AirAsia, China Shenhua, Tsingtao: Asia Ex-Japan Equity Preview

By Berni Moestafa

Oct. 29 (Bloomberg) -- The following companies may have unusual price changes today in Asia trading, excluding Japan. Stock symbols are in parentheses, and share prices are from the previous close, unless noted otherwise.

AirAsia Bhd. (AIRA MK): The Employees Provident Fund bought 2.3 million shares in Southeast Asia's biggest discount carrier on the open market, lifting its stake to 8.2 percent, a stock exchange filing showed. Malaysia's largest pension fund acquired the shares on the open market on Oct. 22, it said. AirAsia fell 2 sen, or 1.8 percent, to 1.10 ringgit.

China Eastern Airlines Corp. (670 HK): The country's third- largest carrier posted its biggest ever quarterly loss as travel demand fell because of restrictions during the Olympic Games. The carrier had a net loss of 2.33 billion yuan ($341 million) in the third quarter compared with net income of 976 million yuan a year earlier, it said. China Eastern gained 2 cents, or 2.7 percent, to 75 cents.

China Shenhua Energy Co.(1088 HK): The nation's biggest coal producer said its third-quarter profit rose 48 percent from a year earlier to 7.89 billion yuan on increased output and fuel prices. China Shenhua added HK$1.59, or 19 percent, to HK$10.00.

China Steel Corp. (2002 TT): Taiwan's largest steelmaker, posted a 3 percent gain in nine-month profit. Net income climbed to NT$39.5 billion ($1.2 billion), the Kaohsiung-based company said. China Steel added 0.4 cents, or 1.9 percent, to NT$21.

Cnooc Ltd. (883 HK): China's biggest offshore oil and gas producer said third-quarter sales rose 69 percent to 30.9 billion yuan because of record crude prices and production gains. Cnooc advanced 28 cents, or 6.6 percent, to HK$4.52.

EON Capital Bhd. (EON MK): The Malaysian banking group said it plans a share buyback of up to 10 percent of stock. It also proposed a new employee share option plan involving up to 15 percent of stock, it said in a statement. EON dropped 14 sen, or 3.9 percent, to 3.48 ringgit.

First Philippine Holdings Corp. (FPH PM): The owner of the nation's largest electricity retailer and biggest non-state power producer said Director Federico Lopez acquired 181,969 shares at 11.63 pesos each on Oct. 24. The stock climbed 75 centavos, or 5.9 percent, to 13.50 pesos.

Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. (FMG AU): Australia's third- biggest iron ore exporter asked BHP Billiton Ltd. and Rio Tinto Group for a formal rail sharing agreement. Sharing BHP railroads in the Pilbara region of Western Australia could save the companies A$1 billion ($617 million), it said. Fortescue rose 11 cents, or 3.9 percent, to A$2.91.

International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICT PM): The largest Philippine port operator said it will help Brunei design and build the Pulau Muara Besar container terminal. ICTSI, as the company is called, said it will obtain the contract to manage the facility once the terminal is ready for operations. ICTSI gained 25 centavos, or 2 percent, to 12.75 pesos.

PT Astra Agro Lestari (AALI IJ): Indonesia's biggest publicly traded agriculture company said profit in the first nine months of the year rose 65 percent to 2.13 trillion rupiah ($195 million) on higher palm oil output and prices. Astra Agro fell 500 rupiah, or 9.8 percent, to 4,600.

PT Unilever Indonesia (UNVR IJ): The Indonesian unit of the world's second-biggest consumer-goods company said nine-month profit rose 30 percent to 2.05 trillion rupiah on increased sales of shampoos and food. Unilever declined 650 rupiah, or 10 percent, to 6,150.

Roc Oil Co. (ROC AU): The Australian explorer operating in China, Angola and Mauritania said it met operational and production targets in the third quarter. Roc pumped 9,952 barrels of oil equivalent a day, up 6 percent from the previous quarter, it said. Roc advanced 1 cent, or 2.2 percent, to 46 Australian cents.

Tsingtao Brewery Co. (168 HK): China's largest beer company by sales said third-quarter profit rose 16 percent to 318.7 million yuan ($46.6 million) under Chinese accounting standards. Tsingtao rose 10 cents, or 0.8 percent, to HK$13.20.

-With reporting by Ian C. Sayson in Manila and in Chan Tien Hin in Kuala Lumpur. Editor: Malcolm Scott.

To contact the reporter on this story: Berni Moestafa in Jakarta at bmoestafa@bloomberg.net