ECONOMISTS FORECAST RECESSION: More than half the National Association for Business Economics' panelists in a new survey think the US will be in recession this year
Job growth is faltering, consumer confidence plunging. The fallout from the worst housing slump in a quarter-century grows. Wherever one looks, the signs are unmistakable that the US economy is in trouble.

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NERVES: The market fears Ankara's incursion into northern Iraq could affect the flow of oil from the region. Commentary from Iran has not helped either
Oil prices rose to near US$100 a barrel yesterday as the Turkish incursion into northern Iraq and warnings by Tehran against further sanctions heightened concerns over potential crude supply disruptions.

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Auckland International Airport's directors yesterday recommended shareholders sell shares into a takeover offer from the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.

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New Delhi-based fashion designer Manish Arora summed it up succinctly: "It's great to be an Indian right now. And I can tell you, Indians have a lot of money."

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South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, the nation's first president with a business background, pledged to cut taxes and speed up deregulation to encourage investment and boost economic growth.

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Sharp Corp, Japan's biggest maker of liquid-crystal displays, rose the most in more than a week in Tokyo trading after the Nikkei Shimbun reported the company is poised to win LCD TV panel orders from Sony Corp.

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■ CHINA
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