Malaysian Airline System said on Wednesday it will levy an
Malaysian Airline System said on Wednesday it will levy an
insurance surcharge of US$1.25 per passenger on all its
international and domestic flights.
Boeing Co., the world's biggest commercial jet maker, on Tuesday
said it had booked orders for 20 new jetliners worth just over a
US$1 billion at list prices to unnamed customers.
Singapore's manufacturing output plunged 21.4 percent in August
from a year earlier, reeling from a continued downturn in the key
electronics sector, the government said Wednesday.
The production of cars, trucks and buses in Japan recovered last
month from the recent downturn, rising 1.7 percent compared to a
year ago to 706,613 vehicles, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers'
Association said Wednesday.
TAIPEI (AFP): Taiwan's export orders and industrial output in
August fell year-on-year for the sixth consecutive month but were
higher from a month ago, signaling the possibility of an economic
rebound, official data showed Wednesday.
Export orders in August declined 16.7 percent year-on-year to
US$11.41 billion, sandbagged by sharp contractions in overseas
demand for electronics, information technology and communications
products, the economic ministry said in a statement.
August exports, however, rose $610 million or 5.6 percent from
the previous month, boosted by seasonal factors in the run-up to
Christmas, it said.
Export orders in the eight months to August were down 9.7
percent year-on-year to $90.03 billion, it added.
Meanwhile, the industrial output in August was up 4.2 percent
from July but was down 8.2 percent year-on-year, the ministry
said.
Industrial output in the eight-month period dropped 7.1
percent from a year earlier.
;AFP;
ANPAf..r..
Bizbrief-Isuzu-output
Isuzu cuts output by 20%
JP/11/Colbox
TOKYO (AFP): A sales slump after the deadly terrorist attacks
in New York and Washington prompted Japanese truck maker Isuzu
Motors Ltd. to cut US production of sports utility vehicles by 20
percent, a spokesman said Wednesday.
"After the terrorist attacks business became very difficult,"
said Isuzu spokesman Momoki Tsujimura.
"Competition is fierce and that is why we decided to reduce
output by around 20 percent," he said.
The loss-making truck firm, controlled by 49 percent-
shareholder General Motors Corp., would slash monthly production
by 1,600 cars to 6,400 in October and November.
It will continue to monitor the situation to decided whether
to resume full production in the future.
Isuzu's Rodeo and Axiom SUVs made at its Indiana-based Subaru-
Isuzu Automotive Inc. factory, a joint venture with fellow car
maker Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., will be affected by the
decision.
;AP;
ANPAf..r..
Bizbrief-Singapore-airline
UA lays off 300 attendants
JP/11/Colbox
SINGAPORE (AP): United Airlines is laying off 400 flight
attendants in Singapore and Thailand because the Sept. 11 attacks
in the United States have driven away passengers, the airline
said Wednesday.
"Our industry has been in trouble all year," United said in a
statement. "The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack has driven away
significant amounts of our passengers. The impact of this tragedy
is forcing us to reduce our planned flying," thus creating a
surplus of staff.
The 400 are part of the 20,000 jobs that UAL Corp., parent of
United, plans to cut worldwide.
United has an agreement with the Association of Flight
Attendants union and is required to lay off nonunion jobs first,
the statement said, adding that 300 flight attendants in
Singapore and 100 in Bangkok had lost their jobs.
The statement said the layoffs were "in preparation for the
furlough" of union flight attendants.
"We deeply regret these actions must be taken," it said,
adding that daily flights to the United States from Singapore and
Bangkok via Tokyo would continue as usual.
;DJ;
ANPAf..r..
Bizbrief-Myanmar-Malaysia
Myanmar seeks KL's IT help
JP/11/Colbox
KUALA LUMPUR (AP): Myanmar's military leader said Wednesday
his junta wants Malaysia to help it develop information and
communications technology projects, officials said.
Gen. Than Shwe and several ministers of the Myanmar regime
toured part of Malaysia's Multimedia Super Corridor, a
government-sponsored project to develop high technology
industries, on Wednesday on the second day of a three-day visit
to Malaysia.
After briefing Than Shwe on the project, Multimedia
Development Corp. Executive Chairman Othman Yeop Abdullah told
reporters the Myanmar leader expressed hope that Malaysia could
help his country develop similar projects.
Than Shwe, the chairman of the ruling State Peace and
Development Council, met Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad Tuesday
for talks, and officials signed two agreements on boosting
cooperation in information and tourism.