Tokyo  Nikkei  8737.66  -0.63%
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Shanghai SSEC  2497.75  -0.05%
Hong Kong HSI 19866.63  -0.23%
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Mumbai    BSE 16866.97  -1.74%
Sydney   AORD  4277.40  +0.18% 
   
1. Scotiabank Wins Bid for Guangzhou Bank Stake
The Canadian bank will buy a 20% stake in Bank of Guangzhou for C$719 million. The latter, which is primarily government-owned, has been looking to get listed in Shanghai. The deal is expected to close in December.
 
2. Japan Q2 GDP Shrinks 0.5%
The economy shrank a revised 0.5% last quarter, compared with a 0.3% drop initially reported. On an annual basis, the GDP contracted 2.1%, against a 2.2% fall expected by economists. 
 
3. India Car Sales Decline for 2nd Straight Month
The nation sold 144,516 vehicles last month, marking a 10% drop from a year earlier. Sales of trucks and buses climbed 23% to 64,248 units in August. 
 
4. China Inflation Slows to 6.2% in August 
The annual consumer prices increase was down from a 6.5% gain in July but still well above the government's target of 4%. Producer price inflation fell to 7.3% from 7.5% in the previous month.
 
5. Thailand Tourist Arrivals Jump 27%
The country attracted more than 11.2 million tourists in the first 7 months of 2011. Visitors from East Asia made up 53% of the total. European tourists accounted for 30% of all visitors.
 
6. Standard Chartered Resumes Operation of 5 S Korea Branches
The lender closed all branches in the country since July 11 as workers went on strike over company's plan for performance-based payment. 37 branches remain closed.
 
7. Malaysia July Output Falls 0.6% on Year
The industrial production of the country was worse than expected. The output grew a revised rate of 1.3%. On a monthly basis, the production contracted 0.6% in July.
 
8. TSMC Posts US$1.29B Revenue in Aug
It was the highest since Nov 2010. The world's largest contract manufacturer of chips also said its Q3 sales will likely exceed its earlier guidance of US$3.49 billion and US$3.56 billion because of "rushed orders for customers".
 
9. China Rights Activist Jailed for 9 Months
55-year-old Doctor Wang Lihong was sentenced for "creating a disturbance". Her detention was linked to her support for 3 other activists. Her lawyer said Wang plans to appeal the sentence in the next 10 days.
 
10. US Envoy Visits Myanmar
A special representative has arrived in the country for talks with the new nominally civilian government. The envoy is also expected to meet the pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.