AsiaPulse News articles from April 2001

AsiaPulse News archives from April 2001

OPEN - ASIA PULSE INTERNATIONAL - APRIL 2, 2001.
April 2, 2001... Good Morning. This is the Asia Pulse International service of business intelligence, news, tenders and expert commentary on the economies of Asia provided by Asia Pulse Pte Ltd (Asia Pulse). Asia Pulse reserves all rights including...

FOREX - AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR OPENS WEAKER - APRIL 2, 2001.
April 2, 2001... SYDNEY, April 2 Asia Pulse - The Australian dollar has started the week under pressure after trading to a record low of $US0.4850 on Friday night. And it failed to bounce. The US dollar surged on Friday, particularly against the yen...

AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - APRIL 2, 2001.
April 2, 2001... SYDNEY, April 2 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: - Disgraced Wests Tigers winger John Hopoate quits after being found guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct, while teammates Craig Field and Kevin McGuiness...

KOREAN MINISTRY TO LAUNCH WEB SITE TO FIGHT MONEY LAUNDERING.
April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - The Ministry of Finance and Economy said Sunday it will set up an Internet homepage Monday that will alert private citizens and financial institutions to the ways money laundering can occur and provide information on...

KOREA-EU BASIC COOPERTION PACT PUT INTO EFFECT.
April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - The Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry said the Korea-European Union basic cooperation agreement was put into effect on April 1, four years and five months after it was concluded. The delay was due to the lengthy...

DAEWOO TO INVEST US$5.35 MLN IN INDIA TO LAUNCH THREE NEW CARS.
April 2, 2001... NEW DELHI, April 2 Asia Pulse - Daewoo Motors India Ltd (DMIL) has said it will invest an additional US$5.35 million from July 2001 to launch three new car models and will soon start negotiations with financial institutions to reschedule its...

VISTEON CORPORATION TO RELEASE Q1 2001 FINANCIAL RESULTS APRIL 20.
April 2, 2001... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) DEARBORN, Mich., March 30 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- Visteon Corporation (NYSE: VC), one of the world's leading suppliers of automotive components and integrated systems, will release its...

S KOREA'S EXPORTS DECLINE 0.6 PCT TO US$14.34 BLN IN MARCH.
April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - The country's export fell 0.6 per cent in March from a year earlier to US$14.34 billion, the Commerce, Industry and Energy Ministry said Sunday. It marked the first decline since April 1999 when the export fell...

INDIA LIFTS QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS ON SECOND HAND AUTO IMPORTS.
April 2, 2001... NEW DELHI, April 2 Asia Pulse - The Indian government on Saturday lifted quantitative restrictions on imports of second-hand automobiles in the new EXIM Policy 2001 but banned import of left hand vehicles and those over three-years old. It...

KOREA'S CONSTRUCTION FIRMS TOTAL 40,678 AT END OF FEBRUARY.
April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - The Construction and Transportation Ministry said Saturday the number of construction firms registered with the ministry as of the end of last month totaled 40,678, including 31,986 specialty construction firms and...

GOODRICH, SIA ENGINEERING TO JOINTLY REPAIR, OVERHAUL AEROSTRUCTURES.
April 2, 2001... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 29 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- The BFGoodrich Company (NYSE: GR) today signed an agreement with SIA Engineering Company (SIAEC) finalizing a strategic alliance to repair...

KOREA'S INCHEON AIRPORT TO OFFER REAL-TIME INFORMATION ON FLIGHTS.
April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - The Incheon International Airport Corp. in April will begin providing real-time information on arrivals and departures of flights through its Internet homepage, a spokesman for the IIAC said Saturday. The...

MEDIUM-TERM EXPORT STRATEGY ON ANVIL, QRs LIFTED: INDIAN MINISTER.
April 2, 2001... NEW DELHI, April 2 Asia Pulse - The India government on Saturday said it would soon finalise a medium-term export strategy for the next five years to tackle the slowdown in demand from major economies like US and Japan, and would not hesitate...

INDIA STUDIES IMPLICATIONS OF US DUMPING UN'S KYOTO PROTOCOL.
April 2, 2001... NEW DELHI, April 2 Asia Pulse - India on Friday said it was studying the implications of the US decision to dump the UN treaty on global warming approved by the Clinton administration. Washington's move, expected ever since George W. Bush...

MILLENNIUM PHARMA ANNOUNCES WEBCAST ANALYST, INVESTOR DAY.
April 2, 2001... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 29 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc (Nasdaq: MLNM) announced today that its presentations at the Company's Third Annual Analyst and Investor...

INDIAN ENERGY EXPLORATION OFFERING FAILS TO ATTRACT OIL MAJORS.
April 2, 2001... NEW DELHI, April 2 Asia Pulse - India's second offering of 25 blocks for exploration of oil and gas under the New Exploration and Licensing Policy (NELP) has failed to enthuse global oil majors like British Gas, Royal Dutch Shell and...

INDIA'S EXIM POLICY DISMANTLES QUANTATIVE RESTRICTIONS.
April 2, 2001... NEW DELHI, April 2 Asia Pulse - A "landmark" Exim (Export-Import) Policy, unveiled on Saturday, dismantles all Quantitative Restrictions (QRs) with adequate safeguards to domestic industries, introduces a new market access initiatives, moots...

KOREA'S TAEGWANG E&C TO OFFER STOCKS FOR PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION.
April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - Taegwang E&C will offer its stocks for public subscription Tuesday and Wednesday before it registers them with the KOSDAQ market. Dongyang Securities Co. will be the lead manager in the two-day public...

KOREAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - APRIL 2, 2001.
April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: DONG-A ILBO - President Kim Dae-jung reshuffles 21 vice ministers - Chinese fighter lost after colliding with U.S. reconnaissance plane HANKYOREH SHINMUN -...

PAKISTAN'S SIMEON INT'L, US UNIGRAPHICS SIGNS SOFTWARE AGREEMENT.
April 2, 2001... KARACHI, April 2 Asia Pulse - The US-based multinational company, Unigrahpics Solutions (UGS), and Pakistani company Simeon International have signed an agreement during ITCN Asia 2001 to expand business in Pakistan. The agreement was...

DAS AIR CARGO LAUNCHES SERVICE BETWEEN PAKISTAN AND AFRICA.
April 2, 2001... KARACHI, April 2 Asia Pulse - A new air cargo service has been launched between Pakistan and the African continent via Dubai for fast air freight of exports to 27 African countries. The service will be provided by the London-based Das Air...

IDB APPROVES FINANCIAL AID PLAN FOR PAKISTAN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.
April 2, 2001... ISLAMABAD, April 2 Asia Pulse - Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has approved a programme to provide financial assistance, technical capability and administrative support to qualified young researchers intending to do research work in various...

AUSTRALIA'S ANACONDA NICKEL APPOINTS NEW CHAIRMAN.
April 2, 2001... MELBOURNE, April 2 Asia Pulse - Anaconda Nickel (ASX:ANL), which is currently under threat from mining giant Anglo American which owns 25.4 per cent of the WA company, has appointed a successor to the retiring chairman Allan Coogan. ...

KOREAN MUTUAL SAVINGS & FINANCE COS MUST HIRE OUTSIDE DIRECTORS.
April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - Mutual savings and finance companies with over 300 billion won (US$22.6 million) in assets will be required to employ outside directors by June this year, an official of the Finance and Economy Ministry said Monday....

EURO SOFTWARE PARKS SIGNS MOU WITH 10 PAKISTAN SOFTWARE COS.
April 2, 2001... LAHORE, April 2 Asia Pulse - Euro Software Parks (ESP), a Pan-European software company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with 10 Pakistani software companies, focusing on a mixed model of off-shore and on-shore development of...

PAKISTAN SET TO EXPORT PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS TO SENEGAL.
April 2, 2001... KARACHI, April 2 Asia Pulse - The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) said it has received requirements and procedure for the export of pharmaceutical/surgical products to Senegal. Under these procedures, there are no specific drug registration...

MITSUBISHI AUSTRALIA WINS US$108.7 MLN AUTO SUPPLY CONTRACT TO US.
April 2, 2001... ADELAIDE, April 2 Asia Pulse - The Adelaide car manufacturer Mitsubishi has won a $A225 million ($US108.79 million) contract to supply an additional 5,500 cars to the United States. The deal, secured over the weekend, was in addition to the...

PAKISTAN LIFE INSURER TO OPEN OFFICES IN KUWAIT, SAUDI ARABIA.
April 2, 2001... KARACHI, April 2 Asia Pulse - State Life Insurance Corporation (SLIC) plans to strengthen business in the Gulf by starting full-fledged offices in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and upgrading its UAE setup to a regional office. At the possibility...

PAKISTAN TO UNVEIL INCENTIVE PACKAGE FOR ONSHORE EXPLORATION.
April 2, 2001... ISLAMABAD, April 2 Asia Pulse - The government will announce this month an incentive package for onshore exploration in the Potohar region to boost foreign investment in the oil and gas sector. Official sources said that besides some tax...

SAMSUNG CHAIRMAN TOPS LIST OF DIVIDEND RECIPIENTS: KOREAN BOURSE.
April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee topped the list of dividend recipients among the leaders of the nation's top 10 groups, the Korea Stock Exchange said Monday. At the end of last year, the group leaders held...

STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN SHARES OPEN HIGHER - APRIL 2, 2001.
April 2, 2001... SYDNEY, April 2 Asia Pulse - The Australian stock market made a positive start to the week, opening stronger following moderate bargain-hunter-driven gains on Wall Street on Friday. Heavyweight stocks News Corp, Telstra, Qantas, BHP, Rio...

TAIWAN'S FAT LAUNCHES DIRECT KAOHSIUNG-LAOAG FLIGHTS.
April 2, 2001... TAIPEI, April 2 Asia Pulse - Taiwan's Far East Air Transport Corp. (FAT) was set to launch direct flights from Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan to Laoag in the northern Philippines from April 1, FAT sources said Friday. FAT will offer three...

FOREIGN OIL FIRMS MAY BE ALLOWED INTO TAIWAN MARKET THIS YEAR.
April 2, 2001... TAIPEI, April 2 Asia Pulse - Foreign oil firms are eyeing the much anticipated opening of Taiwan's petroleum market, which is expected to happen as early as this September as long as related legislation proceeds smoothly. Exxon-Mobil, one...

KOREAN, JAPANESE FIRMS JOINTLY DEVELOP 3-D CARTOON SERIES.
April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - A 3-D animated cartoon series produced jointly by South Korean and Japanese firms will be shown on televisions in the two countries in April. Digital Dream Studio (DDS), a developer of digital content, said...

TAIWAN CD-R MAKERS SAY FEES CHARGED BY PHILIPS TOO HIGH.
April 2, 2001... TAIPEI, April 2 Asia Pulse - Taiwan's CD-R manufacturers took concerted action Sunday to protest against what they say are the overly high fees charged by Philips Electronics Inc. for the use of its patented technology in their production of...

PSAINC RECEIVES FCC CONSENT FOR TRANSFER OF 10 TV LICENSES.
April 2, 2001... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) LOS ANGELES, March 30 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- PSAINC (OTC Bulletin Board: PSAX) announced today that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted the transfer of 10 TV licenses...

KOREA'S NEW AIRPORT ENJOYS SMOOTH OPERATIONS FOR 2ND DAY.
April 2, 2001... INCHON, April 2 Asia Pulse - The new Inchon International Airport enjoyed smooth operations for the second consecutive day Friday, following its good start the day before, to clear away the misgivings about its operations that have been raised...

SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS LAUNCH BUSINESS COUNCIL.
April 2, 2001... COLOMBO, April 2 Asia Pulse - Asia Pulse - South Asian women entrepreneurs have floated their own business council to bring women-owned businesses to the economic mainstream and ensure greater access to capital. "This marks the advent of a...

ADB SEEKS JV PARTNERS TO ENTER INDIA'S INSURANCE SECTOR.
April 2, 2001... NEW DELHI, April 2 Asia Pulse - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has expressed interest in entering the Indian insurance sector as part of plans to tap long-term funds in the country and is scouting for Indian and foreign insurance partners....

AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR COULD FALL BELOW 44 CENTS: TRADER.
April 2, 2001... MELBOURNE, April 2 Asia Pulse - The hard-hit Australian dollar, which hit a record low of 48.50 US cents in New York on Friday, could drop under 44 cents later this week, according to at least one trader. The trader with a major Australian...

RAJASTHAN TO BEGIN PRIVATISATION OF POWER DISTRIBUTION.
April 2, 2001... NEW DELHI, April 2 Asia Pulse - The northern state of Rajasthan on Friday committed to begin privatisation of power distribution by the year end, and transfer electricity subsidies to state budget. Rajathan, which signed an agreement with...

TAIWANESE MINISTRY TO ADD CRIMINAL STATUTES TO ANTI-CD PIRACY LAW.
April 2, 2001... TAIPEI, April 2 Asia Pulse - Vice Economics Minister Chen Ruey-long said Sunday that his ministry will gather related government agency officials to discuss the incorporation of criminal statutes into an anti-CD piracy draft law in the next few...

TAIWAN GOVERNMENT TO SPEED UP PUBLIC CONSTRUCTION: PREMIER.
April 2, 2001... PINGTUNG COUNTY, April 2 Asia Pulse - Premier Chang Chun-hsiung said Saturday that the government will redouble its efforts to carry out domestic public construction projects so as to help boost the sluggish economy. The Executive Yuan has...

PAKISTAN TO BUILD ANOTHER NUCLEAR PLANT IN NEXT 7 YRS: OFFICIAL.
April 2, 2001... CHASHMA, April 2 Asia Pulse - Pakistan plans to establish another nuclear power plant with 100 per cent indigenous expertise and resources in six to seven years, said Dr Ishfaq Ahmed, Chairman of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and...

WORLD BANK RELEASES US$400 MLN IN EMERGENCY AID FOR GUJARAT.
April 2, 2001... NEW DELHI, April 2 Asia Pulse - The World Bank has signed an agreement in New Delhi formally making US$400 million first phase assistance available for emergency earthquake relief in Gujarat. In order to provide rapid support, this...

PAKISTAN SIMPLIFIES PROCEDURES FOR EXPORTS TO KABUL.
April 2, 2001... ISLAMABAD, April 2 Asia Pulse - The Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet approved simplified procedures for export of six items to Afghanistan and through Afghanistan to Central Asian Republics via Land Route. The Pakistan...

INDIAN GOVT TO EXPEDITE DISPOSAL OF INVESTOR COMPLAINTS.
April 2, 2001... NEW DELHI, April 2 Asia Pulse - The Indian government has announced a series of effective steps to expeditiously redress investor grievances, including fixing up of a time limit for disposal of complaints and computerisation of the activities...

PHILIPPINES' GLOBE TELECOM TO LAUNCH GPRS SERVICE THIS QUARTER.
April 2, 2001... MANILA, April 2 Asia Pulse - Globe Telecom will commercially launch its General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) by the second quarter of this year. GPRS will enable Globe handyphone subscribers to send and receive bigger data files like...

US GOVT LISTS TAIWAN CORRUPTION, E-COMMERCE AS TRADE BARRIERS.
April 2, 2001... WASHINGTON, April 2 Asia Pulse - The United States government released an annual report to Congress Friday that listed for the first time corruption and e-commerce as trade barriers in Taiwan. The "Foreign Trade Barriers" report, prepared...

ASIA'S LARGEST BICYCLE SHOW AND SUMMIT KICKS OFF IN TAIPEI.
April 2, 2001... TAIPEI, April 2 Asia Pulse - Representatives from the world's leading bicycle producing countries vowed Sunday in Taipei to bolster global environmental protection while seeking business prosperity for themselves. More than 200 bicycle...

AUSTRALIA'S OTT TO TIE UP WITH ICONIXX CORP IN NORTH AMERICA.
April 2, 2001... SYDNEY, April 2 Asia Pulse - Telecommunications software provider Open Telecommunications Ltd (OTT) (ASX:OTT) will join hands with Iconixx Corporation Inc as its major channel partner in North America. Consulting company Iconixx will...

S KOREA UNLIKELY TO ACHIEVE FORECAST EXPORT IN H1: KOTRA.
April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - The outlook for the nation's exports to the United States in the first half of this year looks grim due to the U.S. economic recession and heavier trade pressure, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA)...

AUSTRALIA'S BUILDING APPROVALS FALL BY 11 PCT IN FEBRAURY.
April 2, 2001... MELBOURNE, April 2 Asia Pulse - Approvals for residential buildngs fell by 11 per cent in February fell against a market expectation of a two per cent rise following a dramatic slump in approvals for medium density dwellings. While...

INDIAN MINISTER ATTENDS INT'L PETROCHEMICAL CONFERENCE IN US.
April 2, 2001... NEW DELHI, April 2 Asia Pulse - The federal Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister, S S Dhindsa, is leading the Indian delegation to the 26th International Petrochemicals Conference at San Antonio in the US beginning from April 1. Members of...

S KOREA'S KOOKMIN BANK SACKS 2 UNION MEMBERS OPPOSED TO MERGER.
April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - Kookmin Bank said Monday it dismissed two employees last Friday who showed strong resistance to its merger with Housing & Commercial Bank. Yoon Young-dae, an assistant to the general manager, was dismissed for...

AUSTRALIA'S NRMA INSURANCE GROUP CHAIRMAN STEPS DOWN.
April 2, 2001... SYDNEY, April 2 Asia Pulse - Nicholas Whitlam, chairman of NRMA Insurance Group Limited (NIGL) (ASX:NRM) and the man responsible for steering the company through one of the country's biggest demutualisations from a public to a private...

US, CHINESE MILITARIES BLAME EACH OTHER AFTER MIDAIR COLLISION.
April 2, 2001... SYDNEY, April 2 Asia Pulse - A Chinese fighter aircraft crashed and a US surveillance plane was forced to make an emergency landing on Chinese soil following a mid-air collision over the South China Sea last night. US Pacific command chief...

STOCKS - KOSPI DIPS, KOSDAQ INDEX INCHES DOWN - APRIL 2, 2001.
April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) slid below the 520-point range early Monday on a plunge in U.S. technology stock prices and the sagging won and yen. As of 10:03 a.m. the KOSPI declined 4.55 points...

KOREA'S OPERATING RATE FOR BUILDING EQUIPMENT DIPS TO NEW LOW.
April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - The construction slowdown and cold weather have driven the operating rates of bulldozers, excavators and other construction equipment to their lowest levels, according to the Construction-Transportation Ministry on...

INDIA PRODUCES 51,395 TONNES OF ALUMINIUM IN FEB.
April 2, 2001... NEW DELHI, April 2 Asia Pulse - The non-ferrous metals sector recorded modest growth with total aluminium production surpassing the target if 49,087 tonnes to touch 51,395 tonnes in February. State-owned National Aluminium Company Ltd...

JAPANESE MORNING NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - APRIL 2, 2001.
April 2, 2001... TOKYO, April 2 Asia Pulse - Highlights of the morning edition of the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) today: - Govt Panel Wants Deposit Insurance To Buy Bank Sharholdings - Toyota To Make Competitively Priced Hybrid Sedan - eAccess...

JAPAN'S SUMITOMO, SAKURA BANKS MERGE TO FORM SUMITOMO MITSUI.
April 2, 2001... TOKYO, April 2 Asia Pulse - Sumitomo Bank and Sakura Bank merged Sunday to create Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (TSE: 8318), which boasts 100 trillion yen (US$791.65 billion) in assets, 70 trillion yen in deposits and a nationwide network of...

MITSUI CONSTRUCTION TO DISSOLVE U.S. UNIT, AID 3 GROUP FIRMS.
April 2, 2001... TOKYO, April 2 Asia Pulse - Mitsui Construction Co. (TSE:1821) announced Friday a plan to dissolve a U.S. subsidiary and assist three group companies. The company will dissolve Mitsui Kensetsu Development Inc., a U.S. real estate...

NIKKEI WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS - APRIL 2, 2001.
April 2, 2001... TOKYO, April 2 Asia Pulse - Major headlines from the April 2 issue of the Nikkei Weekly: FRONT: - New law to put japan in recycling lead - Institutional investors eyeing hedge funds - Entrepreneurial spirit drives broadband...

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April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - The Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) Monday completed spin off of six power generating firms, the Commerce, Industry and Energy Ministry said. The ministry said KEPCO's power generating unit has been spun off...

JAPAN'S DIGICUBE EXPECTS US$25.8 MLN NET LOSS FOR FISCAL 2000.
April 2, 2001... TOKYO, April 2 Asia Pulse - DigiCube Co. (7589) said Friday it expects to endure a 3.24 billion yen (US$25.8 million) net loss for the fiscal year ended March 31. The game software vendor recorded a net profit of 150 million yen in fiscal...

FOREX - US DOLLAR UP AGAINST WON IN EARLY TRADE - APRIL 2, 2001.
April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - The dollar continued its bull run against the won early Monday in the Seoul currency market as the U.S. currency maintained it strength against the yen in overseas markets. The dollar's overnight rise to the 126...

JAPAN'S FUJI XEROX POSTS 12% FALL IN GROUP OP PROFIT FOR FY2000.
April 2, 2001... TOKYO, April 2 Asia Pulse - Fuji Xerox Co. reported Friday a 12% drop in consolidated operating profit to 32.76 billion yen (US$259 million) for the year ended December, weighed down by rising marketing and administrative costs. The ratio...

JAPAN'S SUMITOMO LIFE BEGINS SELLING INVESTMENT TRUSTS VIA NET.
April 2, 2001... TOKYO, April 2 Asia Pulse - Sumitomo Life Insurance Co. starts selling investment trusts online on Monday. Most of its lineup of 19 funds are the products of its investment trust arms, including Sumisei Global Investment Trust Management...

KOREA'S KEPCO COMPLETES SPIN OFF OF POWER AFFILIATES.
April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - The Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) Monday completed spin off of six power generating firms, the Commerce, Industry and Energy Ministry said. The ministry said KEPCO's power generating unit has been spun off...

MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC TO CONSOLIDATE OPERATIONS, TRIM 5,000 JOBS.
April 2, 2001... OSAKA, April 2 Asia Pulse - Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. (TSE:6752) on Friday announced its groupwide restructuring plan involving the consolidation of marketing operations and a reduction of 5,000 jobs. On April 1, the company will...

JAPAN'S HITACHI CONSTRUCTION EXPECTS US$30 MLN FY2000 NET LOSS.
April 2, 2001... TOKYO, April 2 Asia Pulse - Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. (TSE: 6305) announced Friday it expects to fall into the red for the year ending March, for the first time in seven years, pulled down by overseas operations. The leading...

JAPAN'S TOKYU DEPARTMENT POSTS US$225 MLN NET LOSS FOR FY2000.
April 2, 2001... TOKYO, April 2 Asia Pulse - Tokyu Department Store Co. (TSE: 8232) said Friday it chalked up a group net loss of 28.5 billion yen (US$225.6 million) for the term ended January, as the company pressed ahead with booking unrealized losses on...

HIGHLIGHTS OF INDIA'S NEW EXIM POLICY.
April 2, 2001... NEW DELHI, April 2 Asia Pulse - Highlights of new Exim Policy announced on Saturday: - Quantitative restrictions (QRs) totally dismantled from April one. - Standing Group to be set up for monitoring import of 300 sensitive items. ...

JAPANESE POWER COMPANIES' CAPITAL SPENDING FALLS 8 PCT IN FY2000.
April 2, 2001... TOKYO, April 2 Asia Pulse - The nation's 10 electric power companies expect combined capital spending to drop 8 per cent on the year to 2.99 trillion yen (US$23.67 billion) in fiscal 2000, falling below 3 trillion yen for the first time in 16...

JAPAN'S TOKYO DOME POSTS FY2000 NET GROUP LOSS OF 10.46 BLN YEN.
April 2, 2001... TOKYO, April 2 Asia Pulse - Tokyo Dome Corp. (TSE:9681) said Friday it posted a group net loss of 10.46 billion yen (US$82.8 million) for the year ended January 2001, as its bottom line was hit by extraordinary losses of 21.9 billion yen,...

AUSTRALIAN WATCHDOG CHIEF CRITICAL OF COOPERATION OF HIH INSURANCE.
April 2, 2001... MELBOURNE, April 2 Asia Pulse - Insurance watchdog chief Jeff Carmichael has said he is not satisfied with the cooperation of the management of failed insurance giant HIH Insurance as his staff tried to help save the company. HIH, one of...

KOREAN AIR TO MAINTAIN U.S. AIR FORCE F-15 FIGHTERS FOR $100 MLN.
April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - Korean Air (KAL) has won a record breaking US$100 million contract with the U.S. Air Force to conduct general overhaul of F-15 fighter planes in the Pacific region till 2010, the airline said Monday. KAL and the...

FOREX - MAJOR CURRENCIES OPEN WEAKER VS RINGGIT - APRIL 2, 2001.
April 2, 2001... KUALA LUMPUR, April 2 Asia Pulse - Major currencies were weaker against the ringgit in early session today. At 9.00 am, the Japanese yen slipped to 3.0131/0163 against the ringgit as compared to 3.0338/0358 at the close on Friday. The...

INDONESIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - APRIL 2, 2001.
April 2, 2001... JAKARTA, April 2 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE JAKARTA POST - State oil and gas company Pertamina raised oil fuel prices for industrial users by an average of 108% as of April 1 in a bid to cut down government...

STOCK KL SHARES OPEN BROADLY LOWER.
April 2, 2001... KUALA LUMPUR, April 2 Asia Pulse - Kuala Lumpur shares on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE) opened broadly lower today on lack of support. A dealer said there were not much leads locally to further support the market as institutional...

KOREA TO INTRODUCE STANDARD CLAUSES TO PROMOTE E-TRANSACTIONS.
April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - The government Monday decided to introduce standard consumer protection clauses for those engaging in electronic financial transactions. Deputy Prime Minister Jin Nyum and other consumer policy committee members...

CHINESE SECURITIES FIRM EYES FOOTHOLD IN HO CHI MINH CITY.
April 2, 2001... HANOI, April 2 Asia Pulse - State-run First Securities Company plans to open a branch office in Ho Chi Minh City in April, targeting stock investors from the affluent Chinese Vietnamese community. FSC Director Tran Thien The said if things...

ADL INTERNATIONAL CALLS FOR DOWNSIZING OF HYUNDAI ENG'G.
April 2, 2001... SEOUL, April 2 Asia Pulse - ADL International, which is a consultant of troubled Hyundai Engineering & Construction, called Monday for the builder to trim its work force by laying off about 1,160 workers. ADL said that the slimming down of...