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US dollar barometer stays at -0.5

Headline News

1. Spain's economic minister says that unemployment rate in the country could end the year above the 10.4% forecast.
2. South Africa countries have launched a regional trade zone at a summit on Sunday that aims to eliminate import tariffs, with plans for a common currency by 2018
3. Analysts see no end to falling prices or a recovery in the sector before 2009
4. Activity in the NZ service sector improved from a record low in July, the index rose to 48.9 from 45.6 in June
5. The South Korean Won hit its weakest in six weeks against the US dollar on Monday
6. South Korean President Lee Myung bak predicted that the economy would recover around the end of next year, but said that inflation would be the main challenge facing the country
7. China's property climate index was at 102.36, down by 0.72 points from June and lower by 1.64 points from a year earlier.
8. Malaysia's manufacturing sales in June rose 17.8 percent from a year earlier, on higher demand for refined petroleum, iron and steel products
9. Singapore non oil exports unexpectedly fell in July dropping 2.2% after seasonal adjustments from June, providing new evidence that a global economic slowdown is weighing on Asian imports. This was in contrast to a 3.4% rise from the market
10. Japan July Department Store Sales lower by 2.5% year on year
11. Swiss Retail Sales higher by 0.7% in June
12. Unemployment in Hong Kong rose 3.2% for the May-July period, better than the market expectation for a 3.4% rise.