MRT Co to operate mass rapid transit?

Updated: Saturday May 24, 2014 MYT 7:36:15 AM

MRT Co to operate mass rapid transit?

BY SHARIDAN M ALI

In an unexpected turn of events, Mass Rapid Transit Corp Sdn Bhd (MRT Co) has expressed its interest in being the operator of the multi-billion ringgit mass rapid transit system instead of national infrastructure and urban rail operator, Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd. Read more of this post

Former premier Yingluck Shinawatra has been detained by leaders of Thailand’s military junta, as the army prepared to brief the media for the first time on a coup criticised worldwide

Thai ex-premier detained, junta to face media on coup

POSTED: 24 May 2014 10:29
Former premier Yingluck Shinawatra has been detained by leaders of Thailand’s military junta, a source in her party said Saturday as the army prepared to brief the media for the first time on a coup criticised worldwide. Read more of this post

In the early 1990s, a fierce East-West debate arose whether the economic success of Asia was due to Asian values of hard work, fielty and paternalistic government, attributable to Confucianism, Islam, Hinduism and other Asian cultures

Updated: Saturday May 24, 2014 MYT 7:48:42 AM

Sacredness and universal values

BY TAN SRI ANDREW SHENG

IN the early 1990s, a fierce East-West debate arose whether the economic success of Asia was due to Asian values of hard work, fielty and paternalistic government, largely attributable to Confucianism, Islam, Hinduism and other Asian cultures. Read more of this post

IEX, Dark-Pool Operator Featured in ‘Flash Boys’ Book on High-Speed Trading, Seeks Funds to Become an Exchange

IEX, a Maverick Trade Venue, Is in Cash Talks

Dark-Pool Operator Featured in ‘Flash Boys’ Book on High-Speed Trading Seeks Funds to Become an Exchange

SCOTT PATTERSON, BRADLEY HOPE and TELIS DEMOS

Updated May 23, 2014 10:53 p.m. ET

IEX Group Inc., an upstart trading venue that aspires to be a haven from high-frequency trading, wants to become the only stock exchange that isn’t dominated by speedy dealers.

Read more of this post

For New Graduates, Path to a Career Is Bumpy; As Unemployment Remains Elevated, More Take Jobs Not Requiring a Degree

For New Graduates, Path to a Career Is Bumpy

As Unemployment Remains Elevated, More Take Jobs Not Requiring a Degree

DOUGLAS BELKIN and MARK PETERS

May 23, 2014 6:57 p.m. ET

ST. LOUIS—Bailey Kinney graduated from the University of Missouri-St. Louis a week ago with a bachelor’s degree and a 3.9 grade-point average. She finished in three years, did unpaid internships over the summers and held part-time jobs throughout her college career. Read more of this post

Stock Investors Standing on Sidelines in Asia

Stock Investors Standing on Sidelines in Asia

Trading Volumes in Tokyo, Sydney, Hong Kong on the Decline This Year

MIA LAMAR, BRADFORD FRISCHKORN and DAVID ROGERS

Updated May 23, 2014 4:17 a.m. ET

Stock market investors are known to “sell in May and go away.” In Asia, they booked their tickets early.

In Tokyo, stock-trading volume has fallen each month this year, while in Sydney turnover remains more than 30% short of its monthly average with a week to go in May. In Hong Kong, turnover is also running below average 2013 levels and set for a monthly drop. The three markets are Asia’s biggest excluding mainland China, which is largely closed to foreign investors. Read more of this post

Shopping till you drop doesn’t really work for merger targets. The “go shop” strategy of seeking higher bids after signing up a buyer is designed to ensure top dollar is paid. More often, it leads to final prices that are lower

Go Shop? Go Fish.

By REYNOLDS HOLDING

MAY 23, 2014 1:30 PM Comment

Shopping till you drop doesn’t really work for merger targets. The so-called “go shop” strategy of seeking higher bids after signing up a buyer is designed to ensure top dollar is paid. More often, it leads to final prices that are lower than they otherwise would be, new research suggests. Tweaks to deals like Media General’s buyout of Lin Media may mean sellers are wising up, though, portending better value for shareholders. Read more of this post

Sea of tranquillity: Volatility has disappeared from the economy and markets. That could be a problem

Sea of tranquillity: Volatility has disappeared from the economy and markets. That could be a problem

May 24th 2014 | WASHINGTON, DC | From the print edition

A DECADE ago, the business cycle was an endangered species. Recessions in the rich world had become rare, shallow and short; inflation was predictably low and boring. Economists dubbed this the “Great Moderation” and gave credit for it to deft macroeconomic management by central banks. Such talk, naturally, ended abruptly with the financial crisis. Read more of this post

The globish-speaking union: Language, truth and European politics

The globish-speaking union: Language, truth and European politics

May 24th 2014 | From the print edition

WHAT language does Europe speak? France has lost its battle for French. Europeans now overwhelmingly opt for English. The Eurovision song contest, won this month by an Austrian cross-dresser, is mostly English-speaking, even if the votes are translated into French. The European Union conducts ever more business in English. Interpreters sometimes feel they are speaking to themselves. Last year Germany’s president, Joachim Gauck, argued for an English-speaking Europe: national languages would be cherished for spirituality and poetry alongside “a workable English for all of life’s situations and all age groups”. Read more of this post

Thailand’s coup: The path to the throne; A sudden move by the army brings only near-term calm

Thailand’s coup: The path to the throne; A sudden move by the army brings only near-term calm

May 24th 2014 | From the print edition

WHAT had begun as the imposition of martial law on May 20th grew into a full-blown coup by the army as The Economist went to press. On television the army commander, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, announced that the armed forces would restore order and enact political reforms—though quite what that means is unclear. Read more of this post

Food trucks: How regulators keep cheap food out of hungry mouths

Food trucks: How regulators keep cheap food out of hungry mouths

May 24th 2014 | ALEXANDRIA | From the print edition

FOOD is risky. You can choke on a hot dog, be poisoned by a pizza or die slowly from years of eating too much. Clearly, businesses that sell food are suspect. And what could be more suspicious than an outlet that sells food—and then drives away before its customers expire? Small wonder that so many American cities frown on food trucks. Read more of this post

“What Could Go Wrong” – China’s “Worst Case Negative Loop”

“What Could Go Wrong” – China’s “Worst Case Negative Loop”

Tyler Durden on 05/22/2014 12:45 -0400

Yesterday, as we reported, in a surprisingly scathing report, Goldman announced that it was now positioning for an “imminent” two year real estate property downturn, which has significant probability of becoming a hard landing as many others, most notably Barclays in recent days, have pointed out. Which is perhaps why Goldman was one of the few banks this morning to trash last night’s “better than expected” HSBC manufacturing PMI report, as a softish landing is now clearly Goldman’s base case. Read more of this post

Ruling Complicates Global Fight on Auditing of Chinese Firms; Hong Kong Says EY Must Turn Over Papers Related to Former Client, But Firm Cites Beijing Law

Ruling Complicates Global Fight on Auditing of Chinese Firms

Hong Kong Says EY Must Turn Over Papers Related to Former Client, But Firm Cites Beijing Law

DINNY MCMAHON

Updated May 23, 2014 10:06 a.m. ET

BEIJING—A Hong Kong court threw new uncertainty into an accounting dispute involving Chinese companies traded abroad that has put global auditors at the heart of a struggle to assert control over those companies. Read more of this post

Challenges facing the world’s biggest funds

Challenges facing the world’s biggest funds

Posted By   On 23/05/2014 @ 12:57 pm In OPINION | No Comments

In the coming weeks, Towers Watson will be writing a series of articles, exclusive towww.top1000funds.com, that look at key challenges facing large asset owners. These will focus on specific practicalities that many global funds are encountering such as the role of internal teams. Read more of this post

Key dates in Thailand’s political history

Key dates in Thailand’s political history

Thursday, May 22, 2014 – 20:29

AFP

BANGKOK – The Thai army’s announcement Thursday that it is seizing power is the latest episode in decades of political turbulence which have seen at least 18 other successful or attempted coups since 1932. Read more of this post

‘Foreigners only’ law may dent Korea’s casino plans

‘Foreigners only’ law may dent Korea’s casino plans

Thursday, May 22, 2014 – 10:09

Bae Hyun-jung

The Korea Herald/Asia News Network

MACAU – The casino business is one of the very few industries that has been enjoying double digit growth over the years, especially in Asia, but whether South Korea will be able to take its share of the pie is yet to be seen. Read more of this post

Chinese brands gain on rivals

Chinese brands gain on rivals

Thursday, May 22, 2014 – 09:17

China Daily/Asia News Network

CHINA – The overall value of Chinese brands is rising but not reaching global levels. That signals they need internationalization, according to the 2014 BrandZ Top 100 ranking. Read more of this post

China corruption fight turns on ‘naked officials’ with family overseas

China corruption fight turns on ‘naked officials’ with family overseas

Thursday, May 22, 2014 – 20:47

Reuters

BEIJING – China has removed a senior”naked official”, one whose spouse and children have emigrated, from his post in the southern province of Guangdong, state media reported on Thursday, as the government’s anti-graft campaign turns its focus to a group it sees as a corruption risk. Read more of this post

Thai coup leader shows ruthless streak again

Thai coup leader shows ruthless streak again

Friday, May 23, 2014 – 18:13

AFP

BANGKOK – The Thai general who took power in a coup is a staunch royalist with a penchant for wading ruthlessly into the country’s political turmoil – and justifying his actions as a defence of the nation and its revered monarchy.

Read more of this post

Philanthropist, big spender, warlord: Chinese tycoon’s Australian faces

Philanthropist, big spender, warlord: Chinese tycoon’s Australian faces

12:34am EDT

By David Lague and Charlie Zhu

PERTH/HONG KONG (Reuters) – Former managers and staff at Liu Han’s Australian operations were dumbfounded when the Chinese tycoon went on trial last month for leading a murderous, mafia-style gang. Read more of this post

Industry 4.0 (aka “integrated industry”): Huge potential for value creation waiting to be tapped

Industry 4.0: Huge potential for value creation waiting to be tapped

May 23, 2014

Industry 4.0 (aka ”integrated industry”) will upgrade as an industrial location by bringing on the fourth industrial revolution. With trade flows becoming increasingly internationally interlinked, the Industry 4.0-related elements of increased automation and more flexible production structures will become more and more important. According to a recent study by Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute this opens up the prospect of generating significantly higher added value across numerous sectors. Especially for Germany with its particularly favourable basic conditions, Industry 4.0 thus provides the major opportunity to consolidate the country’s appeal in the international competition for investment – also relative to the fast-growing emerging markets. Read more of this post

Chinese patents: Ever more inventive; Mainland companies are building up their intellectual property

Chinese patents: Ever more inventive; Mainland companies are building up their intellectual property

May 24th 2014 | SHANGHAI | From the print edition

CHINA’S leaders see patents as rungs on the ladder to becoming an innovation powerhouse. So in five-year plans and through subsidies and official exhortations, they have encouraged locals to file patents. And locals have responded with gusto. Two years ago China’s patent office became the world’s busiest. Sceptics have scoffed that most of those filed are “utility model” patents—short-term ones granted for relatively trivial ideas, as opposed to proper “invention” patents—and that few Chinese inventors have won patents in countries where standards are higher. Read more of this post

A very British binge: The housing market is a huge problem in Britain. Blame the government, not the banks

A very British binge: The housing market is a huge problem in Britain. Blame the government, not the banks

May 24th 2014 | From the print edition

HAVING risen by 8% in the past year, British house prices are almost back to the double-digit pace that preceded the financial crisis. That parallel makes many anxious. Vince Cable, the business secretary, calls runaway house prices a “real, real, real worry”. Sir Jon Cunliffe, the central banker responsible for Britain’s financial stability, says housing is “too dangerous to ignore”. David Cameron, the prime minister, describes the rampant market as the biggest risk to Britain’s recovery.

Read more of this post

China’s War on English; To bolster Chinese language and culture, the government is demoting English in schools

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-05-22/china-moves-to-protect-its-language-from-english

China’s War on English

By Dexter Roberts May 22, 2014

Chinese authorities are waging a war on American culture and the use of English. In April, China’s media regulators yanked the popular U.S. television shows The Big Bang Theory, NCIS, and The Good Wife from Chinese streaming websites Sohu (SOHU) andYouku (YOKU). The official party newspaper, People’s Daily, ran two editorials in April bemoaning the use of words borrowed from English when speaking Chinese. Then in mid-May came a flurry of reports in the state media confirming plans announced last fall to reduce the importance of English-language instruction and to expand courses on traditional culture in grade school and high school. Read more of this post

Due to a squabble between KB Financial Group and Kookmin Bank, the effectiveness of financial holding groups’ corporate governance is being questioned nearly 15 years after the government adopted the system

Structure of bank groups is called into question

Political appointees are issue

May 23,2014

Due to a squabble between KB Financial Group and Kookmin Bank, the effectiveness of financial holding groups’ corporate governance is being questioned nearly 15 years after the government adopted the system. Read more of this post

China’s largest steel trader, China Minmetals Corp opened its e-commerce platform to other dealers to help the sector handle overcapacity and a credit crunch

Steel traders in China look to the internet to solve woes

Xinhua

2014-05-23

China’s largest steel trader, China Minmetals Corp (CMC), on Tuesday opened its e-commerce platform to other dealers to help the sector handle overcapacity and a credit crunch. Read more of this post

Thailand Coup: Politicians Banned From Leaving

Thailand Coup: Politicians Banned From Leaving

The country’s armed forces summon ousted political leaders as an international outcry grows over the military coup.

9:26am UK, Friday 23 May 2014

Thailand’s army has banned 155 people, including politicians and activists, from leaving the country a day after seizing power in a bloodless coup. Read more of this post