhd to give more information immediately on accounting issues that have delayed the release of its 2008 audited accounts.

 

BUSINESS TIMES, Singapore

 

Front page

 

Brazil's Embraer Q2 net profit more than doubles

Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer said on Thursday its second-quarter net profit more than doubled to 176.3 million reais (US$112.8 million), helped by a rise in sales.

 

More gloom and doom for industrialised world

Japan, Britain and the United States produced yet more evidence on Thursday that the fortunes of the world's wealthiest economies are fading fast, and in parts furiously.

 

Business & Industry

 

Jobless rate rises for second straight quarter

SINGAPORE'S unemployment rate continued to climb as the pace of job creation eased in the April-June period.

 

Crude hit by weak US growth

Oil prices retreated yesterday after an early bounce, pressured by bearish data on the economy in top energy consumer, the United States.

 

BANGKOK POST, Thailand

 

Front page

 

Bush talks to Bangkok Post

In an interview with the editor-in-chief of the Bangkok Post and other Asian journalists, President George W. Bush explained US policy in the Far East.

 

New case against Thaksin

The Supreme Court's section for political office holders on Wednesday agreed to open a new case against ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra on charges of abuse of power in pushing a state loan to Burma to help his family's telecoms empire.

 

Business & Industry

 

No new updates.

 

JAKARTA POST, Indonesia

 

Front page

 

SBY demands evidence of aides' link to graft

Two Cabinet ministers implicated in the BI liquidity support scandal declared their innocence Tuesday after a Golkar Party lawmaker testified Monday at the Corruption Court of their complicity.

 

Confusion mars implementation of e-books policy

The implementation of the electronic school textbook (e-books) policy has been met with glitches, with parents of students forced to buy expensive textbooks for the new academic year.

 

Business & Industry

 

PLN to secure $900m loan to fund coal-fired power project

After completing formalities this week with four local banks for loans worth US$1.1 billion, state power utility PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) announced Tuesday it will soon receive another $900 million from foreign banks to fund power projects.

 

Astra posts hefty growth on robust auto, CPO sales

PT Astra International, the country's largest publicly traded company, posted hefty growth in the first semester of the year due to higher automotive sales and strong performance of its agribusiness.

By: Staff Reporter
+44 20 8652 3214

< previous article(VIDEO - ICIS news Europe Lunchtime Bulletin 27 October 2009)

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly