New World, Vanke win $439m tender

A consortium led by property developer New World Development Co Ltd and Vanke Property (Hong Kong) Co Ltd has won a tender for a rail station property project in Hong Kong for HK$3.4 billion ($439 million), the MTR Corp said on Wednesday.

The West Rail Tsuen Wan West Station development has a residential gross floor area of 62,711 square meters and is expected to provide no fewer than 894 housing units upon completion, it added.

Foxconn Int'l flags net loss in 2012

Foxconn International Holdings Ltd (FIH), the world's biggest contract maker of cellphones, said it expected to record a net loss in 2012 as a result of lower demand from some of the group's major customers.

FIH, which traditionally assembles products for key clients including Nokia Oyj, but not Apple Inc, has struggled in recent years as many of its customers' order books have shrunk.

Its parent, Foxconn Technology Group's flagship unit Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd, declined to comment in November on brokerage reports saying FIH may have taken on some production of Apple products.

In a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Wednesday, FIH said its net loss for the second half of last year was expected to be smaller than the group's first-half net loss which came in at $226.07 million, its worst ever first-half performance.

Dongfeng to tie up with Volvo

Mainland state-owned auto maker Dongfeng Motor Group Co is set to announce as early as this weekend a strategic alliance with Swedish truck maker Volvo AB, according to a Dongfeng official.

The official, who declined to be identified because the information has not been publicly released, said Dongfeng may gain access to Volvo technology, through the deal. He declined to give further details.

Mainland media reports on Tuesday had said the deal is likely to involve a joint venture to produce and market Volvo trucks in China.

Dongfeng is a major exporter of heavy trucks to emerging markets, including Africa and South America, and the alliance would help the company further expand its global reach, the official added.

Sinopec 2012 oil, gas result up 4.8%

China Petroleum & Chemical Corp, the country's largest oil refiner, said oil and natural gas production in 2012 rose 4.8 percent from a year earlier.

Crude oil output at the company, also known as Sinopec, rose 2 percent to 328 million barrels, according to a statement sent to the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

Overseas crude production increased 18 percent to 22 million barrels, while domestic output was 307 million barrels, up about 1 percent from a year earlier.

HK stocks drop as index retreats

Hong Kong stocks fell, with the city's benchmark index retreating from a 19-month high, after a technical indicator showed shares may have risen too far, too fast. Shenzhen Investment Ltd. capped its biggest gain since 2008 on plans to buy land in the city.

Shenzhen Investment jumped 16 percent as it pursues a 4.15 billion yuan ($667 million) land purchase. Guangzhou Automobile Group Co fell 4.6 percent after being cut to sell at UOB Kay Hian Ltd. China Merchants Holdings International Co dropped 4.2 percent after surging 8.8 percent on Tuesday.

The Hang Seng Index lost 0.1 percent to close at 23,635.10, with about three shares falling for every two that gained on the 50-member gauge. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index of mainland companies dropped 0.3 percent to 12,166.70.

Futures on the Hang Seng Index slid 0.2 percent to 23,629.

Bloomberg-Reuters

(HK Edition 01/24/2013 page2)