China home price increases slow in April: survey

Price rises for new homes in China slowed in April for the fourth straight month, an independent survey showed Wednesday, even as costs in some of t...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1knsxrB

Germany's key machine-tool orders fall in March

Falling export demand hit Germany's key mechanical engineering sector in March, the VDMA industry federation said on Wednesday. The manufacture of...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iHmdgR

JAL net profit dips in 2013

Japan Airlines Co. logged 166.25 billion yen in net profit in 2013, down 3.2 percent from the previous year, mainly due to the higher fuel costs stem...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iH7TF1

Eurozone inflation rises in April

Official figures show that inflation across the 18-country eurozone rose in April but not as much as had been anticipated in the markets. Eurostat, t...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hUksHX

5.1-magnitude quake jolts Xinjiang

A 5.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Hami City in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 2:20 p.m. Wednesday, according to the China Earth...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1ksl0t5

Non-residents paid HK$3.3b in stamp duty

Non-local residents have paid HK$3.3 billion in buyer's stamp duty to the government since the controversial property tax was introduced in October 20...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1pNtQag

Lack of quorum halts budget debate

A marathon budget debate in LegCo has been adjourned because not enough lawmakers were present on Wednesday to make up the quorum needed to continue. ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/R1RArl

(NBA playoffs) Grizzlies take lead over Thunder after fourth straight OT game

Mike Miller scored 21 points and Memphis held off Oklahoma City 100-99 in a record fourth straight overtime game to take a 3-2 lead in the first-round...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/S96rkX

(NBA playoffs) Fired up Clippers beat Warriors to take series lead

Hours after owner Donald Sterling was banned from the NBA for life, the Los Angeles Clippers returned to an energized Staples Center and beat Golden S...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/S96q0A

German jobless rate drops in April

Germany's unemployment rate fell to 6.8 percent in April thanks to a better-than-expected springtime boost in jobs. The drop of 0.3 percentage points...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1kfOozW

Tsang says filibuster could hit on public services

The Financial Secretary says some government departments could be short of funds by early June. John Tsang Chun-wah issued the warning as he urged le...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1fx1rki

'MTR should come clean': Tien

The chairman of Legco's Railway subcommittee, Michael Tien Puk-sun, has called on the MTR Corporation to come clean over when it knew that a huge hard...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1frCszf

RTHK urged to resubmit bid for new HQ

The head of the Democratic Party says she wants to see RTHK resubmit its proposal for a new broadcasting headquarters to Legco as quickly as possible....



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iBFyeq

Hang Seng slumps, Shanghai gains

Hong Kong shares sank 1.42 percent Wednesday as investors braced for the US Federal Reserve to announce a possible further cut in its multi-billion-...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1frCsiE

BoJ cuts fiscal year economy growth forecast

Bank of Japan policymakers on Wednesday lowered their expectations for the economy with fiscal year growth slated to come in at 1.1 percent, down fr...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1frCpn8

Nikkei finishes higher

Tokyo stocks ended modestly higher Wednesday, with early gains squeezed after the yen rose on the Bank of Japan's decision to hold off expanding its...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iBFvPy

Microsoft to start selling Xbox One in China as ban is lifted

Microsoft plans to start offering its Xbox One game console with a local partner later this year in China, where such devices were banned for more than a decade.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1o2wnbX

As Li Ka-shing’s Hutchison loses its edge, it must reinvent itself

Restructurings of family companies often reveal hard truths about their future.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/R1CzGa

Hongkongers No 4 in world in material well-being

Hongkongers are perched comfortably near the top of a global ranking of material well-being, a World Bank study showed on Wednesday.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1krX74Z

Court urged to reject bid for JR over HKTV

The High Court has been urged to turn down an application for a judicial review of the government's decision not to grant Hong Kong Television Network...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1pMKh6F

Hang Seng down at lunch

Hong Kong stocks sank 1.15 percent on Wednesday morning following a healthy rally in the previous session. The benchmark Hang Seng Index fell 258.00...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1pMKgzV

(NBA playoffs) Wizards send Bulls out of playoffs

John Wall scored 24 points to lead the Washington Wizards to a 75-69 victory over the Chicago Bulls and into the second round of the NBA playoffs on T...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1fwiFhE

Bank of Japan holds fire on easing measures

The Bank of Japan on Wednesday held fire on expanding its monetary easing campaign despite tepid industrial production data and a recent sales tax r...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/R11MQZ

Dissident freed after nine years: reports

A Chinese activist who has spent nearly half his life in detention has been freed from prison, reports said Wednesday, in a rare move amid clampdowns ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/R0ZCkv

Man killed in Cheung Sha Wan road crash

A 23-year-old man has been killed in a car crash on Tai Po Road, near the Kowloon Reservoirs. Police say his vehicle smashed into railings, road sign...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1pMz32i

(Flight MH370) Search scaled back

The intensive aerial search for surface wreckage from Flight MH370 officially ended Wednesday as the hunt was drastically scaled back with ships also ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/R0ZAc6

China developers return to bond market

China’s property developers are back in the bond market.

Yanlord Land priced a S$400 million (HK$2.47 billion) three-year bond on Tuesday.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1hSTBfp

Captain claims warnings over Korean ferry ignored

A probe into South Korea's ferry disaster has heard that warnings over the ship's seaworthiness were ignored, prosecutors said Wednesday, as rescuers ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hcmYKc

Japan factory output up in March

Japan's industrial production in March rose 0.3 percent from the previous month, the government said Wednesday. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and In...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/QXUFcs

Li Chuncheng under graft probe

A top Chinese provincial official reportedly linked to former senior party leader Zhou Yongkang has been expelled from the Communist Party, the orga...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hcmXpG

35 dead as tornados rip through US

At least 35 people have been killed in a string of tornadoes that ripped across large swath of the central and southern United States since Sunday, CN...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hcmX9e

BOJ mulls policy as industrial output falters

Japan's central bank was meeting Wednesday to assess the status of the country's economic recovery, as monthly data showed industrial output and wage ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hcmXWX

Nikkei up at mid-day

Tokyo stocks rose 0.23 percent Wednesday morning after gains on Wall Street while a weaker yen lifted exporter shares. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1o1U5W3

(NBA) Sterling gets life-time ban from league over race remarks

The NBA banned Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life and fined him the maximum US$2.5 million Tuesday for "deeply offensive and harmful'...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1o1U4kH

Whither the WTO?

Just over two weeks ago, the 20th anniversary of the deal establishing the World Trade Organisation came around.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1iAwciX

(Champions League) Real boot Bayern to reach final

Real Madrid reached their first Champions League final for 12 years with an historic 4-0 win at Bayern Munich in Tuesday's semi-final, second leg to ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1mZ8jHd

HKEx chief dispels fears about through-train scheme

The stocks "through train" scheme is much bigger than initially thought as the total cap for cross-border investments will factor in only net buying orders rather than the entire turnover.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1mWtj1o

Police break telecom fraud ring

A crime ring of nearly 500 suspects who allegedly sold fake base stations for telecom fraud has been busted in east China's Zhejiang Province, accordi...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iBqCC0

Chinese pork giant WH Group pulls Hong Kong IPO amid weak demand

China’s WH Group, the world’s biggest pork company, postponed its planned Hong Kong initial public offering on Tuesday, underscoring weak demand for the deal even after the company slashed the offer’s size and reduced the valuation.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/QUcBVl

Suspected parcel bomb spotted at Greek police station

Greek authorities say a suspected parcel bomb has been found at police station and will be examined by anti-terrorism experts. A police statement sai...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1fsJ3ce

More details to come from MTRC on rail project

The MTR Corporation has said it has no intention of misleading lawmakers about the progress of the construction of the cross-border high speed rail li...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1fsJ14f

European Commission warns Google, Samsung on smartphone patent abuse

The European Commission says Motorola Mobility -- which Google is selling to China's Lenovo -- has abused its market position in Europe by refusing to...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/S5axL5

EU imposes sanctions on 15 more individuals

The European Union said on Tuesday that it had imposed travel bans and assets freeze on 15 Russian officials and Ukrainians. The new list included Ru...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1kodpvE

Hermes sales up thanks to Japanese buyers

Sales in Japan helped French luxury fashion group Hermes to raise sales by 10.1 percent in the first quarter of the year, the group known for its sc...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1rAj6b5

Obama ratings fall to new low

US President Barack Obama's approval rating has hit a new low as Americans disapprove of his policies on the economy, health care and the crisis in Uk...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1nBAK0c

Cambodia jails Taiwanese woman for human trafficking

A Taiwanese woman was on Tuesday jailed for 10 years by a Cambodian court for human trafficking. Lin Yu-shin had been accused of sending hundreds of ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1mUW4vi

Moscow accuses EU of following US in Ukraine crisis

Moscow on Tuesday accused the European Union of following the United States in the Ukraine crisis, after the bloc unveiled a new set of sanctions agai...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1nBAHBQ

China's logistics growth slows in first quarter

China's logistics industry growth continued to slow in the first quarter of this year, weighed down by shrinking demand growth and a slowing economy, ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1nBwU7p

Free sleep-wake button replacements for iPhone 5

Tech giant Apple said it will replace flawed sleep-wake button so as to fix some older iPhone 5, for free. The free replacement will be for "iPhone 5...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1nBvmdL

DP insists proposal complies with Basic Law

The Democratic Party has insisted that its political reform proposal complies with the Basic Law and international standards of universal suffrage. I...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iwV3nV

UK posts 0.8pc growth in first quarter

Britain's economy grew by 0.8 percent in the first quarter of 2014 compared with the final three months of last year, official data showed on Tuesday....



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1nBsEVm

Ping An profit surges

Ping An Insurance Co., one of China's biggest state-owned insurers, says its quarterly profit soared 46.2 percent on stronger insurance and banking bu...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/S4Uk8A

Loans to eurozone businesses still weak

Lending to businesses in the debt-mired eurozone contracted again in March, data published by the European Central Bank showed on Tuesday. Private se...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iwNYnn

Hang Seng gains on bargain hunting

Hong Kong shares jumped 1.45 percent on Tuesday on bargain-hunting following a rebound on Wall Street, while investors await the release of key econom...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1rA3ofT

Deutsche Bank sees net profit down in first quarter

Deutsche Bank, Germany's biggest bank, posted a drop in first-quarter net profit on Tuesday, but the outcome was slightly better than expected. Net...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1h96DpG

Peugeot bids to raise 3b euros with Dongfeng's help

French auto group Peugeot Citroen launched on Tuesday an effort to raise 3.0 billion euros under a recovery strategy involving Chinese firm Dongfeng...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1pJa9k7

LG Electronics profit soars

South Korea's LG Electronics on Tuesday posted a forecast-busting first-quarter profit that more than quadrupled from a year ago as better-than-expe...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1kh1TRe

Japan PM starts six-nation European tour

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe left Tuesday for a six-nation European tour, hoping to make progress on trade and security talks at a time when p...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1nYukFW

Spanish jobless rate rises in first quarter

Spain's jobless rate climbed to nearly 26 percent in the first quarter of 2014, official data showed Tuesday, as the stricken labour market struggled ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hNpnui

George Clooney engaged, loses bet to Michelle Pfeiffer

Looks like George Clooney owes Michelle Pfeiffer a lot of money. The 52-year-old actor -- Hollywood's most determined bachelor, famous for a litany ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hNplmj

NKorea starts live-fire drill near inter-Korean border: media

North Korea set off its live-fire drill Tuesday afternoon near the disputed inter-Korean border islands, about a month after conducting the same drill...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iAngzg

(NBA playoffs) Spurs tie series with Mavericks

Manu Ginobili scored 23 points, including three clinching free throws in the final seconds, to give the San Antonio Spurs a 93-89 NBA playoff victory ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1rzLMkf

German consumer confidence dips: survey

The Ukraine crisis is beginning to rattle consumers in Europe's top economy and cast a slight shadow over their optimism in the German economy, a po...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1rzLM3J

Fresh arrest in Malaysia police terror raid: reports

Malaysian police on Tuesday arrested a woman believed to be part of a radical Islamic terror group, reports said, bringing the total number of those...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1nB8ECt

Ai Weiwei in film fundraising row

Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei says he was misled in lending his name and image to an independent science-fiction film. In a letter to director ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1mU6DP4

Former Shaanxi lawmaker jailed for sex crime

A former lawmaker in northwest China's Shaanxi Province has been sentenced to eight years in prison for molesting a teenage girl, a court announced on...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1mU6Ce8

Plane safely lands after engine fire in Perth

A passenger plane carrying 93 people landed safely at Perth Airport on Tuesday despite an engine fire that erupted shortly after take-off, officials...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1mU6BH8

(NHL playoffs) Minnesota force Colorado to Game 7

Zach Parise scored early and late on tipped shots as the Minnesota Wild added two empty-net goals for a 5-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Mon...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1mTXg26

Bar's proposal in line with Govt's: Lam

The Acting Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said the Bar Association's proposal on political reform is in line with the position of the gove...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hKLwxQ

Erwiana's former boss faces new summonses

New summonses have been laid against the former employer of Indonesian maid Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, accusing her of failing to pay more than HK$28,00...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iwcmFz

(NBA playoffs) Top-seeded Pacers on the brink

Mike Scott made five 3-pointers during a 30-6 second-quarter run as Atlanta fended off a furious fourth-quarter rally to beat top-seeded Indiana 107-9...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iwciWq

(NBA playoffs) Heat sweep Bobcats

LeBron James scored 31 points as Miami completed a first-round sweep of Charlotte with a 109-98 victory Monday. James scored 19 points after slightly...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/S4mali

Hang Seng inches up at mid-day

Hong Kong stocks ended the morning session 0.39 percent higher on Tuesday following a positive lead from Wall Street as investors await key economic d...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iwcg0M

Weak yuan drags Sinopec profit

Sinopec Ltd., China's second-largest state-owned oil company, says its latest quarterly profit fell 15.3 percent due to higher costs connected to weak...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/QWZ0wf

Obama to host Australian PM in June

US President Barack Obama will host Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott for meetings in June aimed at deepening their nations' close alliance, the...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1mTODoc

So defends 'tolerance' comment

Commerce Secretary Greg So Kam-leung has defended his earlier call for tolerance after an outcry over a mainland toddler who was filmed urinating in a...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hKD4yA

'Washington takes Beijing as opponent': State media

A major Chinese newspaper hit out at Barack Obama on Tuesday after the US president said Washington was not seeking to counter Beijing's influence i...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hKD4ia

SKorea president Park apologizes over ferry accident

South Korean President Park Geun-Hye apologized Tuesday for her government's failure to prevent a ferry disaster that left some 300 people dead or mis...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hKD6Xf

Australia's illegal drugs trade hits new high

Australia's illicit drugs trade, led by cannabis and crystal meth, is at an all-time high with nearly 20 tonnes of narcotics seized last year and a ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hKD41n

Samsung Q1 net profit rises

Samsung Electronics reported Tuesday its net profit had risen 5.9 percent year-on-year in the first quarter to 7.57 trillion won but operating profit...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1mTOzoj

Samsung profit slips on weak smartphone, flat-screen results

Samsung Electronics reported its second consecutive fall in quarterly profit on Tuesday, as weakness in flat-screen panels and the maturing high-end smartphone business weighed on the South Korean giant’s earnings.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1h8A2jP

Businesspeople ignore thinkers at their peril

You can almost see the lips curl and the sneers form on the face of Mr Tommy Businessman as he emits the words “French intellectual”.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1pICXsV

(NHL playoffs) Penguins advance behind Malkin's hat trick

Russian star Evgeni Malkin scored a hat trick to power the Pittsburgh Penguins over Columbus 4-3 Monday and into the second round of the National Ho...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/S4bHGx

NKorea plans live-fire drills

North Korea has notified rival South Korea that it plans a live-fire drill near the countries' disputed western sea boundary. South Korean Defense M...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1rz5Qn3

China Telecom profit up

China Telecom Ltd., one of China's three major state-owned phone carriers, says its latest quarterly profit rose 17.9 percent despite intense competit...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1rz5QmO

China state investor shifts sights to agribusiness worldwide

Agriculture-related businesses worldwide, from farms in South America to dairy factories in the Netherlands, may soon find themselves in the sights of a new mega investor – China Investment Corp.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1ivXaIE

Pfizer pursues £58.8b takeover offer for AstraZeneca

Pfizer has proposed buying AstraZeneca for about £58.8 billion (HK$765.7 billion) and is still interested in a deal after the British company spurned the offer.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1pH9DDa

Carmakers lure Chinese buyers with cars that provide refuge from smog

Air that is cleaner inside your car than outside - in smog-weary China it is an attractive sales pitch, and the world's biggest carmakers are racing to cash in.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1pH9DTu

Bank financing probe raises fears over ore rout in China

The mainland's iron ore futures fell nearly 5 per cent yesterday after the banking regulator urged local authorities and banks to step up an investigation into iron ore financing deals in a bid to minimise default risks.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1pH9Dmz

Ping An Insurance posts 46.2 per cent growth in first-quarter earnings

Ping An Insurance, the mainland's second-largest insurer, posted 46.2 per cent growth in first-quarter earnings fostered by a strong increase in premiums and improved income from its investments.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1pH9AXO

Security Bureau shoots itself in the other foot over Philippines

Commenting on the recent statements by the Security Bureau recently is not unlike shooting fish in a barrel. Last Wednesday the Hong Kong government announced it had resolved its differences with Manila over the August 2010 Manila hostage crisis.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1nWsB3U

No pills to treat Beijing's headache over required reserves

Beijing's relaxation of interest rate controls has left cutting banks' required reserves as the chief monetary tool to counter a slowdown, focusing attention on an option used in the past decade only during financial crises.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1m26Um0

Car runs into pedestrians, kills six

A Chinese man experiencing marital problems ploughed his car into crowds of pedestrians near a primary school on Monday, killing six people including ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hGNqQ3

Alibaba takes stake in China online video platform

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba and a private equity fund backed by its founder Jack Ma will pay US$1.22 billion for a stake in China's leading onl...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hGNqzi

German growth set for 'noticeable' Q2 slowdown: Bundesbank

German economic growth is heading for a significant slowdown in the second quarter of 2014 after a robust first three months, the German central ban...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1itnQcO

HKMEx to be wound up

The High Court's ordered troubled Hong Kong Mercantile Exchange be wound up after creditors refused to accept the company's new repayment plan. The c...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1m0oze6

US concerned by Malaysia sodomy ruling on Anwar

US National Security Adviser Susan Rice on Monday met Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and expressed concern at a sodomy conviction against...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1itgNkk

Car in fire as engine overheat

Fire broke out from a black Ferrari heading north from Aberdeen on Canal Road Flyover this afternoon. Firemen arrived shortly and put out the blaze. ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hGjR14

India police find body of murdered Briton in plastic bag

Indian police said Monday they had found the body of a murdered Briton wrapped in a plastic bag and dumped outside shops in New Delhi. The 40-year-...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1rwuAME

Man dies in Pat Heung traffic accident

Police are investigating a traffic accident in Pat Heung today in which a 51-year-old man died. About 11.10am, a van driven by a 58-year-old man repo...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1rwuAvY

Brokers against Occupy Central

Eight groups representing more than 20,000 financial analysts and brokers have placed full-page advertisements in local newspapers, stating their oppo...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1rwuBAf

Baby among five killed in UK house fire

A nine-week-old baby girl and two children aged seven and nine were among five people killed in a house fire in Britain on Monday. Anum Parvaiz, 54...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1j6V5aw

Internal security law extended in Bangkok

The Thai caretaker cabinet on Monday agreed to extend the enforcement of the Internal Security Act (ISA) in the capital Bangkok and surrounding provin...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1fo2qmU

US not aim to counter or contain China: Obama

President Barack Obama said Monday the US goal was not to contain or counter China, hours after the United States signed a new defense agreement with ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1fnY8Mm

Hang Seng finishes lower

Hong Kong shares closed 0.41 percent lower on Monday, in line with a broad regional sell-off following losses on Wall Street, while traders keep a war...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1fnY2Ep

Taiwan anti-nuke protesters disloged by water cannon

Taiwan police on Monday used water cannon to dislodge hundreds of demonstrators blocking a main road in the capital to demand the scrapping of a con...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1k2asht

Man dies after forklift truck falls into the sea

A man has died after a forklift truck plunged into the sea at the Kwai Chung container terminal. Police say he was loading goods onto a ship when his...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1lZokeI

Panasonic back in profit

Japanese electronics giant Panasonic on Monday booked a net profit of US$1.17 billion for the year to March, its first annual profit in three years an...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1lZofrp

European equities open higher

Europe's main stock markets gained at the start of trading on Monday, with London's benchmark FTSE 100 index up 0.10 percent to 6,692.62 points. Fra...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1lZofb0

NEC operating profit down after smartphone exit

Japan's NEC said Monday its fiscal year operating profit fell 7.4 percent on-year as results from its mobile phone business fell partly because of i...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1m01dFr

Weibo: Xiaomi's strange name, Tesla's Musk charms techies

I've become a fan of smartphone sensation Xiaomi over these past two years, not because I actually own one of their phones but because I'm continually amazed at how good the company is at manipulating the media and general public to create buzz around its products.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1h5Q8Lh

5 killed in Zhejiang car crash

Five people were killed and another 13 were injured after a bus rolled over on a highway in east China's Zhejiang Province, local authorities said on ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/S0Gggv

Rail works delay concerns Tien

The chairman of Legco's railway subcommittee, Michael Tien Puk-sun, says he's deeply concerned about discrepancies between the progress the MTR Corpor...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1isUETh

IMF says adjustments necessary in Hong Kong housing prices

The International Monetary Fund said Monday Hong Kong property prices are set to see adjustments following years of boom. The city's housing market ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iupsIw

Pfizer confirms interest in possible AstraZeneca merger

US drugs giant Pfizer on Monday confirmed its interest over forming a multi-billion-dollar merger with British rival AstraZeneca, adding that an infor...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1h5IVdU

Nikkei ends lower

Tokyo stocks closed 0.98 percent lower on Monday, weighed by a poor performance on Wall Street, a stronger yen and jitters over the Ukraine crisis. T...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/S0wwCM

(NHL playoffs) Anaheim clinches first round with overtime win over Dallas

Nick Bonino scored 2:47 into overtime, after getting one of Anaheim's two goals late in regulation as the Ducks beat the Dallas Stars 5-4 in Game 6 to...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1h5vkmT

(NHL playoffs) Rangers push Flyers to brink of elimination

Brad Richards and Dominic Moore scored second-period goals, and Henrik Lundqvist made 24 saves as the Rangers pushed the Flyers to the brink of elimin...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1h5vhHN

(NHL playoffs) Blackhawks advance to second round

Duncan Keith had a goal and three assists, and the Chicago Blackhawks used a four-goal third period to finish off the St. Louis Blues with a 5-1 victo...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/QO72HL

At least 10 killed in US tornadoes: officials

Powerful tornados tearing across the southern and south-western United States have killed at least 10 people, emergency officials in the states of A...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/QO74j9

(Flight MH370) Seabed search may extend to 'entire probable impact zone': Australia

Australia on Monday said it would intensify the underwater hunt for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 as it conducts as thorough a search as ``...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1nUrq4V

China expected to book 7.4pc growth in second quarter

The State Information Center (SIC), a government think tank, on Monday forecast China's economy to expand by around 7.4 percent in the second quarter,...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1lYPhPR

Hang Seng down by lunch

Hong Kong stocks slipped 0.39 percent in the morning session Monday following losses on Wall Street, while investors are on edge over tensions in Uk...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/QO2bqg

Aviation passenger fuel surcharges lowered

The Civil Aviation Department has lowered the passenger fuel surcharges for the period from May 1 to 31. The maximum levels of fuel surcharges for Ma...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/QO2bq0

Two killed in Oklahoma tornado

A powerful tornado touched down in the Oklahoma Sunday night and claimed at least two lives, US media reported. The tornado hit Quapaw, a small town ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1isB8pZ

Obama heads to Philippines as defense pact signed

US President Barack Obama heads to the Philippines Monday for the most complex leg of his Asian tour balancing act of reassuring allies wary of a ri...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1isB9dE

Tie-ups between bourses don’t always live up to the hype

There has been much talk recently about potential alliances between mainland bourses and Hong Kong markets.

But let’s not get too excited, as history tells us one plus one may not always equal two.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1lZjQJy

US TV shows removed from China websites: report

Chinese video streaming websites have removed four legally licensed US television shows in a move that could portend ''stricter online monitoring'',...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/S0gh8L

Civic Party invited to meet with Liaison Office: Kwok

Civic Party lawmaker Kwok Ka-ki confirmed that he received phone call from the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR,...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/S0ged9

(NBA) Clippers owner alleged for making racist comments

Mired in controversy after racist comments attributed to their owner, the Los Angeles Clippers suffered one of their worst losses in NBA playoff his...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/S0drR7

(NBA playoffs) Golden State even series with Los Angeles

Stephen Curry made a career playoff-high seven 3-pointers and scored 33 points, leading the Golden State Warriors past the Los Angeles 118-97 on Sunda...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hGqtba

(NBA playoffs) Wizards jump past Bulls

Trevor Ariza scored an NBA playoff career-best 30 points to spark Washington over Chicago 98-89 Sunday, putting the Wizards on the brink of advancin...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hGqsUJ

China Construction Bank profit up

China Construction Bank Ltd., one of the country's four main state-owned lenders, says its latest quarterly profit rose 10.4 percent despite a slowing...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/S0dpZs

Another glitch in MTR

The MTR Corporation has apologized for a signal failure that disrupted services on the East Rail Line for several minutes during this morning's rush h...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hEY0Xy

Nikkei slips at mid-day

Tokyo stocks fell 1.15 percent on Monday morning, weighed by a poor performance on Wall Street and jitters over the Ukraine crisis. The Nikkei 225 ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1k0Qljz

China shale hopes hinge on reform

Expanding energy production in the United States could change the world. It may have, already – American inaction in Ukraine and Syria could be partly the result of less dependence on energy imports causing less interest in world affairs.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1llVxm7

China builds rebalancing on weakness in real estate

China's economy is rebalancing. Unfortunately, it is changing a lot like the United States did in 2006 and 2007, with a sudden slowdown in real estate.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1ll2pQQ

Natixis maps out bold growth plans for Asia

After the global financial meltdown of 2008, it was fairly rare to hear about lenders in developed countries touting an expansion in Asia.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1nTdqZq

Beijing drives home status in luxury market at car show

Premium carmakers flocked to Beijing in the past week to test the waters with their new models and concept cars, capitalising on growing demand from wealthy customers in the world's largest car market.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1nTdp7J

Lego builds presence in China toy market

Lego is making a strong play for the mainland's increasingly affluent middle class with construction of a new factory in Zhejiang province that will pit the company against challenges from locally made knockoff products.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1nTdp7z

HKEx commodity push faces uphill battle

Brokers believe Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing will face an uphill battle to promote its four commodity products to be introduced later this year mainly because investors are used to trading these products overseas.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1ll2mo5

China puts spotlight on retired senior bureaucrats on listed firms' boards

The People's Daily reported that 41 former civil servants were hired as independent directors by the country's 100 largest public A-share companies after retirement by April.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1ll2p39

Asian reits still attractive despite rate rise

There is a widely held consensus that a rising interest rate environment is bad for real estate investment trusts, but a fund manager suggests the asset class in Asia-Pacific would still be attractive.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1ll2m7x

Directors see reasons to sell as buying volumes dive on Hong Kong market

The buying plunged while the selling among directors rose based on filings to the stock exchange during the short holiday week.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1ll2lQU

Spring Airlines wins early interest among new listing hopefuls

Predictions that the reopening of the mainland's IPO market would lead to a bigger representation in the global listing market look to be coming true.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1ll2lAy

Struggling Italian economy poses potential threat to whole of Europe

Italy may be the land of fast cars, high fashion and stunning design. But the country has been living the good life for far too long. It is now living on borrowed time.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1ll2lk8

French economist Thomas Piketty's grim view of the wealth gap

Thomas Piketty, the French economist who helped popularise the notion of a privileged 1 per cent, sounds a warning in his new book: The US economy has begun to decay into the pattern of aristocratic Europe of the 19th century.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1rBN0NU

Booming years for Singapore but a lost decade for Hong Kong?

When Deng Xiaoping decided in the early 1990s to completely transform the Pudong New Area in Shanghai and open it up to foreign investors, Singapore had the chance to partner with Shanghai to develop Pudong.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1ll2nIN

Hong Kong ETFs go for broke

Hong Kong's exchange traded fund (ETF) industry has problems. It is overwhelmingly concentrated on Hong Kong and mainland stocks, most specifically A shares, with about one new A-share fund hitting the market each month.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1ll2nIH

Withholding tax issue moves closer to a resolution

There is a whiff of breakthrough in the air. Foreign investors that have long grappled with crippling ambiguity about China's policy towards capital gains tax are looking at the possibility of clarity on this matter.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1nTdng0

Angola state fund keen on Hong Kong capital markets

Angola's sovereign wealth fund, Fundo Soberano de Angola, is looking to invest in Hong Kong's capital market and seeking Chinese partners to co-invest in Africa, said fund chairman Jose Filomeno dos Santos.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1ll2kMT

Export forecasts call for finger-crossing

I wonder sometimes if these Beijing bureaucrats don't have their fingers crossed behind their backs when they pronounce themselves so confident in their forecasts.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1j0pzLr

Mass-market gamblers boost Sands China profit

Sands China, the Macau casino operator controlled by Sheldon Adelson, posted a 50 per cent gain in first-quarter profit as its resorts drew more mass-market gamblers in the world's biggest casino market.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1hxf4ub

Reserve ratio to play bigger role in China's monetary policy

Beijing's relaxation of interest rate controls has left cutting banks' required reserves as the chief monetary tool to counter a slowdown, focusing attention on an option used in the past decade only during financial crises.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1pyUF1O

China's booming car market spurs foreign investment

As car sales spread from China's crowded east coast cities to the more-rural west, firms that move cars and spare parts by truck from factories to showrooms are expanding to meet the demand.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1pyUB25

Man in the middle

The big three ratings agencies have taken their licks. First came the governance scandals of the 2000s, when they failed to catch a massive accounting fraud by the likes of Enron and WorldCom.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1pyUBPE

Tax consultant Annells denied bail in High Court

Tax consultant Deborah Annells appeared in the High Court on Thursday seeking bail. This was refused by Mr Justice Patrick Li Hon-leung, and she was remanded in custody until June 6.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1pyUyU3

MTR chairman owes us an explanation over project delay

"The Company's commitment to the highest standards of corporate governance is driven by the Board who, led by the Chairman, assume overall responsibility for the governance of the Company, taking into account the interests of the Company's stakeholders, the development

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1pyUwM1

Merkel expresses 'great concern' on Ukraine in call to Putin

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday phoned Russian President Vladimir Putin to voice her "great concern'' over the tense situation in eastern U...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1px2q8A

Dozens dead in Afghan flooding: officials

Officials in Afghanistan say that flooding has killed dozens of people in remote parts of the country. Abdul Manan Raoufi, a provincial police spoke...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1rsnJ8O

Japan's wartime sex slavery 'terrible' violation of human rights: Obama

US President Barack Obama says Japan's use of South Korean "comfort women'' during World War II was a terrible and egregious violation of human rights...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1tJOfwt

Sectoral sanctions if Russia enters Ukraine: Obama

US President Barack Obama says the United States and European leaders are laying the groundwork for sanctions against sectors of Russia's economy if M...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1tJOffV

Obama suggests possibility for more NKorea sanctions

US President Barack Obama says it may be time to consider further sanctions against North Korea "that have even more bite'' as the country is threaten...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1rsnGcZ

Obama says China understand NKorea is a threat

China is starting to understand that its wayward ally North Korea is a "significant threat'' to its own security, US President Barack Obama said dur...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1fdzLRp

Obama to consult European leaders on Russia sanctions

US President Barack Obama said he would consult key European leaders later Friday on the failed agreement to ease tensions in Ukraine and on imposin...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1fdzKNc

Ukraine PM accuses Russia of wanting to start 'a third world war'

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk on Friday accused Russia of wanting to start "a third world war'' over his country and called for interna...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1lb1Skk

Baidu Q1 profit jumps

The operator of China's most popular Internet search engine, Baidu Inc, says its quarterly profit surged 24.1 percent over a year earlier as its mobil...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1nM4lBu

DAB submits reform proposal to govt

The DAB party says the government has responded positively to its political reform proposal, which it formally submitted to the Chief Secretary today....



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1fdm590

French cops held for suspected rape

Four French police officers are being held in custody on suspicion of raping a 34-year-old Canadian woman at their Paris headquarters. Interior Minis...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1nM4g0P

Singapore court fines man for animal cruelty

A Singapore court has imposed a S$10,000 fine on a local businessman who failed to take his severely emaciated dog to the vet, a ruling welcomed Frid...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1fdm4Sw

Obama: South Korea will rally after ferry disaster

US President Barack Obama on Friday offered South Korea heartfelt condolences for its ``incredible loss'' as the country struggles to come to terms wi...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1nM4g0B

Hang Seng, Shanghai slump

Hong Kong shares dropped 1.50 percent on Friday due to concerns about China's economy as well as tensions over the Ukraine crisis. The benchmark Hang...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iUjHDA

RBS bank vote plan for higher bonuses shot down

Shareholders of state-rescued Royal Bank of Scotland will not get to vote on allowing its bankers to earn an EU bonus cap of twice their salary, the g...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iUjH6u

China budget airline Spring to float shares

Chinese budget carrier Spring Airlines said it plans to raise 2.5 billion yuan in an initial public offering (IPO) in Shanghai to fund fleet expansion...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1lMdA7N

ANA boosts profit forecast for past fiscal year

The operator of Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA) on Friday boosted its net profit forecast for the past fiscal year by 20 percent, citing a pick-up i...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1lMdBZs

Electrolux a Q1 profit surges

Swedish home appliance-maker Electrolux says the economic recovery in Europe helped the company's first-quarter net profit rise 19 percent to 431 mill...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1lMdz3U

Hijack scare in Bali caused by drunk passenger

An airline official says a drunk passenger on a Virgin Australia flight who caused a hijack scare has been arrested for creating a disturbance after t...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1lMdz3K

Germany finds 265 pounds of cocaine among bananas

German police say they have seized 265 pounds of cocaine hidden among crates of bananas in a container shipped from Ecuador -- their second big find o...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1lMdyNg

(NHL playoffs) Bruins lead, Kings survive

Boston notched a vital 3-2 overtime victory at Detroit on Thursday to move within one win over a place in the next round of the NHL playoffs, while Lo...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1huSYsl

French market suspends trading in Alstom shares

Trading in shares in French engineering group Alstom was suspended on Friday, a day after the shares surged on rumours of a bid by US giant General E...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1pwpKmS

Plane lands at Bali airport in suspected hijacking

A passenger plane landed at Bali airport on Friday after a suspected hijacking, an Indonesian air force spokesman said. "We got information that a 7...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1pwmqrP

European equities down at open

Europe's main stock markets fell at the start of trading on Friday, with London's benchmark FTSE 100 index losing 0.21 percent to 6,688.96 points. Fr...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1jZpQMF

Death toll over 180 in SKorea ferry disaster

Death toll from a sunken South Korean ferry continued to rise to 181 on Friday as divers kept searching bodies, or possible survivors, inside the subm...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1jZpKVr

Sina faces punishment over porn: report

China plans to restrict Internet giant Sina's right to publish after finding pornographic content on the portal, a report said Friday, in Beijing's la...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1nLQ47X

Singaporeans defy ban on e-cigarettes

Singaporeans are defying a ban on electronic cigarettes despite stiff fines for distributors and smugglers, health authorities said Friday. The Heal...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1nLQ1c8

Honda full-year net profit up 56pc

Japanese automaker Honda said Friday its net profit soared to US$5.6 billion in the fiscal year to March, thanks to brisk overseas sales and a weaker ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1fxcg0v

Families unhappy with summary ferry report

The Secretary for Justice, Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung, has been urged to explain why the government only released a summary of the investigation report in...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1lMDXGs

Nikkei ends higher

Tokyo stocks cast off early losses to end up 0.17 percent Friday as the weaker yen offered support to exporters. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index added...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1lMDVOT

Series of blunders forced WH to shrink IPO

On the face of it, an initial public offering for WH Group, the world’s biggest pork company, should have been an easy sell.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1fx1LdG

(Flight MH370) Seabed search for missing plane for wider range

The seabed search for missing flight MH370 is set to widen after a sonar scan of a focused area found nothing of interest, Australia's Joint Agency Co...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1fwX3N3

Taiwan pilots injured as chopper crashes into building

Two Taiwanese pilots were injured on Friday when their Apache attack helicopter crash landed on a building in northern Taiwan during a routine train...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1fcQbt9

Domestic helper Erwiana makes Time Magazine list

The Indonesian domestic helper -- who's accused a former employer of abuse -- has been named as one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People. T...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1pvPi3z

Customs arrest smartphone smuggler

Customs officers have arrested a male driver who they suspect of trying to smuggle more than 850 smartphones through the Sha Tau Kok control point. I...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hum76V

(NBA playoffs) Conley leads Memphis past Oklahoma

Mike Conley scored five of his 20 points in overtime, and Memphis went up 2-1 in the series, beating Oklahoma 98-95. The Grizzlies won their second s...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1pvPhwD

Six schoolboys drown in Yunnan

Six schoolboys died on Thursday after they accidentally fell into a lake in southwest China's Yunnan Province, local authorities said Friday. Police ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hum4YX

Hang Seng slumps by break

Hong Kong stocks tumbled 1.37 percent in the morning Friday on lingering concerns about the Chinese economy. The benchmark Hang Seng Index fell 308....



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/QDw50f

(Swimming) Lochte calls Phelps a racer

Michael Phelps might be rusty after a 20 month layoff, but rival Ryan Lochte says the swimming superstar will always be able to count on his racer's...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1fcFbfl

Obama lands in Seoul

Barack Obama arrived in Seoul Friday to growing signs North Korea was defiantly readying another nuclear test, and with South Koreans in a state of ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1nLtH2s

Tiemaker keeps eye on quality as it dips a toe into China via Hong Kong

What do Bill Clinton, Nicolas Sarkozy and the Prince of Wales have in common? For one thing, they are all fans of Italian luxury tie maker E. Marinella.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1iTGsaE

Facebook sets sights on fitness by buying activity-tracking app, Moves

Facebook has jumped into the fitness market after buying up the activity-tracking app, Moves.

The popular smartphone fitness app has already been downloaded four million times on iPhone and Android devices.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1lMaEDN

(Flight MH370) Malaysia to release report: PM

Malaysia will release a preliminary report next week on the disappearance of flight MH370, Prime Minister Najib Razak said, as his government battle...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1nLqW15

(NBA) Memphis guard Conley wins Sportsmanship Award

Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley has been named winner of the league's Sportsmanship Award, the National Basketball Association said Thursday. C...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1nLqYpC

Retired US judge calls for marijuana legalization

Former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens says he thinks the federal government should legalize marijuana. The 94-year-old retired justice tells...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1pvwilQ

Nikkei up at mid-day

Tokyo stocks cast off early losses to rise 0.63 percent by the break as the weaker yen offered support to exporters. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1tISvMQ

China to play big role in new regional lender

China’s planned US$50 billion Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will help Beijing strengthen its leadership in regional issues, observers say.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1la0ApQ

Chinalco Mining sets sights on copper projects in Latin America

Chinalco Mining, the non-ferrous and non-aluminium metals unit of aluminium giant Chinalco, is seeking acquisition opportunities in Latin America for copper projects with long-term return rates of more than 10 per cent.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1rpvJr9

Lenovo joins bond issue boom

Lenovo, the world's largest supplier of personal computers, plans to make its first foray in the bond market this year, joining other major Chinese companies raising fresh funds from US currency debt offerings.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1lJcQR0

LME targets commodity alliance with mainland bourses

High-level talks are under way to deliver seamless access between mainland and international commodities markets, the chief executive of the London Metal Exchange told the South China Morning Post.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1lJcNV3

Apple sales surprises even the bulls

Apple surprised Wall Street by selling more iPhones in the March quarter than even the most bullish analysts had expected.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1rpvIDD

Staff of Marubeni's Chinese grain unit held

Three employees at one of Marubeni's grain trading unit in China have been detained, mainland customs said yesterday, a move prompted by allegations of tax evasion on soya bean imports.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1lJcQ3k

Subsidies needed to sweeten infrastructure projects

Beijing's move to allow private investment in 80 projects marks a significant step towards breaking monopolies but high costs and unattractive returns will dampen private firms' interest, say analysts.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1lJcN7z

Everybody but the 'Singapore curve' thinks iron ore is going down

It is hard to find any bullish predictions for iron ore prices, with the consensus being that it will drop to below US$100 a tonne. Except this isn't reflected in the financial markets.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1rpvKv7

Investors criticise MSCI plan on including hard to buy China stocks

MSCI's proposal to include mainland Chinese equities in its global indices is getting a cold reception from investors.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1lJcMAs

TCL ploughs more investment into smart devices

Strong smartphone sales helped TCL Communication Technology clock up a net profit of HK$180 million for the first quarter of the year, turning around from a net loss of HK$247 million for the same period last year.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1rpvHzy

China maintains net capital inflows, but pace slows

The mainland has maintained net cross-border capital inflows despite the yuan's recent depreciation although the pace seems to be slowing, a senior official at the foreign-exchange regulator said.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1lJcJ7P

Metals demand to slow in line with economy

End-user metals demand growth on the mainland is set to slow further in step with a deceleration in the economy in the years ahead and growth of metals' investment demand from financial market reforms is unlikely to make up for the gap, says a senior banker.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1rpvEnf

CNR faces hard sell in Hong Kong after offering gets all-clear

China CNR, the nation's second-biggest maker of trains, is planning to launch its US$1.5 billion initial public offering in Hong Kong in the second week of May after receiving approval from the Hong Kong stock exchange yesterday.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1rpvDzE

CLSA's Mike Mayo goes full circle on Citi view

Mike Mayo, CLSA's head of banking research in the US, has certainly had his ups and downs with Citigroup. In the years following the financial crisis he was relentless in his pursuit of the bank for what he deemed its poor management practices.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1hpIleJ

HKTV's new application to get fresh look

The Communications Authority says it will take a fresh look at a new application from Hong Kong Television Network for a free-to-air broadcast license...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1ihWFle

Parents of SKorea ferry victims assault top official

Angry parents of victims of South Korea's ferry disaster assaulted a top official on Thursday, accusing him of lying about efforts to retrieve bodie...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1ihV52J

European equities rebound

European stock markets rebounded on Thursday as traders reacted to a string of earnings updates, data pointing to further easing of eurozone economi...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1ihUZrX

Occupy Central 'will harm HK'

Chinese vice-president Li Yuanchao has been quoted as saying that the planned 'Occupy Central' Movement would harm Hong Kong's prosperity and stabilit...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1ihtIfe

China releases Japan ship after paid in 1930s row

China on Thursday released a seized Japanese ship after its owner paid US$28 million in compensation, a court said, in a business dispute dating to th...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1mHxJLU

EU institutions vulnerable to corruption: report

An independent report says official complacency, complex rules and spotty oversight have left the European Union's leading institutions vulnerable to ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1mCItsm

Germany suspends military exports to Russia

The German government says it isn't authorizing any exports of military goods to Russia at present "because of the current political situation,'' leav...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1mCItse

China demands local solutions for grievances

Chinese state media say a national agency has issued new regulations to ban residents from bypassing local authorities in lodging complaints in the la...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1mCIqwC

Spain cuts jobless rate to 25.73pc

Spain trimmed its official unemployment rate to 25.73 percent for the final quarter of 2013 on Thursday, citing updated population figures. It had ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1nqYi87

Classes resume at school scarred by ferry disaster

Senior classes resumed Thursday at the South Korean high school devastated by the loss of around 250 students in a ferry disaster that has made the ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1ihLcCi

Bitcoin exchange MtGox to start liquidation process: lawyer

Failed Bitcoin exchange MtGox is to be liquidated after a Japanese court ordered bankruptcy proceedings on Thursday, a lawyer appointed to carry out t...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1psFPKi

Canon sees profit up on weak yen

Japanese camera and office equipment maker Canon Inc. is reporting a hefty gain in profit for the first fiscal quarter, largely on a favorable exchang...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1psFNSA

Draghi wants to publish ECB minutes

European Central Bank head Mario Draghi says the bank's rate-setting council should publish a written account of its deliberations -- without names. ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1mCzV4H

(Football) Januzai to play for Belgium

Belgium coach Marc Wilmots says that talented Manchester United winger Adnan Januzaj has chosen to play for the Belgian national team. The 19-year-o...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iPzjbk

F1 boss Ecclestone goes on trial in Germany

Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone went on trial Thursday in a bribery case that could threaten the 83-year-old's grip on the sport. He is accused of...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iPv6V2

Large Scania shareholder accepts Volkswagen bid

Volkswagen has come closer to realizing its ambition to takeover Scania after the fourth largest shareholder in the Swedish truck maker announced it w...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iPv67o

German business confidence up in April

The German Ifo business confidence index rose in April after a slight fall the previous month in Europe's biggest economy that was blamed on the Cri...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1ihwNWw

Spain logs fastest growth in six years

Spain's economy grew at the fastest pace in six years in the first quarter of 2014, the central bank said Thursday in a preliminary estimate. Avail...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iPv6EB

Hang Seng up, Shanghai down

Hong Kong shares closed 0.24 percent higher on Thursday following two days of losses and despite a sell-off on Wall Street. The benchmark Hang Seng...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iPv6Ev

AstraZeneca drugs group says profits halved

AstraZeneca, the British pharmaceutical giant, announced on Thursday a halving of net profits in the first quarter, hit by generic competition follo...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hnbMhn

Court rejects final appeal bid in 'Milkshake Murder' case

Hong Kong's top court rejected a final bid on Thursday for an appeal by an American convicted of drugging her wealthy banker husband and bashing him t...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1lHPxT1

Obama urges Japan to take 'bold steps' in huge trade deal

US President Barack Obama on Thursday urged Japan to take "bold steps'' to seal a Pacific-wide trade deal after Washington failed to wrestle key tar...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1lHPxCv

Angry parents seek autopsies of Korea ferry victims

Some parents of the mostly teenage victims of South Korea's ferry disaster are pushing for autopsies that might show their children were alive insid...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iPbIri

(Champions League) Benzema leads Madrid past Bayern

A goal from Karim Benzema gave Real Madrid a 1-0 victory over title holder Bayern Munich on Wednesday and a slender advantage in their Champions Leagu...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1jESEJ3

Li Yuanchao meets with news executives

Vice-president Li Yuanchao has told a delegation of Hong Kong news executives that he hopes they will carry out "objective, fair, balanced and rationa...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1jEQIjF

(NHL playoffs) Jackets, Blackhawks and Stars defend home ice

Columbus, Chicago and Dallas all capitalized on home-ice advantage to win series-squaring games in the NHL playoffs on Wednesday. Both Columbus and C...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1jEQKrC

(NBA playoffs) Miami take commanding lead over Charlotte

LeBron James scored 32 points and Chris Bosh tallied 20 points as the host Miami Heat beat the Charlotte Bobcats 101-97 Wednesday to take a 2-0 lead...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iP9yIh

(NBA playoffs) Mavericks level series with Spurs, Rockets down 2-0

Monta Ellis tallied 21 points and Shawn Marion scored 20 as the Dallas Mavericks routed the error-prone San Antonio Spurs 113-92 to level their open...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1jEQJUM

Earthquake strikes off Vancouver Island

A strong 6.7 earthquake has struck off Canada's Vancouver island in the Pacific. The US Geological Survey said the quake hit late Wednesday at a dept...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iP9A2A

Malaysia Airlines plane turns back after landing gear failure

A Malaysia Airlines plane's wheels refused to stow after take off Thursday, forcing a second flight by the flag-carrier to turn back in four days as...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iP9x74

Nikkei closes lower

Tokyo stocks fell 0.97 percent on Thursday as US President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe failed to announce any breakthrough i...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1jEQGrY

LME unconcerned over parent HKEx's plan to launch new commodity platform

The London Metal Exchange has dismissed concerns that its Hong Kong parent’s plan to launch a new commodity platform could hurt its business in London.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1ihhld8

Shanghai exchange boosted by China Securities Regulatory Commission support

China’s securities regulator has tipped the balance back in favour of the Shanghai Stock Exchange, encouraging small firms to list shares on it instead of in Shenzhen, in a move that would reinforce the city’s efforts to transform itself into a global financial centre.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1nqxIfp

China Vanke to ramp up construction at its Qianhai special economic zone development

China Vanke will have to speed up construction if it plans to open the first office development in the special economic zone of Qianhai in Shenzhen on December 7, marking the second anniversary of the visit made to the site by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1hmdDDa

China factory activity shrinks for 4th month, but pace of decline slows

The mainland's factory activity shrank for the fourth consecutive month in April, signalling economic weakness into the second quarter, a preliminary survey showed although the pace of decline eased because of policy steps to arrest the slowdown.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1jBA0l9

HKEx and China Minsheng Banking sign commodity agreement

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEx) and the Hong Kong branch of China Minsheng Banking Corp yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which will allow the local bourse to promote its soon-to-be launched commodity products to the lender's mainland clients.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1iLZsrw

China to allow private investment in 80 projects

China will allow private investment in 80 projects spanning the energy, information and infrastructure sectors as part of reforms to increase privatisation, said Premier Li Keqiang.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1jBzX8X

Taiwan exchange seeking global links via Singapore

Taiwan's stock exchange is seeking to create a cross-border stock trading platform with Singapore by this year to boost overseas access to the island's listed shares, chairman Lee Sush-der said.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1jBzZhb

Qianhai eyes Asean investors to boost trade zone numbers

Qianhai, the new economic zone in Shenzhen that is seeking to turn itself into a mini-Manhattan on the Pearl River Delta by 2020, plans to ask for central government permission to lower entry barriers to attract enterprises from Southeast Asia to invest in the zone.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1jBzZh7

China's reform of state-owned sector gains momentum

Far from the spotlight, in secretive high-level meetings and company boardrooms, Beijing is drawing up one of the country's thorniest reforms: an overhaul of the mainland's hugely inefficient state-owned enterprises.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1iLZpMe

Money's talking when lawyers oppose ancient law

Lawyer Gary Yeong Yun-hong, 44, was convicted of 25 charges and Ip Hon-ming, 60, of 26 charges of champerty - an old piece of common law that prohibits parties with no direct interest in a legal action from encouraging and supporting litigation in return for a share of

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1iLZorM

Beijing names outsider Fu Yuning chairman of China Resources after sacking of Song Lin

Fu Yuning, a 15-year veteran of state-owned ports-to-financial services conglomerate China Merchants Group, has been appointed chairman of China Resources Holdings (CRH), five days after former head Song Lin was put under a corruption probe.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1lFoDzA

Europe sees better government finances in 2013

Official figures show that governments across the 28-country European Union recorded lower budget deficits in 2013 amid lower spending and an economic...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hhyac8

Greece achieves primary budget surplus in 2013

Twice bailed-out Greece achieved a primary budget surplus last year, beating its debt-rescue target of achieving balanced accounts, the European Com...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1rlFFjp

(Football) Barcelona transfer ban suspended

FIFA on Wednesday suspended a ban on Barcelona transfering players while the club makes an appeal against the sanction. Football's world body, whic...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hhy6ZU

(Football) Verbeek fired as Nuremberg coach

Bundesliga strugglers Nuremburg announced on Wednesday that coach Gertjan Verbeek has been sacked. The decision to fire the 51-year-old Dutchman foll...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1rlFGnt

Thai Red Shirt activist shot dead in Bangkok

Police in Thailand's capital say a pro-government activist who opposed a law punishing critics of the monarchy has been shot dead. Police Col. Thanaw...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hhy6sV

Better business activity in Europe: survey

Business activity in Europe has risen to its highest level in three years as a once-shaky economic recovery gains speed. The Markit survey of purcha...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hhy5VV

Eurozone deficits improve, debt mounts

Eurozone public finances improved in 2013 as the economy finally turned the corner on a record recession but total debt levels remained dangerously ...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1my1EDN

China pork firm scales down IPO target

Chinese pork producer WH Group has slashed a planned initial public offering in Hong Kong by almost two-thirds blaming concerns about the strength o...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iJTs2w

Justin Bieber visits Japan war shrine

Justin Bieber courted controversy once again on Wednesday, posting a picture of a Japanese war shrine after an apparent visit to the contentious spo...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1gQwKSg

Consensus over Manila hostage tragedy, Philippine not apologize

The Hong Kong and Philippine governments have issued a joint statement, announcing a resolution to the fallout from the Manila hostage crisis. In the...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1mxXGen

Hang Seng, Shanghai fall at close

Hong Kong shares sank 0.97 percent on Wednesday despite another rally on Wall Street and a survey showing a slight improvement in China's manufacturi...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1iJRTBu

Leading mainland regulatory official who restructured country's trust sector dies

A mainland banking regulatory official who led the opening and restructuring of the country’s trust sector died of a heart attack on Wednesday morning, mainland media reported.

via Business feed http://ift.tt/1iJOrHa

China to increase natural gas supply

China will raise its natural gas supply to as much as 420 billion cubic meters per year by 2020 amid rising demand due to urbanization, a government s...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1ienjl0

Expert says steering problem caused sinking

A maritime professor who spoke with the third mate who was steering the South Korean ferry before it sank says he suspects a problem with the steering...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1mxNwKv

China Mobile profit down

China Mobile (0941) says first-quarter profit fell 9.4 percent from a year earlier despite a rise in customer numbers, as spending per account decline...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1jJXqGr

European markets open flat

Europe's main stock markets steadied at the open on Wednesday, with London's benchmark FTSE 100 index up 0.08 percent to 6, 687.18 points. Frankfur...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1hgPqOA

Australia sees higher price levels in first quarter

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) of Australia has risen 2.9 percent in the March quarter, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). ABS r...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1mxEBZK

(NBA playoffs) Washington lead Chicago 2-0 in series

Bradley Beal came on strong late in regulation to finish with 26 points, Nene scored six of his 17 in overtime and the Washington Wizards beat the Chi...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1mCyRQU

Water pollution serious in China: study

Sixty percent of underground water in China which is officially monitored is too polluted to drink directly, state media have reported, underlining th...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1mxxhx9

Nine arrested for deadly mine blast

Nine people have been arrested after a coal mine gas explosion that killed 14 mine workers Monday in southwest China's Yunnan Province, local authorit...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1jJt8Dz

Press freedom under threat: survey

A survey by the Journalists Association says Hong Kong is suffering from poor press freedom. About 1,000 members of the public and 420 journalists we...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1mCqJzJ

Nikkei rallies at close

Tokyo stocks ended 1.09 percent higher Wednesday, buoyed by another day of gains on Wall Street and as railway and hotels giant Seibu Holdings rose ne...



via The Standard - Breaking News http://ift.tt/1lDdD1n