SOUTH KOREA

Asian shares slid on Monday after U.S. stocks suffered a second day of heavy losses on worries that companies were facing tighter credit conditions, while uncertainty in global equity markets drove up the yen. Worries that problems in the housing market could spill over into other parts of the U.S. economy -- Asia's main export market -- and that tighter credit would cause takeover activity to slow, saw the S&P 500 index suffer its worst week in nearly five years.

As one of the largest international carriers, U.S.-based United Airlines marked a new beginning last year, emerging from bankruptcy protection which began in 2002. After enduring a painful restructuring, the airline is greeting a new era, approaching its passengers as a leaner, more cost-efficient company.

The economic challenges of climate change will top the agenda when finance ministers of APEC's 21-members meet in the Queensland coastal resort of Coolum next week.

Coca-Cola Co. has agreed to take part in LG Household & Health Care's acquisition of the South Korean bottling arm of Australia's Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd., a source familiar with the deal said on Wednesday.

Seoul shares briefly hit a record on Monday but then headed lower as exporters fell after China raised interest rates and on worries that troubles in U.S. subprime mortgages would hurt the world's largest economy.

The dollar fell to another record low against the euro on Monday, hit by fresh fears of a global spill-over from the U.S. mortgage market crisis that buoyed safe-haven bonds and forced Asian stocks into a retreat.

Oil steadied on Friday near $78 a barrel, supported by concern that rising demand will strain supplies already thinned by U.S. refinery glitches and output disruptions in Africa.

Six-party talks to end North Korea's nuclear arms ambitions enter a third day on Friday after envoys settled on a set of tasks the United States said could be carried out this year, rather than a disarmament timetable.

Billionaire investor Carl Icahn denied on Wednesday that he has a stake in Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. or is preparing a takeover bid for the company, according to a report.

Asian shares mostly eased on Monday with South Korea retreating from record highs on fears the government may move to cool the market, while Brent crude was about $1 away from its highest level due to supply worries.

Samsung Electronics reported a quarterly profit decline of 5 percent on Friday but shares rose to a 15 month high following speculation of a take-over bid from U.S. activist investor Carl Icahn.

Dell Inc., the world's second-largest computer maker, said on Thursday it will soon start selling its laptops and desktops at Asian retail chains and stores.

U.S life insurer Prudential Financial Inc. is in the final stages of picking an Indian company to form an asset management joint venture to break into the market, an executive said on Wednesday.

Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ: AAPL) new iPhone could deliver a 55 percent return for every phone sold according to new findings conducted by market research firm, iSuppli.

The United States and South Korea signed a free trade agreement on Saturday that will face tough opposition in the U.S. Congress because of Democratic Party concerns that it will cost auto industry jobs.

U.S. House of Representatives Democratic leaders quashed White House hopes on Friday for quick renewal of fast track trade negotiating authority and said they cannot support trade pacts negotiated with South Korea and Colombia.

The U.N.'s nuclear watchdog has clarified how to monitor the shutdown of North Korea's nuclear facility and it is now up to Pyongyang and its five negotiating partners to decide on a date, an official said on Saturday.

Travelers in East Asia may soon find it much easier to use public transportation across all three countries.

The yen rose broadly on Tuesday, pulling away from multi-year lows versus the dollar and euro after Japanese, South Korean and New Zealand officials raised concerns about the low-yielding currency's recent weakness.

South Korea's National Pension Service is interested in buying a majority stake in Korea Exchange Bank (KEB) from Lone Star, but has had no formal talks with the U.S. investment firm, a senior fund executive said.

Asian stock markets mostly fell on Monday following a steep slide on Wall Street, but investors bought some Japanese exporters such as Canon Inc. on the back of a downtrodden yen.