Nov 9 (Reuters) – Sina Corp , the operator of
China’s largest Internet portal, swung to a third-quarter loss
on steep investment losses and said it doesn’t expect a
significant increase in advertising spending next year.

The company, which runs the Weibo microblogging platform
with more than 250 million users, is turning itself into a
full-fledged social networking site, pitting itself against the
likes of Kaixin001 and Renren .

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – WPP Llc (WPP.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), the world’s largest advertising company, sees China overtaking Britain as its second biggest market in two to four years, its chief executive said on Sunday.

The company, which last week cut its 2011 outlook due to slowing growth in the United States and the euro zone debt crisis, has been making a string of small acquisitions and investments in China.

By Melanie Lee and Alexei Oreskovic

(Reuters)- Top Chinese search engine Baidu Inc forecast strong sales that topped Wall Street estimates, after reporting robust quarterly earnings, shrugging off concerns that a weak economy could hit advertisers.

Baidu said spending by large customers was significantly better than it expected in the third quarter and its 80 percent rise in quarterly net profit was driven by spending by online retailers.

Oct 28 (Reuters)- Top Chinese search engine Baidu Inc
forecast strong sales that topped Wall Street
estimates, after reporting robust quarterly earnings, shrugging
off concerns that a weak economy could hit advertisers.

Baidu said spending by large customers was significantly
better than it expected in the third quarter and its 80 percent
rise in quarterly net profit was driven by spending by online
retailers.

SHANGHAI, Oct 27 (Reuters) – Infosys Ltd , India’s
No.2 software services exporter,
is looking for acquisitions worth up to $700 million, Infosys’
Executive Co-Chairman Kris Gopalakrishnan said on Thursday.

Infosys has been on the hunt for acquisitions in the
healthcare and life science sectors and is looking at firms that
have platforms or niches in geographies that its lacks.

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Giant movie screen maker Imax Corp expects the number of Imax screens in China to more than double in the next two to three years as disposable incomes rise and more Chinese movies are made for the format, its chief executive said on Wednesday.

Imax, which will have 85 screens in mainland China by the end of 2011, will see that number rise to 200 in two to three years, Chief Executive Officer Richard Gelfond told Reuters.

BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China will intensify controls of online social media and instant messaging tools, the ruling Communist Party said in an agenda-setting document that marks the government’s highest-level reaction so far to the explosive growth of microblogs.

Beijing’s vow to strengthen Internet administration and promote content acceptable to the ruling party appeared in the communique of a recent party leadership conclave published in the official People’s Daily on Wednesday.

SHANGHAI/TAIPEI (Reuters) – Some of Apple Inc’s suppliers in China have once again come under scrutiny, with state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) accusing them of causing pollution.

Taiwan media gave prominent play on Wednesday to an investigative report aired on Sunday in which CCTV reporters visited a few suppliers that Chinese environmental groups in August had said were thought to be doing business with Apple and had lax environmental standards.

SHANGHAI/TAIPEI, Oct 19 (Reuters) – Some of Apple Inc’s
suppliers in China have once again come under scrutiny,
with state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) accusing
them of causing pollution.

Taiwan media gave prominent play on Wednesday to an
investigative report aired on Sunday in which CCTV reporters
visited a few suppliers that Chinese environmental groups in
August had said were thought to be doing business with Apple and
had lax environmental standards.

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) (IHG.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) has signed 12 contracts for its new China hotel brand with the first opening of the new brand expected in late 2012 or early 2013, its China head said on Tuesday.

IHG also intends to expand the China branded hotel overseas in 2-3 years to cater to Chinese tourists abroad, said Keith Barr, IHG’s chief executive for the Greater China region.