AsiaPulse News articles from December 2006

AsiaPulse News archives from December 2006

FOREX - US DOLLAR FIRMER AGAINST RUPEE - NOV 30, 2006.
December 1, 2006... MUMBAI, Nov 30 Asia Pulse - The U.S. dollar ended dearer against the rupee at Rs 44.74 per dollar and the pound sterling also moved up at Rs 87.53 per pound at the close of the Interbank Foreign Exchange (FOREX) market here on Thursday. ...

STOCKS - BOMBAY SHARES CLOSE HIGHER - NOV 30, 2006.
December 1, 2006... MUMBAI, Nov 30 Asia Pulse - The benchmark Sensex closed almost 80 points up in volatile trade on the Bombay Stock Exchange on Thursday, on the back of a strong rally in technology and banking sector stocks on funds buying, triggered by firming...

NETECONOMY EXPANDS OPERATIONS INTO AUSTRALIA AND CHINA.(Company overview)
December 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) NetEconomy Expands Operations into Australia and China THE HAGUE, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- NetEconomy, the global leader in financial crime management and compliance...

NICOLE KIDMAN AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF GENEVA OMEGA STORE.
December 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) Nicole Kidman at the Opening Ceremony of the New Geneva OMEGA Store GENEVA, 30 Nov. /Photopress AG-AsiaNet/ -- caption for _SCH0314 Nicole Kidman, Australian actress, together...

FOREX - AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR OPENS FIRMER - DEC 1, 2006.
December 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian dollar hit a 20 month high overnight, opening firmer this morning, on the back of continued US dollar weakness. At 0700 AEDT the domestic unit was at $US0.7889/94, up from yesterday's close of...

AUSTRALIAN STATES SHOULD LIFT BAN ON URANIUM MINING - COMMITTEE.
December 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - A federal parliamentary committee is calling on the states to lift their bans on uranium mining, saying billions in potential exports are under threat. The House of Representatives committee, which will officially...

QANTAS AIRWAYS UPGRADES 2006/07 PROFIT GUIDANCE.
December 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX:QAN) has lifted its 2006/07 profit guidance, and now expects its profit before tax for the year to be up to 30 per cent above last year's result. "As a result of strong trading conditions...

SOUTH KOREAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - DEC 1, 2006.
December 1, 2006... SEOUL, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: Vernacular dailies - Three bills for non-regular workers passed amid opposition from labor circle (Kyunghyang Shinmun) - Bills for non-regular workers passed (Kukmin...

ACER TO LAUNCH NEW LAPTOPS FEATURING TAIWAN-BORN PITCHER.
December 1, 2006... TAIPEI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Acer Co. will launch commemorative notebooks featuring Taiwan-born New York Yankees starting pitcher Wang Chien-ming in celebration of his 19 wins in the just-concluded season of the US Major League, a company...

AUSTRALIA'S MANUFACTURING ACTIVITY EXPANDS IN NOVEMBER.
December 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Growth in Australia's manufacturing activity continued to expand moderately in November, a new survey shows. The Australian Industry Group/PricewaterhouseCoopers Australian performance of manufacturing (PMI) index...

ASIA-PACIFIC AVIATION MARKET GROWTH SLOWING.
December 1, 2006... CANBERRA, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Asia-Pacific aviation continues to grow with new figures showing both the number of people flying and the number of seats available increasing. But the rate of growth in the aviation freight market has slowed...

AUSTRALIAN BOND MARKET OPENS FIRMER - DEC 1, 2006.
December 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian bond market opened firmer today, mirroring US markets, which focused on a weaker-than-expected outcome for the Chicago purchasers manufacturing index (PMI). At 0900 AEDT the yield on the...

AUSTRALIA'S RESMED NAMED NATION'S EXPORTER OF THE YEAR.
December 1, 2006... MELBOURNE, Nov 30 Asia Pulse - A Sydney firm that makes products for respiratory disorders has been named Australian Exporter of the Year. ResMed Inc (ASX:RMD) was selected from a record 489 entries to win the award at the 2006 Australian...

LINGUATEC, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES AGREE ON COOPERATION.
December 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) Linguatec and Chinese Academy of Sciences Agree on Strategic Cooperation MUNICH, Nov. 30 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- The German language technology specialist Linguatec and the...

BRITISH EXPERTS ADVISE TAIWAN ON RENEWABLE ENERGY.
December 1, 2006... TAIPEI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse A consistent, clear policy and reliable database are needed for Taiwan's renewable energy development, a delegation of British renewable energy experts said Thursday at a seminar organized by the British Trade and...

AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - DEC 1, 2006.
December 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE AGE: - Fiji military commander Frank Bainimarama has threatened to overthrow the government at midday after declaring that concessions offered by the Prime Minister were...

EURO RSCG WORLDWIDE IS THE LARGEST GLOBAL ADVERTISING AGENCY.
December 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) Euro RSCG Worldwide is the Largest Global Advertising Agency NEW YORK, Nov. 30 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- Findings in Advertising Age Annual Report Reveal That New Business Wins...

S. KOREA SELLS US$1 BLN GLOBAL BOND.
December 1, 2006... LONDON, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea raised $1 billion Thursday by selling sovereign debts at a lower-than-expected yield on strong demand, the country's Finance Ministry said. The sale comprises a $500 million 10-year bond priced at U.S....

S. KOREA'S CENTRAL BANK UPGRADES Q3 GROWTH RATE.
December 1, 2006... SEOUL, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's central bank on Friday revised the third quarter growth rate upward, citing a stronger-than-expected manufacuting sector's growth. Asia's fourth-largest economy expanded 4.8 per cent in the...

PRESIDENT CHEN SOLICITS INVESTMENT IN TAIWAN.
December 1, 2006... TAIPEI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - President Chen Shui-bian urged domestic and international companies in the industrial and manufacturing sectors Thursday to have faith in Taiwan and increase their investment in the country. Chen made the remarks...

SINGAPORE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - DEC 1, 2006.
December 1, 2006... SINGAPORE, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE STRAITS TIMES: - GST increase: Short-term pain but long-term gain for Singapore economy. - The Straits Times Index (STI), which has been the key barometer of the...

S. KOREA'S TRUCKERS' UNION GOES ON STRIKE.
December 1, 2006... BUSAN, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's unionized truck drivers went on strike on Friday, demanding improved freight-operating systems and better labor conditions, police said. The industrial action by the Korea Cargo Transport Workers...

NORTHERN TAIWAN RICE TRADING CENTER TO BE INAUGURATED.
December 1, 2006... TAIPEI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - The Council of Agriculture (COA) will open a rice trading center in Taoyuan City December 7 that will serve as a platform for trading between rice growers and rice dealers operating in the northern Taiwan area, which...

WEAKER WON COULD ERODE S. KOREA'S CORPORATE COMPETITIVENESS.
December 1, 2006... SEOUL, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - A weaker won to the U.S. dollar could erode South Korea's corporate competitiveness in the long term by lowering its labor productivity, a South Korean central bank research unit said Friday. "A high won-dollar...

PROGRESS ON TAIWAN'S WHO BID SLOW: OFFICIAL.
December 1, 2006... TAIPEI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Progress on Taiwan's bid for membership in the World Health Organization (WTO) has been slow since the beginning of this year because of China's obstruction, said a senior foreign affairs official Thursday. Chen...

EUROINDIA FORUM IN GOA TO DISCUSS URBAN DEVELOPMENT.
December 1, 2006... NEW DELHI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - To launch an interaction between experts of European countries and India about urban development, Industry body Confederation of Indian Industries and Euro Centre has jointly organised a four-day EuroIndia forum on...

STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN BOURSE OPENS HIGHER - DEC 1, 2006.
December 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian stock market has opened higher as resources stocks enjoyed stronger commodity prices and carrier Qantas soared on an earnings upgrade. At 1015 AEDT, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index lifted 8.3 points...

EROS, ANYTIME PARTNER TO PROVIDE VIDEO SERVICES.
December 1, 2006... NEW DELHI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Media conglomerate Eros International on Thursday said it has signed a deal worth 2.1 million pounds (about Rs 1.83 billion) with Singapore-based entertainment company, Anytime, to provide Bollywood content on...

AUSTRALIA'S BEYOND INTERNATIONAL AIMS AT 25 PCT RISE IN H1 PFT.
December 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Beyond International Ltd has forecast a half year profit increase of approximately 25 per cent. The independent Australian producer of television programming said it was expecting operating earnings before tax in...

INDIA, PAKISTAN TO SIGN NEW PROTOCOL ON SHIPPING.
December 1, 2006... NEW DELHI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - India and Pakistan will soon sign a revised protocol on shipping to remove constraints imposed by the earlier agreement. "A revised protocol is likely to be signed shortly and is intended to remove...

ICI PAINTS SIGNS UP BOLLYWOOD STAR FOR INDIAN CAMPAIGN.
December 1, 2006... NEW DELHI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - With an eye on further fuelling growth in the Indian market, leading global paints company ICI has roped in Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor to endorse its 'Colour Futures' campaign while popular director Karan Johar...

FINANCIAL TECH INDIA TO SET UP COMMODITY EXCHANGE IN MAURITIUS.
December 1, 2006... MUMAI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Financial Technologies India Ltd, the parent company of country's leading commodity bourse MCX, on Thursday said it will set up a commodity exchange in Mauritius. The main promoter of Multi Commodity Exchange of...

AUSTRALIA'S LABOR PARTY TO THROW LEADERSHIP OPEN TO VOTE.
December 1, 2006... CANBERRA, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Labor Leader Kim Beazley has thrown his leadership open to a vote on Monday in a bold move to kill off speculation about his future. Mr Beazley today declared a spill of his entire frontbench following a...

CORRECTION - S. KOREA SELLS US$1 BLN GLOBAL BOND.
December 1, 2006... (Corrects pricing yields in 2nd para) LONDON, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea raised $1 billion Thursday by selling sovereign debts at a lower-than-expected yield on strong demand, the country's Finance Ministry said. The sale comprises...

HONG KONG NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - DEC 1, 2006.
December 1, 2006... HONG KONG, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST: - Richard Li Tzar-kai said last night he remained committed to PCCW following a vote in Singapore that torpedoed his plans to sell his...

BAYANTEL DEPLOYS ACTELIS' CARRIER ETHERNET OVER COPPER SOLUTIONS.
December 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) Bayantel Deploys Actelis' Carrier Ethernet Over Copper Solutions to Extend the Reach of Broadband Services in the Philippines Actelis Patented EFMplus Technology Enables BayanTel to...

STOCKS - TOKYO SHARES OPEN HIGHER - DEC 1, 2006.
December 1, 2006... TOKYO, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Tokyo shares started 0.24 per cent higher Friday with the benchmark Nikkei-225 index rising 38.69 points to 16,313.02 in early trade. ASIA PULSE 01-12 1118

HSBC INVEST LAUNCHES PORTFOLIO M'MT SERVICES FOR INDIA'S WEALTHY.
December 1, 2006... NEW DELHI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - HSBC Investments, the investment solutions arm of HSBC Group, has launched Portfolio Management Services in India to provide customised portfolio management services to high net worth individuals. Initially,...

AUSTRALIA'S DAVID JONES CONFIDENT OF PROFIT, DIVIDEND GROWTH.
December 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Retailer David Jones Ltd (ASX:DJS) says it is confident the programs it has implemented over the past 12 months will deliver profit and dividend growth over the next two years. David Jones chairman Robert Savage...

INDIA'S OUTBOUND M&A DEALS HIT US$20 BLN MILESTONE.
December 1, 2006... NEW DELHI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Corporate India has put together a whopping US$20 billion (Rs 900 billion) so far this year to fund its merger and acquisition bills abroad, surpassing all previous full year totals. Indian companies have...

LAFAYETTE MINING PROJECT IN PHILIPPINES HIT BY SECOND TYPHOON.
December 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Lafayette Mining Ltd's (ASX:LAF) troubled Rapu Rapu polymetallic project in the Philippines has suffered a further setback with a second typhoon causing damage to the site. The company said typhoon Reming (also...

MERIDIO ANNOUNCES MERIDIO 5.0 FOR 2007 MICROSOFT OFFICE, VISTA.
December 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) Meridio Announces Meridio(R) 5.0 for 2007 Microsoft Office system, Exchange Server 2007 and Windows Vista Meridio 5 to leverage 2007 Microsoft Office system, Exchange Server 2007 and...

INDIA CAPABLE OF BECOMING NET EXPORTER OF WHEAT: OFFICIAL.
December 1, 2006... NEW DELHI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Increasing wheat acreage in non-traditional growing states like Bihar and West Bengal in the next couple of years could make India a net exporter of the commodity, according to Agriculture Secretary Radha Singh....

LOGISTICS CHAOS UNLIKELY FROM TRUCKERS' STRIKE: KOREAN OFFICIAL.
December 1, 2006... SEOUL, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - South Korean officials were confident Thursday about tackling the logistical difficulties arising from a possible strike by the country's truck drivers, as the country's unionized truck drivers threatened an industrial...

SAMSONITE APPOINTS GLOBAL CHIEF RETAIL OFFICER.
December 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details follow below.) LONDON, NEW YORK and HONG KONG, Nov. 30 /PRNewswire - AsiaNet/ -- Samsonite Group announces the appointment of Shawn Cox to the newly created position of Chief Retail Officer as...

INBEV, ANHEUSER-BUSCH FORGE DEAL ON EUROPEAN IMPORT BRANDS IN US.
December 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details follow below.) ST. LOUIS and BRUSSELS, Nov. 30 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- Anheuser-Busch to Import Beck's, Bass, Stella Artois, Other InBev European Brands Anheuser-Busch (NYSE: BUD) will...

GERMAN COURT FINDS DVD DISC FIRM ODS INFRINGES MPEG-2 PATENTS.
December 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) German Court Finds Dvd Disc Manufacturer Ods Infringes Mpeg-2 Patents DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 30, 2006--A District Court in Germany (Landgericht Dusseldorf) today announced...

HYUNDAI MOTOR UNION TO STAGE PARTIAL STRIKE AGAINST LABOR REFORM.
December 1, 2006... SEOUL, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Unionized workers at Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's top automaker, said Friday it will stage a partial strike later in the day to join a large-scale demonstration against the government's labor reform bills. The...

INFOSYS TOP BRASS EARN US$191 MLN VIA SHARE SALE FOR ADS ISSUE.
December 1, 2006... MUMBAI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Domestic IT major Infosys Technologies' (BSE:500209) top executives and directors have sold shares worth Rs 8.63 billion (US$191.78 million) in a secondary offering of 30 million American Depository Shares, which...

INDIAN VANASPATI PRODUCERS CALL FOR CUT IN PALM OIL DUTY.
December 1, 2006... NEW DELHI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - The Indian Vanaspati Producers' Association (IVPA) has asked for the custom duty on crude palm oil to be brought down to 20 per cent on actual user basis, in order to compete with vanaspati imported from Sri Lanka...

GMR TIES UP WITH ACCOR FOR HOTEL AT NEW HYDERABAD AIRPORT.
December 1, 2006... MUMBAI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - GMR Infrastructure Ltd (BSE:532754) on Thursday said its subsidiary that is building a new airport in Hyderabad has tied up with Singapore-based Accor Hotels and Resorts to operate its first business hotel. GMR...

INDIA'S AIRTEL TIES UP WITH GOOGLE TO PROVIDE SEARCH SERVICES.
December 1, 2006... NEW DELHI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Bharti Airtel on Thursday entered into a strategic partnership with Internet search engine major Google to offer search services to its customers. As part of the agreement, Airtel will bring Google search...

S. KOREA'S EXPORTS GAIN 19.8 PCT TO US$30.9 BLN IN NOVEMBER.
December 1, 2006... SEOUL, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's exports growth accelerated in November, fueled by strong overseas demand for LCD panels, semiconductors, ships and steel, a government report said Friday. Overseas shipments surged 19.8 per cent...

SOUTH KOREAN CENTRAL BANK UPGRADES Q3 GROWTH RATE.
December 1, 2006... SEOUL, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's central bank on Friday revised the third-quarter growth rate upward, citing stronger-than-expected growth in the manufacturing sector. Asia's fourth-largest economy expanded 4.8 per cent in the...

THAI NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - DEC 1, 2006.
December 1, 2006... BANGKOK, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: BANGKOK POST: - Much to the relief and surprise of critics, the government yesterday withdrew a controversial bill to legalise the two- and three-digit lottery, saying it...

TAIWAN RELAXES REGULATIONS ON BIZ VISITS BY CHINESE CITIZENS.
December 1, 2006... TAIPEI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - The government has decided to further relax regulations on the number of mainland Chinese citizens visiting Taiwan for business purposes at the invitation of local companies or Taiwan-based foreign corporations, the...

FOREX - US DOLLAR OPENS WEAKER VS WON - DEC 1, 2006.
December 1, 2006... SEOUL, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - The US dollar opened at 928.0 won Friday, down from yesterday's close of 929.5 won. (Yonhap) 01-12 1214

ERIC CLAPTON BLACKIE STRATOCASTER GUITARS SELL OUT IN ONLY 7 HRS.
December 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) 275 Fender(R) Custom Shop Tribute Series Eric Clapton BLACKIE(R) Stratocaster(R) Guitars Sell Out in Only 7 Hours on Black Friday 275 Fender Custom Shop Tribute Series BLACKIE Stratocaster...

TAIWAN'S OCTOBER JOB AVAILABILITY DOWN 10% YR-ON-YR: JOB BANK.
December 1, 2006... TAIPEI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - The overall job availability in October dropped approximately 10 per cent compared with the same month last year as the country's economy slowed down, according to an online employment service provider Thursday. ...

MICREL ROLLS OUT HIGH FREQUENCY, SMALL FOOTPRINT BUCK REGULATOR.(Company overview)
December 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) SAN JOSE, California, Nov 30 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ - Micrel Inc. (Nasdaq: MCRL), an industry leader in analog, high bandwidth communications and Ethernet IC solutions, today launched the...

INDIA'S ONGC RECEIVES FIRST OIL SHIPMENT FROM SAKHALIN-I.
December 1, 2006... NEW DELHI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) (BSE:500312) has received the first shipment of Sakhalin-I crude oil from Russia at its subsidiary Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL). "Tanker Viktor...

GALLERY OF MODERN ART IS A CULTURAL TRIUMPH FOR BRISBANE.
December 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) Gallery of Modern Art is a Cultural Triumph for Brisbane BRISBANE, 1 Dec. /MediaNet International-AsiaNet/ -- Brisbanes new Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) and refurbished Queensland...

MARVELL JOINS WITH GATEWAY ON FIRST TOPDOG 802.11N ENABLED PCS.
December 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) Marvell Joins With Gateway on First TopDog(TM) 802.11n Enabled Consumer PCs SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov. 30 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- New Desktop and Notebook PCs Offer Unprecedented...

FOREX - AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR STRONGER AT NOON - DEC 1, 2006.
December 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian dollar was stronger at noon, after being sent to a fresh 2006 high overnight by a sickly US currency. At 1200 AEDT the domestic unit was at $US0.7892/97, up from yesterday's close of 0.7858/60. ...

FEI EXPANDS HELIOS NANOLAB FAMILY FOR SEMICONDUCTOR MARKET.
December 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) HILLSBORO, Oregon, Nov 30 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ - NanoLab 400/400S to be Introduced at SEMICON Japan Giving Users a Complete Range of Advanced Solutions for Semiconductor Labs FEI...

STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN SHARES WEAKER AT NOON - DEC 1, 2006.
December 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian stock market was lower at noon, slumping after the all ordinaries hit an intraday high just after the start of trading. At 1200 AEDT, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index had dropped 21 points to 5461.1,...

STOCKS - SEOUL SHARES INCH DOWN AFTER STRONG START - DEC 1, 2006.
December 1, 2006... SEOUL, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - South Korean stocks got off to a good start, but soon crept down Friday as investor sentiment was dented by rising oil prices and negative U.S. economic data. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI)...

JAPANESE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - DEC 1, 2006.
December 1, 2006... TOKYO, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: NIKKEI NET: - Japan's consumer price index rose 0.1 per cent in October from a year earlier for the fifth straight month of increase, the government said Friday. - By...

BAYARD GROUP ACQUIRES CELLNET TECHNOLOGIES FOR US$708.6 MLN.
December 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - The Kerry Stokes-backed Bayard Group has shelled out $A900 million ($US708.62 million) to acquire automated meter reading company Cellnet Technologies. The transaction is the largest for the Sydney-based energy...

KOOKMIN BANK PRESIDENT HOPEFUL OVER FINDING NEW BUYOUT TARGETS.
December 1, 2006... SEOUL, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - The president of Kookmin Bank (KSE:060000) said Friday there are attractive buyout targets for the nation's top lender both in and outside of Korea. "There can be opportunities for mergers and acquisition in and...

IRAN'S PISTACHIO EXPORTS UP 50 PCT IN EIGHT MONTHS.
December 1, 2006... KERMAN, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - The volume of pistachios exported by Kerman province during the first eight months of the current Iranian year (started March 21) has climbed 50 per cent on-year, a local official said on Wednesday. Kerman Deputy...

AUSTRALIANS SAVING LESS, SPENDING MORE: SURVEY.
December 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Many Australians lack the motivation to save money, but when it comes to spending, it's another matter, new figures show. A survey conducted for online superannuation fund Max Super found that one in four of the...

PHILIPPINE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - DEC 1, 2006.
December 1, 2006... MANILA, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: MANILA TIMES: - Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. of the Commission on Elections will convene an emergency meeting of the Comelec's advisory committee on Monday to decide on the...

AUSTRALIA'S CENTRAL BANK LIKELY TO LEAVE RATES ON HOLD IN DEC.
December 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is likely to give mortgage holders an early Christmas present next week, when interest rates are expected to be kept on hold. And economists are predicting the central bank will...

WEST JAVA DISTRICTS TO PRODUCE BIO-ETHANOL.
December 1, 2006... BANDUNG, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Four districts in West Java province namely, Subang, Indramayu, Sumedang and Kuningan will produce bio-ethanol using cassava as a raw material, a local official said. "The districts will cooperate with South...

FOREX - RINGGIT OPENS FIRMER AGAINST US DOLLAR - DEC 1, 2006.
December 1, 2006... KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - The ringgit began at 3.5970 6000 against the US dollar Friday, firmer than Thursday's close of 3.6150/6180. ASIA PULSE 01-12 1249

US TO DEREGULATE CONTROVERSIAL GM RICE VARIETY.
December 1, 2006... NEW DELHI, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - The US Department of Agriculture has recommended the deregulation of a genetically modified rice variety, that has generated a storm of controversy in the Indian rice industry. However, the rice variety...

OC OERLIKON BALZERS LTD WINS PATENT INFRINGEMENT CASE.
December 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) OC Oerlikon Balzers Ltd. Wins Patent Infringement Case Against Prodisc Inc. The District Court of Dusseldorf / Germany Has Ruled in Favour of OC Oerlikon Balzers AG (Oerlikon) in a...

AUSTRALIA'S DAVID JONES DENIES APPROACH FROM EQUITY FIRMS.
December 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Upmarket retailer David Jones Ltd (ASX:DJS) says it has received no formal or informal approaches from private equity firms. "I can assure the shareholders there has been no formal approach, or even an informal...

NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK EXECUTIVES TO POCKET HIGHER SALARIES.
December 1, 2006... MELBOURNE, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - National Australia Bank (ASX:NAB) group chief executive John Stewart pocketed an $A8.4 million ($US6.61 million) pay packet in 2005/06, equating to around $A160,000 a week. Mr Stewart's total remuneration,...

STOCKS - MALAYSIAN SHARES LOWER IN EARLY TRADE - DEC 1, 2006.
December 1, 2006... KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - The Malaysian sharemarket was down 0.12 per cent in early trade, with the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange Composite Index falling 1.3 points at 1,079.36 at 9:26 a.m. ASIA PULSE 01-12 1309

STOCKS - SINGAPORE SHARES UP IN EARLY TRADE - DEC 1, 2006.
December 1, 2006... SINGAPORE, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Singapore shares were higher in early trade, with the Straits Times Index up 3.8 points at 2,842.33 at 10:06 a.m. ASIA PULSE 01-12 1311

SONG MIN-SOON APPOINTED AS SOUTH KOREA'S FOREIGN MINISTER.
December 1, 2006... SEOUL, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun was to formally appoint his chief security secretary Song Min-soon as the foreign minister Friday afternoon, Roh's office Cheong Wa Dae said. Song was to be awarded a letter of...

TWO INDONESIAN AUTO PART FIRMS TO MERGE.
December 1, 2006... JAKARTA, Dec 1 Asia Pulse - Automotive component manufacturers PT Selamat Sempurna (SMSM) and PT Andhi Chandra Automotive Products (ACAP) will merge their businesses, a Capital Market Supervisory Agency-Financial Institution (Bapepam-LK)...