Michael Somare

Cracks open in deal to save the planet

It could save the rainforests of Borneo, slow climate change and the international community backs it. But a plan to pay tropical countries not to chop down trees risks being discredited by opportunists even before it starts.

A forest carbon market is emerging in anticipation of a UN climate deal in December in Copenhagen, expected to allow rich countries to pay to protect rainforests as a cheap alternative to cutting their own greenhouse gases.

What did I say then?

China Telecom underwriters in the money

The investment banks that handled China Telecom's US$1.39 billion share offer did a pretty good job in stabilising the share's performance in the month after the listing - keeping it trading at about 5 per cent below its HK$1.48 issue price.

The banks, which announced on Sunday that they had issued an extra 471 million shares as part of the exercise of their 15 per cent over-allotment option, emerged the winners in the deal, having turned it around from a difficult start.

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