AUSTRALIA

Britain, South Korea and New Zealand left interest rates at record lows on Thursday, with Canada expected to follow suit, but in Asia at least there were signs that thoughts are turning to tighter policy.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Thursday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.27 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.24 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.21 percent at 4:46 a.m. EDT.

Asian stocks rose on Thursday as investors continued to switch into riskier assets amid growing confidence the global economy is recovering, keeping the dollar on the defensive.

Asian stocks rose on Thursday as hopes for global economic recovery prompted investors to shift into riskier assets, while oil found support above $71 a barrel following OPEC's decision to keep output steady.

U.S. oil firm Chevron has agreed to sell nearly 3 million tonnes a year of liquefied natural gas from its Gorgon project in Australia, paving the way for a final investment decision in coming weeks.

China's next iron ore pricing negotiation is now in jeopardy after Rio Tinto suspended this year's talks with Chinese steel mills without agreement just two months before the 2010 round was due to begin.

China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC), parent of Asia's largest oil and gas producer PetroChina, said it secured a $30 billion state loan to fund overseas expansion, as Beijing seeks to secure resources for the world's fastest-growing major economy.

Veteran Australian actor Ray Barrett, who became a familiar figure on British television in the 1960s and most recently appeared in the big-budget movie Australia, has died at the age of 82.

Asian stocks drifted lower after hitting a one-year high earlier on Wednesday and the dollar was stuck near a one-year low as investors, hopeful of an economic recovery, held back from moving more money into risky assets.

Asian stocks drifted lower after initially hitting a one-year high on Wednesday and the dollar hovered near a one-year low, with investors taking a breather from moving money into riskier assets in the hope that the global recovery is strengthening.

Samoa is about to become the first nation in nearly 40 years to switch the side of the road that traffic drives on, and the reasons are primarily economic.

Asian shares touched their highest level in a year on Tuesday, while gold futures hit $1,000 an ounce for the first time in six months on investor concerns about the sustainability of the global economic recovery.

Asia's initial public offering market is booming as economies inch out of recession and equity markets improve, setting the scene for the region to emerge as the world's top spot for firms rushing to raise money.

A white glove worn by the late singer Michael Jackson sold at auction for A$57,600 ($49,000) in Australia Sunday, nearly twice the price auctioneers expected, the auction house said.

Vietnam has freed a blogger who was recently detained over a plan to distribute anti-China T-shirts, he said on Sunday, as Communist Party chief Nong Duc Manh prepared to leave on a visit to Australia and New Zealand.

Jack Ingram has taken word-of-mouth to a new level. While promoting his album

Ensco International Inc warned on Friday that its third-quarter profit would be as much as one-sixth lower than current expectations due to unexpected downtime and repairs for two of its deepwater rigs.

Chris Waddell wants to climb Kilimanjaro in a wheelchair; George Del Barrio wants to make a film in Cambodia; Jeff Edwards wants to write a book about a science fiction writer: they want you to fund their dreams.

State-run chemicals company ChemChina, the little-known acquisition pioneer that won the affection of private equity firm Blackstone, is looking for yet more strategic investment as it scouts for more overseas assets, its chief executive said on Friday.

Aboriginal artist Yannima Tommy Watson is a man of few words, but his vibrant works speak volumes, drawing museum-goers at the Muse du Quai Branly in Paris and Australia's most prestigious art galleries.

Mortgage woes dominate the business page headlines of both the New York Times and Wall Street Journal today.