AsiaPulse News articles from July 2006

AsiaPulse News archives from July 2006

FOREX - AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR OPENS STEADY - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... SYDNEY, July 3 Asia Pulse - The Australian dollar opened the week virtually unchanged from Friday as mixed US data reinforced expectations that an end to the US tightening is near. At 0700 AEST the local unit was trading at $US0.7422/27,...

BLUESCOPE STEEL ISSUES WARNING ON CHINA DOWNTURN.
July 3, 2006... SYDNEY, July 3 Asia Pulse - The boss of Australia's largest steel maker BlueScope Steel (ASX:BSL) says the phenomenal growth in the Chinese steel industry over the past 15 years is a "once in a lifetime" event. BlueScope Steel chief...

VALUE OF AUSTRALIAN EXPORT GOODS RISES 19PCT IN 2005.
July 3, 2006... CANBERRA, July 3 Asia Pulse - The value of Australian-produced export goods increased by 19 per cent, and service exports by four per cent, during the 2005 calendar year, analysis by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) shows. ...

S. KOREA, CHINA, JAPAN AGREE TO BOOST NUMBER OF VISITORS.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - Top tourism officials of South Korea, China and Japan agreed Sunday to boost the number of visitors among the three nations by more than 40 percent by 2010, government officials said. Under the agreement, the...

KOREAN PRESIDENT LIKELY TO CARRY OUT PARTIAL CABINET RESHUFFLE.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun will likely appoint new ministers for education, finance and budget in a partial Cabinet reshuffle as early as Monday, presidential sources said Sunday. "The date has yet to be...

S. KOREAN COMPANIES LIKELY TO POST SLUGGISH Q2 EARNINGS.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 2 Asia Pulse - South Korea's key industries of electronics, oil refining and petrochemicals and cars are likely to post sluggish second-quarter earnings reports, industry experts warned Sunday ahead of the April-June earnings season...

POSCO'S STEEL PRICE HIKE TRIGGERS CHAIN REACTION.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - Recent moves by South Korea's steelmakers to lift product prices, led by the world's fifth-largest steelmaker POSCO (KSE:005490), have raised concern over increasing raw material costs in major industries, industry...

S. KOREA'S EXPORTS EXPECTED TO HIT RECORD HIGH OF $US320BLN.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - South Korea's annual exports are expected to reach US$320 billion this year, the highest amount ever, despite the won's strength against the U.S. dollar and high oil and raw material prices, a state-run trade agency's...

S. KOREA TO PURCHASE OIL SANDS MINE IN CANADA.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - South Korea plans to buy an oil sands mine in Canada that is expected to produce 250 million barrels of oil, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Sunday. It said the size of the deposits of the mine...

KOREAN TRADE, INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT, CONSUMPTION TO GROW H2 2006.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - South Korea's foreign trade, industrial output and consumption are expected to grow in the second half of the year, according to a report released Sunday by a state-run economic think tank. The report, compiled...

AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... SYDNEY, July 3 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW: - Treasurer Peter Costello outlines vision for new federal system under which the commonwealth would take full responsibility for national...

S. KOREA'S MACHINERY PRODUCTION INCREASES 11PCT IN H1.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - South Korea's machinery production increased 11.1 per cent annually to 131 trillion won (US$137.81 billion) during the first half of this year, a report said Saturday. According to the Korea Association of...

CHINESE CITY OF HARBIN HOPES TO INCREASE KOREAN INVESTMENT.
July 3, 2006... SHENYANG, China, July 3 Asia Pulse - China's northeastern city of Harbin is set to mark its friendship with South Korea with various festivities and events this week, city officials and Korean-Chinese organizers there said Sunday. More...

STOCKS - TOKYO SHARES OPEN HIGHER - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... TOKYO, July 3 Asia Pulse - Tokyo shares opened higher today, with the benchmark Nikkei-225 index rising 68.17 points or 0.44 per cent to 15,573.35 in early trade. ASIA PULSE 03-07 1023

AUSTRALIAN INFLATION PRESSURE MOUNTS FOR 4TH MONTH IN A ROW.
July 3, 2006... SYDNEY, July 3 Asia Pulse - Inflation pressure continues to build in Australia, with a measure of consumer prices rising for the fourth month in a row, leaving the annual pace of inflation at the top end of the central bank's target band. ...

DANISH FIRM MOVES FORWARD ON ADSTEAM MARINE BID.
July 3, 2006... SYDNEY, July 3 Asia Pulse - Shipping group Adsteam Marine Ltd (ASX:ADS) has recommended shareholders accept an all-cash takeover bid from Danish company SvitzerWijsmuller. Under the offer, which values Adsteam at $A693 million ($US510.78...

INDONESIA'S MINISTER PROPOSES SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE STATUS.
July 3, 2006... JAKARTA, July 3 Asia Pulse - Industry Minister Fahmi Idris said industrial areas should also have the chance of enjoying the status of Special Economic Zone (KEKS) as they were producing many goods for export. "Special Economic Zone status...

DUBAI OIL PRICES FORECAST TO AVERAGE US$65 A BARREL H2 2006.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - Prices of Dubai crude in the second half are expected to be much higher than in the first six months, officials said Saturday, pointing to their negative impact on the South Korean economy. South Korea, the...

SOUTH KOREAN EXPORTS REACH RECORD US$28.2BLN IN JUNE.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - South Korean exports reached a record high of US$28.2 billion in June, fueled by strong overseas demand for autos, semiconductors and ships, a government report said Saturday. The figure represents a 19.2 per cent...

STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN INDEX OPENS STRONGER - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... SYDNEY, July 3 Asia Pulse - The Australian stock market opened stronger today, led higher by rises in base and precious metals prices. At 1015 AEST the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index had lifted 14.92 points to 5088.8, while the all ordinaries...

RECORD INVESTMENTS, ALLCO FINANCE COMPLETE MERGER.
July 3, 2006... SYDNEY, July 3 Asia Pulse - Record Investments Ltd (ASX:RCD) and Allco Finance Group Ltd (ASX:AEQ) have completed their $A3 billion ($US2.22 billion) merger and will now function together as Allco Finance Group. As part of the merger,...

PT AKR CORPORINDO BUYS 65PCT STAKE IN TRANSHIPMENT CO.
July 3, 2006... JAKARTA, July 3 Asia Pulse - PT AKR Corporindo (AKRA) has bought a 65 per cent stake in Transshipment Co.Ltd worth 70 million RMB (US$77 million). President Director of AKRA, Haryanto Adikoesumo, said here Friday, that his side had bought...

SOUTH KOREAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: VERNACULAR DAILIES: - New Seoul mayor supports Songpa development, plans to ban diesel-fueled cars from center of city (Kyunghyang Shinmun) - Gov't to end overseas...

AUSTRALIAN BOND MARKET OPENS FIRMER - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... SYDNEY, July 3 Asia Pulse - The Australian bond market opened firmer today, following a strong US Treasuries session on Friday night as expectations for further US interest rate hikes dwindle. At 0900 AEST, the yield on the Commonwealth...

STOCKS - SEOUL SHARES OPEN LOWER - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - South Korean stocks started weaker Monday as institutions sat on their hands following last week's sharp rises, and ahead of the release of the consumer price index. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index...

COMFORT HOTEL IN GIFU, JAPAN, WINS INT'L HOTEL OF THE YEAR.
July 3, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details follow below.) GIFU, July 3 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- CEO Kiyoshi Matsui and COO Takeya Muraki of Choice Hotels Japan Co., LTD left the Music City on a high note when the Comfort Hotel Gifu...

FOREX - US DOLLAR OPENS LOWER VS WON - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - The US dollar opened at 946.00 won Monday, down from 948.90 won. (Yonhap) 03-07 1110

FRANCE'S TOPY ENTERS INDIAN FOOTWEAR MARKET.
July 3, 2006... NEW DELHI, July 3 Asia Pulse - France-based company, Topy, which manufactures rubber sheets, soles and heels used in the footwear industry, on Saturday announced its entry into the Indian market, aiming to achieve a turnover of Rs 20 million...

LOGISTICS FIRM KOREA EXPRESS LAUNCHES JAPANESE UNIT.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - South Korean logistics company Korea Express Co. said Monday it has launched a Japanese subsidiary to tap the logistics market in the neighboring country. The Tokyo-based Korex Logistics Japan Co., capitalized at...

HENDRICK & STRUGGLES APPOINT NEW CONSULTANT TO SINGAPORE.
July 3, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details follow below.) Heidrick & Struggles Appoints New Search Consultant to Singapore Office CHICAGO, July 2 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSII), the...

TWO U.S. CHIPMAKERS ACCUSE QUALCOMM OF UNFAIR MARKET PRACTICES.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - Two U.S. chip-making giants filed a complaint with South Korea's antitrust watchdog against Qualcomm Inc., accusing the San Diego-based chip manufacturer of abusing its market dominance, sources said Monday. The...

AVNET ELECTRONICS MARKETING WINS TEXAS INSTRUMENTS AWARD.(Company overview)
July 3, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details follow below.) SINGAPORE, July 3 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- Avnet Electronics Marketing Asia Grows Texas Instruments Sales by More than 50 percent to Exceed US$100 million in 2005 Avnet...

S. KOREAN EXPORTS REACH RECORD US$28.2 BLN IN JUNE.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - South Korean exports reached a record high of US$28.2 billion in June fueled by strong overseas demand for autos, semiconductors and ships, a government report said Saturday. The figure represents a 19.2 per cent...

KOOKMIN BANK TO PUSH FOR BUSINESS EXPANSION IN SECOND HALF.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - South Korea's top lender Kookmin Bank (KSE:060000) will try to greatly expand its business in the second half with an improved business strategy, its chief said Monday. "With a creative mind and heightened...

MINISTERS OF S. KOREA, JAPAN, CHINA AGREE TO PROMOTE TOURISM.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - Tourism ministers from South Korea, Japan and China agreed Sunday to make efforts to raise the number of tourist visits among the three nations to 17 million in five years from the current 5 million, Japan's Kyodo...

S. KOREAN BOAT LEAVES FOR SURVEY WATERS OFF DOKDO.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - A South Korean boat left port in Busan Sunday to conduct a maritime survey of waters off the country's islets of Dokdo in the East Sea, a state-run institute said. The 2,533-ton vessel with about 20 crew members...

TAIWAN HELPS NAURU ACQUIRE NEW PLANE.
July 3, 2006... HONIARA, July 3 Asia Pulse - The cash strapped nation of Nauru is happy to connect again with the outside world after successfully acquiring a new plane. The Nauruan government secured funding from the Taiwanese government to buy its new...

SOUTH KOREAN SCIENTISTS FIND CANCER-CAUSING PROTEIN.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - A team of South Korean scientists said Sunday it has verified that the growth and metastasis of human cancer is caused, in many instances, by the E2-EPF ubiquitin carrier protein (UCP). The discovery, made by a...

KOREA EYES REVISING LAW TO OK SPOUSES TO INHERIT HALF OF PROP'TY.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - South Korea's Ministry of Justice plans to implement a law revision aimed at allowing widows and widowers to inherit half of their late spouse's property regardless of the number of children also eligible for...

KOREAN TWO-INCOME FAMILIES HAVE THREE TIMES MORE TO SAVE: REPORT.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - South Korean households in which both spouses work have nearly three times more money to save than those in which only one spouse is employed, according to a government report released Sunday. According to the...

OVER 50% OF S. KOREA'S CEOs GLOOMY ON FIRST-HALF EARNINGS: POLL.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - More than half of South Korea's top executives believe their earnings in the first half of this year may have fell short of targets mainly due to sluggish domestic consumption, according to a poll released Sunday by a...

ADB IDENTIFIES KEY CHALLENGES FOR PACIFIC ISLAND NATIONS.
July 3, 2006... HONIARA, July 3 Asia Pulse - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has identified four challenges facing the Pacific that affects economic growth. ADB vice president operations Lawrence Greenwood said their goal is to reduce poverty by helping...

KOREAN CO'S 'DIABETIC PHONE' GETS APPROVAL FROM US DRUG WATCHDOG.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - South Korean medical equipment supplier Healthpia Co. said Sunday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given the green light to its mobile diabetes monitoring service. The so-called diabetic phone, developed...

BRADY CORPORATION ACQUIRES CARROLL AUSTRALASIA.
July 3, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details follow below.) MILWAUKEE, June 30 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- Brady Corporation (NYSE: BRC), a world leader in identification solutions and specialty materials, today announced that it has acquired...

S. KOREAN BOURSE LIKELY TO MAINTAIN UPWARD MOMENTUM THIS WEEK.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - The South Korean stock market is likely to maintain its upward momentum this week, thanks to the easing of uncertainty among investors over the U.S.'s stance on interest rates, analysts here said Saturday. The...

CENDANT TO SELL TRAVELPORT TO BLACKSTONE GROUP AFFILIATE.
July 3, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details follow below.) NEW YORK, June 30 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Travelport, the Company's travel...

DUPONT TITANIUM ANNOUNCES TITANIUM DIOXIDE PRICE HIKE IN EUROPE.
July 3, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details follow below.) WILMINGTON, Del., June 30 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- DuPont Titanium Technologies today announced a price increase in Europe for all DuPont titanium dioxide grades. Effective...

HYUNDAI MOTOR'S UNION GAINS MORE POWER AFTER SPLITTING.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - Unionized workers of Hyundai Motor Co. (KSE:005380), South Korea's top automaker, voted Friday for their union to separate from a national umbrella labor group, paving the way for the union to exercise more power in...

TRAVELPORT AFFIRMS PLACE AS ONE OF THE WORLD'S TOP TRAVEL BRANDS.
July 3, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details follow below.) PARSIPPANY, N.J., June 30 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- Affiliate of The Blackstone Group Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Cendant's Travelport Unit for Approximately $4.3 Billion...

BUSINESS WIRE DAILY BRIEFING - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... A summary of news releases for June 30, 2006, compiled by Business Wire, the global leader in news distribution. To view any of these news release on Business Wire's website, please go to www.businesswire.com. 1) Category Code:...

ITC RETAINS ANTIDUMPING DUTY ON SOUTH KOREAN STEEL PRODUCTS.
July 3, 2006... WASHINGTON, July 3 Asia Pulse - The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) on Thursday decided to retain a countervailing duty on steel pipe products from South Korea and other exporter countries. Revoking the antidumping duty would be...

STOCKS - BOMBAY BOURSE ENDS FIRMER - JUNE 30, 2006.
July 3, 2006... MUMBAI, Jun 30 Asia Pulse - Enthused by a strong global trend, bulls took control of the stock markets, which on Friday climbed by 447 points to a month's high of 10,609.25 while Foreign funds showed signs of returning to India. The Bombay...

FOREX - US DOLLAR ENDS WEAKER AGAINST RUPEE - JUNE 30, 2006.
July 3, 2006... MUMBAI, Jun 30 Asia Pulse - The US Dollar ended sharply cheaper against the rupee at Rs 46.0525 per dollar but the Pound turned higher at Rs 84.50 per pound at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (FOREX) market here on Friday. The Euro closed...

RUSSIA READY TO HELP DEVELOP INDONESIA'S DEFENCE INDUSTRY.
July 3, 2006... JAKARTA, July 3 Asia Pulse - Russia is ready to provide a loan to Indonesia in return for defense contracts, a senior Russian arms sales official said Friday. "There is a basic agreement on a loan, though the conditions have yet to be...

ALCAN AND CANADIAN AUTO WORKERS INK LABOUR DEAL FOR QUEBEC SITES.
July 3, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details follow below.) SAGUENAY, June 30 /CNW Telbec-AsiaNet/ -- Alcan Inc. (NYSE, TSX: AL)announced today that its Quebec employees represented by the Canadian Auto Workers (C.A.W.) union have...

FED'S STEP TO RAISE INTEREST RATE NOT SURPRISING: BANK INDONESIA.
July 3, 2006... JAKARTA, July 3 Asia Pulse - Bank Indonesia (BI) Deputy Governor Aslim Tadjuddin is of the view that the Fed's decision to raise its interest rate is not surprising and he believed that the step will have no significant impact on the country's...

ASTHMA PATIENTS CHASE SYMPTOMS RATHER THAN PREVENTING DISEASE.
July 3, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details follow below.) LUND, June 30 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- Large Study Demonstrates That Patients May Miss the Opportunity for Avoiding Asthma Attacks New data on the attitudes and behaviours of...

LOCKHEED MARTIN AWARDED US$85 MLN FOR AUSTRALIAN WEAPON SYSTEM.
July 3, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details follow below.) MOORESTOWN, N.J., June 30 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- The U.S. Navy today awarded Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) $85 million for long-lead material items and critical work center...

AUSTRALIAN RETAIL TRADE DIPS 0.3 PCT IN MAY.
July 3, 2006... CANBERRA, July 3 Asia Pulse - Retail trade turnover dipped 0.3 per cent to A$17.8 billion (US$13.2 billion) in May, new figures released today show. The Australian Bureau of Statistics said the fall followed revised increases in April and...

THAI NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... BANGKOK, July 3 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: BANGKOK POST: - The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) says the 73-billion-baht Shin Corporation-Temasek deal did not breach existing regulations and laws,...

DELOITTE TO MERGE WITH MELBOURNE ACCOUNTING FIRM.
July 3, 2006... SYDNEY, July 3 Asia Pulse - Accounting firm Deloitte has announced a merger with the Melbourne office of BDO chartered accountants and advisers. "It is a friendly merger with both firms recognising the cultural fit and growth opportunities...

BAYER TO SET UP NEW FACILITY IN INDIA.
July 3, 2006... NEW DELHI, July 3 Asia Pulse - The German-based Bayer Material Science has said it will set up its first polyurethane systems house in the Indian subcontinent in Noida as a part of its expansion plans in the Asia-Pacific region. "The...

S. KOREAN BUSINESSES PESSIMISTIC ON ECONOMY IN JULY.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - A majority of South Korean companies are pessimistic about the nation's economy in July as they fear rising oil prices and the won's ascent to the U.S. dollar may erode their profits, a survey showed Monday. The...

SINGAPORE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... SINGAPORE, July 3 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE STRAITS TIMES: - Thousands of older Singaporeans risk running low on retirement savings because they have spent too much on housing. - Cars on the road in...

S. KOREAN EXPORTERS JITTERY OVER STRONG WON, HIGH ENERGY PRICES.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - A majority of South Korean exporters predict favorable business conditions in the third quarter of this year, but the optimistic view is being affected by a firmer local currency and higher energy and raw material...

STOCKS - MALAYSIAN STOCKS HIGHER IN EARLY TRADE - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 Asia Pulse - The Malaysian sharemarket was up 0.32 per cent in early trade, with the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange Composite Index rising 2.92 points to 917.61 at 10:09 a.m. ASIA PULSE 03-07 1234

ARCHER CAPITAL BUYS AUSTRALIA'S 2ND LARGEST BISCUIT MAKER.
July 3, 2006... SYDNEY, July 3 Asia Pulse - Australia's second largest biscuit producer, Paradise Food Industries, has been acquired by Sydney-based private equity investment firm Archer Capital for an undisclosed sum. The Brisbane-based biscuit supplier...

STOCKS - SINGAPORE STOCKS UP IN EARLY TRADE - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... SINGAPORE, July 3 Asia Pulse - Singapore shares were higher in early trade, with the Straits Times Index up 0.73 points at 2,436.12 at 10:31 a.m. ASIA PULSE 03-07 1237

AMCOR TO BUY K LASER CHINA FOR ABOUT US$10 MLN.
July 3, 2006... MELBOURNE, July 3 Asia Pulse - Global packaging maker Amcor Ltd (ASX:AMC) has agreed to acquire a 16.67 per cent cornerstone stake in K Laser China for about $US10 million ($A13.49 million). Amcor has options to lift its shareholding in K...

AFGHANISTAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER TO LEAVE FOR U.S.
July 3, 2006... KABUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Dr Rangin Dadfar Spanta will leave for an official visit to the United States on Monday. Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Sultan Ahmad Bahin said the minister would meet Vice...

MALAYSIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: BUSINESS TIMES: - The Securities Commission (SC) may penalise Affin Merchant Bank Bhd for arranging a deal that had false information, sources familiar with the...

JAPANESE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... TOKYO, July 3 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: NIKKEI NET: - Business confidence among large Japanese manufacturers marginally improved in the three months through June, reflecting a steady recovery in the domestic...

FOREX - RINGGIT OPENS STRONGER AGAINST US DOLLAR - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 Asia Pulse - The ringgit opened at 3.6620/6670 against the US dollar on Monday, stronger than Friday's closing value of 3.6740/6790. ASIA PULSE 03-07 1258

THAI FINANCE MINISTRY EXPECTS GOVT REVENUE TO HIT FY2006 TARGET.
July 3, 2006... BANGKOK, July 3 Asia Pulse - Thailand's Ministry of Finance's Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) projects that the government's total revenue for the 2006 fiscal year will reach 1.36 trillion baht as targeted, while total spending is 1.26 billion baht...

INDONESIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... JAKARTA, July 3 Asia Pulse - Highlights from today's newspapers: BISNIS INDONESIA - Dubai Ports World of the United Arab Emirates and the International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTI) of the Philippines are reportedly competing...

PHILIPPINE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... MANILA, July 3 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: MANILA TIMES: - The Philippines, through state-run Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (Psalm) is set to draw on the performance bond posted by YNN Pacific...

STOCKS - SEOUL SHARES SLIP IN MORNING TRADE - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - South Korean stocks traded lower Monday morning as investor sentiment shrank on overnight losses in U.S. stocks after last week's surges. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 3.34 points,...

VIETNAMESE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... HANOI, July 3 Asia Pulse - Following are highlights of Vietnam's major newspapers today: NHAN DAN: - Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung recently approved funding of US$625,000 for a project to build houses for poor Khmer ethnic...

VIETNAM'S INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION RISES 16% IN FIRST HALF.
July 3, 2006... HANOI, July 3 Asia Pulse - Vietnam's industrial production value reached US$15.6 billion in the first half of this year, up by 16.1 per cent over the corresponding period last year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO). The...

HONG KONG NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - JULY 3, 2006.
July 3, 2006... HONG KONG, July 3 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST: - Hong Kong's opinion leaders and decision-makers want the proposed covert surveillance law to provide more protection against snoopers, an...

VIETNAM DEVELOPS STRATEGY TO DRAW MORE FDI.
July 3, 2006... HANOI, July 3 Asia Pulse - Vietnamese authorities have collected opinions for a government decision to be issued in early July on measures to attract new sources of foreign direct investment (FDI). These measures target foreign investors,...

VIETNAM'S INDUSTRY STRIVING TO BOOST EXPORTS.
July 3, 2006... HANOI, July 3 Asia Pulse - Vietnam's industry sector is striving to boost annual export turnover to US$50 billion by 2010, representing up to 80 per cent of the country's total projected export earnings, said Le Van Duoc, director of the...

S. KOREA SUBJECTS 1,133 FIRMS TO EQUITY INVESTMENT LIMITS.
July 3, 2006... SEOUL, July 3 Asia Pulse - South Korea's antitrust watchdog said Monday it has added five affiliates of the nation's 59 largest conglomerates to a list of companies subject to limits on mutual investment and loan guarantees. As of the end...

JAPAN'S KDDI, VIETNAM FIRM TIE UP FOR INTERNET TELEPHONY SERVICE.
July 3, 2006... HANOI, July 3 Asia Pulse - The Vietnam Data Communications Company (VDC) and Japan's KDDI Corporation announced they would join hands to establish an Internet Telephony Virtual Private Network service beginning in August. Under the...