*Plunge in Korea, China pulls MSCI Asia ex- Japan down 1.1 pct. TOKYO, April 5- Asian shares hit a three-month low on Friday as concerns over bird flu in China and escalating tensions in the Korean peninsula unsettled investors as they counted down to potentially pivotal U.S. payrolls data out later in the session.
*Korea tensions, Iran talks eyed. SINGAPORE, April 5- Brent crude edged up toward $107 per barrel on Friday after hitting a 5- month low in the prior session, but prices were headed for their worst week in a month as bleak U.S. data and bulging inventories dimmed the outlook for demand. Brent crude rose 13 cents to $106.47 a barrel by 0436 GMT, off an earlier high of $106.65.
LONDON, April 5- Yields on the debt of a slew of euro zone countries hit record lows on Friday, on speculation Japanese investors may be switching out of Japanese debt in search of higher returns in the currency bloc.
*Lew goes to Belgium, France and Germany for first official trip. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew will discuss ways Europe can rebalance its demand to help grow the economy during a trip to the continent next week, a senior U.S. official said on Friday.
*Korea tensions, Iran talks eyed. SINGAPORE, April 5- Brent crude edged up toward $107 per barrel on Friday after hitting a 5- month low in the prior session, but prices were headed for their worst week in a month as bleak U.S. data and bulging inventories dimmed the outlook for demand. Brent rose 14 cents to $106.48 a barrel by 0236 GMT, off an earlier high of $106.65.
SAN FRANCISCO, April 4- Google Inc has sold the Frommers' line of travel-guidebooks, acquired just eight months ago from John Wiley& Sons Inc to strengthen its trove of local content and reviews, to founder Arthur Frommer. Google had intended to use the popular brand to beef up its own local content, listings and reviews, executives said at the time.
**Deutsche Telekom is looking into improving the terms of a proposed merger of its T-Mobile USA unit with MetroPCS Communications PCS.N as a last resort to win over shareholders ahead of a vote on the deal next week, two people familiar with Deutsche Telekom's thinking said.
WASHINGTON, April 4- The local branch of Germany's HSH Nordbank AG will improve its anti-money laundering controls under an agreement with regulators released by the U.S.
*MetroPCS shares up 1.6 pct, D. Telekom up 2 pct. LONDON/ FRANKFURT, April 4- Deutsche Telekom is looking into improving the terms of a proposed merger of its T-Mobile USA unit with MetroPCS Communications as a last resort to win over shareholders ahead of a vote on the deal next week, two people familiar with Deutsche Telekom's thinking said.
WASHINGTON _ Commerce Department releases wholesale trade inventories for February, 10 a.m. Eastern; Labor Department releases job openings and labor turnover survey for February, 10 a.m.. WASHINGTON _ Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims, 8:30 a.m.; Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, releases weekly mortgage rates, 10 a.m..
WASHINGTON _ Labor Department releases employment data for March, 8:30 a.m. Eastern. WASHINGTON _ Commerce Department releases international trade data for February, 8:30 a.m.. WASHINGTON _ Federal Reserve releases consumer credit data for February, 3 p.m..
*ECB keeps interest rates at 0.75 pct. FRANKFURT, April 4- European Central Bank President Mario Draghi opened the door on Thursday to an interest rate cut as soon as next month, saying his bank stands "ready to act" to boost the recession-hit euro zone economy.
SAO PAULO, April 4- Automobile production in Brazil rose slightly in March but sales continued to lag compared with a year earlier, underscoring a fragile market that prompted the government to extend tax breaks on car and truck sales through the end of the year.
LONDON, April 4- Crude oil futures dropped on Thursday after an increase in U.S. unemployment heightened concerns over the economic growth of the world's top oil consumer. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 28,000 to a seasonally adjusted 385,000, the highest since November, the Labor Department said on Thursday.
FRANKFURT, April 4- The European Central Bank put the blame for initial market turmoil over Cyprus's bailout squarely on the island's government on Thursday and pledged that taxing depositors would not become normal procedure.
SAO PAULO, April 4- Automobile production in Brazil rose 39.2 percent and sales climbed 20.8 percent in March from February, the national automakers' association said on Thursday. Production in the month rose 3.4 percent from March 2012, according to data released by industry group Anfavea.
FRANKFURT, April 4- The European Central Bank expects a gradual economic recovery later this year but will monitor incoming data very closely and is ready to cut interest rates if necessary, its president said on Thursday.
FRANKFURT, April 4- European central Bank President Mario Dragi said on Thursday that Cyprus's initial decision to charge a levy on insured as well as uninsured banks depositors was a mistake.
FRANKFURT, April 4- The European Central Bank held its main interest rate at a record low of 0.75 percent on Thursday, as it waits to see whether the economy stabilises or recent weak economic data marks a start of another downturn. Following is the text of the ECB's statement issued after the meeting:.