Monday, August 15, 2011

20110815 1805 FCPO EOD Daily Chart Study.


Sorry. Unable to upload latest FCPO chart at the moment. 

FCPO closed : 3070, changed : +55 points, volume : higher.
Bollinger band reading : pullback correction downside biased.
MACD Histrogram : recovering, seller reducing exposure.
Support : 3050, 3020, 2970, 2930 level.
Resistance : 3070, 3100, 3150, 3200, 3250 level.
Comment :
FCPO closed recorded gains with better volume transacted while last Friday soy oil closed little higher and currently trading firmer.
Price traded higher after equity market recovered, better export data released by both export cargo surveyor and forecast of higher import from China and India.
Daily chart formed an up bar candle closed near middle Bollinger band level after market opened higher and swing upward towards the end before last minute eased little softer to closed near the high of the day.
Chart study suggesting still a pullback correction downside biased market development testing support and resistance level.
When to buy : buy at support or weakness with quick cut loss and profit target.
When to sell : sell at resistant or strength with quick cut loss and profit target.

20110815 1736 FKLI EOD Daily Chart Study.


Sorry. Unable to upload latest FKLI chart at the moment. 

FKLI closed : 1497, changed : +17.5 points, volume : lower.
Bollinger band reading : pullback correction downside biased.
MACD Histrogram : recovering, seller reducing exposure.
Support : 1485, 1470, 1458, 1445 level.
Resistance : 1500, 1515, 1530, 1540 level.
Comment :
FKLI closed recorded huge gains with shrinking volume changed hand doing about 2.5 points discount compare to cash market that closed significantly higher.  Last Friday U.S. market closed firmer and Asia markets ended mostly higher while European markets currently trading in positive territory.
U.S. retail sales rise by the most in 4 months and better than economist estimates Japan 2nd quarter GDP lead regional markets to trade in recovery pace after recent falls.
Daily chart formed a wide range up bar candle positioned in between lower and middle Bollinger band level after market opened higher, traded range bound and climb upwards slowly breaking resistance level and closed near the high of the day.
Chart reading wise, FKLI is still having a pullback correction and is likely to trade range bound within a downside biased market development testing support and resistance level.
When to buy : buy at support or weakness with quick cut loss and profit target.
When to sell : sell at resistant or strength with quick cut loss and profit target.

20110815 1733 Regional Markets EOD Daily Chart Study.

DJIA chart reading :
pullback correction downside biased.

Hang Seng chart reading : 
pullback correction downside biased.
KLCI chart reading : 
pullback correction downside biased.

20110815 1618 Global Market & Commodities Related News.


Stocks bounce on U.S. cues; sentiment wary
HONG KONG/SINGAPORE, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Asian equities bounced on Monday and safe-haven assets like gold and the Swiss franc fell as market players cautiously returned to pick up bargains after last's week wild ride, though concerns over the weak global economic outlook may keep gains in check.
"There is still a huge focus on money markets ... and looking at them shows not everything is solved," she said.

Thai govt says to implement policies within 6 months
BANGKOK, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Thailand's new government wants to implement within six months the policies promised during its election campaign such as a minimum wage of 300 baht ($10) per day and a higher guaranteed farmgate price for rice, a deputy prime minister said on Monday.
"Within 6 months, the Thai people should see the implementation of a minimum wage of 300 baht per day and a reinstatement of the rice buying scheme," Deputy Prime Minister Kittirat Na Ranong told reporters.

Specs cut net long soy stake to smallest in a month
CHICAGO, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Large speculators cut their net long stake in Chicago Board of Trade soybeans to the smallest level in a month, weekly data from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission showed, reflecting corn/soybean spreading along with fears of a global economic slowdown.
Commodity index funds, meanwhile, reduced their net longs in CBOT corn, soybeans and wheat.

Wheat extends rally on strong demand, corn at 2-week top
SINGAPORE, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Chicago wheat jumped more than 1 percent on Monday, building on last week's rally as strong demand led by Saudi Arabia and concerns over the U.S. spring wheat crop propelled the market.
"Fundamentally, the wheat market is supported by Saudi Arabia taking a large chunk of U.S. wheat over the weekend, which is in addition to big purchases Algeria announced earlier," said Luke Mathews, commodity strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

Brazil sugar output seen around 30.5 mln T -Energy Brazil
CEBU, Philippines, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Brazil's main centre-south sugar output for 2011/12 is estimated around 30.5 million tonnes, commodity trader Energy Brazil said on Monday, below the 31.57 million tonnes projected by cane industry association Unica.
Pedro Cortes, President of Energy Brazil, also cautioned that sugar prices could rebound in two years if the world suffers another recession which could impact investments and production.

Brent edges up, above $108 as economic concerns ease
SINGAPORE, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Brent crude futures rose on Monday, as investors bought into riskier assets after positive economic data from the U.S. and Japan helped ease panic in financial markets.
"At these levels, oil looks cheap and we could see some buying activity. A lot of the bad news has been priced in and there is an expectation that the weakness cannot be sustained," said Ben Westmore, a commodities analyst at National Australia Bank.

Brent edges up, above $108 as economic concerns ease
SINGAPORE, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Brent crude futures rose on Monday, as investors bought into riskier assets after positive economic data from the U.S. and Japan helped ease panic in financial markets.
"At these levels, oil looks cheap and we could see some buying activity. A lot of the bad news has been priced in and there is an expectation that the weakness cannot be sustained," said Ben Westmore, a commodities analyst at National Australia Bank.

Gas prices drop nearly 9 cts at US pumps-Lundberg
NEW YORK, Aug 14 (Reuters) - The average price of gasoline in the United States fell by 8.98 cents over the past three weeks due mainly to declines in the crude oil market, according to the nationwide Lundberg Survey.
The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline declined to $3.61 on Aug. 12, according to a survey of about 2,500 gas stations in the continental U.S.

LME copper up, boosted by equities
SHANGHAI, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Copper rose on Monday, lifted by a rebound in equities after a ban on short selling gave European stocks a reprieve and U.S. retail sales posted the biggest gain in four months in July.
"The conditions for shorting are not there yet as there is not enough pressure on market sentiment. And confidence is also a bit lacking due to uncertainties in the global macroeconomic situation," said Jinhui Futures deputy general manager Ling Yu Hui.

Spot gold pares losses on Shanghai arbitrage buying
SINGAPORE, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Gold pared most of its 1-percent loss on Monday, buoyed by arbitrage trade from participants in the Shanghai market, after a revived risk appetite led investors out of bullion to riskier assets.
"We see strong buying interest from Shanghai after the markets opened there," said Peter Fung, head of dealing at Wing Fung Precious Metals in Hong Kong.

Gold/S&P ratio at 23-year high, could keep rising
NEW YORK, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Mounting fears about a double-dip recession and a U.S. government debt crisis prompted equity investors to seek refuge in bullion, sending the Gold/S&P 500 ratio to its highest in 23 years this week.
The ratio, calculated by dividing the price of an ounce of gold  by the S&P 500 index, has traded in a range between 1 and 1.2 from January 2010 to June 2011. In the past four weeks it climbed nearly 50 percent, hitting 1.6 on Wednesday, the highest since September 1988.

20110815 1141 Global Market & Commodities Related News.


GLOBAL MARKETS: Stocks rise on Wall Street cues; franc tumbles
HONG KONG, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Asian stocks climbed on Monday following modest gains on Wall Street while the franc tumbled against the euro and the dollar as some investors picked up bargains, though overall sentiment remained fragile after a wild week in financial markets.  "We remain CHF bears in the medium run - we agree with the SNB's view that it is "massively overvalued" - but, this week, we are not expecting the recent appreciation of EUR/CHF to hold," said Paul Robinson, strategist at Barclays Capital.

OIL: NYMEX-Crude stays mostly steady after slight fall
TOKYO, Aug 15 (Reuters) - U.S. crude futures were steady on Monday after settling down slightly, taking cues from a slump in consumer confidence in the United States. Oil futures and equities markets were buffeted at the start of last week, after the downgrade of the U.S. credit rating by Standard & Poor's.   The weekly U.S. oil inventory report lifted oil, showing   a surprise sharp drop in U.S. crude stockpiles and slips in   refined product stocks.

Gas prices drop nearly 9 cts at US pumps-Lundberg
NEW YORK, Aug 14 (Reuters) - The average price of gasoline in the United States fell by 8.98 cents over the past three weeks due mainly to declines in the crude oil market, according to the nationwide Lundberg Survey.
The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline declined to $3.61 on Aug. 12, according to a survey of about 2,500 gas stations in the continental U.S.

Iran sees return to normal oil exports to India in August -Fars
TEHRAN, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Iran hopes oil deliveries to India will return to a normal level now a long-running payment problem has been resolved, the head of international affairs at the National Iranian Oil Co. said in an interview published on Sunday.
Talking to the semi-official Fars news agency, Mohsen Ghamsari, confirmed that all Indian customers had started to pay debts that had built up over the year and said if there had been a slowdown in supply in August due to the dispute, that was now over.

US oil speculators cut long bets as price dips-CFTC
NEW YORK, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Money managers cut their net long U.S. crude futures and options positions on NYMEX to the lowest in over eight months in the week to Aug. 9, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission said on Friday.
The speculator group cut its total net long position by 24,078 positions to 153,611 contracts during the period, when NYMEX front-month crude prices  fell more than 15 percent.

China gasoline exports to slide further in second half
SINGAPORE/BEIJING, Aug 8 (Reuters) - A fall in China's gasoline exports is likely to accelerate in the second half of the year as growth in local demand and reduced refinery runs slash the volumes available for overseas sales.
Reduced sales by Asia's second-biggest exporter could potentially lift gasoline refining margins after a fall from May's two-year high, as demand from top importers such as Indonesia increases.

NATURAL GAS: NYMEX-Natural gas ends down 1 pct as forecasts moderate
NEW YORK, Aug 12 (Reuters) - U.S. natural gas futures ended lower on Friday, pressured by concerns about record high gas production and moderating extended weather forecasts despite continued heat in Texas and the Southwest. "We got a good pop Thursday after the storage report, but we couldn't get above yesterday's high, which could mean we're going to test support again in the $3.80s. The weather looks a little bearish now," said Steve Mosley at SMC Advisory Services.

EURO COAL: Prices up $1 on firmer buying
LONDON, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Prompt physical coal prices rose around $1 on Friday, help by fresh buying and more positive sentiment on the wider oil market.  "We have seen a little of extra buying interest and one particular buyer has been more aggressive in the last day or two which has helped push things up a little bit," one European dealer said.

COMMODITIES-Markets mixed after quiet end to tumultuous week
NEW YORK, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Commodities ended mixed on Friday as markets took a breather after a volatile week that started wtih a plunge and then a vigorous rebound that brought a key market index back to even. "There seems to be a little bit of confidence coming back in after the falls earlier in the week, although it looks like there will still be a bit of volatility," said Simon Wardell, an oil analyst at IHS Global Insight in Englewood, Colorado.

20110815 1112 Local & Global Economic Related News.

The government is confident that the country will still be able to achieve 5%  economic  growth despite the U.S. and European debt crises. However, PM Datuk Seri Najib Tun  Razak  said this could be achieved if all groups worked  towards sustaining economic  growth, particularly with the private sector remaining committed in their investment.
  • “Malaysia is an open economy in which our total external trade is twice our GDP. So,  whatever happens to the world economy; say, if world economic growth is 1% less, the  effect is a 0.4% decrease to our GDP,” he said.   
  • The 2012 Budget would take into account the external economic circumstances, PM  added. (The Star, Bernama)    

Small and big onions, and garlic have now been listed in the Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2011  Festive Season Price Control Scheme. This brings the total number of items listed under  the scheme to 20, said Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk  Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob. Control of goods will be enforced for two weeks from 22 Aug to 5  Sep, said. (Bernama)  

Tourism Malaysia is targeting 1.25m  tourists from China this year, its acting directorgeneral, Datuk Azizan Noordin, said Saturday. He was confident the target could be  achieved, looking at the trend, with 1.13m tourists from China last year and 1.02m in 2009.  (Bernama)  

Malaysia has secured a RM2bn industrial biotechnology investment in the East Coast  Economic Region (ECER). South Korea's CJ Cheiljedang Corporation and France's  Arkema SA last Friday announced the setting up of the world's first bio-methionne plant  and Asia's first thiochemical platform in ECER Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Kertih  Polymer Park, Terengganu.
  • PM Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak, who witnessed  the announcement, said the  project project was expected to generate about RM20bn in cumulative sales by 2020  and provide employment opportunities to almost 500 local knowledge workers.   
  • The 80,000 tonne bio-methionine production plant and the thiochemicals platform will be  constructed on a 70 hectare site next year and will be operational in 2013. (Bernama)    
Semiconductor and electronic firms in Penang are bracing themselves for the worst  towards the latter part of this year when the economic slowdown and stock market selloff  are expected to bite hard during a traditionally strong period. Pentamaster Corp executive  chairman CB Chuah said orders from China, the U.S. and Europe for 4Q11 were not  coming in.
  • “Normally, it would come in around this time. But, because of global economic crisis,  they are not,“ he noted.  
  • Globetronics Technology Bhd CEO Heng Huck Lee expects its customers to exercise  caution on orders for the remainder of the year.   
  • Apart from slower demand, some manufacturers are faced with a double whammy from  rising costs.  
  • Menwhile, Malaysian America Electronics Industry chairman Datuk Wong Siew Hai said  U.S. multinational corporations still did not know  what to expect. “Due to the  uncertainties, they are tightening control over their expenses,” he added. (Starbiz)  

ECER gets RM2bn boost
South Korea’s CJ CheilJedang Corp and France’s Arkema SA have announced a RM2bn JV to build the world’s first bio-methionine plant to produce animal feed in Malaysia. Both companies would commit the amount to be invested over a ten year period. The plant together with Asia’s first thiochemical platform would be located on 70 ha in Terengganu’s Kertih Polymer Park in the East Coast Economic Region’s (ECER) special economic zone. (StarBizWeek)

EU: Italy approves USD64 Billion plan to balance budget by 2013
Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi’s Cabinet approved EUR45.5bn (USD64bn) in deficit cuts to balance the budget and try to convince investors the country can tame the region’s second-biggest debt. The plan will raise the capital gains tax, increase levies on the highest earners, cut government spending and reduce funding to regional administrations. It was passed last Friday night in Rome by decree, meaning it will take effect immediately and then must be approved by parliament within 60 days. (Bloomberg)

EU: Germany’s Feld says France may lose AAA in medium term
Lars Feld, a member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s council of economic advisers, said France’s AAA credit rating is at risk of a downgrade in the medium term, according to an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung. France’s debt ratio to its gross domestic product is too high, Feld said. He also cited a budget deficit that is “significantly” higher than in Germany. Germany also has an AAA rating. The European Union rescue fund would have to be restructured if France’s rating was cut, probably resulting in higher costs for Germany, the German economic adviser said in the interview. (Bloomberg)


U.S. retail and food sales continued to increase last month, a positive sign  in the  uncertain economic situation, the U.S. Department of Commerce reported. The Commerce  Department said that the combined retail and food sales gained 0.5% mom to seasonally  adjusted US$390.4bn in Jul (+0.3% in Jun). Economists expected a 0.4% rise in Jul.  (Xinhua, Bloomberg)

U.S. retail and food sales excluding autos  were up 0.5% mom in Jul (+0.2% in Jun).  Economists expected a reading of 0.2%. (Xinhua, U.S. Census Bureau, Bloomberg)  

U.S. consumer confidence plunged in Aug to the lowest level since May 80, adding to  concern that weak employment gains and volatility in the stock market will prompt households to retrench. The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary index of  consumer sentiment slumped to 54.9 in Aug (63.7 in Jul). Economists projected a decline  to 62. (Bloomberg)  

U.S. business inventories rose slightly less than expected in Jun, suggesting firms  remained cautious about future demand at the end of 2Q. Inventories climbed 0.3% in Jun  (+0.9% in May), the Commerce Department said. Economists had expected a rise of 0.5%  in Jun. (Reuters)  

Eurozone industrial production fell in Jun at the sharpest rate for six months in the latest  sign that the economy is slowing rapidly, official  data showed. Industrial output fell 0.7%  mom in Jun (+0.2% in May), the sharpest drop since  Dec. On a yoy basis, it was 2.9%  stronger in (4.4%  in May), the Eurostat agency said. Economists estimated the reading  would rise 0.2% mom in Jun. (WSJ, Bloomberg)  

Japan's  industrial output climbed 3.8% mom in Jun (+6.2% in May), revised data  showed, confirming growth is moderating following a rapid recovery from a massive  earthquake and tsunami in Mar.  (Reuters)  

China said the nation's lenders issued a lower-than-expected Rmb492.6bn (US$77 billion)  in new loans in Jul (Rmb633.9bn in Jun), indicating Beijing's efforts to rein in liquidity are  taking effect. Economists forecast new lending of Rmb555bn in Jul. (AFP)  

The  Hong Kong economy expanded 5. 1% yoy in 2Q (7.5% in 1Q), lower than market  expectations of around 6%, according to figures released by the city's government. On a  seasonally adjusted qoq basis, the economy contracted 0.5% in real terms in 2Q (+3.1% in  1Q), which was the first quarterly decline in two years. Economists expected a 0.4%  increase. (Xinhua)

Japan’s finance minister warned he’s ready to intervene in the currency market again to  stem a  yen advance that risks slowing the nation’s recovery.  “An unstable situation is  continuing,” Yoshihiko Noda, said. “As foreign exchange market matters are my  prerogative, I will continue to closely watch the markets and take bold action if it becomes  necessary.” (Bloomberg)  

Singapore will maintain the thrust of the policies that have helped the economy, even as  it will make adjustments to address specific concerns, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong  said. Investors are waiting to see  what Singapore will do after the May general election,  and the island will maintain policies that are important to the country and helpful to  investors, he said. The nation will keep its policies pragmatic and constructive, he said.  (Bloomberg)  

U.S. ambassador to China Gary Locke said that President Barack Obama and the United  States government are “committed to getting our  fiscal house in order.” “We know that  over the last several days more people are buying U.S. Treasuries,” Locke said. “It is a  clear indication that investment in the U.S. is safe and secure,” Locke said. (Bloomberg)

China’s  central bank said that the U.S. faces “debt sustainability” risks in the mediumand long-term, the latest expression of concern from the nation that is America’s biggest  creditor. The risk of a U.S. default has been “basically eliminated in the short term” after  the raising of the government’s debt ceiling, it said. (Bloomberg)  

Chinese regulators have told banks to tighten lending for real estate on concern credit  risks will increase as the impact of government curbs deepens in the next three to five  months, a person familiar with the matter said. The China Banking Regulatory Commission  told lenders last month not to extend the maturity of loans to developers, not to grant new  credit to help developers repay maturing debt and to set significantly higher standards on  loans for commercial properties than residential, the person said, declining to be identified  as the discussions were private. (Bloomberg)  

20110815 1108 Malaysia Corporate Related News.


HLB: May sell MIMB Investment Bank licence. Hong Leong Bank Bhd (HLB) may sell MIMB Investment Bank Bhd's investment licence which it got following the acquisition of EON Capital's assets and liabilities. HLB has a choice of selling it to Hong Leong Investment Bank or other suitors who might be interested. (Source: The Star)

MPHB: MCA in talks to buy Menara Multi-Purpose. The Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) is said to be keen on buying Multi-Purpose Holdings Bhd's (MPHB) Menara Multi-Purpose, located near Dang Wangi in Kuala Lumpur. The price tag could in the range of RM350m to RM400m. (Source: The Edge Financial Weekly)

EON Capital's 145 bank branches in Malaysia have been redesignated as Hong Leong  Bank branches as of yesterday, allowing customers from  both banks to conduct  transactions at any of their combined 329 branches. The two, which were legally merged  some three months ago in a RM5.06 billion deal, together now  have the second largest  bank branch network in the country after Malayan Banking, which has some 386 branches.
  • The merged group will also have over 1,400 self-service terminals, including ATMs and  cash deposit machines. "As of today, we are effectively one bank to our customers,"  group MD Yvonne Chia said. To facilitate a smooth transition, all payment and  transaction instruments issued by the former EON Bank - including debit, ATM, credit  cards, cheques and bank drafts - will remain valid until June 30 next year, or until further  notification.  
  • Hong Leong, which leapfrogged to become the country's fourth largest banking group by  assets after the merger, from sixth largest, has no plans to cut down on its 329 branches  as "branch banking" is seen as a key way to boost its business, Chia said, adding,  however, that some may be relocated.  
  • On another matter, she said Hong Leong may sell its additional investment banking  licence which it obtained from EONCap's MIMB Investment Bank. (BT)  

SP Setia has bought over 409ha of freehold land in Beranang, Ulu Langat, in Selangor for  over RM330.1m cash or RM7.50 per sq ft from Ban Guan Hin Realty Sdn Bhd. SP Setia  said it intends to develop a mixed residential township development project on the land  with an estimated GDV of RM3.5bn.  
  • "The proposed acquisition offers SP Setia a good opportunity to tap into strong demand  for attractively priced homes by first time owners and other home buyers in the  Semenyih-Kajang corridor," it said.   
  • It also allows the group to further reinforce and expand its core business by replicating  its proven township development model in an emerging growth corridor that is not  presently served by its more matured projects in the Klang Valley.   
  • The land deal is expected to be completed during the first half of financial year ending  October 2012. The terrain of the land is generally  undulating and is zoned for mixed  housing development, and is situated midway between the towns of Semenyih, Bangi  Old Town and Beranang. (NST)  

Maybank aims to capture a larger share of the electronic dividend payments market, from  30% currently to 70% by 2013, with an expected transaction value of about RM10bn. This  will be helped by its new and improved eDividend system, Maybank deputy president  Abdul Farid Alias said.

  • Maybank has tied up with the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) to automate the taxation  process of dividends. This eliminates the need for hardcopy tax vouchers.   
  • Maybank, which leads the electronic payments market, currently has a client base of  20,000 customers and a 26% market share in corporate deposits. Its Maybank2e.net  system processed more than 80m transactions valued at about RM800m last year, and  has been growing at an average of 30% yearly. (BT)    

AirAsia has lambasted airport operator Malaysia Airports (MAHB) for reneging on a deal  to freeze passengers service charges or airport tax for the low-cost carrier terminal  (LCCT). According to Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, the  government had assured the low-cost carrier that there would be no hike in airport tax for  the LCCT. This assurance was given more than a year ago prior to the ground-breaking  ceremony of the new LCCT at KLIA 2. "We were told that the charges (for the new LCCT)  will not be any different from the current one, and (should there be cost overruns) that it  would not be passed on," Kamarudin said. "We will fight it tooth and nail. We are paying for MAHB's inefficiencies, which is what I've always said is the problem," Fernandes said. (BT)  

Malaysia Airports (MAHB) is looking at a possible 30% hike in landing and a 64%  increase in parking charges, says an airline source. MAHB is still holding discussions with  airlines on whether the increase should be done on a staggered basis or at one go. In a  dialogue with foreign airlines, MAHB said it had received the go ahead to raise airport tax  for passengers as well as parking and landing charges for airlines. (BT)  

Malaysia Airports (MAHB) has identified some 183 acres of land to acquire, situated  within the surrounding area of the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang. The move is  an effort to further expand the Malaysia International Aerospace Centre (MIAC). The  proposed land acquisition exercise, at a cost to be determined later, is to address the land  scarcity issue faced by MIAC as a result of the overwhelming response from investors to  set up operations there. The land could cost RM400m if it is not converted and is freehold.  But if it is industrial land, the value could cost from RM800m to RM1.2bn for the whole 183  acres, according to a rough estimate by a property valuer. (Malaysian Reserve)  

Proton Holdings is open to any form of strategic partnership for the benefit of the  Malaysian automotive industry, said Group Managing  Director Datuk Seri Syed Zainal  Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir. “What is important, is not for Proton but for the industry,  which is very strategic and considered one of the most important components in the  manufacturing sector. We are already cooperating in our operations like vendor  development and joint-sourcing of raw materials. But to undertake something like Malaysia  Airline, it is really up to the government,” he said when asked if Proton and Perodua were  looking to collaborate. (Bernama, BT)  

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission will be more aggressive in  promoting  broadband  usage in an effort to achieve the target of 50% broadband  penetration in Sabah by year-end, said its chairman Tan Sri Khalid Ramli. Penetration rate  is 32% currently in Sabah. (Bernama)

Pengurusan Aset Air Bhd has embarked on the restructuring of the RM6bn  Selangor  water bonds and is expected to announce Maybank Investment Bank and CIMB  Investment Bank as advisors. (Star Biz)  

Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) needs to give bigger opportunity to local  companies to work together and make the Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal (SOGT) project,  said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Yahya Hussin. He said it was only apt for Petronas to  consider giving business opportunity, especially contracts and supplies, to companies and  entrepreneurs from Sabah because they too can do it  well. "Apart from various  opportunities for business and contracts, qualified locals should also be given opportunity and priority to work in the SOGT," he said. (Bernama)  

Competition from foreign funds and local real estate investment trusts (REIT) to acquire  quality malls in Malaysia are driving up prices of  retail  assets here. “There is a strong  appetite for our shopping malls and most of them want to buy properties which are not less  than US$60m (RM180m),” CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) Malaysia managing director Allan Soo  said. “There is a lot of money coming into Asia,  particularly Southeast Asia,” he said,  adding that if previously funds were eyeing Singapore, China and even Vietnam, now their  focus is on Malaysia. “Retail property in Malaysia  gives a yield of between 6-7%. As  opposed to Singapore where it is about 3.55% and Hong Kong where it is about 3.75%,”  he said. (BT)  

Pelikan International Corp saw 20m of its shares crossed in an off-market deal at 75.8  sen apiece. Stock market data on Friday, Aug 12 showed the shares were crossed at 75.8  sen, which was 17.1% or 15.7 sen below the last traded price of 91 sen. (Financial daily)  

Urban regeneration projects in Malaysia may be given a new breath of life with the RM9bn  Tamansari Riverside Garden City development in Kuala Lumpur starting soon. “We  believe Tamansari will stir interest among developers to start a new chapter in real estate  development,” Tamansari developer Asie Sdn Bhd founder Datuk Khalil Asahah said. Asie  expects to award two more contracts by year-end to build properties worth more than  RM1bn. (BT)  

Malaysian Oxygen Bhd, a member of The Linde Group (MOX-Linde), says it has acquired  the remaining 51% shares in Eastern Oxygen Industries Sdn Bhd (EOX).  The shares  were bought from BNDM Incorporated Holdings Sdn Bhd, increasing MOX’s ownership in  EOX from 49% to 100%. “MOX-Linde has moved to increase our holding in EOX to 100%  as we are very confident about the growth prospects in East Malaysia, and wish to fully  participate in the many opportunities we see here by taking strategic steps to strengthen  our supply and service infrastructure there, including Labuan,” MOX managing director  Wong Siew Yap said in a statement. (BT)

MISC  may put in a bid for a fleet of eight liquefied natural gas (LNG) ships owned by  shipping giant AP Moller Maersk, international shipping publications speculated last week.  The bids are understood to be due by end-August, with initial estimates valuing the fleet at US$1.3bn (RM3.9bn) to US$1.7bn. According to shipping publication Tradewinds, MISC  has roped in Japanese giant Mitsui & Co for a possible joint bid. (Financial Daily)  

Naim Holdings is pursuing projects worth more than RM1bn, according to senior director  Ricky Kho. The projects Naim is bidding for include the construction of a road near  Balingan, the new Mukah Airport as well as a 200-unit residential project at Samalaju.  (Financial Daily)

Benalec Holdings Bhd Company looking to secure contracts in Johor, Malaca and Penang
Benalec Holdings Bhd is looking forward to secure more maritime industrial park projects in Johor, Malacca and Penang. Group managing director Vincent Leaw Seng Hai said the company was currently involved in a maritime industrial park in Port Klang that would see the development of 200 acres. He said that usually the success rate of their bid projects is quite high because Benalec seldom competes in open tenders; it usually goes for direct negotiations or invited tenders. Leaw also said that Benalec is currently working on several reclamation projects like Sentosa Cove and Arab City in Malacca, Glenmarie Cove in Port Klang and dredging for the Kapar power station, adding that the projects that they now have in hand is valued at more than RM800mil. Leaw said Benalec’s target market was in Malaysia with the focus on four states, namely Malacca, Johor, penang and Selangor (Port Klang). Internationally, Leaw said Benalec had actually made inroads in Singapore, supplying sea sand via associate company there. – StarBiz


Evergreen to buy 3.5m shares in Jasa Wibawa
Evergreen Fibreboard plans to buy 3.5m ordinary shares of RM1 each for a total of RM37.84m in Jasa Wibawa SB (JW) from Teh Ho Ann, Muhd Faisal Mohd Ariff, Amin Maidu and Seman Buang. The purchase will be funded by internally generated funds and bank borrowings. JW has two of its principal activities of dealing in sawn logs and cultivation of rubber trees. (Malaysian Reserves)

P1 signs partnership agreement with 8 SBCs
Packet One Networks SB (P1) has signed an agreement with eight state-backed companies (SBC) to further boost its 4G service proposition in the country. Last Friday, P1 said the eight SBC companies all came under the umbrella of the Persatuan Penyelia Infrastruktur Telekomunikasi (PPIT). In the past, P1 has worked with individual states to secure telecommunication tower leases, but this agreement standardised its commitment to working with all states as well as boosting its 4G network rollout. (Malaysian Reserve)

20110815 0952 Global Market Related News.


Asian Stocks Rise on U.S. Retail, Japan GDP (Source: Bloomberg)
Asian stocks rose following the longest series of weekly losses since June after U.S. retail sales increased by the most in four months and Japan’s second- quarter gross domestic product beat economist estimates. Toyota Motor Corp. (7203), the largest carmaker by market value, climbed 2.4 percent in Tokyo. BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP), the world’s largest mining company, gained 3.4 percent amid optimism metals demand will pick up. Melbourne-based Ansell Ltd. (ANN), the world’s No. 1 maker of surgical gloves, jumped 4.3 percent after full- year net income beat analyst targets. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 0.8 percent to 122.94 as of 9:49 a.m. in Tokyo, with about 10 stocks advancing for each that declined. The gauge dropped for the third straight week last week after Standard & Poor’s cut its rating on U.S. credit and as concern grew Europe’s debt crisis will spread, triggering speculation the economic recovery will weaken.

GLOBAL MARKETS-Short-selling ban spurs tentative recovery
LONDON, Aug 12 (Reuters) - European stock markets rose as a ban on short-selling financial shares prompted investors to creep back into battered banking shares, although concerns over the health of French banks kept the mood edgy.
"Something needed to be done, the rumours were silly and the market was full of emotion and fear. So this provides a break in that, so not bad," a London-based fund manager said.

U.S. Bonds Mirror Japan’s in Biggest Rally Since 2008 in Sluggish Scenario (Source: Bloomberg)
U.S. government bond yields are poised to converge with Japan’s for the first time in almost two decades, sparking the biggest returns for investors in Treasuries since 2008 while raising concern that America may be stuck in a prolonged period of below-par economic growth. “We are beginning to resemble Japan from an interest rate policy standpoint as well as potentially an economic growth standpoint,” Bill Gross, who runs the world’s biggest bond fund at Pacific Investment Management Co., said in a telephone interview Aug. 10. Investors are “fearful of low growth and are fleeing to high-quality sovereign paper at whatever yield.”
Treasuries soared last week after Standard & Poor’s cut the U.S. credit rating from AAA, Europe’s sovereign-debt crisis deepened and stock markets gyrated, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising or falling an average of 3.85 percent each day. The bond rally drove two-year Treasury yields down to a record low and within three basis points of similar-maturity Japanese debt, the smallest gap since 1992, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

U.S. Committed to Getting ‘Fiscal House in Order,’ Locke Says in Beijing (Source: Bloomberg)
Gary Locke, the new U.S. ambassador to China, said today that President Barack Obama and the United States government are “committed to getting our fiscal house in order.” “We know that over the last several days more people are buying U.S. Treasuries,” Locke said in Beijing, where he arrived Aug. 12 after being sworn in as ambassador earlier this month in Washington. “It is a clear indication that investment in the U.S. is safe and secure,” Locke, formerly Obama’s commerce secretary, said in response to a question from a reporter for Chinese state television. Locke’s comments come after Standard & Poor’s decision to strip the U.S. of its AAA rating prompted a scolding from China. The country’s official Xinhua News Agency said in a commentary the U.S. must cure its “addiction” to borrowing. China held $1.16 trillion in U.S. Treasury securities at the end of May, more than any other country.

Treasury Yields Plunge to Record Lows on Fed’s Slow-Growth View (Source: Bloomberg)
Treasury yields on debt maturing in 10 years and less fell to all-time lows as the Federal Reserve said economic growth was “considerably slower” than forecast and it would keep borrowing costs on hold through mid-2013. The Treasury sold $72 billion of notes and bonds this week, with yields on three- and 10-year notes at record auction lows. The 10-year yield touched 2.0346 percent, an all-time low, amid concern the risk of recession is rising after Standard & Poor’s downgraded the U.S. credit rating to AA+ and as the European sovereign debt problems showed signs of spreading. Annual consumer inflation slowed in July, a report may show Aug. 18. “What we’re witnessing is a reassessment of the health of the economy,” said James Collins, an interest-rate strategist in the futures group at Citigroup Inc.’s Global Markets unit in Chicago. “We could take another run toward 2 percent.”

Treasuries Snap Gain on Speculation Growth Will Buoy Yield From Record Low (Source: Bloomberg)
Treasuries snapped a three-week rally on speculation U.S. economic growth isn’t slowing enough to justify keeping yields at a record low. Ten-year notes yield negative 1.34 percentage points after accounting for inflation. When 10-year notes fell to 2.03 percent Aug. 9, the least ever, the figure translated into a so- called real yield of negative 1.57 percent, a level not seen since 2008. For two-year notes, the real yield is negative 3.41 percentage points. “Treasuries are too expensive,” said Hiroki Shimazu, an economist in Tokyo at SMBC Nikko Securities Inc., a unit of Japan’s third-largest publicly traded bank by assets. “The economy continues to recover.”

Inflation in U.S. Probably Began Stabilizing in July, Backing Fed Forecast (Source: Bloomberg)
The cost of living in the U.S. probably eased in July, consistent with the Federal Reserve’s forecast that inflation will stabilize, economists said before a report this week. Consumer prices excluding volatile food and fuel costs climbed 0.2 percent, the smallest gain in three months, according to the median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey of economists before Labor Department data on Aug. 18. Housing remained depressed, while a surge in utility use boosted industrial production, other figures may show. Lower costs for energy and other commodities may give companies like Sara Lee Corp. (SLE) room to hold the line on retail prices, providing some relief to consumers faced with stagnating incomes and limited job growth. Less inflation also affords Fed officials the scope to ease monetary policy further should the recovery falter.

The Real U.S. Crisis Is Not a Debt Downgrade: Simon Johnson (Source: Bloomberg)
The U.S. has a fiscal crisis, but not the one that everyone is talking about. Standard and Poor’s proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the U.S. still has the world’s preeminent reserve currency. When shocks hit -- and investors have no idea who or what might be next in line for a downgrade -- they buy U.S. government securities. Downgrades don’t usually have this effect. For example, if S&P or other rating companies downgraded France, that would set off a crisis within the euro region -- pushing up interest rates on French government debt, undermining euro-area banks, and perhaps putting pressure on the fabric of the European Union itself. With a one-notch downgrade of the U.S. government, on the other hand, S&P inadvertently managed to lower the U.S.’s borrowing costs, both at the federal level and for homeowners who refinanced their mortgages.
The U.S.’s fiscal problem is not that the market questions the country’s ability to pay its debts. The willingness to pay was clearly proved by the outcome of the debt-ceiling debate, when even a majority of Tea Party adherents in the U.S. House of Representatives voted to lift the ceiling (though it would have passed without their votes). We most definitely do not have the kind of solvency crisis experienced by some emerging markets and now, for the first time, parts of Western Europe.

U.S. Stocks Post Biggest Two-Day Advance Since 2009, Paring Weekly Decline (Source: Bloomberg)
U.S. stocks fell for a third straight week, including the biggest one-day drop since 2008, as Standard & Poor’s reduction of the nation’s credit rating and Europe’s debt crisis fueled concern the economy will falter. The S&P 500 pared its slump in the last two days of the week as government data showed jobless claims unexpectedly decreased and retail sales improved. Bank of America Corp. (BAC) plunged 12 percent, the worst performing stock in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Walt Disney Co. (DIS) sank 5.9 percent after posting disappointing third-quarter studio revenue. For-profit educator DeVry Inc. (DV) lost 23 percent, the largest drop in the S&P 500, after it said new undergraduate enrollment fell. The S&P 500 lost 1.7 percent to 1,178.81 in the five days ended Aug. 12, capping a week of record swings. The Dow fell 175.59 points, or 1.5 percent, to 11,269.02. Both gauges have fallen for three straight weeks.

Nikkei 225 Advances as Japan GDP Shrinks Less Than Expected, Yen Weakens (Source: Bloomberg)
Japan’s Nikkei 225 (NKY) Stock Average rose the most in two weeks after gross domestic product shrank less than economists expected, signaling the country is rebounding from March’s earthquake disaster. Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s largest carmaker, climbed 2 percent. Sony Corp., Japan’s biggest exporter of consumer electronics, advanced 2.8 percent after U.S. retail sales gained the most in four months. Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd., a department-store operator, jumped 4.1 percent after the company boosted its profit forecast. The Nikkei 225 rose 1.1 percent to 9,065.20 as of 9:30 a.m. in Tokyo, set for its biggest gain since Aug. 1. The broader Topix index advanced 1 percent to 775.93.

Japan Economy Contracted Less Than Estimated (Source: Bloomberg)
Japan’s economy contracted less than economists estimated in the second quarter, signaling the nation is rebounding from a slump after a record earthquake and tsunami even as a rising yen threatens to slow exports. Gross domestic product shrank at an annualized 1.3 percent rate in the three months ended June 30, marking three consecutive quarters of declines, the Cabinet office said today in Tokyo. The median forecast of 25 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News was for a 2.5 percent drop.
Companies from Toyota Motor Corp. to Sony Corp. have repaired facilities damaged by the March 11 disaster, spurring the largest increase in industrial output since 1953 in May from April. Japan intervened in the currency market on Aug. 4 for the first time since March to stem yen gains against the dollar that may weigh on the recovery of the world’s third largest economy.

Japan’s Noda Warns as Yen Nears Postwar High (Source: Bloomberg)
Japan’s finance minister warned he’s ready to intervene in the currency market again to stem a yen advance that risks slowing the nation’s recovery. “An unstable situation is continuing,” Yoshihiko Noda, 54, said during a talk show yesterday on public television broadcaster NHK. “As foreign exchange market matters are my prerogative, I will continue to closely watch the markets and take bold action if it becomes necessary.” The yen has risen above the level that prompted Japan to sell the currency on Aug. 4 for the first time since March. Noda, who signaled he won’t rule out a bid for the nation’s leadership when Prime Minister Naoto Kan steps down, said the drawbacks of a strong currency outweigh its benefits at a time when the nation is getting over a record earthquake in March.

Yen Declines After Noda Signals ’Bold’ Action (Source: Bloomberg)
The yen and Swiss franc weakened against most of their major counterparts amid speculation policy makers in Japan and Switzerland will take further action to stem gains in their currencies. The yen retreated from close to a record against the dollar after Japanese Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda indicated he’s ready to intervene in markets again. The franc fell versus the euro for a third day after the SonntagsZeitung newspaper said the Swiss government and the central bank are in “intense” talks over setting a target for their currency. The Australian and New Zealand dollars climbed as gains in Asian stocks supported demand for higher-yielding assets. “The market is going to be very reluctant to be buying yen and to be buying Swiss when central bank intervention is at risk and when equity markets are buoyant,” said Kurt Magnus, executive director of currency sales at Nomura Holdings Inc. in Sydney.

Singapore to Keep Thrust of Economic Policies Amid Adjustments, Lee Says (Source: Bloomberg)
Singapore will maintain the thrust of the policies that have helped the economy, even as it will make adjustments to address specific concerns, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a televised speech today. Investors are waiting to see what Singapore will do after the May general election, and the island will maintain policies that are important to the country and helpful to investors, he said. The nation will keep its policies pragmatic and constructive, he said.

Singapore Foreign-Worker Rules Tightened as Lee Keeps ‘Thrust of Policies’ (Source: Bloomberg)
Singapore will make adjustments to address specific public concerns such as the effects of foreign worker inflows, while maintaining the thrust of policies that have helped the economy, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said. The government will expand public housing and medical benefits to include more people, and tighten the criteria for the admittance of some groups of foreign workers, Lee said in a televised speech late yesterday. The nation needs to keep its politics “pragmatic and constructive,” he said in his first major policy speech since a May election. “We can keep the thrust of our policies but adjust them to deal with specific problems,” he said in the annual National Day rally speech. “As we go forward, we will encounter new situations, new problems will come, and we will have to respond to them and adjust and make new policies.”

Swan: Australia Economy Can ‘Ride Out’ Turmoil (Source: Bloomberg)
Australia’s economy can “ride out” the turbulence in global markets because of its strong outlook and the continued growth of China, the country’s biggest trading partner, Treasurer Wayne Swan said. “Australia has very low public debt, low unemployment, a massive pipeline of investment and we expect to bring the budget back to surplus next financial year,” Swan said in an e-mailed statement yesterday. While Australia isn’t immune to what happens in the rest of the world, “the prospects for our region remain much stronger” than for Europe and the U.S., he said. The global economic outlook will remain uncertain for some time as the U.S. and Europe seek to reduce debt and make their fiscal budgets more sustainable, Swan said. There’s good reason to be “optimistic” about continued expansion in China as incomes improve, he added.

Australia, New Zealand Dollars Gain as Asia Stocks Extend Global Rally (Source: Bloomberg)
The Australian and New Zealand dollars advanced against most of their 16 counterparts as Asian stocks extended a global equities rally, boosting demand for higher-yielding assets. The South Pacific countries’ currencies rose against the yen after Japan’s Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda signaled yesterday that he’s ready to take steps to weaken the yen. Australia’s dollar was 1.2 percent from a one-year low against its New Zealand counterpart as traders bet that the bigger nation’s central bank will cut interest rates. “Australia’s and New Zealand’s currencies remain susceptible to the global economy and stock prices,” said Takuya Kawabata, a researcher in Tokyo at Gaitame.com Research Institute Ltd., a unit of Japan’s largest foreign-exchange margin company. “New Zealand has more room for interest-rate gains, while no rate increase is expected for a while in Australia.”

Italian Cabinet Approves Austerity Decree (Source: Bloomberg)
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s Cabinet approved 45.5 billion euros ($64 billion) in deficit cuts to balance the budget and try to convince investors the country can tame the region’s second-biggest debt. The plan will raise the capital gains tax, increase levies on the highest earners, cut government spending and reduce funding to regional administrations. It was passed last night in Rome by decree, meaning it will take effect immediately and then must be approved by parliament within 60 days. “Our heart is bleeding as we have always maintained that we wouldn’t put our hands in the pockets of Italians, but the international scenario has deeply changed,” Berlusconi said after the meeting. “The measures go in the direction that the ECB wanted.”

Dutch Say Better to Remove Greece From Euro Than Extend Loans, Poll Shows (Source: Bloomberg)
A majority of Dutch respondents to a poll published today said it would be better to remove countries including Greece from the euro zone, rather than continuing to support them. This view was supported by 54 percent of people surveyed in a poll by researchers Maurice de Hond and No Ties BV, published on their website. As many as 60 percent of the participants said the Netherlands “should stop lending money to other euro zone countries now.” Lawmakers responsible for finance are cutting their vacations short to question Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Finance Minister Jan Kees de Jager on the size of the Dutch contribution to a second Greek bailout package on Aug. 16.

FOREX-Swiss franc recoups some losses; yen in focus
SYDNEY/SINGAPORE, Aug 12 (Reuters) - The safe-haven Swiss franc recouped some of its losses in Asia, having posted record one-day falls against the euro and dollar in the previous session after the Swiss National Bank threatened to step up its fight to curb the franc's strength.
On Friday, the franc gained 0.7 percent versus the euro to 1.0792 , after having tumbled by as much as 6 percent on Thursday. Euro/Swiss, which hit a record low of 1.0075 on Tuesday on trading platform EBS, is still down 1.4 percent on the week.

20110815 0951 Global Commodities Related News.


Funds Slash Commodity Bets by Most in 18 Months (Source: Bloomberg)
Funds reduced bets on rising commodity prices by the most in any week since February 2010 on mounting concern that a weakening global economy will slow demand for raw materials. In the week ended Aug. 9, speculators cut their net-long positions in 18 commodities by 19 percent to 989,110 futures and options contracts, government data compiled by Bloomberg show. Copper holdings plunged 61 percent, the most since June 2010, and bullish gold bets fell to a five-week low. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index slumped 13 percent in the three weeks ended Aug. 11. About $2.3 trillion was erased from U.S. equity values over the period amid Europe’s debt crisis, speculation that the economy is slowing and S&P’s downgrade of the government’s AAA credit rating. The benchmark gauge for U.S. shares dropped to within 11 points of a bear market.

Senate could okay nomination of CFTC nominee in Sept
WASHINGTON, Aug 11 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate could move quickly in September to approve the nomination of Mark Wetjen as a Democratic commissioner at the U.S. futures regulator, a move that could prove crucial as the agency implements a range of sweeping new Wall Street reforms. The earliest the full Senate could move to confirm Wetjen was Sept. 6 when it returns from a nearly month-long recess. Wetjen was approved last week by the Senate Agriculture Committee, which oversees the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Corn (Source: CME)
US corn futures end quiet as the market was underpinned by Thursday's USDA report. After a highly volatile week across commodities and equities, action was subdued, a day after corn surged on the USDA data, in which the crop's projected size was cut more than expected and many traders think the crop ultimately will be even smaller. Near-term weather forecasts are favorable for the crop, limiting price gains, although traders say note damage from a scorching July. Spot-month corn plunged to start the week and rallied after that, gaining 6c/bushel on the week. CBOT September corn fell 3/4c to $7.01 3/4 while all other contracts rose. December rose 1/2c to $7.14 1/2.

Wheat (Source: CME)
U.S. wheat futures closed mostly lower in a modest retreat from Thursday gains. Traders took a breather after a volatile week, which included strong gains Thursday as the wheat market chased corn prices higher. That support was lacking as corn prices were essentially flat. While corn has been the focus in the grains, worries about the spring wheat crop could continue to support Minneapolis prices, analysts say. Spot-month CBOT wheat gains 3.4% on the week. CBOT Sep wheat ends up 1 1/4c to $7.02 1/2 a bushel, but other contracts lower. MGEX Sep wheat down 1 1/4c to $8.61 1/4 and KCBT wheat down 12 cents to $7.96.

Rice (Source: CME)
US rice futures fell for a second day on increased output expectations from the USDA. The government's brighter production outlook caught some traders by surprise, fueling selling in the wake of a monthly crop report Thursday. Yet, lingering uncertainties about how much August heat will hurt crops in the southern US should prevent a significant slide, analyst say. Harvest has started in southern Arkansas and will pick up speed during the next several weeks. CBOT November rice drops 5 1/2c, or 0.3%, to $17.13/hundredweight

U.S. corn at one-week top, soy rises on bullish USDA report
SINGAPORE, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Chicago corn futures gained more ground , rising half a percent to trade near a 1-week top, while soybeans rose for a third straight day as a government forecast of lower production continued to buoy the markets.
"The USDA report provided a fundamental reason for higher corn prices," Luke Mathews, a commodity strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, said in a report.

China 2011 corn output seen up 3 pct at 182.5 mln T - CNGOIC
SHANGHAI, Aug 12 (Reuters) - China will likely harvest 182.5 million tonnes of corn this year, up 2.96 percent from a year earlier, according to the latest estimate by an official think-tank, lifting the production forecast slightly from its estimate in July.
The China National Grain and Oils Information Centre (CNGOIC) also said 2011 soybean output was expected to fall 10.5 percent from last year to 13.5 million tonnes.

Recent rains benefit Argentina wheat - exchange
BUENOS AIRES, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Abundant rains in Argentina since mid-July have created favorable conditions for the 2011/12 wheat crop, whose planting is almost finished, the Buenos Aires Grains Exchange said on Thursday.
Argentina, which according to the exchange will see 4.6 million hectares (11.4 million acres) sown with wheat, is a leading wheat exporter and sends most of its shipments to neighboring Brazil.

La Nina seen threatening Argentine soy, corn crops
BUENOS AIRES, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Argentine soy and corn crops, set to be planted in the weeks ahead, will face a threat of the same La Nina-related dryness that reduced yields last season, weather experts are predicting.
Satellite maps show that La Nina -- a cooling of the ocean surface off western South America which causes dryness -- may be worse in Argentina this year than in neighboring grains powerhouse Brazil.

Summer rain moves EU towards bumper maize crop
HAMBURG, Aug 11 (Reuters) - The European Union is set for a bumper maize crop this summer, signalling happy times ahead for farmers seeking animal feed and for purchasers of materials to make breakfast cereals, analysts said on Thursday.

Argentine Wheat Crop Looks Good (Source: CME)
Argentina's 2011-12 wheat planting is virtually complete with the crop developing well across most of the farm belt, the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange said in its weekly crop report Thursday. To date, 98.4% of the expected 4.6 million hectares have been planted with wheat, the exchange said. While the crop is showing some signs of damage from flooding in Entre Rios province and frost in the central fields, most of it is in good shape, the exchange said. Meanwhile, farmers are wrapping up the 2010-11 corn harvest, with 97.2% of the fields cleared so far. The exchange forecasts production of 21 million tons. Sunflower seed planting is 8.5% complete, with area seen at 1.86 million hectares, according to the exchange. Argentina is the world's third-largest soybean exporter; ranks second in corn, first in soymeal and soyoil; and is a leading exporter of wheat and sunflower seed oil.
Estimates for Argentina's 2011-12 crop production in million of hectares (HA) or millions of metric tons (MT). (One hectare equals 2.47 acres.)

Rice Set to Climb as Thailand Imposes Curbs (Source: Bloomberg)
The smallest increase in rice stockpiles in five years means global grain inventories will extend a decline that already drove food costs to a record. Combined global stores of wheat, corn and rice will drop 2.5 percent to a four-year low as farmers fail to keep pace with demand, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates. Rice prices will rise more than 20 percent by December as inventories expand 1.1 percent, compared with a 29 percent gain in the past four years, a Bloomberg survey of 13 millers and traders showed. While wheat and corn prices as much as doubled last year, rice retreated as the United Nations’ global food-inflation index jumped 25 percent. Rice advanced 15 percent since May, potentially worsening the lives of the 1.1 billion the World Bank says live on less than $1 a day. Wheat fell 20 percent since the middle of February on prospects for a bigger crop.

China Lifts Grain Output Forecasts (Source: CME)
China raised its output forecasts for key grain sectors, increasing its outlook for corn by 3% from last year to 182.5 million metric tons compared with a July forecast of 181.5 million tons. Wheat output is likely to rise for the full year by 1.4% to 116.8 million tons, the state-backed China National Grain and Oils Information Center said in a report. The government has already said that mid-year wheat production rose 2% on year to 111 million tons. Rice output is forecast to increase by 1.8% to 199.3 million tons, compared with July's estimate of 197.6 million tons, it said. The CNGOIC revised down this year's soybean output forecast to 13.5 million tons, down 11% from a year earlier, compared with a decrease of 7.9% to 14 million tons in July. Rapeseed output is forecast to fall 4.5% to 12.5 million tons, compared with 12.8 million tons in July, the center said.

Rice Body Advances Trials Of GM Crop (Source: CME)
The International Rice Research Institute plans to advance its ambitious program to genetically modify rice that is enriched with beta-carotene to the human-trial phase, subject to approvals from authorities in both the Philippines and the U.S., an IRRI scientist said. The GM rice, which has been dubbed "golden rice" after the yellow-orange hue of the grains, will be tested on humans to confirm that the beta-carotene in the rice helps increase vitamin A levels once ingested. "We are working through the regulatory steps to obtain all the biosafety approvals for golden rice from the Philippine authorities," Gerard Barry, IRRI's project leader, said on the sidelines of the Asian Food Security Conference. Although the trials will be conducted in the Philippines, approval is also needed from U.S. authorities since American institutes are involved in the project, he said, without specifying any timeframes--either for the approvals or trials.
Subjects in the control group will eat white rice, while the two experimental groups will consume golden rice and golden rice plus vitamin A, respectively, for a specified period, Barry said. Critics have said that an unrealistic amount of golden rice will have to be eaten to raise vitamin A levels in people who suffer from a deficiency of the essential nutrient. Barry said a recent study showed that 150 grams of uncooked golden rice, once cooked, is enough to supply 50% of the daily vitamin A needs of an adult. Around 670,000 children die and 350,000 go blind every year because they are vitamin A-deficient. Farmers won't have to pay more for the seeds of golden rice than for ordinary rice seeds, thanks to government and philanthropic funding aimed at reducing the incidence of vitamin A deficiency, Barry said. The researchers chose rice to address the vitamin A deficiency because more than half of the world's population depends on the grain to meet 80% of its food calorie requirement.

US Harvest Outlook Swayed By Heat Wave (Source: CME)
A July heat wave over the Midwest forced the U.S. Agriculture Department to slice its one-month-old forecast of the U.S. corn harvest by a deeper-than-expected 4%, signaling that rising retail food prices could continue to sting consumers even as the direction of the sluggish U.S. economy grows more uncertain. In its first forecast based on actual field surveys, the USDA said it expects U.S. farmers to harvest 12.91 billion bushels of corn, which would be the third-biggest crop ever and 3.8% bigger than the 2010 harvest. Still, the USDA had to shelve the prediction it made in early July for U.S. corn farmers to harvest a record 13.47 billion bushels of corn this fall. In trading at the Chicago Board of Trade Thursday, the corn futures contract for December delivery jumped 3.7%, or 25.5 cents, to settle at $7.14 a bushel. The heat wave, in which most of the Midwest states recorded one of their top 10 hottest Julys ever, struck just as the nation's most valuable crop was in its delicate pollination stage.
"All those 90-degree days couldn't have come at a worse time," said Alan Kemper, a Lafayette, Ind., farmer who has stopped selling corn from this crop until he can be certain how much he will actually harvest. The plant damage likely means that U.S. farmers for the second consecutive year won't keep up with surging demand for the crop, dropping U.S. corn reserves by August 2012 to the lowest levels since the mid-1990s. A ubiquitous ingredient in the U.S. diet, corn is used to make products such as sweetener and breakfast cereal and to fatten cattle, hogs, chickens and dairy cows. It is also used by the rapidly growing biofuels industry to make ethanol. Economists and food executives said the USDA report signals that the price of corn, which has roughly doubled over the past 12 months, could continue to stoke food inflation at least until the size of the 2012 harvest becomes clear.
Michael Swanson, an economist at Wells Fargo & Co., said he expects retail food prices to climb 3.5% to 4.5% in 2012, continuing this year's rise in food prices. The federal government's consumer-price index for all food was up 3.7% over the 12 months ended in June, the most recent period reported, while prices in grocery stores were up 4.7%. Chicken producers are among the hardest hit by this grain-price squeeze because industry giants, leery of surrendering market share, have been slow to cut their production as a way to force up the prices they can charge restaurants and supermarkets. "This report means we face high corn prices for another year," said Mike Cockrell, chief financial officer of Sanderson Farms Inc., a poultry producer based in Laurel, Miss. "That means chicken prices are too low."
The high price of corn is sending ripples all throughout the food sector. Many Midwest farmers decided in the spring to plant more corn at the expense of other crops. That gamble, plus less-than-ideal weather this growing season, is combining to shrink the potential size of several crops compared with last year, including soybeans, wheat, sorghum, oats and barley. "We're bidding against everybody for corn, from the ethanol plant to China," said 54-year-old Brad Bouma, who raises thousands of dairy cows near Plainview, Texas. J.P. Morgan analyst Ann Duignan estimated in a client note the USDA harvest outlook adds another $5 billion to U.S. farm cash receipts for the upcoming crop year compared with her estimate last month, lifting the total to almost $150 billion.

SE Asia Genetically Modified Crops Seen Taking Off In 2012 (Source: CME)
The adoption of genetically modified crops in South East Asia is likely to increase considerably over the next few years as a slew of initiatives involving corn, cotton, sugarcane, potatoes, rice and eggplant start to bear results, an industry executive said. The spread of GM crops in the region has been slow due to concerns over bio-safety, but there has been a gradual change in that view. Global cultivation of genetically modified crops hit one billion hectares in 2010 but bulk of it has been in North and South America. Next year is crucial for transgenic crops in the region because commercial planting of new GM varieties is expected in Indonesia and Vietnam, said Randy A. Hautea, global coordinator of International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications, an agency that tracks the adoption of GM crops worldwide.
The multi-location trials in both GM corn and GM sugarcane in Indonesia and GM corn in Vietnam are now complete and bio-safety approval for commercial use is expected in 2012, he said on the sidelines of the Asian Food Security Conference. This will likely be the first commercial cultivation of GM sugarcane anywhere in the world. Hautea said this is significant because global prices of agricultural commodities are on the rise and an improvement in yields through the use of pest-resistant varieties can limit the need for imports. He cited the example of the Philippines, which imported 500,000 tons corn annually before it permitted transgenic corn eight years ago, making the country nearly self-sufficient in corn production. Around half the country's yellow corn crop is now the transgenic variety. Both Indonesia and Vietnam import GM corn from the Americas and local cultivation will be a logical next step, he noted.
Hautea said a large body of research on GM crops in Southeast Asia is being done by government-run institutions as part of national efforts to boost agricultural productivity. A case in point is developing drought resistance in Indonesia's sugarcane crop through genetic modification, crucial for many islands of Java, he said. The Indonesian government has also launched field trials for GM potatoes to tackle the Late Blight Disease, using the same technology deployed in Bangladesh and India, Hautea said. Meanwhile, research on transgenic rice, eggplant and cotton is being conducted in the Philippines. Growers in Myanmar have been informally planting GM cotton for a few years and in 2010, the government officially allowed its use in the country. Around 75% of Myanmar's cotton growers now use transgenic seeds, Hautea said.

Sugar consolidates, digests Brazil data; coffee firms
LONDON, Aug 12 (Reuters) - ICE sugar futures were steady in early trade , underpinned by another downward forecast for the Brazilian sugar crop, while arabicas edged up with activity expected to centre on position rolling.  ICE October raw sugar futures were little changed, supported by a downward revision in Unica's forecast for centre-south Brazil cane output to 31.57 million tonnes, down 2.5 percent from its July estimate of 32.38 million tonnes.

India's rubber imports jump 12 pct in July- Board
MUMBAI, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Imports of rubber in India, the world's second-biggest consumer, provisionally rose 11.97 percent on year to 20,127 tonnes in July as tyre makers cashed in on lower customs duties, the state-run Rubber Board said in a statement.
Rubber imports rose 10.4 percent in April-July to 62,056 tonnes. Shipments are expected to touch a record of 200,000 this fiscal year.

Philippine sugar languishes; premiums set to fall
SINGAPORE, Aug 12 (Reuters) - The Philippines is desperate for buyers for its massive raw sugar stocks, but quality concerns have kept traders at bay, prompting some trading houses to offer the sweetener at a discount, dealers said on Friday.
The Philippines wants to sell 200,000 tonnes of sugar this year because of a surplus in domestic production, but so far only 66,000 tonnes have been booked for shipment to Japan, Indonesia and South Korea.

India may discuss more sugar exports on Friday-report
NEW DELHI, Aug 12 (Reuters) - A panel of Indian ministers could meet on Friday to discuss allowing further sugar exports, the Business Standard newspaper reported, on top of the one million tonnes of unrestricted shipments allowed so far this year.
The newspaper cited an unnamed government official.

Colombia coffee output falls for fourth month
BOGOTA, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Colombia's coffee output fell for a fourth consecutive month in July, shrinking 33 percent versus the same month last year to 530,000 60-kg bags, the growers' federation said on Thursday.
Exports from the world's No. 1 producer of high-quality Arabica beans slumped 25 percent to 458,000 sacks, the federation said in a statement.

Guatemala opens first-ever sugar import quota
GUATEMALA CITY, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Guatemala, a major sugar exporter, announced on Thursday its first-ever sugar import quota to fill a supply gap caused by a smaller harvest and sugar smuggling into neighboring Mexico.
Guatemala is losing around 40,000 tonnes of sugar each year as smugglers ferret the sweetener illegally across the border to Mexico where they can fetch higher prices, the Economy Ministry said.

Brazil's sugar output falls further--Unica
SAO PAULO, Brazil, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Brazil's main center-south sugar cane crop estimate was cut for the second month in a row as frost, flowering and falling yields continued to drag down milling results, cane industry association Unica said Thursday.
Unica put the center-south's sugar output this season at 31.57 million tonnes, down 2.5 percent from its July estimate of 32.38 million tonnes.

Asia Dry Bulk-Panamax rates to rise on Indonesia coal demand
SINGAPORE, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Rates for panamax dry bulk carriers on key Asian freight routes are expected rise over the next week, supported by the limited availability of prompt tonnage to move Indonesian coal shipments.
In the capesize market, rates are seen steady with investors balancing increased iron ore demand with lingering oversupply problems, shipbrokers said on Thursday.

China pushes hi-tech for shipbuilders to unseat S.Korea
SINGAPORE/HONG KONG, Aug 11 (Reuters) - China should regain its status as the world's leading shipbuilder in the next few years if domestic suppliers such as China Rongsheng  and Yangzijiang Shipbuilding  quickly modernize their drydocks and close the technology gap with South Korean competitors.
South Korea surpassed China as the industry's most sought after shipbuilder in the first half of this year as shipowners ordered more liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers, mega containerships and other complex vessels in which South Korea specializes.

China gasoline exports to slide further in second half
SINGAPORE/BEIJING, Aug 8 (Reuters) - A fall in China's gasoline exports is likely to accelerate in the second half of the year as growth in local demand and reduced refinery runs slash the volumes available for overseas sales.
Reduced sales by Asia's second-biggest exporter could potentially lift gasoline refining margins after a fall from May's two-year high, as demand from top importers such as Indonesia increases.

Oil slips below $108 on USD strength, demand fears
LONDON, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Oil slipped below $108 a barrel reversing direction after two straight days of gains, as the dollar strengthened and concerns about oil demand in industrialised nations weighed on prices.
"There is still some scepticism around as to whether the fundamentals are strong enough to justify further price increases so some market participants are starting to take profits," said Carsten Fritsch, an analyst at Commerzbank in Frankfurt.

Indonesia steel consumption may rise 3.8 pct in 2011 -producer
JAKARTA, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Steel consumption in Indonesia in 2011 will rise as much as 3.8 percent compared to last year, due to a rise in state funded projects, said an official at Krakatau Steel , the country's biggest steel maker.
Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy, is forecast to consume 8.2-8.3 million tonnes of steel this year, compared with 8 million tonnes in 2010, Irvan Kamal Hakim, Krakatau Steel's marketing director told a news conference late on Thursday.

Spending delays wilt Japan's reconstruction steel demand hopes
TOKYO, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Steel demand in Japan will fall short of expectations as political wrangling holds up cash injections after a devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami, while the construction sector is battling a deep slump, hobbled by a strengthening yen.
Japan's construction steel sector has shrunk nearly in half over the past two decades, and the absence of large additional demand amid weak prices will further dent prospects, speeding a revamp of giants such as Nippon Steel Corp  and JFE .  

U.S. Steel raising prices, cites costs
NEW YORK, Aug 11 (Reuters) - U.S. Steel Corp , whose second-quarter profit and sales missed Wall Street estimates, is raising prices as soaring raw material costs eat into margins, Chief Executive Officer John Surma said on Thursday.
"We informed our customers that that was what we were doing," he said when asked about analyst reports the steelmaker raised prices by about $60 per ton -- or roughly 10 percent.

Indonesia steel consumption may rise 3.8 pct in 2011 -producer
JAKARTA, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Steel consumption in Indonesia in 2011 will rise as much as 3.8 percent compared to last year, due to a rise in state funded projects, said an official at Krakatau Steel , the country's biggest steel maker.
Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy, is forecast to consume 8.2-8.3 million tonnes of steel this year, compared with 8 million tonnes in 2010, Irvan Kamal Hakim, Krakatau Steel's marketing director told a news conference late on Thursday.

Brazil steel outlook weak, but iron strong
SAO PAULO, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Brazilian steel mills are going through a peculiar and worrying moment: Mining iron ore is making more money for them than producing slabs and rods.
And the situation might persist for quite a while, causing more stress for investors, who have dumped shares in the sector this year.

India 2010/11 iron ore exports down 17 pct after revision-trade body
NEW DELHI, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Iron ore exports from India fell 17 percent in the year to March 2011 to 97.6 million tonnes, up from an earlier estimate of 95 million tonnes, on rising costs and slow efforts in southern Karnataka state to resume shipments, a trade body said in a statement on Wednesday.
India, the world's third-largest exporter of the steel-making raw material, exported 117.4 million tonnes in 2009/10, the Federation of Indian Minerals and Industry (FIMI) said.

UK aluminium smelter power plant must switch from coal
LONDON, Aug 11 (Reuters) - The coal-fired power station which supplies all of the energy to Rio Tinto Alcan's   Lynemouth aluminium smelter in northeast England, must switch to biomass generation if it is to have a long-term future, a spokesman for the company said.
The company has yet to decide separately, in a strategic review, whether it will keep, sell or close its Lynemouth assets, which comprise the smelter and power plant.

China demand for resources to rise-Australia trade min
MANADO, Indonesia, Aug 12 (Reuters) - China will need large quantities of Australian raw materials as its industrialisation and urbanisation race ahead, despite concerns about weak global economic conditions, Australian Trade Minister Craig Emerson said on Friday.
Emerson also hinted that a fall in the Australian dollar  amid the volatility that has jolted global financial markets for the past week was good, saying its strong currency  had hurt manufacturing and exporters.

METALS-Copper pares gains on eurozone debt, global growth fears
SHANGHAI, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Copper fell, heading for a weekly loss of more than 2 percent a day after its biggest daily gain in nearly 9 months, as fears over the health of French banks and debt contagion in the euro zone outweighed positive sentiment on the strength of Chinese consumption.    
"The copper markets have not moved much today. I think we will continue to see some range-bound volatility over these two weeks, with prices operating near the bottom of the range," said Jinhui Futures deputy general manager Lin Yu Hui.

Asia physical gold demand strong; Tokyo discount falls
SINGAPORE, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Gold's discount in Tokyo fell to its lowest since the end of 2010 as lofty gold prices triggered scrap selling, while robust investment demand elsewhere in Asia helped gold premiums in Hong Kong and Singapore remain steady.
The gold discount in Tokyo stood at 75 cents per ounce below spot prices on Friday on the back of large gold scrap selling, said a dealer at a Tokyo-based bullion house.

PRECIOUS-Spot pares losses on growth worry, Europe debt woes
SINGAPORE, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Spot gold pared early losses, putting it on track for its best week since February 2009 as worries about the euro zone debt crisis and global growth drive investors to safe havens.
"We've seen some new investors getting in the market at high price levels," said Dick Poon, manager of precious metals at Heraeus in Hong Kong.

Shippers say China, India can offset U.S., Europe woes
BANGALORE, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Business from China and India is robust enough for shippers such as Paragon Shipping , Box Ships Inc  and Seanergy Maritime Holdings  not to be losing sleep over financial crises in the United States and Europe, executives said.
Brokers, including Intermodal and Wells Fargo Securities, have said the market volatility sparked by Standard & Poor's U.S. sovereign debt rating cut and Europe's debt crisis, could trip the global economy into a double-dip recession and land a body-blow to dry bulk trade and the shipping sector generally.

Baltic index rises, financing fears weigh on sector
LONDON, Aug 11 (Reuters) - The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates to ship dry commodities, rose for a second day on Thursday, helped by iron ore bookings to China.  
Brokers said the spectre of growing financial turmoil, tighter bank financing and rapid fleet growth would keep dry bulk freight rates under pressure in the coming months.

Asia Dry Bulk-Panamax rates to rise on Indonesia coal demand
SINGAPORE, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Rates for panamax dry bulk carriers on key Asian freight routes are expected rise over the next week, supported by the limited availability of prompt tonnage to move Indonesian coal shipments.
In the capesize market, rates are seen steady with investors balancing increased iron ore demand with lingering oversupply problems, shipbrokers said on Thursday.

China pushes hi-tech for shipbuilders to unseat S.Korea
SINGAPORE/HONG KONG, Aug 11 (Reuters) - China should regain its status as the world's leading shipbuilder in the next few years if domestic suppliers such as China Rongsheng  and Yangzijiang Shipbuilding  quickly modernize their drydocks and close the technology gap with South Korean competitors.
South Korea surpassed China as the industry's most sought after shipbuilder in the first half of this year as shipowners ordered more liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers, mega containerships and other complex vessels in which South Korea specializes.

20110815 0949 Soy Oil & Palm Oil Related News.

ITS CPO export up 26.8% to 953,852 tonnes for the period of 1~15 Aug 2011.
SGS CPO export up 29.5% to 947,594 tonnes for the period of 1~15 Aug 2011.

Soybeans (Source: CME)
US soybean futures finished almost flat as expectations for beneficial rains ease crop concerns. Traders took profits ahead of the close of trading after prices in earlier dealings rose for the second day on a lower-than-expected output estimate issued by USDA Thursday. The government cut its yield estimate to 42.8 bushel/acre from its July estimate of 43.4 bushels. Yet, good rains expected this weekend "could put the yields in the beans right back up around 43," says Jack Scoville of Price Futures Group. CBOT November soybeans close up 3c at $13.34 3/4 a bushel.

Soybean Meal/Oil (Source: CME)
US soymeal futures slipped as traders book profits in a setback from gains. Prices pulled back after climbing 2.3% Thursday as the USDA slashed its outlook for soy production. Expectations for beneficial rains in growing areas added pressure to the soy complex, traders say. CBOT December soymeal closes down $1.60, or 0.5%, at $352.10/short ton. Soyoil futures also stabilize, with the December contract edging up 0.07c, or 0.1%, to 54.65c/pound.

Palm oil recoups this week's losses on markets, USDA
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm oil futures rose for a third day, recovered most of the losses at the start of the week on the back of stronger food commodity prices and as a U.S. government forecast of lower soy output signalled tighter edible oil supply in coming months.
"The macro-economic concerns are still there but there is pronounced export growth for palm oil. The renminbi has been strong and will encourage firms to replenish food stocks including palm oil," said a trader with a foreign commodities brokerage in Kuala Lumpur.

China ups Aug soybean imports f'cast to 3.85 mln T
SHANGHAI, Aug 12 (Reuters) - China's soybean imports in August will likely reach 3.85 million tonnes, the Ministry of Commerce said, raising its earlier estimate by 22 percent.  The forecast is based on reports from importers during the July 16-31 period,  the ministry said in a statement on its website seen on Friday.

India's July vegoil imports likely to edge up on month
NEW DELHI, Aug 11 (Reuters) - India's palm oil imports slipped in July as buyers waited for Indonesia's tax cut from Aug. 1, a Reuters survey showed, with a 77 percent leap in soyoil purchases keeping overall volumes slightly up on the month.
But traders said despite the delay to cargoes and demand for the August to October festival season, imports next month would not match August 2010's record 1.1 million tonnes hit on the back of poor domestic availability and attractive soyoil prices.