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Print - 2010-08-18
New Indian cotton policy may benefit Pakistan

New Indian cotton policy may benefit Pakistan

India has allowed cotton exports without mandatory licences, but the registration process will be required, a government notification said on Tuesday. The notification said the above will come into effect from October 1, 2010, when the cotton year begins.
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Activities at Karachi and Qasim ports

Activities at Karachi and Qasim ports

The Karachi Port handled 110,025 tonnes of cargo including 49,606 tonnes of import cargo, 60,419 tonnes of export cargo, 5,555 loaded and empty containers during last 24 hours ended at 0700 hours on Tuesday. The total import cargo of 49,606 tonnes compris
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
New Indian cotton policy may benefit Pakistan

New Indian cotton policy may benefit Pakistan

India has allowed cotton exports without mandatory licences, but the registration process will be required, a government notification said on Tuesday. The notification said the above will come into effect from October 1, 2010, when the cotton year begins.
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Canadian canola futures higher

Canadian canola futures higher

ICE Canadian canola futures ended sharply higher on Monday with support from strong technicals and exporter interest, traders said. Wet, cooler weekend weather in parts of Canadian Prairies also spurred some short-covering - trader. Canola up despite nega
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
New Indian cotton policy may benefit Pakistan

New Indian cotton policy may benefit Pakistan

India has allowed cotton exports without mandatory licences, but the registration process will be required, a government notification said on Tuesday. The notification said the above will come into effect from October 1, 2010, when the cotton year begins.
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
'Argentina's soyaoil sales up despite China'

'Argentina's soyaoil sales up despite China'

Argentina's soyaoil exports continue to rise despite an import stop by key customer China, Hamburg-based oilseeds analysts Oil World said on Tuesday. But some sales have been made at lower prices than rival producers Brazil and the United States, Oil Worl
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
July current account deficit amounts to $635 million

July current account deficit amounts to $635 million

The country registered current account deficit $635 million during July 2010, the first month of the current fiscal year. The State Bank of Pakistan on Tuesday said that the country''s current account deficit had dipped by 1.5 percent or $10 million, to $
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
European droughts to boost soya demand: Oil World

European droughts to boost soya demand: Oil World

Global demand for soyabeans, soyaoil and soyameal is likely to rise as traditional consumers of drought-damaged oilseed crops in Europe seek alternatives, Hamburg-based oilseeds analysts Oil World forecast on Tuesday. "The global dependence on soyabeans w
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
July current account deficit amounts to $635 million

July current account deficit amounts to $635 million

The country registered current account deficit $635 million during July 2010, the first month of the current fiscal year. The State Bank of Pakistan on Tuesday said that the country's current account deficit had dipped by 1.5 percent or $10 million, to $6
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Vietnam coffee prices higher

Vietnam coffee prices higher

Coffee prices in Vietnam edged up on Tuesday due to thin stocks and a rise in the global market, and traders said any sharp gain will be capped as the ongoing spate of low rains would not hurt the 2010/11 crop. In the top coffee-growing province of Daklak
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
July current account deficit amounts to $635 million

July current account deficit amounts to $635 million

The country registered current account deficit $635 million during July 2010, the first month of the current fiscal year. The State Bank of Pakistan on Tuesday said that the country's current account deficit had dipped by 1.5 percent or $10 million, to $6
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Ukraine plans to export more than half barley and wheat

Ukraine plans to export more than half barley and wheat

Ukraine plans to more than halve its barley and wheat exports in the current season compared with last year, an industry source said on Tuesday, after severe winter frosts and a scorching summer ruined tracts of its crops. Ukraine, the world's largest exp
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Projects under PSDP 2010-11: P&D division gets power to release funds

Projects under PSDP 2010-11: P&D division gets power to release funds

The government has authorised the Planning and Development Division to release funds for development projects under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2010-11 to avoid delay in fund releases. The government has notified procedures regarding the ne
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
US wheat futures fall to the lowest levels in two weeks

US wheat futures fall to the lowest levels in two weeks

US wheat futures prices fell on Monday to their lowest levels in more than two weeks as traders locked in profits after a forecast for rain in northern Russia gave hope for some relief from a drought that devastated Black Sea region crops and sent wheat p
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Projects under PSDP 2010-11: P&D division gets power to release funds

Projects under PSDP 2010-11: P&D division gets power to release funds

The government has authorised the Planning and Development Division to release funds for development projects under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2010-11 to avoid delay in fund releases. The government has notified procedures regarding the ne
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Oil cake market rates

Oil cake market rates

Rising trend was seen on the forward cottonseed oil cake market on Tuesday in the process of trading, dealers said. The July contract that ended at Rs 995.40 opened with a rise of 80 paisa at Rs 996.20, dealers said. The December vaida which closed at Rs
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Projects under PSDP 2010-11: P&D division gets power to release funds

Projects under PSDP 2010-11: P&D division gets power to release funds

The government has authorised the Planning and Development Division to release funds for development projects under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2010-11 to avoid delay in fund releases. The government has notified procedures regarding the ne
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Spot rate, lint prices moderately higher on cotton market

Spot rate, lint prices moderately higher on cotton market

Firmness prevailed on the cotton market on Tuesday as several mills covered their short-term position despite the upward trend in the prices, dealers said. The Karachi Cotton Association (KCA) official spot rate's overnight losses were recovered after rai
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
DHAKA: The average price of Bangladeshi teas rose 5.87 percent to 171.35 taka ($2.47) per kg at the weekly auction on Tuesday, brokers said. More than 1.4 million kg were sold at the auction, but 4.47 percent of the offers were taken back as some plainer

DHAKA: The average price of Bangladeshi teas rose 5.87 percent to 171.35 taka ($2.47) per kg at the weekly auction on Tuesday, brokers said. More than 1.4 million kg were sold at the auction, but 4.47 percent of the offers were taken back as some plainer

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Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Slow activity witnessed on grain market

Slow activity witnessed on grain market

Small business was seen on the wholesale grain and seed market on Tuesday as many traders did not take interest in new purchasing due to higher rates, dealers said. On the cereal side, gur low type rose by Rs 100 to Rs 7400 while the best type lost Rs 400
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Japan to mull new stimulus as yen threatens recovery

Japan to mull new stimulus as yen threatens recovery

Japan's government will consider further stimulus steps, potentially making it the first developed country to turn to additional fiscal spending since the global crisis, as a strengthening yen threatens its faltering recovery. But the additional stimulus
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Hong Kong tycoon buys prime land for top dollar

Hong Kong tycoon buys prime land for top dollar

Hong Kong's richest man, Li Ka-shing, snapped up two prime residential sites Tuesday for prices well above market estimates, despite government measures to cool the overheating property market. Li's Cheung Kong (Holdings) bought a 7,551-square-metre water
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
China boosts yuan's overseas use by opening bond market

China boosts yuan's overseas use by opening bond market

China took a new step on Tuesday to promote the yuan beyond its borders, in a strategic initiative aimed to raise the global profile of the currency while retaining capital controls to shield its economy from speculators. China will allow yuan accumulated
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Canada's factory sales eke out tiny gain

Canada's factory sales eke out tiny gain

Canadian manufacturing sales unexpectedly edged higher by 0.1 percent in June as gains in the paper industry and a handful of other sectors offset slowing demand for exports like energy products and autos. Nine industries reported sales growth in the mont
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Home Depot sees profit growth despite weaker demand

Home Depot sees profit growth despite weaker demand

Home Depot Inc still sees room for profit growth this year as consumers take up long-delayed maintenance and repair projects for their homes, even if a return to bigger renovations will have to wait. The company posted a higher-than-expected quarterly pro
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Home Depot sees profit growth despite weaker demand

Home Depot sees profit growth despite weaker demand

Home Depot Inc still sees room for profit growth this year as consumers take up long-delayed maintenance and repair projects for their homes, even if a return to bigger renovations will have to wait. The company posted a higher-than-expected quarterly pro
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
British recovery will be 'choppy', admits Osborne

British recovery will be 'choppy', admits Osborne

Britain's economic recovery is likely to be "choppy" but the coalition government will pursue its course of deep cuts in public spending, finance minister George Osborne vowed Tuesday. Slashing the record 154.7-billion-pound (188-billion-euro, 242-billion
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
India's export growth slows

India's export growth slows

India's export growth slowed sharply in July on weakening demand from Western markets, government figures showed Tuesday, and the pace could slacken further with the global recovery faltering. India's exports rose in July by 13.2 per cent to 16.24 billion
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
India to drag US to WTO over visa fee hike

India to drag US to WTO over visa fee hike

India said Tuesday it may take the United States to the World Trade Organisation over a "protectionist" US move to hike work visa fees that will hit the country's flagship outsourcing sector. The new law earmarks funds from the visa fee hike to pay for th
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Wal-Mart sales dip

Wal-Mart sales dip

Wal-Mart Stores Inc posted its fifth-consecutive quarterly drop in US same-store sales and said it would focus on curbing expenses to help boost profits this year as consumer sentiment remains soft. The world's largest retailer posted a higher-than-expect
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
US home building up, output rises

US home building up, output rises

New US home building rose at a much weaker pace than expected in July and permits hit a 14-month low, though sturdy growth in industrial output implied the economy has enough strength to keep growing. Tuesday's mixed batch of data also showed a tick up in
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Court approves payout to Magna chairman

Court approves payout to Magna chairman

A Canadian judge approved on Tuesday a plan by Magna International to pay founder Frank Stronach close to a billion dollars in exchange for giving up control of the auto parts giant he started from scratch as a young Austrian immigrant to Canada.
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Ireland, Spain debt auctions ease eurozone nerves

Ireland, Spain debt auctions ease eurozone nerves

Irish and Spanish debt auctions attracted strong demand on Tuesday and allayed concerns about the pressure on costs of funding for eurozone countries saddled with high debt and poor growth. Irish debt spreads fell from three-month highs and the cost of pr
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Ireland, Spain debt auctions ease eurozone nerves

Ireland, Spain debt auctions ease eurozone nerves

Irish and Spanish debt auctions attracted strong demand on Tuesday and allayed concerns about the pressure on costs of funding for eurozone countries saddled with high debt and poor growth. Irish debt spreads fell from three-month highs and the cost of pr
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Taiwan parliament passes historic China trade pact

Taiwan parliament passes historic China trade pact

Taiwan's parliament Tuesday approved a historic but controversial trade deal with China which is expected to bring the two former rivals closer than ever before. Getting the Taiwanese legislature's approval was seen as crucial in terms of securing legitim
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Vietnam devalues currency 2.1 percent

Vietnam devalues currency 2.1 percent

Vietnam devalued its currency by 2.1 percent on Tuesday in a bid to control its trade deficit, the State Bank of Vietnam said. The new average interbank rate - effective Wednesday - will be 18,932 dong per United States dollar, compared with 18,544 previo
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Foreign investment in China soars

Foreign investment in China soars

China drew 29 percent more foreign direct investment (FDI) in July than a year earlier, with global firms still flocking to the country to build factories and set up research centres despite a bout of labour unrest. FDI inflows, which surged after the cou
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Obama wants new model for Fannie, Freddie

Obama wants new model for Fannie, Freddie

The Obama administration called for "fundamental change" at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but a long, politically explosive debate lies ahead on the future of the bailed-out mortgage finance giants and US housing policy. US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithn
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Seoul shares up

Seoul shares up

Seoul shares erased earlier losses to end up 0.7 percent on Tuesday, buoyed by rises in US index futures and Doosan E&C, which spiked on news of its decision to absorb unlisted Doosan Mecatec. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 11.7 points to 1,75
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Nikkei hits eight-month low

Nikkei hits eight-month low

Japan's Nikkei average fell 0.4 percent to its lowest close in more than eight months on Tuesday, with the yen holding onto gains against the dollar as mounting signs of weak economic growth dampened appetite for risk. But the Nikkei pared earlier losses
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Tuesday's midday trade: profits, take-over bid, data lift market

Tuesday's midday trade: profits, take-over bid, data lift market

US stocks rose on Tuesday as agriculture shares got a lift from M&A talk and after stronger-than-expected profits from retailers Wal-Mart and Home Depot. A glimmer of strength in the economy also buoyed investors after data showed growth in US industrial
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Dow and S&P barely changed

Dow and S&P barely changed

Investors found little reason to buy stocks on Monday as the Dow and S&P 500 ended barely changed, suggesting that even several days of losses have not convinced institutions share prices are attractive. A smattering of strength in technology shares boost
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
South East Asian markets: Malaysia nears 2-1/2 year high, Thailand up

South East Asian markets: Malaysia nears 2-1/2 year high, Thailand up

Malaysian shares rose on Tuesday, hovering near 2-1/2 year highs, as earnings optimism pushed up banks and heavyweight gaming group Genting while concerns over global growth plagued other Southeast Asian bourses. Malaysia's main share index ended up 0.6 p
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Treasuries rally

Treasuries rally

Long-dated US Treasury debt prices jumped on Monday with 30-year yields nearing a 16-month low as investors scrambled to lock in yields amid worries that deflation will choke off the economic recovery. Evidence of slowing consumer spending and business ac
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Treasuries rally

Treasuries rally

Long-dated US Treasury debt prices jumped on Monday with 30-year yields nearing a 16-month low as investors scrambled to lock in yields amid worries that deflation will choke off the economic recovery. Evidence of slowing consumer spending and business ac
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Philippine bonds outperform steady market

Philippine bonds outperform steady market

Philippine sovereign bonds gained on Tuesday, outperforming the steady broad market, as high yields against US Treasuries and the government's plan to issue more local currency debt spurred investor demand. The Asia ex-Japan iTraxx investment-grade index
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Philippine bonds outperform steady market

Philippine bonds outperform steady market

Philippine sovereign bonds gained on Tuesday, outperforming the steady broad market, as high yields against US Treasuries and the government's plan to issue more local currency debt spurred investor demand. The Asia ex-Japan iTraxx investment-grade index
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
European CDS tighten

European CDS tighten

European corporate credit default swap spreads tightened on Tuesday, tracking positive stock futures after small gains in Asian and US equities. By 0637 GMT, the investment-grade Markit iTraxx Europe index was at 115 basis points, according to data from M
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
European CDS tighten

European CDS tighten

European corporate credit default swap spreads tightened on Tuesday, tracking positive stock futures after small gains in Asian and US equities. By 0637 GMT, the investment-grade Markit iTraxx Europe index was at 115 basis points, according to data from M
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Shanghai and Hong Kong stocks up

Shanghai and Hong Kong stocks up

Shanghai's key stock index rose on Tuesday led by property developers on expectations China's government will refrain from any additional steps to cool the real estate market. The Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.4 percent to 2,671.9 points, up over 15 per
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
European shares rise

European shares rise

European shares rose on Tuesday, with insurers among the biggest gainers as Aegon allayed fears of a share issue to repay state aid and bid talk helped peer Aviva push higher. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares closed 1.1 percent higher at
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Indian shares flat

Indian shares flat

Indian shares were barely changed on Tuesday after moving in a tight range with investors undecided on the outlook as they awaited a clearer picture of the global economic recovery. Traders said the US government data on producer prices and housing starts
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
UK's top shares index soars

UK's top shares index soars

Financial stocks and commodity companies pushed Britain's top share index up for a third session by the close on Tuesday, as fears about a global economic slowdown abated and raw material prices gained. The FTSE 100 ended up 74.45 points, or 1.4 percent,
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Long swap euro rates lowest in over 18 months

Long swap euro rates lowest in over 18 months

Long-dated eurozone interest-rate swaps marched lower on Tuesday as investors locked in returns, with gloomy prospects for the global economy bolstering the view that interest rates are unlikely to rise anytime soon. The 30-year euro interest rate swap fe
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Sterling slips

Sterling slips

Sterling fell against the dollar and the euro on Tuesday, weighed down by US bank and real-money selling which triggered stop-loss orders in thin trading conditions. Data showing an expected slowdown in UK consumer inflation in July added to pressure on t
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Euro gains versus dollar, slips against yen in London

Euro gains versus dollar, slips against yen in London

The euro rose against the dollar and came off 7-week lows against the yen on Tuesday, helped as solid results at Irish and Spanish bond auctions alleviated concerns about heavily indebted eurozone countries. Ireland's sale of 2014 and 2020 paper was viewe
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Dollar hovers near 15-year low

Dollar hovers near 15-year low

The dollar hovered near a 15-year low against the yen on Tuesday, weighed down by a slide in US Treasury yields, putting the focus on whether Japanese authorities will take any measures to curb the yen's rise. The dollar dipped as low as 85.11 yen in earl
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Early trade: Euro remains higher

Early trade: Euro remains higher

The euro rallied for the second straight day against the US dollar and rose from a 7-week lows against the yen on Tuesday, bolstered by Irish and Spanish bond auctions that alleviated concerns about heavily indebted eurozone countries. In early New York t
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Dollar slides versus majors in New York

Dollar slides versus majors in New York

The US dollar fell against major currencies on Monday as early negative sentiment stemming from weak Japanese growth data dissipated and traders decided the currency's rally last week was too fast. US stocks recovered from an early decline on global econo
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Bangladesh's interbank forex, interest rates

Bangladesh's interbank forex, interest rates

Interbank buy/sell rates for the taka against the dollar on Tuesday. 69.50/69.50 (previous 69.45/69.46). Call Money Rates: 8.00-9.25 percent (previous 7.00-10.25 percent).
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Indian rupee up

Indian rupee up

The Indian rupee rose on Tuesday boosted by gains in the euro and other regional peers, but choppy domestic shares failed to provide adequate cues on the direction of foreign capital flows. The partially convertible rupee closed at 46.64/65 per dollar, 0.
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Won, peso lead broad Asian rally

Won, peso lead broad Asian rally

The South Korean won and the Thai baht rose alongside their regional peers on Tuesday, sparking a wave of dollar-buying intervention by authorities to temper their strength. The dollar teetered back towards a 15-year low against the yen hit last week, pre
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Australian and New Zealand dollars bounce

Australian and New Zealand dollars bounce

The Australian and New Zealand dollars bounced from lows on Tuesday while the Australian cash and swap yield curves flattened to multi-month lows as investors bet the next move in domestic rates is still up. The Australian dollar was firm at $0.9018, well
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Yuan moves up

Yuan moves up

The yuan ended up against the dollar on Tuesday guided by the People's Bank of China's stronger mid-point, but dealers said the potential for the yuan to rise sharply will be very limited in the near term due in part to weak data from major global economi
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Swiss franc off six-week peak versus euro

Swiss franc off six-week peak versus euro

The Swiss franc pulled off the previous session's near six-week high on Tuesday and also weakened against the dollar as market participants took profits after a rise in risk aversion pushed up the franc. "It was quite extreme, the move in the last couple
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Anelka takes the main hit for France's World Cup fiasco

Anelka takes the main hit for France's World Cup fiasco

France international striker Nicolas Anelka's international career all but officially came to an end Tuesday as he received an 18-match ban for his foul-mouthed outburst at then coach Raymond Domenech at the World Cup, a French Football Federation discipl
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
PCB welcomes plans

PCB welcomes plans

Pakistan's cricket chief on Tuesday welcomed an announcement of a possible World XI tour to his country, saying he hoped it would revive international cricket in the insurgency-hit nation. "The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) welcomes the announcement by Gil
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
World XI to compete in Pakistan in gesture of support: ECB chairman

World XI to compete in Pakistan in gesture of support: ECB chairman

An International Cricket Council (ICC) World XI will visit Pakistan in a gesture of support for a country, which is unable to stage international cricket at home because of security threats. England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Giles Clarke, wri
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Sri Lanka apologises to India for no-ball row

Sri Lanka apologises to India for no-ball row

Sri Lanka Cricket on Tuesday apologised to India after Virender Sehwag was denied a one-day century due to what the batsman said was a deliberate no-ball. Sehwag was stranded on 99 not out as India raced to a six-wicket win in a tri-series match on Monday
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Putin plays visa card as he backs Russia World Cup bid

Putin plays visa card as he backs Russia World Cup bid

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Tuesday pledged Russia would scrap visas if it hosted the World Cup in 2018 or 2022, giving his impassioned backing to its bid to host the showpiece for the first time. The Russian strongman - widely credited for securing
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Two Ukrainian clubs hit hard over match-fixing scandal

Two Ukrainian clubs hit hard over match-fixing scandal

Two Ukrainian league top flight sides Metalist Kharkiv and Karpaty Lviv were punished for match-fixing in the 2008 national championship, the league press service announced on Tuesday. The result of the match between the teams, which was played on April 1
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Pakistan strengthen their batting as third Test starts

Pakistan strengthen their batting as third Test starts

England captain Andrew Strauss played a straight bat to some provocative deliveries from his Australian counterpart Ricky Ponting on Tuesday as his team prepared for the third Test against Pakistan. Pakistan, in familiar disarray after squaring their two-
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
China military gaining on Taiwan, aiming beyond: US

China military gaining on Taiwan, aiming beyond: US

China is extending its military advantage over Taiwan and increasingly looking beyond, building up a force with power to strike in Asia as far afield as the US territory of Guam, the Pentagon said. In an annual report to Congress, the US Defence Departmen
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Suicide bomb and cafe blast claim lives in Caucasus

Suicide bomb and cafe blast claim lives in Caucasus

A blast rocked a cafe in Russia's North Caucasus on Tuesday, killing an unknown number of people, Itar-Tass reported, hours after a suicide bomber killed a policeman in a nearby region. State television said the cause of the cafe blast and the number of c
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Three women, child among eight killed in Afghan bombs

Three women, child among eight killed in Afghan bombs

Roadside bombs in Afghanistan killed eight civilians, including at least three women and a child, police said on Tuesday. Among the deaths was Zakaria Khan, an influential tribal elder who was killed Tuesday in an explosion in the southern province of Kan
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
US court rules for India in New York tax dispute

US court rules for India in New York tax dispute

A US Appeals Court ruled on Tuesday against New York City in its long-running dispute with India and Mongolia over whether they owe about $47 million in taxes on property that houses staff assigned to consulates and United Nations missions. The demands by
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Karzai formally orders security firms to disband

Karzai formally orders security firms to disband

Afghan President Hamid Karzai Tuesday ordered all private security firms in the country to disband to prevent the misuse of weapons that could cause "heart-breaking and tragic incidents". "I approve the full disbandment of private security companies, both
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Former Israeli soldier mystified over Facebook photo uproar

Former Israeli soldier mystified over Facebook photo uproar

A former Israeli soldier who posted on Facebook pictures of herself with blindfolded and handcuffed Palestinian prisoners appeared mystified on Tuesday by the uproar. "What's wrong with that? I don't understand," Eden Abergil told Israel's army radio, cle
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Briton will fight US extradition over Iran sale

Briton will fight US extradition over Iran sale

A retired British businessman accused by the United States of attempting to sell equipment to Iran for use in surface-to-air missiles said Tuesday he will fight attempts to extradite him to stand trial. Christopher Tappin, 63, faces three charges filed in
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Italian former president Cossiga dies

Italian former president Cossiga dies

Italian former president Francesco Cossiga, who died Tuesday aged 82, will be remembered as much for his brilliance as for the quick temper that took over by the end of his long political career. Cossiga was prime minister briefly in 1979, then elected pr
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Iran won't send condemned woman to Brazil

Iran won't send condemned woman to Brazil

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said a woman condemned to be stoned to death would not be sent to Brazil, despite President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's offer to grant her asylum. The sentence imposed on Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani for adultery has ca
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
India gives mobile operators deadline on BlackBerry

India gives mobile operators deadline on BlackBerry

India, which has threatened to block some BlackBerry services over security worries, has formally asked mobile operators to ensure a monitoring system for the smartphone's services by August 31. At least three mobile operators confirmed they had received
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Japan's heatwave kills 132, sends over 30,000 to hospital

Japan's heatwave kills 132, sends over 30,000 to hospital

Scorching summer weather in Japan has led to at least 132 deaths and seen more than 30,000 people rushed to hospital with heatstroke, the government said Tuesday. The mercury has repeatedly topped 37 degrees Celsius (99 degrees Fahrenheit) in recent days
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Lebanon law gives Palestinians few civil rights

Lebanon law gives Palestinians few civil rights

Lebanon's parliament passed a law on Tuesday granting Palestinian refugees basic civil rights and rights campaigners said more needed to be done. Palestinians have long been marginalised in Lebanon, where the 1975-90 civil war was sparked by a conflict be
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Iranian fighter jet crashes near nuclear plant

Iranian fighter jet crashes near nuclear plant

A semi-official Iranian news agency says an Iranian F4 fighter jet has crashed in the country's south, near a nuclear power plant that is expected to be launched next month. Local government official Gholam Reza Keshtkar says the Iranian airforce plane cr
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Uzbek militant leader killed

Uzbek militant leader killed

Tahir Yuldashev, an al Qaeda-linked Uzbek militant and Central Asia's most wanted Islamist fighter, has been killed, a US monitoring group quoted his fighters as saying on Monday. The SITE Intelligence Group said the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) h
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
China and IAEA sign nuclear security accord

China and IAEA sign nuclear security accord

China and the International Atomic Energy Agency have signed an agreement to improve nuclear security in the region, the UN nuclear watchdog said, as its chief made his first visit to Beijing. The agreement, signed by IAEA head Yukiya Amano and the head o
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
New York cotton settles lower

New York cotton settles lower

Cotton futures closed lower on Tuesday as fibre contracts dawdled while waiting for fresh leads and analysts are mulling the next move of a market that recently hit a 3-1/2 month high. ICE Futures US benchmark December cotton contract lost 0.16 cent to fi
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
US copper moves up

US copper moves up

US copper futures ended up on Monday, buoyed in line with a slightly firmer tone on Wall Street and renewed dollar weakness, but the move is expected to be short-lived as prices correct further from over-heated levels, analysts said. Copper for September
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Shanghai copper rises

Shanghai copper rises

Copper futures rose more than half a percent on Tuesday, with London extending a 1.3 percent gain in its previous session, buoyed by falling inventories, a softer dollar and gains in Chinese equities. Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange rose 0
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Copper at one-week high

Copper at one-week high

Expectations of strong physical demand and a weaker dollar drove copper to a one-week high on Tuesday, despite growing doubts about economic growth prospects in the United States, the world's largest economy. Attention was also focused on premiums for alu
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Tokyo rubber futures up

Tokyo rubber futures up

Key Tokyo rubber futures closed slightly higher on Tuesday, helped by a slowdown in the yen's appreciation, but trading remained thin due to the summer holiday season and uncertainties over the outlook for the Japanese currency. The benchmark rubber contr
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Arabica coffee at 12-2/3-year top

Arabica coffee at 12-2/3-year top

Funds pushed arabica coffee to the highest level in 12-2/3 years on Monday, on the weak dollar and tight nearby supplies, while raw sugar pivoted sharply lower. Cocoa finished mixed as the firm pound against the US dollar helped lift the ICE market.
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
US soyabean down

US soyabean down

US soyabean futures closed lower on Monday on pressure from falling wheat futures and from a turn to better crop weather this week in the US Midwest. CBOT September down 9-1/2 cents at $10.34, new-crop November down 12-1/2 at $10.31-1/2. Funds sold 4,000
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Malaysian palm oil falls

Malaysian palm oil falls

Malaysian crude palm oil futures fell to more than one-week lows on Tuesday along with other vegetable oil markets although prospects of lower production reined in losses. Traders were concerned palm oil demand might have slowed after a cargo surveyor rep
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Liffe cocoa, sugar and coffee rise

Liffe cocoa, sugar and coffee rise

Liffe December cocoa ended 1 pound higher at 2,034 pounds a tonne. Industry buying underpins market. Liffe November robusta coffee settled $16 higher at $1,788 per tonne. Difference between London and New York market remained historically wide. Liffe Octo
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am
Oil rises off month-low

Oil rises off month-low

Oil rose on Tuesday, snapping a five-day decline, as expanding US corporate earnings and industrial production eased worries about the economy and a weaker dollar made commodities cheaper for holders of other currencies. US crude for September delivery ro
Published 18 Aug, 2010 12:00am