| Several airlines in the Asia-Pacific | | | | lender Nan Tung Bank in the southern |
| region are reviewing their options after | | | | city of Zhuhai. |
| the latest delay in the delivery of the | | | | Morgan Stanley bought the bank, which |
| Airbus 380 and a U.S. investment bank | | | | has just one branch, for an undisclosed |
| has found a way into China's commercial | | | | sum from Bank of China, the country's |
| banking business. | | | | second largest lender. The purchase |
| Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines | | | | allows the U.S. bank to provide products |
| and Australia's Qantas Airways say they | | | | denominated in the local currency, the |
| are disappointed about the latest delay | | | | yuan, to corporate customers through Nan |
| in the delivery of the Airbus 380. | | | | Tung Bank. |
| The France-based European Aeronautic | | | | Normally, foreign banks have to operate |
| Defense and Space Corporation has | | | | for at least five years in China and |
| postponed the delivery of the new | | | | obtain a commercial banking license |
| super-jumbos for the third time since | | | | before being able to conduct local |
| June 2005 due to production problems. | | | | currency-denominated corporate banking. |
| Singapore Airlines will receive its | | | | India's Tata Group will launch a |
| first of 10 firmly ordered A-380s at the | | | | national chain of mega-stores for |
| end of 2007, a year later than | | | | consumer electrical appliances in |
| scheduled. Airbus deliveries to Malaysia | | | | alliance with Australian retailer |
| Airlines and Qantas will be delayed by | | | | Woolworths. |
| two years to 2008. | | | | Woolworths will provide technical |
| Qantas' chief financial officer Peter | | | | support and sourcing facilities for the |
| Gregg says the airline may revise its | | | | new stores, which will be named "Croma". |
| Airbus order and look at buying planes | | | | Tata plans to launch 30 "Croma" |
| from U.S. rival Boeing instead. | | | | mega-stores across India within the next |
| "We always look at the alternatives to | | | | 18 months, the first in Mumbai. |
| every aircraft type, and it's no secret | | | | London's famous black taxis will soon be |
| that we have looked at 747 800. We have | | | | driving on the streets of China. British |
| ordered the A 380, it would be a very | | | | specialist carmaker Manganese Bronze has |
| significant event for us to cancel those | | | | signed a $100 million-joint-venture deal |
| orders. But we have to review all our | | | | with Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely |
| options at this point of time," he said. | | | | Holdings to produce the taxicabs in |
| U.S. investment bank Morgan Stanley has | | | | Shanghai. The new plant will be able to |
| established a foothold in China's | | | | make up to 20,000 taxis a year. |
| commercial banking sector by buying tiny | | | | |