CHINA

US diplomats in Washington once dubbed North's Korea's military drills as 'fish-killing' activities. Yet the South, backed by the Obama administration, has been continuously holding live-fire drills in the disputed zone of the Korean Peninsula. With a continual military activity, the coming months could only witness a deteriorating situation in the peninsula, unless both sides are pressured to engage in a dialogue.

China is ready to buy 4-5 billion euros ($5.3-$6.6 billion) of Portuguese sovereign debt to help the country ward off pressure in debt markets, the Jornal de Negocios business daily reported Wednesday.

Contrary to the prevailing view, the U.S. economy will gain growth momentum in the year ahead, while GDP will grow stronger in Europe and Japan, research firm IHS Global Insight has said in its forecast for 2011.

General Motors China introduced an electric concept vehicle Sail at the 2010 Guangzhou Auto Show on Tuesday.

Toyota Motor Corp on Tuesday said that it expects to sell 7.7 million vehicles worldwide next year, up 3 percent from 2010, by tapping emerging markets Asian markets, such as China and India.

Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto is finalizing a $3.8 billion takeover bid for Africa-focused Riversdale , according to two sources, upping an earlier offer as it seeks to gain key coking coal supplies amid soaring demand from India and China.

Online retailer Dangdang Inc, considered as China's answer to Amazon.com, aims for sales of general merchandise to exceed that of books and other media as it diversifies in the highly competitive e-commerce sector.

China will try to import more in 2011 while keeping exports steady, Commerce Minister Chen Deming said on Wednesday, in a sign that the world's second-largest economy is keen to pull more weight as a consumer.

(Corrects name to Jon, not John, paragraph 4)

The Hong Kong property market -- fueled by strong capital inflows -- soared almost 20 percent so far this year.

Nike Inc posted future orders data that missed many analysts' expectations Tuesday, sending shares of the world's largest athletic shoe and clothing maker down almost 6 percent.

It makes sense for China to invest heavily in green energy.

The stock market rallied modestly on U.S. mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activities and China’s continued support for European Union’s (EU) sovereign debt market.

Molycorp Inc. (NYSE: MCP) shares are surging 15.62 percent in mid-day trading after it signed an agreement with Hitachi Metls Ltd. of Japan that may lead to the production of rare earth magnets in the U.S. sometime next year.

There are now 308.7 million people in the United States, or 308,745,538 persons to be more exact as of April 1, 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, which released the 2010 Census data today.

The Gold Price touched a 4-session high at $1390 per ounce in early London trade on Tuesday, rising for Euro and UK investors as world stock markets hit new two-year highs.

Is North Korea finally, though momentarily perhaps, willing to throw away the mantle of a cranky child angrily throwing toys from the pram?

U.S. stocks advanced in early trade on Tuesday as upbeat earnings from Adobe Systems, and a couple of M&A deals buoyed sentiment.

India continues to be world’s most preferred destination for offshore outsourcing, a new study by Gartner Inc said.

The People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of China’s ruling Communist Party, this week officially launched goso.cn, a Chinese search engine as China’s state media seeks greater influence on the Internet.

Gold prices will keep rising over the next two years to hit $1,600 per ounce by the end of 2011 and $2,000 by end of 2012, as fresh shocks to the global financial system are expected, an analyst has said.