16 theSun | FRIDAY JULY 31 2009

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Air traffic falls 7.2% in June,

hit by H1N1 flu: IATA
GENEVA: International air passenger reported compared to the figure for the IATA said that even though the
EXCHANGE RATES July 30, 2009

traffic fell by 7.2% in June over 12 same month a year ago. sharp decline in demand slowed in Foreign currency Bank sell Bank buy Bank buy
months, with the swine flu pandemic Latin American airlines posted a June compared to the rate in previous TT/OD TT OD
adding a blow to an airline industry 4.7% drop in passenger demand, but months, airlines had not reduced their
already depressed by the economic this is “significantly better” than the capacity to match the fall. 1 US DOLLAR 3.5720 3.5070 3.4970
crisis, IATA said yesterday. 9.2% plunge in May, said IATA. “As a result, June revenue on in- 1 AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR 2.9610 2.8310 2.8150
“These are extremely challenging IATA said there were “early indica- ternational markets fell by a shocking 1 BRUNEI DOLLAR 2.4800 2.4190 2.4110
times for airlines. There are no signs tions” that the Latin American region 25-30%,” it said. 1 CANADIAN DOLLAR 3.2900 3.2090 3.1970
of an early economic recovery,” said was beginning to recover from the im- Meanwhile, international air cargo 1 EURO 5.0360 4.9150 4.8950
Giovanni Bisignani, director-general pact of swine flu but pointed out that traffic was down 16.5%, a 13th month Love 1 NEW ZEALAND DOLLAR 2.3560 2.2530 2.2370
of the International Air Transport As- there was “still uncertainty around the running of contracting demand. in spirit
sociation (IATA). spread of Influenza A(H1N1) and its “There has been some improve- 1 PAPUA N GUINEA KINA 1.4840 1.2520 1.2360
“Other external risks are potentially effect on travel.” ment in world trade and, after adjust- only 1 SINGAPORE DOLLAR 2.4795 2.4190 2.4110
great, including rising oil prices and North American carriers also saw ing for seasonal fluctuations, freight pg 18 1 STERLING POUND 5.8740 5.7320 5.7120
the impact of Influenza A(H1N1) on the sharp decline in traffic ease in volumes rose six percent from the low 1 SWISS FRANC 3.2980 3.2190 3.2040
demand,” he added. May, with demand falling just 6.7% in point recorded in December 2008,” 100 ARAB EMIRATES DIRHAM 99.0400 93.7100 93.5100
IATA estimated that the effects of June compared to 10.9% in May. IATA said. 100 BANGLADESH TAKA 5.3400 5.2100 5.0100
swine flu shaved up to four percentage European carriers meanwhile At the current pace, air cargo traffic
points off growth rates for Asian-Pacific posted a fall of 7.1%, compared to the would take “several years” to return to 100 CHINESE RENMINBI N/A N/A N/A
carriers in June, when a 14.5% fall was May drop of 9.4%. early 2008 levels, it said. – AFP 100 DANISH KRONE 69.6800 64.0100 63.8100
100 HONGKONG DOLLAR 46.9100 44.4300 44.2300
100 INDIAN RUPEE 7.6700 7.0500 6.8500
but did not provide detailed heavily on earnings. Sharp, 100 INDONESIAN RUPIAH 0.0374 0.0314 0.0264
(RM366.2 million) a year earlier.
figures, saying that “the which started out making 100 JAPANESE YEN 3.7630 3.6720 3.6620
“With the sudden market downturn
briefs brought on by the worldwide reces-
sion and financial crisis from last fall
high volatility of market de-
velopments does not permit
belt buckles and pencils and
has since become a leader
100 NEW TAIWAN DOLLAR
100 NORWEGIAN KRONE
N/A
59.0300
N/A
54.1700
N/A
53.9700
onward, sales volume decreased,” the any reliable forecasts to be in LCD televisions under the 100 PAKISTAN RUPEE 4.4300 4.1300 3.9300
firm said. – AFP made for the rest of fiscal Aquos brand, is cutting jobs
Mitsubishi Motors year 2009. and streamlining in a bid to
100 PHILIPPINE PESO 7.5800 7.1300 6.9300
bleeds red ink in Q1 “Based on the extremely recover from its first ever 100 QATAR RIYAL 99.6300 94.7700 94.5700
VW profit plunges 81%, weak business in the first year in the red. 100 SAUDI RIYAL 96.7800 92.0600 91.8600
TOKYO: Japan’s Mitsubishi Motors
Corp said yesterday it remained in outlook uncertain six months of 2009, we Sharp maintained its out- 100 SOUTH AFRICAN RAND 46.9600 42.9900 42.7900
the red in the fiscal first quarter as FRANKFURT: Germany’s Volkswa- continue to expect that our look to return to profit on a 100 SRI LANKA RUPEE 3.2400 2.9700 2.7700
the global economic slump battered gen, the biggest European carmak- earnings will not reach the full-year basis. – AFP 100 SWEDISH KRONA 49.5200 45.0200 44.8200
demand, but said it expected to return er, said yesterday it managed to level of previous years.” 100 THAI BAHT 11.2600 9.5500 9.1500
to profit this year. remain in the black despite an 81% – AFP Rolls-Royce profits Source: Bernama
Japan’s fourth-largest automaker plunge in its first-half net profit but
soar to £1.86bil
posted a net loss of ¥26.4 billion the outlook remains uncertain. Nintendo Q1 profit LONDON: British engine
(RM976.8 million) for the April-June VW posted a net profit of €494
period, against a year-earlier profit million (RM2.42 billion), down from
dives maker Rolls-Royce reported KL market summary
of ¥10.3 billion (RM381.1 million), a €2.57 billion (RM12.59 billion) in TOKYO: Sales of Nintendo’s yesterday a six-fold rise in net
company statement said. the same period a year earlier, and hit Wii console have plunged, profit to £1.86 billion (RM10.66 JULY 30, 2009
Cost cuts failed to return the com- below analyst forecasts of around triggering a sharp drop in the billion), for the first half of the
pany to the black after a big loss in the €524 million (RM2.567 billion). video game titan’s profits after year. INDICES CHANGE
year to March, as a stronger yen and Sales fell 9.4% in the six months years of spectacular growth, Rolls-Royce said in a results FBMEMAS 7,836.66 -7.71
plunging sales ate into profitability. to €51.2 billion (RM250.88 billion), a the company said yesterday. statement that revenues rose FBM-KLCI 1,160.66 -3.82
Revenue more than halved to statement added. Nintendo has been riding 27% to £5.14 billion (RM30 INDUSTRIAL: 2,537.00 -25.03
high in recent years after billion) in the six months to CONSUMER PRODUCT 344.88 -1.03
¥259.1 billion (RM9.58 billion) from Business was “significantly af-
trumping rivals Sony and Mi- June, compared with the INDUSTRIAL PRODUCT 89.23 -0.74
¥610.1 billion (RM22.57 billion), sad- fected by the global financial and CONSTRUCTION 223.46 +1.46
dling the company with an operating economic crisis,” the company crosoft in the battle for domi- same period of 2008. The
TRADING SERVICES 153.58 -0.17
loss of ¥29.6 billion (RM1.1 billion), said. nance of the multi-billion dollar group’s order book jumped FINANCE 9,477.60 +1.89
compared with a profit of ¥9.9 billion VW maintained its 2009 outlook home video game industry £2 billion (RM11.7 billion) to a PROPERTIES 746.82 +1.15
with its family friendly Wii. record £57.5 billion (RM337.7 PLANTATIONS 5,598.83 -24.85
But the console’s world- billion) while it also raised the MINING 326.26 +6.08
wide appeal appears to be shareholder dividend. FBMSHA 8,028.36 -10.80
fading, with sales dropping to “The global trading environ- FBM2BRD 5,234.29 +63.33
2.23 million units in April-June, ment remains very difficult TECHNOLOGY 16.78 +0.58
down from 5.17 million a year and we believe the recovery TURNOVER VALUE
earlier. is likely to be slow,” said chief
788.848mil RM1.477bil
Together with a stronger executive John Rose in the
yen, the weak demand pushed earnings release.
Nintendo’s net profit down “Our performance in the
60.6% in the quarter from a
year earlier to ¥42.32 billion
first half has enabled us to
confirm our guidance for the
Share prices end
(RM2.07 billion). Revenue
slid 40.1% to ¥253.50 billion
full-year and to increase the
interim payment to sharehold-
on mixed note
(RM9.38 billion). ers.” – AFP SHARE prices on Bursa Malaysia were mixed at close
“In the console business, as investors shifted interest from bluechips to the
there were fewer blockbuster Shell Q2 profit lower liners, dealers said.
software titles that briskly The bluechips were weaker due to follow through
drove hardware sales,” a com- slumps 67% profit taking from Wednesday while the lower liners
pany statement said. – AFP LONDON: British energy gi- saw some buying interest.
ant Royal Dutch Shell said “I think the CI now is under technical correction
Sharp in red, eyes yesterday its second-quar- and it could hit a bottom of 1,134 before we see a
ter net profit plunged 67% rebound,” said SJ Securities’s technical analyst Phua
full-year profit to €3.82 billion (RM18.72 Kwee Hock.
TOKYO: Japan’s Sharp Corp billion) on tumbling crude He said investors will also be looking at US eco-
said yesterday it booked a oil prices. nomic data namely the unemployment data and the
net loss of US$265 million On a “current cost of second quarter gross domestic product growth, which
(RM932.8 million) in the supplies” basis, adjusting is due for release later yesterday.
three months to June on for changes in the value of “Overall, the market expects the US data to be
lower sales and restructur- oil held in stock, Shell said neutral but we never know,” he said, adding that the
ing charges, but expects to profits dived 70% to US$2.34 market was anticipating a contraction in the US GDP
return to profit for the full billion (RM8.307 billion) in but not more than 1.5%.
year. the three months to June, Advancers beat decliners by 353 to 240 while 254
The company reported compared with the same counters were unchanged, 385 untraded and 32 oth-
a net loss of ¥25.2 billion period last year. ers suspended.
(RM932.8 million) for the Shell said production fell Among heavyweights, Sime Darby slipped 10 sen
April-June quarter, revers- 5% to 2.96 million barrels to RM8.00, Maybank eased five sen to RM6.50, Bumi-
ing a year-earlier profit of of oil equivalent per day, as putra-Commerce rose 10 sen to RM10.30 and Tenaga
¥24.9 billion. Restructuring output was hit once again by increased five sen to RM8.15. – Bernama
costs of ¥9.6 billion weighed violence in Nigeria. – AFP