SOUTH KOREA

Asian stocks slipped on Wednesday as investors worried global growth was faltering, while the euro hovered near a 7-week high as investors shunned long positions in the dollar.

Asian stocks fell on Wednesday as investors worried global growth was faltering, while the euro held near a 7-week high as investors pared long positions in the dollar on doubts about the resiliency of the U.S. recovery.

Samsung Electronics' second-half performance might be hit by weak European markets, and the launch of its new smartphones is key as the world's No. 1 memory chipmaker is set to report a record quarterly profit.

Central banks may be the only remaining line of defense against a scary-but-remote double-dip recession threat.

Asian stocks and commodities fell while U.S. Treasury futures rose to a 14-month high on Thursday, after manufacturing data showed China's rapid economic growth was slowing, increasing fears of a global double dip.

Asian stocks and commodities began the second half of the year on a sour note on Thursday, with Japanese stocks sliding to a seven-month low after manufacturing data showed China's rapid economic growth was slowing.

U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday maintained pressure on China to ensure its currency policy did not give it an unfair export advantage.

Asian stocks fell on Wednesday and ended the second quarter with their worst performance since the collapse of Lehman Brothers as investors got out of shares and high-yielding currencies on concerns over bank funding in Europe.

Asian stocks slid and the euro struggled near a two-week low on Wednesday as investors unwound risky positions before the quarter-end amid heightened concerns over banks' funding conditions in Europe.

The International Monetary Fund is working to develop new lending instruments for economies hit by crises that are not of their own making, IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said on Tuesday.

Gold bounced on Tuesday after a volatile session the previous day, when it nearly touched last week's all-time high before a firmer U.S. dollar triggered heavy selling from speculators.

At a time when Chinese power plants are notorious polluters, Yingli Green Energy, a Chinese solar panel maker, has become an completely integrated manufacturer selling green energy worldwide.

Group of 20 leaders pledged on Sunday to push for agreement on greater voting power for emerging economic powers in the International Monetary Fund by the next summit in Seoul, South Korea, in early November.

Europe's focus on cutting deficits is absolutely wrong, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez said on Saturday, citing her country's experience with austerity she said helped lead to a huge default in 2001.

World leaders dropped a commitment on Saturday to complete the troubled Doha trade round this year and vowed to push forward on bilateral and regional trade talks until a global deal could be done.

World leaders hoping to shore up a fragile economic recovery will leave it to individual countries to decide how best to repair battered budgets without stunting growth.

World leaders cast about for a common approach on Saturday to securing an uneven economic recovery that is showing signs of fading.

The world's richest economies, saddled with huge debts after spending their way out of the credit crisis, papered over differences on Friday on how to clean up their finances with minimal damage to growth.

The top White House economic advisor said on Thursday world leaders must keep the tentative global recovery on track as Europe headed into this weekend's G20 summit defending plans for heavy cost-cutting.

The top White House economic advisor said on Thursday world leaders must keep the tentative global recovery on track as Europe headed into this weekend's G20 summit defending plans for heavy cost-cutting.

European policymakers defended budget austerity plans on Thursday ahead of a G20 summit set to pit calls for fiscal restraint against warnings that heavy cost-cutting threatens recovery.