| * South Africa faces rocky road ahead * Ukraine close to shale gas deal * Asia stocks advance on outlook for federal stimulus * Brazil pledges to press ahead with landmark oil auction * US offers $1.6bn in aid to Pakistan ahead of White House talks * Indonesia's clans fall foul of bribery probes ahead of 2014 poll * China looks to municipal bonds to clean up local-government debt Markets: up! South Africa faces rocky road ahead
Onus is on the government to improve the investment climate and help foster the growth rates required to tackle the nation's social pressures
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e991e090-37ec-11e3-a493-00144feab7de.html Ukraine close to shale gas deal
Kiev hopes production-sharing agreements with international energy groups will enable it to reduce dependency on costly imports from Russia
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/06fe2f60-3966-11e3-a3a4-00144feab7de.html Asia stocks advance on outlook for federal stimulus
Asian stocks rose, with the regional benchmark index extending its advance from a five-month high, amid speculation the Federal Reserve will delay stimulus cuts.
http://bloom.bg/1c7Vpog Brazil pledges to press ahead with landmark oil auction
Brazil has vowed to press ahead with Monday's auction of the first of its giant offshore oil discoveries to be sold under a new regulatory regime, despite lower-than-expected industry interest and union opposition.
http://on.ft.com/19UXJHv US offers $1.6bn in aid to Pakistan ahead of White House talks
The White House has quietly cleared the way for the release of $1.6bn in military and economic assistance to Pakistan ahead of Wednesday's meeting between Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Barack Obama, senior Pakistani officials and western diplomats said.
http://on.ft.com/19ULU47 Indonesia's clans fall foul of bribery probes ahead of 2014 poll
With her broad perma-smile, tightly fitted hijab and religious airs, Banten governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah, does not give the impression that she is the don of a powerful political clan. But this open secret has been propelled to the top of the news agenda following thearrest of Indonesia's chief constitutional court judge this month on allegations that he took bribes to influence rulings on disputed local elections.
http://on.ft.com/1a44Cuc China looks to municipal bonds to clean up local-government debt
China may decide next month to expand a trial program allowing local governments to sell bonds, in response to concerns that their huge borrowings are largely hidden from view and pose a risk to the stability of the nation's financial system.
http://reut.rs/1fO8m7q Emerging Markets
MSCI Emerging Market Index up +0.78% at 1,042 Americas
DJIA up +0.18% at 15,400
S&P 500 up +0.65% at 1,745
Bovespa up +0.04% at 55,378 Asia
Nikkei 225 up +0.46% at 14,629
Topix down -0.06% at 1,206
Hang Seng up +0.59% at 23,477
Shanghai Composite up +1.13% at 2,219
MSCI Asia ex-Japan up +0.02% at 560.54
CNX Nifty up +0.42% at 6,215 Currencies
€/$ 1.37 (1.37)
$/¥ 97.94 (97.70) Commodities
Brent Crude (ICE) up +0.01 at 109.95
Light Crude (Nymex) down -0.01 at 100.80
100 Oz Gold (Comex) unchanged 0.00 at 1,314 | 
