China pollution 'threatens growth'

The man in charge of protecting China's environment has warned that pollution and the demand for resources threaten to choke economic growth.

Environment Minister Zhou Shengxian said conflict between development and nature had never been so serious.

SAARC CCI proposes agenda for economic cooperation with China

The SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SAARC CCI) has proposed a roadmap for promotion of economic cooperation between China and South Asian countries.

A SAARC CCI statement issued here on Friday said that the nine-point agenda proposed by SAARC CCI included convening of Sichuan- South Asia Business Summit as a regular annual feature, formation of advisory panel constituting representatives of CCPIT Sichuan Sub-council and South Asian Chambers, sharing of information about the potential and mutually benefitted areas, undertaking sector-specific studies and pre-feasibility reports on core and potential sector, exchange of fact-finding missions to explore untapped potential in trade and investment, inflow of investment from China to South Asian countries, preferential market Access to South Asian nations, removal of NTBs and PTBs, provision of 500 multiple business for at least one year period to all South Asian nations, relocation of labour-intensive industries from China to South Asia, investment in infrastructure building to improve connectivity and foster economic cooperation.

Indian economy likely to grow at 8%: RBS Asia Securities

RBS Asia Securities is expecting a low gross domestic product (GDP) than the street expectations. Parul Saini, ED, RBS Asia Securities Singapore says that Indian economy is expecting a growth of 8%.

According to him, the net borrowing is likely to be at around 4.2%. “On the earnings front, we came into the year expecting earnings to be roughly 5-8% below consensus. The risk to numbers coming in below our estimates, there might probably be 2-3% downside to that but not significant at this point in time,” he adds.

Asia integrates through economic, financial factors

The idea of Asia as an identity was imagined by the Greeks thousands of years ago and today it is becoming a reality, said Chas W. Freeman Jr. in the keynote speech of the Camden Conference on Feb. 18 at the Camden Opera House.

This integration of Asia is driven by economic and financial factors rather than politics and ideology, Freeman said. At some expense to the U.S. role, Asian countries are relying more on each other for trading, business deals, education and banking, he said.

Hong Kong grows at 6.8% in 2010 helped by Chinese money

Hong Kong's economy has expanded by 6.8% in 2010 as it benefited from business ties with mainland China.

The figures were released as part of the annual budget address by Hong Kong's Financial Secretary John Tsang.

Japan posts first trade deficit in almost two years

Weaker exports to key markets gave Japan its first trade deficit in 22 months, Ministry of Finance data has shown.

The trade deficit was 471.42bn yen ($5.7bn; £3.52bn) in January, with exports up 1.4%. Analysts had expected export growth to be closer to 7%.

Asian Stocks Rebound on Economic Outlook From Japan, U.S., Profit Growth

Asian stocks rebounded this week after U.S. and Japanese central banks raised their growth outlooks and companies posted better-than-estimated earnings, boosting confidence in the global recovery.

Toshiba Corp. and Elpida Memory Inc. rallied more than 3 percent in Tokyo after Dell Inc., the world’s third-largest personal-computer maker, reported profit that topped forecasts. Qantas Airways Ltd. jumped 6.3 percent after Australia’s biggest airline quadrupled net income. AMP Ltd. rose 4.3 percent as Goldman Sachs Group Inc. recommended the asset manager citing “solid” earnings results.