Asia

Metro Istanbul first inaugurated its urban rail systems in 1988 by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. The company, which continues its activities as a subsidiary of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), operates the existing metro, tram, and funicular and cable car lines in Istanbul.

When it comes to openness to trade, few companies top the rankings as regularly as Singapore. This openness is reflected in the investments the country has made to its trading infrastructure, not least its ports. For example, despite being only a country of 5.7 million people, Singapore Port was the second largest container port based on cargo capacity in Asia in 2018 with 36.6 million TEUs, coming second only to Shanghai.

Microsoft announced a $26.2 billion deal on Monday to acquire professional social platform LinkedIn for $196 per share.

Gulf Minerals is an Australian company that is developing manganese smelters in Kupang the capital of West Timor. The facilities will take advantage of the low cost of ore, with labour and power being the majority of operating costs. Indonesia’s ban on raw mineral exports was designed to encourage downstream investment in the country's mineral processing industry, and Gulf Minerals supports this policy.

A company best known for its Firefox browser, Mozilla has launched a new low-cost smartphone in India that will retail for 1,999 rupees ($33). The phone is for sale exclusively on India's online shopping site, Snapdeal.

Data just released reveals that China's economy grew by 7.5 percent in the April to June quarter, a slightly improved rate over the first quarter's 7.4 percent. As we reported recently, manufacturing output and retail sales also grew in June. However the property market, characterised by over supply, continues to languish.

On July 7, in the presence of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is on a state visit to China, and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Prof. Dr. Jochem Heizmann, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG and President and CEO of Volkswagen Group China, signed a joint declaration for two new vehicle plants in China together with Xu Jianyi, Chairman of its Chinese joint venture partner FAW.

Sometimes referred to by its species name, Withania somnifera, or in some circles as Indian ginseng, poison gooseberry or winter cherry, ashwagandha is a plant of the Solanaceae, or nightshade, family. Typically identified as a short shrub sporting small green flowers and orange-red ripe fruit, ashwagandha tends to be cultivated in many of the drier regions of India and is commonly used as a herb in Ayurvedic medicine.

Showing no sign of slowing down, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars  has reported record breaking results for the first half of 2014 with a 33% increase in worldwide car sales. 

China broke away from the US for the first time to take the lead for volume, with Europe showing the fastest growth with a 60% increase in sales. Asia has also performed well with 40% gains. With the predicable middle eastern market pushing 30% increases in sales.