Fed inaction greases path for equities and other risky assets

Gorge on Halloween candy, Thanksgiving turkey and risk: the Fed has declared an early and extended holiday.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/money/markets-investing/article/1344500/fed-inaction-greases-path-equities-and-other-risky

SoftBank books US$4b profit

Japan's SoftBank said net profit soared 84.1 percent year-on-year to US$4 billion in the six months to September, boosted by strong demand for iPhone...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42586

Remote Tibetan county linked by road

The last county in China to be accessible by modern land transport was finally linked up to the rest of the country with a new road that has taken de...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42585

Central banks extend liquidity swaps

The European Central Bank said its current temporary bilateral liquidity swap arrangements with five other central banks will remain in place until f...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42584

Panasonic back in the black

Panasonic said it swung back to profit for the six months to September and doubled its full-year earnings forecast thanks to a weak yen and cost-cu...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42583

Japan Airlines earnings weaken

Japan Airlines said net profit for the six months to September dropped 17.8 percent to US$833 million. The company said it had made 81.94 billion ye...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42582

Red ink still flows at Sharp

Sharp said first-half net loss narrowed to US$44 million as stronger sales and cost cuts boosted its bottom line. The Osaka-based company lost 4.33 ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42581

Shenzhen free trade zone financial reforms move at snail’s pace

China has not set a deadline for key economic reforms in its new free trade zone including unrestricted currency flows, a government document seen by ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42580

Sony reports US$160m loss

Japanese electronics maker Sony booked a net loss of US$160 million in the six months to September and cut its full-year earnings forecast by 40 perc...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42579

Tokyo tumbles 1pc

Stocks in Tokyo fell 1.20 percent on profit-taking following losses on Wall Street, as dealers awaited the release of Japanese corporate results. Th...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42578

Despite promised reforms, investors sceptical of China's state-owned firms

For all the grand talk of far-reaching reforms when China’s leadership meets early next month, foreign investors have refused to become carried away, with most choosing to shun the country’s mammoth state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/1344483/despite-promised-reforms-investors-sceptical-chinas-state

Hong Kong shares off week-high, China rocked by weak bank earnings

Hong Kong and China shares fell from one-week highs by midday on Thursday, with the Chinese banking sector on the defensive following disappointing quarterly earnings from two of the “Big Four” lenders.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/money/stock-talk/article/1344472/hong-kong-shares-week-high-china-rocked-weak-bank-earnings

Thousands of Indonesians rally for factory wage increases

Tens of thousands of workers went on strike across Indonesia in the latest industrial action to hit Southeast Asia's top economy as its citizens see...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42577

Jail term affirmed against ‘Sister House’ Gong Aiai

A court in western China upheld the sentence today of a former banker, mocked by netizens as “Sister House,’’ for faking IDs. Gong Aiai, 49, had bee...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42576

US budget deficit lowest in five years

For the first time in five years, the US government has run a budget deficit below US$1 trillion.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/economy/article/1344455/us-budget-deficit-lowest-five-years

China's global bank buying binge heats up

After living in China for a while, one comes to realize that new trends among big state-owned enterprises often happen quickly and in waves in response to directives from Beijing.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1344419/chinas-global-bank-buying-binge-heats

Uighur group reacts with outrage to Beijing’s ‘terrorist’ label demonizing ethnic minority

A Uighur group dismissed Beijing's account of a “terrorist attack'' in Tiananmen Square as a dubious pretext to repress the ethnic minority, even as...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42575

(NBA) Hawes, Carter-Williams help 76ers stun Heat

Michael Carter-Williams had an NBA debut to remember, notching 22 points, 12 assists and nine steals to lead the Philadelphia 76ers past the reigning ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42574

Paying heavily for past sins, banks shun businesses that could run foul of regulators

The cost to banks of cleaning up past misdeeds has soared over US$100 billion and is leaving lenders running scared from areas that put them in potential danger of upsetting regulators.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1344437/paying-heavily-past-sins-banks-shun-businesses-could-run

Japanese whale slaughter threatens species with extinction, endangers consumers

An environmental group says that Japan's hunts of smaller whales, dolphins and porpoises threaten some species with extinction, while consumers are at...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42573

Sri Lanka’s Rajapaksa regime boots out Aussie pair

Sri Lankan officials said they will deport two international media rights activists for participating in a meeting on press freedom while visiting the...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42572

Bank of Japan stay course on stimulus

The Bank of Japan held off launching fresh easing measures as evidence of an economic recovery piles up, a day after the US central bank left its o...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42571

(Baseball) Boston erupts in joy

Jubilant Boston Red Sox fans took to the streets around Fenway Park to cheer their team's World Series victory Wednesday night, the first time the US ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42570

(Baseball) ‘Big Papi’ Ortiz a champ for third time

David Ortiz (pictured with is son Kaz) walked off with the World Series Most Valuable Player award Wednesday, capping a dominant week in which he led ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42569

Britain to make full details of company ownership available to public

British Prime Minister David Cameron is set to announce on Thursday that he will make public a new database of company ownership details designed to expose international money laundering and tax evasion schemes.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1344347/britain-make-full-details-company-ownership-available-public

(Baseball) Ortiz named MVP, Red Sox on a high

David Ortiz and the Boston Red Sox capped their remarkable turnaround by beating the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1 in Game 6 Wednesday in Boston in the US t...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42568

Hang Seng down by break

Hong Kong stocks fell 0.40 percent by the break on Thursday after the US Federal Reserve's upbeat outlook on the economy fueled speculation it could ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42567

(Baseball) Rookie pitcher Wacha’s world crumbles

Michael Wacha's masterful pitching run is over. So is the St Louis Cardinals' season. The 22-year-old rookie who burst on the major league scene with...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42566

Researchers suppress HIV-like virus with antibodies

Doctors may one day be able to control a patient's HIV infection in a new way: injecting swarms of germ-fighting antibodies, two new studies suggest. ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42565

Half of TV shoppers say cheated

Nearly half of TV shoppers in China believe they have been cheated at least once, and most of them chose not to complain, a survey revealed on Thursda...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42564

Mars candy co-owner charged in killer crash

US prosecutors say they have filed a misdemeanor reckless driving charge against an owner of the candy company Mars Inc for her role in a deadly car c...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42563

American wanted for fraud nabbed on sailboat

A California businessman who left the United States before he was indicted on fraud charges has been arrested on a sailboat in the US Virgin Islands, ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42562

Marvin Gaye children sue over 'Blurred Lines'

Two of Marvin Gaye's children sued Robin Thicke and his collaborators on the hit song “Blurred Lines'' Wednesday, accusing them of copyright infringe...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42561

Mainland official clarifies political hierarchy

A senior mainland official has said Hong Kong does not enjoy the separation of executive, legislative and judicial powers, as the Chief Executive - wh...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42560

US says yuan still undervalued but falls short of accusing Beijing of manipulating currency

The US government has raised concerns about the value of China’s currency but declined again to accuse Beijing of manipulating it.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/economy/article/1344324/us-says-yuan-still-undervalued-falls-short-accusing-beijing

(Breeders’ Cup) Princess of Sylmar chases Distaff crown

Princess of Sylmar has emerged as the unlikely pretender most likely to thwart Royal Delta's bid for a third straight Breeders' Cup Distaff crown on...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42559

(Baseball) Red Sox win World Series

Shane Victorino drove in four runs and John Lackey pitched a shutout into the seventh inning as the Boston Red Sox won their third World Series in 10 ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42558

‘Violent terrorists’ are ‘all Uighurs’ says sate media

China's mainly Muslim Uighur ethnic minority will be the “biggest victims'' of Monday's Tiananmen Square attack, branded an act of terrorism by autho...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42557

(Football) UK League Cup draw

Premier League powerhouses Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur managed to avoid each other in the draw for the League ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42556

(Football) Ronaldo salutes rare hat-trick

Gareth Bale finally made his mark at Real Madrid yesterday, only for Cristiano Ronaldo to upstage his two-goal performance with a hat-trick in a 7-3 v...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42555

(Football) Negredo sends City into League Cup quarters

Alvaro Negredo and Edin Dzeko scored in extra time to send Manchester City into the UK League Cup quarterfinals with a 2-0 win at Newcastle yesterday,...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42554

Study names bat species in China as Sars virus origin

A study by Australian national science body, CSIRO, has confirmed that the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus which killed hundreds people...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42553

Tokyo lower at break

Stocks in Tokyo fell 0.21 percent on profit-taking and after losses on Wall Street, while dealers also await the release of corporate results later i...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42552

(NBA) Sixer to the end, Iverson makes quiet exit

Allen Iverson's highlights played one more time on the big screen, diehard Philadelphia 76ers fans and Julius Erving all part of the crowd catching on...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42551

HSBC set to post jump in pretax profit

Banking giant HSBC is set to report a surge in third-quarter pretax profit next week on the back of its fast-growing Asia-Pacific business and increased trade flows.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1344305/hsbc-set-post-jump-pretax-profit

Native Indians demand NFL owners drop racial epithet

Characterizing their meeting with the NFL about their disapproval of the use of Redskins by the Washington franchise as disappointing, representatives...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42550

Golf Channel writer Chamblee eats humble pie

Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee, under fire for a Golf.com column accusing Tiger Woods of bending the rules, said in a televised interview Wed...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42549

New Zealand balloon pilot was cannabis user

The pilot of a hot-air balloon that crashed in New Zealand killing all 11 people on board had cannabis in his system, an official report said, blami...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42548

American spies sucked up Google and Yahoo! data

The American National Security Agency has secretly broken into the main communications links that connect Yahoo! and Google data centers around the wo...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42547

Indian, Thai spices tainted with salmonella, excrement, hair, and insects, US agency finds

The US Food and Drug Administration says that almost 7 percent of imported spices over a three-year period were contaminated with salmonella. They ag...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42546

Anhui vice mayor Wang Hun red-faced over doctored publicity photo showing visit to elderly

Anhui officials are red-faced over a glaringly inept Photoshop doctoring job on an image showing the vice-mayor visiting an elderly woman. The doctor...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42517

Spain pulls out of recession – only just

Spain escaped from a two-year recession in the third quarter of this year with growth of 0.1 percent, though unemployment remained extremely high, o...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42516

China economic output data distortion persists

China's economy would be at least 3.7 trillion yuan bigger than Beijing thinks if the country's local government statistics were to be believed, sta...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42515

Report says WTO rules against rare earths export limits

The World Trade Organization has concluded that restrictions by China on the export of rare earths are not in line with WTO rules, the Financial Tim...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42514

Volkswagen earnings slump

German auto giant Volkswagen said one-off effects in connection with its takeover of Porsche hit profits in the third quarter, but it held to full-ye...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42513

Hang Seng soars 2pc, Europe equities extend gains ahead of Fed monetary policy decision

Stocks in Hong Kong rallied 2 percent, following another record-breaking close on Wall Street and ahead of a closely watched US Federal Reserve polic...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42512

Apple reveals iPhone 5s battery defect

Apple's latest iPhone 5s may experience shorter battery life due to a manufacturing defect on a “very limited" number of models, according to a statem...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42511

Opening of China Construction Bank's European headquarters spurs Luxembourg's yuan hub hopes

Luxembourg hailed the opening on Tuesday of the European headquarters of a third Chinese bank, underlining the tiny country’s ambition to corner a larger share of Europe’s offshore yuan business.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1343705/opening-china-construction-banks-european-headquarters

Unions press for MPF fees limits

The Confederation of Trade Unions has called on the government to impose a cap on the level of administrative fees MPF providers are allowed to charge...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42510

Barclays reveals scrutiny of forex trading

Barclays is one of a number of companies being investigated over possible manipulation of foreign exchange trading, the British bank said when it an...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42509

Nintendo earnings weak, Wii U sales sag

Nintendo said it swung back to profitability in the six months to September thanks to a sharply weaker yen, but the Japanese videogames giant strugg...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42508

Niger to repay US$1 billion China Exim Bank loan from sales of oil produced by Chinese firm

Niger has accepted a controversial US$1 billion loan from the Export-Import Bank of China (China Exim Bank) to finance development projects, the West African country’s planning minister said on Tuesday.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/1343686/niger-repay-us1-billion-china-exim-bank-loan-sales-oil

Excrement thrown at Taiwan pop star Hsiao

Taiwanese pop star Jam Hsiao said he's outraged by an alleged attack in which two autograph-seekers threw a bucket of fecal matter at his van. The 26...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42507

Teen madam hunts clients in Bandung

Indonesian teen pimp Chimoy was an only child living alone with her mom. She says her father was always gone, taking care of his four other wives. Pol...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42506

China's heavy equipment makers look abroad as domestic demand slumps

When Guangxi Liugong Machinery was bidding to sell wheel loaders to a Thai rice merchant a few years ago, company president Zeng Guangan knew he needed to customise his equipment to beat off Komatsu and other Japanese rivals.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1343672/chinas-heavy-equipment-makers-look-abroad-domestic-demand-slumps

BlackBerry preferred tool in Indonesian child sex trade

Human trafficking and sex tourism have long been big business in this vast archipelago of 240 million. The UN International Labor Organization estima...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42505

Indonesia’s teen pimps rake in the cash

Chimoy, an Indonesian, flicks a lighter and draws a long drag until her cheeks collapse on the skinny Dunhill Mild, exhaling a column of smoke. Her n...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42504

Sleeping passengers burned alive in Indian bus inferno, driver escapes

A bus crashed into a highway barrier in southern India and erupted in flames early today, killing at least 40 passengers _ many of them burned alive i...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42503

Omani infected with Sars-like virus

Health authorities in Oman announced the first case of MERS coronavirus in the Gulf sultanate, state news agency ONA reported. The patient, an Omani...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42502

Tokyo bounces at close

Stocks in Tokyo bounced 1.23 percent after a record-breaking rally on Wall Street fuelled by expectations the US Federal Reserve will maintain its a...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42501

Honda half-year income US$2.4b

Honda said net profit was up 13.5 percent in the first six months to September to US$2.47 billion, as it benefited from the weaker yen and strong sale...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42500

Japanese carrier ANA earnings halved

Japan's ANA Holdings said net profit nose-dived by nearly half in the six months to September as it slashed its full-year earnings forecast. April-...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42499

Team USA's Olympics gear made entirely in America, Ralph Lauren says

Ralph Lauren Corp unveiled its Team USA designs for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics on Tuesday, emphasising that – “from yarn to dye” – they were made in America.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1343629/team-usas-olympics-gear-made-entirely-america-ralph-lauren-says

Does anyone need a smartwatch?

If consumer electronics companies are to be believed, someone on your holiday shopping list is just dying for a wristwatch that displays message alerts and weather updates.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1343610/does-anyone-need-smartwatch

Jeff Koons adapts Venus motif to another brand

Contemporary artist Jeff Koons commands multi-million dollar price tags at auction for his creations and he has put his signature on brand names, incl...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42498

China energy sector opens door to private capital

Monopolies in China's energy sector are coming to end, with more private capital to be allowed to exploit oil and gas resources. Reforms will no long...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42497

Lee Cheuk-yan concerned over jobs for youth in TV

A labor group has called on Chief Executive, Leung Chun-ying, to explain the denial of a television license to a private company, saying jobs for you...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42496

Stink rises from Australia Great Barrier reef agency

Australia launched an inquiry into the agency responsible for protecting the Great Barrier Reef after some board members were urged to resign over a...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42495

Two young Aussies nabbed in Vietnam carrying 3.5 kilos of heroin in luggage

Vietnam has arrested two Australians for heroin smuggling, police said. It is a crime punishable by death in the communist state. The pair, were nab...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42494

Wing Hang Bank's credit rating at risk if acquired by mainland firm, Moody's says

Wing Hang Bank, Hong Kong’s second-largest family-owned lender, which is in takeover talks, would likely have its credit rating downgraded if the acquirer was based on the mainland, Moody’s Investors Service said.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1343560/wing-hang-banks-credit-rating-risk-if-acquired-mainland

(NBA) Champs Heat spoil Rose return

LeBron James scored 17 points and Shane Battier made all four of his 3-point tries as the Miami Heat spoiled Derrick Rose's return to the NBA by beati...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42493

China Exim Bank lends US$1b to Niger projects on 'very favorable' terms

Niger has accepted a controversial US$1 billion loan from the Export-Import Bank of China (China Exim Bank) to finance development projects, the Wes...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42492

Fleeing Indian driver nabbed after bus blaze kills 44

At least 44 passengers were killed when a blaze triggered by an exploding fuel tank engulfed a bus in southern India early today, police said. The f...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42491

Hang Seng positive at break

Stocks in Hong Kong climbed 0.86 percent in the morning session as investors took a lead from a record close on Wall Street. The benchmark Hang Seng...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42490

Google Plus adds more photo edit tools

Google is introducing more tools to automatically edit images posted on its Plus networking service in its latest attempt to lure traffic away from Fa...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42489

(Review-iPad Air) Speedy chip, lighter, but no rear camera

When Apple came out with a smaller iPad last year, the original version suddenly seemed heavy and bulky. The iPad Mini fit more easily in pockets and ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42488

Court issues stern corruption warning

The Appeal Court has said as Hong Kong moves towards greater democracy, the court has a duty to send out a clear and unequivocal message to the public...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42487

Lenovo rethinks laptop in US$299 Yoga tablet featuring twisting hinge

Lenovo presented a new tablet device including a bracket-cum-handle allowing it to tilt and stand, which it billed as a “game-changing'' innovation....



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42486

Motorola's vision: a smartphone you design yourself

Motorola wants to let consumers design their own smartphones.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1343507/motorolas-vision-smartphone-you-design-yourself

(Football) Bumbling Blatter mocks Ronaldo

FIFA president Sepp Blatter may have thought joking about Cristiano Ronaldo was all in good fun, but the Portugal forward and Real Madrid have certain...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42485

Bitcoin users can buy and sell them at new ATM

A silver-and-blue ATM, perched up next to the espresso bar in a trendy Vancouver coffee shop, could launch a new era for the digital currency bitcoin, offering an almost instant way to exchange the world’s leading virtual money for cash.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1343497/bitcoin-users-can-buy-and-sell-them-new-atm

(Golf) Multiple winners line up for honors in Shanghai

World number three Phil Mickelson leads a top field battling at the US$8.5 million World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions, which begins tomorrow in ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42484

(NBA) Pacers pull away from Magic

Paul George scored 24 points and Roy Hibbert added 16 rebounds and seven blocks to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 97-87 victory over the Orlando Magic i...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42483

(Baseball) Sixth Gold Glove for catcher Molina

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina was awarded a Gold Glove for the sixth straight season Tuesday as baseball announced its awards for outsta...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42482

(Football) Chelsea, United though to last eight in League Cup

Cesar Azpilicueta seized on a defensive blunder and Juan Mata scored a slick second as Chelsea dumped Premier League leader Arsenal out of the League ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42481

American spy masters turn on the media

US espionage chiefs said reports that American spy agencies snooped on millions of Europeans were “completely false'' in a major twist to a transatl...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42480

Tokyo rallies by break

Stocks in Tokyo rallied 1.22 percent after a record-breaking rally on Wall Street fuelled by expectations the US Federal Reserve will maintain its ag...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42479

Washington-based Uighurs fear demonization and repression of Muslim minority after Tiananmen crash

An overseas Uighur rights group fears a “fierce state crackdown'' by China on the largely Muslim ethnic minority after Monday's car crash at Tiananm...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42478

Chinese Americans slam hollow apology for offensive skit

Chinese Americans are demanding a “formal, open and meaningful apology" from ABC, which aired Jimmy Kimmel’s show in which a child called for all Chin...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42477

Aussie woman’s sex on the job injury claim falls flat

An Australian female public servant, injured when a motel room light fitting fell and hit her while having sex on a business trip failed in a bid f...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42476

Lawsuit costs rip into Deutsche Bank bottom line

Deutsche Bank, Germany's biggest bank, said the bottom line was hit by “substantial litigation charges,’’ and falling profits in investment banking....



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42445

Hong Kong second-best place in the world to do business, but stamp duty reforms have 'negative impact', World Bank says

Hong Kong is second only to Singapore as the world’s best place to run a business, but the city’s high ranking obscures its “glaring” problems with real estate regulations, the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation said yesterday.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/economy/article/1342657/hong-kong-second-best-place-world-do-business-stamp-duty-reforms

South Korean operations continue to be a drag on Standard Chartered's profit

Standard Chartered’s income and operating profit grew in the low single digits in the first nine months of this year as credit quality soured at its South Korean operations and the currencies of emerging markets in which the bank is active depreciated.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1342630/south-korean-operations-continue-be-drag-standard

Beijing hunts for Uighur suspects over Tiananmen car crash

Police investigating the apparent attack in Tiananmen Square searched for information on two ethnic Uighur minority suspects, a hotel employee said, ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42444

Child among scores injured in unceasing bouts of political violence in Dhaka

Scores of people including a nine-year-old girl were injured as violence raged across Bangladesh, the last of a three-day strike called by opposition ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42443

India raises interest rates to 7.75pc

India's new central bank governor raised the key interest rate for a second month running, disregarding calls for lower borrowing costs as he remain...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42442

11 new Alzheimer's risk genes identified

A group of scientists have discovered 11 new genes that may be tied to the late-onset form of the dementia disease during the largest genetic analysis...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42441

Tokyo closes lower

Stocks in Tokyo were down 0.49 percent on profit-taking after a strong rally the previous day as investors await the outcome of a two-day US Federal...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42440

Australian dollar likely to fall materially, says central bank chief Glenn Stevens

Australia’s top central banker said on Tuesday it was likely the Australian dollar would fall materially in the future given the country’s declining terms of trade, a shift that would be welcome to trade-exposed sectors of the domestic economy.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/economy/article/1342592/australian-dollar-likely-fall-materially-says-central-bank-chief

Swiss ski slopes bid welcome to Chinese tourists

Winter in Europe wouldn’t be winter without a bit of skiing, and this year Switzerland has its sights set on attracting a whole new group of amateur skiers to its slopes – the Chinese.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/economy/article/1342590/swiss-ski-slopes-bid-welcome-chinese-tourists

Japanese cars losing reliability edge in consumers' bible's rankings

Japan’s lock on Consumer Reports’ vehicle reliability rankings is starting to ease.

Three Japanese brands – Lexus, Toyota and Acura – took the top spots in this year’s survey, and seven of the top 10 brands are Japanese.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1342588/japanese-cars-losing-reliability-edge-consumers-bibles-rankings

Japan slams China for threatening peace

Japan's defense minister says Beijing's behavior over the disputed Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea is jeopardizing peace. He told reporters in T...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42439

Hopes for progress in HK-Manila talks

Chief executive Leung Chun-ying says he hopes there'll be new and positive developments over the Manila hostage crisis in which eight Hong Kong people...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42438

(NFL): Seahawks pull through against Rams

Seattle's defense made a goal-line stand in the waning seconds Monday and the Seahawks notched their fourth road win of the NFL season, 14-9 over St...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42437

(Football) Messi, Ribery, and Ronaldo among Ballon d'Or nominees

Lionel Messi, Franck Ribery, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Neymar are among 23 candidates on the short list for the Ballon d'Or announced by FIFA...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42436

Beijing couples dodge property tax in divorce court

Beijing's divorce rate has soared as couples seek to avoid a property tax imposed earlier this year by using a loophole for those whose marriages en...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42435

HK embraces the American accent

Standing at the front of the classroom in Hong Kong, nine-year-old Charlotte Yan recites a 2008 speech by Hillary Clinton – enunciating the words wit...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42434

US watchdog warns toxic American corporate culture has not changed and still breeding crime

Five years after the US financial crisis forced the massive government TARP bailout, the US corporate culture remains toxic and breeding crime, the w...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42433

Hang Seng lower at break

Stocks in Hong Kong ended the morning session 0.13 percent lower, giving up earlier gains, ahead of a US Federal Reserve policy meeting. The benchma...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42431

(Rugby League) Fijians flatten hapless Irish

Winger Akuila Uate (pictured) scored three tries and had another disallowed as Fiji ran over Ireland 32-14 in the Rugby League World Cup at its home a...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42430

Taipo car accident kills two

A male driver and a woman died after a car crashed into a tree on Taipo this morning. At around 3:00am, a car heading to Luk Keng on Bride's Pool Roa...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42432

Chinese mobile carriers' upgrade to 4G will take years to pay off

Faster isn’t necessarily better for China’s telecom carriers as they prepare to roll out high-speed 4G mobile-phone networks at the expense of their profitability for years to come.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1342542/chinese-mobile-carriers-upgrade-4g-will-take-years-pay

(Breeders' Cup Classic) Game On Dude freshened up for title

Game On Dude, (pictured), twice disappointed in the Breeders' Cup Classic, was made the early 8-5 favorite Monday for the marquee race on the US$27 m...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42429

(Baseball) Gray-beard Ross comes good when it matters

Davis Ross (pictured), a gray-bearded baseball journeyman, has nearly completed his long-and-winding trek to a World Series title in St Louis in the U...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42428

(Baseball) Red Sox close in on World Series title

Jon Lester (pictured) pitched the Boston Red Sox within a whisker of yet another World Series championship in St Louis in the US. Lester got the bett...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42427

Legislator to discuss Manila murders

Democratic Party legislator, James To, will meet with Manila city councillor, Bernie Ang, today to discuss the city's offer of an apology and compensa...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42426

Leung says buck stops with me on TV licensing

Chief Executive, Leung Chun-ying says the final decision on whether to issue a free-to-air TV license rests with him and the Executive Council. He s...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42425

Strong labour market drives spending as Japan's consumers rush to beat rise in sales tax

Consumer spending in Japan jumped last month as shoppers front-loaded purchases before a sales tax increase next year, a boost to government efforts to spark demand and end 15 years of deflation.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/economy/article/1342531/strong-labour-market-drives-spending-japans-consumers-rush-beat

13 dead as storm hits Europe

One of the strongest storms to hit western Europe in years has killed at least 13 people. Most of the victims were crushed by falling trees. Six peopl...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42424

Chipmaker Hynix reports profitable quarter

South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix posted a record operating profit in the third quarter to September, boosted by strong demand from phone manufacturers...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42423

Nikkei lower at break

Stocks in Tokyo slipped 0.14 percent on profit-taking after a strong rally the previous day as investors await the outcome of a two-day US Federal Re...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42422

Beijing points finger at Xinjiang for Tiananmen car crash, warns hotels against suspicious guests

A fatal car crash in Tiananmen Square may yesterday have links to China's restive far western region of Xinjiang, state-run media said. The incident...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42421

Long-term incentives push European executives' pay above inflation

Company executives in Europe are enjoying above-inflation rises to their overall remuneration thanks to long-term incentive packages, a new study shows.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/economy/article/1342516/long-term-incentives-push-european-executives-pay-above-inflation

Cornered over cloak and dagger work, US reviews snooping

US President Barack Obama said he would seek to keep US intelligence-gathering operations in check amid mounting European anger over American snoopi...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42420

Apple earnings fall despite rising iPhone sales

Apple's quarterly earnings are still sagging even as sales of its iPhones are rising, a vexing phenomenon feeding investor worries about whether stiff...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42419

Ex-BBC driver David Smith who faced sex charges found dead

A former driver of UK state-owned broadcaster BBC arrested as part of an investigation set up to examine sexual abuse claims against the late pervert...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42418

High-powered Nicaraguan canal delegation quietly visits mainland China

A top-level Nicaraguan delegation - headed by the president’s son - travelled to mainland China and Hong Kong last week to discuss what could be the world’s largest waterway project, the South China Morning Post has learned.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/news/china-insider/article/1342513/high-powered-nicaraguan-canal-delegation-quietly-visits-mainland

Doing business report rankings

The World Bank's annual Doing Business 2014 report, ranked 189 countries on how easy or difficult it is to start and operate a local business. The ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42417

Hong Kong means business, World Bank report finds, but China slips further down into the depths

Hong Kong remains one of the world's best places to run a business, while mainland China remains far down the list, according to the World Bank’s Do...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42416

South Korea current account surplus widens

South Korea's current account surplus expanded in September from the previous month on trade gains and stronger service industry earnings, the centr...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42415

Samsung gains ground in smartphone sales

Samsung Electronics shipped a record 88.4 million smartphones in the third quarter to take its global market share above 35 percent, while rival App...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42414

Tokyo defense chief deplores Beijing intrusions

Beijing's behavior in its dispute with Tokyo over disputed islands in the East China Sea is jeopardizing peace, Japan's defense minister said. “I be...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42413

US lawyer convicted of drug money laundering

An American lawyer and former Carnegie Mellon University trustee was found guilty Monday in the US states of Texas of conspiring to launder hundreds o...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42412

Apple profit, margins slip as China sales rise just 6 per cent

Apple’s profit and margins slid despite selling 33.8 million iPhones in its September quarter, and revenue from China climbed just 6 per cent even though two smartphone models hit store shelves in its second-largest market last month.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1342509/apple-profit-margins-slip-china-sales-rise-just-6-cent

Pianist Lang Lang named UN peace envoy

Chinese pianist Lang Lang became a United Nations Messenger of Peace Monday, a role he called more important than his music because it can help improv...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42411

New 185m US destroyer afloat for first time

There was no band. No streamers. No champagne. The US Navy's stealthy Zumwalt destroyer went into the water without fanfare Monday. Shipbuilders move...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42410

Jackson doctor let go from jail

Michael Jackson's doctor was quietly freed from jail in the US, two years after he was convicted of killing the King of Pop with an overdose of a pow...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42409

Huawei remains an outcast in Australia

Australia's new government has decided to maintain a two-year-old ban on China infotech giant Huawei from working on the nation's high-speed broadband...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42408

Two youths killed in Tai Po crash

A 28-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman were killed in a traffic accident in the early hours today. Police said at about 2.10am, a private car driv...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42407

HKND chairman Wang Jing: ‘no need for a high profile’ on Nicaraguan canal project

Nicaragua’s planned alternative to the Panama Canal just got a boost in popularity as a delighted Nicaraguan delegation left Hong Kong after visiting the canal’s architects at China Railway Construction Corporation on the mainland and in Hong Kong.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/news/china-insider/article/1342496/hknd-chairman-wang-jing-no-need-high-profile-nicaraguan-canal

Thais charge ex-PM Abhisit over protest deaths

Prosecutors in Thailand have indicted a former prime minister for his alleged role in the deaths of demonstrators during a 2010 crackdown on anti-gove...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42393

More mainlanders studying overseas

Chinese people going overseas to study will surpass 450,000 by the year end, up from 2012's total of 399,600, an official in international education e...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42392

Weibo: Huawei-Lenovo, Alibaba-Baidu in new courtships?

China's microblogging sphere is buzzing with a series of new posts that hint at a couple of budding friendships in the nation's tech realm, one between smartphone aspirants Huawei and Lenovo (

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1341959/weibo-huawei-lenovo-alibaba-baidu-new-courtships

Beijing airport bomber sues Dongguan

A man who set off a small bomb in Beijing airport has taken Dongguan city government to court for alleged failure to certify that injuries to his legs...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42391

Former Georgian defence minister sentenced for power abuse

A Georgian court on Monday sentenced a former defense minister to nearly four years in jail in the first guilty verdict against a top ally of outgoin...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42390

Day of reckoning for Boer extremists

A court in South Africa began sentencing 20 right-wing extremists convicted of high treason for a plot to kill Nelson Mandela and drive blacks out of...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42389

(Tiananmen crash – Update1) Witness saw SUV crashing and exploding, tourists among 11 injured

A witness watched in horror when a sports utility vehicle crashed and exploded in the heavily protected Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Three people were...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42388

(Golf) Tiger comes up short in China

Rory McIlroy won for the first time this year _ even if it was an 18-hole exhibition match against Tiger Woods in Haikou, China. McIlroy made four bi...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42387

Complaints decline after new tourism law

The government says China's new tourism law -- implemented three weeks ago -- has curbed unscrupulous practices by tourist guides in Hong Kong. It sa...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42386

450 ferry passengers stranded in storm

Two ferries carrying more than 450 passengers were stranded in stormy seas off Dover after a storm shut down the port in Britain, authorities in Fran...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42385

American spy agency listened to 60m Spain calls

US security services tracked 60 million telephone calls in Spain in a single month, according to leaked document published in a leading Spanish news...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42384

London’s Heathrow cancel 130 flights

A major storm bearing hurricane-force winds is lashing southern Britain, causing flooding and travel delays including the cancellation of 130 flights ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42383

Tianjin takes aim at industrial polluters

North China's Tianjin municipality plans to reduce steel and cement output amid efforts to reduce air pollution and lingering smog, the local environ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42382

Europe markets higher at open

Europe's main stock markets gained at the start of trading. London's benchmark FTSE 100 index climbed 0.25 percent to 6,737.92 points. Frankfurt's ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42381

Hang Seng ends run of losses, Shanghai flat

Stocks in Hong Kong closed 0.48 percent higher on bargain-buying and following a positive lead from Wall Street. The benchmark Hang Seng Index added ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42380

GM says partnership with SAIC still going strong

US giant General Motors has dismissed speculation its ties with Shanghai-based SAIC Motor are fraying, saying the partnership is thriving and the two carmakers are discussing further collabouration in Indonesia.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1341868/gm-says-partnership-saic-still-going-strong

(Update) Police block site after three killed in fiery SUV crash in Tiananmen

Three people were killed when a sport utility vehicle crashed into a crowd in Beijing's Tiananmen Square today and burst into flames, police said, a...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42379

Penny stocks fiasco puts spotlight on Singapore Exchange's dual role as market operator and regulator

The rold of Singapore Exchange (SGX) as the city state’s equity market regulator is coming under increasing scrutiny in the fallout from a penny stock crash earlier this month.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/money/markets-investing/article/1341850/penny-stocks-fiasco-puts-spotlight-singapore

(Golf) Tiger puts ball back into Golf Channel’s court

Tiger Woods put the heat on Golf Channel over analyst Brandel Chamblee's insinuation of cheating, saying during a visit to China he was ready to move ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42378

Bangladesh violence toll rises to 13

At least two people have died in violence in Bangladesh amid a nationwide general strike aimed at forcing the government to quit and pave the way for ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42377

Storm hits southern Britain

A major storm with hurricane-force winds is lashing southern Britain. Officials report flooding in some areas and major travel delays for commuters. ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42376

Three killed in Tiananmen vehicle crash

A sports utility vehicle crashed into a barrier in Beijing's Tiananmen Square and caught fire, killing three people, state media said, as pictures po...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42375

Tokyo stocks soar at the close

Stocks in stocks closed 2.19 percent higher, boosted by a rally on Wall Street and a weaker yen. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index soared 307.85 points t...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42374

LG phone shows off face-hugging curves

LG Electronics unveiled a curved-screen smartphone, taking on rival Samsung in a niche market seen as a first step on the road to fully flexible pro...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42373

Merged Shanghai media group creates potent force

The two main press groups in Shanghai, birthplace of China's newspaper industry, officially launched a new group Monday following their merger. Shang...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42372

Vehicle crashes into Tiananmen crowd

A vehicle crashed into a crowd in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, state media said, as pictures posted online showed a vehicle in flames in front of the...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42371

22 slain, hundreds held and 500 guns seized ahead of Philippine village polls

Security forces were on high alert across Philippines as millions of voters went to the polls to choose village leaders, with 22 people killed in pre...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42370

Fresh uncertainty means Fed unlikely to pull back stimulus

Back in May and June, US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke played a trick on markets by sketching out a timetable for reducing the central bank’s US$85 billion a month of bond buying. Investors recoiled in horror and bond yields surged.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/economy/article/1341822/fresh-uncertainty-means-fed-unlikely-pull-back-stimulus

More firms keen on mergers and acquisitions, poll finds

Growing optimism about the global economy is likely to lead to a marked pick-up in the number of mergers and acquisitions over the coming months, a survey of executives found Monday.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1341809/more-firms-keen-mergers-and-acquisitions-poll-finds

Huishang Bank lands 5 cornerstone investors for Hong Kong IPO

Huishang Bank, a city commercial lender based in Hefei, Anhui province, has captured five cornerstone investors before kicking off the roadshow tomorrow for its initial public offering in Hong Kong, a banker involved in the deal said.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/money/markets-investing/article/1341795/huishang-bank-lands-5-cornerstone-investors-hong

3G drives China Telecom earnings to 14.7b yuan

China Telecom (0728) said today net profit for the first three quarters was up by 17.1 percent to 14.7 billion yuan. Mobile services grew rapidly. Th...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42369

Hang Seng positive at break

Stocks in Hong Kong climbed 0.48 percent on bargain hunting in the morning session following four straight losses last week, while Wall Street also ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42368

Evangelical adoptions raise issues of child trafficking and lucrative illegal baby sale industry

To many Christian evangelicals, their commitment to finding homes for the world's orphans is something to celebrate _ and they will, gathering at hund...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42367

Sri Lanka opens airport highway funded and built by Chinese firms

Sri Lanka opened a US$292 million Chinese-funded airport highway on Sunday, amid Indian concern about Chinese influence as the island nation rebuilds after a nearly three-decade war.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/1341777/sri-lanka-opens-airport-highway-funded-and-built-chinese

China coast guard heads to islands

China kept up the pressure on Japan over disputed islands, sending its coastguard to the area following Beijing's weekend mention of “war'' after To...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42366

Nashville salutes Kenny Rogers

Kenny Rogers, Bobby Bare and the late “Cowboy'' Jack Clement are now members of the Country Music Hall of Fame. The three were saluted by stars inclu...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42365

Rights activist trio’s trial opens in Jiangxi, diplomatic observers barred

Three Chinese activists from a group that urges fellow citizens to embrace constitutional rights stood trial in Xinyu, Jinagxi, in a closely watched ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42364

Wolf Blass and Penfolds owner Treasury faces suit over massive wine losses

Global drinks giant Treasury Wine Estates is facing a class-action lawsuit from Australian shareholders after oversupply issues forced six million bot...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42362

Swiss bankers stay home amid US global tax evasion manhunt

As a US hunt for tax evaders and their accomplices gains momentum, many Swiss bankers are afraid to go abroad for fear of arrest, one business leader said.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1341767/swiss-bankers-stay-home-amid-us-global-tax-evasion-manhunt

(Golf) Lee books Masters ticket, Guan struggles

Lee Chang Woo of South Korea won the Asia-Pacific Amateur in Longkou, China by three shots to earn a trip to the Masters in April. Lee was worried th...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42361

Chinese fast-food chains eating KFC's and McDonald's lunch

Bearing rice burgers and lotus roots, an army of Chinese fast-food firms is cooking up a challenge to McDonald’s and Yum Brands, tempting cost-conscious diners with healthy, home-grown fare and causing a drag on growth for the US chains in the country’s US$174 billion fas

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1341755/chinese-fast-food-chains-eating-kfcs-and-mcdonalds-lunch

Nikkei up by break

Tokyo stocks rose 1.08 percent on Monday morning following a rally on Wall Street, while exporters also got a boost from a weaker yen. The benchmark ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42359

Elderly man held at Montreal airport for suspect cargo

A 71-year-old suspect was detained after a package was found in the US departures area of Montreal's Trudeau International Airport, police said Sunday...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42358

Japan’s Mizuho bank faulted for gang loans

A panel says Japanese bank Mizuho Financial Group was lax in cleaning up loans that the lender discovered were linked to organized crime but did not d...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42357

Chinese immigrant Mingdong Chen faces murder charges over Brooklyn killings of cousin’s family

A Chinese immigrant who neighbors said struggled to survive in America was arrested Sunday on five counts of murder in the stabbing deaths of his cous...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42356

(Football) Spaniard Torres exploits City blunder

Nine games into the English Premier League season, Chelsea have finally beaten a leading team _ thanks to Manchester City's defensive blunder in the 9...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42355

Trial of Murdoch sidekick Brooks set to start

British Prime Minister David Cameron's former press chief Andy Coulson and his friend and one-time Rupert Murdoch sidekick Rebekah Brooks stand accu...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42354

Rock’s tough guy Lou Reed explored dark themes

Lou Reed, (pictured) the punk poet of rock who influenced generations of musicians as leader of the Velvet Underground and remained a vital solo perfo...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42353

Hang Seng bounces, Shanghai edges up

Stocks in Hong Kong gained 0.24 percent on bargain buying following four straight sessions of losses, while sentiment was also boosted by a rally on...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42352

London cancels 60 flights and shuts down rail services amid heavy storm

Driving rains and high winds hit the UK Sunday evening, as officials warned that the storm forecasters are calling one of the worst in years will caus...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=42351

CLP stuck between a rock and a hard place in India

The little mountain of rocks tucked away in a corner of CLP's sprawling Jhajjar plant, 2½ hours from New Delhi, is where the Hong Kong power major's woes have been piling up.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1341312/clp-stuck-between-rock-and-hard-place-india

Bet on exports fails to pay off for world leaders

When HSBC's economists from around the world recently pooled their forecasts, virtually all had a similar source of growth in mind for the region they monitored: exports.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/economy/article/1341308/bet-exports-fails-pay-world-leaders

Jack Ma hints at continued interest in Hong Kong listing for Alibaba

Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma Yun says he misjudged attitudes towards his company in his failed bid to sell shares in Hong Kong and that he wants to improve the understanding of his business in the city - a fresh sign to some that the potential HK$100 billion deal may yet be done here.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1341457/jack-ma-hints-continued-interest-hong-kong-listing-alibaba

Local government debt burden festers on mainland China

A surge in unpaid debt obligations of local mainland authorities falling due looks set to lead to either an extension of maturities or a rise in loan defaults.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1341496/local-government-debt-burden-festers-mainland-china

Bank of China targets yuan markets in West

Bank of China's Hong Kong-based asset management arm is in talks with several European banks to distribute its yuan products in London and Paris, as it attempts to build an international customer base amid intensifying competition at home.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1341499/bank-china-targets-yuan-markets-west

Hong Kong firm Tiostone seeks to make 'eco-bricks' in Myanmar amid shortage

A shortage of building materials and antiquated construction methods in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, have played a role in the skyrocketing rents in the city, says Hong Kong brick maker Dixon Chan.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1341488/hong-kong-firm-tiostone-seeks-make-eco-bricks-myanmar-amid

Banks told to match loan growth with stable funding

In a bid to curb rapid credit growth in the city, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority has told banks to ensure they match deposit and loan tenors to maintain a stable source of funding.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1341310/banks-told-match-loan-growth-stable-funding

Ford boss Mulally doesn't regret 'conservative' approach in China

Ford Motor chief executive Alan Mulally said he did not regret adopting a conservative approach to business on the mainland, which has seen the company fall behind in the world's biggest passenger vehicle market.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1341304/ford-boss-mulally-doesnt-regret-conservative-approach-china

Biofuel maker pushes product use in market

ASB Biodiesel, the developer of Hong Kong's largest biodiesel plant, has renewed its call for the mandatory blending of biodiesel into diesel products sold in the city as a means to jump-start a market for the cleaner burning fuel.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1341490/biofuel-maker-pushes-product-use-market

Li at crossroads in the fight for economic changes

Premier Li Keqiang may want to be seen as a dedicated economic reformer, but political squabbling among his subordinates and lingering resistance to pro-market policies limit the likelihood he can deliver real change, government insiders say.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/economy/article/1341500/li-crossroads-fight-economic-changes

Chinese firms prepare to sell policies online

Mainland insurers are increasingly eyeing online platforms as a major channel to sell policies as they take advantage of the country's e-commerce boom.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/1341489/chinese-firms-prepare-sell-policies-online

Company directors have busy week trading shares

Share trading by directors was high for a third week last week, with 33 companies reporting 135 purchases by directors worth HK$295 million, compared with 17 firms that reported 65 disposals worth HK$71 million.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/money/money-news/article/1341486/company-directors-have-busy-week-trading-shares

Chong Hing sale sounds alarm bells for Hong Kong's small businesses

The sale of Chong Hing Bank, one of the four remaining family-owned banks in Hong Kong, may be good news for its shareholders who can cash out at a high premium, but it is sad news to many Hongkongers when we try to find a way for the city's small businesses to prosper.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1341369/chong-hing-sale-sounds-alarm-bells-hong-kongs-small

Shareholders must have right to hold managers to account

A dozen years ago, when your columnist was working at the Wall Street Journal, our well-intentioned boss decided that his editorial staff needed to brush up their knowledge of accounting.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/article/1341364/shareholders-must-have-right-hold-managers-account

The hopes and challenges on reform path

Dalian Software Park vice-president Michael Ye is expecting a lot from the leaders of the Communist Party when they hold a key meeting next month to lay out what business, investors and analysts anticipate to be the blueprint for a coming decade of structural reform.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/economy/article/1341501/hopes-and-challenges-reform-path

Seven lenders roll out offers to woo new clients

Companies and employees are currently receiving their tax assessments, and some might think of raising a loan to finance their tax payments.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1341592/seven-lenders-roll-out-offers-woo-new-clients

Lawsuits in US likely over 10pc limit of ethanol in petrol

With two words, the United States environment regulator may be handing oil refiners the biggest win of a long battle to beat back the seemingly inexorable rise of ethanol fuel.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/1341484/lawsuits-us-likely-over-10pc-limit-ethanol-petrol

China Construction Bank Q3 earnings slow on increased bad-loan provisions

China Construction Bank, the country’s second largest lender, reported its slowest third-quarter earnings growth in more than five years on Sunday, as increased loan-loss provisions eroded profits.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1341216/china-construction-bank-q3-earnings-slow-increased-bad-loan

Charles Li Xiaojia's quixotic quest for the Holy Grail of preferential control

When this monkey business of preferential control over a listed company was last rebuffed by the stock exchange 25 years ago, the wags had it that all questions of democracy in Hong Kong had finally been settled. 'A' shares would have the same voting rights as 'B' shares.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1340736/charles-li-xiaojias-quixotic-quest-holy-grail-preferential

Twitter avoids Facebook IPO overreach

Twitter seems to be avoiding Facebook’s overreach - so far. The microblogging site’s provisional pricing for its initial public offering is US$17 to US$20 a share.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1340414/twitter-avoids-facebook-ipo-overreach

Signals out of Beijing this past week don’t bode well for China stocks

Preliminary PMI survey data put out by HSBC and Markit showed growth momentum among manufacturers extended its rebound into October, marking the third-straight month of gains, while housing prices in leading cities continued to pick up.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/comment/blogs/article/1339901/signals-out-beijing-past-week-dont-bode-well-china-stocks

Mead Johnson begins China bribery probe on US watchdog SEC's request

Mead Johnson Nutrition, the American infant food maker that gets almost a third of its sales from the mainland, is investigating whether bribes may have been paid by its mainland unit.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1340034/mead-johnson-begins-china-bribery-probe-us-watchdog-secs-request

China interest-rate reform edges forward with bank prime loan rate

The People's Bank of China is easing its control over interest rates with the introduction of prime loan rates based on lending reports by the mainland's major banks.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1340040/china-interest-rate-reform-edges-forward-bank-prime-loan

Yue Xiu makes offer for Chong Hing

Mainland investment firm Yue Xiu Group is offering to buy 75 per cent of Chong Hing Bank, the smallest of Hong Kong's family-owned lenders, for HK$11.6 billion.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1340129/yue-xiu-makes-offer-chong-hing

Shunfeng to buy solar rival Suntech's unit

The mainland's Shunfeng Photovoltaic International has signed a preliminary deal to buy the main Chinese unit of Suntech Power, two sources said yesterday.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/1340032/shunfeng-buy-solar-rival-suntechs-unit

China Life, Ping An earnings jump in first nine months on stock rally

A recovery in the stock markets boosted the earnings of mainland insurers, with China Life Insurance more than tripling its profit in the first nine months of the year and Ping An Insurance increasing its 45.1 per cent.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/1340036/china-life-ping-earnings-jump-first-nine-months-stock-rally

Japanese prices halt slide amid revival push

A gauge of Japan's prices ended four years of declines, signalling progress in Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's campaign to stamp out deflation and drive a sustained economic revival.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/economy/article/1340012/japanese-prices-halt-slide-amid-revival-push

Li Ka-shing's Hutchison Whampoa might lose tax-relief case in UK

Companies owned by Li Ka-shing's Hutchison Whampoa might lose a bid for tax relief on losses by the conglomerate's British mobile phone unit because the parent company was based outside the European Union, an adviser to the bloc's top court said.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1340062/li-ka-shings-hutchison-whampoa-might-lose-tax-relief-case-uk

Wynn Macau profit rises as economy rebounds

Wynn Macau, the casino operator controlled by Steve Wynn, posted a 13 per cent increase in third-quarter earnings on Thursday, as an improving Chinese economy boosted spending.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1340031/wynn-macau-profit-rises-economy-rebounds

Chinese lenders face loan pressure

Bad loans are expected to batter mainland bank profits in the third quarter, with rising overdue debt likely to force lenders to accelerate capital-raising plans.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1340037/chinese-lenders-face-loan-pressure

Arianespace eyes the next frontier for major satellite launches

When Stephane Israel was named the new chairman and chief executive of Arianespace in April, his goal was to tap into more growth opportunities in the Asia-Pacific while further advancing the company's lead as the world's top satellite launch services provider.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1340063/arianespace-eyes-next-frontier-major-satellite-launches

Mizuho bosses may take pay cuts after loans extended to criminal groups

Mizuho Financial Group may cut pay and add new board members to mollify investors, lawmakers and regulators after failing to end loans to crime groups in the biggest scandal of president Yasuhiro Sato's two-year tenure.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1340064/mizuho-bosses-may-take-pay-cuts-after-loans-extended

Sweet tweets

Twitter's US$10.9 billion initial public offering valuation is as economical as its 140-character tweets.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1340070/sweet-tweets

Shenhua slashes investment budget as net drops

China Shenhua Energy, the listed unit of the mainland's largest coal producer, Shenhua Group, has cut its capital investment budget by 19 per cent after posting a 21.6 per cent year-on-year drop in third-quarter net profit.

via Business feed http://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/1340033/shenhua-slashes-investment-budget-net-drops