Berlin - German imports rose strongly in May, reflecting in part higher prices paid for fossil fuels, while exports from the world's top exporter remained high, according to figures released Wednesday by the state statistics office in Wiesbaden.

Imports rose 8.2 per cent on the year to 66.5 billion euros (104 billion dollars), while exports were up 2.5 per cent at 80.8 billion euros.

By comparison with the previous month, and on a seasonally adjusted basis, imports rose 0.7 per cent, while exports declined 3.2 per cent.

Most of the two-way trade was with the rest of the European Union. EU members took 52.5 billion euros worth of German exports and exported goods worth 43.3 billion euros to Germany.

Amsterdam  - Dutch Transportation Minister Camiel Eurlings on Wednesday was set to formally launch a public company founded exclusively to fight increasing traffic jams in and around the city of Ro

Hong Kong - Hong Kong's reputation as a business-savvy city was bolstered Wednesday by a survey which found that more than one third of adults invest in stocks or shares.

The survey by the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, which runs the former British colony's stock exchange, found 35.7 per cent of the city's adult population - or
2.02 million people - hold stocks or shares.

The average holding in stocks and shares is around 100,000 Hong Kong dollars (12,800 US dollars) and the typical investor is a 42-year-old with a monthly income of around 2,900 US dollars, the survey of more than 2,200 people found.

Tokyo - Japan's core machinery orders rose 10.4 per cent in seasonally adjusted terms in May to 1.11 trillion yen (10.41 billion dollars) from the previous month, the Cabinet Office said Wednesday.

Washington - The US Federal Reserve may extend its unprecedented lending to investm

Toyako, Japan - Group of Eight (G8) leaders turned to the environment and to surging oil and food prices Tuesday amid concerns that high commodity prices may further slowdown the global economy.