Posts by Mark Darwin
iFast Q1 net profit rises 31.2% to S$19 million on continued growth in UK bank, wealth management platform business
[SINGAPORE] Digital bank and wealth management platform iFast said its net profit rose 31.2 per cent year on year to S$19 million for the first quarter ended Mar 31, driven by a turnaround in its UK bank. Continuing growth in the group’s core wealth management platform business also contributed. Revenue gained 24.4 per cent to…
Read MoreSamsung to invest US$117 million in southern Indian facility
Published Fri, Apr 25, 2025 · 04:59 PM [SEOUL] South Korea’s Samsung Electronics will invest US$117.09 million in its facility in southern India, a minister said on Friday (Apr 25), months after the plant faced worker protests following employee suspensions. The plant near Chennai has been in the spotlight in recent months after workers staged…
Read MoreSuntec Reit sees subdued retail sales, expects office, retail tenants to hold off expansion plans
[SINGAPORE] Office and retail tenants are expected to hold off on their expansion plans amid uncertainty over the impact of US tariffs, said the manager of Suntec real estate investment trust (Reit). Speaking at the Reit’s financial results briefing for Q1 on Friday (Apr 25), Dawn Lai, chief operating officer of the manager, said that…
Read MoreSingapore Airlines, OpenAI link up to build AI solutions to raise efficiency, customer service
SIA will also beef up its operational processes by integrating OpenAI’s advanced AI models into its existing tools [SINGAPORE] Singapore Airlines (SIA) has partnered ChatGPT-maker OpenAI to develop and execute generative artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for the airline. The tie-up with the AI company cofounded by Elon Musk will develop tools capable of interpreting text,…
Read MoreChina ramps up cash injection as it braces for tariff impact
[NEW YORK] China’s central bank is boosting cash injection via one of its policy tools as it seeks to safeguard the world’s second-largest economy from the impact of punitive US tariffs. The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) will conduct 600 billion yuan (S$108 billion) of one-year medium-term lending (MLF) facility on Friday (Apr 25) to…
Read MoreNomura weighs deeper foray into prime brokerage four years after Archegos
[LONDON] Nomura Holdings is weighing a return to offering cash prime-brokerage services in the US and Europe, businesses it largely exited just four years ago following the implosion of Archegos Capital Management. As part of the push, Nomura hired Matias Bercun, a 17-year veteran of Barclays, to run the prime brokerage business globally, according to…
Read MoreCapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust NPI slips 0.8% on lower revenue
The declines are due to absence of income from divested Collyer Quay office building [SINGAPORE] CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust posted a net property income (NPI) of S$291.5 million for its first quarter of FY2025, a 0.8 per cent fall from the previous corresponding period. This came amid lower revenue, which was down 0.8 per cent…
Read MoreMPACT struggles with leasing demand, cost of debt as Q4 DPU tumbles 14.8%
[SINGAPORE] The manager of Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust (MPACT) on Friday (Apr 25) warned of ongoing challenges – including slow leasing demand and higher-for-longer cost of debt – as distribution per unit (DPU) for the fourth quarter ended March slid 14.8 per cent year on year to S$0.0195, from S$0.0229. “Decision-making has slowed down…
Read MoreMobile Marketing: Text Your Way to Profits
Mobile marketing is changing the way businesses connect with their customers. With more people using their phones for everything from shopping to socializing, it’s crucial to have a solid plan in place. This article will explore various mobile marketing strategies, focusing on how to effectively use text messaging to boost your profits. Whether you’re just…
Read MoreMatch Group seeks to woo more singles in Asia to swipe on its apps
[SINGAPORE] Match Group, the dating app giant which owns popular platforms such as Tinder and Bumble, is eyeing Asia for new growth opportunities as it sees potential in its largely untapped pool of singles. Compared with Western markets, the penetration rate for dating apps in Asia is “much lower” at just 7 per cent, said…
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