News Bits | 2 Jan 2013

IDEAS OF THE DAY (SEE SEPARATE REPORTS FOR DETAILS)

l  Quick Bites: MAXIS

l  Technically Speaking: MISC, OLDTOWN

 NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

l  Cypark 4Q net profit doubled to RM5.0m

l  Kim Loong reports 63.0% fall in 3Q profit

l  Petronas Dagangan completes acquisition in Vietnam

l  KLK expects to see six plants running, Indonesia factories to commence ops this year

l  Malaysia Airports' unit sets up JV company with Atoz hospitality

l  Tambun Indah to launch more projects in Penang

l  OCK expected to benefit from spillover effect of spectrum allocation

 

FOREIGN NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

l  Sharp considering raising USD1.2b to beef up capital: media

l  Live Nation chairman Azoff said to exit concert company

 

ECONOMIC NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (MACRO BITS)

Asia

l  China Manufacturing Index Shows Third Straight Expansion

l  S. Korea Budget Gets Nod

l  S. Korea December Inflation Eases, Gives Room For More Easing

l  Singapore 2012 GDP Grew 1.2% As Recession Seen In Second Half

l  Pakistan Inflation Accelerates For First Time In Seven Months

USA

l  US Senate Passes 'Fiscal Cliff' Deal To Avoid Tax Rises

Europe

l  Merkel Warns Germans Of Tough Economic Times Ahead

l  Portugal Set For Major Tax Rises As 2013 Budget Hits

l  Italy Debt Rallies In Euro-Area Bonds’ Best Year As Crisis Eases

l  Britons More Optimistic On Housing

Currencies

l  Dollar Rises At Cliff’s Edge

Commodities

l  Oil Ends Record Year Focused On Us Budget Crisis

l  Gold Up 6 % In 2012; 12th Straight Year Of Gains