Business news for Mon, 17 Dec 2007 & with word net. 9 news.

STATE energy, telecommunications and tobacco companies will be paying the highest portion of their profit as dividend to the central government from next year, reflecting their monopoly status. Twelve energy firms, including China National Petroleum Corp and State Grid Corp of China, five telecom operators led by China Mobile Communications Corp, and the China National Tobacco Corp are in the first category which has to pay 10 percent of their net profit, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission said yesterday. China plans to start collecting dividends from the 150-plus state firms under the central government's direct control starting next year, with the money used to finance the nation's strategic planning and for social security purposes, the State Council, or China's Cabinet, has said. Another 99 large state-owned enterprises directly controlled by the central government, including metal producers and air carriers, which come into the second category,

Pfizer increased its quarterly dividend by 10%, two months after the drug maker posted a 77% plunge in third-quarter net income.

INTERNATIONAL buying of United States financial assets rose twice as much as expected in October as investors snapped up Treasury securities at the fastest pace in almost two years. Total holdings of equities, notes and bonds increased a net US$114 billion, after a revised increase of US$15.4 billion in September, the Treasury Department said yesterday. Including short-term securities such as Treasury bills and non-market trades such as stock swaps, foreigners bought a net US$97.8 billion, compared with selling of US$32.8 billion a month before. Purchases of US equities in October were the most in five months, helping offset net selling by China, the report showed.

TV host Regis Philbin is saluting caring Americans in 2008--with Hallmark Channel's help. Developed in partnership with Omnicom's Full Circle Entertainment, the net will launch "Hallmark Heroes with Regis Philbin." The show targets ordinary Americans who make extraordinary contributions to their communities.

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - The U.S. current account deficit narrowed in the third quarter to $178.5 billion, or 5.1% of gross domestic product, the Commerce Department said Monday. It's the smallest current account deficit as a share of the economy since the first quarter of 2004. The decline in the deficit was accounted for by a decrease in the deficit in trade of goods and an increase in the surplus on income. Net financial inflows decreased to $93.4 billion in the third quarter from $152.8 billion in the second as foreigners slowed their purchases of U.S. financial assets.

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- KBR on Monday said it expects 2008 earnings of $1.30 to $1.60 a share. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial forecast earnings of $1.51 a share, on average. KBR, formerly known as Kellogg Brown & Root, was spun off Halliburton late last year.

Think you've got the stuff to deal with the superrich? Then don your best Herm

Banking institutions that cater to high net worth families are discovering that helping clients give money away helps the banks, too. The Chicago offices of Goldman Sachs Group Inc., J. P. Morgan Private Bank and Harris Private Bank, among others, have hired philanthropy experts to offer guidance ...