(SINGAPORE) After a slow start to the year, the market for initial public offerings (IPOs) may still end 2010 with a bang if some highly anticipated mega IPOs make their way here.

(SINGAPORE) There has been no secular decline in Singapore's productivity, says a leading American labour economist.

SECURITIES trading volume and value firmed in August but were lower than a year ago.

BNP Paribas, which recently upgraded its call on China to 'overweight' from 'neutral', recommends buying into the large caps listed on the A-share and H-share markets.

AS correctly pointed out in this column yesterday, the Straits Times Index's 32-point jump on Wednesday was thanks to program buying ahead of a push on Wall Street that came later that day.

VETERAN Japanese politician Ichiro Ozawa, who has a strong chance of replacing Nato Kan as Japan's prime minister this month, yesterday revealed his strategy for bringing the yen back to earth

(WASHINGTON) The United States must find the political will for more economic stimulus, even if it pushed up the fiscal deficit in the short run, Christina D Romer, chairwoman of President Barack Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, said in a farewell speech on Wednesday.

SINGAPORE'S manufacturing economy shrank in August for the first time after 15 straight months of growth. But economists are not alarmed. They say a winding-down - after production surged earlier this year - was expected.

NEW rules that prevent people from owning both public and private properties appear to have discouraged some permanent residents from buying resale flats here - at least for now.

(LONDON) Saab AB is stepping up a campaign to sell its Gripen warplane in Asia and eastern Europe as Switzerland's decision to delay a US$1 billion fighter purchase threatens to curtail production of the 1,320 mile-per-hour jet.

(BERLIN) Germany's government, battling to find new ways of closing its budget gap, amended plans for raising 1 billion euros (S$1.73 billion) a year from a new tax on air passengers, by increasing the levy on long-haul flights.

(CARACAS) Venezuela is refurbishing its main port, Puerto Cabello, with Chinese help at a cost of US$600 million after decades of under-investment and spurred on by a scandal over rotting food, officials said on Wednesday.

(KUALA LUMPUR) Seafarers have reported a surge in attacks by armed pirates in a South China Sea shipping lane, an international maritime watchdog said yesterday.

A MALAYSIAN businessman testified in the High Court yesterday that he was told by former premier Mahathir Mohamad that he could not claim for money paid for seven million shares in private company Realmild because the shares belonged to the ruling United Malays National Organisation (Umno).

(KUALA LUMPUR) Malaysia's central bank left interest rates unchanged after three consecutive increases, choosing to support growth as the global recovery slows.

(HONG KONG) Indonesia is looking into infrastructure and green bonds, a senior adviser to the government said yesterday, as the biggest economy in Southeast Asia is in need of billions of dollars for the sector's development.

(BEIJING) Ping An Insurance (Group), China's second-largest insurer, will pay 29.1 billion yuan (S$5.75 billion) for a stake that will give it control of Shenzhen Development Bank and bolster its banking operations.

(BEIJING) China has failed to honour promises to the World Trade Organization to open its oil and phone markets, a European business group said yesterday, adding to complaints of worsening conditions for foreign companies.

(MUMBAI) Indian stock gains may be limited over the next three to four months as global growth, inflation and valuation concerns prompt investors to avoid riskier assets, HDFC Standard Life Insurance Co said.

(NEW DELHI) India said it will ask Research In Motion Ltd, Google Inc, Skype Technologies and other service providers to set up servers locally and enable security agencies to monitor mail traffic.

(CANBERRA, Australia) Prime Minister Julia Gillard edged closer to retaining power in Australia yesterday when an independent lawmaker said he would support her centre-left Labor Party to form a government.

(BANGKOK) Most of the 76 industrial projects halted last year because of pollution and licensing concerns can be restarted, a Thai court ruled, a decision that may resolve uncertainties about the country's investment regulations.

(LONDON) Shares of companies from the world's biggest developing economies are increasingly featuring in global fund portfolios, a possible reason why BRIC markets are underperforming in 2010 compared to emerging market peers.

(NEW YORK) The productivity of US workers fell more than previously estimated in the second quarter, pushing up labour costs and showing the slowdown in growth will limit profits.

THE Singapore government has acted swiftly and decisively in introducing new and tougher rules to dampen property speculation - the third time in a year that the authorities have moved to cool an overheating market.

IT'S the economy that cried wolf. With growth slowing, deflation deepening and the yen inexplicably surging in late August, Japanese policymakers pledged bold action.

THE Brazilian Carnival (or 'Carnaval', as Brazilians call it) in Rio de Janeiro and Salvador is one of the best-known Carnavals and street parties today - a riotous explosion of feathers, glitter and skin.

ACCORDING to the latest United Nations reports, almost half of the world's population lives in cities today and by the year 2030 they expect more than 60 per cent of the world population will be urbanised.

FINE wines need to age to develop to their optimum potential. This cellaring period varies depending on many factors, chief among which is their pedigree.

AT THE start of Going the Distance, a film about the perils of the long-distance relationship, newly-single music executive Garrett (Justin Long) has just been dumped by his girlfriend because of a disturbing lack of interest in what women really want - a condition common to most young, healthy, beer-swilling males of his persuasion.