CHINA

Asian shares edged up while the Australian dollar and commodities pared early losses as investors bet China's latest interest rate hike would not change the optimistic outlook for the global economy in 2011.

Stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Wall Street on Monday, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.45 percent, Dow Jones futures down 0.44 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.16 percent at 0850 GMT (3:50 a.m. ET).

China made fresh assurances that it will keep inflation in check, saying it will improve efforts to stabilize prices and ensure an abundant supply of essential commodities ahead of the Chinese New Year.

Singapore-listed ECS Holdings , which recently clinched nation-wide distribution rights for Apple's iPad and iPhone in China, hopes to raise gross proceeds of around $50 million from the listing of its Taiwan Depository Receipts.

Spot gold regained lost ground on Monday, as bargain hunting trickled in after prices dropped about one percent in early trade in response to China's interest rate increase on Saturday.

Iran's OPEC governor Mohammad Ali Khatibi said on Sunday that the oil market was stable and the crude prices could reach $100 per barrel, the Oil Ministry's website SHANA reported.

China's government will be able to keep inflation in check, Premier Wen Jiabao said on Sunday, a day after the central bank raised interest rates, and he pledged to speed up efforts to rein in house price surges.

Wall Street will see the year-end rally carry into the last week of 2010, but the question on everyone's mind is, what's next?

Call it the year of feast and famine.Many of the world's big advanced economies have pledged frugality for 2011 while fast-growing emerging markets run the risk of overheating. The global economy must withstand both forces in order to live up to growth expectations.

The U.S. Department of Energy is investing in a power storage system that brings together several emerging industries in the alternative energy field -- solar and wind power, and the lithium-ion battery.

Iran's OPEC governor Mohammad Ali Khatibi said on Sunday that the oil market was stable and the crude prices could reach $100 per barrel, the Oil Ministry's website SHANA reported.

The surprise timing of the People's Bank of China increase in benchmark lending and deposit interest rates is likely to weigh on commodity markets when trading starts on Monday.

China's government will be able to keep inflation in check, Premier Wen Jiabao said on Sunday, a day after the central bank raised interest rates, and he pledged to speed up efforts to rein in house price surges.

China's government will be able to keep inflation in check, Premier Wen Jiabao said on Sunday, pledging to speed up efforts to rein in house price surges.

China raised mortgage rates by 25 basis points on Sunday, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development said, the second increase this year, after benchmark interest rates increased on Saturday.

China's central bank raised interest rates on Saturday for the second time in just over two months as it stepped up its battle to rein in stubbornly high inflation.

The People's Bank of China said on Saturday it would increase its one-year benchmark lending and deposit interest rates by 25 basis points, the second rate hike in just over two months.

The People's Bank of China said on Saturday it would increase its one-year benchmark lending and deposit interest rates by 25 basis points, the second rate hike in just over two months.

German automaker, Audi, has announced that the company has broken its record for annual vehicle sales in the U.S. recording its 93,507th transaction on December 13, 2010.

China's central bank raised interest rates on Saturday, the second rise in just over two months, stepping up its battle to rein in stubbornly high inflation.

Dutch navigation device maker TomTom expects more deals with car producers and will increase its workforce by about 14 percent next year as it seeks market share in Asia, its chief executive told a Dutch paper.