Good morning! Morning Minutes is a round-up of stories that will break on Friday, Sept 9, and which we think you'd be interested in.

It appears on weekdays, available by 7am.

Eco-lifestyle even opens today

Green Living, an annual eco lifestyle event positioned to meet the needs of eco-conscious consumer and businesses opens today (Sept 9) at the Marina Bay Sands. Housing over 100 brands of eco-friendly products covering Sustainable Home, Eco Parents, Health & Wellness, Transportation & Mobility and Smart Technology, the event seeks to encourage visitors to adopt a greener approach to their lifestyle. There are over 40 workshops and seminars which the public can attend throughout the three days of the event which ends on Sept 11.

Philippine President Duterte, Indonesian President Widodo to meet for talks

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will meet his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo for talks in Jakarta today (Sept 9), as he begins his first state visit. The two leaders will likely discuss, among other issues, Indonesians held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf militant group based in the Philippines and maritime security in the Sulu Sea. They may also discuss their respective anti-drug campaigns, as both countries have declared a war on drugs.

Meeting on South Korean interest rates

South Korea's central bank is forecast to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at its meeting today (Sept 9) as board members would prefer to wait for the US Federal Reserve's next policy decision in two weeks. Economists expect Bank of Korea (BOK) Governor Lee Ju Yeol and his board to hold the rate at a record low of 1.25 per cent. The bank last cut, unexpectedly, in June. Even if the BOK doesn't act at this meeting, there could be dissenters calling for a cut, which would raise the likelihood of policy easing in coming months.

Malaysian industrial figures out today

Malaysia's will release its July industrial production figures today (Sept 9), which are expected to have expanded 4.3 per cent from a year earlier, slower than the previous month's 5.3 per cent rise. The numbers could disappoint given Malaysia's exports in that month fell unexpectedly, hurt by a slowdown in China, weak oil prices and slumping demand for the country's commodities. The trade-dependent South-east Asian economy has been hit by weak global demand, particularly for its key commodities, and if domestic consumption pulls back from current levels the pressure on factory production could ramp up.