[external] Nigeria's First Bank gains approval for China office - Reuters - Sat 8:53 am
LAGOS, July 3 (Reuters) - Nigeria's First Bank said on Friday it had won regulatory approval from China to set up office in Beijing, making it the first Nigerian bank to start operations in one of the world's fastest growing economies.

[external] Russia's corporate foreign debt grows in Q2 - Reuters - Sat 7:47 am
MOSCOW, July 3 (Reuters) - The Russian corporate sector's foreign debt grew to $436.8 billion as of July 1 from $420.7 billion as of April 1, the central bank estimated on Friday, suggesting there has been renewed borrowing by Russian firms.

[external] Moody's withdraws ratings on transactions exposed to LBSFI - Reuters - Sat 7:44 am
Reuters has stopped distributing the full text of Moody's Investors Service press releases on ratings actions, effective April 1, 2009.

[external] China National in YPF talks with Repsol-Bloomberg - Reuters - Sat 6:59 am
MADRID, July 3 (Reuters) - State-run China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) is among bidders looking to buy the Argentinian unit of Spanish oil major Repsol , news agency Bloomberg quoted a Chinese government official as saying.

[external] RLPC-Russian Vnesheconombank seeks $1 bln loan-bankers - Reuters - Sat 6:51 am
LONDON, July 3 (Reuters) - Russia's state-owned Vnesheconombank (VEB) is looking to secure a syndicated loan worth up to $1 billion and has invited banks to submit proposals for the deal, banking sources said on Friday.

[external] RLPC-Russian LUKOIL signing $1.2 bln loan-bankers - Reuters - Sat 6:24 am
LONDON, July 3 (Reuters) - Russian oil firm LUKOIL is signing a $1.2 billion syndicated loan with a group of 12 banks, banking sources close to the deal said on Friday.

[external] Russia corporate foreign debt $436.8 bln on July 1 - Reuters - Sat 6:03 am
MOSCOW, July 3 (Reuters) - The Russian corporate sector's foreign debt grew to $436.8 billion as of July 1 from $420.7 billion as of April 1, the central bank estimated on Friday.

[external] State Bank of Travancore lowers PLR to 12.25 pct - Reuters - Sat 5:56 am
MUMBAI, July 3 (Reuters) - State Bank of Travancore on Friday said it has reduced its benchmark prime lending rate by 50 basis points to 12.25 percent, effective July 1.

[external] State Bank of Mysore to observe strike on July 6 - Reuters - Sat 5:44 am
MUMBAI, July 3 (Reuters) - State Bank of Mysore said on Friday its employees have proposed to go on strike on July 6 to protest the merger of State Bank of Indore with State Bank of India and other associate banks.

Earlier Headlines

All times are Singapore Time (GMT+8)

· [external] Indian banks raise 2.5 bln rupees via CDs - Reuters - Sat 4:32 am
· [external] India cash rates end nr 3.25 pct on reporting day - Reuters - Sat 4:18 am
· [external] Carlyle, Primus among bidders for AIG unit-sources - Reuters - Sat 4:00 am
· [external] UCO Bk plans foray into non-life insurance-CMD - Reuters - Sat 3:41 am
· [external] Indian banks' loans grew 15.8 pct on yr on June 19 - Reuters - Sat 3:32 am
· [external] Carlyle, Primus among bidders for AIG Taiwan unit-sources - Reuters - Sat 2:59 am
· [external] Philippines May bank lending weakest in year - Reuters - Sat 2:49 am
· [external] CIMB Islamic to seal 19 sukuk pipeline in 2009 - Reuters - Sat 2:11 am
· [external] Japanese companies in dash for cash; risks may grow - Reuters - Sat 1:46 am
· [external] India SBI offers Bharti $1 bln loan for MTN-sources - Reuters - Sat 12:37 am

· [external] China's CNPC, CNOOC square off for Repsol's YPF - sources - Reuters - Sat 12:24 am
· [external] ASIA LOCAL BONDS-Indonesia yields flat; easing cycle maybe over - Reuters - Sat 12:17 am
· [external] S.Korea Suhyup Bank to sell $300 mln bonds in mid-July - Reuters - Fri 11:32 pm
· [external] CORRECTED - CORRECTED-S.Korea Suhyup plans $300 mln bond sale in mid-July - Reuters - Fri 11:31 pm
· [external] TEXT-Indonesia cuts its key interest rate by 25 bps - Reuters - Fri 10:35 pm
· [external] DIARY - Turkey - to Dec 17, 2009 - Reuters - Fri 10:34 pm
· [external] S.Korea Suhyup plans to sell $300 mln bonds next wk - Reuters - Fri 10:24 pm
· [external] S.Korea may control liquidity if necessary - fin min - Reuters - Fri 10:21 pm
· [external] India cash rates steady nr 3.25 pct on reporting day - Reuters - Fri 10:14 pm
· [external] CHRONOLOGY-Indonesia rate changes since 2005 - Reuters - Fri 10:13 pm

· [external] CORPORATE ASIA SNAPSHOT-Picking up but slowly, cautiously - Reuters - Fri 10:07 pm
· [external] Westpac says to issue $540 mln in debt securities - Reuters - Fri 10:06 pm
· [external] S.Korea Suhyup Bank to sell $300 mln bonds -report - Reuters - Fri 9:51 pm
· [external] New Zealand bond issue and roadshow log - July 3 - Reuters - Fri 9:42 pm
· [external] SMFG denies report it eyeing Nikko Asset stake - Reuters - Fri 9:10 pm
· [external] Beijing asks China Mobile to buy ICBC shares-media - Reuters - Fri 9:04 pm
· [external] Thai finmin says open to ICBC offer for ACL bank - Reuters - Fri 8:30 pm
· [external] UPDATE 1-Tata Steel to sell GDRs for about $600 mln-sources - Reuters - Fri 8:26 pm
· [external] S.Korea dept store sales up for 4th month - Reuters - Fri 7:05 pm
· [external] Bank of NZ sells NZ$415 mln govt-backed bonds - Reuters - Fri 6:48 pm