Friday, March 23, 2012

20120323 1823 FCPO EOD Daily Chart Study.

FCPO closed : 3426, changed : +84 points, volume : higher.
Bollinger band reading : upside biased.
MACD Histrogram : turned upwards, buyer returned.
Support : 3420, 3380, 3350, 3300 level.
Resistance : 3450, 3470, 3500, 3550 level.
Comment :
FCPO closed rallied higher with ultra high volume participation. Soy oil price also rising higher after overnight closed declined lower while crude oil price currently rebounding higher after yesterday falls.
FCPO price surged upwards hitting 9 month high on upbeat demand prospect and lower production anticiaption after yesterday news on Indonesia official annoucement to raised export tax for the month of April and awaits Monday export data.
Chart analysis adjusted to suggesting an upside biased market development with MACD indicator having positive crossed up today.
When to buy : buy at support or weakness with larger cut loss and profit target.
When to sell : sell at resistant or strength with quick cut loss and profit target.

20120323 1746 FKLI EOD Daily Chart Study.

FKLI closed : 1588 changed : +4 points, volume : lower.
Bollinger band reading : correction range bound upside biased.
MACD Histrogram : recovering, buyer testing market.
Support : 1580, 1570, 1565, 1550 level.
Resistance : 1590, 1600, 1610, 1620 level.
Comment :
FKLI closed recorded small gain with slower volume exchanged doing 2 points premium compare to cash market that closed little higher. Overnight U.S. markets closed weaker and today Asia markets traded mixed for the 3rd day while European markets opened and trading little higher.
Regional markets traded mixed awaits U.S. new home sales data and after slowing Europe area manufacturing data plus China 3td largest bank reported drop in profit amid slower growth.
FKLI daily chart study revised to suggesting a correction range bound upside biased market development.
When to buy : buy at support or weakness with quick cut loss and profit target.
When to sell : sell at resistance or strength with quick cut loss and profit target.

20120323 1705 Regional Markets EOD Daily Chart Study.

 DJIA chart reading : pullback correction upside biased testing middle Bollinger band support with MACD indicator having negative crossed down.
 Hang Seng chart reading : correction range bound little downside biased.
KLCI chart reading :  correction range bound little upside biased.

20120323 1552 Global Market & Commodities Related News.

GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian shares fall on global growth worries
SINGAPORE, March 23 (Reuters) - Asian shares fell and growth-linked currencies such as the Australian dollar were shunned after data showing shrinking factory activity in China and the euro zone heightened concerns about a slowdown in the global economy.
"Fears of a Chinese hard landing are on the rise; overdone we think," said Vincent Chaigneau, strategist at Societe Generale. "Concerns over Europe are burgeoning again, rightly so given the weak economy and the toxic focus on enlarging the firewall."

Bernanke says U.S. consumption still too weak
WASHINGTON, March 22 (Reuters) - U.S. consumer spending is still too weak to ensure a healthy pace of economic growth, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Th ursday.
"Right now, in terms of debt and consumption, we're still way low relative to the pattern before the crisis," Bernanke told students in the second of two lectures at The George Washington University. "We lack a source of demand to keep the economy growing."

FOREX-Yen shade weaker after rally, but risks linger
TOKYO, March 23 (Reuters) - The yen softened on Friday after Tokyo importers took advantage of its broad rally the day before, while risk currencies like the Australian dollar were poised to end the week sharply lower on fresh concerns about the health of the global economy.
Manufacturing shrank for a fifth month in China, while factory activity in Germany and France, Europe's two biggest economies, suffered big and unexpected falls, data showed on Thursday, bolstering the yen and sending growth currencies down.

Warmest March ever drives US farmers to plant early
CHICAGO, March 22 (Reuters) - Ethan Cox is sowing corn on his 5,000-acre Illinois farm earlier than ever this year, betting that the premium he may collect for delivering an early crop is worth the risk of a damaging late-spring frost.
Lured into the fields by what is so far the warmest March since records began in 1871, Cox is toiling alongside dozens of farmers across the Midwest who have begun seeding what may be a record crop weeks earlier than usual, according to agronomists, farm managers and analysts who keep close tabs on farm activity.

GRAINS-US wheat, corn extend gains on export demand; soy up
SYDNEY, March 23 (Reuters) - U.S. corn and wheat extended gains for a second straight day as prices were supported by strong export demand, while soybeans also rose after dropping in the previous session.
&#8220Argentine grain truckers have reached a deal to end a four-day-old strike over hauling rates that had delayed deliveries to export ports, a spokeswoman for the drivers said.&#8221

Argentine grains truckers agree to lift strike
BUENOS AIRES, March 22 (Reuters) - Argentine grain truckers have reached a deal to end a four-day-old strike over hauling rates that had delayed deliveries to export ports, a spokeswoman for the drivers said.    
The FETRA group of trucking companies began the protest on Monday to press demands for a unified hauling tariff system, sharply reducing truck arrivals at terminals in the Rosario grains export hub.

Argentina sees 2011/12 corn crop at 21.2 mln T
BUENOS AIRES, March 22 (Reuters) - Argentina expects this season's corn crop to total 21.2 million tonnes versus its previous official estimate of 20.5 million to 22.0 million tonnes, the Agriculture Ministry said on Thursday.
The ministry, in its monthly crop report, also changed its 2011/12 soy harvest forecast to 44 million tonnes from a previous range of 43.5 million to 45.0 million tonnes.

India sugar seen going to Iran if exports approved
GENEVA, March 22 (Reuters) - Indian raw sugar from a possible fresh tranche of exports, which could be authorised by ministers next week, is likely to be destined for sanctions-hit Iran, European trade sources said.
The sources said a significant portion of so-called Open General Licence (OGL) sugar exports, which could be approved at a ministerial meeting in India on March 26, may be sold to Iran.

Water scarcity to cut key Indian state's sugar output
MUMBAI, March 22 (Reuters) - India's top sugar producing Maharashtra state is likely to see a nearly 17 percent drop in output in the next marketing year beginning from October as water scarcity is deterring farmers from cane cultivation, state government officials told Reuters.
Lower output in the state will trim the world's top consumer's total production and subsequently surplus available for exports in 2012/13.

Brent holds above $123 as U.S. data eases demand concerns
SINGAPORE, March 23 (Reuters) - Brent crude was steady above $123 a barrel, rebounding from sharp falls in the previous session, as better-than-expected U.S. economic data eased fears of a sharp slowdown in China hitting oil demand.
"The macroeconomic picture is getting better, especially in the U.S., and that's helping oil prices. But the recovery is very slow and there's still a lot of uncertainty regarding China and Europe," said Ken Hasegawa, a commodity derivatives manager at Newedge Brokerage in Tokyo.

METALS-Copper bounces from two-week lows; growth worries weigh
SINGAPORE, March 23 (Reuters) - London copper bounced, coming off two-week lows hit in the previous session, but prices were on track for a weekly loss as global growth concerns and tepid demand from top consumer China kept a lid on gains.  
"At the moment, more and more people realise there is weak domestic demand in China, but market insiders are still not sure when it will recover, or the scope," said Grace Qu, analyst at CRU in Beijing.

Miners say operations in Mali running normally
LONDON/TORONTO, March 22 (Reuters) - Gold miner Randgold Resources  said its operations in Mali were running normally, despite worries over unrest as renegade soldiers said they had seized power in the West African country.
The soldiers earlier went on state television to declare they had seized power in protest over the government's failure to quell a rebellion in the north of the country.

Zambia won't bring back mining windfall tax-fin min
LUSAKA, March 22 (Reuters) - Zambia, Africa's top copper producer, will not reintroduce a mining windfall tax it scrapped in 2009 because it may force mine closures, the minister of finance said on Thursday.
"Mining has a long gestation period and we don't want to tax the mines out of business," Alexander Chikwanda said on state-owned ZNBC radio

Japan rolled copper output seen up 2.4 pct in 2012/13
TOKYO, March 22 (Reuters) - Japan's production of rolled copper products will rise 2.4 percent in the new financial year starting in April, after an estimated 6.6 percent slump this year, as a recovery in the global economy will brighten the electronics sector, an industry body said on Thursday.  
Japan's output of copper products used in chips, car parts and housing utensils, have been in a steep downtrend since late last year as Europe's debt crisis cooled the global economy while Japan's electronics appliance makers reduced orders in the wake of massive losses.

PRECIOUS-Gold off 2-mth low but headed for 4th losing wk
SINGAPORE, March 23 (Reuters) - Gold prices was little changed and were set for their fourth-straight week of losses, after weak economic data from China and the euro zone sent bullion to a two-month low in the previous session.
"It seems that funds have been trying to re-allocate their assets," said Peter Tse, director at ScotiaMocatta in Hong   Kong.

Japan rolled copper output seen up 2.4 pct in 2012/13
TOKYO, March 22 (Reuters) - Japan's production of rolled copper products will rise 2.4 percent in the new financial year starting in April, after an estimated 6.6 percent slump this year, as a recovery in the global economy will brighten the electronics sector, an industry body said on Thursday.  
Japan's output of copper products used in chips, car parts and housing utensils, have been in a steep downtrend since late last year as Europe's debt crisis cooled the global economy while Japan's electronics appliance makers reduced orders in the wake of massive losses.

China Feb refined copper imports hit third-highest level
HONG KONG, March 21 (Reuters) - China's inflows of refined copper rose 12 percent month-on-month in February to hit the third-highest level ever on delayed shipments from the holiday month of January and as buyers stocked up on expectations of rising demand during the peak March-May consumption season.
In February, 375,831 tonnes of refined copper arrived China, compared to 335,480 tonnes in January and up 137.6 percent from a year earlier, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Wednesday.  

Gold Fields takes 40 pct stake in Philippines project
JOHANNESBURG, March 22 (Reuters) - South African gold miner Gold Fields  said on Thursday it had exercised an option to take a 40 percent stake in a gold-copper project in the Philippines, the next step in its strategy to diversify out of its home base.
Gold Fields, the world's fourth-largest bullion producer, said in a statement it had taken the stake after making a $110 million down payment this week and retained the option to acquire an additional 20 percent in the Far Southeast Project.

U.S. miners, steel shares drop on China slowdown
NEW YORK, March 22 (Reuters) - Shares in U.S. steelmakers and coal and metal miners dropped on Thursday on signs that industrial growth was slowing in China, a big consumer of metal and raw materials for its economic building.
Benchmark copper  fell 1.95 percent to a two-week low on the London Metal Exchange (LME) at $8,290 a tonne and other

METALS-Copper bounces from two-week lows; growth worries weigh
SINGAPORE, March 23 (Reuters) - London copper bounced on Friday, coming off two-week lows hit in the previous session, but prices were on track for a weekly loss as global growth concerns and tepid demand from top consumer China kept a lid on gains.  
Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange  rose 0.77 percent to $8,354 a tonne by 0242 GMT. It touched a two-week low of $8,262 a tonne and closed down 2 percent in the previous session, but is still up nearly 10 percent this year.

PRECIOUS-Gold off 2-mth low but headed for 4th losing wkBy Rujun Shen
SINGAPORE, March 23 (Reuters) - Gold prices was little changed on Friday and were set for their fourth-straight week of losses, after weak economic data from China and the euro zone sent bullion to a two-month low in the previous session.
Surveys showed shrinking manufacturing activity in China and an unexpected turn for the worse in the euro zone economy in March, fanning worries of faltering growth in these regions.

Asia Dry Bulk-Rates to fall on weak iron ore demand
SINGAPORE, March 22 (Reuters) - Rates for capesize dry bulk carriers on key Asian freight routes are expected to fall next week because of slower Australian iron ore shipments to China, ship brokers said on Thursday.
CAPESIZE
Benchmark capesize fixture rates from Australia to China eased to a six-week low of $7.558 a tonne on Wednesday from $7.779 last week as miners booked fewer vessels to ship iron ore.

20120323 1112 Global Market & Commodities Related News.

GLOBAL MARKETS-Shares fall, yen gains on global growth worries
SINGAPORE, March 23 (Reuters) - Asian shares fell on Friday and the safe-haven yen gained after data showing shrinking factory activity in China and the euro zone heightened concerns about a slowdown in the global economy.
"Fears of a Chinese hard landing are on the rise; overdone we think," said Vincent Chaigneau, strategist at Societe Generale.

COMMODITIES-Oil tumbles on China, Europe data; gold dives too
NEW YORK, March 22 (Reuters) - The volatility in oil showed little signs of ebbing on Thursday as crude prices fell about 2 percent for a second time in a week, driven by weak Chinese and European manufacturing data.
"There's a bit of a China backlash at the moment, and we should expect more turbulence as people assess whether China is heading for a hard or a soft landing," said Filip Petersson, commodity strategist at SEB in Stockholm.

OIL-Oil down on weak Chinese, euro zone data
NEW YORK, March 22 (Reuters) - Oil fell 1 percent in light activity on Thursday, dragged down by manufacturing data from China and the euro zone showing a drop in new orders that spurred fresh concerns about global fuel demand.
"There's a bit of a China backlash at the moment, and we should expect more turbulence as people assess whether China is heading for a hard or a soft landing," said Filip Petersson, commodity strategist at SEB in Stockholm.

S.Africa says has suspended Iran oil imports
PRETORIA, March 22 (Reuters) - South Africa has suspended almost all oil imports from Iran, its biggest crude supplier, in response to U.S. diplomatic pressure, a senior diplomat said on Thursday, adding Pretoria was unhappy about being strong-armed by Washington.
Iran accounts for about 29 percent of oil imports to Africa's biggest economy, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, making it tough to switch suppliers.

S.Korea, Taiwan, SAfrica cut Iranian oil imports
SEOUL, March 22 (Reuters) - Major buyer South Korea cut imports of Iranian crude in the first two months of 2012, joining Taiwan and South Africa as the latest in a growing group of buyers bowing to international pressure on the Islamic Republic.
A quartet of China, India, Japan and South Korea are the four biggest buyers of Iranian crude in Asia and have either made a cut in imports or pledged to do so. Iran sells most of its 2.6 million barrels per day (bpd) of exports in Asia.

NATURAL GAS-US natural gas futures slide after first 2012 stocks build
NEW YORK, March 22 (Reuters) - U.S. natural gas futures ended lower on Thursday after a government report showed that gas inventories climbed last week for the first time this year, as a near-record mild winter triggered an early start to the stock-building season.
"The first net injection of the year comes slightly ahead of seasonal norms, but doesn't come as a surprise given the unsupportive weather this shoulder season," Mike Tran, analyst at CIBC World Markets, said in a report.

Iran Sanctions Crisis Roils Energy, Shipping (Reuters)
Tension between Iran and the West has driven oil prices to near 10-month highs, awakening fears at the prospect of another global recession, while sanctions over the country's nuclear programme disrupt payments between OPEC's second-biggest supplier and its energy-hungry customers in Asia.

20120323 0955 Malaysia Corporate Related News.

Malakoff seeks new 10-year extension for its Segari plant
Malakoff will put in a new bid to extend by 10 years a power contract on its 1,303MW combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant in Segari, Perak, due to expire in 2017. With no automatic extension, CEO Zainal Abidin Jalil said Malakoff has been told to put in a bid with “tariff as competitive as a new plant.” Malakoff is interested to meet the government’s requirement to actually show the capacity payment reduction as a basis for the extension. Malakoff, the lead for a consortium comprising Petronas Power SB and Mitsubishi Power SB, is also one of the shortlisted bidders for the 1,000MW - 1,400MW Prai CCGT power project. (Malaysian Reserve)

3 in Tawau green energy talks
1MDB and General Electric (GE) are among three companies currently in talks to develop the country’s first geothermal plant in Apas, Tawau. The third company in the venture, tagged at between RM750m – RM800m, is a Sabah-based green energy company which has inked a power purchase agreement with Sabah Electricity SB. Sources expected a joint agreement to be reached soon, possibly by end of the month. The renewable energy plant can generate a total capacity of 67MW, with 36MW generated under phase one and an additional 31MW under phase two. GE will provide the technical knowhow, global expertise, equipment and technology. (StarBiz)

PNB invests RM4.9bn to acquire properties in Australia, the UK
PNB has spent RM4.9bn to buy properties in Australia and London, said president and CEO Tan Sri Hamad Kama Piah Che Othman. PNB owns Santos Place in Brisbane and three office buildings in London. PNB is currently in talks to buy another building in London. PNB focused more on equity previously but is now putting a bigger focus on real estate which would bring in stable returns. (Malaysian Reserve)

Seda gets approval for additional 1% levy to renewable energy fund
Sustainable Energy Development Authority (Seda) has received the approval for an additional 1% levy to the renewable energy (RE) fund on top of the current 1% in electricity bills that will double up the fund size. However, CEO Badriyah Abdul Malek said it remains in the Government’s hands to increase the 1%. Currently, consumers in Peninsular Malaysia who use more than 300kWh a month are paying 1% levy to independent RE power producers. (StarBiz)

SapuraCrest Petroleum: Targets Brazil’s oil and gas sector with Seadrill
Group's  CEO Datuk Shahril Shamsudin said Sapuracrest Petroleum is looking to expand its operation in Brazil's oil and gas services industry via its JV with Seadrill Ltd. SapuraCrest, had on Thursday received its shareholders’ approval for a joint venture with Seadrill. The JV agreement with Seadrill was in relation to the contract to charter and operate three units of pipe laying support vessels by Petroleo Brasileiro (Petrobras) worth US$1.4bn. Shahril said currently, the group has put in about RM5bn of bids. In any case, Shahril said he expects the merger with Kencana to increase the group's capability and balance sheet capacity to take on more challenging jobs such as the development of marginal oil fields. (Financial Daily)

Sime Darby: In oil palm biomass deal
Sime Darby Plantation Sdn Bhd has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the government and 18 other participants to develop oil palm biomass in the country. The MOU would see the possibility of a consortium agreement to develop the required knowledge and technology for oil palm biomass utilisation for sustainable bio-based products and practices. (Financial Daily)

Telekom Malaysia: Eyes 10% growth in SME subscribers
Telekom Malaysia (TM) aims to achieve 10% growth in its small and medium enterprise (SME) customers by end-2012, from 494,000 customers currently, said TM SME executive vice-president Azizi A Hadi. He added that TM expected to attract over 500,000 SME and generate more than RM1m in business transactions in the SME BizFest 2012. (Financial Daily)

Genting Bhd: RWS gets licences for 2 junket operators
The wait is finally over for Resorts World Sentosa, which Thursday received government approval for two junket licence applications it endorsed nearly two years ago. But even as Singapore allows the first licensed junket operators onto the gaming scene  - which potentially fuels gaming revenue growth here  - 12 other applications were rejected, signalling the government's stringent stance. This comes at a time when Singapore's Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA) is tightening junket regulations in a bid to make the industry, which transacts large sums of money, even more transparent and accountable. International market agents (IMAs), or so-called junket promoters, can extend credit to highrollers or organise trips for them to play at the casino in exchange for commissions. The CRA Thursday awarded two one-year licences to Huang Yu Kiung and Low Chong Aun, two Malaysian IMAs with an international clientele. But their licences with RWS, which took effect yesterday and are set to expire on Mar 21, 2013, may be revoked if the two fail to remain suitable. (The Straits Times)

SP Setia: 1Q FY2012 earnings up 19.3% to RM74m, on track for RM4bn sales for FY12
SP Setia’s earnings rose 19.3% to RM74m in 1Q FY2012 compared with RM62.04m a year ago due to higher selling prices for its products while it said it was on target to achieve its FY2012 sales target of RM4bn.  Its revenue, however, declined 5.2% to RM491.58m from RM518.88m. Earnings per share were 4.01 sen compared with 4.07 sen. However, SP Setia said the group’s current quarter profit before tax of RM100.7m was RM8.3m lower than the preceding quarter ended Oct 31, 2011. This is partly attributable to slower progress of works during the festive season. (Financial Daily)

SP Setia: Set to launch Fulton Lane's second tower
SP Setia will soon launch Tower Two of its Fulton Lane development in the heart of Melbourne city business district. The company said Tower One that was premiered first in Kuala Lumpur in Jun last year saw strong demand from local buyers and had recorded steady sales with 80% of 291 apartment units taken up. It added that the new launch of Tower Two offers investors 487 units housed in a 45-storey block. (Bernama)

Oriental Holdings: Loh family passing the baton
The Loh family of Oriental Holdings is in a transition phase. A fund manager with a regional asset management company was quoted as saying that the baton is slowly being passed from the second generation to the third generation, in particular Loh Kian Chong. Kian Chong, 36 is the son Loh Kar Bee, the eldest and the only surviving son of the late Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew. Kian Chong’s name has been appearing regularly on Bursa Malaysia fillings of late. Since late Feb, he is deemed to have been accumulating Oriental shares in the open market. (Financial Daily)

Glomac: 3Q FY2012 net profit up 33%
Glomac’s net profit rose 33% to RM21.89m in 3Q FY2012 from RM16.52m a year earlier as the property developer’s lower cost of sales mitigated the impact of lower revenue and higher marketing, administration and finance expenses during the quarter. Its revenue fell 18% to RM145.29m against RM176.54m a year earlier due to the completion of several projects. Cumulative 9-month net profit climbed 32% to RM63.53m from RM47.96m a year earlier while revenue was down 8% to RM407.95m from RM443.74m. Glomac said it sold RM343m worth of properties during the 9 month period. (Financial Daily)

IGB: Source says retail REIT to raise up to RM700m
A source with direct knowledge of the deal said IGB Corp retail real estate investment trust (REIT) is looking to raise RM600 to RM700m from its initial public offering in Sept. The listing of IGB's retail REIT comprises of key assets such as Mid Valley Megamall and The Gardens Mall in the Malaysian capital, said the source who could not be identified as the deal has not been made public. The source added that the investment banking unit of CIMB Group is the lead banker for the deal. (Reuters)

Esso Malaysia: MSWG queries proposed deal
The Minority Shareholder Watchdog Group (MSWG) has raised the question of whether Esso Malaysia’s board has received competing offers for the company. MSWG wrote in its weekly newsletter that some of the issues of interest to non-interested shareholders (of Esso Malaysia) include whether Esso Malaysia has received other offers and, if so, the reason or reasons for not considering them. In recent announcements to Bursa Malaysia, Esso Malaysia said that subsequent to the fulfillment of all conditions precedent pertaining to the proposed acquisition of 65% of Esso Malaysia shares by San Miguel Corp (SMC) from ExxonMobil International Holdings Inc, SMC was extending the mandatory and unconditional general takeover offer to acquire the remaining 35% of Esso Malaysia shares at RM3.59 per share. (StarBiz)

Berjaya Retail: To spearhead RadioShack expansion
Berjaya retail plans to open the country’s first RadioShack store within 6 months and in other Asean countries within 2 years. Tan Su Peng, COO of Berjaya (Radio Shack) RS Sdn Bhd, the franchisee of RadioShack in Malaysia said after signing the master franchise agreement with RadioShack Thursday that Malaysia will the regional hub for the Southeast Asia RadioShack brand development. Following the agreement, Berjaya Retail will have the right to develop the brand in all 10 Asean countries which includes to right to sign on sub-franchisees to open RadioShack stores. RadioShack is a leading retailer of electronics product and services in the US. (Financial Daily)

Jaya Tiasa: To raise RM300m from share placement
Jaya Tiasa Holdings has proposed a new placement of 42.04m shares or 15% of its issued and paid-up capital to raise up to RM300m. The company also announced the distribution of 13.35m treasury shares as shares dividends on the basis of one treasury share for every 20 existing shares, and a proposed 2 for 1 bonus issue of new Jaya Tiasa’s shares. The company said the proposed placement will reduce the gearing of the group and thus providing flexibility for fund-raising as and when the opportunity arise. (Financial Daily)

Kobay Technology: To take over Lipo subsidiary, proposes SCR, repayment
Kobay Technology is acquiring full control of its 53.16% subsidiary Lipo Corporation via a selective capital reduction and repayment exercise. Under the corporate exercise announced on Thursday, Kobay requested Lipo to reduce the paid-up by cancelling one share for every RM1 paid by Lipo to shareholders as capital repayment. All entitled shareholders will receive a cash payment amounting to RM1.25 per Lipo share pursuant to the proposed SCR. Kobay will waive its entitlements to the proposed SCR. Upon completion of the proposed SCR, Lipo’s issued and paid-up share capital would be RM20.78m comprising of 20,782,750 Lipo shares, all of which will be held by Kobay.  Kobay’s rationale was to integrate the management teams and operations of Lipo and its group of companies to achieve synergies from improved economies of scale arising from stronger buying positions with suppliers and more efficient resource allocation. Lipo said the board on Thursday deliberated on the SCR offer letter and decided to present the proposal to Lipo’s shareholders for their consideration. (Financial Daily)

Ireka Corporation: Secures RM45.8m fit-out hotel project
Ireka Corporation has secured a RM45.81m contract for the fit-out works of the Aloft Hotel, KL Sentral. It said on Thursday the contract, awarded by Iringan Flora Sdn Bhd, was for 13 months. Ireka said the contract was expected to contribute positively to the group’s earnings for FY2013. (Financial Daily)

Malaysia AE Models: Secures RM61.9m baggage handling project
Malaysia AE Models Holdings (Maemode) has secured a RM61.93m job for the baggage handlings system for the new low cost carrier (LCCT). It said on Thursday its unit, that Matromatic Handling Systems (M) Sdn Bhd, was awarded the contract by UEMC-Bina Puri Joint Venture on Mar 20. Maemode said the scope of works included the baggage handling system, auto sorting system for the proposed LCCT and associated works at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. (Financial Daily)

APB Resources: Oleochemicals industry fuels growth
APB Resources hopes the oleochemical industry will continue to be its main revenue churner, given the rapid activity in the plantation sector. Since the slowdown in oil and gas industry over the last two years, the company has built a stronger track record in pressure vessel manufacturing for the oleochemical industry. Currently, the industry contributes over half of its revenue, up from about one-third before. Its COO and executive director Alex Tan said the plantation industry will continue to mature over the next two years due to massive investment and focus in the sector now. He added that the regional market, especially Indonesia and China, will still be strong and that's where the company will continue to be. (Business Times)

AIC Corporation: LTAT buys AIC shares
Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT) is the buyer of AIC Corporation’s 17.74m shares which were transacted in several off-market deals yesterday at an average price of RM1.40, said sources close to the company. It was a direct business transaction, with the seller being one of the substantial shareholders of AIC. These shares account for 10.2% of AIC’s paid-up capital of 173.87m shares. (StarBiz)

Metronic Global: Raymond Chan is now a substantial shareholder
Datuk Raymond Chan Boon Siew, who has been buying into several companies previously, has become a new substantial shareholder in Metronic Global. He surfaced with a 5.18% stake in the company by acquiring 32.9m shares via the open market and a married deal. On Monday, Metronic MD Dr Ng Tek Che told Bursa Malaysia that he had been approached by parties keen to purchase his interest in the company. Previously, companies in which Chan surfaced as a substantial shareholder had experienced significant share price movements like Harvest Court Industries and Naim Indah Corp. (StarBiz)

Digistar Corporation: To expand into Singapore, eyes regional broadcasting industry
Digistar Corporation will set up office in Singapore by Jul to take advantage of the growing broadcasting sector in the region. Its MD Datuk Lee Wah Chung said on Thursday that Asia is a booming market for the broadcasting sector and the company wants a piece of the pie. He added that  Digistar would participate in any tendering process to upgrade the RTM broadcast system from analogue to digital. (Financial Daily)

Power: GE and Sabah firm said to be close to RM750m geothermal plant deal
1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and General Electric (GE) are among three companies currently in talks to develop the country's first geothermal plant in Apas, Tawau. The third company in the venture, tagged at between RM750m and RM800m, is a Sabah-based green energy company which has inked a power purchase agreement with Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd. Sources familiar with the project told StarBiz that the companies were in the final stage of negotiations and expected to reach a joint agreement soon, possibly end of the month. The renewable energy plant, when fully completed, can generate a total capacity of 67MW, supplying electricity to Tawau's population of 398,000. The emission-free geothermal plant will tap natural hot fluids from the ground for steam production to drive the steam turbine generator; it will generate 36MW under phase one and an additional 31MW under phase two. (StarBiz)


The Kuantan High Court will deliver a decision next month on an application made by eight FELDA settlers to halt the listing plans of FELDA Global Ventures Holdings (FGVH). The settlers had last month won a temporary court order blocking the transfer of shares from their FELDA Investment Co-operative (KPF) to FGVH, a crucial step in the plan to list the plantation firm. (Malaysian Insider)

The Government has never exported anything to Israel via Felda, said Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Ahmad Maslan. He refuted claims by Er Teck Hwa (DAP-Bakri) who had claimed on Wednesday that Felda was involved with two companies which had exported palm oil to Israel. He clarified that Felda had assisted Palestine by sending palm oil-based products via Ashdod Port in Israel. “We had no choice but to dock in Ashdod Port as it was closest to the Palestinian border. (Starbiz)

The government revealed “subsidies will be maintained” even if sugar refiners buy cheaper raw sugar instead of using sugar supplied under Putrajaya’s long-term contracts (LTC) with exporters. Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir told Parliament the LTC to buy raw sugar at US$0.26 per pound for the next three years “will not supply 100%” of sugar needs and refiners “have leeway to purchase from the open market. “The subsidy will remain,” he said when asked by Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua if the refiners “can profit” from the RM0.54 per kg subsidy even if they bought at a lower price from the open market. (Malaysian Insider)

Several consecutive global sugar surpluses are expected to trigger a collapse in sugar prices, agricultural commodities firm Wilmar International's managing director of sugar said on Thursday. "If we enter into this type of big surplus cycle, the sugar market price will have to reach a point where production will be reduced," said Jean-Luc Bohbot, adding the global sugar market was likely to be in surplus until at least 2013/14, assuming there are no major weather issues. (Reuters)

Thirteen food and beverage companies are no longer eligible for supply of refined sugar at subsidised prices due to their high consumption of the commodity, said International Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir. He said the companies were not allowed to buy sugar from local refining companies since last year, adding that they could purchase sugar at long-term-contract (LTC) prices before subsidy or from the international market. Mukhriz said the Government made savings of RM2bn from the purchase of raw sugar via LTC prices from 2009 to 2011. Malaysia is also assured of sufficient sugar supply until 2014. He said various factors were being considered in calculating the subsidy for sugar, including yield loss, refining and sales cost, distribution cost by refinery companies as well as profit margins. (Starbiz)

The joint offerors for SP Setia Bhd, Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) and Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin, will maintain the listing status of the company. In a joint statement yesterday, they said they were committed to ensure that the company would continue to be the premier listed property developer on Bursa Malaysia. (BT)

Bursa Malaysia Bhd plans to extend its eDividend facility to various common types of cash distributions and other cash payments made by public-listed companies to their shareholders. Under the current framework, public-listed companies are required to electronically pay cash dividend entitlements directly to shareholders' bank accounts instead of making payments via bank cheques. However, it doesn't cover other types of cash distribution. With eCash Payments, securities holders will be able to receive their payments within a shorter timeframe, in a secure environment and without the need for further action on their part. Bursa Malaysia has published a consultation paper seeking public feedback on the proposal, which can be viewed on its website. The consultation paper seeks the public's view on several proposals. The deadline for comments to the consultation is April 18. (BT)

Property developer Glomac Bhd is on track to achieving its sales target of RM500m for its financial year ending April 30, 2012. Glomac group executive chairman Tan Sri FD Mansor said in a media release yesterday: "We are riding on a healthy growth momentum. Not only have out results continued to excel, we chalked up property sales of RM343m in this 9-month period, well on tract to achieve our sales target of RM500m for the whole financial year." (Malaysian Reserve)

1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and General Electric (GE) are among three companies currently in talks to develop the country’s first geothermal plant in Apas, Tawau. The third company in the venture, tagged at RM750-800m is a Sabah-based green energy company which has inked a power purchase agreement with Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd. The plant will have a capacity of 67MW and be able to supply electricity to Tawau’s population of 398,000. (Star Biz)

Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua), the country's largest carmaker, is holding tight to its 188,000 passenger car sales target for the year, even though tighter lending guidelines imposed from January have hurt sales of its entry-level Viva model. Perodua sold some 180,000 vehicles last year, down from a record-breaking 188,600 vehicles in 2010. Its MD Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh said the window to revise its target, if any, is normally done in the middle of the year. "As such, we will not change our targets for now." (The Sun Daily)

Johor Corp (JCorp), the asset-rich but debt-laden state investment arm, has received the green light from the Government to issue up to RM3bn in government-guaranteed bonds as part of its debt refinancing plan, sources said. The bonds would be issued “soon” by its arrangers CIMB and Maybank, well in time to meet the July 31 deadline when RM3.6bn of JCorp's existing bonds mature. Aside from having a government guarantee, the new bonds will be backed by assets owned by JCorp, worth the same amount as the bonds to be issued. This includes JCorp's 56% stake in Kulim (M) Bhd (which itself has a market value of RM3bn based on Kulim's current share price) as well as other real estate and plantations in the southern state that is directly owned by JCorp. “The bond issuance will clear up doubts about the financial health of JCorp. The group is clearly on the mend with some interesting proposals already announced,” said one investment banker. JCorp is to receive a further RM700m from the sale of palm oil plantations to Kulim, a deal that was recently approved by Kulim shareholders. (Starbiz)

Time Air Sdn Bhd co-founder and major shareholder Datuk Kamarudin Meranun has taken up another block of shares in mobile content provider mTouche Technology Bhd. Shareholding filings with Bursa Malaysia showed that Kamarudin, a co-founder of AirAsia Bhd, had acquired another 15m shares, bringing his total stake in the company to 11.53% or 26.25m shares. Sources familiar with mTouche said the company could likely see a major change in its shareholding structure as mTouche chief executive officer Eugene Goh was being pressured to settle a total of RM20m that he owed to OSK Capital Partners Sdn Bhd in margin. (StarBiz)

20120323 0955 Local & Global Economy Related News.

Economy: Bank Negara’s international reserves at RM427bn
Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM)’s said its international reserves totaled RM427bn (US$134.8bn) as at Mar 15. It added that the international reserves were sufficient to finance 9.7 months of retained imports and was 4.1 times the short-term external debt. (Financial Daily)

US: Optimism for outlook reaches 8-year high
The number of Americans saying the US economy is getting better rose in Mar to the highest level since 2004 as a decline in claims for unemployment benefits offered more evidence of a labor-market recovery. 34% of respondents to Bloomberg’s monthly consumer expectations survey said the economy was improving, the largest share since Jan 2004. The pickup boosted the monthly expectations index to the highest in a year. Figures from the Labor Department showed jobless claims decreased by 5,000 to 348,000 in the week ended Mar 17, the fewest since Feb 2008. (Bloomberg)

US: Jobless claims fall 5,000 to 348,000
Applications for weekly unemployment benefits set a new four-year low in another sign that the US labor market continues to gradually improve. Initial claims fell by 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 348,000, the lowest level since February 2008. Claims from the prior week were revised up to 353,000 from an original reading of 351,000. (MarketWatch)

EU: Euro-area services, manufacturing contracted in Mar
Euro-area services and manufacturing output contracted more than economists forecast in Mar, adding to signs the economy has slipped into recession. A euro-area composite index based on a survey of purchasing managers in both industries dropped to 48.7 from 49.3 in February, London-based Markit Economics said in an initial estimate Thursday. Economists forecast a gain to 49.6, according to the median of 21 estimates in a Bloomberg News survey. A reading below 50 indicates contraction. (Bloomberg)

UK: Osborne’s budget revenue forecasts called into doubt by IFS
The Institute for Fiscal Studies said that the revenue assumptions used in UK Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne’s in his budget that may turn out to be overoptimistic. The research group questioned whether Osborne’s decision to lower the top rate of income tax to 45% from 50% next year will only cost 100m pounds ($158m) a year, as the chancellor said Wednesday. It said there are also concerns about whether caps on relief for higher-rate taxpayers will bring in 300m pounds and an increase in stamp duty on purchases of the most expensive houses and apartments will produce 300m pounds as Osborne expects. (Bloomberg)

UK: Retail sales decline more than economists forecast
UK retail sales fell more than economists forecast in Feb as households curtailed spending after a weaker-than-estimated increase the previous month. The Office for National Statistics said sales including fuel fell 0.8% from Jan, the most in 9 months. Economists forecast a 0.5% decline, according to the median of 23 estimates in a Bloomberg News survey. The increase in Jan was revised to 0.3% from 0.9%. (Bloomberg)

China: Factory activity shrinks for 5th month
The HSBC flash purchasing managers index showed that China's manufacturing sector activity shrank in Mar for a fifth successive month, with the overall rate of contraction accelerating and new orders sinking to a four-month low. The PMI, the earliest indicator of China's industrial activity, fell back from Feb's 4 month high, slipping to 48.1, within a whisker of the level that economists at HSBC consider a crucial level dividing decline from growth. Slowing activity could mean a further relaxation of monetary policy to help underpin growth in the world's second biggest economy, but lingering inflation risks uncovered by the survey highlight the dilemma facing China's policymakers who are determined to keep a lid on prices. The PMI reading, down from February's 49.6, is likely to reinforce the more bearish views on China's economic trajectory. (Reuters)

India: Gopalan says may cut rates in Apr as prices ease
Economic Affairs Secretary R. Gopalan said the Reserve Bank of India may start cutting interest rates from April as easing inflation gives the central bank room to bolster growth. He also said that the inflation rate may be 6.5% to 6.7% for the year starting Apr 1. It was 6.95% in Feb, close to a 26-month low, after exceeding 9% for most of 2011. The central bank kept borrowing costs unchanged for a third straight meeting last week, and has said cuts will depend on a sustained easing of prices. (Bloomberg)

Japan: Unexpected trade surplus adds to rebound signs
Japan reported an unexpected trade surplus for Feb and higher-than-forecast exports, adding to evidence of a rebound in the world’s third-biggest economy. The finance ministry said overseas shipments dropped 2.7% from a year earlier. The median forecast of 28 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News was for a 6.5% decrease. Imports rose a morethan-estimated 9.2%, leaving a surplus of 32.9bn yen ($395m). (Bloomberg)

Argentina: Consumer confidence index falls In March
A closely watched gauge of consumer confidence in Argentina fell to its lowest level in a year-and-a-half in March as Argentines were less upbeat about the economy and their personal situation, according to a report Thursday by Torcuato di Tella University. The university's consumer confidence index fell 4.6% on the month to 50.22, and was down 12.5% from March 2011. It was the index's lowest level since October 2010. (Dow Jones)

20120323 0945 Global Market Related News.

Asian Stocks Drop on Growth as Australian Dollar Falls (Source: Bloomberg)
Asian stocks fell, with the regional benchmark index heading for its biggest weekly decline this year after European and Chinese manufacturing contracted. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index (MXAP) slipped 0.6 percent as of 9:25 a.m. in Tokyo, heading for a 1.4 percent drop this week, the most since the period ended Dec. 16. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average declined 1 percent today, while Standard & Poor’s 500 Index futures added 0.1 percent. The Australian dollar was poised for its biggest weekly drop in three months before a report on business sentiment in China. The yen has advanced 0.9 percent this week. “You have a more cautious attitude toward risk and, at the same time, the Japanese trade figures question the idea that Japan’s external accounts are in terrible shape,” said Mike Jones, a currency strategist at Bank of New Zealand in Wellington. “Risk-sensitive trades are being pared back, which favors the yen.”
A gauge of European manufacturing fell to 47.7 as factory output unexpectedly shrank in Germany and France, according to London-based Markit Economics yesterday. A preliminary measure of Chinese manufacturing slipped to 48.1 in March, the lowest level in four months, based on figures from HSBC Holdings Plc and Markit Economics.

Asian Stocks Head for Weekly Loss on Europe Economic Data (Source: Bloomberg)
Asian stocks dropped after manufacturing contracted more than economists forecast in the euro-area, dimming the outlook for global economic growth and Asian exports. Nintendo Co. (7974), a manufacturer of game consoles that gets a third of its sales in Europe, slid 2.5 percent in Osaka. BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP), Australia’s biggest oil producer and the world’s largest mining company, lost 1.4 percent in Sydney after metal and oil prices fell yesterday. QR National, an Australian rail freight company, sank 3.5 percent after revising its full-year earnings guidance. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index (MXAP) declined 0.6 percent to 126.12 as of 9:27 a.m. in Tokyo, headed for a 1.4 percent drop for the week. Japan’s Nikkei 225 Stock Average (NKY) slid 1 percent. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index and South Korea’s Kospi Index slipped 0.4 percent.

S&P 500 Trims Longest Monthly Rally Since 2009 on China (Source: Bloomberg)
U.S. stocks retreated, trimming the longest monthly rally since September 2009 for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, as manufacturing contracted in China and Europe and FedEx Corp. (FDX) tumbled amid a disappointing forecast. FedEx sank 3.5 percent after the world’s largest cargo airline predicted slower growth in coming quarters. The Dow Jones Transportation Average, which is considered a proxy for economic growth, slumped 2.1 percent. Commodity shares had the biggest losses in the S&P 500 among 10 groups as Alcoa Inc. (AA) and Chevron Corp. (CVX) dropped at least 2.3 percent. Bank of America Corp. (BAC) fell 2.2 percent to pace declines in financial shares. The S&P 500 declined 0.7 percent to 1,392.78 at 4 p.m. New York time, slumping 1.2 percent in three days. The gauge has risen 2 percent in March, on pace for a fourth monthly rally. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 78.48 points, or 0.6 percent, to 13,046.14. The Russell 2000 Index (RTY) slid 1 percent to 821.44.
About 6.5 billion shares changed hands on U.S. exchanges, almost in line with the three-month average. “We are watching China closely,” said Scott Armiger, a portfolio manager at Christiana Trust in Greenville, Delaware, which has $11 billion in client assets. “There are still a lot of questions about the pace of economic growth,” he said. “It’s not unusual to have a pullback in the market after a strong run. We’ve made a lot of money in less than six months.”

Europe Stocks Drop for Fourth Day as Manufacturing Falls (Source: Bloomberg)
European stocks fell for a fourth day, the longest losing streak since November, as manufacturing contracted in China and the euro area. Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS), which operates three mines in Mali, plunged the most since 2008 after a military coup in the West African nation. Baloise (BALN) Holding AG, Switzerland’s third- largest insurer, and Meyer Burger Technology AG (MBTN), a maker of solar-panel equipment, slid more than 4 percent in Zurich trading after profit declined. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index (SXXP) retreated 1.2 percent to 265.49 at the close of trading, the lowest since March 12. The gauge has still gained 8.6 percent this year as the European Central Bank disbursed 1 trillion euros ($1.3 trillion) to the region’s lenders and U.S. economic data surpassed estimates.
“People have been too optimistic regarding global economic recovery,” said Stephane Ekolo, chief European strategist at Market Securities in London. “We will hear more and more people saying China is heading for a hard landing and that the euro zone isn’t finished with its problems.” National benchmark indexes fell in all of the 18 western European markets. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 slipped 0.8 percent, France’s CAC 40 retreated 1.6 percent and Germany’s DAX declined 1.3 percent.

GLOBAL MARKETS-Stocks slip in Europe on China concerns
LONDON, March 22 (Reuters) - European stocks slipped on Thursday, keeping the benchmark world equity index below recent 8-month highs, while the dollar was weaker against the yen as data showing China's factory activity shrank renewed concerns about global growth.
"There is a concern, which I share, that we have a rather uneven recovery with the euro zone periphery in particular rather weak and former growth engines like China also not seeing a pronounced recovery," Gerhard Schwarz, head of equity strategy at Baader Bank, said.  

Emerging Stocks Drop as China Manufacturing May Contract (Source: Bloomberg)
Emerging-market stocks extended their longest losing streak this year after data showed China’s manufacturing may contract for a fifth month while euro-area services and factory output shrank more than economists forecast. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index (MXEF) fell 0.7 percent to 1,040.39 by 10:39 a.m. in New York, slipping for a sixth day. Energy and materials companies retreated the most, with OAO Gazprom, the world’s largest natural gas exporter, tumbling 2 percent. JBS SA (JBSS3), the world’s largest beef producer, headed for its biggest loss in two months after reporting lower-than- expected profit for the fourth quarter.
A preliminary measure of Chinese manufacturing fell to 48.1 in March, the lowest level since November, according to data from HSBC Holdings Plc and Markit Economics. A euro-area gauge of services and manufacturing output dropped to 48.7 from 49.3 in February, London-based Markit said in an initial estimate today, below all but one forecast in a Bloomberg News survey of 21 economists. Readings below 50 indicate contraction. “This reinforces a sense that growth is slowing down, but for China at least we think we come out on the other side of this with easing,” John Lomax, an emerging-markets strategist at HSBC, said by phone from London. “For Europe, it’s a bit more problematic in that Europe doesn’t have the ability to change policy in the same way, and it suggests a recession this year.”

Yen Set for Weekly Gains as Stocks Fall on China Concern (Source: Bloomberg)
The yen was set for weekly gains against all 16 of its major peers amid concern Chinese growth is slowing and on speculation Asian equities will extend a global stocks rout. The Australian dollar was poised for its biggest weekly drop this year before a report on business sentiment in China, which follows data yesterday that indicated manufacturing is shrinking in the world’s second-largest economy. Demand for the U.S. dollar was limited after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said low inflation allows “more leeway” on policy. The yen was 0.3 percent from a one-week high against the greenback after Japan posted an unexpected trade surplus. “You have a more cautious attitude toward risk and, at the same time, the Japanese trade figures question the idea that Japan’s external accounts are in terrible shape,” said Mike Jones, a currency strategist at Bank of New Zealand in Wellington. “Risk-sensitive trades are being pared back, which favors the yen.”
The yen traded at 82.54 per dollar as of 9:10 a.m. in Tokyo, unchanged from yesterday in New York. The Japanese currency has advanced 1.1 percent this week and yesterday touched 82.33, the strongest since March 13. The 17-nation euro fetched 109.01 yen from 108.95 and bought $1.3206 from $1.3201. The so-called Aussie dollar has dropped 1.8 percent this week to $1.0405, its largest decline since the five-day period ended Dec. 16.

FOREX-Aussie hits 2-mth low on China flash PMI; Europe data eyed
TOKYO, March 22 (Reuters) - The Australian dollar dropped to a two-month low after data showed China's manufacturing activity shrank in March for a fifth straight month, underscoring concerns about growth slowing in the world's second largest economy.
"Growth momentum could slow down further amid a combination of sluggish export new orders and softening domestic demand. This calls for further easing steps from the Beijing authorities," HSBC chief China economist Qu Hongbin said.

U.S. Outlook Optimism at Eight-Year High: Economy (Source: Bloomberg)
The number of Americans saying the U.S. economy is getting better rose in March to the highest level since 2004 as a decline in claims for unemployment benefits offered more evidence of a labor-market recovery. Thirty-four percent of respondents to Bloomberg’s monthly consumer expectations survey said the economy was improving, the largest share since January 2004. The pickup boosted the monthly expectations index to the highest in a year. Figures from the Labor Department today showed jobless claims decreased by 5,000 to 348,000 in the week ended March 17, the fewest since February 2008. The best six months of job growth since 2006 are boosting the optimism of consumers whose spending accounts for 70 percent of the economy. Another report today showed the index of leading indicators rose in February by the most in 11 months, signaling the U.S. expansion will strengthen, helping to sustain global growth as China slows and Europe threatens to sink into a recession.
“The economy will be gradually building up momentum going forward,” said Omair Sharif, an economist at RBS Securities Inc. in Stamford, Connecticut. “We will be shouldering a little bit more of the burden given the slowdown in Europe and some degree of slowing in emerging markets.”

Deep Recessions in U.S. May Be the Norm, Say NBER Economists (Source: Bloomberg)
Deeper recessions and more gradual recoveries will be the norm rather than the exception as the U.S. workforce grows at a slower pace, according to economists on the panel that determines when slumps begin and end. The typical contraction “will have steeper declines and slower recoveries in output and employment,” according to a paper by Harvard University’s James Stock and Princeton University’s Mark Watson presented today at the Brookings Panel on Economic Activity in Washington. “We can expect recoveries from future recessions to be ‘jobless’ as well,” they said, similar to the two most recent rebounds. The economists, who are members of the National Bureau of Economic Research’s business cycle dating committee, found the severity, length and aftermath of the 18-month slump that ended in June 2009 were predictable based on comparisons with past downturns.
The conclusion stands in contrast to a 2009 study by Carmen M. Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff that showed recoveries from recessions caused by financial meltdowns are different. Stock and Watson’s research shows the “recession was the result of one or more large shocks, that these shocks were simply larger versions of ones that had been seen before, and that the response of macro variables to these shocks was almost entirely in line with historical experience,” they wrote. Stock and Watson joined the NBER’s committee in September 2009.

Most Americans Since 2004 See Economy Improving as Jobs Pick Up (Source: Bloomberg)
More Americans this month said the economy was improving than at any time in eight years as the job market picked up. The share of households viewing the economy as heading in the right direction rose to 34 percent in March, the most since January 2004, pushing the Bloomberg monthly expectations gauge to a one-year high of 1. The weekly Bloomberg Comfort Index (COMFCOMF) was minus 34.9 in the period ended March 18, down from a four-year high of minus 33.7 over the previous seven days. “The sense that things have finally stabilized has clearly boosted confidence,” said Joseph Brusuelas, a senior economist at Bloomberg LP in New York. “Downside risk to both the overall level of comfort and Americans perceptions of the direction of the economy remains” as fuel prices increase, he said.
The best six months of job growth since 2006 is probably behind the increase in optimism, raising the odds that the spending that accounts for about 70 percent of the economy will strengthen. Gains in incomes and employment may be among reasons households have so far been able to weather the jump in gasoline prices.

China Manufacturing Contraction May Worsen, Data Show (Source: Bloomberg)
A Chinese manufacturing index indicated a worse contraction this month, bolstering the case for Premier Wen Jiabao to add measures to sustain growth even as he prolongs a campaign to cool property prices. The preliminary 48.1 reading in a purchasing managers’ index from HSBC Holdings Plc and Markit Economics today is the lowest since November and compares with a final 49.6 in February. A result below 50 indicates a contraction. Asian stocks pared gains and oil and copper fell as the report added to concerns about a deeper slowdown in the world’s second-biggest economy. Wen this month pledged pre-emptive fine- tuning of fiscal and monetary policies to support growth after increases in gross domestic product slowed in 2011. “Growth momentum could slow down further amid a combination of sluggish export new orders and softening domestic demand, and this calls for further easing steps,” saidQu Hongbin, Hong Kong-based chief economist for China at HSBC.

Hong Kong Middle Class Backlash Fed by Tycoons Chosing Leaders (Source: Bloomberg)
Stephen Chung gave up on buying an apartment in Hong Kong after realizing it would take him 10 years to save the $115,000 deposit for a two-bedroom box in the northern part of the former British colony. He isn’t expecting any help from the city’s next leader. “In this place there are only two kinds of people -- those who can afford to buy a home and all the good stuff, and those who can’t,” said Chung, 25, who quit his advertising job last year to start a tourism firm. “There’s no more middle class.”
Chung’s bitterness reflects a broader disillusionment with the city’s leadership ahead of a March 25 election, which will see a 1,193-member committee of billionaires, businessmen, lawmakers and academics choose a new chief executive for the next five years. While China’s tacit approval is seen as necessary to win, the campaign -- with two candidates dogged by personal scandal and conflict of interest allegations -- has exacerbated public discontent over collusion between business and politics and fueled accusations that leaders are out of touch with regular people.
The new chief executive will inherit a city with the biggest wealth gap in Asia, which has been spawned by an influx of money from mainland China and eight years of rising property prices that have made Hong Kong the world’s most expensive place to buy a home. At stake is the city’s ability to maintain its status as the best place to do business and as a gateway to the world’s fastest-growing region, as the new leader tries to balance China’s demands for stability with the aspirations of Hong Kong’s 7.1 million residents.

Japan’s Unexpected Trade Surplus Adds to Rebound Signs (Source: Bloomberg)
Japan reported an unexpected trade surplus for February and higher-than-forecast exports, adding to evidence of a rebound in the world’s third-biggest economy. Overseas shipments dropped 2.7 percent from a year earlier, the finance ministry said today in Tokyo. The median forecast of 28 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News was for a 6.5 percent decrease. Imports rose a more-than-estimated 9.2 percent, leaving a surplus of 32.9 billion yen ($395 million). The yen’s decline of about 7 percent against the dollar since the Bank of Japan expanded monetary stimulus on Feb. 14 is making exports more competitive for companies such as Sony Corp. (6758) The Cabinet Office said yesterday that the economy is picking up “slowly” after the earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern regions in March last year.
Today’s figures indicate that “a recovery in exports will likely be sustainable,” said Kohei Okazaki, an economist at Nomura Securities Co. (NCLZ) in Tokyo. “Japan’s economy will likely return to growth this quarter and maintain a good pace of growth in the following quarters.”

U.K. Retail Sales Decline More Than Economists Forecast (Source: Bloomberg)
U.K. retail sales fell more than economists forecast in February as households curtailed spending after a weaker-than-estimated increase the previous month. Sales including fuel fell 0.8 percent from January, the most in nine months, the Office for National Statistics said today in London. Economists forecast a 0.5 percent decline, according to the median of 23 estimates in a Bloomberg News survey. The increase in January was revised to 0.3 percent from 0.9 percent. Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne said yesterday that Britain will avoid another recession as he announced an increase in the threshold before workers begin paying income tax. Still, inflation that is outpacing wage growth and rising unemployment may curtail any increase in consumer demand and weigh on the economy’s recovery from a 0.2 percent drop in gross domestic product in the fourth quarter.
“The data puts a real dent in hopes that the consumer may be perking up appreciably and tempers hopes that GDP will see a relatively decent return to growth in the first quarter,” Howard Archer, an economist at IHS Global Insight in London, said in a research note. “The concern is that consumers will be cautious in their spending for some time to come.”

Osborne’s U.K. Budget Revenue Forecasts Called Into Doubt by IFS (Source: Bloomberg)
U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne used revenue assumptions in his budget yesterday that may turn out to be overoptimistic, the Institute for Fiscal Studies said. “One worry for the chancellor as the dust settles on his third budget is that in an attempt to achieve a fiscally neutral package he has created some risks,” IFS Director Paul Johnson told reporters in London today. “This budget may turn out to be less fiscally neutral than intended.” The research group questioned whether Osborne’s decision to lower the top rate of income tax to 45 percent from 50 percent next year will only cost 100 million pounds ($158 million) a year, as the chancellor said yesterday. It said there are also concerns about whether caps on relief for higher-rate taxpayers will bring in 300 million pounds and an increase in stamp duty on purchases of the most expensive houses and apartments will produce 300 million pounds as Osborne expects.
Osborne pledged there would be no “unfunded giveaways” in his budget, citing threats of a downgrade of Britain’s AAA status from Fitch Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service as a reason to redouble efforts to stick to his austerity program, the most severe since at least World War II, and narrow a budget deficit that’s more than 8 percent of gross domestic product.

Euro-Area Services, Manufacturing Contracted in March: Economy (Source: Bloomberg)
Euro-area services and manufacturing output contracted more than economists forecast in March, adding to signs the economy has slipped into recession. A euro-area composite index based on a survey of purchasing managers in both industries dropped to 48.7 from 49.3 in February, London-based Markit Economics said in an initial estimate today. Economists forecast a gain to 49.6, according to the median of 21 estimates in a Bloomberg News survey. A reading below 50 indicates contraction. Europe’s economy may struggle to regain strength after shrinking 0.3 percent in the fourth quarter as governments toughen budget cuts, rising oil prices erode consumers’ purchasing power and global demand weakens. In the U.K., retail sales fell more than economists forecast in February. Ireland’s economy slipped back into a recession in the fourth quarter, and Chinese manufacturing contracted this month.
“Today’s figures clearly show that the recession in the euro zone is far from over,” said Peter Vanden Houte, an economist at ING Group in Brussels. “This increases the danger that the debt crisis could come back with vengeance” by making it more difficult for governments to cut budget deficits.

Ireland Said to Ready Bank-Debt Proposal for ECB Review (Source: Bloomberg)
Irish Central Bank Governor Patrick Honohan will probably ask the European Central Bank Governing Council today for permission to effectively delay a cash payment on its banking debt, as the country tries to ease the burden of saving its financial system, said two people with direct knowledge of the matter. The state is due to make a 3.1 billion-euro ($4.1 billion) payment to the former Anglo Irish Bank Corp., which is then supposed to use the funds to reduce its emergency borrowings from the country’s central bank. Instead, the lender may use the funds to buy a new Irish government bond, meaning no net cash outflow from the state. The bond can be used to tap funding from the ECB, the people said.
Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan confirmed to lawmakers late yesterday the state was considering using a bond for the March payment, without giving more detail. The concession may facilitate a longer-term effort to cut the cost of Ireland’s banking rescue, which helped tip the nation into an international bailout in 2010. The Irish government is seeking European help to restructure about 30 billion euros of so-called promissory notes used to rescue the former Anglo Irish. “It makes sense for European officials to facilitate a restructuring, thus improving the chances of a return to the market for Ireland,” said Juliet Tennent and Dermot O’Leary, economists at Goodbody Stockbrokers in Dublin, in a note. Neil Whoriskey, a spokesman for the Irish Central Bank, and Wiktor Krzyzanowski, a spokesman for the ECB, declined to comment.

Thailand’s Kittiratt Gives Baht Target While Urging Lower Rates (Source: Bloomberg)
Thailand’s Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong gave a target for where the baht should trade at and urged the central bank to cut the benchmark interest rate by half a percentage point to help exporters, pushing the currency to a one-month low. Thai-based companies faced difficulties shipping goods when the baht approached a level of 30 per dollar, he said in an interview with Bloomberg Television yesterday in Hong Kong. Exports fell more than expected in January as factories struggled to resume production after the worst flooding in almost 70 years and as global demand weakened. “Those companies have been adjusting themselves and improved their efficiency in order to barely survive,” Kittiratt said at the Credit Suisse Asian Investor Conference. “So the range of 32 to 34 would be very good.”
The minister is renewing his push for policy easing after the Bank of Thailand this week joined central banks from Australia to South Korea in keeping interest rates unchanged, refraining from adding to two previous reductions as higher energy costs boosted inflation risks. Kittiratt had urged the Bank of Thailand to lower borrowing costs and help businesses cope with the country’s worst flooding since 1942 before the monetary authority started cutting in November.

IMF Seeks Broad Support in Egypt for Potential Loan Program (Source: Bloomberg)
The International Monetary Fund wants measures attached to a potential loan to Egypt to have “broad political support,” a spokesman for the fund said. A team just visited the country “to lay groundwork for the return of the technical team that can continue work on Egypt’s economic program,” spokesman David Hawley told reporters in Washington today. The IMF consulted with different stakeholders “to make sure that if and when a program is agreed, there is a clear understanding on both sides about the support needed for implementing policies.” Egypt officially requested the loan from the fund in January, as the government seeks to boost an economy struggling to recover from a year of unrest in the wake of the uprising that ousted former President Hosni Mubarak. The economy grew 1.8 percent in the fiscal year through June, the slowest pace in at least a decade.
Hawley also said that upcoming elections in Greece are “not an obstacle” to the implementation of a new 130 billion- euro ($171 billion) program that the IMF helps finance. He said it is “premature to speculate about” the success of the aid program for Portugal.

20120323 0945 Global Commodities Related News.

Better Water Use Crucial To Feed Globe's Growing Population -UN (Source: CME)
Producing enough food to feed the globe's rapidly growing population requires the international community to ensure the sustainable use of water, which is the "most critical finite resource," United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. "Unless we increase our capacity to use water wisely in agriculture, we will fail to end hunger and we will open the door to a range of other ills--including drought, famine and political instability," Ban said during ceremonies at the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome to mark World Water Day 2012. He added that water scarcity is increasing in many parts of the world with growth in agricultural production slowing, while climate change is exacerbating risk and unpredictability for the sector, "especially poor farmers in low-income countries who are the most vulnerable and the least able to adapt."
Guaranteeing sustainable food and water security will require transferring appropriate water technologies, empowering small food producers and conserving essential ecosystem services, Ban said, while also calling for policies that promote stronger regulatory capacity and gender equality.

Stocks, Commodities, Euro Drop on Economic Growth Concern (Source: Bloomberg)
Stocks and commodities dropped while Treasuries rose for a third day after European and Chinese manufacturing contracted and FedEx (FDX) Corp. predicted slower growth, undermining confidence in the global economy. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index slipped 0.7 percent, the most in two weeks, to 1,392.78 at 4 p.m. in New York and the Stoxx Europe 600 Index (SXXP) fell for a fourth straight day, tumbling 1.2 percent. The euro depreciated 0.2 percent to $1.3188. Ten- year Treasury yields declined two basis points to 2.28 percent and the rate on the German bund decreased seven basis points to 1.91 percent. Copper and oil sank at least 1.8 percent and nickel slid to the lowest price this year.
A gauge of European manufacturing fell to 47.7 as factory output unexpectedly shrank in Germany and France, according to London-based Markit Economics. A preliminary measure of Chinese manufacturing slipped to 48.1 in March, the lowest level in four months, based on figures from HSBC Holdings Plc and Markit Economics. FedEx, operator of the world’s largest cargo airline, predicted “below-trend” growth in coming quarters. “Most people recognize that China growth has slowed,” said Mark Bronzo, who helps manage about $125 billion at Guggenheim Investments, in Irvington, New York. “It’s a question of: is it going to be a sharp or a mild slowdown? The data in Europe shouldn’t be a big surprise to anyone. Yet there’s enough of a reason there after the sharp run-up in stocks for the market to pull back or go sideways in the short term.”

Texas Drought Losses Were $7.62 Billion In 2011 - USDA Extension (Source: CME)
The state of Texas's agriculture industries lost $7.62 billion in 2011 due to the worst drought on record in that region, according to estimates from economists at Texas A&M University's Agrilife Extension division, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's extension service. Last year "was the driest year on record and certainly an infamous year of distinction for the state's farmers and ranchers," Dr. David Anderson, livestock economist, said in a statement. The more than $7 billion in losses were roughly double the damages in 2006, the most costly drought on record until last year. Livestock owners and managers in the Lone Star State suffered the worst losses, at $3.23 billion, the economists said. Cotton farmers lost $2.2 billion. Producers of corn, wheat, hay and sorghum also faced hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. Drought last year ravaged cotton production in Texas, which produced its smallest crop since 1998.
Nearly 70% of Texas--the largest cattle-producing state in the nation--remains in severe drought or worse, according to federal data. The parched conditions in the southern Plains over the past 18 months have forced ranchers in states such as Texas and Oklahoma to sell hundreds of thousands of beef cattle.

Corn (Source: CME)
US corn futures end higher, managing to stabilize after declining for the past three days. Corn drew support from a bounce in wheat futures, with solid weekly export sales and traders consolidating positions ahead of next week's crop reports attracting buyers, analysts say. The market had corrected lower all week and was due to stabilize, analysts add. Tight near-term US supplies of corn supported prices as well, with expectations for a disappointing South American crop due to drought underpinning futures. CBOT May corn ended up 2 1/2c to $6.44 1/2/bushel.

Wheat (Source: CME)
US wheat futures end higher, boosted by market participants exiting short positions to profit from lower prices earlier in the day, traders say. Domestic wheat consumers such as bakers may also have bought on the lower prices, and decent export sales reported by USDA added support, traders say. Expectations for tighter supply due to Eastern Europe's frost-damaged winter wheat crop, plus concerns about dry European weather, also boosted prices, traders say. CBOT May wheat rises 10c or 1.6% to $6.46 1/4 a bushel, while KCBT May wheat rises 9c to $6.84 a bushel and MGEX May wheat rises 8 1/4c to $8.07 a bushel.

Rice (Source: CME)
US rice futures end higher, supported by strong export sales and acreage concerns. Futures were buoyed by USDA's weekly export report showing a pick-up in export demand, analysts say. USDA reported net weekly export sales of 108,600 metric tons, up 44% from the previous week and up noticeably from the prior four-week average. Investors were also encouraged by a rebound in corn and wheat futures as well as worries US rice acreage will decline at the expense of other crops in 2012, analysts say. CBOT May rive ended up 6c at $14.40 1/2/hundredweight.

GRAINS-Wheat, corn climbs on Chinese demand; soy falls
NEW DELHI, March 22 (Reuters) - U.S. wheat and corn futures rose recovering after three straight sessions of losses due to expectations that China will import more grains after buying 350,000 tonnes of feed wheat from Australia.
"Wheat imports by China are definitely big, bullish news and traders anticipate China's demand to be very strong in the days to come as it tries to cool higher grain prices," said Lynette Tan, an analyst with Phillip Futures in Singapore.

Argentine farmers keen on insurance plan, fear cost
BUENOS AIRES, March 21 (Reuters) - Argentine grains farmers like the sound of a government plan for affordable drought insurance after crops were hit by a December-January dry spell as long as they do not get saddled with too much of the cost.
Agriculture Minister Norberto Yauhar in February said he planned to create a "mandatory farm insurance" system over the  months ahead that could be subsidized by the government.

Stubborn drought expected to tax Mexico for years
CHIHUAHUA, Mexico, March 21 (Reuters) - A severe drought in Mexico that has cost farmers more than a billion dollars in crop losses alone and set back the national cattle herd for years, is just a foretaste of the drier future facing Latin America's second largest economy.
As water tankers race across northern Mexico to reach far-flung towns, and crops wither in the fields, the government has allotted 34 billion pesos ($2.65 billion) in emergency aid to confront the worst drought ever recorded in the country.

Food aid graft worsened Kenya drought impact -report
NAIROBI, March 21 (AlertNet) - Rampant corruption in food aid worsened the suffering of Kenyans hit by drought last year, Transparency International said on Wednesday, with some politicians sabotaging food distribution and giving it out where it was not needed to win support.
Nearly 4 million Kenyans required food assistance in a "triangle of death" drought that struck 13 million people across the Horn of Africa last year. Most of the Kenyans who suffered were livestock herders living in its arid, marginalised north.

German farmers lobby fears winter damage to grains
HAMBURG, March 21 (Reuters) - Arctic-style weather earlier this winter in Germany has damaged German grain plants in some regions but the country was still on course for a good to average cereals harvest, the German Farming Association said on Wednesday.
German farmers have suffered crop losses because of frosts and some areas will have to be reseeded, the association said in a statement.

Kenya sees wheat production almost tripling
NAIROBI, March 21 (Reuters) - Kenya expects its 2012 wheat output to almost triple compared with the previous year buoyed by increased planting and  favourable weather forecasts, the Agriculture ministry said on Wednesday.  
It expected to harvest 6.3 million 90-kg bags of wheat in 2012 up from the 2.2 million realised last year when prolonged drought slashed production in its main crop season.

Dry weather now main concern for EU grain farmers
PARIS, March 21 (Reuters) - Grain farmers in western Europe are keeping their eyes on rain forecasts as concerns mount that persistent dryness could further cut yields following damage linked to the cold snap earlier this year.
In recent weeks, analysts repeatedly cut their 2012 forecasts for north European winter grain crops including wheat, barley and durum to take account of frost damage and these reductions are now mostly priced into the markets.

China Recently Bought 350,000 Tons Australia Feed Wheat -Xinhua (Source: CME)
Chinese trading houses bought 350,000 metric tons of feed wheat from Australia, a financial news arm of the state-controlled Xinhua news agency reported. The imports were booked "in recent days," Xinhua said, without elaborating. Analysts said the estimated price of $280/ton was well below domestic prices, which likely spurred the imports that are slated for delivery around mid-year. China's domestic feed wheat prices are around CNY2,000/ton, while the Australian imports translate to around CNY1,760/ton, cost and freight, a wheat analyst with Zhengzhou Esunny Information & Technology Co. said. Global wheat prices are now roughly on par with corn, making them more attractive. The Chicago Board of Trade's May corn contract traded at $6.42 a bushel Wednesday compared with $6.75/ton for wheat. Six months ago, wheat traded at a premium of about $3 to corn. Feed wheat trades at a further discount to food wheat, depending on the grade.
"Wheat prices are now more competitive than corn going into our compound feed," a senior Beijing-based executive of a major U.S. meat processing company said. "Wheat is a substitute for corn at current prices." Market participants said it's no longer unusual for corn to trade at a premium to wheat. "It's been trending that way in the last few months and it's been a long-term trend," he said. Late last year, traders projected that buyers were likely to turn to feed wheat amid cheaper availability as a substitute to corn, with many U.S. corn buyers already making the shift toward cheaper Australian and Black Sea wheat. Corn prices have fallen about 20% from a record set last June. An official at the state-owned China National Grain and Oils Information Center declined to comment. Customs data released Wednesday showed China imported 584,853 tons of wheat in the first two months this year compared with 175,178 tons in the same period last year.
Chinese stockpilers have also been sucking in corn, chalking up 1.3 million tons of mostly U.S. imports in the first two months this year. Still, China is expected to only be a dip buyer as a sizable wheat harvest looks likely. State Grain Administration director Nie Zhenbang told reporters in March that there is a surplus of domestic wheat and China's output this year is unlikely to fall as the weather has been favorable.

European Crops Damaged by Winter Freeze Now Face Drought (Source: Bloomberg)
European wheat and rapeseed crops are at risk of drought that may further hurt yields after freezing weather last month destroyed some fields, analysts and forecasters said. France, Spain, England and northern Italy got less rain than normal since the start of January, European Union weather data show. They will probably stay drier and warmer than usual in the next 30 days, said Joel Burgio, an agricultural meteorologist at Telvent DTN. The 27-nation EU typically grows about 20 percent of the world’s soft wheat. A cold wave in February may have lopped 5 million metric tons off this year’s harvest, and a lack of rain might further harm EU output, according to Alexandre Marie, an analyst at French farm adviser Offre et Demande Agricole. “The situation in Europe is alarming,” Marie said by phone yesterday from Bourges, west of Paris. “That will remain a factor of support for the market in coming weeks.”
Paris-traded milling wheat for November delivery was priced above the grain for December delivery in Chicago for the first time in the contracts’ lifetime on Feb. 7. Buyers now need to pay $261.86 a ton for French wheat, $12.77 a ton more than for soft red winter wheat.

Brazil Bahia cocoa mid crop may be biggest in years-analyst
SAO PAULO, March 21 (Reuters) - Brazil's main cocoa state Bahia could turn out its biggest May-September mid crop in seven years with initial forecasts for 1.3 million 60-kg bags or 78,000 tonnes, Bahia-based cocoa analyst Thomas Hartmann said.
Government-sponsored planting of new cocoa plantations in the northern state of Para is also set to boost coming crops, Hartmann said, as trees reach a productive age and the state was also responsible for the surge in arrivals in the last week.

Global coffee market tight despite price slump
GUAXUPE, Brazil, March 21 (Reuters) - The latest retreat in arabica coffee prices signals the tightly supplied coffee market is not running out of beans yet, but the outlook for sub-optimal harvests and faster consumption indicate that by next season it could come close.
A tour of coffee areas in the world's top arabica grower, Brazil, showed a good but sub-optimal crop on the way. But in Colombia, output has dropped sharply and poor harvests have become almost a chronic problem.

Crude Oil Rises in New York Trading, Paring Second Weekly Drop (Source: Bloomberg)
Oil for May delivery rose as much 39 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $105.74 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange and was at $105.69 at 9:42 a.m. Tokyo time. Futures slid $1.92 yesterday to $105.35 and are down 1.3 percent this week.

Oil Trades Near One-Week Low on Economy; Set for Weekly Decline (Source: Bloomberg)
Oil traded near the lowest price in a week and headed for a second weekly decline on concern that fuel demand will falter as industrial activity slows in Europe and China. Futures were little changed after falling 1.8 percent yesterday. A euro-area composite index based on a survey of purchasing managers indicated a manufacturing contraction, data from Markit Economics showed yesterday. A preliminary measure of Chinese industrial activity also decreased. Oil for May delivery was at $105.61 a barrel, up 26 cents, in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange at 8 a.m. Tokyo time. It slid $1.92 yesterday to $105.35. Prices are down 1.4 percent this week and 6.9 percent higher this year. Brent oil for May settlement closed at $123.14 a barrel, down $1.06, on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange yesterday. The European benchmark contract’s premium to New York-traded West Texas Intermediate was at $17.79.

Japan's Iran crude imports may drop 70 pct in April -paper
TOKYO, March 22 (Reuters) - Japan's imports of Iranian crude may drop 70 percent in April from last year's average, the Nikkei business daily said on Thursday, as tight EU sanctions on Tehran make it increasingly difficult for buyers to get insurance for their cargo.
Japan may import less than 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude from Iran next month, the report said, citing unidentified industry sources, down from an average of 313,480 bpd last year, according to trade ministry data.

Japan Feb crude imports up 1.8 pct, LNG jumps 22.5 pct
TOKYO, March 22 (Reuters) - Japan's customs-cleared crude oil imports rose 1.8 percent in February from a year earlier, helped by an extra day due to a leap year, while imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) jumped 22.5 percent as gas use remained strong after the Fukushima radiation crisis, government data showed on Thursday.
Oil demand in Japan, the world's third-biggest oil user and top LNG importer, has been in a downtrend for years as its population ages, fuel efficiency improves and energy sources diversify from costly oil to cleaner fuels such as gas.

Brent falls below $124 on China demand concerns
SINGAPORE, March 22 (Reuters) - Brent crude dropped below $124 a barrel, after weak Chinese manufacturing data sparked concerns that energy demand growth could slow in the world's second-largest oil consumer.
"It's a surprising reading, and is contrary to improving monetary conditions and stabilising external conditions," said Natalie Robertson, a commodities strategist with ANZ Bank in Melbourne. "It reflects Chinese demand on the ground, which has a significant impact on commodity markets."

Copper Bear Streak Extends as Manufacturing Shrinks: Commodities (Source: Bloomberg)
Copper traders extended a bearish streak into a second week on mounting concern that demand is weakening after manufacturing contracted from China to Europe. Twelve of 29 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg expect the metal to decline next week and seven were neutral. Inventories at bonded warehouses in Shanghai more than doubled since the fourth quarter, a survey of seven traders and analysts showed. Separate stockpiles monitored by the Shanghai Futures Exchange are their highest in at least nine years, bourse data show. China consumes 40 percent of the world’s copper. Factory output in Germany and France unexpectedly shrank in March, adding to signs Europe is sliding into recession, and a measure of China’s manufacturing fell to the weakest since November, reports showed yesterday. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao cut the country’s annual growth target to 7.5 percent earlier this month, the lowest since 2004. Europe accounts for about 18 percent of global copper demand, Barclays Capital data show.
“A slowdown in Europe and China is not good for the long- term outlook,” said Jeffrey Sherman, who helps manage about $30 billion of assets for DoubleLine Capital in Los Angeles. “It feels that we could repeat 2011, where we had a good first half and then there was a correction.”

Gold Falls on Concern Economy Is Slowing as Dollar Gains (Source: Bloomberg)
Gold futures dropped to the lowest since January as signs of slowing growth from China to Germany sent the dollar higher, curbing demand for the precious metal. Palladium slumped the most this year. The Standard & Poor’s GSCI Index (SPGSCI) of 24 raw materials fell as much as 1.6 percent after Germany’s manufacturing and services industries unexpectedly weakened and a report showed China’s manufacturing may contract for a fifth straight month in March. The dollar rose as much as 0.4 percent against a basket of six currencies. Weaker industrial output “in Asia and Europe lead to a stronger dollar, and lately the dollar has been a strong driver of gold prices,” Bernard Dahdah, a London-based analyst at Natixis Commodity Markets Ltd., said in an e-mail. Gold futures for April delivery fell 0.5 percent to $1,642.50 an ounce at 1:44 p.m. on the Comex in New York, after touching $1,627.50, the lowest since Jan. 13. Still, prices are up 4.8 percent this year.
Jewelers in north and east India, the world’s biggest bullion importer, will continue a shutdown to protest higher taxes, leaving about half the nation’s stores closed, according to a trade group. Jewelers held the first nationwide strike in seven years after the government raised taxes on imports and on non-branded jewelry last week.

20120323 0944 Soy Oil & Palm Oil Related News.

Soybeans (Source: CME)
US soybean futures end lower, pressured by disappointing weekly export data and worries about weaker Chinese demand. The USDA reported weekly net export sales of 532,800 metric tons of soybeans for the week through March 15, below analysts' expectations for total sales between 900,000 and 1.3 million metric tons, raising concerns about high prices damping demand. A weak reading for Chinese manufacturing activity released fueled concerns about slowing economic growth in China, leading to possible slower soy demand in the world's largest soybean importer. CBOT May soybeans end down 5 1/2c at $13.49 1/2/bushel.

Soybean Meal/Oil (Source: CME)
May soymeal rises $0.30 to $370.10/short ton, and May soyoil ends down 0.42c to 53.96 cents/lb.

Argentina Pegs 2011-12 Soybean Crop At 44 Million Tons (Source: CME)
Argentina's 2011-12 soybean crop will likely total 44 million metric tons, the agriculture ministry said in its monthly crop report. Last month, the government had forecast production of 43.5 million to 45 million tons. Early drought hit yields hard, but steady showers since late January have stemmed the damage. Farmers are just starting to harvest the soy crop. Argentina leads global soyoil and soymeal exports and ranks third in soybean exports. The government also narrowed its forecast for 2011-12 corn production to a 21.2 million tons, down from the 23 million tons it said was grown last season. Last month the government had pegged the crop at 20.5 million to 22 million tons. While still a relatively large crop, production is seen down significantly from early expectations for as much as 30 million tons of corn this season. Argentina is the world's second-largest corn exporter and the harvest is well under way.

VEGOILS-Palm oil slips; strong exports view supports
KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm oil futures inched lower as some traders booked profits from an earlier rally although expectations of cargo surveyors reporting strong exports growth next week curbed losses.
"The export numbers for March 1-25 are going to be strong. There is room to take some profit but not too much because everyone is talking about a second upswing in prices," said a trader with a foreign commodities brokerage in Kuala Lumpur.

Indonesia raises crude palm oil export tax for April
JAKARTA, March 22 (Reuters) - Indonesia, the world's top palm oil producer, will increase its export tax for crude palm oil to 18 percent for April from 16.5 percent in March, while leaving its tax on cocoa beans unchanged, a trade ministry official said on Thursday.
The government will also raise the export tax for RBD palm olein to 9 percent in April, versus 8 percent in March, said Deddy Saleh, the director general of foreign trade at the trade ministry.

China March soy imports seen up 33 pct -ministry
BEIJING, March 22 (Reuters) - China, the world's top soy buyer, is expected to import 5.1 million tonnes of the oilseed in March, an increase of 33 percent from February, the commerce ministry estimates, as crushers step up imports and feed mills boost soymeal purchases.
China's soy imports in the first half of this year could rise 25 percent from a year ago, fuelled by strong demand from animal feed producers, an official think-tank said in a report.

Turkey 2012 oilseed output seen at 2 mln tonnes-attache
March 21 (Reuters) - Following are selected highlights from a report issued by a U.S. Department of Agriculture attache in Turkey:
"Total oilseed production for Turkey in MY 2011 reached 1.9 million tonnes, up 12 percent due to a large increase of cottonseed production. MY 2012 production is forecast to reach 2 million tonnes, driven by a projected increase in sunflower seeds. Turkey continue to have a net deficit of oilseeds and products, therefore it is import dependent.