Idemitsu Kosan

Asian Activities Report for November 22, 2011 includes: Dry-bulk shipping company Courage Marine Group Limited (HKG:1145) has signed an agreement with Zhejiang Zengzhou Ship Building Co., Ltd for the purchase of a newly-built Supermax-sized vessel for US$26.6 million; Blackwood Corporation (ASX:BWD) announces a JORC exploration target of 2.1-3.2 billion tonnes of thermal coal at South Pentland Project in Queensland; Invictus Gold Limited (ASX:IVG) announces the first results of the maiden drill programme at the Scartwater Prospect at its 100%-owned Drummond Basin Project in Central Queensland; Yellow Hat Limited (TYO:9882) and Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. (TYO:5019) are currently discussing the formation of an alliance in wholesale, retail sales, and development of automotive accessory.

Asian shares were mostly steady on Tuesday after significant rebounds in the previous trading session. Yesterday the Dow index concluded the last trading day of November in positive territory. It was its fifth consecutive monthly gain, despite a bad news from Dubai.

Japan coal firm Idemitsu Kosan Co. (TYO:5019) will spend some 11.5 billion yen to roughly triple coal production at an Australian mine to 4.3 million tons in fiscal 2013, as demand in Asia is increasing.

Asian markets mostly ended higher Thursday. Japan's Nikkei 225 ended up 0.3%, as exporters cheered for a recent weakness in the yen. Shanghai Composite rose 0.8% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was also slightly higher in a choppy trade session. But South Korea stocks ended down the fourth day this week. The sustainability of the rising streak could be a question amid the negative outlook in global markets. Today Seoul shares opened 3 per cent lower, dragged by the financial sector.