STILL TOO LOW? : A steady stream of phonecalls from irate Bear Stearns shareholders has led JPMorgan to enter talks to possibly increase its initial offer by up to five times
JPMorgan Chase & Co was in talks to quintuple its offer to buy Bear Stearns Cos to US$10 per share in an effort to pacify angry Bear Stearns shareholders, the New York Times said yesterday.

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Green with envy over the latest "Kelly" handbag by Hermes, but unable to cough up the thousands of dollars for the privilege -- and cachet -- of owning one? Help is at hand: rent the bag online.

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The president of Honduras on Sunday dismissed as "unjust" a US alert urging consumers to discard Honduran cantaloupes after a salmonella outbreak sickened 59, saying the US presented no evidence that the bacteria originated in his country.

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CRUDE: Commodities are undergoing `cyclical weakness' and fundamentals will reach their `weakest point' next month as demand falters, analysts said
Crude oil fell for a third day in New York on concern the slowing US economy will cut consumption and the dollar's gain will reduce demand for commodities as a hedge against inflation.

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Singapore's inflation last month held near the highest since 1982, signaling the central bank may allow the currency to strengthen to contain price pressures.

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