Housing Trouble Grows in China; Overbuilding by Real-Estate Developers Leaves Smaller Cities With Glut of Apartments

Housing Trouble Grows in China

Overbuilding by Real-Estate Developers Leaves Smaller Cities With Glut of Apartments

BOB DAVIS and

ESTHER FUNG

April 14, 2014 10:30 p.m. ET

CHANGZHOU, China— Wu Xuesong, a professor in this city on the Yangtze, says he doubled his money on an apartment he bought as an investment some years back and is ahead on a second.

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Stock Pickers Get Turn To Shine; New that markets are no longer moving in lock step, corporate fundamentals, and the ability to pick stocks, are becoming more important

Stock Pickers Get Turn To Shine

FRANCESCO GUERRERA

Updated April 14, 2014 11:11 p.m. ET

First it was Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin. Now it is markets and the Federal Reserve that are engaged in “conscious uncoupling.” Read more of this post

Wal-Mart Cries Foul on China Fines; Company Says Safety Burden Unfairly Falls on Retailers, Rather Than Manufacturers

Wal-Mart Cries Foul on China Fines

Company Says Safety Burden Unfairly Falls on Retailers, Rather Than Manufacturers

LAURIE BURKITT in Beijing And SHELLY BANJO in New York

Updated April 13, 2014 8:38 p.m. ET

China’s government is stepping up the regulation of food manufacturers and retailers. The WSJ’s Deborah Kan speaks with David Ettinger from law firm Keller and Heckman about the latest changes in China’s food standards.

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Education and India’s Jobs Crisis

Apr 14, 2014

Education and India’s Jobs Crisis

RAYMOND ZHONG and SAPTARISHI DUTTA

Ram Singh knows basic arithmetic, Hindi and elementary English. But he regrets leaving school early. Read more of this post

Beijing’s Bad-Air Days, Finally Counted

Apr 14, 2014

Beijing’s Bad-Air Days, Finally Counted

Thanks to the U.S. State Department, Beijing residents finally have the answer to one of the city’s greatest mysteries: How often is the air polluted?

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Asia Joins Trend Toward Floating-Rate Bonds; Issuance at Fastest Pace on Record to Catch U.S. Demand

Asia Joins Trend Toward Floating-Rate Bonds

Issuance at Fastest Pace on Record to Catch U.S. Demand

FIONA LAW

April 14, 2014 12:51 a.m. ET

To take advantage of demand from U.S. investors worried about rising interest rates, Asian companies are changing the way they raise cash, selling floating-rate debt at the fastest pace on record. Read more of this post

A nationwide manhunt for an outspoken radio commentator accused of threatening the country’s king expanded and has rekindled one of Thailand’s most flammable disputes: the role of its monarchy

Hunt for Thai Radio Personality Grows

Ko Tee Accused of Threatening King Bhumibol

JAMES HOOKWAY

Updated April 14, 2014 7:11 p.m. ET

BANGKOK—A nationwide manhunt for an outspoken radio commentator accused of threatening the country’s king expanded Monday and has rekindled one of Thailand’s most flammable disputes: the role of its monarchy. Read more of this post

World’s Highest Minimum Wage at $25/hour on Ballot in Switzerland

World’s Highest Minimum Wage on Ballot in Switzerland

By Catherine Bosley – Apr 13, 2014

Jasmin Eicher has already axed her sole full-time employee to keep afloat her shop selling cards, candles and paper in a Zurich suburb. If Switzerland approves what would be the world’s highest minimum wage, she says the only option would be to close her door. Read more of this post

China Is Losing Its Taste for Gold; Economic Slowdown, Constrained Credit Markets Suppress Demand

China Is Losing Its Taste for Gold

Economic Slowdown, Constrained Credit Markets Suppress Demand

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L’Oréal’s Global Kit Adds a Chinese Brand

L’Oréal’s Global Kit Adds a Chinese Brand

French Cosmetics Giant Aims to Build Newly Acquired MG Brand Outside Asia

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Complexity is easy to see but hard to beat. But in a recent survey, CFOs revealed a simple-sounding solution

April 14, 2014

CFO Magazine

It’s Complicated

Complexity is easy to see but hard to beat. But in a recent survey, CFOs revealed a simple-sounding solution. Read more of this post

Indian Handset Maker Micromax Eyes Stake In Pantech

Apr 14, 2014

Indian Handset Maker Micromax Eyes Stake In Pantech

By Min-Jeong Lee and R. Jai Krishna

Micromax Informatics, a privately held Indian handset maker, is eyeing a stake purchase in struggling South Korean peer Pantech, in which Qualcomm and Samsung Electronics005930.SE +0.37% own a stake,  people familiar with the situation said Monday. Read more of this post

Are chaebol owners overpaid? Critics call for disclosure of detailed guidelines on executive compensation

Updated : 2014-04-13 18:39

Are chaebol owners overpaid?

Critics call for disclosure of detailed guidelines on executive compensation

According to a recent executive salary disclosure, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won (top left) received the largest paycheck, amounting to 30.1 billion won ($28.8 million). Following were Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Mong-koo (top right) and Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn (bottom left). Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee (bottom right) was excluded from the list because the regulation on disclosure exempts non-board members Read more of this post

ODM channel behind S. Korean manufacturer’ robust growth

ODM channel behind S. Korean manufacturer’ robust growth

2014.04.13 17:53:27

As early as a decade ago, South Korea’s apparel company Sae-A Trading produced its goods entirely through OEM (original equipment manufacturer) channel. The apparel company recorded 1.3 trillion won ($1.2 billion) sales last year, as high as the amount generated by a large company. The driving engine behind its robust performance is ODM (original design manufacturer) channel.  Read more of this post

China targets trust firms in shadow-bank crackdown: sources

China targets trust firms in shadow-bank crackdown: sources

2:20am EDT

By Hongmei Zhao

HONG KONG (Reuters) – China has issued stricter guidelines governing trust companies, two sources with direct knowledge of the rules told Reuters on Monday, in a bid to counter systemic risks posed by the biggest players in the country’s shadow-banking sector. Read more of this post

China’s local govt debt sparks fears of Lehman-style collapse

China’s local govt debt sparks fears of Lehman-style collapse

Staff Reporter

2014-04-13

China’s snowballing local government debt has investors concerned about a Lehman Brothers-style collapse triggering a new financial crisis, reports our Chinese-language sister paper Want Daily. Read more of this post

Chinese civil society: Beneath the glacier; In spite of a political clampdown, a flourishing civil society is taking hold

Chinese civil society: Beneath the glacier; In spite of a political clampdown, a flourishing civil society is taking hold

Apr 12th 2014 | BEIJING, CHENGDU AND GUANGZHOU | From the print edition

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How Jyothy Laboratories Silenced Sceptics; The homegrown consumer goods company has beaten the odds and transformed to turn around the Henkel India business

How Jyothy Laboratories Silenced Sceptics

by Samar Srivastava | Apr 14, 2014

The homegrown consumer goods company has beaten the odds and transformed to turn around the Henkel India business

Soon after homegrown Jyothy Laboratories acquired Henkel’s India business in May 2011, joint managing director Ullas Kamath went on a month-long road trip across the country. Kamath remembers that as being a lonely time, with only his driver for company. Just as well, though, as it was also a time for introspection and ideation.  Read more of this post

A Better Way to Finance That College Degree; A student-loan innovation protects graduates from overwhelming debt

A Better Way to Finance That College Degree

A student-loan innovation protects graduates from overwhelming debt.

MIGUEL PALACIOS And ANDREW P. KELLY

April 13, 2014 6:38 p.m. ET

If you thought mortgage-underwriting standards were lax right before the housing crisis, wait until you take a closer look at student loans. Borrowing for a house at least requires an appraisal of the property and an assessment of the borrower’s future capacity to pay. Student loans require neither. Instead, students and families are encouraged to invest in any program at any price. There is a better way, but it’s time to look beyond traditional student loans. Read more of this post

As Growth Slows in India, Rural Workers Have Fewer Incentives to Move to Cities

As Growth Slows in India, Rural Workers Have Fewer Incentives to Move to Cities

Few Manufacturing Jobs and High Inflation, Combined With Rural Programs, Stall India’s Urbanization

RAYMOND ZHONG and SAPTARISHI DUTTA

Updated April 13, 2014 10:43 p.m. ET

MORKAHI, India—As a teenager, Ram Singh left this remote rural village and moved to fast-growing New Delhi to chase the spoils of his country’s economic boom. Read more of this post

Scourge of Money Politics Raises Concerns Ahead of Indonesia’s Legislative Election

Scourge of Money Politics Raises Concerns Ahead of Indonesia’s Legislative Election

By Josua Gantan & Vita A.D. Busyra on 08:35 am Apr 02, 2014

Jakarta. Violations of campaign regulations are on the rise as Indonesia’s legislative election approaches. Read more of this post

Japan Reaches a Keynesian Cul-de-Sac; Japan hurtles toward fiscal cliff as money printing can’t make up for an economy’s decrepitude.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

Japan Reaches a Keynesian Cul-de-Sac

By RANDALL W. FORSYTH | MORE ARTICLES BY AUTHOR

Japan hurtles toward fiscal cliff as money printing can’t make up for an economy’s decrepitude. Read more of this post

Did Someone Front Run Michael Lewis? Unusual trading in shares of the Nasdaq suggests investors foresaw “Flash Boys” controversy

TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2014

Did Someone Front Run Michael Lewis?

By STEVEN M. SEARS | MORE ARTICLES BY AUTHOR

Unusual trading in shares of the Nasdaq suggests investors foresaw “Flash Boys” controversy. Read more of this post

Acra sharpens focus on errant directors; Acra will roll out a directors’ compliance programme, said DPM Tharman, who was speaking at a dinner yesterday to mark Acra’s 10th anniversary

PUBLISHED APRIL 02, 2014

Acra sharpens focus on errant directors

JAMIE LEE

[SINGAPORE] The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (Acra) will push out more initiatives with the view to strengthen the competencies of company directors, said Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam. Read more of this post

Singapore’s troubled LionGold banking on Daim Zainuddin’s son

Troubled LionGold banking on Daim Zainuddin’s son

Wira Dani Abdul Daim is exec deputy chairman as well as exec director of firm Read more of this post

China PX plant protests spread to provincial capital Guangzhou

April 1, 2014 12:08 pm

China PX plant protests spread to provincial capital Guangzhou

By Demetri Sevastopulo in Hong Kong

Opposition to a chemical plant in China’s Guangdong province spread to Guangzhou on Tuesday as several hundred protesters demonstrated in the provincial capital. Read more of this post

Passport to an Indian success; “Entrepreneurship is like a bug. Your mind is always churning, looking around, observing things, observing people.”

Passport to an Indian success

By Avantika Chilkoti

International retailers are watching Snapdeal co-founder Kunal Bahl’s progress in developing online retail in India

Kunal Bahl’s plans as a young graduate to work in the US for a few years were dashed in 2007, while he was working at Microsoft. The US government refused to renew his visa and he was forced to return home to Delhi. But that was just the push he needed, he says, to fulfil longstanding dreams. Read more of this post

Founder quits Russia’s largest social network, cementing the control of Kremlin-loyal tycoon Alisher Usmanov over a key platform amid moves by Putin’s government to tighten control over the country’s media

April 1, 2014 6:54 pm

Founder quits Russia’s largest social network

By Kathrin Hille in Moscow

Pavel Durov, the eccentric founder of Russia’s largest social network Vkontakte, has quit as the company’s chief executive, cementing the control of Kremlin-loyal tycoon Alisher Usmanov over a key platform amid moves by president Vladimir Putin’s government to tighten control over the country’s media. Read more of this post

Big pharma’s rise in China not held back by scandals

April 2, 2014 3:38 am

Big pharma’s rise in China not held back by scandals

By Andrew Ward in London and Patti Waldmeir in Shanghai

When Chinese authorities accused GlaxoSmithKline last summer of being the “godfather” at the centre of a network of corruption, big pharma braced for a prolonged period of turmoil in one of the world’s fastest-growing drugs markets. Read more of this post