CHINA

China's manufacturing activity in September continued to remain in the phase of contraction, increasing the concerns over the slowdown in the economic growth of the world's second largest economy.

Japan's Nikkei Stock Average fell Monday as investor confidence was weighed down by the rising concerns about the worsening global economic conditions following the disappointing data which showed the weakening Japanese business conditions and Chinese manufacturing activity.

The factory slump in the world’s second-largest economy continues as China's Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index, or PMI, rose to 49.8 in September from 49.2 in August.

Asian stock markets ended mixed last week as concerns over the euro zone crisis and Chinese economic growth weighed on the sentiment. The ambitious Spanish budget and hopes of stimulus measures from China lifted market sentiment during the second half and limited losses for the week.

With China’s economy slowing down as a result of weakness of investment and export demand, market participants are calling for urgent policy easing measures to bolster economic growth.

Asian markets were mixed in the week as investors maintained a cautious mode waiting to find if the debt crisis in the euro zone, which is weakening the global economic growth, will undermine the stimulus measures announced by policy makers around the world.

Bo Xilai, once considered a contender for the highest post in the Chinese government, has been officially expelled from the Communist Party, or CCP, and now expects to face justice, according to state media.

The euro zone's largest and strongest economy, Germany, is showing signs of weakness as exports fall.

U.S. coffee chain Starbucks Corp (Nasdaq:SBUX) will launch its first coffee shop in India by the end of October with Tata Global Beverages, John Culver, president, China and Asia Pacific, said Friday.

China's three decades of miraculous GDP growth is over because the recent slowdown is largely structural in nature.

Asian stock markets mostly advanced Friday as investors welcomed Spain's new budget plan, which includes more spending cuts and tax increases.

Chinese naval ships have carried out patrolling and military training in waters off disputed islands held by Japan, the Defense Ministry said Thursday.

Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) has been aggressively pursuing global expansion. Coffee-hungry Scandinavia is its next target.

An elite Chinese Communist training school is using Maggie Thatcher as a role model and icon.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khar spoke in New York while her personal life appears to be coming undone back home.

The recent riots at Foxconn factory in northern China that left 40 people injured and impacted nearly 2,000 workers reflect the sagging morale of the Chinese factory workers, who appear to be stressed out on realizing a few benefits against nurturing high expectations of better conditions and guarantees.

Climate change caused by global warming is contributing to nearly 400,000 deaths a year and reducing global GDP by 1.6% annually.

The U.S. stock index futures point to a higher open Thursday ahead of the Labor Department's weekly jobless claims data, the Census Bureau's durable goods orders data and Bureau of Economic Analysis’s gross domestic product report.

Chip manufacturer Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM) Thursday announced the addition of two new Snapdragon S4 mobile processors -- “MSM8225Q” and “MSM8625Q”. Both the new processors are members of the Snapdragon S4 Play processor tier and are optimized specifically for high-volume smartphones.

Most of the Asian markets rose Thursday as investor confidence was lifted by hopes that China would soon announce monetary easing measures to rejuvenate the economic growth momentum.

Japan will not compromise with China disputed on disputed islands in the East China Sea since it already has sovereignty over them, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda declared.