WORLD'S LARGEST BANK FORMED IN JAPAN
World's Largest Bank Formed in Japan US Dollar Reaches 26 Month High Against Japanese Yen FedEx Moves Aggressively Into Latin America Foreign Ownership Ceiling Raised in S. Korea China's Exports Forecast to Shrink in 1996 with Focus on Domestic Market Grain Prices May Be On the Rise Due to Beef and Pork Concerns in Europe Bumper Crops in South Africa This Year Privatization Underway in Romania Malaysia Projects 10% of Country on Internet by 1997 Bangkok Post Launches Website Saudi Arabia to Expand Health Services Advertising Growth Expected in Middle East Pepsi-Co Takes on Coca-Cola in Global Marketplace Saudi Arabia Enforces Trademark Laws for McDonald's .....check back for more news this month!	Tokyo, JAPAN -- On April 1, the Bank of Tokyo (BOT) and Mitsubishi Bank officially formed the the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ltd., creating the world's largest bank, with assets of 72 trillion yen (US$679 billion), nearly equivalent to the GNP of China. It dwarfs any other single bank or recent merger (i.e. the new Chase Manhattan Bank in the USA) or even a theoretical combination of foreign banks such as Citicorp (USA) and National Westminster (UK). Though its assets are enormous, profit margins of Japanese banks do not compare with others. For instance, the new Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ltd. reports ROE (return on equity) of only 3%, compared with 21% ROE at Citicorp. This merger pledges to act as a stabilising force in the nation's shaky banking system and lead reform of lending practices in the industry. Though the two banks merge divergent corporate cultures (i.e. BOT encourages a more outspoken and less formal style and considered one of the symbols of newly efficient Japan, the Mitsubishi Bank is more conservative in style with regard to manners, dress, communications style), they seem, never-the-less a complementary pair. Mitsubishi is a strong, respected leader in Japan, where it makes most of its money, with 350 branches nationwide and BOT is strong abroad (where 75% of its income is derived) with branches in 45 countries. (Source: YOUR LINK HERE)
FEATURE ARTICLES May 1995 June 1995 July 1995 August 1995 September 1995 October 1995 November 1995 Vietnam - special edition December 1995 January 1996 February 1996 March 1996 May 1996 June 1996 July 1996 August 1996 September 1996 October 1996 November 1996 December 1996/ January 1997 February 1997 March 1997 April 1997 May 1997 June 1997 July 1997 August 1997 September 1997 October 1997 November 1997 December 1997 January 1998 February 1998 March 1998 April 1998 May 1998 June 1998 July 1998 August 1998 September 1998 October 1998 November 1998 December 1998 January 1999 February 1999 March 1999 April 1999 May 1999 June 1999 July/August 1999	US DOLLAR REACHES 26 MONTH HIGH AGAINST JAPANESE YEN
	USA -- The US dollar reached a 26 month high of 107.70 yen after Tokyo's news last week of the liquidation of Taiheiyo Bank. After some profit-taking, the rate eased into 107.52 by mid-morning yesterday (April 1, 1996). To discuss where you think rates may be headed, share your opinions on PANGAEA.Talk(tm) about currency rates or any other topic in the NEWS(tm).
FEDEX MOVES AGGRESSIVELY INTO LATIN AMERICA	FOREIGN OWNERSHIP CEILING RAISED IN S. KOREA
Memphis, USA -- In the next few months, FedEx will begin to implement an aggressive move into Latin America and the Caribbean in its effort to become the world's biggest packages delivery service. In the next four years, FedEx plans to offer direct service in every Latin American country. (Source: YOUR LINK HERE)	Seuol, S. KOREA -- In February, the government announced it would raise the foreign ownership ceiling. Beginning this month, April '96, foreigners will be able to hold up to 18% of most company stock, from the previous 15%. This is expected to inject up to $2 billion into the S. Korean market. (Source: YOUR LINK HERE)
CHINA'S EXPORTS FORECAST TO SHRINK IN 1996 WITH FOCUS ON DOMESTIC MARKET	GRAIN PRICES MAY BE ON THE RISE DUE TO BEEF AND PORK CONCERNS IN EUROPE
Beijing, PR CHINA -- State enterprises in PR China are shifting their emphasis away from exports onto the domestic market in order to strengthen domestic business, according to the China Daily Business Weekly. Accordingly, China's exports are forecast to shrink this year while it focuses attention to home. Related news about China's economy and new airport is available in our Country Profiles area. (Source: YOUR LINK HERE)	Paris, FRANCE -- Just as Europe began to deal with the turmoil caused by mad cow disease, a new fear about the emergence of tuberculosis in pigs arises. Beef sales are plummeting, signaling a consumer shift towards white meat. Farm officials are optimistic that this move will increase demand for more grain-fed poultry, which in turn, would increase local demand for grains, particularly wheat (hence, limiting available wheat for export). The result -- an increase in the price of grain. (Source: YOUR LINK HERE)
BUMPER CROPS IN SOUTH AFRICA THIS YEAR	MALAYSIA PROJECTS 10% OF COUNTRY ON INTERNET BY 1997
Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA -- Farmers' prayers in South Africa for deliverance from drought were answered with better than projected yields of maize, sugar, cotton, tobacco, tea and coffee. For example, South Africa's National Crop Estimates Committee forecasts a 9.563 million tonne maize harvest this year, which is more than double 1995's revised figure of 4.405 million tonnes. The bigger crop reflects increased plantings and good rains which have filled the dams, after years of devastating drought. (Source: YOUR LINK HERE)	Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA -- Currently, there are an estimated 20,000 reported internet users out of a population of 19 million in Malaysia; though it is estimated that there are actually 3 users for each internet subscriber's address. Given recent growth trends of 22%/month in 1995, the Director-General of the Malaysian Institute of Microelectronic Systems (MIMOS) estimates that if growth is maintained, 10% of Malaysia's population will be online by the end of 1997. Government-backed MIMOS is the sole Internet provider in the country through its network called Jaring (which is Malay for ``net''). MIMOS plans to link all 9,000 schools and colleges in the country to the internet by the end of the decade. (Source: YOUR LINK HERE)
PRIVATIZATION UNDERWAY IN ROMANIA	BANGKOK POST LAUNCHES WEBSITE
Bucharest, ROMANIA -- Romania is undergoing a major privatization program, in which 17 million people (the adult population) have the opportunity to claim ownership vouchers of local companies. It is expected that 60% will exercise their vouchers. Critics claim that the "good stuff" isn't even part of this program -- entities likely to retain real economic power in the hands of the state such as utilities companies. The goverment, however, denies that the economy will remain under state control and says that it intends to sell everything left over after this mass subscription program according to Economic Reform Council Manager, Nicolae-Mihail Marinescu. To prosper into the next century, Romania still needs to attract foreign investment. Since the fall of communism it has garnered only about 1/10th, or just over $1 billion, of the foreign investment won by neighbouring Hungary. For related news about Romania, read about their trade surplus in our Country Profiles area. (Source: YOUR LINK HERE) PEPSI-CO TAKES ON COCA-COLA IN GLOBAL MARKETPLACE London, UK -- PepsiCo Inc. launches a new (US$750 million) advertising and marketing program aimed at its leading global rival, Coca-Cola. Among the more vivid changes in this global blitz is the new Pepsi can color -- electric blue. And to reinforce it, they painted a Concorde jet to match the new can -- blue. This is part of Pepsi's efforts to unify its global image, which now encompasses different style cans, flavors, promotional materials, including billboards that are up to 20 years old in some markets. Much of this effort is focused on the UK market, where Pepsi is also battling local supermarket cola brands (which together own 34% of the market). Behind Coke, Pepsi also rivals Virgin Cola brand for second place. In the UK, Virgin has 7.5% market share vs. Pepsi's 10% (down from 21% in 1993). At present, rival Coke sells three times more globally than Pepsi, though foreign profits for Pepsi were up 16% in 1995 vs. 1994. In the US, Coke is also the leader, with a 43% share vs. Pepsi's 31% of the market. Beyond the UK, international efforts at Pepsi are exploring opportunities in emerging markets, where growth exceeds 20% compared with 4-5% growth in more mature soft drink markets. See information about Mountain Dew launch in the UK.	Bangkok, THAILAND -- Bangkok Post (a local Thai English-language newspaper) has established its own WWW site to provide local and international news to the Internet community. (Source: YOUR LINK HERE) SAUDI ARABIA TO EXPAND HEALTH SERVICES Riyadh, SAUDI ARABIA -- Saudia Arabia is undergoing significant changes in recent years, with the recent emphasis on education opportunities for boys and girls and now expansion of health services throughout the country. The Health Minister announced plans to build 2,000 primary health care centers with a capacity to serve 500 - 2,000 people in each facility. While a time-frame was not disclosed, the ministry planned to complete several projects during the current sixth development plan of 1995-2000. (Source: YOUR LINK HERE) ADVERTISING GROWTH EXPECTED IN MIDDLE EAST Dubai, UAE -- Advertising expenditures in the Middle East totaled US$1.3 billion in 1995. Of this, the Gulf accounted for US$580 million and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for US$151 million. Expected growth rate in the region is estimated at 20%, according to Gulf News. The International Advertising Association (IAA) in Dubai expects that attendance at its upcoming conference, the Middle East Exhibition for Marketing, Media and Advertising will reflect this upturn. (Source: YOUR LINK HERE) SAUDI ARABIA ENFORCES TRADEMARK LAWS FOR MCDONALD'S Manama, SAUDI ARABIA -- Like other Gulf Arab states, Saudi Arabia is keen to enforce its intellectual property rights laws for trademarks, copyrights and patents to attract foreign investment. McDonald's opened its first outlet in Saudi Arabia in December 1993 and had registered its trademark in the Kingdom. A recent trademark dispute was settled in favor of McDonald's against the owner of a local restaurant whose sign carried a logo similar to McDonald's arches. In the settlement, McDonald's paid them an equivalent of US$500 to have the sign changed. Saudi Arabia's current trademark law was issued in 1984. (Source: YOUR LINK HERE)
.....check back for more news this month!

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