U.S. stocks traded around the flatline as European business activity unexpectedly slowed, prompting investors to pause after rising to the cusp of multi-year highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 11 points, or 0.1%, to 12954 in morning trading.

Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China released the 12th Five Year Plan on new materials industry including special metallic functional materials; high end metallic structural materials advanced polymer materials, new inorganic non

US stocks drifted to a mixed close Friday in lacklustre trade as the broad market scored a modest gain. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 1.74 points (0.01 per cent) to finish at 12,982.95. The broad-market S&P 500 gained 2.28 (0.17 per cent) to

New mortgage loans drawn down in Hong Kong decreased at a sharply faster rate in January, data from a survey by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority showed Friday. New mortgage loans drawn down decreased 31.6 percent from the previous month to HK$6.08

Indian shares posted their first weekly fall in 2012 on Friday, sliding 2 per cent over five sessions, as investors booked profits on renewed worries about rising global oil prices and the country's widening fiscal deficit. Lenders such as State Bank of

The Sensex posted its first weekly fall in 2012 on Friday, sliding two per cent over five sessions, as investors booked profits on renewed worries about rising global oil prices and the country’s widening fiscal deficit. Lenders, such as State Bank of

Hong Kong's trade deficit narrowed sharply in January from the prior month, the Census and Statistics Department said Thursday. The visible trade deficit fell to HK$8.9 billion from HK$48.9 billion in December. Economists were expecting the shortfall to

Indian benchmark indices continued to trade higher in the morning session today on fresh buying by funds and retail investors amid a mixed trend in the Asian markets. The 30-share index, which had lost over 350 points in the previous two sessions,

Japan's Nikkei share average extended its rally and rose to a 6-1/2-month high on Friday above 9,600, heading for its best February performance in two decades. After the Nikkei ramped up 9.4 percent this month and 13.9 percent this year, strategists

The time is ripe for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to start the rate reversal cycle. economists say. This is because owing to a high base effect, inflation is expected to remain low for a few more months. Economists expect a cut in the repo rate, or

Share prices on Bursa Malaysia opened mixed in early trading Friday due to mild buying interest for riskier assets, dealers said. At 9.15am, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) stood at 1,553.97, down 2.69 points from yesterday, after opening 0.47 of

Hong Kong shares were set to open higher on Friday, bolstered by strength in AIA Group Ltd after posting better-than-expected 2011 earnings that could help the Hang Seng Index eke out an eighth-straight weekly gain. The Hang Seng Index was set to start

The Bovespa dropped to a one-week low as homebuilders and consumer stocks tumbled after a report showing Brazilian consumer prices rose more than forecast this month prompted traders to pare bets for lower interest rates. Hypermarcas SA, the maker of