Japan Pension Fund Association Tells Cash-Rich Companies to Pay Up or Grow

(Bloomberg) -- Japan's Pension Fund Association,
which oversees $107 billion of stocks and bonds, plans to use
annual shareholder meetings to pressure companies with excess
cash reserves to pay out or expand.

The pension manager will vote against the re-election of
board members of companies whose return on equity has been less
than 8 percent for each of the past three years, in line with a
policy set in February, said Taku Yamamoto, head of the fund's
investment department.


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Asian Stocks Rebound From Two-Week Low on Fed Report; Toyota, Samsung Gain

(Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks rebounded from a two-week
low after U.S. retail sales rose more than expected and the
Federal Reserve said the world's biggest economy is growing
without stoking inflation.

Toyota Motor Corp. and Samsung Electronics Co. led exporters
higher as the Fed's comments damped speculation the U.S. will
raise interest rates. BHP Billiton Ltd. advanced to a record after
metals and crude oil prices climbed.


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