ASIA

Dollar Strategists Forecast End of Bear Market, 3% Gain Versus Euro in '08 The dollar is poised to end a two- year slide against the euro in 2008 as government-backed funds in Asia and the Middle East purchase U.S. assets, currency strategists say.

Asian Stocks Gain for Fourth Day; Toyota Rises on Sales, Mediatek Declines Asian stocks climbed for the fourth day to a two-week high, led by Toyota Motor Corp., after the company raised its sales forecast for next year.

Japan's Slower Growth Doesn't Merit Interest-Rate Cut, BOJ's Kamezaki Says Japan's slowing economic growth doesn't mean the central bank should lower its benchmark interest rate, said Hidetoshi Kamezaki, a member of the Bank of Japan's policy board.

Sanyo Electric Shares Fall Most in 10 Months on Possible Tokyo Delisting Sanyo Electric Co., the Japanese electronics maker that's restating six years of earnings, fell the most in 10 months in Tokyo trading after the country's main stock exchange said the shares may be delisted.

Palm Oil Gains to Record on Increasing Demand for Alternative Fuel, Food Palm oil prices in Malaysia, the global benchmark, rose to a record today as global demand for vegetable oils for food and alternative fuel outstripped supply.

Shanghai Auto to Buy Nanjing's Car Operations as Government Pushes Mergers Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (Group), China's largest automaker, agreed to buy Nanjing Automobile Group Corp.'s auto-assembly and component-making businesses as China urges its carmakers to consolidate.

Bank of Japan Board Is Concerned About Global Growth Risks, Minutes Show The Bank of Japan refrained from raising interest rates in November because of concern that ``unstable'' financial markets may derail world economic growth, minutes show.