AsiaPulse News articles from December 2007

AsiaPulse News archives from December 2007

AUSTRALIAN BONDS OPEN FIRMER - DEC 3, 3007.
December 3, 2007... SYDNEY, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - The Australian bond market opened marginally firmer today after US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke indicated another US interest rate cut was likely. At 0830 AEDT, the yield on the Commonwealth Government...

FOREX - AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR OPENS WEAKER - DEC 3, 3007.
December 3, 2007... SYDNEY, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - The Australian dollar opened weaker today after nations in the Persian Gulf indicated they would continue pegging their currencies to the US unit. At 0700 AEDT, the Australian dollar was trading at .8839/44, down...

CHINESE NYLON PRODUCER TO LIST ON AUSTRALIAN BOURSE.
December 3, 2007... MELBOURNE, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Chinese nylon producer Mesbon China Nylon Ltd plans to list on the Australian stock exchange in mid-December after closing its $A20 million ($US17.66 million) initial public offer early and oversubscribed. ...

CHINA MAY USURP SOUTH AFRICA AS WORLD'S TOP GOLD PRODUCER.
December 3, 2007... MELBOURNE, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - China could usurp South Africa and claim the number one gold producer spot in 2007, with the price of the yellow metal remaining strong. Mining consultants Surbiton Associates Pty Ltd said that while China's...

AUSTRALIAN EAST COAST GAS OUTPUT RISES.
December 3, 2007... MELBOURNE, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Gas production on Australia's east coast has increased as water restrictions constrain output from major coal-fired and hydro power plants, according to advisory firm EnergyQuest. The firm's latest quarterly...

AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING ACTIVITY GROWS IN NOVEMBER.
December 3, 2007... SYDNEY, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Manufacturing activity in Australia grew moderately in November, a survey shows. But a stronger Australian dollar, skills shortages and competition from China were still seen as negative factors affecting...

OXIANA TO EXPAND CAPACITY AT LAOS COPPER PROJECT.
December 3, 2007... SYDNEY, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Copper and gold explorer Oxiana Ltd will expand capacity at its Sepon copper project in Laos at a capital cost of $US178 million ($A201.64 million). Oxiana said production will be increased to 80,000 tonnes per...

CIBER INC OPENS NEW OFFICE IN CHENNAI, INDIA.
December 3, 2007... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) CIBER Opens New Office in Chennai, India CHENNAI & BANGALORE, India; GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo., Dec. 3 PRNewswire-AsiaNet - Expansion to Capture Greater Growth Opportunities in and from...

SOUTH KOREAN ECONOMY GROWS 1.3PCT IN Q3.
December 3, 2007... SEOUL, Dec. 3 Asia Pulse - South Korea's economy expanded a revised 1.3 per cent in the third quarter from three months earlier, down from an earlier 1.4 per cent estimate, mainly on slower-than-expected private consumption growth amid a dip in...

S. KOREA TO BOOST INVESTMENT IN GREENHOUSE GAS STORAGE.
December 3, 2007... SEOUL, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - South Korea will increase its spending on technologies to capture and store greenhouse gases by over 30 per cent in 2008, the government said Sunday. The Ministry of Science and Technology said 33.95 billion won...

AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - DEC 3, 2007.
December 3, 2007... SYDNEY, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE FINANCIAL REVIEW: - An increase in public-private partnerships could deliver more than $6 billion to state governments over the next decade. A union chief has warned...

S. KOREA'S RAW MATERIAL, ENERGY IMPORTS TO HIT RECORD HIGHS.
December 3, 2007... SEOUL, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - South Korea's raw material and energy resource imports are expected to reach record highs this year, the government said Sunday. The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said the value of those imports needed...

INDIA'S SEBI CONFIRMS ORDER AGAINST HIMANI PATEL IN IPO SCAM.
December 3, 2007... MUMBAI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Friday confirmed its earlier ban order against Ahmedabad-based Himani Patel, who was involved in the IPO scam that hit the stock market in 2003-05. ...

THREE-DAY INDIA ECONOMIC SUMMIT BEGINS IN NEW DELHI.
December 3, 2007... NEW DELHI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - A three-day India Economic Summit, jointly organised by the World Economic Forum and industry body CII, began here on December 2 with nearly 700 participants from 36 countries. Nearly 280 foreign organisations...

INDIA'S HERO HONDA NOVEMBER SALES UP 2.8 PCT, HELPED BY HUNK.(Financial report)
December 3, 2007... NEW DELHI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - India's largest two-wheeler maker Hero Honda Motor Ltd (HHML) (BSE:500182) on Saturday reported a 2.8 per cent increase in its vehicle sales during November at 288,027 units compared to 280,171 units in the same...

INDIAN GOVT WORKING ON LAW FOR EASY START, EXIT OF BUSINESS.
December 3, 2007... NEW DELHI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - The government is in the process of putting in place a framework that facilitates an efficient regime for corporate rehabilitation and liquidation, Corporate Affairs Minister Prem Chand Gupta said. "The new...

TAIWAN REPLACES SOUTH KOREA AS 2ND-LARGEST EXPORTER TO CHINA.
December 3, 2007... TAIPEI, Dec. 3 Asia Pulse - Taiwan surpassed South Korea to become the second-largest exporter to China in September, according to a report released Saturday by the Ministry of Economic Affairs' Bureau of Foreign Trade. In September, China...

KAOHSIUNG PORT'S CONTAINER HANDLING VOLUME HITS NEW HIGH.
December 3, 2007... KAOHSIUNG, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Kaohsiung port's container handling volume amounted to 8.47 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) for the first 10 months of this year, hitting a record high for the January-October period, according to...

TAIWAN LABOR COUNCIL LAUNCHES WEB-BASED OCCUPATIONAL GUIDE.
December 3, 2007... TAIPEI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - The Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) has recently completed its launch of a Web-based career and occupation guide in a bid to provide job seekers with more information in their pursuit of employment, CLA officials said...

TAIWAN DEMAND FOR SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ON THE RISE.
December 3, 2007... TAIPEI, Dec. 3 Asia Pulse - Taiwan's demand for semiconductor equipment is expected to break the US$9.5 billion mark this year, with annual growth of 30 per cent or more, officials responsible for industrial services said Saturday. In...

INDIAN'S BAJAJ AUTO MOTORCYCLE SALES DIP 2 PCT IN NOVEMBER.
December 3, 2007... NEW DELHI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - India's second largest two-wheeler maker Bajaj Auto Ltd (BAL) (BSE:500490) has reported a two-per cent dip in its motorcycle sales during November at 2,09,876 units against 2,14,321 units in the same month last...

TAIWAN PREMIER ORDERS NEW HARBOUR FREE TRADE ZONE MEASURES.
December 3, 2007... TAIPEI, Dec. 3 Asia Pulse - Premier Chang Chun-hsiung inspected the Taichung Harbor free trade zone (FTZ) Saturday and ordered harbor authorities to map out more favorable measures to help businesses stationed in the zone cut operating costs in...

INDIA'S TVS BIKE SALES DIP 17 PCT IN NOVEMBER.
December 3, 2007... NEW DELHI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - TVS Motor Co (BSE:532343), India's third largest two-wheeler maker, on Saturday reported a 17.08 per cent dip in motorcycle sales during November. Bike sales fell to 57,113 units in November, against 68,874...

SOUTH KOREA'S LISTED FIRMS' CASH RESERVE RATIO SHOOTS UP.
December 3, 2007... SEOUL, Dec. 3 Asia Pulse - South Korea's listed companies saw their reserves of cash and cash equivalents soar in the first nine months of this year, as they remained hesitant to make fresh investments amid an uncertain economic environment,...

TAIWAN, STANFORD UNIVERSITY FORGE TIES IN BUSINESS TALENT TRAINING.
December 3, 2007... SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Taiwan signed an agreement with the Stanford University School of Medicine Friday for a cooperative program under which Taiwan will get the U.S. academic institution's assistance in training personnel in high...

S. KOREAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - DEC 3, 2007.
December 3, 2007... SEOUL, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: VERNACULAR DAILIES -- U.S. nuclear envoy to visit Pyongyang (Kookmin Daily) -- Major presidential candidates avoid clashing over policy (Kyunghyang Shinmun) -- Presidential...

EC EXTENDS US$383 MLN TO INDIA FOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.
December 3, 2007... NEW DELHI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - The European Commission will provide a 260-million euro (US$383 million) assistance package to India for 2007-10 towards development programmes in health, education and other areas. A memorandum of...

STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN INDEX OPENS HIGHER - DEC 3, 2007.
December 3, 2007... SYDNEY, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - The Australian sharemarket has opened higher on a positive US lead and higher base metal prices. Big falls in the prices of gold and oil hurt energy stocks and gold miners. New gaming group Crown Ltd got off...

INDI'AS MARUTI SUZUKI SALES UP 24 PCT IN NOVEMBER.(Financial report)
December 3, 2007... NEW DELHI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) (BSE:532500) on saturday reported a 24 per cent jump in its car sales in the domestic market during November at 65,216 units against 52,574 units in the...

TATA TECHNOLOGIES SIGNS MOU WITH DAEWOO INFO SYSTEMS.
December 3, 2007... BANGALORE, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Tata Technologies Limited on Friday announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Daewoo Information Systems (DIS). The objective of the alliance is to enhance competitiveness and broaden...

IATA WARNS OF GLOBAL PILOT SHORTAGE.
December 3, 2007... BANGALORE, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - The International Air Transport Association on Friday warned airlines across the world could face a severe shortage of pilots unless industry and government work together to change training and qualification...

METGASCO ENTERS INTO AGREEMENT TO SUPPLY GAS TO BP REFINERY.
December 3, 2007... MELBOURNE, Dec 3 Asia Pulse -Australian coal seam gas explorer Metgasco Ltd (ASX:MEL) has entered into an agreement to supply gas to BP Australia Pty Ltd's Bulwer Island refinery in Queensland. Metgasco plans to conduct a feasibility study...

INDIA'S MCC TIES UP WITH MALAYSIA'S CONSUCARE FOR SKIN PRODUCTS.
December 3, 2007... BANGALORE, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Manipal Cure and Care, a health retail chain, has tied up with Malaysia's ConsuCare to distribute its Dermaceuticals range of plant-based skin care products under the brand name, 'Living Proof'. The tie-up is...

INDIA'S RELIANCE RETAIL TO SET UP 30 HYPERMARTS BY 2008.
December 3, 2007... KOLKATA, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Reliance Retail plans to set up 30 hypermarkets across India in the next few months, but West Bengal was not among the states being considered for setting up this format stores, a company official said. "We are...

ROLLS-ROYCE LAUNCHES PHANTOM DROPHEAD COUPE IN INDIA.
December 3, 2007... MUMBAI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Luxury carmaker Rolls Royce on Friday launched a convertible variant of its premium sedan Phantom - Phantom Drophead Coupe - at a starting price of Rs 31 million (US$782,500). "We expect to sell as many as 20...

SIEMENS DIVISION BAGS US$118 MLN ORDER FROM INDIA'S SAIL.
December 3, 2007... MUMBAI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Siemens Metals Technologies on Friday said it has received an 80 million euro (US$118 million) order from SAIL (BSE:500113) to supply caster's for the modernisation work at the company's IISCO steel plant. The...

SIX SOUTH KOREAN HOSTAGES RELEASED FROM SHANGHAI FACTORY.
December 3, 2007... SHANGHAI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Six South Korean executives and mid-level managers at a factory in Shanghai who were taken hostage over a week ago by local workers were released Friday, company sources here said. Hwain Spinning Co. said the...

HONG KONG NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - DEC 3, 2007.
December 3, 2007... HONG KONG, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST: - Vietnam Manufacturing and Export Processing, the country's third-largest foreign-owned motorcycle maker, will delay the retail subscription of...

SK TELECOM SIGNS DEAL TO PURCHASE HANAROTELECOM FOR US$1.1 BLN.
December 3, 2007... SEOUL, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - SK Telecom Co. (KSE:017670), South Korea's top mobile carrier, said today it has signed an official deal to take over a controlling stake in Internet service operator Hanarotelecom Inc. (KSE:033630) to provide diverse...

AIR INDIA COMPLETES REFINANCE FOR ITS BOEING FLEET ACQUISITION.
December 3, 2007... MUMBAI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Air India on Friday completed the formalities for the second tranche of the US$2.6-billion US Exim Bank-guaranteed refinance facility for acquisition of 68 Boeing aircraft. In the first tranche, Air India secured...

IRAN-MADE PEUGEOT PARS CAR TO BE PRODUCED IN EGYPT.
December 3, 2007... TEHRAN, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Iran's Minister of industries and mines has announced that the production line for the Peugeot Pars, a sedan made by Iranian automaker Iran Khodro, would soon be launched in Egypt. Ali-Akbar Mehrabian, who...

AUSTRALIA'S MACQUARIE, S KOREA'S MBK AQUIRE 61% OF CABLE CO C&M.
December 3, 2007... SEOUL, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - An Australian banking giant and a South Korean private equity fund jointly bought more than a 60 per cent stake in South Korea's second-largest cable TV operator, sources said Friday. Macquarie Bank (ASX:MBL) and...

BEIJING-TEHRAN FLIGHTS TO INCREASE TO FIVE PER WEEK.
December 3, 2007... TEHRAN, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Deputy head of Civil Aviation Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Alireza Manzari, said that the number of flights between Iran and China will increase. He told ISNA on Saturday that an agreement to the...

EGYPT MAY IMPORT WHEAT FROM IRAN.
December 3, 2007... TEHRAN, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Egypt's trade ministry has said it is considering the possibility of importing wheat from Iran in a bid to boost bilateral trade ties. The statement came a day after Iran's Minister of Industries and Mines...

ISLAMIC DEV'T BANK OKAYS US$45 MLN IRAN POWER PLANT LOAN.
December 3, 2007... TEHRAN, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has approved a loan of US$45 million to the Power Plant Projects Management Company (MAPNA). The financial assistance is extended to the state-owned company to import goods,...

STOCKS - SEOUL SHARES FALL AFTER STRONG START - DEC 3, 2007.
December 3, 2007... SEOUL, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - South Korean stocks started stronger Monday but soon fell as foreign investors sold tech, shipbuilding and other blue-chip shares, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 3.18...

INDIA'S RELIANCE REACTS TO BHARTI AIRTEL'S COMPETITION STANCE.
December 3, 2007... NEW DELHI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications (BSE:532712) on Saturday reacted sharply to rival Bharti Airtel's (BSE:532454) statement that other Indian telecommunication companies should have equal opportunity to...

NEW SHIPPING LINE WILL BOOST IRAN'S TRADE WITH AFRICA.
December 3, 2007... TEHRAN, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Regular shipping services between Iran and Africa will be launched on December 6, announced Deputy Commerce Minister for international affairs, Mehdi Ghazanfari. In an interview with MNA, Ghazanfari stated that...

INDIA'S POWER GRID COMPETES FOR PHILIPPINES ENERGY CO CONTRACT.
December 3, 2007... NEW DELHI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Power Grid Corp (BSE:532898), India's largest power transmission utility, is pitched against three companies from Italy, Malaysia and China to secure a multi-billion dollar 25-year contract to run a transmission...

TAIWAN COS IN TAINAN COUNTY'S ORCHID PLANTATION SEE BIZ TRIPLE.
December 3, 2007... Tainan County, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - The 12 companies that have set up shop in Tainan County's Taiwan Orchid Plantation have seen their business turnover growing up to three times their original investments, Tainan Magistrate Su Huan-chih said...

RUSSIA'S VIMPELCOM PLEASED WITH PROGRESS IN CENTRAL ASIA.
December 3, 2007... TASHKENT, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Vimpel-Communications (VimpelCom), a leading provider of wireless telecommunications services in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) announced its financial and operating results for the quarter...

INDIA, EU SAY DOHA ROUND SUCCESS IS THEIR TOP PRIORITY.
December 3, 2007... NEW DELHI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - India and the European Union, key players on opposite side of the WTO's Doha Round of talks, on Friday said achieving an ambitious and balanced global trade deal remains their "foremost policy piority". ...

INDIAN COS GET BOARD APPROVAL FOR 10 PCT OIL INDIA STAKE.
December 3, 2007... MUMBAI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - The board of directors of three of India's state-run companies-HPCL, BPCL and IOC, have approved the acquisition of a 10 per cent stake in Oil India Ltd. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BSE:500104) said it...

AUSTRALIAN COS SEE PROFIT GROWTH FALL US$41 BLN SEPT QUARTER.
December 3, 2007... CANBERRA, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Growth in Australian company profits unexpectedly fell to A$46.52 billion (US$41.22 billion) in the three months to September, taking the gloss off what is expected to be a bumper economic growth reading in...

KEVIN RUDD SWORN-IN AS AUSTRALIA'S 26TH PRIME MINISTER TODAY.
December 3, 2007... CANBERRA, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Kevin Rudd has been officialy sworn-in as Australia's 26th prime minister. In a brief ceremony at Government House, Governor-General Michael Jeffery invited Mr Rudd to take the executive oath just after 9.30am...

IRAN, PAKISTAN AGREE TO INCREASE ECONOMIC COOPERATION & TRADE.
December 3, 2007... ISLAMABAD, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Iran wants to increase bilateral trade with Pakistan to US$1 billion, a senior Iranian diplomat said on Saturday. Ahmed Fasihi, Iran's Commercial Attache, met Pakistani Nasir Khan, the President of the...

OMAN INTERESTED IN IRAN'S KISH GAS FIELD, PROPOSES US$2 BLN PLAN.
December 3, 2007... TEHRAN, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Oman proposed a US$2 billion investment plan to develop the Kish gas field announced Mahmoud Zirakchian, managing director of Iranian Offshore Oil Company. Mr Zirakchian said that the preliminary proposal has been...

PROBE INTO SCANDAL-SCARRED SAMSUNG SEEN AS TEST FOR S KOREA.
December 3, 2007... SEOUL, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - The last time Lee Kun-hee, the chairman of Samsung Group and South Korea's richest man, faced a crisis was in 2005. At issue then was a graft scandal unearthed by a TV journalist accusing Samsung of giving illegal...

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS SALES TO TOP US$100 BLN THIS YEAR: CEO.
December 3, 2007... SEOUL, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Samsung Electronics Co. (KSE:05930), the world's largest manufacturer of computer memory chips, will see its sales exceed the US$100 billion mark this year thanks to strong performances in TV and mobile handset...

INDONESIA AND IRAN DELAY CONSTRUCTION OF OIL REFINERY PROJECT.
December 3, 2007... JAKARTA, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Construction of an Indonesian Iranian oil refinery is likely to be delayed with both sides still revising agreement first signed in 2004. PT Pertamina said it has signed with National Iranian Oil Refining and...

(UPDATE) S KOREAN ECONOMY GROWS 1.3 PCT IN Q3.
December 3, 2007... (ATTN: UPDATES with quotes, oil prices in paras 4,5; ADDS more details in last two paras) SEOUL, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - South Korea's economy expanded a revised 1.3 per cent in the third quarter from three months earlier, down from an earlier...

INDONESIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - DEC 3, 2007.
December 3, 2007... JAKARTA, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Highlights from today's newspapers: THE JAKARTA POST - A UN climate conference begins in Bali Monday with parties set to negotiate a new global deal to balance conflicting goals - the urgent need to curb...

FIJI'S INTERIM GOVERNMENT SUSPENDS TELEVISION LICENCE.
December 3, 2007... SUVA, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - The licence for Channel 2 Fiji Ltd to provide a free-to-air service has been suspended, reports The Fiji Times. Fiji's Interim Commerce Minister Taito Waradi said the licence was suspended as a result of a breach...

S. KOREAN EXPORTS JUMP 17.5 PCT ON-YEAR IN NOVEMBER.
December 3, 2007... SEOUL, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - South Korean exports climbed 17.5 per cent on-year to US$35.9 billion in November, fueled by strong overseas demand for general machinery, flat panels and telecommunication equipment, a government report showed Monday....

INDONESIAN GOVT TO BUILD A DAM IN JATIBARANG, SEMARANG.
December 3, 2007... JAKARTA, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - The government will build a dam in Jatibarang, Semarang to cost around Rp1.2 trillion (US$133 million) toward the end of 2008. The dam will control floods in the Central Java provincial city of Semarang, Water...

INDONESIA'S ASTRA TO SPEND US$388 MLN IN 2008 ON MKT EXPANSION.
December 3, 2007... JAKARTA, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Indonesia's largest automotive company PT Astra International (JSX:ASII) said it will spend Rp3.5 trillion (US$388.5 million) to maintain its domination of automotive market in Indonesia in 2008. Astra hopes to...

WEIL GOTSHAL'S HK OFFICE FOCUSES ON TRANSACTIONAL BUSINES.(Company overview)
December 3, 2007... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) ( BW)(WEIL,-GOTHSAL-&-MANGES) Weil Gotshal's Hong Kong Office Focuses on Transactional Business in First Month Firm's 19th Office Strengthens Regional Presence Under Leadership of?Managing...

RUSSIA, UZBEKISTAN MARK POTENTIAL FOR DEVELOPING BIZ CONTACTS.
December 3, 2007... TASHKENT, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Russia and Uzbekistan have a huge potential for developing bilateral trade and economic interaction in the sphere of small and medium business, Board Chairman of the Russian Oil and Gas Union Yuri Shafranik told...

STOCKS - MALAYSIAN SHARES HIGHER IN EARLY TRADE - DEC 03, 2007.
December 3, 2007... KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 03 Asia Pulse - The Malaysian sharemarket was up 0.78 per cent in early trade, with the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange Composite Index rising 10.95 points at 1407.93 at 9.48 a.m. ASIA PULSE 03-12 1307

STOCKS - SINGAPORE SHARES UP IN EARLY TRADE - DEC 03, 2007.
December 3, 2007... SINGAPORE, Nov 03 Asia Pulse - Singapore shares were higher in early trade, with the Straits Times Index up 34.1 points at 3,555.3 at 10.07 a.m. ASIA PULSE 03-12 1309

INDIA'S TATA STEEL SIGNS PACT WITH AUSTRALIA'S RIVERSDALE MINING.
December 3, 2007... NEW DELHI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Tata Steel (BSE:500470) on Thursday said it has signed a "definitive agreement" with Australia-based Riversdale Mining (ASX:RIV) to jointly develop a coal project in Mozambique saying coal sourced from it would be...

VCUSTOMER TO HIKE INDIA HEADCOUNT BY 35 PCT BY FY08.
December 3, 2007... NEW DELHI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - BPO services provider vCustomer Corporation on Thursday said it will raise its India headcount by at least 35 per cent from the existing 3,500 staff by fiscal 2008. The company, which plans to serve large...

STOCKS - JAPANESE SHARES OPEN HIGHER - DEC 3, 2007.
December 3, 2007... TOKYO, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Tokyo shares opened higher on Monday, with the benchmark Nikkei-225 index rising 91.45 points or 0.58 per cent to 15,772.12 in early trade. ASIA PULSE 03-12 1318

GROUPS NOTED FOR INTERNET GROWTH CONTRIBUTIONS IN VIETNAM.
December 3, 2007... HANOI, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Ten individuals and three companies have been voted as most instrumental to the internets growth since its introduction in Viet Nam 10 years ago. Votes for the winners from the Viet Nam Post newspaper and the Viet...

THAI NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - DEC 03, 2007.
December 3, 2007... BANGKOK, Dec 03 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers BANGKOK POST: - Two international organisations plan to issue baht-denominated bonds in 2008 to diversify their funding sources, according to Chodechai Suwanaporn, the...

STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN SHARES LOWER TO NOON - DEC 3, 2007.
December 3, 2007... SYDNEY, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - The Australian sharemarket dipped into the red at noon after spending all morning in positive territory, as a mixed lead from New York and firmer base metals were not enough to boost the market. At 1215 AEDT, the...

TAIWAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - DEC 03, 2007.
December 3, 2007... TAIPEI, Dec 03 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers CHINA POST: - The Metal Industries Research and Development Center (MIRDC) launched today a series of activities as part of the 2007 Asian Forum on Light Metals & Exhibition,...

AUSTRALIA'S NEWCREST MINING SIGNS JV ON FIJI EXPLORATION.
December 3, 2007... MELBOURNE, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Gold producer Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX:NCM) has signed a definitive joint venture agreement with Japanese interests to explore for copper-gold in the Namosi region of Fiji. The definitive agreement formalises...

ITSL SAYS ITS SYDNEY TRANSPORT CARD WILL BE READY NEXT YEAR.
December 3, 2007... SYDNEY, Dec 03 Asia Pulse - Developers of Sydney's integrated public transport ticketing system have made a last-ditch bid to save their contract, saying the T-card will be fully operational in 2009. Integrated Ticketing Solutions (ITSL)...

ZURICH FINANCIAL TO SET UP NZ COMMERCIAL MOTOR INSURANCE FIRM.
December 3, 2007... SYDNEY, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Zurich Financial Services has established a stand-alone commercial motor insurance business in New Zealand. Zurich entered NZ early in 2007 with a packaged commercial insurance option that included motor,...

COOPER SHARES SURGE AFTER STH AUSTRALIAN OIL WELL EVALUATION.
December 3, 2007... MELBOURNE, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Shares in oil producer Cooper Energy Ltd (ASX:COE) have surged more than 60 per cent after the evaluation of a new discovery in South Australia confirmed the well was economic. Cooper Energy said today an...

TOP END URANIUM MAKES DEBUT IN AUSTRALIA.
December 3, 2007... MELBOURNE, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Uranium explorer Top End Uranium (ASX:TEU) has debuted on the Australia stock exchange at a modest premium to its initial public offer (IPO) price. Top End opened at 20.5 cents or 2.5 per cent higher than its...

VALAD PROPERTY GROUP SELLS TWO INDUSTRIAL SITES.
December 3, 2007... SYDNEY, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Valad Property Group (ASX:VPG) has sold two industrial sites to the Colonial First State Asset Management's Direct Property Investment Fund for $A42.9 million ($US37.87 million). THe sites are the Melbourne...

AUSTRALIAN TRADE DEFICIT WIDENS TO 36-YEAR HIGH.
December 3, 2007... SYDNEY, Dec 3 Asia Pulse - Australia's trade deficit widened to a 36-year high in October, as exports fell due to a strong Australian dollar, the drought and capacity constraints, economists say. The goods and services deficit widened to...