Forex / Asia news

TOKYO (Thomson Financial) - The dollar edged higher against the yen as investors reacted negatively to Japanese corporates capital expenditure plans in the Bank of Japan's June quarter Tankan survey of business sentiment released earlier Monday.The survey showed capex for non-financial firms is projected to rise 3...

TOKYO (Thomson Financial) - The domestic supply and demand conditions indices, which measure the number of companies expecting supply shortages minus the number expecting oversupply, were mixed in the second quarter, according to the results of the Bank of Japan's quarterly Tankan survey of business conditions...

TOKYO (Thomson Financial) - The production capacity diffusion indices, which measure the number of companies that believe they have excess production capacity minus those that believe they have too little, had a mixed trend in the past quarter, according to the Bank of Japan's latest Tankan survey of business sentiment...

TOKYO (Thomson Financial) - The inventory level index for large firms, which measures the number of firms that see excessive inventory less those which see shortage showed a mixed trend, according to the Bank of Japan's latest Tankan quarterly survey...

TOKYO (Thomson Financial) - Business confidence among Japan's large manufacturers was steady in the second quarter, having declined in the first, according to the results of the Bank of Japan's quarterly Tankan survey.The diffusion index of sentiment among large manufacturers was plus 23 last month, unchanged from March...

TOKYO (Thomson Financial) - The procurement price index for large manufacturers, which measures the number of firms that see procurement prices rising minus those that expect price declines, deteriorated broadly due to the renewed surge in prices of crude oil and basic materials, according to the Bank of Japan's latest Tankan survey of business conditions...

TOKYO (Thomson Financial) - The combined current profit of parent firms across all industries is seen falling 0.3 pct in the currentyear to March 2008, a reversal from the 1.6 pct rise seen in the March poll, according to the Bank of Japan's latest Tankan quarterly survey...

BEIJING (Thomson Financial) - The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China has said China must ensure a new law to help workers is respected, because the effect of similar legislation in the past has been "non-existent".A controversial bill on contract labor approved Friday will safeguard job conditions, but it must be enforced, the chamber said in a written statement...

HONG KONG (Thomson Financial) - Hong Kong celebrated today 10 years under Chinese rule with pomp and circumstance, but tens of thousands of pro-democracy campaigners also gathered to call for sweeping political reform.Hong Kong's chief executive, Donald Tsang and his new cabinet were sworn in before Chinese President Hu Jintao at the start of a day jam-packed with events to mark the anniversary of the handover of what had up July 1, 1997 been a colony of the UK...

BRUSSELS (Thomson Financial) - EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson said he is "disappointed" that trade talks between the 'G4' of the US, the EU, Brazil and India collapsed in the German city of Potsdam last week.Speaking in Paris, Mandelson said: "I am disappointed that the talks...

NEW YORK (AP) - The dollar fell against the euro and most other key currencies Friday, a day after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged.In late New York trading, the 13-nation euro rose to $1.3535 from $1.3432 late Thursday. The British pound continued to trade above the $2 mark, rising to $2...

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - The dollar weakened against the euro and pound after consumer spending data in the US fell more than expected, but the continuing risk appetite for the high-risk carry trade left the US currency stronger against the yen and Swiss franc...

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - The euro rose after firm data from the single currency zone reinforced expectations that the European Central Bank may lift borrowing costs at least twice more this year.The European Commission said its euro zone economic sentiment indicator for June eased to 111...

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - The dollar was steady, failing to make much headway after the Federal Reserve last night continued to highlight inflation risks, while the yen was under pressure after data showed Japanese core CPI inflation declined again in May...

BEIJING (Thomson Financial) - China will raise its minimum wages this year to offset the rise in food prices, the Ministry of Labor and Social Securities said.It said local governments should raise the wages before the end of 2007 in regions where salaries have risen slowly or are markedly lower than the national average...

NEW YORK (AP) - The dollar traded mixed Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged but offered a wary outlook on inflation.In late New York trading, the British pound rose to $2.0018 from $1.9978 late Wednesday, while the euro fell to $1...

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration said Thursday it had reached agreement with the government of Colombia on amendments to address concerns about worker rights and the environment in a pending free trade agreement.It marked the second successful conclusion to negotiations this week...

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - The dollar was steady ahead of a US interest rate decision later today, with the market focusing on the accompanying comments from Federal Reserve policy-makers.The Federal Open Markets Committee is widely tipped to leave its key Federal Funds rate unchanged at 5...

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - The pound stayed firm above the 2 usd level, boosted by a pair of strong house price surveys and shrugging off dovish comments from members of the Monetary Policy Committee.Speaking before the influential Treasury Select Committee, three of the five Bank of England policy-makers who voted to keep rates on hold at their June meeting said they hadn't seen enough data to convince them that a rate hike was necessary...

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court is expected to rule tomorrow on a key antitrust case that could limit the ability of smaller retailers to offer lower prices.The justices will decide whether to overturn a 96-year old Supreme Court decision that ruled all minimum price agreements between retailers and manufacturers are illegal under antitrust law...