Grim economy data throws spotlight on crisis summit

Weak economic readings from China, Japan and Britain and a grim corporate outlook worldwide reinforced fears on Tuesday of a prolonged recession, prompting investors to look to a world leaders’ summit for solutions. Chinese import growth slowed in October and inflation fell to a 17-month low as domestic demand cooled, making it likely Beijing will cut interest rates soon to back up the government’s new economic stimulus plan. “The increasing risk of deflation will make the central bank more aggressive in loosening monetary policy,” said Hu Yuexiao, an analyst with Shanghai Securities.
In Japan, exports fell nearly 10% in the first 20 days of October, corporate bankruptcies jumped 13.4% year-on-year and sentiment in its service sector hit an all-time low, all signs the world’s second biggest economy was teetering on the brink of recession. German analyst and investor sentiment about the outlook for Europe’s largest economy improved but the ZEW survey, which measures the ratio of optimists to pessimists, still read -53.5, reflecting a large preponderance of the latter.

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Essar, Iran in talks for Azadegan oilfield

Essar Group is in talks with Iran to develop the giant Azadegan oilfield, where a deal with a Japanese firm ended last year, to ensure fuel for a planned refinery and steel plant in the Islamic nation, a company official said on Friday.

Azadegan is Iran's biggest oilfield with in-place reserves of 26 billion barrels. Japan's INPEX Holdings Inc. lost control of the field in 2006 but retains a 10 percent stake.

"December-end or early January we met Iranian authorities ... We are again meeting them later this month or early next month to take forward the issue," said Kharak Singh, head of exploration and production at Essar Oil Ltd.

Iran is drawing interest from Indian and Chinese firms, keen to help tap the world's second-largest reserves of oil and gas.

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