NBA to form new China operation

The China Post -- The U.S. National Basketball Association is launching a new subsidiary in China, in a sign of the sport's increasing popularity there, the league announced Wednesday. Full Story

China gov't freezes some prices in move to contain surge in inflation

The China Post -- China's government has ordered some prices frozen and told officials to closely monitor others in its most drastic step yet to contain a surge in inflation. Full Story

Berkshire cuts stake in PetroChina

The China Post -- U.S. investor Warren Buffett further cut his stake in the listed shares of PetroChina Co. to 8.93 percent from 9.07 percent, according to a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange Thursday. Full Story

Hong Kong shares surge to record after rate cut

The China Post - Hong Kong shares surged to a record close Wednesday, boosted by the U.S. Federal Reserve's larger-than-expected rate cut. Property firms led the way as several local banks also cut their interest rates. Full Story

Microsoft's China chief defects to head NBA expansion in Greater China

The China Post - Microsoft Corp.'s top executive in China resigned to head the National Basketball Association's operations in the world's most populous country. Full Story

Standard Chartered to buy American Express' banking unit

The China Post - Standard Chartered Plc, the UK bank that derives most of its profit from Asia, agreed to buy the banking unit of American Express Co. for about US$860 million to gain branch licenses in India and Taiwan and add wealthy clients. Full Story

China Construction Bank raises US$7.7 billion in record-breaking IPO

The China Post - China Construction Bank Corp., the country's biggest property lender, has raised 58.05 billion (US$7.7 billion; euro5.6 billion) in mainland China's biggest initial public offering so far, state media reported Wednesday. Full Story

Hong Kong Monetary Authority cuts key interest rate

The China Post - The Hong Kong Monetary Authority cut its benchmark base interest rate half a percentage point to 6.25 percent Wednesday after the U.S. Federal Reserve cuts its key interest rate by the same amount. Full Story

China to delay approval of investment deals to cool growth

The China Post - China will delay approval of some local government investment projects in its fastest growing regions to cool the economy and reduce the risk of overheating. Full Story

Malaysia places China exporters on a watch-list

The China Post - Malaysia placed 14 Chinese exporters on a watch-list after their food shipments were found to be tainted with high levels of preservatives, pesticides and heavy metals this year, a senior official said. Full Story

Bullish China IPOs push share higher

The China Post - For oil giant PetroChina, a share listing in Shanghai will raise money for a new pipeline and refinery, among other projects. For coal miner China Shenhua Energy, it means cash for possible mine acquisitions abroad. Full Story

China steps up scrutiny of United States food and delays shipments

The China Post - China has sharply increased inspections of imported U.S. food, escalating its spat with Washington over product safety and leaving American beef piling up in warehouses and delaying shipments of black pepper and other goods. Full Story

PRC's top firms face increased risks: Standard and Poor

The China Post - China's top companies will see a slowdown in breakneck growth over the next 18 months, under pressure from the U.S. economy and concerns over the "Made in China" tag, Standard & Poor's said Tuesday. Full Story

AirAsia X to fly China, Australia with first A330

The China Post - Malaysia's long-haul budget carrier AirAsia X said Tuesday it will launch inaugural flights to China and Australia in October with the arrival of its first A330 aircraft. Full Story

China to buy 3,400 new airplanes by 2026: Boeing

The China Post - China, the world's fastest growing aviation market, will need 3,400 new airplanes worth about US$340 billion over the next 20 years, U.S. aircraft maker Boeing said Tuesday. The forecast marks a dramatic increase from an earlier prediction by Boeing of 2,900 aircraft in the period from 2005 to 2025. Full Story

EU official urges China to make yuan more flexible

The China Post - China needs to make its currency more flexible, said Joaquin Almunia, European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs. "A more flexible exchange-rate policy would allow the central bank to raise interest rates and curb investment," Almunia said in a speech given at Tsinghua University in Beijing today. Full Story

China securities regulator tightens takeover rules

The China Post - China's securities regulator tightened rules on takeovers to tackle insider trading in a market where the benchmark index has almost tripled this year. The China Securities Regulatory Commission last night announced on its Web site increased scrutiny of private share placements and tighter rules on disclosure of market-moving news amid a suspected rise in market malfeasance. Full Story

Most Asian markets lower on global credit jitters

The China Post - Most Asian market fell Tuesday, with Tokyo's main index losing 2 percent amid renewed concern over global credit markets and Hong Kong shares down on profit-taking. Full Story

ADB raises forecast for developing Asia

The China Post - Exceptional growth in China and India prompted the Asian Development Bank on Monday to raise its economic growth forecast for developing Asia this year to a collective 8.3 percent from 7.6 percent. Full Story

Growing parts, components trade helps East Asia forex

The China Post - The growing trade in manufactured parts and components is helping East Asia weather the strengthening of regional currencies while inducing greater economic integration, an Asian Development Bank report said Monday. Full Story

Pressure building for China to allow yuan to rise: ADB

The China Post - China will come under increasing pressure to let the yuan rise further against the dollar to deflate the bubble formed by its massive current account surpluses, the chief economist of the Asian Development Bank said Monday. Full Story

China set to add 27 new int'l routes to Europe, United States

The China Post - China's civil aviation regulator said it plans to add 27 international routes to Europe and America over the next two years, state media reported. Full Story

China raises special bond offering to US$4.2 billion

The China Post - China's Finance Ministry sold 31.97 billion yuan (US$4.2 billion; euro3 billion) of 15-year debt Monday in its first sale of special bonds directly to the market. Full Story

China stock buying in Hong Kong limited to some residents

The China Post - A Chinese plan to allow private investors to buy directly into the Hong Kong stock market will be limited to residents of cities where the scheme will undergo trial runs, state media said Monday. Full Story

Oil Search shares surge on China bid report

The China Post - The Australia-listed shares of Oil Search Ltd. rose as much as 19.5 percent Monday on a media report that China's CNPC Exploration is considering a US$5 billion (euro3.6 billion) takeover bid for the Papua New Guinea-based company. Full Story

Galaxy Entertainment's first-half loss narrows

The China Post - Casino operator Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd., one of Macau's six casino license holders, said Monday its first-half net loss narrowed as increased contributions from its casino operations offset costs associated with the amortization of its casino license. Full Story

Chinese stocks hit record, defying rate hike

The China Post - Asian markets were mostly lower Monday, with Japan closed for a holiday and traders in most other markets cautious ahead of Tuesday's meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve to decide on interest rates. Full Story

Beijing seeks advice to spin crisis

The China Post - Tainted pet food. Unsafe toys. Brown skies and orange lakes. Slave labor scandals. Collapsed bridges and coal mining disasters. Full Story

China needs more rate increases to curb inflation: analysts

The China Post - China will need to follow the fifth interest rate increase this year with further tightening to curb the fastest inflation since 1996 and damp speculation in stocks and real estate, economists and analysts said. Full Story

China rejects United States, Canada pork imports

The China Post - China has rejected shipments of pork kidney from the United States and of spare ribs from Canada after finding traces of a banned growth agent in them, in the latest volley of cross-border accusations over product quality. Full Story

China raises interest rates 0.27 percent

The China Post - China raised interest rates on Friday for the fifth time this year, the latest of a series of tightening steps to cap inflation and prevent the world's fourth largest economy from overheating. Full Story

As real estate prices soar, Shanghai's skyline gets new-inspired landmark

The China Post - These may be jittery times for the real estate business elsewhere -- but not in China's financial center, judging from the reception to the country's newest, tallest building. Full Story

Asian 'tigers' rise to post-industrial stage

The China Post - Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan are maturing toward post-industrial status as manufacturing investments in Asia move to China, said an Asian Development Bank report released Friday. Full Story

China's first stock-type QDII fund likely to invest abroad

The China Post - China's first overseas stock-type mutual fund may invest 30 billion yuan (US$4 billion) after it was oversubscribed in the first day of its launch, signaling investors' demand to buy shares in Hong Kong and other regions. Full Story

China's urban fixed asset investment up 26.7%

The China Post - China's urban fixed asset investment rose 26.7 percent in the first eight months of 2007 compared with a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said Friday. Full Story

ICBC, Malaysian CIMB vie for stake in Thai bank

The China Post - China's top bank Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and Malaysian investment bank CIMB are considering buying a stake in Thailand's ACL Bank, the Thai finance minister said Friday. Full Story