Posts by Mark Darwin
Morgan Stanley says Singapore market is a ‘safe haven’, raises price target for this sector
[SINGAPORE] Analysts from Morgan Stanley are strong on Singapore equities, as the market continued to outperform global stocks year to date – with a total return of 13 per cent. The local market has recorded such outperformance since 2024, pressing on as investor allocations shifted more defensively amid higher global trade uncertainties this year. “Singapore’s…
Read MoreSchool proximity may boost home prices – but not everywhere: DBS report
[SINGAPORE] Property developers such as GuocoLand could benefit from a potential rise in home prices near popular primary schools, particularly in emerging areas like Tengah New Town. Still, DBS Group Research cautioned in a report, titled “Primary school premium: Fact or Fiction?”, that price appreciation also depends on factors such as transport access, tenure, and…
Read MoreOnlyFans owner in talks to sell to investor group at about US$8 billion value: sources
[LOS ANGELES] OnlyFans owner Fenix International is in talks to sell the porn-driven company to an investor group at a valuation of around US$8 billion, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The group is led by the Forest Road Company, a Los Angeles-based investment firm, the sources said. Reuters could not identify the…
Read MoreJapan pledges immediate rice relief for consumers to prevent shift to foreign brands
[TOKYO] Japan’s new agriculture minister pledged on Friday to quickly move rice from government stockpiles to store shelves where they would be offered at prices significantly lower than current levels, seeking to stem a consumer shift to cheaper, foreign brands. Soaring rice prices, due in part to crop damage from extreme heat and additional demand…
Read MoreBank of Japan to closely watch bond market situation: governor
Published Fri, May 23, 2025 · 07:46 AM [BANFF, Canada] Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said on Thursday the central bank will closely monitor the bond market amid surging yields on super-long Japanese government bonds. “I would decline to comment specifically on short-term developments of interest rates, but of course we will closely watch…
Read MoreUS: Stocks mixed as bond yields moderate
Published Fri, May 23, 2025 · 06:10 AM [NEW YORK] Wall Street stocks finished mixed on Thursday as US Treasury bond yields moderated following House passage of President Donald Trump’s mammoth tax cut legislation. A spike on Wednesday in yields on 10- and 30-year US bonds sent stocks sharply lower amid revived worries about a sell-off in US assets…
Read MoreRajeev Mittal appointed CEO of Prudential’s asset management arm
[SINGAPORE] Rajeev Mittal will lead Prudential’s asset management business, Eastspring Investments, from Jul 1. He will replace Bill Maldonado, who will retire and return to the United Kingdom where his family has been living for the past four years, said Prudential in a press release on Thursday (May 22). Mittal will report to Prudential’s CEO…
Read MoreApac family offices favour developed market equities, bonds: UBS report
[SINGAPORE] Family offices (FOs) in the Asia-Pacific favoured equities and bonds from developed markets in 2024 and plan to increase their strategic allocations into these asset classes in 2025, a report by UBS showed. On average, an Apac FO allocated 24 per cent to equities and 20 per cent to bonds from developed markets in…
Read MoreLenovo reports 64% profit decline in fourth quarter
Published Thu, May 22, 2025 · 01:30 PM [BEIJING] China’s Lenovo, the world’s largest personal computer manufacturer, on Thursday reported a worse-than-expected 64 per cent fall in fourth-quarter profit, which it said was mostly due to a non-cash decline in the value of warrants. Lenovo reported revenue of US$16.98 billion for the quarter ended March…
Read MoreUS accepts Qatar luxury jet as Trump’s new Air Force One
[WASHINGTON] The Defense Department formally accepted a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from Qatar to temporarily serve as the new Air Force One for US President Donald Trump, one of the biggest foreign gifts ever given to the US government. The move fulfils Trump’s desire for a new presidential aircraft, after years of delays in…
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