Week ahead in Asia & Pacific from July 5

Following are some of the main Asia and Pacific news events
expected this week (all times GMT).

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SATURDAY, July 5

SEOUL - Street protests called by civic groups and labour
activists against the South Korean government's economic
policies. Recent protests have led to a crisis for the
government and delayed President Lee Myung-bak's plans for
economic reforms.

SAPPORO, Japan - Peace walk by activists, including anti-G8
protesters. Organisers estimate 5,000 to 10,000 to take part in
the march through central part of Sapporo, with speeches,
singing and maybe dancing, to protest against the G8 leaders
summit taking place in another part of Hokkaido, northern
Japan.

- - - - -

SUNDAY, July 6

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's opposition holds mass protest
against fuel price hikes amid rising political tensions that
has seen sex, sodomy, murder and cover-up claims against top
politicians.

SAPPORO, Japan - Non-government organisations hold People's
Summit, seen as an alternative to the G8 summit. Themes include
environment, peace and human rights, development and poverty.

- - - - -

MONDAY, July 7

TOYAKO, Japan - Leaders of the world's richest nations
gather in a luxury hotel overlooking Toyako, a lake and hot
springs resort in Hokkaido, northern Japan, for the annual
summit of the Group of Eight industrialised nations.

Climate change, along with soaring food and oil prices will
dominate the agenda but issues ranging from North Korea's
nuclear programme to Zimbabwe's election crisis will likely be
discussed by the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany,
Italy, Japan, the United States and Russia.

Japan has invited the leaders of major economies such as
India and China to join discussions on climate change, while
seven African leaders will join talks on development issues for
their continent during the summit running till July 9.

- - - - -

TUESDAY, July 8

TOYAKO, Japan - Day two of G8 summit, focus expected to be
on soaring food and oil prices, and climate change.

- - - - -

WEDNESDAY, July 9

TOYAKO, Japan - G8 working session with leaders of Brazil,
China, India, Mexico, South Africa.

SINGAPORE - International Monetary Fund's working group on
sovereign wealth funds meets (until July 10) as part of efforts
to draw up a code of practice for wealth funds amid concerns
governments might use acquisitions in other countries to
advance their own national interests. Funds from China, Abu
Dhabi, Norway, Russia and Singapore are among those expected to
attend.

- - - - -

THURSDAY, July 10

HONG KONG - Macau gambling tycoon Stanley Ho's casino
flagship SJM makes its long-awaited stock market debut in Hong
Kong after a nearly $500 million initial public offering. Ho
hopes the offering will cash in on a gambling boom in the
former Portuguese colony despite slumping financial markets and
a global economic slowdown that has forced many companies to
scrap or suspend fund raising plans.

SEOUL - The central bank is expected to keep interest rates
on hold at its monthly meet, bucking regional trends toward
tighter monetary policies. Analysts expect the Bank of Korea to
lean toward supporting growth and use other methods to control
cost-push inflation such as intervening to strengthen the won
currency. The bank has left rates unchanged for 10 straight
months.

BEIJING - China, the workshop of the world, details June
trade data. Exports have held up well in the face of a sluggish
U.S. economy, but are no longer expanding at the torrid rate of
the past few years. Financial markets will be looking for
evidence of a further slowing in exports, which will also
provide clues on the country's industrial production growth
after the devastating earthquake in Sichuan.

- - - - -

FRIDAY, July 11

SEOUL - South Korea's POSCO (005490.KS: Quote, Profile, Research), the world's fourth
largest steel maker, is expected to report strong earnings as
it was able to raise prices to offset soaring raw material
prices. But investors fear slowing global demand from big steel
buyers like automakers and construction companies could curb
steel sales in coming months and make it harder to pass on
higher costs.

WELLINGTON - Apple (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) begins the Asia launch of its
much-hyped iPhone, hoping it will rack up impressive sales in
the tech-crazy region and help the company surpass its sales
goal of 10 million units by the end of 2008.

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