View in Other Languages 2月15日亚洲市场纵览 アジア市場レポート:2月15日 2月15日亞洲市場縱覽 2월15일 아시아 시장동향 Asian Markets Overview of February 15 نظرة شاملة على الأسواق الآسيوية في 15 شباط /فبراير 
Nomura (TYO:8604) will buy the European natural gas and power trading operations of Canadian company Nexen Inc. (NYSE:NXY) (TSE:NXY) for around US$55 million, the Financial Times reported Monday.
Nomura (TYO:8604) will buy the European natural gas and power trading operations of Canadian company Nexen Inc. (NYSE:NXY) (TSE:NXY) for around US$55 million, the Financial Times reported Monday.

Sydney, Feb 15, 2010 AEST (ABN Newswire) - On Friday the Dow and S&P 500 dropped on China's move to lift banks reserve requirement, on weaker-than-expected data on US consumer sentiment and business inventories and euro zone GDP data. U.S. markets close tonight for the Presidents' Day holiday.

In Asia, China's unexpected announcement that it will increase the reserve-requirement ratio would fuel worries over the global economy recovery, but thin trading is expected today as most markets including mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, South Korea and Singapore will be closed for Lunar New Year holiday. Japan's exporters will be supported by weaker yen. Japan's gross domestic product data, released by the Cabinet Office on Monday, showed that the country's economy grew at a faster than expected pace in the October-December quarter.

Company News

Japanese car maker Nissan Motor Co Ltd (googlechartTYO:7201) expects to be debt-free by the end of 2010 and is looking to double its market share in the Middle East region, said its chief executive. The company could have a tactical advantage in a short term when Toyota is impacted by its massive recall. Nissan also plans to launch a new platform in Geneva next month with small cars that would be "very well" priced for everyone.

Shinsei Bank (googlechartTYO:8303) and Aozora Bank (googlechartTYO:8304), the two Japanese banks owned by overseas investors, said the two have decided not to merge in October as planned. The two banks are facing difficulties in working out a business strategy, including system integration and choice of core operation. The two banks reached the basic merger accord last July with the aim of restoring their financial health and turning around their business through the merger.

BHP Billiton (googlechartASX:BHP) chief Marius Kloppers hinted that iron ore benchmark prices are set to jump strongly while analysis showed that China's steel industry was likely to double output by 2025. Mining giants BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto (googlechartASX:RIO) are currently believed to be in negotiations with Chinese steel mills to set a benchmark price for the next 12 months.

Nomura (googlechartTYO:8604) will buy the European natural gas and power trading operations of Canadian company Nexen Inc. (googlechartNYSE:NXY) (googlechartTSE:NXY) for around US$55 million, the Financial Times reported Monday. The transaction will double the Japanese bank's commodities trading capacity in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the report said.

Contact

Michelle Liang
Asia Business News Asia Bureau
TEL: +61-2-9247-4344
Email: michelle.liang@abnnewswire.net


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