Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI.PH) said Wednesday its first-half net profit surged 52% from the year-earlier period helped mainly by record profits in the first quarter but the company's chief operating officer warned of challenges ahead, including a squeeze on interest margins, which may

New Zealand's Pacific Fibre, which was planning to build a second trans-Pacific communications cable network linking New Zealand, Australia and the U.S., has folded after failing to raise enough funds for the project, the company said in a statement Wednesday.

Justice Department slams report by Republican lawmakers on Operation Fast and Furious.

The estimated $4 million painting by the late pop art prince, called "Electric Cord," was last seen in 1970, when owner Leo Castelli sent it out to be professionally cleaned.

PetroChina Co. (PTR) has acquired coal seam gas acreage from Molopo Energy Ltd. (MPO.AU) that it hopes could support construction of its second gas-export venture in Australia's Queensland state.

Morgan Stanley (MS) is seeking to price today a five-year global New Zealand dollar bond with a minimum size of NZ$300 million (US$243 million), to yield 7.60% to 7.65%, according to a term sheet seen by Dow Jones Newswires Wednesday.

PTT Exploration and Production PCL (PTTEP.TH) said Wednesday it plans to request that the London Stock Exchange delist shares of Cove Energy PLC (COV.LN) from its Alternative Investment Market after Cove's shareholders, who collectively own 91.4% of the company, accepted a cash offer by a unit of

Clothing and home wears retailer Country Road Ltd. (CTY.AU) said Wednesday it will buy fashion company Witchery Group from Gresham Private Equity for 172 million Australian dollars (US$180.2 million).

Stockland Group (SGP.AU) Wednesday announced the sale of two commercial properties for A$191.6 million.

The average price of housing in 100 major Chinese cities rose in July on month for the second straight month indicating that property prices appear to have bottomed out, though analysts say a robust rebound is unlikely.