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• UPDATE 1-U.S., Mexico reach tomato deal to avert trade war

  The draft agreement substantially raises the minimum "reference" price at which Mexican tomatoes can be sold in the United States and accounts for changes that have occurred in the tomato market since the original agreement, Sanchez said.

• U.S., Mexican growers reach tomato deal, U.S. says

  WASHINGTON, Feb 2- The U.S. government and Mexican tomato growers reached a tentative agreement on Saturday that reduces the threat of a costly trade war stemming from a U.S. decision last year to pull out of a 1996 bilateral tomato trade pact.

• US, Mexico in weekend talks on tomato pact

  The department made a preliminary decision in September to terminate a 1996 U.S.- Mexico tomato trade agreement after Florida growers complained the arrangement did not protect them against Mexican tomatoes sold below the cost of production.

• Services trade deal could open U.S. to more foreign workers

  "It's inevitable that that's going to be on the table," said Jake Colvin, vice president at the National Foreign Trade Council, which represents major U.S. exporters such as Boeing Co, Microsoft Corp and Caterpillar Inc..

• UPDATE 2-Brazil posts biggest trade deficit ever in January

  *January $4.0 bln trade deficit worse than expected. SAO PAULO, Feb 1- Brazil posted its worst monthly trade deficit on record in January due to a surge in imports of fuel and a slight drop in exports, trade ministry data showed on Friday.

• UPDATE 2-Russia to ban U.S beef and pork over feed additive

  *Russia bans imports of U.S. beef and pork. MOSCOW/ LOS ANGELES, Feb 1- Russia has decided to ban imports of U.S. beef and pork due to the feed additive ractopamine, which they may contain, Russia's Veterinary and Phyto-Sanitary Surveillance Service said in a statement.

• UPDATE 1-Russia bans U.S meat over feed additive from Feb. 11

  *Russia bans imports of U.S. beef and pork. MOSCOW/ LOS ANGELES, Feb 1- Russia has decided to ban imports of U.S. beef and pork due to the feed additive ractopamine, which they may contain, Russia's Veterinary and Phyto-Sanitary Surveillance Service said in a statement.

• REFILE-UPDATE 3-Indonesia Dec trade deficit narrows, but concerns linger

  JAKARTA, Feb 1- Indonesia's trade deficit narrowed in December, but exports fell much more than expected and some economists predict that 2012' s first annual deficit in history might not be the country's last.

• COLUMN-China oil imports likely to rise more in second half: Clyde Russell

  LAUNCESTON, Australia, Feb 1- The easy thing to predict about China's crude oil imports this year is that they will be higher than in 2012, the trickier question is by exactly how much.

• UPDATE 2-Indonesia Dec trade deficit narrows, but concerns linger

  JAKARTA, Feb 1- Indonesia's trade deficit narrowed in December, but exports fell much more than expected and some economists predict that 2012' s first annual deficit in history might not be the country's last. We doubt it, "wrote Credit Suisse economist Robert Prior-Wandesforde wrote in a research note.

• UPDATE 1-Indonesia Dec trade deficit narrows, 2012 exports down 6.6 pct

  JAKARTA, Feb 1- Indonesia reported a smaller-than-expected trade deficit in December that took its trade gap for 2012- the country's first ever- to $1.63 billion. For December, the deficit was $0.15 billion, compared with November's $0.48 billion, the country's statistics bureau announced on Friday.

• UPDATE 1-S.Korea Jan exports up, recovery seen weak

  *S.Korea HSBC/ Markit Jan PMI s/adj 49.9 vs 50.1 in Dec. The HSBC/ Markit purchasing managers' index for South Korea, issued separately, showed that manufacturing activity declined marginally and suggested that underlying conditions remain fragile.

• INSTANT VIEW 3-S.Korea Jan exports rise more than expected

  SEOUL, Feb 1- South Korean exports in January rose 11.8 percent from a year earlier while imports grew 3.9 percent, data showed on Friday, both beating market expectations and suggesting a sustained recovery in global trade.

• TABLE-South Korea Jan exports rise 11.8 pct yr/yr

  SEOUL, Feb 1- Following are South Korea's preliminary export and import figures for January, released by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy on Friday:. JAN* DEC Balance 0.9 1.9 Exports 46.1 45.0 +11.8 -5.7 Imports 45.2 43.1 +3.9 -5.2* Revised figures released on Jan. 14, 2013.

• UPDATE 1-US ban on LNG exports would violate WTO rules - experts

  WASHINGTON, Jan 31- The United States would violate global trade rules and damage its credibility if it decides to subsidize steel, chemical and other manufacturers by restricting exports of liquefied natural gas after years of pressing other countries like China to drop restrictions on natural resource exports, experts said.

• Minn. gov plans trade mission to Scandinavia

  ST. PAUL, Minn.-- Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton is planning a trade mission to Germany, Sweden and Norway in June.

• US ban on LNG exports would violate WTO rules - experts

  WASHINGTON, Jan 31- A U.S. government decision to subsidize steel, chemical and other manufacturers by restricting exports of liquefied natural gas would violate global trade rules and damage U.S. credibility after years of pressing other countries like China to drop restrictions on natural resource exports, experts said.

• Oil refinery work may curb Forties flow to S.Korea

  LONDON, Jan 31- North Sea Forties oil exports to South Korea, a specialised trade that has supported crude prices, may drop in coming weeks due to maintenance at refineries, potentially weakening a source of support for Brent oil prices.

• EXCLUSIVE-Iran crude oil exports rise to highest since EU sanctions

  GENEVA/ DUBAI, Jan 30- Iran's crude oil exports in December leapt to their highest level since European Union sanctions took effect last July, analysts and shipping sources said, as strong Chinese demand and tanker fleet expansion helped the OPEC member dodge sanctions.

• Chinese Firm Wins A123 Despite US Tech Transfer Fears

  

  China's largest auto parts maker won U.S. government approval to buy A123 Systems Inc, a bankrupt maker of electric car batteries that was funded with U.S. government money, a source familiar with the situation said on Tuesday.