World oil prices fell sharply on Wednesday as U.S. commercial crude oil inventories increased.

U.S. stocks ended mixed on Wednesday amid mild retail inflation data.

China imported 38.34 million tons of crude oil from Africa in 2005, accounting for 30 percent of its oil imports, an official with the National Reform and Development Commission (NRDC) said on Wednesday.

Trade between China and African countries is expected to surpass 50 billion U.S. dollars in 2006, a Ministry of Commerce official said in Beijing Wednesday

House prices are still rising at a fast pace in some Chinese cities and the government should continue efforts to enforce its macro-control policies on the property market, according to Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan.

Eco Expo Asia, the first ever trade fair for environmental protection in Hong Kong, will open in Hong Kong next Friday, Hong Kong Trade Development Council said Wednesday.

The gold price in Hong Kong went down 20 HK dollars to 5,485 HK dollars per tael on Wednesday, according to Bank of China (Hong Kong).

Chinese experts have predicted that the growth of China's economy will slow down over the rest of the year.

America Online (AOL) announced Wednesday it will be closing call centers in New Mexico and Arizona in mid-December, laying off 1,300 employees, as part of a previously announced restructuring plan.

Poultry experts in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region have warned of risks of bird flu being spread through poultry smuggling.