A Thailand based trader was ordered to pay USD5.2 million to settle civil charges filed against him for publicly trading call options and single stock futures before the announced acquisition plan of Shuanghui International Holdings for Smithfield Foods Corp.

Osram Licht AG, RTL Group and Evonik Industries would be moved to the MDAX of the Frankfurt bourse. Three major German firms would be added to the country's mid-cap index MDAX after their stocks were floated in the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in the earlier part of the year.

The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China said there was unfair treatment to foreign firms in the China bribery probe.

Indonesia said it planned to relax the rule that forced foreign mining firms operating in the country to own no more than 49% of their stake in the mines within ten years after production has started.

Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. released an exchange statement today, voicing out its opposition against Qantas Airways Ltd. (QAN)'s Hong Kong budget carrier venture with China Eastern Airlines Corp. and gambling tycoom Stanley Ho.

Credit rating agency Standard and Poor's (S&P) said in a court filing that the reason US Justice Department filed a case against them was to get back for downgrading US' credit rating last August 2011.

Turkey said it intended to create an industrial zone in Addis Ababa on land assigned to Turkey by the Ethiopian government.

China urged its Asian neighbors to forge stronger financial ties in the wake of the Federal Reserve's plan to taper its stimulus package.

Petrochina Securities investor Johan Broux filed a disclosure suit against Petrochina Co and its current and former executives for failing to disclose pertinent news to investors.

As the company faces an investigation on corruption under the previous leadership, the new management of PetroChina is seeking to distance itself from the legacy of its former chairman.