ABN Newswire

Asian Activities Report for January 20, 2012: Tencent (HKG:0700) Invests in Level Up to Explore Online Game Markets in Brazil and the Philippines

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:00:18 GMT

China's largest and most used Internet service provider Tencent Holdings Limited (HKG:0700) has signed an agreement to acquire 49% interest in Level Up for US$26.95 million. Level Up is one of the leading game publishers and operators in Brazil and the Philippines. As of 30 November 2011, the consolidated total assets of Level Up were approximately US$32.3 million and net assets were approximately US$19.0 million. Tencent believes that the investment in Level Up will help Tencent identify opportunities in the online game sector in Brazil and the Philippines.

Asia Resources Holdings Limited (HKG:0899) says that its iron ore mine in Indonesia has commenced trial production in January 2012. An initial 5,000 metric tonnes of raw iron sand have been exploited and are currently under processing. Alongside with the trial production, the Group will commence marketing activities targeting both local and overseas customers for the sales of its iron sand.

Eisai Co., Ltd. (TYO:4523) will launch LIFE CHECK, a self-monitoring blood glucose meter on January 27, 2012. LIFE CHECK has been specially designed for ease-of-use by elderly diabetes patients. The sensor is easily inserted into the meter and has been designed to ensure that drops of blood from pierced fingertips can be easily applied. LIFE CHECK can even be used simply by diabetes patients who experience numbness and trembling in their hands and fingers.

Nihon Kohden Corporation (TYO:6849) announced the establishment of a 100%-owned subsidiary in Brazil, for the sales and after-sales support of medical devices. The sales subsidiary will aim to expand the market in Brazil, one of the major markets in Latin America, and to enhance brand image and provide tailored customer services. Operations will commence in April 2012.

NTT Data Corporation (TYO:9613) has commenced to provide supportive services, including ATM software and settlement networks, to regional banks in Japan whose ATMs are ready to accept China UnionPay cards. The Bank of Kyoto (TYO:8369) has become the first regional bank to adopt NTT Data's supportive services, and now provides cash withdrawal and balance inquiry services for China UnionPay card holders. The services will ensure that Chinese visitors can enjoy an even more pleasant shopping experience in Japan.

Qiubei Fu 
Asia Business News
Tel: +61-2-9247-4344
http://www.abnnewswire.net

Australian Market Report of June 9: Banking System More Stable

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Tue, 9 June 2009 13:00:29 GMT

Wall Street rebounded Friday from early loss in late trade, on hope of the banking system is stabilizing further. The US regulators are expected to unveil the first round of banks which may repay bailout funds.

On Friday, the Australian market closed higher, lifted by the news of a massive joint venture between mining giants BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto after Rio scrapped the takeover deal with Chinalco. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 36.6 points, or 0.93 per cent, at 3971.2, while the broader All Ordinaries index gained 36.5 points, or 0.93 per cent, to 3969.0 points. Today the local market could be hit by lower commodities prices.

Key Economic Facts and Figures

The Dun & Bradstreet National Business Expectations survey showed that 53% business executives surveyed expect profits of their business to fall and 47% expect lower sales in the third quarter. There are 17% of firms seeking to lower capital expenditure and 24% of them expecting to cut back staff in the third quarter.

Today ANZ will release its job advertisements survey for May. National Australia Bank releases its business survey for May, and the Melbourne Institute releases its Employment Report for June.

M&A News

CSL Limited (ASX:CSL) said in a statement that the company and US-based plasma therapeutics firm Talecris Biotherapeutic agreed to terminate the $US3.1 billion takeover proposal because the US Federal Trade Commission was going to block it. CSL will spend about A$1.59 billion to buy back up to 54.9 million shares on market, or about 9 per cent of its shares on issue.

OZ Minerals (ASX:OZL) confirmed it had received an equity recapitalisation proposal from an unnamed group, in addition to the $US1.2 billion recapitalisation proposal led by RFC Group and the Royal Bank of Canada. OZ Minerals said neither proposal was superior over the US$1.2 billion deal with Chinese commodities trader Minmetals Nonferrous Metals Co.

Important Corporate News

Internet service provider iiNet Ltd (ASX:IIN) says it expects "strong growth" for financial 2009. The company expects a full-year net profit of A$25 million, compared with the 2007/08 net profit of A$23.3 million. iiNet also said the company had been granted an extension to its existing debt facility with Westpac Banking Corporation (ASX:WBC) for a further three years.

Fortescue Metals Group (ASX:FMG) requested its contractors and suppliers to accept the 20 per cent price cut from July 1, and hinted that their future relationship with Fortescue would depend on agreeing to the new terms.

Engineering services provider Coffey International (ASX:COF) is expecting operating earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation in the range of A$54 million to A$57 million for the year to June 30, 2009, including one-off costs of around A$2 million associated with redundancy payments.

Origin Energy Ltd (ASX:ORG) has downgraded its earnings guidance for 2008/09, after taking into account the progress of its majority owned New Zealand power generator Contact Energy (NZE:CEN). Origin had previously forecast an underlying profit for the full year between 20 per cent and 25 per cent higher than in 2007/08. Origin now expects the underlying profit is unlikely to be more than 20 per cent higher than last year.

Galaxy Resources Limited (ASX:GXY) has secured key supplies of sulphuric acid and caustic soda for its proposed lithium carbonate plant in Jiangsu Province, China. Managing Director, Iggy Tan said the agreement with Two Lions meant that Galaxy had now locked in key consumable supply and unloading access for its lithium carbonate plant in China.

Electronics retailer JB Hi-Fi (ASX:JBH) expects its full year net profit in fiscal 2009 to be around $92 million, a 41 per cent increase on the previous year.

Michelle Liang
Asia Business News Asia Bureau
Tel: +61-2-9247-4344
Email: michelle.l@abnnewswire.net

Atos Origin Completes Beijing 2008 Olympic Games IT System Architecture on Schedule

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Tue, 3 July 2007 21:02:00 GMT

(Companynewsgroup) - Under the leadership of the Beijing 2008 Organizing Committee (BOCOG), Atos Origin, the Worldwide IT Partner for the Olympic Games, today announced it has completed the IT system architecture for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on schedule.

"Like the winning athletic performances, the success of the Olympic Games IT systems is determined years before through advanced planning and preparation," said Jeremy Hore, Beijing 2008 Chief Technology Integrator, Atos Origin. "Designing the Beijing 2008 system architecture is a very complex task and we are privileged to have the most advanced experts in this field with profound Olympic Games experience working on our team. Under BOCOG's leadership, the technology for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is making very good progress and we are pleased to be on schedule with the system architecture."

As the Worldwide IT Partner for the Olympic Games, Atos Origin designs, builds and operates the vast IT system that relays the event results and athlete information to spectators and media around the world in real-time during live competition. The company has integrated, managed and secured the IT systems for the previous three Olympic Games (Salt Lake City 2002, Athens 2004 and Torino 2006).

The Olympic Games IT system architecture defines the relationships between the Olympic Games IT systems and the massive technical infrastructure required to deliver real-time competition results to the world.

This comprehensive technical infrastructure will link together more than 60 competition and non-competition venues across China, consisting of more than 900 servers, 7000 PCs and 1000 network & security devices. The system architecture provides BOCOG a blueprint for the selection and implementation of proven hardware, software and netwo rk components. The blueprint must be completed well over a year in advance of competition to meet the rigorous implementation and multiple testing scenario phases that follow to ensure the IT systems are fully functional. Atos Origin works closely with Beijing 2008 technology partners such as Lenovo, China Netcom and China Mobile to implement and support the games IT infrastructure.

The IT system architecture presented by Atos Origin to BOCOG encompasses three main foundations: business continuity, data networking and security

Business continuity - BOCOG and Atos Origin have one chance to get it right; therefore they must deliver the highest level of reliability and availability of services. For the Games, which covers 17 days for approximately 18 hours per day, dedicated IT systems and technical solutions must be designed to achieve the following:

- Protect against data corruption and data deletion
- Provide high availability of applications to eliminate any single point of failure in the architecture through elaborate redundancies

- Guarantee a quick and safe information recovery process

Data networking: The basis of the technical infrastructure for the Olympic Games is the data network. Based on security and quality of service levels the Real-Time Competition Network supports all mission-critical applications deployed during the testing and operation of the Olympic Games applications and the related IT system and operational services. In order to conform to the security, availability and performance criteria of BOCOG and past Olympic Games performances, Atos Origin has designed a closed, isolated network that is deployed 36 months before the Games.

IT security: Few things are more important than the hard earned results of a lifetime of training on the global stage. The recording of the sub seconds to the judge's scores must be protected with the most sophisticated yet proven solutions. Atos Origin is responsible for the IT systems , infrastructure and networks that protect the best each nation's athletes offer the world. IT security ensures accurate, real-time delivery of competition results to billions of people around the world and protects the Games IT infrastructure against uncontrolled phenomena that may impact the operation of the Games.

"We are pleased to be working with such an experienced IT partner as Atos Origin," said Yang Yichun, Director of BOCOG Technology. "The major focus of developing this critical system architecture is not only to understand the frameworks of the past, but more importantly to adapt to a larger and more complex Beijing operations. Atos Origin's system architecture milestone lays the groundwork for the implementation and testing phases that will ensure everything is in place well before the athletes, media and spectators arrive."

The Atos Origin contract with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is the largest sports-related IT contract covering: Salt Lake C ity in 2002 (operating as SchlumbergerSema); Athens in 2004; Torino in 2006; Beijing in 2008; Vancouver in 2010; and London in 2012. Atos Origin has primary responsibility for Information Technology, relating to IT consulting, systems integration, operations management, information security and software applications development for the Olympic Games.

Marie-Tatiana Collombert 
Phone: + 33 1 55 91 26 33 
Email: marie-tatiana.collombert@atosorigin.com 

Michelle Liu 
Phone: +86 10 6437-6668 
Email: michelle.liu@atosorigin.com