Business Digest, February 22, 2013

A leading index for China's economy rose 1 per cent from December to 253.4, the Conference Board, a New York-based research group, said, suggesting the country's growth rebound is continuing. The index of US leading indicators rose 0.2 per cent last month, the group said. Bloomberg

China's top four state-owned banks extended 250 billion yuan (HK$311 billion) in new loans in the first half of this month, up from 180 billion yuan for the whole month of February last year, the 21st Century Business Herald reported, citing an unnamed source. It said this month's figure was for the first 17 days of the month. Reuters