Tokyo - Japan's current account surplus narrowed by 65.9 per cent in November to 581.2 billion yen (6.47 billion dollars), compared to the same month a year before, as goods trade fell due to a slowdown in exports, the Finance Ministry said Tuesday.

The balance of goods and services trade reported a deficit of 184.2 billion yen in November.

Japan reported a deficit of 93.4 billion yen in goods trade, down from a surplus of 907.6 billion yen a year before. Exports fell 26.5 per cent to 5.06 trillion yen.

Imports shrank 13.7 per cent to 5.16 trillion yen.

In services trade, Japan saw a deficit of 90.8 billion yen, down 20.4 per cent, as Japanese travelers spent less overseas.

London - The British government is set to own more than 40 per cent of the new "superbank" resulting from the merger of Lloyds TSB and HBOS after a disappointing shareholders' response to a recapitalization scheme.

The two banks confirmed Monday that only a small percentage of new shares under the offer totalling 13 billion pounds (19.5 billion dollars) were bought by shareholders at preferential prices under the scheme launched at the height of the banking crisis.

This means that the government will ultimately own 43.4 per cent of the new Lloyds Banking Group, which is due to begin trading next week.

Frankfurt - Shares in Germany's second biggest bank Commerzbank AG plummeted more than 14 per cent Friday after the government said it was part nationalizing the Frankfurt-based bank to help shore up its finances in the face of the global economic crisis.

Commerzbank shares have come under pressure in recent weeks with the German Government's announcement that it was planning to hold a 25-per-cent plus-one-share stake in the bank coming in the wake of market speculation that it needed fresh capital to boost its balance sheet.

Sofia - The flow of Russi

Bangkok - Delta Electronics (Thailand) will suspend its 50-million-dollar investment in a new factory in Chennai, India, and downsize operations in Thailand, news reports said Monday.

"After finishing a feasibility study, we think that the project is not viable to invest in for the time being given the current market conditions," Delta's executive director Anusorn Muttaraid told the Bangkok Post newspaper.

Dubai, 25 Dec, 2008 - Tatweer Dubai, a member of Dubai Holding, today announced Taasees, an integrated one-stop centre offering the services of 10 UAE government departments, has commenced operations from its premises at the Dubai Industrial City headquarters.

As the largest of its kind facility in the UAE, Taasees features 14 counters to provide optimum ease of service to business partners operating in and around Dubai, as well as to the general public wishing to seek its comprehensive benefits.