CHINA

Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ) reported fourth-quarter results below estimates and announced an even bigger writedown than expected.

U.S. President Barack Obama, in his first meeting with China’s outgoing Premier Wen Jiabao since the presidential election, overlooked the maritime disputes between the Southeast and East Asian nations and instead laid the emphasis on establishing clear rules for trade and investment between the U.S. and China.

Foreign direct investment inflows into China fell in October compared to that in the same month last year, as investors, who are concerned about the renewed debt crisis in the euro zone and also increasing trade relations with Japan, cut down on spending.

The Bank of Japan Tuesday kept its key policy rate unchanged and refrained from announcing any monetary easing measures in spite of the political pressures to pursue aggressive stimulus steps for reviving the economic growth momentum.