AUSTRALIA

China Investment Corp (CIC), a $300 billion wealth fund, may be weighing up a bid for state-owned Chinalco's stake in mining giant Rio Tinto (RIO.AX) in what would be its boldest move yet into natural resources.

Consumer confidence is strongest in emerging Asia, Brazil and Australia, but weakened slightly in the United States in the fourth quarter as Americans worried about job security, a survey showed on Wednesday.

Asia stocks rose to a 17-month high on Tuesday as growing confidence about the prospects for the global economy drew investors to riskier assets and away from the dollar, which extended its weak start to the year.

Growing confidence about the global economy lifted Asian stocks to a fresh 17-month high on Tuesday as investors continued to be drawn to riskier assets, while the dollar stabilized after a weak start to the year.

Factories in Asia stepped up production in December, with China's output growing at its fastest pace on record, suggesting economic activity is gathering pace in the region that is leading the global recovery.

EUR/USD opened lower trading in a limited range during the shortened holiday week. The pair made a weekly high on Tuesday trading up to 1.4457 after release of U.S. housing data from S&P/Case-Shiller showed a 0.4% rise to a seasonally-adjusted 145.36 in October. The index was off 7.3% versus October of last year, slightly worse that the market's -7% Y/Y consensus. Also on Tuesday, European Central Bank Governing Council member and Luxembourg Central Bank head Yves Mersch wrote in a New Year's me...

Asia stocks rose on Thursday, racking up a 68 percent gain for the year, as a jump in U.S. consumer confidence reinforced views that the world's largest economy is gradually recovering.

China's steel industry association expects foreign miners to call for a 20-30 percent increase in benchmark iron ore prices in 2010, the official China Securities Journal reported on Wednesday.

Asian share markets fell on Wednesday as year-end trade dwindled, with profit-taking pulling down stocks in Australia and bankruptcy worries about Japan Airlines Corp weighing on the Nikkei, but the dollar rose broadly.

Sumitomo Chemical Corp agreed to buy a $590 million stake in Australian farm chemicals maker Nufarm Ltd on Tuesday, in a surprise deal that knocked out a rival bid from China's Sinochem.

Dutch ING, which is splitting up its bank and insurance arms, will sell its stake in Chinese insurer Antai to China Construction Bank (CCB) as part of its ongoing restructuring programme.

Australian shares rose on Tuesday, helped by gains in oil and metals and by merger activity, but stock markets elsewhere in Asia lagged as year-end activity dwindled and the dollar's rally ran out of steam.

Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc (LEHMQ.PK) has sought bankruptcy court approval to hire Neuberger Berman Fixed Income LLC to help it sell asset-backed securities worth $180 million, court filings show.

Integrys Energy Services Inc, a unit of Integrys Energy Group Inc, said it agreed to sell its wholesale electric marketing and trading business to a unit of Australia's Macquarie Group Ltd.

The dollar held near recent highs against the yen on Monday, helped by demand from Japanese corporates before the year-end, with eyes on U.S. data and Treasury auctions to see if it can maintain its recent rally.

Japanese shares hit a four-month high, leading gains in Asian stocks on growing investor optimism about the global economy, while the U.S. dollar held firm against the yen and euro.

Asian stocks rose on Monday on increasing optimism about the global economy, with Tokyo shares hitting their highest in four months, while the U.S. dollar gained against the yen and held firm against the euro.

China denounced foreign diplomatic meddling in the trial this week of Liu Xiaobo, a dissident facing up to 15 years in prison for authoring works calling for greater civil and political freedoms.

It takes guts to stage an opera in a working man's pub in an Irish part of London, but the Cock Tavern Theater Company's production of Puccini's La Boheme, in English and updated for modern audiences, has audiences mesmerized.

If you're tired of the same old food, weather, and, ahem, people this holiday season, now may be the time for you to experience Christmas traditions from around the world. Here are five of the most unique celebrations from across the globe in plenty of time for you to make flight reservations:

In the nights before Christmas, some U.S. retailers are opening their doors round the clock to wring out every last possible holiday sale.