Asian shares mixed in holiday-thinned trade

[HONG KONG] Asian markets were mixed in Easter holiday-hit trade Monday, with Japan's Nikkei rallying on the back of a weaker yen as data showed the country's trade deficit quadrupled in March.

Tokyo rose 0.83 per cent and Singapore added 0.24 per cent, while Shanghai was 0.53 per cent lower and Seoul eased 0.25 per cent.

Hong Kong, Sydney and Wellington were closed for the Easter holidays.

With markets in most of Europe and the United States closed on Friday and Monday, business was thin as investors look ahead to the release this week of preliminary manufacturing data from around the world as well as US retail and house price figures.

Two-thirds of underwater search done, no sign of MH370

[PERTH] Two-thirds of the planned underwater search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been completed, with no signs so far of the jet, Australian officials said Monday.

As many as 10 military aircraft and 11 ships are taking part in the search for the aircraft, which was carrying 239 people when it vanished on March 8 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

No debris from the plane has been found despite an intense air and sea search and hopes centre on the underwater autonomous vehicle (UAV) Bluefin-21 finding wreckage on the Indian Ocean seabed.

"Bluefin-21 has searched approximately two thirds of the focused underwater search area to date," the Joint Agency Coordination Centre managing the search said in a statement.

Apple, Google vie to offer exclusive game apps: WSJ

[CALIFORNIA] Apple Inc and Google Inc are wooing game developers to ensure that top game titles arrive first on devices powered by their respective operating system, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Both the companies are trying to lure game developers by offering premium placement to these games on their app stores'home pages and features lists, the daily said. Both Google and Apple were not immediately available for comment outside regular U.S. business hours.

Apple had struck a deal with Electronic Arts Inc last August to promote the game "Plants Vs Zombies 2" prominently in its App Store, and had a similar arrangement with ZeptoLab to promote the sequel to its popular puzzle game "Cut the Rope", which released in December, the Journal reported.

StanChart, Tigerair tie up on airline credit card

[SINGAPORE] Standard Chartered and budget carrier Tigerair have tied up to launch a no-frills airline credit card.

"We have carried out research which clearly indicates that travel-related spends and spends on no-frills airlines have increased," said Som Subroto, regional consumer banking head of Standard Chartered (Singapore and South-east Asia). "This credit card would suit value-conscious travellers in Singapore perfectly."

According to the bank, travel-related spending on credit cards has grown by at least 35 per cent year-on-year while spending on budget carriers has jumped 20 per cent.

Dubbed the Standard Chartered Tigerair Platinum credit card, it gives cardholders perks when they fly Tigerair such as priority boarding, seat selection, luggage allowance upgrades as well as a free Stripes membership worth $29.95 for access to fare promotions ahead of the public.

Other benefits include more than 1,000 Standard Chartered dining deals and retail discounts.

In addition, those who opt for the "Upfront Rewards" plan when they sign up for the credit card receive a free, all-inclusive one-way Tigerair ticket.

The ticket can be used for 11 destinations, including Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur. But cardmembers will need to chalk up $5,000 in spend over a 12-month period, failing which there will be a $100 penalty fee. New card applicants will receive an additional bonus one-way Tigerair ticket when their application is approved.

However, the card also offers cardholders the option of a typical rewards programme for those who opt for the "Future Rewards" plan instead, where points can be collected to redeem tickets on Tigerair and other gifts. Every $1 spent is worth one reward point.

Said Koay Peng Yen, chief executive of Tiger Airways Holdings: "Tigerair is all about empowering our customers to accumulate great travel experiences and memories, and this new credit card is aimed at delivering part of that promise."

The annual fee for the card is $180, although Standard Chartered and Tigerair are currently offering a two-year waiver for the principal card.

Alia Bhatt: My parents aren’t members of my fan club!

Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt says her mother Soni Razdan and father Mahesh Bhattcriticise her work and are not members of her fan club. “I think both of them are critical of my work. My dad is a fantastic filmmaker and mother is an actress. They both have a certain opinion, but they never praise me. They will never be the first members of my fan club,” said Alia.

Alia said that her actor-director mother, Soni Razdan contributed immensely to her career. “She has made the biggest contribution to my career. She makes sure I eat healthy, controls my diet and everything. She is the captain of my ship,” Alia said.

Her mother is set to direct her in an adaption of Manju Kapur’s award winning novel ‘Difficult Daughters’, she said. Alia said that she would like to work with her actress-filmmaker step sister Pooja Bhatt.

“I would like to work with Pooja. It is a dream for me, my sister Shaheen and Pooja to do a film together. I will act in the film, Shaheen will direct and Pooja will produce it,” Alia said.

Collectors in India buy letters written by Mahatma Gandhi, John Kennedy for up to $500,0000

Even in this age of social media, MK Gandhi's handwritten letters attract dedicated followers at home and abroad. Last week, his letters, along with those by legends like Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and Charles Robert Darwin, found their way to India with Nathan Raab, the second-generation owner of The Raab Collection, in search of prospective buyers.

FIIs invest Rs 6,783 crore in Indian stock market in April

NEW DELHI: Foreign investors have pumped in about Rs 6,800 crore ($1.3 billion) in the domestic stock market so far this month on hopes a reform-oriented government will be formed after the general elections.

Total investment by foreign institutional investors (FIIs) in equities since January 2014 has risen to about Rs 28,979 crore ($4.78 billion).

"FIIs are bullish on India...They are expecting a stable government emerging post-electi .. 

Results to rule stock market amid derivatives expiry this week

NEW DELHI: Quarterly earnings of bluechips such as HDFC BankBSE -0.92 %, Maruti Suzuki IndiaBSE 0.78 % and ICICI BankBSE 3.25 % would dictate the trend on stock markets this week which may also see volatility amid expiry of derivatives on Wednesday, say analysts.

Stock markets are closed on Thursday due to general elections in Mumbai.

HDFCBSE 1.08 % Bank, Cairn IndiaBSE 1.57 %, Maruti Suzuki India, ICICI Bank ACCBSE 1.08 %, Amb .. 

Narendra Modi flays Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi of cheating youths by promising them jobs

BILASPUR/NASHIK: Narendra Modi today accused Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi of cheating youths by promising them jobs and asked the young voters to remove the "mother and son" UPA government from the Centre. Taking a jibe at UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra, Modi said youth of the country never received jobs, but "jijaji" (brother-in-law) received it.

"During the last Lok Sabha elections the mother and son government had promised jobs to 10 crore youth but they .. 

Sonam’s newfound crush - Chris Martin

Actress Sonam Kapoor might not have gone public about her relationships, but she has no qualms about revealing her admiration for Coldplay's frontman Chris Martin.

The 28-year-old shared her fondness for the British rockstar on Twitter.

READ: ​Who is Sonam Kapoor dating?

"God! I have such a big crush on Chris Martin. He almost trumps over Bourdain (chef-author-TV personality Anthony Bourdain)," Sonam 

When actors were asked to KISS 30 times!

Ever since the first trailer of Subhash Ghai's directorial venture 'Kaanchi' got released, it is being talked about. Now the latest buzz on the film is that its lead actors- Mishti Mukherjee and Kartik Aryan- tried 30 times before they could make their kiss look perfect.

Also read: 'Kaanchi' embraces advanced 3D sound technology

A Free Press Journal report says that newcomers got so emotional while shooting the kissing scene that the director had to re-shoot that particular kiss 30 times before he gave his final approval. Rumours also suggest that their onscreen intimacy has brought two of the two actors close in real life and they hang out together too and are apparently in a relationship.

ALSO READ: Revealed: Poster of Subhash Ghai's 'Kaanchi

Well we hope their off-screen chemistry reflects onscreen and they are able to set new box-office records too. What say?

Listen to Kaanchi song....Watch kaanchi trailer