AsiaPulse News articles from April 2009

AsiaPulse News archives from April 2009

FOREX - AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR OPENS HIGHER - APRIL 1, 2009.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian dollar started Wednesday's local session one US cent higher as a rally on global markets lifted demand for the high-yielding currency. At 0700 AEDT, the Australian dollar was trading at US$0.6950...

AUSTRALIAN BOND MARKET OPENS WEAKER - APRIL 1, 2009.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian bond market has opened weaker as investors pare expectations of the central bank cutting interest rates next Tuesday. At 0830 AEDT, the yield on the Commonwealth Government March 2019 bond was...

SOUTH KOREAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - APRIL 1, 2009.
April 1, 2009... SEOUL, April 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: KOREAN-LANGUAGE DAILIES: - Controversy erupts over gov't approval of second Lotte World (Kyunghyang Shinmun) - N. Korea says two American reporters will stand trial...

STOCKS - BOMBAY SHARES CLOSE.
April 1, 2009... MUMBAI, March 31 Asia Pulse - The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex gained over 140 points as the market was volatile on firm overseas trends and political uncertainty at home. The Sensex, after a steep fall of 480 points in the...

S KOREAN PRES, BRITISH PM CALL FOR JOINT EFFORTS TO FIGHT CRISIS.
April 1, 2009... LONDON, April 1 Asia Pulse - South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown agreed Tuesday to join efforts in the fight against the global financial crisis and pledged to increase bilateral cooperation on...

INDIA'S SIDBI EYES US$700-900 MLN FOREIGN BORROWING FOR 2009-10.
April 1, 2009... NEW DELHI, April 1 Asia Pulse - The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) on Tuesday said it is looking at foreign borrowings to the tune of US$700-900 million for the next fiscal year. "This (foreign borrowing) is (a)...

RANBAXY TO LAUNCH DAIICHI'S ANTI-HYPERSENSITIVE DRUG IN INDIA.
April 1, 2009... NEW DELHI, April 1 Asia Pulse - Ranbaxy Laboratories (BSE:500359) will launch in India an anti-hypertensive drug, Olvance -- the first product from its Japanese parent Daiichi Sankyo's (TSE:4568) portfolio to be introduced through it. ...

FOREX - RUPEE RECOVERS SHARPLY VS DOLLAR - MARCH 31, 2009.
April 1, 2009... MUMBAI, March 31 Asia Pulse - The Indian rupee today recovered sharply by 48 paise to close at 50.70/71 against the greenback following firm equity markets amid a weak dollar overseas. In active trade at the Interbank Foreign Exchange...

WOCKHARDT UP 10% ON BOMBAY STOCK EXCHANGE ON NEWS OF STAKE SALE.
April 1, 2009... MUMBAI, April 1 Asia Pulse - Pharma company Wockhardt Ltd (BSE:532300) on Tuesday surged over 10 per cent on the Bombay Stock Exchange after reports surfaced that Fortis Healthcare (BSE:532843) will acquire a substantial stake in its arm...

INDIA'S ECONOMIC GROWTH TO MODERATE TO 5% IN 2009-10: ADB.
April 1, 2009... NEW DELHI, April 1 Asia Pulse - The Asian Development Bank on Tuesday on Tuesday projected that India's economic growth would slow down to 5 per cent in 2009-10, the fiscal which begins today. Growth for 2008-09 has been kept at 7.1 per...

INDIAN COMMERCE MIN PROPOSES STAINLESS STEEL ANTI-DUMPING DUTY.
April 1, 2009... NEW DELHI, April 1 Asia Pulse - Unfazed by a World Bank report highlighting India as the most active nation in anti-dumping measures, the Commerce Ministry has recommended levying such a duty on import of stainless steel from China, the...

NZ-BASED FLETCHER BUILDING SEEKS TO RAISE UP TO US$288 MLN.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - Shares in New Zealand-based builder Fletcher Building Ltd (ASX:FBU) have been placed in a trading halt, while the company conducts a capital raising seeking NZ$465 million-NZ$505 million (US$265.32-288.15 million)....

FORTESCUE TO KEEP INDEPENDENCE DEPSITE CHINA DEAL: CEO.
April 1, 2009... CANBERRA, April 1 Asia Pulse - Fortescue Metals Group (ASX:FMG) will maintain its independence even after a Chinese steel company increases its stake in the West Australian miner, the group's chief executive Andrew Forrest says. Federal...

LENDERS OF AUSTRALIA'S PAPERLINX EXTEND WAIVERS.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - Australian paper merchant PaperlinX Ltd (ASX:PPX) says its lenders and noteholders have extended waivers relating to the company's non-compliance with some of its financial ratio covenants. The waivers have...

NZ'S FLETCHER PUTS SHARES IN TRADING HALT DURING CAPITAL RAISING.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - Shares in New Zealand-based builder Fletcher Building Ltd (ASX:FBU) have been placed in a trading halt, while the company conducts a capital raising seeking NZ$465 million-NZ$505 million US$265.32-288.15 million)....

AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY SHRINKS FURTHER IN MARCH: POLL.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - The manufacturing industry in Australia continues to feel the impact of the downturn in the global economy, a survey shows. The Australian Industry Group-PricewaterhouseCoopers Australian Performance of...

STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN SHARES OPEN LOWER - APRIL 1, 2009.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian share market has opened lower with modest losses in all sectors despite gains on overseas markets. At 1015 AEDT, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 was down 24.2 points, or 0.68 per cent, to 3,557.9, while...

AUSTRALIA'S TABCORP ISSUES 5-YEAR BONDS TO PAY 4.25% OVER BILLS.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - Tabcorp Holding Ltd (ASX:TAH) has set the margin on its corporate bond offer after an institutional bookbuild. The five year floating rate bonds, to be issued to institutions, smaller Tabcorp shareholders and...

S. KOREA LOOKS TO EXPORT NUCLEAR REACTORS THROUGH UK JV.
April 1, 2009... SEOUL, April 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea is seeking overseas buyers for indigenously made nuclear reactors through a joint venture arrangement with a leading British engineering company, the government said Wednesday. The joint venture...

CEO OF AUSTRALIAN BROKER MORTGAGE CHOICE RESIGNS.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - Mortgage Choice Ltd (ASX:MOC) chief executive Paul Lahiff has resigned after six years in the role as the Australian mortgage broker starts the search for a new head. "With Paul's resignation it is an...

AUSTRALIA'S ONESTEEL ANNOUNCES FURTHER PRODUCTION CUTS.
April 1, 2009... MELBOURNE, April 1 Asia Pulse - OneSteel Ltd (ASX:OST), Australia's second largest steel maker, has made a further cut to its production guidance from its Sydney and Laverton facilities for the financial year as a result of reduced demand. ...

LEND LEASE TO BUILD, MAINTAIN BP'S EUROPEAN RETAIL NETWORK.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - Australian property giant Lend Lease Corporation Ltd (ASX:LLC) has signed a new five-year contract with BP International Ltd (BP), continuing a 12 year alliance between the companies. Under the contract Lend...

VICE PRESIDENT TOUTS TAIWAN'S SOURCING MARKET.
April 1, 2009... TAIPEI, April 1 Asia Pulse - Vice President Vincent Siew touted Taiwan as a potential source of goods Tuesday, saying the country provides a wide range of high-quality industrial products at a reasonable price that offer considerable value to...

INDONESIA, FAO AGREE TO OVERCOME WORLD HUNGER.
April 1, 2009... JAKARTA, April 1 Asia Pulse - Indonesia and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) agreed to work together on overcoming world hunger as laid down in a Letter of Intent between the two sides. The agreement was signed on the...

ASIANET DAILY SUMMARY - APRIL 1, 2009.
April 1, 2009... AsiaNet Daily Summary - Press Releases for Monday April 1, 2009 PODIATRY NEW ZEALAND... MELBOURNE: Podiatry New Zealand, the peak body for podiatrists in New Zealand today warned that consumers would be foolish to believe a recent...

CHINA'S MINMETALS MAKES US$1.2 BLN OFFER FOR AUSTRALIAN MINES.
April 1, 2009... MELBOURNE, April 1 Asia Pulse - OZ Minerals Ltd (ASX:OZL) has received a US$1.2 billion proposal from its Chinese suitor to acquire a suite of the miner's assets and received an extension to its debt refinancing obligations. Minmetals...

INDONESIA'S MEDCO POSTS HIGHEST PROFIT SINCE 1980.(Financial report)
April 1, 2009... JAKARTA, April 1 Asia Pulse - Indonesia's PT Medco Energi Intenasional (JSX:MEDC) posted a net profit of US$280.2 million in 2008, the highest it had recorded since 1980, Medco finance director D Cyril Noerhadi said. Noerhadi said here on...

HONG KONG TOURISM BOARD-USA RECEIVES L.A. COUNTY COMMENDATION.
April 1, 2009... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) (BW)(CA-HONG-KONG-TOURISM) The Hong Kong Tourism Board-USA Receives L.A. County Government Commendation for Promoting Tourism and Cultural Ties Travel Editors MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE:...

TAIWAN'S TRADE SURPLUS WITH CHINA DROPS TO 8-YEAR-LOW.
April 1, 2009... TAIPEI, April 1 Asia Pulse - Taiwan's trade surplus with China in January hit the lowest single-month level in eight years as exports to China continued to be throttled by declining demand, according to a report released Monday by the Ministry...

TAIWAN'S ELECTRICITY RETAIL PRICES AMONG WORLD'S LOWEST: TAIPOWER.
April 1, 2009... TAIPEI, April 1 Asia Pulse - Taiwan has managed to maintain its retail electricity prices at low levels despite drastic fluctuations in global fuel prices, according to a report released Tuesday by the state-run Taiwan Power Company (Taipower)....

SYDNEY HOMES BLACKED OUT BY ELECTRICAL FAULT AFTER HEAVY RAIN.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - Three thousand homes and businesses in Sydney's inner west are blacked out after an electrical fault that may have been caused by heavy rain. About 6.30am (AEDT) a fault cut the power supply to parts of Glebe...

ELECTION OF RUDD AUSTRALIA'S OWN "OBAMA MOMENT": BISHOP.
April 1, 2009... LONDON, April Asia Pulse - Kevin Rudd is proving to be just as popular away from home as in Australia. According to the Bishop of London, the election of Mr Rudd as prime minister in November 2007 was something of "an Obama moment" for...

FOREX - RINGGIT CLOSES STRNGER AGAINST US DOLLAR - APRIL 1, 2009.
April 1, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 Asia Pulse - The ringgit ended stronger at 3.6450/6480 against the U.S. dollar on Tuesday. ASIA PULSE 01-04 1109

BLEAK OUTLOOK FOR ASIA, BUT REGION CAN COPE WITH CRISIS; ADB.
April 1, 2009... TASHKENT, April 1 Asia Pulse - Developing Asia's economic growth will slow in 2009 to its most sluggish pace since the 1997/1998 Asian financial crisis, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) says in a new major report. ADB's flagship annual...

AUSTRALIA'S CARDNO SECURES US$103 MLN CONTRACT IN PNG.
April 1, 2009... BRISBANE, April 1 Asia Pulse - Australian sustainable infrastructure contractor Cardno (ASX:CDD) has won a $150 million (US$103 million) contract under the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Australia Law and Justice Partnership, reports Queensland...

ASIA MUST REBALANCE ITS GROWTH TO SURVIVE GLOBAL DOWNTURN: ADB.
April 1, 2009... TASHKENT, April 1 Asia Pulse - Developing Asia should rebalance growth to endure the global crisis and boost its resilience to large external shocks in the long run. The Asian Development Outlook 2009 (ADO 2009), released Tuesday, says...

INDONESIAN COALMINER ADARO POSTS 902% SURGE IN 2008 NET PROFIT.
April 1, 2009... JAKARTA, April 1 Asia Pulse - Indonesian coal mining company PT Adaro Energy Tbk (JSX:ADRO) said on Tuesday its consolidated net profit in 2008 skyrocketed 902 per cent to Rp887 billion (US$77.2 million) from Rp89 billion a year earlier. ...

UZBEKISTAN TO INVEST US$1.7 BLN IN RAILWAY UPGRADES.
April 1, 2009... TASHKENT, April 1 Asia Pulse - Uzbekistan plans to invest US$1.73 billion in development and modernization of its railways in 2009-2013. A comprehensive programme for the next five years was approved in March. The programme entails...

AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - APRIL 1, 2009.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW: - The Reserve Bank of Australia has admitted that the economy will shrink this year and global growth will contract by close to 2 per cent. ...

STOCKS - TOKYO SHARES OPEN HIGHER - APRIL 1, 2009.
April 1, 2009... TOKYO, April 1 Asia Pulse - Tokyo shares jumped 0.62 per cent higher Wednesday. The benchmark Nikkei-225 index rose 50.31 points to 8,159.84 in the first minutes of trading. ASIA PULSE 01-04 1127

AUSTRALIAN SKILLED JOB VACANCIES FALL OVER 10% IN MARCH: DEEWR.
April 1, 2009... CANBERRA, April 1 Asia Pulse - Skilled job vacancies in Australia slumped 10.8 per cent per cent in March, new data shows. The Federal Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) skilled vacancies index in March was...

HONG KONG NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - APRIL 1, 2009.
April 1, 2009... HONG KONG, April 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST: - The mainland securities regulator yesterday took advantage of rising investor confidence to announce rules for the long-awaited Nasdaq-style...

OMAN, UZBEKISTAN TO FORM FDI JOINT VENTURE.
April 1, 2009... TASHKENT, April 1 Asia Pulse - Uzbekistan and Oman are to launch a joint investment and bilateral business promotion company with a starting capital of US$500 million. Oman's Minister of National Economy Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki said in...

STOCKS - SRI LANKAN SHARES CLOSE LOWER - MARCH 31, 2009.
April 1, 2009... COLOMBO, March 31 Asia Pulse - Sri Lankan shares closed down on Tuesday, dragged down by blue chips such as John Keells Holdings (JKH) and National Development Bank (NDB) on low volume trades despite inflation and interest rates coming down,...

SIEMENS ENERGY HANDS OVER POWER STATION EXTENSION IN ABU DHABI.
April 1, 2009... ABU DHABI, April 1 Asia Pulse - Siemens Energy has handed over the Taweelah New B Extension combined cycle power station with seawater desalination plant to the customer Taweelah Asia Power Company (TAPCO) headquartered in Abu Dhabi. The...

SRI LANKA INFLATION DROPS TO 5.3 PCT IN MARCH.
April 1, 2009... COLOMBO, April 1 Asia Pulse - Consumer price inflation in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo dropped to 5.3 per cent in the 12-months to March 2009 from 7.6 per cent in February, with prices dropping for six straight months, the government's...

ADB ANALYSIS: UZBEKISTAN'S GDP TO GROW 7% IN 2009, 6.5% IN 2010.
April 1, 2009... TASHKENT, April 1 Asia Pulse - The economy of Uzbekistan will grow seven per cent in 2009 and 6.5 per cent in 2010, the Asian Development Banks's (ADB) flagship annual economic publication, Asian Development Outlook 2009 (ADO 2009), said on...

SRI LANKA, NEPAL MULL TOURISM, AIR LINKS.
April 1, 2009... COLOMBO, April 1 Asia Pulse - Sri Lanka and Nepal are discussing joint tourism packages that combine the attractions of Himalayan hikes with Indian Ocean beaches, the island's international trade minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris said. ...

S. KOREA'S MANUFACTURING SENTIMENT RISES FOR Q2.
April 1, 2009... SEOUL, April 1 Asia Pulse - South Korean manufacturers' business sentiment rose for the second quarter amid predictions the economy may stabilize in the coming months, a government poll showed Wednesday. The business survey index (BSI) for...

STOCKS - SEOUL SHARES START HIGHER - APRIL 1, 2009.
April 1, 2009... SEOUL, April 1 Asia Pulse - South Korean stocks opened higher Wednesday as investor sentiment got a boost from overnight Wall Street gains, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) increased 4.81 points, or...

SINGAPORE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - APRIL 1, 2009.
April 1, 2009... SINGAPORE, April 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: BUSINESS TIMES: - The Singapore stock market rebounded slightly last month, with overall capitalisation at March 31 rising 5 per cent or .6 billion to $386 billion from...

SRI LANKA TO HAVE WIRELESS CREDIT CARD TERMINALS.
April 1, 2009... COLOMBO, April 1 Asia Pulse - Sri Lankan telco Lanka Bell and EPIC Lanka Technologies, an information technology firm have joined to provide wireless point of sale terminals for credit card transactions. Lanka Bell operates a fixed access...

SHIPBUILDER HYUNDAI HEAVY EYES US$216 MLN DEBT SALE IN APRIL.
April 1, 2009... SEOUL, April 1 Asia Pulse - Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. (KSE:009540), the world's leading shipyard, is planning to sell 300 billion won (US$216 million) worth of debt this month as part of efforts to secure cash amid falling orders, industry...

S KOREA'S TRADE SURPLUS HITS RECORD US$4.6 BLN IN MARCH.
April 1, 2009... SEOUL, April 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's trade surplus reached a record US$4.6 billion in March mainly due to a sharp drop in imports and a surge in exports of ships, a government report showed Wednesday. The country's exports reached...

AUST MEN EARN A$1 MLN MORE THAN WOMEN OVER THEIR LIVES: STUDY.(Report)
April 1, 2009... CANBERRA, April 1 Asia Pulse - Australian men have the potential to earn about A$1 million (US$689,350) more than women over their lifetime, a new report shows. The AMP Financial Services report shows that while the pay divide has narrowed...

MONEY LAUNDERING LAWS A BURDEN FOR SMALL BIZ: AUSTRALIAN GOVT.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian government says it will consider the impact of the global financial crisis in enforcing new requirements for small businesses to report suspicious transactions. Current laws require banks, casinos...

BLEAK IMF, OECD FORECASTS A WAKE-UP CALL FOR G20: AUSTRALIAN PM.
April 1, 2009... LONDON, April 1 Asia Pulse - Dire new economic forecasts are "a wake-up call" for G20 leaders meeting in the British capital with a brief to fix the global financial system, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says. Leaders have begun...

250 OF MEDIBANK'S FULL-TIME STAFF TO GO PART-TIME AFTER MERGER.
April 1, 2009... CANBERRA, April 1 Asia Pulse - Medibank Private has confirmed 250 full-time staff members will be shifted to part-time employment as the Australian government-owned health insurer merges with an occupational health services firm on Wednesday....

UAE, BRITAIN TO CO-PRODUCE DRIVER DANS STORY TRAIN TV PROGRAMME.
April 1, 2009... ABU DHABI, April 1 Asia Pulse - twofour54 Abu Dhabi and 3Line Media of the United Kingdom are to co-produce a fun, educational Arabic/English children's series called Driver Dan's Story Train. THis is the first partnership deal for...

AUSTRALIA'S OZ MINERALS CONTINUES WITH GOLD, SLIVER PROJECT SALE.
April 1, 2009... MELBOURNE, April 1 Asia Pulse - Australia's OZ Minerals Ltd (ASX:OZL) says the company is continuing with the sale process for its Martabe gold and silver project in Indonesia. The debt-laden miner on Wednesday has received a US$1.2 billion...

AUSTRALIAN RETAIL TRADE DROPS 2% IN FEBRUARY: ABS.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - Australian retail trade at current prices fell 2.0 per cent in February to a seasonally adjusted A$18.873 billion (US$13.052 billion), from A$19.257 billion in January, figures from the Australian Bureau of...

GM, CHRYSLER SHUN SEOUL MOTOR SHOW.
April 1, 2009... SEOUL, April 1 Asia Pulse - Beleaguered U.S. automakers General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC shunned this week's Seoul Motor Show, organizers said Wednesday, as the companies struggle with record losses and little sign of recovery in the...

SRI LANKA RECONSTRUCTION AFTER WAR COULD STIMULATE ECONOMY: ADB.
April 1, 2009... COLOMBO, April 1 Asia Pulse - Sri Lanka's economic growth will slow down this year but could revive in 2010 helped by reconstruction activity expected with the end of the war against Tamil Tigers, the Asian Development Bank said. The...

CORR - 140 MEDIBANK FULL-TIMERS TO GO PART-TIME AFTER MERGER.
April 1, 2009... (clarifies Medibank Private has confirmed 140 full-time staff could be transferred, not 250 as union suggests) CANBERRA, April 1 Asia Pulse - Medibank Private has confirmed about 140 full-time staff members will be shifted to part-time...

S KOREA PARLIAMENT HAS EXTRA SESSION ON US$20.7 BLN BUDGET BILL.
April 1, 2009... SEOUL, April 1 Asia Pulse - The National Assembly opened an extraordinary session on Wednesday with rival parties expected to once again lock horns over a government-proposed 28.9 trillion won (US$20.7 billion) supplementary budget bill. ...

AUSTRALIAN BUILDING APPROVALS JUMP 7.8% IN FEBRUARY: ABS.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - Australian building approvals rose 7.8 per cent to 10,050 units in February, seasonally adjusted, from an upwardly revised 9.327 units in January, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said on Wednesday. In the...

UAE OIL COS SIGN 20-YEAR GASCO JV PACT RENEWAL.
April 1, 2009... ABU DHABI, April 1 Asia Pulse - The Joint Venture Agreement renewal for Abu Dhabi Gas Industries Ltd. (GASCO) was signed Tuesday between its shareholders Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Shell Abu Dhabi B.V., Total S.A., and Partex Gas...

AUSTRALIAN RETAIL SPENDING SLIPS AS STIMULUS PAYMENTS FADE.
April 1, 2009... CANBERRA, April 1 Asia Pulse - Retail spending slumped 2.0 per cent in February compared to a month earlier as support from last year's Australian government cash handouts diminished. Retail spending totalled a seasonally adjusted A$18.87...

TOP S KOREA FINANCIAL REGULATOR URGES BANKS TO INCREASE LENDING.
April 1, 2009... SEOUL, April 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's top financial regulator called on local banks Wednesday to expand lending in a bid to help the country weather the worst economic slowdown in a decade. "The watchdog will monitor lenders' monthly...

STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN SHARES LOWER AT NOON - APRIL 1, 2009.
April 1, 2009... MELBOURNE, April 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian sharemarket consolidated its position in morning trade, with resources and oil stocks providing the core support after February retail trade and building approval figures had little impact on the...

DOHA SUMMITS BACK UAE REQUEST TO HOST IRENA.
April 1, 2009... DOHA, April 1 Asia Pulse - The Arab Summit and Summit of Arab-South American Countries expressed today their support for the UAE to host the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi. Voting on the UAE request will take...

LENOVO TO PROVIDE LAPTOPS FOR AUSTRALIAN GOVT'S EDUCATION PLAN.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - Chinese computer company Lenovo (SEHK:0992) has won a contract to provide 200,000 laptops for New South Wales (NSW) secondary school students as apart of the AUstralian government's A$1.9 billion (US$1.321 billion)...

AUSTRALIAN SUPER FUNDS MADE TO REPORT LONG TERM EARNINGS.(Financial report)
April 1, 2009... CANBERRA, April 1 Asia Pulse - Australian superannuation funds will be required to report long-term returns prominently in member statements under new laws announced on Wednesday. Investors needed to be told about longer-term returns so...

HIGH COURT TO RULE ON AUSTRALIAN GOVT'S STIMULUS PAYMENTS FRIDAY.
April 1, 2009... CANBERRA, April 1 Asia Pulse - A High Court decision on the validity of the Australian government's bonus payments to millions of taxpayers is expected on Friday. The full bench of the court has finished hearing submissions from a legal...

SRI LANKA NEEDS TO DEPRECIATE RUPEE: ADB ECONOMIC ANALYSIS.
April 1, 2009... COLOMBO, April 1 Asia Pulse - Sri Lanka should adopt a more flexible exchange rate policy and depreciate the rupee to make exports more competitive and better manage import demand, the Asian Development Bank says. ADB lead economist for...

CHOICE BEGINS MAKEOVER OF AUSTRALIAN GROCERY PRICE TRACKING SITE.
April 1, 2009... CANBERRA, April 1 Asia Pulse - Consumer advocacy group Choice has taken another step towards overhauling the Australian government's much maligned grocery price monitoring website. Choice has appointed a consultancy firm to help rebuild the...

AUST ECONOMIC DATA LARGELY NEGATIVE.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - The negatives outweighed the positives in the rash of economic data released on Wednesday. The headliner was retail trade, which fell by 2.0 per cent in February, seasonally adjusted, as the effect of the...

EIAST, FRAUNHOFER MIDEAST INK MOU FOR DUBAI ENERGY PROJECTS.
April 1, 2009... DUBAI, April 1 Asia Pulse - The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science '&' Technology (EIAST) has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Fraunhofer Middle East to initiate projects in the field of alternative energy, water and...

PAID MATERNITY LEAVE HELPS CLOSE MALE-FEMALE WAGE GAP: GREENS.
April 1, 2009... CANBERRA, April 1 Asia Pulse - Introducing a national paid maternity leave scheme would help narrow the vast pay gaps between men and women, the Australian Greens say. New research shows Australian men have the potential to earn around A$1...

TURKISH AIRPORT OPERATOR TAV POSTS US$5.2 MLN NET PROFIT.(Financial report)
April 1, 2009... ISTANBUL, April 1 Asia Pulse - TAV, a Turkish company specialized in airport construction and management, said Monday it had made 8.9 million Turkish liras (US$5.2 million) net profit in 2008. The company's turnover in 2008 was up 25 per...

TURKEY'S ECONOMY GROWS 1.1 PER CENT IN 2008.
April 1, 2009... ANKARA, April 1 Asia Pulse - Turkey's economy grew 1.1 per cent in 2008. Turkish Board of Statistics (TUIK) stated on Tuesday that the economy shrank 6.2 per cent in the last quarter of 2008. Turkey's gross domestic product (GSYH) in...

FOREX - AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR STRONGER AT NOON - APRIL 1, 2009.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian dollar was higher at noon but pared some overnight gains on weaker than expected retail sales data. At 1200 AEDT, the Australian dollar was trading at US$0.6876 80, up from Tuesday's close of...

AUSTRALIAN BOND MARKET FLAT TO WEAKER AT NOON - APRIL 1, 2009.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian bond market was flat to weaker at noon. At 1200 AEDT, the yield on the Commonwealth Government March 2019 bond was 4.420 per cent, up from Tuesday's close of 4.415 per cent, while the yield on...

AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER AD REVENUE DOWN ONLY 0.6% IN 2008.
April 1, 2009... SYDNEY, April 1 Asia Pulse - Australian newspaper advertising revenue slipped during 2008 but the decline was less than that of the United Kingdom and the United States, new figures show. Industry body The Newspaper Works said the combined...