ABN Newswire

Fujitsu (TYO:6702) Provide Cloud Services To CA Technologies (NASDAQ:CA)

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 14:19:33 GMT

Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujitsu Limited (TYO:6702) has secured CA Technologies Australia and New Zealand, a subsidiary of CA Technologies (NASDAQ:CA) as the latest customer of its acclaimed Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) range.

CA Technologies will take up Fujitsu's IaaS as an 'out of the box' configuration with inbuilt data and system replication across two of Fujitsu's Tier III data centres, offering its customer-base greater choice in the housing of their data, not only through US data centres but also via a local, outsourced infrastructure environment.

Fujitsu's data centre services in Australia will provide IaaS as the underlying platform for CA Clarity (TM) PPM On Demand, CA Technologies' successful Software as a Service (SaaS) offering for project and portfolio management, to mirror the systems and service expectations of its environment in the United States. The infrastructure platform includes the servers, storage, Internet provision, back up and management of the infrastructure, along with data replication and retrieval.

Fujitsu and CA Technologies have a long established relationship which operates at many levels, both locally and globally. The two companies formed a strategic alliance in September 2010 to enhance each company's service assurance product portfolio and cloud computing strategy.

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Australian Market Report of October 13, 2010: Golden Cross Resources (ASX:GCR) Copper-Gold Resource At Copper Hill Project Increased By 30%

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 13:30:00 GMT

Golden Cross Resources Limited (ASX:GCR) has received an updated resource estimate for its 100% owned Copper Hill porphyry copper-gold project near Molong, NSW. The tonnage has increased by 30%, adding an extra 40 million tonnes of copper-gold resources. The total estimated copper resources now stand at 535,000 tonnes while gold aggregates 1.4 million ounces. Feasibility Study is now underway and more exploration is expected to commence.

Diversified metals group TNG Limited (ASX:TNG) has discovered a new copper gossan at its 100% owned Mount Peake Project in the Northern Territory. The gossan contains abundant malachite and other copper sulphide minerals. In-field analysis has recorded estimated values from 4% up to 24.27% copper. This discovery supports the company's copper-nickel exploration programme. Further evaluation will be undertaken when the assays have been assessed.

Firestone Energy Limited (ASX:FSE) has completed the final Definitive Feasible Study document for the Waterberg coal project in South Africa. The document confirms the viability of a robust open cast operation for 21 years with capital and operating cost tolerances of +/- 10% for the complete first phase mine life. The company plans to release the upgraded Bankable Feasibility document when the significant Off-Take Agreement, which is at the final stages of negotiation, is signed. It is confirmed that the first stage open cast operation has saleable coal reserves of 120 Million tonnes.

ZYL Limited (ASX:ZYL) announced conceptual open-cut designs for the North and South Pits at Kangwane Anthracite Project. A Measured Resource of 9.7Mt has been confirmed within the open-cut area of the Northern proposed mining area and an Indicated Resource of 6.6Mt within the open-cut area of the Southern proposed mining area. It is believed that further drilling could lead to an increase in the total resource contained within both pit areas.

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Australian Market Report of May 6, 2010: Downer EDI (ASX:DOW) Wins NBN Design Contract

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Thu, 6 May 2010 13:30:04 GMT

Australian shares extended their losses today as the debt issues in Euro zone continued to perplex the global stock markets. The Australian stocks joined the slump in Asian region this morning with a 1.4 per cent fall in S&P/ASX200 index at opening. Japan's Nikkei 225 shed more than 3 per cent in early trade, after the market closed for public holiday for three days.

In economics news on Thursday, the Australian Bureau of Statistics releases the data of international trade in goods and services and retail sales figures, both for March.

Company News

Downer EDI Limited (ASX:DOW) has been contracted to provide telecommunications network design services to NBN Co, which is charged with rolling out the government's A$42 billion high-speed broadband network, for its First Release Site pilot program. The company says it has been designing and building critical infrastructure for cities and nations around the world for more than a century. The winning of this contract augered well for future opportunities in the growing telecommunications sector.

DMC Mining Limited (ASX:DMM) has entered into a conditional Takeover Bid Implementation Deed with Meijin Energy Group Limited for Meijin to acquire all the ordinary shares in DMC at A$0.5 per share in cash through an off-market takeover offer, 8.7 per cent higher than the offer from Cape Lambert Resources Limited (ASX:CFE) of A$0.46 per DMC share. The Meijin offer values DMC at approximately A$43.4 million.

Metals recycling company Sims Metal Management (ASX:SGM) today reported that net profit after tax for the third quarter was A$30.4 million. Sales revenue for the nine months to March 31 were A$5.0 billion, down 31% from a year before, as sales in North America declined 40 per cent. Net profit for the nine-month period was A$70.4 million. But the company says it is seeing significantly improved scrap flows in the fourth quarter, particularly in North America. Sims expects earnings growth in the fourth quarter while global conditions for ferrous and non-ferrous commodities have "generally improved" from the end of the fiscal second quarter.

National Australia Bank (ASX:NAB) Thursday reported cash earnings for the 2010 half year were A$2.2 billion, a 20.9 per cent increase on the September 2009 half year and an 8.2 per cent increase on the same period a year ago. Robust performances from business banking and MLC & NAB Wealth and an improvement in the bad and doubtful debts charge were key contributors to this earnings growth. The bank's bad and doubtful debt charge fell by 32.1 per cent. But the strong Australian dollar reduced the contribution of offshore earnings to the result.

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

Australian Market Report of June 30: Trade Remains Directionless

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Tue, 30 June 2009 13:00:41 GMT

US stocks surged overnight as higher oil prices lifted energy stocks. Car manufacturer Ford also delivered positive sales news which helped to improve the market sentiment. Investors are expecting the economy data to be unveiled this week would show some renewed signs of recovery.

The Australian shares fell in late trading on Monday, pulled by energy sector. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 lost 16.9 points, or 0.43 per cent, to 3886.9, and the broader All Ordinaries was down 16.8 points or 0.43 per cent to 3882.7. Analysts expect the local market remained directionless ahead of the financial year end.

Key Economic Facts and Figures

The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has warned that governments' current stimulus will lead only to a temporary boost in growth, followed by protracted stagnation. BIS report warned that countries such as Australia faced the possibility of a run on the currency, which would force interest rates to rise. The BIS analysis shows that Australia is running the third-largest fiscal stimulus package in the advanced world, behind the US and Korea.

The Reserve Bank of Australia Tuesday is to release financial aggregates data for May. The Housing Industry Association releases new home sales data for May.

M&A News

Lion Nathan (ASX:LNN) today said that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission would not oppose the Kirin Holdings (TYO:2503) acquisition of the shares it does not already own in the local brewer. The company would lodge a scheme of arrangement booklet in the next two months and that its investors would vote on the takeover in September.

Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group (ASX:MCG) said the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board's (CPPIB) takeover bid had received the last necessary regulatory approvals. CPPIB plans to take control of MCG for A$2.2 billion, under an offer boosted earlier this month to win the support of MCG's major shareholders.

Copper-gold miner PanAust Limited (ASX:PNA) said it had won approval from Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board for China's Guangdong Rising Assets Management to take a 19.9 per cent stake in the company.

Shareholders of toy wholesaler Funtastic Limited (ASX:FUN) have approved the company to engage in a A$22 million capital raising and to acquire Hong Kong-based children's furniture manufacturer NSR (HK) Ltd. A successful, fully underwritten, non-renounceable rights issue is the key criterion for its lender to extend Funtastic's banking facilities to June 2011, allowing completion of the company's restructure after it pays down debt.

Important Corporate News

Upmarket retailer David Jones (ASX:DJS) has increased its profit growth guidance to between 20 to 30 per cent for the second half of its financial year, which ends on July 25. David Jones previously forecast growth of between zero and 5 per cent for the period. Full year profit growth guidance was upgraded to between 8 to 12 per cent, up from the previous zero to 5 per cent range.

Elders Ltd (ASX:ELD) has completed agreements with its lenders to extend short dated debt for three months, allowing time to refinance the facilities. Elders said the debt would be extended from June 30 to September 30.

Sources said Aluminum Corp. of China (Chinalco) plans to buy 880 million pounds of Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) stock, taking its share of a rights offer by the world's third-biggest mining company. Rio Tinto is selling $US15.2 billion of stock in the UK and Australia to help pay debt.

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

Australian Market Report of June 25: Imminent Recovery Unlikely

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Thu, 25 June 2009 13:00:08 GMT

Overnight in the US market, the Dow index tumbled for the fourth day but other indexes rose. The Federal Reserve said the economy was unlikely to have notable recovery any time soon, but the contraction pace was slowing.

The Australian shares Wednesday closed slightly higher ahead of the US Federal Reserve's monetary outlook meeting. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index gained 10.1 points, or 0.27 per cent, at 3807 points, while the broader-based All Ordinaries index rose 9.2 points, or 0.24 per cent, to 3802.2 points.

Key Economic Facts and Figures

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has upgraded its outlook for Australia. The IMF forecasts Australia's gross domestic product to contract 0.5 per cent this year compared with a 1.4 per cent contraction forecast in April. IMF expects the country's economy should rebound to about 1.5 per cent next year helped by government stimulus spending. IMF also cautioned that the central bank should be careful about raising rates given the still fragile state of the global economy.

M&A News

The Foreign Investment Review Board has advised the Canada-based Viterra Inc.(TSE:VT) that there are no objections to its proposed A$1.6 billion takeover of ABB Grain Limited (ASX:ABB). The transaction remains subject to other regulatory, shareholder and court approvals, as well as other conditions, ABB and Viterra said in a joint statement.

Mining fund Lion Selection (ASX:LST) plans to sell its stake in Newcrest's (ASX:NCM) Cracow gold mine in Queensland for about A$35 million in scrip, and list its remaining, non-gold assets on the National Stock Exchange. After spinning off its non-gold assets, Lion Selection would merge with gold miners Catalpa Resources (ASX:CAH). The merger would create a gold producer with output of about 130,000 ounces a year.

Dubai-based consumer foods group IFFCO is understood to be on the list of bidders with strong interest for food manufacturer Goodman Fielder Ltd's (ASX:GFF) commercial fats and oils business. Goodman is seeking between A$300 million and A$400 million for the business.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Ltd (ASX:CBA) is in talks with Bank of South Pacific (BSP) on the potential sale of its banking and insurance businesses in Fiji. BSP has made an indicative non-binding offer and is about commence due diligence, CBA said in a statement.

Important Corporate News

Allco Equity Partners (ASX:AEP) shareholders have overwhelmingly voted for proposals of a A$60 million capital return and name change to Oceania Capital Partners. The company code will also be changed to OCP, from AEP.

Transfield Services (ASX:TSE) said in a statement today it has been awarded a ten-year contract with a value of approximately NZ$1 billion for telecommunications field services with Chorus, the fixed voice and broadband network division of Telecom New Zealand.

Ten Network Holdings (ASX:TEN) said its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation fell to $9.1 million for the three months to May 31, more than 76 per cent below the A$38.2 million recorded a year earlier.

Bauxite Resources Limited (ASX:BAU)(PINK:BXRDF) has cleared the last hurdle prior to receiving the placement proceeds for a A$9.85m share placement from, the Shandong Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources ("SDGM") reinforcing SDGM's confidence in BRL's ability to develop its extensive Darling Ranges land holdings into a profitable long-term bauxite production and export business.

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

Australian Market Report of May 5: Hopes for Global Recovery

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Tue, 5 May 2009 13:00:57 GMT

Overnight US stocks rose to four-month highs as the encouraging US home sales data and an upbeat report on Chinese manufacturing raised hopes for a global recovery.

The Australian shares posted strong gains yesterday. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index ended 3% higher, or 113.4 points, at 3883. The broad-market All Ordinaries index was up 2.9%, or 108.1 points, at 3846. Today the local market is expected to extend its rally after the boost of overseas and rising commodities prices. Reserve Bank of Australia's interest rate decision will be the focus of the day.

Key Economic Facts and Figures

The ANZ survey shows that the number of job ads in newspapers and on the internet fell 7.5 per cent in April to an average of 136,770 per week. Job ads also declined by 49.9 per cent over the year, suggesting higher unemployment rate ahead as labour force is growing.

Economists are tipping that the board of Reserve Bank of Australia will leave the official cash rate at 3% and take a wait-and-see approach as the effects of the Federal Government's stimulus packages becomes more clear, and ahead of details of next week's federal budget.

M&A News

It is speculated that Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) is considering revising part of its $US19.5 billion deal with Chinalco to win shareholder support and regulator's approval.

A report by independent experts Deloitte has backed the proposed A$1.37 billion takeover of investment fund Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group (ASX:MCG). Deloitte said the A$2.50-a-share takeover offer made for MCG by the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board was "fair and reasonable" and in the best interests of investors.

BHP Billiton Ltd (ASX:BHP) has played down speculation that it will bid for OZ Minerals Ltd. (ASX:OZL).BHP indicated the company wasn't interested in Prominent Hill.

Western Plains Resources (ASX:WPG) has struck a A$45 million deal with Chinese steel group Wuhan Iron & Steel (SHA:600005) to sell a 50 per cent interest in its Hawks Nest iron ore project in South Australia.

Hong Kong commodities trader Noble Group (SIN:N21) has lifted its hostile offer for Gloucester Coal (ASX:GCL). The new bid from Nobel values Gloucester Coal at A$520 million.

Important Corporate News

Singapore Telecommunications (ASX:SGT) yesterday said it had received an order worth A$500 million to provide telecom and managed-network services to Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ASX:ANZ) in 31 countries in the Asia Pacific. This is to support ANZ's strategy of becoming a "super regional" lender.

BlueScope Steel (ASX:BSL) said in a statement that the steel maker plans to raise up to A$1.413 billion in a rights offer to pay down debt.

OZ Minerals (ASX:OZL) said today its Chief Executive Andrew Michelmore will resign when an asset sale to China's Minmetals is completed. Mr. Michelmore will become a senior executive with Minmetals. OZ Minerals will also reduce the size of its board from eight to six and won't replace two outgoing directors.

Asciano Group (ASX:AIO) says it has obtained a new long-term take and pay contract with Macarthur Coal (ASX:MCC) to haul coal exports by rail in Queensland.

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

Asian Markets Overview of February 12

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 16:00:12 GMT

Yesterday Asian share markets ended broadly lower after Wall Street's massive sell-off over the revised proposal to shore up U.S. banks. Japanese markets were closed for a public holiday. Hong Hong's Hang Seng Index dropped 2.5%, while South Korea's Kospi gave up 0.7%.

Today Seoul and Tokyo markets opened lower despite the rebound in the US. Hong Kong and Shanghai shares are likely to be volatile on the weak trade data from mainland China.

Asia Economy Watch

Bank of Korea today cut its main interest rate by a half-percentage point to a record low of 2%. It is the central bank's sixth cut in four months and more aggressive than many economists expected.

China's export totalled 90.45 billion US dollars in January, down 17.5 percent year on year. It is the third consecutive month for China's export to see a decline. Economists forecast the export will continue sliding in the future due to the weak overseas demand.

Japanese wholesale prices fell 0.2 percent in January from a year earlier for the first year-on-year decline in five years and one month due to sharp declines in oil and raw material import prices, stoking deflation fears in the country, the Bank of Japan said.

Company News

India's Tata Teleservices Maharashtra (BOM:532371) said yesterday the open offer to its shareholders by Japanese telecom major NTT DoCoMo (TYO:9437) has been rescheduled to February 19. In November last year, NTT DoCoMo said it would launch an open offer for a 20 per cent stake in Tata Teleservices.

The Taiwan-based Hon Hai Precision Industry (TPE:2317) reported its sales revenue of NT$92.395 billion for January, dropping 24.3% from December 2008 or 12.1% from a year earlier. But the company's Chairman Terry Gou said Wednesday the company won't post a net loss in 2009.

Woori Finance Holdings Co.(SEO:053000), South Korea's top financial services company, said Thursday its 2008 earnings tumbled 76.6 percent from a year earlier due to higher loan-loss reserves.

The Indian arm of Australia's Babcock & Brown Ltd. (ASX:BNB), Babcock and Brown India Pvt. Ltd., is shutting its India operations as part of the parent company's global restructuring.

India's Tata Communications Ltd. (BOM:500483.BY) is said to invest US$430 million in Asia including Singapore to build an Internet data center and a cable system.

Yesterday shares of Toshiba Corp.(TYO:6502) rose 3.1% after the company disclosed it has teamed up with two other Japanese companies to purchase a 19.95% stake in Canadian miner Uranium One (TSE:UUU). Toshiba hopes to sell the uranium to customers for whom it builds nuclear power plants.

China Railway Construction Corp. (HKG:1186) said today it has signed a contract with a Saudi Arabia government unit to build a railway for A$1.77 billion.

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

Asian Market Overview of January 23

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:00:04 GMT

Tokyo stocks opened sharply lower Friday with investor sentiment hurt by Sony Corp.'s forecast of an annual operating loss as well as by a fall in U.S. shares overnight due to disappointing corporate earnings there. Yesterday the Aisan markets gained on the good lead from Wall Street. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index firmed 0.6% to 12657.99. The Shanghai Composite Index added 1%. South Korea's Kospi Composite rose 1.1% to 1116.23.

Asia Economy Watch

Australia- based brokerage firm Macquarie Securities has forecast that India's growth for the current year ending March 2009 will slow to 6.5% and slip further to 5.5% in FY'10.

China's National Bureau of Statistics announced yesterday that China had grown just 6.8% in the fourth quarter of 2008 compared with the same period in 2007. That puts the official annual growth rate at 9%, the first time to hit single digits since 2002.

Japan's exports plummeted 35percent year on year in December, the overweight yen amplifying damage from collapsing demand in its main overseas markets. The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is considering measures to protect sensitive information during criminal trials in an effort to allay fears among companies reluctant to take action out of concern their secrets will be exposed in the courtroom.

Korea's economy shrank by a shocking 5.6 percent in the fourth quarter from a quarter earlier, heightening fears that the nation may be in more dire economic straits than many thought.

Company News

Sony(NYSE:SNE)(TYO:6758) has forecast a much bigger than expected operating loss of US$2.9 billion, the first in 14 years, as the global economic crisis saps demand for cameras, televisions and other goods.

Daiichi Sankyo Co (TYO:4568), Japan's third-largest drugmaker, said it plans to apply by March 2010 for marketing approval in Japan of an influenza drug candidate, and seek approval in Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea soon afterwards.

Dongfeng Motor Corp, the parent of Dongfeng Motor Group(HKG:0489), has drastically lowered its sales growth target for 2009 to 6 percent compared with the achieved growth rate of 16 percent in 2008. Dongfeng Motor Group is expecting to sell 1.4 million vehicles in 2009.

China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (Sinopec)(SHA:600028), Aluminum Corp of China(Chalco) (SHA:601600)and China Railway Group(SHA:601390) are warning of a more than 50 per cent drop in their net profits for last year, when they release detailed earnings later.

South Korea's LG Electronics(SEO:066570) posted a record quarterly net loss as flat-screen TV and mobile phone sales sank. LG said sales and profits will slide further as demand shrivels and competition intensifies. It reported a 671.3 billion won net loss for October-December 2008.

The Indian government may take up the civil aviation ministry's proposal to allow foreign airlines to pick up up to 25% stake in Indian domestic airlines. The move would pave the way for foreign airlines such as Singapore Airlines(SIN:C6L), British Airways(LON:BAY) and Lufthansa(FRA:LHA) to buy equities in carriers like Kingfisher(BOM:532747), SpiceJet(BOM:500285) and IndiGo.

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

Australian Market Report of November 12: Concern Over Recession

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:02:47 GMT

US stocks tumbled overnight on fears of a collapse of General Motors and a series of troubling corporate news amid the global credit crisis.

Australian shares have closed below 4000 points after business confidence sank to a record low. Analysts said the market with thin trading volumes was plagued by the negative sentiment concerning global recession. Resources sector would lead the market lower as oil prices fell below $US60.

At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 3.6%, or 146.9 points, to 3960.9. The All Ordinaries index was down 3.4%, or 138.2 points, to 3921.8.
The Aussie dollar has opened lower, in line with weak equity markets and falling commodity prices overnight. At 7am AEDT, the dollar was trading at $US0.6583/88, down 1.31 US cents, or 1.95 per cent, from yesterday's close of $US0.6715/18.

Overnight oil prices sank more than $US3 a barrel on recession fears in New York. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, light sweet crude for December tumbled $US3.08 lower to close at $US59.33.

Key Economic Facts and Figures

National Australia Bank's (ASX:NAB) has released its survey result showing the business confidence fell by an unprecedented 21 index points in October to -29 points. The index slumped to a record low since the monthly survey began in 1997. Meanwhile, the business conditions index fell 10 index points to a seven year low of -11 points.

Business confidence has slumped to its lowest level on record, fuelling speculation the Reserve Bank will continue to take a hatchet to its cash rate in the coming months. Economists expect it to cut by 50 basis points when the RBA board next meets in December and the destination could be four per cent.

Westpac and the Melbourne Institute release their Index of Consumer Sentiment for November.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics releases its labour price index data for the September quarter and lending finance data for September.

M&A News

UK-headquartered financial systems supplier, Sage Group(LON:SGE), has emerged as an alternative suitor for accounting software maker MYOB(ASX:MYO). It was suggested yesterday that the potential takeover of MYOB by Sage could arouse the interest of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Brickworks Investment Company(ASX:BKI) acquired 6,763,069 shares of target Huntley Investment Company(ASX:HIC) yesterday as acceptances for its takeover bid, increasing its share from 42.92% to 46.83%.

Important Corporate News

Australia's biggest shopping centre operator Westfield Group(ASX:WDC) confirmed that it expects operational earnings to grow 5.5 per cent in calendar 2008. The company also confirmed in a statement that it would pay a distribution of A$1.065 per stapled security in fiscal 2008.

Healthcare information company IBA Health Group(ASX:IBA) says it expects to double revenues in three years from 2010 after launching its new IT platform that provides access to patients' records at every stage of the healthcare process.

Telstra(ASX:TLS) has again refused to guarantee that it will put forward a bid to build the Federal Government's National Broadband Network. Tenders for the A$4.7 billion project will close later this month. The company says it will not be submitting a bid if the Government forces it to separate its retail business from its infrastructure.

Asciano Group(ASX:AIO) says it is not planning a big equity raising and doesn't know why its securities plunged almost 60 per cent before being placed in a trading halt until after the market closed. Asciano's shares plunged by 59.9% before the trading halt, and the Australian Securities Exchange queried Asciano about the share fall.

1. Related Stocks - Mid Market (AEST 1230)

----------------------------------------------------
Code   % Change   Volume     Turnover      Low  High
----------------------------------------------------
ASX:MYO  -3.33   22,446      $23,343      101     105
ASX:BKI  -1.81   96,467      $103,661     105     108
ASX:HIC  -4.68   62,537      $38,203      61      61.5
ASX:WDC  -.75    1,910,097   $27,889,006  1425    1487
ASX:IBA  +1.56   275,484     $179,028     64.5    66
ASX:TLS  -.46    18,920,435  $80,856,710  426     430
ASX:AIO  +43.47  78,180,403  $56,399,223  49.5    99

2. Top 10 ASX on Turnover - Mid Market (AEST 1230)

----------------------------------------------------
Code   % Change   Volume     Turnover      Low  High
----------------------------------------------------
ASX:NAB  -.64    7,994,938   $190,441,741 1981    2031
ASX:BHP  -1.52   4,602,135   $135,197,032 2803    2909
ASX:CBA  -.81    2,927,134   $108,544,961 3455    3590
ASX:TLS  -.46    18,920,713  $80,857,894  426     430
ASX:GPT  +10.95  71,771,485  $80,252,249  101     144
ASX:WBC  -.51    3,280,806   $66,181,575  1895    1978
ASX:AIO  +44.92  78,411,778  $56,629,538  49.5    100
ASX:ANZ  -.06    3,394,445   $54,967,633  1551    1583
ASX:WES  -1.93   1,942,510   $39,208,698  1963    2013
ASX:WPL  -1.87   783,290     $36,989,268  3875    3970

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

BuddeComm Announce Global FttH Update

newsroom@abnnewswire.net — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 10:48:00 GMT

Asia has been providing serious global leadership in its application of FttH. Not appearing to be constrained by the same desire to protect legacy networks that is found in other parts of the world, a number of Asian markets are already pushing strongly into fibre networks in various forms. With Japan out in front yet again, FttH has quickly emerged as a serious broadband platform in that country. The technology in Japan has jumped from 1.5 million FttH subscribers in mid-2004 to around 10 million in mid-2007. In fact, FttH subscribers in the country comprise over 32% of the country's total broadband subscriber base. The rapid expansion into fibre has seen the number of Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) services peak in early 2006 and they have since moved into decline. This is significant as Japan's initial broadband development was built on the back of DSL.

Apart from Japan, it comes as no surprise that the movement towards fibre in Asia has been occurring in the more developed markets. However, the adoption rate varies considerably from market to market. In South Korea, for example, the situation is complicated by the use of both fibre and fibre-hybrid infrastructure to deliver broadband services. Whilst number of FttH subscribers is relatively small in South Korea, there has been strong growth in FttC and FttN services, which in turn support other platforms to deliver service to the premises. Other Asian markets, like Singapore and Taiwan, are busy with pilot FttH networks and early commercial activity. Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom has an ambitious plan to cover the island with fibre and was aiming for 2.5 million FttH subscribers by 2011. China has also been making positive statements about FttH roll-outs. Interestingly, the development of FttH sat in 11th priority position in China's five-year plan published in 2005. With the 2008 Beijing Olympics fast approaching, China Netcom said it was making extensive use of fibre as its broadband platform of choice in preparation. China Telecom has announced plans to have FttH established nationwide by 2010.

USA
The US fibre-to-the-home (FttH) market reached more than two million subscribers by September 2007, according to figures released by the FttH Council and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA). This amounts to more than 100% growth since September 2006, driven largely by Verizon's ambitious FiOS network deployment. The number of homes passed has grown by more than 50%, from around six million to nine-and-a-half million. The take-up rate has thus increased from around 15% to 20%, principally due to the active marketing of the networks in 2007.

The largest FttH network is Verizon's, which has been deployed to around 4 million households in twelve states and reported more than 500,000 subscribers in June 2007. However, its target of passing 18 million households (between three and four million subscribers) by 2010 indicate that it does not yet regard FttH to be an economical replacement for all of its DSL network, which currently passes around 33 million households.

The other major fibre protagonist is AT&T, whose fibre strategy, comprising a Fibre-to-the-Node (FttN) network with VDSL2, is starting to gain momentum after some initial technological glitches related to Microsoft's IPTV platform. By September 2007 it had reached around 100,000 subscribers from approximately five million homes passed. AT&T's U-Verse TV uses an all-IPTV architecture with a per household deployment cost estimated at around half that of Verizon's FiOS TV service. Thus although AT&T's FttN-VDSL2 solution will not provide as high broadband speeds as Verizon's FttH network, it may soon surpass Verizon's subscriber numbers, albeit in different footprints. Ultimately, with nearly half of all US households expected to be passed by some form of fibre network by 2010, the cable-TV companies will need to address this growing threat to their TV-markets.

Europe
In coming years Europe will be one of the world''s more vibrant regions for fibre deployment. The Key countries remain Sweden and The Netherlands, both of which have pooled government, municipal and telco resources in a coordinated response to future-proof national and regional infrastructure. This is partly to meet growing consumer needs for higher bandwidth applications, but also with an eye to practical social welfare solutions (e-learning, e-health) and economic security in an internationally competitive environment.

This co-operation between governments and telcos helps to manage investments and avoid financial difficulties and unnecessary network duplication. The Netherlands has also demonstrated that fibre networks can be built from the ground up without government subsidies. In mid-2007 there were some 25 Dutch municipalities involved in or making preparations for broadband projects based on fibre, and more than 40 fibre projects.

The UK''s regulator recently launched a consultation (closing in December 2007) to evaluate approaches for promoting fibre as a long-term successor to existing copper. This anticipates that BT''s 21CN may be insufficient for future bandwidth demand, and that guarantees may be needed to encourage operator investments in the sector. The UK''s interest in a national fibre network, costing up to £15 billion, is sure to have repercussions in other European markets.

FttH Roundtable

International case studies will assist Australia in finding its strategic way forward and will be discussed in the following sessions:

- Overview of strategic fibre plans in the Asia Pacific region - Frank Jaffer, Vice-President, FttH Council Asia-Pac.

- Case Study FttH in Amsterdam and other European projects - Martin Stewart-Weeks, Director, Public Sector (Asia Pacific), Internet Business Solutions Group, Cisco Systems Australia.

Senator Stephen Conroy, Shadow Minister for Communications will open the Roundtable and will lead a discussion on the strategic fibreing of Australia.

Strategies for Fibreing Australia - Roundtable with Paul Budde and Industry Experts
Thursday 18 October 2007 - Opening address by Senator Stephen Conroy, Shadow Minister for Communications. Venue: The Observatory Hotel, 89-113 Kent Street, Sydney

Bookings and information:
http://www.budde.com.au/consultancy/public-workshops-seminars.html

PAUL BUDDE Communication Pty Ltd,
T/As BuddeComm
5385 George Downes Drive
BUCKETTY NSW 2250B,
Ph 02 49 988 144 (international x 61 2 4998 8144)
Fx 02 49 988 247 (international x 61 2 4998 8247)
mailto:pbc@budde.com.au
http://www.budde.com.au