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• Financial Stocks Weigh on Asian Markets, Japan Ends Lower

  

  Asian stocks led by finance counters, were lower across the board in the afternoon session Friday, on concerns that problems in the U.S. housing and credit markets could push the world's biggest economy into recession. Australia, Japan and South Korea all closed down.

• Bank of China, DBS Skid on Bigger Subprime Exposure

  Three of Asia's biggest banks, including state-run giant Bank of China, revealed bigger-than-expected exposure to the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis, sending their shares skidding on Friday.

• Singapore's DBS Says It Has More Direct Exposure to CDOs

  DBS Group Holdings, Southeast Asia's biggest bank, said on Friday it has more direct exposure to collateralized debt obligations than previously declared, sending its shares down over 2%.

• Singapore Airlines: First Airbus A380 Delivery Date Set for Oct. 15

  Singapore Airlines, the first carrier in the world to fly the new superjumbo A380, said Thursday the first delivery of the hulking jet has been set for Oct. 15.

• Philippine Peso, Singapore Dollar Fall Prey to Credit Fears

  The Philippine peso and Singapore dollar led the losses in Asia on Wednesday as investors extended their aggressive sales of risky assets on fears U.S. credit market woes were spreading overseas.

• SingTel Posts 10.4% Rise in Quarter Net Profit, Beats Forecasts

  Singapore Telecommunications, Southeast Asia's largest phone company, on Tuesday beat market expectations with a 10.4% rise in first-quarter net profit reflecting good business at home and abroad.

• Singapore's Temasek Fears U.S., Europe Protectionism

  Singapore's state-owned Temasek Holdings warned that growing protectionism in Europe and the United States towards it and other sovereign wealth funds could hurt its expansion as it seeks higher returns abroad.

• Singapore Jobless Rate Hits Six-Year Low in Second Quarter

  Singapore's quarterly jobless rate fell to six-year low on Tuesday while its workforce grew at the fastest pace since records began in 1980, a further sign that the central bank may face rising inflation.

• Singapore's CapitaLand Quarter Profit Up Near Sixfold

  CapitaLand, Southeast Asia's biggest developer, on Tuesday posted a nearly six-fold surge in second-quarter net profit on the back of strong home sales in Singapore and China.

• DBS Profit Beats Forecasts on Loans and Fees

  DBS Group posted a quarterly net profit of S$560 million (US$369.5 million),  down 7% from S$603 million a year earlier due to a one-time charge in the period. Excluding the one-time items, the net profit for the quarter was S$664 million, up 21% from a net profit of S$549 million, beating the first quarter's better-than-expected profit of S$617 million.

• Barclays Raises Bid for ABN Amro with Help from Asian Investors

  

  British bank Barclays has raise its offer for ABN Amro Holding to $93.1 billion with help from two Asian partners, an attempt to remain competitive with a rival bid from a group led by Royal Bank of Scotland.

• Barclays Lifts ABN Offer with China, Singapore Help

  British bank Barclays has raised its bid for Dutch group ABN Amro 67.5 billion euros ($93 billion), helped by some of the biggest ever overseas investments by China and Singapore.

• Branson to Buy Back 49% Virgin Stake from Singapore Airline: Report

  Richard Branson is willing to buy back Singapore Airlines' 49 percent stake in his airline, Virgin Atlantic, London's  Times newspaper reported.

• Singapore's Economy Grows at Fastest Pace in Two Years

  Singapore's trade-driven economy beat even the most optimistic forecasts, growing at an annualized rate of 12.8% in the second quarter, its fastest pace in two years, thanks to a manufacturing rebound and soaring construction.

• SingTel Confirms to Buy Warid Stake for $758 Million

  Singapore Telecommunications, Southeast Asia's leading telecoms group, agreed to buy a 30% stake in Warid Telecom, Pakistan's No. 3 mobile operator, for $758 million.

• UTAC Jumps on Bid News, Analysts Say Offer is Fair

  Shares of United Test and Assembly Center (UTAC) rose as much as 8.35% on Wednesday after private equity firm Texas Pacific Group and Asia-focused buyout firm Affinity Equity Partners offered to buy the Singapore microchip tester.

• Singapore's DBS Ends Talks to Buy South Korea's KEB

  Singapore's DBS Group Holdings, Southeast Asia's largest bank, said on Monday it has ended talks with Lone Star about buying a stake in South Korean lender Korea Exchange Bank.

• A Straits Affair

  Think of investing in Asia and markets like China and India immediately spring to mind. China seems to be preoccupying everyone.  And why would it not with the Shanghai Composite Index more than doubling over the last 12 months, thanks largely to nearly 90 million retail investors. But things are not looking so rosy at the moment. Chinese shares have been on a volatile ride of late. After hitting another record high on May 29, the index has lost almost 7% as of June 8. For investors, who are less than thrilled to ride the Chinese stock market rollercoaster, the good news is, that you have options – very good ones at that.

• Dubai Buys $424 Million Singapore Shipyard Firm

  Government-owned Dubai Drydocks World said on Monday it had agreed to take over 70% of Singaporean shipyard operation Pan-United Marine in a deal valuing the company at $424 million.

• Temasek to Join in China Eastern Bid with Singapore Airlines

  Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings will join Singapore Airlines to acquire a stake of up to 25% in China Eastern Airlines, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post reported on Friday, citing unnamed people familiar with the deal.