CHINA

Futures on major U.S. indices point to a higher opening on Thursday ahead of economic data including key weekly jobless claims and non-farm productivity.

Most Asian stock markets ended higher on Thursday, helped by upbeat U.S. jobs data and an easing of oil prices after reports of a possible peace deal in Libya.

In wake of the recent attention and international developments on rare earth minerals, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has completed its first review of China's rare-earth industry.

Australia's changes to foreign investment rules in 2009 were aimed at limiting Chinese investments in local mining companies, according to confidential U.S. embassy cables.

China has worked on tougher regulations for rare earth minerals by setting stricter emission limits on miners, which 60% of the local industry would struggle to meet.

More than half of China's mid-sized companies will seek to raise capital within the next two years, highlighting an urgent need for funding to fuel rapid expansion, a survey showed on Thursday.

The Chinese yuan could potentially become a world reserve currency as the country gears up to boost its global clout, deputy central bank governor Yi Gang said in remarks published on Thursday.

If you’ve followed the auto industry for a while you’ll know that automakers are always sharing technology and projects in cross-collaborations that would normally make any paranoid hard-nosed capitalist weep in fear. But the latest firms to receive official blessing for a joint project might not be the strange bedfellows they appear at first.

China wants to elbow U.S. oil giant Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) out of a $15 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Papua New Guinea, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday in an example of the new competition Beijing presents to U.S. interests.

China should reform its powerful and lucrative state-owned enterprises and force them to withdraw from profit-making sectors, a private Chinese think tank founded by former government researchers said.

Hong Kong stocks are set to rise slightly on Thursday as investors seek bargains amongst Chinese shares listed locally as mainland markets look poised to continue their outperformance relative to the region.

U.S. stocks edged up higher on some positive jobs data and reassurance from the Federal Reserve that the economy is recovering. However, any equity gains were capped by fears over the continued unrest in Libya and rising crude oil prices.

Libya’s embattled leader Moammar Gaddafi has offered amnesty and some other concessions to anti-government rebels who turn in their weapons.

Prices for Dollar investors to Buy Gold crept higher to reach a new all-time record Wednesday lunchtime in London, as crude oil rose further above $100 per barrel and world stock markets fell for the eighth time in nine sessions.

London Commodity Brokers (LCB) aims to sell 2 million tonnes of South African thermal coal a year for Strategic Natural Resources (SNR) PLC, using the port of East London rather than the highly congested Richards Bay.

Bombardier Inc said on Wednesday it will sell as many as 120 aircraft to Warren Buffett's NetJets Inc, a deal that could be worth more than $6.7 billion and which sent its shares soaring 8.3 percent.

China aims to allow all exporters and importers to settle cross-border trades in its currency the yuan by 2011, according to Chinese central bank, reported Reuters.

Profit at Standard Chartered <2888.HK> jumped 19 percent in 2010 and the Asia-focused bank said it was off to a record start this year as China, India and other Asian markets boomed.

Gold prices held just below the previous session's record high in Europe on Wednesday, as the acceleration of global inflation and the threat that violence in the Middle East and North Africa will spread supported interest in the metal as a haven from risk.

The top pre-market NASDAQ stock market gainers are: Shanda Games, Mecox Lane, China Techfaith Wireless Communication Technology, Cytori Therapeutics, Novavax, and Yahoo!. The top pre-market NASDAQ stock market losers are: Wonder Auto Technology, Vical, Sina, Hudson City Bancorp, and Joy Global.

China is locking down droves of people it fears could spark social unrest and tightening media controls ahead of the annual session of parliament, worried that uprisings in the Middle East could encourage dissent.