AsiaPulse News articles from September 2003

AsiaPulse News archives from September 2003

STOCKS - DSE TRADELESS - SEPTEMBER 1, 2003.
September 1, 2003... NEW DELHI, Sep 1 Asia Pulse - The Delhi Stock Exchange (DSE) remained tradeless on Monday with most of the market players executing their transactions on the other leading bourses for better liquidity, and recorded zero business. The DSE...

STOCKS - BSE CLOSES UP - SEPTEMBER 1, 2003.
September 1, 2003... MUMBAI, Sep 1 Asia Pulse - Powered by consistent net purchases by foreign institutional investors, blue-chip stocks under the leadership of RIL, continued their rally to straight 5th session lifting the sensex past 4300-mark on Bombay stock...

FOREX - US DOLLAR REMAINS SAME AGAINST RUPEE - SEPTEMBER 1, 2003.
September 1, 2003... MUMBAI, Sep 01 Asia Pulse - The U.S Dollar ended barely changed against the Rupee at Rs 45.8650 per dollar but the Pound Sterling turned lower at Rs 72.15 per pound at the close of the Interbank Foreign Exchange (FOREX) Market here on Monday....

PAKISTAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - SEPT 1, 2003.
September 1, 2003... KARACHI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: DAWN - Iraqis blame US, Saddam for Najaf car blast - Troops off to Turkey for joint exercises - Key round for Legal framework Order talks today - Canadian...

ASIAN MARKETS - SHARES CLOSE BROADLY HIGHER - SEPT 1, 2003.
September 1, 2003... A round-up of Asian stock markets for Sept 1, 2003 prepared by Asia Pulse (http://www.asiapulse.com), the real-time, Asia-based wire with exclusive news, commercial intelligence and business opportunities. SYDNEY, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Asian...

FOREX - AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR OPENS FIRMER - SEPT 1, 2003.
September 1, 2003... SYDNEY, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian dollar sprang into the new week in positive territory, firming against a broadly weaker United States dollar. At 0700 AEST the Australian dollar was trading at .6476/84 compared with Friday's...

AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - SEPT 1, 2003.
September 1, 2003... SYDNEY, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE DAILY TELEGRAPH - Ex-prisoner awarded six-figure compensation sum after falling out of cell bunk. - Jemaah Islamiah's founding principles revealed in secret...

S KOREA AIMS TO LURE FOREIGN R&D CENTERS.
September 1, 2003... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The Ministry of Science and Technology said it is encouraging world-class institutes and private companies to establish research and development centers in South Korea. The ministry recently signed a contract to...

KOREAN BOURSES SET TO CONTINUE BULLISHNESS.
September 1, 2003... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's stock markets are expected to continue their bullishness next week thanks to a rising trend on Wall Street and continued buying by foreign investors, analysts said. The Korea Composite Stock Price...

S KOREA'S PHARMACEUTICAL TRADE DEFICIT NARROWS.
September 1, 2003... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's trade deficit in drug-related goods fell by 35 per cent annually to US$767 million in the first-half of this year, helped by the slowed import of low-cost Chinese medicines, a survey said. According...

SOUTH KOREA LEADS WORLD IN ANNUAL WORKING HOURS: ILO.
September 1, 2003... GENEVA, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - South Koreans worked more hours than any other people on the globe in 2001, the International Labor Organization said. According to the organization's biennial report titled "Key Indicators of the Labor Market,"...

S KOREA TO STRENGTHEN TAXES ON REAL ESTATE OWNERS.
September 1, 2003... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The Home Affairs Ministry said it will announce a basic plan to strengthen taxes on excessive real estate holdings Monday afternoon. The plan has been forged through consultations among related ministries,...

S KOREAN GROUPS TO ANNOUNCE STEPS ON FIVE-DAY WORKWEEK.
September 1, 2003... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The nation's five leading business organizations said they would jointly discuss follow-up steps to cope with the recently-approved five-day workweek system and other pending economic issues. According to the...

AIG, NEWBRIDGE CAPITAL TO INVEST $US600 MLN IN HANARO.
September 1, 2003... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Troubled broadband Internet operator Hanaro Telecom (KOSDAQ:33630) said it had reached an agreement with the consortium of American International Group (AIG) and Newbridge Capital to obtain syndicated loans worth...

KOREA EXCHANGE BANK APPOINTS NEW DIRECTORS.
September 1, 2003... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The Korea Exchange Bank (KSE:04940) has appointed seven new outside directors, including five recommended by Lone Star, a U.S. investment fund which recently became the bank's largest shareholder. The five...

TREND MICRO COMPLETES SHARE BUYBACK.
September 1, 2003... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) TOKYO, Sept 1 XFNHK - Trend Micro (TSE: 4704; Nasdaq: TMIC), a worldwide leader in network antivirus and Internet content security, today announced the results of share buyback pursuant to...

AIR PRODUCTS TAKES OVER ASHLAND FIRM FOR $US300MLN.
September 1, 2003... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., Sept 1 PRNewswire-FirstCall-AsiaNet - Air Products (NYSE: APD) - a globally diversified gases and chemicals company, and a leading materials and services solution...

HANARO TELECOM TO OFFLOAD 39.1PCT STAKE FOR $US500MLN.
September 1, 2003... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The board of directors of Hanaro Telecom Inc (KOSDAQ:33630) have voted to turn over 39.1 per cent of the company's share to the AIG-Newbridge consortium for US$500 million. The cash investment proposal by the...

INTEL TO OPEN RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT CENTRE IN S KOREA.
September 1, 2003... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - U.S. computer chip giant Intel is set to open a high-tech research and development center by the end of this year in South Korea to boost its technology development capacity. Intel chief executive officer Craig...

N. KOREA CLAIMS BEIJING TALKS WERE 'USELESS'.
September 1, 2003... PYONGYANG, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Calling the just-ended six-way talks in Beijing "useless," North Korea reiterated Saturday that it has no choice but to increase its nuclear power. "(The six-way talks) reinforced the belief that we have no...

KOGAS RECEIVES OVERSEAS DIVIDENDS OF $US20MLN 1H 2003.
September 1, 2003... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) (KSE:36340) said it has received dividends of 24.6 billion won (US$20.86 million) from overseas liquefied natural gas (LNG) project investment in the first half of this year. ...

INDIA, AUSTRALIA SIGN MOU ON TELECOMS.
September 1, 2003... MELBOURNE, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Taking their bilateral relationship forward, India and Australia on Friday signed an agreement in the field of telecommunication with India's External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha saying that New Delhi is...

INDIA SAYS TRIPS AND PUBLIC HEALTH A HUMANITARIAN ISSUE.
September 1, 2003... NEW DELHI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - India on Friday said TRIPS (trade-related intellectual property rights) and Public Health were not commercial but humanitarian issues which should be resolved in a manner that ensures availability of cheap...

BEIJING CRACKS DOWN ON PUBLISHINGPIRACY.
September 1, 2003... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) LONDON, Sept 1 PRNewswire-AsiaNet - Frederick Warne & Co., a subsidiary of Penguin Books Limited, welcomes the decision from the Beijing Xicheng District Administration of Industry and...

KIA'S CARNIVAL SELECTED AS NATIONAL CAR IN MALAYSIA.
September 1, 2003... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Asia Pulse - Malaysia has chosen Kia Motors' minivan Carnival as its national car in the multi-purpose vehicle sector and begun its mass production, a company official said Friday. On Thursday, a ceremony to mark...

STOCKS - KOREAN INDEX OPENS BULLISH - SEPT 1, 2003.
September 1, 2003... SEOUL, Sept. 1 Asia Pulse - South Korean stocks got off to a strong start early Monday on last week's strong end of the Wall Street. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), or the barometer of the main Korea Stock Exchange, opened...

STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN STOCKS OPEN HIGHER - SEPT 1, 2003.
September 1, 2003... SYDNEY, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian stock market pushed higher at the open today, aided by gains in popular blue chips. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index gained 11.4 points to 3211.1 while the all ordinaries index climbed 12.0 points...

INDIA'S CII SENDS HEALTHCARE MISSION TO UK FROM SEPT 1-5.
September 1, 2003... NEW DELHI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse Asia Pulse - In a bid to further the dialogue between the UK Healthcare Mission and the domestic healthcare industry and discuss technological transfer and collaboration, an Indian healthcare mission would visit the...

WEEKLY BSE REVIEW, WEEK ENDING AUG 30, 2003.
September 1, 2003... MUMBAI, Aug 30 Asia Pulse - The sensex overcame severe negative impact of Monday's twin bomb-blasts and rebounded from the low of 3943 to end the week with another 2.90 per cent gain in sustained bull run on the Bombay Stock Exchange here. ...

INDIA'S FOREIGN CURRENCY RESERVES RISE BY $148 MLN.
September 1, 2003... MUMBAI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - India's foreign exchange reserves rose by $148 million at $85,563 million, a record high level, during the week ended August 22. The foreign currency assets increased by $147 million at ,932 million in the...

WEEKLY DSE REVIEW, WEEK ENDING AUG 29, 2003.
September 1, 2003... NEW DELHI, Aug 30 Asia Pulse - The Delhi Stock Exchange (DSE) remained tradeless for the week ending August 29 as most of the market participants executed transactions on the country's other bourses. Marketmen said member brokers, retail...

INDIA TO SIGN PACT WITH SOUTH AFRICAN CUSTOMS UNION.
September 1, 2003... KOLKATA, Aug 30 Asia Pulse - India would sign a framework agreement with South African Customs Union in October this year to chart out the steps required to boost trade between the signatory countries of South Africa, Namibia, Botswana,...

SINO-INDIA TRADE UP BY 37.5% to $4.94 BLN IN 2002.
September 1, 2003... KOLKATA, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Trade between India and China, as per Chinese statistics, for the period January to December 2002 reached US$4.94 billion, an increase of 37.50 per cent over the same period of 2001. The statistics made...

STOCKS - TOKYO INDEX OPENS HIGHER - SEPT 1, 2003.
September 1, 2003... TOKYO, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Stocks in Tokyo have opened higher Monday by 0.54 per cent, with the Nikkei 225 index gaining 55.98 points to 10,399.53 in early trade. ASIA PULSE 01-09 1040

INDIA SAYS IT IS OPPOSED TO NEW WTO TRADE ISSUES.
September 1, 2003... NEW DELHI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - India on Friday said it will oppose tooth and nail any attempt to bring in new issues like investment into the work programme of WTO at the Cancun Ministerial in September. "We are not willing to bend. We will...

MALAYSIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - SEPT 1, 2003.
September 1, 2003... KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE STAR: - Two years after putting its liberalisation plan in action, LPI Capital Bhd through its wholly-owned subsidiary London & Pacific Insurance Co Bhd (LonPac)...

HOME APPLIANCE MAKERS COMPETING TO DEVELOP 'GREEN TECHNOLOGY'.
September 1, 2003... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's major electric home appliance makers are endeavoring to outdo each other in applying "green" technology, or environment-friendly technology, to their new products. The nation's "big three" --...

TOKYO WANTS TO STEP UP INVESTMENT IN INDONESIA.
September 1, 2003... BANJARMASIN, S. Kalimantan, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Tokyo wants Japanese businessmen to step up investment in Indonesia in a bid to boost economic ties between the two nations, a Japanese official said here Thursday. "We always encourage our...

GEN-PROBE FILES SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT.
September 1, 2003... (Full text of statement. Contact details below.) SAN DIEGO, Calif., Aug 30 PRNewswire-FirstCall-AsiaNet - Gen-Probe Incorporated (Nasdaq: GPRO) today announced that it has filed a Form S-3 shelf registration statement with the Securities...

INDIA'S BETA GROUP TO SET UP PLANTS IN NEPAL, DUBAI.
September 1, 2003... CHENNAI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Beta Group, the Rs 20,000 million (US$436 million) multi-national company engaged in food processing, is planning to put up two units in Nepal and Dubai in a year or two to take care of the markets in their...

TAIWAN'S WTO RESEARCH CENTER TO BE INAUGURATED SEPT. 8.
September 1, 2003... TAIPEI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Taiwan will inaugurate a World Trade Organization (WTO) research center Sept. 8 to draft various initiatives to be presented to the world trade regulatory body, Cabinet sources said Saturday. The new think tank...

KAOHSIUNG MAYOR BEGINS SIX-DAY JAPAN VISIT.
September 1, 2003... KAOHSIUNG, Southern Taiwan, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Kaohsiung Mayor Frank Hsieh will fly to Japan at the head of a trade and tourism promotion mission today for a six-day visit. Speaking at a press conference held on Sunday afternoon, Hsieh...

ANGLOGOLD POSTS 18 PCT FALL IN FIRST HALF PROFIT.
September 1, 2003... PERTH, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - AngloGold Ltd (ASX:AGG) has reported an 18 per cent fall in interim first half profit to million. In its report for the six months to June 30, 2003, released Friday, the company said profit was down despite a 20...

FOREIGN FIRMS: DEREGULATION VITAL FOR INVESTMENT IN TAIWAN.
September 1, 2003... TAIPEI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - International corporations investing in Taiwan suggest that transparency and simple laws and regulations are vital to the improvement of Taiwan's investment environment. Nearly half of the foreign companies in...

INDONESIA'S TELKOM TOLD TO RECONSIDER HYDROPOWER PLANTS IN JAVA.
September 1, 2003... JAKARTA, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - State-run electricity company PT PLN has been told to reconsider its plan to build hydropower plants (PLTA) in Java because they could face complicated problems during the dry season. "In the future, we will...

LASERSOFT RELEASES SILVERFAST DCPRO FOR HIGH-END DIGITAL CAMERAS.
September 1, 2003... (Full text of statement. Contact details below.) KIEL, Aug 29 PRNewswire-AsiaNet - Unique Virtual Light Table Features Integrate Versatile Picture Organisation with Powerful Image Enhancement tools LaserSoft Imaging AG, the developer...

CHALLENGER GROUP TO BUY ZURICH ARM FOR $US85MLN.
September 1, 2003... SYDNEY, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Zurich Capital Markets' Australian Principal Finance business is to be bought for $A133 million ($US85.78 million) by the Challenger Financial Services Group (ASX:CFG). The Kerry Packer-backed Challenger group...

TAIWAN AEROSPACE MISSION VISITS DALLAS.
September 1, 2003... DALLAS, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - A Taiwan aerospace mission, led by Industrial Development Bureau Director General C. Y. Chen, arrived here Sunday to promote cooperation between the aerospace industries of the United States and Taiwan. The...

METALDYNE GETS LOI FROM HYUNDAI TO SUPPLY CONNECTING RODS.
September 1, 2003... (Full text of statement. Contact details below.) PLYMOUTH, Mich., Aug. 29 PRNewswire-AsiaNet - Metaldyne announced today that Hyundai has awarded the company a contract to supply finished machined and assembled powder metal forged...

INDUSTRY DISCUSSES LISTING OF O'SEAS TAIWANESE COMPANIES ON TSE.
September 1, 2003... TAIPEI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - By allowing international corporations invested by Taiwanese businessmen overseas to become listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange, the government will help Taiwanese businessmen abroad to have a new channel to raise...

TAIWAN'S ECONOMY SHOULD BE GLOBALIZED: PRESIDENT CHEN.
September 1, 2003... TAIPEI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - President Chen Shui-bian said that liberalization and globalization are the two principles for Taiwan's future economic development. Speaking at a meeting with members of his economic advisory panel held at the...

TAIWAN'S MOTC TO STUDY CHINESE HARBOR FACILITIES.
September 1, 2003... TAIPEI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) has budgeted NT$78,000 (US$2,260) to send an official to mainland China to study its harbor facilities next year. The MOTC said in the budget plan that, in...

TAIWAN'S GOV'T BUDGETS US$4.91 BLN FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
September 1, 2003... TAIPEI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The administration has budgeted NT$168.4 billion (US$4.91 billion) for the national development plan in fiscal 2004. Under the administration's 2004 budget submitted to the Legislative Yuan Friday, NT$94.2...

HONG KONG NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - SEPT 1, 2003.
September 1, 2003... HONG KONG, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE STANDARD: - ``The worst is over,'' Jockey Club chief executive Lawrence Wong declared yesterday after the new racing season started with a 16 per cent increase in...

NGO URGES INDONESIA TO REJECT WTO AGREEMENTS.
September 1, 2003... JAKARTA, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The Indonesian government should cooperate with other developing countries in rejecting World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements, the Institute for Global Justice (IKG) said. Bonnie Setiawan, executive...

BANK EXECUTIVES OPTIMISTIC ABOUT TAIWAN'S ECONOMIC PROSPECTS.
September 1, 2003... TAIPEI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Economic recoveries in the United States and Japan will help stimulate Taiwan's economy and Taiwan will benefit from positive economic developments in mainland China, regional executives of two international banks...

KADIN SAYS TRADE BETWEEN INDONESIA AND OIC STILL LOW.
September 1, 2003... PEKANBARU, Riau, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The volume of trade between Indonesia and Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) member countries continues to be relatively low at about three per cent of total trade, according to the Indonesian Chamber...

PAKISTAN'S PICIC TO MERGE WITH ITS BANK, FLOAT FUNDS.
September 1, 2003... KARACHI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Pakistan Industrial Credit Investment Corporation (Picic) in due course of time will merge with its commercial bank, and plans to launch innovative financial tools including Islamic, Pension and Real Estate Funds...

O/S TAIWAN-FUNDED COMPANIES SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO INVEST IN TSE.
September 1, 2003... TAIPEI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - To replace Hong Kong as a capital-raising center in Asia, the government should allow foreign-based Taiwan companies to apply for listing on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE), according to a report presented recently...

KARACHI STOCK EXCHANGE-100 INDEX RECOMPOSED.
September 1, 2003... KARACHI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) has recomposed its 100 companies index which will now capture around 83.84 per cent of the market capitalisation effective from September 15. The governing board of directors of...

FAMILIES OF CHINA AIRLINES CRASH VICTIMS SUE BOEING IN US COURT.
September 1, 2003... TAIPEI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Two family members of victims of the 2002 air crash of a China Airlines (CAL) plane filed a suit for damages against the airplane's United States builder, Boeing, in a Los Angeles court. Attorney Steven Archer...

TELSTRA VENTURES IN HONG KONG HIT AUSTRALIAN BOTTOM LINE.
September 1, 2003... SYDNEY, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Australia's largest telco, Telstra Corp Ltd (ASX:TLS), took a $A965 million ($US622.42 million) hit in the first half after writing down the value of its 50 per cent stake in cable joint venture Reach Ltd, a...

TAIWAN GOV'T MULLS NEW PROJECTS TO SECURE ECONOMIC GROWTH.
September 1, 2003... TAIPEI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Following the impact of two major events in the international community in the first half of this year, the government has being working on a new public works project worth billions of dollars to help maintain...

PROFILE - AUSTRALIA'S INBOUND TOURISM INDUSTRY (SEPT 2003).
September 1, 2003... *********************************************** A PROFILE OF AUSTRALIA'S INBOUND TOURISM INDUSTRY PREPARED BY ASIA PULSE ANALYSTS (UPDATED SEPT 2003) *********************************************** OVERVIEW: Australia's...

PAKISTAN AND CHINA TO SIGN PACT FOR METAL MINING.
September 1, 2003... QUETTA, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - After successful maintenance and operation of gold-copper project at Saindak, Chagai district, it is hoped that Pakistan and China would soon sign a pact for the second metal mining in Balochistan. Sources said this...

AUSTRALIA'S AMP COY ABOUT POTENTIAL BUYERS FOR UK BUSINESSES.
September 1, 2003... SYDNEY, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - AMP Ltd (ASX:AMP) today remained tightlipped about whether it had lined up three potential buyers for its troubled British life insurance businesses. South African insurer and funds manager Old Mutual, American...

INFLATION REMAINS STEADY IN AUSTRALIA.
September 1, 2003... SYDNEY, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Inflation pressures continue to moderate going into the September quarter, an August price indicator has shown. Prices of consumer goods and services rose by 0.3 per cent between July and August, the TD...

THAI NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - SEPT 1, 2003.
September 1, 2003... BANGKOK, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE BANGKOK POST: - The Japanese restaurant business in Thailand offers a picture of starkly contrasting fortunes. - Full mobile number portability within six months, a...

SINGAPORE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - SEPT 1, 2003.
September 1, 2003... SINGAPORE, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE STRAITS TIMES - Acting Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan gave an undertaking yesterday that public hospital fees will not be raised in these tough economic times. -...

JAPANESE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - SEPT 1, 2003.
September 1, 2003... TOKYO, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: DAILY YOMIURI - House of Councillors members of the Liberal Democratic Party's largest faction are expected to announce their official support in their meeting Wednesday for...

AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING SUBDUED IN AUGUST.
September 1, 2003... SYDNEY, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Growth in Australia's manufacturing sector was subdued in August, a survey released today found. The Australian Industry Group (Ai) - PricewaterhouseCoopers Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) has indicated...

GOLD OUTPUT RISES IN AUSTRALIA FOR FIRST TIME IN 5 YEARS: REPORT.
September 1, 2003... BRISBANE, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - A ramp-up in existing operations has seen Australia's gold mining industry overturn a five year trend to record an increase in production output for 2002/03. In a report produced by Melbourne-based mining...

INDONESIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - SEPT 1, 2003.
September 1, 2003... JAKARTA, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights from today's newspapers: THE JAKARTA POST - More than one third of Indonesians have not made up their minds about who they believe would be the best president for the next term, a survey showed....

PETRONAS OPENS SERVICE STATION IN SUDAN.
September 1, 2003... KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) has opened its first service station in Sudan, marking its entry into the retail marketing business in that country. Earlier this year, Malaysia's national oil corporation...

FESTIVAL BOOSTS NO. OF VISITORS TO OMAN'S DHOFAR REGION JUN-AUG.
September 1, 2003... SALALAH, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - As many as 122,529 visitors arrived in Dhofar Governorate during the period June 21 to August 11 this year, up by 31,148 visitors as against the 91,381 booked during the period from 21 June to 21 August last year....

MALAYSIA'S AUTOINDUSTRIES POSTS LOWER GROUP TURNOVER IN Q2.
September 1, 2003... KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Autoindustries Ventures Berhad (KLSE:AIVB) has posted group turnover of RM18.37 million (US$4.8 million) for the second quarter ended 30 June 2003, a fall of 27.26 per cent from the same period last year. ...

AUSTRALIA'S TELSTRA PLANS TO WIN BACK MARKET SHARE.
September 1, 2003... SYDNEY, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Australia's biggest telco Telstra Corp Ltd (ASX:TLS) has signalled a fightback to arrest its declining market share, after last week reporting its lowest annual profit in five years. Telstra chief executive...

CHINA'S MAJOR TEXTILE, CHEMICAL COMPANIES SEE SURGING PROFITS.
September 1, 2003... BEIJING, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The profits of China's major state-owned textile and chemical enterprises jumped 19.5 per cent and 81.8 per cent respectively in the first seven months of the year, according to the State-owned Assets Supervision...

S KOREA'S DIRECT FOREIGN INVESTMENT FALLS FOR 4 YEARS.
September 1, 2003... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Foreign direct investment in South Korea has been falling since 2000 in terms of cases and amount, a government report said Monday. In a report to Eom Ho-sung, an opposition legislator, the Ministry of Commerce,...

NETHERLANDS BANK TARGETS HIGH-END CHINESE CONSUMERS.
September 1, 2003... SHANGHAI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The Netherlands Bank, one of the world's leading multinational banking groups, has launched an individual financing service targeting high-end Chinese customers. The Van Gogh Preferred Banking service is aimed...

FOREX - KOREAN WON OPENS HIGHER AGAINST U.S. DOLLAR - SEPT 1, 2003.
September 1, 2003... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse -- The South Korean won opened stronger against the U.S. dollar Monday on the strength of the Japanese yen. The local currency began at 1,176.10 won to the greenback, up from Friday's close of 1,178.20 won per...

FRENCH-AMERICAN INVESTED INDUSTRIAL GASES FIRM BEGINS CHINA OPS.
September 1, 2003... SHANGHAI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Construction of Industrial Gases Co. Ltd., financed by French and American investors, broke ground recently in the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park. It will be the largest base for the production of industrial...

KOREAN WIRELESS FIRMS SHIFTING TO VIETNAM.
September 1, 2003... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's wireless equipment makers and carriers are stepping up a campaign to expand their market share in Vietnam, industry officials said Monday. The move is linked with South Korean firms' plan to build a...

NO. OF CELL PHONE USERS IN CHINA TOPS 250 MILLION IN JUNE.
September 1, 2003... BEIJING, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The number of mobile phone users in China has continued to grow, reaching 250 million by the end of June, according to the Ministry of Information Industry. Figures from the ministry showed that China witnessed...