News Bits | 4 March 2013

IDEAS OF THE DAY (SEE SEPARATE REPORTS FOR DETAILS)

l  Sector Update: Rubber Glove

l  On Our Portfolio: A Better Sentiment Ahead?

l  On Our Technical Watch: Weekly Technical

 

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

l  RHB, JBIC ink USD100.0m 'green' deal

l  HLCap takeover saga continues

l  KLCC Prop's REIT listing in April

l  Bursa Malaysia embarks on efforts to attract more foreign

l  UMW Toyota achieves record sales last year

l  Plenitude unit in deal to sell land

l  CBSA receives cash offer from Majujaya

 

FOREIGN NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

l  Carlyle-led consortium agrees to buy 7 Days for USD688.0m

l  BP wins bid for access to transocean oil-spill insurance

 

ECONOMIC NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (MACRO BITS)

Malaysia

l  BNM Says Illicit Capital Outflow Likely Overstated

Asia

l  Japan's Consumer Prices Fall For Third Straight Month

l  Japan, EU To Launch Free Trade Talks

l  China February Factory Growth Cools To 5-Month Low

l  China Tightens Mortgage Rules As Home Prices Keep Rising

Americas

l  Manufacturing Sector Surges; US Construction Contracts

l  US Consumer Sentiment Boosted By Jobs Optimism

l  For Americans, Income Falls But Spending Goes Up

l  Obama Signs Sweeping Us Budget Cuts Into Effect

l  Brazil Economy Grew 0.9% In 2012

Europe

l  UK Manufacturing Suffers Shock Contraction

l  Italy Jobless Rate Jumps To Record High Of 11.7 %In January

l  Eurozone Unemployment Hits 11.9%

l  EU 'Growth Boost From Us Free-Trade Deal'

l  Euro Leaders Demand Austerity As Italy Nears New Vote

Currencies

l  Euro Hovers Around $1.30 After Gloomy Data

Commodities

l  Brent Crude Oil Erases 2013 Gains, Slips On US Budget Cuts

l  Gold Down On Strong Us Data, Ignores Spending Cuts