U.S. CLEARS LAND-SWAP FOR RIO-BHP COPPER MINE PROJECT 

U.S. President Barack Obama has signed into law legislation clearing a land-swap deal that will underpin the proposed US$6 billion development of one of the world's largest untapped copper deposits, Rio Tinto PLC said Monday. (published 0126 GMT)

 
 
FERROVIAL ABANDONS A$1 BILLION TRANSFIELD BID 

Ferrovial SA abandoned a 1.02 billion Australian dollar takeover bid for Australia's Transfield Services Ltd., a major setback in the Spanish construction company's plan to compete for billions of dollars of new infrastructure projects Down Under. (published 0006 GMT)

 
 
MEMSTAR TECHNOLOGY TO BUY LONGMEN GROUP VIA REVERSE TAKEOVER 

Memstar Technology Ltd. Monday said that it has signed an agreement to buy Longmen Group Ltd., a coal bed methane producer in China, via a reverse takeover of shares in a deal worth US$420 million. (published 0218 GMT)

 
 
SIHUAN PHARMACEUTICAL: JOINT VENTURE TO BUY HOSPITAL STAKE 

Sihuan Pharmaceutical Holdings, a Chinese pharmaceutical company, said Monday that one of its joint ventures will receive a capital injection of 830.7 million yuan to buy a stake in a Chinese hospital. (published 0016 GMT)

 
 
CHINA AIRCRAFT LEASING TO SELL SOME FINANCE LEASE RECEIVABLES FOR $103 MLN 

State-owned China Aircraft Leasing Group said Sunday that it entered into an agreement to sell its finance lease receivables for three aircraft to an independent trust for $103 million. (published 0003 GMT)

 
 
BANK OF EAST ASIA: THOMAS KWOK CONVICTION WON'T IMPACT COMPANY 

Bank of East Asia Ltd., Hong Kong's leading independent home-grown bank, said Monday that the conviction of Thomas Kwok wouldn't have any impact on the company. (published 0040 GMT)