CHINA

The raging debate about the future of the U.S. dollar's reserve currency status may be masking the real drivers of its near-term direction.

Asian venture capital company Pacific Venture Partners on Tuesday said it sees fabless semiconductor companies and the clean energy sector as good investments, although high spending in some solar energy firms might be a deterrent.

Russia will advocate a cautious approach to changing the system of global reserve currencies when the world's biggest emerging economies hold their first formal summit on Tuesday, the Kremlin's top economic aide said.

A Chinese waitress who killed a government official when he assaulted her was set free on Tuesday, ending a case that sparked online debate over widespread abuse of power.

China's economy will not experience a rapid recovery because it will take time to find a new growth engine to replace sagging exports, an influential economist said in remarks published on Monday.

The head of the IMF warned on Monday it was too soon to discuss rolling back stimulus spending, saying the world economy had yet to weather the worst of a recession that has hammered industrial output and claimed a record number of European jobs.

Hisense Group, one of China's top TV and appliance makers, is issuing 150 million shares, aiming to raise about RMB 1.5 billion($219 million).

The youngest son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il secretly visited ally China around last week as a special envoy of his father and met with Chinese President Hu Jintao, Japan's Asahi newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The world's biggest emerging market powers will seek to craft a united front on repairing the global financial system when they meet for the first formal BRIC summit on Tuesday.

The head of the IMF warned on Monday it was too soon to discuss rolling back stimulus spending, saying the world economy had yet to weather the worst of a recession that has hammered industrial output and claimed a record number of European jobs.

With two weeks left for the deadline on iron ore price negotiation, Brazil’s mining giant Vale expressed the importance of China’s market to its operations, easing the tense atmosphere and indicating desire to reach an agreement.

Construction on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is expected to start by year's end, Hong Kong ‘s Chief Secretary Henry Tang said on Monday, adding its completion “will benefit the three jurisdictions”.

The dollar rose across the board on Monday after Russia said the U.S. currency's role as the world's main reserve currency was unlikely to change in the near future, hitting energy and commodity prices and related shares.

Chinese vaccine maker Sinovac Biotech Ltd hopes to put its H1N1 vaccine through its first clinical trial by the end of July, as pharmaceutical firms race to put vaccines against the new flu virus into commercial production.

GlaxoSmithKline took another step in building its business in emerging markets on Monday by signing an alliance with Indian generic drugmaker Dr Reddy's Laboratories.

Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery, the surprise bidder for General Motors Corp's Hummer brand, said on Sunday the deal should be concluded in the coming quarter.

The head of the IMF questioned on Monday debate about when to roll back stimulus spending, saying the world economy had yet to weather the worst of a recession that claimed a record number of European jobs.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Wall Street on Monday, with futures for the S&P 500 down 1.2 percent, Dow Jones futures down 1 percent, and Nasdaq 100 futures down 1.1 percent at 0905 GMT.

When a former peanut vendor and radical union leader with little schooling became Brazil's president in 2003, many believed Latin America's underperforming giant had shot itself in the foot once again.

Last week hosting the Americans. Next week visiting Russia. China's busy diplomacy amid the economic crisis reflects growing sway that some say has brought the moment for Beijing to don the cape of a full super-power.

The leaders of the world's biggest emerging markets -- Brazil, Russia, India and China -- meet in the coming week for their first formal summit, seeking a louder voice on the global stage.