Hong Kong-based apparel retailer Bossini has published its annual financial report for the year ending June 30, 2009, stating that mainland China was Bossini's only marketplace that saw revenue growth over the period. During the fiscal year end June 30, 2009, due to the impact of the global financial crisis Bossini's annual revenue decreased by 3% [...]

California-based CKE Restaurants Inc. has opened its first Carl's Jr. restaurant in Shanghai. According to CKE this is the first of more than 100 Carl's Jr. units planned in the municipalities of Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin, and the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu over the next eight years. In China, Carl's Jr. is operated by Star Food [...]

Chinese sportswear giant Li Ning has started its comprehensive distribution network in South Asia with the opening of a flagship store in Ion Orchard, Singapore, and it plans to open up to 100 badminton supplies stores in this area before the end of 2009. Yik Kay Chon, the chief financial officer of Li Ning, revealed that [...]

Chinese PC maker Lenovo has confirmed that it has opened two concept stores in Low Yat Plaza, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This is the first time that Lenovo's newly released global concept store design has been be adopted in Malaysia, and this is expected to enhance Lenovo's retail image and market share in the country. Lenovo's new concept [...]

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will realize faster growth in the Islamic bonds (sukuk) market and “tap into the massive potential that the segment hold” by adopting regulations and measures such as credit ratings, say analysts.  “Sukuk is important when it comes to overall financial market.  The region, with its huge capital needs, but [only] a small debt market needs to look into opportunities,” said Kamal Mian, Head of Islamic Finance, Saudi Hollandi Bank.  While the GCC holds a significant share of global sukuk market (estimated at $130 billion, Dh477bn) when it comes to volume, regulations and policy guidelines are relatively sparse, especially when compared to Malaysia, according to Moinuddin Malim, Head of Corporate and Investment Banking, Badr-Al-Islami, Mashreq.  Malaysia, with its proper regulatory measures and incentives, has managed to create a success story of its sukuk market and “investors from various countries such as Korea and Japan

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Yields on Indonesia’s three-year government bonds fell to its lowest in a month on Wednesday, prompting economists and analysts alike to cite a general increase in “risk appetite”. The general speculation across Asia at the moment is that improving finances in U.S. banks will increase demand for emerging-market assets. Also, as one analyst noted, fiscal stimulus spending and lower tax revenues are narrowing fiscal balances, pushing up government debt and financing needs. These rising bond issues make yields attractive. Likewise, the yield on the five-year, 5.094% Malaysian bonds dropped 13 basis points to 3.7%, which one trader indicated meant that people believe not all of the country’s recent stimulus will need to come from bond sales, but rather from foreign-exchange reserves. Such reserves helped Malaysia maintain its A3 credit rating with Moody’s, as well as its rating with Fitch. Finally, Philippine government ...

The big story over the last couple of days continus to be oil. Yesterday, oil prices tanked by more than $5 after China raised the domestic price of refined products (gasoline, diesel, etc.). Why would that matter? The idea is that if more consumers have to pay the “real” price of energy (China, Malaysia, Venezuela, and other countries subsidize or cap the price of energy products for their citizens), energy use will fall and so will energy prices. Today, oil prices have come bouncing right back (+$3.50 or so as I write) amid reports that Israel is contemplating an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. That kind of volatility really gets the market’s blood pumping.

The other big news of the week? Many companies in the financial sector continues to plumb new depths. Almost every day, we hear about fresh losses, more capital raisings, and more regulatory trouble. The regional banks …

No, this is not a hotstocknot article. I wrote this article for NextInsight about one of the lesser-known stocks in my virtual portfolio, and thought I'd reproduce it here in my blog. As always, grab the facts, but be sceptical of my opinions and think it through yourself. You may be aware of a Stock Challenge organized by NextInsight and that I am one of the invited participants. In my virtual portfolio is a stock called Silverlake Axis, and I’m writing this article as many people are not familiar with it. The company is a software services provider for banks, with a focus on Asian banking. Here is how the company describes itself on its website: “Silverlake Axis is a leading provider of end-to-end universal integrated banking solution. The Group's award winning Silverlake Axis Integrated Banking Solutions are implemented at over 75 customer sites in Asia including 40% of the Top 20 ...

I wanted to follow up on the farm land, and related, stocks. Allow me to disclaim the hell out of this research. I do not vouch for the accuracy of any of the ticker symbols as things get lost in the translation going from the symbols on the local markets and the US five letter identifier. Further I have not done what I would call proper research on any of the names this merely an acknowledgment that these companies exist. This post is just my sharing what I have found so far but there is more looking still to be done. Remember the big macro which I think is that the dynamics of supply and demand for food are changing. There has been a combination of more demand from incrementally richer countries, investment demand for certain products, funky weather in some places (Australia had ...