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STOCK NEWS & ANALYSIS
MEMS has yet to submit its audited financial accounts for financial year ended July 31, 2007. Its shares will be suspended if it fails to submit before end of this month.

The proposal of the restructuring of PMI is close to being approved as the authority deems the cash injection promised by its major shareholder Khoo Kay Peng as positive move. However, PMI is a PN/17 company as there is no core business directly under it. Most of its business such as retail, hotel and financial services are putting under MUIIND. Sources say Khoo is taking steps to streamline its group business by disposing non-performance business and use the fund to reduce the debt. The ongoing process might result the consolidation of his business into three core business namely retail, hotel and financial service and listed. PMCAP is on course to apply an investment bank license. Analysts have positive views on the process.

FINANCIAL NEWS
贝南克预计美国经济增长先抑后扬

国联邦储备委员会(Fed)主席本•贝南克(Ben Bernanke)周四为进一步减息留下余地，其表示，住房、劳动力和信贷市场仍对经济增长构成下行风险。

但贝南克似乎对2008年下半年和2009年经济形势感到乐观，届时财政政策和货币政策将同时发挥作用。

他说，美国联邦公开市场委员会(Federal Open Market Committee)将在必要时及时采取行动，支持经济增长，对经济下滑风险加以充分的防范。他同时暗示，由于经济政策见效需要时间，未来的政策动向将取决于Fed对经济增长和通货膨胀的中期预测以及与预测有关的风险。

贝南克同时警告，未来数月消费需求可能下滑，称劳动力市场已经出现疲软，1月就业人数有所减少；此外，能源成本的上升、股票价格的下跌和住房价值的贬值也或将对近期消费支出构成影响；住房建筑活动可能会进一步减少。

但他表示，近期推出的财政刺激政策将对2008年下半年和2009年的消费需求和投资需求构成提振。

有关通货膨胀问题，贝南克称2007年的一个重要情况是油价大幅上涨；食品价格的上涨速度也非常之快，同时美元汇价则不断走低。

他认为，通货膨胀率将有所下降，公众的长期通货膨胀预期应该仍能得到良好控制。

Fed stands ready to ease further, Bernanke says

Feb 15 (MarketWatch) -- Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Thursday the central bank was ready to cut interest rates further if fresh signs of a weaker-than-expected U.S. economy emerge.

The Federal Open Market Committee, which sets Fed monetary policy, "will be carefully evaluating incoming information bearing on the economic outlook and will act in a timely manner as needed to support growth and to provide adequate insurance against downside risks," Bernanke told the Senate Banking Committee in prepared testimony.
The Fed has done a lot to stave off a recession but stands ready to do more if the outlook darkens, he said.

The outlook for growth has deteriorated since the Fed published its last forecast in October, Bernanke said.

In his brief written remarks, Bernanke painted an "improving picture" for the economy, saying he expects a stronger pace of expansion starting later this year after an unspecified "period of sluggish growth."

Inflation should moderate from its current rate, and the public's expectation of inflation should remain "reasonably well anchored," he said.

Code/Price/Date/#Shares/Closing/Remarks
DBHD/0.3875/0906/4000/0.32/ hold
Dialog/1.639/1009/8000/1.60/ hold
Foutain/0.1475/0105/6000/0.00/ suspended
Idaman/0.3287/1025/4000/0.18/ hold
K1/0.9280/0411/4000/1.06/ hold
MEMS/0.175/0214/1000/0.18/buy back
MVest/0.804/0719/5000/0.855/ hold
Nscom/0.05/0713/1000/0.00/ suspended
Palette/0.1050/0829/4000/0.08/ hold
Putera/0.56/1115/3000/0.60/ hold
SKPRes/0.1633/1102/3000/0.145/ hold
Tebrau/1.2251/0822/4000/1.12/ hold