OIL prices rose yesterday after a government report showed a dramatic drop in US crude supplies. Benchmark crude rose US$1.43 to finish at US$98.67 a barrel in New York. Brent crude was up 98 cents, ending at US$107.71 a barrel in London.  read more

The deposits at China's four major banks — Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China and China Construction Bank — have been reduced by 400 billion (US$63 billion) in the first ten days of December, according to a bank source.  read more

Nine-tenths of China's private manufacturers and small businesses will shut down unless they continue evading taxes or the Chinese government reduces the tax burden on small firms, according to Zhou Tianyong, deputy-director of China's International Strategic Research Bureau at the Party School, the Chinese Communist Party's official training institution.  read more

IN a spacious, luxury apartment perched on the leafy hills of Hong Kong, Kai-Yin Lo browses through a trove of Chinese art acquired over several decades, reflecting how her niche, scholarly pursuit has now hit the mainstream.   read more

CHINA will remain the world's No. 1 market for initial public offerings this year against weaker Western bourses, but more than four-fifths of Chinese investors have lost money in the process, according to industry reports.   read more

China's foreign reserves decreased by 24.9 billion yuan (US$3.92 billion) in October, registering negative growth for the first time in any single month since December 2007, the Guangzhou-based 21st Century Business Herald reports on its website, citing statistics released by the People's Bank of China.  read more

Chinese shops and restaurants have been squeezed by high commission fees charged by banks for credit card transactions, while new regulation aims to relieve the pressure by lowering the costs incurred by businesses.  read more

Economists at various investment banks expect China's GDP to hover around or above 8% next year, while the country's economy is likely to see a "soft landing."  read more

Wen Jiabao, China's premier, on Dec. 19 called on Chinese technology engineers to become the "next Steve Jobs" and said that China also needs a brand name like Apple.  read more

IN a spacious, luxury apartment perched on the leafy hills of Hong Kong, Kai-Yin Lo browses through a trove of Chinese art acquired over several decades, reflecting how her niche, scholarly pursuit has now hit the mainstream.  read more