BACK AT WORK: The local bourse reopens today after a six-day break and analysts are not expecting a good time. Dealers say investors should stay on the sidelines
By Judy Lin
Sharp declines in global bourses are likely to drag down the TAIEX today on its first trading day after the Lunar New Year holiday, but some sectors might be more resilient than others, analysts said yesterday.

[ FULL STORY ]

OPTIMISTIC FORECAST: The company said that it expects laptop shipments to grow by 32 percent this year and PC shipments to increase by 20 percent
By Lisa Wang
Acer Inc, the world's third-largest computer vendor, said yesterday that fourth-quarter earnings had jumped 77 percent on strong shipments and it expected computer shipments to grow by 30 percent to 35 percent annually.

[ FULL STORY ]

By Lisa Wang
The central bank may pause its monetary tightening policy to cope with possible weakness in economic growth now that long-term inflationary pressures appear to be under control, research house Moody's said in a recent report.

[ FULL STORY ]

By Jerry Lin
The government should continue to relax restrictions on China-bound investments, although 85 percent of TAIEX-listed companies have not been deterred by the government's capital ceiling on investment in China, economists said yesterday.

[ FULL STORY ]

'RISKS PERSIST': Following negative comments from a G7 meeting, Hong Kong and Singapore saw falling markets on their first day back from the Lunar New Year holiday
Asian stocks fell, led by Kookmin Bank and Commonwealth Bank of Australia, after G7 policy makers said fallout from the US housing slump may further sap global growth.

[ FULL STORY ]

Australia's central bank warned yesterday that inflationary pressures mean interest rates may have to be raised again after being hiked last week to a 12-year high.

[ FULL STORY ]

Australia's Woodside Petroleum Ltd said yesterday it has agreed to buy Royal Dutch Shell PLC's oil assets in Australia's North West Shelf for US$398.5 million.

[ FULL STORY ]

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday launched a major development project worth billions of dollars to fuel growth in resource-rich Sarawak on Borneo Island.

[ FULL STORY ]