
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – Google says people in mainland China are being blocked from using its Internet search engine.
The company posted a Thursday notice about the new barrier without any other details. A Google spokesman in the U.S. says he is still trying to gather information about the situation in China.
It’s the latest [...]

NEW YORK – Toyota is recalling nearly half a million cars, most of them large sedans sold in the U.S., for problems that can cause the steering wheel to lock up. It’s the latest indication that the automaker is still struggling with vehicle problems even as it works to overhaul quality [...]

Over Night trading in the USA will bring some pressure to regional exchanges today however, the trend of late in ASEAN has been to consolidate during soft periods on the US exchange followed by gains during USA rallys. So, today is a good day to be buying in ASEAN.
The Jakarta Composite [...]

In Singapore The Straits Times Index recovered from late-morning lows to end the session with a net 12.39-point gain to 2,979.38 – its highest close in three months. This came on the heels of a one per cent rise by the Dow and a 1.2 per cent gain on Nasdaq overnight.
Sentiment here [...]

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Microsoft on Tuesday denounced Yahoo! Japan’s Internet search alliance with Google, saying it would give Google near-total control over the third-largest market for search queries in the world.
“Google’s plan would cement its position as essentially the sole provider of search results in Japan for years to come,” Microsoft [...]

ASEAN Markets continue Strong Growth
Thailand’s strong earnings growth may help equities overcome political pressures. Earnings of companies on the SET are forecast to rise 52 percent next year.
Bangkok Bank Pcl and Kasikornbank Pcl, the nation’s biggest and third-largest lenders, this month posted earnings that beat analyst forecasts, while Siam Cement Pcl [...]

MUMBAI, India – It looks like an iPad, only it’s 1/14th the cost: India has unveiled the prototype of a $35 basic touchscreen tablet aimed at students, which it hopes to bring into production by 2011.
If the government can find a manufacturer, the Linux operating system-based computer would be the latest [...]

MUMBAI (AFP) – India’s largest private sector airline, Jet Airways, has swung to a quarterly net profit from a loss a year earlier, led by a rise in passenger air traffic, a statement Friday said.
Jet posted a net profit of 35 million rupees (740,000 dollars) for the first quarter of the financial [...]

TOKYO – Ford hopes its investments in Asia will dramatically boost sales in Japan — a market so dominated by local makers like Toyota and Honda that the U.S. automaker has long struggled to maintain a toehold.
Tim Tucker, chief executive of Ford Motor Co.’s Japan operations, said Friday he was bullish about [...]

As we expected most ASEAN stock markets fell on Thursday, retreating after a downbeat economic view from the U.S. Federal Reserve, and weaknesses in energy prices reflected in the sector across ASEAN.
Jakarta closed flat after breaking the 3000 barrier and holding those gains today despite a global sell off yesterday and [...]