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International Business News
Wary banks, weak demand curb eurozone loans
Al l’, Frankfurt
Growth in eurozone private sector loans dropped sharply in February, European Central Bank data showed Thursday, with analysts underscoring weaker demand and tighter conditions imposed by cautious commercial banks.
The rate of lending to companies and individuals com pared with a year earlier fell in February to 1.2 percent from 5.0 percent in January, an BCB spokesman said.
Economists said a eurozone recession had both tightened credit conditions and made businesses and households less inclined to borrow, raising pressure on the central bank to unveil unorthodox stimulus measures.
“The very marked slowing trend in loans to the private sector reinforces concern that tight credit conditions are increasingly hitting economic activity across the eurozone," said IHS Global Insight chief economist Howard Archer.
Commerzbank chief economist Michael Schubert said a weak grow th outlook “is leading companies and households to demand fewer loans, but is also influencing commercial banks' asscssement of borrowers' risk profiles and hence the credit conditions they are offering."
On March 9, EU Economic Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia warned that a eurozone economic recovery would take hold in 2010, and not later this year as previously expected.
Toyota to sell 2 Prius models in hot hybrid battle
AP, Tokyo
Toyota will continue to sell the current Prius when the revamped version goes on sale in May in an unusual move likely to help the top-selling hybrid ride out a threat from rival Honda.
Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe said Thursday there is demand in the Japanese market for both the third-generation Prius and the smaller model that's already on sale.
He declined to give details, including overseas plans. But his comment is the first from Toyota confirming recent Japanese media reports that the current Prius gas-electric hybrid will continue to be on sale, partly to match the cheap price of Honda Motor Co's new Insight hybrid.
Prius faces an unprecedented challenge from the Insight, which starts at 1.89 million yen ($ 19,000) in Japan, and $19,800 in the US. The Prius now sells for $22,000 in the US and 2.3 million yen ($23,000) in Japan.
Watanabe said Toyota has been slashing costs on hybrids to almost a fourth of the early costs. He declined to give details on pricing, adding Toyota will give an explanation when the new model is unveiled, expected in May.
Hutchison Whampoa profits drop 42pc
AFP, Hong Kong
Hong Kong's richest man Li Ka-shing warned Thursday that Hutchison Whampoa faced its toughest trading conditions in recent times, after announcing profits at his flagship firm fell 42 percent in 2008.
Li, nicknamed "Superman" for his long-running business success, said the global economic crisis would put unprecedented pressure on the firm.
But he insisted that Hutchison, a bellwether conglomerate with holdings in ports, retail, property, energy, infrastructure and telecoms across the world, would remain profitable.
"In 2009, the group is facing the most challenging environment in recent times with growth slowing in most markets and many of the world's major economies in recession," Li, the firm's chairman, said in a statement.
"Looking ahead, although the unprecedented economic environment will have differing adverse effects on the group's various businesses around the world, overall the group’s established businesses are still expected to continue to perform satisfactorily," he added.
Singapore says visitors down 15.2pc in Feb
AFP, Singapore
Singapore said Thursday that visitor arrivals fell 15.2 percent in February from a year ago as the global economic slump weighed on tourism.
The monthly report from the Singapore Tourism Board showed 689,000 visitors last month, which is also less than the 771,000 recorded in January
Of Singapore's top 15 markets, there was an increase in arrivals only from Vietnam and the Philippines in February, the tourism board said.
"This decline reflects the impact of the current global economic downturn on consumer sentiments and discretionary spending," it said in the report.
Arrivals fell by 34 percent from China, by 33 percent from South Korea, 28 percent from I long Kong, 29 percent from Taiwan and 19 percent from the United States, the report showed.