British trade delegation to visit RI
British trade delegation to visit RI
JAKARTA: A trade delegation from Britain will visit Indonesia
from March 4 to March 8 to look for business opportunities and to
strengthen trade relations between both countries, the British
Embassy in Jakarta said.
The embassy, in a statement, said the delegation from the
Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry would be led by
Britain's director for international trade Michael J. Brosch.
The delegates include Lincoln Diesels Plc., Probiotics
International Ltd., Fisher Scientific UK Limited, Supatag UK
Ltd., Sewtech, Zeta Textiles, Nectar, Britannia Traders (GB)
Ltd., and General Sewing Data Limited.
The delegation will meet with the Indonesia Chamber of
Commerce and Industry and, aside from Jakarta, will visit several
other towns, including Bandung and Surabaya. --JP
Japan industrial output drops
TOKYO : Japanese industrial output fell 1.0 percent in January
from a month earlier, a much worse figure than economists' had
expected and food for thought for the Bank of Japan's policy-
setting meeting later on Thursday.
The month-on-month output drop, on a seasonally adjusted
basis, was much worse than a median forecast of a rise of 0.6
percent in a Reuters poll of 11 economists conducted last week.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry also said
production remained in a declining trend, although economists
said the ministry's forecast for a strong 4.7 percent February
increase in manufacturers' output -- the core component of
overall industrial production -- provided room for some optimism.
The January figures poured cold water on hopes for a positive
surprise in next week's fourth quarter gross domestic product
data, and showed that Japan still had a long way to go before
crawling out of its worst recession of the post-war era.
--Reuters
Gold muted in thin European trade
LONDON : Gold bullion was subdued on Thursday morning in
Europe, with prices fluctuating in the mid-US$290s after
succumbing to profit-taking overnight in Asia.
Although gold managed to cling to positive territory, the
overnight sell-off in Asia appears to have knocked the rises seen
earlier on Wednesday, when prices pushed up to the top end of the
current trading range and 10-day highs, dealers said.
Gold trickled lower on TOCOM after the yen slipped back
following the Bank of Japan's monetary policy easing.
At 1057 GMT (5.57 p.m Jakarta time), spot gold was indicated
at $296.90/297.20, versus $295.90/296.40 at Wednesday's close in
New York.
Silver trade remained thin, and was last quoted at $4.43/4.45
an ounce, versus $4.44/4.46 previously in New York.-- Reuters
Eurozone Jan inflation jumps
BRUSSELS : Euro zone consumer prices rose by more than
expected in January, with estimates suggesting the switch to euro
cash may have boosted the monthly price increase by 0.16 percent
at most, Eurostat said on Thursday.
The European Union's statistical agency said consumer prices
rose 0.5 percent in January and were 2.7 percent higher than a
year earlier.
The annual inflation rate was revised up from the 2.5 percent
estimate published earlier this month while December's rate was
put at 2.0 percent.
Eurostat said its initial estimates suggested the euro
changeover effect on the increase in prices between December and
January was likely to be within the range of 0.0-0.16 percent.
--Reuters