Archives: April 2008

Will protestors get doused in Hong Kong torch relay?

Posted by: Frederik Balfour on April 30

I have to admit I’m a lot more stoked about the Hong Kong leg of the Olympic Torch Relay on May 2 more than I’d originally thought I would...

No Imminent Seal for HSBC’s Korean Bank Purchase

Posted by: Ihlwan Moon on April 29

HSBC Holdings isn’t likely to finalize the planned purchase of Korea Exchange Bank any time soon, with the London-based bank extending the expiry of the contract, originally due on Apr....

Happy Days Ahead for Asian Chipmakers?

Posted by: Bruce Einhorn on April 29

TSMC chairman Morris Chang, hailed in Taiwan as the father of the island’s chip industry, is predicting more good times ahead for Asia’s chipmakers. Why? As the cost of building...

India's Chip Dreams, Continued

Posted by: Bruce Einhorn on April 28

Some good news for Indians hoping to build a semiconductor industry in the country. While plans to build India’s first serious chip plant seem to be stalled, the chip-design business...

Shanghai's market still feels like a casino

Posted by: Frederik Balfour on April 24

Gee whiz. The Shanghai Stock Exchange lept 9.3% today, its highest one-day jump in six years the day after the government announced it was slashing the stamp duty tax from...

Olympic Jitters Start Impacting HK Business

Posted by: Bruce Einhorn on April 24

The furor surrounding the Olympic torch relay is causing nightmares for Carrefour and other French businesses in China. The impact is now extending to the hub for foreign business in...

Beijing's Auto (Show) Problem

Posted by: Dexter Roberts on April 22

From the start I had mixed feelings—day one of the two days set aside for press at the Beijing Auto Show was Sunday. And with interviews with auto execs lined...

Suzuki pumps nearly $4 billion into India

Posted by: Ian Rowley on April 22

India might not be the hot topic for visitors to this week's Beijing auto show, but Japan's carmakers--out in number in the Chinese capital--aren't ignoring Asia's other billion plus population...

Samsung Probe Underlines Lax Rule of Law

Posted by: Ihlwan Moon on April 21

In announcing findings of a sweeping probe into Samsung Group, South Korea’s legal elite again displayed its tendency to leniently punish white-collar crimes. And as long as foul plays conducted...

Japan to Global Investors: Shareholder Activism Won't Work Here

Posted by: Kenji Hall on April 17

It was a blow to good corporate governance or a victory for national security, depending on which side you’re rooting for. Either way, Japan’s April 16 decision to block The...

When in Japan...Eat Whale

Posted by: Kenji Hall on April 15

Whaling, like money, is just one of those things you don't bring up in polite company. It can start as a civil chat but, because of the passions on both...

India and the global food crisis

Posted by: Manjeet Krpalani on April 14

The food crisis is upon us all. You and I have seen it creep up in the last month, when prices of basic vegetables went from Rs. 25 to Rs....

India and the global food crisis

Posted by: Manjeet Krpalani on April 14

The food crisis is upon us all. You and I have seen it creep up in the last month, when prices of basic vegetables went from Rs. 25 to Rs....

Taiwan Gets a Boost from S&P

Posted by: Bruce Einhorn on April 11

The election of Ma Ying-jeou as Taiwan's president might be starting to pay off for the Taiwanese economy. Ma recovered the presidency for the Kuomintang last month after pledging to...

Tokyo Art Fair Revisited

Posted by: Kenji Hall on April 10

As they say, there are (at least) two sides to every story. After I wrote about the inaugural 101 Tokyo Contemporary Art Fair last week, the fair’s organizers complained about...

Now it's India's Turn to Woo Africa

Posted by: Bruce Einhorn on April 09

During the Cold War, leaders from China and India liked to polish their Third World cred by emphasizing their ties with countries in Africa. The Chinese and the Indians could...

India-Pakistan detente

Posted by: Manjeet Krpalani on April 04

Pakistan has seen a welcome and surprisingly mature return to democratic rule. The election victors have put President Musharraf in his place - an isolated spot on the top and...

CIC executive defends China's sovereign fund

Posted by: Frederik Balfour on April 03

Jesse Wang, vice president and chief risk officer of China’s $200 billion sovereign fund, the China Investment Corporation or CIC, launched a major PR effort yesterday at Hong Kong ballroom...

Korean Shipbuilders Defy Predictions of Slowdown

Posted by: Ihlwan Moon on April 02

If the first quarter performance is an indicator for a longer-term business climate, South Korea’s white-hot shipbuilding industry is poised to bask in glory. Despite forecasts by industry analysts that...

Kudos to Beijing's Efforts for Smoke-Free Olympics

Posted by: Frederik Balfour on April 01

Judging from the many comments from Chinese readers of my last blog on foreign broadcast bans from Tiananmen Square during the Olympics, you’d think that the international media have...