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■ Economy
Inflation hits three-year low
Taiwan's inflation rate registered at 0.6 percent for last year, marking the lowest level over the past three years, according to tallies released on Friday by the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS). The officials attributed the low inflation rate to the drop in food prices, thanks largely to stable vegetable and fruit supply owing to good weather. While vegetable prices declined 8.95 percent compared with 2005 -- when vegetable supply was affected by a string of typhoons, fruit prices only increased slightly by 1.04 percent, the officials said. They predicted that the consumer price index (CPI) will rise 1.5 percent for this year owing to soaring international raw material prices.

■ Research
Intel leaving S Korean center
Intel Corp has decided to close its only research and development center in South Korea as part of a company restructuring, officials said on Friday. Intel's move cuts the number of foreign R&D centers in South Korea to 14, a spokesman at the Information and Communication Ministry said on condition of anonymity, citing ministry policy. The South Korean government jointly operates the center, located in Bundang, near Seoul, with Intel, the spokesman said, adding that despite Intel's decision, the government will continue its research.

■ Corruption
Seoul watchdog arrested
A top official from South Korea's financial watchdog has been arrested on corruption charges, news reports said yesterday. Kim Jung-hoe, vice chief of the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), was arrested late on Friday, accused of accepting a payment in return for trying to influence a takeover deal, several television and newspaper reports said. He is accused of receiving a total of 200 million won (US$214,000) on several occasions from businessman Kim Heung-ju, who was attempting to take over a mutual savings bank in 2001.

■ Automakers
Mercedes hits sales record
DaimlerChrysler AG said on Friday that unit sales at its Mercedes division rose 3 percent to a record last year, powered by a strong rise in demand for its luxury Mercedes-Benz models. The Mercedes Car Group, which also includes the Bentley and Smart brands, sold 1.26 million cars, up from 1.22 million in 2005. Daimler-Benz alone delivered 1.15 million vehicles last year, up 7 percent from 1.08 million last year. Daimler-Benz lifted sales in all regions, including an 11 percent improvement to 248,100 units in the US. Growth was 33 percent in China, and 11 percent in Asia as a whole, the parent company said. The brand sold 685,200 cars in its core markets of Western Europe. In contrast, sales of the compact Smart car dropped nearly 22 percent to 112,100 last year.

■ Breweries
Top US brewer raises sales
The largest US brewery sold more beer than ever last year. Anheuser-Busch Cos said on Friday that US shipments to wholesalers rose 1.2 percent to 102.3 million barrels last year, up from 101.1 million in 2005. August Busch IV, president and chief executive officer of the St. Louis-based brewery, said the increase was the result of efforts to grow core brands like Budweiser, the best-selling full-calorie beer, and Bud Light, the best-selling light beer. He also cited the addition of the Rolling Rock brands and the imports Grolsch and Tiger.

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