Posts by Mark Darwin
Federal Reserve’s Cook warns tariffs could lower productivity, feed inflation
Published Sat, May 10, 2025 · 08:28 AM [PALO ALTO, California] President Donald Trump’s unfolding trade policy may curb US productivity and possibly require higher interest rates to contain inflation in a less efficient economy, Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook said on Friday. “I expect to see a drag on productivity in the near term stemming…
Read MoreEx-Fed’s Warsh highlights a path to lower rates, takes a fresh dig at the Fed
[PALO ALTO, California] Kevin Warsh, an apparent frontrunner to be US President Donald Trump’s pick to be the next chair of the Federal Reserve, on Friday suggested a possible pathway to the lower policy rates that Trump has repeatedly pressed the current Fed Chair Jerome Powell to deliver, and delivered a fresh dig at the Fed‘s conduct of monetary…
Read MoreUS: Dow, S&P 500 edge lower ahead of China trade talks
Published Sat, May 10, 2025 · 06:07 AM [NEW YORK] The Dow and S&P 500 edged lower on Friday following a low-key session as markets awaited weekend US-China trade talks. US President Donald Trump said an 80 per cent tariff on China “seems right” in a post on social media. The world’s two biggest economies have…
Read MoreSkip College? These Entrepreneurs Did
Thinking about skipping college to chase your entrepreneurial dreams? You’re not alone. Many successful entrepreneurs without a degree have shown that it’s possible to thrive without traditional education. However, this path comes with its own set of challenges and lessons. Let’s dive into the stories of those who took the leap and explore what it…
Read MoreJumbo’s H1 profit down 10.6% at S$7.9 million amid heightened F&B competition
[SINGAPORE] Restaurant operator Jumbo Group reported a 10.6 per cent decline in profit to S$7.9 million for the six months ended March 31, down from S$8.9 million in the year-ago period. Its revenue increased by 0.3 per cent from $97.1 million to $97.3 million in the first half of FY2025. This was mainly contributed by…
Read MoreSIA Engineering H2 net profit up 87.3% at S$70.8 million
SIA Engineering (SIAEC) reported an 87.3 per cent jump in net profit to S$70.8 million for the six months ended March 2025 from S$37.8 million in the same period the previous year. The mainboard-listed group’s revenue for the second half rose 15.3 per cent to S$668.9 million from S$580.2 million in the year-ago period, said…
Read MoreCommerzbank profit unexpectedly rises in boost to CEO Orlopp
[FRANKFURT] Commerzbank’s first-quarter profit unexpectedly rose to the highest in 14 years as commissions increased, and the German lender set aside less money than expected for souring loans. Net income increased 12 per cent from a year earlier and operating profit hit a record, Commerzbank said in a statement on Friday (May 9) from Frankfurt.…
Read MoreJapan’s Panasonic targets 10,000 job cuts worldwide
The figure represents around 4% of the firm’s total workforce of nearly 230,000 Published Fri, May 9, 2025 · 05:20 PM [TOKYO] Japanese electronics giant Panasonic said Friday (May 9) it was targeting 10,000 job cuts worldwide as part of efforts to boost productivity among its workforce. The group said it planned to “thoroughly review…
Read MoreIndonesia eyes cut in fuel imports from Singapore as part of tariffs negotiations
Indonesia could shift as much as 60% of its total fuel imports from Singapore to the United States in the early stages Published Fri, May 9, 2025 · 04:18 PM [JAKARTA] Indonesia plans to change the source of some of its fuel imports from Singapore to the United States as part of negotiations over steep…
Read MoreSingapore banks set aside extra allowances to account for heightened uncertainty
[SINGAPORE] The local banking trio have taken extra allowances in their first-quarter 2025 results amid a rise in uncertainty in the macroeconomic environment. DBS, OCBC and UOB each said this was a pre-emptive step to beef up their reserves as they navigate the impact of US tariffs and a possible economic slowdown, even as asset…
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