CHINA

U.S. private equity fund Carlyle Group has sold about $860 million worth of shares in China Pacific Insurance Co Ltd <2601.HK>, a source with direct with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Thursday.

(Corrects paragraph 3 to show the 57 percent stake is for Hong Kong traded H-shares and does not take into account outstanding Shanghai shares <601601.SS>)

Chinese inflation showed signs of cresting in a manufacturing survey on Thursday, an early indication that the government will be able to stick to its course of gradual rather than aggressive monetary tightening.

China will continue to export rare earth minerals and said its export controls were for environmental protection reasons, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, after a government move to cut rare earth export quotas raised fresh international trade concerns.

China shut down more than 60,000 pornographic websites this year, netting almost 5,000 suspects in the process, a government spokesman said on Thursday, vowing no let-up in its campaign against material deemed obscene.

South Korea, among other countries, would be a better candidate than South Africa to join the BRIC group of prominent emerging market nations, said Jim O’Neill, chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, and the man who first coined the “BRIC” term.

China's new anti-ship aircraft carrier killer missile has achieved initial operational capability, but that won't affect the United States military's operations in the commercially vital South China Sea, a top U.S. military commander said.

Amid the chorus of commodity bulls and analysts predicting more rallies in 2011, some expect steep corrections if demand destruction sets in from high prices and big consumer China gets tougher against inflation.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak was forceful, even bellicose, in speaking about North Korea on Monday. But on Wednesday, Lee struck a conciliatory note, expressing a desire for dialogue with his country's difficult neighbor to the north

Molycorp (NYSE: MCP) is rising following the decision by China to cut its exports of rare earth materials next year.

American online payment service provider Paypal said it will help establish an international e-commerce hub in southwestern China to cash in on the nation’s fast-growing Internet sales market.

Amid the chorus of commodity bulls and analysts predicting more rallies in 2011, some expect steep corrections if demand destruction sets in from high prices and big consumer China gets tougher against inflation.

The Gold Price in Euros broke fresh all-time highs overnight in Asian trade, hitting more than €34,500 per kilo - some 38% higher in 2010.

China is finally stepping up to fight corruption, which has been rated as the number one problem for progress. The country issued the first ever white paper on the nation's anti-graft efforts, Xinhua, the official news agency of the government said.

Futures on major U.S. stock indices point to modestly higher opening on Wednesday with futures on the S&P 500 up 0.10 percent, futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.10 percent and Nasdaq100 futures up 0.25 percent.

U.S. stocks advanced in a thinly traded session on Wednesday with the S&P 500 eyeing its best December in nearly two decades as investors remained optimistic about the prospects for equities next year.

China's central bank raised rediscount rates for banks for the first time in two years and also raised the one-year relending rate, in yet another indication that bank is serious about tightening policy.

Overseas shares traded in the United States were higher in a quiet session on Wednesday, with commodity stocks leading the way in a rebound from recent declines.

Shares of General Motors rose more than 2 percent Tuesday after a slew of analysts advised buying shares of the automaker, which has raised $23 billion recently in the world's largest IPO.

U.S. stocks advanced on Wednesday as investors remained bullish about the prospects for equities in 2011, keeping a December rally intact.

U.S. stocks index futures rose on Wednesday, indicating stocks were poised to extend a December rally as investors remained optimistic the global economic rebound will continue in 2011.