VENTURE CAPITAL POST

Japan has offered to import more rice from the United States in a compromise aimed at pushing forward the Asia-Pacific regional trade talks, the Nikkei reported on Sunday.

Asian shares stumbled on Friday and the dollar skidded against the safe-haven yen after Switzerland's central bank unexpectedly scrapped its currency cap - jolting markets already roiled by plunging commodities prices.

Asian stocks mostly edged up on Thursday after a significant rebound in oil and copper prices brought a semblance of calm, while the dollar regained ground lost on disappointing U.S. retail sales.

Asian stocks rose on Thursday after upbeat U.S. employment data and a halt to a slide in oil tempered investor risk aversion, while the euro held near a nine-year low.

Microsoft Corp expects to have its new Windows 10 operating system on the market by autumn 2015, slightly later than previous comments had suggested.

Asian stocks edged up on Wednesday after data showing the U.S. economy growing at a relatively solid pace calmed investor anxiety over slowing global growth, while the Australian dollar languished near four-year lows against the dollar.

U.S. equity prices edged off record highs on Wednesday led by weakness in the financial sector after six global banks were fined a total of $4.3 billion for currency rigging, while the oil market sagged on concerns about a supply glut.

Japanese stocks scaled seven-year highs on Wednesday on growing expectations Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will postpone a planned sales tax hike to avoid damaging a fragile recovery, and call a snap election to bolster his political standing.

Asian shares sagged on Thursday after a retreat on Wall Street and falling crude oil prices rekindled investor anxiety over slowing global growth, while a mixed picture on Chinese manufacturing failed to impress markets.

Asian stocks balked at the starting gate on Tuesday, as investors looked past solid gains on Wall Street overnight to Chinese economic growth figures due later in the session.

Stocks on Wall Street tumbled in late selling on Monday as the technical picture soured for the S&P 500, while the U.S. dollar posted its worst day in a year after comments from Federal Reserve officials hinted at delays in expected interest rate hikes.

Asian stocks stumbled to seven-month lows on Monday, while crude oil prices were pinned near a four-year trough as promising trade numbers out of China failed to cheer a market still worried about faltering global growth.

Asian stocks slid on Wednesday as worries about waning global growth lifted safe-haven bonds and the yen, while shoving oil prices to their lowest in more than two years.

Japanese stocks bounced on Monday and the U.S. dollar held near four-year highs against a basket of currencies, as upbeat U.S. jobs data boosted sentiment after a week of worries about global growth and geopolitical tensions frayed investor nerves.

Japan's Nikkei share average edged down on Friday in choppy trade, but declines were limited as the mood was supported after the dollar rose to a six-year high against the yen following the European Central Bank's monetary easing steps.