Asia Top Stories February 13

POLITICS

• China opposes North Korean missile tests that run contrary to U.N. resolutions
• Samsung Heir Faces New Questions About Role in Political Scandal

ECONOMY

• Japan's Economy Slows Again
• Japan Economy Minister Flags China, Protectionism, Yen As Risks
• People's Bank of China Resumes Issuing Reverse Repos After Six-Day Halt
• China mulls radical output cuts, port coal ban in war on smog

CORPORATE NEWS

• Huawei Plans U.S. Dollar-Denominated Bond Offering via Offshore Unit
• China's Sinochem in early talks to buy stake in Noble Group
• POSCO begins lithium production in South Korea; to supply to Samsung SDI, LG Chem

POLITICS

China opposes North Korean missile tests that run contrary to U.N. resolutions

China opposes North Korean missile tests that run contrary to U.N. resolutions, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday after North Korea said it had successfully test-fired a new type of medium- to long-range ballistic missile the previous day.

Samsung Heir Faces New Questions About Role in Political Scandal

South Korean prosecutors summoned Lee Jae-yong, the third-generation heir of the Samsung conglomerate, for a fresh round of questioning Monday, seeking answers about his role in a political corruption scandal. (published 0212 GMT)

ECONOMY

Japan's Economy Slows Again

Japan's economic growth slowed again in the final quarter of 2016 as feeble spending by consumers took the shine off a pickup in exports and business investment.

Japan Economy Minister Flags China, Protectionism, Yen As Risks

Despite a fourth straight quarter of economic expansion, Japan's economy is far from worry-free, Japan's Economy Minister Nobuteru Ishihara said Monday.

People's Bank of China Resumes Issuing Reverse Repos After Six-Day Halt

China's central bank resumed the issuance of short-term loans in the country's money market, in a move to ease tightening funding conditions after suspending the service for six trading days.

China mulls radical output cuts, port coal ban in war on smog

BEIJING China is considering forcing steel and aluminum producers to cut more output, banning coal in one of the country's top ports and shutting some fertilizer and drug plants as Beijing intensifies its war on smog, a draft policy document shows.

Global Markets Begin Week on a Positive Note

Markets in Asia extended gains, as recent actions by President Donald Trump helped soothe investor worries about ties between the U.S. and its key Asian trading partners.

CORPORATE NEWS

Huawei Plans U.S. Dollar-Denominated Bond Offering via Offshore Unit

Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd., a Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer, is planning a U.S. dollar-denominated bond offering via its offshore unit, according to a mandate announcement seen Monday by The Wall Street Journal

China's Sinochem in early talks to buy stake in Noble Group

China's state-owned Sinochem is in early talks with Noble Group to buy an equity stake in the embattled trader, three sources familiar with the matter said, in a move that would help it gain access to the commodity trader's global supply chain.

POSCO begins lithium production in South Korea; to supply to Samsung SDI, LG Chem

Steel-maker POSCO has started production of lithium in South Korea at its recently completed PosLX (POSCO Lithium Extraction) plant, according to a company press release. The new plant, which is situated at POSCO's Gwangyang Steel Works facility, has an annual production capacity of 2,500 tonnes of lithium.

ENERGY/COMMODITIES

Oil Companies' Hottest Market Is Low on Fuel

Energy firms are investing billions of dollars over the next several years in new and existing refineries across Asia, but those plans are butting up against a glut in refined fuels that analysts say could last for years.