Tokyo  Nikkei 10010.40  +0.04%
Seoul   KOSPI  2145.04  -0.46%
Shanghai SSEC  2765.89  -1.01%
Hong Kong HSI 21987.30  -0.07%
Singapore STI  3138.51  +0.38%
Mumbai    BSE 18436.19  -0.36%
Sydney   AORD  4626.20  +0.17% 
   
1. Japan Announces First Trade Surplus in 3 Months
The nation posted a surplus of US$897 million in June, which was lower than expected. Exports dropped 1.6% from a year earlier to US$73.3 billion, while imports gained 9.8% to US$72.4 billion.
 
2. Hynix Q2 Profit Drops 34% on Year
The S Korean computer-chip maker posted a net income of US$451million in the 3 months ended June. Sales dropped to 16% to US$2.6 billion while operating profit margin declined 15 percentage points to 16%.
 
3. China Factory Sector Contracts in July
The HSBC flash purchasing managers' index fell to 48.9 in July from 50.1 in June, reaching a 28-month low. The index was last below 50 in July 2010.
 
4. Mizuho Said to be Closed to Buying Vietcombank Stake for US$760M
The unit of Japan's 3rd largest bank was looking for a 20% stake in Joint-Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam. Vietcombank is the biggest public listed bank in the country.
 
5. Singapore's Central Bank Raises Inflation Forecast
The Monetary Authority of Singapore expects the inflation to be between 4% and 5%, 1 percentage point higher than its previous forecast. It keeps the 2011 economic growth forecast of 5% to 7% unchanged.
 
6. Posco to Buy Canadian Coal Mine Stake
S Korea's biggest steelmaker signed a deal to buy a 20% stake in the Mount Klappan coal mine in north-west B.C. from Fortune Minerals. Both parties formed a joint venture for the project. The financial terms hasn't been disclosed.
 
7. Thailand Exports Jump 16.8% on Year
The exports gain in June was slower than a 17.6% increase in May. Imports rose 26.1%, compared with a 33.8% advance in the previous month. Trade surplus reached US$1.27 billion last month, up from US$277.5 million in May.
 
8. Taiwan Plans to Raise Minimum Wage by 5.03%
It would be the 2nd straight year to increase the minimum wage, as accelerating inflation and record home prices add pressure to narrow a widening income gap. The monthly minimum wage will be changed to US$651, pending Cabinet approval. 
 
9. Bomb Attack Kills 3 Pakistani Oil Staff
A bomb hit a vehicle carrying employees of a national oil and gas company in the southwest region, killing 3 people and wounding 5 others. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. 
 
10. ASEAN Urges Resumption of N Korea Nuke Talks
Foreign ministers from 10 Southeast Asian nations are calling for a speedy resumption of talks aimed at convincing N Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program. Pyongyang pulled out of the talks 2 years ago after being censured for launching a long-range rocket.