Posts by Mark Darwin
China’s answer to World Bank could open Singapore, HK offices: sources
[BEIJING] The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is looking to open new offices in Hong Kong and Singapore, according to people familiar with the matter, in a plan that would mark its biggest expansion since beginning operations in Beijing almost a decade ago. The multilateral lender, which had more than US$57 billion in assets at the…
Read MoreChina plans commodities overhaul to attract global investors
CHINA is on the cusp of its biggest move yet to open up its vast commodities markets, after the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) unveiled an internationalisation plan to streamline access for overseas investors. The country’s biggest raw materials bourse is soliciting views on a proposal to let participants post foreign exchange as collateral for yuan-denominated…
Read MoreTencent Music buys SM Entertainment stake in K-pop bet
[SEOUL] A Tencent Holdings subsidiary is snapping up a nearly 10 per cent stake in SM Entertainment valued at about US$180 million, marking a rare Chinese investment into a South Korean company in recent years. Tencent Music Entertainment Group, which is controlled by Tencent, will buy the stake from BTS agency Hybe, which is selling…
Read MoreUS warns Pirelli risks restrictions due to Chinese investor
[MILAN] The US government warned Italy’s Pirelli & C that vehicles containing its advanced sensors technology could be restricted from sale in America due to concerns over the influence of the tiremaker’s Chinese investor. The informal advisory, outlined in a letter dated Apr 25 by the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security – known…
Read MoreNew Zealand central bank cuts cash rate by 25 bps
Published Wed, May 28, 2025 · 10:39 AM [WELLINGTON] New Zealand’s central bank cut its benchmark official cash rate by 25 basis points to 3.25 per cent on Wednesday, as policymakers sought to revive a struggling economy and buffer it from the impact of global trade disruptions. The decision was in line with a Reuters…
Read MoreGold stages rebound as US dollar, Treasury yields slip
Published Wed, May 28, 2025 · 09:38 AM [BENGALURU] Gold prices gained on Wednesday (May 28), helped by a slight retreat in the US dollar and lower US bond yields as investors await a US core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index report due later this week for interest rate clues. Spot gold was up…
Read MoreStocks to watch: OCBC, Amara, Valuetronics
[SINGAPORE] The following companies saw new developments that may affect trading of their securities on Wednesday (May 28). OCBC: The bank announced on May 27 key leadership changes to its global wholesale banking franchise, to take effect on Oct 1. Among the changes, Elaine Heng, now OCBC’s group chief strategy and transformation officer, will succeed…
Read MoreGM to invest US$888 million for engine production at New York facility
Published Wed, May 28, 2025 · 07:39 AM [DETROIT] General Motors is investing US$888 million at a New York propulsion plant to increase engine production and build a next-generation V8, the company said on Tuesday. The investment at the Tonawanda propulsion plant in Buffalo, New York, first reported by Reuters, is a shift from a…
Read MoreUS: Stocks jump on easing tariff worries, lower bond yields
[NEW YORK] Wall Street stocks jumped on Tuesday after President Donald Trump pushed back tariffs on Europe while US Treasury bond yields retreated following last week’s surge. Trump on Monday said he would pause his threatened 50-per cent tariffs on the European Union until July 9 to allow for talks, reversing an escalation that upset markets on…
Read MoreSaudi Aramco kicks off its first dollar bond sale this year
The world’s biggest oil exporter is selling bonds with five, 10 and 30-year maturities Published Tue, May 27, 2025 · 09:25 PM [RIYADH] Saudi Aramco started the sale of dollar-denominated debt, extending the company’s borrowings as it looks to leverage its balance sheet. The world’s biggest oil exporter is selling bonds with five, 10 and…
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