indochinavisa - Forum

Subject: Villa Muong Khong Review and Pictures by Mr. SAIMON ASIA - by: GuideHotels

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:17:05 +0000

I ride Villa Muong Khong Hotel of boat to go to Lipy for look view around there, the boat for 12 passengers and safety shirt. And I go to Khonpapeng waterfall by Villa Muong Khong Car. It is far about 25 Km, in front of Villa Muong Khong is Mekong river and in back of Villa is mountain view, the roo...From Visit Asia Travels

Subject: Dai Nam Hotel Review and Pictures by Mr. Simon PORTER - by: GuideHotels

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:17:04 +0000

Good place to spend a couple of days was the Dai Nam in Ho Chi Minh. Ideally located in District 1 close to the towns restaurants, shops and cafe, I stayed at this hotel while was in Saigon for holidays with friends and I enjoyed staying, Dai Nam is conveniently located in the centre of the City, wi...From Visit Asia Travels

Subject: Champasak Palace Hotel Review and Pictures by Mr. rafael Da Silva - by: GuideHotels

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:17:03 +0000

Champasak Palace may be a bit of a behemothic eyesore from the outside, but once inside, you will get sweeping verandas and spectacular views over the surrounds. Built by a now-dead prince as a residence he never lived in, the Palace is now owned by a Thai group and, if this is in your budget...From Visit Asia Travels

Subject: Vansana Hotel Plain of Jars Review and Pictures by Mr. Vongthone Phatmanichanh - by: GuideHotels

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:17:02 +0000

The Vansana Plain of Jars Hotel, Xieng Khuang is built on a hillside, a few minutes ride from the town centre where you can find several shops and restaurants. The Plain of Jars, a famous tourist site, is 30 minutes drive away. The unique Vansana Plain of Jars Hotel has beautiful scenery view...From Visit Asia Travels

Subject: La Folie Lodge Hotel Review and Pictures by Mr. neuang inthasen - by: GuideHotels

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:17:02 +0000

the hotel is located in the island dondeang it is locate in Mekong river pathoumphone district champasak provice. We went their by baot only spent one day and night here but loved it. this place is quiet and calm to just lie about by the pool or on the balcony outside our cabin watching the water b...From Visit Asia Travels

Subject: Auberge Phouphadeng Hotel Review and Pictures by Mr. Gablin Wilson - by: GuideHotels

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:17:01 +0000

Perfect design in French Cottage arts with fireplace and located on the top of the view where you can view over to this little town and rice paddy field. The owner Mr. Sanya Vincent who has taken over this property from his late father Vicent who had found many small and nice places lodge in Laos an...From Visit Asia Travels

Subject: Chittavanh Hotel Review and Pictures by Mr. John Kensingtons - by: GuideHotels

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:17:00 +0000

Welcome to Chittavanh Hotel, a newly hotel just opened to all visitors and travelers with facilities. Were located in the heart of citi with wide and safety parking areas. Very convenient for walking distance. Close to Provincial offices, Ttavel agents, Internet shop, Bank, Market, restauran...From Visit Asia Travels

Subject: Don Chan Palace Hotel Review and Pictures by Mr. John Kensingtons - by: GuideHotels

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:59 +0000

Don Chan Palace Hotel considers as the most beautiful hotel in Vientiane. It is located in a large private island of the Mekong River. This tallest highlight building is interested in me to stay during my business trip Vientiane last couple of weeks. After checking in and it was impressive me...From Visit Asia Travels

Subject: Mekong Paradise Review and Pictures by Mr. Kevin Anderson - by: GuideHotels

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:58 +0000

Surprise while checking at this Mekong Paradise Hotel in southern Laos, Pakse. It is brilliant and super location situated by the Mekong Riverside, All deluxe rooms are viewed over to the Mekong River that you can enjoy yourself during sunrise or sunset.

Restaurant of this hotel server fantastic ...From Visit Asia Travels

Subject: Arawan Riverside Hotel Review and Pictures by Ms. Nina Sainath - by: GuideHotels

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:57 +0000

Good value accommodation in Champasak is the Arawan Riverside. Fairly close to Pakse town - ideally positioned. Some rooms were a little small, but we were quickly switched to a lovely big one! Chilled staff which suited the atmosphere perfectly! A really friendly place. Good value accommodation in ...From Visit Asia Travels

Subject: Inthira Champasak Hotel Review and Pictures by Miss. Vana Jamy - by: GuideHotels

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:56 +0000

Comfortable place to spend a few days in Champasak is at the Inthira Champanakhone. The hotel is situated well in Champasak town area. Big beds, and spotlessly clean bathrooms. Great value! Our breakfast here was also good - always served by the very friendly staff. If you are lucky enough to travel...From Visit Asia Travels

Subject: Cosmo Hotel Vientiane Review and Pictures by Ms. linda khantharixay - by: GuideHotels

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:55 +0000

Cosmo is only 20 min from the Wattay International Airport. . The hotel is also nearby many attractions, such as the cultural venues of the late president\"s monument, as well as the famous That Luang monument. The room are cozy but stylish and in a good size. The staffs are very helpful and welcomi...From Visit Asia Travels

Subject: Hoongthip Hotel Review and Pictures by Mr. SAIMON ASIA - by: GuideHotels

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:54 +0000

The room that I stayed in Hoongtip Hotel is light style room, color in the room is white and floor is pink. In my room there is TV English channels and minibar. I stayed in the new building is expensive than old building. In this hotel, several have no window. The restaurant room is largest with TV ...From Visit Asia Travels

Subject: Vansana Hotel Vang Vieng Review and Pictures by Mr. SAIMON ASIA - by: GuideHotels

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:54 +0000

This is the first we go to tour Asia and I do not mistake that I choose Laos. The first experience many place in Laos, especially in Vang Vieng.Adventure destination, with kayaking, rafting, caving, trail and mountain biking and world class rock climbing all available. We do kayaking here is make us...From Visit Asia Travels

Subject: Park Plaza Sukhumvit Review and Pictures by Mr. Gablin Wilson - by: GuideHotels

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:53 +0000

Very good hotel.Comfortable and clean rooms.Great breakfast included and 50% off food at lunch at dinner right now.Complimentary refreshments 24 hours a day including fine coffee.2 free internet terminals at reception.Nice staff and good levels of English spoken. There"s not much shade at the roof-t...From Visit Asia Travels

Subject: South African assets steady in pre-budget trade - by: JessicaParkers

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:53 +0000

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The rand was steady and government bonds edged up slightly on Tuesday, with market players reluctant to take significant positions a day ahead of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan's budget presentation.

Economists polled by Reuters expect Gordhan on Wednesday to target a deficit of 5.4 percent of GDP for the 2012/13 fiscal year from an estimated 5.3 percent in 2011/12 as the government ramps up spending on infrastructure and social services.

But government bonds have held up well despite the likelihood of increased issuance, partly supported by foreigners attracted by higher South African yields that are much higher than the near-zero rates in the United States and Europe.

The yield on the benchmark three-year bond was one basis point lower at 6.59 percent in early Tuesday trade while that on the 14-year issue dipped 1.5 basis points to 8.215 percent.

The Treasury was due to sell a total of 2.1 billion rand worth of the 2018, 2021 and 2041 bonds at a weekly auction closing at 0900 GMT.

"This year, non-residents have been particularly fond of R208 scrip, with 7.4 billion rand worth of net purchases, which has contributed to the proportionately greater compression of yields at the belly of the yield curve," Absa Capital said in a note.

"We doubt this week will be any different in an environment where risk is being added to portfolios and South African scrip is still offering a relatively attractive pickup."

As of 0639 GMT, the rand traded 0.16 percent firmer at 7.66 to the dollar after ending Monday's session at 7.6725.

Traders took cues from a stronger euro after finance ministers in that region clinched a second bailout deal for Greece.

"The bias remains in favour of rand bulls this morning and if they can breach 7.66 to the downside (firmer) then a move back down to 7.60 remains possible," Absa Capital said.

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Subject: Friendship Guesthouse Review and Pictures by Miss. Kedsaraporn Naka - by: GuideHotels

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:52 +0000

From Visit Asia Travels

Subject: Champasak Grand Hotel Review and Pictures by Mr. Kevin Anderson - by: GuideHotels

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:51 +0000

Never miss staying at this newly hotel Champasak Grand while you are on business or leisure in Pakse southern Laos.

This highlight building is situated on the bank of Mekong River where you can view over the Mekong River and enjoy your sunrise or sunset over the town and the mighty...From Visit Asia Travels

Subject: Champasak Palace Hotel Review and Pictures by Mr. Chris Den - by: GuideHotels

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:50 +0000

Our guide recommended the Champasak Palace in Champasak - and it proved a great choice, such a nice introduction to the country! The place was very well located in Pakse town close to the local amenities and restaurants. The accommodation was spot on, good value rooms with big bathrooms. Breakfast w...From Visit Asia Travels

Subject: TEXT-Fitch assigns DBS's subordinated notes 'A+' final rating - by: JessicaParkers

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:50 +0000

(The following statement was released by the rating agency)

Feb 21 - Fitch Ratings has assigned DBS Bank Ltd.'s (DBS) SGD1bn 3.3% subordinated notes due

2022 (issued under the bank's USD15bn global medium term note programme) a final rating of 'A+'.

This follows the completion of the subordinated notes issue and the receipt of final documents

conforming to information previously received. The final rating is the same as the expected

rating assigned on 13 February 2012.

The notes are rated one notch below DBS's 'aa-' Viability Rating to reflect its

subordinated status and the absence of any going-concern loss-absorption

mechanism. This is in accordance with Fitch's criteria on rating bank regulatory

capital and similar securities.

The notes represent direct, subordinated and unsecured obligations of DBS, and

rank equally with the bank's other Lower Tier 2 capital instruments. The

holders' rights of the subordinated notes rank after the claims of DBS's senior

creditors, including depositors, but are senior to holders of the bank's

ordinary shares and Tier 1 capital securities.

While qualifying as regulatory capital, the notes do not contain any

going-concern loss absorption features (such as coupon deferral under specified

conditions), which would otherwise have resulted in wider notching for the issue

rating.

The notes qualify as Lower Tier 2 capital as per the Monetary Authority of

Singapore's guidelines. The proceeds will be used for DBS's general corporate

purposes as well as to partly refinance Lower Tier 2 securities that are

callable this year.

DBS is 28%-owned by the Singapore government, via Temasek Holdings, and is the

largest of the three Singapore banking groups by assets.

For more details on DBS's ratings and credit profile, please refer to "Fitch

Affirms DBS at 'AA-'; Outlook Stable" dated 29 April 2011, and DBS's full rating

report dated 11 May 2011, available at www.fitchratings.com.

The list of DBS's ratings is as follows:

- Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating 'AA-'; Outlook Stable

- Short-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating 'F1+'

- Viability Rating 'aa-'

- Support Rating '1'

- Support Rating Floor 'A-'

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Subject: Blue Moon Hotel Review and Pictures by Mr. Anushaka Fernando - by: GuideHotels

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:49 +0000

Clean, comfortable & friendly - the Blue Moon in Da Lat ticks all the right boxes. Located in the centre. The hotel made us so welcome, we added an extra night! The rooms were fine, and most importantly quiet! One of the best things here was the staff, who really showed us lots of local hospitalit...From Visit Asia Travels

Subject: SEMI TO HOLD SEMICON SINGAPORE 2012 AT MARINA BAY IN APRIL - by: JessicaParkers

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:42 +0000

SINGAPORE, Feb 21 (Bernama) -- SEMI, the global industry association for

companies that supply manufacturing technology and materials to the world’s chip

makers, will hold SEMICON Singapore 2012 from April 24 to 26 at the Marina Bay

Sands Expo and Convention Centre.

The annual semiconductor industry event will feature 10 business and

technology forums, suppliers search programmes and display of the latest

semiconductor applications and technology solutions for 3D IC and manufacturing

efficiency improvement.

"The SEMICON Singapore exhibition and programmes are set to provide a

platform to engage device makers and suppliers to source technology solutions

while allowing partners and buyers to find a better way for industry

collaboration and further advance the industry growth and profitability," said

SEMI Southeast Asia President Terry Tsao.

The "Southeast Asia Manufacturing Business Leader Summit" will be held

during the show to facilitate the discussion.

Speakers from the industry will be invited to deliver keynotes, including

Rodney Morgan, Executive Officer of IM Flash Singapore and Dr Dan Lachica,

President of First Philec Solar Corp (FPSC).

Meanwhile, a series of programmes such as fab efficiency forum, OEM

sourcing, suppliers search programme and entrepreneurship seminar will be held

to help the participants identify new business modules or opportunities.

Furthermore, technology forums/workshops on 3D IC, MEMS, LED and assembly

packaging and product test will address the latest technology innovations.

-- BERNAMA

TNS JR

Yahoo News

Subject: Silicon Valley: The rise of the adolescent CEOs - by: JessicaParkers

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:40 +0000

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Josh Buckley, chief executive of an online gaming start-up, is looking forward to next month's Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, particularly for the parties and the accompanying schmoozing with industry A-listers.

There's one problem: Buckley, who will turn 20 this week on February 22, may be turned away from many of the parties because he is not old enough to drink. His fake ID was recently confiscated, and the two new ones he ordered from a company in China have not yet arrived.

Such are the dilemmas facing the ever-younger entrepreneurs that Silicon Valley investors are backing these days. While little data on the phenomenon exists, venture capitalists say they are funding more chief executives under age 21 than ever before.

"At a certain point, they can't get much younger or we're going to be invested in preschool," quipped Marc Andreessen, whose venture-capital firm Andreessen Horowitz is one of several that backs Buckley's company, MinoMonsters.

Andreessen and other venture capitalists say the entrepreneurs they fund at 18 or 19 typically have been prepping for years -- learning computer code, taking on ambitious freelance projects and educating themselves on the Internet.

Some are self-consciously molding themselves in the image of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, 27, who created computer games as a child and was taking a graduate-level computer course by his early teens.

Internet businesses that target consumers make a sweet spot for the baby-faced, because online companies often require relatively little capital. A semiconductor start-up might require $10 million to $20 million in the early stages, noted Joe Kraus of Google Ventures, and that would be tough even for the most talented youngster.

"If I'm going to write that big a check, I'm going to invest in people who've done it before," he said. "But if you look at it as, 'Hey, I'm going to raise $500,000,' there's a lot of ways to raise that."

Kraus helped back Airy Labs, an educational social-gaming company run by 20-year-old Andrew Hsu that raised $1.5 million. Hsu is now learning the same hard lessons as many of his elders: the company recently laid off staff and is looking to rent out some of its office space in Palo Alto, California. Hsu said the company is taking a different direction and focusing on a line of new products in math, language arts and science.

Kraus said his biggest hiccups with young entrepreneurs are the business references they don't understand because they are too young to be aware of them.

Andreessen says more than one young entrepreneur has asked him: "What did Netscape do again?" Andreessen co-founded Netscape, which developed the first commercial Web browser and helped launch the Internet era, shortly after graduating from college in 1993.

"I was 9 years old" during the first Internet boom, says Brian Wong, 20, who runs reward-network Kiip. He has had his fill of stories about companies that tanked amid the dot-com bust of 2000. The first time he heard the name Webvan, a legendary dot-com failure, "I had to look it up," he recalled.

Wong has raised more than $4 million from Hummer Winblad Venture Partners and others.

He believes his age helps him and other youthful entrepreneurs. "You're expected to be limitless," he said. "Kind of destructive."

While the freewheeling ways of youth may be a positive for venture capitalists, they are less appreciated by landlords. Tim Chae, the 20-year-old chief executive and co-founder of social-media marketing company PostRocket, said his age and lack of credit created problems when he moved to San Francisco last year and needed an apartment. Finally, his father had to drive the 88 miles from Sacramento to co-sign a lease.

Chae, a Babson College dropout, now lives in nearby Mountain View and attends 500 Startups, a crash course for young companies run by a venture firm of the same name. He has raised a small amount of capital and hopes the upcoming Facebook IPO will help investors look more kindly on young entrepreneurs. "Thank God for Zuckerberg," he says.

Zuckerberg, who left Harvard after two years, is helping recast the notion of dropping out of college. Peter Thiel, an early investor in Facebook and a co-founder of PayPal, is encouraging others to try that path through two-year fellowships for students who take a break from school, move to San Francisco and pursue their entrepreneurial aspirations.

That's what 17-year-old Laura Deming did when she won a fellowship based on her goal of finding and funding anti-aging technologies and left the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Because she is not yet 18, she finds herself faxing documents such as non-disclosure agreements to her dad back in Boston to co-sign.

Other young entrepreneurs have trouble negotiating the highways and byways of Silicon Valley quite literally. Sahil Lavingia, 19, recalls a day last summer when he had several meetings scheduled on Sand Hill Road -- home to many of the nation's leading venture-capital firms -- and no car to get there. The journey of just a few miles took hours by the time Lavingia rode a local train a couple of stops, caught a bus to Stanford University and then hopped a shuttle bus to the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, which is on Sand Hill Road.

Another time, dreading the combination of a hot day and a sweaty walk around Palo Alto, he pulled on a pair of shorts, even though he was heading to a meeting with blue-chip VC Accel Partners. The outfit -- casual even by laid-back Silicon Valley standards -- didn't stop Accel from investing. Lavingia, an alumnus of hot online bulletin-board company Pinterest, raised $1.1 million for his payments start-up, Gumroad.

Buckley also ran into problems getting himself to Sand Hill Road. One night he stayed up until 3 a.m. and slept too late to get to a scheduled meeting with a venture-capital firm. "It didn't go down too well," he said, adding that his profuse apologies and requests to reschedule were met with a curt "no thank you."

Not to worry. Buckley, who had already sold a company while in high school for a sum he says was in the low six figures, raised more than $1 million from Andreessen Horowitz and others.

At the time of the missed meeting, he was attending Y Combinator, a three-month program for start-ups. In a nod to the boy wizard of book and movie fame, Y Combinator co-founder Paul Graham has called Buckley "the Harry Potter of startups," but said he was not the youngest to win admission to the program.

That honor goes to John Collison, now co-founder of payment company Stripe, who was admitted at age 16, but did not go through the program, Graham says. Instead, he and his then-19-year-old brother merged their company with another, Auctomatic, and sold it to a Canadian company for $5 million in cash and stock.

Most of the young entrepreneurs say their interest lies in building rather than selling their companies. Buckley had to say as much in response to inquiries he said received recently from Facebook about a possible sale. His determination not to sell stems from advice he received from a successful executive he met last year at Y Combinator: Mark Zuckerberg.

(Reporting By Sarah McBride. Editing by Jonathan Weber and Maureen Bavdek)

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Subject: Twitter partners with Yandex for real-time search - by: JessicaParkers

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:37 +0000

LONDON (Reuters) - Twitter and Russian search engine Yandex have agreed a partnership that will allow Yandex to show new tweets in its search results almost instantly, as Twitter becomes an increasingly important source of real-time information.

Twitter will give Yandex access to its so-called firehose of all public tweets, the two companies said on Tuesday, in an agreement similar to the one the social short-messaging site has with Microsoft's search engine, Bing.

"We wanted to make sure that Twitter content can be where Twitter users are already going," Twitter's director of business development, April Underwood, told Reuters by phone. "Discovery through search is so important."

Anton Pavlov, Yandex's blog search manager, said in a statement: "People share news, exchange opinions and discuss all sorts of matters in real-time all the time. This kind of information will help us enhance our search results."

Yandex has about 60 percent market share in Russia, ahead of Google with about a quarter of the market, although global leader Google has recently begun to erode its lead.

Google no longer partners with Twitter, favoring its own fledgling Google+ social network for social search results.

Asked about a possible renewal of a partnership with Google, Twitter's Underwood said: "Anything's possible, but there's not really an update to provide there at this time."

Twitter has more than 100 million active users and 400 million visitors per month. Its valuation tops $8 billion, even though it has not yet established a money-making model.

Google+, which is more akin to Facebook than Twitter, has 90 million users.

Twitter and Yandex declined to give financial details of their agreement. Microsoft has been reported to have paid $30 million for its deal with Twitter.

Yandex reaches about 2.8 percent of global Internet users, according to Web metrics firm Alexa, while Bing reaches about 3.4 percent.

(Reporting by Georgina Prodhan; Editing by Bernard Orr)

Yahoo News

Subject: British Minister Seeking to Reform Nationalized Healthcare Ambushed by ‘Left-Wing’ Activists - by: JessicaParkers

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:29 +0000

NHS 2This is what it looks like when a country labors for years under the weight of nationalized healthcare, realizes that it's financially unsustainable, and then tries to implement meaningful reforms.

Many of those on the receiving end of "free" healthcare won't like it. Not one bit. Just ask Britain's Health Secretary Andrew Lansley who, in the words of the Daily Mail, was "ambushed by a Left-wing activist" early Monday morning.

Protesters "jostled" Lansley as he arrived for the 10 Downing Street meeting. One particularly outspoken protester, June Hautot, 75, accused Lansley of trying to privatize the state-funded National Health Service.

"I’m not getting out of the way!" an agitated Hautot yelled at Lansley. "The waiting lists are going to go up, so you can wait!"

"I promise you, waiting times in the NHS are coming down," Lansley tried to reassure her, "it will not go private. The NHS is not for sale, there will be no privatisation."

Oh, wait. Surprise, surprise! Hautot is an ex-Unison trade union representative.

Yep. Unions.

After trying to speak a few words to the ex-union "firebrand," Lansley's entrance was momentarily blocked as he was booed and called a "traitor."

See the ITN News brief:

Why are these protesters and ex-union reps so hostile towards Lansley?

To answer that question, it's important to understand that there are two very different groups involved in this story.

The first group believes that, in regards to nationalized healthcare, there is no such thing as "free." In the long run, someone must pay for it. Therefore, this group has proposed reforms that would remove bureaucracy, give doctors more control, and trim spending by 80 billion pounds ($127 billion) by 2015.

And then there is the second group. This group believes top-down, government controls, such as the ones necessary for nationalized healthcare, are economically feasible, and that we can only know one thing about "the long run" (we die). This group also claims that the NHS reforms will “give private companies a bigger share of heath care and undermine the system's universality,” according to the Associated Press.

Which group do you think momentarily blocked Lansley from getting to his 10 Downing Street meeting?

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Also ReadYahoo News

Subject: Top Olympus executive found dead in India park: report - by: JessicaParkers

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:27 +0000

(Reuters) - A top executive of Japan's scandal-ridden Olympus Corp has been found dead in a park outside New Delhi, an apparent suicide, The Times of India said on Tuesday, quoting police.

Tsutomu Omori, 49, who was head of Olympus's medical equipment business in India, was found hanging from a boundary wall by a gardener in the park, which was part of an apartment complex in Gurgaon, just outside the capital, the daily said.

"Police have recovered two suicide notes written in Japanese. While one of them was meant for Omori's family, the other note only said "I am sorry for bothering you" in Japanese," the newspaper added.

(Editing by Michael Perry)

a0dcff7a558a129aab6c4e9ad7b8ed8aYahoo News

Subject: Compagni di viaggio - Ovunque 2012 - by: alexis13

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:21 +0000

ciao, io ho le tre settimane di agosto libere, e sto pensando a diverse alternative Vietnam/Cambogia/Malesia/Tanzania/Sudafrica - se ti pu interessare ciao, ti capisco!

Subject: Compagni di viaggio - Malesia e Indonesia da Luglio a Settembre 2012 - by: alexis13

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:21 +0000

Ciao, ti contatto pure io via mail.

Subject: Chinese group makes revised bid for Sweden's Saab: report - by: JannetK

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:16 +0000

Pang Qingnian, founder of the Youngman group, said the bid was made a week ago but declined to say how much it was worth.

Saab filed for bankruptcy in December.

According to the daily's sources the bid was worth 2 billion kronor (US$299 million). Youngman was also willing to invest 12 billion kronor in developing new models, the report said.

The Chinese group's interest in Saab was due to “the brand, new technology and safety (technology),” Pang said, noting that Youngman had earlier invested 47 million euros (US$62 million) in Saab.

Production as well as research and development was to remain in Trollhattan, Saab's main plant, in coming years, Pang said, but he admitted that it was problematic that many key employees had left the company.

The receivers handling the carmaker's bankruptcy estate were unavailable for comment, but have earlier said six or seven potential groups were interested in Saab.

Others mentioned in media reports included Turkey-based investment group Brightwell and Indian group Mahindra.

Youngman was in talks with the carmaker's Dutch owner, Swedish Automobile, until the Dec. 19 bankruptcy filing.

Swedish Automobile took over Saab from General Motors (GM) in 2010. GM still controls key technology used by Saab and maintains a say over any possible deals.

Pang said Youngman had contacted GM in 2008 about creating a joint venture in China with Saab “but GM said no since it already had two (Chinese) partners.”

From China Post

Subject: Chinese court rules shops should pull iPads - by: JannetK

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:13 +0000

Xie Xianghui, a lawyer for Shenzhen Proview Technology, said the Intermediate People's Court in Huizhou, a city in southern China's Guangdong province, had ruled on Friday that distributors should stop selling iPads in China.

The ruling, which was also reported widely in China's state media, may not have a far-reaching effect. In its battle with Apple, Proview is utilizing lawsuits in several places and also requesting commercial authorities in 40 cities to block iPad sales.

Apple Inc. said in a statement Monday that its case is still pending in mainland China. The company has appealed to Guangdong's High Court against an earlier ruling in Proview's favor.

Apple insists it holds the trademark rights to the iPad in China.

“We bought Proview's worldwide rights to the iPad trademark in 10 different countries several years ago. Proview refuses to honor their agreement with Apple in China and a Hong Kong court has sided with Apple in this matter,” said Apple spokeswoman Carolyn Wu.

Calls to the court in Huizhou rang unanswered.

A letter to Proview's chairman Rowell Yang from the Beijing office of the law firm King & Wood, which is representing Apple, accused Proview of breaching “principles of good faith and fair dealing” and of making “false and misleading” statements.

Proview, a maker of LCD screens which is based in Guangdong, has asked regulators to seize iPads in China in a possible prelude to demanding a payout from Apple. A Shanghai court is due to hear a similar case on Wednesday.

So far, iPads have been pulled from shelves in some Chinese cities but there has been no sign of action at the national level.

Shenzhen Proview Technology is a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Proview International Holdings. It registered the iPad trademark in China in 2001 and says the name was used for a computer described as an “Internet Personal Access Device” that employed touch panel technology.

The company says it plans to ask China's customs agency to block imports and exports of iPads.

Apple contends that it acquired the iPad name when it bought rights in various countries from a Proview affiliate in Taiwan in 2009 for 35,000 British pounds (US$55,000). Proview won a ruling from a mainland Chinese court in December that it was not bound by that sale.

Proview International's shares have been suspended from trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange since August 2010 and reports say it is deep in debt. It will be delisted in June if it cannot show it has sufficient assets, business operations and working capital.

Proview has filed a trademark-violation lawsuit that goes to court Wednesday in Shanghai. In the meantime, China's mass media is abuzz with speculation over the case.

“The iPad trademark case: Who cheated who?” quizzed a story in Monday's edition of the 21st Century Business Herald.

Apple, based in Cupertino, California, points to a Hong Kong court ruling in July that said Proview had acted with the intention of “injuring Apple.”

According to that ruling, Apple set up a company in Britain to buy the iPad trademark from owners in various markets without revealing Apple was the purchaser.

Proview has accused Apple of acting dishonestly when it bought rights to the iPad name from Proview's Taiwan affiliate. A Hong Kong court document shows that once the dispute arose, Proview demanded US$10 million for the iPad name in China. But Hong Kong's legal system is separate from the mainland's.

(Related story on page 8)

From China Post

Subject: Small-time lenders protest over gov't crackdown on informal loans in China - by: JannetK

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:11 +0000

BEIJING -- Ms. Zhang, a schoolteacher in the central city of Anyang, lent US$43,000 last year to entrepreneurs who couldn't get loans from state banks. Now as growth cools and Beijing cracks down on informal credit, Zhang and thousands of other small lenders are unpaid and angry.

Underground lending by ordinary Chinese like Zhang flourished over the past decade, providing trillions of yuan (hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars) needed by private companies that create China's new jobs and wealth.

Its popularity reflects public desperation for an alternative to China's banks, which pay low deposit rates that fail to keep up with inflation and channel savings to government companies.

But the high cost of underground credit — interest rates of 70 percent a year or higher — and a slump in global demand caused a wave of business failures last year, prompting owners in cities such as Wenzhou in the southeast to flee.

The shockwave is now hitting the Chinese savers who put up money for those loans. Protests erupted in Anyang and other areas as lenders demanded officials get back their money.

“We have no other investment options and bank interest rates are too low,” said Zhang, who asked not to be identified further. Hopes of getting back the 270,000 yuan (US$43,000) she lent are pinned on the courts so long as the government is willing to let a case proceed.

Rising defaults threaten to aggravate social tensions as the Communist Party tries to enforce calm ahead of a once-a-decade handover of power to a younger generation of leaders due late this year. The public already is fuming over inflation, corruption, product safety scandals and pollution.

Leaders including Premier Wen Jiabao, the top economic official, have repeatedly promised more credit for small companies. But most loans still go to state enterprises that have close ties with banks and form the power base of officials. Experts say there have been slight improvements but the situation hasn't changed fundamentally.

“It always has been hard for small Chinese companies to borrow money from banks,” said Guo Tianyong, director of the Banking Research Center at Beijing's Central University of Finance and Economics. He said the situation has worsened in the past year.

Entrepreneurs were struggling with slumping global demand when Beijing clamped down on a credit boom to cool its overheated economy. State banks cut the small amount of private sector lending they were doing while continuing support to state industry. Private companies failed and the survivors cut payrolls.

Only 19 percent of bank lending last year went to small businesses, while total loans fell 6 percent from 2010 to 7.5 trillion yuan (US$1.2 trillion), according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

The underground credit market is estimated by China's central bank and private sector analysts at 2 to 4 trillion yuan (US$325 to US$650 billion), or as much as 7 percent of total lending. In some areas, informal lending exceeds that of official banks.

The communist government allowed it to grow over the past decade, apparently seeing it as necessary to support entrepreneurs.

Borrowers range from manufacturers and traders to real estate developers who want to evade credit curbs imposed to cool surging housing prices. Middlemen, some of them state companies, put borrowers in touch with lenders for a fee.

Yao Yafei, a manager of a chemical company with 20 employees in the central city of Linfen in Shanxi province, said it has used informal lenders since 2004. He said that in its latest round, the company borrowed 500,000 yuan (US$80,000) in July and repaid it two months later with 2 percent monthly interest.

From China Post

Subject: China's central bank vows 'prudent' inflation - by: JannetK

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:09 +0000

Updated Tuesday, February 21, 2012 0:05 am TWN, By Wang Xiaotian, China Daily/Asia News Network

“The pressures of slowing growth and rising inflation exist at the same time. The monetary stance will remain prudent,” Jin Qi, assistant governor of the People's Bank of China, said in a statement published on the bank's website.

The remarks came a day after the central bank announced it will lower the reserve requirement on commercial lenders, for the second time in three months, to inject more liquidity into the system.

The central bank has to be cautious due to the uncertain global outlook and ongoing domestic economic development, Jin said.

The central bank said on Saturday that it will cut the reserve requirement ratio, or the proportion of money that lenders must set aside as reserve, by 50 basis points, effective from Feb. 24.

Before the announcement, the reserve for major lenders stood at 21 percent. The move was expected to add about 400 billion yuan (US$65.5 billion) to the market.

It followed a cut in the reserve requirement in December by 50 basis points. That cut was the first since December 2008.

The bank had hiked the reserve requirement six times last year in a bid to soak up liquidity and tackle inflation.

Lu Zhengwei, chief economist at the Industrial Bank, said the reserve cut was within expectations and was a response to tight liquidity.

“And it may be a start for several adjustments in the future.”

However, this does not signify interest rates will be cut, he said.

“Cutting the reserve requirement doesn't necessarily mean a loosening monetary stance. And there is no likelihood of an interest rate cut in the short term as the central bank is guarding against further inflationary pressure.”

GDP registered 8.9 percent year-on-year growth in the fourth quarter of 2011, the slowest pace since the first half of 2009. But the consumer price index rose 4.5 percent in January after its growth declined for five months.

First quarter lending is usually higher than for the rest of the year, Zuo Xiaolei, chief economist at China Galaxy Securities, said.

Yuan positions for foreign exchange purchases, an indicator of capital flow, fell for the first time in four years in October, and declined again in November and December.

“As the trade surplus shrinks, foreign direct investment slows down and yuan holdings moderate, there will be more space for further cuts and the reserve requirement could fall by 2 to 3 percentage points over the year,” Guo Tianyong, director of the Central University of Finance and Economics' research center, said.

Exports and imports fell for the first time in two years in January and new lending was at its lowest level, during the same period, in five years.

The broad measure of money supply, M2, which covers cash in circulation and deposits, grew by 12.4 percent year-on-year by the end of January, the lowest since June 2001.

The central bank said last week that it will maintain an appropriate lending growth and keep total financing at a “reasonable” level.

A mix of policy tools, including interest rates, will be used to maintain reasonable credit growth and curb inflation, it said.

The central bank is allowing the nation's five biggest lenders to increase first-quarter lending by a maximum of about 5 percent from a year earlier, according to a Bloomberg report quoting two anonymous workers at State lenders.

From China Post

Subject: Tibetans rally to stop removal of immolated body: activists - by: JannetK

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:06 +0000

Eighteen-year-old Nangdrol self-immolated on Sunday outside his monastery in Aba county, where most of the immolations have occurred, the Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet said. The group said Nangdrol shouted slogans for Tibetan independence and for the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan leader exiled in India for a half-century and reviled by China.

Nangdrol's is the latest in what seem to be increasing numbers of immolations that have galvanized other monks and lay people to protest Chinese government controls over Tibetan society and the Buddhist religion.

Following Nangdrol's death, police demanded that his body be handed over, but monks at his Samdrup Norbu Ling monastery refused, the international campaign said, citing Tibetan monks based in India. More than 1,000 people gathered at the monastery overnight to stand guard over the body, it said.

Chinese security has cut off access to Tibetan areas, making it virtually impossible to independently confirm such acts. Calls to local government and Communist Party offices rang unanswered on Monday.

Blame, Discouragement of Immolation

China blames Dalai Lama supporters for encouraging the self-immolations and other anti-government protests that have brought further repressive measures, and in some cases police shootings that have led to the deaths of an unknown number of Tibetans.

However, the self-declared Tibetan government-in-exile has issued statements discouraging self-immolation, including a statement Saturday expressing concern and shock and saying that any protests should be peaceful, dignified and “in accordance with the laws of your country.”

Activists say Tibetans are being pushed into ever-more radical acts because of intense pressure from China's police and military, who maintain a highly visible presence in towns and occupy monasteries while forcing monks to endure hours of political indoctrination at the expense of their religious studies.

To tamp down on the unrest, Chinese authorities have widened detentions, in recent weeks detaining not only monks but also cultural figures and Tibetans who recently returned home after traveling to India to attend teachings by the Dalai Lama.

Chinese police last Wednesday took Tibetan writer Gangkye Drubpa Kyab from his home in Serthar, another restive Sichuan province county near Aba, the Norway-based Voice of Tibet reported over the weekend.

From China Post

Subject: Lantern Festival sees record 12 mil. visitors - by: varins

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:06 +0000

As a result of active promotion by the Tourism Bureau, the Taiwan Lantern Festival has become the most internationalized event of the annual lantern festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month.

This year more than 100 reporters and photographers of over 70 international news media from Japan, Korea, the U.S., Southeast Asia and Europe came to Taiwan to cover the event at the invitation of the bureau, significantly boosting Taiwan's global profile and visibility. In addition, the festival attracted a record number of 29,219 foreign visitors, making the annual Taiwan Lantern Festival, which was been rated as one of the best festivities in the world, shine brilliantly again.

During the 14-day run, a record number of some 12 million visitors swarmed into the Lugang Township that was decorated as a lantern township integrating the robust local cultures and a wide variety of unique lantern works, generating handsome business opportunities and contributing greatly to the growth of the tourism industry in Changhua County.

After the end of the annual event, the Main Theme Lantern “Soaring Dragon in Radiant Skies” will be kept by the Changhua county government. In addition, of the four secondary theme lanterns, the “Heavenly Holly Mother(Mazu)” will be maintained by the Lugang Mazu Temple; the “Leaping the Dragon Gate” will be kept by the Dapeng Bay National Scenic Area Administration; the “Brilliant Deer” will be treasured by the Taiwan Mirror Glass Enterprise Ltd.; and the “Bisi Bearing Fortune” will be placed at the a Taoist temple in Shetou Township of Changhua County, according to the Tourism Bureau.

The 2013 Taiwan Lantern Festival will be held in Hsinchu County, northern Taiwan.

From China Post

Subject: Flailing Tang files to join HK leadership race - by: JannetK

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:04 +0000

Henry Tang submitted his nomination papers amid a blaze of media lights just days after revelations of an illegal underground den at his wife's upmarket house threw his campaign into disarray.

The scion of a wealthy family was widely believed to have Beijing's backing to replace outgoing leader Donald Tsang as Hong Kong's chief executive, until last week's scandal blew the race wide open.

Tang on Thursday admitted he new about the illegal underground entertainment area in an upmarket home he shares with his wife, Lisa Kuo, but blamed her for ordering its construction without his permission.

“I admit there are many negative issues about me recently ... All of them are related to my family,” he told reporters after formally presenting his nomination papers.

“I admit I didn't handle them well. I wanted to protect (my family) but it hurts them even more and people are questioning my credibility.”

He said he expected more “negative news” and promised to face it “bravely,” a possible reference to rumors published in the media on Monday that he had dated the young daughter of a local politician.

Tang's campaign started late last year with a public admission that he had cheated on Kuo, his wife 27 years. He has also been criticized for avoiding debates with his opponents and delaying the release of his policy plans.

But the 59-year-old brushed off the criticism, saying he wanted to focus on his “experience, ideas and manifesto” rather than his personal problems and political missteps.

“I won't give up. I hope everyone will support me and give me a chance to serve Hong Kong,” Tang added.

A University of Hong Kong opinion poll released Sunday showed 51.3 percent of the 516 people surveyed thought Tang should abandon his campaign.

“All figures show that Tang's scandal has taken a big toll on his credibility, it may be unwise for him to stay in the race,” poll director Robert Chung told the Sunday Morning Post, which commissioned the survey.

“There is no doubt that public anger is on the rise. I personally do not find any effective damage control taken by Tang, so I still think the worst is yet to come.”

Tang was the second candidate to submit his nomination papers after Albert Ho, from the pro-democracy camp. Tang's main rival, Leung Chun-ying, the front-runner in opinion polls, has yet to nominate himself.

The nomination period ends on Feb. 29.

Public opinion counts for little under Hong Kong's “One Country Two Systems” arrangement with mainland China, whereby the former British colony enjoys broad freedoms but does not get to choose its own leader by popular vote.

The chief executive is chosen by a 1,200-member electoral committee packed with pro-Beijing social and business elites.

From China Post

Subject: NTU dean criticizes admission system - by: varins

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:04 +0000

Yang Pan-chyr (楊泮池) , dean of the NTU College of Medicine and a professor of internal medicine, said even if he were to apply for admission now under the so-called “admission by application or school recommendation”system, he would not get admitted.

In response to Yang's comments, the country's highest authorities in charge of higher education rejected Yang's observations, insisting that the current system is impartial.

The System at Fault

Bucking the commonly accepted wisdom that the “admission by application or school recommendation” system is an improvement over the so-called “joint university entrance examination system” practised in the country until 2002, Yang called for a larger quota of admission places for students who do well in written, specific-subjects examinations.

Proposals and Counterproposals

This is what the NTU Department of Medicine should be doing in the fulfillment of its social obligations,” Yang said, adding at least 70 percent of the department's freshmen each year should be those who score the highest marks in written, specific-subjects examinations, while people who get admitted by recommendation of application should make up no more than 30 percent of each freshmen class.

At present, an increasing percentage of students are admitted through the “application or recommendation system,”and their ratio may increase to a whopping 70 percent in certain subject areas, according to a report in the Monday, Feb. 20, Chinese-language United Evening News newspaper.

From China Post

Subject: Man indicted for charging phone at MRT - by: varins

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:16:01 +0000

This is not a groundless warning, as a man, surnamed Wang, was just indicted by Shilin District Prosecutors' Office for committing the crime of stealing public electricity last year by charging his mobile phone via an electric socket at the MRT Tamshui Station.

A patrol police found Wang's illegal practice and then handed him over to the Shilin District Prosecutors' Office for prosecution.

Wang reasoned that he didn't know it's an illegal practice to charge his mobile phone at an MRT's power socket, and therefore “unknowingly” violated the law.

But prosecutors refuted Wang's saying and indicted him, on grounds that all the power sockets at MRT stations bear two Chinese characters denoting that use of the sockets is forbidden. The heaviest punishment on such an illegal practice is five years in prison, according to the Criminal Code.

In fact, Wang's case was not the first one of its kind. In 2006, a woman, surnamed Lee, was caught for charging her mobile phone via a power socket at the Taipei Main Railway Station for eight minutes in 2006.

Lee was handed over to the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office, which finally ruled to impose a fine of NT$21,000 on her, translating into a “price” of NT$2,600 per minute.

In recent years, the government has worked hard to upgrade the software and hardware facilities at airports to provide passengers with free charging service. Although such free service is available at high-speed railway stations, and some Taiwan Railway stations such as Banqiao, Songshan, Taichung, Kaohsiung, Yilan, and Taitung, such service is not offered at the Taipei Main Railway Station or any MRT stations.

Officials with the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp. said that as the MRT system is powered by electricity, it must to prohibit passengers from using power sockets at MRT stations lest any short circuit should occur to affect normal operation of MRT trains.

From China Post

Subject: Civil groups warn of action on imported beef - by: varins

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:15:59 +0000

Updated Tuesday, February 21, 2012 0:05 am TWN, By Grace Soong, The China Post

Instead of setting forth a petition for a referendum against the case — which the Foundation had attempted in 2009, against import of U.S. bone-in beef, but had failed — the CF decided to visit legislators and persuade them against the case one by one, according to CF Chairperson Joann Su (蘇錦霞).

Ju Tseng-hong (朱增宏), CEO of the Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST, 動物社會研究會), suggested that the government should open their discussions on the subject to public surveillance. Premier Sean Chen (陳冲) had claimed to “respect professionals” on the topic and had even proposed that a debate session should perhaps be convened to gather public opinion; no information or follow-ups on either suggestion had been released, however, Ju asserted.

Also anxious over the situation is Ho Tsung-hsun (何宗勳) of the Life Conservation Association (LCA, 關懷生命協會). Ho asserted yesterday that if the government insisted on doing things their way, disregarding what the public has to say, the association would consider initiating disruptive social movements to raise awareness.

To The Streets On March 5: Swine Association

Led by Director of the Republic of China Swine Association (中華民國養豬協會) Yang Kuan-chang (楊冠章) a total of 13 heads within the association visited Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Bao-ji (陳保基), yesterday.

Despite having conversed with Chen, Yang insisted that the group would stage a protest in Taipei on March 5, which they hope would be attended by some 10,000 people.

The Association has always been against the use of leanness enhancing substances, he pointed out. However, “the government's attitude is sketchy this time,” Yang commented, reasoning that they must protest to the end.

Chen Should Watch it: Lawmakers

Lawmakers of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) asserted yesterday that the Agriculture Minister should watch what he says and only speak after policies have been comprehensively formed.

Chen had phoned a political talk show during its call-in hour last week and commented on the U.S. beef issue. Instead of attempting to persuade talk show hosts, the minister should be communicating with lawmakers, KMT Legislator Sun Ta-chien (孫大千) said. He also emphasized that seeing how policies on the issue remain uncertain at this stage, Chen's remarks were premature.

From China Post

Subject: Economic forum to discuss Asia's transformation, growth in Taipei - by: varins

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:15:57 +0000

Thirty one political leaders and economics experts from nine countries have been invited to share their views at the two-day event. President Ma Ying-jeou is scheduled to give the opening remarks.

Murray Sherwin, chairman of New Zealand's Productivity Commission, will talk about how his country has developed its unique advantages.

Meanwhile, Hyun Oh-seok, president of Korean Development Institute, and Wu Homou, executive dean of National School of Development of Peking University, will discuss economic development factors in East Asia.

The Chinese-language CommonWealth Magazine in Taipei will host the forum for the third consecutive year.

From China Post

Subject: Q4 balance of payments surplus at US$210 mil.: Taiwan central bank - by: varins

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:15:54 +0000

During the period, Taiwan posted a current account surplus of US$12.1 billion, and net financial outflow of US$12.28 billion.

For the whole year of 2011, Taiwan had balance of payments surplus of US$6.24 billion, current account surplus of US$41.27 billion and net financial outflow of US$31.62 billion.

Balance of payments accounts are an accounting record of all monetary transactions between a country and the rest of the world. These transactions include payments for the country's exports and imports of goods, services, financial capital, and financial transfers.

The balance of payments accounts summarize international transactions for a specific period, usually a year, and are prepared in a single currency.

From China Post

Subject: US dollar sheds NT$0.029 on local forex to end trade at NT$29.554 - by: varins

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:15:52 +0000

Turnover totaled US$516 million during the trading session.

The greenback opened at the day's high of NT$29.585, off a low of NT$29.460 before rebounding.

From China Post

Subject: Taipei breaches top 10 Asian expensive cities list: survey - by: varins

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:15:49 +0000

Taipei climbed four spots from its 2010 ranking in Asia and shot up nine notches from 52nd to 43rd globally, the ECA International survey showed.

It is the first time that Taipei has been listed among the 10 most expensive cities in Asia since the survey was first conducted in 1996.

The survey, carried out in September 2011, showed that the average monthly rent for a three-bedroom, unfurnished apartment in Taipei was about US$3,200.

This represented a 16 percent annual increase, the ECA survey showed.

The cost of rented housing in Taipei is approximately the same as in many big cities in the United States such as Boston and Miami, according to the survey that covers more than 130 cities globally.

However, Taipei still remains competitive since its other economic indices such as inflation and unemployment are at “healthy” levels, according to Quane Lee, ECA International's regional director for Asia.

Hong Kong was listed as the most expensive city both regionally and globally in terms of high-end apartment rentals, followed by Tokyo.

Rounding out the top 10 list in Asia were Singapore, Mumbai, Seoul, Shanghai, New Delhi, Beijing, Taipei and Jakarta, in that order.

From China Post

Subject: Kuo brothers leave Groupon for start-ups - by: varins

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:15:47 +0000

The two, Kuo Shu-chi and Kuo Chia-chi, are planning to launch five new websites in two years, they said.

The brothers founded atlaspost to connect people with each other through maps on the Internet. Due to the site's success, it became a group purchase website and was targeted by Groupon, a deal-of-the-day website based in the United States. Atlaspost was then sold to Groupon in 2010, which has also gained popularity in Taiwan.

Yet after staying at Groupon Taiwan for a year, the adventurous duo decided to leave the company to start up their own business again. On Feb. 17, the older brother Kuo Shu-chi quit as Groupon Taiwan's chairman and president, and the younger brother Kuo Chia-chi quit as the operating officer of the firm, which has a staff size of 220.

The two, as well as their wives, are now part of the “Kuo Brothers Entrepreneurial Co.,” an Internet-based start-up company.

The site will not deal with group purchases and will rather focus on things that Netizens can do with photos, said Liao Chia-hsin, the older Kuo's wife who is the new company's spokesperson. The family has rented an office space inside the Nangang Software Park and will move into the office in April, she said.

From China Post

Subject: UK luxury developer eyes Taiwanese buyers - by: varins

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:15:45 +0000

Past buyers of UK luxury mansions were usually those from Hong Kong and Singapore, said Robert Collins, chief of Savills' Asia-Pacific luxury sales unit. Yet recently more and more Chinese, Thai and Malaysians have entered UK real estate as well, he said.

Chu Hsing-er, chairwoman of Savills Taiwan, said UK developers are also eyeing Taiwan buyers, whose purchase power has been on the rise.

For the Taiwanese, London real estate's selling point is the depreciating pound, which has devalued 30 percent since 2007 against the New Taiwan dollar, Chu said.

London has more home demand than supply, and the price has further room to grow, she said.

The UK capital is a world financial center and has abundant people with housing and rental needs, she said, adding that many parents purchase London homes for their kids studying abroad there, and lease or sell them after they graduate.

The apartments on sale this time range from 23 to 58 ping, with two to three rooms and priced between NT$90 million and NT$160 million. Each ping is 3.3 square meters. Each apartment carries a right of usage of 999 years.

Simon Capp, who represents the developer, said luxury mansions in UK are not evaluated by their size but by their location, quality and interior decor. Luxury apartments are mostly located in the heart of a city and have easy access to public transportation and retail sh

From China Post

Subject: TAIEX up 60 points on lower Chinese reserve ratio - by: varins

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:15:42 +0000

The rally also had to do with China's move to lower banks' required reserves ratio. The move is expected to free up more money to drive up consumption and investment.

At the end of the session, the TAIEX closed at 7,954.82, up 60.46 points, on trade volume of NT$104.15 billion.

Institutional investors were all on the buy side, with foreign investors, investment trusts and securities firms net-buying NT$1 billion, NT$491 million and NT$428 million, respectively, translating into total net purchase of NT$2.019 billion.

Under the new system that took effect yesterday, the Taiwan Stock Exchange simulates highest buy prices and lowest sell prices and provides that information to investors every 20 seconds during the last five minutes of trading, from 1:25 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

If a stock shows price variance of over 3.5 percent between the current simulation and the one immediately preceding it, then trading of that stock will end at 1:33 p.m.

If this happens, the entire bourse will close at 1:33 p.m. Otherwise, the market will end at its usual time of 1:30 p.m.

During the extra three minutes, investors will still be allowed to make adjustments or cancellations of their buy or sell orders. The measure aims to protect investors during the final minutes of trading, when institutional investors use various maneuvers to drastically lift or lower stock prices.

Yesterday, two stocks, Huang Pu Construction and Softstar Entertainment, saw trading end at 1:33 p.m., causing the whole TAIEX to close at that time.

With the TAIEX enjoying a winning streak lately, most analysts are holding the view that volatility will prevail in the market in the near future.

According to most analysts, after the TAIEX had surpassed 8,000 recently, a correction in the short-term will be inevitable, and investors should focus on stocks' fundamentals when making a move.

Tsai Yen-cheng, fund manager with Capital Securities, said various positive economic developments are conducive to a rally in the long term. These developments include the prospect the U.S. economy will fall to a bottom in the first quarter, and a turnaround of Taiwan's real estate market.

Yet, many stocks have price-earnings (PE) ratio of above 20, Tsai warned. These stocks, as well as those lacking solid fundamentals, may take the hit first when a correction comes along, he said.

What investors should do is to strike a balance between the information technology (IT) and traditional shares in their portfolios, at the same time placing a focus on shares with low PE ratios yet strong growth potential, he said.

Lu Chien-liang, fund manager with Taishin Securities, said stock volatility will intensify given various negative factors. Yet in the long term, the local and international business climate is conducive to trading, he said.

From China Post

Subject: Document Moved - by: viasend

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 07:15:41 +0000