Japan's trade surplus soar: Japan's trade surplus soared in February as slack domestic demand began to impact imports. Economists said the rise is expected to turn up the heat on Tokyo to boost its stagnant economy.SE Asian crisis not to affect China's banking sector: The Asian financial crisis will not affect China's opening of its banking and insurance sectors, newly elected Premier Zhu Rongji said. He also ruled out a devaluation of the local currency, the yuan, and said Beijing would defend the Hong Kong currency's link to the US dollar at any cost. The streamlining of China's bloated bureaucracy would be completed by the end of this year, Zhu Rongji added.
Jakarta's loan pact with IMF: Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Habibie said in Japan he wanted to implement all 50 of the reform provisions in Jakarta's loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund, Jiji news agency reported.
Japanese finance ministry official nabbed: A Japanese Ministry of Finance (MOF)official who was on secondment to a semi-governmental public corporation has been arrested for alleged possession of stimulant drugs, MOF said.
Pacific Dunlop puts battery business on sale: Australian manufacturing conglomerate PacificDunlop Ltd put one of the world's biggest battery businesses up for sale.
Scepticism about merger of CompaqComputer, Digital Equipment: Rumours that the merger agreement between CompaqComputer Corp and Digital Equipment Corp was at risk of unravelling met with scepticism on Wall Street, although options market activity suggested worries were mounting about the deal's prospects.
Seoul's packages ailing firms: South Korea's president Kim Dae-jung ordered swiftsolutions for the country's ailing companies, including Kia Group, Halla Group and Hanbo Steel.
Australian statistics bureau on business spending: The Australian Bureau of Statistics said that planned changes in the way the National accounts are calculated will result in more accuratemeasures of business spending and imports, which have been overstated under the present system.
Nissan Motor develops new engine mount: Nissan Motor Co Ltd said it had developed a new engine mount that reduces interior noise and vibration from the engine.
Indonesia denies report it may reschedule loans: Indonesia's vice president Jusuf Habibie on Thursday denied that Indonesia is considering rescheduling its government debt. ``No, we are not going to reschedule,'' Habibie, who is in Tokyo to discuss his nation's ailing economy, told reporters as he left a meeting with Japanese finance minister Hikaru Matsunaga. Habibie said talks are under way for rescheduling some private-sector debt, adding only that it is a matter for lenders and borrowers to decide.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
