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Astro All Asia Posts Record Gain on Buyout Offer (Update1) Astro All Asia Networks Plc, Malaysia’s largest pay-television operator, surged by a record after a group led by billionaire T. Ananda Krishnan bid as much as 2.5 billion ringgit ($759 million) for full control.

Sri Lanka Keeps Key Rate Unchanged for Fourth Month (Update1) Sri Lanka’s central bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged for a fourth straight month to support an economic recovery as President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government faces elections in April.

Asian ‘Vice’ Stocks Will Trump Diamonds, Nomura Says (Update1) Gambling, tobacco and alcohol stocks will trump diamonds and gold as the best “hedge” against excessive inflation or deflation in Asia, according to Nomura Holdings Inc.

Wal-Mart Considers Yuan Bond Sale in Hong Kong, Asia Chief Says Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, is considering selling yuan-denominated bonds in Hong Kong as China opens its markets, according to Asia Chief Executive Officer Scott Price.

Gulf Stocks to Chase Frontier-Market Rally, HSBC Says (Update2) Middle East stocks will likely start catching up with a world-beating rally by frontier markets after Dubai World announces a plan to restructure $26 billion in debt, said HSBC Holdings Plc’s Andrea Nannini.

Flowering Tree Grows Hedge Fund Fivefold, Outperforms Peers Flowering Tree Investment Management Pte, set up by the co-founder of New York-based Sansar Capital Management LLC, has grown its Asian equities hedge fund more than fivefold as it outperformed peers.

Australia Supports Rio’s Hu Before Trial, Rudd Says (Update1) Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Australia is doing all it can to support Rio Tinto Group iron- ore chief Stern Hu before his trial in China and the world will watch how his case is conducted.

Kenedix to Invest $332 Million in Two New Real Estate Funds Kenedix Inc., Japan’s biggest publicly traded real estate asset manager, said it will invest 30 billion yen ($332 million) in Japanese properties this year through two new funds, to take advantage of price declines.

Hong Kong Pollution ‘Very High’ at Roadside Stations (Update1) Hong Kong air pollution reached “very high” levels at three roadside stations today, prompting a government warning for people with heart and lung illnesses to avoid prolonged stays in heavy traffic areas.

Liberty Media, Elliott Said to Drop From MGM Bidding (Update3) John Malone’s Liberty Media Corp. and hedge fund Elliott Management Corp. have decided not to bid for the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. movie studio, according to people with knowledge of the bidding.

Yen, Dollar Gain on Concern Over China Tightening, Greece Aid The yen and dollar strengthened against most major currencies after a report that China’s banks were ordered to stop loans to speculators increased demand for safer assets.

India 1-Year Swaps Overstate Rate Risk, Standard Chartered Says India’s swap rates overstate the amount by which the central bank will likely raise borrowing costs, providing investors an opportunity to profit by receiving fixed payments, Standard Chartered Plc said.

ANZ Bank Business Loans Grow for First Time in a Year (Update1) Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd., Australia’s third-largest bank, said corporate lending is increasing for the first time in a year as the strengthening domestic economy bolsters business confidence.

BTIG Hires Goldman’s Lentchner as Asia-Pacific Chief (Update2) BTIG LLC hired Jesse H. Lentchner, who spent more than a decade at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. in Asia, as chief executive officer of its Asia-Pacific operations.

North Korea Executes Official for Currency Reform, Yonhap Says North Korea executed the former head of finance of its Workers’ Party after last year’s currency revaluation triggered unrest in the communist nation, Yonhap News reported, citing people it didn’t identify.

Asian Stocks Fluctuate Amid Valuation Concerns; ANZ Bank Rises Asian stocks fluctuated amid concerns a rally that drove the MSCI Asia Pacific Index to a two-month high had outpaced prospects for earnings growth.

China’s Home Prices Unlikely to Plunge, Hong Kong Builders Say China’s property prices won’t plunge this year, two of Hong Kong’s biggest developers with operations on the mainland said yesterday, as the World Bank joined economists and hedge fund managers warning of a bubble.

India Will Offer Higher Price for Potash Than China (Update1) India, the world’s biggest potash importer, will offer a higher price than China for overseas purchases of the fertilizer to ensure supplies, two government officials said yesterday.

Stupak’s Viagra Is Health Bill Abortion Ban: Margaret Carlson If I were a member of Congress (I know: God forbid. No letters, please), I would be opposed to any health-care dollars going to subsidize the purchase of Viagra. It’s just not fair that Viagra immediately won insurance coverage while birth-control pills remained largely uncovered.

Lehman’s Auditor Goes Blind From the Cooking: Jonathan Weil Ernst & Young LLP, the Big Four auditor that failed to keep Lehman Brothers from misleading investors about its financial condition, still can’t get its facts straight.

Pelosi Needs Catastrophe to Get Health-Care Fix: Caroline Baum What happens if the Democrats fail to twist enough arms and cajole enough members of the House of Representatives to vote “yes” on the Senate health-care bill?

Clinton to Push Nuclear Pact, Mideast Peace in Moscow (Update1) U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will seek to speed up the signing of a new nuclear arms- control treaty and discuss the Middle East peace process when she arrives in Moscow today.

Hartford to Raise $2.25 Billion in Stock Sale, Repay Government Hartford Financial Services Group Inc., the bailed-out insurer that hired a new chief executive officer last year, said it plans to raise as much as $2.25 billion by selling shares to repay the U.S. government rescue.

Sell Indonesia’s 10-Year Bonds on Inflation Risk, Mandiri Says Investors should sell Indonesia’s 10-year government bonds to guard against a possible pickup in inflation, according to PT Mandiri Sekuritas, a unit of the nation’s largest lender.

GE Tells Obama ‘Sell Hard’ in Indonesia With China in Pursuit General Electric Co. Chief Executive Jeffrey Immelt wants Barack Obama to “sell hard” in Indonesia as he extols U.S. expertise in industries such as clean energy. He’ll have to work fast -- Premier Wen Jiabao will make China’s sales pitch in Jakarta next month.

Regions Financial CEO Ritter Forfeits $12.3 Million By Leaving Regions Financial Corp. Chief Executive Officer Dowd Ritter, who’s stepping down after two straight annual losses, is giving up $12.3 million in promised compensation by retiring this year.

BOJ’s Loan Program Stymied as Credit Demand Wanes (Update1) The Bank of Japan’s decision to double the size of a liquidity program for banks may prove more effective in placating the government than stemming deflation.

Cold Tuna, Hot Baseball Face New Rules in Tokyo Carbon Caps Tokyo will start a city-wide cap- and-trade system next month, beating the central government to become the first jurisdiction in Japan to introduce mandatory pollution limits and trading in carbon credits.

Roche CEO Schwan Puts Science First in Pursuing Deals (Update1) Roche Holding AG Chief Executive Officer Severin Schwan said he seeks acquisitions that will bolster the company’s research programs, rather than “mega- mergers” designed to add immediate revenue.

Japanese Stocks Fluctuate; Commodities Gain, Real Estate Drops Japanese stocks fluctuated as higher prices for oil and metals boosted commodity companies, while real-estate companies declined.

Hyundai Heavy May Cut China Steel-Plate Imports on Korea Mill Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., the world’s biggest buyer of steel plates, may pare purchases from China for the first time in five years as it builds fewer vessels and considers getting supplies from a new Korean mill.

Obama Says U.S.-Israel Relations Aren’t Facing Crisis (Update1) President Barack Obama said there is no crisis in the relationship between Israel and the U.S. as a result of a clash over Israeli settlements.

Rolex’s Swiss Watch Hegemony Threatened by ‘Trendier’ Omega When it came to choosing a new watch, Ma Jun had no hesitation in selecting a $6,800 Omega Constellation over a Rolex.

‘Regulatory Bomb’ for Bankers Prompts SocGen to Calm Investors Societe Generale SA, France’s second-largest bank by market value, is telling investors that regulators are likely to soften new rules for lenders as governments seek to avoid stifling the economic recovery.

Cancun Climate Talks Get Dim Prognosis Nine Months Before Start Government negotiators are already writing off chances for a global treaty to fight climate change, nine months before the annual talks begin in Cancun, Mexico.

Patti Smith Misbehaves, Queen Loses Head: Great London Weekend Watch the blindfolded Queen of England get ready for execution as the first stop on your London weekend.

Nuremberg Museum Shows Giant-Footed Africans, Constipated Man America doesn’t exist. The people of southern Africa have giant feet that they use to shade themselves from the scorching sun by lying on their backs, legs in the air. The King of Ceylon has the largest ruby ever seen.

Erotic Art, Bob Dylan’s Paintings, David Bailey Photos for Sale Sex, the oldest subject in art, is the newest theme to be explored by auction house Phillips de Pury & Co. in its specialist sales of contemporary works.

Chuck Norris Feeds His Vampire Squid $100 Bills: Mark Gilbert A series of jokes uses the actor Chuck Norris, martial artist and star of the television program “Walker, Texas Ranger,” as a paragon of omnipotence. “Guns don’t kill people, Chuck Norris kills people,” goes one. “Chuck Norris doesn’t get wet, water gets Chuck Norris,” goes another.

Australian Stocks Rise as Japanese Futures Are Little Changed Australian stocks rose as higher prices for oil and metals boosted commodity companies, while Japanese index futures were little changed.