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Yen Advances After China’s Reports Show Inflation Accelerated The yen rose against the euro and the dollar after Chinese reports showed inflation quickened, fueling concern the government will introduce further measures to temper growth.

Australian Employers Add Fewest Jobs in Six Months (Update2) Australian employers added the fewest jobs in six months in February, suggesting the central bank has room to slow the pace of future interest-rate increases.

Gates Appeals to Saudi King on Tougher Sanctions Against Iran U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates sought Saudi Arabia’s help in rallying support for tougher United Nations sanctions against Iran and urged other Persian Gulf partner nations to strengthen their militaries.

China Inflation, Industrial Production Accelerate (Update1) China’s inflation reached a 16- month high, industrial output climbed and new loans exceeded forecasts, adding to the case for the government to pare back stimulus measures.

Shinsei Said to Mull Canceling Merger, Selling Shares (Update1) Shinsei Bank Ltd., the Japanese lender backed by U.S. investor Christopher Flowers, may abandon its merger with Aozora Bank Ltd. and instead raise 75 billion yen ($830 million) selling shares, said a person with direct knowledge of the matter.

China Auto Prices Rise Most in at Least Four Years (Update1) China’s vehicle prices rose the most in at least four years in February as consumers took advantage of government incentives to buy new cars and trucks.

China February New Lending Falls, Easing Risk of Asset Bubbles China’s lending fell in February after the government told banks to limit credit growth and raised reserve requirements.

Bank of Korea’s Lee Keeps Rate at 2% at Final Meeting (Update1) Bank of Korea Governor Lee Seong Tae kept the benchmark interest rate unchanged at his final meeting as the government pressed for low borrowing costs to spur investment and cut unemployment.

Nomura Taps David Puritz of Deutsche Bank as Convertibles Head Nomura Holdings Inc., Japan’s biggest brokerage, hired David Puritz, head of U.S. convertible bond trading at Deutsche Bank AG, to run the business in New York, two people familiar with the situation said.

Asian Stocks Rise on Outlook for Japan; Mitsui & Co. Advances Asian stocks rose, sending the MSCI Asia Pacific Index toward a seven-week high, on speculation Japan’s economy is recovering and that increased demand will allow commodity producers to boost prices.

Never Trust a Naked Massa in a Tickle Fight: Margaret Carlson Republican-on-Democrat malice hardly merits a headline after “You lie” was shouted at the president during a joint address to Congress.

Pimco’s El-Erian Says Public Finance Shock May Deepen (Update2) Mohamed A. El-Erian, whose company runs the world’s biggest mutual fund, said deteriorating public finances around the world may affect the global economy more than is currently realized.

Greece Lifts a Page From Citigroup’s Playbook: Jonathan Weil Is it too much to ask for the world’s titans of government and finance to speak credibly when they open their mouths? Some of them sure seem to think so, judging by the latest news from the financial-crisis front.

China Tightens Land Purchase Rules, Bans Villas (Update1) China is requiring a down payment for land purchases equal to 50 percent of a plot’s price and prohibited the supply of land for villas as the government sought to increase affordable housing.

Japan’s Economy Grows 3.8%, Less Than First Estimated (Update3) Japan’s economy expanded less than initially estimated in the fourth quarter as companies pared spending and stockpiles as deflation deepened.

Korea’s NHN Said to Be Among Final Bidders for LDH’s Livedoor NHN Corp., the owner of South Korea’s biggest Web search engine, is among final bidders for LDH Corp.’s Livedoor Co. Internet unit, three people with knowledge of the matter said.

Japanese Stocks Rise on Economic View Report; Mitsui Gains Japanese stocks advanced after the Nikkei newspaper reported the government may lift its outlook on the nation’s economy and on speculation iron ore prices will increase as demand grows.

Brazil Central Banker Meirelles May Face Tax Probe (Update1) Brazil’s Prosecutor General has asked the Supreme Court to go ahead with an investigation into alleged tax crimes by Central Bank President Henrique Meirelles, according to the high court’s docket posted on its Web site.

BP Said to Be in Talks for Devon Assets in $5 Billion Deal BP Plc, Europe’s largest oil and gas company, is in talks to buy Devon Energy Corp.’s Brazilian and Gulf of Mexico oil assets in a transaction valued at more than $5 billion, according to a person familiar with the deal.

Bollard Says N.Z. Won’t Raise Rates Until Mid-Year (Update3) New Zealand’s central bank said it will wait until the middle of the year before raising interest rates as falling house prices and weak consumer spending are contributing to a slow economic recovery.

U.S. Governors Urge Congress to Stop EPA Carbon Rules (Update3) A group of mostly Republican U.S. governors today urged federal lawmakers to stop the Obama administration from regulating greenhouse gases under an existing law.

Ex-Bank of America Officials Win on Some SEC Claims (Update1) Two former Bank of America Corp. executives won dismissal of claims by securities regulators that they could be held liable for allegedly false statements made to clients of the bank’s Columbia Management Group unit.

Buy Asian Stocks Before ‘Lights Turn Green,’ Goldman Sachs Says Investors should buy Asian stocks after valuations dropped and before sentiment strengthens further, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said.

CapitaLand Says Boom in China Property Not a Bubble (Update1) CapitaLand Ltd., which has Chinese properties valued at more than $14 billion, said demand in China is “strong” and the real estate boom can’t be called a bubble.

World Currency Trade Rose 17% to $2.7 Trillion a Day, RBA Says Currency trading increased between April and October 2009 to $2.7 trillion a day, the first such growth since the six months to April 2008, the Reserve Bank of Australia said today, citing data from five major foreign exchange markets.

Democrats at Odds on Banning Earmarks to Companies (Update2) Democrats are at odds over an election-year proposal to ban so-called earmarks providing federal money to defense contractors, energy firms and other private companies.

Senate Passes $138 Billion Bill Extending Jobless Aid (Update2) The U.S. Senate approved a $138 billion measure that would extend unemployment benefits and provide additional aid to states in lawmakers’ second major effort this year to boost the economy.

Goldman Earned $55.7 Million From Build America Fees (Update3) Goldman Sachs Group Inc., the most profitable securities firm in Wall Street history, has made $55.7 million from the sale of $36.4 billion of Build America Bonds, about a third of the fees it earned from its municipal business, it said in response to queries from Iowa Senator Charles Grassley.

Grapevine Moth Invades Napa Valley, Threatens California Crop California grape growers have a new threat to deal with this spring, in addition to perennial concerns about frost and heat: The European grapevine moth has invaded Napa Valley, one of the top U.S. wine-producing regions.

Top London Chefs Compete for Bids to Cook in Homes: Food Buzz Twenty leading chefs helped raise a total of 400,000 pounds ($600,000) for leukemia care when they prepared dinner and auctioned off their services for private dining at the annual Leuka charity dinner on March 8 in London.

Goldman Bankers Ride Merry-Go-Round With West Pointers: Books The bankers of Goldman Sachs Group Inc. may be in for a surprise: They have more in common with West Point cadets than they know.

Greeks Brace for Protests, National Strike Over Budget Cuts Greece’s unions will shut down hospitals, airports and schools today in the country’s second general strike this year to protest Prime Minister George Papandreou’s latest round of budget cuts to curb the European Union’s biggest deficit.

Japan’s Note Yields May Fall to Six-Year Low, Chuo Mitsui Says Japan’s five-year notes may rise, pushing yields to the lowest level since August 2003, as the central bank looks to maintain its monetary-easing policy, according to Chuo Mitsui Trust & Banking Co.

AIG Ex-CEO Greenberg Leaves Cuomo’s Office After Deposition Maurice “Hank” Greenberg, American International Group Inc.’s former chief executive officer, left the Manhattan offices of New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo late today after a scheduled deposition.

Japan’s Futures Rise on Economic View; Australian Stocks Gain Japan’s futures rose after the Nikkei newspaper reported the government may lift its view on the nation’s economy. Australian stocks advanced.

Thai Bonds May Rally as Investors Brace for Protests, ING Says Thailand’s government bonds, the second-best performers in Asia this year, will extend gains as investors seek safety in fixed-income assets amid protests against Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, said ING Groep NV.

Family Genome Sequence Fewer Mutations Inherited (Update1) The gene sets of a four-member family were analyzed in research that suggested parents pass fewer gene mutations than thought to their offspring.

Silverstein May Default on Debt for 575 Lexington (Update2) New York developer Larry Silverstein, who teamed with the California State Teachers Retirement System to buy a 35-story skyscraper in 2006, now faces “imminent default” on debt tied to the property, Fitch Ratings said today.

Batista Jumps to World’s Eighth-Richest Man, Worth $27 Billion Eike Batista jumped 53 spots in Forbes magazine’s annual list of the world’s richest people and had its biggest increase in worth as the value of his Brazilian oil, mining, energy and transportation companies soared.

Solar Prospectors Chase ’Gold Mine’ Deals in China, Israel Olivier de Vergnies quit managing family fortunes at Dexia Private Bank (Switzerland) Ltd. in 2008 to run a New York start-up at 100 Wall St. that’s trying to tap riches in solar energy.