SOUTH KOREA

Microsoft released fourth-quarter earnings on Thursday which missed Wall Street estimates and reported its first decline in full-year revenue in the company's 34-year history. For the quarter ended June 30, the software giant reported earnings of $3.05 billion, or 34 cents a share, down from $4.3 billion, or 46 cents a share, a year earlier

An Asian country with large, government-backed energy companies seeks growth through cross-border acquisitions. It's inexperienced in such deals however, and gets off to a shaky start.

AT&T Inc posted a smaller-than-expected drop in quarterly profit as strong sales of Apple Inc's iPhone helped boost wireless subscriber growth. Some analysts are concerned that the company's dependence on the iPhone for much of its growth raised concerns about what would happen if it lost its exclusive rights to sell the phone in the U.S.

North Korea has no friends left to shield it from the international community's demands that the country scrap its nuclear activities, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday.

South Korea's anti-trust agency on Thursday imposed a $208 million fine on Qualcomm Inc and ordered the U.S. wireless chip and technology company to stop discriminating against companies using competitor's products.

Hyundai Motor Co is likely to struggle to replicate its record quarterly profit as the benefits from a weaker won and government stimulus fade but the popularity of its small, cheap vehicles will help it gain share in a weak global market.

South Korea's anti-trust agency imposed on Thursday a $208 million fine on Qualcomm Inc and ordered the U.S. wireless chip and technology firm to end discriminatory licensing practices and rebates.

Hyundai Motor Co's quarterly profit jumped by nearly half to a record high thanks to a weaker won boosting offshore sales and government incentives at home, factors which should help it outperform rivals this year.

Hyundai Motor Group, the world's No.5 automaker, said on Wednesday it would invest $3.3 billion in green projects to meet the government's stricter fuel efficiency and emission requirements, joining a recent series of eco-friendly investments by South Korean firms.

The United States is concerned about the possible transfer of nuclear technology from North Korea to military-ruled Myanmar, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday.

South Korea's LG Electronics Inc beat expectations with a record second-quarter profit and is set to outperform its peers this year thanks to a weak local currency and a strong lineup of mobile phones, TVs and appliances.

Asian shares inched up to a 10-month peak on Wednesday, but gains were kept in check as investors booked profits in the belief that the run up in stocks had become overstretched.

Bank of America's (BAC.N) Merrill Lynch is in talks with several firms including Blackstone (BX.N) and Apollo Investment Management to sell management rights of its $2.65 billion Asian Real Estate Opportunity Fund, a source with knowledge of the deal said.

Asian stocks edged up to another 10-month peak on Tuesday after strong company earnings reassured investors that a U.S. economic recovery is taking root, prompting a further shift into riskier assets from the safe-haven dollar.

Asian stocks scaled a 10-month peak on Tuesday after upbeat company earnings reassured investors that a U.S. economic recovery is taking root, prompting a further shift into riskier assets and away from the safe-haven dollar.

Samsung Electronics said on Monday it would invest 5.4 trillion won ($4.3 billion) in green research and development and facilities to make the world's largest memory chip maker a leading eco-friendly company by 2013.

Asian stocks outside Japan rose on Monday to their highest level since the dark days following Lehman Brothers' collapse in September while the U.S. dollar fell, as strong company earnings encouraged investors to move into riskier, higher-yielding assets and commodities.

Asian stocks rose on Monday to their highest level since the dark days following Lehman Brothers' collapse last September while the U.S. dollar fell, as a solid outlook for corporate earnings lured investors to riskier, higher-yielding assets and commodities.

China's online shopping rose by 18.9% over the first six months despite traditional retailing's struggle to keep their customers amid the economic downturn, state news agency Xinhua reported on Friday.

The United States is ready to hold talks with North Korea if the conditions are right but will also press U.N. sanctions to punish Pyongyang for its nuclear and missile tests, a senior envoy for Asia said on Saturday.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said on Thursday that North Korea's famine has reduced the threat posed by its armed forces.