2 May 2013, Thursday

Capital markets

Retail investors lack confidence in China-based companies

Goldman Sachs’ booming business in Malaysia draws criticism

Bank denies any mistakes in underwriting bonds for SCORE project

Global Witness statement

Construction

Green tech in construction of buildings slowly gaining acceptance

General elections

Former DPM optimistic about going one better this time

PM’s reputation could have been seen as indecision

Islamic finance

Malaysia looking forward to collaborating with Oman

SC invites applications for Scholar in Residence programme

Oil and gas

Malaysian NGV, Asian Development & Investment Bank in talks

SapuraKencana continues to demonstrate its competitiveness beyond Malaysia

Real estate

Prices of industrial land outstrip even those of some advanced Western countries

I-Bhd launching RM700 million worth of projects

IGB awaiting approval for first major project in Johor

Telecommunications

Astro Malaysia, Maxis in 10-year strategic partnership

Astro raised to 'outperform'

Telekom Malaysia joins ‘Bay of Bengal Gateway’ project

Tort

‘Kickdefella’ blogger ordered to file defence to defamation suit

Transport

Feasibility study on new LRT line from Subang or Kelana Jaya to Port Klang

MMC-Gamuda among groups bidding for KL-Singapore HSR link

ASIA

Islamic finance

Mumbai’s stock exchange launches Islamic equity index

Legal profession

Hong Kong’s lawyers fight over privilege of wearing horsehair headpiece in court

AUSTRALIA

Intellectual property

Most important decisions handed down in 2012

Property

Harbourfront mansion Altona sold for record price of AUD54 million

CANADA

Employment

When employee’s conduct could be considered sufficiently serious to terminate employment without notice

Oil and gas

Talisman Energy posts quarterly loss

EUROPE

Competition

First substantive ruling on cartel damages in Netherlands

Islamic finance

Irish government keen to showcase country

SINGAPORE

Contract

Distributor savours sweet smell of success in victory over supplier of Man U fragrances

Earnings

DBS posts unexpected increase in profit for 11th straight quarter

UK

Environment

Supreme Court says government breached EU air quality law

Intellectual property

Limitations on remedies available for infringement of copyright

Islamic finance

Britain’s sole Shariah-compliant lender narrows losses

London and Dubai vying for title of biggest IF listing hub in western world

Tax

HMRC faces court challenge over deal with Goldman Sachs

Google and E&Y officials will be re-summoned to explain previous comments

Discrepancy raises questions about whether Google does operate within the law

US

Capital markets

American arm of ING prices IPO below expected range

Gaming

Las Vegas Sands’ Q1 earnings helped by good results in Macau and Singapore

Technology

Apple still the dominant tablet vendor

30 April 2013, Tuesday

Administrative law

UPSI student’s suspension justified

Banks

RHB wants to be among region’s top eight banks for acquisitions in next two years

DMG & Partners Securities now a member of RHB

Capital markets

FBM KLCI fails to build momentum

Suitor found for Sime Darby’s non-core assets

Competition

Companies should review practices, especially distribution practices, across Asia

Earnings

Maybank’s Q1 results likely to be subdued

Cement manufacturer Tasek’s Q1 profit down 12.8%

Economy

Malaysian on track to achieve growth of 5%-6%

Healthcare

Pursuit of lucrative healthcare tourism market could raise KPJ’s profile

Investment

Malaysia keen to make better use of Singapore’s financial muscle

Symphony seeks PE deals in Malaysia and Thailand; Sri Lanka, India and Japan also on its list

Property

I&P launching project in Bandar Kinrara this year

Takaful

Takaful Malaysia hopes for more level playing field in Indonesia by 2015

ASIA

Economy

Emerging Asia potentially susceptible to ‘middle-income trap’

IMF report

Gaming

Hong Kong emerging as preferred market for Macau gaming industry

Insurance

Deal-making frenzy turns up heat on buyers to fork out huge sums or miss out

Intellectual property

Trademark of Malhotra Book Depot restored despite lapse of 26 years

AUSTRALIA

Earnings

ANZ’s H1 cash profit climbed 10%

Insolvency

Factors in determining whether an inquiry into the conduct of receivers and managers is appropriate

Management

Sharp named CEO of Tiger Australia

SINGAPORE

Earnings

Higher fees and commissions outweigh narrowing net interest margins at OCBC

Mergers and acquisitions

Singapore Exchange rejects Aussino’s application for S$70 million RTO deal with Max Myanmar

Revenue

Annual value of vacant land to be assessed on basis of current market prices

UK

Entertainment

Pinewood Shepperton building first movie production facility in US

Financial services

24-year-old currency trader accused of taking £6 million in funds from investors

Britain intends to implement tougher version of Solvency II for its own insurers

US

Antitrust

Publishing house Macmillan hammers out US$26 million settlement

Capital markets

S&P 500 closes at record high

Real estate

Conflict over Empire State Building proposal reaches critical juncture

Technology

Huawei hits brick wall in US, shifts focus to markets where it has a chance

29 April 2013, Monday

Biotechnology

BiotechCorp looking at IP evaluation model

Capital markets

Investors likely to remain sidelined amid uncertainties about GE13

Target price on KLCC Property raised to RM7.50

Competition

Businesses should invest in a compliance programme

Insurance

Great Eastern rewards customers for staying healthy

Investment

1MDB statements raise even more questions

Oil and gas

Petronas signs production sharing contract with Suriname’s Staatsolie

Plantation

Papua New Guinea seeks advice from Felda Global Ventures

JCorp carves new growth plan in palm oil and non-core plantation businesses

Property

Developers need to find a balance between accounting and grey tax zones

S&P: Debt-fuelled property boom is unlikely

ASIA

Financial services

Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui in advanced talks on BTPN stake

Insurers benefiting from Indonesia’s rapid economic growth

Telecommunications

Digicel’s strategy helped propel it onto Myanmar shortlist

India defers hearing on alleged irregularities in allocation of bandwidth

EUROPE

Competition

Google proposes change to search page

Intellectual property

Understanding the EU’s unitary patent system

NEW ZEALAND

Competition

Vector cleared to buy Contact Energy’s natural gas metering business

Schenker denied access to documents in long-running air cargo cartel litigation

Tax

Little long-term incentive to change behaviours without changes to tax systems

SINGAPORE

Islamic finance

Singapore hosting WIBC Asia 2013 in June

Negligence

Engineer hit by cable while taking short cut entitled to damages

Sport

SingTel less keen to be first pay-TV company to secure rights for World Cup

UK

Banks

Commerzbank loses high-profile appeal against UK court ruling

Capital markets

Up to five lenders looking to float on stock market

Islamic finance

PM must first convince Bank of England of UK’s role in Islamic finance

Legal services

Small practices risk being ‘branded out’ by new entrants into legal market

US

Education

What are parents getting for the hefty sums they shell out for a private school education?

Intellectual property

Cariou v Prince ruling helps clarify how defendant can prove fair use

Negligence

Rating agencies S&P, Moody’s settle lawsuits; no admission of liability or wrongdoing

26 April 2013, Friday

Airlines

Malaysia Airlines working on code-share arrangements

Earnings

Record year for UMW Holdings

Healthcare

Target price for KPJ Healthcare raised to RM6.55

Investment

Goldman Sachs’ ties with 1MDB and the Sarawak government

New company SRC International enters picture

Islamic banking and finance

Bank Negara Malaysia’s concept paper on operational requirements of Murabahah contract

LHAG acts as Malaysian counsel

Legal profession

Legal community should welcome liberalisation

Management

New directors of Bright Packaging Industry revoke dividend policy

Real estate

MK Land Holdings terminates India JV

1MDB appoints global team to partner with local planners on Bandar Malaysia

Tobacco

JTI Malaysia says severe hike in excise duty will widen gap

ASIA

Banks

Maybank’s Indonesian unit sees 16% climb in net profit

Insurance

AIA posts 25% increase in value of new business

Mergers and acquisitions

Stock Exchange of Thailand looks into CP All’s purchase of discount wholesaler Siam Makro

EUROPE

Antitrust

Libor probe: EU treating collusion as price-fixing cartel

Earnings

Europe the biggest headache for Electrolux CEO

Food and beverage

Carlsberg actively seeking acquisitions in Asia

NEW ZEALAND

Employment

Fish processing company ordered to pay frostbite victims NZ$22,000

Tort

Bloggers and those who host Facebook pages should review content regularly

SINGAPORE

Real estate

Croesus Retail Trust launches US$292 million IPO

UK

Earnings

British American Tobacco’s Q1 revenue growth beats estimates

Intellectual property

UK company’s products don’t infringe Nestlé patents for refill packs

Media

Newspaper Society puts in own rival petition for Royal Charter

Pharmaceuticals

New AstraZeneca CEO has his work cut out to reverse company’s fortunes

Tort

Defamation Bill clears final Parliamentary hurdle

Defendant’s position stronger now

US

Media

New York Times plans lower-priced products to attract more readers

Pharmaceuticals

Disappointing Q1 for Bristol-Myers Squibb

Social media

Security lapse revives doubts about Twitter’s place — and ultimate value — in media landscape

25 April 2013, Thursday

Capital markets

Pink forms in IPOs do not constitute a guarantee of shares

Constitutional law

Engineer’s name stays on electoral roll

Contract

Construction firm Seroja Engineering awarded RM17 million in compensation

Earnings

Pavilion REIT’s Q1 profit up 14% on higher rentals from prime land properties

Insurance

Great Eastern sees 10% growth in 2013

Investment

Strong support for Iskandar Malaysia in Q1

Templeton chairman impressed

Islamic capital markets

Khazanah Nasional working with CIMB, Deutsche Bank and StanChart on US$1 billion Sukuk

Al Bayan is first Saudi Arabian company to issue ringgit Sukuk

Property

Selangor Properties drawing up master plan for Damansara Heights development

Prices of residential property set to rise 10%-15%

Tambun Indah Land rakes in higher real estate sales

Winding up

Mission Biofuels restrained from proceeding to wind up KNM unit

ASIA

Islamic finance

Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam in expansion mode

Garuda Indonesia signs loan agreement with Kuwaiti firm to finance new aircraft

Plantation

Indonesia wants new plantations restricted to 100,000 ha

AUSTRALIA

Competition

Competition commission’s guidance on use of infringement notices

M&A community needs to take careful note of FC decision in Norcast v Bradken

Employment

Court criticises law firm of Oracle employee who won sexual harassment case

EUROPE

Banks

Deutsche Bank has skidded from one legal crisis to another

Der Spiegel article

Competition

Areas under the spotlight in UK and European competition law

SINGAPORE

Corporate

Singapore Inc snapping up shares in strategic industries

Intellectual property

Nestlé claims Petra Foods’ Take-it has a shape similar to Kit Kat

Sport

SingTel told to allow cross-carriage of Barclays Premier League ‘live’ matches to rival StarHub

UK

Employment

Dismissal for first misconduct offence was unfair

EAT’s decision

Food and beverage

Soft drink brands Lucozade and Ribena up for sale; deal could fetch more than £1 billion

GlaxoSmithKline shareholders in line for possible windfall

US

Earnings

Procter & Gamble’s profit warning spooks investors

Intellectual property

Digital Millennium Copyright Act's ‘safe harbor’ provision does not apply to pre-1972 recordings

Money

Redesigned US$100 bill in circulation from October

Technology

Has Apple lost its bite?