News Bits | 15 March 2013

IDEAS OF THE DAY

l  Results Note: ASTRO, SPSETIA, TOPGLOV

l  On Our Technical Watch: AIRPORT

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

l  UEM unit inks RM848.0m hospital project agreement

l  SP Setia’s succession plan

l  BHIC sub-subsidiary gets RM182.3m contract

l  MBf Holdings major shareholder ups takeover for shares, warrants

l  Bank Islam eyes 20.0-25.0% growth in financing

l  Salcon unit gets Sri Langka water jobs worth RM57.8m

l  Integrax unit bags RM37.8m construction contract

FOREIGN NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

l  EMC, IBM eye web hosting company SoftLayer

l  AT&T open to sale of assets

 

ECONOMIC NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (MACRO BITS)

Global

l  Global Semicon Equipment Sales Fall 15.1% To Us$36.93b In 2012

Malaysia

l  Record Funds Raised, Malaysia's Capital Market Grew 16.4% To Rm2.47 Trillion

l  Ratings Beat The US, UK

Asia Pacific

l  Kuroda Clears First Hurdle

l  Philippine Central Bank Runs Low On Intervention Funds

l  Australia Adds 71,500 Jobs, The Biggest Jump Since 2000

USA

l  Jobless Claims Slip While Producers Paying More

l  Consumer Comfort In U.S. Improves To Highest Level Since April

l  Business Spending Rises As U.S. Profits Grow

l  President Obama In Third Day Of Budget Talks With Lawmakers

Europe

l  Troika: Greece Makes 'Progress' But 'Issues' Remain

l  Recession Replaces Debt As Top EU Worry Amid Joblessness

Currencies

l  Dollar Steps Back From Claims-Data Gains

Commodities

l  Brent Crude Falls On Rising Inventories, Strong Dollar

l  Gold Rise Limited By Wall St Rally, Economic Hope