CHINA

On the leafy fringes of Hong Kong in a shabby film studio, a nude ponytailed actor stretched out on animal-skins with his lover as the cameras rolled in a set evoking a subterranean sex lair in ancient China.

Japan's economic growth slowed markedly in April-June and analysts predict further slowdown, adding to policymakers' difficulties as they grapple with deflation and a rise in the yen that threatens an export-reliant recovery.

Yet another problem hit the gold mining business in South Africa with four illegal miners were killed in a shooting at an abandoned gold mine owned by relatives of former president Nelson Mandela and President Jacob Zuma. Mining industry in South Africa has been reeling under safety problems for the past several months and this latest deaths are bound to create hurdles in the mining sector in South Africa.

A manager at Apple Inc has been charged in California with taking kickbacks he received after leaking corporate secrets to Asian companies that supplied iPhone and iPod accessories, court documents showed.

Jim Rogers speaks to IBTimes about the Chinese economy, the yuan policy, and the demise of General Motors.

European economic growth accelerated sharply in the second quarter of 2010 as Germany's best performance since reunification more than made up for the struggles of Spain, Ireland and recession-ravaged Greece.

ICBC Credit Suisse Asset Management Co, the Chinese fund venture of Swiss bank Credit Suisse , said on Friday it raised more than 14 billion yuan ($2 billion) in China's biggest bond fund ever, as investors sidestep a weak stock market.

Agricultural Bank of China's <1288.HK><601288.SS> initial public offering hit a record $22.1 billion on Friday, after it exercised an over-allotment option in full, two banking sources said.

Euro zone gross domestic product grew at its fastest pace in more than three years in the second quarter, boosted by a strong performance by Germany and France, but concerns remain that the rebound could falter.

Agricultural Bank of China <1288.HK><601288.SS> has fully exercised an over-allotment option for the Shanghai portion of its initial public offering, taking the total proceeds from the offer to $22.1 billion, making the IPO the world's biggest.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits unexpectedly rose last week to the highest level in close to six months, the latest evidence the economy's recovery is faltering.

Cisco Systems Inc CEO John Chambers' comments on the economy sent jitters through financial markets on Thursday, stoking fears that a recovery in technology spending could be waning.

General Motors Co posted its biggest quarterly profit in six years on Thursday and CEO Ed Whitacre stepped aside on the cusp of an IPO expected to allow the U.S. government to relinquish its majority stake.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for unemployment insurance unexpectedly rose last week to its highest level in close to six months, a fresh signal of a weak jobs market.

Oil fell to a two-week low near $76 a barrel on Thursday, marking a third straight session of sharp losses, as fickle fuel demand continued to sour investor risk appetite. Demand worries grew as data showed that people filing new claims for unemployment benefits in the United States unexpectedly rose in the latest week to its highest level in close to six months.

General Motors posted its biggest quarterly profit in six years on Thursday, a day ahead of an expected IPO filing that will clear the way for the U.S. government to relinquish its majority stake in the top U.S. automaker.

Euro zone industrial production declined in June, with output in France and Germany falling sharply, but a strong showing over the second quarter as a whole suggests Friday's GDP data for the bloc will be robust.

The yen's surge to a 15-year peak against the dollar this week comes amid mounting worries that the U.S. economic recovery is losing steam and follows a broad, two-month slide in the dollar. A drop in U.S. Treasury yields, a perception among market players that the U.S. Federal Reserve may be more willing to conduct aggressive monetary easing than the Bank of Japan, and talk of seasonal fund repatriation by Japanese investors have all contributed recently to the yen's rise.

Oil slipped to around $77 a barrel on Thursday, heading for a third straight session of losses, on lingering doubts over the outlook for fuel demand in the world's biggest energy consumers. U.S. stockpile data on Wednesday showed a sharp rise in gasoline inventories, highlighting the weakness of demand in what is usually the peak summer driving season.

Finally, India will have its first ever jewellery week, the India International Jewellery Week (IIJW), from August 15 to 19 in Mumbai. It is a fabulous platform for jewellery designers to come together and showcase their talent. This is the first time the jewellery industry will witness something like this.

Asian stocks slid to a near three-week low on Thursday on growing doubts about global economic growth that also helped the dollar cling to its gains after it scored its biggest rise in nearly two years.