The Weekly News Update is a weekly roundup of business news from around the Asia-Pacific region, covering Fusion Consulting's core industry practices: chemicals, consumer & retail, financial services, industrial & logistics, information & communication technology, life science and media & leisure. If you have colleagues or friends who may be interested in subscribing, please forward this email to them and copy knowledge@fusionc.com.       Merging with the Mainland: China's M&A opportunities   M&A activity in China continues to surge, thanks to strong economic growth and  private equity activity. With regulatory changes in 2006, several sectors should see  further M&A action in 2007 and beyond. Find out where the opportunities lie.

Financial services

Asia - India tops 2007 Asian private equity league Source: Business Times Singapore, 14 January 2008 India topped the Asian private equity league in 2007, followed by China. According to the January 2008 issue of Asia Private Equity Review, India recorded the largest number of deals (290), as well as the highest aggregate deal value (US$9.9 billion). China came in second, with a total of 240 deals totalling US$9.5 billion. The aggregate deal value for private equity in Asia in 2007 was US$42.2 billion, spread over 691 deals. China and India together accounted for 45.9% of aggregate deal value and 76.7% of the deals by number. India - Barclays to launch wealth business in India Source: Business Standard, 11 January 2008 Barclays Bank will launch its wealth management business in India in the first half of calendar year 2008 to tap the growing numbers of affluent people. Barclays Wealth will cater to high net worth individuals (US$1-30 million) and ultra HNIs (US$30 million and above). Barclays Wealth follows other biggies, including Citigroup, Merrill Lynch and Societe Generale, to tap the segment. Other global players, such as UBS, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs, are also looking to enter the segment in India. According to a Merrill Lynch-Capgemini report, India had 100,000 millionaires in 2006, up 21% from a year earlier. Different reports put the size of the Indian wealth management business at US$50-US$250 billion. Korea - Standard Chartered buys Korean bank Source: Financial Times, 12 January 2008   Standard Chartered has agreed to buy Korea's Yeahreum Mutual Savings Bank to enter the mutual savings bank market in Korea. The acquisition will enhance Standard Chartered's existing Korean consumer finance operations, broaden the current product offering and provide a presence in the economically important Jeonnam and Kyunggi provinces. Yeahreum Bank has about 50,000 retail banking customers and more than 800 corporate clients.  Standard Chartered, which owns Korea First Bank, is seeking to set up a holding company in Korea to expand into the non-banking sector ahead of the enactment of the Capital Markets Integration Act, which takes effect in 2009.     View an example of our experience in this industry. Back to list of articles.  Visit our website to sign up for free intelligence on Asian markets.

This Weekly News Update is a free newsletter, providing a round-up of the week's Asia-Pacific news from our core industry practices. If you have colleagues or friends who may be interested in subscribing, please forward this email to them and copy knowledge@fusionc.com.

Fusion Consulting is a business intelligence consultancy providing clear strategic advice on Asia-Pacific markets. With offices in Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong and 400 industry consultants in 16 countries, we conduct custom research and consulting to help companies understand their markets, compete more effectively and grow into new areas of opportunity. Email more@fusionc.com or visit www.fusionc.com for more information.