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Business Times Online - All The Headlines
The Business Times Online Edition - Singapore

• Three Japanese insurers in merger talks
  (TOKYO) Three large Japanese insurance companies are in merger talks to survive an economic downturn that has battered demand for car and housing insurance.
• Asian stocks showing signs of bottoming out
  (HONG KONG) From healing credit markets to big government stimulus spending, evidence is mounting that the historic 2008 sell-off may be fading into the history books.
• Ssangyong Motor needs funds to avoid liquidation
  (SEOUL) Ssangyong Motor may face liquidation if its Chinese parent SAIC Motor fails to provide 320 billion won (S$364 million) in new financing to the Korean automaker, its largest creditor said. Korea Development Bank may explore liquidation rather than debt-restructuring if SAIC pulls out, said a bank official.
• Citigroup injects US$800m into South Korea unit
  (SEOUL) Citigroup is injecting US$800 million of new capital into its South Korean banking arm, Citibank Korea said yesterday, joining other banks in efforts to shore up their financial bases.
• AirAsia X to expand routes in downturn
  (KUALA LUMPUR) Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia X said that it can weather the storm of a sharply deteriorating global economy and is hiring pilots to expand its routes to China, India, South Korea and Japan.
• Airbus delivers 11th A380, aiming for 12 in 2008
  TOULOUSE, FRANCE) Airbus SAS has handed over its 11th A380 superjumbo to Australia's Qantas Airways, leaving the world's largest maker of commercial aircraft with one more to reach its goal of 12 deliveries this year.
• China Eastern to raise 7b yuan to cut debts
  (SHANGHAI) China Eastern Airlines, the nation's third-largest carrier, more than doubled the financial aid it has secured from the government as the money-losing airline battles to cut debts.
• Thousands of bags in limbo after HK airport strike
  (HONG KONG) A strike by ground staff at Hong Kong's airport left thousands of passengers waiting for hours for their luggage, and many left the airport empty-handed, local media reported on Sunday.
• Japan Airlines to trim investment
  (TOKYO) Japan Airlines Corp, Asia's biggest carrier by sales, said it may cut its capital investment plan as it takes delivery of fewer planes and travel demand slows.
• HK firms oppose longer trading ban for directors
  (HONG KONG) Li Ka- shing's Cheung Kong (Holdings) Ltd is among more than 230 Hong Kong businesses that have joined a campaign to oppose a regulatory amendment lengthening a ban on directors' trading of shares in listed companies.
• Slump may be best time to untie knot
  (BEIJING) Fears of a prolonged recession in China have triggered a sharp increase in divorce enquiries addressed to lawyers and financial advisers, state media reported on Monday, with timing a key issue.
• Taking the road less travelled
  
• Rig order slowdown sets in for shipyards
  THE last week of the year is bringing in the dregs of new contract announcements from the main shipyards here. And from the look of things, the slowdown in rig orders has well and truly set in, with neither Keppel Corp nor Sembcorp Marine announcing any new rig orders in the fourth quarter.
• SGX plans new options contract, seeks feedback
  THE Singapore Exchange (SGX) said yesterday that it plans to offer a new options contract and is seeking public feedback.
• CDL note programme limit raised to $1.5b
  CITY Developments Ltd (CDL) said yesterday it has raised the limit for a medium-term note programme from $700 million to $1.5 billion. The programme was established in May 1999 under which CDL may from time to time issue notes.
• Sentosa deals lift ST Engg order book to $10b
  SINGAPORE Technologies Engineering (ST Engg) yesterday said it has secured $86 million in contracts for works at Resorts World at Sentosa (RWS), bringing its order book to a record high of more than $10 billion.
• First Reit's portfolio value remains steady
  FIRST Real Estate Investment Trust (First Reit) yesterday said that there was no significant change in the total value of its eight properties as compared with a year ago. The trust made the announcement after it revalued all of the properties on Dec 26.
• Unionmet to report loss for FY2008
  MAINBOARD-LISTED Unionmet (Singapore) said yesterday that the group will be reporting a loss for its financial year ended Nov 30, 2008.
• Company briefs
  APEX-PAL International's flagship brand Sakae Sushi has made its debut in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, at the NowZone Fashion Mall.
• Uncover firms with sound business models: OCBC IR
  WHERE some see doom and gloom, others see opportunity. In its recently released 2009 research strategy, OCBC Investment Research (OCBC IR) says that investors should 'sieve through the noise to uncover companies with sound business models following the sharp drop in valuations'.
• Shareholders okay Pacific Century's buyout plan
  PACIFIC Century Regional Developments Ltd, part of the group that offered US$1.9 billion to buy out PCCW Ltd, said it has got shareholders' approval to pursue the takeover of Hong Kong's biggest phone company.
• Sun East Group's executive chairman resigns
  SUN East Group, which said recently it faced a credit squeeze, said yesterday that its executive chairman Philip Chung has resigned for health reasons.
• Peacemaking a good move for Sembcorp
  MAKE peace, love perhaps, but not war - that could have been the song that investors of Sembcorp Marine sang religiously.
• Obama's plan will cost US$675-775b
  (WASHINGTON) US President-elect Barack Obama's economic stimulus plan may cost between US$675 billion and US$775 billion and will favour long-term infrastructure and job creation projects, top Obama aides said.
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